Can Joel Quenneville make the Anaheim Ducks mighty once again? The Ducks have not been to the post-season since 2018 when the San Jose Sharks knocked them out in round one with a sweep. The Ducks had a 35-37-10 record that led to the firing of Greg Cronin in April. The Ducks finished 6th in the Pacific division which was 16 points behind the St.Louis Blues for the second wild card. The Ducks did improve by 21 points this season over the season before, because of the young talent they have assembled. Suddenly a few trades and fans are thinking what the duck is going on here. When Quenneville replaced Dennis Savard as head coach for the Blackhawks in 2008, I thought it was strange firing somebody after three games. I did not like the direction the team was going at the time. The Ducks roster is starting to get Quenneville’s fingerprints on it.
The last time we saw Joel Quenneville coaching was back in October 27, 2021 with the Florida Panthers. Quenneville had to resign from the game because his past caught up to him. He was part of that cover up in Chicago in 2010 where the Blackhawks brass swept under the rug video coach Brad Aldrich’s sexual allegations from two players of theirs, One was Kyle Beach & the other may never come forward. The Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman was out and Al Macisaac who was Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. In 2024 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reinstated all three guys. Bowman moved on to Edmonton & now Quenneville is back in the saddle again in Anaheim. The Ducks are getting the second winiest head coach in NHL history. Quenneville has a regular season record of 969-572-77, only behind Scotty Bowman who left his mark with1,244 wins. Quenneville helped the Blackhawks break a post-season drought when he arrived. He guided that team with young superstars like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith to three Stanley Cup titles. Quenneville also coached in St.Louis as he always had the Blues in the post-season. He also coached in Colorado which he managed to get the Avalanche to the playoffs half the years he was there. You have to give Quenneville some credit in Florida as that team was starting to climb before he resigned. Now the Panthers have won back to back Stanley Cups.
The Anaheim Ducks have a roster filled with guys in their 20’s. They have gathered some nice young roster pieces at the forward position with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Mason McTavish.
The Switzerland native McTavish had 22 goals last season in his 4th season in Anaheim at the age of 22. The Ducks traded a young piece in Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers for 45th overall draft pick this season and 2026 4th round pick, and a veteran center Ryan Poehling. Zegras has had back-to-back years of 20 goal seasons racking up 60 points or better. He has had a hard time the last two seasons staying healthy. The Ducks also landed a veteran wing from the New York Rangers in Chris Kreider who can provide this Quenneville team leadership on the ice as he did in the Big Apple for the last 13 seasons. On defense the Ducks have more young studs ready to take their game to the next level. They have Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Jackson LaCombe. Let’s not forget in the net, Lukas Dostral. The Czech goalie had his best season in the net with a record 23-23-7 with a .903 save %.
It seems like Joel Quenneville has plenty of interesting pieces for this roster in Anaheim. Now he has the front office adding some veteran pieces to a roster filled with young talent. This Ducks team may be ready next season to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. When the Blackhawks added veteran Marion Hossa to their young roster, suddenly the dynasty was born. Chris Kreider may not be a good comparison to Hossa. The Blackhawks sprinkled in the Kreiders of the NHL world as well, guys that had a set of skills to help a young team and show them how the next level looks like and take them there. Quenneville has been a winner everywhere he has gone. These trades look baffling right now, but by the time the season starts the Ducks will load up on more younger talent from the draft. They’ll just add enough veteran guys to bring the Mighty Ducks back into the conversation when we talk Stanley Cup playoffs. Joe Quenneville will change these Anaheim teams of old.
They will be prepared and fundamentally strong. He will put his players in the best spot to succeed. They still need to land that Hossa which will be hard to find. They may have the money to spend on a big name as well as Chris Kreider is not exactly cheap. I think the Ducks will be a sneaky sleeper team next season who may miss the playoffs, but they will have a winning record and will come close.
The Captain, Jonathan Toews, comes back to the NHL & will land him home with the Winnipeg Jets. Toews stepped away from the game for two seasons dealing with health issues. The last two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, he was limited to so many games dealing with effects of chronic inflammatory response syndrome. He also dealt with Covid in long stretches. The last time the Captain was on the ice was the 2022-23 season where he played in 53 games. After a 5 week healing journey to India and several months of training, he’s ready to make a comeback at 37 years of age. The Captain had a few suitors, but the Jets who are a playoff team and they play in his home town, would be hard to refuse as he signs a one year deal worth 2 million.
Nicknamed Captain Serious, Jonathan Toews’ 15 year career in the NHL he is decorated like a 20 star General. He played all 15 seasons with the Blackhawks and helped them hoist three Stanley Cups. In 2017 at the NHL Centennial Celebration, he made the list of the best 100 players of all-time. His former teammates, Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane, also made the list. Toews was the number 3 pick overall in the 2006 NHL draft. He is an all around center who shoots the puck from the left side. He has played in 1,067 NHL games and has racked up 883 points. He has scored 372 goals and dished out 511 assists. His home town of Winnipeg will remember the Captains playing in the Olympics for Canada as they won back to back Gold metals in 2010 then again in 2014.
The Winnipeg Jets won the President’s Cup last season. The Jets made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and were knocked out by the Dallas Stars. I really like this move by both parties here. The Jets add a talented piece to the roster with a ton of playoff experience. Jonathan Toews will be playing for a playoff team and not some bottom feeder team trying to put fannies in the seats by signing a has-been player. Is Toews a has-been? The Jets will not be getting the super star version of Toews. His last season in Chicago he had 15 goals and 16 assists in those 53 games. He was dealing with his health issues. If he is healed and perfectly healthy, the Jets should get better numbers from the Captain. Even if he is not the Captain, it is always good to have that experience he has in the general locker room which could help this already talented Jets team. Look at the Florida Panthers trading for 37 year old Brad Marchand during the reason and the results they got in the post-season. Toews will be playing with a chip on his shoulder because his former team irked him after his 8 year contract expired that season in 2023. You never want to see guys like Toews leave your team as he should always be wearing the Indian head sweater, especially after 15 seasons. That will be an exciting game when Toews comes back to play at the United Center in Chicago. It certainly was exciting when Patrick Kane back in the enemy sweater his first trip home to Chicago. I would like to see the Captain hit the 400 goals milestone before he hangs up the skates for good. He needs 28 more goals and doing that in the uniform and team he grew up watching, is a cool ending to a great career for him. The thing about this move is Toews will not be expected to do all the stuff he did with the Blackhawks. He will just play the game and being away from the game for two seasons, you miss playing. The body should be rested and the juices should be flowing and I believe this savvy move here will be worth it. The Jets may need another savvy move or two after this one if they are serious about a Stanley Cup. You know Captain Serious is surely serious about winning another cup.
In 2020, Henry Ruggs III was drafted 12th overall in the first round of the NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He was the first ever pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in their first season in Sin Town after leaving Oakland. He was a talented wide receiver coming out of a big college football program at the University of Alabama. He would now be making millions and more millions of dollars living out his dream playing the game he loved his entire life. Being in Las Vegas could be naturally a distraction with loose women, fast cars, drugs and alcohol along with gambling which could be the whammy of hexes. No young man should ride that line as the ending is always no good. Young people are stupid and we have all been there ourselves. In his second year in the NFL, it was the fast car with the girl in the passenger seat going at an unbelievable high speed which ended killing a woman named Tina Tintor and her dog. Ruggs and his girlfriend at the time would survive that horrific night on November 2nd, 2021. Ruggs would end up going to jail as he was sentenced to 3-10 years charged with a felony DUI and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. In 2026, he will have his first parole meeting and he says he wants to still play football in the NFL and once again for the Raiders.
