Rapcast #78: Ekpe Udoh | Raptors Republic – ESPN TrueHoop's …
This week on The Doctor Is In, Ekpe Udoh drops by and we talk about the prospects of him going #13 overall to the Raptors on draft night and about what makes him tick as a player. Spoiler alert: he’s all about the “D” – and as a Raptors fan there is nothing sweeter to the ears! Lastly, the big board starts to move as the Raptors focus shifts to include a stronger emphasis on the SF position and we introduce the next stage of the big board with the addition of 5 up and 5 down.
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Rapcast #78: Ekpe Udoh | Raptors Republic - ESPN TrueHoop's ...
Alexi Lalas is a tool
Alexi Lalas is a tool. Why? Because everything he has ever said has been wrong. He makes all these wild predictions which make him seem like a complete and utter jack ass. Then, when they aren’t true, he looks like a complete idiot.
During his playing career, he looked like a red-headed hippie. This would be okay if he played during the 1960s and not the 1990s. With his Jesus-like hair, the former Serie A player would wear these head bands that looked like he was taking part of a Hair revival. To make matters worse, the US National believed he was a “rock star” and appeared in ESPN adverts strumming his guitar.
Upon retirement, he took a job as general manager of San Jose where Landon Donovan was on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. Donovan was not adjusting well to Bundesliga and wished to return to the MLS. However, Lalas traded away Donovan’s rights to LA Galaxy. Talk about dropping the ball. Soon after, he was “awarded” the position of general manager and president for the New York Metro Stars where he would help transition the sale of the team to Red Bull. Shortly after the sale, Lalas “quit” and was sent to his third AEG run team Los Angelas Galaxy.
During his time with LA Galaxy, Lalas found millions of ways to show his stupidity. For starters, he compared David Beckham to Pele stating he would make a bigger impact on American soccer than the Brazilian legend. During the publicity campaign for Beckham’s arrival, Lalas claimed the MLS was better than the EPL because they were more competitive. Once Becks got there, the LA Galaxy GM idol worshiped the English star, and allowed 19 Management take over his job. The little control he had left, he used to make stupid decisions like stripping Donovan of the captaincy to play to Beckham’s public image. Yet again, Donovan gets the shaft from Lalas after he decides Donovan doesn’t deserve the MVP award voted by the fans. Instead, Lalas gives it to Chris Klein, the only true Beckham supporter at the time. Then, he allows Beckham’s manager, Terry Byrne, to choose the new head coach and announce it to the team who had no idea who he was. By the time Lalas realized his mistake, Beck’s camp destroyed what was left of his management career, and in August 2008 Lalas was sacked by AEG.
After his dismal, Lalas went to work for ESPN and became a very outspoken correspondent. He once stated that expansion team Seattle Sounders FC had no chance of doing well in the league. Not only that, Lalas claimed, , "Eddie Vedder, I think, would have a better chance of making an impact at Seattle than Freddie Ljungberg". However, at the end of 2009 regular season Lalas acknowledged his initial skepticism was wrong. He said, "For me he's the best DP signing, because of the way he plays in MLS." Unfortunately, his peace with Sounders FC fans was short lived when he stated that the Sounders would have a sophomore slump despite having almost the same roster as the previous year.
Alexi Lalas was a good player. If he continues to say idiotic things, he won’t be remembered as one the US’s best players. Instead, he will be remember as that ginger pain-in-the-ass who never knew what he was talking about. It is obvious Lalas is threatened by Donovan and Seattle Sounders success. Lala's disdain for the Sounders is obviously triggered by his jealousy of Ljungberg, who was able to become a superstar at Arsenal while Lalas could not.
World Cup 2010: ESPN 3D Now On-Air
First World Cup broadcast begins without a hitch By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/11/2010 10:48:50 AM
Cable sports giant ESPN's latest network, ESPN 3D, launched successfully at 9:30 am EST Friday with the stereoscopic 3D broadcast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa.
ESPN held a launch event for the press at its Bristol, Ct. headquarters, where the game could be seen on both a Samsung DLP set that used active-shutter glasses and a Hyundai LCD set that used passive glasses. Through the first half-hour of the broadcast, there were no major image problems in the feed, which is being produced by host broadcaster HBS in Johannesburg, though were a few times the picture briefly froze due to compression issues.
Sony, which is sponsoring the channel's launch, has supplied a number of its new 3D LCD sets to ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla., where ESPN is hosting a viewing party for fans.
ESPN began the broadcast with a brief intro and some footage from the opening ceremonies, which were followed by 3D commercials from Sony, Procter & Gamble's Gilette brand and Pixar's upcoming Toy Story 3 movie. It also aired a new 3D This is SportsCenter spot which depicted anchor Stan Verrett demonstrating 3D to Los Angeles Dodger Andre Ethier and accidentally breaking a 3D camera with a baseball bat in the process.
Some game shots gave more of a feeling of depth than others, with flags waving in the crowd being one of the most impressive shots, along with occasional FIFA graphics that fly across the screen. The only full-time graphics on the screen are a scorebug in the upper left corner of the screen, and a small ESPN 3D logo in the upper right.
Kevin Stolworthy, SVP of ESPN technology, said that ESPN expects a few minor glitches with the early World Cup coverage, such as convergence issues, but expects they'll get fixed during the tournament. ESPN EVP of technology Chuck Pagano said that ESPN has been involved in recent test productions done by HBS and was confident they were ready.
Bob Toms, VP of production enhancements for ESPN, said that ESPN will have a more usual complement of graphics for the first 3D event it produces, the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby in Anaheim, Calif. on July 12. But he said ESPN's overall graphics approach for 3D will be more subtle than conventional HD, to "let people live in the picture more."
Speaking about an hour into the broadcast, Stolworthy said he was pleased so far and noted that soccer was a particularly challenging sport for 3D because of its continuous format. He said he's looking forward to American sports in 3D that will allow for more replays, which are particularly dramatic in 3D.
"It's such a tough sport, because it's nonstop action," he said. "You see a replay for five seconds, and, Boom, you're cutting back to a [live] camera."
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NHL 2005: Who To Bet On
In the last 12 months the National Hockey League has undergone as massive of an overhaul as any sports league in the last half century. With revamped rules, a restructured salary system and a new television partner, professional hockey is the shell of the sport that locked its doors a year ago. the changes reflect the NHL's new mantra - more scoring, increased parity and cost certainty. So forget everything you know or think you know about the NHL, which begins preseason play on Sept. 16, as even the most faithful and ardent fan has to admit that they have no clue as to how the game will look in 2005-06.
First, hockey viewers will have to get used to watching their game on a new station. ESPN took a gamble and refused to pick up the network's option on the NHL's broadcasting rights. the idea was that ESPN would be able to opt out of their deal, and then repurchase the rights at a substantially reduced rate. instead, the Outdoor Living Network, a subsidiary of Comcast Cable, swooped in with a very lucrative offer and purchased the rights to broadcast the NHL regular season and playoffs for $65 million this season, $70 million in 2006-2007, and $72.5 million in 2007-2008. Not to worry though - Barry Melrose and his man mullet have signed on with OLN.
However, OLN only reaches an estimated 65 million homes throughout the United States and Canada. That's a substantial reduction from the 90 million subscribers that ESPN boasts, and the 89 million viewers that ESPN2 can reach. Also, since ESPN doesn't own the rights, the league shouldn't expect too much coverage from those Bristol bastards. the new deal - while a relative windfall for a sport with flailing TV ratings - definitely relegates the NHL to Niche Sport status. well, that and a 309-day lockout will turn off any fan base. Right now hockey's popularity lies somewhere around the WNBA and extreme dodgeball.
Next, besides the ideological alterations that the league has experienced, there have been considerable changes to the practical aspects of the game. a competition committee revisited several issues that were pinpointed as problem areas during the pre-lockout days. the highlights of their adopted rule changes are:
1) no more ties. instead of records that read like Lotto picks, the league has gone back to good ol' fashioned wins and losses. At the end of overtime a six-player shootout will ensue, followed by a sudden death shootout if necessary.
2) Goalies will no longer be allowed to be built like Optimus Prime. Their allotted padding has been reduced 11 percent. the rule is backed by $25,000 fines and suspensions.
3) Goaltenders can no longer "freeze" the puck, and a trapezoidal area has been set up behind the goal line. the goalies are only allowed to handle the puck within that area when behind the goal line.
4) the offensive zone will be larger. the bluelines were each moved two feet closer to one another, shrinking the neutral zone. Also, the goal-lines have been moved two feet further from the boards, leaving more room behind the net.
5) the red line is gone, and two-line passes are now legal.
6) Other minor changes have occurred. There's no flopping, a point of emphasis on clutching and grabbing, anyone who instigates a fight in the last five minutes gets suspended, no flipping the puck into the stands in your defensive zone, and no public complaints about the league.
The idea is that all of these rule modifications will open up scoring and increase the speed of the game. They're hoping that the new NHL will be similar to the hockey played in the Olympics, which features more scoring and skill rather than neutral zone traps and the grind-it-out garbage that had permeated the NHL over the last decade.
Finally, a whirlwind of player movement has completely reconfigured the balance of talent throughout the league. Trying to figure out who is going where has proven more tiresome than trying to keep up with which pitcher Alyssa Milano is banging now. in fact, when opening night comes (the Rangers open against the Flyers on Oct. 5) most fans will feel like Guy Pierce's short-term-memory depraved character in Memento. They'll vaguely recognize where they are but have no idea how they got there.
I saw a post on another sports site that I felt best sums up the player movement that's taken place since the league went back in business: "Don't you feel like the new NHL is the equivalent of someone stealing your NHL '95 game for Sega, randomizing the rosters, and then giving it back to you?"
Laying a bet on NHL futures trying to predict who will hoist the Cup next summer could be a great opportunity to fleece some unsuspecting oddsmakers. but, as always, wager at your own risk. Here's a quick overview on some teams that will be worth watching and could be worth the gamble:
Detroit Red Wings (17/2) - the favorites for the upcoming season reside in Hockeytown. It's a terrible bet, and don't bite. Yes the Red Wings were the best team in the 2003-04 regular season with 109 overall points, but perhaps no team was hurt more by the year off. Steve Yzerman is now 40, Chris Chelios is 43 and Brendan Shanahan is turning 37. the window may have closed for the Wings and their AARP roster. Also, Detroit has only about $7 million to resign Pavel Datsyuk (who's said he's not even close to a deal) and/or Henrik Zetterberg. this team has holes, and now they can't plug it with money.
Philadelphia Flyers (9/1) - the Flyers waived goodbye to its nucleus of Jeremy Roenick, John LeClair and mark Recchi. Their absence will open up the ice for young speedsters Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Also, they managed to pilfer Peter Forsberg and Derian Hatcher, adding two of the top free agent talents to an already strong team. the Flyers should have a slight edge over new Jersey in their quest to defend their Atlantic Division championship.
Ottawa Senators (11/1) - the Sens were the top scoring team in the Eastern Conference in 2003-04 (262 goals), and they added the dynamic Dany Heatley in a blockbuster deal that included Marian Hossa. as long as no one asks Heatley to be the designated driver, he should add some more pop to Ottawa's offense. Daniel Alfredsson led the team with 48 assists in 03-04, and will be setting the table for Heatley. this squad is deep and strong, and will be relying on Ray Emery and Dominick Hasek in the net.
Calgary Flames (13/1) - the runners-up to the 2004 champion Tampa Bay Lightning (man, that still sounds strange) will be even better this season. the key move they made was retaining superstar Jerome Iginla. Iginla was tied for the NHL lead with 41 goals in 03-04. the Flames upgraded the offense by bringing in Tony Amonte and Darren McCarty. Also, Roman Hamrlik was acquired to shore up an already stout defense.
New Jersey Devils (14/1) - this is a very interesting team going into the preseason. as Detroit and Colorado will be most affected by the salary cap, new Jersey will be most affected by the rule changes. many blame the Devils for pioneering the neutral zone trap and the clutch-and-grab style that took over the league in the last decade. Offensively, they still have Scott Gomez (team leader in assists) and Patrick Elias (leader in goals and points) and I expect big numbers from both. They've won at least 41 games in each of the past three seasons, and with Martin Brodeur in goal they always have a shot.
Colorado Avalance (14/1) - the Avs still have Joe Sakic and Pierre Turgeon in the center, Brad May and Alex Tanguay on the left and Milan Hejduk on the right. So in other words, they still have a chance. Colorado has put up an average of 42 wins per year the last three seasons, and its core remains intact. Rob Blake is back to anchor the defense and David Aebischer is the man in the cage. I expect them to figure prominently in the Western Conference, but I don't think they have enough depth to hoist the Cup.
Boston Bruins (15/1) - the Bruins were one of the teams that benefited the most from the outlandish free agency. they were able to lock up captain Joe Thornton for three years, and keep Glen Murray on the club. Also, they were able to add seasoned vets Shawn McEachern and Brian Leetch, as well as Alexi Zhamnov and Dave Scatchard. That talent infusion improves a team that was already pretty tough (defending Northeast Division champions). the pressure will be on Andrew Raycroft, the only goalie on the roster.
Pittsburgh Penguins (15/1) - the March of the Penguins back to hockey's elite may start this season. besides being a fiscal farce off the ice, they've been one of the worst teams on it for the past several years, managing just 78 wins in the last three seasons. they put up only 2.3 goals a game while winning 23 games in 03-04. but the Steel City won the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes, and the "next Gretzky" gives them instant credibility. they resigned leading scorer Dick Tarnstrom and acquired Lyle Odelein, and that young talent may be ready to take the next step.
Tampa Bay Lightning (15/1) - Winning the Stanley Cup a few weeks before the lockout must've been kind of like winning the lottery and then finding out we're going back to the barter system. Tampa Bay caught lightning in a bottle in the summer of 2004, and the defending Stanley Cup champions have brought back the principals involved in that run. Dave Andreychuk, Martin St. Louis, and Vincent Lecavalier are all back and ready to go. they roster reeks of old age, but they're still the champs and should be shown the proper respect.
Anaheim Mighty Ducks (30/1) - Team Teemu returns as the head of the Flying V. Sergie Federov is looking to salvage a burnt out career, and Scott Niedermeyer should flourish in Anaheim's wide-open attack. Also, the Ducks have a huge advantage with J-S Giguere minding the net. That's one guy who won't need the extra padding to dominate. a drawback is that they traded captain Steve Rucchin to the Rangers.
Atlanta Thrashers (33/1) - I like this pick for the value. the Hossa-Heatley trade was pretty much a push, but getting a solid veteran defenseman like Greg deVries in the deal may shift the advantage in the Thrashers favor. they already posses a young core led by the very talented Ilya Kovalchuk (team leader in goals and assists) and Hossa's playmaking style (36 goals and 82 points) will fit right in. they signed Mike Dunham to mentor talented youngster Kari Lehtonen, and brought in Bobby Holik to add even more firepower. they might be a year away, but it may be worth it to take a $10 or $20 flier on them.
