The Republic of Sport

SnowboarderX

SnowboarderX's Comments

Posted Monday November 16, 2009, About: Michigan QB denies transfer rumors

Will never happen in a million years. Harbaugh is a dirty traitor. He threw Michigan under the bus to try and get himself some attention. While there is likely some validity to what he said it's something that's true of every major program in college football. All he accomplished was betraying his school and teammates.

Posted Sunday November 01, 2009, About: GM blames cap for Red Wings woes

The cap is dumb. It was designed to create parity and stop teams from spending themselves in to oblivion. So far it's failing at both. Even with a cap we still have teams struggling with bankruptcy. As far as parity if anything the NFL has proven parity doesn't work. It did at first, but eventually the haves and the have-nots seperate themselves and it's the smart drafting, smart front office teams that succeed. No salary cap is going to turn a team with bad management in to a good one. Also people act is if Illitch bought the Wings and went on a spending spree to bring them to prominence. When he came in he could barely get anyone to come to games and the team was terrible. What he did was bring in Jim Devellano and Scotty Bowman. They drafted several key players(Yzerman, Lidstrom, Fedorov, Konstantinov) and eventually once they were successful added finishing pieces like Shanahan and Vernon. The problem is noone actually wants to work to build their team today. They want it all handed to them and for their team to be immediately successful. One final note, high spending isn't a guarantee for success, just look at the New York Rangers in the non-salary cap era.

Posted Friday September 04, 2009, About: Red Wings getting improved Bertuzzi

Well apparently his knees were pretty trashed by the end of the season. There was talk of him having to have surgery in the offseason to relieve the pain if they didn't start to get better.

Posted Friday July 31, 2009, About: NHL investigating Hossa-Blackhawks deal

The report on ESPN was that the NHL is looking in to the Pronger contract as well.

Posted Monday July 20, 2009, About: Yzerman wanted Blackhawks GM job

Hossa or Samuelsson*

Posted Monday July 20, 2009, About: Yzerman wanted Blackhawks GM job

So far every player who left the Wings left because they could get more money elsewhere. The only real surprise was Hudler. Although it's still unclear exactly what happened there. I do suspect he was unhappy with his playing time and role on the team and that's what led him to sigh with the KHL. That did screw things up a bit as I imagine if the Wings new Hudler was gonna bolt they would have offered Hossa more money. As far as Yzerman talking trash the article doesn't even say Yzerman said that he wanted to be considered. The author claimed he heard that Yzerman was interested in the job. Meaning at this point it's nothing more than a rumor.

Posted Monday July 20, 2009, About: Yzerman wanted Blackhawks GM job

I don't buy it. Illitch was very commited to keeping his front office together and when he signed Yzerman and Nill to contracts a few years ago he negotiated with them that he would pay them more than they should be making and in return they wouldn't seek out new jobs and were told if other teams asked permission to speak to them he wouldn't allow it. Both men were very aware of that fact and I can't imagine Yzerman trying to break that trust Illitch showed him.

Posted Tuesday July 14, 2009, About: 'Hawks GM taking fall for President?

Ouch. Apparently Tallon did take the fall. CBS Sportsline is reporting Tallon is fired.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/story/11951312

Posted Monday July 13, 2009, About: Blackhawks blunder may cost Kane

It makes perfect sense. The NHL is concerned with protecting owners. So they're not going to find reason to punish the Hawks. The NHLPA is concerned with protecting players so of course of they're going to file a grievance. They want to get players as much money as possible. There's no conspiracy. Just simple logic.

Posted Monday July 13, 2009, About: Red tape may help Red Wings keep Hudler

It is a bit ironic calling someone a homer while simultaneously naming a player from your own team. I won't dispute whether Kessel is faster or not since I haven't really seen him play much, but I will post this video of Helm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soF8M9E-Az8&feature=related

Posted Sunday July 12, 2009, About: Blackhawks blunder may cost Kane

They're also the 4th most valuable franchise in the NHL behind unsurprisingly Toronto, New York, and Montreal. I think they're doing just fine.

Posted Sunday July 12, 2009, About: Blackhawks blunder may cost Kane

The Wings ranked 3rd in attendance last year behind only Chicago and Montreal.

Posted Sunday July 12, 2009, About: Red tape may help Red Wings keep Hudler

I don't think it would have changed things as far as Hossa. I do think they probably would have retained Samuelsson though. As for the Wings second line the guy you're missing is Cleary. That was the Wings 2nd line last year.

Posted Saturday July 11, 2009, About: Red tape may help Red Wings keep Hudler

Yeah I figure Hudler could turn in to a consistent 60-70 point player. Go over a point a game on a really good year. Kind of like how Kozlov was for the Wings. I like Helm and Abdelkader but they'll never have the offensive numbers Hudler is capable of putting up. Helm I think will make a really good replacement for Draper. He's good on face-offs and has a lot of speed which is good for killing penalties and keeping the puck away from the opposition.

Posted Saturday July 11, 2009, About: Red tape may help Red Wings keep Hudler

Hudler wasn't a top 6 winger last year. Only guy off the top 2 lines was Hossa. Hudler has talent but I think Leino can replace him. Not that it's definitive but Leino did pace for 32 goals and 57 points last year which would have been better than Hudler's 23 goals and 57 points. Hossa obviously will be tougher to replace but the Wings have won without him. Maybe Filppula will finally get some top line time.

Posted Friday June 19, 2009, About: NHL players sue mogul in hooker scandal

"including an all-star roster of Rangers and Islanders"

Oxymoron

Posted Tuesday June 09, 2009, About: Penguins may shake up No. 1 line

I don't know that he automatically deserves it even if the Pens lose. The Wings do have worthy candidates in Zetterberg and Osgood. His point totals are great and all but look at the type of ice time he and Crosby have been playing. Malkin has played only 2:12 on the penalty kill in the ENTIRE playoffs. Meanwhile he's played 114:42 on the power play. I mean with that kind of ice time he should be racking up points. Add in the fact despite leading the playoffs in scoring he's only a +2, that doesn't say much about what he's been doing defensively. Zetterberg doesn't have the offensive numbers of Malkin, 24 points, but that's in part because he's been tasked with shutting down other teams top players every round. Nash, Getlzaf, Kane, and now Crosby. He's played 42:20 on the pk and only 66:31 on the pp while being a +16. Also he's managed to not put his team shorthanded a lot taking only 4 penalties(3 minors) in the playoffs, one of them being the major from the fight with Malkin. Malkin in comparison has taken 19 penalties(17 minors).

Posted Monday June 08, 2009, About: Penguins not worried about Fleury

Don't forget Ericsson though. He man-handled Perry in the Ducks series.

Posted Monday June 01, 2009, About: Did NHL bend rule for Malkin?

So much for the Wings second goal not being legit. Video evidence proving that Hossa didn't slash Dupuis and break his stick and further more that he didn't even hook him.

This first video is Dupuis swinging his stick and it breaking when it hit Hossa's skate.
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/images/uploads/hossa.gif

This second video is highlights of the game from CBC. Watch it in HD right at the 2:50 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLw3WVyD6tE

Sure looks like stick on stick to me.

No worries though Pens fans. I'm sure you'll find something else to complain about.

Posted Monday June 01, 2009, About: Did NHL bend rule for Malkin?

And what was so great about the goals the Pens scored? Osgood failing to cover a rebound he easily should have had in game 1. Stuart knocking the puck in to his own net in game 2. You complain about the quality of the goals the Wings have scored but I daresay the Pens goals haven't been any better. All 2 of them.

Posted Monday June 01, 2009, About: Did NHL bend rule for Malkin?

You do realize in game 1 they were complaining about all the calls the Penguins we're getting away with right? Last night they switched it up and complained about the penalties the Wings were getting away with. Pens fans have such blinders on though. The Pens are getting away with just as much stuff as the Wings. The difference is the Wings have been able to capitalize on some of the missed calls. Like when they missed the Hossa hook the Wings were able to score a goal. In game 1 when they missed the Malkin trip that gave him a breakaway he didn't score. That's why the Wings are leading the series 2-0.