Musings

Good for Team USA Hockey. After goalie Ryan Miller (looking like one of the top, if not the top, keeper in the world) stopped 42 shots against the Canadians, Team Canada put up seven goals, including four in the first period, against powerhouse Russia. Talk about making a great achievement look even better. The re-match tomorrow has more Americans excited about hockey than we’ve seen in a long time. These kids could do a tremendous service to professional hockey in the U.S. (and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman) by winning tomorrow. By the way, with the exposure his league is getting right now, Bettman would be crazy to try and keep NHL players from playing in the Olympics.

You know when I saw Tiger Woods, a Florida native, standing on the Indianapolis Colts’ sideline IN Miami for a Monday Night game against the Dolphins; I really started to resent the guy. I never really liked him because of his standoffish, aloof demeanor, but he didn’t bother me too much until I saw him rooting against the ‘Phins. (I’m very protective of my Dolphins). When the car accident happened and all of the allegations started coming out (I loved the ecstasy thing in particularly), I just kind of sat back and laughed. But when I watched his ill-timed, completely unnecessary press conference last week in which he said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, it really hit me just how much I can’t stand the guy, and how disgusted I am by American sports media and the viewing population. Who the hell CARES if Tiger Woods cheated on his wife? Unless someone makes a parody of Woods rolling on ecstasy while driving a stolen car ala Neil Patrick Harris in Harold & Kumar go to White Castle, I don’t want to hear about it, and you shouldn’t either! How is it possible that the New York Stock Exchange was affected by his nine-minute worthless “speech” where, by the way, he had to look at note cards to say “I’m sorry”? Jesus Christ. We have the Olympics going on, college basketball getting mad, the NBA season heating up, NFL free agency on the horizon and spring training baseball, not to mention, an actual golf tournament, and we’re talking about Tiger Woods' sex life. I just realized that with this blog, I’m becoming part of the problem. Accordingly, let’s move on.

Dolphins’ fans: We need to get a receiver. Period. Look, I’m not going through another season telling my friends that guys named Bess, Camarillo and Hartline can carry the passing game. I’m just not gonna do it. Bill Parcells needs to get over his issue with drafting WR’s high or giving them big money. Not EVERY receiver is a head case and a prima donna. Parcells has NEVER liked dishing out cash to receivers and has only drafted two in the first round during his entire career as head coach/general manager/lord of the Dolphins – Mark Ingram (Giants) and Terry Glenn (Patriots, against his wishes to take a defensive lineman). This needs to stop! In today’s NFL, you need playmakers outside. Look at New Orleans and Indianapolis, the two Super Bowl teams. How about New England, San Diego, Minnesota, even Dallas was greatly boosted by the development of Miles Austin (who, by the way, is NOT worth 1st and 3rd round compensation as a restricted free agent), and Philadelphia? Two years ago, Pittsburgh doesn’t win the Super Bowl without Santonio Holes making a ridiculous play in the corner of the endzone. Get a ‘freaking receiver, please. My suggestion? Trade a mid-round pick for Anquin Boldin and draft a guy with speed (AND some kind of vision, awareness, hands, hand-eye coordination – in other words not another Ted Ginn).

By the way, I’ll be running a live NFL Draft blog this year, something I haven’t done in a while.

One more thing – how in the world did the Knicks manage to trade away Jared Jeffries’ contract? What did they give up to do it, Jordan Hill and a pick? Not too shabby. Signing LeBron next summer would be amazing but with money for two max players - a Dwayne Wade/Amar'e Stoudamire combo with Tracy McGrady playing 20-25 minutes on the wing would be pretty impressive. It WILL, however, be really interesting to see what LeBron decides to do, because the lure of Madison Square Garden might be too much to pass up if Wade or Chris Bosh come along for the ride.
That’s all for now.

Thanks for reading and root for Team USA hockey even if you can’t see that little puck on TV.