Bleacher Report - Articles by Scott Fitzsimmons

Colts-Saints: Will 2009 be a Year To Remember?

Scott Fitzsimmons — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:14:31 -0500

The Miami Dolphins legacy had a close call in the 2007-08 season, when the New England Patriots went undefeated until the Super Bowl, losing to the New York Giants in one of the Greatest Super Bowls ever. This left the '72 Dolphins as the only unbeaten team in NFL history.

Anytime another team makes a run at perfection, Dolphins fans are paying attention.

Having the Patriots come so close to perfection made the 2007 season one to watch. Even non-football fans took notice and found a side to root for.

Some wanted the Pats to do it. Some wanted to see them fail. Others just wanted to see if it was possible to do it again.

Every year, fans keep tabs on the undefeated teams. Some get closer than others, but no team has accomplished the feat 37 years. Can it happen again?

Luckily for the viewing public, it could happen this season.

It's still too early to say that this is the year, but anyone who can count knows that anytime you have two undefeated teams this point in the season, you have to take note.

Both the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints are 11-0, and have been winning games convincingly. Ironically, both teams had the toughest time with the Dolphins (aside from the Colts' one point win over the Patriots in Week 10).

With five regular season games left for each team, many people are already looking forward to the possibility of two undefeated teams playing in the Super Bowl.

Additionally, both teams don't play each other this season, and they are in opposite conferences. Some football fans have begun salivating at the thought of a true battle of the titans for Super Bowl XLIV.

It seems a bit soon to be talking about this, hopefully there are not too many superstitious Colts and Saints fans upset at the fact that I'm even bringing up the possibility of undefeated seasons. However, these undefeated teams could get even more people interested in watching the NFL than during the Patriots run at perfection.

The big question is, is it reasonable to believe that both the Saints and the Colts can win out in their last five games? The answer is yes.

Neither team has an easy schedule, but the toughest opponents have been played in weeks past. The Colts, for example, finish off with games against Tennessee, Denver, Jacksonville, the Jets, and Buffalo.

The Colts' toughest games will be against Tennessee and Denver. Denver is the only remaining Colts opponent above .500, at 7-4. However, the Broncos have not played as well as of late, and the game will be in Indianapolis, making it that much easier for the Colts to win.

The Saints have a slightly tougher schedule as they play Washington, Atlanta, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Carolina. On paper, Dallas is the best team they will play, but the game will be in the friendly confines of the Superdome. The game that could give the Saints the most trouble is the divisional match up against the Falcons in Atlanta.

Week Eight saw the Saints beat Atlanta 35-27, but it wasn't a walk. If Michael Turner is able to play against the Saints, Atlanta has the ability to make it a tough day for New Orleans.

Being a football fan, the possibility of seeing two undefeated teams going head to head for glory make this writer excited beyond belief. Each team has their task at hand, and there's nothing the '72 Dolphins can do about it.

What excites me the most, should the day come where both teams are 18-0, we will see that '72 record fall, and we may have to wait a very long time to see anyone duplicate it again.

As for the question of who would win that game? Let's wait to see if both teams make it before we examine that question.

Will Miikka Kiprusoff's Olympic Dreams Hurt Calgary Flames' Playoff Chances?

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:07:23 -0500

The Calgary Flames are flying high right now, riding the success of their big two, Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff.

The team has been winning pretty much all season long, but the recent games have Iggy and Kipper playing as well as anyone in the game.

As we have seen in the past, where Kipper goes, the Flames go. With Kiprusoff on the top of his game, things are looking up...or are they?

There are a few trends I see that could have the Flames ending in the same situation as past years.

Back in 2006 during Kiprusoff's Vezina year, he decided to pass on the Olympics and focus on the Flames. It worked for him during the season, but the Flames didn't have much left in the playoffs as they lost in seven to the Ducks.

Kipper played 74 games that year, and it was the first thought from fans that maybe 74 games is too many for him to play and make a long run in the playoffs. Kiprusoff played 74, 76, and 76 games in the three years after that with the same outcome in the playoffs—a first round exit.

We heard from Brent Sutter that Kipper wasn't going to play as many games this year. The trend this year isn't looking like that will change much. Curtis McElhinney has played three of the Flames' first 26 games, but that pace only saves Kipper four to six games.

Seventy games this season wouldn't be a bad load to carry before the playoffs—that is, if it wasn't an Olympic year.

Miikka has said he would play for the Finns in the Olympics if he was guaranteed the starting position. The good thing is there are a lot of Finnish goalies that have been playing very well as of late. The bad thing is, none have been playing as well as Kiprusoff. Chances are he'd be the starter for Finland come February.

So this leaves the question, what are the Flames to do?

Kipper is the odds-on favorite for the Finns in goal, so we have to expect he's going to start at the Olympics. But we have seen McElhinney step up his game the last two, and the team has finally started playing well in front of McElhinney.

When the new year rolls around, I think it will be very important to give Kipper some big games off on either side of the Olympics and close to the end of the season, and we could finally see a rested Kiprusoff going into the playoffs.

Early Vezina Trophy Candidates

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:11:56 -0500

The NHL season is a long and arduous one, so starting the season well doesn't guarantee you anything. It does however give you a better shot at it than the rest that started slowly. There are many goalies who will be in the running, and come the end of the season, things could change drastically. But as for the first 2 months of the season there have been a few standouts. Here are the top 5 early front runners for the Vezina Trophy.

Begin Slideshow

Sports: Humanity's Greatest Creation

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:10:45 -0500

Sports. Whatever sport it is, lump them all together, and they are the greatest thing God has given us in the history of humanity! They've been around forever, and people from every age have gathered around to watch and see what is going to happen. Competitor against competitor to see who will win, and how it will happen. Gladiator vs Gladiator; Olympian vs Olympian; Phillies vs Yankees.

People have been finding ways to compete at anything for the entire span of human history, and we will continue to do so until the end of the world.

I will admit that it seems a bit extreme to make a statement like that, but I ask you to tell me one thing, besides religion, that has so strongly affected people of every walk of life. Actually, to be truthful to the definition, sports have become a religion for many people in the world today.

Sports by themselves are nothing more special than anything else. Throwing a football or a baseball around is fun, and it can give you some exercise. Shooting hoops and skating are in the same boat. The activity in itself is merely exercise.

Where it starts to change is when the rules become involved. People start to add goals for each competitor to achieve, and things start to get exciting. Tossing a football usually turns into teams separating, designating endzones, and turning it into a game. The excitement challenges us both physically and mentally. Tell someone to come out to play a game, and you will get more positive responses than if your ask to just throw the ball around.

The excitement changes again when you add different factors. "Johnny's" girlfriend comes to watch and it affects both "Johnny" and his girlfriend. Johnny's adrenaline kicks up and he wants to do well to show off in front of his girlfriend. She's excited because she gets to see her man succeed or fail. Both outcomes have corresponding reactions of happiness or sorrow.

Add thousands of fans to the mix, and things change again with the level of excitement. Anyone that has been at a live sold out sporting event knows just how exciting it really is.

So we've established the excitement factor, and it is the excitement of it all that brings us all together. People that can't stand one another can often set aside their differences when cheering for the same team in the same stadium or arena. Even people of different faiths come together not only to play, but to cheer together with no animosity towards each other.

You even see people of every class coming together to watch. There is some segregation based on price of tickets, but everyone can come together and cheer their hometown team to victory.

With all this being said, what really is it that brings us all together? What is it about sports that has such a huge effect? Whatever it is, people have tried to emulate it for centuries. People scripted stories and plays to tell stories of comedy, drama and tragedy to entertain the masses. Some early sports were too violent for some, leaving others with a need for entertainment. Gradually it moved to the big screen and the small screen.

There is only one problem with plays, stories, movies and television shows. All of these are scripted, and to watch it again, you know how it is going to turn out. You watch any of these again, and you may enjoy it the second or third time, but there is something about not knowing the outcome that makes the journey towards it so enjoyable.

That is the difference between sports and fiction. Writers do fabulous jobs at creating the catchy storylines, and surprise endings. The only problem is, they can only write so much at a time, and you end up having to wait a long time for the next one. To watch it again, you lose that suspense.

Sports are the same way in that knowing the outcome, or watching a game again, you lose a lot of the enjoyment of watching it live or watching it the first time. Every new game is like a new movie. You know who is in it, and you have an idea how the game is going to play out because of the trends in how the teams play. The only thing is, you never know how the whole thing will end. A mistake here, and a spectacular play there, and the expected outcome changes in an instant!

Take the most recent Super Bowl for instance. A game that could have been won by either team, and pretty much came down to a play that would have been drastically different if anything changed by a matter of inches, or a matter of seconds.

The Arizona Cardinals were threatening to score very late in the first half to take a 14-10 lead of the Pittsburgh Steelers. A one yard pass was intercepted and run back 100 yards to the endzone for a touchdown that gave Pittsburgh a 17-7 lead. Had the Cards run the ball, they may or may not have scored, but chances are good the Steelers wouldn't have. If James Harrison takes a step an inch or two further to the right, and he would have been out of bounds, leaving the play dead with no time left on the clock. He needed to go all the way and he did!

There is a randomness of events that can happen in a game that are outside the scope of preparation, which is why it makes it so exciting to watch! This randomness can't be found in movies, plays or TV shows. That was however until "Reality TV" came around. It's real people being put in the spotlight, and given a chance to win some lucrative prizes.

I realize not everyone likes sports, and most of it is because of three things.

1. Most popular sports that people have stayed away from in the past and present are in some way violent. Football and Hockey get the toughest rap for organized violence, but most sports to some degree have a level of violence that turns away a lot of people. Those people don't watch sports, or watch less violent sports.

2. Team owners have seen the increase in support over the last several decades, and tried to take advantage of this. Nobody said much about it though until players started asking for their share of the pie. Since then players have been making astronomical salaries, which makes many people hate sports for the principle. These people don't like Actors for the same reason(or at least they should).

3. The last reason many people don't follow sports, is a sad one that can be avoided. What I love about sports is fair play, and the sportsmanship that comes with two competitors giving 100 percent to try to win. When people aren't fair, aren't sportsmanlike, or need to win at all costs, it can ruin the experience for many people. Kids often leave sports early in their lives not because they didn't enjoy it, or weren't good enough, but because they didn't enjoy the experience. Coaches, teammates and fans can often ruin the experience for the kids or their families.

These three factors are a huge reason why some people don't follow sports, and while the first two reasons are not likely to change, the third one can easily be changed for a positive outcome.

As I've said before, sports can bring people together and give people something to believe in that is "bigger than themselves" as I have heard many times before. It can bring a group of people together as a group watching, and can also give people a feeling of family that they may have never experience before. It gives them a cause to stand behind and can bring entire communities and regions together.

As with everything in the world, the wrong people can turn something good into something destructive.

Many fans have forgotten what their purpose in all of this and it can cause things to go horribly wrong. Cheering a team to victory is the purpose, but many people tend to take losses very badly and take their frustrations out on the team. Booing and swearing at players for not doing their job. "They're paid to win, so I expect nothing less." That's a response I've heard way too many times. I'm going to remember that the next time you make my burger without pickles the way I am paying you to do! "Boooooooooo! You F-ing jerk! You suck! If I wanted pickles I'd go get some from your mom!!! Go back to where you came from you bum!!!".

You would be furious if someone treated you that way, and I don't think it's the best way to see a change in the play of the players on your team. More people will work better if you show your support no matter what happens, and just buying tickets doesn't show support! Fans of the other team still buy tickets from the same place! Letters of encouragement, cheering even when the team isn't playing as well, and not bringing everyone down with your complaining at every little mistake you pick out. Just because your life hasn't gone the way you've expected doesn't mean the world is against you, and it surely doesn't mean that ALL the referees are out to see your team fail.

In conclusion, I would like to see sports move away from the example soccer is setting for fans. Players being murdered or committing suicide because of a mistake that cost a game is something none of us should have to put up with.

Sports have the ability to teach kids many things, and could even teach adults a few things! They have the ability to heal a nation, so lets enjoy the highs, and sluff off the lows. If everyone knew their team was going to win every game it wouldn't be that fun! Just ask the New York Giants! Most people didn't watch that Super Bowl to see the Pats win another Super Bowl, they did it on the possibility the Giants could win! Patriots fans were disappointed, but I certainly hope they could enjoy the record season they gave to get to that point.

I love to win, and as much as it sucks to lose, keep the faith that you might get another chance and make the best of every opportunity! Enjoy the ride, not just the outcome, and you'll be a lot more satisfied...all because of sports!

Flames Backup McElhinney's Career Saved By Flu Bug

Scott Fitzsimmons — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:40:01 -0500

Curtis McElhinney got a chance last week that could have been an opportunity not unlike one Jeff Garcia got when Steve Young went down in San Francisco with the NFL's 49ers. Young Went down and Garcia did a job that ended up moving him from a possible career back-up to a three-time Pro Bowler.

Okay, I know McElhinney has a long way to go before any of us will be convinced he'll be an all star in this league. There are however a few big things that happened last Wednesday in Dallas, that made everybody in Flames nation breathe a collective sigh of relief.

The out come of the game was what calmed many of us as Flames fans as Calgary beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime. It was a very solid victory, but it was more how things came together that allowed us this relief.

Before I take you any further, I need you to understand the history of Curtis McElhinney.

McElhinney was drafted 176th overall in the sixth round of the 2002 NHL Entry draft. It's not a position that usually has a lot of expectation on it, but McElhinney has made good of his chances that brought him to this opportunity to play in the Big League.

With 68 wins in 92 games with Colorado College, and 35 wins with the Flames affiliate in Omaha in 06/07, McElhinney has excelled since being drafted. That was however until he played in Calgary.

With the big club, McElhinney hasn't been quite so successful. His first NHL start came in '07/'08, but it wasn't until the final game in '08/'09 that McElhinney recorded his first win. That is a record that doesn't look good, and can't be good for the confidence. There is one thing however that is worse for the confidence. A lack of effort by your fellow teammates.

McElhinney has only had minimal chances to get starts in Calgary, but the team seems to turn the switch to coast when he's between the pipes. In the beginning, McElhinney would make save after save, and see the team put together some of their worst offensive outputs, leaving McElhinney with another "L."

Then there was his 3-1 lead in Detroit against the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings. The Flames left McElhinney to try to fend for himself, as Detroit pelted him with shots, and the Wings stormed back to defeat Calgary 4-3 in overtime.

With loss after loss piling up for McElhinney, confidence seemed to be slipping, both with the goalie, and with the team. Team play didn't pick up, and soft goals seemed to creep past the Flames backup. The victory at the end of the season did little to comfort the fans, as it had no bearing on the regular season standings.

Fast forward to this season, and confidence took a step backwards with a 5-2 loss at the hand of the Dallas Stars. What made things worse, was that it was the first loss of the season for the Flames after four straight.

Had he won, it would have set a record for Calgary with five consecutive wins to start the season. This must have had everyone questioning how long McElhinney was going to remain a Calgary Flame.

When Miikka Kiprusoff didn't skate last week, and McElhinney was informed that he would get the start, many people held their collective breath. Especially after the Flames had just been chastised by their coach and forced to run through a practise the Flames won't soon forget.

What was going to happen? There was one thing that's for sure. The Flames wouldn't be allowed to play their lacklustre self in front on McElhinney.

The effort was definitely there for both the goaltender and his teammates. They were hitting, winning battles, and McElhinney even had a shutout going through 2 periods, leading 1-0.

The pressure came in the third, as the Stars scored two quick goals to take the lead. The Flames and McElhinney held their composure, and battled back to win a huge 3-2 overtime victory in which McElhinney made a remarkable 38 saves.

This game has done a lot for the team's confidence as it was the first of four straight wins. It has no doubt done a lot for McElhinney as he received the second star in the game and a lot of praise from his teammates. It has also bought another chance between the pipes with the coach, and hopefully a little slack from the fans.

Had the Flames not looked poor in Detroit a few days previous, there would have been no bag skate for the team. Had there been no flu symptoms, McElhinney would not have made the start.

Had there been no bag skate, the Flames probably would have played their same old game in front of McElhinney, and we may never have seen Mac in the Flaming C again.

We can only hope the confidence inspired by these series of events can remain, and McElhinney can become the backup and maybe the future starter the Flames hoped he might become back on draft day in 2002.

Calgary Stampeders Defense Coming Back to Form

Scott Fitzsimmons — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:52:11 -0400

Expectations for the Calgary Stampeders were very high at the beginning of the 2009 season. Not only were they Grey Cup Champions, but there was a chance for them to do a few things that haven't been done in a long time.

Calgary is the host city for the 2009 Grey Cup, and winning at home has been a rarity. The BC Lions were the last team to win at home, when they beat the Baltimore Stallions in 1994.

The Stampeders could become the first team since the '96-'97 Toronto Argonauts, led by Doug Flutie, to win back-to-back CFL Titles.

They could also become the first team in over 50 years to repeat as champions on home turf. (It is a bit of an asterisk since the Grey Cup Championship was pretty much only played in Toronto and Montreal, with the occasional game elsewhere up until the early '80s)

The new season for the Stampeders did have some question marks on the defensive side of the ball with the losses of multiple starters, including DE Charleston Hughes (Philadelphia, NFL), DB Lenny Walls (Winnipeg, CFL), and LB JoJuan Armour (released, misconduct).

Losing Armour was a tough one because he was a leader in many ways on a team that was known as one of the toughest in the league to move the ball against. Along with Armour, there were only a few faces on the defensive line that returned.

These losses seemed to show their effects right away, as the Stamps started the season 0-2. The defense seemed to pick up a little slack in Weeks Three and Four with convincing wins over Toronto and BC.

Since then, with the loss of Mike Labinjo on the defensive line, the Stampeders became one of the most porous defenses to run against.

When middle linebacker Trey Blackmon was injured, the Huffnagel had to make some changes and fill some big holes.

Not often do changes make such a big difference.

Head Coach John Huffnagel made the comment that he wasn't bringing in potential players, he was bringing in players to play now. That he did.

Signed were DT Devone Claybrooks, DB John Eubanks, and LB Tim Johnson. Their first test was against the Argonauts, and it seemed to be positive, even though it was only against Toronto.

The next matchup, against the Edmonton Eskimos on Labour Day, turned out to be the big test, and they were up to the challenge.

The Labour Day rematch in Edmonton was expected to be different, and other than giving up 34 points, the Stamps D held their ground and gave their offense a chance to win in the fourth quarter.

They even had a huge game from newly acquired DE Jim Davis, who had four tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

The new additions have definitely brought the Stamps defense back to respectability. They probably weren't expected to do this well, this quickly. Thus coach Huffnagel brought back former Stamps defensive linemen Charleston Hughes and Tay George.

Both players had a nose for the quarterback in their time here, and will be welcome additions.

That does leave a dilemma, though. Who do you keep?

Lucky for Mike Labinjo that he's on the injured list, because I don't know if he'd have a spot on this line with all these guys in town. Early season standout Odell Willis will be the odd man out this week to allow for Hughes and George to be in the lineup.

Davis' three sacks against Edmonton earned him another look, but some others may not be so lucky.

The additions are tough for some remaining players as some may lose their starting positions, or maybe even their jobs. It will, however, be good for the team and extremely bad for opposing offenses as this new defensive line consists of none of the same starters from the opening of the 2009 season.

It's too early to knight them as the most dangerous D line yet, but it won't take long to see an impact.

The first victim? Quinton Porter and the Ti-Cats.

CFL Players Finally Held Accountable

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:33:51 -0400

The NFL is usually the league known for the off field problems that occur among their players, and players with egos bigger than their bank accounts. These players are apparently bigger than the team.

The CFL hasn’t been as bad for this seeing as most players can’t afford to act out of fear for losing their jobs. Many of the players have to keep other jobs in the offseason because they don’t make a huge salary in the football season.

Recently the CFL has seen a rash of behavior that can cause a lot of problems among teams and their players. The disrespect shown by players has a lot of people shaking their heads.

The disrespect showed itself in the very early parts of the preseason when JoJuan Armour was disciplined for action detrimental to the team when he heavily tossed Jeremaine Copeland to the turf in a practice.

Derrick Armstrong showed how big his ego is when he refused to play for the Blue Bombers when he was asked to play the role of the Designated Import.

The latest incident happened when Arland Bruce III went to the media to state his disapproval of his coach and quarterback after his suspension for multiple incidents.

While I haven’t had a lot of experience in a CFL dressing room, I am sure these things aren’t new to the league. They seem to be more public than other situations, and also the fact that there have been three incidents before week four of the CFL.

The biggest part of this story isn’t the severity of the actions of these players, but the fact these players are actually being held accountable for these actions.

It can’t be easy for coaches to make these decisions, especially since all three players who are no longer with their teams were team leaders. Bruce and Armstrong were both the team leaders in receiving yards, and Armour was a definite force on the Stampeders defense.

I give full respect to all three coaches that made the decisions to let these players go. John Hufnagel started it in Calgary with the choice to release Armour. It wasn’t just one incident that brought Coach Huff to this decision, and it wasn’t a decision made lightly. He actually took three days to decide what to do. It had to have been a tough one to make since days before, Armour’s physical showed an irregular heartbeat, and the Stampeders made a very public effort to stand behind Armour.

Winnipeg’s situation may have been caused by a bad decision by a rookie head coach, but never had to get where it got. Derrick Armstrong refused to play after being asked to rotate in as the Designated Import. Armstrong dressed for the first game of the season, but refused to go into the game, even when his teammate Terrence Edwards went down after taking a heavy hit. After that show of selfishness, what was left of the relationship between Armstrong and Bombers Head Coach Mike Kelly, went right out the window, and Kelly made the choice to release Armstrong.

The Toronto situation involving Arland Bruce and Argos rookie Head Coach Bart Andrus came about because Bruce’s actions off the field were showing a lack or respect for the system Andrus had set up. Andrus had made things very clear, from the beginning of training camp, what he expected of his players. Bruce was late for meetings, he left his playbook on the plane, and was acting like his “star status” had earned him a pass from having to follow the rules.

That prompted Coach Andrus to suspend Bruce for his actions. Bruce then took it to the media showing his displeasure, and making some statements that may even make Terrell Owens cringe. Andrus didn’t waste time standing up for himself, and he also found a team that felt they could handle not only his “Owens-esque” ego, but also his hefty $190,000 paycheque.

Most of the time I would shake my head and wonder why layers are allowed to act this way. This time I am nodding my head in approval of the actions of these Coaches. I think Coach Hufnagel set the precedent early, and maybe even gave Kelly and Andrus the extra courage needed to hold their players accountable.

I am even guessing Hufnagel gave a stern warning to Stampeders DB’s Dwight Anderson and Davonzo Tate after their shoving match after their defence gave up a BC touchdown in week four. Any more tantrums from either might see them looking for jobs elsewhere. The nice thing about a precedent is that both Tate and Anderson know Coach Huff has released a player before for his disrespect for a teammate, he might do it again.

This is a situation I hope younger football players and coaches are watching carefully, and I will give this bit of advice.

To the players I will say this. You are NEVER more important than the team. You may have more talent than anyone on the team, but you rely on every other player to pass to you, hand off to you, or more importantly, block for you.

You may have learned to make plays without much help from your team, but all it takes is one player to decide not to try as hard holding off a tackler, and you could see yourself with a ACL or MCL tear that could compromise your career. Always be a player that others WANT to go to the end of the earth for. You are NEVER bigger than the team.

To the coaches, I will say this. You have the chance to stop many of these egos from getting too big early on in their football years. Many coaches enable these players, and feed their egos by making the player above everyone else on the team.

These players are given special attention, and are exempt from following the rules that every other layer has to follow. This shows players from an early age that everyone is out for themselves, as many coaches only care about “Winning at all costs”. It is less about their players, and more about their reputation as a coach.

I will admit must be hard to keep some players accountable, and I wouldn’t condone straight up releasing a young player. There are always ways of holding them accountable, and showing the rest of the team these actions will not be tolerated. It will always be better off for the team.

It may mean you might lose a game, but it’s not about you and your win record. It’s about coaching these players to be the best athletes they can be. When they really learn that football is a team sport, the player and the team will be so much better off in the long run.

Blackhawks Dodge Huge Bullet

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:18:20 -0400

The Chicago Blackhawks hit the fast forward button on a couple of players this summer. Call it laziness, or just incompetence, but the Blackhawks were forced to give significant unscheduled raises to Cam Barker and Kris Versteeg this week.

If you are a Hawks fan, you should breathe a sigh of relief that both Barker and Versteeg are still in a Chicago uniform.

In the NHL, there are restricted free agents and unrestricted free agents. Both Barker and Versteeg were of the restricted variety. Teams had until June 29 to make a qualifying offer to RFs or they would become unrestricted free agents.

For some reason Chicago GM Dale Tallon decided to go against the recommendations of the league to fax or courier the offer sheets to respective players. Apparently the offers were postmarked June 29, but that doesn't fly for the NHL, and the seven players who were to receive the qualifying offers became unrestricted free agents. That includes Barker and Versteeg.

This situation could have been disastrous for the Hawks. Worst case, both Versteeg and Barker hold out and tender offers from other NHL teams. The Blackhawks would then lose two very talented young players that would be anchors of this team for years to come.

Tallon is very lucky both Barker and Versteeg were willing to sign. Not only that, it was reported that Barker could have generated offers upwards of $5 million a season.

Although the Blackhawks did indeed dodge a bullet in this situation that could have been very ugly for the Hawks and their fans, there is still a big issue to deal with. This is an error that cost the Blackhawks organization close to $4 million if not more.

Both players will receive very significant raises, dollars that were not anticipated and that could have pushed the Hawks over the cap. That would have meant losing one or more of those seven players involved.

I don't know what went through the mind of Tallon. Was he just trying to save the organization a little money by sending it in the mail? Because a fax machine usually doesn't cost that much faxing long distance. He can't use the excuse that he doesn't know how to use a fax machine, because I'm sure he's used it to send trade documents or other accepted player offers to the league offices.

Whatever happened, the reality is that Tallon just cost the Blackhawks organization a lot of money, and the effect of signing these players to larger contracts sooner than anticipated will start to show when Cristobal Huet and Brian Campbell want to re-sign come next season.

Fans aren't too worried right now, because Barker and Versteeg are still a part of their organization. You have to wonder what the owners are thinking. If Tallon makes a deal that turns out to be a bust, and it ends up costing $4 million, owners would be upset, but these things happen and sometimes can't be avoided.

This situation could most definitely have been avoided. I don't care why it happened. The truth is that Tallon is paid a lot of money to do his job, and apparently there are parts of his job that may have seemed minute, but cost $4 million. Do you take that out of his pay cheque?

This is a very young and talented organization that is in Chicago. With the salary cap pretty much staying the same, and maybe going down next year, cap room would be very valuable. Most of that room is now gone.

Mr. Tallon, you better hope your team brings a Stanley Cup very soon, because the longer it takes, the more the effects of your blunder have an opportunity to show themselves, and not everyone will take that much of a pay cut to stay in Chicago.

One word of advice from here. Start stockpiling draft picks, because you'll only be able to afford entry level players if any one of your current players wants a raise anytime soon.

Loss Of Jesse Lumsden Affects All Canadians

Scott Fitzsimmons — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:58:17 -0400

The CFL has seen many players return from injury, only to injure themselves in no time at all. I don't think I have seen such an anticipated return go so bad so quickly. In last Friday's game between the Eskimos and the Blue Bombers, Jesse Lumsden had to leave in the first quarter after a hit dislocated his shoulder.

I'm a Calgary fan, and even I'll admit I was glad to see Jesse Lumsden get another shot on a team with a capable O-Line. Even if it was in Edmonton. Seeing Lumsden's injury left a lot of us Canadians feeling for Jesse, who without injuries could have been(and hopefully will still be) the greatest Canadian running back of all time.

As we know, it is tough for any Canadians to get a starting position in anything but the offensive line, but the running back position is the hardest. With the import ratio a factor, teams are hesitant to fill a "skilled" position with a Canadian in case they get injured. Just look at the troubles Hamilton had last year when Lumsden got injured. You have to have a set amount of Canadians in the lineup, so pulling one out means, you have to take an import starter out, and replace him with a Canadian. It can cause a lot of troubles.

It was the import ratio that made the Eskimos a perfect fit for Lumsden. With a quality Canadian running back, Calvin McCarty, in the system, it has less of an impact on the ratio should Lumsden have to come out. Unfortunately he did get hurt, and Edmonton now has to worry about when McCarty will start, or what to do if he gets injured.

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I am sad for Jesse Lumsden because he has only had a few chances to really show his talent. We have seen him dominate when he is healthy. He can be the best back in the league, and not just Canadian. The best back period. That excites us as Canadians to see one of ours do well! We haven't seen a Canadian running back in a while that made a long career as a feature back tearing up the CFL.

I remember when Eric Lapointe was making waves in the former CIAU, and hoping to see a good Canadian boy get a shot at that starting running back position. Lapointe never did get a fair shot, leaving many Canadians wondering if we would get to see another all star running back that would come out of Canada. We also heard the names Kojo Aidoo and Graeme Bell, but we still haven't had a chance to see their full talent. Maybe we'll someday see Jamall Lee get a shot as well.

There have been a few in the past. The names that come to mind are Ronnie Stewart, Orville Lee, Johnny Bright and Norm Kwong. More recently has been Mark Nohra and Sean Millington. Nohra's career became victim of the ratio, but Millington got his shot because he was big enough to be a full back with the skills of a tailback.

With only a few Canadian running backs that are remembered for the skills, it must be tough for running backs in high school or university to think they can make it as a running back in the CFL. It's a sad statement that a Canadian running back can't aspire to play the position he wants in the Canadian Football League. I don't know how we can make the ratio rule help Canadian running backs, but I will figure it out.

When Jesse Lumsden broke the CIS rushing record, many people took notice, and got very excited! We knew he would take a shot at the NFL, and we would have been so happy if he would have made it. Everyone from Saskatchewan born in the 70's still talks about Rueben Mayes, and his impact he made in the NFL. Too bad we didn't get a chance to see him play in the CFL.

Jesse Lumsden's situation was almost a fairy tale situation for many. He was from Hamilton, and Hamilton risked picking him with their first pick to give the hometown fans a little more to get excited about. When he wasn't able to stick with an NFL team, Lumsden made his break back to the CFL, and impressed but not necessarily surprised everyone in his debut.

Lumsden has breakaway speed, and punnishing power. He dominated every chance he got. I still think his career stats have him at the top of the active players yards per carry list. He brought more excitement to the entire country, not just Hamilton.

The toughest part of being back like Lumsden though, is the physical aspect takes a huge toll on the body. The weight and strength plus speed is a deadly combination if the body can handle it. If not, it can be disastrous. What happens when a semi-truck with a full load runs into a wood fence? The fence is crushed with little to no damage to the vehicle. If that same semi hits a solid concrete divider on a highway, it may go through, but parts of the semi are going to get severly damaged in the process.

That's where Lumsden's problem lies. He goes through people, and the bigger person you go through, the bigger toll it will be on your body.

Some backs are powerful, but aren't super fast. They lumber and are very hard to take down, but the collisions are so damaging because they aren't at 100 mph.

Jesse Lumsden will always be looked at for his punnishing and dominating style of play. He has aslo done enough to show he had the capability to be the class of the league at the tailback position. As a Canadian who loves (and hates) watching Jesse Lumsden play, it is my hope that his isn't a career that is remembered as a player whose body kept him out of the hall of fame.

More CFL Predictions for 2009

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:11:16 -0400

The CFL will see a couple of things new for this 2009 season. There won't be any new teams as of yet, but new players, new coaches, and even some new rules.

We don't know if there will be a new Grey Cup Champion, which is why we all love to give our own predictions. That's what keeps our minds busy while we wait for the season to get underway.

Here's my predictions for the standings in the CFL for the 2009 season.

CFL EAST

Montreal - The Als didn't lose many players this year, and although their motivations may not be the same, Montreal has as good a chance as anyone to go back to the Grey Cup. People will say there is motivation for 2009 because they lost the Grey Cup last November.

If that were true, they should have more than just one Grey Cup in the last decade. Including last year, they have lost five Grey cups since 2000. Plus, Montreal had the comeback by Calvillo that was extra motivation last year.

That usually only works for one year. But, this year brings a team that is just going to have to go out and win football games and do it for themselves as a team. Last year they just got beat by a better team. It may happen this year, but they have as good a chance of winning as they did last year, if not more. RECORD - 12-6

Toronto - Toronto dug its own grave at the beginning of last season bringing two No. 1 quarterbacks into camp. Even after "fixing" the problem, the infection had spread to many places of the dressing room. Players got hurt, coaches were fired, and rookies got chances to show themselves—but didn't.

The team had one of its worst seasons in recent memory, and it was hard to watch. This season looks much more promising. It's a clean slate with one quarterback designated as the starter, some big acquisitions like Rob Murphy, and a new system to work around.

I think there will be a big change in attitude, and this will bring wins. RECORD - 8-10

Hamilton - I've been talking for years about the reason the Hamilton Tiger-Cats haven't been a good team. I feel that right now they're at least moving in the right direction.

We've talked about the past a lot, and with a 3-15 record, no one needs to talk about why they were bad last year. Let's look at why they will be better this year.

I've been talking about the need for Hamiton to add solid O-Line help, and until this year, it hasn't been there. This year adding Dan Goodspeed and drafting Simeon Rottier instantly made the O-Line better.

There will be bigger holes for Kenton Keith to run, and more time for receivers to get open before the pressure gets to the quarterback.

