So my recent attempt to sit down with Wayne Gretzky last month didn't work out, as I mentioned here on this blog. But I'm still hopeful to get a chance when the Coyotes come to L.A. on Saturday night to face the Kings.
Still, as I chase down the Great One, I can happily report that I spoke with another Kings legend this past week for a piece of Examiner: Luc Robitaille.
I met with him on Friday at the Kings' offices in El Segundo, and I was only supposed to get 10 minutes with the President of Business Operations. So you can imagine how grateful I am that he gave me 30 minutes.
We talked about a variety of topics from his playing career to his role in the Kings front office, as well as the game in general and the development of the Kings franchise moving forward. He didn't shy away from any question I asked him, told me some great stories about his relationship with his father and his respect for Kings fans, and is genuinely a guy you'd like to sit for hours watching a game and drinking beer with while he shared stories of his career.
Clearly his title is not an honorary one - he is very involved in talking with season ticket holders about renewals for next season, existing and potential corporate sponsors, and overseeing the various public appearances of the players. He is also very excited about the future of the team, and very confident that the organization is ready to take the next step and get back to being a playoff team every season.
Feel free to read the article by clicking on this link.
A special thanks to Jeremy Zager for his legwork in getting me access to Robitaille, and Mike Kalinowski for his heads-up proofreading skills. Of all the PR departments that I have dealt with over the years, the Kings PR people are first class all the way, and no one else is even a close second...
PS - The news I spoke of last week concerning an upcoming project of mine is almost ready to be revealed - thanks for your patience...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Big Announcement Coming Soon
Crief Case followers, friends past and present, and family:
Tom Petty is famous for stating that, "The Waiting is the Hardest Part." If you've known me at all, you know that one of my life goals has long been beyond my grasp. But the waiting my finally be over.
I am currently in negotiations to finally grab this dream and make it a reality. For the sake of not jinxing it any further, I will not discuss any further details until all I's are dotted and all T's are crossed. But when those are finalized, I will be making a major announcement here, as well as the other social media I'm involved with, and via e-blast.
So when the time comes, I will notify you about it. Wish me luck, and I should have the details next week...
Tom Petty is famous for stating that, "The Waiting is the Hardest Part." If you've known me at all, you know that one of my life goals has long been beyond my grasp. But the waiting my finally be over.
I am currently in negotiations to finally grab this dream and make it a reality. For the sake of not jinxing it any further, I will not discuss any further details until all I's are dotted and all T's are crossed. But when those are finalized, I will be making a major announcement here, as well as the other social media I'm involved with, and via e-blast.
So when the time comes, I will notify you about it. Wish me luck, and I should have the details next week...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sawchuk and the Madness
So before I begin my preview of the NCAA Men's basketball Tournament, which begins tomorrow, I wanted to take a minute and share some thoughts about last night's event at Pasadena City College.
I attended the event which featured readings of passages and discussions about writing and hockey hosted by Dr. Brian Kennedy. He is a professor of English at PCC, wrote a best-selling book himself called Growing Up Hockey, and is a fellow hockey writing covering the Los Angeles Kings for Inside Hockey.
Last night's special guest was Randall Maggs, who wrote the book Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems. It was great evening in which Maggs told a captivated audience about his process for writing the book. There were a lot of laughs, a few surprises, and helped bring more of a sense of just who Terry Sawchuk, one of the more enigmatic players in hockey history, was both as a hockey player and as a man. Sawchuk was a brilliant goaltender during a 21-year NHL career, including the inaugural 67-68 Kings' campaign. But his life was filled with self-doubt and reclusiveness, and his death remains shrouded no so much in mystery as it is intrigue. Here's Maggs reading from his book:
Photo used with permission from Gabriela Moya
I spoke with Maggs for about ten minutes prior to the event starting and then afterwards as well. He was very engaging and appreciated the opportunity, one writer to another (well, at least one successful writer in Maggs to one 'attempt-ful' writer in myself).
It's ironic for me that it happened the same night that Martin Brodeur, just three career shutouts away from tying Sawchuk's all-time mark, eclipsed Patrick Roy's career victories total. I highly recommend that everyone buy Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems.
Okay, on with the madness:
Here are my predictions for the tournament field this season. I will list each of the four regions, with my overview analysis in italics, and then my Final Four breakdown:
WEST REGION:
---First Round---
Connecticut vs. Chattanooga winner: Connecticut
BYU vs. Texas A&M winner: BYU
Purdue vs. Northern Iowa winner: Northern Iowa
Washington vs. Mississippi State winner: Washington
Marquette vs. Utah State winner: Utah State
Missouri vs. Cornell winner: Missouri
California vs. Maryland winner: Maryland
Memphis vs. CSUN winner: Memphis
---Second Round---
Connecticut vs. BYU winner: Connecticut
Northern Iowa vs. Washington winner: Washington
Utah State vs. Missouri winner: Missouri
Maryland vs. Memphis winner: Memphis
---Sweet Sixteen---
Connecticut vs. Washington winner: Connecticut
Missouri vs. Memphis winner: Memphis
---Elite Eight---
Connecticut vs. Memphis winner: Memphis
Best thing that could have happened to Memphis in my opinion was being passed over for a #1 seed like they were. I actually think they are better than last year's team that came within a made free throw in regulation coupled with a miracle game-tying three-pointer of winning the national championship. They shoot free throws better, and they are much better defensively. Plus, Derek Rose is a tremendous talent, but I felt like watching them last year that if he was slightly off, the Tigers struggled. They have numerous weapons to choose from this year. I think UConn will benefit from their draw, but Washington will give them all they can handle. Picking Northern Iowa and Utah State as major first round upsets.
