Friday links: LeBron free edition

by averagejoe on Dec 3, 2010 5:00 AM CST

You just can't score on a guy who makes jump saves. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

I watched LeBron's homecoming last night. Can someone tell me why this sport is considered better than hockey?

Blues news

GM Doug Armstrong says the key for the Blues is to get back to basics. [BND]
Nikita Nikitin and his soft play are going down to the AHL. I know it's early, but he screams Sasha Khavanov 2.0. [PJ Star]
It's not just Brad Boyes, the entire Blues team can't shoot the damn puck. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
The Post-Dispatch looks at who is the real Blues—the good team or the bad team. The real answer, somewhere in the middle. [Round 2]
Davis Payne and the Blues have fallen and are trying to get back up. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]

Hockey news

Puck Daddy looks at the recent Forbes look at the NHL. [Puck Daddy]
On the Forecheck suggests making an award for journalism excellence for Jim Kelley. [On the Forecheck]
Even without Jordan Staal, the Penguins are still a penalty-killing machine. [PensBurgh]
The Marco Sturm trade appears to have fallen apart. [SB Nation]
We don't have many rules around here, but one of them involves linking to any story that mentions Matt Walker. Gotta keep Gallagher happy. [SB Nation]
Brian Burke might be doing it (it being running the Leafs) wrong. [Pension Plan Puppets]
Dany Heatley was booed heartily, but the Sharks were able to blank the Senators 4-0. [ESPN]
Some of Pat Burns' stolen goods were returned to police. [TSN]
Sidney Crosby is really good at hockey. Crosby beat the Thrasher 3-2 on Thursday. [TSN]

Other links

Qatar beat out the States for the rights to host the 2022 Olympics. Don't know anything about Qatar? Let Spencer Hall enlighten you. [SB Nation]
Is a meat Nativity sacrelgious? Maybe. Is it tasty? Definitely. [Image]
Let's take a look at the history of several beers. [Gunaxin Grub]
Some movies, like "Point Break", need to be recognized for being great. [Fake Criterions]

Video

I think I can say with confidence that this will be Dave Scatchard's highlight play with the Blues.

Here's some tunes to chill with.

That'll do, kids. That'll do.

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

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Comments

Hah. Scatchard.

Hopefully we’re able to laugh about all these emergency call-ups come the middle of January or so.

Also, I do believe your SB Nation links need to be re-routed, as they all got 404’d. The links all point to St. Louis Game Time articles that don’t exist because they were written at SB Nation. If you caught all that and understood, you win a shiny . . . penny?

St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Dec 3, 2010 8:04 AM CST reply actions

Should be fixed now

St. Louis Game Time Fact: Morning links are part of a well-balanced meal.

SBNSTL Writing about the Blues in more than one line is tough.

by averagejoe on Dec 3, 2010 10:23 AM CST up reply actions

Coo beeenz.

St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Dec 3, 2010 1:12 PM CST up reply actions

A few comments:

1. Basketball is considered “better” than hockey because it’s easier for the masses to play. All it takes is a basketball and a hoop, so it’s relatively simple to cram the game down every schoolkid’s throat at an early age.

Owners of pro basketball teams don’t have to invest a ton of money in equipment, so they can pay thugs from the ’hood millions of dollars to slam dunk, double-dribble and travel on every possession, and the networks can pay slobbering morons like Dick (and I use that term in every sense of the word) Vitale a bunch of money to hoodwink the sheeple that the game actually takes skill.

Any athlete who’s good enough as an athlete to make an NHL team, probably has enough innate skill to play basketball at a fairly high competitive level — especially the Americans, who have been exposed to it all their lives. How many of these giraffes in the NBA can even stand up on skates, let alone play the game of hockey?

2. Peoria is where Nikitn should have gne in the first place, as soon as he came off the IR. But the injury situation here was such that he was needed on the NHL roster. Now that Colaicovo and Jackman are back, there’s less urgent need for Nikitin here, and so he can go to Peoria to play at a pace to which he may be more accustiomed, as the AHL is probably on par with the KHL.

3. “Sasha Khavanov 2.0,” my ass. For one, Khavanov wasn’t anywhere near as bad as many make him out to be, and for two, Nikitin is bigger, faster, and younger than what Khavanov was when he came over here.

I can’t wait to see Tarasenko come over here, and the first game he plays in which he doesn’t score, or doesn’t lay someone out, the Euro-haters will be calling him “Vitali Karamnov 2.0.”

