Taste of Revenge

Isn't it great playing against your old team and leaving with a victory at the end of the night. I have never had to play against my old team but I have played against a team that cut me from their roster. Oh did it feel great when I left the field and shook the coaches hand at the end of the game after every win. Yes, there were multiple wins. If my memory serves me correctly, I don't think I have ever lost to that team. A few of those games were for championships too.

Ray Emery had a chance to play his former team, the Ottawa Senators, and he almost shut them out winning his 5th straight contest. The feeling Emery had when he skated off the ice after the final buzzer must have been amazing. Leaving the Senators after the 07-08 season in a less than an amicable split, which resulted in no contracts being offered to Emery except from a team in Russia added fuel to the fire.

Looking back, the Senators had to let Emery go because of his tendency to live his life on his own terms and basically not give a rats ass about everyone else around him. There are some players out their that are allowed to be assholes but Emery isn't one of them. He just isn't good enough to be one of those players. So far this season, Emery has actually proven to be a solid #1 goalie in the NHL after his return from the KHL over in Russia. The Flyers goalie has posted strong numbers (10-3-1 with a .924SV% and a 2.18GAA) this season in a strong Atlantic division.

Guys like Emery seem to be a virus that brings teams down to their knees just like Allen Iverson is on the court. The Senators were right to let him but it does hurt a little when Emery comes back into the picture and leaves with a W at the end of the night.

D-Wade

Oh my...

Sad Day

I am sad to say that Ken Griffey Jr. will be returning in 2010 as a professional baseball player for the Seattle Mariners as a full-time DH. Griffey Jr. signed a 1yr deal that will bring his .214 batting average back to Safeco Field.

The move by Griffey Jr. is a move most pro athletes do when their careers are drawing to an end. Letting go is one of the toughest and almost impossible decisions athletes have to make in their lives. After an entire life of batting practice, shagging fly balls, and joking around with teammates, it seems The Kid can't let go. Even after his sad and over the hill 2009 numbers, he knew that the Mariners would bring him back if he requested. So he did.

On the business side, this is a decent decision. Bring back a legend, a future hall of famer, and a winning smile and you have a recipe for financial success. People will flock to see him, buy up every jersey and promotional item, people will buy up outfield seats hoping they will catch his final HR ball, but most importantly, people will spend money, big money, which will help the Mariners.

As a long time fan of The Kid, who the hell isn't, I just can't take another season of Mendoza line averages, sluggish swings, and the 0-4 with 3K nights. It hurts. It really hurts. In 2009 it was okay for him to have a terrible year because I thought he was going to retire so I accepted his 2009 year. For all the bad at-bats he had, I didn't give a rats ass about them because when he connected and hit one of his 19 home runs, it was all worth it.

Time stops for no one and it seems like someone is trying to at least slow it down for just one more year. I wish he just retired so we can move on and place him with the other greats of the game. In Cooperstown.

C is for Cut

When the Red Sox found a way to get Victor Martinez into their lineup I felt a little something for the guy who wears the C in the locker room. Now that the Red Sox have officially exercised the option on Martinez, Jason Varitek (guy who wears the C) is now left out in the dark to fend for himself.

Let me say a few things about this C on his jersey. It is one of the stupidest and ugliest things I have ever seen in sports. Baseball does not and should not have this C sewed to jersey of any baseball player because it is not a part of the sport. Leave the C for hockey. Every time I see the C on his jersey I'm disgusted and kind of happy he hits like a little leaguer.

Anyways, back to the original topic. Now that Martinez is here Varitek is the guy who is left looking in from the outside. We all know that this decision was one of the easiest decisions Theo Epstein has ever had to make as the GM of the Red Sox. One hand we have a guy who actually hits the ball and on the other we have a guy who swings and finds a way to make the all-star team with a .200avg. Hmmmm...tough decision.

Guess if he didn't have the C on his chest this wouldn't even be worth mentioning but that C on his chest just irks me. This post has nothing valuable to add to anything except for the fact it gave me a chance to vent a little.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Still Has It

20 Assists in a 119-115 victory over the Sixers

Killer Instinct

This is why the Raptors are going to be fighting for their lives when it comes to making the playoffs. Losing to the Spurs is nothing to be ashamed of but when their two leading stars, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, are out of the lineup the Raptors had no excuse for not leaving San Antonio with a victory.

In a close 131-124 game, the Raptors didn't come out with the killer instinct and bury the Spurs from the get go. Instead, they allowed Manu and, former Raptor, Matt Bonner to go 10 for 16 from beyond the arc. This was absolutely disgusting and the entire Raptors organization should be ashamed of how they played.

Going over the points per quarter, the Raps traded bucket for bucket until falling apart in the 4th. Wouldn't the Raptors have a deeper bench since they weren't missing their top 2 stars? Guess my logic/reasoning doesn't always hold up.

If the Raptors want to be a playoff team, they need to find that killer instinct to dismantle and dominate teams that are weaker or short-handed and play a full 48min game. Until they find a way to put teams away they will be nothing more than a team fighting for the 8th and final playoff spot.

Shoes

Simple shoe with a simple colour scheme. Nike Air Max 90's is a pair I would love to add to my closet. Would be nice to see a littler more yellow on the shoe. Maybe the swoosh?

Chocolate Lacoste shoes. Not a huge fan of high-tops or mids but this shoe seems to grab my attention.

Stat of The Day

5 for 5 from beyond the arc!

Chris Bosh is known for his inside presence but it seems he has found a new weapon. He has drained all five of his 3-point attempts this year.

On The Rise

Wings visiting the Leafs

After a terrible start to the season in October, the Leafs have made a 180. After walking in and taking a win from Paul Maurice and the Hurricanes, the Leafs came back home to a tough Red Wing team. Who cares, we have Kessel and Gustavsson. The Leafs were in control for the entire night leaving the ACC with a 5-1 victory. What impressed me the most was the balance in scoring with 12 guys registering a point in the game, that to me is a sign of good things to come.

November brings 13 games and if the Leafs can leave the ACC on Nov. 30 with 7 to 9 wins, you'll see me with a pretty big smile. You won't see me planning a parade down Yonge or Bay (not too sure where they would hold it) but with the Leafs winning and rising up through the standings, it gives me hope that the Leafs have started their path to the ultimate goal, raising the Stanley Cup.

Nippon Series & World Series

The Yankees of Japan, the Yomiuri Giants, have reached the top of Japanese Baseball. The Giants beat the Nippon Ham Fighters in game 6 of the Japan Series.

I watched a few games of this series and didn't think much of it until the Yankees won the World Series. The world seems to always surprise me with weird coincidences. Both the Yankees and the Giants are big time spenders in their respective leagues and countries and both teams were in a little drought. The Yankees haven't won since 2000 and the Giants haven't won since 2002.

Just a little information for my readers.

For more info, head over to the Japan Series Wiki or the official Yomiuri Giants webpage (warning, it is all in Japanese).