MIDWEST REGION:
---First Round---
Louisville vs. Morehead St. winner: Louisville
Ohio State vs. Siena winner: Siena
Utah vs. Arizona winner: Utah
Wake Forest vs. Cleveland State winner: Cleveland State
West Virginia vs. Dayton winner: West Virginia
Kansas vs. North Dakota St. winner: Kansas
Boston College vs. USC winner: USC
Michigan State vs. Robert Morris winner: Michigan State
---Second Round---
Louisville vs. Siena winner: Louisville
Utah vs. Cleveland State winner: Utah
West Virginia vs. Kansas winner: West Virginia
USC vs. Michigan State winner: Michigan State
---Sweet Sixteen---
Louisville vs. Utah winner: Louisville
West Virginia vs. Michigan state winner: Michigan State
---Elite Eight---
Louisville vs. Michigan State winner: Michigan State
The best league in the country this year was the Big East; I can live with the ACC getting the same number of teams as the Big East – but the Big Ten getting 7 into the dance? That's a joke. Wisconsin has no business being here. The other teams will be exposed in this tournament except for one: Michigan State was clearly the best team in that league. They have a tournament tested coach in Tom Izzo, and I like their draw a lot. I feel that USC will knock off BC in the first round, and I love Siena over Ohio State in the 8-9 match-up. Kansas used up all their luck last year in the tournament – West Virginia will take care of them in round two. I think Louisville's team is very balanced, but something just doesn't feel right about them, which is why I am not taking Rick Pitino's team, which is odd because he is someone I think gets the most out of his team. They'll reach the Elite Eight, but the Spartans will punch their ticket to Detroit.
SOUTH REGION:
---First Round---
North Carolina vs. Radford winner: North Carolina
LSU vs. Butler winner: Butler
Illinois vs. Western Kentucky winner: Western Kentucky
Gonzaga vs. Akron winner: Gonzaga
Arizona State vs. Temple winner: Temple
Syracuse vs. Stephen F. Austin winner: Syracuse
Clemson vs. Michigan winner: Michigan
Oklahoma vs. Morgan State winner: Oklahoma
---Second Round---
North Carolina vs. Butler winner: Butler
Western Kentucky vs. Gonzaga winner: Gonzaga
Temple vs. Syracuse winner: Syracuse
Michigan vs. Oklahoma winner: Oklahoma
---Sweet Sixteen---
Butler vs. Gonzaga winner: Gonzaga
Syracuse vs. Oklahoma winner: Oklahoma
---Elite Eight---
Gonzaga vs. Syracuse winner: Gonzaga
Welcome to the upset bracket, as injuries tell the story in this region. The Ty Lawson injury sounds like it'll keep him out of UNC's first game, and possibly the second. I would feel that the Tar Heels could go all the way with a healthy Lawson, but that Butler would be a struggle for them even with Lawson at 100%. Without him, like it seems like will be the case, I think Butler pulls the upset. I also felt most of the year that Blake Griffin would carry the Sooners to a Final Four on his back. But he hasn't been the same player since his injury late in the year, and even though I think they get to the Sweet 16, I think Syracuse, with their 2-3 zone and physicality, will frustrate Griffin. You'll notice several first round upsets like WKU over Illinois (sorry Dad), and Temple over Arizona State. But in the end, something tells me that this is finally the year Gonzaga gets over the hump and reaches the Final Four. They have balanced scoring, are fundamentally sound, and consider that their RPI was 26. What that says to me is that if they played in a power conference, they'd be a #2 seed.
EAST REGION:
---First Round---
Pittsburgh vs. East Tennessee St. winner: Pittsburgh
Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee winner: Tennessee
Florida State vs. Wisconsin winner: Florida State
Xavier vs. Portland State winner: Xavier
UCLA vs. VCU winner: VCU
Villanova vs. American winner: Villanova
Texas vs. Minnesota winner: Minnesota
Duke vs. Binghamton winner: Duke
---Second Round---
Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee winner: Pittsburgh
Florida State vs. Xavier winner: Florida State
VCU vs. Villanova winner: Villanova
Minnesota vs. Duke winner: Duke
---Sweet Sixteen---
Pittsburgh vs. Florida State winner: Pittsburgh
Villanova vs. Duke winner: Villanova
---Elite Eight---
Pittsburgh vs. Villanova winner: Pittsburgh
Mike Rhoads, this one's for you. First, your sneaky Steelers steal another Super Bowl title, and now your pesky Panthers will pry away a Final Four berth. I have thought all season long that Pittsburgh was the most complete team in the country. They shoot the ball well, they rebound the ball extremely affectively, they don't beat themselves with bad turnovers or fouls, they are the most imposing team physically, and they play defense all over the court. I went back and forth on Florida State-Xavier in second round before settling on the 'Noles. I love VCU, and would have picked them for Sweet 16 in other brackets. I also think Villanova will be too physical for Duke to handle; I even thought about rolling the dice with Tubby's Gophers stunning the Dukies in Round Two but came to my senses.
