Braves Baseball Cards: Brian McCann Triple Jersey - Favorites From My Collection

I was thinking of finding a good way to post some of my favorite Braves cards from my collection of over 20,000 different cards depicting any player who has played at least one inning with the Atlanta/Milwaukee/Boston Braves. So, I decided to post a different card at least a few times a week. You will see autographs, jerseys, patches, hats, pants, shoes, gloves, bats and other multi-swatch cards.

Today, I chose a triple jersey card from SPX. 3 of baseball's greatest catchers: Joe Mauer, Victor Martinez, and our very own Brian McCann. Serial numbered 59/75.

Braves Baseball Cards: Favorites From My Collection: Volume 1

I was thinking of finding a good way to post some of my favorite Braves cards from my collection of over 20,000 different cards depicting any player who has played at least one inning with the Atlanta/Milwaukee/Boston Braves. So, I decided to post a different card at least a few times a week. You will see autographs, jerseys, patches, hats, pants, shoes, gloves, bats and other multi-swatch cards.

Today, to get us started I will give you an amazing John Smoltz tomahawk patch, and I will even throw in a few that the scan didn't do justice on. Theses cards were in cases, and the scanner picked up on the scratches on the plastic. Anyways, enjoy, and please leave a comment!

And, a few bonus cards!

Habs Report Card: My Take on the first 24 games

10-10-4. Not what I call impressive. Sure, there have been some highlights, but for the most part more disappointments. The coaching and his decisions have been exactly what I expected. Terrible with a daily head-scratcher. Martin isn't and never has been the right coach for the makeup of this team. We are too small up front and not physical enough on the back end to play his "lay-back and wait in the shell" style. Sadly, he is here, and that really sucks.

Lets start with the blueline:

Gorges: A- Let's face it, he is the real Captain of the Canadiens. True leader, he has even chipped in with some points. I have no idea why he wasn't signed long term. The league is seeing how good he is. Value is going up. Markov's salary better not be the reason we cant afford him in the future.

Subban: C+ Take away the first 6-7 games and he gets a B-. PK is playing like he is terrified to make a mistake. When he plays that way, he makes mistakes. Different coach = better stats.

Weber: C Now before everyone goes nuts, let me explain. I do not believe he is best suited to be a dman. He is a turnover machine, even worse than PK. I would make him a winger/point on PP.

Diaz: C I am not really a fan of his at all. I don't know what the strength of his game is and think that he HAS to be the odd man out when the injured guys come back.

Spacek: B- He had played a little better before he got hurt. Biggest key? He is only playing 15+ minutes. Any more, his grade will go down.

Gill: B+ Skillsy is a playoffs guy. His style when games are more wide-open is not near as effective as his shutdown playoff style. He will be an A in the playoffs again I am sure.

Emelin: B Finally, a guy who brings a physical presence to the front of Carey Price's net. He is quickly getting used to the smaller ice surface, and is becoming a steady defensive dman.

Campoli/St. Denis: Incomplete. I don't see St. Denis getting any time with the big club when the injured players come back. Campoli just shouldn't be on the ice.

Markov: (Management: F) Until he proves that he can play and stay healthy this signing will continue to stink. I love the guy, but he played 52 games in 2 years and he has missed the first 24 this year. Hardly a guy I would pay that much money for, especially on a 3 year deal. I hope he gets in the lineup, plays well, and we win. I am just not convinced he will stay healthy and I wrote that in a blog in July.

Forwards:

Plekanec: B The points are there but something is missing in his game. His intensity, usually his strong point, seems to flicker at times. He has great shifts, then horrible ones. Injury?

Pacioretty: A Despite the possibility of a suspension, Max has been a bright spot up front. Drives the net, hits, and is shooting from anywhere and everywhere. Should be a 35 goal power forward. That's a rarity in Montreal.

Cole: B+ If he finished half of the chances he had in the last 10 games, he would have close to 15 goals. After just 1 assist in his first 6 games, he has put up 7-6-13 in his last 18 games. With all of the chances he creates, he should lead us in goals, easily. Best Free Agent signing we have had in a long long time.

Desharnais: C Severely miscast as an NHL center. Too small and not fast enough. His points come from the line he plays on, and he would be better suited to play the wing with Gionta perhaps.

Cammalleri: C- This could even be lower. The points gets him the grade. Effort, and will to win should give him a D or an F especially the last 5 games or so. Allergic to hits. We need him to be much better, and he has proven that he has it in him to be a force.....a positive one.

Moen: A-  I love what he has brought to the team, but I would not be surprised if he is used in a deal. He is tough and a leader. However, his value is at an all-time high. He isn't as good as his 8 goals show. I want him here, but if someone overvalued him, I would think about it.

Kostitsyn: B Was playing very well before the injury and has recently returned. Contract year, has a ton to prove. Hope he stays in Montreal, but like Moen, could be used as trade bait for a bigger fish.

Eller: B Lars brings so much more than points. I believe that we won the Halak trade anyway (Price gets to play, has been MUCH better than Halak since, and Eller is a stud in the making), and his two-way game continues to improve. Should be the center for Cole and Pacioretty.

Gomez: D- I could give him an F or even a G but I will give him a break. I wont even mention the salary (I guess I did, sorry), but when a top 2 center doesn't score a goal in over 40 games then he is terrible. When he doesn't hit, coughs the puck up, and has 4 assists in 13 games it makes it even worse. When he plays, the other forwards get less minutes, especially Eller. Just send him to the minors already.

Nokelainen: C He is hard to grade. 4th line journeyman center who doesn't provide offence, hit or fight is not my style of player, but he does win face offs and he is responsible in his own end: two things that we needed.

Darche: D- Gets powerplay time and still only has 1 point in 24 games? BRUTAL. Its not his fault, its Jacques Martin's man-crush he has. Darche is becoming my new Tom Pyatt, but his "frenchness" will keep him in the lineup even longer. Ugh.

Blunden: C A guy that took Ryan White's spot as a 4th line winger that hit, would stand up for teammates and was responsible in his own end? Obviously Martin would send a guy like that to the AHL. He should have stayed till White came back.

Palushaj: D- When I watch him, I wonder if he just got his first pair of skates as a birthday present. He has no balance, does not provide any offense, and is often out of position. Doesn't hit either. Why is Blunden in the AHL again?

Engqvist: F Has to be running out of chances in Montreal. Looked out of place and uninterested in his 8 game stint. With the Habs so desparate for a big centerman, he had the chance given to him on a silver platter. He failed.

Goalies:

Budaj: B+ Great numbers in limited action, and from what I hear/read is a super teammate and love the fact that the Habs signed him. He knows his role and that is key.

Price: A- Starting to roll, the MVP of this team by a country mile. Will be a Vezina threat for the next 10 years. Leader on and off the ice, taking over as the dependable leader that we hoped he would be.

Habs Hit Leaders - After 21 Games (9-9-3)

A major stat when building and evaluating a team, in my opinion, is the number of hits that your team throws. Below is the "Hit Race" for both forwards and defensemen - total hits (games played)

After game on November 21, 2011 - 21 games (9-9-3)

Forwards

Cole 58 (21)
Moen 40 (21)
Darche 26 (21)
Gionta 24 (21)
Pacioretty 23 (21)
Eller 20 (19)
Kostitsyn 18 (13)
Plekanec 16 (21)
Blunden 14 (8)
Nokelainen 14 (19)
Palushaj 9 (11)
Desharnais 9 (21)
Engqvist 5 (8)
Gomez 3 (12)
Cammalleri 2 (16)

Defensemen

Emelin 43 (13)
Gorges 27 (21)
Subban 21 (21)
Gill 16 (16)
Spacek 12 (12)
Diaz 12 (21)
Weber 11 (21)
St. Denis 1 (4)
Campoli 0 (1)

Newfs only: NHL Scoring Race - Dec 20, 2011

As a tribute to my fellow Newfoundlanders, I will be updating the NHL scoring race amongst the guys from The Rock!

 As of Dec 19th games:

POINTS:
1. Luke Adam - Buf - 20
2. Michael Ryder - Dal -  20
3. Ryane Clowe - SJ - 19
4. Teddy Purcell - TB - 17
5. Colin Greening - Ott - 16
6. Dan Cleary - Det - 16
7. Adam Pardy - Dal - 1

GOALS:
1. Michael Ryder - Dal - 11
2. Luke Adam - Buf - 10
3. Colin Greening - Ott - 8
4. Dan Cleary - Det - 8
5. Ryane Clowe - SJ - 7
6. Teddy Purcell - TB -  6
7. Adam Pardy - Dal - 0

Blog #22 - Looking back: Atlanta Braves Predictions

 Its been nearly 2 weeks since the Braves broke my heart. September was very difficult to watch as a life-long fan. The starting staff got hurt, McCann and Prado did not return to form after injuries, and this team forgot how to hit. Fredi Gonzalez showed his true colors as a manager (USELESS) and his disregard for the bullpen arms caught up with him during the final few weeks. On the bright side, the epic collapse cost Larry Parrish his job. Had we snuck into the playoffs he may have been extended. Another positive? We have learned that Frank Wren is THE BOSS. I am really enjoying his line of accountability for this ball club.

 Looking back to my Blog from July 10th, here is what I predicted for the second half. Obviously my end-game prediction was off, but I am not going to hide away from my predictions. @stevieincognito does not hide!

Stevieincognito's BOLD predictions:
1. Dan Uggla leads the team in HR with 30. He raises his average at end of year to .240
2. Brian McCann finishes with .320 25-90 and is in top 5 for MVP voting.
3. Jason Heyward gets red-hot in August and finishes with .265 20-70
4. Chipper Jones plays in 40 of the last 70. Finishes with .267 13-65
5. We make a trade for a veteran reliever, and a RH bat (gut is saying Willingham), Prado gets on a roll in August, & the lineup scores .75 more runs/game.
6. We add Moylan and Medlen to the pen. Proctor and Gearrin out. Kimbrel saves 46 games. Venters gets 8.
7. Hanson leads the team with 19 wins, Jurrjens gets 18.
8. Second half record: 41-29. Season record: 95-67. Wild card champs, NL champs, WS champs.

