Author: Chris Ostrander

Clearly Europeans haven’t done their homework

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You don’t call out the United States. Particularly in sports. Bulletin board material is such a no-no in North American sports, you would think it would be the same in Europe.

Tim Howard didn’t really buy into what Andrej Komac had to say. Now Howard must lead the US past Slovenia tomorrow morning.

Apparently not. Slovenian midfielder, Andrej Komac, decided he would put a guarantee on the table. He said his side will defeat the United States Friday in their World Cup match. Now, the Americans are considered to be the favorites, but I don’t know how much faith I have in our side in international play. The game has certainly come a long way in the US, and it seems like our national program is making leaps and bounds. But, I don’t know if we are a team that can go out and win no matter what.

That being said, American athletes are some of the most pride-filled men and women you will ever meet. Putting that kind of guarantee out there is a dangerous move on Komac’s part. While soccer isn’t a sport that allows for serious retribution, see football or hockey, this should give the United States more than enough motivation to win tomorrow.

However, goaltender Tim Howard took the high road (sort of) when asked about the comments. Continue reading →

Dear Mr. Pronger. Shut up

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So, Chris Pronger plays a very edgy style. Some might say dirty, I say he toes the line. Either way, he creates a lot of enemies on and off the ice. You might say Adam Burish, of the Chicago Blackhawks, is among his enemies.

Now, Burish’s comments weren’t necessary especially given the situation. He just won the Cup and could have easily avoided the question, but he chose not to. In my opinion it was the wrong choice. Not to mention, if he were to fight Pronger in a game he would likely lose the fight, badly. Oh – and he didn’t see the ice in game six, or a few others.

That brings us to Pronger. Who always has carried himself with a certain arrogance that I can’t stand. He had a few particularly bad games at the end of the series and probably should have taken the high road in terms of responding to Burish’s comments.

Listen Chris, you just lost the Cup, you played really poorly in the final two games (game five in particular) leave it be. If you’re so much better than this guy why bother saying something? If anything, Pronger comes off as the bigger ass because he is the one still chirping after the loss.

A little professionalism goes a long way, seems like Burish and Pronger could use a lesson in that.

Dutch women in mini-skirts. What could go wrong?

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A lot apparently.

This was wrong, in terms of advertising.

An ITV worker, Robbie Earle, apparently gave his allotment of tickets for the Denmark-Netherlands game to a group of Dutch models in skimpy orange dresses. While I see no issue in giving out tickets to a group of attractive women, FIFA does (and ITV too).

Continue reading →

It’s too bad Sports Science went this way

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So, Sports Science is a pretty cool show. It wasn’t too bad when it was on FSN and ESPN took it and really turned it into what it should have been all along, a 2-3 minute hit, not a 30-minute show.

Of course, ESPN didn’t get their hands on the show soon enough. Because they managed to put out this beauty:

I know the results of the show say that Trent Edwards has a quicker release and reaction than a gunslinger, but seriously? I’m pretty sure if they had the chance they would go another route. The only saving grace here is that Sports Science probably did this show before Edwards entrenched himself as Captain Checkdown.

Beast Mode is back

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WGR 550 (amongst others) that Marshawn Lynch was back participating at One Bills Drive today. The biggest soap opera the Bills have had to deal with is now over with, unless Lynch is traded. The sad part is, it shouldn’t have been an issue considering the Bills’ RB depth.

Marshawn Lynch was back on the practice field with the Bills today.

After drafting C.J. Spiller, plus the year that Fred Jackson had in 2009, the Bills didn’t seem to need their 2008 first-round pick. So, Lynch stayed away, missed a handful of optional practices until today. He is back to work, but does it really matter? Right now, he is the third best running back on the team. Realistically, he is the only every down back the Bills posses. He was drafted because he is a monster carrying the ball and he can catch out of the backfield. Yet, he was rarely used as a receiving target by the greatest check-down passer the NFL has ever seen.

Either way, I feel that if Lynch can be put in the right situation he can succeed. Fred Jackson has a lot of value right now, why not capitalize on that and trade him? If you can get a fourth round pick for Lynch I bet you could get a third for Jackson, at least. I make this point because a tandem of Lynch and Spiller would be a true thunder and lightning combo for the Bills.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really matter who is running the ball with a patchwork offensive line.

I almost forgot, Jeremy Roenick cried!

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I should preface this post, and explain that headline, by saying I have loads of respect for Jeremy Roenick. I was lucky enough to spend time with Jeremy in Vancouver at the Olympics and he is truly a great guy. The morning production meetings were always a blast with him there.

