Winter Classic 2012: Skating into the New Year with Some Outdoor Hockey

I was born in Minnesota and have lived there twice, so I know all about the great games of pond hockey and broomball out on the ice. Everyone loves it. In 2008, the NHL had the crazy idea of playing a NHL game outdoors. Would it work? No one really knew for sure. Dan Craig, the man placed in charge of the game, didn't really know either. Craig said, "I was just going with my instincts."

The game gained so much success and recognition that the so called Winter Classic has now become an annual tradition. The game has taken place in Ralph Wilson Stadium (Orchard Park, NY), Wrigley Field (Chicago), Fenway Park (Boston), Heinz Field (Pittsburgh), and now this year the game is being played in Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Each year Craig and his crew have to figure out how to transform the outdoor stadium into a hockey rink fit for players to play on and for fans to easily watch. It's an elaborate project full of planning and preparation. You watch a time-lapse video of them transforming the stadium this year here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jBSAUOI3jA.

As I mentioned already, the game has garnished much interest from both the fanatical hockey fans and the curious onlooker. This has only increased due in large part to HBO. For the second consecutive year, the network is airing a four-part reality series entitled, "24/7: Road to the Winter Classic." The series looks into the lives of the NHL players involved and the game itself. Last year's series won an Emmy for outstanding edited sports special.

The point of the Winter Classic was to garnish this extra interest into the sport and gain viewership. Has this happened? While this is a complex question to answer, the answer does appear to be yes. According to Comcast, the Washington-Baltimore area experienced a significant 25% increase in viewership of the Capitals' home games they aired following the Winter Classic and corresponding HBO series.

Is this really a sustainable event? Is the NHL really committed to it? The answer to both of these questions appears to be yes as well. The NHL faced its biggest threat yet from Mother Nature when it rained during last year's much hyped game. Craig and his crew developed a plan to respond and were seen using large snow shovels to clear the water off during stoppages. In regards to this, Craig stated, "You can't control [the weather] but you can monitor it."

I fully support the Winter Classic. As a hockey fan, I think that it is great for the league. The increased viewership is important for the league. The more interest there is, the more money there is for improving the game. The increase in interest in the NHL is apparent in many ways. I have even seen it here on our blog. The blog post that has had by far (by about 100 views) the most views is my one on the NHL's future realignment. People are interested in the sport and the league.

I would encourage you to watch this year's game, which features the longstanding rivalry between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. The game can be seen on January 2 (Monday) at 1:00 PM EST on NBC. Also, if you get HBO (I don't), check out the series. It is bound to be entertaining as NHL players tend to have interesting personalities. Help start your New Year's off right with some NHL hockey outdoors, the way the game used to always be played.

Happy New Year!

From Manthan and Josh to you! Thanks for following us on "Fire Away Sports"!

http://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hockey/2011-12/releases/LS-WO_Preview (URL link to photo)



Enjoy US College Hockey Online's selection of their best photos of the year!: http://www.uscho.com/photos/2011/12/31/our-best-shots-of-2011/

NFL Week 17 Preview & Predictions

Well this is it. Week 17. The playoffs are on the line. Which teams will make it in? In the NFC, the teams are pretty much set. The only open spot is the NFC East division champion. The AFC playoff picture is much more clouded. It was simpler for me to hear it explained. This Associated Press video helps explain it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxNC_VyB-sI&feature=player_embedded.

Here are the games with playoff implications and my predictions as to what I think will happen:

Dallas Cowboys (8-7) @ New York Giants (8-7) - Sunday 8:20 PM EST, NBC

• Breakdown: The Giants are coming off a game they had to win against the Jets, which they won. Quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Victor Cruz are really starting to click. Last week, the Cowboys lost to the Eagles. Tony Romo was injured in that game, but the team says he is ready to play. But how effective will be? If you are a Cowboys fan, you just better hope this game doesn't come down to a field goal attempt with time winding down.
• Prediction: Giants 20 Cowboys 17
• What this would mean: The Giants would be in, the Cowboys would be out

Baltimore Ravens (11-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) - Sunday 4:15 PM EST, CBS

• Breakdown: The Baltimore Ravens have already clinched their playoff spot, but don't tell them this game shouldn't be important to them. They need a win Sunday to secure the division title and first-round bye. In the AFC North, divisional pride is a very important thing. Additionally, it is important for the Ravens because their home record is 8-0, while their away record is a lackluster 3-4 entering Sunday. For the Cincinnati Bengals, they know they control their own fate. If they win, there in the playoffs. If they lose, they could still make it, but they don't want to have to think about that. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has gotten the job done all year, but his team needs him to step up now.
• Prediction: Bengals 20 Ravens 16
• What this would mean: The Ravens and Bengals would get both AFC wild card spots

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) @ Cleveland Browns (4-11) - Sunday 4:15 PM EST, CBS

• Breakdown: As was aforementioned, the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing for the division title. They would like that first-round bye to help heal quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben plans on playing, but how effective will he be and how long will he play. Backup Charlie Batch played well last week. The Cleveland Browns aren't going to give the Steelers' a yard more than they can help, let alone the win. The Browns would love to send their rival Steelers into the playoffs on a sour note and will be coming after Roethlisberger full throttle.
• Prediction: Steelers 20 Browns 6
• What this would mean: Steelers would be in line for the division title and first-round bye if the Ravens lost

Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) @ Denver Broncos (8-7) - Sunday 4:15 PM EST, CBS

• Breakdown: Hey Denver, do you remember Kyle Orton? Well guess what? He is going to be the starting quarterback of the team trying to knock your team out of the playoffs. The Denver Broncos decided to switch starting quarterbacks to Tim Tebow. They decided to give Orton a chance to start elsewhere, so they waived him. What the Broncos didn't expect, was that the Chiefs would claim him and that he would be playing against them with the playoffs on the line. For the Broncos to win, Tebow needs to limit his mistakes, especially turnovers, and the Broncos defense needs to step up and play well again.
• Prediction: Broncos 16 Chiefs 13
• What this would mean: Broncos would win the AFC West

San Diego Chargers (7-8) @ Oakland Raiders (8-7) - Sunday 4:15 PM EST, CBS

• Breakdown: Like the Chiefs, the San Diego Chargers can try to play spoiler to a divisional foe. This season didn't go like the Chargers had planned. It started great with a 4-1 record, but then they lost six games in a row. They simply couldn't recover from the losing streak. The Oakland Raiders have been a streaky team all year. They brought in quarterback Carson Palmer to lead them to the playoffs. Now, they need him to step up and make that happen. The Raiders defense will try and force turnovers, which the Chargers have been susceptible to giving up all year.
• Prediction: Raiders 20 Chargers 10
• What this would mean: The Raiders would be in line for a chance at winning the AFC West title or one of the wild card spots

Tennessee Titans (8-7) @ Houston Texans (10-5) - Sunday 1:00 PM EST, CBS

• Breakdown: The Houston Texans have already clinched their first playoff berth in franchise history. They will focus on getting players healthy and comfortable this week. Star wide receiver Andre Johnson returns to the lineup for the hosts. The Tennessee Titans are still alive for the last wild card spot in the playoffs. They need some help though to set up what would be a rematch with the Texans in the playoffs. If the Titans don't make the playoffs, they don't have anyone to blame but themselves, especially after they lost to the previously winless Indianapolis Colts.
• Prediction: Titans 20 Texans 17
• What this would mean: The Titans would have an outside shot at the last wild card spot

Pesky Piscataway Performance Pulls Upset Win in Double Overtime

Mike Rice is in his second year as the head coach of the Rutgers men's basketball team. In his first head coaching position, Rice led Robert Morris University to three regular season conference championships in three years. Two of the seasons, the Colonials made it to the NCAA tournament. These tournament appearances were the first for the university since 1992.

Coach Rice has been trying to bring that winning success to Piscataway, New Jersey. It has been an uphill climb for the team for the past two decades. The Scarlet Knights' last tournament appearance was in 1991. Their last tournament win dates back to 1983.

The #10 Florida Gators entered the game coming off a big win over in-state rival Florida State. The Gators controlled most of the game and seemed to be set to secure the win tonight when they got their lead up to seven points with 2:49 left in regulation. But the Scarlet Knights refused to give up. The team rallied to tie the score at 66 and even had a shot to win at the buzzer, but it went begging.

The game was headed to overtime. With 31 seconds left in overtime, Gator sophomore Patric Young made two free throws to give his team a three point lead. However, the night belonged to a freshman Scarlet Knight named Eli Carter. Carter came off a screen and made a contested three pointer to tie the score with 22 seconds left. Florida had a chance to win it, but some tough Rutgers defense forced a turnover.

This one had a date with double overtime. In double overtime, the Scarlet Knights gained their largest lead of the night, 82-78, when Carter made a jumper with 1:46 to go. The next possession, Florida freshman Bradley Beal answered with a three pointer. Carter drew the Gators' attention and then kicked out to Myles Mack for three. He made it. Erving Walker responded with a jumper to trim the Rutgers lead to two. Rutgers' next possession ended in a shot clock violation, which gave the Gators the chance to tie the score once more. Walker tried to drive into the lane, but some tough Scarlet Knights defense caused him to take a tough jump shot that rattled off the rim.

That was it. Rutgers had pulled the improbable upset. Freshman Eli Carter finished with a season-high 31 points and demonstrated spectacular, clutch leadership. After the game Carter said, "My teammates had confidence in me. I took the big shot and made it."

Coach Rice had been trying to get his players to buy into his system and believe in it. Tonight, he got the signature, non-conference upset he needed to get his players, community, and fan base to believe in him. The Scarlet Knights might finally be ready to climb out of the Big East cellar.

Game highlights: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7402231

Post-game interview of Coach Rice and Eli Carter: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7402273

Holiday Tournaments Allow Inter-Conference Battles

Momentum? Sure. Conference standings? Negative. Extra Christmas pudding? Go for it.

But holiday hockey tournaments certainly don't appear to hold much weight at first glance. Or second glance for that matter. But one of the most overlooked parts of college hockey during the holidays is the chance for each conference to make a statement for itself.

Much like its older and larger brother, NCAA football, collegiate-level hockey teams often do not get the privilege of playing out-of-conference games until right around the beginning of the new year. When that happens, it gives the conferences a chance to make statements about the quality of teams it hosts. The more well-known conferences play to prove themselves the best; the smaller conferences play for recognition; meanwhile, the middle-of-the-road collaboration of teams goes out to prove it is top-notch and not to be ignored.

During this opening Thursday night, sixteen teams representing five conferences faced off for inter-conference battles on the hockey rink (the exception being UConn and Army, who faced each other as fellow members of the American Hockey Athletic conference).

Below, you will find the scores of all tonight's eight games, along with the conferences each team represents:

      Maine (Hockey East) :      6                 Clarkson (ECAC) : 1
      Michigan State (CCHA) :  3                 Michigan Tech (WCHA): 1
      Lake Superior (CCHA)  :  5                 Vermont (Hockey East) : 3
      R.I.T. (AHA) :   3                                 Ferris State (CCHA) : 0
      U-Mass Lowell (Hockey East) : 7         R.P.I. (ECAC) : 2
      UConn (AHA) : 2                                Army (AHA) : 0
      Michigan (CCHA) : 4                           Boston College (Hockey East) : 2
      St. Cloud State (WCHA) : 4                Western Michigan (CCHA) : 2


Now. Here are the records for each conference thus far in the holiday tournaments:

     American Hockey Athletics (AHA) :                      2-1
     Hockey East:                                                      2-2
     Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA):     3-2
     East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC):                0-2
     Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA):   1-1


At this point, strictly by mathematics, it's very close between the CCHA and AHA conferences. Going by percentages, AHA would lead with 66.7% success at this point in the tournaments. The CCHA would come in second with 60%. However, it should be noted that the CCHA has more overall wins than the AHA (as well as two additional teams playing); and also, two AHA teams played each other, automatically giving the conference a win and loss.

Based on scores and performance by the teams, I'd say the CCHA and Hockey East look to be the best teams out there in the tournaments. As far as championship games go, the CCHA will have both Michigan and Michigan State play each other, guaranteeing a tournament win. Lake Superior will play R.I.T., which hails from the AHA, for the Catamount Cup in Vermont. For Hockey East, both Maine and U-Mass Lowell will be in championship games on Friday night.

Things should get interesting over the weekend, as conferences battle each other in tournament hockey. Which team will come out with the most tournament titles? Who knows.

Just pass the chips, ring-in the end of the world, and catch some holiday hockey.

Two Unbeatens Fall, While One Rises to the Occasion

Three previously unbeaten teams entered play tonight, only one survived to remain as one of the final four unbeatens left.

As many of the top Big East teams found out, conference play is just as much of a battleground as ever. Pittsburgh got upset, Syracuse rolled in an easy game, and UConn survived a scare, but all eyes were really on the nationally televised matchup featuring the unbeaten Louisville Cardinals playing host to the Georgetown Hoyas. Louisville came in the favorites riding a 20 game home win streak. The Cardinals built a lead early, but a young Georgetown squad refused to get rattled by a frenzied hometown crowd. The Hoyas' roster features 10 freshman and sophomores. They took the lead in the second half and built it to as much as 11 points at one point. Louisville tried to rally, but Georgetown stood firm in a gritty three point win. The Hoyas were led by sophomore Markel Starks, who scored 16 of his career-high 20 points in the second half, and freshman Otto Porter, who was clutch down the stretch. The Cardinals were led by senior Kyle Kuric, who made five three pointers, and junior Peyton Siva, who added 15 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals. Louisville will need to bounce back from their first loss quickly though, as they play their in-state rival Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.

A resurrected Indiana program came into the night as the only unbeaten Big Ten team left. The Hoosiers had a tough task though as they had to survive a trip to the Izzone to face Michigan State. The Spartans came out strong (18 point first half lead at one point) with the hometown crowd roaring, but Indiana answered with a run of their own (a 25-2 run) building a considerable second half lead (up to 9 points). Ultimately, this was a game of runs, as Michigan State closed out this one in convincing fashion. Spartan sophomore Keith Appling scored a career high 25 points. Junior Christian Watford had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoosiers. Indiana will need to bounce back quickly from their first loss as well, as they face Jared Sullinger and the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday.

Baylor and Mississippi State met at a neutral location matchup in what was supposed to be a matchup of two premier post players, the Bears' Perry Jones III and the Bulldogs' Arnett Moultrie. The two players' defensive efforts against each other helped to limit both players to eight points each. However, the real matchup to watch turned out to be between these very similarly talented teams. Baylor led by one at halftime, and the second half tuned out to be much the same, as neither team led by more than four points the rest of the way. As time ran down, the game was tied at 52. Baylor junior Pierre Jackson had made many notable mistakes during the course of the game, but he made up for it when we came around Quincy Acy's screen and finished his layup with 28 seconds left. That proved to be the difference as the Bears remained undefeated, despite getting all they could handle and then some from the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

UConn Freshman Drummond Turns Down Scolarship and Becomes a Walk-On

Has the potential number one overall pick in the NBA draft ever been a walk-on? Probably never. But it might happen with the way UConn freshman center Andre Drummond is starting to play.

Drummond was the number #2 ranked recruit in the class of 2011, but didn't decide to come to UConn until a few days before classes began in August. The problem was that the Huskies didn't have a scholarship to offer him due to how late of notice it was and the fact that they lost one scholarship because of NCAA violations and two more because of a poor academic performance rating.

When this was realized, redshirt freshman Michael Bradley offered to give up his scholarship, so that Drummond could get one. Bradley had overcome a rough childhood, some of which was spent in the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home. This meant that he could likely receive some financial aid from the university.

This decision made for much uproar from many observers. They felt that while it was legal for a player to do this, it was wrong for a player to "volunteer" his scholarship just so a better player could get it.

However, Andre Drummond decided he wasn't going to take it. "I'm thankful for what Mike was trying to do for me," Drummond said Tuesday. "I told Mike, 'Don't do that, man. I'll pay my way and take a scholarship next year. You don't have to give up a scholarship for me.' "It was my decision. That's not fair to him. He worked hard to get that scholarship. I'm not going to take something from somebody that's not mine. It was my decision to come late."

This is good news all around for UConn. The Huskies are showing signs of playing well as a team both on and off the court. They enter Big East play tomorrow night with a record of 10-1. On Monday, Drummond earned Big East Rookie of the Week honors for the first of what will likely be many times this year. Last year's national champions look loaded and ready for a run at back-to-back titles.

Out of Luck: Notre Dame's Irish Shocked with Winless Streak

The Leprechaun was enjoying himself.

Notre Dame took an eleven-game undefeated streak from October 21 thru November 25th, the longest active streak in the nation. During that period, the Irish outscored their opponents 34-21, with goaltender Mike Johnson allowing more than two goals/game only once (Johnson had a .5 GAA during that span). Despite some close games, Notre Dame seemed destined to win, even rising to the #2 team in the country.

But finally, Lake Superior State found the magic they needed, ending Notre Dame's streak with a 5-2 victory in Sault, Michigan. And while LSSU celebrated their victory, the Irish boarded the bus back to South Bend to await their weekend against a no-name Northeastern University squad, in preparation for the "real" test against #11 Ferris State.

Perhaps that's only speculation. But it helps explain the next four games.

Because ever since then, the Irish have struggled. They showed up at Compton Ice Arena with a chip on their shoulder from the loss at Lake Superior. But as fans across the country looked up at the jumbo-trons in their respective arenas on Friday night, they blinked twice and rubbed their eyes as the final score from South Bend flashed up on the screen. 9-2 Northeastern.

Same story the next night. Just a little closer. Not that it mattered.
Northeastern wins, 2-1.

It wasn't exactly the prep weekend the Irish were hoping for. The practice weekend for Notre Dame turned into them surrendering their first sweep of the season. Just in time for a Ferris State team the came out blitzing the Irish, shutting down an offense led by Anders Lee and TJ Tynan. The Bulldogs took the first game 4-1.

The winless streak was something quite unforeseen just two weeks ago for Coach Jackson's Irish. Notre Dame is not supposed to lose four straight games, at least in the eyes of Irish Nation.
But that Saturday, Notre Dame rebounded. The Irish came out Saturday night and split the series with Ferris State with a reflection of Friday's game: 4-1, this time for Notre Dame.

With that win, the Irish hope to be propelled into their three games over Christmas break with as much momentum as they can. It won't be an easy break either; games for Notre Dame include Boston University, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and an exhibition against the Russian Red Stars.

The losing streak may be over, but Notre Dame's work to regain momentum is not. Fortunately, they are still listed near the top of the nation (currently #6), and are coming off a solid road win against Ferris State. A tough Christmas break will tell the country a lot about the future of this team's season.

The Leprechaun is on his knees now. But he's getting back up.

