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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Month: December 2011

PREVIEW WEEK 16 SERIE A

Posted on by Frank Giuliano

Attention non-Serie A supporters, the Italian League is slowly resurging from recent years of despair! The cinquina has been accomplished! This means that the five Italian clubs currently competing in the Champions League and the Europa Leage have all qualified to the next round! Yesterday in France, the three Italian competitors in the Champions league found out their opponents: SSC Napoli v Chelsea, Internazionale FC v Marseille, and AC Milan v Arsenal. Good luck to all of the Italian teams to win their match-ups which could be the first time in several years that all English teams could be knocked out of all European competition. Forza Milan, Forza Napoli, and Forza Inter! Forza Italia!

Week 16 of the Serie A begins with AC Milan taking on a struggling Siena side. The Rossoneri were held last week to a 1-1z draw against a good Bologna side. ACF Fiorentina  will host Atalanta at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. These two teams are currently level on points in mid table and will both be desperately looking for a result. Atalanta began the season with a 9-point deduction as a consequence to the betting scandal from last year, which if transpired into wins, could have placed them in 5th place.  Chievo Verona welcomes Cagliari at the Bentegodi in Verona. These sides are separated by seven spots but sit only 2 points adrift of each of other – evidence of how tight Serie A is this season. This week also features the Sicilian derby between Catania Calcio and Palermo which always is a battle. Only 2 points separate these sides as well. Fourth-placed SS Lazio will be involved in a top of the table clash with high-flying Udinese. This is a crucial match for both sides with the top four teams all within one point of each other. Only 3 teams will qualify for next year’s Champions League. Udinese, who is currently level on points with Juventus FC for top spot, will take on the Old Lady of Italian football at the Stadio Friuli in Udine on December 21. AC Milan, Napoli, and Juventus need to be wary of these 2 forces as no teams can afford to stumble. Lastly, SSC Napoli will host the Giallorossi of Roma in the so-called DERBY OF THE SUN.  Only 3 points separate these sides as the Partenopei are currently in 5th with 21 points and the Lupi are in 10th position with 18 points. Both teams are currently aiming to reignite their season and a win here will earn them 3 vital points which could place them into the top portion of the table.

SERIE A 2011-12

LATEST
Week 16 18 Dec 2011 (14.00 UK)
Catania Preview Palermo
Cesena Preview Inter
Chievo Preview Cagliari(Sat 17.00)
Fiorentina Preview Atalanta(Sat 19.45)
Genoa Preview Bologna
Juventus Preview Novara
Lazio Preview Udinese(19.45)
Milan Preview Siena(Sat 19.45)
Napoli Preview Roma(19.45)
Parma Preview Lecce
FIXTURES
Week 17 08 Jan 2012
Atalanta – Milan
Bologna – Catania
Cagliari – Genoa
Inter – Parma
Lecce – Juventus
Novara – Fiorentina
Palermo – Napoli
Roma – Chievo
Siena – Lazio
Udinese – Cesena

C'mon Man! Phaneuf Didn't Deserve That!

Posted on by Carl Mostacci

     I can’t believe that Dion Phaneuf got five minutes and a game misconduct for a hit last night.  Sabres forward Zack Kassian turned his back and Phaneuf nudged him in an attempt to get the puck.  If you wanted to give two minutes for boarding, okay, I can accept that.  But even then, Phaneuf didn’t leave his feet.  A two minute cross checking penalty would have been the correct call I think.  I concede that the Leafs’ PK is horrible, but this poor call impacted the outcome of what was otherwise an excellent hockey game.

What do you think?  Didn’t see the hit?  Check it out:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSI4pWn1H1M

…and that is the last word.

Phantom's NHL Picks: Your Guide to Saturday Hockey

Posted on by Grant Alexander

After a long two-week wait, The Leafs and Habs are back on Hockey Night in Canada, and all is right with the world! Not having either Montreal, Toronto, or both, on the Saturday night lineup, is almost sacreligious here in Canada, so it’s good to see them back. That being said, I think only one of these teams has a decent shot at winning tonight. And here’s why…

Vancouver @ Toronto

Toronto is back in the “Saturday night spotlight” this evening against Vancouver, but it’s not going to be easy. The Leafs do finally have the wheels to hang with the Canucks, but they happen to be catching them on the second of back-to-back nights. It’s a shame because I think it would be a good tilt if both teams were rested. It still might be, but smart money is on Vancouver paying 1.65.

New Jersey @ Montreal

This is a good matchup for Montreal. The Habs line up well against Jersey, plus they’re at home, plus its Saturday night, plus Jersey played last night. Montreal at 1.65.

Buffalo @ Pittsburgh

Both of these teams saw action last night, so it will be interesting to see who saved more in the tank for tonight. Pittsburgh is the obvious choice here, they are the better team, and Miller isn’t back to form yet. However, with both teams playing back to back you never know who could come out flat, and Buffalo is getting pretty sweet odds at 2.00. I think I will play it safe though and take Pittsburgh at 1.55.

Anaheim @ Winnipeg

Winnipeg is the home team, the better team in the standings, and they’re favoured. Anaheim though has the potential to be the far superior team. Do you think Boudreau has done enough yet? I do. I think they really find their identity on this road trip, and it starts in Winnipeg. Anaheim at 1.90.

Los Angeles @ Detroit

Detroit is incredibly hard to beat at the Joe, and nothing has changed this year. Couple that with L.A’s inability to score goals, and it looks like a route in the making. I don’t quite believe that though, because L.A does have a good enough team to make games close, and 2.50 is pretty high. Detroit should still be safe though at 1.35.

Tampa Bay @ Columbus

This is one of the closer games of the night. Tampa is the better team, but missing one of their superstars. And Columbus isn’t the pushover they were at the beginning of the season, plus they’re at home. Can Stamkos keep rolling without St. Louis? I think he can. Tampa Bay at 1.60.

St. Louis @ Nashville

This is the toughest game of the night to call, and might be the best one to watch. It’s a divisional matchup between two close teams in the standings, and both teams have won their last 4 straight. It might be a low scoring affair though as both teams have top-shelf goaltending, and pretty solid defensive units. It’s going to be a gritty, tough game that will probably be won by one goal and could end up in a shoot-out. Nashville is at home and favoured, but I think St. Louis is the better team. I’ll take them with the road dog odds of 1.85.

New York Islanders @ Minnesota

The leagues best team, against one of the leagues worst. Hmm… shouldn’t have to box this one, but stranger things have happened. Minny at 1.35.

New York Rangers @ Phoenix

I finally got my revenge on the desert dogs last week. And surprise, surprise, I’m going against them again! New York at 1.65.

Washington @ Colorado

Washington has had trouble scoring goals lately, and Colorado hasn’t been too bad at home. I still like Washington to win, but the hometown odds of 2.00 aren’t too shabby. Washington at 1.55.

Edmonton @ San Jose

This matchup sees two heavily offensive teams doing battle, with only one of them having the defense to back them up. I think San Jose’s depth and backend will be the difference here. San Jose at 1.40.

Favorites

Vancouver
Montreal
Pittsburgh
Detroit
Minny
Washington
San Jose

Pick ‘ems

Tampa Bay
New York Rangers

Long shots

Anaheim
St. Louis

OWC (Odds Worth Considering)

Buffalo 2.00
Los Angeles 2.50
Colorado 2.00

That’s it for this week. Look for more Phantom picks coming next week. And as always, good luck, and let me know how you did!

I Hate to Say I Told You So: NHL Concussions Re-Re-Revisited

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN
Chris Pronger © by VancityAllie

A little more than a month ago I spent some time jotting down my thoughts about the increase in concussions.  I hate to regurgitate material, as there is so much out there on concussions already.  As such, I will focus on my personal feelings, and leave analysis and evidence to the “professionals”.

I don’t need to remind you of the lengthy list of athletes who have suffered concussions, some very severe, in the last few years.  Many contact sports, namely the NHL and NFL are front and centre in the debate over how to solve this crisis.  By the way, sorry to offend, but if you are one who has his head in the sand over how severe this issue is, you might as well stop reading because this is an entirely one-sided article.  What have they done?  Certainly not enough.

