Thursday night marked my first ever visit to Staples Center, where the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2. But this was more than just attending a game: I was a credentialed member of the attending media last night.
My new gig serving as a writer covering the Los Angeles Kings for examiner.com allowed me to be granted full access by the Kings Communications department. While you can read my official story on the examiner site right now by clicking here, let this blog post serve as a little bit of a backstage access piece.
I arrived at Staples Center at 6:30 last night and went to the entrance marked for attending media. I told the young man at the table my name and showed him my ID. After a few seconds of befuddled searching through the available passes, which led to a split-second anxiety attack, the credential with my name on it was produced. After getting through the metal detector, I entered a nearby elevator and proceeded to ice level where I reached the "Chick Hearn Press Room".
Hearn was the longtime voice of the Lakers, and I entered to a large carpeted cafeteria. After dropping my bag on the table, I proceeded to grab a hamburger and bottle of water. After consuming those in record time, I looked up on one of the 20 television screens and saw Jamie Langenbrunner's overtime goal to give the Devils a 4-3 win over Boston, which I took as a good sign. It was then that I noticed, just at the next table behind me holding court with several writers and NHL officials, was legendary NHL coach Scotty Bowman.
I've been in LA for two years now, and have mingled with actors and musicians and rarely been star-struck. Yet, seeing Bowman caused a momentary lapse of decorum as I quickly phoned one of my best friends and said, "Dude, I'm 25 feet away from Scotty Bowman!" Keep in mind, it wasn't loud enough for anyone at that next table to hear it, but afterwards, I decided to use the restroom before I ventured to my seat in the press box. And as I was standing in the urinal, doing my thing, in walked Bowman for a "John Starks Moment".
A few years ago, I was the PA announcer at a charity basketball event that the New York Knicks were involved in, and Starks served as one of the coaches. After the game ended, I was in the restroom in a similar fashion, minding my business, when Starks came in and used the stall next to mine. He recognized me as the only guy wearing a tuxedo that night and told me that he thought I did a great job, which made me feel good. Then after thanking him, I paused and said, "So I have to ask you one question." Without even finishing my thought, he replied, "Yeah, I knew he was there." He finished and walked over to wash his hands and then walked out. Seconds later, someone else came out of the stall behind me and said, "Do you realize what he just said? That was cool!"
I was going to ask Starks about the famous left-handed thunder dunk he did over Michael Jordan, and I didn't even need to finish the sentence before he answered it.
Now, I was anticipating another Starks moment when Bowman just walked by me to the next stall and asked, "So, looks like a pretty big crowd tonight, eh?"
You can't make it up folks.
Another two minutes of small talk concluded with my professing my admiration for his coaching career, and apologizing on behalf of my Devils for denying him a Stanley Cup title in 1995. His response to that was, "thanks for the kind words, and you guys earned that one."
After taking another 3 minutes to collect myself, I exited the cafeteria area and took the elevator all the way upstairs to the top of the Staples Center. I sat in the upper row of the right hand side of the press box, which provided a clear overhead view of the entire arena and ice surface below. There were complimentary drinks (soda and water), and snacks. My seat had a cardboard nameplate directing me where to sit, a place to plug in my laptop and gain internet access, and some notes for the game. After plugging in, I got up and went to find Jeremy Zager, the supervisor for Communications and Broadcasting for the Kings.
When I got to his seat, he wasn't there, but Mike Kalinowski, who also works for the Kings Communications staff, was. When he inquired why I was there and I told him I was looking for Jeremy to introduce myself, he said, "Are you Jon Moncrief from the Examiner? Welcome, did you find everything okay?" We talked for about two minutes and wanted to know if I had any questions I should feel free to ask. Then Jeremy came over and we made introductions. Again, Jeremy wanted to make sure I had no difficulties and that I found where I was located correctly, and if I had any questions.
I've been credentialed for games before, most notably with the New Jersey Devils a few times in 2004. Now this is not a slight on their staff, but I must tell you the Kings treated me with the utmost in respect, as if I were a 20-year veteran covering the sport. In fact, everyone from the door people to the cafeteria staff to the other personnel inside Staples Center, treated me as though I were an important dignitary.
Then it happened. Jeremy indicated to me that not only should I feel free to contact him with any questions or to discuss future story ideas, but indicated that my article about the Kings goaltending was included in the printed News Clips section provided to all members of the media. FREAKING AWESOME!!!
I then headed back to my seat for the start of the game. I twittered the first two periods to keep myself occupied. During the second period intermission, I came back from stretching my legs to grab a water for the third period, and there was Bowman again. He nodded his head at me in approval, and that's when I noticed he was talking with two former Devils I enjoyed watching in my youth. One of them was Mel Bridgman, a hard-nosed center who played 4 seasons for the Devils after they first relocated from Colorado. The other was winger Pat Verbeek, who had held the club record for goals scored in a season until Brian Gionta (favorite player of Tracy Loreng – shout out) broke the mark in 2006. Verbeek also had one of the best nicknames I've ever heard for someone: The Little Ball of Hate.
