Sleeping With the Devil

For those of you who are unaware, a special guest has been asked to speak at this week�s NHL Board of Governors meetings in Arizona:

Bettman also invited NHLPA executive director Ted Saskin to address the owners, not something Saskin's predecessor Bob Goodenow would have ever dreamed of doing given his adversarial relationship with the league.

But these are different times. The new CBA more closely links the players and the owners economically. The more revenue owners rake in, the higher the salary cap, the more money players make.

"In this era of partnership, I thought it was important for the owners to hear from the players, and the Players' Association, exactly what they're thinking and how they're viewing our collective world," Bettman said of inviting his union counterpart.

Ah yes, an era of partnership. It makes you wonder if Saskin has become a closer partner with Bettman than with his own constituency.

NHL Roundup

The performance gap between teams in professional can be almost too small to detect sometimes. Anybody who has ever been out on the ice knows that all too well, as most of us, even at the lowest level of competition, know what it's like to give your all for 2+ periods, but then still get buried in the end.

That must be how the Colorado Avalanche feel this morning after a 6-2 thrashing at the hands of the Ottawa Senators. After making it into the third period tied at 2, the Senators scored four unanswered goals in the last period, leaving the Avalanche looking like so much hockey road kill. Dominik Hasek had 22 saves, and I don't know why anybody thinks the Sens need to trade for a replacement for Martin Havlat when Brandon Bochenski keeps scoring.

A Leafs team without Eric Lindros and Ed Belfour managed to hold off the Ducks in Toronto, 3-2. My favorite moment of the night: Keith Carney having a vapor lock and clearing the puck right onto the stick of Kyle Wellwood who promptly wristed the puck past J.S. Giguere. Mikael Telqvist had 29 saves in place of Belfour.

Here's The Meatriarchy from The Battle of Ontario:

In other good news Tie Domi suffered a shoulder injury. Can we now pretend it is a serious injury and sit him out for a half dozen games? Just a thought.

Ouch.

Meanwhile, the stands were a little more crowded than usual at the ACC last night:

Inquiring minds need to know: Why were 14 NHL teams watching the Maple Leafs last night?

Some teams, in fact, assigned two scouts to view the Leafs play an otherwise uninspired Monday night match against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

"Why are we all here?" one NHL scout repeated the question. "It's either a slow night in the industry or everybody is looking at the same thing."

Steve Yzerman might be sitting out a couple of more games with a groin tear, but Ken Holland's transition plan for the team continues apace last night as Henrik Zetterburg scored twice in a 3-1 win over terminally ill Pittsburgh. Chris Osgood only needed to stop 16 shots in the win.

Elsewhere in Hockeytown, Jiri Fischer met with the media to discuss his future on the ice -- something that looks like a foregone conclusion:

Both Fischer, 25, and Red Wings team physician Dr. Tony Colucci admitted that three weeks after the episode which nearly claimed Fischer's life, no one is certain as to the cause for the irregular heart beat.

That alone is a virtual assurance that Fischer won't return to the ice.

Without answers, no one was even willing to ponder the question as to when Fischer might be back.

"You do what you like to do," Fischer said. "But staying alive is most important."

Good luck to Fischer and his fiance.

In St. Louis, the struggling Blues gave Patrick Lalime his walking papers after a freakish goal on Saturday night gave the Rangers an OT victory.

Once Lalime clears waivers, he'll be joining the AHL's Peoria Rivermen, where I'm guessing he'll be buying most of the post-game beers:

The goaltender, an NHL All-Star starter in 2002-03, will easily be the highest-paid player in the American Hockey League - this season, and maybe any season - at $2.43 million.

Lalime's salary is believed to be more than the entire payroll of any AHL team, and will double Peoria's player payroll, making the Rivermen the highest-priced team not in the NHL.

Well, maybe highest-priced team not in the NHL in North America. Something tells me a team or two in the Russian Super League probably has them beat.

And, finally, for the latest from John Buccigross, click here.

Ted Saskin To The Bunker

So much for the idea that the NHLPA isn't subject to U.S. law:

The U.S. National Labor Relations Board is pushing ahead with an investigation of Ted Saskin's hiring as executive director of the NHL players' union and has begun interviewing players familiar with the dispute.

The board is also scheduling an interview with former players' union official Steve Larmer, said a person familiar with the matter.

But wait, there's more!

In another development related to the dispute over Saskin's hiring, prominent NHL agent Mike Liut, a former goalie who was a member of the players' committee that originally hired former NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow, contends Saskin has the support of less than half the league's 700-some players, and that several hundred players may consider mounting a bid to decertify the union because of the controversy.

Decertify the union? Where have we heard that before?

Though there's nothing new at trentklatt.com, I suspect something more will be there soon.

You know I'll be waiting on the NLRB doorstep when this investigation gets finished.

Today's Sociology Lesson: Facism And Italian Football

Every once in a while, I remind myself to feel grateful for the life I've enjoyed in this country. My entire family owes a debt to my maternal great-grandfather, Salvatore Bucchieri, a man who left Italy and hopped a steamer to Boston before making his way to Hell's Kitchen in Manhatan.

Today is one of those days:

An Italian soccer player appeared to give a fascist salute to his fans during a league game for the second time this season. Italian papers ran photos Monday showing Lazio forward Paolo Di Canio with his arm outstretched as he was being substituted during the second half of his team's 2-1 loss to Livorno on Sunday. He could face disciplinary action...

The arm gesture is associated in Italy with the salute used under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

"I will always salute as I did yesterday because it gives me a sense of belonging to my people," Di Canio was quoted by ANSA.

Speak for yourself, dumbass.

Even better, while Lazio is associated with Italian Facists, Livorno is a home for Italian Communists.

You know, two great tastes that taste great together. God save us all.

Over The Weekend...

While I might not have gone into hibernation (tempting though it was), I did spend a considerable amount of time parked in front of the television watching the NHL.

Friday night: Senators at Canucks.
Saturday afternoon: Wild at Flyers.
Late Saturday night: Oilers at Islanders on TiVo.
Sunday morning: Senators at Flames on TiVo.

Some observations:

* The folly of Mike Milbury's reign on Long Island was on full display Saturday, as I watched ex-Islanders Todd Bertuzzi and Zdeno Chara suit up for Vancouver and Ottawa, respectively. Of course, it wasn't long before I remembered that the draft pick Milbury sent to Ottawa turned into Jason Spezza. The next morning, I read the following from Newsday's Alan Hahn:

Milbury mulling moves: How much longer can the Islanders wallow around .500 - and out of the playoff race - before Mike Milbury makes a deal? Check the Islanders' schedule in the final two weeks of the month: at Toronto, home against the Devils and Senators, at Buffalo the day after Christmas, against the Rangers and then at Ottawa. It's a rough stretch that will tell a lot about this team. And could determine how it will look in the second half.

Dear God no. Something tells me Milbury dumps Trent Hunter, who will promptly turn into the second coming of Cam Neely.

*Shaking off my Milbury-induced coma, I have to say that Friday night's game from Vancouver had to be the most entertaining I'd watched in some time. The teams traded chances all night long, though it was clear that Vancouver got the better of play, and Ottawa was lucky to escape GM Place with a single point. We even saw tempers flare more than a few times.

Recently, Joe Tasca reminded me that Ed Jovanowski was one of the best defensemen in the league when it came to breaking out of the zone, and that talent was certainly on display on Friday night. The other Canuck that made an impression was the young Ryan Kessler, who pulled one move out of his hat after crossing into the Ottawa zone along the left wing boards that made my hair stand on end.

*After hearing so much about the Spezza-Alfredsson-Heatly line, the one member of the Sens that I saw score most often over the weekend was Peter Schafer -- once on the power play and once shorthanded. The other Senator who impressed me was defenseman Andrej Mesazaros, who has some serious speed coming out of his own zone. Keep an eye on him.

*While watching the Isles on Saturday, I couldn't help but think of the roster for the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team. Two Islanders are mortal locks for the squad: goalie Rick DiPietro and winger Jason Blake. Normally, three other Islanders -- Shawn Bates, Mike York and Mark Parrish -- would be in the running for spots, but all three have underachieved or spent significant time on the injured list. Something tells me that Peter Laviolette, former head coach of the Islanders and head coach for Team USA, would like to bring Bates along, but can't justify it because he's been hurt for too much of the season.

*Saturday night's game in Calgary was just as good as the game in Vancouver the night before -- treating us to some real fine hockey without a lot of goals, something I'm sure Jamie Fitzpatrick was happy about. Other favorite moments: Jarome Iginla absolutely levelling Dany Heatley, and then, just a few shifts later, Heatley slipping a check from Calgary's Robin Regehr, a move that ended with the Flames defenseman getting a face full of plexiglass.

Checking In With The NHL On OLN

I don't think it's a coincidence that both Helene Elliot and Norman Chad chose to look at the progress in the NHL/OLN cable television partnership. I've noted before that the first few weeks of the season have gotten off to a rocky start, something that the execs at OLN have pretty much conceded at this point.

But what really matters has to be broadcast ratings. And when you take a closer look at OLN's numbers, they're even worse than first advertised. Here's a passage from Elliot's piece:

OLN is delighted with its internal viewer measurements. Compared to a year ago in the same time periods, it has more than doubled impressions among its target groups of men 18 to 34, men 18 to 49 and men 25 to 54. Overall numbers, though, are small. Its first NHL telecast drew a 0.4 rating and 353,439 households and didn't return to that level until Nov. 16. Through the same period of the 2003-04 season, ESPN averaged a 0.5 rating and 476,384 households, and ESPN2 averaged a 0.2 rating and 196,000 homes.

However, ESPN2's telecasts were not exclusive, meaning they were not seen in the markets of the teams involved. OLN telecasts are seen in the local markets, which account for nearly 80% of OLN's national audience. Without the local markets, OLN's ratings would be microscopic. Through last week, they were averaging a rating of 0.24, slightly down from a 0.3 last month.

Which led Chad, the king of cable poker to note:

Ah, who's laughing at taped billiards and taped poker now?

What do these numbers tell us? Essentially, stuff that we already knew -- namely that while the NHL might have a national footprint on television, its footprint for passion is strictly regional.

Might that change one day? Perhaps over the course of a couple of decades it might, something that could be helped along if Sidney Crosby becomes the transcendent star that the league desperately hopes for. And as more natives of the Northeast and Midwest continue to move below the Mason-Dixon line, maybe we'll see the franchises in places like Atlanta, Miami and North Carolina gradually expand their fan bases.

Here's a thought: If OLN's ratings for the NHL are this low, what cable operator in his/her right mind would dare to carry the NHL Channel, as COMCAST has promised to do in time for the 2006-07 season?

Checking In With Razor

Getting some attention for his play in Ottawa these days is backup goalie Ray Emery. Normally the guy playing behind Dominick Hasek wouldn't get noticed, but after winning his first six starts this season (before he took the loss in OT on Saturday night in Calgary), Emery has stepped into the spotlight.

If you want to know him better, the best place to start is probably Ken Warren's profile in Sunday's Ottawa Citizen:

The personality, and his history of fighting in the Ontario and American Hockey Leagues, also comes shining through in his goal masks, which have featured stylized paintings of legendary boxers Marvin Hagler and Jack Johnson. A new "secret" mask is on its way.

