KINGS VS. CANUCKS

On Saturday afternoon I was lucky enough to attend the Kings vs. Canucks game at Staples Center. My cousins were able to secure seats four rows from the ice. They know that I am a big hockey fan so they asked me to go. When I found out that our seats were that close to the ice, I made sure that I took my camera in order to get some good pictures. I had two lenses, my standard lens and a zoom lens. I was told that the Staples Center would not allow you to bring in a camera with a lens over 3 1/2 inches long so my standard lens would have to do. As you can see in the above picture of Drew Doughty, this was how we were seeing the game.

I have been to many a hockey game in my life. I have seen the Rangers in Madison Square Garden, the Devils in what was then called the Brendan Byrne Arena in the Meadowlands, the hated NY Islanders in the Nassau Mausoleum, the Anaheim Ducks in the Honda Center and the Los Angeles Kings in the Forum and in the Staples Center. These seats were the best seats that I have had at any professional hockey game.

Hockey is an extremely fast game but being this close puts a whole new meaning on how fast it is. Most of these hockey players are basically linebackers on skates. They move so fast and their reactions are so quick, all while traveling on a sheet of ice. Sitting this close you can really feel the teeth rattling checks that are dished out. I can see why the concussion issue is a topic in hockey now. These players crash into the boards so hard that their heads can't help banging violently into the plexiglass.

Since we were sitting to the left of the goalie, I got a great perspective on Quick and Schneider's reactions to shots. Some of the shots came at them with such quickness and speed, it was amazing on how fast these two guys reacted.

The Kings ended up losing 1-0 but it was an exciting game. I left the Staples Center with a new found fondness for the game that I grew up watching and playing.

EAT RIGHT. GET LOTS OF SLEEP. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS. AND GO LIKE HELL

To all my Jewish friends, Happy Passover!!!!! During the Seder, the four questions are asked. The first of the four questions is , "Why is this night different from all other nights?" and to really impress you, here it is in Hebrew (phonetically), Ma nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot? Well I'll tell you why this night is different from all other nights. It is because I am at the halfway point of my triathlon training!!!!

I have done a number of things in my life that I have looked back on and said, "That was fun but what made you want to do that?"

I was a disc jockey at Pace University in NYC, I was an ice hockey goalie and during one tournament I asked Gordie Howe to take a slap shot because I wanted to see what that looked like and he did. I stopped the shot, not because I saw it but because my shoulder just got in the way...boy did that hurt. I played in a pick-up ice hockey game with Marcel Dionne and Charlie Simmer, I played football and I have played rugby for Cal State Long Beach and I have run two NY Marathons. There have been other shenanigans that I have gotten into over the years, either on purpose or just by luck.

This triathlon training came about because of my workout partners and real good friends. My two workout partners are co-workers and stand-outs in our departments Women's Flag Football Team. Since I was one of the coaches, we became real good friends and training partners. We have done all kinds of workouts and they said to me, "You should try a triathlon, you would do fine." I said let me think about it.

I thought about it and the first thing that came to my mind was that I had not run any long distances since my third knee surgery nearly 10 years ago. I said that I would give a definite yes when I see how my knee holds up to some long runs. The other thing that was gnawing at me was the fact that one of the legs is a swim and the last time that I swam any distances was during the Carter administration. Really, it was the late 70s.

My workout partners kept telling me that I was making too much of it and I finally just said yes. I have been doing laps in the pool and I was pleasantly surprised that I had a lot more swimming stamina than I thought. I have been on the road for distance runs and my knee has held up, granted my times are a bit slower than when I was running marathons but I can live with it. My biking is probably going to be my strong event.

Needless to say, I am having fun training for this. The triathlon will be a few weeks after my 51st birthday, so that in itself will be an accomplishment. The other highlight will be that the triathlon is being run at my Alma mater Cal State Long Beach.

The triathlon is April 21st and I am very excited about it.

PEAK INTO THE YANKEES FUTURE

The starting line-up on Opening Day in 1989 for the Yankees was

Rickey Henderson - LF (who would be traded later in the season for Luis Palonia)
Steve Sax - 2B
Tom Brookens - DH
Steve Balboni - 1B (filling in for injured Don Mattingly)
Gary Ward - LF
Mike Pagliarulo - 3B
Don Slaught - C
Alvaro Espinoza - SS (hard not to see Jeter's name not penciled in at short)
Roberto Kelly - CF

And the starting pitcher was Tommy John.

The reason I bring this 1989 team up is because the Yankees can start to look like this through it's rebuilding process. The Yankees appear to be sticking to their guns and not spending money to replace the injured. The only player they have went out and grabbed is Kevin Youkalis. He is not the Youkalis of years past but he still is a solid ballplayer.

The Yankees are injured and old but management is not opening up the checkbook. They are going the route of, "let's see what we got." The Yankees have done this a number of times and with success, to name a few, Derek Jeter (who took over for Tony Fernandez in spring training because of an injury), Bernie Williams, Andy Petitte, Mariano Rivera and the latest one is Robinson Cano.

After some great years as a team you have to rebuild. The Yankees have done this twice in my lifetime. The Yankees of the 1970s, retooled with homegrown talent, Ron Guidry, Roy White, Thurman Munson, smart trades for Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles and the all-time steal Willie Randolph. They then filled in the gaps with some good free agents, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson and Goose Gossage. After that run, the Yankees fell on hard times because of poor management of baseball operations and they ended up with a starting line-up that looked like the one above.

The Yankees then worked from within and brought up Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Andy Petitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada. They made some good trades that brought over Paul O'Neal, Tino Martinez, Jeff Nelson and Scott Brosius. They brought in free agents, David Cone, David Wells and Roger Clemons.

The Yankees are in that position again and they need to look within to see what they have. They need to see what they can get with some smart trades and then they need to fill in the blanks with free agents. If Cashman and his crew can not use this baseball model then the Yankees need to get a new crew who can follow this plan.

CUBAN BASEBALL IN THE WBC

The Cuban baseball team has named it's final roster for the World Baseball Classic. The Cuban national team starts the tournament March 2-6 in a pool with Japan, China and Brazil. The Cuban team brings with them two veterans, infielder Yulieski Gourriel and outfielder Frederich Cepeda. These two make up a pretty good line-up despite losing two good players, Yoenis Cespedes and Aroldis Chapman, who are now playing in the U.S.

The player to watch on the Cuban team is Alfredo Despaigne, who is a 5'9", 176 pound power hitter. Despaigne is an outfielder for Granma of the Cuban Serie Nacional. Another power hitter is Cienfuegos' 6'3" 240 pound first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu. He was the league MVP in 2010-11.

Cuba has a young 22 year old shortstop, Barbaro Arrebarruena, who is a great defender (MLB take note).  The Cubans have a 23 year old hard throwing right-hander, Freddy Alvarez, compliments 32 year old Yulieski Gonzalez to form a decent one-two punch in the pitching. Pitching has been Cuba's weak point in past international play.

Cuba has not fared well in recent international play but they seem to have a real good team for this World Baseball Classic.

The highlight of this team has to be the Cuban manager, Victor Mesa. He is worth the price of admission. He can make Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Lou Piniella blush with some of his arguments and antics with the umpires. During the Havana-Mantanza's play-off game that we attended, Mesa got so aggravated with his pitcher, he came bolting out of the Matanza's dugout and basically yanked the ball from the pitcher and screamed at him to be gone. Besides his animation as a manager, Mesa is a baseball icon in Cuba.

I was impressed with the talent of the players in the playoff game that we attended and I am looking forward to seeing the talent for the national team.

The Cubans are such a passionate people, watch when one of the Havana Industriales' gets plunked in the back. The shenanigans go on for a while.

FAN FAVORITE RUPP, GONE

Mike Rupp was a fan favorite at the Garden but he has become the first casualty in the first shake-up of the season for the Rangers.

The Rangers traded Rupp to the Minnesota Wild for Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri.

The Rangers needed another forward and Powe fits the bill. With Callahan out with a dislocated shoulder, the Rangers needed more help than Rupp was able to give. Palmieri will be assigned to Connecticut in the AHL.

On Tuesday, we get to see the first game between the Rangers and the Devils. Always fun and excitement when they meet.

HAFNER AND RIVERA SIGN DEALS

Travis Hafner signed a one year deal with the Yankees on Friday. He is basically the new Ibanez except he can't play the outfield. He has had a good number of injuries over the last five years so I do believe we will not be seeing too much of him this year. His only saving grace is the fact that he will only be used against right handers.

Juan Rivera has signed a minor league deal. We might see him on opening day due to the unpredictable state of the roster.

The Yankees signed a young Dominican catcher, Gary Sanchez, who will be in the minors for a couple of years. He looks like he can hit and he has a real good arm behind the plate. If Austin Romine doesn't ever pan out then the next look has got to go to Sanchez.

Michael Pineda is throwing from a short mound right now but I think Pineda will not be seen until late this season, if at all. Big question for him is how his shoulder will fair after the surgery. If he has lost his speed on his fastball then Pineda is not the number 2 starter that the Yankees traded for. Right now anything you get from Pineda is a plus.

The WBC starts in March. I am looking forward to watching the Cuban baseball team play. Their first game is March 4 against China.

NO CONFIDENCE IN THE JETS

I have been waiting to comment on the state of the Jets and after some moves that the team has made, I am going to weigh in.

First of all, we have to start with the team as a whole and basically they are awful. From top to bottom they are a terrible team. We can sit and delve into the reasons on why they are a terrible team and how the development of their young players has stalled but the bottom line is that the Jets need to move forward. They have become another of many teams that has to rebuild.

The Jets are in a position to trade some of their individual stars like Revis. As much as I like Revis, the Jets need to get some high level picks for the talented Revis. One Revis will not turn this team around but numerous picks can start the rebuilding process. Just look at what Dallas did when it got rid of Herchel Walker and got a landslide of young talent.

Sounds like a decent start but this takes us to management and the so-called player personnel. The Jets are completely awful there too. Yes, even after they have hired a new GM, a new Offensive Coordinator and a new QB coach. The Jets franchise being who they are and who they have hired and by retaining Ryan gives me a semblance of absolute no confidence.

How do you fire your GM because of his incompetence in evaluating football talent but you keep your head coach? The Jets threw away one of their smelly shoes but not the pair which basically means that the room is still going to be smelly.

It will be a while before the Jets are relevant and I expect the season ahead to be more of the same.