Armed Forces Bowl

The Wiz of Odds is conducting a comprehensive study of bowl game expense reports. All of the data collected ? expense reports for 56 teams and bowl surveys for 40 teams ? are being posted on the site. Here is...

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Mehdi Ballouchy?s Stoppage Time Heroics Saves a Point For New York Red Bulls

Every time the New York Red Bulls and Houston Dynamo get together during the season or the playoffs, something crazy happens. When you are thinking for once it was going to be a quiet game, you aren?t thinking things through. It happened again at Robertson Stadium as the Red Bulls found a way to score [...]


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calcutta consciousness

from the outside, in — one man’s journey to the heart of India
by Ashwin Warrior
I came to Calcutta on a whim. Time off from school, traveling and volunteering in India?one version of the American collegiate dream. I chose Calcutta, the sprawling metropolis of over fifteen million people, on the recommendation of a friend.�He said the [...]

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Friday’s Three Stars: Horton hears a goal, sends Bruins to Final

No. 1 Star: Nathan Horton, Boston Bruins

As controversy swirled around him about whether or not he should be suspended for Game 7 after a water bottle incident with a fan at the end of Game 6, Horton played the role of hero as it was his goal with 7:33 remaining in the third period that sent Boston to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990:

No. 2 Star: Dwayne Roloson, Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 7 was a pure goaltender's duel and Roloson played lights out for Tampa stopping 37 shots. While he officially takes the loss due to Horton's goal, it was the 41-year old who impressed everyone with his stellar play, like on this rob job of Michael Ryder:

No. 3 Star: Tim Thomas Boston Bruins

As Roloson marveled, Thomas played equally as well posting a shutout with 24 saves as he went toe-to-toe with the Lightning netminder in a game of who would blink first.

Honorable mention: David Krejci assisted on Horton's winner and was 14-for-17 in the dot ... Commend the referees for letting them play and calling zero penalties ... Dennis Seidenberg led all players with eight blocked shots ... Steven Stamkos took a puck to the face, but that didn't stop him from finishing the rest of Game 7.

Did you know? This was the seventh 1-0 Game 7 in NHL playoff history. (VERSUS)

Dishonorable mention: Dishonorable mention? Did you watch the game?

Conn Smythe Watch: 1. Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks; 2. Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins; 3. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 4. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; 5. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks; 6. Kevin Bieksa, Vancouver Canucks; 7. Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins; 8. David Krejci, Boston Bruins; 9. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 10. Nathan Horton, Boston Bruins.

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Puck Headlines: Thrasher Day in Winnipeg expected Tuesday

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

? That's Lil' Alex Ovechkin, rocking the vintage Buffalo Sabres gear. And also wielding a dagger. And also hanging out around the Barbie dolls in the toy store. Did the Washington Capitals see none of this on the pre-draft psych evaluation? Also, why weren't we told that Young Ovie looks like the kid from "About a Boy"? [Alex Ovetjkin]

? Puck The Media reports that Game 7 drew an 18.8 in Boston, the best-ever rating for VERSUS in Beantown. Ditto Tampa Bay, which drew a 7.8 rating to make it the No. 1 TV program in the city Friday night. Game 7 drew 2.55 million viewers nationally, the highest viewership for a Conference Final since 2002, and VERSUS' best non-Stanley Cup Final ratings ever. [Puck The Media]

? Interesting "where are they now?" piece on the 1990 Boston Bruins Cup finalist. "Ken Linseman: Still resides in the Boston area and owns a commercial real estate development firm; Can often be seen surfing at Hampton Beach." [Stanley Cup of Chowder]

? EA Sports supercomputer pick the Vancouver Canucks to win the Stanley Cup. [EA Sports]

? Travis Hughes explains why he thinks the Philadelphia Flyers are on the hunt for Evgeni Nabokov. [Broad Street Hockey]

? Tuesday could be the day the NHL formally announces the Atlanta Thrashers have relocated to Winnipeg. [Slam]

? "CBC News has been told by True North Sports and Entertainment to have technical people ready to set up possibly late Monday for something early Tuesday." [CBC Sports]

? Police have not been informed by True North of when the announcement could be made, but "The Forks has been told to be ready to hold a party for the announcement that Winnipeg is back in the NHL ? on Tuesday at the earliest ? and staff there are in full planning mode." [Winnipeg Free Press]

? Bill Daly: Hey, what move? The Winni-what-now? [SB Nation Atlanta]

? Vancouver columnist Tony Gallagher's crackpot rant about how Colin Campbell's influence will hand the Cup to the Bruins is defeated by these pesky things called "facts." Like, for example: "The Bruins have been given 211 penalty minutes this postseason. Their opponents have been given 180 penalty minutes." [NESN]

? Good piece from over the weekend on the reduced role of the enforcer in the NHL and connecting it back to the death of Derek Boogaard. [CT Post]

? The players who escaped from the black hole that was the 1999 NHL Draft. [Polished Puck Press]

? The Ottawa Senators announced today that the club has signed forward Louie Caporusso to a two-year entry-level contract.� A Toronto native, Caporusso recently completed his fourth and final season of college eligibility with the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's University of Michigan Wolverines, who he helped reach the NCAA championship game (Frozen Four final) on April 9 in St. Paul, Minn. [Senators]

? E.J. McGuire is very much missed at the NHL Scouting Combine. [NHL.com]

? Why the San Jose Sharks should search out some help for the penalty kill this offseason. They should get someone like that dude on the Canucks. Manny something-or-other. [Fear The Fin]

? The good news is that the Sharks have their core group of players locked up. This is also the bad news. [Sharks]

? OK, before everyone goes into a tizzy … it's a PARODY, people. And Blades of Funny has a few more Bruins Bear ad knockoffs for your viewing pleasure before the Stanley Cup Final begins on Wednesday. [Blades of Funny]

? The Sea Dogs are already talking about repeating as Memorial Cup champs. [Buzzing The Net]

? Hey, remember Dan Hinote? So every year, he gives back to the Shjon Podein Children's Foundation by surprising the kids wearing a different costume.�There is an online Facebook poll asking what he should wear this year. Two months ago, he mentioned something about an Average Joes Dodgeball motif. Hey, if you can dodge a wrench ... [s/t Fiona C. Quick]

? Tapeleg offers a challenge to blog editors that have let their posting lag this season. [Jerseys and Hockey Love]

? "Roberto Luongo Will Have to Break 35-Year Curse of Goalies Who Wear Jersey No. 1." [NESN]

? "The Canuckmobile lives! Well, actually, it doesn't. But the dad of one of the three teens who embarked on the memorable 1994 road trip to cheer on the Canucks in the Big Apple is hoping to revive the same fervour with a reincarnated Canuckmobile." [Province]

? Finally, it's getaway day for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and here's GM Steve Yzerman on all matters …

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Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool ? 2011 Strikeout Kings Vol. 4

Here are some reasonably available players to assist you in the strikeouts category. 

