SBNation.com User Blog: zack007attack

the Headley debate

zack007attack — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:31:57 -0000

If Byrnes and the new owners are willing to give $9 million/year to an injury prone left fielder but power hitter in CQ, I think it's fair to say Chase could get a comparable contract. I'd say we give him a 2-3 year deal at an average of $7 million per year; to figure out if he'll build on his breakout year. Even if we end up trading him, I wouldn't be displeased, just as long as we got a good return. But if we traded him, who are the most worthy trade partners and what would you want in return?

I also think Gyorko could be a valuable asset to us next year. Maybe he can platoon with Headley at 3rd to increase his trade value or we could stick him at SS or 2B. What's your take on Gyorko's situation?

one fan's visit to the HHOF in Toronto

zack007attack — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:02:15 -0000

For the last few months, my aging grandfather has been wanting to take me on a special trip before my navy career begins in November. Although he unexpectedly wasn't able to join me, he still posed as a benefactor for me to go on this prestigious trip. Last weekend, I did it. Here are some highlights from my visit to this incredible museum:

via s1243.photobucket.com

Here I am on a somewhat chilly but sunny day in downtown, right in front of it. Now I'm gonna show you some special artifacts we may all recognize:

via s1243.photobucket.com

http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg541/zackthespartan/Facebook/Toronto/?action=view¤t=267452_10151163083677988_1578042753_n.jpg http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg541/zackthespartan/Facebook/Toronto/?action=view¤t=427883_10151163087577988_1036225841_n.jpg http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg541/zackthespartan/Facebook/Toronto/?action=view¤t=76245_10151163087632988_997537949_n.jpg http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg541/zackthespartan/Facebook/Toronto/?action=view¤t=404067_10151163088047988_876956590_n.jpgFor the last few months, my aging grandfather has been wanting to take me on a special trip before my navy career begins in November. Although he unexpectedly wasn't able to join me, he still posed as a benefactor for me to go on this prestigious trip. Last weekend, I did it. Here are some highlights from my visit to this incredible museum:

via s1243.photobucket.com

Here I am on a somewhat chilly but sunny day in downtown, right in front of it. Now I'm gonna show you some special artifacts we may all recognize:

via s1243.photobucket.com

what's in store during the offseason?

zack007attack — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:38:19 -0000

With the O'Malleys now at the helm of our Friars, I am sure many of us are excited to see what the upcoming offseason is gonna bring to the team. I would say we are very close to being true contenders for a playoff berth next season but we need just a couple more pieces for that to happen. What are our current needs right now and what is the best way for Byrnes to go about doing it (trades, free agency, etc)?

looking for something

zack007attack — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:39:48 -0000

Anyone remember the teal-colored ice background on the Sharks website from the season before last? If so, does anyone know where I can download it to use as a wallpaper on my own computer?

The meaning of winning it all

zack007attack — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 03:36:30 -0000

As many of us watch the Stanley Cup Final, we have mixed feelings about what is unfolding in the world of hockey and what our Sharks must do this summer to continue their chances of contending for another season. Many envy the Kings who are led by former Sharks coach Darryl Sutter and assembled by former Sharks GM Dean Lombardi. Some are calling for the perceived "lack of production" Marleau to be traded for "could be" Rick Nash or other trades involving names like Boyle or Niemi. And there is also the smearing campaign from people including some of our own fans joined by rival fans and media critics who still haven’t grown tired of bad-labeling the Sharks with the usual cliché.

If the Kings end up with their names imprinted on the Cup this summer, keep in mind they have suffered more than twice as long as we have. The bandwagoners who start trolling us will act as if they are an all invincible team who has never endured hardship but are suddenly better than everyone else.

Let’s all remember something very important. EVERY team that has ever won the Stanley Cup once went through a period of time when they had 0 (yes, zero) championships to their name, just like the Sharks. Those who label us as ‘disappointments’ forget that the Canadiens were ‘disappointments’ from 1909 to 1916, the Red Wings were the same from 1926 to 1936, the Bruins from 1924-1929, the Blackhawks from 1926-1934 (keep in mind, there were only 6 teams in the league back then). The Flyers from 1967-1974, the Oilers from 1972-1984, the Islanders from 1972-1980, the Penguins from 1967-1991, the Flames from 1972-1989, and the Devils from 1974-1995. I’m willing to bet the critics don’t extend the same courtesy they give the Sharks to teams like the Blues, Senators or Canucks. I’ve heard from some people that the media likes to hate on Bay Area teams. I think it’s also because of Jumbo; he was the #1 overall pick by a well-storied franchise; he was expected by the media to be some sort of Sidney Crosby or Patrick Kane figure who would deliver big results in the short-term and since he hasn’t won the Cup yet, he gets smeared by the media and their rationale behind it is just plain ignorant. They call themselves ‘experts’ yet they don’t even seem to understand what the concept of TEAM SPORT actually means. Nor do they seem to know that 29 teams ‘fall short’ by their standards every year yet only one of them is a disappointment. No one, no player, coach, general manager, has ever gotten it right the first time; there's no guarantees even beyond that. The only way you learn to succeed is by enduring failure.

Being a sports fan from San Diego who has endured the hardships of seeing the pro sports teams down here be so ‘disappointing’ for many years, I have formed a great desire to see my college town team just make it to the Stanley Cup Final. This is a team that taught me what it really means to be a pure, devoted sports fan, and what team sports are actually about; they were with me throughout my journey towards an education that enabled me to build an identity for myself. To be honest, I’m glad I must wait to see Team Teal lift Lord Stanley; the journey towards such glory must be preceded by many years of coming up short because that only reaffirms the sweetness of achieving such a feat, and I want to be a part of that. You can’t have good days unless you’ve had bad days.

The only thing I won’t like about the Sharks winning the Cup is the number of people out there who have never even set foot in San Jose that will go out and buy a piece of Sharks apparel the moment Team Teal wins it all; then pass themselves off as long time teal bleeders and rub it in the face of hockey fans elsewhere. I don’t care much for fair-weather fans because they are like gold-diggers who get married to celebrities.

My question is, what does it mean to you, to see our Sharks win the Cup?

What's the rationale behind Nash and other crazy ideas?

zack007attack — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:32:39 -0000

Another thing that strikes me is how some say we need to get rid of DW. I guess they don't realize that there are many GMs out there like Howson or Snow who don't know how to effectively run a professional sports team. Guys like them are more than plentiful. But GMs who know how to build contenders are very scarce and hard to come by. They say he gives away our future but that certainly hasn't been the case with Pavelski or Couture. If the time comes a few seasons from now for the team to rebuild the roster, I would have full faith in DW; he already has some of the right pieces in place should that have to happen. But for now, we are still contenders thanks to the work of DW for keeping this team together and he knows 'you have to give to get', which is the most important concept when it comes to learning how to win.

I find it very odd that anyone here would want to give up Patty for Rick Nash. They all assume because he "doesn't deliver in the playoffs", DW needs to shake things up by getting rid of him. Yet Patty has 52 goals in 129 playoff games spanning a 14-year career; how exactly is that not delivering? On the other hand, Nash has a single goal in 4 playoff games spanning a 9-year career; his salary is also larger than Patty's. Heater had a higher salary than Patty but didn't produce as much (comparing their statistics in the regular season and playoffs); that's why DW let him go along with the fact that he wasn't a pure part of the team's core after playing here for only 2 seasons. It would take numerous seasons for Nash to adapt into our team structure and deliver in the playoffs; because hockey is a TEAM sport and winning isn't a matter of sheer talent. What exactly makes other people think Nash will do what they think Patty doesnt? Another thing that strikes me is how some say we need to get rid of DW. I guess they don't realize that there are many GMs out there like Howson or Snow who don't know how to effectively run a professional sports team. Guys like them are more than plentiful. But GMs who know how to build contenders are very scarce and hard to come by. They say he gives away our future but that certainly hasn't been the case with Pavelski or Couture. If the time comes a few seasons from now for the team to rebuild the roster, I would have full faith in DW; he already has some of the right pieces in place should that have to happen. But for now, we are still contenders thanks to the work of DW for keeping this team together and he knows 'you have to give to get', which is the most important concept when it comes to learning how to win.

the offseason: ideas and questions

zack007attack — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:49:30 -0000

Retaining Jumbo and Patty is important because they are totally clutch players; I want to see them retire in teal. I also don't want to see them leave this team then go on to win it all; imagine how Blues fans must have felt when Hull lifted Lord Stanley not once but twice after leaving their team.

Keeping Logan, Havlat and Pavs is important too. I'm not so sure about Clowe because he seemed to go down a little this year although injuries might have been the main reason for that. I'm also in favor of keeping Winnik; he seemed to be our best deadline acquisition and he'd only get better with us by starting a season with us from training camp. I'm not so sure about Winchester although I don't think keeping him would be a poor choice. Handzus has lived up to my expectations based on his age and stats this year; he's certainly much better for his salary than what DW paid Huskins or Wallin. I'm in favor of keeping Braun too. I think Demers could be packaged with prospects or draft picks to get a better D-man; though I wouldn't mind keeping him.

But I also have some questions. Obviously our PK hasn't been exactly stellar since losing Manny. I noticed we had elite PK even before having him on our team, who was our star PKer at that time?

Who could we bring in as an assistant coach to maybe run the defense and PK?
What free agents can we pursue that could upgrade the PK?

