tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20886093473269209772024-03-13T07:49:11.514-07:00Falcon feedmalta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-528405423262583982011-09-26T13:48:00.000-07:002011-09-26T14:48:16.931-07:00Baseball, a fat mans game?<div><br /><div>“I' ain't an athlete lady, I'm a baseball player” Said John Kruk, an out of shape 1990's first baseman coined the term when a woman asked him how he could smoke and be a professional athlete. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There have been many players in the history of baseball that essentially let themselves go over the course of their careers. Some have done so with great success; Babe Ruth, C.C Sabathia along with Prince & Cecil Fielder come to mind. These players obviously have an extreme talent level that allows them to get by without putting time and effort into their fitness levels. </div><br /><br /><div>When a a player or team is not succeeding, most people would expect them to try every single option to win. Look to the Blue Jays bullpen and even one of their catchers as perfect example. Blue Jay fans constantly complain about how the A.L. East is to stacked to compete, instead of looking at what they can't do they should be concerned about what some of their players are just neglecting to do. Brett Cecil, Jesse Litsch, Kyle Drabek, Jose Molina and earlier in the year Travis Snider all look like out of shape guys off the street, leading me to wonder why the coaching staff does not get them in line. </div><br /><br /><div>Take a look at the two photos of Jesse Litsch below, the one on the right was taken this season, the one on the left was taken 4 years ago when he was drafted. He has obviously made some gains, and it's not all in his beard.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqJ,!h4E1Kvu7Lc3BNiBGJ7WmQ~~_35.JPG"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 127px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 172px" alt="" src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqJ,!h4E1Kvu7Lc3BNiBGJ7WmQ~~_35.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6104391183_19c5d6b5ae.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 139px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px" alt="" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6104391183_19c5d6b5ae.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>175 lbs ----------------------------------------220 lbs<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>As a baseball fan I find it both offensive and disrespectful that players making some of the best coin in all of sports can't put themselves in a position where they can make the most of their talents. Another perfect example would be the Molina brothers, they all weigh upwards of 220 lbs, and its not a NFL running backs 220 lbs, it is a professional eaters 220 lbs. I remember a being at a Jays game in 2006 when Bengie Molina snuck a ball past an Orioles right fielder, Molina simply jogged to first base and stopped. An average person off the street could have stretched the hit into a double. The next Blue Jays batter grounded into a double play. Small things throughout the course of a game can and will eventually make the difference between a win and a loss, If the new movie starring Brad Pitt <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiAHlZVgXjk" target="_blank">Moneyball has taught us anything it's that every run, out, base and win does count.</a><br /></div><br /><div>In the NHL there used to be a very similar culture, meals were not regulated; drinking and smoking were regular things for players to partake in. Fast-forward ahead from the 1970's to the year 2011 and players go from looking like average guys (see Don McLeod below)<br /><a href="http://blogimages.thescore.com/nhl/files/2011/02/01DonMcLeodCard.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 75px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 110px" alt="" src="http://blogimages.thescore.com/nhl/files/2011/02/01DonMcLeodCard.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />To elite athletes on very intense <a href="http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2011/09/23/video-the-offseason-with-gary-roberts/" target="_blank">training regimes</a>, the pace of the game has increased drastically, the fitness levels of players are actively monitored and it has made the NHL a much more exciting product. Even looking back to the <a href="http://thesteroidera.blogspot.com/2006/09/suspicious-stats-in-contract-years.html">steroid era</a> in baseball you can find proof as to how a stronger and faster baseball player can help a team win. By no means would it be healthy for the game if everybody started juicing. It would be great for the game if players started showing the fans and their respective organizations the respect they deserve.<br /><br />How much more magnificent would ‘the Babes’ records be if he didn’t drink, smoke and eat hot dogs in between games? How much longer could Bengie Molina’s career have gone if he could run?