3. Will Bob Hartley continue to

 
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PostPosted: 22.02.2009    Post subject: 3. Will Bob Hartley continue to Reply with quote
NEW YORK -- James Blake rested his white baseball hat on the table at the front of the U.S. Opens main interview room, smiled, and began speaking Monday about his impending retirement from tennis. The former top-five player was relaxed, composed and matter-of-fact. "No real surprise here. This is my last tournament," the 33-year-old American said on Day 1 of the years last Grand Slam. "I have had 14 pretty darn good years on tour, loved every minute of it, and I definitely couldnt have asked for a better career." As Blake continued with his opening statement, discussing why he decided to leave the tour after the U.S. Open, he explained: "There are so many athletes that say they can never replace that feeling of having that adrenaline rush, but I get more of an adrenaline rush now seeing my daughter wake up in the morning. Thats something that Im truly looking forward to -- being able to spend more time with my wife and daughter." And with that, his voice got caught on the words and his eyes reddened. Blake reached with his left hand to wipe away tears, until someone in the audience tossed him a white towel to dab at his eyes. "Despite the tears, Im actually really happy about this," Blake said. "I can do it on my own terms. Always wanted to do that. I thought about it a ton this year." Blake, who attended Harvard before turning pro in 1999, reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in 2006. He is currently 100th and has a 9-13 record this season heading into his first-round match in the U.S. Open against Ivo Karlovic. "I dont kid myself. I know I have had a great career in my eyes, but its not one thats going to go down in the history books," Blake said. "Its not one thats going to end in Newport" -- the home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame -- "but its one that Im proud of." Blake joined Andy Roddick and twins Bob and Mike Bryan to help the United States beat Russia in the 2007 Davis Cup final in Portland, Ore., giving the Americans their first title in that international competition in 12 years, their countrys longest gap between victories. "My proudest moment was Portland, without a doubt," Blake said. He won 10 singles titles, most recently in 2007. At Grand Slam tournaments, he reached the quarterfinals three times, including twice at the U.S. Open, losing at that stage in New York to Andre Agassi in 2005, and to Roger Federer the following year. That five-set loss to Agassi, Blake said, was his "biggest highlight and lowlight, at the same time." This tournament always seemed to bring out the best in Blake, who was born in Yonkers and went to high school in Connecticut. He closed his news conference Monday by describing how he used to sneak under a fence as a kid to get into the U.S. Open without paying. Long a fan favourite at Flushing Meadows, his matches often were accompanied by raucous cheering and chanting from a sizable group of supporters known as the "J-Block." "Obviously, the U.S. Open was a special place for him. I understand how he would want to end here. You know, I think he still has a lot of great tennis in him, but hes decided that now is the time for him," said Venus Williams, the 2000-01 U.S. Open champion. "He has a family now, so those are important priorities, from what I hear. Hes ready, so all we can do is support him." Blakes announcement came a year after Roddick, his friend and former Davis Cup teammate, decided to make the U.S. Open the final tournament of his career. "I know Andys decision last year was a little different. ... We got along great, but he was a little more impetuous at times, and Im definitely a little more thought-out and it takes me a little longer," Blake said. "It took me a while to come to this decision, so Im really happy with it and comfortable with it." He talked about having come close to being forced to end his playing days nearly a decade ago because of two health scares. In May 2004, during a practice session for a tournament in Rome, Blake slipped on the clay court and slammed into a net post, breaking vertebrae in his neck. In August of that year, he got an illness that affected his sight and temporarily paralyzed part of his face. In between, his father died from stomach cancer; Blake wound up raising millions of dollars for cancer research. Asked what his plans are for now, Blake said he wants to work on his golf game -- and change his 1-year-olds diapers. Looking "way down the road," as he put it, he would like to be the U.S. Davis Cup captain, and perhaps work as a television commentator. At this very moment, though, he would like to win a match or two at his final tournament. "I dont want to be dragged out of this game. I dont want someone telling me I need to leave," Blake said. "I want to leave on my own terms. Im happy doing that right now." Kyle Guy Kings Jersey . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here. Custom Sacramento Kings Jerseys . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization. https://www.kingslockerroom.com/Oscar-Robertson-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Correia pitched six innings of one-run ball, Eduardo Escobar homered, and the Minnesota Twins pulled away late to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Saturday. Bogdan Bogdanovic Kings Jersey . Wearing bib No. 1, Maze skied through the gates cleanly to defend her big first-run lead and finish 0.07 seconds ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria. Defending champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was third, trailing 0. Mike Bibby Kings Jersey . Wheeler scored at 4:58 of overtime, with Scheifele getting an assist, and the Jets beat the slumping Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday night.With the regular season right around the corner, TSN.ca profiles each NHL team leading up to puck drop. First up is the Calgary Flames - a rebuilding franchise with promising young players like Johnny Gaudreau. Catch up on their off-season moves and the issues they face this season, as well as their analytical breakdown by TSNs Scott Cullen. Division: Pacific GM: Brad Treliving Head Coach: Bob Hartley 2013-14: 35-40-7 (6th in Pacific) Playoffs: Did not qualify Goals For: 202 (23rd) Goals Against: 238 (24th) PP: 15.7% (24th) PK: 81.7% (18th) That Was Then: The Flames knew the 2013-14 season was going to be an uphill climb. A year removed from dealing away long-time captain and franchise face and Jarome Iginla, seeing the retirement of netminder Miikka Kiprusoff and just months removed from devastating floods that put the Saddledome partially under water; rebuilding was certainly on their mind at all levels. Mark Giordano was named the 19th captain in team history led a cast of new faces alongside veteran holdovers like Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross. The team got a boost straight out of training camp with 2013 sixth-overall pick Sean Monahan stepping right off the draft floor and into the line-up. The former Ottawa 67 suited up in the teams season opener and scored his first goal in the teams second game of the season. The Flames went 5-5-2 to start the year, spending much of October above .500. But injuries took their toll with Glencross and Giordano both going down for several weeks. In December, Brian Burke - brought in at the start of the season as president of hockey operations - started putting his plan into motion for the front office and fired GM Jay Feaster and assistant GM John Weisbrod. Burke took over for the duration of the season. The home losses then piled up and the Flames set a new record for consecutive home defeats with seven between Dec. 27 and Jan. 16. Despite Giordano receiving some Norris Trophy votes and Jiri Hudler putting up solid numbers (54, his second-highest single-season point total), Calgary finished with the fourth-worst record in the league. Scott Cullens Analytics Flames 2013-14 stats by Quarter Games GPG GAA SH% SV% SAF% PTS% 1-20 2.70 3.50 8.4 .892 48.0% .375 21-41 1.90 2.48 6.7 .918 43.7% .452 42-62 2.29 2.71 7.3 .914 50.0% .500 63-82 3.05 2.75 9.8 .907 47.8% .550 NHL AVG 2.67 2.67 7.8 .922 50.0% .562 Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score), PTS%= percentage of available points. Analysis: Games 1-20: Poor goaltending by Ramo and Berra undermined the seasons start. Games 21-41: Possession game plummeted to 43.7% and scoring/shooting dried up. Games 42-62: Possession game improved - driven by Giordano, Brodie, Backlund. Games 63-82: Scoring/shooting improved to season-best marks. Key 2014 Additions: F Brandon Bollig, D Deryk Engelland, G Jonas Hiller, F Mason Raymond, F Devin Setoguchi Key 2014 Subtractions: D Chris Butler, F Mike Cammalleri, F T.J. Galiardi, C Blair Jones, G Joey MacDonald, D Shane OBrien, D Derek Smith, F Ben Street This Is Now: The rebuilding continues, but now its Brad Trelivings job after Burke selected the former Coyotes assistant to be the eighth GM in club history. Cammalleris second tenure with the Flames came to an end, as the 32-year-old opted to sign with the New Jersey Devils in unrestricted free agency. The Flames hope that new additions Mason Raymond - who enjoyed a renaissance campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season - and Devin Setoguchi are able to pick up the scoring slack on the wing. The good news up the middle is that the future may be set. It just might take a couple years still to fully reap the rewards of two high-end young centres. Monahan had a good rookie season, logging in 15:59 in average ice-time and scoring 22 goals in 75 games. The Flames need him to build on that if they hope to move up the standings. The Flames landed another gem in the draft in June, taking Sam Bennett fourth overall. The Kingston Frontenacs centre was ranked second in TSN Director of Scouting Craig Buttons final draft ranking and third in Bob McKenzies consensus ranking. Whether he can follow Monahans lead and crack the line-up out of camp remains to be seen, but after 91 points in 57 games in the OHL last season he may be