Posts About ‘NHL’

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Pro Bowl = Lame

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

The pro bowl, who cares?

I always have trouble filling this space in the week before the Superbowl. Recently though, the NFL moved the Pro Bowl from the week after the Superbowl (where no one gave a shit about it) to the week before the Superbowl (where no one gives a shit about it). First off, the Pro Bowl selections are made before the season is even over. What the fuck is up with that? The best players haven’t even had a full season to shine? That just proves that it’s nothing more than a bullshit popularity contest. Then, consider that many players that deserve to be in the Pro Bowl aren’t, because they are playing the Superbowl. Which is where they’d rather be anyway.

So of course I have no picks this week, because the Pro Bowl is a waste of time and I don’t think I’ve watched it in about 10 years. Instead, I’m going to repost some text from the middle of the offseason where I ranked the All-Star games among all major sports. I think that Hockey has gone back to the regular format for All-Stars, rather than team captains, but the ranking hasn’t changed. Actually, I have no idea. First though, I’ll run down my pre-season playoff picks and see if I got any right.

Preseason Playoff Picks

NFC

Cowboys (division win)
Packers (division win, Superbowl)
Lions (wild-card)
Bucs (wild-card)
Falcons (division win)
Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks, Niners (division win – couldn’t decide)

AFC

Steelers (division win)
Ravens (wild-card)
Colts (division win – assuming Peyton was playing)
Texans (wild-card)
Patriots (division win, Superbowl)
Chiefs (division win)

So let’s see, I was right about the Lions, Falcons, Packers, Ravens, Steelers, Texans and Patriots making the playoffs. However, only the Patriots have been my most reliable pre-season pick, yet I picked against them last week like an idiot. Whatever.

Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans

Originally posted July 2011 and I was too lazy to change the specific detail pertaining to last years dates, so deal.

#5 The NFL Pro-Bowl

This game went from being a joke, to an absolute joke. Not only do most of the players complain about going, but it’s like watching a game of touch football. Understandably, no one wants to get hurt in the last game of the season, and most of them just want to get their short vacations started. Even though now we’re seeing them experience an extended vacation. The NFL thought they solved this issue by moving the Pro-Bowl from the week after the Superbowl to the week before the Superbowl in Miami. This was a terrible idea, as now the best players in the league (you know, the ones in the Superbowl) can’t even be recognized as all-stars because they can’t play in the game. For those two reasons, the quality of play and the lack of players, this is my worst rated All-Star game. Add on the fact that the television coverage is basically second rate, the Pro-Bowl blows ass.

#4 MLB All-Star Game

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love the build-up to this game. Specifically the homerun derby, especially since they started letting players pick their hitters. This is a fun time and seems like the players truly enjoy hanging out and slamming free homeruns. Plus, a lot of charity is involved in the derby, so that’s a good thing too. It’s also a lot more entertaining to watch than the game the next day. Now, not everyone agrees with me that the MLB All-Star game is one of the worst, and that’s all well and good but I think for me it’s more the coverage that ruins it for me than the game itself. First off, Fox’s coverage of the game is way too much pomp and circumstance. This year, it was even worse when they led in with ridiculous previews for the X-Factor show. No one watching the game gives a shit. Not to mention, is anyone else just plain tired of Joe Buck?

The game itself isn’t too bad. The teams actually appear like they are trying to win the game. They are a little held back, and usually it comes down to who hits the homeruns. The pitchers are certainly holding back, as an injury on the mound is always in their minds. But what makes it real shit is that it “means something.” You can blame Bud Selig for that, in response to an All-Star game that went 11 innings with no winner, Selig decided that it would be a good idea that the winner of the All-Star game determines home field advantage in the World Series. Are you fucking kidding me? No where does home advantage mean more than in the World Series and it was determined by a meaningless game played by the most popular (because it is a popularity contest, that was assured by letting the fans vote) players and not by record as it should, and is throughout the playoffs. This is a ridiculous end result of the game, and is just plain stupid. I hope, whatever National League team (as the NL All-Stars won this year off a Cecil Fielder homerun) send a thank you note to Fielder for that win. Of course, they could also send fuck you notes to the American League pitchers, who spoon fed him that homerun. Weak.

#3 MLS All-Star Game

I’ve actually never watched a MLS All-Star game. I know that they do it a little different, the best of the U.S. teams vs. a world team like Manchester United. That’s a pretty kick-ass game, because in between dives, they actually play a hard game because it’s based on pride. Sadly, I think the American team loses a lot, but that really doesn’t matter much in the scheme of things. I’ll watch it this year, I promise.

