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by Mike De Marco… 41-38-4 (9-4 Power Picks)
Dallas – 12 over Seattle (Power Pick)
Not much to like about the Seahawks game at all, and there is plenty to like about the rebounding Cowboys. Tony Romo is healthy, Terrell Owens had a breakout game last week, and Jason Witten will be healthier than he has in a while. Dallas needs this game to stay in one of the Wild-Card spots. The Seahawks D is just not the same as it was in years past and I can see the Cowboys rolling up some big yardage. The Seahawks have not traveled well at all this season, and I do not see that changing here. The 12 points does not scare me in the least.
Philadelphia – 3 over Arizona
This is a game the Eagles must win. Fact is when you look at the X’s and O’s of this match-up, the Eagles actually pose a very big threat to the Cardinals, who also do not travel very well. This is a very long trip for the Cards to make on a short week. The most telling tale of this game will be how the statue I call Kurt Warner will fare against an Eagles pass rush that at time can be ferocious. I see the Eagles causing turnovers from their pass rush and giving the offense some extra help. Eagles silence the critics for one week anyway.
Detroit Lions +11 over Tennessee
The Titans proved that they are in fact a mortal football team. They can be had, and although I am not banking on the Lions winning the game outright, it wouldn’t shock me if they did. You see Detroit usually comes out to play on Thanksgiving, and they know their season is done, so in essence this game IS their season. They will play as hard a game as they have all season, and try to win one at home for their fans, who; have put up with inadequate football for far too long. Detroit will need many bounces for them to win outright, but I honestly believe that this is their best chance to win a game this season.
Other selections:
Dallas -7 First Half over Seattle – Dallas/Seattle First Half Over 23.5:
The Cowboys will start the game fast on offense, will show Seattle some looks not seen before.
Okay T.O. Sports readers, score with the Captain, no, I’m not hooking you up with Carolina! It would cost ya, big… but here somethin’. It’s that time of year, so, starting December 1st anyone signing up on the Captain Fanatic Website and to the T.O. Sports eNews feed gets a free comic book, “The Adventures of Captain Fanatic” in a all Toronto Episode “You better be-leaf it”!! I’m telling you right now, I’ve got a feeling this comic book will be worth a fair bit one day, they just might take care of you in your old age!!! So come and get em’, also I will give a signed free copy to the top 20 people who make comments on the web site for the month of December. Now remember, there are limited supplies of the comic. So with that in mind, the first 1000 people to sign up get the free copy. Start signing up, and tell your friends too. Thanks to UB for putting them shots together, believe me gents, it takes a lot of research!!
by James Borbath… Hello T.O Sports. It has been awhile since I have wrote here. But it was for a good reason. The Dino Nation Blog that I write has partnered up with The Score.com’s Sports Federation. So I really was in a spot that I could not let anyone know until this had been made official. But now it has and I am able to write here again. Thanks to T.O Sports for being understanding about all of this. With that bit of news out of the way on to the Raptors.
Seems that the Toronto Raptors have reached a cross road in the season that will ultimately define it. After an off-season that offer a lot of promise that has not exactly turned out after 13 games. The cries of frustrated and angry fans is evident. The boos at the A.C.C after a sub par effort from the Raptors could be heard by everyone. A mood for change of any kind is in the air.
Some people want to see Sam Mitchell fired. Some people want to see a trade made. But what everyone wants in general is better basketball and a team that was like the one that was advertised to be a contender.
So why has it not worked out. Basically every risk that the Raptors took in making the Jermaine O’Neal trade has blown up in the face of Bryan Colangelo. By moving Ford it left a lack of depth at the point guard position. It made the health of Jose Calderon of huge importance. So Jose gets hurt and is still not at 100%. Is back up was suppose to be Will Solomon who was going to hold the job until Roko Ukic was good enough to take his spot. Well aside from a great performance from the Heat he has been a walking turnover machine. It has not been good at all.
J.O and his health were a major concern and on Friday night concern became reality. He tried to go on Sunday and basically gave all he could till he was on the ground on A.C.C floor with nothing left. So now people worry with just cause about if J.O can remain healthy,and if he is going to be able to be the factor he needs to be to help this team.
Chris Bosh based on all that has been going on seems very frustrated. That is going to cause alarm bells ringing that will have everyone worrying about 2010 and if Bosh will remain in Toronto. I tend to think that may not be the concern of most. At the end of the day the contract that offers Bosh the most money is here in Toronto. He is a smart guy and could easily do the same thing Vince Carter did. He can re-sign and if things do not improve in a much more quiet way ask for a trade. That would give Colangelo one last chance to convince Bosh to stay by bringing in another superstar to be along the re-signed Bosh. Maybe D-Wade? There is a case to
be made for it. Bosh and Wade have same agent. They played together on Team U.S.A. Wade even said after the last game vs Toronto he like the direction the Raptors have taken. It is just speculation but there is at least a base to think it could happen.
