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Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:34:15 -0700

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Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:23:11 -0800

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Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:15:56 -0800

Edmonton Oilers lock up Jordan Eberle with 6-year deal

Written by: Matthew Blunk

The Philadelphia Flyers aren't the only NHL team keeping busy this summer.

One week after locking up left wing Taylor Hall with a seven-year contract, the Edmonton Oilers signed forward Jordan Eberle to a six-year, $36 million extension. The newly "man-strong" Eberle posted 34 goals and 76 points in 78 during the 2011-12 season, in a breakout campaign for the 22-year-old right wing.

Oilers GM Steve Tambellini appears dedicated to ensuring the future of the franchise with these two long-term deals with youthful, potential cornerstone players. Edmonton also boasts the previous two no. 1 overall picks in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (who displayed glimpses of greatness as a rookie) and Nail Yakupov.

Defense and goaltending remain concerns for the Oilers, but there's plenty of reason for optimism. With Hall, Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Yakupov, Edmonton's offensive attack could closely resemble a well-oiled machine (see what I did there?).

But with the NHL and NHLPA still arguing and not bearing fruit, yet another North American sports league could go through an ugly lockout. Let us hope cooler, more fruit-conducive heads prevail.

Continue reading Edmonton Oilers lock up Jordan Eberle with 6-year deal

Saturday, September 1, 2012 2:52 AM

Flyers sign Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds to extensions

Written by: Matthew Blunk

Amidst the uncertainty of this NHL offseason, with murmurs of a potential lockout to come, the Philadelphia Flyers have signed two more players to long-term deals.

Philadelphia signed forward Wayne Simmonds to a 6-year, near $24 million extension on Aug. 16. On Monday, the Flyers agreed to extend forward Scott Hartnell with a 6-year, $28.5 million deal. Both Simmonds and Hartnell had career-best seasons in 2011-12 with the team, posting 49 and 67 points, respectively.

Simmonds is only 23 years old and has plenty of potential to get better. Hartnell became one of the most important players on the Flyers last season, with a great motor and hard-nosed, agitating style. And he does an uncanny Hulk Hogan impression.

Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has taken this sort of approach this summer - he doesn't seem overly concerned with the ramifications of a potential lockout or new collective bargaining agreement. Philadelphia is moving forward, business as usual. They aggressively pursued (and missed out on) former New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise in free agency, then moved on to signing Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber to a whopping 14-year, $110 million offer sheet in restricted free agency.

The Flyers also extended winger Jakub Voracek earlier this summer. Voracek got a 4-year, $17 million extension, after his 49-point 2011-12 season. Head coach Peter Laviolette also received a two-year contract extension soon after Voracek.

Needless to say, the Flyers are ready to play hockey in 2012-13, and look prepared to be contenders for the Stanley Cup once again.

Continue reading Flyers sign Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds to extensions

Monday, August 20, 2012 9:05 PM

Top 50 NHL players of the 2012 season

Written by: Matthew Blunk

1) Evgeni Malkin, C - Pittsburgh Penguins
2) Sidney Crosby, C - Pittsburgh Penguins
3) Claude Giroux, C - Philadelphia Flyers
4) Steven Stamkos, F - Tampa Bay Lightning
5) Jonathan Quick, G - Los Angeles Kings
6) Alexander Ovechkin, F - Washington Capitals
7) Henrik Lundqvist, G - New York Rangers
8) Pekka Rinne, G - Nashville Predators
9) Zach Parise, F - Minnesota Wild
10) Jonathan Toews, C - Chicago Blackhawks
11) Henrik Sedin, C - Vancouver Canucks
12) Ilya Kovalchuk, F - New Jersey Devils
13) Pavel Datsyuk, F - Detroit Red Wings
14) Shea Weber, D - Nashville Predators
15) Daniel Sedin, F - Vancouver Canucks
16) Ryan Suter, D - Minnesota Wild
17) Rick Nash, F - New York Rangers
18) Jarome Iginla, F - Calgary Flames
19) Anze Kopitar, F - Los Angeles Kings
20) Eric Staal, C - Carolina Hurricanes
21) Drew Doughty, D - Los Angeles Kings
22) Joe Thornton, C - San Jose Sharks
23) Jordan Staal, C - Carolina Hurricanes
24) Ryan Getzlaf, C - Anaheim Ducks
25) Dustin Brown, F - Los Angeles Kings
26) Corey Perry, F - Anaheim Ducks
27) Ryan Kesler, F - Vancouver Canucks
28) Patrick Kane, F - Chicago Blackhawks
29) Jason Spezza, F - Ottawa Senators
30) Martin Brodeur, G - New Jersey Devils
31) Marian Gaborik, F - New York Rangers
32) Marian Hossa, F - Chicago Blackhawks
33) Erik Karlsson, D - Ottawa Senators
34) John Tavares, C - New York Islanders
35) Henrik Zetterberg, F - Detroit Red Wings
36) Duncan Keith, D - Chicago Blackhawks
37) Phil Kessel, F - Toronto Maple Leafs
38) Bobby Ryan, F - Anaheim Ducks
39) Marc-Andre Fleury, G - Pittsburgh Penguins
40) Dion Phaneuf, D - Toronto Maple Leafs
41) Jack Johnson, D - Columbus Blue Jackets
42) Mike Richards, F - Los Angeles Kings
43) Vincent Lecavalier, F - Tampa Bay Lightning
44) Shane Doan, F - Free Agent
45) Martin St. Louis, F - Tampa Bay Lightning
46) Patrice Bergeron, C - Boston Bruins
47) Zdeno Chara, D - Boston Bruins
48) Brad Richards, C - New York Rangers
49) Jeff Carter, F - Los Angeles Kings
50) Tyler Seguin, C - Boston Bruins

Continue reading Top 50 NHL players of the 2012 season

Friday, August 3, 2012 7:54 PM

Rangers get Rick Nash, competent goal-scoring from Columbus

Written by: Matthew Blunk

King Henrik, help is on the way.

After several ~~millennia~~ ~~centuries~~ ~~years~~ months, the Columbus Blue Jackets have finally traded star forward Rick Nash.

Midway through last season, the Nash trade rumors began, and by the trade deadline, a deal seemed inevitable. Talks focused mainly on the New York Rangers, but Columbus GM Scott Howson could not find the deal he wanted.

Now, in the wake of the Philadelphia Flyers signing Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber to a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet, the Blue Jackets and Rangers have come to terms on a trade that will send Nash to New York in exchange for centers Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, defenseman prospect Tim Erixon, and a first-round draft pick.

Did Rangers GM Glen Sather feel a little push to keep up with talented division rival Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins? You bet. The Blueshirts needed a goal-scorer the caliber of Nash. They were an excellent defensive hockey team in 2011-12, along with Henrik Lundqvist's impeccable Vezina Trophy goaltending. It was enough to win the ridiculously-stacked Atlantic Division, lock down the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and reach the Eastern Conference Finals. But when it came down to it, the Rangers could not match the New Jersey Devils' dynamic playmakers and goal-scorers, and were eliminated in six games.

Nash scored 30 goals and finished with 59 points last season with the Blue Jackets, which would have put him third on New York's roster in points. The Rangers' leading scorer was Marian Gaborik (with 76), who may miss some time early in the 2012-13 season while recovering from shoulder surgery. So Nash will be relied on to make up for the loss of Gaborik early on.

But once the Slovakian returns to health, the Rangers should be able to score with the best of them. You know the John Tortorella philosophy of defense, shot-blocking, and goaltending will be there. But you've got to believe we'll be hearing a lot more "Whoa-oh-ohhhh!" next season as well.

Continue reading Rangers get Rick Nash, competent goal-scoring from Columbus

Monday, July 23, 2012 12:52 PM

Nicklas Lidstrom goes out on top

Written by: Hunter Lyons

23 years ago this June, a player out of Vasteras, Sweden, was selected with the 53^rd overall pick in the NHL draft by the Detroit Red Wings. The once storied franchise had been struggling to return to its once prestigious title as "Hockeytown," stemming from its heyday in the 50s with Hall of Famers like Gordie Howe, Sid Abel and Terry Sawchuck. Being picked in the 2^nd round of the entry draft, the Red Wings obviously thought very highly of the Swedish offensive-defensemen and expected him to man the D-line for the Wings for years to come.

