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The consensus is that the first three positions discussed in this series—tackle, linebacker, and cornerback—were the ones of greatest need and those the team should look to the draft to upgrade: The reason they have become needs is the team has reached a point of diminishing returns for at least one player at each position because of age.
The reality is that the Packers biggest need is actually special teams. The ...
San Jose Sharks: Why Joe Thornton’s Injury Is a Good Thing
Posted: 29th March 2010 by MJ Kasprzak in NHL
Joe Thornton is the leading scorer for the San Jose Sharks.
Not just this season, either: Jumbo has scored more points as a Shark than anyone else every year except his first (2005-06) in Teal, when he joined two months into the season. That season, he led the entire league and still gave Patrick Marleau and Jonathan Cheechoo a run for their money in Sharks scoring.
He had also played ...
San Jose Sharks Clinch Playoffs For Sixth Consecutive Season
Posted: 27th March 2010 by MJ Kasprzak in NHL
Coach Todd McLellan said all the right things during the recent losing streak.
He said the team had to play 60 minutes, be smart with the puck, get pucks deep, and be willing to pay the price to make the smart and simple plays. When he was not satisfied with the performances, he stepped up the intensity of practices.
He talked about the process, not making too much of the first couple ...
What a difference a fortnight makes.
On March 13, the Sharks went into the last game of their homestand having set an NHL record with three consecutive third-period comeback victories. Two of these comebacks even happened against probable playoff teams.
The Sharks had a comfortable double-digit lead in the standings on the Phoenix Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings. With 15 games to play, a top-two seed in the Western Conference seemed a ...
Top Free-Agent Running Back Candidates for Green Bay Packers
Posted: 22nd March 2010 by MJ Kasprzak in NFL
At the three more pressing positions of need for the Green Bay Packers—offensive tackle , outside linebacker , and cornerback —there is a need for younger players. Aging players who are breaking down hold those positions, and an upgrade is required soon if not now.
This is not the case at running back. Ryan Grant is signed for a couple more years and making enough that the team is not looking ...
San Jose Sharks Get Jump on Playoffs, Start Choking Now
Posted: 19th March 2010 by MJ Kasprzak in NHL
The Sharks are widely recognized as the most talented team in the league, and their regular season record over the past three seasons (best in the league) reflects it.
The Sharks are also widely recognized as the biggest chokers once the playoffs start. We can debate whether they should be labeled the biggest, but it is indisputable they have choked, something I have outlined definitively before.
It has come (in order) from ...
The Matt Cooke hit inspired the league to change the rules on head-hunting, but Anaheim's James Wisniewski apparently did not get the message. Wednesday, he lined up Brent Seabrook on the boards and targeted his head (view here ).
He should have gotten a match penalty for the hit on a defenseless player and an ejection. Instead, he received a two-minute minor.
When asked if he would face a suspension, he said, "I hope not," ...
Sharks-Stars: Nabokov, San Jose Look for Sixth Straight Win in Dallas
Posted: 16th March 2010 by MJ Kasprzak in NHL
The San Jose Sharks travel to Dallas Tuesday, where they have won five in a row. Evgeni Nabokov is 8-0-0 with a 1.43 GAA in his last nine starts at the American Airlines Center.
This season against the Stars, the Sharks have two shootout losses at home to go with their 4-2 road win. They enter this game on an unimpressive 4-4-1 run despite playing five games at home, four against ...
Green Bay Packers 2010 Draft: Three Suggestions, Three Alternatives
Posted: 13th March 2010 by MJ Kasprzak in NFL
For full information on the reasoning that determined my selections for this article, please visit my series on PackerChatters . My top choices for the draft as follows (in order):
Offensive tackle is the most important need, and the best chance to get a starter there is Trent Williams, assuming that Russell Okung, Anthony Davis, and Brian Bulaga are not available without giving away too much (a safe assumption since all ...
In the first edition of this article, I examined the pricey, dominant defense I would have signed if I had an unlimited budget with my expansion team, the Los Angeles Crusaders, in this uncapped year. It is assembled entirely of the best free agents, and the premise is all were signed immediately upon being available at whatever the cost.
In this edition, I name my offense...for a more realistic application of the ...