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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2011

Match Day 3 of UEFA Champions League

Posted on by Frank Giuliano

Hopefully Match day 3 of the Champions League will provide more exciting football action than Match Day 2 as a few of the fixtures looking interesting enough to follow. There are already a number of teams in a must-win situation.  In group A, Manchester City will take on Villarreal at the City of Manchester Stadium in England with both teams desperately in need of the 3 points at stake as front-runners Bayern Munich takes on SSC Napoli at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples in a battle for first place. This past weekend in Bundesliga action, Bayern Munich won 4-0 while the Partenopei lost at home to Parma. The Napoli players will be eager to redeem themselves in Champions League play.  Manchester United FC is also in a must-win situation as they travel to Romania to play Otelul Galati.  The Red Devils are coming off a disappointing tie against Basel in Match Day 2, and only have 2 points from 2 games and are sitting in third place. In group D, Ajax must grab the 3 points against Dinamo Zagreb if the Dutch plan on continuing their Champions League campaign as they sit in third place with 1 point from 2 games. Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid FC host Olympique Lyonnais in what is becoming a rivalry since these two sides have faced off in the past few editions of Europe’s elite club competition. Borussia Dortmund travels to Greece to play Olympiacos with both teams needing to win in order to have keep their qualification hopes alive.

Here are the match-ups for Match day 3:

 

Group A

Comments

SSC Napoli v Bayern Munich

  This will certainly be the game of Match Day 3. SSC Napoli sit in the second with 4 points while Bayern Munich tops the group with 6 points. 

Manchester City v Villarreal

  Giuseppe Rossi and Co. are in dire need of the three points in order to keep their second round qualifying hopes alive. Manchester City will be eager to push for at least a second place finish and thus need help from the Germans. Anything short of second place will be a disappointment to Roberto Mancini and his men in blue. 

 

Group B

Comments

CSKA Moskva v Trabzonspor

  This is a battle be last and first respectively. The surprising Turks of Trabzonspor are leading Group B with 4 points.

Lille  v Internazionale

  Losing to Catania Calcio on the weekend should be all the motivation the Nerazzurri need at the moment.

 

Group C

Comments

Basel v Benfica

  Battle for top spot. Both teams on top on Group C with 4 points.

Otelul Galati v Manchester United

  If the Red Devils want to qualify for the next round, they will desperately need the 3 points in this encounter. 

 

Group D

Comments

Real Madrid  v Lyon

  This is a battle between two great historic teams. It should be an interesting event.

Dinamo Zagreb v Ajax

  In front of their home crowd, Dinamo Zagreb will aim to put the Dutch under and jump into third.

 

Group E

Comments

Bayer Leverkusen v Valencia

  Battle for second place with home team sitting in second place with 3 points. Valencia are in third with 2 points. 

  Chelsea v Genk

  Chelsea should be able to win this match comfortably at the Stamford Bridge.

 

Group F

Comments

Marseille  v Arsenal

  This will prove to be a tough test for the Gunners who are currently sitting in second place with 4 points trailing the first place home team by 2 points. 

Olympiacos  v Borussia Dortmund

  This encounter means nothing as ultimately both teams will most likely exit the Champions League.

 

Group G

Comments

Shaktar Donetsk v Zenit St. Peterburg

  Ukraine vs Russia battle. Shaktar Donetsk face an up hill battle against Luciano Spalletti’s men who are currently tie for second with 3 points.

Porto v APOEL

  The surprising APOEL will look to continue their stride against the Portuguese champions.

 

Group H

Comments

AC Milan v Bate Borisov

  The Rossoneri to claim maximum points.

Barcelona  v Plzen

  At home, Barcelona is unstoppable.

 

Ten Things We Learned In College, Week 7

Posted on by Lindsay Higgins

1. Wisconsin is the only bona-fide contender in the Big Ten. They haven’t had a bad game or even a bad quarter. Best in the conference by such a large margin it isn’t even funny.

2. The Mountain West isn’t going to be a huge step up in competition for Boise State. Their first conference, against Colorado State, resulted in a 63-13 win.

3. If anyone still doubted it, Clemson is for real. They overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Maryland  56-45. Now that Georgia Tech has a loss, the Tigers are the sole uneaten team in the ACC.

