Bleacher Report - Articles by Fanster.com

Phoenix Coyotes' Future: How To Lay a Foundation for Success

Fanster.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:37:16 -0400

With Judge Redfield T. Baum ruling in favor of the NHL and the Phoenix Coyotes, the team’s immediate future in Glendale is secure. Just because the team is staying though doesn’t mean their work is done.

In order for the Yotes to become a viable NHL franchise they need to change the way the team is run on and off the ice. With every rebuilding project you need a blueprint and we decided to make one for the Coyotes front office. It includes six areas that the team needs to focus on to connect with its current fanbase and reach new fans.

Winning

This is easier said than done, as many know. Without a winning product on the ice, though, the Coyotes will never be able to draw the kind of fanbase needed to sustain this franchise.

If the team were a perennial playoff contender and the White Out were a staple in the Phoenix sporting calendar, fans would make the trek to Glendale regardless of what zip code they called home. If you don’t believe it, just take a look at the history of the Phoenix Suns and what a winning tradition can do.

Youth

Keep getting the kids of Phoenix involved in hockey in any way possible. Whether it’s having Wayne Gretzky hold a youth hockey camp or the team sending players out to different leagues to mingle with the kids or do ceremonial puck drops, especially in the East Valley.

If the team can build a core group of young fans that love the Coyotes and support them fully then the foundation for the future of hockey in the greater Phoenix area will be set.

On top of that they should offer discounted season tickets to all the parents of youth hockey players in the Valley. If the kids want to go and the tickets are cheap enough parents will have a tough time making excuses.

Tickets/Packages

The team needs to get creative in how to attract the attention of the none conventional hockey fans that fill this market and regain the attention of East Valley hockey fans.

Special “East Valley” ticket promotions would be a big selling point. Offering the East Valley pack that includes opening night and every Friday/Saturday game plus a $300 gas card (possibly provided by a marketing partnership with a local gas station) would help negate the “it costs too much to drive from (fill in East Valley city) to Glendale” argument and the argument that it’s just too tough to go out to Glendale during the work week for those fans.

Selling general admission tickets to weekday game would help to attract new fans and bring back old ones. For $30 fans could choose any seat in the lower bowl. First come, first serve. That could give the most rabid Coyotes fans a chance to sit on the glass and make for an interesting atmosphere in Jobing.com arena.

Promotion

Find a personality on the team and promote the heck out of him.

The Phoenix Suns managed to turn a career benchwarmer into a fan phenomenon this past season with little to know effort. They used Lou Amundson’s look and personality to make him a star in the Valley.

If the Coyotes aren’t going to have a “big name” like a Jeremy Roenick they have to get creative in how they connect the fans to certain players. If you can get the fans to love the players and truly be interested in them you can expect them to show up to the games.

Creating an entertaining environment that includes more than what takes place on the ice is important too.

Take a page from minor league sports and do crazy theme nights. Bring back the pack dancers. Every guy enjoys a beautiful woman at a sporting event.

What about post game concerts? It seems to have helped the Diamondbacks draw a decent crowd. The logistics may be difficult with ice but there has got to be somewhere in Westgate that could host it.

Try anything and everything that could resonate with the casual fan to motivate them on a Tuesday night, or any night, to head out to the arena.

Television

Professional sports franchises need television contracts to help gain exposure in their market. It is much easier to get a person to watch a game for free on TV and become a fan than it is to convince him to come to a game without having seen the product.

The Coyotes' current television home on AZTV doesn’t have the reach that other outlets would provide the team. It also doesn’t offer game broadcasts in HD, which many industry insiders feel brings a new depth to televised hockey that standard definition lacks.

If the team could secure a partner, or possibly expand their offerings on FSN Arizona, that could provide them wider reach and the ability to show games in HD, they could see a distinct benefit in sales in the future.

Organizational Transparency

This doesn’t mean the team should let everyone know everything they plan to do, but giving fans and media more access to the inner workings of the team would help to form a stronger bond with the city.

Fans should be able to easily email or call Doug Moss or other team officials to share ideas, ask questions, or express concerns. On top of that, team officials and players should be at any event willing to have them.

When the Coyotes originally came to the Valley this was a mainstay of their community outreach. The more people can get to know the players and connect with them and the organization's front office on a personal level, the stronger dedication they will feel.

If the Coyotes can change the way they operate in these key areas hockey in the desert can start to become viable and it will give the team a base from which to build up to profitability. It won’t fix everything but they have to start somewhere.

Judge Baum’s ruling gave the Coyotes a second chance; now it’s time to do something with it.

Reaction to News That Coyotes Are Staying

Fanster.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:22:11 -0400

It happened after the work day was over for most of us, but Judge Redfield T. Baum ruled yesterday the proposed sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie was not possible by Balsillie’s imposed deadline of June 29.

So, the Coyotes are staying. At least for now. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued the following statement last night:

"We’re pleased the Court recognized the validity of League rules and our ability to apply them in a reasonable fashion. We will turn our attention now toward helping to facilitate an orderly sales process that will produce a local buyer who is committed to making the Coyotes’ franchise viable and successful in the Phoenix/Glendale area. We are confident that we will be able to find such a buyer for the Coyotes and that the claims of legitimate creditors will be addressed." —NHL.com

Coyotes president and chief operating officer Doug Moss held a press conference last night at Jobing.com Arena regarding the team’s future in the Valley. Watch it below.

Meanwhile, north of the border, the folks in Hamilton are feeling like bridesmaids again. Not so fast, Balsillie and his lawyer say. Richard Rodier says he expects Balsillie to file a new motion to buy the team and move them to Southern Ontario.

The Canadian Press video showing Balsillie’s feelings on the matter can be seen here.

Are You Ready for the Robin Lopez Era?

Fanster.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:36:44 -0400

By Greg Esposito | June 15th, 2009 1:54 PM

Everyone, including ESPN, seems to be talking about whether or not the Suns should and will trade Shaquille O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for what amounts to…nothing. The question the Suns and their fans should be asking themselves though, is: Are you ready for Robing Lopez to be this team’s starting center?

According to most reports the Suns won’t exactly be receiving a great starting center in return for O’Neal. The Cavs would send a broken, down possibly retiring, Ben Wallace to the desert for the Big Diesel. Other possible deals would involve the Knicks troubled and not so talented big man Eddie Curry, Erick[a] Dampier from the Mavericks or the injured and under motivated Tyson Chandler from New Orleans.

With each of these options Robin Lopez would have to play significant minutes and probably start if the Knicks or Mavs deals came to fruition. Is he ready for the spotlight?

No one is denying that trading Shaquille O’Neal will help the Suns out financially and give them flexibility in the near future. What everyone should wonder though is will it help this team be a better on the court this season and in upcoming seasons. That all hinges on the development of last years first round pick.

Lopez was expected to be a major contributor in his rookie season. He was suppose to start ten to twenty games in place of the aging O’Neal. Those plans were foiled though as Lopez didn’t show much in his first few months, as he played ten or more minutes in only five of his first twenty games.

His production never picked up all season. He only had five or more rebounds in four times in the sixty games he appeared in. In the NBA with young, physical big men like Dwight Howard, Greg Oden, Chris Bosh, Andrew Bynum and Yao Ming the Suns can’t afford to revert to the years of Danny Schayes and Joe Klein at center.

The drop off from O’Neal to Lopez at center is something this team can’t afford if it hopes to even compete. This isn’t to say that Lopez can’t develop into a solid big man but at this point in his career he isn’t ready to carry the load and we know Amare isn’t willing to play center. The Suns may feel differently though and will have to find out what the fans think.

Are you ready for the Robin Lopez era, or should that be hair-a, to begin? You better be because it could be starting sooner than you think.

This article was originally posted on Fanster.com - All Sports. All Phoenix.

Arizona Cardinals: 2007 Report Card

Fanster.com — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 07:54:23 -0500

This is a post done by Mark on MVN.com

In a preview to an extended podcast that Eli and I will be doing on the Cardinals season and a look toward the off season, we now present our first annual player and coaches report card for the 2007 season. The over all season could be termed an improvement but in no way could it be called a success. 8-8 is a step up from the Denny Green/Dave McGinnis years but the fact is we absolutely should have been in the play offs this year if this team hadn’t let a couple of very winnable games slip away.

I know everyone wants to talk about the injuries, and just today Len Pascarelli over at ESPN had a list of the teams that lost the most starters over the course of the season, and the Cardinals were third on that list. However, every team has injuries and that's why drafting and shrewd free agency decisions are the difference between the average teams and those still playing at the end of the years. You have got to have quality depth in this league or your not going to make it to the end of the season being able to compete.

With all that in mind lets get started:

Front office and ownership: This was an off season where Denny Green was fired, Ken Whisenhunt was hired and Rod Graves was given a raise and a contract extension by the Bidwell family. Clearly, Denny Green had packed it in and was basically stealing money for the last 10 games of 2006 knowing he was going to get the ax so he had to go even if it meant the owners had to eat a big contract. However, the new stadium was sold out, the family is printing money compared to the years at Sun Devil and there is no longer the excuse that they don’t have the financial resources to step up and hire and pay good coaching and administrative talent. Toward that end they made a very solid hire in Ken Whisenhunt who was allowed to assemble and pay a good staff of assistants. The more questionable move in the eyes of some was extending Rod Graves after Denny was fired due to the perception that the successful drafts and personnel moves over the preceding three years were largely the work and influence of Green. However, Rod is well liked by the Bidwells and he was rewarded for, well, I’m not quite sure what as this last draft and free agency had some real head scratchers. The book is still out on his ability to find and draft quality talent and this years draft is a red letter example of how not to do it. The Cardinals whiffed on their third round pick Buster Davis, reached on their 1st and 2nd round picks of Brown and Branch, didn’t have picks in the 4th and 6th round due to questionable trades but rebounded and picked up decent prospects in the 5th and 7th round in Breaston and Patrick. Additionally, some questionable free agent signings such as Holt at FS and the $7 million deal given Al Johnson could hamstring the team next year in their bid to find cap room for other free agents. This isn’t a team that can afford to miss on ANY draft picks given the thin depth or make questionable moves in allocating bonus money to the cap, but hopefully this staff will continue to coach up the players they have, and the Bidwells won’t use the restructuring of Fitzgerald's contract as an excuse to sit out free agency and sit on their wallets. That sold out stadium is a money tree now and they need to shake it. Grade over all: B-

Coaching staff: In the first year as a staff the Cardinals made some obvious mistakes but also made some huge strides. What people don’t quite grasp is that pulling a staff together and keeping it together is crucial in the NFL so that simple things like playbooks, video clips of plays that are archived, terminology, practice schedules and depth charts are consistent. For a staff to not have the distractions of learning how to work together spills over to the field, with the obvious examples of all the delay of game penalties this year being a by product of a first year staff learning how to handle play calling and communication during the game. While you can argue with a few minor calls here and there this staff looks to be the best assembled in the desert since Vince Tobin’s group and quite possibly could be one of the best since the Don Coryell years. I like how they handled adversity, their flexibility, imagination and instilling toughness. You didn’t see the huge mistakes and break downs that plagued prior years and the team played hard for them all season, even when they were out of the play offs. However the decision to go with a rookie punter probably cost the team at least one game as did the delay of game issues with the SF game as well. Room to improve, but it’s going in the right direction. Its the first year but I’ll give this group a grade of B for 2007 with the offensive group getting a B+, the defensive group getting a B and special teams receiving a C+.

Quarterbacks: Kurt Warner proved this year that he is still an NFL starter and difference maker when he gets protection and is allowed to find his targets. His 27 touchdowns in an abbreviated season were the best of any Cardinal QB in over 20 years and almost set a franchise record. His toughness, maturity and willingness to be prepared to play salvaged a season that could have been a 3 or 4 win fiasco after Matt Leinart went down with his injury. That said he still has ball protection issues in the pocket, at times forces throws when he doesn’t have to, but by the end of the year he was playing at close to a pro-bowl level. I’d like to see the Cardinals extend Warner for at least two more years beyond 2008 as he’s in great shape, is a model teammate and is the best back up QB in the NFL bar none. As for Matt Leinart this season was one to forget on many levels. His off season was rocky on a personal level, he was criticized for not putting in the hours a championship QB does to prepare each week and his on field performance and sulking at times didn’t endear him to fans or the coaching staff. It was clear before his injury that Kurt Warner in 2007 was the best QB on the staff. That said Matt is definitely the future of this franchise, he appears to have a handle on his personal life and the specter of Warner taking his job is causing his competitive nature to kick in. Hopefully. Still it was a bad year on the field and the jury is still very much out on Matt. Tim Rattay proved to be a top quality free agent pick up and hopefully will be in the mix for 2008 and beyond. He’s a young veteran QB, he’s ideal as a second or third string guy and he played well when called upon. QB grades: Warner A-, Leinart C-, Rattay, B. Over all position grade, B+.

Wide Receivers: Once again in 2007 the Cardinals had one of their featured WR make the Pro-Bowl, with this year seeing Larry Fitzgerald picked after an outstanding season that saw him over come some nagging injuries to finish strong and make great strides in his continued development into one of the top two or three receivers in the NFL. His partner Anquan Boldin was having a monster year until he suffered a hip injury in the Baltimore game as he literally ran over the Raven’s safety on the way to a touchdown. That injury cost Boldin four games but even when he came back he lacked some explosion and was clearly not 100% for the balance of the year, but still posted huge numbers on his way to a very good 2007. The rest of the receivers unfortunately didn’t live up to their potential and a position that looked very deep in training camp actually was pretty thin after the big two. Bryant Johnson continued his frustrating practice of dropping catchable balls, despite mixing in some great catches and solid games during the season. He is a free agent this year and I don’t expect the Cardinals to resign him as a third WR as some team will take a chance on him being their number one or two guy. Steve Breaston had a few catches but ran routes like a rookie so his playing time was limited, Jerehme Urban looked the part but had worse hands then Johnson, and Sean Morey will be forever remembered as the WR that had a 10 yard lead on a linebacker to win the SF game out right, but got caught from behind, setting up the Racker’s missed field goal instead. In short, after the big two there was a big, big drop off and the Cardinals need to find some depth at this position. Grades: Fitzgerald A, Boldin B+, Johnson C+, Urban C-, Morey C-, Breaston Incomplete. Position Grade overall B+.

Tight Ends. This group needs to stay after school for extra work with the teacher i’m afraid. Despite a good year catching the ball by Leonard Pope prior to his season ending injury, this group was by far the weakest area on the entire Cardinals roster. There isn’t a good inline blocker in the bunch, they ran wrong routes or didn’t finish routes when they did get thrown too and had some costly drops at times. If the Cardinals don’t spend a first day pick on a tight end i’m going to be really disappointed as this group is incredibly thin and green. That said, Leonard Pope made real strides in the passing game and is starting to look like a real threat if he can keep his head in the game and know where he is supposed to be. A second year in the system with the same QB’s should help him immensely and he looks to be an NFL quality TE despite his weakness in run blocking. Ben Patrick, the rookie TE out of Delaware fought through a difficult off season of injury, being cut, making the practice squad to ending up as a starter in place of Pope the last few games. He has NFL quality hands and good speed but he definitely is a year away on the blocking and route running. Tim Euhus and Troy Bienneman, in the words of Denny Green, were what we thought they were. Bottom line this group desperately needs at least one veteran and a talented rookie to upgrade it and hopefully we see that as a priority in the off season. Grades, Leonard Pope B-, Ben Patrick C+, Tim Euhus C-, Troy Bienneman C. Overall grade for position, C.

Offensive Line. No area entering this season was under greater pressure to improve then the offensive line and thankfully the rebuild of the unit and addition of Russ Grimm as OL coach saw a big step forward. The QB’s got good to very good protection, the running game was improved and you didn’t see the constant tackles for loss that were the trade mark of the Denny Green era OL’s. The free agent signings of Mike Gandy and Al Johnson were significant upgrades at LT and Center, Deuce Lutiui and Reggie Wells had solid years as RG and LG and Levi Brown held his own as a rookie RT after Oliver Ross went out in preseason with a season ending injury. The addition of free agent rookie Lyle Sendlein and the reconstruction of Elton Brown brought depth to the unit but more competition is needed at tackle to continue to upgrade. This was the most improved area on the team this year by far. OL Grades. Mike Gandy B+, Levi Brown C+, Reggie Wells A-, Deuce Lutiui B, Al Johnson B, Lyle Sendlein B, Elton Brown B, Keydrick Vincent Incomplete.

Running backs: How people can continue to complain about Edgerrin James is totally beyond me. Sure he doesn’t have break away speed but that's no secret and if the team wanted a home run threat they shouldn’t have passed on Adrian Peterson this year. Now we are hit with rumors that Edge could be a cap cut this year despite the two best years rushing in over 25 years for the Cardinals. If you watch Edge play you see a tough, smart, work horse back who is a complete football player who never complains. With out Edge as a threat in the backfield this team might have been a 4 win team this year as the stacking the box allowed the WR’s to have huge years as a result. The other backs had mediocre seasons and i’m hopeful we won’t have J.J. Arrington to kick around much longer. This guy, for what ever reason, has never translated his college success to the pro game and probably needs a change of scenery at this point. Marcel Shipp did little with the few opportunities he had as a goal line specialist and even had a weak year on special teams compared to prior seasons. Fullback Terrelle Smith was a great pick up and well worth the money paid as a blocker, receiver and special teams guy. I’d suspect we will see some changes at the RB position in the off season but I hope Edge isn’t one of them. Don’t compound the mistake of not taking Peterson by throwing your most productive running back and a quality veteran under the bus! Grades. Edgerrin James A-, Marcel Shipp C+, J.J. Arrington C-, Terrelle Smith, B+. Position grade, B.

Defensive Line: This was shaping up as an area of real strength and depth but with the preseason injury to Chike Okeafor and midseason injury to Bertrand Berry this group had to rely on some untested players to hold things together over the course of the season. In addition the switch to a hybrid 3-4 unit moved some guys to spots they hadn’t played before so it was a transition year for the players as well as the staff. That said this group played tough in every game, but the losses of Okefor and Berry crippled the pass rush and exposed the secondary in the last 4 games of the season with Hasselback, Redmond and others having career days. I expect the Cardinals to make a first day pick at DE/OLB to find a serious speed rusher along the lines of a Ware or Suggs, or if the front office gets creative to actually make a run at signing Suggs as a free agent. Darnell Dockett had a pro-bowl year and thankfully got the recognition he deserved this year. Gabe Watson came to camp ready to play and completely turned around his career by reshaping his body and attitude to become a legitimate NFL nose tackle. Antonio Smith continued his steady progress to full time, top quality DE status and Calvin Pace finally found his niche taking the spot from Okefor after the injury and earning himself what is sure to be a new contract as an OLB/DE. Alan Branch was a disappointment as a 2nd round pick in that he wasn’t an impact player for any this year, but hopefully he does what Watson did, and really commit in the off season to get ready to play next year. Joe Tafoya was a solid back up but the rest of the unit struggled to hold their own when called upon. DL Grades. Darnell Dockett A, Gabe Watson B+, Antonio Smith B+, Calvin Pace B+, Bert Berry B-, Joe Tafoya C+, Alan Branch C-, Chris Cooper C-, Rodney Bailey C-. Ross Kolodzdiej and Bo Schobel Incomplete.

Linebacker: This unit was also in flux as the switch was made to the 3-4 set up requiring Dansby to move inside and to develop OLB’s that can run, cover and rush the passer. For purposes of this evaluation I moved Calvin Pace and Bert Berry to the DE evaluation, but kept guys like Brandon Johnson and Darryl Blackstock as OLB’s even though they all played elements of both positions. Expect the team to continue to look to upgrade and find true OLB/DE types in the draft and free agency to shore up this area in talent and experience as the move to a true 3-4 continues next year. As for this year the linebackers were solid with Karlos Dansby playing at a pro-bowl level if he hadn’t once again lost a few games to injury. He is the single most destructive playmaker on the defense other then Adrian Wilson and he is a must sign for the years ahead. Gerald Hayes had another solid season and this group had three players with 100+ tackles. However, the lack of depth is a huge issue and I hope the team drafts at least two linebackers this year and hits the free agency market to go get some veteran help. Linebacker grades. Karlos Dansby A-, Gerald Hayes B+, Monty Beisel B-, Darryl Blackstock C, Brandon Johnson C-, David Holloway Incomplete. Linebacker position grade B.

