tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79782724614815027302024-02-07T11:14:17.206-05:00GOOD HUSTLE SPORTSGet sports'd in 140 words or less; with links and extra media for the hardcores, and full-length Good Hustle Specials (*)Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-46510379771091153412012-09-01T22:30:00.001-04:002012-09-01T22:30:10.918-04:00GOOD HUSTLE GOING ON HIATUS<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, yes, the title is fairly self-explanitory, Good Hustle will unfortunately be taking an extended hiatus. Regular readers know that posts have become drastically more sparse over the course of the summer. This is because myself and the rest of the Hustlers simply haven't had the time to commit to creating the quality posts that our readership deserve. I can't say for sure if the blog will be back, but I sure hope so. I'd like to thank everyone who has read and supported us up to this point, and all of the other Hustlers for their contributions. There are some very talented people that have helped me out on this blog that all have very bright futures in the business, doing much bigger and better things than Good Hustle can offer. You can still keep up with my editorial work at <a href="http://www.fightnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FightNetwork.com</a>, where I write about traditional martial arts, MMA, pro wrestling and more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks again everybody</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cheers</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">CVO</span></span>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-41527911559450301272012-08-10T22:03:00.001-04:002012-08-10T22:04:35.143-04:00Bad Ass Olympians: Ian Millar<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.canada.com/sports/Brits+jump+equestrian+gold/7047753/story.html" target="_blank">canada.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Most people envision 65-year-olds playing with their
grandkids or helping their own kids renovate their homes. But competing in the
Olympic Games? No one could have seen that coming. But <a href="http://olympic.ca/team-canada/ian-millar" target="_blank">Ian Millar</a> did just that, and he has been doing that since 1972. The
Canadian equestrian just competed in his 10<sup>th</sup> Olympic Games and
since his inaugural year in those Games, he has only missed one year of
competition, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Summer_Olympics_boycott" target="_blank">1980’s boycotted Moscow Games</a>. His Olympic run this year ended
when he <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/london2012/equestrian/article/1238923--london-2012-canadian-ian-millar-ninth-in-olympic-individual-show-jumping-final" target="_blank">finished 9<sup>th</sup> in the show jumping finals</a> but with years of
experience, Millar is still bringing an old-school edge to one of the world’s
oldest sports. And according to the man himself, he isn’t done yet, as he
hasn’t yet closed the door on competing in the 2016 Games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">That’s bad ass.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-65330917558908537742012-08-05T23:02:00.002-04:002012-08-05T23:02:36.495-04:00A Weight on Carmelo's Shoulders<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Carmelo Anthony recently played <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/carmelo-anthony-breaks-record-as-us-demolishes-nigeria-in-mens-basketball/article4459219/" target="_blank">the game of his life</a> in this
year’s summer Olympics. The New York Knicks' star forward scored a record breaking 37 points (on
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqirVmnSIWQ" target="_blank">10 for 12 from beyond the arc</a>) in Team USA’s trouncing of Nigera. The only
member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_NBA_Draft" target="_blank">2003 draft class’ big 4</a> to not have a championship, Carmelo will
now be depended on more than ever to lead his Knicks to a title. Many
adjustments have to be made with the New York squad. Signing Jason Kidd and Ronnie
Brewer have, thus far, been <a href="http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/07/25/new-york-knicks-offseason-moves-analysis/" target="_blank">the biggest moves they've made</a>, but championships aren't won with transactions alone. They must learn to
work better as a team and mature on both ends of the court. A title is still a
long ways away, but the route to that title must be led by Anthony.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops</span><br />
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<br /></div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-30995225221994071212012-08-05T19:00:00.003-04:002012-08-05T19:00:59.507-04:00Bad Ass Olympians: Simon Kean<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://twitter.whotalking.com/topic/Simon+Kean" target="_blank">twitter.whostalking.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Canadian super heavyweight boxer <a href="http://fightnetwork.com/news/32216:canadian-olympic-profile-boxing-team/" target="_blank">Simon Kean</a>'s road to the Olympics reads more like <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/london2012/boxing/article/1234926--london-2012-canadian-boxer-simon-kean-is-more-superhuman-than-olympic-athlete" target="_blank">a superhero origin story</a> than a profile. In 2009, he was in an ATV accident in a remote region of Quebec that left him with his leg pinned. He was airlifted to hospital via helicopter, where a risky skin graft operation narrowly saved his leg from amputation. Kean was left wheelchair-ridden for months. Doctors told him he may never walk again, but the mighty Frenchman wasn't having it. Three years later, Kean waltzed into the most macho possible event in the Olympics, SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING, and took out a higher ranked opponent with a gutsy comeback effort. Adding to his epic legend is his Clint Eastwood-esque stoicism: when asked about his accident Kean responds simply, "I don't want to talk about that." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">That's bad ass.</span><br />
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<br />Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-39818686816958338512012-07-23T09:21:00.000-04:002012-07-23T09:26:14.933-04:00*Remembering RAW: The ECW Invasion<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, what could have been...
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFT4Oivy-VU/UAxjSuA50tI/AAAAAAAAABk/Gw1Eo8NpUWg/s1600/thealliance3_display_image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFT4Oivy-VU/UAxjSuA50tI/AAAAAAAAABk/Gw1Eo8NpUWg/s320/thealliance3_display_image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of </span><a href="http://camelclutchblog.com/">http://camelclutchblog.com</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For me, it was a clear choice for my top Raw moment. In the 1000 episodes that have gone to air, there was no other instance that stuck out more for me. Not many things give me goosebumps these days, but I re-watched it and had them for over 5 minutes. Let’s jump in our imaginary Delorian and go back to 2001, to the days where Raw could not be missed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The WWE had recently acquired rival promotion WCW, and the "Invasion" angle was just picking up steam. At that same time, ECW was sadly bankrupt. They, too, were quietly purchased by the wrestling conglomerate, and their talent was spread through WCW and WWE. In a main event that saw Jericho & Kane facing off against Lance Storm and Mike Awesome, out from the crowd ran two notorious ECW alumni, The Whole F’n Show Rob Van Dam and Tommy Dreamer. I immediately got excited that 2 of my favourites were now clearly part of WWE and making a huge impact. I picked up the phone and made sure my friend, fellow Good Hustle writer Collin Van Ooyen, was watching too. It was the only time in two decades of fandom that I felt obliged to make sure others were enjoying this glory along with me. With excitement typically reserved for Christmas morning, the night kept getting better.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z6vy2gjmyDs/UAxkjpgb47I/AAAAAAAAABs/1S36di41IwQ/s1600/jerry_rvd_collin.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z6vy2gjmyDs/UAxkjpgb47I/AAAAAAAAABs/1S36di41IwQ/s320/jerry_rvd_collin.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rob Van Dam with a young </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jerome Power (left), & Collin Van Ooyen</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What initially appeared to be the WWE coming to defend their comrades was actually a stable of ECW wrestlers who all turned at the same time and delivered a beat down to the two WWE guys (granted, Jericho should have been aligned with them as well considering his significant contribution to ECW, and later WCW, but that’s another story). Then, with Paul Heyman throwing down his commentating headset, we got his signature catch phrase that “This invasion has just been taken to the EXTREME” as RAW went off the air.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was fortunate enough to follow ECW through many of their ups and downs. Through their breakthrough onto television and pay per view all the way to their final show. Collin and I were lucky enough to see the only ECW show ever held on Canadian soil when they made their way north of the border to Mississauga for a TV taping. We even got close enough to dab our ticket stubs in the blood of Steve Corino (our request to take home pieces of the broken table were denied by security). When ECW died, my love of wrestling started to die with it. Gone were the days of choices, options and variety. Now, you either like what Vince is feeding you or you've stopped watching altogether.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TP9QJ244aRg/UAxmLdKUQDI/AAAAAAAAAB0/N8lfnP3oRrk/s1600/jerry-dreamer.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TP9QJ244aRg/UAxmLdKUQDI/AAAAAAAAAB0/N8lfnP3oRrk/s320/jerry-dreamer.jpeg" width="212" /></a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The amount of excitement I had diminished week after week, much like my interest in what was then the only game in town. The egos in charge of the creative department killed the angle in only a few short weeks. What could have provided months, even years, of entertainment came and went faster than the XFL. Almost every one of the members of the "Invasion" were either written off television or became permanent curtain-jerkers or jobbers. Guys like Diamond Dallas Page, Buff Bagwell & Scott Steiner had one big run against a top guy and then disappeared. They couldn't get the likes of Goldberg or Sting to be part of the initial invasion, which might have been for the best considering the glut of wrestlers who were being booked at the time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It wasn’t until 2005 that I became interested in the product again, when they decided to resurrect ECW for “One Night Stand”, which for me is the single greatest PPV they have ever done, and the only one I have revisited. It had everything that made ECW great - small and intimate venue at the Hammerstein Ballroom, hardcore matches, tables and all-around great wrestling from the entire roster. Hearing Joey Styles call the whole Pay Per View and listening to Paul Heyman shoot on the WWE guys in attendance made it that much better, because you could tell he was shooting straight from the heart. Most of all, hearing the fans at the show made me feel like I was at the live show at the Hersey Center all over again. Chants like "Holy Sh*t!" and "You f*cked up!" have become staples of the industry thanks to the fans, who became as big a part of the live shows as the wrestlers themselves.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ppMjf5TYXz8/UAxrl6uqp1I/AAAAAAAAACA/QkwxDC1JK34/s1600/rhino-collin-jerry.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ppMjf5TYXz8/UAxrl6uqp1I/AAAAAAAAACA/QkwxDC1JK34/s320/rhino-collin-jerry.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jerome (left), Rhino & Collin</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, what wonderful things could have been had it been in the right hands. Unfortunately I sit here now, watching videos from 10 years ago in a nostalgic trance, thinking about the good ol' days. Days that today's wrestling fans sadly know little about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/JoCrazy" target="_blank">JoCrazy</a></i></span></center><br />