FINAL FOUR:
--National Semifinals---
Memphis vs. Michigan State winner: Memphis
Pittsburgh vs. Gonzaga winner: Pittsburgh
---Championship Game---
Memphis vs. Pittsburgh winner: Memphis
Last year, all four #1 seeds for the regions qualified for the Final Four, the first time that ever happened since the seeding process began. It won't happen again this year. I have one #1 seed in Pittsburgh, a pair of #2 seeds in Memphis and Michigan State, and a #4 seed in Gonzaga. In the end, a Memphis-Pittsburgh final has the chance to be a 40-minute nail-biter, but I just have a feeling that this is finally John Calipari's year to cut down the nets.
I attended the event which featured readings of passages and discussions about writing and hockey hosted by Dr. Brian Kennedy. He is a professor of English at PCC, wrote a best-selling book himself called Growing Up Hockey, and is a fellow hockey writing covering the Los Angeles Kings for Inside Hockey.
Last night's special guest was Randall Maggs, who wrote the book Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems. It was great evening in which Maggs told a captivated audience about his process for writing the book. There were a lot of laughs, a few surprises, and helped bring more of a sense of just who Terry Sawchuk, one of the more enigmatic players in hockey history, was both as a hockey player and as a man. Sawchuk was a brilliant goaltender during a 21-year NHL career, including the inaugural 67-68 Kings' campaign. But his life was filled with self-doubt and reclusiveness, and his death remains shrouded no so much in mystery as it is intrigue. Here's Maggs reading from his book:
Photo used with permission from Gabriela Moya
I spoke with Maggs for about ten minutes prior to the event starting and then afterwards as well. He was very engaging and appreciated the opportunity, one writer to another (well, at least one successful writer in Maggs to one 'attempt-ful' writer in myself).
It's ironic for me that it happened the same night that Martin Brodeur, just three career shutouts away from tying Sawchuk's all-time mark, eclipsed Patrick Roy's career victories total. I highly recommend that everyone buy Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems.
Okay, on with the madness:
Here are my predictions for the tournament field this season. I will list each of the four regions, with my overview analysis in italics, and then my Final Four breakdown:
WEST REGION:
---First Round---
Connecticut vs. Chattanooga winner: Connecticut
BYU vs. Texas A&M winner: BYU
Purdue vs. Northern Iowa winner: Northern Iowa
Washington vs. Mississippi State winner: Washington
Marquette vs. Utah State winner: Utah State
Missouri vs. Cornell winner: Missouri
California vs. Maryland winner: Maryland
Memphis vs. CSUN winner: Memphis
---Second Round---
Connecticut vs. BYU winner: Connecticut
Northern Iowa vs. Washington winner: Washington
Utah State vs. Missouri winner: Missouri
Maryland vs. Memphis winner: Memphis
---Sweet Sixteen---
Connecticut vs. Washington winner: Connecticut
Missouri vs. Memphis winner: Memphis
---Elite Eight---
Connecticut vs. Memphis winner: Memphis
Best thing that could have happened to Memphis in my opinion was being passed over for a #1 seed like they were. I actually think they are better than last year's team that came within a made free throw in regulation coupled with a miracle game-tying three-pointer of winning the national championship. They shoot free throws better, and they are much better defensively. Plus, Derek Rose is a tremendous talent, but I felt like watching them last year that if he was slightly off, the Tigers struggled. They have numerous weapons to choose from this year. I think UConn will benefit from their draw, but Washington will give them all they can handle. Picking Northern Iowa and Utah State as major first round upsets.
MIDWEST REGION:
---First Round---
Louisville vs. Morehead St. winner: Louisville
Ohio State vs. Siena winner: Siena
Utah vs. Arizona winner: Utah
Wake Forest vs. Cleveland State winner: Cleveland State
West Virginia vs. Dayton winner: West Virginia
Kansas vs. North Dakota St. winner: Kansas
Boston College vs. USC winner: USC
Michigan State vs. Robert Morris winner: Michigan State
---Second Round---
Louisville vs. Siena winner: Louisville
Utah vs. Cleveland State winner: Utah
West Virginia vs. Kansas winner: West Virginia
USC vs. Michigan State winner: Michigan State
---Sweet Sixteen---
Louisville vs. Utah winner: Louisville
West Virginia vs. Michigan state winner: Michigan State
---Elite Eight---
Louisville vs. Michigan State winner: Michigan State
The best league in the country this year was the Big East; I can live with the ACC getting the same number of teams as the Big East – but the Big Ten getting 7 into the dance? That's a joke. Wisconsin has no business being here. The other teams will be exposed in this tournament except for one: Michigan State was clearly the best team in that league. They have a tournament tested coach in Tom Izzo, and I like their draw a lot. I feel that USC will knock off BC in the first round, and I love Siena over Ohio State in the 8-9 match-up. Kansas used up all their luck last year in the tournament – West Virginia will take care of them in round two. I think Louisville's team is very balanced, but something just doesn't feel right about them, which is why I am not taking Rick Pitino's team, which is odd because he is someone I think gets the most out of his team. They'll reach the Elite Eight, but the Spartans will punch their ticket to Detroit.