Cornerbacks. This is another area that entering 2007 was a big concern and that was a pleasant surprise. Rodd Hood and Eric Green won the starting corner jobs, relegating Antrelle Rolle to nickel corner with Ralph Brown coming on board to be the forth corner and provide depth. Matt Ware was a utility guy shifting between safety and CB in certain formations and rookie free agent Michael Adams saw some duty once Eric Green went down with injury and Rolle was moved into a starting position. If this season proved anything of this unit is that it still needs a true top flight shut down corner prospect so Rod Hood can move to third corner, Rolle can finally move to safety or just to upgrade the depth in the secondary. This unit was trick or treat with Rolle earning defensive player of the week for the NFL TWICE and Hood earning it once with big games and interception returns for TD’s, but also giving up big plays in the passing game due to inability to cover man to man against elite receivers and being taken apart by good quarterbacks in the last half of the year. Still, in all regards it was a big step forward and this unit is probably one or two good corner prospects away from being an elite secondary. Grades for Corner backs. Eric Green B+, Rod Hood B, Antrelle Rolle B-, Ralph Brown C+, Michael Adams and Matt Ware, incomplete. Position Grade, B-.

Safeties. What was hoped to be an area of real strength was instead weakened by lingering injuries to Aaron Francisco and a season ending injury to All Pro Adrian Wilson. The addition of Terrance Holt as FS was supposed to bring a real upgrade but I think it is pretty universally considered that the single biggest free agent bust this last year was probably Holt as far as Cardinals signings go. He just never seemed to make the right play on balls in the air, probably costing the Cardinals the Tampa Bay game, and had just a ton of blown coverages and missed tackles for touchdowns that just killed this team. If a top flight free safety is available in the draft the Cardinals really need to grab him as Holt is clearly not going to be the answer unless he bounces back in a big way. He got paid big time money but his play was more on the par with a second string guy this season. Matt Ware and Oliver Celestin were both signed to primarily play special teams, but with injuries each were called upon in certain games and they stepped up and played hard but certainly didn’t make a case for themselves to be starters. This area should return to strength next season, particularly if the team adds a top flight free safety prospect and replaces Holt. Grades for safeties. Adrian Wilson A-, Aaron Francisco B-, Oliver Celestin C, Matt Ware C, Torrance Holt D+. Over all position grade for safeties, C+.

Special teams. Thankfully this unit made some real strides under special teams guru Kevin Spencer but the lack of quality depth at safety, CB, WR, TE and LB just cripple the coverage teams for the Cardinals. However, you didn’t see the mistakes, lack of effort, mindless blocking errors and cowardly coverage that was a hallmark of special teams for the last 3 to 5 years. It is hoped that with another solid draft and some infusion of talent in those positions that typically play special teams will continue to further upgrade this unit in 2008. The emergence of Steve Breaston as a true punt and kick return threat was crucial and his ball protection and decision making for a rookie were really remarkable. If he had any kind of blocking on kick returns he was a threat to go the distance every time. However, the punting for most of the season, coupled with Neil Rackers second straight mediocre to flat out rotten season, dragged this units grade way down. The miss in the SF game, and also in Washington, were just season killers and you can’t have a “cover your eyes i’m about to kick” kicker on your team if you want to make the play offs. I know he’s a team favorite and i’ll bet he’s a hell of a guy, but I’m hopeful the staff takes a long, long look for some competition for Rackers at the kicking position as he has been a big disappointment for two years now. Mitch Berger probably isn’t the long term answer at punter but he at least got the job done when the staff finally owned up to the disaster of bringing in a rookie punter one week before the season started just because Scott Player ticked off the coaching staff. These units have a long way to go but at least made a real step forward this year from putrid to just mediocre. Grades for special teams. Steve Breaston A-, Mitch Berger B-, Neil Rackers D+. Over all grade for special teams, C.

Well, there you have it. Our report card on the season and it will lead to our next analysis which is what should the Cardinals be considering in free agency and the draft for the year ahead. The over all grade for this years addition of the Arizona Cardinals? I’ll give them a generous grade of B- with a lot of room to improve but much progress over prior editions. Now it is up to the front office and the Bidwells to get smart about their contract signings, spread out the cap hits and put the final players in place that finally move this team into the play offs where they belong.

Suns-Bucks: Nash's 35 Points Lead Phoenix

Fanster.com — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 03:14:48 -0500

Steve Nash, in his own words “actually didn’t feel great, but somebody was smiling on me”, a huge smile indeed as he scored a season-high 35 points, 13-of-17 shooting including 5-of-7 from 3-point, to lead the Suns past the Bucks 122-114.

Steve actually got better as the game progressed in the second half as he scored 26 points and made 11 field goals in the last two periods.

Diaw, starting in place of Grant Hill, scored 21 points and got 11 rebounds in possibly his best game of the season while Stoudemire scored 31 (12-of-16 from the field).

The Suns shot 57 percent from the field, the Bucks 55.8. Just to give an idea of the kind of defensive game it was, the Suns had a total of 11 fouls while the Bucks 17, or the grand total of 28 fouls in a game featuring 165 shots.

The Bucks led at the half (68-61) before the Suns opened the game in the third quarter.

Milwaukee stayed close anyway as the Bucks were just trailing by 6 (100-94) with 9 minutes left in the game, but Nash & Co. responded immediately and sealed the win.

Andrew Bogut scored 29 with an amazing 14-of-16 from the field to lead the Bucks while Charlie Bell added 18 (4-of-5 from 3-point) and the Chinese rookie, Yi, had just 4 points.

Where have you gone Terry Cummings?

The Suns beat the Bucks for 20th straight time at home, the longest such streak in the NBA.

Can you believe the last time Milwaukee won in Phoenix was 1987 when Sidney Moncrief, John Lucas, Ricky Pierce and Terry Cummings were playing for the Bucks.

The Suns will now head West for a 2-game trip to the City of Angels as they’ll play the Clippers on Tuesday night (8:30 PM) and the Lakers - the game we have all been waiting since Christmas - on Thursday (8:30 on TNT).

Yours truly, Steve Fan

Wayne Gretzky: Savior or Goat?

Fanster.com — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:23:45 -0500

A great player can never be a great coach. Thats what the pundits and experts say. Nevermind that Wayne Gretzky is one of the best players to ever play the game, it won’t translate to coaching. Some folks REALLY need to take their heads out of the nether regions. Wonder how long it will take for them to publish anything about WG’s accomplishments? I probably shouldn’t hold my breath ‘eh.

I think the old vets we had in here when TGO first got here were not ready, able or about to listen to a thing he said. There was no awe or luster about the game any more for many of them. They were just markin time for the most part. With WG still finding his coaching feet he relied much to heavily on Barry Smith (a coach who in various reports was not well liked by the players). Smith seemed to be the ‘real’ coach of the Coyotes as WG was reported being MIA during some important practice sessions or in the stands observing the proceedings. Smith is gone and so is Toc *temporarily* Toc Article The entire coaching gig rests on the slim shoulders of WG now… no complications caused by too many chiefs.

Out with the old and in with the new. The young kids still have stars in their eyes about Gretzky and the game. They have no clue that what he’s telling them to do is nearly impossible to pull off. They just go out and do it. Not many coaches would have put this many rookies out on the ice. The temptation to get a few more fillers must have been enormous. Thank you for resisting GMDM and TGO.

