35th Anniversary of Miracle on Ice

The United States Olympic hockey team up achieved a historical upset 35 years ago. This is without a doubt the most exciting hockey I have ever seen.

Team USA would go on to defeat Finland for the gold medal.

Part of Herb Brooks's genius was putting together a younger and faster team. Team USA outskated the Soviet team.

Here is video of the classic game.

Vladimir Putin's Bogus Ice Hockey Game

Vladimir Putin didn't learn how to play hockey until he was 60 years-old. Yet Putin manage to score 6 goals and 5 assists against Sochi. The Russian team Sochi is made of several former NHL players. Putin skated at amazingly slow speed and managed not to get checked once during the game. Can we say fixed?

We are to believe that Vladimir Putin came out onto the ice and suddenly became Wayne Gretzky in his prime. This is hysterical.

Very Excited Hockey Player

Montreal Canadians forward Erik Cole was really excited about scoring his 27th goal of the season. So excited that he high-fived the referee.

Steven Stamkos Is This Year's MYP (AKA Hart Trophy)

How good of a year is Steve Stamkos having? This shoot out goal against the Montreal Canadians is absolutely insane. ESPN ranks Stamkos at the top candidate for the Hart Trophy.

Jim Norman Hates Clean Air

In 2009, ESPN did an investigative story on air quality in ice hockey rinks. ESPN found that nearly 200 people got sick from breathing in carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide or ultrafine particles. One of the rinks that had problems was Tampa Bay Skating Academy.

One of those rinks was in Tampa, Fla., where the East Lake High School hockey team took the ice in January for a practice at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy. Players struggled to breathe during practice and as the night wore on, their symptoms worsened.

"I was playing normal, and then halfway through practice, my chest started feeling weird," said East Lake player Alex Miller. "I had trouble breathing."

Ice-resurfacing machines that run either on propane or natural gas are safe when properly maintained. But poorly maintained machines can release high levels of emissions that are even more dangerous in rinks with poor ventilation.

Florida Sen. Mike Fasano has proposed SB 202. The legislation would allow local government to check rinks that have reported respiratory problems. Sen. Jim Norman is attempting to kill the bill.

Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, said no. Norman worried it could affect large private entities like the St. Pete Times Forum: "Our mission is to have less government. I don't want to have more government."

Fasano said he did not envision the bill being an issue for large arenas like the Times Forum, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He suspects the arena tests its ice frequently. "You know me, I'm a hockey fan," he said, "so I'm at the games as many times as possible. I don't go away (from) there feeling numb or faint."

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, owns an ice-skating rink in Ellenton. He jumped to the bill's defense, saying air-quality tests are inexpensive and rink owners wouldn't mind inspections after the Oldsmar incident. "As an owner of an ice skating rink, I would be supportive of this bill," he said.

Norman can only think in "less government" slogans. It is bad when Mike Bennett is to the left of Norman.

Quote of the Day 2

"I root for the Flyers, or I sleep alone."

Vice-President Joe Biden

Sarah Palin Booed At Flyers Game

If I worked for the McCain campaign, I would have vetoed Sarah Palin drooping the first puck for the Philadelphia Flyers home opener. Philly fans booed Santa Claus. Philly fans did cheer when Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin was carted off the field. What was the McCain people thinking by having Palin in front of the meanest (mostly pro-Democratic) fans in sports?

By the way, I'm a Philly fan.

Question of the Day: The Tampa Bay Lightning

Does anyone have an idea what the Tampa Bay Lightning is trying to do with the Tampa Bay Lightning? The team has asked Boyle to waive his no trade clause. This seem strange that an organization that went to so much trouble to resign Boyle now want to dump him.

Boyle has not waived his no trade clause. The Lightning have given Boyle's agent George Bazos to talk to other teams. The San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators are said to be interested in Boyle. My question is who does the Lightning plan on replaceing Boyle as their number 1 defenseman? Hall of Famer Dennis Potvin considers the idea of trading Boyle stupid.

"Until something happens, I won't believe it. I just don't see where this will be a smart move."

Anyone have any ideas what is going on?

The Great Sports Rebate Swindle

S.V. Date explains how the great sports rebate swindle works in Florida.

Because “rebate” has a specific meaning in the minds of most Floridians. It’s when you buy, say, a television at Best Buy, and then, after you send in the receipt, the manufacturer sends you a check for $50 or $100 or $1,000.

When the typical voter hears rebate applied to sports teams, the logical inference is that the amount “rebated” is based upon or limited by the amount of sales tax collected at the new park.

And that is precisely NOT how it works. Read the law (link below). After a team has been qualified by the governor’s office as meeting the projected requirements, the Department of Revenue starts sending the stadium owners a monthly check for $166,667 for 30 years — no further questions asked.

It gets worse. The Tampa Bay Lightning received a $166,667 monthly check the year of the NHL lockout. Florida taxpayers paid the Lightning the not playing. Talk about a bargain. Charlie Crist has decide to give the Tampa Bay Rays the same deal.

The Rays are now asking St. Petersburg to build a waterfront stadium. The price tag is $450 million. The Rays will put up only $150 million. We can take a good guess who will be paying the rest of the bill.

Jim Johnson made the unintentionally hysterical argument of the positive economic impact that "John Gruden, Vinny Lecavalier, Mike Alstott - they all have to fill up their gas tanks." That doesn't cover Rayomnd James Stadium operating at a deficit. Another point that destroys Johnson's gas purchase argument is studies showing that sport stadiums do not generate revenue back into the community.

The great sports rebate swindle will continue until voters stand up and say no more.