Talk about a bad weekend for sports in the Tampa Bay area…

First off you had the Lightning pounded by the New Jersey Devils in a humbling… no, strike that… humiliating loss on Friday. At least you saw no John Grahame bashing in the retrospect post on Boltsmag…

Saturday - the USF Bulls played a joke of a game in Hartford, Connecticut and it reminded me why I don’t watch College Football… It wasn’t mistakes that make me uncomfortable with the game, but the ultra slowness of everything. I find the 40 second clock in teh NFL painful enough - but the college game seems even worse… And the all-too-often commercial breaks did there best to lose my interested in the game…

Thankfully I was suffering post-surgical complications Saturday and they kept me tuned in (if my physical suffering needed a mental accompliss).

So the Bulls did what they could and managed to take the title of most-undisciplined-football-team in Tampa Bay away from the Buccaneers…

Not that the Bucs didn’t have there own problems this weekend. I’ll let Ski tell the tale of that one… And though things took a grim turn, there is still hope.

Of course, the Rays have to be included in this somewhere and Sports Business Journal ranking the franchise the worst in baseball — for (former) owner Vince Naimoli, for the Uniforms, for the Trop and such — definately gets them on this bad-weekend list.

And though the Bolts came back from the dead on Sunday Night to end the weekend on a positive note, it was influenced by John Tortorella blasted the players during the first intermission for lackadistical play.

But it’s mid-week now… Yet the memory of this weekend’s futility still echoes in my memory…

Sorry to go silent again — Alergic reaction on my right hand has given me trouble.. And the ointment I have had to apply is not typing/keyboard friendly…

But I will say that I am glad the Lightning ended a very demoralizing weekend in Tampa Bay sports with a win…

Well, the streaking Lightning decided to put an exclimation point on their return to Tampa…

Not exactly a positive one at that…

Six goals allowed in the first 30 minutes of action –helped by inept defensive play — is all I could stand to watch tonight… I also couldn’t stand watching the continuation of hands-off officiating that has marked it’s return in the NHL.

The one postive I can find from this game is Brad Richards point streak continues… Maybe something else good will come from this game - like the acquisition of a sound goaltender that puts both John Grahame and Sean Burke to shame…? One can hope, right?

There’s a neat little tool I found on Sarah in Tampa’s web site that I’d like to direct Boltsmag readers to… Cuz I signed up to try it out and I’m curious who and where my readers are. It’s a nifty little thing utilizing Google Maps and such… Check it out, won’t you?

This year, an addendum to Rule 56, known as the Sutter Rule, was implemented taking aim at late game instigator penalties. It reads, in it’s entirety:

(NEW for 2005-06) A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime, shall be assessed an instigator minor penalty, a major for fighting, a ten minute misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension will double for each subsequent offense. In addition, the player’s coach shall be fined $10,000 — a fine that will double for each subsequent incident.

(NEW for 2005-06) (NOTE 1) No team appeals will be permitted either verbally or in writing regarding the assessment of this automatic suspension.

The NHL has made it clear that this penalty cannot be appealed, and made a sizeable issue out of this rule before the season began in it’s misguided attempt at eliminating fighting from the game.

Two nights ago, this rule was to be put to the test for the first time, as Coyotes forward Shane Doan took an instigator at the end of a game filled with dirty hits. The rule makes it clear: Doan was to be suspended for one game, and the coach to be fined $10,000.

Except the coach in question is Wayne Gretzky.

Suddenly Colin Campbell decided that this rule is not as simple as it seems, and though it is not mentioned anywhere in the rule book, he now has discretion on whether to hand out the penalties. Campbell’s excuse was that Doan isnt a goon, therefore the rule should not apply to him.

Please.

You think Campbell wouldnt have thought twice about the suspension and fine if it was Jarome Iginla and Darryl Sutter in question?

How about Mark Bell and Trent Yawney?

The NHL found itself caught in the embarrassing position of having to fine it’s most notable personality for a rule it felt was extremely important four months ago, and somehow found an even more embarrassing excuse to avoid living up to it’s own rules.

But then, there always was one rulebook for Gretzky, and one for everyone else.

I’m thankful for a lot of things - things that I and probably a lot of other people take for granted. Everyone in the United States usually takes this day to give thanks for what life, fate, the Almighty and other respective deities have provided them over the course of the last year. Of course, every blogger tends to do this type of post at one point or another but I thought I’d throw in my own personal list of things I am thankful for…

I’m thankful for hockey in Tampa Bay. Nay sayers will continue to say it won’t last or it won’t work out in the end…. They were also saying we were the epitome of what was wrong with Hockey during our losing days of the late 1990’s (they were saying the same thing about Ottawa, though, during their losing days at the begining of the franchises current tenure in Ottawa). I think this region has proven it will support hockey, the question is when will hockey support us?

