Danny Briere, Mike Richards revisit the Dry Island

One of the oddest, saddest, most unintentionally hilarious stories of the hockey summer was the "Dry Island" fiasco for the Philadelphia Flyers.

To recap: Dan Gross, a society columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News, was told by two unnamed players about a plan by coach Peter Laviolette to have members of the team abstain from drinking for a month. From the Daily News:

Shortly after his arrival in December 2009, coach Peter Laviolette instituted what players came to call the "Dry Island." Laviolette asked team members to commit to not drinking for a month, and each player was asked to write his number on a locker room board as a pledge. No. 17 (Carter) and No. 18 (Richards) were absent from the board on the first Dry Island, as well as the estimated five more times the policy was instituted.

The news emerged after Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were traded from the Flyers to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings respectively, their "hard-partying ways" cited by observers as a catalyst for the team breaking up the dressing room.

The Flyers, as expected, have downplayed the entire "Dry Island" thing ? something that continued on Toronto sports radio this morning.

Danny Briere of the Flyers joined host Joey Vendetta on Sportsnet Radio 590 and was asked if the "Dry Island" thing was blown out of proportion? Said Briere:

"You hit it right on the nose when you said people were trying to make a bigger story out of it. It really wasn't much of a deal. Our coach came in and said, 'I'm not drinking, I'm trying to lose weight, I'm not drinking for the next month. If you want to join me, put your number on the board.' Nobody was forced, and we had about half the team that was on it and half the team that weren't.

"It certainly wasn't a big deal to anybody. It was just a commitment to better yourself for a few. Some guys do it that way, some guys do it in the gym, some guys do it after practice ? we all have our ways. It certainly wasn't a big deal to us.

"The person who got that out there created a big riot for nothing. I felt bad for Mike and Jeff for being thrown under the bus like that, because it certainly wasn't a big deal."

As for Richards, out from under the bus and now in Los Angeles, it all comes back to how terrible the Philadelphia media was to him.

"Sometimes you go to the rink have to defend yourself and your teammates instead of focusing on the game," Richards lamented early on in his interview with Sportsnet 590, somehow failing to equate one having to do with the other.

As for Dry Island, here's how Richards explains it:

"It started out being more of a joke around the locker room. Something that we could do as a team, or joke around as a team, is to have something to joke around about.

"There was a handful of guys that did it ? mostly younger rookie guys, first year or second year players. Then it went from being a fun thing to somehow getting out and then just exploding. Turned something that was really nothing into a big deal. It happens with the bloggers and the people in Philadelphia blowing things out of proportion.

"I did an interview last week and said I really have no regrets leaving Philadelphia, especially going out on that Dry Island thing."

While we are fond of Briere's explanation that this was an experimental weight loss program for Peter Laviolette, we also can't help but think it might have been a way to try and alter the lifestyle choices for a few of the players in the Flyers' locker room.

Was it blown out of the proportion? Well, we'll concede to the guys in the room on this one that it was.

Was it just a joke that had little to do with problems inside that room? On this, we'll say two things: There's always a kernel of truth in comedy, and Mike Richards is now an LA King.

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Chicago ?burb wants to rescind ?Honorary Jim Hendry Way?

Oof.

Less than a week after officially losing his job as general manager of the Chicago Cubs, Jim Hendry is about to be displaced from another prominent spot.

The Chicago Tribune reports that officials in Park Ridge want to remove two "Honorary Jim Hendry Way" signs that hang along a busy road in the suburb that Hendry and his family call home.

The honor, it seems, was bestowed upon Hendry in 2009 by disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich, a big Cubs fan who was recently convicted on 17 corruption charges.

The signs are located on a stretch of the Northwest Highway that's controlled by the state, so Park Ridge never had a say in the postings by the Illinois Department of Transportation. In fact, the city's public works director said they just appeared one day without any warning.

Now, with Hendry booted out of office after a nine-year stint atop the Cubs, Park Ridge wants IDOT to remove the signs.

From Trib Local:

[Park Ridge mayor Dave] Schmidt said the request is nothing personal against Hendry, but the city never wanted the signs mounted in the first place.

"Of course, if he had brought us a World Series, I would have built a monument to him at the intersection. But, alas, all he brought us was Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano," Schmidt joked in an email.

Yeesh. I know I've had�my issues with Hendry's tenure but, wow ... low blow much?

Look, I totally get the anti-Blago bent here. I would have parked alongside the road and applauded had I been in my car when IDOT workers were removing the Rod Blagojevich tollway signs right after the charges against him were first brought to light.

But this Hendry story is something different altogether. It'd be one thing if Hendry resided in another 'burb and Blagojevich issued the honor just because, but Hendry is a Park Ridge resident who just lost his job in a very public fashion. Now they're going to very publicly take away an honor from him before Hendry has even had the chance to reach out to all of his LinkedIn contacts? That doesn't seem right. It reeks of kicking a man while he's down.

If Park Ridge really wants to get rid of the signs, they could have done it in a quiet manner a few months from now, after the story had died down and the Cubs found a new GM. Even then, though, I'm not sure why they would have wanted to remove them. Yeah, Hendry gave out some insanely large contracts to players who weren't very good and the Cubs aren't a good team right now. But Hendry also won three division titles and happens to be a pretty good guy who most suburbs would be proud to call their own.

Park Ridge should keep the signs right where they are.

�

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Andre Iguodala and Doug Collins are just fine. Honestly

Remember last April, when Philadelphia 76ers wing Andre Iguodala missed a season-ending exit interview with his team's coaching staff and front office, and blamed it on a team-scheduled doctor's appointment that he had to attend?

Did you follow up and read the part that told you that Dre's appointment was actually at a building across the street from where the exit interview was being held, and that 76ers brass just assumed he'd deign to cross the street and meet with his employers following it?

Iguodala did get around to meeting with coach Doug Collins two months later, before the NBA's lockout made any such interaction punishable with up to a million-dollar fine. And, according to Iguodala? They cool.

