2011 - Page 20 of 24 - Last Word On Sports

Ten (plus) NHL Rookies to Watch

Posted on September 13, 2011November 4, 2021 by Ben Kerr

With Rookie Camps open now in many NHL cities and regular training camps ready to open soon, I thought it would be interesting to look at Ten Rookies who are looking to make their respective clubs and chase down the Calder Trophy. So lets begin the countdown.

Special Honourable Mention for Goalies: Jonas Enroth/Jonathan Bernier G, Buffalo/Los Angeles – These two goaltenders both got their feet wet in the NHL last season, however they both remain Calder eligible due to a lack of games played. Despite both being extremely talented, I can’t name them as true Calder Contenders as they again project to be backup goalies, who will get very few games as they play behind workhorses Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick respectively. However I list them here, as both are but one injury away from taking over the number 1 job of their respective teams, and if this were to happen, they have the ability to steal games, and the Calder Trophy.

10. Erik Gudbranson, D, Florida Panthers – Gudbranson was the 3rd overall pick in the 2010 draft. He went to Panthers camp last year and made the team as an 18 year old. However he was unable to reach agreement with the Panthers on fair value for a contract. He went back to Kingston in the OHL where he played decent enough, but given the expectations you’d have to call his season a disappointment. Also was part of Canada’s 2011 Silver Medal World Junior team, and again was a bit disappointing at the tourney. Still though this kid has a ton of talent, and it would be stupid not to include him in this list. He’s got NHL size and is capable at both ends of the rink. His big point shot should eventually make him a fixture on the Panthers PP.

9. Jonathan Huberdeau, C/LW, Florida Panthers – Our 2nd Florida Panther, is also a 3rd overall Draft Pick. Huberdeau is an 18 year old taken in last June’s Entry Draft. At 6’3″ he has the height NHL teams look for but needs to bulk up slightly. Huberdeau has been a winner at every level and led his St. John’s Sea Dogs to the QMJHL title and the Memorial Cup. He was absolutely dominant in the playoffs, and was the runaway winner of the QMJHL Playoff MVP. He would go on to add the MVP in the Memorial Cup. He will be trying to make the Panthers as an 18 year old, and it will be interesting to watch him in training camp, as right now he’s probably 50/50 to be in the NHL this season. If he does make the team, this skilled playmaker has the offensive ability to be a Calder Contender.

8. Ryan Ellis, D, Nashville Predators – David Poile and the Predators’ staff seem to consistently churn out defensive prospects, and this year is no different. Ellis is the first of two Preds d-men to be featured in our list. The 2009 First Rounder is a 3 time member of Canada’s National World Junior Team. He’s also a two time Memorial Cup winner with Windsor. Ellis is undersized, as he’s very generously listed at 5’10” and this has raised questions about his ability to play in his own zone at the pro level. However no one questions his offensive abilities. A slick skater, with great puck handling ability, accurate passing skills and a hard shot, Ellis will eventually make his mark as a PP QB in the NHL. His stats this season (and his Calder chances) might be hurt by being on such a deep team on defence, as he’ll surely start out behind Shea Weber and Ryan Suter in the PP pecking order, and will have to battle another talented Predators Rookie D-man for 2nd unit duty.

7. Nino Neiderreiter, RW/LW, New York Islanders – The number 5 overall pick in 2010, “El Nino” made the Islanders roster at the end of training camp last year. He played the first 9 games, however he did not look ready for the NHL and so he was sent back to Portland. The highest ever drafted Swiss player dominated in the WHL, scoring 70 points in only 55 games. He was even better in the playoffs with 28 points in 21 games. Neiderreiter looks like the total package as a power forward prospect, combining size, speed, net presence, a good shot, and soft hands. I’m betting he sticks in the NHL this year and follows Michael Grabner as an Islander rookie making an impact.

6. Brayden Schenn, C, Philadelphia Flyers – Recently traded to the Philadelphia Flyers as part of the package for Mike Richards, big things are expected from Brayden Schenn. Schenn started last year with the LA Kings, playing 8 games before being sent back to Junior hockey. Schenn was quite simply too good for the WHL last year scoring 57 points in just 29 games for Portland. He was also the star of Canada’s World Junior team challenging and tying or beating various team records held by names like Gretzky, and Lemieux, as well as former Flyers stars Gagne, and Lindros. Schenn finished his season playing 7 games for Manchester in the AHL and scoring 7 points. Schenn has ideal size and plays an excellent two way game for a 20 year old. His defensive awareness will serve him well in trying to make the Flyers out of training camp, as it appears that Claude Giroux and Daniel Briere have the top 2 center spots locked up. Starting out as a third liner will hurt Schenn’s chances to put up huge numbers, but the Flyers are a deep team, and he should still get some decent offensive wingers. Of concern is the amount of overall ice time and PP time he will get this season, but of course, one injury could change all of that.

5. David Rundblad, D, Ottawa Senators – This Swedish defenceman has a ton of offensive upside. Last year he had a record setting season in the Swedish Elite league posting 11 goals and 50 points in 55 games. This was good for third overall in the league scoring race, and is basically unprecedented for a Swedish teenager on defence. At 6’2″ Rundblad has the height necessary to play in the NHL, but he needs to add more muscle to a slight frame. Rundblad is expected to make the Senators, and it will be interesting to see if he can develop chemistry with fellow youthful Swedish blueliner Erik Karlsson. If he does, the offensive numbers needed to be a Calder Contender could follow.

4. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edmonton Oilers – This year’s first overall pick is a talented play making centre from the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. Adding to the Oilers youth movement, it is hoped that Nugent-Hopkins will develop into the #1 centre the Oilers need to compete in the tough Western Conference. In watching him in the WHL its easy to the high end offensive potential this kid has. Nugent-Hopkins has excellent hockey sense, and fantastic hands and passing ability in the offensive zone. There is however a question that he may be too slight as an 18 year old to really handle the rigors of a long NHL season. I have no doubt that he’ll be an impact player for the Oilers down the road, and he may very well end up having the best career of anyone on this list, however I worry that questions about his physical size, and lack of bulk will mean that his development may take time. As such I’m not ready to put him among the top 3 contenders for the 2011-12 Calder Trophy.

3. Jonathan Blum, D, Nashville Predators – The oldest player on the list at 22 years old, the Predators have certainly been patient when it comes to developing their 2007 first round pick. Blum remains Calder eligible, coming in just under the limit with 23 games played last season. His solid play in the NHL playoffs was a revelation for the Predators after Francis Bouillion went down with injury and he was playing close to 20 minutes a night. Blum is a 2 way defenceman with great skating and a solid first pass. It won’t be a surprise to see him slide right in as a top 4 defenceman with the Predators, despite the fact they have a very deep defence. The only question with Blum is the amount of PP time he will see stuck behind Weber and Suter, and fighting with fellow rookie Ryan Ellis for minutes.

2. Ryan Johanssen, C, Columbus Blue Jackets – The Jackets have been searching for an Number 1 Centre since they joined the league a little over a decade ago. However with their recent trade for Jeff Carter, and with the development of Johanssen, the 2010 4th overall pick, they may soon have two. Johanssen was the best player on a strong Portland Winterhawks team in the WHL last year scoring 92 points in 63 games. He also had an excellent World Junior Tournament for Canada last year. Johanssen can do it all bringing both goal scoring and play making talents to a quickly improving Blue Jackets team. He should get plenty of ice time, and these minutes will be key in putting up the numbers necessary for a Calder bid.

1. Gabriel Landeskog, RW, Colorado Avalanche – The 2nd overall pick from this year’s entry draft looks to be physically ready for an NHL job, despite being only 18 years old. Landeskog may not project to have the long term offensive upside of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but Landeskog looks like the more NHL ready player. Landeskog is extremely well rounded for an 18 year old, as he can do it all. Landeskog can skate, score goals, set them up, drive the net hard, throw a big hit, play defense, block shots, and is even a decent fighter when necessary. This Swedish born prospect is also a natural born leader becoming both the youngest, and first European captain in Kitchener Rangers history. Often compared to another former Rangers Captain, Mike Richards; Landeskog is coming into an ideal situation where he will immediately play on a line with either Paul Stastny or Matt Duchene. For this reason Landeskog is my pick as the early favorite in the Calder Watch.