I’m thankful for the end of the lockout.

I’m thankful Tim Taylor stopped talking lockout politics and started scoring goals again.

I’m thankful Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are still members fo the Lightning…

…And I’m thankful that the Salary Cap gives a whole new dimension to the Hot Stove of the NHL.

I’m thankful that I’ve been proven full of it for my pessimism over the Bucs. I’ll still say I doubt they’ll make it far if they reach the playoffs… (but then again, why mess with success? If I start singing the Bucs praises instead of being a pessimist, I might jinx’em!)

I’m thankful I’m not spending Thanksgiving Day in a hospital bed like I did in 2003…

…and thankful I don’t have to watch a Karl Rove orchestrated photo opportunity of the President in Iraq, dominating the news. If there’s so much progress in Iraq, why isn’t he over there boosting the troops morale?

I’m also very thankful for the men and women who serve in the U.S Armed Forces, guarding the country I call home, and they fact they are willing to put their lives on the line to defend the citizens of these United States. No verbal thanks really shows just how appreciative I am of this….

I’m thankful that Stu Sternberg has taken control of the Devil Rays in part because of the uncertainty that is to come… And in part because it actually looks like he’s trying to right the ship with the community and with the on-field product.

I’m thankful for cups — how many athletes (specifically hockey players) careers would have been ended without that piece of hardened plastic?

I’m thankful for the NHL getting off ESPN… Though I worry about the low quality of OLN’s broadcasts.

I’m thankful for guys like Eric McErlain, James Mirtle, Tom Benjamin, David M. Singer, Mike Chen, PJ Swenson, Lyle Richardson, Jes Golbez, Jason Kirk and the other hockey bloggers out ther that entertain, inform and sometimes infurate me with their posts. It keeps things fun…

And While I’m thanking fellow bloggers, where would I be without local support from Tommy Duncan, Ski, David Bloom, Tiny and at-distance support from Gary Perez?

I’m thankful for the longest reign of a Stanley Cup Champion without a title defense — even with the malignant atmosphere that was present during the year off from hockey.

I’m thankful for the Zamboni… Eat your heart out, General Motors.

I’m thankful for Kerry Fraser… Just kidding.

I’m thankful that the area around the St. Petersburg Times Forum is bieng developed. I’m also thankful IO am not one of the confused people that think the St. Petersburg Times Forum is in St. Petersburg.

I’m thankful that I haven’t been given a cease and desist order from Palace Sports and Entertainment yet…

I’m thankful for penalty box — where for two minutes, any given player can go through a plethora of emotions, find zen or possibly the tooth he lost on his last shift…

I’m thankful for good liquor, good friends, good music, great sports, a twisted sense of humor, cynicism, idealism, pomposity, arrogance and ignorance on my part… and I’m most thankful that people actually come to this site and read what I have to say.

I hope everyone has a great holiday.

A friend wanted me to let everyone know that, after Sunday’s Tampa Bay Lightning matchup with the Pittsburg Penguins… There’s another matchup at the Forum:

Sunday night after the Lightning game against the Penguins, The WHA Tampa Bay Sharks and the WHA Daytona Blazers will be playing at the St. Pete Times Forum. The league game will begin at 8:00 for anyone who would like to stay to watch.

Hockey and more hockey. Ain’t life grand?

“They mean it this time! Really!”

For the second straight night, officiating was hands off and the entire threat of officials strict enforcement of the rules looks like another unrealized dream. Games once again lack strong officiating after a strict start to the season… And by playoff time, officials will not exist.

Lets start with the Lightning offense before getting to the complaining:

Oh, Danny boy — for the second consecutive game, Dan Boyle lights the lamp. Not once but twice, to boot! Boyle’s second goal tied the game (grumble, grumble… must…suffocate… John Grahame… grumble, grumble) at 14:15 of the third. Rob Dimaio also scored his first goal of the season — and the indominable Ollie the Goalie suddenly seemed mortal at the time… The puck slipped through, five hole, just enough for Dimaio to grab it and give it enough push to cross the goal line.

Brad Richards and Vaclav Prospal scored during the shootout to give the Lightning their first ever shootout win. There was this kid named Alex, maybe you’ve heard of him, who accounted for Washington’s lone goal during the shootout.