#2 NBA All-Star Game

Like the MLB game, the best part of the NBA All-Star break is the pre-game stuff the day before. The dunk contest highlights everything that is wrong with the NBA, as far as the individualism and so on, but it’s a fucking blast to watch. They jump over cars, shoot 3-pointers and have a blast. The game itself is highly competitive for a game that doesn’t mean anything, this is the general mindset in the NBA though, so that makes sense. It’s probably the only NBA game I watch all year besides the playoffs, as it’s a true All-Star game, with a lot of who-dat players based on stats rather than pure popularity, though there is some of that. In the end though, it’s still the NBA and doesn’t have half as much energy as my number one.

#1 NHL All-Star Game

The NHL game wasn’t always my favorite. For a long while it was East vs. West, which was okay but a bit bland to watch. Then it was USA vs. Canada (or was it World, I can’t remember) but this year they blew me away with their handling of the All-Star game. They went all playground rules on us. First they picked team captains, then they staged a mock draft where the captains picked their teams. The coverage of this took itself a bit too seriously, but it was great that there was no telling who was going to be on which team. This added a level of enjoyment to it because you knew that heated rivals could end up on the same team, and they did. I don’t remember what team won, but I know the score was in the double digits on both sides.

Adding another fun dimension to the game was having the goalies miked up during the game. In between blocking shots, they were bullshitting with the announcers, just having a fun time and performing for the fans. Because in the end, that’s what this game highlighted – the fans. Before the game there was tons of fan interaction, the referees didn’t even call offsides until the 3rd period and were just letting the players play, and the fans enjoy a high scoring exhibition game. Which is what all the All-Star games should be, exhibition games for the fans, to see the best players in the league let loose a little bit so we can look at them as people like us, rather than rich superstars.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | 1 Comment »

Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

If you were living under a rock this week (as you very well may be) you might have missed the MLB All-Star game, the annual festival of meaningless competition among the most popular players in the sport. If you know me, you know my opinions about this annual event are pretty strong in one direction, which I’ll get to in a second. But it got me thinking, of all the five major sports (yes, I’m counting Soccer) which ones have the best All-Star festivities? So, I decided to rank them and of course, tell you why. On a side note, the U.S. Women’s Soccer team is kicking ass in the World Cup, as they beat Brazil, then France and are heading to the final. One thing I have noticed when watching the women play is that they don’t dive and fake injury nearly as much as the men.

#5 The NFL Pro-Bowl

This game went from being a joke, to an absolute joke. Not only do most of the players complain about going, but it’s like watching a game of touch football. Understandably, no one wants to get hurt in the last game of the season, and most of them just want to get their short vacations started. Even though now we’re seeing them experience an extended vacation. The NFL thought they solved this issue by moving the Pro-Bowl from the week after the Superbowl to the week before the Superbowl in Miami. This was a terrible idea, as now the best players in the league (you know, the ones in the Superbowl) can’t even be recognized as all-stars because they can’t play in the game. For those two reasons, the quality of play and the lack of players, this is my worst rated All-Star game. Add on the fact that the television coverage is basically second rate, the Pro-Bowl blows ass.

#4 MLB All-Star Game

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love the build-up to this game. Specifically the homerun derby, especially since they started letting players pick their hitters. This is a fun time and seems like the players truly enjoy hanging out and slamming free homeruns. Plus, a lot of charity is involved in the derby, so that’s a good thing too. It’s also a lot more entertaining to watch than the game the next day. Now, not everyone agrees with me that the MLB All-Star game is one of the worst, and that’s all well and good but I think for me it’s more the coverage that ruins it for me than the game itself. First off, Fox’s coverage of the game is way too much pomp and circumstance. This year, it was even worse when they led in with ridiculous previews for the X-Factor show. No one watching the game gives a shit. Not to mention, is anyone else just plain tired of Joe Buck?

The game itself isn’t too bad. The teams actually appear like they are trying to win the game. They are a little held back, and usually it comes down to who hits the homeruns. The pitchers are certainly holding back, as an injury on the mound is always in their minds. But what makes it real shit is that it “means something.” You can blame Bud Selig for that, in response to an All-Star game that went 11 innings with no winner, Selig decided that it would be a good idea that the winner of the All-Star game determines home field advantage in the World Series. Are you fucking kidding me? No where does home advantage mean more than in the World Series and it was determined by a meaningless game played by the most popular (because it is a popularity contest, that was assured by letting the fans vote) players and not by record as it should, and is throughout the playoffs. This is a ridiculous end result of the game, and is just plain stupid. I hope, whatever National League team (as the NL All-Stars won this year off a Cecil Fielder homerun) send a thank you note to Fielder for that win. Of course, they could also send fuck you notes to the American League pitchers, who spoon fed him that homerun. Weak.

