Bleacher Report - Articles by Chris Brooks

NFL Week Eight Capsule

Chris Brooks — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:18:00 -0500

Crazy week of Week Eight action with one game to go tonight with the Saints and Falcons. But here are some great things from the week that was:

•Brett Favre returns to boos at Lambeau and rolls with four TDs.

•Rams and Titans pick up their first wins of the season.

•Panthers beat a decent team on the road in the Cards and commit zero turnovers in the process.

•Denver is no longer undefeated after being crushed by Baltimore.

•Houston goes to 5-3 after win over Buffalo for best start in franchise history through eight games.

•Philadelphia steamrolls the G-men, putting up 30 first-half points...better than the Phils did in the WS Game Four.

•Cowboys could be a contender in the NFC East after dismantling the Seahawks.

On tap tonight: The Atlanta Falcons visit New Orleans for a NFC South Monday Night Showdown. The Saints sit undefeated at 6-0, while the Falcons are 4-2.

Federer Captures 15th Slam

Chris Brooks — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:40:00 -0400

Let's be honest about the Wimbledon final. Roger Federer was the heavy favorite, while American Andy Roddick was a feel-good story, but had no chance of even keeping it close.

Well, were we ever wrong. The match, which might go down as a better final than last year's final with Rafa Nadal and Federer, lasted four hours, 16 minutes and was action-packed every serve. This time, there were no rain delays, making the TV viewers sit on the edge of their seats for the duration.

You hated to see the match end, because both competitors were deserving of the title. But for Federer, No. 15 was in the works, and it only took one break of Roddick's serve to take home the record-setting slam.

Federer defeated Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 and the only time Roddick's serve was broken was the 30th game, which was the final of the match.

"I'm happy I broke the record here because this is always the tournament that meant the most to me," Federer said. "It definitely feels like coming full circle, starting it here and ending it here."

Roddick, ranked No. 6 in the world, came out of the gates storming, and took the first set 7-5 to set the tone, and shock the world (or at least the non-Roddick believers).

Federer struggled to figure out the American's service games, falling in each of the next two sets, but lucky for Fed, his service games were incredible.

It went to a tie-break in the second, with Roddick up 6-2 and could have conceivably closed the door, but two miscues on his serve allowed Federer to rack up six straight points to take it 8-6.

It was the same situation in the third, but Federer got the lead early in the tie-break and took it 7-5.

Roddick broke Federer's serve the second time of the match in the fourth set, and continued his dominance on serve, taking the set 6-3.

Remember last year's fifth set between Nadal and Federer? Well, Federer fell, but this time not only would they take it to the next level, but the new No. 1 in the world, Federer, found himself on the opposite side.

The final set lasted 75 minutes and two unforced errors by Roddick in the 30th game gave Fed his sixth Wimby title and record 15th-career slam, surpassing American legend Pete Sampras all-time.

Also to note, Roger had 50 aces during the match, one off the all-time Wimbledon record set by Ivo Karlovic and had 107 winners. Roddick added 27 aces and 74 winners, but his 33 unforced miscues may have led to defeat.

Roddick is now 0-3 all-time in Wimbledon finals, but the American is back and back with a force. If it were not Federer, Roddick would have surely held the title high in London on Sunday afternoon and be bringing it back to the United States.

This may have been the best tennis anyone has ever seen, and it will be hard-pressed to find anyone, regardless of who they were rooting for, who was disappointed with the display they saw at Breakfast at Wimbledon.

A Trip to Camden Yards

Chris Brooks — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:52:00 -0400

Well, it was imminent that I travel to one of the greatest scenes in professional baseball this summer. Originally, I was going to just buy a $8 ticket a Nationals game, but they are in Miami, but the Baltimore Orioles are playing at home, so why not head to B-more.

Oh, and they are not only at home, but they are facing the Boston Red Sox. Not only are the Red Sox in town, but John Smoltz, former Braves pitcher and player who I saw as a child play in the minor leagues back home in Richmond will be on the mound.

Call me crazy, but there is no better seat in the house than in the outfield bleachers. Could this night be the night I finally catch a home run ball? It almost occurred last May when I sat second row in right field at a Brewers verse Nationals game in D.C. The ball fell less than 10 feet in front of me.

This is why I choose to always sit in the outfield. I did it in Toronto, New York, D.C. and previously in Baltimore for Cinco de Mayo in 2007.

I am not a fan of either squad playing tonight, but I am a fan of the game. Not to mention, I love the Inner Harbor and anything is better than being in Central Virginia. There is no sports there, so why just sit at home doing nothing when I can drive a few hours to see the pros play.

