Video of Alex Skolnick at NAMM 2012

Thanks to some connections I was able to attend the NAMM Show this past weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center.  In case you don’t know what NAMM is it’s a music industry trade show where artists, merchants, manufacturers and the like get together for four days and introduce the latest products, innovations, etc.

Also at the show artists sign autographs and put on demonstrations of a new products by the companies that endorse them.  I was able to capture with my phone one such demonstration.  This video below is of Alex Skolnick and was shot by me on my phone.  Skolnick plays guitar for heavy metal band Testament, jazz band The Alex Skolnick Trio and Trans Siberian Orchestra.  In part one Skolnick demonstrates jazz guitar.  In part two he demonstrates heavy metal guitar and in the final part he plays a solo using a 70′s style funk tone.   Enjoy.

Thank You New York Giants And Other Thoughts…

I don’t know about the rest of you, but the first thing I need to do is thank Kyle Williams and the New York Giants from saving me from a nightmare Super Bowl scenario.  Thanks to Williams second punt return snafu leading to a New York game winning field goal in overtime I now have a team to root for in the Super Bowl.

A big thumbs down goes to Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans and kicker Billy Cundiff.  Because of Evans inability to hold on to a touchdown pass and Cundiff’s best Ray Finkle imitation I have to watch perhaps my least favorite team in the NFL, the New England Patriots gets a shot at yet another championship.

I would’ve liked to have seen New York and Baltimore in the Super Bowl.  Had that been the case all I would’ve been rooting for is a good game.  But I guess having a good guy/bad guy scenario works just as well.  At least it wasn’t the Patriots against the 49ers.  That scenario would’ve been a nightmare for this Raider fan.  Had been that situation I probably would’ve been rooting for New England because at least their gloating would have been taking place three times zones away.  Since I live in central California the prospect of seeing a gloating San Francisco fan on a near daily basis would’ve been too much to handle.

“Who’s got it worse than us?” – Sincerely, Kyle Williams, Lee Evans and Billy Cundiff

All in all I’m happy the NBA is back but frankly it’s painful to watch.  A couple of weeks ago the Bulls and Raptors play to a 77-64 final.  A few nights later the Mavericks and Lakers try to set the game back even further with a 73-70 final.  Last night the Magic single-handedly sent the game back to the Naismith era by scoring only 56 points in a game.

I know the shortened schedule is the reason for some bizarre happenings and some less than top quality performances but the three examples I just mentioned are inexcusable.  Isn’t there any way to fine these teams a games pay?  Clearly they didn’t show up on those respective nights.

After a 10-8 start that includes a 1-6 road record I completely overestimated the Lakers ability to contend for a title.  No team with that bad of a road record can expect to be playing for anything worth while this season except for a higher draft pick.

I can’t figure out if it’s the team needing time to adjust to a new offensive scheme or the team not having the right player personnel to properly execute the new scheme.  One thing I do know is that a team with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum should not be this painful to watch on the offensive end.  With the way Bryant is jacking up shots, I feel like I’m watching the 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 Lakers and I don’t understand why.  This team is way more talented than those that featured such legendary never was’ as Kwame Brown and Smush Parker.

How about the Detroit Tigers coming out of nowhere to sign first baseman Prince Fielder?  The deal is for nine years and worth $214 million.  How’s that for protection for Miguel Cabrera who is a top two or three hitter in his own right?  Along with what the Angels and Yankees have done this off-season, the race for the AL Pennant is down to three teams despite pitchers and catchers not reporting for a little less than a month from now.

Today the Raiders hired former Broncos Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen as their new head coach. For Oakland this was the first head coach to be hired with a defensive background since John Madden in the late 60′s.  I don’t know much about Allen but I was a fan of the hiring General Manager Reggie McKenzie so “In Reggie I Trust”.

I’ve been a Los Angeles Kings fan for my entire life and I never ever thought I would see the day that a Kings goaltender would make an all-star team.  So a big congratulations goes to Jonathan Quick for his outstanding season thus far.  Without the outstanding play of Quick, Los Angeles General Manager Dean Lombardi would be standing in the unemployment right along side former head coach Terry Murray.

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The Four Day Football Whirlwind That Was

With so much going on in the world of pro and college football  since Saturday there was no way I could decide on just one thing to write about so without further ado here are my thoughts on the weekend that was:

Saturday night New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees had me shaking my head on a regular basis but in a good way.  For three hours I was amazed at the pin point precision throws  he was making as he carved up the Detroit Lions defense.  It was a performance that was nothing short of amazing.

I feel bad for the voters in this years NFL MVP race because whether you pick Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers or Brees you’re wrong even though you’re right.  Good luck with that voters.

Admittedly I didn’t watch much of Monday’s BCS National Championship Game between LSU and Alabama.  After their regular season field goal fest, why would anyone want to sit through another yawner?  Yes, I understand that defense is extremely important but you can still have a great defensive game while having a 21-17 outcome.

Was Alabama the best team on the field Monday?  No question about it.  What they accomplished defensively both last night and this season was nothing short of historical.  Were they the best team in the country?  Yes.  With all that said, I still don’t think they deserved to be playing for a championship last night.  I’m sorry Alabama but as  far as I’m concerned you had your chance against LSU back in November and you lost.  I know it was by a field goal in overtime but you still lost.  Period.  Oklahoma State should have been playing LSU last night.  End of story.

In last week’s column I touched on what the Raiders should do in regards to Hue Jackson’s future as their head coach.  Today newly hired Oakland General Manager Reggie McKenzie announced that Jackson was being dismissed after just one season as head coach.  Jackson  lead the team to an 8-8 record that included a 1-4 finish and the team missing the playoffs for the ninth straight season.

While I disagree with the decision I completely understand why it was made.  As is common in the business world, when new ownership takes over a company they let go of the current people and bring in their people to guide the company in their vision.

The Raiders hiring of McKenzie is no different.  He comes from a Green Bay Packers background which is completely different than the “Raider Way” and he wants to bring in his people to to steer the franchise in his image.  Raider owner Mark Davis gave him that authority and McKenzie plans to execute it.

After guiding the Denver Broncos to a 29-23 overtime victory in Sunday’s wildcard game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Tim Tebow has earned the right to enter next year’s training camp  as the starter regardless of what he does this weekend at New England.

I know Tebow’s pulled off some of the ugliest performances in recent quarterbacking history but he also went 7-4 as a starter and helped Denver get into the postseason.  If he wasn’t playing for the Broncos I would be rooting for him on a regular basis to keep defying the naysayers.

That being said, if you’ve read any of my previous columns you know how I feel about the Patriots so for this week only my rooting interests are completely behind Denver.  Come on Timmy!  I know you have another miracle left in you!

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The Failure That Was The 2011 Oakland Raiders

It was a season filled with promise despite the passing of owner Al Davis.  The once vaunted vertical game had returned.  The ground game was as explosive as any in the NFL.   The defense was playing inspired and the kicking team was challenging all-time records.   First year head coach Hue Jackson was making all the right calls both on and off the field.   Everything was falling into place for the Oakland Raiders.

For the first time since a trip to the Super Bowl in 2002, Oakland seemed like a stone cold lead pipe lock to end their playoff drought.  Through eleven weeks the Raiders were 7-4 and holding sole possession of first place in the AFC West. Unfortunately for  Raider Nation a season that was filled with hope, excitement and promise finished with emptiness, frustration and disappointment.

After losing four of its last five to the end the season including an uninspiring performance at Miami, a remarkable ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the fourth quarter of a home game against Detroit and an embarrassing effort against San Diego, the Oakland Raiders are watching the playoffs exactly like you and I…on the couch.

No matter how you look at it the lack of a playoff appearance makes this season a failure.  Coming off a 8-8 season in 2010 that included a 6-0 record within their division, a playoff appearance for the 2011 Oakland Raiders had to be the only criteria by which success for this year could be measured.

Many think the inability of the team to finish should cost Jackson his job even after just one season.  I disagree with that believing that coaches need more than one season to showcase their abilities.  I would give Jackson one more year.  If they don’t make the playoffs after next year then I would give him the pink slip.

To give Jackson the best chances to succeed I would make the these changes.  The first thing I would do is  hire a General Manager and give them complete control over player personnel.  In this day and age I will never understand how teams expect to have success without a General Manager in place.  This person will give the team an identity and build it in their image.  Head coaches or owners should not be making player personnel decisions.

Owners put their employees in the best positions to succeed, general managers find the talent and coaches get the most out of that talent.  That is the recipe for success.  See Bob Kraft who owns the New England Patriots or Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss if you disagree with me.

The next thing I would do is fire Defensive Coordinator Chuck Bresnahan.  His defenses inability to hold three different second half leads this year against Buffalo, Denver and Detroit are arguably the biggest examples of failure for the 2011 Raiders.

In losses to Detroit and San Diego the Raiders allowed them to drive over 95 yards in the fourth quarter in just a handful of plays.  That type of defensive performance is inexcusable.  To steal a famous line from Al Davis, “Bresnahan must go down and he must go down hard”.

In addition, I would try to upgrade the pass defense from my linebackers and try to bring a free agent or use what little draft picks I have left in this years draft to upgrade my secondary.  The play of the secondary was a source of weakness all season long and was routinely exploited throughout.

Lastly, I would do whatever it takes to re-sign Michael Bush.  As much as I love Darren McFadden, he has proven himself to be unreliable.  When healthy he is as good as any runner in the game.  Unfortunately he has never played more than 13 games in a season and is coming off a season in which he only played in seven games.  Bush may not have the speed and quickness of McFadden but what he lacks in that area he makes up for in durability and routinely proves he can perform like a starting running back when given the opportunity.

The 2011 season was a failure that will not soon be forgotten by fans of the silver and black.  It was a performance that should serve as a reminder of what happens when a team doesn’t give it’s best performance for an entire season.  It should also serve as a reminder that the Raiders should live by the example of their slogan and once again “commit to excellence”.

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Stern Fails Hornets Over Basketball Reasons

Last week, like many Los Angeles Laker fans, I sat on the edge of my seat as reports and tweets poured in announcing a three team trade was in the works involving the Lakers, Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets.

Superstar point guard Chris Paul was on his way to Tinsel Town.  Pau Gasol was going to call the L0ne Star State Home.   Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a 2012 first round draft pick would now reside in the Big Easy.

Despite the would be gaping hole in the front court, I was beyond excited at the back court combo of arguably the best point guard in the league in Paul being teamed with up with the best shooting guard over the last decade in Kobe Bryant.

All teams were happy with the final result.  For the Lakers, they were getting a franchise type player that could carry on the proud Laker tradition after Kobe hangs up his sneakers.  Houston was getting a big man they’ve always coveted that could help them replace the loss of Yao Ming while New Orleans was getting two very capable forwards, one of which is the reigning sixth man of the year along with a 20 point per game scorer, a solid young point guard along with a first round pick in what analysts project to be a very deep draft class.

It was a win win scenario for all teams involved.  That is until approximately three hours later when NBA Commissioner David Stern made an unprecedented decision and vetoed the trade.  Fans, analysts, reporters and players alike were stunned at the ruling.  Citing “basketball reasons” the league decided that New Orleans, who is being run by the league while it seeks to find a permanent owner, was not getting enough in return for its biggest asset.

It’s one thing to veto a perfectly good trade for all involved but it’s another thing to do so without giving any kind of valid, transparent reason.  Stern and the NBA decided that New Orleans was more valuable with Chris Paul in a Hornets uniform.

I understand where Stern is coming from but often times sales take months to complete and to my knowledge the Hornets don’t even have any potential buyers at this point in time.  In a little over six months from now Paul will be gone.

I ask the question, “How is  having a player who’s  made it clear that he has every intention to leave as a free agent at the end of the season a good thing for a franchise?”

So let me get this straight, getting nothing for Chris Paul is better than getting four really good  players for him since he’s inevitably going to leave anyway?

The league gave New Orleans General Manager Dell Demps complete authority to negotiate a deal to restock the franchise and move beyond the constant distractions that go with having a lame duck all-star on your team.  At no point did the NBA give Demps any kind of parameters to satisfy when negotiating a deal for Paul and then when he does they completely undermine everything he accomplished.

If anything Stern has made it nearly impossible for Demps to find an attractive package in exchange for Paul.  Why would anyone want to negotiate with New Orleans with this kind of precedence already having been set?

Since last weeks veto the Clippers have emerged as a possible trade partner and have reportedly offered the Hornets Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe, Al-Farouq Aminu and either Eric Gordon or their rights to Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first round pick.  Ins some reports both Gordon & the draft pick are being offered to New Orleans.

I know we’re talking about the Clippers here but even they will eventually get tired of negotiating with the completely unreasonable David  Stern er the Hornets and realize they’re stupid to offer New Orleans all those players when NO ONE else is bidding against them.

It’s the job of every commissioner in their respective sport to act in the best interest of the entire league but in the case of the New Orleans Hornets David Stern failed the franchise he had the power and greatest responsibility to protect.

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The Real Losers

If you’ve been following the sports world the past several months then you no doubt are aware of the current labor dispute in the NBA between the owners and players which has cost the league all scheduled games through December 15.

Like 99% of you out there I can’t relate to a fight between billionaires and millionaires.  Some of you side with the players while others side with the owners. As for me, I honestly don’t care and will openly admit that I haven’t been following every single detail.

All I know is that the players have rejected the owners latest proposal and now the players union is taking steps to decertify thus putting the 2011-2012 NBA season in serious jeopardy.

As I began to think about not having professional basketball this fall through spring I began to think about the people that are the biggest losers in this situation.

Chances are if you were to ask people who the losers are in this current dispute, many would say the fans are those who are hurt the most.  While I do agree, I think that’s a superficial answer.  Sure the fans are the most loyal customers of the product who pump  hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars into the NBA machine through ticket sales and merchandise just to name a couple of  revenue streams.

For them getting the receipt of a labor dispute that’s forcing the cancellation of games is not exactly the kind of payback they were looking for.  While the fans do indeed come out on the short end of the stick I think there are those who lose out just as much if not worse.

Let’s start with the player who had planned to play his final season this year.  Like many of you no one wants to be forced in to retirement due to circumstances beyond their control.  Everyone wants to end their respective careers on their own terms.  Because of this labor dispute that player will no longer have that ability.  Circumstances are forcing him to end his career in a less than ideal fashion.

When we think about the players in this dispute, we undoubtedly think about the superstars like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and Lebron James.  They are the faces of the NBA and deservedly so.  Does anyone think about the guys at the end of the bench who are making the league minimum on a one year contract?

With no NBA team to play for, this player must now look for alternative ways by which to make a living.  Now he is forced to play in a foreign country if he wants to continue to make a living.  Moving from one city to another or from state to state can be a tough adjustment.  I’ve done the latter twice in my life.  I can’t even begin to imagine the experience of having to move to another country and either uproot my family or spend months at a time away from them while being halfway around the world.  If you’re a player that falls into this category I in no way envy your position.

However, the biggest losers in all this are the arena worker.  The common, everyday, middle class person so many of us can relate to.  With no games to work, these people are now amongst the ranks of the unemployed.  No longer do they have the means they were counting on to pay their bills or provide for their families.

These are people we see all the time at a game but pass by with hardly an acknowledgment.  These people are your parking attendants,  ticket scanners,  food vendors, attendants and the person selling you programs.  They are the faceless people who without them you would not have some of your most cherished memories and wonderful experiences.  They are the biggest losers in the NBA Labor Dispute.

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Ramblings of a Sports Fan

My name is Joe Pacheco.  I am a married father of none.

I was raised in the LA suburbs and despite the fact that I currently call Fresno home I will always be a southern Californian at heart.   I’ve also lived in Las Vegas where I graduated from UNLV.

My sports allegiances are firmly with the Lakers, Dodgers, Raiders & LA Kings (in no particular order).

I’ve worked in sports radio and worked as a freelance sports writer.

Besides sports my other passion is music.  I love all types of rock from Buddy Holly to Metallica and all points in between and play a little bass guitar.

It’s been almost 18 months since I’ve stepped into the clubhouse.  I don’t have an answer as to why I stopped writing for a while but I’m excited to get back at it.  Thanks to the www.thenewsportsguru.com for giving me a reason to get back in front of the computer and and express my thoughts.

When I was asked to contribute a column for “The Guru” I had many thoughts racing through my head as to what I could write this first column about.  Instead of picking just one I decided to share them all so without further ado, here we go.

Just when Dodgers fans thought there was an end to this awful chapter in ownership history I came across this story.  For their fans this off-season will be the equivalent of having to sit back and watch every other kid raid the ice cream truck and all you can do is pull the lint out of your pocket.

Since moving to the central valley six years ago I’ve become a fan of Fresno State football.  It’s the closest thing we have to professional sports here and like many people I want to see the program do well.  I will always be a fan of what Pat Hill has done for the school as far as raise the profile of the program.  They’re routinely on television in front of a nation wide audience.  The quality of opponent has increased by leaps and bounds since he took over the program in 1997.  Do I think he should be instantly put in the school’s athletic hall of fame upon completion of his career?  Without a doubt.  Do I think the time has come for him to pass the torch to someone else and move on?  Yes!

