Rutgers Gets Worse?

Report: Rutgers AD at center of 2008 lawsuit http://espn.go.com/new-york/college-sports/story/_/id/9319545/julie-hermann-new-rutgers-scarlet-knights-ad-reportedly-center-sex-discrimination-suit?

Found this on ESPN though you would like to see it for yourself.

Double Overtime Winner

Hey All,

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators had one of the best game 3's I've ever seen in my life. Both of these teams were not going to give up a thing. The game went into double overtime and had a very spectacular finish.

To find out what my thoughts on this game are visit the link to my video blog at the bottom of the post

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lNBv9IRBQE&feature=youtube_gdata

Barber Calls It Quits

Hey All,

Today is a sad day in Buccaneer land, as 16 year veteran Ronde Barber is hanging up the cleats. After 16 years, Ronde never missed a game and never wore any other uniform but a Tampa Bay Jersey, and he wanted to finish that way.

"Ronde is synonymous with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, establishing himself as one of our franchise's iconic players over a 16-year, Hall of Fame- worthy career," said Buccaneers Co-Chairman Joel Glazer. "When anyone thinks of Ronde, they think of a true professional and leader. He approached every day the same, giving everything he had to make himself and his teammates the best they could be. We will miss him."

I don't think it could be said any better than what Glazer said. Ronde was loved in Tampa, and he is going to be missed there. Lets take a look at what he did in those 16 years with the club.

He has recorded 47 interceptions and 28 sacks in his career. This makes him the only player in NFL history with at least 40 picks and 25 sacks. Along with this he has more sacks than any other cornerback in league history, and he is 16th most in interception return yards. Ronde also made 200 of his 232 career starts consecutively at cornerback, the longest streak by any cornerback in NFL history. With all those starts happening Barber became the only defensive back since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start each one of his team's games for 12 consecutive seasons. He's also scored a remarkable 14 non-offensive touchdowns (you can make it 15 if you count the playoffs), this is fourth-best total in NFL history behind only that of Deion Sanders, Devin Hester, and Rod Woodson.

With stats like these Barber earned himself five trips to the Pro Bowl and five Associated Press All-Pro selections, three first-team and two second-team. Barber also was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s. Barber has won nine NFC Player of the Week Awards (plus one more in the postseason), the most in Tampa Bay Buccaneers team franchise history. He was a key part of 11 top-10 defenses and three number one-ranked pass defenses. And last but not least, Ronde helped lead the 2002 Buccaneers to the first Super Bowl Championship in franchise history.

With all the awards, and numbers that he put up, it's just a waiting game now to see when (not if) he gets into the Hall of Fame. My personal opinion, he will be a first ballet Hall of Famer. You can try and argue that he wont, but then I will just have to tell you to look at his numbers, because numbers never lie. Barber is in the top of every category there is to have for his position, so it really makes sense for him to retire. There's really nothing else to accomplish, except another Championship, but I don't see that happening in the near future. I really hope I'm wrong on that last statement, because I am a huge Buccaneers fan.

Yes I am sad to see Ronde Barber go, but I understand it. He will be greatly missed, and the team will not be the same without his leadership out there.

Until next time,
You keep doing what you do, and I'll keep you up to date with everything sports. 

Pens Take Game One

Hey All,

Tonight was the best day of all for all hockey fans, it's the start of the NHL Playoffs, and boy did it kick off with a bang.

That game that I will be focusing on is the Pittsburgh Penguins Vs. the New York Islanders. This is a one seed (Pittsburgh) and a eight seed (New York) and did it ever seem that way.

The Pens came out of the gate with a fire underneath of them all game long. They got a quick goal from rookie B. Bennett as he sneaks one past the blocker shoulder of goaltender Nabokov to get his first Playoff Goal ever. That came at the  3:30 mark, and there wouldn't be another goal scored until the 12:23 by Super Duper Dupuis. That would be how the first period would end, and boy would the intensity of this game pick up from here.

Kris Letang would get a very quick goal to start the second period at the 1:19 mark, and on just the second shot of the period, Dupuis would get his second goal of the game at the 1:51 mark. This would end Nabokov's night. They would bring in back-up goaltender Poulin to see if he could do any better against the Penguins offense. The fifth and final goal of the game came at the 13:07 mark of the second period by Tanner Glass.

Besides the scoring in this game, the hits were outstanding. Both teams were finishing off their checks, and giving it all they had. The Islanders might have won the battle in the hit department (numbers wise) with 41-36, they didn't win the war. The Penguins had there "tough guys" out there to show they aren't backing down from anyone. Letang, Murry, Marrow, and Engelland were "Lighten up" all night. The game got a little chippy near the end of the game as the Islanders started taking cheap shots to the Penguins Stars. Jussi had a shot to his legs and in the knee and ankle area, which could be very dangerous from a player to take that kind of open ice hit.

This game was the Penguins to loss, and I think the rest of the series is going to be the same way as this one went. With the Penguins being the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference  they would need to play like they have all season long (even though it was a lockout shortened season). If the Pens play like they did in game one, there is no possible way that they can lose this series.

Now don't get me wrong, the Islanders are a pretty good team. They just didn't play like it tonight. If they want to have a chance in this series, they will have to make some major adjustments to have a chance Friday in game two. Though they are a good team, and deserve to be in the Playoffs, I think they are going to get swept in this series. The Pens should walk their way into the next series and possibly into the Finals, if they play the way they played tonight, for the rest of the Playoffs.

Remember I put out video blogs every Thursday on my YouTube Channel (Mbonaventura83) so check it out and let me know what ya think.

Until next time,
You keep doing what you do, and I'll keep you up to date with everything sports.