Friday Morning Fog

Wanted: Cinderella?
Well last night the slipper fell off the foot of the USF Bulls amisdt a strong outing by Ray Rice (41 Carries 187 Yds) and a string of mistakes by USF. Grothe looked incredible at many points during the game but wilted in many key situations and tried to do too much or wait too long to make a decision. The sack on 1st and 10 from the 50 for a loss of 12 with 1 minute left was unacceptable. The resulting spike leaves you with a lost down and a 3 and 22 without running a positive play when you are driving the ball. That is the dumbest thing I've seen in, well a week. Since Cal's back-up QB scrambled for 8 yds on 1st and 10 from the Oregon St 15 down three with no timeouts and 17 seconds left to lose the game instead of throwing it away. Yesterday's win (I won't call it an upset because let's face it, USF has been ranked all of 4 weeks in their history and Rutgers is streaky and inconsistent) has all but assured one thing, The National Championship game will include one or more teams with one or two loses. There is no other way to have a game. IF for some reason BC runs the table in a decent ACC does anyone really want to watch a Boston College v Ohio St National Title Game. Well besides Doug Flutie and Kirk Herbstreit. The only way to have an enjoyable, exciting National Title Game is if it includes an LSU, South Carolina, Oklahoma or USC. NCAA needs a playoff. Complain about missed time and all that, but let's face it, if your team is good enough to make the playoff, your kids aren't going to class anyways, unless of course you are Boston College.


LET THEM PLAY!!!
Not using this as an excuse but the 3rd and 22 at the end of the game was not Offensive Pass interference. Sure people (including DG2) are going to say you're just making excuses but think about it. The rule is, Offensive pass interference occurs when the offensive player(s) uses blatant contact to gain an advantage. In the game of football offensive pass interference is generally called when the receiver extends their arms to gain separation. The ball was a perfectly thrown Fade Stop (Go past the sticks, if the DB is running with u stop, ball will be to your back shoulder) and the receiver did not extend his arms. His arms were on the DBs back but there was no push. It was an situation where the refs are assuming that on a 22yd conversion attempt there is going to be a penalty, either a DB holding or a push off, so that when any contact occurrs, no matter how small, they throw a flag. These are 18-22 yr old kids playing a sport they love and you're gonna take the game into your hands. Same with the personal foul calls that were iffy at best resulting in a different complex of the game. Go back to my post from April about the NCAA tourny. I'm not saying the refs cost USF the game, they did that to themselves, but honestly Stripes? Let the kids have fun.


RAINBOW WARRIORS
Hawaii remains undefeated and is one of the remaining undefeated teams in the country (OSU, BC, Hawaii, ASU) begging the question, can they sneak into a BCS game like Boise St did last season. Looking down the line it is fair to assume that Boston College will be bitten by the (upset) bug. Arizona State still has to play Cal, USC and Oregon and I am going to assure you now, Ohio State will lose at least one game this season. As a result those teams can be expected to fall in the BCS. USF can run the table if they get past Louisville and UCONN in november on the road (thank global warming) and if Colt Brennan can limit his picks (9 in last two games, 1 in the 5 before.) Hawaii can sneak into the top 8 of the BCS rankings and bid for a major bowl off the Island for the first time in school history.


SO LONG JOE
Yesterday ESPN pulled the biggest (expletive) tease in the history of sports. They set up the contract offer like it had been accepted for 15 minutes and then told the nation Joe Torre had rejected the Yankees offer. I'm not gonna blab on about this, but it was a good choice for Joe. He has been disrespected by The Emperor for the last 5 years and deserves better. I feel that the only way to keep the team intact is to hire someone the older players respect half as much as Joe, and that in my opinion is another person named Joe. I feel Girardi has the respect of Jeter, Rivera and Posada. He could handle the team and was a leader on that team in the mid-90s when all of those three were coming up. He is a proven leader and coach. Donny Baseball is a NY legend and has been on Torre's staff with the same respect as Girardi. However there is one major difference between the two....EXPERIENCE. Girardi has a manager of the year trophy with a young team and a terrible staff (minus D-Train during April-June). Plus the players don't have to adjust from ok Joe to ok Donny.


