Turner Cup Game 7 Video

Does it get any better than this? No, it doesn't.

Video from Channel 15.

Unfortunately Blogger doesn't like this video format for embedding, so I'll have to just provide links instead. At least in Firefox, when you click the links you will get an invalid URL warning, but the video will open in a new window.

High Angle Highlights

Ice Level Highlights

Celebration

Interviews 1

Interviews 2

Fort Wayne Komets Win Turner Cup

The Komets completed a nearly flawless season last night/early this morning by winning Game 7 of the Turner Cup finals in triple overtime. The game ended at 12:23 AM. Despite my 6:30 AM shift I stayed up until the game was over listening to it on the radio. It's the Komets' first league championship in 5 years.

Things look good for me in the NHL too...the Red Wings are now only one win away from going to the Stanley Cup finals.

NEWMAN WINS DAYTONA!!!

I'm shaking and speechless...UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!

UPDATE:

I might have trouble talking to airplanes tomorrow...my throat kinda hurts from YELLING!! :-D

Colts Postseason Ends Quickly

Not much to say about this, really. The game was an injury-fest, and by the end of the game neither team was in good shape at all. It was a close game with lead changes back-and-forth all game long, but in the end I was kind of hoping the Colts didn't come back to win, because I just know with the injuries they'd go up to New England and get humiliated...I'd rather see them go down to San Diego.

As badly as San Diego appears to be banged up, they'll probably go up to New England next week and get humiliated themselves...I'll still be pulling for them, though.

Colts Put NFL On Notice: We're Still Here

Wow, what a dominating performance. Those who have already awarded Super Bowl XLII to New England or New Orleans were given a hard dose of reality tonight.

Colts 41, Saints 10.

The Saints only scored 3 points on offense. The Colts were absolutely dominant in all phases of the game. Their only real mistake was a fumble that New Orleans recovered and returned for a touchdown. And the thing is, the Saints are supposed to have a killer offense. If the Colts defense continues to play like this, look out.

Although the Colts are my team, Drew Brees is my boy...so it was kinda bittersweet to see him get absolutely owned by the Colts defense. I hope that his performance tonight was a result of a dominant Colts team and not him all of a sudden losing his touch. Hopefully he rebounds from tonight and has a fantastic season.

I just tuned into SportsCenter...it will be interesting to see what the New England fanboys at ESPN have to say.

Oh Happy Day!

Buckeye Cable put a big smile on my face this morning...I now have ESPN2 HD, Fox Sports Net HD, and the Big Ten Network in both analog and HD. So now I'll get Red Wings games, college football games, Busch races, and more in HD!! Hopefully Big Ten Network will be as good as it sounds...I'll be disappointed if it's an all-Ohio State/Michigan-all-the-time channel.

Daytona Wrapup

I could just as easily titled this entry "The Death of Racing", but that would imply that it didn't already die several years ago.

In many ways this was a typical Daytona 500: a 150 lap parade followed by a 50 lap demolition derby. It did provide an exciting finish, but it was a finish that typifies why racing is no longer with us.

Ryan Newman, fellow Purdue alumnus, was doing incredibly well for the majority of the race. He spent most of the time in the top-5, and looked to have a car capable of contending. He went out around 3/4 of the way through with "engine trouble." That's all the television coverage said: "Newman has retired with engine trouble." Gee thanks, TV guys. Now I know the guy's name isn't Earnhardt, Gordon, or Stewart, and he doesn't drive a Toyota, but I think a little more in-depth coverage is required for a guy who was a threat to win and all of a sudden goes to the garage. At least tell us the nature of the problem (a fluke malfunction, driver error, a potential chronic problem that might afflict other Dodges, etc.), maybe even get an interview. Nothing. That was really pathetic.

Now onto the finish. See, NA$CAR has this little rule that when the caution flag comes out, the standings are immediately frozen...no racing back to the finish line. They also have had this little rule, at least since the 1940s, that says when cars start spinning, hitting the wall, and sliding upside-down along the track, the caution flag comes out.

Today, NA$CAR decided to alter the rules to provide a spectacular finish. A huge wreck occurred coming out of turn 4 on the final lap, involving cars third place on back. They didn't throw the caution until the first two cars crossed the finish line, allowing a race to the checkered flag. Now I'm all for racing back to the finish line...I think deciding to not allow it was one of the nails in racing's coffin...but NA$CAR needs to be consistent in their application of the rules, even if it means the show won't be quite as dramatic.

Basically, the reason I think racing, at least in NA$CAR, is dead is because they're gradually taking racing out of it. Killing the race back to the flag is part of it, homogenizing the cars is another part of it, and one of the one's that really displayed today...the pit lane rules...are another part of it.

In my opinion, the slow agonizing death of NA$CAR began when they disallowed racing on the pit lane. It was done in an attempt to make the pits safer (after all, when the cars are only going 55 in the pits instead of 120, how can't it be safer?). Here's how. Along with instituting a pit speed limit, they also decided to close the pit lane immediately when a caution comes out. What this means is that the cars have to form up behind the pace car before they can pit. This causes all 40-odd cars to pit at the same time instead of scattered cars diving into the pits before they form the pacing line. 40 cars on the pit lane at the same time causes chaos and danger. Just today there was one accident and a couple of crewman injuries. Just about every Daytona 500 for the past 15+ years has had accidents and crewman injuries on pit lane. Not to mention how it's commonplace in the 35 other races as well. It's idiocy that defies common sense, as a measure that's supposed to make things safer actually makes things more dangerous.

I guess the same could be said about the "temporary solution" restrictor plates, which are still "temporarily" in use 20 years after the fact, but I digress.

Congratulations to Kevin Harvick; that was a heckuva power move that last half lap. It's just a shame that even a finish as good and close as that can be marred by NA$CAR's inconsistency and stupidity.

More Fort Wayne Komets on YouTube

More good stuff from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is showing up on YouTube. Below you'll see what a Komets goal looks (and sounds!) like from the upper arena, and perhaps the greatest save you'll ever see, period, courtesy of Kevin "Frenchy" St. Pierre.

THE COLTS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!

In shocking, unbelievable, record-setting fashion. I'm still in a state of shock...if I tried to speak, I probably wouldn't be coherent. I just can't believe it after what happened in the first half. Wow!!

Cautious Optimism a.k.a. Extreme Jitters

Team Catalyst - Free Safety Bob Sanders

This is not good. It's only Wednesday night/Thursday morning, and I get nervous when I think about it. By Sunday, I may not be able to think at all.

Everything is in place. Our first AFC Championship game at home...we're 9-0 at home this year. The opponent: the arch-nemesis. The winner gets tickets to Miami.

This isn't huge. This is in some unknown realm that's well beyond huge. It's the culmination of over 20 years of personal football frustration. Enduring 1-15 seasons and awful first-round draft picks...later, being the favorite to win it all and then choking in spectacular fashion, year after year.

This is an aging team whose best chance to win it all many think has past. A loss on Sunday would be devastating, because the chance to make it this far may never come for this team again. I would see a win on Sunday as a monumental event regardless of what happens in Miami on Feb. 4. A win in Miami would be so big it would make all three recent Red Wings championships, combined, look insignificant to me. It would be by far this fan's greatest sports triumph.

I don't even want to think about this until Sunday...

Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude is a German word with no direct English translation. It's literal meaning is "pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others."

There is no better word to describe my feelings today after Florida's crushing defeat of Ohio State last night. All season I've had to put up with it: obnoxious OSU fans who made claims of their team's invincibility, Troy Smith's poise, an unstoppable offense, punishing defense, etc.

My problem isn't with the casual Buckeye fans, it's with those who had putdowns and smack-talk for all comers, be it fans of other Big 10 schools or fans of other conference teams.

The OSU big talkers conveniently forgot that their team didn't play anybody. They played a vastly overrated Texas team in week 2, Penn State - whose offense wasn't ready for prime-time in week 4, an overrated Iowa team that finished the season 6-7, and a close win versus Michigan, who also played a weak schedule.

OSU, and the Big 10 in general, was exposed last night as an overall weak conference. Michigan getting bombed by USC also proves that point. This fact should disappoint me, but my love for the Big 10 isn't greater than my wanting to see those mouthy Buckeye fans put in their place.

Boise State vs. Oklahoma

What an incredible game! I got almost zero sleep last night because I stayed up to see the end of this, but it was absolutely worth it! It was one of the most exciting finishes in college football, ever...and it was made even more amazing since Boise State was billed as a major underdog. That goes without mentioning the three trick plays.

Even if you don't know jack about football, just keep an eye on the score, down and distance, and time remaining near the top of the screen in the video. You'll get it.