Some Random Photos

My very first shift as a KNBR board operator. That's "Thin" Tim Webb in the background with a staged look. I really felt like a KNBR employee that day!

How the West will be won

The San Jose Sharks are on the road to redemption. Prolonged pains of playoffs past are being erased by each passing victory. After Dan Boyle's unfortunate own-goal in Game 3 against the Avs, the Sharks have gone 7-1. Along the way, the unthinkable happened. The Sharks took out the mighty Red Wings who until then, had taken the Sharks lunch money every day at 1 PM sharp since '95.
Now they are swimming in uncharted waters. Sure the team in '04 made the Conference Finals but they ran out of gas in that series losing all 3 games at home, flaming out to Calgary in 6 Games. Usual suspects Joe Thornton, Evgeni Nabokov and Patty Marleau all started slow this post season, but were at their best against the Wings.
By the time the Sharks and Blackhawks drop the puck this Sunday, the Sharks will have been off for a week. Chi-town finished off Vancouver on Tuesday so they will be rested as well. Rust may be a factor but neither team should have trouble getting the blood flowing. The Tank will be a madhouse (myself included) and both these teams have a lot of post season experience.
Up and down the roster, these teams mirror eachother significantly. But it is the subtle differences between them that will decide the series. For the Hawks, Antii Niemi has played solid in net but not spectacular. If Evgeni Nabokov stays hot like he was against Detroit, the Sharks will have a chance to win every night. Nabby is desperate to shake the label of post season underachiever, not to mention he is an unrestricted free agent after the playoffs.

Sharks need to get off to a hot start. They need to take advantage of that home ice. They got off to a quick start against Detroit and never looked back. All four of their victories in that series were by one goal. This is the type of resilience fans have been hoping for in San Jose for years. Should this trend continue, this team has a legitimate chance to advance to the Finals. It is highly unlikely this series will be over before Game 6 or 7. It will be a war of attrition. Players like Manny Malhotra and Scott Nichol need to come to the forefront and make life hell for the tough Chicago forwards. Some more timely scoring by Pavelski, Marleau, and Heatley would make things easier as well.
These games will be close. Forwards are about even, Hawks have a the edge with their deep and talented defense, but the edge in net has to go to Nabby. This is going to be fun.
Prediction: Sharks in 7.

Big Papa Knockout tribute show. 4/14/10

Tonight was a very special show as we dedicated it to the speedy recovery of my co-host Charles "Big Papa Knockout" Palmore. We have all missed Big Papa terribly and this was an opportunity for everyone to share some thoughts with him while he sat and listened. Get well soon Charles! So many visitors, too many to list. Just tune in because this is one special episode. Special thanks to Chance, D-Wight and Ian for their part in making "Big Papa Day" a reality!

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NHL Stanley Cup playoff preview

The Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us. The Sharks played a solid 8-1-1 down the stretch to secure top spot in the West for a second straight season. Now we all remember how unceremoniously the Sharks departed last year at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks. But this year they face the young and struggling Colorado Avalanche. All the pressure in the hockey universe is on the Sharks right now, as an early playoff exit could also see the exit of Nabokov, Marleau, Head Coach Todd McClellan, and even General Manager Doug Wilson. That is a lot of pressure, but this team has been preparing for this moment since the curtain fell on their season last Spring.
Detroit and Chicago figure to be the other big teams in the West, but watch out for Phoenix. If they can get to the Wings early (Games 1&2 in Phoenix) in the desert, they may be poised for a long run with Illya Bryzgalof leading the way.

In the East, the Washington Capitals won the Presidents Trophy securing home ice throughout the playoffs. They had 20 points more than 2nd place New Jersey. Alex Ovechkin has a terrific supporting cast and the Caps are the favorite to come out of the conference. The Penguins are the defending champs and can ramp up their play at anytime. But 2 deep playoff runs and this years Olympics may have Crosby and co. running on fumes. This is a year that is very top heavy so 1st round upsets may be hard to come by. One thing is for sure, whatever team gets the best goaltending figures to be the last one standing.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 SAN JOSE SHARKS VS #8 COLORADO AVALANCHE

The Avalanche exceeded expectations this year and surprised everyone by qualifying for the playoffs. Chris Stewart and Matt Duchesne lead a good young core as they try to shake up the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Sharks are are a top scoring team but will rely heavily on veteran goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. The Avs need to stay out of the box if they're to have any chance in this series. Joe Thornton is healthy and the Sharks Power Play is lethal. The Sharks still have the bitter taste of their 1st round upset last year. If the Avs can steal game 1, the pressure will be enormous on San Jose. This is a better Sharks team and are playing much more inexperienced opponent than the Ducks were last year. The Sharks need to breeze through this series and they probably will.
PREDICTION: SAN JOSE IN 5.

#2 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS #7 NASHVILLE PREDATORS




The Blackhawks just missed winning the west by way of their OT loss to Detroit in their season finale. The 'Hawks are extremely talented up and down their lineup. They gathered some much needed experience with their playoff run last year. The one question mark the past 2 seasons has been the goaltending. Enter Anti Niemi, who solidified his role as starter with a 2.25 GAA and a .912 save percentage, along with 7 shutouts. Brent Seabrook and Norris Trophy candidate, Duncan Keith will log big minutes on the blueline. They will need Patrick Kane to focus on helping Marian Hossa tow the line offensively and Jonathan Toews to lead them in the locker room. Nashville continues to send a quality product on the ice year in and year out. However, they are still a franchise in search of their first playoff series win. They finished the year 18 games over .500, but scored the same amount of goals as they allowed (225). Their leading scorer was Steve Sullivan who recorded 51 pts, the lowest total for any player who led his team. They have similar home and road records as well. Goalie Pekka Rinne has been spectacular some nights and dreadful the next. They will need All-Star D-men Shea Weber and Ryan Suter to shut down the 'Hawks top line if they are going to have a chance. Sorry Preds fans, you're still going to have to wait for that first series win.
PREDICTION: CHICAGO IN 6.