The game also afforded me the chance to meet a very knowledgeable hockey writer named Kat Kealy, who writes her own hockey on-line called the Press Box Perspective. I encourage all hockey fans and Crief Case fans to read it often. I do so even though she grew up a Pittsburgh Penguins fan – just kidding…
After the game ended, I proceeded back downstairs to interview some of the players afterwards. These included Dustin Brown, Jarret Stoll, and Jack Johnson. I also attended Terry Murray's post-game press conference, and waited patiently for the more experienced writers to ask their questions before I asked mine, which he answered directly. Again, the players and coaches conducted themselves just like their frotn staff, first class all the way. Actually, that's been my experience - hockey players and people seem to have a better handle on maintaining professionalism with the media - unless your name is Sean Avery.
The entire experience was very educational and entertaining, and I am looking forward to their return from a five game road trip when they host Calgary on February 12th.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
When You Wish To Shock The World
ITEM ONE: Super fans trying to enjoy a 'Super' experience
Super Bowl week is a mix of emotions for football fanatics: on the one hand, it's the culmination of a 22-week odyssey to determine the championship of pro football; on the other, it means that another meaningful game won't be played for another 8 months. So while the non-football fans and the casual observers of the NFL enjoy the commercials and the pageantry and the excuse to party hearty, we die-hards will try to enjoy one last moment in the sun.
This is why, when I have no definitive rooting interest, I just want the game to be competitive. The only thing worse than being at a Super Bowl party where the majority of guests are asking questions like, "Why do they call it a pigskin?" or "Why are there so many time outs" or even worse "How do I figure out which points I need to win $50 this quarter in my box pool?", is when the game is out of hand and their collective minds wander, making the viewing experience even more nauseating.
I have a hard time relating to people who don't watch sports more than just this one day out of the year. I have maintained the argument for the last decade that the best reality series on television is not just one series but a group of them: sports on television. There's no script, and in most cases there is a group of people to either root for or against, based upon on your personal beliefs and/or your geography. There are great characters, and although there are similarities for games played in each sport, no two games are alike. But the biggest reason I keep coming back is to see something I've never seen before, or to experience that moment when a group of players do what no one else expects them to do.
In the Roman numeral classic known as Super Bowl XLIII (that's 43 for those not in the know), the Arizona Cardinals will be playing the role of underdog, against the seemingly superior favorites known as the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you know nothing about the two teams going into the game, all you need to know is this set of facts: the Steelers are playing in their 7th Super Bowl all-time, and are seeking an NFL best 6th victory in the big game. After being the very model of futility in their first 42 years of existence, the Steelers have been the very model of efficiency during their most recent 36 seasons. The Cardinals, on the other hand, are making their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, and are looking to win their first league championship since 1947. Only the Chicago Cubs in baseball have had a longer wait between championships, which is ironic in the sense that the last time the Cards won the NFL title, they were playing in Chicago.
The Steelers have been listed as a 7-point favorite by the odds makers, and this seems sound judgment. Pittsburgh won their division, finishing with the second best record in their conference, amidst the toughest schedule in the league. They have the top-ranked defense in the league. They have a quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger who was the starter three years ago when the Steelers last won it all. They have a significant fan base located not only in the greater Pittsburgh area, but all around the country. In fact, here I am last football season in Jaguars gear at the Hooters of Hollywood – the only one rooting for Jacksonville in a bar full of Steelers fans:
With all of Pittsburgh's experience and the size of their fan base, it should be a no-brainer that the Steelers will win on Sunday. But as Chris Berman likes to say, "That's why they play the games." Arizona just seems to be on one of those runs through the playoffs like the Giants were last year, or even the Steelers were just 3 years ago. Everything is breaking just right for them, and they are taking full advantage of those opportunities. Kurt Warner is playing in 2008 like he did in 1999, when he led another downtrodden franchise out of mediocrity to a Super Bowl championship. And as great as the receiving corps was for Warner on those "Greatest Show on Turf" teams in St. Louis, this group of receivers, led by Larry "No one can cover me or even properly place any adjective to describe the fact that no one can cover me" Fitzgerald, is even better.
Also, and this will be one of several things you'll hear from the experts all week long leading up to the game, but something that I think has some actual substance: Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm were on the Steelers staff as assistants just two years ago. They both left for Arizona after the Steelers passed on hiring one of them to replace Bill Cowher in 2006. These guys understand the Steelers pressure blitzing defense perhaps as well as anyone, and it's critical to mention Grimm because the Cards offensive line will need be at their best to recognize where all of the exotic blitzes will come from. But I have another thought about why Whisenhunt could be a factor: he was Roethlisberger's first coordinator in the NFL, so like Jon Gruden did for Tampa Bay when he helped their defense prepare for his former Oakland squad in Super Bowl XXXVII, Whisenhunt should be able to help the Cards defense recognize the audible calls for the Steelers offense, which could be a significant advantage for the Arizona defense.
It's true that for every team like last year's Giants to win it all in surprising fashion (which I predicted on this site by the way), there have been plenty of Cinderella teams for whom the glass slipper cracked at the most inopportune time.
But this is why someone like me, with both the Giants and Jaguars out of the mix (and yes Jonathan Harris, those are the 2 teams I root for, and the only 2 I root for, deal with it), will watch the game this coming Sunday. And to ensure that my selection is correct: ARIZONA 33 – PITTSBURGH 23.
ITEM TWO: So you want to produce halftime?
When you grow up in New Jersey like I did during the 1970s and 1980s, you either dislike Bruce Springsteen and his music, in which case you are placed into the nearest mental institution for life or asked to relocate to Montana, or you worship Springsteen's music. I have written about my love for his music on this page before, and certainly will again. And so I will need to somehow plan my Super Bowl halftime break to coincide with the first half highlights package and analysis, because I will not miss a single second of Bruce playing the halftime show at this year's game.
As a quick aside: my favorite halftime shows were: Paul McCartney in Super Bowl XXIX, U2 in Super Bowl XXXVI with the scrolling names of the 9/11 victims behind them, and Up with People during Super Bowl XVI. Okay, I'm just kidding about that last one, but I think this year's will join this exclusive list.
Now here's the cool thing: on the NFL's website for the game, you can click on this link which gives you six different choices of which 4 songs Bruce and the band will play during halftime this year. This is really interesting because for a Bruce fanatic like myself, I want to make sure those that see him live in Tampa for the first time understand what those of us that have seen him live over the years has long known: there is no better live musical performance anywhere by anybody. People I've known throughout the course of my life that I've attended their first Bruce shows with have in every case been left with no choice but to change their own minds and agree with my previous statement.
It's just unfortunate for those seeing live the first time that night that they will only get a glimpse into what type of experience that is like. Most concerts are 1-2 hours: Bruce plays for 4 hours, and then he does another hour of encores.
As for the songs I would pick, because the 6 available choices are good but not great, I would choose these 4: I'd have him open with Badlands, then segue into The Rising, follow that up with Prove It All Night, and of course finish with Born to Run, but only because Jersey Girl is a 7-minute song live.
ITEM THREE: Other Stuff
Anyone following the on-line battle of the barbs between the tag-team partners Leah D'Emilio and Lon Harris from Mahalo Daily, and their opponent Maria Sansone from Pop Tub, has to wonder just where all this is leading. I'm not sure where it's going, but I enjoy watching otherwise dignified webcast hosts "drop gloves" (hockey term) every now and then… how many times will hear people wringing their hands this week about companies spending $3 million per 30 second spot on Super Bowl ads. I'm setting the over/under at 35, but confining that only to national cable shows and big market newspapers… so as I posted last week, I've started writing for two publications. SCENARIO is a bi-monthly print publication that debuts in March, and also has an on-line companion with articles being added daily. It has a great deal of potential based upon its premise of returning the country back to old-school journalism, as well as keeping the left-wing pundits and the right-wing apologists honest, which no other media outlet is able to do (even though many claim to try). I've seen a couple of the articles going into the first issue, and I have to say they are an interesting collection of topics with the right pacing. I hope that you will find them just as informative. My articles will not be confined to one area of expertise, because that would insinuate that I actually have an area of expertise. The other publication is The Examiner, which is an on-line publication of daily articles and posting pertaining to a wide-variety of topics in every major city. My assignment here is being confined to the Los Angeles Kings, and I will be providing a mix of commentary and analysis with feature stories on Kings Players, past and present. I talked with my editor on the phone this morning, he used to run the Denver Broncos website for years, and I'm very excited about the prospects for the growth of this website as well. I hope you will all continue to loyally support me in checking these out… Back to the Super Bowl, NBC is the broadcaster for this year's game. Their coverage begins with a 5-hour pre-game show. Bob Costas will be the lead anchor, and will be joined by Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Matt Millen, Jerome Bettis, Tiki Barber, Peter King, and Cris Collinsworth. The Today Show will air three hours before that live from Tampa, with a one hour NFL Films program, The Road to the Super Bowl, in between. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:20PM Eastern Time, with Al Michaels calling the play-by-play, and John Madden providing analysis. Madden will establish a record for having called a Super Bowl for all four major broadcast networks. Alex Flanagan and Edie Falco (also known as Andrea Kramer) will roam the sidelines. In addition to Bruce at halftime, Jennifer Hudson (in her first public appearance since the death of 3 family members last fall) will sing the national anthem, and among those performing in the pre-game will be Journey. Let's hope the screen doesn't go hard to black followed by end credits when they sing Don't Stop Believing… I also enjoy Super Bowl Sunday because it's the one day all year long when I can consume food that on any other day in this combination would have people calling for doctors to perform angioplasties on me. These would be beer, wings, chips, and burgers. Or as I like to call them: the four basic food groups… finally, a tip of the cap to NC State Women's Basketball coach Kay Yow, who passed away over the weekend after a prolonged bout with breast cancer. I had the chance to meet her a few years ago and hear her speak about her battle against the illness, and instead of coming across as bitter and envious; she came across as courageous and determined not only to beat her disease, but to help others do so as well. But as important as that angle of her story is, and I don't mean to reduce its significance in any way, she was a tremendous basketball coach. She posted over 700 victories in her career, won four ACC titles and had teams reach the NCAA Tournament 20 times, and was the Team USA coach for the 1988 Gold Medal winning Olympic team.
Enjoy the food and the game on Super Sunday - I know I will...
Super Bowl week is a mix of emotions for football fanatics: on the one hand, it's the culmination of a 22-week odyssey to determine the championship of pro football; on the other, it means that another meaningful game won't be played for another 8 months. So while the non-football fans and the casual observers of the NFL enjoy the commercials and the pageantry and the excuse to party hearty, we die-hards will try to enjoy one last moment in the sun.
This is why, when I have no definitive rooting interest, I just want the game to be competitive. The only thing worse than being at a Super Bowl party where the majority of guests are asking questions like, "Why do they call it a pigskin?" or "Why are there so many time outs" or even worse "How do I figure out which points I need to win $50 this quarter in my box pool?", is when the game is out of hand and their collective minds wander, making the viewing experience even more nauseating.
