Golden State Warriors' guard Monta Ellis was not selected to the 2012 All-Star Game yet again this season. The 26-year-old is averaging 22.6 points and 6.3 assists this season on a Warriors team that is 9-14 on the season.
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Thursday, 9 February 2012
'Tis the season for trade rumors aplenty and San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson seems to always be at the forefront of trade deadline deals. It has become customary for Wilson to seemingly improve his team's playoff chances with a pick-up at the end of February to help boost their specific weakness at the time.
However, as history shows, it has yet to get the franchise past the Western Conference Finals.
This season, inconsistent play and a mix of injuries does not have many sold on the team's playoff potential. Even after the trades for defenseman Brent Burns and speedster Martin Havlat last offseason was this team poised for a Stanley Cup run. That may be why the Sharks have been tied to several key players in the NHL throughout the past few weeks.
The fact is that San Jose is currently a buyer, and the time may be now for this franchise to do all it can to finally get this team over the hump and into the promised land.
Here is the updated list of players the Sharks have reportedly shown interest in over the past few weeks and what it will cost to acquire them.
Tuomo Ruutu
Ruutu is the oldest of the rumors for the Sharks. It seems everyone and their mom is interested in Ruutu, and the Sharks just happened to be thrown into that pile, considering their willingness to spend.
For the Sharks to acquire Ruutu, it would probably take more than expected for a decent player with speed, considering the amount of teams reportedly interested in his services.
Torrey Mitchell would have to be involved, as would one of the excess defensemen, like Jason Demers.
Ryan Smyth
Whether this rumor was as serious as many thought, I seriously doubt Wilson would be interested in a 36-year-old finesse player to bolster a young and talented core and help them into the playoffs. Smyth would have close to zero affect on this team, but crazier things have happened.
Smyth has 16 goals and 20 assists this season for the Edmonton Oilers.
In order for Smyth to become a Shark, San Jose would have to offer Mitchell, Demers and some prospects to land him.
Travis Moen
The Moen rumor to the Sharks was about as serious as any rumor that we have encountered so far this season. Moen was a Shark back in 2008-09, playing in just 19 games for the team, and San Jose could use a gritty, defensive winger to place on that third line with Michal Handzus.
Moen is having his best season in recent memory, tallying nine goals and seven assists for the Montreal Canadiens.
Again, Torrey Mitchell may have to be at the center of this trade, unless Wilson can coax his way into sending some draft picks and a few favors to Montreal in return.
Ray Whitney
There is not a more fitting trade rumor in the NHL right now than the Whitney back to San Jose possibility. Whitney, who was drafted by the Sharks in 1991, would potentially finish his career in the same city he started it in.
The 39-year-old is almost sure to have his best season in three years, already putting up 16 goals and 34 assists for a total of 50 points. He had 77 points for the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2008-09 season.
There is no telling what the trade market is for a 39-year-old playing some of his best hockey. However, Wilson does not seem afraid to throw his hat into the ring for a player of his caliber, especially with such ties to the franchise and Wilson himself, who played with Whitney in the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons.
The initial thought was that the Sharks would have to part with Mitchell, Demers and Niittymaki for this to work. Whitney has four more points than Joe Thornton, San Jose's leader in points this season.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- In Tuesday's pre-tournament press conference with a packed Media Center of reporters at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Tiger Woods addressed several things: His health, his love of the Bay Area and how his golf game compares to past stints at Pebble Beach.
One notable comment from Woods should scare the rest of the PGA Tour field at Pebble Beach this week and for the rest of the season. Woods talked about how his health compared to just two months ago, and in not so many words, proclaimed he is back.
"I've been rehabbing pretty much the last couple of years, and i haven't been able to train. I haven't been healthy enough," Woods said in Tuesday's press conference. "Now I'm healthy enough to do it, and i can do what Sean (Foley) wants me to do."
When it comes to practicing and properly preparing for tournaments, Woods said that is something that has changed substantially in recent weeks.
"I can literally practice all day if i want to," Woods said. "For a long time there, there was always some kind of limited ball count or i had to get back to treatment. That's not longer the case."
"It's why i think i've made such huge progress since the Frys," he said. "I'm now training and my body feels explosive again. Consequently, I'm hitting the ball further."
Tuesday was not about looking towards the future or rehabbing that knee for Woods. He was all about winning and winning now, something we have not heard him say in awhile.
For the past two years, Woods has expressed that discomfort in the fact he did not feel like himself on the golf course due to his inability to practice or properly heal from injury. Now, Woods is upbeat about his game and acknowledged the fact that this is the best he has felt in some time now.
"My body feels explosive again"
Nobody knows Woods' body like Woods, and he has made a note of that in interviews past. For him to come out and say that he feels "explosive," using that strong of a word, followed by "again" is a big statement even from a pre-tournament presser during the beginning of a PGA Tour season.
"Again" refers to his dominance pre-November 2009, and that is enough to send chills up golf fans' spines.
In the past, it was not uncustomary for Woods to talk about how his body feels, be honest about it and alert the media that something is not right. On Tuesday, that changed, and he made it clear that the time is now for his game to earn him a spot back on the PGA Tour's leaderboard.
It is a scary thought, as well as a scary quote, being that Woods was so dominant when he previously talked about his game like this. But Woods let everyone know on Tuesday that his game is back and he is not opposed to letting people know all about it.
We can expect performances like the one in Abu Dhabi to be of the norm in the coming PGA Tour season. As for the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week, Woods is expected to win for the first time in recent memory.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
The Antero Niittymaki era in San Jose has come to an end. Er, kind of. I am not even sure there was an era, just a mediocre stint for the Sharks in which he started 22 games over two seasons. Mix that with a slew of injuries and a lost back-up role, and you should have a pretty disgruntled goaltender.
One month ago, Niittymaki had some trade value. Maybe a team in the playoff hunt needed a pretty good back-up goalie, or a team out of the hunt needed a netminder for next season. Either way, Niittymaki was looking for a place to play, and that was not going to happen in San Jose.
Since then, the Sharks put him on waivers and still he went untouched by other teams, which means his trade value has taken a hit, to say the least.
He will need to be packaged with some hefty talent from San Jose if GM Doug Wilson wants to include him in any blockbuster deals before the trade deadline.
Here are three scenarios in which Niittymaki can find a new home, and the Sharks can get some much-needed talent for a playoff run.
Tuomo Ruutu
Ruutu has been reportedly coveted by teams looking to improve their speed and offense heading into the playoffs.
For the Sharks to pull this off, it would take much more than just Niittymaki, as Carolina understands the Sharks' needs for both speed and more scoring on the top two lines on offense.
A package for Ruutu would have to include Niittymaki, as well as defenseman Jason Demers and/or Torrey Mitchell for this to work. Several teams are bidding for Ruutu's services, so there is no telling what the Hurricanes could be asking for in return.
Brenden Morrow
The likelihood of the Dallas Stars trading one of their best players inside the division is not good, but the Stars are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and Morrow's season has been disappointing.
He has eight goals and 14 assists on the season.
However, his leadership is something to be coveted by the Sharks, who have been searching for such a player since the retirement of Rob Blake.
For Morrow, San Jose would have to overpay now and hope to be repaid later with a fresh start in a new city and a boost in the playoffs.
Joe Pavelski or Ryane Clowe would have to be the centerpiece for this deal to go through. The Sharks would also have to add in Niittymaki and either Justin Braun or Jason Demers.
Andrei Kostitsyn
The Sharks have been rumored to be interested in Kostitsyn since last offseason, as need at forward with some size is imperative on this team.
Kostitsyn has 12 goals and 11 assists on the season.
A deal for the Canadiens winger would have to include Torrey Mitchell, who has yet to fully pan-out in San Jose. Niittymaki could be thrown in for good measure, but the deal would surround the young talent of Mitchell and some draft picks.
Ryan Smyth
The Sharks are rumored to be interested in left winger Ryan Smyth, as of late. The Anaheim-native has 16 goals and 20 assists on the season, and this would be a very significant move for Wilson. One that would require a good amount of talent headed to Edmonton in return.
As with most hefty deals the Sharks would make before the trade deadline, the trade would be centered around Joe Pavelski or Ryane Clowe. Pavelski would be the easiest to part with of the two, as Clowe provides leadership and bulk on the ice, something San Jose cannot afford to lose.
Wilson has already said that Clowe is far from ever being dealt, so a deal including Pavelski, Mitchell, and Niittymaki could be in the realm of possibility if Wilson decides he wants to invest in Smyth's veteran talent.
Ales Hemsky
Considering the type of chemistry Hemsky and Joe Thornton have on the ice, this deal is definitely possible.
Hemsky has four goals and 18 assists for the Oilers this season, but could be a nice fit on the Sharks' third line with the frantic Jamie McGinn and veteran Michal Handzus.
Of course, that leaves Mitchell as the odd man out, and he would be headed to Edmonton with Niittymaki, who could throw himself in their goalie mix. The transaction would possibly have to include some San Jose prospects, or even Jason Demers or Justin Braun, to make this happen.
Hemsky has reportedly not been getting bites from NHL teams, so this could be a really good fall-back move for the Sharks if larger moves fail to work out.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
To say the San Francisco 49ers were a play or two away from the Super Bowl is an understatement because this team played determined football against all east coast odds, and were just a Kyle Williams' freak play away from beating them.
Next on the agenda is getting back to the NFC Championship and ultimately booking a flight to the Super Bowl one year ago from this coming weekend. They will do that by signing an extensive free agent class of players that reached stardom this season and will expect paychecks in return.
Here are the 49ers' free agent players in order of the priority in which they should be signed.
1. Carlos Rogers
Rogers was on the list of possible free agents the 49ers could pick up last offseason. They took the gamble on him and he repaid them with six interceptions on the season in a tie for fourth in the NFL.
With so many free agent players in the 49ers' secondary, it would be wise to lock up Rogers sooner than later. Odds are he will be offered a good three to four-year deal by San Francisco. The price will vary, although we can probably expect around $4 million or $5 million per year, but you can imagine the amount of teams willing to pay a player making that much difference on the field this season.
2. Dashon Goldson
The hard-hitting and aggressive safety was all but gone this time last season. A year later, he would see to be all but gone again from the 49ers, except for the fact that San Francisco would seem to the place to play these days.
Does Goldson want a team around him, or does he want money?
The money will come his way this offseason, and we will be able to tell a lot about his priorities by the move he makes once the 49ers make their offer.
3. Alex Smith
Why is the quarterback of a team that made it to the NFC Championship third on the free agent priorities list?
Simple. He knows, and the 49ers know, Smith is nothing without head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Harbaugh took a chance on him last offseason, and then he managed Smith and set him up for success, which is what they got.
Smith is not going anywhere, and two to three-year deal seems appropriate for the situation.
4. Ted Ginn, Jr.
If you did not know how much Ginn meant to the 49ers, check out Kyle Williams receiving kicks the entire NFC Championship. A panic attack at its finest.
Also, this team needs wide receivers and there are only so many free agent wide-outs and so much money to spend this offseason. With Ginn, the 49ers get a premiere kick-returner and a decent wide receiver that knows the offense and how it functions.
San Francisco would be wise to sign him sooner than later and make it easier on the franchise to go out and sign another free agent wide receiver to strengthen this team. If they do not sign Ginn, then the 49ers will be forced to make a panic move via free agency worth millions of dollars more than probably expected.
5. Josh Morgan
Again, this team needs wide receivers. It's no secret.
Losing Morgan last season was sure-fire dagger in the hearts of 49ers fans come playoff time, and Alex Smith, as well.
The good thing about that is he will not cost as much as if he was the No. 1 wide receiver for the 49ers in the playoffs, which he would have been. The team might have been in the Super Bowl and then the team would have really had to pay the man.
