Back for the New Year

So I realize it has been a while since my last entry. Much has happened since then, so lemme get straight to my thoughts for January 13th:

Tony Dungy retired from football yesterday. Can't say I'm surprised he decided to walk away, and I'm pretty sure no one else can either. Dungy had been pondering this decision for the past couple years, and it's certainly sad to see him go. That being said, Dungy has to be considered one of the top 10 best NFL coaches of all time. Look at his numbers - 10 straight playoff appearances (3 with Tampa, 7 with Indianapolis), a Super Bowl victory in 2005, and no less than 10 wins in each of the past 7 seasons.

Despite these numerical accomplishments, it's what Tony Dungy stood for off of the field and his character that should land him a spot in the Hall of Fame. He was certainly one of the "good guys" and the definition of a class act, which I think holds more weight than any statistic.

Alright, I'm just gonna say this straight up: the National Hockey League deserves more attention from every concievable media outlet (with the possible exception of the VS. network). Here's why:

Let me list some of the great young players in the NHL today - Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Carey Price, and Alexander Ovechkin (just to name a few). None of them are over the age of 25 (heck, Patrick Kane looks not a day over 13). Guess how many of those guys are All-Stars? Every one of them. Guess how many are All-Star starters? Every one of them, with the exception of Ovechkin who was straight up ROBBED of a starting spot.

OK, so we've established that there is a wealth of great young talent in the NHL today. Now lets focus on the best hockey team on the planet - the Detroit Red Wings. The defending Stanley Cup champs are dominating once again this year, and look to be on a quest for a repeat cup. I was at a bar last night and I had the chance to watch a few minutes of their game against Dallas. Dallas would eventually win the game in overtime, but I gotta say the Stars were lucky to come away with the W. For the final 2 minutes of regulation with the score tied at 4, the Red Wings put on an offensive onslaught that I thought would surely result in the go-ahead goal. Kudos to Dallas for weathering the storm, but Detroit looked fabulous for those final two minutes. The pressure they applied, the chances they created...even in defeat I was impressed. It was hockey at its best - a frantic pace with multiple offensive chances and a defense hanging on for dear life. The road to the Stanley Cup will surely go through Detroit once again this year.

Thats all for now. Let me gather my thoughts and I'll check back in later this afternoon...