From Kate Fagan at the Philadelphia Inquirer:

"We spoke, it was really brief. It was about 10 minutes, it wasn't long: "What we can do to improve, what our plans are going forward. It wasn't too much. But, I've never had a problem with Doug, so we made that clear that we never had issues. So we were good."

Collins is notorious for being a little frosty, and falling in and out of love with his players. And with Dre suffering through an injury-plagued first season under Collins while making an eight-figure salary, you can understand why Iguodala was a little nervous while anticipating the interview that he eventually skipped out on.

Still, you can't skip. And you certainly can't wait two months to make things right. Maybe the layoff helped chill things out a bit. Then again, it's Doug Collins. Probably not.

Dre confirmed that he did join Elton Brand and several other Sixers teammates as they held a training camp of sorts in Los Angeles last weekend. He also doesn't think he'll play overseas should the lockout continue, and also that he and Doug Collins are so, so cool now. He swears.

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Hockey Guilty Pleasures: Dmitry Chesnokov edition

(Ed. Note: Our series "Puck Daddy's Guilty Pleasures" features puckheads from all walks of life answering questions about their own hockey-related guilty pleasures. It will run daily during the month of August. Have a suggestion for a "Guilty Pleasures" guest blogger? Hit us on email. Enjoy!)

Today's Special Guest: Puck Daddy's own Dmitry Chesnokov, your source for candid inteviews and all things Russian.

1. The Player You Most Love To Hate

It got me thinking ? I don't really hate any player. Are there any players I dislike?� Sure there are. At one point I used to dislike Peter Forsberg because I thought he was a "fake little artist," to put it in someone else's words.

But the player I think I dislike the most is Jarkko Ruutu. Objective or not, I think this guy is a major cheap shot. His "what did I do" look on his face may only be second to Matt Cooke after Ruutu injures a player or does something like feasting on Andrew Peters' fingers.

2. Other Than Your Own, The Team You Can't Help Rooting For

I would have to say the Los Angeles Kings. It is difficult to pinpoint why that is the case. I guess I just really like Los Angeles as a city after visiting it on a number of occasions.

But to be honest, I was really rooting against the Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals ? the first NHL finals I ever watched (on a black and white portable TV in my room at 3 a.m. Moscow time, wearing headphones so my parents wouldn't know I was up at night watching hockey). The reason?�Wayne Gretzky. I was really young and didn't like when a non-Soviet/Russian player was called "The Great One."

3. Favorite Fight or Brawl of All-Time

I am not that much into fighting, preferring actual hockey to it. I am certainly not into tough guys beating up those who don't usually fight. But karma is something that everyone should be aware of. With that in mind, I'd have to say that the Evander Kane ? Matt Cooke fight, sort of, is my favorite.

Can Evander Kane be introduced to Jarkko Ruutu as well?

4. The Hideous-Looking Hockey Jersey You Secretly Love The Most

It has to be the Canadiens' old Soviet style striped mattress/felon uniform jersey. When you see just one player wearing it, it's tolerable, but when a bunch of players are together wearing it, it feels like you're having an eye exam to establish if you are color blind. "Can you read the name on this jersey? What about the number?"

I think I really saw some secret images when looking at these jerseys. But at the same time they are kind of cool.

5. Your Favorite Hockey Clich� (terminology, traditions, announcer-speak, etc.)

I really like the "top shelf where momma keeps her cookies."� My other favorite is "stickhandle in a phonebooth."� These two for me are true hockey broadcasters' jewels.

6. The Injury You Couldn't Stop Staring At (Non-Skate Lacerations Only)

Every time I see Patrick Thoresen's name mentioned somewhere, it takes me back to that first round first playoff game between the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Capitals are on a power play, one goal down. Mike Green's slapshot from the blue line hits Thoresen right where no man want to be hit. Thoresen is in pain, and all of us guys in the press box of the Verizon Center literally had sympathy pains. Green scored on the rebound off of Thoresen's ? groin to even the score, while Thoresen himself was taken to a local hospital with initial reports indicating he may have had to have one of his testicles amputated. Even thinking about that injury makes me cringe.

7. Your Favorite Cheesy Hockey Reference in Popular Culture

An "enigmatic Russian."� I am not sure if this fits as one of the right answers. But I really like this one. To be honest the meaning of it to me is different than for most others.

8. Finally, What's The Thing You Secretly Respect Gary Bettman For The Most?

First of all, I don't disrespect Gary Bettman nor do I dislike him. I have spoken/interviewed him only a handful of times and even then he only had a few minutes. But this simple fact that he always finds that minute to answer my questions (the question is what I respect him for), even if he doesn't say much, the fact that he respects the media regardless of where they are from (there is plenty of discrimination against "foreign" media and the trend is growing), makes me respect him as a true professional who takes pride in doing his job, whether we think he is doing a good job or not.

That's what I respect him for. And thank him for never turning me down.

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The best of the white Michael Vick Photoshops

Some people say the Internet is at its best when it helps bring about change, like when Twitter and Facebook users turned their avatars green in a show of support for free elections in Iran. Others think social media is most beneficial during times of crisis and diaster. Me, I think the Internet truly shines when a major sporting website puts up an ignorant headline and photo illustration and users instantly take to Photoshop to mock both via faux hypotheticals.

Presenting the best of the "What if Michael Vick were ..." Photoshops.

(via JoeSportsFan.com)

What if Michael Vick were a black Tom Brady?

(via Avoiding the Drop)

What if Michael Vick were a pitbull?

What if Michael Vick were a White Chick?

(via JoeSportsFan.com)

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Iffy Judgment

  If the Minnesota Timberwolves can land Rick Adelman, the summer of David Kahn will be complete, and it will have been glorious. Via ?The New Age of Kahn? by Tom Ziller Nary have more unbelievable words been written. David Kahn having a summer of glory reeks of insanity, but it actually is not far [...]

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Luc Robitaille vs. Kansas City?s desire for an NHL team

While other municipalities debate about how to fund new arena projects, Kansas City remains in the NHL expansion/relocation conversation because they already have a viable one: Sprint Center.