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</div>Jerome Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16561256190972136058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-41666785557741678652012-07-22T23:38:00.001-04:002012-07-23T09:16:53.475-04:00*Remembering RAW: The Animal Rises<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://ortoneclipse.blogspot.ca/2008/12/wwe-top-25-stables.html" target="_blank">ortoneclipse.blogspot.ca</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><i>Monday Night Raw</i> has been around since 1993, so naturally
it’s tough to pinpoint my favourite <i>Raw</i> moment. As a kid, and even now as I get
older I’ve made it a habit to root for the underdogs. I began watching the WWE
in a serious fashion a few weeks after <i>WrestleMania 20</i>. Immediately, one group
stood out to me, and that group was Evolution. Led by legendary grapplers
Triple H and Ric Flair, and rounded out by up-and-comers Randy Orton and Dave Batista, they were the top dogs in the business. They were the untouchables and
no one could hold a candle to 'em.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.wrestling-match.com/evolution/evolution-historical-photos.asp/attachment/wwe-randy-orton-introducing-his-tag-team" target="_blank">wrestling-match.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">For months Evolution lived up to their reputation, capturing title
after title and taking out some of the biggest names in the WWE. At one point,
each member of the super stable held a title: Orton the Intercontinental belt,
Flair & Batista the Tag Team Titles and Triple H the World Heavyweight
Championship. It seemed as though this domination would last forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://dvd4arab.maktoob.com/f1097/1440014.html" target="_blank">dvd4arab.maktoob.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">That would not be the case. Cracks began to show in 2004
when Orton captured the World Championship in a tough battle with the late
Chris Benoit at that year’s <i>Summerslam</i>. On <i>Raw</i>
the following evening he was viciously assaulted by his supposed “friends” and
kicked out of the group. The line in the sand was drawn; Triple H was the
leader and was not meant to be crossed. Orton and his former mentor feuded for
months, but Triple H finally recaptured what was his. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://royalrumbler.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/road-to-wrestlemania-21-batista/" target="_blank">royalrumbler.wordpress.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">More success for Evolution followed, as Batista won that year’s <i>Royal Rumble</i>. It was safe to
say he would be facing the WWE Champion John Bradshaw Layfield at Wrestlemania,
and not his leader Triple H. But on Monday, February 21<sup>st</sup> 2005,
Batista shocked the world by turning on The Game. In that moment, the notion of
using my inside voice didn’t exist to me, as I ran upstairs to tell my mom that
The Animal had finally gone to the good side! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/358024-top-10-superstars-in-wwe-2004-2010?comment_id=2007571" target="_blank">bleacherreport.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">This epic moment on <i>Monday Night Raw</i> would spawn one of the
best feuds I have ever seen as a wrestling fan. Batista
would go on to face Triple H for the title on "The Grandest Stage of Them All"
and capture the gold, putting a smile on the faces of all the underdogs out
there watching. Batista was no longer the little guy being told what to do by Triple H.
The underdog had risen, and the powerhouse he went on to be for the next 5 years
was born. And it all wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for that
incredible moment in <i>Raw</i>’s illustrious history.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-82566718515133231322012-07-22T23:33:00.001-04:002012-07-23T07:32:41.550-04:00Chris Benoit: Tragedy Over Triumph<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://article.wn.com/view/2011/12/27/WWE_star_says_Chris_Benoit_will_never_get_inducted_into_WWE_/" target="_blank">article.wn.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">Four time Intercontinental Champion, Five time United States
Champion & a World Championship. Those are just some of the accolades
racked up by Chris Benoit throughout his 20+ year career in the squared circle.
They’re certainly Hall of Fame worthy numbers, right? Although the legendary
performer should be enshrined in WWE’s Hall, he will never be. By most, he will
be remembered as a man that <a href="http://prowrestling.about.com/od/whatsrealwhatsfake/a/benoitfamilytra.htm" target="_blank">murdered his wife & son before taking his own life</a>. The fact of the matter is he had <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3560015" target="_blank">the brain of an 80-year-old with Alzheimer’s</a> and should not be fully blamed for what he did. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGRB8lv352g" target="_blank">The man who won the Royal Rumble</a>, as it’s number one entrant had a triumphant career, but his
tragic end is something that will thwart his entrance into the WWE Hall of
Fame, no matter how deserving he is.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops</span></div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-91990347026762954372012-07-21T22:26:00.001-04:002012-07-23T01:02:22.938-04:00*Remembering RAW: The Debut of Chris Jericho<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wwe.com/f/wysiwyg/image/2012/07/jericho-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.wwe.com/f/wysiwyg/image/2012/07/jericho-49.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.wwe.com/classics/jericho-catchphrases/page-2" target="_blank">wwe.com</a>)</td></tr>
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As the shift in power in the Monday Night wrestling wars began to settle on the side of the WWE, Vince McMahon made a major signing that signified said shift to his competitor, and to the world. Chris Jericho was snatched up from WCW, and the wrestling world would never be the same.<br />
<br />
Jericho made his name in WCW's cruiserweight division, but many felt that his abundant talents were being grossly underutilized. This was a condition typical of many wrestlers working for Ted Turner at the time; there was just too many guys on the roster to give everybody their fair shake (see Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrerro).<br />
<br />
In the WWE, Jericho would be catapulted directly into a feud with the promotion's all-time most popular character, The Rock, and would go on to also become one of the greatest WWE superstars in his own right.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m2TCP4qnvEg/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m2TCP4qnvEg/hqdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a>On that historic night, Jerichoholics were treated to the culmination of a weeks long "countdown to the millennium", which happened abruptly in the middle of an always classic Rock promo. Jericho was met with a massive ovation, which continued even as he berated fans and the WWE itself. His promos were just that good.<br />
<br />
Jericho claimed to be wrestling's "most charismatic showman", and that assertion was not speaking out of school; he went on to become one of the most influential wrestlers of the 2000's. He would later become the WWE's first-ever undisputed champion, defeating both The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same match to unify both World Championships, his first of a total six World Championship reigns. He's also held the WWE Intercontinental Championship a record nine times, and now sits second on this list of all-time Monday Night Raw appearances.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jasonrivera.com/images/articles/20101224_2_859/08ralphus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.jasonrivera.com/images/articles/20101224_2_859/08ralphus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of tpww.net)</td></tr>
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<br />
At the time of Chris Jericho's jump to WWE, he was one of WCW's most recognizable faces, with his untouchable microphone skills, hilarious gimmicks (such as the classic Jericho Personal Security guard angle with "Ralphus"), and sharp, stiff, and creative in-ring skills to boot. Jericho's jump solidified the evident WWE victory of the Monday Night Wars, as they had not lost to WCW's Monday Nitro in months, and were progressively pulling away in the ratings.<br />
<br />
As significant an event as his debut was to the world of wrestling, it was especially significant in my young adolescent eyes. At that time I was a massive wrestling fan, and an avid Jerichoholic. While I may not watch wrestling with the same wide-eyed enthusiasm as i once did, events like RAW's 1000th episode offer fans like me a chance to relive those classic an nostalgic moments that had such a resonating effect on my youth.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-17911402854955488792012-07-15T18:02:00.000-04:002012-07-15T18:02:06.276-04:00*Movieball: Baseball on the Big Screen<style>
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://claymationwerewolf.blogspot.ca/2012/04/baseball-movie.html" target="_blank">claymationwerewolf.blogspot.ca</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now that both the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2012/06/11/sp-nhl-stanley-cup-final-game-5-new-jersey-devils-los-angeles-kings.html" target="_blank">L.A. Kings</a> and <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163022/NBA-Championship-LeBron-James-wins-NBA-title-Miami-Heat-roll-Oklahoma-City-Thunder.html" target="_blank">LeBron</a> have finally been
crowned, sports-fans can turn their undivided attention to America’s favourite
pastime. The summer may have only just begun, but the regular baseball
season is already in full swing. And while I only follow <a href="http://mlb.com/" target="_blank">MLB</a> with a
passing interest, cultural osmosis has cultivated in me a profound appreciation
for the game itself. <a href="http://www.sportsknowhow.com/baseball/history/baseball-history-1.shtml" target="_blank">The history of Baseball</a> is the history of the 20<sup><span>th</span></sup> Century. Its past is our
prologue. Baseball is mythical. Anyone who’s made the pilgrimage to
<a href="http://baseballhall.org/" target="_blank">Cooperstown</a>, and wandered the halls with hushed reverence, can attest to this
inalienable truth. It’s also cinematic. I may not love the sport,
in its current hyper-corporatized incarnation, but I love the game and I love
it on film.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m717teZVtg1qlxh1jo1_r1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m717teZVtg1qlxh1jo1_r1_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://bluray.ign.com/articles/108/1082228p1.html" target="_blank">ign.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s a genre of simple pleasures. From the classics
(<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035211/" target="_blank"><i>The Pride of the Yankees</i></a>) to the comedies (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097815/" target="_blank"><i>Major League</i></a>), from
the kids-flicks (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108037/" target="_blank"><i>The Sandlot</i></a>) to the Costners (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094812/" target="_blank"><i>Bull Durham</i></a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126916/" target="_blank"><i>For Love Of The Game</i></a>), baseball movies spin timeless tales of fathers and sons,
brothers and best friends. They’re most effective when waxing poetical
rather than statistical; baseball as a metaphor for life. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087781/" target="_blank"><i>The Natural</i></a>,
starring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000602/" target="_blank">Robert Redford</a>, gets me every time. When he cracks the climactic
homer, unleashing a cascade of sparks upon the diamond, I lose control, more
blubbery than a can of tuna.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thesportingsnarf.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Field-of-Dreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://thesportingsnarf.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Field-of-Dreams.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://thesportingsnarf.com/field-of-dreams/" target="_blank">thesportingsnarf.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A man’s tears are shielded from fraternal heckling on all
but a few occasions; when his child is born and when his team wins the
championship. But I’ve yet to meet a real man who’s eyes don’t mist up at
the end of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/" target="_blank"><i>Field Of Dreams</i></a>. Proof positive there <i>is</i> crying
in baseball.</span></div>Justin T. Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810461588308224770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-635241645327258062012-07-10T15:38:00.000-04:002012-07-10T15:43:42.953-04:00*Living in the Shadow of The Spider<style>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.themmanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Silva-celebrating-UFC-148-win-with-his-children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://www.themmanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Silva-celebrating-UFC-148-win-with-his-children.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://mmahammer.net/">mmahammer.net</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When <a href="http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/8139567/ufc-148-anderson-silva-earns-10th-title-defense-silences-chael-sonnen" target="_blank">Chael Sonnen lost</a> his rematch to <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Anderson-Silva-1356" target="_blank">Anderson "The Spider" Silva</a> at <a href="http://www.ufc.ca/event/UFC148/#/fight" target="_blank">UFC 148</a>, a statement was made. Not just in the context of <a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/271331/chael-sonnen-anderson-silva-fight-is-biggest-of-all-time/" target="_blank">a super-hyped main event</a>,
but it was a familiar story that has become a tragedy for so many middleweight
fighters living in the Anderson Silva era. To compete in the UFC’s middleweight
division is to compete for second place, and that is a stigma that grows more
influential with every Silva victory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One by one, world-class fighters have been handed their
dreams back to them by the champ. <a href="http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/Rich-Franklin-Will-Not-Retire-According-To-Manager.html" target="_blank">Rich Franklin</a>, <a href="http://www.finehomeslv.com/blog/ufc-73-stacked-ortiz-vs-evans-and-silva-vs-marquardt-winner-results/" target="_blank">Nate Marquardt</a>, <a href="http://martialarts.about.com/b/2010/04/10/anderson-silva-vs-demian-maia-results-check-out-our-ufc-112-results-here-as-they-come-in.htm" target="_blank">Demian Maia</a>,
Sonnen, and the legendary <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/2011/2/6/1977721/ufc-126-results-anderson-silva-vs-vitor-belfort-round-1" target="_blank">Vitor Belfort</a> are among a laundry list of fighters
who have all tried, and failed, to decipher the seemingly unstoppable Spider.
Silva has even ventured up to light heavyweight and dominated former champs
like <a href="http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/8/8/982614/ufc-101-results-anderson-silva" target="_blank">Forrest Griffin</a>, just for kicks. It’s created a desolate wasteland in the
division, with a serious lack of legitimate contenders left. Many have simply
<a href="http://mmavalor.com/2012/06/29/demian-maia-drops-to-welterweight-at-ufc-148/" target="_blank">jumped a weight class</a> up or down to try their chances elsewhere (although with
Jon Jones and GSP reigning at light heavy and welterweight respectively, their
chances may not be much better there either).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fcfighter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Silva-tapping-out-Sonnen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://fcfighter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Silva-tapping-out-Sonnen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://fcfighter.com/post/anderson-silva-vs-chael-sonnen-ii-moved-to-ufc-148" target="_blank">fcfighter.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chael Sonnen is a living representation of what it means to
compete against a talent of Silva’s level. “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh_eO2QoeCM" target="_blank">The American Gangster</a>” is easily
the next best competitor at 185 lbs. He proved this by utterly dominating the
champ in <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/431442-ufc-117-results-despite-official-loss-sonnen-was-right-about-silva" target="_blank">their first meeting</a>, and even in round one of the rematch. Despite
what were certainly his best efforts, Sonnen still couldn’t find a way to put
the champ away, and that has to have a massive effect on him mentally. There
are even rumblings that Sonnen <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/7/8/3145787/chael-sonnens-done-fighting-retire-anderson-silva-neil-melanson-ufc-148" target="_blank">may be done with the sport</a> completely after this
latest loss, and realistically, who can blame him?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At 35 years old, Sonnen, who is still widely considered the
world number two, is likely another two or three fights away from earning third
title shot. That’s about 18 to 24 months of training and competition just to get
another crack at his arch-nemesis Silva. That’s an arduous grind for a guy his
age, one that he already had some difficulty completing this time around.
Sonnen <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1251132-silva-vs-sonnen-2-results-was-chael-sonnen-more-bark-than-bite" target="_blank">barely made his way through Michael Bisping</a> en route to his latest Silva
rematch, and Bisping isn’t really considered a serious contender at the moment.
Evidently the seeds of self-doubt have not just been planted in Sonnen’s mind,
they’ve been cultivated, and after UFC 148, no one can blame him if that doubt
is now in full bloom. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.betdsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anderson-Silva-vs-Chael-Sonnen-Fight-Video.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://blog.betdsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anderson-Silva-vs-Chael-Sonnen-Fight-Video.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://blog.betdsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anderson-Silva-vs-Chael-Sonnen-Fight-Video.jpg" target="_blank">blog.betdsi.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s <a href="http://www.rankopedia.com/Most-dominant-sports-figure-ever/Step1/2153/.htm" target="_blank">a culture</a> similar to that of the PGA during <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2555909" target="_blank">Tiger Woods</a>’ era of domination, or the NBA when the <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/926592-michael-jordan-the-greatest-of-all-time" target="_blank">Jordan</a>-led Bulls were reeling off
multiple championships. There is just no answer to that level of brilliance. It
may even be a self-fulfilling prophecy, because the more contenders Silva eats
up, the less inclined anyone is going to be to think they’re going to be the
one to solve him. Fighters, after all, are only human.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0825/mma_u_franklints1_576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0825/mma_u_franklints1_576.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0825/mma_u_franklints1_576.jpg" target="_blank">espncdn.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just ask <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Rich-Franklin-392" target="_blank">Rich Franklin</a>, the man who looked so strong as
title holder before the Spider came along. Franklin was knocked out twice
against Silva, and has never made his way back to the title picture since. Now,
at age 37, Franklin finds himself <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/6/19/3097609/rich-franklin-makes-case-for-195-pound-division-but-still-wants" target="_blank">caught between two weight classes</a>, and with
little chance of ever holding UFC gold ever again. Fighting Silva sent him into
MMA limbo, the same place Sonnen seems to find himself now.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/herald-review.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e2/6e29ecca-b439-52b4-accc-a3c97502df35/4ff923070da29.preview-620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/herald-review.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e2/6e29ecca-b439-52b4-accc-a3c97502df35/4ff923070da29.preview-620.jpg" width="269" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://herald-review.com/sports/article_35fbe8e8-c731-5247-9525-94e4958a7e43.html" target="_blank">herald-review.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The second UFC 148 came to a close with a flurry of Silva
strikes, the speculation began over <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1252019-silva-vs-sonnen-whats-next-for-anderson-silva" target="_blank">who would be next</a> up to take a swing at the
middleweight strap. The problem is, there isn’t really a logical answer. Are
<a href="http://www.mmaweekly.com/mark-munoz-will-call-for-title-shot-with-win-over-chris-weidman-at-ufc-on-fuel-4" target="_blank">Mark Munoz, Chris Weidman</a>, or even Strikeforce champ <a href="http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/4/29/2986474/strikeforce-luke-rockhold-ufc-champ-anderson-silva-mma-quotes" target="_blank">Luke Rockhold</a> really
legitimate contenders? None have shown the skill level of a Chael Sonnen, but
there is literally no one else left. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rashad Evans, via Twitter, has <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/7/8/3144948/ufc-148-results-rashad-evans-says-he-wants-to-fight-anderson-silva-mma" target="_blank">expressed an interest</a> in
dropping down to middleweight to take on Silva. Now that would provide a tough
and interesting matchup, but coming off <a href="http://mmajunkie.com/news/28370/ufc-145-results-jon-jones-vs-rashad-evans.mma" target="_blank">a tough loss to Jon Jones</a>, Evans can’t
reasonably be expected to be given a title shot in his first fight at 185 lbs. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/anderson_101_32640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/anderson_101_32640.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.cagepotato.com/tag/ufc-134/" target="_blank">cagepotato.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This is life in the Anderson Silva era. The man
has established a standard of utter domination that has reverberated through
the sport on literally every level. His division has been completely cleaned
out, contenders are rightfully afraid, and those he destroys come to question
their place in the sport altogether. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fotosnovas.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Fotos-Anderson-Silva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://fotosnovas.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Fotos-Anderson-Silva.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://fotosnovas.org/fotos/fotos-anderson-silva/" target="_blank">fotosnovas.org</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">There will always be another fight,
another matchup, and one day there will be another champ. Whether or not that
champ will actually take the belt from Silva is another story altogether. One
thing is for certain; there will never be another Anderson Silva. He is
unequivocally <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1251151-anderson-silva-why-he-is-clearly-the-greatest-fighter-of-all-time" target="_blank">the greatest UFC fighter of all-time</a>, and it’s possible that the
only opponent that may be able to beat him is time itself. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lyjoB6nq770?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-66946732455339354762012-06-23T17:10:00.000-04:002012-06-23T17:11:48.500-04:00*UFC147: Franklin vs. Silva Could be a Sleeper Hit<style>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4441061/UFC147_Weighins_82_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4441061/UFC147_Weighins_82_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/6/23/3111303/ufc-147-weigh-in-photos-gallery-for-silva-vs-franklin-2-in-brazil" target="_blank">mmamania.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.ufc.com/event/UFC147" target="_blank">UFC 147</a> seems to have been preordained as a failure by some,
with <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1229510-ufc-147-did-the-endless-injury-plague-distract-us-from-a-tragic-injustice" target="_blank">an injury-plagued card</a> wreaking havoc on several of the intended matchups.
