Reality TV Rant

While I'm a few weeks late to the party, I have to chime in on Phil Robertson's comments that got him in trouble. 

I've pretty much stopped watching most reality TV because most of it sucks.  The only "reality" shows I still watch now are "Deadliest Catch" and "Pawn Stars".  Both are starting to become stale to me.  At first, both were unique and were pretty good at showing how things are in their industries.  Yet now they're both turning into Hollywood productions and less about the actual jobs themselves.

The sad thing is I've seen more outrage and comments about Phil Robertson's suspension from A&E than I have about almost anything else.  People seem to care more about that than Obamacare, the death of Nelson Mandela, the issues in Southern Sudan, and other world conflicts currently going on. 

Most Americans can't tell you who their Representatives and Senators are, but ask about their favorite reality show, they can tell you who the stars are, where they're from, their favorite moments, etc. 

I personally don't watch Duck Dynasty, so I couldn't tell you why it's so popular.  I tried watching it once, but really had no idea what the fuss was all about - it didn't really keep my interest.  I have, of course, heard what was said, heard about the suspension of Mr. Robertson from A&E (which has been since lifted). 

I realize that these shows are "entertainment".  They're targeting a certain audience and are designed for certain demographics.  I think back to my childhood, where there were far fewer TV channels and most showed reruns of shows from the 60s-80s.  Then cable channels started creating their own programming.  Now it seems like every channel has some sort of reality show or "entertainment" show.  Heck, even the Weather Channel has sunk to this low. 

There are people that can't find Minnesota on a map.  Or even Mongolia.  We have a generation of children that can't read, write, don't know squat about history or science, yet they know everything there is to know about who was on 16 and Pregnant last season and what happened in each episode.  Or they know every fact about Russell Wilson or Cam Newton or Peyton Manning.

Reality TV is supposed to entertain us for 30 minutes while we take a break from our lives.  The problem is it's taken over our lives. 

A week late, but here goes

This post is a week late, so let's get to it:

Last weekend was my sports weekend.  While I never perceive myself as an athlete, I still go out there and give it my best.  That isn't much to be honest.  I wasn't gifted with a lot of athletic ability, or if I did, I never took advantage of it. 

Anyway, last Friday I played in a fund-raising hockey game for my wife's school.  They do a staff-student game every year to raise money for the hockey program.  Since the team is considered a "Club" sport, they receive little to no financial assistance from the school.  That means the team must do their own fund raising and pay for ice time, equipment, etc themselves.  Since my wife doesn't skate, I volunteered to play in her place.

Skating against high school students isn't as easy as it sounds.  They're half my age and are in a lot better shape than I am.  Since I was one of the few that skates regularly, I was tasked to play defense.  I don't normally play D, so it was going to be a challenge. 

I played 25-30 minutes of the game.  It was exhausting.  The staff ended up losing 8-7 on a very last minute goal by the students.  However, the game was fun.  I enjoyed skating with that group. 

Saturday morning I ran a 5K.  I'm not much of a runner, but it was for a good cause, so I decided to give it a go.  It was 37 degrees at race time.  I had been training in the cold to get used to it, but it's not easy.  Give that the trail was rough did not help.  I did finish in 35:38, which was five minutes better than the previous 5K I ran.  I was satisfied, but wasn't happy with my time.  I thought I left a little on the table.  I will have to improve on my time.

Sunday night I played in my regular hockey team's game.  I definitely was feeling the effects of two straight days of working hard, but played hard.  We had a somewhat short bench, so there was plenty of ice time to be had.  This time I got to play my familiar wing, and while I didn't factor in the scoresheet, I felt I played a decent game.  We ended up winning in OT, so that was good.

Three days straight of competitive sports when you don't do it often is tough.  Yet I learned that I can do anything if I push hard and try.  I need to work on my endurance a little more, but I'm also light years ahead of where I was 3 years ago.  While I have a long way to go, the goal is achievable if I keep pushing myself to do it.

OK, I'm behind

I've been meaning to blog, but haven't made the time to do it.  It's my own fault.  So let's get caught up on a few things.


