Sunday Smorgasbord 4-26

• We start off this week with news we first saw on the (Com)Post about Jeremy Tyler skipping his senior season of high to play basketball professionally. Because the NBA won't touch him, he has to go to Europe and is certain to win all kinds of applause and kudos from various folks who say they have the kids best interests at heart. In other words, they want this kid to rake in the $$$$$ they feel the NCAA are unfairly keeping from these kids. But when you consider that a school like the University of Maryland allows athletes who has exhausted their eligibility or leave school early to return to school to complete their undergraduate degree on scholarship, just how much are these kids being exploited? A four year run at UMD currently runs about $145,000, so who really has whose best interests of these kids at heart? Furthermore we can't imagine that UMD is the only school doing something like this which is probably why these schools don't like players skipping out early because they're still on the hook when the NBA dreams have been dashed and they need that Bachelor's Degree. Only the school is no longer getting the benefit of the athlete's talent and "making $$$$$ off of him." Tyler isn't the first to skip out on the NCAA for Europe in the hopes of returning to the big NBA payday but what are the odds that he is going to manage that European and/or NBA paycheck well enough that when his playing days are over, he can get a college education on his own? These people applauding this kid should admit that all they really care about is $$$$$ and not the long term future of these kids they feel are being exploited.
• We all remember the hit Sean Avery laid on Milan "Jerky" Jurcina in Game 4 that drew blood as Jerky made the touch up on an icing call. Were you aware of this in the NHL Suggestion Book under 42.1 Boarding? "Any unnecessary contact with a player playing the puck on an obvious “icing” or “off-side” play which results in that player being knocked into the boards is “boarding” and must be penalized as such. In other instances where there is no contact with the boards, it should be treated as “charging.”" We guess that once the playoffs start, the points of emphasis are thrown out the window. And to think, John Tortorella and Avery defenders have had the audacity to complain about the officiating in this series...
• And speaking of the Rangers whining about the officiating and application of the NHL Suggestions, to borrow Bruce Garrioch's term, they took whining to a whole new level today" over the incident Friday night during Game 5 by sending and publishing their letter to the NHL. First of all, let's sit back, enjoy, and laugh very hard at the irony of the New York Rangers Organization complaining about the behavior and language of fans at a hockey game. We all know what a role models for the rest of the league the Madison Square Garden crew is. Furthermore what part of "the National Hockey League cannot -- and will not -- tolerate any physical contact with fans" do the Rangers not understand? One of the first things we were taught we went started interacting with other people was that "two wrongs don't make a right." We here at Bleatings From a Caps Nut do not condone spitting, throwing objects into and onto the bench, and excessive profanity directed at anybody. However, that does not excuse the highly paid coach of a professional hockey team squirting water and then throwing a water bottle at fans that have been heckling him all game. Fans who act out of line should be promptly removed from the facility (no matter which team they are rooting for) and players and coaches who cannot handle the heckling that comes with playing a game on the road shouldn't be playing games on the road.
• And adding to the Rangers temper tantrums, are their complaints about Mr. Donald Brashear and Shaone Morrrissonnn. Mr. Brashear as you should already know, knocked out Blair Betts in the first period today after Betts had dumped the puck deep into the Caps defensive zone. We think the hit came a little on the late side but other than a big man, Mr. Brashear, hitting a smaller man, Betts, we don't see what was so dirty and cheap about it. Considering what Sean Avery has gotten away with in this series, the NHL is going to have a hard time slapping Mr. Brashear with any "supplemental discipline" over this and his "run-in" with Colton Orr during the warmups. (Though that has never stopped the NHL) As for the complaint that Morrrissonnn bit Brandon Dubinsky we're left saying "Huh?" How could Morrrissonnn do something like that unless Dubinsky's arm was in close proximity to Morrrissonnn's mouth in the first place? We don't remember seeing Morrrissonnn grabbing Dubinsky's arm and pulling it towards his mouth. So therefore, what was Dubinsky's arm doing there? Are Morrrissonnn's teeth really sharp enough that he can bite through a jersey, long sleeved undershirt, and potentially equipment or equipment straps? Finally, how could something like that have been missed by all the TV cameras and the officials on the ice? (We can understand how the referees could possibly miss it, but considering the way today's game was called, we highly doubt it) Good grief, give it up guys.
• Adding to New York's misery at the hands of D.C. Professional sports teams was the Nats getting their first win on the road this season in New York against the Mets. We didn't watch the entire game but that was another game where the officials didn't give the Nationals any breaks. Luckily they were still able to pull out a win. Now at 4-13 there is some belief that the Manny Acta Watch is on. We however think that would be a shame because the pitching is finally starting to come around and there has been no sign yet of the players quitting like they did last year. As Robert Fachet used to say about the early days of the Caps, "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken feathers."
• Completing the D.C. over New York Trifecta today was D.C. United coming back from a 2-1 second half deficit to win 3-2 in the Meadowlands. We didn't get a chance to watch this game either because of the hockey game (and the fact that we don't understand Spanish as the game was on Telefutura) but know that beating the New York Red Bulls is always a high priority for D.C. United. And to do it with a late comeback win, that only makes it all the more special.
• Finally, this week, the Caps are hosting first round Game 7 again this year on Tuesday night at 7 pm on Versus. Should the Caps win, they would play either the New Jersey Devils or Pittsburgh Penguin Scum in the Second Round. The Caps would have home ice advantage over both teams and would start the Series at the Phone Booth on either Thursday or Friday night. The Nats go and visit Stan Kasten's newest and bestest friends when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies tomorrow night to start a three game series. They then come back home as Stan expresses his love for the good people from St. Louis for a four game weekend series starting on Thursday night. D.C. United will host FC Dallas at RFK on Saturday night at 7:30 pm.
• As always please send all comments, criticisms, corrections, suggestions, questions, and unsubstantiated allegations to "capsnut" over at gmail dot com.