Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 833 of 1503)

      Pens heading to Cup, Wings next?

      May 27, 2009 /

      The Penguins are heading back to the Stanley Cup Finals after beating the Hurricanes 4-1 on Tuesday night and sweeping the best of seven Eastern Conference Finals series. The Pens will now await the winner of the Blackhawks-Red Wings series, which Detroit currently leads 3-1.

      After battling the Capitals for seven games in the semifinals, some pundits believed that the Penguins might be worn down for their series against the Canes. But Pittsburgh put those doubts to rest when it took the first two games on its home ice and then crushed the Canes 6-2 in Carolina in Game 3. Game 4 Tuesday night turned out to just be a formality as Carolina struggled offensively.

      Now the Pens will wait to see if the Red Wings can finish off the Blackhawks tonight at Joe Lewis Arena. If Chicago plays as bad tonight as it did in Game 4 on Sunday, then the Stanley Cup Finals could kickoff this weekend.

      Making matters worse for the Blackhawks, the Wings could get both Nicklas Lindstrom and Pavel Datsyuk back from injury tonight. Detroit coach Mike Babock won’t make a decision on their playing status until each get the opportunity to skate in pregame, but chances are both players will be on the ice tonight.

      If the Wings do finish off the Hawks, they would set up a rematch of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, in which they beat the Penguins in six games. Some hockey fans wanted to see a new matchup, but it’s hard to beat the drama that comes from watching Sidney Crosby try to take on the juggernaut that continues to be the Detroit Red Wings.

      Calvin Borel to switch back to Mine That Bird for Belmont?

      May 27, 2009 /

      The 2009 Belmont Stakes, which is the third and final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, is still a couple weeks away (June 6 to be exact), but the big news surrounding the race so far is that Preakness winner Rachael Alexandra might not run.

      Apparently trainer Steve Smussen and majority owner Jess Jackson are leaning against running filly Rachael Alexandra in the Belmont since she has already had a long spring campaign and she has nothing left to prove after beating the boys at the Preakness.

      So what will Preakness-winning jockey Calvin Borel do for a ride then? Well, look no further than the horse he rode to victory at the Kentucky derby – Mine that Bird.

      Getting back to Borel, with Rachael Alexandra an uncertainty for the Belmont Stakes, he can continue his quest for a personel Triple Crown aboard Mine That Bird, because there is certainty that trainer “Chip” Worrel Jr. and owner Mark Allen would love to reunite Borel with Mine That Bird. One more intriguing scenario exists for Borel, in that if somehow Mine That Bird and Rachael Alexandra don’t run in the Belmont Stakes, then what if Calvin picks up a new mount for the Belmont Stakes and wins aboard him. That would be an incredible Triple Crown, to win all three races on three different horses! One for the ages, and most likely never be done again.

      This might not be a big deal to some, but a jockey winning the Triple Crown on three different horses would be quite the feat. Personally, I hope Rachael Alexandra runs at the Belmont, because she could be one of the best fillies to ever race and it would be a shame if she missed two of three Triple Crown legs.

      General Sports

      Is the clock ticking for Cubs to acquire Peavy?

      May 27, 2009 /

      If the Cubs are interested in acquiring ace Jake Peavy from the Padres, the clock could be ticking on the opportunity.

      Peavy said he would waive his no-trade option to join either the Cubs or Dodgers, but San Diego seemingly doesn’t want to deal the ace to someone in their division, so that would leave Chicago as their best trade partner at this point, unless another team emerges (Milwaukee?) in the upcoming days/weeks.

      But according to Daily Herald’s Barry Rozner, if the Padres can’t move Peavy’s contract off their books soon, then they might begin “offloading salaries” and if they do that, then they might as well just keep their top pitcher.

      The Cubs and Peavy seem like an excellent match, but as I recently wrote in my latest column, if Chicago is going to trade for anything right now it would probably be another bat. Milton Bradley has been dismal, Aramis Ramirez is on the DL and Derrek Lee has been as inconsistent as ever.

      The Cubs’ starters on the other hand, have been solid. Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster have pitched well, Carlos Zambrano just got off the DL and Randy Wells has been a pleasant surprised as a fill-in for injured starters.

      So why give up prospects to add Peavy to a rotation that’s already good enough to win? The timing is off for the Cubs, which means in the end they could inevitably pass on the opportunity to trade for Peavy.

      NFL

      Vikings DT Pat Williams calls out Tarvaris Jackson

      May 27, 2009 /

      If Tarvaris Jackson wants to win the starting quarterback job for the Vikings, he’s going to have to work harder – or so says teammate Pat Williams.

      Jackson is locked in a fight for the starting quarterback job with Sage Rosenfels, and he has been put on notice by Williams, an outspoken team leader.

      “I talk to Tarvaris all the time (and) tell him you have to put in the time,” Williams said recently on Sirius NFL Radio. “This ain’t college no more. This is the NFL. You have to put in more time than you are used to putting in. If you are putting in four hours, you have to put in eight. You have to put in more time than what he’s doing. I think if he puts the right time in, he will be a great quarterback in the league.”

      Williams is one of the most respected veterans in the Vikings’ locker room, so the Pro Bowler’s comments carry significant weight. Jackson played poorly in Minnesota’s first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia last season, throwing a critical interception that was returned for a touchdown.

      “I told him if he comes we will open our arms to you, and if you don’t we understand,” Williams said.

      “He’s a hall of famer, and no one can take that from him. He’s still one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play.”

      Jackson should take Williams’ advice to heart, although I don’t know how much clout Williams has these days since he’s about to be suspended four games for violating the league’s substance absue policy.

      It seems as though there’s a lot of quarterbacks who make it to the NFL and try to rely on their natural ability to carry them instead of putting in the work. Michael Vick is just one example. He didn’t start putting the extra work in until the summer he got hauled away to jail on federal dog fighting charges. Had Vick put in the extra time at the start, maybe he would have spent his offseasons in the film room instead of in dog fighting rings. (Or maybe not considering he seemed to really, really like dog fighting.)

      The classic example of a quarterback who has always put in the preparation time is Peyton Manning, and the Colts have not missed the playoffs since his rookie year in ’98. Jackson might not have Manning’s ability, but there’s no excuse for him not to put in just as much work – especially considering he’s toeing the line of being a starting NFL quarterback and a developmental No. 2.

      NFL

      Is Rosenhaus to blame for Boldin’s situation with Cardinals?

      May 27, 2009 /

      According to a report by the Arizona Republic, agent Drew Rosenhaus is apparently to blame for the mess that currently is Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin’s contract situation.

      Boldin is under contract for two more years with the Cardinals, at $2.75 million this year and $3 million in 2010, a deal Rosenhaus renegotiated in 2005.

      Rosenhaus pushed for a new deal, however, after the Cardinals re-signed Fitzgerald to a four-year, $40 million extension before last season. The Cardinals told Boldin they would try to oblige but first had to attend to new deals for Dansby and Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson.

      Boldin, under advice from Rosenhaus, demanded a trade last summer and said he would never re-sign with the Cardinals. His position softened in the ensuing months and, after helping the Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII, dialogue resumed about a new contract.

      But through it all, Boldin’s reputation took a hit, although his performance on the field never came into question. He finished the 2008 regular season with 89 receptions for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns.

      If this is true, it would make sense why Boldin plans to fire Rosenhaus and is now seeking new representation. Maybe Boldin would be willing to take a modest pay raise (whatever that entails) from the Cards, but Rosenhaus kept pushing for more. Either way, with Rosenhaus out of the way it seems like Boldin is a safe bet to stay in AZ. In fact, Boldin might even report to minicamp sometime this week as a sign of good faith to the team.

      NFL

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