1.  I had surgery August 15 on my ear again.  This was to repair and hopefully fix the hearing issues I was having.  Long story short, the prosthetic piece I had inserted two years ago was too long and had shifted.  There was also a large amount of scar tissue.  The surgeon cleaned that up and made some adjustments to the prosthesis.  So far the results  have been mixed - I can hear better, but the ringing in my ear really hasn't gotten better.  That seems to have gotten worse at times.  I have a hearing test scheduled for mid-November, and we'll see what happens.

2.  Started my fall 2013-14 hockey season in September.  So far so good.  My team as of this morning is 5-0-1.

3.  As the NASCAR season winds down, I find myself watching less and less.  I'm disappointed with this new car, and disappointed in the racing.  The race yesterday was ok, but most during the Chase have been snoozers.  I'm really hoping Daytona is better next Feb.

4.  I got promoted at work.  It pretty much was a title change only.  It was nice to finally get recognized for my work and accomplishments.  I still have a long way to go in my career, but I'll make the best of it for now.

I promise to start writing more!!

Ok, so it's been a while

So I haven't blogged in a few months.  No excuses.  Well, I could start making some, but it's not worth it.

A quick summary of what's gone on over the last few months:

1.  Went to Vancouver & Seattle at the end of June.  Had a blast.  We went whale watching twice, partially because we didn't see any whales the first day and got to go again, enjoyed the sights of the Sea-to-Sky Highway, including a 5.5 mile hike through Brandywine Falls Provincial Park!  Spent a day in Seattle visiting sites such as the Space Needle, Mariners game, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Site, and the Pike Place market.  Also hit up the Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park.  All in all, Vancouver is a great city to visit!

2.  Went to Six Flags Great Adventure in mid-July.  Enjoyed some coasters and some good time with friends.

3.  Finished my summer hockey season August 5.


Yeah, life has been kinda slow.  That's not a bad thing.  I've been enjoying slowing down and smelling the roses a bit - if that makes sense!

New Year, Same Result Caps

So the Washington Capitals season ended yet again with a whimper.  After rallying from 30th in the league to win the Southeast Division, the Caps fell to the New York Rangers in 7 games after leading the series 2-0.  It was just another failure in what has become a regular occurrence with the Caps.

The Caps were shut out the final two games of the series.  There was very little offense.  Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Johansson, the Caps top line, were virtually non-existant in the last 2 games.  Braden Holtby was good in net at times, but at others let in some very soft goals. 


Here are my player grades for the playoffs.

Holtby:  B-.  He played well in games 1, 2, 5, and 6.  He was less than stellar in games 3, 4, and 7.
Green:  B-.  Green had flashes of brilliance and his play led to the GWG goal in game 5.  His defense was lacking at times.
Alzner:  B-.  Nothing good or bad to say about Alzner.  He quietly did his job.
Fehr:  C.  Played hard, wasn't rewarded for his good play.
Wilson:  C.  The experience is good for him.  Just didn't get a lot of ice time to try much.
Ovechkin:  C-.  Scored in game 1, hit plenty of Rangers, but looked terrible in games in NY.  Needed to be a better leader for the team.
Beagle:  D.  Didn't do much.
Hillen:  D.  Meh.
Olesky:  D.  Meh as well.
Hendricks:  D-.  Probably gone in the off season.
Backstrom:  F.  Completely disappeared in the playoffs.  Very disappointing.
Brouwer:  F.  Talks the big talk, but didn't deliver.
Johansson:  F.  Aside from game 1 goal, terrible.
Carlson:  F.  Terrible series.  "Captain America" did not play well at all.
Erskine:  F.  Several gaffes and lack of speed led to goals for NY.
Erat:  F.  I hope mortgaging the team's future was worth it.
Chimera:  F.  Looks like he's lost a step.
Ward:  F.  Aside from his game 5 goal, was pretty much invisible.

I guess it's til next year.  There are a lot of questions to answer.  My predictions:

1.  Caps will not re-sign Ribeiro.  He will get a decent pay day.
2.  Brooks Laich will return healthy.
3.  Tom Poti will retire.
4.  Jeff Schultz will start next season in Hershey.
5.  Johansson will not get a significant raise.
6.  Ovechkin will lead the league in goals again.
7.  Caps will trade at least one of their goalies.  My guess is Neuvirth.
8.  Matt Hendricks will sign elsewhere.
9.  Joel Ward will be bought out or released by using one of the amnesty releases.
10.  Tom Wilson will start the season in Hershey but be with the Caps by December.



Until next year, Caps.

Boston

Now almost two weekends ago I went to Boston with my hockey team to play in a tournament.  With the events of the week prior we figured everyone would be on edge.  I was hoping for a fun weekend. 

I had volunteered to drive up equipment bags and sticks for guys that were flying.  I rented a van Thursday, somehow managed to get eight bags in without killing anything or anybody, and drove to my place in NY for the night.  Friday morning I got up and drove towards Mass, picking up 3 guys from the airport, checking into the hotel, and then heading to the rink. 

Our first game was against a team from Quebec.  It was evident in the first two minutes this was going to be a very long tournament.  They were definitely faster, stronger, and just all around better hockey players.  But they were very cordial.  They respected us and the game.  We lost to them 8-2.  With only 2 hours between games, we settled into the cafe at the rink for some beverages and light snacks.  Game two wasn't much better.  We were dead tired already and playing a team that hadn't seen the ice yet that day.  We ended up losing 9-1.  We headed back to the  hotel, which was 45 minutes away, and proceeded to dinner.

Saturday we got up and headed to the rink around 11.  We played a team from Ottawa.  They were definitely good, but we seemed to be better matched against them.  We lost 6-2.  With five hours between games, we settled outside the rink for beverages, food, and relaxation.  We ended up chatting with the team we had just played for a while, then headed to a pub for some food and beverages.  I ended up getting one of the biggest chicken pot pies I'd ever seen.  After eating as much as I could stomach, we headed back to the rink for game four. 

Game four was a nightmare.  By the end of the first period, it was 5-0.  We were getting shelled.  It was clear  this team was way out of our league.  After playing 3 games in 24 hours, we were bushed.  During the 2nd period, I had cleared the puck out of our zone, and was forechecking, when the defender I was chasing skated into his own zone, and deliberately put the puck in his own net.  Since I was the last one on our team to touch it, I got credit for the goal.  I was not happy.  After a few more goals against, my line found a way to score a 2nd goal, which I was credited with an assist.  The game ended 10-2.  We were officially eliminated from the tournament.  Somehow we didn't mind.

We went out Saturday night, first to the Barking Crab, then to Cambridge Brewing Co.  Both places were excellent. 

Sunday morning the guys I was driving around decided to change their flights to the morning, so after taking them to the airport, I decided to go down to Copley Square.  I had mixed feelings about going.  I wasn't sure it was proper, since it was the site of the bombings just two weeks earlier.  Part of me felt bad, but part of me decided it was part of history and I wanted to go pay my respects.  I'm glad I did.  It was a perfect day in Boston, people were out, and people were busy paying their respects.  The memorial was amazing.  Notes of encouragement were left from cities all over the world.  News crews were still doing reports.  Strangers were comforting each other.  It was definitely a sight to see.

All in all, it was a fun, good weekend.  It was exhausting, but it was worth it.  I had a great time with my teammates. 

Boston Marathon tragedy

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of those injured and affected by the explosions at the Boston Marathon today.

I'm saddened and angered.  Why would somebody do this?  It's supposed to be a fun, friendly competition.  Yet it is an event with worldwide exposure and a lot of eyes were on Boston today.  Whoever did this knew this and planned this attack very carefully.

But let's be careful to not jump to conclusions.  We don't know who did it.  We don't know why.  We don't know a lot of details yet.  We need to be patient and let the facts speak for themselves.  Whoever did this will eventually get caught and brought to justice. 

The most important thing right now is to give our support to the people affected by today's events, regardless of where they live, their religion, their nationality, etc.  We need to pull together!