What they probably didn’t expect was that Nicklas Lidstrom would play 20 seasons, winning four Stanley Cups, be a 12-time All-Star and win seven Norris Trophies as the NHL’s "top defensive player," but that is exactly what they got. Yesterday, the Red Wings captain of 6 years retired from the National Hockey League at a press conference at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Members of the media packed the presser to get one last glimpse of the player many referred to as "Mr. Perfect" or "The Perfect Human." A title like that isn’t bestowed upon a person like that unless he displays consistent traits of production, leadership and longevity, something Lidstrom more than did in his years with the winged-wheel on his chest.

The 42-year old, who many believed could still compete in the league, decided to walk away from the game while he was still at his best, which is evident from his records as the oldest player to win the Norris Trophy and to record a hat trick. His presence in the locker room, on the ice and in the community was undeniable in his time with the Red Wings. Lidstrom entered the league in a time where European players weren’t as prevalent in the league as they are today, something many attribute to him. He holds the record for most regular season games played by a European player at 1,564 and was the first European-born player to win the Norris Trophy, as well as the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the Stanley Cup Finals MVP.

Growing up being a defensemen in the Southeast Michigan area, it was easy early on in my career who I wanted to emulate my game after. His steadiness, ability to play both ways and his overall ability to make those around him better is the reason I wore #5 throughout my college hockey career. Nick says he plans on returning to his native Sweden with his family but hopes to be involved with the Red Wings in the future, where he will be welcomed with open arms when he decides to do so. With all the accolades, records and even a 2006 gold medal to wear around his neck, Lidstrom’s legacy will live on far beyond the goals he scored, as well as stop. He has a number of charities in his name in the Metro-Detroit area spanning from youth hockey initiatives to cancer research. Next season Lidstrom’s #5 will undoubtedly be hung from the rafters next to the greats like Howe and most recently Steve Yzerman, but in my belief his biggest legacy will be left on the logo at center ice that reads "HOCKEYTOWN," a name he helped restore and give meaning to once again.

Continue reading Nicklas Lidstrom goes out on top

Friday, June 1, 2012 11:53 AM

2012 Stanley Cup Conference Finals preview

Written by: Sean McEachern (@sportsfanspeaks)

There was a time back in the annals of NHL history – say 3 or 4 years ago – when you geared up for the postseason hockey pool with the list of the top 30 or 40 point-getters on the season, made the standard in-depth analytical guess as to the Hot Goalie Du Jour, formatted overly predictable brackets with maybe one 3/6 seed upset and threw your $50 in the old jam jar and knew you had a better shot than your clueless Maple Leaf fan buddies of taking home the loot. Now? I prefer the tried and true method of launching three 27-gram tungsten-tipped darts at a copy of Inside Hockey pinned to a Don Cherry replica jacket and hope some idiot analyst isn’t busy extolling the virtues of Ilya Bryzgalov’s eclectic goaltending style on the middle pages. Whichever method is currently sinking your playoff zamboni beneath the center ice circle, it will take more than photocopies and a signed affidavit for me to believe that you had picked a Kings/Coyotes Western Conference Final and had the Devils waiting in the East for the Rangers/Capitals victor. If by some John Edward/Mentalist miracle you had this bracket breakdown, I will safely assume you were laughed out of your local “Owl and Pussycat Pub” at first and are now being hailed as hockey’s Frank Rosenthal by your pool partners who prior to the playoffs thought Yandle and Doan were purveyors of fine pharmaceuticals to athletes everywhere. And Mike Smith…really, give your head a shake. I’m not picking a guy whose name fills the ledger of every Pink Flamingo Motel with hourly rates, from here to Glendale, Arizona!

Continue reading 2012 Stanley Cup Conference Finals preview

Thursday, May 10, 2012 1:25 PM

2012 Western Conference Stanley Cup Semifinals Preview

Written by: Keith Ricci

Well that was Quick, wasn’t it? No pun intended. The first round of the Western Conference playoffs didn’t quite live up to expectations. In three of the series the losing team only managed to win one game and the other the loser only won 2. The East on the other hand, where most thought the gap in talent and teams was much wider saw three Game 7’s and a Game 6. This round in the West promises to be different. I think.

Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes

Both of these teams have been on the “verge” for the last few years and both have shed some pretty big demons by getting to the second round. Phoenix finally gets out of the first round for the first time ever, vindicating coach Dave Tippett and Nashville breaks through in a big way by dumping long time division bully Detroit. One of these teams is going to the Western Conference Finals and while each would consider that accomplishment a great season neither should be disappointed if they don’t quite make it that far. They have overachieved and will be considered legitimate contenders for the foreseeable future.

Each has a fantastic goalie and their team philosophies start from the net out. Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne was nominated for the Vezina Trophy for his performance in the regular season and continued that strong play in the first round stopping 160 of the 169 shots he saw. On the other end Mike Smith is showing the promise that once saw him traded for New York Rangers All-Star and big money center Brad Richards. There were other pieces to the trade but make no mistake those two were the centerpieces. Tampa needed to unload salary and Dallas had a very talented young goalie stuck behind an entrenched starter in Marty Turco. Smith faded out in Tampa, was put on waivers, sent to the minors and then signed a two-year deal last offseason in Phoenix, reuniting him with Tippett, his coach while in Dallas. The two have found the same mojo they had years ago in the Lone Star State and are rolling. Smith posted better numbers in both Goals Against and Save Percentage than Rinne.

Each was fantastic in the first round and carried their teams for long stretches but Smith was better. Chicago hammered him relentlessly and he never broke, posting a shutout in the final game, on the road, despite facing 39 shots. Rinne was good with a 1.81 GAA but that was identical to Smith. They are both gargantuan, very sound positionally; cover a lot of net and oozing confidence. The matchup is salacious and is only the second best of this round.

The difference in this series is going to be some kind of intangible. A power play is going to get hot or a third line winger will have the best games of his life and find himself in free beer and steak forever after scoring three game winners on the road to the Cup.

Nashville on paper has the better defensive corps and are marginally deeper at forward but Phoenix seems to be a team that just has it together right now. The Pacific Division was brutal this year and they have been playing playoff hockey for months. They were in ninth place two weeks before the end of the season and won the division. Nashville is the more talented team but I just think that Tippett has figured this team out and will know all the right buttons to push. Mike Smith will continue his Zen-like mastery of all things projectile and the ‘Yotes will advance in 6.

Los Angeles Kings vs. St Louis Blues

Big Jon Quick made very short work of the defending Campbell Cup Champions and #1 seeded Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks were a bit banged up but the Kings, much like the Coyotes, have been playing playoff hockey for months and embarrassed the Canucks in 5 games. They were bigger, faster and ran circles around the President’s Trophy winners. I picked Vancouver in 5 or 6 based on the fact that Van needed to switch to Cory Schneider and while they did switch in Game 4, it didn’t matter. Schneider was good but not any better than Sweet Baby Skip to Toronto my Lou. The Canucks didn’t score and while the Kings defense was good Big Quick was the reason they won. LA got timely goals from players up and down the lineup but those chances were generated from quality stops that create even better scoring chances. It was text book shut down hockey and what LA was expected to play all year long. They faltered a bit during the season and then figured it out when it mattered most. Surprising? Maybe. Entertaining? Without a doubt.

The Blues are a machine. Ken Hitchcock has these kids rolling like his old Dallas Stars teams of the late 90’s with one major difference. Those Stars teams were loaded with multiple Hall-of-Famers. This version of the Blues has no Modano, Hull, Belfour, Nieuwendyk or Zubov. They are running out a backup goalie who happened to lead the league in the shutouts. Hitch has conjured up magic. I just can’t pick against them. The Kings are deeper at forward. Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams could run roughshod over David Backes, T.J. Oshie and David Perron. The former led the Kings in points during the first round while St Louis’s front three only had two goals combined. After scoring 64 in the regular season the B.O.P. line should rebound for the Blues and create some serious scoring chances.

On the defensive side the Kings have a couple of big names that will eat up a lot of minutes in Rob Scuderi and Drew Doughty. They played well in the first round but didn’t put a lot of points on the board. Their job was shutting down the Sedin’s and Ryan Kessler. They succeeded. They were more than impressive in neutralizing some of the top point producers in hockey but St Louis will be different. They attack from all four lines and will make the guys who play the other 35 minutes skate twice as hard.

