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"What Ifs..." in sports


Bleujayone

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Basically, rewrite an event in sports history's past, and write a present day article of fiction showing how it might affect sports today. It's purely speculative fun guys so don't take anything in here as gospel fact. I'll go first...

David's Sling on Goliath

How the USFL's Anti-trust victory changed football in America

It was twenty years ago that the USFL successfully won their anti-trust lawsuit against the mighty NFL. It was also one of the largest settlements in US legal history as they were awarded a staggering $300 million. It might have been the end of the NFL, down the same road as AT&T, except for the "Rozelle Compromise" in which NFL commish Pete Rozelle made a bargain with the remaining USFL owners rather than bleed out money. The NFL would absorb several teams into the NFL fold and take the remaining teams in mostly smaller markets to make a sort of (AAA) farm sytem to groom new talent. Although in a way they were contributing to the existing of a monopoly, because there was another league for player and coaches to go to it could technically be said the NFL no longer had a trust. In addition to the new teams, the NFL also adapoted a few of the USFL's rules including the 2-point conversion and the instant replay challenge.

Donald Trump was bought out of his New Jersey Generals franchise, in which he took the money to help buy out the ownership of Giants Stadium, now called Trump Ampitheatre. Four teams; Memphis Showboats & Baltimore Stars- AFC, Arizona Outlaws, & Tampa Bay Bandits- NFC were all awarded NFL franchises. Bringing the league total to 32 teams. The teams were picked less from their success and more for the fact they were not already intruding on current NFL turf. Tampa Bay being the exception as the Bandits and Coach Steve Spurrier's "Banditball" were far more successful both on and off the field than the NFL's Bucs.

The NFL's Buccaneers were relocated to Charlotte. The move did them well as they started becoming more successful in a new market hungry for football. Al Davis still grateful for not being named in the USFL's anti-trust suit, and realizing that the fans of Oakland deserved football, decided to move the Raiders back to Oakland leaving the Rams the lone team in the LA market. Several other NFL franchises that had thought about relocating (St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers, and the LA Rams decided to stay put as several cities that would have been interested in them now had teamsof their own.

The Baltimore Stars and Indianapolis Colts decided to switch identities. The people of Baltimore got their beloved team back at least in name and logo- and the Isray family still had a team back and kept their players at the HoosierDome now renamed the Indianapolis Stars. The new Colts inherited the players and coaches that went to all three USFL championships winning two of them. They would continue that success in the NFL making the playoffs their first five years and making it to the Super Bowl twice although dropping both.

The remaining teams in the USFL; Birmingham Stallions, Orlando Renegades, Jacksonville Bulls, San Antonio Gunslingers, Portland Breakers, Las Vegas Gamblers (formerly Houston), Columbus OH Invaders, (formerly Oakland), Hartford Generals, (formerly New Jersey), Sacramento Gold (formerly Denver) and a barnstorming team "Team America Blitz" were now the NFL's farm league. They altered their schedule to coincide with the CFL's and aranged it so that the champion of both smaller leagues would play one another in a smaller version of the Super Bowl the "NorthAm Cup" to be played the day after American Thanksgiving. The USFL kept their national TV contract with both ABC and ESPN and because of their scedule time gave football fans everywhere an almost year-round fix of gridiron.

With the addition of the USFL as a farm system, many other ideas in the works fell at the waysides. The gimmick of "Indoor Football" became little more than a passing novelty, plans for a possible internation NFL-type league were scrapped in favor of strengthening the NFL's new family members, and oddly MLB took the biggest hit as many sports fans were taken in with football over baseball.

College football also took a hit as many players were jumping ship to play (AAA) football for money rather than playing for free at school where getting a degree was highly unlikely. The NFL then passed a rule that sted that no one under the age of 20 would be allowed to play in the NFL. The USFL on the other hand had no such rules and as such many players jumped into the pro lanes right out of high school. The NCAA in an attempt to attract a broader audience finally scrapped the traditional Bowl games in favor of a football tournament with the championship to be played on New Year's Day.

Yes, who would have thought that a win in court would so radically change the face of football in America?

We all have our little faults. Mine's in California.

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Let's try another one...

That's A Wrap for #34!

Celtics' Len Bias retires

After much speculation on whether or not the Boston Celtics' elderstatesman Lenny Bias would finally pass the torch, Bias, 42, finally made it official by holding a press conference Friday night. Apparently he wanted to stay on until after the NBA draft to be sure the team's future was in good hands.

"I've stayed with the same team my entire career," Bias said, "It's not only unheard of nowadays, but the fact that my career spanned 20 years with the same team is inconceivable." Bias whom for the last five years has played in a limited reserve capacity.

Bias was drafted in 1986 out of the University of Maryland. He was groomed by Red Auerbach as the player to eventually take over for Larry Bird when the time came. Bias said at the time he found out he was going to Boston he had thought about going out and partying, but he changed his mind at the last second instead opting to buckle down early and prove that their choice in him was a good one.

After helping the Celtics to a world championship off the bench in his rookie year, Bias would have to wait four long years before he would get to hoist another banner for Boston. By then he was the starting point guard playing in place of an ailling Larry Bird. It was his playing along with Reggie Lewis, Dee Brown and veterans Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish that made the Celtics so powerful in the '91 playoffs.

Both Bird and Lewis were on the 1992 "Dream Team" at the Barcelona Olympics. Lewis's role was in a diminished capacity but said he didn't mind as "I'm in just as much awe as y'all are to see all these guys on the same team."

Bias took over as team captian from Bird the following year, and really had to struggle as teammate Reggie Lewis had to sit out the following season after he was discovered with a heart ailment and needed corrective surgery to repair it. It was Bias who told Lewis that for the good of both the team and his own personal health he needed to take a break. It was the first time in years the Celtics did not make it past the first round of the playoffs.

Bias also started getting a reputaion as a mentor as he took Celtics struggling new center Eric Montross under his wing for extra sessions. The result later was an on court chemistry that was reminicent of the "Big Three" era on the 1980's.

When Lewis returned albeit in a reserve status, the Celtics again were a consistently dominate force. They did not win a championship though for another three seasons, but they were always on the cusp of winning one. Many local Boston sports fans joked by saying "The Red Sox curse has been caught by the Celts."

Bias would lead the league in scorring twice in his carrer and come in second three other seasons, all behind Michael Jordan. Bias's Celtics and Jordan's Bulls would face-off in the playoffs nine times with the Celtics taking six of them. Each time these two teams would meet it would be some of the greatest basketball every witnessed.

Bias blew out his knee early in the 1998 season and had to miss the rest of it as a result. And though he did start the following year it was clear that the injury and Father Time were catching up. It was at this time Bias did something so noble for the good of the team, he gave up his starting spot to second-year play Chauncy Billups. The team benefitted as a result as did Bias's personal stats. He would later be named the NBA's top sixth man.

In most recent years Bias was content coming to camp as sort of an unofficial coach and mentor to new Celtics prospects. The fireball that he was when he first came aboard had long since cooled, but he still felt he had knowledge and experience to offer.

Celtic's Head Coach Larry Bird finished the press conference by saying, "This in my opinion was one of the best team leader I have ever seen. Everything he did was for the betterment of both the team and the sport itself." Bias leaves the team as one of the greatest players in Celtics history and his place in basketball's Hall of Fame all already assured.

We'll miss you Lenny, Cheers!

We all have our little faults. Mine's in California.

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Nobody's perfect - Lombardi ends Dolphins' dream

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14, 1973 - Vince Lombardi gave his trademark gap-toothed grin Sunday as he accepted his third Super Bowl trophy Sunday.

"This league is too tough to have somebody go 17-0," he said after the Packers defeated the Miami Dolphins 14-7 to win Super Bowl VII at the Memorial Coliseum.

For Lombardi, it was a triumphant moment, marking his return to the top after missing two seasons during his long fight with cancer.

But for Dolphins coach Don Shula, it was a bitter afternoon, bringing back memories of the days his Colts were unable to beat Lombardi's Green Bay juggernauts.

"There's one guy in that league I can't beat," he said after the game. "We lost in '65 on that bad field goal call, and now..." He turned his head and started to cry.

Shula was referring to the turning point of what had been a tight, 7-7 contest. Late in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins lined up for what seemed to be a sure field goal, only to have the Redskins block the kick. Kicker Garo Ypremian tried an ill-fated pass, which Mike Bass intercepted and returned 49 yards for the winning score.

The Redskins defense shut down Dolphins receiver Paul Warfield, while veteran quarterback Bill Kilmer kept the Redskins in the game, getting the game's first touchdown on a swing pass to Larry Brown.

Lombardi, thinner than in his Green Bay days, praised Kilmer as the key to the game, although Bass's runback and an interception of Bob Griese to stop an earlier drive earned him MVP honors.

"If there's anything I can tell my players from experience, it's never to give up, and we showed that today," the veteran coach said.

