Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Blades Of Glory

The next chapter in Blades Of Glory highlights Jefferson's goalie Timm Lorenz. Timm moved from Denver, Colorado to Bloomington with his mother after his father passed away. He made the team as a junior and alternated with another goalie. But the other netminder has since than graduated and left the team in Timm's hands.

Timm is athletic and has a lot of natural talent at his position, but often succumbs to his nerves if scored upon. He'll become rattled and subject to playing much worse than he normally does when confident.

This is an ongoing theme throughout the chapter as Timm's inconsistent playing performance is brought into questioning light with Coach Tom Saterdalen. However with a very strong showing against Elk River, at the other teams arena nonetheless, Timm secures the starting goaltender position for the rest of the season.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Blades Of Glory

In this next chapter of Blades Of Glory older Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars recount their days of playing for the the hockey team. They speak of the pageantry and tradition the program has carved out for itself in the elite high school hockey competition in Minnesota.

Even players that went on to play hockey at elite division one colleges, recall there days as Jaguars with even more fondness than their collegiate days. They talk about the large crowds of thousand of people that would pile into tiny frozen barns to watch adolescent boys younger than many of the spectators play a game.

This helps make one wonder if perhaps we don't set to much store in high school athletics. Really what is the great significance of competing in a high school sport?

Monday, December 8, 2008

Annotated Bibliography

Cones, Bryan. “Monkey Business: Why Intelligent Design Is Weird Science”.
U.S. Catholic Aug 2008: 12-16.

The article starts off by giving facts on both intelligent design and the theory of evolution, discussing how both came to be and some supporters of each theory. They answer frequently asked questions about each belief. The author then explains how he thinks intelligent design cuts too many corners to fit in line with what the bible says. He also explains how evolution has evolved (har har) into more of fact than a theory

Hacker, Holly K. “Dallas School Plans Master’s In Science Education, Fueling Debate Over Teaching Evolution”. Dallas Morning News December 15: 12-15

The article explains how an online curriculum offered in Texas allows people to get a collegiate degree to teach creationism in public and private schools in the state. The author interviews various people with differing opinions on the matter. She however is unbiased in her reports and gives us only facts and other peoples opinions.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Blades Of Glory

In the chapter I am reading in Blades Of Glory right now they are discussing the issue of cutting seniors in favor of a younger player of equal or less ability. Many parents are displeased when one of Duncs best friends, Ryan Briese a senior, is cut from the team despite an opinion of him being much better than any of the younger players taking instead of him.

His mother thinks back to Doug Stansberry. A young man who was put in the same situation as Ryan; cut when deserving of playing. Doug Stansberry is now dead and there is nothing Coach Saterdalen can do to keep his mother from thinking the young man did not kill himself because he was cut from the hockey team.

Ryan's mom now seems worried that he will end up like Doug Stansberry. However with strong support from his classmates, friends parents and even the school principal. Ryan does not even entertain a thought of suicide.

It's scary to think that something as unimportant as a game can convince someone to end their own life.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Blades Of Glory

The Jefferson Hockey team starts off well in their game against the Eden Prarie Eagles. They jump out to a two goal. However several careless mistakes allow Eden Prarie to score three quick goals at the end of the first and beginning of the second periods. However the Jaguars third line tied the game with a few minutes left remaining in the third period.

The game looked like it was headed for overtime, but then a d-to-d pass was picked off by the Eagles' star player, a big, fast physical player who had signed with the University of Minnesota earlier in the weak. He skated the length of the ice and rifled the puck past Bloomington's goalie handing the Jaguar's their first loss of the season.

The loss was more devastating than most because it was a conference game. Every year the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars won their conference they went on to capture the state title two.

They would have to wait another six weeks till they played Eden Prarie again however.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Blades Of Glory

The book blades of glory starts of with the Bloomington Jefferson varsity hockey team in their locker room. Their coach, Tom Saterdalan, one of the most revered coaches in Minnesota high school hockey history, is giving them an impassioned speech after a tough practice. He is preaching to them about how to prepare themselves for an upcoming game against Lake Conference rival Eden Prairie.

The team was victorious in their first two games against mid-level competition, but Eden Prairie was on a different level than those other teams. They were a state title contender, like Jefferson.

The novel then goes into detail about the teams three captains. Matt Duncan, Tommy Gilbert and Nick Coffman. Tommy and Duncs were considered two of the top five players in the state. They were both strong, fast, good with the puck and had very quick shots. Nick was a defensmen playing his first season of varsity hockey but with a legendary work ethic his teammates had voted him an alternate captain along with Duncs. Tommy was the one who would wear the "C" on his jersey.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Blades Of Glory

I'm reading Blades Of Glory by John Rosengren. It's the story of the 2002 Jefferson High School hockey team. The novel explores not only the teams exploits on the ice, but in the classroom and their social lives. I am reading this book because I like hockey and it's an interesting novel about hockey in Minnesota.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Marian Hossa In Hockeytown

Marian Hossa signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year. He reached the Stanley Cup finals, got to play with arguably the best player in the game - Sidney Crosby and achieved success he never reached in Atlanta. So why would he leave and where could he possibly go to be in a better position? For less money too?!

Only one place: Hockeytown. Detroit, Michigan. The finest professional sports franchise over the last twenty years. With four Stanley Cups in the past ten years, a playoff streak of over twenty four seasons and core group of veterans and striking young talent - the team seemed posed for another run at the Cup.

So Hossa hopped on the train. Declining offers for more money at places like Edmonton, Anaheim and Pittsburgh ( again). A rare act of putting winning and professionalism before money, Hossa has all but ensured the cup will end up in Hockeytown again next April.

