Tampa Bay Lightning TV analyst Chris Dingman probably wishes he could get a mulligan after this line coming out of a feel-good community heroes segment on last night’s Sun Sports telecast of the game against the Flyers.

Congratulations to Kira Hurley, signed this past week as a backup goaltender for the New York (nee Cape Cod) Bluefins of the Federal Hockey League. She’s a former All-American at Clarkson who has played professionally in the old All American Hockey League. Those of us old enough to remember Manon Rheaume salute you.

No congratulations go to the FHL itself for choosing potentially the worst possible photograph with which to illustrate the story.

I found this piece of the past while looking for something else in my office’s archives today: a proposed domed stadium intended to lure an NFL team, circa 1986. This project, which would have been included the usual hotel/restaurant/other development stuff we always hear attached to stadium proposals today, would have been built in southwest downtown Phoenix. It never was, obviously, and I can’t find any information on when the whole thing went up in smoke. (As it happens, the St. Louis Cardinals moved here anyway and played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe for 18 seasons before University of Phoenix Stadium opened in Glendale in 2006.)

The design resembles what eventually became CenturyLink Field in Seattle (except for the complete roof – a necessity here). I don’t know if they hoped it would house JUST an NFL team or an NFL and, eventually, an MLB team (tough to tell the dimensions on that drawing and if there would have been enough space inside for a proper baseball field, and the chances of building two domes in downtown wouldn’t have been great).

I just found this piece of history that never came to pass was interesting.

Yes, there are people who actually believe this. I can’t for the life of me imagine the world inside their heads.

These are The Worst People In The World.

Oh, no, you’re not a racist at all. Thanks for clearing that up. That’s just one of the missives from the enlightened coming out of last night.

Long, long way to go.

EDIT: Ms. Marks has apparently deleted her Twitter account. You know, the one that we all were just misunderstanding, because she’s not a racist.

Final Canadian Football League attendance numbers for 2012:

H/T to Twelve Men On the Field.

What if Leon Durham hadn’t booted that ball? What if Lee Smith hadn’t let Steve Garvey take him deep? What if the Chicago Cubs had actually won the 1984 National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres? We’re re-imagining the 1984 World Series through the use of the APBA Pro Baseball Game, with the Cubs facing the American League champion Detroit Tigers.

Dan Petry out-dueled Scott Sanderson in leading the Tigers to a 3-1 win in Game Five, bringing the series back to Tiger Stadium with the home team one win away from its first World Series title in 16 years. But the Cubs felt good about their chances of forcing a seventh game, with Cy Young winner-to-be Rick Sutcliffe on the mound with his 19-1 record since coming to Chicago. The story after the jump.

(more…)

What if Leon Durham hadn’t booted that ball? What if Lee Smith hadn’t let Steve Garvey take him deep? What if the Chicago Cubs had actually won the 1984 National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres? We’re re-imagining the 1984 World Series through the use of the APBA Pro Baseball Game, with the Cubs facing the American League champion Detroit Tigers.

After the Cubs fought back to square the series at two games apiece, Chicago manager Jim Frey had a decision to make. Dennis Eckerlsey’s turn in the rotation was up, but the veteran – acquired in a June trade with Boston for the popular Bill Buckner – had been hit hard in two postseason starts. The alternative? Righthander Scott Sanderson, who hadn’t pitched since Game Four of the NLCS against the Padres. Detroit would counter with Game Two starter Dan Petry, who hadn’t made it out of the second inning. The story after the jump.

(more…)

What if Leon Durham hadn’t booted that ball? What if Lee Smith hadn’t let Steve Garvey take him deep? What if the Chicago Cubs had actually won the 1984 National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres? We’re re-imagining the 1984 World Series through the use of the APBA Pro Baseball Game, with the Cubs facing the American League champion Detroit Tigers.

Game Three saw the Cubs win their first home World Series game since 1935, but they would need to make it two in two days to avoid going down 3-1 in the series. The pitching matchup was a repeat of Game One, with Steve Trout facing Jack Morris. The story after the jump.

(more…)