Author Archive
AB & KA: Why the Sharks-Stars Rivalry Will Return in Full Force
Posted: 12th November 2009 by Andy Bensch in NHL
With the San Jose Sharks and the Dallas Stars going head-to-head for the first time this season on Thursday, Ken Armer (the Stars featured columnist) and myself decided to preview the season series. But first, a trip down memory lane.
Can the rivalry from the 1990's return in full force?
Throughout the mid-to-late 90Æs, there was no other team that Sharks fans hated more than the Dallas Stars. Whether it was their ...
The San Francisco 49ers came into the 2009 season as a run-first, run-second, pass-if-necessary type of football team.
Why did they start the season that way? Because their best player wears a jersey with No. 21 on the back.
Everyone who claims to be part of the San Francisco "faithful" knows that the 49ers offense is centered around tailback Frank Gore.
Wait, check that. Everyone who claims to be an NFL fan knows ...
On Oct. 30, 2008, an extremely unknown rookie winger was playing in just his second career game.
After receiving just 5:35 in ice time two days earlier in his first career game, it wasn't likely that Jamie McGinn would see much more time on the rink against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings.
But while playing just a little over seven minutes, McGinn scored his first career goal to give ...
The 200th Article: Why My Love for Hockey Has Surpassed My Love for Baseball
Posted: 9th November 2009 by Andy Bensch in NHL
Ever since my Bleacher Report profile started creeping up towards the 200th article, I started wondering about what topic to cover for the milestone piece.
I ended up going back and forth between just writing another standard article about either one of my three favorite teams, or acknowledging the 200th blog with a special, thought-provoking story.
Well, in a last ditch effort to try and receive the coveted "article of the day" ...
Dan Boyle: San Jose Sharks Defenseman is Just Danny Being Danny
Posted: 8th November 2009 by Andy Bensch in NHL
If there is any Shark who hates losing more or works harder than Dan Boyle, I haven't heard of him.
Boyle, who came to the Sharks in an offseason trade prior to last season, made his first ever all-star appearance in his first year in teal.
However, for the former Stanley Cup champion, a wasted chance at another ring during last year's playoffs was simply inexcusable in Boyle's mind.
At the "State ...
Even though the San Jose Sharks have yet to win a Stanley Cup in the 17 seasons since their inception, their have still been a multitude of players who mean the world to the San Jose faithful.
Multiple playoff appearances, including major upsets in the team's first five seasons, and a current string of five straight playoff births have made for an extremely long list of fan favorites.
Whether its the team's ...
San Francisco Giants Can Offer Jason Bay a Nice Spot in the Bay Area
Posted: 4th November 2009 by Andy Bensch in MLB
Word around the streets of MLB is that free-agent hitter's don't put the San Francisco Giants anywhere near the top of their list because AT&T Park isn't a "hitter's" park.
Well, if it isn't a "hitters" park, then how come Pablo "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval hit a blistering .361 at AT&T, and just .301 on the road?
How come the entire Giants offense fared much better at home then on the ...
After winning five straight games, the San Jose Sharks find themselves with a 10-4-1 record and the second overall spot in the western conference.
Lost in the midst of their domination over the past couple of weeks is that the Sharks are battling serious injury issues. Three of their top seven forwards are out with injuries. Devin Setoguchi, Joe Pavelski, and Torrey Mitchell are all battling various ailments.
Without these three forwards, ...
San Francisco 49ers: What in the World is Mike Singletary Doing?
Posted: 1st November 2009 by Andy Bensch in NFL
When 49ers head coach Mike Singletary took over as interim head coach midway through last season, he wasted no time getting the 49ers faithful on his side. In just his first game, he switched from an awful quarterback in J.T. O'Sullivan to fan-favorite Shaun Hill, whipped Vernon Davis into shape, and gave a powerful postgame press conference.
The demeanor, intensity, and winning attitude of the Hall-of-Fame linebacker-turned-head coach was a drastic ...
San Jose Sharks: First Goal of the Year Was Vintage Ryane Clowe
Posted: 31st October 2009 by Andy Bensch in NHL
When Ryane Clowe gave the San Jose Sharks a 1-0 lead with six seconds remaining in the second period on Friday, it was only fitting that he scored on his back-hand, on a rebound and from right beside the net.
That type of score is exactly what fans have come to expect from No. 29, and his first marker of the season was simply Clowe doing what Clowe does best, attacking ...