I am willing to bet there will be more Sox fans than O's fans in the stadium tonight, but yet again, aren't there more opposing fans at Nats and Orioles home games anyway. Should be fun, and it will be nice to see Smoltz back on the mound.

Pens Force Pivotal Game Seven

Chris Brooks — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:21:00 -0400

The Detroit Red Wings failed to clinch their second consecutive Stanley Cup title Tuesday night, after the Pittsburgh Penguins won 2-1 at Mellon Arena.

This exciting series has now become a best-of-one series.

The Pens led 2-0 in the third period, but the Red Wings shaved the lead in half with just under 12 minutes to go in the game.

It was a crazy finish. The Wingers put the pressure on goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, but he was clutch along with his Pens defenders. Fleury had 21 saves, much better than his performance in game five, when he allowed five goals in less than two periods.

Ozzy was good, but not good enough; he had 25 saves on 27 shots on goal.

The winner-take-all game seven is set for Friday night at 8 p.m. from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

A notable statistic in this series: Detroit has outscored Pittsburgh 11-2 at the Joe in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Kobe, Lakers Rout Magic

Chris Brooks — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:30:00 -0400

The Orlando Magic took both regular season games against the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring over 100 points in each game.

In game one of the NBA Finals, the Lakers' defense crushed the Magic offense, limiting them to 32 points in the second half in a 100-75 win for Kobe and his team to give L.A. the 1-0 series lead.

The Lakers' offense put up big numbers in the second and third quarters, outscoring Orlando 60-34 through those two quarters.

Kobe Bryant outscored the Magic 18-15 by himself in the third quarter, as he finished with a game-high 40 points.

The Lakers shot 46 percent from the floor and hit 15-of-18 free throws, while the Magic shot just 29-percent and hit 8-of-23 threes.

Dwight Howard had a double-double with 12 points and 15 boards in his first NBA Finals contest.

Game two will tip off from STAPLES Center on Sunday at 8 PM before the series heads east to Orlando for games three, four, and, if necessary, game five.

Pens Knot the Series at Two Apiece

Chris Brooks — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:11:00 -0400

Game one, the Red Wings win 3-1.

One night later, Red Wings win game two by the same score.

Everything working to their advantage, right?

Well, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally said enough, setting off the horn a total of eight times between games three and four. Both times, the Pens won 4-2 over Detroit.

Chris Osgood, the Red Wings goaltender, gave up just two goals in 114 shot attempts in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals. In game three, he gave up four goals on 20 shots.

In game four, Ozzy had 31 saves, so a little better, but his second period was miserable.

The Wingers led 2-1 and were on a power play. Before it went to 5-on-5 again, Jordan Staal scored a short-handed goal to tie the game. Sidney Crosby struck 1:59 later to give the Pens a 3-2 lead.

Tyler Kennedy added his insurance goal three-and-a-half minutes later to round out the scoring in game four.

The Wingers had 39 shots on goal, but have only managed to score four times during their two-game road trip at Mellon Arena.

The offense needs to step up, Osgood needs to pay better, and the defense needs to skate faster and not allow Evgeni Malkin, Crosby, and the other speedy Penguins to get the loose pucks and create so many scoring opportunities.

Should Detroit hold at the Joe, they win. It is that simple, but again, who said it was simple to win in the playoffs, let alone the Stanley Cup.

Game five from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit is set for Sunday at 8 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.

Michael Vick Out of Prison

Chris Brooks — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:13:00 -0400

Today at 4 AM CST, Michael Vick was released from Kansas federal prison, and somehow avoided all media on his sneaky exit.

Vick, along with his fiance and a few others now make the road trip home to Hampton, VA, where he will be under house arrest for the remainder of his sentence.

He will be a working man though, but football is on the "back burner" for right now. Vick, who was once the NFL's highest-paid athlete, will be working for a construction company at $10 per hour.

He will be on three-year probation after his federal custody release in late July.

Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, said that the reinstatement process for Vick will wait until the end of his sentence.

Pittsburgh-Washington: Caps Force Game Seven

Chris Brooks — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:08:00 -0400

The NHL's dream series has not disappointed. The Caps won the first two, then the Penguins won three straight. It has been physical, dramatic, and it will most likely finish in the same fashion it began.

Game six may have been the best game of the series, and the epic saga of Pittsburgh and D.C. is not over yet. The Capitals finally netted an overtime goal against goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, but it was not one of the household names who scored the winner.

Brooks Laich slapped the puck and David Steckel deflected it mid-air off his stick for the 5-4 victory, tying the series 3-3 and forcing a game seven back in D.C.

After being out shot 18-5 and trailing 1-0 at the first intermission, the Capitals' offense woke up in the second, netting two goals, one by Viktor Kozlov and a backhander by Tomas Fleischmann, giving Washington a 2-1 lead.

Before the period could end, Mark Eaton found the net in the final minute of the second to tie it heading into the third.

Kris Letang, the hero from game three's overtime win, found the goal for the second time this playoffs, giving the Pens a 3-2 lead. Not even one minute later, Laich had a power-play goal from Alex Semin and Kozlov wrapped around the net for his second goal, the Caps leading now 4-3.

Under five minutes remaining, Sidney Crosby scored to tie the game and forced yet again another overtime.

In the extra period, the Pens nearly finished the series, but the puck went off the cross bar, and the rest is history.

The puck drops for the pivotal game seven on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Center. Let's Rock the Red and finish this series and move on to the conference finals!

LETS GO CAPS!!!

Alexander Ovechkin's Death Threat Comes from Child

Chris Brooks — Thu, 07 May 2009 23:44:00 -0400

I guess you are not safe on the road—especially in the playoffs.

Alex Ovechkin's life was threatened on a Pittsburgh message board by a crazed Penguins fan.

Oh, there's one thing—the threat came from someone who can't even buy a beer at a Penguins game. Better yet, he can't even vote!

Apparently, a 17-year-old male from Pittsburgh said, "I'm killing Ovechkin. I'll go to jail. I don't care anymore."

What an idiot!

Ovie has five goals in three games this series. I would be frustrated too if I were a Pens fan—but come on, people!

Go get those Penguins tomorrow night at Mellon. Let's go up 3-1 and wrap up the series this weekend.

LETS GO CAPS!

Washington Caps Fall in OT

Chris Brooks — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:11:00 -0400

PITTSBURGH: Not going to lie, but I missed all of regulation and only saw about five minutes and the game-winning goal in Pittsburgh's 3-2 overtime win over the Capitals Wednesday night at Mellon Arena.

It was Kris Letang who netted the game winner 11:23 into the extra period, his first career playoff goal.

Alex Ovechkin scored not even two minutes in and Nicklas Backstrom tied the game at two with his power play goal with 1:50 left in regulation.

Simeon Varlamov had 39 saves, but the Pens had a 42-23 shot advantage over the Capitals.

Washington leads the series 2-1. Game four is set for Friday night in Pittsburgh. The game can be seen on Comcast Sportsnet at 7 p.m. EST.

GO CAPS!!!

Capitals-Penguins: Alexander Ovechkin's Hat Trick Gives Washington Two-Game Lead

Chris Brooks — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:29:00 -0400

Game Two was the Ovechkin vs. Crosby Show.

They did not disappoint, I promise.

Ask anyone who was at the sold out Verizon Center and they will tell you it was a sight to see—and they will not be wearing a cap either.

Alex Ovechkin recorded his first career playoff hat trick—and Sidney Crosby matched Ovechkin's mark with a hat trick of his own. But Crosby needed one more, as the Washington Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Monday night.

Ovechkin now has seven playoff goals, but Crosby's hatty gives him just one more, at eight. The two dominated. Ovechkin had the slappers rolling while Sid crashed the net and kept going til the red light went off.

Despite giving up three goals and his first hat trick to an opposing player in the NHL, goaltender Simeon Varlamov made 33 saves against Pittsburgh. He was named the third star of the game.

David Steckel scored his second goal in as many games, being the only player to score who wasn't Ovie or Sid. Evgeni Malkin was held goalless yet again tonight for the fifth straight game.

Crosby was the second star—but the obvious first star choice was Alex Ovechkin.

The Caps lead the best-of-seven series 2-0, but the next two contests are in Pittsburgh, PA. Game Three is set to start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening from Mellon Arena. The game will be broadcast on Versus.

Capitals-Penguins: Simeon Varlamov's 34 Stops Propel Caps

Chris Brooks — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:09:00 -0400

Capitals versus Penguins, Ovechkin versus Crosby: the dream match-up for the NHL playoffs. Too bad it's not for a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals—but we will still take it!

Game One of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals lived up to the hype. 21-year old goaltender Simeon Varlamov made 34 saves, resulting in a first star of the game honor and a 3-2 Capitals win Saturday afternoon at Verizon Center.

Of course, Alex Ovechkin had a power play goal, but it was the unsung heroes who shined offensively.

