Cleaning out the Inbox

Time to clean the inbox a bit and we will start with what I have found out about the recent chatter on the Hagerstown/Winchester Suns (makes me think of the old Kansas City-Omaha Kings from the 1970's).

My source is a very reliable one and tells me that the city of Hagerstown will make a charge to keep the Suns in the Hub City and that the last swing will be a strong one.
I cannot say more than that,but allow me to say this-if this turns out to be what I have been told,the Suns will be the guilty party.
The hangup thus far with the Suns and Winchester appears to be over revenue sharing or lack thereof.
Currently,the Winchester offer that would not include revenue sharing is one that the Suns are not thrilled with.
My concern is this-If Winchester comes up with a revenue sharing offer that the team likes-is that the end game?
My source says-very likely.....

The source adds this and this is a surprise to me-there is an Atlantic League team following the Hagerstown Suns situation very closely and is ready to pounce on the Hub City if the Suns are destined to leave.
Of course,affiliated baseball is much preferable to me and I am sure most fans,but that does say something about the market,if an Atlantic League (The Atlantic League is the Cadillac of Indy ball) owner thinks that highly of the potential here.
Still rather have the Suns,mind you,but this is an acceptable backup plan for me,if not others....

You know how much we love uniform and logo talk,so here is some chatter about some of the NBA uniform changes.
Sadly,the Cavaliers are doing more of those hideous "Cavs Fanatics" on certain home nights this season.
I saw one of them last season and my vision still has not cleared!

Teams with ABA connections through their pasts or the city that they currently play will occasionally wear ABA togs this season.
I love the "Texas" Chapparals of the Spurs,although I like the classy Spurs unis as well and the Minnesota with the Muskie logo and nice colors.
The Memphis golds have a good look as well,although they might be a love em or hate em type..


ESPN's Rob Parker says Atlanta is the worst sports town in America.
Atlanta might be just that,although I would say Miami gives it a strong challenge.
My theory on large Southern cities is that the weather just gives them more things to do and sports are not as important to them as to Northern residents,who sit inside in the winter and like to watch games in the summer.
As a result,sports are not as high on the civic community as you drift further south....

Sorry to hear of the passing of former New York Giant outfielder Don Mueller at the age of  84.
Mueller was part of the shot heard round the world game in 1951 and injured his ankle sliding into third on Whitey Lockman's double shortly before the Bobby Thomson homer.
Mueller's career season was with the 1954 World Champion Giants hitting .344 and a league high 212 hits....

Rare video of former Toronto Maple Leaf Ian Turnbull's five goal game was discovered recently and my friend Rick Ambrozic was part of the find.
The video was found by a contractor that was demolishing a house and found around a thousand Betamax tapes inside.
I have never given up on finding stuff that supposedly does not exist,like this game and the "Bing Crosby" copy of the seventh game of the 1960 World Series.
It only takes one person to tape and keep something.
Rick runs a website RicksTv  that can be found on the link.
Congrats to Rick and the others involved!.
Now when do I get my copy???

Brian Burke says the trend of less fighting in hockey is a "dangerous trend".
Burke's contention is that without the threat of dropping the gloves,dirty stickwork,elbowing etc will continue to rise and therefore make such play increase.
I tend to agree with Burke on this.
When the players police themselves,you get a better game....

Finally,this link has been in the inbox since before Christmas-seven great old time commercials on hockey toys.
Where else can you combine Doug Harvey,the late,great Phil Hartman,Snoopy and Woodstock.the Wayne Gretzky doll and something called Mice Hockey???
Here is one for free,but check the rest out....

Portlandia!

The title is based on the current IFC series Portlandia that takes place near Portland for those of wondering what a "Portlandia" was/is.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hung tough for a while against the talented Portland Trail Blazers and got to within five points in the middle of the third quarter.
In the end,bad shooting (36%), turnovers (24!) and an inability to get back against the Portland transition game doomed the Cavaliers to a 98-78 loss.
Kyrie Irving led Cleveland with 21 points,with only two other Cavaliers reaching the ten point mark.
Cleveland takes today off before traveling to Salt Lake City and the Jazz tomorrow night.
No Devils or Cavaliers tonight! How will I kill the time?
Looks like a feature coming up!

Swashbucklings

1) 24 turnovers.
Most of which led to Portland fast breaks and easy points off the transition.
Simply put-Few teams will win turning the ball over 24 times,let alone the Cavaliers.

2) Three of twenty four from behind the three point mark for an anemic .125 shooting percentage.
This is going to be a very inconsistent team from night to night from the outside.

3) A very nice night for Kyrie Irving,but as Austin Carr pointed on the telecast,Byron Scott kept Irving in the game throughout despite the large deficit because Scott wants Irving to pick his conditioning up and learn to play with short breaks.
Irving led the team with just under thirty minutes of floor time and Scott's reasoning makes lots of sense to me..

4) I also liked Scott's jerking Omri Casspi from the game ASAP after Casspi's missed three pointer and follow up mope and not even trying to get back against the Blazer break.
Nothing against Casspi,but that type of play cannot be allowed to grow without repercussions.
Good call by Scott..

5) Watching the game and Portland's LaMarcus Aldredge and it seems to me that Aldredge is the template for what Cleveland hopes to eventually receive from Tristan Thompson.
A rangy,athletic big man that can run the floor and be a shotblocking threat on the defensive end.
I haven't seen much of Aldredge,but from last night's game-that would not be a bad template to run a power forward off of!

Photo Credit-AP Photo

Devils speed past Penguins 3-1

The New Jersey Devils allowed the first goal of the game in Pittsburgh,but would not allow another one as the Devils earned a 3-1 win in Pittsburgh behind Martin Brodeur's 41 saves.
Adam Henrique tied the game in the second period with a shorthanded goal (12 shorthanded) and Ilya Kovachuk's bullet a few minutes later (15) was the game winner.
Dainus Zubrus would complete the scoring in the third period (12 power play).
New Jersey will be in Calgary on Tuesday night in the first of their three games in Western Canada.

Hell Raisers

1) Tremendous game by Martin Brodeur in bouncing back from a down effort against Boston in his last start.
Brodeur's play basically won this game for the Devils,especially with his first period play.

2) Brodeur made 12 first period saves with what seemed to be a high number of difficult saves to keep New Jersey from being blown out early.
The Devils only put three shots on Marc-Andre Fleury in the first and the game could have been over early if not for Brodeur.

3) Adam Henrique's shorthanded goal was the ninth shorthanded goal of the season by the Devils,which leads the league.
Now,if the team could just quit allowing shorthanded goals....

4) Fire and Ice adds this note on Martin Brodeur's win in the new Pittsburgh arena.
Brodeur has now won games in 49 different arenas in his career.
Staggering stuff.

5) The Devils placed Anton Volchenkov on the IR and called up Nick Palmeiri from Albany.
Somewhat surprised that the team waited so long to move Volchenkov to the IR,but I suppose the injury just lingered longer than expected..

6) The Devils also are close to sending Jacob Josefson to Albany for some rehab time.
Josefson is recovered from a broken clavicle suffered earlier in the season...

7) Palmeiri played in the win and replaced a scratched Cam Janssen.
As I stand by from yesterday's post,the Devils cannot afford to dress both Janssen and Eric Boulton...

Photo Credit-AP

Devils win before hitting the road.

The New Jersey Devils snapped a two game losing streak in their last game before a four game road journey with a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers.
New Jersey had to score two empty net goals to fend off a Panther power play with under three minutes to go to create the inflated margin of victory.
Devils goals to Patrik Elias (14),Ilya Kovalchuk (13 and 14 empty net),Zach Parise (14 empty net) and Adam Henrique (11) with Johan Hedberg getting the win in goal.
The Devils are in Pittsburgh tonight in the first game of the trip against the Penguins before hitting the Western Canada portion with games in Calgary,Edmonton and Winnipeg....

Hell Raisers

1) Patrik Elias enjoyed his 1000th game as a Devils with a goal and assisting on both of Ilya Kovalchuk's goals.
The pass to Kovalchuk that broke the tie was an especially pretty pass by the veteran.
Elias might have been the best player on the ice last night.

2) The Devils were able to fight off the power play that was six on four at times due to a Zach Parise delay of game penalty.
I hate that penalty since it was installed a few years back because it carries little nuance.
The referees have to know what was an intended delay and what is not and the current rules do not allow the referees to take any reason into account.