The Giants victory over New England last week brought back one of the fondest memories of my sports life.  Super Bowl XLII Giants 17 Patriots 14 to end New England’s run at a perfect season and shut up Mercury Morris once and for all.  Under normal circumstances I would’ve been rooting for Patriots to make  history but I just couldn’t get past my extreme dislike for Belichek, Brady and company.  Tuck rule anyone?

On the flip side, I would love for the Packers to run the table.  While not being a fan per say, I’ve always liked what that franchise has stood for, their fans and many of the players that have put on that storied uniform.

Is it just me or does San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers have the worst body language in the NFL when things aren’t going his way?  Even Ryan Leaf thinks it’s bad.

Is anyone else besides me doing a happy dance that the Indianapolis Colts have finally been flexed out of a prime time game?

What is it about long home stands that seem to do the LA Kings a disservice?

Despite being a NBA fan, am I the only one who is not sad in the slightest that the league has cancelled games and could possibly miss the entire season?  I still have the NFL, NHL, college football and college basketball is right around the corner.  Not to mention major league baseball free agency is underway and we’ve already had our first off-season trade with the Giants trading Jonathan Sanchez to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.  Sorry David Stern but you’re not holding me hostage as a sports fan.  I’ve moved on.

What is it about putting on the Silver and Black Oakland Raider uniform that causes football players to commit penalties?  If I had the money of a sultan or Bill Gates for that matter I would have broken an electronic stores worth of TV’s out of pure frustration while watching their games.

Nothing feels better than the week following your NFL teams win.  Nothing feels worse following a loss.

Does anyone want to win the AFC West?

November 9, 2011 will go down as the day we got our answer to the question, “What does it take for the head football coach at Penn State to get fired?”

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Lakers Use Celtics M.O. To Top Boston In Game One

The difference between 2010 and 2008 was noticed in the opening seconds of the first quarter.  Two years ago, Boston used tough, physical and aggressive play to impose their physical will over the Lakers en route to winning their NBA best 17th championship in franchise history.

Fast forward to Thursday night where Ron Artest and Paul Pierce were battling for position underneath the hoop.  Both fell to the floor entangled in each other and a double technical was called.  It was at that point the Lakers established they were not the same team from two years ago. 

Ron Artest could not be more of a different player than Vladimir Radmanovic, who was the Lakers starting small forward in the 2008 Finals and was matched up with Pierce who took advantage of the mismatch all the way to becoming Finals MVP.

Los Angeles gave Boston a taste of their own medicine Thursday night on their way to winning Game One 102-89.  In addition to the physical tone established by Artest in the opening seconds, the Lakers dominated the paint by out rebounding the Celtics 42-31 and outscoring them in second chance points 16-0. 

Another huge factor in the Lakers Game One win was the play of Andrew Bynum.  If you look at the box score nothing jumps out at you as Bynum finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes.  What I saw was a player the Lakers sorely missed two years ago that was able to give them productive minutes by staying out of foul trouble and absorb the physical punishment by Boston’s big men and most importantly allow Pau Gasol to have a more favorable matchup against Kevin Garnett and Boston’s other power forwards.  Gasol finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds (8 offensive) and 3 blocked shots. 

Last night’s win will undoubtedly give the Lakers much confidence going forward as Kobe Bryant and company look to make amends for the defeat two years ago.  However, make no mistake, as this series is far from over.  Boston looked completely out of rhythm.  Garnett was not at his best and Ray Allen was in foul trouble all night and was never able to get on track. 

None of Boston’s “Big Four” shot 50 percent.  I look for that to change sooner rather than later.  The Celtics will make the necessary adjustments and show the heart of a champion to try to keep from going down 2-0 in the series.

Look for the Lakers to continue to try to impose their physical will and continue to try to break the Celtics spirit.  I know past statistics do not guarantee future results but this stat is an impressive one none the less.  Phil Jackson coached teams are 47-0 when they have won the first game in a playoff series.  Just a little food for thought as the basketball world turns its eyes to Sunday for Game Two.

The Best Time Of The Year In Sports

April is arguably the greatest month of the sports calendar.  Starting things off we had a near “David over Goliath” experience in the NCAA Men’s basketball championship as Butler nearly pulled off the upset against the mighty Duke.  A finish for the ages was not to be as a Hail Mary heave attempt from half court was not to be answered.  Although the majority of the event takes place in the month of March, the culmination of sports greatest event kicks off April, the best month in the sports year.