Lost Letters/Questions of the Day
Dear Cleveland,
Aren't you glad this isn't softball?
- Josh Beckett


Wouldn't it be great if Manny hit a ball and "pimped" it only to watch it get snagged above the wall by Sizemore or Guitteirez?


Has anyone been worked harder since the 1920s than Ray Rice was last night?


College Upset Bug
Ohio St v. Michigan St - only slight because of it being at OSU
LSU v. Auburn - same reason, home field edge for LSU
USC at ND - nobody has ever had a six game win streak against ND. Sharpley can be dangerous with time and don't forget the long grass in Southbend to slow USC who might be without Two-Name Booty)
Cinci at Pitt - Pitt's O put up 42 in a loss to Navy. If they get a defense Cinci could be caught looking ahead to USF

Live Well,
DG1

The Triumphant Return/ Monday Mix-Up

Hello faithful reader... er I mean readers. Yeah, that's it, readers (all 3 of you)! After a long, well deserved vacation I return during the peak time of the sports year to fill your heads with opinions and thoughts from my swollen brain and destroyed Ego.

Let's Start from the beginning,

Last Monday I was exposed to quite possibly the worst 30 seconds of my life as a sports fan. After a weekend of watching my Yankees give a young, inexperienced team loads of confidence in Game one of the ALDS and having flashbacks of the previous two seasons I went into Monday with my only thoughts being how excited I was to get drunk and watch MNF. I won't lie and tell you I thought my beloved Bills had a shot, no, i'm a realist. I went in thinking I am gonna get so hammered and just enjoy the atmosphere. Then, 3 minutes in we take the lead and begin defensive domination of a highly overrated NFL team in a piss poor conference. Then it began to fall apart and at around 12:15 est I was informed that my Yankees had succumb to the Indians. not even a minute later Nick Folk's second field goal from 53 yds split the uprights and I sank into my seat until I was informed I had to leave the stadium by security. That is the most I will ever speak of this game. Also, I'm not gonna waste my breath on the QB situation. I'm going to enjoy my bye week.

Big Choke Season Rankings
Just a few thoughts on the first BCS rankings of the season and the thoughts floating around the internet.
1. Ohio State - I used to be a big OSU fan, that was during there upset over miami and the andy katzenmoyer days (aka. my youthful ignorance). however, i will discuss their deserving the number 1 spot. Ohio State has played 7 games. 2 of those seven were against teams in Non-BCS conferences ranked in the bottom 20 and a 1-AA school. That's almost 50% of their schedule against poor competition, some of which were close games. The other games were against a young, but up and coming Washington team and two mediocre big 10 teams. I know i'm from the north and shouldn't hate on the big ten but honestly, the SEC is the dominant conference in football. Bitch and complain about having no undefeated team, but when you play South Carolina, LSU, and Florida in back to back to back weeks then you talk trash. That's one hell of a stretch. With a conference that large, teams are forced to play more conference games than anyone in the big ten and have less opportunities to schedule powder puff teams. I've heard everyone talk about how Kentucky sucks and all this, but think about it reasonably, they were once considered the worse team in the SEC West and now are in the Top of the class with other big name SEC Teams. That is an incredible feat and shows the depth of the conference and all of the bandwagon Big Ten fans should choke on their greasy food. As a result, OSU has benefited. Give the AD credit, he realized he had a young QB and a Young team and scheduled a softer non-conference schedule. Gone are the days of OSU v. Texas in week two, and what a smart decision that is. I give credit where credit is due and scheduling those games during two years of a team that was peaking was brilliant and realizing your young team needed warm-up games to build confidence and subsequently scheduling Akron, Kent St, and Youngstown state was a good choice. Now with all the premier teams weeding each other out due to insanely difficult schedules along with the help of a brave bunch of 4.0 students at Stanford, OSU is sitting pretty. The only question is for how long.

