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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Month: April 2012

Do Rookie QB's Have a Chance, or Are They Over-hyped and Over-paid?

Posted on by Jack Stone

Andrew luck  was drafted first overall by the Indianapolis Colts, to no one’s surprise.  Other QBs drafted in the first round of this years draft include Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), and Brandon Weedon (Browns), But do any of them  stand a realistic chance of playing, and playing well?

Time and time again we have seen a young QB get drafted first overall and get thrown into a starting position for a team that finished in the basement of the standings.  We have seen guys like Ryan Leaf,  JaMarcus Russell, Matt Leinhart, and Joe Harrington fail miserably before celebrating their 25th birthday.

The amount of money these kids recieve is way more than their worth.  In 2010, the St. Louis Rams picked Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford first overall in the NFL draft. The following summer, he signed a six-year, $78 million deal that included $50 million in guaranteed bonus money, all before playing a single down in the NFL.

My thoughts are that aside from Newton, who certainly answered the bell last year, not since Peyton Manning have we seen a first overall pick earn their money early in their careers.   I believe Andrew Luck will have an unsuccessful season as he has a limited chance of playing, despite being on such a weak team.  The other first round quarterbacks will see similar results if they are rushed into the position.  A smarter approach would be to adopt a system like Green Bay, who had Aaron Rogers sitting behind Brett Favre for a few years learning what it takes to be a big-time pivot in the National Football League.  Best of luck, Luck.

…and that is the last word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #23: Hampus Lindholm

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted #6 Overall by Anaheim Ducks

Our #23 ranked prospect, Hampus Lindholm continues our draft run on Swedes and on offensively talented defencemen.  He follows immediately after Ludvig Bystrom, and in truth there isn’t much to seperate the two.  Lindholm was also an important part of Sweden’s entries in the 2011 Ivan Hlinka, the 2012 Four Nations, and 2012 IIHF Under-18 World Championships.

Defense
Born Jan 20 1994 – Helsingborg, SWE
Height 6.02 — Weight 185 — Shoots L

2011-12 Rogle BK Swe-1 20 1 3 4 12 -1

Lindholm played 20 games for Rogle in the Swedish Allsvenskan.  He helped Rogle earn promotion, and the club will play in the Elitserien next year.  An explanation of how the Allvenskan and Elitserien work was given earlier in our profile of Filip Forsberg:

“Some think that the Allsvenskan is like the Swedish version of the AHL, this is not the case.  With the way Sweden’s pro hockey leagues are set up, we need to remember that they are set up like European Football (Soccer) leagues.  The Allsvenskan is basically the equivalent of the Italian Serie “B” to the Elitserien’s Serie “A”, or like the Championship League instead of the Barclay’s Premier League.”

Lindholm is yet another excellent skating defenceman in this draft class.  He is particularly impressive in his backwards skating which is extremely fast.  We rarely see him getting beat to the outside by forwards off the rush.  Lindholm shows good agility, balance and edgework.  He is equally adept and also very quick moving forwards, and this adds a lot to his offensive game.

Lindholm is already an excellent defender.  He has size and is willing to use it to hit opposing forwards.  He is generally a defensively responsible player, with good instincts, and an ability to read the play, however he can make youthful mistakes, and get himself out of position looking for the big hit at times.  We do however believe that any issues that he does have can be corrected with time and good coaching.  He does retrieve loose pucks and dump ins quickly due to his quick skating ability and makes a good first pass out of the zone.

Lindholm has good offensive potential.  He has great hockey sense and instincts.  He picks good times to join the rush, and to make pinches at the blue line.  He’s a good passer, with good instincts, vision and creativity.  Lindholm also possesses an accurate shot from the point and good velocity, however this is something he definitely needs to utilize more often.

Lindholm is a bit of a project as he still needs time to fill out his frame as well as to further refine his defensive game.  However we do feel that these issues will be able to be corrected with some time.  Lindholm has a very high ceiling and that contributes to our first round ranking.  We think that if he can reach his potential, he’ll be similar to Nicklas Kronwall of the Detroit Red Wings.

… and thats the Last Word.

 

Pro Bowl: Will It Stay or Will It Go?

Posted on by Anto Dowsett

Ever since January 15, 1939, the NFL in some way or another has held a Pro Bowl-type game after the conclusion of the regular season (with the exception of 1943-1950). Unfortunately, due to lack of real effort, there’s a real good chance that the Pro Bowl becomes cancelled at the conclusion of this coming season.