4. South Carolina hung on to beat Mississippi State, but they lost something far more important than the game- RB Marcus Lattimore. Luckily for the Gamecocks, they’re in the (much) weaker of the two SEC divisions and I wouldn’t be surprised if they make it to the SEC Championship game regardless, but I also expect them to be in more close games than they have been to date. That could hurt them in the BCS rankings.

5. Ohio State may be on life support, but they’re not dead yet.

6. Texas A&M has been flying under the radar- not much longer. They spanked Baylor 55-28, which should garner them some more respect in the polls.

7. The Honey Badger, aka Tyrann Mathieu, may be the best-known player in LSU’s defensive backfield, but this weekend it was Morris Claiborne and Eric Reid coming up with the interceptions against Tennessee. Bottom line- pass at your own peril.

8. If LSU has the 1A defense in the country, 1B, of course, belongs to Alabama. RB Trent Richardson isn’t bad either. He stomped all over a perenially weak Ole Miss team in a 52-7 rout.

9. Ryan Broyles became the NCAA career catch leader in a 47-17 pasting of Kansas. Oklahoma is still on track to face the winner of LSU-Alabama in the BCS title game.

10. Pitt seems to have some kind of personality disorder. One week they look like they should with West Virginia and South Floirda as the class of the Big East. The next week they’re losing and looking terrible while doing it. What gives? They’re 3-4, and yet in the two halves of games I’ve seen them play thay looked reasonably good.

The Current State of the English Premier League

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

The “Big Four” is pretty much non-existent anymore for several reasons, all of which are resulting in a shift in power in England’s Premier League, and a re-alignment in the table.

First, the Big Four clubs for those who don’t follow the league closely are Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and my beloved Arsenal.  While Manchester United and Chelsea remain atop any “big” list, both Liverpool and Arsenal have not challenged for the league title in recent years.  It is widely recognized that only three teams are truly battling for this year’s trophy – Manchester United, Chelsea, and the new kids on the block, Manchester City.

The incredibly erratic and free-spending owner of Manchester City FC, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has catapulted his team from perennial middle-of-the-roaders into a serious threat to win this year’s crown.  Many, myself included, see Man City as representing a problem that is growing in the sport.  With no semblance of a salary cap of any sort, you have a few teams who are buying players at an enormous rate, which needs to be controlled.  Therefore, the divide between an “elite” club and the “rest” is growing into a problem.

For the record, this is one of the things I dislike most about other sports though, such as MLB.  Let’s contrast the “no-cap” leagues with the NFL, who has a very structured way of controlling spending for the benefit of the league.  Revenue sharing between clubs is important to the NFL because it allows teams who are weaker and perhaps draw poorer crowds to compete with those would always be sitting on top of the standings every year.  Do you think if Jerry Jones could just spend whatever he wanted without having some penalty for doing so that he wouldn’t?  Of course he would.  But the present system deters that from being an option.

There are many smaller market teams who have difficulty drawing top athletes without overspending to get them.  Compare the Buffalo Bills and Toronto Blue Jays, for instance.  Both have great difficulty in attracting top free agents due to their geographical situation.  The Jays face an even steeper climb to the top as they face the double-headed monster in the form of NYY and BRS who spend like money is a box of tissue paper.  The only way the Jays can compete on a yearly basis is through an elite front office, a healthy farm system and overspending for the final few pieces of the puzzle.  That’s where they are now.  They have most of the pieces, but until they go out and ice the cake, we’ll continue to flirt with the postseason every year as we watch the bidding wars between New York and Boston.

Of course MLB fans will counter my argument with teams who have succeeded with relatively low payrolls.  Okay, but that is not the norm, and their success is occasional at best.

Now compare that to the Bills, who have the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins in their division.  The Bills are able to compete because they finally had a decent draft, and their front office could do their job in finding a few hidden gems.  They simply do not have the same need to overspend.  And because there is a salary cap they don’t have a New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox or Man City to squash their opportunities.  The same is true across the NFL with teams who in the past have been deplorable, but now are enjoying success.

The same is happening right now with several storied, but cash-strapped clubs in England’s top-flight football.  They do not have the money to compete with the free-spending teams like Chelsea and Manchester City to an even greater extent.  They are losing players to the behemoths in Spain who are paying incredible transfer fees and salaries.

