Steve's Sports Blog

31-10 at halftime, 34-27 final. Yes, that is a win. Yes, Clay Matthews and Sam Shields were not playing. 

Yes, a win is a win, but getting outscored 17-3 in the second half? Letting off the gas offensively when an obviously compromised secondary was a sieve all day? What sort of thinking is that? No, this is not on Dom Capers, as much as we Packers fans love to shower him with blame after losses/close calls. No, it is not on Aaron Rodgers, either. 

Simply put, the Packers pulled their foot off the gas. Rodgers was on his way to yet another 6+ TD day. Following a forgettable performance in Minnesota, Green Bay had a chance to make a statement, and they seemed to be doing so. 

Then halftime ended. Green Bay only mustered a field goal in a very flat and uninspiring second half. Problem is, this has become a trend in Packers football lately. See the following games:

2012 vs. Indianpolis: 21-3 halftime lead, Indianapolis wins 30-27. 2013 vs. Cincinnati: 16-point 4th quarter lead, Cincinnati rallies to win. 2015 vs. Seattle: NFC Title Game: 19-7 4th quarter lead, and Seattle rallies to win in overtime. 

See the problem? In each game, the Packers went vanilla late, and it cost them. Look at Pete Carroll. Has Seattle ever choked away a game like that? How about Bill Belichick? He’s beating teams many think are contenders, with people you haven’t even heard of at QB! 

Packers fans like to think McCarthy is one of the best coaches around, but I feel he’s another Jim Caldwell - a mediocre coach disguised by a great quarterback. He’s gotten out-coached in games on numerous occasions, the most grievous being the loss to Seattle in the NFC Championship game. Mike Zimmer in Minnesota gets my vote for best coach in the division, because I don’t see him letting off the gas late in games. 

In short, it’s time the Packers stop with these vanilla gameplans late in games. Yes, execution is a factor, but don’t fool yourself into thinking teams can just “flip a switch” and suddenly start playing much better between the second and third quarter. Packers let the Lions back in it, and a game that should have been a rout was nothing remotely resembling one. 

LEAGUE EXPANSION/RELOCATION SERIES - NHL

Now to take a stab at a league that has definitely over-expanded - the National Hockey League. As it stands, with the new expansion team in Vegas, the NHL has a total of 31 teams. Obviously, that leaves room for another team, but any more than 32, and the NHL risks becoming too top-heavy.

One issue I am attempting to address with this piece is the issue of over-expansion into the American South. Teams like Arizona and Florida are quickly going the way of the Atlanta Flames and Atlanta Thrashers.

This setup would add a 32nd team to balance the conferences, and would move several teams north to more loyal fanbases.

As it stands, here are our current divisions:

Atlantic: Boston, Ottawa, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Florida, Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto Metropolitan: Washington, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Carolina, New Jersey, Colombus, New York (I), New York (R) Central: Chicago, Nashville, Minnesota, St. Louis, Colorado, Winnipeg Pacific: Anaheim, Arizona, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Jose, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary

As it stands, we see teams that simply do not belong. Hockey in Miami and Phoenix? Really? To address these issues, I have picked three teams to relocate, and am analyzing several relocation possibilities. I also have added one expansion team in order to even up the divisions.

Top relocation candidates:

-Florida Panthers - yes, they may have been good last year, but hockey has no place in Miami, and it shows with the half-full arenas that the Panthers constantly have to contend with. Considering the following Tampa Bay has, it seems that Florida only has room for one hockey team.

-Arizona Coyotes - here is another southern team that simply does not belong. Ownership issues, fanbase issues, this team flat needs to move.

-Nashville Predators - here is a team that has struggled to fill arenas at times. Nashville is a bit of an island, too isolated from any major hockey markets. A move north would help.

-Carolina Hurricanes - yes, they won a cup a few years ago, but like their Florida counterparts, the Canes are having trouble filling arenas, largely due to being well away from the traditional US hockey fanbases.

Other possible candidates -

-Anaheim Ducks - unlikely, because they’ve been successful, and Gretzky’s tenure with the Kings made the NHL a fixture in L.A. sports.