#3 MLS All-Star Game

I’ve actually never watched a MLS All-Star game. I know that they do it a little different, the best of the U.S. teams vs. a world team like Manchester United. That’s a pretty kick-ass game, because in between dives, they actually play a hard game because it’s based on pride. Sadly, I think the American team loses a lot, but that really doesn’t matter much in the scheme of things. I’ll watch it this year, I promise.

#2 NBA All-Star Game

Like the MLB game, the best part of the NBA All-Star break is the pre-game stuff the day before. The dunk contest highlights everything that is wrong with the NBA, as far as the individualism and so on, but it’s a fucking blast to watch. They jump over cars, shoot 3-pointers and have a blast. The game itself is highly competitive for a game that doesn’t mean anything, this is the general mindset in the NBA though, so that makes sense. It’s probably the only NBA game I watch all year besides the playoffs, as it’s a true All-Star game, with a lot of who-dat players based on stats rather than pure popularity, though there is some of that. In the end though, it’s still the NBA and doesn’t have half as much energy as my number one.

#1 NHL All-Star Game

The NHL game wasn’t always my favorite. For a long while it was East vs. West, which was okay but a bit bland to watch. Then it was USA vs. Canada (or was it World, I can’t remember) but this year they blew me away with their handling of the All-Star game. They went all playground rules on us. First they picked team captains, then they staged a mock draft where the captains picked their teams. The coverage of this took itself a bit too seriously, but it was great that there was no telling who was going to be on which team. This added a level of enjoyment to it because you knew that heated rivals could end up on the same team, and they did. I don’t remember what team won, but I know the score was in the double digits on both sides.

Adding another fun dimension to the game was having the goalies miked up during the game. In between blocking shots, they were bullshitting with the announcers, just having a fun time and performing for the fans. Because in the end, that’s what this game highlighted – the fans. Before the game there was tons of fan interaction, the referees didn’t even call offsides until the 3rd period and were just letting the players play, and the fans enjoy a high scoring exhibition game. Which is what all the All-Star games should be, exhibition games for the fans, to see the best players in the league let loose a little bit so we can look at them as people like us, rather than rich superstars.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | 1 Comment »

Digital Dads Week in Sports: The Stanley Cup Returns to Beantown

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

Due to a heat of the moment bet with @bigguyd, this entire column is going to be about the Boston Bruins and their fantastic run for the cup. If you know me, you know that this is a bit painful, as I despise Boston sports teams (besides the Celtics, to which I’m indifferent) with a fevered passion. As the Bruins have won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 39 years, joining other Boston sports teams in the circle of winners, I suppose it’s appropriate that they get their own dedicated column. I am a hockey fan after all. So how can I write a whole column about a team that I absolutely hate? Easy, get people to write it for me.

I’ll start with Don Martelli (@bigguyd.) Don and I have been friends for years, and he is a massive Boston fan, born and bred in the clam chowdah capital. We’ve had many arguments about Boston sports, mostly with me hating them and him defending them or throwing shit in my face. Don, his brother and father have a clock. This Bruins clock was a gift to his father 21 years ago, and never had a battery in it – until now.

There are moments in your life that you’ll never forget. Other than my wedding day and the birth of my kids, one day that’ll be etched in my mind forever is when I watched my dad put a battery in the Bruins clock.

The clock was a gift my brother and I gave to my dad 21 years ago as a Christmas gift. The clock, which features a Bobby Orr rookie card, has never had a battery in it — until last night.

As for the season itself, it was one filled of questions and doubts. After last year’s colossal collapse against the Flyers, this season was make or break for GM Peter Charelli and Head Coach Claude Julien. The boys played great hockey for most of the year. They had some bumps, but they surged at the right time. The team made a couple of trades that brought in some must needed veteran talent.

Out of all the Boston championships over the past 10 years, this is the most bitter sweet because of the clock.

The Martellis and their clock. (Image: Don Martelli)

The Bruins rolled into the playoffs on the back of their fast scoring line and superior goal tending in Tim Thomas. Thomas, who ended the playoffs with a .940 save percentage, took home – deservedly – the MVP award for the Stanley Cup finals. After handling the Canadians in seven games, the Bruins faced off in a tough series against the Flyers. As a Lightning fan I was hoping for the Flyers to pull it off, as I knew the Lightning would stand a better chance against their goal keeping. However, the Bruins came through and started their series against the Lightning. What followed was seven games of simply amazing Hockey on both sides. But the Bruins found a way to silence the Tampa Bay crowds and poke holes in the Tampa Bay defense and Roloson, running him out of the game several times.