(Insert “rolling eyes” icon here).

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 3, 2010 8:06 AM CST reply actions

With all due respect

What have you seen in Nikitin (and I know his 12 game career is a small sample size) that makes you think he’ll succeed in the NHL?

He’s soft. He’s -8 and he has zero points. From what I’ve seen, he’s just not very good. Is he young? Of course, but he seems way, way off the depth chart. Guys like Polak, Petro, EJ, and Cole are all ahead of him in development so I don’t really see where Nik fits in in the future.

Besides, outside of super-offensive players like Sergei Gonchar, Russian d-men aren’t exactly thriving in the league.

St. Louis Game Time Fact: Morning links are part of a well-balanced meal.

SBNSTL Writing about the Blues in more than one line is tough.

by averagejoe on Dec 3, 2010 10:22 AM CST up reply actions

I see three things that can't be taught.

Well, one of them can.

I see youth, size and high-level pro experience.

You gotta remember, this is a 24 year old kid from Siberia, for God’s sake. St. Louis probably seems like Babylon to this guy. He’s overwhelmed a little by Western culture, I think, nothing more.

He was probably bound for Peoria to start the year, but was playing well enough in camp and the pre-season to make that decision a little harder. Then he got hurt, and when he was ready to come back, the team was hurting for defensemen with Jackman, Polak and Colaiacovo all out. So between the injury situation, and the fact that he was playing well enough to warrant keeping him here, it made sense at the time to let him get his baptism of fire in the NHL.

Everyone reacts to circumstances like that in a different way. Some guys thrive, some flounder, some do like Nikitin and show flashes of why he was drafted in the first place alongside of moments of confusion and error.

“Soft” is relative. Just because a guy doesn’t blast every onrushing forward out of his skates, that doesn’t make him “soft.” Some defensemen — especially Europeans — rely on positioning and skating to make plays, as opposed to the North American model of taking the body.

Nikitin has the skating and puckhandling skills to play that kind of defense effectively; he just needs the experience of playing against the best players, and winning some games in order to get his confidence level up to where it should be. That style of defense requires a high confidence level, a belief in yourself that you’re going to outskate the forward, angle him off the puck, and start the counterattack.

Considering how the Blues have slumped in recent weeks, offensively as well as defensively, it’s not a suprise to me if Nikitin’s coinfidence in his abilities is a little shaky right now. Let him go to Peoria, where the team is winning and playing with confidence, and see if he doesn’t figure it out and start playing pretty well down there. I’m betting that’s exactly what he’ll do.

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 3, 2010 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

You think his language barrier is an issue?

He played the kHL game for several years, maybe hen needs to learn the NA game and learn english. I think he was skittish and probably overwhelmed. I think the rest of this year in P-town may help him in a huge way..and get a solid english teacher with him and I think he wil get tons better.

by I_AM_SPARTACUS on Dec 3, 2010 11:33 AM CST up reply actions

lol

just to be funny: “I see youth, size and high-level pro experience.”

at one point, Brad Winchester had all three of these things.

Next in the Nate the Great mystery series: Nate the Great searches for a free-agent forward who doesn't blow dicks.

by NateTheGreat. on Dec 3, 2010 5:45 PM CST up reply actions

…and Winchester may finally be putting it together and playing well now, non?

Maybe it’s gonna take Nikitin three years or so to become the player he should be.

Teams — including the Blues — have been willing to wait for Winchester. Why? Just because he’s North American?

If Nikita Nikitin from Siberia was Nick Nicholas from Duluth, would we be having this discussion?

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 3, 2010 8:23 PM CST up reply actions

if he was from minne

he wouldnt be soft. and he would’ve been in peoria as soon as he turned 20.

all i know is that the talented players, for the most part, jump at the chance to come to north america. berglund came over, eller came over, polak came over. nikitin didn’t until he was 24.

nik was taken a round ahead of polak in the same draft. in 2004, the blues’ brass thought nikitin had more upside than polak. six years later, polak is leaps and bounds better.

my point is, hes 24. he should be further along, no? what took him so long to get here and what impact will he make?

St. Louis Game Time Fact: Morning links are part of a well-balanced meal.

SBNSTL Writing about the Blues in more than one line is tough.

by averagejoe on Dec 3, 2010 11:14 PM CST up reply actions

Xenophobia doesn't become you...

if he was from minnesota, he wouldnt be soft. and he would’ve been in peoria as soon as he turned 20.

Yeah, okay, Joe…

No one from Minnesota is “soft,” as you seem determined to label Nikitin. And everyone from Minnesota leaves college after their freshman or sophomore year to play in the AHL.

Frankly, I don’t think there’s anything I’m going to be able to say here that will convince you that Nikitin is worthwhile. You seem to already have your mind made up, based on a 12-game sample and on the fact that Nikitin didn’t rush right over to play in Peoria at age 20.

By the way, neither Berglund, Eller, nor Polak came over immediately after being drafted, either. No, they didn’t stay in their home countries for six years, but then again, they weren’t playing in the Elite League in their home countries, either… nor are the elite leagues of their home countries of the same caliber, and (perhaps more relevant) paying the same kind of salaries as the RSL / KHL.

I find it to be to Nikitin’s credit that he was still interested in coming over and pursuing an NHL career despite having been virtually forgotten by the Blues’ development staff for the last six years. I’m sure you choose to focus instead on the reasons — perceived or actual — for his having been virtually forgotten, and that’s your right to do so.

Sorry, but you’ll have to excuse me for believing that Blues’ management and the development staff just might know a little more about these guys than you or I do.

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 4, 2010 2:23 AM CST up reply actions

here's the thing with d-men.

they fall into three categories. the first is your prongers who can provide offense and defense. the second is the offense-first guys like sergei gonchar/carlo colaiacovo and the third is defense-first guys barret jackman.

after watching nikitin, i don’t know where he falls in. he has ZERO points in twelve games. nate oystrick managed to pick up two dimes in his brief blues career. if he’s an offensive guy, hes clearly way behind in development.

defensively, and i hate plus/minus but, he was -8. he seems to have good positioning, but he doesnt play a physical game. its not xenophobic to say that russian hockey is less hit-focused as north american hockey. hes spent his six years since being drafted playing hockey that relies on skill and such. now hes playing against power forwards who have to be hit to be stopped.

i dont think hes a bust or anything like that, but i really dont think hes worth the time. i would rather see ian cole get his ice time. i would rather see tyson strachan get his ice time.

nikitin seems like a 24-year old who is in the exact same spot as as cole/petro. hes spent the last few years playing against competition not as good as the nhl. hes making a big step and, at his age, it seemed like he should stand a chance of swimming more.

i dont hate the guy, i just dont know what value a guy who really looks like he needs a few more years of AHL time, and he’ll probably jump back to russia after the blues fail to promote him. the blues already have ej, petro, polak, cole and jackman in the plans for the next few years. is nikitin that sixth/seventh guy? maybe, but for now i dont see it. then again, im not a prospect expert nor do i play one on tv.

St. Louis Game Time Fact: Morning links are part of a well-balanced meal.

SBNSTL Writing about the Blues in more than one line is tough.

by averagejoe on Dec 4, 2010 9:46 AM CST up reply actions

khavanov 2.0.....

that was funny……and you got Karamnov but what about Korolev 2.0 or Prokhorov 2.0????

I still maintain Vladimir Konstantinov got what he deserved...If you can't handle that then kiss my ass......

"I've got a bad feeling about this..."

by dablues7 on Dec 3, 2010 11:04 AM CST up reply actions

Korolev and Prokhorov

Igor Korolev played twelvee years in the NHL, scored 20 goals twice, averaged double figures in goals and points per season for his NHL career, and was still productive last year inb the KHL at age 39.

Vitali Prokhorov, in the 83 NHL games he played, scored 19 goals, and in 1993-94, was the Blues’ fifth-leading goal scorer on a club with Hull, Shanahan, Janney and Kevin Miller in their prime.

If Tarasenko plays twelve years in the NHL and/or scores 19 goals in his first 83 NHL games, I’ll be content with that.

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Dec 3, 2010 8:34 PM CST up reply actions

Why is basketball better?

Cause ESPN says so.People think that whatever is showed most on ESPN, is the best.People are stupid.

My take on basketball- bunch of cocky african americans with huge egos and don’t have the skill to play a real team sport. All they do is play for themselves(Lebron is a great example). Fuck the NBA.If they lock out in a couple years, Ill be a very happy person

by Gazz on Dec 3, 2010 9:26 AM CST reply actions

I love how you mold it into a single race.

So, the early NBA was that? Especially when they wouldn’t let the ‘cocky african americans’ play? And the owners, who are all white, aren’t to blame? Nor are the refs?