Honourable Mention skaters: Mikael Granlund, C, Minnesota Wild; Marc-Andre Gragniani, D, Buffalo Sabres; Blake Geoffrion, RW/C, Nashville Predators; Ryan Strome, C, New York Islanders; Zac Dalpe, C, Carolina Hurricanes; Adam Larsson, D, New Jersey Devils; Alexei Emelin, D, Montreal Canadiens; Tim Erixon, D, New York Rangers; Jeremy Morin, RW/LW, Chicago Blackhawks; Brendan Smith, D, Detroit Red Wings; Scott Glennie RW/C, Dallas Stars; Brett Connolly, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning; Tomas Tatar, C, Detroit Red Wings; Anton Lander, C, Edmonton Oilers; Andrei Loktionov, C/LW, Los Angeles Kings; Sean Couturier, C, Philadelphia Flyers; Eric Tangradi, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins; Mark Schiefele, C, Winnipeg Jets;

And thats the Last Word on this year’s NHL Rookie Watch.

NHL 2011-2012 Eastern Standings Prediction

Posted on September 13, 2011 by ScottyJ

Capitals Lead the Way….

The 2011-2012 season is close at hand and the anticipation is killing me. Now is the time that we start to get ready for our fantasy drafts and make our predictions for the coming year. In the following weeks I’ll be posting my thoughts on things like fantasy strategies, sleepers and busts, and of course my yearly standings prediction.

Before you look into my rankings I just want to say one thing. The maximum and minimum salary caps have really changed the game. In the case of league standings, things have been getting tighter and tighter every year. While this has made the playoff race extremely exciting, it has also made picking the standings before the year nearly impossible. I’m sure my ideas and yours will be way different so I encourage you to reply your thoughts and even your own standings predictions along with this blog. Oh and sorry Canada…(you’ll see).

1. Washington – With the addition of Tomas Vokoun and more defensive depth in Wideman (last year at the deadline) and Hamrlik, the Caps should have no problem taking 1st in the eastern conference. The President’s Trophy is not out of the question. Expect the big guns (Ovie, Backstrom, Green, Semin) to bounce back to better numbers.

2. Philadelphia – I believe Ilya Bryzgalov will be good enough on the back end to make up for the absence of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter on forward. Giroux, Briere and James van Riemsdyk will pick up the slack and the man with the mullet (Jaromir Jagr) has returned to the NHL in a Flyers uniform.

3. Buffalo – The Sabres did well this off-season adding Leino and Ehrhoff amongst others. Roy returning to the line-up is key and a few budding youngsters (Ennis, Myers, Stafford) make Buffalo a cup contender for me. Look for another good year from Ryan Miller at the backstop.

4. Boston – Not much has changed in Boston but they will be hard pressed to defend the cup again. They failed to keep Tomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder. Between them and Buffalo really is a toss up but I don’t think Thomas can pull off another year with a 2.00 GAA and a .938 SV%….ridiculous.

5. Tampa Bay – I have Tampa in the same spot as last year. Re-signing Stamkos was obviously huge and getting Roloson on for another year will be beneficial as well. Simon Gagne will be missed but that leaves room for Teddy Purcell, Ryan Malone and Steve Downie to round out an excellent top 6.

6. Pittsburgh – I know that the Pens did alright without Sid the Kid last year but I don’t think they can do it again. Malkin is healthy and should have a better season but the Atlantic division will prove a little tougher this year. I have Pittsburgh dropping a few spots in the standings.

7. NY Rangers – The Rangers re-signed many players (Boyle, Callahan, Dubinsky..etc..) and also picked up Brad Richards in a 9 year 58.5 million dollar deal. Richards and Gaborik could click together translating into a bounce back year for Gaborik. The Rangers are on the cusp again for me and could lose out to some of the following teams.

8. Carolina – 7th to 12th spot is next to impossible to sort out. Unfortunately the Canadian teams aren’t making the cut in my books. Bring on the angry Toronto fans! The Hurricanes are a youthful team on offence and have added Tomas Kaberle on the blue line in front of Ward. Lots of room to improve in Carolina and I think they should.

9. Montreal – Andrei Markov should provide an offensive boost from the back end but I thought the Habs overachieved last year. Cary Price is the make or break factor in whether or not they can make the playoffs. I know MR. B. Kerr will disagree with me but I don’t like their chances of playing in the post-season.

