his first start for the Rays since Aug.

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My uncle Rolly would say "a tie is like kissing your sister" and though I did not have a sister, and kissing anyone was a wholly unappetizing prospect, I got his drift. Nobody is happy with the outcome. To its credit, in the late 1990s, the spry brain-trust at the National Hockey League recognized this fundamental drag on its product and vowed to improve a flawed system. Various solutions and quick-fixes were considered in the ensuing years, and the League, largely during semi-regular work stoppages, decided on a blended approach. (This new three-pronged approach, despite coinciding with league expansion and record revenues, would trigger the erosion of my interest, until I eventually stopped watching entirely.) Change Number One: Four Skaters and a Goalie The number of skaters decreased to four a-side during the overtime period, opening up offensive manoeuvrability and theoretically ending more games with game-winning tallies rather than endless dump-and-chase neutrality. Verdict: Wow. This was a major move, altering the five-on-five structure basic to the sport, and it was a winner. Instead of labouring through increased late game conservatism, skilled players could find themselves better able to deke and shimmy and strut their capabilities, particularly in the games most crucial moments. It also encouraged the reversing of a trend which had taken hold across the league, one where teams were playing "not to lose" and overtime periods were getting increasingly dump-and-chase ho-hum. Overtime would be meaningful again! Sha-la-la-la! Success. Change Number Two: If At First You Dont Succeed, Shoot Again The NHL introduced the controversial, internationally-tested shootout as a means of concluding deadlocked matches. Already in use at NHL All-Star Games, the League took a baby step, opting for three shooters per side, rather than the five per side standard in international play. One in seven games ended in a tie in 2003-2004, so this was going to have a major impact. Verdict: Surprisingly decent move. Fans get a thrill and hopelessly tied games get a victor. Two for two, by my count. But the NHL is not in the leave-well-enough-alone business. In classic League fashion, a third branch of tinkering was offered up, one in which the basic worth of winning or losing would be altered. It is this final alteration that persists to today, defining the current system, and for this hanging-by-a-thread fan, produces a result which is laughable and has firmly pushed me to the periphery of support. Change Number Three: The Three Point Game Shudder. In the former system, a win was worth two points for the victor, zero points for the vanquished. A tie meant a point to each side. Two points per game to be won, lost or split. In the current system, two points continue to be the victors spoils, but depending upon how the loser loses, the losing team may be awarded one or zero points. The pertinent extrapolation — particularly in a conference-based playoff system — is to recognize that some games are then worth three points and other games worth two. This imbalance is a black eye on the game which needs immediate attention. The rule change emerged from what was termed the "Dead Puck Era" or "The Decade Hockey Turned To Crap". Overtime periods had become interminable with each side playing for the tie rather than chance going home pointless. So the NHL made tie games at the end of regulation worth one point to each side to encourage vigorous overtime play for an additional point. The change did not have the desired outcome. The risk-averse playing just starts earlier. Now the second half of the third period is the play-it-safe spot. (For those following at home, the second half of the third period was traditionally also known as the "end of the game".) So now this "end of the game" segment is like a Benjamin Moore product demonstration. Not coincidentally, since the current system launched in 2005-06, there has been a major weakening in the Mike Gallay-watching to hockey-on-television corollary. Whatever, It All Shakes Out in the End If the very nature of consolation points doesnt enrage you, consider this: not only should the Los Angeles Kings not have won the Stanley Cup in 2012, they should not have even been in the playoffs. In 2011-12, the Kings finished the regular season in the 8th seed of the Western Conference. Their record of 40-27-15 really meant they finished games 40-42. In 10th place languished the Dallas Stars (42-40) and in 11th, the Colorado Rockies* (41-41). In any season prior to the three point game initiative, the Kings would not have been in the post-season. (*I am an indefatigable purist in some regards.**)(**I realize if that was truly the case I should refer to them as the Quebec Nordiques.) This is not a one-off situation. It happened to Vancouver and Los Angeles in 2005-06. To Colorado and Montreal in 2006-07. To Carolina in 2007-08. Dozens of teams have received unmerited seedings over the years, all because of the preposterous three point game. Et tu, Baseball? Whats that gang? You all are expanding to 30 or more teams?Hey, we can too!Sure weve heard of Atlanta. The NHL has long been a follow-the-leader organization which makes the three point game more puzzling. It has no relevant precedent. MLB games cannot finish in ties and, bolstered by its non-contact, non-cardiovascular setup, teams may play endlessly into the night. Hell, if necessary, theyll just keep playing tomorrow. Quite reasonably, the NHLPA would not approve potentially endless overtime periods because of potential injury and fostering competitive imbalance (ie. when a rested team plays a team which last night played seven periods). In the NBA, there are no ties and overtime periods are rare and captivating. Hardwood scoring is more plentiful than hockey scoring, so the likelihood of limitless overtime periods is slight. In the NFL (AKA "the league that gets things right") surprisingly there is allowance for ties, but league-wide there have been only two in the past five years. The anomaly of the football tie makes it bizarre and accepted as it functions more as a novelty than a drag on competitive balance. If every team averaged even one tie per season, oh yes, the NFL would have torched it long ago. Dumping & Chasing Dreams I try to get excited for hockey. I remember my youth, endless slapshots against a laundry room wall. I check out the standings to see who is jostling for—nope, cant do it. Right now, RIGHT NOW, of the 30 teams competing only 7 have losing records. Last year, by seasons end, same result, only 7 had losing records. In 2009-10, only 20% of the league had a losing record. Stop this madness. Its humiliating when grown men playing a grown mans game require the systemic equivalent of an orange slice and a plastic participant trophy. Are savvy Hockeytown fans sincerely fooled that their beloved Red Wings 30-24-13 record doesnt mean their team is a 30-37 loser? Their skaters headed to the locker room showers pissed off 37 times this year. Fact. Deep breath. I have heard all the reasons, some logical, some inebriated, on how to remedy this situation. The League and the PA and the broadcasters all have a say. But the solution is barely a tweak on what exists and would solve everything: Ten minute overtimes with four skaters a-side and a best-of-5 shootout. Winner gets two points. Loser gets a Tim Hortons special. Fans get a better reason to spend hundreds of dollars to attend. If you cannot win a game after seventy minutes then you earned the uncertainty of a shootout. The shootout, exciting as it is, might as well be five shooters a-side to give it more weight and the fans more thrills. The League only introduced regular season overtime in 1983-1984. Crucial, fundamental changes like this happen frequently. When the three point game was introduced it was to be rid of ties, to be rid of the indecision of such an outcome, but we wound up with a greater ingrained indecisiveness. This can be fixed. This should be fixed. This will improve the game. It might even make me forgive what those morons did to the conferences. Gallays Poll #3 If you were the NHL commish (my condolences), how would you remedy the current point system? (A) Leave it as is because I value tradition and systemic imbalance.(B) Take Gallays suggestions to make every game worth 2 points. 1 Winner. 1 Loser.(C) Go back to the system with the ties we all loved so much. Everyones a winner.(D) Abandon points altogether for a ranking system based entirely on scrapping. Swingman Steve Francis Jersey . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s. Clyde Drexler Jersey .com) - The Denver Nuggets snapped a losing streak last time out and will try to carry that momentum Saturday night when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to the Pepsi Center. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authe ... ersey/.com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers made it official Tuesday and signed pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four-year contract. Swingman Robert Horry Jersey . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Swingman James Harden Jersey . At quarterback, all agree that Andy Dalton has been a wonderful surprise, but to truly progress he has to play his best in the playoffs. The two losses in the wildcard rounds keep the evaluation on Dalton open -- just like it did for Peyton Manning many years ago and Matt Ryan until last year.SEATTLE - Before Cesar Ramos took the mound, Joe Maddon raved about how the left-hander had made the transition from reliever to starter and pitched well with Tampa Bays pitching staff thinned by injuries. Then Ramos got battered for three innings by Seattles bats and got no help from a shaky defensive night by the Rays. Ramos was knocked around early by the Mariners in their 12-5 win over the Rays that included video reviews on consecutive batters in the first inning and Seattle ace Felix Hernandez getting ejected in the seventh inning. "We got ambushed. We just sashayed into the canyon and they were firing from both sides," Maddon said. Ramos had allowed only nine total runs and 18 hits all season. By the end of the third inning, hed given up 11 hits and nine runs — although only five of those were earned because of four errors in the first two innings by Tampa Bays defence. The Rays committed three errors in the second inning, tying a franchise record. It was a difficult opening to a West Coast road trip for Maddons crew. "They came out aggressive and I took too long to adjust," Ramos said. "I started pitching backward later and started having more success." Even though Ramos got battered, he settled down and helped save Tampa Bays bullpen by getting through 6 2-3 innings. He didnt allow a hit after the third, retiring the final 12 batters he faced. He set career bests for innings pitched and pitches (114) although few will look beyond the rough beginning. "I appreciate him even more for what he did after the bad start," Maddon said. "A lot of guys would not do what he did, the way he saved the rest of the staff. A lot of guys would have caved right there and he did not cave." Hernandez (4-1) won for the first time in more than a month. He took a shutout bid into the sevennth inning, then gave up a three-run double to Ryan Hanigan with two outs and was pulled.dddddddddddd At that point, Hernandez was fuming about the strike zone of plate umpire Mark Ripperger. On his way off the mound, Hernandez had a few words for Ripperger. Hernandez said he couldnt repeat anything he uttered. "Im sure he got his moneys worth. I didnt understand everything he said," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I kind of knew it was going to happen because he was not happy." Hernandez rebounded from a rough last four starts. It was his first start for the Rays since Aug. 15, 2012, when he tossed a perfect game at Safeco Field. Asked his thoughts on giving Hernandez a big early lead, Maddon said, "Thats called being sub-optimal." James Jones doubled, singled and scored in each of the first three innings as the Mariners took a 9-0 lead. Robinson Cano drove in Jones twice. They werent alone at providing production at the top of Seattles order. Stefan Romero homered, doubled and singled and Corey Hart had two hits and two RBIs. Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer and Mike Zunino added a solo shot for Seattle. The rare back-to-back replays came in the first inning as Cano and then Hart both barely missed home runs on fly balls that hit the yellow line atop the fence and bounced back. Umpires ruled both balls in play, and their calls were confirmed. Cano wound up with a double on his drive to left field, Hart was thrown out trying for a double on his shot to right. "That was pretty weird. You had nothing to lose by asking them to review them," McClendon said. NOTES: Rays LHP David Price will make his first career start at Safeco Field on Tuesday. Its just his second start against Seattle in his career. ... Cano has reached safely in 21 straight games. China Jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '