We Want Instant Replay! (Or Do We?)

Throughout these MLB playoffs, there have been a high number of bad calls. Joe Mauer's fly ball down the left field line in New Yankee Stadium, Johnny Damon's sinking line drive yesterday that was "caught" and turned into a double play, etc. The question in everyone's head right now is if the MLB should institute a replay system beyond homerun calls. As much as everybody would like to think otherwise, the answer here is a simple "No, thank you".

A widespread replay review system in baseball would be a bad idea. I agree with homerun replays because of all the weird setups of the ballpark fences, but a replay system within the first 300 feet of home plate is unnecessary. How often do bad calls happen every game, on average? Maybe two? Of course in the playoffs these mistakes are blown up and put under a microscope, but baseball has been around for nearly 150 years with no replay and I think it is operating pretty well. Bringing a machine in to do a human's job in baseball would not work.

If there were a replay system in the MLB, how would it work? Would it be like the NFL where each manager could choose only two plays per game to "challenge"? Baseball is so rich in history, it would be almost a disgrace for little red flags to start flying out of the dugout during the game. Could you imagine Lou Piniella stepping one foot out of the dugout to throw a dinky red flag onto the field of play instead of going up to a base umpire to kick dirt on his shoes? Ridiculous.

How would the fans be notified of each challenge? Would the umpires start wearing microphones so they can talk over the loudspeaker? No one wants to hear C.B. Bucknor yelling in their ears. Anyways, baseball games are too long and slow paced as it is to just stop play for a decently close call. I am not even going to get into instant replay or machines making ball and strike calls.

In football, the play is going on so fast and there are so many different actions that occur within each game, let alone every drive down the field, that referees make mistakes all the time. Not because they are poor officials, just because missed calls happen all the time because of the nature of the game. In football, every play is dynamic. In baseball, there are only a few close calls per game. There are routine fly balls and routine ground balls that beat out runners by ten feet.

Every running play in the NFL could be a fumble, every thrown ball could be caught close to the out of bounds markers, and that is why they had to institute a replay system in football. I completely disagree with the NCAA's version of challenging anything and everything, as opposed to the NFL's red flag system, but that is another argument.

Back to Philly for games 3-5, should be some good baseball.

Fleury for Olympics

The 2010 Winter Olympics taking place in Vancouver are quickly approaching all of us. Now, most of us are probably reading this article in anticipation of one kick-ass article chronicling the favorites for the Curling Silver medal. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The focus here is the hockey and more specifically team Canada. Originally, an article about the plight of Team USA was in production, but what chance do they really have with Chris Chelios logging 30 minutes every game against Team Russia and the line of Kovalchuk-Malkin-Ovechkin. The focus here is on Team Canada, a squad that actually has a shot at the gold. The key for Canada, as in any crucial tournament in hockey is goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury should be the starting goaltender representing the red maple leaf.

It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Martin Brodeur is going to be the starter for Team Canada unless he loses a leg from now until February. This basis is simply going on reputation and not actual performance. Since winning his third Stanley Cup in 2003, Brodeur has posted less than stellar marks in the postseason. In that time frame, the Devils have not gotten out of the 2nd round and it's hard to forget their collapse in the final minute of Game 7 against Eric Staal and the Hurricanes last year. Brodeur is past his prime and there is some suspicion that he never recovered from his shoulder injury that kept him out for six months last year. Choosing Brodeur to lead Team Canada would be a decision made out of pure nostalgia for his once dominant play. It's not 1995 anymore folks. Steve Yzerman needs to be smart and avoid the mistakes that Wayne Gretzky made in 2006. This is a hockey team, not an old folks home/retirement community for players that were once great.

After Brodeur, Roberto Luongo is the most commonly talked about choice for starting goaltender. This decision would most likely lead to Canada not even medaling at the Winter games. To say the least, Luongo has a less than stellar track record in the postseason. For one, he never made the playoffs with the Islanders and Panthers. In his two postseason appearances with the Canucks, he hasn't made it past the second round. Who can forget the shelling that Chicago put on him last year in Game 6 of their second round series, culminating in a Patrick Kane hat trick. Luongo has no track record of success when it matters most.

The only man who comes close in contention with Fleury is Cam Ward. But the decision making-process should go by "What have you done for me lately?" Fleury won a Stanley Cup last year and was in solid contention for the Conn Smythe trophy. Statisticians are still trying to average Ward's GAA in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Fleury is a winner. He has a certain Grant Fuhr quality about him. He may not have the best regular seasons are set records in save percentage and GAA, but when it matters most, he's going to make the saves. To beat Russia and their unbelievably talented cast of forwards, Canada is going to need a goaltender that has the ability to stand on his head when it matters most. The man they commonly call "Flower" is the one to do it.

Where Have You Gonechar?

Settle down ladies and gentlemen. Sergei Gonchar will be out 4-6 weeks (most likely the latter), but we will be okay.

Remember when Crosby tried to commit suicide when we were getting shut out by the Lightning? We were okay for those two-ish months. Remember when Fleury tripped on the crease and landed wrongly? We were okay for those two-ish months. I think we can survive without Gonchar for one-ish month.

Skudra— I mean Skoula—will not be a Gonchar, but he will do enough. Thank goodness we have Goligoski to quarterback the power play, rather than the Ryan Shitney and Co. we had last year.

As long as Fleury is healthy, Pittsburgh will win the Atlantic. As long as Gonchar comes back when his time is up, we will be fine. I am not going to be a dick (Smizik) and say it is a good thing that Gonchar is injured, because THAT is good journalism. This is shitty journalism (a blog), so we have compassion for other human beings. Sorry.

Florida tomorrow. New Jersey saturday. 4-point weekend.