Luckily this crop of vets listens and performs and doesn’t interfere with what TGO is teaching. Hell, they are even starting to believe what he’s saying too. We finally are blessed w/ enough talented youth to swing the tide towards buy- in of the system… And there is no doubt this time… it is Wayne’s system. Play it his way or hit the highwway (or press box). There are a couple of older guys who have been either dumped or disregarded by the rest of the NHL and just want their chance… TGO is giving it to them…and they are giving him everything they have in return.

Report card at the half way mark says Wayne Gretzky is not only a good coach but is on his way to being a great one. (oh yes, pun is definitely intended)

Despite being short an assistant coach, WG has engaged and nurtured this team into believing in themselves. Believing that every night they can win. Believing that there is a chance that they can make it to the playoffs. Hell, he’s on his way to convincing the rest of us of the same thing.

All around the web there are discussions… no, not about who we get with our lottery pick.Again, that is so last year and the year b4 that and, well you know the drill. These discussions are more like strategy sessions. ‘WHEN we pull off another good road trip, WHEN we beat the Sharks again, WHEN Toc comes back.’ Not IF, simply WHEN.

All around the league there are discussions too. ‘What are we gonna do about Phoenix? How do we counter such a wild card team? Who has been hot for them this week? How many lines are they rollin that we can effectively counter? How is our record against Bryzgalov?‘ No more well we can pick up a couple of easy goals against Phoenix so let’s start our back up guy and maybe give our star players a rest’. I can’t think of a single team that can say with confidence ‘oh its only Phoenix’… not even the Redwings.

With Don Maloney lookin after our acquisitions and scouting and Treliving and Ireland preparing our minor league-rs, the systems are working in tandem to provide the parent club with what it needs to get the job done. Most of the call ups have been phenomenal when they get here. They have already been used to hard work and fast pace and know the system. And who can overlook Mal’s promise to not sell the farm to get the pieces we so desperately needed and managing to get those pieces anyway?

With the addition of Bryz! and Vbrat, Maloney gave us 2 keys to our resurgence. With the current crop of rookie’s character and intelligence and drive, the future has arrived much earlier than it was supposed to.

Is TGO surprised? He’d like you to think so. But remember, this is the guy who was always 8 steps ahead of everyone else in the game. Why should he be any different as a coach? If we don’t make it to the post season, it won’t be because Wayne didn’t have what it takes. It won’t be because the team didn’t give it their best shot. Sometimes Lady Luck is not much of a lady and feces happen… frequently. But you can bet your season ticket money that we are going to be right in the thick of it til the very end.

There is hockey joy in the desert again, there is hockey pride on the ice again, there is hockey loyalty brewin right here in Phoenix people. And it didn’t ride in on the back of a goat.

The Aftermath: Arizona Wildcats Midseason Roundtable

Fanster.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:57:44 -0500

(Photo via Tucson Citizen)

The loss on Wed to ASU in this year’s first Duel in the Desert…it really hurts. But alas, we must go on…So we decided to contact our Wildcats Insiders and get their take on the loss to ASU and the Arizona Wildcats season thus far.

In our second Wildcats Roundtable(the first here) with Josh Gershon, Senior Editor and Columnist for GOAZCATS.com and Michael Schwartz, Beat Reporter and Columnist for the Arizona Daily Wildcat, we cover everything about the highly talked about ASU/UA game. Listen and learn…

Following yesterdays tragic OT loss to the Sun Devils, what is your reaction to the game today, after some time to sit on it?
Does this have what it takes to contend this year in the Pac-10 with or without Bayless?
How good do you really think that the Sun Devils are this year? Have they made the leap into the upper echelon of Pac-10 teams?
How do you rate Kevin O’neill’s coaching thus far this year. Was it beginners luck now going or just bad timing?
Where do you see these two teams come march?

// Click here to listen to the Wildcats Roundtable

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Chat Excerpts: Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall

Fanster.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:18:16 -0500

The transcript of the entire chat is here.

JAM1: Is there any update on Randy Johnson’s recovery from back surgery?

Hall: All indications are that he is recovering very well. He should be ready for Spring Training as predicted. Having him in the rotation would really enhance an already strong group.

Geek: How much confidence do you have in Randy Johnson’s ability to stay healthy and should he go down with another injury, who would you expect to fill that rotation spot given our current pool of players?

Hall: We are both confident and hopeful. Signs are good at this point. However, our depth gives us confidence as well. With pitchers such as Edgar Gonzalez, Dustin Nippert and Yusmeiro Petit, we have talented arms that will compete.

dbacksfan01: Will the D-backs be having a Winter Caravan or Fanfest this year?

Hall: Our Hometown Tours, which is a caravan equivalent, is scheduled to head north, south, east and west on Feb. 7-8 and our Fanfest will be held here at Chase Field on Feb. 9.

Geek: What type of roles can we expect out of Jeff Salazar and Augie Ojeda? They both performed extremely well in limited time last season, and I would personally dislike seeing them stuck in an off-the-bench type of scenario.

Hall: They were obviously extremely important in last year’s success. It is nice to have that depth, and they both fit right in. They will both be in Spring Training and will be competing for jobs. Having middle infielders such as Chris Burke, Stephen Drew, Orlando Hudson and Ojeda, along with outfielders like Justin Upton, Chris Young, Eric Byrnes and Salazar is a great problem to have. A strong bench is vital, regardless of how the roster shapes up.

JAM1: Will we see a dedicated closer in 2008 or will the role be shared?

Hall: It’s too soon to tell, but Bob Melvin and Josh Byrnes have many solid arms to choose from. With Tony Pena, Chad Qualls and Brandon Lyon all in the mix, we should be in tremendous shape. It is difficult to replace 47 saves, but we have the staff to do it.

azjazzyj: With the Triple-A team moving to Reno and one of the Cactus League teams moving to the Valley, are there any plans to move the D-backs closer to home during Spring Training?

Hall: Our preference would be to stay in Tucson due to the history and the state-wide coverage. However, with the White Sox leaving and our agreement coming to an end soon, I have said publicly that we owe it to ourselves and our fans to proactively look and explore all of our options. We are beginning that due diligence now.

Coyotes-Oilers: Phoenix Hits an Oil Slick

Fanster.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:50:05 -0500

(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)

Now maybe it was, the hype, the media, the success that tripped us up tonight. But doesn’t that seem like such and easy answer? The young pups maybe read one too many press clippings or committed the same faux pas (not taking the opponent seriously) as many teams did with them. Resting on the laurels of their previous accomplishments and looking past the streaky Oilers to catching that playoff berth rung. They paid for that error if that is indeed what this loss amounted to.

I personally think it was a simple hiccup. We have been playing over our heads with a certain balls out style that has served us well. The penchant of our opponents to underestimate us has also aided our cause. Flying below all forms of radar (media, scouting and ego) we have previously been able to sneak attack and win against all the odds. But that time has come to an end, my friends. Every battle we face going forward will be just that… a battle and we will have to play smarter and faster and more disciplined than we have had to so far.

