We’re one game away from another season of the Presidents’ Trophy winner not winning the Stanley Cup, which is going to perpetuate the narrative that certain teams are good in the regular season and not in the playoffs. Because the… sixth seed does so much better than the first seed in the postseason.

Or doesn’t.

Living in Vancouver, I frequently get into arguments, both online and in person, with people who do believe that the playoffs reveal a team’s flaws. If that is true, it’s because against quality opponents a team is more likely to break or have weaknesses hammered. The Toronto Maple Leafs ate up the weak Boston Bruins’ defensive depth. The San Jose Sharks shut down the one line of the Vancouver Canucks and let the rest of the pieces fall into play. All teams have weaknesses, and all teams have strengths, and not always will one team’s strengths match up so perfectly against another’s weakness.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is the best damn game preview you’ll see all day. From the Dortmund and Bayern of irreverent football game previews, Anthony Richardson (@amhrichardson) and Mark Davison (@iamthemonkey).

If a Dodgers team sporting a $230 million payroll to go along with a 19-26 record wasn’t going to cost Don Mattingly his job, it appeared as though some criticism of its players and possibly management may have. This is not the case, though, as Mattingly has received yet another vote of confidence from the Dodgers’ suits.

Earlier this week, Mattingly questioned his team’s compete level, as well as the construction of the Dodgers roster. This came on the heels of a vote of confidence from general manager Ned Colletti. Mattingly, so it seemed, gnashed his teeth at the hand that feeds. Alas, this was not the case. We’ll chalk this one up to ‘motivation’, I guess.

Dodgers vice president Stan Kasten reiterated the ball club’s support of Mattingly on Thursday. Kasten and co. did not see Mattingly’s earlier tirade as a shot directed at themselves, according to a Ken Rosenthal report.

“I know what Don is trying to do, what his intention is,” Kasten told FOXSports.com on Thursday. “It’s to light a fire, kick-start the team. He’s trying everything he can think of. We’re all behind him.”

Read the rest of this entry »

The French Open has always held a sacred place in this tennis fan’s heart. Parisians aren’t like you or I. Fact is, they’re better. Whether it’s smoking cigarettes in the stands or vociferously booing players for no discernible reason, they do things their own way. Refined jerks add so much more to the sporting landscape with their hooting and demonstrative  sighing than the casual fan. The game – nay, the world – would be worse off without them.

Here’s looking at you, Satan.

We head into the second major of the year with less questions to answer than expected. Rafael Nadal’s knees have withstood the rigors of the European clay court season. Serena Williams dispatched Victoria Azarenka with ease in Rome, proving the only person who stands a chance of stopping Serena from winning her second French Open title is Serena herself. The favorites have made an impressive case, one so strong that seeing someone other than Nadal and Williams leave Roland Garros with a garish trophy and fat check in hand will be quite surprising.

It’s the ‘others’ that will intrigue in Paris. The others being the group of players that have a shot – however fleeting – at knocking off the overwhelming favorites. On the men’s side three names come to mind, all with their own personal demons when it comes to taking down Rafa on clay, let alone at a major. Roger Federer will need divine intervention to win it all, and no, Robin Soderling is not walking through that door. Novak Djokovic is the only hope for the anti Rafa crowd and he’s coming off an uncharacteristic loss to Tomas Berdych. The Czech big man could be this year’s Soderling. Unfortunately the words ‘could be ‘ have been synonymous with Berdych’s career up until this point.

On the women’s side there is slightly more belief. Serena bowed out in the first round last year, losing to Virginie Razzano in one of the biggest upsets in French Open history. Azarenka will be there at the end, as will Maria Sharapova. Unfortunately for those two their head-to-head numbers against Williams are terrible (4-25 combined).

Two weeks in Paris awaits.

Read the rest of this entry »

LeBron James is kind of in a new McDonald’s commercial, which you can see right above these words, and while I’d vote for the Big Mac as the best menu item, I very much appreciate “The Decision” zing that comes right at the end of this spot. Therefore, if you’re voting McNuggets as the best just so you can make a LeBron zinger, I get it.

But LeBron’s not the only NBA player who is crazy about McNuggs, as I accidentally found out while checking in to things since the only NBA news of note today is the must-be-a-joke announcement that the Chicago Bulls’ trainer was named Athletic Trainer of the Year. For instance, a few modern legends showed up in a commercial many moons ago, only to be knock-knock joked right in the face.

Craziest part of this commercial? This came out in 1997, but two of these guys played in the league THIS YEAR. You cannot kill Grant Hill or Juwan Howard, and they cannot die. They are basketball Highlanders, of which there are allowed to be two because everyone needs someone to play against.

The second craziest part of this commercial? The response was so overwhelming that they had to do a follow-up.

Read the rest of this entry »

We pride ourselves on fine tattoo reporting around here. From Von Miller’s arm chicken to the largest and stretchiest Dolphins tat ever, we document the history of NFL ink. It takes hard work, perseverance, and the ability to click a computer mouse and use a keyboard. Advanced stuff.

But this is the first time I’m not sure if I should be frightened, or impressed. Both?

Read the rest of this entry »

If there’s one thing the University of Cincinnati baseball team is good at, it’s knowing how to sabotage post-game interviews. They finished 24-32 this season, but their best plays occur after the game in their post-game interviews. Just watch the video and check out the skill.

In the latest installment of RaptorBlog Radio, Drew, Oliver and I get together to discuss the “sort of” firing of Bryan Colangelo, the current state of the Raptors organization, who may replace Colangelo, and what might become of Dwane Casey.

Read the rest of this entry »