After a brief hiatus, I am back to tell you the 5 things that I learned last weekend. These are things that presented themselves at some point and that can be very telling as the sporting year moves along.
1. The Detroit Red Wings need Pavel Datsyuk more than they know. They have lost him for a couple weeks as he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove fragments from his right knee. Since he has been out, they lost at Chicago and at home to Vancouver and Colorado. It isn't a surprise to lose to Chicago in Chicago, as they are a good team. Losing to Vancouver is a little more of a shock just because they hadn't lost at Joe Louis Arena in more than a month. Datsyuk was missed on defense and his ability to create on offense. Also the game went to a shootout where Pavel usually shines. He was absent, and so was a shootout goal for the Wings. However, the biggest surprise was the home loss to the Avs. They were dominated and played very poorly. I think most Red Wings fans would agree, we need Datsyuk back to restore order.
2. Michigan State has at least a share of the Big Ten title after Wisconsin beat Ohio State in Columbus. I never thought that I would find myself rooting for the Badgers but as the game got tighter, I was glued to the television. I knew that a Badger win would give State a 2 game lead and a share of the title. If MSU can win 1 of it's final 2 games, they would own the title outright. So big time thanks to Bo Ryan and Wisconsin and a special mention to Purdue for beating Michigan in Ann Arbor on senior night making the latest Big Ten title possible.
3. Lebron James still cannot be "The Man" down the stretch of games. No matter what game he plays in, James just can't seem to put his team over the top. He was brilliant in the all-star game last night leading the East back from a 17-point deficit. He finished with 36 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. However, when the game was on the line, he deferred to Deron Williams who missed a 3 badly. Then Lebron got another chance when they secured the offensive rebound. He proceeded to throw the ball away on a pass that could have picked off by multiple defenders. I guess we now know why he defers to Dwyane Wade so often (who had a triple double by the way).
4. Poor Joel Zumaya has another arm injury. After throwing 13 pitches in a live batting practice session, Zumaya walked off the mound with elbow pain. Turns out, he tore a ligament in his pitching elbow. If he wants to continue with a baseball career, he will have to undergo Tommy John Surgery. That would make 6 surgeries since 2006. The hard throwing right hander is probably best known for his 100+ mph fastball and injuring his arm during the 2006 playoffs playing Guitar Hero. You can't blame him if he decides to retire, as overcoming so many surgeries is tough psychologically. My lasting memory of Zumaya is in a game against the White Sox during the penant race. He was facing Jermaine Dye and he threw 2 fastballs that were 101 and 102 mph. Then on the 0-2 pitch, he threw a devastating curve ball that almost made Dye's knees buckle. The crowd was fired up, Zumaya was fired up and I knew something special could happen that year.
5. With Hunter Mahan's win at the WGC World Match Play Championship, he not only kept Rory McIlroy from becoming the world number 1, but he made it 9 out of 9 Americans winning on the PGA Tour this season. That is surprising since the world is full of so many great golfers and no Americans are ranked in the top 4 in the world.
Special mention to Pete Weber. If you haven't seen his celebration after winning his 5th US Open title, check it out. It is classic. I love animated bowlers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKQOXYB2cd8
1. The Detroit Red Wings need Pavel Datsyuk more than they know. They have lost him for a couple weeks as he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove fragments from his right knee. Since he has been out, they lost at Chicago and at home to Vancouver and Colorado. It isn't a surprise to lose to Chicago in Chicago, as they are a good team. Losing to Vancouver is a little more of a shock just because they hadn't lost at Joe Louis Arena in more than a month. Datsyuk was missed on defense and his ability to create on offense. Also the game went to a shootout where Pavel usually shines. He was absent, and so was a shootout goal for the Wings. However, the biggest surprise was the home loss to the Avs. They were dominated and played very poorly. I think most Red Wings fans would agree, we need Datsyuk back to restore order.
2. Michigan State has at least a share of the Big Ten title after Wisconsin beat Ohio State in Columbus. I never thought that I would find myself rooting for the Badgers but as the game got tighter, I was glued to the television. I knew that a Badger win would give State a 2 game lead and a share of the title. If MSU can win 1 of it's final 2 games, they would own the title outright. So big time thanks to Bo Ryan and Wisconsin and a special mention to Purdue for beating Michigan in Ann Arbor on senior night making the latest Big Ten title possible.
3. Lebron James still cannot be "The Man" down the stretch of games. No matter what game he plays in, James just can't seem to put his team over the top. He was brilliant in the all-star game last night leading the East back from a 17-point deficit. He finished with 36 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. However, when the game was on the line, he deferred to Deron Williams who missed a 3 badly. Then Lebron got another chance when they secured the offensive rebound. He proceeded to throw the ball away on a pass that could have picked off by multiple defenders. I guess we now know why he defers to Dwyane Wade so often (who had a triple double by the way).
4. Poor Joel Zumaya has another arm injury. After throwing 13 pitches in a live batting practice session, Zumaya walked off the mound with elbow pain. Turns out, he tore a ligament in his pitching elbow. If he wants to continue with a baseball career, he will have to undergo Tommy John Surgery. That would make 6 surgeries since 2006. The hard throwing right hander is probably best known for his 100+ mph fastball and injuring his arm during the 2006 playoffs playing Guitar Hero. You can't blame him if he decides to retire, as overcoming so many surgeries is tough psychologically. My lasting memory of Zumaya is in a game against the White Sox during the penant race. He was facing Jermaine Dye and he threw 2 fastballs that were 101 and 102 mph. Then on the 0-2 pitch, he threw a devastating curve ball that almost made Dye's knees buckle. The crowd was fired up, Zumaya was fired up and I knew something special could happen that year.
5. With Hunter Mahan's win at the WGC World Match Play Championship, he not only kept Rory McIlroy from becoming the world number 1, but he made it 9 out of 9 Americans winning on the PGA Tour this season. That is surprising since the world is full of so many great golfers and no Americans are ranked in the top 4 in the world.
Special mention to Pete Weber. If you haven't seen his celebration after winning his 5th US Open title, check it out. It is classic. I love animated bowlers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKQOXYB2cd8
Nice to have you back. I would like to post two things that I learned this post....er.....I mean this week.
ReplyDelete1. You either really hate Michigan or really like Michigan State. It's one thing that Michigan lost but you had to add that it was senior night. As if you took the blade, inserted it, pulled it out, re-inserted it and then pulled it out the other end. :-)
2. Regardless of the celebration in bowling, it still will not be main stream. Classic video though. I would hate to lose to that guy in anything. As a side note, Walter Ray would have never celebrated like that. He won with class. :-)