Vancouver failed by not playing a full team and trying to rely on their big guns who ended up being tired and overmatched. St Louis has no big guns, will roll four lines and has a defense that is as unflappable as Ivan Drago’s face in the first 10 rounds of action in Rocky IV. They have no weakness as I see and will win this series. Mr. Quick has a chance to steal the show with the help of Dustin Brown but upsetting the top two seeds in the Western Conference one after the other might be a bit of a stretch.

St. Louis in 6. Let’s all enjoy the ribs afterwards.

Continue reading 2012 Western Conference Stanley Cup Semifinals Preview

Friday, April 27, 2012 10:28 PM

Diary of a Canucks fan - Game 5

Written by: Melissa Harder

Game 5 – April 22

Current Mood: Disappointed and sad

Current Song: Nothing. This one I had to write in silence.

I woke up at 9 am yesterday and realized that playoff hockey was already on. It is totally weird to watch hockey in your pyjamas (and yet I am happy to watch NFL football in my pjs. But playoff hockey so early in the morning? It seems just bizarre). I turned on the TV and saw that the Pittsburgh Penguins were going to fail in their quest to become the 4^th team to come back from a 3-0 deficit. We all knew it would be hard to do but even more difficult for two teams to do it in the same playoff year. What did the Penguins loss mean for the Canucks? Good omen or bad?

It started out well. Vancouver was able to fight off two early penalties in the first period and hometown fans were treated to a little “Sedinery” with the twins pairing up for a beautiful power play goal. Cory Schneider stood tall on a last second breakaway save right at the end of the first that made everyone, including me, hold our collective breath. Both goalies played well in the second and kept the game at 1-0. (A small note: Slava Voinoff sounds like “Slababoinoff” and every time Kirk and I heard it during the game we giggled like children. It helped to ease a very tense third period. I don’t know why we thought it was funny. We just did.) But then Richardson scored on a power play goal where no one picked him up in front of the net and suddenly the game was tied and the Canucks were facing and early exit in overtime. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you face series ending OT as a fan (I know, I know, imagine how the players feel! But still. It feels more stressful to watch OT than play it, I’m convinced.) I remember how it felt to watch the Canucks-Blackhawks in Game 7 last year and the elation when Alex Burrows scored. This time the outcome was very different.

The Vancouver Canucks, President’s Trophy winners, and the team that went all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last year is out of the playoffs and I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this isn’t something anyone expected. I suspect it doesn’t matter to the players whether you make it to the end and lose or lose early – this loss probably hits them the same way. And while the players will be out golfing far sooner than expected, the Canuck front office has some soul searching to do and some big decisions to make this offseason.

Vancouver was the third President's Trophy winner in four years to be knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.

"We had expectations and hopes to go far in this playoff," Schneider said. "It seems like around the league, parity is running wild. Look at Pittsburgh, ourselves, Detroit, San Jose. New York's facing elimination, Boston held it off today. We can't take anything for granted. Anyone is capable of winning in this league." (from si.com)

Canuck fans are left wondering what might have been. What if Daniel Sedin had scored on that breakaway late in the second? Would a two-goal lead have been safe? What if that wraparound shot attempt early in the OT period bounced off someone, anyone and went in? What if Dan Hamhuis didn’t lose an edge and have his pocket picked by Jarret Stoll who scored at 4:27 of overtime for a 2-1 Los Angeles series clinching win? What if Vancouver had held onto their home ice advantage instead of losing three times at Rogers Arena?

But what ifs aren’t going to cut it. The fact is the Canucks didn’t deserve to win the series but they put up a good fight, especially in the last two games. When your back is against the wall, you find out who you can count on, and who will bring their best and who shrinks from the limelight. And in the end, I’m proud of what the team accomplished this year and say what every fan says when a season ends in disappointment: There’s always next year.

Continue reading Diary of a Canucks fan - Game 5

Monday, April 23, 2012 2:27 PM

Brendan Shanahan is overmatched as NHL disciplinarian

Written by: Ray Hagan (@rayhagan19)

Raffi Torres just got 25 games for something nearly identical to the same hit that James Neal delivered to Sean Couturier of the Philadelphia Flyers. Take a look at the two hits, here and here. Now I'm not advocating that Raffi Torres didn't deserve the suspension, he did. As a matter of fact, I'm of the opinion that he probably didn't receive enough of a suspension. Part of his discipline was based on previous conduct, and the fact that Marian Hossa was injured. Neal has also been the recipient of previous discipline, though not to the degree of Torres. If you watch those two videos you'll see the similarities are astounding. Both checked players have and lose the puck, and are then blindsided by an opponent who leaves his feet to deliver the illegal check.

The fact that Neal on the same shift delivers an illegal hit to Claude Giroux in a game that was out of hand after the hit on Couturier shows that the first hit was intentional, despite his claims that it wasn't. You can actually see that he changes direction while curling away from Couturier to deliver the leaping check. Brendan Shanahan accepted Neal's assertion that he leapt to brace himself for the impact. I call shenanigans. Neal got 1 game. I repeat: Torres got 25. The fact that Giroux and Couturier were not injured doesn't change the fact that Neal's intent was the same as the intent of Torres. Neal was out to hurt both players. Now look at this video. I'm not a Blackhawks fan. I understand that Shaw took the route towards the goaltender, and that he could have taken a different route, that said, he clearly had no way to avoid the collision once he had reached there. The hit was not as hard as many other hits and the acting job of the netminder is impeccable. He acted as if he'd been shot in the head, not caught with a glancing blow by a player who did not have much of a way to avoid him.

If you watch the videos, at the end they explain the "key points" that lead to the discipline. Case 1: Penalty of Charging No Injury to recipient Previous disciplinary action for illegal hits. Case 2: Penalty of Charging No Injury to recipient No Previous disciplinary action for illegal hits. Case 1 got 1 game…case 2, Andrew Shaw, got 3 games. Based on the recent, in many cases, overly aggressive play in the NHL Playoffs, the suspension for Raffi Torres comes as no surprise. He's a career goon with a history of illegal hits. This was Shanahan's chance to send a message to the whole league. The problem is that Shanahan did not give Neal the suspension he deserved. And when you compare the second illegal Neal hit with the one by Shaw, the penalty of one game for Neal versus three for Shaw seems totally absurd. This complaint probably comes as the whining of a Flyers fan, and sour grapes. It's not. The problem is that the whole NHL supplemental discipline program is completely arbitrary.

Arron Asham of Pittsburgh cross-checked the Flyers' Brayden Schenn in the chest…not in the face. He followed that with a punch to the back of the head of the downed player, a glancing blow, with the glove still on and Schenn wearing a helmet. There's no defense for these actions. The key points by Shanahan:

Case 1 - Match Penalty for Crosschecking (to the chest), no Injury to the recipient, no previous disciplinary action for illegal hits. Case 2 - Match Penalty for Crosschecking (to the head), no Injury to the recipient, no previous disciplinary action for illegal hits. Case 1 (Asham) received a 4 game suspension. Case 2 (Nicklas Backstrom) received a 1 game suspension. That's right, a cross check to the chest followed by a glancing punch is worth four times the discipline of a cross check to the face. That's absurd. I'm not contending Asham didn't deserve 4 games. I don't know what the proper discipline was for Asham…what I do know is that for Asham to get 4 games to Backstrom's 1 game is ludicrous. I'm calling for an overhaul of the NHL supplemental discipline system. There's no question, that like in the NFL, there is a need for someone to oversee discipline beyond the penalties that are given out on the field, or ice. The NHL system really seems to be completely arbitrary, and that is my issue. The Torres/Neal hits, while not identical, are eerily similar. Torres gets 25 games, and Neal skates away on a very weak explanation, despite the fact that he delivers another dirty hit less than 50 seconds later. That illegal hit has similar circumstances to the Andrew Shaw hit, though Shaw did NOT leave his feet to deliver his check…yet somehow Neal gets 1 game to Shaw's 3. When you include the Backstrom/Asham penalties for similar plays being as different as they were…it's clear that Shanahan is overmatched as the head of NHL discipline.

As the lone man delivering these punishments, Shanahan is the only one to blame. I'm frustrated seeing penalties that seem like they were decided by throwing darts at numbers on a wall. It's like giving one student a detention, and another a suspension for the same infraction. That cannot be acceptable to NHL players, coaches, or fans. The thought process behind delivering this supplemental discipline as the NHL calls it is twofold. 1.) The player receiving said discipline acted in a manner which requires that they be penalized beyond what occurs on the ice. 2.) The discipline should be seen as a precedent, and as a warning for players who make similar actions in the future. There needs to be some uniformity in discipline, otherwise you're not getting the second part of that thought process across. What Shanahan has told NHL players is that they are better off cross checking to the face, than to the chest. He's also told them that they are better off delivering a flying check to a forward than they are making incidental contact with a goaltender. Finally he's let them know that you can throw yourself in the air and blindside an opponent, as long as you make an excuse, and that player doesn't get seriously hurt. Otherwise you receive 25 games. Intent means absolutely nothing, it's only the end result that matters. That doesn't make sense.

As silly as it sounds, the old saying "it's the thought that counts" really does hold weight here. Neal's intent is clear, he was trying to deliver a cheap shot to, and injure Couturier. He succeeded only on the first part of that. What I wonder is if Couturier had been injured like Hossa if Shanahan would have accepted his flimsy excuse, or had Hossa not been injured if Torres would have been able to claim the same. I believe that there should be clear guidelines for supplemental discipline with a committee doling out the punishment rather than an individual. I lobbied before the start of these playoffs that the NHL playoffs were the best in all of sports, and I stand by that. Sadly for me, this year they have been marred by players going above and beyond taking their games to another level. Certain players have elected to take dirty play to another level as well. I can't justify, nor support the behavior of Neal, Asham, Torres and Backstrom. I refuse to put Shaw in that group. He was clearly a victim of a goaltender who acted like he was looking for a Roughing the Kicker flag. The outrageous discipline administered to Shaw is another reason that one man shouldn't be delivering these penalties.

If the NHL decides that the current system isn't broken, that one person can dish out the punishments, it absolutely shouldn't be Brendan Shanahan. He is making arbitrary decisions that are unfair to the players. He's under qualified, and overmatched. NHL supplemental discipline is a necessary evil. Brendan Shanahan's version of it, and vision of it, is not.

Continue reading Brendan Shanahan is overmatched as NHL disciplinarian

Monday, April 23, 2012 2:12 PM

The Canuck Conundrum: The fall of the 2012 Vancouver Canucks

Written by: Sean McEachern (@sportsfanspeaks)

Wednesday, June 9^th, 1993, and Kirk Muller bangs home the winning goal at 3:51 of the 2^nd period to see the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 Game 5 win and series victory over the upstart Gretzky-led Los Angeles Kings. It had been a ridiculous run for Les Habitants, getting Conn Smyth-goaltending out of Patrick Roy and winning 10 consecutive overtime games with clutch scoring from the likes of John Leclair and Eric Desjardins and the anniversary of the 100^th presenting of Lord Stanley was celebrated on St. Catherine St. with a Molson Export fuelled/inspired riot which left most other Canadians explaining to all who would listen why the Habs “are not really Canada’s team.” What a crock. As Canadians we distanced ourselves from that team based on the emerging Quebec political situation which would come to a head with a separatist referendum in 1995 and of course because of the riot which always offends our delicate north-of-the-border sensibilities. But that team, the last Stanley Cup Champion to be composed purely of North American players, while not being traditionally tough, was gritty and determined and worthy of capturing the imagination on their improbable Cup run… and let me remind you… I am a Bruins fan!

Continue reading The Canuck Conundrum: The fall of the 2012 Vancouver Canucks

Monday, April 23, 2012 1:46 PM

Podcasts

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:42:28 -0800

FreeTheSportsman Super Show - Number four
Kevin and Matt talk about two more NFL division previews and UFC 151/152

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FreeTheSportsman Super Show- Number three
Kevin and Matt discuss odds between Sonnen vs Griffin, Dos Santos vs Velasquez, NFL division previews and preseason football

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FreeTheSportsman Super Show - Number two

Kevin and Matt talk about USA Olympic basketball, Andrew Luck's preseason debut, Chad Johnson, UFC 150, Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva, and Tunisia

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FreeTheSportsman Super Show - Our first podcast
Kevin and Matt discuss the Dwight Howard trade, NFL preseason - Michael Vick, Ryan Mathews, Peyton Manning, Robert Griffin III - and UFC 150 - Frankie Edgar vs Ben Henderson, Donald Cerrone vs Melvin Guillard

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Privacy Policy

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:54:44 -0800

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Betting

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:23:30 -0700

NFL - Week 1 preview

From: SBRForum.com

Football will be here before you know it, so let's skip over the preseason for a second and look ahead to Week 1. Are the NFL odds offering up anything enticing for the first week?

The biggest favorites of the week are the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.

The Saints will be happy to have Drew Brees content and ready to lead the offense as they open the season at home to Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. New Orleans is currently favored by 11 points.

For Detroit, they'll host Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams as 10-point chalk in the odds. The Lions were one of the pleasant surprises of 2011, but can they maintain that high level?

The Bears should be in for a very successful season and it helps that they get to start out against the weakest team in the entire league. They've opened as 11-point favorites over the Indianapolis Colts, who are in straight up rebuilding mode.

If you're looking for the best games of the week, look no further than Green Bay's meeting with the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field.

Aaron Rodgers was unstoppable last season, especially at home, but the 49ers had arguably the best defense in the league. Something's got to give in Week 1.

Another great matchup sees Peyton Manning open his Denver account with a tough home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The odds are at a PK right now, showcasing just how close this one should be. We'll see just how healthy Manning really is as he tries to beat the most physical defense in the NFL.

Dallas/New York and Baltimore/Cincinnati should also be hard-fought contests.

At last football has returned and we can't wait to see what ends up happening this season.

Continue reading NFL - Week 1 preview

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 11:11 AM

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants - Week 1 preview

From: SBRForum.com

In just under two months, the NFL season kicks off in New York, as the champion Giants host their divisional rival - the Dallas Cowboys. This game should have no shortage of great drama, and fans from all over the country will be tuning in to get their football fix after a long spring and summer. NFL odds have the Giants favored in this one by -3 ½ points, and even though the game won’t be played for months, NFL bettors have already been hitting the line. Nearly 70% of the public is taking the Cowboys on the road in this one. Who do you think will win on opening night?

Both teams haven’t done much adding to their roster, but that won’t diffuse the fact that this will be a huge game. These two played each other twice late in the season, and the Cowboys had their playoff dreams ripped right out of their grasp by the Giants, who of course went on to win it all. Dallas has only won three of their last ten meetings with the Giants, and the Giants have won three of their last five meetings against Dallas when playing in New York.

Even though a lot of the public agrees, at this point, I like the Cowboys in this game. I think they have the motivation, and even though they are on the road, the Cowboys ares till very capable of winning. As long as they play good in their secondary, and DeMarcus Ware can get pressure on Eli Manning, I like the Cowboys’ chances. One of these seasons, the Cowboys are going to compete for a Super Bowl with all the talent they have, and it might just be this season.

Continue reading Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants - Week 1 preview

Friday, July 13, 2012 12:07 PM

Rosco's MLB picks

Written by: Jeff Williams (@SLIMrosco)

During the MLB season, there is no rest for the bettor. After a big weekend it's right back on the grind Monday. So here we go, some more information to help you make some early week bets. Good luck and enjoy!

TEXAS RANGERS @ BALTIMORE ORIOLES

TEX Scheduled pitchers: Monday- HARRISON Tuesday-FELIZ Wednesday- LEWIS Thursday- (N/A)

BALT Scheduled pitchers: Monday- MATUSZ Tuesday- ARRIETA Wednesday- CHEN Thursday- HAMMEL

The Rangers are 2-4 on their current road trip and possibly showing some signs that they are slightly human. After this four game series in Baltimore they head back to Texas for a weekend series with the Angels. Yes the team is 2-4 on this road trip so far, but I see a huge opportunity for them to end this trip with three, if not four wins here in Baltimore. First of all, I really like how the pitching matchups stack up. Over the weekend, Baltimore was forced to use a bunch of pitchers against the Red Sox because two of the three games went 13 innings or more. Over the three games, the Baltimore bullpen pitched 23 innings. That sounds like a real bad combination with the potent Ranger bats coming into town. I like it even more that Texas has been struggling a little bit their last six games and this could be just the series they need to grab some wins. Now don’t get me wrong, Baltimore has been playing great and they have showed they can swing the bats with anyone. They have won five games in a row; taking 2 of 3 from the Yankees and then a sweep of the Red Sox. However, this Texas team and hurt you in a hurry and if your pitching staff is slightly depleted, this could turn into a long series for the O’s.