Realize that some of these players will come with high ERAs and WHIPs because if a pitcher has low numbers in those categories and a good K total, they’re already spoken for.

Bartolo Colon, New York Yankees

Colon had 21 strikeouts in 23 innings (8.2 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. On the year, he’s 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 62 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings (8.4 K/9). Despite his success, Colon is owned in just 36 percent of Yahoo! and 41 percent of ESPN leagues.

Scott Baker, Minnesota Twins

Baker had 21 strikeouts in 18 innings (10.5 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 0-1 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. On the year, he is 2-3 with a 3.65 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings (8.9 K/9). Baker is owned in 32 percent of Yahoo! and 12.6 percent of ESPN leagues.

Edwin Jackson, Chicago White Sox

Jackson is one of those risky plays picking up 20 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings (10.2 K/9) while going 1-1 with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. On the year, he’s 4-5 with a 4.63 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP and 59 strikeouts in 68 innings (7.8 K/9). Jackson is owned in 43 percent of Yahoo! and 19.5 percent of ESPN leagues.

J.A. Happ, Houston Astros

Happ had 20 strikeouts in 17 innings (10.6 K/9) over the past 15 days while sporting a 2.65 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. On the year, he is 3-6 with a 4.66 ERA, a 1.638 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings (7.5 K/9). Happ is owned in less than 10 percent of fantasy leagues.

Jonathon Niese, New York Mets

Niese had 18 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings (8.8 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 2-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. On the year, he’s 4-5 with a 3.92 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings (6.7 K/9). Niese is owned in less than 10 percent of fantasy leagues.

High Strikeout Middle Relievers (Stats based on past 15 days.)

• Sergio Romo, SF:  6 2/3 IP, 13 Ks, 2.70 ERA, 0.45 WHIP
• David Robertson, NYY:  6 IP, 12 Ks, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP
• Mike Adams, SD:  5 2/3 IP, 11 Ks, 3.18 ERA, 1.59 WHIP
• Koji Uehara, BAL:  6 2/3 IP, 10 Ks, 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP
• George Sherrill, ATL:  5 2/3 IP, 9 Ks, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP
• Alfredo Simon, BAL:  6 2/3 IP, 9 Ks, 4.05 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
• Brian Sanchez, FLA:  7 IP, 9 Ks, 1.29 ERA, 1.43 WHIP
• Grant Balfour, OAK:  7 IP, 9 Ks, 6.43 ERA, 1.29 WHIP
• Charlie Furbush, DET:  8 2/3 IP, 9 Ks, 0.00 ERA, 0.81 WHIP

Also check out:

• Can John Danks Get Back on Track?
• Should You Buy Low on Carlos Santana?
• Can Alex Rios Turn It Around?
• Should You Buy Low on Chris Carpenter?
• Can Kyle McClellan Continue to Shine?

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Thin Skinned Down in the Sunshine State: Clever Bruins Smack Gets Silenced

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AmSoc 75: Sepp Blatter as Ernst Stavro Blofeld

- Jason Davis



If only soccer had a 007. Jared and I hit just three topics this week, topics that require a significant investment of time an energy to cover properly.





First up, after we cover my superhuman ability to avoid getting a nickname, is Bob Bradley's Gold Cup roster. It wasn't necessarily what we expected from Bob, so Jared and I go down the full list giving our thumbs up or down on every choice. Bradley took some understandable risks while others are shockingly odd. Freddy...

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Klopas replaces De Los Cobos as Fire head coach

The Chicago Fire never did get going under head coach Carlos De Los Cobos, and the lack of results ultimately led to De Los Cobos departure. The Fire fired De Los Cobos on Monday (though the team's press release said the sides have "parted ways") and former Chicago Fire standout and front office exec Frank Klopas has been chosen to take over as head coach. Klopas takes over a Fire team that has struggled all season and has managed just a 1-4-6 record after starting the season 1-0-1. De Los Cobos failed to produce results after taking over as head...

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Much Adu About Something

You're not a real soccer writer until you've used that pun in the title.







- Keith Hickey



Coach Sweats has released his roster for the USMNT's friendly with Spain and the 2011 Gold Cup, and while most of the group was as expected, there are a couple of selections and omissions that raised some eyebrows. The most notable inclusion was that of the former child prodigy himself, Mr. Freddy Adu.





While I was initially incredulous, I've decided that I'm willing to give Bradley and...

[[ This is a content summary. Please visit Match Fit USA for the full post ]]

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Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova: Latest from French Open 2011

We're into the second week at Roland Garros and we had some big names in action today—or not in action, in the case of Novak Djokovic.

Let's take a look at today's results and see what lies ahead for the top players as we get towards the business end of the tournament. Feel free to add your comments and predictions!

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How much are 2011 Stanley Cup Final tickets? Prepare to sell kidney

A quick economics lesson about Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup Final tickets, courtesy of Joellen Ferrer of StubHub.com:

"The demand well surpasses supply. You have a lot of these fans who aren't going to give up their tickets. You have starving fans that have been waiting for years and years," she said.

"But on the other side, it's a seller's market."