RG3's Heisman Caps Off His Really Good 3rd Season

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is being hailed as the greatest quarterback draft prospect since John Elway. However, for the second year in a row, Luck finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting. This year he was beaten by an electrifying quarterback known by many as simply RG3.

Baylor isn't traditionally considered to be among the top tier of the Big 12, let alone all of college football. In 1980, the Bears last won a conference championship when they won the Southwestern Conference. They hadn't had a winning season since 1995, until a young quarterback with dreadlocks, named Robert Griffin III showed up on campus.

The path to greatness wasn't easy for Griffin though. In 2008, Griffin played well as a freshman and won Big 12 Freshman of the Year. His 2009 season was ended in the third game of the season due to injury. He was redshirted that season. Last season, Griffin led the Bears to a 7-6 record and a bowl berth.

In the preseason poll, Baylor was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12. But viewers watched as RG3 took his game to another level. He led Baylor to a 9-3 finish, including three Top 25 wins. The Bears finished #12 in the final BCS poll and earned a place in the Alamo Bowl against Washington.

Griffin's numbers for the season so far are impressive to say the least. He has thrown for 3,998 yards and 36 touchdowns. Being a dual-threat quarterback, he has additionally run for 644 yards and 9 touchdowns. RG3 is also on pace (192.31) to set a NCAA single-season record in passing efficiency.

In 3+ seasons, Griffin has set 52 school records in passing, rushing, and total offense. He is known as a young man of great character and an upstanding student both on and off the field. He is considered to be a NFL Draft prospect, but he also has law school aspirations. RG3 is also well-known for his collection of outlandish socks. Check out the link below to see the Superman socks he wore with his suit when he won the Heisman.

Picture of the Superman socks: http://mit.zenfs.com/214/2011/12/RG3_socks.jpg
RG3 Highlight Reel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdNnvnlTmbA

UEFA Champions League Group Action Reaction - 12/7/11

And then there were 16. Following today's results, the group stage of the UEFA Champions League has ended. The top two teams from each group advance. Let's take a look at some of the action and see who is advancing.

Manchester City 2 Bayern Munich 0 (Group A)

Manchester City has been leading the Premier League standings all year, but has struggled in the Champions League. They knew they would need some help to advance. Bayern Munich had already locked their place as the group winner prior to the game. Manchester City came out strong and netted two goals in a win over an under-strength Bayern Munich team. But it was too little, too late for Manchester City as Napoli beat last place Villarreal, who finished with zero points. Manchester City will have to wait for another chance to prove themselves, as they will be relegated to the second-tier Europa League.

Advancing from Group A: Bayern Munich and Napoli

CSKA Moscow 2 Internazionale 1 (Group B)

Group B may have had the most exciting finish of any group. Internazionale had already booked their spot in the Final 16 as the group winner, but the other three teams all had a shot at advancing. CSKA Moscow traveled to Italy to take on Internazionale, while Trabzonspor traveled to France to play Lille. In the latter game, second place Trabzonspor decided to stick to a defensively minded game hoping for some help from Internazionale in the other game. Trabzonspor goalkeeper Tolga Zengin held up his end of the bargain helping his team secure the 0-0 draw. This meant that CSKA Moscow needed a win to advance. Both teams had their share of opportunities, but halftime saw the teams scoreless. CSKA Moscow didn't waste much time in the second half before striking first blood though. Vagner Love made a nice cross from the right side that found the foot of Seydou Doumbia, who buried it in the bottom corner. Internazionale had the immediate answer though when Esteban Cambiasso scored the equalizer less than a minute later. Both teams had great opportunities, but this one seemed destined to be a draw. But then, CSKA Moscow drew a corner with three minutes to go. Substitute Aleksandrs Cauna took the corner. His ball in found the head of Vasili Berezutski who put it just past goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi's outstretched hand for the winner.

Advancing from Group B: Internazionale and CSKA Moscow

FC Basel 2 Manchester United 1 (Group C)

Manchester United was not supposed to be in this position, but all they needed was a draw against FC Basel. United remained confident heading to Switzerland for the match. The hosts put United in their place early on when Marco Streller put Basel up in the 9th minute. Manchester United didn't lack quality opportunities, but try as they might, they couldn't find the net. In the 84th minute, Basel finally gained some breathing room when Alexander Frei doubled their lead. Phil Jones cut the lead in half in the 89th minute, but Basel kept United from finding the equalizer. When the final whistle blew, the inconceivable happened as FC Basel got their greatest victory in club history. Manchester United's defensive lapses ultimately cost them the humiliation no one saw coming, regulation to the Europa League.

Advancing from Group C: Benfica and FC Basel

Lyon 7 Dinamo Zagreb 1 (Group D)

Lyon knew they would have to pour it on big time against last place Dinamo Zagreb in order to have a chance to advance. All second place Ajax Amsterdam had to do is get a draw against first place Real Madrid or just not surrender their huge goal differential lead. Real Madrid was up 2-0 at halftime. Lyon's hopes though seemed slim at halftime when they trailed lowly Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 at halftime. However, Lyon came out and went on a rampage scoring seven goals in the first thirty minutes of the second half. Bafetimbi Gomis netted four of those goals. This gave Lyon a shocking one goal lead in the tie-breaking goal differential. Ajax Amsterdam tried to find the net to stay alive, but Real Madrid forward Jose Maria Callejon put the final nail in the coffin. Lyon completed an incredible nine-goal swing to advance to the last 16.

Advancing from Group D: Real Madrid and Lyon

Chelsea 3 Valencia 0 (Group E)

Unlike fellow Premier foes Manchester City and Manchester United, Chelsea stepped up when it mattered the most. Chelsea needed a win over Valencia to advance. The Blues wasted little time as Didier Drogba started the scoring in the 3rd minute. Ramires doubled the lead in the 22nd minute. In the 76th minute, Drogba scored his second of the match for good measure. With Bayer Leverkusen's 1-1 draw against last place Racing Genk, Chelsea not only advanced, but managed to win the group.

Advancing from Group E: Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen

Marseille 3 Borussia Dortmund 2 (Group F)

Group F provided another thriller. Group winner Arsenal had already advanced, but the second place was up for grabs. Olympiakos showed they wanted the spot in a convincing 3-1 victory over Arsenal. The win looked like it would be enough as last place Borussia Dortmund had the lead 2-1 late over second place Marseille. However, in the 85th minute, Marseille midfielder Andre Ayew found the net for the equalizer. Two minutes later, Mathieu Valbuena put Marseille through to the last 16 for sure with the winning goal.

Advancing from Group F: Arsenal and Marseille

FC Porto 0 Zenit St Petersburg 0 (Group G)

With surprising Apoel Nicosia already having their ticket booked to advance, this game would decide who would advance with them. FC Porto needed a win to advance. Zenit St Petersburg made the long trip from Russia to Portugal knowing all they needed was a draw. As a result, they decided to stick to a defensively-minded strategy. FC Porto responded by pounding Zenit's goal with a barrage of shots. They had 24 total, including 8 on goal, but Zenit goalkeeper Viacheslav Malafeev stopped every one, becoming the hero of the 0-0 draw. Just like Apoel Nicosia, Zenit St Petersburg advanced to the last 16 for the first time ever.

Advancing from Group G: Apoel Nicosia and Zenit St Petersburg

Nothing of importance happened in the final two games of Group H. Barcelona had already locked up their position as group winner, and AC Milan was already secured as the runner up.

Advancing from Group H: Barcelona and AC Milan

Now, we have to wait until February 14, 2012 for the Round of 16 to begin. Keep an eye on these teams as they return to league play.

Managers' reactions to FC's Basel's "David over Goliath" Victory: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/matches/round=2000263/match=2007661/postmatch/quotes/index.html

NHL's Radical Realignment Brings Big Changes

When the NHL approved the former Atlanta Thrashers' move to Winnipeg to become the Jets, we knew realignment would have to be done. However, no one expected it to be this radical.

The simple plan people thought would take place was for the Jets to move to the Central Division and either the Detroit Red Wings or Columbus Blue Jackets would move to the Southeast. In regards to this, Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that "The simple one wasn't as simple as it looked when you got done with it." Reports stated that some clubs didn't approve of this move either.

Thus, the scope broadened and the league discussed bigger changes. One concern that was expressed was the large amount of travel some Western Conference teams, such as Detroit, Dallas, Columbus, and Nashville, have to do during the course of the season.

From about an hour of deliberation between team representatives, a new four conference idea began to emerge. For the realignment to be approved, 20 out of the 30 teams had to approve. The teams have already approved the decision. The NHLPA has expressed concern and claims it needs to approve as well, but Bettman denies this claim.

Teams are pleased with the new conference alignment. They were concerned about keeping historic rivalries alive. "It was important to us to stay with longtime rivals. Not just Philly ... I think it was important to us to make sure we maintained the rivalries that we developed over the years and they're very good rivalries and our fans love to hate some of the teams we play against. I'm sure their fans love to hate us, too. So we're encouraged by that," Penguins CEO and President David Morehouse said Monday. "In the end, I think this will be a good thing for the league."

The proposed realignment creates two eight team conferences and two seven team conferences. This was a wise decision for two reasons. First, the looming sale of Phoenix Coyotes could have created a problem. However, the NHL solved this by placing the Coyotes in one of the eight team conferences. While the NHL wants to keep the team in Phoenix, it seems unlikely that a buyer will want to keep them there. This allows a new owner to move the team basically anywhere. Based on the new geographic location, the team could remain in the same division or switch to one of the two seven team conferences. Second, this opens up the opportunity for expansion down the road. The NHL could add two teams to even out the conferences to have eight teams each. There has been some interest in moving the Coyotes to and/or starting an expansion francise in Canada. Media tycoon Pierre Karl Peladeau is already building a $400 million arena in Quebec City and has openly expressed his desire to own a team.

Below is the proposed realignment. Reports state that the change could occur as soon as next season. Conference names have yet to be determined. The original idea was to develop geographical names, but a new idea that is popular among fans is to bring back the original division names of Adams, Patrick, Norris and Smythe.

Conference “A”
• Anaheim
• Calgary
• Colorado
• Edmonton
• Los Angeles
• Phoenix
• San Jose
• Vancouver

Conference “B”
• Chicago
• Columbus
• Dallas
• Detroit
• Minnesota
• Nashville
• St. Louis
• Winnipeg

Conference “C”
• Boston
• Buffalo
• Florida
• Montreal
• Ottawa
• Tampa Bay
• Toronto

Conference “D”
• Carolina
• New Jersey
• New York Islanders
• New York Rangers
• Philadelphia
• Pittsburgh
• Washington

Northeastern's Sudden Streak Shocks Nation

The Northeastern Huskies may be the best team in the country with a losing record.

But you never would have guessed it with their 1-7-0 start to the season. After that nightmare beginning to the 2011-12 campaign, the Huskies have gone streaking. NU has won its last five games, outscoring their opponents 24-7. That's an average score, when rounded, of 5-1 victories.

These aren't pushover wins, either. They defeated current #20 Providence College 5-2. The shut down a struggling Vermont squad 4-1, and dealt the former #19 Michigan Wolverines a 4-1 loss at Yost Arena.
Not bad at all.

But then the shocker came.


Northeastern went into South Bend and blasted #2 Notre Dame 9-2. Yeah. Indescribable.
Kinda like when they came out the next night and completed the sweep. 2-1 Huskies.

Trying to figure out how a team with such a bad start could suddenly come out strong? Yeah, me too. But it's interesting to look at the 7 game winless streak the Huskies had near the beginning of the year. They lost twice to former-#1 Merrimack, and tied them once. They lost twice to now-#3 Boston College. They lost one game each to New Hampshire and UMass.

Was the lack of success only influenced by a schedule from hell? Not necessarily. But seriously, when you play two of the best teams in the nation FIVE TIMES in a seven game span, it's gonna be hard to pull off a victory.

And now the Huskies are through with the losing streak. Northeastern has deposed of the nation's best teams, and holds a five game win streak.

And it's going to take a heck of an effort to slow them down now.

Stanford Cardinal are Finally Champions

Stanford seniors Camille Levin, Teresa Noyola, Lindsay Taylor, and Kristy Zurmuhlen played their final game together on Sunday. At the end of that game, they accomplished something they had never done before. They became National Champions.

In 2008, they lost in the National Semifinal. Then, in 2009, they lost in the National Championship 1-0 to UNC. Last year, they suffered the same heartbreak losing 1-0 to Notre Dame in the championship game.

The halftime of Sunday's game saw Stanford and Duke tied at 0-0. Was history going to repeat itself again? When asked whether the Cardinal players were thinking about this, Levin said they weren't. I'm sure it was nagging them in the back of their minds.

In the 54th minute, Noyola used her head to dismiss any notions of that happening. Noyola actually started play with the ball at her feet. She switched fields nicely. After a battle for the ball, Levin emerged and sent in a booming cross. She found Noyola at the back post, who burried it.

Duke played hard trying to find the equalizer, but the Cardinal stood firm. When the final whistle blew, those seniors finally had the victory they had been seeking for four years.

The Stanford seniors finished with a career record of 95-4-4 and the first Women's Soccer National Championship in school history.

ESPN's Beth Mowins and Julie Foudy break down the game winning goal and the implications of the victory: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7315721

The Real Big 12 Bowl Snub

Oklahoma State and their head coach Mike Gundy might feel like they got snubbed, but they didn't. Yes, they had more Top 25 wins than Alabama, but that has more to do with the mediocrity of the Big 12. The SEC was dominated by a handful of teams, which meant that Alabama was unable to face as many Top 25 teams. The bottom line here is you have to look at their losses. Alabama lost by 3 in overtime to the consensus #1 LSU Tigers. Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State, who finished 8th in the Big 12. I mean let's be honest. This is obvious.

What isn't obvious is how the Sugar Bowl committee overlooked the real Big 12 snub, the Kansas State Wildcats. The Sugar Bowl instead chose the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Michigan Wolverines. Let's compare the three teams (rankings reflect the final BCS poll):

#8 Kansas State Wildcats:

Final Record: 10-2 (7-2), 2nd place in the Big 12

Record vs. Top 25: 2-2; (Wins: Baylor & Texas), (Losses: Oklahoma & Oklahoma State)

Analysis: The Wildcats finished in 2nd place in the Big 12, by avoiding all the lower-tier minefield games. Their only losses were to Oklahoma State (BCS team) and Oklahoma, when Landry Jones and the Sooners were playing much better football. Overall, they turned in a great season.

#11 Virginia Tech Hokies:

Final Record: 11-2 (7-2), Won ACC Coastal Division, Lost ACC Championship 38-10 to Clemson

Record vs. Top 25: 1-2; (Win: Georgia Tech), (Losses: Both to Clemson)

Analysis: Who has Virginia Tech beaten that has any real talent? This depends on how good the ACC is. The Hokies best non-conference win was over Arkansas State. Not saying much to say the least. The one ranked team they beat, Georgia Tech, finished outside the rankings with a decent, but unimpressive 8-4 record. The Hokies had two big shots at Clemson and were blown out twice. How do you think they will fare when they play another really good opponent. Based on what I've seen, they are going to get blown out.

#13 Michigan Wolverines

Final Record: 10-2 (6-2), 2nd place in the Big 10 Legends division

Record vs. Top 25: 1-1; (Win: Nebraska), (Loss: Michigan State)

Analysis: The Wolverines responded well to new head coach Brady Hoke. They got a big non-conference win against Notre Dame. Then, they played well in Big Ten play. They might have lost to Michigan State and Iowa, but when they needed the two big wins at the end of the season they got the job done, blowing out Nebraska and holding on against archrival Ohio State.

In my opinion, Kansas State should have clearly gotten into this game over Virginia Tech. The Wildcats' body of work throughout the season is much more complete than that of the Hokies. Unfortunately, the Sugar Bowl we will have to settle for his Virginia Tech and Michigan. At this point, I would pick the Wolverines by two touchdowns. Kansas State has to instead play Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, which should be a great game.

NFL Week 13 Preview & Predictions (Abbreviated Form)

5. Kansas City Chiefs (4-7) @ Chicago Bears (7-4) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Chiefs X-Factor: Quarterback Kyle Orton - The Chiefs may turn to the veteran Orton after Tyler Palko struggled last week throwing three interceptions. Orton, the longtime Bears play-caller, might face his old team on Sunday. He will look to keep his team's slim playoff hopes alive in the AFC West.

Bears X- Factor: Quarterback Caleb Hanie - Last week, the Bears were forced to turn to a backup quarterback of their own. Following the injury to Jay Cutler, the Bears called on Caleb Hanie. Hanie threw two touchdown passes, but ultimately threw three interceptions, which cost the Bears the game. If the Bears want to stay in the NFC Wild Card race, they need Hanie to limit his mistakes.

Prediction: Bears 23 Chiefs 16

4. Green Bay Packers (11-0) @ New York Giants (6-5) - 4:15 PM EST, FOX

Packers X-Factor: Running backs Ryan Grant and James Starks - The Packers obviously haven't had to run the ball much with quarterback Aaron Rodgers picking apart opposing defenses for a total of 33 touchdowns this season. However, great defenses are eventually going to figure out how to slow him down. The question becomes will they have any running game to turn to if this happens.

Giants X-Factor: Head coach Tom Coughlin - Coughlin needs to get his team's attention, and he needs to do it now. The media is blowing the Giants three-game losing streak into another giant meltdown to miss the playoffs. If something doesn't change with this football team soon, the media is going to be right.

Prediction: Packers 38 Giants 17

3. Atlanta Falcons (7-4) @ Houston Texans (8-3) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Falcons X-Factor: Wide receiver Roddy White - Quarterback Matt Ryan has been looking to his favorite target, White, a lot over the past two weeks. White has 17 receptions, 267 yards, and one touchdown in those games. White will need to have another big game as the Falcons' offense faces off against a tough Texans' defense.

Texans X-Factor: Running back Arian Foster - The Texans need Foster to step up big, following yet another injury at quarterback. Both Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart are out for at least the regular season, so the Texans had to turn to rookie T.J. Yates. Yates has shown signs of being a good game manager, but doesn't seem ready to lead his team to victory in flashy fashion. It is up to Foster to help alleviate some of that pressure. A big running game will help Yates out a lot.

Prediction: Texans 24 Falcons 23

2. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Bengals X-Factor: Quarterback Andy Dalton - Rookie Andy Dalton has quickly learned how dominant the Steelers and Ravens defenses are. He threw a combined five interceptions in his first matchup against both teams. This week, he gets a rematch against the Steelers, and this time it is at Hines Field. Dalton has to be aware because the Steelers defense that will be coming after him.

Steelers X-Factor: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger - The Steelers defense dominated the Kansas City Chiefs last week, but Big Ben did little with it. You can blame the wind all you want, but I watched the game. Ben played poorly. He seems to struggle against bad teams. The Bengals will be pumped and seeking revenge. Big Ben better respond better in this one.

Prediction: Steelers 20 Bengals 17

1. Detroit Lions (7-4) @ New Orleans Saints (7-3) - 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Lions X-Factor: Quarterback Matthew Stafford - With his team's running backs and defense ailing, Stafford is going to have to play very well for his team to stand a chance. In order to do this, he needs to limit his mistakes. Over the past three weeks, he has thrown nine interceptions. That is simply too many.

Saints X-Factor: Quarterback Drew Brees - You might ask how Brees can be the X-Factor. He is a given to succeed. You would probably be right. But the Saints offense is so diversified, it is seemingly impossible to pick any one other player. Additionally, Brees has torched the Lions in the past. The Lions' secondary might be in trouble. They had so many injuries last week that wide receiver Rashied Davis had to come in and play safety. Look for Brees to have another monstrous game.

Prediction: Saints 42 Lions 21

Fail to the Victors: Michigan Winless in Seven Straight

When Michigan lost in overtime during last season's National Championship game, "Wolverine Nation" figured that they would do what they always do: re-load, and take another shot at the national title.

At this point, the Wolverines wouldn't mind just getting a win.

It's not supposed to happen like this. Michigan started off at their usual tempo, going 7-2-1 through their first 10 games. During that span, they swept then #7 Ferris State, and split against #6 Western Michigan. All was good in the land of maize and blue.

Then there was the surprise loss and tie against Miami (OH). And being swept by Ohio State for the first time since 1989 (the first in Ann Arbor since 1986). Oh, and that ever-so-embarrassing loss to a struggling Northeastern University. And that awful game against Union College. 

Yeah. And now a 4-3 loss to a CCHA bottom-tier hockey squad from the University of Alaska.

Michigan is without a win in seven games, and is stuck in the conference basement with a measly
12 points on the year. (http://www.ccha.com/default.aspx)

Wow.

It's a team that's ridiculously confusing. The most probable explanation is the 10 freshman on the team, a number which surpasses the total number of juniors and seniors combined. Even with a younger team, Michigan has never had trouble with recruiting. Citing youth as the scapegoat for a struggling season will not appease the Ann Arbor faithful, especially when goaltender Shawn Hunwick still anchors the team as a fifth-year senior.

Michigan had a fast start, but a weak schedule. Then took 9 out of 12 points from  the #6 and #7 teams in the country during back-to-back series. Then lost five in a row and went win-less in seven.

Yet football coach Brady Hoke's words ring true: "We're Michigan." That's right, Wolverines. You are Michigan. The tradition in your program is second-to-none.

But tradition means nothing when you're not winning.

College Football Week 14 Preview & Predictions

This is conference championship weekend. These games will help decide who plays in the BCS bowls. Here are my previews and predictions for my Top Five:

5. #24 Southern Miss @ #6 Houston - 12:00 PM EST, ABC

The University of Houston's football team has convincingly kept doing one thing all season. That is winning football games. The Cougars are looking for their thirteenth win and a perfect regular season. They get to play Southern Miss at home in the Conference USA Championship. After finishing a disappointing 5-7 last season, Houston is one win away from their first ever BCS bowl game bid and would become the first ever Conference USA team to play in the Bowl Championship Series. The Cougars' potent offense is led at quarterback by Heisman candidate Case Keenum. The Cougars' defense has also steadily improved throughout the season. The Southern Miss offense is led by quarterback Austin Davis and running back Jamal Woodyard. The Golden Eagles are going to need to get these two guys to play stellar games in order to have a shot at the upset win. Prediction: Houston 52 Southern Miss 31

4. #15 Wisconsin vs. #13 Michigan State - 8:17 PM EST, FOX

If the inaugural Big Ten Championship is anything like the first matchup of these two teams, this game is going to be stellar. On October 22, Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins completed a 44-yard Hail Mary pass to Keith Nichol as time expired. Both teams come into tomorrow's game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on a four-game winning streak. Michigan State's offense will center around Cousins once again. You should keep an eye on his favorite target, wide receiver B.J. Cunningham, as well. Wisconsin's dual-threat offense hasn't scored less than 28 points in any game this season. Quarterback Russell Wilson has been extremely efficient on the season, but two of his three interceptions on the season came against the Spartans earlier this season. Running back Montee Ball is playing like a beast. He had four rushing touchdowns against Penn State last week. We also can't forget about these two defenses. The Spartans and Badgers have two of the top six scoring defenses in the country. The winner of this game gets the automatic bid to the Rose Bowl. Prediction: Wisconsin 31 Michigan State 20

3. #5 Virginia Tech vs. #20 Clemson - 8:00 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

Way back on October 1, Clemson did what few teams do to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. They beat them handily, 23-3. Since that game, these have been two completely different teams. Clemson was in the top ten in the polls with a record of 8-0. Then, they dropped three out of their last four and should have lost the one game they won. Conversely, Virginia Tech has been on a mission. Sophomore quarterback Logan Thomas has improved greatly since the loss. As for the Hokies defense and special teams, they just look like another great version of head coach Frank Beamer's staple crop. Virginia Tech is hungry for revenge. The winner of this game, played in Charlotte, goes to the Orange Bowl. Prediction: Virginia Tech 41 Clemson 6

2. #14 Georgia vs. #1 LSU - 4:00 PM EST, CBS

Many experts say this game is just one more hump for LSU to get over before going to the BCS National Championship game. However, I would caution the Tigers to not take this game lightly. The game is being played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. While this is not officially a home game for the University of Georgia, the Bulldogs well definitely feel comfortable playing there and should have the edge in the crowd. Additionally, the Dawgs come in on a ten game winning streak of their own. After being down 14-0, LSU went on to dismantle then #3 Arkansas 41-17 last week. Everyone talks about the Tigers outstanding defense, but it is also important to consider the improved play of quarterback Jordan Jefferson. For Georgia to have a chance to win this game, the Bulldogs need quarterback Aaron Murray to play effectively and efficiently. Prediction: LSU 31 Georgia 21

1. #10 Oklahoma @ #3 Oklahoma State - 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Oklahoma State needs this win to win their first ever Big 12 Championship and try and prove that they deserve to play in the BCS National Championship Game. Their in-state rival and nemesis, the University of Oklahoma, stands in their way. The Sooners have won the last eight Bedlam matchups against the Cowboys. Oklahoma bounced back from their second loss of the season to Baylor with a win 26-6 over Iowa State. Iowa State is the team that ended Oklahoma State's perfect season 37-31 in 2OT. The Cowboys are coming off a bye last week. Oklahoma State is of course known by their potent offense, featuring their Heisman candidate quarterback Brandon Weeden and explosive wide receiver Justin Blackmon. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones has struggled the past two weeks, failing to throw a passing touchdown in both games. He had thrown at least one in 24 straight games before that. He is expected to get back one of his favorite targets, wide receiver Jaz Reynolds, from injury. The winner will most likely head to the Fiesta Bowl. Prediction: Oklahoma State 45 Oklahoma 41

Ohio State's Dismantling of Duke is Just the Start of What Should Be a Revealing Week

A lot of people, including myself, questioned how good the Ohio State players not named Jared Sullinger were. Last night, they made a statement when they routed Duke by 22. In Columbus, the Buckeyes fans booed when LeBron James and his Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade walked to their courtside seats. After the game tipped off, there was little for them to complain about as their team took an early 11-0 lead and never looked back. Ohio State's offense was led by Sullinger's 21 and senior William Buford's 20. Sophomores Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft added 18 and 17, respectively. The Buckeyes defense kept Duke from responding. The Blue Devils made only twenty percent of their three point attempts as they scored a season-low 63 points.

This is just the start of what should be a revealing week. Below is my preview of the best game for each night the rest of this week, starting tonight.

#7 Wisconsin @ #5 UNC - 9:30 PM EST (Wednesday), ESPN

Wisconsin's closest game this season so far is a 17 point win over BYU. The problem is that the Cougars are by far the best team they've played. The Badgers are led by Preseason All-American guard Jordan Taylor. Sophmore Ben Brust is off to a great start to the season as well. UNC is hoping to bounce back from their first loss of the season at UNLV. The Tar Heels are also hoping their Preseason All-American forward Harrison Barnes is able to play well on the ankle he rolled in that loss.

St. John's @ #1 Kentucky - 7:30 PM EST (Thursday), ESPN2

Thanks to UNLV's aforementioned upset of UNC, this year's version of the young Kentucky Wildcats is already ranked #1. Kentucky's starting lineup features three freshmen and two sophomores. The Wildcats have scored 84.4 ppg and won their games by an average of 30.0 points. The big showdown might be Saturday (I'll preview that in a bit.), but this young team can't get caught looking ahead. St. John's brings their own young team to Rupp Arena. The Red Storm might be 4-3, but I watched them played at Madison Square Garden. They are much better than that. This team is figuring out how to play together. Sophmore guard Nurideen Linsey has the looks of an electrifying, budding leader. In addition to Lindsey, D'Angelo Harrison, Moe Harkless, and God'sgift Achiuwa all average at least 11.3 ppg.

