10/18/08

Welcome back,
Your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back, To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've hot him on the spot, welcome back, Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.


What other words could I use to begin this segment of my blog, then the famous theme song of the 70’s show “Welcome back Kotter”. I’ve been on the IR for awhile with an injury to my typing finger, but I’m playing through the pain today, because I can’t bear to go one more day without forcing my opinion on you. A lot has changed since I’ve last posted, including: The start of the EPL, NHL, NFL and MLB playoffs.

In honour of my re-blogging, I propose a 7 day sports binge. That’s to say that with the exception of school, church and work, I will watch nothing, read nothing, think about nothing, other than sports from noon today, until noon next Saturday. I will, of course, be chronicling my every move on this very blog. Anybody else who wants to join me as I become one with sports, is of course, welcome to.


Now, as for today’s entry…

Leading Off
Answer to the last trivia question: Andrew Magee


“It’s never an upset if the so-called underdog has all along considered itself the better team.”
-Woody Hayes

Free Throws
MLB
-It would be almost impossible for me to continue this blog without mention of the debacle that is the ALCS. The Rays were riding high, with all-star Scott Kasmir going six strong, with two hits, no earned runs and a seven run lead going into the 7th. Cue Grant Balfour. He lasted 2/3 of an inning giving up four runs to put the Sox right back in it. Add a blown save from Blake Wheeler and a loss from J.P. Howell and you’ve got yourself a game six in Tampa. This adds up to be the biggest comeback in ALCS history and the 2nd biggest in MLB playoff history. But could you have really counted the Red Sox out. They’re 8-0 when facing elimination in the ALCS under manager Terry Francona, including a comeback from 3-0 against the Yanks, a series deficit that had never been overcome in MLB postseason history. I would love to keep analyzing and predicting for game 6, but there are pressing matters. Moving on!


NFL
-How ’bout them Cowboys? I’m by no means a Dallas Cowboys fan, but I just have to weigh in on this. Tony Romo broke his pinky finger, an injury that typically takes at least 3 weeks to heal. Brett Favre calls and basically tells Romo to suck it up and play next week. Romo tosses some balls on the sidelines during practice. Romo contemplates playing next Sunday against the Rams. My advice to Romo? Don’t play!!! If your backup QB can’t beat the St. Louis Rams, then it’s time to demote your entire team to the CFL. Sit it our for a week, see how it feels, then you can think about playing. Just because you can throw without pain doesn’t mean your better. Unlike pitchers in baseball, quarterbacks don’t get injured from throwing the ball. They get injured from getting hit…hard! If you play against the Rams and land on your finger after getting hit, then there goes your season. The only way to heal is time and patience. Just do me one favour, don’t hold for any more field goals.

-So much for “Pacman” trying to start off fresh.


NHL
-Any fan of hockey has truly learned the fragility of life in this past year. First we start off with Mickey Renaud of the Windsor Spitfires who died of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (sudden thickening of the walls of the heart), on February 18, in his home in Tecumseh, Ontario. Then Luc Bourdon, of the Manitoba Moose, died in a tragic motorcycle accident, on May 19th, near his home in Shippagan, New Brunswick. Finally, Alexei Cherepanov, of Avangard Omsk in the newly formed KHL, collapsed on the bench after a shift, a victim of Hypertrophic Cardiomopathy, the same disease that claimed the life of Renaud. The combined age of these three gentlemen at the time of their death is 59, not even enough to make it to the current life expectancy in North America. These tragic deaths prove the statement that bad luck comes in threes. R.I.P. Mickey, Luc and Alexei.

Daily Dose
Is there anything other than game 6 of the ALCS?