I'll start with the coaching staff. First of all, getting rid of TMac would be perhaps the most foolish idea in DW's career. However, he needs some help, bring in another assistant coach; Yawney was an important part of the staff, it's a shame he left. Retaining Jumbo and Patty is important because they are totally clutch players; I want to see them retire in teal. I also don't want to see them leave this team then go on to win it all; imagine how Blues fans must have felt when Hull lifted Lord Stanley not once but twice after leaving their team. Keeping Logan, Havlat and Pavs is important too. I'm not so sure about Clowe because he seemed to go down a little this year although injuries might have been the main reason for that. I'm also in favor of keeping Winnik; he seemed to be our best deadline acquisition and he'd only get better with us by starting a season with us from training camp. I'm not so sure about Winchester although I don't think keeping him would be a poor choice. Handzus has lived up to my expectations based on his age and stats this year; he's certainly much better for his salary than what DW paid Huskins or Wallin. I'm in favor of keeping Braun too. I think Demers could be packaged with prospects or draft picks to get a better D-man; though I wouldn't mind keeping him. But I also have some questions. Obviously our PK hasn't been exactly stellar since losing Manny. I noticed we had elite PK even before having him on our team, who was our star PKer at that time? Who could we bring in as an assistant coach to maybe run the defense and PK? What free agents can we pursue that could upgrade the PK?

midseason acquisitions

zack007attack — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:38:48 -0000

With the trade deadline coming up, who do you see DW adding to our roster? Who would you like to add and for what reasons, based on the needs of our Sharks for another playoff push? What would we have to give up?

We need our main core group of players to stay intact (Thornton, Marleau, Couture, Burns, Pavelski, etc.) but DW needs to address the needs of his team with the middle of the season closing in. It also seems that with the deals he made with Chuck Fletcher this past summer, we don't have much legitimate trade bait. With the trade deadline coming up, who do you see DW adding to our roster? Who would you like to add and for what reasons, based on the needs of our Sharks for another playoff push? What would we have to give up?

Who is our biggest obstacle down the stretch?

zack007attack — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:43:57 -0000

I am getting a little afraid of St. Louis since they've gone much longer than us without even a Campbell trophy. Who do you guys think is going to be our toughest competition in the Western conference as the season progresses? Are you more afraid of the perceived dark horses such as St. Louis, or are the recent seasonally consistent teams such as Detroit or Chicago more dangerous?

Many teams in our conference are on the rise thanks to coaching changes or simple inspiration: Edmonton: looks like they have finished rebuilding Phoenix: They're showing ability to manage without Bryzgalov, just as I predicted Dallas: coaching change in the offseason St. Louis: they have been on fire since putting Hitchcock behind the bench. They are also inspired by their long history of having flashes of brillance without going all the way. I am getting a little afraid of St. Louis since they've gone much longer than us without even a Campbell trophy. Who do you guys think is going to be our toughest competition in the Western conference as the season progresses? Are you more afraid of the perceived dark horses such as St. Louis, or are the recent seasonally consistent teams such as Detroit or Chicago more dangerous?

Sharks fan here

zack007attack — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 04:52:55 -0000

Your team definitely got a great player in Setoguchi, we in Teal Town have so many great memories of him and can't wait for his return on November 10th. Seto is a force in the playoffs, having scored so many important goals for us the past couple seasons. The main thing I didn't like about the trade that gave us Burns was giving up Charlie Coyle, our first round pick from last offseason; the kid is already a star, but I'm glad we were able to get Boyle a playmate. I miss Heatley too, but we had to let him go; great player, but not what we needed right now.

Anyway to sum it up, how are you guys enjoying Heater and Seto?

Greetings, Wild nation. As a hardcore Sharks fan, I always know where our best players come from and the ones who make a difference. So far, Burns has been a beast, so has Havlat. I know we got a good deal from talks between Doug Wilson and Chuck Fletcher; but out of curiosity, I'd like to know your guys' perspective. Your team definitely got a great player in Setoguchi, we in Teal Town have so many great memories of him and can't wait for his return on November 10th. Seto is a force in the playoffs, having scored so many important goals for us the past couple seasons. The main thing I didn't like about the trade that gave us Burns was giving up Charlie Coyle, our first round pick from last offseason; the kid is already a star, but I'm glad we were able to get Boyle a playmate. I miss Heatley too, but we had to let him go; great player, but not what we needed right now. Anyway to sum it up, how are you guys enjoying Heater and Seto?

Sharks play in the Winter Classic one day?

zack007attack — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:18:31 -0000

When the Sharks play in the NHL Winter Classic one day, where should it be and who should it be against? I say AT&T Park against the quacks or queens. Obviously it won't be snowing in San Francisco unless old man winter says otherwise, but it will still be fairly cold. Maybe the fact that it wouldn't be snowing would be able to symbolize how the sport of hockey has grown so much even in non-traditional markets.

What are your thoughts?

concern for our goaltending situation

zack007attack — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 05:09:23 -0000

We have good backup goalies at the ready, that's for sure. But our starting goalie situation seems a little tough right now:

Niemi hasn't practiced since before having that minor procedure while the team has been practicing without him for the past couple weeks.

Nitty is out for 3 months after having hip surgery (I'd say he's either gonna be traded but that's not likely considering his injury history, or more likely he'll walk as an FA next summer.

It's been a while since Greiss has played here in SJ; he's not completely worthy of the starting job.

Sateri and Sexsmith don't seem to be ready for a full time position on the roster yet.

Heemskerk and Anderson are at least a couple years away from even getting their first call-up.

And of course, Stalock won't be even practicing again until past the season's halfway point (February). If only he hadn't been reassigned so soon after his debut, he would probably be on the ice right now. I hope he recovers quickly and that his injury won't impede him from getting his A-game back, because like most of us if not all, I consider him to be the future of San Jose's home-grown goaltending.

Anyone else have concerns?

We have good backup goalies at the ready, that's for sure. But our starting goalie situation seems a little tough right now:

Niemi hasn't practiced since before having that minor procedure while the team has been practicing without him for the past couple weeks.

Nitty is out for 3 months after having hip surgery (I'd say he's either gonna be traded but that's not likely considering his injury history, or more likely he'll walk as an FA next summer.

It's been a while since Greiss has played here in SJ; he's not completely worthy of the starting job.

Sateri and Sexsmith don't seem to be ready for a full time position on the roster yet.

Heemskerk and Anderson are at least a couple years away from even getting their first call-up.

Anyone else have concerns?

something I've been curious about, hockey players' preparation on gameday

zack007attack — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:35:47 -0000

This is something I just remembered from last season when I was listening to a gameday broadcast on the radio. Rusanowsky and Baker briefly discussed players gameday diet and how it is kind of tricky (it was a matinee-time game, so they brought it up). How do hockey players usually manage their diet/appetite on gamedays? I would think it's a somewhat complicated thing to do as part of their training and practice routines, especially if their game is in early afternoon or at nighttime.

What do players usually eat on gameday and how early before the game?

my ranking on the competing bluelines in the Western Conference

zack007attack — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:36:20 -0000

I would say our toughest playoff adversaries will definitely be in our own conference; if we can conquer them, we definitely have the ability to conquer whichever Eastern team we'd face in the Cup Final. I've grouped the bluelines in our conference into three groups: The elite/tough who will pose or can potentially be legitimate threat, the medium who have potential combined with some top-shelf guys, and the unproven/low who don't pose much of a threat or just have potential and may or may not show it this season.

Elite/tough ones:
Red Wings-We all very well know about Lidstrom, Stuart and Kronwall, while White may do in red what he did in teal. They are as always, a tough adversary.
Canucks-Bieksa and Hamhuis may very well build on the huge breakout they had last season and keep this blueline solidified. Rome is still a reasonable player but Salo’s age seemed to show during the playoffs.
Coyotes-Their blueline depth has greatly compensated for their lack of scoring depth over the past couple seasons, and is still fairly deadly. Rozsival, Aucoin, and Yandle have the stats to back themselves up, and Schlemko may be due for a breakout season. Put more scoring depth in front of them, and they are a beastly team.

Predators-Blum is a rookie and along with Klein, both show potential. Suter has definitely stood out and if Weber is given his arbitration award by the team he supposedly wants to remain with, this blueline is a definite threat.

Medium:
Blues-With all the talent this roster is composed of, I find it rather hard to believe they are rebuilding, unless it is a matter of finding team chemistry. Polak may have a breakout year, while Jackman is an on/off type player. Nikitin and Colaiacovo are not young, but not veterans either; they still have potential and by the looks of it, are just entering their prime. Pietrangelo is young, but has potential too.
Flames-Babchuk and Sarich are both proven, while Butler and Giordano have potential like many others in the Western Conference.
Blackhawks-Hjalmarsson is still solid, Montador is new and can certainly stand out again, and Seabrook is still fairly solid but seemed to take a small decline after they won the Cup. Keith has declined a little too. Not sure if they will be as tough as many other WC teams this season.
Stars-Daley and Grossman may both be due for breakout years, and many of us may know that Goligoski is definitely proven. This is a team that has had most of the right pieces in place to make the playoffs the last couple seasons but have fallen just short; this can definitely change with their new bench boss.

Yet to be proven/Questionable:
Ducks- right now they only seem to have two legit D-men: Visnovsky and Lydman. With the retirement of Niedermayer last offseason, their blueline took a blow. But they still have scoring depth like the Sharks.
Kings- their real standouts are Martinez and if he is returning to LA next season, Doughty.
Avalanche-They lost Liles last season, so their blueline went down. However, Hejda and O’Brien are both new and will definitely improve a team that was hampered by injuries last season but not quite put them into contending mode just yet.
Blue Jackets-Clitsome seems a little iffy, but Russell seems to have some potential that just might show itself soon. Not much depth here.
Oilers-Sutton is new to them but age seems to have caught up with him, unless he gets a chance to shine again with a team that is not quite finished rebuilding. Whitney is solid but may be a liability.
Wild-Lundin is new, but like Stoner, he’s got potential. Schultz may still be well in his prime and should get a chance to stand out again. Other than that, Zanon has been on and off the past couple seasons so he is questionable as to whether he provides depth to his team’s backend.

How would you rank these bluelines?

experiences at road games

zack007attack — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:24:41 -0000

Have you been to any away games? If so, share your experiences. Mine are right below:

In January of 2010, I went to Staples Center (in LA) with my grandfather who lives in Encino. This was my first road game. I met a few fellow fans in teal around the arena and had some nice chats with them before the Sharks would end up with a 2-1 victory that night, revenge for a debacle that happened against the same team on their own ice just a week earlier.