2x Champions!

My hockey team, Back2Black, won our 2nd league championship last night.  We defeated the Renegades 5-0 to win our best of 3 series 2-0.

After Thursday's game was postponed due to problems with the ice, both teams were anxious to get on the ice and get things going.  And we did.

It was a better game than the score reflected.  Both teams played hard.  Both goalies played really well.  One of our goals was  a great shot from the point with a screen in front of the goalie - he never saw it coming.  Most of the others, including mine in the 2nd period, were result of hard work and great effort. 

Things started to get a little chippy in the 3rd period.  Penalty minutes started piling up and we could tell the Renegades were frustrated with how the game was going.

It was a great win.   I definitely had a lot of fun this season.  It's a great team to play for.  While I'm the least experienced and the youngest on the team, I couldn't ask for a better group of guys (and girls!) to play with. 

Go Black!

Could Denny Hamlin still make the Chase For the Sprint Cup?

Now that it has been reported that Denny Hamlin will miss up to 6 weeks from injuries sustained from his crash at Auto Club Speedway, the question looms:  Is it possible for Denny to still make the Chase when he returns?

The top 10 in points make the Chase along with two wild cards.  The wild cards are the two drivers 11th-20th in points with the most wins as a tiebreaker.

Let's do some number crunching:

Denny currently has 145 points and sits 10th in the standings.  It's possible he could return sooner, but for this example let's say he doesn't.  Denny would return at race 12.  That gives him 14 races before the Chase to the Sprint Cup.  The maximum number of points a driver can earn per race is 48 (45 for the win, up to 3 bonus points for laps led).  That means over 14 races, the maximum number of points Denny could earn is 672.  That means that Denny could have a maximum of  817 points after Richmond.

Last season, going  into Richmond, site of the last race before the Chase, Jeff Burton was 20th in points with 609.  In 2011, 20th place Paul Menard had 657 points.  Since NASCAR changed their points standings after the 2010 season, those are the only two comparisons I have time to do.  If we average the two seasons, the 20th place driver went into Richmond with 633 points.  Taking the difference of the average  minus the current number of points:  633 (avg of 20th for 2011-12) - 145 (current number of points) =  488 points.  Hamlin would have to earn at least 488 points over 13 races leading to Richmond to even have a chance at making the Chase.  That equates to 37.5 points per race.  That means Hamlin could finish no worse than 6th in every race prior to Richmond to reach 20th in points. 

Hamlin then would have to finish high enough at Richmond to make the Chase.  In 2012, Jamie McMurray was 20th in points with 640 after Richmond.  In 2011, Marcos Ambrose was 20th with 673.  Averaging those two seasons, a driver would need 657 points to be 20th in the standings.  That would equate to a finish of 25th or better at Richmond.   Hamlin would also need to have enough wins for the tiebreaker.

Obviously that is a very difficult task to achieve. If he is given the medical clearance to do so, the sooner Hamlin can get back in the race car, even if to run only 1-2 laps and turn the car over to another driver, the better his chances. Obviously Joe Gibbs Racing would not want to put Hamlin's health and safety at risk, so I doubt he returns until doctors clear him completely.  The most important thing is for Hamlin to get healthy and return to NASCAR when he's ready and has been given medical clearance to do so.


Hamlin has made the Chase every year he's competed full time in the Sprint Cup Series.  It would be quite an accomplishment if he could make it this year. 

Auto Club 400 reactions

First, my prayers are with Denny Hamlin.  That looked like a hard hit.

I was really excited as both Hamlin and Joey Logano came off turn two side by side for the win.  Then they got to turn 3 and all hell broke loose.  I've watched the replays a few times.  I honestly think it was a racing accident.  Both guys were fighting hard for the win.  Since there's no in-car view of Joey's hands, we have no idea if he turned right on purpose or if he pushed up.  Unfortunately Denny got the worst end of the deal.  A destroyed car, lost 23 positions, and ended up in the hospital.  As of right now the only thing I've heard is he's awake and alert. 