That it is. We spoke with Ferrer on Friday afternoon before the Boston Bruins' Game 7 victory that set the match-up for the Cup Final with Vancouver. On the resale ticket market, the average price for a Game 1 ticket was $817 on Friday; by Sunday, it increased to $842. The average price for Game 2 in Vancouver was $832 on Friday and $890 on Sunday.

For a Game 5 in Vancouver, it was $1,001 on Friday and an average of $1,209 on Sunday ? higher than the average price for Game 7, actually ($1,197 as of Sunday). Maybe some fans are thinking this series is a quickie?

The average ticket price for the four games in Vancouver was $924 on Friday; it's up to $966 as of Sunday. "The listing prices often differ from the prices fans are actually willing to pay," said Ferrar.

According to StubHub, the most expensive ticket purchased on its site for any of the Canucks' home games thus far has been a $4,500 ticket to sit in Club 105 for a potential Game 5. The purchaser snagged two at that price … almost a week before Game 1 was scheduled to be played. (The most expensive ticket purchased for Game 2 was $2,500 in Club 107.)

But Boston has already trumped that. According to StubHub, someone purchased two "Loge Glass 11" tickets for $5,999 each for a potential Game 6.

Fans are paying an average of $686 for the potential three Boston home games, breaking down as $659 for Game 3, $649 for Game 4 and $871 for Game 6.

So the tickets in Boston are a shade more affordable (and one assumes attainable) than they are in Vancouver, at least through Sunday. Which may be one reason why Ferrer believes there will be plenty of Canucks fans hitting the road for Beantown, as they did for the San Jose Sharks' home game in the conference finals ? 20 percent of the buyers of Sharks home game tickets on StubHub were from British Columbia, in fact.

Ferrer said that, as of Sunday, 20 percent of the StubHub buyers for the Stanley Cup Final games in Boston are from Canada.

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2011 NBA Finals: Dallas Mavericks X-Factor Is Jason Terry

2011 NBA Finals:  Dallas Mavericks X-Factor Is Jason Terry

Jason Terry is an offensive machine for the Dallas Mavericks, and for them to beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, he must shoot well from the outside.

Terry's offense was a major reason the Mavericks swept the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the West semifinals, and was also impressive against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

In the 2011 NBA playoffs, Terry is shooting 47 percent from the field and 46 percent from three point land.

He is shooting well against all types of defenses, and his offense helps take some of the scoring burden off of Dirk Nowitzki.

If Terry can continue to score his current playoff average of 17.3 points per game during the Finals, the Mavericks will be champions.

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Alexi Lalas Exclusive Interview: Names His All-Time USMNT XI

Alexi Lalas is an icon of American soccer. Whether it was his nine years of professional experience playing in Italy, Ecuador and MLS, or his international career for the United States where he starred in the 1994 World Cup, Alexi has always been a talking point. He is now a soccer analyst for ESPN and [...]


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Stunning Numbers: Power failures, penalty magnets in NHL playoffs

Stunning Numbers is an occasional look at stats and figures from around the NHL.

In their tremendous semifinals sweep of the Washington Capitals, the Tampa Bay Lightning dominated the special teams play with a power play that clicked and a penalty kill that kept the Caps in check.

Against the Boston Bruins, the kill remains solid; but please feel free to insert your hackneyed "Lightning" and "power outage" line here about how their scoring with the man advantage has been zapped.

11.8 percent

Say, are you wondering why the Tampa Bay Lightning are one loss away from being eliminated from the Eastern Conference finals? Look no further than one of the most lethal and impressive power plays in the postseason going ice cold when it's mattered most.

The Bolts entered the series with the Boston Bruins clicking at a 26.7 percent clip; through five games against the B's, Tampa is 2 for 17, sputtering along at a 11.8 percent conversion rate and failing to put a power-play goal on the board in its last three games.

This was supposed to be a huge advantage for the Lightning, given the craptastic nature of the Boston power play (a trend that's continued into this round). Playing the Bruins even here is one reason they're looking at a possible elimination in Game 6.

62.9 percent

The ridiculous faceoff winning percentage for Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins in 329 total faceoffs (207-122). Were the playoffs to end today, Bergeron would have the highest faceoff winning percentage in the postseason since Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings won 64.6 percent of his draws in 2008 (min. 250 chances).

39.2 percent

The faceoff winning percentage for Blair Betts of the Flyers, the�lowest for any player with at least 100 faceoffs in the 2011 postseason. Betts was at 50.3 percent in the regular season, second best on the team behind Jeff Carter (54.7).

2.3

The average penalties drawn per 60 minutes of even-strength hockey by Jordin Tootoo of the Nashville Predators in 12 games, tops in the playoffs for players that have played 10 or more postseason games. Dominic Moore of the Lightning (2.2 in 16 games) is second, followed by Darroll Powe and Danny Briere of the Flyers at 2.1 in 11 games each. [Behind the Net]

7.4

The number of penalties taken per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey by Ben Eager of the San Jose Sharks in 10 games, by far the leader for the postseason. Eager has 41 PIMs in just 10 games.

11

The number of minor penalties taken by both Ryan Malone of the Lightning and Ryane Clowe of the Sharks to lead all playoff skaters and prove that no matter how you spell it, that first name is clearly felonious.

3

The number of major penalties taken by Kevin Bieksa of the Canucks, tops in the playoffs. That said, Bieksa has at times been a model of restraint in comparison to years past: "It's easier to take a punch to the face if it leads to us winning the game. Anyone in the room would make that tradeoff any day."

.946

Dwayne Roloson's save percentage while short-handed, having made the most saves (88) and given up the fewest goals for goalies that have played at least 10 games (5) in the playoffs.

.804

Sharks' goalie Antti Niemi's save percentage while short-handed, yielding a league-worst 18 goals on 74 shots. Which is what happens when you face the Sedins and your teammates are on an endless parade to see if the penalty box flasher will show up again.

4:22

The amount of 5-on-3 power-play time that the Philadelphia Flyers had through the postseason, tops in the playoffs and failing to score during it. Which is one reason they're no longer in the playoffs.

85:55

The amount of time the Tampa Bay Lightning have spent short-handed on the road through 16 games; Vancouver is second at 66:05.

