February 2010
OLYMPIC HOCKEY SELECTIONS – QUARTERFINAL ROUND
ROCK BOX Loves Luongo and the Canadians Too
3 STARS: CANADA -140
2 STARS: SWITZERLAND +2.5 GOALS; FINLAND/CZECH UNDER 5; SLOVAKIA +1.5 GOALS
COMMENT: This is where the fun begins- a single elimination tournament for all the marbles. Best hockey you’ll find anywhere, anytime. We think the Canadians are still the team to beat and still our pick to win Gold. They’ll come out strong against the Russians today and overpower the weakness of the Russian team- defense. Switzerland is a dangerous dog against the Americanos. They’re strong enough in goal to keep this one close. USA squeaks by. Fins and Czechs should be a defensive war, low-scoring, whoever gets the big break moves on. The extra rest for the Fins could make the difference late. In the final tilt of the night look for the Slovaks to give the Swedes all they can handle. Not only do we like the Slovaks at plus 1.5 goals, but we like their chances for an outright upset.
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Rick Reilly Should Apologize to Me
Wrong Finger
Friday marked yet another twist in the ongoing saga of sportswriter Rick Reilly.
Once considered by Rick Reilly to be one of the great sportswriters of all-time, Rick Reilly suddenly began to exhibit unacceptable behavior for someone even as great as himself (according to him).
His downward spiral was marked by repeated requests to have other people he barely knows (Tiger Woods) apologize to him. Not only was Reilly exposed as a serial apology-demander, but the situation soon snowballed with Reilly laying out elaborate “rehabilitation” plans, once again, for people he barely knows (Tiger Woods).
Whereas Rick Reilly once projected an image of sportswriting greatness, and repeatedly told us that he was, in fact, very, very good, his actions of the last few months have cast serious doubts about Rick Reilly and whether he is really what has claimed to be. Namely, a great sportswriter.
In the past I was so convinced by Rick Reilly’s public persona that I actually told some of my friends- “Look at this guy Rick Reilly. He really thinks he’s great.” And now, after seeing Rick Reilly demand apologies over and over for the last several weeks, I no longer know what to think.
I feel betrayed.
Rick Reilly is not who he said he was.
One of the things that always made Rick Reilly so great, according to Rick Reilly, was that he had “access” to players. And it’s true! Rick Reilly often hangs out in locker rooms where professional athletes shower. Sometimes he asks them questions and they reveal themselves to him in telling ways. One time, for example, a football player told him that the team has a lot of respect for their upcoming opponent and were working very hard in practice because they anticipated a tough game.
It’s inside information like this that gives Rick Reilly such an advantage over lowly bloggers and that has helped to make Rick Reilly a truly awesome sportswriter.
And speaking of bloggers, what kind of training do they have to do their jobs? Rick Reilly went to college!
In fact, as Rick Reilly wrote in a recent column, his college journalism professor once told him, “You’re too good for sports.” It’s true. Rick Reilly was so talented and so admired by college faculty members that he probably should have been writing about politics or world events. And, yet, he chose to write about sports.
And what has been the outcome of this decision? For years Rick Reilly was an award-winning sportswriter, according to his own ESPN bio. Last July he became the first person to hand himself the Rick Reilly Outstanding Journalism Award. At the time Reilly assured us that he deserved the award and would likely win it again several times in the future.
Now all of that is in doubt. Rick Reilly, it suddenly seems, is not the great sportswriter that we thought he said he was. He is a guy who makes strangely personal demands from people he barely knows and who presumptuously advises such people how they might “rehabilitate” themselves in his eyes.
Shame on you, Rick Reilly.
I demand an apology.
2010 WINTER OLYMPICS PREVIEWS: MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
- Slovakia is Interesting as a 40-1 Longshot
Ice hockey has always been a marquee event of the Winter Games and the inclusion of NHL superstars since 1998 has only upped the ante. Canada is a perennial favorite, and now more than ever playing at home in Vancouver. Then again, home ice also adds a ton of pressure. Rivals take note that the Canadians whiffed completely at Calgary in 1988. Russia is more than capable of upstaging the locals, with NHL MVP Alexander Ovechkin leading a powerful offensive attack. And then there’s defending champion Sweden, 1998 gold medalists the Czech Republic, and a darkhorse USA team loaded with youth, speed, and red hot goaltender Ryan Miller. Finland, as always, has great goaltending as well. Looking for a deep sleeper? How about Slovakia. The Slovaks came out of the gates 5-0 in the 2006 Olympic tournament and finished a very respectable 5-1 overall after being eliminated in the quarterfinals. It’s worth noting that this year’s games will be played on the smaller NHL size rink as opposed to the more spacious international surface. This could work to the advantage of the Americans and Canadians while working against skaters like the Czechs, Finland, and possibly Sweden. Indications are that the NHL may reverse course and keep its stars out of the 2014 games. That means that 2010 could be the end of a brief golden age of world class Olympic hockey.