10. Toronto – The new additions of Tim Connolly and John-Michael Liles are helpful. The pressure on James Reimer to perform is great and I’m not convinced he’ll be able to handle it. Sorry fellas, I almost put them in 8th just to avoid the abuse I’ll get for this. (A Few of our bloggers are die hard Leafs fans.)

11. New Jersey – The Devils were able to ink a deal with Parise to their relief. Although he returns to the line-up, C Travis Zajac is out for the start of the year shortening the list of centers. The LW is strong but a lack of depth at both RW and D should cripple the Devils yet again.

12. NY Islanders – Mark Streit is fully recovered and ready to get back on the ice. Kyle Okposo will also be back and the youthful islanders are now 1 year older. I expect big things from John Tavares this year as well as Michael Grabner. This team will continue to climb the standings in years to come.

13. Florida – The Panthers spent plenty of money in the off-season signing Brian Campbell and Ed Jovanovski amongst others. Too bad their MVP Tomas Vokoun is off chasing lord Stanley in Washington this year. I like the defence in Florida but they need a 1st line and a goalie. It is possible that Jacob Markstrom could take the crease this year.

14. Winnipeg – The travel alone will be enough to wear these guys down by the end of the year. Add settling into a new city to the equation and things don’t look promising for the Winnipeg Jets. Evander Kane will be the player I have my eye on. He may not be ready for a first line roll but he is close.

15. Ottawa – Let’s face it the nation’s capital city has been steadily declining in the standings and Alfie is getting old. Zenon Konopka should make losing interesting for the fans though. Between him, Chris Neil and Matt Carkner there should be plenty of scraps to watch. I have the Sens sitting last in the whole league this year.

NHL 2011-2012 Western Standings Prediction

Posted on September 12, 2011 by ScottyJ

The Sharks will rule the rink!

The Western Conference is, in my opinion, the stronger of the two. If not stronger then it is at least more competitive when it comes to getting the last spot for the post-season. Last year only five points separated a 4th place ducks team from the 10th place Calgary Flames. The Flames finished with a whopping 94 points and were still sent golfing in the spring. My point is that anything can happen when you think about it. For example had Los Angeles lost to Dallas last year on April 2nd, the two teams would have switched places in the standings, L.A missing the playoffs in 9th while Dallas took 7th spot.

It’s a funny sport so don’t count anyone out. There are always a few games that could change a team’s fortune in the end. That being said here are my thoughts on where the Western teams should lie come playoff time.

1. San Jose – Havlat and Burns will make a great fit in San Jose. Havlat being a RW should see plenty of ice time with superstars like Thornton and Marleau. Last year Niemi started slow in a sophomore slump but brought it in the end, as did the rest of the team. Still no cup in my books but I predict a great regular season from the Sharks.

2. Vancouver – Kesler being injured to start the year and the loss of Christian Ehrhoff cause me to believe the Canucks lose out to the Sharks this year. Edler missed 31 games lat year and Vancouver will need him healthy without Ehrhoff in the lineup. I expect that Kevin Bieksa will also pick up some of the extra minutes.

3. Detroit – Of course I have my Red Wings winning the very competitive central division. Brian Rafalski will be sorely missed but Ian White should prove a competent replacement. Jimmy Howard experienced a below par season and should improve his stats this year for the Wings

4. Chicago – When I say competitive I mean it. The Blackhawks, Detroit, St. Louis and Nashville may all place within 7-8 points of each other leaving little room for error in divisional games. Chicago still looks solid adding plenty of physical toughness over the last few months and I believe goaltender Corey Crawford is the real deal.

5. Los Angeles – I know a few people who think the Kings could win it all this year. I’m not so sure but Mike Richards and Simon Gagne will definitely improve L.A.’s chances. Couple that with their blooming defence and goaltending and the Kings could get a little deeper in the post-season in this campaign.

6. St. Louis – Lookout for the Blues. This is my most improved team for sure (up from11th in the conference). Halak is way better than the way he played last year. They also added Arnott and Langenbrunner to an already deep offence for some extra leadership. St. Louis has a long list of young up and coming stars, making three solid lines with a great keeper.

7. Nashville – What can I say really? The Predators got Shea Weber to stick around for another year and their goalie is one of the best. Pekka Rinne should stun his opponents yet again. They don’t really have much else to brag about but keeping the puck out of the net is something that Nashville has always done well.

8. Anaheim – Hello Bobby Ryan. Hello Getzlaf and Perry, Visnovsky and Hiller. There are Plenty of exciting players to watch if you’re a ducks fan, and don’t forget sophomore Cam Fowler. The addition of Kurtis Foster will help on the blue line as well, but the Ducks are hanging onto 8th by a thread.

9. Columbus – Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets the central division will steal some of the thunder from them. Signing James Wisniewski and Jeff Carter is a huge boost for the team but that doesn’t make up for a lack of good goaltending. Close but no cigar in Columbus.

10. Dallas – Mike Ribeiro will once again step into a 1st line center role for Dallas in Brad Richards absence. Jamie Benn should improve yet again. Picking up Sheldon Souray may or may not help the Stars but they certainly aren’t a deep enough team to live up to the name, especially when the brightest “star” is in the big apple now.

11. Colorado – Things went terrible for the Avalanche last season. A huge decrease in scoring and some shaky goaltending translated into an off year. Peter Mueller is returning to the team but J. M. Liles was sent packing to Toronto. We’ll see if Gabriel Landeskog gets a shot on the shallow LW in Colorado.

12. Edmonton – Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle should be dynamite, improving on their rookie totals. I like the signing of Ryan Smyth and Cam Barker as well as others, so I think the Oilers will improve. There is just one big problem in Edmonton now and for down the road…. Who will stop the pucks?

13. Calgary – The Flames are pretty much the same team they were last season. It’s hard to believe that Jarome Iginla and Mikka Kiprusoff can keep doing it year in and year out. Iginla is coming off an amazing season that will be hard to duplicate. Calgary is just another Canadian team (6 out of 7) that I think needs more depth to reach playoff status.

14. Phoenix – My pick for the biggest loser is Phoenix, dropping them from 6th to 14th in the conference. Why you ask? Well I guess it tells you how I feel about Ilya Bryzgalov. Phoenix’s goals +\- was only +5 last year. Now without Ilya to steal the one goal games Phoenix is doomed.

15. Minnesota – I know they picked up Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi but it’s what they lost that cripples the Wild. Minnesota’s biggest problem is that the teams they beat last year (Columbus, Edmonton, Colorado) improved while the Wild lost depth from an already shallow team. At least the Senators will be there with them.

Sunday Football with Kids

Posted on September 12, 2011November 4, 2021 by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

As I feverishly tried to assemble my son’s 1000+ piece train table (by the way, I might quit my day job and take up instructional book-writing), the kickoff to the NFL football season loomed near.

Only 60 minutes …30 minutes, sweat starting to accumulate on my shaved head. ….15 minutes …10 minutes… uh oh, nope, not gonna make it.

When the Bills vs. Chiefs game began I had barely assembled the legs and drawers on the table. Still ahead of me was putting together all the little plastic parts. Oh, and this was while my two and a half year old son was watching my every move, himself counting down the time in his own way.

As I heard the roar of the crowd, disappointed by their beloved Chiefs’ performance, I really didn’t care. I didn’t turn my head on every down. Before being blessed with my kids, I never imagined this is the way it would be.

As the first quarter turned into the second, I finally finished the table. The joy on my son’s face was worth all the frustrated choice words I uttered under my breath, and the occasional one I let slip. I realized that this was going to be my Sunday until he and his four-month old brother are old enough to join me. But, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Champions League Season 2011-2012 – Match Day 1

Posted on September 11, 2011November 4, 2021 by Frank Giuliano

After another weekend of soccer excitement, Match Day 1 of the most prestigious European club competition, the Champions League, comes underway on the 13^th and 14^th of September, with a few mouth-watering match-ups kicking it all off. This year’s edition blasts off with a BANG as all eyes will be on the biggest game of the day in which seven-time Champions League winners, AC Milan, takes on defending European champions, Barcelona FC, at the Camp Nou. Both teams are coming from ties in their domestic league this weekend. The rossoneri stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to spoil the show for SS Lazio; whereas the blaugrana surrendered a 2-0 lead to Real Sociedad on the road. It should be a match full of outstanding technical ability as both teams possess players of great quality capable of making this fixture the game of the year. It will be an intriguing battle for the Milanisti as it is difficult to defend against a very well-coached Barcelona with extremely talented attacking players such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, and David Villa in the line-up. Group A, aka ‘group of death’, opens up with an interesting encounter as newcomers Manchester City will be up against a stubborn SSC Napoli, who are making their first appearance since their glory days with Diego Maradona back in the early ‘90s. Both teams have bolstered their rosters for the up-coming season, with Manchester City making the most notable signing in Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguëro who has scored 6 goals in 4 league games thus far in England. The other group A fixture is Villarreal of Spain taking on Bayern Munich of Germany. In group C, Benfica will take on Manchester United FC who is currently showing a great run of form in the Premier League winning 4 games out of 4 with Wayne Rooney scoring a hat trick at the weekend, which puts him on top of the goal-scorers standings with 8 goals. The other big match-up of the day comes from group F where German champions Borussia Dortmund welcome a weakened Arsenal team. Both sides are currently displaying poor performances in their respective leagues.

Prediction for group winners and runners up

Group A	Comments
FC Bayern Munich Manchester City FC SSC Napoli Villareal FC	Do not count out SSC Napoli and Villareal FC. They should both provide stiff competition for Manchester City FC and FC Bayern Munich.

Group B	Comments
FC Internazionale Lille CSKA Moskow AS Trabzonspor	FC Internazionale should be able to claim first place easily. Turkish side AS Trabzonspor are included in this year’s Champions League due to the match scandal in Turkey which eliminated Fenerbahce.

Group C	Comments
Manchester United FC SL Benfica FC Basel FC Otelul Galati	With the exception of surprises, Manchester United FC and SL Benfica should both qualify first and second respectively.
Group D	Comments
Real Madrid FC Olympique Lyonnais AFC Ajax Dinamo Zagreb	Spanish giants Real Madrid FC and French outfit Olympique Lyonnais are expected to claim qualification but keep an eye out for AFC Ajax as the former Dutch Champions can be dangerous.

Group E	Comments
Chelsea FC Valencia CF Bayer 04 Leverkusen KRC Genk	It is expected that the Blues from Chelsea take top spot. Tight race for second between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Valencia CF.

Group F	Comments
Olympique de Marseille Arsenal FC Borussia Dortmund Olympiacos FC	The outcome of Group F is difficult to predict due to the poor form displayed by these clubs in their respective championships.

Group G	Comments
FC Porto FC Shakhtar Donetsk FC Zenit St. Petersburg APOEL FC	Portuguese league and Europa League champions, Porto FC, could have an easy time here. But watch out for FC Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Zenit St. Petersburg as both clubs are capable of providing a battle for the Portuguese.

Group H	Comments
FC Barcelona AC Milan FC Viktoria Plezn FC Bate Borisov	Without a doubt, FC Barcelona and AC Milan will claim the qualifying spots in this group.

Thats the last word on soccer

Frank Luciano Giuliano

Under the Lights, One For The Ages, Michigan and Notre Dame

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Lindsay Higgins

It didn’t have to be a barnburner to go down in the books. The first-ever night game in the Big House, in front of better than 110,000 fans, would have become part of Big Ten lore regardless of the winner, the box score, or the events of the fourth quarter. However, what transpired ensured that the commemorative DVDs will sell themselves.

The first quarter was all Notre Dame. Michigan gained a total of 27 yards on two three-and-outs, ending their last drive with an interception as the quarter expired. Notre Dame had 51 yards rushing, 94 yards passing, and led 14-0 as Cierre Wood ran roughshod over a hapless Michigan defense. The Denard Robinson of 2010 was nowhere to be seen, rushing for just 17 yards, 13 of them on one play.

Initially, Michigan’s first drive of the second quarter showed promise as Robinson scrambled for 18 yards and the Wolverines’ second first down of the game. But after two incompletions and a gain of only three yards, Notre Dame got the ball back. At first it looked like more of the same: 21 yards to Michael Floyd for a first down. But after a short rush and an incomplete pass, Tommy Rees threw his first interception of the game at his own 45 yard line. Two plays later Robinson connected with Junior Hemingway, who made an incredible effort to stretch out and knock the pylon over with the football. The call on the field was a touchdown and after review it was upheld.

