The 2009 Winter Classic

To those of you who are not hockey fans but do enjoy our blog I wanted to bring to your attention the 2009 Winter Classic.  Each year the NHL selects two teams to face each other on New Year’s Day in an outdoor arena.  The teams typically wear their “old school” jerseys and snow is an expected inconvenience.  It is a fun event to watch and I would recommend you at least catch part of it.

Being the game is played on the First day of a new year it can often times be a tough day for people to get through.

Why not watch a bunch of hockey players freeze their butts off while you sit at home with a headache and feel nauseous?

Look forward to 2009

With the Denver Broncos missing the playoffs due to the unfortunate loss to the San Diego Charges the Denver newspapers (plural for now) have been really jumping on the smearing opportunities.  The Denver Post even ran a special “Broncos suck” section in today’s paper.  If you have read our prior posts you will note we have a more positive view of the team’s future.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of our readers.

May you all receive that championship you are wishing for.

Dan Hawkins expects a 10 win season in 2009

Gutsy.  Overly confident.  Asinine.  Right on!

All appropriate words used to describe CU football head coach Dan Hawkins’ comment last week, “10 wins and no excuses,” in reference to the upcoming 2009 season.  Those throughout the country may have found this comical, following a 5-7 season, thought by many to be a disappointment.  But those close to the organization know that the Buffs are close to getting over that hump to becoming one of the top caliber teams in college football.

This season reminded me a lot of the 2000-2001 season, when the Buffs went 3-8.  That year, the Buffs burned a redshirt on a true freshman quarterback (Craig Ochs) halfway through the season to give the team a spark; lost to Nebraska after a game winning field goal in the closing seconds; battled injuries throughout the season–including injuries to highly recruited freshmen tailbacks Marcus Houston and Bobby Purify, and LB Jashon Sykes; graduated only 8 seniors; played a brutal schedule: USC, Washington, and K-State (all top 10 teams) in successive weeks; and sat at home for the holidays after missing a bowl game.

How did, then head coach, Gary Barnett respond?  By guaranteeing a Big 12 Championship.

Gutsy.  Overly confident.  Asinine.  Those were the reactions that Barnett received for his comments.

How did the ensuing season turn out?  The Buffs went 10-3, won the Big 12, and finished a few tenths of a point in the BCS rankings short of playing Miami in the National Championship game.

Now lets take a look at the 2008-2009 CU football season:  Hawkins, burns a redshirt on QB Tyler Hansen to spark the team to victory over Kansas State; the Buffs lose to Nebraska because of a last minute field goal; battle injuries throughout the year (10 season ending), including injuries to highly recruited freshmen Darrell Scott and Rodney Stewart; graduate only 15 seniors; played a brutal schedule: West Virginia, Florida State, Texas, and Kansas in successive weeks; and also celebrate the holiday season on the couch, by missing a bowl game.

How did Hawkins respond?  By raising his expectations for the team–10 wins for 2009.

The similarities are almost scary.

Congratulations to the CSU Rams

Congratulations to the CSU Rams on their New Mexico Bowl win over Fresno State.  I am always happy to see a Colorado team bring a bowl win home especially when they beat a team from California.  You can find a thank you fans letter here.

Racism scandal in college football?

Charles Barkley has been all over the news this week, as he sounded off regarding Auburn’s decision to hire Gene Chizik as their head football coach.  I know Charles has an opinion on EVERYTHING, but this is one of those rare times where Sir Charles may have a legitimate argument.

Charles was quoted as saying, “I look at things from a common sense standpoint, how do you interview Turner Gill and pick Gene Chizik over Turner Gill?  First of all you can’t compare these two, their records. That’s not even close to being fair.  I believe race had a factor. Of course I do.”

In case you can’t tell, Chizik is white and  Gill is black.

This is an extremely controversial topic, and so I am going to try and play devil’s advocate.

Hannan Makes Too Much Money

It is always good to find people who agree with you when you say how much you like/dislike a player.  That being said.  I bring to your attention the THN.com Top 10: Overpaid NHLers.  Coming in at number seven is Colorado’s Scott Hannan.

7. Scott Hannan, Defense, Colorado – $4.5 million

Hannan is just 29-years-old and coming off five 20-plus point seasons, but has recorded just two points in 30 games this season. Most telling of the drop-off in his play, he has just four penalty minutes, not what’s expected from a guy known best as a shutdown, physical blueliner.

I don’t think “having just four penalty minutes” is necessarily a bad thing but, I am glad he made the list.  I don’t think Hannan is that bad of a hockey player however, I don’t think he knows how to play hockey as a defenseman.  He is always out of position and his partner is rendered ineffective due to the fact they have to constantly cover for him.  This is especially bad when he is out on the ice with the other weak defensemen who play with him here in Colorado.

Tats for Stats – Inked Up

There are two way to go about thinking about the tattoo. It can be a symbol of childish error and disregard for a greater system, or it can be a symbol of aged wisdom and a link to the past.

Now let us link these two schools of thought to your Denver Nuggets, one of the most tattooed sports teams in the history of, well history.

Least year we saw a team of ragamuffins for lack of a better word. No matter how much defense was preached by the coaches, players, writers, and radio talk show hosts, the team rarely showed any signs of a commitment to practice a defensive philosophy. In all honesty they rarely showed signs of a commitment to practice any sort of commitment to anything except looking cool and score some points when they feel the need. For the last 5 years the Denver Nuggets were young, dumb, inexperienced and lacked any sort of responsibility or determination. You could see it inked all over their play on the court like the ink on their skin.

I am glad to say that change has finally come. Chauncey Billups has brought sweeping change to this team (He is also one of the guys on the team with the fewest tattoos). “Defense” now has meaning, and there is a leader on the court to communicate and control the game plan. He is also someone who elicits respect. And respect is something this team has lacked for too long.

Later on this year when the Nuggets are in the Finals there will undoubtedly be a few who celebrate by getting new ink added to their collections. That is the kind of tattoo you will never regret. The kind that represents your experience and the wisdom you have learned along the way.

Thin Air Blogroll

Attention all ThinAirSports readers.  We need to get our Blogroll up to date.  A link to the NHL website and Bwhay’s blog isn’t quite enough.  Please send us your suggestions for sport orentated blogs we should be reading.

NHL All-Star Ballot

It is America and we vote.

Here is the link.  Go vote.