Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Sports Sins: NHL

by Eric Berkenpas

Photo cred www.torontosun.com

Every sport has a very exhaustive set of rules by which that particular sport is to be governed. In Baseball, pitchers must pitch from 60' 6" away from home plate. In Football, only 11 players are allowed on the field from each team at any given time. In Soccer, the goalie is the only player who is allowed to touch the ball with his/her hands. In Hockey, you are not allowed to 1) leave your skates to make a check or 2) have the principle point of contact for a check be someone's head. Well boys and girls, Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks seems to skim over those rules whenever he reads through the NHL rule book, because once again, he fell victim to the Shanahammer with a big ol' Shanaban that will sit him for the remainder of their current series.

Photo cred www.usatoday.com

Raffi Torres is no stranger to league disciplinarians. He has been knocked for headshots to Jan Hejda, Brent Seabrook, Jordan Eberle and of course Marian Hossa just last year which resulted in a 25 game suspension that carried over to the beginning of this season (and got reduced to 21 games). The NHL has been taking serious strides over the last several years to try to protect players as head injuries have been happening more and more. After the 2004-2005 lockout, rules changed in the league to open up the rink and speed up the game in an attempt to make it more exciting for the fans and more importantly, bring in more fans. The plan worked to bring in more fans, but the cost was a decrease in player safety. The new rules removed a lot of protection that players had. The trapezoid behind the net serves as an area that goalies cannot play the puck outside of, forcing the defense to have to play more pucks behind the goal line, meaning they are more frequently in a vulnerable position against the boards for a check. The two-line pass rule was removed to open up the neutral zone which in turn sped up play through that zone making for bigger open ice hits. These things, among others, are currently being looked into and new ways are likely going to be created for protecting players because new rules alone are clearly not doing the trick...case in point: Raffi Torres.

Let's look at the hit:

          

Doesn't take eagle vision to see that Torres was clearly targeting Stoll's head the entire time. Just a year ago, this is the hit that really earned Torres a bad rep:

          

For the sake of your time and space on this article, I will not post videos of all his other illegal hits, but you get the point. There is no room in the NHL for this type of play. These players all do this for a living and most of them have families and a long life to live after hockey is over. Brain injuries are notorious for causing very long term damage and side effects that can sometimes last forever. There are not many players in the league right now who play with this kind of unharnessed aggression and carelessness but for the ones that are, and Raffi Torres is most definitely one of them, their place in the league needs to be very seriously assessed. If you ask me, I think the guy should be tossed from the league. He has shown over and over and over again that he just doesn't care about the safety of others or simply does not have the self control and restraint to stop himself. Either way, he is a danger to everyone around him and has enough of a history of incidents to, in my mind, warrant his removal. There is not a single group of people or individuals who benefit from injuries and while many are accidental and cannot be helped, this one could have.

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Eyes Don't Lie...Or Do They?

By Ryan Frisco

Photo Cred www.rotoask.com

We've seen blown calls before.  It happens in all sports.  They all have some sort of referee that monitors the play and makes the calls.  Usually, they get it right.  Sometimes, they're a bit off.  Other times, they're off their rockers.  We know what calls I'm talking about.  I'm talking about calls like umpire Jim Joyce blowing a call at first base that cost Armando Galarraga a Perfect Game and No-Hitter all at once.  I'm talking about the referees calling a touchdown catch for Golden Tate instead of an interception for M.D. Jennings, which cost Green Bay a game they should have won.  And, most recently, I'm talking about Marty Foster calling a delayed Strike 3 on Ben Zobrist on a pitch that clearly was well outside and in the dirt.  The call ended the 1-run game with the tying run on base.  Zobrist and Manager Joe Madden were clearly, and rightfully, enraged.  Have a peak!

Unbelievable! In what world was that ever a strike?!  There are really no words to describe that event.  The ball was no where near the strike zone.  Ben Zobrist knew that, that's why he threw the bat on his way to first, since it was ball four.  Joe Nathan knew that, as you can see him mouth the word 'Wow' on his way in from the mound.  Marty Foster knew that, as post game comments have included him stating, "I saw the pitch, and, of course I don't have the chance to do it again, but had I a chance to do it again, I wouldn't call that pitch a strike."