#9 Florida @ #3 Syracuse - 7:00 PM EST (Friday), ESPN

The Florida Gators travel to the Carrier Dome to take on the Syracuse Orange. The Gators only loss is by seven points to Ohio State. The Gators offense is being led by guards Kenny Boynton and Bradley Beal. Beal is off to a great start to his freshman season. The Syracuse Orange are 7-0, despite all the chaos surrounding their program. The Barry Fine investigation is ongoing, and head coach Jim Boeheim is getting increasingly frustrated with the media. Boeheim better be careful though because if these accusations turn out to be true, he could experience a similar exit to former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno. On the court, senior point guard Scoop Jardine runs the Orange offense. Senior forward Kris Joseph is the team's leading scorer.

#5 UNC @ #1 Kentucky - 12:00 PM EST (Saturday), CBS

I have already previewed both these teams (if you forgot, look above). This matchup features two of the most storied programs in all of college basketball. The Wildcats offense has been fairly balanced this season. UNC point guard Kendall Marshall is averaging a ridiculous 10.8 apg in leading the Tar Heels attack. The teams seem to matchup fairly equally. This game should be a dandy.

Maurice and Boudreau are Checked Out From Their Head Coaching Posts

Monday is a new day of a work week, and it also was a beginning of a new chapter for two NHL franchises. These teams' head coaches have been fired just more than twenty games into the season.

The Carolina Hurricanes fired Paul Maurice for the second time in less than a decade. The last-place Hurricanes have had only one playoff appearance since 2006 and have lost 10 of their last 13 games. The team's record now stands at 8-13-4, but they are only five points out of the eighth playoff spot. It is clear that the front office thought that a move would help the team achieve its full potential.

The Hurricanes new head coach is former All-Star Kirk Muller. Muller had long, prosperous career in which he made six All-Star teams and helped lead the Montreal Canadiens to their most recent Stanley Cup in 1993. Muller does have coaching experience with the Canadiens and the Nashville Predators' AHL team, the Milwaukee Admirals.

Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford is eager to see what Muller can do with his team. Rutherford stated, "I don't know exactly how good we are. I believe we're better than what we've done so far." It is now Muller's job to prove Rutherford right.

A much more surprising move was when the Washington Capitals decided to fire head coach Bruce Boudreau. Boudreau became the fastest coach to 200 wins in modern NHL history. However, Boudreau's team routinely choked and under-performed in the playoffs, despite its very talented lineup led by two-time league MVP Alex Ovechkin.

Because of his team's continual underachieving, Boudreau tried a new tactic of benching players who exhibited this type of play, including team captain Ovechkin. Ovechkin's play had not responded well to his former coach's stricter coaching style. He only has 17 points in 22 games.

Capitals GM George McPhee explained the move, "This was simply a case of the players were no longer responding to Bruce. When you see that, as much as you don't want to make a change, you have to make a change."

McPhee decided to replace Boudreau with former Capitals captain Dale Hunter. Hunter has no NHL coaching experience at all. In fact, his only experience coaching adults is with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

Obviously, McPhee didn't make this move to get a superior coach. This move was made to be a wake up call to his players. Will it work? That remains to be seen. This team has to change its under-performing ways for that to happen.

Who Will the Texans turn to at Quarterback Now?

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the Houston's Texans bout with the injury bug when starting quarterback Matt Schaub was injured (http://fireawayblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/houston-do-we-have-problem.html). Now, the next man in line, Matt Leinart, is likely done for the season as well. T.J. Yates came in and managed the game in last week's win. But is he the answer? This is a Super Bowl caliber team. They have one of the best rushing attacks in the league, a dynamic wide receiver, and one of the toughest defenses in the league. I will examine the Texans options at quarterback and will tell them who I think gives them the best chance in the playoffs.

T.J. Yates - Age: 24 - Current Texans Starter

As I mentioned above, Yates came in against the Jaguars and manged the game well in a win. Yates was drafted in the fifth round out of UNC in last year's draft. He was drafted because he ran a similar offense with the Tar Heels. He is familiar with the Texans' system, but he is a rookie. The NFL is whole different level from ACC football, especially when it comes to the playoffs.

Kellen Clemens - Age: 28 - Texans Current Backup

Clemens was signed last week following Schaub's injury. He was signed because he was in training camp with the Washington Redskins to start the season. Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan was Texans head coach Gary Kubiak's mentor, and former Texans assistant coach Kyle Shanahan now holds the same position there. Therefore, Clemens is familiar with the type of offense that Kubiak runs and should be able to pick it up quickly. The question becomes whether or not he is a good enough quarterback to win playoff games.

Brett Favre - Age: 42 - Free Agent

Favre is the name all over the media right now. While he might be the best quarterback out there, reports say he hasn't worked out in at least a month. In response to the Texans' interest, general manager Rick Smith stated that "I don't want to bring the circus (Favre) to town." The media will be pressuring Smith to the make the move. Would Favre be able to get in shape and lead the franchise to a Super Bowl win? I'm not sure. Smith has to consider that question himself.

Jeff Garcia - Age: 41 - Free Agent

Garcia is a veteran with good starting experience. He has shown the capability to run a bootleg offense effectively, which is similar to what the Texans run. Garcia has some playoff experience as well. He could be a good fit in the Texans offense.

Brodie Croyle - Age: 28 - Free Agent

The former Kansas City Chief quarterback struggled in five season with the team. Croyle played in only 18 games. In those games, he threw only eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. He might seem like a long shot, but he is a younger free agent option with some experience.

Trent Edwards - Age: 28 - Free Agent

Edwards was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 2007 NFL Draft. He started the majority of the games his first three seasons, but had only mediocre success. The past two seasons he has been limited to a backup role with the Bills and Jaguars. Edwards is a younger quarterback option and has quite a bit of starting experience.

What should the Texans do? First, I think they need to keep Yates as the starter at least for now. He managed the game well last week, but should have a tougher task this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Second, I think they need to prepare Clemens as if he was the starter. He needs to learn the offense as quickly as possible in case he is needed. Clemens could definitely succeed in this offense, but I am not sure if he is the best option in the playoffs. Third, they need to evaluate who the best free agent is. I agree with GM Rick Smith about not bringing in Favre. The team is playing the best football in franchise history, don't do anything to mess that up. Croyle and Edwards might be young, experienced options, but they both have proved that they aren't good enough quarterbacks to be relied on to win games, let alone playoff games. That leaves Jeff Garcia. Garcia has starting experience in a similar offense when he played in San Francisco. He has won playoff games with two different franchises. In my opinion, he is the best option for the Texans to win games in the playoffs.

If it were my call, I would go with Yates and Clemens for now. I would sign Garcia and let him learn the offense. Once he and the rest offense feels comfortable (maybe around Week 14), I would hand the reigns over to him. This team is capable of a Super Bowl run. But the question remains: who will be their quarterback?

NFL Week 12 Preview & Predictions

You might have noticed I took a bye week last week on my weekly NFL Preview and Predictions (I was in St. Louis with some friends). I'm back again this week, and here is this week's Top Five Games.

5. Denver Broncos (5-5) @ San Diego Chargers (4-6) - 4:15 PM EST, CBS

In Week 5, these two teams last met. Denver was 1-3, and San Diego was 3-1. The Chargers took a large lead early in the game. That is when Broncos head coach John Fox made a big decison replacing veteran starting quarterback Kyle Orton with young Tim Tebow. Tebow nearly led the Broncos to the comeback win in the game. Since that game, a lot has changed about these teams. Denver has gone 4-1 with Tebow as the starting quarterback, despite the mounting criticism building against him. San Diego has gone 0-5 and watched starting quarterback Philip Rivers implode time and time again. In this game, the Tebow-led Broncos look to continue to ride toward a potential playoff berth, while the Chargers try to hold back the rivers that seem to be washing them out of the AFC playoff picture. Prediction: Denver 20 San Diego 17

4. Chicago Bears (7-3) @ Oakland Raiders (6-4) - 4:05 PM EST, FOX

Both the Broncos and Chargers are chasing the Oakland Raiders, who are leading the AFC West. The Raiders have been the epitome of inconsistent this season (W, L, W, L, W, W, L, L, W, W). At least midseason acquisition Carson Palmer is starting to show signs off mastering the offense. After throwing a combined six interceptions in his first two games as a Raider (both losses), Palmer has thrown only one in his last two games (both wins). On the other hand, the Chicago Bears are on a consistent roll right now that they would like to keep going. They have won five games in a row and would like to maintain their NFC Wild Card lead. However, their chances were dealt a serious blow when starting quarterback Jay Cutler fractured his thumb on his right throwing hand while trying to make a tackle following an interception. Doctors are uncertain if he will be able to return during the regular season. Into the spotlight steps Caleb Hanie, who will make his first ever NFL start. Most people will remember his performance in relief of Cutler in the NFC Championship Game last season. Hanie led the Bears on two touchdown drives before throwing his costly second interception that sealed his team's loss to the Packers. Prediction: Chicago 20 Oakland 17

3. Buffalo Bills (5-5) @ New York Jets (5-5) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This game features two teams struggling to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Buffalo Bills opened the season 4-1, but have now lost four of their last five. The Bills offense averaged 32.8 ppg during those first five games, but only 14.3 ppg the past five. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been struggling, and starting running back Fred Jackson, who was having an outstanding season, has been lost for the season with a broken bone in his lower right leg. The New York Jets have been very streaky this season. Their current two game losing streak has brought them down to .500 and put them in must win mode if they are going to stand a chance of making the playoffs. The Jets aren't ready to panic yet though, as they were in a similar situation last year before putting together enough wins to reach the AFC Championship Game for the second straight year. They need quarterback Mark Sanchez to step up his game to make this happen again. Prediction: New York 24 Buffalo 10

2. New England Patriots (7-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) - 4:15 PM EST, CBS

Many people thought before this season began that this game could be a Super Bowl preview. The New England Patriots seem well on their way to winning yet another AFC East title to try and hold up their end of the bargain. On the other hand, the Philadelphia Eagles are just trying to win another game to try and climb back into the NFC playoff picture. The Patriots have bounced back from two losses (to the Steelers and Giants) to win two games (over the Jets and Chiefs). Tight end Ron Gronkowski has blossomed into the focal point of the Patriots offense. He has 10 touchdown catches on the season, including a combined four the past two weeks. The Eagles are coming off a huge win over the Giants. Vince Young led the offense as an injured Michael Vick was unable to play. Reports believe that Young will be called on again this week. The Eagles defense stepped up big last week and will need to again this week. Prediction: New England 34 Philadelphia 17

1. New York Giants (6-4) @ New Orleans Saints (7-3) - 8:30 PM EST (MNF), ESPN

The New York Giants once seemed to be in control of the NFC East, but two straight losses and four straight wins for the Dallas Cowboys means that the Giants sit a 1/2 game behind the Cowboys. This might be the starting signs of another Giants second-half collapse, just like the past two seasons (missed the playoffs both seasons). In fact, in all seven seasons under head coach Tom Coughlin so far, the Giants have a worse second half record that their first half record. The Giants are struggling with injuries and will likely have to overcome quite a few inactives in order to pick up a win. They have a tough task going into the Superdome, where the Saints are 4-0. The Saints last two games were victories over divisional foes, including a 26-23 overtime win over the Falcons. They will be itching to play after eight days off because of their bye week last week. Prediction: New Orleans 34 New York 20

College Football Week 13 Preview & Predictions

5. #8 Houston @ Tulsa - 12:00 PM EST

Houston is thriving in the spotlight picking up its 11th win of the season with the College Gameday crew in town last week. The regular season finale with Tulsa may be their toughest test so far. Both teams are 7-0 in Conference USA. Tulsa may have three loses, but they were to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Boise State. If they had played an easier non-conference schedule, we might be talking about a BCS Top 10 showdown right here. Houston is obviously known by their prolific passer, Case Keenum, but their defense has been solid as well. Tulsa has a potent offense as well. Quarterback G.J. Kinne has a quarterback rating nearly as high as Kennum's. The Golden Hurricanes also feature the conference's best rushing attack averaging 210.1 ypg and a combined 597 yards their past two games. Trey Watts and Ja'Terian Douglas lead the two-prong attack. This game should tell us a lot about Houston's chances in BCS bowl, should they make it to one. Prediction: Houston 45 Tulsa 41

4. #5 Virginia Tech @ Virginia - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2/ESPN3

The fact that if Virginia Tech wins they play in the ACC Championship, comes as no surprise. The fact that if Virginia pulls the upset they play in the championship game instead is quite surprising. Virginia Tech is looking for its fourth trip to the game in five years. On the other hand, Virginia went 4-8 last season. They seemed to be on the right track under second year head coach Mike London, but no one thought he would turn it around this quickly. Virginia Tech would love another shot at Clemson in the championship game. The Tigers embarrased the Hokies at home for their only loss of the season. This game should be a low-scoring, defensively-dominated game. There is a lot on the line for both teams as the look to continue their hopes of playing in the Orange Bowl. Prediction: Virginia 16 Virginia Tech 14

3. #19 Penn State @ #16 Wisconsin - 3:30 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

Both these teams have played some great football to overcome some challenging adversity. Penn State has endured the upheaval and turmoil surrounding the Sandusky scandal and the firing of legendary coach Joe Paterno. Wisconsin had two heartbreaking defeats back-to-back weeks against Michigan State and Ohio State. Now, these football teams just need to focus on winning this game because the winner wins the Leaders Division and gets the berth in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game against Legends Division winner Michigan State. Last week, Penn State won only their second game against Ohio State in Columbus since joining the Big Ten. Running back Stephfon Green ran for two first half touchdowns to lead the Nittany Lions offense. Wisconsin is coming in on a three game winning streak, with wins against Purdue, Minnesota, and Illinois. The winner of this game gets the Spartans with a trip to the Rose Bowl up for grabs. Prediction: Wisconsin 28 Penn State 20

2. #2 Alabama @ #24 Auburn - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

You might think that Alabama has this game in the bag based on their superior talent. Not so fast. Nothing is easy when it comes to the Iron Bowl, one of the fiercest rivarlies in college football. Auburn pulled the upset last year to earn the in-state bragging rights. They would love to do it again this year. After all, Alabama thought they would have a cupcake game against Georgia Southern last week, but the Eagles exposed some holes in that Crimson Tide defense. The running back most people will focus on this game is Heisman candidate Trent Richardson. Richardson has 1380 rushing yards on the season and 20 touchdowns. Auburn though has a running back I like as my X-Factor of the game. The playmaker's name is Onterio McCalebb. McCalebb made some plays against LSU's defense earlier this season. If the Tigers are going to have a shot, they'll need him to do it again. Prediction: Alabama 24 Auburn 17

1. #3 Arkansas @ #1 LSU - 2:30 PM EST (Friday), CBS

LSU is still undefeated and has been the only consistent team in the BCS polls, but they face another tough test this weekend in Arkansas. With the exception of Alabama, LSU has beaten everyone they've played this year by at least 13 points. However, history says that this one should be closer than that. The last five games between these two teams have been decided by eight points or less, and Arkansas has won three out of the last four. The X-Factor in this game is the offensive line for Arkansas. We all know how good the Tigers defense is, so they have to give their best effort to protect quarterback Tyler Wilson. When Wilson has the time to work, he is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. He has thrown for a conference-leading 3215 passing yards, but has also been sacked 18 times. Prediction: Arkansas 27 LSU 21

UEFA Champions League Group Action Reaction - 11/23/11

Following today's matches, all teams in the UEFA Champions League have played five of their six matches in group play. Here is some of the notable scores from the past few days:

Napoli 2 Manchester City 1 (Group A)

You might remember I blogged about Manchester City's early success three weeks ago (http://fireawayblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-good-is-manchester-city.html). I mentioned for them to be considered among the cream of the crop in Europe they would have to succeed in the UEFA Champions League. Well, they struggled once again. Manchester City controlled the majority of possession (70%), but struggled to put the ball in the net. They had 17 shots, including 8 shots on goal, and 5 corners. However, they only scored once. On the other hand, Napoli forward Edinson Cavani didn't seem to have the same problem. The Uruguayan striker scored twice. Bayern Munich has already clinched its spot in the Final 16 as the group's winner. Following this result, Napoli currently sits in 2nd with 8 points, while Manchester City is third with 7. This means that for Man City to advance they have to beat Bayern Munich in their final game. They also would need winless Villarreal to win or tie against Napoli.

Trabzonspor 1 Internazionale 1 (Group B)

Inter Milan got the tie they needed in this match, which combined with Lille's 2-0 victory over CSKA Moscow, sends them into the Final 16 as the guaranteed group winner. Trabzonspor outshot Inter 22-9, but Brasilian keeper Julio Cesar reminded viewers why he is one of the best in the world. Trabzonspor is in 2nd with 6 points, while Lille and CSKA Moscow now are tied with 5. This means that it will come down to the final group games, as any of these three can advance. Trabzonspor plays Lille and advances automatically with a win. CSKA Moscow plays Inter.

Manchester United 2 Benfica 2 (Group C)

Manchester United stumbled in this one at Old Trafford. United overcame an early own goal with 2 goals of their own. In the 59th minute, Darren Fletcher put them in the lead 2-1. However, one minute later Pablo Aimar scored the equalizer. Both these teams remain tied for the lead in the group with 9 points, but FC Basel is right there with 8. Benfica has to like their odds in their final match against Otelul Galati, who has lost all five of their games. This means that the key final matchup will be the big one between Manchester United and FC Basel. It would be shocker if United failed to advance.

Lyon 0 Ajax Amsterdam 0 (Group D)

With Real Madrid (5-0-0) advancing after dominating the group, Lyon and Ajax knew they were battling to be the second team to advance from the group. Both teams had some great opportunities, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. Thanks in large part to two stellar saves by Kenneth Vermeer late, Ajax maintained their 3 point edge over Lyon in the group standings. Ajax will advance with at least a tie against Real Madrid. Lyon will need to score a lot of goals in a win over last place Dinamo Zagreb and an Ajax loss to have a shot at advancing.

Bayer Leverkusen 2 Chelsea 1 (Group E)

Chelsea knew what they needed to do in this game. They needed to take care of business like they should and pick up a win. They were on their way to this when Didier Drogba put them up 1-0. It seemed bad enough when they let Eren Derdiyok score the equalizer in the 73rd minute. Then, in stoppage time, Manuel Friedrich scored the shocking winning goal. Bayer Leverkusen is now in first place in the group and will advance with a mere draw against winless Racing Genk, who lost 7-0 to Valencia. Valencia now holds the goal differential edge over Chelsea. This means that Chelsea would need either a win or a scoreless draw against Valencia in their final match to advance.

Olympiakos 1 Marseille 0 (Group F)

While most of the talk is about Arsenal advancing as the group winners, this result had the most affect on the rest of the group. Olympiakos now has a shot of advancing thanks to a goal in the 82nd minute by substitute Ioannis Fetfatzidis. The sub scored just seven minutes after coming on the pitch. Marseille remains in second with 7 points. Picking up their second win, Olympiakos is now third with 6 points. Borussia Dortmund have 4 points and still has a slim chance of advancing. They would need a victory over Marseille to have a chance. Olympiakos needs at least a tie against Arsenal. Any of these three teams are capable of advancing.

