Aaaaand we're back!

Hello all. Sorry for the long break between posts; I've been busy training for last weeks NBA draft. Sadly, I went undrafted yet again, I thought the Knicks would surely overpay for my services this year. Back to reality, it is time to awaken the Goal Posters from their hibernation. Lets touch on the major sporting events that occurred while we were away:

• The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in 7 games to claim the 2010 NBA Championship, their second in a row. It was the franchise's 16th title, one short of the Celtics for the League lead. The championship was Finals MVP Kobe Bryant's 5th and coach Phil Jackson's 11th.
• The 49 year wait for a Stanley Cup title in Chicago is over. The Blackhawks defeated the Flyers in 6 games to claim the Cup, winning the deciding game 4-3 in OT. Jonathan Toews won the Conn Smythe Trophy, leading his team with 29 postseason points.
• John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in the longest tennis match ever, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-3), 70-68. No that last set is not a typo. Wimbledon does not incorporate tie-breaks in the fifth set, finishing only when one player goes ahead by two games. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes, 8 hours and 11 minutes of which came in the fifth set. The 138 game set featured strong service games from both players, with the only break coming in the deciding game of the set. Isner finished with a record 112 aces, while Mahut had 102.
• The Fifa World Cup has reached the quarterfinal stage, and while many of the usual suspects have made it this far, both participants in the 2006 final, Italy and France, have headed home early. The United States was eliminated by Ghana in the round of 16 after finishing first in their group.
  

Cue the Defense

Today's Blog is brought to you by the number 41

41, the number Jaroslav Halak wears Montreal uniform. 41, the number of saves Halak made on Wednesday night vs. the Washington Capitals. 41, the number of blocked shots by his forwards & defensemen in the same game; a combined 82 shot attempts that a Montreal player turned away against the top seeded Caps.

If you don't watch the NHL on a regular basis, the first 55 minutes of Wednesday night's game 7 between the Montreal Canadians and the Washington Capitals most likely had you clawing your eyes out with boredom. The Canadians took a 1-0 lead after defense man Marc-Andre Bergeron slapped home a rocket on a power play with 30 ticks left in the 1st.

Cue the defense

The Canadians immediately revved up their go-to center ice trap (aka Neutral ice trap) for the remainder of the game and executed it to perfection. The capitals are a highly talented, score first team and the frustration was palpable for superstars Alex Ovechkin and company. The Canadians were disrupting the flow of the Capitals forwards in the neutral zone and pushing everything wide in the defensive zone. The Caps and Habs are about as opposite as they come in hockey and on Wednesday night we learned that there is something to be said about hard work and defense come playoff time.

The Capitals knew they would be in the post season since New Year's while the Canadians fought through every one of the 82 regular season games just to catch an 8-seed. The Caps had high expectations and nothing less than a Stanley Cup would fulfill those goals. Every attempt the Caps made to get their offense chugging along was denied by the shin pads or sticks of a Canadian player. Any shots that managed to find their way to the net were turned away by Halak. For most of the game the Caps could hardly manage to find a shot that wasn't from just inside the blue line or from a corner. Game 7 of this series made it tough to tell which team was playing for the cup as the Caps came out sluggish and the Habs were all over the ice in one of the most inspiring clutch performances in recent hockey history.

With 3:36 Dominic Moore gave the Canadians a 2-0 lead after Mike Green, Caps defensmen lost a battle to a lose puck with Montreal D Hal Gill. The Canadians had gone minutes without seeing a good scoring opportunity, but managed to deliver on Washington mistakes as they had all series. The Caps finally managed a goal with 2:16 remaining in the 3rd on a rebound put-back from Brooks Laich. The score would remain 2-1 Montreal even though the Habs had to fight off a penalty for the last 1:44 of the contest. For a game dominated by defense, the last 5 minutes of game 7 were about as tense as they come on both ends of the ice.

With the upset of the #1 seed Capitals, the Canadians will now face Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens took care of business against Ottawa in round 1 with a 4-2 series victory. The Canadians will have to find a way to spend more time in their opponents zone and put a clamp down on star forwards Crosby and Malkin as they did vs the Caps. They must also continue to capitalize on mistakes they force with their traps.

Typically seeing a match-up vs the 8-seed in the playoffs will leave any team, especially the defending Stanley Cup champs, salivating; After game 7 this week the Canadians have Pittsburgh players/fans thinking otherwise.

STAT LINES OF GAME:

• Montreal Defense - 41 blocks, Halak 41 saves
• Marc-Andre Bergeron (6 shifts - 4:06 Ice Time, 1 Goal)
• Scott Gomez (17 Faceoffs Won)

3 STARS

• 1st Star - Andrei Markov (25:12 played, 1 Goal, 6 Blks)
• 2nd Star - Jaroslav Halak (41 saves, 1GAA)
• 3rd Star - Hal Gill (23:35 played, 1 Assist, 6 Blks)

Round 2 of the NHL playoffs includes:

1 San Jose vs 5 Detroit (San Jose leads 1-0)

2 Chicago vs 3 Vancouver

4 Pittsburgh vs 8 Montreal

6 Boston vs 7 Philadelphia

Links

• Red Wings land plane late (kind of funny)
• Hart Finalists

Draft Recap - Chicago Bears

I'm Drew, representin' the Chi. So with that comes knowledge of all of the Chicago sports teams, including soccer but unfortunately not lingerie football (go Chicago Bliss!). Don't ask me about the Bulls because since Michael Jordan I've refused to watch a full NBA game (and don't intend to until the Bulls get back to the Finals). I also have a sick fascination for certain California teams because basically I'm a California wannabe. Oh, and I went to Notre Dame. So hate away.

Draft Recap - Daaaaa Bears

Two words: Jay Cutler. Totally worth first and second round picks, right? Let's get down to business: Da Bears definitely needed to address concerns on both sides of the ball - in particular the offensive line and the defensive secondary (let's face it if Cutler turns out to be a bust many people in the Bears organization will be fired; I never thought I'd be rooting for Mike Martz to do well). But at least they'll still have the cool stadium that was pooped out by a UFO into the shell of Old Soldier Field.
Free agent acquisitions Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor were encouraging moves, despite the possibility that, like Cutler, Peppers will have difficulty adjusting to the Bears' schemes or just flat out play like crap. Chester Taylor should have an impact immediately, but even with that the Bears still need o-line help.

Back to the draft...

Major Wright, S (round 3, 75 overall). Wright was the best safety available, and the Bears desperately need to have a solid free safety to compliment SS Kevin Payne... except I just learned that they traded Payne, a hard-hitting SS, to St. Louis for a 2011 draft pick and finally got back S Chris Harris from Carolina, for Jamar Williams, a promising young LB. Do they think Brian Urlacher will live forever??

Corey Wootton, DE (round 4, 109 overall); Dan LeFevour, QB (round 6, 181 overall). These are the Bears' obligatory picks that have Chicago connections (no matter how pointless they are the Bears always draft somebody from the Chicago area); Wootton being from Northwestern and LeFevour originally from Downers Grove. Two moronic picks as Wootton has been injury-plagued (...and they just acquired Peppers, with DE Mark Anderson a young impressionable DE to learn from him) and LeFevour - there's no way he can be anything more than a backup, and there's nothing wrong with QB Caleb Hanie.

Joshua Moore, DB (round 5, 141 overall). A bit young but has the skills and capability to (eventually) get playing time. J'Marcus Webb, T (round 7, pick 11). This being a strange draft in which lots of o-linemen and defensive grunts were drafted high, this is an OK stretch only if there was no decent OL left in the 3rd round. Basically the Bears addressed their defensive concerns, but slacked off on an o-line that last year led to one of the NFL's poorest run offenses. It doesn't matter if it's RB Matt Forte, Taylor, or Walter Payton, the o-line will prevent them from running effectively.

Grade: C. For Cutler.

Why Oklahoma City can beat the Lakers

The ending of Game 4 of the Oklahoma City Thunder/Los Angeles Lakers series was a strange sight. None of the usual suspects were on the floor due to the game being a blowout, but not in the direction that anyone would have expected. Final score: Thunder 110 Lakers 89. Many expected the Thunder to compete in this series and maybe even steal a game or two, but ultimately everybody knew that the defending champs would defeat the young Oklahoma City team without being tested too much. Nobody foresaw the Thunder manhandling LA as thoroughly as they did in Game 4, and now with the series tied at 2 games apiece, the Thunder have a realistic chance at winning this series.

