Today we're going to wrap up our coverage from Sochi by taking a look at the job NBC did with its coverage of the Games. As usual, NBC had its critics who always had to find something wrong with the coverage. Yet millions of people tuned in night after night, which is a pretty clear sign their system is working and makes you think they don't care what the critics say. And for the most part, NBC did a pretty solid job with its coverage from Sochi.
Let's start with the most obvious complaint of Twitterverse and their beloved "#nbcfail." There's no live coverage in prime time! What these people once again failed to understand is that Sochi is nine hours ahead of New York. In other words, when NBC came on the air at 8 p.m., it was 5 in the morning in Sochi. No events are going on at 5:00 in the morning. This was the same problem they had in London. It's not that they didn't want to show stuff live, it's that the time difference made doing so impossible. And that'll be the case whenever the Olympics are in Europe.
I love it how a lot of the people who complained about the primetime coverage didn't even live in the U.S., and if they did, they lived in a border city and got the Canadian coverage. They used the whole "they show it live no matter what time it is" argument. That's true, but they also showed stuff on tape in primetime, which is exactly the same thing NBC did. In London the "they should show it live and on tape camp" emerged. Well, what do you think they were showing on NBCSN all morning?
That's really the part I don't understand about the "it wasn't live" troop. If you wanted to get up in the middle of the night and watch the Olympics live, you were able to. Besides, NBC is trying to grow its cable channel. What better way to do that then using one of the network's biggest properties (the Olympics) to draw eyes to said cable channel? Especially since it was the middle of the night. I think using NBCSN for its overnight coverage was a great way for NBC to show events live for those who wanted to see them.
You can't even say they didn't show the marquee events live on TV. Because they did. NBCSN gave us the breakout stars of the Games--Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski as a part of their live figure skating coverage. Live coverage that included every skater, from start to finish, in every competition. They also showed every hockey game live on one of the FOUR cable channels they used in their coverage. And, in response to the frustrations many have had in the past, they once again streamed everything live online. Is that ideal? No. But if you wanted to get up at 3:30 in the morning to watch cross country skiing, you were able to. And I don't really think you can blame NBC for wanting to show events people were going to wanna watch during times when they might actually be able to watch them.
On most nights, the primetime coverage lasted from 8:00-11:30. Going into the Olympics, I wasn't sure if that was too long, too short, or just long enough. Turns out, three and a half hours was indeed just the right amount of time. For the most part, the primetime coverage was very good, and it featured more event coverage than anything else. And that event coverage was split nicely between sports, as well as within the different segments of the telecast. And I know this next part was probably pretty frustrating for a lot of people, but whatever the marquee event of the night was usually ended right around 11:00, which is the same time primetime was ending on the other networks. That wasn't a coincidence.
Outside of Mary Carillo's stuff, which is usually pretty entertaining, there were no more, or at least not as many, of those ridiculous features. And the features that they did show were, for the most part, worthwhile. And incredibly well done. The most notable of these being the story of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team, the feature on Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long, and the wonderful Nancy & Tonya documentary.
I wish they hadn't crammed their destined-to-be-crappy sitcoms down our throats, though. They were panned (rightfully so) for cutting away from the Closing Ceremony in Vancouver for the premiere of "The Marriage Ref." Then in London, they used the Olympics as the lead-in for "Go On," which was at least actually funny, and "Animal Practice," as if anyone was going to think that show was any less stupid than all the commercials for it. Neither one of those shows lasted longer than a season (with the early cancellation of "Animal Practice" coming as a big surprise to everyone). That didn't workm yet for some reason they tried it again with "About a Boy" and "Growing Up Fisher." NBC, stop doing that! If you're going to use the Olympics to launch a new show, at least make it a good one!
That's where my criticism of NBC comes in. The Opening and Closing Ceremony should've been streamed live like the events, and the amount of editing NBC does on its TV coverage of the two ceremonies is almost too extreme. Especially the Closing Ceremony. That thing was definitely longer than two hours. And why were Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira/Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth the hosts?
Speaking of Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, they were thrust into the primetime spotlight thanks to Bob Costas' eye. Bob didn't look good during the first couple of broadcasts, so his stepping aside on the Tuesday of the first week was the right decision. And I thought Matt Lauer did a superb job filling in. If Costas ever decided to move on from his Olympic hosting duties, I'd have no problem with Matt Lauer being named as a permanent replacement. He more than held his own. He was great. Meredith, on the other hand, was out of her element. She was OK. Not good, not bad, but you could tell she was uncomfortable.
I also agreed with NBC's decision to have them tag-team primetime in Bob's absence rather than shifting Al Michaels or someone else over from NBCSN. They would've had to juggle their entire host roster around if they'd done that, and it wouldn't have made a whole lot of sense to do that for just a couple of days. The fact that it turned out being almost an entire week didn't change that. Once Costas returned, he looked a lot better. He was probably close to 100 percent by the end of the Games. But we got a glimpse of the future and learned what an Olympics without Bob Costas might look like.
Probably because he was gone for a week, NBC didn't get to do a lot of the interviews and cultural stuff that they were planning. However, they hit a home run with the way they handled the elephant in the room. One of the things Americans made a big deal about heading into the Olympics was Russia's new "anti-gay" legislation. It was going to be a difficult topic to broach, but one that had to be broached nonetheless. The way they did it, though, was perhaps the best way possible.
On the late night show after the ladies' free skate, Johnny and Tara came to visit Bob and talk about the competition. Bob segued to it, noting that it was unrelated but still relevant, and asked Johnny how he had been treated in Russia. It's very clear to everyone that Johnny Weir is gay, and he doesn't hide that fact. So you'd think if anyone was going to be discriminated against in Sochi, it would've been him. And he responded by saying that everyone had been great towards him. As it turns out, after all that paranoia and overreacting, there was nothing to worry about.
Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski were the stars of NBC's coverage from Sochi, and I gained a lot more respect for Johnny Weir because of the way he handled that question. I just hope they find a way to utilize them in Rio. I'm also worried about how the "#nbcfail" community is going to react to the Rio Games. Because in Rio, NBC's going to get the chance to do something it couldn't in London and Sochi, show events live in primetime.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Sochi Superlatives
The Olympics are over, which means it's time to look back on two weeks in Sochi. Every Olympics gives us its unforgettable moments, and the Sochi Games were no different. There was the Russian gold in team figure skating and Adelina Soldnitova's upset win in the ladies' event. The sheer dominance of the Dutch speed skating team and that incredible shootout in the USA-Russia hockey game. The emergence of new stars like Mikaela Shiffrin and Gracie Gold, as well as an Olympic swan song for Bode Miller and Evgeni Plushenko. We saw Ole Einar Bjoerndahlen and Marit Bjoergen set records as two of the most decorated Winter Olympians of all-time, and epic failures of Shani Davis and Shaun White going for history of their own. Then there's NBC, which gave us the real breakout stars of the Games, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski...and Bob Costas' eye.
Russia captured the overall and gold medal titles, with help from American Vic Wild and Korean Victor Ahn. The American snowboarding and freestyle skiing teams were dominant, which I'm not really sure how I feel about. It's great that they helped the overall medal haul, but it's also discouraging to think of how badly the U.S. did in sports that other countries actually do. But still, it's hard to be disappointed in 29 medals, the most ever won by an American team at a non-North American Olympics. And if the men's hockey team had beaten Finland in the bronze medal game, it would've been at least a medal a day for the U.S.
There were plenty of new events, some of which were really awesome. I was skeptical about team figure skating at first, but it was actually pretty cool. Women's ski jumping was long overdue, even if it got the complete shaft from NBC. I didn't get to see the team luge, so I have no opinion there, and I already talked about the new events in the extreme sports.
We were also completely enthralled by the winter sports that we don't pay any attention to for three years and 11 months, then can't get enough of during the Olympics. Curling, the sport that we all think we can do and is our path to the Olympics. Biathlon, which might be the coolest sport in the entire Olympics (Winter or Summer). Cross country skiing, the most difficult sport out there. Short track, roller derby on ice.
I've also got some Olympic superlatives to hand out. Unlike London, where this was divided into three parts, the American and international awards are being combined here.
Best Game: USA-Russia Men's Hockey
No question. This was the hottest ticket in Sochi, and the game didn't disappoint. The Russians probably should've won, but had a goal disallowed in the third period. Then came the shootout. And T.J. Oshie. And T.J. Oshie again. And T.J. Oshie again. This game lived up to its billing and then some.
Biggest Upset: Adelina Soldnitova
Kim Yuna was going to win her second straight gold medal. It wasn't even going to be close. The question was who would win the silver. Then we had Yulia Lipnitskaya and that incredible performance in the team event, and suddenly it might be the Russian teenager who won the gold. Well, it was the Russian teenager who won the gold. Except it wasn't Lipnitskaya. It was Soldnitova.
Best Farewell: Ole Einar Bjoerndahlen
There are so many to choose from. Yevgeny Plushenko and those two incredible performances to help Russia win the gold in the figure skating team event, before he had to bow out of the individual competition with an injury. But I've got to go with Bjoerndahlen. You've never heard of him, but he's the greatest Winter Olympian in history. The 40-year-old Bjoerndahlen tied Bjorn Daehlie's record of 12 medals by winning gold in the first biathlon event of the Games, the sprint, then picked up two more in relays. Even though I would only watch him once every four years, I'm going to miss seeing Bjoerndahlen in the Olympics.
Best History-Making Performance: Lauryn Williams
Bjoerndahlen became the most decorated Winter Olympian in history, but it pales in comparison to what Lauryn Williams accomplished in Sochi. She was the silver medalist in the 100 meters at the 2004 Athens Summer Games, and won a gold on the U.S. 4x100 meter relay squad in London. She then took up bobsled and won a silver in her new sport in Sochi, becoming just the fifth athlete ever to win a medal in both the Summer and Winter Games.
Biggest Disappointment: (tie) Shani Davis and Shaun White
The entire U.S. speed skating team was abysmal. And Shani Davis was the face of that disappointment. He was going for a third straight gold in the 1000 and wanted to leave Sochi as the most decorated male speed skater in U.S. Olympic history. Instead he left Sochi empty-handed. Then there's White. He, too, wanted to make history by winning the same event three straight times. He even withdrew from slopestyle to focus on winning his third straight halfpipe gold...and didn't even make the podium
Lifetime Achievement Award: Carolina Kostner
She entered the Torino Games as the hometown favorite, and the pressure got to her. She entered Vancouver as a former World Champion, and was even worse. In Sochi, she finally got the Olympic medal she's long deserved. A little unexpected, but a bronze that certainly shines as bright as gold for the Italian veteran.
Most Dominant Performance: Dutch Speed Skating Team
Talk about an easy one. I've never seen anything like this in any Olympics, Winter or Summer, period. Of the 36 medals awarded in speed skating, the Dutch won 23, including four podium sweeps. It was truly remarkable. We're probably never going to see anything like this again. Honorable mention to the Canadians, who went 4-for-4 in gold medals in the team sports, sweeping both the men's and women's hockey and curling titles.
Biggest Star: Victor Ahn
He was the only athlete in Sochi to win four medals, taking home three gold and a bronze in short track. But it's the story that's even more remarkable. He was already a star, missed the Vancouver Olympics due to injury, then ended up not able to regain his place on the Korean team. So he changed his name, became a Russian citizen, and won four medals for the home team, including three gold.
Best Country Switch: Vic Wild
The native of Federal Way, Wash., won two gold medals in snowboarding for Russia. Why? Because the American snowboard team wanted to focus on the freestyle events instead of the alpine events, so his funding was cut. So Wild married his Russian girlfriend, moved to Russia, became a citizen and started competing for them. His wife, Alena Zavarzina, won a bronze in the parallel giant slalom minutes before Wild won gold in the same event. Then he added another gold in the inaugural parallel slalom.
Hottest (International): Tina Maze
Our reigning champion, Tessa Virtue, was back in Sochi and was as gorgeous as ever. If it's possible, she might've even been hotter. But you can't win this award more than once, so she was out of the running. As usual, there was some strong competition for the most prestigious of all my awards, but I'm going with Maze because of her ability to combine her hotness with results. She won two golds, and had a fourth and a fifth. Plus, she's also a pop star in her native Slovenia. Honorable mentions go to British curler Evie Muirhead and Austrian alpine skier Anna Fenninger.
Hottest (American): Jamie Anderson
As the defending gold medalist, Julia Mancuso was ineligible. I also decided to take Gracie Gold and Mikaela Shiffrin out of the running with the expectation of seeing them both again in PyeongChang (and so that I wouldn't have to decide between them). There were others worth considering, but without Gracie, Shiffrin and Mancuso in the running, there were only two real contenders left--Jamie Anderson and Ashley Wagner. Ashley Wagner gave us the McKayla Maroney face of these Olympics, which deserves its own award, but is she hotter than Jamie Anderson? I don't think so. Besides, Anderson got a gold in an individual event, and Wagner only won a bronze in a team event. Wagner wins the silver here. The bronze goes to cross country skier Jessie Diggins.
Russia captured the overall and gold medal titles, with help from American Vic Wild and Korean Victor Ahn. The American snowboarding and freestyle skiing teams were dominant, which I'm not really sure how I feel about. It's great that they helped the overall medal haul, but it's also discouraging to think of how badly the U.S. did in sports that other countries actually do. But still, it's hard to be disappointed in 29 medals, the most ever won by an American team at a non-North American Olympics. And if the men's hockey team had beaten Finland in the bronze medal game, it would've been at least a medal a day for the U.S.
There were plenty of new events, some of which were really awesome. I was skeptical about team figure skating at first, but it was actually pretty cool. Women's ski jumping was long overdue, even if it got the complete shaft from NBC. I didn't get to see the team luge, so I have no opinion there, and I already talked about the new events in the extreme sports.
We were also completely enthralled by the winter sports that we don't pay any attention to for three years and 11 months, then can't get enough of during the Olympics. Curling, the sport that we all think we can do and is our path to the Olympics. Biathlon, which might be the coolest sport in the entire Olympics (Winter or Summer). Cross country skiing, the most difficult sport out there. Short track, roller derby on ice.
I've also got some Olympic superlatives to hand out. Unlike London, where this was divided into three parts, the American and international awards are being combined here.
Best Game: USA-Russia Men's Hockey
No question. This was the hottest ticket in Sochi, and the game didn't disappoint. The Russians probably should've won, but had a goal disallowed in the third period. Then came the shootout. And T.J. Oshie. And T.J. Oshie again. And T.J. Oshie again. This game lived up to its billing and then some.
Biggest Upset: Adelina Soldnitova
Kim Yuna was going to win her second straight gold medal. It wasn't even going to be close. The question was who would win the silver. Then we had Yulia Lipnitskaya and that incredible performance in the team event, and suddenly it might be the Russian teenager who won the gold. Well, it was the Russian teenager who won the gold. Except it wasn't Lipnitskaya. It was Soldnitova.
Best Farewell: Ole Einar Bjoerndahlen
There are so many to choose from. Yevgeny Plushenko and those two incredible performances to help Russia win the gold in the figure skating team event, before he had to bow out of the individual competition with an injury. But I've got to go with Bjoerndahlen. You've never heard of him, but he's the greatest Winter Olympian in history. The 40-year-old Bjoerndahlen tied Bjorn Daehlie's record of 12 medals by winning gold in the first biathlon event of the Games, the sprint, then picked up two more in relays. Even though I would only watch him once every four years, I'm going to miss seeing Bjoerndahlen in the Olympics.
Bjoerndahlen became the most decorated Winter Olympian in history, but it pales in comparison to what Lauryn Williams accomplished in Sochi. She was the silver medalist in the 100 meters at the 2004 Athens Summer Games, and won a gold on the U.S. 4x100 meter relay squad in London. She then took up bobsled and won a silver in her new sport in Sochi, becoming just the fifth athlete ever to win a medal in both the Summer and Winter Games.
 |
| Williams is on the right with partner Elana Meyers. |
Biggest Disappointment: (tie) Shani Davis and Shaun White
The entire U.S. speed skating team was abysmal. And Shani Davis was the face of that disappointment. He was going for a third straight gold in the 1000 and wanted to leave Sochi as the most decorated male speed skater in U.S. Olympic history. Instead he left Sochi empty-handed. Then there's White. He, too, wanted to make history by winning the same event three straight times. He even withdrew from slopestyle to focus on winning his third straight halfpipe gold...and didn't even make the podium
She entered the Torino Games as the hometown favorite, and the pressure got to her. She entered Vancouver as a former World Champion, and was even worse. In Sochi, she finally got the Olympic medal she's long deserved. A little unexpected, but a bronze that certainly shines as bright as gold for the Italian veteran.
Most Dominant Performance: Dutch Speed Skating Team
Talk about an easy one. I've never seen anything like this in any Olympics, Winter or Summer, period. Of the 36 medals awarded in speed skating, the Dutch won 23, including four podium sweeps. It was truly remarkable. We're probably never going to see anything like this again. Honorable mention to the Canadians, who went 4-for-4 in gold medals in the team sports, sweeping both the men's and women's hockey and curling titles.
Biggest Star: Victor Ahn
He was the only athlete in Sochi to win four medals, taking home three gold and a bronze in short track. But it's the story that's even more remarkable. He was already a star, missed the Vancouver Olympics due to injury, then ended up not able to regain his place on the Korean team. So he changed his name, became a Russian citizen, and won four medals for the home team, including three gold.
Best Country Switch: Vic Wild
The native of Federal Way, Wash., won two gold medals in snowboarding for Russia. Why? Because the American snowboard team wanted to focus on the freestyle events instead of the alpine events, so his funding was cut. So Wild married his Russian girlfriend, moved to Russia, became a citizen and started competing for them. His wife, Alena Zavarzina, won a bronze in the parallel giant slalom minutes before Wild won gold in the same event. Then he added another gold in the inaugural parallel slalom.
Our reigning champion, Tessa Virtue, was back in Sochi and was as gorgeous as ever. If it's possible, she might've even been hotter. But you can't win this award more than once, so she was out of the running. As usual, there was some strong competition for the most prestigious of all my awards, but I'm going with Maze because of her ability to combine her hotness with results. She won two golds, and had a fourth and a fifth. Plus, she's also a pop star in her native Slovenia. Honorable mentions go to British curler Evie Muirhead and Austrian alpine skier Anna Fenninger.
Hottest (American): Jamie Anderson
As the defending gold medalist, Julia Mancuso was ineligible. I also decided to take Gracie Gold and Mikaela Shiffrin out of the running with the expectation of seeing them both again in PyeongChang (and so that I wouldn't have to decide between them). There were others worth considering, but without Gracie, Shiffrin and Mancuso in the running, there were only two real contenders left--Jamie Anderson and Ashley Wagner. Ashley Wagner gave us the McKayla Maroney face of these Olympics, which deserves its own award, but is she hotter than Jamie Anderson? I don't think so. Besides, Anderson got a gold in an individual event, and Wagner only won a bronze in a team event. Wagner wins the silver here. The bronze goes to cross country skier Jessie Diggins.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Keep the NHL In the Olympics
Another great Olympic hockey tournament came to an end yesterday with Canada and Sweden, which were definitely the two best teams in the tournament, meeting for gold. The Canadians came away with their second straight gold medal in what might've been the last Olympic hockey game in which NHL players participate. I hope it isn't.
The NHL hasn't committed to sending its players to the 2018 PyeongChang Games (that's going to be fun to write over and over again for the next four years), and doesn't seem to be in any sort of rush to do it. The players want to go, and the fans obviously want to see them there. But Gary Bettman (who sure seemed to be enjoying himself in Sochi) and the owners are a little more reluctant. And, unfortunately, they're the ones who ultimately call the shots.
We know where plenty of higher-ups in the NHL feel about the Olympics. Islanders GM Garth Snow, who lost his best player, John Tavares, for the season to a knee injury suffered in Canada's game against Latvia, has made it perfectly clear what he thinks. Snow wants it to go back to being amateurs, seemingly ignoring the fact that the Olympics haven't been the domain of amateurs in many years. It should also be noted here that Snow was an Olympian himself in 1994, the last time before the NHL started sending its players to the Olympics.
Injury concerns are one thing, and I guess they're somewhat valid (after all, Tavares wasn't the only player injured during the Olympics who's going to miss time for his NHL team), but season-ending injuries can happen in NHL games, too. But there's never any mention of injury concerns during the World Championships, which take place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and only feature NHL players from teams that have already been eliminated. That's not the real problem here. The real problem is that the NHL doesn't make any money off the Olympics.
Make no mistake, this is completely about the money. 100 percent. The NHL doesn't want to shut down its season so that the players can participate in a tournament where there's nothing in it for them. That was one of the sticking points that almost kept the NHL guys out of Sochi. The NHL isn't against international competition...as long as they profit from it. That's why we can expect to see the return of the World Cup of Hockey at some point in the near future.
What the NHL owners fail to see here, though, is the big picture. The NHL benefits more from the Olympics than the Olympics benefits from the NHL. It's worth shutting down the league for two weeks so that the best hockey players on earth can play on the biggest stage in sports. (Not to mention the hypocrisy of the owners, who are the same people that are willing to shut down the league for months on end every few years. And, unlike the lockouts, there are no games actually missed because of the Olympics, so they still get the revenue from 41 home games.)
In the U.S., the NHL is fourth in the pecking order of most popular professional sports leagues. It probably ranks behind both college football and college basketball, as well as maybe NASCAR, as well. But in the Winter Olympics, the NHL players are the biggest stars. They're the most recognizable athletes there. They're the millionaires that everyone, including the other Olympians, wants to get a picture with. Best of all, people actually make it a point to watch the games. The NHL couldn't ask for better exposure (which is free), and it's exposure that the NHL doesn't get outside of the Olympics.
Remember the first tournament in 1998? It was the talk of the Games. Unlike basketball, where the U.S. has a team full of NBA players, with some NBA guys scattered among the other teams, the Olympic hockey tournament has NHL stars representing each nation (all 12 teams in Sochi had at least one active NHL player). It shows how global hockey really is, and it truly is anybody's tournament. Case in point, Slovenia beat Slovakia in pool play and Latvia almost upset gold-medalist Canada in the quarterfinals.
NHL owners need to stop thinking about their wallets and nothing else. Especially since NHL players in the Olympics only enhances their brand. The owners are unwilling to admit it, but their players representing their home countries in the Olympics is the best thing for the NHL. And I think they know that.
Furthermore, the fact that the players want to go should say something. In fact, it should say everything. While the NHL was still waffling about Sochi, Alexander Ovechkin said he was going to play for Russia regardless. Zdeno Chara was Slovakia's flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony...and the Bruins let him miss two games so that he could do it. For players like Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews, those two Olympic gold medals are a career achievement that ranks right up there with having their names etched on the Cup.
And the IOC has been more than accommodating, as well. Why do you think the men's tournament didn't start until Wednesday? It was so the NHL could still play on the opening weekend of the Olympics before shutting down. The NHL didn't want the first round to be more than three games, so they changed the format from the two groups of six they had in Torino to the three groups of four that they've had in the last two Olympics.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that NBC/NBCSN is the NHL's broadcast network in the U.S. and CBC/TSN is the NHL's broadcast network in Canada. What channel broadcasts the Olympics in those two countries? Oh, that's right. NBC and CBC. NBC and CBC don't want to be put in that situation where they have to make a choice between broadcasting NHL games and broadcasting the Olympics. Especially since they can do both at the same time, and utilize the same crews to do it. (I was in Buffalo during part of the Olympics and my hotel didn't get NBCSN, but that was OK, because it meant I got to watch two Canada games called by the "Hockey Night In Canada" broadcast crew.)
There's a compromise to be reached here. It would be unfortunate if they can't figure one out. Because it would be a shame for everyone involved if the NHL doesn't shut down for two weeks to go to Korea in 2018. The players want it and the fans want it. It's in the best interest of the game. Hopefully we don't get this quadrennial song-and-dance, and we see the NHL in PyeongChang and 2022 and all Winter Olympics after that. That's what everyone wants, except for maybe a few NHL suits. And if they get their way, it'll do more harm than good.
The NHL hasn't committed to sending its players to the 2018 PyeongChang Games (that's going to be fun to write over and over again for the next four years), and doesn't seem to be in any sort of rush to do it. The players want to go, and the fans obviously want to see them there. But Gary Bettman (who sure seemed to be enjoying himself in Sochi) and the owners are a little more reluctant. And, unfortunately, they're the ones who ultimately call the shots.
We know where plenty of higher-ups in the NHL feel about the Olympics. Islanders GM Garth Snow, who lost his best player, John Tavares, for the season to a knee injury suffered in Canada's game against Latvia, has made it perfectly clear what he thinks. Snow wants it to go back to being amateurs, seemingly ignoring the fact that the Olympics haven't been the domain of amateurs in many years. It should also be noted here that Snow was an Olympian himself in 1994, the last time before the NHL started sending its players to the Olympics.
Injury concerns are one thing, and I guess they're somewhat valid (after all, Tavares wasn't the only player injured during the Olympics who's going to miss time for his NHL team), but season-ending injuries can happen in NHL games, too. But there's never any mention of injury concerns during the World Championships, which take place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and only feature NHL players from teams that have already been eliminated. That's not the real problem here. The real problem is that the NHL doesn't make any money off the Olympics.
Make no mistake, this is completely about the money. 100 percent. The NHL doesn't want to shut down its season so that the players can participate in a tournament where there's nothing in it for them. That was one of the sticking points that almost kept the NHL guys out of Sochi. The NHL isn't against international competition...as long as they profit from it. That's why we can expect to see the return of the World Cup of Hockey at some point in the near future.
What the NHL owners fail to see here, though, is the big picture. The NHL benefits more from the Olympics than the Olympics benefits from the NHL. It's worth shutting down the league for two weeks so that the best hockey players on earth can play on the biggest stage in sports. (Not to mention the hypocrisy of the owners, who are the same people that are willing to shut down the league for months on end every few years. And, unlike the lockouts, there are no games actually missed because of the Olympics, so they still get the revenue from 41 home games.)
In the U.S., the NHL is fourth in the pecking order of most popular professional sports leagues. It probably ranks behind both college football and college basketball, as well as maybe NASCAR, as well. But in the Winter Olympics, the NHL players are the biggest stars. They're the most recognizable athletes there. They're the millionaires that everyone, including the other Olympians, wants to get a picture with. Best of all, people actually make it a point to watch the games. The NHL couldn't ask for better exposure (which is free), and it's exposure that the NHL doesn't get outside of the Olympics.
Remember the first tournament in 1998? It was the talk of the Games. Unlike basketball, where the U.S. has a team full of NBA players, with some NBA guys scattered among the other teams, the Olympic hockey tournament has NHL stars representing each nation (all 12 teams in Sochi had at least one active NHL player). It shows how global hockey really is, and it truly is anybody's tournament. Case in point, Slovenia beat Slovakia in pool play and Latvia almost upset gold-medalist Canada in the quarterfinals.
NHL owners need to stop thinking about their wallets and nothing else. Especially since NHL players in the Olympics only enhances their brand. The owners are unwilling to admit it, but their players representing their home countries in the Olympics is the best thing for the NHL. And I think they know that.
Furthermore, the fact that the players want to go should say something. In fact, it should say everything. While the NHL was still waffling about Sochi, Alexander Ovechkin said he was going to play for Russia regardless. Zdeno Chara was Slovakia's flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony...and the Bruins let him miss two games so that he could do it. For players like Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews, those two Olympic gold medals are a career achievement that ranks right up there with having their names etched on the Cup.
And the IOC has been more than accommodating, as well. Why do you think the men's tournament didn't start until Wednesday? It was so the NHL could still play on the opening weekend of the Olympics before shutting down. The NHL didn't want the first round to be more than three games, so they changed the format from the two groups of six they had in Torino to the three groups of four that they've had in the last two Olympics.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that NBC/NBCSN is the NHL's broadcast network in the U.S. and CBC/TSN is the NHL's broadcast network in Canada. What channel broadcasts the Olympics in those two countries? Oh, that's right. NBC and CBC. NBC and CBC don't want to be put in that situation where they have to make a choice between broadcasting NHL games and broadcasting the Olympics. Especially since they can do both at the same time, and utilize the same crews to do it. (I was in Buffalo during part of the Olympics and my hotel didn't get NBCSN, but that was OK, because it meant I got to watch two Canada games called by the "Hockey Night In Canada" broadcast crew.)
There's a compromise to be reached here. It would be unfortunate if they can't figure one out. Because it would be a shame for everyone involved if the NHL doesn't shut down for two weeks to go to Korea in 2018. The players want it and the fans want it. It's in the best interest of the game. Hopefully we don't get this quadrennial song-and-dance, and we see the NHL in PyeongChang and 2022 and all Winter Olympics after that. That's what everyone wants, except for maybe a few NHL suits. And if they get their way, it'll do more harm than good.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
With Daytona Here, Let's Talk NASCAR
I've been so wrapped up in the Olympics (the fact that they're ending is probably a good thing for the sake of my normal life) that I almost completely forgot that the Daytona 500 is on Sunday. And that means the start of NASCAR season along with it. Or, as I like to call it, nine months until Jimmie Johnson inevitably wins another Sprint Cup (yawn!).
Speaking of Jimmie Johnson, that brings me to the new rules for the Chase this season. I absolutely love them. The whole point of the Chase in the first place was to increase excitement at the end of the NASCAR season. Well, when everybody knows Jimmie Johnson's ultimately going to win the championship, the excitement of the late-season races is gone and everyone's watching football instead. Something had to be done to make the end of the season less boring (and seem less predetermined), and I think this new elimination format was a great way to do that.
The field for the Chase has been increased from 12 to 16 and they're putting a greater emphasis on wins, which had always been one of the problems with all previous NASCAR scoring systems. After all, the whole point of being in a race is to try and win it. Now a win in the regular season guarantees you a spot in the Chase. Then they fill in the rest of the field based on points. The only person guaranteed to get in on points is the leader, who you'd figure would have to have at least a couple wins anyway. And once the Chase starts, there's no seeding of drivers. Everyone's points are reset to 2000, with three added for each win. Then the fun starts.
My favorite part, though, is the new elimination system. Just like a lot of other sports, they're going to have rounds of the playoffs. Four guys are eliminated after each of the first three races in the Chase, leaving the finale at Miami as a shootout between the top four guys. Whoever finishes highest among those four wins the title. Nice and straightforward. No figuring out how many places somebody needs to beat somebody else by or anything like that. Not only will this format make it more exciting, it'll make things a lot easier to understand.
I also like it that the guys who are eliminated will have their points reset again back to the regular format. Now everyone who misses the Chase isn't automatically left fighting for no better than 13th place. You can not make the Chase and still finish as high as fifth in the final standings if you have a great finish.
There's only one problem with this new system that I can foresee. I'm concerned that it would make the pre-Chase races somewhat less relevant. What happens with that guy who wins a race in May, then is content to simply be in the middle of the pack since his place in the Chase is already secured? Of course, NASCAR has built in fail-safes in an attempt to prevent something like that from happening, but I still think it's possible that we'll see it as the Chase gets closer. Especially since a win and being in the Top 30 isn't very hard for the full-time drivers.
Regardless, I think this new format will be incredibly exciting, and it's worth seeing how it works. Some of the drivers seem a little unhappy with it, but I think even they'd concede that NASCAR is ultimately for the fans. And the fans, by and large, are going to eat this up. NASCAR had become boring and predictable. You can't fault them for wanting to do something to change that. Or for listening to the complaints of critics who correctly pointed out that drivers weren't being rewarded enough for winning.
Now moving on to the Great American Race...The No. 3 car is back, and Austin Dillon will have it on the pole. I'm still not sure how I feel about the No. 3 being back in circulation, but it does seem kind of fitting that the number will return to NASCAR on the same track where Dale Earnhardt was lost. Dillon's got big shoes to fill. Hopefully he can live up to the legacy of the Intimidator.
As for my prediction about the race, it'll probably be all the usual suspects. I've got a feeling it's going to be Matt Kenseth that takes the checkered flag, though. That's my official pick.
Speaking of Jimmie Johnson, that brings me to the new rules for the Chase this season. I absolutely love them. The whole point of the Chase in the first place was to increase excitement at the end of the NASCAR season. Well, when everybody knows Jimmie Johnson's ultimately going to win the championship, the excitement of the late-season races is gone and everyone's watching football instead. Something had to be done to make the end of the season less boring (and seem less predetermined), and I think this new elimination format was a great way to do that.
The field for the Chase has been increased from 12 to 16 and they're putting a greater emphasis on wins, which had always been one of the problems with all previous NASCAR scoring systems. After all, the whole point of being in a race is to try and win it. Now a win in the regular season guarantees you a spot in the Chase. Then they fill in the rest of the field based on points. The only person guaranteed to get in on points is the leader, who you'd figure would have to have at least a couple wins anyway. And once the Chase starts, there's no seeding of drivers. Everyone's points are reset to 2000, with three added for each win. Then the fun starts.
My favorite part, though, is the new elimination system. Just like a lot of other sports, they're going to have rounds of the playoffs. Four guys are eliminated after each of the first three races in the Chase, leaving the finale at Miami as a shootout between the top four guys. Whoever finishes highest among those four wins the title. Nice and straightforward. No figuring out how many places somebody needs to beat somebody else by or anything like that. Not only will this format make it more exciting, it'll make things a lot easier to understand.
I also like it that the guys who are eliminated will have their points reset again back to the regular format. Now everyone who misses the Chase isn't automatically left fighting for no better than 13th place. You can not make the Chase and still finish as high as fifth in the final standings if you have a great finish.
There's only one problem with this new system that I can foresee. I'm concerned that it would make the pre-Chase races somewhat less relevant. What happens with that guy who wins a race in May, then is content to simply be in the middle of the pack since his place in the Chase is already secured? Of course, NASCAR has built in fail-safes in an attempt to prevent something like that from happening, but I still think it's possible that we'll see it as the Chase gets closer. Especially since a win and being in the Top 30 isn't very hard for the full-time drivers.
Regardless, I think this new format will be incredibly exciting, and it's worth seeing how it works. Some of the drivers seem a little unhappy with it, but I think even they'd concede that NASCAR is ultimately for the fans. And the fans, by and large, are going to eat this up. NASCAR had become boring and predictable. You can't fault them for wanting to do something to change that. Or for listening to the complaints of critics who correctly pointed out that drivers weren't being rewarded enough for winning.
Now moving on to the Great American Race...The No. 3 car is back, and Austin Dillon will have it on the pole. I'm still not sure how I feel about the No. 3 being back in circulation, but it does seem kind of fitting that the number will return to NASCAR on the same track where Dale Earnhardt was lost. Dillon's got big shoes to fill. Hopefully he can live up to the legacy of the Intimidator.
As for my prediction about the race, it'll probably be all the usual suspects. I've got a feeling it's going to be Matt Kenseth that takes the checkered flag, though. That's my official pick.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Sochi's Golden Upset
It took nearly the entire Olympics, but Sochi finally has its signature moment. It seems only fitting that it happened tonight in the Winter Olympics' signature event--ladies figure skating. The competition was truly memorable, and it was capped by an Olympian upset that thrilled the home crowd.
The Russians, of course, had plenty of golden moments over the first week and a half of the Sochi Games. Their gold in the inaugural team figure skating event, followed by one in pairs. Victories in two-man bobsled and men's skeleton. All of their short track success, mainly due to former Korean Victor Ahn. That great story in snowboarding, where American Vic Wild won a gold for Russia minutes after his Russian wife won a bronze in the same event.
But we've also heard plenty of bad stuff. The empty seats. The protesters. The weather, which hasn't exactly been wintery. The stuff with the stray dogs. Then there's the Russian men's hockey team. But the hosts were spared an absolute national disaster with what happened tonight in figure skating, the winter sport ranked just below hockey in the eyes of many Russians.
Heading into the competition, most people thought it would be a coronation for defending champion Kim Yuna of South Korea, who would then go for a historic three-peat in her home country four years from now. Nobody was going to beat her. Then in the team event, 15-year-old Russian Yuliya Lipnitskaya stole the show, and suddenly it was possible that Kim would lose. Lipnitskaya was already a favorite to land on the podium. Could she actually get the gold?
Well, it turns out we were all forgetting about the other Russian, the one who just happened to be the national champion. Then Adelina Sotnikova reminded us all that she was still there by finishing second in the short program, less than a point behind Kim.
Then came tonight's free skate. Wow! Sotnikova was absolutely sensational. I don't remember the last time I've seen an Olympic performance that good (maybe Sarah Hughes?). She didn't just win the night. She completely owned it. As I was watching this afternoon (sidebar: how incredible have Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir been on NBCSN?), once Sotnikova finished, I immediately said, "Gauntlet thrown down." No one, including Kim, was able to walk through that gauntlet, and we had an incredibly unlikely Olympic champion. She won a gold medal the way you're supposed to. She earned it.
After the competition ended, some of the articles that appeared online weren't praising Sotnikova for her remarkable performance. Once again we had the critics come out and question figure skating's judging system, complaining that it's completely subjective. Sotnikova had to have been given better scores because she was the hometown favorite and, as a result, the crowd loved her. Those critics obviously didn't watch the same skate I did. Because the judges got this one 100 percent right. What I saw was grace, beauty, perfection. Skating the way it's supposed to be. Four minutes of elegance. If that wasn't a gold medal-winning skate, I don't know what is.
Every Olympics has its unforgettable memory. A victory by the home team that's truly transcendent. In Vancouver it was, obviously, that gold medal game in men's hockey. Now Sochi has its moment. Adelina Sotnikova pulled off an upset for the ages. And for those who saw it, it's a moment they'll never forget. Congratulations to the Olympic champion. Or, should I say, "Pazdravlyayoo?"
The Russians, of course, had plenty of golden moments over the first week and a half of the Sochi Games. Their gold in the inaugural team figure skating event, followed by one in pairs. Victories in two-man bobsled and men's skeleton. All of their short track success, mainly due to former Korean Victor Ahn. That great story in snowboarding, where American Vic Wild won a gold for Russia minutes after his Russian wife won a bronze in the same event.
But we've also heard plenty of bad stuff. The empty seats. The protesters. The weather, which hasn't exactly been wintery. The stuff with the stray dogs. Then there's the Russian men's hockey team. But the hosts were spared an absolute national disaster with what happened tonight in figure skating, the winter sport ranked just below hockey in the eyes of many Russians.
Heading into the competition, most people thought it would be a coronation for defending champion Kim Yuna of South Korea, who would then go for a historic three-peat in her home country four years from now. Nobody was going to beat her. Then in the team event, 15-year-old Russian Yuliya Lipnitskaya stole the show, and suddenly it was possible that Kim would lose. Lipnitskaya was already a favorite to land on the podium. Could she actually get the gold?
Well, it turns out we were all forgetting about the other Russian, the one who just happened to be the national champion. Then Adelina Sotnikova reminded us all that she was still there by finishing second in the short program, less than a point behind Kim.
Then came tonight's free skate. Wow! Sotnikova was absolutely sensational. I don't remember the last time I've seen an Olympic performance that good (maybe Sarah Hughes?). She didn't just win the night. She completely owned it. As I was watching this afternoon (sidebar: how incredible have Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir been on NBCSN?), once Sotnikova finished, I immediately said, "Gauntlet thrown down." No one, including Kim, was able to walk through that gauntlet, and we had an incredibly unlikely Olympic champion. She won a gold medal the way you're supposed to. She earned it.
After the competition ended, some of the articles that appeared online weren't praising Sotnikova for her remarkable performance. Once again we had the critics come out and question figure skating's judging system, complaining that it's completely subjective. Sotnikova had to have been given better scores because she was the hometown favorite and, as a result, the crowd loved her. Those critics obviously didn't watch the same skate I did. Because the judges got this one 100 percent right. What I saw was grace, beauty, perfection. Skating the way it's supposed to be. Four minutes of elegance. If that wasn't a gold medal-winning skate, I don't know what is.
Every Olympics has its unforgettable memory. A victory by the home team that's truly transcendent. In Vancouver it was, obviously, that gold medal game in men's hockey. Now Sochi has its moment. Adelina Sotnikova pulled off an upset for the ages. And for those who saw it, it's a moment they'll never forget. Congratulations to the Olympic champion. Or, should I say, "Pazdravlyayoo?"
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Is the NFL Ready For Michael Sam?
If today's topic seems a bit out of date, that's because it is. It's the last one of the three that I've been ignoring during the Olympics that I promised to write about. I already covered Derek Jeter and the Dolphins, which means all I've got left is Michael Sam.
Sam, of course, made news earlier this month when he revealed that he's gay. Jason Collins came out last summer, but this is much different. Collins was a veteran guy at the end of his career. He hasn't played in the NBA since his announcement, and being gay has nothing to do with it. Sam, though, is just at the start of his career. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season at Missouri and is expected to be a very high pick in the NFL Draft. Collins came out at the end of his career. Sam's got his entire career in front of him.
The time has come. Michael Sam is going to be the first openly gay player to be drafted into one of the four major team sports. How the announcement will affect his draft status is unclear. Right after the college season ended, some people were projecting him as a late-1st/early-2nd round pick. Now it looks like he's probably going to go in either the 4th or 5th round. The scouts are saying that it's completely based on his ability and whether or not they think his skills will transfer to the NFL game, but you have to wonder if his sexuality is also coming into play. You've also got to hope that teams aren't going to stay away from him simply because he's gay.
I was having a conversation about this with someone the other day, and they actually suggested that it might've been in Sam's best interest to wait until after the draft. That way, if he slips in the draft, you'd know it's strictly based on ability. His argument, which I kind of see, was that Sam had nothing to gain by making his announcement now. He does have something to lose, however...the amount of money that's the difference between a 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick.
My guess is Michael Sam doesn't care about a couple million dollars he might be leaving on the table. He wanted to be upfront and honest without it ever being a question. And that's something admirable. Michael Sam also knows that it's going to make him a role model to millions. He's fine with that, too. Most of all, he's comfortable in his own skin. That's why he decided to do it now. And that's why I say, "Good for him." He took a risk by making that announcement. He didn't care.
He's also going to be a very interesting test case. America is clearly ready for an openly gay male professional athlete. This is a country where gay marriage is legal and gay rights are always a popular topic for politicians. It's really become no big deal. Just like I think for most people it'll be no big deal that there's a gay guy playing in the NFL. I doubt many people will even care (one way or the other), which I mean as a compliment. Besides, you'd have to be incredibly naïve to think that he's the first. He's probably not even going to be the first that's currently active.
But the question still remains regarding how accepted he'll be in an NFL locker room. After all, we just saw the report about what happened in Miami. At Missouri, his sexuality was an open secret. His teammates all knew and it didn't matter. You'd hope that's the example that NFL teams will follow. Because if it's not, we could end up with another Jonathan Martin situation on our hands.
Hopefully that won't be the case. Hopefully Michael Sam will be accepted as one of the guys in the locker room of whichever NFL team drafts him. And hopefully we'll eventually get to the point where an athlete coming out is a non-story. That would be the true impact of Jason Collins and Michael Sam.
Sam, of course, made news earlier this month when he revealed that he's gay. Jason Collins came out last summer, but this is much different. Collins was a veteran guy at the end of his career. He hasn't played in the NBA since his announcement, and being gay has nothing to do with it. Sam, though, is just at the start of his career. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season at Missouri and is expected to be a very high pick in the NFL Draft. Collins came out at the end of his career. Sam's got his entire career in front of him.
The time has come. Michael Sam is going to be the first openly gay player to be drafted into one of the four major team sports. How the announcement will affect his draft status is unclear. Right after the college season ended, some people were projecting him as a late-1st/early-2nd round pick. Now it looks like he's probably going to go in either the 4th or 5th round. The scouts are saying that it's completely based on his ability and whether or not they think his skills will transfer to the NFL game, but you have to wonder if his sexuality is also coming into play. You've also got to hope that teams aren't going to stay away from him simply because he's gay.
I was having a conversation about this with someone the other day, and they actually suggested that it might've been in Sam's best interest to wait until after the draft. That way, if he slips in the draft, you'd know it's strictly based on ability. His argument, which I kind of see, was that Sam had nothing to gain by making his announcement now. He does have something to lose, however...the amount of money that's the difference between a 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick.
My guess is Michael Sam doesn't care about a couple million dollars he might be leaving on the table. He wanted to be upfront and honest without it ever being a question. And that's something admirable. Michael Sam also knows that it's going to make him a role model to millions. He's fine with that, too. Most of all, he's comfortable in his own skin. That's why he decided to do it now. And that's why I say, "Good for him." He took a risk by making that announcement. He didn't care.
He's also going to be a very interesting test case. America is clearly ready for an openly gay male professional athlete. This is a country where gay marriage is legal and gay rights are always a popular topic for politicians. It's really become no big deal. Just like I think for most people it'll be no big deal that there's a gay guy playing in the NFL. I doubt many people will even care (one way or the other), which I mean as a compliment. Besides, you'd have to be incredibly naïve to think that he's the first. He's probably not even going to be the first that's currently active.
But the question still remains regarding how accepted he'll be in an NFL locker room. After all, we just saw the report about what happened in Miami. At Missouri, his sexuality was an open secret. His teammates all knew and it didn't matter. You'd hope that's the example that NFL teams will follow. Because if it's not, we could end up with another Jonathan Martin situation on our hands.
Hopefully that won't be the case. Hopefully Michael Sam will be accepted as one of the guys in the locker room of whichever NFL team drafts him. And hopefully we'll eventually get to the point where an athlete coming out is a non-story. That would be the true impact of Jason Collins and Michael Sam.
Monday, February 17, 2014
The Dolphin Report
Ted Wells has finally released his highly-anticipated report on the goings-on in the Miami Dolphins that ultimately led to Jonathan Martin's decision to leave the team at midseason. The report isn't exactly glowing. Wells concluded that Richie Incognito didn't just bully Jonathan Martin. He was the ringleader of a group of offensive linemen that taunted not just Martin, but another offensive lineman and an athletic trainer as well.
Much like the Mitchell Report, Wells' report is long. 144 pages. It's difficult to read, and I came nowhere near making it through the whole thing. But from what I was able to gather, it's clear that something inappropriate was going on. And that's the Dolphins' fault as much as it is Richie Incognito's. Nobody stepped up to stop the harassment until it got past the point of no return. It's also probably fair to say that none of the players involved wanted to drive Martin from the team.
I'm not condoning Richie Incognito's behavior. Some of the things he said were downright disgusting and absolutely crossed the line. But even after seeing the report and its findings, I'm still having trouble understanding Jonathan Martin's role in all of this. He's not the first guy to be picked on in an NFL locker room, and I have no doubt he won't be the last. And I'm in no place to speak about his mental state. But I still think Martin could've handled the whole situation better.
It obviously got to him. Things got so bad that he was in counseling, and he was even contemplating suicide last year. But quitting the team and airing its dirty laundry in the media wasn't the answer. Martin certainly feels vindicated by the release of the report, which backs up some of his claims. However, Wells even stated that it was hard to investigate those same claims. Martin and Incognito had a very hard-to-define relationship, and Martin's mental health state likely made him overly sensitive to his situation.
Could some of their text messages have been construed as banter between friends if the circumstances were different? Probably. Did Jonathan Martin think that? Probably not. Did he ever tell Richie Incognito that he felt uncomfortable and ask him to stop? Even the report doesn't make that clear. If he did and Incognito and Co. refused, that's one thing. But if he didn't before abruptly leaving the team and running to the media, then it's not entirely fair to paint Incognito as this vicious monster.
Again, I'm not defending Incognito or his actions. But there was a better way to handle this than the way Jonathan Martin chose. The report even shows that the problem was far more than Richie Incognito's treatment of Jonathan Martin. The problem was the culture of the Dolphins' locker room. It was a problem that needed to be addressed, which is probably the one good thing to come out of this. Certain elements of the "boys will be boys" mentality that has been a staple of locker rooms for years will now come under scrutiny, and there are a lot of things that are pretty common that will now be considered in a completely different light because of what happened in Miami.
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and owner Stephen Ross have both vowed that there will be a change. Wells determined that neither one knew what was going on, and would've put a stop to it if they were aware. Other than Incognito and that fine upstanding citizen Mike Pouncey (the same guy who wore a "Free Hernandez" shirt two days after Hernandez was arrested FOR MURDER!), it looks like the main culprit was offensive line coach Jim Turner. Turner knew about what was going on and, the report concludes, even joined in. If that's true, the Dolphins have no other choice than to fire Turner.
Incognito and Martin both probably won't be back with the Dolphins in 2014 either. Incognito's an unrestricted free agent, and there appears to be no chance Miami will make an effort to keep him. Martin still has two years left on his rookie contract, but the Dolphins are likely going to either release or trade him. That's for the best. Because there's no way either one could go back to that locker room. Miami needs a clean slate.
In fact, they're both going to struggle to find a job anywhere in the NFL. Incognito's reputation will precede him, just like this is going to haunt Martin for the rest of his career (provided there is one). That's the real tragedy here. Jonathan Martin left because he thought he had no other way out. Instead, he ruined three careers, including his own.
Much like the Mitchell Report, Wells' report is long. 144 pages. It's difficult to read, and I came nowhere near making it through the whole thing. But from what I was able to gather, it's clear that something inappropriate was going on. And that's the Dolphins' fault as much as it is Richie Incognito's. Nobody stepped up to stop the harassment until it got past the point of no return. It's also probably fair to say that none of the players involved wanted to drive Martin from the team.
I'm not condoning Richie Incognito's behavior. Some of the things he said were downright disgusting and absolutely crossed the line. But even after seeing the report and its findings, I'm still having trouble understanding Jonathan Martin's role in all of this. He's not the first guy to be picked on in an NFL locker room, and I have no doubt he won't be the last. And I'm in no place to speak about his mental state. But I still think Martin could've handled the whole situation better.
It obviously got to him. Things got so bad that he was in counseling, and he was even contemplating suicide last year. But quitting the team and airing its dirty laundry in the media wasn't the answer. Martin certainly feels vindicated by the release of the report, which backs up some of his claims. However, Wells even stated that it was hard to investigate those same claims. Martin and Incognito had a very hard-to-define relationship, and Martin's mental health state likely made him overly sensitive to his situation.
Could some of their text messages have been construed as banter between friends if the circumstances were different? Probably. Did Jonathan Martin think that? Probably not. Did he ever tell Richie Incognito that he felt uncomfortable and ask him to stop? Even the report doesn't make that clear. If he did and Incognito and Co. refused, that's one thing. But if he didn't before abruptly leaving the team and running to the media, then it's not entirely fair to paint Incognito as this vicious monster.
Again, I'm not defending Incognito or his actions. But there was a better way to handle this than the way Jonathan Martin chose. The report even shows that the problem was far more than Richie Incognito's treatment of Jonathan Martin. The problem was the culture of the Dolphins' locker room. It was a problem that needed to be addressed, which is probably the one good thing to come out of this. Certain elements of the "boys will be boys" mentality that has been a staple of locker rooms for years will now come under scrutiny, and there are a lot of things that are pretty common that will now be considered in a completely different light because of what happened in Miami.
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and owner Stephen Ross have both vowed that there will be a change. Wells determined that neither one knew what was going on, and would've put a stop to it if they were aware. Other than Incognito and that fine upstanding citizen Mike Pouncey (the same guy who wore a "Free Hernandez" shirt two days after Hernandez was arrested FOR MURDER!), it looks like the main culprit was offensive line coach Jim Turner. Turner knew about what was going on and, the report concludes, even joined in. If that's true, the Dolphins have no other choice than to fire Turner.
Incognito and Martin both probably won't be back with the Dolphins in 2014 either. Incognito's an unrestricted free agent, and there appears to be no chance Miami will make an effort to keep him. Martin still has two years left on his rookie contract, but the Dolphins are likely going to either release or trade him. That's for the best. Because there's no way either one could go back to that locker room. Miami needs a clean slate.
In fact, they're both going to struggle to find a job anywhere in the NFL. Incognito's reputation will precede him, just like this is going to haunt Martin for the rest of his career (provided there is one). That's the real tragedy here. Jonathan Martin left because he thought he had no other way out. Instead, he ruined three careers, including his own.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Another Farewell Tour
Between the Olympics and being on the road, I haven't been able to keep up with my blogging lately. And this was a bad week for that to happen. Because there was a lot of stuff that happened this week that's worth talking about. So, that also means I'm going to break one of my general blogging rules and blog about something non-Olympic during the Olympics.
So, which non-Olympic topic is it I'm going to talk about? The Jonathan Martin report? Michael Sam? Nope and nope. There's one subject that I haven't addressed yet that needs to be discussed before any of those others. I'm, of course, talking about Derek Jeter's announcement of his pending retirement at the end of the season.
I can't say I'm entirely surprised about his decision. Jeter has always said that he'd hang it up when baseball became a job. And baseball has certainly become a job. He's going to turn 40 during the season and barely played last year after a myriad of injuries suffered while trying to rehab from the broken ankle he suffered in the 2012 ALCS. Everyone, including Derek Jeter, knows that he's not going to be able to play shortstop everyday anymore. But everyone also knew that he wasn't going out like that. Like Mariano Rivera, he was going to go out the right way and on his own terms.
You also knew Derek Jeter was never going to wear another uniform, so when he signed a one-year deal and got a $3 million raise, you kind of had a feeling that the writing was on the wall. Honestly, I'm not surprised. Derek Jeter was going to be the Yankees' shortstop as long as he wanted to be. But everyone, including Jeter, knew that window was closing. Especially after last year when he couldn't even stay on the field. So Derek decided to do what was best for the team. He's going to let them move on with someone younger. It's what a good captain does.
There's no way to express what he's meant to the franchise. Everyone knows that. Jeter has earned his place in the Yankees pantheon. You could even make a compelling argument that he should be included on the Yankees' Mount Rushmore (although, you'd probably have to add a fifth place alongside Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle). Throughout his career, Derek Jeter knew what it meant to be a New York Yankee and the responsibility he carried as team captain. He embraced that role, and us fans embraced him in return.
Derek Jeter has earned everything he's achieved over the past 20 years. Sure his best days are behind him, but does anyone care? There was just something missing with the Yankees for most of last season. Jeter simply being there is a calming presence. Regardless of how well he was playing or if he even was able to play. He inherited the torch from Don Mattingly and carried it proudly for 20 years. Now it's time for Derek to pass it on.
By announcing his retirement now, Derek eliminated the "Will he or won't he?" speculation that you know would've followed him all season long. It's also clear that he's at peace with this decision. He was there for Mariano Rivera's Farewell Tour last season. Now he'll have one of his own. If there's any two players in baseball who deserve one, it's Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. Likewise, if there are any two players in baseball who deserve to go out on their own terms, it's Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.
He's the last link to that Yankees dynasty. The last of the "Core Four" to retire. We might never see another one like Derek Jeter. If we're going to, we haven't seen him yet. He's not just the face of the Yankees. He's the face of baseball. A guy who played the game with class and grace while playing his entire career with one of the game's marquee franchises. Much like Rivera, you don't have to like him, but it's very difficult not to respect him.
When I was at Yankee Stadium for the hockey game, Monument Park was open. We went down and I noticed something very interesting. Mariano Rivera's No. 42 had taken up the last available spot on the wall. But there's now a spot to Rivera's right, and all the plaques were missing. They obviously moved them all over to make room for Joe Torre's No. 6, which is going on the wall at some point this season. Well, they're going to have to move them all again. Because we all know what's happening with No. 2 at the end of the season.
It's almost hard to picture the Yankees without Derek Jeter, but at least we get one more season to enjoy watching him. And knowing Derek Jeter, he's going to have a monster season. He's always shined when the lights were the brightest. Like the walk-off homer in the 2001 World Series. Or the homer for his 3,000th hit. Or the speech when they closed the Old Stadium. You know Derek Jeter's got one last special memory in store for us. And you know there ain't gonna be a dry eye in the house on September 25.
He was the one that told Mariano, "It's time to go," when he and Andy Pettitte took Rivera out of the game for the last time. Now it's Derek's time to go. And we're going to miss him just as much, if not more.
Book your hotel rooms in Cooperstown now. Because that place is going to be overrun by Yankees fans in back-to-back summers of 2019 and 2020.
So, which non-Olympic topic is it I'm going to talk about? The Jonathan Martin report? Michael Sam? Nope and nope. There's one subject that I haven't addressed yet that needs to be discussed before any of those others. I'm, of course, talking about Derek Jeter's announcement of his pending retirement at the end of the season.
I can't say I'm entirely surprised about his decision. Jeter has always said that he'd hang it up when baseball became a job. And baseball has certainly become a job. He's going to turn 40 during the season and barely played last year after a myriad of injuries suffered while trying to rehab from the broken ankle he suffered in the 2012 ALCS. Everyone, including Derek Jeter, knows that he's not going to be able to play shortstop everyday anymore. But everyone also knew that he wasn't going out like that. Like Mariano Rivera, he was going to go out the right way and on his own terms.
You also knew Derek Jeter was never going to wear another uniform, so when he signed a one-year deal and got a $3 million raise, you kind of had a feeling that the writing was on the wall. Honestly, I'm not surprised. Derek Jeter was going to be the Yankees' shortstop as long as he wanted to be. But everyone, including Jeter, knew that window was closing. Especially after last year when he couldn't even stay on the field. So Derek decided to do what was best for the team. He's going to let them move on with someone younger. It's what a good captain does.
There's no way to express what he's meant to the franchise. Everyone knows that. Jeter has earned his place in the Yankees pantheon. You could even make a compelling argument that he should be included on the Yankees' Mount Rushmore (although, you'd probably have to add a fifth place alongside Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle). Throughout his career, Derek Jeter knew what it meant to be a New York Yankee and the responsibility he carried as team captain. He embraced that role, and us fans embraced him in return.
Derek Jeter has earned everything he's achieved over the past 20 years. Sure his best days are behind him, but does anyone care? There was just something missing with the Yankees for most of last season. Jeter simply being there is a calming presence. Regardless of how well he was playing or if he even was able to play. He inherited the torch from Don Mattingly and carried it proudly for 20 years. Now it's time for Derek to pass it on.
By announcing his retirement now, Derek eliminated the "Will he or won't he?" speculation that you know would've followed him all season long. It's also clear that he's at peace with this decision. He was there for Mariano Rivera's Farewell Tour last season. Now he'll have one of his own. If there's any two players in baseball who deserve one, it's Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. Likewise, if there are any two players in baseball who deserve to go out on their own terms, it's Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.
He's the last link to that Yankees dynasty. The last of the "Core Four" to retire. We might never see another one like Derek Jeter. If we're going to, we haven't seen him yet. He's not just the face of the Yankees. He's the face of baseball. A guy who played the game with class and grace while playing his entire career with one of the game's marquee franchises. Much like Rivera, you don't have to like him, but it's very difficult not to respect him.
When I was at Yankee Stadium for the hockey game, Monument Park was open. We went down and I noticed something very interesting. Mariano Rivera's No. 42 had taken up the last available spot on the wall. But there's now a spot to Rivera's right, and all the plaques were missing. They obviously moved them all over to make room for Joe Torre's No. 6, which is going on the wall at some point this season. Well, they're going to have to move them all again. Because we all know what's happening with No. 2 at the end of the season.
It's almost hard to picture the Yankees without Derek Jeter, but at least we get one more season to enjoy watching him. And knowing Derek Jeter, he's going to have a monster season. He's always shined when the lights were the brightest. Like the walk-off homer in the 2001 World Series. Or the homer for his 3,000th hit. Or the speech when they closed the Old Stadium. You know Derek Jeter's got one last special memory in store for us. And you know there ain't gonna be a dry eye in the house on September 25.
He was the one that told Mariano, "It's time to go," when he and Andy Pettitte took Rivera out of the game for the last time. Now it's Derek's time to go. And we're going to miss him just as much, if not more.
Book your hotel rooms in Cooperstown now. Because that place is going to be overrun by Yankees fans in back-to-back summers of 2019 and 2020.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Men's Hockey Tournament
We're almost a week into the Sochi Olympics, but for many, the Olympics don't really start until Wednesday. That's because that's when the men's hockey tournament starts. The NHL break started on Sunday, and for the first time, each of the 12 national teams includes at least one current NHL player on the roster. Although, despite that, I think we can all agree that Slovenia, Norway, Austria and Latvia have absolutely no chance. As for the rest of the field? That's anybody's guess. That's why these Olympic tournaments with NHL players are so exciting.
The Russians, of course, are expecting gold. They haven't won since the breakup of the Soviet Union, and were embarrassed, 7-3, in the quarterfinals in Vancouver. Much like in 2010, the gold in men's hockey means more to the host country than any other. The Canadians delivered in Vancouver. And I think Russia has a very good chance of doing the same in Sochi.
Russia is the No. 1 seed and in Group A with Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States. Slovakia finished a surprising fourth in 2010, and gave Canada all it could handle in the semifinals. The Slovakian captain is Zdeno Chara of the Bruins, and they also have Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa. However, Marian Gaborik is injured, severely limiting their offensive attack. Jaroslav Halak of the Blues is the Slovakian goalie, and they might need him to steal a game if they're going to advance to the quarterfinals.
Assuming Slovakia finishes third in the group and Slovenia finishes last, that means the highly-anticipated USA-Russia game will likely determine the group winner. A lot of people are extremely high on this American team, especially after that silver medal in Vancouver. A bulk of that team returns, including Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, the 2010 Olympic MVP. The scary thing is Miller might not even be the best goalie on the team. That might be the Kings' Jonathan Quick, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner two years ago. Without question, the American goalie tandem is the best in the tournament.
However, I'm not going overboard with my expectations. We all remember Torino, don't we? The last American medal in an Olympics outside North America was a silver in Sapporo, Japan in 1972. The last American hockey medal in Europe? 1956! They've got that history to contend with, as well as the Russians and plenty of strong teams in the other two groups.
Group B features the defending champion Canadians and my sleeper pick Finland, as well as Norway and Austria. Canada and Finland won the group lottery. They should easily finish 1-2 in this group, and whichever one finishes second will probably be the fourth team that gets a bye into the quarterfinals. No need to breakdown what the Canadians are bringing to Sochi. You could easily make a team of guys NOT representing Canada at the Olympics and it would probably contend for a medal. My only question about the Canadians is in goal. Roberto Luongo was the starter in Vancouver (where he played in his home rink) and is the presumed starter here. But he's been incredibly shaky for the Canucks over the past couple seasons. Carey Price of the Canadiens is likely the other option to start, seeing as the third goalie is another head case, the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury.
But like their North American brethren, Canada hasn't done the best at Olympics in Europe. They've sandwiched golds in Salt Lake City and Vancouver around a seventh-place finish in Torino that included a loss to Switzerland.
That's why my pick in Group B is Finland. Finland has won three medals in the four NHL Olympics, including a silver in Torino, where they were undefeated before a loss to Sweden in the gold medal game. I really like this Finnish team, mainly because of the guys between the pipes. I'm assuming Boston's Tuukka Rask will be the starter, but they've also got Antti Niemi of the Sharks and Kari Lehtonen of the Stars. None would be a bad choice. Finland's going to have to overcome some injuries to its forwards, but Ryan Miller almost single-handedly won a silver medal for the U.S. in Vancouver. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these Finnish goalies do the same thing.
Speaking of goaltending, Henrik Lundqvist makes Sweden the favorite in Group C. And let's also keep in mind that Sweden was the gold medalist at each of the last two European Olympics (1994 Lillehammer, 2006 Torino). With a loaded roster and arguably the best goalie in the tournament (who's already won them one Olympic gold medal), there's no reason not to think Sweden is perhaps the team best-equipped to challenge Russia for the gold.
Rounding out Group C are Switzerland, Latvia and the Czech Republic. Latvia is coached by former Sabres and Islanders coach Ted Nolan and their most familiar name is Sandis Ozolinsh. Except he's 41 years old and hasn't played in the NHL in years. The only current NHLer on the Latvian roster is Sabres rookie Zemgus Girgensons. At least they have Slovenia to keep them out of last place overall.
While the Czech Republic is the easy No. 2 pick in this group, I'm not sleeping on Switzerland. No one's ever going to confuse the Swiss with the Top 7, but they won the silver at the World Championships last year and have been an annoying pest to at least one of the big-name teams at the last two Olympics. In 2006, they beat Canada and finished second in their group. Then they took the Canadians to overtime in 2010. With Jonas Hiller of the Ducks in goal, I don't think it's out of the question to see Switzerland pull off the minor upset against the Czech Republic.
So who wins the gold? Well, my call for the medals is Russia-Finland-Sweden. Much like Canada was a team on a mission in Vancouver, you can say the same thing about the Russians this time. As for the other two medals, I'd be very surprised if Sweden doesn't reach the semifinals. And I just have a feeling about Finland. They always play well at the Olympics. As for the fourth semifinalist, it'll be one of the two North American teams, probably Canada. The matchups, the big ice and the European crowds will all work against both the Americans and Canadians. We're not getting another Canada-U.S. final. I'd be surprised if they both medal.
The Russians, of course, are expecting gold. They haven't won since the breakup of the Soviet Union, and were embarrassed, 7-3, in the quarterfinals in Vancouver. Much like in 2010, the gold in men's hockey means more to the host country than any other. The Canadians delivered in Vancouver. And I think Russia has a very good chance of doing the same in Sochi.
Russia is the No. 1 seed and in Group A with Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States. Slovakia finished a surprising fourth in 2010, and gave Canada all it could handle in the semifinals. The Slovakian captain is Zdeno Chara of the Bruins, and they also have Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa. However, Marian Gaborik is injured, severely limiting their offensive attack. Jaroslav Halak of the Blues is the Slovakian goalie, and they might need him to steal a game if they're going to advance to the quarterfinals.
Assuming Slovakia finishes third in the group and Slovenia finishes last, that means the highly-anticipated USA-Russia game will likely determine the group winner. A lot of people are extremely high on this American team, especially after that silver medal in Vancouver. A bulk of that team returns, including Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, the 2010 Olympic MVP. The scary thing is Miller might not even be the best goalie on the team. That might be the Kings' Jonathan Quick, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner two years ago. Without question, the American goalie tandem is the best in the tournament.
However, I'm not going overboard with my expectations. We all remember Torino, don't we? The last American medal in an Olympics outside North America was a silver in Sapporo, Japan in 1972. The last American hockey medal in Europe? 1956! They've got that history to contend with, as well as the Russians and plenty of strong teams in the other two groups.
Group B features the defending champion Canadians and my sleeper pick Finland, as well as Norway and Austria. Canada and Finland won the group lottery. They should easily finish 1-2 in this group, and whichever one finishes second will probably be the fourth team that gets a bye into the quarterfinals. No need to breakdown what the Canadians are bringing to Sochi. You could easily make a team of guys NOT representing Canada at the Olympics and it would probably contend for a medal. My only question about the Canadians is in goal. Roberto Luongo was the starter in Vancouver (where he played in his home rink) and is the presumed starter here. But he's been incredibly shaky for the Canucks over the past couple seasons. Carey Price of the Canadiens is likely the other option to start, seeing as the third goalie is another head case, the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury.
But like their North American brethren, Canada hasn't done the best at Olympics in Europe. They've sandwiched golds in Salt Lake City and Vancouver around a seventh-place finish in Torino that included a loss to Switzerland.
That's why my pick in Group B is Finland. Finland has won three medals in the four NHL Olympics, including a silver in Torino, where they were undefeated before a loss to Sweden in the gold medal game. I really like this Finnish team, mainly because of the guys between the pipes. I'm assuming Boston's Tuukka Rask will be the starter, but they've also got Antti Niemi of the Sharks and Kari Lehtonen of the Stars. None would be a bad choice. Finland's going to have to overcome some injuries to its forwards, but Ryan Miller almost single-handedly won a silver medal for the U.S. in Vancouver. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these Finnish goalies do the same thing.
Speaking of goaltending, Henrik Lundqvist makes Sweden the favorite in Group C. And let's also keep in mind that Sweden was the gold medalist at each of the last two European Olympics (1994 Lillehammer, 2006 Torino). With a loaded roster and arguably the best goalie in the tournament (who's already won them one Olympic gold medal), there's no reason not to think Sweden is perhaps the team best-equipped to challenge Russia for the gold.
Rounding out Group C are Switzerland, Latvia and the Czech Republic. Latvia is coached by former Sabres and Islanders coach Ted Nolan and their most familiar name is Sandis Ozolinsh. Except he's 41 years old and hasn't played in the NHL in years. The only current NHLer on the Latvian roster is Sabres rookie Zemgus Girgensons. At least they have Slovenia to keep them out of last place overall.
While the Czech Republic is the easy No. 2 pick in this group, I'm not sleeping on Switzerland. No one's ever going to confuse the Swiss with the Top 7, but they won the silver at the World Championships last year and have been an annoying pest to at least one of the big-name teams at the last two Olympics. In 2006, they beat Canada and finished second in their group. Then they took the Canadians to overtime in 2010. With Jonas Hiller of the Ducks in goal, I don't think it's out of the question to see Switzerland pull off the minor upset against the Czech Republic.
So who wins the gold? Well, my call for the medals is Russia-Finland-Sweden. Much like Canada was a team on a mission in Vancouver, you can say the same thing about the Russians this time. As for the other two medals, I'd be very surprised if Sweden doesn't reach the semifinals. And I just have a feeling about Finland. They always play well at the Olympics. As for the fourth semifinalist, it'll be one of the two North American teams, probably Canada. The matchups, the big ice and the European crowds will all work against both the Americans and Canadians. We're not getting another Canada-U.S. final. I'd be surprised if they both medal.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Olympic Opening Weekend
The vast differences between the Winter and Summer Olympics were on full display this weekend. In the Summer Olympics, it's impossible to try and see everything. There are simply too many events. But with fewer sports to worry about, as well as a cable channel that has pretty much no other programming and can show stuff live all morning, NBC has done a pretty good job of showing fairly comprehensive coverage of the important stuff. Which is good, since the current design of NBCOlympics.com is terrible. In fact, I doubt I'll watch the live streaming (which I relied on pretty heavily in London) that much at all.
A lot of that coverage has been focused on the new figure skating team event. It is, after all, the reason an extra day of primetime coverage was added this year. For its part, NBC is televising every skater in every figure skating event live, in addition to its regular taped primetime coverage. The analysts for the cable coverage are Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, who are actually really good. But I digress...
I have to admit, I was skeptical about this team event at first, but I've come around. It's actually pretty cool. One of the things that they've mentioned throughout the coverage is that figure skating is an individual sport, so this is a unique opportunity for them. Track and swimming are individual sports, too, but they've got relays. Now figure skating has that team element, as well. Seeing the skaters' reactions when their teammates finish their programs is really cool. It also ends that "Who's the strongest skating nation?" debate. (The extra chances to see Tessa Virtue and Gracie Gold weren't a bad thing, either.)
One of the reasons I was skeptical at first was because I didn't quite understand the scoring. I thought it was going to be all of the scores for each separate event simply added up. I like the way they actually do it better. Score each event separately, then give 10 points to the winner, nine for second, and down the line. The only change I might make would be in long program. They cut the field from 10 to five after the short program, but scoring for the free skates are still 10-9-8-7-6. That makes it really hard to close a gap. Maybe separate the places by two points (10-8-6-4-2) in the free skate instead.
But figure skating hasn't been the only thing going on in Sochi. The U.S. won both gold medals in the new snowboarding event. And the guy who won, Sage Kotsenburg, lives up to basically every stereotype of snowboarders there is. Meanwhile, defending champion Hannah Kearney won the bronze in women's moguls, then immediately gave us the "McKayla is not impressed" moment of the Sochi Games.
There have been plenty of non-American stories, too. In fact, some of those have been better. Because we've had Olympic history made not once, but twice. Ole Einar Bjoerndahlen won the men's sprint in biathlon. It was his 12th career Olympic medal, tying Bjoerndahlen with Bjorn Daehlie for the all-time Winter record. And Bjoerndahlen's still got plenty more opportunities to break the record. Bjoerndahlen is 40 years old. Italy's Armin Zoeggler is 41. He made some Olympic history of his own in men's luge. Zoeggler won the bronze, becoming the first Olympian in any sport--Winter or Summer--to win a medal in SIX consecutive Olympics. And lest we forget Yevgeny Plushenko, whose gold in team figure skating gives him medals in four straight Olympics, the record for a figure skater.
Some other international stars whose names may be somewhat vaguely familiar have also set themselves up for big Games. Norway's Marit Bjoergen, who won five medals in Vancouver, took gold in the first women's cross country event. Can she medal in all six this time? When we last saw Sven Kramer, he was getting disqualified in Vancouver for changing lanes when he wasn't supposed to, costing him a gold in the 10,000 meters in speed skating. Well, all he's done so far in Sochi is set an Olympic record while leading a Dutch sweep in the 5000.
And I'd be remiss not to mention some of the cooler moments of the Opening Ceremony. Like Zdeno Chara carrying Slovakia's flag. The Bruins let him miss their last two games before the Olympic break so that he could. Or that girl who got hurt in warmups for moguls qualifying on Thursday "walking" out with her teammates on crutches with a wheelchair close behind. Then there's that couple from Staten Island who are the first Winter Olympians ever from the country of Dominica. They aren't from there, but were given citizenship because of the charity work they've done on the Caribbean island.
We've still got plenty of Olympics ahead of us, and there are bound to be a ton more stories coming out (not in that way, which is illegal in Russia) of these Sochi Games. Hey, the Jamaican bobsled team is back after all. And the men's hockey tournament doesn't even start until the middle of the week. Sochi's been great so far. I can't wait to see what the Russians have in store for us next.
A lot of that coverage has been focused on the new figure skating team event. It is, after all, the reason an extra day of primetime coverage was added this year. For its part, NBC is televising every skater in every figure skating event live, in addition to its regular taped primetime coverage. The analysts for the cable coverage are Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, who are actually really good. But I digress...
I have to admit, I was skeptical about this team event at first, but I've come around. It's actually pretty cool. One of the things that they've mentioned throughout the coverage is that figure skating is an individual sport, so this is a unique opportunity for them. Track and swimming are individual sports, too, but they've got relays. Now figure skating has that team element, as well. Seeing the skaters' reactions when their teammates finish their programs is really cool. It also ends that "Who's the strongest skating nation?" debate. (The extra chances to see Tessa Virtue and Gracie Gold weren't a bad thing, either.)
One of the reasons I was skeptical at first was because I didn't quite understand the scoring. I thought it was going to be all of the scores for each separate event simply added up. I like the way they actually do it better. Score each event separately, then give 10 points to the winner, nine for second, and down the line. The only change I might make would be in long program. They cut the field from 10 to five after the short program, but scoring for the free skates are still 10-9-8-7-6. That makes it really hard to close a gap. Maybe separate the places by two points (10-8-6-4-2) in the free skate instead.
But figure skating hasn't been the only thing going on in Sochi. The U.S. won both gold medals in the new snowboarding event. And the guy who won, Sage Kotsenburg, lives up to basically every stereotype of snowboarders there is. Meanwhile, defending champion Hannah Kearney won the bronze in women's moguls, then immediately gave us the "McKayla is not impressed" moment of the Sochi Games.
There have been plenty of non-American stories, too. In fact, some of those have been better. Because we've had Olympic history made not once, but twice. Ole Einar Bjoerndahlen won the men's sprint in biathlon. It was his 12th career Olympic medal, tying Bjoerndahlen with Bjorn Daehlie for the all-time Winter record. And Bjoerndahlen's still got plenty more opportunities to break the record. Bjoerndahlen is 40 years old. Italy's Armin Zoeggler is 41. He made some Olympic history of his own in men's luge. Zoeggler won the bronze, becoming the first Olympian in any sport--Winter or Summer--to win a medal in SIX consecutive Olympics. And lest we forget Yevgeny Plushenko, whose gold in team figure skating gives him medals in four straight Olympics, the record for a figure skater.
Some other international stars whose names may be somewhat vaguely familiar have also set themselves up for big Games. Norway's Marit Bjoergen, who won five medals in Vancouver, took gold in the first women's cross country event. Can she medal in all six this time? When we last saw Sven Kramer, he was getting disqualified in Vancouver for changing lanes when he wasn't supposed to, costing him a gold in the 10,000 meters in speed skating. Well, all he's done so far in Sochi is set an Olympic record while leading a Dutch sweep in the 5000.
And I'd be remiss not to mention some of the cooler moments of the Opening Ceremony. Like Zdeno Chara carrying Slovakia's flag. The Bruins let him miss their last two games before the Olympic break so that he could. Or that girl who got hurt in warmups for moguls qualifying on Thursday "walking" out with her teammates on crutches with a wheelchair close behind. Then there's that couple from Staten Island who are the first Winter Olympians ever from the country of Dominica. They aren't from there, but were given citizenship because of the charity work they've done on the Caribbean island.
We've still got plenty of Olympics ahead of us, and there are bound to be a ton more stories coming out (not in that way, which is illegal in Russia) of these Sochi Games. Hey, the Jamaican bobsled team is back after all. And the men's hockey tournament doesn't even start until the middle of the week. Sochi's been great so far. I can't wait to see what the Russians have in store for us next.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Sochi's Spectacular Start
They wanted to go big. And they succeeded. Sochi's Opening Ceremony hit all the right cords. We took a journey through Russian history while also embracing the present, with some pretty cool technology mixed in. Every Olympic Opening Ceremony is unique, and this one was no different. And, most of all, it was very Russian.
That little girl in the beginning reminded me of the girl in Sydney. And I, of course, had no idea what they were saying or why a lot of the stuff in that opening part were significant. But when the little girl came back and we went through like 1000 years of Russian history into what NBC condensed into like 20 minutes, it was pretty impressive. Russia's a country that's still a mystery to a lot of the Western world, and they did a beautiful job of highlighting that vast history.
And that thing on the roof...Wow! The floating scenery was beyond impressive, and that I think is going to be the thing people remember the most about this night. The Russians wanted to make an impression. Mission accomplished.
My favorite piece of the Opening Ceremony was the Parade of Nations. Not for the normal reason, though. The map of each country on the stadium floor as the athletes walked out was so cool. It was a unique idea. And it worked to perfection.
I'm always interested to see what kind of reaction different countries are going to get when it's their turn to enter the stadium. Many of the former Soviet republics were welcomed warmly, which doesn't overly surprise me. Russian relations with Georgia and Lithuania aren't the best, but this is the one day you can put those differences aside. It was disappointing, though, that the Lithuanian president chose not to attend the ceremony. Unfortunately, you can't keep politics out of the Olympics, which Meredith Vieira was quick to point out when Israel and Iran came in one after the other (no matter what language, those two countries can't get away from each other).
Perhaps the most surprising reception was for the U.S. I'm not surprised that the U.S. wasn't booed, but I didn't expect the response to be so warm. After all, it's been the U.S. that's been leading the Western crusade against the anti-gay law. But a team from the United States marching into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of an Olympics in Russia was significant, and I bet that fact wasn't lost on anybody. There was something missing from the Moscow Games in 1980, and we all know the reason why. Russia's finally hosting the world. The entire world.
Then there's the final leg of the torch relay, which was complicated by the fact that Sochi has an indoor stadium (a fact I didn't know until tonight and I'm still somewhat confused about). They absolultely made it work, though. Unlike four years, when they lit the cauldron inside the stadium, then Wayne Gretzky ran to that separate one in downtown Vancouver, or in London, where the cauldron went about 20 feet off the ground and could only be seen from inside the stadium, they did this one the right way. Everyone inside the stadium and out can see the Olympic flame, which isn't far from the stadium.
As for the man who lit the torch, I think Vladislav Tretiak was the perfect choice. When I wrote my one-year-to-go post and I predicted who the final torchbearer might be, Tretiak was one of my candidates, although I didn't think he'd be given the honor. They made the right decision, though. And it was a nice touch to have him and Irina Rodnina share the honor. Those are probably the two biggest names in Soviet/Russian Winter Olympic history.
I was slightly confused by the earlier torchbearers. Maria Sharapova is from Sochi, so that selection made sense, but all of the torchbearers other than Tretiak and Rodnina are Summer Olympians. Don't get me wrong, Yelena Isinbayeva, Alexander Karelin and Alina Kabayeva were all deserving, but I would've liked to have seen better representation from winter sports, especially from a winter sports nation as decorated as Russia. That's nitpicking, though. Because they got the final choice right.
All in all, Sochi put on a fine show. Russia welcomed the world and the world was impressed. Now all we've got left is the actual competition. Let the Games begin.
That little girl in the beginning reminded me of the girl in Sydney. And I, of course, had no idea what they were saying or why a lot of the stuff in that opening part were significant. But when the little girl came back and we went through like 1000 years of Russian history into what NBC condensed into like 20 minutes, it was pretty impressive. Russia's a country that's still a mystery to a lot of the Western world, and they did a beautiful job of highlighting that vast history.
And that thing on the roof...Wow! The floating scenery was beyond impressive, and that I think is going to be the thing people remember the most about this night. The Russians wanted to make an impression. Mission accomplished.
My favorite piece of the Opening Ceremony was the Parade of Nations. Not for the normal reason, though. The map of each country on the stadium floor as the athletes walked out was so cool. It was a unique idea. And it worked to perfection.
I'm always interested to see what kind of reaction different countries are going to get when it's their turn to enter the stadium. Many of the former Soviet republics were welcomed warmly, which doesn't overly surprise me. Russian relations with Georgia and Lithuania aren't the best, but this is the one day you can put those differences aside. It was disappointing, though, that the Lithuanian president chose not to attend the ceremony. Unfortunately, you can't keep politics out of the Olympics, which Meredith Vieira was quick to point out when Israel and Iran came in one after the other (no matter what language, those two countries can't get away from each other).
Perhaps the most surprising reception was for the U.S. I'm not surprised that the U.S. wasn't booed, but I didn't expect the response to be so warm. After all, it's been the U.S. that's been leading the Western crusade against the anti-gay law. But a team from the United States marching into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of an Olympics in Russia was significant, and I bet that fact wasn't lost on anybody. There was something missing from the Moscow Games in 1980, and we all know the reason why. Russia's finally hosting the world. The entire world.
Then there's the final leg of the torch relay, which was complicated by the fact that Sochi has an indoor stadium (a fact I didn't know until tonight and I'm still somewhat confused about). They absolultely made it work, though. Unlike four years, when they lit the cauldron inside the stadium, then Wayne Gretzky ran to that separate one in downtown Vancouver, or in London, where the cauldron went about 20 feet off the ground and could only be seen from inside the stadium, they did this one the right way. Everyone inside the stadium and out can see the Olympic flame, which isn't far from the stadium.
As for the man who lit the torch, I think Vladislav Tretiak was the perfect choice. When I wrote my one-year-to-go post and I predicted who the final torchbearer might be, Tretiak was one of my candidates, although I didn't think he'd be given the honor. They made the right decision, though. And it was a nice touch to have him and Irina Rodnina share the honor. Those are probably the two biggest names in Soviet/Russian Winter Olympic history.
I was slightly confused by the earlier torchbearers. Maria Sharapova is from Sochi, so that selection made sense, but all of the torchbearers other than Tretiak and Rodnina are Summer Olympians. Don't get me wrong, Yelena Isinbayeva, Alexander Karelin and Alina Kabayeva were all deserving, but I would've liked to have seen better representation from winter sports, especially from a winter sports nation as decorated as Russia. That's nitpicking, though. Because they got the final choice right.
All in all, Sochi put on a fine show. Russia welcomed the world and the world was impressed. Now all we've got left is the actual competition. Let the Games begin.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Sochi Medal Picks
The Sochi Olympics are finally here. They kind of snuck up on us, but Winter Olympics often do. We're preoccupied with Christmas, then the football playoffs, then the Super Bowl, and all of a sudden it's February and the Olympics.
These are the biggest Winter Olympics in history, which NBC has been plugging big in its advertising. I suppose that's why they think they need an extra day (although I think that's just because the TV networks wanted an extra night of figure skating more than anything else). Anyhow, there are 98 events being contested in Sochi, and the U.S. has strong medal possibilities in many of the new events, which are mainly in snowboarding and freestyle skiing. As a result, it's entirely possible that the U.S. could top its record-setting total of 37 medals from Vancouver.
One of those medals in Vancouver was a silver in men's hockey. Because of that finish and with a bulk of that team returning, the expectations on the U.S. men's team are very high. I, however, think those expectations are unfair. The U.S. men's hockey team is very strong, but it's also seeded seventh. And these Olympics are being played on bigger ice. The U.S. and Canada met in the gold medal game in each of the two Olympics that have been held in North America since the NHL started participating (2002, 2010). In 2006, when the Olympics were in Italy, they both went out in the quarterfinals.
I'm tempering my expectations for both of the North American hockey teams. Not because I think they can't win. Rather, it's because I wouldn't consider it an upset if either didn't medal. Especially since like Canada four years ago, host Russia, the No. 1 seed, wants one gold medal more than any other. I'm not betting against it. In fact, I've got Russia winning the gold. Plus, I think Sweden and Finland might be stronger overall than the U.S. and Canada.
Speaking of Russia, they were incredibly disappointed with their showing in Vancouver. That puts even more pressure on the hosts to perform well in Sochi. This is the first time Russia is hosting the Olympics since the breakup of the Soviet Union. For all the controversy and security concerns leading up to the Games, the Russians are determined to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. But for these Olympics to be considered a success, there's no question the Russian team has to perform. They won the medal count when Moscow hosted the 1980 Summer Games, but that has an asterisk attached to it because of the U.S.-led boycott. Even more reason for the hosts to put on a good show in the first Russian Olympics that will be attended by the entire world.
As for the Americans, the team once again is filled with stars. Of course, there are some stars who won't be in Sochi (most notably Lindsey Vonn), and Shaun White won't compete in slopestyle, but the U.S. team is still plenty loaded. White's still favored in the halfpipe, though, and he and Shani Davis both have the chance to make history by winning the same event three straight times. Meanwhile, Meryl Davis and Charlie White are favored for ice dancing gold, which would be the first ever for the United States in that event. Gracie Gold could definitely be Gracie Bronze, while speed skater Heather Richardson and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin have a chance to become America's new favorite Winter Olympians. Kikkan Randall (who lives near my sister in Anchorage), meanwhile, can make history of her own in cross country skiing.
Without track and swimming, the U.S. won't have its usual inflated medal total of the Summer Games. And while the U.S. finished with the most overall medals in Vancouver, that was the first time that ever happened. There's no guarantee it'll happen again, either. Canada had 14 golds in its home Games, which was another record, while Germany is always among the top nations in the overall medal standings at the Winter Games. Then there's Austria and Norway, the only two nations that have traditionally been more successful in the Winter than the Summer.
My full Olympic preview will come on Friday after the Opening Ceremony (fun fact about that: "J" is "Y" in Russian, so Jamaica and Japan will be the last nations before Russia), but I have already made my medal picks for each event. I have 27 nations winning at least one medal, including 23 with at least one gold. Here's my top 10 (ranked by total medals):
These are the biggest Winter Olympics in history, which NBC has been plugging big in its advertising. I suppose that's why they think they need an extra day (although I think that's just because the TV networks wanted an extra night of figure skating more than anything else). Anyhow, there are 98 events being contested in Sochi, and the U.S. has strong medal possibilities in many of the new events, which are mainly in snowboarding and freestyle skiing. As a result, it's entirely possible that the U.S. could top its record-setting total of 37 medals from Vancouver.
One of those medals in Vancouver was a silver in men's hockey. Because of that finish and with a bulk of that team returning, the expectations on the U.S. men's team are very high. I, however, think those expectations are unfair. The U.S. men's hockey team is very strong, but it's also seeded seventh. And these Olympics are being played on bigger ice. The U.S. and Canada met in the gold medal game in each of the two Olympics that have been held in North America since the NHL started participating (2002, 2010). In 2006, when the Olympics were in Italy, they both went out in the quarterfinals.
I'm tempering my expectations for both of the North American hockey teams. Not because I think they can't win. Rather, it's because I wouldn't consider it an upset if either didn't medal. Especially since like Canada four years ago, host Russia, the No. 1 seed, wants one gold medal more than any other. I'm not betting against it. In fact, I've got Russia winning the gold. Plus, I think Sweden and Finland might be stronger overall than the U.S. and Canada.
Speaking of Russia, they were incredibly disappointed with their showing in Vancouver. That puts even more pressure on the hosts to perform well in Sochi. This is the first time Russia is hosting the Olympics since the breakup of the Soviet Union. For all the controversy and security concerns leading up to the Games, the Russians are determined to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. But for these Olympics to be considered a success, there's no question the Russian team has to perform. They won the medal count when Moscow hosted the 1980 Summer Games, but that has an asterisk attached to it because of the U.S.-led boycott. Even more reason for the hosts to put on a good show in the first Russian Olympics that will be attended by the entire world.
As for the Americans, the team once again is filled with stars. Of course, there are some stars who won't be in Sochi (most notably Lindsey Vonn), and Shaun White won't compete in slopestyle, but the U.S. team is still plenty loaded. White's still favored in the halfpipe, though, and he and Shani Davis both have the chance to make history by winning the same event three straight times. Meanwhile, Meryl Davis and Charlie White are favored for ice dancing gold, which would be the first ever for the United States in that event. Gracie Gold could definitely be Gracie Bronze, while speed skater Heather Richardson and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin have a chance to become America's new favorite Winter Olympians. Kikkan Randall (who lives near my sister in Anchorage), meanwhile, can make history of her own in cross country skiing.
Without track and swimming, the U.S. won't have its usual inflated medal total of the Summer Games. And while the U.S. finished with the most overall medals in Vancouver, that was the first time that ever happened. There's no guarantee it'll happen again, either. Canada had 14 golds in its home Games, which was another record, while Germany is always among the top nations in the overall medal standings at the Winter Games. Then there's Austria and Norway, the only two nations that have traditionally been more successful in the Winter than the Summer.
My full Olympic preview will come on Friday after the Opening Ceremony (fun fact about that: "J" is "Y" in Russian, so Jamaica and Japan will be the last nations before Russia), but I have already made my medal picks for each event. I have 27 nations winning at least one medal, including 23 with at least one gold. Here's my top 10 (ranked by total medals):
- Germany 13-13-9 (35)
- Norway 13-7-12 (32)
- United States 10-11-11 (32)
- Canada 12-7-6 (25)
- Russia 7-11-6 (24)
- Austria 6-6-6 (18)
- Netherlands 5-3-5 (13)
- South Korea 7-3-2 (12)
- Sweden 1-5-6 (12)
- France 3-2-6 (11)
Monday, February 3, 2014
Flag Bearer Candidates
With the Olympics right around the corner, different countries are starting to reveal their flag bearers for Friday night's Opening Ceremony. Some are pretty cool. For example, the Bruins are letting Zdeno Chara miss two games so that he can carry Slovakia's flag. But there's one significant flag bearer that hasn't been announced yet. We still don't know who'll have the honor of carrying the Star-Spangled Banner into Fisht Olympic Stadium. Never fear, though, I've got some suggestions.
We'll start with the ones we know definitely won't be, for whatever reason. Shaun White is looking for an unprecedented third straight gold medal in the men's halfpipe, and he has a chance to get two this year because of the new slopestyle event. However, with the slopestyle prelims the night before the Opening Ceremony (don't get me started on that) and the final the next day, it seems highly unlikely White will even attend. And if he isn't there, it'll be kinda tough for him to carry the flag.
Same thing with Julie Chu, the captain of the women's hockey team. She's an Olympic veteran who'll be playing in her fourth straight Olympic tournament (counting Sochi, there's been five). But with the U.S. women playing the opening game of the entire Olympic hockey competition (at noon local time), Chu's not going to be the flag bearer either.
