CARCILLO DROPS A BOMB ON LIFE AFTER NHL

For those of you that don't know Chicago Blackhawks forward, Dan Carcillo....you're about to.  Not because of any hockey exploits he has performed during his 13- year hockey career, but for something far different.  Throughout his hockey life, he's been known as a scrapper and a fighter.  It appears he's on the cusp of opening some eyes around the National Hockey League.  As is often the case, it's not always life that teaches us lessons, but death.  But most succinctly. just how important life is.   Here's Carcillo's life lesson..

"It was early Sunday afternoon, and I was taking off my shoes in our players’ lounge when I kept hearing my phone buzz.  Someone was calling repeatedly.  I immediately got an uneasy, sick feeling when I looked at the screen and saw who was calling.  It was my close friend Missy.  She was hysterical.

“Steve’s gone,” she said.

My best friend in hockey, Steve Montador, was found dead in his home at age 35. Steve was a 12-year NHL vet who battled addiction at certain points in his career before getting sober.  Since he walked away from the game due to concussions in 2013, he was struggling to figure out what to do next.  But I was still in complete shock and disbelief.  For some reason, I started getting dressed for the pre-game skate.  As a hockey player, you’re just taught to push through the pain, no matter what. I started putting on my skates when I glanced across the room and saw the stall Monty used to sit in when we played together.  I heard his deep, hearty laugh.

Once known as a scrapper, Carcillo's got different thoughts today

I broke down.

I went to the trainers’ room to try and finish tying my skates without anyone noticing the tears.  I didn’t want to be a distraction for the guys.  It was a big game.  I told JT, one of our trainers, what had happened.  I tried to put on my best face and finish getting ready back at my locker.  That’s when Johnny Toews noticed something wasn’t right.  I don’t think I was doing a good job of hiding it.  He pulled me back into the lounge and I told him what happened.  Johnny hugged me and tried to calm me down.  But I was inconsolable.  I blew my nose, slammed some cold water and went out for warm up, telling everyone who asked that I’d be fine for the game.

About five minutes into it, I was stretching by the bench and caught the eye of Pauly, one of our trainers.  He must have just found out the news, too.  His eyes looked sad.  He could see I was hurting.  I tried to take one more lap but failed to do so without breaking into tears.  I walked down the tunnel and straight to the coach’s room and walked into Q’s office.  They had just gotten the news about Monty as well.  When I could finally speak, I told him I couldn’t play.  I didn’t want to be a distraction.  I got undressed and left the rink.

I had so many thoughts and questions that needed answers.  What had happened?  Who was with him?  Where was he?  Is this real?  This can’t be real.  Why didn’t he reach out if something was wrong?  My mind was racing.  Over the days to come, I experienced emotions that I’d never felt before.  I never realized my heart and soul could ache as it did from that kind of loss.

When I rejoined the team after taking a few days off for Monty’s funeral, I couldn’t put what happened out of my mind.  One night on the road, I started writing down my thoughts on Hilton hotel notepads.  Why do NHL players struggle so much with moving on from the game?  Why are so many former players I know battling depression?  Why does the hockey community ignore them when they’re gone?  And why can’t we create a more concrete program to help them transition into real life?

I must have filled up 20 notepad pages.  Then, I thought of a memory of Steve lathering himself up with Flexall gel after a pre-game workout and running into the locker room in his underwear. Anything to get a laugh.  Anything to make other people happy.  That was Steve.  I started to laugh.  I started to break down".

Since Carcillo's thoughts became public there has been significant interest among players, the NHL and the players union to address some of the questions posed.  A man known for his fighting abilities, who once logged 324 penalty minutes in a season...Carcillo has struck a chord.  It's time that a sport that arguably might be one of the toughest, come to grips.  Player safety and futures needed to be addressed.  And given the notion that Carcillo might be on the verge of calling it quits in the NHL, he might have found his calling. 

A man known for the nickname, "Carbomb" , might be about ready to explode with some revolutionary ideas for the league.  And with it, the memory of his best friend, Steve Montador. 

Thanks for reading,

John   

 

THE FINAL FOUR IS A SERIES OF RE.....WHAT'S?

