Show Recap - Monday February 22, 2010

“Oh Canada!”…more like “Uh-oh!” At the risk of insulting my friends to the north by telling them something they already know…you cannot lose that game. You out-shoot the Americans 45-23, out-chance them by an even greater margin…you’re in your own house, hall of famers, up and down your bench, and you’re going up against a bunch of no names and guys who have never been there before, without a fraction of the pedigree and more importantly the fire-power…and you still get owned. That can’t happen!

And it hadn’t since 1960, but it just did.

You’re not going to wake up and realize it was just a bad dream. The Americans just did you in your house. And it’s because you’re not dealing with the immense pressure of the tourney, and had the sort of mental breakdowns I’d expect from the young Americans, not you.

Unlike their prior game against the Swiss, the Canadians showed up for this one. And they wanted it. The effort... More »

If hockey is the event of the Olympics, the play of the tourney had to be Russia’s Alexander Ovechkin’s truck job of Jaromír Jagr in the open ice yesterday. A brutal lick that created a turnover that Russia converted for a goal. Jagr is old, but he’s not small. And given the enormity of his hindquarters, he’s always been near impossible to knock off the puck. And Ovechkin just de-skated him, breaking his visor in the process!

That is an unbelievable play. Like a safety turning the momentum of an entire game by knocking out a receiver coming over the middle.

As great as Jagr has been, Ovechkin has what Jaromir has never had…some nasty. Ovechkin is mean! He hasn’t done a lot offensively in the tourney, but he hasn’t had to. They’ve got plenty of guys who can put the puck in the net, but not a lot who can put Jagr on his back. Right now, he’s the best player in the world and he’s showing he has all the tools. And Canada can pump... More »

In the final analysis, I don’t think Tiger Woods hurt himself when he went “robot” for 13 plus minutes last Friday. And that’s a plus! Coming out and trying to rationalize or marginalize his freak-ery off the course would have been disastrous. And he didn’t do that. I just don’t think he helped himself a whole lot either! He did what he had to do. And what he should have done about two months earlier.

He said what he thought his wife, sponsors and golf fans wanted to hear. Question is, did he actually believe any of it, or was he just trying to get back what he’s lost? And has he really changed? Doubtful! Alpha-Dogs like that rarely do. They’re hard-wired for that sort of selfishness and narcissism. It’s a mentality that helped make them great. It’s their inability to accept fallibility that gets them through the adversity and the tough losses. So, no, I don’t think he’s really changed. And apparently his wife isn’t convinced, because she... More »

In the 24/7 knife-fight that is big-time college recruiting, the most famous and successful coach have to keep up with the times and relate to top recruits…on their level! That’s why it was huge for Lane Kiffin to get name-dropped by Lil Wayne for talking bleep. You know Kiffin was and is recruiting kids who bump Wayne. But I’d be willing to bet there’s not a single high school All-American anywhere who’s bumping Hootie & the Blowfish! And probably hasn’t been for about a decade and a half. But, that didn’t stop Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh from declaring his love for the “Hoot”.

In fact, he wants to get the band back together, tweeting: “if anyone knows how to reach them, I’d like to reunite my all time favorite band Hootie & the Blowfish to perform @ a Stanford game this fall.” Great idea, Jim! And if anyone knows where to find the Beatles, let me know, because I’d love to reunite them too!

Hey coach, Hootie? Really?!... More »

Info & Stats: Former NHL Player & Coach | Commentator CBC Television & Co-Host “Coach’s Corner” during “Hockey Night in Canada”.

Don on what the future holds: “I will be fired someday.”

Topics: NHL Playoffs | Detroit rallying against San Jose | Jimmy Howard was unbelievable against the Sharks | Don coaching against LA back in the day | Joe Thornton’s playoff wrap | Boston vs. Tampa Bay | Likes Boston | Tim Thomas’ place | Concussions today vs. back in the day | Today’s players and their equipment | Respect and fear | Wayne Gretzky never got hit once in the last 10 years he was playing | Instigator rule was the worst one ever put in | Tim Thomas communicating with his defensemen | Thomas’ players love him | Tim is always laughing | Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay | Players respect Yzerman | Washington Capitals | Bruce Boudreau’s job status | The Sedin’s are playing like little puppies | The green men are jerks |

Info & Stats: Defense Los Angeles Kings | 3rd Season in the NHL | 1st Appearance in the Winter Olympics with Team USA.

Topics: Poise and composure for the team | Taking the Canadian crowd out of the game | “Us against the world” mentality | No love lost between teammates from Canada on the ice | Going up against guys he plays with in the NHL | Returning back to the NHL after the Olympics; teammate reaction | Experience level in comparison with the game against Canada | 3 hour feeling with the game | Confidence level boosted | Calming factor on the team | Confidence of their goalie | Reaction in the locker room to the big win | Playing better every day | Pressure getting to Canada | Putting on the Olympic jersey for the first time | NHL staying in the Olympics.

Info & Stats: Former Head Coach of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.

Topics: San Antonio’s window not closed | George Hill’s development | Spurs scouting department is unbelievable | San Antonio sticks to their plan and just kills it | Gregg Popovich and RC Buford’s relationship is great | Mavericks future | Josh Howard was great last year against the Spurs | Dallas has to make changes, Dirk needs more help | Jeanie Buss comments about thinking Phil Jackson will coach next year, just not sure where? | LA Lakers | Ron Ron hasn’t figured out the triangle | Kobe Bryant’s health | Eastern Conference playoff talk | Orlando’s free throw shooting is a concern | Dwight Howard’s foul trouble