UEFA made a step in the right direction by imposing a spending cap on all its teams by 2012.  Hopefully we have owners respecting the rules (some do not have a history of being team players), and if they don’t, UEFA must impose strict penalties.  The idea is that clubs will only be allowed to spend the amount profited from football-related gains.  Obviously this will only affect the top teams, and will prevent them from developing debts even higher than the inflated ones they have now.  I remain optimistic that there will be some headway made, but I am not sure it is enough to curtail the plight facing English football.

John Tavares; Finally Arrived?

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Ever since being the first ever player granted “special exemption” status to play in the OHL at just 15 years old, the hockey world has awaited the arrival of John Tavares, Elite NHL Centre.

Well folks, it’s early in the season, but based on the returns so far, we may finally be seeing him take that next step. Now in his third NHL Season, Tavares is showing the All-World skill that made him the coveted 1st overall pick of the 2009 NHL Draft.

Tavares has put up 8 points (5 goals and 3 assists) in his last two games, leading the Islanders victories to over the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers.

It seems that the Islanders and Tavares are both growing at the same time, and with Al Montoya finally showing signs of being a capable NHL starter. With a forward core that includes Kyle Okposo, Michael Grabner, and Matt Moulson along with Tavares, and with a healthy Mark Streit leading the blue line, it is my prediction that the Islanders are bottom feeders no more.

They may not be ready to get into the playoffs just yet… but these Islanders will be in the fight for a spot. They are no longer a bottom feeder, and are a dangerous opponent who can beat any NHL team on any given night.  A great deal of their new-found swagger is due to the emergence of their next Superstar John Tavares.

Now if only he could do something about building a new arena for them to play in.

College Football Picks, Week 7

Posted on by Lindsay Higgins

#1 LSU @ Tennessee: The Football Gods must have a strange sense of humor, allowing LSU’s defense to face backup QBs two weeks in a row. This one won’t come down to the bizarre 12-men-on-the-field ending of the last Vols-Tigers game. LSU, easily.

Indiana @ #4 Wisconsin: Badgers in a blowout.

#11 Michigan @ #23 Michigan State: This is a really tough one to pick. I love what Brady Hoke has done with the Wolverines, but it’s hard to forget that the last two years they were unbeaten going into the game with Michigan State and lost. I hate to do it, but I’m taking Sparty.

#20 Baylor @ #21 Texas A&M: Another good matchup and tough game to pick. A&M’s defense isn’t bad, but Baylor’s offense is really good. Baylor in a close one.

#15 South Carolina @ Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have proven to be bottom-feeders in the SEC once again. I can’t see them stopping Marcus Lattimore or Alshon Jeffery, let alone both of them. The Gamecocks have a new starter at QB (what took Spurrier so long dismissing Garcia, anyway? Five suspensions and reinstatements?) and there may be kinks to work out, but they should be able to beat MSU regardless.

#6 Oklahoma State @ #22 Texas: The Longhorns have to be fighting mad after being blown out by Oklahoma last week. Unfortunately they’re facing another Oklahoma-based team with a strong defense this week. The effort will certainly be better today, but I like the Cowboys to win.

#12 Georgia Tech at Virginia: Georgia Tech by at least 2 TDs.

#2 Alabama @ Ole Miss: Unless Archie Manning was given another year of eligibility, the Rebels don’t have a chance against the Tide defense.

#5 Boise State @ Colorado State: Why can’t Boise State play somebody good already?

#19 Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest: This is an interesting matchup. Virginia Tech has had a good season to date, despite the one loss, but unranked Wake Forest also has one loss and has played quite well. I may regret this, but I’m taking Wake Forest with the upset.

#8 Clemson at Maryland: Maryland’s best hope is that their uniforms make the Tigers seasick.

#17 Kansas State @ Texas Tech: I haven’t seen much of either team this year, so I’m going to take the easy way out and pick the 5-0 ranked team over the 4-1 unranked team, pretty much ensuring that Tech will make me look dumb.

Florida @ #22 Auburn: If John Brantley were playing, I’d give Florida a chance in this game. However, they’re going to be playing a backup QB- and a freshman to boot- again this week. It could be fairly close, but Auburn will win.

# 7 Stanford @ Washington State: Stanford will, yet again, find a way to win.

#3 Oklahoma @ Kansas: Kansas has the worst defense in the FBS, statistically. Oklahoma in a rout. If I were in a college football survivor pool, I’d pick Oklahoma this week, hands down.

