Lone Star Mess: Dallas’ uniform debacle

June 9, 2013 / Rich Sports Talk / Leave a comment

Fans designing the uniform? Either genius or a disaster waiting to happen

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most iconic sports uniforms in history. From the white jerseys, to the iconic navy star on the helmet, the Cowboys logo and uniform are as recognizable as Coca Cola. Unfortunately, while the Cowboys may have one of the best uniforms and logo in sports, the other Dallas teams don’t provide the same nostalgia. The Mavericks and Stars are updating their looks for the 2013 season. First, renegade NBA owner Mark Cuban is once again thinking outside the box. Rather then hire a professional design team, Cuban has announced that the fans will have the chance to redesign the logo and uniform in a fan contest. While this does give the team great publicity, along with increasing the relationship between the fans and the team, it also could be a publicity stunt that goes horribly wrong. But seriously though do you really want some twelve-year-old with crayons designing your pro team’s uniforms? To see what the fans have come up with so far check it out (here). However, there is still hope that the Mavs could have some pretty awesome uniforms, however the same cannot be said for their NHL counterparts. The Dallas stars have had

Houston we have a problem

an identity crisis for a few years now. After years of uniforms that just read “Dallas” in a boring script, when it was announced that Stars would get their long-awaited makeover people rejoiced! Then when the jerseys made their debut fans were seeing stars, and not in the good way. Rather then tweak their intimidating black and dark greens uniforms, the Stars decided to ripoff of the old Hartford Whalers. Seriously call Gary Bettman these uniforms were stolen! Seriously the lighter green, and a black that suspiciously looks navy, I think the Whalers were robbed. While the uniforms might have been ok, the logo just kills these uniforms. You thought Dallas would have learned from their infamous constellation uniform disaster, but unfortunately the new logo is terrible. A giant D with a simple star? Really? These uniforms are disappointing. This is just another attempt of what I call “modern retro”, when a team tries to make themselves have a classic look, when they don’t have that classic look. While some Stars fans may like the change, personally I hate these uniforms. I think the Stars have a major identity crisis and these new uniforms aren’t helping. What do you think about the Stars new uniforms? Take the poll to vote for your favorite.

One too many: Sports sequels that destroyed great film franchises

May 31, 2013 / Rich Sports Talk / 1 Comment

Sports movies are great sources of entertainment. They combine the thrill of sports with a roller coaster of emotions and back story that only hollywood can provide. These movies not only entertain but spark a child’s life long passion for sports. For me both the Sandlot and the Mighty Ducks inspired my passion for baseball and ice hockey respectively. There are so many sports classics that have touched millions of people, but Hollywood has a knack for ruining a great thing. The infamous sequel can be a great movie, but like Shaq at the free throw line, these movies often miss the mark and can tarnish their predecessor’s legacy. Here is my list for the top 5 worst sports sequels that ruined some of the best sport movie franchises.

5) Slap Shot 2

This sequel missed the net

When a sequel is made 25 years after the original you know it’s going to be bad news. With the original considered the perfect and quintessential hockey movie, it’s impossible to improve or repeat perfection. Now you have the Hanson brothers 25 years older, the team is moving, Stephen Baldwin is the new player coach, and did I mention their new gig is being the losing team to the Omaha Ice Breakers. They’ve gone from the batboys of minor league hockey to the scripted losing team in hockey’s version of the Harlem Globetrotters. Plus Paul Neumann isn’t in this movie. He was hysterical and it’s Paul Neumann, enough said. It’s a shame this movie was made with the original being perfect for its time in the 1970s, an age where hockey violence and shenanigans were at its peak. This new version doesn’t fit the times and slams the legacy the of this franchise into the boards. Thank god this film is mostly forgotten because it doesn’t do the original any justice.

4) D3: The Mighty Ducks

From Minnesota miracle to JV?

The Mighty Ducks franchise created two classic hockey movies. In the original, the Ducks overcame the Hawks to win the state championship. In D2, the team beat Iceland to be the best junior team in the world. Things were going so well after two hit movies, a cartoon series, and an actual professional franchise named after them. However, D3 nuked the franchise and officially fried the ducks. It took away Gordon Bombay, the charismatic coach tried to fill the void with actors trying painfully too hard to get a laugh. The icon of the series, Charlie Conway, went from being the perfect role model to a snarky and stuck up brat that you just wanted to see get slammed into the glass. Did we mention that there a JV team? Seriously I understand being the underdog but if they beat Iceland shouldn’t they be good enough to be a varsity team? This movie took everything that was great about the first two movies and completely threw it out the window. This movie turned out to be a quack.

3 The Sandlot 2

Not only was this movie a swing in a miss but it spawned another sequel

Growing up the Sandlot was one of my favorite movies. Anyone whose seen this just wants to gather up the neighborhood kids and go play ball! Everybody wanted to be Bennie “The Jet” Rodriguez, even though they were clearly a Smalls. However, hollywood decided to take the Sandlot’s great name and drag it through the dirt. The sequel has the same exact premise as the first one, literally. They just did the same story except a decade later and with characters so bad they made you cringe. No one was memorable and this movie didn’t teach us anything. The first taught us about chewing tobacco, how to insult other ball players, and most importantly how to make smores. I don’t know whats worst the fact that this movie completely took the great idea of the Sandlot and turned it into a joke or that this movie spawned a third Sandlot movie. Either way this sequel struck out looking.

2) Major League 3 Back to the minors

This franchise deserved a demotion after this wild pitch

The first Major League was hysterical, and the sequel was a solid follow-up. However, the old cliché that the third time is the charm clearly doesn’t apply to this film. We go from the “Wild Thing” and the major league shenanigans to the minor leagues? Seriously if there was a minor league for actors all of these actors in this movie would never see the pros. This film removes almost every trace of the original including the Indians, and replaces it with the Twins minor league team the Buzz. Instead of the Indians trying to win the World Series this train wreck focuses on not one but two games where the Buzz try to defeat their major league counterparts. Charlie Sheen may have been “winning” in the first two Major League films, but this sad attempt to revamp the beloved film franchise deserves a demotion.

1) Caddyshack 2

Forget hitting the fairway, this film is way out-of-bounds

One of the greatest comedies every made was the original Caddyshack. The crazy gopher, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, and Bill Murrary were the perfect ensemble cast and have created laughs that will continue for decades. But once again hollywood just can’t resist sacrificing a film’s legacy in the pursuit of the all mighty dollar. Where to start, first with only Chevy Chase returning to this franchise while the others wisely jumped off this runaway golf cart. A sequel eight years after the original, two-thirds of the comedy trio not returning, this was a disaster waiting to happen. Instead of trying to find funny actors, lets bombard the audience with ridiculous eye candy. Seriously, it looks like a miniature golf course threw up all over this movie. Jeez, I though the worst thing in golf was Happy Gilmore’s putting. Boy was I wrong. Do you agree you disagree? Which terrible sports sequel made your eyes and ears cringe? Comment and follow below!

Tebow Time! why Jacksonville needs TimTebow

May 25, 2013May 25, 2013 / Rich Sports Talk / Leave a comment

Tebow in Jacksonville just makes too much sense

Tim Tebow. Those two words probably just sparked a debate or instantly made your mind jump to a conclusion about the lightning rod quarterback. For Tebow, there are two schools of thought. The first, is the logical one, which is Tim Tebow can’t play quarterback in the NFL. He’s a glorified running back/fullback whose throws make anyone who can throw a spiral cringe. However, there is the other side of the argument, that he turned around the Broncos season and has won a playoff game. Not to mention proved, that while he does have his warts, when it is crunch time he is a clutch quarterback. Since being released by the New York Jets after what was a tumultuous season, Tebow has not been offered a contract and shunned by prospective NFL teams. Despite the spread option gaining more popularity in the pros, the style of offense Tebow thrives in, teams don’t want to take him in. While people may believe this is because of his particular skill set, it might be what I call the “Tim Tebow effect” on a team. With the world of sports, media such as ESPN, constantly reporting on Tebow, the circus atmosphere that follows

Jacksonville needs the attention Tebow brings to jump-start the ailing franchise

creates a toxic environment for the entire organization. This plagued the Jets last season and has resulted in their complete overhaul this offseason. Ozzie Newsome, the GM of the Baltimore Ravens, had a great quote: “it’s hard enough to win in this league with no distractions, but when you have a major distraction you have no chance”. Teams don’t want to deal with the frenzy that analysts, like Skip Bayless, who all seem to have a love affair with Tebow, constantly bombarding the franchise with questions such as “when are you going to play Tebow”? The perfect place for Tebow to go and have a successful career in the NFL is Jacksonville. It’s his hometown, and he is a beloved sports icon from his glory days with the Gators in the state of Florida. Despite the Jaguars front office constantly stating that they will not go out and sign Tim Tebow, they need to reconsider. Unlike the other 31 teams, the Jaguars games are constantly blacked out as a result of poor attendance, just look at the picture above. They need to generate interest in one of the NFL’s perennial doormat franchises in order to sell more tickets and generate more revenue. Enter Tim Tebow, whose sheer presence in a Jaguars uniform would sell tickets and get fans in the seat. Unlike most teams the Jaguars could use this publicity stunt as they face dropping attendance and relocation rumors. The Jaguars also don’t have a quarterback of the future, I think Blaine Gabbert has proven that. This team isn’t going anywhere fast so why not take a flyer on Tebow? Worst case scenario is that he stinks or is relegated to the sidelines, but people will still buy tickets and Tebow jerseys. Even if it doesn’t turn out well on the grid iron, the Jags still will make a lot of money if Tebow is on the roster. Last year the Jags had one sellout.

Fans would support this team for the simple reason that they love Tebow

Can you guess which game? It was when the Jets played the Jaguars with Tim Tebow on the sidelines as the backup. They still came to see him even though he would never get into the game. The best case scenario is this. With Tebow they can improve their running game, which will benefit the Jags best player Maurice Jones-Drew. With a running game that allows for their best player to flourish the Jags could be one of the NFL leaders in rushing. With a better run game it can help their mediocre defense by having them on the field for fewer snaps which will keep them fresher and cut down on the mistakes. Do I think if Tebow started all sixteen games that the Jaguars would be a playoff team, no. The division is too talented with both then Colts and Texans at the top, but I can see this team being an 8-8 team. That’s a lot better the 2-14 team we saw last season. Listen Jacksonville, the fans want Tebow, we’ve seen countless petitions and billboards to prove this. This is a franchise that needs money, attention, and a spark that Mr. Tebow can provide instantly. Sure this move will create a buzz in sports media, but seriously when was the last time someone talked about the Jaguars? Tebow in New York was a terrible mistake and a wasted opportunity by the Jets, but in Jacksonville he can become a Florida legend once again. It’s time for “Tebow magic” in the NFL, when Jacksonville realizes that Tim Tebow is their best option moving forward. Do you think the Jags should sign Tebow? DO you think Tebow will ever play QB in the pros again? Please answer the poll and voice your opinion.

The Greatest game you’ve never heard about

May 21, 2013May 23, 2013 / Rich Sports Talk / Leave a comment

For 12 innings Haddix was perfect

Baseball can be a cruel mistress. Just ask Harvey “Hard Luck Harv” Haddix. Never heard of him have you? Neither did I, but he is responsible for the greatest pitching performance in baseball history. Despite the most dominate performance a pitcher has ever had, he still lost the game. You’re probably saying “wait how can a pitching performance be so great if the guy lost”? It’s not like he threw a perfect game. Ah, but he did throw a perfect game, and more. On May 26, 1959, against the Milwaukee Braves, Haddix toed the rubber for the Pittsburgh Pirates. With just a fastball and a slider, the Braves couldn’t figure out the southpaw. Inning after inning, batter after batter, Haddix dominated the Braves potent lineup. Haddix said that “I could have put a cup on either side of the plate and hit it” and displayed pinpoint control with the baseball. Even with the Braves bullpen pitchers stealing the signs and telling the hitters what was coming, the Braves still couldn’t buy a hit. Finally, after 9 innings, Haddix had done it- 27 up 27 down- a perfect game, erh sort of. Despite the performance, the Pirates offense couldn’t score a single run in order to get Harvey the win. So what did he do, he kept pitching. Soon the 10th,11th, and 12th, innings flew by with Haddix still perfect. Finally, in the 13th, the pursuit of perfection was over. After an error by Don Hoak, a sac bunt, and a home run by Joe Adcock the shutout and no-hitter evaporated too. The game would end in a 2-0 loss for the Pirates and

With a record of 36 batters retired consecutively, Harvey has one streak that will never be beaten

With a record of 36 batters retired consecutively, Haddix has one streak that will never be beaten

Harvey’s performance was soon forgotten. How can we judge this performance? A record of 36 outs of pitching perfection, or a performance that should be forgotten without the win? Without question this was one of the greatest feats in baseball history. To get 27 outs in a row is almost impossible as it is, but 36? Think of all the factors that have to go into a perfect game. As human beings, we are designed to be imperfect, to have flaws. Baseball is a great representation of this because while a pitcher can be perfect, his team can be imperfect. The whole perfect game was broken up because of a fielding error. Trying to be perfect in an imperfect game filled with fielding errors, bloop singles, bad umpires, and bad luck is just a representation of what we have to through in life. If anything, Haddix has taught us all an important life lesson. No matter how perfect we are, we are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. Instead of blaming people for their imperfections, or in this case, costing a player the greatest pitching performance ever, you just have to let it go. It’s tough to do, but we have to accept that the past has already been written and that all we can do is be ready to write our future.

Hockey History: The Beast of New Haven

March 29, 2013November 4, 2013 / Rich Sports Talk / 1 Comment

The team that inspired my generation

April 9, 1993 was the end of an era for New Haven hockey when the New Haven Senators played their final game at the New Haven Coliseum. The Senators single season in the Elm City was one that’s often forgotten. When the Ottawa Senators bought the Night Hawks in 1992 they dropped the Night Hawks namesake, which was blasphemous among fans who supported the team for 20 years. The diehard Night Hawks’ fans despised the change so much that they decided not to attend Senator’s games. After a terrible lone season the Senators left and with them professional hockey in New Haven.

Fast forward to the summer of 1997, when David Gregory purchased the Carolina Monarchs brought a franchise back to New Haven. After years of an empty arena, a team would once again breathe life into the old Coliseum. Still this new team needed an identity. It was decided that the team would be called the “Beast” in order to pay homage to the city of New Haven. The Beast mascot symbolized the gothic architecture, especially the gargoyles, that the city was famous for. While this logo drew criticism for looking like a goofy gremlin, or a bad comic book character, to New Haven hockey fans it was a cool and unique look that represented the great history

A logo that creatively represented the great history of New Haven

of the city. The Beast colors were derived from their parent clubs, the Hurricanes and Panthers, and soon Beastmania swept the city. The games were soon packed and hockey was once again the pulse of the city. Heck the New Haven green even had Beast paw prints on the sidewalk! The new minor league club was one of the more talented rosters in the AHL as they went 71-68-14 in their tenure while also added a dimension the Constitution state. Now with two minor league teams in Hartford and New Haven it created a bitter rivalry between the two cities, a new dynamic that Connecticut had never experienced. While the Sound Tigers and Whale continue a similar rivalry today, Bridgeport vs. Hartford was nothing compared to New Haven vs. Hartford. We’ve battled it out for who should have been the capital and which city was the best in the state. The rivalry between the Wolf Pack and Beast went further than geography, but old hockey wounds. First, the Beast were the last piece of the Hartford Whalers to remain in the state which stirred up frustration since their was no NHL team in the state while also having people support the Beast since they were part of the former Whalers. Another reason this rivalry was so bitter was because of the Wolf Pack affiliation with the hated Rangers. Despite being told over and over again that the new minor league team would look nothing like the Rangers, it was funny how the Wolf Pack had the same colors and uniforms the Rangers had. This rivalry had everything from geography, passionate fans, and history.

The Beast left a lasting legacy on the Elm city

Throughout their run the Beast had great rivalries with Hartford, Springfield, and Providence and provided the city with the with the high level of hockey the city had missed for years. Sadly the Beast, much like their predecessors would not last. By the end of 1999 the Beast would end their run in New haven as they left the Coliseum. There were many reasons the Beast left, but the primary reason was the declining Coliseum that desperately needed a makeover. Other factors included a somewhat declining attendance, and a general lack of support from the city of New Haven especially the mayor. While they may be gone, and there are many people who can be blamed for their departure, the Beast left a great legacy that many people wonder what would have happened if they stayed? The Beast provided my generation with great hockey and helped to inspire generations of kids to lace up their skates and become hockey players. In my previous article (click the link) I talked about how the Beast provided the spark for their passion and love I have for sports today.

I can still remember the life-long memories of going to the games with my dad and that my ultimate goal was to be a Beast player when I grew up. While only certain fragments of the Beast remain today, this is the only live action I could find click here, for my generation their legacy will live on in our memories. While the city tried once again to revive hockey with the New Haven Knights in the United Hockey League they faced many problems like the Beast. First fans were frustrated with the drop from the AHL to UHL and did not support the team like they had with the Beast of Night Hawks. Confronted with frustrated fans, falling attendance, and the same Coliseum problems confronting previous tenants, predictably the Knights didn’t last. It’s been years since the Beast put on those Gargoyle jerseys and skated on the freshly polished Coliseum ice, but for me it seems just like yesterday. While they may be gone they will never be forgotten. Who was your favorite New Haven hockey team? Please take our poll below! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow my blog for my weekly posts. Please comment and let me know what topic you’d like me to write about. Thanks.

Gone but not forgotten, the ghosts of hockey in New Haven

March 19, 2013November 4, 2013 / Rich Sports Talk / 5 Comments

In downtown New Haven there is a large parking lot at the foot of the Knights of Columbus building. For most people it’s just a sea of tar filled with numerous slumbering automobiles. However, for diehard hockey fans this is hallowed ground.

The ghosts of New Haven hockey endure

For 30 years hockey legends were born on this spot as they continued a storied hockey tradition the began in the 1920s. This unassuming lot gave generations of young hockey players their first taste of professional hockey. From 1972-2007 the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum towered as a metal and concrete behemoth that many claimed was an eyesore for the New Haven skyline. However, you couldn’t judge this book by its cover. Despite its dreary and intimidating facade, the Coliseum’s heart is what made it special. There it provided a lifetime of memories and continued the storied tradition of professional hockey in the Elm city. While it may have been a dump, it was our dump. The memories the Coliseum provided spectators ranged from hockey games to concerts which provided them with some of their most cherished memories in their lives. It was the heart of downtown New Haven and provided an atmosphere filled with crazy and

This towering behemoth cannot by judged by its appearance

die heart fans that supported whoever called the 12,000 seat indoor insane asylum its home. The Nighthawks were by far the most famous and popular tenants who played for 20 seasons from 1972-1992 and made four appearances in the Calendar Cup Finals. The Nighthawks games soon became regular sellouts as fans flocked to see the future stars in the NHL come through the city of New Haven. The team became famous for playing welcome to the jungle which was appropriate for the steel and concrete jungle, especially for the fans in section 14.

For 20 years the Nighthawks became the heart and soul of New Haven

It became a major home ice advantage because of the passionate fans made the Coliseum an intimidating place to play. The seventies and eighties were the heyday for hockey in the city of New Haven. Since the early 1920s hockey helped to define the Elm city, but soon the tide began to turn. By the early nineties minor league sports in New Haven were being put on life support. It started with the Nighthawks ending their tenure in 1992 and being renamed the New Haven Senators. The change was very unpopular with the fan base, but what made it even worse was that after only one season the team decided to leave New Haven. For four years the Coliseum was dark until 1997 when a new team, The Beast of New Haven moved in.

1997 was the darkest year in Connecticut for hockey as the Hartford Whalers (click link) left the Nutmeg state to become the Carolina Hurricanes. Now minor league hockey was asked to fill the void left by the Whalers. For hockey fans it’s like going to a party and being told you must have non-alcoholic beverages after enjoying the real thing for decades. The Beast not only had to try to fill this impossible void but also got competition. The abandoned Civic Center in Hartford was filled with another minor league team, the Hartford Wolf Pack while Springfield was awarded the Springfield Falcons. Stiffer competition, an impossible void to fill, and a building that had been neglected by the city of New Haven were slowly killing the great hockey history of the city of New Haven. As a former hockey player and lifetime hockey fan I have

I’ll always remember watching the Beast with my dad and the great experiences we shared

to thank my father for taking me to my first hockey game. It was in 1997 when watched the Beast of New Haven defeat the Providence Bruins 4-2. I loved the Beast and can still remember meeting Peter Worrell, a hulking forward who became a superhero like figure. My dad always took me to as many games as possible and we would always sit behind the Beast net to root for my favorite player, goaltender Mike Fountain. While my dad took me to the games my mom helped make my bedroom a shrine to the hockey team. Heck one year I dressed as the Beast mascot for Halloween. While many people root for professional teams or college teams my team was my team. I would watch them on local tv and listen to every away game that I possibly could. My dream became to wear those white and blue uniforms with the giant Beast emblem on my chest in front of the hometown crowd. However, some dreams just don’t last forever.

In 1999 it was announced the Beast would be leaving and I was crushed. I sat teary eyed trying to figure out how could my heroes just be leaving? A nine-year old kid at the time, I couldn’t comprehend the situation and wondered why were they leaving me? I now know it was because Mayor Destefano refused to renovate the coliseum and didn’t see the importance of keeping minor league hockey in New Haven. He didn’t appreciate the rich history that he was destroying for generations of fans in the Elm city.The state also invested in the new arenas built at Mohegan Sun and in Bridgeport which soon made the Coliseum obsolete. Why play at a deteriorating arena when a franchise could play at a brand spanking new one filled with all the bells and whistles? With the death of the Beast, the clock was striking midnight for hockey in New Haven. With their passing the last shred of the former Hartford Whalers was taken away from Connecticut. While the New Haven Knights became the new tenant in 2000, the drop from AHL to UHL hockey was noticeable. The reason people didn’t come to games was because the UHL did not have the talent or pedigree of hockey that the AHL had. Like the Whalers why should the fans just accept a decrease in the level of hockey then they were used to? In the AHL you had future NHL stars on every roster, but in the UHL you’d be hard pressed to find players who had a future in the NHL. I even tried to get into the Knights and while I did enjoy their games it just wasn’t the same.

This is what I pictured myself doing when I grew up and the uniform I would wear

Three years later the Knights would ride off into the sunset and with them New Haven’s hockey legacy. Our beloved old Coliseum was finally taken off life support in the early morning hours of January 20th, 2007 (link to watch implosion). I watched the destruction with my parents at my side as we watched almost a decade of memories collapse in 10 seconds. The life of the coliseum defined my hockey career as it began with the Beast and ended in 2007 with the Coliseum after I finally surrendered to my battle with concussions and hung up my pads for good. It’s been years since I first took the escalator from the upstairs parking garage down into the Coliseum and I will never forget it. I still can smell the hotdogs, Zamboni fumes, and the roaring crowds chanting “sieve, sieve, sieve” after every Beast goal. The song machine head followed by a booming voice that filled the cavernous arena with Ladies and gentleman! Here are your Beast of New Haven! To be honest the Beast began my longtime love affair with sports and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be writing this today. The Coliseum created a lifetime of memories, especially with my father.

I felt like the luckiest kid in the world to be sitting in the stands with him as we went back and forth about the game. I wish the Coliseum was still there to inspire the next generation of young hockey fans. While Yale and Quinnipiac certainly have certainly helped to fill the void, the next generation of New Haveners will never get to experience the same joy that my generation was privileged enough to enjoy. I always come back to those experiences that I enjoyed with my dad and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. Now every time I head south on State Street and pass the gravesite of the once mighty Coliseum I can still visualize the concrete and steel racing towards the heavens while hearing thousands explode into cheers after a Beast goal. I can still remember ascending the massive escalators as I would look up into my father’s blue eyes and say “thank you for taking me to the game”. Then the images and sounds fade away as the sea of asphalt comes back into view. I always have to fight off a tear as I thank the Coliseum for the memories.

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