Photo Cred www.mlb.com

What are we supposed to do now?  What do you do with an umpire who so clearly missed a call?  Football has instant replay, but baseball can't incorporate anything like that into calling balls and strikes.  That's part of the game, but it's usually not so blatantly horrible.  Should any action be taken against umpires with calls this absurd? You be the judge, let me here your thoughts on this call!  All I have to say to Marty Foster is C'MON MAN!!

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Dodge, Dip, DUCK, Dive and Dodge

By Ryan Frisco

Does anyone remember the timeless Ben Stiller/Vince Vaughn classic movie Dodgeball?  In it, when the characters are trying to learn the game of dodgeball, they watch an old tutorial of the game courtesy of Patches O'Hoolahan.  He lived by the 5 D's of Dodgeball: Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive and Dodge.  I'm pretty sure Ilya Bryzgalov watched this tutorial when learning to be a goalie, and he really paid attention to the 'Duck' section.  Please, watch this video!

Did you see that?!  Bryzgalov DUCKED away from the puck, letting it easily into the goal!!  I mean, it's not like he's wearing a thousand pounds of padding or anything, along with a hockey mask that will stop the Terminator's hand from poking him in the eye.  Seriously man, that right there is embarrassing. Had I been coach, I would have had a hard time keeping him in after that.

Fortunately, the Flyers made a great comeback in the game to win and keep their streak alive.  I poke fun at Bryz, but for the record he has been the best player on the Flyers the majority of the season and is a HUGE part of why they are in the running for a playoff spot.  He has been solid.  But seriously man, your job is to protect the net.  C'MON MAN!

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

The Brawl to End All Brawls

By Ryan Frisco

So here we are, middle of March.  Spring is in the air.  The MLB is back to the diamond.  Everything's right with the world.  So, it just makes sense to have all of the countries come together for the World Baseball Classic.  Have a nice friendly baseball tournament, sort of like the FIFA World Cup in soccer or the Olympics.  Everyone gets along, right?  Uhh, well let's watch the below video and see what happened.

(If you want to get right to the action skip to the 1 minute 15 second mark)

Wow.  Did not see that coming.  So Canada and Mexico are in a tight grudge match...wait, what's that?  Oh, the score was 9-3?  Why in the world were emotions so high? Why were guys throwing at each other? 



Photo Cred www.bostonglobe.com

So, in the rules of the World Baseball Classic, the tie breaker goes to the team that has scored the most runs thus far in the tournament.  In this game, Canada was already up 9-3 in the ninth inning, but proceeded to do everything they could to score more runs, helping them if they were to encounter a tie down the road.  Mexico did not take too kindly to this, and the closer Arnold Leon, egged on by third baseman Luis Cruz, threw inside twice to batter Rene Tosoni before hitting him. 

Photo Cred www.mlb.com



The rest, as you see, is history.  I can't remember so much violence in one fight before, not since Pedro Martinez shoved Don Zimmer's face in the ground.  All in all 7 players were ejected, and I'm sure have fines coming their way. 

In the end, what is supposed to be a peaceful gathering of nations to play some baseball and entertain the masses turned into a war between Canada and Mexico.  In America, I'm sitting smack dab in the middle of the pair.  I wonder which side the USA should take?  C'MON GUYS!

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

And the Oscar Goes to...

by Eric Berkenpas

Photo cred www.stylisheve.com

Over the past couple years, Professional Soccer seems to have started impacting the NHL. How so? One word: diving. It has become so bad that refs have been told to start issuing penalties to players they deemed to have embellished a hit in order to get a call. Those of you who want to try to defend soccer and say there is no diving, please just come to the realization. It may not be as prevalent in the EPL, but when the World Cup and Euro come around, diving becomes a strategy adopted by may players and even some teams and it taints the great sport that is soccer.

Now, the NHL is beginning to experience this issue. While it has been present for awhile, it was never a very big deal as it happened very infrequently. This year, and especially recently, diving and embellishment has been hitting the headlines. This past Sunday night after Canadiens defeated the Bruins, Claude Julien, head coach of the Bruins, lashed out on the Canadiens and the amount of diving and embellishment they do on the ice. He had this to say. "It's frustrating because tonight, as everybody saw, there's a lot of embellishment. This is embarrassing for our game, the embellishing. And right now they've got over 100 power plays so far and it's pretty obvious why. We're trying to clean that out of our game, and its got to be done soon."