The NFL’s crackdown came swift.  Immediate rule changes, and very hefty fines were levied out by the NFL’s sheriff’s department.  My beloved Steelers alone were fined a whopping $2 billion last year… give or take.  James Harrison had to get a part time job as a Wal-Mart greeter just to offset his fines.  Not to say all is perfect in NFL-land – just go ask Colt McCoy’s dad.

How about the NHL, you ask?  Ha, good one.

The fifteen-minute timeout in a dark room was an attempt to make sure players were not allowed back into a game while displaying concussion symptoms (I bet the NFL will consider this soon in the wake of Colt’s injury).  Okay, I like it, but there must be more.  A panel looked into equipment changes and determined a change to shoulder pads would help.  Jury is still out on that, but early indications show no noticeable difference in the number of concussions.  So then where do we go from here?  What is really at the heart of the problem?

There are two culprits, each likely irreversible.  Hockey is built around speed.  The reason why these bodychecks, even the legal versions, are so devastating is that they are delivered or received at breakneck (sometimes almost literally) speeds.  Players’ bodies are like weapons when they are in top-flight.  Another cause is “hockey culture”.   Hockey is known as a tough, physical sport, and I can’t see how we can possibly change that, or if we even need to necessarily.  That said, it’s also no excuse for us to allow what is going on to continue.

When will we call an end to the parade of hockey players with concussions, superstars or not, to cease?  When will we, as fans, say “enough is enough” and force the NHL to make changes both swift and impactful?  I have no doubt the league is looking to see an end to the concussion issue, as much for selfish reasons as for interest in players’ safety, but I just don’t think it’s taken serious enough.

I have said for years that I think ice surfaces should be expanded, similar to international size.  Why?  Simple.  More room = less chance for collisions.  It’s simple playground logic.  It won’t solve the problem completely, but it will help.  I concede that it would be very difficult to put in place on a short-term basis, but can be achieved in a longer-term plan.  Perhaps a date can be agreed upon where all teams need to have expanded their surface if possible?  Maybe all new arenas must allow for a larger ice surface?

What I am certain of is that a change needs to happen because things are slowly spiraling out of control.  Despite several rather weak attempts to posture optimism by NHL execs, concussions are still on the rise.  Sadly, the issue is not being taken seriously enough.

…and that is the last word.

 

A Holiday Tradition Your Family Needs

Posted on by Grant Alexander
Its OK to celebrate.... © by kennymatic

It’s that time of year again. Lights are up, trees are decorated, and spirits are high (unless you’re reading this on your smart phone while feverishly finding that “perfect” gift – in which case you are stressed beyond measure). Families are reunited, and feasts are prepared. It’s a magical time where strangers are well-wishers, and “have a nice day” is replaced with a cheery “Merry Christmas”, or the politically correct “have a happy holiday”. And during this special time spent with loved ones, the world also gets another year older. With each passing year the world changes, as some traditions hold true, and others break, or begin anew.

Traditionally, Southern Ontarians would be welcoming in a “White Christmas”. While our Christmases are no longer white, in other parts of Canada that still rings true.  I give 30-1 odds against having the white stuff on the 25th.  Okay, tangent over.

So with the weather being so unpredictable, what can we be certain of every year? Well, in Canada, how about hockey? The World Junior Championships, which is (usually) played from the 26th of December to the 5th of January, is quickly becoming a holiday tradition in many homes. It has been in mine as long as I can remember, and something I look forward to every year. What better way to keep the holiday spirit alive than to get together with family and friends and watch our nation’s sport (sorry lacrosse players, hockey trumps you)?

So as we hang up the Christmas bulbs, finish our last-minute shopping, and stock up on egg nog and rum, our Canadian Juniors are preparing for the fight of their lives. You may think “fight of their lives” is a strong choice of words, and it may be, but we put a tremendous amount of pressure on these kids. They are kids. It’s called the World JUNIOR Championship for a reason, as every player must be under 20 years old. But nonetheless we expect perfection, which is increasingly difficult given the rising level of competition from other nations. Still, every year we thrust these kids in the spotlight, broadcast them from coast to coast on primetime, and expect nothing less than a gold medal.