#3 VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS #6 LOS ANGELES KINGS


The LA Kings are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2001. They have a nice young core led by Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. Doughty is their top blueliner and after only 2 seasons in the NHL is already among the top D-men in the league. This was validated by his Olympic selection to the loaded Canadian roster that took home the Gold. The Kings will need to match the Canucks offensive attack. Vancouver is led by Henrik Sedin who had his finest season leading the entire league in points with 112. Roberto Luongo is the unquestionable leader of Vancouver. He ranked among the elite NHL goalies with 40 victories and a .913 Save Pct and a 2.57 GAA. The Canucks have not performed well in the playoffs under Luongo and he desperately wants to shake that moniker. The Kings may just be happy to be here, but if Jonathan Quick can steal a game or two, this could be a long and difficult series. The Kings have a chance but will need their power play to be lethal. Doughty could begin to build his legend even more if he can guide this upstart team to places Kings fans have dreamed of since "The Great One" left.
PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES IN 7.

#4 PHOENIX COYOTES VS #5 DETROIT RED WINGS



This is the most intriguing first round match-up. The Coyotes battled through bankruptcy, the threat of relocation and a small payroll to amass a staggering 107 points. Head Coach Dave Tippet has done a masterful job of implementing a successful system. They also made moves at the deadline and this team believes they can beat anyone. They are led by goalie Illya Bryzgalof who's regular season has him in Vezina Trophy contention. They will need to be at their best because they have a tall order. The Red Wings have played in the last 2 Stanley Cup Finals, winning in it all in 2008. They had an injury plagued regular season but got healthy just in time for the stretch run. They are now healthy and ready to ride rookie goalie, Jimmy Howard all the way into the postseason. Howard won the job from veteran Chris Osgood and hasn't looked back. HE has probably been the best netminder in the NHL, post Olympics. Coyotes really have nothing to lose, but in the end Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Franzen and Daytsuk may just be too much. However, this won't be a cakewalk for Detroit.
PREDICTION: DETROIT IN 7.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS #8 MONTREAL CANADIENS

No first round matchup appears to be more of a foregone conclusion than this one. The Capitals mopped up the competition in the Eastern Conference and only got better at the deadline. Role players like Mike Knuble and Eric Belanger compliment the league's top offense. This group features Alex Ovechkin (50 goals, 109 pts), Nicklas Backstrom (68 assists, 101 pts) who had a breakout year, and sniper Alex Semin (40 goals, 84 pts)who has one of the best snap shots in the game. The main concern for the Caps is goaltending. Jose Theodore will get the nod in game one, but Simeon Varlamov is waiting in the wings. For the Habs, Jaroslav Halak supplanted Carey Price as the starter in net. Montreal overhauled their roster after last years failures. Newcomers Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, and Brian Gionta who along with Thomas Plekanec will be relied upon for offense. They will need to play at a level we have not yet seen this group play at if they are to have any chance against the Capitals. This just may be Ovechkin's year, and this is just the first step.
PREDICTION: WASHINGTON IN 4.

#2 NEW JERSEY DEVILS VS #7 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS


The Flyers sneaked into the post season with a shootout victory over their rival Rangers in the regular season finale. Brian Boucher has taken over in net for a Philly team ravaged with goalie injuries this year. Captain Mike Richards will lead the way on offense along with Jeff Carter, Dany Briere, and Simone Gagne. The blueline is led by grumpy veteran Chris Pronger who has the ability to shutdown New Jersey's top line. Daniel Carcillo will be relied upon to aggravate Illya Kovalchuk and pester Martin Brodeur. And speaking of Brodeur, he is seeking his 4th Stanley Cup. He was solid again this year leading the NHL in wins (45) and shutouts (9). The Devils are challenged offensively and rely heavily on Brodeur night in and night out. They need Zach Parise to continue building chemistry with Kovalchuk if they are going to have a deep run. I think Philly can match-up decent against Jersey, but I just can't take Brian Boucher over Marty Brodeur in a 7 game series.
PREDICITON: NEW JERSEY IN 6.

#3 BUFFALO SABRES VS #6 BOSTON BRUINS

The Buffalo Sabres are led by Vezina Trophy and MVP candidate Ryan Miller. He gained national attention for his performance in net for Team USA in the Olympics. Miller has been at the top of his game for some time now and you get the impression something special might be happening in Buffalo. In his two previous trips to the playoffs, he has led the Sabres to the East Finals both times. The main problem for this squad is a lack of consistent scoring. If this team can't turn on the lamp and relies too heavily on Miller, the Sabres could go out early. But they do have a favorable matchup. The Bruins didn't achieve the level of regular season success they had hoped. Incumbent Vezina trophy winner Tim Thomas had to make way in net for Tuukka Rask who led the NHL with a microscopic 1.97 Goals against average. This team will need him to play well since they too are offensively challenged. I love Marco Sturm as much as the next guy but if he is your leading goal scorer (22), then you have some series issues. Zdeno Chara will need to log huge minutes and also be a force on the power play. The team who wins the special teams battle will win this series.
PREDICTION: BUFFALO IN 7.

#4 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS #5 OTTAWA SENATORS


The Penguins return to the postseason to defend their Stanley Cup championship. Sydney Crosby has had a magical year from winning the Cup last June to scoring game winner in OT, to deliver Olympic Gold to Team Canada in front of Canadian fans. Pittsburgh didn't have a great regular season by their standards, and haven't played their best hockey of late. They went winless in the regular season vs the Capitals and the Devils. They could be a little fatigued. Power play point man Sergei Gonchar has battled health issues all season along with 2009 Finals MVP, Evgeni Malkin. Marc-Andre Fleury has been very average in net for Pitt this year and he will need to play at a higher level than he has been if the Penguins are going to repeat. For the Senators, another year, another first round matchup with the Penguins. Mike Fisher had a breakout season for the Senators and Milan Michalek fit in nicely which helped them get over the loss of Dany Heatley. Daniel Alfredsson leads an offense which didn't feature a 30 goal scorer. Their offensive shortcomings may be too much to overcome against a high scoring Pittsburgh team. Brian Elliot had some quality starts down the stretch and he will get the start in Game 1. The Senators appear to be a bit overmatched in this series. Penguins may have a date with the Capitals in the second round.
PREDICTION: PITTSBURGH IN 5.

THE THINK TANK 4/8/10

Tonight we returned to the air with myself and Funky Col Medina and welcomed 2 special guests. My buddy Harold (Jarrod) came and did the show and we launched the career of the next big thing in Bay Area sports. His son Nico amazed us all with a stirring rendition of "take me out to the ballgame" among others and the little guy isn't even 3 years old yet! What a cool night, we had alot of fun making this show.

Jackie Hollywood visits THE THINK TANK!

As we attempt to adapt to life on THE THINK TANK without Big Papa KO, I decided to bring in a beautiful young lady to "spruce" up the show! Funky Col Medina represented as well in this episode. We talk about Olympics, Tiger Woods, and the definition of "heroin chic". It was a great episode and we enjoyed thoroughly our callers and of course our special guest, Jackie Hollywood from "Talk of Infamy" which airs Saturdays at 11 AM on KSFS.
Thanks for supporting the show!
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KNBR's Dan Dibley visits KSFS and THE THINK TANK

Tonight was a special night in the history of THE THINK TANK. KNBR personality and SFSU BECA Alum, Dan Dibley paid a visit to the campus tonight to give a speech at the CSB meeting. Afterwards he was cool enough to come by the studio for a few minutes. In this episode we welcome Dibs and his sons studio, while Funky Cold Medina and I discuss the Olympics, Tiger Woods, and different theories of how the Universe was created. Good times, I hope you enjoy!!

THE THINK TANK Episode 10 Part 1: 11/19/09

This week Big Papa and I discuss Jay Cutler's 5 ints, Bill Belichik's 4th down gamble,the Sharks at the top of the NHL food chain, and the fall of Stephen Jackson. The Think Tank is your informative sports source and as always I thank you all for supporting the show.

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The New Think Tank Episode 9: Gary Radnich Interview

In this episode, Big Papa and I interview the legendary Gary Radnich of KRON-TV and KNBR radio, who was nice enough call the show and do an interview. Gary has been a huge influence on me and it was an absolute treat for me to conduct the interview. Gary did his thing and we shared some laughs. I truly hope you enjoy this interview, because I know I enjoyed conducting it! We also run through the Top 5 Ballers and the Top 5 Fallers in the World of Sports. The Radnich interview is at 52 minutes of Part One. But I know you would never just skip ahead to that, because this whole show ROCKED!! Thanks for listening!

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New Think Tank: Week 7, 10/14/09

Big Papa and I welcome back Chinwe Nwadike for another week of in depth sports talk. We run down ballers and fallers, and review the week that was in the world of sports. We also preview the NLCS and ALCS, the upcoming weekend in the NFL, and College Footballs big time match-ups. The data from the top of the 2nd hour got corrupted, so the second half is a little short. We also do our football picks for the weekend in the NFL. So far on the year it reads: Rydaddy 7-2, and BPKO 5-4. This week BPKO takes Tampa, Seattle, and Cincinnati. I took Philly, NY Giants, and Minnesota. Let's see if BPKO can close the gap. Scroll down below these posts to hear my interview with KNBR's Patrick Connor. Thanks for listening!

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Sharks acquire Dany Heatley, say goodbye to Cheechoo & Michalek

Earlier this week, rumors were running rampant all over the web. I must have gotten 5 text messages from various people telling me ESPN reports the Sharks were trading Patrick Marleau. The deal involved the Ottawa, L.A. and the Sharks. It would send estranged Captain, Patty Marleau to the Kings, Frolov and Stoll to the Sens, and the Sharks would end up with disgruntled Senators forward, Dany Heatley. As soon as I heard that Doug Wilson vehemently denied this report, I knew there was some truth to it. But in order for Marleau to be moved, he had to waive his no-trade clause, which Patty claims they never asked him to do. Also, once I heard Doug Wilson deny it, I knew he wouldn't follow through. Mainly because nobody, especially ESPN's John Buccigross, is going to tell Wilson what he is going to do.
With trade rumors popping up everywhere the last few weeks, it was clear the Sharks were pursuing Heatley. The Sharks front office desperately wanted to shake things up. They wanted to bring in an established sniper. Heatley is a 2 time 50 goal scorer and has over a point per game in his career. Heatley fits that bill. He has also been involved in a D.U.I manslaughter in Atlanta that took the life of his teammate and best friend, Dan Snyder. And his most recent blemish was demanding a trade out of Ottawa and being a locker room disruption. "Heater" is a great player, but he is bringing some serious baggage with him to Norm Mineta airport.
The deal ended up being beloved winger, Jonathan Cheechoo and underachieving, Milan Michalek, and a 2nd rd pick for Heatley and a 5th rounder. The last few years have seen some post season failures and Michalek has been very high on the list of the playoff chokers. A change of scenery might do both of these players some good. Cheech will always be remembered for the 56 goal, Rocket Richard Trophy year of 2006. The only thing that Cheechoo lacks is a ton of natural ability. He is all heart, but parts of his game leave alot to be desired. Michalek on the other hand is blessed with ability, but seems to be lacking in the heart department. Personally, this deal makes more sense than Marleau for Heatley since on many levels, they are the same player.
What this means now for the Sharks is a couple things. First, this is the last chance for the Doug Wilson regime here in San Jose. This is a make or break year for Wilson, Head Coach Todd McLellan, Marleau, and Joe Thornton. But this team that had more points in the regular season last year seems to have gotten grittier. Heatley is a sniper and an agitator. He has a knack for scoring timely goals, which the Sharks have lacked when it matters most. Second, Goalie Evegeni Nabokov and the defense need to hold up there end. If they do, this team will be one of the leagues best.
By making this deal, the Sharks arguably have the best top two lines in the NHL. Depending on how McLellan does it, you could have a top line of Heatley, Thornton, and Devin Setoguchi. That leaves Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Ryane Clowe for the second group. However they are arranged, this group can score some goals.
Although Wilson may not be done dealing, he has accomplished his goal of changing the look of the team while keeping his most important pieces in place. If Marleau can actually survive being traded before the season starts, I look for him to have a huge year, without the pressure of the Captaincy. Heatley will be exciting and the thought of him and Jumbo and Seto together make me downright giddy. However, the success of this deal will be judged in the post season. The Sharks won't play a meaningful game until Game 1 of the playoffs in April. But for now, Doug Wilson and company have put themselves in a position to be successful for years to come. Bottom line, this is going to be a pivotal year in this franchise's history. Stanley Cup Finals or bust!

THE THINK TANK returns! 9/3/09

We are back for another semester of hard hitting sports talk on KSFS. Myself (Ryan Covay), and Charles "Big Papa Knockout" Palmore are teaming up once again to share our opinions (however twisted) about the current state of the world of sports. We will be on KSFS every Wednesday night from 8-10 PM. For our first show, we welcome back Nick "Tuch Money" Vertucci to the program. Nick is a huge sports fan with a passion for Chicago Bear football (What a guy!). We had a hardcore football debate with topics ranging from Mike Vick, Brett Favre, and of course, JAY CUTLER!
Thanks for listening and for supporting the program.

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Steroids in baseball? Man, that's old news!

Everyone remembers where they were when Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris's single season home run record in 1998. That summer, Big Mac and Slammin Sammy Sosa brought the fans back to baseball in droves and made the sport relevant again. Very timely for a sport that had lost a significant portion of it's fan base when a labor dispute led to the cancellation of the 1996 World Series. That's right, a CANCELED World Series! Baseball had long been known as "The National Pastime", but many feel the NFL has stripped them of that title. The NFL has brilliantly marketed their product and through that, gave their players the same type of iconic status that baseball had given to Aaron, Ruth, and Mays. There was a changing of the guard. How could baseball keep up? More importantly, how could owners continue to make money? The answer was as simple as a universal truth: "Chicks dig the long ball".

The strike in 1996 was the catalyst for MLB owners to turn a blind eye to some obvious cheating. MLB's inability to police themselves caused this problem to grow exponentially. By the late 1990's the actual number of players on "the juice" grew by the week. Once players saw the country embrace the "Chase for History" in Summer of 98, why wouldn't they feel like it was acceptable and even necessary. But I'm not sure if they (MLB owners and the Commissioner) wouldn't do just a few things differently if they had another chance. The fall-out from this era can be felt on nightly broadcasts of Sportscenter and on sports talk-radio all over the country. It became obvious to anyone with common sense that the games biggest stars had cheated.
So what did MLB lose by turning a blind eye to 'roids for the sake of filling seats? Well for starters, the record book is now a joke. The most hallowed records in the game, the single season home run mark and the all-time home run mark, now belong to an accused and federally indicted steroid user in Barry Bonds. You also had the Mitchell Report released in 2008 which led to Roger Clemens looking like a complete knucklehead on Capitol Hill. He was literally lying through his teeth. The biggest names in the game made this list. Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, and the most heart-breaking of all, Benito Santiago (OK not really). It's really hard to say who looked worse. Clemens straight up lying, McGwire not wanting to talk about the past, or Sammy Sosa's sudden need for the help of an interpreter.



If you think that the owners and the MLB front office, including commissioner Bud Selig weren't aware this was happening, you are delusional. Typically people don't put on 40 or 50 lbs of muscle mass in their late thirties. Now keep in mind, this problem goes back even before Canseco and McGwire were hanging out in the late 80's, injecting each other in a dingy bathroom stall at the Oakland Coliseum. Steroids have always been around, but it didn't hit mainstream acceptability in baseball until the mid-nineties. Bottom line is we will never know how many players actually took juice. However, with no testing in place for so long and the acceptance of 'roids in the culture of baseball, the numbers may be staggering. Mr. Rat, Jose Canseco puts that number at around 75% in the "Golden Age of Steroids".

When it was reported earlier this month that Sammy Sosa tested positive for juice in 2003, it was framed on ESPN as "breaking news". Hardly. Baseball won't be able to put this behind them anytime soon and the owners and Bud Selig have themselves to blame. They sacrificed integrity to put butts in seats and make some cash. And as long as baseball icons like Manny Ramierez keep testing positive for juice, this problem isn't going away. What about the record book? What about the Hall of Fame eligibility of accused steroid users? Bud Selig would be well served to make some kind of ruling on this, however controversial. It would appear if it is left to the Sports Writers, if you are presumed dirty, you aren't going to the HOF. Just ask Big Mac. Once Barry Bonds "officially" retires, he and Clemens will be on the clock counting down to when they become eligible for the HOF. Once thought to be HOF locks, they now appear to be long-shots. Hey Commish, rap your arms around this thing. You made your bed, now lie in it. Bottom line, if the media insists on revealing steroid users one at a time, this is going to be an even longer process. Won't that be exiting! Not really.

2009 STANLEY CUP FINALS

Well it's like dejavu, all over again! In a re-match from last years finals, the Detroit Red Wings look to make it two straight Stanley Cup Championships. The Pittsburgh Penguins are back for another shot at the champs and are playing terrific hockey. Evgeni Malkin spent the Eastern Conference Finals playing in another universe and pummeled the Hurricanes into more of a light coastal breeze. He has now matched the level that has been played by Sidney Crosby since the puck dropped on the playoffs. Crosby has shown up literally every game and these two guys playing at this high a level can give the Red Wings a real test.
Speaking of the Red Wings, this team is playing about as well as I have ever seen a team play. They move the puck with a crisp efficiency that looks downright artistic at times. The Wings play with complete lines with many inter-changeable parts. You have the scoring snipers in Hossa, Zetterberg, and Sammuelson. Next are the power forwards led by Johan Franzen, Holmstrom and Cleary. So who gets these guys the puck? How about Datsyuk, Fillpula, and even Jiri Hudler. This team is very deep and totally complete. Chris Osgood has silenced all his critics while getting stronger as the playoffs have gone on.
The key to this series would appear to be the health of Captain, Niklas Lidstrom. When he is healthy, the rest of the Wings D, Brian Rafalski, Brad Stuart and Niklas Kronwall can assume their regular roles in the line-up. Oh yeah, and 63 year old Chris Chelios can assume his role of press box analyst. If Lidstrom can slow down Malkin and Crosby and leave it up to the rest of the Penguins to have a big series, Detroit is the clear favorite. Home ice advantage is huge for Detroit as Joe Louis Arena seems to affect the psyche of the visitor seemingly every game. Detroit plays a high paced, well thought out attack and wears down the opponent with quick passing that leads to a barrage of scoring chances.
For Pittsburgh to win the series, they need to win at least one, if not both games this weekend. If Detroit goes up 2-0, Pitt won't win the series, even if they tie it eventually. A split is critical for the Penguins. Marian Hossa has stepped up his contribution in light of the injuries to Datysuk, Draper and Lidstrom. The former Penguin came to Detroit to win a cup and now is just 4 wins away. Marc-Andre Fleury shut the red hot Hurricanes down and must carry that over. Pitt shunned tradition and handled the Prince of Wales trophy upon winning the East. Lemiuex and company pulled that same move when the Pens won it all in '91. Crosby and Co. didn't handle the trophy last year and lost. It was time to try a new approach.
The bottom line is that Detroit is playing as well as I have ever seen a team play. I told many hockey fans I felt even though the Sharks had more points, Detroit is still clearly a better team. Detroit is at the top of the NHL food chain. This team appears to be headed for back to back titles. If Pitt can get back to the Igloo at 1-1 at the very least, they will have a shot. However, it seems like Detroit is destined to win it all again.

Player to watch: Marian Hossa

Possible sleeper hero: Ruslan Fedotenko

Likely series scoring leader: Evgeni Malkin

Prediction: Detroit in 6. (Just like last year)

-Ryan Covay

Crosby vs. Ovechkin

Game, set, match. Sidney Crosby reigns supreme. In what was supposed to be a Game 7 for the ages was over in the first when the Penguins scored 2 goals in 8 seconds to stun the Cap faithful. The series was awesome. Crosby and Ovechkin trading hat tricks in Game 2, or the OT thrillers in game 5 & 6. The top two players in the world trading hits, blow for blow. The Caps going into the Igloo and winning Game 6 on the road to force Game 7. Then we have Game 7. This was supposed to be Ovechkins night. Home ice advantage, having momentum from a Game 6 OT win, the crowd decked out in red and in a frenzy before the face off. Ovechkin had a break-away early in the game that was denied by Fleury. If that goes in, this game may take on an entirely different complexion. Instead, Fleury flashed the leather, and Crosby scored a few minutes later to get the Pens going. Varlamov is a rookie and perhaps too much was asked of him. He looked VERY average at times in this series, but those Penguin forwards can make alot of goalies look average. The Capitals should have realized they needed help in net when Jose Theodre changed his name to Jose "Three or more". Pittsburgh came to play, the Caps didn't.

For the sake of the NHL, this going 7 games and the stars playing phenomenal, was as good as it could get for 6 games. Back and forth, blown leads, physical play, OT winners. All the components of an exciting series. If the NHL had their choice though, I think they would have preferred if the Caps went through. Some will argue that the Pens are the better choice for the NHL, the greatness that is Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. A two headed monster of talent not seen shared by teammates since Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux. But the NHL already has the Pittsburgh market cornered because of those names that I just mentioned. Washington DC on the other hand is NOT a hockey town, but is quickly becoming one. Having the most dynamic player in the game will do that for a city. A deep run to the Stanley Cup finals would have been more beneficial for the NHL had it occurred in DC. That being said, the Penguins aren't a bad option. And now with the Bruins out of the way, the Penguins become the favorite in the East. Not to take ANYTHING away from Cam Ward and the Hurricanes who have blazed a trail through their opponents for the better part of 3 months now. We could be looking at a re-match from last year, Pittsburgh and Detroit. The NHL loves dynasties, but loves an underdog even more. That re-match would be good for the game and if anyone is going to knock off the Wings, Crosby and Co. are the team for the job.

THE THINK TANK Episode 12 5/4/09

Back to basics this week. Just Big Papa and me, Ryan Covay. We do a Sharks post-season failure analysis, Kobe vs. Lebron, Ovechkin vs. Crosby, The Derby, and even some draft re-cap. It's been a treat to have Big Papa as my co-host and much love to all of our great callers tonight. This show has been a TREAT to be a part of. Thanks everyone for listening!!!

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PART 2

Where do the Sharks go from here?

Regular season hockey and playoff hockey are two different animals. The level of play is elevated and the intensity is dialed up a few notches. Most veteran clubs are able to flip that switch and take their game to the next level in the push for Lord Stanley. The Red Wings struggled a bit down the stretch (emphasis on "a bit")but turned it on and swept Columbus. Anaheim is only 2 years removed from skating the Cup and their roster is chalked full of guys with a myriad of post-season experience. The San Jose Sharks made moves in the off season (Boyle, Blake, and Lukowich) to bring in players who had won a Cup. They were supposed to be the perfect compliment to the Sharks young, battle tested core. Marleau, Thornton, and Nabokov. These players are the "core" that Todd McLellan referenced when asked who needed to step up. Simply put: They didn't.
It's not that the Sharks aren't lovable guys. Who wouldn't want Joe Pavelski over for a barbecue? Thornton seems as laid back as anyone and Marleau is a normal, quiet guy. But post-season hockey isn't the place for "nice guys" to hang out. The Stanley Cup playoffs are an arduous grind of will and determination. The desire in each individual that they will not tolerate losing. The Ducks were busy blocking shots, hustling for loose pucks, and basically dismantling the Sharks on the counter-attack. The game plan was simple enough: Let the Sharks control the play, keep them on the perimeter, and then strike quickly on the counter-attack. Sure the Sharks out-shot the Ducks, but many of those shots were not of the quality variety. The one X-factor of the series was the battle in net. Rookie, Jonas Hiller played out of his mind and it was clear that he was on top of his game. He shut the Sharks out twice, won the first 2 games at HP Pavilion, and only allowed 10 goals in 6 games. Nabokov played average at best.
This has been a recurring theme for the boys in teal. Unfortunately as a career observer of this team, it was clear that Game 1 was more than just a typical loss. Hiller asserted himself as a dominant force that would not be beaten easily. He had wrestled the starting job late in the year from J.S. Gieguere who led the Ducks to 2 finals and won a Cup. The Sharks looked puzzled, and by Game 6, clearly a frustrated bunch. The Ducks out-hustled, out-classed, and out-played the Sharks and deserved to win the series.
So what now?? Blow up a team that won the President's trophy? A regular season prince charming that turns into a pumpkin at midnight when the playoffs start? Clearly something is missing. Patrick Marleau has had success in the playoffs (single handedly beat Colorado to send Sharks to West Final in 2004) and has been apart of some not so memorable moments (the goal against in Game 4 against Detroit in 2007 to tie the game when he went for an empty net). Do you strip Marleau of the Captaincy? If you do that, can you afford to keep him around? Do you give the "C" to Jumbo Joe? Let's face it, the jury is still out on Thornton's playoff legacy also. What do you get in exchange for a Marleau or a Thornton? I'm sure plenty of teams would entertain the idea. Nabby has been shaky in the last few post seasons. It is time to ask the question if this team will ever go where it thinks it's destined to with Nabby between the pipes?
Then you have the next tier of players, who any coach will tell you are a critical part of a teams success in the playoffs. Joe Pavelski played poor. He didn't win any of those individual battles (minus him punching out Ryan Whitney) that make Lil Joe such a valuable player. Milan Michalek pulls a Houdini every post season and completely vanishes. He is big, he is fast, he is immensely talented. He is also an underachiever and seems to lack a "killer instinct".It might be wise for Doug Wilson to explore his trade value. Clowe is tough, but needs players around him playing at a high level in order for him to be successful. Cheechoo may have run his course in San Jose and his "shoot the puck at any cost" philosophy has worn thin on this Sharks fan. Cheechoo may have played his last game for the Sharks. Setoguchi played average at best, he is capable of more. Marcel Goc is a waste of roster space, and Mike Grier's best days (if you are comfortable calling them that) are certainly behind him. That about sums up the state of the forwards. 6 playoff games, 7 goals by forwards. Not so hot.
The defense had been such a bright spot all regular season. The Sharks got seemingly nightly offensive contributions from their blue-liners and the Blake, Boyle and Lukowich experiment drew rave reviews for 82 regular season contests. Dan Boyle had a great series and was the best Shark in the playoffs, hands down. He is an amazing talent and a player that you can build a defensive core around. He is absolutely mentally tough enough and is a treat to watch skate. Rob Blake led the Sharks in shots in the playoffs, but at times looked slow and I suspect injured. I would guess his back didn't hold up as well as he would have liked. Vlasic is young enough that he has time, but he needs to be more assertive with his puck handling and seems like he can be rattled when the pressure is on. Too many times he gripped his stick to tight and cost himself a scoring chance. He was the worst Sharks D-man in the series. Not to say that Christian Ehrhoff didn't give Pickles a run for his money. Error-hoff made the same bone-headed plays that Sharks fans have come to expect. He has a rocket of a shot, but lacks any accuracy whatsoever. What good is a bullet shot that goes 3 feet wide? He is a brilliant skater but routinely is out of position and constantly makes very poor decisions in his own end. Douglass Murray wasn't physical enough and the Ducks were able to set up shop in front of Nabby all series. Lukowich played good at times and not so good others. Overall the Ducks D out performed the Sharks D. It was a complete dismantling of a team with expectations higher than ever.
The following is a list of Sharks players who I feel could be on the way out. This list is as objective as can be and I am merely applying logic and my hockey I.Q. to support why these players may be expendable.
Public enemy #1. Captain Patrick Marleau (Does this guy ever get mad? He is the leader, the leadership failed). #2. Goalie Evgeni Nabokov (Had his chance and it just might be time to try someone else). #3. Milan Michalek (Lacks heart and vanishes in post season). #4. Jonathan Cheechoo (2 years on the decline. May still possess some trade value). #5. Mike Grier (2 years on the decline). #6. Christian Ehrhoff (Lacks focus and intensity). #7. Rob Blake (5 Mill Per a little steep). #8. Joe Thornton (6 goals in 40 playoff games, needs to play with more edge in playoffs). #9. Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Still young, but hasn't performed well in playoffs). #10. Marcel Goc (If this guy is a true defensive forward, shouldn't he be good defensively?).

Anyone of these players may not be back next year. I could see Doug Wilson being able to justify moving anyone of these players for those reasons. Only a handful of Sharks I feel are not trade bait. Devin Setoguchi could be a 40 goal scorer next year. Joe Pavelski is tough and I feel is an ideal second line center. Dan Boyle is the foundation of the D. He can QB the Power Play for the next 5 years. Ryane Clowe and Torrey Mitchell are good, young players and have bright futures in the NHL. Aside from these players, I could see anyone else getting shipped out of town.
The Sharks have lost to an inferior team 4 out of 5 years. (I don't include Detroit in 07 even though the Sharks blew a golden opportunity in that series). This team has come up short too many times and change is needed. For whatever reason, they lack that killer instinct you would expect from a team called "The SHAKRS"! The accountability begins with the leadership and trickles down. Younger players look to Marleau and Thornton and Nabokov for how to act. If they see the veterans with fear in their eyes, it will undoubtedly affect the youngsters. They did the "fire the coach" thing last year, this year it may be time to fire the Captain.

THE THINK TANK Episode 11

Another great week of sports talk on THE THINK TANK. Big Papa Knockout and I welcome Will Davis in studio (Bay Area Sports Hour)for the 11th episode on 4/20. We also interviewed Matt Maiocco from the Press Democrat who is an amazing beat writer for the 49ers for more than a decade. Matt was nice enough to talk NFL draft and what's in store for the Niners in the future. What a tremendous honor to have Matt on the show and this is back to back weeks of huge guests! Thanks to everyone who made the show a tremendous success.

PART 1

PART 2

Sharks typically tight in Game 1

In what has become a disturbing post season trend, the boys in teal dropped the all important Game 1 on their home ice to kick off the series. The Ducks played with an arrogance and swagger you would expect from a former Cup champ and looked VERY comfortable playing in the Tank. The Sharks have made a habit of dropping the first game of the series played at home. Dallas and Calgary last season, game one loss. In the 2004 Western Conference Finals, one of the biggest home games in franchise history to that point, they laid an egg against those pesky Flames. Let's face it, this team struggles when the pressure is on. They always have.
You can take this deflating loss two ways. The natural reaction is to panic, here we go again! But this is just one game and the Sharks have shown an ability to win in Anaheim. The problem for the Sharks is now Sunday become a MUST WIN. It took the Sharks 82 games to earn the top seed and the luxuries that come with it. However, it took only 60 minutes of uninspired play to give it all back. Granted, Hiller play well in his first playoff start, but the Sharks quality scoring chances were few and far between. So now, a mere one game into the post season, their backs are to the wall.
The Sharks have scored a measly 1 goal in their last three home games. They are playing flat and lack cohesiveness in their attack. Let's face it, they haven't been playing well since the All-Star break. They did get an infusion of injured players back right at the end of the regular season so getting everyone back up to speed may take time. And what about that word "Speed". I thought that was what separated the Sharks and the Ducks was team speed. The Ducks appeared more determined and imposed their will on the Sharks. Every game, dozens of little individual battles are fought over puck possession. Usually the team that is more vigilant in this area benefit by getting quality scoring chances that win hockey games. That edge clearly went to Anaheim last night. The big boys need to step it up. I know Nabby would like to have the 2nd goal back last night, even though Getzlaf fired a missile. Marleau and Thornton were basically invisible last night (only one shot apiece) and clearly if they are going to have success this post season it will start with the leaders of this team. The only Shark player who I thought showed up was Dan Boyle. His shot in the 3rd that rang off the inside of the post was an inch away from tying the game and energizing the crowd. Truly a game of inches.
What needs to happen Sunday is the Sharks need to go to those tough areas and win some battles around the net. They need to create screens in front of Hiller and try to cash in on rebounds (which Hiller gave practically none last night). Sure they out-shot Anaheim by a 2-1 margin,but most of those shots were from outside and clearly the Ducks game plan is centered around counter-attacking the Sharks and catch them too deep. The 0-6 on the power play needs to change. Special teams decides a large majority of playoff games, and last night was no exception. It's not over yet, a seven game series can have many twists and turns. But it was a typically poor start for this franchise that desperately wanted to send a message to the hockey world. Now we will see what this team is made of. Time for Jumbo, Patty, Nabby, and the rest of the boys to look each other in the eye and not accept anything less than everything they got. Otherwise this franchise will further solidify the league-wide perception that the Sharks can be taken off their game when it matters most.
-Ryan Covay

NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE MATCHUPS AND PREDICTIONS

#1 BOSTON BRUINS VS #8 MONTREAL CANADIENS
Much like in the West, the East's 1 vs 8 is a battle of bitter rivals. Boston has returned to relevance with a bang. Behind the stellar net-minding of Tim Thomas (my choice for the Vezina trophy)and the twin towers of power on the blue-line, Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman, it will be hard to score on the B's. Up front they have a nice combo of set-up men Marc Savard and David Krejci. Those two will be dishing to finishers Phil Kessel, Michael Ryder, and Chuck Kobasew. Up in Montreal, the 100th anniversary season that started with so much promise ended with them barely making the playoffs and possible wholesale changes if they exit quickly. Captain, Alex Kovalev did lead the team in scoring but his season overall was a let-down. The Canadiens didn't have a 30 goal scorer and only three players with 20+. Goalie Carey Price's 2.83 gaa is below the standard of what is expected from the young keeper. Andrei Markov will log a ton of ice time and look for the Habs to try and keep the scoring down. With Boston's high powered attack, that is going to be a tall order. Player to watch: Boston's Milan Lucic.
Prediction: Bruins in a sweep.

#2 WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS. #7 NEW YORK RANGERS
The Capitals have the most dynamic player in the game in Alex Ovechkin. He is a lock for MVP in my opinion. His sheer determination on both ends of the ice will serve the Caps well. Defenseman Mike Green is a power play phenom and has an ability to jump into the rush that reminds me of Paul Coffey. Niklas Backstrom, Alex Semin, and crafty veteran, Sergei Fedorov will be key factors in the Caps playoff run. If Jose Theodore can be steady if not spectacular, this team can go a long way. For the Rangers, they had a great start to the regular season but faded. They acquired Nik Antropov from the Leafs and still have a talented group of forwards like Drury, Gomez, Zheredev, Naslund and Dubinsky. Wade Redden will need to focus his efforts on slowing Ovechkin and Henrik Lundquist will need to play at a VERY high level if NY has any chance in this series at all. I think the Caps are just too strong and they have a date in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Player to watch: Capitals Brooks Laich.
Prediction: Capitals in 5 (maybe 6).

#3 NEW JERSEY DEVILS VS. #6 CAROLINA HURRICANES
This series features the red hot Hurricanes and the roller coaster Devils. However, anytime you have Martin Brodeur in net in the post-season, you are the favorite. The Devils are led by 40 goal scorer, Zach Parise who was consistently dominant all season. The addition of the aging Brendan Shanahan will pay dividends late in close games as Shanny has a knack for timely goals. Captian, Patrick Elias has a ton of playoff experience, along with Jamie Langenbrunner and John Madden. The knock on the Devils is they lack a consistent scoring threat from the Blue-line. As for the 'Canes, they rode the red hot Cam Ward all the way to the postseason. The ageless wonder, Ray Whitney led the charge down the stretch. Brining back Eric Cole who was an instrumental part of their Cup win a few years back payed off. Eric Staal is the real deal and this post season could be his coming out party. The health of Rod Brindamour is something the 'Canes will monitor (he finished the year -23). If possible, they will try and keep his minutes down. Player to watch: 'Canes center, Eric Staal.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 7.


#4 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS. #5 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Let the battle for Pennsylvania begin! These two teams have a very similar approach. Both have high flying offenses and have defensemen wiling to take chances by jumping in the rush. The Penguins are coming off a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals and they have taken steps to improve their club. They landed Chris Kunitz from the Ducks and Bill Guerin (who seems to get traded every year) at the deadline. Evgeni Malkin is certainly an MVP candidate and on most nights, was the best player on the ice. Sydney Crosby gets a lot of negative publicity but the kid can flat out play hockey. If he can take that negative attention and turn it into a positive in his game, then this team is more than capable of a return to the East Finals. The Flyers have a ton of scoring punch up front with Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell all scored at least 25 goals. The big question mark is can they get enough goaltending from Martin Biron. You have to give the Pens the edge in net with Marc-Andre Fleury and it will take Biron really elevating his game for the Flyers to have success in this series. Player to watch: Penguins, Jordan Staal. He played some great hockey down the stretch and his game is on the rise.
Prediction: Penguins in 5.