This hiccup couldn’t have come at a better time. We were 3 games over the .500 mark. We can afford a small hitch in our forward progress, as long as we learn from it. I hope we learned to keep our heads up and not to get caught up in all the brouhaha. That we learned to pay attention to the opponent and the road directly in front of us and not to look too far forward lest we be caught unaware again.

The perfect time to prove what we are made of. To answer the question of whether we are contenders or pretenders. If we lay down now and simply become passengers riding on the Bryz! bus or if we become a true team, one that can win a game for either of our goalies, they are both worthy of our best efforts.

Enough of the sermon.

Bryz! Got surprised and shaken right off the hop as Moreau and Brodzniak broke our defense and nailed him in quick succession (shades of the Chicago game). 2 - 0 Oil. Bryz! briefly steadied but the defense was not as solid as they should have been and he was unable to get enough room to get his composure back as Sourey’s PP goal found the back of the net too. The period would end with us having some decent chances to get within closing distance as Sourey committed a vicious slash on our Captain that iniated a penalty shot and got Sourey punted from the game. Our intrepid Capt couldn’t quite get past a Garon who was playing out of his mind. 5 damn penalties! Kiddos, we haven’t had five penalties in a whole game in awhile, much less 5 in one period. OUCH! 3 - 0 Oil as we leave the ice.

WG decided to give Bryz! one more chance to get his focus together after the break. Unfortunately the Oil smell blood and although we hold steady for nearly 10 minutes, Nilsson’s goal proves to be the fold ‘em point for TGO and he pulls Breezy. 4 - 0 Oil. Telly came in for the rattled Breezer and played his tookus off. We manage to find and sustain some pressure and our trusty Bally jumped into the play to finally get past the Garon force field 4 - 1 Oil. But our progress is halted a short time later by Grebeshkov getting his first goal. 5 -1 Oil. We are more disciplined in this period and we are starting to get our act together as we leave the ice…tattered.

The third period the Oil get sloppy. Giving us multiple PP opportunities. Which we are unable to capitalize on. Although Boynk and Doan would sink one more behind Garon at the end. 5 - 2 Oil. Stortini gets froggy in the last 30 seconds but Boynk does not oblige him. Stortini actually takes Nick down to the ice (completely instigating and trying to fight in the last five minutes of the game should get Stortini a suspension, couldn’t happen to a nicer guy).

So we learned something. And we face the Canucks tomorrow night. Hopefully we can get back to our normal scratch, claw, never say die way of playing. Breezer gets back on the horse and regains his poise. The boys kick butts and take names. And even if they do not prevail, at the very least they must put up a decent fight. Show some of that maturity, some of that courage and some serious Coyotes pride.

Go Coyotes Go!!!!!!

Suns-Jazz: Utah Holds Shorthanded Suns to 86 Points

Fanster.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:07:56 -0500

(AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

I thought it would have been interesting watching the Suns play without Hill and Nash (and Marion, actually) for a game or two to see the way they were capable of adapting to the new situation.

It was somewhat interesting, but most of all was just painful as Utah beat Phoenix 108-86 and held the Suns under 90 points for the first time this season.

Could it that be the way the Suns will look like three years from now? Scary, don’t you think?

The point is that this Suns team can’t play without Nash - it’s just the way they have been built - and generally speaking it’s very difficult to win in the NBA without three of your best players.

With 3/5 of the starting five out, Diaw, Barbosa and Banks started in place of Marion, Hill and Nash. Leandro scored 25 points (on a poor 7-of-18 shooting, inlcuding 3-10 from 3-point range) and Stoudemire had 21 points and 14 rebounds.

The limited roster gave D’Antoni a chance to give some minutes to Banks (38 minutes, 9 points, 3 assists), Marks (5 points, 6 rebounds in 14 minutes), Piatkowski (the usual 3-pointer in 18 minutes) and DJ Strawberry (8 points in 12 minutes). I like the energy DJ can bring on the court even if he entered the game late when the outcome was already decided anyway.

The Suns tried to play and to put some energy on the floor, but in the end, the shorthanded Suns, also missing Shawn Marion (bruised elbow), coming off an OT game the night before couldn’t really challenge the always solid Utah Jazz.

Turkish center Okur scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, inlcuding 5 on offense. Deron Williams, the second best point guard in the NBA, scored 17 points while dishing 11 assists many of them to his pick and roll pal Carlos Boozer (18 points).

Despite a (longer than expected) series of bad games, the Jazz are one of the elite teas in this League, not to mention last year’s Conference runner-up. Utah opened a double digit lead in the third quarted and held off any chance for a Suns comeback.

The Suns (25-11) will now have a chance to rest a little before facing the Bucks (15-20) at home on Saturday night (7 PM).
Both Nash and Marion could be able to play.

Yours truly, Steve Fan

ASU-Arizona: “It’s War Now”

Fanster.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:39:00 -0500

So are the words of Jawann McClellan. When asked after the game how this win affects the rivalry, he responded with the words you see in the title. The Devils are finally earning the respect of opponents and media after starting off 3-0 in conference play and 13-2 overall. Herb Sendek's Sun Devils currently sit alone atop the Pac-10 standings. Sure it's early, sure we haven't played the top teams in the conference yet, but we've earned the right to celebrate a bit. After watching a lethargic coach with subpar talent for years, it's so easy to get behind this team and this coach and start dreaming of March and what could be.

And what a year to be a Sun Devil, huh? The rise of the football team, the surprise play of the basketball team, top 10 baseball and softball teams, TWO national championships in women's track and field. Add on to that the Suns leading their division, the FBR Open coming to town, and that thing called the Super Bowl just down the road and it's hard to imagine a much better sports scene in the Valley right now.

But anyway, how about that game?!

Despite the second-worst half of play all season (opening half vs. Illinois was worse), including making only 3-of-18 shots to start the game, the Devils were able to persevere and pull out the tough victory in overtime, thanks to an amazing second half by James Harden and key plays by everyone else. Harden scored 22 in the second half and OT, and only one of his field goals came from behind the arc. The rest were on a display of acrobatic drives and free throws, and considering how he was being hacked in the lane and came up limping several times, he amazes me a little more each game.

Sure Harden finally looked like a freshman during the first half, as he stopped attacking after being hacked the first few trips into the paint with no fouls called. He even made a few mistakes and missed his first two free throws, but give him credit for being coachable and adjusting because he owned the second half.

One of the most fun things to watch was the exchanges between Harden and defender (or lack thereof) Daniel Dillon. The Arizona defender was draped over Harden all night and was in his ear during the first half. In true competitive spirit that was a bit Jordan-esque (too early?), Harden used his talent to shut Dillon up, then had a few words of his own. After hittting a three pointer, Harden backpedaled down the court along with Dillon while holding up three fingers and smiling the whole time. This along with some other good-natured trash talking is fun to watch from a player with as much skill as Harden.

