Who Needs Derek Jeter?

So the Yanks have now won 15 of their last 19 games and have grown their AL East lead to 2.5 games over the POS Boston Red Sox.  In the time since Derek Jeter has gone on the DL, C.C. Sabathia and company has carried the team with dominating pitching, tied for the MLB in wins with 11.  They have won six straight series since losing two of three to the Red Sox earlier in June.
And oh yeah, Mark Teixeira has quietly taken the league lead in home runs with 25 and hit his 300th of his career today.  A-Rod is hitting over .300 on the season and Robinson Cano is getting back to last season's form.  Curtis Granderson leads the league in runs scored and Eduardo Nunez has filled in nicely for the ailing Jeter at shortstop.
So, of course it's nice to have your captain in the line-up, but the way this team is playing, if he missed a few more weeks, this team wouldn't miss a beat.

Grading the Philadelphia Flyers' Moves

Jeff Carter Trade: I like what the Flyers did with this.  They got as close to the max value for a great scorer and in return are getting a solid young guy in Jakub Voracek and the 8th overall pick and a 3rd round pick in tomorrow's draft.  They'll either draft Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog, or Sean Cotourier with that pick and will have a nice young forward that can be their star for years to come.
Grade: A-

Flyers fans, say good-bye to Jeff Carter.

Mike Richards Trade: Great decision to move him out West to Los Angeles.  Got a great young forward in Brayden Schenn who can easily make up Richards' point total.  Was the 5th overall pick in 2009, so you know the kid has talent.  Also, got Wayne Simmonds out of the deal.  He is the epitome of of Flyers hockey.  Someone who likes to mix it up, grinds, but can score the dirty goals in front of the net.  And lets face it, those are the type of goals that you need to be successful in the playoffs.  Also, got a nice 2nd round pick in tomorrow's draft.
Grade: A-

Say hello to the Flyers' new young gun, Brayden Schenn

Ilya Bryzgalov Signing: Finally the Flyers have a go-to #1 goalie in Bryzgalov.  Someone who can be put in the net game after game.  Enough of the Flyers' alternating goalies.  Look for him to be the workhorse and get about 60-65 starts a season.
Don't like the length of the deal at nine years, seeing as how he'll be 40 by the time that expires.  Can't see him playing out that contract.  But the price, $51 million over nine years is about $5.5 million a year, making this a solid cap hit.  The Flyers will now have money to spend next year to re-sign James van Riemsdyke, Braydon Coburn, and Matt Carle and maybe even offer Ville Leino his $3-3.5 million/year quote.
Grade: B+

The new man between the pipes, Ilya Bryzgalov

Overall: Today was a great day for the Flyers organization.  They made it known that they are willing to do whatever it takes to win the Stanley Cup, going away from their old habits of getting good offense, but not having a stable number one goalie.  Can't see Bobrovsky around much longer because he won't want to rot away in the minors, but look for the Flyers to re-sign Boucher as the backup.
They finally made smart moves and are looking at having long term success.

*Images courtesy of Wikipedia*

The Ilya Bryzgalov Free Agency Saga

So for about the past 2 1/2 weeks, my beloved Philadelphia Flyers have had the exclusive rights to Phoenix goalie and soon to be unrestricted free-agent Ilya Bryzgalov.  He is a goalie that looks very enticing to the Flyers and their fan base, one that is deeply in need of a Stanley Cup.  As a goalie myself, I like Bryzgalov, enough so to think that he could possibly be in the top-10 of all NHL netminders.  So it seems necessary that the Flyers should pursue him and get him on their roster for the next handful of seasons, realizing that what has kept them from hoisting Lord Stanley over the years has been their lack of a consistent #1 goalie. Bryzgalov is easily capable of being that guy, one that the Flyers can constantly throw into the net every game, and give him about 60 starts a season.  Someone that can play three quarters of a season.  But, after hearing today that the Flyers are looking to give him somewhere in the ballpark of a 7 year/$50 million contract, that has got me to thinking.

Flyers main option for goaltending, Ilya Bryzgalov

Now I am one of the major optimist when it comes to signing the soon to be 31-year old Bryzgalov, seeing that he could be the answer to many Flyers' fans prayers.  I was going high and saying that you give him about 6 years/$30 million which would put Bryzgalov at the tender age of 37 when he is no longer under contract.  And grant it, that is also very pricy and very fortunate to both him and the Flyers that they can even offer him that much money because of getting lucky with the salary cap increasing to $64 million dollars for next season.  But, the Flyers still need to move some pieces around.  The hot commodity: Jeff Carter.

Don't be surprised if Jeff Carter isn't in orange and black next season

Carter's large contract would free up some room for the Flyers in the future, considering the fact that next year's offseason will be just as important as this year when they need to re-sign Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyke, Matt Carle, and Braydon Coburn.  I understand that they probably won't be able to bring all four of them back next season, but they need to try to get at least three back, seeing as how they all play a huge role in the Flyers' system during both the regular season and the playoffs.  So don't be surprised if the Flyers send away Jeff Carter come this Friday in the NHL Draft.
Carter could easily be packaged in a deal that would give the Flyers (currently with no 1st round picks thanks to the Kris Versteeg deal) a top-5 pick to draft a good, young player who they could have around for a number of years.  If they can get something inside of the top-3, then look for the Flyers to snag winger Gabriel Landeskog from the Kitchener Rangers.

If the Flyers can move into the top-5 in the NHL Draft, look for them to select Gabriel Landeskog if he is still on the board.

But, back to the Ilya Bryzgalov situation.  Yes it would be nice to have him in goal, but the Flyers need to look at everything that they are doing as a long term approach.  Long term as in starting next season when they have all of those key free agents.  They can't constantly bind themselves with big contract players that are tough to move and keep working year-to-year tight against the salary cap.  Take note at what happened with the Chicago Blackhawks.  They were in the same boat as the Flyers two seasons ago.  They had a one year window to win the cup knowing that after that year, they were going to have to move a lot of pieces.  But hey, they got the job done.  Now the Flyers need to look at that, make their moves this year and set themselves up for next year and for years down the road.
For god sakes, bring some calmness back to the City of Brotherly Love so the fans can stop panicking.  And maybe a Stanley Cup too.
And before I wrap this up, let me just say, I would hate to be Paul Holmgren and Ed Snider right now.

*Images courtesy of Google Images*

Rory McIlroy is Just Straight Fire

This kid is just on fire at the US Open this week.  How does a 22-year old follow up a first round 66 in the US Open?  How about just going out and firing a second round 65.  He set a new 36-hole record for most strokes under par by one shot, which could have very easily been three if he didn't decide to give the rest of the field a glimpse of hope by dumping his second shot on 18 into the water and walking away with a double-bogey.

To me, and I think a lot of the golfing world, were not seeing the same kid who shot a final round 80 at the Masters this past spring.  Yeah he is in the same position, leading after the first two rounds, but there is just something about his game this week that has him playing differently.  He seems relaxed and is taking his time before shots, driving the ball well, and putting great... when he needs to.  He took a semi-difficult shot today on number eight by hitting a knock down wedge shot and holing out for eagle.
I began saying it during the Masters, but if Tiger Woods doesn't eclipse Jack Nicklaus' PGA tour record 18 Major titles, then this kid certainly will.

*Images courtesy of Google Images*

Congrats to the Boston Bruins

Well after 39 years, the Boston Bruins finally win the Stanley Cup.  Their goaltending was better, their defense was brilliant, and their offense found their ways to score.  Maybe they won't be viewed as the little sister of Boston sports now since they have their championship.

Stanley Cup Final Game 7. Is There Anything Better?

Well tonight is the night.  The night that Lord Stanley's Cup is handed out to either the Vancouver Canucks or the Boston Bruins.  It is also the night that the NHL will officially come to an end for the 2010-11 season, a sad time indeed.  But what a better way to end the season with a dramatic winner-take-all game in Vancouver for the greatest trophy in all of sports... the Stanley Cup.

Now grant it, this series has been a lot more competitive than what I thought it was going to be and it's been more a tale of two cities, with the home team winning each game.  Although, Vancouver has relied on one-goal nail-biters in their three wins, while Boston has blown their three games wide open in quick fashion.

But now we must sit back and enjoy what has become the greatest moment in sports history, a game 7 in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals.  This is clearly the best of three sports that have game 7s.  The idea that it could only take one goal to win it all keeps everyone on the edge of their seats and don't think that it won't happen because two of Vancouver's wins have been by a score of 1-0 and the other a 3-2 win in overtime.
The NBA doesn't compare to this because it is just too easy to score.  In that scenario it is hard to get down when your team is down 10, knowing that they will make a run sometime during the game.  Also, it's hard to continuously cheer frantically after every made bucket in basketball like it is in hockey when you know that you may only see a couple goals every game.  It makes it that more intense.
And baseball.  Well baseball is too slow for it to be overly exciting, although I think it is still more exciting than the NBA Finals.  Like hockey, if you get the right pitcher's duel, you could have yourself a very low-scoring game, but at the pace that baseball progresses, it's hard for even the biggest baseball fan to stay enthused for all nine innings.

So there you have it.  Tonight everyone should be fixed on NBC for the final game of the NHL season.  Champagne is on ice.  Lord Stanley's Cup will be awarded.  And we will have a province's 40-year wait for a title end, or a state's 39-year drought come to an end.  Either way, tonight will make for some great television.

*Images Courtesy of Google Images*

Dirk Finally Gets His

Well Dirk finally got what all the haters said he needed, a championship.  Is it safe to say now that Dirk is among the top-10 greatest players in NBA history?
And it is getting pretty annoying hear everyone hate on LeBron for "losing" the series and not giving Dirk and the rest of the Mavs team credit for being a great team.  Give the LeBron "4th quarter chokes" a break and respect the play of Dirk Nowitzki.