Tuesday Water Cooler – January 19, 2010
Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk. Here, you won’t just find the straight news; you’ll find the stuff everyone is talking about – the ice breakers, the Twitter topics…well, the stuff you discuss at the water cooler.
Enjoy!
Comings, goings and “stayings” are prevalent over the last 24 hours in the sports world. Let’s see who’s leaving, who’s arriving and who’s staying put.
NFL news: McDaniels, Nolan “mutually agree” to part ways
It seems Josh McDaniels, the poster boy for little man syndrome, won’t rest until he’s alienated anyone that has anything to do with the Denver Broncos. The latest casualty is defensive co-ordinator Mike Nolan. After he led the second-biggest defensive rank turnaround in NFL history, he and McDaniels have “mutually agreed” to part ways. How much more of this can Denver ownership stomach? As if benching Brandon Marshall at a crucial point o the season wasn’t enough.
It appears someone wants to intentionally coach the Buffalo Bills after all. Who knew? The Bills are expected momentarily to name Chan Gailey head coach. Gailey led the Dallas Cowboys to two playoff berths in the late 1990s, so…I suppose that makes him seem like a god to Buffalonians.
MLB news: Mariners lock up King Felix long-term
Is it just me or is this an offseason to remember in Seattle? The Mariners just locked up ace Felix Hernandez – who is only 23, folks – to a five-year deal worth around $80 million. Seems like everyone wins on that one. Toss in the Cliff Lee acquisition, Chone Figgins signing and Milton Bradley trade and it seems Seattle’s making all the right moves entering the 2010 season.
NBA news: LeBron’s dunk plans grounded; Starbury takes off for China
He will, he won’t, he will….he won’t. It seems LeBron James has finally decided on his Slam-Dunk Contest status. He’s out, meaning we get yet another year of Nate Robinson. Woo hoo. The era of high-impact players participating is long forgotten.
Stephon Marbury is a forgotten man in the NBA but China has welcomed him with open arms. Starbury will earn $25,000 a month playing for Shanxi, a 3-10 team trying to appease its fans after a horrible start to its season. Marbury naturally doesn’t speak the language but plans to “communicate with his basketball.” Hey, it can’t be much worse than his ability to communicate with fans and teammates in his native English.
NHL news: More headshot madness as Devils prospect suspended for elbow
It seems hockey keeps getting faster, the collisions harder and the injuries more serious. The latest incident comes from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. New Jersey Devils prospect and Canadian World Junior team captain Patrice Cormier is suspended in definitely after his devastating elbow left Mikael Tam in convulsions and with possible brain damage. Already being watched closely after he threw some dangerous hits at the World Junior Championships, Cormier may have played his last game as a junior.
Does this news affect hockey bettors? Not directly, but the prospect of crippling head injuries applies to the NHL too and can significantly alter teams’ courses if star players get victimized by cheap shots.
NCAA basketball news: Texas undefeated no more
The Texas Longhorns’ perfect start to the season finally hit a wall on Monday night. No. 10 Kansas State defeated Texas at home by a 71-62 margin and, even though it was the Wildcats’ first win over a No. 1 in 20 years, they had an interesting reaction. They and most of their fans insisted on “not rushing the court” since, in their minds, they hadn’t accomplished anything out of the ordinary. They felt the victory “wasn’t even an upset,” so why would they go crazy after the win?
They key was defense, as Kansas State held Texas to just 36 per cent shooting.
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