2011 - Page 14 of 24 - Last Word On Sports

Halfway Home

Posted on October 12, 2011November 4, 2021 by Grant Alexander

The postseason path has definitely been an interesting one this year. We’ve seen major upsets, rain delays, squirrels stealing home, walk-off heroes, and precision pitching. Also, three out of four of the division series went the distance, two of them resulting in the early dismissal of the AL and NL champs. And if the road is paved with good intentions, then all four of the remaining teams have the “hustle and heart” to be standing there when the dust settles.

The Texas Rangers

Of the remaining four, I would say they are the team to beat. They quelled the red-hot Rays in four games, and were the only team to win their series without going the distance. They are also currently up on Detroit 2-1 in the ALCS, and don’t seem to be afraid of the Tigers ace, Verlander. Their starting rotation and bullpen have both been consistent (except for the first game against the Rays), and Feliz hasn’t had a problem closing the door. The Rangers have also swung the bats well putting up 26 runs on 44 hits in their last five games. Four of those hits were of significant importance. In Game 4 of the ALDS against Tampa, Adrian Beltre belted three homers, which makes him only the sixth player in MLB history to hit three home runs in a single postseason game. And then in game 2 of the ALCS against Detroit, Nelson Cruz hit two long balls, the second being a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 11th inning. It was the first walk-off grand slam in MLB postseason history, as well as the first walk-off win in Rangers postseason history.

The Detroit Tigers

After a grueling five game series with the Yankees, Detroit finds themselves down 2 games to 1 to Texas in the ALCS. The Tigers were actually outscored by New York 28-17 over the five games, but were able to come away with the win. Knocking off the number one seed is always a big feat, especially when it is the New York Yankees. And what makes it even more impressive is New York was a 7-2 favorite to win the World Series. The Tigers haven’t been very good offensively though, with only 27 runs in 8 games. That must improve if they expect to have any chance of another upset. Their D has been solid, and so has “Papa Grande”, but it’s not gonna be enough without any run support. Plus, Verlander must win. He’s been good, but he has to be lights out.

The Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee has been inconsistently good so far. What I mean by that is, when they win, they look great. But when they lose they look terrible! Luckily they have been the former more than the latter so far, but I never know which side of them I’m gonna see when they step on the field. In the NLDS series against the Diamondbacks they won the first 2 games handily, but then dropped the next two giving up a combined 18 runs. The fifth game they squeezed out with some tenth inning heroics by Morgan, and went on to the NLCS to face St. Louis. They beat the Cards fairly easily in game one, but once again got shellacked the very next night, this time surrendering 12 runs. Thats 30 runs against in three losses! The good thing is their working the sticks well. Braun has been red-hot, and Fielder is doing what he does best. If they can just keep their defense consistent, they will have a shot, but that’s gonna be tough to do against the Cards.

The St. Louis Cardinals

Chris Carpenter’s “Cardiac Cards” – This Cinderella story is as real as it gets, and by my count, it’s far from midnight. The Cards have gone from getting into the postseason by the skin of their teeth, to knocking off the juggernaut Phillies. The Phillies were hugely favoured to win the World Series getting 3-1 odds in Vegas. And yes, I picked them too… But I give all the credit in the world to the Cards who have played with a sense of urgency for the last month and a half that no team has been able to match. They just find a way to grind out games. And then there’s Chris Carpenter, who is more of a surgeon then a “carpenter” these days. After a shaky game 2, and on short rest, Carpenter hits the mound for a do-or-die game 5. His opponent, Roy Halladay. Doc has a masterful performance, pitching an 8 inning, 1 run game. Not good enough. Carpenter out-pitches Doc, going 9 scoreless innings, earning the shutout and a birth to the NLCS. The Cards are currently locked at 1’s in the NLCS, but guess who is back on the mound for game three…

Possible matchups

Texas vs. St. Louis

This is the matchup I think is most likely of the four. I think Texas is too good, and the Cards want it too badly. This is a good matchup because; Texas would have their second chance (and second consecutive) to win their first World Series as a franchise. And St. Louis would have a chance to complete the Cinderella story.

Texas vs. Milwaukee

This matchup would pit the top two remaining seeds against each other. This is a good matchup because; Neither of these teams have ever won the World Series. And they have both only made it to the final once. Texas has been in the League since 1961, and Milwaukee since 1969.

Detroit vs. St. Louis

This is the matchup I would like to see the most. This is a good matchup because; Both of these teams are two of the oldest most storied franchises in the league. Detroit was established in the league in 1894, and St. Louis in 1882. It would also be a rematch from the 2006 World Series in which St. Louis won 4-1.

Detroit vs. Milwaukee

In my opinion this is the least likely, and most uninteresting of the four possibilities. However, this is a good matchup because; Detroit hasn’t won since 1984, and Milwaukee never has.

Welcome Back, Zach – Parise Rejoins the Devils

Posted on October 11, 2011November 4, 2021 by ScottyJ

The New Jersey Devils have now had two home games at the Prudential Center. One win, one loss, and for the fans in New Jersey, one huge gain. The crowd boomed in welcoming back superstar Zach Parise in the home opener. In the second game his two goals for the devils drew plenty of positive attention as well.

Parise was sorely missed by the Devils last year. How do you replace a player who’s scored over 30 goals in four previous seasons? A player who contributed 83 goals in the previous two years? The short answer is that you can’t. That was one of the glaring reasons that New Jersey missed the post season last year with only 81 points. The last time the Devils had fewer was in the 94-95 season, which was only 48 games long. In other words this franchise has had boatloads of success…until last year that is.

Now I’m not saying that Parise’s absence was the only flaw in the team’s roster. Jersey was once one the deepest teams in the league, but today it’s a different story. Even with Parise back in the line-up the team is not even close to what it used to be. Adam Larsson led all Devils in ice time last game and was second to only Ilya Kovalchuk in game one. The significance is that if a rookie skater, good or not, leads your team in minutes you probably don’t have much else to go on.

Getting back on topic, Zach Parise will definitely improve the chances this team has for a bounce back season. There is no doubt in my mind he should return back into the goal scoring machine that he was. 40+ goals on any team is like hitting the jackpot. Nonetheless, I’m predicting that New Jersey doesn’t have what it takes to win the battle in the Eastern Conference for the last two playoff spots. Basically, Zajac is injured, Brodeur is getting old, the 3rd and 4th lines are weak and the defence is non-existent. No wonder Devils fans are so glad to welcome back Zach Parise – they’re going to need him now more than ever.

Top 10 CFL Things I'm Thankful For

Posted on October 11, 2011November 4, 2021 by Carl Mostacci

With my Ticats playing a horrible game Friday night, I figured there was no point in rehashing that horrible night. So that got me thinking about what I was going to write about this week. I then figured since it is Thanksgiving Weekend, why don’t I take a page from both TSN and David Letterman and create a top ten list of the CFL things I am thankful for. Well, here it goes……

10. The Toronto Argonauts- Yes I hate them, but everyone team has an arch-rival you enjoy seeing your team beat up on. I love seeing the Ticats sink the Argos.

9. The CFL- It is a truly Canadian league that is ours and gives us something to be proud of.

8. The Grey Cup- What a very proud Canadian tradition. It’s the reason why all CFL teams compete each and every year. Also, the party that comes along with it is excellent, too.

7. Pigskin Pete- Yes, the “Oskee-Wee-Wee” chant does not make sense and is weird. But it’s a tradition, that has been led by this Ticat superfan for many, many years.

6. Chris Cuthbert- Great CFL Commentator!!!!!

5. Team Forums- Allow us to keep in-touch and discuss news, rumors and CFL signings.

4. Angelo Mosca- Ticat and CFL Legend. Is the measuring stick that all former and current Ticats are compared to.

3. TSN- Have made a huge CFL commitment and allow me to catch all my Ticat road games on television. I can also watch other CFL games too.