You would think I would feel some remorse for the pressure we put on our young stars, but I don’t. It’s actually why I love this tournament so much, and what makes it so special. These kids aren’t used to this sort of pressure, or the international exposure, but it is a great way for them to prepare for the challenges that lay ahead. The large majority of these kids (on all teams, not just in Canada) have already been drafted, and will play in the National Hockey League within the next few years. And a small number of those players will become bona fide superstars in the NHL and for their respective countries. This tournament is a great coming out party for them, and a great way for the fans to familiarize themselves with some of the rising stars of the sport.

The games are played at a fast pace, and the players are playing purely for the love of their country. This is a one-time shot for these players to win a gold medal as an amateur, as very few players are lucky enough to play in consecutive tournaments due to age, skill, and draft commitments. It’s a tournament you don’t want to miss. And if you haven’t already, you might want to make it part of your family’s tradition. Because, as I said before, there may not be snow angels in the front lawn on Christmas morning, but there sure as heck will be hockey on TV Boxing Day night.

Here is the Schedule for the upcoming tournament:

Canada will play in Group B at the 2012 World Junior Championship, along with the U.S., Denmark, Finland and the Czech Republic. Its preliminary-round games will be played at Rexall Place in Edmonton, with the medal round shifting to the Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary.

Dec. 26 – Canada vs. Finland
Dec. 28 – Canada vs. Czech Republic
Dec. 29 – Canada vs. Denmark
Dec. 31 – Canada vs. U.S.
Jan. 2 – Quarterfinals
Jan. 3 – Semifinals
Jan. 5 – Gold medal/Bronze medal games

So sit back with a spiked egg nog, wait, a beer, and put your feet up with your loved ones.  Sip.  Watch.  Enjoy.

…and that is the last word.

A Tearful Sidney Realization: Say it Ain't So!

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN
Sidney Crosby © by jmd41280

I’m sure by now you have read enough articles about Sidney Crosby to write your own book.  At the risk of redundancy, I must also chime in.  What I have always said I will not do is reiterate, hopefully, what everyone else is already saying – “Sidney’s out for X amount of time”, or “Sidney spoke to the media and is unsure of a timeline for his return”.  That has been done to death, and frankly, I see it as a journalists spewing out “junk” just because they know people will read it anyway.  To this day, “Sidney Crosby” continues to be this site’s top-ranked search term from Google despite us not writing about him in ages.  Go figure.

As my Red Wings were set to play the Penguins the other night, I was disappointed to hear about Sid’s new bout of “concussion-like symptoms”.  Not from a selfish standpoint, but rather a genuine concern I have that he will never again be the same player.  I just don’t think he will be the same player again, similar to the inevitable fates of LaFontaine and Lindros.  Unlike either of those guys, Crosby has yet to enter what experts feel is a player’s “prime”.  At the risk of going off on a tangent and losing you, I must say that I am sure I am not alone in thinking the “prime” age must be lowered from 28 to around 25.  Back to Sid.

Crosby’s game is a physical one.  He is not Gretzky, who made a living dancing around players much like a ballerina.  Okay, bad analogy, I get it.  I just mean that Crosby is the guy that will dig in corners, fight in front of the net, block shots, take a dive (sorry, had to throw that in there), and attempt to pound another guy into oblivion, albeit rarely.  If he is constantly looking over his shoulders, how can he possibly do that?  If the next hit might always be seen as the one that permanently sidelines him, how can he not play more cautiously.  I don’t see how it is possible, no matter if he feels 100% or not.

I think we are at a crossroads here.  Who amongst us are ready to admit that we have likely seen Crosby’s best days, and who is still holding out with the assumption that everything will be hunky-dory?  I, for one, represent the former, sadly.  I like Crosby.  I am not a Penguins fan, but I am a hockey fan and can appreciate seeing the best sports has to offer. I liked watching Jordan, Gretzky, Lemieux, Tiger, Shaq, Maradona, Montana, Rice, etc.  Not because I liked their teams; in fact I didn’t like any of them.  Rather, I liked watching the best the game has to offer.  I just don’t know if I can expect to see that from Crosby, and with each “precautionary measure” the Penguins report, I feel less inclined to put stock in a full Crosby recovery.