SOUTH REGION:
---First Round---
North Carolina vs. Radford winner: North Carolina
LSU vs. Butler winner: Butler
Illinois vs. Western Kentucky winner: Western Kentucky
Gonzaga vs. Akron winner: Gonzaga
Arizona State vs. Temple winner: Temple
Syracuse vs. Stephen F. Austin winner: Syracuse
Clemson vs. Michigan winner: Michigan
Oklahoma vs. Morgan State winner: Oklahoma
---Second Round---
North Carolina vs. Butler winner: Butler
Western Kentucky vs. Gonzaga winner: Gonzaga
Temple vs. Syracuse winner: Syracuse
Michigan vs. Oklahoma winner: Oklahoma
---Sweet Sixteen---
Butler vs. Gonzaga winner: Gonzaga
Syracuse vs. Oklahoma winner: Oklahoma
---Elite Eight---
Gonzaga vs. Syracuse winner: Gonzaga
Welcome to the upset bracket, as injuries tell the story in this region. The Ty Lawson injury sounds like it'll keep him out of UNC's first game, and possibly the second. I would feel that the Tar Heels could go all the way with a healthy Lawson, but that Butler would be a struggle for them even with Lawson at 100%. Without him, like it seems like will be the case, I think Butler pulls the upset. I also felt most of the year that Blake Griffin would carry the Sooners to a Final Four on his back. But he hasn't been the same player since his injury late in the year, and even though I think they get to the Sweet 16, I think Syracuse, with their 2-3 zone and physicality, will frustrate Griffin. You'll notice several first round upsets like WKU over Illinois (sorry Dad), and Temple over Arizona State. But in the end, something tells me that this is finally the year Gonzaga gets over the hump and reaches the Final Four. They have balanced scoring, are fundamentally sound, and consider that their RPI was 26. What that says to me is that if they played in a power conference, they'd be a #2 seed.
EAST REGION:
---First Round---
Pittsburgh vs. East Tennessee St. winner: Pittsburgh
Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee winner: Tennessee
Florida State vs. Wisconsin winner: Florida State
Xavier vs. Portland State winner: Xavier
UCLA vs. VCU winner: VCU
Villanova vs. American winner: Villanova
Texas vs. Minnesota winner: Minnesota
Duke vs. Binghamton winner: Duke
---Second Round---
Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee winner: Pittsburgh
Florida State vs. Xavier winner: Florida State
VCU vs. Villanova winner: Villanova
Minnesota vs. Duke winner: Duke
---Sweet Sixteen---
Pittsburgh vs. Florida State winner: Pittsburgh
Villanova vs. Duke winner: Villanova
---Elite Eight---
Pittsburgh vs. Villanova winner: Pittsburgh
Mike Rhoads, this one's for you. First, your sneaky Steelers steal another Super Bowl title, and now your pesky Panthers will pry away a Final Four berth. I have thought all season long that Pittsburgh was the most complete team in the country. They shoot the ball well, they rebound the ball extremely affectively, they don't beat themselves with bad turnovers or fouls, they are the most imposing team physically, and they play defense all over the court. I went back and forth on Florida State-Xavier in second round before settling on the 'Noles. I love VCU, and would have picked them for Sweet 16 in other brackets. I also think Villanova will be too physical for Duke to handle; I even thought about rolling the dice with Tubby's Gophers stunning the Dukies in Round Two but came to my senses.
FINAL FOUR:
--National Semifinals---
Memphis vs. Michigan State winner: Memphis
Pittsburgh vs. Gonzaga winner: Pittsburgh
---Championship Game---
Memphis vs. Pittsburgh winner: Memphis
Last year, all four #1 seeds for the regions qualified for the Final Four, the first time that ever happened since the seeding process began. It won't happen again this year. I have one #1 seed in Pittsburgh, a pair of #2 seeds in Memphis and Michigan State, and a #4 seed in Gonzaga. In the end, a Memphis-Pittsburgh final has the chance to be a 40-minute nail-biter, but I just have a feeling that this is finally John Calipari's year to cut down the nets.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Slivery will get you into the tourney
So some thoughts on yesterday's tournament selection committee decisions for the 65-team field of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The committee was led this year by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive:
- The committee once again did a better than average job of seeding the teams and selecting the teams. I am disturbed by the lack of at-large selections for mid-major conference teams. St. Mary's, San Diego State, and Creighton deserve to be in this tournament, especially over Arizona, Maryland, and Wisconsin. It is a disgrace that Arizona is in this tournament. Whatever happened to the committee not selecting teams because they struggled down the stretch of the season? Michael Wilbon said it best today on PTI: Some of the more memorable moments in the tournament over the last few years have been from at-large teams from mid-major conferences pulling upsets. Damn disgrace.
- I know the SEC didn't have a top-level year, but are you telling me that if Mississippi State doesn't win yesterday that the SEC would have only received 2 bids? Huh?
- Also its a joke to have the pod system if you are only going to use it to 'reward' higher seeds. I understand the need, in a weakening economy, to ensure first and second round sellouts by having teams like UNC and Duke play at Greensboro, and Villanova play in Philadelphia. But Florida State gets sent to Boise instead of Miami? Temple to Miami instead of Philadelphia? Dayton to Minneapolis instead of at home? Portland State to Boise instead of in Portland? Oklahoma to Kansas City but not Missouri, which won the conference tournament that OU did not? They need to fix this.
- That said, I give them credit for having 3 Big East teams as top seeds (although I think Memphis should have been West #1 over UConn), making Gonzaga (ina year of the shrinking mid-majors) a #4 seed, and Siena a #9 seed. Still, I know UNC beat Duke twice during the season, but if Duke won the ACC tourney and UNC did not, and Duke had the best RPI in the country (2 spots ahead of the Tar Heels), then how come the Blue Devils aren't the #1 seed in the South?
But in a few days, all of these complaints will drift away when the ball is tipped. I'll post my predictions for the tournament - FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY - tomorrow here on the site.
BTW - Joe Lunardi of ESPN, the Bracketologist, studies college basketball everyday for his job fulltime, watches a ton of games, and has access to all the people on the committee. Yesterday, he also posted his final projected field right before they announced it. Our side-by-side results:
- Number of Teams in the field: Joe had 64 of 65, I had 61 of 65
- Number of Teams in right seed in right region: Joe had 11 right, I had 8
- Number of Teams in right region but wrong seed: Joe had 12, I had 7
Not bad considering I only have access to the Internet and ESPN to watch and read about games and teams.
- The committee once again did a better than average job of seeding the teams and selecting the teams. I am disturbed by the lack of at-large selections for mid-major conference teams. St. Mary's, San Diego State, and Creighton deserve to be in this tournament, especially over Arizona, Maryland, and Wisconsin. It is a disgrace that Arizona is in this tournament. Whatever happened to the committee not selecting teams because they struggled down the stretch of the season? Michael Wilbon said it best today on PTI: Some of the more memorable moments in the tournament over the last few years have been from at-large teams from mid-major conferences pulling upsets. Damn disgrace.
- I know the SEC didn't have a top-level year, but are you telling me that if Mississippi State doesn't win yesterday that the SEC would have only received 2 bids? Huh?
- Also its a joke to have the pod system if you are only going to use it to 'reward' higher seeds. I understand the need, in a weakening economy, to ensure first and second round sellouts by having teams like UNC and Duke play at Greensboro, and Villanova play in Philadelphia. But Florida State gets sent to Boise instead of Miami? Temple to Miami instead of Philadelphia? Dayton to Minneapolis instead of at home? Portland State to Boise instead of in Portland? Oklahoma to Kansas City but not Missouri, which won the conference tournament that OU did not? They need to fix this.
- That said, I give them credit for having 3 Big East teams as top seeds (although I think Memphis should have been West #1 over UConn), making Gonzaga (ina year of the shrinking mid-majors) a #4 seed, and Siena a #9 seed. Still, I know UNC beat Duke twice during the season, but if Duke won the ACC tourney and UNC did not, and Duke had the best RPI in the country (2 spots ahead of the Tar Heels), then how come the Blue Devils aren't the #1 seed in the South?
But in a few days, all of these complaints will drift away when the ball is tipped. I'll post my predictions for the tournament - FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY - tomorrow here on the site.
