Illegal Curve Hockey

Categories: Afternoon Delight

Afternoon Delight: She Was a Fast Machine

Tom Benjamin discusses an NBA study finding no causal link between referee’s calls favoring the home team. I agree with Benjamin here. I think the calls might slightly skew towards the home team just because of human nature. Even as a referee, its likely easy to get caught up in the home crowd atmosphere.
The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed former Oiler Marty Reasoner, once compared favorable to Joe Sakic by ex-coach Craig McTavish. I have no idea why MacT made the reference, but it was jumped on by the Oilogosphere in a hurry.
THN blogger Brian Costello muses on what the NHL would look like today if the draft lottery was not in place. The scenarios he lays out are fascinating to think about, sort of like a good game of NHL 2K9.
Sportsnet’s Jim Lang answers reader’s questions and takes on subjects such as the bilingual coach debate from Montreal and the McTavish vs. Penner dispute in Edmonton. Lang has a good take on both issues, especially on the Oiler saga, where both guys ended up looking bad by the end of the season.
Goon’s World has an update, from Fargo, on the Sioux nickname controversy. This one isn’t going away anytime soon, and you can expect the Grand Forks faithful to dig their heels in even deeper if Fargo starts throwing stones.
The Blue Jackets and Ducks draft previews from Coming Down the Pipe, along with a very in-depth look at Ryan Ellis. If you haven’t already checked out the previews these guys are putting together, do yourself a favour and head over there right now.
The judge in the Balsillie case now has his own Wikipedia page. (H/T Mirtle) With a name like that, he sounds like he stepped right out of Smokey and the Bandit.