Sorry, but this is a sad realization I have come to.

…and that is the last word.

CFL News and Notes

Posted on by Carl Mostacci

The 2011 Canadian Football League season came to an end just over two weeks ago with one of the most boring Grey Cups in recent memory.

The BC Lions opened a big lead on Winnipeg by the late stages of the game on-route to a 34-23 (which was very close to my 30-20 pre-game prediction) victory for the team’s sixth Grey Cup Championship in its history. The game was filled with miscues, like untimely penalties and dropped passes. This poor lack of execution was very disappointing to see in a game with such high stakes.

The biggest error was by Winnipeg linebacker Odell Willis. With BC on their own 15 yard line, Lion quarterback Travis Lulay threw a hitch pass to his left that Willis intercepted, but then dropped. If he had hung on, he easily would have scored a TD, and put the Blue Bombers back in the game. Instead they lost, and he looked like a fool because he couldn’t back up all the pre-game trash talking he instigated on social media programs.

It was great to see BC Place sold out, and the crowd into the game. Unfortunately it’s too bad the game itself didn’t match the crowd’s intensity. Hopefully this game will help continue to rebuild the BC Lions once proud following again in Western Canada.

I liked former Ticat coach Marcel Bellefeuille as a person, but unfortunately he couldn’t get the job done as a coach. During his three full seasons in Hamilton, the Tiger Cats didn’t really improve. They were pretty much a .500 team. Some games they showed up prepared to play (eg. Labour Day vs. Montreal this season) and others they were not (eg. the last two regular season games versus Saskatchewan and Toronto). Not knowing what Ticat team was going to come out ultimately cost Bellefeuille his job. The Ticat roster has been pretty much completely overhauled and improved, thanks in-large part to the excellent football eye and signings of Ticat general manager Bob O’Billovich. But at the end of the day, another coach is required in Hamilton to take this group of players to the next level.

The Argos signing quarterback Steven Jyles to that stupid $250,000 two year contract was surprising. I believe Jyles hasn’t proven himself to earn this high CFL profile player money. Then to top it off, today the Argos traded him to Edmonton along with kicker Grant Shaw and a 2nd round pick for star quarterback Ricky Ray. Now this deal sounds crazy. I can’t believe Edmonton would make this crazy deal and give up their prized quarterback for pretty much nothing. I could understand it, if they had a young prospect in the wings, but they don’t. I know Ray struggled this past season a bit, but I don’t think his struggles warranted him to be traded.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say I believe the CFL helped arrange this deal like they have before (eg. 1996 Doug Flutie) to help the CFL survive in Toronto. Toronto is hosting the 100th Anniversary of the Grey Cup in 2012 and the CFL wants to make sure the Argos are in the big game to help restore league interest in the country’s largest city. That interest was at an all-time low this year. With both Argo and Lions owner David Braley looking to improve the Argos’ bottomline, this league arrangement only makes sense.

I’m hoping the argo’s party will be spoiled by the Ticats representing the Eastern Division in the game instead.

…and that’s the Last Word.

 

Week 6: Kentucky Falls and Backyard Brawls

Posted on by taketheleap

Cincinnati player, Yancy Yates (34) throws a punch at Xavier players.

When a #1 seed loses, that is usually the biggest story from the past week. However, the Kentucky loss was completely overshadowed by the Xavier-Cincinnati matchup from this past Saturday afternoon. When the two cross-town rivals met, the lead picture shows how it ended. In a game-ending bench-clearing brawl (YouTube), the shoves and jawing quickly escalated into full-blown madness, with no less than eight players receiving varying-length suspensions. Both coaches condemned the brawl immediately after the game and both schools seem to have had the same reaction, as all suspensions have come from their respective schools, not the NCAA. The swift reactions from both schools should be applauded.

Moving on to actual games from this past week…

Points of Interest, Week #6:

  • Alabama (#16) fell to the Dayton Flyers on Tuesday night, 74-62. The loss drops the Crimson Tide to #23 in this week’s AP poll.
  • It took OT, but Florida knocked off formerly-ranked Arizona 78-72, also on Tuesday night, much to the joy of our editor, @lastwordmike.
  • After all the hoopla surrounding Harvard‘s (#25) entry into the Top 25, it ends as swiftly as it began, with a 67-53 loss to Connecticut (#9), Wednesday night. Harvard is now out of the Top 25, while UConn stays at #9.
  • Ohio State (#2) fell to the Kansas Jayhawks (#13) Saturday afternoon, 78-67, at the Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. With the rest of the reshuffling up top, the Buckeyes remain at #2 and Kansas moves up to #12.
  • Indiana (NR) dropped the Kentucky Wildcats (#1) on Saturday, 73-72. The win earns the Hoosiers (9-0) a long-overdue ranking at #18 and drops Kentucky to #3.
  • And ladies and gentlemen, our new #1 seed, at a perfect 10-0 record: the Syracuse Orangemen. The former #3 leapfrogged Ohio State to take the top spot this week, with 51 of the first-place votes in the AP Poll. Although chock full of talent, Syracuse’s biggest test thus far has been against a Florida team that was then ranked at #10. The rest of their schedule is littered with teams that have been bulldozed into submission. I have a feeling that when the Big East conference schedule starts, we will see what the Orange’s true colours are.

Upcoming Games, Week #7:

  • Louisville (#4) hosts formerly-ranked Memphis on Saturday, 4PM EST tip-off.
  • Florida (#13) visits Texas A&M (#22) on Saturday afternoon, in what should be a pretty good battle. Tip-off is 2:30PM EST.

 

The Xavier-Cincinnati game left a black eye on the world of college basketball (literally). It could have been an infamous incident, where the NCAA was forced to step in and levy sanctions against the offending schools and threaten to leave a permanent mark on the Division I world. As I said before, the reactions of the schools are to be applauded, not only for their swift action, but for dealing with the matter internally. With such a fantastic demonstration of class by the governing bodies of the programs, hopefully the memory of this brawl lasts no longer than the time it takes for a black eye to heal.

… and that’s the last word.

UFC 140: Breaking Bones!

Posted on by Mark Modeski

UFC 140 turned out to be a night that saw the fall of legends and the making of new ones. We saw fighters breaking, in both a literal and proverbial fashion.

For Jon Jones, last night was a chance for him to start to cement a young legacy as potentially one of the greatest the sport has ever seen. Before last night’s fight, Jones had dispatched two former UFC champions with the greatest of ease. Naturally, his fight against Machida should have been no different, right?

For Jones, however, Machida turned out to be the biggest test of his young career. After Machida landed a number of short flurries in the first round, the champion had his chin tested, and looked visibly rattled between rounds – for the first time, Bones looked like he was breaking a little (mentally, that is). However, that wouldn’t stop Bones. Jon came back in the second round to slice up Machida with some patented ground and pound, and then finish the fight off in typical unexpected Jones fashion, with a spectacular standing guillotine.

For Jones, he left people wondering what was next for him, for another legend, however, it was a different kind of breaking on Saturday night. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was on something of a comeback after defeating Brendan Schaub after his last fight – however, Frank Mir put an end to that in devastating fashion at the Air Canada Centre. After being nearly finished early in the first round, Mir worked his way out of a guillotine choke and ended up locking in a kimura on the Brazillian legend, literally snapping his arm in two in a fashion that was eerily reminiscent of his win over Tim Sylvia all those years ago.

Nogueira wasn’t the only legend to fall on Saturday night. Tito Ortiz finally came to terms with the fact that he no longer has a place in the UFC in its current form. After having tasted some of his own medicine at UFC 140 via vicious ground-and-pound at the hands of Lil’Nog, Tito looked dejected and embarrassed. He could barely speak after the fight; mind you this was more likely the result of the broken ribs that he suffered. If there is one thing Tito is never at a loss for, it’s words.

The Korean Zombie started to break into the big time last night. After being positioned as fodder for hometown hero Mark Hominick, the Korean fighter came out and tied the record for fastest KO (seven seconds)in UFC history. Chan now finds himself positioned in the top 10 in the division.

Overall it was a great night for the new generation of fighters, and a sad one for the legends. I think the lesson we should take away from this event, is that we are seeing the last of the old guard fade out into the night and make way for the new generation.

…and that is the last word,