Zenit St Petersburg 0 Apoel Nicosia 0 (Group G)

Apoel Nicosia knew they would advance with a draw, so they decided to play defensively from the onset. That is the way it remained the whole game as they only had 2 shots the whole game. Zenit St Petersburg did all they could to score as they fired 23 shots, had 8 of those on goal, and 10 corners. With the scoreless draw, Apoel Nicosia became the first Cypriot team to advance. This means that the group's decisive final game between Zenit St Petersburg and FC Porto will determine which of the two will advance. Zenit holds a one point edge in the standings, which means that FC Porto will need a win to advance.

Barcelona 3 AC Milan 2 (Group H)

This was the premier match people wanted to watch. After a 2-2 draw in the last matchup back in September, what would happen in this one? Mark Van Bommel's own goal put Barcelona up to start. In the 20th minute, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the equalizer against his old side. Lionel Messi put Barca back on top following a somewhat questionable penalty kick call. Kevin-Prince Boateng tied it up once again in the 54th minute. In the 63rd minute, Messi had a beautiful run to setup Xavi for the winning goal for Barca. Barcelona wins the group as both sides advance to the Final 16 in what was a well-played game by both sides.

What Does MVP Really Mean in MLB?

MVP is supposed to stand for Most Valuable Player. Is that really what it stands for in Major League Baseball? I'm not so sure. The AL and NL winners were announced this week. Were the correct choices? Let's examine it.

I will take a look at the less controversial NL MVP decision first. This was really a two horse race between Milwawkee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp. Here is what both players did during the regular season:

Braun led the NL in slugging percentage (.597) and extra base hits (77). He had a chance to pass Jose Reyes to win the batting title as well [Don't get me started on what a tool Reyes is (he took himself out of the Mets' final game of the season so he couldn't lose the title)]. Braun finished with a .332 average, 33 home runs, 111 RBIs, 109 runs scored, and 33 stolen bases.

Kemp led the NL in home runs (39) and RBIs (126). Additionally, he had a .324 average, 115 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases. He also won a Gold Glove.

If you look strictly at the numbers, Kemp appears to have the edge. But then you have to consider the unwritten rule that the MVP winner has to play for a playoff team. Braun led the Brewers to a franchise-best 96 wins and their first division title in nearly 30 years. Kemp played on a Dodgers team that had an up-and-down-filled season that ended in a third place finish in the NL West. When Braun was asked about this he replied, "Without a doubt I think it's a drastically different experience playing meaningful games down the stretch." Based on his numbers and importance to the Brewers, I believe that Braun was the proper choice for NL MVP.

Now, it is time to discuss the controversial AL MVP decision. There were five top candidates that emerged from the voting. Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a great season, but couldn't be considered as the best player on his team. Jose Bautista had a strong season as well, but his Blue Jays didn't come close to making the playoffs, which cost him. Let's look at the other three candidates in more depth:

AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander had one of the most dominant seasons a pitcher has had in a long time. Verlander won the AL's pitching triple crown, finishing the regular season with a record of 24-5, a 2.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts. That is the most wins for a major league pitcher since Bob Welch won 27 games in 1990. Verlander also had a no-hitter on May 7.

New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson helped lead his team to an AL best 97 wins. Granderson stepped up early in the season when injuries and struggling bats plagued his team. He finished with a .262 average, 41 home runs, 119 RBIs, 136 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.

Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was an anchor in the lineup. At times, Ellsbury was the only player you could rely on to produce for them. He finished with a .321 average, 32 home runs, 105 RBIs, and 119 runs scored, and 39 stolen bases.

Let's compare the two outfielders first. Granderson was more of a power guy, while Ellsbury displayed great average and speed. Ellsbury was also a superior defensive player. Granderson's Yankees had the best record in the AL, while Ellsbury's Red Sox had one of the worst collapses in sports history to miss the playoffs. However, upon further examination Ellsbury did the best he could to not let that happen. He hit for a .358 average and 8 home runs in September.

So how does Justin Verlander compare to hitters? I mean he dominated them all season, but how do the numbers compare. While Verlander's numbers are some of the best for a pitcher in a long time, he was left off one voter's ballot all together. That voter was Jim Ingraham, a writer for The News-Herald a northern Ohio Newspaper. When asked to defend his decision Ingraham had this to say:

"I'd wrestled with this for a long time. If I was ever going to vote for pitcher for MVP, it would be him this year."

"He hasn't appeared in 79 percent of their games, any starting pitcher really doesn't appear in 79 percent of his team's games in a year."

"Would you vote for an NFL quarterback for MVP if he only appeared in three of his team's 16 games, which would be 21 percent? So that's part of it. Another part of it is I think they're apples and oranges. The guys that are in there every day, there's a grind to a season that a starting pitcher doesn't, I don't think, experience the way the everyday position players do playing 150, 160 games."

By not putting Verlander on his ballot, Ingraham was trying to make a point. While I wouldn't have thought to leave Verlander of my ballot, I appreciate Ingraham's audacity. I fully agree with his argument. Verlander played in about 1/5 of the Tigers games. He could not be the MVP of 4/5 of their games. That is simply to much to ignore. Jacoby Ellsbury was the glue that held the Boston Red Sox together this season. While everyone will remember the team's historic collapse and all the fallout from it, they should also remember Ellsbury's career year. In my opinion, he should have been this year's AL MVP.

Sidney Crosby Looks Like His Old Self

The Pittsburgh Penguins were already tied for first with the most points in the NHL. The Penguins have been playing great. Could things get any better? They just did. Superstar Sidney Crosby returned to the ice for the first time in 10 months following a serious concussion. What does he do in his first game back? He scores 2 goals and has 2 assists. Should we be surprised? I don't think so. This is what we've come to expect from him. It's just wonderful to see him back on the ice.

In other NHL News:

The San Jose Sharks are on fire right now. After starting the season 1-3-0, the Sharks have now gone 11-2-1 in their last 14 games. The Sharks have 25 points in 19 games on the season, giving them the best winning percentage (.694).

The Boston Bruins say not so fast. Do you think the Sharks are hot? You should check us out. The Bruins are currently on a 9 game winning streak. They may have started the season 3-7, but that seems like a faint memory now.

The Minnesota Wild have won 4 in a row and are tied for the most points in the NHL with 27. How are they doing it? The Wild are without doubt the stingiest team in the NHL. They are allowing only 1.95 goals per game. The problem though is on the other end of the ice. The Wild's offense is ranked 28th in the NHL. If they offense improves at all, this could be an even tougher team to beat.

ESPN's Scott Burnside's take on Sidney Crosby's return to the ice: http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/12412/size-of-stage-no-match-for-sidney-crosby

NHL.com examination of the Minnesota Wild: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=602473

Homeboys: UNH Comes Home to Turn Season Around

A winless first four games wasn't what anyone in Durham, NH was expecting.

The New Hampshire Wildcats, coming off a trip to the Northeast Regional Final just a year ago, dropped their first four hockey games of the year, stunning both Hockey East and every NCAA Division 1 program. Not only could they not find a win, but they could not buy a goal. UNH went 122:24 into the season without a goal, and 183:17 with just a single goal.

All that changed when the Wildcats hit a four game homestand, which turned into a four game win streak.

The Whittemore Center saw UNH begin to correct a tailspin season. The Wildcats chalked up wins over Union College, Northeastern, Massachusetts, and Maine, scoring 17 goals in the four game span. After a 3-3 road trip at Vermont, UNH came back to Whittemore, shutting out UMass-Lowell 5-0.

However, it would be unfair to both the Wildcats and their fans to suggest that UNH is on the path to the NCAA tournament once again. The fact remains the New Hampshire has been struggling  this season, and unless they can figure out how to win on the road, they are in for a long season (coming off a weekend loss at Boston University 4-1 doesn't help either). But if they can build off the momentum they've had at home, perhaps UNH can salvage a season, and maybe...just maybe...make another run deep into the playoffs.

Keep an eye out for the Wildcats this week, as they travel to Harvard on Tuesday night, before hosting the Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday.

SEC West Trio Now Control the BCS Standings

I was out of town (in St. Louis with some friends) all weekend. As a result, the only college football I watched was the end of Missouri's win and the 1st quarter of LSU's dismantling of Ole Miss. I came to find out I missed the craziest weekend of the season.

It was a weekend that featured 3 of the BCS Top 5 teams losing. Oklahoma State's undefeated season was ended in double overtime by Iowa State. Oregon's comeback against USC came up short. Robert Griffin III lead Baylor to an impressive and gutsy win over Oklahoma.

When the latest BCS polls were revealed yesterday, everyone's thoughts were confirmed. For the first time ever, the Top 3 teams in the BCS Standings all were from the same conference. Not only are they from the same conference, they are from the same division, the SEC West. #1 LSU is still undefeated, but have to play #3 Arkansas this Friday afternoon. The Razorbacks' only loss is to Alabama. The Crimson Tide's only loss is to LSU.

If Arkansas beats LSU, all three of these teams would have one loss, but they are all to each other. Who is going to get to play Georgia in the SEC Championship? What happens if Georgia wins? The problem is only two teams can play in the BCS Championship Game. Who is it going to be? There is still a lot of football to be played to determine that.