You don’t think that college basketball is a legitimate team sport? Have you ever even played the game?

As a white kid who is 5’6" but has played both sports (and baseball and football), I find that it is extremely niave to have that opinion. Especially assuming that you reached it by not having played the sport competitively.

I could actually understand you saying that the NBA isn’t as much of a team game as it is an individual one. That the defense is no where to be found on most occasions and or that players tend to be selfish. However, there are a lot of players in every sport like that.

Also, as much as I don’t think he handled the situation with Cleveland correctly, you cannot deny the athletic talent of Lebron. I’m glad you think that a player only plays for himself. Especially one who averages over 7 assists per game.

If you want my opinion, I don’t care for the NBA game. It isn’t my cup of tea. I enjoy college ball much more. It doesn’t help that I have been a Jayhawks fan since I was 10. And, they are normally a pretty damn good team :)

Its weird... half the year my blood is red... but then the other half... it's blue... hm...

by PeacockJac on Dec 3, 2010 9:43 AM CST up reply actions

Man, so many grammatical errors

I don’t even care. 18 hour shift over. Just waiting to fall asleep.

At least that is my excuse.

Its weird... half the year my blood is red... but then the other half... it's blue... hm...

by PeacockJac on Dec 3, 2010 9:45 AM CST up reply actions

?

I never mentioned the early NBA.I don’t understand what white referees and owners have anything to do with anything,I never mentioned NCAA.I have played basketball(Freshman and sophomore year in highschool).I never said anything about Lebrons athletic ability(I agree that he is a beast. I was just saying that he’s selfish for what he did to Cleveland).

by Gazz on Dec 3, 2010 10:30 AM CST up reply actions

“My take on basketball- bunch of cocky african americans with huge egos and don’t have the skill to play a real team sport.

My fault for thinking that this wasn’t about the game of basketball, but about the NBA Players.

Its weird... half the year my blood is red... but then the other half... it's blue... hm...

by PeacockJac on Dec 3, 2010 6:15 PM CST up reply actions

Join us over at RockChalkTalk

the SB Nation KU blog…

Yea ≠ Yeah

by labbadabba on Dec 3, 2010 1:30 PM CST up reply actions

Fuck Sidney Crosby.

That being said, if he’d exhibit personality during intermission interviews and the league would remove their lips from his ass (and if he would shave off that awful mustache) I would like the guy. Those three goals he scored last night were awesome, especially the re-direct on the third. It pisses me off that he broke the Thrashers’ win streak, but if someone had to do it, I would have rather it have been him with a natural hat trick than a bunch of grinders scoring.

The only 2 Pens players to score on ATL this year are Sid and Malkin – Sid with four and Geno with three.

Thrashing the Blues
SB Nation Atlanta - home of the Fairest and Weatheriest fans on the net.

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by hildymac on Dec 3, 2010 9:39 AM CST reply actions

Blues recall Ian Cole

LINK

#SilentJay4Selke
@ProdigiousOne - twitter
Halak to Move it Move it

by ilikeboyes on Dec 3, 2010 10:22 AM CST reply actions

Ok so why when I come to the site......

do I constantly get a dropdown now that says something to the effect of “Microsoft wants to run an add on” and it only happens when Im on SLGT……what virus are you trying to pass…….

And as for basketball…….I wouldnt watch the NBA if you had a gun to my head…….Fuck that shit…….I got a few racial slurs I could say about basketball but Im sur eid offend someone and id just rather not do that right now……maybe tomorrow…..

I still maintain Vladimir Konstantinov got what he deserved...If you can't handle that then kiss my ass......

"I've got a bad feeling about this..."

by dablues7 on Dec 3, 2010 11:00 AM CST reply actions

Dump IE and use Firefox and/or Google Chrome

As a Web Hosting Engineer I can tell you that IE is a POS..that is not me being and IT nerd, it’s through experience.

by I_AM_SPARTACUS on Dec 3, 2010 11:35 AM CST up reply actions

Ouch this hurts

During the first 12 games they allowed 17 goals during the next 12 they allowed 49 (took this from the first link and did a little math, so I could be wrong). I hope we end up closer to the first 12 games then in the middle of the two. I think Halak needs to step it up along with better communication with the defensive players. Seven and eight goals allowed a game is not even close to acceptable. I believe this team can turn it around and thats not a “hope” it turns around.

As always Lets GO BLUES!!!

by Ad Hominem on Dec 3, 2010 12:10 PM CST reply actions