Wednesday, October 11, 2006
mets/cardinals nlcs predictions
If the rain stays away, the NLCS will kick off tonight in Shae Stadium. There seems to be a prohibitive favorite.
Some predictions from around the web...
• Peter Gammons: Mets in six
• Buster Olney: Mets in seven
• Cool Standings: Mets in six
• John Donovan: Mets in five
• Baseball Musings: Mets
• Baseball Prospectus: Mets in six
• A Tad Opinionated: Mets in six
Some predictions from around the web...
• Peter Gammons: Mets in six
• Buster Olney: Mets in seven
• Cool Standings: Mets in six
• John Donovan: Mets in five
• Baseball Musings: Mets
• Baseball Prospectus: Mets in six
• A Tad Opinionated: Mets in six
mizzou qb is the big 12's best
Missouri is the only undefeated team in the Big 12 and is tied with Nebraska at the top of the North Division. With his team at 6-0, is former Southlake Carroll quarterback Chase Daniel, now a sophomore at Missouri, the Big 12's best QB? Many think he is right now. And Texas had an opportunity to recruit him but dediced at just a little over 6 feet, he wasn't tall enough. Looks like it was their loss.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
thoughts on the tigers/a's series
The Detroit Tigers are four wins away from their first World Series in 22 years. If you're keeping score, of the four teams left in the playoffs, the team that has gone the longest without a World Championship is the Cardinals.
Some predictions from around the sports scene:
• Peter Gammons: A's in seven
• Rob Neyer: Tigers in seven
• Cool Standings: Tigers in six
• John Donovan: A's in six
• The Hardball Times: A's in six
• Baseball Prospectus: Tigers in six
• Baseball Musings: Tigers
• A Tad Opinionated: Tigers in five
Some predictions from around the sports scene:
• Peter Gammons: A's in seven
• Rob Neyer: Tigers in seven
• Cool Standings: Tigers in six
• John Donovan: A's in six
• The Hardball Times: A's in six
• Baseball Prospectus: Tigers in six
• Baseball Musings: Tigers
• A Tad Opinionated: Tigers in five
tuberville blasts lack of a playoff
In case you missed it, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville blasted the lack of playoff format last Wednesday, saying he doubts any team from the Southeastern Conference can make the BCS national championship game without a playoff. He very well may be right, though Auburn didn't help their cause much this weekend, losing to Arkansas 27-10.
a little trickeration by the razorbacks
Here's a nifty trick play that Arkansas pulled off against Auburn in its stunning 27-10 upset on Saturday. It's being called the "Fish Bucket" play and its the second trick play Arkansas has successfully engineered in three weeks. The Razorbacks used a bit of trickery in their Sept. 23 victory against Alabama below. Arkansas has turned around its season since suffering a 50-14 loss to USC on Sept. 2 in Fayetteville and could be 7-1 entering a Nov. 4 game at South Carolina.
Razorback players complaining after the game that officials tipped the Crimson Tide players and coaches shortly before the ball was snapped that something was coming, and Alabama was able to hold the Razorbacks to a modest 10-yard gain thanks to a nice open field tackle.
Monday, October 9, 2006
not a big jeff kent fan...
In this Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle, Tom Candiotti reveals he had Jeff Kent drilled to help out his fantasy baseball team.
"It's '92 or '93," Candiotti says. "I'm playing for the Dodgers, Jeff Kent is with the Mets. I'm in a fantasy baseball league. I don't have Kent on my team and he's off to a torrid start and he's killing me."
Ramon Martinez is warming up in the Dodgers' bullpen to pitch the series opener. Candiotti strolls to the pen and, within earshot of Martinez, tells pitching coach Ron Perranoski, "Perry, I just talked to Bret Saberhagen, and Sabes told me that if Kent gets drilled his first time up, he's mush for the rest of the series."
"Ramon just absolutely buries one in Kent's ribs," Candiotti says. "It was so bad that he went down on one knee, and he had to come out of the game. I sat there thinking, 'What did you just do? You told a complete lie, you got this guy drilled!'
The best part of the story is when Candiotti talks about how after that, "Pedro Martinez (Ramon's brother) started drilling Kent, and so did all the other Dominican pitchers. For years, Ramon drilled Kent every time." Of course, it's worth noting that, uh, non-white pitchers seem to be beaning Kent all the time, and we're not sure the reason is fantasy baseball.
madano still the man in dallas
Modano still Stars' central force By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
It's not like Mike Modano hasn't played through distractions before.
There was that breakup with longtime girlfriend Kerry Nelson. There was that time his Stanley Cup ring wound up on eBay. There was that time his financial adviser mismanaged a huge chunk of his savings.
So losing the captaincy, heck, that's small potatoes. All right, maybe not that small, but Modano said that it's something he can handle.
"I wasn't happy, I didn't think I did a bad job and I was disappointed," he said. "But it's time to move forward, and that's what I'm going to do. There's no use thinking about it or talking about. It's not going to help us play any better this year."
And Modano wants to play better. Even after leading the team last season with 77 points, even with a strong comeback from a distraction-filled 2003-04 campaign, even having proven critics wrong for the third ... or fourth ... or fifth time, Modano still wants to play better. And the funny thing is, he can.
"If the rule changes continue to go the way they have, they're playing right into Mike's hands," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "The thing about Mike is he is a tremendous skater, just an incredible athlete, and he hasn't lost a step. He takes great care of himself and he still can fly, and these rules really reward players like that."
In a game built for speed, Modano might be experiencing a rebirth at 36. In four preseason games, Modano had three goals and three assists and was plus-5. Through two regular-season games, he has only one goal but is plus-2 and has seven shots on goal. Those aren't earth-shaking numbers, but there is a feel around the team that Modano could be ready for an explosive season. Consider these points:
•Linemate Jussi Jokinen scored only 17 goals last season as a rookie. Jokinen should be better at putting the puck in the net this season – he had three goals in five preseason games. Modano could pick up some points from Jokinen's improvement.
•The power play that struggled during the early past of last season was among the top three in the league (22.2 percent) after the Olympic break. Continuing that trend has been one of the big projects for Tippett in the off-season, adding two key pieces in Jaroslav Modry and Eric Lindros and a key assistant coach in Ulf Dahlen. Modano could pick up points here.
•The addition of Jeff Halpern as a checking-line center should take some checking responsibility off Modano. For the last eight seasons, Modano and Jere Lehtinen have pretty much been matched against the other team's best players every night, with the thought being that Modano would always win those battles. But in recent playoff series against Colorado, Modano's line struggled against Joe Sakic's line – and there was no real help from Niko Kapanen. But Halpern is different. He is more of a tenacious center who can attack opposing team's top players and give Modano a break.
When the thought of a 90-point season was broached to Modano, he smiled. "It would be nice," he said "I haven't seen one of those in a while."
In fact, he has seen only two in his career – his last season in Minnesota (1992-93) and his first in Dallas (1993-94). So could a player who has had ups and downs find a huge up in the twilight of his career? Nothing is impossible.
"I think what's great about Mike is he doesn't worry about numbers, and he doesn't need the numbers to define a great season," Tippett said. "He could have 90, I don't know, but I think if you look at the consistency of his career numbers, you realize he could have 80 and do a lot of little things right and be one of the best players in the league." In fact, there is no doubt Modano still is the best player on the team.
"I know how other coaches think and I know how they game plan, and every single game plan against us starts with trying to stop him," Tippett said. "That's just a fact." Tippett added that Modano could have had 100-point seasons, but he is the type of player who gave that up for the chance to play for a winner. And, he believes, Modano will show that same attitude this season.
Brenden Morrow, who got a contract extension and the "C" for his sweater before the season started, said Modano already has been that way about the captaincy. "We've talked about it a little bit, and I know he is disappointed. But he's never shown any animosity to me about it," Morrow said, before joking: "We still have breakfast a couple of times a week, and he still pays when it's his turn."
And maybe Modano has learned from distractions. "He is a leader and he'll prove a lot of people wrong about that," said Darryl Sydor, a good friend of Modano's who is back with the Stars this season. "He's disappointed, but you'll just see it in hard work. I just think he's excited about playing. I just think he's ready to have some fun."
And what better way to handle a distraction than to have a little fun. "Honestly, I just want to play," Modano said. "I'm looking forward to the year."
Saturday, October 7, 2006
this is classic... from espn gameday
I doubt the Florida fans are implying that Corso is a South Carolina fan.
Friday, October 6, 2006
weekend preview
• The A's go for the sweep of the hapless Twins
• Detroit returns home with a split looking to rough up Randy Johnson... How can you win 17 games with a 5.00 ERA?
• The Tigers rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Mussina, who was undefeated at Yankee Stadium over the past four regular seasons when staked to a lead of two or more runs (29-0 with six no-decisions). But Mussina is now just 5-3 in 10 postseason starts in which he has led by two runs, and his team lost both games in which he didn't record a decision.
• The Red River Shootout (sounds much better than the "Rivalry" as they call it now) has two pretty evenly matched teams with texas and ou.
• And T.O. returns to Phily.
• Detroit returns home with a split looking to rough up Randy Johnson... How can you win 17 games with a 5.00 ERA?
• The Tigers rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Mussina, who was undefeated at Yankee Stadium over the past four regular seasons when staked to a lead of two or more runs (29-0 with six no-decisions). But Mussina is now just 5-3 in 10 postseason starts in which he has led by two runs, and his team lost both games in which he didn't record a decision.