There are a couple Olympians whose compelling backstories could thrust them into the conversation, as well. Erika Brown was the youngest member of the U.S. team 26 years ago in Calgary, when curling was a demonstration sport. In 2014, she's the oldest member of the U.S. Olympic team. Emily Cook, meanwhile, is a medal contender in women's aerials. It's her third Olympics, and it would've been her fourth if she didn't have to withdraw due to injury in 2002.
But if we're awarding persistence, no choice would be better than ski jumper Lindsey Van. Van was the World Champion entering the Vancouver Games, when women's ski jumping was controversially not added to the Olympic program. After a leading a long legal fight for her sport's inclusion, Van is finally an Olympian. Then there's bobsledder Chris Fogt, a U.S. Army vet.
Speaking of bobsledders, Steve Holcomb piloted the U.S. to gold in the four-man event in Vancouver. It was the first American gold medal in bobsled since 1948. Holcomb's back in Sochi, driving both the two-man and favored four-man sleds. He's a veteran, a gold medalist and a medal favorite. Holcomb would also be a great choice to carry the flag.
Shani Davis would make a fine choice, too. He's already made Olympic history as the first black athlete (from any country) to win winter gold. Davis then did it again Vancouver. And he's favored to capture a third straight gold medal in the 1000 meters in speed skating. Shani Davis rubs plenty of people the wrong way, though, so you have to wonder if that'll be held against him.
Or how about Bode Miller? He's one of the most decorated Winter Olympians in history with five medals (in four different events), a record for an Alpine skier. Bode's back for his fifth, and almost certainly last, Olympics. It would be a nice gesture to recognize his longevity, as well as his impact on the sport in the U.S. However, like Davis, he's not the most popular athlete. Miller's also had a historically prickly relationship with the U.S. Ski Team over the years. As a result, there are probably plenty of people out there who don't think Miller's as deserving of the honor.
My selection, though, is a guy who's making Winter Olympic history in his own right. Todd Lodwick will be competing in his record SIXTH! Olympics in Nordic combined. He was finally rewarded with a medal in Vancouver, when the U.S. won the silver in the team event. Most people thought that would be Lodwick's Olympic swan song. Well, he's back for one more. And this one will almost certainly be it. I can't think of a better send-off for the pioneer who turned Nordic combined from a sport most Americans knew nothing about to one where the U.S. is a legitimate medal contender.
I think Todd Lodwick is the ideal choice to lead the American team into the stadium at Friday's Opening Ceremony. It's the biggest honor an Olympian can receive. And one Todd Lodwick deserves more than anybody.
We'll start with the ones we know definitely won't be, for whatever reason. Shaun White is looking for an unprecedented third straight gold medal in the men's halfpipe, and he has a chance to get two this year because of the new slopestyle event. However, with the slopestyle prelims the night before the Opening Ceremony (don't get me started on that) and the final the next day, it seems highly unlikely White will even attend. And if he isn't there, it'll be kinda tough for him to carry the flag.
Same thing with Julie Chu, the captain of the women's hockey team. She's an Olympic veteran who'll be playing in her fourth straight Olympic tournament (counting Sochi, there's been five). But with the U.S. women playing the opening game of the entire Olympic hockey competition (at noon local time), Chu's not going to be the flag bearer either.
There are a couple Olympians whose compelling backstories could thrust them into the conversation, as well. Erika Brown was the youngest member of the U.S. team 26 years ago in Calgary, when curling was a demonstration sport. In 2014, she's the oldest member of the U.S. Olympic team. Emily Cook, meanwhile, is a medal contender in women's aerials. It's her third Olympics, and it would've been her fourth if she didn't have to withdraw due to injury in 2002.
But if we're awarding persistence, no choice would be better than ski jumper Lindsey Van. Van was the World Champion entering the Vancouver Games, when women's ski jumping was controversially not added to the Olympic program. After a leading a long legal fight for her sport's inclusion, Van is finally an Olympian. Then there's bobsledder Chris Fogt, a U.S. Army vet.
Speaking of bobsledders, Steve Holcomb piloted the U.S. to gold in the four-man event in Vancouver. It was the first American gold medal in bobsled since 1948. Holcomb's back in Sochi, driving both the two-man and favored four-man sleds. He's a veteran, a gold medalist and a medal favorite. Holcomb would also be a great choice to carry the flag.
Shani Davis would make a fine choice, too. He's already made Olympic history as the first black athlete (from any country) to win winter gold. Davis then did it again Vancouver. And he's favored to capture a third straight gold medal in the 1000 meters in speed skating. Shani Davis rubs plenty of people the wrong way, though, so you have to wonder if that'll be held against him.
Or how about Bode Miller? He's one of the most decorated Winter Olympians in history with five medals (in four different events), a record for an Alpine skier. Bode's back for his fifth, and almost certainly last, Olympics. It would be a nice gesture to recognize his longevity, as well as his impact on the sport in the U.S. However, like Davis, he's not the most popular athlete. Miller's also had a historically prickly relationship with the U.S. Ski Team over the years. As a result, there are probably plenty of people out there who don't think Miller's as deserving of the honor.
My selection, though, is a guy who's making Winter Olympic history in his own right. Todd Lodwick will be competing in his record SIXTH! Olympics in Nordic combined. He was finally rewarded with a medal in Vancouver, when the U.S. won the silver in the team event. Most people thought that would be Lodwick's Olympic swan song. Well, he's back for one more. And this one will almost certainly be it. I can't think of a better send-off for the pioneer who turned Nordic combined from a sport most Americans knew nothing about to one where the U.S. is a legitimate medal contender.
I think Todd Lodwick is the ideal choice to lead the American team into the stadium at Friday's Opening Ceremony. It's the biggest honor an Olympian can receive. And one Todd Lodwick deserves more than anybody.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
And the Super Bowl Pick Is...
Denver. 27-24. (That's not 27 the way you normally get it. It's four touchdowns and three extra points. Just to prove that extra points aren't automatic.)
I know this isn't a surprise to most of you, seeing as I'm pretty blatant in my Peyton Manning fandom, but, other than the fact that I'll be wearing Broncos orange, I do have some legitimate reasons other than wanting them to as to why I think Denver will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at about 10:00 tonight (8:00 Mountain).
During the two weeks leading up to the game, the weather was the only thing anybody could talk about. Well, it's gorgeous in NYC today, so that's not going to be the problem everyone thought. I do wonder if it'll affect the game plans, though. Both teams were probably anticipating wind, freezing rain, possibly snow, and other miserable conditions that would've made the Broncos' passing game and the Seahawks' secondary non-factors. Under the dire conditions that were predicted, it would've turned into a running game, and Marshawn Lynch, Knowshon Moreno and the offensive lines would've determined the winner. But now, each team can go back to what got them here. Peyton Manning and the Seattle defense.
So, we're back to the Broncos' No. 1 offense against the Seahawks' No. 1 defense. The last time the No. 1 offense played the No. 1 defense in the Super Bowl, the Bucs absolutely crushed the Raiders 11 years ago, getting three touchdowns from that defense that now boasts two Hall of Famers. That Raider offense, though, is nothing like this Bronco offense. No offense to Rich Gannon, but he's not Peyton Manning. And, more importantly, this Seahawks defense isn't that Bucs defense.
We can't talk about the Seattle defense without talking about the guy who finds a way to always make it about himself. I'm, of course, talking about Richard Sherman. Which "mediocre" Broncos receiver will he cover? Frankly, it doesn't really matter. Because Denver's got too many weapons. If Pete Carroll opts to put him on Demariyus Thomas, which you'd expect, then Peyton can throw his "ducks" to the white guys and beat Seattle that way.
That secondary is by far the top unit on this Seahawks team. Other than Sherman, they've got Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but Denver's still got too many weapons for Seattle to be able to stop them all. And even if they do manage to neutralize the wide receivers, Manning can just dump it to Jacob Tamme all day. Denver also has Peyton Manning. He'll "Omaha" his way into the most advantageous position, and that includes utilizing Knowshon Moreno. That's the other weapon Denver has in its back pocket. Take away the passing game if you want, Peyton will just give the ball to Knowshon and let him win the game.
There's also the experience factor. Nobody on the Seahawks roster has played in the Super Bowl before. Normally I wouldn't think that makes a difference. But when you've got one team full of Super Bowl novices and the other has an all-time legend who's playing in his fourth Super Bowl, as well as a guy who was on the Patriots until this year, that's a huge advantage in Denver's favor. It won't determine the game, but it's notable nonetheless.
And for all the crap this Broncos defense has gotten about not being good enough, they've got a chip on their shoulder. I don't think the Denver defense gets enough credit. The offense is obviously the strength of the team, but is was the defense that held off the Chargers and Patriots in the fourth quarter of their two playoff wins. The Seahawks defense is obviously better. There's no question about that. But if you think the Broncos can't win the Super Bowl with their defense the way it's currently constructed, you'd be wrong.
The unit facing that defense will be Russell Wilson's offense. Wilson's a completely different quarterback than Manning in his ability to run, which means he doesn't need as much time in the pocket as Peyton does. And that's what the Seahawks are going to need to do. They need Marshawn Lynch to have a big game and Wilson to be effective enough to keep the ball moving. The Seahawks need to run the ball and have long, sustained drives. That's the only way to keep Manning off the field and keep their own defense from becoming exhausted.
Either way, we've got a great game in store. These are the two best teams in football, and they're incredibly evenly-matched. I give the slight edge to the Broncos, though. After what happened last year, they can't come up short again. Especially with the season that Peyton had. He had a season for the ages, but the only way for this to become one of the all-time great seasons is if the Broncos finish the job. Two years ago, Eli won the Super Bowl in Peyton's house. It's Peyton's turn to win one in Eli's.
I know this isn't a surprise to most of you, seeing as I'm pretty blatant in my Peyton Manning fandom, but, other than the fact that I'll be wearing Broncos orange, I do have some legitimate reasons other than wanting them to as to why I think Denver will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at about 10:00 tonight (8:00 Mountain).
During the two weeks leading up to the game, the weather was the only thing anybody could talk about. Well, it's gorgeous in NYC today, so that's not going to be the problem everyone thought. I do wonder if it'll affect the game plans, though. Both teams were probably anticipating wind, freezing rain, possibly snow, and other miserable conditions that would've made the Broncos' passing game and the Seahawks' secondary non-factors. Under the dire conditions that were predicted, it would've turned into a running game, and Marshawn Lynch, Knowshon Moreno and the offensive lines would've determined the winner. But now, each team can go back to what got them here. Peyton Manning and the Seattle defense.
So, we're back to the Broncos' No. 1 offense against the Seahawks' No. 1 defense. The last time the No. 1 offense played the No. 1 defense in the Super Bowl, the Bucs absolutely crushed the Raiders 11 years ago, getting three touchdowns from that defense that now boasts two Hall of Famers. That Raider offense, though, is nothing like this Bronco offense. No offense to Rich Gannon, but he's not Peyton Manning. And, more importantly, this Seahawks defense isn't that Bucs defense.
We can't talk about the Seattle defense without talking about the guy who finds a way to always make it about himself. I'm, of course, talking about Richard Sherman. Which "mediocre" Broncos receiver will he cover? Frankly, it doesn't really matter. Because Denver's got too many weapons. If Pete Carroll opts to put him on Demariyus Thomas, which you'd expect, then Peyton can throw his "ducks" to the white guys and beat Seattle that way.
That secondary is by far the top unit on this Seahawks team. Other than Sherman, they've got Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but Denver's still got too many weapons for Seattle to be able to stop them all. And even if they do manage to neutralize the wide receivers, Manning can just dump it to Jacob Tamme all day. Denver also has Peyton Manning. He'll "Omaha" his way into the most advantageous position, and that includes utilizing Knowshon Moreno. That's the other weapon Denver has in its back pocket. Take away the passing game if you want, Peyton will just give the ball to Knowshon and let him win the game.
There's also the experience factor. Nobody on the Seahawks roster has played in the Super Bowl before. Normally I wouldn't think that makes a difference. But when you've got one team full of Super Bowl novices and the other has an all-time legend who's playing in his fourth Super Bowl, as well as a guy who was on the Patriots until this year, that's a huge advantage in Denver's favor. It won't determine the game, but it's notable nonetheless.
And for all the crap this Broncos defense has gotten about not being good enough, they've got a chip on their shoulder. I don't think the Denver defense gets enough credit. The offense is obviously the strength of the team, but is was the defense that held off the Chargers and Patriots in the fourth quarter of their two playoff wins. The Seahawks defense is obviously better. There's no question about that. But if you think the Broncos can't win the Super Bowl with their defense the way it's currently constructed, you'd be wrong.
The unit facing that defense will be Russell Wilson's offense. Wilson's a completely different quarterback than Manning in his ability to run, which means he doesn't need as much time in the pocket as Peyton does. And that's what the Seahawks are going to need to do. They need Marshawn Lynch to have a big game and Wilson to be effective enough to keep the ball moving. The Seahawks need to run the ball and have long, sustained drives. That's the only way to keep Manning off the field and keep their own defense from becoming exhausted.
Either way, we've got a great game in store. These are the two best teams in football, and they're incredibly evenly-matched. I give the slight edge to the Broncos, though. After what happened last year, they can't come up short again. Especially with the season that Peyton had. He had a season for the ages, but the only way for this to become one of the all-time great seasons is if the Broncos finish the job. Two years ago, Eli won the Super Bowl in Peyton's house. It's Peyton's turn to win one in Eli's.
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