So, I digress. The fact that Jeremy Roenick was so emotional over the Blackhawks winning the Cup shows the die-hard attitude the players have in the NHL. Roenick was so close, so many times and missed his opportunity. And to see him in that state shows his dedication to the game of hockey. I know a lot of people are going to have a lot of fun with what happened in studio after the game, but I respect him for it. I know if the Sabres ever win the Cup………….I will probably experience a wave of emotion. Plus, if I were to have the hockey career similar to his, and see a former team of mine hoist the Cup, I would be happy but heartbroken too. So, my hat’s off to you Mr. Roenick. But, for everyone else, here is the video.

Musical college football teams

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A developing situation that continues to become more tangled, the college football landscape may drastically change in the coming weeks.

Amidst rumors that Missouri and Nebraska will defect from the Big-12 and move to the Big Ten, technically making it the Big 13, it seems that one of college football’s strongest conferences may fall apart. If the dominos fall as reported six additional Big 12 teams will be offered membership in the PAC-10, making that the PAC-16 (isn’t this fun?). According to the ESPN article (linked), Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech will have the opportunity to join the PAC-10. All of this will break up the second most powerful conference in college football. The Big-12 has been the only conference to challenge the SEC for dominance in Division 1-A (Football Bowl Subdivision) in recent years. Now, this powerhouse may dissolve. Continue reading →

Hawks win, cabbies beware

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Pat Kane fired the shot heard ’round the hockey world. Well, it was more of a trickler that eluded Michael Leighton to give Chicago their first Stanley Cup in 49 years.

It was a climactic end to a game that was rather frustrating to watch. Particularly the first period and a half. Scott Hartnell – first of all cut your hair, you look like an ass – ran around taking dives and just played reckless through the first period. I thought the dive that drew a make-up call on Brent Seabrook was far worse than the tumble he took before his first goal. Either way, he runs around every game and plays a dangerous style, so does Dan Carcillo. Of course, Carcillo couldn’t do too much damage in the press box could he?

I found more fault with the refereeing, particularly in the first half of the game. Chris Pronger plays a rather edgy style, but, he didn’t really deserve the call he got for roughing up Jonathon Towes. In the same hand Marian Hossa did not interfere with Leighton in the 2nd. In fact, that was one of the worst calls I have seen in quite some time. Thankfully, the zebras put away the whistles for the third period and overtime. The final 20 minutes and change was wildly entertaining hockey and rather poetic, thanks to the deflection off Marian Hossa’s shin pad that led to the Flyers tying goal. Of course, that was moot once Kane slipped the winner under Leighton from a sharp angle.

Continue reading →

Live in Buffalo? Get a t-shirt

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Funny t-shirts are the best. But they are better when they are witty and glorify your hometown.

Born In Buffalo is a Buffalo, NY based t-shirt company that specializes in witty shirts about our glorious town. I own three myself. My personal favorite is My City Smells Like Cheerios. You can check them out on Facebook too.

I’ll have a tab on top of the page for off topic stories that things like this will be filed in. Just an FYI.

A Born In Buffalo shirt. They’ve got some cool stuff

Is the NHL back?

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In the mid-1990s a strong argument could be made that the NHL had surpassed the NBA in popularity. But, goaltender equipment grew, the trap gained popularity and hockey entered the dead puck era. All the while, the NBA had a surge of young talent and rapidly attracted casual fans.

Entering the early 2000s the NHL, armed with commissioner Gary Bettman, who was sent from the NBA, attempted to invade non-traditional, warm weather markets. Ten years later the Nashville Predators have been in a constant state of limbo, the Phoenix Coyotes are being run by the league and teams like Florida, Tampa and Atlanta have trouble filling seats. All of this is occurring while the Stanley Cup Finals draws new audience highs since the 90s with numbers comparable to the Lakers/Celtics NBA Finals. In fact, last night’s 7-4 Blackhawks win trounced the NBA Finals in the Chicago market. Of course, that is to be expected.

The trend nationwide surely would favor the NBA, and I would not argue that the NHL has again surpassed the NBA in popularity. However, hockey is a much more team-oriented sport that has seen less drama off the playing field than the NBA recently.  When it all boils down the NHL is still a few years away, but, the youth movement has spurred ticket sales and unique events like the Winter Classic. Plus, the high-scoring Finals that is developing not only will help draw casual fans hungry for goals, but it will have Gary Bettman doing backflips about high-scoring games.

If ESPN’s coverage was less biased towards the NBA and the NHL continues to grow, the league should see nothing but positive growth in the next few years.

Your call: