Seguin, bull-riding and other juicy tidbits

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/05/2011 (5492 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FIVE MORE THINGS WE’VE LEARNED WHILE WATCHING THE LAST WEEK OF THE STANLEY CUP DERBY…

1. It’s about Tyler Seguin of the Boston Bruins and all those moaning about the idiocy of Claude Julien’s decision to scratch the gifted young forward from the lineup until the last two games…

Well, count me among those who think Julien goofed.

Yes, we understand that prior to last Saturday — Seguin’s first playoff game — the kid had one point in 19 games and none in his last 11 to end the regular season. But all that skill has to show up, even in practice. The kid can play and only an injury to Patrice Bergeron got him back in the lineup, not some brainstorm from the boss.

2. He was yanked the other night, but this is still a cool stat: Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson picked up a “W” in eight straight starts, the most by a goalie over 40 since Jacques Plante won eight in a row with St. Louis in 1969. Funny, but I had all but forgotten Plante suiting up for the Blues, but here’s an interesting tidbit: the legend’s last year with the Canadiens was 1962-63. After that he played for the the Rangers, the Baltimore Clippers of the AHL, the Blues, Maple Leafs and Bruins before finishing up his career with the WHA’s Edmonton Oilers in 1974-75.

3. A couple things to consider as the Canucks and Sharks readied for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final: 1. For all the flaws so many are finding in Roberto Luongo’s game, he entered Wednesday’s game with a 2.23 playoff goals-against average and a save percentage of .918. This from a guy who was yanked from a couple of games. 2. Sharks netminder Antti Niemi has yet to lose a playoff series and is now 6-0 over the last two years.

4. I’m probably in the minority here, but before these playoffs are over I believe Tomas Kaberle will make a difference for the Bruins. Apparently, Kevin Paul Dupont — the solid hockey writer at The Boston Globe — doesn’t agree. Here’s his piece after the Bruins’ Game 1 loss last Saturday.

5. Loved the bit hockey broadcasting icon Dave Hodge did the other night on the name the NHL club should have when the league returns to Winnipeg. Check it out here.

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OCHOCINCO THE BULL RIDER?

Call Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco what you want — publicity-stunt artist, social-media king, distraction to his team or all of the above — but the man does generate headlines.

Last weekend the man rode a bull and you can add that to all the goofy things he’s done in his career. Click here.

But the first reaction from this perch when we saw his latest stunt was how a serious injury could threaten his career. And it got us thinking about whether a clause banning bull riding would now have to be included in future contracts.

It also led to digging up an old story by Dave Rouleau of Baseball Daily Digest about some of the goofiest clauses in baseball contracts. Here are my favourites:

-While with the Astros, pitcher Roy Oswalt had a clause in which owner Drayton McLane would give him a bulldozer for winning Game 6 of the 2005 National League Championship Series. (No wonder McLane is selling the club).

-When Troy Glaus was with Arizona, he had a clause that included a $250,000 bonus for personal business expenses that went to pay for his wife’s equestrian training.

-Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners may have signed a $90-million deal, but even though he is filthy rich, the contract included four annual round-trip airline tickets from Seattle to Japan and an average housing allowance of around $33,000.

-Carolos Beltran’s old contract included a clause that saw his employer agree to lease an “ocular enhancer machine” — a gadget that throws numbered and multi-coloured tennis balls at 150 m.p.h.

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RANDOM THOUGHTS AND THREE DOTS…

-We’re supposed to be objective in this business, and a lot of times objective can mean “cold.” A beat writer needs to stay impartial, we’re told, so that when a team or player has a lousy day we write it that way without softening the details. Still, you make friends among coaches and players and it’s only natural to have human reactions. I thought of that while reading this excellent blog from Minneapolis Star-Tribune hockey writer Michael Russo’s take on the shocking passing of Derek Boogaard last week.

-OK, I’m asking nicely… enough with “The Green Men.” Their 15 minutes was up weeks ago…

-A cool read on Jose Bautista and why so many say he’s the best player in baseball right now.

-Count me among those who agree with Hockey Canada boss Bob Nicholson, who was disappointed with Canada’s fifth-place finish at the World Championships and is looking for changes after a number of players turned down the opportunity to wear our colours overseas. Tugging on the patriot strings works for some, but for others the grind that is the NHL regular season leaves them emotionally and physically spent and that’s never going to change…

-Can Beckham still make magic on the soccer field? Once in a while, yes.

-Those crazy Finns love to party and apparently did it up after winning the IIHF World Championships. Here is goalie coach Pasi Nurminen stumbling down the airplane steps and putting a dent in the trophy.

-About those draft lotteries and how bouncing balls can affect a franchise’s future… check out this piece from the New York Times on the NBA Draft Lottery held this week.

-Very cool story on how former NBA point guard Kevin Johnson, now the mayor of Sacramento, has worked to keep the Kings from leaving.

-Down Goes Brown on why Canadians should throw their support behind the Canucks.

-What’s with soccer teams in Europe not being able to hang on to their championship trophies? First it was Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos dropping the Copa Del Ray Trophy — which was then run over by the team bus — and now this from Amsterdam after Ajax won the Dutch league.

-The two best reads on the passing of Harmon Killebrew, in my opinion, are here and here.

-Can’t say I’ve ever sat in the first row for an NHL hockey game, so it might not be my place to bring this up. But… what’s with all those morons who bang on the glass when the action is right in front of them?

-Some of you may already know of my affection for the NBA. One word after watching Dirk Nowitzki take apart Oklahoma City the other night — he lit up the Thunder for 48 points, set an NBA playoff record with 24 consecutive free throws and missed only three of 15 shots from the floor — WOW!

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THE LIST

Odds to win the 2011 US Open at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.:

Phil Mickelson — 10/1 

Tiger Woods — 10/1

Lee Westwood — 14/1

Luke Donald — 16/1

Rory McIlroy — 18/1

Martin Kaymer — 20/1

Dustin Johnson — 25/1

Nick Watney -— 25/1

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AND, FINALLY…

I don’t get why fans jump on the field and act like lunatics — most times massive quantities of beer are involved — but watching this Astros fan is amusing.

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Feedback? Cool links you’d like to share? Email Ed at ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait.