Dallas Braden, you are PERFECT!

Who is Dallas Braden?

I'd say about 98% of North America had no clue who Dallas Braden was prior to May 9th, 2010. I'd say about 97% of North America have no clue about him now, and that's disturbing.

On Mothers day of 2010, Dallas Braden became the 19th pitcher, and 17th in the Modern Era (since 1900) to throw a PERFECT game. For all the newbies who don't know what a "Perfect Game" is, this is where a pitcher throws a complete game shutout without any opposing player reaching base. 27 up, 27 down. 17 pitchers since 1900. There are roughly 4800 games played per year in a major league season. Since 1900 that equates to roughly 500,000 MLB games played, and ONLY 17 have been perfect. An amazing and rare feat indeed.

I texted a good buddy of mine, shortly after I found out that Braden had thrown a perfect game, and I was like "Yo, Dallas BRADEN!" and he promptly replied "Who?". I explained to him what happened, to which he replied "Oh, cool!" I was puzzled, he didn't understand how rare of a feat this was, and how impressed I was. There was no "HOLY FUCK!" or "OMG!" like if Jaroslav Spacek scored a game-trying goal in game fucking 5 or a conference Semi-final game, which of course is SO RARE.

There are some more storylines to make this even more impressive. Earlier in the season, Baseball "legend" and always "douchebag" Alex Rodriguez broke one of the "unwritten rules of baseball" and crossed the mound after a foul ball was hit, thus pissing off Dallas Braden. "A-Rod" in a post-game interview, refused to go on about the situation, saying that he didn't want to "prolong Braden's 15 minutes of fame".

Cue Mothers day, May 9th 2010. Dallas Braden, a 26 year-old 24th round pick out of Texas Tech, threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history. Braden, who lost his mother while he was in high-school, due to cancer, and was raised by his grandmother, and was among the 12,000 fans in attendance in Oakland on Sunday. After retiring Gabe Kapler on a groundout to Cliff Pennington, Braden was congratulated by his teammates, and then promptly pointed into the stands and called his grandmother onto the field. She came down and they consoled each-other, thus leading Braden to break down and start crying. Truly a special moment.

Cue Sunday night's Sportcenter in Canada, what do we lead off with? The VANCOUVER CANUCKS beat Chicago in game 5 of the Western Conference semi-finals.

How the FUCK does this lead off a sports progamme over something that has only occured 17 times in the last 110 years? With the storylines involved, and the sheer irregularity that the perfect game was, how does a GAME 5 WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL lead off your broadcast?!?! Odds are that most Canadians were watching said game. When i watch a show with updates, i'd rather be updated on the shit that I wasn't capable of seeing, or something I don't have access to.

TSN finally decides to show Braden's perfect game, they give us a 30 SECOND CLIP of it. You devote 30-fucking SECONDS of something so rare, to a 1-hour SHOW.

TSN is the leading sports network in Canada, we know that hockey is king in Canada, thats fucking obvious, but why wouldn't you want to include a different market, or inform people of something so rare, and SO PERFECT to lead off your program? Why not shed some fucking life on the situation, show how impressive of a feat this was! This is the fucking reason that only 10,000 people show up at a Jays game, because people are so fucking consumed by hockey and the way media projects it in Canada, that they forget the most successful Canadian Franchise since 1992 in all sports has been THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS.

FUCK TSN.

In the states, however, here's how Braden was treated; He had a 9am sportscenter interview with ESPN, did a few local interview and then knocked off an ESPN radio interview all whilst heading to the airport to Texas where his team was playing tomorrow. Braden was invited to do the top-10 for David Letterman and filmed it during batting practice while at the Ballpark in Arlington.

For something so rare, and impressive, it's s shame that our nation's favorite game, has taken over something that few of us will ever witness in our lifetime. The Perfect Game still is one of the most ridiculous and rare occurrences in all of sports, and if you didn't catch any hi-lites or read any stories of it, then I suggest you start now, cause who knows when the next time this will occur?

Is Alexander Ovechkin, possibly the biggest star of the NHL and hottest man alive, a dirty and reckless player? All signs point to yes. Ovechkin, also known as AO, OVIE, O.V.8 and Caveman, is an exciting player to watch, whether you like him or not, but there has to be a growing concern for the careless play he is bringing, especially in the last year. I’ve provided a few video clips, to show you how dirty Ovechkin has been, and what some defenders will call “playing hard”, i call “careless”

Example 1: The Briere/Ovechkin Incident, December 2^nd 2006. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxMJrQhGoSg

- Th They don’t get more malicious then this folks. The puck was long gone, Briere wasn’t even in a play, his back was turned and Ovie skates by and gives him a shove into the boards. Ovechkin received 5 mins for boarding, 5 mins for fighting (?) and a game misconduct, but no suspension. The score was already 4-1 for the Capitals at this point, here is his explanation...he does a great job of clearing everything up *cough*.

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hcqeS0IujI&feature=related

Example 2: Ovechkin knocks out Jamie Heward, January 1st, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSM7IpXYvk0

- M Maybe the least dirty of the examples, but still, a careless play against a former teammate. Ovechkin received no penalty, no fine, and no suspension. Heward received a concussion, and has yet to play competitive hockey since, all but ruining his career.

Example 3: Knee on Sergei Gonchar, May 8^th 2009, Game 4 ECSF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwxTrxESWjI

- Everyone remembers this, Ovechkin clearly cuts back with his knee after missing with a hit, its an intent to injure and Ovechkin only receives a 2 min penalty for tripping. No suspension, No fine, nothing. Gonchar did come back in the series, but the severity of the injury could have been worse, in the end Karma’s a bitch, right Ovechkin?

Example 4: Slew Foot on Rich Peverely, October 22^nd 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0QGStjCKRw

- O One of the worst things a professional could do is slew foot a fellow professional. Ovechkin gets 2 minutes for tripping, no suspension, and a $2500 fine. In the same week, Anaheim’s Evgeny Artyuhkin was suspended 3 games for slew footing Matt Niskanen of Dallas, the difference? According the Colin Campbell, Ovechkin was not a repeat offender, Ovechkin did not intend to hurt Peverely, and the game was close...

Example 5: Rough hit on Kaleta, November 25^th, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x3-dufZHg4

- O Ovie was back at it a month later, this time he takes out a fellow dirty player in Patrick Kaleta of the Sabres. It’s clear that Ovechkin actually does not hit the head, or back of Kaleta, but he does take about 18 steps towards him and destroys him into the boards at full speed. The awkward body position Kaleta is in provides the dramatics for the fall, and the injury. Ovechkin gets 5 mins for boarding, and a game misconduct. This is Ovechkin’s first misconduct of the season; he receives no suspension or fine.

Example 6: The Knee strikes back, November 30^{th, 2009}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSUamCd35_w&feature=related

- 2 2 games later, Ovechkin is back at it again. Almost similar to the knee on Gonchar, Ovie receives his first NHL suspension, which becomes null when he declares he is injured because of the knee-on-knee. Ovechkin got a 5 minute major for kneeing, and 10 minute game misconduct; his second misconduct of the season, and in the same week.

Example 7: Hit from behind on Campbell, March 14^th, 2010

http://bit.ly/dq300g

- A After coming off an electrifying “CLEAN” hit on Jaromir Jagr at the Olympics, and a week after the “Matt Cooke incident” Ovechkin loses his mind for a moment and pushes Campbell in his back, into the boards, ending Campbell’s season by breaking his clavicle and breaking a few ribs. Ovechkin a repeat offender, only gets 2 games?