21st Century NHL Lineup

The 21st century is only twenty years old, but it already has provided the great game of hockey with some outstanding players to have touched the ice. From the Yzermans and Jagrs to the Crosbys and Ovechkin's, the NHL has seen the best of the best play in the greatest league in the world. With that being said, and since there's no hockey currently being played to talk about I figured now was the perfect time to try and do this. I'm going to try and build a lineup for the start of this 21st century.

And I won't be doing this alone, I've got a co-author writing their own lineup with me. My friend, and fellow hockey writer, Lauren Burg, are working together for this. We will each be putting out our ideal lineup for a team of guys that have played in this century.

Now I'm setting some parameters for this. Anybody that makes this list has to have played a game starting in the 1999-2000 season up until the 2019-2020 season. Anybody playing before that is out. Wayne Gretzky wouldn't make this list because he retired at the end of the 98-99 season. If they have played a game in the last twenty season in the NHL then they could make this list.

As for me and my selections, I'm making them based on stats and overall game. It may look weird not having a traditional lineup, meaning two scoring lines a checking /defensive line and an energy/grinder line. Its just a combination of guys I think would have played very well together and made a great line.

With that in mind, here's my best lineup of the 21st century so far

Alex Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby-Jaromir Jagr

Three of the highest scoring offensive talents to ever play the game. Sid is the best center the game has to offer right now, there's no doubt. Crosby the best player in the game today. Ovechkin is the Mike Bossy of this generation, the best goal scorer the league has to offer. And yes it is true that Jagr's truly great scoring years wherre left behind him in the 1990's, he was still an extremely dynamic offensive player. Hell he played till he was 45 in the NHL and was still a productive player.

Patrick Kane-Joe Thornton-Martin St Louis

The offensive upside and playmaking ability with this line is key here. Joe Thornton took off as a playmaker as the century went on, but he really hit his stride in 2006 when he got traded from Boston to San Jose. A change of scenery proved to be just what Jumbo Joe needed. Martin St Louis was the best "little man" to play the game in this generation. Twice lead the NHL in scoring, won the 2004 Hart trophy. Then there's Patrick Kane, one of the best American Born players in the game today. He can pretty much do it all on the offensive side of the game. He can skate, dish and bury the puck all with ease.

Dan Heatley-Peter Forsberg-Jarome Iginla

You needed a physical line in hockey and one that can provide some scoring punch. These three guys could more then do that At the turn of the century, Peter Forsberg was viewed, and rightfully so, as the best all around player in the game, and so few could argue. With Iginla and Heatley, both guys are 50 goal scorers and, like Forsberg, love to play the physical game. All three guys could score, hit, fight if they needed to. They were this generations example of a power forward.

Jonathan Toews-Pavel Datsyuk-Patrice Bergeron

Three great players who could not only put the puck in the back of the net, but they're also known for their defensive side of the game. All three guys have won the Selke Trophy as best defensive player,. And all three guys could not only lead, but were damn good playmakers. Datsyuk didn't earn the nickname the Magic Man for nothing. Bergeron could not only excel on the defensive side of the puck but you need a big goal scored, he's your guy to score it. There few leaders in the game today that are near the level of what Toews is doing in Chicago. He can do it all in the windy city. Good defender and equally good scorer.

Nicklas Lidstrom-Zedeno Chara

Two of the greatest to ever lace up skates. Chara really grew into his game during his time in both Ottawa and Boston. He's got a shot that rivals only really Al McCinnis and that's saying a lot. His skating has really improved over the last twenty years and his game finally caught up with his surging height. He can and has done it all for both Ottawa and the last 14 years in Boston. Then you have Nick Lidstrom who could very well end up being one of the ten greatest all around defenders to ever step foot on the ice. He was consistent. There wasn't one aspect of his game he excelled at more than another, he was just steady at all aspects of the game. That's what made him so good. Skating, passing good shot.

Erik Karlsson-Duncan Keith

Two guys who can skate like the wind and make plays at both ends of the ice. Karlson is probably the best all around skating blueliner in hockey right now. He got speed to burn, with good vision to make a play and a pretty good shot. Keith had the same attributes but was a bit more of a stay at home guy on the back end. Known for his outlet passes and great play in the defensive end  of the ice

Brent Burns-Drew Doughty

Two good puck movers with very underrated shots. Both guys know how to be able to control the game with quick passes, good shots ore being able to lead rushes themselves. Solid all around defenders who can excel at both ends of the rink and can pretty much play any style you want.

Martin Brodeur

There was little if any doubt that the winningest goalie in the history of the game was going to make this list. There was nobody better in this century than Marty. Yes I know there's going to be some talk about playing in the Devils system helped out, which it did do. But at the same time, you still have to be a damn good goalie to be able to win games at the National Hockey League level. And nobody in the game of hockey was better at it than Marty. He was a great puckhandler as a netminder and could make the outlet to start a counter attack. He had good mobility and a pretty good glove. What's more to say that hasn't already been said about the best to ever play the game.

Henrik Lundqvist

For a guy who was picked in 205th overall in 2000, he's made a hell of a name for himself. 459 career wins and won 30 or more games in all but four seasons in the league. He's done it all for the Rangers, only thing eluding him was the Cup. Other then that, there's nothing King Henrik hasn't done on Broadway between the pipes

Head Coach: Joel Quenneville

Three titles with the Hawks and 790 wins in this decade, says a lot about how great Coach Q really is. Three cups in the Windy City, now in charge of trying to get the Panthers back in the right direction. He's been a proven winner in every place he's coached. There's few coaches in this game that plan and prepare as well as Coach Q and the fact that he has the 3rd highest win total in league history prove that beyond a doubt

Assistant Coach: Barry Trotz, John Tortorella
Two more guys who have their names etched in the Cup in this century and both guys who are players coaches for sure. Trotz managed to turn the Capitals into Cup Contenders and then managed to get the Islanders going in the direction they needed to. He's a very calm coach who knows how to communicate with his players. Then there's Tortorella, who can do the same as Trots, but with much more fire than Barry or Coach Q

And now for the lineup courtesy of Lauren Burg

What makes a championship caliber team? Great players that have a combination of high-end talent, a willingness to work hard and heart. For this exercise, I will put together what I think is the greatest team of the 21st century. These players have played at least one National Hockey League (NHL) game between the 1999-2000 season until now (2019-2020). There will be four lines (12 forwards), three defense pairs and two goaltenders. The coaching staff will consist of a head coach and two assistant coaches. All three could be current head coaches in the league.

Once the lines and pairs have been listed, I'll give my reasoning behind each line. It may not be completely traditional, but the players are some of the best to play during the past 20 years. Most will be slotted in their original position, whether that be center, left or right wing, unless they have a few years of experience and have shown themselves to be versatile enough to play multiple positions.

Now that the guidelines have been established, here is my all-time greatest hockey team from this century.

Alexander Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby-Patrick Kane

This is my championship line. Each of these players have a combined seven Stanley Cup championships. All but one occurred in the past 10 years. The three have also racked up four Conn Smythe trophies, given annually to the playoff MVP.

Artemi Panarin-Pavel Datsyuk-Nikita Kucherov

This is my Russian line. It features the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner in Kucherov, along with two elite set-up men in Datsyuk and Panarin. Both Kucherov and Panarin have amassed a plus-minus rating of 95 or above throughout their still young careers. Datsyuk, meanwhile, put up 918 points and won two Stanley Cups in 14 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.

Steven Stamkos-Steve Yzerman-Martin St. Louis

This was an interesting line. Both Stamkos and St. Louis have ample experience playing with one another. It was St. Louis who, for many seasons, set up Stamkos for many of his 422 goals. Over the years, he helped the 2008 first overall draft pick develop into a two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and team leader. Yzerman is the odd ball here, not only because of his strained relationship with St. Louis, but because he has little chemistry with the other two. The sole reason he's here is because of his time as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a position that allowed him to get to know both players. He's also among the top 10 scorers in NHL history with 1,755 points.

Dave Andreychuk-Patrice Bergeron-Jaromir Jagr

This line is comprised of players with a power play prowess and defensive presence at both ends of the ice. While Andreychuk was at his best early in his career, he was a leader on the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup winning team. Bergeron currently plays on the point for the Boston Bruins power play, along with being a four-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best defensive forward. Jagr is among the top five in goals, assists and points.

