USA Hockey Downs Canada!!

If you didn't watch the US - Canada Hockey game last night, you missed an amazing game. I can't remember the last time I saw a hockey game played so fast with so much hitting. Nothing like beating the favored Canada team in Canada on our way to a Gold Medal.

<--(Piggy Back ride! "Only 240 huh?")

It was fun watching all these NHLers play against their friends and teammates. However, once the game started you could sense that these guys wanted it. Only in the Olympics do such athletes put it all on the line for nothing more than pride. No contract bonuses or a fat new deal around the corner. The result? A fast, fun, physical game.

Ryan Miller was outstanding in net as he stopped 42 pucks, in an interview after the game I imagine hearing Miller "Puck That!" in response to a question about the frenzy of saves he made in the last couple minutes. Brian Rafalski played a hell of a game scoring 2 goals and adding an assist.

Speaking of winning, back to Cleveland Browns Football. Finally after a couple weeks of relatively no news, the NFL Scouting Combine starts this week, so be on the look out for nuggets regarding speed, strength, physicals and interviews coming over the course of the next week.

SUPERBOWL!!! USA!!!

Eric's Talking Sports

While my mind never wanders far from thoughs of the Cleveland Browns, this is plainly put the slowest time of the year in football. We are stuck in the middle ground between the Season and the Off-Season, or Business Season. At this point the college all-star games are over and the guys are gearing up for the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis at the end of the month. To occupy my time, I've ventured into thinking about other sports. Here are a few of my thoughts unrelated to the Cleveland Browns, sorta.

Cavs:
I know almost nothing about basketball. Not only do I find it hard to relate to anyone in the game, but I also like to tease my basketball buddies about the thug culture of the NBA (hi Jeff!) and the fact that the guys need to toughen up. I will never understand the way fouls are called in this sport. Having said that, the success of the Cavs over the past few years has made me a huge Cavs fan, a borderline NBA fan and a football fan still waiting for something to happen.

So now, here I am, a Cavs fan that still really does not like basketball, yet I can not stop looking at or thinking about trade rumors. I NEEED to know now what the Cavs will do to win a championship and keep LeBron. I need Amare here yesterday, or at least tell me Jamison is on his way now. This it torture.

Browns:
Speaking of torture, I'm sick of this lull in the NFL Off-Season. Also if the Browns would just win a Super Bowl I would not have to care so much about whether the Cavs win. I am just so desperate for a Championship, that I'm willing (starting to like) to watch basketball.

Winter Olympics:
Speaking of winners, we live in the United States of America. We are the greatest nation on the planet. There are times when the people of this nation or the government do really stupid things. However nothing gets me more pumped than watching the Olypics. (At least nothing I've experienced, lets go Browns) The U.S. is amazing, did you see us roll in with over 200 athletes in the opening ceremony? That is bad ass.
Good for Bode Miller. My college roommate had an almost unhealthy man crush on Bode Miller in the 2006 games. To see the failure and heartbreak in 2006 only to see Bode rebound for a Bronze this year is a great story. He looks like hes having fun and is just happy to be there. Thats really what the Olypmics are all about. The spirit of the Olympics can not be rivaled anywhere else. U.S. Curling has some serious work to do, not a proud display yesterday people. U.S. mens hockey looked good, but um... so did Canada wow! That should be a fun game on Sunday. The winter Olympics are the best. I love the skiing, the jumping the ice skating. It all looks sooo easy and graceful. Its also a reminder about how great our country is. Its nice to be part of a winner, even if we do have to technically include cities like Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincy in our great Nation.

Indians:
I am sure we will be irrelevant again. I wish we had an owner like Gilbert for the Tribe. Dolan is a cheap-ass and its annoying because we all know you can't be a regular playoff team with a baby boy team salary. But in the meantime, its nice to know that we will continue to be the farm system for the rest of the MLB.

USA!!!! (America's version of the Browns winning the Super Bowl)!!!

-Eric