As a rookie, Henry Ruggs III’s first year in the NFL was decent. He played in 13 games, he was targeted 43 times, and caught 26 balls. He had racked up 452 receiving yards with two touchdowns. In his second year in the NFL, Ruggs played in 7 games before he got his Corvette up to a speed close to 160 MPH on a Las Vegas highway. In 7 games he was targeted in year two, 36 times. He caught 24 balls. In year two he already had the same amount of catches, yards, and touchdowns he did his rookie season. He racked up 452 receiving yards with another two touchdown catches. In 20 NFL games, Ruggs III had 50 catches for 921 receiving yards and hauled in 4 touchdown catches. By his numbers alone, he was starting to adapt and understand the NFL game while playing at a higher level. The NFL now plays 17 games per season so Ruggs III was on his way in year two to murder his rookie season numbers. If he played 9 more games, the standard 16 at the time, he should have had over 1,000 receiving yards and close to 100 catches and lets say 6 to 7 touchdowns. Now he’s starting to sound like a number 1 guy on a NFL team. If Ruggs III made the right decisions and not have drove his car while intoxicated with his girlfriend in the passenger seat. Who he had a kid with. He would have certainly made millions more dollars after playing out his rookie contract. Obviously if he stayed healthy on the field.
Henry Ruggs III spoke publicly for the first time about the tragic accident he caused to kill Tina Tintor and her dog on that night speeding to get to another party. It was at the Hope for Prisoners group held in Las Vegas where he spoke and wished he could go back to make things right. He would need a time machine to go back in time to save the girl he killed, who was 23 years of age. He is saying all the right things and apologized to the Tintor family. Not just for killing their daughter but bringing up the memories of the horrific accident when his face appears in the papers or his story goes on social media. He never addressed the family of the girl he killed face to face. He says he would like to apologize to them face to face to show them the real Henry Ruggs III. He admitted he was trying to escape the pressure of being a first round pick on a NFL team with stunts like living in the fast lane. He would like to play football again and even stay in Vegas where he is being incarcerated and play for the Raiders. He has had time to reflect about the situation and improve his mind set spiritually talking about it while praying and finding the Lord is my guess.
How do you get so intoxicated at a Top Golf place earlier in the evening, where Henry Ruggs III and his girlfriend were at before racing over to their next place? His alcohol limit was off the charts after he plowed into Tintor’s car. His girlfriend, Je’nai Kilgo Washington, needed arm surgery after the crash. Ruggs III was sentenced in May of 2023 as he took a plea agreement over the reckless driving charge. He also had a loaded hand gun and being intoxicated while possessing a gun is another law he broke. He has transferred to a transitional housing unit as his life seems to being closer to getting back to normal. His parole date is August 6th of 2026 and if he gets out, he will only be 27 years old. If he makes it back into professional football, his name would be in the headlines for the Tintor family to read about. Do you trust guys like Henry Ruggs III to have a second chance in life for being so stupid? This story will not stop future young men in their 20’s from driving like assholes. The more money they’ve got, the faster the car. We see it every day if you take a drive on a highway. People driving whatever car beyond it’s speed with no turn signals and cutting people off. No wonder we have road rage in life. Guys will say whatever they think the other person wants to hear to get what they want. Will the Tintor family be there to try to close the door on Ruggs III for longer time served? I know after Top Golf, he was not driving that fast wanting to kill somebody that night. Accidents can happen & that’s why they are accidents. I hope the Tintor family does have a say in the matter because losing somebody at 23 years of age in something like that is heartbreak for the rest of their life. If Ruggs III gets out and makes it back to the NFL, how is he going to escape the pressure the next time with the ghost of Tina and her dog on his shoulder when he’s on the field? Being only 27 years old does not mean you have all the answers. Serving time could improve a man’s mindset but for how long? What team will take a chance on a guy with this heavy load on his shoulders bringing this to your team’s locker room? I know lots of things have to happen before we do see Ruggs III back on the NFL gridiron. With that type of money, these guys in professional sports could afford the best car services to take these guys out to paint the town red. Not sure why they don’t use them because this guy may have been a number one receiver right now for somebody getting the bigger money. It’s the Tintor family we have to back, regarding their decision on anything to do with Ruggs III getting out early.
I feel the Pittsburgh Steelers is like that guy that gets his high school dream gal decades later, who is now divorced and has a litter of kids. Even though we knew the hook up was going to happen at some point, finally the wait is over. Yes, Steel City finally gets that Hall of Fame QB they dreamed about after Big Ben Roethlisberger hung up the spikes for good. The Steelers will get Aaron Rodgers at the age of 41 years old, a guy who blew up the New York Jets franchise in the last two seasons with his own personality. Rodgers will get a one year deal from Pittsburgh worth 13.65 million. It’s a relationship between both parties that was neither one’s first choice. In the end they were stuck together like liver sausage and peanut butter. Trying to work out a combo that will not mix well together, like oil and water.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ first choice was trying to convince the LA Rams to give them their starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford. Multiple teams inquired about the availability this season on Stafford. In the end, the Rams were not giving up on the veteran quarterback who helped the Rams win a Superbowl a few seasons back. Then the Steelers tried to re-sign one of their own guys in Justin Fields, who they landed from the Chicago Bears in a trade in the off-season. The Steelers decided Fields was not enough and signed Russell Wilson as well. The 2024 regular season started off with Fields as the starter for the Steelers. Only reason he was the starter was because Wilson was dealing with an injury. After six games, Fields was 4-2 as the Steelers starter. He was looking good behind center. Wilson returned and Fields then was holding the clip board for the rest of the season. The Steelers then low balled Fields, who was a free agent with their offer. Fields took the better offer with the Jets and he will not have to look over his back as he has the keys to the car for the starting job with New York. The Steelers QB room was looking pathetic. They had a Miami Dolphins castoff, back up Skylar Thompson. They re-signed their former back up QB Mason Rudolf who left the Steelers for the Titans for one season. Then they drafted Will Howard in the 6th round in the 2025 NFL draft. Howard was the winning QB for Ohio State, who beat Notre Dame in the National Championship.
Aaron Rodgers’ first season with the Jets, in the very first game of the season, in the 1st quarter in 2023, suffered a season ending injury. On a sack by the Buffalo Bills defensive lineman, Leonard Floyd tackled Rodgers to the ground. He snapped his Achilles tendon and would miss the entire season. In his second season, Rodgers got the Jets head coach fired and the general manager. The Jets were so desperate for a quarterback, they gave into all of Rodgers’ demands while getting his guys on the team. The Jets front office brought in Rodgers’ receivers he has played with and coaches. In year two with the Jets, Rodgers had a 5-12 record as the Jets starter. He completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 passing yards with 28 touchdown passes to 11 interceptions. Rodgers was a cancer to the Jets organization, who once had one of the best defenses in the league and had some play-makers for the offense assembled. All they needed was a quarterback and they got Mr. Darkness, who never blamed himself for anything he did wrong. It was a mess in New York as they are still picking up the pieces right now.
Why did it take the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers to hook up when it was obvious? Some Steelers players thought Rodgers was holding the team hostage and leading them on until he found something better. Rodgers had been interested in playing for the Minnesota Vikings. If Rodgers did suit up for the Vikings, he would have followed in the same footsteps as Brett Farve did when he left the Packers for a bad year with the New York Jets then & helped the Vikings to the playoffs. The Vikings had a great record last year with Sam Darnold having his best year as a starting QB. He replaced the injured rookie, JJ McCarthy, who was injured in preseason and done for the entire year. Rodgers may have felt the Vikings would be a team he could help and at the same time get revenge against the Packers. The Vikings instead are giving the job to McCarthy, who they drafted in the first round in 2024. Rodgers said he did not sign with the Steelers until now for personal reasons. He has said he recently got secretly married and has not mentioned the woman’s name.
Maybe Aaron Rodgers met and married his new woman in the forest in one of his darkness retreats. Terry Bradshaw chimed in that Rodgers should stay in California where he is from, eat tree bark, and whisper to the Gods. Bradshaw, a former Steelers legend quarterback, thinks his former team is making a huge mistake by signing Rodgers. You’re not getting the Rodgers who won the Superbowl a very long time ago for the Packers. You’re not getting the guy who is a 10x Pro-Bowler. Rodgers has won multiple awards for one hell of a football career as he played 20 seasons already. Some think teaming up with Mike Tomlin, the Steelers legendary head coach, would prevent Rodgers becoming a cancer to the locker room. They think Tomlin would not allow Rodgers to ruin his team like the antics he pulled as a Jet the last two seasons. Rodgers is making mandatory practices for the Steelers wearing number 8.
He is in camp with his excuse of his new marriage. He already complained about his new helmet. Safety is sometimes uncomfortable. The Steelers have a solid defense. The Steelers can protect Rodgers better than the Jets. Besides from D.K Metcalf who the Steelers got from Seattle in a trade, who are his play-makers? The Steelers traded their nutcase wide receiver, George Pickens, to Dallas. Pickens had talent and Rodgers could have used him. The Steelers play in the same division as the Bengals and Ravens with top QBs like Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. The Browns have a defense and have a guy named Myles Garret who wants to add Rodgers to his Halloween cemetery. All the QBs he sacked over his career. That is a tough division Rodgers will be in. The Steelers have made the post-season the last few years, but they are one and done. What changes for the Steelers here? How are they going to get through the AFC gauntlet in general with teams like the Chiefs, Bills, Texans, and Broncos. First you have to find a way through the division before taking on one of those other teams in the AFC. Rodgers will break Brett Farve’s touchdown pass record this season, but the Steelers are probably not going anywhere. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season. That time may come this season when you picked your poison and it’s Aaron Rodgers. The guy that didn’t know who you were at the prom. The Steelers crush will find out the hard way as Rodgers has been around the block. He may be infected from eating bad tree bark in the forest. They will learn you can not fire up the old 1980’s Camaro and expect a spin with that high school sweetheart in that angel stage. The Steelers are not getting that Packers star QB from back in the day. What’s left of that guy is a broken down old quarterback who gives off bad vibes and will take you down with him. Good luck Steelers, because you will need it this season.
The UFL regular season concluded last week and the 4 best teams in the league made it to the post-season. Each conference will have their championship this weekend to see who will make it to the UFL’s season 2 title game in St.Louis. It’s DC Defenders visiting St.Louis BattleHawks for the XFL Conference title game. Then the Michigan Panthers visiting Birmingham Stallions for the USFL title game. Will the Stallions end up winning their 4th straight championship? Will St.Louis do their Tom Brady impression and host a title game at their home stadium to win it all? The Panthers do not play like kittens. Will the Defenders beer snake travel to St.Louis? Lots of questions & perhaps not enough answers. We may answer some of your questions with the UFL playoff preview and our own predictions. Both games are Sunday and they should be epic outcomes. Hope you enjoy!!!
UFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS
XFL CONFERENCE
Favorite: BattleHawks 2.5 points
#2. DC DEFENDERS (6-4) AT ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (8-2)
HEAD TO HEAD THIS SEASON: Defenders (1-1) BattleHawks
UFL RECORD ALL-TIME HEAD TO HEAD 2 SEASONS: BattleHawks (3-1) Defenders
The BattleHawks and Defenders hate each other which always makes a playoff game even more intense. These two teams hated each other back in the XFL days. The Defenders and BattleHawks split the season series. The last meeting was a BattleHawks win. However you know both teams were not showing anything new. Both teams were also resting players knowing they are meeting up in the post season a week later. You could say the Defenders victory over BattleHawks in week 3 is the only legit thing we have to work with. The BattleHawks have a different quarterback since the last time these two teams went at it with all their guys on the field. The BattleHawks went on to win the XFL Conference and have the best record in the entire league.
BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS ON OFFENSE
POINTS PER GAME: St.Louis averaged 23.1 PPG while DC averaged 22.5 PPG
The Defenders have the best aerial attack in the league.
Jordan Ta’amu is one of the best quarterbacks in the UFL. He was second in the league in passing yards with 2,153 and first in touchdown passes with 17. He only threw 4 interceptions.
The BattleHawks starting quarterback is a duel threat QB who relies on his legs over his arm. Max Duggan got the job when Manny Wilkens went down with a season ending injury. Duggan had 4 passing touchdowns with 4 interceptions. Duggan won all the games he started for the BattleHawks.
The BattleHawks can run the football as they are one of the top rushing teams in the league. Jacob Saylors finished 2nd in the league with 499 rushing yards. Max Duggan had another 299 rushing yards with 5 rushing touchdowns.
Both teams average about the same amount points per game this season. The Defenders rely on the pass while the BattleHawks rely on the run. The BattleHawks have some play makers that can catch the ball and change the game in the air. Hakeem Butler’s numbers were down this season, but he is a big target for St.Louis if Duggan can hit on some play action passes, he is a threat.
DEFENSE
POINTS ALLOWED: The Defenders allow 21.6 PPG while the BattleHawks allow 16.0 points per game
The Defenders need to cause turnovers to be successful. While the BattleHawks defensive unit is solid from the front to the back with guys that can get the turnovers as well. The BattleHawks don’t rely on them like the Defenders need them.
Pita Taumoepenu led the UFL this season in sacks with 7.5. The BattleHawks’ Willie Harvey is one of the best linebackers in the league and a tackling machine.
Not like father and son in DC. Since Gregg Williams left to Tennessee State following Reggie Barlow out the door to Tennessee State, the defense has not been the same. The Defenders gave the job to Gregg’s son and they still come after the QB but not like they used to.
The BattleHawks defense is by far the better unit this season and seems to be getting better as the season went along.
COACHING
You have to chalk up the experience of the BattleHawks Head coach Anthony Becht, former NFL tight end. He has the BattleHawks in the post-season two straight seasons. The new guy, Shannon Harris, acts more like a player than a head coach. Letting Skip Holtz have it after beating the Stallions in week 1 that he had bulletin board material that worked him up. As a head coach you need thicker skin. Sure, use the bulletin board material to help pump up your team without letting them know it’s getting under your skin.
PREDICTION
I can’t see the BattleHawks losing two straight seasons hosting a conference championship game. Last year the San Antonio Brahmas shocked the BattleHawks. This BattleHawks team has the experience and deeper roster than the Defenders. The BattleHawks have been very good at home with the best fan base in the UFL. The Defenders have won in St.Louis. They will put up a fight. I think cooler heads prevail as Anthony Becht’s team shows they have more discipline and avoid football stupid.
OUR PICK: ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS
USFL CONFERENCE
Favorite: Stallions favored by 1.5 points.
#2. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (6-4) AT BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (7-3)
HEAD TO HEAD RECORD THIS SEASON: Stallions (2-0) Panthers
UFL RECORD ALL-TIME HEAD TO HEAD 2 SEASONS: Stallions (5-0) Panthers
The Panthers and Stallions is a rematch from the 2024 USFL conference title game. That went to the Stallions as they are the defending champions coming into this title game. It seems like the Stallions are always the defending champions because they are looking for their 4th straight title in 4 straight seasons. Two in the USFL and now are trying to repeat in the UFL. The last time the Panthers beat the Stallions, you have to go back to 1983 in regular season of the USFL.
It was the year the Michigan Panthers were the champions. Since the reboot of the USFL, the Stallions have owned the Panthers with a 7-0 record all-time.
BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS ON OFFENSE
POINTS PER GAME: The Panthers averaged 24.5 PPG while the Stallions averaged 24.4 PPG
These two teams are very close to each other numbers-wise in stats on both the offense and defense. The quarterback match up in this title game will be must see television.
The Stallions went through 4 different quarterbacks this season, even bringing back the old guys of their glory days. J’Mar Smith was managing a Dunkin Donuts when he got the call from his head coach that he was needed once again. Smith came out of retirement and helped his former team to the number one seed in the USFL conference. Smith was the guy for Skip Holtz’s first ever Stallions USFL title they won in the original reboot. Smith in few games has tallied 758 passing yards with six touchdowns and 1 interception.
Bryce Perkins was red hot before he suffered an injury for the Panthers. He tallied up 1,342 passing yards with 9 touchdown passes which is good for number 2 in the UFL. He only had two interceptions. Perkins is a duel threat quarterback that does well with his arm and legs. Perkins had 269 yards on the ground with 5 rushing touchdowns. Obviously the Panthers have been resting him for this moment to slay the dragon.
RUNNING GAME
Both the Panthers and Stallions use running back by committee in their rushing attack. The Panthers average 127.8 yards per game with Nate McCrary as the main guy.
McCrary has racked up 380 rushing yards this season. The other head of this Panther two-headed monster is Toa Taua who is very good in the red zone scoring rushing touchdowns as he has six this season.
The Stallions rely on two of their staple backs they have had for years in Birmingham. Ricky Person Jr. has racked up 310 rushing yards this season. C.J Marable is also a guy they rely on in the running game and passing attack. The Stallions average 105.8 rushing yards per game.
THE PLAY MAKERS
The Stallions average 206.6 yards per game throwing the ball. Deon Cain is the Stallions top weapons in that department as he had 514 receiving yards this season. The Panthers average 192.9 passing yards per game. Their top wide receiver is Siaosi Mariner who has racked up 527 receiving yards.
Both teams are well balanced on offense. Both teams have quarterbacks that can get important yardage with their legs. It’s too close to call who has the better offense.
DEFENSE
POINTS ALLOWED: The Panthers allow 19.5 points per game while the Stallions D allows 16.2 point per game.
These are two of the most respected defenses in the league when you talk about what the Stallions and Panthers can do defending. The Panthers have a strong rushing defense and can put the Denver boot on the opponent’s running game. The Panthers defense lacks the sacks this season. However they did get their stud defensive player of the year back in the mix, Breeland Speaks, who missed most of the season.
The Panthers have two guys from their secondary that made all UFL team. Kendrick Whitehead Jr. and Arnold Tarpley III have had a great season containing the opponent’s passing game.
The Stallions defense were number one in multiple stat categories. They had the most sacks. They allowed the least amount of points, rushing touchdowns and first downs.
The Stallions have multiple players we can talk about on that stellar defense. The heart and soul of this Stallions defense has to be Kyahva Tezino, the former Pittsburgh Mauler. They also have A.J Thomas, so two guys that make the tackles. Both these guys are also play makers on the defensive side.
Both defenses are very close as I would give the Stallions having the edge overall.
COACHING
You know Skip Holtz, head coach of the Stallions, has to be in the mind of Panthers head coach Mike Nolan. Nolan has never beat Holtz as he is 0-5 versus Skip. Both Nolan and Holtz are two of the best coaches in this league. I have to give Skippy the edge here.
Skip Holtz owns Mike Nolan’s Panthers right now.
PREDICTION
I feel like if any team will get an upset between the Panthers and Defenders, it would go to Michigan. They say this is Michigan’s best team ever, even over the 1983 team that won it all in the USFL. The 1980’s seem to be so far in the past to compare these two teams like that. Skip Holtz has been here and done this 3 straight years. He has many of the players still on that team from year one. J’Mar Smith looks like he hit the fountain of youth coming back into the league after retiring. He was not the starter year 2 and year 3, so he lost his mojo after season 1 somehow. Is Bryce Perkins going to be rusty after missing several weeks with his injury? These two teams met in week 9 and it was a close affair. The Panther lost the game 26-22 with their back up, Danny Etling, playing in that one. This is a very hard match up to choose. Until I see Skip Holtz and the Stallions losing in the post-season, how do you bet against them? The Stallions will be at home & they play very well in front of the home crowd. The Stallions fans have not been turning out to the games like they used to. I can see them getting more butts in the seats in this game.
The New York Knicks have been one of the worst franchises in the NBA for over two full decades. They have not been relevant since the 1990’s. All those Knicks teams in the 90’s were not as good as the Michael Jordan Bulls teams back in the day where Airness ruled the courts including Madison Square Garden. The last 5 seasons the Knicks have suddenly been resurrected from the basketball grave yard by the savvy hire of Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals this season. On the way to the conference finals they knocked off the defending champs, the Boston Celtics. The Knicks would not get by the Indiana Pacers as they lose the conference finals in six games. Most experts would say a little more tinkering on the roster while keeping this team together to play with each other building up that chemistry should be enough to get further next season and beyond. The Knicks instead think this is as far as Thibodeau is going to get us. They fire him as they look for the sexy new replacement to get them to the promised land of that NBA championship. Flying off the handle has still not gotten this franchise a NBA championship in 52 years. That’s more than a drought this franchise has going on with this team as bad decisions have followed them like dark clouds.
Tom Thibodeau has been screwed by every franchise he has been head coach of. It started with the Chicago Bulls where the front office blamed him for wearing out their MVP Derrick Rose with heavy minutes even in games that were lopsided. Then in Minnesota a season after finally getting the Timberwolves back to the post-season, Thibs could not control Jimmy Butler who wanted out of town in a trade. He was head coach who did not get along with both front offices in his first two head coaching jobs. The Bulls General Manager during Thibodeau’s 5 years in Chicago, John Paxson, wanted to physically punch the coach because they did not see eye to eye. In Minnesota Thibodeau did not get along with the business side of the game with their front office. The 3rd season in Minnesota the Timberwolves started off the season with a losing record which gave the front office a better excuse to terminate Thibodeau. The Bulls fired Thibodeau and hired Fred Hoilberg where things turned even uglier in Chicago. At least Minnesota rebounded. Since Michael Jordan retired from the Bulls, the Tom Thibodeau era has been by far the best basketball the fan base has seen. When Knicks President Leon Rose says,”Our organization is singularly focused on winning championships for our fans.”
Leon Rose excuses for the firing of Tom Thibodeau for what could be multiple reasons. The Thibs defense did not do well versus the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. Thibodeau teams are usually solid on the defensive side of the ball. Another reason is the creativity of offense especially in the playoffs. The Knicks relied too much on Jalen Brunson on the offense. Obviously they think Thibs is just a bridge guy when it comes to coaching. A guy that will get you to the playoffs consistently and perhaps some years like this season, get your team deep into the post-season. In 13 regular seasons as head coach, Tom Thibodeau has a winning record all-time of 578-420 which is .579 winning %. His post-season record all-time is a losing record at 48-55 which is a .466 winning percentage. However in 13 seasons he has only 4 losing seasons. For the Knicks he had back to back years of this team winning 50 or more games which has not happened since the 1990’s. The Knicks have seen the post-season 4-5 years he has been in New York. Thibodeau’s 24 playoff wins as a Knicks head coach is 17 more victories then the team’s last 13 coaches combined. He had a winning record as the Knicks head coach which was 24-23. Before Thibs took the Knicks job, New York missed the playoffs 7 straight seasons.
Who will the Knicks turn to now? Michael Malone or Rick Pitino? Could they pry Dan Hurley from his University of Connecticut job? Can they bring back an old face like Jeff Van Gundy? I’m sure the list will include some more of the hottest college coaches. Tom Thibodeau will get another head coaching job in the NBA. I think Thibs is not just a bridge gap style of head coach. He took the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals that featured the dream team Lebron James built with the Heat joining forces with Dwyane Wade and luring Chris Bosch to South Beach. I think Derrick Rose would have hurt his knee eventually. It was not Thibs’ fault for keeping him in a game they had wrapped up. That knee was most likely a ticking time bomb waiting for any moment to blow up on Rose. I think front offices don’t give Thibs the chances he deserves to really get the guys he wants and use them the way he wants to. Tom got one of his old guys from the Timberwolves by getting Karl-Anthony Towns in a trade. You can see the Knicks were building this up every year and getting better every season. I just don’t understand how you would not give him at least one more year to try to get over the hump. It’s the mentality of New York sports to get drastic and make a move when you do not have to. I think Leon Rose, the blowhard the Knicks have, is wanting more credit. Front offices will always doom guys like Thibs who only wants to do things his way. Yes, stubborn, but his recipe has worked. The Knicks right now may be a piece away. Maybe more. Now I hope the Knicks find themselves in basketball purgatory next season. You’d rather be worst than stuck in the middle of the NBA with clowns to the right and jokers to the left. Then Leon will feel how the Big Apple takes a bite out of him.
The Stanley Cup has arrived as we are down to two teams in the finals. It’s a rematch of last year’s epic 7 game series that went the distance with the Florida Panthers versus the Edmonton Oilers.