David Steckel, the game's second star (and player of the game in my opinion), played a crucial role for the Capitals, crashing the net in the first period to garner his first playoff goal.

In his 19:11 of ice time in Game One, his short-handed penalty kills kept the Caps in control.

Varlamov's unbelievable stick save late in the second off of Sidney Crosby changed the momentum of the 2-2 game heading into the third.

It did not take long for the tie to break. Tomas Fleischmann scored only a couple minutes into the third to give the Caps a 3-2 advantage and seal the victory.

The Penguins applied pressure late, but Varly kept saving the puck from getting past him.

The Capitals and Penguins play Game Two at Verizon on Monday at 7 p.m. The game can be seen on Versus.

GO CAPS!!!

Capitals-Rangers: Sergei Fedorov Sends Rangers Home

Chris Brooks — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:13:00 -0400

If not Alex Ovechkin, then who would you want to have the puck?

Why not the most experienced player on the Washington Capitals roster—Sergei Fedorov.

Fedorov's wrist shot with just under five minutes remaining proved to be the dagger in the hearts of New York fans on Tuesday night at Verizon Center.

Despite being down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, the Caps overcame the odds, defeating the New York Rangers 2-1 to win the series 4-3.

Down 1-0 in the first, Washington had a three-on-two, and Alex Semin found the net to knot it at one-apiece. The Caps only had two shots on goal in period one.

The second period was a bore with neither team doing much of anything.

The yawn session ended when the third period erupted sold-out Verizon Center. For the last ten minutes, nobody sat. After Fedorov's goal, you could not hear yourself think. And when the horn sounded, Chinatown exploded.

By virtue of the Carolina Hurricanes come-from-behind 4-3 victory, the Caps will host the No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

LETS GO CAPS!!!

Caps Force Game Seven, Thump Blueshirts

Chris Brooks — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:47:00 -0400

NEW YORK --The New York Rangers were without coach John Tortorella for game six, and they could have used his leadership to close out the series at Madison Square Garden.

The Washington Capitals used three first period goals to cruise to a 5-3 victory Sunday afternoon and even the series at 3-3.

Milan Jurcina struck first at the 7:09 mark to give the Caps the 1-0 advantage. Just over a minute later, Scott Gomez evened the score at 1-1.

Mike Green answered back at 13:58 to give the lead back to Washington, and a lead they would never lose. Tom Poti came out of the penalty box to silence the crowd with his wrister with 2:43 left. Washington led 3-1 at the first intermission.

Poti, the former New York Rangers defenseman, scored one goal and had three assists. He was named the first star of game six.

Alex Ovechkin and Viktor Kozlov both scored in the second period to put the Caps up 5-1 at the second intermission.

Henrik Lundqvist was pulled for the second straight game, allowing five goals on 20 shots in the first two periods.

The Capitals return home to face the Rangers in a do-or-die game seven at Verizon Center. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. from the nation's capital. Remember to ROCK THE RED Caps fans!!!

Also, Simeon Varlamov, who had 29 saves, turns 21 on Monday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY VARLY!!!

Three Stars for Game 6 (all from Washington):
1st - Tom Poti (D): 1 goal, 3 assists
2nd - Simeon Varlamov (G): 29 saves
3rd - Alex Ovechkin (LW): 1 goal

Tortorella Suspended for Game Six

Chris Brooks — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:08:00 -0400

Sean Avery was scratched for game five after his excess penalties in games three and four of the series with the Washington Capitals, and the suspensions do not end there for the New York Rangers.

Rangers coach John Tortorella will sit out game six of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals after being suspended by the NHL for his altercation with a Capitals fan during their 4-0 defeat Friday at Verizon Center.

Tortorella was shown on video throwing a green water bottle in the crowd and the league said a punishment needs to be given to the coach. Tortorella was doused by a drink from the stands, but video evidence shows the coach squirted a fan first to begin the altercation.

He will not be on the bench for game six at Madison Square Garden tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Rangers hold a 3-2 advantage in the series, with the Capitals needing a win to bring the series back to D.C. for game seven.

Game six will be broadcast on NBC tomorrow afternoon.

LETS GO CAPS!!!

Ovechkin is a Spy?

Chris Brooks — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:39:00 -0400

Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are much in need of a victory if they wish to keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive.

They must win, at any cost.

That being said, Alexander Ovechkin was asked to leave the area when trainers from the New York Rangers spotted Ovie in the audience. He had no pen, no paper and it is possible, no bad intentions for being there while New York practiced.