Photo cred www.zimbio.com

The specific incident that was the focal point of his rant was a hit by Shawn Thornton on P.K. Subban, who has a track record of being accused of diving. Thornton threw a hit on Subban along the boards and Subban appeared to launch himself into the boards and embellish the hit by falling dramatically to the ice. What was the result? Shawn Thornton gets assessed a major penalty giving the Canadiens a 5 minute powerplay when, as Julien would argue, the Bruins should have been awarded a 2 minute powerplay for the dive. Take whichever side you want because the dive is not as obvious when you watch the video as everyone is making it out to be, but there is a lot of truth to the outrage.

Take this hit for example. Same day, Buffalo Sabres are playing the NY Rangers. Rangers go on a powerplay and for some reason, Sabres coach Ron Rolston puts Patrick Kaleta, a goon, on the penalty kill. To no ones astonishment, Kaleta took the opportunity presented to him to crosscheck Brad Richard from behind into the boards head first. Watch for yourself:

                    

 Now I don't want to downplay how dangerous of a hit this is, but both players were not carrying much speed towards the boards and Richards did not make that bad of impact against the boards. After hitting the boards, Richards, as you can see, was writhing in pain as if he just got stabbed in the chest by a sword. What this video doesn't show is that after the refs get everything under control and get the game going again, Brad Richards jumps on the ice for the next shift as if nothing happened.

Photo cred ballsoutinpublic.wordpress.com

Obviously, this is not an easy penalty to call. When things happen as fast as they do in the NHL, it's hard for any ref to see what actually happened. There really is no easy fix to the problem other than urging refs to become more aware and watch more closely for the dives. What should not happen very often at all that is happening far too much is refs calling coincidental minors on these dives. If a player embellishes a clean hit to get a call, the dive is a penalty, the hit is not. If a player tries to draw a tripping penalty by diving, the dive is a penalty, there cannot be a trip. These coincidental minors are not going to give anyone incentive to stop diving because there is no real penalty to the team, only yourself. It's worth the shot to try to draw a penalty if the worst that will happen is a 4 on 4. Refs need to be more astute and take this stuff out of the game before it  becomes too prevalent and diminishes the greatness and quality of the game like it did with soccer.

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Role Model of the Year Takes Trip to Penalty Box

By Caleb Musselman



As you may know, our “Boom goes the Dynamite” section usually goes to an athlete who displays some type of embarrassing performance. This week we are giving it to someone just a bit less athletic. After a Pee Wee hockey game in Vancouver last week, head coach Martin Tremblay used some interesting tactics during the postgame handshake. Check it out:

Now, despite being one of the funniest videos of the month, this trip deserves a second look. Watch it again.

Photo Cred www.feeblefather.com

First, it appears that “Coach” Tremblay’s team has won the contest. A few of his 11-12 year old players are pumping up the crowd in a victorious display of picturesque sportsmanship. Second, watch how all the young middle school players seem to be cordially exchanging handshakes and high fives as they glide through the line. Third, notice how Mr. Tremblay moves a bit quicker than the other coaches in getting through the line almost as if he has his sights set on a certain individual. Then, BOOM! In a quintessential moment of sportsmanship and valor, the biggest kid on the ice sweeps the leg and takes down his intended target as well as his little friend. Two kids with one leg. This is a truly remarkable feat. But he’s not done! Tremblay then proceeds to point and yell in the direction of the foe who he just felled.

Photo Cred www.canada.com

Now……where to start? Martin Tremblay, the role model of the year, has some anger issues. What could have possibly happened during that game that boiled his blood enough to take out an innocent opponent? Did one of the boys skate past the bench and tell him his hair looked bad? Or that his jacket was too big for him? Or even worse, that his momma’s so fat she uses double bladed hockey skates??!! What could possibly have happened that irked only him and not his pre-pubescent players?





