Ranking the top 10 hockey fights of 2010-11

Looking back at the year that was in hockey pugilism, we went right to the expert: David Singer, founder of HockeyFights.com, who gave us the lowdown on where hockey fighting was in 2010-11:

"Fighting numbers cooled a bit this year but were pretty much on par with the three seasons before it, when the frequency of fighting stabilized after the lockout.

"There were some nasty games between the Canadiens and Bruins and Islanders and Penguins.� Fun for fight funs, fun for those who love rivalries.� There's nothing like having half a dozen games to look forward to next season.� But there was too much in too short a time frame, and league (and media) attention helped cool things off.

"There was no clear-cut champ this past season.� Georges Laraque and Donald Brashear are now long gone and Wade Belak didn't see much ice before unofficially stepping into the booth.� Derek Boogaard has been the most feared fighter over the last couple of years and became an easy de facto champ until an injury kept him out most of the season.

"Boogaard's accidental death was shocking at the end of the season, and it's too hard to say if it will have any impact on the future of the enforcer role.�The old school enforcer role is becoming rarer and rarer.� Many of the young tough guys listed on the fighting majors leaderboard bring other skills, and an increase in ice time is reflecting that."

With that, we present you with the 10 best hockey fights of 2010-11, from the NHL and beyond ?

10. Nathan Horton vs. Zack Smith (NHL - April 9, 2011)

This fight was memorable for a few reasons: The sense of danger as Horton decided to fight just days before the playoffs started; the wonderful fight-calling of Jack Edwards; and the fact it was a pretty good scrap.

"If this guy gets hurt, the whole equation changes!" - The Prophet Jack Edwards.

9. Raitis Ivanans vs. Steve MacIntyre (NHL ? Oct. 7, 2010)

A tough one to watch given Raitis Ivanans' concussion suffered during this scrap, but it remains one of the season's best heavyweight battles.

8. Tye McGinn vs. Tyler Howe (QMJHL ? Dec. 3, 2010)

Spirited punch-fest with McGinn of the Gatineau Olympiques taking on Howe of the Moncton Wildcats. This might have been a case of Howe giving us the quantity and McGinn giving us the quality. Doesn't change the fact that Howe is Hockey Rudy.

7. Francis Lessard vs. Jay Rosehill (NHL ? Feb. 19, 2011)

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This was the fifth time Rosehill of the Toronto Maple Leafs battled Lessard of the Ottawa Senators. Not a whole hell of a lot of defense in this fight, but sometimes you don't mind the pugilistic equivalent of pond hockey. Try and count the punches.

6. Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond vs. Jesse Boulerice (AHL ? Nov. 16, 2010)

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A bloody entertaining tilt between two brawlers with NHL experience. Boulerice was an enforcer for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins while PL3 was playing for the Albany Devils.

Big-time bomb throwing here between these heavyweights; and really, who can't love a fight that the play-by-play guy refers to as a "bloodsport fight" with Leblond "bleeding like a raccoon"?

Boulerice, who once earned a 25-game suspension with the Philadelphia Flyers for a cross-check to the face of Ryan Kesler, was suspended 10 games later in the season for intentionally bumping a ref.

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5. Jarome Iginla vs. Jamie Benn (NHL ? Dec. 23, 2010)

A generational bout between these two, and the excitement of the young Dallas Stars forward taking on one of the league's biggest stars made this a memorable scrap. Well, that and FSN Dallas and Puck Daddy hero Daryl Reaugh having described it as a "five knuckle meat soother."

4. David Broll vs. Justin Sefton (OHL ? March 1, 2011)

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They all can't be marathon brawls. Here's a fight that starts out with Broll of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds having the advantage ? and then seeing that advantage end with one stiff punch from Justin Sefton of the Sudbury Wolves.

3. Krys Barch vs. Cam Janssen (NHL ? Jan. 2, 2011)

What a terrific fight on several fronts. It was the sixth time Barch of the Dallas Stars and Janssen of the St. Louis Blues have fought in the last three years. Barch bled a little in this battle. Janssen made the fight instantly memorable with his "c'mon, bring it" motion early on.

Should have been sponsored by Twitter.

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2. Brett Gallant vs. Joel Rechlicz (AHL - Feb. 19, 2011)

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This was a rematch for Gallant, a left wing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and Rechlicz, a right wing for the Hershey Bears ? a rematch five years in the making. They squared off in junior back in 2006, and as you can see it was worth the wait as the two AHLers traded (and absorbed) a great number of blows.

Full marks to Gallant, who gave up four inches and nearly 40 pounds to Rechlicz in the matchup.

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1. Eric Boulton vs. John Erskine (NHL ? Nov. 14, 2010)

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Wow. Just ? wow.

The way all the Washington Capitals players watched the replay of the fight on the center ice scoreboard, as the crowd reacted with every punch, remains our favorite highlight of the clip. This bout between Boulton and Erskine was named the Fight of the Year on Hockey Fights and there's no point in arguing that claim.

Hey, it hasn't exactly been the best of times for the Atlanta Thrashers ? at least they won something of note before jetting to Winnipeg.

Check out the full list of HockeyFights.com Year End awards.

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Think you know where MLS, NASL, and USL-Pro teams play? Well, prove it! I got bored during my lunch break and came up with this. It's also available in Facebook, if that's your thing.

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A BEHIND THE SCENES ORAL HISTORY OF SOCCER IN KANSAS CITY
On November 18, 2010, a Major League Soccer team changed its name. One minute they were the Kansas City Wizards. The next, they were Sporting KC. Of course it?s never that simple.
This is that story.
Greg Cotton
Chief Operating Officer, Sporting Kansas City
I hate the word ‘brand’ [...]

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MLB All Star Voting 2011: Why Tigers' Alex Avila Should Start All Star Game

As of Tuesday, Alex Avila of the Detroit Tigers was around 400,000 votes behind Russell Martin in the 2011 MLB All-Star Voting. Once again, fans are in the wrong with All-Star voting. 

Martin has had a good year, which came as a surprise to some. He signed with the Yankees and has turned his game around. However, Avila deserves to start at catcher. 

Avila isn't well known, which is why he isn't leading the votes. At least the fans didn't vote Joe Mauer in based on name alone. It's a sign they watching baseball, but Martin gets more votes because of his name and the fact that he is a Yankee. 

The best catcher in the American League is Avila. He leads all American League catchers in batting average, RBI, on base percentage, slugging, and in OPS, which is on base percentage plus slugging.

It's ridiculous that Avila isn't getting the votes. He is clearly the top catcher in the AL, and he would be the best in Major League Baseball, but Brian McCann is having an MVP like season.

The 24-year-old catcher is in his second season in the majors. He is hitting .303 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI. Avila has done most of his damage at home in Comerica Park hitting .308 with six home runs and 27 RBI. 

Against the National League Avila is hitting .321 with one homer and eight RBI. He should be the starter in the All-Star game, but it will most likely be Martin. 

Voters remember Martin because he has made two All-Stars in the past with the LA Dodgers. It's a shame that the best catcher in the American league won't be starting. Every year there are signs that the voting format needs to change, but Bud Selig and MLB will never do anything about it. 

Perhaps Avila can win the Final Vote if he his snubbed of an All-Star spot. However, since that is also voted by fans it is doubtful. 

We will find out on Sunday night if Avila received enough votes to be named the starter. The 2011 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show will be hosted by Matt Winer, and it will feature Cal Ripken Jr, Dennis Eckersley and David Wells as analysts.  

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Brooks Laich: 6-year deal with Capitals ?was the only option?

Happiness can't be underestimated when it comes to free agency. So it came down to this for Brooks Laich: Would he be happier playing for a team other than the Washington Capitals, in a city that wasn't Washington, D.C.?

The answer formally arrived on Tuesday morning:

No, he would not.

Via Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase, Laich has decided to forego unrestricted free agency and sign a 6-year, $27 million contract with the Capitals. From Vogel:

The deal came together late last week and was done in principle prior to the 2011 Entry Draft this past weekend. Getting it done before then was important to Laich as well. He didn't want to drag it out to July 1, or even to last weekend.

"It came down to running the risk of losing Washington, was what it was," says the 28-year-old center. "I knew unrestricted free agency was a week away, but I didn't want to run the risk of going through the draft and have Washington trade a draft pick or trade a player or something for somebody that could do my job with them thinking that I'm not planning on returning.

"My intent the whole time was to return. That was the only option. We got to a point where it got very close to the draft and I really wanted to get the deal done so I knew for sure I'd be going back to Washington. You never know could happen at the draft; they could have made trades or gone in another direction. I didn't want to lose Washington."

His cap hit of $4.5 million per season is way up from $2.066 million in his previous contract, but the Capitals had to pay market value for one of the most versatile players in the League. He scores, he takes faceoffs, he kills penalties, he fixes tires for families stranded on D.C. roadways, he's eye candy for the fans ? all of it.

He's also a leader, having served as the de facto spokesman for the locker room for many years before other veteran players helped share that role. Even in that role, his demeanor last season was more intense than in previous years: Focused on overcoming the disappointment that's characterized the team in recent years.

So there's unfinished business for Laich in D.C. He's played 475 regular season games; 474 of them have been as a member of the Washington Capitals. Laich ended the July 1 dance before the music even started, committing to the Capitals when half the hockey world was fitting him for a blue sweater with a Leaf on it.

Once you find a comfort zone in this business, and your team will have you back, there are compelling reasons not to look elsewhere. So he didn't.

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2014 World Cup qualifying is underway, and Philippines hero is American Nate Burkey from Alexandria

Less than a year since Spain?s crowning achievement in South Africa, qualifying for the 2014 World Cup has begun in CONCACAF and Asia.

Although these preliminary matches involve teams with little hope of reaching the final tournament in Brazil, the pursuit provides a wealth of story lines, such as Montserrat, a Caribbean island that was nearly obliterated by a volcano, playing its home leg against Belize in front of 100 spectators in Trinidad and Tobago.

And then there is the Philippines, which earned a 1-1 draw at Sri Lanka on Wednesday on a 50th-minute header by an American forward, Nate Burkey.

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