#18 Arizona State @ #9 Oregon: Another tough one to pick. Oregon is going to be without RB LaMichael James, but their backups are good enough that it shouldn’t make a huge difference. I’m taking the Ducks, but I can’t say I have a lot of confidence in that pick.

NHL Fighting Debate Just Got More Interesting!

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

I don’t often do this. In fact, this is the first time it has happened on this site. I am going to directly use a journalist’s article as the basis for one of my own.

Much has been made about fighting in the NHL. Even I have chimed in several times. LastWordOnSports even had a poll asking our viewership to vote on whether fighting should be left as it is or completely abolished. The voted ended with the vast majority opting to drop it from the game.

No matter what side of the debate you are on, it is a hot issue right now, and became even more heated the other night when Jay Beagle took it upon himself to knock Kris Letang’s helmet off. Soon after, in true NHL tough guy fashion, Arron Asham stepped in and had his feelings, all ten of them, expressed on Beagle’s face. For most that is part of the game, and will unlikely leave it anytime soon. But what occurred afterwards is what is making headlines.

Asham celebrated his knock-out in true Ovechkin-esque fashion. Proudly displaying his make-believe heavyweight belt, he paraded around like a rooster. Afterward he was remorseful on his Twitter account, regretting his actions.

Much ado about nothing? I’m not so sure.

I am not going to get into the debate again, not now, but what I do propose is that a line needs to be drawn. It is one thing in the heat of the game to break into a tussle, but the circus act Asham exhibited should certainly be punishable.

Like you, I love hockey. There are aspects I don’t like, and this is at the top of my list.

Few write like Bob McKenzie does. He offers a great article on TSN’s website, which can be found at: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=378076.

Serie A – Weeks 6 and 7

Posted on by Frank Giuliano

Serie A Review of Week 6

Week 6 of the Serie A provided very exciting football indeed. Claudio Ranieri fell to his first defeat since taking control of the reigns of FC Internazionale to an exuberant SSC Napoli at the San Siro. The Partenopei dominated the game from start to finish defeating the Nerazzurri 3-0 with goals from Campagnaro, Maggio, and Hamsik. Though is must be noted that the referee committed an error when he pointed to the spot for a foul that was made outside of the 18-yard box which resulted in Inter being reduced to 10 men. The Napolitani have beaten two of their main Scudetto rivalries so far this season.

SS Lazio finally bounced back with a come-from-behind 1-0 win over ACF Fiorentina in Florence. This was a must win for the Laziali who have been struggling since the beginning of the season.

The match of the day was between serious title contenders Juventus FC and AC Milan at the new Juventus Stadium in Turin. The Bianconeri put in a great performance in the 2-0 victory (both goals from the on-form Claudio Marchisio) defeating a very slow Rossoneri side. The Juventini were very hyped and well prepared for this match as they expressed their dominance throughout the entire 90 minutes. Had it not been for AC Milan’s goalkeeper Christian Abbiati and Juve’s lack of effective finishing, many more goals could have been conceded.

Euro 2012 Qualification

Euro 2012 qualification took the stage as the final games of the qualification round took place. Germany, Russia, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece, England, Denmark, and Spain all qualified in first place and have thus claimed their spots for the tournament in June 2012. Sweden qualified as runners-up with the highest points among the second place finishers of all of the groups. Hosts Ukraine and Poland are automatically included. Portugal, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland, Turkey, Croatia, Bosnia, Estonia, and Montenegro will have to face off in a 2-game home and away playoff to determine who will enter the finals.

Serie A Preview of Week 7

This weekend, Internazionale FC travels to Catania to play against former Roma star Vincenzo Montella’s side that boasts an impressive home record. This will be a tough task for the Nerazzurri who have struggled this season earning only 4 points from 5 games. Claudio Ranieri hopes to recuperate Wesley Sneijder for this fixture.

AC Milan takes on Palermo at the Giuseppe Meazza. The Rossoneri have been inconsistent of late collecting 5 points from 5 games.  Ac Milan Head Coach Massimiliano Allegri will welcome back Robinho for this match-up as he returns to the line-up after a long injury layoff which will hopefully add more speed and creativity to his side. Phillippe Mexes should also make his season debut with his new team after sustaining a knee ligament injury 6 months ago. Antonio Cassano will look to continue his fine form this season after scoring 2 goals in the Azzurri win over Northern Ireland in Euro 2012 qualifying action.

All eyes will be on the derby of the Eternal City between SS Lazio and AS Roma. This fixture has always been played with high intensity on both the field and in the stands. These sides experienced rough starts to their Serie A campaigns and will be looking for a morale-boosting win. Bad news for Roma fans as Francesco Totti will miss the derby. Giallorossi head coach Luis Enrique will experience his first derby of Rome.

Here are the results from week 6 and the fixtures for week 7…

Week 6 – 2/10/11 (14.00 UK)

Week 7 – 16/10/11

Cesena

0-0

 Chievo

Atalanta

–

 Udinese

Fiorentina

1-2

 Lazio

Cagliari

–

 Siena

Inter

0-3

 Napoli (Sat, 19.45)

Catania

–

 Inter   tie

Juventus

2-0

 Milan (19.45)

Cesena

–

 Fiorentina   tie

Lecce

0-2

 Cagliari

Chievo

–

 Juventus   tie

Novara

3-3

 Catania (11.30)

Genoa

–

 Lecce

Palermo

2-0

 Siena

Lazio

–

 Roma

Parma

3-1

 Genoa

Milan

–

 Palermo

Roma

3-1

 Atalanta (Sat, 17.00)

Napoli

–

 Parma

Udinese

2-0

 Bologna

Novara

–

 Bologna   tie

Fantasy Hockey – Goalie Watch

Posted on by ScottyJ

A team’s success both in fantasy hockey and on the ice weighs heavily on the netminder. Goaltending is usually a very important part of a fantasy hockey team. What usually accounts for two roster spots can sometimes be worth 40-50% of the categories in your pool. Hopefully you drafted at least a few good ones. If you didn’t, you’d better be sifting through the garbage for a hidden gem to help bring your team to the top.

There are a number of goalies in the NHL that you either already have in your line-up or they are on another team. Names like Rinne, Lundqvist, Fleury, Bryzgalov, Luongo and Price to name a few. The goalies we need to discuss are either on thin ice holding onto the #1 spot by a thread, or they are poised and ready to take over that job. Here are some things to keep an eye on.

 

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
In the Atlantic there’s not much going on except in Long Island. Brodeur, Lundqvist and Fleury have their jobs locked down. All three of them should definitely get 60+ starts barring injury. I would have to believe that Bryzgalov should do the same in Philly. He’s off to a great start with 3 wins and one SO already, a 1.67 GAA and a 940 SV%. For the Islanders there is much uncertainty. Nabokov, Dipietro and Montoya all could be expected to play games this year. I like Montoya, and thus far he has got the nod. In a keeper league Montoya could be a very good option for down the road. In a deeper pool with more than 10 teams he may be a great bench goalie option.

Northeast Division
Price and Miller are both 70 game goalies. Craig Anderson is the better goalie in Ottawa.  Alex Auld did get a start and was ripped apart already. Personally, because they play in Ottawa I would avoid having either on my roster if I could. James Reimer in Toronto is 2-0 with a S.O and should be the starter of at least 55-60 games over the monster. Gustavsson posted a terrible .890SV% and a 3.29 GAA last year. If Reimer can continue to pay the way he has he is a decent guy to have. That leaves us with the Bruins. Boston has, in my opinion, the best 1-2 punch in the league. Rask could steal the spotlight but I would bank on 50-30 with Thomas being #1. If I were Peter Chiarelli (Boston’s GM) I would want to show off Tim Thomas some more and then move him at high value before his contract is up. You should pick up Rask if he’s available in your pool, especially in a keeper situation.

Southeast Division
In Carolina Cam Ward now has a dependable backup in Boucher. This could result in fewer games for Ward. Last year he played in a whopping 74 but I’m thinking 65-ish this season. Tampa is hoping Dwayne Roloson has the endurance to play plenty of games down the stretch but he is getting old. Garon could start around 25 to rest Roloson but he isn’t really a good fantasy option. In Winnipeg the starter is Pavelec but Chris Mason is no stranger to a #1 role. Either way the Jets are a weak team, making their keepers poor fantasy players. Pavelec in a deep pool to catch up in games could be a last resort. Jose Theodore is the best goalie in a Panthers uniform. If you need extra games played he may be available to you but don’t bank on too many wins. The most interesting situation in the Southeast has to be in Washington. Washington should be the top team in the conference, and definitely in their division. The starter here will rack up wins, and even the backup. Vokoun has started sloppily and Neuvirth is a good goalie. I wouldn’t leave Neuvirth on the FA if he was available in my pool. Remember that Vokoun only signed a one year deal as well.

Western Conference

Central Division
Steve Mason doesn’t have much competition in Columbus but anything can happen. Curtis Sanford has played a few minutes already this year and Mark Dekanich played very well in the AHL last year and is worth keeping an eye on. Rinne and Crawford are sure bets in Nashville and the windy city. Halak is St. Louis’s #1 guy but questions of his endurance linger. I am keeping a close eye on Detroit’s situation. What should be a lock for Jimmy Howard is not due to a weak pre-season. He played well in the opener against Ottawa but finished poorly. Ty Conklin responded with a SO in the Wings next game making him a worthy starter for future games.

Northwest Division
This division is not completely set in stone but it’s close. It’s hard to argue that Kipper, Backstrom and Luongo won’t star in most of the games for their teams. I would still suggest Cory Schneider as a good source of secondary wins, along with good stats all around. Lou has been shaky and Schneider could see as many as 25 games this year for the Canucks. Varlamov has looked stellar in an Av’s uniform and should be at the helm for the whole season. Devan Dubnyk is the lone sleeper in the division. He started game 1 for the Oilers and to me that’s an indication that Khabby will take the backup\mentor role this year. Dubnyk is a decent, well rounded goalie and he is young. Strongly consider him in a keeper or a deep league, especially if he continues to perform well. The Edmonton Oilers have a bright future ahead of them.

Pacific Division
Last but not least is the Pacific Division. In Anaheim I should think Hiller will play around 60 games leaving Dan Ellis as a weak option unless Hiller gets hurt. Lehtonen is a lock and Dallas and so should be Niemi in San Jose. Niemi has been recovering from surgery but looks to be starting shortly at 100%. Some Question how solid the job is for Quick in L.A. Bernier has a bright future and has already played 1 game this year. He showed poorly but surely will get more chances to play. I’m thinking 50/30 in favour of Quick for the Kings this year. Bernier could be a decent bench pickup in a league with 10 or more teams. Finally the moment we’ve all been waiting for! McElhinney, LaBarbera or Smith? Yeah right like anyone cares. If you ask me it will be Labarbera in the end, but I have little faith in the Coyotes now that Bryzgalov is gone.

Sidney Crosby Re-Re-Revisited

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

Sidney Crosby is arguably the best hockey player in the world, so after suffering two devastating concussions last season it is no wonder why his injury is garnering so much attention.  Having missed the entire second half of last season, and the beginning of the current Penguins campaign, there is worry across the league.

Now that we have the obvious out-of-the-way, I must agree with Jeremy Roenick, who recently spoke out against news and sports reporters’ constant round-the-clock updates.  Okay, you may be thinking I’m a hypocrite as I am in fact updating you on Sidney Crosby.  Stay with me, just another minute.

In fact, unless there is news, BIG news to report on Sidney Crosby I will make no further updates on the matter.

There is a growing problem in sports, and particularly amongst its fans, and I include myself as part of the problem, by the way.  The constant need for updates as fast as they happen is infectious and ridiculous.  I find myself tweeting every story I deem important, but that makes me part of the problem.  I can’t wait to get updates from some of the Twitter accounts I follow – it’s like catnip.  The downside, though, is that it is entirely invasive for the athletes.  Again, stay with me.

A little over a month ago when we started this little website we reported on the untimely death (as if any death is timely) of a hockey player, Wade Belak.  Sadly, some of his own family members learned of his death via Twitter.  There, my friends, is the black mark on the progression of social media.  It can show its ugly head when we least expect it.

Now, in no way am I saying that there shouldn’t be updates on Sidney Crosby, or any other news story.  Far from it, in fact.  What I propose is that journalists, and amateurs like those here are LastWordOnSports, should report on Sidney Crosby only when there is something intelligent to offer!  There needs to be a line drawn between what is responsible and what is not.  I can’t tell you how many tweets I have had over the past day telling my that Sidney Crosby is still improving.  Great, so what?

In the end I hope you can see that I am not arguing against social media, rather, I am suggesting that there be purpose and meaning behind status updates and tweets, otherwise it is intrusive to the players, and a waste of time for us fans.

And that is the last word.