One year after that, I went to the Shark Infestation game with my mom, who became hooked on hockey as much as I did after going off to school at SJSU. We had a blast before the game as we met so many Sharks fans who came in off the buses at a restaurant just in front of the quack pond. We had so much fun being surrounded in teal in the arena, we even made a “Fear the Fin” sign and had some great experiences with the fans even though the Sharks didn’t win that game.

A couple months after the infestation, I came home again this time for spring break, and my mom had some quick family business to attend to in Phoenix and coincidentally, the Sharks were in town at the same time, so we decided we better get to that game! The Jobing.com Arena is in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix about half an hour northwest of Downtown. The area around the place is so nice, it kind of feels like you’re out in the countryside, so peaceful; there’s also a nice food court right outside. After we parked, there were a couple of young Coyotes fans who badgered us once they saw us step out of the car with our Sharks gear and Fear the Fin sign, though I did respond with a couple words, but nothing serious. There were many teal bleeders there as well, including some who sat near us at the restaurant we had a quick bite at before the game. During the game, as the Sharks worked toward a 4-1 victory I told my mom they were making up for the goals she didn't get to see in Anaheim, including Clowe (her favorite).

What have your experiences at away games been like?

Have you been to any away games? If so, share your experiences. Mine are right below:

What have your experiences at away games been like?

Why is the media so ignorant?

zack007attack — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 06:37:30 -0000

What reason do you guys think is the most plausible as to why fans of other teams and media critics badmouth the Sharks?

Could it be just plain ignorance where they try to pass themselves off as experts when they probably don't even know the rules of the game?

Is it against the bay area in general? Critics like to hate on bay area teams from what I understand. If so, why specifically hate on the bay area?

Is it arrogance?

Are they afraid of dominant teams of the past of losing to so-called underachievers?

What reason do you guys think is the most plausible as to why fans of other teams and media critics badmouth the Sharks?

Could it be just plain ignorance where they try to pass themselves off as experts when they probably don't even know the rules of the game?

Is it against the bay area in general? Critics like to hate on bay area teams from what I understand. If so, why specifically hate on the bay area?

Is it arrogance?

Are they afraid of dominant teams of the past of losing to so-called underachievers?

how does our blueline match up to our opponents?

zack007attack — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:15:10 -0000

Our forward lines are pretty much evenly matched up when you compare them to those of Detroit, Chicago, and Vancouver but the bluelines were very different. Our opponents' bluelines have definitely been what got us.

How exactly did our blueline matchup to teams we faced in the playoffs over the past couple seasons? I did a little research to compare some of them:

Against Detroit, their deadliest blueline weapons were Lidstrom, Stuart, Salei, and Kronwall while Ericsson and Rafalski weren't showing up for the playoffs as much. I am still not so sure on how we were able to out-blueline them since their stats were kind of different compared to our topline Boyle/Murray, though White, Vlasic and maybe Wallin were able to come in as clutch players for the defense (stats-wise). Were the two series with Detroit more of a battle of the offenses?

We know Chicago had Byfuglien, Seabrook, Keith, Hjalmarsson and Campbell. They were all pretty consistent in the regular season and playoffs during their 2010 Cup campaign (though Keith's performance took a small dive after they won it), so they answered with 4-5 well rounded defenseman against our 2 best well rounded in Boyle and Blake. But as we may know, this caused off-ice problems for them as they lost Byfuglien to free agency, almost lost Hjalmarsson, and eventually traded Campbell.

For Vancouver, Bieksa and Hamhuis were both on huge breakout years which practically came out of nowhere when you look at their previous seasons' stats. Salo's age seemed to have caught up with him, Rome was fairly decent, Edler wasn't all that great, and although Ehrhoff had his share of strikes in the offensive zone, he seemed to be on vacation in his own zone during the playoffs. So when you look closely, Vancouver only had about half the blueline power of Chicago; as evidenced by Chicago holding us to 7 goals in 4 games, while we striked Vancouver with 13 goals in 5 games.

My main question is, which teams' bluelines in our own conference (aside from Detroit) are going to be our biggest challenges this coming season?

How exactly did our blueline matchup to teams we faced in the playoffs over the past couple seasons? I did a little research to compare some of them:

My main question is, which teams' bluelines in our own conference (aside from Detroit) are going to be our biggest challenges this coming season?

Changing the MLB playoff structure

zack007attack — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 05:21:29 -0000

I am sure many of us are aware about the potential change to the playoff format. Let me be one to say that I fully support such changes (but not simply adding one more wild card team per league).

I strongly believe in changing the playoff structure to be more like the NFL, NBA or NHL. Let me explain:

As has been for many years, baseball seems to be simply a game of chance. Only one team from each division makes it to the postseason and often times it is decided who will be that team when there could be as much as a quarter or third of the regular season left to play, and just blind luck which one out of the remaining 13 (NL) or 11 (AL) teams will join them. With baseball having a 162-game regular season, this adds many more “meaningless games” to the season, thus driving down attendance since at that point, the only thing you really have to watch those teams play for aside from their salary is pride, unless they have other motivations and in very rare cases, upsets.

This can explain why attendance is noticeably lower for many MLB teams compared to the other 3 major sports in the country (percentage wise, since different venues have different capacities). In 2010, only 3 MLB teams had regular sell outs, only 2 non sell outs were over 90% attendance, and 16 teams were at 70% or lower. As we know, many football games can sell out before the season even begins, not much stats explanation needed there. In the NBA, 16 teams were 90% attendance or better. In, the NHL, 19 of their teams better than 90%, with 12 of them being sell outs. Plus, they have more teams making the playoffs and that means more meaningful and exciting games.

I know about the complaints regarding “OK teams” or under .500 teams making the playoffs in these three leagues since it might undermine the teams that are supposed to be significantly better. But there are many times (and it is not rare or uncommon) when lower seeds (especially 8th seeded teams) upset the bigger guys which proves some very fine points about the context and character of professional sports. The complaint about making teams “work” for a playoff seed is ridiculous. Why should a top tier team or heavy favorite get a free pass through if they cannot defeat underdogs who supposedly have nothing to play for?

There is also the argument of the expanded postseason stretching into winter. Just shorten the regular season a little bit. Make the regular season end somewhere between 140 to 150 games so there is more time for the postseason.

I am sure many of us are aware about the potential change to the playoff format. Let me be one to say that I fully support such changes (but not simply adding one more wild card team per league).

I strongly believe in changing the playoff structure to be more like the NFL, NBA or NHL. Let me explain:

hockey jokes you can think of about our opponents

zack007attack — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:50:34 -0000

I made this post to put together all jokes anyone can think about when it comes to our Sharks, and jokes used to make fun of other teams. I'll start with the few that I know, then you guys can add to the list:

Ducks are too fancy to go stick side on penalty shots and shootouts, like Gunnar Stahl.

Sharks have teeth, Ducks don't.

Jonathan Quick quickly gave up 5 goals.

The Sedins should win Oscars!

Can you guys add more?

Ducks are too fancy to go stick side on penalty shots and shootouts, like Gunnar Stahl.

Sharks have teeth, Ducks don't.

Jonathan Quick quickly gave up 5 goals.

The Sedins should win Oscars!

Can you guys add more?

Reconaissance/Evaluation on the competition for next year

zack007attack — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:32:41 -0000

Who do you guys think will be our greatest challenge next season as we go for another shot at the Cup. With all the talk about what we need to do to gear up the roster, that is only half of what needs to be done to win the Cup. Getting past the competition is the next part, and much tougher.

I would have to say that most teams at the bottom of the standings this season (Edmonton, Colorado, St Louis, etc) may be poised to make the playoffs again, after each of them went through a semi process of rebuilding, but not quite fit to be a contender just yet.

Over the past two seasons, we pretty much knew who our toughest opponents would be. Obviously Detroit, since they are full of playoff warriors, and give trouble to every team they face in the playoffs. Chicago and Vancouver were both teams that gave us trouble during the regular season. I looked at their records before those two seasons, and they seemed to have built up a little bit over the course of maybe 2-4 seasons before they won the conference championship. They both emerged from being close to the bottom of the playoff seeds, to going higher until they showed the energy to go further into the playoffs.

Which teams do you think will be our toughest adversaries next year?

Where do you think Nabby will end up?

zack007attack — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:17:12 -0000

If NYI has a vendetta against him, they might try to toll his contract, which doesn't seem very likely.

In that case, he becomes a free agent. Where do you think he will end up?
I would say the most likely are: Colorado, Toronto, Tampa Bay, or Phoenix. They all seem to have a good chance at either holding their contending spot for next year or turning into one. I would say Phoenix is actually the most likely, since they just gave up Bryzgalov and are looking for a solid replacement.

What do you think?

If NYI has a vendetta against him, they might try to toll his contract, which doesn't seem very likely.

What do you think?

Questions about the future of our goaltending

zack007attack — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 21:08:22 -0000

I am sure many of us, myself included, are excited for the emergence of Alex Stalock, who is believed to be the future of Sharks home-grown goaltending. However, recent events (aside from his injury in February) have had us wondering when he will become our starter.

Nemo got a 4-year extension. None of us will really know if he will get another extension because it will depend on the outcome of his time here.

My question is, how long do you think it will be before Stalock becomes our starter?

Under what circumstances would Nemo get another extension, and is it very likely he will get that extension?

Nemo got a 4-year extension. None of us will really know if he will get another extension because it will depend on the outcome of his time here.

My question is, how long do you think it will be before Stalock becomes our starter?

Under what circumstances would Nemo get another extension, and is it very likely he will get that extension?

prospective free agent D-men to sign

zack007attack — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:18:47 -0000

What do you guys think about signing one of these free agent D-men?