The 18,000-seat barn (with a smaller capacity for hockey) is managed by Los Angeles Kings owners AEG and will host yet another NHL preseason game on Sept. 27 between the Kings and the Pittsburgh Penguins; and, as is tradition, we'll hear plenty about the attendance for that game with regard to Kansas City's viability as an NHL market. (Whether or not that's a fair gauge.)

NHL Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille is the president of business operations for the Kings, and served as the unofficially sanctioned AEG sparring partner for the Kansas City Star this week in an interview with writer Randy Covitz.

Lucky Luc handled some fastballs in the Q&A, including:

Q. Don't you think Kansas City is getting tired of being used by other franchises to get better arena deals for themselves?

A. "I don't think you're being used. You have the best option. Look at North America. Is there another arena that is better than (the Sprint Center)? A city better than this? You have the best options. It's really hard to move a team. The (New York) Islanders still have to figure out to do their deal ? their lease is up in 2015. If that doesn't happen, what city will take the burden to build a new arena and take the risks they did here? There's a reason every concert wants to come here."

They do, which brings us to an interesting twist in the NHL/Kansas City flirtation: Does the Sprint Center actually need an NHL team anymore?

From the KC Star interview with Robitaille:

Q. Do you think AEG even wants a team in this building, which has been so successful bringing in concerts, family shows and college sports?

A. "There is no doubt AEG wants a team coming in here. It makes sense. From a business perspective, you always want a team to represent the city ? it's a beautiful building."

Q. Why tie up an arena with 50 dates and have to give away the store to bring in a team at the expense of more profitable events?

�

A. "Short-term, they keep having concerts ? but any building always needs a main tenant. AEG is a company that thinks long term and understands if there is an opportunity, whether it would be NBA or NHL, to get a team."

Read the rest of the contentious chat here.

Fact is that Sprint Center hardly sits vacant without 41 NHL home games on its schedule. From AEG in July 2010:

According to Pollstar Magazine's 2010 Mid-Year Report, Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. has been recognized as America's third busiest arena. The leading concert trade publication, which hits newsstands this week, ranks Sprint Center at No. 6 among worldwide venues.

Sprint Center, Kansas City's award winning arena, was one of three US concert venues listed among the Top 100 Worldwide Arenas -- trailing venues in New York City and Atlanta. Pollstar utilizes an extensive database to collect box office reports from nearly 100 percent of the world's top-level artists, promoters and venues during the 2010 calendar year. The result is a series of eagerly anticipated rankings and industry outlook that are included in the magazine's popular mid-year issue.

So the arena is successful even without a pro sports tenant ? but pro sports tenants do produce significant amounts through other revenue streams. (Seat licenses, suite sales, etc.) Concerts and circuses are great; sold out dates with rabid sports fans are even better.

Which brings us back to the essential question: Can Kansas City support an NHL team?

Ben Palosaari at The Pitch addressed that earlier this month when the New York Islanders' lost that vote on a $400 million bond:

Islanders owner Charles Wang has said even though voters rejected the borrowing idea, he still wants to keep the team in Long Island. And even if he's lying, as team owners are known to do, he could just move the team to Brooklyn and hang on to fat New York TV revenue. It will be relatively painless for both the team and the fans.

There are plenty of other bigger and Canadian (cough, Quebec City, cough) cities dying for a hockey team. Hell, in Houston, another team getting some discussion, a minor league team, plays in a 17,800-seat arena. That's bigger than the Sprint Center's hockey capacity. And there's no proof that Kansas City is obsessive enough about hockey to make an NHL team successful. Sure, the Mavericks averaged 5,406 fans in their 6,000-seat arena last year over 33 games. That's impressive, but it's not 17,000 showing up to 41 dates a year for a team that is a long way from contending.

In summary: Kansas City has the building. They may not have the fans. And as for owners, as Robitaille noted, "We need to find a couple people from Kansas City that are interested in buying a team and hopefully get the chance to move them here."

But most of all, it's not Quebec City, who will be getting a team in the next several years even if they don't currently have anything as pretty as Sprint Center on its soil.

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Pass or Fail: The neon gloom of Reebok NHL Black Ice jerseys

Picture the iconic Chicago Blackhawks home sweater, from its vibrant red hue to the individual colors of the Indian's feathers. Now picture the Vancouver Canuck's home sweater, and the way the blue and green co-mingle so uniquely.

Now, picture a fashion vampire sucking the color out of those jerseys and adding neon accents so cars won't hit you at dusk; would that be something you might be interested in seeing?

Say hello to the Reebok NHL Black Ice Premier Jersey, which recently arrived at Shop NHL. From Reebok:

You'll love this hip take on a classic design. The officially licensed "Black Ice" premier jersey is made with polyester piqu� 2-way stretch mesh for comfort, and it has solid mesh inserts for ventilation. The highly detailed, "blacked-out" version of the team crest is embroidered on the front, and the screenprinted twill appliqu� player name and number are featured on the back.

It's really all about the twill appliqu�, isn't it? Here are a couple of other examples of Black Ice, which would have made a great subtitle to a "Sudden Death" sequel starring Wesley Snipes:

Hey, the Sabres and jersey variation? How rare.

There are currently specific players available for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks. (Target demo tip: Tyler Seguin has one, Tim Thomas does not.)

It's an interesting concept. They look like the jersey from the bad part of town with whom the pink ladies' sweaters can't help falling in lust. And in some cases, and were they conceived as such, they'd make for intriguing alternate sweaters in the NHL: Check out this Steven Stamkos Bolts sweater and tell us the Lightning couldn't rock that 20 times a season.

So no, it's not the most repugnant thing Reebok has ever produced for the NHL ? for the record, this is ? but that doesn't mean it's not completely pointless. Hockey jerseys have personality, from the stripes to the logo, and this mutes it. What fan wants to walk around looking like a photo negative, or like a hockey-playing character from the original "TRON"? (OK, scratch that second example. We all have our dreams.)

Perhaps you feel the bad-ass aesthetic overcomes the drawbacks. If nothing else, we may finally have a hockey sweater Robert Smith from The Cure can wear to the rink. (Er, actually, he seems to fine wearing the authentics.) So, in summary:

Pass or Fail: The blacked-out Reebok NHL Black Ice jerseys.