Plus-11

The best plus/minus rating of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, owned by Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins. He was only a plus-1 through six games against Montreal.

Minus-8

The worst plus/minus ratings of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs through Monday night. Who owns them? Matt Carle of the departed Philadelphia Flyers, Devin Setoguchi of the San Jose Sharks and, perhaps most surprisingly, Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

5.67

The average hits per game through six games for Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings, who still leads the NHL playoffs in that category. Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals was second with an average of 4.44 hits per game through nine games.

66.4 percent

Of the remaining players in the playoffs with at least 14 games played, the even-strength offensive zone start percentage for Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins, who has finished 56.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. Second is Alex Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks with 66.3 percent starts and 56.6 percent of his shifts finishing in the offensive zone.� [Behind The Net]

12

The number of points on the road scored by Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks in eight games, leading Vinny Lecavalier of the Lightning by a point. He's scored seven on home ice.

10

The number of points scored by Nathan Horton of the Bruins on home ice, including five goals. He has four points in seven road games, including nothing on the road vs. Tampa Bay. In case you needed a reminder of how much Nathan enjoyed his time in Florida.

$63.5 million

Finally, the high-end estimate for next year's salary cap, based on the $3 billion in revenue the NHL is expected to post for this season. It was $59.4 million in 2010-11, with a $43.4 million cap floor, which will rise as well. Dale Tallon grabs wallet, starts looking to overspend like a socialite at Tiffany's.

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Doctors clear Manny Malhotra to return for Stanley Cup Final

On Mar. 16, Manny Malhotra was thought to be done for the season after taking a puck to the eye in a game against the Colorado Avalanche. Concerns quickly went from whether or not Malhotra could return during the playoffs to whether or not his career and eyesight was in jeopardy.

A little over two months since he left the Vancouver Canucks lineup, Malhotra has finally been cleared to played as the team prepares for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night against the Boston Bruins.

Malhotra has been skating since May 12 with a full face shield and even after two surgeries late in the regular season, he's still been around the Canucks locker room and was even on the ice when the team was awarded the Presidents' Trophy in April.

Here's Malhotra speaking to the media today about his return:

Canucks GM Mike Gillis said today when the team announced that Malhotra's season was over in March, that wasn't necessarily the case.

From the Vancouver Sun:

"Well, there was a number of reasons we did that.�One is privacy issues. He had a severe injury, and it seemed like, notwithstanding us urging people to please respect his privacy, a number of people chose not to, so we wanted to take that pressure away," Gillis said.

The possibility of expectations rising to a level where the thought of Malhotra being �back during the playoffs was also a factor in squashing any comeback talk early according to Gillis.

Vancouver is also still discussing whether or not Malhotra's vision meets the NHL requirement for a player coming back from an eye injury.

Malhotra's addition to the Canucks' lineup would only boost things in the room and provide them with added strength to the third line as a guy who can win faceoffs and kill penalties. And with the extra days in-between the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup, that's more time for Malhotra to recover and get back in the swing of things after two months off.

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University of Tennessee: 5 Bold Predictions for the 2011 College Football Season

I am officially an alumnus of the University of Tennessee.

I graduated (without honors, mind you) from Tennessee just two weeks ago, and I miss it already. I'm back on Rocky Top for Memorial Day weekend and a college friend's wedding. It was epic, but that story is for another time and maybe another website.

Even as a recent alumnus, the Derek Dooley Effect hasn't worn off a bit. The guy is a comedian in the press room, a teacher on the practice field, and a fighter in Neyland Stadium.

Here are five bold predictions for the 2011 season for our beloved Tennessee Volunteers.

Begin Slideshow

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As the FIFA Turns

Chuck and Jack in happier times (from Chuck's blog)
- Jason Davis



This site has yet to address the USMNT roster for the Gold Cup, and Bob Bradley certainly gave us plenty to talk about. Freddy returns. Fascinating.





But Bradley for his picks and framing this as this all-guns-blazing-tournament (he'll either lay waste and win the title or go down giving us all the middle finger) will have to wait. FIFA news is breaking.





Chuck Blazer has accused Jack Warner and Mohammed Bin Hammam of...

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Roloson vs. Smith: Who should Lightning start in Game 6 vs. Bruins?

That Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Guy Boucher evoked the Vancouver Canucks sitting a struggling Roberto Luongo in Game 6 on the road, only to bring him back for a strong effort against Chicago in Game 7 of the Western Conference quarterfinal, would seem to indicate Dwayne Roloson will be starting in Game 6 against the Boston Bruins.

Yet after Tampa Bay's 3-1 Game 5 loss on Monday night, that left the Boston Bruins one win away from the Stanley Cup Finals, Boucher also spoke about rewarding outstanding play.

Surprise starter Mike Smith wasn't a liability in and, frankly, gave his team a chance to win Game 5. His play was outstanding when it needed to be in making 17 saves.

Here's Boucher after Game 5 in Boston on starting Smith over the Bolts' 41-year-old playoff hero:

"I think it paid off. He played really well. And the other thing too is that, all year, we've used everybody. We prided ourselves on giving everybody a good chance. When people deserve things … I'm one of those guys that will give people a chance. I felt Smitty had been terrific for us for a long, long time. He deserved to get a game.

"At the same time, I felt giving a little breather to Rollie, like Vancouver did with Luongo. Luongo came back, they've been winning since. It's a decision I don't regret at all. I've done it in the past and it worked. I've had it done against me and it worked. It was the same for Vancouver and it worked. It wasn't something emotional at all. It was done methodically. It was unanimous as a staff that we wanted to give a breather to Rollie and give Smitty a chance to participate in something he's been a part of."

Smith handled the puck well. He gave his team confidence for the third time in this series. It took two outstanding passing plays to beat him.

But he's also not the reason the Tampa Bay Lightning have a sniff of the Stanley Cup. The shaggy-haired 41-year-old that sat on the bench in Game 5 is.

With this journey one defeat away from its end in the conference finals, did Boucher make the right call in Game 5? And which goalie should play in Game 6?