3) The defense still is giving me concerns.
Andy Greene and Anton Volchenkov are not Bobby Orr and Scott Stevens,but this team playing without both gives increased playing time to players that cannot handle it-Mark Fayne is a target of my disdain lately,although he did finish with a +2 and an assist last night,but the defense needs those players back and soon!

4) In Lou We Trust has been screaming about Peter DeBoer dressing both Eric Boulton and Cam Janssen for a while now and now I must join in.
I am a fan of the enforcer role and have no problem keeping one of them active,but keeping both is simply foolish,especially when Mattias Tedenby gets scratched as he was last night.
Tedenby has struggled this season,but give me one upside to Boulton and Janssen.
Take your time...

5) Steve Zalewski was called up from Albany and made his debut last night.
I like giving career minor leaguers a shot at the big time,but the Devils are doing it too often.
Zalewski AND Tim Sestito and both on the ice often?
See number 4 for my opinion on that.

6) Looks like a rare Gary Bettman good idea is going nowhere as the NHLPA has rejected the realignment plan for next season.
Very shortsighted by the union and the flack should go all on them.
This is not a good sign for the upcoming CBA talks and looks like this could be contentious.
Can this league afford another work stoppage with teams in cities that have issues already?
A lockout might just end in contraction of some teams,which would not be a bad thing for the product,but will look very minor league in the casual fans eyes.

Photo Credit-AP Photo

Visiting Kent State-a National Tragedy

As promised,the final stop of our day trip finally has the right time to be written about.

Cherie and I have wanted to stop by and see the memorial and site of the Kent State shootings of 1970 for years.
I cannot remember how many times that we had planned on trying to find the memorial on the way home from trips and put in on the back burner because we just wanted to get home after a long trip.
Perhaps the shorter excursion helped this year as after a trip to the terrific Hartville Market (Same exit,but 10 miles in the opposite direction,Cherie decided that she was up to finding Swensons and Kent State after I told her that I was fine doing it,but we would do both or neither as we would be going out of our way to find them.

After we ate at Swensons (detailed here),Cherie said that we did not have to stop as we were not sure on how to find the campus.
I had asked a Kent State student that worked at Swensons about how best to find the memorial and she gave a long, detailed and what seemed to be a hassle filled trek to us.
Considering a cold and windy day,I think that more than anything deterred the lovely Cherie.


Rachel was more interested in her milkshake to care either way.
I had attended KSU football games in the past,but Dix Stadium is not part of the campus or if it is,it is on a remote part of it,so I was not familiar with the surroundings.
As we attempted to retrace our route back to 1-76,fate stepped in as I either turned one road too soon or too late and before we knew it,we were alongside the campus and seeing signs for the memorial.
That clinched it for me,we were not going to be that close and skip it yet again.

As we entered campus,we noticed a dearth of parking and as we pulled into the Prentice Hall parking lot (More on what I found out about that later) I asked a campus parking officer,if he knew where we could park as we just wanted to see the memorial,would just be a few minutes,were from out of state (Our rental van had South Carolina plates) etc.
He responded that since I had asked him first,we could park right up front in the restricted area without any issues.
I was very glad that I asked,as when we were leaving,he was taking plate numbers and giving tickets!

As we walked from the parking lot towards the memorial I wondered what a handful of appeared to be mini light poles in four different spots in the parking lot.
What I found out later that these were the places that each of the four students that were killed had actually fallen.
Had I known this,I certainly would have gotten pictures and paid my respects.
I certainly want to see these closer in a future visit.

As we battled the wind in an uphill walk,the first thing that we saw was the marker from the Ohio Historical Society.
The OHS signs are always distinctive and easy to read with this sign covering the events on both sides of the sign.

The memorial was to the right of the turn and simply stated May 4 1970 Memorial.I was mildly surprised that the students were not named,but as we moved further (On the right hand side,the trees near the pictured student) there is a plaque with the names of the casualties and injured.
That is pictured at the top of the post.
I would have thought that the plaque would have been more prominently displayed,but the location is actually a peaceful and tranquil one and a fitting one,I think.

We stood for a bit and then moved along a few of the markers on a walking trail created for visitors,but between the cold and the promise to stay just a short while,we wanted to keep moving,but we did see the marker from the National Register of Historic Places that was added in 2010 on the side of Taylor Hall,which will be the future home of the May 4th visitors center,which I am sure will be a wonderful addition to such a poignant scene.