Nicklas Lidstrom-Zdeno Chara

After a rocky start to his NHL career, Chara has evolved into one of the better defenseman this league has seen. Since 2001-02, his plus-minus rating has been on the positive side of the scale for 16 of 18 seasons. In fact, his lone negative mark came during his first season with the Boston Bruins in 2006-07 when he posted a -21 rating. His career high plus-33 rating occurred three times, most notably during the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup championship. He is also a threat on the power play, as he's one assist away from the 100 mark on the man advantage. Lidstrom, meanwhile, posted his third best plus-minus rating in his rookie season. He also had four years where his plus-minus was above 40. Three of those came from 2002 until 2008, the latter of which was the last time the Detroit Red Wings lifted Lord Stanley's Cup. He was also an elite set-up man for the power play, with 458 assists over a 20 year career.

Victor Hedman-Erik Karlsson

A dynamic Swedish duo, these two made magic together during the 2018 NHL All Star Game in Tampa, Florida. They helped propel the Atlantic Division to the championship game and thrilled fans with their pirate costumes. Over their careers, each has shown a knack for setting up teammates on the power play. 152 of Hedman's 473 points have come via the man advantage, while 228 of Karlsson's 603 points came on the power play. Hedman is the better one defensively, with a plus-116 rating over his 11 year career, but Karlsson's contributions cannot be diminished.

Brent Burns-Drew Doughty

An offensive defenseman in every sense of the word, Burns has put up 694 points in 1,113 games with the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks. 252 of those came on the man advantage, proving his ability to impact a game's outcome by scoring. The one knock on Burns is that, despite showing flashes of great defense, he has a minus-7 rating for his overall career. Doughty, meanwhile, has 502 points in 919 games played. The 2008 second overall draft pick also is a plus-43 for his career and has two Stanley Cup rings, the last of which came in 2014.

Martin Brodeur

One of the best goaltenders to ever play the game, Brodeur posted 691 wins, a 2.24 goals against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage in 1,266 games played. He was a four time Vezina Trophy winner, given to the NHL's top netminder, and a three time Stanley Cup champion. Two of those came in the 21st century, in 1999-2000 and again in 2002-03. He was also recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Tim Thomas

While Thomas had a short NHL career compared to Brodeur and some other goaltenders, he left his mark as one of the game's best. He racked up 214 wins, a 2.52 GAA and a .920 save percentage in 426 games played. He won two Vezina trophies and led the Boston Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup, a feat that was recognized by being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player (MVP) of the 2011 playoffs. Now that the players have been chosen, I'll give my selections regarding the coaching staff.

Head Coach: John Tortorella

A coach that's well known for his fiery personality on and off the ice, this selection might be a bit odd to some. While it's true that Tortorella had mediocre stints with both the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, he combined to win 448 games behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jacket benches. He has won two Jack Adams Awards, in 2003-04 and 2016-17, the 2004 Stanley Cup and, last season, led the Blue Jackets to their first playoff series win.

Assistant Coaches: Barry Trotz, Jon Cooper

Two defensive minded coaches, both Trotz and Cooper have left their mark on the NHL. A two time winner of the Jack Adams Award, Trotz captured the trophy with the Washington Capitals in 2016 and New York Islanders in 2019. He also led the Caps to their first ever Cup in 2018. Cooper hasn't yet won a Cup, but he has 348 wins in 578 games. Under his guidance, the Lightning have won two Atlantic Division titles (2017-18 and 2018-19), the Prince of Wales Trophy as Eastern Conference champions in 2015 and the franchises first-ever Presidents Trophy (2019).

What do you think? Leave your thoughts on my selections and, if you so desire, give us your selections if they differ from ours in any way.

Baseball Issues

It's been over three months since we've had live sports on TV from the major sports here in North America. Of the three sports that should be playing right now, we still have nothing and we won't until at least July. The one that looks like its going to happen first is Hockey. Basketball is next. The one that looked like it might come out first, Baseball, looks like its furthest away from coming back.

All three sports have worries about virus testing and where they're going to be playing and what not, which makes a lot of sense and I get that it can be a worry. Hockey and Basketball have plans I think in place. Hockey does, as the NHL appears set to go. Basketball is close but still trying to figure out how they want to finish the season. MLB hasn't come close to figuring it out, and what's stopping it is money.

Its driving me, and most baseball fans for that matter, crazy.

