The Sports Scene

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

There are times in the past that I've been critical of Montreal especially the Canadiens Fan Base.

But not this time.

On October 18, 2005, the Montreal Canadiens honored four Montreal Expos and have a banner in the rafters at the Bell Centre. The players and numbers include Gary Carter (8), Tim Raines (30), Andre Dawson and former Tiger Rusty Staub (10).

This was a Class Act!

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We'll stay with the Montreal theme and I will make a prediction for this next one.

If The Tampa Bay Rays continue to have difficulties finding a new stadium in the Metro Area, I look for them to eventually move elsewhere. This organization continues to trade marquee players thus making it difficult for the fan base to follow their core players. Seems like a yearly Fire Sale. This organization resembles a AAA team.

Former GM Andrew Friedman moved on to the LA Dodgers to become their President of Baseball Operations. Meanwhile, Joe Maddon skipped town to take on the task of ending a century long World Series drought with the Chicago Cubs. Maddon was 754-705 from 2006-2014 and lead the Rays to one World Series Appearance.

There is no way the Rays can be competitive until the expiration of their lease until 2027. The City of St. Petersburg is over playing its hand. Lets see them block a move to Canada.

This elsewhere has Owner Stuart Sternberg selling and moving the team to Montreal. I wouldn't be surprised if the team is named the Expos. I would be in favor of this move!

While most major markets can't have teams in the same league, this situation would be different. The Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays in the same division is a natural. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs have been rivals in the NHL and this would excite both fan bases.

I do believe that Montreal deserves a second chance and it's common knowledge that the 1994 MLB Player Strike destroyed baseball in this market. The Expos had the best record in baseball with a 74-40 mark. They were on a pace to win over 100 games. This team had Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom and many others.

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The 2016 NHL Winter Classic will have a familiar twist to it. It will be a contest featuring two Original Six teams, one from the United States and the other from Canada.

In 2014, the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs played at Michigan Stadium in front of 105,491. The viewership in the USA and Canada hit 8.2 Million which was impressive considering the numerous college bowl games.

Gillette Stadium will host the Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens. While the attendance at the New England Patriots home stadium will not hit the 100,000 mark, this contest figures to be a dandy. There is no love loss between these bitter rivals. Their battles in the regular season and in the playoffs are incredible.

If the game is marketed well then there will be another outstanding crowd in Foxborough, MA. I'll be curious to see what the viewership totals turn out to be.

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The NHL knows it has a good thing going with these outdoor games and I like the match-ups for next seasons Stadium Series.

On February 21, 2016, The Minnesota Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks at TC Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota Campus. This will be the Blackhawks fourth outdoor game. I'm sure a lot of thought and debate went into having the Dallas Stars play against the Wild. Once upon a time, the Stars used to be the Minnesota North Stars.

I like the match-up on February 27 at Coors Field in Downtown Denver as two old Western Conference Rivals collide. The Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche face off and while goaltenders Mike Vernon and Patrick Roy won't be fighting at Center Ice, I could see a lot of intensity and build-up for this contest.

NBC's announcers will have no shortage of footage from battles in the regular season and playoffs.

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It's been a busy week in NASCAR.

Here is the good and the bad.

Kurt Busch sealed his fate in the Sprint Cup Series by being suspended indefinitely for Domestic Violence. This guy is a victim of his own past and has been given plenty of chances to keep his temper under control, but has failed to do so.

NASCAR had to react drastically after all the issues that the NFL had to deal with in 2014.

Meanwhile, Joey Logano's win at the Daytona 500 Sunday gave Owner Roger Penske his second "Great American Race" victory. Ryan Newman won for Penske in 2008.

Penske has 15 Indianapolis 500 Wins. Penske has the most wins as an owner for the Indianapolis 500.

He won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship on November 12, 2012 as Brad Keselowski prevailed. Logano, 24, has the potential to win Penske another title. In his short career, he has nine wins and 83 Top Ten finishes.

Now, Keselowski and Logano are teammates this season.

If I had a Mount Rushmore of Motor Sports Owners, Penske, 78, would easily be on this list!

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Finally, former Detroit Pistons Player and Coach Michael Curry has his hands full in Boca Raton, FL.

The first year head coach of the FAU Owls finds his team in last place in Conference USA. The Owls currently are 1-13 and 8-17 overall in the 14 team conference going into Thursday's game at Western Kentucky (19-5, 16-10).

FAU isn't an easy place to coach. The capacity at FAU Arena is 5000 and it would be difficult to sell recruits on such a small facility.

I wish Curry well with this challenge. At least Curry was smart enough to sign a six-year deal worth close to $2 Million, $325,000 this year.

His predecessor was Mike Jarvis and he was 10-20 last season. Jarvis was 77-110 six seasons with FAU.

Jarvis' career collegiate coaching record is 422-313.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.

Geographic Sensibility

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

Although it's a year away, I have to admit that I was very pleased the Detroit Red Wings will do much less traveling as the NHL begins realignment in 2012-2013.

Like most old school traditionalists, I was hoping for an "Original Six" Division!

Fat Chance. Commissioner Gary Bettman wasn't going to go that far.

But I'll settle for the Detroit Red Wings making at least one appearance to play the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers in the Sunshine State.

I have no sympathy whatsoever for the whining East Coast teams that they have to travel to the Pacific Time Zone. The Red Wings won four Stanley Cup Championships and gobbled up tons of frequent flyer miles in the regular and post-seasons residing in the Eastern Time Zone.

When the Red Wings faced the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues in the playoffs, it was less tiring. Those Western trips to Vancouver, San Jose, Calgary, Southern California and Phoenix were brutal.

When the Red Wings Conference was announced, there was no way that Detroit was going to be separated from Original Six buddy and I-94 Rival Chicago.

Bettman complied with the pleas from Nashville's ownership to keep Detroit so this small market team with Michigan transplants could pack their building a few times a year, in addition to the playoffs.

Although the Columbus Blue Jackets and Red Wings will never have the U-M VS Ohio State intensity, they're both in the Eastern Time Zone and in neighboring states. Like Nashville, Columbus needs Detroit's drawing power.

As for the rest of the conference rivals, there is the Dallas Stars playing in their old stomping grounds against the Minnesota Wild. How many Minnesota North Stars jerseys are out there?

St. Louis is always a good rival for Chicago, though not at the level of the Cardinals and Cubs.

The Winnipeg Jets renew acquaintances with Minnesota.

Detroit and Dallas, the two Thanksgiving cities known as "Big D's" play great games and are linked by Brett Hull and Mike Modano.

The only mystery left now is what will be the names of the conferences?

Will Bettman get creative or historical?

Here are some ideas. Bring back the Wales and Campbell Conferences. Once upon a time there was the Norris Division. Just ask ESPN's Chris Berman.

How about the (Gordie) Howe and (Wayne) Gretzky Conferences named after the two greatest players in NHL history.

Even the Big Ten considered (Bo) Schembechler and (Woody) Hayes before deciding to name their Divisions, The Leaders and Legends.

I realize that we've seen the last major realignment.

But I'll be curious to see where the Phoenix Coyotes land since the NHL owns them and expects to have a new owner in place within the next year.

I could see the Coyotes landing in Kansas City, Las Vegas or even Houston. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Coyotes relocate in Seattle once a new stadium is built to replace the departed Seattle Supersonics and fill that winter sports void. The Vancouver Canucks would be thrilled to create another Pacific Northwest rivalry.

There are two seven team conferences East, so if the Coyotes were to end up in Kansas City, this would be a natural rival for St. Louis. If they move to Houston, Dallas has their in state rival.

Then I could see Detroit shift into a conference with Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto, therefore creating more Original Six games.

Eventually, I could see Columbus landing with Carolina, New Jersey, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington.

But in the meantime, I'm glad the NHL finally created some Geographic Sensibility. Those extra division games during the season will get made up in the playoffs when these teams face each other. The division rivalries are enhanced and the travel is greatly reduced.

Best of all, now the fans and media get to see at least each team's stars once a year, which will only bolster attendance along with increased television coverage.

In January of 2012, Versus becomes the NBC Sports Network. I could see this platform leading to more Original Six match-ups as we saw when NBC televised a Thanksgiving Week Classic featuring Detroit and the defending Stanley Cup Champions the Boston Bruins.

With the realignment, there will be more inter-conference games with Detroit and Chicago facing the other four Original Six teams.

The NHL is definitely headed in the right direction. The changes should also bolster interest in televising the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, thus giving them more exposure and marketing the NHL as North America's Sport.

I know a Detroit Red Wings VS Montreal Canadiens contest would be a great ratings draw. Detroit has 11 Stanley Cup Championships while Montreal has 24. Who can forget the numerous Hall Of Fame Players and retired numbers with these storied franchises.

I could only hope that this realignment does lead us to an Original Six Stanley Cup Final. I'm sure NBC would be thrilled with those potential ratings.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com and his blog can be seen at www.scottsports33.com.

Minnesota VS Dallas

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

When the Minnesota Vikings host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday at 1 PM at the Metrodome, there will be more pressure on future Hall of Fame Quarterback Brett Favre than he realizes.

It's one thing that Favre signed a two-year $25 Million contract on August 18, 2009 with expectations that he'd be the missing link to win a Super Bowl. With running back Adrian Peterson and rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin as his play makers, Minnesota compiled a 12-4 record to earn a division title enabling them to host a playoff game.

The FOX announcers will tell you that Favre is 0-3 lifetime against the Cowboys in the playoffs.

But I wonder whether FOX's announcers will go deep into the past and realize that the history between these two franchises goes as deep as another missing link which will always connect these organizations.

On October 12, 1989, former Vikings General Manager Mike Lynn made "The Trade" which involved 18 players and or draft picks.

The Vikings obtained running back Herschel Walker from the Cowboys along with four draft picks.

Meanwhile, Cowboys Coach Jimmy Johnson committed the greatest steal in NFL History which would lead to three Dallas Super Bowl titles in 1992, 1993 and 1995.

The Cowboys would get six of Minnesota's picks, two of which would be used to draft running back Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson. The Cowboys dealt the Vikings first round pick in the 1990 draft which was No. 21 along with their 81st selection to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the No. 17 pick and drafted Smith.

Johnson used the other draft picks to make trades with other teams around the NFL. There were a total of 13 players involved on the Dallas side of the deal.

In 1990, the Cowboys chose Alexander Wright in the second round.

In 1991, Dallas used its second round selection to draft Dixon Edwards. Their top selection in 1991 was Alvin Harper.

Other key players for Dallas in this trade included linebackers Jesse Soloman, David Howard, cornerback Issiac Holt and defensive end Alex Stewart.

It seems far fetched to think the NFL's all-time leading rusher could have been the property of the organization which owns the most Super Bowl championships with six. What do Steelers fans think of this trade? Perhaps not as bad because they've had a lot of success. But Smith in the same media guide as Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw, etc. would have enhanced a rich history.

But as if the Vikings have had to live with the frustration of losing four Super Bowls, Walker wouldn't be the missing link to get them one.

To add insult to injury, the Minnesota/Dallas connection goes beyond the football field.

The Minnesota North Stars made the Twin Cities their home from 1967-1993 and moved to Dallas in 1994 to become the Dallas Stars. Five years later, the Stars won their only Stanley Cup Championship in 1999.

Dallas has won four championships at the expense of Minnesota franchises. Three in the NFL and one in the NHL.

Do you think there is a lot of added pressure for Minnesota to want to defeat Dallas when it counts? I'd say so.

The last thing Vikings fans want to think about is that they traded Smith for Walker and while a win Sunday won't change the fact that they did, it should ease the pain a little as they hope to reach their goal to play in the Super Bowl a few weeks from now in Miami.

But a loss to Dallas at home would only create more nightmares for Minnesota and while the Boston Red Sox trade of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees creating the "Curse of the Bambino" doesn't match up to what's transpired between Minnesota & Dallas, it's certainly worth discussing as a legitimate comparison.

Scott Morganroth can be reached as Scottsports33@aol.com and his blog can be seen on www.scottsports33.com.