2. University of Southern Florida -
What is there not to love about this team. I mean say what you will, and I know DG2 is not a big believer in how things are (He's an OSU fan), but I am in love with this team from Tampa Florida. I may be biased since one of my best friends goes to USF along with two of my cousins being alumni. Or perhaps it's because of the week i spent down their last new years eve surrounded by booze and hot cheerleaders at a USF thumping of Wake Forest in Hoops. But either way I have been telling everyone this year all along that USF was gonna do big things. I stated at the beginning of the season that of the Big 3 in the Big East (Rutgers, WVU, Louisville) USF would take down 2 of them. Well 7 weeks in and they've toppled one, a #5 ranked WVU, whom they dominated. Throw in a Upset of then #12 Auburn, who went on to beat #3 Florida along with other wins by an average of 20 pts in a BCS conference and you have the makings of a solid cinderella story. Again as a realist I won't sugar coat it, yes i had big expectations but even yesterday I was saying #2 in the AP was awesome, the benefit of being cinderella but didn't think a BCS #2 would happen. When it did i called my buddy right away and confirmed my seat firmly on the bandwagon by purchasing a USF #8 Jersey. Then I purchased tickets to the USF game up in Cuse. But not to get ahead of my self, but with a win Thursday in NJ against a solid Rutgers team, USF can make a statement. Then with the rest of the season filled with solid competition from an upstart Big East along with weaker schedules in the Big Ten and the heat of it all in the SEC and Pac-10 USF could solidify a spot down the stretch and perhaps an unheard of run at the Nat'l Championship and a weeks vacation in Arizona for me and that friend. Now that's a cinderella story!


Lost Letters I stumbled across
Dear Lawrence Maroney,
Hope all is well and that you are healing up nicely in New England. Watching is not the same without you on the field producing. I hope you get well very soon and look forward to seeing you on the field again getting lots of touches.
Sincerely,
Peyton Manning (and my touchdown Record)


Dear Mike Martz,
Hey, long time no talk. How's things going? Things here are just ok, I'm having a tough time living up to all the expectations that I have. This offensive coordinator thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I miss you, hope to hear from you soon and maybe if things don't work out there in Detroit you can come move to Buffalo with me and help me out at work.
Love always,
Steve Fairchild

ps. Thanks for making me look so good in St. Louis


Dear AD (all day)
Nice work up there in Chicago the other day. But remember, anything you can do I can do better.
Sincerely,
LT

Dear Eli Manning,
Please throw for 400 yds and 5 touchdowns spread out like this.
Ward - 100 and 1 Touchdowns (plus 100 on the ground and 1 TD)
Burress - 200 and 2 TDs
Shockey - 100 and 0 TD
Amani Tommer - 0 and 0

Sincerely,
DG1's fantasy team
(down 70 pts with manning and ward and the giants D vs. Amani Toomer)


alright, that is all for the monday morning mix-up here from my 40h/wk job.

Till Next Time,
DG1

Roid Rage...Seeing Green...Smoking Polls...Burning Bronx

It's been a long time coming considering that there have been no posts in the last 5 months, so I figured that I would sit down and really take a crack at speaking my mind. There have been a few things that have gone on just this past weekend that is enough fuel for the fire.

Marion Jones joined the ever growing list of athletes finally admitting to the use of steroids. The steroid horse continues to be beaten to death and we have no reason to believe that it will stop any time soon.

Trent Green suffered yet another concussion this past Sunday when he attempted to throw a block during a terrible reverse. Green was doing his job (despite the feelings of most) when he went low to block Houston Texans lineman Travis Johnson. The play was legal and it's understandable that anyone would be touchy about someone coming after their knees, but it was not as though Green was blindsiding Johnson. What other option did Green have? He had no other way of stopping/containing Johnson than going low to knock him down. Johnson was completely out of line for taunting a motionless Green after the play was over, but surprisingly I'm willing to look past that because I know how emotions run high during a game. HOWEVER, there is no excuse for going to the media after the game and stating that he deserved the concussion for going after Johnson's knees. Note to Johnson: You weren't hurt, he was. Shut your mouth and move on. You play a violent game where every snap could be your last. If you don't want the risk, then go play golf.

Last night seemed oddly familiar to Chicago vs. Arizona from last year at this time. Arizona was poised to shock the world with an upset of the suddenly surging Chicago Bears, but fell short in the end which led to the now infamous rant by then head coach Dennis Green. Buffalo was looking to knock off the recent Super Bowl favorite Dallas Cowboys, but came either 1 yard, 1 bad call, or 1 botched onside kick away from doing so. There is not much to say about last night other than the fact that if Tony Romo continues to play as he did last night, then the Cowboys will end up with the same fate as Chicago did one year ago. T.O did not help matters with his more than poor performance complete with several dropped passes.

Stop putting so much stock into the NCAA Football Rankings. They will not mean anything until at least November, so stop jumping off buildings arguing against them. Bottom line is: win your games, and the rest will take care of itself. Rankings do not mean anything. When USC dismantled Nebraska everyone thought it was a statement, but now nobody looks at it that way. Michigan was ranked high at one point, remember that? Then they lost to Appalachian St. and the following week was blown out by Oregon which was coming off of a ridiculous Bowl game blowout by USC in January. Rankings do not mean a thing until the the leaves are off the trees and the Halloween candy has been distributed. Stop crying about not being ranked higher, quite frankly you should be happy with the record you have because the way the NCAA season has been going you could be bounced by a sub .500 team at any point.

The New York Yankees made their exit in the 2007 MLB post-season last night to a very solid Cleveland Indians club. Say what you want about experience, but the 1-2 punch of Sabathia and Carmona will be something to watch for in the coming years. With that said the Yankees have a handful of questions to answer this off-season regarding the status of their team and here they are (with some commentary, of course):

Will Joe Torre be back? No, but that does not mean that I agree with the decision. I feel that he is one of the few managers available that can handle this club and the pressures associated with playing in New York. I think it is a desperate move following 7 years without a World Series championship. Let us not forget how they won the first 4 with him at the helm. Home grown talent that was not anything flashy, but did their job and played as a team.

Will Rivera be back? My initial thought is no just because I feel that at 38 years old he may be ready to move on and with the high demand for a dominant closer he may be inclined to test the waters. He still is the best closer in the game and would be an asset to any team.

Jason Giambi? I say get rid of him fast. I understand that he can still crush a ball (when he gets a piece), but his prime has passed and they need someone other than him to DH or play 1rst. There will be better options out there and the money you are paying him is outrageous for the production he brings.

Jorge Posada? May test the waters and probably should. There is no reason why the Yankees cannot let him test his value and then make an offer, but we all know how their brain trust works. Posada had a great year, can still hit, can still run, still has a cannon, and still manages a game better than any other catcher in the league. However, his ties with Torre may be strong enough to allow him to leave.

Alex Rodriguez? I really do not have a feeling either way. I think Scott Boras could get him an insane contract if he opts out, but then again if the Yankees resign him long term it could be just as ridiculous. I feel as though without the pressure of New York he could perform a little better (which is crazy to think about considering the past two seasons he had), but playing next to Jeter could be just what he needs. I think it would be best for him to stay with the Yankees, but the almighty dollar looms large and that could drive him away and possibly to the NL.


A lot to digest today and I'm promising a great one for tomorrow too.

Long live sports,

DG2

Gentlemen, Start your engines...