Cowboys Acquire The "Other" Roy Williams

Lining up at free-safety the Dallas Cowboys have one of the most feared defenders in the NFL. A heavy hitter who plays the run better than any safety in the league. He makes two-hundred twenty plus-pound running backs pause when they come through the hole. His name is Roy Williams.

But now when he hears his name in the same sentence as a big play he might be on the sidelines - probably with a big fat smile on his face.

America's Team has acquired the 'other' Roy Williams, a perennial pro-bowl wide receiver, from the Detroit Lions. The two have squared off every year on Thanksgiving Day, each delivering their own share of blows to a rivalry that dates back to their college days. Where Roy (the receiver) played at Texas, while the safety played at his arch rival - Oklahoma.

For the first time in their illustrious careers one isn't trying to nail the other, or burn the other deep. For the first time they are paired together on the same team. It could be a combination that could lead the Cowboy's to the Super Bowl.

Clinton Portis' Remergence

Last season Clinton Portis ran for one thousand two hundred and twelve yards, while averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. This year, half way through the season he already has nine hundred and forty four yards and is on pace for one thousand eight hundred and eighty eight yards, fourteen touchdowns and an average of five yards per carry.

Last season, Portis' sixth in the league, the twenty-six year old back appeared to be slowing down. There was talk of the Redskins drafting another running back to groom as Portis's replacement down the road.

Portis, now twenty-seven and in his seventh year, has all but silenced that talk of drafting another back. Not only is he leading the league in rushing. He has more rushes of twenty yards or more than any other back (8). He also rushed for over 120 yards in five straight games, tying an NFL record set by OJ Simpson.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Clemson's Collapse

The Clemson Tiger football team came into the season ranked ninth overall in the AP Poll. They were a unanimous pick to win the ACC title - and picked by many to win the national title. They were led by quarterback Cullen Harper, the pre-season pick for ACC player of the year. In the backfield they had arguably the two best running backs in the country: the powerful James Davis and the dynamic C.J. Spiller. Or at least we thought these players were as good as billed.

Instead of pinning the teams three losses on the coach, I think the university needs to take a serious re-evaluation of how good their team really was. Sure the team was loaded with players that, at times, looked better than anyone else in the country. But the whole team was never clicking on cylinders. To navigate a college football season and remain undefeated takes one thing: consistency and the Tigers lacked that.

Now consistency is easy to pin on the coach, but some players just can't turn in the same performance week in and week out and to expect that is ridiculous. I personally think Tommy Bowden was fired prematurely.

"Wildcat" Formation

The Miami Dolphins came into their game against the New England Patriots severe underdogs. New England had won their past twenty-one regular season games. Their only loss in the last year in half had been in the Super Bowl against the New York Giants. Miami obviously needed to think outside the box to beat the mighty Patriots - did they ever.

The Wildcat formation was made famous by Darren McFadden and Felix Jones the past two years in the Arkansas backfield. McFadden would take a direct snap. Jones would come in motion. The ball would either be run on an outside sweep to Jones. Or faked to him for a McFadden keeper.

Now the egotistical Houston Nutt, Arkansas coach those two years, has no problem taking credit for the invention of the formation. He dubbed it the "Wildhog" in his tenure at Arkansas after their mascot. However its use in modern football can be traced back to Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

The formation however reaches further back, into the very roots of American Football to the single-wing, perhaps the first true base formation in football.

In the game against the Patriots, Ronnie Brown lined up at QB, with Ricky Williams as the motion back and Chad Pennington the true QB split out wide. Brown ran for three touchdowns and threw for another out of this formation. Sometimes using old techniques can be better than inventing new ones.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A Change At Syracuse Is Needed

Dr. Daryl Gross came over from the University of Southern California (USC) four years ago in 2004 to become the athletic director at Syracuse University. USC is noted for being a solid academic school, but it truly shines in its athletics - especially in football. Three of the past six Heisman Trophy (awarded to the best college football player in the nation each year) have been from USC. Some of these names might be familar: Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer.

Southern Cal also sends countless players to the NFL each year. They've been to a BCS bowl game every year since 2002 - losing only one to the Vince Young-led Texas Longhorns.

So how has a man with such a pedigree for winning turned a solid, tradition-rich school like Syracuse into a laughing stalk on the gridiron? This was the school that showcased the talents of Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Art Monk, Marvin Harrison, Donovan McNabb and Dwight Freeney.

For one, Gross has a tendency of pushing himself into the limelight, deflecting attention away from the football program. He also hired Greg Robinson to coach the Orange. Robinson's recorded since taking over as coach?

8-31

Or a winning percentage just north of 20. Clearly a change needs to be made. In my opinion Gross and Robinson both need to be shown the door. Then Syracuse needs to hire a progressive athletic director, along with a young, innovative coach who is willing to develop his own systems and recruit.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Josh Howard Digs Himself A Deeper Hole

During Allen Iverson's annual charity flag-football event Josh Howard thought it would be a good idea to express his disdain for the United States national anthem. He appeared on a cell-phone video, speaking to the holder.

"'The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on. I don't celebrate this [expletive]. I'm black …"

This is after admitting that he is quite fond of smoking marijuana in the off season during a playoff series with the New Orleans Hornets. He also saw his draft status take a hit a few years back when it became public knowledge that he was quite fond of pot during his college years.

Josh Howard is an extremely talented player, on a very talented team that won over seventy games two seasons ago. They added a first-ballot hall of famer Jason Kidd last year. However Howard's off-court antics often take center-stage and are a distraction for the team. I think the Mavericks best chance at winning a championship will come when Howard is no longer on their roster.