OUR FANHOUSE TOOLBAR INTEGRATES THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS INTO YOUR WEB BROWSER AND INSTALLS IN SECONDS.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE TOOLBAR HERE.

FanHouse ColoradoAvalanche

Latest ColoradoAvalanche Stories

Is Tiger Woods Killing the PGA Tour?

I was at a museum bar this past week, playing some pool with a buddy when golf came up in the conversation between us and our playing competitors.

One of the guys, slightly inebriated, lambasted me with this theory – Tiger Woods is killing the PGA Tour.

No, there were no bigotry in his voice, he didn't care if Woods was black, white or the color of Paula Creamer's golf ball, he just believed that the onslaught of Tiger fans has brought down the competitiveness and interest of a regular PGA Tour event.

At first I thought this guy was a complete moron. I hit my pool shots, had a sip of beer and mused over the idea that the best thing to ever hit golf could somehow be bringing it down? Hogwash, I thought.

It didn't hit me until Saturday afternoon, on the golf course for my lemming-like weekend tee time, when I realized this guy might be on to something.

Maybe Tiger is killing the tour. No, he isn't killing golf, he's turned a sport reserved for higher class businesspeople into a global phenomenon. He's changed the pot-bellied golfer into a gym rat. He's merged two types of golfers, the one that bombs it off the tee and the one that chips and putts well around the greens, into one golfing freak. He's brought mock turtlenecks, Nike Golf, the first pump and red on Sundays to our regular conversation.

Tiger has changed golf, which is obviously clear.

With that said, has he killed the PGA?

The Ice Sheet: Detroit Advances, New York Stays Alive



Every day from Monday to Saturday,
The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Things couldn't have been more different last night for the New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche. Both teams were facing a sweep and the potential of Sunday morning tee times this weekend. Both also had superstars that could have been seeing their last shifts, helping to create what could make for a legendary Hall of Fame class in a few years (Forsberg, Sakic, Shanny and Jagr, oh my!). But two roads diverged in a wood and well, you know how that goes.

This wasn't necessarily the last game for Joe Sakic -- a class act as far as I know -- but, if for some reason it turns out to be just that for the 19-year NHL vet, it was the worst way in which his stellar career could have ended. The Avs were outmatched from the get go in this series. The injuries mounted and they were riding a ticking time bomb between the pipes. I'm not making excuses, but the odds were stacked against them. On the other side of the ice, the Red Wings -- still coming off that President's Trophy -- were given a scare in the first round from Nashville, one that likely shook them and woke them up in a cold sweat at 3 AM. That's what appears to have happened at least. Last night the Red Wings took it to the Avs, firing on all cylinders in front of the home fans in Detroit (whoops ... It was in Detroit) and came away with an 8-2 victory.

Forsberg and Colorado: One More Season?

There is little doubt that Peter Forsberg is one of the best playoff performers in NHL history. If you had to build a playoff team based on players in their prime, Forsberg would definitely rank up with Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, and Bobby Orr among those I would snap up with the first overall pick. Sure, the guy dives more than an Italian soccer player during the World Cup, but Forsberg's as clutch as they come.

Sadly, his career has been marred by a series of very serious injures ... one after another after another after another ... Forsberg's been broken more times than Humpty Dumpty, and it's always a wonder to me why he keeps coming back for more punishment. For a guy who has accomplished everything a hockey player could want, Forsberg seems determined to break every bone in his body playing the game he loves.

While he should just retire while he can still walk upright, Forsberg is likely to try to come back for one more season. Woody Paige of the Denver Post would like it to be in Colorado.

The Swede's stellar National Hockey League career should not end at 33 after a yearlong NHL lockout, a 1 1/2-year stay in Philadelphia, a short stint in Nashville, free agency with no interest, another injury and another surgery and an abrupt retirement or dismissal - without a final faceoff or a sweeping shot around the post, or a pirouetting pass to Sakic for the goal, or the ringing cheers of an adoring, appreciative Colorado crowd.

Forsberg gave up his youth, his country and a major body part to skate among us as one of the premier two-way players in hockey history. We should not let him leave yet

Ahh, fantasies aside, would it be worth it for Colorado, or any club, to sign Forsberg as a free agent at this stage?

Sorry Avs Fans, Jose Theodore Isn't Going Anywhere

Jose TheodoreMany Colorado Avalanche fans would very much like to get rid of Jose Theodore, who is the league's most expensive (and overrated) backup goaltender, as well as one of Paris Hilton's 1,000,000 ex-boyfriends.

Unfortunately for Avs fans, it looks like they'll be stuck with their pretty boy for another season.

From the Denver Post:
My message to people is, 'Don't think that buying him out is going to be a big financial advantage for us.' It won't be," said [GM Francois] Giguere. "If you buy him out, two-thirds of his salary counts toward the (salary) cap, and we'd still have to sign a replacement for him."

"What it comes down to is, between the pipes, is there a guy who gives you a better chance to win?" Giguere said. "It will be a hockey decision, not so much a financial decision, because it would not be a big difference even if we bought him out."


Is there a guy who gives you a chance to win??? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

How about ... almost every other NHL goaltender?

Among qualified goaltenders, Theodore had the 5th WORST(!) save percentage with 89.1% this season. That was actually an improvement from the season before, when he had a dreadful 88.1SV%.

While it can be hard to find a decent backup, there are plenty of other goaltenders with more ability than Theodore at this moment of time.

The true reason he'll stick around, again, is purely financial, and nothing to do with being a 'hockey decision'. Theodore's cap number is $5.3mil, but the Avs will be on the hook for $4mil under the cap if they buy out Theodore.

Given that scenario, it's best just to leave him in as the backup and let Budaj take the reigns again. Given the cost of finding a replacement backup, the Avs wouldn't save much cap room by finding a different backup. Plus, Theodore might find the form he used to have. (and I might win the lottery ...)

Joe Sakic Signs with the Avalanche for 1 More Season

Joe SakicJoe Sakic quickly answered any questions about his future plans by signing a 1-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, ensuring that his wife won't have to call in the moving vans.

"I was really impressed with the way this team came together and am looking forward to next year," Sakic said in a statement. "To witness the growth of our young players and see how they performed with some of our other veterans was very encouraging and says a lot about the expectations we'll have for next season.

"As I've said in the past, at this stage in my career, I prefer to do one-year deals as I evaluate my play year-to-year," added Sakic. "But I'm looking forward to next season and we feel very lucky to be a part of such a great hockey market with such amazing fan support."
While Canucks fans have always hoped "Burnaby Joe" would want to come home, it's obvious that Sakic has no wish to go anywhere else or even test the free agent market.

With 100 points last season, Sakic is still one of the premier players in the league, even at 37 years of age. Personally, I think it's great that Sakic will remain with the one franchise that he has always been with. Sakic has truly become the face of the Avalanche/Nordiques, and it looks like it'll remain so until Sakic retires.

Featured Writers

Featured Voices