Add a schedule that might not turn out too bad, and I'm thinking they will move into the third spot, and maybe a playoff spot. RECORD - A VERY Generous 7-11

Winnipeg - People thought the Riders had a long drought between Grey Cups, but the Blue Bombers are now past that and it will continue to get longer after this year's losses. Winnipeg had some tough situations with injuries to key players.

The Bombers of 2008 saw a bit of a comeback, and a winning streak near the end of the season gave the team a little bit of hope. It was dashed in the playoffs as they became the first team to lose a playoff game to the crossover team in the other division.

This year may see a strong defense, but it's a defense that is going to need to pitch shutouts if they are going to make it back to the playoffs. Stefan LeFors doesn't seem to be the guy who will get it done. Combined with a weaker O-Line this year, and the loss of a great in Milt Stegal, Winnipeg should have a tough time competing this year. RECORD - 5-13

CFL WEST

Calgary - It is very hard for teams to repeat as the Grey Cup Champions. It is also very hard for teams to win the Grey Cup at home. So right out of the gates, the Stampeders have two strikes against them.

The 2008 Stampeders were a team that did what it took to win. They were well-coached, and that is why they won the Grey Cup. Henry Burris did get it done with the help of all his teammates. Not to take away anything from the players efforts, because you need players to execute.

All I am saying is that it was strategy that won most of those games, not single efforts from the big name players. Just look at the scores of the playoff games. Play by the book in the first half, and adjust at halftime. They played the battle of field position, and were able to work for that win.

Not a whole lot has changed for the Stamps, except for a few name changes on defence.

If Calgary can continue to win the coaching battles, with the team confidence sky-high this team could be very likely to do the impossible of winning back to back Grey Cups, and win it at home. RECORD -13-5

Edmonton - The Eskimos showed us in 2008, that no team was going to intimidate them. Most of their losses last year were close ones, so the Eskis showed they had some talent to stay with a lot of the best teams.

There were a bunch of young players that are young, and ready to make a name for themselves. In the offseason, half the Saskatchewan Roughriders (including Richie Hall) made their way West to play for the Eskimos.

Add Mo Lloyd, Kitwana Jones, and Scott Gordon on defense, together with a hopefully healthy Jesse Lumsden, and you have a team that is a threat to win any given game.

Extra offense and a solid defense, together with a new payers coach, and you will see the Eskimos winning some important games in 2009. RECORD - 11-7

Saskatchewan - The Roughriders were a big surprise to many to go 12-6 in 2008, especially with something like 20 broken legs. In the beginning, the players stepped up and filled in valiantly. It was an impressive sight.

The team's great depth proved it could handle almost anything. This year's squad isn't as deep, but the 2009 Riders will be a more solid team than the 2008 version.

Durant back at the helm encourages me to believe they can win some games. A few early injuries could hurt them early on, but later in the season we'll have to see how the Riders react to any pressure. RECORD - 9-9

BC Lions - The Lions are getting set to try and live life without Cameron Wake and Rob Murphy to name a couple. Neither is irreplaceable, but they made up a huge part of the O- and D-lines.

BC already had one of the best defences, but a few changes have left a few holes and it may not have positive effects on the 2009 Lions.

This year, the Lions will need to make use of their quick backs to get the ball outside the tackles.

Buck Pierce and Jarius Jackson are great quarterbacks, but any flaws will be exposed this year, and that can have a huge effect on team confidence. RECORD - 7-11

Teyo Johnson Is Back In Cowtown

Scott Fitzsimmons — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:10:50 -0400

The Calgary Stampeders were strong in almost every way last year, which was what made them Grey Cup Champions.

You can't expect every player to stay for a shot at a repeat. One thing we've also learned is that in the CFL, when a big business opportunity arises, it can often entice a player to retire to make some real money.

When Canadian tight-end/fullback Teyo Johnson decided to retire in the off-season to pursue a business opportunity, it left a big hole, both figuratively and literally.

At 6'5", 260 pounds, Johnson is a big boy with big hands who knows how to catch the ball.

He didn't have a whole lot of yards, and only had two touchdowns, but many Stamps fans were quite happy to hear that Teyo Johnson was coming back.

We all remember his long reach hauling in the hail Mary touchdown pass over the Montreal defender at the end of the first half in a game against the Als.

His big play ability was always there. It was little things that he did well that made his such a big hole to fill.

To be successful in this league, you need a big body that can catch the crucial first down pass over the middle when you know you are going to get crushed.

Although the Stamps have more than a few clutch receivers, Johnson was able to do that on a regular basis when called upon.

The biggest thing that was going to be missed, but will be welcomed back with open arms was his blocking ability.

Johnson was a tight end in the NFL, and even though the CFL doesn't generally use a tight end formation, Johnson was used in a blocking role on more than one occasion.

Looking back to that same Stamps vs Als game, Burris was able to make a pass from his own end zone without worry, having Johnson picking up more than a couple blocks to ensure Burris had time to make the right pass.

Johnson's versatility made him a great commodity, and even though he was a rookie to the league, and wasn't the big shot on offense, he was definitely going to be missed.

Keyword, "WAS". Welcome back Teyo!

The No. 1 Pick: Keep It Or Dump It?

Scott Fitzsimmons — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:34:21 -0400

Jonathan Tavares should be a lock to find himself the first overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. The main question which is soon to be answered is where will he go. Every year there are rumors of teams trading up for the number one pick, but it often stays in the hands of the team who “earned” the pick. Looking back, many teams have been successful in acquiring the pick, others have been successful trading away the pick. Here is my list of top “Number One Pick Trades”.

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Hope and the Blue Jays: A Dangerous Combination

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:04:26 -0400

I love sports. It doesn’t matter which sport it is, I will find something I like about it. Some I like to play and there are a few I like to watch. Although I love playing baseball, watching it can get tiresome for me. Being Canadian, I have always tried to follow what’s happening with the Jays, and the Expos while they were around.

In the last couple of years, I have been watching a lot closer as to what happens with our country’s only professional baseball team. There has always been something that has me thinking the Blue Jays are close to putting together another contender to make a playoff run and maybe even bring the World Series back to Canada.

With all the anticipation, I have always been left wondering why I even care. Like many other years, last year had potential, but didn’t pan out. It was actually quite disappointing. It was so disappointing that I didn’t even care what happened to the Jays. That was until Spring rolled around.

Most people have the ability to drop a team anytime they make it hard for a person to be a fan. I wouldn’t say I am a Jays “fan”, so if I drop them it’s no big deal. But unfortunately I don’t have the ability to let go of hope. Throw me the tiniest morsel of hope, and I start to care again! It’s really a problem, and I don’t know what to do about it.

The Blue Jays weren’t on my radar screen in April when Major League Baseball got into full swing. I was fine with that, and it didn’t bother me in the slightest to think the Jays were heading downhill again. I was at peace with my lack of desire to care about baseball.

There was only one problem. I am very much an “out of sight, out of mind” person. I watch Sportscenter daily, and I kept finding out about the wins that kept rolling in for Toronto. All it took was news that Toronto was in first and the hottest team in baseball, and the hope took over.

At this point most sports fans pull out their own safety mechanism called skepticism. As long as they don’t think it will last, hope can’t affect them in any way. After all, anything positive that happens is a bonus.

That skepticism is probably helping a lot of Blue Jays fans sleep during a season like the one we are in. Already 2009 has brought ups and downs and twists and turns that would make “The Viper” at Magic Mountain jealous. Strong winning streaks, and record breaking losing streaks. Surprising comebacks, and embarrassing leads squandered. The depth has been impressive, but in order to see that depth regularly, you need to have injuries. All of these things have almost made me wish I could protect myself with skepticism. Almost.

The Blue Jays have not been the picture of consistency, and with the latest players to be added to the 15 Day DL in Halladay and Downs, Toronto is going to need all of the help they can get. That being said, there are many reasons to believe the Jays have a shot at making the playoffs.

First is Roy Halladay. Halladay may be the only bonafide all star, but he has a big impact on the bull pen and every pitcher that graces the blue uniform. He may be on the 15 Day DL, but two weeks won’t be long, and he’ll be back to terrifying opposing batters. Don’t forget that Roy may also be headed elsewhere next year, so making the best of this situation before Halladay leaves has got to be a priority for everyone on that team.

Second is positioning. In the AL East, Boston and New York keep flip flopping in the first position, and wasting valuable points against each other. Even with their huge losing streak, and inconsistency, the Jays are only five games out of first. That gap is in no way insurmountable, especially if they can pull out some wins with many of their starters out.

Finally, the Jays have something no one else does, and that is Cito Gaston. Gaston knew what it took to make the Jays of the 90’s a winning team, and although this team may not be as talented, I think he’s got what it takes to get the most out of the young players on this team to keep the Jays rolling in the right direction.

Separately, each reason may not hold water. But, if you put all three together along with other reasons, I do believe this year’s Blue Jays have what it takes to make a late season push for the postseason in Major League Baseball.

The NHL Does Not Need Expansion

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:00:17 -0400

The NHL has come a long way since the days of the Original six and have built a strong, marketable product to sell to the fans. Although the league has been in Los Angeles for quite some time now—and it must have been a stretch to think that would have happened—having two Florida franchises would not have crossed anyone's mind 20 years ago. Especially after hockey in Atlanta had just failed at the end of the '70s.

In my early years of watching hockey, the NHL had 21 teams, which seemed like an awkward number. The first Expansion I saw came when the San Jose Sharks assumed half of the Minnesota North Stars before they moved to Dallas. I still don't get how that worked, or why they were able to do that, but it evened the teams out a little bit.

At that time, adding a new team was pretty cool! It brought a new excitement to the league and had more people buzzing about hockey in California. Back when the California Golden Seals were in the NHL, the league wasn't the American draw it is today. Perhaps the departure of the Seals paved the way for the Sharks to succeed, and also gave the fans a taste and then took away, making them miss what they had taken advantage of.

The NHL had plans to even out the divisions by expanding with two more teams to make it an even 24. These additions brought a lot of excitement, and gave the NHL more fuel to look at expanding the league's reach into the United States.

By 2000, the NHL had expanded to 30 teams. 30 was a good number to stop at, and as it stands, most of the teams have been able to handle themselves on the ice, but also financially. Some haven't fared as well as others, and we're seeing them in the media as we focus on the questions of "Will they move?", "Where will they move?", and "When will Jim Balsillie make a bid to try to move our team to Canada?" But back to expansion talk.

While Hockey is Canada's game, Canadian NHL franchises were in trouble in the late '90s. The Quebec Nordiques had moved to Colorado, and the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix. It were the US franchises that carried the load. The expansion worked well and served its purpose. It solidified things until the Canadian economy could step back to a place that could support its teams.

That being said, there were definitely some who didn't like the idea. Some of the purists don't like the way the league's talent has been watered down. They say there are too many players that are given positions on each team, and with too many teams, some positions are filled with players that aren't quite up to the standard that there was with fewer teams.

I would tend to agree that it may have opened the doors too quickly to let too many players in, but I think expansion was important to making the league what it is today. Perhaps the league needed to take a slower approach to expansion, but you need to make room for growth, and expansion was the only way to do that at the time.

Looking at the state of the NHL as of 2008-2009, we are seeing a bit of a shift. With the lockout in 2004-05, both sides worked an agreement that saw a bit of a changing of the guard. Out with the old style, and in with the "New NHL." The level of play has increased since the expansion opened up hundreds more jobs, and we are seeing teams more able to compete on a consistent basis.

Canadian teams have also started to turn the corner, and even though only half of the Canadian teams usually make the playoffs, they still draw crowds. Some American NHL teams, aren't seeing the same results. There have been more than a few teams in the recent past that have really struggled. These teams have been talked about in those relocation talks, but nothing has happened.

It is puzzling why the NHL wouldn't allow these sales to go through. Gary Bettman does think it is very important to have the American teams, and has really gone to bat for these teams. That support would have been nice for the Nordiques and the Jets, but that is in the past.

Bettman wants the team to succeed, but I think he is blinded by his own agenda. Some of his reason for not allowing a relocation of any particular team to Southern Ontario were because of the leagues decision to look into expansion. The fees for getting an expansion franchise are exorbitant, and would help existing franchises somewhat. But it's only a band aid.

The NHL needs to open the door to a stronger Canadian Market and let us Canadians support the NHL for a while. Expanding doesn't do anything but cost the league money because of the fact that there are a few franchises that are losing money and are having trouble paying the bills. Expansion spreads out the talent, and most of all doesn't address the issue that there are still teams in financial trouble. It will continue losing money until somebody steps in and stops the bleeding.

The NHL dropped the ball in Phoenix, letting the team get to the point of bankruptcy, and now wants to wait to see what can happen with possible new owners (other than Balsillie).

If it's most likely the Coyotes won't be in Phoenix much longer, who is going to spend money on season tickets? The team is just going to be gone soon anyway. So you take a team that is already struggling, and you take away their biggest way to inject money into their organization.

Now Jim Balsillie may have been a little shrewd in his dealings, but in the interest of the league, I would say to Gary Bettman, swallow your pride, allow the Coyotes to move to Hamilton, and cut your losses where they stand. And oh yeah...don't even think about expansion right now.

CFL Needs To Make Some Changes

Scott Fitzsimmons — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:06:58 -0400

The CFL has seen its popularity grow by leaps and bounds over the last few years. Attendance is up, and teams are seeing more depth than they’ve seen in years. More and more high caliber players are making the trek to the CFL as a viable career choice.

Every CFL team has a capable starting quarterback, with a few teams having more than one. Teams are often loaded with depth in many positions, which keeps those teams from losing a step when starters go down with injury.

These all sound like positive things, and it speaks well of the league, right? Until recently, I thought it did.

With the exception of Hamilton, no team has stayed near the bottom of their division for long without becoming competitive again. But even Hamilton is making strides again.

Things are positive now, but the league has hit a standstill and needs to keep moving forward. With the growth and depth the league is seeing, it’s the players that are the ones hit the hardest.

Newer and younger players are stepping up year after year, making it hard for some of the more experienced players to stay on the team. Those experienced players want to be rewarded for their years of service, but get tossed aside due to the salary cap the league is enforcing.

Many teams don’t want to spend the money to pick these players up, and some players end up leaving the league to get other jobs because they can’t afford to take a pay cut.

We all know the CFL needed some form of a cap to keep teams competitive, and it has worked. But it has not allowed for much room for players to be shifted around. There needs to be more flexibility in the cap, or the CFL is going to see more and more players in their prime leave with a bad taste in their mouths.

I still think the CFL should look at making a few changes to the salary cap, but there is one other option that could alleviate some of the pressure the cap puts on teams—expansion.

Although I don’t think Ottawa deserves a team, the league needs more franchises, and soon. More available jobs give these players more opportunities to play. Plus, with an expansion draft, teams will lose some experienced players, opening positions for younger and less expensive players to fill.

If there can’t be changes made to the salary cap just yet, opening up teams will add an extra $4.2 million for players, and 37 more paid positions for every team.

I know everyone is scared of expansion after the fiasco the CFL went through in the '90s, but if it is done intelligently, we shouldn’t see any problems.

I don’t think the U.S. is a bad choice for expansion, just don’t expand into stupid locations that don’t even know where Canada is on a map. There are also plenty of Canadian Cities to choose from right now, namely Halifax or Quebec City, that could very easily handle a team.

Give Ottawa one more chance, and one year later add another team to even it out. It gives room for growth without shredding the teams that already exist, allows more job security, and keeps many of those veteran players playing longer, anchoring those teams for years to come.

Why the Winnipeg Jets Won't Be Back

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:35:22 -0400

The recent news from Phoenix about the offer Jim Balsillie made to purchase the Coyotes has had a lot of people picking sides for if Balsillie should or shouldn’t get the franchise to move it to Southern Ontario. There are also debates on where the team should go, or what the team should be called if the “Coyotes” change homes.

I would love to see another team in Canada, but I don’t really care where. I think that Winnipeg deserves to have another team to replace the Jets that were stolen from them in the late 90’s.

The loss of the Winnipeg Jets more than a decade ago, has had a huge impact on the sports fans of the entire province of Manitoba. The Jets never had a Stanley Cup contender, but were always a thorn in the side of any team they played.

The cost of operations and the huge increase in salaries were the main demise of the team, especially with the difference in the American and Canadian Dollar.

It was definitely sad to see the Jets go, even if you weren’t a Winnipeg fan. What’s worse, is that the Jets, will never be a team in Winnipeg again.

Winnipeg is a large Canadian city that could definitely support an NHL team if given the Chance. The only thing is, there are few things that will put a halt to any team moving to Winnipeg any time soon.

For starters, the NHL should have never left Winnipeg. There are many teams in much worse of situations now that the NHL is holding onto. For example, the Phoenix Coyotes. The biggest problem was the salaries that Winnipeg had to hold onto.

Just like the Montreal Expos in the early '90s, Winnipeg had some big name stars they needed to pay big dollars to keep, but needed to see championships to justify paying the salaries.

Selanne, Tkachuk, and Zhamnov were the big ticket forwards, along with an up and coming Nikolai Khabibulin in goal. They were a team that one could have built a strong franchise to come, but now no one will ever know (just like the Expos).

The only problem was that not enough franchises knew how to handle a salary like that. Especially a Canadian franchise that had to deal with a struggling Canadian Dollar coming in from ticket sales, and US dollars going out in salaries.

That compounded with the City of Winnipeg, the Province of Manitoba and the Federal Government refusing to build a new arena made it harder to justify raising ticket prices to come watch a team that wasn’t really winning yet.

Having seen the reasons why the NHL left Winnipeg, there are some puzzling things that happened which cause the most skepticism in the possibility of the NHL returning. The lack of a suitable arena was a reason for the team leaving.

The cost of building it was the issue, with both Civic and Provincial Government not wanting to pick up the tab, and no private ownership stepping up to build either.

In 2004, the MTS Centre was opened to host the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. It is one of the AHL’s premiere arenas, and holds 15,015 fans. This is part of what puzzles me. $133 Million was spent on this state of the art arena. It was obviously built without the thought of the NHL in any of the builder’s minds.

At least no one that did any real research into the matter. A 15,000 seat stadium is great for an AHL franchise, but if you are trying to entice an NHL team to come to Winnipeg, you’ve instantly put yourself behind any other city that bids.

Manitoba Moose Owner Mark Chipman has stated the MTS Centre would be sufficient enough to house an NHL franchise, saying it would create a supply and demand situation.

It isn't that a team couldn't work, but they aren't going to be the NHL's first choice. Plus Chipman's words sound like a justification of the poor choice to build an inadequate building, or a cover for the lack of foresight to see what would be needed to support the NHL team the city deserves.

Besides, a new team will need as much money as possible to help keep the team from going deep into the red. There won’t be a competitive team to draw the crowds, and you’ll need to draw off the novelty and draw in as many fans right away to build your fan base. When you get a competitive team, then you can worry about creating a supply and demand situation.

The last straw that really shocked me was the decision of the governments to put money towards the building of a new stadium for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

David Asper of CanWest Global Communications is picking up most of the tab, but $20 Million will be shelled out between the Governments to build this stadium which makes any other bid to build a future hockey arena, a long shot to say the least.

I’m sure a new stadium can be justified, as what’s now called CanadInns Stadium was built in 1952, and with a state of the art hockey arena just recently built, there would be better places to spend the money.

I hope for the people of Winnipeg that I am wrong, but it will be a long time before the Jets or any other NHL franchise call Winnipeg home.

Tiger-Cats Make Huge Strides Toward Respectability

Scott Fitzsimmons — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:41:11 -0400

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have not been a CFL tower of strength in the recent past, but 2009 looks like it could be the beginning of a strong program that will bring respectability to a club that hasn't had much to cheer about for a while.

The Tiger-Cats have added QB Kevin Glenn, WR Dave Stala, OL Dan Goodspeed and LB Otis Floyd to name a few. Plus drafting OL Simeon Rottier and WR/FB Darcy Brown in the first round of this year’s entry draft. Then finally adding OL Zac Carlson in the Supplemental Draft. These are great additions, but can they make the Tiger-Cats a winning team again?

Except for the years from 1996-1999 when Hamilton went the Grey Cup twice and won once, the Ti-Cats have only had two winning seasons since 1992. In fact, the Ti-Cats have only averaged 6.4 wins a season over that time period. That includes '96-'99. Without those seasons that number drops to five wins a season.

It's not that the Hamilton Brass haven't tried. After recording only one win in 2003, Greg Marshall was brought in to right the ship. He brought consistency and led Hamilton to a 9-8-1 record his first season giving Ti-Cat fans a glimpse of hope.

After that, winning has been a bonus, but not an expectation. In the last four years, Hamilton has consistently gotten worse with a total of 15 wins.

There is one big question that remains: Why can't they win? They've had great players, good coaches, but still couldn't win on a regular basis.

The first player that was brought in to save the club was hometown boy Jesse Lumsden. He was the Golden Boy from Canadian University Ball that wasn't given a real chance in the NFL, and made his trek back to Canada. In the half season he enjoyed, he was explosive, powerful, and was everything he was expected to be and more. Fans were overjoyed!

Lumsden continued dominance on the field when he was able to stay ON the field. Injuries have plagued Lumsden, and unless he can stay healthy will not be the impact player any team needs him to be.

While Lumsden was the Running Back of the Future, Hamilton picked up former CFL MVP, Casey Printers. Many in the CFL, and especially in Hamilton, thought Printers could bring some wins. The astronomical $500,000 a year contract Hamilton paid for Printers showed trust that he could help. That wasn’t the case, and Printers did not hold up to his part of the bargain.

There were many good players that have come through Steeltown that couldn’t bring wins at the level fans should expect. So what’s been the problem? How is it that these new players will become the team that wins in Hamilton again?

If you look at the team that won the Grey Cup in 1999, you see a very solid team overall, and a very talented coach in Ron Lancaster. It was Danny Mac at Quarterback, with Darren Flutie catching passes. Joe Montord was taking down Quarterbacks at a record pace. The only thing the Tiger-Cats havebeen missing over the last 15 years was a solid Offensive Line.

In the last, Hamilton has used average Offensive Linemen, choosing to spend their money on star players rather than solidify their workhorses. This is partly due to the fact that Danny McManus was winning and never got sacked. It boosted the stats of the O-Line, making them look better than they were. Danny Mac was known for his quick release, and didn’t need much time to get the ball to his receivers.

Since then the Ti-Cats have had one consistent weakness that has never been addressed...until now.

Kevin Glenn is a great addition, but there have been other quarterbacks. Otis Floyd is a solid linebacker, but there havebeen good linebackers. The only area that hasn’t been strong in many years is the Offensive Line. The addition of OL Dan Goodspeed was the first sign the Ti-Cats realized their area of weakness and are now addressing it.