It’s that lowered expectation that could see the thrown-together main event
rematch of <a href="http://www.ufc.ca/fighter/Wanderlei-Silva" target="_blank">Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva</a> and <a href="http://www.ufc.com/fighter/Rich-Franklin" target="_blank">Rich “Ace” Franklin</a> steal the
show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At first glance, it would seem that the stakes for either
fighter couldn’t be much lower, as neither Silva nor Franklin find themselves
in serious contention for a title shot in their respective divisions. Even if
they were, the <a href="http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-147-weigh-in-results" target="_blank">190-pound catchweight</a> format would not serve to advance them in
those rankings. What makes this fight most intriguing is the setting. The
intended main event of <a href="http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/5/27/3046148/ufc-147-vitor-belfort-injured-wanderlei-silva" target="_blank">Silva vs. Vitor Belfort</a> would have been a rematch of two
hometown babyfaces, creating a potential love-in for local Brazilian fans.
Franklin presents a bad guy for people to root against, especially since he
edged out Silva in a hard fought decision after <a href="http://theflyingkneemma.com/2012/06/22/fight-flashback-rich-franklin-vs-wanderlei-silva-ufc-99/" target="_blank">their first fight back in 2009</a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/00fHcZjcjkg3K/303x235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/00fHcZjcjkg3K/303x235.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/00fHcZjcjkg3K/303x235.jpg" target="_blank">i4unews.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rich Franklin has made a habit of taking fights on short
notice, which could be dangerous for either fighter. On one hand, Franklin has
not enjoyed the luxury of a full camp training for Silva. He had originally
been preparing to fight <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Patrick-Cote-Replaces-Rich-Franklin-Faces-Cung-Le-at-UFC-148-in-Las-Vegas-43153" target="_blank">Cung Le at UFC 148</a>. On the other hand, Silva has also been
preparing for a different fighter, and the short-term adjustment in training
styles could easily see him get caught by surprise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One thing is for certain;
never count Rich Franklin out. He may be coming off of a tough <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Griffin-ekes-out-UFC-126-decision-win-over-Frank?urn=mma-317392" target="_blank">loss to Forest Griffin</a> way back in February of 2011, but the <a href="http://www.asylum.com/2009/01/14/rich-franklin-former-math-teacher-current-badass/" target="_blank">former math teacher</a> is a grizzled
veteran, and always has a few tricks up his sleeve. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://prommanow.com/2012/06/22/ufc-147-preview-rich-franklin-locks-horns-with-wanderlei-silva-for-second-time/" target="_blank">prommanow.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Silva is going to have the spirit of his entire home nation
behind him, making him an even more dangerous fighter than he already is. He
may not be getting the chance to avenge <a href="http://mmatrainingworkoutsonline.com/mma-fight-videos/ultimate-brazil/vitor-belfort-vs-wanderlei-silva/" target="_blank">his 1998 loss</a> to the Brazilian living legend
Belfort, but he will still have that fire of redemption burning against
Franklin. Silva fell victim to Franklin’s footwork and striking in their first
matchup at UFC 99, but the long layoff for Franklin could have a negative
effect on his timing. If “Ace” spends a round trying to get his rhythm back,
Silva’s still-potent knockout power could very well find it’s way to Franklin’s
suspect chin (four out of Franklin’s six career losses have come via KO or
TKO). </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2010/12/21/1890486/rich-franklin-knows-a-win-over-forrest-griffin-puts-him-closer-to-a" target="_blank">mmamania.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What fans can be certain of is that this fight will be a
war, as both men are more than happy to stand up and bang. However, if Silva does damage early, look for Franklin to shoot for a takedown; his 10 career submission wins would indicate that he's the more comfortable of the two on the ground. </span></div>
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.girlsandgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/wanderlei-silva.jpg" target="_blank">girlsandgaming.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The atmosphere in the building will be electric, and even
though there’s no title or contendership on the line, both men certainly have a
lot to prove. Franklin wants to prove that the first fight was not a fluke,
Silva wants to prove that it was, and both want to show the MMA world that
they’ve still got the goods to put on marketable fights beyond just their name
value. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-13461521251617781152012-06-23T01:44:00.000-04:002012-06-23T01:44:03.265-04:00King James Finally Crowned NBA Champion<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.carltonjordan.com/files/images/2012/06/2003-lebron-james.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://www.carltonjordan.com/files/images/2012/06/2003-lebron-james.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of carltonjordan.com)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">It took<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/">Lebron James</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>9 seasons, but he's finally joined the
NBA's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AtA6c7EEEf5Zs5CxmLYYhnfqbwM6?gid=2012062114">champion
elite</a>, guiding his<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nba.com/heat/">Miami Heat</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to a 121-106 victory over a promising
Oklahoma City squad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> With Lebron James’ 26 points, 13
assists and 11 rebounds, he became only the fifth player in NBA history to
record a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMPjAd2zlciIEdJpqjQ0sm9TDavg?docId=70b6acc6bbac4438ab859d3a6cf6a030">triple-double</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in the close out game of the Finals.
He has joined NBA greats <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02.html">Magic
Johnson</a>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html">James
Worthy</a>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/birdla01.html">Larry Bird</a>,
and<span class="apple-converted-space"> most recently </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duncati01.html">Tim Duncan</a>
who did it in 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> The Miami Heat tied an NBA Finals record
by making 14 3-Pointer’s, seven of which were by seldom used<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/mike_miller/">Mike Miller</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Lebron James is one of the most
heavily criticized players in NBA history, and he may be disliked by many, but
for now all we can do is praise him for leading the Heat to their<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/">2nd ever Championship.</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">- Nard Dogg</span><br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CCdj1GsXzGM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br /></div>David Bernardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10469506234842710228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-57427493752020911212012-06-22T20:18:00.002-04:002012-06-22T20:34:24.215-04:00*Maynard vs. Guida Underscores the Deepest Division in the UFC<style>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4427329/maynard-guida_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4427329/maynard-guida_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2012/6/21/3108539/gray-maynard-vs-clay-guida-staredown-pic-ufc-on-fx-4-weigh-in-results-atlantic-city" target="_blank">mmamania.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Gray Maynard and Clay Guida may both be top contenders for
Benson Henderson’s UFC lightweight belt, but strangely there will be little
that either man can do that can secure an immediate title shot. It seems ironic
then that tonight’s matchup promises to be one of the most riveting of 2012. Exciting
or not, this is life in the current incarnation of the lightweight division. Over
the last two years, the 155 lb field has grown to such a level that there is
now a logjam at the top of the overall rankings, and a slew of talented fighters
on the horizon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If one is to look at the lightweight picture as a game of
chess, thinking several moves ahead, it becomes difficult to see how the title
picture shapes up after Henderson faces off with former champ Frankie Edgar.