How could you not love a month in which not one but two postseason’s begin with the NBA and NHL playoffs getting underway this week?  Once again I’ll be on the edge of my seat rooting for the Lakers to win their 16th championship.  With the recent injuries and poor play down the stretch along with the improvement of the entire western conference and Cleveland and Orlando in the east, the Lakers will certainly have their work cut out for them.

While I’m excited for another post season run by the Lakers, I am beyond happy to see my beloved Los Angeles Kings return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.  During this time I, like many other Kings fans, have suffered through some lean years, but tonight when they hit the ice in Vancouver to begin postseason play, all those rough times will be forgotten.

The Kings are proof that if you have competent management that has  a plan and is committed to seeing that plan to fruition you will find success sooner rather than later.  I’m realistic in my expectations.  I don’t believe this is the year the Kings will end a 43 year drought and hoist the Stanley Cup, but I do believe that a second round appearance is a realistic possibility.

Nothing is better than playoff drama with teams going all out to win the championship in their respective sports.  I love the playoffs in all the major sports.  I enjoy a major league baseball playoff game from first pitch to final out.  The NFL playoffs are three hours of pure joy.  As a confessed sports junkie, I’ll take two playoffs going on simultaneously over just one any time.

In addition to the great playoff action, April is a time of new beginnings and a renewed sense of hope for baseball and football fans.  For fans of America’s past time, a new season has just begun.  Fans of all the teams come out of spring training with a hope and an optimism that this could be the year their team is celebrating October glory.  For some that hope is realistically attainable, for other that’s all it is…hope.  But the beauty of sports is you don’t know how things will play out which is why you have to watch and see it all unfold day by day, month by month.

For NFL fans, April marks the annual entry draft which is the beginning of a new era.  Fans of teams that finished amongst the worst the year before have a renewed sense of excitement with a highly touted draft pick set to come their way.  For the fans of the good teams, you hope your general manager will be unable to uncover a hidden gem and keep your team riding the wave of success.

The sports calendar has something for every fan throughout the year, whether Indy 500 in May, the baseball all-star game in July or the Super Bowl in January, but for my money, I’ll take April any time of the year.

Silver On The Scoreboard, Gold In Our Hearts

For two weeks the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team took our nation on a magic journey.  Led by the  magnificent play of goaltender Ryan Miller, forward Zach Parise and defenseman Brian Rafalski they came within one win of capturing the gold medal.

Although the NHL season resumed last night with one game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche, the full schedule of games resumes this evening.  Before their accomplishments fade too far into the rear view mirror, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how special their achievements were in capturing the silver medal.

Coming into the Olympics, many people picked the U.S. to finish in the neighborhood of fourth or fifth.  While there were many talented players that comprised the roster, not many felt that talent compared with the likes of Canada, Russia or Sweden.

Although the U.S. did not play Russia or Sweden, they fought with the heart of a champion and defeated every team they played along the way to earning a spot in the gold medal game, including Canada in the preliminary rounds.  For those who watched the Americans 5-3 win over their Canadian rivals a little over a week ago, the U.S. was outplayed in just about every aspect of the game besides on the scoreboard.  It was at that moment I truly believed the Americans could capture gold.  They showed the character of champions which was to find a way to win a game they probably shouldn’t have.

With every Miller save or a big goal, the U.S. made us believe more and more that anything was possible including a gold medal.  This team refused to listen to the critics who didn’t give them much of a chance and never stopped showing the heart of a champion.

That was never more evident when amidst a frenzied largely pro-Canadian crowd that could taste victory, Parise scored with 24 seconds remaining in the game to tie the score 2-2, send the game into overtime and send a shock wave throughout Vancouver and all of Canada.  Although Sidney Crosby became a Canadian hero with the overtime goal that gave Canada the gold medal, the U.S. and its fans could hang their head up high and be proud of the heart their team showed on the way to earning the silver medal.

As my beloved L.A. Kings resume their NHL schedule tonight in Dallas against the Stars, I’ll go back to dreaming of a moment that will one day be filled with Stanley Cup glory.  The American hockey fan will once again be divided amongst the allegiances for their respective teams.  As we watch our teams fight to become champions, let us not forget that for two weeks, we were all fans of one team.  A team that had character, heart and a belief in itself to win gold.  Thank you for the ride U.S. Men’s hockey and for showing all of us what a beautiful sport hockey can be.