As for Sam Mitchell he really is in trouble in a lot of ways. While there is speculation about his future it really is unclear what will become of him. Colangelo has to take some of the blame for what is going on. But when is coach can’t draw up an inbound play with 2 chances to get that right it is not good if you are that coach.
Bottom line of it all is the Raptors much like after the injury of T.J
Ford last season, they stand at a cross road for the season. Will they be able to respond after to terrible loses for totally different reasons. Can they take this bad start and some how turn it around? The Cap is pressed right up to the limit and trade options and assets to move are really low. So it may come down to sucking it up and making it happen for this Raptor team. If they do not we may be heading down the road to a very disappointing season that may even make it a challenge to make the playoffs let alone advance. If that happens Sam Mitchell is likely coaching his final season in Toronto. It all makes you just sick inside if you are a Raptor Fan. I feel your pain I really do. The answers are not simple ones and it really is a crushing reality after all the optimism that was in the air heading into the season.
by Mike De Marco…
Week 12
Points, points, points. Was that not the most offensive week of football you have seen in a while? The NFL set many records on Sunday for offensive numbers, some of which were surprising. There were 837 points scored in total during week 12, an average of just over 52-points per game. That alone is amazing. Out of the sixteen week 12 match-ups, ten went over the total set in Vegas. Two teams topped the 50-point mark, another two topped 40, eight teams topped the 30-point mark, and another ten clubs scored 20 or more. Only three teams were held to single digits. That is a ton of offense.
So as is the annual ritual, the ’72 Dolphins were popping champagne as they always do when the last remaining undefeated team loses. The truth is, this day in age I am not sure they really have anything to worry about. With free agency and the salary cap, parity is all over the league. Last years run by the Patriots was a mirage, and most likely won’t be seen again for a long, long time.
If there are any people out there who think the Giants are not the best team in football, send me some of the stuff that you are smoking, because it would have to be some darn good stuff. After walking into the desert to face a Cardinals team who had not lost at home this season, and coming out with a very convincing win, minus Brandon Jacobs, and minus Plaxico Burress after the games first offensive series, The G-men have definitely established themselves as the games most dominating team. That win was downright impressive.
Can’t stop gushing about how Peyton Manning has been playing the last few weeks. I mean he is not as flashy as he once was, nor is he putting up the kind of numbers he is accustomed to, but he just might be playing the best football of his career. Yeah I said it….WHAT? Take a look at what Manning has done and you just might agree. He has carried this Colts team on his back, and although his numbers may not be indicative of anything, Manning has made clutch play, after clutch play in leading Indianapolis to four consecutive victories. That final drive in San Diego on Sunday night was vintage Peyton. I was watching with a few buddies, and we all knew that if Manning had at least one-minute left to attempt a final drive the Colts would get a crack at a field goal, and having the man I call “money” as your kicker surely would give the Colts a “w”. Sure enough Manning drove the Colts deep enough into Charger territory to attempt a 51-yarder which Adam Vinatieri nailed. Did you see the gutsy play action completion on fourth and inches? Ballsy, but nice.
The Good
Very nice to see the New Orleans Saints keep their playoff hopes alive after spending 43-days away from home. That is an absolute eternity.
Very impressed with the way the Atlanta Falcons rebounded after facing adversity. They absolutely dominated the trenches against Carolina, which to me was rather surprising. This team is mature beyond their years.
Loved seeing Trent Edwards regain pre-concussion form. That was definitely a game the Bills just had to have; and they got it.
Looks like that vaunted Cowboy offense is getting hot at just the right time. Tony Romo and Terrell Owens are regaining some of that old chemistry.
The New England Patriots just may be a dark horse this season. Matt Cassel has played some brilliant football, and has put together back-to-back 400-yard games. If that offense can play at this level throughout December and into January, watch out!
I have to say it: The possibility of an all New York Super Bowl truly does exist. Brett Favre is having fun, and when Favre is having fun his teams are too. The Jets win in Tennessee was not surprising to me in the least. I have to say it….If…and that’s a big IF….Favre can get the Jets to the Super Bowl, he solidifies himself as the greatest quarterback of all-time in my mind.
Just My Opinion
We hear about it every year, and to be honest with you I am sick of it. Every year we hear about the ’72 Dolphins celebrating after the last remaining unbeaten goes down. Why after all these years do these fossils continue to hold on to something that really has no bearing on the way the game is organized today? I agree that being the only undefeated team is an accomplishment, no doubt about it, but these guys go around as if they were the best team to ever play. Let’s be bold here: The Miami Dolphins of 2007; yes those 1-15 Dolphins; would absolutely shred the ’72 Dolphins. Players are bigger, faster, stronger…just plain better. So why do these guys tout themselves as the greatest thing since sliced bread? The truth of the matter is in this day in age, there probably won’t be an undefeated team again, at least not for a very long time. Team’s not being able to go undefeated is in no way indicative of how good they are. Here is what it comes down to: Yes the ’72 Dolphins should be happy about being the only undefeated team, but what they shouldn’t do is think they are better because of it. I would take the Steeler teams of the late 70’s, the Bears of 85, the 49ers of the 80’s, and the Cowboys of the 90’s over that undefeated Dolphins squad. Oh one more thing; would somebody shut that Mercury Morris up?
This and That
How good of a coach is Bill Belichick? Well the Patriots are 17-1 following a loss since 2003. The man just won’t let his team get into any type of slump.
Both the Bills and Saints topped the 50-point mark this week, but surprisingly neither broke franchise records for most points in a game. The Bills scored 58 against the Dolphins many seasons ago, and the Saints actually tied their franchise mark for most points and touchdowns (7) with their 51-spot Monday night.
Just in case you were wondering, the Titans were the 11th team since 1970 to win their first 10 games of the season.
With his win in Tennessee Sunday, Favre surpassed Dan Marino by winning in all 32-cities in the NFL. Marino had won in 31 cities.
Ed Reed’s NFL record interception return of 108-yards was amazing in itself. Even more amazing was that the record he broke….was his as well. The man can return interceptions.
Seattle at 2-9 is off to their worst start since 1992. That is a very long time ago.
Drew Brees is on pace to break Marino’s record for most passing yards in a season. After 11 games Brees has thrown for 3,574 yards an average of just over 324-yards per game. If Brees can sustain that average he will wind up with over 5, 100 yards. Marino’s record is 5,084.
You want bad? Consider that the Kansas City Chiefs have lost 19 of their last 20 games. That’s 1976 Buccaneers bad.
Speaking of bad, the Oakland Raiders scored their first offensive touchdown in over fifteen quarters against Denver. That’s almost four games without one.
“We kept stubbing our toe”…quote from Jags running back Fred Taylor after his team piled up the miscues in a loss to the Vikings Sunday. Three fumbles, two interceptions, two missed field goals, and eight penalties were the cause of Taylor’s angst. Ummm…that seems like breaking your foot more like stubbing your toe.
3 Stars
Offensive Coordinators:
Take a look at the scoreboard. Enough said.
Bucs defensive Back Ronde Barber:
Recorded two interceptions that the Bucs converted into touchdowns. After trailing 17-0, they were huge plays.
Cowboys Wide Receiver Terrell Owens:
Seven receptions for 213-yards was the stat line, but the true indicator was how well he opened things up for the rest of Romo and the offense.
By Mark Ritter…
So, we have reached the 20 game mark for most NHL teams; where does your favorite team sit? Are they “Studs”, “Pretenders” or “Chumps”? Read below to find out, the numbers don’t lie.
The Eastern Conference:
The Studs:
Boston Bruins- Record- 14-3-4. GF- 69 GA- 49
The Bruins have a couple of things going for them, Goaltender Tim Thomas is the second coming of Hasek, Marc Savard has become a complete player, Patrice Bergeron has been hot and Milan Lucic has looked like Cam Neely some nights, other than that things have been pretty grim! The Bruins are clearly the biggest surprise at the quarter. 7-1-1 at home, 7-2-3 on the road, impressive!
New York Rangers- Record: 14-7-2. GF-61 GA-55
The Rangers have been one of the most consistent teams on the planet this season. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has been awesome, scoring has been adequate, but they still need to fill the net more often; that said, the Rangers look very solid.
Pittsburgh Penguins- Record: 12-5-3. GF- 63 GA- 55
Started off a little shaky, have rebounded and are lights out of late. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin continue to dominate, but Crosby has struggled to find the back of the net some nights. Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney are missed, but overall the Pens Defense has looked pretty decent.
Montreal Canadiens- Record- 11-5-3. GF- 58 GA- 51
Les Canadiens are struggling at the moment, but their overall record is solid. Every team hits a bump in the road, now is the Canadiens time, better now than April. Carey Price has looked spectacular on most nights, still rumors that Mats Sundin is coming; I’ll believe it when I see it. Robert Lang has been a nice surprise, as has Alex Tanguay.
Washington Capitals- Record- 11-6-3. GF- 66 GA- 65
With a record of 7-0-1 at home, the Capitals have proven they are a serious contender this season, even if their Goaltenders have struggled. Alexander Semin and Alexander Ovechkin continue to dazzle us on a nightly basis. If Jose Theodore ever finds his game the Caps are going to be tough to beat.
The Pretenders-
Carolina Hurricanes- Record- 11-7-2. GF- 56 GA- 58
Not bad, but the Hurricanes must realize they could easily be 7-11-2. Lack of scoring will kill their playoff dreams if they are not careful. Eric Stall needs to be better, 5 goals is crap! Sergei Samsonov isn’t helping matters either with his paltry 1 goal.
New Jersey Devils- Record- 10-7-2. GF- 54 GA- 51
All things considered the Devils have been decent, but they cannot possibly survive Martin Brodeur’s absence for much longer. Injuries are killing this already offensively challenged team, Brian Rolston was expected to be an offensive threat, but sits out on the IR. Look for the Devils to pick up a Goalie by mid December.
Philadelphia Flyers- Record- 9-6-4. GF- 65 GA- 60
Simon Gagne is having a heck of a season with 22 points in 16 games, went 0-3-3 in their first six, so 9-6-4 is alright. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter need to be better and so does Martin Biron in the nets.
Buffalo Sabers- Record- 9-8-3. GF- 56 GA- 61
Were one of the hottest teams out of the gate, but have cooled off considerably in recent weeks. Thomas Vanek has been unbelievable this season with 15 goals to date.
Toronto Maple Leafs- Record- 7-8-5. GF- 63 GA- 72
Have shown some great resiliency in the early going, but all the bad goals Vesa Toskala has let in are killing the Buds. Mikhail Grabovski has been one of the only bright spots on this team; after a great start, rookie defensemen Luke Schenn is starting to teeter off a little bit. Must be better defensively, 72 goals against is brutal!
The Chumps-
Tampa Bay Lightening- Record- 6-7-6. GF- 43 GA- 54
Paltry scoring, a coaching change and a lack of direction have the Bolts looking up in the standings so far. A Home record of 3-3-4 is unacceptable, on the bright side 54 goals against is not too bad; too many stars here not to succeed.
New York Islanders- Record- 8-10-2. GF- 52 GA- 63
Rick Dipietro is out, who cares! The Islanders have new life now that goaltender Joey MacDonald has stepped in. Scoring is a big concern for the Islanders, don’t expect any big acquisitions though, what you see is what you get.
Ottawa Senators- Record- 7-9-4. GF- 48 GA- 51
It has been very quiet in the Nations Capital this season, something Leaf fans are very thankful for. Ottawa has struggled to find an identity all season long, and they are still looking for an adequate starting goaltender. A record of 4-5-2 at home is hideous, is a rebuild in the books if they miss the playoffs this season?
Atlanta Thrashers- Record- 7-10-2 GF- 53 GA- 66
Not too shabby, considering most of us thought the Thrashers would be hard pressed to win 25 games this season, but still brutal results for the Thrashers. Bad goaltending is a big reason why the Thrashers struggle so much. Bryan Little has looked good, as has Slava Kozlov, Kovalchuk needs to be better.
Florida Panthers- Record- 7-11-1. GF- 44 GA- 56
Fixed their defensive woes by trading Olli Jokinen, problem is they never replaced Jokinen! Terribly weak offense, this team is going nowhere fast…Unless they are going to be relocated, which could happen fast!
The Western Conference:
The Studs:
San Jose Sharks- Record- 17-3-1. GF-80 GA-51
The class of the NHL, this team has the highest goals for and an 11-0-1 record at home. Ryan Clowe, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Devin Seteguchi have combined for 87 points, yes that about 4 points a game, nice! Rob Blake and Dan Boyle have combined for 34 points and have brought the Sharks to another level; clearly this team is a serious contender for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Detroit Red Wings- Record- 14-2-3. GF- 73 GA- 57
The Red Wings are 10-1-1 on the road, making them hockey’s most dangerous visiting team. Marian Hossa has fit in nicely, while Nik Lidstrom, Pavol Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg just keep on rolling on. The Champs will look to repeat and might just be the only threat to the mighty Sharks.
Vancouver Canucks- Record- 13-6-2. GF- 66 GA- 50
One of the biggest surprises this season, Vancouver has looked good at both ends of the rink, what could possibly go wrong? Oops! Spoke too soon, with goaltender Roberto Luongo out indefinitely the Canucks will struggle to keep up this pace and should fall down the standings considerably.
Chicago Blackhawks- Record- 10-4-5. GF- 71 GA- 56
With a record of 6-1-4- at home are you still questioning the hiring of Joel Quennville? The Hawks sure as heck aren’t! The Blackhawks have found their way with Quennville at the helm, and that goaltender controversy? Forget about it, Cristobel Huet has been so bad that he has turned a bad situation into a non issue, clearly the starters job is Nik Khabibulin’s to lose, not the other way around as we first felt.
The Pretenders:
Anaheim Ducks- Record- 11-8-3. GF- 65 GA-68
The Ducks have been more up and down than Oprah’s weight! With a record of 5-6-2 at home, the Ducks make for good hunting for visiting teams. J.S. Giguere has been awful and the offence has struggled mightily at times. The Ducks should be able to turn things around, but don’t hold your breath.
Minnesota Wild- Record- 11-6-1. GF- 45 GA- 36
If this team could score goals they would be a serious contender. 36 goals against is unbelievable! For those of you who failed math, that’s under two goals a game. Goaltender Nik Backstrom deserves all the credit in the world, but remember, this is a team sport and the Wild play like it every night.
Calgary Flames- Record- 11-9-1. GF- 59 GA- 68
Will this team ever live up to its potential? Another slow start to the season will hurt the Flames big time when the playoffs roll around. Way too many bad goals given up by Mikka Kipprusoff, spotty goal scoring doesn’t help either. I’ll say it again, Mike Keenan has to go.
Nashville Predators- Record- 10-9-1. GF- 62 GA 67
The Preds have had decent offence, too bad their goals against are high. Might make the playoffs, but need to tighten up to make it happen. Goaltender Dan Ellis needs to be better.
Columbus Blue Jackets- Record- 9-8-3. GF- 60 GA- 65
Not much to say here, this team needs to be better all over the ice. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say they will have be better in games 20-40, but could easily get buried if they continue to be inconsistent.
The Chumps:
Edmonton Oilers- Record- 9-9-2. GF-53 GA-62
Another team that needs to get its “stuff” together. Bad Goaltending, lack of consistent offence, a 2-2-2 record at home, safe to say we all expected more form this young/talented group of players.
Los Angeles Kings- Record- 8-8-3. GF- 50 GA- 51
When everything is said and done I expect the Kings to be right there when it comes to finishing in the basement; that said, they have done a nice job through 20 games. Drew Doughty has been a pleasant surprise, gets my vote as the best rookie on the ice thus far.
St. Louis Blues- Record- 8-8-2. GF- 55 GA- 58
Started off very hot, but injuries have decimated this team, causing them to slip mightily. Brad Boyes has a horrible plus/minus; Keith Tkachuck has been a nice surprise.
Colorado Avalanche- Record- 9-10-0. GF- 49 GA- 56
Did anyone really think this team was going to be good with their goaltending situation? NO! The glory days are over; Colorado is officially in re-building mode.
Phoenix Coyotes- Record- 8-9-2. GF- 47 GA- 53
If mediocre is what you like, then you gotta love the Coyotes. They have enough offensive horses, Shane Doan, Peter Mueller, Olli Jokinen and Michael Boedker make up a pretty impressive group of forwards, but they just can’t seem to get the big goal at the right time. Brysgalov needs to be better; this team is still a year away if you ask me.
Dallas Stars- Record- 6-9-4. GF- 52 GA- 70
Starting goaltender Marty Turco has been pathetic. The Stars will need to dig deep to get themselves out of the basement in the tough Western Conference.
by Robert Seagal… The Toronto Raptors were so preoccupied with finding a face to replace Vince Carter with, that they prematurely turned to a guy they didn’t fully understand. They branded him, marketed his face, and built a team around him.
Some have called Chris Bosh a top-five talent in this league today, an MVP candidate to be exact. I say, he’s a scorer with solid rebounding skills, who’s more of a tweener between small forward and power forward. Unfortunately, he is unable to guard either position well enough to be considered a legitimate superstar.
In order to clear space to sign one, or perhaps two members of the 2010 free agency class, the New York Knicks traded Zach Randolph away for spare parts. So, I said to myself, “I hope they’re not targeting Bosh.” You see, if you take away the 40 plus minutes, and the 20 plus shot attempts, Chris Bosh is a finesse version of Zach Randolph.
Another player who gets a little more love than deserved from the Toronto media, would have to be Jose Calderon. Perhaps the plan to paint him as a saint last season has blinded people to his inabilities on the court.
His defense is awful, and his ability to truly make people better is questionable. Some might argue that he makes Bosh better, however it doesn’t necessarily count if you just come down and give him the ball every time. That is what we call, stat stuffing and force-feeding.
No team can win a championship if its two best players are it’s two worst defensive players. It just doesn’t work. The media is quick to criticize Jermaine O’Neal for shooting horrid percentages, Andrea Bargnani and Anthony Parker for their inconsistency, and even Will Solomon for his turnovers, but it’s these guys who are keeping this team afloat.
This team can’t go anywhere behind the Bosh-Calderon tandem, unless you add three world class defenders around them to mask their issues. Then you have to deal with another ugly side of their games, which no one seems to witness. This is where Bosh inches even closer to Randolph, Antawn Jamison, and guys like Shareef Abdur Rahim. He makes no one, but himself better.
You’ll often see him diving into triple teams, and rarely will he make a pass out of it. Think about it. You have Bosh being compared at times to Garnett and Duncan, when those guys are clearly miles ahead of him, both defensively and in terms of making their teammates much better.
Once you take those factors out of their games, you’re left basically with your traditional stat-stuffer big guys like Randolph and Abdur-Rahim.
There’s no doubt that Bosh is a scorer. The fact that he happens to be 6′10 simply makes him a big man by default, but he is your traditional wing scorer in a nut shell. His whole game is face-up, and his entire offensive repertoire involves driving and jump shooting.
At some point you have to consider the possibility that Bosh just isn’t the type of player that carries you far in the playoffs. Trading him for a small forward might be the best course of action these Toronto Raptors can take.
Why should Andrea Bargnani have to guard swing-men because Bosh is playing a small forward on the offensive end? If you dealt him for a quality small forward who was adept defensively, offensively, and could create for his team, you’d turn this team into a championship contender overnight.
Three years ago, there was a running debate over Bosh and O’Neal, attempting to find out who was actually better. I said it then, and after numerous knee surgeries and now entering his thirties, it hasn’t changed. Jermaine O’Neal is a better player than Chris Bosh if your goal is to win a championship.
I am 100 percent sure that Jermaine is closer to your Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett standard, because he brings a defensive presence to the paint. He lacks the ability to truly make players better, but makes up for that with his defensive skills.
Truly great scorers are ball-stoppers to some degree. However, they do at some point turn into distributors. Bosh and Calderon are just horrendous play-makers, and lack the court-vision or offensive awareness to be options one and two on a successful team.
by Bryan Thiel… Dream on.
As the lights lowered and another Maple Leafs’ legend was honored, the fake mustaches were in full flight on Saturday.
While Dream On, Aerosmith’s first-ever single, piped through the Air Canada Centre’s sound system, while fans young and old looked on, a piece honoring one of the toughest S.O.B’s to ever don the Blue and White played at centre-ice.
For the first time in a few years, the classic white base, blue trim Maple Leaf, while the 11-point Leaf adorned the front.
Everything about the night was a throwback from the matchup on the ice, to the jersesys, to the throngs of fans chanting “Wendel….Wendel” throughout the Air Canada Centre.
Although he had only called the confines of the hangar home for 26 games, it didn’t matter—Clark’s attitude and ambition for the game would have aroused this reaction had he been honored at his barn-turned-hockey-rink, or Radio City Music Hall.
But in watching the moustached-man’s montage, I realized that there will never be another.
There will never be another you Wendel Clark.
You and your time were one of a kind.
From the time he was drafted, you could sense there was something special about Clark—he not only scored (155 points in 136 WHL games), but he played one of the more chippier games you’d ever see, amassing nearly 500 penalty minutes in the same timespan.
Clark brought a brand of hockey to the table that Leafs’ fans had long forgotten about thanks to Harold Ballard. He was the kind of guy that would go through the boards (or the crossbar of his own net) for his team and his fans.
He may have known the meaning of the word “quit”, but he probably forgot it more than a few times thanks to his thunderous collisions.
Just ask Bruce Bell what it was like to walk across Clark’s railroad tracks—the end result wasn’t pretty.
Clark was unafraid to drop the gloves, providing something that’s been a rare find for many teams—a player with the ability to fight, hit, and score; all three of which he put on display during the 1993 series against cousin Barry Melrose and the Los Angeles Kings.
Marty McSorley felt the wrath of Clark’s hands when the gloves came off, landing on the opposite end of a kind of beat he had handed out so often in defense of his own superstar, Wayne Gretzky.
Clark was also able to dominate with the glove on as well, netting ten goals in 20 games, and a hat-trick in game six of that series against the Kings.
But it wasn’t just one of those things that made Clark great, it was all of them. He was personable, a fighter, a gamer, a scorer, and a leader.
He was everything a team in need of a savior needed, and everything a fan base and a media center wanted to latch on to. He was the epitome of a left winger.
While Luc Robitaille is undoubtedly one of the most skilled players to skate the left side of the ice in an NHL rink and Frank Mahovolich, Bobby Hull, and Johnny Bucyk are some of the Left Wing Legends, my favorite (and the best in my mind) will always be Wendel Clark.
It’s just a shame that his breed is a dying one.
In today’s NHL, the scoring left winger is thriving. Names like Alexander Ocheckin and Alexander Semin of the Washington Capitals have become two of the prolific young Russian goal-scorers in the NHL, Simon Gagne has provided the Philadelphia Flyers with a solid scoring option, while Blake Wheeler and Nikolai Kulemin are both young stars in the making.
But how many “Wendel Clarks” are there in this day and age? How many players do it all, and can be the physical force, the scoring presence, and the spirited fighter on their team?
Not many…and it’s certainly too bad.
Looking around the NHL, the introduction of the enforcer and two-way specialists has defeated the purpose of players that “do-it-all”. While all of the players we talked about (Ovechkin, Semin, Gagne) are fun to watch and great for the game, none of them bring the same kind of magic that a star that could mix it up could bring.
Between those three, there are four fights—two in regular season and two in the preseason—that are recorded. Not exactly the stuff of moustache lore right?
Looking across the league, there are just a handful of players who I’d look to for everything that Clark provided.
Brendan Morrow is one of them. The Dallas Stars’ Captain (who’s now a little bit more like Clark with his own season-ending injury) is one of the biggest impact-players among left-wingers. Morrow brings a gritty game to the ice, and is a tireless worker. Morrow has the ability to put the puck in the net, lay the body, and even drop the gloves on occasion (9 recorded NHL fights).
Along with Morrow, there are a handful of Right Wingers who are making Clark proud. Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames had that memorable bought with Vincent Lecavailier in the Stanley Cup finals a few years ago, while he’s also got back-to-back 90-point seasons and two 50-goal seasons.
Shane Doan (although he’s bounced back and forth between both slots on the wing) is another player who’s been able to lend support to the Winnipeg Jets and Phoenix Coyotes organizations in a variety of ways.
Along with the ‘Yotes, Daniel Carcillo may be one of our last shots at a Clark-type player. While Carcillo was the ability to fight and net a ton of penalty minutes while being that kind of pest, he’s also displayed the ability to score a few goals over his short career, including 5 goals in the final two games of last year.
If Carcillo can keep himself out of the box a little more often than his 324 penalty minutes from last year indicate, then perhaps he can develop a game that taps into most aspects of hockey.
As we move onwards and upwards towards hockey’s future, it’s sad to think that players that play the game like Clark are going extinct. If a player is a goal-scorer one year, then he’s given top-line minutes to score goals and do only that from here on out. Because of the health risks involved, fighting amongst stars is deterred.
On the other hand, if a fight needs to happen, or a hit needs to be laid, then the “proper” players are deployed by the coach for that specific reason as well, and if that player starts to score? Then he gets more ice-time, specific to his “new found talent” and a new enforcer is brought in to do his old job.
Even more, physical, grinding play is facing attempts at being fazed out in favor of increased scoring.
So while Clark’s career numbers (due in large part to a heft amount of games missed due to injury) are nowhere near Hall of Fame worthy, and the only way he’ll be remembered is through the minds and memories of Leafs’ fans, Saturday Night’s ceremony meant so much more than just honoring number 17.
It represented the end of a style, the end of a way to play the game, and the memories that came with all of it.
The past is gone,
It went by like dusk to dawn…
Hopefully we’ll see another like you Wendel, but who knows how long it’ll last.
Sing the praises of number 17, Leafs fan or not. Sing for the years.
Dream On…
Okay T.O. Sports readers, score with the Captain, no, I’m not hooking you up with Aubray! You wish… but almost as good. It’s that time of year, no, not the windy cold and rainy time. You turn on the radio and walk into a mall and all you hear is Christmas music. Now I feel it’s just to early for it myself, but then again I didn’t spend gazillions of dollars doing a study, but someone did. So Starting December 1st anyone signing up on the Captain Fanatic Website and to the T.O. Sports eNews feed gets a copy of “The Adventures of Captain Fanatic” in a Toronto Episode “You better be-leaf it!! Now I’m telling you right now, I’ve got a feeling these copies will be worth a fair bit one day, they just might take care of you in your old age!!! So come and get em’, also I will give a signed free copy to the top 20 people who make comments on the web site for the month of December. Now remember, there are limited supplies of the comic. So with that in mind, the first 1000 people to sign up get the free copy. Start signing up, and tell your friends too. 
by The Daily Hurt… However much longer Sam Mitchell’s reign as head coach of the Toronto Raptors is only something that General Manager Bryan Colangelo knows the answer to. Not known to be someone who reacts impulsively, Colangelo must be starting to twitch after the Boston Celtics embarrassed his Raptors Sunday afternoon at home 118-103.
Typically, Toronto’s main problem again was that they were far too soft defensively and they were deservedly punished for it. No matter how many times it gets spoken about, the Raptors continue to leave shooters wide open and they continue to get burned. Ray Allen is one of the best shooters in the league—EVER—yet he was still somehow left alone far too often today and his line included 5-for-7 three-pointers and 21 points.
The Celtics shot 62 percent from the field. You won’t lose too many games shooting that percentage, but then again, if you get the looks that Boston did, it’s almost hard not to shoot at such a high rate.
It’s nothing new to Raptors fans. Toronto are still boys trying to compete with men and they are losing. If a man’s home is his castle, then the Raptors are the most accommodating of hosts.
The problem with that is in sport, it’s supposed to be the other way around. Home court, ground or field is supposed to be an intimidating and unwelcoming place for visitors, the Raptors might as well have gotten out the scones with cream today. “Excuse me, Mr. Pierce, can I fetch you another cup of tea?”.
If the scoreline wasn’t enough to humiliate the Raptors, late game footage of Pierce, Sam Cassell and Kevin Garnett among others practising their golf swings on the sideline certainly was. Even Brian Scalabrine contributed.
Yep, the Celtics were so bored by Toronto’s pathetic offerring of a “contest” that some of their players would have much rather spent the afternoon pursuing other, more challenging activities. The early afternoon stroll around the Air Canada Center just didn’t cut it.
Certainly, a round of golf would have been more competitive than what the Raptors offered them. It might have also induced a sweat. At least the Celts have still got plenty of energy left for 18-holes somewhere if they fancy it.
While the Raptors were never seriously in it at any stage, after a good start to the season, overall they are regressing and fast.
Sam Mitchell simply doesn’t know how to close out a game. Look at Friday night against the New Jersey Nets for example. Up 18 points in the third, New Jersey did nothing special to get back into it, Toronto simply let them back in by jacking up wild jump shots and then slacking off defensively.
The Nets got a lucky break on Vince Carter’s game-tying three-point bomb but still, New Jersey should never have been that close.
Mitchell’s Raptors are undisciplined defensively and they don’t stick to a plan. There is no consistency on offense and no matter how big a lead they build, they NEVER look comfortable.
This week has been typical of Sam Mitchell’s tenure as coach. Cruising early against the Orlando Magic and up by double figures, Toronto were all over the Magic until, once again, Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu just did what they pleased offensively and weren’t put under pressure. Sure, the Raptors were without Jose Calderon but that’s no excuse for the rest of the team.
Then, one night later—with Calderon back in the lineup—they managed to see off Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat, but not without some incredibly good and lucky three-point shooting from Anthony Parker. It was more that Parker had a night out rather than Mitchell guided his team home. They got lucky and if Wade had any significant help on his team, the Raptors would have been in trouble.
Colangelo now faces an obvious dilemma. He can’t be happy with what he’s seeing but the problem is, who does he replace Mitchell with? This is going to be the biggest test of Colangelo’s time since coming to Toronto.
by Jack Porter… Today GM Cliff Fletcher pulled the trigger on a deal that sent Alex Steen and Carlo Coliacovo to the St.Louis Blues in exchange for forward Lee Stempniak.
In a way this is a strange deal. With an announcement coming at anytime now about Brian Burke, it is strange that the Leafs would make a swap like this. You would think they would wait for Burke to come in and decide to make the trade.
That aside this is a decent trade for the Blue and White. They give up a struggling center and a defenseman with loads of potential but injury problems. Carlo just couldn’t stay healthy and that was his demise. I think that Carlo could be a great defenseman in this league but it seems it’s just not in the cards.
On the other end of the deal the Leafs get a skilled winger who gives the Leafs a much needed second right hand shot at the forward position. Lee broke out two years ago with 27 goals and 52 points, but only put up 13 goals and 38 points last season.
Lee seems to have come back to his old self notching 13 points in 14 games and 11 in his last 7 games this season. In St.Louis Stempniak has been on pace for 72 points and 16 goals. These numbers could sway any which way with the Leafs.
The place for Lee Stempniak on the Leafs roster in my opinion, is on a line with Niklas Hagmanand rookie phenom Mikhail Grabovski. Lee has good speed and gives them the advantage of having a right hand shot to dish the puck to.
Some people might say ” why take Nik Kulemin off the line? “. Kulemin is a good rookie but he is not the reason for the lines success. I think moving Nik on to a line with assistant Dominic Moore and Jason Blake will be a smart move and won’t knock Kulemin off stride this season.
So another stepping stone to a bright future is in place and I’ll have to rate this a B+ on the newly created “Porter’s Trade Report Card”.
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