- 02:00 PM
- 04/16/24
Ehh, Tavares and Sundin are different things. Sundin had actually done something with the Leafs in the playoffs, was their all-time leader in points by then and took the Canucks deal as a retirement tour. Tavares left at his peak when the team was on an upswing and had minimal success while he was there.
I'd be down on Tavares too if I was an Isles fan. Think Leafs fans would be forgiving if Matthews didn't extend and went to Chicago in free agency?
posted by deflated at 11:03 AM on February 27, 2019
Elway has had a weird career as a GM so far; his moves have either been ridiculously successful or complete failures.
Convincing Manning to sign to put together one of the greatest offences of all time but whiffing on every QB draft pick. Retooling from that offence to a completely dominant defence in just two years to win a SB but then have all the coaches retire or do Son of Bum things. Drafted Miller, assembling the No-Fly Zone then 3 years of draft mediocrity. Signed Vance Joseph way over his head but absolutely kills last years draft.
I don't like the Flacco move but if I squint enough I can see what they're trying to do. Losing the pick is more annoying than the cap space, an extra DB or OL coming in would be nice. Either way the highest priority should be getting a coach in place who can maximize that defence before it falls apart and they seem to have done that.
posted by deflated at 11:09 AM on February 14, 2019
Norman Gunston??!? rcade, congratulations for reminding me of this little bit of genius from my youth.
posted by deflated at 01:57 PM on January 19, 2019
Rice's numbers had fallen off a cliff in his last season, 900 yds at only 3yds a carry. I hope no-one is surprised that the NFL kicked someone to the curb (in this case with very, very good reasons) as soon as they show any signs of decline.
posted by deflated at 11:55 AM on December 01, 2018
I'm not sure which is less attractive, following after Belichick or getting McDaniels as a HC. The guy seems to be a functional OC under a great coach but is a thoroughly toxic individual.
posted by deflated at 08:33 AM on November 13, 2018
1) Great rental for the Sharks. May be a challenge to keep him but they instantly have the best back end in the NHL.
2) Ottawa fans are down there with Bills and Browns fans for supporting painfully incompetent teams. The return on Karlsson is way under what I expected.
posted by deflated at 10:37 PM on September 13, 2018
That cartoon was absolutely a dog whistle to a particular subset of the Herald-Sun's readership. The ones that drone on about gangs of Sudanese teenagers terrorizing Melbourne and think Manus Island is a reasonable response to refugees.
Serena's antics wouldn't play well at all in Australia (even Lleyton Hewitt was a polarizing character, half on the nationalist bandwagon and half hating him carrying on like a pork chop) but there is also a deep streak of racism and bigotry. It's not the same racist crap you see in North America but it is still there.
posted by deflated at 11:07 AM on September 13, 2018
Tim Duncan, Mike Trout, Sidney Crosby...
Man, not Crosby. Too easy to dislike for the early career attitude when hockey has had so many more unassuming greats like Niklas Lidstrom.
NFL is tough. Barry Sanders? Joe Thomas?
posted by deflated at 02:33 PM on July 12, 2018
Maybe Australia is just trying to work out what they did to make the Philippines so angry.
posted by deflated at 11:49 AM on July 03, 2018
Winning the Europa League would be a perfect end to the season, we're not going to see 22 seasons from a manager any time soon. The game may have passed him by a bit but Arsenal scored some beautiful goals during his time in London.
posted by deflated at 11:04 AM on April 20, 2018
I can just see the equivalent rules in other sports.
Losing NFL teams automatically get the ball on 50 yd line at the 2 minute warning.
Losing hockey teams automatically get a 5-on-3 PP with 5 minutes to go.
Losing NBA teams get 4 straight possessions from half way once the lead is bigger than the minutes remaining in the 4th.
Losing rugby teams get to nominate 1 opponent to go to the sin bin for the final 10 minutes.
Yeah, dumbest rule ever.
posted by deflated at 02:42 PM on February 24, 2018
Mixed Doubles doesn't count as curling?
posted by deflated at 08:31 AM on February 23, 2018
This gives hope to Washington and Seattle to make it to the World Series next year.
No, as a former Expos fan who now follows the Mariners it would need a lot more than that to give us hope. Have you seen the state of the Mariners for the last 15 years?
posted by deflated at 11:33 AM on November 03, 2017
The sign-and-trades I'm seeing are Crowder doing the S&T and going to Utah for Hood/Exum/Favors. That would be insane from Utah; taking Crowder for Hayward would be a crappy deal for them, trading a different useful piece would be bizarre at best.
posted by deflated at 11:22 PM on July 06, 2017
Kind of disappointing. Utah were one of the more interesting teams and I was hoping to see how they would grow over the next couple of seasons, find out how far that defense could take them. Celtics look very good but don't excite me and it's one more nail in the coffin of small market teams.
posted by deflated at 05:23 PM on July 05, 2017
The different dominant styles going from MLS-to-PL may be more of a deciding factor. MLS seems closer to the early PL days back in the Nineties.
Back then there was always the talk about Euro imports to English clubs on whether they could stand the physical nature of English football, how the PL was all about direct football and hard tackles. Now MLS seems to have that niche covered. Someone like Tim Cahill can come across and be a dominant player when he's done at Everton as he's still a decent player who happens to be a great fit for MLS football.
Going back the other way the player needs to find the right fit.
posted by deflated at 11:13 AM on June 02, 2017
Surely if we needed a football metaphor for the extended Trumpcare congressional fiasco then the buttfumble is the way to go.
posted by deflated at 01:35 AM on May 05, 2017
The NHL will be a far better place the day Duncan Keith retires but that was pretty much a textbook hit. Stayed low enough for all contact to be below the shoulders but no knees were threatened. Well executed, rather see a dozen like that than the stickwork and 'second point of contact' headshots that are the norm these days.
posted by deflated at 12:01 PM on April 21, 2017
NBA is all about the stars; you go as far as your best players can take you. I'm not sure there is any incentive you can offer a genuine contender (Cavs, GS, Spurs) to keep their stars on the court if the team thinks their stars could use a night off.
posted by deflated at 09:27 PM on March 19, 2017
As an Arsenal fan I would like to keep Wenger just to piss off Piers Morgan. Its a price worth paying.
posted by deflated at 02:11 PM on February 17, 2017
1) Osweiler managed to beat the Pats when he was a Bronco
Can we change that to "Osweiler didn't completely screw it up for the defence against the Pats as a Bronco"?
posted by deflated at 01:16 AM on January 09, 2017
I also think the Super Bowl should be played in the previous year's winner's home stadium. Imagine a Lambeau Field Super Bowl
So the most likely matchups this year would be the Pats or Raiders playing the Cowboys or Seahawks at Mile High?
Broncos fans would just love that.
posted by deflated at 03:06 PM on December 01, 2016
It's a Great Day for the Irish.
posted by deflated at 12:12 AM on November 06, 2016
I wouldn't be surprised if Tebow got a look from some club that put him at Triple-A to see what he could do.
Tebow playing even one game at AAA level would be the most ridiculous major sporting publicity stunt I have ever seen. Elite college players take 3 years of pro ball to get to AAA and you think Teebs has a shot when he hasn't played in anger since high school 11 years ago?
posted by deflated at 01:58 AM on August 10, 2016
So is this limited to taunting, punching a player and insulting officials or am I reading this wrong?
For reference I went back to a recent series of penalties from one player and checked if Aqib Talib would've been tossed from the SB. Nope - he had one taunting penalty in the 1st Q and then was good the rest of the way, the intentional facemask wouldn't add to the total. This Broncos fan doesn't mind that but wonders what this will achieve.
They've made this easy for the officials by limiting it to after-the-play penalties rather than anything called in the heat of the moment. Honestly I don't see too much in this, unless you completely lose the plot like Beckham nothing happens.
posted by deflated at 02:30 AM on March 24, 2016
Not enough love for Terrell Davis. 30 for 157 and 3 TDs in 3 quarters when nothing was working for the passing game. Lining up as a decoy in the 2nd quarter when he couldn't focus enough to see the ball due to a migraine. Should be top 5.
Best playoff RB ever and it truly isn't even close.
posted by deflated at 11:12 AM on January 28, 2016
Stat of the game: Brady took more QB hits today than any other QB in any game all season. He was hit 11 times more than the previous high allowed by the Pats this year.
The Broncos DL flat-out abused the Pats OL.
posted by deflated at 12:23 AM on January 25, 2016
Toronto should not be handing out the largest pitching contract in history. David Price is not worth the largest pitching contract in history. Boston are not one starting pitcher away from relevance.
posted by deflated at 11:05 PM on December 01, 2015
I'm not sure how the Gronk OPI could be considered questionable. He ran straight at a backpedalling DB, initiated contact about 5 yards downfield by hitting the defender's chest/shoulders with his left forearm then cut hard right while he straightened his left arm to hold him off.
Historically not called often but pretty clearly OPI.
posted by deflated at 10:42 PM on November 30, 2015
The Wallabies: favorites of headline writers around the world.
'Pooper' Comes Up Trumps Again for Australia
All Blacks: 'Pooper' threat reduced if we do our job better
posted by deflated at 01:10 PM on October 30, 2015
I'm upset about the state of cricket in the WI, its a tragedy and I can't see any way to fix it in the short term. For thirty years the WI teams were the gold standard in tests, now they're somewhere south of NZ.
posted by deflated at 11:23 PM on October 22, 2015
Glenn Maxwell takes a great catch on the boundary in the 4th ODI at Headingley.
posted by deflated at 12:58 AM on September 13, 2015
...at the Kia Oval.
Naming rights don't usually bother me but that looks so wrong. It's still Lords, Eden Gardens and the MCG, right?
posted by deflated at 10:53 AM on August 25, 2015
Radio Birdman in '77 at the Funhouse? You've just pulled out the granddaddy of all participation trophies for Oz rock right there.
Not the Oxford Tavern but I'm posting it anyway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQEiFEQq0zQ
posted by deflated at 01:03 AM on August 17, 2015
Screw you, Kerry Fraser!
I'd feel bad* for Leafs fans but Kerry Fraser's fabulous hair in that clip has blinded me to any possible failure on his part.
*not really. 47 and counting!
posted by deflated at 10:43 PM on July 23, 2015
If scoring is easiest to replace, what is hardest? Coaching? If you're not allowing that then interior defense.
posted by deflated at 03:28 PM on July 19, 2015
From what I understand Sky forced the issue of neutralization by pushing the tempo while Cancellara was still trying to get back to the peleton. Race officials didn't take kindly to someone messing with the yellow jersey like that.
posted by deflated at 11:05 AM on July 07, 2015
Thanks, TT. Love that.
posted by deflated at 04:36 PM on June 13, 2015
Just in time to give him a boost in the Franchise Four voting. C'mon Rangers fans, show your support.
posted by deflated at 12:22 AM on April 25, 2015
We're close, owlhouse, the Caps took an Aussie in the 3rd round of the draft last year. Another million or so from the AIS and well be as prominent in ice hockey as we are in baseball.
posted by deflated at 03:43 AM on April 24, 2015
I think it could be partially her fault because she took her seat during a pitch.
Yep. Wait a minute to get in there, your neighbours will appreciate the courtesy and you're guaranteed not to be hit by a ball. Common sense.
posted by deflated at 11:06 AM on April 22, 2015
This isn't a case where someone was negligent with their attention.
Gotta disagree with this. Other than the debatable rudeness of squeezing in front of the other fans during an at bat (you can't wait a minute to block their view?) she's tight up against a mesh net with her back turned while someone throws fastballs at it. That's the baseball fan equivalent of texting while crossing a busy street.
posted by deflated at 08:07 PM on April 21, 2015
Oilers have talent, its just they only have one kind of talent. Their bold plan to completely ignore d-men and goalies when acquiring players makes what they have look much worse than what it is.
At some point they'll luck into a somewhat functional back-end (blind squirrels, etc.) and then the playoffs will be there.
posted by deflated at 11:31 PM on April 19, 2015
Blue Jays are interesting, the choices aren't as inspiring as I would expect. Alomar is obvious, then Bell. Stieb and Halladay next? Tony Fernandez, Joe Carter and Carlos Delgado just don't seem to be at the level you'd expect for a list like this.
posted by deflated at 02:39 AM on April 11, 2015
Deceptive. It lists career stats for the players and not stats with that franchise.
I want to be able to vote for Pedro as an Expo, no write-in vote for some team that plays near Baltimore. Make it so.
The first three Mariners seem obvious (Edgar, Jr. and Felix) but then I can't split Randy Johnson and Ichiro.
How on earth does Josh Hamilton get on the Rangers ballot? Michael Young, Kinsler, Beltre have all done more for the Rangers in the recent past.
Wish Kenny Lofton got some recognition for Cleveland.
posted by deflated at 03:13 AM on April 09, 2015
"Sending Off" - offering helpful tips to the batsman as he walks back to the dressing rooms after getting out. "Sledging" - pithy observations on the technical ability, off-field habits and ancestors of opposition players.
posted by deflated at 10:57 AM on March 30, 2015
Maybe international ice would help but my gut feeling is there just aren't enough Datsyuks in the world for NHL hockey to be played the way Larianov imagines.
Those CSKA Moscow teams that Larianov played with got the pick of every draft-aged player in the country to fill out their roster, there was a ridiculous depth of talent. Practice 8 hours a day with those teammates to bake in some chemistry and the on-ice understanding gets to be telepathic.
I'm not sure how in the modern world you would draw the same level of talent together for long enough to build up that understanding. Watching old Red Army highlights its the puck movement that is amazing, they absolutely know/trust that someone will be there on the end of those blind passes. If anyone misses their spot those great passes turn into bad turnovers, pucks floating around in the middle of the neutral zone.
Unless we start cloning Sedins I don't see how there would ever be enough players with the right vision & cohesiveness to see a league-wide move to puck-movement offences.
posted by deflated at 05:48 PM on February 23, 2015
grum, I kind of agree with you on the hockey, kind of don't.
The exception to the rule from these parts is Milan Lucic; he was still playing on house teams in peewee before he worked out what he wanted. Then I look at a kid my son plays with who looks pretty special (he's been the best on the ice in very game we've played in the last 2 years) and see the amount his family have spent to get a 9y.o. that good and yeah, high-level hockey is stupidly expensive for families.
posted by deflated at 02:07 PM on February 15, 2015
Now I have visions of 300-lb linemen making "I got wood for sheep" jokes around a table.
5 more years, yerfatma. Started our youngest on Carcassonne at 6, he lapped it up.
posted by deflated at 12:02 AM on January 17, 2015
Time to buy a lottery ticket. :)
posted by deflated at 09:18 PM on January 12, 2015
Stepping away from the Manning theme for a moment, as a Broncos fan I cannot wait for the day that Fox and his mediocre-to-insipid coaching is booted out the door. Given the talent at his disposal his tenure has been the biggest waste of a potential championship window since Norv led the Chargers astray.
Last year in the SB, yesterday against the Colts the team did not look ready to play. The same ineffective vanilla 4-man pass rush all game. A dearth of those intermediate crossing routes that Manning has built a career on and screens designed to get D. Thomas into space; instead we got repeated low-percentage deep shots from a QB with an alleged quad injury. Putting Talib on an island against Hilton. The Colts killed the Broncos in preparation and intensity.
Gah. Is there not a happy medium somewhere between toxic boy-blunder McDaniels and stuck-in-1994 Fox?
posted by deflated at 05:37 PM on January 12, 2015
I don't mind the move for the Jets. They have a ton of cap space and a young QB who is actually showing some promise, getting an elite WR type to take some of the pressure may work here over the next couple of years.
Looks like the Giants are on the slide too, never hurts to be better when the crosstown team is down.
posted by deflated at 08:31 PM on October 18, 2014
Sure they won't be the Seattle Metropolitans, Grum? Luongo back in the PNW is pure win.
posted by deflated at 10:21 PM on October 14, 2014
I like all these ideas and I like instant replay. Speed up the regular plays and take the time to get the 1% right.
The time between pitches rule could lead to some epic managerial meltdowns. Can't wait for the first called strike if the batter isn't in the box 1:45 after the ball gets to the pitcher.
posted by deflated at 06:24 PM on October 01, 2014
How on earth did Parrish screw up his relationship with Pulis that badly? That is a massive blunder.
posted by deflated at 10:58 PM on August 14, 2014
Unlimited ballots won't help that much; in 2013 only 6.6 names were listed on the average ballot, they aren't using the space they have now.
Until some of the voters pull their heads out of their asses this isn't going to change.
posted by deflated at 08:27 PM on July 26, 2014
Grum, BC is still Blue Jays territory - far, far more Jays games on local TV and who is going to watch the Mariners if given the choice? It hurts...
posted by deflated at 04:18 PM on April 24, 2014
I'd actually bet this is something stranger than we're imagining - as has been pointed out you don't need this sort of hardware for the obvious analysis.
The new Trackman-based playtracking system from MLBAM seems to be radar based; maybe someone is trying to process streaming data from multiple radar sources to determine how effective a pitcher is in real time - spin and plane of their curve, actual path of their fastball. Know if your starter has his stuff before you find out the hard way (or the opposite, maybe the other guy can't get his breaking ball working and its time to sit on the fastball).
posted by deflated at 11:04 PM on March 18, 2014
Broncos with Ware are going to have an outstanding front 7. The cap pain will hit in a couple of years as Peyton and his $20M cap number ride off into retirement; they have some flexibility.
posted by deflated at 11:08 PM on March 12, 2014
From Last Place to Playoffs in 3 Months
Went to a Blues games back in December. It was astonishing just how bad they were; it was like everyone but Tarasenko had forgotten how to play the game. Seriously, I've seen WHL teams that looked more like an NHL squad. One of the strangest games I've seen due to one team being so spectacularly below expectations.