2. Ivor Wynne Stadium- I’ve been to four CFL stadiums in Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and Winnipeg. Now I may be alittle biased, but my favourite one was Ivor Wynne. The other three did not offer the field sightlines the stadium on Faloney Way offers.

1. The Hamilton Tiger Cats- Even though they got their butts kicked Friday night, and they haven’t won over the last several seasons like I would like them to have. They are my favourite professional sports team. They are the only professional sports team the City of Hamilton has, and are instantly linked to it. Travel Canada and the first thing people think of when they hear Hamilton are steel and the Tiger Cats. This team has been a strong tradition in Hamilton for over 50 years and counting.

If you feel there is anything I’ve missed, please comment below.

For the Last Word On Sports, I’m CM.

Lions and Bills, OH MY!

Posted on October 11, 2011November 4, 2021 by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

Okay, I already discussed the Bills yesterday, but coupled with the Lions they are making one excellent story this year!

The Detroit Lions have started this season 5-0 for the first time – well, first time in 55 years. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is legit. Really, he is great, and is leading by example on this young, feisty Lions team. At only 23 years old, the third year player has a quarterback rating over 100, has 13 touchdowns to only three interceptions and is passing at a 64% completion rate.

Jahvid Best is ripping defensive lines with long, electric runs, and yesterday’s 88-yarder in the 4th quarter was no exception. The list continues… Wide receiver Calvin Johnson has started this campaign with nine touchdown catches through the first five games. There is much to be said about the importance of a legit QB-WR combination for a team to be successful.

Detroit has come a long way since their 0-16 season just three years past. San Francisco, who is playing well also, poses a new set of challenges next week whle Detroit attempt to re-write their own record book. Personally, with such futility over the past, well, 60 years, I am happy for Detroit’s football fans. With the city decimated by a crubling economy, sometimes sports teams have the power to help, if only for a short while.

The Bills are BACK… maybe

Posted on October 10, 2011November 4, 2021 by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

What a roller coaster ride the Bills have taken its fans on in the past few years. Between the highs and many, many low points on the field, the horrendous drafting strategy (minus this year, Dareus is a beast), to the frustration over the Bills in Toronto Series, fans of blue, red and white can finally cash in on years of an inept team.

Not just because I am a fan of the team did I truly feel happy for the city yesterday as they upstaged Michael Vick and the Philidelphia Eagles at Ralph Wilson Stadium. While the score for much of the game flattered Buffalo, it can be attributed to costly turnovers (5) and horrific penalties, which are an issue in the Eagles’ camp. The Eagles amassed close to 500 yards of offence, and still lost. They were down by three touchdowns, made a comeback and were in position to tie it up late in the game. Today belonged to Buffalo, however.

I would love to say it is the result of a dynamic aerial assault and a stingy defence exhibited by the Bills, but that wasn’t the case. They weren’t bad, don’t get me wrong, they did what they needed to do. In fact, that seems to be the theme coming out of 1 Bills Drive. They just get it done. Sometimes it isn’t pretty, but that’s what good teams do – they find ways to win.

I will be the first to admit I was sceptical, very much so, about Gailey and Company’s decision not to draft a quarterback. I guess that’s why I watch the games from my couch, and they from the sidelines. I heard in an interview at the time that Gailey felt that the quarterback position was not a priority for them in the draft at all because they liked Fitzpatrick because he has a good head on his shoulders.

Anyway, kudos to the Bills for finding a few diamonds in the rough. Fred Jackson’s career has a second wind, Fitzpatrick was barely on the radar, and no on else seemed to want Merriman. Because they play in Buffalo, they will always have a more difficult time luring top players. I am just glad to see they are finding ways to cope.

And that is the last word.

10 Things We Learned in College, Week 6

Posted on October 10, 2011November 5, 2021 by Lindsay Higgins

1. Texas isn’t there yet. They’re young, and there are flashes of potential here and there, but they were absolutely dominated by Oklahoma.

2. Oklahoma is for real, and Landry Jones is a Heisman candidate. I still expect Andrew Luck to win, but Landry should be in the top 5, if not the top 3.