In the 3-1 loss, Smith went from being untested in a lazy first period by the Bruins (4 shots); to giving up two second-period goals, the first to Nathan Horton where Smith was too deep in his own net and the second to Brad Marchand that wasn't on Smith; to making some outstanding saves down the stretch that kept it 2-1 until Rich Peverley's empty-netter.

With just under 12 minutes left in the third, Smith made a save with his mask on Tomas Kaberle. Just over a minute later, he made a great glove save on a Zdeno Chara backhander; the kind of robbery that left Doc Emrick bellowing his name for what seemed like the next 10 minutes on VERSUS.

So Smith did his part. But looking back at Boucher's statements on the Bolts' goaltending throughout the series, a switch back to Roloson in Game 6 seems to fit the theme.

What Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Guy Boucher said after Game 2 in Boston, after that 6-5 pond hockey game that saw Roloson give up six goals on 27 shots:

"He's resilient. He's somebody that's got tremendous concentration. And you know he always bounces back. So we're not expecting anything less than what he's given us throughout the year. So I'm not worried. I'm not looking for new ways to give some tools for our goaltender to rebound. He's got the tools. He knows how to do it. He's done it. We're not going to mess with it."

Here's Boucher after Game 4:

"We have our No. 1 goaltender. He's taken us to this place right now. And that's the reason why we're here. And we have our -- Smitty has been terrific. He's had an average of over .940 since December 15th. And the fact that Roli came in certainly helped him with pressure and poise and all that. And whenever he was asked to play since Roloson has been there, he's been terrific. I mean, he's just been terrific. So whenever it's time for him to help the team and try to change the momentum around, I don't hesitate. It was the same in Boston. We put him in. He didn't get scored against in the third period. We were trying to come back. He played well again. So I don't remember the last bad game he's played. So obviously, when there's an opportunity to help the team and try and turn things around, we're not afraid to use him. He did a good job today.

What Boucher said before Game 5, regarding Smith and Roloson:

"I don't feel like we've got a situation. We've got a goaltender that has taken us here. He's played really well, and he's getting prepared for tomorrow. We've got a goaltender that came in relief and he's done really well. So every time we ask him to come in, he's played well, and we've got a goaltender that has taken us here that knows how to win and knows how to bounce back. So don't feel there's a situation there."

And yet there is.

Because as much as the coaches wanted to divorce emotion from their Game 5 call between the pipes, it's inevitability there for Game 6. Roloson is arguably the reason this team is two wins away from the Stanley Cup Finals. To say he's owed the chance to keep the season alive ? especially having gone 6-0 in elimination games in his career ? is an understatement.

But what is Smith owed for his play in the Game 5 loss?

Another shot in Game 6.

The Bruins needed two outstanding passing plays to beat him in Game 5, the first two goals he's yielded in 61 minutes of postseason play. He handles the puck better than Roloson. He's given this team a chance to win in his last four periods.

Maybe a rest gives Roloson a chance to regain his form; or maybe he gets pulled for a third time in four games. Smith is, at this point, the safer play, with Roloson coming off the pine if things go awry, providing an emotional jolt if he does.

But expect Boucher to opt for Roloson, following the Luongo model from Round 1.

But remember: Lou didn't steal Game 7; Alex Burrows did. So when Tampa's power play has gone ice cold and its offense is making Tim Thomas look every bit the Vezina winner, there are greater issues than the Smith/Roloson debate -- issues that will determine if the Bruins are playing for the Stanley Cup after Game 6.

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Lightning coach ‘very, very aware’ of ref Furlatt’s lopsided calls

In their regular-season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes and in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Tampa Bay Lightning needed to kill a combined 13 power plays.

How many were they given? Two.

Referee Eric Furlatt worked both of those games, as well as at least two more in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that featured the Lightning. Both of those games saw the Lightning, who had the 12th-most minor penalties in the NHL during the regular season (335), play short-handed more often than their opponents.

Furlatt and Kelly Sutherland are working Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night, as the Lightning attempt to stave off elimination by the Boston Bruins.

You expect to hear coaches talk about having to game-plan for their team's opponents; rarely do you hear a coach candidly talk about game-planning for a certain official.

Yet there was Guy Boucher in his pregame press conference, either working the refs or laying his concerns out for public consumption about Furlatt's history with his team. So the question becomes: If this disparity is so evident, why is this official working Game 6?

From Wednesday's presser:

Q. Guy, do you get concerned at all sometimes when you see the officials who are on the sheet? You get one particular tonight who's been very lopsided the past few times.

COACH BOUCHER: 24-9 against, right? Yes, I'm aware of it. Very aware of it. Very, very aware of it. It has been a part of our discussions quite a few times in the last game, the last games we did have that particular ref. And it is lopsided.
But the only thing we can control is what we do on the ice and hope that things will be fair like it is with everybody else.

Q. Do you block that out of your mind, though? Do you have to ignore it, who it is, and just go about your business?

COACH BOUCHER: You want to ignore it, but you're right, after repetition, it is a concern. But we're planning on being strong mentally and forcing whoever is a ref to see that we're very disciplined.

Very, very aware of it. Here are Furlatt's games with the Bolts this postseason.

Game 1 vs. Pittsburgh

Game 6 vs. Pittsburgh

Game 2 vs. Boston

Now, there's always another official on the ice as a check and balance. But the disparity is there; what, exactly, did Ryan Malone do to this guy in a former life to earn 14 penalty minutes in three games?

To hear a coach ? even one as intentionally dramatic as Boucher ? state his case about a particular official ahead of his team's most important game of the postseason is eye-opening.

So why is referee Eric Furlatt working Game 6 for Tampa/Boston?

Mainly because the NHL isn't going to allow a coach to dictate terms about who officiates his team's games, and there's no telling whether or not the Lightning even made the request. But whether he's an influence in Game 6, or is now influenced by Boucher's gamesmanship, perhaps skipping his turn in the rotation would have been the right play here for the league, based on recent history.

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Hulk Hogan X-Box Kinect Game Officially Announced by Majesco

It has been announced that Hulk Hogan has teamed with Majesco to offer the first fully motion controlled wrestling game for the X-Box Kinect motion sensor system.

The announcement came a few days ago, and the plans for a Hulk Hogan-only video game have many wrestling fans scratching their heads.

The description released by the developer states that a player will create a custom wrestler, and then face off against the Hulkster in nine different venues.  These include a backyard, gym and numerous stadiums.

The moveset will consist of approximately 30 moves that can be performed by utilizing the Kinect feature.  The actual game has yet to be demonstrated so it is still unknown how certain things like kicking out of a pin and diving moves will work.

Since this game only features Hogan and a small moveset, I'm led to believe this may end up as a download-only game, not available in disc format.

Hopefully the developer and Microsoft don't charge too much for the game because I have a feeling that very few people would be willing to pay the average $59.99 price tag for a game that only features one known wrestler.

Hogan has had a variety of different projects over the last few years ranging from infomercials to film projects to his role in TNA, and now he appears to be branching off from TNA to create this game.

TNA's frist video game was met with little enthusiasm by gamers and a lack of sales prompted the company to hold of on making another game anytime soon.  Its later-than-anticipated release didn't help much either.

With WWE ruling the wrestling game world—with their highly popular Smackdown vs. Raw series and the newly released WWE All Stars—I have a hard time thinking this game will make any kind of a dent in those sales.

I praise Hogan for being proactive in keeping his name relevant and continuing to work, but sometimes I wonder why he signs up to do these things.

I guess only time will tell if the game will be successful.  So far Kinect has seen relatively strong sales, so there could be a large enough market for this game to succeed.

What do you think, will the Hulk Hogan game be good or a dud?

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Arsenal FC 2011: A Season of Shambles, Has Ars�ne Wenger Lost the Plot?

The season is over!

Arsenal have finished fourth in the league and remain trophyless yet again for the sixth season running. Whose fault is it?

Many are quick to blame the manager as he picks the team week in week out and was responsible for taking crucial decisions that affected the team's performance.

Is Arsène Wenger really to blame for all Arsenal's woes? Were all those trophies in his first nine seasons simply a fluke on his part, as since that generation of players have moved on he has seemingly been unable to replicate that success at any level?

Seriously, let's think about it: Who is responsible for the direction in which the team faces? I'm not talking about executive corporate decisions, but rather the nitty-gritty decision-making that relates to tactics, squad reinforcements, choice of Captain, etc.

I appreciate the fact that Wenger is the most successful manager in the history of the club, but things have to be put in the right perspective.

Would it make any difference if he had done things differently in the summer in regards to signings or reinforcements in January? And what if he had been more tactically decisive as per substitutions, as seen in the last three games of the season?

The list of possibilities is endless, and we can only wonder "what if?"

As such, since the theory that the manager has lost the plot is not backed by any empirical evidence, I am unwilling to accept that he has. I still believe that he has a great vision as to which direction the team should head and is currently heading.

The idea that we are a still a young team is not an excuse anymore. Actually, it has never really been an excuse. It was a simple statement of fact that has often been misunderstood by certain sections of the supporters and the media in general asking all who cared to look at the picture and focus on the positives in the context of the achievements of the season.

A number of years ago, Wenger asked if winning the Carling Cup was better than finishing fourth in the Premier League. Ask Birmingham today, they got relegated after winning the Carling Cup this year. Food for thought!

This year, I believe Arsenal came very close to success, only missing out on success by a consistent marginal inadequacy. Arsenal fans were thus left to rue their losses and consider what might have been...what if?

Till next time...Victoria Concordia Crescit

This Article is also featured on the blog www.iamthegreengooner.com

You may also follow me on Twitter here www.twitter.com/thegreengooner

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forced from home

so you want to be a soccer writer?
Stay in the game long enough, doing whatever it is that keeps you afloat, and you?re bound to get the email ? how do I become a soccer writer? How do I make money off my website? They come from kids and adults, from established bloggers and newly [...]

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U.S. Coach Bob Bradley comments on some of players left off Gold Cup roster

Bob Bradley?s comments on some of the players who were passed over for the U.S. national team roster:

Nurnberg outside back Timothy Chandler

?We have had a number of discussions with Timothy and the club. At the end of this season, his first real season playing at this level, we felt it didn?t make sense for him. He has carried a few little injuries of late, he has told us physically and mentally this season has been a hard one. The time wasn?t right.?

Read full article >>

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Lionel Messi: Italian Champs AC Milan in the Future for the World's Best?

Barcelona demonstrated their dominance of the football world on Saturday night with a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium in London.

It was Barcelona's fourth European triumph of all time, but they built on their current dynasty with their third since 2006. It was also Lionel Messi's third since 2006.

It was a wonderful celebration for the Blaugrana in London, but Messi's celebration certainly took an interesting turn.

We all remember the Spanish players putting a Barcelona jersey over the head of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas during the celebrations after returning from their World Cup triumph last summer. Something strikingly similar was caught in an image photographed during Saturday's celebrations when a photographer spotted Lionel Messi with an AC Milan scarf.

What does this mean? Well, for the time being, absolutely nothing.

Messi is undoubtedly the greatest player in the world. Anyone who denies that is as brainless about the game as they come. He has won everything there is to possibly win, except trophies with Argentina. However, he has pledged his loyalty to Barcelona and a move away is highly unlikely.

Look at the Argentine's numbers in terms of honors at the Nou Camp. He has won five La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues, has won countless individual awards, and has made Barcelona the greatest.

Messi is a Barcelona-bred player who should be with the club for quite sometime. Is a move impossible for the future? I do not think so. Messi has already won everything in Spain, why not try his skills in another league with another team? AC Milan are a club where he could easily shine. Playing alongside fellow South American Alexandre Pato, he could thrive and lead the Rossoneri to an abundance of trophies.

Any club who wants to move for Messi would have to wait until a contract year where they could convince him to not re-sign with Barcelona. Let's face it—not even Bill Gates could afford a transfer fee for Messi.

There are a lot of things making a Barca departure for Messi unlikely, but it is not something to rule out for the future. If it does happen, AC Milan should consider making a move.