Thanks to reader Bryce Etzler for the tip.

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Bourne Blog: Teemu Selanne and the old guy revolution

Over the past handful of years, one thing has become pretty clear: Teams having success in the NHL are getting faster, younger and sleeker. With the speed of today's game, they have to.

For that very reason, I've been somewhat ... we'll call it "anti-old-veteran."

These guys are deserving of a ton of respect, but when you watch a guy skate and the word "plodding" pops into your head, it's probably time to hang up the skates. But, there are always exceptions.

The older guys who manage to stay effective are talented players who realize that to hang in a young man's league, they need to pay an insane amount of attention to fitness, and tweak their game a bit.

The Uber-Fit Old Guy club includes names like Rod Brind'Amour, Gary Roberts, Chris Chelios and Mark Recchi, all of whom clearly understood that in order to contribute while down a half-step from their prime, their work ethic would have to move a notch up every year.

This is why I was ready to crap on the Jaromir Jagr signing ? it seemed that in order to have success around 40, you had to be a passionate, hard-working player on and off the ice (or a defenseman, they have a different shelf-life), and I've never considered No. 68 to be one of those guys. He always survived on sheer talent and size, so I figured he might flail next season.

But the more I thought about it, the more something became clear: the shelf life of most offensive forwards is stretching a lot longer than it used to in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

As a community, hockey players have changed how much they focus on diet and fitness. Everyone puts in so much more effort than players of eras past in making sure that they're taking care of their bodies. And with the rules banning obstruction all the way to Siberia, it makes sense that we'll see more guys scoring past the best before dates of old.

Older players have made it clear that in their day, training camp was for training. My Dad is one of these men. As his career progressed, he said he was forced to do more and more each year before showing up to camp, because other guys were. Obviously, that trend continued.

Combine that increased commitment with our knowledge of supplements, and some guys become well-oiled machines. And for those who aren't, well, medical care has improved a ridiculous amount over the years and can help you out with less invasive procedures.

Teemu Selanne could be one of the first very clear outliers in a line-up of players who could see long term career benefits from the health and rule improvements that have come about.

His body held up wonderfully through 73 games last season, where he piled up over 30 goals and hit 80 points, cracking the league's top ten in scoring. At age 41.

I've been waiting for Jarome Iginla's numbers to trickle downhill for about four years now, and all he did last year was pour in 43 goals and finish ahead of Alex Ovechkin in total points, good for sixth in the league. He's 34, the same age my Dad retired.

It's probably also worth mentioning that Marty St. Louis finished second in the league in scoring last year. He racked up one point shy of 100 at 36, and managed to play in every single game.

The stay-at-home D-man has always been able to last a little longer, learning a few extra tricks, taking fewer chances, and having their angles dialed in. But so much of playing forward has been about foot-speed, and as that starts to slow down after 30, we're used to watching the numbers of our offensive stars slowly decline with it, including the occasional sharp plummet from some guys.

This is why I had the aversion to older players in the first place ? you hate knowing that there's no potential for improvement, only decline.

But it seems it's time to re-adjust our thinking on older forwards. They don't even have to be fitness mad to benefit these days - trainers and doctors make it so you don't even have to pay attention to be taking really great care of your body in the NHL.

"Just worked out? Here's a shake."

Maybe Jagr will pan out for the Flyers, maybe he won't. But in general, I think we'll see more players having success later into their careers.

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Manning on a Week 1 comeback: ?I?m right in the middle of it?

The Indianapolis Colts' recent acquisition of formerly retired veteran quarterback Kerry Collins had a lot of Colts fans wondering if Peyton Manning's recovery from neck surgery would allow him to start the season ? and continue his amazing streak of never missing a game from 1998 through 2010. During the Colts' 24-21 Week 3 preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers on Friday, Manning talked with CBS sideline reporter Sam Ryan and had a more hopeful diagnosis than many might have imagined.

"I'm right in the middle of it ? working very hard every single day," he said. "My trainers and weight coaches have done a tremendous job helping me, and I'm really putting them to work ? I have some more left to do, and I still have some time, and I'm going to use that time. At the appropriate time, I think I'll know what the right decision is, and with the help of coach [Jim] Caldwell, I'll make that decision, and we'll go from there."

Ryan noticed Manning talking to Collins through the entire first half, and asked if Manning saw himself starting Week 1.

"I sure hope so, Sam ? I've never missed a game in my entire football career due to injury, since I was 13 years old. I sure don't want to start Week 1 of this season. That's my goal; to go out there and play. And not just to play, but to play competitively. I want to be out there to help my team win. And if I'm able to do so, I'll be out there. So I'm going to use this valuable time ? these next few weeks ? and we'll see what happens when the time is right."

Manning, a Tennessee alum, then had some kind words for Lady Vols basketball coaching legend Pat Summitt, who is battling early onset dementia. "I talked to coach today -- she was in great spirits and I've been praying for her every day. I know a lot of people are praying for her. She may be one of the toughest people I know, and I appreciate her courage. I admire her for that, and everybody's pulling for her. We all love her. Pat Summit truly is the best."

Getting back to the Colts' best ? Caldwell, who was in a press conference when team owner Jim Irsay tweeted the news that Collins had been signed earlier this week, recently indicated that Manning could indeed be activated soon. NFL rules require that all players on the preseason physically unable to perform list must be activated by Sept. 3, or go on the PUP list for six regular-season weeks.

"I would say that it's certainly a realistic possibility here and it could happen shortly," Caldwell said.

That's news that might even make Reggie Wayne happy.

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Diamondbacks and Blue Jays swap struggling second basemen

The Arizona Diamondbacks had to do something.

Losers of six straight heading into Tuesday night's game in Washington, the D-Backs are in danger of the same sort of horrible slump that swallowed up the San Diego Padres in last year's NL West race. Those Padres lost 10 in a row and eventually finished two games behind the San Francisco Giants for the division crown.

Things aren't that bad for Arizona just yet. But this losing streak has put the D-Backs in a similar position, clinging to a one-game lead over the Giants.