• The Red River Shootout (sounds much better than the "Rivalry" as they call it now) has two pretty evenly matched teams with texas and ou.
• And T.O. returns to Phily.
Thursday, October 5, 2006
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
stars get a little revenge
Daryl Sydor scored on a break-away after exiting the penalty box in overtime to give the Stars a 3-2 win against Colorado in OT. The Stars' 7-0-3 mark since 1995 is the fourth-longest unbeaten opening-night streak in NHL history. The Avs lost their first home opener (5-1-1) since moving to the Pepsi Center.
texas/ou
Texas and Oklahoma will take turns choosing seating areas at the Cotton Bowl for their annual game in Dallas. Of course, OU has traditionally been in the south end zone which is where the tunnel that Texas uses to go on to the field is.
In somewhat related news, former OU quarterback Rhett Bomar apologized to the NCAA in a letter he wrote dated Aug. 24. He's still waiting to hear if he'll be reinstated by the NCAA to play at Sam Houston State.
showalter, out
After much speculation, it's official: Buck Showalter won't be back for the 2007 season. Buck was apparently given the option to resign before the Rangers fired him late yesterday.
man do i hate the yankees
Here's a link for all you other Yankee haters. My least favorite Yankees... Jason Giambi and Derek Jeter.
Go Tigers!
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
the best and worst in the nfl
Bottom 5 teams
5) Detroit
4) Houston
3) Miami
2) Tennessee
1) Oakland
Top 5 teams
1) Indianapolis
2) Chicago
3) Baltimore
4) Seattle
5) Cincinnati
5) Detroit
4) Houston
3) Miami
2) Tennessee
1) Oakland
Top 5 teams
1) Indianapolis
2) Chicago
3) Baltimore
4) Seattle
5) Cincinnati
Monday, October 2, 2006
stars roster analysis
The Stars will host the All-Star Game this season, bringing the best in the NHL to American Airlines Center on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Dallas starts the season on the road in Colorado this Wednesday against the Avs team the knocked them out in the first round of the playoffs last year.
Here's Mike Heika's analysis of this year's Stars roster.
WINGERS
No. 10 Brenden Morrow
Ht./wt: 5-11, 205
Born: Jan. 16, 1979, Carlyle, Saskatchewan
2006-07 salary: $2.2 million
2005-06 stats: 23 goals, 42 assists (+30)
By the break: He could be an All-Star. A gritty scorer who has earned the respect of Team Canada officials in their selections, he could be in for a career year.
All-Star moment: In the 1999 World Juniors, Morrow had a goal and six assists in Canada's 12-2 win over Kazakhstan. "It was one point short of Mario Lemieux's record, so that was probably my best memory."
No. 15 Niklas Hagman
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 205
Born: Dec. 5, 1979, Espoo, Finland
2006-07 salary: $675,000
2005-06 stats: 8 goals, 13 assists (-10)
By the break: He should have established himself as an important part of the checking line and possibly even matched his scoring totals from last season.
All-Star moment: Hagman participated in the YoungStars game as a rookie member of the Florida Panthers in 2003. "It was kind of all over the place, because it wasn't a real game," he said.
No. 17 Mathias Tjarnqvist
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 196
Born: April 15, 1979, Umea, Sweden
2006-07 salary: $450,000
2005-06 stats: 2 goals, 4 assists (+4)
By the break: He will have either pushed his way into the lineup or he'll have a ton of healthy scratches.
All-Star moment: "Growing up, I just loved watching guys like [Wayne] Gretzky and [Mario] Lemieux. You couldn't see them much over there, so the All- Star Game was always a chance to watch them play."
No. 36 Jussi Jokinen
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 190
Born: April 1, 1983, Kalajoki, Finland
2006-07 salary: $700,000
2005-06 stats: 17 goals, 38 assists (+2)
By the break: He could be one of the top scorers on the team. Remember, he averaged only 13:34 in ice time last season. Look for him to step it up with Mike Modano.
All-Star moment: "Jaromir Jagr was one of my all-time favorite guys, and it was great watching him in All-Star games, because it was so open and he could do so much."
No. 20 Antti Miettinen
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 190
Born: July 3, 1980, Hameenlinna, Finland
2006-07 salary: $450,000
2005-06 stats: 11 goals, 20 assists (E)
By the break: He could be this year's version of Jussi Jokinen. Miettinen is getting moved up from the third line to the second line, and that means he not only will play with more offensive-minded players, he will also get time on the power play.
All-Star moment: Miettinen has never played in an All-Star Game. When asked if it was a dream this year, he said, "Of course. With the game here, this would be a good year to play."
No. 26 Jere Lehtinen
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 192
Born: June 24, 1973, Espoo, Finland
2006-07 salary: $2.77 million
2005-06 stats: 33 goals, 19 assists (+9)
By the break: He will probably be chugging along on pace for 30 goals and 60 points. Lehtinen is a model of consistency. At 33, he's still in the prime of his career.
All-Star moment: In his first All-Star Game, in 1998 in Vancouver, he played in a rotation with three other Finns – Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Jari Kurri – and the quartet combined for four goals and 10 points.
No. 77 Matthew Barnaby
Ht./wt.: 6-1, 191
Born: May 4, 1973, Ottawa
2006-07 salary: $625,000
2005-06 stats: 8 goals, 20 assists (-11)
By the break: He will probably have half of the entries on the Stars' highlight reel. How many involve goals is up for debate. He is a nice addition as a fighter and an instigator.
All-Star moment: His most memorable performance came at the junior hockey level when he represented Quebec against Ontario. "We were big rivals, so I spent the whole game chasing people around and trying to get into fights."
DEFENSEMEN
No. 3 Stephane Robidas
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 190
Born: March 3, 1977, Sherbrooke, Quebec
2006-07 salary: $550,000
2005-06 stats: 5 goals, 15 assists (+15)
By the break: He'll either be a fixture and play almost every game or he'll be the odd man out in the seven-man defensive shuffle. He has made himself a tough scratch, though.
All-Star moment: As a member of the Shawinigan Cataractes, Robidas collected 79 points in 65 games and earned a spot in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League All-Star Game. He tallied two assists.
No. 5 Darryl Sydor
Ht./wt.: 6-1, 211
Born: May 13, 1972, Edmonton, Alberta
2006-07 salary: $2.128 million
2005-06 stats: 4 goals, 19 assists (-18)
By the break: He could be Sergei Zubov's constant companion or an important part of a defensive plan. Either way, Sydor should be a very important part of the team's leadership.
All-Star moment: Sydor qualified for his first NHL All-Star Game in 1998 in Vancouver. Just walking into a dressing room with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier was memorable.
No. 6 Trevor Daley
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 207
Born: Oct. 9, 1983, Toronto
2006-07 salary: $775,000
2005-06 stats: 3 goals, 11 assists (-3)
By the break: He could be getting important power play time and taking the next step in his advancement as a skilled defenseman, or he could be one of the team's top penalty killers and a solid third-pair guy.
All-Star moment: In his last year of junior hockey, Daley made the Ontario Hockey League All-Star Game in Kitchener, Ontario, and saw a bunch of old friends he played hockey with in his youth.
No. 42 Jon Klemm
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 200
Born: Jan. 8, 1970, Cranbrook, B.C.
2006-07 salary: $950,000
2005-06 stats: 4 goals, 7 assists (-3)
By the break: Klemm is also on that bubble of being a great contributor or playing someplace else. If they suit him up, they could get another 76 solid games out of him.
All-Star moment: Playing for Spokane in the WHL All-Star Game in 1991, Klemm had a hat trick of a strange kind. "My team won, I had an assist and Syd was my roommate," Syd would be current teammate Darryl Sydor, who was then playing for Kamloops.
No. 43 Philippe Boucher
Ht./wt.: 6-3, 218
Born: May 24, 1973, Ste-Apollinaire, Quebec
2006-07 salary: $2.5 million
2005-06 stats: 16 goals, 27 assists (+28)
By the break: If you look at what he accomplished in only 66 games last season, you'll see he can be among the best in the league.
All-Star moment: Boucher made the AHL All-Star Game during the 1994 lockout. "I had to go through a two-a- day practice in Buffalo, then get on a plane and fly to Providence. I made it about two minutes before the game started."
No. 44 Jaroslav Modry
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 220
Born: May 27, 1971, Ceske-Budejovice, Czech Republic
2006-07 salary: $1.9 million
2005-06 stats: 7 goals, 31 assists (-9)
By the break: He could be Doug Armstrong's best move of the summer. While Modry has the reputation of being slow defensively, he has looked terrific in the preseason.
All-Star moment: Modry took his dad to the NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles. "My dad got to go and be a part of the activities, and it was just so great. He cried tears of joy."
No. 56 Sergei Zubov
Ht./wt.: 6-1, 200 Born: July 27, 1970, Moscow
2006-07 salary: $4 million
2005-06 stats: 13 goals, 58 assists (+20)
By the break: Zubov was a finalist for the Norris Trophy last season. He is still considered one of the top defensemen in the league, even at age 36.
All-Star moment: Hefaced Dominik Hasek in practice at the 2003 NHL All-Star Game. "We went through a shootout session and practice, 30-35 minutes probably, and he allowed one goal. One!"
CENTERS
No. 9 Mike Modano
Ht./wt.: 6-3, 210
Born: June 7, 1970, Livonia, Mich.
2006-07 salary: $4.25 million
2005-06 stats: 27 goals, 50 assists (+23)
By the break: He could be working on a 90-point season. If he takes full advantage of the chance to be an offensive- minded player, Modano could have a career year.
All-Star moment: Getting beat out for the All-Star MVP trophy in 1999 by Wayne Gretz- ky. Modano had a goal and three assists, but Gretzky was playing in his final All-Star Game and won the vote.
No. 88 Eric Lindros
Ht./wt.: 6-4, 240
Born: Feb. 28, 1973, London, Ontario
2006-07 salary: $1.55-2.5 million
2005-06 stats: 11 goals, 11 assists (-3)
By the break: He could be the team's leading scorer or pondering the end of his career. He has battled eight reported concussions.
All-Star moment: NHL officials named him the replacement for starter Steve Yzerman in 1999, but he handed the honor to Wayne Gretzky for his final appearance.
No. 11 Jeff Halpern
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 203
Born: May 3, 1976, Potomac, Md.
2006-07 salary: $2 million
2005-06 stats: 11 goals, 33 assists (-8)
By the break: A tenacious checker with decent skill, Halpern could play a huge role in freeing up Mike Modano.
All-Star moment: Halpern's best memory came in a baseball game when he was 10. "It was the first time I ever faced curveballs, and I struck out on three pitches."
No. 14 Stu Barnes
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 182
Born: Dec. 25, 1970, Spruce Grove, Alberta
2006-07 salary: $1.14 million
2005-06 stats: 15 goals, 21 assists (+9)
By the break: He could be filling the second-line center role if Eric Lindros is hurt or helping Jeff Halpern out as a wing on the checking line.
All-Star moment: "I was playing for Tri-City and Mike [Modano] was playing for Prince Albert [in 1988]. Mike broke his hand in the game. I just remember what a terrible thing for him, in an All-Star Game."
No. 27 Patrik Stefan
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 205
Born: Sept. 16, 1980, Pribham, Czech Rep.
2006-07 salary: $900,000
2005-06 stats: 10 goals, 14 assists (+3)
By the break: Stefan is hoping to get a fresh start in Dallas, but the Stars seem to have better options at every center position.
All-Star moment: "I was with Long Beach in 1999, and I had been selected to play in the IHL All-Star Game. But a couple of games before, I got a con- cussion and couldn't go."
No. 29 Steve Ott
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 193
Born: Aug. 19, 1992, Summerside, P.E.I.
2006-07 salary: $775,000
2005-06 stats: 5 goals, 17 assists (+1)
By the break: is hoping to up his point totals, but it will be difficult on a team this deep in forwards.
All-Star moment: In the 2001 OHL All-Star Game, Ott received a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct penalty. "But we were playing guys from the other league," he said.
No. 71 Mike Ribeiro
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 175
Born: Feb. 10, 1980, Montreal
2006-07 salary: $1.9 million
2005-06 stats: 16 goals, 35 assists (-6)
By the break: It will be interesting to see if the Stars want to keep Ribeiro and build with the talented young playmaker or trade him for a winger.
All-Star moment: Ribeiro had a goal and three assists in the 2002 YoungStars game in Los Angeles. He fed Brenden Morrow for one of his assists.
GOALIES
No. 35 Marty Turco
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 185
Born: Aug. 13, 1975, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
2006-07 salary: $6 million
2005-06 stats: 41-19-5, 2.55 GAA, .898 save
By the break: He should be among the top 10 goalies in the NHL. That's what Turco has been pretty much every season of his five-year career, with a 2.08 GAA in that span.
All-Star moment: Turco played the third period of the 2003 NHL All-Star Game and won the game in a shootout. Of course, if you want to throw in the fact he started the 2004 game in Minnesota, that's also a pretty good memory.
No. 41 Mike Smith
Ht./wt.: 6-3, 211
Born: March 22, 1982, Kingston, Ontario
2006-07 salary: $495,000
2005-06 stats: 25-19-6, 2.50, .917 (Iowa, AHL)
By the break: He'll either be a solid NHL backup or playing goalie in Iowa. Smith is 24 and appears ready to handle the step up.
All-Star moment: Smith played in the 2003 East Coast Hockey League All-Star Game on the strength of one memorable game: He scored a goal and posted a shutout in a 2-0 win over Dayton in October of that season.
COACH
Dave Tippett
Born: Aug. 25, 1961, Moosomin, Sask.
Last season: 53-23-6
Career record: 140-71-33
Key stat: Has best winning percentage (.641) among active NHL coaches.
By the break: He'll be on top of the world or ready to pop a vein in his forehead. Tippett appears to have turned up the pressure on everyone this year, including himself.
All-Star moment When he was an assistant coach with the Kings in 2002, Tippett was asked to play as a member of the NHL alumni against the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team.
Here's Mike Heika's analysis of this year's Stars roster.
WINGERS
No. 10 Brenden Morrow
Ht./wt: 5-11, 205
Born: Jan. 16, 1979, Carlyle, Saskatchewan
2006-07 salary: $2.2 million
2005-06 stats: 23 goals, 42 assists (+30)
By the break: He could be an All-Star. A gritty scorer who has earned the respect of Team Canada officials in their selections, he could be in for a career year.
All-Star moment: In the 1999 World Juniors, Morrow had a goal and six assists in Canada's 12-2 win over Kazakhstan. "It was one point short of Mario Lemieux's record, so that was probably my best memory."
No. 15 Niklas Hagman
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 205
Born: Dec. 5, 1979, Espoo, Finland
2006-07 salary: $675,000
2005-06 stats: 8 goals, 13 assists (-10)
By the break: He should have established himself as an important part of the checking line and possibly even matched his scoring totals from last season.
All-Star moment: Hagman participated in the YoungStars game as a rookie member of the Florida Panthers in 2003. "It was kind of all over the place, because it wasn't a real game," he said.
No. 17 Mathias Tjarnqvist
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 196
Born: April 15, 1979, Umea, Sweden
2006-07 salary: $450,000
2005-06 stats: 2 goals, 4 assists (+4)
By the break: He will have either pushed his way into the lineup or he'll have a ton of healthy scratches.
All-Star moment: "Growing up, I just loved watching guys like [Wayne] Gretzky and [Mario] Lemieux. You couldn't see them much over there, so the All- Star Game was always a chance to watch them play."
No. 36 Jussi Jokinen
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 190
Born: April 1, 1983, Kalajoki, Finland
2006-07 salary: $700,000
2005-06 stats: 17 goals, 38 assists (+2)
By the break: He could be one of the top scorers on the team. Remember, he averaged only 13:34 in ice time last season. Look for him to step it up with Mike Modano.
All-Star moment: "Jaromir Jagr was one of my all-time favorite guys, and it was great watching him in All-Star games, because it was so open and he could do so much."
No. 20 Antti Miettinen
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 190
Born: July 3, 1980, Hameenlinna, Finland
2006-07 salary: $450,000
2005-06 stats: 11 goals, 20 assists (E)
By the break: He could be this year's version of Jussi Jokinen. Miettinen is getting moved up from the third line to the second line, and that means he not only will play with more offensive-minded players, he will also get time on the power play.
All-Star moment: Miettinen has never played in an All-Star Game. When asked if it was a dream this year, he said, "Of course. With the game here, this would be a good year to play."
No. 26 Jere Lehtinen
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 192
Born: June 24, 1973, Espoo, Finland
2006-07 salary: $2.77 million
2005-06 stats: 33 goals, 19 assists (+9)
By the break: He will probably be chugging along on pace for 30 goals and 60 points. Lehtinen is a model of consistency. At 33, he's still in the prime of his career.
All-Star moment: In his first All-Star Game, in 1998 in Vancouver, he played in a rotation with three other Finns – Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Jari Kurri – and the quartet combined for four goals and 10 points.
No. 77 Matthew Barnaby
Ht./wt.: 6-1, 191
Born: May 4, 1973, Ottawa
2006-07 salary: $625,000
2005-06 stats: 8 goals, 20 assists (-11)
By the break: He will probably have half of the entries on the Stars' highlight reel. How many involve goals is up for debate. He is a nice addition as a fighter and an instigator.
All-Star moment: His most memorable performance came at the junior hockey level when he represented Quebec against Ontario. "We were big rivals, so I spent the whole game chasing people around and trying to get into fights."
DEFENSEMEN
No. 3 Stephane Robidas
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 190
Born: March 3, 1977, Sherbrooke, Quebec
2006-07 salary: $550,000
2005-06 stats: 5 goals, 15 assists (+15)
By the break: He'll either be a fixture and play almost every game or he'll be the odd man out in the seven-man defensive shuffle. He has made himself a tough scratch, though.
All-Star moment: As a member of the Shawinigan Cataractes, Robidas collected 79 points in 65 games and earned a spot in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League All-Star Game. He tallied two assists.
No. 5 Darryl Sydor
Ht./wt.: 6-1, 211
Born: May 13, 1972, Edmonton, Alberta
2006-07 salary: $2.128 million
2005-06 stats: 4 goals, 19 assists (-18)
By the break: He could be Sergei Zubov's constant companion or an important part of a defensive plan. Either way, Sydor should be a very important part of the team's leadership.
All-Star moment: Sydor qualified for his first NHL All-Star Game in 1998 in Vancouver. Just walking into a dressing room with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier was memorable.
No. 6 Trevor Daley
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 207
Born: Oct. 9, 1983, Toronto
2006-07 salary: $775,000
2005-06 stats: 3 goals, 11 assists (-3)
By the break: He could be getting important power play time and taking the next step in his advancement as a skilled defenseman, or he could be one of the team's top penalty killers and a solid third-pair guy.
All-Star moment: In his last year of junior hockey, Daley made the Ontario Hockey League All-Star Game in Kitchener, Ontario, and saw a bunch of old friends he played hockey with in his youth.
No. 42 Jon Klemm
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 200
Born: Jan. 8, 1970, Cranbrook, B.C.
2006-07 salary: $950,000
2005-06 stats: 4 goals, 7 assists (-3)
By the break: Klemm is also on that bubble of being a great contributor or playing someplace else. If they suit him up, they could get another 76 solid games out of him.
All-Star moment: Playing for Spokane in the WHL All-Star Game in 1991, Klemm had a hat trick of a strange kind. "My team won, I had an assist and Syd was my roommate," Syd would be current teammate Darryl Sydor, who was then playing for Kamloops.
No. 43 Philippe Boucher
Ht./wt.: 6-3, 218
Born: May 24, 1973, Ste-Apollinaire, Quebec
2006-07 salary: $2.5 million
2005-06 stats: 16 goals, 27 assists (+28)
By the break: If you look at what he accomplished in only 66 games last season, you'll see he can be among the best in the league.
All-Star moment: Boucher made the AHL All-Star Game during the 1994 lockout. "I had to go through a two-a- day practice in Buffalo, then get on a plane and fly to Providence. I made it about two minutes before the game started."
No. 44 Jaroslav Modry
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 220
Born: May 27, 1971, Ceske-Budejovice, Czech Republic
2006-07 salary: $1.9 million
2005-06 stats: 7 goals, 31 assists (-9)
By the break: He could be Doug Armstrong's best move of the summer. While Modry has the reputation of being slow defensively, he has looked terrific in the preseason.
All-Star moment: Modry took his dad to the NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles. "My dad got to go and be a part of the activities, and it was just so great. He cried tears of joy."
No. 56 Sergei Zubov
Ht./wt.: 6-1, 200 Born: July 27, 1970, Moscow
2006-07 salary: $4 million
2005-06 stats: 13 goals, 58 assists (+20)
By the break: Zubov was a finalist for the Norris Trophy last season. He is still considered one of the top defensemen in the league, even at age 36.
All-Star moment: Hefaced Dominik Hasek in practice at the 2003 NHL All-Star Game. "We went through a shootout session and practice, 30-35 minutes probably, and he allowed one goal. One!"
CENTERS
No. 9 Mike Modano
Ht./wt.: 6-3, 210
Born: June 7, 1970, Livonia, Mich.
2006-07 salary: $4.25 million
2005-06 stats: 27 goals, 50 assists (+23)
By the break: He could be working on a 90-point season. If he takes full advantage of the chance to be an offensive- minded player, Modano could have a career year.
All-Star moment: Getting beat out for the All-Star MVP trophy in 1999 by Wayne Gretz- ky. Modano had a goal and three assists, but Gretzky was playing in his final All-Star Game and won the vote.
No. 88 Eric Lindros
Ht./wt.: 6-4, 240
Born: Feb. 28, 1973, London, Ontario
2006-07 salary: $1.55-2.5 million
2005-06 stats: 11 goals, 11 assists (-3)
By the break: He could be the team's leading scorer or pondering the end of his career. He has battled eight reported concussions.
All-Star moment: NHL officials named him the replacement for starter Steve Yzerman in 1999, but he handed the honor to Wayne Gretzky for his final appearance.
No. 11 Jeff Halpern
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 203
Born: May 3, 1976, Potomac, Md.
2006-07 salary: $2 million
2005-06 stats: 11 goals, 33 assists (-8)
By the break: A tenacious checker with decent skill, Halpern could play a huge role in freeing up Mike Modano.
All-Star moment: Halpern's best memory came in a baseball game when he was 10. "It was the first time I ever faced curveballs, and I struck out on three pitches."
No. 14 Stu Barnes
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 182
Born: Dec. 25, 1970, Spruce Grove, Alberta
2006-07 salary: $1.14 million
2005-06 stats: 15 goals, 21 assists (+9)
By the break: He could be filling the second-line center role if Eric Lindros is hurt or helping Jeff Halpern out as a wing on the checking line.
All-Star moment: "I was playing for Tri-City and Mike [Modano] was playing for Prince Albert [in 1988]. Mike broke his hand in the game. I just remember what a terrible thing for him, in an All-Star Game."
