Trinity's Streak Squashed by Yale

The longest winning streak in intercollegiate varsity sports history has ended. The record-setting streak belongs to Trinity College's squash team. The little Connecticut school won 252 straight matches over a fourteen year period. Do you know what that means? This is their first loss this century. Furthermore, Trinity is the thirteen-time national defending champions.

Their first loss since 1998 came when Yale beat them 5-4. After the match, Trinity coach Paul Assaiante said, "I always said that I would be relieved when this streak was over, but I guess I was lying because I don't like this feeling at all. Still, in the end, this was a dual match on the road against the #2 ranked team in the country, and we will hopefully get to play them again in the national championships."

I don't know how many fans were at this exciting match, but they witnessed history in the making. What a model of consistency this program established. I don't know what it is that they did, but they made it happen. It is going to be tough to surpass this streak. Trinity College might be in the record books for a long time to come.

Making the "Naughty List": CCHA and ECAC Give Suspensions

It looks like Santa will be making some notations in his little booklet.
And they aren't on the good side of his list.

I can see him writing now.

 "Alaska...tsk tsk...Notre Dame...my, oh my...Lake State...shameful...Yale...sigh."


All four of these teams received player game-suspensions within the past week, with the exception of Yale, who received a reprimand from the ECAC to their head coach.

The University of Alaska saw junior forward Adam Henderson penalized for "contact to the head roughing" against the Ferris State Bulldogs on Saturday night.  He received a five minute major and a game misconduct, and will not be allowed to participate in the Nanooks Friday night game against Bowling Green State.
Alaska lost the game 4-3.

The Fighting Irish have lost center Riley Sheahan for their upcoming game vs. Michigan. Sheahan, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, delivered what uscho.com called an "illegal hit" in Notre Dame's 3-2 loss to the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday night. That loss gave Western Michigan a weekend sweep of the Irish.

Lake Superior State felt the absence of forward Andrew Perrault last Friday night, in their 2-1 loss to the Miami Redhawks. Perrault, the 6' 2" sophomore from Saskatchewan, was suspended by the CCHA for the delivery of a hit against the University of Michigan on January 7th (LSSU and Michigan tied 2-2, with the Lakers winning the shootout 2-1). Perrault returned to the lineup last Saturday in the Lakers' 4-3 win over Miami.

The Yale Bulldogs received a reprimand this past week directed at their head coach Keith Allain. The East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) handed down the reprimand after Allain's heated post-game comments after a 5-4 overtime loss against the Clarkson Golden Knights. Allain threw harsh comments towards the officiating crew, landing himself on the conference's radar.

Suspensions are not anomalies, yet neither are they an everyday occurrence. But when suspensions or reprimands are given with bulk shipping, it makes both players and coaches stop and think a bit more before saying what's on their mind or delivering a questionable hit. Neither of which should be part of this game.

Big East Power Rankings: How Good is Cincinnati?

This is my January 19th breakdown of the Big East Conference Power Rankings from top to bottom. Some questions that are begging to be answered: Can Syracuse go undefeated?; How good is Cincinnati?; Does Seton Hall have a chance of making the tournament?; How can Pittsburgh be 0-6 in Big East play?

1. Syracuse Orange, 20-0 (7-0)

Best Wins: Stanford*, Florida, Marquette

Worst Losses: N/A

Analysis: There is no denying that Syracuse is the best team in the country right now. They are undefeated, but the question I have is how good are they. The wins against Florida and Marquette are quality ones, but the rest of their competition hasn't been that tough. They have played mostly lower-tier Big East teams in conference play so far. I don't think they will go undefeated. They have too many tough games left. However, that does not mean they aren't the best team in the country.

Next Game: Saturday @ Notre Dame

2. Cincinnati Bearcats, 15-4 (5-1)

Best Wins: Notre Dame, @Georgetown, @Connecticut

Worst Losses: Presbyterian, Marshall (OT), St. John's

Analysis: December 10, 2011 was one of the ugliest days in University of Cincinnati basketball history. The team lost to Queen City rival Xavier and fell to 5-3 on the season, but that wasn't the worst of it. At the end of the game, the Bearcat players got into a fight with the Musketeer players that led Cincinnati senior Yancy Gates stomp on the head of a Xavier player. Gates and three other Bearcats were suspended as a result. However, the fight seems to be the wakeup call the team needed. Since the fight, Cincinnati has gone 10-1, including three Top 25 upsets. Bearcat sophomore guard Sean Kilpatrick has led the way on the court.

Next Game: Saturday @ West Virginia

3. Georgetown Hoyas, 15-3 (5-2)

Best Wins: @Alabama, @Louisville, Marquette

Worst Losses: Kansas*, @West Virginia, Cincinnati

Analysis: Georgetown has put together an unexpectedly good season so far. The Hoyas are off to a great start at 15-3, including an eleven game winning streak. Senior guard Jason Clark has been leading the way. Clark scored a career-high 31 points in his last game against Depaul. For the Hoyas' success to continue, they are going to need Clark to keep playing well.

Next Game: Saturday vs. Rutgers

4. Marquette Golden Eagles, 15-4 (4-2)

Best Wins: @Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Louisville

Worst Losses: LSU, Vanderbilt, Georgetown

Analysis: Marquette's season started out amazingly as the Golden Eagles were 10-0, including a upset win at in-state rival Wisconsin. But then, things fell apart as the team lost three out of five. The team has righted the ship since winning three in a row, but it is difficult to know how good this team is. They were in position to upset Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, before they let it slip away late. If this team is going to make a deep run in the tournament that is the type of wins they are going to need to get. The heart of this Marquette team is their top two seniors, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder.

Next Game: Saturday @ Providence

5. West Virginia Mountaineers, 14-5 (4-2)

Best Wins: Kansas State (2OT), Georgetown, @Marshall

Worst Losses: Kent State, @Mississippi State, @Seton Hall

Analysis: West Virginia has had their ups and down this season. While it has been mostly ups, it is difficult to know how good the Mountaineers really are. One thing that isn't difficult to figure out is how good Kevin Jones has been this season. He is averaging 20.4 ppg and 11.4 rpg on the season. In my opinion, he is making a great case to be Big East Player of the Year and even an All-American.

Next Game: Saturday vs. Cincinnati

6. Seton Hall Pirates, 15-4 (4-3)

Best Wins: @Dayton, West Virginia, Connecticut

Worst Losses: Northwestern, South Florida, Villanova

Analysis: Seton Hall might make the NCAA tournament. Who thought that before the season?Not many people I am sure. A pair of seniors, Herb Pope and Jordan Theodore, have stepped up big for second-year head coach Kevin Willard. The Pirates got off to a fantastic 15-2 start, but have now lost two in a row to South Florida and Villanova. Since neither of those teams are very talented, Seton Hall will look to bounce back in their next game after getting a week off.

Next Game: Wednesday vs. Notre Dame

7. Connecticut Huskies, 14-4 (4-3)

Best Wins: Florida State*, Harvard, West Virginia

Worst Losses: UCF, Seton Hall, Rutgers

Analysis: Connecticut is another tough team to get a read on. A big question for the Huskies is who they are going to have on the court. Freshman guard Ryan Boatright sat out games while being investigated by the NCAA, then he was cleared to play some games, and now he is sitting out again. Without Boatright, the team loses one of their scorers and, more importantly, depth at the guard positions. One player that might be the key to success for the Huskies is freshman Andre Drummond. If Drummond can develop into a dominant post player, this team will get much better. If he does not, I am not sold on this team making a deep tournament run right now.

Next Game: Saturday @ Tennessee

8. Louisville Cardinals, 14-5 (2-4)

Best Wins: Ohio, Vanderbilt (OT), Memphis

Worst Losses: Notre Dame (2OT), @Providence, @Marquette

Analysis: Everyone thought Louisville was really good when they were 12-0, but upon examining their schedule, one realizes that it was a mere illusion. Since their 12-0 start, the Cardinals have gone 2-5. Granted some of those games were against difficult opposition, but the problem is that those are the types of teams you are going to play come tournament time. Louisville might have a balanced attack that is distributed by Peyton Siva, but this team doesn't look ready to compete with the big boys.

Next Game: Saturday @ Pittsburgh

9. South Florida Bulls, 11-8 (4-2)

Best Wins: Rutgers, @Villanova, Seton Hall

Worst Losses: Old Dominion*, Penn State*, @Auburn

Analysis: South Florida has benefited from an easy Big East schedule so far to get to this point. The Bulls only have a 7-6 record against a mediocre non-conference schedule. The fact that they have done so well in Big East play so far, doesn't bode well for the conference. Interestingly enough, South Florida's remaining schedule isn't that difficult either. If the Bulls play well, they could be looking at a possible NIT bid.

Next Game: Sunday @ Depaul

10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 11-8 (3-3)

Best Wins: Florida (2OT), Connecticut, Notre Dame

Worst Losses: Illinois State*, Richmond*, Princeton

Analysis: Head coach Mike Rice is starting to turn around the Rutgers basketball program. It's a difficult job, but he is doing a great job of it. The upset wins over Florida and UConn are the types of wins he needs to get his players to believe in him and to help him recruit the best players he can. A pair of freshman guards, Eli Carter and Myles Mack, are the main ones helping lead the Scarlet Knight turnaround. If the team keeps playing well, they will definitely be deserving of NIT consideration.

Next Game: Saturday @ Georgetown

11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 11-8 (3-3)

12. Providence Friars, 12-7 (1-5)

13. Depaul Blue Demons, 10-8 (1-5)

14. Pittsburgh Panthers, 11-8 (0-6)

15. Villanova Wildcats, 9-10 (2-5)

16. St. John's Red Storm, 8-10 (2-5)

* Game played at neutral site

The "Battle of Boston": Terriers and Eagles Find Success

Five miles.

They're two of the closest campuses to one another in the entire country. Heck, you could walk the entire student body over to the opposition's barn and take it over for a hockey game. But the lack of separation continues onto the scale of rankings as well. Seriously, these teams are inseparable.

#2 Boston University. # 3 Boston College.

*********************************************************************************

The Terriers took advantage of both the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish in the latest poll on USCHO.com (http://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/.) As the previous top two teams in the country fell, BU jumped four spots over the weekend, from 6th to 2nd. This was a bit of a controversial alignment of teams, as the Terriers gained spots higher than both Minnesota and Boston College, both of which were ranked ahead of Boston University.

Boston took both of its games on the weekend by scores of 4-3. On Friday night, they ended Northeastern University's eight-game undefeated streak--a streak in which the Huskies had outscored their opponents 33-14. Saturday evening saw Boston U score twice in the third period, and then win the game in overtime over the Harvard Crimson.

They welcome the Providence Friars into Agganis Arena on Friday night, opening a home-and-home weekend between the two schools.

******************************************************************************

The Eagles are flying high--oddly enough. Despite going 5-6-1 their past 12 games, the Boston College Eagles still find themselves at #3 in the NCAA rankings. They have looked unbeatable at times during the season (such as their six game winning streak) and mediocre-at-best during the current point in the season. Yet for whatever reason, BC is in good standing--literally.

This past weekend, Boston College was shut out on Friday night 4-0 by the University of Massachusetts. They bounced back on Saturday night, however, handing Northeastern just its second loss after its eight-game winning streak. The Eagles enjoyed the victory outdoors at Fenway Park.

Boston College travels to Maine this weekend for two games against the Black Bears.

********************************************************************************

Five miles is all that separates Boston University and Boston College. One number separates them in the national rankings. They even split the season series to-date against each other.

Yet one thing is certain. Both must continue their winning ways and step up their game in order to maintain the national status they have attained for their respective schools located in Boston.

Rangers, Yu Just Got Better

The Texas Rangers have showed they believed in Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. First, they paid $51.7 million to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, Darvish's team, just to talk to him. Then, they let their staff ace, C.J. Wilson, sign with their division rivals, the Los Angeles Angels. Finally, today they agreed to a contract with Darvish that will pay him approximately $60 million over the next six years.