Hamilton gave up OL prospect Jordan Rempel to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in return for Goodspeed, which made some people question giving up the future in Rempel for an O-Lineman who may only have a few years left. However Goodspeed is an All-Star who will make the Ti-Cats instantly better. Plus, with the O-Linemen picked up in the Entry and Supplemental Drafts, the Ti-Cats have seriously solidified that position.

Even without Casey Printers or without Jesse Lumsden, Hamilton has strengthened their core, which will in turn make the whole team better for years to come.

NHL Playoffs Show Professional Referees Need More Accountability

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:06:21 -0400

There are some thankless jobs in this world that make people question the sanity of those who actually choose to be in that profession. The worst of these has to be the job of the sports referee. It is often their decision that can uphold or significantly change the outcome of a game. No fan will like every referee, and no referee will be liked by everyone.

Fans will often make the life of a referee miserable, and will chastise even the best refs for the best calls. We as fans can be completely unreasonable, and love to throw reality out the window when arguing a call.

It’s hard to find good officials, and with the treatment referees have received in the past, leagues have taken distinct measures to protect them. Leagues have taken names off their jerseys, offered police escorts, and in order to keep a unified front, leagues have found private ways of disciplining their officials.

While I am a fan, and I have a tendency to let my emotions get the best of me in a game, I try to be as unbiased as possible when judging a referees call. It is hard to stay calm in many situations, especially when there is no consistency, or when the call seems to make no sense whatsoever.

I will draw your attention to a game that took place March 28, 2009. The Calgary Flames were hosting the Minnesota Wild. On a power play in the second period, the Flames appeared to score on a screened shot from Olli Jokinen, but referee Eric Furlatt called it off, saying Curtis Glencross interfered. Moments later, Glencross had his own goal called off for the same reason, even though the second one didn’t show Glencross had his foot in the crease at all.

Now to be fair, Furlatt was consistent in his calls. Although somebody should have told him it’s no longer 1998. He doesn’t have to call the foot in the crease anymore. Both goals called off would have given the Flames the lead, but lucky enough for them, Eric Nystrom scored the winning goal only moments later.

Now fast forward to Game One of the Flames' first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks. Mere seconds into overtime, Andrew Ladd was pushed into Miikka Kiprusoff interfering just enough to allow the puck to slip by, giving the Blackhawks a 3-2 win and the pivotal first game in the series that Chicago eventually won.

I will admit that Ladd was pushed into Kiprusoff, so no penalty should have been called. I was mistaken that the goal was allowed by the same official who almost cost the Flames the game back in March. So my initial thoughts were frustration in the inconsistency. I have since learned that it was Mark Faucette.

After the anger, frustration and disappointment subsided, I had an epiphany. It is possible that the head of officials has corrected such calls. If this is the case, I am a hypocrite. I’ve been getting angry at refs for making a bad call, and then getting angry after correcting the problem. If that is the case, then I feel rather sheepish.

I do, however, feel that there should be more accountability for professional officials. The punishments are handed out secretly which allows for a stronger front from the officials side, but it doesn’t show the fans that anything is being done.

These are professional officials that get paid well for what they do. They should have tough enough skin that they can handle it. It will also make them more aware of the calls they are making, or not making for that matter. Nobody likes having their mistakes revealed to all the world, but it might just increase the level of officiating, and get a few fans off their backs...for a day or two.

Stamps D-Line Will Have New Faces...Again

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:54:46 -0500

When Stampeder fans think of the solid defensive linemen that have hit the field in Calgary, names like John Helton, Will Johnson, and Stu Laird come to mind. They were all players that had successful but long careers. Times have changed for the Stamps' D-Line.

Stability has come in many places for the Stampeders in the past. The linebackers have seen players stay put (until last year), O-Linemen have put their roots down, and even running backs and receivers have had long tenures with the Stampeders. This hasn't been so for the D-Line.

The loss of Eddie Freeman and Charleston Hughes makes for large shoes to fill this coming season, but this is not new the Calgary Stampeders front four.

Since the Stampeders boasted Joe Fleming and Demetrious Maxie on the same line, Calgary hasn't had any stability. Every year sees more new faces replacing the ones that played for a year (at best), and leave. It even came down to a complete midseason overhaul in 2004.

It wasn't until 2007 that we started seeing some solid play and the beginning of a few players that could stick around. Tearreus George had all-star potential, Anthony Gargiulo was solid until Jason Jimenez ruined his career, and we got a taste of Mike Labinjo, even though it was at linebacker.

2008 had a bunch of new faces, but more experience with the addition of Howard Hodges, Freeman, and Hughes. Their arrival, combined with Labinjo's move to the D-Line, gave the Stampeders an elite defensive front. Even Miguel Robede started to come into his own and Randy Chevrier has always been a more-than-adequate backup.

Fast forward to February 2009, and the Stampeders are again looking at filling some holes on the defensive line.

Calgary signed three large D-Linemen Thursday in an attempt to fill some holes left by the departures of Freeman and Hughes. Montey Stevenson, Kenny King, and Tom Johnson, all 290-plus pounds, have signed for a shot at making the reigning Grey Cup Champions.

Mike Labinjo has signed on for three more years, which will definitely help. Plus if Miguel Robede can step into a starting role like the Stampeders hoped he could when they drafted him No. 1 overall, you may see much more stability on the Calgary defensive line for years to come.

They are still a long way from being compared to the BC Lions, or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers D-Lines, but the competitive they will be.

Thanksgiving Football: Never a Dull Moment

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:18:08 -0500

As much as turkey is a part of Thanksgiving, NFL football has become a staple of many American families throughout the holiday's history.

The Thanksgiving Classic is a tradition that goes back long before the AFL-NFL merger, and has been the catalyst to many new traditions that continue today. The first NFL game to be televised in color was the 1965 Classic between the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts. That broadcast showed that grass and jerseys in a way never seen before, which paved the way for the beautiful quality of the blood sweat and grass stains that can now be seen on the newest of HDTV's.

The Thanksgiving Classic has allowed John Madden to introduce us to Turducken, throwback jerseys have made their presence, and referees have forgotten their hearing aids at home.

Along with those memorable moments have been some big plays that have made some of the actual games that much more memorable. Here is my list of the top five Thanksgiving Classic games ever.

5. Going into overtime in a game in 1998, The Pittsburgh Steelers were tied at 16 with the Detroit Lions. The TV shows that during the coin toss, the referee mishears what Jerome Bettis calls, and awards the ball to the Detroit Lions who score a field goal to win the game, 19-16.

An allegedly confused and irate Bettis is shown arguing, but to no avail. This could have been a candidate for the number one spot, if it hadn't been released by former Steelers Coach Cowher in 2007, that it was Bettis that had made an unclear declaration on "Heads-tails".

4. While many can question the character of one OJ Simpson, no one could question his ability. It was Thanksgiving 1976 that showed just how talented Simpson was. The passing game was faltering for the Bills against the Lions, so the Bills decided to run the ball.

That opened the door for a record breaking day by the Juice. Simpson rushed for 273 yards that day, placing his name in the record books for most rushing yards in a game. It does prove that a team needs to be more than just one dimensional, as the bills only passed for 29 yards, and lost 27-14. The record set by OJ on that day has since been broken, and now is held by Minnesota's Adrian Peterson at 296 yards.

3. The Dallas Cowboys were a Troy Aikman team. Without him, the team would lose it's leader and not have a chance at continuing the dominance they had with Troy at the helm. That theory had to be tested for Thanksgiving 1994.

Aikman was forced to sit due to an injury. It was third string quarterback Jason Garrett who got the start. Even though many had no idea who he was, Garrett gave us something all of us love; seeing the underdog step up to the plate and pull out an exciting win. The Cowboys didn't miss a step beating the Green Bay Packers 42-31.

2. The first time a Dallas quarterback needed a back up to fill in was in 1974. Roger Staubach had started slowly, spotting the Washington Redskins a 16-3 lead. Hearts must have sunk as the Cowboys had to take Staubach out with an injury. Like the Jason Garrett situation, unknown quarterback Clint Longley came in for his 15 minutes of fame. Longley and the Cowboys won the game on the strength of 2 long passes that solidified the win, 24-23.

1. The number one pick may not be a big surprise to many football fans. The best Thanksgiving Classic to ever take place happened because of the funniest play that has ever happened on thanksgiving, maybe ever in the NFL. The play happened on Thanksgiving, 1993 in a game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.

Neither city is know for being one to see a lot of the cold white stuff on the ground affecting a football game. However it was a colder day in Dallas that saw snow on the ground. With Dallas leading, 14-13, Miami attempted a 40-yard field goal with seconds remaining. The field goal was blocked, leaving even the announcers thinking the game was over, and the Dallas Cowboys the victors.

Leave it to Leon Lett to try to be the hero. While trying to recover a ball that had no chance of going anywhere, Lett slipped into the ball, and with his contact, the Dolphins were able to recover it, and had one more chance to kick a field goal, from a much closer distance, to win the game.

The loss didn't take the Cowboys out of contention, as Dallas still won the Super Bowl. It did however take away their share of first in the league with San Francisco.

CFL's 96th Grey Cup: Fans Are The X-Factor To A Grey Cup Victory

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:52:37 -0500

The 96th Grey Cup in Montreal this Sunday could be one for the ages. Both the Calgary Stampeders and the Montreal Alouettes were the top teams in their division, their Quarterbacks are the finalists for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player, both offenses can light up the scoreboard, and both defenses can shut down when called upon.

I didn't really think anything of it when it was first made aware to me that Montreal, being the host, had an advantage. Then I remembered being at the 2001 Grey Cup when the Stampeders beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

I remembered how good of a job Montreal did hosting the game, and how loud it was. That game didn't even have the Als playing in the big game. Imagine how loud it will be when there are 68,000 fans, and most of them are cheering for the Alouettes. It will get mighty loud without any help from the alleged "canned crowd noise".

As we've seen in the past, the offense needs to hear the calls of the quarterback, and not being able to hear that can cost precious yards in penalties, and can frustrate an offense to no end.

The Stampeders are a slightly stronger team, and may have had an advantage if it were in any other city, but the fact they are playing in the deafening confinds of Montreal's Olympic Stadium, the advantage definitely shifts to the Alouettes.

This, however, does not guarantee a win for the Als. There are two keys to combat the noise. These two factors will have a definite impact on the outcome of the game.

1. Preparation. George Cortez isn't new to playing in loud buildings having coached teams in BC Place Stadium. There must be a communication system that will allow the team to work in sync, and not get caught with unnecessary procedure penalties.

2. Take The Crowd Out Of It. This almost 100% of the time needs key No. 1 to be implemented for key No. 2 to work. The Stampeders are known for their slow starts, and if they get behind early, it will be much harder to make that comeback with the crowd interfering the way they do.

If you take the Montreal fans out of it early by scoring early and often, the fans lose their intensity, and it makes it easier for the offense to work to finish the Als off.

Having said that, if the Als can shut Burris down early, and put points up early, Montreal will have a much better chance of winning. Even in a shootout, the Als will have an advantage, and keeping the crowd in it will make it that much easier to allow for Anthony Calvillo to finish his career with a Grey Cup victory. Failure to do so will give Henry Burris a chance to win his first Grey Cup as a Starter, and finally silence his critics.

CFL West Crown Will Come Down To The Wire: Part Two

Scott Fitzsimmons — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:15:29 -0400

Since the beginning of the season, everyone has seen the difference in calibre between the East and West divisions in the CFL. The West Division has shown itself to be a much stronger division, and has shown that each team could fight for first place at any given time.

With eight weeks left in the season, it looked to me that it could be very tight in the West coming up to the playoffs. It was almost a given that all four teams would make the playoffs(with one team crossing over to the East).

With eight games left each, this is how I figured it would end up based on the schedules each team had:

Calgary 6-2, BC 6-2, Edmonton 4-4, and Saskatchewan 4-4.

That being said, it would leave Saskatchewan and Calgary tied for first at 12-6, but Calgary taking the crown based on points in the season series. BC would end up in third at 11-7, and Edmonton would end up fourth at 10-8.

These predictions were made four weeks ago, and I am thinking it may just come down that way.

Due to injuries, I wasn't surprised that BC beat Saskatchewan in both of their match ups. I was also not surprised that Montreal beat the Riders. Even though I predicted a split between the Riders and Stamps, the out come of the previous three games led me to believe that Calgary may sweep. The Riders surprised everyone with their win over Calgary, and have kept themselves in the hunt for first.

If my prediction is going to cme true, the Stampeders will need to go 3-1 in the remaining four. Playing Saskatchewan in the rubber match will most likely(I say that carefully) be a win for Calgary. After that, the Stamps play Winnipeg, Hamilton and BC. The east is never a given, but BC is the only real threat to give Calgary their only loss of the last four.

Saskatchewan is going to need to go 3-1, which could happen, especially with some key players could be coming back from injury. After surprising the Stamps with a victory last week, it would be reasonable to think that Calgary will take their home of the home and home.

That would mean the Riders would have to run the table after. This is definitely possible with the Riders taking on Hamilton, Edmonton and Toronto. Edmonton is definitely playing better football right now, but the Riders should have a few key players back to strengthen the Saskatchewan push to the playoffs, and I think the Riders could easily win this one.

The BC Lions had won five in a row before their 27-20 loss this week against Edmonton. With that loss the Lions still have one more loss available if they want to finish at 11-7, where I predicted.

They could go 3-1(including the loss this week to Edm), with the rubber match against Edmonton next week, the Argonauts in week 18, and finishing off with the Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders do have the season series already against the Lions, so being tied at the end of the year won't be good enough to win, so who plays in the final game could depend on who is where going into week 19.

The Edmonton Eskimos could be the sleeper and ruin my whole prediction if they can follow up the win in BC with another win at home against the Lions, and if they can catch the Riders of guard. They do have the hardest schedule of anyone in the West, so it will be tougher.

That is what makes me think it will be the Eskies that move to the East for the Playoffs, and again leaving open the possibility for a Battle of Alberta Grey Cup.

Many things could happen to change that, and the way the west in unrolling, any team could end up first and any team could move to fourth. It's a remarkable thing to watch an completely unnerving week to week.

Milt Stegal, Charles Roberts Reach Milestones—Bombers Could Only Handle One

Scott Fitzsimmons — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:58:23 -0400

Even if Milt Stegal had retired at the end of last season, he would still have been looked at by many as the best receiver the CFL has ever seen. An effortless runner and a big play receiver, Milt's impact on the Bombers was undisputed. I am also glad that Milt was able to stay with the Bombers for his entire career.

However, with Stegal coming back this year, approaching the all-time receiving record, Winnipeg has been in a tough situation. Running back Charles Roberts has also been approaching another huge milestone.

Without an injury, Roberts was due to pass the 10,000 mark during this season. That would have been alright had Stegal retired, but with both of them active, Winnipeg would have been hard pressed to put together two celebrations in the same year, let alone in the same month!

It's too bad that they weren't able to recognize Roberts, but it just can't happen. Financially, there are limitations to putting on two celebrations. More importantly, we wouldn't want to make Milt feel less appreciated by giving Charles a celebration. It would take away from his recognition.

We do realize that this makes Roberts look like the scapegoat of the season, but let's call it like it is. Roberts has been money all his career, but this season he just doesn't have the same step he's had.

I'm sure the injuries on the offensive line have been somewhat of a problem, but if Roberts wants to be remembered with the likes of Stegal, he's going to have to be a lot closer to the No. 1 rusher before Winnipeg gives him credit over Milt.

You have to give the Blue Bombers credit for sending him to a team that had room this year to recognize him. The Lions seem to be alright footing the bill. Plus, they have an offensive line that might be able to give him adequate blocking.

Really, the Bombers were doing Roberts a favour.

Saskatchewan Roughriders Release Marcus Crandell

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:01:29 -0400

It's the end of another chapter in Riderville. In a move that was anticipated all week after the acquisition of QB Michael Bishop, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have now released veteran quarterback Marcus Crandell.

It was a move that Riders brass made after two straight losses, including a 27-10 loss at the hands of the division rival Edmonton Eskimos. It would be mere speculation to guess the reason the Riders chose to go in this direction, but at first glance it was not a popular choice.

In his fourth season as a Rider quarterback, Crandell had a profound impact on the quarterbacking core in Saskatchewan. He is a real team player, and always supportive of the other quarterbacks in the system.

That includes Darian Durant, who has been in the system for three years working behind Crandell on the depth chart. According to Durant, Crandell was like a brother.

Eric Tillman apparently tried to trade Crandell, which would have allowed him to play under the same contract he signed with the Riders, but there were no takers. He will now have a chance to sign with any team he chooses.

Crandell has been a part of winning teams in all three CFL cities he's played in, icluding two Grey Cups (Calgary, Saskatchewan), and the Grey Cup MVP in 2001 with the Stampeders.

With his winning experience, and injuries playing an impact in the later months of the CFL season, it shouldn't be long before Crandell signs on elsewhere. If Casey Printers is out for an extended time, don't be surprised if Crandell ends up in the black and gold.

Marcus Cradell has been a class act in every city he's played in, and will be missed in the city of green and white.

Cobourne And Alouettes Benefit From Playing In The East

Scott Fitzsimmons — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:48:23 -0400

Avon Cobourne is having a career year in his third season with the Montreal Alouettes. There is a lot of early talk of it possibly being an MVP season for the short and strong back from West Virginia. There is also talk of Cobourne reaching a milestone never reached in the CFL—he is on pace to eclipse 1000 yards rushing and 1000 yards receiving.

After watching a week of football without the West teams, I have been realizing that the difference in quality between the divisions is not even close to the same. Montreal is the cream of the Eastern crop, and deserve to be in the No. 1 spot.

What I am questioning is how well the Als would fare in the west. Would they have a winning record, and would Cobourne be even close to the same statistics?

So I did some research and some number punching to see how Avon would do in the much better Western division.

Avon Cobourne is on pace right now to rush for 1526 yards, and receive for 1034 yards. Those stats are based on these averages:

Yards Per Game Rushing Receving Projected Rushing Receiving

vs East 111 60 1110 600

vs West 52 54 416 434

Totals 1526 1034

So having said that, here are the stats if those averages transferred over to a West-heavy schedule:

Yards Per Game Projected Rushing Receiving

vs East 888 480

vs West 520 540

1408 1020

There isn't much of a difference between the averages. It would be different if they had to play Calgary or Saskatchewan four times in the season. Both teams held Cobourne to a total of 29 yards in the two games he played against them.

Having said that, I still think his numbers would be very close, if not at the thousand/thousand mark, in whatever situation you put him in.

Avon Cobourne is an all-star back wherever he plays. His strength and low centre of gravity at 5'8" 200 lbs makes his a tough back to bring down, and his ability to burn linebackers catching passes out of the backfield has made for a deadly combination to try to defend.

Looking at his game stats for the year, no team has been able to shut down both aspects in one game. The closest any team came was when the Alouettes hosted Calgary in Week Three. Cobourne rushed for 23 yards and caught for 66. He still had 89 yards from scrimmage, which is pretty good if that's your low game for the year.

Now transfer these thoughts to the Alouettes as a team. If they were in the West, I don't think they would be nearly as successful in the win column. However, even if they finished fourth, would still be good enough to cross over for an East playoff game, and would be in the East final.

So what's the difference? Not much. Cobourne is still an all-star, and the Als will still lose to a West team in the East Final.

Kevin Lowe Becomes Edmonton Oilers' President, Steve Tambellini New GM

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:29:35 -0400

The Edmonton Oilers have started their climb back to respectability in the NHL. The old ownership group was very important to keeping the Oilers alive and in Edmonton, but their penny-pinching has cost the Oilers when it came to talent.

Some of the loss of talent can be blamed on ownership, some can be placed on GM Kevin Lowe—but also some can be blamed on the whole situation.

With his purchase of the Oilers getting approval on July 2, new owner Daryl Katz has stated that he wants to see the Oilers compete with the other teams. He has now made the first big move to bring the team back to their winning ways.

In a move to keep Oilers great Kevin Lowe in Edmonton, the Oilers have promoted Lowe and brought in a new GM. Steve Tambellini will take over the GM duties, while Kevin Lowe will be moved into the role of President in charge of hockey operations for Rexall Sports.

Kevin Lowe will always have his place in Edmonton Oilers history. He had a very storied career as a player, being a part of five Stanley Cups with the Oilers. That legacy was in jeopardy of being over shadowed by the moves he made as a general manager. Hopefully now he can step out of the limelight, and let Tambellini do some work at rebuilding this franchise that Lowe let slump.

This move is the right direction for the Oilers. There have been a lot of talented players that have come and gone in Lowe's time as GM. It's been questioned whether or not Lowe was able to get the best in return for that talent.

There is no question Lowe is a team player, and I'm sure he stayed inside of what the former owners asked of him, which can make it hard as a GM. But it was what was received in return for such players as Chris Pronger and Ryan Smyth that made people question if he could be the man to lead the Oilers out of the basement.

Edmonton is now are a mere shell of what they used to be—and I'm not taking about the Gretzky days. I'm not even talking about 10 years ago. Heck, I'm not even talking about five years ago. While there are a lot of positives for the Oilers to build upon, many fans wondered why Lowe was kept on as the GM, let alone given a multi-year extension.

In the 2005 free-agent frenzy, Kevin Lowe was not as lucky as some general managers. Lowe had to trade to bring in top talent. To his credit he brought in Chris Pronger, who ANY team would love to have. That team took the Oilers within one game of the Stanley Cup. Since then, Pronger has left, Ryan Smyth was traded, Mike Peca jumped ship, and Jason Smith was dealt.

Everything that was received in return was questioned, and rightfully so. The Oilers, as they stand now, have a young team with a lot of depth that may or may not make the franchise a winner again. Many Oilers fans werewondering if Kevin Lowe was the guy to do that.

There is no doubt that Kevin Lowe deserves to be with the Oilers. He is an Oiler. So something really bad would have had to happen for Kevin Lowe to be fired. His heart is with Edmonton, but maybe the GM job is not where he needs to be.

This move to keep Lowe in a high-profile position with the team keeps the Oiler legend in Edmonton, while bringing in fresh blood with a lot of contacts in the hockey world.

Steve Tambellini was a big part of the team that put together the Gold Medal-winning 2002 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team. He had a hand in the 2004 World Cup Gold Medal team, and served as the GM for the World Championship teams that won Gold in 2003 and silver in 2005. He has also been a vital part of the Vancouver Canucks management team, and now brings his experience to this position.

Kevin Lowe made some decent moves in the offseason to make the Oilers stronger. He now leaves Tambellini with a team that not only has some pieces to work with, but also has some young players that could be used as leverage to bring some new talent to town.

No one doubted the positive impact new owner Daryl Katz would have on the Edmonton Oilers. I don't know how many would have anticipated such a hugely positive step so soon.

Kristian Huselius: The Columbus Blue Jackets' Next Nikolai Zherdev

Scott Fitzsimmons — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:04:20 -0400

The Columbus Blue Jackets have rid themselves of the inconsistent play of Nikolai Zherdev. They have also added talented winger Kristian Huselius to help put up points Zherdev was expected to produce. The big question is: Can Kristian Huselius be that player?

Kristian Huselius is a talented hockey player. Drafted by Florida in the second round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, there was a lot of hope that Huselius could be the player to help bring the Panthers back to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Huselius shined in his younger days, but took a little time to adjust to playing with men. In his first four years of pro hockey in Sweden, Huselius only scored 10 goals. It was his fifth year that he finally broke out with 21 goals and 23 assists in 50 games with Västra Frölunda in Sweden.

When he finally made the jump to North America, Huselius didn't disappoint. In his rookie season with Florida, Huselius scored 23 goals and 22 assists. His sophomore season was similar with 20 goals and 23 assists.

After that, Huselius was up and down with his scoring. His 10 goals and 31 points were a let down in '03-04. Though he did have a solid lockout season playing in Linkoping in Sweden (49 points in 34 games), his return to the NHL was not very positive. Eight points in 24 games wasn't enough for former Panthers coach and current Calgary Flames coach Mike Keenan, who traded Huselius for defenseman Steve Montador.

The trade worked well for Huselius, as he got a chance to play on the top two lines and put up some decent points. The 2006-07 season was marked career bests in goals (34), assists (43), and points (77). Huselius started slow, but after being a healthy scratch early on, his play increased exponentially. His only knock was his lack of presence in the playoffs.

This past season for the Flames saw Huselius pick up where he left off. He was in the top five of scoring in goals and points through the first nine games, scoring six goals and 10 points.

Huselius had a stellar December with of a pair five-point nights only two games apart. With 20 points in 14 games in the month of December, and 49 points at the All-Star break, it was a complete surprise to see Huselius not on the Western Conference All-Star Team. It's rumored the snub is what caused his downslide in the second half of the season.

The word downslide is such an understatement. Only the Ottawa Senators are guilty of a worse backslide. Huselius finished off the season with a mere 17 points in the final 31 games of the season. Only one goal came against a playoff team (Washington). None of the goals came against a team fighting for a playoff spot with the Flames.

Again, in the playoffs Huselius' play was lacklustre, and he became a liability in the defensive zone.

It was very clear after the Flames were knocked out of the playoffs by the San Jose Sharks that Huselius' time in Calgary was over.

Kristian Huselius is a very talented hockey player who can score whenever he wants when his confidence is high. It's been said by his teammates that he could stick-handle his way out of a phone booth if needed.

His weaknesses are his ego and his self-esteem. If the Blue Jackets can keep him happy, and playing with someone he can score with, Huselius will be the perfect fit. If the chemistry isn't there, and he isn't coddled, his performance will drop off significantly.

For his sake I hope it's the perfect fit. At least he is in a city that isn't as hard on slumping players.

The contract Huselius signed with Columbus was deserved, for the points he scored in '06-07 and the beginning of '07-08. His points and talent will be missed in Calgary, but his inconsistency and lack of desire won't be.

All the Best to you, Kristian!

New England Patriots Should Go Undefeated in 2008

Scott Fitzsimmons — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:08:23 -0400

There is nothing to say that the New England Patriots can't go undefeated again this year. It's probably something the Patriots don't want to think about, especially since the season hasn't even started.

An undefeated season is a dream season that only the select few will ever get to witness, let alone experience first hand. It all turns into a nightmare if the team doesn't win the Super Bowl.

So how does that affect the 2008 New England Patriots? A loss like that can break a team apart. Players often jump ship to other teams to try their hand. Others retire after hanging on for one more shot, yet, having nothing left in the tank, they decide to retire.

Whatever is the case for the Patriots, this team will not fall into a funk. Tom Brady is not fragile, physically or mentally. If anything, what happened last year has made the Patriots more dangerous.

They still have the same powerhouse offense, with minor tweaks here and there. The reality is that the Patriots have a team that could go undefeated all season and this time, they'll finish it off with a Super Bowl victory on Feb. 1, in Tampa Bay.

Tom Brady knows what it takes to win. With Brady never having lost a Super Bowl before that, he has the awful taste of defeat on his tongue that will only be removed with another ring. He will be extra motivated to win this year.

The 2007 Patriots knew they could win a game whenever they wanted to. Had it not been for some breaks that went the way of the Giants, it would have been Brady hoisting the Lombardi trophy.

The sad thing about last year's Patriots was that they went through the season in a very smart fashion. They never looked too far ahead, and were well coached all the way through. The media attention was still there, but they had a very smart focus. It never seemed like they were over confident.

The Indianapolis Colts dealt with the possibility of going undefeated, but were almost relieved when the loss came to put their streak to an end. It took the pressure off, which allowed them to focus on winning the Super Bowl. I don't think that was an issue with the Patriots, and I can guarantee you it won't be a problem this year either.

There are a few things that lead one to believe that they can repeat the feat this year, and finish with a Super Bowl victory.

1) They are in a weak division.

Playing the Bills and the Dolphins twice in the season gives you a bit of a break down the stretch.

2) Losses will not be tolerated.

When the Colts lost, it was a relief. This team is more motivated to win every game, and don't expect the Patriots will hold back. They were accused of running up the score last year, but don't expect that to change this year. Expect more of the pedal to the floor.

3) Less Media Attention.

More people watched Super Bowl XLII than any other Super Bowl in history, specifically because of the possibility of seeing a team go undefeated through the whole season. The hype won't be as big because it'll seem old hat to those bandwagon fans.

If the Pats make it to the Super Bowl in Tampa without a loss to that point, it will be heavily watched, but not to the extent as last year.

4) The Schedule

The Patriots have three weeks to build their confidence against the Chiefs, Jets, and Dolphins before their bye week. Then, they face a stiffer competition before playing the powerhouse that is the Chargers in Week Six.

The schedule remains competitive in the middle of the season, while getting a little easier near the end. The Chargers and Colts SHOULD be the only legitimate Super Bowl competition, and should those two weeks end up as wins, don't expect anyone else to beat the 2008 Patriots.

Whether or not the Patriots go undefeated in the regular season, expect to see Tom Brady solidify his place in Canton with another Super Bowl victory on Feb. 1, in Tampa Bay, FL.

CFL Teams Need to Run Their Way into the Win Column

Scott Fitzsimmons — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:09:34 -0400

How many times do CFL teams need to lose before listening to me?

Kent Austin was understandably fired from the Toronto Argonauts for not running the ball enough, and teams are consistently proving me right. Your passing game must be perfect or pretty near perfect if you expect to win without the run.

Rich Stubler found that out the hard way against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Teams are just not going to key on your running back if you don't use them.

There are things that teams try to do to offset the lack of a run game, but it doesn't always work. It does help having a quarterback like Kerry Joseph to run if he sees an opening, but it does not take the place of lining up in the "I", or every once in a while mixing things off with a delay hand off to the single back in the backfield.

These little things keep the defensive coordinator guessing, and can often benefit the pass more by giving some space for the receivers to run.

As soon as an offensive coordinator stops using his run game that way, it says one of two things about him:

1) My pass game is invincible. Try and stop it.

2) I'm too chicken to waste one of my two downs on a wimpy two-, three-, or four-yard run.

Teams get pass happy early on and get themselves in trouble early and in the end can't use the run because they need huge yards very quickly. By that time it's too late.

You may be wondering why I pick on Rich Stubler, seeing as they had the lead late against the Riders. Give the Riders' defense credit. They held them in check, but the Argos offense couldn't stay on the field.

There are a few opportunities where shuffling a run or two into the mix could have kept the Riders in check a little. That's not to say it would have worked, but keeping the clock rolling and giving your offensive linemen a chance to punish the defensive line can have a huge impact on the outcome of a game.

The Argos had 27 yards on eight carries from their running backs. Kerry Joseph had 39 himself, and that's even a slow night.

Give the Riders credit though, their defense took out any semblance of a run game, and used their own running back to keep Toronto's offense off the field.

It's become a little cliche to say, "Use the run to set up the pass, and use the pass to set up the run." The truth is that it works. It takes courage to try to use one of your downs for a possibly short run when you don't have the lead. But ask Ken Miller and Paul LaPolice why they won Monday night.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers went away from Charles Roberts' way too early at the beginning of the season. Against Calgary his numbers weren't huge, but the 14 times he lined up to run the ball left the possibility of the run in the minds of the Stampeders defense.

It wasn't Roberts' performance that won the game, but I'm sure the Stamps were always a little cautious of "Blink's" ability to break one, and kept the defense focused a little bit closer to the line of scrimmage.

Another example is the Hamilton/Edmonton game in Week Five. The leading rushers for each game each had 10 carries. Jesse Lumsden had 55 yards for Hamilton and Al Harris had 49 yards for the Eskimos.

Now Lumsden was injured recently. Maybe he wasn't in full game shape, but the TigerCats are not a team that can handle only running the ball 10 times.

Edmonton has Ricky Ray, who is good enough that if he doesn't want to run shouldn't have to. Casey Printers and Richie Williams aren't in that category right now, and therefore need to use their running backs more than that.

I was going to go back through the years to prove my point, but you don't need to look past this year's games to see that the lack of even the appearance of a running game will make it that much harder for your passing game to be successful, therefore making it that much harder for your team to win.

Calgary Flames: Are You Big and Played At a US College? You're Hired!

Scott Fitzsimmons — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:31:06 -0400

The Calgary Flames have made some positive changes to their lineup and most has to do with size. The dealings on draft day 2008 sent away Alex Tanguay, sent the 6-foot-1 Tanguay to Montreal and the 5-foot-9 Mike Cammalleri was brought in.

Although there is a four inch difference between the two, Cammalleri plays with as much size. Since then, the team has added a certain type of player. Big Albertans who have played college hockey in the US.

The Flames added:

Kyle Greentree 6'3" 215—Played at the University Of Alaska-Fairbanks

Curtis Glencross 6'1" 200 lbs—Played at the University of Alaska-Anchorage

Rene Bourque 6'2" 215 lbs—Played at University Of Wisconsin

That combined with the college players they already have, you can see a theme to what the Flames are doing. Mike Cammalleri player for the University of Michigan alongside current Flames David Moss and Eric Nystrom.

The Flames definitely added size to this year's team, and these big players have been able to score goals at some point. None have a lot of NHL experience.

Curtis Glencross had had the most success in the NHL, having scored 15 goals in 62 games last year split between Columbus and Edmonton.

These players aren't going to push the Flames over the edge, but they will definitely be character players that will solidify the third or fourth lines and bring some toughness and experience to the farm team in Quad Cities.

What do NCAA players have over others?

There isn't anything I can notice. It may just be a coincidence, but for some players, the NCAA is exactly what they need to get them to the level they need to be at to make it to the NHL. Just ask Martin St. Louis.