Baseball, a fat mans game?

“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.

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.

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.

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.

175 lbs ----------------------------------------220 lbs

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 Moneyball has taught us anything it's that every run, out, base and win does count.

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)

To elite athletes on very intense training regimes, 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 steroid era 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.

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?

As for myself, it is as much a question as it is a concern.

Dan Malta

Gold medal means more than a Gold medal

. The reaction from fans was excellent..........

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. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USThWknAI8
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.

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.

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?

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!!!!"

And just incase you forgot what it sounded like... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSfl8vFNZdE&feature=related

Sea of Skillitude

It happened, the Canadian men’s hockey team took home gold.

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.

The United States have a talent pool of hockey players capable of competing with any country in the world.

Unfortunately for America, their neighbours to the north have an ocean of talent to chose from.

Putting aside the roster that won gold in Vancouver I picked three more Canadian teams.

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.

TEAM B..........(or should I call them A1?)

LW ...........................................................C ....................................................RW

1.Steven Stamkos .........................1.Jeff Carter................................. 1.Martin St. Louis (A)
2.Mike Cammalleri....................... 2.Vinny Lecalvilier(A) .................2.Shane Doan
3.James Neal .................................3.Brad Richards............................ 3.Dustin Penner
4.Milan Lucic .................................4.Mike Fisher ................................4.Scottie Upshall
5.Jordan Stall

D

Mike Green -Jay Bouwmeester
Tyler Myers- Dion Phanuef
Brian Campbell -Jeff Schultz
Rob Blake(C)

G
Cam Ward
Steve Mason
Marty Turco


-Cam Ward........Conn Smythe
-Marty Turco is a third defenceman
-Mason will be Canada's #1 goalie in time.
-Every player on the first line is in the top 15 in scoring by a Canadian.
-second line has two proven scorers and a defensive concience with Shane Doan
-third line harnesses youth (neal), size (Penner), and experience/speed (Richards)
-the bottom 4 forwards just don't seem like much fun to play against do they?
-Jeff Schultz leads the NHL in plus/minus rating.
-Rob Blake has a gold medal and Stanley Cup experience.
-Phanuef scares people, Brian Campbell is this teams Scott Niedermayer.
-Mike Green is a PPG defenceman.
-Myers and Bouwmeester are towers of power.


TEAM C

LW C RW

Patrick Sharp.......................................... Nathan Horton........................................... Brad Boyes
Rene Bourque ............................................Stephen Weiss .....................................J.P. Dumont
Andrew Brunette.................................... Derek Roy ..............................................Chris Stewart
Alexandre Burrows ...............................Brooks Laich .....................................Wayne Simmonds
Ryan Smyth (C)

D

Mark Giordano- Robyn Regehr (A)
Brian McCabe -Marc Stall
Derek Morris -Stephane Robidas
Ed jovanoski (A)

G
Chris Mason
J.S. Giguere
Dwayne Roloson


-A little more grit and size on team 'C'
-Smyth and Jovo-cop have enough international experience for the whole team.
-Horton has two dangerous snipers to create space for.
-a toss up between the three goalies for the start, thats a good thing.
-The bottom two forward lines are an ideal bunch of shuft disturbers.
-good mix between offensive and defensive players on the back end.
-Defence would feed off Regehr & Giordano chemistry.
-Brian McCabe can still fire a puck.

TEAM D

LW C RW

Ray Whitney (A).................................... Antoine Vermette................................... Danny Briere
John Tavares......................................... Jason Arnott (C) ......................................Claude Giroux
Mason Raymond..................................... Sam Gagner......................................... Mark Recchi
Scott Hartnell ...........................................Gilbert Brule .......................................Todd Bertuzzi
Ryan Clowe

D

Ian White --Francois Beauchemin (A)
Cam Barker-- Cory Sarich
Braydon Coburn --Kyle Quincey
Kris letang

G
Mike Smith
Dan Ellis
Carey Price



-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.
-Jason Arnott is a very under-rated leader and player.
-Beauchemin and Sarich would be leaned of heavily in PK situations.
-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.
-Tavares doesn't have the speed to compete at Centre in the olypmics, the wing made more sense.
-If a shoot-out occured there are few players I would rather have than Sam Gagner.




Each one of these teams could have challenged for a medal, they might have given the gold medalists trouble.

SUPER BOWL 44

Ever since he was a young boy.

He's played with the pigskin ball.

From Indianapolis down to Miami.

He must have played them all.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning certainly is a football wizard.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Over the course of the game I don't think New Orleans will be able to handle the constant pressure from the Colts offense.

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.

prediction.......Colts 37...............Saints 27.

Dear Patrice

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.

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.

Thanks,

Dan Malta

for all the blind people....

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH,


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.

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.

Keys to the arena.

Phil Kessel is an outstanding talent. You might have already figured out where i'm going with this.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I sound like Don Cherry...............oh well.