Puck Headlines: Rick Nash details emerge; Boychuk?s new deal; Wings go for record

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

? From reader Connor Simpson: "They're a couple. The husband's name is Rob Gallant, the wife's is Melissa Hilton. These were taken when the Cup visited the Charlottetown mayor's office for Hockey Day in Canada. She's a city councilor." So please, Toronto Maple Leafs fans: When things don't work out in April, don't call the FAN or writing into the Globe & Mail. You know who to blame. #blasphemy

? From Elliotte Friedman's 30 Thoughts: "Sounds like Mikhail Grabovski, agent Gary Greenstin and the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing a game of contract chicken. The Maple Leafs don't want to go above $5 million, but it appears as if the player/agent equate value with the team's highest-paid forward, Phil Kessel ($5.4 million). Who's going to blink first?" [CBC]

? New York Rangers forward Ruslan Fedotenko on the Dominic Moore hit that earned him a fine but no suspension: "Intent was there. The puck was not near me. We're trying to eliminate those plays from the game." [ESPN NY]

? In defense of Joel Quenneville: "Forced to choose, a bigger onus for the Blackhawks' ineptitude of late falls on Bowman than Quenneville. The defensively deficient roster Bowman put together created this problem more than anything Quenneville has or hasn't done." [Tribune]

? Lindy Ruff returns to the Buffalo Sabres bench tonight wearing a "flak jacket-type of design" to protect his ribs from further injury and in case a columnist from the Buffalo News tries to rhetorically shank him after another loss. [Sabres Edge]

? Interim coach Todd Richards on the Rick Nash speculation: "It doesn't matter if you're in our position or you're the (first-place) New York Rangers. Every team is trying to improve their team this time of year. I don't spend enough time in the (dressing) room to pick up vibes, but at this stage it seems it's hard on everyone." [Puck-Rakers]

? Dellow explains why the Andy Sutton deal by the Edmonton Oilers is yet another Steve Tambellini mistake. [mchockey79]

? Scott Gomez and assistant coach Randy Ladouceur get into a long and intense shouting match during Montreal Canadiens practice. Gomez said he "simply messed up an exercise" which led to the spat. Boy, score one goal and it all goes to your head ? [CP]

? Pizzo looks at the other two teams tied with the Detroit Red Wings in winning 20 straight games on home ice. "Take this into consideration, the year the Bruins set their record: The ice surface was expanded to 200 feet x 65 feet, Off-side was implemented, and players were now allowed forward passing in the offensive zone (lucky them!)" [Backhand Shelf]

? The Bruins and defenseman Johnny Boychuk have agreed on a three-year contract extension, according to sources. The annual cap hit is $3.36 million, a source told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun. [ESPN Boston]

? Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins gets the Michael Farber treatment in SI: "[After the Cup, linemate Tyler Seguin] and I went on a bit of a tear, partying pretty much every night for a while. I went home and kinda continued it. I thought [winning a championship] was something that might never happen, so I was trying to take it all in, enjoy it.... My dad sat me down and sorta gave me a lashing. He told me if we win two of the next three years, he'd leave me alone." [SI]

? Good ratings news for NBC: "600k viewers was NBC Sports Network's most-watched Sunday night NHL game ever, and the second most-watched hockey game on NBC Sports Network since opening night (Blackhawks-Penguins on 12/20/11 delivered 634,000 viewers).The viewership for Flyers-Red Wings is up 38 percent compared to the 2010/11 exclusive time period NHL game average on NBC Sports Network." [Puck The Media]

? Mike Keenan wants a coaching job, and takes a stand for old guys behind the bench: "I would venture a guess that the New Jersey Devils would have made the playoffs if Jacques was there all season. That's not a negative comment on John (MacLean); he was just very inexperienced. And I have no idea why they got rid of Hitchcock in Columbus." [NHL.com]

? Tampa Bay Lightning founder Phil Esposito on Tuesday said an autopsy showed his daughter, Carrie, died of an abdominal aneurysm. [Lightning Strikes]

? On the Cup-or-bust Vancouver Canucks. [White Cover Magazine]

? Kevin Bieska apparently has an irresistible tush. [PITB]

? Nice piece by Gary Lawless on Evander Kane's maturity this season, and the lessons the Winnipeg Jets star is learning. [Free Press]

? Larry Brooks confirms the New York Rangers have spoken to the Columbus Blue Jackets about Nash, wonders about the team hurting its chemistry with a big trade and speculates that Derek Stepan and/or Ryan McDonagh would have to be part of a package the other way. [NY Post]

? The Cannon on what the Jackets should want out of a Nash trade: "So it makes the most sense to find a goalie by trade, and who would command a better return than Rick Nash? Of teams rumored to have interest in Nash, the Kings could offer Jonathan Bernier and the Canucks could pick their future with Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider. Both teams also have some defensemen that would interest the Jackets and could certainly include a pick or prospect as both teams have their eyes on the Stanley Cup." [The Cannon]

? Days of Y'Orr offers some funny NHL V-Day cards. [DoY'Orr]

? Dirty Dangle gets its V-Day on as well; love the Cheechoo card. [Dirty Dangle]

? National Geographic Channel has a new web series premiering this Thursday, February 16th, called "Beyond the Puck," which "offers a rare glimpse into the life of Andrew Ference, NHL hockey player for the Boston Bruins and his eco-friendly way of life at home and on the road." They settled on "Beyond the Puck" after debating "S?t Tim Thomas Flips Past on the Way To Watch FOX News" for weeks. Check out the trailer.

? Finally, this is the first sled hockey checking highlight reel we've ever run or knew existed:

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/puck-headlines-rick-nash-details-emerge-boychuk-deal-210600916.html

Willie Mitchell Mark Mitera Guillaume Monast Steve Montador

You Are So Old, 2013 Edition

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/2/17/2805081/you-are-so-old-2013-edition

Marco Scandella Nick Schaus Luke Schenn Drew Schiestel

Kevin Pietersen is England's greatest modern batsman ? flaws and all | Barney Ronay

KP's record is dizzyingly fine, the last of the high-water-mark 2005 Ashes team still playing in all formats of the game

This week I went to the kind of sporting sub?event that puts you in mind, rather uneasily, of the old joke about being the type of person who turns up to the opening of an envelope, or the launch of a rubber dinghy, or the unfoiling of a Pot Noodle.

In this case it was the unveiling of a shirt: not just any shirt, but the one Kevin Pietersen will wear for his new IPL franchise, the Delhi Daredevils. The shirt's coming-out was staged at the ICC cricket academy in Dubai and was a spectacle that, it must be said, required a certain amount of politicking to witness. Initially English press were banned from attending. This shirt launch was simply too big, too thickly caked in event-glamour.

Then a twist: English journalists could attend, but they must not ask questions. They may look upon the shirt, but only in the role of penitent mutes, struck dumb by its splendour. And so it was that after a tantalising delay, flanked by a cartel of grinning bigwigs, Pietersen finally appeared decked out in full Daredevils get-up, as ever surprisingly tall and lean and tanned and goofily charismatic.

We'd come not to bury KP, but perhaps to smile a little and to draw arch analogies between his recent travails in 50-over cricket and this knee?trembling Twenty20 canonisation. But as he ran through his lines, doing really rather well, name-checking the right people, posing for a photo with all four attendant bigwigs clutching at a single corner of the shirt, as though it were some holy healing shroud, it was hard not to soften and feel a little proud of this most peculiar cricketing personage.

This is the thing about Pietersen. You may think you have the measure of him, but for all his enduring celebrity-ism he remains both appealing and surprisingly persistent. It is perhaps only when he is finally gone that we may feel he has been slightly underrated, rather than, as many would suggest, the opposite.

Naturally, none of the attendant shirt-launch shenanigans were actually Pietersen's fault. He is simply the product here, retailed aggressively by his time-share owners. Plus, he fits this world so well it is tempting to imagine he harbours ambitions of becoming soon a facsimile of Chris Gayle, the world's most post-modern cricketer, who has basically pared himself down into a hired global six-hitting machine: just dial the 24-hour emergency number and Gayle will emerge from the nearest disco carrying his baseball bat.

But we know Pietersen better than this by now. The fact is, he hasn't disappeared from view, hasn't shied from difficult times in 50-over cricket, but has instead embraced his reinvention as an opening batsman at precisely the moment in his career he seems least equipped for its demands.

Many have remarked on the technical flaw in a defence that sees him present his bat with a dramatic swish from the right, like a matador brandishing his cloak. And there is something epically poignant about Pietersen being humbled by the forward defensive, this telescopicallyassembled uber-athlete with his nylon warrior's gait, baffled by cricket's ancient first position, like Tarzan starving to death because he just can't hold his knife and fork properly.

Some see this as symptomatic of a fatal flaw, a hubristic failure to refine and adapt his kung-fu forward lunge. Some will say he has always had a flawed technique, relying instead on those astronaut's reflexes. But this overlooks his fervent dedication to practice. Frail, ungrooved techniques are for lazier players. Instead Pietersen is simply

at a time when he is suffering chronic uncertainty at the crease, induced by the brutal new world of UDRS with its unblinking pedant's eye for lbw.

It is a system that has on certain pitches made cricket into a game of lbw, turned pads into stumps and cricket into french-cricket, stumps and bails a backdrop to the real G-spot, the batsman's legs.

Pietersen has not yet rebuilt his batting to counter this assault on the shins. Will he be given time? Certainly there is no real pillow of enduring public affection to sustain him through the lean times. Instead, Pietersen is often viewed a bit like a piece of machinery bought in at great expense: when he doesn't work he seems suddenly useless, like a combine harvester with a broken axle. This is despite the fact that his career record is not just fine, but dizzyingly fine. In ODIs Pietersen has the highest batting average of any England player with more than 50 matches. He is England's greatest player yet in Twenty20. And only Ken Barrington and Wally Hammond have played as many Tests and had a higher batting average. Forget for a moment comparing attacks across the ages. Judged solely on his stats, Pietersen is England's greatest batsman of the modern age.

His value lies in intangibles, too. Few other sportsmen have provided such distinctive and memorable physicality: that bravura forearm-extension to meet the clouting cover drive, or the quick step and loft over midwicket he produced on Wednesday night off the bowling of Abdur Rehman.

Then there are the innings: the 158 at The Oval in 2005 will remain his most dizzying extreme, an innings of fearless skunk?haired dufus-genius. Since then there have been more rhythmic masterpieces ? and this is the lovely paradox about Pietersen. He may have been painted as brash and new world?ish, a twitching future?phile. But it is his Test match deeds that will endure.

Plus, he has the added lustre of having simply not gone away, the last of the high-water-mark 2005 England team still playing in all formats. For two years now he is supposed to have been on the wane, already engaged in the roadrunner years, that modern sporting phenomenon where from a distance it is clear you've already gone skittering out over the edge of the cliff, held up by nothing more than fame-momentum and celebrity ballast. But Pietersen is dogged as well as explosive, as all great sportsmen are. And beneath the excitingly zippered, multi?chevroned inanities of his latest act of shirt-shifting, this is still a truly great English cricketer.

• Kevin Pietersen
• IPL 2012
• IPL
• Twenty20
• England cricket team
• Cricket

Barney Ronay

guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/feb/17/kevin-pietersen-england-delhi-daredevils-ipl

Jordan Nolan Jim O Brien Ryan O Marra Cal O Reilly

Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma supports putting red line back in, slowing game down

The last time the NHL and the NHLPA strapped on their battle gear for a labor war, a slew of rules changes were instituted for the next season. And boy, losing that season sure was worth the shootout. (sigh)

We might not see the same revolutionary tweaks to the rule book in 2012-13, but given the ongoing concerns about player safety we're probably going to see something happen to address them.

One of the contentious issues: "Putting the red line back in," and disallowing two-line passes. Some, like Eric Lindros, would do just that to slow the game down.

Others, like Adrian Dater, believe it would slow the game down by reverting the NHL back to the trap years.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has seen his share of injuries, and a number of them resulting from the speed of the current NHL product. Enough of them, in fact, that he's Team Lindros in this debate.

From Shelley Anderson of the Post-Gazette:

"The red line has increased the speed of the game," he said. "I think maybe slowing it down a little bit by putting the red line back in is something to think about. It's faster than it's ever been, and it's played faster than it's ever been. It's the execution of the puck more than it's that the skaters are faster. It's how you can execute with the puck with the red line taken out.

"I'm not saying we should hold and hook, but I think it's a slower game with the red line in. I think you'd still have exciting hockey [with the red line] if you continue to not allow holding, hooking, open-hand [grabbing], that type of thing."

Each coach in the NHL likely approaches this issue from his own philosophical and systematic point of view. The Penguins aren't exactly a firewagon hockey team. They're also a team that's seen the speed of the game cost them key players for long stretches.

But Bylsma's is a voice worth considering in these debates, as one of the game's better students.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/penguins-coach-dan-bylsma-supports-putting-red-line-215417674.html

Tomas Kana Bracken Kearns Chris Kelly Ryan Kesler

Puck Previews: Canadiens, Coyotes, look to defend win streaks; Sharks at Capitals

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens, 7:30 p.m. ET

This will be Jaroslav Spacek's first return to Montreal since he was traded for Tomas Kaberle earlier this season. That's... interesting... Hey! Remember when the Catholic Church took out an ad urging Montrealers to pray for their team? The Habs are undefeated since then and Scott Gomez has scored. The unbeaten streak predates the prayer, mind you -- the Canadiens have won 4 straight, outscoring opponents 15-4 over that stretch. They're rolling.

Preview: San Jose Sharks at Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m. ET

After clawing their way back into contention in the Southeast (which may not be challenging enough for the verb clawing", but I digress), the Capitals have fallen off, going 3-4-3 in their last 10. They'll be in tough to turn things around versus the Sharks, who have taken 15 of the last 16 contests between the two clubs. On the plus side, the Capitals may be getting Tomas Vokoun back, and his record versus San Jose is much better: he's 10-1-1 with a 2.29 GAA in his last 12.

Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Vancouver Canucks, 10:00 p.m. ET

How much has Mike Smith's stock risen in the past 5 months? The Canucks may have breathed a sigh of relief upon learning he would be sitting this one out. Jason LaBarbera gets the start for the Coyotes, who are riding a 5-game win streak and have vaulted back into 8th in the Western Conference. They have a good chance to take this one too, even with their backup in goal. Vancouver is just returning from a four-game road trip and haven't been playing all that well of late anyway.

