Sunday night the Pittsburgh Penguins, my favorite NHL team, fired Michel Theirren as head coach. Much like the Phoenix Suns firing of Terry Porter, it is a dysfunctional move.
Last season was the greatest season since the Mario Lemieux era. They fell short of a third Sir Lord Stanley's Cup. Two games short to be precise. So how do they reward the coach and try to inspire the team? Fire the coach.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, two things are key to building a winning franchise. Stability at the head coach and not let that coach make personnel decisions. If an organization has a strong scouting department, one person to evaluate the talent and a good head coach, chances are an organization will win. Will they win the title? Not every year but they will be a in position to contend.
I'm not saying the coaches shouldn't get fired. Sometimes management and ownership make a mistake and have to make the change. Other times it's sign of impatience, pandering to fans or just a plain dysfunctional organization.
The Ottawa Senators fired Craig Hartsburg 48 games into the current NHL season. This is the same team that lost the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007. They are now on their 4th man behind the bench since then. Current GM Bryan Murray moved up the food chain after he coached the team to the 2007 Cup Finals. His replacement was fired 64 games in the 2007-08 season and Murray took over again. Then Hartsburg took over for the current season and we just witnessed his execution. Maybe moving Murray into the GM spot was not such a good idea. He may be a good coach but as a former coach with personnel decisions doesn't look like it may a be a good idea. Two coaches gone since his tenure at GM.
Which brings me back to the Penguins. It's obvious they have some talent in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They are one and two in points scored (assists and goals for you non-hockey fans). They also are obviously a team capable of getting hot and making a deep playoff run. So why fire the coach that got you there. Sure the team took a step back but sometimes that happens.
Reasons cited in both cases of the Suns and the Pens is the players were no longer buying into the respective coach's philosophies. More so the case with the Suns coach Terry Porter. To me it sounds more like the inmates running the asylum. A coach is there to teach, coach, game plan and impose discipline to a team. If the players are allowed to run coaches off, the teams take a dangerous turn toward irrelevance and dysfunction.
I pray that the Penguins are not headed that way. The decisions made between now and the end of the season will make or break a team that seemed to be on the rise.
NFL Draft and Combine Reports
I've already established that mock NFL drafts and the alleged gurus are worthless. So as a fan what does that leave me with? The upcoming combine?
Yes and no on the combine. A friend sent me a text how he just sits in front of the TV and watches the NFL combine. I don't see the point. I'm not a scout or do I know how to grade players. Also the whole thing is boring. No what I like is to read reports and opinions from credible sources. Not the mock drafters and that website a bunch of bloggers and writers put together. Only problem is who to believe. The combine starts soon so I better figure it out.
If nothing else I have my Houston Texans 2009 Texans Draft Central. I'm hoping to find a few more.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Baseball Shenanigans, U.S.2 Mexico 0
More Roid Rage in MLB
Alex Rodriguez did roids. Miguel Tejada cried in the public court of the media. Roberto Alomar allegedly has AIDS. Major League Baseball never seems to be able to drag it's name out of the mud.
In all honesty I never cared. Baseball saved itself from the work stoppage and rode the wave of Sammy Sosa and Mark McLiar's homerun chase to salvation. In all probability baseball knew what was going on but chose to look the other way. They had to. MLB was an all time low. They need to something to pull them out of the fire. A steroid scandal right after the work stoppage would have been the death of baseball. Baseball's popularity would probably ranked between pre-lost season NHL and MLS. To save their sport for obscurity, MLB owners and management had to look the other way.
Uncle Sam 2, Tricolor 0
Team USA once again beat Tricolor de Mexico in soccer. Uncle Sam's Army prevailed in a 2-0 in a 2010 World Cup qualifier in Columbus, OH. The United States continues to dominate the series.
I'll admit it. When it comes to certain international sports, I'm nationalistic. I get no few joys greater than Team USA beating overrated Mexico in soccer. Team Mexico has delusions of grandeur. The U.S. has a way of bring them back to earth.
As Nelson from the Simpsons says:
Alex Rodriguez did roids. Miguel Tejada cried in the public court of the media. Roberto Alomar allegedly has AIDS. Major League Baseball never seems to be able to drag it's name out of the mud.
In all honesty I never cared. Baseball saved itself from the work stoppage and rode the wave of Sammy Sosa and Mark McLiar's homerun chase to salvation. In all probability baseball knew what was going on but chose to look the other way. They had to. MLB was an all time low. They need to something to pull them out of the fire. A steroid scandal right after the work stoppage would have been the death of baseball. Baseball's popularity would probably ranked between pre-lost season NHL and MLS. To save their sport for obscurity, MLB owners and management had to look the other way.
Uncle Sam 2, Tricolor 0
Team USA once again beat Tricolor de Mexico in soccer. Uncle Sam's Army prevailed in a 2-0 in a 2010 World Cup qualifier in Columbus, OH. The United States continues to dominate the series.
I'll admit it. When it comes to certain international sports, I'm nationalistic. I get no few joys greater than Team USA beating overrated Mexico in soccer. Team Mexico has delusions of grandeur. The U.S. has a way of bring them back to earth.
As Nelson from the Simpsons says:
Monday, February 2, 2009
Steelers Win Super Bowl, Kurt Warner still a Vagina, Mock Drafts are Useless
Actually it doesn't matter. If the Cardinals won the Super Bowl Kurt Warner would still be a vagina. Not your ordinary run of the mill vagina either but a big, hairy, smelly, wet vagina.
Why you ask? I don't care if you asked, I'm going to write it anyway.
I have no problem with people being religious in general. I think though that religion is a private thing. Athletes that proclaim and praise a deity for success in vanquishing an opponent come across as arrogant and self righteous. There is a time and a place for the praise. A post game interview or press conference isn't the forum for it. There is church, a family gathering and even an interview in the press. Talk about your religion and faith then.
Jesus, Mohamed, Buddha or Vishnu played no part in your victory, athletic prowess or late game penalty that allowed you to go score on the game winning drive. Jesus didn't tackle, Mohamed didn't play linebacker, Buddha didn't cause a fumble and Vishnu didn't jump offside.
No the game was decided by play calling, play execution, athletic prowess and sometimes bone head moves or pure luck. God didn't will one team to win over the other.
Ah but it isn't religion that makes Warner a vagina. What makes him a vagina is that he considered retiring midseason after Anquan Boldin took that vicious hit against the Giants in week four.
Depending on who you believe, his husband or Warner, the thought was there during the game that he thought about it. His husband, Susan Powers, says he meant immediately. Warner says he meant after the season. Whatever the case, you don't text your husband during the game and mention retirement. What is any player doing on the sideline with a phone anyway?
Warner, his vagina twitching after that hit, thought about retiring. Why all of a sudden in week four did you think of it? Sure the hit on Bouldin was vicious. I can understand it shocking and shaking up everybody on the field. But to come out and say you thought about retiring is just flat out twatty behavior. Warner acts like this is the first time he's realized that football could be dangerous. It's like he never heard of Joe Theisman or Mike Utley.
Maybe Warner realized that Jesus wasn't out there to block for him and that the time to retire was now.
Now that it's the off season is when Warner should start contemplating his retirement. Now is a good time to consult with Jesus and pray about it. Not the middle of the season.
Whatever you do Warner, spare us the Brett Farve saga and stick to your decision once you make it.
Texans, Free Agency and Mock Drafts
Since the Texans had no place in the playoffs, I started looking at draft sites, reading draft gurus and looking at mock drafts.
Then I realized what an exercise in futility it was. Basically all the really good scouts that do reports charge money for their services. The few paysites that are available doesn't mean they are with the money. Those are mostly observers of the draft. Just because they charge doesn't mean they know what they are doing.
Finally some of the mock drafts and alleged gurus simply don't know what they are talking about. In some drafts, it's evident that they have no clue what some teams need and they merely slot college players by rank.
The Texans need help on the defensive side. Mario Williams needs help to take double teams off him. The Texans more than likely will draft a defensive linemen or linebacker. They have stated they need another running back to compliment Steve Slaton. The Texans believe they can find a third down or short yardage back in the later rounds.
With the Texans criterion in mind, I take a look at a few mock draft. Many have the Texans taking a defensive player. A mock draft losses credibility when they list the Texans picking offense with the first round. Draft Tek has the Texans taking Keyshawn Moreno from Georgia. Texans have a top five offense and need the defensive help. Moreno won't be in a Texans uniform. Total Pro Sports projects Missouri's WR Jeremy Maclin because the Texans "are not the same team when he [Andre Johnson] is hurt." The guru is right about that but please point out which game Johnson was hurt this season? He wasn't. Draft Insiders' Digest is equally as clueless with a Moreno pick. I can't find the link anymore but there was another with the Texans selecting Beanie Wells (RB Ohio St).
Two things make the mock drafts pointless. First, free agency hasn't started. Where the free agents end up can significantly change a teams draft strategy. Second is the team visits and NFL combine. Players pretty much go under the microscope with physical and mental exams along with interviewing with coaches and scouts. A players value can greatly increase or decrease based on the combine.
So instead of following the mock drafts, I'll spend my time better by looking at internet porn and maybe looking for stocks to buy to make me some money.
Why you ask? I don't care if you asked, I'm going to write it anyway.
I have no problem with people being religious in general. I think though that religion is a private thing. Athletes that proclaim and praise a deity for success in vanquishing an opponent come across as arrogant and self righteous. There is a time and a place for the praise. A post game interview or press conference isn't the forum for it. There is church, a family gathering and even an interview in the press. Talk about your religion and faith then.
Jesus, Mohamed, Buddha or Vishnu played no part in your victory, athletic prowess or late game penalty that allowed you to go score on the game winning drive. Jesus didn't tackle, Mohamed didn't play linebacker, Buddha didn't cause a fumble and Vishnu didn't jump offside.
No the game was decided by play calling, play execution, athletic prowess and sometimes bone head moves or pure luck. God didn't will one team to win over the other.
Ah but it isn't religion that makes Warner a vagina. What makes him a vagina is that he considered retiring midseason after Anquan Boldin took that vicious hit against the Giants in week four.
Depending on who you believe, his husband or Warner, the thought was there during the game that he thought about it. His husband, Susan Powers, says he meant immediately. Warner says he meant after the season. Whatever the case, you don't text your husband during the game and mention retirement. What is any player doing on the sideline with a phone anyway?
Warner, his vagina twitching after that hit, thought about retiring. Why all of a sudden in week four did you think of it? Sure the hit on Bouldin was vicious. I can understand it shocking and shaking up everybody on the field. But to come out and say you thought about retiring is just flat out twatty behavior. Warner acts like this is the first time he's realized that football could be dangerous. It's like he never heard of Joe Theisman or Mike Utley.
Maybe Warner realized that Jesus wasn't out there to block for him and that the time to retire was now.
Now that it's the off season is when Warner should start contemplating his retirement. Now is a good time to consult with Jesus and pray about it. Not the middle of the season.
Whatever you do Warner, spare us the Brett Farve saga and stick to your decision once you make it.
Texans, Free Agency and Mock Drafts
Since the Texans had no place in the playoffs, I started looking at draft sites, reading draft gurus and looking at mock drafts.
Then I realized what an exercise in futility it was. Basically all the really good scouts that do reports charge money for their services. The few paysites that are available doesn't mean they are with the money. Those are mostly observers of the draft. Just because they charge doesn't mean they know what they are doing.
Finally some of the mock drafts and alleged gurus simply don't know what they are talking about. In some drafts, it's evident that they have no clue what some teams need and they merely slot college players by rank.
The Texans need help on the defensive side. Mario Williams needs help to take double teams off him. The Texans more than likely will draft a defensive linemen or linebacker. They have stated they need another running back to compliment Steve Slaton. The Texans believe they can find a third down or short yardage back in the later rounds.
With the Texans criterion in mind, I take a look at a few mock draft. Many have the Texans taking a defensive player. A mock draft losses credibility when they list the Texans picking offense with the first round. Draft Tek has the Texans taking Keyshawn Moreno from Georgia. Texans have a top five offense and need the defensive help. Moreno won't be in a Texans uniform. Total Pro Sports projects Missouri's WR Jeremy Maclin because the Texans "are not the same team when he [Andre Johnson] is hurt." The guru is right about that but please point out which game Johnson was hurt this season? He wasn't. Draft Insiders' Digest is equally as clueless with a Moreno pick. I can't find the link anymore but there was another with the Texans selecting Beanie Wells (RB Ohio St).
Two things make the mock drafts pointless. First, free agency hasn't started. Where the free agents end up can significantly change a teams draft strategy. Second is the team visits and NFL combine. Players pretty much go under the microscope with physical and mental exams along with interviewing with coaches and scouts. A players value can greatly increase or decrease based on the combine.
So instead of following the mock drafts, I'll spend my time better by looking at internet porn and maybe looking for stocks to buy to make me some money.
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