Blue Jackets Changing on the Fly

After starting this season 0-7-0 the upper management of the Columbus Blue Jackets felt a change, a drastic change was needed...So this morning, after getting smoked by the New York Islanders last night, the 'Jackets fired head coach Todd Richards and hired John Tortorella...Torts contract is for this season and the next two, which is the same amount of time that was left on his contract with Vancouver...and Vancouver is paying "some of it"....Columbus had to send a third round draft pick to the Canucks

After a season full of injury on top of injury...The Blue Jackets scratched and clawed late last season to be a thorn in the rest of the NHL's side...When the season was over, Richards' job seemed secure and the 'Jackets were on everyone's list of teams to watch this season...That thought was bolstered by the off-season trade for Brandon Saad, and signings of a couple role players...

Well, if you have watched them, you have seen that they aren't very watchable...The numbers of mistakes made by their defense is horrifying...A team with high expectations starting 0-7 is no good, and a move of some sort seems to be demanded by either the media, the fans, or both...Richards ended last season getting high praise form both...Now he has been shown the door...How quickly things can change....

Tortorella, well known for being a pain in the ass to his players, has a 444-371-115 record as a head coach...And a Stanley Cup ring from his time as the Lighting head coach when they won it all in 2004...When Torts time ended with the New York Rangers being hated by his players, who made it clear they were happy he was gone...His tactics that worked when they were young kids coming up, had grown tired...

In Vancouver, Tortorella didn't have the players to play his style...And they didn't seem to willing to buy in to his temper and tactics...When the coach leaves the dressing room to go after the opposing coach in his team's dressing room, it says a lot about your team and/or a lot about how they feel about you, when they don't follow you in...

In Columbus, there are a number of young players, especially on the blueline, that could use a Tortorella kick in the ass...There are also guys like Brandon Dubinsky...

Dubinsky played for Torts in New York...He became the player he is because of Torts...Playing Tortorella hockey killed some of his offensive numbers, but he plays every other aspect of the game very well...He's a Tortorella guy...I just wonder if he wants to deal with it again...

Nick Foligno can play Torts hockey...He seems to fit  the mold...Saad can play it too...Christ, just walking in the door to Columbus killed his offensive numbers, so what the hell...Guys like Calvert and Atkinson, and Campbell will fit well into his system...

The guy who will have the most trouble with this move is rising superstar center, Ryan Johansen....

Johansen has all the skills...All the talent...He can play two-way hockey...But players like him often get caught in a tight spot with Tortorella...They are expected to play tight defense, physical, and then knowing their skills, Torts piles the bulk of the offensive pressure/load, on them...


I think Tortorella will help Columbus, but he may have to pull back on the asshole level slightly...His teams play D...This team has played no D so far...The 'Jackets will turnaround...I just don't know for how long...

Monday Morning, a Day Late and a Dollar Short

                                                              What's Cooking!?!

Well, here I am...Been battling being sick, along with the rest of the family fighting through being sick too...I was just too tired to get writing...But I will get right into the big news...Not the Broncos beating the Patriots...Not the Seahawks, (my team) beating the 49ers...Richard Sherman...Dude made the game saving play for the Seahawks, talked smack, and people were shocked...Dude has always talked smack...Just like many CB's have...And he gave it hard to Crabtree...You know, a guy that plays the position that is known for talking the most shit, WR...

Why...Why are people shocked...And why are people so offended? Seconds after the game, stupid Erin Andrews sticks a mic in his face, and he screams that he is the best CB in the game...Oh, BTW he is...and then he called out Crabtree...So fucking what...Somehow this caused people to go nuts, and the crazy Twitter racists came out in full force, mainly because poor Erin Andrews looked scared...Don't pin her or your inner racist on Sherman...You and her were that way before he said he was the best...

RIGHT_HERE everything you need to know about Sherman, including the stats that backup his theory that he is the best CB...and HERE is a good piece about Sherman, by Dan Wetzel...

I know I'm in the minority....No one seems to like this guy but his teammates...Well, a couple years ago, I signed my fandom contract with Seattle, so while Sherman may be brash...May be an asshole...I like him...He's on my team...I've described myself this way before...I'm not everyone's cup of team...Hell, if I wasn't on my team, I wouldn't like me...But I'm on my team, so I love me! 

That's how I see Richard Sherman...He's on my team, so he's my guy...I've seen abunch of people talking about now rooting for Denver, and hoping Manning schools him...Well, you're free to feel that way...Me, I hope Manning tests Sherman, and I hope Sherman picks him off 3 times...Because some people may hate seeing Sherman's big mouth on TV talking shit, but I hate seeing Manning's big head on TV trying to sell me every possible piece of crap I don't need!

-In hockey, people are all fired up over the line brawl Saturday night between Vancouver and Calgary...Calgary was the visiting team so their lineup is submitted first...They decided to start their thumpers...4th line...This is something that doesn't sit well with Vancouver coach John Tortorella's as we have seen before...Calgary is making it clear, either they want to throw, or they just want to try and rough up one of your top lines...So Torts, as he has done before sends out a lineup of his thumpers...You know shit is about to get real when a defenseman lines up to take the games opening faceoff...




Over 140 penalty minutes in 2 seconds....Classic...

Now there are people saying this is bad for hockey...There's no reason for this...Torts overacted, blah, blah, blah...You know what, a rival rolls into your building and puts out their thumpers, there is only one way to respond..."Nobody comes into our house and pushes us around!"  That's shit isn't just for movies...It's life...Some one kicks in your door and wants to take your shit, and hurt your family, you don't curl up in the corner and say 'please don't hurt me.'  You go right back at the fucker...

Yeah, I know, hockey and everyday life for you and me aren't the same...But you have to see the comparison...These guys are playing for real...This is their livelihood...I'm not putting my top line out there when these guys are looking to rumble....You gotta bring your muscle...

This shit happens in hockey sometimes...It's not all lovey dovey like you see after football games when players from opposing teams are hugging, and all smiles and shit...There's a reason why handshakes are saved for the playoffs...The season is long, and you're gonna see these guys again, and you don't like some of them...

I don't know...I'm kind of rambling...Too much cold medicine and not enough sleep...I'll just close with, Richard Sherman may be an asshole, but I'm alright with it...And hockey's fine, shut the fuck up!

Have a week...

The Beeze.

Monday Moaning

 

Ain't that the truth!  Might be what the Chicago Blackhawks are saying to the LA Kings...The 'Hawks have taken a 2-0 lead on the Kings and will now head to LA to play games 3 and 4...Chicago's speed and skill has shown some weaknesses in the Kings game...And Goalie Johnathan Quick who has been so impressive through the playoffs, suddenly looks very human...I expect the Kings to take one game at home, but the way this series looks, I think it may be over in 5...That would be good for me since months ago I was saying Chicago would be in the Finals...

In the East, Boston went up 1-0 after shutting out the Penguins...Pittsburgh seem unsure of their goalies, and they got out of their own game, and tried to get physical with the Bruins...That's not a battle they're going to win...

And of course, where there is Penguins forward Matt Cooke, there is contraversy...Cooke who was a decent, player with some skill, at some point decided to be a shithead and make his career all about trying to injure people...Cooke started with knee shots...Then moved up to head shots...So when he called for this penalty Saturday, no one should have been surprised...




Yet, Penguins fans were unhappy...Odd...Later, the Bruins Brad Marchand made a similar hit on James Neal, and Boston fan didn't seem to get up in arms about the call...But it was the reaction from a Pittsburgh fan...A Pittsburgh citizen, that really caught people's attention on the internet...Meet Jordan Kuruc...

Wow!

I have said some awful shit to people online...Hell, I've said awful shit to their face...But this douchebag didn't seem to get why people were so mad about this tweet...And then when he apologized, and deleted it, he expressed the reason he felt bad was because "a kid died" in the bombing...This douche just couldn't get why people turned and attacked him on Twitter...Then, come Sunday he began to enjoy the role...Saying how he "Always wanted to be a heel in the WWE."

Jordan Kuruc felt bad that "a kid died" in the Boston bombing...Imagine this Jordan...You're a little girl...Ha! he does look like a bitch...Anyways...You're there, the bomb goes off...Your brother dies...Your mother suffers severe head trauma...Oh, and you lose your leg...Just imagine that...That's just one little girl's story...Now can you get why people are pissed...You got your 15 minutes for being a total fucking asshole...

I'm a dickhead, and I wouldn't have said that about a hockey game...Especially defending a piece of shit like Cooke...I want to wish pain and suffering on Kuruc....You know, like some awful shit...Like him and everyone he loves, get AIDS....But screw it...I'll rise above...You're fucking asshole, and everyone knows it....Oh, and thanks for giving me another reason to hate you're asshole city!

In other Hockey news, The New York Rangers fired their coach, John Tortorella...His abrasive style wasn't going to last much longer, even if the Rangers did beat the Bruins...Torts had his guys, and they bought  into his system, and style he wanted them to play...Those that didn't, were bounced...Yet, he still found ways to shit all over the guys he had...The only people that got more shit were the media...So, this is why you hear no one arguing against his firing...He's a good coach...But shitting all over grown men is going to get old quick...I'm surprised it took as long as did before the players had enough...

But I have another question...Why is GM, Glen Sather not on  the hot-seat...He's been with the Rangers for 13 years...He's had 6 coaches...The best the team has done is getting to one conference final...Now there is talk that he is looking at two of his old boys to be the next coach...Wayne Gretzky, who's first stint as a head coach wasn't a very good one...And Mark Messier...Messier's only coaching experience is coaching his son's pee-wee team...Yes, the fans would love it...Sure, some players might get a thrill out of it...But I don't think it's a good move...This team needs a proven coach...Not a couple of old super stars who are missing the spotlight...

-As for my weekend...It was pretty uneventful...Friday I was suppose to meet some old friends out for drinks...Sadly, I fell asleep with Molls while I was trying to get her down...

Saturday we had a baseball practice...The team is coming along well...Then we relaxed at home...Pizza, hockey, and a jam session...

Little Beeze finding the Groove...

Molls was a heck of a band leader...

That's it for now...Oh, and say hello to our NEWEST member...

Have a week...

The Beeze.

Old Time Hockey in NYC Monday Night

The New York Rangers and new Jersey Devils have had a great rivalry for many years...And this year, with the Rangers on top of the Eastern Conference for most of the season, their opponents have tried to come at them with a tougher game...Problem is, no team plays tougher then the Rangers...Hard-nosed, grinding hockey...Everyone checks...Everyone blocks shots...Everyone forechecks...And a number of the guys will drop the gloves if needed...

So Monday night the Devils came into Madison Square Garden, and their douchebag coach, Peter DeBoer thought he'd try to send a message with the starting lineup he submitted...He put his thumpers, Cam Janssen, Eric Boulton, and Ryan Carter out there...Pissed off about this, Rangers coach John Tortorella didn't hold back, and he sent Mike Rupp, Brandon Prust out there...Oh, and he sent big defenseman, Stu Bickell out there to play Center...

Here's what happened next...




Way go DeBoer...Not only did you fire up the Rangers squad, but you got the Ranger faithful all fired up too...MSG was rocking from the opening brawl and seeing Carter's blood scraped off the ice...

And then, less than a minute and a half later, The Rangers scored...Momentum was on the Rangers' side all night...

As the game continued, it came out that New jersey's David Clarkson kept running his mouth...So finally Mike Rupp told him, "If you keep talking, I'm going to knock you out on National TV." Rupper rules!

Rupp didn't get to pound Clarkson, but the Devil douche took some hits...


The game had a playoff atmosphere...Which most Rangers/Devils games do...But it was clear, the opening fight sparked the entire team...Every player was skating with a purpose, and playing with the highest level of intensity...Just what they needed to stop a minor skid they've been on...And with their 4-2 victory, they clinched a playoff spot...Thanks DeBoer!


Nothing with guys like Callahan and Del Zotto getting healthy, and Ludqvist over the Flu, they're looking to hold onto the top seed...

So for the rest of the NHL, playing the Rangers is going to be hard enough on you...Don't be stupid like the Devils, and make the night even harder on yourselves...

Oh, and Toronto, way to show about against your rival, Boston Bruins...Maple Leafs, how does that 8-0 ass beating taste...All of Canada should be pissed that the Leafs are such a fucking Joke...

Later, the Beeze.

Monday Moaning

Well here we are again...The beginning of the week comes quick...The past week has been filled with a lot of tragedy...Tornadoes ripped across the country causing chaos, death and destruction...In North East Ohio people dealt with the aftermath of the Chardon High School shooting...Thursday good in people was on full display...I wrote about it HERE...And the Saturday, the people of Chardon formed a human wall to block the threat of assholes from the Westboro Baptist Church who planned on protesting...Those Westboro fuckers are complete ass-hats!

Then there was THIS news about the Browns Friday...What a joke!

In Sports there have been a couple stories out there...The New Orleans Saints possibly having a bounty system...I'm not sure why people would be shocked by this...It's Football...It's a violent game, and there are opponents that get under people's skin...And Football being a violent game, where you try to hurt opponents, makes it easy to hide the fact that you may be trying to actually hurt some one...

Spring Training is fired up, but I can't get excited for Baseball just yet...And the Indians have annoyed me already...This off season they didn't pick-up their option on the always injured, grossly overrated, strikes out too much, Grady Sizemore...Good I thought...He ain't worth $9 million...Then they signed him to a $5 million deal...Still not sure why since he was rehabbing a couple injuries...So what happens...He fucks up his back again...Has the same surgery Peyton Manning had on his neck, done on his lower back...Looks like he's done for the year...$5 million down the drain...

But there is one think that I really need to get out there...I fucking hate Basketball...I'm in my car, listening to Sports Talk Radio, and when local dolts aren't talking about what the Browns should do in the draft, they along with ESPN and FOX dolts are talking about Basketball...And Fuck Jeremy Lin! Seriously!

You fuckers in New York, and on the major networks need to wake up...There is only one sports team in New York worth talking...


That's right fuck-stains...The New York Rangers...42-15-7 is a hell of record, and they sit on top of the NHL standings with 91 points...With the best goalie around, Henrik Ludqvist, and a core of talented, young defensemen...Offensive threats like Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards, and their captain Ryan Callahan, who does everything on the ice...The Rangers roster is full of grinders, and brings a few thumpers with them...

They are all lead by their coach John Totorella...A no bullshit kind of guy, who expects the best out of all his players...He expects his players to have each others backs...And everyone on his team blocks shots...It doesn't matter who you are...You block shots, or you don't play...

The Rangers have been the most consitent, hardest working team in hockey...And they've done it all quietly it seems...Even many of the NHL talking heads haven't given the Rangers the time, and respect they deserve...Well it's time to wake up...The Rangers are on the road to the Cup, and they're a real son of a bitch to play against...Right Bruins? How about you Flyers? Yeah Philly, the boys in Blue own your ass!

That's it for now...

Have a week...And watch Hockey...

Later, The Beeze.

Marian Gaborik vs Daniel Carcillo?

That just doesn't sound right....

But it happened tonight...I'm a loyal Rangers fan...My father, a loyal Flyers fan...I always make it a point to watch Rangers vs Flyers..."Kids, go to bed...You shouldn't see your father like this!"

I'm not one of those softies that thinks fighting should go away in hockey...I'm all for it...But there are certain guys who fight...And certain guys who don't...Tonight Gaborik had just his second fight of his career...And honestly it wasn't really a fight...It was just Carcillo punching Gaborik repeatedly, until he fell to the ice...

Gaborik, a sniper...Carcillo, a guy who wouldn't be in the NHL if he could fight the way he does...Nothing wrong with being that guy Carcillo...Love most guys like that...But Not Carcillo...Not when you pull a bitch move like he did tonight...He grabbed Gaborik from behind, got in front of him...The jostled...Gaborik tried to push him off...They dropped the gloves and Carcillo started pounding...A couldn't believe Gaborik actually got his gloves off before hitting the ice...



After the players were in the penalty box...Dubinsky from the Rangers let Carcillo know what he thought of him...The whole thing started when Dubinsky was scuffling with a couple Flyers after the play...If you can read lips...Dubinsky told Carcillo he was a, "F**king P*ssy!"

Rangers coach John Tortorella said about the same thing to the Flyers bench...

If I was out there...The next shift Daniel Briere was out there for...I would him grabbed him and pounded the shit out of him...You see, Briere plays a similar game to Gaborik...Then my next shift...Either Jeff Carter, or Mike Richards is getting it...Sorry, but you go after my top scorer, I'm taking a couple of yours...

The Rangesr played tough, in their 2-0 loss...But not tough enough...Like I said, I'm all for fighting...But a thumper jumping a guy like Gaborik is a bitch move...And the Blue shirts needed to get some revenge...But I don't think they did...Sean Avery did drop the gloves with Carcillo...Say what you want about Avery...But he's a team player...



I like Torts, but there are times I wonder why I'm not coaching this team...

Later, The Beeze.

Tortorella Hits The Ground Running

This was originally posted late last night at You Gab Sports....

http://www.yougabsports.com/

John Tortorella started his new job tuesday...The now Head coach of the New York Rangers jumped right in to the fire...After a team meeting Tuesday morning they hit the ice...

There were several new drills at practice...Most of them emphasizing up-tempo skating and puckhandling...Both of these being staples of Tortorella's style of play....

Tortorella also made sure to chat with several players on the ice during the morning workout...He held conversations with team captain Chris Drury, alternate captain Scott Gomez, and defenseman Wade Redden...He should have just kicked Redden's weak a$$...Fucking over-priced pussy that he is...

Torts commented on his chats by saying..."Your best players need to be your decision-makers, and they're going to get every opportunity to win hockey games for us as long as they show me they are going to compete hard, because that is something they can control."

Tortorella also explained he will taking charge of the forwards, and the Power Play...Which has struggled all season....."I think it's important that the head coach has the power play, because you are dealing with a lot of your top people, and I think that a very important aspect of a head coach is how to get the most out of your top people." He continued by saying..."Obviously if we are going to win, the power play is going to have to produce better than it has been."

Torts plans on letting assistant coach Jim Schoenfeld handle the defense pairings and penalty-kill during games...

Other changes made by Tortorella were...The removal of statistics and standings that were posted on the wall near the workout room at the training center... "because this is a fresh start," stated the head coach....He also made it known that stepping on the big Rangers' logo located on the carpet in the dressing room is a big fucking no-no...

When asked about getting to know his new team on the fly, and having 3 games in the next 4 days....

"Losing knocks you down," explained Tortorella. "I am going to push them; but as a coach you also have to understand when you need to be with them. I think this is a time to try and get them feeling decent about themselves."

He also said the best cure for the Rangers right now is simple..."There would be nothing better than a win."

I liked Renney, but this team needed a change and a spark...Torts may be the right guy for the job...I really like his attitude and the style of play he brings...Let's hope he gets the Blue shirts on track....

Later The Beeze.