Underneath the equipment, Emery's chest and arms are covered with tattoos.

The artwork includes the initials of his parents, Charlene and Paul, and younger brothers Andrew, 17, and Nicholas, 14. He has an African symbol for the number one, his jersey number with the Senators. There's a tattoo representing Emery's birth symbol, Libra. His nickname, "Razor," is written across his chest.

The latest addition is graffiti art, "Anger is a Gift," is scrawled on his right arm.

Yes, but does that gift come with a receipt?

Here's something to think about: If and when Hasek decides to leave Ottawa, Emery looks more than ready to step into a starting role. And because he's making a lot less than Hasek, he'll help Ottawa keep other players on the roster.

Just Saying Hello

If there's one thing I absolutely love to do, it's heckle opposing hockey players. All in good taste, of course:

Thanks for complimenting me on my haircut, Darren.

Luongo For DiPietro? You Make The Call

In a Sunday NHL roundup column where he discusses the possibility that the Panthers will deal Roberto Luongo, Newsday's Alan Hahn asks a provocative question:

While we're on the subject, say Keenan calls you and offers Luongo straight up for Rick DiPietro. What do you do?

I vote no. But that's just me.

Managing Expectations With The NHL Salary Cap

At least that was the word that came through loud and clear on CBC's Satellite Hot Stove last night (Click here (Real Player) for the video):

Owners will find out the projected salary cap for the 2006-07 NHL season when the league's board of governors meets next week in Scottsdale, Ariz.

What they will discover, according to Canadian Press reporter Pierre LeBrun, is that the current salary cap of $39 million US won't be going down, but instead increase.

"The owners are going to [learn about the] projected salary-cap figure for next year, and it's not going to be under $39 million, in fact it's probably going to be more than $39 million," said LeBrun during Saturday's Satellite Hotstove segment on Hockey Night in Canada.

And if revenues and the salary cap rise, that also means that the percentage of salary that the players pay into the dreaded escrow account will be dropping.

Does this mean the NHL is healthy again? Maybe it does. But there's always the possibility that the league might be massaging its earnings and managing expectations in a way that redounds to its benefit.

Stick with me here.

Say Bettman and the owners, who knew they had all the leverage with the players, overestimated the projected drop in revenues on purpose.

Why do that? First of all, it means that the storyline going forward will comport with ownership's position on revenue and salaries. And Bettman and the owners get to go to the press and say that the model is working.

Next, the news will help defuse union opposition over the size of the player escrow payments, as it will be lowered.

Don't believe me? It happens on Wall Street all the time -- just read the following piece from the University of Illinois titled, "To beat earnings expectations, first you have to lower them":

You needn't cook the books to make yourself look good on Wall Street. A safer approach is to talk down your company's fortunes to analysts before springing a "better-than-expected" earnings announcement for the quarter.

"Beating the forecast" does wonders for a company's stock price. A University of Illinois economist who analyzed thousands of forecasts of publicly owned companies between 1989 and 1998 found that there was a significantly higher probability for a company to beat the consensus forecast if the forecast was lowered two weeks prior to the announcement.

"We document empirically that many firms apparently have ways of lowering the forecasts as the earnings announcement date approaches," said Dan Bernhardt, the UI economist who conducted the study with Murillo Campello, an economist at Michigan State University.

No, they'd never do that. Not in a thousand years.

For other agenda items from this week's NHL Board of Governors meeting in Arizona, click here.

Bleacherguy Radio #24

This week we take a look at the Fire Millen phenomenon that's sweeping Detroit, talk a little Heisman and MLB hot stove, Eric breaks down soccer's World Cup draw, and we crown yet another Jackass of the Week.

The show clocks in at just under 57 minutes.

-Direct link to the show.

-Subscribe to Bleacher Guy Radio.

-Subscribe via the iTunes Music Store.

-Subscribe (and vote for us) via the Yahoo Podcast Directory.

- Feedback is always welcome at: bleacherguyradio@gmail.com.

The Domino Effect

Things just keep getting worse for Mario Lemieux. One day after it was revealed that Mario will not accept an invitation from the Canadian National Team at the 2006 Winter Olympics, Dave Molinari reports on the bad news I suspected last week:

Penguins owner Mario Lemieux believes there is only "a slim chance" the franchise will remain in Pittsburgh after its lease at Mellon Arena expires in 2007.

Mr. Lemieux said yesterday that he "absolutely" believes the outlook is that bleak because of the lack of progress toward getting the up-to-date arena team officials have insisted for years is critical to keeping the Penguins here.

"I think we're really running out of time," said Mr. Lemieux, his tone laced with frustration. "We probably ran out of time already. It's been unfortunate that the city and the county haven't been willing to work with us over the last two or three years."

As Eric alluded to in a podcast a few weeks back, the Pens are hoping to be granted a license next year to operate slot machines in the city, which would help generate the needed funding for a new arena. But as Molinari notes:

There is no guarantee the Penguins will be awarded the slots license, though. And because it is not expected to be awarded until late 2006 -- and because it generally takes about three years, to build an arena in this part of the country -- the Penguins would face the prospect of spending several more winters in a venue that cannot generate the revenue they believe is needed to make an NHL team financially viable.

"By the time we'd get the arena built, it's going to be another four or five years," Mr. Lemieux said. "Can we afford to stay here for another four or five years and assume the losses? I'm not sure."

I checked out parts of the Penguins home game against Colorado last night and I couldn�t help but notice how there was less life in the building than a funeral parlor. It was eerie, and I think the analogy is becoming more fitting as the months go by.

We Can Work It Out

If you'll recall, Czech Republic hockey officials had no intentions of adding Pavel Kubina to their Olympic team roster later this month, but it had nothing to do with his poor start this season:

The trouble started during the NHL lockout when Kubina played for Czech Extraliga of the Czech league. In Game 7 of the league's semifinals, Kubina's team was eliminated after what Kubina, the captain, considered corrupt officiating. Kubina heavily criticized referee Petr Bolina after the game and was heavily punished. The Czech league suspended Kubina for 15 games and fined him $10,000. The suspension was no big deal because Kubina returned to the NHL. But the Czechs still wanted the money and told Kubina he would not play in international competition until he paid.

Kubina did play for the Czechs in the 2005 world championships but was told he would not make the Olympic team unless he paid the fine.

"I told them, "Fine, I won't play,' " Kubina said. "I will never give money to that league."

Finally, a compromise was worked out. Kubina will donate $5,000 to a charity named after late Czech coach Ivan Hlinka.

It�s amazing how quickly hard feelings are smoothed over in Europe when international competition is involved. I wonder if the U.S. Hockey Committee will be as willing to compromise with Jeremy Roenick come December 22nd.

Here Come the HawkCasts

Obviously, we here at Off Wing are big fans of podcasts. Going into this season, I was fairly confident that most NHL teams would start posting weekly podcasting segments on their websites as a way to re-connect with their fan base.

Unfortunately, the Chicago Blackhawks are the only club I know of that has used the increasing popularity of podcasts to its advantage. Adam Kempenaar hosts �HawkCast� once a week, providing fans with player, coach and scout interviews, injury reports, and updates on young prospects. Adam also takes some time to answer e-mail questions, often posing fan inquiries to his interview guests. It�s a great resource, and even if you�re not a Hawk fan, it�s definitely worth checking out.

The latest edition of the show was posted today and includes a fine interview with Chicago GM Dale Tallon.

On Second Thought

Even though Joe Thornton has been traded, nothing has changed in Boston. The Bruins are still struggling and the press continues to crucify the team. Today, Nancy Marrapese-Burrell sounds like she�s about to have a coronary:

On Wednesday night, after Boston's 4-1 loss here, which was as dismal as any defeat this season, it was thought someone would lose it. Goalie Andrew Raycroft, as upbeat a Bruin as there is, was choking off his thoughts in midsentence. Veteran Tom Fitzgerald, a passionate leader, looked like he wanted to spit tacks. Coach Mike Sullivan appeared as if his blood pressure was dangerously high but kept his composure, talking about how disappointed he was at the effort, or lack thereof.

How long can this go on? The Bruins have already allowed 105 goals and are on track to surrender 287. That's not far off the 1996-97 squad, which surrendered 300. The 2005-06 team is an embarrassing mess. How many times do you have to hear they were outworked? How many times do you have to hear they took undisciplined, and in some cases stupid, penalties? How many times do you have to hear they should have had a better start?

We hear it with each article you write, Nancy. Play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards paints an even darker picture for Bruins fans:

(I)n the next seven days the Bruins will play just one game, Sunday against Phoenix. No doubt you�ve noticed that the B�s have played more games than just about every other team in the Eastern Conference. The enemies of Boston are about to play a bunch of those games in hand. So what was an eight-point gap between the Bruins and playoff position is almost certainly going to grow to ten. It may be twelve or more before they head west again on their Minnesota-Calgary trip.

They are depleted, they�re in a hole, and the abyss is going to get deeper.

But I thought the Bruins had made a change in their losing policy, Mr. Edwards? It appears as if Stephen Harris is the first Boston beat writer to come to the realization that Joe Thornton wasn�t the problem with this wayward club:

Words certainly played a role in Thornton�s departure. Even after bad losses, Thornton sounded like Alfred E. Neuman (�What, me worry?). �We�re going to be fine,� Thornton would say. �We have a good team here. We�re going to be fine.� To his critics, this was a guy who just didn�t get it, who didn�t understand the gravity of the situation. His words, they felt, reflected his play, which wasn�t hard enough.

But the Thornton trade was a dreadful error. And his sometimes inappropriate choice of words was more a reflection of his intellect than his heart. He cared. He wanted to win. He worked hard. That can�t be said of every Bruin.

Thornton should not have been named team captain in 2002. It was done to try and motivate; instead it hurt. In San Jose, he is just another guy � albeit the leading scorer in the Western Conference.

How sweet it is.

Take a Deep Breath

Every week, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer Dave Molinari conducts a Q&A; session with Penguin fans. Lately, I�ve noticed that the inquiries have become more and more distressing, as evidenced in today�s edition:

Q: What is it going to take for the Penguins to finally change their coach? With the lineup of forwards that the Penguins have, I can't come up with any other reason for their miserable record other than them playing under a horrible system that Olczyk has put in place. I've been a die-hard Penguins fan (bleeding black and gold) since 1987 and since then, I've endured some bad seasons, but this is the low of the low. I'm getting to the point that I'm getting physically sick to my stomach and am having a hard time watching them for the simple fact that they have talented forwards but they're no better than they were the past couple seasons.

Carlos of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

MOLINARI: If you are getting physically ill from watching hockey games, let alone are bleeding any color other than red, your e-mail probably should be directed to a medical Q&A.;

It�s good to see Molinari takes his job seriously. I wonder how long it�ll take before someone writes in threatening to jump off the Smithfield Street Bridge.

Carnival Of The NHL #15

Thanks to Will Leitch at Deadspin for putting together a most excellent Carnival entry. It's always nice to be noticed by a slice of the Nick Denton empire.

And now that Carnival #15 has come and gone, Carnival #16 -- to be hosted at Japers' Rink -- is on the clock. Check with him for more details.

POSTSCRIPT: Many bloggers have asked how they could possibly host the Carnival. It's simple, you just have to ask. Shoot me an email and I'll reserve your place in the crowded rotation.

I know one thing: It beats the Hell out of kissing up to Paul Tagliabue and spending millions in taxpayer dollars to upgrade your stadium in anticipation of a Super Bowl that will never return.

Confused? Ask San Diego.

A Cure For The Powerless Play In New York

After seeing the Rangers go 0-for-9 on the power play Wednesday night, Ranger Pundit had some suggestions:

Tom Renney insists on sending out 'the usual suspects' on every power play. What's more there is no originality. Renney recognized it. "As you get frustrated with the power play and things go on, you start to try to manufacture things that aren't there." The PP Five insist on playing tic-tac-toe with their passing. Rarely is there a good shot from the point. The point? Straka? Rozsival? Poti? Malik, maybe. Tom, Why not get drastic and put Jagr at the point. He might make something happen from there. Its worth a try. The opposition doubles up on him even on the PP when he is down low. Let them try and double team him from the point.

I think it's a good idea. A couple of years back the Caps shifted Peter Bondra to the point on the power play and paired him with Sergei Gonchar. Combined with the checking line of Halpern-Dahlen-Konowalchuk -- responsible for goading the opposition into plenty of penalties -- the move was particularly shrewed on the part of then-Caps head coach Ron Wilson.

A Rocket In Queens?

In the Baseball Crank's roundup of the Winter meetings, he had this to say:

Gee, what were the odds that things would end badly for Roger Clemens in Houston, and over money? I still say, as I've said for the past six years, that this ends with Clemens trying to go into Cooperstown in a Devil Rays hat . . . much as I hate to say so, Clemens owes it to baseball to keep pitching. You can't retire while you're that good, you just can't.

Now, whether I'd take him as a Met is another matter. I guess I could hold my nose, and it would be amusing to have a Clemens/Pedro 1-2 punch. But in all seriousness, I'd bet it's probably the Rangers who win out here.

I think Dan is right on Rocket's ultimate destination, but the possibility of seeing Clemens in a Mets uniform is too delicious not to contemplate some more.

First, the move would provide some nice symmetry to his career, as Clemens was originally drafted by the Mets out of high school before he decided to attend the University of Texas.

For Mets fans. seeing Clemens land in Queens would be cause for a cognitive dissonance alert. While Mike Piazza might be gone, the hate for Clemens still lingers. And if he was anything less than superhuman at Shea, New York fans would be less than charitable.

Then again, that sounds like a challenge that Clemens would welcome.

But the most exciting prospect of Clemens playing for the Mets would be the upset it would cause in the Bronx. With the abrupt cancellation of his retirement to join the Astros, Clemens became an object of "hateration" in Yankees Nation. And seeing Clemens in a Mets uniform would send George Steinbrenner over the edge, driving him to take complete control of every aspect of the ballclub -- with predictable results.

If you're a New York sportswriter, you're absolutely praying for this to happen. Which of course means that there isn't a prayer that it could.

A Great Stocking Stuffer

Heather Creegan's creations take the cake.

A Belated Happy Blogiversary To...

Our friend Jim Mirtle, or "Straight Out of Kamloops" as he's known in Toronto.

Ben Wright: Blogger, Amateur Copy Editor

Since ESPN.com won't do any copy editing on their stories, Ben Wright will have to do it for them.

The Thursday Quote Sheet

Go visit Jeff and Alanah. You'll be glad you did.

Puck Posession Or Puck Position?

Riffing off of Greg Ballentine, Tom Benjamin takes his shot at the folks who try to read NHL tea leaves in faceoff percentage and puck posession:

But what exactly do we mean by this piece of conventional wisdom? I don't think the description is apt at all. Of course it is usually better to have the puck than for the opponents to have it. That's a given, but that doesn't mean the game is about puck possession. In fact, hockey is a game of territory.

Basketball is a possession game and it is easy to see the distinction. Hockey teams would much prefer to see their opponents in possession of the puck behind their net than have the puck themselves behind their own net. In basketball, teams prefer to have the ball everywhere. In hockey, teams voluntarily turn the puck over in exchange for territory many dozens of times a game. In basketball, teams never voluntarily give up the ball.

Calling hockey a game of puck possession makes zero sense...

Hockey is a game of puck position, not puck possession.

And that my friends, is Tom Benjamin at his best.

Exit John Olerud

Here's my friend Chris Lynch on the announcement that Red Sox first baseman John Olerud has decided to retire:

John Olerud has decided to retire. I'm happy for Olerud. He's long said he wanted to spend more time with his family and now he gets the chance. The two words that define Olerud are "nice" and "class". If he was also defined by the words "power hitter" - he'd be a Hall of Famer.

Here, here. Though Olerud only spent three years in New York with the Mets, he ranks near the top of the list of my all-time favorites, something that I outlined in an extended conversation with my old friend Peter White in the Summer of 2003. With the exception of Keith Hernandez, he was the best first baseman the franchise ever had. Here's hoping he enjoys his retirement. And John, you're welcome back in New York anytime.

UPDATE: Our friend Greg Wyshynski writes:

[F]rom one Mets fan to another, I agree that Olerud might be second only to Mex at first base. I wonder who would have one a foot race between those two and Dave Magadan?

Hmm, interesting question. Let's break it down:

Hernandez -- 98 career stolen bases.
Olerud -- 11 career stolen bases.
Magadan -- 11 career stolen bases.

Looks like Mex in a laugher with a photo finish for second.

