By Ron Wynn The Nashville Predators now look ahead to the 2018-19 season in the wake of their disappointing second round elimination at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets last week. The Predators truly felt they had a great shot at beating the so-called “President’s Trophy jinx,” but instead became the fifth straight team (and ninth of 10 overall) to lead the NHL in points during the regular season, then bow out of the playoffs without winning the Stanley Cup. Now there are questions to be answered in the offseason in all three major phases of the Predators’ operation, beginning…
Author: Ron Wynn
By Ron Wynn A record breaking season that had such high expectations came crashing down Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena, as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Nashville Predators 5-1 in Game 7 of their second round Stanley Cup Playoff series. It was Nashville’s third loss at home in this series, and they ended the playoffs with a very disappointing 3-4 overall home record. It was also a dismal night for Vezina Trophy finalist goalie Pekka Rinne, who surrendered two very weak first period goals and was pulled for the third time this series by head coach Peter Laviolette. He departed…
By Ron Wynn Sports View Just as Tiger Woods remains the number one news story in golf despite a long victory drought, Serena Williams is still by far tennis’ most closely watched and scrutinized figure. It has been clear from the less than stellar results of some early matches since her return after a 14-month break from competitive tennis that included the birth of her daughter Olympia in September that she’s not yet in top form, and it would be bizarre if anyone expected that to be the case. Williams came back in March, playing at the BNP Paribas Open…
By Ron Wynn Just as Tiger Woods remains the number one news story in golf despite a long victory drought, Serena Williams is still by far tennis’ most closely watched and scrutinized figure. It has been clear from the less than stellar results of some early matches since her return after a 14-month break from competitive tennis that included the birth of her daughter Olympia in September that she’s not yet in top form, and it would be bizarre if anyone expected that to be the case. Williams came back in March, playing at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian…
By Ron Wynn The Predators put together their best overall game of the playoffs Monday night when they needed it most, jumping on top early, then dominating the Winnipeg Jets 4-0 to even their best of seven series at three games each. It was their second road victory of this series, and second consecutive win in Winnipeg over a team that had previously not lost at home since early March. Flilp Forsberg had two goals and an assist, while Pekka Rinne silenced the detractors with a 34 save shutout, his second of the playoffs. The win means the series deciding…
By Ron Wynn The interim tag was officially removed last week as the Memphis Grizzlies reached agreement with J.B.Bickerstaff on a three -year deal to become their head coach. Despite a woeful 15-48 record compiled over his 63 game stint as interim head coach following the firing of David Fizdale, Grizzlies’ management felt Bickerstaff communicated well with a very young team, and kept them competitive most of the time. It also helped that team veterans and cornerstone players Mike Conley and Marc Gasol were solidly in his corner, expressing public support for Bickerstaff to be named the next coach. The…
By Ron Wynn The Predators finally flashed the consistent 60-minute form that made them the NHL’s dominant regular season team in Game 6 Sunday night against the Colorado Avalanche. By eliminating them 5-0 the Predators avoided a Game 7 back in Nashville, and earned a couple of days rest. Now they and their second round opponent the Winnipeg Jets wait until all the other first round series are completed before the Stanley Cup Playoffs move into the next phase. It is quite possible that this will be the toughest opponent the Predators face in their bid to once again play…
By Ron Wynn, Sports View For decades the strategy in professional team sports has been for clubs to build championships through savvy drafting, coupled with either trades or free agency. In baseball and hockey, it is also important to have a good farm system, but in all four of America’s major pro sports the draft is a prime ingredient in team success. The NFL draft, which begins Thursday, has become such a spectacle that now it is carried on two different networks, and cities vie for the opportunity to host it. Even the NBA and NHL drafts now have specialists…
By Ron Wynn Sports View Last Sunday was Jackie Robinson Day across Major League Baseball, as the sport celebrated the 71st anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier in modern day pro baseball. But what should have been a special national day of commemoration instead became one where MLB’s continual problems in the areas of diversity and inclusion were again on display. For openers, Robinson’s daughter Sharon spoke about the fact only one professional baseball player, Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell, joined NFL protestors in speaking out about racial injustice issues. She linked that unwillingness to the fact African Americans…
By Ron Wynn New Tennessee State head basketball coach Brian “Penny” Collins has made a key addition to his staff. Jerry Nichols, previously the head coach of Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis as well as Motlow State Community College, is joining the Tigers staff as their new assistant. Nichols was also a court coach for USA Basketball Under 18’s Junior National Team two years ago. “Jerry Nichols is a coach that I have the utmost respect for,” Collins said on the TSU website. “We got to know each other as rivals in Region 7 of the Tennessee JUCO League.…