Looking to shake his team out of its malaise (and break whatever jinx certain baseball bloggers may have cast), general manager Kevin Towers made a bold move Tuesday afternoon. The D-Backs traded second baseman Kelly Johnson to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for second baseman Aaron Hill and shortstop John McDonald.

At first glance, this looks like a risky deal for Arizona. Johnson is the team's second-leading home run hitter with 18 roundtrippers. But he's only hitting .209 and his .287 on-base percentage is one of the lowest among regular players in baseball.

Yet Hill has an even lower OBP this season, at .270. Last year, he finished with an OBP of .271, so he could actually be getting worse. And according to Ultimate Zone Rating, he's worse defensively at second base than Johnson, too.

But Hill is two years removed from a 36-homer, 108-RBI, .829- OPS season. So maybe the D-Backs think he has a bit more upside, even though he and Johnson are the same age.

Or maybe they think the proverbial change of scenery will do Hill some good.

Hill also has three club-option years remaining on his contract, while Johnson is eligible for free agency after this season. So perhaps some club control also makes Hill more appealing. But the options are worth a combined $26 million, so that wouldn't exactly help the D-Backs control costs.

While we're trying to figure out exactly what the D-Backs see in Hill, we shouldn't forget about McDonald also going to Arizona in the deal. While he probably won't supplant Willie Bloomquist as the D-Backs' starting shortstop, he gives the team some depth. Bloomquist has been fine on defense, but McDonald has been excellent in past seasons (though not this year, according to UZR), which could make him a valuable late-inning replacement.

What's in this for the Blue Jays? At the very least, they'll get a draft pick out of this. And as Eno Sarris points out on Fangraphs, Johnson could be a Type A free agent, depending on how he finishes the season. That would give the Jays a first-round pick, along with a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds. And they could also bring back Hill and McDonald as free agents, a possibility Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos did not rule out.

Did Toronto's Ninja GM just strike again with this deal?

Follow Ian on Twitter ?�@iancass ? and engage�The Stew on Facebook

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BlogPoll Countdown, 21-25: The Outsiders

Now in its seventh year, the College Football BlogPoll is a weekly effort of dozens of college football-centric Web sites representing a wide array of schools under the oversight of SB Nation. This week, the Doc is counting down his preseason ballot, from No. 25 to No. 1. As always, schedules were strongly considered in an effort to predict the landscape at the end of the regular season: This is not a power poll.

? 25. SOUTHERN MISS
Call me a shameless homer if you must (and this being the Internet, of course you must), but I'm not the only one who sees the alma mater on the verge of making its move after a decade-long absence from the polls. In the first place, last year's edition was on the verge, dropping four games by a grand total of 11 points with only one close win. Then there's senior quarterback Austin Davis, back to finish off the rest of Brett Favre's career passing records, along with almost everyone who touched the ball for an attack that finished in the top 15 nationally in total yards and points.

More importantly than any of that, though, there's the most manageable schedule in ages: The two toughest Conference USA games (SMU and Central Florida) are both in Hattiesburg, C-USA West frontrunners Houston and Tulsa are conspicuously absent and the toughest non-conference date is at Navy ?�for the first time ever, there is no daunting SEC road trip. If USM can't convert that into its first 10-win season since Favre's sophomore year, it's going to be another long wait.

? 24. MISSISSIPPI STATE
2010 stands proudly alongside just about any season in Mississippi State history ?�nine-win campaigns with triumphs over Georgia, Florida and Michigan in a New Year's Day bowl aren't exactly annual rites here ?�and it could have been even better if close calls against BCS-bound Auburn and Arkansas hadn't gone the wrong way at the end. On paper, 2011 looks even better still, buoyed by a nearly intact offense that will count anything less than the highest-scoring season in school history as a disappointment.

But: The Bulldogs play in a division with four other teams that won at least ten games last year ?�against whom MSU was 0-4 ?�and get Georgia and South Carolina in the cross-divisional exchange. If that half of the schedule plays up to its potential, the first back-to-back nine-win seasons in school history is probably a pipe dream.

? 23. FLORIDA
Florida is a) A young team, with b) A new head coach and completely revamped staff, that is c) Coming off arguably its worst season since the pre-Steve Spurrier era. Not exactly the formula for an instant return to glory.

It's just that the Gators are too, too talented to write off as a full-scale rebuilding job. There's hyped young potential everywhere: The defensive line alone boasts five former five-star recruits on the two-deep, three of whom ?�Ronald Powell, Shariff Floyd and Dominique Easley ?�are just coming into their own as true sophomores. The offensive skill guys are as fast as ever. (Yes, grizzled blazers Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps are still around.) Give them a more competent quarterback ?�a very real possibility under incoming offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, whether it turns out to be beleaguered senior John Brantley or mega-hyped freshman Jeff Driskel ?�and my guess is we're all lowballing the Baby Gators. Give them the Brantley we saw last year, they don't stand a chance.

? 22. MICHIGAN STATE
The old saw says teams reflect the personality of their head coach, and you can't make a much better argument for it than Michigan State, a predictably by-the-book outfit that shares Mark Dantonio's preference for vanilla, wheat germ and the occasional bungee jump off a high bridge. This team could be any Dantonio team: The veteran pro-style quarterback under center, the between-the-tackles workhorse in the backfield, the largely anonymously but solid defense, etc. Check, check and check.

Again, the ultimate divide between this edition and the 2010 version that set a school record for wins is the schedule: Cushy home dates with Illinois and Purdue are replaced on the Big Ten slate by killer road trips to Ohio State and Nebraska, Iowa and Northwestern are both on the road for the second year in a row and Notre Dame and Michigan both look like tougher outs. Short of a parade of down-to-the-wire escapes in close games, returning to the polls at all will probably require a late rally when the going gets a little lighter in November.

? 21. TEXAS
The Longhorns are in the same boat as Florida, counting on an influx of young, unproven talent to keep the brand above water while a new offensive coordinator tries to fix whatever's wrong with the overpriced lemon they're stuck with at quarterback. If anything, Texas may be in slightly worse shape on offense because it figures to lean so heavily on two true freshmen, running back Malcolm Brown and receiver Jaxon "It's OK If You Slip and Call Me 'Jordan'" Shipley.

But Texas does have the benefit of proven senior anchors on all three levels of the defense ? defensive tackle Kheeston Randall, linebackers Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho, safety Blake Gideon ? all of them All-Big 12 types who have played major roles on units that have led the league in total defense three years in a row. If former five-stars Alex Okafor (back at end after playing out of position at defensive tackle as a sophomore), Jackson Jeffcoat and Eddie Hicks come around, the front seven is going to be nasty enough to keep every game within reach, as long as the offense doesn't insist on giving them all away again.

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Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Bourne Blog: The great pranks of the hockey dressing room

As a hockey player, you spend what seems like a ridiculous amount of time at the arena. It's only natural that the hours leading up to and after practice get boring.

The natural cure for the boredom then, is to mess with as many of your teammates as possible. Yes, pranks.

I was never a huge fan of this stuff. I've always thought the dressing room should be a safe haven where you can relax, prepare, and have a good ol' time. It doesn't need to be stressful.

But, thanks to a couple grown-up kids in there, you always have to stay on guard. I got to a point where as long as I wasn't involved, I enjoyed watching the battles from the outside.

The pranks come in varying levels of the seriousness ? some are meant as revenge for some perceived slight, while others are for sheer entertainment value.

A rookie who sasses off a little too much probably won't immediately get yelled at or decked as much as he'll just get tortured for a good week or two.

About the only prank I enjoyed taking part in was semi-cutting a guy's laces before practice, just enough so he snaps them while lacing up. It's infuriating.

Ideally, you want him to be putting on his skates just before heading out onto the ice thinking everything is fine. You just pick a spot on the laces and whittle it down so there's just a few threads holding together, and voila.

You want the guy to look for the cut in his laces (lazy people use scissors and actually cut 'em) and not find it, then wonder if it was a teammate or karma. He'll immediately look around the room to see who's watching him -- he won't see anyone, of course, but when lace number two goes ... he'll know.

Best-case scenario: You make him late for practice.

Also fun: Taking the plug out of a guy's stick and putting a penny or two in there, then putting the plug back in and taping a fresh knob. We're kids, people. There's nothing diabolical in any of these oh-so-complex schemes, it's purely for entertainment value.

If you're feeling like a real jerk, you can fill it with water. Watching a guy pick his stick up and go "oh, c'mon" is always a fun moment.

A lot of this stuff is just about "getting" a guy, even if it doesn't affect his morning.

Exhibit A for that is the cup of water in the shinpads.

You keep your shinpads on the top of your stall in most arenas. Being that you can't see all the way up there, it's a nice place for a teammate to plant a full cup of water, so when you pull down the shinpads to put them on, you dump water on yourself.

There are moves that take some time ? injured players usually stay in the locker room to get treatment while guys are on the ice. That time on the training table while you wait for the electrical stimulation machine to run its course can be used to sew the legs of your friend's jeans together, or sewing the leg holes shut.

If you can actually get someone to trip while dressing due to that, it's basically the Stanley Cup of prank success.

There is, however, some code involved with some of this stuff.

As a hockey player, you know to not sit down in a restaurant with your back facing the team ? you're too easily shoe checked there. A corner seat is ideal, but you want to at least have your back to a wall (I still sit like this today, force of habit).

A shoe check is the most petty thing ever ? somebody crawls under the table with a spoonful of something gross from the meal (ranch dressing, maybe?), dumps it on the toe of a guy's shoe, and crawls back. Most people see it happening, so it's their job to distract the target.

If the guy makes it back, the whole team will clang their glasses with their utensil of choice, and the recipient will show the team that yes, in fact, he was "got" (I've seen suede shoes ruined thanks to this stupid game). This happens at just about every meal, it's mind-boggling that guys seem to think it never gets old.

The code part: If you catch a guy trying to shoe check you, it's pretty universally accepted that you're allowed to dump the nearest pitcher of water on him with zero repercussions.

(Often, rookies will get set up ? "Hey, go shoe check Smitty." Meanwhile, Smitty is well informed the kid is on the way, and has plenty of water for dumping nearby).

Whether it's Icy Hot in the jock or setting up leaners in the hotel (leaning a full garbage can of water on someone's door so when they open it?), it's just a part of the life. No relaxing allowed.

At times, it wears on you, but what are you supposed to do? The more you complain, the more you'll get coming your way, so just remember to check your shinpads before pulling them down, open your hotel door gingerly, watch your feet and stay on guard.

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Puck Headlines: Bryzgalov hits Philly; Sabres intro F?N Center

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

? Ilya Bryzgalov's other new mask for the Philadelphia Flyers (along with the tiger.) WHY YOU HEFF BE SO PATRIOTIC? [In Goal Mag]

? Bryzgalov met the media today in Philly, and revealed he's a proud resident of Dry Island. [Crossing Broad]

? Paul Holmgren expects Chris Pronger to be ready for the start of the season until his next injury. [Philadelphia Sports Daily]

? The Buffalo Sabres' HSBC Arena is going to become First Niagara Center. Yes, that's right: The F'N Center. [Buffalo News, and Jeremy White]

? Adam Proteau on head shots in the NHL: "It kills me to consider the possibility that Sidney Crosby's career could be over. But there's not much anyone can do for him now. And that's why it is incumbent on Gary Bettman, the NHL owners he represents, and all corners of hockey to move swiftly and do their best to ensure the next generation of hockey's torch-carriers don't have their fires snuffed out far too soon." [THN]

? Taylor Hall is thinking playoffs for the Edmonton Oilers. Lowetide is thinking 13th in the West. [Lowetide]

? The 10 players who will have the biggest impact on their new teams. Sorry, Dany Heatley. [USA Today]

? The Kurtenblog is being freaked out by NHL 12 right now. And you'll be freaked out by their Guilty Pleasures post coming up soon. [Kurtenblog]

? Really great piece by Nick Cotsonika on Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. [Y! Sports]

? A delusional Michal Neuvirth believes he can win the starting job for the Washington Capitals from goalie Tomas Vokoun: "It's still summer. We still have three weeks until training camp. Whatever Bruce is saying, it doesn't bother me. We'll see what happens in training camp. Obviously, Tomas is a great goalie and I respect him." [Washington Post]

? Brandon Prust of the New York Rangers has one hell of a masseuse: model Marie-Pier Morin. [Busted Coverage, via Joe in BC]

? Won't someone please hire Jarkko Ruutu? Because even though he wants a lot of money, he's really, really good for YouTube. [Helsingin Sanomat, via Kukla]

? The top 21-and-under players in the NHL. Steven Stamkos somehow makes the list. [NHL]

? Peter Mueller of the Colorado Avalanche on coming back from his concussions: "I'm excited to be a hockey player again." [Denver Post]

? This is a thought we've had about Sidney Crosby as well: He could come back and be Patrice Bergeron, who has been able to still be the player he was before his concussion. [CBC Sports]

? In a few years, your humble editor will no longer be the most famous hockey person from Matawan, NJ. Damn you Connor Clifton! [GMNEWS]

? Catching up with the announcer who gave the world that insufferable "MATTEAU MATTEAU" call back in 1994. [Islanders]

? Speaking of announcers, remembering the legacy of Chopper Harrison for the Carolina Hurricanes. [Canes Country]

? Nathan MacKinnon of the Halifax Mooseheads on Sidney Crosby: "It's very unfortunate. Everyone feels bad for the guy. He's one of the most determined and respected athletes in North America. It's tough to see someone of his calibre not playing. It hurts for the league and all the fans but when he returns I'm sure he'll be great and continue where he left off." [Buzzing The Net]

? NOT HOCKEY: If you've been following the Michael Vick/White Quarterback/ESPN thing today, make sure you read my buddy Spencer Hall's wonderfully absurdist take. [SB Nation]

? The top five NHL man-made disasters next season. Someone isn't all that high on the Buffalo Sabres. [Pegasus News]

? Finally, we're going to need Dmitry to clear out his weekend and translate this entire five minutes of awesome. What's Russian for skinny, medium, fat, fat. [NSFW in Russia ? we're just going to assume, knowing how these game reviews go]

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Jered?s Day: Weaver earns big win after signing big contract

The Los Angeles Angels signed their franchise pitcher to a huge discount on Tuesday afternoon.

What they received from Jered Weaver on Wednesday night was anything but cut rate.

One day after explaining why he left around $40 million on the table to forgo free agency and stick with his hometown team, Weaver took the mound before an adoring crowd at Angel Stadium and did what he does best. The big righty struck out eight and allowed only four hits over seven shutout innings during an 8-0 win over the Chicago White Sox.

But if that line looks familiar from a pitcher who leads the American League with a 2.03 ERA, Weaver acknowledged the atmosphere at the ballpark was anything but.

From ESPN LA:

"I think they were a little louder tonight. I saw some signs that you don't usually see out there," Weaver said.

Angels fans had a right to be delirious. In locking up Weaver for five years and $85 million, they secured one of baseball's best young pitchers for less money and fewer years than the Chicago Cubs gave Carlos Zambrano awhile back. After winning their last six games, the Halos are also right back in the middle of the AL West race ? just 2.5 games back ? following last week's disastrous series against the Texas Rangers. True to his reputation as a franchise rock, Weaver plans to pitch on just three days rest in this weekend's big series against Texas. He clearly has an opportunity to unseat Tim Salmon or Garret Anderson as the "truest" Mr. Angel.

As we remarked after Cliff Lee's decision to give up bigger bucks in Texas or New York to rejoin the Philadelphia Phillies, it's hard to nominate anyone for sainthood when they're still signing for more money than they'll ever know what to do with. Weaver and his family are set for life and living in Southern California. No one should cry for them.

Still, like Lee, Weaver's discount already looks like it's going to pay some early dividends. And it's nice to see choices like that rewarded with the intangible benefits that drove their decision-making in the first place.

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Police report of LSU bar fight is ugly reading, for LSU fans and everyone else

Considering a single person has yet to be arrested or charged, we actually know quite a lot about Baton Rouge Police Department's ongoing investigation into a wee-hours bar fight involving multiple LSU players last Friday morning. In fact, I'd be willing to bet it's among the most scrutinized assault-and-battery investigation in Louisiana history, if not at the top of the list.

We knew the bar, and where it was located. We knew when suspected players planned to meet with police, and when they didn't, and then when they finally did. We knew that quarterback Jordan Jefferson had been accused by witnesses of kicking a man, who was possibly a Marine, possibly in the head. We knew the specific injuries of the four people taken to the hospital after the fight. We knew when police searched Jefferson's apartment Wednesday evening, and we knew exactly what they took away. We knew exactly what charges players were likely to face, hypothetically, even in the glaring absence of the real thing.

Thursday�morning, though, we finally�received our first official account of the brawl itself, courtesy of the newly released incident report filed by the responding officer on Aug. 19. And it is not pleasant reading, to say the least (emphasis added):

[Andrew] Lowery advises that while standing outside in the parking lot of the bar, he observed several suspects that he believed were LSU football players (approximately 10-15 people) pull an unknown W/M [white male] out of a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. He advises the crowd began to severely beat the unknown W/M. Lowery advises that he intervened and managed to pull the unknown W/M from the crowd. Lowery advises that he managed to get the unknown W/M back into his pickup truck. Lowery states that the unknown W/M was able to leave the parking lot. Lowery advises that the suspects then began to physically assault him. Lowery states that he was punched and kicked several times by the crowd. I observed that Lowery's face was swollen and had several bruises. Lowery also had blood on his shirt. Lowery advises that after beating him, the suspects got into a silver vehicle and left the scene. Lowery states that he believes that Jordan Jefferson and Josh Johns, both LSU football players, were two of the individuals who attacked him. Lowery declined medical attention and advised that he would be okay.

After speaking with Lowery, I was contacted by [redacted]. [Redacted] advises that she observed the entire altercation. [Redacted] states that the entire altercation began because the unknown W/M's pickup truck was blocked in by another vehicle. The unknown W/M yelled at the them [sic] to move the vehicle. [Redacted] states that the crowd suddenly pulled the unknown W/M out of his pickup. [Redacted] advises that after Lowery managed to rescue the W/M, he was attacked by the suspects. [Redacted] advises that there were approximately ten suspects who attacked the unknown W/M. [Redacted] advises that prior to the unknown W/M leaving, he threatened the crowd that he had a gun in his pickup truck. [Redacted] states that she never observed the W/M with the gun. She advises that approximately five more suspects joined in on the attack on Lowery. [Redacted] advises that she believes that all were LSU football players because some she recognized as being on the team. The others were wearing official LSU Football shirts. [Redacted] advises that she knows for certain that she observed Jordan Jefferson kicked [sic] Lowery in the face. [Redacted] also advises that she observed Josh Johns as being one of the people who attacked Lowery. Lowery advises that she doesn't know the names of the other players but states that she could identify them through pictures if needed.

According to WBRZ News in Baton Rouge, this is Andrew Lowery in the aftermath of the fight:

According to the report, Lowery, 21, was one of the victims who refused treatment. Among the four people who did go to the hospital, one reportedly suffered three fractured vertebrae; one was reportedly knocked unconscious with contusions to the head, nose and hands; and two others suffered cuts and bruises.

As for Lowery, it seems he'd already had an eventful night: According to a petition for a temporary restraining order filed by his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend, Lowery was stalking her in a bar and hit one of her friends earlier in the evening. (She also claims Lowery forced his way into her home earlier this month and at one point followed her to New Orleans and threatened her friends.) A judge granted the restraining order on Wednesday and set a hearing date in September.

Again: As of early Thursday afternoon, no one had been arrested, no one had been charged, no one had been suspended and everyone is on schedule to suit up against Oregon on Sept. 3, as scheduled. The investigation is ongoing. But for the few LSU fans who hadn't consumed themselves with the potential of backup quarterback Zach Mettenberger already, now might be the time to start.

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Hat tip: @PeterBurnsRadio, via @FOTProgram
Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Todd Haley doesn?t want Jamaal Charles to be a feature back. Here?s why he should.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley has been getting heat for a while now about one subject that universally frustrates any fan or fantasy player who follows his team: It is so obvious that Jamaal Charles is Kansas City's best running back, why does Charles not get more carries or other opportunities to make the offense go?

In 2010, Charles got 230 carries to Thomas Jones' 245. And while we'll bring more advanced stats to this argument, we'll start simple: Charles averaged 6.4 yards per carry, while Jones averaged 3.7. Oh, but Jones is the short-yardage back, you say? YPC isn't supposed to matter? Fine, but if that's the case, and Jones' job is to get those valuable first downs, how is it that he picked up only 39, while Charles blew it up with an amazing 70?

Jamaal Charles was good for a first down on 30.4 percent of his carries. Adrian Peterson tied Charles for fourth-most first downs in the NFL last�season behind Arian Foster, Maurice Jones-Drew and Michael Turner, but it took Peterson 53 more carries to do that, which bumped his first-down percentage down to 24.7 percent.

Here's how Haley�explained himself�to SI.com's Peter King last week:

"We led the league in rushing,'' Haley said, "and all I ever hear is how we don't run the ball the right way because Jamaal's not getting it 25 times a game. It's anti-TEAM. The way fans looked at what we did on offense was so fantasy football driven. You know, the curse of the NFL -- the scroll on the bottom of the screen, with all the individual stats. Fortunately for us, Jamaal's such a good team player. He says, 'Coach, I get it. Whatever you want me to do, I'm here.'''

King adds that, "Haley's theory is he's eating the clock and keeping Charles healthy for 16 weeks, and he has zero regrets." And of course, that's all well and good. Charles is in a good situation in a lot of ways. He's got a great zone-blocking line in front of him that sets his talents up very nicely ? it's almost impossible for an edge defender to contend with Charles if he gets a clean burst to the sideline ? and the Chiefs gave him a nice new contract last year. But the myths about Charles are�flawed. You can't look at him as the typical speed back. He may be 5-foot-11 and 199 pounds, but not every smaller back needs to be put in a box in favor of a lumbering and decidedly less effective second (or in Jones' case, first) option.

Haley has said that Charles is still learning blitz pickup? Well, according to Football Outsiders' game-charting numbers, Kansas City went with two tight ends 38 percent of the time, third-highest in the league. You've got blockers, dude. He's not an every-down back? Charles was actually one of the few�in the league to put up positive DVOA (FO's primary opoponent-adjusted efficiency metric) on every down, while Jones racked up negative DVOA on every down. Haley's afraid of burning him out? From carries 11 through 20 per game, only Oakland's Darren McFadden (7.3) had a higher yards-per-carry average than Charles' 6.9.

We understand the importance of protecting your best assets. But there are exceptions, and here's one: When you have the next Chris Johnson in your backfield, and you're short on explosive plays overall (take away the 36 plays of 20 yards or more authored by Charles and receiver Dwayne Bowe, and the rest of the team totaled 19 in 2010), it behooves you to throw caution to the wind and ride that�special horse as long as he'll go. Haley's�preference is to color outside the lines. In�one preseason play this year, the call seemed to be for the 170-pound Dexter McCluster to cut back inside on a third-and-long, a�play that should have been burned in a public ceremony.

It's hard to see outliers sometimes. Coaches think conservatively for a number of reasons, and as much as they say they'll assess each player differently, it's hard for them not to get caught up in types. Charles would seem for all the world to be that split-off back ? a fantasy handcuff who's better off in a rotational role. But when you're dealing with this kind of talent, the landscape changes. The Chris Johnson comparison is apt with Charles�as both backs�exceed the expected means of production you normally get from their body types.

Haley is fortunate enough to have a special offensive weapon. There's no doubt that he's a great offensive coach, but why does he refuse to see the enormous benefits of Charles' rare palette? I talked to Haley about Charles on a conference call last year, and I know that he believes in the way he's using his best player. I don't think it's stubbornness.

But when so much evidence flies in the face and leans to the contrary ... underutilizing Jamaal Charles�seems to be�a tougher sell every day.

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