Lombardi became the first coach to win the newly-named Dan Devine trophy, renamed after the Green Bay coach who was killed on the sidelines in his first game when he was run over by players.

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It's Still Good

Scott Norwood Reflects his Super Bowl XXV Heroics

VIRGINIA- Looking at Scott Norwood now, one would never know he was part of one of the greatest moments in Buffalo sports history. Norwood coaches his daughters' soccer teams, runs a successful realtor business, and holds a special teams clinic for high schoolers every summer. The years of being one of the biggest names in NFL kickers are long past, but are all the kicks behind him too?

While he's still the Bills' all-time leading scorer, it is one kick that haves him in the hearts of every Bills fan- the last second field goal that won it all for the Bills in Super Bowl XXV over the New York Giants 22-20.

"I honestly thought it was going wide right", Norwood reflects, "but it just barely squeezed in there...it was like time froze for a moment. It took me a few seconds to register that we had won."

Norwood's career was never in jeopardy after that winning kick. The closest attempt was in 1992 when the Bills brought in Steve Christie to compete for the spot. They didn't need to. After making that kick to end all kicks, Norwood's confidence was so high that he became known as a clutch kicker. "After making such a big kick, everything else is just a walk in the park", Norwood says, "a kick like that can make or break you and I guess after that I had it made." He stayed with the Bills until 1997 when he finally stepped down to spend more time with his family. "My family- that's my proudest accomplishment," beamed Norwood of his wife and kids, "Regardless if I had missed that kick or made every kick afterwards they're still my best moments."

Norwood's winning kick was crucial to the history of the Bills. Even though they made it to the Super Bowl the next three years over- they never did come close to winning those games. Still, their first time there they won, and as far as most Bills fans are concerned that's good enough. His name has been added to the stadium's Wall of Fame for future fans to look at. Norwood can walk the streets of Buffalo knowing that he'll always be looked at as a local sports hero.

We all have our little faults. Mine's in California.

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I agree, quite imaginative.

Any chance we could see something involving baseball or hockey in the future?

May 28, 1993

Be-Leaf It!

Rivals Leafs-Habs to play for the Cup

LOS ANGELES - It is the dream matchup hockey fans across Canada have been waiting for, Leafs, Canadiens for the Stanley Cup. Doug Gilmour scored a power play goal at 2:26 of the first overtime frame to send the Leafs to the final and fans onto Yonge Street.

About a minute earlier, Wayne Gretzky, was called for high-sticking Gilmour in the Leafs zone. On the ensuing faceoff, Wendell Clark made an open ice pass to Gilmour, blasting a shot from just above the faceoff circle and ended up over the Kelly Hrudey's glove and in the top corner. The Leafs mob Gilmour as he jumped in the air at one corner of the Great Western Forum rink. Gretzky left the ice frustrated that his penalty, a rarity for the Great One, was a deciding factor in the game.

Felix Potvin made 40 saves in a spectacular effort. Wendell Clark was filled with joy after the game. "It's a wonderful feeling going for the Cup. After all the club has been through the last 26 seasons." Pat Burns will get the chance to face his former team, the Canadiens, a team he led to the 1989 final. "It's going to be quite a series," Pat said, "Two teams with great traditions, which I have had to priviledge to coach meeting in the final is something that all hockey fans will be able to cherish for years to come"

I saw, I came, I left.

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Barry Bonds Busted with Balco

July 21st, 2001

San Francisco- Giants slugger Barry Bonds was issued a warrent for his arrest from his hospital bed in San Francisco for illegal possesion and purchase of controlled substances less than one week after suffering from heart complications during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bonds, is currently being treated for an irregular heartbeat believed to be a side-effect from steroid use. His much publicized pursuit of Mark Maguire's home run season record came to an abrupt halt after his unexpected trip to the hospital after he felt faint and chest pains during gameplay. Later that week his trainer turned over evidence to state's attorney general office. Bonds maintained his story that his "treatment" was flackseed oil made to help is joints feel better. A few days later the state's forensics lab showed that it was indeed two new desginer performance enhancement steroids.

Baseball commish Bud Selig has refused to comment on the incident at this time as his office is still trying run damage control on this incident and the threat of yet another work stoppage.

A source inside MLB's front office state they might consider including a new steroid policy as long as it's accepted by the players' union. Union representitives hae not yet indicated such a policy would be approved by them. Currently the MLB has no official policy against the use of performance enhancement drugs, however that might be a moot point as steroids are considered a federal felony to own and use. Currently the state has not said whether the federal Dept. of Justice is going to pursue a conviction against Bonds, however they have acknowledged federal investigators do wish to question both he and his trainer in conection with San Francisco's Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative-BALCO.