Guida and Maynard are coming off of losses to Henderson and Edgar respectively,
which made tonight’s matchup a logical choice. With a win by either man, it
would be fair to call them the division’s third best fighter, but how often
does a guy land a title shot after just a one-fight win streak? On the flip
side, a consecutive loss for either man could see them quite easily tumble down
the standings, as the competition coming up behind them is just too strong to
deny. Needless to say, the stakes are as high as can be. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vigilantemma.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/nate-diaz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://vigilantemma.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/nate-diaz3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://vigilantemma.com/2011/12/28/nate-diaz-explains-his-reaction-to-donald-cerrones-handshake/" target="_blank">vigilantemma.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Further complicating matters is top contender Nate Diaz’
one-year suspension for marijuana use, which will inevitably slow the process
of fighters getting their shot. Diaz has earned his 3<sup>rd</sup> place
ranking in those standings, and although ineligible to compete for an extended
period of time, he’ll certainly be at the fore of the title picture as soon as
he returns.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As for the current title picture, there are guys chomping at
the bit left and right. Donald Cerrone has looked more focused of late, Anthony
Pettis is a threat, boasting a win over the current champ Henderson back in
WEC, and undefeated youngster Paul Sass is only a couple of wins away from
being a serious contender. Despite a tough loss to Jamie Varner, young Edson
Barboza also has the goods to one day be a champion. Don’t forget names like
Rafael Dos Anjos, Gleison Thibau, Jim Miller, and there’s always the threat of
current Strikforce champ Gilbert Melendez eventually making the jump to the
UFC. Are you still with me? Try to follow along.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jcbjj.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/429943_344186612293062_100001051796492_1073883_1235887186_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://jcbjj.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/429943_344186612293062_100001051796492_1073883_1235887186_n.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://jcbjj.com/2012/02/29/ben-henderson-wins-ufc-title-belt/" target="_blank">jcbjj.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s said that “heavy is the head that wears the crown”, and
never has a cliché rang more true than with the UFC’s lightweights. Fights like
Maynard vs. Guida that would be bridge-to-the-belt fights in almost any other
weight class, now amount to them essentially treading water. Whoever wins
tonight’s main event will likely still be one more fight away from landing that
title fight, leaving them susceptible to catching a loss that would keep them
from a title shot altogether. Whoever loses will take a substantial knock in
the standings, putting them several fights away from the belt, and take them
out of the title picture for good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s do or die in a battle of two guys who push the pace,
and love to strike. This is the type of situation that makes MMA great, and you
can bet that the champ will be watching closely.</span></div>
Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-9057305272410847902012-06-20T19:51:00.001-04:002012-06-20T19:51:27.132-04:00Hockey's Most Legendary Goon<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXwXcB94e7AXlnT5UF4Pa_gFYkSiKtNfLsbPa5tdVfQYydob6SFexrhrSEtYxD-HuHFmeCReRk2-cTOcmxVSj5Smsu8brw5_b3PigHIthyphenhyphenQfPRNXqeDv86sB7oxzYOpuU2wyIaGhH3XM/s1600/goldthorpe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXwXcB94e7AXlnT5UF4Pa_gFYkSiKtNfLsbPa5tdVfQYydob6SFexrhrSEtYxD-HuHFmeCReRk2-cTOcmxVSj5Smsu8brw5_b3PigHIthyphenhyphenQfPRNXqeDv86sB7oxzYOpuU2wyIaGhH3XM/s320/goldthorpe.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.hockeyfights.com/forums/f35/psychos-link-gaetz-vs-bill-goldthorpe-rd2-125932/" target="_blank">hockeyfights.com</a>) </span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2ui6r3E2xdzERjSo1_OqBamcbaBm6pM6q_14HGVGAFOf7kt3LULFkHqKUkaYOXDToPB8xKdmynp2S5d3x1lHJqdT5YWuWrzJhyphenhyphenRhuvDXGJw38BAmHQKWpfnxe_Qm-JlvWucWDeJIegs/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2ui6r3E2xdzERjSo1_OqBamcbaBm6pM6q_14HGVGAFOf7kt3LULFkHqKUkaYOXDToPB8xKdmynp2S5d3x1lHJqdT5YWuWrzJhyphenhyphenRhuvDXGJw38BAmHQKWpfnxe_Qm-JlvWucWDeJIegs/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.connexionhck.com/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=612" target="_blank">connexionhck.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Every true hockey fan has heard the name before. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7LLn9kr2dA" target="_blank">Ogie Ogilthorpe</a>, the crazed goon featured in the classic film <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slap_Shot_(film)" target="_blank">Slapshot</a></i> is a legend like no other, the Paul Bunyan of the hockey
world. What many people don’t know is that he is based on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldie_Goldthorpe" target="_blank">blond-afroed man from Hornepayne, Ontario</a>. Bill Goldthorpe was and is <a href="http://dropyourgloves.com/Players/Player.aspx?Player=22298" target="_blank">the greatest hockey enforcer of all-time</a>. According to my father, a childhood friend of Goldy’s, he could play
the sport, but was more famous for his fist-handling skills than his puck
handling. Need proof on why he’s hockey's top goon? Well for one, while
imprisoned in Syracuse during the AHL season, he would be <a href="http://metronews.ca/scene/254210/ogie-ogilthorpe-exposing-the-legend-of-the-slapshot-icon/" target="_blank">escorted back and forth from prison in between games</a>. Today marks his 59<sup>th</sup> birthday,
and with that we raise a glass to the man, the myth, the legend, the goon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops </span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-83913881713046836092012-06-20T18:52:00.002-04:002012-06-20T20:34:21.460-04:00*The Last Emperor’s Last Hurrah<style>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fiveouncesofpain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fedor24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://fiveouncesofpain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fedor24.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(photo courtesy of </span><a href="http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2009/02/16/report-fedor-to-meet-with-ufc-in-june-to-discuss-matchup-with-brock-lesnar/" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;" target="_blank">fiveouncesofpain.com</a><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As was the storyline for most of his career, <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Fedor-Emelianenko-1500" target="_blank">Fedor Emelianenko</a>’s final
matchup leaves fight fans with little more than another question of “what-if?”
Squaring off in <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/news/2012/5/18/3029686/fedor-emelianenko-says-he-will-retire-after-june-21-fight" target="_blank">his final career fight</a> versus <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">UFC</a> veteran <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Pedro-Rizzo-208" target="_blank">Pedro Rizzo</a> tomorrow
night on a card for <a href="http://www.m-1global.com/" target="_blank">M-1 Global</a>, many wonder what could have been for the
once mighty Russian. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s no secret in the MMA world that <a href="http://www.fightofthenight.com/news/dana-white-says-he-has-no-interest-in-signing-fedor-m-1-global-still-hold-out-hope/" target="_blank">Fedor missed the boat</a>,
failing to capitalize on his <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/fedor-emelianenko-greatest-fighter-all-time-5676586.html" target="_blank">once-untouchable status</a> as one of the pound-for-pound
baddest men on the planet. He built his kingdom on the corpses of UFC
throwaways, but never took the plunge into the world’s biggest fight promotion.
Fedor’s management team has taken <a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/354461/Gary-Shaw-With-proper-management-Fedor-could-have-been-a-big-UFC-star/" target="_blank">the bulk of the blame</a> for the signing never
materializing, with several <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-presser-White-explodes-over-Fedor-negotiati?urn=mma,180154" target="_blank">negotiations with Zuffa falling apart</a> over the years. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/168937_1552274059224_1606326392_31225371_4547640_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/168937_1552274059224_1606326392_31225371_4547640_n.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.steverattlemma.com/tag/fedor-emelianenko/" target="_blank">steverattlemma.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The
problem is, he held onto that formula for far too long, eventually seeing his
amazing unbeaten streak <a href="http://www.mmaforreal.com/2010/6/27/1539501/strikeforce-instant-reaction" target="_blank">ended by Fabricio Werdum</a>, followed by two more
consecutive losses to <a href="http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/12019-fedor-ex-baddest-man-on-planet-loses-second-straight" target="_blank">Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva</a> and <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/fedor-loses-again-hendersons-power-turns-the-light-out-for-mma-legend?urn=mma,wp5176" target="_blank">Dan Henderson</a>, effectively putting
an end to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/04/dana-white-ufc-rips-fedor-emelianenko-fighter-mma_n_1183955.html" target="_blank">any and all mystique</a> built around him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So what <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7978272461481502730" name="_GoBack"></a>can be gleaned from Fedor’s
meteoric rise, and subsequent fall from grace? Well, if anything, his story
serves as a cautionary tale for any young hotshot thinking that they are bigger
than the sport. It’s an old cliché, but those who think of themselves in that
light often see negative karmatic returns, as the business of sports inevitably
balances it’s own moral ledgers sooner or later (see “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI" target="_blank">Allen Iverson</a>”). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Seeing Emelianenko face off with Rizzo will be a bittersweet
affair for hardcore MMA fans. While still enticing on a billboard, this fight
would have the makings of an instant classic had it taken place several years
ago, when both fighters were much closer to their primes. A match-up of that
calibre could have, at that time, been a legitimate UFC main event, but fans
will now endure a match-up of two men who are undeniably shells of their
former selves. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mmaplayground.com/forums/i/pi/157979_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://www.mmaplayground.com/forums/i/pi/157979_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.mmaplayground.com/forums/i/pi/157979_3.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">mmaplayground.com</span></a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">During the post-PRIDE period, when Fedor was destroying
lesser opponents like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbTsTdvic_Y" target="_blank">Tim Sylvia</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3QzX1ZadJM" target="_blank">Hong Man Choi</a>, UFC fans could have been
treated to fights that would have been far more intriguing, not just from a raw
skill standpoint, but also in terms of sheer status. Fedor vs. Nogueira 2,
Fedor vs. Randy Couture, Fedor vs. Brock Lesnar, all fights which would have
had massive pay-per-view buy rates. Emelianenko could have cemented himself as
a true legend of the sport by stepping onto that stage, but seemed more
concerned with maintaining status quo than achieving ultimate status. His preoccupation
with the preservation of his legacy will now be the defining trait that
ultimately tarnishes it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One more what-if for people to ponder: What if Emelianenko
shows up in St. Petersburg and absolutely dominates Rizzo like the Fedor of
old? Will the competitive bug in him seek out one more fight? And if not, is a
dominant performance over a 38-year-old Rizzo enough for people to say that he
left on top? As <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/news/2012/5/21/3035099/bob-sapp-denies-throwing-fights-says-hes-a-pioneer-of-this-sport" target="_blank">fighters like Bob Sapp</a> have proven, there is plenty of money to
made headlining on the independent circuit, and if nothing else, Fedor is a
name that will put butts in seats. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If this really is the end for “The Last Emporor”, his body
of work, although still truly great, will always have a stigma hanging over it;
the stigma of greed, the stigma of vanity, and the stigma of never proving his
greatness on the world’s biggest stage. What a sin. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-68210654810538408102012-06-12T18:59:00.000-04:002012-06-12T18:59:22.432-04:00By the Beard of Harden!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0kEG11wvuMW6x-l9QKp4xTCwESSFOxsOczOHD25a9sRbRfrJRTNdCYZkeaLsJVYJazyEg_B4pnGzaDqnHFm_5vPCins4kEZaia3FmxBQkE32wZ_37rurt4bYEulzPyQN4A3kPFsVPgE/s1600/James-Harden-Meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0kEG11wvuMW6x-l9QKp4xTCwESSFOxsOczOHD25a9sRbRfrJRTNdCYZkeaLsJVYJazyEg_B4pnGzaDqnHFm_5vPCins4kEZaia3FmxBQkE32wZ_37rurt4bYEulzPyQN4A3kPFsVPgE/s320/James-Harden-Meme.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://abasketballjones.com/2012/06/05/james-harden-beard-meme/" target="_blank">abasketballjones.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtdkqPL0hOg" target="_blank">NBA Finals</a> will be fueled by the likes of top stars such
as Kevin Durant, <a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/" target="_blank">LeBron James</a> & <a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/dwyane_wade/" target="_blank">Dwayne Wade</a>. Shuffled among these big
names, one man stands out from the rest of the pack. That man is <a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/james_harden/" target="_blank">James Harden</a>.
This year’s 6<sup>th</sup> Man-of-the-Year Award winner will be the Thunder’s
secret weapon on route to an NBA title. He has <a href="http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/06/11/harden-can-be-clutch-too/" target="_blank">hit several clutch shots</a> over
the course of these playoffs and continues to play with consistency. On a team that’s run by the NBA <a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kevin_durant/" target="_blank">scoring champ</a>, and <a href="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/russell_westbrook/" target="_blank">one of the top five point guards</a> in the league, Harden has
managed to make himself an impact player. Powered by a beard that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Hardens-Beard/243669986508" target="_blank">would make Zeus jealous</a>, Harden will
be the X-Factor and will one day soon be one of the top guns in the league.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-65044734168782160002012-06-11T22:53:00.001-04:002012-06-11T22:58:20.867-04:00Sutter is King in Stanley's Game of Thrones<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/2012/06/11/doughtyandbrown_3764-430x298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/2012/06/11/doughtyandbrown_3764-430x298.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=398187" target="_blank">tsn.ca</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It was always the <a href="http://kings.nhl.com/" target="_blank">Kings</a>. It had to be. Beyond their <a href="http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=633574" target="_blank">size</a>, <a href="http://lakingsinsider.com/2012/06/11/kings-want-to-stay-with-it-on-offense/" target="_blank">offensive prowess</a>, and <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Cole+Kings+star+Quick+study+elite+class+goaltenders/6561818/story.html" target="_blank">goaltending</a>, there was an element of mental fortitude with this team that was ever-present. It's what made them <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1174281-nhl-playoffs-8-reasons-los-angeles-kings-have-emerged-as-stanley-cup-favorites" target="_blank">the trendy pick</a> after <a href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=393982" target="_blank">dismantling Vancouver</a> so convincingly in round one. </span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptcablogs/Sutter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptcablogs/Sutter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/kings-coach-darryl-sutter-still-master-playoff-upsets-143810452.html" target="_blank">sports.yahoo.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It isn't just a product of the right combination of personalities, which <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1216581-los-angeles-kings-why-la-is-poised-to-be-an-nhl-dynasty" target="_blank">LA evidently is</a>, but something is to be said for <a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/hockey/columnists/Darryl+Sutter+Kings+primed+Stanley+glory/6735271/story.html" target="_blank">Darryl Sutter's ability</a> to not just light a fire under his team, but keep that fire raging. LA never lost consecutive games until the finals, <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl--kings--remarkable-playoff-ride-delivers-l-a--to-the-cusp-of-first-stanley-cup-championship-.html" target="_blank">nearly tying the record</a> for fewest games played in a championship run (I smell smoke). The <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl--stanley-cup-final--devils-and-kings-are-lethal--long-shots--in-parity-powered-nhl.html" target="_blank">parity in hockey</a> means that nearly every team has the talent to be great, so the voice leading the way is increasingly becoming the biggest strategic difference between champs and chumps.</span></span>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-39293262302930875882012-05-29T20:00:00.000-04:002012-05-30T01:51:51.665-04:00Philadelphia 76ers: Rise of the Underdogs<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M9GQgNlxug_InPi6FsEeTAzREta3ytLVyH4eIbqn4jTDKivSylAUrU1zt0MpmosXVd-fp6e7myFZl9VYDaCqUkyKgt61Sn2YMamgNQc9W56BT1aXc5igtUH-amrkJifiGRVkcetU-1w/s1600/2994.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M9GQgNlxug_InPi6FsEeTAzREta3ytLVyH4eIbqn4jTDKivSylAUrU1zt0MpmosXVd-fp6e7myFZl9VYDaCqUkyKgt61Sn2YMamgNQc9W56BT1aXc5igtUH-amrkJifiGRVkcetU-1w/s200/2994.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1166&bih=731&tbm=isch&tbnid=Upg29W-WFyMd2M:&imgrefurl=http://www.sportslogos.net/logo.php%3Fid%3D2994&docid=o6oXUcWsuIbI0M&imgurl=http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/6/981/full/2994.gif&w=545&h=269&ei=HRzFT_H4Hsjt0gGK58m9Cg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=376&vpy=154&dur=36&hovh=157&hovw=320&tx=152&ty=104&sig=117485466263713533085&page=1&tbnh=78&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:72">sportslogos.net</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf-JQ5izEvaZCSrQCSOD9dkBh8RMboJ0AcS-Wk3RLI8dYR8DxBhHELwIkpqznYEFjvAqJ1hFs_R3O7UXIptssUhIvLDGkCU4o8MZab4t3etLG-mzGq46RTrck-jt_5KsLaDfChCxFweU/s1600/nba-western-conference-finals-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf-JQ5izEvaZCSrQCSOD9dkBh8RMboJ0AcS-Wk3RLI8dYR8DxBhHELwIkpqznYEFjvAqJ1hFs_R3O7UXIptssUhIvLDGkCU4o8MZab4t3etLG-mzGq46RTrck-jt_5KsLaDfChCxFweU/s1600/nba-western-conference-finals-logo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1166&bih=731&tbm=isch&tbnid=2yvWJiI3YNxO5M:&imgrefurl=http://www.therx.com/thunder-at-mavericks-game-1-betting-preview&docid=DnmwLWYvt41u9M&imgurl=http://www.sharpbettor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/nba-western-conference-finals-logo.jpg&w=200&h=99&ei=9RvFT8-DIcW-0QGF8-mUCg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=377&sig=117485466263713533085&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=78&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:72&tx=105&ty=54">therx.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">With
the <a href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/playoffs/?gclid=CMeFvPeLprACFbEBQAodjE1SWw">Conference Finals underway</a>, the Heat, Celtics, Spurs & Thunder will do
all they can for a chance at competing in the NBA Finals. One team that won’t be
is the Philadelphia 76ers, whose playoff hopes were <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRX-Sle4s0k">crushed by the Celtics Saturday Night</a>.</span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFS3Tj_1Xe77f6fLe3gryqVrGEzt8whLe4tJd7nSWgJxPb3rtgXjrkcKWBuYh30OLyL9rURurNbTnXbn35LUmutwxrcB49O1gtl66SB9-Y7g3-OOZAFHeFsJR8W4sX64dDvltbPqMYqg/s1600/052612-sixers-lose-400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFS3Tj_1Xe77f6fLe3gryqVrGEzt8whLe4tJd7nSWgJxPb3rtgXjrkcKWBuYh30OLyL9rURurNbTnXbn35LUmutwxrcB49O1gtl66SB9-Y7g3-OOZAFHeFsJR8W4sX64dDvltbPqMYqg/s200/052612-sixers-lose-400.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1166&bih=731&tbm=isch&tbnid=4zAePfDukKScRM:&imgrefurl=http://thestartingfive.net/2012/05/27/and-so-it-ends-rajon-rondo-goes-tre-deuce-in-game-seven-as-celtics-put-away-sixers-85-75/&docid=2CPRnBYT7M3yYM&imgurl=http://media.philly.com/images/052612-sixers-lose-400.jpg&w=400&h=300&ei=OBzFT4LHG6fZ0QGD0JHeCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=258&vpy=136&dur=24&hovh=193&hovw=258&tx=134&ty=107&sig=117485466263713533085&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=152&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:71">thestartingfive.net</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cU4_c-l6D-6Cs4HKysHypW1H_ipASps6-BxN2dXffppyj781hAMqUQYVbuMtW8me9q4IrmfSoBEhDkDjsZTitGVQnKE8WXCDx1E_vp37bzU-NHVM2MdX5GVscyJZ_G1E8eTUVxRdI00/s1600/iguodala120709-thumb-350x251-11602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cU4_c-l6D-6Cs4HKysHypW1H_ipASps6-BxN2dXffppyj781hAMqUQYVbuMtW8me9q4IrmfSoBEhDkDjsZTitGVQnKE8WXCDx1E_vp37bzU-NHVM2MdX5GVscyJZ_G1E8eTUVxRdI00/s200/iguodala120709-thumb-350x251-11602.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?start=31&num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1166&bih=731&tbm=isch&tbnid=PAIhaF72NBl2hM:&imgrefurl=http://www.depressedfan.com/fastsearch%3Ftag%3DFirst-Person%2BReport&docid=5BeGuGItuO65bM&imgurl=http://www.depressedfan.com/assets_c/2009/12/iguodala120709-thumb-350x251-11602.jpg&w=350&h=251&ei=YhzFT-qKHKfW0QGHqpCqCg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=418&sig=117485466263713533085&page=2&tbnh=177&tbnw=256&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:31,i:9&tx=155&ty=42">depressedfan.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The
Sixers just <a href="http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Cnf.html">barely made the playoffs</a> and
were considered <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2AqTH-aEyE&feature=related">underdogs from the jump</a>. They silenced their critics by
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMeMPmlsoCg">knocking out the top-seeded Bulls in the first round</a>, and brought fourth place
Boston to <a href="http://www.nba.com/video/channels/playoffs/2012/05/27/phi_bos_series_recap.nba/index.html">7 games in round 2</a>. Although officially done for the season, the
76ers proved that the future is theirs. With an <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/roster/_/name/phi/philadelphia-76ers">average age of 25</a>, Philly
should be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. With their showing in
these playoffs, fans can now see that it’s time for the rise of the underdogs.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">-Raindrops</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lf5i3K-nCNY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y7avl-9MPrk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br /></div>Justin Goulethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06525245456180183011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-27385545955181483092012-05-15T23:56:00.002-04:002012-05-15T23:57:50.311-04:00Coach St-Pierre is Lengthening His UFC Legacy<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rorymacdonaldandGSP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rorymacdonaldandGSP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rory MacDonald (left) and GSP (photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.cagepotato.com/ufc-145-jones-vs-evans-aftermath-pt-2/" target="_blank">cagepotato.com</a>)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.ufc.ca/fighter/Georges-St-Pierre" target="_blank">GSP</a> may be <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1183511-georges-st-pierre-says-he-is-open-to-headlining-ufc-event-in-january-2013" target="_blank">on the mend</a>, but he's never off his game. The UFC <a href="http://www.mmaweekly.com/georges-st-pierre-i-am-not-the-champ-anymore" target="_blank">welterweight champ</a> has been helping along several young fighters on his <a href="http://tristargym.com/" target="_blank">Tristar</a> team, and the results speak for themselves. Georges' influence has been evident, with <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rory-macdonald-rolls-che-mills-immediate-ufc-145-034700864--spt.html" target="_blank">Rory MacDonald</a>, <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1154648-ufc-145-results-mark-bocek-spoils-the-return-of-john-alessio-wins-via-decision" target="_blank">Mark Bocek</a>, and most recently <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/5/15/3023161/ufc-on-fuel-tv-3-results-yves-jabouin-dominates-jeff-hougland" target="_blank">Yves Jabouin</a>, all registering very impressive wins. Not only are they winning, but they're each exhibiting mutual distinctive traits that mirror St-Pierre's game: tactical striking, ring control, and a nearly impenetrable sprawl. Plus, fighters are fight fans too, how jacked must they be to see GSP in their corner after each round? Regardless of what his in-ring future holds, it seems like St-Pierre has the goods to become a full-time trainer. We saw it on <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=ycn-11080848" target="_blank">The Ultimate Fighter</a>, we're seeing it now, and we could see it a whole lot more in the future.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pv4gL0DW5zw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vh0EXHzUFZ8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-75388587323693839332012-05-14T22:28:00.000-04:002012-05-14T22:28:39.158-04:00Have The Heat Already Won The East?<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/photo_images/6942544/20120513_tjg_su8_845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/photo_images/6942544/20120513_tjg_su8_845.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.peninsulaismightier.com/photos/heat-pull-through-pacers-despite-bosh-injury/3357456" target="_blank">www.peninsulaismightier.com</a>)</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.nba.com/heat/" target="_blank">Miami Heat</a> look like they might just be <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1179052-nba-playoffs-2012-miami-heat-heavy-favorites-to-advance-to-east-finals" target="_blank">untouchable in the Eastern Conference</a>. Chicago were <a href="http://www.sodahead.com/entertainment/are-the-chicago-bulls-contenders-without-derrick-rose/question-2624034/" target="_blank">the only real contenders</a> to their crown, and we all saw <a href="http://www.blogabull.com/2012/5/10/3013188/bulls-vs-sixers-2012-nba-playoffs-bulls-eliminated-from-playoffs-in" target="_blank">how they looked without D-Rose</a>. It's ludicrous to think <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1179157-nba-power-rankings-2012-grading-every-remaining-team-in-2012-playoffs/page/10" target="_blank">Philadelphia</a> or <a href="http://nbagrapevine.com/uncategorized/nba-playoffs-2012-indiana-pacers-have-no-chance-to-upset-miami-heat/" target="_blank">Indiana</a> can matchup with the Heat, and <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1179157-nba-power-rankings-2012-grading-every-remaining-team-in-2012-playoffs/page/2" target="_blank">Boston</a> would have had their hands full with that lineup even a few years ago when they were the big dogs. With <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/derrick-rose-injures-left-knee-chicago-game-1-195728614.html" target="_blank">Rose out of the picture</a> along with <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7834605/orlando-magic-dwight-howard-back-surgery-miss-rest-season" target="_blank">Dwight Howard</a>, it has become painfully obvious just how lopsided <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1152831-10-nba-stars-that-arent-their-teams-best-player" target="_blank">the talent pool in the NBA</a> really is. Blue collar teams that reside in the middle of the pack can simply do no more than compete, creating an elitist culture that is even more exclusive than <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Four_(English_football)#.22Big_Four.22_dominance" target="_blank">English soccer</a>. For the swaths of <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/24951516/0/1" target="_blank">Heat haters</a>, it would seem that their hopes live on only in the West. </span>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-6440275143540013042012-05-13T12:50:00.000-04:002012-05-13T12:50:03.893-04:00Manchester Drama Provides Epic Premier League Finish<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/13/article-2143702-1311DED3000005DC-29_634x415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/13/article-2143702-1311DED3000005DC-29_634x415.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2143702/Manchester-City-win-Premier-League-QPR-survive.html" target="_blank">dailymail.co.uk</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Hollywood couldn't have scripted it better; Cross-city rivals <a href="http://www.manutd.com/Splash-Page.aspx" target="_blank">Manchester United</a> and <a href="http://www.mcfc.co.uk/" target="_blank">Manchester City</a> tied atop the table on <a href="http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/05/13/premier-league-finale-your-survival-sunday-survival-guide/" target="_blank">the last day of the season</a>. United, the juggernaut of the EPL. City, the kid brother. <a href="http://tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=395844" target="_blank">United's game</a> finished moments earlier than City's, and that was all it took for <a href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2012/05/13/manchester_city_wins_bpl_title/" target="_blank">history to happen</a>. City, down 2-1 in stoppage time, scored two massive goals to steal the title from the jaws of what would have been a crippling defeat. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/2012/5/13/man_44276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/2012/5/13/man_44276.