He simply loves hockey and being on or around the ice.

Nate Ewell, the Capitals' PR director, asked Ovechkin to leave when they complained, but had this to say about Alex: "Alex was just looking for a place to relax. He likes being by the ice. As soon as he found out it made the Rangers uncomfortable, he left."

So did Ovechkin take offense to it? When asked, he joked around about it. "Because they're afraid of me," Ovechkin said. He added he sat there to "tick off" New York coach John Tortorella.

When asked about it, Tortorella had no idea Ovechkin was present and did not seem to care one bit. His focus was on the game preparations only.

Lundqvist, Rangers Blank Caps

Chris Brooks — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:43:00 -0400

WASHINGTON: You must defend home ice to advance in the post-season, but the Washington Capitals were unable to bounce back from from Wednesday's 4-3 defeat, falling to New York 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Center.

This loss puts a sour taste in the Capitals mouth, considering Washington trails in the best-of-seven series 2-0, and the next two games are in New York at Madison Square Garden.

Henrik Lundqvist has been stellar in this series, saving 67 of 70 shots Washington has taken against him. Simeon Varlamov got the nod over Jose Theodore in game two, but lack of offense stood out instead of a great game in goal for the 20-year-old.

The Rangers host Washington in game three on Monday at the Garden. The puck drops at 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on Comcast Sportsnet.

GO CAPS!!!

Madden Retires, Collinsworth to Replace

Chris Brooks — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:02:00 -0400

For years, people have enjoyed listening to the color commentary of hall of famer John Madden on Fox and NBC.

Today, Madden retired from announcing after 30 years in the booth, spending his last three seasons on NBC for "Sunday Night Football," with Al Michaels.

"You know at some point you have to do this. I got to that point," Madden said on his radio show Thursday. "The thing that made it hard is not because I'm second guessing, "Is it the right decision?" But I enjoyed it so damn much."

Madden will be replaced by Cris Collinsworth, who will leave the NBC studio in New York and travel around with Michaels.

My only question: Does the Madden bus stop now?

Caps Have Goalie Problems, Down 1-0

Chris Brooks — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:56:00 -0400

Jose Theodore took the blame for last night's, 4-3, defeat in game 1 of the eastern conference quarterfinals against the New York Rangers.

The fans have put up with it all season and now that it is playoff time, it may be time to let Mr. Varlamov take the ice.

I have tried to give him time to adjust to D.C., but it looks as though the Caps may not be able to win with Jose in net.

The Caps return Saturday to Verizon Center for game two against the Rangers. The puck drops at 1 p.m. and will be nationally televised on NBC.

GO CAPS!

Bemidji State Makes Surprising Run to NCAA Frozen Four

Chris Brooks — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:41:00 -0400

The first national championship will be presented in the nation's capital on Saturday to the winner of the Frozen Four, the NCAA hockey championship.

The games will be at Verizon Center beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Does anyone remember George Mason's run to the Final Four in 2006?

Well, they went through D.C. and Verizon Center to make it to Indianapolis for the national semifinals.

There is a school named Bemidji State University, and guess what? They have torn up the brackets, defeating the No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 5-1 in the first round and the No. 9 Cornell Big Red 4-1 in the quarterfinals.

Bemidji State is located in Bemidji, Minn. (wherever that is).

They are the No. 16 team out of the 16 teams invited to play in the tournament. They have the Fresno State and George Mason feel about them, and anyone who is paying attention to this story is rooting for the Beavers, kind of like they did for Mason at the Final Four and Fresno at the College World Series.

The Beavers are not new to winning, however. They have 13 national championships, between the NAIA and Division II level.

On Thursday, the puck drops at 5 p.m. for the Beavers. They face the Miami (Oh.) Redhawks, who defeated No. 3 Denver and No. 6 Minnesota-Deluth.

Go GREEN!!!

College Hoops In Hibernation

Chris Brooks — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:30:00 -0400

So now what am I supposed to do? My favorite sport is off until October, that's just wonderful. I have been contemplating what to do until Midnight Madness in the fall.

Here is what I have come up with.

Luckily, the Washington Capitals clinched the division once again this season, and luckily I decided to be a season ticket holder this season. My renewal for the 2009-10 season guarantees I have tickets for this season's playoffs.

Next week, I do not know who the Caps will face in the first round, but I will be there. I am crossing my fingers they will be able to advance past the first round of the playoffs, and why not, lets get to the Stanley Cup finals.

Baseball started up this week. Unfortunately, I am not an avid baseball guru and have a hard time watching it on television. For the next month or so however, I will be going to the "Hap" to watch, the now nationally ranked, Mason baseball team play.

But if Roy Halladay is on television and pitching, I will tune in to watch him, since he is my favorite major league player.

I will be watching a ton of golf, now that Tiger is back in action. The Masters begins tomorrow and you can bet I will be following Tiger from the first tee to the 18th green. Get that green jacket!

It's slow in the summer, but we all find different things to follow. These sports get me through the summer, and before we know it, NFL camps will be starting up, the Hall of Fame induction in Canton, pre-season games, etc.

For a Super Fan, it is the most difficult task to make it through the summer, so I may be spending most my time at the pool.

Washington Capitals Can Clinch Division Tonight

Chris Brooks — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:22:00 -0400

The Washington Capitals are targeting their second consecutive Southeast Division title and do not need much at all to achieve that feat.

The Carolina Hurricanes won their seventh in a row last night, defeating the Rangers 4-2 in Raleigh, so the Caps were unable to win the division on their night off.

But, tonight may be the night, when Washington plays host to the Buffalo Sabres at Verizon Center. Buffalo is currently 10th in the East and six points back of eighth place, so they have a lot to play for.

So do the Caps.

Washington currently leads Carolina by eight points in the division, and the max the Canes can get is 101 points, which is where Washington currently sits (47-23-7, 101 points).

Obviously, fans want a win tonight, but they do not even need to win to get the division title. All they need is one point, from an overtime/shootout defeat.

Not many teams can say they won the division after a losing effort, but that's sports.

The puck drops at 7 p.m., and if you don't have a ticket or do not plan to overspend from the scalpers, catch the action live on Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic.

LETS GO CAPS!

Jay Cutler Headed to the Windy City

Chris Brooks — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:04:00 -0400

Well, the saga of Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos is officially over. Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears yesterday, a trade Chicago thought was best considering past experiences with quarterbacks.

Not to mention the Broncos were ready to get Cutler out because he simply wanted out of the Mile High City.

So here's the breakdown of the trade between Denver and Chicago.

Denver gets: Kyle Orton, 2009 first-round (No. 18), 2010 first-round, 2009 third-round (No. 84)
Chicago gets: Jay Cutler, 2009 fifth-round (No. 140)

It has been an ongoing feud between Cutler and the Broncos, ever since Shanahan was canned and they hired Josh McDaniels, who attempted to acquire Matt Cassel when he was still with New England.

We know Cutler is good, but his attitude is quite the opposite. He needed to just shut his mouth and go out to play, but he apparently did not like the challenge or the inkling of a thought the team was trying to get someone else.

God forbid Cutler gets hurt and Denver has no backup plan. That's Cutler being Cutler.

Now he is Chicago's problem, or will he be the person to now allow wide receivers to go and not die? As many remember, Carolina Panthers WR Muhsin Muhammad said Chicago is where receivers go to die.

Let's see if Chi-town gets a big name receiver to complement Cutler.

Mason Bats and Bullpen on a Roll

Chris Brooks — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:45:00 -0400

I went to my first Mason baseball game of this young season on Tuesday. I had to go to cover it for a class, but I wanted to go because our team is very talented and all I hear is good things and a bright future.

I get there mid-game and the visiting Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers were keeping it tight with Mason.

Mount actually went ahead in the sixth inning 3-2, but this Mason team always has an answer, especially in the back third of the game.

Mason tied it in the bottom half of the 6th, then proceeded to score twice in the bottom of the 7th to take the 5-3 lead, which would be the final score.

I spoke with head coach Bill Brown after the game and asked him about his team's offensive production, particularly in the last few innings.

"Every game we play, we’ll always be in position to win in the back-third of the game," Brown said. "We have a ton of confidence and the biggest job [for me] is to make sure we’re ready to play."

He is right. They always have a chance to win any game they play in. Mason went to 20-5 after the victory, the quickest any Mason team has reached 20 wins. They also extended their home-win streak to 16, the longest-active streak in the NCAA.

Yesterday, Mason defeated Georgetown 6-1 at Spuhler Field to extend the streak to 17 and they are putting themselves in prime position as the conference play heats up.

Mason is currently 4-2 in the CAA, ranking them 2nd behind UNC-Wilmington. They have this rainy day off, but will be back at home tomorrow, hosting the Seahawks from UNCW. It's a 3-game set, so come down to watch this team, located next to the field house.

They have what it takes to go deep into the post-season, considering their bats and bullpen production. Let's hope they can keep it up.