 

David Krejci of the Bruins became the oldest player to lead in points in the playoffs. He finished with 23 points, 12 goals. Back to Thomas, the dude was a serious brick wall. While in the finals Vancouver was able to slip a few past him to go up in the series 2-0, when he was in Boston he was virtually unstoppable. The Canucks scoring line was unable to get anything past him when they needed it most. He came out of the paint to attack pucks and assisted his team in running off the cocky Roberto Luongo several times. While the series against the Canucks went to seven games, for me it was over after watching game 4. I should have known then that I’d be writing this column. The Bruins simply brought their A game, a sentiment shared by casual fan Kevin Riley.

Although the Bruins are not MY team, they are one of favorites. This is mainly due to Ray Borque, one of the most classy and distingused players in years (even though he is retired). Because of him, I keep taps on the Bruins. I think it’s great that they finally one a cup, since it had been since the 70′s since they last one. I think Vancouver had a decent shot at winning but it was the Bruins who brought their A game and it is my thought that and the end of the day, it was the Bruins who wanted it more. They played with more passion than Vancouver.

Vancouver seemed to bring their “dirty” game in the finals, rather than their A game. They were called multiple times for embellishment, and even had an incident when Alex Burrows appeared to bite into the glove hand of Bergeron. They played rough, they played nasty and were even able to knock down Zdeno Chara down once or twice. The Canucks played even rougher when they were down a goal, which they were in every one of their losses. In the finals, the team that scored the first goal won the game, so in four games the Canucks were playing from behind and playing dirty. Says new Bruins fan Aaron Gouveia;

I’m a bandwagon Bruins fan. Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics? I’m all in. But hockey was the only sport I didn’t play growing up, so I just never got into it. But this year, sparked by a hatred of the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, I watched every game religiously. Suddenly I was invested in lunch pail guys like Tim Thomas, whose story will no doubt be turned into a made-for-TV movie soon. Brad Marchand, the rookie pest who I’d fucking hate if he was on any other team, but who works hard and is relentless at all times. Shawn Thornton, the bruiser with a heart of gold who seems like a helluva guy to have a beer with (as long as you don’t make him angry).

Game 7 against Montreal, redemption against the Flyers, Game 7 against Tampa and then Game 7 for all the marbles against Vancouver. Ah Vancouver, the team I knew almost nothing about prior to the Stanley Cup Finals, who is now right up there in the loathsome category with those filthy Canadiens. Watching the highly skilled but castrated Sedin Queens disgrace themselves night after night, combined with Burrows’ bite and Rome’s cheap shot on Nathan Horton, you saw the Bruins galvanized. But more than that, it felt like the entire New England region was galvanized as well. There was this unspoken sense of “No way these sissified Canucks are taking us down.” And I truly believe that helped carry this team to a Stanley Cup victory.

Not only does this mean all four major Boston sports teams have won titles in the last seven years, it means I’m now a hockey fan. A Bruins fan. My wife won’t like another sport sucking up my time, but if there’s even a chance of another postseason like this one, I want to be there for the regular season as well.

That was the thing about this years postseason in the NHL. I am not a Bruins fan of course, but they were exciting as hell to watch, especially the amazing saves by Tim Thomas. If you weren’t a fan of hockey before watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, you certainly are now. Digital Dads founder C.C. Chapman feels just about the same on that point.

Hockey has always been a sport that I’ve been a fan of, but never rabid about it. But, when the hockey season ends I’m always bummed because those are the dark days of sports for me until the NFL season starts.

Having the Bruins in the playoff and having so many crazy games made for a kick ass playoffs. Having this series start off in the painful manner that it did and then to turn around into such a vast amount of awesome was fun. They’ve never won a cup while I was alive so this is a big deal. The parade on Saturday is going to be intense!

So in closing, congrats to the Boston Bruins on your Stanley Cup win. Cherish it, because the Tampa Bay Lightning are coming for it next year, and we can go back to #notitlesinboston.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | 4 Comments »

Digital Dads Week in Sports: Canada Wants Their Cup Back

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

The '93 Canadiens Were the Last Canadian Team to Hold the Cup

It’s been 18 years since the Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings four games to one in the Stanley Cup playoffs to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada. Since then, the Canucks, Flames, Oilers and Senators have each once challenged for the cup, all losing. Now the Canucks are back in the Stanley Cup championship and are looking to regain the cup for Canada – all of Canada. I spoke to some folks in Edmonton, Winnipeg (who is getting a team back) and other snow drenched areas of America’s hat. They all are begrudgingly rooting for the Canucks to pull this off. I also spoke to some Boston fans, who are not.

 

@bigguyd, a Boston Bruins faithful had this to say: “Fuck Vancouver.” That’s nice, but I have to root for them. After all, #notitlesinboston.

Here’s the thing, as good as Tim Thomas is in net for the Bruins (and he is fantastic) I think Roberto Luongo is just as good if not better. Game one of the series was a great example of the goal tending you are going to see throughout the series, but you have to think about how many goals Thomas gave up against the Lightning and how many Luongo gave up against the Sharks. There is a disparity and Thomas’ aggressive style of play when he’s got a one on one or a two on one coming at him can play against him sometimes, as it did in Raffi Torres winning goal of game one. He came way too far out of the paint to challenge the Torres, and was flat out beat on a good shot. He blocked a lot of great shots during the game, and got a lot of help from angles and the crossbar.

At the other end, Luongo also was on his toes the whole game, blocking a lot of fantastic shots from the Bruins forwards, who just looked absolutely winded by the end of the game. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a very tough, very high endurance series. Seven games are on tap, I don’t see anyone busting out early. I mean, as long as everyone can keep their hands and feet out of each others mouths. Really Burrows? Biting? C’mon man, you are better than that. Thankfully Bergeron still has all his digits. The biting incident aside, this series should go to Vancouver in the end, as in my estimation, they have the scoring edge.

Heat Set the Mavericks on Fire

That’s not a good thing. The Heat came out strong in game one of the NBA Finals, beating the Dallas Mavericks with relative ease. I’d quote you stats and what not, but I don’t really give a shit. As a Cleveland fan (though caring little about the NBA) I have to root for the Mavericks because of the whole LeBron thing. Frankly, I don’t give a shit. If you care about the NBA, I welcome you to write a guest paragraph for next weeks post, or wait until next season when I still won’t be talking about the NBA. It’s my column. I can do that.

NFL Labor Deal Possible

So it seems that within two to three weeks the NFL and the Players Association could reach a deal in time for the season. Or not. Really it depends on how much the players are willing to give up. It also depends on if the two sides can reach a settlement deal. This easily could go right back to the courts and deliberation before any type of deal is made. A deal needs to be made quickly for two major reasons, neither of which has to do with players paychecks.

1. Owners need to pay off stadium debt. These multi-million dollar stadiums were not double wides bought at a county auction. They have mortgages that need to be paid off. While there will be income to the teams from the television deals, they need the constant flow of green into the actual stadium books themselves, so they can pay it out. The owners are nervous that they won’t have that stadium revenue to pay the mortgage bills, and they may have to do some creative accounting. Not to mention the stadium jobs during the season, those aren’t volunteers. Those are hard working people looking for some extra money to help them through the year.

2. Most players don’t make bank. They make the league minimum which is enough to survive on, the problem is that you can take the gangsta out of the hood, but you can’t take the hood out of the gangsta. Most players live outside their means, like most of America, and a lot of players have crime in their history. Anything from drugs, guns, abusing women and so on. These activities will only become more prevalent as these players have nothing to keep them busy, and their stack of uninvented, uninsured money is growing smaller and smaller. Expect to see more NFL players (at the lower echelon of the talent pool) getting arrested for some of the above crimes.

The point is that this deal needs to happen sooner than later. I’m not looking forward to not having an NFL season, and not just for the fantasy football implications. I mean, what the hell are we going to do on Sunday afternoons?

Jim Tressel Resigns

This bit originally posted at Technorati.com, because I was too lazy to just re-write it since I already wrote it. Got it?

Long time Ohio State Buckeye NCAA Football coach, Jim Tressel, has resigned from his coaching position at the school amid allegations of rule violations concerning players selling memorabilia. Tressel has coached the Ohio State Buckeye football team to a 106-22 record (66-14 in the Big Ten), a national championship in 2002, seven Big Ten championships and most importantly – a 9-1 record against Michigan.

However, after all that, after the imposed honor that Tressel seemed to embody, now he has resigned because he wasn’t following the rules and faced a five game suspension for the start of next season. He resigned disgraced, and for the Ohio State Buckeye faithful – such as myself – this is truly a sad day.

“After meeting with university officials, we agreed that it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach,” Tressel said in a statement Monday morning. “The appreciation that Ellen and I have for the Buckeye Nation is immeasurable.”

The 11 year head coach will be replaced by Assistant coach Luke Fickell, who will serve as interim until a replacement is found, or if he gets the job himself. This is the first time an Ohio State football coach has left on his own terms since the 1940′s. School president E. Gordon Gee accepted the resignation, saying this in a letter to trustees,

“As you all know, I appointed a special committee to analyze and provide advice to me regarding issues attendant to our football program. In consultation with the senior leadership of the University and the senior leadership of the Board, I have been actively reviewing the matter and have accepted Coach Tressel’s resignation.

“My public statement will include our common understanding that throughout all we do, we are one university with one set of standards and one overarching mission. The University’s enduring public purposes and its tradition of excellence continue to guide our actions.”

Predictably, the Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Tressel was encouraged to resign, which was the right decision by all parties involved. The NCAA still had not conducted their investigation, so this will forgo the school and the football program being dragged through the mud.

Regardless of who is coaching the Buckeyes, as long as they continue to beat Michigan, us Ohio State faithful will carry on.

Read more:

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | No Comments »

My Son is Hetero – I’ve Failed!

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

As parents, we’ve clearly failed because my son is heterosexual. You know that one guy who is annoyingly loud, yelling out player stats, team standing, and gets other men to question their testosterone when he gives out a full holler every time the home team scores? That’s my 8-year old son.

Here we are as two proud gay parents trying to enjoy our New Orleans sea food risotto, while our boy is engaging full stock men from other tables into what’s going on with the Vancouver Canucks hockey game. Admittedly, we don’t approve of the game because it seems more like a professional fight spectacle. I’m also one who’d much rather play than watch. Still, here we were with our own little spectacle at our table, and I’m thinking about what did we do so wrong that made him turn into such a big hetero. For that matter, what is hetero and what is a real man anyway?

In my opinion, masculine identity is a social construct, similar to an old Buick. There was the traditional man, the hegemonic icon that was once captured by the likes of Humphrey Bogart. The learned decision maker, integrally loyal to self, family, and community, and the meaning of life was patriarchy – enforced through religion and culture.

However, there came a time when women didn’t need or want these traditional men anymore. Due to war demands that raised women’s capabilities, the sexual revolution, women’s rights, the feminist movement, and legal updates, men lost their significance and purpose. Furthermore, men were disappointing because their traditional identity pride became embattled and bruised, and they made hopeless promises in attempting to uphold the traditional male icon and not ask for help while their postwar emotional ruptures landed them on bended knee. Here were the traditional men, having once held unearned privilege and status by just being men, now being crippled by their weakness in emotional expression and self-confidence. In man’s emotional constipation, anger appeared to be the only acceptable expression through physical force or grunts, while women took responsibility over dead-beat-dads

So what then is a real man? It isn’t about hetero or homosexual identity. Perhaps it’s the man with the strongest sense – the ones most fully accepting of themselves and pulling their weight in personal responsibilities regarding: self, sexual health, relationship, community connections and work. This is akin to dropping the bottle of shame, and challenging the myths of what it means to be a man. This means unabashedly seeking mental health support when one needs it, seeking a doctor when it’s time for the checks of prostate or colon cancer, verbalizing being pissed off to the spouse in a way that’s respectful and encouraging, and teaching young boys that real men DO cry at times. Perhaps this is a call to blow the whistle on the shame that the disfigured traditional man has left as an inheritance, and a time to be our own real men, accepting ourselves as we are.

As for my son, it looks like he’s on his way to becoming a real man. I don’t like hockey but I figure it’s best to support my son’s interest. Considering how he woos women, plays sports, and takes on challenges, I’m quite confident that this one will be playing for the hetero team – and that’s the way it’s going to be. GO CANUCKS!

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Guy Stuff | 6 Comments »

Digital Dads Week in Sports: Lightning Strikes

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Steven Stamkos, welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs (Getty Images)


Top news this week, for me at least, is the Lightning beating down the top seeded Washington Capitals and their gap toothed captain Alex Ovechkin like they were a high school practice squad. Ok, to give the Caps some credit, they really had each game under control at some point, but just couldn’t contend with the Bolts defense once the Bolts got a lead. Plus, the scoring chances for the Bolts and when they did score, were caused by great heads-up plays and on ice awareness. In game two, in overtime, Randy Jones went back into his zone to retrieve a puck that was dumped in so the Caps could change lines. With a quick look over his shoulder, he shot a two line pass to Purcell, who tapped it to Vinny, who scored the game winner. That was a heads-up play for sure. As I’m typing this sentence, the Bolts are up 3-0 in the series. I’m going to write the next paragraph after they win game 4.

Lightning Sweep Capitals

As I’m writing this, there is three minutes left in the 3rd Period of the Lightning v. Capitals game 4. Martin St. Louis just scored a goal from distance to make the score 5-3 in favor of the Lightning. The Caps shouldn’t even bother pulling their goalie in this one (but they did and got a quick goal out of it.) Bergenheim had two goals in the game, Moore had a tip in and Bergeron had one from distance. The Lightning, even after the physical beating they took last night (but still winning the game of course) skipped the morning skate, got some extra rest and appeared ready to go by game time. The top seeded Capitals were highly favored, but after game 2 they weren’t. Whether or not the Lightning face the Bruins or the Flyers, it doesn’t really matter. This team is hot, their scoring chances have been amazing and their defense has been lights out. They ended game 4 with only four players on the ice (as there was a tripping penalty with 1:20 left in the 3rd) against six for the Caps as they again pulled the goalie. The Caps couldn’t capitalize though, and they are gone. Kaput. Lightning move on. Go Bolts!

Liriano Tosses 1st No-Hitter of 2011

Struggling Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano (2-4) went the full nine innings against the Chicago White Sox, throwing 123 pitches in the first no-hitter of the season. What’s significant about this, is that the no-hitter should have ended in the eighth inning. Justin Morneau took an offline throw from second baseman Alexi Casilla and umpire Paul Emmel called Gordon Beckham out at first when Morneau swung around and appeared to tag him. Even in a full motion replay, Morneau clearly didn’t tag Beckham, who was rightfully pissed when he was called out. From the Umpire’s point of view, the tag would have been on Beckham’s back, and obscured from sight. That late into a no-hitter, there should have been a replay. But currently in MLB, there are only replays available for home-run questions, not for routine plays.

Like I said though, there was a hell of a gap between the glove of Morneau and the back of Beckham. This makes me wonder if Emmel intentionally missed the call, not wanting to face public heat and media attention for breaking up a no-hitter late in the game. That seems to be a sore point for umpires, but it’s probably better to call the game clean isn’t it? It seems to me though that the miss was intentional, for whatever reason, and makes the case for situational replay. Eighth inning in a no-hitter, a close call at first – if there was a replay official in the booth, he could have called down and reversed the out before Beckham was done pitching a fit. Where’s the harm in that? There would have been no delay, it was a clear miss. Thankfully, it was just the Twinkies and White Sox, so who cares?

Dodgers Can’t Make Payroll

Yeah, the Dodgers are broke. I suppose we would have thought this could easily happen to some small market team, but the Dodgers are in Los Angeles, how exactly did they end up with not enough to make ends meet? It’s simple, no one is going to the games. The Dodgers are down 95,843 fans through 15 dates, or 14.5 percent, which projects out to 500,000 lost fans in the seats through 2011. This is a terrible state for the Dodgers to be in, because owner Frank McCourt is trying to avoid the team being taken over by Selig and MLB.

You see, Frank got a loan from Fox (the network) to keep the team running and cover the next two payrolls. But Selig nixed a huge television deal with Fox, that would have put $285 million immediately in the Dodgers pocket, as part of a $3 Billion dollar contract. So McCourt feels that Selig is basically trying to steal the team from him, by nixing the deal. But is he? How quickly would the Dodgers rip through that money, and how financially sound are they as a business? My guess, not that sound – which is why they are where they are. Attendance has been down at parks all over the league, so how come other teams aren’t facing the troubles the Dodgers are? Well, because they screwed up somewhere. Whether it was free hotdog day, or charging too much for parking, who knows? The point is, McCourt is gearing up, gathering his lawyers, because if he wants to hold on to this team and keep his box seats, he’s going to have to fight for it. Though, since it’s the Dodgers, and no one is showing up for games, who really gives a shit? Maybe they’ll move back to Brooklyn.

With Lockout Looming, NFL Players Hold Independent Workouts

While many players around the league are taking the possibility of a lockout as a chance to do all the drugs, beat all the women, and fire all the unregistered firearms they want, some NFL players are holding workouts independent of the NFL. At a Hoboken high school, Eli Manning ran a group of 10 Giants’ skill-position players through drills. Meanwhile across the country, Mark Sanchez was doing the same. Unable to use team facilities during this negotiation period, players around the league are getting together to hold these informal workouts. This is how you can tell who the class acts are in the NFL. While others are off getting arrested for bad behavior, some of them are acting like the role models they are supposed to be and practicing the game they are paid to be excellent at. Makes sense to me, and good on them for not just sitting on their asses waiting for the bell to ring.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports | No Comments »

Digital Dads Week in Sports: Get Your Snacks, it’s NFL Draft Time

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

Draft me in the first round goshdarnit! (image: NCAA)

The NFL Draft kicks off this weekend, which I suppose is a good thing. After a Federal Judge stepped in and suspended the lockout, it appears as if the draft will proceed as normal. I mean, as normal as sitting around for hours on end waiting for teams to make decisions they probably should have already made, then parading around the rookies like they are racks of meat in jerseys. All the hype and talk is about Cam Newton, and if he’ll go first. But keep in mind players like Vince Young, Ryan Leaf and so on. Guys who were at the top of their college class, but had some “issues.” Newton has already had controversy to overcome, so expect more of that no matter what.

In my opinion, the best quarterback (and possibly all-around player) is Jake Locker. The former Washington standout chose not only to stay in college for his senior year, which wasn’t the best year stats wise, but also had turned down a $2 million dollar contract offer from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to play baseball after high school. The guy is a serious class act, and rare in these days of thugs and hoodlums at the pro level. He gives his time to charity, and plays for a love of the game. I think this is going to make him one of the best in the NFL, the next Tom Brady (as far as style of play and possibility of super-stardom.) The team who nabs him will be lucky as far as I’m concerned.

Because being a class act AND a good football player doesn’t seem to mix. Locker could have gone top of the first round last year easily, but because he chose to stay in college and had a so-so year (even though he was exciting to watch and did everything he could to win) he’ll be a second round pick at best this year. Which proves a long standing theory about the draft, and where the high value targets really are. Locker will be a value to any team looking to rebuild like the Buffalo Bills for instance, or the Niners. Stay tuned for more on the NFL draft next week, as it hasn’t happened yet. But will, I assure you.

Here’s my top five picks for the draft. I’ve got the Panthers taking Cam Newton number one. Bust or not, they need to jump on the top round QB because frankly, they seriously need one. He’s the most qualified, after playing in the tough SEC, to be thrown right into the mix because he’ll be starting right away. Second, the Broncos should pick Von Miller, linebacker out of Texas A&M because they still need someone to anchor the secondary since the days of Champ Bailey in his prime. Eventually he’ll be gone and they’ll need a competent replacement. Third, to the Buffalo Bills goes Marcell Dareus, Defensive Tackle out of Alabama. Frankly, the Bills should be drafting nothing but defensive linemen if they have any hope of ever stopping anyone’s running game. In the fourth spot, to the Bungles will go A.J. Green. Green did well as a WR during his years at Georgia, and the Bungles will have to prepare for the eventual departure and/or retirement of T.O. and Ocho. The Cardinals have the fifth spot, and they’ll most likely take Patrick Peterson, Defensive Back out of LSU. This should be another good year for defensive players, which is good for the NFL as I’m tired of just seeing WR’s, RB’s and Quarterbacks getting the star status. These guys mean just as much to the game as the guys who score touchdowns. These aren’t wild picks for the draft, they are pretty much the standard across most of the draft boards.

The Knicks Suck

The New York Knicks were the first team to bail out of the NBA Playoffs this year, and they didn’t waste any more time than they had to, being swept in four games. This gives the Boston Celtics a nice week off, while everyone else is still hanging around for the first round play. The Boston Celtics are sure to have an edge, and should have no problem landing back in the championship game again, most likely against the Lakers – again. These teams are rivals right? Just kidding. I just don’t give a huge shit about the NBA.

Back to the Knicks. They trotted out Carmelo Anthony mid-season and yes, made the playoffs. They wouldn’t have made the playoffs if not for Anthony. He carried the team on his shoulders, sometimes seeming to lose patience (at least whenever I watched) with having to do it all himself. In the playoffs, he was up and down the court while the rest of the team did their best to stay in the fucking time zone. The Knicks were a huge disappointment to their fans, and probably would have been better off not making the playoffs.

Meanwhile in the NHL…

The Philadelphia Flyers pulled it off in seven, as I predicted, beating the Sabres in epic violent fashion. Plenty of penalties and the Flyers had little trouble scoring goals. The Predators did away with the Ducks, and the Habs v. Bruins and Lightning v. Pens went the full seven. Out of dedication to you – the fan – I may stay up and update this post with the winners, because they play tonight (as of this writing.) However, if the Lightning lose, I wouldn’t count on me being in the mood to do so. Either way, if you aren’t watching the NHL playoffs, then you are missing out on some seriously good hockey. Even if you don’t like hockey, the competitive nature and sheer violence of the game is awesome, no matter the sport you love. I suggest you tune in to some playoff games if you get a chance. Either over on Versus or your local state sports station.

Update: Bruins win in overtime and LIGHTNING WIN!! GO BOLTS!!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports | No Comments »

The shoe cables a repent reward near the visible.