Cherie and I both agreed that we would like a return again,albeit on a warmer day to take more advantage of the surroundings and hopefully,that will happen soon.

No matter your opinions on the incident (mine may be noted in a future piece,but this is about the memorial),Kent State was a turning point for our country.
I am not sure that things were ever the same again in how we looked at ourselves as a country and it certainly was part of the last issue that truly divided this country from within.
Certainly the Tea Party and Occupy movements pale in comparison to the anti-Vietnam protesters in both voice and importance.

The one thing that I took away was the importance of dialogue.
That seemed to be in short supply in those times.
From President Richard Nixon and his staff,to the Governor of Ohio (James Rhodes),the Ohio National Guard and yes,the protesters,it seemed like no one wanted to sincerely listen and talk with respect to others opinions.
Talking and listening are important in these times as well as then and I wish that we could do more of that both nationally and internationally.
There certainly is a time to fight,but there is always time to talk,reason and discuss.
Last I heard,no person ever was killed by talking.

If you have the opportunity to be near Kent State,stop by and take a look.
I am sure that you will be affected by the scene and at the very least,make you ,as the memorial simply is inscribed,Inquire..Learn.. Reflect.

Photos by Cherie Heimberger

Trampled in Toronto

The Cleveland Cavaliers strong shooting returned to normal or even below normal as the Cavaliers traveled to Toronto and were handed a 92-77 loss for their trouble.
Antawn Jamison led Cleveland with 19 points with only two other Cavaliers in double figures.
Cleveland is off today before traveling to Minnesota Friday.
No coverage due to work and the later start.

Swashbucklings

1) The number that jumps out 29 percent shooting.
You cannot win road games (or many home games for that matter) shooting that low of a percentage from the floor.

2) Cleveland had major issues guarding Andrea Bargnani for the second time this season.
The seven foot jump shooter finished with 31 points on the game and was often just wide open from three point range.
I suppose the Cavalier big men just did not want to go out and try to guard Bargnani and he just killed them for the second game in a row.
Think of Bargnani as Dirk Nowitzki lite as he does not penetrate like Nowitzki and is very soft in my opinion,but he sure has the outside shot..

3) Samardo Samuels did not travel with the team due to visa issues.
Samuels claimed he lost his passport and with his US and Jamaican citizenship,the Cavaliers were unable to get things cleared in time...

4) Look for these type of flat games to happen often in the second of back to back games this season.
Most of these guys are not in top game shape and the rookies-Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson are going especially feel fatigue as the season rolls on...

5) The Cavaliers sent Christian Eyenga to their NBDL team in Canton one night after Eyenga had made a cameo appearance for the first time all season against Charlotte.
A good move to get Eyenga playing time rather than have him sit on the pine on the seven game road trip.

Photo Credit-AP Photo

Battered and Bruined

David Clarkson's first period power play goal (15) started the evening off strong for the New Jersey Devils,but it was all downhill from there as the Boston Bruins would never look back in a 6-1 win for visiting Boston.
Not much else to add to this one other than the Devils host Florida Friday night at 7 in an attempt to shrug this loss off quickly.

Hell Raisers

1) Mistakes galore in this one for the Devils,but a huge one was the handoff of the puck by Adam Larsson to a breakaway goal by Patrice Bergeron...

2) Travis Zajac was kept out of the game with soreness issues with his Achilles,which was injured in the off season.
Hopefully a precautionary measure...

3) New Jersey missed Zajac in faceoffs,where Boston dominated the evening winning 30 of 42 faceoffs.
That number is deceiving as at one time,the Bruins had won 24 of 26....

4) Henrik Tallinder committed two very stupid penalties that led to Boston goals.
With Anton Volchenkov out,Tallinder and Bryce Salvador need to be the steadying influence,not making brain dead style mistakes.

5) Boston is the best team that I have seen all season.
The Bruins have a real shot at repeating as champs and there is no shame in losing to them,but how the Devils lost is my issue.

6) Boston does something well that I love-they crash the net and get in front of the goalie and reduce his visibility.Most of the Devils shots at Tim Thomas,Thomas was able to see coming,Martin Brodeur did allow a bad goal to Shawn Thornton,but the rest were not especially weak ones....

Glad this one is over-Back later with a look at the Cavaliers in Toronto..

Photo Credit-Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images