I have a hard time relating to people who don't watch sports more than just this one day out of the year. I have maintained the argument for the last decade that the best reality series on television is not just one series but a group of them: sports on television. There's no script, and in most cases there is a group of people to either root for or against, based upon on your personal beliefs and/or your geography. There are great characters, and although there are similarities for games played in each sport, no two games are alike. But the biggest reason I keep coming back is to see something I've never seen before, or to experience that moment when a group of players do what no one else expects them to do.
In the Roman numeral classic known as Super Bowl XLIII (that's 43 for those not in the know), the Arizona Cardinals will be playing the role of underdog, against the seemingly superior favorites known as the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you know nothing about the two teams going into the game, all you need to know is this set of facts: the Steelers are playing in their 7th Super Bowl all-time, and are seeking an NFL best 6th victory in the big game. After being the very model of futility in their first 42 years of existence, the Steelers have been the very model of efficiency during their most recent 36 seasons. The Cardinals, on the other hand, are making their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, and are looking to win their first league championship since 1947. Only the Chicago Cubs in baseball have had a longer wait between championships, which is ironic in the sense that the last time the Cards won the NFL title, they were playing in Chicago.
The Steelers have been listed as a 7-point favorite by the odds makers, and this seems sound judgment. Pittsburgh won their division, finishing with the second best record in their conference, amidst the toughest schedule in the league. They have the top-ranked defense in the league. They have a quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger who was the starter three years ago when the Steelers last won it all. They have a significant fan base located not only in the greater Pittsburgh area, but all around the country. In fact, here I am last football season in Jaguars gear at the Hooters of Hollywood – the only one rooting for Jacksonville in a bar full of Steelers fans:
With all of Pittsburgh's experience and the size of their fan base, it should be a no-brainer that the Steelers will win on Sunday. But as Chris Berman likes to say, "That's why they play the games." Arizona just seems to be on one of those runs through the playoffs like the Giants were last year, or even the Steelers were just 3 years ago. Everything is breaking just right for them, and they are taking full advantage of those opportunities. Kurt Warner is playing in 2008 like he did in 1999, when he led another downtrodden franchise out of mediocrity to a Super Bowl championship. And as great as the receiving corps was for Warner on those "Greatest Show on Turf" teams in St. Louis, this group of receivers, led by Larry "No one can cover me or even properly place any adjective to describe the fact that no one can cover me" Fitzgerald, is even better.
Also, and this will be one of several things you'll hear from the experts all week long leading up to the game, but something that I think has some actual substance: Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm were on the Steelers staff as assistants just two years ago. They both left for Arizona after the Steelers passed on hiring one of them to replace Bill Cowher in 2006. These guys understand the Steelers pressure blitzing defense perhaps as well as anyone, and it's critical to mention Grimm because the Cards offensive line will need be at their best to recognize where all of the exotic blitzes will come from. But I have another thought about why Whisenhunt could be a factor: he was Roethlisberger's first coordinator in the NFL, so like Jon Gruden did for Tampa Bay when he helped their defense prepare for his former Oakland squad in Super Bowl XXXVII, Whisenhunt should be able to help the Cards defense recognize the audible calls for the Steelers offense, which could be a significant advantage for the Arizona defense.
It's true that for every team like last year's Giants to win it all in surprising fashion (which I predicted on this site by the way), there have been plenty of Cinderella teams for whom the glass slipper cracked at the most inopportune time.
But this is why someone like me, with both the Giants and Jaguars out of the mix (and yes Jonathan Harris, those are the 2 teams I root for, and the only 2 I root for, deal with it), will watch the game this coming Sunday. And to ensure that my selection is correct: ARIZONA 33 – PITTSBURGH 23.
ITEM TWO: So you want to produce halftime?
When you grow up in New Jersey like I did during the 1970s and 1980s, you either dislike Bruce Springsteen and his music, in which case you are placed into the nearest mental institution for life or asked to relocate to Montana, or you worship Springsteen's music. I have written about my love for his music on this page before, and certainly will again. And so I will need to somehow plan my Super Bowl halftime break to coincide with the first half highlights package and analysis, because I will not miss a single second of Bruce playing the halftime show at this year's game.
As a quick aside: my favorite halftime shows were: Paul McCartney in Super Bowl XXIX, U2 in Super Bowl XXXVI with the scrolling names of the 9/11 victims behind them, and Up with People during Super Bowl XVI. Okay, I'm just kidding about that last one, but I think this year's will join this exclusive list.
Now here's the cool thing: on the NFL's website for the game, you can click on this link which gives you six different choices of which 4 songs Bruce and the band will play during halftime this year. This is really interesting because for a Bruce fanatic like myself, I want to make sure those that see him live in Tampa for the first time understand what those of us that have seen him live over the years has long known: there is no better live musical performance anywhere by anybody. People I've known throughout the course of my life that I've attended their first Bruce shows with have in every case been left with no choice but to change their own minds and agree with my previous statement.
It's just unfortunate for those seeing live the first time that night that they will only get a glimpse into what type of experience that is like. Most concerts are 1-2 hours: Bruce plays for 4 hours, and then he does another hour of encores.
As for the songs I would pick, because the 6 available choices are good but not great, I would choose these 4: I'd have him open with Badlands, then segue into The Rising, follow that up with Prove It All Night, and of course finish with Born to Run, but only because Jersey Girl is a 7-minute song live.
ITEM THREE: Other Stuff
Anyone following the on-line battle of the barbs between the tag-team partners Leah D'Emilio and Lon Harris from Mahalo Daily, and their opponent Maria Sansone from Pop Tub, has to wonder just where all this is leading. I'm not sure where it's going, but I enjoy watching otherwise dignified webcast hosts "drop gloves" (hockey term) every now and then… how many times will hear people wringing their hands this week about companies spending $3 million per 30 second spot on Super Bowl ads. I'm setting the over/under at 35, but confining that only to national cable shows and big market newspapers… so as I posted last week, I've started writing for two publications. SCENARIO is a bi-monthly print publication that debuts in March, and also has an on-line companion with articles being added daily. It has a great deal of potential based upon its premise of returning the country back to old-school journalism, as well as keeping the left-wing pundits and the right-wing apologists honest, which no other media outlet is able to do (even though many claim to try). I've seen a couple of the articles going into the first issue, and I have to say they are an interesting collection of topics with the right pacing. I hope that you will find them just as informative. My articles will not be confined to one area of expertise, because that would insinuate that I actually have an area of expertise. The other publication is The Examiner, which is an on-line publication of daily articles and posting pertaining to a wide-variety of topics in every major city. My assignment here is being confined to the Los Angeles Kings, and I will be providing a mix of commentary and analysis with feature stories on Kings Players, past and present. I talked with my editor on the phone this morning, he used to run the Denver Broncos website for years, and I'm very excited about the prospects for the growth of this website as well. I hope you will all continue to loyally support me in checking these out… Back to the Super Bowl, NBC is the broadcaster for this year's game. Their coverage begins with a 5-hour pre-game show. Bob Costas will be the lead anchor, and will be joined by Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Matt Millen, Jerome Bettis, Tiki Barber, Peter King, and Cris Collinsworth. The Today Show will air three hours before that live from Tampa, with a one hour NFL Films program, The Road to the Super Bowl, in between. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:20PM Eastern Time, with Al Michaels calling the play-by-play, and John Madden providing analysis. Madden will establish a record for having called a Super Bowl for all four major broadcast networks. Alex Flanagan and Edie Falco (also known as Andrea Kramer) will roam the sidelines. In addition to Bruce at halftime, Jennifer Hudson (in her first public appearance since the death of 3 family members last fall) will sing the national anthem, and among those performing in the pre-game will be Journey. Let's hope the screen doesn't go hard to black followed by end credits when they sing Don't Stop Believing… I also enjoy Super Bowl Sunday because it's the one day all year long when I can consume food that on any other day in this combination would have people calling for doctors to perform angioplasties on me. These would be beer, wings, chips, and burgers. Or as I like to call them: the four basic food groups… finally, a tip of the cap to NC State Women's Basketball coach Kay Yow, who passed away over the weekend after a prolonged bout with breast cancer. I had the chance to meet her a few years ago and hear her speak about her battle against the illness, and instead of coming across as bitter and envious; she came across as courageous and determined not only to beat her disease, but to help others do so as well. But as important as that angle of her story is, and I don't mean to reduce its significance in any way, she was a tremendous basketball coach. She posted over 700 victories in her career, won four ACC titles and had teams reach the NCAA Tournament 20 times, and was the Team USA coach for the 1988 Gold Medal winning Olympic team.
Enjoy the food and the game on Super Sunday - I know I will...
Friday, January 23, 2009
King Me
In addition to my new gig working on SCENARIO Magazine, I'm also taking up residency on the Los Angeles verison of Examiner.com. The Examiner is an on-line newspaper/magazine reporting on a wide variety of topics and subjects, including sports. There is an Examiner for most cities around the country.
I am serving as the new beat writer for the Los Angeles Kings, so I will be posting several times a week. My postings will deal with the current squad game-to-game, and also will include features on players. I'll also be looking at the history of the Kings, with profiles of great players and games from the past.
Here's a link to my first posting, a look ahead to the second half of the season and what the Kings need to do in order to make the playoffs in 2009. If you can't access it, then cut and paste this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2690-Los-Angeles-Kings-Examiner~y2009m1d22-Kings-need-to-be-road-warriors
And be sure to check there and at SCENARIO, for more ramblings. I'll also still be posting here as well, including a preview of Super Bowl 43 next week...
I am serving as the new beat writer for the Los Angeles Kings, so I will be posting several times a week. My postings will deal with the current squad game-to-game, and also will include features on players. I'll also be looking at the history of the Kings, with profiles of great players and games from the past.
Here's a link to my first posting, a look ahead to the second half of the season and what the Kings need to do in order to make the playoffs in 2009. If you can't access it, then cut and paste this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2690-Los-Angeles-Kings-Examiner~y2009m1d22-Kings-need-to-be-road-warriors
And be sure to check there and at SCENARIO, for more ramblings. I'll also still be posting here as well, including a preview of Super Bowl 43 next week...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Exploring all the scenarios
A brief note to let the tens and tens of Crief Case fans know about one of the side projects I'm involved in. It's a new publication called SCENARIO, and it will feature it's first published hard copy of the magazine on March 1. It aims to return journalism back to the center, where it can be free from left or right political punditry muddying the waters. It's aim is to talk about important issues that the main stream media on both sides refuses to talk about.
The website launched officially today, so check it out the new homepage of SCENARIO Magazine.
And to see a link to my first article, about the need for an overhauling of the Electoral College, click this link.
More to come...
The website launched officially today, so check it out the new homepage of SCENARIO Magazine.
And to see a link to my first article, about the need for an overhauling of the Electoral College, click this link.
More to come...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Eight Is Enough
Did I say that Arizona wasn't going to be able to stop Atlanta's running game? Did I say that Indianapolis was superior to San Diego? Did I say that Minnesota's best-in-the-league run defense would stifle the Eagles? Did I say the Dolphins had little chance for success against Baltimore's ferocious defense?
Well at least I got that last one correct. 1 for 4? Ouch, I'm the new and improved Warner Wolf.
So let's try this again: A brief posting giving you my thoughts on the 4 NFL Division Round Weekend matchups.
Baltimore at Tennessee, Saturday 4:30PM ET, CBS (Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf) – The Titans won a tough fought Week 5 struggle 13-10, and this week's re-match figures to be no different. Both clubs were among the league leaders in takeaways. Both teams have quarterbacks that no one thought would be starting for their teams this week when the season started. Both squads want to win the time of possession battle. Last week, I was hard pressed to take a home team, when I should have taken three of them. This week, I'll be looking for a little more home cooking… but not here. PICK: Baltimore 16-13.
Arizona at Carolina, Saturday 8:15PM ET, FOX (Kenny Albert with Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa) – When the league shifted the Saturday start times to place the second game in primetime years ago, they got lucky on the first shot out of the box by having the Oakland-New England game end in overtime in the snow, thanks of course to the infamous "Tuck Rule" play. After four years of snoozers, the last two versions of "Divisional Round Night in America" have featured compelling and exciting games. Arizona has won only once in Charlotte, and my guess is that Chris Weinke (the quarterback that day playing out the string in 2001) will not be lining up under center for the Panthers. Let's try this again: there is no way the Cardinals defense is going to be able to stop the Carolina running game. Even though the Panthers had to come-from-behind in their 27-23 Week 8 meeting with the Cards, Carolina is a far more confident team now. Still, this game feels like a "back door cover". PICK: Carolina 34-27.
Philadelphia at NY Giants, Sunday 1:00PM ET, FOX (Joe Buck with Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver) – The Eagles are playing very inspired football right now, and have every right to think they can win this game based upon how well they played the last time they went to the Meadowlands. For the Giants, this where the rubber of the "We can win without Plaxico" theory meets the road. More importantly, for the Giants to win they will need to do a much better job of slowing down Brian Westbrook. He made Antonio Pierce look like he was the one accidently shot in the leg (too soon to joke about that?), and must look more like the defensive unit which held Westbrook to just 26 rushing yards in their win in Philly earlier this year. BTW, a little bit strange that two of this weekend's matchups (BAL at TEN and this one) are same as they were eight year ago when the Ravens and Giants made runs to the Super Bowl. You know what they say: those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. PICK: Giants 23-16.
San Diego at Pittsburgh, Sunday 4:45PM ET, CBS (Jim Nantz and Phil Simms) – To follow up on the last point from the previous preview, it's also a little bit odd that all four games this weekend feature rematches of regular season contests with only one of them featuring division rivals. And this game was the strangest of the five, with Pittsburgh winning by that ridiculous 11-10 score and the referees blowing the call on the last play lateral, screwing things up for gamblers and fantasy owners alike. Anyways, I'll give San Diego credit for finding a way to somehow win against Indianapolis at home. But the Steelers are rested and ready. They are also getting healthy at the right time with Willie Parker virtually back at full strength. And if Ben Roethlisberger could walk away from nearly taking a dirt nap from a motorcycle-colliding-with-car smash up a few years ago, do you really think a wee bump to the noggin two weeks ago will sideline him? Please, look closely at his jersey; that's not a "7", it's an "S". PICK: Steelers 22-10.
So there you have it: 3 home teams this weekend, and I'm still riding Baltimore as the lone road warrior. Nothing against the four teams I think are going home this weekend, but anyone who watched the two Raven-Steeler brawls and/or the Carolina-Giants game would surely enjoy seeing another chapter from these clashes.
Oh, and let me take an even briefer moment to preview Thursday's Oklahoma-Florida national title tilt in Miami:
Oklahoma vs. Florida, Thursday 8:15PM ET, FOX (Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis) – What this game really comes down to is how well the Florida defense can handle the fast break offense of the Sooners, and whether or not Tim Tebow and Company can run the ball against the OU defense like Texas did earlier this year. The Gators should have a slight advantage in terms of being used to the weather conditions in Miami, and perhaps a larger fan base at the game itself. This would have been a great semifinal matchup in a championship tournament. PICK: Gators 48-44
Well at least I got that last one correct. 1 for 4? Ouch, I'm the new and improved Warner Wolf.
So let's try this again: A brief posting giving you my thoughts on the 4 NFL Division Round Weekend matchups.
Baltimore at Tennessee, Saturday 4:30PM ET, CBS (Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf) – The Titans won a tough fought Week 5 struggle 13-10, and this week's re-match figures to be no different. Both clubs were among the league leaders in takeaways. Both teams have quarterbacks that no one thought would be starting for their teams this week when the season started. Both squads want to win the time of possession battle. Last week, I was hard pressed to take a home team, when I should have taken three of them. This week, I'll be looking for a little more home cooking… but not here. PICK: Baltimore 16-13.
Arizona at Carolina, Saturday 8:15PM ET, FOX (Kenny Albert with Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa) – When the league shifted the Saturday start times to place the second game in primetime years ago, they got lucky on the first shot out of the box by having the Oakland-New England game end in overtime in the snow, thanks of course to the infamous "Tuck Rule" play. After four years of snoozers, the last two versions of "Divisional Round Night in America" have featured compelling and exciting games. Arizona has won only once in Charlotte, and my guess is that Chris Weinke (the quarterback that day playing out the string in 2001) will not be lining up under center for the Panthers. Let's try this again: there is no way the Cardinals defense is going to be able to stop the Carolina running game. Even though the Panthers had to come-from-behind in their 27-23 Week 8 meeting with the Cards, Carolina is a far more confident team now. Still, this game feels like a "back door cover". PICK: Carolina 34-27.
Philadelphia at NY Giants, Sunday 1:00PM ET, FOX (Joe Buck with Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver) – The Eagles are playing very inspired football right now, and have every right to think they can win this game based upon how well they played the last time they went to the Meadowlands. For the Giants, this where the rubber of the "We can win without Plaxico" theory meets the road. More importantly, for the Giants to win they will need to do a much better job of slowing down Brian Westbrook. He made Antonio Pierce look like he was the one accidently shot in the leg (too soon to joke about that?), and must look more like the defensive unit which held Westbrook to just 26 rushing yards in their win in Philly earlier this year. BTW, a little bit strange that two of this weekend's matchups (BAL at TEN and this one) are same as they were eight year ago when the Ravens and Giants made runs to the Super Bowl. You know what they say: those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. PICK: Giants 23-16.
San Diego at Pittsburgh, Sunday 4:45PM ET, CBS (Jim Nantz and Phil Simms) – To follow up on the last point from the previous preview, it's also a little bit odd that all four games this weekend feature rematches of regular season contests with only one of them featuring division rivals. And this game was the strangest of the five, with Pittsburgh winning by that ridiculous 11-10 score and the referees blowing the call on the last play lateral, screwing things up for gamblers and fantasy owners alike. Anyways, I'll give San Diego credit for finding a way to somehow win against Indianapolis at home. But the Steelers are rested and ready. They are also getting healthy at the right time with Willie Parker virtually back at full strength. And if Ben Roethlisberger could walk away from nearly taking a dirt nap from a motorcycle-colliding-with-car smash up a few years ago, do you really think a wee bump to the noggin two weeks ago will sideline him? Please, look closely at his jersey; that's not a "7", it's an "S". PICK: Steelers 22-10.
So there you have it: 3 home teams this weekend, and I'm still riding Baltimore as the lone road warrior. Nothing against the four teams I think are going home this weekend, but anyone who watched the two Raven-Steeler brawls and/or the Carolina-Giants game would surely enjoy seeing another chapter from these clashes.
Oh, and let me take an even briefer moment to preview Thursday's Oklahoma-Florida national title tilt in Miami:
Oklahoma vs. Florida, Thursday 8:15PM ET, FOX (Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis) – What this game really comes down to is how well the Florida defense can handle the fast break offense of the Sooners, and whether or not Tim Tebow and Company can run the ball against the OU defense like Texas did earlier this year. The Gators should have a slight advantage in terms of being used to the weather conditions in Miami, and perhaps a larger fan base at the game itself. This would have been a great semifinal matchup in a championship tournament. PICK: Gators 48-44
Friday, January 2, 2009
Wild Card Weekend Thoughts
A brief posting giving you my thoughts on the 4 NFL Wild Card Weekend matchups:
Atlanta at Arizona, Saturday 4:30PM ET, NBC (Tom Hammond with Cris Collinsworth and Tiki Barber) – The last time the Cardinals franchise hosted a playoff game: the President was Harry Truman, Ballerina by Vaughn Monroe was the number one song in the country, Miracle on 34th Street was in theatres, and the rival American Football League wouldn't be formed for another 13 years! Hopefully, it won't be another 62 years until the next home playoff game for Cardinal fans. This much is for sure; they won't be playing next week. Atlanta is second in the league in rushing yards per game, and while the Cardinals run defense wasn't exactly porous, only four teams in the league allowed more points per game than Arizona.
PICK: Atlanta 28-23
Indianapolis at San Diego, Saturday 8:00PM ET, NBC (Al Michales with John Madden and Edie Falco, I mean, Andrea Kramer) – When the Colts edged the Bolts 23-20 in Week 12, many of us (myself included) thought that the Chargers were done with 7 losses. Even more of us thought they were done the next week when they lost to Atlanta at home; no way in hell they were going to get in with 8 losses. But thanks to the Denver Heimlich Maneuvers, the Chargers are not only still playing, but are actually hosting a wild card game (see below for my thoughts on that). But as impressive as the Bolts have been the last 4 weeks, the Colts are the best team in the league the 2nd half of the season. Peyton looks like the old Peyton, Addai is healthy again, and the defense is doing just enough to win games.
PICK: Indy 26-20
Baltimore at Miami, Sunday 1:00PM ET, CBS (Jim Nantz and Phil Simms) – Another rematch from a 2008 game, as the Ravens downed the Dolphins 27-13 back in Week 7. Of course, that game was so long ago we hadn't even elected an African-American as President yet. While the Dolphins have learned how to win close games down the stretch this season, and that I feel Chad Pennington should have been named as the league MVP this year for what he did for his team, this Ravens defense looks too tough for even the 1972 Dolphins to deal with. Miami was able to use the wildcat formation with much success against other teams this season, but the one team that barely gave an inch against it was Balto. Miami tried 5 plays out of their trick formation, and gained a total of 4 yards. Yes, Miami is a much better team now as opposed to Week 7, but Baltimore is a much better team as well, and one that I think has a great chance of running the table in the AFC.
PICK: Baltimore 24-10
Philadelphia at Minnesota, Sunday 4:30PM ET, FOX (Joe Buck with Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver) – These are two teams that on paper appear to be evenly matched. The glaring difference is at quarterback, where Donovan McNabb figures to have an advantage over Tavaris Jackson, seems to tip the scales towards the Eagles. The key to watch for is how well the Eagles and Brian Westbrook run the ball against the Vikings defense, the best in the league at stopping the run. One of these home teams has to win, and of the four, Minnesota's home-field advantage could be a factor. I think it will be.
PICK: Minnesota 20-17
Should these outcomes occur, it would set up the divisional round as follows: Saturday, Baltimore at Tennessee and Minnesota at Carolina; Sunday, Atlanta at NY Giants and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh.
A quick note about the home field situation: for the second straight year, there are division winners playing at home with worse W-L records than their wild-card opponents. I don't have a problem with this in the sense that divisional play differs from division to division. But when one team had 3 fewer wins, and actually lost to their opponent at home during the season, their needs to be an exception made, because even though that team won its division, they clearly didn't earn any advantage in doing so.
So, to borrow a phrase from fellow Pascack Hills High School alum Bill Maher, NEW RULE: If a division winner has 3+ fewer wins than their wild card opponent, they forfeit home-field advantage. After all, fair is fair, and there is no way in the world the Chargers should be allowed to play at home this weekend.
Enjoy the games...
Atlanta at Arizona, Saturday 4:30PM ET, NBC (Tom Hammond with Cris Collinsworth and Tiki Barber) – The last time the Cardinals franchise hosted a playoff game: the President was Harry Truman, Ballerina by Vaughn Monroe was the number one song in the country, Miracle on 34th Street was in theatres, and the rival American Football League wouldn't be formed for another 13 years! Hopefully, it won't be another 62 years until the next home playoff game for Cardinal fans. This much is for sure; they won't be playing next week. Atlanta is second in the league in rushing yards per game, and while the Cardinals run defense wasn't exactly porous, only four teams in the league allowed more points per game than Arizona.
PICK: Atlanta 28-23
Indianapolis at San Diego, Saturday 8:00PM ET, NBC (Al Michales with John Madden and Edie Falco, I mean, Andrea Kramer) – When the Colts edged the Bolts 23-20 in Week 12, many of us (myself included) thought that the Chargers were done with 7 losses. Even more of us thought they were done the next week when they lost to Atlanta at home; no way in hell they were going to get in with 8 losses. But thanks to the Denver Heimlich Maneuvers, the Chargers are not only still playing, but are actually hosting a wild card game (see below for my thoughts on that). But as impressive as the Bolts have been the last 4 weeks, the Colts are the best team in the league the 2nd half of the season. Peyton looks like the old Peyton, Addai is healthy again, and the defense is doing just enough to win games.
PICK: Indy 26-20
Baltimore at Miami, Sunday 1:00PM ET, CBS (Jim Nantz and Phil Simms) – Another rematch from a 2008 game, as the Ravens downed the Dolphins 27-13 back in Week 7. Of course, that game was so long ago we hadn't even elected an African-American as President yet. While the Dolphins have learned how to win close games down the stretch this season, and that I feel Chad Pennington should have been named as the league MVP this year for what he did for his team, this Ravens defense looks too tough for even the 1972 Dolphins to deal with. Miami was able to use the wildcat formation with much success against other teams this season, but the one team that barely gave an inch against it was Balto. Miami tried 5 plays out of their trick formation, and gained a total of 4 yards. Yes, Miami is a much better team now as opposed to Week 7, but Baltimore is a much better team as well, and one that I think has a great chance of running the table in the AFC.
PICK: Baltimore 24-10
Philadelphia at Minnesota, Sunday 4:30PM ET, FOX (Joe Buck with Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver) – These are two teams that on paper appear to be evenly matched. The glaring difference is at quarterback, where Donovan McNabb figures to have an advantage over Tavaris Jackson, seems to tip the scales towards the Eagles. The key to watch for is how well the Eagles and Brian Westbrook run the ball against the Vikings defense, the best in the league at stopping the run. One of these home teams has to win, and of the four, Minnesota's home-field advantage could be a factor. I think it will be.
PICK: Minnesota 20-17
Should these outcomes occur, it would set up the divisional round as follows: Saturday, Baltimore at Tennessee and Minnesota at Carolina; Sunday, Atlanta at NY Giants and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh.
A quick note about the home field situation: for the second straight year, there are division winners playing at home with worse W-L records than their wild-card opponents. I don't have a problem with this in the sense that divisional play differs from division to division. But when one team had 3 fewer wins, and actually lost to their opponent at home during the season, their needs to be an exception made, because even though that team won its division, they clearly didn't earn any advantage in doing so.
So, to borrow a phrase from fellow Pascack Hills High School alum Bill Maher, NEW RULE: If a division winner has 3+ fewer wins than their wild card opponent, they forfeit home-field advantage. After all, fair is fair, and there is no way in the world the Chargers should be allowed to play at home this weekend.
Enjoy the games...
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