National Hooligan League

The sports league with the worst reputation for stopping violence, penalizing and fining appropriately its offending players is the National Hooligan League or the NHL as many hockey fans would call it. There has not been consistency in suspending players and it seems that many are only interested in protecting the violent nature of the game.

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The media is largely to blame, constantly glorifying fighting by showing fights and commenting on this “great scuffle” or that “good ol’ donnybrook”. Donnybrook is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, and was previously the site of the annual Donnybrook Fair. These Irish fairs were well known for their copious alcohol consumption and the unavoidable results: all-out drunken brawls. In fact, as a result of the violence, the fair was abolished in 1855. Of course, this was after more than 600 years of "We promise we'll behave next time." The word "donnybrook," meaning "free-for-all" or "public quarrel," came from these fairs, and was first seen in print in 1852. [1]

The suspensions that the NHL levies are soft and laughable. The fines are a complete joke and mere pocket change for its multi-millionaire players. Most suspensions are in the 2-3 game range and fines in the $1000-$2500 range. When compared to other leagues that do not tolerate fighting, the NHL should either re-vamp their penalty structure or be abolished like the Donnybrook Fair.

The NHL has recently come under fire for Zdeno Chára’s vicious hit March 8, 2011, on Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty who suffered a non-displaced fracture to the 4th vertebra and a severe concussion. The force and location of the hit resulted in Pacioretty colliding with the turnbuckle at the end of the bench. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher after lying motionless on the ice for several minutes. For delivering the hit Chara received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and videotape of the play was sent to NHL VP of hockey operations Mike Murphy for review. Mike Murphy decided no further punishment was warranted. The Montreal police announced that a criminal investigation would take place. Chára is merely a goon in the NHL with 111 goals, 252 assists and 1297 penalty minutes in 12 seasons. 

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When will the goonery be halted? If the NHL has its way, this will never be resolved. There are a percentage of people who believe that fighting in hockey is part of the game and defend it with vigor. Is fractured vertebra and concussions part of the game? How does Colorado's Steve Moore feel after his hit from Todd Bertuzzi? That vicious hit on March 8, 2004 would prove to be the end of Steve Moore’s career. Yes, Todd Bertuzzi was suspended for 20 games, but was that enough? Can we afford to have players like Sidney Crosby sit out with concussions?

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The NHL needs to quit defending the gang warfare that poisons the league. Anytime an opposing player gets too close to another team’s goalie or player along the boards with an incidental bump, the “gang” must now defend their turf. What basically ensues is the team with the “blue colors” threatening the team with the “red colors” to back out of their turf or else.  

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In December, the NBA levied a 15 game suspension to Carmelo Anthony, then of the Denver Nuggets for punching Mardy Collins of the New York Knicks. He did not receive a 5-minute fighting penalty or a game misconduct, he was tossed out of the game for fighting and suspended. Since hockey is a sport that allows body checking and penalizes fighting, fighting should not be part of the game. In reality, the NHL should not have 5-minute fighting penalties; they should have 15 game suspension penalties. If a player repeat offends then his next suspension should be 30 games, then 40 or 50 until the player gets the message that fighting is not allowed or is driven out of the game.

Hockey is wonderfully entertaining game that has an exciting pace without fighting. With scintillating goals, great checks, wonderful passing plays, superb penalty killing, overtime, shootouts, tremendous rivalries and the march to the Stanley Cup, who really needs fighting?

Sources:

[1] The Word Detective, Martha Barnette's Fun Words Archive, Word Wizard

Raonic The Real Deal

Milos Raonic (courtesy Wikipedia.org)

Milos Raonic stands at No. 37 in the world since the new rankings were released Monday morning. He became the highest ranked Canadian tennis player ever, surpassing Greg Rusedski who rose to No. 41 in the world before taking on British citizenship and then rising to No. 4.

Raonic lost to No. 8 in the world Andy Roddick 7/6 (7) 6/7 (11) 7/5 in a 2 ½ hour war. He saved many match points and showed the poise of a top ten player while playing the championship at the ATP Memphis event against Roddick who bagged his 30^th career title.

Raonic is the real deal. He is confident, motivated and playing some fantastic tennis. A stint in Spain at the end of the year with his coach Galo Blanco to work more intensely on a few areas of his game proved golden. Blanco also tore into Raonic about his lackluster performances to date. A switch suddenly flicked in Milos’ brain and he went on a tear ever since, reaching the 4^th round of the Australian Open, winning in San Jose and now reaching the final in Memphis.

Most Canadian players tend to get buried in the rankings anywhere from 100 to 400 in the world. Only a few manage to break the top 100. Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls more than three years ago reached a high of No. 65 and back in 1989 Andrew Snajder reached a career high ranking of 46.

Raonic is different. He is well spoken, calm, confident and determined. His fitness has improved tremendously and he has lost the chunk that had him losing to top Canadians just two years ago. At 6’ 5” tall, Raonic is terrifying with his huge serve, powerful forehand and backhand, net game and great mobility. He is not the typical sloth-like tall guy, rather a powerful puma.

You better believe Milos Raonic will hit the top 10 before the end of this year. The question is how high can he go and when will he win his first Grand Slam title. Watch out Nadal, Djokovic and Federer – Milos Raonic is coming.

Nadal Voted Sportsman of the Year

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World tennis No 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain recently won the Sportsman of the Year award at the Laureus World Sports Awards. He capped a brilliant year winning three Grand Slams titles – at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. Nadal won his first Laureus Award in 2006 capturing the Breakthrough Award.

Laurius is comprised of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards. Collectively, these three elements form the essence of Laureus, harnessing the power of sport to promote social change and celebrating sporting excellence.

The Laureus World Sports Academy is made up of some of the greatest legends from sports. Once brought together, their reach, support and investment help social projects around the world that are using sport as a tool for social change. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation funds the initiatives of social change that seeks to inspire hope and positive change for children around the world.

The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual celebration of that achievement. The world’s media and the legends of the Laureus World Sports Academy judge athletes from across the sporting spectrum where the world of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is showcased. 

Nadal created The Rafa Nadal Foundation in 2007 after a trip to Chennai, India, to focus on social work and development aid particularly on childhood and youth. He feels that he is doing very well and owes society. He plans to be more active in this role after he retires from competitive tennis.

In 2010 Nadal matched legendary Rod Laver by winning the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year, a feat not achieved since 1969. He showed the stunning versatility of his game by becoming the first man ever to win three Grand Slams in a year on three different surfaces – clay, grass and hard court. Nadal joins a who’s who of great athletes who have won this award such as: Usain Bolt, the Spanish Football Club, Serena Williams, Lance Armstrong, Anika Sorenstam, Esther Vergeer, Roger Federer and Justine Henin.

It’s not only Nadal’s on court prowess that leads one to admire this mature 24 year old, but his sportsmanship after a loss and in press conferences. Nadal is seen after matches hugging opponents and praising them after losses. He deflects questions about injury or poor performance that are aimed by the press to take away from his opponent’s victories. This cannot be said of many of tennis greats of the past and present. Some recent examples: Serena’s 2009 meltdown again Kim Clijsters at the US Open and Roger Federer’s 2009 meltdown at the Australian Open Finals Trophy presentation.

Handling winning and losing with grace is where Nadal can be compared to the all-time great Rod Lavar who also never made excuses, worked hard at perfecting an all-court power game and achieved greatness both off and on the court.

With good health this may be the first of many Laureus Sportsman of the Year awards for Rafa. And at the pace he is going, Nadal may be destined to become not only the greatest tennis player in history, but the greatest athlete of all time.

Li Impresses - Djokovic Dominates

Even though the colourful Li Na [1] came up short Saturday in her bid to be the first Asian woman to win a Grand Slam title at almost 29 years of age, Li is closer to the end of her career than the beginning but she is playing the best tennis of her career and says that with this experience she feels like the ultimate success isn't far away. Kim Clijsters defeated Li 3/6, 6/3, 6/3 to win her 4^th Grand Slam title. The No. 3 seed Clijsters will move up to number two in the world while the No. 9 seed Li will move to a career high of number seven when the rankings were released Monday morning.

While Li fell short, her extroverted nature gained ground with tennis fans endearing her with funny, yet introspective interviews throughout the two weeks. Li, who often has her name written in the Chinese way, with the surname first, looked trimmer and fitter than she ever has. She has lost close to 20 pounds and moved like a cat on the court and through the draw defeating Victoria Azarenka along the way. Li had not lost a set until the semi-finals where she out duelling Caroline Wozniacki 3/6, 7/5, 6/3. 

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The rebellious Li has sported colourful streaks in her hair throughout her more than 10 years on the tour and also has a tattoo on her chest of a flower. Her favourite player growing up: four-time Australian Open champion Andre Agassi – go figure!

It’s not the zen-like Agassi that captured her eye; it’s the wild haired, neon clothed, earring wearing Agassi of the 90’s that interested Li. "I feel like because he has long hair and with the jeans [shots], yeah, this not normal player can do that," Li said. It is this type of admiration for the unique and unusual that has led Li to be a trailblazing, independent spirit in her homeland of China where conformity and conservatism rule.

Perhaps it was a good thing that at 8 years old her badminton coach switched her to tennis recognizing that she had more potential hitting tennis balls than shuttlecocks.

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ATP World Tour No. 3 Novak Djokovic was sheer domination bludgeoning a dejected Andy Murray 6/4, 6/2, 6/3 Sunday. Murray, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, was alternately frustrated and despondent. Djokovic captured his 2^nd Australian Open Grand Slam title chaulking up back-to-back clinics in pounding Murray and sweeping aside Roger Federer in straight sets 7/6 (3), 7/5, 6/4 in the semi-finals.

Speaking about Murray, whom he has known since they were teenagers, Djokovic commented, "I really have big respect for him and his game, because I think he has everything that it takes to become a Grand Slam champion. I'm sure that very soon he will be."

Djokovic is another player that has shed some weight and is in the best playing condition of his career. Despite criticism from on-air personalities that ‘he looks too thin and may not have the endurance necessary to claim another Grand Slam title’, he has proved his pundits wrong and that his conditioning is primed and perfect for him to take on the tennis’ current greats.

"It's the best way that I could ask for to start a season. Both of those guys [Federer and Murray] play their best tennis on the hard courts, as well as I do. But to be able to win against those players in straight sets is incredible. During this tournament I was feeling great on the court," added the Serb. "The Davis Cup win may have a big role in my great performance here in this tournament. After we won Davis Cup title I was feeling great on the court, just eager to compete."

Djokovic will remain at number three in the world closing the gap between him and Federer, Murray will remain at number five. Murray will have to carry the weight of Britain on his shoulders a little while longer in an effort to end a 75-year Grand Slam drought since Fred Perry won the US Open in 1936.

1.  The official Chinese naming system states that the family name, Li, goes first before the equivalent of a first name in some other nations. Na's name offcourt in China is Li Na. When listed on the WTA Tour website, she is known as Na Li. However, in the match, the commentators call her Li Na, and when her full name is listed in text oncourt, it is also written as Li Na.

Bryans Heading for Grand Slam Greatness

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American twins Bob and Mike Bryan won their fifth Australian Open doubles title, beating Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi of India 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. They celebrating the win with their familiar chest bump.

The flamboyant Bryans have held the No. 1 ranking in doubles for most of the past eight years and have won 10 Grand Slam doubles titles, including the U.S Open three times and the French Open and Wimbledon once each. The twin brothers, who have won Australian titles in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 and have also been runners-up twice. They didn't lose their serve and broke Bhupathi and Paes twice.

"We have tons of respect for those guys, they are legends, they are marquee, they can only make our game better," Bob Bryan said. "It was just great to have the 'Indian Express' back on the doubles court. It was an extra-special feeling out there."

The Bryans hold the record for the most tournament titles of any men's pairing in the Open Era, which they increased to 68, seven better than retired Australians Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge. Mark Woodforde holds the record for most doubles titles by an individual with 83.

They are also nearing on the ''Woodies''' collection of 11 Grand Slam trophies, and are within two of the Open Era record of 12, held by the legendary Australian pairing of John Newcombe and Tony Roche.

Paes said the Bryans played "the perfect match."

Bhupathi and Paes are a formidable combination, but their most recent Grand Slam tournament together was in 2002. They have had a tumultuous relationship, which has caused their partnership to suffer at times. A decade ago, Bhupathi and Paes, were the best doubles team in the world, before their partnership disintegrated. They were seeking a career Grand Slam, each having won the French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon either together, or with other partners. The veteran tandem buried the hatchet and reunited this season.

As for the 31 year-old Bryans, right-handed Mike asking left-handed Bob to give up singles back in 2001 to concentrate on becoming the best in doubles team in the world certainly has paid off. Since 1998 they've won $14 million in prize money. This is perhaps a fifth of what top singles players earn. These “Michael Jordans” of the doubles world have risen to the top by staying positive, focussed and supportive of each other.