Weekend Hangover - Love/Hate

LOVE

- Hockey was the big winner yesterday. Canada comes away with the gold, and US goalie Ryan Miller wins the MVP award, and people actually cared about hockey for two weeks. It will be interesting to see if there is any lasting boost for hockey, or if it will disappear from the casual sports fan’s conscious. The announcers put some nice plugs in for the NHL during the gold medal game, reminding fans how many of the players were NHL guys and when the NHL games on NBC would be telecast.

As for the game, it doesn’t get much more dramatic than that. The US scores a goal with less than 30 seconds left in the game to send it to OT, but Sidney Crosby scored about 9 minutes into the extra period to win the gold. About 30 seconds before the game winning goal, I was thinking how quiet Crosby had been. I don’t follow hockey, but he is among the 10 players in the league I could name and I know he is one of the NHL’s biggest stars. Yet he hadn’t scored a point – goal or assist – during the tournament. I don’t even think I completed the thought before he snuck one through Ryan Miller’s five-hole and the Canadian party was on. I guess it’s time for everyone to put on your Canadian tuxedo (see picture) and drink some Molson.

- The Canadian men’s curling team was dominant in winning the gold. I was strangely attracted to curling throughout the Olympics, in much the same way people are attracted to Kristen Stewart. I don’t really understand it, but it’s definitely there. Their bald, veteran skipper, Kevin Martin got most of the headlines, and he was spectacular, but the real difference maker was the younger John Morris. I still don’t know all the strategy involved in curling, but I do know that Morris consistently was able to knock two and three of his opponent’s stones out of scoring range consistently.

- Last Thursday night, the Canadian women’s hockey team won the goal medal and then took some heat for their celebration tactics. They came back out of the locker room with beer, champagne and cigars to celebrate out on the ice, which was seen as classless by many in the media. I don’t see the issue. They worked four years for this accomplishment, so when they get it, you expect them to clap their hands and smile? Let’s be a little realistic. You earned it girls, so drink from the bottle of champagne, shotgun those LaBatte Blues and light up the victory cigars!

- The movie Shutter Island was incredible. Saw it this weekend and I don’t want to give anything away, but one sign of a great movie is when you’re walking out and you think you know what happened, but someone else could very easily argue that something else happened and there are clues for both sides. Martin Scorsese put out another gem combining with Leonardo DiCaprio in the psychological thriller that has been tops at the box office the past two weeks. Scorsese has been cranking out great movies for decades – The Departed, Gangs of New York, Casino, Cape Fear, Goodfellas, The Color of Money, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and others I’m sure I’m missing – and has an uncanny ability to use music and silence to create an intense and dramatic scene. And as much as everyone wants to hate DeCaprio, the guy is pretty much the king of the Hollywood world right now. Who knew that the kid that started as the extra adopted kid in Growing Pains would become among the top movie stars in the world and be dating Bar Rafaeli. Yes, he wins. (and if you really thought I was going to put a picture of DiCaprio up because of the movie......then you haven't been reading this blog for very long)

HATE

- Marquette won another close game this weekend, and has now won 6 games by less than 5 points. Yet, watching the end of the game, it’s obvious that while Buzz Williams has some recruiting ability, his game management is suspect at best. In their victories over UConn, St. John’s and now Seton Hall, the Golden Eagles have had the ball with a chance for a game-winning shot. Williams did not draw up a play in any of the situations, and yet, his players have bailed him out by making some big shots to win the games. Watching the way both Marquette and Seton Hall played the end of the game, neither team deserves a spot in the NCAA tournament.

- Duke has quietly positioned itself to get a #1 seed when the tournament brackets come out in two weeks. They have cruised through the abnormally weak ACC conference this year, and were sitting at #5 in the country before the top 3 teams lost this weekend. With Purdue going to battle without Robbie Hummel, they are not the same team that was ranked #3 going into the weekend. That leaves the Blue Devils with the ability to roll through the ACC tourney and into one of the coveted top seeds. They are the girl that’s been at the bar all night that you didn’t even notice because of all the other flash around the bar, yet as the place starts to clear out and the music quiets down, she’s all that’s left, so you have to play the cards you’re dealt. That’s probably also how girls from Duke feel if they ever venture over to a UNC bar – they don’t have a chance until after 2:15 am.

- The NFL Combine is such an overhyped and overrated part of the draft process. ESPN just led the news out of the combine with the headline that Tim Tebow set the record for QB vertical leap. Can anyone give me any way that a vertical leap even slightly relates to playing quarterback in the NFL? Who cares how high he can jump if he still has that loopy, slow delivery that Urban Meyer was too arrogant and selfish to fix? He’s not going to be jumping, he’s going to be flat on his back in the NFL. It’s the equivalent of signing a pitcher that can't pitch to a long-term contract because he had one successful post season stretch and four years later having your highest paid player fighting for a chance to be the fifth starter. Ladies & Gentlemen........Jeff Suppan!!!

- The Closing ceremonies were exceptionally strange. I wasn’t fully focused on them…..but here’s a quick recap of the things I saw……a Canadian version of a mosh pit with everyone wearing white and holding snow boards jumping up and down……..naughty women mounties………a Canadian Macy’s Parade complete with inflatable mounties, moose and beavers………and William Schatner. I’m really not sure what to say about it.

Weekend Hangover - Love/Hate

LOVE

- U-S-A! U-S-A! The men’s hockey team upset the Canadian powerhouse last night, which is ironic since today is the 30th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice victory over Russia in the 1980 Olympics. This was nowhere near the level of upset and is still in pool play not a medal round, but it was an extremely entertaining game – especially for a guy like me that does not follow hockey (I have an issue with any sport that calls it’s jerseys “sweaters”). But the best part of a hockey game? The goal horn. Is there anything better than the loud fog horn that blasts after each and every goal in any hockey game? Just awesome.

Since I am not old enough to have any memories of the 1980 games, here is my first memorable hockey introduction. I grew up in Wisconsin, which is hockey crazy, yet despite my cousins playing the sport, I never was really exposed to the game. Fast forward to college, where Wisconsin has a rich hockey tradition. I somehow snag two prime seats at mid-ice for a game and manage to talk this girl who played on the University’s women’s club hockey team to go with me. Now I know what you’re thinking – that she was more interested in the cheerleaders than me – but I don’t think that was really the case. We settle into our seats and she’s attempting to explain the game to me when Dany Heatley (currently playing for Team Canada) scores for the Badgers. The place goes bezerk and that fog horn goes off. I’m into it, though still spinning trying to figure out how people can keep up with the puck. Suddenly the entire crowd starts pointing at the opposing goalie and chanting “Sieve!” - particularly this 75 year old grandmother sitting next to us who is screaming with extreme passion! That’s when I knew that hockey was something that must be in your blood and you either have it or you don’t. I didn’t. Grandma Sieve defintely did.

- NBC Hockey Announcer Doc Emrick is outstanding. He combines the emotions and pace of Gus Johnson, the intelligence of Jay Bilas and the personality of Steve Lavin all into one. There were times during the game where I wasn’t fully paying attention but simply the tone and pace of his voice made me focus back on the game.

- I have generally poo-poo’d all of the hype around John Wall at Kentucky this season. Without having seen him play very much, I tended to believe that that he was a very talented guy, lightning quick point guard with a solid shot, but he was immature and probably quite as good as advertised. Well, I’m starting to come around. Despite having an off shooting night, he was able to come up with a game saving blocked shot and knock down crucial free throws as Kentucky took down Vanderbilt on Saturday night. I still think Wall is not as polished as Derrick Rose was during his one year in college, and I think DeMarcus Cousins might be the best freshman on Kentucky this year, but I’m starting to believe that he will be a major contributor in the NBA next season.

- I am a big fan of match play golf relative to the low-score method that is used in most pro tournaments. There’s just something to going head to head for the 18 holes against the guy you’re battling and not having to worry about checking the scoreboard to see who is having a good round. It just brings a different attitude to the course – kind of like on The Bachelor when they make all the women live in the same house with no access to television or phones and a fully stocked liquor cabinet. Then we act surprised when the claws come out and the girls are not quite as they appear on the show………like this season’s villain, Vienna.

HATE

- Boner has gone missing!! Who knew that this would be the only time it would “family friendly” to type those words? Andrew Koenig, the guy who played Richard “Boner” Stabone on the 80’s sitcom Growing Pains went missing at the Olympics this weekend. He was supposed to return to LA and didn’t show up for his flight. Hard to believe that guy is 42 years old now, and another sad story of a childhood actor struggling when their career matures.

- Enough with the analyzing of Tiger’s speech last week. To no one’s surprise, there are people crying for more from him and others who think he nailed the apology. Obviously, those that profit from Tiger (like ESPN & the PGA) think he was great. Those that profit from continued drama (like the rag mags) think he was too staged and robotic. Who cares? Let the dude put his life back together.

- I have had enough of Bode Miller. I get that the guy is the “most decorated Olympic skiier” in US history – which is kind of like being the tallest midget. The guy can ski faster than anyone because he has no fear, which is impressive. But he is obvlivious to the honor of being an Olympian, and has no pride in skiing for his country. Listen to some of the past medal winners in the US or even some of the current winners – Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamil, Lindsey Vonn or even Shaun White – they all speak about the pride and pressure they felt to win for their country. Not Bode – he measures success not by winning or posting a good time, but by the fun he has with a twelver in the hot tub. In his spoiled, deuchebag world, this is just another week partying on the slopes. He’s the John Mayer of skiing – he has one great talent, but is a complete asshat when he’s not doing that one talent.

- While Major League Baseball fans whine about the lack of a salary cap in baseball, the system that is currently in place in the NBA doesn’t seem to be working either. What kind of system rewards a team for blowing up a team for 2-3 years with no intentions of winning in hopes of clearing enough salary cap space to sign two super stars? That’s been the program the Knicks have been on for the past 3 years. Not a program of rebuilding with young stars that may take some years to develop. (That is the plan the Blazers and Thunder have used successfully) The Knicks have taken on terribly overpaid players with expiring contracts and have freed up the cap space to sign two of the big free agents from this year’s bumper crop of available stars.

Can they convince LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to both come to New York and rule Gotham as Batman & Batman? Tracy McGrady would play Robin to the two of them, and let’s not kid ourselves – a team of those 3 would easily be among the favorites to win the title. Part of me wants to see it happen just for the intrigue of it, but the rest of me doesn’t want to reward a franchise for being awful and taking money from their season ticket holders who were paying good money for an intentionally suboptimal product.

Degenerate Friday - Tiger & Olympic Hockey

I’m not going to lie, without football it is hard to find something to gamble on each and every week. But we are dedicated to find some sweet action that we can throw cash at and make your bookie wonder where you come up with these bets. That is, if gambling were legal.

Before we get to this week’s locks, a quick story. This morning I crawled my happy arse out of bed for a 6:30 spinning class with the wife. Maybe it was to sweat out the scotch from last night or maybe I’m just an idiot. Either way, I settle in on the bike and start pedaling to warm up when I’m struck by the words on the shirt on the girl in front of me. On the back of the shirt it has the following lines:

Phucket Beach, Thailand

2001: Bomb Threat
2002: Bird Flu
2003: Earthquake
2004: Tsunami

What’s Next?!?!

And then to top it off, on the front of the shirt was “Still Alive” in huge letters. First, that’s not the type of thing that I want to be thinking about at the crack of dawn. Good Morning – remember all the terrible stuff that has killed a bunch of people in the past 10 years? Great, now pedal your arse off to the beat of the music. Second, was she taunting all the people that weren’t “still alive” from all of those disasters? Was she taunting Mother Nature - "what else you got, bitch?"

By the way, in addition to having a beach called Phucket, which sounds like, well…..you know. Thailand also has a Monkey Beach that has a ton of monkeys that hang out on the beach. How is this not the greatest place on earth? In college I always wanted a pet monkey that we could train to get us beer and make pizzas. The debate was always what would be better – a monkey or a midget. Midgets don’t throw their own poop (usually), which was a huge plus for them. The fact that you can’t own another human was always the downside. Such a strange way to start out a day that is only going to get more strange once Tiger makes his 5 minute speech.

Speaking of Tiger, that’s where we find one of our chances to gamble. I have to hurry to get this posted before the show begins, but here is the link to the odds on what he will say first. That’s a tougher bet than betting on how many times Tiger will say “sorry” according to the same site. For the phrase he will say first, it’s hard not to see him opening the speech by thanking everyone for being there, then leading off with an apology. The payday on “I’m sorry” is only 6/4, so I’d save the money. As for the number of times he says he is sorry? I’m thinking that during a 5 minute speech, he’s going to say “sorry” four times – to his wife, his fans, the PGA tour and his sponsors. That’s a nice 5/1 payday.

A couple quick notes on the entire situation of the press conference. I think the biggest thing we’re learning from the whole charade is that Tiger remains as stubborn and controling as ever, which makes you wonder if he’s learned anything. Christine Brennan of the USA Today blasts Tiger for his control over the speech. Coming out for a speech – it is not a press conference if he is not taking any questions and all of the press is not welcome - in an ultracontrolled situation reeks of the old Tiger style of privacy. I’m not saying it’s wrong, because like I said before, Tiger doesn’t owe me or you an apology. He owes an apology to his wife and his sponsors, and not one that needs to be made in public.

More interesting than what he says, is who is going to be there. I have heard that Elin is unlikely to attend, but that Michael Jordan will be there. Again, how is that helping your image? A guy with a known gambling problem, and one of the all-time womanizers whose wife divorced him over his past “transgressions” and the guy who got up at his own Hall of Fame speech and blasted everything and everyone within range. Yes, he was the greatest basketball player ever to lace up the sneaks, but as a character witness? Why MJ? Was Rachel Uchitel unavailable to stand next to him? As I’m typing this, I just heard that MJ may not be there or he may not be out in the room publicly for the speech. That’s disappointing from an entertainment side, but it could open up a seat at the table for Uchitel……..or the Perkins waitress.

Let’s just move on……..

I know I’ve mentioned and linked to my thoughts on the Olympics before, but I do have to admit to watching a decent amount of the games. I’ve watched some hockey, some skiing and some curling. The US curling teams, both men and women, have been awful and are a combined 0-6. The sport is semi-intriguing because of the strategy involved, and while I have never done it and assume it is harder than it looks, it definitely looks like a sport you could drink while playing. Somewhat similar to playing corn hole – a game that is as Cincinnati as Skyline Chili – but has blown up across the country in the past few years.

Another gambling option this weekend is the men’s hockey game on Sunday night between the US & Canada. Canada seems to be the favorite for the gold medal but the US team is playing well and would like nothing better than to beat their neighbors to the north. I’m not going to taunt the Canadians because I don’t want to get their media fired up like they did with the British for taking shots at the repeated problems with the Olympics thus far. I mean, seriously Canada. Just because someone said you have struggled with the games (memo: you have!!), doesn’t mean you have to bring up their lack of stamina in the sack. Seems more lowbrow than a porn star talking about getting preggers from Tiger twice knowing that he won’t dispute it.

So the pick is the U-S-A. Go stars & stripes. I have to believe the Canadian Mounties will have problems keeping their horses upright on the ice.