I think Joey's comment, "He deserved what he got" was classless however.   Nobody wants to see any driver get hurt during a race.  I'm not a Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, or Dale Jr fan, but I don't want them to get hurt. There's just something to be said about having class.  I lost a lot of respect for Joey today.

Then Tony Stewart goes after Logano, a few punches thrown, and then has the interview of the year.  Tony is never one to hold back when it comes to interviews.  Me thinks he will be at least $100,000 poorer come Tuesday.  NASCAR is going to probably come down hard on him, but I bet it will be similar to the fines Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer had last year at Phoenix.  And something tells me Tony and Joey won't be exchanging Christmas cards this year.

What kills me is these two incidents took away from what was probably the best race of the year.  What normally is a snoozefest was really exciting.  There was a lot of passing, plenty of action, and things got crazy in the last 20 laps.  I read that there were 41 green flag passes for the lead.  Insane.  Either the car or the track was really really improved over previous years.  It's too bad that the racing got lost in these incidents.

NASCAR Las Vegas: Post Race Reaction

The Kobalt Tools 400 was run today at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  It was the 3rd race of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.  With qualifying rained out, nobody really knew what to expect.

The first half of the race was a snoozer.  There wasn't a lot of action and the field got really strung out.  Once again, the new cars did not do as they promised - there wasn't a lot of close racing.

That all changed towards the end.

Different pit strategies put good cars in the middle of the pack, and average to better than average cars up front.  The problem was that tires were too good - teams could go at least 2 fuel runs on just changing right side tires.

Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne put on a great show at the end.  Kenseth held off Kahne for the win.  It was closer than anybody had run all race.

I'm not ready to give up in the Gen 6 car, but I'm not that impressed either.  The new car was supposed to help tracks like Vegas, and it's clear that we're still not there.  There is still work to be done.

Matt has run well in all three races this season, but has been plagued with different mechanical issues.  He could easily have two wins on his resume, as he had a great car in the Daytona 500.

Bristol is next week.  I can't wait to see how that turns out.

Denny Hamlin's fine

NASCAR fined Denny Hamlin $25,000 yesterday for comments he made regarding the new "Gen 6" cars after the Sprint Cup race at Phoenix.  Denny basically said the new car was no better than the previous generation, dubbed the "CoT".

Denny has repeatedly said he has done nothing wrong and is refusing to pay the fine.  he has since appealed and we are waiting for the appeals process to continue.

And I applaud him.

First, I must say that I am a Denny Hamlin fan.  I have been since he entered NASCAR.  He's from Virginia, so he's a somewhat local driver to me.  We're also about the same age.  That being said, it does not change my opinion.  If it were Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson or Kurt Busch that made the same comments, I would have the same reaction to them getting fined.  It's ridiculous.

NASCAR started a policy a few seasons ago called "boys, have at it."  Basically, drivers were told to settle their differences on the track.  Yet a driver is not allowed to speak their mind?  What makes it even more ironic, NASCAR announced this week that the NRA was sponsoring a race in Texas.  So NASCAR is endorsing 2nd amendment rights, but telling drivers to not execute their first amendment ones?

I don't like where this is going.  It's going to either cause drivers to stop speaking to the media, or creating zombie-like interviews.  I honestly would not blame Denny if he did not give any more interviews for the remainder of the season.

Wouldn't it be funny if he won the championship and didn't say anything at the awards banquet?  Then again, he'd probably get fined for that too.

NASCAR got this one wrong, plain and simple.

Daytona Crash

My thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured in today's crash at Daytona, as well as their families.

A last lap crash at the Drive for COPD 300 at Daytona saw one of the worst crashes I've seen in a long time.  As you probably have seen or read, a car got airborne, hit a gate, and some parts of the car ended up in the grandstands.  The car was destroyed, but all drivers in the incident walked away unharmed.

The problem was where the car hit.  There was a pedestrian gate right at the point of impact.  I actually used said gate when I came up from the infield on Thursday.  There was a post that the car hit which essentially broke the car in two.  It sheared the axle and the engine right off the car.  One of the tires ended up in the grandstand, injuring several fans.