Notre Dame’s next drive went for nine plays and 58 yards in just under five minutes. It also went for three penalties on the Irish (as well as one on Michigan), including a 15-yard call for unnecessary roughness. They managed three first downs and were deep in Michigan territory when Rees threw his second interception of the night. Fortunately for Notre Dame, the Wolverines went three-and-out and gave the ball back with good field position. After three first downs, Rees threw three straight incompletions and David Ruffer kicked a 38-yard field goal to put the Irish up 17-7. Michigan went three-and-out to end the half.

Notre Dame received the kickoff, and the teams traded punts to start the second half. The Irish were in Michigan territory when Cierre Wood fumbled and the Wolverines recovered. Michigan converted on third down, but on the ensuing first down Robinson threw his second pick of the game. Seven plays later, Rees hit TJ Jones for a 15-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-17 Notre Dame.

If you saw the play from Super Bowl XLII where Eli Manning completed a pass as he was being dragged down by the Patriots defense- and everyone has seen that play, since it resulted in the David Tyree helmet-catch- you probably thought of it on the Wolverines’ first play from scrimmage. With a Notre Dame defender hanging from the back of his leg, Robinson heaved the ball downfield where Junior Hemingway snagged it around the Michigan 30 and took off. He was pushed out of bounds at the Irish 5 yard line and the quarter ended two plays later.

If you thought the pass to Hemingway was a weird play, you haven’t seen anything yet. The fourth quarter started with Michigan in 3rd-and-goal from the Notre Dame 1. Robinson handed the ball off and the defense forced a fumble. The ball squirted free and bounced in Robinson’s direction; he scooped it up and darted in, untouched, for the touchdown.

Lady Luck appears to approve of night games at the Big House. After a Notre Dame three-and-out, a terrible punt gave the Wolverines the ball at the Irish 40. A sack for a loss of five yards was quickly negated by two first downs, and on 2nd and 7 from the Irish 14, Jeremy Gallon caught a pass for a touchdown. 24-21 Notre Dame.

At this point, I could really just start copying and pasting earlier paragraphs. Driving in Michigan territory, Notre Dame turned the ball over on a fumble by quarterback Rees, that was promptly recovered by the Wolverines. But just as Michigan looked like they could punch it in again, Robinson threw an interception. (See what I mean about copy and paste?) Irish went three-and-out, and a much better punt was nonetheless returned 21 yards to the Michigan 42. Five plays later, on first down from the Notre Dame 21, Robinson found Vincent Smith in the end zone. Michigan takes their first lead of the game to make it 28-24 with 1:12 remaining after the kickoff.

Notre Dame got a good return on the kickoff, bringing it out to their own 39. A huge pass-interference call on Michigan brought them to the Wolverines’ 46. For some reason the Irish immediately went to the air, electing not to run the ball and take more time off the clock. (Given their earlier fumbles, I suppose this was understandable). Rees completed passes of 12 and five yards, threw an incompletion, and on 3rd-and-five hit Theo Riddick for a 29-yard touchdown. 31-28, Irish win… right?

To quote Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!” Still :30 on the clock. First-and-10, incomplete pass. 23 seconds left. HUGE catch-and-run by a wide-open Gallon at midfield. He’s finally pushed out of bounds at the Notre Dame 16. (Does anyone else hear Chris Berman doing the “tiiiiiick, tick tiiiiiick” thing as they read this?) 8 seconds left, 1st down. Robinson drops back, and heaves the ball toward a double-covered Roy Roundtree, who hauls it in for the score. 35-31 Wolverines. With :02 remaining, the Notre Dame kick returned is taken down for a loss and another crazy ending in this rivalry is in the books. It’s Notre Dame-Michigan… did you really expect anything less?

The Nick Diaz Affair

Posted on September 11, 2011November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

One of the more recent ongoings within the MMA world lately is the drama surrounding Nick Diaz. Nick has been building up an impressive win list in the Welterweight Division within Strikeforce organization (and Elite XC, DREAM, Pride FC) using a well-rounded skill set that many have seen as the answer to defeating GSP. Unfortunately, usually where Nick goes, drama follows.

