Curtains? Brodeur’s last game?

Was this it for the best  Devil?

Was this it for the best
Devil?

In 1990 the New Jersey Devils drafted a goaltender with the 20th pick in the draft. At the time none could have guessed in their wildest dreams the franchise player they had selected. 688 wins later, that goaltender could finally be ready to hang up his pads for the final time. When talking about the greatest net minders that have stood between the pipes in the NHl the conversation must start with number 30. After 3 Stanley Cup Championships and an unprecedented 20 NHL records, Brodeur is a first ballot Hall of Famer. When people ask who the greatest goaltender in NHL history was, it’s hard to argue that Brodeur isn’t the greatest of all time. No matter what he accomplished on the ice in terms of statistics or records, the impact Marty had on the Devils is immeasurable. The Prudential Center should be nicknamed the house that Brodeur Built. Throughout the ups and downs, occasionally relocation threats, and roster changes, the one constant has been Brodeur. He has been the icon of Jersey’s team for almost two decades and has brought the Devils from a relocated franchise, to a perennial NHL power. While we can easily measure Brodeur’s career from his incredible statistics, his influence goes beyond the numbers. He has put the New Jersey Devils on the map and given the Garden State a team that they can be proud of. If this was indeed the last game for the NHL’s greatest goaltender, the Jersey faithful gave him the send off that he rightfully deserved. Marty could come back for one more go, but at this point it might be time for him to hang it up. Either way, when he finals decides to call it a career, the Devils will sadly lose their greatest icon. The next question won’t be if but when he will get the call from the hall and when the Devils will inevitably hang #30 in the rafters of the arena he helped build.

Connecticut #1 in all of college sports?

The Champs are here!

The Champs are here!

In a span of 24 hours the melting pot of college basketball wasn’t Dallas or Nashville, but Storrs Connecticut. For the second time in history the UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams are the National Champions at the same time. The school is now an incredible 13-0 in National Title games with four men’s championships and a record best nine National Championships for the women. 2014 will be remembered for the historic run of the men’s team after going through the ringer the previous season and the sheer dominance the women’s program which once again ran the table with 40 wins. After this week the main question shouldn’t be about UConn’s dominance, but the state’s dominance as a whole. Is Connecticut becoming one of if not the best state in the nation for college sports?

Hockey is on the rise in the Nutmeg state

Hockey is on the rise in the Nutmeg state

I can already hear the yelling and screaming already. What are you nuts? Connecticut the best state for college sports? Blasphemous! But is it? In the span of twelve months the state has won 4 National Championships. Last year, Yale won the hockey National Championship to go with the three championships the Huskies added, two in basketball one in field hockey. We all know about basketball. The UConn men remain one of the best programs in the country, and the women are in a league of their own. However, the nutmeg state has become a hotbed for college hockey. Last year both Yale and Quinnipiac made it to the finals in hockey and both have been perennial powers for years with consistent top 15 rankings in the country. With UConn hockey moving into Hockey East and steadily improving, the question is becoming when not if another team from the Constitution state will win the National Championship.

Yeah, but what about football? True Connecticut is not a football state, this isn’t Alabama with the Crimson Tide and Auburn. I think that is pretty obvious, but across the board the other sports in this state prove that Connecticut is the cream of the crop in college sports. Field Hockey? UConn won the National Championship in 2013. Baseball? UConn reached the regionals for the first time in 2013. Along with these national appearances the Connecticut schools have won numerous conference championships across the board.

Connecticut could soon be the place to be.

Connecticut could soon be the place to be.

With already established powerhouses, and strong up and comers, the Nutmeg state could soon be more than just the center of college basketball, but the NCAA universe as well. With some of the greatest underrated fan bases in the country, it’s not hard to see why Connecticut loves it’s college teams. With dominance in basketball and hockey, if Connecticut can establish another team or teams that become perennial powers, it will be hard to argue that Connecticut is not a great home for college sports, but “the home” for college sports.

 

Field Of Screams: A’s game postponed due to terrible field

Not a good start

Not a good start

The Oakland Alameda Coliseum has long been considered one of the dumpiest venues in sports, and sunday afternoon did nothing to fix that reputation. After a weekend field with numerous complaints about the field the game between the Mariners are Athletics was cancelled on Sunday because of poor conditions. This isn’t the first time the A’s have had a strange cancellation at their stadium. One time they had to cancel a game because of sewage in the dugouts. Here’s the thing. This isn’t in September after a football game, this isn’t the day after a major concert, so why is the field not ready? They’ve had months to prepare for baseball and can’t even last a week? I’ll tell you one thing. This is defiantly not helping Oakland keep the A’s or Raiders. If no new stadium solutions are found and stuff like this continues to happen, Oakland will lose it’s teams sooner then later. Instead of a field of Dreams in Oakland, it’s only a coliseum of calamity. For the video on the field click (here)