2010 WINTER OLYMPICS PREVIEWS: FIGURE SKATING
- Kim Yu-Na
Figure skating is the most in-demand ticket at the Winter Olympics- and with good reason. The most skilled skaters in the world train and compete for years to be here and the unique pressure of the Olympic stage puts them all to the test. American male skaters Evan Lysack, Jeremy Abbott and Johnny Weir will compete against returning Olympic Champion Evgeni Plushenko and additional contenders Patrick Chan of Canada and Brian Joubert of France. On the female side, 17 year-old U.S. Champion Rachel Flatt and 16 year-old former U.S. Champion Mirai Nagasu lead a new generation of American skaters. They’ll take the ice at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum against a tough field led by South Korea’s Kim Yu-Na. The 19 year-old Kim has dominated the event since 2008, winning nine of eleven events in that span, racking up record-breaking scores and a string of standing ovations with her James Bond-themed short program. If she’s on at the Olympics she’ll become one of the stars of the Games. Then again, the women’s favorite hasn’t won gold in this event since 1994. If Kim falters, Japan’s Mao Asada and Miki Ando, both former World Champions, could step up.
2010 WINTER OLYMPICS PREVIEWS: FREESTYLE SKIING
- Aussie Aerialist Lydia Lassila in Action
The Freestyle Skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held at Cypress Mountain, a particularly appealing spot for skiers and fans alike with fantastic views of the city and harbor. Freestyle Skiing is relatively new to the Olympics, consisting of three events: moguls, introduced as an Olympic event in 1992; aerials, introduced in 1994; and ski cross, which is brand new this year. Moguls skiers speed down the hill while navigating a series of bumps and jumps. Outcomes are tabulated based on a combination of the skier’s time and judges’ scores on turns and jumps. Dale Begg-Smith of Australia is the returning gold medalist and strong favorite for the men. Born and raised in Canada, Begg-Smith formerly skied for their national team. After turning into something of a teenage computer whiz, he was told by his Canadian coaches that his Internet business pursuits were becoming a distraction. Begg-Smith responded by quitting and moving to Australia where he proceeded to strike it rich selling invasive computer spyware. Now he drives a Lamborghini and skis for Australia against Canadian rivals like Alexandre Bilodeau. On the women’s side, Americans Heather McPhie, Hannah Kearney, and Shannon Bahrke all have strong shots, though Canada’s Jennifer Heil is the favorite. Unlike moguls the aerials event consists strictly of jumping, with judges scoring competitors based on degree of difficulty, execution, style, and landing. Anton Kushnir of Belarus is the favorite for the men while Lydia Lassila of Australia will seek a spot on the women’s podium after the disappointment of tearing her ACL and withdrawing from the 2006 Games. Finally, the ski cross event places four skiers on the course at the same time with all four navigating through turns in a race to the finish line. Switzerland’s Michael Schmid and Canada’s Ashleigh McIvor are the favorites for the men and women respectively.
ROCK BOX EERILY PRESCIENT…CALLS BIG MANNING PICK AS KEY TO GAME: SUPER BOWL WRAP UP
Well…we predicted that the key to the Super Bowl would be the ability of the Saints defense to force Manning into a game-changing turnover…and we were right…Check out the following passage reprinted from our “Early Super Bowl Preview” below…
The Saints’ opportunistic secondary may have a chance to make a big play. For all the hype about how great he is, Manning did throw 16 interceptions this season, sixth highest in the league. From a numbers standpoint, Drew Brees was actually the better quarterback, with 34 TD passes to Manning’s 33, 11 INT’s to Manning’s 16, and a 106.2 QB rating to Manning’s 99.9. The ability of the Saints to produce a timely turnover or two will likely be the key to the game. The Saints don’t have a shutdown defense by any means, but they are opportunistic, second in the league in takeaways (39), interceptions (26) and third in turnover ratio (+11). The importance of the takeway to the New Orleans game was evident in the NFC Championship Game against the Vikings. The Saints wouldn’t be here had they not been able to produce turnovers at pivotao moments. A lot of people have called this “lucky,” but luck has little to do with it. The Saints force turnovers by design. One problem against the Colts is that Indy fumbled the ball only five times all year, least in the league. The Saints have a much better chance of benefitting from a Manning interception than an Addai fumble…
We speculated that Darren Sharper would be the one to make the big play…as it turns out it was Tracy Porter. Either way, Rock Box Sports cashed in nicely on Super Sunday- we had the Saints +5 as well as a little something on the money line as well. While we did lose our over/under play, we hit almost all of our props to finish well in the money.
3 Stars: Saints +5 WINNER
3 Stars: Peyton Manning, YES HE WILL THROW AN INTERCEPTION…-145. WINNER.
2 STARS: Joseph Addai OVER in carries and yards. SPLIT.
1 STAR: ReggIe Bush UNDER in yardage. WIN.
1 Star: OVER 56. LOSER.
TOP TEN REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO GO TO THE SUPER BOWL
10. The Matchup
For the first time since 1994 the two top seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl. Cinderella stories are all well and good, but there’s something to be said for the Colts and Saints, the league’s two best teams from day one, going at it in the grand finale. This is Celtics-Lakers, Red Sox-Yankees, Ali-Frazier. It’s one for the ages. A future ESPN Classic classic. If ever there was a time to make the Super Bowl trek, this is it.
9. Manning vs. Brees
2009 was the year of the quarterback, with ten of twelve playoff QB’s being current or past pro bowlers. As such, it’s only fitting that the two best signal callers, at least this season, will square off in Miami. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees may wind up together in Canton, Ohio one day, but on February 7 they’ll be on opposite sides of one of the most anticipated Super Bowl matchups in recent history. Brees and Manning were 1-2 in the league in touchdown passes (Brees 34, Manning 33) and completion percentage (Brees set a single season record with 70.6%, Manning no slouch at 68.8%). And, while Brees had the higher passer rating, anyone who saw Manning carve up a tough Jets defense knows that this is a great player at the top of his game. With Vegas already posting the highest over/under total in Super Bowl history, indications are this could turn into a classic shootout with the best QB’s in the game going toe-to-toe.
8. Miami: Tropical Climate
It’s a simple equation, really. Let A = temperature in Miami on February 7 (average high 77). Let B = temperature where you live on February 7. Now subtract: A – B = Why you should be in Miami on February 7.
7. The Coaches
The personality of the coach often sets the tone for the team. Indy’s Jim Caldwell is as stoic as they come, but the Colts have adopted his air of tight discipline and mental toughness. Saints’ skipper Sean Payton is an offensive genius, prowling the sidelines and barking out instructions while referencing his color-coded list of plays and formations as if it just may hold the key to the universe. So far for the Saints it pretty much has. It will be interesting to see whether Caldwell’s speedy defense can slow down Payton’s complex and dynamic attack. Conversely, one wonders whether the opportunistic Saints defense will be able to induce some mistakes from a regimented Colts offense predicated on timing and precision.
6. The Parties
You like to party? You can’t do much better than Super Bowl week in Miami. All due respect to your cousin Bob or the guys next door or whoever’s throwing the Super Bowl party in your neighborhood, but on-location Super Bowl parties are strictly of the world class variety. There’s the Maxim party, ESPN, the NFL Alumni party, and Leather and Laces, home of something called National Hottie Search 2010 that purports to identify the hottest woman in America. Sign me up. For the party, I mean. Not the contest.
5. The Fans
Considering that this is the first ever Super Bowl appearance for the Saints, and that Miami is drivable distance from New Orleans, we can surmise that South Beach will saturated with black and gold come game weekend. And that’s a good thing. Is there really another NFL fan base that you’d rather embark on a 72-hour party binge with? And lets not sell the Colts fans short either. This’ll be a classic American bar mix: the Bayou meets South Beach with a twist of Midwest conservatism, a Hurricane Mojito with a beer chaser. Feel free to knock back a few and make some new friends. You may never see them again but, hey, you’ll always have Miami. Seize the day.
4. Star Power
Rumor has it Reggie Bush has promised Kim Kardashian he’ll propose if the Saints win. The Leather and Laces party, hosted by Kim, may be your last chance to see her out as a single woman. Okay, no big deal. But if star sightings are your thing, Super Bowl week is a veritable nirvana. They’ll be there from all walks of celebrity life: jocks, rappers, movie stars, rock stars, reality TV, the cooking channel. Whether it’s Taylor Lautner that sends a tingle up your leg or Paris Hilton, your chances for a close encounter won’t get any better than next week in Miami.
3. Halftime Show: The Who
Where else can you get a concert from one of the great bands in history wrapped inside the biggest football game in the world? It’s all included in the price of Super Bowl admission. If the Colts and Saints haven’t got you sufficiently pumped, perhaps a little Baba O’Reilly or Won’t Get Fooled Again might do the trick. With millions watching, expect Townshend and Daltrey to rekindle the old magic and put on a great show.
2. Miami: Sexy Town
Did we mention that the Super Bowl is in Miami this year? Latin influence. Art Deco. Fashion moguls and super models. It’s a sexy town, Miami. And you’re a sexy person. Okay, maybe not. But you like hanging out with sexy people. Here’s your chance.
1. Two Words: Bucket List
Sky diving? Running with the bulls? Overrated in my book. The idea is to do fun things before you kick the bucket, not create new opportunities for kicking the bucket. The Super Bowl is much safer. Salsa lessons? Too much potential for public humiliation. Once again, the Super Bowl is safer. If you’ve never done it, this is your time. If you’ve done it before, we don’t have to sell you on it. This year’s edition has it all: great teams, a pair of hall of fame quarterbacks, tropical weather, the parties, the fans…there’s only one thing missing: YOU.
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