BTW - Joe Lunardi of ESPN, the Bracketologist, studies college basketball everyday for his job fulltime, watches a ton of games, and has access to all the people on the committee. Yesterday, he also posted his final projected field right before they announced it. Our side-by-side results:
- Number of Teams in the field: Joe had 64 of 65, I had 61 of 65
- Number of Teams in right seed in right region: Joe had 11 right, I had 8
- Number of Teams in right region but wrong seed: Joe had 12, I had 7
Not bad considering I only have access to the Internet and ESPN to watch and read about games and teams.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
My Selections for Selection Sunday
Okay - here are my selections of what the brackets will look like - I'll check back tonight to see how I did and post more expansive thoughts:
EAST REGION:
(1) North Carolina vs winner of Chattanooga-Alabama State play-in
(8) Siena vs (9) Temple
(4) Villanova vs (13) Binghamton
(5) Oklahoma State vs (12) VCU
(3) Ohio State-Purdue winner vs (14) Robert Morris
(6) Clemson vs (11) Texas A&M
(2) Connecticut vs (15) Cornell
(7) Dayton vs (10) Western Kentucky
SOUTH REGION:
(1) Duke vs (16) Morehead State
(8) Texas A&M vs (9) UCLA
(4) Xavier vs (13) Cleveland State
(5) West Virginia vs (12) Mississippi State
(3) Syracuse vs (14) Akron
(6) Tennessee vs (11) UAB
(2) Oklahoma vs (15) East Tennessee State
(7) Ohio State-Purdue loser vs (10) California
MIDWEST REGION:
(1) Louisville vs (16) Morgan State
(8) Arizona State vs (9) San Diego State
(4) Florida State vs (13) American
(5) Illinois vs (12) St. Mary's
(3) Kansas vs (14) Stephen F Austin
(6) Wake Forest vs (11) Creighton
(2) Michigan State vs (15) Radford
(7) Butler vs (10) LSU
WEST REGION:
(1) Pittsburgh vs (16) Cal State Northridge
(8) Gonzaga vs (9) Utah State
(4) Washington vs (13) Northern Iowa
(5) Utah vs (12) Michigan
(3) Missouri vs (14) North Dakota State
(6) USC vs (11) Minnesota
(2) Memphis vs (15) Portland State
(7) BYU vs (10) Marquette
I'll check back with you all later tonight - enjoy the selection show
EAST REGION:
(1) North Carolina vs winner of Chattanooga-Alabama State play-in
(8) Siena vs (9) Temple
(4) Villanova vs (13) Binghamton
(5) Oklahoma State vs (12) VCU
(3) Ohio State-Purdue winner vs (14) Robert Morris
(6) Clemson vs (11) Texas A&M
(2) Connecticut vs (15) Cornell
(7) Dayton vs (10) Western Kentucky
SOUTH REGION:
(1) Duke vs (16) Morehead State
(8) Texas A&M vs (9) UCLA
(4) Xavier vs (13) Cleveland State
(5) West Virginia vs (12) Mississippi State
(3) Syracuse vs (14) Akron
(6) Tennessee vs (11) UAB
(2) Oklahoma vs (15) East Tennessee State
(7) Ohio State-Purdue loser vs (10) California
MIDWEST REGION:
(1) Louisville vs (16) Morgan State
(8) Arizona State vs (9) San Diego State
(4) Florida State vs (13) American
(5) Illinois vs (12) St. Mary's
(3) Kansas vs (14) Stephen F Austin
(6) Wake Forest vs (11) Creighton
(2) Michigan State vs (15) Radford
(7) Butler vs (10) LSU
WEST REGION:
(1) Pittsburgh vs (16) Cal State Northridge
(8) Gonzaga vs (9) Utah State
(4) Washington vs (13) Northern Iowa
(5) Utah vs (12) Michigan
(3) Missouri vs (14) North Dakota State
(6) USC vs (11) Minnesota
(2) Memphis vs (15) Portland State
(7) BYU vs (10) Marquette
I'll check back with you all later tonight - enjoy the selection show
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Fantasy Baseball is Upon Us
Well it's time to start getting ready for the spring things, such as college basketball becoming madder and madder, and the baseball season.
I'm trying to take the Kokua Football League members into the spring with a league of our own, but having a little trouble organizing it. Nevertheless, I've been invited to play in a league among Examiner writers.
So I've decided to call this team the Montvale Mets. Here's my logo:
Let's go Mets...
I'm trying to take the Kokua Football League members into the spring with a league of our own, but having a little trouble organizing it. Nevertheless, I've been invited to play in a league among Examiner writers.
So I've decided to call this team the Montvale Mets. Here's my logo:
Let's go Mets...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
NHL Trade Deadline Live Blog
Hello there, and welcome to the 2009 NHL Trade Deadline. Today, we were liveblogging all of the moves made around the National Hockey League. The deadline past at 3:00 PM EST, and there were some deals that weren't announced until up to 1-2 hours after that as well. Thanks for joining us today! My commentary will be in italics.
4:52PM: WINNERS today: Boston, Calgary, NY Rangers, and Pittsburgh.
4:51PM: LOSERS today: Anaheim, Florida, and Phoenix
4:50PM: Looks like we've reached the end of the roads: 22 trades completed involving 45 players and 21 draft picks.
4:39PM: No deals announced in last 20 minutes; we may have reached then end of the deals today.
4:19PM: TORONTO acquires Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward, Andy Rogers, and a 4th Round pick from TAMPA BAY for Richard Petiot.
4:18PM: EDMONTON acquires Ales Kotalik from BUFFALO for a 2nd Round pick. Word coming down of a possible deal involving Olaf Kolzig to Toronto we are following.
4:00PM: CAROLINA acquired Patrick O'Sullivan from LOS ANGELES for Justin Williams. O'Sullivan was then dealt to EDMONTON for Erik Cole.
3:50PM: SAN JOSE acquires Travis Moen and Kent Huskins from ANAHEIM for Nick Bonnino, Tim Pielmeier, and a conditional draft pick.
3:46PM: COLUMBUS acquired Daniel Carcillo from CALGARY for a 4th Round Draft pick.
3:45PM: Awaiting word on Travis Moen being dealt to San Jose by the Ducks...
3:38PM: CHICAGO acquires Samuel Pahlsson from ANAHEIM for James Wisniewski. Word coming down that a potential Edmonton deal involving Erik Cole is still being finalized.