Today I have decided to broaden the horizon of this page and mention a sport not mentioned previously.... Nascar. I know, settle down out there people, we'll make it through this. Today, if you haven't heard, Dale Jr. decided to leave DEI, the racing company his father founded. The reason for the split was Dale feuding with his step-mother, who through formalities was given majority stake upon the untimely death of his father, the Intimidator. In my opinion, this is ridiculous. Dale Jr. was made to race, and anyone who watched the movie 3 on ESPN knows that he was very close with his dad when it came to racing. Out of respect, the step-monster should have given Jr. majority stake in a company that bears his name. It's not JEI, it's DEI. The fact that this woman was so selfish that she wanted to stake claim in a company that she does not run, and drive the next of kin of the legend that started it to a rival team is unheard of. Today at the conference, Jr. said he would have had his fathers blessing. I agree with this, however, I think that Dale Sr would not give the blessing of the actions of his second wife, and her running it into the ground, which I hope she does.

In major 4 News -
A little less than an hour ago, quite possibly the worst played Buffalo Sabres playoff game ended in a well deserved 5-2 loss. I'm sure plenty of my fellow Buffalonians are livid and cursing the refs or something along the lines for the loss. However, as a sports fan, you need to realize that the Sabres have limped through the playoffs. Our PP is in the bottom half and tonight we went 0/6 with maybe 6 shots on goal. We also gave the puck away 19 times and gave up soft goals, not to the fault of Ryan Miller. Let's talk about the lack of clearing out the front of the net, the lack of manning up on a lazy play and giving a deflection, the turnovers on the powerplay leading to breakaways for goals. This needs to stop, we got past the Islanders and the Rangers who sat back and gaurded the net. However, now that we are faced with an agressive team that isn't afraid of our speed and we get absolutely embarassed on the ice. Lindy Ruff needs to lay into the team, where's the hunger and the heart that we showed all last season as the underdog. I dunno, if we don't get that drive back, this could be a quick and earlier than expected exit, leaving us Buffalo fans again feeling the agony. But enough of this, I am so angry my head hurts.

Till next time,
DG1

Draft Diary pt. 1

Well it's the most disappointing time of the year... first three hours

11:45 – Dedication to Virginia Tech with DeAngelo Hall, Michael Vick, and Bruce Smith. And of course overrated chants and boos spoil the moment. Dumb Fans in NYC can’t show respect. Must still be hurting after that loss to the Sabres last night.

12:12 – Here we go, Roger announces the draft is open. The pursuit of Brady Quinn Falling to #12 and the Bills begins. Let’s Pray!! The Oakland Raiders are on the clock. Personally they should take Calvin Johnson. Johnson is a freak athlete and JeMarcus Russell has Daunte Culpepper Written all over it. Bust, Bust, Bust!!!

12:22 – With the first pick in the 2007 NFL draft the Oakland raiders select JaMarcus Russell. BUST BUST BUST!!!! Take Johnson and Trade Moss for a decent QB. Put me in that offense and give me time with Johnson and I’m a pro-bowler.

12:30 – Calvin Johnson is tearing up. Matt Millen might be justified in this pick. However, Let’s see if they trade him to Tampa. I’d keep him and trade both Williams for Gaines Adams.

12:32 – With the second pick in the Draft, the Detroit Lions take Calvin Johnson. Fantastic. Don’t trade him!!! You know, I did this draft on my Madden Season, and he came out after year 2. So in year one I took Quinn and Johnson in year 2. Imagine that offense. Cleveland is on the clock. Take Peterson or Thomas. NOT QUINN!!!

12:37 – Shot of Quinn and his GF. She should propose at the draft. He’s gonna be rich in a matter of oh…. An hour. Her picture on her Miami(OH) soccer page is much better. But still, hotter than any GF I have. Just saying he could do better. Wait… did anyone pick up on the spurrier commercial for under armour where he said bye by saying click-clack. Love the old ball coach.

12:40 – Good for Joe Thomas. What better a show of character than skipping the draft to spend time with your dad. The shots of quinn are very similar to last year and lineart. Could be good for buffalo.

12:45 – With the third pick in the Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Joe Thomas. Keep falling to us Quinn. I love it. Quinn and Peterson left for the Bills.

12:56 – With the fourth pick, the Tampa Bucs take Gaines Adams. The hope is still alive. Solid pick. Do they trade or not???

1:00 – Arizona on the clock. Time to shower and brush my teeth. Countdown to Madden, 3 months, Countdown to Spidey, 5 Days.

1:05 – Arizona has been on the clock for 10 minutes and no flashback of the Dennis Green rant after the Bears game. And with the 5th pick, the Cardinals select Levi Brown. Early, but solid. Dejected looks of Quinn and Peterson.

1:19 – LaRon Landry to the Skins. I would not want to be a receiver going over that middle. Imagine either Taylor or Landry lining you up. Really? More shots of Peterson and Quinn and Quinn’s hot girlfriend.

1:30 – Peterson goes to the Vikings. Solid pick if he can stay healthy and I now fear Quinn will fall to the Dolphins and that worries me. I hate Miami. Eating some penne pasta. Very good.

1:38 – Lots of talk of Quinn and Cameron. It’s very disappointing if I have to watch him in a Dolphin uniform. I’m thinking Dan Marino type hate. But I do get to see him every year.

1:40 – Falcons take Jamal Anderson. That's right folks, he's back. The Dirty Bird lives on. If Quinn goes to Miami, Okoye is there for Buffalo. He’s younger than me. At least he won’t start complaining about our nightlife until 2009.

1:46 – Quick proposal à Trade Losman and the 12th pick to Miami for the 9th pick. Losman offers an immediate answer with success and potential. Quinn can have the Bills rebuilt around him since that’s what it appears Marv is doing. Please Marv, pull the trigger and fill those seats, I know I’ll buy my seasons back.

1:52 – Dolphins take Dan Marino, he’s back, yes!!! Quinn is going to the Bills. Ha Ha fooled you. The real pick is TED GINN JR. THIS IS THE WORST DECISION EVER. YOU JUST TOOK A KICK RETURNER WITH THE 9TH PICK IN THE DRAFT. Houston – Matt Schaubb just signed for $55 million. SF – Alex Smith, first player taken 2 years ago continuously improving. THE BRADY QUINN DREAM LIVES ON!!! I just peed my pants

2:05 – Houston takes Akoye, Quinn will be there at 12. OMG, I just took my first breath in 13 minutes. I have a headache from screaming. This could be phenomenal. Quinn is a stationary pocket passer, ala Jim Kelly.

2:19 – Before it happens. Bills will trade down for Lance Briggs and Chicago will take Quinn. Jauron and Levy have ties with the Bears who want to unload Briggs and get a solid QB and we need a LB.

2:21 – The 49ers select Patrick Willis and keep the Briggs deal alive. We better not take Revis with the 12th pick and pass on Quinn.

2:23 – Here it is. Bills on the clock.

2:30 – Nice having Bruce announce the pick. But too early. Oh well. I’m not buying my tickets back. Should have traded. That’s ridiculous. Way to early. I’m checking out. Character issues, over/under 8 weeks before he’s suspended and we take another warm weather player. Note this now: Marv will be fired by this time next year. Prediction: 4-12.

2:50 – Few picks gone and no Quinn. I could see him going at 23 to KC to replace Green and sit behind Huard for a few years. Few thoughts on Lynch, the dreaded “character issue” and durability concerns. That seems familiar doesn’t it. Man, who does that remind me of, oh yeah Willis Magahee. It’s such a good thing Marv loved Willis so much and couldn’t bear being with out him that he went and drafted the next him. 2 years before Lynch pisses off Marv or keeps getting hurt and is traded. Nice to see we are going to rebuild around a quarterback who has been inconsistent and a running back with “character issues” thrown into a city with bars open till 4. Not to mention both are from warm cities and have to get used to the Buffalo winter, one which didn’t show up till late last year and allowed JP to have close to ideal conditions.

Be back later. Someone is gonna get very lucky and get a poised quarterback with a HUGE chip on his shoulder. I am no longer a Buffalo Bills Fan. Marv has ruined it, Ralph is trying to unload and sell the team. GO SABRES

DG 1

Long Island...Short Brain Waves

Last night fans on Long Island showed how completely classless they truly are. Showering the moment of silence for Virginia Tech with a chorus of inappropriate words was/is completely unacceptable. But, in an effort to prove that it wasn't simply a one time deal they then continued to put on a show when they continued with comments during the National Anthem. As if they hadn't done enough damage already, late in the third period they decided that they would litter the ice with cups, bottles, and rally rags to show their displeasure at a penalty call. How any could have sat in that arena and allowed the actions of these fans is beyond me. I really think that arena security had to have known who the offenders were in the moment of silence incident and should have ejected them without warning. The tragedy at VT yesterday is a very serious and sad matter and should not be taken lightly. Joking about such a horrific act less than 12 hours after it happened is completely childish. Islander fans should be embarrassed and the Islander organization should be equally embarrassed. An apology (not that it exonerates the act) should be offered up by the executives of the team immediately.

Unrelated to that is the story of the 30-some year old man who dragged a 10 year old off of the ice at the Pepsi Center this weekend for firing pucks in the direction of himself and his 5 year old son. The parents of the 10 year old have the nerve to stick up for their delinquent and criticize the other man for taking action that they apparently haven't taken in 10 years of the child's existence. The man was charged with several violations including endangering the welfare of a child due to the redness that was around the child's neck following his removal from the ice. There were no Pepsi Center employees on hand for the incident which makes it even worse. Witnesses also say that the 10 year old speared the man in the groin when he approached him and called him an "asshole" and said that he "needed to see a psychologist." Now this little bastard is lucky that he only left the ice with a red neck because I would have given him a kick in the ass that would have him sitting bare ass on the ice for a week trying to relieve the pain. This man did nothing wrong after being hit by several pucks and the parents of the 10 year old should be questioned. The older man was willing to speak to reporters and tell them what happened, but the father of the 10 year old spoke strictly on anonymity. This fact alone leaves one wondering what kind of person he believes his son to be if he is afraid of revealing himself. Start disciplining your kids, bottom line.

Long live sports,

DG2

This Easter For Jersey...Deviled Eggs...Slightly Spoiled

In a move that, despite history, shocked me above anything else, New Jersey Devils head coach Claude Julien was fired today. This move comes despite the fact that with 3 games left the Devils have amassed 102 points and currently lead their division and sit second in the Eastern Conference. Mathematically they still have a shot at winning the regular season Eastern Conference title. However, in a move that isn't unlike his character, GM Lou Lamoriello decided to pull the trigger on his stint as leader of the team. Lamoriello will take over as head coach for the remainder of the season as well as the playoffs. Lamoriello has done the same thing a couple of other times and has been criticized as would be expected. The problem in this situation is that the team was currently winning. Not only have they played well all season, but are in the midst of a 4-1 stretch that saw their only loss coming to the Buffalo Sabres.

How does one aim to wrap their head around this move? Well, the only explanation that I can come up with is that Lamoriello wants all the glory and all the credit. He is a great manager of the sport and understands the game at a very high level. But this move may backfire with repercussions that he is not prepared to handle. There is such thing as out-coaching, or in this case out-managing, your own ability. It will be a brilliant move if it works, but a catastrophic one if it fails. Devils fans have reason to believe that their team is capable of not only reaching, but winning the Stanley Cup this season. With a goaltender of the caliber of Brodeur and a potent neo-trap that the Devils have implemented there is no telling how far the Devils really can go. Fans in the Jersey area could be in for some heartache and may lead a pitchfork rebellion calling for the head of Lamoriello if this move does indeed fail. Perhaps I'm being too critical of his move and it will pay off, but all signs right now point to disaster. An early exit for the Devils this year could mean a tumultuous off season. We're told to strike when the iron is hot, well the Devils couldn't be hotter and this move could be the extinguisher that all fans fear.

Long live sports,
DG2