3. The Tide just keeps rolling. It’s a shame Alabama and LSU are both in the SEC West, because they would put on one hell of an SEC Championship game. As it is, their November 5th game is shaping up to be epic.

4. Michigan fans can increase their optimism level- slightly. If memory serves, this is their first 6-0 start since 2006. Their schedule hasn’t been overly challenging, and their last six games should be considerably more difficult that their first six; even so, I’d be very surprised if they finished worse than 9-3. Of even more importance to Michigan fans is that a win over Ohio State looks entirely possible for the first time in a long time.

5. Wake Forest is quietly putting together a nice season. It’s easy to overlook them as conference-mates Clemson and Georgia Tech work their way up the rankings, but the Demon Deacons are 4-1 with a win over a strong Florida State team on Saturday. And no, I didn’t look at basketball scores by mistake.

6. As expected, Baylor got back on track after last week’s loss with a 49-20 win over Iowa State. QB Robert Griffin III is another player who should finish in the top 3 of the Heisman voting.

7. What can I say about Stanford that I haven’t already said this season? Some years I think they’d be the odds-on favorite to win the BCS title game. This year, there are too many unbeaten teams playing more difficult schedules. I wouldn’t be surprised if the loser of the LSU-Alabama game stayed ahead of an unbeaten Stanford at the end of the season. It’s unfortunate for the Cardinal, because they are a very good team.

8. I don’t know that Vanderbilt will ever be competitive in the SEC. They’re a such a huge recruiting disadvantage, both because of the perception of them as a perennial doormat and because their admission standards are so much higher than any other school in the conference. It’s an excellent school though, and I really admire their players for choosing to go there and get a Vandy education, knowing they’ll probably take regular beatings on the football field.

9. Arizona State is putting together a nice record in the Pac-10. Sorry, Pac-12. (I’ll get these new conference alignments straight about the time they start re-aligning again). I don’t know that they’ll be able to leapfrog Oregon, and they definitely won’t end up ahead of Stanford, but they’re a good team.

10. Oklahoma State doesn’t get the pub that in-state rival Oklahoma does, but they’re also 5-0 and dominating the teams they should dominate. The OSU-OU game on December 3 will be a can’t-miss.

Ruining the Party

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Ben Kerr

After years of waiting, the NHL has now officially returned to Winnipeg, as the new Jets Franchise played their first regular season game against Montreal yesterday. The Fans were definitely up for this game, as the MTS Centre was extremely loud throughout the pregame, the introductions, and the early minutes of the game.

The Montreal Canadiens came into town with their own plan that differed from the dream return that Jets fans certainly wanted. In the face of opposition, these new Jets showed that they aren’t all that different from the Atlanta Thrashers, or from the Jets NHL franchise of years past, both of which had very limited success.

With less than five minutes played in the first period, the Jets were down a goal courtesy of Mike Cammalleri. The Jets and their crowd would not get down though, and continued to cheer the team on. On the other end of the ice, Carey Price looked calm in the net and calmly turned flurries of Jets’ shots away at every turn.

After going down by two goals, the Jets re-wrote history in the third period when Nik Antropov scored the first goal in the new history of the Winnipeg franchise. The building was rocking and the fans were surely hoping for their team to complete the comeback. However it was not to be. The Canadiens would score 3 more times and put the exclamation points on a convincing 5-1 victory.

I think that Jets fans are going to have to get used to nights like this one, at least for this season. They quite simply are not a very good hockey club. Moving the Thrashers from Atlanta to Winnipeg did not solve this franchise’s woes overnight, and the Jets management staff has much work to do to turn them into a contender.

However for one night at least, none of that mattered to Jets fans as the crowd gave the team a rousing standing ovation at the end of the night, despite the loss.

How long can the enthusiasm last? It will be good for the league if it holds through the dark days ahead, as the Jets do have some good young pieces. Hopefully for fans in Winnipeg, a winning core can be built, but for now watching a visiting team ruin Winnipeg’s party may become a habit.

And that is the last word.

UFC 136: And the Answer Is…

Posted on October 9, 2011November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

… Frankie Edgar! While last night’s UFC event had a lot of captivating moments, I think the one that captured the hearts of viewers most was the comeback performance by Frankie Edgar. I must say that even I was surprised to not only see him win, but do so in such spectacular fashion.

For those who didn’t see the main event Frankie Edgar pulled off a victory that should be classified as one of the best comebacks in UFC history. In a fight that had distinct undertones reminiscent of Edgar v. Maynard II, Gray Maynard put on a devastating striking display in the first round that left the champ wobbled and brutally battered. However, Frankie being who he is held on tight through the next two rounds and then came back to knock out an Maynard in the fourth. Maynard’s gas tank was clearly a factor in his loss.

So, where does this put Frankie in the pantheon of champions? I think still has a long way to go before he can be considered a P4P best (despite what Dana White may claim), however, he has definitely paid his dues and proven he is a true champion. Two successful title defenses prove that this kid is for real. That said, only time will tell how things play out – at the end of it all, Frankie is still champ of one of the deepest divisions in the UFC. Assuming Ben Henderson gets a chance after his next fight, I will be interested to Frankie’s stamina hold together – as I think “Smooth” has all the answers to beat Edgar.

A couple of other interesting notes from UFC 136…

– Jose Aldo defended his title in less than spectacular fashion against Kenny Florian. The champion looked tentative at times, and only in the second round did he really look like the Aldo from the WEC days. I am not sure where this leaves Kenflo – the guy just can’t close the deal in the big dance. Aldo made a fitting quote at the start of the fight: “I am fine with Kenny fighting in my division, but if he wants the title he’s going to have to drop to Bantamweight”.

– Chael Sonnen actually finished a fight, submitting a visibly distraught Brian Stann. Chael’s post-fight interview was why this guy is such a great showman, though – as he asked to fight Silva again Superbowl weekend, and if he lost he would leave the UFC forever. Sonnen v. Silva II has classic written all over it! RIP Sonnen.

– Garcia edged out a decision via Phan, in an exciting back and forth brawl.

– Joe Lauzon submitted Melvin Guillard in impressive fashion, stomping out the “Young Assassin’s” hopes of a title shot.

Overall, I give the card a 7.5/10. The exciting moments were exciting as hell – but, Aldo v. Florian was a little bit of a let down. The good news is lots of story lines coming…

… and that is the last word.

Michael Vick – Has he paid his dues?

Posted on October 9, 2011November 4, 2021 by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

Today, Michael Vick returns Buffalo to battle the Bills. I have learned there is a rather large protest to the fact gathering at Ralph Wilson Stadium. This made me question how the quarterback’s image has changed over the past two years.

There is no need for me to re-hash the devilish acts committed by Micheal Vick and his illegal dog fighting circuit, so I’ll forego that. Since his arrest in 2007 I have noticed a changing public opinion pertaining to Vick’s character. When I first learned of his arrest I was sickened. You don’t have to be a dog lover to find what he did as deeply disturbing. Upon his plea of guilty, the former Heisman nominee spent 21 months in prison followed by two months of in-home confinement. He also went bankrupt as a result of losing his NFL salary as well as all endorsement money. The Atlanta Falcons wanted nothing to do with him, at least they had to posture that way, and as a result released him. He was picked up by Philadelphia soon after, and plays there still.

I am certainly not breaking ground by saying that rules seem to be different for athletes and celebrities. My thought is that our society seems to be forgiving him for his past behaviour. Football fans have the popular argument, “Well, I don’t like what he did but I like him as a football player.” Huh? Are you really able to separate the two, because I am having a really, really hard time. I see-through his attempts at righting the wrong by conducting anti-dog fighting presentations. Of course he’ll do that, his other option is not as lucrative (I don’t mean dog fighting, I mean the money he would lose from not playing football).

In the end, we are all entitled to our own opinion. When I learned of the rally today I was in some way relieved that there are enough of us willing to stand up and tell him “We remember”.

Is it wrong that I want Marcell Dareus to absolutely demolish him? Go Bills!

That is the last word.

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2011