3:37PM: PHILADELPHIA acquires Kyle McLaren from SAN JOSE for a 6th Round pick.
3:35PM: COLUMBUS acquires Kevin Lalande from CALGARY for a 4th Round pick. Awaiting word of a deal involving Samuel Pahlsson of Anaheim.
3:30PM: FLORIDA acquires Steve Eminger from TAMPA BAY for Noah Welch and a 3rd Round pick.
3:20PM: No other moves in the last 10 minutes, but we are monitoring several potential moves.
3:13PM: ANAHEIM acquires Erik Christensen from ATLANTA for Eric O'Dell.
3:08PM: The Dominic Moore deal has been concluded, but instead of Chicago, he has been traded by TORONTO to BUFFALO for a 2nd Round pick.
3:04PM: NY RANGERS acquired Derek Morris from PHOENIX in exchange for Dmitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes, and Petr Prucha.
3:01PM: Rumors from CBC feature: Jay Bouwmeester going from FLORIDA to EDMONTON and Derek Morris going from PHOENIX to the NY RANGERS. Awaiting official word...
3:00PM DEADLINE HAS OFFICIALLY PASSED
2:53PM: Rangers get Antropov and yesterday reacquired Sean Avery through waivers from Dallas. We'll see if this stops the bleeding for the Rangers.
2:48PM: NY RANGERS acquired Nik Antropov from TORONTO for a 2nd Round Draft pick and future conditional pick. PHOENIX has acquired Scottie Upshall and a 2nd Round pick from PHILADELPHIA for Daniel Carcillo. Awaiting word on what the Rangers are sending to Toronto, but that is a good move for the Broadway Blues.
2:44PM: Word is that Gary Roberts will be dealt by TAMPA BAY today to a contending team.
2:39PM: A lot of talk on CBC that there are deals being still worked out involving Derek Morris and Marian Gaborik, but nothing official still. Watch for the moves to come right at the deadline itself.
2:32PM: Still no activity at this time...
2:21PM: So far, the winners today are Pittsburgh, for acquiring Chris Kunitz a few days ago from Anaheim as well as Bill Guerin, and Calgary for acquiring Jordan Leopold and Olli Jokinen, who played the best hockey of his career for his new coach Mike Keenan when they were together in Florida.
2:17PM: Rumored trade between OTTAWA and FLORIDA being rumored; is this where Jay Bouwmeester is going?
2:11PM: The Dominic Moore deal is in limbo, but CBC is reporting that Bill Guerin has been dealt from the NY ISLANDERS to PITTSBURGH in exchange for a 5th Round Draft choice in 2009, and could go as high as a 3rd Round pick if the Pens advance far in the playoffs.
2:05PM: The Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly the team set to acquire Bill Guerin; awaiting confirmation.
1:58PM: Two players who were signed before today's activities began, thereby effectively removing them from trade consideration, were Tim Connolly in BUFFALO and Filip Kuba in OTTAWA.
1:52PM: LOS ANGELES announced they have signed Sean O'Donnell and Erik Ersberg to contract extensions.
1:45PM: There haven't been any other deals confirmed in the last few minutes, which indicates to me that there could be a flurry of activity around the deadline itself.
1:35PM: Word is the NY ISLANDERS are moving Bill Guerin - awaiting details...
1:27PM: BOSTON acquired Mark Recchi from TAMPA BAY in exchange for future considerations.
1:18PM: TORONTO acquires Martin Gerber from OTTAWA off of waivers. DALLAS acquires Brendan Morrison off waivers from ANAHEIM. BOSTON acquires Steve Montador from ANAHEIM for Petteri Nokelainen.
1:15PM: Here we go - big trade: CALGARY acquires Olli Jokinen and a 3rd round pick from PHOENIX for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, and a 1st Round pick. Jokinen was going to be moved because the Coyotes are in money trouble.
1:10PM: Here are the deals done so far as I come "on the web" today: COLUMBUS acquired Antoine Vermette from OTTAWA for Pascal Leclaire and a 2009 2nd Round Pick. CALGARY acquired Jordan Leopold from COLORADO for Ryan Wilson, Lawrence Nycholat, and a 2009 2nd Round pick. BUFFALO has acquired Mikael Tellqvist from PHOENIX for a 2010 4th Round pick. PITTSBURGH acquired Andy Wozniewski from ST. LOUIS for Danny Richmond. No big moves yet.
4:52PM: WINNERS today: Boston, Calgary, NY Rangers, and Pittsburgh.
4:51PM: LOSERS today: Anaheim, Florida, and Phoenix
4:50PM: Looks like we've reached the end of the roads: 22 trades completed involving 45 players and 21 draft picks.
4:39PM: No deals announced in last 20 minutes; we may have reached then end of the deals today.
4:19PM: TORONTO acquires Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward, Andy Rogers, and a 4th Round pick from TAMPA BAY for Richard Petiot.
4:18PM: EDMONTON acquires Ales Kotalik from BUFFALO for a 2nd Round pick. Word coming down of a possible deal involving Olaf Kolzig to Toronto we are following.
4:00PM: CAROLINA acquired Patrick O'Sullivan from LOS ANGELES for Justin Williams. O'Sullivan was then dealt to EDMONTON for Erik Cole.
3:50PM: SAN JOSE acquires Travis Moen and Kent Huskins from ANAHEIM for Nick Bonnino, Tim Pielmeier, and a conditional draft pick.
3:46PM: COLUMBUS acquired Daniel Carcillo from CALGARY for a 4th Round Draft pick.
3:45PM: Awaiting word on Travis Moen being dealt to San Jose by the Ducks...
3:38PM: CHICAGO acquires Samuel Pahlsson from ANAHEIM for James Wisniewski. Word coming down that a potential Edmonton deal involving Erik Cole is still being finalized.
3:37PM: PHILADELPHIA acquires Kyle McLaren from SAN JOSE for a 6th Round pick.
3:35PM: COLUMBUS acquires Kevin Lalande from CALGARY for a 4th Round pick. Awaiting word of a deal involving Samuel Pahlsson of Anaheim.
3:30PM: FLORIDA acquires Steve Eminger from TAMPA BAY for Noah Welch and a 3rd Round pick.
3:20PM: No other moves in the last 10 minutes, but we are monitoring several potential moves.
3:13PM: ANAHEIM acquires Erik Christensen from ATLANTA for Eric O'Dell.
3:08PM: The Dominic Moore deal has been concluded, but instead of Chicago, he has been traded by TORONTO to BUFFALO for a 2nd Round pick.
3:04PM: NY RANGERS acquired Derek Morris from PHOENIX in exchange for Dmitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes, and Petr Prucha.
3:01PM: Rumors from CBC feature: Jay Bouwmeester going from FLORIDA to EDMONTON and Derek Morris going from PHOENIX to the NY RANGERS. Awaiting official word...
3:00PM DEADLINE HAS OFFICIALLY PASSED
2:53PM: Rangers get Antropov and yesterday reacquired Sean Avery through waivers from Dallas. We'll see if this stops the bleeding for the Rangers.
2:48PM: NY RANGERS acquired Nik Antropov from TORONTO for a 2nd Round Draft pick and future conditional pick. PHOENIX has acquired Scottie Upshall and a 2nd Round pick from PHILADELPHIA for Daniel Carcillo. Awaiting word on what the Rangers are sending to Toronto, but that is a good move for the Broadway Blues.
2:44PM: Word is that Gary Roberts will be dealt by TAMPA BAY today to a contending team.
2:39PM: A lot of talk on CBC that there are deals being still worked out involving Derek Morris and Marian Gaborik, but nothing official still. Watch for the moves to come right at the deadline itself.
2:32PM: Still no activity at this time...
2:21PM: So far, the winners today are Pittsburgh, for acquiring Chris Kunitz a few days ago from Anaheim as well as Bill Guerin, and Calgary for acquiring Jordan Leopold and Olli Jokinen, who played the best hockey of his career for his new coach Mike Keenan when they were together in Florida.
2:17PM: Rumored trade between OTTAWA and FLORIDA being rumored; is this where Jay Bouwmeester is going?
2:11PM: The Dominic Moore deal is in limbo, but CBC is reporting that Bill Guerin has been dealt from the NY ISLANDERS to PITTSBURGH in exchange for a 5th Round Draft choice in 2009, and could go as high as a 3rd Round pick if the Pens advance far in the playoffs.
2:05PM: The Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly the team set to acquire Bill Guerin; awaiting confirmation.
1:58PM: Two players who were signed before today's activities began, thereby effectively removing them from trade consideration, were Tim Connolly in BUFFALO and Filip Kuba in OTTAWA.
1:52PM: LOS ANGELES announced they have signed Sean O'Donnell and Erik Ersberg to contract extensions.
1:45PM: There haven't been any other deals confirmed in the last few minutes, which indicates to me that there could be a flurry of activity around the deadline itself.
1:35PM: Word is the NY ISLANDERS are moving Bill Guerin - awaiting details...
1:27PM: BOSTON acquired Mark Recchi from TAMPA BAY in exchange for future considerations.
1:18PM: TORONTO acquires Martin Gerber from OTTAWA off of waivers. DALLAS acquires Brendan Morrison off waivers from ANAHEIM. BOSTON acquires Steve Montador from ANAHEIM for Petteri Nokelainen.
1:15PM: Here we go - big trade: CALGARY acquires Olli Jokinen and a 3rd round pick from PHOENIX for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, and a 1st Round pick. Jokinen was going to be moved because the Coyotes are in money trouble.
1:10PM: Here are the deals done so far as I come "on the web" today: COLUMBUS acquired Antoine Vermette from OTTAWA for Pascal Leclaire and a 2009 2nd Round Pick. CALGARY acquired Jordan Leopold from COLORADO for Ryan Wilson, Lawrence Nycholat, and a 2009 2nd Round pick. BUFFALO has acquired Mikael Tellqvist from PHOENIX for a 2010 4th Round pick. PITTSBURGH acquired Andy Wozniewski from ST. LOUIS for Danny Richmond. No big moves yet.
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