Three things were clear from the RBC Charity Challenge that was fronted by NHLPA members P.K. Subban and Steven Stamkos at the new Maple Leaf Gardens on Wednesday.

First, after the game the players’ responses to questions about the 95-day-old NHL lockout and the ongoing vote to authorize the NHLPA executive board to file the disclaimer of interest – if the players chose that route – were well scripted.

There were no Evander Kane-like brush fires to put out (see his Twitter photo from earlier this week) and there were no more verbal darts tossed in the direction of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The players obviously didn’t want to take away from the charity game’s cause, raising money for grass roots hockey.

Secondly, Eric Lindros must be a lousy coach. His Team Subban was badly beaten. Only a late-game comeback made the 13-10 affair appear closer than it was before a sellout of 2,600 at $30 a seat.

“I don’t know if it was all his fault,” Team Subban goalie Martin Biron said, jokingly. “Maybe [assistant coach] Rob Zamuner was to blame, too. I do know we needed a timeout there when we got down early.”

The third development was the guy who had the most fun was Louie George. Who is Louie George? He is a 25-year-old, fifth-year goalie with Ryerson University.

Earlier this week, he switched on his computer to find an email from Ryerson head coach Graham Wise. The message read that the NHLPA needed a fourth goalie for its charity game, was he interested?

“It didn’t take me long to answer that one,” George said. He spelled Biron in the second period, played well and enjoyed the experience.

“It was so much fun,” George continued. “This is something that I’ll never forget.”

George found P.K. Subban, Brad Boyes, David Clarkson, Joffrey Lupul, Chris Campoli and the others on Team Subban extremely welcoming.

“I sat beside Tom Kostopoulos in the dressing room and he could not have been nicer,” George said. “He asked a lot of questions and wanted to know how my season was going.”

Was there much chatter in the dressing room about the lockout among the NHLPA members?

“They talked about it a little, but not much,” George said. “Mostly they were catching up with each other, finding out what they have been up. How much they have been working out or skating. That sort of stuff.”

Predictably, George said he supports the players in their dispute with the owners. Back home in Waterloo, Ont., George has skated with some pros in the summertime.

The Ryerson hockey team is on a break right now. In fact, during some informal morning skates George has played out in recent sessions with his teammates. But he returned to his natural position the past couple of days once he found out of his evening with the pros.

“I think so,” George replied, when asked if this was an experience he can build off when his league resumes in the New Year.

“These guys are so fast. They’re threats from much farther out than I’m used to. I had to be ready.”

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Wharnsby: University goalie crashes NHLPA charity game is a post from: Business News And Comments!

As we wait for this hockey lunacy to get sorted out, here is my best attempt at a bias-free blog on where things stand.

We have killed a lot of trees and wasted a ton of bandwidth arguing about the ongoing vote into the possibility of decertifying the NHL Players’ Association. I get mixed messages about how serious the players are about going down this road. There are some who really want to do it.  But there are others who want no part of it unless the NHL cancels the season.

Should that apocalyptically stupid scenario actually occur, the last three months will seem like a kiddie party compared to what happens next. The players and owners will really go for the jugular. But as one source said Wednesday: “We need an external push.”

A legal threat could be just that, as it was in the NBA one year ago. Another, of course, is the true deadline for cancelling the season. As of yet, the NHL refuses to reveal that information, although it’s probably around Jan. 15 at the latest.

I don’t believe either constituency supports a lost season. The players want to play and the owners do, too. But the biggest problem is that they don’t trust each other and the path is littered with poison.

As infuriating as all of this is, it’s better they’re not meeting. The breakdowns of the past two weeks are proof that the NHL and NHLPA should not be anywhere near each other unless they’re both serious about making a deal. You can blame who you want, be my guest. But the truth is this: the desire to agree to a new collective bargaining agreement was not 100 per cent there on either side. Collapses only make things worse, so it sounds like the NHL is making a change in strategy.

I don’t know if the league underestimated NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr or just received horrible intel on him. But it did not recognize two very important things.

First, Fehr’s idealogical beliefs are very strong. You may consider his CBA history lessons boring or irrelevant. But he doesn’t. More importantly, he convinced the players how much it mattered and they rallied behind him.

There’ve been times during this process when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s supporters have taken issue with my position that he has disrespected the players. That’s fair comment and those people are correct to point out that the players, especially on Twitter, have disrespected him, too. But the fact is that some of the NHL’s negotiating moves helped Fehr gain a greater buy-in. There is no doubt in my mind the vast majority of the players want to play. But some of Bettman’s decisions accomplished the reverse, pushing the NHLPA in the opposite direction. It was counter-productive.

The second thing the NHL missed was Fehr’s history of waiting until the last second to make deals. Whatever mistakes the league made in this process, it wanted to be playing by now. We’ve talked about the Proskauer Rose playbook and how this is all scripted by “the law firm that’s ruining sports.” But I really believe this has gone further than Bettman wanted it to, which is why he looks so frustrated. Now Fehr is controlling the tempo and has convinced his constituency that the owners will make final concessions at the end. A lot of players don’t like how long this is taking yet they seem to believe that.

Hence, the NHL’s change in strategy. It’s going to wait.

When Ron Burkle (Pittsburgh), Mark Chipman (Winnipeg), Larry Tanenbaum (Toronto) and Jeff Vinik (Tampa Bay) joined the fray two weeks ago, the NHL was upset its decision to raise the make-whole amount to $300 million wasn’t received well by the players. Again, everyone can argue who is right and who is wrong. But those owners really thought that was going to be a significant move towards getting an agreement done. It didn’t happen and, angrily, that offer was pulled from the table. 

I have had no correspondence with Bettman or deputy commissioner Bill Daly for this blog. However, after several conversations with other NHL executives, my opinion is if those two had reason to believe that putting the make-whole provision back on the table and moving in the players’ direction on contracting issues would lead to an NHLPA vote on their latest proposal, they’d be at the bargaining table immediately to find a way to do it. But they don’t believe that’s a possibility. What they see is a repeat of New York City, where these things are offered and the players say, “Thank you … and we’ll see what else there is.”

Bettman and Daly won’t take that risk. You can argue whether or not they are right or wrong to hold that position. But I think that’s where we are. The NHL doesn’t believe the NHLPA is truly ready to make a deal. So barring a change, it’s going to sit tight.

30 THOUGHTS

1. After hearing Kyle Turris’ reported thoughts about Finland, I thought he was joking, not trying to be harmful, and that he forgot two things. First, people don’t like it when you make fun of their countries, even if not meant maliciously. Second, right now, when it comes to hockey, people don’t have much of a sense of humour about anything.

2. Next apology? Evander Kane, who tweeted this photo early Wednesday morning. Oof. It’s a good thing people aren’t prone to overreacting on Twitter.

3. Winnipeg Jets teammate Ron Hainsey had a lot of interesting things to say about Kane. He’s a big fan. Hainsey believes Kane is a phenomenal talent, joking that “I can’t lift 230 [pounds] once and he does it over-and-over again as a warmup.” The thing, though, is Kane is 21 and impulsive and needs people around him to make sure he thinks things through. Clearly, that didn’t happen here. 

4. I really hate filling this with lockout-related items, so sorry in advance. But there’s some stuff to go over. Let’s look at some of the sticking points. In the aforementioned NYC negotiations, the NHLPA dropped a demand that, starting in Year 2 of the new CBA, its amount of the financial pie was protected from dropping below the previous season’s. But it did ask for a cap on escrow. I just can’t see the owners going for that at all, even with the 2012-13 schedule on the line.

5. I think the $300-million make-whole is back on the table if the NHL gets a 10-year agreement with an out after eight (as requested by the players).

6. We’ve heard Fehr’s arguments that 10 years is too long because too many players entering the league will be subject to a CBA they didn’t vote on. To me, the bigger question is what’s better for the players — that philosophy or business partners confident that they can sign a decent-sized contract with the NHL and not have to worry about another work stoppage?

7. NHL owners are going to have to move on the five-year max contracts (seven for your own free agents). I know I mentioned it last week, but the effects of Vincent Lecavalier on the Tampa sale and Ilya Kovalchuk on the continuing New Jersey situation have these guys totally spooked. Yes, it’s their own fault and they know it. That’s why they’ve got to go six and eight.

8. The one I’m really having trouble pinning down is the amnesty buyout. It’s very difficult to get a read on what’s going to happen here because word is the commissioner is absolutely against anything that doesn’t count against the salary cap. But you look at the possibility of a $60-million ceiling next season, see where some teams are and say, “This isn’t possible without one.”

9. One possibility: when Ken Hitchcock was hired by St. Louis, he was still owed about $1.3 million by Columbus. The Blues can’t pay him $1 and have the Blue Jackets cough up $1,299,999. There is a formula the league uses where the new team must pay market value, where you look at the salaries of other coaches with his level of experience.

10. So what if you tried that? Well, Wade Redden has played 994 NHL games. If you add up the combined 2011-12 salaries of active players within 50 games of that, you get $3,657,533. (Range: Lecavalier to Petr Sykora.) Redden’s current contract pays him $5 million for this year and next with a cap hit of $6.5 million. The New York Rangers should get stuck with the higher number so, if another team wants him, it must take a cap hit of $2,842,467 (ie. 6.5 million minus 3,657,533).

11. I have to tell you, nothing I’ve suggested in my career was dismissed as quickly as that and I’ve had some really bad ideas. The first two execs I asked shot it down so badly that I didn’t even ask a third. It was interesting because the first GM said, “No one would sign Redden at that number.” What’s key here are the words “at that number” — we’ll get to that later.

12. In the middle of the night, I thought of something else. As it stands now, the buyout for Redden is 67 per cent of his salary over double the term remaining, so the Rangers pay out $6.7 million during the next four years (assuming no change in the next CBA). What if you affected his cap hit the same way? Give New York a choice: $6.5 million on your cap for two years or $4.355 million for four. Do the math and $4,355,000 minus $3,657,533 is $697,467. Now Redden gets another shot.

13. One final note on Redden. It looks like the Rangers have all but guaranteed he is getting the buyout (if there is one) and the sense is there is going to be a lot of interest in him. Don’t know what the final salary will be. But if he’s willing to be reasonable — and you have to believe he will be — he’s going to have options. Lots of execs think he will be good value at a lower number.

14. I ran the same numbers on Scott Gomez. He has played 902 NHL games. The average salary in 2011-12 for players who’ve dressed for between 852 and 952 games was $3,124,656 (Range: Brad Richards to Jamal Mayers).

15. The second thing I suggested was what if teams who buy out a player can only carry 22 on their roster instead of 23? The execs liked it even less … can’t imagine that would thrill the NHLPA, either.

16. Anyway, if I was the commissioner, I’d be quietly polling my owners, asking how many of them would consider an amnesty buyout on their roster. I didn’t ask a ton of guys. But those I did talk to said the number might be lower than we think. Bettman can decide what’s an acceptable amount. However, for argument’s sake, if it’s 15, is it really worth cancelling the season for that?

17. Last thing on this topic. If I was a “have” financially, I’d be demanding it. What else are you getting in this CBA? The share is going down to 50/50 and anything you save there is going into revenue sharing. 

18. I get asked about the Olympics quite a bit. Nothing is nailed down and it might be done separately from this CBA, but it sounds like both sides want to make it work.

19. Fehr’s mentor, the late Marvin Miller, absolutely hated the idea of every player being made a free agent — a move threatened by the NHL’s anti-disclaimer legal brief. There’s a pretty famous story of former Oakland A’s owner Charlie Finley saying baseball should do just that and Miller being relieved because he knew the other owners would never listen. Miller understood the perfect setup was similar to last summer in the NHL, when you had a few A-level guys — Shea Weber, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter — drive up the price for everyone. 

20. Seth Jones: crossover appeal — a Page Six mention! (courtesy Nirva Milord from the NHL office) His father is one of the 10 nicest people on the planet.

21. Last week, it was discovered a Boston Bruins fan made a tattoo out of a Tyler Seguin autograph. This happened to Ryan Miller in Buffalo, only it was a female and, I believe, her thigh. Miller wins.

22. I’m not a big fan of players being kept from the world juniors by their NHL teams. If the player makes it clear he doesn’t want to go, like Jason Spezza after three appearances, that’s one thing. But I’m really torn on Mika Zibanejad. If he was from Swift Current, not Stockholm, we’d be demanding a federal investigation.

23. Zibanejad is struggling with AHL Binghamton. He has just seven points in 16 games and, while plus/minus is a flawed stat, he has one of the worst numbers on a team with few negative players. You have to assume the Senators want him to make an NHL impact as soon as possible, especially since they will try to continue momentum from their surprising 2011-12. I can see their rationale. 

24. A lot of people were very surprised that Frankie Corrado and Derrick Pouliot did not make Team Canada. There are always debates and those two were this year’s hotly discussed omissions.

25. Make it four straight wins for the Portland Pirates, Phoenix’s AHL edition. The Coyotes have some blue-liners coming, too. We know about Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who scored major points by deciding to stay in the AHL rather than going for a more lucrative contract overseas. But there are more.

26. David Rundblad’s overall game has improved this season — and at an important time in his career. He is a 17th overall pick (2009) who has already been traded twice and needs to establish himself. He’ll never be a monster along the boards. But there is a noted difference in his willingness to compete in that area. A guy who always competed defensively, Mike Stone, is on pace for the best offensive numbers of his career.

27. Then there’s Brandon Gormley, who fell to 13th in the 2010 draft amid expectations he would go higher. There were questions about his strength after a poor pre-draft combine. But a few teams saw his skill level and believed that, once he filled out, he’d be just fine. Gormley’s still not where he’s going to be size-wise but it’s coming. And he’s got a great head for the game.

28. A number of coaches, executives and scouts going back to junior really praise Gormley’s ability to get his shot through. In an era of blocking, that’s a big deal. Plus, he has a real confidence at the opposing blue-line. He is willing to stand outside the zone to make a play while keeping the puck inside the line. I understand why the Coyotes are so excited about him.

29. At the NHL board of governors meeting two weeks ago, a young man named Jim Charshafian waited outside Proskauer Rose, trying to make contacts and handing out his resume. Charshafian worked for the AHL San Antonio Rampage last season and was looking for something new. It’s hard to get your foot in the door and not easy to cold call like that. Good luck.

30. As we approach Christmas and the Holiday season, I wanted to send the best to anyone financially affected by the lockout. There are thousands of part-time, full-time or laid-off employees whose situations are tougher than they’d want because of this outrageous battle. This is a hard time of year to feel that way. Hopefully, you get your wish — an end, and soon. 

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Olympian efforts

Seeing as it was an Olympic year, let’s start with London. IOC president Jacques Rogge called them the “happy and glorious Games.” If such an event can be called normal, then London can, following as it did the sad legacy of the Athens Games (drug scandals, facilities in disrepair) and the over-the-top, efficient Beijing Olympics. And with no publicly known security scares for the Games that were awarded to the city the day before twin transit bombings in 2005.

Oscar Pistorius was one of the bigger stories in London, becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete in able-bodied Olympics. The gold winner in that 400-metre event, Grenadian teen Kirani James, was inspired enough by “The Blade Runner” to ask the South African to swap bibs.

Wheelchair basketball star Patrick Anderson of Fergus, Ont., came out of retirement after three years to score 34 points in the Paralympics’ gold-medal final win over Australia. Canada avenged a 2008 final loss to the Aussies in the process, and the result gave Anderson a career total of three gold and a silver after wins in 2000 and 2004.

“It feels like the first medal I’ve ever won somehow,” said Anderson, now up for a prestigious award to be determined in February 2013. “I’m not sure exactly why just yet.”

Then there was Esther Vergeer of Belgium, the wheelchair tennis player who added Olympic gold medals six and seven while also winning both Grand Slam events. That helped run her modest winning streak to 470 straight matches, dating back to January 2003.

Manteo Mitchell was entered in the able-bodied Games but ran most of his leg of the 4×400-metre relay with a broken fibula.

The Olympic hosts revelled in a stunning trio of gold medals from Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford in rapid succession at Olympic Stadium on Aug. 4, prompting singer Billy Bragg to tweet: “Tonight, our society was wonderfully represented by a ginger bloke, an immigrant named Mohammed and a mixed race woman. #proudtobeBritish”

It was Rod Stewart who sang, “Make the best out of the bad, just laugh it off,” in Every Picture Tells a Story. U.S. gymnast McKayla Maroney did just that in quite possibly the most forwarded sports photo of the year thanks to countless internet memes. Her scowl on the podium while wearing a mere silver medal around her neck from the vault competition initially made her seem like a bratty teenager, but she quickly recovered to poke fun at herself in the weeks to come, all the way to David Letterman’s guest chair and The White House.

The Canadian women’s soccer team showed pluck on the field in winning a bronze model and then embraced their enhanced profile, appearing across the country at events to sign autographs and pose for pictures for appreciative young girls and other fans.

Newfoundland native Elijah Porter was golden without even competing. The 10-year-old boy raised the spirits of the Canadian men’s Olympic 4×100-metre relay team after it was disqualified from a bronze-medal finish in London by sending the team the only medal in his possession, earned playing soccer.

Relay team members Jared Connaughton and Seyi Smith paid a visit to Porter at his home in Paradise, N.L., to personally thank him.

Linsanity

Speaking of kids, the sports catchphrase of the year may have belonged to Jack Meyer. He’s the nine-year-old who greeted the megawatt Miami Heat team after a disappointing home playoff loss to the Boston Celtics with the hilariously incongruous “Good job, good effort!”

To the degree that the NBA was able to rid itself of the lockout stench, it was in no small part due to phenomenon Jeremy Lin. The Knicks guard had scored a total of 32 points in nine games of limited minutes as of Feb. 3. The next night he went off at Madison Square Garden against New Jersey, beginning a span of 10 consecutive games in which he averaged 24.6 points.

Linsanity reigned, the stickiest of a passel of somewhat politically incorrect puns based on his last name. Knicks superfan Spike Lee sought out his high school and university jerseys (Palo Alto High and Harvard, respectively), and many celebrated the still-too-rare examples of star status for a player of Asian descent in North American team sports. He couldn’t come to terms with New York in the off-season, cashing in on a deal with the Rockets.

Fighting for rights

Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke and son Patrick, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, were behind the “You Can Play” campaign launched to educate and eliminate homophobia in sports, with several NHLers lending their support in advertisements.

Baltimore player Brendon Ayanbadejo, a former CFLer, has been supporting the rights of gays to marry for a few years now, but for some bizarre reason, a Maryland legislater took umbrage this summer, telling the Ravens to do something about it. To its credit, the team didn’t, and Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe fired off an impassioned and profane rebuttal to the politician.

Former Swift Current hockey players Theo Fleury, Sheldon Kennedy and Todd Holt continued fighting for the rights of victims of sex abuse and for greater punishment of offenders as the maddening Graham James case continued to wind through the legal system a quarter-century after the crimes. In the United States Cy Young Winner and new Toronto Blue Jay R.A. Dickey, Olympic judo gold medallist Kayla Harrison and Olympic boxer Queen Underwood told their stories of overcoming child sexual abuse.

Honouring the departed

The Miami Heat stood united after the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. The so-called “Stand Your Ground” incident divided opinion in Florida, but it was undeniable that the Heat players clearly believed that in an earlier time, before they achieved fame, they were Martin.

Eli Manning and Victor Cruz were offensive stars as the New York Giants won another Super Bowl, and laudable off the field. Manning donated $25,000 US towards Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, as athletes and leagues pitched to help in that disaster. Victor Cruz dedicated a Dec. 16 game and adorned his sneakers in the memory of Jack Pinto, a six-year-old victim of the Newtown, Ct., school shooting massacre, who was buried the next day wearing the jersey of the Giants receiver, his favourite player.

Notre Dame linebacker Mant’i Teo was a Heisman Trophy finalist despite enduring the deaths hours apart in September of his grandmother and girlfriend, while Pat Neshek of the Oakland Athletics pitched impressively in a playoff appearance just days after his newborn son died.

The Canadian amateur sport community was rocked in a span of weeks by the deaths of freestyle skier Sarah Burke and skicross competitor Nik Zoricic. Friends and teammates tried to keep their memory close as they dealt with their grief. Foundations were established in both of their names to pursue causes consistent with their lives, while the Canadian skicross squad this season donned uniforms that were a tribute to Zoricic.

The Indianapolis Colts were “Chuckstrong”, seemingly gaining strength as their first-year coach Chuck Pagano battled leukemia.

Hanging it up

LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Ricky Williams, Shawn Johnson, Chipper Jones, Pudge Rodriguez and Owen Nolan are among the many athletes who should be saluted as they ended their competitive careers.

Michael Schumacher retired again. David Beckham didn’t, but effectively did for fans wanting to see him play on a North American pitch. Andy Roddick sometimes grated but was never dull, and will undoubtedly make an entertaining tennis commentator one day.

But if you were to pick one man and one woman as head of the “class,” with respect to newly retired athletes, you’d be hard pressed to top seven-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings and four-time Grand Slam tennis champion Kim Clijsters.

With files from The Canadian Press

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The last two lockouts produced gold medals for the Canadian junior team. But in comparison there only is one Canadian junior dream team — in 2004-05.

I guess I’m one of those bitter old guys who believes yesteryear was better.

Recently, I floated out an idea to a friend and long-time NHL scout that the two Canadian junior teams put together for the NHL lockout of 1994-95 and 2004-05 were close in talent.

After all, both won gold. Both didn’t lose a game.

“Come on, not even close,” the NHL scout said. “There was much more talent on the 2005 team. Did that first team have anybody close to a Sidney Crosby or Shea Weber? No way.

“Count up how many Stanley Cups the players from each team has won, and most of those players have only seven years in the NHL.”

Okay, okay. Settle down, my friend.

He was right, of course. Besides the fact that the 1994-95 Canadian under-20 team went a perfect 7-0 and outscored the opposition 49-22 under head coach Don Hay. A decade later, the Canadian juniors went 6-0 and walloped opponents by a combined score of 41-7 with Brent Sutter behind the bench, and dominated Alex Ovechkin and the Russians 6-1 in the final.

The 1994-95 championship, hosted by Red Deer, Alta., was the third in a streak of five in a row for Canada. Ten years later, when Crosby and company won in Grand Forks, N.D., snapped a seven year gold-less slump for the Canadian junior team program.

Already, players from that 2004-05 team have a combined 11 Stanley Cup rings in Andrew Ladd (2006, 2010), Ryan Getzlaf (2007), Corey Perry (2007), Sidney Crosby (2009), Colin Fraser (2010, 2012), Brent Seabrook (2010), Patrice Bergeron (2011), Jeff Carter (2012) and Mike Richards (2012).

Ed Jovanovksi (1996), Ryan Smyth (2006), Shean Donovan (2007) and Wade Redden all went to Stanley Cup finals, but the only NHL championships among the 1994-95 Canadian junior team were from Jeff Friesen with the 2002-03 New Jersey Devils and Jason Botterill as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins front office in 2009.

I guess there was only one dream team when it comes to Canadian junior hockey.

Here are the number of NHL games each player has suited up for from both Canadian junior teams:

2005 Canadian juniors       1995 Canadian juniors

G Rejean Beauchemin 0     G Dan Cloutier 351
G Jeff Glass 0                    G Jamie Storr 219
D Cam Barker 296              D Chad Allan 0
D Shawn Belle 20               D Bryan McCabe 1135
D Braydon Coburn 460        D Nolan Baumgartner 143
D Dion Phaneuf 552            D Wade Redden 994
D Brent Seabrook 552         D Lee Sorochan 3
D Danny Syvret 59              D Jamie Rivers 454
D Shea Weber 480              D Ed Jovanovski 1085
F Patrice Bergeron 537        F Larry Courville 33
F Jeff Carter 516                  F Jason Allison 552
F Jeremy Colliton 57            F Todd Harvey 671
F Sidney Crosby 434           F Darcy Tucker 947
F Nigel Dawes 212              F Jeff O’Neill 821
F Stephen Dixon 0              F Alexandre Daigle 616
F Colin Fraser 291              F Ryan Smyth 1151
F Ryan Getzlaf 512             F Jason Botterill 88
F Andrew Ladd 484             F Shean Donovan 951
F Clarke MacArthur 363      F Denis Pederson 435
F Corey Perry 530              F Eric Daze 601
F Mike Richards 527           FJeff Friesen 893
F Anthony Stewart 262        F Marty Murray 261

  Total 7,144                         Total 12,867

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In CBCSports.ca’s weekly chatter, the guys discuss their comeback player of the year, the tight battle in the NFC East, the sliding Chicago Bears, and the impressive victory by the 49ers in New England.

After coming off serious injuries, Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson are both having remarkable seasons. Which one of these two greats would you give the comeback player of the year to?

Tony Care: Peyton Manning has had an incredible year and can lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl. But, like my colleagues, I have to go with Peterson. Considering the devastating knee injury he suffered in Washington last year, it’s remarkable he’s only 293 yards away from Dickerson. What’s been impressive, and a good sign you’ve recovered from knee surgery, is Peterson’s ability to run away from defenders. In the last two weeks, against Green Bay and St. Louis, Peterson has reeled off consecutive 80-plus-yard TD runs. Folks, you’re not supposed to do that less than a year removed from surgery.

The battle for the NFC East title couldn’t be tighter. N.Y. Giants, Washington and Dallas are all 8-6 with two games remaining. So which team will win with the division?

Jesse Campigotto: You can make an argument for all three. Washington has won five in a row, currently owns the tiebreaker and has home-field advantage against Dallas in their Week 17 showdown, but will RG3 be able to play the final two games after sitting this week with a knee injury?  New York has easily the best point differential, but the Giants just got whacked by Atlanta and are only 2-3 in the division, which could hurt them in a tiebreaker situation. Dallas has the momentum of three straight wins, but has been outscored on the season and has a pair of tough games remaining (home to New Orleans, at Washington). In contrast, the Redskins and Giants both still get to play Philly, which should be an easy win.

Jason Davidson: Tough one, but I am going to say the Cowboys win the division. It’s been an emotional couple of weeks for this team and they’ve been able to eke out a pair of crucial wins. They have the New Orleans Saints at home this weekend then they head to Washington to take on the Redskins in a game that could very well decide the division. Dallas will have revenge on their minds after the Redskins took it to them on Thanksgiving Day. The Giants are in pretty tough with a visit to Baltimore to face the Ravens on Sunday, and after what happened to the G-Men against the Falcons in Atlanta, I’m not convinced this team is playoff bound. The NFC East likely comes down to the Cowboys-Redskins tilt in Week 17.

Tony Care: I really would love to take the Cowboys here, but they have to prove to me they can emerge from a winner-take-all game victorious before I can make that kind of prediction. I’ll pick the Redskins to win out, including Week 17 against the Cowboys, and win the division. Remember, too, that the Giants, who were embarrassed by the Falcons 34-0, still have a chance to make the playoffs. Wins over the reeling Ravens and lowly Eagles will secure a wildcard spot for the defending Super Bowl champs.

The Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens, two teams cruising a month ago, have both lost three straight games. What has been the more surprising meltdown?

Jesse Campigotto: I think Chicago’s. After crushing Tennessee 51-20 on Nov. 4, the Bears had parlayed their ball-hawking defence and relatively easy slate of opponents to a 7-1 record. But the D has regressed, the schedule has gotten tougher, and suddenly Chicago has lost five of six, including Sunday’s home loss to Green Bay that dropped the Bears to 8-6 and clinched the NFC North for the Packers. Sure, Chicago’s defence wasn’t likely to maintain its breakneck pace of turnovers all season, but I don’t think anyone saw this coming. Still, don’t count out the Bears. They finish the season with road games at Arizona and Detroit, who are a combined 9-19.

Jason Davidson: The Bears. After a 7-1 start, this team has stalled. Jay Cutler has been mediocre at best and it just confirms my belief that he is not a bona fide No. 1 quarterback in this league. The fans at Soldier Field made their feelings known, booing their team during Sunday’s loss to the Packers, who subsequently clinched first place in the NFC North. Brian Urlacher’s hamstring injury has clearly hampered the defence which seems a lot more vulnerable. Perhaps getting away from the windy city will help these guys as they wrap up the season with a pair on the road against the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions. Sneaking into the playoffs is still a possibility.

Tony Care: Chicago. The Ravens’ slide is more predictable. The Bears were on quite a tear because their defence was creating turnovers, and scoring at an incredible pace. Sure enough, when died down, other parts of the club were exposed. The offensive line, a sore spot for the last couple of years, remains a weakness and QB Jay Cutler continues to get pounded. Defensively the Bears aren’t bad, having giving up 23, 21 and 21 points in the last three games, but are allowing big plays at the wrong time.

The San Francisco 49ers nearly let a 28-point advantage get away in New England but held on for the victory. Regardless, how impressed were you with this win?

Jason Davidson: It’s nice that they recovered and got the win, but you can’t forget the fact that they blew a 31-3 lead. To me those are clear signs of cracks in the foundation, but at the same time it’s a credit to the Patriots’ explosive offence. Tom Brady threw the ball 65 times for well over 400 yards. Colin Kaepernick did show some tremendous composure after the Pats tied it up, hooking up with Michael Crabtree for what turned out to be a game-winning 38-yard catch and run touchdown. I’ll reserve judgment on the 49ers’ potential until Sunday night when they head to Seattle to take on the Seahawks. If they can win there, that’s a huge statement.

Tony Care: I was impressed with the defence, especially when it rebounded from four consecutive scoring drives allowed. This unit could’ve easily packed it in. Tom Brady was ripping it apart, and fatigue was setting in. But after receiver Michael Crabtree gave the 49ers a seven-point advantage with just over six minutes left, the defence forced a punt and a turnover on downs deep inside the Pats’ zone. This allowed the 49ers to close out the game. Another reason this victory was so noteworthy is the Patriots hadn’t lost a December game at home since 2002 prior to Sunday’s defeat.

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NFL Roundtable: Week 15 recap is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Big Ben shouldered the blame for Sunday’s overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but he openly questioned a game plan that left tight end Heath Miller out of the mix for much of the second half. Asked if Miller’s disappearing act had something to do with Rob Ryan’s defense, Roethlisberger indirectly pointed the finger at another coordinator. His own.

“I just don’t think we called the right plays to get (Miller) the ball,” Roethlisberger told reporters. “There were a couple of times we called plays that we didn’t execute correctly.”

Something isn’t right in Pittsburgh. Big Ben is at his best calling plays from the no-huddle, but the no-huddle was scrapped for much of the final two quarters Sunday. Roethlisberger is running out of softly worded excuses for why.

“It’s tough for me to answer right now,” Roethlisberger said. “In the second half, we didn’t do much of it — and it’s disappointing. …

“The end of the first half, we were getting into the no-huddle stuff. That’s when we started moving the ball. Taking shots, taking the short stuff, whatever they were giving us, so that’s when we’re at our best and that’s what we need to do.”

But that’s not what Roethlisberger’s coach wants to do, at least not exclusively. The Steelers — at 7-7 and facing a season-defining game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday — are running out of time to figure out this one.

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

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Ben Roethlisberger questions Steelers’ play-calling is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Posted Monday December 17, 2012 4:57 PM GMT

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Tom Cruise Stops by “The Late Show with David Letterman” is a post from: Business News And Comments!

And then the 49ers responded like champions.

They survived a furious New England Patriots rally to win 41-34 in the most memorable NFL game since the “Fail Mary.” The 49ers’ calm and toughness with the walls crumbling down around them on the road makes this victory even more impressive than a blowout would have been.

The Patriots’ fourth touchdown during an 18-minute span tied the score at 31 with 6:45 left. What happened next was the definitive stretch of the 49ers’ season:

1. LaMichael James’ long kickoff return, followed by a Michael Crabtree 38-yard touchdown catch: They came on successive plays. Now that’s how you respond. James’ return was the play of the game. (Colin Kaepernick played a smart, clean game while throwing four touchdown passes. The Alex Smith talk can stop now.)

2. The 49ers sack Tom Brady twice on the ensuing drive: Dormant for much of the second half, the 49ers’ pass rush should have been gassed. The Patriots ran an incredible 92 plays on the night. Instead, San Francisco’s pass rush exploded when it needed to.

3. The 49ers’ defense forces the Patriots to turn over the ball on downs on their next possession: San Francisco’s pass coverage was excellent most of the night. The 49ers (10-3-1) now have a much easier path to the NFC West title and a playoff bye.

These were two championship-level teams that took turns knocking each other around the ring. The Patriots’ near comeback made the night memorable, but the 49ers’ response was the stuff of Lombardi trophies.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” Kaepernick told NFL.com’s Albert Breer. “Tom Brady is someone I’ve always watched, someone I’ve always admired. So to come out here and get this win really means a lot.”

No matter what situation the 49ers face the rest of the way, they rightly will believe they can pull through.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

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San Francisco 49ers respond, tip New England Patriots is a post from: Business News And Comments!

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Hines Ward — You MIGHT Be the Father! is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Posted Sunday December 16, 2012 9:39 PM GMT

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Kelly Clarkson’s Rockin’ Night at the 2012 VH1 Divas Concert is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Jessica Simpson wore an all black bridesmaids dress to BFF CaCee Cobb‘s wedding — and everyone knows black is the most slimming color EVER, so …. let the baby-hiding-speculation continue!

Jessica reportedly has a tiny person growing inside of her, but has yet to confirm a pregnancy. 

But on Saturday she showed up to Zach Braff’s mansion — where the wedding was held — in this kind-of-poofy black dress … which CONVENIENTLY covered her stomach (aka her baby incubator).

So either she’s hiding a bump … or ya know … just wanted to look skinny.

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Jessica Simpson — Check Out My Black Dress … Perfect for Hiding Babies is a post from: Business News And Comments!

FX now airs six fights, not the usual four, prior to the Dec. 8′s main-card broadcast on FOX.

The bouts include bantamweights Mike Easton (13-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. Raphael Assuncao (18-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and featherweights Dennis Siver (20-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) vs. Nam Phan (18-10 MMA, 2-3 UFC).

UFC on FOX 5 takes place Dec. 8 at Seattle’s KeyArena and features a main event between lightweight champion Benson Henderson and top contender Nate Diaz.

Although FUEL TV carried past UFC on FOX prelims, they now head to the bigger FX. Other bouts part of next week’s three-hour broadcast, which follows additional prelims on Facebook, include heavyweights Brendan Schaub (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) vs. Lavar Johnson (17-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC), “The Ultimate Fighter 15″ lightweight winner Michael Chiesa (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Marcus LeVesseur (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC), “TUF 13″ runner-up Ramsey Nijem (6-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. fellow lightweight Joe Proctor (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), and lightweights Yves Edwards (41-18-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) vs. Jeremy Stephens (20-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC).

The full UFC on FOX 5 card includes:

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)

• Champ Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz (for lightweight title)
• Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
• Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
• Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET)

• Lavar Johnson vs. Brendan Schaub
• Mike Chiesa vs. Marcus LeVesseur
• Raphael Assuncao vs. Mike Easton
• Nam Phan vs. Dennis Siver
• Ramsey Nijem vs. Joe Proctor
• Yves Edwards vs. Jeremy Stephens

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 3:30 p.m. ET)

• Daron Cruickshank vs. Henry Martinez
• John Albert vs. Scott Jorgensen
• Tim Means vs. Abel Trujillo

For more on UFC on FOX 5, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Mike Easton)

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UFC on FOX 5′s FX-televised prelims add Easton-Assuncao and Siver-Phan is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Entrepreneurs “give back” to society not only in taxes but in products that improve our lives — and in charity. While individual success is aided by public institutions, private associations such as family and community often play a larger role.

Obama is not a quasi-communist; he is just a liberal. Yet at a time when more than 40 percent of our gross domestic product is spent by government, we should be asking how much government is too much. Obama’s speech suggests that his instinct is for more, not less.

Full column at Newsday.

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Don’t Give Government Too Much Credit is a post from: Business News And Comments!

“I don’t want him to break it,” Dickerson told Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com. “I’ll be honest. I don’t want to see it. If anyone ever broke it, and if my son played football, I’d want my son to break it. But that’s it. No one else.

“Again, he’s a phenomenal player and seems like a good dude. If a player was to break it, I’d probably want it to be Adrian, but I like having the record. I don’t think it’s going to be broken.”

Dickerson stressed that Peterson is a class guy. But Dickerson also said he wasn’t nervous about the Minnesota Vikings’ star runner breaking his record. Peterson would need to average 168 rushing yards per game to pull it off. It’s not like there are cupcakes left on the Vikings’ schedule: The St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers are the final three opponents.

“As I got close to the record, teams got nastier and nastier,” Dickerson said.

Just don’t expect Dickerson to closely watch the chase. He says he doesn’t watch football or other sports anymore.

He should get used to this conversation because we wouldn’t be surprised to see Peterson make another run at Dickerson in 2013.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

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Eric Dickerson against Adrian Peterson setting record is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Entrepreneurs “give back” to society not only in taxes but in products that improve our lives — and in charity. While individual success is aided by public institutions, private associations such as family and community often play a larger role.

Obama is not a quasi-communist; he is just a liberal. Yet at a time when more than 40 percent of our gross domestic product is spent by government, we should be asking how much government is too much. Obama’s speech suggests that his instinct is for more, not less.

Full column at Newsday.

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Don’t Give Government Too Much Credit is a post from: Business News And Comments!

“I don’t want him to break it,” Dickerson told Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com. “I’ll be honest. I don’t want to see it. If anyone ever broke it, and if my son played football, I’d want my son to break it. But that’s it. No one else.

“Again, he’s a phenomenal player and seems like a good dude. If a player was to break it, I’d probably want it to be Adrian, but I like having the record. I don’t think it’s going to be broken.”

Dickerson stressed that Peterson is a class guy. But Dickerson also said he wasn’t nervous about the Minnesota Vikings’ star runner breaking his record. Peterson would need to average 168 rushing yards per game to pull it off. It’s not like there are cupcakes left on the Vikings’ schedule: The St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers are the final three opponents.

“As I got close to the record, teams got nastier and nastier,” Dickerson said.

Just don’t expect Dickerson to closely watch the chase. He says he doesn’t watch football or other sports anymore.

He should get used to this conversation because we wouldn’t be surprised to see Peterson make another run at Dickerson in 2013.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

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Eric Dickerson against Adrian Peterson setting record is a post from: Business News And Comments!

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Sarah Jessica Parker — Tight With Makeup Artist Popped for Shoplifting is a post from: Business News And Comments!

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Jenni Rivera — Cops ARRESTED for Stealing Items from Crash Site is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Entrepreneurs “give back” to society not only in taxes but in products that improve our lives — and in charity. While individual success is aided by public institutions, private associations such as family and community often play a larger role.

Obama is not a quasi-communist; he is just a liberal. Yet at a time when more than 40 percent of our gross domestic product is spent by government, we should be asking how much government is too much. Obama’s speech suggests that his instinct is for more, not less.

Full column at Newsday.

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Don’t Give Government Too Much Credit is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Moss returned to New England just weeks after the Patriots cut him, during Moss’ brief, catering-challenged time with Minnesota Vikings. This time feels different, though.

After a year away from football, Moss has played the role of mentor for a Super Bowl contending team in San Francisco. Moss hasn’t been too productive, but he has five catches for 60 yards in the last two weeks combined. (Yes, that’s an uptick.) Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who banished Moss for a third-round pick just as he was becoming a problem, was all compliments Wednesday, just like Tom Brady was about the 49ers’ defense earlier in the day.

“I think Randy looks like Randy,” Belichick said, via Comcast SportsNet BayArea.com. “He’s the greatest deep-ball receiver that’s ever played. Nobody runs better patterns or has a better feel for the deep part of the field like Randy Moss does. …

The intense race for the playoffs is in full gear. Check out the latest situation in the postseason chase. More …

“He’s an explosive, dynamic player, and probably the smartest receiver I’ve ever coached. I know he absolutely knows what he’s doing and knows what the defense is doing.”

I can’t speak to whether Moss is the greatest deep ball receiver ever, but he’s certainly the best I’ve ever seen. Only Dick Lebeau has been in the NFL longer than Belichick, who may be the game’s foremost historian. He doesn’t throw around the words just to puff up an an opponent.

The larger question is whether Moss has any big deep balls left in his career. 

Moss got deep for a long potential touchdown against Miami last week, but couldn’t haul in an accurate pass. New England has had trouble with the big play this year. The Foxborough faithful will probably give Moss a warm ovation on Sunday night, but you know there’s nothing the future Hall of Famer would love more than to prove Belichick’s words right.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

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Bill Belichick: Randy Moss is the best deep receiver is a post from: Business News And Comments!

The Washington Redskins quarterback participated in non-contact drills Wednesday and told reporters he feels “a lot better.” Griffin refused to rule himself out with a knee injury for this weekend’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

“I feel like I can play through any injury,” Griffin said. “Does that mean I’ll play on Sunday? We’ll see.”

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said his quarterback was limited in practice, but he was “impressed with how he looked and what he did.”

Pressed on whether he’d be available, Griffin said, “I can’t tell you all that. First, I don’t want to give the Browns a competitive advantage.”

Griffin said his teammates have urged him not to play if he’s not healthy enough to compete, but he sounded hopeful about his progress since suffering a sprained lateral collateral ligament in Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens.

“It’s gotten better every day. Sunday night I thought there was no chance I could play the next week,” Griffin said, before adding: “I’m just letting you guys know I’m OK.”

Our guess: Griffin will be on the field in Cleveland.

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

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RG3 coy on playing Sunday for Washington Redskins is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Consider the world record for “largest humidor ever” broken — Michael Jordan‘s $12.4 MILLION Jupiter, FL palace is juuust about ready to move in to … and it features an insane cigar-friendly home theater.

His Airness — rarely seen these days without a tightly-rolled Cuban between his teeth — has been building the 28,000 square foot estate for the past three years, complete with a giant state-of-the-art home theater … outfitted with special equipment made to handle mass amounts of cigar smoke.

The 3-acre, 11-bedroom compound is being built in the middle of an ultra-exclusive golf course community called the Jack Nicklaus’ Bear Club … where Tiger Woods also lives.

It’s unclear where Jordan plans to display his 4 MVP trophies and 6 NBA Championship rings … but between the main house, the pool house, the guest house, and the 2-story guard house … he’s got plenty of choices.

FYI — There’s also a ridiculous athletic facility … complete with b-ball court, naturally.

 

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Michael Jordan — I’m Building a $12.4 Million Cigar-Smoking PARADISE is a post from: Business News And Comments!

FX now airs six fights, not the usual four, prior to the Dec. 8′s main-card broadcast on FOX.

The bouts include bantamweights Mike Easton (13-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. Raphael Assuncao (18-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and featherweights Dennis Siver (20-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) vs. Nam Phan (18-10 MMA, 2-3 UFC).

UFC on FOX 5 takes place Dec. 8 at Seattle’s KeyArena and features a main event between lightweight champion Benson Henderson and top contender Nate Diaz.

Although FUEL TV carried past UFC on FOX prelims, they now head to the bigger FX. Other bouts part of next week’s three-hour broadcast, which follows additional prelims on Facebook, include heavyweights Brendan Schaub (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) vs. Lavar Johnson (17-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC), “The Ultimate Fighter 15″ lightweight winner Michael Chiesa (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Marcus LeVesseur (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC), “TUF 13″ runner-up Ramsey Nijem (6-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. fellow lightweight Joe Proctor (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), and lightweights Yves Edwards (41-18-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) vs. Jeremy Stephens (20-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC).

The full UFC on FOX 5 card includes:

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)

• Champ Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz (for lightweight title)
• Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
• Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
• Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET)

• Lavar Johnson vs. Brendan Schaub
• Mike Chiesa vs. Marcus LeVesseur
• Raphael Assuncao vs. Mike Easton
• Nam Phan vs. Dennis Siver
• Ramsey Nijem vs. Joe Proctor
• Yves Edwards vs. Jeremy Stephens

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 3:30 p.m. ET)

• Daron Cruickshank vs. Henry Martinez
• John Albert vs. Scott Jorgensen
• Tim Means vs. Abel Trujillo

For more on UFC on FOX 5, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Mike Easton)

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UFC on FOX 5′s FX-televised prelims add Easton-Assuncao and Siver-Phan is a post from: Business News And Comments!

The 49ers tweeted Monday that Jacobs has been suspended for the final three games of the regular season.

The 49ers wouldn’t go into specifics regarding the reason for Jacobs’ suspension, saying only it was a matter between the team and the player. Considering the 49ers could have just released the 30-year-old running back (he’s on a one-year contract), the punishment sends a strong message about conduct on coach Jim Harbaugh’s team.

The 49ers recently lost backup Kendall Hunter for the season, but they remain stocked at running back with younger talent such as LaMichael James and Anthony Dixon. A regular fixture on the inactive list, Jacobs finally lost his cool last week, complaining he was “rotting away” by the Bay. He has five carries all season, which for all intents and purposes is over now.

The suspension makes sense after you listen to Harbaugh’s Monday meeting with reporters, which happened a few hours before the move was announced.

The intense race for the playoffs is in full gear. Check out the latest situation in the postseason chase. More …

Harbaugh was asked if Jacobs still was with the team, and he almost comically dodged the question.

“I don’t … I really don’t have a comment for you on that at this point,” Harbaugh said, via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. “No comment.”

Harbaugh ultimately spoke loud and clear. The 49ers admitted a mistake in signing Jacobs, and now they are ready to move on.

UPDATE: Jacobs plans to file a grievance in an attempt to stay in San Francisco, be paid or speed up his move to another team, according to Mike Garafolo of USA Today.

Jacobs described the situation as “not a big deal” when he thanked his supporters Monday on Twitter:

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

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San Francisco 49ers suspend unhappy Brandon Jacobs is a post from: Business News And Comments!

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Ronson believes a recent victory over fellow lightweight Ryan Healy proves he’s capable of joining his well-known teammates in the UFC.

“I would like for this fight to put me on the next level, but we’ll see how it goes,” he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Ronson (12-2) dominated Healy (23-12) over three rounds to earn a unanimous-decision win at this past Friday’s Score Fighting Series 7 event, which took place at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The event’s main card, including Ronson’s feet, aired on AXS TV.

One judge scored the lopsided fight 30-25 in favor of Ronson, a native of nearby London, Ontario. The crowd, including 75 of his friends and family, chanted “UFC” during the action.

Ronson, though, snickered at the thought of a UFC offer on his desk.

“I didn’t know they came that soon,” he joked. “Was I supposed to get it on Saturday?”

The 26-year-old has had far more time to win over his training partners at London’s Adrenaline Training Center, which Sam Stout, Chris Horodecki and Mark Hominick founded. An endorsement from the Canadian MMA stars won him the representation of agent Rob Roveta.

“They’re pulling for me,” Ronson said. “We’ll see if I get that call.”

The resources at Ronson’s disposal were considerably smaller in his early career. He trained at a kickboxing academy in London and had few grappling partners.

“I would do jiu-jitsu with the guys that were there,” he said, “with guys that didn’t know what jiu-jitsu was, and I was fighting MMA.”

That changed when Ronson joined Adrenaline in September 2010. Although he went 1-2 in his next three outings, including an eye-opening loss to the well-rounded Mike Ricci of “The Ultimate Fighter 16″ fame, he has won his past seven fights.

And Healy, who’s brother is current Strikeforce contender Pat Healy, couldn’t keep the fight on the mat to ground and pound him.

Although satisfied with his win, Ronson expressed frustration at being unable to finish his opponent, who took no fewer than three head kicks in the waining minute of the third and final round.

“I was just upset because I think I landed six or seven clean ones with my power leg and two or three with my lead leg, and I was like, ‘This guy has to go down from one of these,’” Ronson said. “So I threw the one and he wobbled, so I’m like, ‘One more and he’s going down.’ I hit him with the second one, and he didn’t go down. The more he didn’t go down, the more I wanted to hurt him and try to knock him out.”

The knockout didn’t come, but Ronson certainly made a statement about his abilities.

If the UFC comes calling, he said he’d like to fight in February. But in reality, any time will do.

“If they call me and say, ‘Do you want to fight this guy,’ I’m not going to say no,” Ronson said.

For more on Score Fighting Series 7, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of the site.

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Jesse Ronson guns for UFC contract following weekend win over Ryan Healy is a post from: Business News And Comments!

Posted Sunday December 9, 2012 4:08 PM GMT

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The comment was taken by many as a sign that Shanahan had raised the white flag on the 2012 season. It became a big story, one that reportedly upset some Redskins players.

But while Shanahan was being roasted in the press for his choice of words, the coach made it clear to his players he hadn’t given up on them. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall told NFL.com’s Albert Breer that Shanahan gathered the team in a meeting room that week and put the standings and schedule on an overhead projector.

“Coach came in there and showed us that at 3-6, we still had a chance,” Hall told Breer. “We knew if we came out there and take care business — and we knew we had to play the Giants again, we had Dallas twice, Philly twice, we knew we had a chance to write our own fate.”

” … (Shanahan) was like, ‘Listen, man, I’d never say anything like that to you guys, I still feel like we’ve got a chance.’ And guys saw that and were like, ‘Damn, we’ve played bad and we still got a chance.’”

Three wins later and the Redskins are just one game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East with four to play. That chance is still in play.

Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.

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DeAngelo Hall: Mike Shanahan believed in Redskins is a post from: Business News And Comments!

As the NHL and NHLPA decompressed from “The Fight on 43rd Street,” Ron Hainsey spent much of his day doing interviews.

Hainsey’s been all over the news, since he was the one who said Thursday night the league called the potential re-insertion of Donald Fehr into the talks “a deal-breaker.”  

The Winnipeg defenceman is a constant part of these negotiations. He hasn’t always had a large public presence, but he’s heavily involved.

There are no heroes in the Implosion of 2012, but both sides have made sure that one or two of their opponents are known villains. Even the Mashco-Piro are aware that Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs sent one Governor to the corner and made employees pay a hefty tax bill on their 2011 Stanley Cup rings.

Meanwhile, the Andromeda Galaxy can see how much the league loathes Donald Fehr — the man “with no skin in the game who is about to ruin the season.”

Full disclosure: I don’t know Hainsey at all away from the rink, but I’ve enjoyed my limited dealings with him around practices and games. He’s one of those players who likes to know what’s going on around the league, so he’s insightful to talk to.

But, something has gone very wrong between Hainsey and and the league’s negotiating teams. It is believed one of the reasons Mark Chipman was added to the mix — in addition to his moderate nature — is that it was hoped the defenceman would be more “in line” with his owner present.

I stress I’ve never heard it on- or off-the-record from any owner, general manager or negotiator — but there is a rumbling going around that Hainsey will never again get an NHL contract. (He is an unrestricted free agent next summer.)

When I brought it up to him on Friday morning, he nodded in anticipation of the question. Clearly, he’s heard the rumours.

“Do you worry that, after your contract is completed, you’ll never play in the NHL again?”

“My wife and I have talked about it,” he said.  “If I play the way I’m capable of, everything will work out.”

What happened?

“He’s their bad cop,” one NHL negotiator said. “Over the line sometimes.”

It’s difficult to pin down exactly what that means, because there aren’t specific examples. The confrontation between Jacobs and Ryan Miller got a lot of attention Wednesday night, but word was Hainsey said something, too. (An NHL source said that, on Thursday morning, they expected him to tell the league the players were walking away.)

Hainsey admitted he didn’t like when the NHL resisted Fehr’s return, telling Gord Stellick and Ron MacLean on Hockey Night in Canada Radio, “They attempted to argue it. This was not a debatable decision. We do not tell them who to bring in and obviously they can’t tell us. It was told to me directly [Fehr coming back in] could be a deal-breaker.

He added, “We’re chasing a moving target here.”

In our conversation, Hainsey explained that he thought the two sides were moving close to agreeing on a length for the new CBA (six years plus an option), one which would allow for a re-opener clause if revenues hit $4 billion.

“Many of (the players) thought we were really close to getting (the entire CBA) done…But it’s difficult to finish it without a professional.”

It was at that point things became heated, with the league threatening to walk and passion exploding on both sides. Hainsey agrees he was part of it, and was emotionally invested because he was responsible for presenting the offer. But he doesn’t think he crossed the line in the way he called for Fehr.

“If that’s impolite, I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how we can close this without using anyone trained to do it on our behalf.”

My handicap here is that I wasn’t in the room. It’s certainly possible that Hainsey said something he didn’t mean as offensive, but, in the anger of the moment, someone on the NHL side took it very badly. I don’t know and don’t want to pretend I do.

‘The Campoli Incident’

Hainsey was also involved in what he sarcastically called “The Campoli Incident.”

On November 9, Chris Campoli and Wild owner Craig Leipold had a disagreement. Gary Bettman, fearing things would escalate, tried to interject. Hainsey stepped in to say that it wasn’t the commissioner’s argument. Asked days later to confirm that’s what happened, Hainsey texted: “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

At the time, NHL people appreciated his discretion. Asked about it now, he says, “I wasn’t lying. I honestly didn’t know that’s what you referring to.”

“When that conversation took place, what was said was all polite. There was nothing personal whatsoever from anyone. (That’s) not how it’s portrayed out there.” An NHL source agreed with his assessment.

(The only other time I’ve texted him during the lockout, I wanted to clarify something that was in an NHLPA memo. His response: “I don’t release memos.”)

Who he is

Hainsey has become one of Fehr’s staunchest supporters, believing strongly that the players must hold firm. He’s attended most of the meetings, and many players send him text messages asking for his opinion or information.

“He’s represented us as well as anyone,” one texted Friday.

“He is taking great personal risk,” one team executive said. “Because not only is he battling some powerful owners, he’s got to justify to players who want to play why the current strategy is the right one.”

“He is very good at breaking down the issues for the membership,” said another player. “He’s got a very business-like way of explaining things.”

That’s not a surprise, because Hainsey’s got a business-like attitude. The Canadiens’ first-round selection in the 2000 draft (13th overall) played his first four professional games with AHL’s Quebec Citadelles one year later.

The next fall, Hainsey had a good preseason for Montreal, putting him the conversation for a roster spot.  

“I was 20 years old and I can remember [then-GM] Andre Savard saying, ‘We never saw it coming,’” he said. “He was honest with me: ‘We never thought or prepared for you to make the team.’ They had seven defencemen on a one-way contract so I wasn’t staying.

“My agent had to calm me down…then I went to Quebec and injured my wrist. Andrei Markov was the next guy called up. Anyone could see what a great player he was.”

Hainsey says that experience shaped his outlook, how it’s a business. Yes, being on the frontlines of CBA negotiations can be emotional at times, but he says he doesn’t take it personally because he understands what the professional game is really about.

It never worked in Montreal, as he played just 32 NHL games in four-plus seasons (including the 2004-05 lockout). The Blue Jackets took him off waivers in 2005, leading to a career turnaround — 83 points in 213 Columbus games.

Hainsey is not Ted Lindsay risking banishment to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1957. When his contract becomes part of the conversation (five years, $22.5 million US), there’s a grimace on his face. But, one of the reasons he believes so passionately in the NHLPA’s fight for better contracting rules is what happened to him in July 2008.

“I knew my position in the (free-agent) system. There was Brian Campbell, then Wade Redden, then Michal Rozsival, then me. I sat and watched what happened. Campbell went for $7.1 million. Redden was next, for $6.5. Rozsival went back to the Rangers for 6. Then it was my turn. That’s the way the market works.”

It’s the only time money comes up in our talk. Hainsey knows he’s very fortunate, an example of how a “loose system” can set up a player — and his family — for life. Preserving that is important to him.

Like everyone else, he’s looking to get back on the ice.

“It’s the games you miss. The games are what’s fun…going back to Winnipeg; the great crowd, the large groan you notice when you make a mistake,” he laughs. (That’s not an insult, Manitobans. He loved being in a place where every game mattered to the city.)

When this is over, Jeremy Jacobs is going to own a cap team with a $69 million payroll. Maybe he’s not Mr. Warm & Fuzzy, but he’s not shy about spending money. Some players who might hate him right now are going to take it.

I don’t know exactly what Ron Hainsey’s done to annoy the NHL’s negotiators. But is he doing anything different for 750 players than Jacobs is doing for 30 owners?

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Ron Hainsey: The NHLPA’s ‘bad cop?’ is a post from: Business News And Comments!

When officials announced the Jan. 12 event in early November, Rockhold (10-1 MMA, 9-0 SF) said he informed officials that a wrist injury lingered and that he was unable to fight.

That’s why he’s particularly irritated by a series of verbal attacks from Lorenz Larkin (13-0 MMA, 4-0 SF) regarding his willingness to compete.

“He was obviously misinformed to some extent,” Rockhold said. “I’ve been in that situation, but just to lash out at me, that’s pretty amateur.”

Larkin, who today addressed his grievances with MMAjunkie.com Radio, was twice scheduled to vie for the title before injuries interceded.

“I just feel like guys are acting like they haven’t paved any way for them to go to the UFC and a catastrophe could happen on Jan. 12, where [UFC President Dana White is] going to be like, ‘No. I didn’t like the way you fought, and you’re not going to come over,’” Larkin said.

Rockhold, however, said the UFC wasn’t a part of his decision. He noticed his injury eight weeks prior to a fight scheduled for a Nov. 3 event and announced his withdrawal two weeks later.

“Every time I would grip something, it would be a sharp pain,” he said. “I’d punch wrong, and it would make me want to cry.”

Rockhold saw multiple doctors and had several MRIs done on his wrist. Training never completely resumed.

Four weeks ago, he underwent a blood therapy called PRP (platelet-rich plasma) to speed the healing process on what was diagnosed as a tear to his triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) and ligament sprain. He also spent three weeks in a hard cast, which was removed this past week.

“I don’t take steroids, so I don’t know if I can heal as fast as some of these guys,” Rockhold said. “I do things the way I know how.”

Strikeforce and broadcast partner Showtime dually announced the Jan. 12 event with three title fights: lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez vs. Pat Healy, Rockhold vs. Larkin, and welterweight champ Nate Marquardt vs. Tarec Saffiedine.

Melendez earlier this month withdrew from the event, later titled “Strikeforce: Champions,” citing a nagging shoulder injury. News of Rockhold’s withdrawal became public over the weekend.

Rockhold believes the confusion over his status may stem from a conversation with Strikeforce officials following his first injury in which he gave a timeline for his readiness to fight.

“They never really got back to me, and they just thought I’d be ready, and I wasn’t able to get on it,” he said. “I don’t really know. I don’t really want to get into it, to tell you the truth. I wasn’t able to train.

“They announced the fight, and I immediately called and told them how I felt and now here we are. They wanted to make a date happen, and I know they want to get done with this thing probably as much as anybody else, and for some reason they have to put on a last card. Pushing this card hard, it seems like. I just wasn’t able to make the date at that time.”

Relations between Strikeforce parent Zuffa and Showtime steadily have deteriorated since a March meeting between UFC President Dana White and Showtime officials. White said he was “hands-off” with Strikeforce after his input on the look of the event was nixed.

Two Strikeforce events have been canceled due to high-profile injury withdrawals that prompted Showtime to decline low-wattage events.

With the promotion’s final event slated for January, Rockhold won’t defend the belt he won with a September 2011 decision over Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. But he stressed that he didn’t withdraw from the event because he had designs on starting anew in the UFC once Strikeforce folded.

“That was not any part of my thought process,” Rockhold said. “I’m injured. I want to get paid. I want to shut Lorenz’s mouth. I’m not waiting in any shape or form for the UFC. You can never count on that happening. I’ve heard that in the past, and I’m not going to wait for that to happen.

“I have a lot of things I want to do in my life. This has set me back. I was going to buy a house, and now it looks like I’m going to wait until I’m more financially stable. I want to fight, plain and simple. It doesn’t matter who. Except at this point, after the talk, obviously I’m partial to fighting Lorenz.”

The feeling isn’t mutual for Larkin, who said he wants to move on.

Rockhold doesn’t hold that against the middleweight contender. He estimated he’ll be ready to return in three to four months after completely healing his wrist. He is unconcerned with the location of the next bout.

“I’d be completely happy with the UFC, but I just want to fight and get paid,” he said. “I want to be best in the world. Eventually, whether it’s here or there, I want those fights.”

For more on “Strikeforce: Champions,” stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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Champ Rockhold calls Larkin attack ‘pretty amateur,’ eyes early 2013 for return is a post from: Business News And Comments!

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Thursday that starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will make his return Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

Not a surprise after Roethlisberger — on the way back from rib and shoulder injuries — practiced for the second consecutive day and made Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s decision an easy one.

“He has been above the line in all areas,” Tomlin said in a statement released by the Steelers. “Really, the only question we can’t answer is taking a hit. Obviously that will be answered in the stadium on Sunday.

“I am extremely comfortable with his ability to work the field both vertically and horizontally. He has great velocity on his ball. We’re ready to go.”

NFL.com’s Aditi Kinkhabwala reported Big Ben took 80 to 90 percent of first-team snaps Thursday. “I felt good,” he told Kinkhabwala.

The Steelers stopped the bleeding and potentially saved their season with last Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens. They have Charlie Batch and a scrappy defense to thank for that, but there’s no question how different this team is with Roethlisberger under center. His return cannot come soon enough; the Steelers just hope it’s not too late.

UPDATE: Roethlisberger said last week that his shoulder pads had been “juiced up” by the team trainers. He will play with a custom fit rib/chest compression shirt and a layer of Kevlar-lined composite in his shoulder pads, The Associated Press reported, to help absorb hits to his clavicle and shoulder joint regions.

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

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Ben Roethlisberger to start for Pittsburgh Steelers is a post from: Business News And Comments!

The NHL board of governors met with commissioner Gary Bettman in New York on Wednesday for its annual December get-together.

The two-hour meeting primarily was used by Bettman to update the league’s governors and alternate governors about what has transpired in the negotiations with the NHLPA during the 81-day lockout.

There was speculation that maybe a disgruntled owner or two would stand up and express his displeasure with the way talks have gone with the players. But people seem to forget that Bettman has plenty of support among the owners. Remember they unanimously supported the commissioner 30-0 to lock out the players three months ago.

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Ronson believes a recent victory over fellow lightweight Ryan Healy proves he’s capable of joining his well-known teammates in the UFC.

“I would like for this fight to put me on the next level, but we’ll see how it goes,” he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Ronson (12-2) dominated Healy (23-12) over three rounds to earn a unanimous-decision win at this past Friday’s Score Fighting Series 7 event, which took place at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The event’s main card, including Ronson’s feet, aired on AXS TV.

One judge scored the lopsided fight 30-25 in favor of Ronson, a native of nearby London, Ontario. The crowd, including 75 of his friends and family, chanted “UFC” during the action.

Ronson, though, snickered at the thought of a UFC offer on his desk.

“I didn’t know they came that soon,” he joked. “Was I supposed to get it on Saturday?”

The 26-year-old has had far more time to win over his training partners at London’s Adrenaline Training Center, which Sam Stout, Chris Horodecki and Mark Hominick founded. An endorsement from the Canadian MMA stars won him the representation of agent Rob Roveta.

“They’re pulling for me,” Ronson said. “We’ll see if I get that call.”

The resources at Ronson’s disposal were considerably smaller in his early career. He trained at a kickboxing academy in London and had few grappling partners.

“I would do jiu-jitsu with the guys that were there,” he said, “with guys that didn’t know what jiu-jitsu was, and I was fighting MMA.”

That changed when Ronson joined Adrenaline in September 2010. Although he went 1-2 in his next three outings, including an eye-opening loss to the well-rounded Mike Ricci of “The Ultimate Fighter 16″ fame, he has won his past seven fights.

And Healy, who’s brother is current Strikeforce contender Pat Healy, couldn’t keep the fight on the mat to ground and pound him.

Although satisfied with his win, Ronson expressed frustration at being unable to finish his opponent, who took no fewer than three head kicks in the waining minute of the third and final round.

“I was just upset because I think I landed six or seven clean ones with my power leg and two or three with my lead leg, and I was like, ‘This guy has to go down from one of these,’” Ronson said. “So I threw the one and he wobbled, so I’m like, ‘One more and he’s going down.’ I hit him with the second one, and he didn’t go down. The more he didn’t go down, the more I wanted to hurt him and try to knock him out.”

The knockout didn’t come, but Ronson certainly made a statement about his abilities.

If the UFC comes calling, he said he’d like to fight in February. But in reality, any time will do.

“If they call me and say, ‘Do you want to fight this guy,’ I’m not going to say no,” Ronson said.

For more on Score Fighting Series 7, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of the site.

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Posted Tuesday December 4, 2012 11:49 PM GMT

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Edelman, the team’s fourth wide receiver and primary punt returner, has a broken foot that could require surgery, according to WBZ-TV. Edelman was moved to injured reserve on Tuesday.

The intense race for the playoffs is in full gear. Check out the latest situation in the postseason chase. More …

Edelman was hurt during the Patriots’ 23-16 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. On Tuesday, Donte’ Stallworth was re-signed by the team, along with a series of other roster moves. Terms of the contract were not announced.

For the season, Edelman had 21 receptions for 235 yards and three touchdowns. He was second in the NFL with a 15.5-yard average on punt returns.

The Patriots once had a mountain of options at wide receiver during training camp, but are now relatively thin at the position. The team cut Deion Branch last month and lost Greg Salas on a waiver claim by the Philadelphia Eagles. Stallworth fills a void, but the veteran hasn’t been with a team since the Pats cut him in August.

Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.

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Julian Edelman out for season; Donte’ Stallworth signs is a post from: Business News And Comments!

In CBCSports.ca’s weekly chatter, the guys discuss the risk-reward of Andrew Luck, the 49ers’ tough loss in St. Louis, overtime under the new rules, and Monday night’s big AFC clash between the visiting Houston Texans and high-powered New England Patriots.

In CBCSports.ca’s weekly chatter, the guys discuss the risk-reward of Andrew Luck, the 49ers’ tough loss in St. Louis, overtime under the new rules, and Monday night’s big AFC clash between the visiting Houston Texans and high-powered New England Patriots.

Andrew Luck led the Colts (8-4) to another come-from-behind victory after throwing a TD pass with no time left against the Detroit Lions. But Luck has now thrown for 16 interceptions and has lost eight fumbles. Should there be concern in Indy?

The San Francisco 49ers let a golden opportunity get away in St. Louis, falling to the Rams in OT. Who should get the blame for this loss?

Tony Care: I know many will point to the controversial intentional grounded call that cost the 49ers a safety, or the careless pitchout from QB Colin Kaepernick that resulted in the Rams tying the game late. But I think coach Jim Harbaugh plays too conservative at times because he relies heavily on his defence. Take the OT as an example. With the 49ers in Rams’ territory, Harbaugh calls two running plays in two of the three downs. This forced David Akers to kick a 51-yard field goal that he hooked. Yes, Akers regularly makes those kicks, but come on, Jim. Give your kicker the easier range. He’s not as automatic as he was last year.

Jason Davidson: I find it hard to pin the blame on anyone here. If David Akers makes that 51-yard field goal in overtime instead of barely missing wide right, we’re not even having this conversation. The Rams got some clutch kicking on their end, with rookie Greg Zeurlein making a 54-yarder to tie it late in the fourth quarter, then he wins it with a 53-yarder in OT. Overall, Colin Kaepernick didn’t have a bad game, but he did make a few mistakes, which had consequences. One resulted in a safety, the other a game-tying touchdown.

After 12 games we’ve seen numerous overtimes under the new rule where both teams get a possession unless there is an opening TD or defensive score. Do you like the OT rule?

Jesse Campigotto: It’s much better than the old system, where all you needed to do if you won the coin flip was gain a few first downs and boot a long field goal. I like how the current system rewards a team for scoring a touchdown on the first possession of OT. And I look forward to the day when a smart/ballsy coach decides to exploit this loophole of sorts: the rules don’t actually guaranteed both teams a possession in overtime, but only the opportunity to possess the ball in OT. Therefore, if the team that loses the toss attempts an onside kick and recovers the ball, they need only kick a field goal to end the game on the spot. Sounds like a Sean Payton move, no?

Jason Davidson: I don’t mind it. Before the rule change, more often than not it seemed that if you won the toss, you’re going to simply make your way into field goal range and end the game right there. This certainly changes the strategy for whoever receives the ball. A field goal is fine, but you’re not entirely off the hook. That all depends on if your defence can hold the fort. Now, if there is one rule change that I don’t like, it’s kickoffs from the 35-yard line rather than the 30. We see less returns and more stoppages.

Let’s look ahead to Monday night’s big AFC clash between the visiting Houston Texans (11-1) and the New England Patriots (9-3). Which team do you like and why?

Tony Care: Three weeks ago, I would’ve said the Texans but the way the defence has played lately, I’m switching to the Patriots. Prior to Sunday’s easy victory in Tennessee, the Texans were gashed for 66 points and 819 passing yards against the Jaguars and Lions. Granted Houston won both games, but the team was fortunate that Jacksonville and Detroit couldn’t close the deal. New England won’t be so kind. The Patriots rank No. 1 in scoring offence (430 points) by a mile, and average 7.7 yards per pass attempt, which ranks seventh. The Patriots by three.  

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NFL Roundtable: Week 13 recap is a post from: Business News And Comments!