Luckily, Harden wasn't the only one making big plays for the Devils. Pendergraph stepped up in the second half and had the huge tip in at the end. Ty Abbott had the huge off-balance 3-pointer coming off a screen the cut down the lead, and Eric Boateng had a big block late in the second half.

So my buddy Chris and I were trying to decide what Sendek was telling the team at the half, and we agreed that it had something to do with playing horribly in the first half on offense and still being down by just 7. Given that, ASU had every opportunity to come back in the second half and take the game. After the teams came out of halftime, Pendergraph and Harden were aside from the team talking to each other and you knew the second half would be a different story.

We also saw Christian Polk for the first time in a while due to early foul trouble by Ty Abbott and Polk also hit a big 3-pointer to contribute. I also did some investigation and found out why Polk hadn't been playing much of late. Part of it is due to the great play of Ty Abbott. Another part is because Polk had reportedly been goofing off in practice, trying to act like an And 1 baller and not paying attention, and earned his way into Sendek's doghouse. Cutting edge reporting from yours truly.

It was also great to see a sellout crowd and a student section that extended into the upper deck. Great support from the Sun Devil faithful and this should continue throughout the season. The atmosphere was electric and definitely helped the team pull off the comeback.

Overall, ASU made the necessary adjustments on defense to limit the Wildcat scoring and was lucky that many of Jordan Hill's shots rimmed out. That, and a healthy dose of Harden's scoring in the second half gave ASU the win. To be completely honest, I'd like to see more motion in the ASU offense but that's just nitpicking. If it ain't broke...

Coyotes-Flames: Flame Jumpin' in Calgary

Fanster.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:28:47 -0500

Wow! I mean it! Just plain and simply wow! Our boys have turned into something special. Okay WE all knew they were special but now the secret is out. The entire NHL world all have something to say about the Coyotes right now and its all good.

Suddenly Wayne Gretzky just may have a shot at the Jack Adams award? Say what? Oh yeah you read that right folks. All the nay sayers and just plain old mean people who gave good ol WG the short shift at the beginning of the season are looking around sheepishly and hopin like hell that TGO doesn’t pull this off so they won’t have to eat serious helpins of crow. Spector, Milbury, Wyshynski and a few others are suspiciously quiet on the subject after being quite vocal earlier in the season. But we’ll get to that during the Coyotes report card later.

Right now we need to give props. The often maligned, never taken seriously desert dawgs doused the Flames on their home ice.

The Coyotes came out in this game like they ate nails for pre game meal. (C’mon Fast Freddie, you can’t honestly expect me to believe you played like this on a meal of chicken?) They didn’t score but they rocked the Flames for the first 10 or so minutes pretty heavily. The 10 sogs they managed to fire at Kipper were quality and when the Flames finally got their poop in a group during the second 1/2 of the period Bryz! handled their 9 sogs without breakin much of a sweat. We handed those boys 3 PPs and they couldn’t do a damn thing with Breezy. Unfortunately we couldn’t put away our 1 PP either. 0 - 0

The second period is where Kipper found out about ‘real’ flames. The Yotes shelled the big guy 18 sogs and rocked him for 3 of them, leaving the Flames in hot water at the end of the period. Bryz! watched his cohorts work their opponents over while easily fielding the measily 8 sogs they managed to tally. 3 - 0 Yotes

The third period the Flames musta gotten a serious cheek chewing from Keenan cause they worked like dogs trying to get back into the game. 14 - 3 sogs in favor of the Flambe. No dice. Despite the precision fire power of Iggy and the Hussey, Breezy turned part acrobat, part concrete wall on them and denied all opportunites except for a pretty tip in from Alex Tanguay during the DMo penalty. 3 -1 final.

WG vs Keenan - Welcome to Wayne’s world baby!

The love:

Oh my goodness the lil Finn is back on track! Niiiikooo Kapaaanen! You’ve heard it all, 2 small, 2 soft, 2 Euro ummm 2 points! Kapi set up Dwin with a mahvelous back hand pass for the first scoring tally and came back again with an assist on Yandle’s PP goal. After a really quiet set of games, the unassuming lil Finn reminded us that the VHS and MDR lines aren’t the only set of weapons we got.

Nick ‘freakin’ Boynton! Who knew? The guy rocketed a hell of a cross ice pass right onto the stick of Joel Perrault, who fired that monster over Kipper’s port bow. Ulf and WG probably looked at each other pretty suspiciously * (WG: I thought we put Boynk out there? Ulfie: We did! WG: Then who the hell just did that? Ulfie: Let’s have him checked out after the game… I think he’s channeling Coffey) For those who think the ‘new’ NHL has passed ol’ Nick by…think again. The guy can still come up with a surprise or two.

Keith Yandle - hella rookie D man. Even when he misfires, good things happen when that boy is shootin the puck.

And of course the Bryz! All night strong. Those saves in the 3 rd period frustrated and dominated the Flames. Along with the DMo/Bally pairing Bryz! hung Calary’s snipers out to dry.

The drive for 5 is complete and we head into Oil country to take on a listing Oilers team and try for 6. It can be done… all you gotta do is believe! “We have a great young team,” Bryzgalov said. “We’ve started winning games and we have a great future if we keep working hard and believe in ourselves.”

See PB’s most excellent post: http://www.onefansperspective.com/2008/01/now-coyotes-have-five.html#links

The official recap: http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=Recap&seas=20072008>ype=2&gnum=635

* of course its a ficticious conversation, c’mon it was me and Hat Trick IM’ing, you can’t get much more fictious than that.

Suns-Pacers: Suns Win in OT Without Nash, Hill

Fanster.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:00:28 -0500

(AP Photo) During the course of the long basketball season there are a few days like yesterday for an NBA team when the news just kept coming.

Earlier in the day Grant Hill, feeling ill, checked in the hospital where it was discovered he had to undergo an appendectomy. Surgery was successful but he’s expected to be out two to three weeks. That will end one of the longest period of health in Grant’s recent career. Let’s hope Hill will recover soon. Get Well Grant !

A bit later Steve Nash left the game with stomach flu after 20 minutes and he didn’t travel to Utah for tonights game against the Jazz. His conditions should be evaluated again this morning.

A couple of hours later the Suns came back from a poorly first half and a 16-point deficit (with 5 minutes left in the Third) to beat the Pacers 129-122 in overtime.

The Suns improved as the game progressed. “Every quarter was better and the energy was good” coach Mike D’Antoni told the press after the game.

It was the first OT game the Suns played this season and the Suns won as Bell sank two key three-pointers in the last 2 minutes of the game. Raja, coming back from a recent flu, scored 27 points (grabbed 9 rebound) on 6-of-11 3-point shooting.

Marion (23 points, 12 rebounds) and Stoudemire (25, 11) had great games for the Suns while Barbosa scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half of the game.

After the game the Suns (25-10) flew (pronounce it like flu) to Utah where they’ll play the struggling Jazz (19-17) tonight (8:30 PM).

Yours truly, Steve Fan

64-59: ASU Tops Arizona

Fanster.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:14:00 -0500

Well, that doesn't happen very often.

Remember in 2004, when Matt Miller dropped a pass from Sam Keller at Arizona Stadium? On 4th down, with ASU trailing 34-27 and a trip to the Holiday Bowl on the line?

Arizona felt that pain when Chase Budinger missed a wild three-point attempt with four seconds left and down by three.

This by far is the biggest win for Arizona State men's basketball in decades. You can point to the last win over UA (January of 2002, but noone's counting...), the win over Memphis in the 2003 NCAA tournament or others...but this is a statement.

ASU basketball...god forbid...might just be on the map. See you in the top 25 next week. T.J. will have the in-depth recap for you, and I'll have a column about it over the weekend. I know I haven't chimed in much about basketball yet and I apologize, but in the Holiday Bowl hangover and that pesky subsequent "going to work every day" thing, my posting has slowed down.

Go DEVILS!!

-Justin

Coyotes Road Trip: Hello, Canada!

Fanster.com — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:29:37 -0500

The Coyotes are on a roll and are taking their stellar play north of the border. There won’t be any welcoming arms for this rolling team in any of the next four cites.

The Coyotes are coming into Calgary with a 13-8 record on the road. They have lost the last five meetings against the Flames and are trying to break that record tonight at the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta.

The first period started dry for the Coyotes. They committed three minor penalties but the Calgary Flames failed to capitalize. The Flames committed just one minor, and (like their counterparts) the Coyotes failed to score.

The second period was a different story. Kiprusoff, of the Flames, gave up three goals in the period: scored by Daniel Winnik, Joel Perrault and Keith Yandle. Yandle put it through later in the period during a power play after the Coyotes found themselves in a 5-on-3 mismatch and failed to capitalize. His goal put them up for good.

The Flames did not go down without a fight. The complacent Coyotes came out in the third period and were met by a determined Flames offense that started the period on a 8-0 shot-on-goal run. Even with the tenacity and new-found energy, the Flames gave to little too late. Although they did score the only goal of the third period on a shot by Robyn Regehr, they still fell short.

The Coyotes beat the Flames 3-1 and improve the record book. They are now 17-1 when they lead after 2 periods. They have won their 6th straight road game and coast to a respectable 14-8 record. Goalie, Ilya Brygalov, improves to 14-11-1 on the year and is on track to win 30 games for the first time in his career.

The Coyotes are on a roll but cannot stop now. Their next three are on the road; two in Canada and one in Minnesota where they are 0-6 in their last six games against the Wild. Backstrom, of the Wild, is nothing but a brick wall when it comes to the shot offerings by the Coyotes.

If the Coyotes win their next three games on the road, they will be on an 8-game winning streak coming home on the 15th of January against the San Jose Sharks. Currently, they are just two points out of the 8th place playoff spot held by Colorado. As for now, the Coyotes can enjoy five straight and moving into tenth place after a Columbus loss to the St. Louis Blues.

Written By Kyle Mihalek

Sun Devils-Wildcats: ASU Preview

Fanster.com — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:21:00 -0500

Wells Fargo Arena plays host to the big matchup on Wednesday night between ASU and U of A at 7:30 pm. Seats are bound to fill up fast for the biggest game of the season as ASU has actually garnered more votes than the Wildcats in the most recent AP poll. I don't know when the last time that happened was. The Devils are riding an 8-game winning streak while the Wildcats are coming off a 10-point home loss to Oregon. This game represents ASU's best chance at defeating Arizona in years. So far this year the Wildcats have played much like ASU's football team, meaning that they have fallen behind early in games by double digits and fought back for victories. This may be a problem against ASU's stout defense. ASU is allowing only 56.5 ppg, good for 8th nationally in scoring defense, and should give the Wildcats fits. Another plus for the Devils is how they matchup against U of A's players. Nic Wise and Jerryd Bayless run the point for the Wildcats (Bayless should be back from his recent injury) and will run into the defense and careful ballhandling of Derek Glasser and Jamelle McMillan. Some people may think that Bayless could run through our guards but look at the fact that ASU has yet to fall victim to any PGs so far this season (Drew Lavender and Tajuan Porter did nothing against us). Our PGs play underrated defense and are backed up by the stifling zone defense. Also, Glasser is 8th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.15. Arizona's point guard is flanked by wings Jawann McClellan and Chase Budinger. While Budinger is as good as advertised, I've never been impressed by McClellan. He plays solid defense but is the worst shooter among their top six. Budinger will have probably have a good game as he can score in a variety of ways and is an excellent jump shooter. He is good at scoring off screens but since ASU will not play man on him he'll have to knock down shots from outside. If Bayless can penetrate and kick the ball back out if the zone collapses on him, Budinger will get some open looks. Otherwise, he'll have to shoot from beyond the zone. Inside, Arizona has received great play from forward Jordan Hill, who has been the biggest surprise on the team to me. Hill is shooting 65% from the field and has been a solid presence in the post. However, if he gets in foul trouble Arizona's other post players are less than stellar. Bret Brielmaier, Jamelle Horne, and Kirk Walters are combining for only 8.2 ppg and 7.6 rpg. ASU's Jeff Pendergraph and Eric Boateng have been great this year at drawing fouls in the lane and this could cause a problem for Arizona's post players (Boateng can't make a free throw but the fouls he draws still benefit the team). With the great play of James Harden (by the way, I stated his age incorrectly in the podcast..he just turned 18 four months ago, making him the youngest palyer in the Pac-10...making his play even more impressive), Pendergraph, and Glasser, the Devils should matchup favorably against the Wildcats. If Ty Abbott and Jerren Shipp can contribute in the way they had been in non-conference play (like the Xavier game, for example) then the Devils could win this one running away. The tough thing is that you never really know what will happen in rivalry games. If Arizona falls behind by a large margin in this one as they have done this year, then the ASU defense may prove to be too good for a Wildcat comeback. The game starts at 7:30pm and will be broadcast on FSN and on 960 AM. Be sure to also check out the latest edition of the Pitchfork Podcast which is posted below. See you at Wells Fargo Arena. Go Devils!

ASU Sports: Tuesday Roundup

Fanster.com — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:58:00 -0500

Want to start off the post by saying congratulations to Cory Davies of Chandler for winning the pick'em contest. Cory was the only entry to reach 12 wins, going 12-3 with upset picks West Virginia and Kansas. Enjoy the gift card Cory. PitchforkNation's own Nick Saia took second.

If ASU basketball was a stock, Seth Davis of SI.com says you should buy. (SI)

It looks like the Chicago Bears are perfectly fine with letting Wildcat Lance Briggs go, with Sun Devil Jamar Williams filling in his role at outside linebacker. (Chicago Tribune)

Zach Miller was the most productive rookie tight end in the NFL this season. (Rototimes)

Ike Diogu is struggling in his comeback after a torn calf injury in early November. (Indy Star)

Dirk Koetter to Hawaii? (Hawaii Warrior Beat)

It looks like Georgia might be the #1 team in the country headed in to Tempe on September 20th. (ESPN)

Former ASU quarterback Dax Crum is expected to sign with Wyoming this week. (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle)