Short Stacks Are The Best Stacks

Something important I've learned over the past few months is to be short and sweet. Keep what you want to say short and to the point. People, including myself, turn away when a story is too long. Learning how to balance getting everything I want to say in fewer words is big skill.

My poor poor heart is gets bluer and bluer

When I first started out on this blog it was a tail-end of the football season and hockey. But now that obviously football is over it has become more about just hockey. Furthermore, it has more so evolved into a St. Louis Blues' blog. I'm an avid fan of the Blues and know them best to talk about.

"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take"

This quote from "The Great One" says it all. If you want to make it in the sports journalism or even broadcast world, you need to take a shot. Having a blog, as insignificant or famous it is, can be the key. Why not at least take the shot and see what happens.

It's a star in the making

This class has affected me in the way that now I have something to put out into the world. Blogging is a great tool to get one's voice heard or at least available to be. Maybe someday someone will like what they hear and want more.

Nobody can be you better than you

Write like you really are. That is the biggest lesson from this class. It may be formal or educational or even humorous; but make sure to still have your voice. Write something like you're talking to the reader and having a conversation. Not just meaningless words on a page saying something.

Basketball vs. Hockey Season

I know I might be a little biased on this topic being the nature of this blog is about hockey. But, over the past few weeks a topic has risen up in the NBA that has gotten a lot of attention. The epidemic of NBA players skipping games for "rest."

Yes I realize I called it an epidemic, I call it this because that's what it is. Healthy player missing a game because they're tired is embarrassing. How as a professional athlete, and a competitor of the highest degree, decide to not play a game purely on the fact that you don't feel like it.

I won't even get into the argument about money and the fairness to fans that don't get to see big time players. Or the billions of dollars networks are paying the league to air games that don't even have the players they are promoting.

No disrespect to the NBA or its players, everything they do is far more than any average person could do. But they aren't average, which is how they got to where they are, so why not do they not rise up to the challenge.

This is where the NHL comes into play.

Although hockey doesn't bring in the same revenue as other major sports, and has been overshadowed by basketball. It's a great league of competitors.

You would NEVER see someone like Alex Ovechkin just say, "Ya know what? I need rest I don't think I'm going to play today." That just wouldn't happen.

Anyone who argues that the NBA is tougher and longer than the NHL regular season is wrong. The two seasons and playoff structures are completely identical. Only in the NHL, there isn't as much parity in the league.

Teams that squeak in the playoffs have won the whole Stanley Cup on several occasions. Hockey is the most physical game in the country behind obviously football.

It's sad to see the NBA going through this after the new CBA agreements and is on TV more than ever. I hope it gets better, but at the same time if the game of basketball and the NBA continue to not give the fans what it wants then maybe we should look elsewhere.

Look, every sport in America is ultimately competing for second place behind the NFL. So maybe we should stop looking at this watered down product that the NBA has become, and turn our attention to a league of stars that actually love to play the game they're in.

The Las Vegas... Golden Knights?

I thought having a professional hockey team in places like Florida, Arizona, and even Nashville were crazy. But, this new expansion team takes the cake bar none. Las Vegas, of all cities in America, is where the NHL thinks should have a team?

I got nothing against Sin City, it's the place of fun and excited. Although it is right in the middle of the desert. What Las Vegas native was sitting around their house going, "We need a hockey team."

The city is growing at a exponentially rapid pace, but there are plenty of other options to expand the NHL brand. How about the greater Northwest? Somewhere in Northern California or Washington State.

Hopes for success are falling all over them right now, and they deserve to succeed. I just don't think in a place like Las Vegas, a hockey team can grow and develop into a franchise the city and its people love.

Not only is the city itself a wonder, but the name of the newest edition to the NHL is just laughable. The Golden Knights, really?

“We truly believe hockey is for everyone – regardless of one’s background.”-- Bill Foley

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) February 22, 2017

Whoever was in charge of choosing the name and logo for the team should be fired before it even begins. Choose something that has a close connection to city. Don't just pick something random because you think sounds cool.

It's a complete rip off of Army, the Army Golden Knights. As well as the logo in general is a copyright issue. The logo resembles the helmet the character Magneto wears in Marvel's X-Men series.

Not a good start to the organization as a whole. But on the bright side, there's only one way to go. And with a whole lot of young, hungry players coming of age; as well as players from other teams, the Golden Knights of Las Vegas have a shot.

What a Blue Streak It Has Been

The Blues' Success-

Over the past five games the Blues have played like the team of old. Slow pace, grinding it out along the boards with a heavy forecheck. Wearing down their opponents both physically and mentally.

All of this during a five game road stretch.

The physical play from St. Louis isn't the only thing that has improved. The goaltending has finally began to get on the right path. 

Both Jake Allen and Carter Hutton have been playing lights out as of late. Hutton playing the first of the road trip in Philadelphia, Allen taking the three in the middle, and Hutton again to finish in Detroit.

Where did this come from?-

I hate to say this recent success is in part the result of the firing of the Head Coach, Ken Hitchcock; but, I think this is partially the case here. It's not uncommon for teams to respond well after a firing or change in the locker room.

Also, Hitchcock's coaching style is different than his predecessor Mike Yeo. Switching it up for the players may have had a positive impact on them. Yeo has a little more loose style of coaching and players are more free to play.

Not to take away anything from one of the best coaches in history, but the strict regimented gameplan that Hitchcock had in place. 

Will the success continue?-

If the goaltending can continue to improve and bring out their inner Martin Brodeur they should be fine. Brodeur, arguably the best goaltender in NHL history, is the goaltender coach for the Blues. With his expertise and lessons on being dominant between the pipes, both Hutton and Allen can only get stronger.

The blue line of St. Louis is second to no one in the league. Behind Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk's ability to go deep into the offensive zone is great. It puts pressure of the opposing team that makes the game much more difficult. 

Midwinter Blues May Change With the Season

Hello and I apologize for not posting about hockey in awhile. It has been the end of the football season and frankly I've been coping with it.

But, that did not take me away from noticing my team, the St. Louis Blues, fired our head coach Ken Hitchcock. It's hard to say whether or not this was a good move at first. I understand as much as any other fan the trouble the Blues have had this season.

The inconsistency at goalie and making poor decisions with the puck. St. Louis has made winning three or more games in a row way more difficult than it use to be. So, I understand management needed to make a change.

The fact that executives in hockey don't care about the "legendary" status Hitchcock has. The biggest thing they worry about is wins, and winning the greatest trophy in sports. The Stanley Cup. I must applaud the front offices of the Blues for this move now.

After making the decision, the team seems to be responding well. The new Head Coach Mike Yeo seems to be having the team in a good spot, asking a little more of them. Jake Allen doesn't look like he's scared to get hit by the puck lately.

Here's to having our fingers crossed and hope that we can go on a late season run into the playoffs. Then by a stroke of luck, win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history on the 50th anniversary. Until then, lets hope for some good hockey.

Tom Brady The Legend

Sunday night we saw the greatest show everyone why he is and will always be the greatest. Tom Brady, down 25 points did something no one has ever done. More than that, no one in the WORLD would have predicted scoring 31 unanswered points.

Any other quarterback in the league would have been down and out. The Atlanta Falcons would be the Super Bowl Champions. But with Brady, it's hard to fully keep him down. Tom Brady is the stuff of legend, even with a loss he will go down as arguably the best QB ever.

With this his 5th Super Bowl and 4th Super Bowl MVP, both of which are records, Brady has transcended beyond football. He's joined the ranks of legends such as Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and so one.

For the longest time, unlike any other sport, it's been hard to place a single figurehead as the best player ever. For the fact that football is the most team orientated sport; but, as of Sunday night that has changed.

Tom Brady has become the model of success and can arguably claim is the best player to have ever played in the NFL. Over 200 players have come and gone over the past 15 years. Other than Randy Moss and currently Rob Gronkowski, there has never been a superstar to aid Brady. He's been the consistently the best with a revolving door of offensive lineman, receivers and even running backs.

Now I am in no way, shape, or form a New England fan. On the contrary you could say I hate the Patriots. But, no matter how badly you may hate them, there's no denying greatness. No one in history has done this, and that's something we should all take in and realize what we have witnessed may never be done again.

Saying Goodbye To America's Love

This Sunday will be the last football game we as Americans will enjoy until Autumn. The Super Bowl, the biggest and most important game of the year. It's something every football fan looks forward to every year. But, now that it's upon us I can't help feeling a little disappointed.

This game will be like when you're in a relationship that you know is coming to an end. The best times are over. After making a half-hearted attempt to save it (the Pro Bowl), you know this will be the end.

So what do you do? Have one last hoorah, enjoy one more night together before it all ends. This relationship between football and its fans is kind of the same right now. This Super Bowl is the one final bang where we can enjoy the violently beautiful game it is.

What will we do for an entire summer without it? Anyone who is a true football fan won't stop going through withdrawals until mid March. Where hopefully postseason hockey and basketball can ease the pain of this loss.

So at the end of the day, enjoy this week. Enjoy every down played and every ball spiked in celebration. Even take in and remember the commercials that will air for the first time. For this is the last time football will be in our lives for a little while.