No. 27 Patrik Stefan
Ht./wt.: 6-2, 205
Born: Sept. 16, 1980, Pribham, Czech Rep.
2006-07 salary: $900,000
2005-06 stats: 10 goals, 14 assists (+3)
By the break: Stefan is hoping to get a fresh start in Dallas, but the Stars seem to have better options at every center position.
All-Star moment: "I was with Long Beach in 1999, and I had been selected to play in the IHL All-Star Game. But a couple of games before, I got a con- cussion and couldn't go."
No. 29 Steve Ott
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 193
Born: Aug. 19, 1992, Summerside, P.E.I.
2006-07 salary: $775,000
2005-06 stats: 5 goals, 17 assists (+1)
By the break: is hoping to up his point totals, but it will be difficult on a team this deep in forwards.
All-Star moment: In the 2001 OHL All-Star Game, Ott received a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct penalty. "But we were playing guys from the other league," he said.
No. 71 Mike Ribeiro
Ht./wt.: 6-0, 175
Born: Feb. 10, 1980, Montreal
2006-07 salary: $1.9 million
2005-06 stats: 16 goals, 35 assists (-6)
By the break: It will be interesting to see if the Stars want to keep Ribeiro and build with the talented young playmaker or trade him for a winger.
All-Star moment: Ribeiro had a goal and three assists in the 2002 YoungStars game in Los Angeles. He fed Brenden Morrow for one of his assists.
GOALIES
No. 35 Marty Turco
Ht./wt.: 5-11, 185
Born: Aug. 13, 1975, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
2006-07 salary: $6 million
2005-06 stats: 41-19-5, 2.55 GAA, .898 save
By the break: He should be among the top 10 goalies in the NHL. That's what Turco has been pretty much every season of his five-year career, with a 2.08 GAA in that span.
All-Star moment: Turco played the third period of the 2003 NHL All-Star Game and won the game in a shootout. Of course, if you want to throw in the fact he started the 2004 game in Minnesota, that's also a pretty good memory.
No. 41 Mike Smith
Ht./wt.: 6-3, 211
Born: March 22, 1982, Kingston, Ontario
2006-07 salary: $495,000
2005-06 stats: 25-19-6, 2.50, .917 (Iowa, AHL)
By the break: He'll either be a solid NHL backup or playing goalie in Iowa. Smith is 24 and appears ready to handle the step up.
All-Star moment: Smith played in the 2003 East Coast Hockey League All-Star Game on the strength of one memorable game: He scored a goal and posted a shutout in a 2-0 win over Dayton in October of that season.
COACH
Dave Tippett
Born: Aug. 25, 1961, Moosomin, Sask.
Last season: 53-23-6
Career record: 140-71-33
Key stat: Has best winning percentage (.641) among active NHL coaches.
By the break: He'll be on top of the world or ready to pop a vein in his forehead. Tippett appears to have turned up the pressure on everyone this year, including himself.
All-Star moment When he was an assistant coach with the Kings in 2002, Tippett was asked to play as a member of the NHL alumni against the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team.
random musings
Southlake Carroll had little trouble dismissing Keller Central on Friday, 57-7. All starters were removed from the game after the defense sacked Keller QB Rodge Macy causing a fumble that Carroll LB Kyle Russo recovered for a touchdown to put the Dragons up 51-0.
For those who watch the MTV show Two A Days, Hoover (Ala.) lost to John Curtis (La.), 28-14 on Friday. Hoover's football team, the basis for the MTV show, has been ranked as the nations #1 high school team since the start of the season. Many had suspected though that they we're just a tad over-rated, which seems to be the case after last Friday. Comparing Alabama high school football to that of Texas, only about 5 or 6 schools in Alabama would even make the playoffs in Texas... which begs the question, who is voting for this team as #1?
The Tigers we're swept over the weekend by the Royals... yes, those last place, worst team in the majors Kansas City Royals. The Royals completed their first three-game sweep in Detroit since 1980. The Tigers needed just one win to clinch the AL Central. Instead now they are the wild card and go on the road to play the Yankees. Way to choke Detroit.
The Tigers were the 18th team since 1900 to fall out of first place on the final day of the regular season. Detroit was the first to so by losing a game in which it led by more than three runs (the Tigers led the Royals, 6-0) and the second to do so by losing to a last-place team. The other was the 1944 Tigers, who were defeated by the last-place Senators on the final day of the season and overtaken for the American League pennant by the St. Louis Browns.
unnecessary roughness?
Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomps on Dallas center Andre Gurode's head not once, but twice after he yanked his helmet off. Gurode required 30 stiches.
Sunday, October 1, 2006
good thing he catches better than he sings
Washington Redskins WR Brandon Lloyd working on a career as a rap singer in his off time..
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