…

Now lets squarely focus on about 2 minutes of the 2nd period that get to me like several inane moments in Tampa Bay goaltending this season…

First off, John Grahame continues his weak play on the breakaway / shootout (of course, his play in the actual shootout at the end of the game sort of contradicts this point but lemme say it anyway) by allowing Matt Pettinger to capitalize on a penalty shot. Of course, focus on Grahame’s weak play overlooks the desperation move on defense that gave Matt the opportunity in the first place but…

…But there’s no excusing goal #3 scored moments after the penalty shot was sunk by Pettinger.

I don’t know, folks, I just don’t know… Some people think I am way too harsh on John Grahame and then Mr. Grahame botches things up so well, so profoundly efficiently to put his team in a whole that I would think those supporters would see why I voice discontent with him. John finds himself grossly out of position once again and leaves the net open for Brian Suthersby… It’s just not even a simple screw up (not with how often these screw ups are occuring with Grahame). The game could have very well been iced by Washingtonwith the hole Grahame dug for the Lightning. It was 3-0 at this point and, only a minute into the second period, momentum could have taken the team back to the abyss that it dwelt in during it’s mediocre days of weeks gone by.

I guess you can chalk that up for perserverence then — overcoming such a screw up and pulling the team within 2 points of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Southeast Division.

Still… It makes me wonder about the call I made to give John the start in the last post. It makes me continue to wonder just how the Lightning are going to deal with the goalie situation in weeks, months and years to come… A win is a win though, and I’ll take that for the evening. A Thanksgiving eve treat that makes me thankful we’re even playing these games and not sitting through another year of the lockout.

EditTom Jones at the Times goes over the top suggesting last night’s game was the greatest / most dramatic win Lightning history… Yes, that’s right - most dramatic win in Lightning history…? I’m sorry I don’t have every game in hand that was more dramatic or comebacks that were less plausible against better teams, but I wouldn’t chalk last night’s game up with most dramatic victories in Lightning history by a long shot… That writes off quite a few terrible Lightning teams that made you love them just because of the work they did to beat one big name opponent or another in implausible fashion.

Meanwhile, Erik Erlendsson over at the Tampa Tribune takes a more tactful approach — focusing on the shootout victory aspect of the game. Not over the top, just down home journalism that trumps Jones by a long shot.

John Tortorella likes to go with the hot hand, but he is also usually aware of the physical capabilities of his netminders… That being said, that has not stopped him from starting goalies (be it Nikolai Khabibulin or John Grahame) from starting two games in a row.

With last night’s win, Sean Burke faced a good bit of work and turned away enough shots to earn the Lightning the win… Do you go with Burke?

Or does the Lightning pay attention to the fact the 38 year old netminder is coming off a groin injury, doesn’t play well against the breakaway and already has two losses to Washingotn to his credit, while Grahame has the teams sole win against the Caps?

Burke’s overdue for a W versus Alex Ovechkin… But the streaking Lightning are also overdue to punctuate their mini streak with a loss… Lets put that off as long as possible and - dare I say it - start Grahame in goal. John’s rested, and while he isn’t sound — he’s not a seive either.

Give it up to Jeffery Loria and Dave Sampson. Not only were teh Loria/Sampson duo content with ending Major League Baseball’s tenure in Montreal through lies and deceit… Now they’re formally exploring the end of Major League Baseball in Miami.

Marlins president David Samson said Tuesday the team has received permission from the commissioner’s office to investigate its options in other cities. Samson added owner Jeffrey Loria’s primary intention is to keep the team in South Florida, but added that no deal will be struck for a ballpark in Miami.

Las Vegas and Portland, Ore., which both failed to land the Montreal Expos before that franchise moved to Washington a year ago, are likely to try to lure the Marlins. Samson said another possibility is building on land near Dolphins Stadium and owned by the franchise’s original owner, H. Wayne Huizenga.

…

Gov. Jeb Bush and other top state lawmakers expressed hope the team remains in South Florida. “I’m more than happy to work with the ownership of the team and the Florida Legislature to come up with a solution,” Bush said.

To give Loria the benefit of the doubt — the team has tried and failed with 3 ownership groups to secure a baseball-only ballpark for the team since it’s inception in 1993… Loria’s efforts have also been during the tenure of an extremely pro-business governor and legislative body… Unfortunately one of their other attributes is pork projects and picking battles in plots for political gain.

I’ve expressed negative views towards the Devil Rays future… But it would seem the Florida Marlin’s future (with two World Series titles to their name to boot) is the one foremost in doubt between the two Florida based baseball franchises.