A lot of the high priced players like Bryce Harper are complaining about getting their salary cut again. According to Yahoo Sports, a revenue-sharing plan pitched by the league to the MLB Players Association on Tuesday reportedly had a harsh reception from players, with top-paid stars taking a larger salary hit than those making nearer minimum paychecks. Multiple reports said the proposal contained a sliding pay scale giving lower-paid talent about half of a season's pro-rated salaries while star players would take a more substantial hit, also per Yahoo.

There's a couple of things that bother me here. First and foremost is money. Baseball players make more money than not only the average person, they make better pay then some of their fellow athletes. This complaining about money makes them look really, really bad. If you're uncomfortable about playing right now because of health reasons with the virus, then that's a different story. This isn't about health issues, at least not what's being talked about in the press. Its about money.

Some of the players are trying to spin this like the owners are trying to put the players against themselves. Can we stop with that please. Look I'll be the first to admit I don't know exactly whats going on between the players and owners over money. I have no clue what exactly is being talked about. All I do know is this, there's no baseball being played right now, there's no timetable for when the game is coming back and it doesn't look good.

TV revenue is the only way, so far as I can tell right now, that anybody can make money. The way to do this would be to possibly try and split that money 50/50 between players and owners. Pay as you go, there's no way they're going to get the full salary because the league can't afford to do that at the moment, its not possible. Whatever money is still owed to the players, just tack it on in back payments. The players will still get what they were supposed to get paid, it will just have to be different.

I'm also really disappointed in the way this is being handled by both the Owners and the players union. No leadership is really being shown by either side. All the complaints from both parties are being leaked out and its making everybody look really bad. Basketball and Hockey may not have a great relationship between the players and owners either, but at least they keep it under wraps and got this done for the sake of the game. Baseball isn't doing that. They are so focused on money and complaining they aren't doing what's best for the game as a whole and its sad.

Sports Greatest Dynasties

The idea for this started with The Last Dance. It showed what went on behind the scenes of one of the great sports dynasties of the 1990's, the Chicago Bulls. It had also lead to a debate in my mind. What is a dynasty? The Jordan lead Bulls does qualify, having won multiple titles in a short span. A team like the Atlanta Braves comes close, as they only won one title in the 90's, that being 1995. But they were there almost every year, winning 14 straight NL East crowns and seemingly playing in the NLCS almost every year. Its a debate that we can rage on as to what team is the greatest of all time. So lets get into it.

I'm leaving this to the big four sports, because we try to include college in this as well, it would take WAY too long of a read. So we are going to keep it to the big four sports. So we are going to give it our best shot of trying to figure out which were the ten best dynasties that ever hit the sports landscape.

While putting the top ten together is going to be tough, there are a few teams that just missed out.

Honorable Mentions
Atlanta Braves 1995-2005
San Francisco Giants 2010-2014
Detroit Red Wings 1997-2002
San Antonio Spurs 1999-2014
Oakland Athletics 1972-1975

Here's the full list of the best dynasties in sports history in my mind.

10. Dallas Cowboys 1992-1995
This is what started it all, HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS. Three titles in four years for Akman, Irvin, Smith and Co. The only year in this run they didn't reach the Super Bowl was getting tripped up by Steve Young and the 49ers in the 1994 NFC title game. But each year during this run was a winning record. Think about it 13-3, 12-4, 12-4 and 12-4. The Boys were really tough to go against during this stretch and they were almost unbeatable/

9. Pittsburgh Stelers 1974-1979
One of the first really dominating runs by an NFL team, the Steelers won the NFC Central every year during this stretch. They made the AFC title game every year except 1977 and won a Super Bowl four times during this tun. They are the only team in the history of the league to pull off the four titles in six years. Impressive. Most impressive

8. Montreal Canadiens 1956-60
They have the most cups in the history of hockey, winning 23 titles. The Montreal Canadiens are the team in the NHL. It's sad that they haven't been to a finals since their last Cup win in 1993. But they had three different times where they won four straight cups. It was four titles in five years between 1966 and 1970. Then again 1976-1979. The first run from 1956-60 which was five straight titles that stuck with Habs fans. The only time during that run the Habs didn't have the best record in the league was 1957, when they finished six points back of the Red Wings. What mattered was the end of the year and it was the 2nd of five straight titles. Nobody could touch Montreal during that run, as they went by, over and through everybody.

7. San Francisco 49ers 1983-1990
This team was so good, they were really tough to beat. It started after going 3-6 in 1982. Joe Montana found his groove and this team was off and running. It was made even better after drafting Jerry Rice in 1985. They had at least ten wins and made the playoffs every year. Three titles and five NFC title games later, the 49ers had grown into a real power in the NFC that few could really reach.

6. Edmonton Oilers 1984-1990
This team showed a glimps of how good they were by scoring 424 goals in 1983, running over and through everybody. Till they met the Islanders in the finals that year, losing in five. That series taught this Edmonton team how to be the winners they needed to be. After that, Edmonton got on a roll, winning five cups over the next seven years, four of them with the best player on the planet, Wayne Gretzky, leading the way. Those teams were so loaded with hall of fame talent, it wasn't funny. They made everybody look almost mortal by comparison back then.

5. New England Patriots 2010-2018
This one ranks as one of the greatest teams ever. Since the turn of the century, the Pats have failed to make the playoffs twice, the only two years that they have failed to win the AFC East. During this eight year stretch, the Pats made the AFC title game every year. Five Super Bowl appearances and three wins. They had done things that maybe had only been done in a video game relm. New England is well run and well built and this stretch showed it.

4. New York Islanders 1980-1984
This team had been seen as chokers of sorts going into the 1979-80. The way that season started, things didn't look good for the Isles. They picked up Butch Goring at the trade deadline and they were off and running. The Islanders run of titles ended in a five game loss to the Oilers in the 1984 finals, which we talked about earlier. But what the Islanders did was win four straight Stanley Cups and 19 straight playoff series before losing in that 84 finals. Nobody in hockey, or any of the other major sports for that matter, has come anywhere close to matching that.

3. Boston Celtics 1957-1969
Talk about domination. During this run, the Boston Celtics had won 11 Championships, and made the finals twelve times during that stretch. The only year that they failed to make the finals during this stretch was in 1967. The only finals appearance that the Celtics made during this run in which they didn't win a title was a six game loss to the Hawks in 1958. The final four years of this run by Boston saw them finish 2nd 2nd 2nd and 4th in the Eastern Conference. John Havlicek and Bill Russell where the driving forces behind this epic basketball team, a run that might never again be matched

2. New York Yankees 1996-2003
No team in North American pro sports has won more titles then the Yankees. What really set them in motion was the "Murders Row" teams of the 1920s. But this encarnation of the Yankees might come close to matching what they did in the 20s. From 1996-03 the Bronx Bombers made eight postseason appearences, won their division each year except the 1997 season, won six AL pennants, each year except 1997 and 2002, and won four World Series championships (1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000).

1. Chicago Bulls 1991-1998
Six titles in eight years and you have the best player on the planet for all of it. Just imagine if Jordan hadn't retired to play baseball. I really think that the Bulls were so good that they possibly could have matched the Celtics with the eight straight titles. This team was so good and they managed to run over everybody. And even with Jordan gone, they were still good enough to go at least two rounds in the two years, the 2nd one in 1995 with an out of basketball shape Jordan. They haven't been close to this since, trying to recapture that magic that those teams have and it hasn't happen. Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Paxton they were good. Really, really good.

My Baseball Lineup

Ah the joys of debate. We've had plenty of great baseball players take the field inside of a Major League Baseball park over the last thirty years. It's fun to have the debate as to who is the best player at every position over that time frame. It makes a good take for who's the best where, and what would make the perfect lineup. The last thirty years have seen a lot of great, hall of fame, players take the field. That's why making a list like this is tough, and fun. Its who I feel would be the best players at each position, as well as bench. It would make for one hell of a lineup to go up against.

There are a few deciding factors that went in to deciding who played where. Mostly it was entire body of work and overall game. What they could do with the bats, on the basepaths and in the field. This took a little debate to fill the luneup card but here it is. This is my dream baseball lineup of the last thirty years.

Manager: Tony LaRusa
Bench Coach: Joe Torre
Bench Coach: Bobby Cox

Starting Position Players
Catcher: Mike Piazza
1st Base: Albert Pujols
2nd Base: Roberto Alomar
Shortstop: Derek Jeter
3rd Base: Chipper Jones
Right Field: Tony Gwynn
Center Field: Ken Griffey Jr
Left Field: Barry Bonds

Reserve Position Players:
Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez
1st Base: Jeff Bagwell
2nd Base: Craig Biggio
Shortstop: Cal Ripken Jr (HM Alex Rodriguez)
3rd Base: Cal Ripken Jr (HM Robin Ventura)
Outfield: Mike Trout
Outfield: Carlos Beltran (HM Ichiro)
Outfield: Vladimir Guerrero
Designated Hitter: David Ortiz (HM Edgar Martinez)

Starting Pitchers (Rotation in Order):
Pedro Martinez
Randy Johnson
Roger Clemens
Greg Maddux
Clayton Kershaw

Relief Pitchers
John Franco
Trevor Hoffman
John Wettland
Billy Wagner
Zach Britton
Aroldis Chapman

Closer:
Mariano Rivera

Batting Order
Jeter
Alomar
Gwynn
Bonds
Griffey
Pujols
Piazza
Chipper

There's the lineup!

Should The NHL Return?

We've been on pause in the the NHL for the last sixty days. March 11th was the last time we saw NHL hockey. We haven't heard a peep from anybody at the NHL yet as to whether or not the league will complete the 2019-20 NHL season. But at this point I really have to ask this question. Does it even make sense at this point?

The American Hockey League already cancelled the rest of their season and started putting a plan in place to get their 2020-21 season going on time, which is a very smart move. now why can't the NHL do the same thing already? I'm reading various reports that the league is looking to skip the regular season and jump right into the playoffs, thus possibly pushing back the start of next season. If that's what they wanna do, then so be it. I get it that they want to crown a champion this year, and with all that the league has done.

But at the same time, I'm wondering out loud.....is it really worth the risk? If it was safe to do something to get the playoffs back it should have been done already and not wait till almost June to first start the playoffs. Your pushing back the start of next season till possibly December, which is one theory I've heard, and that too doesn't make a lot of sense. I know people are still worried about a possible second wave of the virus coming during Flu season, so if the league is taking that into account, then this makes total sense you don't want to put anybody health at risk.

And here's something else to think about. Lets say you wanna start up for the playoffs. Say a star like Alex Ovechkin gets hurt during the playoffs and won't be ready to go for the start of next season. Is something like that worth a big risk?

I want hockey back on the ice as badly as any of my fellow fans want. At the same time I want everybody to be safe and smart about how they do this. Once hockey does come back, its going to be played in an empty arena, which is going to be interesting to see. I'm sure the league will be welcomed back when its safe to do so with open arms. I just hope that the league and players association get it right to bring the game back at the right time.

The league hasn't said a word yet on what the actual plan is, which is annoying because I'd like to know what's going on. But at the same time, its smart because I don't want to have my hopes get up, only to be let down again.

2020 NFL Schedule Release

Oh we always look forward to days like this. The NFL has released its schedule for 2020, at least now. The regular season doesn't set to kick off till September, but between now and then who knows whats going to happen. Right now it looks as if everything is set to kickoff like normal, with the possibility of having no fans in attendance. We will find out between now and then what actually happens. For the time being at least, this is something to look forward to and talk about.

Before we look at the locals, here's some of the other marquee matchups taking place this season.

50th Anniversary of Monday Night Football:
Week two will see the New Orleans Saints battle the Las Vegas Raiders in the opening game at Allegiant Stadium. The game just so happens to fall on the exact date, 50 years to the date, that the first Monday Night Football game played in 1970.

Thanksgiving Games:
As is usually the case, we got three games on Thanksgiving day. Detroit hosts Houston, Dallas hosts Washington and finally Pittsburgh Hosts Baltimore

Christmas Day:
Christmas eve falls on Thursday this year, so the Thursday night game will be moved to Friday afternoon. The game will see the Saints play host to the Vikings. Its the first time since 2009 that a game will be played on a Friday.

AFC Showdown
Week three sees a matchup of the two best teams in the AFC from last year as Baltimore heads to Kansas City to take on the defending champs the Chiefs

Hall of Fame QB Battle
For only the third time ever, Brady will battle Rogers. It takes place week six as the Packers head to Tampa to play the Bucs. Its going to be one of the more fun games to watch on the schedule.

NFC Title Rematch
Week nine we get the rematch of last year's NFC championship game. Green Bay makes a trip out West to play the 49ers in San Francisco.

Top QB Battles
The top two quarterbacks taken in the draft this year were Joe Burrow to the Bengals and Tua Tagovailoa to the Dolphins. The two teams face off week thirteen down in Miami. Will Tua be starting for the Fins by then? Who knows, but the possibility makes you excited.

Now here's what we look like for the locals

Here's the Giants schedule:

1. September 14th vs Pittsburgh 7:15 PM
2. September  20th @ Chicago 1:00 PM
3. September 27th vs San Francisco 1:00 PM
4. October 4th @ Los Angeles 4:05 PM
5. October 11th @ Dallas 4:25 PM
6. October 18th vs Washington 1:00 PM
7. October 22nd @ Philadelphia 8:20 PM FOX
8. November 2nd vs Tampa Bay 8:15 PM
9. November 8th @ Washington 1:00 PM
10. November 15th vs Philadelphia 1:00 PM
11. BYE WEEK
12. November 29th @ Cincinnati 1:00 PM
13. December 6th @ Seattle 4:05 PM
14. December 13th vs Arizona 1:00 PM
15. December 20th vs Cleveland 1:00 PM
16. December 27th @ Baltimore 1:00 PM
17. January 3rd vs Dallas 1:00 PM

Here's the Jets schedule:
1. September 13th @ Buffalo 1:00 PM
2. September 20th vs San Francisco 1:00 PM
3. September 27th @ Indianapolis 4:05 PM
4. October 1st vs Denver 8:20 PM
5. October 11th vs Arizona 1:00 PM
6. October 18th @ Los Angeles 4:05 PM
7. October 25th vs Buffalo 1:00 PM
8. November 1st @ Kansas City 1:00 PM
9. November 9th vs New England 8:15 PM
10. November 15th @ Miami 4:05 PM
11. BYE WEEK
12. November 29th vs Miami 1:00 PM
13. December 6th vs Las Vegas 1:00 PM
14. December 13th @ Seattle 4:05 PM
15. December 20th @ Los Angeles TBD
16. December 27th vs Cleveland TBD
17. January 3rd @ New England 1:00 PM

So there's you 2020 schedule. What games are you most looking forward to?

Don Shula Legacay

For 33 years, Don Shula roamed the sidelines for the Miami Dolphins as their head coach. He was one of the greatest coaches in all of sports, not just football. What he was able to do as a coach was one of the most incredible things in all of sports history. He's the winningest coach in NFL history and lead the Dolphins to the only undefeated season in the history of football. Coach Shula passed away on Monday at the age of 90. The Dolphins issued a statement saying that Shula died "peacefully at his home."

Lets backtrack a little bit first. Shula started off coaching for six years, from 1963 to 1969, as the head coach of the Baltimore Colts, going 71-23-4 during that time. Then, it was in Miami where his career really took off.During that time in Miami, which went from 1970 to 1995, Shula lead the Dolphins to a record of 257-133-2. In total, Shula finished with a record of 328-156-6.

Lets look at it this way. Shula had done some things not too many greats in this game have. When you think of the great coaches that have roamed an NFL sideline, you think of guys like Bill Parcells, Vince Lombardi, Tom Laundry, Chuck Knoll, Bill Walsh, Tony Dungy, Bill Cowher, the list goes on and on. Shula had one thing going that none of those coaches ever did: He had only two seasons during his coaching career, where he finished a year with a below .500 record. He went 6-8 in 1976 and 6-10 in 1988/ He finished .500 or better in every single other season he coached, including the perfect season with the Dolphins in 1972.

His career records list is endless. He is first in most games coached (526), most consecutive seasons coached (33), and Super Bowl losses (four, tied with Bud Grant, Dan Reeves, and Marv Levy). His teams won seven NFL conference titles: 1964, 1968, 1971–73, 1982, and 1984. He also had three hall of fame quarterbacks play on his teams: Johnny Unitas, Bob Griese and Dan Marino.

You don't get to coach in the NFL as long as Shula did if your not doing something right. Two losing seasons in 33 years as a head coach is an unreal number to think about. He got the best out of his players year in and year out. He's without a doubt on the Mt Rushmore of NFL head coaches.. For everything he did for the game of football, he deserves our eternal grattitude.

Thanks for everything coach, and rest easy/