Hockey Fights

I love hockey. I'm from Minnesota, what do you expect. It's fast paced, there are exciting goals and saves, big hits, and plenty of action. But one thing stands out, even if you aren't a hockey fan: fights. Everyone likes hockey fights. Well, not everyone. Some of the purists think its a cheap entertainment that takes away from the game. Some of the hockey haters think its barbaric. I don't care. I think its great. Its not like players fight just to fight, or because they think someone was hitting on their wife. A lot of times its to protect their teammates. I'm not going to stop a guy from sticking up for his teammates to the full extent of the rule book. Without fighting, there would be a lot of skill players and smaller guys getting beat on and taking cheap shots. Enforcers make sure that if someone takes a cheap shot at their guy, you better be ready to trade punches. Not a lot of people could tell you who Marcel Dionne is (number 6 on the all time points list) or Vladislav Tretiak (starting goaltender for the 1980 USSR Olympic team). I bet more people could tell you who Tie Domi is or Ulf Samuelson. Enforcers are needed to take care of stars. If Samuelson thought someone was going to make him swallow some teeth after the hit he put on Cam Neely's thigh, maybe he wouldn't have taken so many cheap shots at players. Besides, I like watching guys fight without having to break it up or worry about being involved in it. And when its bare knuckle and lasts for about ten seconds, its the closest you'll come to a bar fight without hanging out with a bunch of drunk ROTC kids. Its sudden, exciting, and over quickly. Then, when its over, the game continues. Its like the little kids who run onto the court during middle school basketball games. Its fun to watch for a little bit, and sometimes you take pleasure in watching a kid fall or get knocked over. Then the real game starts. And if you really don't like it, go get another beer during fights. I mean, you're watching hockey, so you should probably be drinking some beers. And if not? What are you doing watching hockey? Hockey without beer or fights? It just doesn't seem right. Just go back to Dallas and cheer for the team formerly known as the North Stars while sipping on tang.

Football thoughts

10-2. 10-2. 11-1. 12-0. Indianapolis. Green Bay. Dallas. New England. They're pretty.... pretty good. I think Indy is the worst of these four teams. They're 10-2, but I don't think they're that good. Peyton has looked very human this year, and if Joseph Addai wasn't having such a good year, they wouldn't be leading their own division.

Green Bay looked bad against the 'Boys. Mike McCarthy said they had something like 22 mental errors in that game. They hadn't had more than 9 in any other games. So they played poorly. I'm not even going to use Brett Favre getting hurt as an excuse because Aaron Rogers looked really good when he came in. There's only one problem. Every time Favre gets hurt, and Rogers comes in for him, he ends up getting hurt too. He's supposed to be out this week with a hamstring injury. Poor guy. If Favre goes down again this week, I think Oakland could sneak out of Green Bay with a win and Dallas can coast to home field.

I didn't think Dallas was that good all year. I didn't think Tony Romo was that good. I think I've been wrong. I still think the Packers are going to beat them in the playoffs, but Dallas is good. Great passing game, probably second only to the Patriots. I'd put the Packers up there too, but Dallas has more vertical threats, and uses them more. Green Bay is a great passing team, but they're less aggressive, therefore less dangerous. Dallas can also run the ball. Although every time I see Julius Jones in the backfield, I question what Wade Phillips is doing. Barber is a great runner.

The New England Patriots. They're good. They should have lost to Baltimore, but you can't go undefeated without a little luck. That was one of the best football games I have ever seen, right down to the last second Hail Mary that fell two yards short. If this was in the Super Bowl (AFC teams, so don't start) it might have been the greatest Super Bowl ever. It was that exciting. If you missed it, go jump off a cliff. And since Pittsburgh is kind of like Baltimore but better, I'm sure people think they have a legitimate chance to win. I'm predicting Pats win by 30. Don't get all excited. This game will be over at the 8:37 mark in the second quarter.

Pats Packers Super Bowl? I hope so.
Undefeated Patriots? I Think so.
18-1 Patriots only loss comes in Super Bowl? No. 19-0, and shut up Dolphins, because this season is going to be ten times more impressive than your weak, shorter schedule. Not only are they on your block, but you're being evicted and they're tearing down your house and building a bigger one.

Johan Santana and Miggy

Well Detroit and Florida stole the show, at least for a day or two. I have to absolutely praise Detroit on this one. They picked up one of the best hitters in the game and a guy who may not be very good but save your bullpen some innings, or they got a guy who could be a pretty good pitcher. Dontrelle Willis will determine if this trade is a steal, or a good trade. I've always felt that trading prospects for proven players is always a good deal. Yeah, it sucks if you traded the next Sandy Koufax, but how can you know? What I do know is that Miguel Cabrera is a top five hitter in MLB and you know he's that good. I'd take this trade any day. As for Florida, this is what they do. They pick up really good young players for their stars, then in a few years win the World Series. The best thing? Then they trade those guys who became stars for more really young good players and do it again. They're good for a ring at least once every five to seven years because the guys they traded for were good prospects, then become good players, then win, then get traded for more good prospects. They always have good young players, and good young players eventually get good. They just can't keep them.

Now, the area I'm most concerned with, Johan Santana. Everyone seems to be penciling him in for opening day at Fenway. But just because the Yankees "dropped out" of the race, that doesn't mean the Twins should trade him. Yeah, having Ellsbury would be nice. Same for Lester. But it should be both. And a lot more. If the Red Sox get Santana, they might win the World Series four more times over the next five years. Lester won't put up the pitching numbers. Ellsbury won't turn into an MVP. So why does everyone think the Twins will trade for Ellsbury and a couple prospects? The Twins would get ZERO proven players. The Twins should be getting either two absolute stud prospects and a few other very good prospects, or they should be getting two proven players and the prospects. The Marlins got a pretty good haul for essentially Cabrera. You're telling me that the Twins can't, shouldn't, and WON'T get more for Santana? I said a while ago the twins should get Ellsbury (Good prospect) Lester (Good prospect) Kevin Youkilis (Proven player) and another guy, not necessarily an all-star, but you know he can play in the big leagues and you know what he gives you. That's how good Santana is. You're telling me the Twins are going to get two of those guys (i.e. Lester and Coco), and probably the worst two they should be getting? Hold on to him. Tell him you're going to do everything you can to keep him in Minny and keep him a winner. Trade another young pitching prospect for another hitter (Like the Garza-Young trade). Try to win this year. If you do well, you'll make money, maybe you can re-sign Santana, and maybe you can be a really good team. Imagine if the Twins had traded for Cabrera. It probably could have happened. Young, and a few pitching prospects? Maybe would have worked. But Pohlad would never pay, so its foolish anyways. Look to see #57 on opening day wearing a TC on his hat.