Should He Stay Or Should He Go (LBJ)?

For those of you who have never been or lived in Cleveland Ohio you may not be aware of the potential impact of Lebron James free agency. The city and its people are terrified that he will leave. It's not just about bringing the elusive championship back to Cleveland after a VERY long hiatus, it's about money. For Dan Gilbert who owns the Cavs it means the difference between his team being worth $400 million or $250 million, dollars that is. One man makes the team worth $150 million more, any wonder he gets a max contract with max years?

Lets talk about the impact to the city and its economy now. The Mayor, Frank Jackson has been quoted talking to the impact, he projects a 20 to 30% decrease in the downtown areas business if LBJ leaves. Now I have not done the math nor care too but that sounds like a bunch of money to me. Anyone aware of the financial situation in Cleveland? I'll lay a hint on you , it's awful!!! So now the city would have less incoming money and zero hopes of a championship run. Lets face it , Holmgren will need at least 3-5 years to undo what the prior GM did and the Tribe sells players off faster than an Enron officer selling stock before the fall.

So why would the King come back, that was my real point before I went off on a tangent. I believe that the era of needing to be in big markets such as NY, LA or Chicago is over. We use this new device called the Internet for all of our news, heck this blog will be on my phone when I hit submit. Lets say I'm wrong for the naysayer's point of view, the Cavs are owned partly by JianHua Huang out of China, the worlds largest market. He is the same man who also brokered a deal with the dreaded Yanks, yeah he knows what sells. So this large market deal is covered either way.

Let's talk about the important stuff, money. The maximum amount of money a player can sign for is contingent on the number of years that player has played and the total of the salary cap. The maximum salary of a player with 6 or fewer years of experience is $9,000,000 or 25% of the total salary cap (2009-10: $14,472,500). For a player with 7–9 years of experience, the maximum is $11,000,000 or 30% of the cap (2009-10: $17,310,000), and for a player with 10+ years of experience, the maximum is $14,000,000 or 35% of the cap (2008-2009: $20,195,000).

Perhaps the most well-known of the NBA's salary cap exceptions, it is so named because the Celtics were the first team permitted to exceed the salary cap to re-sign one of their own players (in that case, Larry Bird). Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "qualifying veteran free agents" or "Bird Free Agents" in the CBA, and this exception falls under the auspices of the Veteran Free Agent exception. In essence, the Larry Bird exception allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents, at an amount up to the maximum salary. This means an additional $30 Million over the entire length of the deal for the King, if money is important to him? He once was quoted as saying he wants to be as rich a Warren Buffet.

With all of this money talk I'd like to switch gears. Lebron loves his family, friends and the city he grew up in. He has won two MVP's and he celebrated the first in his high school and the second at the place where he played in the states for his high school team. He has an enormous house in Akron, built to his needs. Mom, wife and children live there. He talks of the pains of growing up in Cleveland and not winning it all, he knows how chumps like you and I feel. What I am trying to summarize here is loyalty.

I do want to address his other suitors. The Nets with Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov along with long time LBJ friend Jay-Z want the King bad , no doubt. Here's the problem, they stink and need 2 or 3 other legit players to make a serious run. I was terrified about the Bulls taking a run at him, good nucleus with Rose, Noah, Lang and crew. If they could have got Phil Jackson I thought they'd have an edge, unfortunately for them he said no interest all ready. The real dagger comes from D. Wade saying "the Bulls are not loyal to their players." This may have turned off more than Bron. The Clippers, I will not even answer to this. Terrible franchise with cheap owners will not do it for LBJ. The Mavs have a serious owner but I can't see Dirk leaving and LBJ coming. That means LBJ picks up Dirk's nightmares, let's face it the Cavs are closer.

So...tell me where you think he goes and why? I say he stays in Cleveland for a max contract and before it's over he gets 1 ring minimum. If they can lure Phil Jackson, insert the triangle offense and maybe get a point guard that can distribute the ball I like their chances.

Interviewing With Yzerman: The Rumored Short List Of Lightning Coaches

Most fans in the hockey world are aware by now that Hall of Fame Center Steve Yzerman has been hired as General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.  A hiring on the part of new Lightning Owner Jeff Vinik that has met with approval in the hockey community thus far.  Whether the pedigree of the great "Stevie Y" the player will translate to an equally great GM remains to be seen, but there's no questioning the tutelage he's studied under in Detroit.

With the announcement of a GM, Tampa fans now look to their newfound architect anxiously awaiting the nomination of a Head Coach.  Yzerman has stated he is not afraid to think outside the box on his decision, seemingly indicating he will forego the usual veteran coaching suspects for a coach with little to no NHL head coaching experience.  Since Yzerman's fateful May 25th hiring the rumored short list of coaching prospects appears to be the following:

Kevin Dineen - Dineen (Age-46) is rumored to be of interest to both the Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Dineen hails from a hockey family with two brothers and a father that also have NHL experience.  Kevin was a captain on several NHL squads and even played under his own father Bill when he was coaching the Philadelphia Flyers in 1992-93.

Dineen is a close friend of Yzerman, and is a successful American Hockey League coach with a record of 219-131-50 behind the bench for the Portland Pirates.  His Pirates teams have advanced to the finals twice.

Guy Boucher - 2009-2010 was Boucher's (Age-38) rookie season as an AHL Head Coach with the Hamilton Bulldogs.  Boucher went on to win the Pieri Memorial Award for coach of the year.  Hired by the Montreal Canadiens after coaching success in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Boucher led a Bulldogs squad that was often depleted by player assignments to Montreal to a 52-17-11 record.  His squad lost 4 games to 3 in the conference finals.  Boucher attended McGill University earning a degree in History and a graduate in Sports Psychology.

Scott Arniel - Arniel (Age-47) has coached the AHL Manitoba Moose for the past 4 seasons winning the Pieri Memorial Award for coach of the year in 2008-2009.  Arniel, who played 11 seasons in the NHL, later went on to become an assistant coach in the minors before earning a stint as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres from 2002-2006.  Arniel has compiled a solid record of 181-106-33 as coach of the Moose taking his squad to the finals once.

Gerard Gallant - Gallant (Age-46) is also a close friend of Yzerman having played 10 seasons with him in Detroit.  Gallant spent 2 seasons as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to his midseason promotion to Head Coach in the 2003-2004 season after Doug MacLean stepped aside to assume full time GM duties.  Gallant would coach the Jackets for just 147 games earning a record of 56-81-6 before he was replaced by Ken Hitchcock in the middle of the 2006-2007 season.

Gallant went on to become an assistant coach with the New York Islanders from 2007-2009 before taking a head coaching position in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs for their 2009-2010 season.  Gallant led his squad to their first President's Cup Final and earned a league high 109 points in the regular season.  He was also named 2010 Canadian Hockey League coach of the year.

Mike Haviland - Haviland (Age-42) was an East Coast Hockey League Head Coach with Atlantic City from 2001-2004 guiding the team to 3 straight playoff appearances with a championship in the 2002-2003 season.  He then went on to coach ECHL Trenton to a championship in 2004-2005.

Haviland compiled an impressive record of 172-81-35 as an ECHL Head Coach before moving on to run the bench as an AHL Head Coach with the Norfolk Admirals from 2005-2007 and with the Rockford IceHogs in the 2007-2008 season.  He compiled a coaching record of 137-77-26 in the AHL which led to his current hiring as Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach since 2008.

Haviland is often credited with the development of Hawks forward Dustin Byfuglien who made the position change from defense to wing a few seasons ago.

Other rumored prospects include various Detroit Red Wings assistant coaches though these names seem less likely especially since Yzerman has hinted that he would rather not poach from the Wings organization.

So who do you think should be the next Lightning Head Coach?

Kopecky Scores Game Winner In Sloppy 6-5 Chicago Victory

Tomas Kopecky filled in for injured Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Ladd in a big way scoring the game winning goal in the 3rd period.  The Kopecky-Versteeg-Bolland line buzzed around the Flyers defensive zone all night pursuing loose pucks and playing well along the boards.  Each forward on the line would earn a goal and assist for their efforts in a 6-5 Chicago victory.

Goaltending and defensive miscues were the central theme throughout most of Game 1 of the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Finals.  Flyers goalie Michael Leighton seemed to have difficulty following the puck in giving up 5 goals on just 20 shots.  Brian Boucher recovered from injury just in time to fill in for Leighton allowing 1 goal on 12 shots.  Blackhawks tender Antti Niemi had his own lapses taking bad angles and dropping low in the net too often.  A trait that the skilled Flyers offense took advantage of throughout the 1st and 2nd period.

The Hawks defense struggled with breakout passes and coverage throughout the first two periods.  Philadelphia defenseman Chris Pronger mixed it up with physical Blackhawks forward Dustin Byfuglien frequently as the Toews-Kane-Byfuglien were held pointless at game end.  Flyers center Danny Briere played like a man possessed posting 1 goal and 3 assists while also backchecking effectively.  Flyers forwards Ville Leino and Scott Hartnell crashed the net and put pucks in front of the crease.

Hawks winger Marian Hossa is looking to make his third Finals appearance the charm with determined play that earned him two assists.  His linemate Troy Brouwer posted 2 goals both of which were lightning quick one timers on some deft passes.  Brouwer would also chip in an assist for a 3 point game.

Overall it was a physical game between two teams that didn't seem to settle in until the 3rd period.  Some Stanley Cup jitters were evident on both squads, but that should improve with the experience behind the bench for these teams.

So who does Philly start in between the pipes for Game 2 Monday night?

Will we see another pond hockey special or will we see better defensive coverage next game?

Blackhawks Seek To End 49 Year Drought

1961.  The last time the city of Chicago could claim Stanley Cup Champion as their title.  Rudy Pilous would go on to coach his Hawks squad to a 4-2 series win against Sid Abel's Detroit Red Wings.  The only time in the 25 year existence of the Original Six Era that a team other than Montreal, Detroit, or Toronto would win.

Tonight in Chicago, the Blackhawks seek to end their 49 year drought against a Philadelphia Flyers team that hasn't won in 35 years (1974-75).  It will be the first time in NHL history the two teams have met in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Neither team has been in the Finals since the 90's.  Meanwhile it's the third straight season that Hawks forward Marian Hossa has advanced to the Finals for his third team (though he has yet to actually win one).  For Philly defenseman Chris Pronger this makes a 3rd Finals appearance in the last 5 years.

Team Breakdown:

Scoring:  The Flyers have more depth at Center, but the Hawks have significantly more depth and experience at Wing.  Jeff Carter's (GP-6 G-4 A-1 Pts.-5) return was a big factor in Philly's Eastern Conference series win against Montreal while the phenomenal play of Jonathan Toews (GP-16 G-7 A-19 Pts.-26) helped the Hawks steamroll through San Jose in the Western Conference Finals.  RW Marian Hossa needs to step his game up with only 2 goals in 16 games.

Edge:  Chicago

Defense:   Philly's Chris Pronger has put up stout numbers offensively (GP-17 G-4 A-10 Pts.-14), but was defensively suspect at times against Montreal.  Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen, and Matt Carle have all put up excellent plus-minus numbers throughout the playoffs.  Duncan Keith has been a beast for the Blackhawks doing whatever it takes to stop shots including taking a puck to his teeth.  Brent Seabrook and Brent Sopel have played well as has the surprising Niklas Kjalmarsson, but Brian Campbell has failed to live up to his offensive billing thus far with only 3 assists in 16 games.  Philly just seems to have a little more depth.

Edge:  Philadelphia

Goaltending:  Flyers goalie Brian Boucher returns in time to play backup to a hot hand in Michael Leighton who boasts an astounding .945 save percentage in 8 games posting 3 shutouts while filling in for Boucher due to injury.  Chicago goalie Antti Niemi (GP-16 G.A.A.-2.33 Sv Pct.-.921) played a large role in the Hawks dispatching San Jose with several acrobatic puck stopping displays.  What Leighton's stats don't indicate were the lack of genuine quality scoring opportunities against as the Flyers defense consistently kept Montreal's forwards on the perimeter.

Edge:  Chicago

Coaching:  Flyers coach Peter Laviolette leads his second squad to the Finals in the past 5 years.  Laviolette hoisted the cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-2006 and boasts a 32-22 Postseason record.  Hawks coach Joel Quenneville ought to understand that regular season success doesn't always equate to playoff success.  The "Q Stache" as Quenneville's affectionately known has compiled over 500 regular season victories yet this is the first time he's ever coached a team to the Finals.  He boasts a playoff record of 63-57.  Quenneville has the edge in experience while Laviolette is a proven Stanley Cup veteran.

Edge:  Even

Prediction:  The Hawks are firing on all cylinders after a slow start to the playoffs.  Hawks In Five.