If you have ever watched the Pro Bowl, you would understand the lack of effort of which I am speaking. To make matters worse, there are extra rules that are enforced during the Pro Bowl specifically, which are apparently were put in place to lessen the chance of injury.  Due to these circumstances, the Pro Bowl has become a very lackluster game to watch. There is no pass-rush whatsoever, and the tackling is very poor. Many people no longer watch this game since it is not very exciting; the only real reason to watch now would be to see the big names like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady. Something needs to be changed in order to once again make this game watchable. Even Aaron Rodgers said last year that some of his NFC teammates “embarrassed themselves” with the effort they gave in the game.

Another idea would be to make a weekend out of the event, similar to that of the NBA. Instead of having just the all-star Pro Bowl game, there could be multiple events throughout the weekend that the players could be involved in culminating in the big game on the Sunday afternoon. Some examples might include a QB accuracy competition where quarterbacks have to hit certain targets as fast as possible.  Another is a RB obstacle course they have to complete as quickly as possible.  And perhaps a WR/DB, one-on-one drill to see who can come up with the ball. Obviously, these are just random ideas I’m throwing out there, but the NFL must do something in order to regain the energy that the game once had many years ago.

Let’s assume for a minute that the game does get cancelled, the league would still need to create two teams in order to praise those players who excelled during the year.  Would they then be merely figurative, existing solely on paper?  Further, some players have bonuses in their contracts that they receive if they are chosen for the Pro Bowl, which is another reason why the league would still need to pick the two respective teams.

What do you think the league should do with the Pro Bowl?  I think you will agree that it will not last with the way it is currently being played.  Please leave suggestions below.

…and that is the last word.

NHL Playoffs Second Round Predictions

Posted on by Grant Alexander

So who’s ready for round two? After one of the most thrilling, controversial, and unpredictable first rounds in recent memory, how can you not be excited for the second round?  And the great news is, you don’t have to wait long at all. Game 1 between Phoenix and Nashville starts Friday, April 27, at 9pm.

With all of the craziness the first round had to offer, I don’t think I faired too badly with my first round predictions. I missed on Pittsburgh, and Chicago, and had Boston to win in 7 (who ended up losing by one goal in game 7). And other than that, I had Jersey right, New York right, St. Louis, Nashville  and even called L.A. on a major upset. So with that in mind, here goes round two…

Eastern Conference

#1 New York Rangers vs. #7 Washington Capitals

Before the playoffs started I wouldn’t have hesitated to take the Rangers to win, but after the first round, I’m not so sure. New York had more trouble with the Sens than expected, and were forced to a 7th game. The Caps did just the opposite forcing the heavily favoured Bruins to a 7th. The wild card here is Holtby. He was amazing in round one, but can he out-play Lundqvist the way he did Thomas? He is a great kid, and he has shown tremendous poise so far, but my answer is “no”. As good as Holtby is, and can be, I still think Lundqvist is, and will be, better. The season series had them tied at 2’s, but a lot has happened since then.

New York wins in 7

#5 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils

The Devils have won two playoff series recently against the Flyers, and both times went on to win the Stanley Cup. This year however, after watching them barely squeak out a series win against the Florida Panther in double overtime of game 7, doesn’t make me believe that it will happen again. The Flyers also looked really good in the dismantling of the consensus favourite Pittsburgh Penguins in round one. And there’s no reason to believe that momentum won’t be carried over into round two. Not only that but Claude Giroux has really taken this team on his shoulders. He looks fierce, determined, and unstoppable right now. Don’t expect this to be a cakewalk though. The Flyers scored most of their goals on the power play with an almost 50% success rate in the first series. That isn’t going to fly against Hall-of-Famer Martin Brodeur, and the penalty conscience Devils. The season series was also a draw as these division rivals tied 3-3.

Philadelphia wins in 6

Western Conference

#2 St. Louis Blues vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings

Can the 8th seed L.A. Kings really take down the top two seeds back-to-back? Sure they can. They are one of those teams where there rank doesn’t do their roster justice. And to me, this series is even odds. Both of these teams matchup pretty evenly as they both have similar defensive styles with similar (stellar) goaltending. They also each have a good mix of offensive and defensive defensemen, with lots of scoring depth up front. Even their captains are similar. Dustin Brown and David Backes are both hard-hitting physical players that can score goals and help out in the defensive zone. The one big difference between these teams is their record against each other this season. L.A. won 3-1, and for me, that’s as good a tiebreaker as any…

Los Angeles wins in 7

#3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #4 Nashville Predators

It looks like Phoenix will play the role of the underdog yet again despite their top seeding and home-ice advantage. If their fairly decisive win over the Chicago Blackhawks has taught us anything, maybe it’s not to underestimate this team. They are coached very well by Dave Tippett, and really work as a cohesive unit at both ends of the ice. They frustrate teams with their tight checking, trap style defense, and have just enough punch to score on the rush. The only problem is, it’s not going to work against Nashville. The Preds play a very similar style of game, and they are much more talented. They have the better goalie in Rinne (although Smith has been great), their D is better with Norris candidate Weber, and their offense is better, especially with the addition of Radulov. If Phoenix wants to sit back and counter, the Preds will have no problem doing the same thing, which could make this one of the most boring series to watch ever. I don’t think it will go down like that though, as I think a few goals one way or the other could break this series wide open.

Nashville wins in 6

… and thats the Last Word

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #22: Ludvig Bystrom

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 43rd Overall by the Dallas Stars.

Ludvig Bystrom (Byström) is yet another example of the improvement of Swedish Hockey in recent years.  After nearly a decade of poor international results among their junior teams, the Swedish Hockey program has really turned it around, culminating in a gold medal at the World Junior Championships.  Bystrom didn’t play on that World Junior Team, but he should be part of future editions of Team Sweden, and he follows Filip Forsberg, Sebastian Collberg, and Pontus Aberg as Swedish Prospects for this years NHL Draft.  He also comes in just ahead of fellow defender Hampus Lindholm. Bystrom has come up through Modo’s development program and even made his Elitserien debut at the age of just 16.

Defense
Born Jul 20 1994 – Örnsköldsvik, SWE
Height 5.11 — Weight 187 — Shoots L

2010-11 Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik SEL 1 0 0 0 0 0
2011-12 Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik SEL 20 0 1 1 8 2

Bystrom has been extremely impressive at the international level for Sweden.  He was a key component of Sweden’s 2011 Ivan Hlinka Team which won the Silver Medal, the 2012 Five Nations Team which won Gold, and the 2012 IIHF Under 18  World Championship Team which won silver.  He has also gained valuable experience playing against men in 20 games for Modo in the Swedish Elitserien.

Bystrom has a ton of offensive potential.  He is a very good skater, extremely agile and mobile. Bystrom has good work on his edges, excellent pivots and changes of direction, and very good balance.  His top speed is above average.  Bystrom is a good stickhandler and a creative player in the offensive zone, and when joining the rush.  He is a great passer with excellent vision, and is very good at distributing the puck, especially on the PP.  One criticism is that we don’t think Bystrom shoots the puck enough.  He is always looking to pass and this limits his effectiveness to a certain extent as opponents have realized that this is his game.  Even when he does shoot, he will need some time to develop a harder slapshot.

Defensively Bystrom plays a game that relies on stick-checking opponents and using his great skating to stay in the right position in order to stop opponents.  While Bystrom doesn’t shy away from physical contact initiated by opponents, he’s not known as a big hitter.  When we first saw Bystrom at the 2011 Hlinka Tournament we noticed that he had a tendency to chase the puck too much and take himself out of position.  However, our more recent viewings at the Under-18 World Championship indicate a player who has learned to play a very sound positional game, and has developped his defensive hockey sense and instincts.  His quick skating and good passing also help him defensively, as he gets to loose pucks and quickly starts the transition game, removing the puck from his own zone.

Bystrom has progressed a lot this year, however he is still a bit of a work in progress.  We do think he has a very high ceiling though, and we feel he could develop into a player similar to Tomas Kaberle currently of the Montreal Canadiens.  We note that this projection is more of what Kaberle looked like in his prime with the Toronto Maple Leafs, than it is Kaberle today.

… and thats the Last Word.

Attack on Joel Ward: No Room for Racism in NHL

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

In what can only be described as a hate crime, a group of Boston Bruins fans have made headlines for their outlandish remarks toward Joel Ward of the Washington Capitals via Twitter.

The incident stems from Ward’s goal that prematurely ended the Bruins season on Wednesday night. The attack, however, was aimed at the colour of the young Capitals forward’s skin.  Soon after the game, racist remarks were broadcast all over Twitter.  There were some who came to Ward’s defence, including Capitals owner Ted Leonsis in his blog (www.tedstake.com), and teammate Alex Semin.

Ward, a native of Scarborough, Ontario, is one of a small group of black hockey players in the NHL, and just the latest target of racism in the NHL. Earlier this season during a preseason game in London, Ontario, Wayne Simmonds was targeted with a completely unacceptable and unprovoked attack.  As he was taking a shootout attempt a fan threw a banana at the Flyer’s forward.

A second incident sparked a lot of controversy during a game between the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers.  Kris Barch of the Panthers was suddenly handed a game misconduct, which fans later learned was as a result of a racial slur aimed at the Habs black blue-liner, P.K. Subban.  The offence got a lot of backlash aimed at the Panthers, and a great spotlight was cast on the NHL.  However, things reached a whole different level last night and today after the conclusion of the Caps – Bruins game.

When Joel Ward scored it was the highlight of his career, according to the native of Barbados.  But within a short time after the game, as he learned of the racist remarks aimed at him by Bruins supporters, that was all taken away.  The goal lost its lustre.  He was cheated out of one the greatest moments he will ever have, and that is just sad.

I don’t want to re-hash everything that was said about him.  I don’t believe in giving credence to a word I find completely offensive and an unacceptable part of today’s society.  I am not sure what can be done about this, other than making things miserable on Twitter for those offenders who hit way below the belt.  What I am willing to do is share some of the accounts involved, should you feel the need to voice your opinion.  Again, these are just some of the people involved in racist remarks toward Joel Ward:

@JThornberry23

@Flesher91

@Khal1013

@Mikeanzideo

@lake617

@GeraldHart635

@ThatDudeScogan

@RealSteezyDubz

@BradenAxtman

@patrice_g7

@BillyG_2

@CrispoCream

Hopefully sports fans can band together and stand up against racism in our game.  There is just no room for idiots.  Credit to Chirpstory (http://chirpstory.com/li/6781) for exposing these cowards who spew their vile hate speech behind the anonymity of a computer screen.

…and that is the last word.

Historic Fort Erie Race Track Celebrates its 115th Year

Posted on by Dwayne Edwards

The day is getting closer.  The 115th thoroughbred racing season at Fort Erie Race Track is only a couple of weekends away. Opening day at the picturesque track is Sunday, May 6 and the racetrack management and staff are excited for the great year ahead. With some new promotions, events, local musical talent at the “Tiki Bar”, and as always exciting live racing at the border oval, 2012 will be a year of celebration!

115 years of live racing, what an incredible feat, the history of Fort Erie Race Track brings back memories to last a lifetime. From the beginning when Ellesmere won the very first race on June 16, 1897 and EP Taylor introduced the Canadian Triple Crown in 1959, granting “The Fort” the second leg, The Prince of Wales Stakes.  Even the great Northern Dancer won his first race here in 1963.

In fact, many champions have competed here including, Dance Smartly, Izvestia, With Approval and the latest triple crown winner Wando just to name a few.

The track will be displaying memorabilia from the rich 115-year history of horse racing at Fort Erie Race Track on opening day and throughout the racing season.  There will be many events throughout the year, which will make a day at the races fun for the whole family. Not only is there the excitement of cheering on your favorite horse or getting your bet home, the track will also offer special events and promotion days.

On the day prior to the opening, Sat May 5th, is of course the Kentucky Derby Day.  To celebrate, at the Tiki Bar “Rhyme N Reason Bluegrass Band” will be performing live, and as always pari-mutual betting on the Derby and many other tracks.

Sunday May 6th, opening day at The Fort, will be a button giveaway promotion as well an exciting card of racing!  Sunday May 13th, Mothers Day, has free autographs and photos from local jockeys and as tradition goes a little something special for the mothers in attendance.

With racing every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from May 6 – Oct 30, the season will be competitive as always and if last year was any indication the race within the races will be tight as well. Last year the leading jockey was Chris Griffith, but it was very close as the top three riders by wins were within five of each other and it came down to the last weekend for Griffith to secure the award. Kirk Johnson and Real Simard were second and third in the standings and this trio of riders are planning on another big season as they all have been riding at Woodbine this spring and are fit and ready to compete once again to earn top spot in the jockey standings.

The Hustle and Bustle of the racetrack is back in Fort Erie! The winter ghost town is starting to hit stride and people/race trackers are coming from all over the continent. Restaurants and other businesses are appreciating the added population to the Fort Erie community and everyone is praying for the government to come to their senses. The racetrack does need some assistance as it had for many years with the slots arrangement, and the town needs the racetrack as it had for the past 115 years. Hopefully the track can straighten out the thoughts of the government to continue on to 116 years and beyond. But this year is the time for Fort Erie Race Track to shine, just as it has for years and years before, because it has to – its back is to the wall.  It needs to regain its promise of an entertaining place to play, and even better place to work.

…and that is the last word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #21: Slater Koekkoek

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted Number 10 Overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Our #21 rated prospect, Slater Koekkoek is a perfect example of the two big themes of this year’s draft class.  Koekkoek is yet another impressive offensive defenceman prospect, and he’s yet another high end prospect who has suffered with the 2012 Draft Class Injury Curse.  Before his injury Koekkoek was the clear leader on the Peterborough Petes defence, and it is obvious to all that the OHL club has greatly missed his services in the 2nd half of this season.  While his shoulder injury certainly effects his ranking, we still have Koekkoek as a prospect rated in the first round due to his impressive skill set and physical package that every NHL team covets.  Peterborough has long been known as a prospect factory producing more NHL drafted players than any other CHL team, and Koekkoek will continue the Petes tradition.

Defense
Born Feb 18 1994 — Mountain, ONT
Height 6.02 — Weight 183 — Shoots Left

2010-11 Peterborough Petes OHL 65 7 16 23 67 -29
2011-12 Peterborough Petes OHL 26 5 13 18 17 -7

Koekkoek is an effective offensive defenceman. His slapshot is hard and accurate, and Koekkoek understands the importance of keeping it low and on net. Koekkoek is also a very good passer, and his excellent vision helps him to quarterback the Petes powerplay.  He is a good puck handler, and has shown the ability to join the rush, and smart decision making to do it at the right times.  Skating wise, Koekkoek could use some work on his top end speed as it is merely average.  However his agility, balance, and lateral mobility are very good and will serve him well going forward.

Defensively Koekkoek is a physical presence.  He is a player who just loves to throw big body checks, and can strike fear into opponents coming down his side of the ice.  Koekkoek is also a willing and able shot blocker.  However, Koekkoek’s defensive game is far from a finished product.  He requires more work on his defensive assignments, and on his positioning in the defensive zone.  Koekkoek also needs to add muscle to his frame if he wants to be able to handle bigger forwards at the next level.  He’s got good height and a good frame, however he does need to work in the weight room in order to properly fill out, as he is currently very slender.

Koekkoek suffered a season ending shoulder injury in November.  It turns out that Koekkoek had a torn labrum which required surgery, and he did not play again.  At this time Koekkoek is still rehabbing and it is unclear if he will be ready to do the physical testing at the NHL combine on June 1st and 2nd.  A good showing could vault Koekkoek up the draft boards and he could certainly challenge guys like Codi Ceci, Olli Maatta, Matt Finn, and Derrick Pouliot, for a spot in the top 15.  However, if his rehab is behind schedule and his shoulder is not ready.  We could see him fall out of the first round.

While a lot will depend on Koekkoek’s recovery, and his progression once he does get back on the ice, we still feel Koekkoek has a very high ceiling.  He might be a bit of a work in progress, but if he can reach his potential, and polish his game, we’d compare Koekkoek to Zach Bogosian of the Winnipeg Jets.

… and thats the Last Word.

And Just Like That, the Bruins Are Out!

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

The series was one I was actually quite excited about, and the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals delivered! In a hard-fought back-and-forth series, the teams delivered right to the end.  In fact, each of the seven games were won by a single tally.

Coming into the seventh game at the Boston Garden, the hometown Bruins had the slight edge – they are defending champions, have an elite netminder, and were in the friendly (to them) confines of the Garden.  But, Washington’s secret weapon, goaltender Braden Holtby had something else to say.  Holtby, the Caps third choice in net, has come out of nowhere after injuries to Washington’s top two keepers.

Tonight’s contest was physical, obviously.  After 60 minutes the teams were at a standstill, knotted at ones.  Overtime, however, was quickly settled after a Mike Knuble steal in the neutral zone, a shot on net, and a Joel Ward rebound passed a stunned Timmy Thomas.  The Garden fell silent, Ovie lost his mind, and the defending champs and their fans have a long ride home tonight.

Washington 2 – Boston 1

…and that is the last word.