For those of you who don’t know really know Nick Diaz, he was once of the more exciting fighters in the UFC – a couple of losses, and a fight in the hospital with Joe Riggs, and Nick found himself unemployed. Since that time he has been nearly flawless.

The UFC’s acquisition of Strikeforce heralded an interesting time for those fans of the WW division, as the prospect of a fight between Diaz and GSP seemed inevitable. Recently, Dana White answered our prayers. Dana announced that the fight between GSP and Diaz would take place this October at UFC 137.

Unfortunately, the drama has recently continued. Nick decided that he would go MIA in the build-up to the fight in October, so an infuriated Dana White kicked Diaz off the main event and put Carlos Condit in his place – which in my opinion was an inevitable match-up regardless, and still an interesting one to watch. BUT, at the end of the day – it’s not Diaz. Condit does not have the same tool box, and will likely be dominated by the superior St. Pierre. The good news is that Dana did have a change of heart, and rewarded with Diaz v. Penn – which should be a fantastic fight.

The question is – why Nick Diaz always surrounded by drama? Some people say it’s because he fights for money and not glory; Diaz has stated on numerous occasions as such. Others suggest it’s his background – growing up on the streets. Others say he is a true fighter, and this spills over into his personality all too often.

My opinion? I honestly believe he just doesn’t care about the glory, or the belt. I think he has a hard time dealing with the lights and cameras, and just wants nothing to do with it. I think the problem with this reality is that it will make for another untimely exit for him from the UFC, and there is a good chance we never will see GSP/Diaz fight. I do honestly hope I am wrong, but who knows. Nick’s volatility will be his undoing… and I truthfully don’t think he cares.

…And that is the last word.

Fantasy Watch List – NFL

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Ben Kerr

The Draft is over. Now the season begins. And as with every season it is the waiver pick-ups that often determine the league. If any of these players begin to produce it may be more than just a one week spike.

A. Been and D. Briscoe – WR – Tampa – Count these as Josh Freeman picks. If he takes the next step then one of his secodary receivers could make the leap.

D. Carter – RB – Indy – With no Manning the Colt’s may have to resort to pounding the run game. If Addai is not up to the task Carter may be.

J. Harrison – RB – Detroit – J. Best is not a number 1 running back. Harrison has produced everywhere he has played. If he gets enough touches expect results.

A. Hernandez – TE – New England – Not available in all leagues and for good reason. Hernandez will be the Pats main deep threat and could surpass 800 yards and 6 TD’s.

L. Kendricks – TE – St. Louis – The new Rams offense will feature the TE. Bradford will be fantasy freiendly. It is just a matter of figuring out who his favorite targets will be.

A. Brown – WR – Pittsburgh – Ward is no longer a #2 WR. E. Sanders is supposed to step into the role but Brown flashed mega speed in the preseason. If he gets the nob instead expect results.

T. Young – WR – Detroit – Much like Freeman, loading up on Staffords targets could be a good idea.

Big Time Game – NFL season underway!

Posted on September 10, 2011November 4, 2021 by Ben Kerr

It doesn’t get much better than the game Thursday night. Two Big-Time QB’s showing up and putting on a dominating display showing that when two QB’s are on their game they are nearly unstoppable. The game ended up coming down to an early Saints turnover but more than that their inability to convert in short yardage situations. What else did we learn?

How are the teams without All-Star QB’s supposed to compete when you have to face offences like that?

Grant or Starks? Grant opened the game with most the carriers but as the game wore on it looked like Starks was the feature back. He displayed good power after first contract and was trusted by the coaching staff in passing situations. Starks has the early edge.

Are the Saints really tougher? They switched their Center this offseason an added two massive Defensive Tackles. What did it all mean? The Saints lost in the short yardage battles. Twice unable to convert on offense in situations where they needed only 1 yard. On defense the Packers had no issues with grinding out positive gains by running up the gut and it even produced a short yardage TD.

Big Time Injury – The Saints top WR Colston is reportedly lost for 4 weeks with a broken collarbone. A huge loss or someting the Saints can overcome? While the Saints may be better than any team at spreading the ball around they can’t afford to slip up at all in what will be a tight division race with Atlanta, especially since they are already 0 and One.

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2011