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=395844" target="_blank">tsn.ca</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">City has drastically changed their culture in recent years, </span><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/picturegalleries/9241725/Manchester-City-third-on-list-of-sports-big-spenders-in-pictures.html" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">becoming big spenders</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> in an attempt to turn England's </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Four_(English_football)#.22Big_Four.22_dominance" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">big 4</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> into a big 5. After so many </span><a href="http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/man-city-hat-trick-striker-tevez-invites-controversy-golf-swing-insult-3085021" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">controversies</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">, and the scourge of their powerhouse rivals at Old Trafford, it seems their mission has been accomplished. With a single strike, a title was won, </span><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2114753/QPR-owner-Tony-Fernandes-faces-financial-nightmare-down.html" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">a team was relegated</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">, </span><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2143363/Manchester-City-face-title-day-destiny-says-Roberto-Mancini.html" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">jobs were saved</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">, and history was rewritten. </span>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-70558529062362193372012-05-12T23:09:00.000-04:002012-05-12T23:09:01.297-04:00Ovechkin's Legacy: The Biggest Loser<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4011077/144111264_extra_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4011077/144111264_extra_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2012/4/27/2979577/2012-nhl-playoffs-capitals-rangers-schedule-eastern-conference" target="_blank">sbnation.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Over his short career, <a href="http://capitals.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8471214" target="_blank">Alexander Ovechkin</a> has seen his status slip from being <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/22/AR2006062202028.html" target="_blank">the Russian answer to Sidney Crosby</a>, to being just another "<a href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/05/01/nhls-russian-enigma-still-proves-puzzling/" target="_blank">Russian enigma</a>". Ovie <a href="http://screen.yahoo.com/ovechkin-s-new-role-helping-capitals-29153714.html" target="_blank">saw his role change</a> drastically in this year's playoff run in <a href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/05/10/dale-hunter-making-believers-out-of-capitals/" target="_blank">an attempt by coach Dale Hunter</a> to get his offensively-charged lineup to play a defense-first style. Ovechkin's <a href="http://www.sportressofblogitude.com/2012/05/02/ovechkin-on-lack-of-ice-time-sometimes-you-just-have-to-put-eye-in-your-butt/" target="_blank">ice time dropped</a> drastically as a result, but the Caps were pulling out some gritty wins. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/04/22/Sports/Advance/Images/ccc05_1335136801.jpg?uuid=u5JaPozREeGxMuqxn06LLg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/04/22/Sports/Advance/Images/ccc05_1335136801.jpg?uuid=u5JaPozREeGxMuqxn06LLg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/04/22/Sports/Advance/Images/ccc05_1335136801.jpg?uuid=u5JaPozREeGxMuqxn06LLg" target="_blank">washingtonpost.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/05/11/capitals-alex-ovechkin-carries-weight-of-game-7/" target="_blank">Game seven</a> in the Big Apple was <a href="http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=395797" target="_blank">a tightly-contested match</a> that offered Ovie the opportunity to change <a href="http://www.rldhockey.net/2012/04/is-game-7-defining-moment-for-ovechkin.html" target="_blank">the narrative about his worth as a big-game player</a>. Instead, he withered under the pressure, failing yet again to make the big play and carry his team to victory. Pressure creates gems, but it also creates rubble, and Ovechkin is running out of chances to show us what he's made of.</span><br />
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</div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-74983847634579297262012-05-11T15:37:00.000-04:002012-05-11T15:37:21.890-04:00Canada's Got Talent; Struggling on IIHF Stage<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/ch_article_main_image/articles/02594897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://thechronicleherald.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/ch_article_main_image/articles/02594897.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/92849-canada-beats-slovakia-in-world-opener" target="_blank">thechroniclehearald.com</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">At the 2012 <a href="http://www.iihf.com/channels-12/iihf-world-championship-wc12/home.html" target="_blank">IIHF World Championships</a>, <a href="http://hockeycanada.ca/" target="_blank">Canada</a> boasts yet another <a href="http://www.iihf.com/competition/272/teams/CANADA.html" target="_blank">roster</a> that is oozing talent, but *gasp* they've <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=630741&print=true" target="_blank">failed to utterly dominate</a> thus far. Canadian fans don't accept mediocrity. Despite an <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/hockey/story/2010/02/28/spo-olympic-hockey-gold-can-usa.html" target="_blank">epic gold medal</a> at the Olympics, Canadian hockey has begun to show an alarming trend; players are putting on the red and white, automatically saying "gold medal, please". <a href="http://www.usabasketball.com/" target="_blank">American basketball</a> and <a href="http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=bra/index.html" target="_blank">Brazilian soccer</a> have had similar problems; heavy hangs the head that wears the crown. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.hockeycanada.ca/digital_asset/1/9/4/3/7/3/image_18737ecafa8e1c2003f7cefb90c6e103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://media.hockeycanada.ca/digital_asset/1/9/4/3/7/3/image_18737ecafa8e1c2003f7cefb90c6e103.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/194613/la_id/1/ss_id/7158/" target="_blank">hockeycanada.ca</a>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Canada lacks chemistry. A group of stars are playing as individuals, just as they normally do in their respective NHL roles. The goaltending depth is not what it used to be, so bailouts are harder to come by. Canada's sheer talent does win out sometimes, i.e. <a href="http://tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=395667" target="_blank">today vs Finland</a>. The question is: is that going to be enough to rule the world?</span>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-17935921647962522402012-04-26T23:44:00.000-04:002012-04-26T23:44:02.798-04:00The Great Vancouver Goalie Debate<style>
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<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://passittobulis.blogspot.ca/2011/01/no-controversy-just-competition-for.html" target="_blank">passittobulis.blogspot.ca</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 18pt;">The <a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/" target="_blank">Canucks</a> are in a pretty
awkward spot. After getting <a href="http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/47138220/ns/nhl/" target="_blank">embarrassed in the playoffs</a> this year, the ice is
now wearing thin in <a href="http://ingoalmag.com/news/schneider-luongo-debate-rages-in-vancouver-but-not-in-canucks-room/" target="_blank">the Vancouver goal crease</a>. Reading the writing on the wall,
<a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466141" target="_blank">Roberto Luongo</a>, a man who walked on water in BC not so long ago, reportedly <a href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/04/26/vancouver_canucks_goalie_roberto_luongo_asks_for_trade/" target="_blank">asked the Nucks for a trade</a> today. In classy fashion, Luongo recognized young <a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8471239" target="_blank">Cory Schneider</a> as the future of the franchise <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/municipal-election/Vancouver+Canuck+Roberto+Luongo+willing+waive+trade+clause/6510691/story.html" target="_blank">in an interview</a> with local reporters.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mapleleafshotstove.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/roberto-luongo-sad-face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://mapleleafshotstove.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/roberto-luongo-sad-face.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://mapleleafshotstove.com/">mapleleafshotstove.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 18pt;">Now comes <a href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/video/latest/HC-Luongo-tough-to-move/" target="_blank">the tricky part</a>; Bobby Lu commands a hefty price tag, but is also
under contract for another decade. That's a tough sell when you're moving a
goalie you gave up on. There are <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/roberto-luongo-asks-canucks-trade-list-reportedly-maple-134700505.html" target="_blank">several teams</a> with the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/1167524--cox-fate-of-canucks-goalie-roberto-luongo-poses-awkward-questions-for-maple-leafs" target="_blank">need</a>, and the means to
accommodate the dollars, but the most <a href="http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/19/how-much-would-luongo-be-worth-on-the-trade-market/" target="_blank">interesting question</a> is "how much is
Roberto Luongo really worth right now?".</span></div>
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<br /></div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7978272461481502730.post-57633313649528906792012-04-21T21:37:00.000-04:002012-04-21T21:37:13.158-04:00UFC 145: Jones vs Evans - Believe The Hype<style>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&s=jon-jones-rashad-evans-04-18-12-15-48-9-849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&s=jon-jones-rashad-evans-04-18-12-15-48-9-849.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/397913/Jon-Jones-and-Rasahd-Evans-finally-have-real-stare-down/" target="_blank">mixedmartialarts.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the unfortunate side effects of <a href="http://www.chron.com/sports/article/UFC-a-staggering-success-in-its-first-decade-2208692.php" target="_blank">the UFC’s staggering growth</a> has been the dilution of the <a href="http://www.fight18.com/the-talent-pool-in-mma-ufc-is-still-thin/" target="_blank">talent pool</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_White" target="_blank">Dana White</a> still puts on the
best <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_martial_arts" target="_blank">MMA</a> show on earth, but lately there has been an element of hype missing
from main events. <a href="http://www.ufc.ca/event/UFC145" target="_blank">Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans</a> seems to remedy that perfectly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is a marquee matchup the UFC usually only boasts when the likes of
Anderson Silva or GSP are fighting. <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1154285-ufc-145-fight-card-keys-to-victory-for-rashad-evans" target="_blank">Evans presents the biggest challenge yet</a>
for the seemingly indestructible Jones, possessing the speed, and intelligence
that could finally give the champ a run for his money. Jones on the other hand
has <a href="http://www.mmamania.com/2011/9/19/2435050/jon-jones-reach-examined-on-espn-sports-science-video" target="_blank">unprecedentedly ridiculous reach</a> and <a href="http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f2/jon-jones-most-creative-unpredictable-fighter-history-mma-1829029/" target="_blank">striking ability</a>, which will make it
tough for the smaller Evans to get inside and do damage. No matter what happens,
this is a much-needed clash of the Titans.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vIVLYXJaBR4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>Collin VanOoyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007436566560045233noreply@blogger.com0