Devils hire Lindy Ruff

The New Jersey Devils have apparently made a decision on the future of their front office as NHL Network's Kevin Weekes reported that the team will retain Tom Fitzgerald as the general manager, removed the interim status in his title and will name Lindy Ruff as the next head coach of the Devils.

Fitzgerald served as the team's interim general manager for part of the 2019-20 season after the firing of Ray Shero after a season of increased expectations turned out to be very disappointing and it was Fitzgerald that made the Devils trades near the deadline, although it was Shero that finalized the trade that sent Taylor Hall to the Arizona Coyotes.

Lindy Ruff has been the head coach for two teams, coaching Buffalo for fifteen seasons and then moving to Dallas to lead the Stars for four more before the Stars let him go following the 2016-17 season.
Ruff led Buffalo to the playoffs in eight of his fifteen seasons, would take Dallas twice in his four seasons there, the Sabres made four conference finals, and it was Ruff that was victimized by the most controversial call in Stanley Cup history in the famous "Skate in the crease" game when Brett Hull scored the game-winning goal in the third overtime of game six with his skate in the crease while possessing the puck, which was illegal by the rules of the time (1999) and should have been waved off.
Instead, the goal was allowed to stand with the goal, game, series, and Stanley Cup going to Dallas all on one play that shouldn't have counted.
Ruff has served as an assistant with the New York Rangers since leaving Dallas and the Rangers fans don't seem to be all that disappointed in losing him as Ruff's duties were with the defense and special teams, both of which have decreased in effectiveness under his tutelage.
I've also been calling him "Lester" for years as I've thought he looks like my uncle Lester.

Devils fans don't seem to be jumping for joy either with Ruff (or really for Fitzgerald either) as the hire and while I'm not thrilled, I'm not mad either.
The Devils talked to five coaches about the job with Ruff, interim coach Alain Nasreddine, former Las Vegas coach Gerard Gallant, well-traveled Peter LaViolette, and John Stevens, previously of the Kings and Flyers, each receiving interviews.
Of that group, I easily preferred Gallant and wanted no part of LaViolette with the other three all in the middle of the pack of less than exciting possibilities.
On paper, LaViolette looks like the class of the field with three trips to the Cup Finals and a win with Carolina in 2006, but I've never cared for his style and I'm not convinced that his coaching style is going work well with younger players as part of a rebuilding process.
I really wanted Gallant for a similar reason- he does well with younger players and he's going to play a quicker paced game and I think that suits the talent that Ray Shero brought to New Jersey best of all the candidates.

This is an unexciting hire and often the best hires aren't thrilling, but occasionally they can be the right one.
The Devils are gambling a little that Lindy Ruff's best days aren't in the past, but it's not an awful risk.
Tom Fitzgerald is a higher risk in personnel, but the team seemed to have their mind made up on him early as they didn't interview any other candidates (at least that I know of) as possible replacements.
The Devils are one bad hire from hitting that dreaded floor with a thud and without a bounce.
With luck, Tom Fitzgerald and Lindy Ruff will turn the Devils into a contender because should they fail the recovery period could be a long wait away.

Boxing Challenge:Zepeda skates by Castaneda

The main event from the Las Vegas "Bubble" felt you pining for what might have been as the show could have been capped off by two top ten contenders facing off in what should have been an excellent meshing of styles and loaded with exchanges of punches.

When former IBF junior welterweight champion Ivan Baranchyk fell out of his scheduled meeting with Jose Zepeda, I immediately thought the Top Rank summer series had lost its best match and without another top contender available, Kendo Castaneda was the stand-in and appeared to be overmatched against Zepeda.
The appearance turned out to be correct as Zepeda dominated Castaneda in winning a unanimous decision that didn't see a knockdown but also didn't see Zepeda turn the gas up with a performance that dazzled the audience either.
I thought Zepeda was certainly effective in wearing down Castaneda, but never hurt his opponent and he will need to bring his performance up when he faces better opposition as this level of Zepeda may not be up to the task versus elite competition.
I just have a sneaky feeling that Zepeda might be one of those fighters that may challenge for a world title on a few occasions and might come close before falling short each time.

As for Castaneda, who fell to 17-2 in the defeat, his level isn't as high and future isn't as bright as Zepeda's may be, but he fought well all things considered and even had a moment or two when he won the seventh and eighth rounds before losing 98-92 on my scorecard.

Ramon Malpica and I each scored one point in the boxing challenge.
I lead 66-59.

I have an idea for a post for tonight from the road office if I have time to write.

Boxing Challenge

Two Top Rank cards from the "Bubble" in Las Vegas, but both cards have seen fighters fall out from their main event to combine with less than thrilling undercards for a result of two weaker shows for ESPN.

The fight that I was excited about more than any other of boxing's return on ESPN was two top ten junior welterweight action fighters hooking up as Jose Zepeda was scheduled to face former IBF champion Ivan Baranchyk in what assuredly would have been the best fight since boxing's comeback.
Baranchyk suffered an injury in training and was forced from the fight, so Zepeda will be facing 17-1 Kendo Castaneda.
I don't know very much about Castaneda, but I do know that against Zepeda, who narrowly lost in a title try against WBC/WBO champion Jose Ramirez, Castaneda will need to show a lot to win in this fight.


The Thursday main event was going to televise the return of heavyweight Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller from his PED suspension that cost him a world title challenge of Anthony Joshua. but Miller failed yet another PED test in a stunning display of stupidity and was pulled from the card.
Miller's scheduled opponent, Jerry Forrest, has a 20-3 record but all three recognizable fighters on his resume' have defeated him, Michael Hunter and Gerald Washington early in his career and a split decision loss to Jermaine Franklin last July.
Miller's replacement is former world title challenger Carlos Takam, who also has failed against top opponents, although his losses to Anthony Joshua in a world title challenge, two former world champions in Alexander Povetkin and Joseph Parker and a perennial contender in Dereck Chisora put Takam at a level above Forrest.
On background, Takam is a solid favorite but at 39 and having to go back to 2014 to see a victory over a fighter that you have heard of (former title challenger Tony Thompson), Forrest could surprise some people in this one with some luck.

Jr.Welterweights. 10 Rds
Jose Zepeda vs Kendo Castaneda
R.L; Zepeda KO 7
TRS: Zepeda KO 5

Heavyweights. 10 Rds
Carlos Takam vs Jerry Forrest
R.L: Takam KO 6
TRS: Takam Unanimous Decision

Changing Names?

The various protests around our country have now entered sports with the continuous effort to get the Washington Redskins and now the Cleveland Indians to change their team nicknames.

The Indians shuffled Chief Wahoo off in 2018, in what essentially was a trade to land the 2019 All-Star game, and although Wahoo merchandise is still available (MLB which hates the idea of Wahoo, yet likes the dollars that he still brings in), as the team claims if they don't sell at least some merchandise with his likeness the image will eventually move into the public domain, but they don't use the logo around the stadium, on broadcasts, etc.
Supposedly, the team was unofficially told that they didn't have to deal with the name of the team should the jettisoning of Wahoo occur.

Two years later, the team is "exploring a thorough review of the team's name", which basically means one of the following two choices.
1: The decision has been made to change the name and they need to move through the facade of compiling the facts.
2: The team doesn't want to change the name and they are hoping to see some of the current moods in the country slow down a bit and buy some time.
I suspect number one is the choice as the team announced this without being the focus of the protests.
The Washington Redskins are the main target currently, but the team has to know that should the Redskins be taken down successfully the Indians would be next in their sights.
Cleveland likely thinks that this is inevitable now and perhaps the PR would be better should they volunteer to change rather than being forced into changing.

I wrote two years ago that I would miss Wahoo, but I understood why the time had come.
I'm not as understanding this time, especially considering the Atlanta Braves haven't really been touched yet for a team that plays a war chant and sells Tomahawks to their fans, but honestly, I'm just tired of hearing it.

I know that giving in and giving protesters what they want is like giving the toddler throwing a tantrum their toy, but now inevitability has set in.
The name is going to be changed, it is now a matter of time and what name will be chosen as the new nickname.
I'm OK with Spiders, the original team name and some have offered Buckeyes for the Cleveland entry in the Negro Leagues, but I wonder if Ohio State might have something to say about that one.
Many people, usually from outside the area, keep saying Rockers, but that was the name of the failed WNBA team and I just don't think that it fits.
I haven't anything I really love yet, but I'm sure they'll be picking something awful!

I'm sure that I'll have more to say about this as the situation continues.

Boxing Challenge: Pedraza defeats LesPierre-No replay needed

Photo Credit; Mikey Williams Top Rank

The Vegas Bubble continued with the boxing challenge with two bouts with a former champion trying to maintain viability and an Olympic champion attempting to avenge a defeat to move onward and upward in his career.

Former IBF junior lightweight and WBO lightweight champion Jose Pedraza dominated Mikkel LesPierre in their junior welterweight fight that was delayed by a few weeks and won an easy unanimous decision in the main event.
Pedraza used an ambidextrous style to befuddle LesPierre throughout the bout and it seemed like his right hand couldn't' miss LesPierre as it seemed to land whenever Pedraza pleased.
Pedraza knocked down LesPierre in the fifth and tenth rounds and almost finished LesPierre off for the stoppage in the final round.
I scored Pedraza a 99-89 winner on my card, but there was a small bit of controversy before the sixth round as a LesPierre knockdown was looked at via instant replay.
The replay look is fine, in my opinion, there is plenty of room for boxing to improve from referee errors, but referee Kenny Bayliss left the ring to look at the replay and it took several minutes to see that LesPierre tripped Pedraza for the knockdown and invalidating it.
It was close and there was contact between the two, but LesPierre did land a punch so I would have counted it, but it was nothing to be enraged over.
However, leaving the ring to look at the video and slowing the fight down seems very clunky to me and the system shouldn't take that long.
Now, I do think the fighters need to be notified ASAP on the points situation in these matters, but I'd like to offer a better way.
What if there was a fourth official in charge of only replay and the only changes that they can make are knockdowns (to reverse both called and not called in the ring) and on cuts in order to determine if they were from a punch or from illegal contact?
Then you add one more stipulation- you have no more than one round to make a determinatiom.
By adding that time limit, the fighters know their situation on the cards as soon as they can and we move on.

Pedraza bounced back from his September defeat to Jose Zepeda and I can see him as a solid back half of the top ten fighter in the 140 pound division, which is a very top-heavy division.
I can see Pedraza in the mix for a 2021 title fight against a possible four belt unification winner of a Jose Ramirez-Josh Taylor fight or maybe in the scramble for any of the titles that could be vacated by the winner, but he's 0-3 against top of the division fighters and his best win is over an aging Ray Beltran, so I'm not sure that I'm buying stock long term.
However, should the chips falling in the right place against the right style, Pedraza could walk away with a title belt.

In the other challenge fight, two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez avenged his career opening decision loss to Adan Gonzales via unanimous decision in a six rounder.
Ramirez was far better prepared for the rematch and forced Gonzales to back up with a strong performance that only lacked a knockout to showcase the Cuban's skills in winning all six rounds.
Ramirez makes me think of the type of boxer that will need to be motivated to be successful and might be a fighter that will win some fights when he could be written off, but also could lose some fights that he'll be favored because he may not take everything seriously.
Zab Judah was often in that mode as was fellow Cuban Joel Casamayor and the enigmatic careers that each of them had might cost them potential spots in the boxing hall of fame.

Ramon Malpica added four points on the evening to my three and cut my lead to seven points at 65-58 with an extra point for Robiesy Ramirez and his decision win made the difference.

Boxing Challenge: Saucedo wins in ring return

Another rather brief recap due to time constraints on the Tuesday Top Rank card...

In the main event, junior welterweight Alex Saucedo won via a unanimous decision over Sonny Frederickson.
Saucedo had fought only one round (a blowout over Rod Salka) since his unsuccessful WBO title challenge to Maurice Hooker in November 2018.
The exciting Oklahoma slugger had his moments against Hooker (knocking Hooker down in round two), but had trouble getting inside of the longer reach of Hooker and vowed to change his style a bit.
I saw signs of some maturity and subtlety from Saucedo, who threw well over 800 punches in overwhelming a game, but limited Frederickson, but I'll reserve judgment on the final verdict when I see Saucedo against top ten competition before rendering it a success.
No knockdowns in this one, although Saucedo did hurt Frederickson in the first round with a right hand. I scored Saucedo a 99-91 winner which agreed with one judge.

The semi-main had more adventure outside the ring with the father and trainer of welterweight Josue Vargas leaving the bubble before the fight and not being allowed to re-enter for the bout.
His son won a unanimous decision over Sal Briceno (I scored 98-92) with Vargas losing two front teeth in the fourth round and a bad eye gash in the sixth.

Ramon Malpica and I each earned three points on the night in the boxing challenge on the evening.
I lead the challenge 62-54.

Goodbye MILB

The press release that we all knew was waiting finally was released yesterday as the 2020 minor league season was officially canceled.

While not unexpected, it still was a sad day to have things confirmed that there will be no baseball in most Mudville's for 2020.

And while today isn't the saddest day for me as that day is yet to come- when the Rob Manfred-led power play to eliminate 40 plus teams from the minors and depriving those teams fans even a chance to say goodbye is announced will be that day, it still has a degree of sadness to me.
You wait all winter during the worst months of the year (Jan, Feb, and March), battle through short days and cold nights, and wait out the darkness until the warmth begins to arrive with it the fun that comes with the baseball season.
And this year, I feel that fans all over the country have been cheated of that.

Not only the minors, but the majors too.
The players hearts aren't in this sham of a season and the excitement from the viewers won't be either.
I'm not paying for a MLB package for this "exhibition" (Ok, if its 20 bucks or so, maybe) and should I not do that, I may not watch much.
My teams aren't going to be televised often and I'm not watching the Orioles get beaten 10-1 every night by their rivals or listen to one of my least favorite announcers in sports (F.P. Santangelo) blither for the Nationals every night, so I may not be as involved.
MLB should do the right thing by allowing the blackout rules to be dropped and giveaway their Extra Innings and MLB.TV packages for the year.
It would be a small gesture of goodwill towards a fan base that is in desperate need of it.

There are many culprits to blame for killing what would have been the final season for Hagerstown baseball via Covid-19.
The WHO, China, countless people that are so reckless and stupid by not taking precautions around the country, and of course Donald John Trump, but most of all Rob Manfred, who has to be quite pleased with himself for being able to kill minor league baseball's leverage ( They were beginning to gain ground with Congress before Covid-19 arrived) and cannot wait to get his plan for the minors installed- a plan that was thought up by a man so disgraced that he was run out of the game, mind you.
I want to add a special tip of the cap not only to that gentleman but to his two former assistants who now run the Brewers and Orioles, who I hope will be as successful as a salesman selling snow blowers in the Caribbean in their current positions.

This is a sad day and the worst is yet to arrive.
But I'd like to add this on masking before I finish.
Please don't make this about political stances, toughness, the media, or even your belief.
It's about none of these.
It's about courtesy and teamwork.
Courtesy towards others that may not affect the person you contact, but it may affect the people that they contact.
I know you feel silly, I do too and I've joked that I feel like I'm the bad guy in an old Western film, but be safe.
I know it sucks breathing with it on after a while and I get all of that.
But we've lost so much in sports already-the Final Four and I'll believe that MLB, NBA, and NHL complete their seasons when they are on their fields of play raising their trophy, and even if they do it won't mean as much and will delay the start of the next season.
Football is next and professionals far higher on the medical chain than me have stated- You want football in the fall? Wear your mask and do what you need to do to kill the virus hygencially.

Don't want to do it for yourself or the people you care about and care about you or even your fellow man?
Do it for your team!
Want to see sports again with the excitement of fans?
Don't be selfish-wear the mask, at least around others.
It is the best chance to bring fun activities back, keep the spread down, and keep our essentials and workplaces open until the vaccine can be developed- hopefully affordably so!

Thanks for reading.