So some of you might be asking, "Who is Yu Darvish?" Darvish is 25-year-pitcher from Japan. Last season, he was 18-6 with a league-best 1.44 ERA and 276 strikeouts. He only walked 36 batters in 232 innings. He also looked great in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 World Baseball Classic. Scouts are impressed by his fastball control and what is considered to be a seven-pitch repertoire, which includes basically everything except a changeup.

Many people are making comparison between Darvish and the Boston Red Sox's Daisuke Matsuzaka. Dice-K pitched well his first two seasons, but has struggled the past three seasons with injuries and inconsistency. I think there is two sides to that coin. It is unfair to compare him to Matsuzaka based on the fact that they are completely different pitchers. Darvish stands 6-5 and 220 pounds, which decreases the likeliness of him wearing down. However, I think it is a fair comparison in the fact that both pitchers are coming from playing only in Japan. Matsuzaka had success, but MLB hitters seem to have figured him out. Will the same happen with Darvish? It is certainly possible.

The Rangers allowed the ace of their staff to leave to their rival organization. Then, they spent a combined $111.7 million dollars on a pitcher who has never thrown a pitch in a Major League Baseball game. They took a risk to say the least. Will it be a good one? We are just going to have to wait and see. I'm not surprised they let Wilson go after his struggles in the postseason. However, I am somewhat surprised they spent so much on only a potentially good pitcher. Rangers fans should understand two things about their club based on this signing. First, they are going to be willing to spend money and lots of it. Second, they know the importance of good pitching and thought enough of their team to spend money now to upgrade their staff now. Now, it is up to Darvish to see how his play translates to MLB. The Rangers need him to be as great as they think he will be. This is a decision we are going to look back on down the road.

St. Louis Looks to Ram Their Way into Prominence Once Again

Jeff Fisher says he is ready for the challenge of turning around the St. Louis Rams. Fisher appreciates what the team's ownership is trying to do and he said that "My decision was very, very simple. It was based on a shared collective vision in restoring this franchise to a place of significance. It was that vision that made my decision very, very easy." Fisher inherits a Rams team that has finished 3-13 or worse four of the past five years. However, the one other year (2010), the team finished 7-9 and was a Week 17 win away from making the playoffs.

Fisher took a break from coaching during the 2011 season after a 17 year coaching stint, the longest-tenured head coach, with the Tennessee Titans. During his time in Tennessee, the Titans won three division titles, made six playoff appearances, and fell one-yard short of forcing overtime in Super Bowl XXXIV against his new organization, the St. Louis Rams. Fisher hopes to bring the same time of success to a once proud Rams franchise.

Many people thought the Rams were a team on the rise following their turnaround in 2010, but 2011 was a total flop for the team. They finished 2-14 due in large part to a tough schedule and a number of key injuries. The most obvious one was to second-year quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford came off a great 2010, in which he won NFL Rookie of the Year. In 2011, Bradford regressed in many experts' eyes as he threw only six touchdown passes. However, he was never fully healthy for the majority of the season due to a lingering high ankle sprain.

The first priority for Fisher is to hire his coordinators. There are reports out already that Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has agreed to the same role in Fisher's new staff. This comes as no surprise Williams and Fisher are close friends from their time together in St. Louis. As for the offensive coordinator position, Fisher has reportedly interviewed former New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and former Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson. It is important that Fisher hires someone who will be able to aid Bradford in his development.

Bradford isn't the only cornerstone piece the franchise is looking to build upon. Running back Steven Jackson is showing no signs of wearing down. Jackson is coming off his seventh consecutive 1,000 yard rushing season. Two of the Rams' young defensive stars are defensive end Chris Long and linebacker James Laurinaitis. Long has become one of the NFL's top pass rushers, while Laurinaitis has led the team in tackles in all three of his seasons.

Additionally, the Rams have the second overall pick in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft. While the team has many possible openings, I expect them to take USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil. The Rams could use the upgrade in protection for Bradford and help in the rushing attack. Kalil would provide both. It will be interesting to see what Fisher will do with the offseason decisions he has to make. He chose the Rams because he liked their vision. Now, it is time to see what his coaching vision will do for the team.

Oklahoma City Thunder Continue Their Thunderous Start

Everyone questions and debates whether or not Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook can coexist. All this team seems to be concerned with is winning games. They're off to a league-best 12-2 start. They may not be blowing their opposition out of the water or putting up big numbers, but they are doing what they have to do to win.

Tonight, Oklahoma City played a Boston Celtics team that was desperate for a win in Boston. The Thunder refused to back down. Kevin Durant came out and scored 28 points and had seven rebounds. Russell Westbrook hit two clutch threes late in the game to seal the win. He finished with 26 points on the night. Westbrook wasn't the only one to come up clutch late. Thabo Sefolosha, who is traditionally known for his shutdown defense, scored 12 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. Boston fell behind early and could never recover, losing the game 97-88. The Celtics have now lost five straight for the first time in the New Big 3 era.

The leader of the Thunder both on and off the court is clearly Kevin Durant. Everyone knows he is a great scorer, but it is more complex than that. Durant is a complete player, who his teammates can turn to for the leadership they need. Russell Westbrook is a fiery point guard, who is content shooting the basketball. While he infuriates some commentators and analysts, Westbrook is talented and plays hard, even if he doesn't fit the traditional point guard mold. He is still relatively young and has some growing to do. As long as his teammates know how he plays and what to expect, I don't see any problem with him playing in Oklahoma City with Durant.

The rest of the Thunder team fills out nicely. Center Kendrick Perkins came over in a trade from the Celtics. At, power forward they have a raw talent in Serge Ibaka from the Congo. Ibaka is still only 22 and showed some fabulous potential in the playoffs last season. His specialty is shot blocking, but with some quality coaching and maturing, I think he has a chance to be an All-Star in the future. The last starter is Thabo Sefolosha at the two guard. As was aforementioned, he is a top-notch defender.

The bench has some fine talent as well. Guard James Harden is one of the best sixth men in the league. He is averaging 17.4 ppg this season off the bench. Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammad are the big men coming off the bench first. Guard Daequan Cook has seen an increase in his minutes since Eric Maynor was injured. Maynor, a promising second-year player, might be done for the season.

As far as the Oklahoma City Thunder are concerned, the media can keep bringing up problems with their team. They seem to be too preoccupied winning games to care. As long as everyone keeps maintaining their roles and maturing as the season progresses, this will be a very dangerous team come playoff time. For Kevin Durant and the Thunder, the time to take off to the next level seems to be now.

Aussie Your Way Down Under

The Australian Open is about to get under way, and I have your men's and women's previews right here.

Men

Novak Djokovic is the #1 seed in the tournament, but that should come as no surprise. The world's #1 ranked player is coming off an incredible 2011 where he won three out of four majors. Djokovic wore down at the end of last year, but claims he is healthy and ready to go, which makes him the oddsmakers' favorite. Two former number ones, #2 seed Rafael Nadal and #3 seed Roger Federer, want a shot at him, but first they need to put aside their own off-court spat. #4 seed Andy Murray has finished as the runner up the past two years. Some sleepers to keep an eye on would be Argentinian Juan Martin del Porto and Frenchman Richard Gasquet. In my opinion, it is Djokovic's tournament to lose. Personally, I think it gets the job done once again.

Women

The women's field is much more wide open. Caroline Wozniacki got the #1 seed ahead of Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, who is seeded 2nd. It comes as a bit of a surprise as Wozniacki is still looking for her first major title. Belarusian Victoria Azarenka is the #3 seed and crowd favorite Maria Sharapova is #4. The last two Australian Open champions, Kim Clijsters (hip) and Serena Williams (ankle), were both injured last week in the Brisbane International. They are seeded #12 and #13 respectively. Williams is always among the favorites in this tournament, but it remains to be seen how healthy she is. Some sleepers to keep an eye on would be Estonian Kaia Kanepi and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Kanepi is coming off a win at the Brisbane International. I'm picking Petra Kvitova to win. She is quickly closing in on Wozniacki's world #1 ranking and already has one major win to her name. I think she will make a statement by winning a second.