Evening reading

? The NHL has rescinded Maxim Lapierre's 5-minute major for spearing Brad Staubitz in the third period of last Thursday's game with the Minnesota Wild. [Canucks]

? After someone stole all the cell phones from his son's hockey team while they were on the ice, this hockey dad set up a sting operation to catch the thief. Badass. [National Post]

? On the importance of blocked shots. [NY Times]

? The Sedins do creepy self-portraits. [PITB]

? If you hate joy, you'll like Bruce McCurdy asterisking the Hell out of the Detroit Red Wings' record home-winning streak. You'll never believe it: it doesn't� [Edmonton Journal]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: RP, on Gretzky in a Blackhawks' jersey:

That Gretzky picture either negates about 100 jersey fouls or inspires 100 more.

Bold prediction: At some point, someone in Montreal goes, "Hey, didn't Spacek used to play here?"

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/puck-previews-canadiens-coyotes-look-defend-win-streaks-235717699.html

Patrick Mullen Douglas Murray Jake Muzzin Tyler Myers

Champions League: five things we learned this week | Amy Lawrence

Arsenal must draw on the spirit of Deportivo after their humbling in Milan, while Bar�a are benefiting from Alexis S�nchez's form

"This is the Champions League, not the Chumpions League!"

So bawled the exasperated commentator reflecting on the zany finale in St Petersburg for the benefit of the English television audience. As this seesawing game lurched towards the finish, a memorable climax was produced thanks to two moments of comedy goalkeeping. First Yuri Zhevnov produced a classic howler to gift Benfica a late equaliser. Then down the other end Artur fumbled to provide an even later matchwinner for Zenit. Once all the blushing had subsided, the two teams could reflect upon an entertaining affair which sets up the second leg beautifully. Benfica have two away goals to their credit. Zenit have the advantage of a win to protect, and the encouragement of having earned a goalless draw in Portugal during the group stages (they emerged unscathed from a trip to Porto).

Luciano Spalletti described it as "a very emotional and passionate game. My players won this with their hearts, although they showed a lot of quality as well." True enough. The former Roma coach has done a spectacular job since he moved to Russia, winning the title in his inaugural season, adding the cup, and taking Zenit into the Champions League knockout phase for the first time. He is already considered the most successful foreign coach in the history of Russian football. Although Zenit still have a big task ahead of them in Lisbon, they are capable of achieving it.

And Spalletti showed that those inside San Siro were not the only elated Italians on Wednesday night.

Talking of champs and chumps ?

Arsenal's seasonal crumble is on the cards. It speaks volumes that the main sentiment as their beleaguered team head to Sunderland in the FA Cup, and then host Tottenham in the Premier League, is unremitting pessimism. It is not like they haven't been here before. Tumbling out of competitions in quick succession is a foible that happens with worrying regularity. Even the famous Invincibles of 2004 crashed out of the Champions League and FA Cup in a matter of days.

If that mauling at the Serie A champions, Milan, is the prelude to another calamitous collapse, the Arsenal hierarchy really has no excuse to put their heads in the sand and, when they come up for air, mutter something about sustainable business models. This is an unsustainable football model. Arsenal have lost seven of their last 17 games, and this is not even their first blip of a campaign blighted by desperate lows.

So is there any reason for optimism? They could dig out a tape of Deportivo La Coru�a's 2004 vintage, a side that produced one of the greatest of all European comebacks having been trounced at San Siro. Trailing 4-1 from the first leg, they won 4-0 at the Riazor to floor Milan. "The game turned out exactly the way I dreamed," said the coach, Javier Irureta, afterwards, and even that was an understatement.

I know, I know. Rearrange the words "straws", "clutching" and "at". But that is all Arsenal have to hang on to now.

For an apparently ageing side, Milan don't half have some zip

A friend who lives in Milan had not been too positive about Massimiliano Allegri's team before their meeting with Arsenal. The Rossoneri were, he reckoned, worryingly old and slow ? a criticism that has in fairness been levelled at them for some time now. That stereotype was demolished by a performance that displayed unrelenting energy, zest, and spontaneity. Italian worries that traditional English pace might expose them were laughed out of town once Kevin-Prince Boateng, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho went on the rampage, while Theo Walcott did his invisible man routine.

Although Arsenal's first XI was exactly three years younger than Milan's, Allegri's team were hardly full of pensioners. The coach does have some old heads at his disposal but notably Alessandro Nesta was on the bench, while Clarence Seedorf and Massimo Ambrosini played only bit parts. Once Seedorf had made his early departure, the only outfield player that might be considered a veteran was 34-year-old Mark van Bommel. The bulk of the team was in the mid-late 20s age bracket, normally the peak age for a footballer. Allegri has been clever in the way he has quietly evolved a more youthful, invigorated team while keeping the wise old heads around to lend their experience.

Most people can't see beyond a Spanish winner this season, but Milan's excellence shows they are capable of having a say in this competition.

Bar�a's pass masters outdo Alexis S�nchez

Barcelona's young Chilean had every reason to feel chuffed by his contribution to an impressive statement of intent at Bayer Leverkusen. He scored two expertly taken goals to give his team a handsome first-leg advantage, and earned the praise of his manager. "Alexis is putting in a lot of work and is scoring a lot. He opens up the pitch for us and his movement is great," enthused Pep Guardiola. "I'm very happy for him. He's a very humble guy." S�nchez, who hails from Tocopilla, a town in the north of Chile with a population that's about a quarter of the capacity of the Camp Nou, was born into a family of fishermen, and his father left them soon after to work in a mine.

He has added something to Barcelona this season, and he was deserving of the headlines this week. But, typically of this team, the most beautiful thing about both of his goals was not his input, but the assist. First Lionel Messi, then Cesc F�bregas, delivered breathtaking passes to give S�nchez something to chase. Those sublime touches are worth watching again and again.

The garden may not be entirely rosy back in La Liga, but Bar�a will not give up their European crown without a flourish.

Apoel need another miracle

As the Cypriot underdogs headed home after a 1-0 defeat in Lyon the glass was at the exact point where half empty meets half full. On the downside, they struggled as Lyon exerted their authority with a dominant performance ? they created 15 chances to Apoel's one. The upshot is that they only lost by a narrow scoreline, one they feel they can overturn at their own ground.

The Lyon coach, R�mi Garde, senses that this advantage is precarious. "We would have liked to score more goals. Hopefully we won't regret that in the second leg," he mused.

Apoel are not unfamiliar with this kind of challenge. They experienced it before this Champions League odyssey really took off. They had been beaten 1-0 away by Wisla Krakow in the qualifiers, but recovered to win 3-1 in Nicosia, a moment that left a profound impression on the coach, Ivan Jovanovic. The Serb has worked more than enough miracles already during this campaign and sooner or later the magic touch will presumably wear off, but one thing is certain. His players are not short of faith.

"It will be a different story in Nicosia," suggested the defender William Boaventura. "Lyon are a very good team. They get to this stage every year and of course people expect them to beat us. But we're not going to give them the victory without a fight. We always tend to struggle away then we win at home. I really believe we can turn this tie around at home."

• Champions League 2011-12
• Arsenal
• Barcelona
• Zenit St Petersburg
• Apoel Nicosia
• Champions League

Amy Lawrence

guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/feb/16/champions-league-five-things-learned

Jake Newton Jyri Niemi Nikita Nikitin Matt Niskanen

Jeremy Roenick?s OK with Blackhawks trading Patrick Kane for goalie upgrade

Jeremy Roenick of NBC Sports thinks there's "no question" the Chicago Blackhawks are a playoff team. He also thinks they have a serious deficiency between the pipes right now, leading to their nine-game losing streak, and that an upgrade in goal could turn their fortunes around.

Ah, but to get you've gotta give. For the type of goaltender the Blackhawks might covet ? oh, let's just throw Ryan Miller's name out there, for arguments sake ? they'd have to give up something substantial. Maybe a gifted offensive player who is young and signed through 2015. Maybe someone ? again, just spit-ballin' here ? who grew up in Buffalo.

Appearing on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 in Chicago (with guest co-host Sarah Spain!), Roenick was asked about trading Patrick Kane for a goalie. And, somewhat surprisingly, he was down with it:

"Everybody knows I am a huge Patrick Kane fan, there's no question about that. But when you're talking something of this nature, is Patrick Kane, um, dealable? I'm gonna have to come out, as much as I don't want to say it, they can afford to get rid of Patrick Kane. They can afford to -- with the season he's having -- maybe with his off-ice reputation, maybe with the skill they have on their team, it's doable.

"Do I like it? No, because I love Patrick Kane. He is one of the most talented and one of the best players in the NHL. But if you really want a top-end goaltender, you're going to have to give up somebody. Is that Patrick Kane? God I hope not. But some people might think so."

Oh, this is all because Kane made Roenick cry, isn't it ?

Seriously, though: Roenick has been a Kane fan for years. What's interesting about his comments today is that they don't just address Kane as a player, but Kane as a person: "Maybe with his off-ice reputation?"

Here was Roenick in August 2009 after the cabbie affair with Kane:

"From when I've talked to him, I know he likes the fast lane. He likes to go out and enjoy himself. That's what all kids should be doing. He should be experiencing a lot of fun things at a young age and living his life as a professional athlete. I was surprised, but then again kids make mistakes. And sometimes they become better people because of that and I hope that happens with Pat."

Kane's not a kid anymore. Last year, he was still getting called out of being "Party Kane" in the Chicago media. If we know anything about Roenick as a pundit ? besides the incredible speed of his mouth in relation to the more leisurely pace of his brain ? it's that he expects behavior to change over time. Patrick Marleau's didn't as a postseason performer and leader, so he was called gutless. Patrick Kane's, in the eyes of Roenick, still hasn't shaken his "off-ice reputation" roughly two years after he should have.

Here's Roenick on whether Kane has lived up to expectations with the Blackhawks:

"If you look at it, he's been in the All-Star Game the last couple of years. He's been a poster boy for the National Hockey League and for a lot of the situations of marketing. He's a small player. He's not a physically strong player. But he's so dynamic. Can he get grittier? He can get grittier, no question. But I think he's done what the Hawks have asked him to do."

Trading Patrick Kane isn't something the Blackhawks should consider. At all. He's a young star in a rough stretch, but he's also a 23-year-old player with 348 points in 374 career games. He'll figure it out, personally and professionally.

But just hearing Roenick suggest that Kane should be anted up at the trade deadline should give the player and his team some pause.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/jeremy-roenick-ok-blackhawks-trading-patrick-kane-goalie-211130431.html

Severin Blindenbacher Jonathon Blum Andrew Bodnarchuk Zach Bogosian

Jeremy Lin, Norris Cole Added To Rising Stars Challenge

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/2/16/2803520/jeremy-lin-rising-stars-challenge-roster

Maxim Lapierre Louis Leblanc Vincent Lecavalier David Legwand

Marek Vs. Wyshynski Radio: Dave Bidini; NHL players and food; greatest trades never made

It's a Monday edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, and we're talking about the following and more:

Special Guest Star: Author, musician and hockey pundit Dave Bidini. "Tropic of Hockey" and adventures on Hockey Day in Canada. Woo!

? In which Marek and Wysh discuss which team can be considered the Foo Fighters of the NHL.

? The Greatest Trades That Never Happened Week begins.

? The Red Wings' 20-game winning streak.

? Mats Sundin's legacy.

? Puck Headlines and Talking Points

Question of the Day: "In the spirit of Penner/pancakes give us your best hockey/food combo."

Email your answers to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet them with the hashtag #MvsW to either @jeffmarek or @wyshynski.

Click here for the Sportsnet live stream or click the play button above! Click here to download podcasts from the show each day Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Feedburner.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/marek-vs-wyshynski-radio-dave-bidini-nhl-players-182306138.html

Marc Savard Dave Scatchard Brayden Schenn Stefan Schneider

Why this year's Bahrain Grand Prix should not be taking place

Bernie Ecclestone's dismissal of this week's street violence as 'a lot of kids having a go at the police' had horrible echoes of Mike Gatting's infamous remark in 1990

When I started this weekly blog I wanted it to be light and fluffy, like freshly beaten egg white, the top of a cappuccino or the economic musings of George Osborne.

But today this corner feels as dark as Pluto's armpit and I feel in sombre mood. I'm talking about the Bahrain Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place on 22 April. From this distance the race will probably take place, barring another flashpoint of major significance.

But should it? I mean, all things considered, should it really go ahead? I'm not banging on about human rights now, even morality, because we'd be here all day. No, I'm looking at the Bahrain Grand Prix purely as a sporting event.

I first met John Arlott, the great former cricket correspondent of the Guardian, in 1970. This sounds like a digression, but it's not. I had just landed my first newspaper job, working on a small weekly in Lewes, and used to mooch about the County Ground in Hove hoping to meet the leviathans of the press box, Woodcock (the Times), Swanton (Telegraph) and Arlott.

Arlott was my favourite, a judgment only partly influenced by the fact that whenever I met him he would give me a pound note. Perhaps he felt sorry for this apprentice, with his scuffed shoes, drip-dry nylon shirts, greasy black hair and acne.

For his pound he wanted me to dictate his typewritten reports to the copytakers at the Guardian. He didn't like doing this himself because when he read out his own stuff, he was always tempted to revise and rewrite it.

In 1970 the sporting talk, apart from England's chances of retaining the football World Cup in Mexico, centred on the cricket tour by South Africa, and we longed to see such great players as Barry Richards, Mike Procter and Graeme Pollock.

"It shouldn't take place," I will always remember Arlott telling me, rolling his rheumy-red eyes which always looked as though they had been invaded by a bottle of his favourite claret.

"Why, because of apartheid?" I asked. "No," he said. "Well, yes, of course because of the system of apartheid in South Africa [once, when presented by an immigration landing card and asked his "Race" Arlott entered "human".]

"But what I mean is that if the South Africa tour does take place the cricket will be played behind barbed wire. There will be dogs and police and protesters and violence and not many spectators. And sport should never be played in that environment. Sport is an enjoyment, a celebration, and it should always be played in that setting."

The tour, of course, was cancelled and Arlott's profound wisdom survives the test of time. I was reminded of his words when, 20 years later, I covered Mike Gatting's rebel tour of South Africa by a group of misguided and mercenary England cricketers. At least I covered the tour until I was flung out of the country and banned for life for penning my thoughts on apartheid.

