Top 10 Athletes( If facial hair was a skill)

Athletes have been known to be some pretty crazy characters, one way in which they express their individuality is through facial hair. So I took it upon myself to make a list of the top 10 facial hair styles in professional sports.

10. John Axford-Milwaukee Brewers

(onemansausagefest.com)

Axford has taken over as one of the better closers in the game of baseball and his mustache would be the first one to back up that statement.

9. Henrik Zetterberg- Detroit Red Wings

(BleacherReport)

Never mind not shaving for the playoffs, I don’t think this guy shaves, or even trims for the entire NHL season.

8. Joe Flacco- Baltimore Ravens

(Baltimore Sun)

I give Flacco credit for keeping this facial hair even though he must’ve known it looked completely ridiculous. One of the only athletes I know who doesn’t have the game to back up the facial hair.

7.Dale Earnhardt Jr.- Hendrick Motorsports

(USA Today)

Props to you Dale, for having one of the fullest beards I’ve ever seen. Absolutely no space in-between mustache and beard and a nice bottom lip to chin connector to boot.

6. David Ortiz- Boston Redsox

(Bleacher Report)

Papi has one of the most perfectly manicured chin strap/beard combos in professional sports. Perfect width on the jaw line and perfect hair length. Imagine Papi without this….

5. Kevin Love- Minnesota Timberwolves

(Kandymag.com)

It’s gotta be tough being a white boy in the NBA. I think we all know how young Love would look without this scruffy but not too scruffy look.

4. Brian Wilson- San Francisco Giants

(larrybrownsports.com)

The only one I can think of that would be jealous of this beard is Santa. Brian Wilson is at the dead center of the sports fashion world, largely in part due to the black cat he glued to his face.

3. James Harden- Oklahoma City Thunder

(The Score)

The only reason he didn’t get a better spot in the countdown is because of the awkward blank spot on his upper lip. Dont think just because he’s making millions that his mom doesn’t care about this. She is irate and wants him to shave.

2. Kimbo Slice- MMA/Boxing

(blogspot.com)

One of the only athletes that can grown hair all the way up to his bottom lip. I got 5 bucks to whoever can find the most crumbs in Kimbo’s beard.

1. Brett Keisel- Pittsburgh Steelers

(ksl.com)

Keisel is the only athlete out there with both a flowing full beard and a borderline perfect mustache to go along with it. I’d just like to know how long it been since hes trimmed or shaved any part of his face. I’m going with 4 years.

Posted By: Joe Quinn

Ovechkin May Stay

Courtesy of nhlsnipers.com

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin isn’t sitting around and waiting for the NHL lockout to end. Like many other players, he will be traveling overseas to play professional hockey elsewhere. For Ovechkin, he’ll be returning to his former KHL team, the Moscow Dynamo whom he played for prior to moving onto the NHL. While his contract has a clause that allows him to come back to the NHL once the lockout ends, the most exciting player in hockey isn’t sure that’s what he’ll do. In a statement earlier this week the Russian left winger stated that if player salaries are cut enough, he would consider staying in Russia and playing for the Dynamo instead. In his interview he stated, “If our contracts get slashed, I will have to think whether to return there or not. I won’t rule out staying in the KHL, even past this season.”

This statement is showing the threat that this lockout could potentially provide to hockey, not only in the NHL but around the world. The NHL and KHL have agreements that players who have NHL contracts cannot skip out on those contracts and play in the KHL instead. If Ovechkin stays he would be in breach of that agreement and it could result in action being taken by the NHL to not allow their players to compete in International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) events. That would mean that not only do American fans not get to see one of the best players in the world in the NHL, but international fans would miss out on the presence of the world’s best players on the global stage.

While I don’t believe that Ovechkin will actually do this because of the many implications, it does show that star players are frustrated and that even more big names could feel the same way. If they do and if enough of them decide that they’re over the greediness of the NHL and its owners, then they could leave and potentially ruin the league. Ovechkin’s comments and Sydney Crosby’s leadership role with the NHLPA is a sign to the owners that their stars are unhappy, and that could mean a storm is coming their way. Hopefully they realize that there’s more potential damage to be done by them wanting as much money as possible, than they originally believed and swallow their pride and negotiate. From hockey fans around the world please bring back hockey.

