Friday May Be A Key Day In The CBA Negotiations

from Elliotte Friedman of CBC, 


It's going to be interesting to see the NHL's reaction to the NHLPA's next proposal, which may be delivered Friday.

On Wednesday, agent Anton Thun told the radio show Prime Time Sportsthat he saw Oct. 11 -  the scheduled start of the season - as a more important date than Sept. 15, when the CBA expires.

It seemed innocuous because Thun, unlike most, was generally positive and optimistic. Csnphilly.com's Tim Panaccio wrote on Thursday that three agents told him something similar. Some league and team executives didn't like that message, because it threatens lucrative (at least in some markets) pre-season games, and indicates their deadline isn't being taken seriously. Players are not paid for exhibition games, but still get 57 per cent of the revenues under the current CBA.

For his part, Thun said it was his own opinion and not any kind of NHLPA/agent messaging.

But it makes sense: Oct. 11 is a true pressure point for both sides. But I found the reaction interesting, because it illustrates the tension bubbling under the surface.

If the important games get missed, do the NHL's offers get worse?


more

Source: http://kuklaskorner.com/hockey/comments/friday-may-be-a-key-day-in-the-cba-negotiations

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Series Preview: Texas Rangers @ Cleveland Indians - Almost Fall

Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/8/31/3282857/series-preview-texas-rangers-cleveland-indians-almost-fall

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Charged for the Playoffs -- The Rangers' Playoff Positioning

Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/8/31/3282496/charged-for-the-playoffs-the-rangers-playoff-positioning

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Enough Of The Posturing

I've had enough of the talk from both sides during these CBA sessions.

As a hockey fan, what I want is to see some honest bargaining going on but it seems that has yet to happen.

Time to lock both sides in a room until this process starts moving forward.

I run KK because I love the game, the game that is played on the ice and not in some boardroom.

Covering these talks is like watching paint dry, after some time people just want it settled and I am asking both sides to start talking, start listening and start getting it right.

Our game will pass us by if we allow this to continue.

Bettman, you've always said you won't let the negotiations become part of the media circus but that's exactly what you have been doing the last two weeks.

Fehr, you too, stop with the grandstanding media talk, get in a room with Bettman and don't come out until progress is made.  Don't wait any longer, our game means too much to us to suffer through another lockout.

Source: http://kuklaskorner.com/hockey/comments/enough-of-the-posturing

Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera

Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech: Breaking Down Top Storylines for ACC Showdown

The opening round of college football games rarely features an intense in-conference matchup, but this is exactly what Georgia Tech and Virginia Teach will deliver on Monday.

Kickoff will be at 8 p.m. ET at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va. The Hokies currently sit at No. 16 in the AP Top 25 poll, and the Yellow Jackets are looking to break into the rankings with a win to start ACC play.

Virginia Tech started the year by going 11-1, but ended its 2011 campaign with a loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship and a heartbreaking overtime defeat to Michigan in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia Tech finished the regular season with an 8-4 overall record and also lost its bowl game in overtime.

Here are the top storylines surrounding this matchup.

 

Can the Hokies Stop the Georgia Tech Rushing Attack?

Virginia Tech is returning nine starters on defense and was a top-10 defense in terms of the yardage and points allowed last season, according to STATS’ Alan Ferguson, via Yahoo Sports.

Ferguson also notes that the Hokies were able to keep the Yellow Jackets under 300 yards rushing last year for the first time in three tries. Virginia Tech won 37-26; the teams split the previous two matchups with those games decided by seven points or fewer. 

If the Hokies can stuff Georgia Tech’s option-oriented offense at the line of scrimmage, they will likely start the season with a comfortable victory.

However, Georgia Tech had the second-best running game in the country last season, averaging 316.4 yards per game. If quarterback Tevin Washington and running backs David Sims and Orwin Smith get in rhythm early, the Yellow Jackets can dictate the pace and win this game.