Photo Cred www.colorlines.com



As this video leaked onto the internet and spread quicker than athlete’s foot in a boy’s locker room, Martin Tremblay was summoned to court. He pleaded guilty to assault charges and was sentenced to 15 days in jail. As he serves a major for his double minor trip (heh heh), Tremblay has found himself on ESPN.





Congratulations Martin, you’ve made a name for yourself. Despite your mediocre high school wrestling career, you’ve found a way to make the ESPN top ten. Wait, the not top ten. Either way, you’ve found your fame and fortune. When Tremblay is released he’ll be placed on the registered tripping offenders list. Wear your shin guards kids, Tremblay got the taste of fame and now he wants more.



Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Andrew Bynum: The Great Philosophizer 

By Ryan Frisco

This section is devoted each week to an embarrassing performance by a professional athlete.

Oh, Andrew Bynum.  You come into Philly with so much hype, and do nothing but disappoint.  Dude, you're 24 years old with the knees of someone 80 years old after two failed double knee replacements.  Seriously?  When will we ever see you out on the court in 76ers gear?

Bynum graced the listing of our Not column two weeks ago.  In that instance, he was fresh off his loser statement regarding his potential return to the court.  "It doesn't really matter to me when I start playing again," or something like that.  Yeah, it doesn't matter to anyone else either.  Not to the owner who's paying him millions of dollars, not to Coach Collins who is trying his best to win games without his star player and especially not to the millions of fans who flock to games and cheer on the Philadelphia 76ers in the greatest sports city in the world.  No, you're right Bynum, no one cares when you come back.

As if that wasn't enough, he chose this week to add to his great portfolio of stupid quotations.  When being questioned on whether or not he would play this season, he said he would definitely be playing in 2013.  On a side note in that conversation, he went on to say that he could care less how the fans felt.  The NBA is a business and this is how it is.  Deal with it.

Really?  I'll tell you what, if there's one thing Andrew Bynum is great at, it's winning fans over.  He's probably as good at that as he is bowling.  I still can't figure out how he managed to do more damage to his knees bowling.

Photo Cred www.the700level.com

I'm not a basketball fan in the least.  I haven't watched a basketball game since John Stockton and Karl Malone were in the heat of playoffs against the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.  But somehow, I have been able to learn everything about the 76ers highest profile player to never play a minute.  

One other thought;  What is up with the hair?!  C'mon man!

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

The Curse of Chris Culliver

By Caleb Musselman

This section is devoted each week to an embarrassing performance by a professional athlete.



Photo Cred www.urbaninformer.com



A novice sports fan might not have noticed. They might have praised Jacoby Jones for an unbelievable play. But anyone with true knowledge of the game winced as Chris Culliver gave one of the worst single-play efforts that I have ever seen.



Photo Cred www.gannet-cdn.com

Flacco steps up in the pocket and launches a prayer down the field. Jacoby Jones has to slow down to catch the underthrown pass. If the pass was in stride, Culliver would have been clearly beat, but Flacco gave him a chance. Now, instead of turning to locate the ball or turning toward the player and extending his arms to attempt a deflection, Culliver turned towards the stands to wave to his Mom. Jones makes a great grab! Then Culliver touches him on his way past, right?  See Chris Culliver let Jacoby Jones score!

Photo Cred www.nydailynews.com

After waving to his Mom, it seems that Culliver then forgot that he was an NFL athlete playing in the Super Bowl. He runs right by Jones and even side-steps him with a little jump to avoid the contact that would have resulted in Jones being down by contact around the 10 yard line. Jones quickly jumps to his feet and continues to make the San Francisco secondary look silly. One on one with Culliver from the 5 yard line, Jones runs across the field in hopes of eluding Culliver’s break-neck speed. However, Culliver decides to trot next to him and then simply stop while Jones enters the end zone. Like a puppy getting bored with his new ball, Culliver just stops his pursuit and concedes the touchdown without even attempting to tackle Jacoby Jones.  

Photo Cred www.newyork1.com

Every time I watch this play, it looks worse than the time before. What could have been a possible interception on a Flacco under-throw turned into the 2^nd most embarrassing defensive display in this year’s playoffs (Moore you still have the top spot). From Gary in Remember the Titans, “Push him! Pull him! Do somethin!” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Chris Culliver wins our “Boom Goes the Dynamite” award for this week because of his lack of focus, lack of brains and most of all his despicable lack of effort. C’MON MAN.

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Eden Hazard and the Ball Boy

By Ben Makin

This section is devoted each week to an embarrassing performance by a professional athlete.

Professional athletes are always in the spotlight, it comes with the territory of making big money. Sometimes an athlete is unfairly scrutinized, but most of the time (especially in this case) they have what’s coming to them. Ball Boy’s on the other hand pretty much always go unnoticed, unless they get hit in the face.

Let’s start with Harzard. Most of our readers are probably thinking, “Who the HECK is Eden Hazard?” Well friends, he is a 22 year old soccer star for the English Premier League club Chelsea. He has risen up the ranks and is known as one of the best young soccer players in England. In just his first season at Chelsea (after being bought for 50.3 million dollars in 2012!!) he has made a name for himself with his quick and dynamic attacking skill. In 21 games he has 6 goals and 6 assists, not bad for a youngster.

So why is this seemingly bright player in our folly section? Check out this video! 

REALLY!??  I’ve probably watched this video 20 times and each time I am amazed at what happened. What we see is a ball boy diving on a loose ball, pretty strange if I do say so myself. Then after a couple attempts to get the ball Hazard “BAM” kicks the ball boy in the stomach. He rolls over, and Hazard nonchalantly grabs the ball to start play again. So the question is….

Who’s at fault?

Photo Cred www.dreintaiwan.blogspot.com

1.  Hazard: You have to control yourself man, you’re a professional! You make more money in 20 minutes than that ball boy does in a year.  Tempers were high because you’re team was losing, and about to be knocked out of a cup tournament, I get that! But that doesn’t mean you can haul off and Jet Li some kid on the sidelines.   

2.  The Ball Boy: You have one job, GET THE BALL BACK IN. Don’t go diving on the ball trying to waste time. I don’t care if your team is about to win an important game, have them win it fair and square. Foul play on him and Swansea City for encouraging such behavior.

It came out that Hazard will receive more than a 3 match ban, and will most likely have to pay a fine on top of his red card. What could be a promising career for Hazard could be headlined by one kick…not on goal. 

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

Rahim Moore

By Ryan Frisco

This section is devoted each week to an embarrassing performance by a professional athlete.

This is our first week of totally calling a professional athlete out on a performance that will go down in infamy.  And it just so happens that our first candidate has no competition in the matter.  Unless you lived under a rock this weekend, you surely know who I am referring to; none other than Denver Broncos Safety, Rahim Moore.

Photo Cred www.baxterbulletin.com

The Denver Broncos were well on their way to a Super Bowl Championship.  Coming into the playoffs with an 11-game winning streak, the Broncos were easily the hottest team in the NFL and favorites to go all the way. Nothing could stand in their way.  Not Champ Bailey being burned twice by Torrey Smith for touchdowns.  Not a tipped Peyton Manning throw being intercepted and returned for a touchdown.  Even after all this, Denver still had the win in the bag.  Just make sure Baltimore can't go 70 yards in 30 seconds with no timeouts.  That is all we ask of the Denver defense.

Photo Cred www.courant.com

But no, that can't be done.  Check this out: Raheem Morris Let's Jacoby Jones BEHIND him for TD!

The unthinkable happened.  This is arguably the worst defensive football play of all time.  Seriously!  Everybody knows that as a safety at this point in the game, your only job is to not let anyone behind you.  You are playing a deep prevent.  I would go so far as to say any average Joe taken off the street could be thrown into that position and get the job done.

The bad part is letting him behind him.  At that point check out the video; Jones has to slow up because the throw is behind him.  At that point at least make the tackle to keep him out of the endzone!

Photo Cred www.nfl.si.com 

I'm sorry Rahim for putting you here.  I know it was a mental mistake.  We all make them.  Yours was just of drastic proportion.  Yours led to the ending of a storybook season.  We forgive you for it, but you have to live with it.  This is going to be one rough off season for Rahim with that in the back of his mind.

So Rahim Moore is the first victim of dynamite.  We hope he learns from this mistake and does not grace the pages of this section again.  But we're always looking for a great goof to entertain the viewing population.