<br /></div><br /><div>As for myself, it is as much a question as it is a concern. </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Dan Malta</div></div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-12280074157366613512010-03-04T14:32:00.000-08:002010-03-04T15:14:08.813-08:00Gold medal means more than a Gold medal<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdla95YvbZ0goxQ675Q-hqNwsAtTlBCxDWPqKVIyAjM5e-rctZMda5KQbHyjZs6W5Wdi-FkgWd1ygTqJ4Zmy5jtKFV9xUq1sQDV96L7dG_MTcUE3XFiG9J9AxTJ5mWSv1_21RjJpef7eE/s1600-h/23462_375447697563_504757563_5087223_7778508_n.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444918814593665794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 251px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdla95YvbZ0goxQ675Q-hqNwsAtTlBCxDWPqKVIyAjM5e-rctZMda5KQbHyjZs6W5Wdi-FkgWd1ygTqJ4Zmy5jtKFV9xUq1sQDV96L7dG_MTcUE3XFiG9J9AxTJ5mWSv1_21RjJpef7eE/s320/23462_375447697563_504757563_5087223_7778508_n.jpg" border="0" /></a> . The reaction from fans was excellent..........<br /><br />here is a clip of the four corners in Whitby, near the end you might notice my friends and I playing a little road hockey on the sidewalk. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USThWknAI8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USThWknAI8</a><br />The win is more important for Canadian hockey than it seemed.The general age range of people at the street celebration was probably from 16-50. I only saw two or three kids under the age of 15. Many of the people there had a chance to see the Toronto Maple Leafs win (a series or two.....I know it's not the cup), aswell as the Gold medal in 2002.<br /><br />When Canada won gold in Salt Lake I was 13 years old, still young enough to have my love for the sport developed further. I was one of the kids at the four corners celebrating, the horn in our car never honked properly afterwards, it just made a lame fart like sound. I remember it like it was yesterday, I am certian that win is one of the reasons I still play and follow hockey as much as I do.<br /><br />When teams win people become inspired to win. With the losing ways of the Toronto Maple Leafs I was fearing that young athletes would chose to take up different sports. Registration levels for minor hockey have been declining in recent years. There is no denying the current economic situation correlates with the decline. Combining an economic downturn with a losing local team, why would a kid want to play hockey and more importantly why would a parent want to pay?<br /><br />The recent gold medal was the shot in the arm that will rebuild the interest in the younger generation here in Southern Ontario along with the rest of Canada. Now kids have heroes, they might not be Maple Leafs but I'd bet you will not find a road hockey game in the next four years where a kid doesn't scream "CROSBY SCORES!!!!"<br /><br />And just incase you forgot what it sounded like... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSfl8vFNZdE&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSfl8vFNZdE&feature=related</a>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-33464088190849554002010-03-01T16:53:00.000-08:002010-03-01T17:40:46.791-08:00Sea of Skillitude<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5cX39Ys59NFYJ8M7awRd_Pxv8EjHgQ3rEWho6UFwHeUiG2zz6EkEs0gEOQqdTjQqk_TpFgzgugxMWKW3fuLVMwVcwJwVNVxpU3d6uDx2dv792apIvwoyw2zGSyqM_KHcHuu9kmz9_E_Y/s1600-h/canada.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443838716089055282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5cX39Ys59NFYJ8M7awRd_Pxv8EjHgQ3rEWho6UFwHeUiG2zz6EkEs0gEOQqdTjQqk_TpFgzgugxMWKW3fuLVMwVcwJwVNVxpU3d6uDx2dv792apIvwoyw2zGSyqM_KHcHuu9kmz9_E_Y/s320/canada.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It happened, the Canadian men’s hockey team took home gold.<br /><br />The game was fun to watch in a painful unbearable kind of way, but when it came down to it Canada’s depth won the game. Luck did play a major role, but the tipping point was the flow of Canadian talent taking the ice.<br /><br />The United States have a talent pool of hockey players capable of competing with any country in the world.<br /><br />Unfortunately for America, their neighbours to the north have an ocean of talent to chose from.<br /><br />Putting aside the roster that won gold in Vancouver I picked three more Canadian teams.<br /><br />Team B, Team C, and Team D……..yep team D. I stopped at team ‘D’ because the options for team ‘E’ did not seem likely to produce a medal and Ifeel confident that any of these teams could have chalenged for one.<br /><br />TEAM B..........(or should I call them A1?)<br /><br />LW ...........................................................C ....................................................RW<br /><br />1.Steven Stamkos .........................1.Jeff Carter................................. 1.Martin St. Louis (A)<br />2.Mike Cammalleri....................... 2.Vinny Lecalvilier(A) .................2.Shane Doan<br />3.James Neal .................................3.Brad Richards............................ 3.Dustin Penner<br />4.Milan Lucic .................................4.Mike Fisher ................................4.Scottie Upshall<br />5.Jordan Stall<br /><br />D<br /><br />Mike Green -Jay Bouwmeester<br />Tyler Myers- Dion Phanuef<br />Brian Campbell -Jeff Schultz<br />Rob Blake(C)<br /><br />G<br />Cam Ward<br />Steve Mason<br />Marty Turco<br /><br /><br />-Cam Ward........Conn Smythe<br />-Marty Turco is a third defenceman<br />-Mason will be Canada's #1 goalie in time.<br />-Every player on the first line is in the top 15 in scoring by a Canadian.<br />-second line has two proven scorers and a defensive concience with Shane Doan<br />-third line harnesses youth (neal), size (Penner), and experience/speed (Richards)<br />-the bottom 4 forwards just don't seem like much fun to play against do they?<br />-Jeff Schultz leads the NHL in plus/minus rating.<br />-Rob Blake has a gold medal and Stanley Cup experience.<br />-Phanuef scares people, Brian Campbell is this teams Scott Niedermayer.<br />-Mike Green is a PPG defenceman.<br />-Myers and Bouwmeester are towers of power.<br /><br /><br /> TEAM C<br /><br />LW C RW<br /><br />Patrick Sharp.......................................... Nathan Horton........................................... Brad Boyes<br />Rene Bourque ............................................Stephen Weiss .....................................J.P. Dumont<br />Andrew Brunette.................................... Derek Roy ..............................................Chris Stewart<br />Alexandre Burrows ...............................Brooks Laich .....................................Wayne Simmonds<br />Ryan Smyth (C)<br /><br />D<br /><br />Mark Giordano- Robyn Regehr (A)<br />Brian McCabe -Marc Stall<br />Derek Morris -Stephane Robidas<br />Ed jovanoski (A)<br /><br />G<br />Chris Mason<br />J.S. Giguere<br />Dwayne Roloson<br /><br /><br />-A little more grit and size on team 'C'<br />-Smyth and Jovo-cop have enough international experience for the whole team.<br />-Horton has two dangerous snipers to create space for.<br />-a toss up between the three goalies for the start, thats a good thing.<br />-The bottom two forward lines are an ideal bunch of shuft disturbers.<br />-good mix between offensive and defensive players on the back end.<br />-Defence would feed off Regehr & Giordano chemistry.<br />-Brian McCabe can still fire a puck.<br /><br />TEAM D<br /><br />LW C RW<br /><br />Ray Whitney (A).................................... Antoine Vermette................................... Danny Briere<br />John Tavares......................................... Jason Arnott (C) ......................................Claude Giroux<br />Mason Raymond..................................... Sam Gagner......................................... Mark Recchi<br />Scott Hartnell ...........................................Gilbert Brule .......................................Todd Bertuzzi<br />Ryan Clowe<br /><br />D<br /><br />Ian White --Francois Beauchemin (A)<br />Cam Barker-- Cory Sarich<br />Braydon Coburn --Kyle Quincey<br />Kris letang<br /><br />G<br />Mike Smith<br />Dan Ellis<br />Carey Price<br /><br /><br /><br />-not a very big group of forwards, but if they were having a hard time creating space Bertuzzi, hartnell or Clowe would fit nicely on any line.<br />-Jason Arnott is a very under-rated leader and player.<br />-Beauchemin and Sarich would be leaned of heavily in PK situations.<br />-you never know when Carey price will get hot, Dan Ellis will be a started somewhere arefter the trade deadline and Mike Smith has performed well in Tampa.<br />-Tavares doesn't have the speed to compete at Centre in the olypmics, the wing made more sense.<br />-If a shoot-out occured there are few players I would rather have than Sam Gagner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Each one of these teams could have challenged for a medal, they might have given the gold medalists trouble.malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-3090093616068320812010-02-04T20:40:00.000-08:002010-02-04T21:06:28.352-08:00SUPER BOWL 44Ever since he was a young boy.<br /><br />He's played with the pigskin ball.<br /><br />From Indianapolis down to Miami.<br /><br />He must have played them all.<br /><br />Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning certainly is a football wizard.<br /><br />Entering his third career Super Bowl with one championship ring and four MVP awards, he and the Colts will take on the New Orleans Saints at Super Bowl 44.<br /><br />For the Saints their first appearance in the big game could not have come at a better time for their fans. It has been nearly five years since Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans destroying homes and lives. The people who call the city home now have a source of inspiration in their football team.<br /><br />The Black & Gold and their faithful fans will be looking for any way to win. Leading me to believe that some New Orleans residents may have been working some voodoo magic on Indy's explosive rush end Dwight Freeney, who suffered an ankle injury in practice. Freeney's participation in Sunday's game is doubtful.<br /><br />With Freeney injured, Saints quarterback Drew Brees will have more time to opperate. Giving his team an opportunity to display the speed and raw talent they showed when they dominated the Cardinals in the divisional playoffs. If his team can stay calm like they did in the NFC championship game, they might stand a chance.<br /><br />Now they face Peyton Manning, one of the great technicians in the game of football. A player who will be studying every game tape he can get his hands on.<br /><br />When he has a week to prepare for an opponent in the regular season he manages to find their weaknesses and exploit them. imagine what he will do with those extra seven days.<br /><br />Manning is able to use every player on the field, even if they never get near the ball. The Colts finished last in total rushing yards and somehow Manning can still take over defensive units and get the football to his reliable stable of recievers.<br /><br />Over the course of the game I don't think New Orleans will be able to handle the constant pressure from the Colts offense.<br /><br />I expect Super Bowl 44 to be one of the most exciting championship games in recent memory and i would love to see the Saints pull out a win for their loyal fams. It seems inevitable that the door will be shut on their season by the preparation and experience of the Indianapolis colts.<br /><br />prediction.......Colts 37...............Saints 27.malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-44017317632526544372010-01-23T09:57:00.000-08:002010-01-23T10:02:30.795-08:00Dear Patrice<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nxH3D8EArJxMZmW9WzBomorFr9XQRTNelQn7yUQz_6cvPRhp2tLxYTFKTI6qVcLn5_a_vEeR8lNzT8ohMiSo9ccNkzL6QPw3SvLyqO2NsrENoG6C9Zfq3RGtyo08oaTvgh8pbMMJinA/s1600-h/cormier.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429997203946905250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nxH3D8EArJxMZmW9WzBomorFr9XQRTNelQn7yUQz_6cvPRhp2tLxYTFKTI6qVcLn5_a_vEeR8lNzT8ohMiSo9ccNkzL6QPw3SvLyqO2NsrENoG6C9Zfq3RGtyo08oaTvgh8pbMMJinA/s200/cormier.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Patrice, what were you thinking. That elbow was ridiculous, I bet Mark Messier and Gordie Howe were cringing. Imagine if some American newsperson decided to cover hockey and showed the clip. Gary Betman would shit a brick, I’m pretty sure people were crying.<br /><br />Patrick Roy was right about you. You’re hit really did hurt the game, and now it has hurt my ears. One elbow has made me have to hear about head checks from the TSN panel AGAIN, I have to watch David Branch on Off the Record AGAIN, and I have to hear about minor hockey registration going down because hockey is to dangerous AGAIN. I really do not appreciate this, maybe next time don’t give somebody a flying elbow from the top ropes.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Dan Malta</div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-46275744457369160482010-01-23T09:35:00.000-08:002010-01-23T09:44:31.716-08:00for all the blind people....AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH,<br /><br /><br />I will be reiterating this many point time and time again but here I go. Toronto fans will be forced to suffer for another few years due to Brian Burke's intense failures as a general manager. An expensive off-season signing of a d-man who has registered three points does not help one bit (I know he is a "defensive guy" but cummon three points). Refusing to ask Tomas Kaberle to waive his no trade clause when his stock is at its highest and failing to recognize the facts in the new NHL, it is never a good idea to trade away a first round draft pick whether you plan on finishing in the top 10 or bottom ten, Mike Richards was drafted 24th, ryan Getzlaf 19th. Even if Burke was planning on picking in the middle he still had a shot at landing a player who could turn out to be far better than Phil Kessel.<br /><br />I will be the first to admit that i bought in to the plans, I drank the kool-aid and now I want to throw it up.malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-86348651240496727412009-11-18T07:22:00.001-08:002009-11-19T17:43:21.658-08:00Keys to the arena.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAB_3NbUDDYYLRpTFDUiFk4ozf-lOpnq6gJC-aYgqzSx_efuXo1KkVCGUo-X2HHbxrOGT4ipHm6WG3El_ovfDnBfqq5LEORVFuWsncJK9VkiFbRLTfd5x_tdhqqk0qnGunQsFvifP3JOs/s1600/Mastercard+Memorial+Cup+Championship+8uD2_pphMHEl.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405481528860065426" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAB_3NbUDDYYLRpTFDUiFk4ozf-lOpnq6gJC-aYgqzSx_efuXo1KkVCGUo-X2HHbxrOGT4ipHm6WG3El_ovfDnBfqq5LEORVFuWsncJK9VkiFbRLTfd5x_tdhqqk0qnGunQsFvifP3JOs/s200/Mastercard+Memorial+Cup+Championship+8uD2_pphMHEl.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Phil Kessel is an outstanding talent. You might have already figured out where i'm going with this.</div><div></div><div>Five goals in seven games is great. Kessel can shoot from five feet inside the blue line and beat almost any goalie in the league with a flick of his wrist. Still, he is not a franchise player.............not even close.<br /><br />Toronto is currently sitting in 29th place, they have a 1.2% chance of making the playoffs and they have 1/3rd as many points as the first place Sharks. The team could have been in a position to acquire a real franchise player, a player with a pedigree........his father was a wide reciever in the CFL and a memeber of the Canadian bobsleigh team. Taylor Hall scored 90 points in his first OHL season, by comparison the future of the Leafs Nazem Kadri registered 22 in his first season. Trading away your next two first round picks really hampers progresss, the pressure Kadri was under before the Kessel trade seemed insurmountable. Now that Toronto will be waiting another two years before another first rounder is selected I don't like his chances. Especially with the history of 7th overall picks, in the past 10 years Joffrey Lupul, Colin Wilson and Kyle Oksposo seem like the players with the most promise. Good players, not great players.<br /><br />Most legitimate franchise forwards carry a team on their back and are willing to do certain things that Kessel will not ever do. A real franchise guy will get the team fired up by bringing factors other than a laser beam shot. Mike Richards will hit you, hurt you, take your puck and put it in your net, along with killing penalties and dominating defensively. Alexander Ovechkin is another legit franchise guy and he is a bully on the ice with no regard for the other team. Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla, Ryan Getzlaf, Dustin Brown and Rick Nash round out my list of real "franchise types". Grit and profound skills are assets these select seven players share.<br /><br />Let's bring it back to Taylor hall or Tyler Seguin two players who are almost identical in size and skill sets. Both players are 6"1 and 185lbs, they are not perimeter shooters, they are go get it done players, potential franchise forwards. Another top five pick could land one of the big players in the upcoming draft; 6"0 200lb John Mcfarland, 6"3 195 lb Ryan Martindale or 6"3 202 lb Andrew Yogan. All of the forementioned athletes have the size that will be needed for Toronto at the Centre position. The moral of the story, draft tough, draft talented, and if you can draft Canadian.<br /><br />I sound like Don Cherry...............oh well.</div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-6589992303407583692009-11-16T18:06:00.000-08:002009-11-16T18:22:11.612-08:00Can We Please Leave This Alone...............<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCStMO6jO1QoUDIBY3DZpXhkBmtLGdU3-v_5RWevCrtjLMOm8y_tyt3T-J5ysX3YWG5qrZEt3T1lNcrrSePq_EtQlSMC-jbOVxx9icxSnA_knkimtK94pYUFdzq1fVUZv6bn5TreK6IA/s1600/1_phaneuf.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404892163324778722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 309px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCStMO6jO1QoUDIBY3DZpXhkBmtLGdU3-v_5RWevCrtjLMOm8y_tyt3T-J5ysX3YWG5qrZEt3T1lNcrrSePq_EtQlSMC-jbOVxx9icxSnA_knkimtK94pYUFdzq1fVUZv6bn5TreK6IA/s320/1_phaneuf.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Many prominent writers and on air personalities feel that "head checks" should be out of hockey. To me it seems like media members are pushing for big hits to be removed harder than anybody else and I can't stand it.<br /><br />Big hits are exiting game changing events that has the same effect as a big save, a killed penalty or a fight. A penalty for head checks puts discretion into the hands of the referee and doubt into the mind of a player. Do they really want a Defenceman who is lining up to punish a forward thinking, “I better not, he might get hurt, I might get a penalty”. Sorry but that is not professional sports.<br /><br />If there were any way to eliminate “head checks” it would be from the grass-roots level. Teaching the kids how to hit properly is not the answer (they are taught this already), teaching them to carry the puck properly is. When I was kid I learned a lesson early, "when you skate with your head down, you’re probably going to get hammered," look at me concussion free...........thank-you Rockem Sockem 6-20.<br /><br />The last ten years have seen a drop in concussions, the highest ever incidences per 1000 exposures was in 1998 when it reached 1.81, fast forward 10 years and the number has dropped to 1.04/1000.<br /><em>reference</em>: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19235451">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19235451</a><br />Players are getting hurt less often than they were in 1998, they are being treated more appropriately and they are getting paid more. The time that a player spends injured has increased, new guidelines are assuring the players are taken care of properly.<br /><br />A major reason why NHL players have an average salary just over $1.9 million is danger pay. Being injured is part of the game, if a player happens to suffer an injury that ends their career; an organization known as the NHLPA will make sure the player is taken care of. If all the danger is going to be eliminated, then pay them $70,000 a season for giving us figure skating with shoulder pads.</div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-29146384029523314232009-10-18T17:20:00.000-07:002009-10-18T17:58:16.579-07:00Draft Draft Revolution <, >, ^, v, v, >, >, <, ^<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW0E5ZJkoZtQTYGqo77ID00WJJXKPHBJ66gsQYfgiBoypXyE4s_ChnTahghtMhGTSTJiRM72kfBW9iuXuyVw6gYfBUp4fx2tRudh2uDHND-XGBSRm_8RYrBcVoVPZuQcoHLY6qmb049A/s1600-h/nhl-draft-floor-062207_feature.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394108549413438578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 268px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 176px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW0E5ZJkoZtQTYGqo77ID00WJJXKPHBJ66gsQYfgiBoypXyE4s_ChnTahghtMhGTSTJiRM72kfBW9iuXuyVw6gYfBUp4fx2tRudh2uDHND-XGBSRm_8RYrBcVoVPZuQcoHLY6qmb049A/s320/nhl-draft-floor-062207_feature.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />October15/09<br /><br />Matthew Stafford (NFL) $78 million over six years ($41 million guaranteed), Stephen Strasburg (MLB) $15.75 million over four years plus a $7.5 million signing bonus, Blake Griffin (NBA) $16 million over three years and John Tavares (NHL) $900,000 a season for three years? All of these athletes have something in common, they were all selected first overall in their respective entry drafts. However, one of them appears to have a lighter wallet.<br /><br />I would like to commend the NHL for putting forth such a strict and economically functional limit on the salaries of draftees. Giving out massive entry level salaries seems comparable to giving a five year old a $1000 a week allowance. The NBA has a similar situation to the NHL, which sees the CBA dictate how much each draft position will earn, the amount of money gets lower with the draft position. However, the dollar amounts are much higher in the NBA than NHL, for example the 24th overall pick in this years NBA draft is making the same amount as the first overall pick in the NHL draft.<br /><br />Paying a player $13 million a season before they have played a game professionally is ludicrous, I hope for the sake of Lions fans that Matt Stafford has a great career. The way that baseball and football have set up their drafts does not seem all that attractive to me. The teams that will be paying out the biggest contracts would be drafting early, also meaning they are one of the worst teams in the league, a title that is synonymous with poor attendance and having no money. The bad teams will never get better if they are forced to keep giving away their money for unproven players.<br /><br />An early draft pick is something that could boost ticket sales and TV ratings short term, what if the player doesn’t pan out and turns into the next Tim Couch or Matt Bush? The team and player are both in very uncomfortable positions, the team will face an uproar from the fans and either let the players massive contract play-out, or get rid of them at a cost and the player will feel like a dejected failure………albeit a very wealthy dejected failure.<br /><br />Not only does this format put to much power in the hands of the players, it puts unreasonable expectations on them. One MLB owner spoke to Sports Illustrated about Washington Nationals draft pick Stephen Strasburg “If they don’t take Strasburg and sign him, they may as well give up,” “You’d have to wonder why they’re in business. He’s got them by the gonads.”<br />I could not imagine the pressure that a 21 year old pitcher like Strasburg will be feeling the first time he steps to the mound. Strasburg is described as a can’t miss prospect but his manager has represented ex-phenoms Ben McDonald (1st overall), Todd Van Popel (14th), and Brien Taylor (1st overall), none of whom won more than 80 games in the majors.<br /><br />For the first time I feel that the NHL has paved the way for future labour disputes between players and owners in other leagues. Teams need to have more assurance that when they draft a player they will not be handing over the keys to the stadium. In the NHL the small entry level salaries do not force a team to put a player who is not ready in the line-up, possibly stunting their development. Quite often all a player might need is a little more confidence in their skills. The ability to have a player spend more time in the minors or at college is a luxury of the NHL draft system that allows players who would have been thrown into the fire prematurely, to grow into their potential instead of wasting it.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dan Malta</div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-91544307227664560742009-10-18T16:43:00.000-07:002009-10-18T17:15:34.352-07:00How much money would it take for you to fight Brock Lesnar?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUIMLDZh0wd86q57nC3MMQc9nep4-V2UC9SK3S-ObQvmhwtXg22BRLoDxQuOJTdepHKm5MOj98sbNuOADr8YDA_KrHB0tRR_uMbBlxeMPCluCW2ZMabC_TUgPRUlk0MBfbgd1BnV2Wjc/s1600-h/UFC-100-LesnerVsMir.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394097929877987010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 269px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUIMLDZh0wd86q57nC3MMQc9nep4-V2UC9SK3S-ObQvmhwtXg22BRLoDxQuOJTdepHKm5MOj98sbNuOADr8YDA_KrHB0tRR_uMbBlxeMPCluCW2ZMabC_TUgPRUlk0MBfbgd1BnV2Wjc/s320/UFC-100-LesnerVsMir.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div>September 30/09<br /><br /><br />These guys are under paid. UFC fighters essentially donate their faces for as little as $8000 a fight. You may think that eight grand for one nights work isn’t all that bad. Don’t forget the months of training leading up to the big day. Let’s say a fighter trains for three months before his fight and don’t forget he needs to pay his trainers, he would be making less that $100 a day with the minimum payout. If the fighter wins the standard is another $8000, a potential $16,000 payday. If the fighter wins fight of the night, submission of the night, or knockout of the night they would earn an extra $60,000, these awards are rarely given to under-card fighters, from what I’ve watched. Top fighters can make up to a reported $400,000 per fight, a payout that looks like a welfare cheque in comparison to top boxers.<br /><br />It’s not like the UFC is struggling, in fact they are far from it. In 2008 the disclosed payout to fighters was just under $2.5 million. Combining the ppv earnings of four UFC events from 2008 you will see where the numbers are skewed. UFC’s 91, 92, 93 and 94 had approximately 6.5 million ppv buys for over $150 million in earnings. A UFC video game was released this year. It sold one million copies in its first month and has sold three million to date. The UFC is reported to be earning 17% of the total revenue, I bought the game when it came out for $69.99…………you do the math. The UFC also has a television deal with Spike TV and countless sponsorship deals with companies like Anheuser Busch and Harley Davidson. If one of these companies wants to sponsor a fighter individually it is rumoured that they will have to pay the UFC $100,000 before they talk to the fighter, a scenario similar to the NHL where the company must pay the league $40,000 for their equipment to appear in an NHL game.<br /><br />I think Flloyd Mayweather said it best after Dana White offered him a contract in 2007 “why would I go into a sport paying hundreds of thousands when I’m in a sport paying $20 million.” It’s wither time for the UFC to pay their fighters what they are worth, or the fighters to form a union and force the issue. </div><div> </div><div>So........whats youre price?<br /><br />Dan Malta</div></div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-63172764837619578682009-10-18T16:04:00.000-07:002009-10-18T16:42:03.554-07:00Comeback Cast-offs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2J42ke2h4uLWHKLDb2PPNObfWV2s1Yj4TCnMfofipiiHqYcyu0gOc5dcjZuLBAFVra1qbqmzm74UtGZQphEPDXPmyqp1yzKsr4y_FH11QWfSoc8J4dwFhbm2-0BTUUNuzlTelDv5_FK8/s1600-h/allison.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394089442580614834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 162px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2J42ke2h4uLWHKLDb2PPNObfWV2s1Yj4TCnMfofipiiHqYcyu0gOc5dcjZuLBAFVra1qbqmzm74UtGZQphEPDXPmyqp1yzKsr4y_FH11QWfSoc8J4dwFhbm2-0BTUUNuzlTelDv5_FK8/s320/allison.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>September 14/09<br /><br /><br />Theo Fleury and Jason Allison are two players who don’t seem to understand the basis of the new NHL, old players are out and drafting is in. Gone are the days where a GM would utter the words “draft schmaft”…………Cliff Fletcher. These players need to learn the lessons that players like Claude Lemiuex, and to a lesser extent Mats Sundin were trying to teach them, just stay retired.<br /><br />I understand that everybody loves to talk about it, that it is an inspiration for people everywhere. There does not seem to be a reason for it other than a love for the game, even though the game does not seem likely to love them back. They may have been excellent players once upon a time, but returning to the game only to be a shadow of their former selves diminishes their names and images. Claude Lemiuex was brought on board by San Jose last season, to do nothing but disappoint, he tallied one assist in 18 games, what a waste of his and the organizations time. Giving a 43 year old player a roster spot, when the way to succeed is drafting and developing your own players………….Detroit Red Wings. Mats Sundin returned to the game to record a 0.68 point per game average, his average over the rest of his career was a far superior 1.05. The proof is in the hypothetical hockey pudding.<br /><br />There are few success stories to speak of however; Mario Lemiuex, Saku Koivu, Gary Roberts and Bryan Berard. The difference is all of the cited players were forced to retire due to injury or illness. They were knocked down in the prime of their careers. Jason Allison already returned in 2005 after concussion issues forced him out of the game. A 60-point season was respectable statistically but I remember watching him play in the new NHL, he was clearly a step behind. His lack of speed was seemingly the reason he hung up his skates the second time around. Now watching him play this pre-season with the Leafs after a three-year absence, he doesn’t seem to have improved in the speed department, making a 34 year old even more unattractive to the youthful rebuilding Leafs.<br /><br />The diminutive Theo Fleury is attempting to come-back and play for a team that is looking to make a run at the cup. The issue with the Flames signing a right winger like Fleury is, they have incredible depth at the position. Jarome Iginla, Rene Bourque, David Moss (recently signed to a three year deal worth $1.3 million per), Eric Nystrom, Fredrik Sjostrom, first round pick Chris Chucko, and Enforcer Brian McGratton. Right wingers galore, there is no spot on the roster for Fleury. His history of drug and alcohol abuse should not help his chances, albeit he’s been sober four years.<br /><br />Maybe the teams enjoy the extra media, not that Calgary and Toronto need to try for media exposure. I just simply can’t see any other reason to allow these players to try-out, just to give them false hope. If either of these comeback cast-offs make an NHL roster I will be very surprised and disappointed in management. I think maybe giving Allison a two-way contract and leaving him in the reserves, in case of multiple injuries would be acceptable. In Theo Fleury’s case I can’t see the Calgary higher ups being stupid enough to mix a substance abuse program regular in with young impressionable AHL prospects.<br /><br />Daniel Malta</div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2088609347326920977.post-63638567687766510172009-10-18T15:23:00.000-07:002009-10-18T16:04:27.925-07:00T.O in Buffalo.......nono<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixr215oHjsq0Jh7PaB941PhNTIu_gw_K2NCNfurN6Dtsb9cuDmpiLoyAWTuC4ufdliEII5Dv2XMbkkS2dXUIuukrQBY85BLMwo1vp0MTb_UjMVez2WZTjYX71STD5HCDD9ueoIx9u4ekc/s1600-h/terrell_owens_crying.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394079637941683730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 224px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixr215oHjsq0Jh7PaB941PhNTIu_gw_K2NCNfurN6Dtsb9cuDmpiLoyAWTuC4ufdliEII5Dv2XMbkkS2dXUIuukrQBY85BLMwo1vp0MTb_UjMVez2WZTjYX71STD5HCDD9ueoIx9u4ekc/s320/terrell_owens_crying.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>September 9/2009<br /><br /><br />Terrell Owens is bad for the Bills. Donovan Mcnabb and Jeff Garcia are two quarterbacks that have been alienated by T.O. It now appears that Trent Edwards is next in line. Throughout Terrell Owens career nobody has ever questioned his skill, work ethic, or passion for the game. The real question is, has he ever made a team better? He carries the burden of a media spotlight to every team he joins; he acts in a seemingly calculated manner trying to gain everybody’s attention.<br /><br />To me he is a short-term fix, comparable to an athlete taking a steroid. Sure it will look good for a year or two, everything will be fine, until you get caught. Caught in a firestorm of controversy, outrage, and betrayal, leaving your team in a worse situation than it was in before he was signed.<br /><br />Quarterbacks should be the leaders of any offence, not a running back, not a lineman, and certainly not a receiver. Terrell Owens has a hard time understanding his place on a football team. The image of T.O barking in Donovan Mcnabb’s ear on the sidelines is one of my favourite examples of how he is a self centred quarterback killer. His previous QB, Jeff Garcia received a T.O attack on a more personal level when Owens insinuated Garcia was gay in an interview with playboy magazine. In Dallas, he voiced his concern that quarterback Tony Romo was conspiring with tight end Jason Witten to keep the ball away from him. Even after a super-bowl appearance with the Eagles he was attacking Donovan Mcnabb, saying that he was not in good shape. Now put Owens in an environment where winning will not be easy and to top it off a young unproven quarterback at the helm. All of the ingredients are there; just wait for them to be mixed together, the four quarterbacks might need to form a support group.<br /><br /><br />Dan Malta </div>malta49http://www.blogger.com/profile/12074116357419554308noreply@blogger.com0