 

Will There Be A Cut-Blocking Incident?

Georgia Tech has become synonymous with the term “cut-block” due to the controversial tactic the team’s offensive line uses frequently.

A cut or chop block involves blockers going low and taking out a defender’s legs. It is legal at the line of scrimmage, but can be a penalty in some cases.

The Yellow Jackets are often accused of playing dirty due to the frequency with which they use cut blocks, but Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer refuses to make this claim. Beamer said, via Norm Wood of the Daily Press, “That’s just a part of their offense, a big part of their offense. There’s nothing wrong with chop-blocking. There’s times when we chop with wide receivers and running backs and so forth. That’s just part of the game.”

Despite Beamer’s comments, Georgia Tech’s chop blocks always come with the risk of causing an injury or angering an opposing player. There is certainly the possibility that tempers will fly in this matchup.

 

Can Vigrinia Tech’s Streak of 10-win Seasons Remain Intact?

Virginia Tech has won at least 10 games for the past eight seasons, as noted by ESPN’s Heather Dinich. If Georgia Tech upsets the Hokies in Blacksburg, this streak may be in jeopardy.

Starting off the season with a loss will leave 11 regular season games. One of those will be against No. 14 Clemson who beat Virginia Tech handily in last year’s ACC Championship game, and another will be against an extremely talented Florida State team.

A loss to the Yellow Jackets could put a question mark on the Hokies’ return to the ACC Championship game, and the team has been defeated in consecutive bowl games in the last two years. 

Losing to Georgia Tech does not mean that Virginia Tech’s streak is doomed, but it does leave little room for error going forward. 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1318495-georgia-tech-vs-virginia-tech-breaking-down-top-storylines-for-acc-showdown

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An E-mail Interview with Toronto Hockey Blogger Extraordinaire Jeff Veillete

When it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs, there are a lot of great bloggers that cover the team and present valuable opinions.

One such blogger who does that and more is Jeff Veillette of Leafs' HQ as well as Marlies HQ. Jeff is also now one of the bloggers for CBS's terrific Eye on Hockey blog.

Jeff was kind enough to take the time to tell us about how he got into hockey, how he became a hockey blogger, which hockey outlets he has blogged/is blogging for and what he is looking to provide his readers at the outlets he covers the sport for.

PH: How did you get into hockey?
JV: I honestly can't remember a time where I wasn't. Both sides of my family have background in the sport, and as such, I was raised to be into it. My first memories are almost all hockey related, from watching old playoff games to wanting to play street hockey with my uncles. It's an essential part of who I am, and I doubt that will ever change.

PH: Growing up, who was your favorite team/player? Why?
JV: Being from Toronto, it was pretty easy to jump into the perpetual disappointment sink that is the Maple Leafs. Granted, my early childhood consists of the time they were at least competing in the playoffs, so I'm not completely out of line for it. I had two favourite players growing up - Doug Gilmour represented the Leafs in that regard, as he would always be making the extra effort while on the ice and usually had a point on a big goal.

The other one was Pavel Bure - I loved watching him take off knowing that nobody was going to catch him, and the pure excitement he both created and showed in every game he played. He was actually the reason that the Canucks have been my "secondary" team almost as long as the Leafs have been my first and foremost.

Source: http://kuklaskorner.com/glr/comments/an-e-mail-interview-with-toronto-hockey-blogger-extraordinaire-jeff-veillet

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These Are The Kinds Of Impossible Sports-Nerd Questions You Have To Answer Just To Become An Intern At ESPN (DIS)

Want to land a job at ESPN?

Well, you better know your sports.

At Bloomberg BusinessWeek Karl Taro Greenfield reports that even interns are asked seriously challenging sports trivia questions:

Prospective interns and production assistants are asked questions like, “Break down the National League Central bullpens,” or, “Who were the second- and third-youngest batting champs in American League history?”

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/rXMXogOK740/espn-questions-for-interns-2012-8

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