BALCO has been under federal investigation for the past 3 months in other incidents of possible incidents of providing athletes from baseball, football and Olympic teams with illegal substances.

Rumors have persisted that other players might also be involved. Who they might be is currently unconfirmed but sources have indicated that the short list includes several big name players.

We all have our little faults. Mine's in California.

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Cleveland Browns - NFL Team of the 80's

1980- After Oakland Raider Mike Davis drops what would have been a game winning INT Don Cockroft come in and kicks the game winner 15-14. Browns win the AFC title the next week in San Diego. After 16 long years the Browns are NFL champions again. MVP Brian Sipe rips apart the Philadelphia Eagles 31-0.

1984- After going 5-11 and a public outcry to fire Sam Rutigliano owner Art Modell vows to stand by his coach. Art says Sam will get this team back to the Super Bowl and it will be sooner then people think.

1985- Some say 8-8 Cleveland had no right to even make the playoffs. Boy where they wrong. First it's off to Miami. After a bye week for winning the weak AFC Central the Browns stun the Dolphins as rookie QB Bernie Kosar outplays Dan Marino in a homecoming to the Orange Bowl. Next up the Wild Card New England Patriots. Nobody saw this match up coming when the season started. Cleveland hosts the AFC Championship because at 8-8 they are a division champs. In a blizzard Cleveland wins it 3-0 on a 32 yard Matt Bar field as time expires. Here's where it gets real wild. Nobody can beat the Chicago Bears. On the Browns first play Kosar drops back to pass and is plowed into by Dan Hampton. The Fridge picks up the loose ball and returns it 80 yeards for a 7-0 Bears lead. Kosars right arm is broken. Browns are done right? WRONG!!! Backup QB Brian Sipe (who never left for the USFL) comes in to save the day. Sipe puts up 21 points & the DAWGS D pitches a shut out the rest of the day. Browns shock the world 21-7.

1986- Browns roll to a 12-4 record. Win the Classic 2 OT game vs New York Jets. Then comes Denver. Kosar to Brian Brennan 48 yard TD pass puts the Browns up 20-13 with 5 min 43 seconds to play. Kick off and Denver has to go 98 yards to tie it up. Elway drives them down the field. As Elway throws a sure TD pass to Mark Jackson in the endzone at the last second Don Rogers (who didn't OD from cocaine) steps in front of Jackson. Rogers returns the pass 104 yards and the Browns win 27-13. Great Super Bowl vs New York Giants. After 4 QTS the game is tied 21-21. Browns win coin toss and Kosar drives Brown down field. Matt Barr kicks 48 yard field goal to win it 24-21.

1987- 11-5 season. Browns beat Indy Colts in first round game in Cleveland. Off to Denver for the AFC Championship. Browns winn a wild one in Denver 40-36 on a Earnest Byner TD (he carried Denver DB Jeremiah Castille into the endzone with him on the winning TD). In the Super Bowl the Redskins take a quick 10-0 lead. But in the 2 QT. the Browns score 35 points. Browns win 42-10. The first 3peat in Super Bowl history. Sam Rutigliano & Brian Sipe retire.

1988- New head coach Marty Schottenheimers first season is filled with QB injurys. After 3 QB's go down Brian Sipe comes out of retirement. leads the browns to a 10-6 record and a Wild Card but lose to the Oilers in Cleveland 24-23.

1989- Browns go 9-6-1 and win the AFC Central. Browns win first round game 34-30 vs the Bills on a Clay Matthews goal line int. Hot off a victory in Denver the Steelers come to Cleveland for the right to go to the Super Bowl. Sorry, Cleveland win 51-0. Cleveland beats the 49ers 28-24 to become the first team to win 5 Super Bowls.

1990- Voters pass levy to build Gatway complex. Jacobs Field for the Indians, Gund Arena for the Cavaliers, and Modell Field (with retractable roof) for the Browns.

1994- Gateway complex opens.

1995- Art Modell retires and sells Browns to Al Learner.

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Last Week

Socceroos upset Azzurri

Lucas Neill's tackle was perfect and play on was called anf the whistle blew and the game went into extra time....and extra time came and went and down to spot kicks, Schwarzer saves all 5 as the Socceroos in Kewell, Moore, Neill, Aloisi and Viduka put Australia through to the quarters where they'll play winner of the Swtizerland-Ukraine match that will be played in a few hours time

twitter.com/thebrainofMatt

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In a stunning last minute vote, Quebec City legislators voted to approve a new arena for the Nordiques, keeping the team in Quebec and heading off a sale of the team to Denver interests.

Meanwhile, Patrick Roy, having had a huge fallout with management in Montreal says he has played his last game for the Canadiens.

Montreal, forced to trade their superstar goaltender, put out feelers to see what teams might be interested, but state unequivocally that they will not trade thier all-star netminder to their archrivals the Nordiques under any circumstances, nor any other team in the Northeast Division.

Roy is subsequently traded to the New York Islanders, thus opening the way for the second Islander Dynasty.

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Click here to read Third String Goalie - The Hockey Jersey of the Day Blog

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?You don?t like to see 20 kids punching 20 other kids. But it?s not a disgrace, It?s hockey.? - Michael Farber

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What if Ben Roethlisberger didn't make "The Tackle"

Sunday, January, 15, 2006

The Bus Breaks Dreams

The Steelers and Jerome Bettis have got the game all but wrapped up. A huge upset impending. The Steelers have the ball only a couple yards from the endzone and decide to run it instead of kneel. They hand it to Jerome Bettis who had never fumbled all year, who had made himself notorious for making almost guaranteed touchdowns when only yards from the goal line. The ball collides with the helmet of a colts player. Bettis falls looking back as the ball hits the ground. Players dive for it, but, it was the colts running back, Nick Harper, whose knee was cut in an alleged domestic dispute, picks up the ball and sprints all the way down field for the game winning touchdown. Bettis' career ends in tragedy, and its all his fault. Hines Ward cries again, and the Colts pull off a stunning victory.

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October 1st, 1971

Short:Sens will stay put

After a huge outcry from the public,including President Nixon,

and a large sale of season tickets,Bob Short has told Arlington,TX government

leaders that he will be keeping the Washington Senators in the nation's capital.

Short said,"With over 5,000 season tickets bought, I will make a very nice profit

well over this year's totals."Frank Howard has been quoted to say"When they're at

the stadium,We have some of the best fans in the majors." Here's looking to another year of Senators baseball in '72!

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The 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics- The Best Ever

Despite War In Afghanistan, politics are put aside

MOSCOW-The Summer Olympic Games in Moscow might be considered one of the best ever despite the threat looming over it beforehand of many contries considering a boycott due to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan earlier last year.

Sixty-Four countries led by the United States had planned on pulling out of participating in the Olympic Games until cooler heads prevailed and it was decided to leave political involvement out of the Games rather than make a repeat of boycotts even greater in volume than was seen at the previous Summer Games in Montreal in 1976 which saw 24 countries boycott.

"We have decided to let our disagreements be voiced and debated in more appropriate forumns such as the United Nations and world summits", said American president Jimmy Carter, "It is pointless and harmful to try to make a statement of policy in a non-political and non-diplomatic arena."

The eleventh-hour decision to go on with the games was a relief to the athletes of the coalition countries whom had feared all their training was for nothing. Instead they arrived at the games with a renewed sense of enthusiasm which led to a very highly competitive and excting Games to remember.

144 countries total participated in the games which saw new records set in track & field, wrestling, basketball, and swimming. It is hoped that many of these political differences will be resolved before the next Summer Games in four years in Los Angeles.

We all have our little faults. Mine's in California.

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Dallas finally known for Stars

By MIKE ZEISBERGER -- For SLAM! Sports

BUFFALO -Step aside, Jerry Jones.

You're old news, Deion Sanders.

Sorry, J.R.Ewing.

Y'all may have been the talk of the town in Dallas at one point or another.

But not today.

And not this week.

The headlines are reserved for the Dallas Stars, who brought the Stanley Cup home to Texas with a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup final.

The hero was Brett Hull, who potted the game-winner off a one-timer from the blue line through Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek at 15:02 of the third overtime period to end the second longest game in Stanley Cup final history - 115:02. Only eleven seconds earlier, Hull was denied the game-winner after scoring on a rebound in front of Hasek. But replays clearly showed that Hull's skate was in the crease when he scored, and the goal was waived off. But given a second chance, Hull would not be denied.

The gritty Sabres, who showed the hockey world that they did belong in the finals, outshot the Stars 54-51. Both Hasek and Dallas goalie Ed Belfour were brilliant throughout.

The Stars became the first team to win the Stanley Cup and the Presidents Trophy - awarded to the team with the most points during the regular season - since the 1994 New York Rangers.

"This is just such a magical team,"Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said.

"This is a team that pushed its own engine fromChristmas own. (The coaches) didn't push it. The players were harder on themselves than we were.

"I am so proud of this team and the coaches. I feel like we answered every bell. We went the distance with every team and we answered every bell. I don't think you can ask for anything more from a team as a coach."

The Conn Smythe Trophy for the most valuable player in the post-season went to Dallas forward Joe Nieuwendyk of Whitby.

It was sweet retribution for Belfour, who shed the stereotype of not being able to win the big one.

"I'm just glad to be a part of this team."Belfour said. "I've waited a long time for this."

Jere Lehtinen scored the other Dallas goal. Stu Barnes replied for Buffalo.

The Sabres came close to ending the procedings two minutes into the second overtime period. But James Patrick's blast from the right point smacked off the crossbar to foil Buffalo's hopes.

Dallas then looked like they would get the Cup-clinching goal about 14 minutes later. But a sprawling Hasek robbed Hull from in close to maintain the tie.

Hasek has a penchant of shining in big games. Canadian hockey fans don't need to be reminded of the miraculous number he pulled on Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros and Co. during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

So imagine the shock waves that rippled through the Marina when Buffalo's all-world goalie fanned on a shot early in the first period, a screwup that gave the Stars a 1-0 lead.

Lehtinen was the gracious benefactor of Hasek's miscue.

The feisty Dallas forward burst down the left wing, cut in toward the net and flipped the puck from a bad angle off Hasek's torso and into the corner of the net. For some reason, Hasek chose not to hug the post and it cost him.

The goal, which came 8:09 into the game, spoiled what arguably was Buffalo's best period of the series. The Sabres attacked the Dallas net with vigour, but could not find a way to beat Belfour with any of their 11 shots.

Belfour continued to stand on his head in the second. He was helped out by the goal post, which robbed Alexei Zhitnik halfway through the frame.

Finally, mercifully, the Sabres finally managed to snap their scoring drought of 130 minutes, 44 seconds courtesy of Barnes, a feat that launched the sellout throng into a deafening frenzy.

Barnes came down the right wing and fired a fluttering snap shot over Belfour's shoulder. The goal, which came at 18:21 of the second, tied the game 1-1.

Barnes became the first player ever to score seven playoff goals after not getting a single one for his team during the regular season. Barnes, who was acquired from Pittsburgh for Matthew Barnaby just before the March trade deadline, didn't score his first goal in a Sabres uniform until Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"They are a great hockey club," Barnes said of the Stars.

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My opinion may or may not be the same as yours. The choice is up to you.

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Dyson By A Nose!

Titans win Super Bowl XXXIV by edge of ball 24-23.

ATLANTA- On the final play of the game, St. Louis linebacker Mike Jones hit Tennessee wide receiver Kevin Dyson one-yard short of the goal line trying to prevent a game-tying touchdown, but Dyson was able to stretch his arm out far enough to break the plane on the goal line just before going down.

Titans head coach Jeff Fisher decided to go for the win rather than just the tie opted to go for a two-point conversion rather than the more automatic extra-point kick. If they failed, the Rams would win.

But the Titans still hopped up on the excitement of Dyson's touchdown, lined up with no time left on the clock. This was it, win or go home. Titan's quarterback Steve McNair rolled out left and looked to scramble in. Instead he side passed it over to running back Eddie George who in an unheard move flipped it ahead to a wide open Dyson for the two points. The Titans won with some of the guttsiest playcalling in Super Bowl history, and they beat the NFL's "Greatest Show on Turf", by putting on a show of thier own.

For only the second time in Super Bowl history there was a tie for Super Bowl MVP and the first time it was two player on the same team. Both McNair & George shared the honors McNair set a Super Bowl record for rushing yards by a quarterback, recording 64 yards on 8 carries. He also completed 22 out of 36 passes for 214 yards for 1 TD. George finished the game with 95 rushing yards, 35 receiving yards, and 2 TDs.

For the losing side, the Rams' QB & NFL MVP Kurt Warner had only one completion in the final period (a 73-yard TD strike to Issac Bruce). He finished the game with several Super Bowl records in passing in the losing effort. He threw for a record 414 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. He and head coach Dick Vermeil had a good cry in front of the post-game press conference. "It's been a good year," sobbed Vermeil, "but it's so heartbreaking to end on such a sour note." The Rams now have an idea how the Buffalo Bills fans must have felt after the "Music City Miracle" a few weeks ago.

We all have our little faults. Mine's in California.

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