We hope the sequel of the Panthers/Oilers is not Weekend at Bernie’s Two and more like Star Wars’ Empire Strikes Back if you want to dub Edmonton as the bad guys. This is the 12th time in NHL history we have the same two teams battling it out in two straight seasons in the Stanley Cup finals. It’s the first time since 2009 when Detroit and Pittsburgh squared off for the second time in two seasons. The Oilers could be trying to repeat their own history as they were beaten by the New York Islanders in 1983 in the first year of back to back finals. In 1984, Edmonton would prevail over the Islanders. Now Edmonton is looking to do the same thing with the Panthers after falling to Florida last year. Florida has other plans as they want to be the 3rd team this century to repeat in back to back finals. The Penguins did it in 2016 & ’17 while the Lightning did the same thing in 2020 & ’21. Edmonton and I imagine most of Canada would love to see their country’s drought end. The last time a Canadian team in the NHL won the Stanley Cup, you have to go back to 1992 when Montreal won it all.
Our playoff predictions throughout the playoffs prediction for each series winners, record stands at 9-5. We went 6-2 first round. Second round went even at 2-2. Conference championships we have a 1-1 record. We have suffered three series losses picking against the Oilers. Will that change in the finals? Should we go Oilers and jump on their band wagon? We have not done well at picking the right games each series winner has clinched it by. These are some things you should know if you are using this article as a reference to make a wager on the outcome of the NHL finals.
2025 STANLEY CUP FINALS
EDMONTON OILERS VERSUS FLORIDA PANTHERS
Season series: (0-2) favoring Panthers, Playoff History: (1-0) 1 series favoring Panthers
How these teams arrived here: Panthers eliminated: Lightning, Maple Leafs & Hurricanes
Oilers eliminated: Kings, Golden Knights & Stars
History Cups won: Oilers (5-1) Panthers
Oilers Cups, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990.
Panthers Cup, 2024,
Last year the Panthers cruised to a 3 games to nothing lead on the Oilers. Then the Oilers came back and won three straight to bring the series to a game 7. Finally the Panthers put away the Oilers avoiding a historical collapse you want nothing to do with. How do the Oilers overcome the Panthers besides not digging a hole for themselves early on in the series? The Panthers are not the hunters any longer as they are being hunted which sometimes is harder to defend and prevail in these circumstances. Let’s dive into some intriguing numbers first. The number 2.
Corey Perry will be playing in his 5th Stanley Cup finals in his last six seasons. It will be his 6th Stanley Cup final of his career. The first 1 he won back in 2007 with the Ducks. Perry has been on the losing end of the last 4 Cup tries. In 2020 with the Stars, 2021 Canadiens, 2022 Lightning and last year with the same Oilers. At 40 years of age, will he get that 2nd cup?
In 17 games of post-season, Brad Marchand wearing a Panthers jersey has 4 goals while dishing out ten assists. The Panthers added Marchand through a trade with the Boston Bruins. Marchand is seeking his second Stanley Cup championship just like Corey Perry. Marchand won his only win with Boston in 2011. The last two finals Marchand has been in both with the Bruins, he was on the losing side in 2013 & 19. Could the veteran get his name on the Cup twice?
DEADLY LINES
The Brad Marchand line has been very productive on the road as it’s been averaging 3 points per contest. This line has produced 32 points with 10 goals and 22 assists for the Panthers so far this post-season. Besides Marchand, the Panthers have Anton Lundell on this line and he has 5 goals with 7 assists in the post season so far. Then Eetu Luostarinen has 4 goals and dished out 9 assists. It’s nice to have something working to your own advantage on the road which these teams will need to steal a game to win this thing.
The Oilers in the 1980’s had two super power players – Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. Can Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl be those guys to get it done for the Oilers like those past Edmonton heroes did?
Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have done the heavy lifting this post-season. Draisaitl has 7 goals with 18 assists which totals out to 25 points. McDavid has 6 goals and has dished out 20 assists which is good for 26 points.
GOALIES
Which goalie will be red hot in this Stanley Cup final? We know a goalie could single handedly be the X-factor of any series in hockey and carry his team to the promised land. The Panthers have the better goalie with Sergei Bobrovsky. The Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner has shown he can be a brick wall in the net for them.
Since Bobrovsky took over the net for the Panthers in post-season play since April 23, 2023, he has 40 wins behind net and six shut outs. He has 2.40 goals against average and .911 save %. This post-season he has a record of 12-5 with 3 shut outs. He only has 2.11 goals against average and a higher save percentage at .912.
Now Stuart Skinner buckled down after Edmonton lost their first game versus the Stars. He won 4 straight games to help Edmonton get to this point. He only allowed 5 goals out of 105 shots from game 2 through 5 out of the conference championship series. Skinner rebounds quickly from a bad game which you want that from your goalie, a short memory. He allowed 4 goals in game three of the series when the Oilers faced the Golden Knights in round two. He rebounded with two straight shut outs versus a Vegas team that has a solid offense.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I think the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are definitely the two best teams in the NHL. You can say that I’m like Captain Obvious on that statement as they are the only two teams left standing. I thought about the Oilers how I thought they did not have the goal tending. They did not have depth in their roster. I thought how the Oilers rely too much on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. These are all true statements when you talk about the heavy burden and if they get others to help. Can Skinner remain hot in the net?
The Panthers have so much depth on this roster as I have not even mentioned some of their bigger names. Like Matthew Tkachuk whose presence is a force out on the ice. He has 38 hits and chipped in 5 goals so far this post-season. Then the Panthers number 1 star Aleksandor Barkov who has 6 goals with 11 assists, blocked 16 shots, and has dished out plenty of hits. What about two Panthers that may be on their last ride with the team? They are star defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennent who has multiple goals this post-season. These two guys will be free agents at the end of this series. I think Florida has too much more than Edmonton. The Oilers will make this a must watch series as it should go 7 games. I think the Panthers goal tending puts the Oilers super stars on ice at the end.
OUR PREDICTION: FLORIDA PANTHERS REPEAT AS YOUR STANLEY CUP WINNER IN 7 GAMES
The post-season is clear with the 4 teams making the tournament. The XFL Conference will have the Defenders and BattleHawks while the USFL Conference will have the Panthers and Stallions. Right now St.Louis looks like the best team in the league. The Stallions are rising up just in time to win their 4th title game in a row. The Stallions still own the kittens in Michigan. The Defenders could be that thorn in the BattleHawks side to prevent a Birmingham St.Louis showdown. Still one more week of regular season to play. The Roughnecks and Renegades finally win last week. Too little too late. But they could both end up at 5-5. The Brahmas and Showboats are back to their old tricks. Let’s sort it out as we have some movement in this week’s UFL power rankings.
WEEK 10 POWER RANKINGS WORST TO FIRST
#8. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (1-8)
XFL CONFERENCE: The Brahmas were dead last in my UFL power rankings most of the year. Nothing changed from last week as they are still there because they can not go any lower except on the field of play.
The lady standing wearing the horns with all the tattoos is a keeper one to bring home to mom. Makes one feel like Sunday morning waking up wondering what you drank. If you are a fan of the Brahmas, you better keep a few bottles of the strong stuff by you. This team is horrible & a skeleton of itself from one season ago. Without Wade Phillips being the grand Poobah of this Texan team, in the future I don’t see things turning around.
The Brahmas on Friday night last week played one quarter out of 4 as they made it a close game at 15-7 with the BattleHawks. St.Louis blew the doors off the Brahmas, 39-13. The BattleHawks offense had 402 total yards compared to the Brahmas 234. The Brahmas average play went for 4.3 yards while St.Louis averaged 6.8 yards per play. The running back Jashaun Corbin is the only thing going well for the Brahmas. He had another 85 yards on the ground with a touchdown. He averaged 6.1 yards per play. The Brahmas went back to Kellen Mond at quarterback who is not very good. No mistakes, but his completion rate is hovering around 50%. He completed 14-26 passes for 103 yards. Not very good. The Brahmas will have to address their QB situation and hope they can bring back their Grand Poobah as head coach next season.
#7. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (2-7)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Showboats take a knee in week 9 as they know they are not the worst team in the league after winning week 8 against the Brahmas. The lucky 7th spot is the same spot they have clung to all year.
The Showboats gave veteran spring quarterback EJ Perry another shot behind center in week 9 versus the Renegades defense. Perry fumbled the ball on a strip sack by the Renegades defense. He completed 5-11 passes for 89 passing yards. Dresser Winn saw some action after sitting out the Brahmas game from an injury. He really did not do well as he completed 7-16 passes for 89 passing yards. Winn looked good for a few games, but overall the Showboats QBs were disappointing this season. Even only completing about 50% of their passes, Memphis hung with the Renegades through 3 quarters. After the first half it was 12-9 Arlington. It was 18-12 Arlington after the 3rd quarter until the Renegades sunk the boat in the 4th for good.
Some diver will discover the Memphis Showboats 2025 season wreckage in years to come. Jalen Jackson had another rushing touchdown for the season. The running game was horrific as the Showboats starter, Deneric Prince, averaged 2 yards per carry versus the Renegades defense.
For the season Prince averaged 3.1 yards per carry as he has 97 rushes for the season so far for 298 yards on the ground with only 1 touchdown. Matt Coghlin scored 6 points going 2-2 in field goals. We will see if the Showboats survive next season as a team that could change cities as the Yacht Club seemed to have forgotten where the stadium was this season.
The Showboats need to address their QB situation and find someone that can carry the load running the football next season.
#6.HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (4-5)
USFL CONFERENCE: Even with the win last week they are still in the same spot from last week the way everything played out in week 9.
The Roughnecks finally got that signature victory against a winning opponent in week 9 when they took down the DC Defenders in a thriller. Now that blown lead against the Stallions comes back to bite the Roughnecks as they could still be in the mix if they held on and beat Birmingham. Even knowing they were out of the post-season, you have to give Houston kudos for coming out playing hard versus the Defenders and it earned them their 4th victory of the season. They could go 5-5 if the Panthers lay down their arms and rest players this weekend before post-season play in game that does not mean anything to Michigan. The Roughnecks had to hold on versus the Defenders in the 4th quarter where they almost gave this game away. The Defenders scored 12 points in the 4th to cut the Roughnecks lead into 3 points. The Roughnecks dominated the entire game except in the 4th quarter. The Roughnecks got a blocked field goal and a defensive stop to put this one on ice. The Roughnecks defense forced two turnovers as Leon O’Neal Jr. had a big fumble recovery that set up a Houston score and got the interview afterwards.
Jalen McClendon at quarterback is a keeper. If only the Roughnecks started him from game one, maybe they are in the post-season. If Houston does not keep him, he is definitely a starter in the UFL for somebody for years to come. He had 232 yards passing with two touchdown passes & no interceptions. Justin Hall had another monster day. Jalen’s favorite target had 10 catches for 126 receiving yards. The Roughnecks ran the ball well. The most important thing was they avoided second half collapse. Barely.
#5. ARLINGTON RENEGADES (4-5)
XFL CONFERENCE: Renegades remain in the number 5 spot overall because they are not in the top 4 teams of the UFL. Instead a team on the bubble for that 4th spot with their roller coaster season.
The Renegades played lights out on defense last week versus the Showboats. They held the Memphis offense to total of 173 yards. The two Showboats quarterbacks completed under 50% of their throws. Memphis lingered in this game and finally in the 4th quarter, Arlington as a whole put a team away. Both the Renegades offense and defense showed you flashes on how this team could be a playoff team, but they have not had enough games or quarters like that this season together. They did not blow a 4th quarter lead either. The Renegades defense was awesome creating turnovers, pressuring the quarterback, and not giving them time to analyze the field.
Willie Taylor III forced two fumbles & recovered one of them for the Renegades defense. He also had two sacks. The Renegades defense held the Showboats running game to 42 yards. Luis Perez always has the stats as he completed 20-30 for 206 passing yards and two touchdown passes and converted drives into points in the 4th quarter. I can see the Renegades finishing the season at 5-5 which is the up and down season they have had and if they closed out some of those games, it would be different world for them.
#4. DC DEFENDERS (6-3)
XFL CONFERENCE: I have the Defenders dropping one spot from last week with the loss to the Roughnecks.
The Defenders to me are the worst team out of the playoff teams. However they seem like they have the BattleHawks’ number so you could see them advancing to the title game. They were down early to the Roughnecks last week and fought back in the 4th quarter to make it a game and fell short. The Defenders quarterbacks threw the ball over 50 times. The Defenders aerial attack is the best in the league. They had two quarterbacks that put up eye popping stats.
We know about Jordan Ta’amu who the Defenders rested because they are locked in playing the BattleHawks in the playoffs and in the final week of the season. The other guy, Mike Diliello, looks like a starter in the UFL in the future. He completed 17-29 passes for 206 passing yards and a touchdown pass. Teams like the Showboats & Brahmas would love a guy like that to be the starting QB for them. As a group the Defenders ran for 87 yards which is better than most weeks. The Defenders missed a field goal that could have tied the game last week late in the 4th. I think this team relies too much on the pass and not enough balance to sustain long drives. They can score quickly. The Defenders defense seem to spend too much time out there on the field. They are a bend, but don’t break defense and rely on sacks and turnovers which sometimes do not materialize for that unit.
#3. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (6-3)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Panthers drop 1 spot from last week as they lose a close one to the division rival Stallions.
The Panthers got back the man on their defense. Last year’s defensive player of the year Breeland Speaks just in time for their arch rival Stallions in a big game between these two teams. The Panthers and Stallions will meet up in the post-season and no matter who won this game, the USFL conference championship was going to be played in Birmingham. If the Panthers win the conference, they are on the road no matter what. That did not happen, but both teams wanted it. The Panthers did not play their top QB perhaps saving Bryce Perkins for that playoff battle. Danny Etling has played very well filling in for Perkins and he completed 23-39 passes for 236 passing yards and two touchdown passes.
Siaosi Mariner continues to play well with whoever is the QB in Michigan. Now you probably know why Marcus Simms became expendable as he was traded to Houston weeks ago. Mariner caught 5 balls for 115 yards and hauled in a touchdown. Once again not enough to beat the Stallions who have the Panthers’ number. The Panthers defense could not stop the Stallions on 3rd down and remained on the field longer than you like to see. The Stallions then made the key stop on the Panthers offense to seal the deal in a 26-22 victory. The Stallions sweep the season series versus the Panthers. Mike Nolan head coach of the Panthers has not been able to beat Skip Holtz, the Birmingham head coach. The Stallions are the Panther’s kryptonite in this league. Until the Panthers can beat the Stallions, they will not win it all.
#2.BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (6-3)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Stallions move up 2 spots beating their division rival the Panthers.
The Stallions have the Michigan Panthers’ number. This has been going on for years. The Stallions sweep the season series versus the Panthers and have control of the USFL conference. Win or loss the Stallions were hosting a home game in the USFL conference title game. Now you can see that the Stallions are gearing up to try to win their 4th title in a row and second UFL trophy. They are doing it with a guy that was managing a Dunkin Donuts a few weeks back and retired from the game.
Not that guy, but J’mar Smith got the call from his head coach Skip to come back. Injuries had inserted Smith back into the QB 1 role.
Smith never left the Birmingham area after retiring as he is the guy that helped the Stallions win their very first title game in the reboot of the USFL. Smith came up big versus the Panthers throwing for 307 yards with two touchdown passes. The Stallions completed 11/13 3rd down conversions. It has felt like all season the Stallions had many more losses than 3. Here they are now with 6 wins & could be 7 this weekend. They don’t go away.
#1.ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (7-2)
XFL CONFERENCE: They gave the worst team a beat down to remain number 1 in the same spot as last week.
Do we have a QB controversy brewing in Arch Town? We know the success Max Duggan has had being the starter when Manny Wilkens’ season ended with an injury weeks ago. Duggan gives the BattleHawks that running QB with that running game which makes them a hard team to beat. In garbage time as Duggan was taken out of the game last week because the BattleHawks were beating up on the Brahmas, they inserted his back up. Not a bad idea to give the back up QB some reps just in case. Brandon Silvers, a journeymen spring QB, sparked the aerial attack for the BattleHawks which has been dormant at times this season even with the success they have still had. He completed 7-10 passes for 100 yards with a touchdown pass. Silvers had played for the Memphis Express back in the AAF in 2019. Last year, he played for the Roughnecks. He has also suited up for the Seattle Sea dragons of the XFL. Not a bad thing to have two sets of skills the BattleHawks can deploy on a opponent in post-season. The back ups were looking like all-stars versus the Brahmas. Back up running back Keon Latulas had 8 carries for 66 yards and a rushing touchdown. That is 8.2 yards a clip. The BattleHawks go into week 10 with the best record in the UFL and play the their archrival the Defenders who gave them one of the losses this season. The BattleHawks have back to back games versus the Defenders including the XFL Conference title game in St.Louis. They have to figure out how to beat the Defenders and the important one will be the post-season. It is nice they have some roster depth as this could be the BattleHawks’ year.
The Chicago Blackhawks have hired their 42nd head coach in their franchise history. This go around it’s not a guy without head coaching experience as was the case with the last few guys. The Blackhawks have settled on a former Detroit Red Wings head coach, 51 year old Jeff Blashill, who is a Michigan native. With the free agent pool of coaching options drying up like the Las Vegas desert, the Blackhawks will spin this move as their number one option. All the solid choices have come to terms with their future. Leaving some retreads that have had more than one opportunity as a head coach in the NHL but nothing spectacular. The Blashill hiring gives mixed feelings as he has a nice hockey resume in coaching but is not the splash signing the Blackhawks fan base had hoped for. It is the Chicago way of avoiding the top choices. Settling for plan C or D, as you notice I did not mention B. It’s general manager Kyle Davidson’s second crack at hiring his guy as the new Chief. Can Blashill be the guy that can ride the Blackhawks number 1 overall pick of 2023 Connor Bedard to the Stanley Cup playoffs? Maybe help him become that super star in the NHL that all the experts chimed in about being the next Connor McDavid?
Jeff Blashill played college hockey at Ferris State where he played goalie. From 1999-2002 he was an assistant coach at Ferris State. Then he continued coaching at the college level getting a assistant job at Miami Ohio University for six seasons. His first head coaching job came in the USHL with the Indiana Ice where he won the first ever championship in that league. After one season in Indiana, he went back to the college game and took the head coaching job at Western Michigan. Then he got his first taste at the NHL level with the Red Wings. They liked him so much they gave Blashill the head coaching job to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. He won a Calder Cup as the Griffins head coach in the AHL and Coach of the Year award. In 2015 he got his first head coaching gig in the NHL replacing Mike Babcock on the Detroit Red Wings. His first season he got the Red Wings to the post-season. He had the job for seven seasons but would never get a team back to the post-season after his first season. He was fired after a 32-40-10 in the 2021-’22 season. The Red Wings were an aging team when he came in as they had to go younger. Some will say it was to blame for his overall record in Detroit. Blashill’s NHL record is a losing one at 204-261-72.
Last year the Chicago Blackhawks finished with a 25-46-11 record which was good for last in the Central. It is the second straight season the Blackhawks, this franchise, have been number 31 overall. The Blackhawks GM fired his first hire in Luke Richardson in December. He was replaced by Anders Sorenson as the interim head coach and he helped the team finish another dismal season. Soreneson will now become an assistant on Blashill’s staff. The Blackhawks will also keep Jimmy Waite as the goal tending coach, a guy who played for the franchise and has coached goalies for several years now. Luke Richardson replaced Derek King, who was an interim head coach for Jeremy Colliton. Sorenson, Richardson, King, and Colliton got their first taste of being an NHL head coach from the Blackhawks. This is why the last time the team wearing the Indian sweater played in the post-season was in 2020. That was when they expanded the post-season because their was a stoppage due to the pandemic.
The Chicago Blackhawks think things will be different for Jeff Blashill, who has been working under Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning since his days in Detroit. Cooper, who is one Blashill’s good friends, had very nice things to say about his pal who ran Tampa Bay’s defense and penalty kill. Cooper is one of the best head coaches in the league with all those great Lightning teams that have won multiple cups in the last ten seasons. It will be the same kind of ordeal for Blashill like in Detroit as he has multiple guys on the roster that have made their season debut last year. Connor Bedard had the same amount of goals he had in the first season in his second year, as he played in more games. We know Kyle Davidson will need to add to this team and give their young superstar another guy to strengthen their number 1 line and make it one of the lethal scoring machines in the game.
I would have loved to see the Blackhawks open up the vault and go with one of the top college coaches to pair up with Connor Bedard. Like David Carle and Adam Nightingale who are staying at the college level. You know this team would not pay a guy like Mike Sulliven who left Pittsburgh for the mecca New York Rangers job. The Blackhawks are banking on that Blashill soaked in all of Jon Cooper’s coaching philosophies. What I do like about this hire is Blashill is a defensive guy, which this team needs if they can’t light the lamp and be one of the top offenses in the game. The Blackhawks will spin this like they got the best new thing since sliced bread. Even though I feel like we are light years away from post-season hockey. I know the Blackhawks cleaned up their own franchise with the dynasty with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. It did not take that long to go back to bad hockey and games that are not shown on television because the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox are still in a cable dispute that has gone on way too long. Nobody wants to stream their product being the 31st overall team. I’m not drinking the kool-aid or smoking their peace pipe until they get this franchise once again out of the hockey purgatory and act like an original six team. Act like a big market so the Sullys of the world will pick Chicago jobs over the Big Apple.
According to the Godfather, the Stallions are on notice in the UFL. The BattleHawks collected a signature win and are still perched high above the UFL power rankings. We have a winner from the Toilet bowl of the UFL that took OT to decide. Not much movement in the UFL power rankings going into week 9. We have established the 4 best teams as post-season is ironing out in this second season of the UFL. Week 9 we will jump in TO dissect everything except the Stallions head.
WEEK 9 POWER RANKINGS WORST TO FIRST
#8. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (1-7)
XFL CONFERENCE: I think it is official that we can say the Brahmas have clinched the last spot in the UFL power rankings. We probably could have said that in week two as well.
The Brahmas had a chance to escape being the doormat of the league. They played the Memphis Showboats last weekend who came in to week 8 having one victory. The Brahmas came in having that lone victory that sets up an epic toilet bowl battle. The Showboats were missing their starting quarterback in this one. The Brahmas offense has been on life support most of the year until they inserted Jashaun Corbin at running back. They have also done better with Kevin Hogan as their quarterback. This had all the ingredients to be a close game which it was, as it went to overtime. Being the worst team in the league playing against another bad team, you can not turn over the ball. We may have seen the last of Hogan who had three interceptions in this one, but San Antonio still could have won it in the shoot out. Corbin did his thing – 25 carries for 143 rushing yards and one touchdown. He caught 5 balls for 38 yards. The Brahmas banked on a trick play with tight end Steven Stillianos throwing a touchdown strike.
Stiillianos was a quarterback in high school who took a pass from Hogan. He caught & then threw a 38 yard strike to wide receiver Dee Anderson for six points. Mistakes killed the cattle from San Antonio. The Brahmas missed a field goal that could have prevented overtime. Hogan’s last pass falls incomplete in the OT shootout to give Memphis the win.
#7.MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (2-6)
USFL CONFERENCE: They won the toilet bowl and have not flushed out of the 7th spot from last week.
The Showboats have been playing much better when their starting quarterback became Dresser Winn. Winn would not play versus the Brahmas because he had an injury he suffered against the BattleHawks in week 7. He did finish the game. That means the Showboats had to rely on spring veteran Troy Williams, who has not been very good this season. You have to go back a few seasons when Williams was in the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers. He was game manager. Williams against the Brahmas he completed 5-11 passes for 36 yards. How the hell do the Showboats win this game with 36 passing yards? The Showboats floated with their running game and defense. Williams did have 29 yards with his legs. Jalen Jackson had 7 carries for 76 yards.
Jackson also had a rushing touchdown. The Showboats were without veteran running back Will Hills who got hurt after finding his way back into the league from an injury last season. The Showboats defense came up big with three interceptions.
Cameron Dantzler had a pick six off a bad decision by Kevin Hogan. In toilet bowl games, it seems each team wants to gift wrap the victory to the other team. Williams hit wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II for a 12 yard pass, but he would fumble the ball as the Brahmas stayed in this game. I will say Troy Williams came up big in the shoot out hitting two conversions. The only games Memphis has won this season is in overtime which they can hang their hats on as they are 2-0 in OT.
#6. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (3-5)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Roughnecks season was deflated from the Stallions’ comeback in week 7, which haunted them in week 8 as this team looked and played like the walking dead. They are still lingering in the same spot from last week.
Beetlejuice looks like the Roughnecks head coach Curtis Johnson after their loss to the Michigan Panthers. The Roughnecks won three straight games and have been playing well. They brought that momentum into the Stallions game and built a 25-6 halftime lead, only to watch it fade away in the second half. Last week, the Panthers second string QB struck oil versus Houston, and the Roughnecks could not contain the spill. In the first half, the Roughnecks did play well as they went to the half down by a field goal. Then the second half once again turned into the walking dead. The Roughnecks ran the ball as a group for 125 yards on the ground. Jalen McClendon had 316 passing yards with two touchdown passes but served up a interception.
Justin Hall had 11 catches in this game for 88 yards and hauled in one of the touchdown passes. Hall now has 48 catches for the season for 363 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. You can’t play one half of solid football against the top teams in any sporting league and expect to win those games. Houston will be home for the post-season.
#5. ARLINGTON RENEGADES (3-5)
XFL CONFERENCE: The short end of the stick is Renegades football this season as they are stuck in glue at the number 5 spot.
The Renegades once again can not close out the game at the end. It was another interception from Luis Perez on the last play of the game that sealed the win for the Defenders. It was another shootout between these two XFL rivals. The Defenders escaped Arlington’s first match up with 37-33 win. Last weekend Defenders won 33-30 and swept the two game season series. With the Renegades loss, they have been eliminated from the post-season play. The offense was there for the Renegades in this one. Tyler Vaughns had two touchdown catches from Luis Perez.
He finished the day with 3 catches for 51 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. Perez once again had the aerial attack humming as he completed 32-46 passes for 350 passing yards, but the interception at the end is costly. It’s another close game the Renegades have lost as they have to lead the league in those bad L’s. The Renegades defense did not do the offense any favors as they allowed the Defenders to march up and down the field on them.
Maybe head coach Bob Stoops should stop reading and forwarding Luis Perez “The Spring King” book and look at what former Yankee Hall of Famer wrote about closing ball games out. The Renegades’ problem this year is they can’t find that right recipe to put the game away.
#4.BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (5-3)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Stallions are the only top 4 team in the UFL to lose last week. I have them dropping one spot in the power rankings.
The Stallions gallop into Arch City on a high note after a comeback on their division rival Roughnecks. Stallions vs BattleHawks was every expert’s pick in the first UFL title game, but St.Louis lost to the Brahmas in last year’s XFL conference championship. Birmingham has clinched a playoff spot and will automatically host the USFL conference championship game while St.Louis gets the nod to host the XFL Conference game. This could easily be the title game preview that went to St.Louis in a tight game. The BattleHawks score a touchdown with 3 minutes left in the game to tie things up in the 4th quarter. Then they converted the extra point to take a 29-28 lead which turned out to be the final. J’mar Smith came out of retirement this season to help his old team. In week 7, Smith helped by putting away the Roughnecks. He got the start versus the BattleHawks. Smith was impressive completing 14-27 passes for 262 passing yards with 3 touchdown passes. He did have an interception.
Deon Cain, a spring league veteran, is having a fabulous season. Cain had 2 catches, both touchdowns, for 115 receiving yards. Cain leads the league in receiving yards with 436 total yards. Cain is familiar with Smith. Who will be the starting QB for the Stallions in post-season? Will former USFL MVP Alex McGough make his return? How long is Matt Corral out? What about Case Cookus? Is it Smith’s job down the stretch.
#3. DC DEFENDERS (6-2)
XFL CONFERENCE: The Defenders rise into the 3rd spot of the power rankings. As they move up one spot from last week in their shoot out win over the Renegades.
The Defenders lost their head coach before week one when Reggie Barlow bolted for the college game. Then the Defenders lost their D-Coordinator as Gregg Williams followed Barlow to Tennessee State.
The new guy had some words for Skip Holtz in the very first game of the season when the Defenders beat the Stallions. The new guy went with Gregg Williams’ son to be the next defensive coordinator. After all the fall out, the Defenders have made it to the post-season with their win over the Renegades. It was another shoot out win over Arlington during which the Defenders got the turnover on the final play of the game to send the Renegades home for the post-season. Right now the Defenders are number 1 in the XFL conference even though they have the same record as the BattleHawks from their victory over them earlier in the season. Does it matter being number 1 or even 2 in the seeding for the Defenders? In week 10, the Defenders and BattleHawks have a rematch. Then they will play in the XFL Conference championship and see each other in back-to-back weeks. The XFL conference championship is automatically in St.Louis. The bright side is the Defenders have the best passing game in the league. They have a defense that comes after the QB. Their defense needs turnovers to be successful as they are very good at that. If you don’t believe me, ask the Renegades. I will be interested to watch St.Louis and DC square off because the hate each other. I expect some stupid penalties in a grind it out to the end kind of play in that championship game.
#2.MICHIGAN PANTHERS (6-2)
USFL CONFERENCE: Panthers are on top of the USFL conference by themselves as they stay put in the number 2 spot in the power rankings from last week.
The Birmingham Stallions have lived the life of Reilly in spring football. The Panthers would like to finally slay their demon and mount that Stallion head inside the Michigan den. The Panthers extinguished the Roughnecks in the second half last weekend by blowing the doors off their oil rigs and did it with their second string QB.
Danny Etling filling in for the injured Bryce Perkins who is in the running for the UFL MVP award this season, could not go. Etling completed 14-22 passes for 167 yards with 3 touchdown passes. The Panthers defense shut out the Roughnecks in the second half. The Panthers need Perkins back behind center if they want to win the UFL title. They know they have to get by the dreaded Stallions who they play this weekend. The Stallions won the first match-up this season. The Stallions knocked the Panthers out of the playoffs last year. Does it matter even if the Panthers lose this regular season game to the Stallions? They will be playing the Stallions no matter what in the USFL Conference that is going to be played in Birmingham. It does not matter if they are number 1 seed or 2 in the USFL conference. It’s that playoff game & they want to cut the head off the mighty Stallion that has galloped over them for years. Perhaps Panthers could gain extra confidence if they do beat up the Stallions this week. It should be another epic post-season game. Look for the Panthers to rest players like Perkins.
#1.ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (6-2)
XFL CONFERENCE: Still perched on the top of the power rankings as this has been going on for 3 straight weeks.
The BattleHawks picked away at the Stallions and come away with a big signature win versus last year’s champs. Max Duggan is 4-0 as the starter for the BattleHawks.
Without Jacob Saylors, the BattleHawks would not be perched high in the standings as they are now. The BattleHawks have the best running game in the league as Saylors had 16 carries for 118 rushing yards and the touchdown that tied things up late in the 4th quarter. Saylors also converted the 1 point conversion to break the tie that would eventually be the game winning point for St.Louis. Saylors is by far the best running back in the UFL. You could say that former NFL tight end head coach of the BattleHawks, Anthony Becht, is approaching the same conversation to a guy like Skip Holtz of the Stallions.
Becht is now 20-8 all-time as the BattleHawks head coach. With the XFL Conference championship slated to be played in St.Louis along with the title game, the BattleHawks with that defense and running game could be a very tough out as the clinched a playoff spot already. Talk about having home field advantage with the largest following fan base in the league.
The Wild shamrock 