If OKC can steal Game 5 in LA, then they take a series lead home for Game 6 to a great home crowd which creates an environment that makes them tough to beat. The notion of winning in LA isn't as far-fetched as one might think, as the Thunder only lost by 8 in Game 1 and 3 in Game 2. If they can continue to play the way the have then this team will put themselves in a position to win tonight. In their two wins this series the Thunder have gotten balanced scoring, which makes them a very difficult team to beat. Kevin Durant is averaging 27 points and Russell Westbrook 22 points, however contributions from Jeff Green and especially James Harden off the bench kept the scoring pressure off of the two stars. If the role players continue scoring, then shutting down Durant doesn't kill Oklahoma City's chances to win.

Rebounding has also been extremely key to the Thunder's success. This is strange since the Lakers enjoy such a large height advantage, however in the Thunder's two wins they have outrebounded Los Angeles. Both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are averaging 11 and 10 boards respectively, but the rebound-by-committee approach of OKC has allowed them to win the battle for the boards. Seven Thunder players are averaging at least 3.8 rebounds in this series, led by Durant (19 boards in Game 3) and Westbrook (6.5 rpg). Getting solid rebounding contributions from multiple players, especially from the guard positions, allows the Thunder to overcome 21 rpg from Bynum and Gasol.

The Lakers have multiple issues that need to be addressed, foremost of which is shot distribution. Not only did Kobe Bryant only attempt 10 shots in Game 4, he didn't even take a shot until the second quarter. Los Angeles needs Kobe to score and not spend an entire quarter 'getting his teammates involved'. While that may sound like a good teammate, this Lakers team needs Kobe to lead by scoring, or at the very least looking for his shot. In addition, Bynum and Gasol have to get more touches; both these players are shooting well over 50% for the series, however they are only taking a combined 22 shots per game. The Lakers need to use these skilled post scorers to abuse the Thunder in the paint and dominate the remainder of this series. Where should these extra shots come from? Why, Derek Fisher of course! Fisher is putting up 9 shots per game, and while he is shooting 50% from beyond the arc, he is only shooting 27% on two point shots. Fisher needs to only be shooting spot of threes when the ball is kicked out of the post; that is when he is at his best and that is what will give LA the best chance to win.

Oklahoma City has been able to take the Lakers height 'advantage' and turn it into a positive situation for themselves, by hitting outside shots and getting into transition. Gasol has had enormous amounts of trouble guarding Jeff Green the last two games due to Green's quickness and ability to knock down threes. If OKC can continue to use their quickness and athleticism to get fast break opportunities, then they have a chance to pull off this upset.

Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Recap

In the midst of a tumultuous off season the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the annual "winners" at the draft, had some serious needs to fill for the first time in a while. Age, departures, and sub-par performances left holes on the offensive line, in the secondary, at wide receiver, and at running back. A much larger article on the Ben Roethlisberger saga will be appearing later, but for now just a few quick hitters on how they did on draft day.

Draft Thoughts

• Despite some unexpected players (Brian Bulaga, Dez Bryant) being available when the Steelers went on the clock with the 18th pick, the Steelers stuck with the guy they had targeted from the beginning of the off season. Florida center Maurkice Pouncey is a 6'4" 304 pound bulldog and will provide instant help to an offensive line coming off an underwhelming year.
• In one of the more discussed moves of the draft, the Steelers drafted three outside linebackers in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th rounds respectively. Pittsburgh is a team traditionally known for its pass rushing outside linebackers, but only two can ever play a down together, and, perhaps more importantly, it is not a position that was considered a need. Some suspect however that this was a strategic move to improve the Steelers coverage unit on special teams; an area where they struggled mightily last year.
• Replacing traded WR Santonio Holmes became a priority in this draft. Along with the continued improvement of second year blazer Mike Wallace, the Steelers hope 3rd round draft choice Emmanuel Sanders out of SMU will help replace Holmes. Sanders should also help in the return game right away.
• In a league that is increasingly moving towards a two-back system, the Steelers may have struck late round gold by snagging Jonathan Dwyer out of Georgia Tech with 188th overall pick. Dwyer is a bruiser and should help spell starting running back Rashard Mendenhall immediately.
• The biggest trade of the draft for Pittsburgh happened when the Steelers traded for Bryant McFadden, a former Pittsburgh defensive back that spent the last year with the Arizona Cardinals. The veteran player should make a difference on a unit that had a rough year.

Steelers Picks

1. C Maurkice Pouncey - Florida (18th pick, 1st round)
2. OLB Jason Worilds- Virginia Tech (52nd pick, 2nd round)
3. WR Emmanuel Sanders - SMU (82nd pick, 3rd round)
4. OLB Thaddeus Gibson - Ohio State (116th pick, 4th round)
5. OG Chris Scott - Tennessee (151st pick, 5th round)
6. CB Crezdon Butler - Clemson (164th pick, 5th round)
7. OLB Stevenson Sylvester - Utah (166th pick, 5th round)
8. RB Jonathan Dwyer - Georgia Tech (188th pick 6th round)
9. WR Antonio Brown - Central Michigan (195th pick, 6th round)
10. DE Doug Worthington - Ohio State (242 pick, 7th round)

Grade: B

Let's Catch Up

NHL Playoff Series

East

• Capitals 3 - Canadians 1
• Flyers 3 - Devils 1
• Bruins 3 - Sabres 1
• Penguins 3 - Senators 1

West

• Sharks 2 - Avalanche 2
• Predators 2 - Hawks 1
• Canucks 2 - Kings 2
• Red Wings 2 - Coyotes 2

Some Extra NHL Notes:

• The #1 seed Washington Capitals pulled starter Jose Theodore for backup Semyon Varlamov after Theodore lost game 1 in OT and proceeded to allow 2 goals on his first 2 shots in game 2.
• Sidney Crosby leads the NHL in playoff points - 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points.
• Nicklas Backstrom is second - 5 goals & 4 assists
• Alex Ovechkin - 4 goals & 4 assists for 8 points
• Henrick Zetterburg - 5 goals @ 2 assists for 7 points
• New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur has given up 14 goals in 4 games vs. the Flyers.
• Flyer forwards Simone Gagne & Jeff Carter both suffered foot injuries in game 4 in Philly on Tuesday.

Other Sports News:

• Drew Brees was officially named the Madden 11 cover boy today. The cover was decided based on fan voting for the first time in history. The game Madden 11 will be released by EA Sports on August 10.
• Tonight (April 22) is the NFL draft. It can be seen on ESPN at 7:30 pm.
• NBA playoff action on Thursday includes the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Suns.

Links:

• Check out this LeBron Dunk
• Katz - NCAA rules for entering the NBA draft

Detroit Lions 2010 Draft

As a life long Detroit Lions Fan, this Thursday is my super bowl. The NFL draft is the only time of the year i have hope for my team for the upcoming season. After a 2-14 season the Lions earned themselves the number 2 pick in the upcoming draft. This year is one of the deepest drafts in terms of defensive talent in recent memory and I fully expect the Lions to take advantage of it.

With the number 2 pick in the NFL draft the Detroit lions select Ndomukong Suh, Defensive Tackle from Nebraska.
Yes, the Lions have many other needs that need to be addressed especially in the secondary, offensive line, and at running back, but I cannot see Jim Schwartz and Gunther Cunningham passing on the best player in the draft. They have also had the worst defense in league history the last two years and the along with the additions they have made on the Defensive line this off season, Suh will be a major piece in getting the Lions to respectability.



With the 34th pick in the 2010 NFL draft the Detroit Lions select Sean Weatherspoon LB Missouri. I can also see Brandon Spikes being drafted here but i don't think he will get out of the first round. Everything i have seen on Weatherspoon shows that he can really play; and he did it at Missouri (which isn't exactly known for strong defensive teams).
*Authors edit: recent news has me thinking that the 34th pick could be Taylor Mays from USC (not as a safety but as a Linebacker).

With the 66th pick in the NFL draft the Detroit Lions select Myron Rolle, SS Flordia state. If Rolle falls to the 3rd round the Lions will be getting a steal. If he would have entered the draft last year he would have been a late first round or early second round pick. A tandem of Rolle and Delmas at safety will greatly help the rest of the defense and along with the addition of 1st round pick Ndumkong Suh, the Lions could resemblance that of an actual NFL defense.

This is what i believe should happen though i can see other scenarios playing out. I would like to see the Lions focus on improving the worst Defense in the NFL. Now, having said all this and knowing the Lions, they will most likely draft Okung from Oklahoma st. in the first round, Best from Cal in the second round, and a receiver in the 3rd round... Maybe this is the year where the Lions actually do something right to improve their defense, for once.