Fox on the Run

As you probably know, Zdeno Chara was suspended for a game and his coach Bryan Murray was fined $10,000 last week because Chara was assessed an instigator penalty late in the Senators� 5-1 victory over the Kings.

What you may not know is that Murray apparently got wind of some critical comments levied upon him by Kings color analyst Jim Fox during the L.A. broadcast. After the game, the Ottawa headmaster confronted Fox outside the Senators� dressing room:

The exchange was caught on camera by Fox Sports Net, and according to a transcript published in the Los Angeles Times, Murray said to Fox, "You're telling me I didn't control myself? That's a [expletive] cheap shot on your part. You don't have the right to [expletive] cut me up. I've never done anything like this in my [expletive] career. And for you to say that is [expletive] wrong.�

In an interview yesterday, Fox said his only criticism of Murray was disapproval of his taunting the Los Angeles players during the game. Fox recalled Murray doing the same when he played for the Kings and Murray coached the Washington Capitals. Murray has a history of needling the opposition.

"I mentioned the potential for a $10,000 fine, because that's what I thought would happen," Fox said. "But my disagreement was with him yelling from behind the bench." Murray ended his harangue when Fox told him it was being recorded by a TV camera.

I�ve subscribed to the NHL Center Ice package for a number of years, and quite frankly, I�ve always enjoyed Jim Fox�s commentary. I think he does an admirable job of explaining the game to viewers in a simplistic manner, and his demeanor on the air has always struck me as very pleasant. Quite frankly, I was shocked when I heard of his harsh comments.

That being said, I have never liked the idea of a commentator calling out an opposing team�s coach (or even a player) on a broadcast. It seems like every time a few fights break out at the end of a heated hockey game, all everyone wants to do is blame the head coach of the team who initiated the altercations. In most instances, such charges are nonsensical because they�re made in the heat of the moment. Insinuating that a coach deliberately ordered a player to attack an opponent is a serious accusation, and in my opinion, it shouldn�t be tossed around flippantly.

There are always folks that will come out of the woodworks after a game like this and accuse a coach of using thuggish tactics. Fellow coaches, players, and reporters alike all seem to take their turn at the podium. Marc Crawford was taken to task after the Bertuzzi incident. Darryl Sutter took a pounding after Krzysztof Oliwa started a brawl against Nashville last season. Bryan Trottier was nailed to the cross when Oliwa jumped Grant Marshall in November of 2002. It�s been that way for years.

When you really think about it, when was the last time a coach wasn�t crucified for the bone-headed actions of his players? In such instances, post-game press conferences with the victimized team somewhat remind me of WWF wrestler interviews. They�re so predictable, you know what�s going to be said before the players and coaches open their mouths.

With this in mind, I think Bryan Murray should�ve known better than to take umbrage with a television announcer, of all people. God knows Fox isn�t the only person in the hockey world who was second-guessing Murray�s intentions that night, and having been a head coach in the NHL for almost 25 years, you would think Murray would�ve been able to dismiss Fox�s criticism as par for the course.

At the same time, it�s worth noting that Murray�s reaction was a spontaneous one made in the immediate aftermath of an emotional game, and it�s only natural to want to defend yourself when you feel you�ve been wrongly accused. Obviously Murray didn�t see the Kings broadcast, so someone in the Senators organization made it a point to inform him of Fox�s remarks. Personally, I have more of a problem with that gesture, which was evidently intended to infuriate Murray, than with the content of Fox�s comments.

The shame of it all is that the Kings and Senators don�t face each other again this season. The game, though not close on the scoreboard, was by far the most intense of the regular season thus far. And when broadcasters start getting involved in the war of words, you know you have a solid rivalry.

Roenick Demands Spot On Olympic Team

Here's Jeremy Roenick on the possibility he'll be picked for the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team:

"I better be," the King center said. "It would be a travesty if I'm not�. I know they want a youth movement, and they need to have one, but it'd be disrespectful of the guys who have gotten Team USA to this point internationally."

(snip)

Roenick, who turns 36 on Jan. 17, said if he isn't chosen, "they better hope that I don't get a job as a commentator on NBC for [the Games], or it'd be 'Go Canada' all the way, and I don't want that."

The last time Roenick piped up he had totaled 4 goals and 4 assists for the season. Now here we are 24 days later and Roenick has added just one goal and a pair of assists to that total.

As for Roenick's spot on the Olympic team, I think I made my feelings clear about the selection process when I shared my thoughts on Cammi Granato a few months ago. Safe to say, I don't believe sentimentality should play any role in the process -- and that's doubly so in the wake of the debacle in Athens authored by the U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball Team last Summer.

What was the line from Miracle that Herb Brooks as portrayed by Kurt Russell intoned when he had ground his team down as far as he could after a lackluster performance on the pre-Olympic tour in Norway?

Wasn't it, "The name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back."

I love Roenick, and I think the NHL needs more players with his kind of personality to turn things around. But these days, it sounds to me like he's determined to go to Turin with his jersey on backwards.

Lucky for him there's still time to turn things around on the ice and earn his way to Turin. I wonder what Team USA head coach Peter Laviolette thinks about this?

Power Rankings Where You Least Expect Them

I'm at a loss to explain why the New York Sun publishes NHL power rankings, but I guess one more can't hurt.

See You In September?

One of the big questions in Washington is whether Olaf Kolzig is going to be re-signed to a long-term contract extension after this season. In yesterday�s Washington Post, the 35-year-old netminder seemingly gives off the impression that he fully intends on sticking around:

"I'm more optimistic about being here for the rest of my career than I was at the beginning of the season," said Kolzig, whose five-year contract expires after the season.

"I'd love to be one of those rare athletes who starts and finishes his career, over a long period of time, with one team. We're playing good hockey. We have a fun team. And when you have a kid like [rookie left wing Alex] Ovechkin on your team, that's a great starting point for this organization."

I can hear the D.C. die-hards breathing a collective sigh of relief as I type. But wait, there�s more:

"I haven't thought about it," Kolzig said about an extension. "I'm having fun now. When the time comes, [agent Art Breeze] and I will talk about it. I don't know if it's going to be my decision whether I stay or go. I'll have a conversation with George and the decision will be made after that. Ultimately, it's the GM's decision."

When a player says his future with the club is the GM�s decision, I can�t help but think it�s an indirect way of saying, 'I�ll be back next year if they pay me enough.� Having said that, I�m inclined to believe Kolzig sincerely wants to stay in the nation�s capital for the remainder of his career.

Olie is a fantastic guy, having been involved in local area charities for years. And if that�s not enough proof, he, along with Stu Barnes, formed an ownership group earlier this year that bought the WHL�s Tri-City Americans (Kolzig�s junior club), enabling the team to stay in Washington state. The fact that Kolzig was part of a concerted effort to ensure the stability of a hockey team that he played on during his teenage years is a true testament to his character.

Nevertheless, no matter how much an athlete wants to remain loyal to the team that drafted him, it�s difficult to end your career on a losing note, especially when you don�t yet have a Stanley Cup on your resume. In Kolzig�s words:

�I want to have the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. I had that opportunity in 1998 and got a taste of the finals. At the time, you think we got here once, we can do it again, so two or three years later, you realize how hard it is to get to that point.

'With there only being a few years left in my career, I want that opportunity again�"

Something tells me he�ll get it.

Desperation in Philadelphia

Everybody knows that this season has been bad in Philadelphia when it comes to the NFL. And things certainly reached a nadir on Monday night when the Eagles were crushed on their home field by the Seahawks, 42-0.

Which is what led Frank Nejako, the commissioner of my fantasy football league and an Eagles fan, to pass along the following:

Eagles football practice was delayed nearly two hours today after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head Coach Andy Reid immediately suspended practice while police and federal investigators were called to investigate.

After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to the players was the goal line.

Practice was resumed after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again.

Gallows humor. Always welcome.

The CBA And U.S. College Players

Will the new CBA help or hinder the player development process in the U.S. college game? Like most things in the NHL these days, it depends on who you talk to:

Gophers coach Don Lucia sees things differently.

"What's going to happen is more teams are going to make a play for their guys after their junior year," Lucia said. "The player has more leverage because if he doesn't think the team that drafted him is a good fit he can hold off and become a free agent."

Lynn pointed out most good college players need two or three years of minor league hockey to prepare them for the NHL. So he doesn't think the makeup of the team at the time a player is signed will be that much of a factor.

The key change here: College players who are drafted but not signed by August 15 following their senior season now become free agents. Previously, those players would have to sit out an entire year without playing hockey at all before gaining free agent status.

I don't have any standing to predict just what effect this change will have on the game. But I do know this: Any change that gives more rights to a player to decide his own destiny is fine by me. Keeping a player off the ice for an entire season to gain the rights of a free agent seems downright punitive.

Lemieux Out With Irregular Heartbeat

There are plenty of things I could write this morning, but my thoughts keep returning to just this one: I hope Mario Lemieux is ok. Get well soon. For the details on his medical concerns, click here.

UPDATE: Lemieux has been released from the hospital.

Mario Hospitalized

This is becoming a disturbing trend as of late:

Pittsburgh Penguins owner-player Mario Lemieux was admitted into hospital Wednesday for observation of an irregular heartbeat, general manager Craig Patrick said.

Lemieux will be monitored overnight in the undisclosed hospital and won't play Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild. The Penguins said Lemieux's playing status will be day to day after that. According to Patrick, Lemieux reported having an irregular heartbeat after practice.

I know I'm speculating, but I can't help but wonder if the uncertain future of the Penguins is wearing Mario down, both mentally and physically. Like Trevor Linden, he doesn't look like he's enjoying himself on the ice these days. I think we'd be foolish to discount the possibility that Lemieux has been pining over the Pens' potential relocation, and the inevitable damage it would leave on his legacy in Pittsburgh.

Those Are the Breaks

Even though Martin Havlat is going to miss up to four months because of shoulder surgery, Chris McMurtry is looking at the bright side of things:

One factor that cannot be ignored is that Havlat will be in line for a new contract at the end of this season, though because he'll be restricted, the Senators will still hold onto his rights.

Many fans feared that if Havlat had the season most expected in the new NHL which emphasizes speed, a forte of his, his contract demands would be so high that the Senators, who will already be in a tough spot trying to re-sign UFAs Wade Redden and Zdeno Chara, would not be able to pay him what he wanted and squeeze under the salary cap.

Now, with the possibility of Havlat maybe missing much of the regular season on the horizon, some are likely breathing a sigh of relief. Havlat won't have the statistics to be able to go to an arbitrator and say he deserves "x amount".

Maybe Senator fans should be writing thank you letters to Michael Ryder.

The Ordinary Guy

A few days ago, the Ottawa Citizen published a fine feature story detailing the success southern hockey teams have had attracting fans to games this season. Included are some interesting quotes from season-ticket holders, and I found this one particularly telling:

"Everybody is getting into it," says Atlantan Wes Silliman, an insurance salesman and season-ticket holder for five years. "I enjoy the offence and the high scoring. I miss the fighting, but I don't (like) all the penalties."

Considering the Thrashers have one of the best power plays in the league, it�s fair to surmise that the increase in scoring Silliman notices is probably a direct result of the increased number of penalties that have been called. I remember when Atlanta blasted Washington in back-to-back games in early October, scoring eight power play goals in the process.

Tom Benjamin noted a few weeks ago that he thinks scoring would decrease if there was a reduction in the number of power plays per game. It�s a reasonable argument when you consider that almost all of the high-scoring games we�ve seen this year are games in which power play goals are extremely prevalent. The question is, would a reduction in power plays, and subsequently, scoring, put a hurting on southern attendance (or even attendance across the board)?

Perhaps not, but you have to wonder if the NHL�s crusade to eliminate fisticuffs from the game would have a negative effect on southern fan interest. The physicality of the game is a draw for all hockey fans, but it�s seemingly more of an attraction to the casual fan who, perhaps, wants to see more bodies on the ground than goals on the scoreboard.

Maybe I�m just making a broad generalization, but the fact that Silliman says he actually misses fighting may indicate that, by introducing a plethora of rules designed to reduce fisticuffs, the NHL brass is indeed neglecting what Don Cherry referred to on Saturday as the �ordinary guy.�

The Ultimate Hockey Roadtrip

Thanks to Odd Man Rush for finding this piece from the Kennebec Journal on one sports writer's trip to four NHL cities:

I studied the NHL schedule and a road map and discovered it would be fairly easy to hit several NHL cities in a week. I informed my friend, Josh, an equally demented pucks fan, of my plan and he was quickly on board. The plan was to go to games in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Detroit. The trip would allow us to see three Original 6 teams (the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings) in three hockey-crazed cities, and possibly the NHL's best all-around squad in the Ottawa Senators, who also happened to have one my favorite all-time players, 40-year-old Dominik Hasek, in goal. Since the trip would take us through Toronto, we'd also be able to hit the Hockey Hall of Fame. It was the ultimate pucks pilgrimage.

Best of all, we'd be free to act like little boys again.

Se sure to follow along.

A New Trend In Sports Ownership...

It's official. Local sports team owners will let just about anybody sit in their boxes these days.

But seriously, check out DC Sportschick. Girls and sports, what could be better? Except...

Buccigross On The Shootout

Here's John Buccigross from his latest column on the shootout:

The shootout is here to stay. When the Rangers/Capitals shootout was going on, every TV in the ESPN newsroom was on. It's getting people talking about hockey. It's showing off skill. But I would still add five minutes of overtime to keep shootouts as fresh as possible. Games are going very fast with the tag up offside and quick faceoff.

I couldn't agree more woth this notion. The longer you make OT, the more likely it is you'll have a resolution before you hit the shootout. In fact, as I've noted before, I would have been happy this year if the NHL had kept ties, but extended the OT period to ten minutes.

Checking Your Free Speech Rights At The Arena Gate?

By now, most of you have probably heard about the spontaneous protest in favor of canning GM Matt Millen that erupted in Detroit on Sunday as the Lions dropped another game to the Minnesota Vikings:

The crowd then started to chant "Fire Millen" and some fans began fashioning their own makeshift signs, using the backs of grocery bags and other items. The crowd roared whenever a new sign was lifted -- and then booed when security yanked it away.

Millen, who now has a 20-56 record in his four-plus years at the helm, was caught by television cameras laughing, presumably at what was beginning to unfold in the stands. A young fan, perhaps in his early 20s, made up a small "Fire Millen" sign and ran through the crowd, ducking and dodging security. He weaved his way through 15 sections of the stadium, alternately raising his sign, acknowledging the cheering crowd with fist pumps and high fives...

The fan finally relented and was tackled by security and the crowd resumed its focus on the game as the Lions scored their only touchdown to cut Minnesota's lead to 21-16.

Click here for photographic evidence. Tackled? Well, after chasing this guy through 15 sections of the stadium as part of a $12/hour job, you can't be surprised the security guards were a little frustrated. Just be thankful they didn't have a taser.

In any case, Dave Smith shot me a note:

I caught footage of the guy being tackled on my recording of NFL Monday QB. First, it was idiotic for the team to try to confiscate all the "Fire Millen" signs - it predictably only fired up the crowd and increased anti-Millen sentiment, and i'll be we'll see more signs at the next home game.

Second, aside from the prudence of the move, i question the legality of it. Without knowing what the fine print looks like on the ticket "contract", i know that the sign wasn't obscene, the guy wasn't running onto the field or breaking any other rules i know of, and he got tackled pretty hard by security. I'll be interested to see whether he ends up with a lawsuit against the team....

Interesting thought: Do you check your civil liberties at the door when you attend a professional sporting event?

Back in the late 1970s, I distinctly remember a couple of fans having their anti-ownership banners confiscated at Shea Stadium during a Mets game. More recently, a fan I've come to know as "Bugle Man" -- who I've seen at Ravens games in Baltimore for almost a decade now -- was asked to leave his bugle at home after another unidentified fan complained.

Which was a shame, as I never remember anyone in our section ever having a problem with it. Then again, in both cases, ownership was well within their rights, despite the fact that they came off looking incredibly small minded. After all, a ticket is a contract of sorts, and regulating behavior once you get inside a stadium is fair game.

For me, I never understood why ownership would get bent out of shape by protests like these. As Dave has pointed out, all it served to do was to bring more attention to the protest than would have otherwise been the case. You'd figure folks in this business would have a thicker skin by now.

For those of you who would like to read more, click here for a paper from the First Amendment Center. Ironically, it seems that at venues owned by a college or university, regulations like the one described above would probably fail a first amendment test.

Hitting A Man When He's Down

Thanks to Beau Dure for the link to this video on a gratuitous shot at a defenseless teenage hockey player.

A few months ago, I read an article on privacy that asked the question, "What would life be like if all of our actions were transparent?" After watching a video like this one, it seems to me as if we're already part of the way there.