The good thing from all this is we see how safe tracks are.  A car traveling 190 mph could cause catastrophic damage and loss of life if they enter the stands.  As we have seen in recent years, crashes involving cars getting airborne are unfortunately becoming the norm.  The fence did its job - the car and most of the parts stayed on the race track.  The race car did it's job protecting the driver.  The only problem was the gate that the car hit.  If the accident had been almost anywhere else, we probably wouldn't be talking about injuries. 

I think we're fortunate that NASCAR, International Speedway Corporation, Daytona International Speedway, and the race teams are extremely focused on safety.  That could have been a major tragedy.  I realize that several fans are still in critical condition and some have serious injuries.  There is always that risk when you attend a NASCAR race.  It is always possible to get injured.  The closer you sit to the action, the better the chance of injury.

Daytona will have some work to do to, but I think we all can agree we are fortunate this  was not worse than it was.

RIP Mindy McCready

I heard the news last night, but it was too late to write anything about it.

Country singer Mindy McCready was found dead at her home yesterday, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  She was only 37 years old.   She had been in the news quite a bit over the last few years, mostly about her troubles with the law and in her relationships.  She leaves behind two children, ages 6 and 10 months.

It's a sad state of affairs for a singer who 15 years ago was on top of her game.  She had a number one hit, several good selling records, and a lot of fans.  But some poor choices in her life led her to the path she traveled.

Almost 10 years ago, I became friends with a recording artist.  I even ended up attending her wedding.  She told me the music industry is very very stressful and cut-throat.  The schedules are demanding, the workload can be very overwhelming, and producers, directors, and managers never stop.  She said she almost turned to drugs before she finally realized that she needed to step back.  She hasn't really gone back into the industry since then.  She's moved on with her life.  She did say she absolutely loved being an artist and still sings locally, but she's glad she made the decisions she did.

Being a popular artist comes with a price - your privacy, your schedule, and your personal time are rarely yours anymore.  There are so many things you need to do to keep the income flowing - concerts, endorsements, etc.  All those can lead to sleepless nights, stress, and concern about where your next paycheck comes.  Think about it - if you don't sell records, perform concerts, and get endorsements, you're not getting paid. 

Unfortunately Mindy fell into the path she did.  It's sad that she did not attempt to seek out additional help.  If she had, I wouldn't have to write this piece this morning.  While she will be remembered for her music, one has to wonder if her legacy will be remembered by the unfortunate situation that led to her demise.


RIP Mindy.  The ones you leave behind are the ones that will suffer most - your children.  May God bless them.

Danica

The media is abuzz now that Danica became the first woman to win a pole in Sprint Cup.

I'm not really surprised.  She's won poles in Nationwide at Daytona and Stewart-Haas Racing has looked good in testing and practice all winter.

Now the question is:  can she win the Daytona 500?

In 53 years, the 500 has been won from the pole 9 times, last time in 2000 by Dale Jarrett.  With some tough competition, I don't know if she can do it. 

If I was a betting man, I wouldn't put a lot of $$ on Danica winning the Daytona 500.

Super Bowl XLVII

If you had told me in September that I'd be celebrating a Baltimore Ravens win in Super Bowl XLVII now, I would've probably laughed at you. 

It was an almost cinderella season.  Art Modell passing away.  Torrey Smith losing his brother.  Injuries.  Ray Lewis' retirement announcement.  You can't make this stuff up.

I was really excited when Jacoby Jones ran back the TD to start the 2nd half.  Baltimore was up 28-6 and seemed to have the game in control.  Then the power outage hit.  Whatever happened during that 35 minute delay completely turned the game around.

By the 4th quarter I was on the edge of my seat.  I joked to my wife that I might have a heart attack before the game is over. 

And yes, I do believe there was defensive holding on that 4th and goal play.  But I also saw some offensive pass interference.  So it should've been offsetting penalties, and replay the down.

All in all, I am very happy with the Ravens.  They overcame a lot of challenges and beat three teams that were top notch this year.  It was really nice to be able to send Ray Lewis into retirement on top.

What a season.  It was exciting, fun, and memorable for sure!  I've now seen the Ravens win 2 Super Bowls.  The Orioles have one a World Series in my lifetime.  If only the Caps could win a Stanley Cup, my circle would be complete.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS!!!

Congrats to the Baltimore Ravens!!!!!!!!!  Super Bowl XLVII Champions!!!

NHL

Today marks the return of the NHL.  After 4 months of fighting, half a missed season, and a deal that I feel could've been reached 4 months ago, they're back.  The lockout is finally over.

I have to say I am indifferent.

As I've stated before, I love the game of hockey.  It's been one of my favorite sports.  I've been to the hall of fame.  I've traveled to places just to watch a game.  I've gone to all levels of hockey, from beer league to leagues that don't even exist anymore. 

Every hockey player dreams of playing in the NHL.  I even had that dream once, but there was no way I was good enough to do so.  Athletic talent went to my sister.  I still play, but only on rec/beer league level.

The NHL returns this afternoon.  I'm glad it's back, but I'm not overly excited.  Over the last 4 months, I've learned to live without it.  Heck, thanks to Directv forcing me to change my package and my refusal to pay more money, I Don't even get the NHL Network anymore.  I'll still be able to watch my Capitals, but I don't feel as excited about them right now.  That might change in the next few months. 

So, welcome back NHL.  But don't expect me to come running back.  I'll attend games starting in January 2014.

Ravens-Broncos

I will be the first to admit I didn't expect the Ravens to beat the Broncos last night.  I fully expected a Broncos win.

Joe Flacco and the Ravens wide receivers made the Denver secondary look silly.  Flacco threw three touchdowns, two to Torrey Smith.  Smith beat what was Denver's best corner, Champ Bailey on both touchdowns.  Smith barely missed a 3rd when he had Bailey beat, but Flacco's pass was just a few steps in front of Smith.

Ray Rice added a touchdown on the ground, I believe his first in 4 playoff games. 

The Ravens certainly had a few calls go their way.  An interception returned for touchdown should have been negated by a pass interference call.  There were other penalties that went uncalled.

I'm happy for Ray Lewis.  He continues his final season one more week.  I'm also glad that the Ravens got to throw it in the face of ESPN, who said the Ravens had no chance of winning.

On to the AFC Championship!

NHL

The NHL and NHLPA reached a new bargaining agreement this morning, ending the lockout.  133 days since the lockout started, and they're back.

I can't say I'm as excited as people think.

I've been a hockey fan since I was 6 years old.  I love the game.  I've also been a Washington Capitals fans since that time. The previous lockout hurt, but this one really stung.  Hockey and the NHL were just starting to become popular again in the United States.  People I work with who have no interest in hockey would talk about it.  They knew my obsession.  However, with this current work stoppage there wasn't much to talk about.  I kept getting questions of "when is a deal going to be reached" and "why can't they figure it out".    I had no answers to the questions.

After reading the terms of the new CBA, I am not impressed with the "mulligan clause".  It basically  allows teams to buy out two contracts with no penalty, does not sit well with me.  That basically means teams that made a mistake can dump a dead contract. 

The seven year max contract is fine with me.  That should've been part of the last CBA.  Some of the contracts have gotten out of hand.  Signing a guy for 14 years knowing very well he won't play 14 years is ridiculous.  At least there is a second part of that that sets a minimum and maximum amount for each salary year is good as well.

I don't get the draft lottery either - use the NFL system.  If you're the worst team, you get the #1 pick, next worst #2, up to the Stanley Cup Champions picking last.    I never understood why there was a lottery anyway.  But with the new system, a team could miss the playoffs by a point and end up with the #1 pick.  I don't agree with that at all.

I'm glad the NHL will be back, but I've made a decision.  I won't buy any tickets for one year.  I'm sticking it to the owners and players for creating this mess.  I'm pissed off.  The two sides could have worked this out a long time ago, and they failed.  So I'm going to let them know how I feel by not being in attendance.  I'll watch games on TV and listen on the radio, but I won't be attending.