If we re-sign White (which DW probably will), adding one of these guys could make for a beastly defense. They are also pretty reasonably priced, we wouldn't have to really shell out for them. The lines could be something like:

Boyle-Vlasic

Demers-Murray

White-(free agent)

Braun, or someone else from Worcester as a spare. Pairing a somewhatweaker D-man with a stronger D-man distributes time on ice better and takes a lesser toll. We can't have Boyle playing so much per game, it takes its toll especially on penalty kill situations.

We really need a shut-down type of guy to complete our defense. Huskins needs to go, he's outlived his usefulness, especially after that injury that kept him out for most of the season's second half. Wallin should go because his age seems to be catching up to him.

What do you guys think about signing one of these free agent D-men?

Boyle-Vlasic

Demers-Murray

White-(free agent)

Situation with Setoguchi, what do you think will happen?

zack007attack — Fri, 27 May 2011 20:14:46 -0000

DW faces some numerous challenges this offseason, like all GMs. He knows who to definitely keep that is still under contract withus, who he should probably let go as UFAs, and cases that are on the fence. Setoguchi seems to be the toughest case he has this summer.

With Seto's performance during the regular season and postseason (especially against LA and Detroit), there are a few things that can happen:

1) Arbitration (very likely). Seto has rocked the house with many game winning goals these playoffs.

2) Agreement (good chance). I believe Seto wishes to remain in San Jose, but he would like some sort of raise (just like Pav got a raise last year when he signed a 4-year extension). I predict Seto's salary next season if he remains a Shark to be between 2 and 3 million. This may cause problems for DW as he tries to upgrade the blueline, especially if he resigns White then goes after a UFA D-man.

3) Let him go (very unlikely). We have great scoring power with 6 top forwards, so losing Seto won't hurt us much if it does hurt us at all. Plus, it may free up some cap space to upgrade the blueline which should be DW's biggest priority to maintain our chances next season and to even make it better.

4) Offer sheet (good chance). I would say there are a handful of teams out there which would love to add him to their forward lines (perhaps Phoenix, St Louis, Colorado, Columbus, or LA). I predict an offer sheet given to Seto would be at least 3 million. If it were that high, DW would probably let him go because of the cap space he would have left should he decide to match it, plus he would get compensation if he decided not to match it. But if it is under 2.5 million, DW would most likely match it and keep Seto.

I short, I believe Seto will remain a Shark. But if he doesn't, DW will make the best of it.

What do you think will happen?

With Seto's performance during the regular season and postseason (especially against LA and Detroit), there are a few things that can happen:

1) Arbitration (very likely). Seto has rocked the house with many game winning goals these playoffs.

I short, I believe Seto will remain a Shark. But if he doesn't, DW will make the best of it.

What do you think will happen?

Some ideas for offseason improvement

zack007attack — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:26:23 -0000

First of all, I should say DW should let go of Huskins and Wallin. Next, re-sign White. Then, sign a big name D-man from free agency:

Give an offer sheet to one of these guys:

Andrei Sekera

Matt Gilroy

Or sign one of these UFAs:

Joni Pitkanen

Shane O'Brien

Steve Montador (second best choice)

Anton Babchuk (best choice in my opinion)-His size and statistics make him that kind of big name shut down guy that would make for a beastly defense.

With respect to forward lines, let go of Mayers and Eager. I would say Nichol is a soft option. Re-sign Wellwood and Ferriero.

What do you think of these options? (especially the defense options)

First of all, I should say DW should let go of Huskins and Wallin. Next, re-sign White. Then, sign a big name D-man from free agency:

Give an offer sheet to one of these guys:

Andrei Sekera

Matt Gilroy

Or sign one of these UFAs:

Joni Pitkanen

Shane O'Brien

Steve Montador (second best choice)

Anton Babchuk (best choice in my opinion)-His size and statistics make him that kind of big name shut down guy that would make for a beastly defense.

With respect to forward lines, let go of Mayers and Eager. I would say Nichol is a soft option. Re-sign Wellwood and Ferriero.

What do you think of these options? (especially the defense options)

How to deal with hits to the head

zack007attack — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 05:19:05 -0000

I am sure as we are all aware, the NHL is becoming more strict about eliminating the dangers of hits to the head. While the league is focusing its efforts solely on deterrence by handing out suspensions and fines for such misconduct, it just doesn't seem to be quite enough. The NHL needs to do something more.

I would like to compare head hits in hockey to crimes in society:

In society, we have laws that define acts of crime, such as murder, theft, robbery, corruption, etc. While society gives great effort on a deterrence strategy by handing out fines, prison time, community service, etc. In America, crime rates have been on the decline for many years, incarceration rates are actually higher. This can be attributed to higher prison sentences and defining offenses to include victimless crimes such as drug use, prostitution, etc. This shows that deterrence alone is not a good enough way to deal with crime.

Don't get me wrong, I would hate it if one of our men in teal suffered a concussion as a result of a dirty hit and the offending player got away with it unpunished. But I don't believe that suspensions and fines will not work on its own.