The four teams that make up this year's NCAA Basketball Final Four are very familiar with each other.  In some respect that knowledge should help those teams and us form an opinion as to who the winners will be to advance to Monday Night's Championship game.  It should.  But it most likely won't.

The first contest on Saturday's docket has Michigan State squaring off with Duke, two teams that met each other early in the 2014-15 season when the Blue Devils pulled off a 81-71 win.

Let's re-look at the November 18th game and some of the numbers:

Duke shot 7-14 from 3 Pt. range (50%)  Spartans were at a shaky 5-20 for 25%
Michigan State out-rebounded the Blue Devils 37-28
Duke turned the ball over 8 times to the Spartans 13
Branden Dawson paced Michigan State with 18 points and Travis Trice 15...Duke was led by Quinn Cook with 19 and the 3 five star recruits, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor with 17 and Justice Winslow with 15.

Based on much of the information just mentioned, it might be wise to conclude a Duke victory.  But I'm not necessarily sold.  Why?  Because it's Michigan State who has a history of playing rock solid in games of significance in March and April.  And Tom Izzo.  I know Duke has the heralded Mike Krzyzewski at the helm but there's something about the little guy from MSU that defies explanation.  Other than the fact that he simply knows how to win at the right time of year.   Coach K has his admirers but there are far more who look at Duke with envy.....and maybe disgust.

The other glaring piece for me is the bench strength of the Spartans.  I think they go deeper with quality.  And just for one other Final Four digestion, it appears Izzo has everyone firmly entrenched in their roles.  He has tremendous depth on the front line and the back court is just dangerous enough in their rotation to keep you off guard.  My prognostication is Michigan State as the first of the two finalists.       

There might be a whole lot of finger pointing in Kentucky-Wisconsin clash

The other match-up is a redo of sorts.  Last year Kentucky outlasted Wisconsin 74-73 in the semi's but don't let that be any indication.....

In fact, ESPN's Jeff Goodman offers this.
 
"The four outstretched arms belonging to Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns were nowhere to be found a year ago when the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Wisconsin Badgers in the semifinals. Cauley-Stein was injured, on the sideline, and Towns was a high school senior preparing to play in the McDonald's All-American game that week.

Freshmen Tyler Ulis, Trey Lyles and Devin Booker were also months away from arriving on the Lexington, Kentucky, campus.  This no rematch". 

Now, while Goodman offers that suggestion, I'll take the other side of the coin with Wisconsin.  The Badgers are a year older, wiser and tougher.  They can match-up with Kentucky in height, are definitely much more stubborn defensively and they have a bevy of people that hoist it from three point range.  Had Notre Dame used the 3-point shot to a bigger extent in their game plan last week...considering they had been a solid all year long, they could have eliminated the Wildcats.  Kentucky was ripe for the taking and the Fighting Irish let them slip away.  Wisconsin won't. 

Last year in the Kentucky contest, Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky had 8 points and 5 rebounds and Nigel Hayes had just two points and was shut out off on boards.  That will not be the case this season. 

In addition, Badger head coach Bo Ryan has steadily led his team up the ladder and I believe this is the year he takes his program all the way to the title game. I need to also mention Wisconsin guard Traeyon Jackson.  Jackson is just returning from a fractured right leg he suffered early in the Big Ten season.  While not 100%, Jackson's creativity and clutch play could play an integral part in the final outcome.  He can help match-up against the Wildcat guard court....

And then there is the Kentucky head man, John Calipari.  While many marvel at the recruiting wars he wins year after year, his coaching resume doesn't reflect the same success.  This is his seventh trip to the Final Four.  He has won the championship just once, in the 2011-12 season.  One would have to think the bigger the contest the tougher time he finds a way to win.  I'll take the Badgers. 

I'll leave you with some words of wisdom from a former college coach who shared his thoughts on crunch time.  He said, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take..."

Saturday, we'll find out who's willing to take them and.....make them.

Thanks for reading,

John

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING MANDATORY, TRY THIS

It's something you've probably seen and yes, heard.  Most likely, the first time you experienced it, you were a little surprised....both by the fact that it took place and even more so, that it's not done more often.  It's even neater to think that it props up something very important to the patriotic part of us...the National Anthem.

And if you're a Chicago Blackhawk fan I need not say more because not only is it something you've gotten used to, it's now part of each and every pre-game ceremony.  The "what" is a rousing rendition of the National Anthem complete with 22,000 yelling and screaming, applauding and waving fans.  All in support of their country. 

The origin of Chicago fans cheering wildly during the anthem dates back to the 1980s, according to the New York Times.  Some say it started in 1982, while everyone agrees it took off in 1985 when the Blackhawks hosted the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the conference finals.  Whenever it happened, it happened big time. 

A fan base energized and wild

And now it's taken to the road as this October, 2014 newspaper article depicts...."It’s no secret that the Nashville Predators don’t appreciate Chicago Blackhawks fans coming to Bridgestone Arena and taking over.  So once again last night in their 3-2 home win against the Blackhawks, the Predators utilized passive-aggressive tactics to try to silence the visitors.

The Predators chose to play “God Bless America” instead of the national anthem before the start of Thursday’s game, a move the organization had employed before as a way to quiet Blackhawks fans, who are famous for cheering loudly throughout the Star-Spangled Banner at the United Center as the talented Jim Cornelison belts out the anthem".

In this case of Predator sneakery, Nashville came out on top.  But that's not often the case. 

Last week my son, Jordan, and I traveled to Phoenix for some sun, baseball and a surprise hockey game.  At the last minute I sprang some Hawk tickets on him so he could see his favorite team play the Phoenix Coyotes.  Remember, it was in Phoenix. 

We arrived in our seats around 6:45 p.m wearing our Blackhawk garb.  And we weren't alone.  There must have been 10,000 Chicago fans in attendance shouting "Let's Go Hawks, Let's Go Hawks".  Then the anthem came.  Right on cue, the stadium erupted in applause and screaming.  It was if we were in Chicago Stadium, not Gila River Arena.  It was to say the least eventful.  Wow!!

Smiles are prevalent home and away for Blackhawk fans and their Anthem

 

As we enter the final weeks of the National Hockey League season there will be many times to catch this act.  Chicago has been on a run lately and despite losing star forward, Patrick Kane for another 6-8 weeks they look primed to make a run at yet another Stanely Cup.  If you don't have an opportunity to hear this rousing rendition on the tube.....here is a sample in all it's Blackhawk glory.  And like my headline mentioned, if anything needs to be mandatory, it's this!!

Kind of puts a shiver up your spine, doesn't it?

Thanks for reading,

John

 

A DOSE OF REALITY FOR SYRACUSE...AND MORE

News came fast and furious today when our friends at ESPN released the following story concerning the Syracuse athletic program.

"The NCAA suspended  Syracuse  basketball coach Jim Boeheim for nine ACC games, took away 12 scholarships, and ordered that 108 wins be vacated as a result of a multiyear investigation into the university's athletic programs.

Over the course of a decade, Syracuse University did not control and monitor its athletics programs," the NCAA said in a statement, "and its head men's basketball coach failed to monitor his program."
Syracuse's penalties also include a five-year probation and the vacating of all wins in which ineligible men's basketball student-athletes played during the 2004-07 and 2010-12 seasons, and in which ineligible football student-athletes played in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

In addition, the NCAA agreed to accept the university's decision for the men's basketball team to not participate in any postseason games this season, including the ACC tournament.  The NCAA said that the violations, which were self-reported by Syracuse and dated back to 2001, included academic misconduct, extra benefits, failure to follow the drug-testing policy, and impermissible booster activity.

Other violations included impermissible academic assistance and services, Boeheim's failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor his staff, and the school's lack of control over its athletics program."

If you can't thumb your nose....try something else

One would have to ask.....why has it taken so long to come to this decision.  And this was by the university self-reporting itself.  Wow!!  Chalk one up for the NCAA and their rapid work.  For years there have been questions involving the integrity of the Orangemen program.  Add this to the sexual allegations made of assistant Bernie Fine in 2011 and you have the makings of some great marketing copy.  How about "What difference does it make....let's play ball!"

If....the higher ups at Syracuse want to show some wisdom, they'll use this recent news to distance themselves from Coach Boeheim.  Despite racking up a whole lot of wins, now's the time for him to go. 

MORE REALM THOUGHTS....

Will Kentucky be the first NCAA team since 1976 to go through an entire season undefeated?  Indiana was the last squad to run the table enroute to a 32-0 mark.  For some reason, I'm not convinced the Wildcats will.  Perhaps its Coach John Calipari's record in big games.  I just think someone's going to stop the run.  The probables???  someone in the SEC tourney?  Virginia?  Maybe a shocker like Wichita State.  Or Villanova?  A good three point shooting team that plays tough defense would be the perfect combination. 

The Big 12 tourney is beginning to look like it could be any one of 5-6 teams cutting down the net.  No one particular team has been head and shoulders above the rest .  Up and down.  It's been a season of inconsistency.  Next week, whoever gets the hot-hand wins it.  I'm liking Baylor.  They appear to be trending at the right time.

In the Big 10, it looks like Wisconsin's to lose.  They're just too good.  I'm amazed at their play each and every year.  They simply have a system and it works.  No one else in the league looks like they could challenge the Badgers.  Wisconsin. 

In the Pac 10, Arizona looks like the dominant team.  Typical that you don't see a whole lot of their games from the west coast area compared to the East and Midwest teams.  But they're solid.  

Up next.....NCAA time when the real hysteria begins!!!  GET READY

Thanks for reading,

John     

 

THE DAYS OF WHINE AND ROSE ......

***UPDATE:  This post was published at 5 p.m. CST on Tuesday.  Less than five hours later the Chicago Tribune reported Derek Rose had suffered his third knee injury tearing the meniscus in his right knee.  He is likely out for the rest of the season.  The following is a dialogue in could of, should of and would of's.....

He's been pampered for virtually his entire life.  He's been called the "franchise".  But something is amiss.  And now as people are stopping and smelling the rose....they don't much like the fragrance any more.  

Yes, that rose, is none other than Derek. The starting point guard for your Chicago Bulls.  The one who played one year of college basketball for the University of Memphis before being drafted first overall by Chicago in the 2008 NBA draft.  Rose became the first guard to be drafted first overall in the NBA draft since Allen Iverson in 1996 and would subsequently win NBA Rookie of the Year.  In 2011, Rose was named the NBA Most Valuable Player, becoming the youngest player to win the award at 22 years and 6 months old.

Once a high flying act.....now becoming just an "act"
 

But that was then and this is now.  A whole lot has transpired since that 2011 season.  During the 2012 NBA playoffs, Rose tore his ACL.  That led to a long and tenuous rehab, both from his perspective and the fans. They wanted him on the court....he had other things in mind.  Which meant he sat out for the entire 2013 season.  When he did return the following year, his time was short-lived.  He tore a menicsus in November and was lost for the remainder of the season.

What fans saw...what stuck in their craws was the selfish attitude he exhibited.  Many of his teammates played with a variety of injuries. Yet he sat on the bench and worse yet, participated in practice, but not game action.  He and his entourage....led by brother Reggie, became a issue for team management.  Time and again there were mixed messages as to who was "spinning" and who was offering the truth when it came to Derek's rehab.  Over the course of these two years, three almost, damage was done. The love affair, the franchise was not the Jordan replica. 

- "Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose."

The 2015 season has been yet another point of struggle.  Interviews with Rose are often mixed with rambling nonsense.  He continues to be off to side when it comes to his teammates.  He appears, at times confused, yet confident, a strange mix indeed.  Many of his messages are aimed at team issues and not his own.  And it's an act that is growing worse by the day. 

- "A rose, is a rose, is a rose".

In Monday's 87-71 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Rose was 1-13 from the field, 1-7 from 3-point range and totaled 8 points.  Hardly what you'd expect from someone who is the supposed team leader. 

He's down in virtually every category this year from his career averages:

                                 GP   FG%     3P%      FT%    RPG    APG     PTS.
    This Season          46    .407      .287      .816       3.1      5.0       18.4
    Career                 335    .453      .306      .815       3.7      6.5       20.5


These are the numbers that are making Bulls fans and media shake their heads.  It's becoming a matter of one game good, and one game bad....up and down. And with the season dwindling down to a mere 20 something game run to the playoffs, that's not a good sign. 

There appears to be some school of thought that the Bulls will be fine come playoff time.  I don't subscribe to that thought.  While Chicago could make a seven-game series interesting, it won't spell NBA Finals....or even Conference Finals.

- "Just remember, during the winter, far beneath the bitter snow, that there's a seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes a rose". 


Then what?  Well...it's time to look elsewhere, I believe.  Sadly, I have a feeling Rose is just another play away from injuring a knee for a third time.  While there would be a good market for the 6-3 guard, the time is now to make a deal.  As I look at the remainder of the Bulls roster, I see a formidable group.  However, they play best when they play together.  Is it Rose.....is it the constant pressure head coach Tom Thibodeau places on his players?   Frankly, I'm not sure.  But one thing I do is........

-Men are like roses, watch out for the thorns".   And that's putting it nicely.

Thanks for reading,

John

CHARGES OF RACISM IN LITTLE LEAGUE DECISION

You've got to be kidding, right?  Racism.  And guess who's right at the head of the line, leading the charge?  The Reverend Jesse Jackson.

The one word I'm talking about concerns the shed-to-light story this past week involving the Chicago-based Little League team, Jackie Robinson West and the Little League International decision to strip them from their U.S. title from the 2014 Little League World Series. 



Racism....a word Robinson knew far better than anyone today

Here is what tipped the iceberg.  "According to a Chicago Tribune story, at an afternoon press conference Thursday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson questioned the motives behind the decision.

"This decision's untimely and inappropriate at this time. It should not take six months after a team has played a championship game to determine eligibility to play the game in the first place," Jackson said.

Jackie Robinson West had its title taken away when it was discovered that players in its lineup lived outside the team's geographic boundaries. The decision came after teams the Chicago squad defeated in the Little League World Series complained.

"When you're going over to voter registration and going to birth certificates and doing all this time of hunting and a witch hunt that's been going on for the last number of months," The Rev. Michael Pfleger, a Chicago pastor, said.

"I can't help but wonder the question if the same thing would have been done with another team from another place, another race," Pfleger told CBS News.

The Chicago-based rapper Twista also raised claims of racism, telling TMZ.  "I'm outraged. You don't see this extensive of an investigation happen unless it happens to black people."

Really?  Alright, let me ask a question then.  The managers, League President and most of the players from Jackie Robinson West knew what they were doing was illegal.  How could you not?.  And even more so, how could you have played the entire league year with players who were ineligible and not had an ounce of conscience.  Your decisions are your consequences.  Most players know the boundaries.....all managers most certainly do and there is no excuse for a League President not verifying eligibility.  The state, regional and national committee's also did a poor job of checking eligibility requirements  

I've been a part of Little Leagues before as a coach and board member, both in around the Des Moines, Iowa suburbs.  I know what's done to assure each all-star meets the requirements that Little League International sets. If we had a player that lived outside the boundaries, they could participate in league play, but were ineligible for all-star competition.  There should be no argument from Jackie Robinson West.  Sadly, they got caught.  And because of the actions of some adults (and I use that word loosely) the Jackie Robinson West players will be associated with tarnished images for the rest of their lives.  All for what?  All for what........Let's see what words fly when the league is asked to return the nearly $200,000 in contributions.
        
"When you make a donation to a charity, that's a completed gift. You don't have any rights to manage the charity or do anything else," said Jack Siegel, a Chicago lawyer who monitors charities and sits on the BBB Wise Giving Alliance board. "You're probably not going to get your money back, but never say 'never.'"

Another Chicago source felt the League might receive additional financial support because of the media attention.  Perhaps those dollars can help rid the league of the unsavory people being replaced (managers and directors).

Through this past week, there have been several times I've thought...."what about Jackie Robinson, the name they're associated with".  What about him? 

Jackie Robinson made so many things possible for athletes – and  - especially the dreams of African American athletes – but he also was a giant figure for those of us who wanted to research, teach and frame the steps to equality in America. 

Perhaps Jackie Robinson West forgot who they were representing.  Because from where I sit.  Racism is one of the last words I reach for.  I was thinking.  Stupid.  Yeah, Stupid.  S-T-U-P-I-D.

Thanks for reading,

A SUPER BOWL FIRST.......AN EJECTION

Everybody is talking about the "call" after the stunning conclusion to the 2015 Super Bowl.  And well they should because no matter how you spin it, it was stupid, stupid, stupid.  I'm not sure how Seattle Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, can expect us to believe his postgame "stand-up" interview......"we had the right play called and it was my decision".  The New England Patriots will go down as the victor in the 49th Super Bowl 28-24.  And Seattle will be the loser.

One of the most embarrassing Super Bowl moments....EVER

But they could go down as the loser in another way. Not only will the Seahawks go down as having lost the game, they can claim a title that no one has worn before, the Super Bowl's first ever ejection.  With 18 seconds left to play and the Patriots running out the clock, post-play pushing and shoving boiled over into a brief fight between the two teams. Several players were involved by the time it ended, but the officials identified Seahawks linebacker  Bruce Irvin as the instigator and ejected him from the game.

"I was protecting a teammate, emotions flew," Irvin said Sunday night. "I saw somebody hit Mike Bennett, so I went and backed up my brother. I went about it wrong. Emotions were flying high, and I apologize.

"But if it happened again, I would go protect my teammate. That's just how it is."
Patriots guard Ryan Wendell and Irvin were shoving back and forth in the back of the end zone. With the officials focused on the pile of players in the middle of the field, Irvin and Patriots tight end Michael Hoomanawanui were locked up.  Irvin threw Hoomanawanui to the ground as players were separated.

Three times Irvin went to Twitter to express his feelings and offer some sort of apology.  His last remark went like this.  "Still not an excuse and I'm truly sorry to all the 12's and my Wvu family for my actions".  The Wvu stands for West Virginia University.  And they, of course, had seen Irvin in action before.  He has been less than a model citizen and now you can put less than a model professional football player in that same sentence.

Here's a look back....

May 23, 2007

The day Irvin and two others broke into a drug dealer's house in suburban Atlanta. After dropping out of high school, he fell in with people who were tumbling like himself – the kind of people his mother warned him would "laugh at you when you are down and out."

All rational thought was gone, though. He didn't much consider the consequences when he entered the home. Nothing mattered besides the money. He and two others robbed the house and escaped, not realizing that the person next door saw them and called the police.

It didn't take long for Irvin to be arrested and hauled to the police station where he was charged with burglary and carrying a concealed weapon. Then he was thrown into jail where he sat for two-plus weeks.  "I thought I was done," he says.

March 18, 2012

The day he got arrested, again. A silly thing perhaps: misdemeanor charges of destruction of property and disorderly conduct. According to the police report, Irvin knocked a magnetic Pita Pit sandwich shop sign off the top of a delivery car. He was arrested when the driver said the sign was damaged.

Irvin will not discuss the incident publicly, even to correct an erroneous report that he had shattered a sign inside a Jimmy John's shop. The most he has said came two days after his arrest when he posted on his Twitter account: "If u honestly believe I would blow my chances destroying jimmy johns after all the hard work I put in to get in my situation ur crazy!"

It would seem to me, that I'm crazy. Because he hasn't learned.  After the opportunities that Irvin has had.....he has been a continual abuser in the system.  The Seahawks took the linebacker/defensive end in the 1st round of the 2012 draft, the 15th player chosen overall.  He was, by all accounts, expected to be a fixture with the the Seahawks.  Now, I'm not so sure.  If......and that's a big "if", the National Football League wants to change its image and hold players accountable for their actions on and off the field, they need to step up and use Irvin's knucklehead actions as an example.  When you consider the number of young people watching the Super Bowl, the end of the game brawl was a black eye on the sport, to say the least. 

Yes, Bruce Irvin has a lot of growing up to do.  But so does a number of his teammates, namely Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch and Doug Baldwin.  Their attitude on the game leaves a lot to be desired.  But perhaps they have acceptance from someone who looks the other way.....in the name of winning.  Pete Carroll has a history of running a shadowy program.  Can you say USC?  And as Pete likes to say "any notoriety is good, I guess". 

If that's the way you want to be remembered Pete, so be it.  Hopefully, the NFL has other thoughts and the dark side of the game becomes a thing of the the past.  The Super Bowl had so many good things to offer.....the brawl did not.    

Thanks for reading,

John