given a fair chance to do so. In goal, veteran Jonas Hiller arrives via free agency and the former Anaheim Duck enters camp as the Flames top option in net. The team also added some size and grit to its line-up, acquiring Brandon Bollig from the Chicago Blackhawks on the draft floor. Bollig comes with a winning pedigree, having already won a Stanley Cup. He and newly-acquired muscle Deryk Engelland (who signed a three-year, $8.7 million contract) will be integral in keeping the opposition honest against a young roster with Monahan, Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund still finding their feet in the league. The rest is up to the veteran holdovers. If Hudler can have another strong season and if Giordano can stay healthy and continue to provide strong leadership, the Flames might win a few more games than they should. Calgary is still very much a team with its eyes on the future. But thee closer their young core gets to competing early, the brighter the future will be.dddddddddddd TSN Calgary reporter Jermain Franklins Five Key Storylines heading into training camp: 1. What impact will Johnny Gaudreau (a.k.a. Johnny Hockey) have in his rookie NHL season? The 21-year-old Boston College standout and 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner, who scored a goal in his only NHL game last season, has dominated at every level on his path to the NHL. Size - Gaudreau is just five-foot-nine and 150 pounds - has not held him back so far, but will it in the worlds biggest and best league? Bennett is looking to force his way into the lineup as Monahan did last season. 2. Is Jonas Hiller still a No. 1 NHL goalie? The Flames signed Hiller to a two-year deal that pays him $1.75 million more than Karri Ramo this season, yet they insist it will be a full competition for the top goaltending position. Hiller is motivated to prove hes still a starter after losing the No. 1 position in Anaheim first to Frederik Andersen during the regular season and again to rookie John Gibson in the playoffs. 3. Will Bob Hartley continue to have his players focused? Despite finishing 27th in the league last season, the Flames earned a reputation for being a tough team to play against. The Flames were competitive because they gave their maximum effort every night. Can Bob Hartley continue to motivate this team or will the message get stale if the losses pile up for another season? 4. How will the new acquisitions fit in? Forwards Mason Raymond, Devin Setoguchi and Brandon Bollig, defenceman Deryk Engelland and goaltender Jonas Hiller are Calgarys key summer additions. Bollig and Engelland add size and toughness while Raymond is being counted on to supply speed and offence to soften the blow of losing top goal producer Mike Cammalleri. 5. How will new GM Brad Treliving put his stamp on the team? Treliving faces a huge challenge in his first job at the helm of an NHL team after seven seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes. Calgary has missed the playoffs for five straight years, the third-longest such streak in the league (tied with Carolina and Columbus and behind only Edmontons eight and the Jets franchises seven). DEPTH CHART Forwards Left Wing Centre Right Wing Curtis Glencross Mikael Backlund Jiri Hudler Mason Raymond Sean Monahan Joe Colborne Johnny Gaudreau Matt Stajan David Jones Brandon Bollig Lance Bouma Brian McGrattan Paul Byron Markus Granlund Devin Setoguchi Sven Baertschi Sam Bennett Ben Hanowski Defence Left Right Mark Giordano T.J. Brodie Kris Russell Dennis Wideman Ladislav Smid Deryk Engelland Tyler Wotherspoon John Ramage Mark Cundari Keegan Kanzig Patrick Sieloff Sena Acolatse Goaltenders Jonas Hiller Karri Ramo Joni Ortio Craigs List A list of the Flames top prospects as ranked by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button. A-Level Prospects No. Name Pos. 2013-14 Club 1 Johnny Gaudreau LW Boston College (HE) 2 Sam Bennett C Kingston (OHL) 3 Markus Granlund C Abbotsford (AHL) 4 Mark Jankowski C Providence (HE) 5 Mason McDonald G Charlottetown (QMJHL) B-Level Prospects No. Name Pos. 2013-14 Club 6 Morgan Klimchuk LW Regina (WHL) 7 Emile Poirier RW Gatineau (QMJHL) 8 Tyler Wotherspoon D Abbotsford (AHL) 9 Max Reinhart C Abbotsford (AHL) 10 Joni Ortio G Abbotsford (AHL) Fantasy - Cullens Player to Watch Johnny Gaudreau Any rookie forward that is poised to get regular playing time can be interesting from a fantasy perspective, but Gaudreau is no ordinary rookie. The Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey last year, Gaudreau scored 80 points in 40 games as a junior for Boston College. Using typical league equivalency calculations, 21-year-old Gaudreau should be projected for 50-plus points as a rookie, this on a team that returns one player (Hudler) that scored more than 50 points last season. There are concerns about Gaudreaus size and whether that will hinder his adjustment to the pro game, but if he has an adequate supporting cast to help generate offence, Gaudreau is one of the few Flames with high-end offensive potential. ' ' '
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