Simeon Varlamov Establishes Himself as the Caps Starter

Over the past two seasons, goaltending has been a major concern for the Washington Capitals. The Capitals struggled in the playoffs last season, needing seven games to beat a New York Rangers team they were expected to dominate. Jose Theodore was pulled after his first start, yielding to young prospect Simeon Varlamov. After a dazzling playoff performance, Varlamov was pulled during game seven against the Pittsburgh Penguins after allowing five goals. While Varlamov was clearly the future of the program, he still had a long road ahead of him before he could take over the team. Now, after shaking off a rough start, he has really begun to establish himself as a starting goaltender.

Theodore began the season as the number one goalie, but he was expected to split time with Varlamov and other prospect Michal Neuvirth in order to help them develop. Whatever hopes the team had for Neuvirth heading into the season were sidelined when he suffered an early injury. To begin the season Theodore looked very solid and Varlamov struggled. It looked as if the Russian speaking Arturs Irbe as goalie coach and the offseason development of Varlamov had not yielded the results Caps' fans had been hoping for. Now 29 games into the season, Varlamov looks to be the number one man for the Caps with incredible play and very good stats.

The stats really show a marked difference between the two goalies. Theodore has 14 starts, 5 wins, a 3.24 GAA, and a save percentage of .893. Varlamov has 14 starts as well, but he has 10 wins, a 2.38 GAA, and a save percentage of .919. Even with his early season struggles, Varlamov still only has only one regulation loss this season. He doesn't lose. Watching him play, the most important thing he is doing is making glove saves. This has been a major issue for him as he has previously given up bad rebounds off of easy glove saves. He still lets in a few soft goals, but this is something he will continue to improve on as the season continues.

Theodore and Varlamov both have 14 starts at this point, but I look for Varlamov to begin getting a lot more starts. While he does allow soft goals, Theodore has a career of being inconsistent. At this point, playing time is more important for a developing Varlamov who continues to win then it is to develop an already veteran Theodore, especially with Theodore in the last year of his contract. Let's hope Varlamov is ready to take the reins completely as the playoffs begin.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Happy Thanksgiving! Since I'll be on vacation, I won't post for a while. A few notes:

The Capitals are poised for another great regular season. They will most likely win their division, but they are clearly not ready for the playoffs. If they continue to play the way they are now, they will not win the Cup of the conference.

The Redskins put up a good fight yesterday, but only allowing 7 points is meaningless if you only score 6. The writing is on the wall for Zorn and hopefully for Jason Campbell since he's terrible.

The Wizards don't look as good as I'm sure they were hoping. The time may have come to consider what kind of future Gilbert Arenas has in DC if he can't bring success.

Steven Strasburg's injured knee appears to be minor and he will not need surgery. With free agency beginning, let's hope the Nationals aren't just spectators.

Maryland and UVA football is a joke. Virginia Tech is poised for a berth in the Gator Bowl. While this isn't the success they had hoped for at the beginning of the season, the Gator Bowl is still very prestigious. Virginia Tech will also remain the dominant recruiters of the Virginia, North Carolina area with little competition.

Buffalo May Force Early End to Zorn's Season

Early this week, the Buffalo Bills fired head coach Dick Jauron. Buffalo has only managed a 3-6 record despite the offseason acquisition of Terrell Owens and has failed to make the playoffs so far this century. Buffalo waisted no time in their search for their next coach contacting Mike Shanahan and reportedly making plans to contact Bill Cowher and Mike Holmgren.

For most of the season, the spotlight has been on Washington's coach Jim Zorn who seemed the most likely to get fired. In order to put a stop to the rumors, vice president Vinny Cerrato gave Zorn a vote of confidence. Despite Cerrato's statement, it seems clear Zorn's career in Washington will be over come the offseason due to the team's poor record and the multitude of candidates available. The problem for owner Daniel Snyder is that Buffalo has now gotten a head start on finding a new coach. With the focus on the DC job, Snyder has essentially had his pick of candidates to consider pursuing. Buffalo, however, presents a rather attractive opportunity compared to working for Snyder. While the Buffalo market may be struggling, the team still has a storied history and a big-name coach would be able to name his terms. Whether coaches will have control of their team under Snyder remains to be seen.

The advantage Washington has over Buffalo is money. Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson has been stingy at times and is not one to write bottomless checks. Snyder, with his deep pockets and loyal fan base, needs only to ask coaches "how much?" The problem is that he can't do that with a head coach still in place. If Buffalo manages to work out a deal with someone before Snyder gets his chance, he will feel as if he missed an opportunity. With Buffalo already talking to coaches Snyder may look for ways to get rid of Zorn before the end of the season.

Snyder has been in this position before. In order to end rumors surrounding the job status of head coach Steve Spurrier, Snyder announced that he would not be fired at the end of the season. Spurrier then lost the remaining three games being outscored 85-31, including a 27-0 loss to Dallas and a 31-7 loss to Philadelphia. Despite how bad the team looked, Snyder could not publicly fire Spurrier. Spurrier, however, resigned. Cerrato has already given Zorn a vote of confidence, but Snyder may try to find a way to get rid of him. It is already suspected that taking away Zorn's play calling duties was an attempt to get rid of him and that Zorn in fact considered resigning. If Snyder feels nervous about Buffalo getting the jump on him, he may consider further action in order to get Zorn out faster.

With the coaches available, Snyder knows he has a chance to dramatically turn the team around. He desperately wants to see the Redskins win a Super Bowl and if he feels getting rid of Zorn before the season ends will help him get a new coach, he won't hesitate to make that happen.

Ireland Cheated Out of World Cup when Handed a Tie

Yesterday Ireland was denied a spot in the 2010 World Cup after a 1-1 tie with France. France won the first game 1-0. With a 1-0 lead after 90 minutes, Ireland forced an overtime for the series. With 17 minutes left, Thierry Henry batted the ball down with his hand and kicked it to William Gallas who headed the ball in, tying the game at 1-1 and pulling France ahead by an aggregate score of 2-1. With many controversial calls, one team can see a call one way, while the other will disagree. No one, however, is disputing this handball. Not even Henry who admitted it was a handball after the game. It seems that everyone knew this was a handball except for the people who mattered most, the referees.

One issue that has been debated by FIFA is the use of video replay in soccer. No doubt this issue will be brought up again after this blown call. The fact that someone could miss a call this obvious in a game this important is unacceptable. Replay never seems to be seriously considered until a major blown call calls the issue into question. The standard argument will be used of how it slows down the game, but in every sport in which it has been instituted, rules have been put in place in order to ensure quick and, most importantly, correct decisions are made.

This game has shown that on the field decisions are just not good enough. Calls this obvious and this important should be called right. The suggestion that the referee should have asked Henry if it was a handball is ridiculous. It is not the player's responsibility to make sure a game is called correctly. Nor is it fair to put a player in that position. Had Henry said it was a handball, it could be argued he betrayed not only his team, but his country. Had he denied it, the play still would have been incorrectly called.

At this point, Ireland has few options. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has lodged a formal complaint asking for a rematch. It is unlikely that this will be granted as this would set a disastrous precedent. This, however, is a problem FIFA cannot simply ignore. Martin Hansson, the Swedish referee who called the game has been blasted by his own countrymen. One newspaper wrote "There will be no World Cup for Ireland and I assume that Team Hansson has also forfeited its right to continue to take charge of major international matches. Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation." Ireland's outrage has also called into question the European playoff process. Eight teams qualified for a two-legged playoff to determine the last four European slots for the World Cup. Ireland captain Robbie Keane has criticized the late decision by FIFA to seed the eight teams, which ultimately favored the bigger, more popular national teams. FIFA was originally not planning on seeding the teams at all. Keane claims the decision to do so came when FIFA saw France, Portugal, and Germany could all potentially be forced into the playoff round which may have meant a playoff between two of these teams. Simply saying Ireland was the victim of a bad call will not be good enough to sweep these issues under the rug.

The ultimate solution will most likely be the institution of video replay in either the 2010 World Cup, or in future international matches. Hansson will most likely not be allowed to call any World Cup games and I doubt he'll be watching the games from any Irish pubs. I doubt FIFA will care about Keane's accusations. While it is unfair, you can't blame FIFA for wanting the best teams to make the World Cup. If anyone, however, watched the game yesterday and saw Ireland dominate the second place team from last World Cup, there could be no question that Ireland had earned their spot. If it weren't for Henry giving the French a hand, the Irish might have been celebrating a world cup berth in South Africa.

Ovechkin Expected Back in the Lineup

Alexander Ovehckin is expected to return to the Capitals lineup tonight against the New York Rangers. The Capitals have won four of the six games without Ovechkin staying near the top of the conference. The New York Rangers tend to play a physical style of play so it will be interesting to see how the two teams matchup against one another especially with enforcers Donald Brashear and Sean Avery. No doubt they will be gunning for Ovechkin all night long. Since Ovechkin never backs down from a hit, he may see less playing time then he is used to in order to prevent reaggravating his injury.

The Capitals have also recalled forward Joe Beagle and goalie Michal Neuvirth from AHL Hershey. What the Capitals have proven thus far is that even with shaky defense and goaltending, they will still most likely win their division and finish among the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Right now, they are six points ahead of second place southeastern foe, Tampa Bay, and tied for first in the conference with New Jersey and Pittsburgh. While it is important that they continue winning, they must also focus on tweaking the team in preparation of the playoffs. With Ovechkin back, the Caps can afford to experiment with younger players such as Beagle. Neuvirth was expected to split time with Simeon Varlamov and Jose Theodore at the beginning of the season, but was held back because of injury. With the added scoring boost Ovechkin brings, Bruce Boudreau will most likely give Neuvirth a few tries in goal.

Even though the regular season is only a quarter of the way through, it is never too early to think about the playoffs. The Capitals have shown they are still a very competitive regular season team, but success now does not always mean success in the post season. With the Capitals' sights set on a Stanley Cup, don't be surprised to see a lot of younger players called up especially with Michael Nylander most likely headed to the KHL in order to free up cap space. Look for numerous appearances by Hershey regulars Karl Alzner, Michal Neuvirth, Jay Beagle, Keith Aucoin, Alex Giroux, Mathieu Perrault, John Carlson, Sean Collins, Kyle Wilson, Boyd Kane, and Oskar Osala.

Stupid Play Call Helps Colts Beat the Patriots

The football world is ablaze this morning with questions regarding Bill Belichick's late play call against the Indianapolis Colts. New England held a 34-28 lead with 2:08 left to go. With the ball on his own 28, Bill Belichick decided to roll the dice and go for it on fourth and two. New England used their last timeout to discuss the play and then lined up. Tom Brady passed to Kevin Faulk who juggled the catch and didn't bring it under control until he had back tracked behind the first down marker. Since he had used his last timeout, Belichick could not challenge the call, Indianapolis' ball. Peyton Manning took advantage throwing a one-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne, giving the Colts a 35-34 win over the Patriots.

Of course it is easy to second guess Belichick's play call since his gamble did not pay off. Hindsight is 20-20. But regardless of this, this was a very stupid call and will be remembered as one of the biggest blunders in NFL history. Why did he make the call? With 2:08, the Colts would have had the 2-minute warning and all three timeouts to work with, an eternity in football. With Peyton Manning under center, the Colts would have had a good chance had the Patriots punted. Another reason is simple arrogance. While Bill Belichick may be one of the greatest football coaches of all time, he is nothing if not arrogant. No coach would make that call if he did not think he could make the first down, but it really goes beyond that for Belichick. He may not have even contemplated the possibility that his team wouldn't be able to make the first down.

While many will question Belichick only because his gamble failed, this play call was dumb even before Manning made him pay for it. Had the Patriots punted, the Colts would have gotten the ball with about 1:55 left, somewhere around their own 30 yard line. With three timeouts, the Colts would have had plenty of time. New England's defense, however, had done a good job against Manning to that point forcing two interceptions. There is no guarentee that the Colts would be able to drive 70 yards to take the lead. By giving the Colts a short field, you are also allowing them the option of running the ball which they took full advantage of. The Colts averaged 5.1 yards a carry last night. Containing the Colts would have been easier if they Patriots didn't have to account for Joseph Addai taking handoffs.

Most importantly, this play call reeks of desperation. What can Belichick say to his defense after this? "I didn't trust you to stop their offense from seventy yards out, but I know you can do it from thirty." At that point, the Patriots' confidence had to be shot and the Colts were playing with all the momentum. With football being such a mental game, it is no surprise that the Colts were able to punch the ball into the endzone with relative ease.

Belichick may claim this call was made out of respect for the abilities of Peyton Manning, but such an aggressive play call said more about his defense than it did about the Colts' offense. While punting the ball would have given the Colts the opportunity to win the game, they would have taken the field with 70 yards to go and some momentum. There was no guarantee they would be able to drive for a score. By going for it on the 26, Belichick made it that much easier for Manning to do what he does best. While Belichick will remain one of the best coaches ever seen in the NFL, this call last night was a joke showing the utter lack of respect he had for either his own or Indianapolis' defense. This call was a huge mistake and his team suffered a loss because of it.

A Logical Argument for the BCS?

Listening to ESPN radio the other day I actually heard a logical argument in favor of the BCS. Around this time of season with numerous teams facing snubbing from a National Title bid, criticism of the system runs high. Usually when criticism becomes very public, a BCS representative comes out with a very condescending reply saying how people don't really understand what they are talking about and that the system is fine. An objective listener, however, wrote into the show in order to defend the BCS system. He wrote that the BCS is the only real system that will work because the different levels of competition will not make a long playoff system fair. Basically, the BCS is the best system because it is the only system that gives teams like TCU and Boise State a chance of qualifying for the title. If TCU were to be put in a playoff system, they can't really be expected to, for example, beat USC, then Texas, then Florida, etc. A national title bid gives TCU a one game chance to win.

This is perhaps the best argument I've heard in favor of the BCS, but the unequal competition of teams would be wiped away with a playoff system. The secret is in recruiting. Teams like Texas will have more consistent success recruiting over teams like TCU because they are in a BCS conference. These teams are more prestigious, have more history, and get more media coverage. There are plenty of people who would rather go to TCU than Texas for various reasons, but Texas still dominates recruiting in football. Florida, Florida State, and Miami have more recruiting success than UCF of Florida International. Southern Cal, Cal Berkeley, and UCLA have more recruiting success than San Diego State. The list goes on and on. If college football changes to a playoff system in which all conference winners make the playoffs, the recruiting bump of BCS conferences disappears. Recruits can go to teams like Boise State and TCU and still be national contenders because they will earn playoff spots.

To argue that the level of competition is still unfair defeats the purpose of the divisional system. We have Division 2 and 3 teams because of this. We even have Division 1 AA teams (I refuse to call Division 1 teams by the new names like FBS because they're stupid). If you believe these teams would still not be able to compete against one another for a championship, then you either need to send them to lower divisions or force conferences to bring in the successful non BCS teams. For example, the PAC 10 could drop Washington State and bring in Boise State. The Big 12 could drop Baylor and pick up TCU. The point is that only BCS conferences are guaranteed recognition yet good teams like Boise State and TCU get screwed because they can't get into a conference that they could compete for.

The competition argument also fails to address the problem of multiple BCS teams that go undefeated. In 2004 USC, Oklahoma, and Auburn all went undefeated. You can't tell me Auburn didn't get a shot because they couldn't compete against USC or Oklahoma. This season we may see an undefeated Texas, Cincinnati, and either Florida or Alabama. All three teams will be undefeated BCS teams. The only way to determine who really deserves a title shot is a PLAYOFF SYSTEM!!!!!

What glory is there for teams like TCU to make the playoffs and get blown out against a team like Florida? Look at March Madness. To win one's conference and earn a playoff spot would still be a major accomplishment. It would also give teams the chance to compete which is what they really want. Don't forget, Utah was able to upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last season. These non BCS teams may be able to get farther into the playoffs then many may think. We'll never know until they get their shot.

Nationals to Hire Jim Riggleman as Manager

Reports say that Jim Riggleman will be hired as the Washington Nationals manager for the 2010 season. The team will be holding a press conference some time today in order to make the announcement. Riggleman took over for previous manager Manny Acta after he went 26-61 with a .299 winning percentage. Under Riggleman, the team's performance improved with a record of 33-42 and a winning percentage of .440.

Clearly a change was needed. While the Nationals may be rebuilding, Acta was not getting the most out of his players. The team became much more competitive very quickly under Riggleman. The sign of progress is encouraging and I hope Riggleman can continue to improve the team with spring training and a full season to work with. Yet I have to wonder if Riggleman was the best candidate out there. In situations such as these, many teams don't seem to look very hard. Rather than search for the best candidate teams now seem to look for the most obvious. Riggleman improved the team enough to ensure the Nationals finished with the worst record in the league. Prior to his time in DC, Riggleman managed the San Diego Padres from 1992-1994, the Chicago Cubs from 1995-1999, and the Seattle Mariners for part of the 2008 season. His overall record is 522-654 with a winning percentage of .444.

I'm not saying that I don't trust Riggleman to do the job or that he wasn't the best candidate to lead the Nationals forward. Yet his resume can really only be described as average. I hope that the Nationals see him as the man that can lead the team forward and not the easiest hire they could get away with.

Hey Terps and Cavs Fans, Time To Stop Making Ridiculous Claims About Your Team

Living in Northern Virginia, when it comes to college teams the news focuses on mainly on the Maryland Terrapins and the Virginia Cavaliers. There are plenty of Terps and Wahoos in the area and they like hearing about their teams. That is completely understandable. What I can't understand, however, are the unbelievable claims people will make for their teams. Many may think this is true for all area teams, but it really goes above and beyond when it comes to UM and UVA. Look at the Redskins. Nobody in town has trouble talking about how bad they are. Nobody claims that they are the best two loss team in the NFL because who cares? Everyone knows the Nationals are terrible. The Capitals get a lot of coverage, but three years ago when they were one of the worst teams in the league there were stories on whether they would even be able to remain in DC. Another somewhat local team, Virginia Tech, gets a lot of flack because the standards are set so high. A few weeks ago the Hokies were a national contender, then after losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina, the Hokies probably won't win the ACC. Terps and Cavs fans, however, seem incapable of logical thinking.

A few weeks ago the Washington Post wrote an article on how the hottest team in the ACC was from Virginia. Who would have thought that that team was from Charlottesville and not Blacksburg? That's right, the paper claimed that the 2-3 Cavaliers were the hottest team in the ACC after their win over Indiana. Not the Hokies who had a record of 5-1, were coming off a 48-14 win over Boston College and who had crushed the number 9 Miami Hurricanes. This claim is ridiculous on its face. Since then the "hottest team" has lost to powerhouse Duke. Watching a report on Comcast Sports Net on the preseason basketball polls, the anchor remarked that while Maryland was not ranked, we can all safely assume they are number 26. I thought it was a joke, but he was dead serious. It's this kind of thinking that makes everyone believe that regardless of how bad Maryland plays, they still deserve a spot in the big dance. I've got news for all you optimistic Terp fans, who you lose to is just as important as who you beat. This is a lesson that seems lost on the Maryland faithful year after year.

As a big sports follower, I get tired of seeing undless coverage on the mediocre twins of the metropolitan area. While people love to rip on the Redskins, the Hokies, the Nationals, the Caps, Georgetown, Navy, the Ravens, the Wizards, and everyone else, they still assume Maryland is sitting safely at number 26 and UVA is a hot team. Reality check for UVA: Virginia Tech owns the state of Virginia when it comes to football, period. They don't lose to teams like AA William and Mary. Reality check for Maryland: you are not a rival to Duke. You are a footnote to them. Playing Maryland is just another game for the Blue Devils. You do not compare in anyway to North Carolina. Why? Because your team's not that good. Sure you compete. Sure you won the National Title in 2002, but that was seven years ago not yesterday. Since 2002 Maryland has won the ACC tournament once and has made the NCAA tournament four times. In that same span Duke has won the ACC tournament four times and has made the NCAA tournament every year. Time to take off the rose-tinted glasses and wake up to reality. Maryland and UVA have pretty bad football teams and mediocre basketball teams.

Pack Your Bags and Print Out Your Resume Charlie Weis!

Heading into Saturday's game against Navy, Notre Dame's head coach Charlie Weis was already struggling. After several lack luster seasons with Notre Dame, Weis needed a signature game in order to end all the rumors regarding his job security. On Saturday, he got it. Notre Dame's 23-21 loss to Navy on Saturday may be the final nail in the coffin for the Irish's embattled coach.

Weis' tenure at Notre Dame began promisingly enough as the Irish qualified for a BCS bowl in both 2005 and 2006. They did not win either bowl game, however, losing to Ohio State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl and LSU in the 2007 Sugar Bowl. They have not beaten USC in any of Weis' five seasons. In 2007, Notre Dame had its worst season in school history fnishing 3-9. The Irish were expected to rebound in 2008 with what was thought to be a very easy schedule, yet they finished with a 6-6 record. Despite being on the hot seat, Weis returned in 2009 with an even easier schedule to work with and has yet to impress.

After Saturday's loss the best Notre Dame can now finish is 9-3. While nine wins is a decent season, it still might not be enough to save Weis' job. There is also no guarantee that Weis will be able to finish with nine wins with a game at #12 Pitt next weekend, a home game against an emotional UConn team, and a season ending trip to Stanford. Most likely, Notre Dame will go 7-4 and then it depends on which Stanford team shows up since they have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the country this season. Basically, it's not unreasonable to believe Notre Dame could finish the season with a 7-5 record and if they do let me end the suspense right now by letting you know Weis will be gone faster than beer in South Bend on St. Patrick's Day.

The only conceivable scenario that will see Charlie Weis remain the coach of Notre Dame in 2010 will be a win over Pitt next week. Without it, all of Weis' signature games to this point will be losses. Weis' most famous game was the 2005 loss to USC with the Trojans scoring off the "Bush push" as time expired. In 2007, Navy beat Notre Dame for the fist time in 44 games. And now finally, in 2009, with his job on the line, Navy beat Notre Dame yet again 23-21. It doesn't matter whether Navy is a competitive team this year. The bottom line is that Navy is not somebody a program of Notre Dame's caliber and talent should be losing to. What has been so baffling with Notre Dame over the past decade is that they have been able to consistently recruit the best players in the nation and yet continue to underachieve. With yet another lack luster season, it's time for Charlie Weis to start packing his bags and printing his resume.

Caps Struggling For a New Identity

One period through Wednesday night's game in New Jersey, the Capitals seemed to be on the right track. They had frustrated the New Jersey Devils allowing only six shots on goal which came mostly from outside. They were easy saves for goalie Semyon Varlamov and the Capitals had a 1-0 lead. There wasn't much offense as the Capitals seemed to struggle with the idea that it's not one or the other, offensive or defensive, that they can play strong on both ends. This, however, was not a major concern because it is assumed by everyone that Ovechkin will bring offense back with him when he is able to suit up again. The goal for the next few games is to instill a defensive mindset in a team that had practically none. Through one period, the Caps seemed to have done just that. The final period of the game told a very different story.

The Caps still seemed to be in control at the end of the second period. They had allowed 11 shots, but the Caps defensive style of play was clearly frustrating the Devils who were constantly forced into offside calls and outside shots. The Devils did manage to tie the game, but it was off a fluke goal by Brian Rolston who's pass was blocked by defenseman Mike Green into the net. The only penalties the Caps had taken to that point was a slashing call to Alexander Semin and a fight by Chris Clark. The team then proceeded to implode in the third period. The stalwart defense was gone as the Caps allowed 15 shots. The discipline was certainly out the window as the Caps took four penalties, including two awful, unnecessary penalties by Semin. The Devils proceeded to score twice on the power play and Washington found themselves in a hole they could not climb out of, losing 3-2. Varlamov's good performance in net was wasted as he received the first regular season loss of his career.

Many may walk away from this game unconcerned. Ovechkin's out and we lost by one, who cares? There are several reasons why this game was a bad sign for the Caps. First, even without Ovechkin, I would argue this team is a playoff caliber team. This team is full of talent and there is no excuse to lose a game that they had control of for two periods. Second, the complete lack of discipline is very troubling. Key penalties have really been a problem for this Caps team and last night is a good example of how quickly these penalties can change a game. The Caps allowed the Devils to take control with these penalties. Semin's performance was especially bad. With Ovechkin gone, Semin needed to step up his game by picking up some offensive slack and not committing the dumb penalties that have plagued his career. His response, three penalties including one with less than four minutes to go in the game while the Caps were down by two. He simply skated past Travis Zajac in the neutral zone and tripped him for seemingly no reason. Bruce Boudreau was clearly upset as Semin was not on the ice at the end when the Caps pulled Varlamov in an effort to tie. It is performances like that that make NHL analysts speculate about trading Semin come the trade deadline. With the salary cap going to be a problem over the next few years, if Semin won't step up and contribute more than just dumb penalties, you could see him moved for a defensemen the Caps proved again they desperately need.

Discipline and defense. Without either of these things the Capitals will not win a Stanley Cup. What they showed last night is that with absolutely no offensive spark, they can still take control of a game against a good team as long as they stay out of the penalty box and play strong defense. Add Ovechkin to that mix and you have a very dangerous team. Add Ovechkin to what we saw in the third period, you have team that will still win their division, but probably not much else.

Updates Badly Needed in Baseball

If you have been watching the MLB playoffs this season, it is obvious that changes are needed in baseball. The first thing that jumps to everyone's mind is instant replay. How many bad calls have we seen so far this post season? Everytime that happens, the umpire comes out after the game and apologizes for the bad call. How does the umpire know he made a bad call? He watched it on instant replay. Many people worry that instant replay will make baseball drag, but there are obvious solutions to fix that including limiting challenges by managers, limiting time for reviews, etc. You've heard all the complaints and all the reasons for instant replay already. The issue I want to talk about is players getting hit by pitches. I have always hated this tactic in baseball and I think it needs to go.

Watching the pregame show for game 5 of the World Series, I watched as the analysts laughed about Alex Rodriguez getting hit three times in the Series. They went on to say that while the World Series was too important to risk retaliating, they expected that the Phillies would be "playing dodge ball" come spring training. Doesn't this bother anyone else? I know mothers out there and people who have always thought that sports are barbaric will agree, but doesn't this bother some of you sports fans too?

While aiming for a player is technically "against the rules" it is actually a strategy used by managers showing you just how much the rule actually means. Saying that pitchers don't aim for the head or that they throw slower pitches is not an excuse. Pitchers frequently miss the mark every game. They can throw outside the strike zone or even a wild pitch. If you were hit in the head by a pitch, would you take any solace in the fact that the pitcher was aiming for your back? How many baseball players have been injured by pitches when the pitcher wasn't aiming at him? Allowing pitchers to throw at other players allows for unnecessary injuries. I'm not saying you shouldn't be able to throw inside if a batter's crowding the plate, but just not at him.

Think about the worst, most shameful moments to happen in baseball. Bench clearing brawls always seem to start when pitchers go head hunting. Many of you will disagree with the need to crack down and beanballs citing years of baseball tradition or that many other sports allow for players to go after each other. Players headhunt in football and fights are even somewhat legal in hockey. How is hitting players with a soft pitch that bad? The major difference is that hockey and football are contact sports. A hockey player that is hit on the ice has the ability to hit the opponent right back. There is very little contact in baseball unless you're a catcher waiting at home plate. Batters are utterly defenseless against pitchers. Your choices are to duck or brace yourself. Even football and hockey have rules protecting defenseless players. You can't hit quarterbacks without the ball, punters, kickers, etc. Hockey players who check others from behind are subject to severe suspensions and fines. In baseball, you get a warning.

While baseball looks poised to update its rules soon, I hope that they will eventually see the inherent danger in allowing this to remain a part of the game. Everytime a player is hit by a pitch they run the risk of serious injury. This risk is high enough without a pitcher aiming for the batter. It needs to end before some one is seriously hurt by a pitcher that is just trying to make a point.

Important Time for Caps With Ovechkin Injured

The Washington Capitals have listed Alexander Ovechkin as week to week with an upper body injury. After a hit by Columbus' Jason Chimera, Ovechkin missed the last two periods of the game on Sunday night. While it appears the injury is not too serious, Ovechkin is likely sit out at least three games. An injury to your star player is never a good thing, but this is a pivotal time for the Capitals to change their game and become serious contenders.

The Capitals currently play an offensive heavy style of play. Everyone knows they can score and with playmakers like Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Brendan Morrison it's hard to stop. The Capitals, however, struggle defensively. Until they get consistent goaltending and stronger play from their defensemen, they will not be able to win the Stanley Cup.

The Capitals' defensive lineup has about average skill. Mike Green is the most talented, but he is often criticized around the league for his lack of motivation and conditioning. Green's biggest problem, however, is his mentality. He has always approached the game with an offense first, defense second mentality. Tom Poti is probably the best defensive talent on the team but at 32 years old, his game has taken a step back. John Erskine is just plain awful and takes stupid penalties, a major problem for this team. Jeff Schultz and Shaone Morrison are inconsistent. And worse yet, this team gets pretty much no help from their offense. The Capitals struggle to clear the puck out of their defensive zone because of poor back checking. Two defensemen can't do it alone.

While it is clearly the weakness of this team, the problem has seemed less pressing since the Capitals still have the second best record in the east. With Ovechkin out the Capitals have lost a major edge in their style of play. Now that the best scorer in the NHL is injured, the Capitals should focus on their defense. Sure, there is plenty of offensive talent in DC and they could continue playing their offensive scheme, but they will have missed a major opportunity to change the mindset of this team. Until the Capitals become defensively stable as well as offensively talented, they will never really compete for the Stanley Cup.

Will Sean Avery Please Just Leave the NHL?

Bruce Boudreau's biography "Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey Lifer" came out last week reflecting on the life and incredible chance of coaching the Washington Capitals. The buzz surrounding the book, however, was not on Boudreau's achievements or shocking revelations, but on a tiny blurb almost 200 pages in on Sean Avery. In the playoffs last season, the Capitals faced the New York Rangers. The series went the full seven games. Sean Avery was a constant thorn in the Capitals' side, more so for his ridiculous behavior than his skills. In one game, he decided to trash talk with young goalie Simeon Varlamov and got right up in his face before pushing him. Not only did I feel this warranted a suspension (you don't touch the goalie) but it reflected the baffling stupidity of Avery since Varlamov does not speak a word of English. Boudreau's book, however, revealed another encounter with Avery that was not previously known. During game seven, Avery skated to the Capitals' bench. "He told me I was the biggest, fattest bleeping pig he had ever seen.....He told me I was fatter than bleeping Ken Hitchcock. He told me I was going to die because I was such a fat bleep." I credit the Capitals for not clearing the bench and pounding Avery's face into the ice although I would have loved to see that. It speaks a lot to their character that their response was to win the game and send Avery's butt home. Yet, one cannot help but feel more must be done.

Avery's antics have been public before. In 2008 after a comment that several NHL players like his "sloppy seconds" he was suspended by the league for six games. Both the Dallas Stars organization and his team mates condemned the comments and his time in Dallas was over. In the previous season, the NHL passed what is known as the "Sean Avery" preventing players from blocking the goalie's vision. While screening is a common tactic in hockey, Avery was facing goalie Martin Brodeur and waving his hands and stick in his face. The rule was passed the very next day. After the series Brodeur refused to shake Avery's hand causing Avery to remark "I guess fatso forgot to shake my hand." The comments Boudreau writes on also sheds more light on other comments that Avery denies saying. In 2005, Black Canadian player Georges Laraque of the Edmonton Oilers claimed that Avery called him a monkey. In 2007, a fight broke out during the pregame warm up between Avery and Darcy Tucker of the Toronto Maple Leafs. A Toronto radio station alleged that the fight started because of a remark Avery made regarding player Jason Blake's Leukemia diagnosis. Avery vehemently denies saying either of these comments and even brought a libel suit against the Toronto radio station. While we may never know what exactly Avery said to Laraque or to Tucker, I have no doubt it was something extremely offensive and out of line.

Trash talking will always be a part of hockey and of most other sports. What Avery is doing, however, crosses the line. It is disgusting and there is no place for him in the league. Avery has been cast aside by every organization he has played for except the New York Rangers. While Avery does have some skill, he is frequently scratched by the team. He is simply not worth it. He shows no remorse for his outrageous comments and will continue making them. In the offseason, the Rangers added enforcer Donald Brashear to their lineup in what I hope to be an effort to eventually replace Avery. Let's hope that the story of Sean Avery will end with him realizing that a thug like him, who has no respect for his opponents, is not welcome in the great sport of hockey.