Posted by: John Kotkowski

Bruins Preview Take 2

Courtesy of masslive.com

Yesterday I previewed the forwards on the 2012-2013 Bruins roster and how I felt the lines would shake up. Today, I bring you my defensive pairings and predictions as well as a goalie preview.

DEFENSE:

The Bruins are one of the strongest defensive teams in the NHL. They’re top 6 do a very good job of containing the top forwards from opposing teams and clear loose pucks and bodies in front of the net. Goaltending has been very good in Boston in the past few seasons and a large part of that is due to the great play of the defensemen. I’m assuming the pairings will go as follows:

Chara(13 G, 43 A)                             Boychuk(5G 25A)

Seidenberg(6G, 24A)                      McQuaid(7G 18A)

Ference               (6G, 19A)                             Hamilton(4G, 15A)

In the first pairing you have the best shut down defenseman in the NHL playing with another solid, defense-first type defender. Zdeno Chara is the biggest and strongest defenseman in the NHL, his reach and his power make it very tough to go around him and he goes against the best forwards on the other team every game. Johnny Boychuk is another strong defender, nothing special or flashy about his play; he just protects the front and takes the body. Both of these guys have big shots from the point and should be the highest point producing pair this team has.

The second pairing puts a very underrated defender, Dennis Seidenberg, with tough guy Adam Mcquaid. Dennis Seidenberg is the second best defenseman on the Bruins roster, another shut down guy who can keep top forwards under control throughout the game. Adam McQuaid is a very big, strong and tough defenseman who should be feared by most in the league looking to fight. He proved last year he was no one to mess with, and with the usually subdued personality from Seidenberg, his presence will keep other forwards honest.

The Third pairing would be the most interesting to watch this season should it be allowed to happen under the new CBA. Dougie Hamilton, a 19 year old defenseman of the year in the OHL last season, was recently sent back to his OHL team after the lockout was announced. Under the old CBA he wouldn’t be allowed to return to the NHL this season, but the expectation is that the rule will change. Should he return he will be a player to watch in black and gold this season, his size and offensive skill have Bruins fans hoping they have found the key to their powerplay. His partner, Andrew Ference is a team-first guy who is always willing to protect his teammates. We have seen multiple times where Ference has taken exception to hits on teammates and dropped the gloves. Other than that he is a gather the puck and make the pass D-man; very safe and very reliable on the backend.

GOALTENDING:

This year’s team will not feature Vezina winning goalie Tim Thomas. As Thomas is taking a year off, Tuukka time is now. The young goaltender will be starting in net for the Bruins this season, he is very technically sound and brings a calm presence to the crease. He always looks in control on the ice and allows the play to come to him. I expect a huge season out of Rask, he has shown his capabilities in the past and I think he proves naysayers wrong and puts up a strong season. His backup Anton Khudobin is another young goalie in the Bruins’ system. He is another very technically sound goalie that proved to fans last year that he can be a special player. I’m confident in his ability as a backup, and feel this tandem should do well for the Bruins.

Bruins Preview

Courtesy of eliteprospects.com

I know the league is in a lockout right now, but I believe they will play this season; and for that reason I wanted to give my predicted lineup and potential for the 2012-2013 Boston Bruins. Two seasons ago the Bruins won the cup, before being stunned in a 7 game series by the Washington Capitals in the first round last spring. To me, they should still be considered one of the best teams in East and a strong contender for their second cup in 3 years. With pretty much the same team coming back, you shouldn’t expect much of a drop off in skill level or production.

