Kings Have Canucks on the Ropes

(photo courtesy of thestar.com)

The LA Kings may finally become rulers of something. After a pair of convincing wins in Vancouver to kick off their first round matchup, LA is in prime position to upset the freshly minted presidents trophy winners. Darryl Sutter's stingy game plan has stifled the shorthanded Canucks, and Jonathan Quick has proven to be the superior netminder. 

(photo courtesy of cp24.com)

The reunion of best buds Mike Richards and Jeff Carter provide LA with a proven winning dynamic in their leadership group. They have big, strong scoring forwards, and an elite puck mover in Drew Doughty. These are key ingredients to winning playoff teams. The Kings history book isn't exactly rich with tales of glory, meaning that this upset would alone be a significant moment, regardless of what happens in the following rounds. If things keep clicking, however, this team could do damage. 

Bob Sapp is Gambling With his Brain

(photo courtesy of cagetoday.com)

MMA legend Bob Sapp just doesn't know when to tap out. Well, with 8 losses in his last 9 fights, 6 of which via submission, maybe he does. The problem is that with every new fight he takes, the more damage his brain takes. To say Sapp is past his prime is an understatement. His resolve in holding onto in-ring glory is an ominous illustration of the dangerous culture of pro fighting. More is learned about CTE every day, and it's hard to believe that a guy who fights as frequently as Sapp, at his advanced age, hasn't developed the degenerative brain disease (he's got 3 fights scheduled in a 3 week span, a daunting task even for prime-aged fighters). Maybe it's money, maybe it's pride, either way Sapp may become a sad example of the dangers of hanging on.

 

*UFC 129: Epic Achievement of Glory

      
    At a time of year when the NHL and NBA playoffs are giving us so much juicy drama to talk about, the UFC came along and, for one night at least, rendered them both completely irrelevant. No big.


    The massive spectacle staged Saturday night at Toronto's Rogers Centre was a full-on coup for the world's biggest fight promotion. A living metaphor for the sport's validity in the global landscape. The sheer magnitude of the event was enough to make it a classic, but the action on the card is what truly made the evening a resounding success.


    A record ten Canadians competed on the UFC 129 card, a piece of intelligent and strategic fight picking on behalf of Dana White and his staff. The Canucks went six for four on the night, and even those who lost put on a great show. Ontario native Mark Hominick may have gotten the largest ever ovation for a dude who got thoroughly beaten down. Featherweight champ Jose Aldo laid the smackdown on Hominick through the first four rounds, but the deformed Hominick riled his hometown crowd into a frenzy when he turned the tables in the fifth and nearly knocked Aldo out. 


    Seven out of the twelve fights on the card were finishes, with a few nasty ones, like Randy Couture eating a Steven Seagal kick from Lyoto Machida, and gritty veteran Jason MacDonald getting the W with a textbook triangle choke. The important part here is that the fans got some literal bang for their buck, which goes a long way when lower level seats are being sold for four-digit numbers.


    The aforementioned Couture capped off his legendary career by receiving an emotional ovation from the record crowd, the type of moment that alone is worth the price of admission. A Randy Couture retirement fight is big enough to headline any UFC event, but rather than hog the spotlight, "The Natural" opted to be a part of history. And history it was.


    Canadian demi-god Georges St-Pierre put in yet another workman-like victory over top contender Jake Shields, playing it safe by feeding Shields a steady diet of his trademark jab, and scoring some takedowns late in the fight to secure the victory. The impressive aspect of the win was that GSP maintained control throughout the fight, despite being blind in one eye for more than half of it. No big. Winning is what legends do. I for one would still love to see a rematch with Shields, but that doesn't seem to be a thought shared by anyone in the industry.


    In the aftermath it is difficult to even reflect on the magnitude of what was accomplished in this city on Saturday night. It was not just a big show with a big gate. This was a symbol. This time last year mixed martial arts was not even legal in this province, and no signs of that changing were on the horizon. Dana White and Canadian director Tom Wright (he of former CFL commissioner fame) did a fantastic job of convincing the McGuinty government of how good this could be for the local economy. 


    The real victory is in how significant this event was on the world stage, and in raising the profile of the city. This ain't no Pan-Am games, and sports fans know that. There was a special feeling in the building on Saturday. A feeling that those in attendance were a part of something special. A part of history. From the layout of the floor, to the positioning of the screens, to the selection of the fights, to the performances of the fighters themselves, the UFC scored a unanimous decision: epic achievement of glory. No big.