Negotiating - A New Term to the NHL

Negotiate [ni-goh-shee-eyt] verb:

1. To work or talk (with others) to achieve (a transaction, anagreement, etc)
2. To communicate in search of mutual agreement

It seems like neither the NHLPA or the NHL knows the correct meaning of the term. It seems they have forgot that to negotiate you need to communicate.

Bik's Week 7 Picks: TEP Sports Drinking Games Part 1

The Scripps National Spelling Bee doesn’t seem like it would be an overly entertaining affair to watch. But insert a few friends, good natured ribbing, alcohol, and a competitive streak – you can make pretty much anything entertaining. So the first event in the The Extra Period: Drinking Game Series is in fact The Scripps National Spelling Bee held annually in Late May – Early June. I know what you’re thinking and let me just stop you there. “But this isn’t a sporting event!” Sure technically the competitors aren’t ATHLETES but would you really call some of the Golfers on the PGA Tour athletes? I figure if ESPN wants to air it – that makes it a sporting event.

Bik's Week 7 Thursday Night Pick: Prelude to Games

October 13^th 2012 - Technically on the calendar is was a mid-October Saturday, but it was far from a typical Mid-October Saturday.

Technically I sat at home, had a beer, and watched NCAA Football games for most of the day, but it watching sports wasn’t the same on this particular Mid-October Saturday.

Technically the TV was on sports and I was enjoying the game with a beer – but it just wasn’t the same. My mid-October Saturdays generally consist of the TV being on CBC and tuning into the latest installment of “Hockey Night In Canada” and enjoying the games with some friends and drinks. Now the drinking would never be of major consumption, more casual in nature, however who among us hasn’t taken part in a good drinking game? So with my Saturday tradition inexplicably altered,  thankfully The Extra Period was determined not to have the NHL lockout rob us of our customs and traditions. Ergo the spawning of... The Extra Period: Sports Drinking Games.

Yes – you read that correctly. Drinking games for sports.  Upcoming on The Extra Period will be a series of drinking games that you and your friends can play while watching a variety of sporting events. The first in the series will be unveiled tomorrow in the rest of my Week 7 Picks. In the mean-time, Thursday Night’s game.

Home team in CAPS.

Seahawks (+8) over 49ERS

Both teams got knocked out of their comfort zone last week. Except only 1 of them adapted, made adjustments and showed more flexibility. The 49’ers are going to be angry after the way they got embarrassed on national TV vs. the Giants. But they showed a major flaw in themselves: A failure to adapt to an unfolding game when it doesn’t go the way you had hoped. They flourish when up 10 and can clamp down on a team. Instead last week they were down 13 and were left flailing hopelessly in high tide (or a Giant tide). Seattle showcased that they might have more wrinkles to them than we thought.

Last Week: 6-8

Season: 45-45-1

Hockey deprivation? NFL Season in Review.

So officially regular season NHL games are being cancelled and the season seems to be hanging in the balance. What are you watching? Do you miss hockey? I have transferred all my hockey lust to football. Speaking of football six weeks into the season there have been some very interesting stories developing so far this season. Lets reflect on what has transpired so far.

Bik's Week 6 Picks: Delayed

Clearly by know you know that the Mayans have predicted the world to end in December 2012. Just for a second, let’s assume that what the Mayans predicted is true. Then shouldn’t this be the perfect time to savour and bask in the glory of some of the best events life can offer? Except what’s happened in the past little while:

Felix Baumgartner has delayed his Stratosphere jump. NBC delayed the season premiere of “Community”. And finally, and probably most depressing, the NHL has delayed the start of the regular season.

In the spirit of that – this feature is a day late and delayed as well. So maybe the Mayans were right. I mean – why else would Arizona be 4-1. Or the Packers 2-3? Or the Eagles 3-2 with a -19 point differential? OR ALL OF THE NFC WEST ABOVE .500! OH NO END OF DAYS END OF DAYS!!!!

Home team in CAPS.

Fantasy Football Running Diary Part 3

After getting all cocky and being put in my place in week 3 I felt I needed to bring my A-game for week 4. No more fooling around, it's business time now. Being top dog in one pool meant I had a responsibility to maintain my dominance. And a 1-2 record in the other league meant I had some work to do. With some favourable match-ups, playing someone in each pool who was sitting in the bottom half of the standings, and my ego in check, I proceeded to throw down some of the biggest point totals either league has seen. Alright! Back on top of the world.

Bik's Thursday Night Week 6 Pick: Rewinding

Let’s rewind and go back to this point last year. The completion of week 5. All of the following are true:

• The Bills are 4-1.
• The Giants just lost at home to the Seahawks.
• The Raiders are 3-2.
• The Buccaneers are 3-2.
• The Eagles are 1-4.
• The Broncos are 1-4.
• The Falcons are 2-3.

If I said 3 of these teams would go on to make the playoffs – Wouldn’t you choose Bills, Raiders, Buccaneers? To answer that – all of the following are true:

• The Bills finished 6-10.
• The Giants made the playoffs at 9-7 and won the Super Bowl.
• The Raiders missed the playoffs at 8-8.
• The Buccaneers finished 4-12 and on a 10 game losing streak.
• The Eagles finished 8-8 and on a 4 game winning streak.
• The Broncos discovered Tebow Time and won their division at 8-8.
• And the Falcons made the playoffs at 10-6.

The first 5 weeks are nice to some teams. The rest of the season might not treat them so well. It’s week 6, time to pull back the curtain and unveil the team behind the record. I’m looking at you Arizona, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Seattle, Green Bay. But first we get the Thursday game.

Home team in CAPS.

Steelers (-6) over TITANS

Here’s a snippet of life recently for the Tennessee Titans:

• Chris Johnson was quoted as saying “We need somebody in this locker room to make plays and give us a spark. I feel like I've made some plays, but the situation of a spark has got to come from somewhere and getting a spark that can be big for this team." Ummm... Just FYI Chris – your whole contract and team value is based on you being that spark. And you’re averaging 2.9 yards a carry. And you have zero runs of over 20 yards.
• That followed from last week when CJ-K said: “I wouldn't sit here and say I'm to blame, I wouldn't think so, but I'm not the guy to sit here and be the guy that points fingers and things like that. It's just a situation where I'm going to be only as good as my [offensive] line's going to be.” Ummm... Just FYI Chris – when you say you’re not the guy to point fingers, and then immediately point a finger at the offensive line... That’s pointing fingers. You get that right? Ok cool just wanted to make sure.
• The fans are also confused as to why Head Coach Mike Munchak hasn’t shaken up the strategy for the team or even shaken up the staff with some firings. There's nothing worrying when a fan base is calling for peoples jobs right?
• They rank 26^th in Points For. 28^th in Rushing Yards (which for a team that relies on Play Action is kind of a big deal).32^nd in Points Against. 29^th in Yards Allowed. 

So you know what’s not the perfect remedy for all of this: A nationally televised game on Thursday night at home when all eyes are on you and if you make a mistake, the crowd is ready and willing to turn on you in a heartbeat. Good luck.

Rest of Week 6 picks on Friday

Last Week: 7-7

Season: 39-37-1

Flesh and Bone

With no NHL hockey in the near future I have been sitting around wondering what to write about. As a writer you bounce ideas around all the time and hope that it translates well to a blog, a book, any means of getting it out. I have troubles all the time with ideas about pieces I want to write. So I sit there....stuck. And that's where I was until I saw this video today:

Bik's Week 5 Picks: Name Game

In yesterday’s piece I wrote about Greg Zuerlin’s early season success as the Rams kicker spawning a few nick-names for him that are both apt, and terrific. LegaTron and Young G.Z. the 2 leading candidates. It made me wonder where those nicknames would rank on a list of active players and their nick names. So naturally the only way to figure that out is to develop a system to determine the best sports nick-names, and then rank them.

Bik's Thursday Week 5 Pick: Don't Call It A Comeback!

Last weekend’s games were mildly upstaged by golf’s Ryder Cup in what is known as the “Miracle at Medinah”. The European team came storming back to knock off the American team to capture victory, on a day that would otherwise be reserved for Week 4. The drama that unfolded in the comeback really sent social media into hyper-drive as I started to see more n’ more tweets talking about golf than the NFL.

So in honour of Europe’s historic comeback... Here are a few other things that need to make a comeback:

1. Organ Music at Hockey Games – Enough of hearing glorified club music while waiting for a defensive zone faceoff.
2. Seinfeld – No explanation necessary.
3. Cheap Gas
4. Board Games – I’ll take Monopoly over “Words with Friends” any day.
5. Big Cell Phones – Forget the new look sleek designs, Give me Zach Morris old phone.
6. Mullets – Party all the time.
7. Light Up Shoes – I was jealous of every kid that had these.
8. The time when people didn’t take annoying pictures of themselves and post them online.
9. Conversation – Next time I see someone text a friend that is sitting at the table with them, I’m going to dunk both their phones into water.... Unless it’s me of course.
10. The NHL – Duh.

Home team in CAPS.

RAMS (+2) over Cardinals

The Cardinals are just toying with me now. I’ve gone 0-4 in their games this year. So why am I going against them this week even though they’re favoured by less than a FG and undefeated on the year. Have you heard about this Rams Kicker Greg Zuerlein? More importantly, his nicknames..... Young G.Z, Legatron, Greg the Leg... When you have nicknames and momentum like that + at home + a Primetime game – you’re gonna win.

Zuerlein’s names fit into the top 15, maybe even top 10 of all nicknames in sports. I’ll have more on nicknames tomorrow when the rest of the picks get revealed.

Last Week: 8-7

Season: 32-29-2