Sportsfrog.com

Eventful. And then some. The highlights:

—The Bears, with having dealt away their draft (in effect) for Jay Cutler and the late Gaines Adams, and desperate to make a splash with their fanbase (and try to save GM and coaching jobs), went a’spending. The new players? Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor, and Brandon Manumaleuna. Peppers, obviously, was the big prize, with $42 million guaranteed of the $91 million dollar contract. Taylor gets a nice chunk of change to get to be a featured back again, and as for the former Charger TE, that one is more of a head scratcher on the surface. I guess that means Greg Olsen really is available in a deal, although it is hard to see what role Manumaleuna will have in a Mike Martz offense. David Haugh in the Chicago Tribune with some words on Chicago going the full Dan Snyder.

—In Baltimore, the Ravens went a LONG way toward fixing what ails their offense when they traded for Anquan Boldin and signed him to a three-year contract extension. As a Bengals fan, this move really displeases me. If Derrick Mason does not retire, then a receiving corp of Boldin, Mason, and Donte Stallworth is about one million times better than what Baltimore ran out there last year and makes them, in my mind, the favorites in the AFC North heading into season at this point in time. Mike Preston in the Baltimore Sun adds an obvious seal of approval to the deal.

—The Karlos Dansby to the Dolphins deal makes a lot of sense. Bill Parcells built teams feature a good linebacking corp, and Dansby is certainly a good linebacker.

—Dunta Robinson gets to play close to home in Atlanta and gives the Falcons much needed CB help in a division that features Drew Brees and the Saints offense.

Sarah Kwak at si.com with five things you need to know for today’s Gold Medal game between US and Canada. It appears to written for the three people that read si.com regularly who have never seen Olympic hockey. Among the insights:

—Forget about the previous game between the teams.

—Ryan Miller is really good

—Offensively, the US has been good in the last two games

—The pressure is on Canada

Yoinks. Slow down there Sarah, you’re almost blinding me with the originality of those thoughts.

The main thing I need to know is if NBC will deign to show it live. And apparently they will. If they actually do, that might qualify for as big a miracle as the US win over Russian in 1980…

(This post comes courtesy of Swamp superstar bapo!)

I’ve been a hockey fan forever. I love it for the same reasons that everybody else does — the speed, the skill, the grace, Ron Duguay’s hair, etc. — but lately I’ve been finding it harder and harder to defend. There’s nothing wrong with a hard-hitting game, as long as the hits are clean and meaningful, as long as the hits are used to separate a player from the puck, not the player’s head from his body.

The concussion problem is all the rage these days. Malcolm Gladwell is writing about it, Congress is capitalizing on it, Mike Leach is devising new treatment methods, and the NFL is taking steps to protect its players. People seem to be realizing that concussions are a serious issue and that big hits to the head shouldn’t be celebrated. (I don’t think that ESPN airs its “Jacked Up!” segment on Monday nights anymore.)

So, that’s progress. But in hockey, the culture of the game has to catch up. It’s great that injured players are going to receive better treatment, but they’re still getting injured at an alarming rate. In the NHL, we see replays a couple of times each week of borderline/dirty plays. It’s become commonplace. And the game at the lower levels is no better.

A couple of months ago, in an Ontario Hockey League game, Erie’s Michael Liambas tried to put Kitchener’s Ben Fanelli through the glass. Fanelli spent a few days in critical condition. He’s out of the hospital now, but he has no idea if he’ll ever play hockey again. Liambas (5 career goals, 357 penalty minutes) was suspended for the remainder of the season. I attended a game in Erie a couple of weeks later. First thing I saw when I walked in: an elderly woman wearing a Liambas jersey. Then I saw the autographed photos of Liambas at the souvenir stand. Before the game, a video tribute to Liambas aired, then Liambas walked out onto the ice and was mobbed by his teammates. Long, thunderous ovation from the Erie fans. I was a little ambivalent about the whole scene.

And then Patrice Cormier happened (link cotains graphic video footage). Cormier is a skilled player (2008 second-round pick of the New Jersey Devils) who already has a reputation for playing over the line. At the World Junior Championships a few weeks ago, he dished out two suspension-worthy elbows that did not actually result in a suspension. Yesterday, in a game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he lunged at Quebec’s Mikael Tam, hitting him in the face with his elbow. He wasn’t trying to slow Tam down. He wasn’t trying to separate him from the puck. No, he was trying to hurt him. Tam was knocked unconscious and went into convulsions. Early word is that he should be okay, though he’s missing a few teeth and had his jaw fractured. Cormier should be suspended for the rest of the season, but the QMJHL hasn’t announced its punishment yet.

The leagues, from the NHL to the minors to the juniors to the peewee level, need to address this. Occasionally, a Liambas or a Cormier will do something that is so ridiculously awful that he forces everybody to pay attention. But what about the elbows to the head that don’t result in a player convulsing on the ice? Is that just a part of the game? A high stick is called even if the guilty party did not intend to injure. But if Mike Richards knocks out David Booth? Well, Booth shouldn’t have been skating with his head down. (Booth has now missed 39 games for the Florida Panthers. Richards wasn’t even fined for his hit.)

The term “respect for the game” has been thrown around a lot the past few months. Players are so big and so fast, and a huge collision can happen on just about every shift. Lining people up, Scott Stevens-style, is an accepted part of the game now, with no regard for the health of the other player. I cringe when I see this because I can’t help but think of these players 20 or 30 years down the line. I love this sport, and I don’t want Patrice Cormier to be a part of it.

Not fully paying attention to the season yet? Forgot there is a three week free NHL Center Ice Preview underway? Have not checked to see if you still get Vs? (hint, if you have DirecTV, you don’t)

No fretting. Get your primer on how things look early in all things puck with si.com’s power rankings here. A taste with their write-up of the Rangers, up from 17 to 4:

New York Rangers (4-1)

Probably best not to get too worked up. The 2008-09 Rangers opened 10-2-1 before settling into their role as first-round cannon fodder, but there’s a different feel to this bunch, isn’t there? Marian Gaborik, with a point in every game, is the offensive threat they lacked last season, but the immediate impact of young defenders Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy changed this club’s dynamic.

And, bonus, they are not threatening to take their business elsewhere like seems to be going down out on the island…

Not last night anyway.

Chicago, at home, spotted Calgary five goals and at the 11:53 mark of the first period, down 5-0, decided to start playing the game too.

And, eventually, tracked down Calgary for a 6-5 OT win. Second time in NHL history that deficit has been erased. Sellout crowd too. Got their money’s worth in that one.

The Vice President of the NHL, Colin Campbell, and his head of officiating, Stephen Walkom, didn’t seem to care for one of their officials. And they discussed it via e-mail, because really, what better place is there to discuss potentially illegal discriminatory practices?

You see, they had an official who did really well on his performance reviews. Good enough that he worked the playoffs for four out of five years in one stretch. In 2003-04, 21 out of 22 evaluations were positive. The next season, the positive reviews continued. Then he was elected to an executive position in his union. Suddenly, he was no longer a good enough ref to work the playoffs, and was subsequently fired.

And now, through his suit against the NHL, some very interesting emails between Campbell and Walkom have come to light. Such as this exchange that Campbell initiated:

“There must be a way to get rid of this guy. Is there a way we could track total minors called by referees this year?

Walkom responded in writing: “I think we have that data but it may work in (Warren’s) favour. That why I’m against data.”

Apart from the incredibly obvious appearance of discrimination here, can we take a second to examine that last sentence by the head of officiating in the NHL? You are against data? Really? You understand that data is composed of facts and information, right? Facts and information by which you can and should be evaluating your employees. But no, who wants information, right? You’d rather evaluate your officials based on other qualifications, right? Not facts or information. No, never that. You’d rather evaluate them on less factual qualifications. Such as, oh, I don’t know, whether or not they’re pro-union?

You. Stupid. Man.

Here we have a person in charge of evaluating a number of employees who is essentially saying that he does not believe in an objective evaluation of his employees. And he writes that down, and documents it, in an exchange with a professional colleague. Just. Wow. And Campbell doesn’t come across as the brightest, or most ethical, bulb either. In addition to the line above, this one is fun:

“Can we use this sh– to remove him or is there an HR (human resources) excuse?”

Allow me to paraphrase: Dear sir, I want to fire someone for no good reason. Can you please help me make up an imaginary reason to fire him? Really, really stupid and highly unethical? These guys should consider moving below the border and running for Congress.

The New York Islanders and the Town of Hempstead are currently engaged in a battle of wills over a new hockey rink. In a nutshell, Islanders owner Charles Wang wants to build a huge development – The Lighthouse Project – which includes a new hockey rink for his team as well as new hotels, malls, office buildings, residences, highways, bridges, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It’s a multi-billion dollar price tag, a sizable chunk of which would, of course, come out of taxpayer pockets.

As Mike Francesa points out on the regular, Long Islanders are already a very highly-taxed bunch of Americans. Furthermore, the Town of Hempstead is also worried about the congestion, traffic, and envronmental repercussions. In order to apply pressure for Hempstead to rule in favor of his project, Wang has been aggressive. He has scheduled a hockey game in the currently-vacant Kansas City arena. He set a deadline of yesterday, after which he said he would be open to all offers, including moving the team or selling it. And he has hired PR firms to apply political pressure, much of which has been applied through the Islanders fan base.

At last night’s home opener, the Islanders hit a new low, producing signs that staff members handed out to fans. You’ve got to love how the Isles took the time to make it look like the signs are “homemade”, so that it looks like taxpayers are voicing their own concern, not echoing a corporate message.

I have no idea whether or not the project is good for Long island. And as I understand it, Wang has sunken a whole lot of dough into the franchise. But B.D. Gallof at Hockey Indepdent thinks that Wang and the Islanders are not even trying to negotiate. And he believes that they’re trying to put Hempstead in a no-win position where they look like the bad guy. Writes Gallof:

So the question needs to be asked: Does Charles Wang and the Lighthouse Project even want a solution? Is this an all or nothing end game designed to show him as the good guy, when it is voted no because he refused to come to the table when the ToH asked? Whether the ToH did or not when Wang wanted them to is irrelevant. That is past. But, now, as they spout how any changes would delay things (not true), and look to fight on every fart and fizzle, who really is to blame here now?

Facts are, the Lighthouse Project and Charles Wang do not seem to want a solution. They want to smash this into the ToH and make them vote on it. Show them that the Lighthouse is willing to let it all be snuffed out if the ToH is willing to be the bad guys to do it.

The talk of moving to Kansas City or Las Vegas has to be killing Isles fans, not only because their favorite team might relocate, but because they finally have a team on the ice that looks like it has some long-term potential.

…they kick me back out.

Well, Versus does. And DirecTV. The NHL indirectly, I guess.

Between the two (or three), I will have far less access to the NHL this season, as DirecTV’s spat with Versus has led to Versus being dropped from DirecTV’s line-up this morning. If that isn’t fixed, not only are nationally broadcast regular season games of note not available, but the playoffs and Stanley Cup Final will be, in large measure, inaccessible to DirecTV folk.

Which seems less than ideal.

Still, this is just silly:

So, who’s at fault?

No one, really. But I will say this: In 2007 and 2008 when DIRECTV was anxious to prove it was the HD leader — and that it offered more HD channels than anyone else — the satcaster would have been more likely to accept Versus’ demands.

However, those days are gone. DIRECTV is now resting on its HD laurels, if you will, hoping that old and new subscribers will buy the propaganda that it has more high-def channels than anyone else. However, it doesn’t; it’s added just a handful of high-def channels in the past 18 months, enabling Dish Network and other TV providers to pass it. And now Versus is gone — another reason to consider signing up with another provider.

I suppose.

But, random internet person to whom I now respond, here’s the thing. DirecTV remains the exclusive home of Sunday Ticket for NFL games, so, really, I (and a lot of people like me) don’t really care that the pace of HD channels has slowed down from DirecTV, as long as we have to come to DirecTV for our NFL fix. And DirecTV still has plenty of HD channels. But no Versus. Which will suck come the days when the pucks drop.

The Swamp has been kicking this around here. Drop by with a thought or two.

The allegations that Kane, the young face of the rejuvenated Chicago Blackhawks franchise, helped his counsin beat a Buffalo cabbie over 20 cents are rather stunning. And hard to believe on the surface. Until you read the details from the cabbie. Courtesy the Chicago Tribune:

The report stated that at about 5 a.m. EDT, the cousins took a cab from Chippewa Street, an area in Buffalo known for its nightlife, to Eastwood Place, with the fare totaling $13.80. The men handed over $15, but when Radecki gave back a dollar and said he didn’t have the 20 cents change, James Kane (Patrick Kane’s cousin) tore the money from his hand and both men began punching the driver in the face and head, according to the report. Police recovered a torn $5 bill from James Kane’s right pocket, the report stated. Patrick Kane earned a base salary of $875,000 last season, and entry-level contract bonuses pushed his total pay to $3.725 million. Radecki said that during the payment dispute, James Kane, who was sitting behind him, “sucker-punched” him. At that point, Radecki said, Patrick Kane began punching him.

” The other one [Patrick] punched me in the head. He says, ‘You don’t know who you’re [expletive] with! You don’t know who you’re [expletive] with! And he kept pounding and pounding on me,” Radecki said, his voice rising to a shout.

A witness saw the attack and called police, Radecki said. He said he initially was leery after picking the two up because they wouldn’t immediately give him a destination. Buffalo police spokesman Michael DeGeorge said the Kanes were charged with second-degree robbery, a Class C felony, and fourth-degree criminal mischief and theft of services, both Class A misdemeanors, and were taken to the Erie County Holding Center.

Sadly, that’s all too believeable. And the fact there is an independent witness gives further pause.

There’s a thread on it developing the Swamp here courtesy Swamp all-star Bapo(!). Drop by with a thought or two.

… cuz a Capitals party don’t stop. Here are some fun pics – from Alex Ovechkin’s blog – of the party he threw for himself for being the best hockey player on earth this year … again. Yep, Federov and Semin brought their blonde Russian supermodel friends too. Thats’s a rough life they have.

But my favorite part is watching Semin and Ovechkin do what most other guys on earth do when they get into the DJ booth: dance awkwardly, yell something incomprehensible into the mike, and generally look foolish. Video here.

MEMO TO PHOTOSHOP PHANS: If there isn’t some quality work done on that last pic by the time hockey season rolls around, I will be sorely disappointed. Note the strategic placement of the microphone and Semin’s facial expression.