John Calipari is Bluegrass Bound

Chris Brooks — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:34:00 -0400

Today and in the near future, the Memphis Tigers will be singing the blues since coach John Calipari accepted the head coach position at the University of Kentucky.

Calipari told Kentucky officials he needed to sleep on the possibility of leaving the Tigers, but decided to take the biggest contract in college basketball, a 8-year, 35-million-dollar contract. The contract includes a 2.5-million-dollar signing bonus.

Andy Katz reported Calipari sent him a text message Tuesday evening saying, "I am accepting the UK job! Go Big Blue, coach Cal."

He leaves Memphis after nine seasons where he turned the Tigers into a national power, including a national runner-up last season, losing to champion Kansas.

Calipari takes over for Billy Gillispie, who only coached for two seasons before being fired last week.

Anthony Grant Takes Over the Reigns of Alabama Basketball

Chris Brooks — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:06:00 -0400

The Alabama Crimson Tide have their new head basketball coach—Anthony Grant. Grant agreed on Friday afternoon to become the first African-American head coach at Bama.

VCU lost only eight days ago, but most everyone, including the Ram Nation knew he might be on his way out to head to a BCS school.

He will be officially introduced on Sunday at 7 PM in the Naylor Stone Media Room in the Mal M. Moore Athletic Building at UA.

After Billy Donovan refused the vacant position at Kentucky and said that he would remain at Florida, it did not take long for Grant to accept the offer in Tuscaloosa.

Grant was interviewed in Richmond last weekend by UA officials and made an official visit to the campus on Wednesday with his wife. He also met with football coach Nick Saban during his visit.

Coach Grant coached three seasons at VCU, winning the regular-season title thrice and claiming two conference titles in 2007 and 2009, both against George Mason.

How Sweet It Is: FedEx Forum To Host Riveting NCAA Tournament Games Tonight

Chris Brooks — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:49:00 -0400

Memphis will come alive tonight...and not the Memphis Tigers, who fell short last night during their time to shine. No, I am talking about the South regional of the NCAA men's basketball tournament being held at Memphis' FedExForum.

At 7:37 p.m. EST, the No. 3 Syracuse Orange (28-9) will face the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (29-5).

Syracuse looked mighty impressive in their first two games, defeating Stephen F. Austin by 15 and knocking off Arizona St. by 11. They have taken down the likes of Pittsburgh and Connecticut in conference play, but can the Orange handle Oklahoma's Blake Griffin?

The Sooners cruised past No. 15 Morgan St. in the first round by 26 and battled past Michigan 73-63 in the second round. Griffin again got into an altercation on the court, except in this instance, he did nothing wrong. The Morgan St. player was immediately ejected.

Will Syracuse have a bull’s eye on Blake? I guess we will have to watch and see, but this is setting up to be one of the premier games in this year's tournament.

Thirty minutes following the Orange and Sooners battle, the No. 4 Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-5) will take on the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (30-4).

Gonzaga has been peaking at the right time. They won the West Coast Conference easily and picked up a solid 13-point win over No. 13 Akron in the first round. In the second round, Western Kentucky almost took down the 'Zags, but a runner by Demitri Goodson with .9 seconds to play proved to be the crack in Cinderella's glass slipper.

The Tar Heels have their guy back, Ty Lawson. He is not 100 percent, but he is playing well enough to help his team make it back to a consecutive Final Four. UNC put on a showcase in their 101-58 win over Radford, despite not having Lawson in the lineup.

Their second game, however, was much different. They faced the No. 8 LSU Tigers (like that was fair for a No. 1). It was a sluggish start, to say the least, for Carolina. If it were not for Lawson's 23 points, 21 in the second half, LSU could have been playing the 'Zags tonight. But UNC was playing in Greensboro and the Heels are 27-1 in tournament games in their home state, so no one was surprised when they won.

Both games should be exciting, but do not sleep on Gonzaga. They are playing at a level that will be tough for UNC tonight, but it is still Hansbrough, Lawson, and Ellington who can score at will.

The winners of tonight's games in Memphis will play in the regional title game on Sunday. The champion of the South will play either Pittsburgh or Villanova in Detroit next weekend.

How Sweet It Is: Previewing Tonight's NCAA Tournament Midwest Games

Chris Brooks — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:30:00 -0400

The brand new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will be the site for this year's Midwest regional games for the 2009 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Tipping off at 7:07 p.m. EST, the top-seeded Louisville Cardinals (30-5) will face the No. 12 Arizona Wildcats (21-13). Following the Cardinals/Wildcats game, the No. 2 Michigan State Spartans (28-6) will battle the defending national champions and No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks (27-7).

