Is there still a way to put country before party?
Watching the recent news about Senators Evan Bayh and Scott Brown, I can’t help but wonder whether there is something–anything–we can do to improve a system of governing that favors “short-term political advantage” above all else. To see Bayh and Brown, both doing what they perceive to be in the nation’s best interest for very different reasons, respectively abandoning politics and receiving hateful criticism tells me that things aren’t working as they should.
We still need the change that was a centerpiece of the 2008 election, and it should come in the form of a softening of ideology and a focus on practicality. It probably won’t.
Long live Bridgestone Arena, please
Bridgestone’s commitment to the Preds is a much-needed boost in stability for a franchise that sorely needs it. While the details are to be announced later this morning, I hope this deal is for 10 years or more. The longer the agreement is, the better it will be for Nashville’s NHL future. It’s a good sign to see a local company that is a household name step up to support the team.
Update: Bridgestone is committing to five years in the naming rights deal. That’s more than Sommet Group (three years) and Gaylord Entertainment (five years, though it originally committed to 20). I was hoping for a decade, but I’ll take half of one.
Compassion ought to be more valuable
No one enters social work to get rich, but a college graduate like Roberta Graham shouldn’t have to choose between compassionate service and her own livelihood. When that’s the reality, something isn’t working.
An upset, but no miracle for U.S. hockey
Last night’s win by the U.S. hockey team was a classic upset, but it wasn’t a miracle on ice.
The 1980 victory over the Soviet Union, which ranks among the greatest surprises in all of sports, was a David versus Goliath matchup. This time around, a squad of young American NHL players knocked off a roster of Canadian NHL hall of famers. Unlike the victory in Lake Placid, the game wasn’t in the medal round, so Canada and the U.S. are both still eligible to win the Olympic tournament. If Canada goes on to win the gold medal that many pundits thought it would going into the Olympics, last night’s setback will be only a footnote.
While the 1980 upset parallels the Bible’s story of a young boy defeating a giant, yesterday’s win was like a younger brother triumphing over his older sibling. And the older brother in this scenario, Canada, may well get a rematch.
Preds wise to leave Jokinen, Gratton for other teams to claim
Sometimes it’s a good thing when a rumored trade doesn’t go down. If you’re disappointed that Phil Kessel wound up in Toronto instead of Nashville, be glad that Olli Jokinen wound up in a Flames jersey rather than a Preds sweater.
Jokinen, who was rumored to be headed to Nashville a few times as the trade deadline loomed in past seasons, was traded yesterday to the New York Rangers. Nothing about Jokinen’s time in Alberta makes me think the Preds missed out when he didn’t end up on their roster. The same can be said for longtime rumor-mill suspect Chris Gratton.
Stability of Poile, Trotz has served Preds well
What’s the recipe for survival (and success) when you’re operating a small-market hockey team in a non-traditional market? I think the Preds are still searching for a complete answer when it comes to the fan base, though they’ve managed to grow a rabid, if undersized, following since their arrival in 1998.
When it comes to performance on the ice, though, Nashville has embraced one value above all else: stability. For a franchise that has had more than its share of relocation crises, it’s remarkable that general manager David Poile and head coach Barry Trotz are the only people who have ever held those positions for the team. Trotz is second only to Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff for the longest tenure in the entire league. Neither Poile nor Trotz would ever be mistaken for being flashy, and the team they have built matches the mild-mannered disposition and lunch-pail work ethic that both men espouse.
That may mean that Nashville’s squad is often lacking in the goal-scoring department (although that hasn’t been a problem of late), but it also means that the Preds have had the most playoff appearances (four) among the NHL’s most recent expansion teams.
Incidentally, the Minnesota Wild have had three postseason appearances (and an appearance in the conference finals) while only having two head coaches throughout their history. Atlanta and Columbus, on the other hand, have had a total of nine coaches and only two playoff appearances (one per team).
I hope some day this won’t be worth reporting
One way we’ll know that we’ve conquered intolerance and racism is when groups of different races gathering together is no longer newsworthy.
One of the most hateful thoughts in human history is the notion that one group of people has more inherent worth than another. Centuries have been wasted perpetuating that thought. If we’re going to face all of the differences that divide us, we need to start spending time together with people who are different from us, even people with whom we disagree. That’s the only way we’ll ever learn that we’re not that different after all.
It really is just a game
There’s nothing like learning that thousands of people have died in a natural disaster to remind you that a football coach changing jobs just isn’t that big of a deal.
I think all of us who are sports fans can use a wake-up call every now and then, though this certainly wouldn’t have been the one I recommended. My thoughts go out to everyone affected by last night’s earthquake in Haiti.