Chances are, many of us had good upbringings and learned many great values and norms, including deviant behavior (what is and isn't acceptable or reasonable). If we do something wrong, perhaps we were taught that it isn't nice to do it to others, perhaps thinking how we would feel if it happened to us.

If we want the sport of hockey to continue as a nice, clean sport where we can support our team knowing they are less likely to get unnecessarily hurt doing something they love, they need to learn how much better off they would be if they played fair, clean, and proud.

Instead of concentrating all effort on deterrence, the NHL should distribute some of its efforts on teaching its athletes the dangers of hits to the head. Make them feel bad about what could happen if they hurt another player or if they got hurt themself.

I would like to compare head hits in hockey to crimes in society:

To those of you who complain about our payroll

zack007attack — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:57:33 -0000

I am sure we all know how belittled our Friars are by bandwagoners and delusional critics who call themselves experts simply because of how much the ownership spends on the roster. Well let me tell you something:

There is no reason for us (small or large market team) to unnecessarily spend large amounts of precious money on highly overrated free agents. It is perfectly possible to field a winning team without spending as much as large market teams. Remember, quality, not quantity.

The Padres did better in the 2010 season than the year before that, and that was with a payroll of about $30 million shorter than the 2009 season.

Don't listen to the critics, don't even look at season predictions, and don't stop believing!

The Padres did better in the 2010 season than the year before that, and that was with a payroll of about $30 million shorter than the 2009 season.

Don't listen to the critics, don't even look at season predictions, and don't stop believing!

some thoughts about our goaltending situation

zack007attack — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:19:42 -0000

Here is what I think should happen with respect to our men we have between the pipes:

1) Extend Niemi's contract regardless of this seasons outcome.

2) If Nitty's injuries keep him out for much longer, we should let him walk once his contract is up (free agency during the summer of 2012). If he recovers sooner and is able to keep himself healthy once he is back on the active roster next season, I would see his extension as a good possibility unless Stalock is able to show his performance in San Jose more often next season. I wouldn't trade Nitty because he played very consistently in the first half of the season and the reason he wasn't well established as the starting or backup goalie was because the coaching staff had two great goaltenders with which to juggle with (making it hard to establish an official starter), and it was really only when Nitty was first injured that Niemi got the starting job and knew immediately he had to kick up his level of play and he developed his consistency. I also wouldn't risk putting Nitty on waivers because if he were to get picked up by another team, we wouldn't get any compensation which we would probably need.

3) Stalock is going to need to get reconditioned in the AHL next season before he comes back to San Jose. If Nitty goes back on injured reserve some time next season, we can call up Stalock to fill in for him and let Nitty walk once his contract is up, if need be.

4) Niemi shouldn't start every game for the rest of the season. I would say at least every third game, a backup should start to give Niemi and breather and a chance to save energy for the playoffs. Last year he played just under 40 games during the regular season with Chicago but played all 22 games during the playoffs and got to the Cup. Right now he is en route to playing much more than that and it might impact his endurance for the playoffs. Nabby had a lot of control over his starts and combined with his age, it was clearly impacting his playoff performance (over the past few years, the goalies that have taken their teams to the Cup have not had as many regular season starts as Nabby did).

Here is what I think should happen with respect to our men we have between the pipes:

1) Extend Niemi's contract regardless of this seasons outcome.

Some thoughts I have put together:

zack007attack — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 23:52:10 -0000

I'm willing to bet that most of those haughty folks who call themselves "Yankee fans" wouldn't take on that title let alone brag about it if that overpaid, self-entitled group didn't have 27 rings. We Padres fans on the other hand go by our motto Keeping the Faith even though we have yet to go ATW.

Let's not play an overconfident team's game by unnecessarily throwing precious amounts of money at highly overrated free agents. Let's play our own special game of drafting, developing, establishing team chemistry, and building confidence in our team by BELIEVING in them!

There is a great team in that PETCO Park locker room that depends on us and all of us are a team! Let's back them up all the way, through the ups and downs, all the way to the October Classic! So what if A-Gon is no longer with us? A player doesn't win a game, let alone championships; a team wins it all!

Something I just realized about the media and our Padres

zack007attack — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:00:12 -0000

It is all the fault of national broadcasters like ESPN for why we were labeled "chokers" last year. They laid out expectations for the Padres but also deep down saw the possibility of them not living up to their expectations (winning the division). However, the did not acknowledge it, they just made believe the Padres would win it all and as a result, labeled us as "chokers". They wanted to give us that supposedly dreadful label just to exercise their biased attitudes. Probably because they think it will diminish our fanbase and no one will support them and the other teams that bear self entitled fanbases will take over and think they are all so powerful.

However, I could care less about their fantasizing habits and will always be a fan of our beloved Friars thick and thin no matter what.

F**k the critics! GO PADRES!!!!!!

However, I could care less about their fantasizing habits and will always be a fan of our beloved Friars thick and thin no matter what.

F**k the critics! GO PADRES!!!!!!