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Knock Knock It?s FIFA: Week in Review May 23?27, 2011

It was an incredibly busy week in American soccer. �Between the US national team, MLS midweek matches, and all sorts of FIFA controversies, there was a wealth of story lines for fans of the beautiful game. �Below are some of the ones we were following this week that we did not have time to post [...]


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Seattle Mariners: The 'Pen Is an Awful Additon to Safeco Field

One of the best Mariner fan traditions, with all apologies to  Sean Kramer, is that when the Mariners are bad to mediocre, you can pay for seats in the nosebleeds and find a much better fan experience in vacant seats throughout different parts of the stadium.

Even in the Kingdome, where ushers seemed a lot more lenient, one could often make their way dozens of rows closer to the action.

At Safeco, the Mariners had (previously) worked very hard to create a better, more traditional baseball stadium experience than the dim and dreary Kingdome: a half-dozen stands serving garlic fries, a wide selection of Seattle craft beers and open access to the bullpen. A Mariners fan could conceivably buy $7 seats in the center field bleachers and watch the entire game from above the bullpen, obstructed only by a metal screen.

I’ve seen people get into fights there, I’ve seen people make friends there and I once saw a guy in a kilt, a mesh shirt, knee-high boots, a Scottish style plaid hat and a sign that said “Today is my bachelor party” hanging from his neck, spend two innings asking opposing pitchers if they thought he was sexy.

The bullpen was the best experience available at Safeco for the budget conscious. It was probably the best place to have a conversation or debate about baseball, and one of the few places you wouldn’t have your conversation supplemented with talk of the most recent gossip, the newest sale or best food at Starbucks. It was the only place in the stadium, by my estimation, where people spent their time for the sole purpose of watching the baseball game.

But when I heard that they’d lost the screen, I was really excited. When I saw that they’d mounted a bar-style table across the entire railing, I was thrilled.

Enter “The ‘Pen,” and exit everything good about Safeco field.

It used to be that you could walk from the bullpen to right field without having to hit stairs, and only when you got behind the center field beer garden did you have to take your eyes off the game. Now, you must drop down to the center field entrance to get to right field. Not that the game is completely out of site for the whole time, but there are actually restaurant-style booths along the way, completely out of view of the field or TV.

I witnessed four people sitting and talking, completely ignorant to the game, and none of them (not even the men) were even attempting to view the game on TV (if they had, they would probably have seen MMA on Versus instead of Seattle Mariners baseball).

Even their conversation was probably ruined by the loser (I’m sure he’s a nice person) playing cookie-cutter rap music so loud you can’t hear the crowd cheer, let alone the crack of the bat.

Eight-dollar mixed drinks that can’t be taken out of The ‘Pen and a crowded bar facing away from the field are no help. Root Sports has done a lot of great stuff to improve the fan experience for the broadcast, but to create a bar that is a magnet for the after-10, douchey sports bar crowd is an awful decision.

 

Check out North and South of Royal Brougham for articles like:

Is Michael Pineda better than Felix Hernandez?

A look at the new Blue Scholars video directed by the creators of Sonicsgate

When Seattle has Oklahoma City's back

and Why Kyle Seager may be best served playing outfield

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Winners and Losers in the Gold Cup Call-Ups

The call-ups are done, and the rosters are known. �Every team participating in this year's Gold Cup has unveiled their rosters, and as expected the U.S. and Mexico look the strongest but other teams look to have the talent to challenge the top two. �After a day reading some quality analysis and thinking about the [...]


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Sunday’s Three Stars: Canucks’ quick strikes earn 3-1 series lead

No. 1 Star: Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

Sedin took over the scoring lead with a franchise-playoff record four-assist night in their 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks to take a 3-1 series lead. It was on the Canucks' final goal early in the third period by Alexandre Burrows that Sedin put his pass through Antti Niemi's legs:

No. 2 Star: Sami Salo, Vancouver Canucks

With Vancouver scoring three power play goals in a 1:55 span in the second period, it was Salo who potted two of them and helped set up Ryan Kesler for the first one. Salo hadn't scored since Game 4 against Chicago in the opening round and it was his first multi-point game of the season.

No. 3 Star: Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks

Luongo needed to help the Canucks stave off five straight power plays for San Jose to start the game and then later stand tall as the Sharks outshot Vancouver 17-3 in the final period. Making 33 saves, Luongo earned his 11th win of the playoffs.

Honorable mention: Daniel Sedin wasn't left off the scoresheet as he recorded three assists ... Salo and Dan Hamhuis each blocked five shots ... Keith Ballard delivered the hit of the playoffs after he flipped Jamie McGinn along the boards:

Did you know? Vancouver had scored just one 5-on-3 goal during the regular season. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: San Jose has only scored on three of their last 15 power play chances, while Vancouver is 5-for-12 ... Antti Niemi allowed the four Canuck goals on just 13 shots ... Raffi Torres was given two minutes for charging at the end of the first period after this hit on Douglas Murray:

Joe Thornton left the game in the third period and did not return after taking a hit from Torres ... Finally, Ryan Kesler thought this was a sucker-punch from Ryane Clowe at the end of the game and said he'd like the NHL to look at it. What do you think?

Conn Smythe Watch: 1. Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks; 2. Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 4.�Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins; 5. Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks; 6. Sean Bergenheim, Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Dwayne Roloson, Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; 9. Ryane Clowe, San Jose Sharks; 10. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks.

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Xolos Rising

an iconic resort, a maybe murderer, & the birth of top-flight football in Tijuana
by Eben Lehman
It took decades, but in the end it was just a short journey to find something seemingly so far away: the transcendent football experience. On a Sunday morning in April, soccer fan Dean Mitchell leaves his home in San Diego [...]

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Who will win the UEFA Champions League final?

The top two teams in the world are set to face off in London in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, and one will add a fourth European championship trophy to its already busting silverware case. Giants Barcelona and Manchester United will meet in the Champions League for the third time in the last four years. Manchester United won their semifinal matchup in 2008 en route to the title, and Barcelona won the rematch in the 2009 final. Both bring starpower throughout the field and into the coaching box, which should make for an entertaining championship match worthy of...

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Philadelphia 76ers and Moses Malone: The NBA Swapping Game!

Warning: Extreme amounts of imagination exist within this article. Anyone who does not have an imagination may not find this article as enjoyable.

 

The 76ers">Philadelphia 76ers are a tough, young group. This postseason, they courageously battled the superior Miami Heat squad. (If you didn't watch this series, just imagine the movie 300.) Despite a valiant effort, the Heat won the series, four games to one. They gave it all they had, but the 76ers lacked the experience to compete with the Heat.

As I watched the games on television I thought, "They really need a better interior presence. Who could fill that gap?" Well, today I won't be looking at present NBA rosters for that answer—we will be looking in the past. Enter Moses Malone.

This 6'10" center/forward didn't start his career with the 76ers, but he won his only championship with them. He was also named the Finals MVP with Philadelphia, which is notable enough for me. He is exactly what the young 76ers need.

The current 76ers starting center, Spencer Hawes, will be replaced with Moses Malone. Spencer is 23 years of age, so we will compare him with a 23-year-old Malone. Here is how they stack up:

Player	Points Per Game	Rebounds Per Game	Assists Per Game	Three-Point Percentage	Field-Goal Percentage	Free-Throw Percentage
Spencer Hawes	7.2	5.7	1.5	24.3%	53.4%	53.4%
Moses Malone	24.8	17.6	1.5	N/A*	54%	73.9%

*Malone was 23 in 1978 and the NBA adopted the three-point field goal in the 1979–80 season

 

Moses Malone blows away Spencer Hawes in just about every category, except for field-goal percentage, which is virtually the same.

Moses Malone might have been able to give that series against the Heat more life. This is no knock on Spencer by any means. He is a young player, a true seven-footer and he may end up being a solid double-double guy.

Anyway, back to the subject.

This year the 76ers had a record of 41-41—exactly .500. With such a huge upgrade at the center position, how would the 76ers fair? Moses Malone would end up being the leading scorer and would lead the way in rebounds. That being said, I'm giving the 76ers a 52-30 record with Moses Malone at least. Crazy thinking, you say? Don't be so quick to judge.

The 76ers have a spectacularly athletic team. What they truly lack is a go-to guy, and a big man. Yet again, not a knock on Spencer, but six rebounds when you're 7'0" is not breaking any records—that's Andrea Bargnani territory and you want to stay far away from there.

Moses Malone is both a go-to guy and a true big man—all while shooting 20 percent better than Hawes from the free-throw line. The 76ers can play hard for most of the game, but it's usually inexperience or trouble scoring down the stretch that causes them to lose. Moses Malone may not have had the experience at 23 years old, but he certainly fits the bill otherwise.

Would the 76ers have gotten past the Heat? Probably not. If they would have, they may have ended up taking out the Celtics too. Besides Jermaine O'Neal (who decided he wanted to look like he was still a Pacer), the Celtics would have no answer for Malone. The youth and speed of the 76ers would have prevailed against them.

Against the Bulls? Not so much. Noah would have matched up well enough to keep Moses from taking over the series—not to mention Deng and Rose would have thrived against their respective matchups. The Bulls would have ended it in five.

So, in conclusion, I personally think if Moses Malone swapped places with Spencer Hawes, the team would be much different. With a massively talented starting lineup, they would just need more depth, and maybe another starting power forward. (Not Elton Brand's fault—he's 32 and should be a part of a veteran squad gunning for a championship.)

 

Note: If you would like me to write an article for you about anything related to the NBA, I'd be more than glad to do so, just leave a comment. Writing for other people is usually a good way for me to stay motivated. Thanks for reading.

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Lightning coach ‘very, very aware’ of ref Furlatt’s lopsided calls

In their regular-season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes and in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Tampa Bay Lightning needed to kill a combined 13 power plays.

How many were they given? Two.

Referee Eric Furlatt worked both of those games, as well as at least two more in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that featured the Lightning. Both of those games saw the Lightning, who had the 12th-most minor penalties in the NHL during the regular season (335), play short-handed more often than their opponents.

Furlatt and Kelly Sutherland are working Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night, as the Lightning attempt to stave off elimination by the Boston Bruins.

You expect to hear coaches talk about having to game-plan for their team's opponents; rarely do you hear a coach candidly talk about game-planning for a certain official.

Yet there was Guy Boucher in his pregame press conference, either working the refs or laying his concerns out for public consumption about Furlatt's history with his team. So the question becomes: If this disparity is so evident, why is this official working Game 6?

From Wednesday's presser:

Q. Guy, do you get concerned at all sometimes when you see the officials who are on the sheet? You get one particular tonight who's been very lopsided the past few times.

COACH BOUCHER: 24-9 against, right? Yes, I'm aware of it. Very aware of it. Very, very aware of it. It has been a part of our discussions quite a few times in the last game, the last games we did have that particular ref. And it is lopsided.
But the only thing we can control is what we do on the ice and hope that things will be fair like it is with everybody else.

Q. Do you block that out of your mind, though? Do you have to ignore it, who it is, and just go about your business?

COACH BOUCHER: You want to ignore it, but you're right, after repetition, it is a concern. But we're planning on being strong mentally and forcing whoever is a ref to see that we're very disciplined.

Very, very aware of it. Here are Furlatt's games with the Bolts this postseason.

Game 1 vs. Pittsburgh

Game 6 vs. Pittsburgh

Game 2 vs. Boston

Now, there's always another official on the ice as a check and balance. But the disparity is there; what, exactly, did Ryan Malone do to this guy in a former life to earn 14 penalty minutes in three games?

To hear a coach ? even one as intentionally dramatic as Boucher ? state his case about a particular official ahead of his team's most important game of the postseason is eye-opening.

So why is referee Eric Furlatt working Game 6 for Tampa/Boston?

Mainly because the NHL isn't going to allow a coach to dictate terms about who officiates his team's games, and there's no telling whether or not the Lightning even made the request. But whether he's an influence in Game 6, or is now influenced by Boucher's gamesmanship, perhaps skipping his turn in the rotation would have been the right play here for the league, based on recent history.

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