-New York Islanders - unlikely given the loyal following in the New York area. Still a possibility due to having to compete with the Rangers.

Now, we have our relocation candidates. We also need an expansion team to make it 32 teams. From what I’ve read, and what I’ve dug up, these seem to be the best candidates for destinations -

-Quebec City, Quebec - the Nordiques left for Colorado in the mid 90s, and Quebec hockey fans have since been left with the prospect of following the hated Candiens. Quebec City is overdue for a team, and should be the #1 relocation prospect.

-Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Wisconsin is one of the core hockey states in the US, and amateur and semi-pro teams are found all over the state. Milwaukee hosts a metro area of roughly 1.7 million, easily big enough to support an NHL team, and Wisconsin hockey fans would welcome a team with open arms.

-Seattle, Washington - Seattle boasts one of the best sports fanbases in the country, yet the largest metropolis in the Pacific Northwest only hosts two teams, the Seahawks and the perpetually awful Mariners. Seattle was home to the first American team to win the Stanley Cup, the Seattle Metropolitans.

-Hartford, Connecticut - “Connecticut?” younger fans may ask. What we may forget is that the Hartford Whalers were a fixture in the NHL until their move to North Carolina. Maybe a move back is something to consider?

-Anchorage, Alaska - This may seem like a stretch, but hear me out. Alaska is home to at least two NCAA Division One hockey clubs, so the fanbase is definitely there. Anchorage is home to roughly 400,000 people, so it has the size.

Other possibilities -

-Hamilton, Ontario - too close to Toronto, but big enough where the possibility cannot be ruled out. -Kansas City, Missouri - another Seattle-like candidate, but lacks the history when compared to some other candidates. -Toronto, Ontario - Toronto is big enough to potentially hold a second team, but if Toronto brings in an NFL team, that makes a second hockey team unlikely. -Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Big enough, yes, but given the demand elsewhere, I don’t see a relocation here soon. -Atlanta, Georgia - considering the NHL tried here twice and failed twice, I don’t think Atlanta is a candidate anytime soon. -Houston, Texas - definitely is big enough, same size as Chicago roughly, but the market for hockey simply is not here.

Now, I see an expansion team being added to bring the league to an even 32, and that will make the playoff process more fair, and also balance out the divisions. Here are our moves -

Expansion team - Anchorage Grizzlies

Moves:

Arizona Coyotes relocate to Seattle, change name to Rangers Florida Panthers relocate to Quebec City, change name to Nordiques Carolina Hurricanes relocate to Hartford, change name to Whalers Nashville Predators relocate to Milwaukee, change name to Admirals

Obviously, this would mean the NHL would need to realign their divisions. What I think would make the most sense would be an arrangement like so -

ATLANTIC DIVISION: Quebec City, Montreal, Boston, Hartford, New York, New Jersey, New York (I) METROPOLITIAN DIVISION: Ottawa, Toronto, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Detroit CENTRAL DIVISION: Chicago, St. Louis, Minnesota, Milwaukee, Colorado, Dallas, Winnipeg, Las Vegas PACIFIC DIVISION: Anchorage, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, San Jose

Unfortunately, I could not find a way to move Detroit into the central division. Considering that Detroit has rivalries with every major team in Wisconsin and Illinois, and in Minnesota, the NHL is missing a great opportunity there.

I pretty much pulled names out of the air, so if anyone has any better ideas, hit me with it!

My goal was to bring hockey to places where it belongs, and get rid of some of these “what in the heck are they doing there?!” teams.

LEAGUE EXPANSION/MOVES SERIES: NFL

I know I barely post anything anymore, and that’s due to a variety of factors, but I figured I’d start a new series to work on when I’m not busy with school, especially seeing as I’m at a new place and there’s almost nothing to do here.

Anyway, I’ve taken some time and looked at each of the major leagues, and have pegged teams that could possibly relocate in each of the four major North American leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL).

Today, let’s take a stab at the NFL. As it stands, these are our divisions:

AFC East: Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins AFC North: Steelers, Ravens, Browns, Bengals AFC South: Colts, Titans, Texans, Jaguars AFC West: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders NFC East: Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys NFC North: Lions, Bears, Packers, Vikings NFC South: Panthers, Falcons, Buccaneers, Saints NFC West: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks

Now, some teams have lately had struggles in terms of support, most notably Jacksonville. In this piece, I do not think adding more teams will be helpful to the league, as 32 seems to be about right. 34 or 36 would only make the league more top-heavy, and we would have teams that are constantly awful more than we do now. In this piece, I peg three teams that have had some struggles in one way or the other, and will likely continue to struggle in some way.

The three teams in question?

-San Diego Chargers -Jacksonville Jaguars -Oakland Raiders

Now, some people may lose it over the last one, but don’t forget - the Raiders are no strangers to moving. They were in LA for many years, and with the 49ers across the bay, and the Rams moving back to L.A., it seems that four teams in California could cause trouble.

Enter the Chargers. They may also be an odd team out, with the Rams coming back, and even using their stadium while the L.A. Coliseum is brought back up to NFL standard. The Chargers are stuck in a bout of mediocrity and could easily see fan support leave for the newcomers.

Speaking of lacking fan support, the Jaguars’  fanbase is so fickle that they needed to practically make a resort out of their stadium to attract fans. A few years ago, the Jags were so bad that the fans demanded an apology from a Jacksonville radio station for airing the Jags game instead of the “Manning Bowl.”

Now, we have three teams, and while three movements is certainly far-fetched, here are some cities that could house a team -

1). St. Louis, Missouri - the Rams moved in 2016, after a 22 year stint in the city. This, of course, hit really hard in a city with some rabid sports fans. Just ask the Cardinals and the Blues. St. Louis absolutely should have an NFL team. If a team moves in the near future, mark my words, it will be to St. Louis.

2). Toronto, Ontario - now, hear me out. “NFL in Canada?” Yes, NFL in Canada. The Bills played a series in Toronto for a few years, and had no trouble filling the stands. Toronto is a metropolis rivalling Chicago and Houston in size, and could easily support an NFL team. Do remember, the city already hosts the Maple Leafs, Raptors, and Blue Jays. If we are ever going to see an NFL expansion to Canada, we almost certainly will see it in Toronto.

3). San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio only has one sports team, despite being one of the ten largest cities in the country. That being said, it suffers from the same malaise that we could easily see San Diego and/or Oakland, and Jacksonville, for that matter, face - too many teams already in the state. San Antonio has the size, and then some, but most fans already have a team in the Cowboys or Texans.

4). Vancouver, British Columbia - “Really? Canada?!” Yes, Canada. Vancouver is a very passionate sports town, as shown by their response to the 2011 Stanley Cup defeat at the hands of the hated Boston Bruins. The only issues would be the CFL, which already has a strong presence in the region, and the proximity to Seattle.

5). Louisville, Kentucky - At this point, I’m more or less pulling names out of the air. Louisville is home to a solid college program (Teddy Bridgewater is a Louisville alum), but the city is too close to Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Nashville to be considered.

In the end, I chose the most obvious for a move - St. Louis. I do not think that needs any explanation. Toronto and Vancouver I chose for moves because of the Canadian expansion idea. In the realignment, this would be the divisions -

AFC East: New England, Toronto*, New York (J), Buffalo AFC North: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore AFC South: Indianapolis, Miami, Tennessee, Houston AFC West: Vancouver, St. Louis, Denver, Kansas City NFC East: New York (G), Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas NFC North: Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota NFC South: Carolina, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Atlanta NFC West: Seattle, Arizona, Los Angeles, San Francisco

I do not see this happening anytime soon, and I tried to move teams around without breaking up significant rivalries. Obviously this will affect each team in some way, shape or form, but it does have some positive impacts.

1). NFL in Canada can only be good for the league.

Each of the teams moved are moved from a state which already has a surplus of teams, namely California and Florida. New markets will be opened, and the opportunity for new rivalries will be good for the NFL. Each of these teams has not contributed much, if anything, to the NFL in recent years, so this could more than atone for that.

As if the Warriors did not have enough people hating on them already, Klay Thompson decided to add to the list of reasons. 

After telling LeBron “This is a man’s game” after game 4, Thompson disappeared, and Cleveland won the final three games, two of them at Oracle Arena, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the series. 

Following game seven, Thompson walked off the floor with a look on his face that can best be compared to a pouting child. Even the infamous Draymond Green had enough class to stay out on the court and shake hands with LeBron James, the series MVP. 

Where was Thompson? Too proud to admit defeat and too childish to face the music, he was pouting in the locker room. It would be one thing if Thompson played a terrific game and just came up a  bit short, but Thompson was nowhere to be found. Known for his three-point shooting as one of the “Splash Brothers,” Thompson hit 2 of 11 three-point shots and scored only 17 points.

Are those standards for players high? Yes. Are they unreasonable? No. Thompson lit the stat sheet up all season en route to a 73-9 season, one game better than the legendary 72-10 season posted by the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96. He and Steph Curry hit three after three after three, but as soon as the playoffs rolled around, they suddenly looked human. 

Suddenly, the Warriors had to play actual basketball where they had to post up, and play with more strategy than “just give the ball to Curry or Thompson.” Then Curry got hurt, and it looked possible that Portland, of all teams, could give them trouble. 

Then they went down 3-1 to Oklahoma City, and had to struggle to win that series. They ultimately did, and raced out to a 3-1 lead over Cleveland. Were they overconfident? Maybe. 

Cleveland ran through weak competition from the East Region to win the regional and go to the finals, and the first three games seemed to indicate that this would continue. With a 3-1 series lead and a game at home, even the suspension of Draymond Green did not seem to be a problem. It would fuel the Warriors, right? 

Wrong. Game 5 proved just how valuable Draymond Green is, and Cleveland ran way with games 5 and 6, and set up a pivotal game 7. Win or go home. 

Most sports fans know what happened next - it’s simply dominated the news. Cleveland won the game, the Splash Bros disappeared, and Klay Thompson choked, making his mark by disappearing after the game and pouting in the locker room. 

Tough? Draymond Green is, and was right there after the game to congratulate the Cavs on an incredible achievement. 

Klay Thompson only appears tough when he’s able to pull up immediately and hit threes. Otherwise, he’s about as tough as a pile of cardboard. Under the heat of game 7, he burned up and disappeared. Sit down and shut up, Thompson, or man up and admit your team lost. 

“Great moments are born from great opportunity.”  -Herb Brooks

36 years ago today, perhaps the greatest upset in sports history took place, as the mighty Soviet Union hockey team fell to the unheralded United States men’s hockey team, a group of college players from rival schools. Unexpectedly, the USA tied the game three times, first midway through the first period on a goal by Buzz Schneider, then most dramatically at the end of the first period when Mark Johnson, current Wisconsin women’s hockey coach, tied the game in dramatic fashion. Johnson would tie the game again in the 3rd period, before Mike Eruzione scored the golden goal just eighty-one seconds later, putting the USA up 4-3 with ten minutes remaining in the final period. The US would hold on, due in large part to the superb play of goaltender Jim Craig, who saved 36 of 39 shots on goal in the game.

Al Michaels immortalized the final moments of the game with this call:

To everyone on Tumblr, and everywhere else for that matter, trying to say that “violence is not the answer” in response to the Paris and Beirut attacks (and the many other ISIS-backed atrocities committed in the past few years), what is YOUR idea? Try talking to them? You cannot reason with terrorists. 

Neville Chamberlain is best remembered for proclaiming “Peace for our time!” after a conference with Nazi Germany. This sound familiar? Think about President Obama’s ill-timed “ISIS is contained” statement. I think everyone knows what happened after Chamberlain said that.. I’ll say it again, you cannot reason with these people. They aren’t Islamic, they’re animals. I’ve had the privilege of knowing several people from the Middle East and Western Asia, as well as North Africa. No one hates ISIS more than they do.