ROSCO’S LEANS: As most of you may know by now, I love playing games ‘OVER’ the total. This series has all the makings of a possible run fest. Obviously the weather, lineups and the number the sports book posts will be the final determining factors. If everything checks out, I feel betting the ‘OVER’ in most if not all of these games will be smart bets.

ROSCO’S MONDAY PICKS:

ST. LOUIS @ ARIZONA (Lynn vs. Saunders)

Continue reading Rosco's MLB picks

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 11:53 AM

MLB weekend matchups

Written by: Jeff Williams (@SLIMrosco)

Here is a little look into a couple matchups for this weekend’s MLB action. Hopefully this provides you with a little knowledge that can help you either place a series bet, or individual game bets. Either way, let’s make some money.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS @ HOUSTON ASTROS
STL scheduled pitchers:   Friday- LOHSE   Saturday- GARCIA   Sunday- WAINWRIGHT
HOU scheduled pitchers:   Friday- HARRELL   Saturday- NORRIS   Sunday- HAPP

It is no surprise that the Cardinals are playing really good baseball right now. However, what most of you may not know is that the Astros may be one of the hardest playing teams in the league. It just seems that this collection of young guys and veterans comes to play every night. Their 11-14 record may say otherwise, but they are 7-5 at home. The Cardinals may be the most balanced team statistic wise in the majors so far this season. They have a team ERA of 2.83 and team batting average of .286, both #2 in the league. On the other hand, the Astros have a team batting average of .266, which is 4^th in the majors. Their pitching staff is not quite as solid, but I feel that being at home could give them a boost in this series. Yes the Cardinals are a tough team to bet against, but look for good underdog prices on the Astros all weekend that could potentially offer some massive value. If you don’t have the stones to take some underdog value, I have something for you: Look into betting these games ‘OVER’ the total. Houston is 8-4 ‘over’ the total and averaging 5 runs per game offensively at home this year.

ROSCO’S LEANS: Look into taking HOU at a nice underdog price on a game by game basis. HOU plays hard and being at home with a nice price tag attached to it is always a good bet. Also, I feel there will be a good amount of runs scored in this series. I would look towards going ‘OVER’ the total in possibly all 3 of these games.

MIAMI MARLINS @ SAN DIEGO PADRES
MIA scheduled pitchers:   Friday- JOHNSON   Saturday- BUEHRLE   Sunday- NOLASCO
SD scheduled pitchers:   Friday- BASS   Saturday- RICHARD   Sunday- WIELAND

I really hope I don’t regret saying this, but I think that the Marlins going to the west coast may have been exactly what they needed. After sweeping the San Francisco Giants, they now head to San Diego to take on the Padres. Now, going over stats may show you that statistically these teams are pretty equal. With that being said, the “eye” test tells me that these two teams are not really that close. I have watched a ton of baseball, and the Padres almost seem like they don’t want to score runs. Both teams are near the bottom of the league in team batting average, but the Marlins have a much better collection of players that is on the verge of breaking out. What really catches my eye in this series though is the pitching matchups. The Marlins are throwing three quality starters while the Padres are running out some young kids that really haven’t proven themselves yet on a consistent basis. With the Padres struggles to score runs, I expect the Marlins pitching staff to feast on this lineup.

ROSCO’S LEANS: It appears that the Marlins could possibly be favorites in all three games of this series. I don’t think the prices will be too big on them though, so I suggest that you take full advantage. An early line for Fridays matchup has the Marlins -120. I feel that is a great price and suggest you jump on that as soon as you can. Keep an eye on this series and take the Marlins as long as the price stays reasonable. I got a feeling that the Marlins may pull off the sweep again.

Continue reading MLB weekend matchups

Saturday, May 5, 2012 10:28 AM

A love letter to sports betting

Dear Sports Betting,

Sports betting can change the way you watch and follow sports. If you have a read on an otherwise listless game, you can not only add some sizzle to it - you can profit from it. Therein lies the beauty of sports betting. Betting on your team is generally unwise, but if you happen to believe they will come out on top, it makes the victory much sweeter.

The gambling world is seemingly all connected. Sports betting and poker are very much related. In fact, most sportsbooks in Las Vegas are located near the poker rooms. And most poker rooms have TV screens with various sporting events on. Sports betting and poker are both quite cerebral, and are much more than just "gambling."

As technology improves, so does your ability to bet on the go. This brings me and sports betting even closer. I am sports betting's clingy boyfriend and I can't get enough. Of course, you have to be good at it to not lose all of your money. The best way to get a leg up on the sportsbooks is to find niche writers who are dedicated to betting a specific sport (much like our betting section *wink *wink). This allows you to get insight that isn't the copy and paste stats and opinions you find elsewhere. If you are interested in betting sports, check out our betting section or if you like to bet yourself (and you're any good) write for us. Other casino games work the same way, such as poker. You need a well thought out poker strategy to beat your opponents. I used to play some poker in college and that was my intro into gambling.

Sports betting, you make watching Sunday Night Football or the NBA playoffs that much sweeter and I thank you for that.

Love,

Continue reading A love letter to sports betting

Saturday, April 7, 2012 2:24 AM

Rosco's Betting and Waffles: Marlins vs Cardinals

Written by: Jeff Williams @SLIMrosco

Yes, the season technically started off in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 28^th. However, from this game forward, it is officially baseball season. This marquee match-up offers some very intriguing storylines, and should set the tone for a tremendous season to come.

To begin with, Miami enters the season with a lot of changes; from the name switch to Miami Marlins, the new logo, brand new fancy ballpark, the signings of controversial manager Ozzie Guillen, an All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, and a cast of new players to add to an already solid roster. The Marlins will be an interesting team to keep an eye on to say the least. On the other hand, the St. Louis Cardinals also begin the season with a very different look; no Albert Pujols, no Tony LaRussa and their ace pitcher, Chris Carpenter, will likely be on the disabled list for the first couple months of the season. Even after all that, I still see the Cardinals as a very legit contender. Now here is a deeper look into each team and some handicapping advice and picks for the game. Enjoy!

Continue reading Rosco's Betting and Waffles: Marlins vs Cardinals

Monday, April 2, 2012 11:46 PM

A guide to betting MLB - Spring Training

Written by: Jeff Williams

Do you love baseball? Do you love to bet on baseball? Well if you do, then let me explain why spring training games are way more important than you may think.

While most people have been caught up in the NCAA March Madness and grueling NBA schedule for the last month, I have been hard at work watching any spring training game I could get my eyes on. Yes, you read that right, spring training. March 3, the first games of baseball’s exhibition season, was when my “madness” began. Don’t get me wrong, I have watched the hoops action also, but watching those “meaningless” spring MLB games is a great way to start the baseball season off for multiple reasons. Not many games are televised, so taking advantage when they are may give you an edge when the regular season begins.

Continue reading A guide to betting MLB - Spring Training

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:24 PM

NFL Conference Championship Picks

Written by: Gary Vass

AFC Championship Game

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots (-7 50)

A couple years ago this was the wild card matchup and the Ravens beat the Patriots 33-14. This year we have one of the top defenses against Tom Brady and his tight ends, two 1,000 yard tight ends. Rob Gronkowski broke the single season record for a tight end with 17 touchdowns. Brady looked unstoppable last week against Denver, with six touchdown passes. It’s been over a decade since the Ravens won the Super Bowl. John Harbaugh has a chance to coach against his brother, Jim, in the Super Bowl. That said, I am going with Billy Belichick and the offensive juggernaut of the Patriots.

My Picks: Patriots, Over 50

NFC Championship Game

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers (-2 ½ 41 ½ )

Continue reading NFL Conference Championship Picks

Friday, January 20, 2012 11:26 PM

Gary's Picks 12/18

Last Week's 10 Parlay Picks vs Spread This Week's Parlay 10 Pick______

Date W-L Sport Pick Date Sport Pick

12/11 WIN NFL Falcons -3 12/18 NFL Giants -6 ½

12/11 Loss NFL Ravens -16 ½ 12/18 NFL Saints -6 ½

12/11 WIN NFL Saints -3 ½ 12/18 NFL Bears -3 ½

12/11 WIN NFL Eagles +3 12/18 NFL Panthers +6 ½

12/11 Loss NFL Patriots -9 12/18 NFL Titans -6 ½

Continue reading Gary's Picks 12/18

Friday, December 16, 2011 7:37 PM

Gary's Picks 12/11

Last Week's 10 Parlay Picks vs Spread This Week's Parlay 10 Pick

Date W-L Sport Pick Date Sport Pick

12/3 WIN NCAAF Oklahoma St -3 ½ 12/11 NFL Falcons -3

12/3 WIN NCAAF Southern Miss +14 12/11 NFL Ravens -16 ½

12/3 Loss NCAAF Kansas St. -10 ½ 12/11 NFL Saints -3 ½

12/3 Loss NCAAF Wisconsin -10 ½ 12/11 NFL Eagles +3

12/2 Loss NCAAF Oregon -19 12/11 NFL Patriots -9

12/4 WIN NFL Ravens -6 ½ 12/11 NFL Broncos -3 ½

Continue reading Gary's Picks 12/11

Friday, December 9, 2011 10:58 PM

RSS Feed

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:24:50 -0700

UNLV

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 23:43:29 -0700

Runnin' Rebel Basketball

UNLV Football

Staff

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:34:10 -0700

FreeTheSportsman.com is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kwoww (Kevin Early)

I have no experience writing, little knowledge of sports and have never built a website before. Naturally, I set out to start a sports blog, FreeTheSportsman.com.

Matty B. (Matthew Blunk)

I taught literature to Bill Shakespeare. I introduced the notion of science fiction to Jules Verne. I shared my haunting, mystical dreams with H. P. Lovecraft. Some have speculated (erroneously) that I penned the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Bible was based on a short story I authored. But seriously, I am the greatest writer you have ever read. Also, I know more about sports than you do. FreeTheSportsman.com would be nothing without me. NOTHING! DO YOU HEAR ME?!

Mel H (Melissa Harder)

I decided it was impossible to write my own bio so I enlisted my friend Jay to do it for me. Here’s what he said: "Things you should know about me - I don’t just 'sports hate' the North Carolina Tar Heels, I hate hate them. I am Canadian. I only write on the Internet so I can say that I am writer when people ask me 'what I do' at parties. I find it makes me about 97% more interesting. The fact that I love sports should be self-evident since I write for a sports website. Less obvious is that despite the fact that I am a 5’2” girl, I can run faster than you and I am better at most sports than you. Statistically you (the reader) should be male, so you are probably stronger than me. Congratulations! Also I am a little snarky. I hope you enjoy my columns."

UFC

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:30:36 -0700

The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Ever wondered what rules and regulations the UFC has in place? Wondered what the referees have to memorize? Well his is the official rules and regulations of the UFC inlcuding the UFC's weight classes. I post this to spread the word, to enlighten the many so that people can actually realize what is going on in the cage. This is a public service announcement.

1. Definitions

“Mixed martial arts” means unarmed combat involving the use, subject to any applicable limitations set forth in these Unified Rules and other regulations of the applicable Commission, of a combination of techniques from different disciplines of the martial arts, including, without limitation, grappling, submission holds, kicking and striking.

“Unarmed Combat” means any form of competition in which a blow is usually struck which may reasonably be expected to inflict injury.

“Unarmed Combatant” means any person who engages in unarmed combat.

“Commission” means the applicable athletic commission or regulatory body overseeing the bouts, exhibitions or competitions of mixed martial arts.

Continue reading The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 11:47 PM

Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Written by Kevin Early

For all of you who tuned into UFC 155, you saw a good card including a fight of the year candidate, Lauzon vs Miller. What you also saw was Junior Dos Santos get dominated like never before. While most people probably came away impressed with Velasquezs' performance, I, on the other hand, was not blown away but was disappointed with how Dos Santos fought.

Junior Dos Santos made one critical mistake which cost him the fight; he kept his hands low. Now when I say low, I mean like near his waist low. He looked as though he was trying to pull an Anderson Silva, dodging the incoming attacks just by using head movement. Except one thing, he doesn't have that much head movement. We have seen him go to war with guys and use his exceptional boxing to pick apart their standup. But have you ever seen a boxer fight with his hands down? All of the haymakers that Cain through would have been deflected or absorbed.

Continue reading Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Friday, January 4, 2013 12:11 AM

UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

______________________________________

Main Card
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Benson Henderson def. Nate Diaz

Decision (unanimous) (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)

- Light Heavyweight: Alexander Gustafsson def. Mauricio Rua

Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

- Welterweight: Rory MacDonald def. BJ Penn

Decision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

- Welterweight: Matt Brown def. Mike Swick

KO (punches)

_______________________________________________________________

Preliminary Card (FX)
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Yves Edwards def. Jeremy Stephens

KO (punches & elbows)

- Bantamweight: Raphael Assunção def. Mike Easton

Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

- Lightweight: Ramsey Nijem def. Joe Proctor

Continue reading UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

Monday, December 10, 2012 8:21 PM

UFC 154 Carlos Condit vs George St. Pierre Preview

Written by Kevin Early

As UFC 154 approaches, I am giddy with anticipation. I am, and will always be, a huge Carlos Condit fan. When it first came out that he would be fighting for the title, I thought Condit would finally be able to prove that he is the best in the division but fate would take his title shot as quickly as he received it. Nick Diaz suddenly took his place and the world, mainly me, said.... wtf?!? Fates hand would come down once again and set Condit back on the champion's path with a win over Diaz who promptly retired because he was not worthy. Now, Condit's destiny unfolds.

George St. Pierre is no pushover... duh. As my friend so eloquently said (although I disagree with his head) "My heart wants Condit but my head thinks St. Pierre." Obviously, he is secretly in love with Condit. The one question I have for this matchup is how much Condit will game-plan. Will he try to game-plan St. Pierre like he game-planned Diaz or will he do his usual and look to finish. He is "the natural born killer" after all.

Continue reading UFC 154 Carlos Condit vs George St. Pierre Preview

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 11:00 PM

UFC on Fuel TV 5 results

UFC on Fuel TV 5: Struve vs. Miocic took place today, Saturday, September 29th in Nottingham, England in the Capital FM arena.

Main Card
__________________________________________________

Stefan Struve vs Stipe Miocic
-Stefan Struve defeated Stipe Miocic by TKO (Strikes, Round 2, 3:50)

Dan Hardy vs Amir Sadollah
-Dan Hardy defeated Amir Sadollah by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Brad Pickett vs Yves Jabouin
-Brad Pickett defeated Yves Jabouin by KO (Punches, 1st Round, 3:40)

Matt Wiman vs Paul Sass
-Matt Wiman defeated Paul Sass by Submission (Armlock, Round 1, 3:48)

John Hathaway vs John Maguire
-John Hathaway defeated John Maguire by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Che Mills vs Duane Ludwig
-Che Mills Duane Ludwig by TKO (Injury, 1st Round, 2:28)

Preliminary Bouts
__________________________________________________

Continue reading UFC on Fuel TV 5 results

Saturday, September 29, 2012 6:57 PM

Knockout Cancer for Candlelighters Kids Returns October 11th

MMA Event in Third Year Raises Funds for Children with Cancer

Now in its third year, Knockout Cancer for Candlelighters Kids is an annual MMA event that was created to help raise funds and awareness for Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada. The event will be held October 11 at The Pearl Theater.

Candlelighters provides necessary support and services for local families of children diagnosed with cancer, having helped several thousands of children in our community, since the organization was founded in 1978.

Candlelighters serves approximately 100 families monthly, and as many as 300 families throughout the year and funds raised by events such as Knockout Cancer, help the organization provide much needed funds to kids in need.

Knockout Cancer continues to build on its efforts to raise more money and help more children. So far, we’ve raised nearly $30,000 in only two years. With help of our sponsors, the event returns this October 11 at The Pearl Theater at The Palms.

Continue reading Knockout Cancer for Candlelighters Kids Returns October 11th

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 7:09 PM

Top 100 UFC Fights

Written by Kevin Early

This comes straight from a poll the UFC did to release their UFC ultimate 100 greatest fights. Check out all the fights you need to see.

100. Paul Kelly vs. Paul Taylor (UFC 80)

99. Pat Miletich vs. Carlos Newton (UFC 31)

98. Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon (UFN 13)

97. Rashad Evans vs. Sean Salmon (UFN 8)

96. Royce Gracie vs. Matt Hughes (UFC 60)

95. Tyson Griffin vs. Sean Sherk (UFC 90)

94. B.J. Penn vs. Din Thomas (UFC 32)

93. Thiago Alves vs. Chris Lytle (UFC 78)

92. B.J. Penn vs. Matt Serra (UFC 39)

91. Rich Franklin vs. Ken Shamrock (TUF 1 Finale)

90. B.J. Penn vs. Caol Uno, Part II (UFC 41)

89. Forrest Griffin vs. Keith Jardine (UFC 66)

88. Frankie Edgar vs. Tyson Griffin (UFC 67)

87. Jeremy Horn vs. Chuck Liddell (UFC 54)

86. Phil Baroni vs. Evan Tanner (UFC 45)

Continue reading Top 100 UFC Fights

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 3:01 AM

Junior Dos Santos continues to talk Overeem while Velasquez approaches

Written by Kevin Early

UFC 155 is getting closer and closer and as Junior Dos Santos has been talking about ~~his opponent Cain Velasquez~~ Alistair Overeem. He had this to say:

"I'd gladly shut him [Overeem] up because he's been saying a lot of crap, he's been learning from Chael Sonnen," according to an interview with Tatame.com. "I'm tired of these guys who think they're so big, so strong, so bad and that people will get frightened by them because they look bad. … I really told Dana White I'd love to fight Overeem. Beating Overeem, actually that's what's going to happen when this bout actually happens. It would be a pleasure. … Overeem deserves a beating and I'm going to arrange that."

Both men have been going back and forth for a bit now but what surprises me is Dos Santos' emotionality. He really hasn't showed this type of emotion until now. Overeem has definitely gotten into Dos Santos' head but I could care less about that. I think Dos Santos will wipe the floor with Overeem… well maybe not that bad but his toughest test is only a short time away and that is Cain Velasquez.

Continue reading Junior Dos Santos continues to talk Overeem while Velasquez approaches

Tuesday, September 4, 2012 12:53 AM

Brian Stann is ready to take on Michael Bisping at UFC 152

With Stann's match right around the corner, the decorated marine is exuding nothing but confidence.

“To get the call that this was the fight that I was gonna get – a guy who is ranked higher, who is one of the biggest stars in the UFC, who is on the cusp of a title-shot – that’s a situation I’m always looking for. I want to the fight the best guys,”

"I don’t think there’s an opponent out there that would have gotten me more excited to fight him. He’s a guy who settles into the fight quickly and he executes his gameplan well. I absolutely want to test his chin. Everybody I fight, anybody who has stood with me…the fight doesn’t last long,”

Bisping vs Stann looks to be a barn burner. Both Bisping and Stann are great strikers and are in the hunt for a title. Stann packs the stronger punch and his boxing is more technical. That does not mean Bisping is a pushover, with his 12-4 record, Bisping has been in the middleweight top 10 for a while now. Coming of a loss to Chael Sonnen, the former Ultimate Fighter winner is looking to make a come back against the UFC poster boy Brian Stann.

Continue reading Brian Stann is ready to take on Michael Bisping at UFC 152

Sunday, September 2, 2012 5:57 PM

UFC plans four Japanese-only events for 2013

According to NikkanSports, the UFC is planning on having four Japan only fights throughout 2013.

The UFC plans for these events to be smaller, with an attendance goal of about 5,000 people, and feature mainly Japanese fighters. The Japanese cards will not count towards the numbered events the UFC has been holding. Ex. UFC 152…

No information has come out for the broadcasting plans for the events. Japan has always been a great place for MMA and I bet these events will be great for the promotion. We will bring you more information as it becomes available.

The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Written by Kevin Early

UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

______________________________________

Main Card
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Benson Henderson def. Nate Diaz

Decision (unanimous) (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)

- Light Heavyweight: Alexander Gustafsson def. Mauricio Rua

Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

- Welterweight:…

Thursday, August 30, 2012 1:52 AM

UFC 153 Fight Card

What: UFC 153

When: October 13, 2012

Where: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Main Card (pay-per-view)

Champ Jose Aldo vs. Erik Koch (Featherweight Title Match)
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Glover Teixeira
Jon Fitch vs. Erick Silva
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado
Demian Maia vs. Rick Story

Preliminary Card

Rony "Jason" Mariano Bezerra vs. Sam Sicilia
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Geronimo Dos Santos
Diego Brandao vs. Joey Gambino
Gleison Tibau vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Renee Forte vs. Sergio Moraes
Chris Camozzi vs. Luiz Cane
Reza Madadi vs. Cristiano Marcello

The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Written by Kevin Early

UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

______________________________________

Main Card
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Benson Henderson def. Nate Diaz

Decision (unanimous) (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)

- Light Heavyweight: Alexander Gustafsson def. Mauricio Rua

Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

- Welterweight:…

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 2:46 AM

UFC preview: Jon Jones vs Dan Henderson

Written by: Kevin Early

Jon Jones has proven, yet again, why he is the rising star in the UFC. His haters were wrong once more. Rashad Evans took Jones five rounds but never put the champ in real danger. Jones seemed to play it safe, probably due to respect for Evans' abilities, and dismantled him. Now Dana White announced that "Bones'" next task will be Dan Henderson.

Henderson was promised the winner of this fight after he beat Mauricio Rua in one of the best matches of the year. Jones has entered the realm of "The Spider" and all of his matchups seem more like mismatches. Henderson will have to catch Jones with a bomb to pull off the upset, but Jones will know this and keep that left hand up. Here are some of Jones' advantages over Henderson:

- 5 inch height advantage
- 13.5 inch reach advantage
- is a bigger LHW than Henderson (although exact numbers are not available)
- has the submission advantage with 5 of his 16 wins being by submission where as Henderson has 2 of his 29 wins by submission.
- has the striking advantage with a longer reach, and more varied strikes although Henderson does have the H-Bomb
- has the takedown advantage with his 100% takedown defense
- has the endurance advantage as seen from the Hendo-Shogun fight

One thing I will never question is Dan Henderson's drive. Henderson has been a fighter I have always liked. My colleague met him and said he was super nice which only made me grow more fond of him. He will give the fight all he has but will that be enough? I think not. Looking at Henderson's past fights, he has losses to Jake Shields, Quinton Jackson, and had a tough time with Mauricio Rua. Two of those fighters Jones has dominated and the other isn't even in the same category (yeah I am talking about you Jake Shields).

Although I will never completely rule out a fighter because an upset can always happen, (that is the nature of the sport) Dan Henderson is as far from an upset as you can get.

Continue reading UFC preview: Jon Jones vs Dan Henderson

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 6:30 PM

UFC 154 Adds Mark Bocek vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Written by Kevin Early

Ultimate Fighting Championship officially added Mark Bocek vs. Rafael dos Anjos to the UFC 154 fight card slated for Nov. 17 in Montreal.

Bocek (11-4) is coming off of victories over John Alessio and Nik Lentz in his last two bouts. Bocek is determined to get back into the mix for a shot at the 155-pound championship and hopes to use Dos Anjos as a stepping stone in his path towards the belt.

Dos Anjos (17-6) is also on a two fight winning streak and has the same apparitions of title contention. He stumbled, losing a split decision to Gleison Tibau late last year, but rebounded with wins over Kamal Shalorus and Anthony Njokuani.

UFC 154's main event will feature Georges St Pierre taking on "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit to unify the welterweight champion and Interim champion belts.

Continue reading UFC 154 Adds Mark Bocek vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Monday, August 20, 2012 3:37 PM

Top 25 UFC fighters

Written by Kevin Early

Here are the top 25 fighters currently in the UFC in order

1. Anderson Silva - Middleweight Title
2. George St. Pierre - Welterweight Title
3. Jon Jones - Light-Heavyweight Title
4. Jose Aldo - Featherweight Title
5. Dominick Cruz - Bantamweight Title
6. Junior Dos Santos - Heavyweight Title
7. Renan Barao - Bantamweight Interim Title
8. Carlos Condit - Welterweight Interim Title
9. Benson Henderson - Lightweight Title
10. Joseph Benavidez
11. Cain Velasquez
12. Rashad Evans
13. Dan Henderson
14. Frankie Edgar
15. Urijah Faber
16. Lyoto Machida
17. Johny Hendricks
18. Martin Kampmann
19. Shogun Rua
20. Alistair Overeem
21. Vitor Belfort
22. Jake Ellenberger
23. Nick Diaz *Retired*
24. Michael Bisping
25. Frank Mir

The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Written by Kevin Early

UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

______________________________________

Main Card
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Benson Henderson def. Nate Diaz

Decision (unanimous) (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)

- Light Heavyweight: Alexander Gustafsson def. Mauricio Rua

Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

- Welterweight:…

Sunday, August 19, 2012 2:42 AM

STRIKEFORCE: ROUSEY VS. KAUFMAN RESULTS

Main card (Showtime)

Bantamweight Championship bout: Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Kaufman

Rousey defeated Kaufman via submission (armbar) at 0:54 of round 1.

Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza vs. Derek Brunson

Souza defeated Brunson via KO (punches) at 0:41 of round 1.

Welterweight bout: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Roger Bowling

Saffiedine defeated Bowling via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Middleweight bout: Lumumba Sayers vs. Anthony Smith

Smith defeated Sayers via submission (triangle choke) at 3:52 of round 1.

Light Heavyweight bout: Ovince St. Preux vs. T.J. Cook

St. Preux defeated Cook via KO (punch) at 0:20 of round 3.

Preliminary card (Showtime Extreme)

Bantamweight bout: Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie

Tate defeated Kedzie via submission (armbar) at 3:28 of round 3.

Middleweight bout: Adlan Amagov vs. Keith Berry

Amagov defeated Berry via TKO (kick to the knee & punches) at 0:48 of round 1.

Featherweight bout: Hiroko Yamanaka vs. Germaine de Randamie

de Randamie defeated Yamanaka via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Lightweight bout: Bobby Green vs. Matt Ricehouse

Green defeated Ricehouse via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Written by Kevin Early

UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

______________________________________

Main Card
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Benson Henderson def. Nate Diaz

Decision (unanimous) (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)

- Light Heavyweight: Alexander Gustafsson def. Mauricio Rua

Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

- Welterweight:…

Sunday, August 19, 2012 1:52 AM

Jon Jones not interested in fighting Lyoto Machida

Written by: Kevin Early

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones told ESPN.com on Friday that he does not want to have a rematch with Lyoto Machida.

Lyoto Machida earned a second title shot by defeating Ryan Bader with a one shot knockout at UFC on Fox 4. Dana White confirmed, after the match, that Machida had the more impressive performance instead of Mauricio Rua and would take on Jon Jones once again.

"I don't want to fight Lyoto Machida," Jones said. "He was my lowest pay-per-view draw of last year.

"No one wants to see me fight Lyoto Machida. I don't want to fight Lyoto again. Lyoto is high risk and low reward.

"He's a tough fighter, but no one wants to buy that fight."

"Between (Mauricio) Shogun (Rua), (Quinton) Rampage (Jackson) and Rashad (Evans), Lyoto was my lowest draw. Why would I want to fight someone where it's a lose-lose situation? "I won't make money on it. And he's a tricky fighter."

Continue reading Jon Jones not interested in fighting Lyoto Machida

Saturday, August 18, 2012 3:34 AM

Anderson Silva to take break, ponder St. Pierre superfight

Written by: Kevin Early

As reported by ESPN, Anderson Silva has told Dana White that he does not want to fight again for the rest of the year. Silva (32-4) is the current record-holder for most UFC title defenses at 10 and has a perfect 15-0 record since joining the promotion in 2006. This will be Silva’s first time fighting only once in a calendar year.

"Anderson said he wants to take some time off until after the end of this year, then we'll start talking to him," White said.

This means that number one contender Chris Weidman will have to take another fight or wait for “The Spider” to return. Silva’s camp has expressed more interest in fighting current welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre.

"I guess (St. Pierre) says he wants to fight (Silva), too," White said. "Could be."

St. Pierre is set to face the Interim title holder Carlos Condit at UFC 154. Condit beat sent Nick Diaz “into retirement” by defeating him with a five round decision. As you might know I am a big Condit fan and have predicted the upset victory for Condit.

Continue reading Anderson Silva to take break, ponder St. Pierre superfight

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 5:43 PM

UFC 150 results

Written by: Kevin Early

Main Event

Ben Henderson def. Frankie Edgar (for UFC lightweight title) via split decision

Main Card

Donald Cerrone def. Melvin Guillard via knockout at 1:16 of round one

Jake Shields def. Ed Herman via unanimous decision

Yushin Okami def. Buddy Roberts via TKO at 3:05 of round two

Max Holloway def. Justin Lawrence via TKO (liver punch) at 4:49 of round two

Prelims on FX

Dennis Bermudez def. Tom Hayden via submission (guillotine choke) at 4:43 of round one

Michael Kuiper def. Jared Hamman via TKO at 2:15 of round two

Ken Stone vs. Erik Perez def. Ken Stone via TKO at 0:17 of round one

Chico Camus def. Dustin Pague via unanimous decision

Prelims on Facebook

Nik Lentz def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO at 3:45 of round one

The Official Rules and Regulations of the UFC

Why Junior Dos Santos lost at UFC 155

Written by Kevin Early

UFC on Fox 5 Results - Henderson vs Diaz

______________________________________

Main Card
______________________________________

- Lightweight: Benson Henderson def. Nate Diaz

Decision (unanimous) (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)

- Light Heavyweight: Alexander Gustafsson def. Mauricio Rua

Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

- Welterweight:…

Sunday, August 12, 2012 8:14 PM

Top 50 UFC fighters - 2012

Written by: Kevin Early

1. Anderson Silva
2. George St. Pierre
3. Jon Jones
4. Jose Aldo
5. Dominick Cruz
6. Junior Dos Santos
7. Renan Barao
8. Carlos Condit
9. Benson Henderson
10. Joseph Benavidez
11. Cain Velasquez
12. Rashad Evans
13. Dan Henderson
14. Frankie Edgar
15. Urijah Faber
16. Frank Mir
17. Lyoto Machida
18. Johny Hendricks
19. Martin Kampmann
20. Shogun Rua
21. Alistair Overeem
22. Vitor Belfort
23. Jake Ellenberger
24. Nick Diaz
25. Michael Bisping
26. Dustin Poirier
27. Eddie Alvarez
28. Fabricio Werdum
29. Michael McDonald
30. Pat Curran
31. Jon Fitch
32. Demetrious Johnson
33. Alexander Gustafsson
34. Ian McCall
35. Chael Sonnen
36. Gray Maynard
37. Rory MacDonald
38. Josh Barnett
39. Jim Miller
40. Nate Diaz
41. The Korean Zombie
42. Michael Chandler
43. Chad Mendes
44. Eduardo Dantas
45. Daniel Cormier
46. Erik Koch
47. Hatsu Hioki
48. Josh Koscheck
49. Chris Weidman
50. Roy Nelson

Continue reading Top 50 UFC fighters - 2012

Friday, August 3, 2012 7:35 PM

Frank Mir moves to Strikeforce to face Daniel Cormier

Written by: Kevin Early

It has been reported that Frank Mir will temporarily move over to Strikeforce to fight Daniel Cormier in the promotions last event.

In an interview with USA Today, UFC President Dana White confirmed the move: “There has been a lot of speculation as to who Cormier would fight next, and this is the fight that makes the most sense. The reality is, Cormier is one of the best heavyweights in the world. He just won the Grand Prix and beat Josh Barnett. He needs to fight opponents of that caliber, and Frank Mir is that guy.”

Cormier had this to say: "This, to me, is bigger than just this fight. It shows that the executives at Zuffa – Dana (White), Lorenzo (Fertitta), Sean Shelby and Joe Silva – are able to work in a way with Showtime where they can start to make these types of fights. It's not my job to choose who I'm going to fight. I'll fight whoever they put out there. It's going to be three years (I've been fighting professionally) in August, so I can't pick and choose. I've just got to get in where I can fit in."

Continue reading Frank Mir moves to Strikeforce to face Daniel Cormier

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 10:41 AM