Ok, I was right about Uggla. He did lead the team in HR with 36 and did rise his ave to .233 - a major upgrade on the sub .200 ave he had at the time.

I was way off with McCann. As stated earlier, he never recovered from the oblique injury. He played everyday but he was horrible at the plate in the second half. Final stats: .270 24-71

Jason Heyward. Wow, where do I begin? He showed flashes for a game or two and i would feel better about my prediction. Then, he would go a week without hitting a ball hard. Final stats: .227 14-42

Chipper actually played more down the stretch than I thought he would, and exceeded my expectations for the season. He will be back, to further hamstring our chances. .275 18-70

We didn't trade for a vet reliever and it really really hurt us. We needed a guy to take some of the pressure off of the young arms at the end of the pen. The RH batter we brought in was Matt Diaz and his Rafael Belliard type power. However, we did acquire Michael Bourn and the offense did seem to have a bit more stability. However, Martin Prado didn't help much.

My finest prediction moment. Moylan and Medlin did return (Peter went out for the season shortly after). Proctor and Gearrin were out. Kimbrel saved EXACTLY 46 games, Venters saved 5.

Both Hanson and Jurrjens got hurt and finished with 11 and 13 wins respectively. Tim Hudson led the team with 16 victories.

Second half record: 35-35. Season Record: 89-73. 2nd in the East, Missed Playoffs.

Interesting note: The top 9 highest payroll teams are all out of the playoffs now. The Braves were 15th highest.

October 5, 2011 - Poll results: Montreal Canadiens 2011-12: Leading Scorer Predictions

Thanks to everyone for their responses. My pick is also below. I went with Pacioretty. If these predictions are any indication, we all believe that we are going to have an improved offense!

 Pacioretty 42 - @vivianmtl

Cammalleri 42 - @NastyKnate

Cammalleri 40 - @RichSavarie 

Cammalleri 38 - @SoPoHab  

Plekanec 35 - @stacy_814

Cammalleri 35 - @Habsfanontario 

Cammalleri 35 - @RogerHulan

Cammalleri 35 - @imisssaku  

Cammalleri 35 - @beakermania  

Cammalleri 35 - @habsfan6731

Gionta 35 - @RindaMichelle

Pacioretty 34 - @Stevieincognito 

Pacioretty 33 - @PaciorettyFans

Gomez 22 - @ReallySorce

 

Sept 23 - Poll results: Favorite Nintendo (NES) game ever?

In a SHOCKER, no game was selected twice. Here are the poll results, all with 1 vote each.

Ice Hockey, Super Mario, Super Mario 3, Dr. Mario, Castlevania, Contra, Blades of Steel, RBI Baseball, Tecmo Bowl, TMNT, Mega Man, Ninja Gaiden, BaseWars, ExciteBike, Duck Hunt

Thanks to all who sent in answers!

Inside the mind of Incognito (Blog # 21)

Sometimes I like to sit around and daydream. I often think about cool jobs that I could have. Some days, I am the starting centerfielder or closer for the Atlanta Braves. A Chippendale’s dancer or team mascot would be sweet. Other days I am James Bond, not in the movies, but in real life. However, of all the awesome scenarios that I think of, the one that brings me the most excitement is when I think about being an action movie/television star.

The possibilities are truly endless.  I could be the next Arnold, starring in recreations of The Predator or perhaps Commando. I could star in The Expendables 2. How cool would that be? Stallone, Li, Statham, Van Damme, Norris, Crews, Willis, INCOGNITO. I can visualize the trailers now. Maybe I could become the new Burt Reynolds, drive a Dodge Challenger and star in Smokey and The Bandit 3. I have the chest hair, and sexy facial hair already so why not? I could make a REAL version of Mission Impossible. Start the movie by killing off Tom Cruise and actually telling an interesting story that fans of the show would actually want to watch. I could star with Will Ferrell in Old School 2 or maybe a baseball movie, or even a movie where we both understand and can talk with cats.  Get your popcorn ready folks!

My real passion though would be to star in a TV series like Hawaii Five-0.  I would be McGarrett, and Uggla would be Danno. I would also love to play a role in Human Target if it was still around. Perhaps I could get MacGyver back on the air. I can make a pistol out of elastic, a push pin and a stick of gum. I could also star in remakes of Knight Rider/Air Wolfe/A-Team/Matlock. Look at it this way: Republic of Doyle is one of the great TV shows on the air today, and that has a Newfoundlander as the lead role, so we know that society is ready for all of this action!

Oh well. I don’t think that I will actually be any of these things but I am happy that I have such a ridiculous imagination. I have no idea where it comes from, but it makes life interesting to be sure.

Atlanta Braves First Half Report & Predictions (54-38, 3.5 GB) Blog#20

The first half officially ended for the Braves a few hours ago after a 14-1 loss to the front-running Phillies. This ties the season series at 6-6, an amazing accomplishment when we realize that Scott Proctor pitched in a few of those games. All kidding aside, the Braves are exactly where I predicted they would be.....within striking distance of the Phils, and leading the wild card.

My prediction was spot-on, but how we have gotten to this point has been very different to how I thought it to happen. The pitching has been stronger than even I expected, the defense has been a lot better than I could have ever imagined, and the hitting, well that's a different story. I predicted with Fredi Gonzalez running the team, we would steal bases and hit-and-run teams to death. However, it's been the speed game that has died. Worst in the majors in steals, our leader Schafer has just 11, and only one other player has even 5. We only have one .300+ hitter in all-star Brian McCann, and the team has a slew of players with sub .235 averages .300 on base %'s. To sum it up: BRUTAL.

The pen has been flat out amazing led by O'Flaherty, Venters, and Kimbrel. All get A+ marks. Sherrill and Linebrink have really come on, Martinez gave us some great outings, and Moylen was strong. Gearrin has been OK, and Proctor is what we all that he would be: An overrated pile of HORSESH*T. (Since June 1: 15GP 0-3, 8.25ERA, 1.75WHIP, 12IP, 16H, 5BB, 10K, 4HR)

The starters have been a bright spot. Jurrjens and Hanson have taken that next step into stardom, Hudson has been steady, even brilliant at times. Beachy is showing that he is next to break through, and Lowe has been serviceable. Minor and Teheran are not quite ready for prime time but have great futures.

The bench has been strong after starting the season 0-25 pinch-hitting or whatever it was. Conrad, Ross, and Hinske have all provided power and Ramirez is an interesting option at the end of the bench.

Projected (Healthy) Lineup:

Schafer
Prado
McCann
Jones
Freeman
Uggla
Heyward
Gonzalez

Bench: McLouth, Ross, Hinske, Conrad, Lugo

Stevieincognito's BOLD predictions:
1. Dan Uggla leads the team in HR with 30. He raises his average at end of year to .240
2. Brian McCann finishes with .320 25-90 and is in top 5 for MVP voting.
3. Jason Heyward gets red-hot in August and finishes with .265 20-70
4. Chipper Jones plays in 40 of the last 70. Finishes with .267 13-65
5. We make a trade for a veteran reliever, and a RH bat (gut is saying Willingham), Prado gets on a roll in August, & the lineup scores .75 more runs/game.
6. We add Moylan and Medlen to the pen. Proctor and Gearrin out. Kimbrel saves 46 games. Venters gets 8.
7. Hanson leads the team with 19 wins, Jurrjens gets 18.
8. Second half record: 41-29. Season record: 95-67. Wild card champs, NL champs, WS champs.

TOP 10 - Favorite Atlanta Braves Ever - Catcher (Blog #19)

 This is #2 in a series of my favorite Braves players. Please check out my favorite Outfielders (Blog #13).

The Atlanta Braves have been my passion for the last 23+ years. I have watched lean years, average years, and a whole lot of AMAZING years. Over this time I have been blessed to see some of my favorite players ever grace the Fulton-County Stadium and Turner Field crowds with many memorable moments.

Today we move on to the Catchers. Throughout the years we as Braves fans have been blessed to see a number of star catchers in Atlanta, and a few that have left some great memories.

10. Damon Berryhill - A key cog in our '92 and '93 teams, he provided 18-86 in just over 640 at-bats. Not bad for a platoon catcher who just happened to switch-hit.

9. Ernie Whitt - I added Ernie because I enjoyed watching him in the early-mid 1980's in Toronto. By the time he was a Brave, he was well past his prime. Clutch late game hitter on some great 80's Jays teams.

8. Henry Blanco - Hank White was a solid backup and seemed to pick up the odd important hit during his stay. I loved his game behind the plate and gave a huge target, also had a gun for an arm.

7. Francisco Cabrera - Could easily be #2 on my list just because of the immediate thought that comes to mind when I hear the name. Drove in the infamous "Sid Slid" NLCS game winning run in 1992. Easily my favorite Braves moment. However, Frankie was horrible, and didn't really play much more of a role during his Braves career.

6. Greg Olson - Greg with one G. Was our all-star catcher in 1990, but is best known for the 1992 collision with Ken Caminiti at the plate that broke his leg. Olson became the rallying point around my favorite Braves season ever. The cast with the Tomahawk is something I will remember forever!

5. Johnny Estrada - "Chips" was thought to be a throw-in in the Kevin Millwood trade to Philadelphia but was actually an all-star in 2004 and actually received MVP votes. I liked his game and he seemed to be a great teammate. Great transition player between the years of #1, and #2 on this list.

4. Eddie Perez - What is, or was not to love about Eddie? I enjoyed him as a player, and still love him as a fixture in the Braves coaching staff in the bullpen. Eddie was a defensive wizard who provided a few late inning heroics of his own. Ultimate team player, still a leader on this team.

3. David Ross - Not only is he the best back-up catcher in the bigs now, he may be the best back-up of ALL-TIME. All the guy does is give you amazing game-calling, with a rocket arm and a powerful bat. He knows his role on the team and is the perfect compliment to the everyday catcher.

2. Javy Lopez - It truly is a testament to the #1 on this list that I could put Javy at #2. All Javy did was give us power, multiple endless memories during our greatest time as a franchise, and perhaps my favorite walk-up music ever. Whenever I hear "Limelight"by RUSH, I get goosebumps and think of how many times that music was the warning that we all had that something big was about to happen. I caught 2 baseballs that he hit in Montreal and they are a favorite in my vast and ever-growing collection. One of my favorite players.



1. Brian McCann - Wow! To dethrone Javy Lopez on my list, you have to be great, and trust me Brian McCann is that. MLB's best catcher and truly one of the sports biggest stars, sadly a fact not noticed by National media. Clutch should be renamed "McClutch" with Brian around. From the monumental playoff HR off of Roger Clemens to the numbers that he is putting up daily now, the guy gets better and better. As Chipper Jones says, this is McCann's team. That my friends is high praise. 6 years, 6 all-star games including last years MVP. Can you just imagine how great his numbers would be if our lineup actually got on base? Yikes!

Marvelous Mascots Vol. 2 - San Diego Chicken (Blog #18)

Volume 2: San Diego Chicken (Please read Volume 1. Blog #13 - Harry The Hawk - Atlanta Hawks)

Over the next few months I will be introducing you to some of my favorite sports mascots. I like these guys for a number of different reasons. Some are funny, some are athletic, and some are great dancers. Imagine, getting free tickets to all the games and getting to act crazy, and hit on women all for comedic purposes. That's impressive!

Keeping with the winged variety, today I look back at one of the ICONS of the mascot world, The San Diego Chicken. Brought to life in the late 1970's by Ted Giannoulas, The Chicken was once a mainstay of the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium. Since the 1980's, the Chicken has be seen at major sporting events around the US and on the odd YouTube video. Perhaps the best comedy-skit performing mascot ever. Great work with kids and was the best at making fun of the games' officials. This guy still has it all!

Twitter Poll: June 14 - Favorite Super Hero Ever? - YOUR ANSWERS

1. Batman (3)
2. @secretagentcat (2)
3. Superman (2)
4. Spider-Man (2)

1 vote each - Punisher, Terry Fox, Aquaman, Wolverine, BatGirl, Dale Murphy, Kaboom, Ninja Turtles, Johnny Venters, Captain Nemo, Super Grover, Iron Man

 Follow the daily questions at @stevieincognito on Twitter!

Stevieincognito's Goofy Gadgets & Awesome Ads Vol. 2 (Blog #17)

One of my favourite television ad campaigns growing up was for a claims lawyer in the US. His ads would run constantly on FOX and sometimes on TBS. The sound was loud, the graphics were cheesy, and the intense close-up of his angered face made for some of the most memorable ads in TV history. If you were hurt and missed work, you needed a nasty S.O.B. on your side. Nobody fit the bill better than Jim “THE HAMMER” Shapiro. 1-800-546-7777

I heard that he had his licence suspended twice over the years, sadly though for not “beating the money that you deserve” out of someone. Still, I salute you Jim “THE HAMMER” Shapiro, for helping to shape my life and for teaching me that anger solves everything.

Enjoy these CLASSICS! 

Stevieincognito's Magnificent Movies Vol. 1 (Blog #16)

Throughout history, there have been many noteworthy movies that really changed the times, or life as we know it. Important films, films that shaped culture or told a story that needed to be told. Many times, within these films, we saw dramatic performances by actors/actresses that really set the bar for all performances that would come after. In my first installment of this blog series, I will start with perhaps the greatest acting performances in a dramatic film that the world has ever seen. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger as John Matrix, and Vernon Wells as Bennett in the 1985 masterpiece Commando. I was shocked and appalled when this brilliant 90 minute dynamo did not sweep the Oscars. The acting, musical score and amazing costume designs have yet to be matched in any one movie, regardless of genre.

The portrayal of Bennett is the sacred jewel of this treasure. Vernon Wells was perfectly cast to be the main villain for Arnold. Wells gave a contrast to Arnold's ripped muscular physique. Sporting no muscle tone underneath of a chain-mail vest, tight army pants, finger-less gloves, and ultra-manly moustache, Bennett was the ULTIMATE Commando. Wielding a knife and a classy accent, Bennett showed the world what a real bad guy was supposed to be.....fearless, aggressive, and practically orgasmic when fighting against his foe. With lines such as "I'm not gonna shoot you between the eyes John, I'm gonna shoot you between the balls." how can this not be seen as the greatest villain ever. Yes, he does look like the 80's version of Simon Cowell.

This movie also starred a very young Alyssa Milano, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya, and a cast of Val Verdian Heavies. I just saw the Director's cut for the first time and the extra 2 minutes of film was well worth the 26 years that I have waited to see it. Great to hear bad guy Sully add another insult or two. Now, the remake is finally getting close to production. A new generation of movie goers about to learn about the history of the Island of Val Verde, and the political struggles that it faces. Thank you Commando, thank you! Please enjoy the original theatrical trailer, followed by Commando: The Musical.

My Habs Summer Blueprint! (Blog #15)

Losing to the Bruins is always tough. Take away the history of the last 3 months and its still tough. We took them to 7 games but the flaws in our system reared their ugly head.

Let me take this time to point out that this is MY OPINION.

We have built a team of small and quick forwards and a blue line of softer and slow defensemen. Yet, we play a style of trapping and sitting on leads by collapsing all players around our goalie. Most third periods when we have a lead consist of us playing a short-handed box even if we have five skaters on the ice. We sit back and let the other team fire at will, and attempt to clear the puck out as far as center. So, in reality, if the goalie does not steal games, we do not win. Is it a great coaching system by Jacques Martin, or merely a hope that Carey Price steals the show night after night?

Two things always stand out. First of all, we seem to be amongst the league leaders in injuries every year. That may have to do with the fact that we play all night in our own end in a passive stance. Our d-men are getting hit all night. Secondly, I can usually count to well over 20 times a night a player has the puck on his stick and doesn't get the puck out of our own end. We don't cover the points, and we play soft in our own end, well, except for Paul Mara, but he never gets to play.

With all that in mind (and remembering that this is strictly MY OPINION) this is what I would love to see in the off season for my Montreal Canadiens.

#1 - Replace Jacques Martin. Move him up in the organization or out, I don't care. Replace him with Muller. Bring in an experienced former coach as the assistant. This wont happen, so i will make the rest of my "moves" with the assumption that JM is behind the bench.

#2 - Re-sign UFA's Hal Gill and Brent Sopel. If we play JM's style you need shot-blocking shut-down defensemen.

#3 - UFA's to let walk - Sanford, Halpern, Mara, Wisniewski, Auld. Wiz is going to want too much money for what he brings, Auld costs too much for a guy who doesn't play, and Mara will never be a guy in JM's plans. As for Halpern, he will get a raise, doesn't produce enough to warrant it.

#4 - UFA decisions: Markov and Darche. If we can get Darche back at the same money or maybe $700,000 I would bring him back if he was a 4th line guy only. As for Markov, I look at it like this: He has been an amazing talent for us, but has suffered multiple bad injuries in two years. I have had knee injuries, not as bad as he has, and trust me, you are not the same after. He was a player before the injuries that was worth $6 million a season. Right now, he is not. I would bet that he and his agent will be looking for a multi-year deal at around the same money. I would give him an offer of 1 year / $4 Million, or 2 years / $7.5 Million. If he doesn't take it, I let him walk. We have had success without him, and I don't see the risk in giving him more. If he gets hurt with a huge contract we are in the same boat for a third straight year. Does he make us better? YES, when he plays. The power play wasn't that bad without him, and the wild card in all of this is Subban. He is/and will be THE MAN back there so I am not as worried as some for not having a big money #1 defenseman.

#5 - Re-sign RFA's - Pacioretty, Kostitsyn, Desharnais, White, Dawes, Gorges. Then, bring Dawes up to the big club.

#6 - Bring over Alexei Yemelin from Russia. Rugged stay at home d-man, who has been a great player in the KHL.

#7 - RFA's to let walk - Pyatt, Boyd, Picard. Boyd and Picard are never going to get a chance, and probably don't warrant it, especially in the case of Picard. As for Tom Pyatt, I do not see what anyone sees in this guy. He doesn't score, hit, fight, or win end-zone face-offs late in games. Dawes would be a better 4th line fit.

#8 - Look to make a splash with a trade. I would even look to trade a few of my favorites if it meant helping the team in the big picture. As long as Price, Subban, Plekanec, and Pacioretty are kept, I am happy. I would post my trade bait buffet to include Cammalleri, Desharnais, Pouliot, Spacek and Weber.

#9 - As for Weber, he is starting to grow on me a little. If we do keep him, it is essential that he becomes a 4th line winger/point man on power play. He is not strong enough defensively to be on our blue line.

#10 - Listen to what Hamrlik has proposed, and see how cheaply you could get him to be a 5/6/7th d-man. If he really wants to stay that bad, see how far he will go to stay.

#11 - Try once again to trade Scott Gomez. If you can't put him on waivers and send him to the minors. Those minutes are better used by Eller/Desharnais or new center.

#12 - Sign a UFA goalie to a league minimum contract. He will never play anyway. I will save money here.

#13 - Look for forwards in the UFA market who are amongst leaders in hits and can score a few. I looked it up and here are a few interesting names with their stats (Size - G-A-P-Hits) (10-11 salary). Our leader in hits was Kostitsyn with 140 and only a handful over 100 for the season. If we are going to play a rugged defensive style, I would rather have these guys than guys like Pyatt, Halpern and Gomez.

Konopka 6-0 211 - 2-7-9 110 hits (600,000) Face-off machine, team player, tough guy.
Asham 5-11 205 - 5-6-11 107 hits (44 games) (700,000) Rugged veteran, tough on boards
Ryan Jones 6'1 202 - 18-7-25 152 hits (975,000) Scoring touch, big hitter, stays out of box
Talbot - 5'11 190 - 8-13-21 154 hits (1,050,000) Playoff experience, tough battler, french
Glencross - 6'1 195 - 24-19-43 105 hits (1,200,000) Great 2 way player, takes puck to the net
Laich - 6-2 200 - 16-32-48 113 hits (2,066,000) Caps may have $ issues. Steal if we could get him.

Bottom line: I predict that we do next to nothing. That is usually our style. I wish we had a different coach, and if we did, I would have suggested different moves to be honest. We just need the personnel to fit the game plan. I love the off season, and hope that the GM gets to work right now.

My Favorite Atlanta Braves Ever - OF (Blog #14)

The Atlanta Braves have been my passion for the last 23+ years. I have watched lean years, average years, and a whole lot of AMAZING years. Over this time I have been blessed to see some of my favorite players ever grace the Fulton-County Stadium and Turner Field crowds with many memorable moments.

Today, I start with the Outfielders. Its the position that I played the majority of my life (center field) and the spot that I happen to noticed the most when watching a ball game. I am going to pick my top 10 favorite Braves Outfielders ever. Obviously Henry Aaron would be on the list of best ever, but I am only including the guys that I was able to watch and follow. *Dale Murphy is not on my top 10 because I didn't get to see him play until he was a .220 hitter. He was all class, and watching old film of him makes me believe that he would be close to the top of this list if I had have watched him play his whole career.

10. Charles Thomas - The closest thing that the Braves have had comparable to Dominique Wilkins. Thomas was "The Human Highlight Film." The little left fielder made diving and leaping catches nearly every night. Formed the best defensive OF I have ever witnessed in 2004 with JD Drew, and Andruw Jones. Had tough at-bats and many timely hits during his short tenure as a starter with the Braves. Played baseball the way I like baseball to be played, hard and all-out every pitch.

9. Marquis Grissom - Came to us in 1995 and immediately gave us a center fielder who could steal bases and provide some power at the top of the lineup. His defense was great, and he recorded the final out in our only World Series Championship in Atlanta. He played 2 seasons and was then traded in the worst trade I ever had to deal with. He and David Justice to Cleveland for Kenny Lofton (Super Punk) and Alan Embree. Still makes me gag.

8. Ryan Klesko - From the second he left the on-deck circle you knew you were in for a treat. The boom of the intro to Even Flow by Pearl Jam got the crowd going. Shortly after you saw a man possessed at the dish. To this day, the hardest and most violent swing I have ever seen. He swung so hard, he often had to loosen the top two buttons on his shirt. The guy was the size of an ox, and punished pitchers while in our lineup. Only things as punishing, his time in left field. What he missed in the grace category, he made up for with hustle.

7. Deion Sanders - Prime Time. Helicopter to the field after a Falcons NFL game to play baseball the same night. This guy was so talented of an athlete it was downright scary. Fastest player the Braves have had in my time. I still remember he and Otis Nixon running the bases on a gap triple. Looked like half of the 4X100 relay team. I just with sanders would have played baseball only. How good could he have been. His run-in with Tim McCarver pretty much sealed his fate in Atlanta.

6. Martin Prado - Professional hitter, one of the greatest team players we have had in 20+ years of me following this team. He can play anywhere and play it very well. He has been in the outfield for a month and he already looks like a seasoned veteran out there. I love his approach and his "do anything to win" attitude. He is what professional sports needs more of.

5. Otis Nixon - Skeletor was always one of my favorite guys to play like. I was skinny like he was, fast and didn't have any power. I loved how he would slap-hit, drag bunt, and get on to steal bases for us. in 1991 he stole 72 bases. My favorite moment is "The Catch" against the Pirates Andy Van Slyke.

4. Ron Gant - Ronnie was the man in the Braves lineup that could do it all! Back-to-back 30HR/30SB seasons in 1990 and 1991, and a 36 HR season in 1993. His dirt bike accident in the off season in 1993 ended his contract with the Braves. So much potential, he was never the same after the incident. He was a favorite of my Mom as well. In fact, Twitter and Internet sensation @secretagentcat is named after Gant!

3. David Justice - Mr. Brave in the early to mid 90's. Played great defense and was a late inning heroic hitter in our lineup from 1990-1996 including hitting the game-winning HR in the 1-0 win that clinched the 1995 World Series championship. He was an odd guy, but he did marry Halle Berry so I guess crazy attracts crazy. My other cat was named after Justice!

2. Jason Heyward - I have never been so excited to see a position player come through the ranks to make his debut with the Braves. The guy is a flat-out BEAST. Already shows the poise of a 15 year veteran at the plate, and has tremendous power. Going to be very blessed to see him play his career in Atlanta. One of the rare players in baseball where fans, even non-Braves fans stop what they are doing when the game is on to see his at-bat. Two straight opening day first at-bat home runs are the stuff that builds the legend.

1. Andruw Jones - You know how it begins. 2 home runs in his debut World Series game in 1996. For more than a decade he was the best center fielder in all of baseball, seemingly covering half of the outfield by himself. He made so many incredible catches, including a slew of diving catches that would frequent the SportsCenter Top 10 four nights a week. in fact, he won 10-straight Gold Gloves between 1998-2007. At the plate I saw the highs and the lows. Raw talent led to a 51 HR season and seven 30+HR campaigns. However, his lack of discipline was seen in both his approach and his diet habits. Funny thing is, he left for the money, and never played well after leaving. I am just glad that I can say that I saw the best defensive center fielder play in his prime live on seven different occasions.

Stevieincognito's Marvelous Mascots Vol. 1 (Blog #13)

As I wrote about in Blog #11 and mentioned in an earlier blog, I love mascots, especially sports mascots. I was employed as a mascot about 10 years ago, no kidding. I was the Club Z bear Zeddy from Zellers Department Store, and I was also Barney the Dinosaur at a fundraising event in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Being a mascot is a pretty fun gig. Sure its really warm, and the mascot head is pretty heavy, but the dancing and look on the kids faces is really worth it.

Over the next few months I will be introducing you to some of my favorite sports mascots. I like these guys for a number of different reasons. Some are funny, some are athletic, and some are great dancers. Imagine, getting free tickets to all the games and getting to act crazy, and hit on women all for comedic purposes. That's impressive!

My First mascot that I want to introduce is Harry T. Hawk, the OUTSTANDING mascot of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Quickly becoming an Internet sensation, Harry is known for hitting half-court shots, some amazing dancing, and a flair for the dramatic when delivering the age old gaffs like dropping the birthday cake, attacking the "planted" opponent fan, and pranking a ref or kid. My bucket list is not complete until I get my pic taken with Harry. Please enjoy the videos.

Gushue Sports Cards - My Crazy Card Obsession (Blog #12)

To be honest, it started as a way to ensure that I would behave. The thought of not getting a pack of baseball/hockey cards when Mom and my Nan got home from town had a hypnotic type of power over me. In fact, Gushue Cards is a tribute to both of those incredible women for everything that they have done in my life, let alone starting me on this journey into a sports card craze. I was 4 years old when I first got a pack of cards. I can remember the set vividly. 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey. Ray Bourque, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Michel Goulet rookies and a second year Wayne Gretzky are the top line cards from the set. To me, it was an introduction to something about the game that I could have for myself. I would count them, stack them, and of course collect them. Good Lord, did I collect them, I still have not stopped.

Over the years, I have collected just about everything when its come to cards. I have watched how the hobby has turned into a world-wide business, and how the "chase' of finding the Rookie Card (RC) has been replaced my the card that holds the nicest piece of fabric from a jersey, or a splinter from a bat or stick. Rookie cards now have to be serial numbered for anyone to care, especailly if they are of a low printing quantity. They passion and excitement of opening a pack to see what treasures lie inside still get me every time. Sadly, the 15 cent pack of cards are now anywhere between $1.25 and $250 A PACK! So, my excitement sessions with cards are not as often. This is the unfortunate part of any growing market or item.

I collect for the love of collecting. As most of you know, I sell cards through my eBay store http://stores.ebay.com/Gushue-Sports-Cards and I have brought back the art of collecting AMAZING cards while not breaking the bank. To me, card collecting is a rite of passage, a time spent between parent and child, or old friends who argue about who was the greatest hitter of all-time or who was better: Gretzky or Bobby Orr. I wanted to provide a place to share excitement of opening a pack, but with a guarantee of getting a pretty great card every time!

I have moved around quite a lot in my life and much of my collection/belongings are in boxes. I have been fortunate to work in some great companies and meet a lot of great people who have helped me obtain a pretty vast sports and memorabilia collection. I decided, mainly because I have to start getting rid of some of this stuff (Autographs, pucks, McFarlane and Kenner action figures, photos, team collectibles, etc), that it would be really fun to reward customers who purchase a large order of items with FREE BONUS items from my collection. In 2011 alone, I have given away 4 large boxes of items from all 4 major sports. (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA). See pics of a small part of whats left:

Over the past few years I have included many AMAZING cards in my card lots. Rookies, Autographed cards, Jersey cards, Stick cards, Bat cards, Puck cards, even cards limited to less than 10 in the whole world! Everything is added at random, so like buying packs in your local store, you have no idea what you are getting! Take a look at these videos for some of the cards that have been, or in some cases, still are available!

If you enjoy collecting, or have a son or daughter who is interested in starting a collection, please drop me a line, or take a look at my store. As always, please leave a comment!