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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Win gets Penguins more than just back into the series

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

You didn't really think this was going to be a sweep, did you?

The home fans conducted a "white out" while hoping their team wasn't white washed in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals and early in the first period, it looked like that was going to be the precice result. But the Pens bounced back and with a 4-2 victory on home ice, the Penguins not only got themselves back into the series. They found they can do the things they need to to get back in this series.

1) Evgeni Malkin had to come through.
After his cheap shot raised controversy as a one-game instigator ban was erased by the NHL, Malkin had to make a statement with something other than some late-in-the-game unsportsmanlike conduct to pick up his team. He did so, notching three assists as the general of the second line.

2) The Penguins need to get others involved in the offense
While Crosby and Malkin potted over 25 percent of Pittsburgh's goals during the regular season, they can't score every goal for the Penguins if they hope to win this series. On several occasions Crosby proved he was the most skilled player on the ice by drawing two Red Wings to creat opportunities for teammates. The great first period chance when he split the defense, then sent a pass in front of the crease to a wide open Bill Guerrin (a native of a Springfield, MA suburb, if you didn't know) set a very good precedent for the remainder of the game.

3) Sergei Gonchar must be a factor
Gonchar should have been given an assist on Henrik Zetteberg's goal in the first, it seems like a million years since Gonchar had registered a point. He remains the Penguins' best option offensively on the blue line and he picked a heck of a time to be a veteran leader and record his first multi-point game of the playoffs.

4) Exploiting the Detroit penalty kill is a must
Detriot's penalty kill has been more than suspect all year long, with a dismal 78.6 rating on the year and a 73.3 mark in the playoffs. While the Penguins' power play was less than stelar this season, this was a weakness that HAS to be exploited. Two power play goals in three tries sets a pretty good tone for the rest of the series.

To say the Penguins have an advantage at this point with home ice is stretching it. Detroit was one of the best road teams in hockey. The Wings and your Boston Bruins were the only two teams in the league to record 24 wins on the road. But hope is rising once again in Pittsburgh. But they have to keep doing what they did tonight to have a chance.

Air Force Academy pitching coach joins Fan Fanatic Sports


By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It's been quite the baseball coaching journey for Scott Marchand, a former St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School star.
Marchand, who played three seasons of college baseball at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. and one year at Fitchburg State College, got into the coaching ranks as an assistant at his alma mater at St. Bernard's and then at the Regis Jesuit High School American Legion team in Aurora, Colo.
Marchand finally got his shot at the United States Air Force Academy where he served in various roles, including defensive coordinator and assistant hitting coach, all while teaching 7th grade full-time.
Marchand worked extremely hard and was rewarded by the Air Force staff, naming him the full-time pitching coach in 2006, the same position he holds to this day.
"It was a dream come true right there," Marchand said. "For me as a player, being paid to play wasn't in the cards, but to make a living as a coach in the game of baseball is a dream come true."
In season, Marchand is as busy as can be. It's virtually baseball 24/7, but he wouldn't have it any other way.
"I don't look at it as grueling, but it's a choice," Marchand said. "You do it and the time flies by. I love working with people and being a coach."
This season, the Falcons were 14-36 and 3-16 in the Mountain West Conference.
Although the season is officially over, Marchand isn't done with baseball because he's Air Force's nationwide recruiting coordinator.
While baseball is extremely important to everyone on the staff, it's not the most important thing. Academics are priority No. 1 at the Academy.
"The Academy is not about baseball first and foremost," Marchand said. "I feel very confident in the product we have as a school. You know you're going to get one of the best educations, besides the Ivy League schools.
"We're looking for an SEC-ACC talent in a kid that is focused on a different life plan that sees education is the most important thing in their life. We want kids to want to push themselves. It's tough academically here, it's very challenging."
 
PHOTO / Rachel Bottcher

Random Thoughts & Ponderings: Baseball Style

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
And now deep thoughts, by Jack Handy. Just kidding, but I d0 want to touch on a lot of different topics today. The baseball season is now two months old. This is the time for major league team and fantasy owners to take stock of his/her team and plan accordingly for the rest of the season. If you're the Red Sox, you need to get another bat to replace David Ortiz. If you're my last place fantasy team, then you need to try and trade Hanley Ramirez and pick up a good bat and starting pitcher in return. I have 4 fantasy baseball teams this year. I am in 1st, 2nd & 3rd in my other three leagues, but dead last (15th in a 15 team league) in the league that I care the most about.
I would love to see Jake Peavy in a Dodgers uniform, but the odds of that happening are zero. First, the Padres would need to be willing to trade him within the division. Second, Peavy would actually have to agree to the trade. I think the 2nd obstacle would be easier to bypass. Why wouldn't Peavy like to stay in Southern California and play in a pennant race? Could they Dodgers look into Roy Oswalt like the White Sox did? Sure, but from what I've heard on the radio and read in a few articles the Astros want a truck load of prospects. That seems like too steep of a price for me.
Here's one for you Chad. Won't it be nice to see Jonathon Papelbon closing for the Yankees in a few years? Papelbon has pretty much stated he wants to set the new benchmark for highest paid closer when he reaches free agency in a few years. There is now way the Red Sox will pay him that much money to keep him in Fenway. In my opinion, the closer position is the easiest to replace, and Daniel Bard sure looks good already. He's the closer in waiting for the Sox, so you shouldn't fret too much over the imminent departure of Jonathon Papelbon.
Thank god Manny Ramirez has dropped to 5th in voting for the All Star Game in the outfield. If, for some reason, the fans vote him to start in the All Star game it would be the perfect time to remove that right from baseball fans. I have always been against fan voting, even though I vote myself, and think the MLB should adopt a process similar to the NFL. I'd rather see coaches, GM's and players deciding 100% of the players to the game, but I know that would never happen. It would be PR suicide for the MLB. At least if that happened the right players would be voted into the game.
My boss, Barry, brought up an interesting question yesterday. Why does the College Baseball World Series have to be in Omaha every year? Good question. The Final Four, Frozen Four and NCAA College Football Championship change sites each year. I think it would help grow the sport of College Baseball to move it around each year. I know people will let me know about the tradition, but who REALLY cares? Congrats to Boston College for a great baseball season. Winning 34 games and making it to the tournament is an amazing achievement. They've done far better in the ACC than I ever thought they would. Congrats to Texas for most likely ending the career of Austin Woods. No pitcher should throw 169 pitches in one outing. It was an amazing outing though. 12 1/3 of no hit innings.
Well, that's about it for now. I have a million other things I'd like to touch on, but should keep that for the next time.