FORWARDS:

The top 6 from the beginning of last season will be back, including Nathan Horton who missed a large part of last season including the playoffs with a concussion. Last year we saw this group of 6 forwards put together an incredible stretch where they simply dominated the opposition, and scored goals by the pairs. Here’s how I expect the lines:

Marchand (27G, 34A)                                     Bergeron( 23G, 45A)                       Seguin (37G 42A)

Lucic(31G, 39A)                                               Krejci(19G, 43A)                               Horton(24G, 32A)

Bourque (10G, 14A)                                        Kelly(18G, 28A)                                 Peverly (16G 24A)

Paille(7G, 9A)                                                   Campbell(9G, 11A)                            Thornton(6G, 9A)

We will once again see the dynamic line of Marchand-Bergeron-Seguin that provides grit, speed, skill and two-way play. Marchand is quickly becoming a fan favorite in Boston with his gritty, in-your-face style that gets under the opponents skin. He also provides speed and the ability to put the puck in the net to this line. We just hope that his gritty style doesn’t hurt them, as he was suspended multiple times last season for on-ice incidents. Bergeron is the best two-way player in hockey as proven by his Selke award this summer. He is the future captain of this team and he leads by example night in and night out. Seguin is the best offensive player in the organization. He has an incredible wrist shot and quick release, and his speed allows him to take the puck wide with speed and around defenders. I just hope that he has realized now that he can’t go through defenders in the NHL like it’s the OHL, and instead uses his speed to beat them wide.

On the second line we have a couple of big, strong power forwards who can put the puck in the net sandwiching a crafty centerman who can dangle and dish the puck with the best of them. Milan Lucic does it all; he hits, he fights, he scores and he’s a big body in front of the net, now the highest paid Bruins forward I expect his best season yet this year. Horton is another power forward; not as much hitting and fighting as Lucic, but he doesn’t shy away. He has shown in his two seasons with the team that he can put the puck in the back of the net as well. Krejci is a true playmaker who has a knack of finding players when others would think it impossible. He has an incredible set of hands, but the consistency needs to be there more if he’s going to play to his full potential.

Next you’ll see probably the best third line in all of hockey. One of the most underrated players in the league, Chris Kelly finds himself centering a natural center in Rich Peverley and newcomer Chris Bourque. Kelly has been a great addition to this team after he was acquired from Ottawa; he has been involved offensively and his great team-first attitude has earned him a spot as an assistant captain. Peverley is a very fast forward who always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time, it doesn’t hurt that he is great in the circle and can step in and take faceoffs when necessary. Chris Bourque, the son of Bruin great Ray Bourque was acquired from Washington in the offseason. He has some strong offensive potential and has put up pretty good numbers in the AHL. I think he’ll fit in great with the third line in Boston and hopefully provide a little offensive spark.

Now for the gritty 4^th liners. On the left side you have enforcer Shawn Thornton, the guys puts his body on the line night in and night out for his teammates and is always willing to drop the gloves to defend them. He can even dangle a little bit, evidence being his nifty backhand toe –drag penalty shot goal against the Jets last year. Gregory Campbell is another Bruin who’s addition is getting positive feedback from the fans. He’s a very strong defensive player with a surprisingly good wrist shot, he’d be a third liner on most teams. However, he accepts his role with the Bruins and isn’t afraid to fight either. Finally, Daniel Paille has earned a bit of a reputation in Boston as someone who can’t finish, but this guy is a great fourth  liner who could easily play on most third lines as well. He has tremendous speed and is great in his own zone; a strong penalty killer, I’d expect him to score 3-4 shorthanded goals this season.

Defense to come tomorrow

Posted by: John Kotkowski

NHL Locks Out Players

Courtesy of inquisitr.com

The 2004-2005 NHL season was locked out over a salary cap dispute. Since returning to action the following year, the league has seen arguably its most successful stretch of play. Since the lockout, which resulted in a salary cap being placed on team spending, the league has been very competitive. We have yet to see a team win the Stanley Cup twice, the Winter Classic has become a huge hit not only to hockey fans, but sports fans altogether and the league has made more money than ever before. The 2011-2012 season was the most profitable in league history. Everyone was making money, and the sport was beginning to gain more and more popularity throughout the world.

Considering how successful the league has been, one would expect that the 2012-2013 season would be even better. That the NHL, and hockey as a whole would continue to grow and bring in even more money. That may have been the case under another commissioner, but not with Gary Bettman. After last night’s midnight deadline the NHL commissioner has now seen 3 lockouts since beginning his tenure in 1992; the only lockouts in NHL history. This lockout is due to the fact that the NHL and its owners feel that they now deserve a larger share of the hockey related revenue (HRR). After becoming so successful under the old collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the league has decided that giving the players 57% of the HRR was simply not working anymore. So much so that the league is only willing to offer the players 47% of HRR in their latest CBA proposal. The offer is plain insulting, its unfathomable how the league thinks that the players’ fair share of HRR is less than 50%. The players, the talent, the ones who put fans in the stands and thousands of others on their couches to watch games and put money into the owners’ and league officials pockets; they’re the ones who don’t deserve at least HALF of the HRR? This isn’t a simple factory job, where workers can be replaced easily. This is the NHL, the best hockey league in the world. Only the best play here, and any other group of players would simply be an inferior product.

I understand that the owners are the ones who pay salaries and are the bosses, but it’s not that they’re doing anything to bring in fans and money. The only reason money is made is because of the players; because of that they deserve the majority of the HRR. Granted, 57% is probably a bit high, but 52-53 percent doesn’t seem unreasonable. The owners wouldn’t be making the majority, or even half, but they would be gaining a higher share of the revenue than before and revenue is only going to increase.The players want to play, but they don’t want to be insulted and undervalued by the league and its owners. The greed of the suites is what’s locking out the league plain and simple. They need to realize that the ones who put on the gear and actually play hockey every night are the ones bringing in this revenue, and give them their fair share. The players want hockey, the fans want hockey and the league will want hockey soon enough and hopefully put their pride and greed away and let them play.

Posted by: John Kotkowski

Debate: Should Milan Lucic be the Highest Paid Bruins' Forward?

Courtesy of zimbio.com

NO

YES

There is no way you can convince me, or a lot of Bruins fans, that   Milan Lucic should be the highest paid forward on the bruins with his brand   new contract of $18 million over the next 3 years. I will give some reasons   why this is not a good deal for the Boston Bruins.First off, Milan Lucic has only had one 30 plus goal year, BUT the   man had 5 empty net goals. So do we even consider that a 30 goal season? I   don’t. A fifteen year old could put a puck in a wide open net. In last year’s   season he came up short again scoring 26 goals. When we typically think of a   six million dollar player we think of people who can put the puck in the net   in a consistent manner. This brings me to my second reason on why he   shouldn’t be paid 6 million a year. Let me run some players by you who make   less than Lucic. One is Ryan Kesler who scored 41 goals in the 2010-2011   season, he also scored 22 goals last year in an injury plague season. Jeff   Carter is another player who makes less and when this kid is healthy he has   the ability to put up 40 goals a season. Then there are the players who make   a little more than Lucic and this list is a bit more frightening. Jonathan   Toews and Patrick Kane both make $6,300,000 a year. Yes that’s right $300,000   more than Lucic. Let me continue, the Sedin twins both make $6,100,000. I   mean should I keep going or is that enough proof that the bruins are   overpaying for Milan Lucic’s skil level.What has this guy done in the postseason in the last 2 years? We   often watch the playoffs and say “This is the game Lucic breaks out” and   often he doesn’t prevail. We pay him as a first line winger and can we go   over what he did in the playoffs last couple years. Let’s look at the post   season they won the Stanley cup, since people will back up Lucics numbers   then. Ok your first line winger played 25 games and scored 5 goals and 7   assists. Can you name the players who in 25 games scored 8 goals and 9   assists? Drumroll please…… Yes your third line winger Michael Ryder. Since   were on the 3rd line why not bring up Chris Kelly’s name who scored 5 goals   (just as many as lucic) and 8 assists. Why don’t I just complete the third   line for you and finish off with Rich Peverley who scored 4 goals and 8   assists. To sum it up the whole 3rd line all had more points or the same   amount then Lucic. Let’s also look what he did last year in 7 games in the   playoffs I goose egg in the goal department and 3 assists. That is not a good   playoff performer, fact not opinion.I understand Lucic is a   different kind of breed and he is a physical body but he’s a different kind   of player than when he came up. When Lucic came up his first year he would be   relentless in throwing his body around and he was relevant and clutch in his   first playoff appearance against the Montreal Canadians. Unfortunately he   hasn’t progressed like much of us expected (especially all the people who   compared him to Cam Neely) we often see him lazy on the ice not giving full   effort and just gliding along. He doesn’t toss his body around like he did   when he came up and now since he scored 30 goals in one season he thinks he’s   a goal scorer. He needs to get back the mentality of throwing his body around   and being physical again and parking himself in front of the net. If he does   what he was expected to do then maybe he could live up to his new contract,   but as of right now he is overpaid plain and simple. Posted by- Domenic Pazzia

When you talk about the best power forwards in all of hockey, Milan   Lucic is one name you won’t forget to mention. In my opinion, the Bruins’   left winger is the best in the game. He hits, he fights, he scores; he’s no   Cam Neely but he’s as close as you’re going to find in today’s NHL. In the   past 2 seasons he has scored 56 goals. 12 more than the next closest Bruin   forward, he has put up 123 points in the last two seasons in the most   balanced offense in the NHL, last year’s team featured six 20-goal scorers,   the most in the NHL. Last year he lead the entire Bruins team in hits (201)   which is 35 more than the next player Zdeno Chara and 96 more than the next   forward, 4th liner Gregory Campbell. He was second on the team in penalty minutes   with 135, all while scoring 26 goals and adding 35 assists; good enough for   4th in points. The guy does it all, and along with Patrice Bergeron is the   best all-around forward on this team. So why 6 million a year? Number 17 is scheduled to make just over 4   million dollars in 2012-2013, and a pay raise was obvious; just look at the   numbers above. People might say, “Why isn’t Patrice Bergeron the highest paid   Bruins forward?”, and the answer is simple: he will be. Patrice Bergeron is   already making 5 million a year and is a UFA after the 2013-2014 season. He   will undoubtedly see a pay raise as he is the best 2 way forward in hockey.   Once his extension is signed he will be the highest paid Bruins forward.   Others might say that David Krejci should make more than Lucic, but I ask   why? The numbers are practically the same points wise over the past two   seasons, the only difference is Lucic has scored 20 more goals. Besides the   points, Lucic brings more to the table as a hockey player with size and   physicality. And what about the young gun? Tyler Seguin led the Bruins in   goals and points last season and just signed an extension that will pay him   just under 6 million per year until he’s 27 years old. It’s obvious that Seguin   is the future of the team and the most offensively skilled player in black   and gold; the only problem is that he’s 20. While he may be the best   offensive player in their lineup, he’s also the youngest and will get a huge   contract when this one is done. As for his playoff performance last season, Lucic put up 3 points, 2   less than Rich Peverley and the same as Chris Kelly, both third liners.   However, David Krejci and Tyler Seguin also only had 3 points, and Bergeron?   He had 2. While Lucic didn’t perform as expected in last year’s playoffs, no   one on the top 2 lines did. When comparing his contract to those of other players around the   league, like Toews, Kane and Kesler just look at the teams they’re on. Both   have too many people that deserve money to be granted big contracts. Very   similar to the Miami Heat, these teams, namely the Chicago Blackhawks and   Vancouver Canucks, need to spread the wealth and some players have to take   pay cuts to enjoy the lineups they have. So do I think 6 million is a good deal for the best power forward in   the league? Yupp. And do I think he deserves to be the highest paid forward   on the Bruins? Yes, that is until Patrice Bergeron gets his extension, but   until then Lucic is the high roller amongst the top 6 and deservedly so. Posted by: John Kotkowski