Around The Rink: Locked Out No More

This picture kind of works...right?

I've been meaning to blog for a while. Really, I have. I just...whatever. It doesn't matter anymore and do you know why? The NHL is back baby. And I am proud to say that I am back 110%, ready to watch every freaking game that I can. The lockout was terrible, embarrassing, circus-like, and downright hilarious. The fact is that for 10 years (maybe 8) I don't have to care about "make wholes" or pensions. I get to watch the greatest sport in the world, and you should to, unless you are too high and mighty.

The 2013 NHL Predictions

What is this movie?

I figured it would be much easier to just post our picks in a separate posts rather than my Around the Rink.  So let's do it. But first, how did we do last year?  Well nobody picked the Kings for anything. Oh, and the Devils? Same thing!  So yeah, last year did not go to well for us.  One thing we got right was the worst team as Logan selected Columbus. Congrats!

Let's move into the future and take a look at the picks for 2013.

The Great and Powerful Bo

Last night as the final seconds ticked off the clock in Assembly Hall I tweeted of my never-ending support of Bo Ryan.  I professed to the world how I never doubted him, even for a minute.  Well, truth be told, that was a bunch of bullshit.  I did doubt him.  A lot.  I doubted how a team with almost zero athleticism could compete in a league that is stacked with more talent and top teams than any other conference in the country.  I doubted how we could slow down a team like Indiana who led the country in scoring.  I doubted our senior leadership because I felt we had no one to count on when we needed a big bucket or a couple clutch free throws. I doubted how we could even get the ball across half court without a point guard. 

Here's the thing.  Disciplined, smart basketball can make up for a lack of pure talent, but at the end of the day I didn’t think it would be enough, especially since the rest of the Big 10 also generally plays disciplined, smart basketball.  With no Jordan Taylor to take over a game, and no true point guard to speak of, I had my doubts.  Early in the year I not only questioned Bo Ryan’s ability to finish in the top-4 of the Big Ten, like he’s done every year, but also his ability to even make the NCAA tourney.  Something he's also done every single year in Madison.  Really, I should have known better.  Just as every journalist or prognosticator, every sports fan or casual observer should have known as well.  You should never, ever, doubt Bo Ryan. 

My Thoughts on Bielema to Arkansas

Bret Bielema is off to Arkansas and Wisconsin fans rejoice…kinda.  I’ve spent the past couple hours trying to figure out just what the hell happened here and have tried to get a handle on where Wisconsin Football goes from here.  At the risk of boring you with even more of my nonsense (hopefully you all missed my twitter rant earlier) here is how I come down on the situation.

What those outside of Wisconsin may not know is that Bielema never really had a ton of support from the University, its Alumni, or the students.  That being said, he was the hand picked successor of Coach Alvarez and he won.  He won a lot.  So between the victories and the backing of Barry, we all pretty much just dealt with the fact that we were never really pleased with him.  Wisconsin fans used the mass exodus of assistant coaches and string of close losses this year as fuel to our fire for our dislike of Bielema, and yet through it all we’re right back in the Rose Bowl again.  While I may argue we are only there in spite of him and thanks to certain behaviors of our Leaders Division foes, we’re there nonetheless and are the first back to back to back Big 10 Champions in about 40 years. Bielema does deserve some credit for that, though we can definitely argue as to how much.

Beckham's Farewell

It’s easy for passionate soccer fans to hate on David Beckham.  Some even go so far as to say he never had any intentions of playing or caring about the Galaxy and MLS.  Hell, when he had a chance to go play for AC Milan for a loan stint he did everything in his power to stay over there and missed half of a Galaxy season as a result.  He was hurt, suspended, and mentally absent for much of his time in the US.   Some would argue that he only came to LA to model underwear and help his wife become famous all over again.  They argue that the “David Beckham Experiment” failed here in the United States. But here we are today, 6 years later, and that experiment will come to a close after his final game on December 1^st  in the MLS Cup.  Some will say good riddance, and let’s let the Beckham Side Show make its next stop in Australia or Asia, or wherever Becks can cash his next paycheck.  But ultimately, those people couldn’t be more wrong.

NHL Continues to Kill The Sport, Slowly

Well, this sucks. I had this grand plan on how I could write posts, make a grand entrance, and talk about a variety of things. Then Bettman happened. It's no secret that I love the sport of hockey. I try to get everyone I know to see the greatness of the sport. The problem is that it truly is a niche sport not much higher on the ranking than soccer in this country. I had lost hope long ago of the sport being big, but now, well, it just won't matter anymore.

The Truth Behind Voter ID

One of two very important issues facing Minnesotans next week on Election Day is Voter ID. This measure would require all Minnesotans who wish to vote to show valid photo identification at the polls.  According to the bill’s author, Sen. Scott Newman, this initiative would add an “additional measure of integrity” to the election process.  And after all, who could possibly disagree with that?  The most important thing we can do as Americans is vote, so it’s vital that we protect that important process from the rampant problems we have here in Minnesota of voter fraud. 

Back and More Annoyed Than Ever

Remember me?  I'm the guy whose writings about soccer you skipped over every week so you could see what random backwards nonsense was floating in my brain in the last 7 days.  But now I'm back, and ready to get started again.  But before I go too far, lets take a look at what all happened since we went away.

New Look, Same Great Taste

Hello again, it's been too long. Too long? Too long. Hello again.

Oh, sorry I got busy singing an awesome song, and if you figure out which song you win. What do you win? Nothing, but you'll feel super cool! But seriously...

It really has been too long. The makers of this incredible site got lazy. We got busy. We kind of forgot. Worst of all though is that we forgot why we started Accidental Commentary. I've started lots of blogs and the success rate has varied. AC is the closest that I have come to exactly the blog I wanted to write for, but then we lost our way. We got a little newsy, rigid, and forced. Have you every been forced to write? It's the worst! Have you ever written something you truly loved? It's the best!

So that's why we are back. We miss writing for you and for each other. So, you're probably asking what exactly is going to change. The main thing you'll notice is that the name of this site will be a lot more true. Furthermore, we aren't going to try to be anything we're not. You will see a lot more commentary on whatever we feel like, whenever we feel like. No more rigid schedules. No more "of the week" features. Those never work. Trust me, I've tried.

That's the long winded way of saying hello. Welcome to the new world of Accidental Commentary. We hope you enjoy our ramblings about, well, everything.

-The AC Staff

Mega NBA Playoff Preview Podcast

After a very quick, but very entertaining 4 months of basketball, we are headed for what I believe will be one of the most competitive and fierce slugfests of playoff basketball since the 80’s. I am talking McHale clotheslining Rambis type plays in the coming weeks.