I think I'm nearing the end of my rope. This figurative pile of work in front of me is so large, I can't even begin to see the shining beacon of light on the other side which goes by the name of Christmas Break. I know that I only have myself to blame, as I am a chronic procrastinator with no hope of changing. I just have a hard time bringing myself to bother doing the work. There has yet to be a project put in front of me this year that I was incapable of doing. In fact, I think if I put my best efforts in on every assignment I could have done very well in this course. But I have this everlasting tendency to do very well in classes that I like, and then barely scrape by in everything else. I just don't have a strong enough motivation in school, I'd rather be working and making money. Since I'm in school and have already paid out of my own pocket, I'm going to to stick it out and do my best to break these habits. I've considered attempting to transfer into sports journalism; I think I'd do a better job if I cared about the course a little more.
I hope everything has a great break and enjoys whichever holiday they choose to celebrate. For those of you who will choose not to return to this course next semester for whatever reason, I wish you luck in whichever path you may choose.
Keep on keeping on.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Western Conference Prediction
1) Detroit (Central)--> It takes a gambling man to bet against the Wings, who kept their Stanley Cup winning roster intact and added sniper Marian Hossa to the fold. The only possible factor that could hold this team back would be a poor season from goalie Chris Osgood
2) Dallas (Pacific)--> If Sean Avery can be the effective player that he proved to be at times with the Rangers, the Stars will be a tough team to beat in the West. They have above average scoring, solid defense and an All-Star goalie in Marty Turco.
3) Calgary (Northwest)--> Captain Iginla now has a bona-fide winger to play with in Mike Cammalleri, and Todd Bertuzzi is looking rejuvenated. If goalie Mikka Kiprusoff can return to All-Star form, the Flames will be a big contender.
4) San Jose (Pacific)--> A returning group of forwards will be joined by a revamped blueline which includes veteran stars Dan Boyle and Rob Blake. Evgeni Nabokov is capable of stealing games in net.
5) Edmonton (Northwest)--> One of the NHL's most improved teams, the Oilers have a great core of young players and acquired some veteran help in gritty forward Erik Cole and speedy defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky. Mathieu Garon will have to continue his progression between the pipes.
6) Anaheim (Pacific)--> The Ducks have taken a step backwards, but will still compete. They have potential All-Stars at every position, but their depth has been destroyed by Burke's attempts to fix salary cap woes.
7) Chicago (Central)--> The Hawks have surrounded young leader Jonathon Toews with an abundance of talent, including their biggest off-season acquisition, puck-moving blueliner Brian Campbell. This team could surprise a lot of people this season.
8) Vancouver (Northwest)--> The Canucks will continue to have scoring woes, which will prevent them from reaching the upper tier of the conference. But world-class goaltending from Roberto Luongo and a strong blueline will help this team squeak into the playoffs.
9) Phoenix (Pacific)--> An exciting team with a bunch of young talent, the Coyotes' lack of experience will hold them back in the playoff race. Look for this team to be a contender in the next 2 or 3 years.
10) Minnesota (Northwest)--> Coach Jacques Lemaire's defensive minded system will keep this team in every game, but distractions stemming from the Marian Gaborik contract debacle, lack of scoring depth and goaltending questions will keep this team out of the playoffs.
11) L.A. Kings (Pacific)--> The Kings have perhaps the brightest future of any NHL team, especially on the blueline, but they are not ready for the next step. Goaltending will be their main issue until top prospect Jonathon Bernier is ready.
12) Columbus (Central)--> The Bluejackets made a lot of moves this off-season, in an attempt to surround Rick Nash with more talent. In order to reach the playoff level, Nash will have to score like a Hart Candidate, and Pascal Leclaire must prove that he can handle the grind of a full season in net.
13) Nashville (Central)--> It will take a repeat performance from Dan Ellis in net for this team to be anywhere near the playoff picture, after losing a top young scorer in Alex Radulov to the KHL. The Predators will struggle to score this season.