It should not take much to sign him, but the Brandon Lloyd factor always seems to haunt this 49ers franchise and is always in the back of their minds.
6. Blake Costanzo
For how under-the-radar Costanzo is, the initial thought would be that he would be no problem to re-sign. But Costanzo is one of the best special teams players in the NFL and the nation really saw that against the New Orleans Saints.
One can make an argument that Costanzo should be higher on this list, but Harbaugh will do anything he can to get this player back on his team next season.
7. Ahmad Brooks
Brooks is simply another threat to rush the quarterback, and a good one at that. Both the Saints and Giants know how hard it was to stop Brooks, Patrick Willis, Parys Haralson, Aldon Smith, Justin Smith and Ray McDonald on any given play.
The need for an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense to rush the passer as hard and fast as Brooks does makes it all that much harder for the 49ers to not re-sign him.
The good thing is that Brooks fell so under the radar last season that the team should have no problem signing him to a contract without fighting other teams. This defense fits into his football mindset, as well.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Their opponent was the 13-31-6 Columbus Blue Jackets, but the San Jose Sharks' game on Tuesday night had just about everything a fan could want in the first game back from the All-Star Break.
Scoring, numerous fights, defense, goaltending.
For a team that has struggled to get on a consistent roll this season, the Sharks looked like this was going to be the start of something we had not seen so far in 2011-12. Credit that to a whole bunch of Sharks: The big-name players, Antti Niemi, Jim Vandermeer? There was no wrong answer on Tuesday night.
Again, it was just against the Blue Jackets, but we can clearly see who is gearing up for a good second half run and who is not.
Here are three players poised for a big second half of the season.
Jamie McGinn
I am not sure anyone was expecting 10 goals from McGinn all season, let alone one game past the All-Star break.
He has definitely filled the role as the hard-hitting annoyance skating madly across the ice. But adding an offensive mentality to boot sure makes McGinn look awfully good these days.
For how long many have waited to see this player reach his full potential in this league, we may be seeing somewhat of a start this season. His 10 goals and eight assists are more than expected, but it is the plus/minus of +10 that has McLellan relying on him to make plays when possible.
Asking for another 10 goals out of him the rest of the season may be stretching it just a bit, but we should see that plus/minus continue to increase if the Sharks go on their usual second half run up the Western Conference standings.
Jim Vandermeer
Vandermeer's role with the Sharks is still really blurry. Usually, we see him blocking shots or getting physical on the boards on defense, but on Monday McLellan positioned Vandermeer on the offensive fourth line. It worked.
Vandermeer was physical and was much like adding a third defenseman out on the ice. He can have an offensive mindset if asked to, but McLellan said we will probably be seeing him out there on the fourth line only when the Sharks need an extra chippy hard-hitting player against a physical opponent.
If Vandermeer keeps producing when he gets his time on the ice, we should be seeing a lot more of him in the second half of this season -- both on offense and defense.
Patrick Marleau
Heading into this season, the over/under of goals scored by Patrick Marleau was 40. He currently has 18 and will need to raise his play if he is to get his second career 40-goal season. This time last season, he had the same 18 goals and finished the season just about as expected with 37 goals.
However, with Martin Havlat returning within the next month from injury, Marleau's stock will only rise. Also, any trades for a winger made by GM Doug Wilson will only contribute to Marleau's offensive touches on the ice. With Havlat returning, we are sure to see that top line of Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Marleau return to form.
With Havlat in the line-up on the second line, Marleau put up 10 goals in the first two months of the season. When Havlat went down with injury, Marleau had a terrible offensive December (3 goals) and the team played awful because of it.
When Havlat returns in early to mid-March, Marleau will see more pressure applied by their opponents towards that relentless line of Ryane Clowe, Logan Couture and Havlat, and see more opportunities come the way of his first line.
Before their improbable 13-3 season and appearance in the NFC Championship at famed Candlestick Park, the San Francisco 49ers players found themselves in a much smaller setting — Spartan Stadium.
Read the rest of the article at SpartanDaily.com
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