This Time..With FEELING!!!

Well, I've been inspired to write my first blog in 2013. Hopefully this will be an ongoing thing. My motivation is the end of the NHL lockout and the impending completion of the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to Greg Jamison. First, let's look at the lockout. The NHL and NHLPA met for over 14 hours yesterday and reached an agreement on a new CBA at 3 a.m. AZ time Sunday. The season will either start on the 15^th or 19^th, more than likely home games for the Coyotes. Either way, hockey is back and I couldn't be happier.

Now ownership news. Now that the lockout is off the NHL's plate, the league can focus on closing the deal with Greg Jamison. Jamison said today that he expects to meet with the league later this week or early next week and begin the legalities to close the deal. It would be great if he could get the keys to the team before the puck drops on the season, but we'll see. The big point is Coyotes fans can finally put to bed constant ownership crap, from Deal or No Deal news, to Glendale City Council goofiness, to misguided pot shots from the mental midgets in Winnipeg and Quebec City and trust me, there's quite a few of them. This fan base has been tested more than any other fan base in Phoenix. They deserve to celebrate a happy ending more than most fans here. Oh, by the way, the name will be changed to the Arizona Coyotes with a new on-ice look. Probably next year, but we will see on that.

Now we get to the impending season. The Coyotes are structured very well for a short season. In my opinion, if a team wants to make the playoffs they must have solid defense and goaltending from the start. The Coyotes have that. Not only is the defense strong, but they have their best shot blocker coming back after a stint in Pittsburgh in Zybenak Michalek.

Here are my thoughts on the strengths of the Pacific Division and where the Coyotes play into all of this:

Offense:

1. Anaheim
2. San Jose
3. LA
4. Phoenix
5. Dallas

Anaheim has always had a strong offense, but has had horrendous defense, which leaves Jonas Hiller exposed a lot. If they can get just average defense, they will be a better team. Until then, light the lamp. San Jose is similar, but with a better blue line now. Their biggest problem in my opinion is in net. LA is another team, strong and big up front, but lack the fire power of Anaheim and SJ. Phoenix, it is what it is and it has worked. They will need guys like David Moss and Lauri Korpikoski to step up the production.

Defense:

1. Phoenix
2. LA
3. San Jose
4. Dallas
5. Anaheim

Like I stated, the Coyotes have a very strong blueline and goaltending. This will carry them far this shortened season. LA is good on the back end, but I'm still not sold on John Quick in net. The Sharks are better, but not as deep as the top two.

Goaltending:

1. Phoenix
2. LA
3. Dallas
4. Anaheim
5. San Jose

Again, Mike Smith is one of the best in the league and the Coyotes will need a big effort this season. Quick will have to equal his play in LA and if Dallas gets any kind of improvement on its blue line, they could be good.

Pacific Prediction:

1. Phoenix (by a game over LA
2. LA
3. San Jose
4. Anaheim
5. Dallas

There it is. Now, let's get back on the ice and in the arenas and lets play some hockey.

Now, for the other sports in the valley. We know about the Cardinals. Coming off a 5-11 season, the team cleaned house for the most part. President Michael Bidwill has to hire a new GM and head coach and is in the process of interviews. We'll see what happens with the Redbirds when the draft comes and training camp begins. As for the Suns, well...it's a transition year. This one is tough because the longest history I have as a fan is with the Suns. The roots are deep with this team, so it hurts to see this season play out. The sports cliché is you have to be bad before you can be good. Well, the Suns are bad. We will have to see if this franchise can get back to playoff basketball fans are accustomed to.

That's about it for now. I do want to make this one suggestion. If you are looking for a place to spend your sports dollar, try the Coyotes. Sure, I understand the point it's hard to watch on TV for Joe Q sports fan. Go to Jobing.com Arena and give the team a try. They are the best team in town right now and look to make their fourth straight playoff appearance. Give them a try.

Happy New Year to everyone reading this. I hope 2013 is the best year ever.

Thanks,

Dave

A Little Update...October

Decided since I am sitting at Chase Field watching the Dbacks take on Colorado in the last homestand of the season, it's the perfect time to update you on some doings. 

First...my health.  Things are going really well.  As of today I am down 35 pounds since June.  Combination of eating better and pretty good gym work is making it a smooth transistion.  Down almost a couple off pants sizes too.  Still a long ways to go, but it's fun along the way. Ethan is in kindergarten and having a good time and learning a lot.  He can read by himself, for the most part and enjoys reading to anyone who will listen.  Ethan is still having some trouble listening in class, but he is trying his hardest.  We have an award system set up, so he is motivated...I think.

Nicole is still trying to fund raise for the Susan G. Komen foundation 3Day walk coming up in November.  Check my, or her, Facebook page to find out more about her latest fundraising effort this weekend, or if you just want to donate to her cause.  She is working hard on this and I am very proud of her. 

This turned out to be a short update, for once.  Hope everyone reading this is having a wonderful day and a better life.  Cheers!!

Dave

It's August...Thank You!!

Well July has passed and I am happy for that. (see two blogs ago)  Things are definitely on the uptick.  Just a quick word on my health.  I promise I won't bore you with much.  Three weeks ago my wife an I decided to join a gym, locally owned Mountainside Fitness.  What a difference it has made. Before going back to the gym, I was already making progress on my diet and lost a few pounds.  After three weeks of gym time, and a couple of personal training sessions, I am down 20 pounds.  Now..I'm a big guy, no denying or hiding it so the change is subtle at best, but I feel good, having a good time and everything is fine.  Now, some of my family and friends probably said, "that's great, but we've heard that before and we'll see after a couple of months" and they would be right.  My track record with this isn't the best I agree.  However, I recently had a battery of tests and found I may have a small blockage that is easily contained by drugs and exercise.  Both my regular and cardio doctor think I'm not in danger and have cleared me for additional training.  So, just to prove to myself and others, today I signed up for training sessions for the next year, so I HAVE to go and can't quit if I wanted too.  Nicole and I are splitting two sessions a week for now, since she is in training for the Susan G. Komen walk (watch Twitter and Facebook for a cool fund raising event for that).  After November, I will go two a week.  My goals are simple, get back into shape and do Pat's Run in April, which is something I have always wanted to do.  I'm not a runner at all, but it's for a great cause and in memory of a great man.  I still have a long way to go, but it's been fun getting back in the gym again and working hard. 

Ok, now for what this blog is built for.  My sports takes.  Let's start with the only team playing games in Arizona right now, the Diamondbacks.  As of writing this, the D'backs are playing the Phillies in the opening game of a three game road series.  The roll they are on right now is very similar to late last season.  Everyone is contributing and Kevin Towers is making the right moves to make it work.  They are in a great spot to make a post season run, and it's been fun lately watching them play.  Still a lot of baseball left to play.  So far, so good.

Next..the Coyotes. Still waiting for new ownership and Shane Doan.  Coyotes fans have been waiting a LONG time for new ownership and should get some soon in Greg Jamison.  He is a hockey guy with a history of success that has a smart business plan to make this situation work out in Glendale.  He has the right general manager in Don Maloney and the right coach in Dave Tippett and certainly the right goaltending coach in Sean Burke, who has transformed Mike Smith into an elite level netminder.  I still hope all will be resolved very soon and the Coyotes will be here for 20 years plus, and Doan can wear the "C" again in a Coyotes uniform.

Cardinals.  Training camp has started and the boys in red will be playing in the Hall of Fame Game this weekend against New Orleans.  Preseason is horrible, but I'd watch bad football over anything really, so bring it on.  All indications say the Cardinals will have a stellar defense, some believe top-five in the NFL.  However, quarterback and offensive line are still question marks.  The offense doesn't have to be world-beaters, just be average and score 17-20 points a game..that's it.  The defense will do it's job.  We will see how this all pans out.

Sun Devils Football:  New energy, new attitude, new coaches.  I have high hopes for Todd Graham and the Sun Devil Football team.  He has made a lot of positive strives inside and outside the program already, but now it's time to earn the paycheck on gameday.  Realistically Sun Devil fans should hope for a bowl game, any bowl game, which we know these days is .500 football.  Next year's recruiting class is already looking special on paper and high school football hasn't started yet.  I also LOVE what he is doing in-state.  High school football players in this state has been virtually ignored by both ASU and UofA over the last five years or so and it's time for that to change.

Suns: Honestly..I dunno.  This team could challenge for a playoff spot, or could tank horribly.  I like Luis Scola.  He could be a very good player in this system.  The have some scoring on the outside, but is it enough?  I don't know.  I think we will let this be until training camp, so we can at least see a roster to see who is even on this team.

Well, that's about it.  If you read this far, congrats..you get a cookie.  Me..well I'll have a protein bar or shake. They actually aren't that bad.  Thanks for reading and mostly caring. 

DZ

Goodbye Jessica

Like I have said in the past, when something is on my mind I turn to writing.  Again, this post comes with bad news. 

When I woke up this morning, I did what I usually do and that's check Twitter for the latest news before going to work.  I saw the reports of the shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.  My initial thought was that it was going to be a long, busy day, like it usually is with breaking news.  The next thing I saw stunned me stiff.  A report of a person who I have corresponded with over the last four years was in the theater and was one of the 12 people who died.  Jessica Ghawi, or professionally Jessica Redfield, was an amazing person and that is an understatement. 

Let me give you a little background on my time with her.  She wanted to work in sports in the worst way.  Whether it be as a blogger, beat writer, in radio in TV.  It didn't matter.  She was going to do what it took to accomplish her dream.  I first met her through a message board then email.  Jessica was interning for a sports radio station in San Antonio and started blogging on the local AHL hockey team, the Rampage.  The team there was a minor league affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes at the time.  Whenever I had a question about one of the players in the system there, not only did she have an answer on the guy's skills, but she had knicknames, favorite music and more.  We exchanged emails and messages often.  Then, the Coyotes affiliation moved to Portland, Maine and she moved to Denver.  Through Twitter and social media, her and I kept up relations.  She mostly wanted to know how the "kids" were doing, most notably defenseman Chris Summers who she had become friends with.  But, recently our hockey conversations turned.  She was in Toronto visiting her boyfriend when she had a notion to leave a shopping mall, just minutes before a gunman started opening fire.  She was the first to alert people to it via Twitter.  I saw her initial tweets and asked her if she was ok.  Jessica said she was, but she was shaken obviously.  When news broke on TV I was able to tell her where to go to be safe.  When things settled down, she thanked me for helping her and of course, I was happy to do it.  Since then, our messages have been one here and one there, but she always responded to me and vice versa. 

The one thing I am glad that is being shown about her today is how much she loved the sport of hockey on how much she was driven to become a success in the profession she dreamed of spending her life in.  Jessica had picked up a few jobs along the way.  From blogging about hockey on a website, to working games as talent help for the Colorado Avalanche hockey club, she did anything and everything to be in a hockey arena to cover a game, which makes today hard to swallow.  Someone with so much drive and enjoying it regardless of the road bumps is hard to find in a person these days.  Jessica made friends everywhere she went, especially with hockey writers and broadcasters in the business.  Not one person has a mean thing to say about her.

The one gift she gave me in her short life, is the gift of willingness to help others in my profession.  I remember an ASU student that wanted to be a hockey beat writer so bad it drove her crazy, some times wanting to give it up and try something else.  I knew what kind of writer she was and how good she is, I wouldn't let her quit. Now, she is a Coyotes owner away from being the Coyotes beat writer for the Arizona Republic, Sarah McLellan.  Sorry Sarah, you're my best example.  There are a couple of others I am trying to help now and hope for the best for their future in this tough business. 

Jessica inspired me to help others, especially the next generation of writers, broadcasters and reporters.  I will take her spirit and drive with me the rest of my days. 

Goodbye Jessica.  The reaction of your death around the country proves to me that you touched many lives.  You will live on with many many people.  Thoughts and prayers to her brother, boyfriend, family and friends. Her, along with the other 11 victims of today's horrific event, will be missed and remembered.

DZ

A Month In The Life Of Me

Again...it's another non-sports blog.  I should just drop the sports out of the name, this is ridiculous.  Anyway, one thing I have learned is if things get really bad, writing seems to help.  If you are reading this at whatever time it is, your first thought is "uh oh."  Before writing this I posted something on Facebook prefacing what this will be.  I also once again thank the one's who have been through this with me and apologize to the ones I may have upset along the way. 

This. is a month in the life of me.  If you are still reading, I appreciate it.  My current state of life isn't in the best shape, mostly due to nothing of my doing.  Which is odd if you know me.  Let's start at the beginning:

We lost our main air conditioning unit about four weeks ago.  It was the original a/c unit from when the house was built in 1974. Impressive I know.  However, we couldn't get another one up and installed until.....Saturday.  Luckily we have a unit for one room and borrowed a portable for the bed room.  It wasn't the best, but we made do.  Then..about two weeks into the extravaganza, our fridge goes out.  If you are keeping score at home, we are down a/c and fridge at this point, but we are holding on.  On top of all of this, I bought a car from POWER TOYOTA and had the remaining balance of a previous loan worked into the new contract.  No problem right? Ha. Six months later they still hadn't sent the check to the lender.  So..now we have no a/c, no fridge and impending financial doom, again.  All of which, we didn't do to ourselves.  Mix in my current health condition, which isn't the best at this time (see last blog post) and trying to work through tests and decisions and there is the month pretty much in a nutshell.  Even though I am probably leaving other small events out for whatever reason.

Now, you may ask "how is you and Nicole through all of this?"  Great question.  The answer is it has challenged the both of us to levels we never thought we would come to.  But, the great thing is that we are best friends and with that solid friendship first, we are working through all of this mess.  But, all of this has taken a toll, and probably would for most people.

So, here we are.  Tuesday July 10th, 2012, not knowing what tomorrow holds.  I have been very lucky to have been surrounded by great family and great friends.  Even as of today, some friends have come, some have gone and some are hanging in the balance.  I can only do and control so much. That lesson I have learned over my life.  It's hard not to think or stress over things, especially when it means the most to you.  That's when you learn to deal with life's challenges.  I thought I was pretty good at that until now.  What's funny is just when you have things figured out, even for a long stretch of time, God always throws a curveball at you.  It's what you do with it that defines who you are and who you may become.  See...ended up throwing a sports term into this.  I guess this is a sports blog afterall. 

If you got THIS far.  Thanks.  That means you care and that's truly all I need.  Thanks to everyone in my life.  There is a special place in my heart for all of you.  Maybe that's why I have an enlarged heart. True story.  It all makes sense I suppose.

Dave

First Blog Since Jesus Rose From The Tomb....Timely I Know

Sorry for the nearly year off from blogging, but for some reason Twitter has become a short blog for me.  140 characters is all I need.  Usually this thing is reserved for something sports related.  I'm going to go away from that and deal with something pretty personal to me that I want to share.

As long time friends and family know I have been a big dude for a long time.  I've learned to play off it and just kinda live my life this way.  I never really ever got down on myself or anything like that and have stayed pretty positive.  Since this is the year I cross into 40, I wanted to do something pretty radical.  I have decided to have bariatric surgery to get rid of this gut of mine.  I knew I had to do something when I kept seeing pictures of me just way too big.  The scale tipping at 360 doesn't help either.  I don't know what procedure I will do or when, I am at the beginning stages of all of this.  Insurance may dictate what I can and can't do.  I have an excellent doctor who is going to fight the insurance company to try and get the right thing done.  I've thought about doing this for about six months, but since I was in a car accident back in October, I had to deal with all of that first. 

The reason why I am going to do this is to be around for my family for the long haul.  I have been battling high blood pressure for a while, but so far I am pretty clean from other diseases.  I want to keep it that way.  Call it a preemptive move on my part.  I know a lot will change, both physically and mentally, but I am ready for the challenge.  I have an amazing support group of friends and family.  I have a lot of goals for myself after surgery is done.  I'll do my best to keep this updated as I go along. 

Surrounding this is a family trip to California for about 5 days for my birthday in June.  We are going to hit Disneyland, then drive down to San Diego and hit Sea World during that time, along with staying with family along the way.  I wanted to be a kid for my 40th birthday and share that with Ethan and Nicole.  We are all kids anyway..:) 

So, to wrap it up, it's going to be a heck of a battle the next few months working this in with the rest of my duties, but that's part of life.  Thanks for reading and listening and I can't wait to get back to my high school weight, which is my ultimate goal.  Wish me luck.

Dave

2011 National League West Champion Arizona Diamondbacks???

If you know me, you know I am not the biggest baseball fan in the world.  I mean, unless it's Diamondbacks baseball on TV, I would rather mow the lawn in 115 degree heat with 80-percent humidity than to sit and watch a baseball game.  Unless that game is in person and hot dogs and beverages are involved, but I digress.  The last two seasons of Diamondbacks baseball has tried my patience.  I go to an average of 60-65 games a year and two 90 loss seasons in a row is a new form of torture.  This year however, it's been..well...fun.  This team just doesn't know any better to be honest.  They listen to no one outside the locker room.  If someone in the "media" says they can't do something, they use it to their advantage.  So, how did this begin.  It started last season with the hiring of GM Kevin Towers.  His first move was to keep manager Kirk Gibson on board and put together arguably the best coaching staff in the Majors.  Alan Trammell is the bench coach with Charles Nagy as pitching coach and Don Baylor the hitting coach.  Towers then traded away Mark Reynolds, who was a walking strikeout last year.  Heck, he would get out of bed to start the day and he would strike out.  He would make breakfast and strike out.  What came of the trade is David Hernandez, a former Baltimore pitcher that was put in the eighth inning roll and reserve closer.  He has been nothing short of spectacular this year.  Then came the signing of closer J.J. Putz, who was a great closer at one time but was injured.   As of last night he has 34 saves in 38 attempts, not too shabby.  Add another year of seasoning to Justin Upton, Chris Young, Miguel Montero and a fire in Ryan Roberts and this team is playing..well..as a team.  All of this, along with other moves and call-ups, have led us to where we are now.

Two weeks ago the D'backs were faced with a nearly impossible ten-game road trip on which they won just four.  However, one game showed me this team may actually be something special.  The first game of the road trip they faced the Phillies and ace starting pitcher Roy Halladay.  The guy is nails.  Everyone counted the D'backs out here locally.  Chalk it up as a loss is all I heard and read.  Heck, I believed it too.  No way they beat Halladay.  The D'backs were down in the game, only to rally in the ninth inning to take the lead, on Halladay.  No team in baseball this season has beaten Halladay late in a game and they did. 

As of writing this, the D'backs are five games up on the Giants in the NL West with a three-game series in San Francisco this weekend.  They could virtually sew up the division by Sunday if all goes well.  We then look to the playoffs.  More than likely, the big bad Phillies will be first up in the NLDS.  Will the D'backs win the series, NL, World Series?  On paper..probably not.  The Phillies, Braves and Brewers are arguably better than Arizona.  I refer back to that game against Halladay.  This team is not afraid of anyone and can compete against anyone and they have proven that.  I have been wrong so much this season about this team that it has turned me into a believer.  This year's D'backs squad can do something special this year.  Ironically it comes ten years after the last time they did something special and something no one else thought they can do.  Beat the New York Yankees and win a World Series.  Stay tuned fans, the fun is just beginning.

DZ