When Gatting was asked about one particular riot he replied, infamously: "There were a few people singing and dancing and that was it."

I was reminded of that less than appropriate summation when Formula One's commercial-rights holder Bernie Ecclestone, responding to this week's violence that marked the anniversary of Bahrain's "Day of Rage", told me: "There were a lot of kids having a go at the police. I don't think it's anything serious at all."

Well, I've never been to Bahrain, though I may have the opportunity in a couple of months' time. Meanwhile, though, I feel a deep unease. I know the country is changing, but there are still too many surviving hardliners in the police and military.

I have spoken to people who are out there and their reports of violence and torture are just too vivid to be untrue.

It took me back to 1990 and the terrors of South Africa, to a time when some naive folk still clung to the notion that politics and sport could be kept apart.

South Africa was never going to stay the same, but the country's sporting isolation played a big part in the changes that took place.

Last year the debate about the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was ultimately abandoned by that country's government, wounded Formula One. It is doing so once again. It may well go ahead but against a backdrop of protest and repression and few spectators, will it be a true sporting event? I think I know what John Arlott would have said.

• Formula One 2012
• Formula One
• Motor sport
• Bernie Ecclestone
• Bahrain

Paul Weaver

guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/feb/16/bahrain-grand-prix-bernie-ecclestone

Marco Scandella Nick Schaus Luke Schenn Drew Schiestel

The Breakdown | Mark Cueto's analysis of England's scratchy Six Nations so far | Paul Rees

The absentee England full-back shares the prevalent opinion that Wales will be favourites at Twickenham

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES?

Played two, won two. England's start to the Six Nations is the same as it was a year ago, although they sat at the top of the table after the opening rounds rather than in second place behind their next opponents, Wales.

Has all the upheaval been worth it? The victories over Wales in Cardiff a year ago and against Italy at Twickenham were achieved with more flourish and panache than was evident at Murrayfield and Rome's Olympic Stadium this month, but England are starting over in 2012 having been well established in last year's Six Nations.

When Martin Johnson took over as team manager in 2008, his first campaign was the autumn Test series; Australia, South Africa and New Zealand lying in wait after the Pacific Islanders. England tried to move the ball against the Wallabies, but failed to create space and they went back to basics in the Six Nations.

Little was seen of England as an attacking force in Edinburgh or Rome this month: two matches, two chargedowns, two tries for Charlie Hodgson. Otherwise the boot of Owen Farrell, discipline and defence have taken them through. Scotland and Italy were not the most resourceful sides and there will be an increase in the quality of opposition over the next three rounds for Stuart Lancaster and his team.

Wales are showing a chutzpah that was once, long ago, familiar. England are digging in, but Lancaster may feel that, if he is to have a strong chance of becoming the head coach on a permanent basis, his players will need to show their creative side, even if it took Johnson and his management team a lot longer to accelerate from plodding to running.

Lancaster jettisoned players who were well established in the Johnson regime. Some looked as if their international careers had come to a natural end while others, including Mark Cueto, seemed to be sacrifices, dropped before their time for the greater good, the need for a catharsis after all that had happened during the World Cup and in the fallout.

"The World Cup was disappointing, but I still feel a lot was blown out of proportion," said Cueto, whose place on the left wing has been taken by his former team-mate Chris Ashton, a player who has made his reputation on the other side of the field. "Going into the tournament we had had our best period since we had won the World Cup in 2003, playing some excellent rugby and winning the Six Nations.

"I accept that you cannot disregard what happened off the field in New Zealand, [yet] we finished at the top of our pool and unbeaten, conceding one try and scoring 20. We did not play particularly well in the quarter-final against France, but we were good enough to progress further. To make massive changes on the back of that was tough.

"I do not know if Martin Johnson wanted to keep the job or not, but I have no doubt that he was the man for it. He had developed in experience and I thought we could look forward to the next World Cup under him. England have had to scratch this Six Nations, and they may have to do so again in the summer depending on who gets the job of head coach."

Instead of preparing for the encounter against Wales at Twickenham this week, Cueto was taking an ESPN rugby masterclass at his club, Sale, part of an event organised by the Premiership broadcaster that takes in leading clubs, grassroots teams and schools and provides coaching to coaches and players.

"I would like to think I could play for England again, but I am realistic," said the 32-year old, who has won 55 caps. "I have struggled with injuries since returning from the World Cup and have not played consistently for Sale. I just want to get fit again and start playing week in, week out. I am not holding my breath about playing international rugby again.

"England have made a positive start to the Six Nations. You cannot have too many arguments about picking up two wins away from home, never mind how they were achieved. How many people expected England to be unbeaten at this stage? I thought the way the boys came back against Italy said a lot for them: they showed character in difficult conditions.

"Wales will be a step up, but the game is at Twickenham and we always tend to play well at home against them. Will Carling tweeted this week that Wales will be the favourites and that he reckoned the last time that was the case, he was still playing.

"Wales should be the favourites. They are playing well and will be full of confidence, but the Six Nations often confounds. England have not tried to play too much rugby and for any new coaching team defence is easier to put in place than attack. At the moment, we are not playing a huge amount of rugby in our own half. We are getting field position and Owen Farrell is kicking his goals. It will build confidence and the move to more attacking rugby will come."

England did run a bit under Johnson, but the perception is that his side were functional, slave to a gameplan. "I think that from the autumn of 2010, we played in a way that England had not for years," said Cueto. "We were not a team who stuck the ball up our jumpers or kicked to the corners: we ran from everywhere and, perhaps, teams had worked us out by the end of the last Six Nations.

"Our attitude was that if it was on, we would go for it. I think a problem in English sport in general, and this may be an issue when it comes to the full-time appointment of the head coach, is that criticism seems to be deemed more acceptable than applause. If you do something well, the opposition are no good; do something badly and everyone jumps on board. It was so negative during the World Cup; things could have been different."

So what about Ashton as a left wing? "I did not expect to see him there," said Cueto. "I have not spoken to him recently, only sent him a couple of texts to wish him good luck, so I do not know why the switch has been made. I suppose something had to give, with David Strettle also preferring to play on the right. Most wings chop and change during a match, but it does surprise me Chris is not on the right."

This is an extract from The Breakdown, the Guardian's free weekly rugby union email. Sign up here.

• England rugby union team
• Six Nations 2012
• Six Nations
• Rugby union

Paul Rees

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/feb/16/breakdown-mark-cueto-england-six-nations

Andy Greene Matt Greene Nicklas Grossman Eric Gryba

Tuesday?s Three Stars: 4-spots for Kovalchuk, Spezza; who throws a strawberry on the ice?

No. 1 Star: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

The Rangers' star goalie made 42 saves in posting his NHL-best seventh shutout of the season, leading New York to a 3-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. Ryan Callahan scored for the sixth time in four games, while Ryan McDonagh and Artem Anisimov had the other tallies. As you can see from this save, he was fairly locked in.

No. 2 Star: Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators

The Senators star had the primary helper on Erik Karlsson's first-period goal and then did the heavy lifting himself: Scoring on the power play, at 5-on-5 and into an empty net for his first hat trick since March 20, 2010. Ottawa and Craig Anderson (28 saves) shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-0.

No. 3 Star: Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils

The Devils winger scored a hat trick ? a power-play goal in the first, and then two goals in the third including an empty-netter gift from Zach Parise ? and assisted on Petr Sykora's power play tally. He had seven shots on goal and played 25:04. The Devils defeated the Buffalo Sabres, 4-1, behind 29 saves by Marty Brodeur.

Honorable mention: The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Dallas Stars at home, 3-1, to set a new NHL record for consecutive wins on home ice with 21. Joey MacDonald made 20 saves. Henrik Zetterberg and Brad Stuart scored in a 20-shot barrage in the first period. ? Another loss for the Chicago Blackhawks. Ryan Ellis's deflected but save-able shot beat Ram Emery at 14:18 of the third period, giving the Nashville Predators a 3-2 win over Chicago. Eliis had a 2-point night; Pekka Rinne made 30 saves. Chicago has now lost nine is a row. ? The Anaheim Ducks keep winning. Niklas Hagman and Corey Perry scored in the third period to give Anaheim a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. The Ducks have earned points in 16 of their last 18 games. ? Miikka Kiprusoff made 41 saves while Alex Tanguay had a goal and two assists in the Calgary Flames' 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jarome Iginla scored goal No. 22. ? Don't look now, but with that Leafs loss the New York Islanders have crept to within six points of a playoff spot with their 3-1 win at the Winnipeg Jets. P.A. Parenteau had a goal and assist in the third period. Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves. ? The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in a game that reminded us why we don't bet on hockey. Steve Mason (31 saves) outdueled Jaroslav Halak, while Derek Dorsett scored the game winner at 6:49 in the third. But the game was really decided with 1.8 seconds left, as David Perron was whistled for having "gloved the puck into the net" for the Blues, one of two video reviews that went Columbus's way.

Fight of the Night: Good tussle and a draw between Matt Kassian of the Wild and George Parros of the Ducks:

Did you know? Tuesday's game was the 13th time brothers Mikko and Saku Koivu played against each other. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: P.A. Parenteau had a rare diving minor called against him vs. Winnipeg, and later took a cross-checking penalty. ? Finally, please don't waste a perfectly good chocolate covered strawberry by flinging it on the ice. You're making Darren Pang over-excited.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/tuesday-three-stars-4-spots-kovalchuk-spezza-throws-062838511.html

Jamie McBain Bryan McCabe Ryan McDonagh Dylan McIlrath

Did Budweiser exploit beer league hockey players in its Super Bowl commercial hit?

During the Super Bowl this year, Budweiser Canada accomplished something rather rare: Creating a buzz-worthy, emotionally resonating commercial without a single lingerie model or dog doing people things.

The concept was simple: Surprising two rec hockey teams in Port Credit, Ontario, by filling the arena with rabid, ThunderStick-toting, stomach-painted fans for a random night game. The execution made it an instant classic:

Sure, there were a few voices of dissent in the cacophony of praise. Brian from Regular Guy believed Budweiser lifted the idea from Improv Everywhere. That was a quibble.

What the Toronto branch of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) has is an objection with potential financial ramifications for Budweiser and Labatt.

Did the brewing company fail to fairly compensate the beer league players, and the crowd watching them, in its ad?

Here's the press release from Toronto ACTRA last week, explaining why the hockey players featured in the ad deserved compensation:

According to Tristan Hopper of the National Post, the players who participated in the commercial "are owed at least $3,215.15 each, with an extra $537.85 given to players who appeared in short follow-up interviews, according to the union."

From the Post, Labatt responded:

In a release, Labatt claimed that striking a union agreement ahead of time would have eliminated the surprise. "As anyone who has seen Budweiser's 'Flash Fans' commercial will know, it is much more the filming of a spontaneous event rather than a traditional, scripted television advertisement," said the brewer.

Crowd members, who were recruited from across Southern Ontario, were paid $150 minus a 15% modelling fee (casting calls noted it was a "NON-UNION job"). Under a union contract, members of the crowd likely would have received a cash rate of $11 per hour ? although prominent crowd members may have qualified for a "principal performer" fee of $3,753.

Indeed, the extras were aware that this was listed as a non-union gig ? which is really something that unions frown upon. Especially when those gigs become viral video sensations.

This complaint smacks of opportunism; the type of blowback from industry unions that you'd typically find aimed at non-scripted television programs.

But ACTRA does bring up a valid point: The players weren't paid, "but they were invited to an exclusive party thrown on Super Bowl Sunday," according to the National Post. Is that enough for being the centerpiece of a multimillion dollar campaign? Were they even aware, post facto, that they could have been entitled to more?

Here's a "making of" video for the commercial:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/did-budweiser-exploit-beer-league-hockey-players-super-145424154.html

Steve Zalewski Henrik Zetterberg Mike Zigomanis Dainius Zubrus

Sunday?s Three Stars: Perry tricks Blue Jackets; another shutout for Halak

No. 1 Star: Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks improved to 12-3-3 since the turn of the year thanks to Perry's fifth career hat trick during a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The trick was Perry's second against the Blue Jackets this year.

Anaheim took advantage of their four power play opportunities cashing in on three of them. Ryan Getzlaf chipped in three assists and Jonas Hiller stopped 24 shots for his 19th win.

No. 2 Star: Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis Blues

Lately, it hasn't been a Halak start without a shutout. The Blues netminder recorded his fifth shutout in his last 10 starts with a 3-0 blanking of the San Jose Sharks. Alex Pietrangelo scored twiced and assisted on David Perron's sixth goal in four games as St. Louis improved to 3-0 against San Jose this season.

No. 3 Star: Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings

It didn't come easy, but the Red Wings tied the NHL record for most consecutive wins at home at 20 bouncing back from two 1-goal deficits with a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Zetterberg scored and set up two others, including Johan Franzen's game-winner 52 seconds into the third period to help give Joey MacDonald (26 saves) his third straight win.

Honorable mention: Blues forward Andy McDonald returned from an October concussion that saw him miss 51 games. He played 16:13 and recorded an assist ... The New York Rangers won for the sixth time in eight games dispatching the Washington Capitals 3-2. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots and Brandon Prust's shorthanded tally early in third period stood as the game-winner. The goal was Prust's first in 48 games ... Florida got a pair of points each from Kris Versteeg and Tomas Fleischmann, while Jose Theodore made 26 saves in his first start in almost a month as the Panthers downed the New York Islanders 4-1. Panthers defenseman Tyson Strachan scored his first NHL goal in his 75th career game ... Bouncing back from back-to-back defeats, Jordan Nolan and Dwight King each scored their first NHL goals as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Dallas Stars 4-2 ... Kris Letang and Chris Kunitz each had a goal and two assists, and Evgeni Malkin scored his 31st and 32nd goals of the season as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Brent Johnson made 21 saves for his first win since Dec. 3. James Neal recorded three assists to match his career-high in points with 55 ... In the loss, Tampa's Steve Downie scored the first two goals of the game 11 seconds apart in the first period.

Did you know? Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,550th NHL game tonight. He now has played in more games than any NHL player who has played for only one team. (Ansar Khan, MLive.com)

Dishonorable mention: Lubomir Visnovsky got into a scrap with Derick Brassard and was given a game misconduct for not having his jersey tied down. Afterwards, he told Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register, "I never fight. I don't tie up the jersey because I never think I'm going to fight. Maybe I start to tie it up." ... Columbus Dispatch photographer Kyle Robertson Tweeted that after Perry's hat trick, a Ducks fan tossed a hat onto the ice at Nationwide Arena and was later moved from his seat.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/sunday-three-stars-perry-tricks-blue-jackets-another-052610625.html

Robert Bortuzzo Francis Bouillon Marc-Andre Bourdon Jay Bouwmeester

Bad Box Scores: UAB, SMU Kill Basketball

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2012/2/15/2801465/uab-vs-smu-stats-box-score-bad-basketball

Craig Conroy Patrice Cormier Logan Couture Ryan Craig

Will Valencia be up for it on a cold, windy night in the Potteries? | Stuart James

The Spanish side are third in La Liga but they are in for a culture shock when they come up against Tony Pulis' Stoke City

It is probably the nearest we will get to seeing whether Andy Gray had a point when he suggested a year or so ago that Barcelona and Lionel Messi would struggle on a cold night at the Britannia Stadium. Third in La Liga and twice runners-up in the Champions League, Valencia arrived in the Potteries on Wednesday (words that most football fans never thought they would read in the same sentence) for a Europa League tie with Stoke that represents a major clash of cultures.

Although Valencia are not in the same class as Barcelona, and comparisons between Pablo Piatti, the diminutive Argentina left-winger in their squad, and Messi come to an end when both players step on the pitch, there is still much to be admired about Unai Emery's stylish team and their brand of pass-them-to-death football. Indeed, of the 32 clubs in the group stage of the Champions League this season only Barcelona and Manchester United had more possession than Valencia, who dropped into the Europa League after finishing behind Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen.

Stoke's remarkable success under Tony Pulis over the past six seasons has been built on more direct methods and, although the manager has brought in talented individuals over time, the basic principles remain the same. This season Stoke have had less possession than any other Premier League team (39.38%), made fewer passes than anyone else (7,282 ? 1,000 passes fewer than Blackburn, the next lowest) and played a higher percentage of long balls (20.4%) than the rest of the top flight.

Yet those figures have proved to be a strength rather than a weakness in the Premier League and, judging by the way that Stoke have adapted so well to returning to European football after a 37-year absence ? their only defeat in 10 matches was in Besiktas, in December, when they had already qualified for the knock-out stage ? it would be understandable if Valencia felt a little anxious ahead of the first leg of their last-32 tie tonight.

"I don't think they will have played against a side like ours," said Peter Crouch, who has an impressive record of 24 goals in 52 European matches. "We are physical and use that to our advantage and that is maybe something that they wouldn't have come across in Spain. We will use anything in our power to try to make them uncomfortable."

Not that Valencia are likely to be caught by surprise by Stoke's tactics. Emery, who has impressively rebuilt the Valencia side after losing the world-class trio of David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata for a combined total of �74m during the last 18 months, is meticulous with his preparation.

He always requests a DVD on upcoming opponents and edits it himself before presenting it to the players. He also provides each member of the team with a USB stick containing information on the player he will be directly up against. In other words Rory Delap's long throws, Matthew Etherington's crosses from the left and Robert Huth's threat on set pieces will be as ingrained in Valencia minds as Messi's sinuous runs for Barcelona.

Pulis has also done his homework. He has tapped into the knowledge of Rafael Ben�tez, the former Valencia and Liverpool manager, and travelled to Spain on Sunday to watch the 2002 and 2004 La Liga Champions defeat Sporting Gij�n 4-0. "They're a good side," said Pulis, whose team have lost their last four Premier League matches. "The important thing is we're very patient and don't get chasing the ball. They played Chelsea and they had 72-73% possession at Stamford Bridge. They played Barcelona the other week, drew 1-1 and were unlucky not to beat them. That's testament to what they've got."

Intriguingly Valencia will play Barcelona again on Sunday, at the Camp Nou, on the same day that Stoke have their own seismic shift to contend with, as the Premier League club prepare to be brought back to earth with a bump. Sandwiched between the first leg against Valencia and next Thursday's trip to the Mestalla is a fifth-round FA Cup tie at Broadfield Stadium, home of League Two Crawley Town, where the capacity is just under 5,000.

For the moment, however, Pulis is thinking only about the visit of Valencia and the prospect of a special occasion under the lights when Stoke hope to make a little history. "I just think it's a great game for this city, which had been deprived of Premiership football for so long. To get Premiership football has been fantastic. Now we're playing one of the great teams of Europe in a night game at the Britannia ? it's the icing on the cake for everybody."

Stoke (4-4-1-1, probable): Begovic; Huth, Woodgate, Shawcross, Wilson; Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Walters; Crouch

Valencia (4-4-2, probable): Guaita; Barrag�n, Rami, Ricardo Costa, Mathieu; Ever Banega, Albelda, Feghouli, Piatti; Aduriz, Soldado

Referee P Rasmussen (Denmark)

• Stoke City
• Valencia
• Europa League 2011-12
• Europa League
• Tony Pulis

Stuart James

guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/feb/15/valencia-stoke-city-culture-shock

Erik Gudbranson Nate Guenin Carl Gunnarsson Erik Gustafsson

Wild prospect Justin Fontaine suspended for using gay slur on Twitter about Foo Fighters

Minnesota Wild prospect Justin Fontaine has fit in nicely with the team's AHL affiliate Houston Aeros in his rookie season, posting 34 points in 49 games, good for second in team scoring. He's also fit in well off the ice -- three weeks ago, he joined a large contingent of Wild prospects that are currently on Twitter, interacting with fans.

He's taken to Twitter quite well by all accounts, too -- except for an unfortunate incident this last weekend when he used a gay slur.

Sunday night, Fontaine's roommate David MacIntyre tweeted about the Foo Fighters' Grammy performance. Fontaine responded, attempting to sarcastically disparage Dave Grohl's critically acclaimed grunge rock band. But he chose his words poorly.

Fontaine deleted the tweet, but not before a number of Wild fans had seen and reacted to it, and Houston Aeros captain John DiSalvatore had retweeted it for some reason.

Wild management didn't take too kindly to this and it responded immediately, suspending Fontaine for his next two games.

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The Wild has suspended Houston Aeros forward Justin Fontaine for the next two games after he used a gay slur during a Twitter exchange about the Grammys with a teammate on Sunday night.

Fontaine soon removed the tweet and apologized, saying, "My apologies to everyone, it was wrong. Twitter rookie and it came out totally wrong. It was a roommate battle, nothing more. #sorry."

Additionally, the Wild issued a statement regarding their disciplinary actions and publicly apologizing for the slur. Guess this is what happens after someone like political commentator Roland Martin of CNN gets suspended for homophobic jokes during the Super Bowl. The lesson: No more gay comedy during massive television events on social media (celebs only).

The team's response in this instance was swift, appropriate, and frankly, a little unexpected. Even Hockey Wildnerness' Bryan Reynolds, who instantly decried the tweet when he saw it, felt�its response would likely be more understated:

What the fallout will be will play out throughout the day. More than likely, it will be done behind the scenes. If I had to guess, the level of usage of Twitter by Wild players and prospects is about to undergo a serious cutback. It's disappointing, because the level of interaction with these players was priceless.

The problem is, when you are a pro athlete, you are no longer representing only yourself. As frustrating as that may be, it is the truth. This type of language gives the entire Wild organization a black eye, especially if there is no recourse. If Fontaine had called an opponent that word, he would be suspended.

Reynolds is correct: This did reflect poorly on the Wild organization, and it would have continued to reflect poorly on the Wild if they had simply dealt with this privately or recommended the Wild prospects cut back on their Twitter usage. While those responses aren't endorsements of Fontaine's choice of word, neither are they rebukes, and that's what this calls for.

As Reynolds said, this would have necessitated a suspension had it been said on the ice. Truth is, Fontaine represents the Wild organization on and off the ice, and the word remains damaging regardless of where it's said, so kudos to the Wild for making it clear that the use of gay slurs anywhere will necessitate the same response.

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Nik Antropov John Armstrong Tyler Arnason Jamie Arniel

London 2012 rule changes likely to restrict GB cyclists' medal haul | William Fotheringham

New races, restrictions on the number of competitors and technological curbs mean the Beijing's 14 medals are out of reach

When Dave Brailsford was asked on Tuesday to compare the upcoming London Olympics with his cyclists' triumph in Beijing in 2008, the head of Great Britain's cycling team said the two events actually bear little relation to each other. "At the Olympics you are judged on a four-year cycle, but logically that has no rationale. You start from zero: a new competition, a new generation of competitors." And he could have added: a whole new set of races and new regulations.

Track cycling has a different look from Beijing: gone are a raft of endurance events, in come more women's races; rider numbers are limited and there are fresh restrictions on technology. It will, coaches and insiders believe, make it unlikely that Britain's cyclists will repeat their 14-medal haul from 2008. "Mathematically we can get 14, but given the reduced numbers it's impossible [in London]," said Brailsford.

Rob Hayles, a double Olympic cycling medallist with GB and now a BBC radio commentator, believes his former team-mates will be hit hardest by the restriction on rider numbers, which limits each nation to one participant in individual events. There were four disciplines in Beijing in which GB scored two medals: men's sprint and keirin and the men's and women's individual pursuits.

"It is a massive blow for us. It will halve our potential medal tally in those events," says Hayles. "The issue is not gold medals: if you are competing for gold, having one or two riders doesn't change anything," says Brailsford. "It does change the number of medals you can win."

Great Britain is not the only nation that will suffer in this way: France, Germany and Australia are all capable of fielding multiple medallists in various events. In the men's match sprint, for example, there were four French riders in the top 10 at last year's world championships, three Britons and two Australians.

The upshot is that the world track championships in Melbourne at the start of April, where nations can enter up to three riders in some events subject to qualification rules, will see stronger fields than the Olympic Games. "It will be harder to get a medal at the worlds than the Olympics," says Hayles. "It won't be easier to win gold at the Olympics but it will be easier to medal."

The rider number limits have other ramifications, primarily in the endurance events, where the entrant to the six-event omnium has to come from among the team pursuit squad. On Tuesday the British coaches and riders spoke with one voice: it is not possible to focus wholeheartedly on both disciplines. GB's men and women will aim for the team pursuit, and any omnium medals will be a bonus.

The slashing of the endurance events to just two has hit Great Britain, which won gold in both men and women's individual pursuits ? which have gone ? as well as bronze in the men's and silver in the women's. That, however, is compensated for by the welcome arrival of new women's events to put the two sexes on parity: team pursuit, keirin and team sprint, in which GB should start among the favourites.

The restraints on the use of technology were not targeted at Great Britain, says Chris Boardman, head of research and development at the cycling team, but were probably inspired by the squad's conspicuous success in Beijing.

"We showed what you could do if you focus on every aspect including technology and aerodynamics; it can affect performance." Areas that are now restricted include what types of clothing can be worn ? the plasticised "magic skinsuits" that were worn by Great Britain in Beijing have been banned ? measurements of the cycles ridden on the track and aerodynamic covers on helmets.

The former gold medallist feels the UCI's decision to bring in restraints in this area was based on newspaper stories that overplayed the role of technology in Great Britain's success. "We devoted some resource to understanding the event, and because in the papers it made a good story, the decision was made off the back of it. They didn't take time to consult and see if the papers were merely focusing on one area."

The change which will affect Great Britain the most will be the loss of the magic skinsuits, which have been barred on the grounds that plasticised suits can be used to compress the body into a more aerodynamic shape. Their banning at a relatively late stage ? Boardman says they were approved by the UCI after Beijing ? has cost the team "a lot of money" although a replacement has been found.

In this Olympic cycle, the official line from Great Britain on the activities of Boardman and his team of "secret squirrels" has been that the focus has been on the human angle of performance. There is another priority: ensuring that the kit the team uses is within the rules may sound obvious, but the problem as Boardman and others tell it is that enforcement of the rules has not been consistent.

If it sounds bizarre that Great Britain have to devote this much time and energy to clarifying what length socks they can wear, and what angle their saddles can be sloped at, there is a logic to it, a need to avoid turning up in August and being told that kit is illegal. Think of it as the equivalent of a rugby coach talking to the referee before an international to find out how he will rule on the contact area or the scrum.

"We've had all the frames and forks we are using for London vetted by the UCI," says Boardman. "We sat down with them and said 'here is the clothing, are you OK with this?' They said OK, I minuted it, and sent it to them. We wanted to do it because the biggest challenge is not the rules, but enforcement. They are targeting the impact of technology. I'm OK with that. Tell us what the rules are, and we'll butt up against them."

• Olympics 2012: cycling
• Cycling
• Olympic Games 2012

William Fotheringham

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/feb/14/london-2012-rule-changes-cyclists

David Kolomatis Sergei Kolosov Mike Komisarek Mike Kostka

Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma supports putting red line back in, slowing game down

The last time the NHL and the NHLPA strapped on their battle gear for a labor war, a slew of rules changes were instituted for the next season. And boy, losing that season sure was worth the shootout. (sigh)

We might not see the same revolutionary tweaks to the rule book in 2012-13, but given the ongoing concerns about player safety we're probably going to see something happen to address them.

One of the contentious issues: "Putting the red line back in," and disallowing two-line passes. Some, like Eric Lindros, would do just that to slow the game down.

Others, like Adrian Dater, believe it would slow the game down by reverting the NHL back to the trap years.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has seen his share of injuries, and a number of them resulting from the speed of the current NHL product. Enough of them, in fact, that he's Team Lindros in this debate.

From Shelley Anderson of the Post-Gazette:

"The red line has increased the speed of the game," he said. "I think maybe slowing it down a little bit by putting the red line back in is something to think about. It's faster than it's ever been, and it's played faster than it's ever been. It's the execution of the puck more than it's that the skaters are faster. It's how you can execute with the puck with the red line taken out.

"I'm not saying we should hold and hook, but I think it's a slower game with the red line in. I think you'd still have exciting hockey [with the red line] if you continue to not allow holding, hooking, open-hand [grabbing], that type of thing."

Each coach in the NHL likely approaches this issue from his own philosophical and systematic point of view. The Penguins aren't exactly a firewagon hockey team. They're also a team that's seen the speed of the game cost them key players for long stretches.

But Bylsma's is a voice worth considering in these debates, as one of the game's better students.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/penguins-coach-dan-bylsma-supports-putting-red-line-215417674.html

Tomas Tatar John Tavares Nate Thompson Joe Thornton