14) Colorado (Northwest)--> The Avs' biggest downfall will be in net, as a tandem of Peter Budaj and Leafs' cast-off Andrew Raycroft is far from promising. Huge years from Sakic and Stastny will be key if the Avs are to make any noise.
15) St. Louis (Central)--> A team made up of aging veterans and young kids, the Blues could end up almost anywhere in the West, depending on the contributions of rookies who are being asked to play large roles. The loss of former first overall pick, defenceman Erik Johnson, is a huge loss for this team.
2) Dallas (Pacific)--> If Sean Avery can be the effective player that he proved to be at times with the Rangers, the Stars will be a tough team to beat in the West. They have above average scoring, solid defense and an All-Star goalie in Marty Turco.
3) Calgary (Northwest)--> Captain Iginla now has a bona-fide winger to play with in Mike Cammalleri, and Todd Bertuzzi is looking rejuvenated. If goalie Mikka Kiprusoff can return to All-Star form, the Flames will be a big contender.
4) San Jose (Pacific)--> A returning group of forwards will be joined by a revamped blueline which includes veteran stars Dan Boyle and Rob Blake. Evgeni Nabokov is capable of stealing games in net.
5) Edmonton (Northwest)--> One of the NHL's most improved teams, the Oilers have a great core of young players and acquired some veteran help in gritty forward Erik Cole and speedy defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky. Mathieu Garon will have to continue his progression between the pipes.
6) Anaheim (Pacific)--> The Ducks have taken a step backwards, but will still compete. They have potential All-Stars at every position, but their depth has been destroyed by Burke's attempts to fix salary cap woes.
7) Chicago (Central)--> The Hawks have surrounded young leader Jonathon Toews with an abundance of talent, including their biggest off-season acquisition, puck-moving blueliner Brian Campbell. This team could surprise a lot of people this season.
8) Vancouver (Northwest)--> The Canucks will continue to have scoring woes, which will prevent them from reaching the upper tier of the conference. But world-class goaltending from Roberto Luongo and a strong blueline will help this team squeak into the playoffs.
9) Phoenix (Pacific)--> An exciting team with a bunch of young talent, the Coyotes' lack of experience will hold them back in the playoff race. Look for this team to be a contender in the next 2 or 3 years.
10) Minnesota (Northwest)--> Coach Jacques Lemaire's defensive minded system will keep this team in every game, but distractions stemming from the Marian Gaborik contract debacle, lack of scoring depth and goaltending questions will keep this team out of the playoffs.
11) L.A. Kings (Pacific)--> The Kings have perhaps the brightest future of any NHL team, especially on the blueline, but they are not ready for the next step. Goaltending will be their main issue until top prospect Jonathon Bernier is ready.
12) Columbus (Central)--> The Bluejackets made a lot of moves this off-season, in an attempt to surround Rick Nash with more talent. In order to reach the playoff level, Nash will have to score like a Hart Candidate, and Pascal Leclaire must prove that he can handle the grind of a full season in net.
13) Nashville (Central)--> It will take a repeat performance from Dan Ellis in net for this team to be anywhere near the playoff picture, after losing a top young scorer in Alex Radulov to the KHL. The Predators will struggle to score this season.
14) Colorado (Northwest)--> The Avs' biggest downfall will be in net, as a tandem of Peter Budaj and Leafs' cast-off Andrew Raycroft is far from promising. Huge years from Sakic and Stastny will be key if the Avs are to make any noise.
15) St. Louis (Central)--> A team made up of aging veterans and young kids, the Blues could end up almost anywhere in the West, depending on the contributions of rookies who are being asked to play large roles. The loss of former first overall pick, defenceman Erik Johnson, is a huge loss for this team.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
NHL Regular Season Preview
With the exception of the four games played in Europe this past week, the NHL regular season will finally begin this week. Here are my predictions for the Eastern Conference Standings (Western Conference to follow):
1)Montreal (Northeast) → GM Bob Gainey kept the key components of a great team from last year together, while adding underrated forwards Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang to the fold. The key to their success will be the emergence of young goalie Carey Price.
2) Washington (Southeast)→ The Washington Capitals can no longer be labeled as Alex Ovechkin’s team. George McPhee has surrounded his prize sniper with a good nucleus of young talent, including Niklas Backstrom, who is poised for a huge year.
3) Philadelphia (Atlantic)→ In the closest divisional race, the Flyers will narrowly defeat Pittsburgh and the Rangers for the Atlantic Division title. Philly has great depth up front and a solid blue line, and some good young prospects knocking on the door, which keeps the veterans on their toes.
4) Pittsburgh (Atlantic)→ After a trip to the Cup Finals last season, look for the Pens to get off to a sluggish start. Unfortunately for the rest of the league, you can only hold talents such as Crosby and Malkin down for so long. The loss of top defenceman Sergei Gonchar will be a big blow.
5) New York Rangers (Atlantic)→ The Rangers are a tough team to make a prediction for, because of the large amount of changes made in the off-season. That being said, it’s easy to see that they have a lot of talent, and world-class goaltender Henrik Lundquist will keep them in every game.
6) Boston (Northeast)→ I see Boston as a team that deserves more respect. They were very close to knocking off Montreal last season and made some subtle upgrades this off-season, which should continue to push them in the right direction.
7) Ottawa (Northeast)→ Goaltending will continue to be an issue for the Sens, but they are still too deep and talented up front to miss the playoffs. That being said, if things don’t go their way this season, look for massive changes in the Nation’s Capital.
8) Tampa Bay (Southeast)→ One of the more intriguing teams going into this season, Tampa can boast a bevy of offensive punch up front. Their success will be determined by the play of their young, inexperienced blueline, and unproven goaltending.
9) Carolina (Southeast)→ The Canes could easily be a playoff team this season, as they have some of the league’s best offensive depth. I see them just barely missing out of the big dance after a close race with their divisional rivals from Tampa Bay. Carolina’s defence will be their downfall, as they have little top end talent to boast on the blueline.
10) Buffalo (Northeast)→ A fast, exciting offensive team, Buffalo will still fall short of the playoffs due to lack of experience and grit. They may make a push if young sniper Thomas Vanek explodes for a big year.
11) Florida (Southeast)→ The Panthers are a young and improving team, but will be distracted all year by the saga of franchise defenceman Jay Boumeester, who is rumoured to want out of the Sunshine State.
12) New Jersey (Atlantic)→ The Devils brought back some aging talent in attempt to return to their glory years, but I see their plan backfiring. This team will always ride on the aging back of goaltender Martin Brodeur, and I see this as the year he finally begins to decline.
13) Toronto (Northeast)→ Good goaltending and a lot of grit will keep the Leafs from falling to the basement in the East, but there is no scoring depth up front at all. Look for more players to be unloaded at the trade deadline for picks and prospects.
14) New York Islanders (Atlantic)→ The Isles are going with an abundance of youth this season, and that will cause some growing pains as the year wears on. The biggest storyline on the Island is whether or not prized-prospect Kyle Okposo will live up to expectations.
15) Atlanta ( Southeast)→ The Thrashers may as well change their name to the Atlanta Kovalchuks, as they possess no bona-fide scoring besides their Russian sniper. It will take some huge seasons from young and unproven players for this team to avoid the basement.
1)Montreal (Northeast) → GM Bob Gainey kept the key components of a great team from last year together, while adding underrated forwards Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang to the fold. The key to their success will be the emergence of young goalie Carey Price.
2) Washington (Southeast)→ The Washington Capitals can no longer be labeled as Alex Ovechkin’s team. George McPhee has surrounded his prize sniper with a good nucleus of young talent, including Niklas Backstrom, who is poised for a huge year.
3) Philadelphia (Atlantic)→ In the closest divisional race, the Flyers will narrowly defeat Pittsburgh and the Rangers for the Atlantic Division title. Philly has great depth up front and a solid blue line, and some good young prospects knocking on the door, which keeps the veterans on their toes.
4) Pittsburgh (Atlantic)→ After a trip to the Cup Finals last season, look for the Pens to get off to a sluggish start. Unfortunately for the rest of the league, you can only hold talents such as Crosby and Malkin down for so long. The loss of top defenceman Sergei Gonchar will be a big blow.
5) New York Rangers (Atlantic)→ The Rangers are a tough team to make a prediction for, because of the large amount of changes made in the off-season. That being said, it’s easy to see that they have a lot of talent, and world-class goaltender Henrik Lundquist will keep them in every game.
6) Boston (Northeast)→ I see Boston as a team that deserves more respect. They were very close to knocking off Montreal last season and made some subtle upgrades this off-season, which should continue to push them in the right direction.
7) Ottawa (Northeast)→ Goaltending will continue to be an issue for the Sens, but they are still too deep and talented up front to miss the playoffs. That being said, if things don’t go their way this season, look for massive changes in the Nation’s Capital.
8) Tampa Bay (Southeast)→ One of the more intriguing teams going into this season, Tampa can boast a bevy of offensive punch up front. Their success will be determined by the play of their young, inexperienced blueline, and unproven goaltending.
9) Carolina (Southeast)→ The Canes could easily be a playoff team this season, as they have some of the league’s best offensive depth. I see them just barely missing out of the big dance after a close race with their divisional rivals from Tampa Bay. Carolina’s defence will be their downfall, as they have little top end talent to boast on the blueline.
10) Buffalo (Northeast)→ A fast, exciting offensive team, Buffalo will still fall short of the playoffs due to lack of experience and grit. They may make a push if young sniper Thomas Vanek explodes for a big year.
11) Florida (Southeast)→ The Panthers are a young and improving team, but will be distracted all year by the saga of franchise defenceman Jay Boumeester, who is rumoured to want out of the Sunshine State.
12) New Jersey (Atlantic)→ The Devils brought back some aging talent in attempt to return to their glory years, but I see their plan backfiring. This team will always ride on the aging back of goaltender Martin Brodeur, and I see this as the year he finally begins to decline.
13) Toronto (Northeast)→ Good goaltending and a lot of grit will keep the Leafs from falling to the basement in the East, but there is no scoring depth up front at all. Look for more players to be unloaded at the trade deadline for picks and prospects.
14) New York Islanders (Atlantic)→ The Isles are going with an abundance of youth this season, and that will cause some growing pains as the year wears on. The biggest storyline on the Island is whether or not prized-prospect Kyle Okposo will live up to expectations.
15) Atlanta ( Southeast)→ The Thrashers may as well change their name to the Atlanta Kovalchuks, as they possess no bona-fide scoring besides their Russian sniper. It will take some huge seasons from young and unproven players for this team to avoid the basement.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A random idea
I was driving one night about a week ago when a close call ahead of me gave me an idea.
Note: (For those who may find the story boring and only want to read the idea, skip the following paragraph).
The driver who was two cars ahead of me was signaling a left turn, but seemed to have trouble finding the side road. The man who was impatiently driving the car between us seemed to know where the road was, because he suddenly sped up when he thought the car ahead of him ought to have been turning. The first driver, not knowing where the road was, stopped dead, rather than slowing and turning. This caused the man ahead of me to swerve and slam on his breaks, narrowly avoiding the other car. It reinforced one obvious point: that impatient drivers cause accidents; but it also brought up a new one. When drivers traveling on highways (especially at night) are attempting to turn onto roads they are unfamiliar with or can’t find, it can lead to close calls or even accidents.
Note: (Those without attention spans start reading here).
So my idea is pretty simple, though still possibly far-fetched. The way our system is setup right now, there is a sign that warns you of a road coming a few hundred metres up, and then a sign right after the road. However, there doesn’t seem to be any set distance used for each road, which means that it is sometimes hard to find them. I think that there should be two signs which are two-sided , on either side of the road (let’s say 20 feet away from the edge of the road on each side). This would mean that drivers coming from either direction could simply look up and see that they have to turn in the exact middle of the two signs ahead of them. I think it would be simple enough for even the most novice drivers to figure out.
Note: (For those who may find the story boring and only want to read the idea, skip the following paragraph).
The driver who was two cars ahead of me was signaling a left turn, but seemed to have trouble finding the side road. The man who was impatiently driving the car between us seemed to know where the road was, because he suddenly sped up when he thought the car ahead of him ought to have been turning. The first driver, not knowing where the road was, stopped dead, rather than slowing and turning. This caused the man ahead of me to swerve and slam on his breaks, narrowly avoiding the other car. It reinforced one obvious point: that impatient drivers cause accidents; but it also brought up a new one. When drivers traveling on highways (especially at night) are attempting to turn onto roads they are unfamiliar with or can’t find, it can lead to close calls or even accidents.
Note: (Those without attention spans start reading here).
So my idea is pretty simple, though still possibly far-fetched. The way our system is setup right now, there is a sign that warns you of a road coming a few hundred metres up, and then a sign right after the road. However, there doesn’t seem to be any set distance used for each road, which means that it is sometimes hard to find them. I think that there should be two signs which are two-sided , on either side of the road (let’s say 20 feet away from the edge of the road on each side). This would mean that drivers coming from either direction could simply look up and see that they have to turn in the exact middle of the two signs ahead of them. I think it would be simple enough for even the most novice drivers to figure out.
Leafs management missing big picture
(as first posted on hockeybuzz.com in July 2007)
There are many sports experts who compare the Leafs to the MLB's New York Yankees, the big-bad empire of riches, hell bent on winning without any consideration for monetary costs. Beloved by their legion of fans, and hated by all others. But there is one main difference between the Leafs and Yanks, and in reality between the MLB and the NHL, the Yankees can buy a contender year after year, and the Leafs have failed to do so for generations. You see, in baseball, when you really look at it, there is only one batter at the plate, and only one pitcher on the mound. A baseball team can keep adding expensive individuals to it's roster and in most cases, continue to improve it's team. The same can not be said for the NHL, which can best be proven by this year's Stanley Cup Champion, the Anaheim Ducks. Yes, the Ducks did sign and trade for some of their better players (Niedermayer, Pronger), high-priced veterans who were vital to the team's success. However, they did so after first building an excellent young nucleus of young supporting talent. Say what you want about the expensive stars on that team, but I don't see a championship without the contributions of Getzlaf, Perry, Penner, Beauchemin, McDonald, Bryzgalov, Pahlsson and Kunitz, all players under 30 who have played their whole, or atleast the majority of their careers in the Anaheim system.
Now back to my point about the Leafs. If you look at the moves this franchise has made, even going back decades in time, it is quite evident that there have been few, if any attempts to rebuild this team. Signing high priced free agents and trading draft picks for aging veterans is not rebuilding. Bringing in a 33 year old winger on a 5 year contract, and trading your first two draft picks for a 30 year old goaltender is not rebuilding. It is ok to add these type of pieces once you have established a strong young core, to put your team over the top, but the Leafs simply continue to add to a group of players who have never, and will never, bring them great success. In fact, as I look at the Leafs roster and prospects, I see zero, and i repeat zero players who will almost surely be first line caliber players 3 years from now, assuming Sundin retires by then. In comparison, again using the Ducks as an example, Getzlaf and Perry have showed enough to almost assure themselves top line duty as early as next season. Kunitz already skated on the top line this past season, and Bobby Ryan looks like a potential first liner as well. The Leafs are never able to add these types of players because all of their draft picks are used to obtain aging veterans year after year.
The fact is, no matter how terribly the Leafs perform, I highly doubt there will ever be concerns selling tickets. If the team performs poorly, while still showing commitment to adding good young talented players, true fans will understand and will withstand the rebuilding process in order to enjoy the payoff at the end. I look at a team like the L.A. Kings, and begin to envy their fans. They are the perfect definition of how to rebuild your team into a contender. Starting with the net out, the team has a great blue-chip goalie of the future in Jonathon Bernier, and has many great young pieces such as Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Patrick O'Sullivan, Mike Cammalleri, Dustin Brown, Brian Boyle, Lauri Tukonen and Trevor Lewis. Realizing the potential of their team, GM Dean Lombardi used this off-season to add veterans to his great young core, players such as Handzus, Nagy, Preissing, Stuart and Calder.
There is a difference between adding veterans to a non-playoff team with little potential and expecting growth, and adding veterans to a core of potential stars. The Leafs management really needs to look at it's roster and realize that they own very little potential, and the best thing for the organization would be to stop paying for high priced veterans, stop trading away draft picks and start establishing a core of young players with promise for the future. Put away your wallet Ferguson, money doesn't bring happiness, especially when your idea of happiness is winning.
(note: Since this blog was first published, the Leafs have taken some baby steps towards rebuilding their sad franchise)
There are many sports experts who compare the Leafs to the MLB's New York Yankees, the big-bad empire of riches, hell bent on winning without any consideration for monetary costs. Beloved by their legion of fans, and hated by all others. But there is one main difference between the Leafs and Yanks, and in reality between the MLB and the NHL, the Yankees can buy a contender year after year, and the Leafs have failed to do so for generations. You see, in baseball, when you really look at it, there is only one batter at the plate, and only one pitcher on the mound. A baseball team can keep adding expensive individuals to it's roster and in most cases, continue to improve it's team. The same can not be said for the NHL, which can best be proven by this year's Stanley Cup Champion, the Anaheim Ducks. Yes, the Ducks did sign and trade for some of their better players (Niedermayer, Pronger), high-priced veterans who were vital to the team's success. However, they did so after first building an excellent young nucleus of young supporting talent. Say what you want about the expensive stars on that team, but I don't see a championship without the contributions of Getzlaf, Perry, Penner, Beauchemin, McDonald, Bryzgalov, Pahlsson and Kunitz, all players under 30 who have played their whole, or atleast the majority of their careers in the Anaheim system.
Now back to my point about the Leafs. If you look at the moves this franchise has made, even going back decades in time, it is quite evident that there have been few, if any attempts to rebuild this team. Signing high priced free agents and trading draft picks for aging veterans is not rebuilding. Bringing in a 33 year old winger on a 5 year contract, and trading your first two draft picks for a 30 year old goaltender is not rebuilding. It is ok to add these type of pieces once you have established a strong young core, to put your team over the top, but the Leafs simply continue to add to a group of players who have never, and will never, bring them great success. In fact, as I look at the Leafs roster and prospects, I see zero, and i repeat zero players who will almost surely be first line caliber players 3 years from now, assuming Sundin retires by then. In comparison, again using the Ducks as an example, Getzlaf and Perry have showed enough to almost assure themselves top line duty as early as next season. Kunitz already skated on the top line this past season, and Bobby Ryan looks like a potential first liner as well. The Leafs are never able to add these types of players because all of their draft picks are used to obtain aging veterans year after year.
The fact is, no matter how terribly the Leafs perform, I highly doubt there will ever be concerns selling tickets. If the team performs poorly, while still showing commitment to adding good young talented players, true fans will understand and will withstand the rebuilding process in order to enjoy the payoff at the end. I look at a team like the L.A. Kings, and begin to envy their fans. They are the perfect definition of how to rebuild your team into a contender. Starting with the net out, the team has a great blue-chip goalie of the future in Jonathon Bernier, and has many great young pieces such as Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Patrick O'Sullivan, Mike Cammalleri, Dustin Brown, Brian Boyle, Lauri Tukonen and Trevor Lewis. Realizing the potential of their team, GM Dean Lombardi used this off-season to add veterans to his great young core, players such as Handzus, Nagy, Preissing, Stuart and Calder.
There is a difference between adding veterans to a non-playoff team with little potential and expecting growth, and adding veterans to a core of potential stars. The Leafs management really needs to look at it's roster and realize that they own very little potential, and the best thing for the organization would be to stop paying for high priced veterans, stop trading away draft picks and start establishing a core of young players with promise for the future. Put away your wallet Ferguson, money doesn't bring happiness, especially when your idea of happiness is winning.
(note: Since this blog was first published, the Leafs have taken some baby steps towards rebuilding their sad franchise)
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