The Cardinals, the Big East champions, rolled in their first round game against Morehead State, but struggled against No. 9 Siena in Dayton. Siena led 63-59 with 7:20 remaining, but a late surge led to a 79-72 Louisville win.

Arizona is no darling Cinderella in this year's tournament. Many said they do not belong, that their resume is not good enough, but they proved the critics wrong last weekend with a convincing victory over No. 5 Utah and No. 13 Cleveland State.

Obviously, those two opponents do not look too flashy on paper, but the Cleveland State Vikings out of the Horizon League defeated Butler to get in the tournament, then slapped No. 4 Wake Forest in the face, winning by 25.

Should they defeat Louisville, you still cannot say Cinderella, but what one can say is this team is a legitimate contender who belongs and can win this championship. Their 25 consecutive tournament appearances disallow the Cinderella term.

In the nightcap, Michigan State will battle last year's champions, the Kansas Jayhawks. It is a rematch of a Jan. 10 game, and there the Spartans defeated KU 75-62, but they did it from the confines of their home court in East Lansing and without the pressure of the Sweet 16 atmosphere.

Last weekend, the Spartans took care of Robert Morris by a comfortable 15 points, but had problems with Southern Cal. In the end, the Trojans could not make the shots they needed and the Spartans hit their free throws. Kansas struggled with a pesky North Dakota St. team, winning by just 10 points, but the Jayhawks then completely shut down the Dayton offense, cruising to a 60-43 victory to advance.

Now, it's fair game for both MSU and KU.

The winners of tonight's games advance to the regional final to face one another with a trip to Ford Field on the line for the Final Four. The Midwest champion will face either Connecticut or Missouri next weekend.

NCAA Tournament: Villanova Cruises Past Duke, Reaches Elite Eight

Chris Brooks — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:24:00 -0400

It was never really close, was it? Duke, the No. 2 seed in the East, was expected to win by many, but the No. 3 Villanova Wildcats had a different plan, defeating the Blue Devils 77-54 at T.D. Banknorth Arena Thursday night.

Villanova was led by Herndon-native Scottie Reynolds, who poured in a game-high 16 points. The Wildcats shot 42.2 percent from the floor, while holding Duke (30-7) to a dismal 26.7 percent. Duke made just 16 of 60 shots and missed 22 of 27 three-pointers.

Kyle Singler scored 15 (5 of 13 field goals) for the Devils and Jon Scheyer scored 13 on 3-for-18 from the field. Greg Paulus, in his final game, only scored three points on 1-for-2 shooting.

Dante Cunningham came off the bench to score 14 for 'Nova, and Reggie Redding added 11.

Villanova (29-7) will play the No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday evening, with the winner not only being crowned East Regional Champions, but they also punch their ticket to the Final Four in Detroit.

Mizzou Explodes Offensively, Defeats Memphis

Chris Brooks — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:59:00 -0400

Everyone assumed that the Selection Committee put Connecticut and Memphis in the same bracket so they would meet to prove who really deserved the No. 1 seed in the West region.

What they did not count on was Missouri ruining that story for everyone, as the No. 3 Mizzou Tigers defeated the Memphis Tigers 102-9 1 to advance to Saturday's regional final against Connecticut.

I bet no one thought Mizzou would surpass the century mark either.

Trailing 28-26 in the first, Mizzou (31-6) went on a 23-8 run, capped off by a 65-foot swish by Marcus Denmon right before the half to make it a 49-36 Mizzou lead.

It only got worse for Memphis, as the Big XII Champs opened the first four minutes of the second stanza with a 15-4 run to extend the lead to 64-40.

Memphis would not go quietly, however, as they answered with a run of their own. Memphis went on an 11-0 run to trim the lead to 64-51.

Down 83-68, Memphis went on a run again. Memphis used a 15-6 run to cut the lead to 89-83. The Tigers simply ran out of gas, and free throws doomed Memphis' hopes of returning to the Final Four this season.

J.T. Tiller scored a career-high 23 points for Mizzou on 10-16 shooting. He was one of five Mizzou Tigers to score in double figures. The starters combined for 82 of the team's 102 points.

For Memphis, Tyreke Evans, the nation's best freshman, scored a game-high 33 points in the defeat.

Fans figured they would have a battle on their hands in this one, but what they saw was nothing short of an impressive offensive performance from both Tiger teams.

Missouri advances to face the top-seeded Connecticut Huskies on Saturday at 4:40 p.m.