As tough as ever (Written for AM NY, then picked up and reprinted by Newsday)

(Writer's note--I wrote a feature on Martin Brodeur for AM New York that was picked up and printed in Newsday. --Denis Gorman)

As tough as ever

Could this be the year Brodeur finally wins Hart?

By Denis Gorman
Special to amNewYork
November 22, 2006

The hate cascaded down a half-empty Madison Square Garden last week, a tidal wave of disdain and fear after Martin Brodeur's name was announced.

This is what happens when you only lose to the big-market behemoth 15 times in 63 regular-season games. This is what happens when you are the face of a team that has won three Stanley Cup championships in 10 years while the cross-river rival pathetically floundered.

You become Public Enemy No. 1. Yet, being Al Capone doesn't bother Brodeur.

It's good to be the Devils' goaltender these days. Universally recognized as one of the two best goalies in the world -- along with the Calgary Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff -- Brodeur is in the midst of what could be a very special season. Brodeur has already won 12 games this season. His goals-against average is 2.42, he boasts a .913 save percentage, and he has shut out three opponents. In his last five games, he's allowed nine goals."We've been playing a lot better," Brodeur said before last week's 3-2 loss to the Rangers. "It's been working out fine. The [scoring] chances are a lot different than they were earlier in the season. Once or twice a game is a lot different than six, seven times a game."

By any measure, Brodeur has been magnificent. Should he continue the pace he's set for himself, if history is any indicator, Brodeur could win his third Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender. He could also win his first Hart Trophy, as league MVP.

It's shocking that Brodeur has not yet won a Hart. He's won at least 30 games in 10 consecutive seasons. In five of those seasons, he won more than 40 games. Factor in the individual awards and Stanley Cup championships, and maybe it's where he plays that is to blame. New Jersey is caught between two of the league's biggest markets -- New York City and Philadelphia."There are pro and cons to everything. I've been really happy with the way things are going in New Jersey," said the certain Hall of Famer. "Who knows how it would have gone in the bigger market? Sometimes bigger markets are harder to play in."We flew under the radar for a long time and had a lot of success, so I don't regret anything. I grew up in hockey's biggest market (Montreal), so I know what it's all about."

Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.









http://www.newsday.com/sports/am-martin1122,0,659594.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines

Bears' defense gets credit in pickoff classic (Chicago Sun-Times)

Bears' defense gets credit in pickoff classic

Urlacher, Vasher interceptions demoralize Jets
November 20, 2006

BY DENIS GORMAN
Special to the Sun-Times

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Chad Pennington had only thrown one red-zone interception in his career. So when the Jets had the ball on the Bears' 5-yard line in a scoreless game early in the second quarter, it figured they'd come away with some kind of score.

But then Brian Urlacher stepped in front of a pass intended for Jets tight end Chris Baker in the end zone for a momentum-killing interception. Instead of points, the Jets were left to wonder, ''What if?''

Although Thomas Jones and Mark Bradley will receive plenty of platitudes, the Bears' defense was the main reason for the 10-0 victory Sunday at the Meadowlands. The Bears held the Jets to 264 yards of total offense, only 103 yards in the second half.

''Give the Bears credit,'' Jets coach Eric Mangini said. ''They're a really good football team. We talked all week about the importance of not giving the ball away. The margin for error against a really good team is small.''

To a man, the Jets lamented their inability to end drives but noted that the Bears were responsible for slowing their offense.

Baker was Pennington's primary receiver on the Urlacher interception, although it seemed as if wide receiver Laveranues Coles was open. While Baker was shaded by a safety, Urlacher jumped in front of the tight end and returned the ball to the Bears' 33-yard line.
''It was one of those things where the linebacker made a nice play,'' Mangini said. ''We had a play that we liked there ... and Urlacher made a nice play.''

Baker agreed with Mangini's assessment.

''I had gotten by the inside linebacker and safety,'' Baker said. ''Urlacher read the play and came over and made a good play. It was a great play by him. How often do I get triple-teamed?''

Urlacher's interception was devastating, but cornerback Nathan Vasher's pick was the death knell. The Jets were driving early in the third quarter after Robbie Gould's 20-yard field goal gave the Bears a 3-0 lead. After a false-start penalty on Baker, the Jets had second-and-15 on the Bears' 30-yard line. Pennington dropped back and tried to throw a screen to Baker. Feeling pressure from his blind side, however, Pennington tried to throw the ball away. Like Urlacher earlier, Vasher jumped in front of Baker and ended the Jets' last best chance to score points.

''Where he came from, I don't know,'' said Pennington, who was 19-for-35 for 162 yards and the two interceptions.

Two possessions later, Rex Grossman hit Bradley for a 57-yard touchdown.

''[Bradley] made a good move,'' Jets cornerback Drew Coleman said. ''It hurt, but we were still in the game.''

As Baker noted, the game came down to the Bears making the big plays at the right time.
''Well, that's the thing,'' Baker said. ''We were able to move the ball. They played great defense. [No.] 33 [Charles Tillman] hung in a zone, and [Vasher] made the play. They happened to be in the right defense; they happened to be in a zone.''

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/142807,CST-SPT-jets20.article

Ruling clears way for Malkin, Penguins (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

Ruling clears way for Malkin, Penguins

By Denis Gorman
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, November 16, 2006

NEW YORK - Penguins rookie sensation Evgeni Malkin can play the remainder of the NHL season, a federal court judge ruled Wednesday.

Judge Loretta A. Preska denied a request for a preliminary injunction filed by Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Malkin's former team in Russia, in a two-hour hearing, saying the case was "always about money. The only question was how much."

The motion was filed against the Penguins, and Malkin was not named in the suit. The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers also were named in the case, which also included Russian Super League team Lokomotiv Yaroslav as a plaintiff.

"The plaintiffs could not show irreparable injury after filing a complaint until the season began," Preska said. "The plaintiffs slept on their rights, hid in the tall grass while players quit (the Russian teams), signed (with NHL teams), went to training camp and the season started."
She also said the timing of the suit was designed for the players' "maximum inconvenience" and was an effort to gain "more money."

Malkin left his Russian team in August and signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Penguins on Sept. 5. The lawsuit was filed Oct. 18.

"Obviously, we're very pleased with the decision," said Tom McMillan, the Penguins' vice president of communications. "We've been confident all along in our position, but it was still important to hear from the bench. It was great to hear he can keep playing. We're very happy for Evgeni, his family and Penguins fans."

NHL vice president and chief of legal operations Bill Daly also was pleased with the ruling. He hoped the decision would be the impetus for the Russian Ice Hockey Federation to sign the NHL-International Ice Hockey Federation transfer agreement. Russia declined to sign the most recent transfer agreement, which called for a $200,000 fee from the NHL when it signs European players.

In a statement, Daly said: "We are hopeful that today's decision will persuade the plaintiff Russian clubs to discontinue their strategy of litigation and to join with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation ... in good-faith negotiations intended to facilitate Russia's participation in the global agreement that governs European players' transfer to the NHL."

It is unknown whether Metallurg Magnitogorsk will appeal the ruling.

Alexander Berkovich, the lawyer for Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Lokomotiv Yaroslav, unsuccessfully argued that the losses of Malkin to the Penguins and Alexei Mikhnov and Andrei Taratukhin to Edmonton and Calgary, respectively, were "irreplaceable" losses and that the NHL violated the Russian teams' rights.

"They have created an environment that is status quo," Berkovich argued. "They have raided our clubs. (The Russian clubs) want to be left alone; we don't want our contracts disturbed."
Berkovich said that while the Russians develop players, the NHL simply drafts and signs them. He said Russian teams could not compete for its players with the NHL's deep pockets, and that the NHL desires to have Russian hockey act as a "feeder" system.

The league, represented by Bradley Ruskin of the New York-based law firm Proskauer Rose, argued that the Russians' primary objective was to hold up the NHL for money. During the hearing, it was revealed that Metallurg Magnitogorsk attempted to extract $1.8 million in exchange for Malkin's rights.

Malkin and the two other Russian players used a clause in Russian labor law, known as Article 80, which states any employee can give two weeks' written notice to the employer. Since there is not a qualifier for contracted employees, Preska found there was not an "anti-trust injury, thus no injury."

Berkovich argued that Article 80 was not applicable because it could make Russian contracts "meaningless" and "a joke," Russian sports law should overrule it. However, Russian labor law states that in any conflict, Article 80 supersedes all other rules.

It was the third loss in as many hearings for the Russians. Moscow Dynamo's case against the Washington Capitals and Alexander Ovechkin was thrown out of court last year. Three years ago, U.S. courts ruled in favor of the Columbus Blue Jackets and right wing Nikolai Zherdev.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_480014.html

ABA COMES TO BROOKLYN (AM NY)

(Writer's note: ABAlive.com reprinted an article I wrote for AM New York about the expansion Brooklyn Wonders--Denis Gorman.)

(Reprint of an article by Denis Gorman, AM New York/New York News)

At an open practice last week, red, white and blue basketballs bounced along the Harlem Police Athletic League's court. For the American Basketball Association, a league whose history was built in small gyms, it was fitting.

The ABA has launched the Brooklyn Wonders, who begin play Friday in Patchogue, L.I. against the Strong Island Sound. The Wonders will make their home debut at Kingsborough Community College on Saturday against the Newark Express. So, the obvious questions are (A) how did the Wonders come to be and (B) why Brooklyn?

"We began working on this over a year ago," explained Wonders team president Leigh Sutton. "We introduced (ABA co-founder and CEO) Joe Newman to business associates. Newman wanted a team in New York. "We looked at the different boroughs. We decided on Brooklyn because (a lot of Wonders' employees) have roots in Brooklyn, the rich tradition of sports, and looking at the Cyclones, they have had great success. We want to give (the borough) another option."

Sutton noted that once the organization chose Brooklyn, the process to find a home court was arduous. The team settled on Kingsborough because of its easy accessibility in Manhattan Beach and seating capacity, which is 1000. (There has been talk of expanding to 2000 if the Wonders draw well.)

There are currently more than 50 teams in the ABA, with another 18 joining next year. Sutton explained that despite the large number of teams, the schedule fosters regional rivalries. "The ABA goes by a different model than other leagues," Sutton said. "In the ABA, we create regional divisions, and it's mostly ground travel. We can play a game and go home in the same night." In looking at the Wonders' schedule, the team's longest trips are to Richmond, VA, Cape Cod MA, Quebec and Montreal.

Much like its 1960s and 1970s predecessor, this version of the ABA, which resurfaced in 2000, emphasizes high scoring games. Much like the college game, the 3-point line is closer than the NBA's. Also, if a team scores a layup or jumper inside the arc following a steal in the backcourt, the basket is worth three points.

History indicates that it's rather unlikely for an expansion team to have a winning season. But that doesn't faze Sutton. "We're looking to make a name for ourselves in Brooklyn and the ABA. We want to make the playoffs and the championship," Sutton said emphatically.

Before the Strong Island Sound joined the league last season, the last ABA team based in the New York City metropolitan area had been the New York Nets, who played on Long Island from 1968-77. The Nets moved to New Jersey in 1977, a year after joining the ABA.

An unpublished example of my writing:

(Writer's note: I wrote this story, but I could not find anyone who was interested in buying it. I thought I'd post it here, so Sports Editors can review it. ---Denis Gorman, November 10, 2006)


By DENIS GORMAN ¶

In a league that is being defined by its young stars, Evgeni Malkin is one of the National Hockey League’s brightest. However, if Malkin’s former team in Russia has its way, that light may be snuffed out for the remainder of the 2006-07 season. ¶

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie center is the public face of a nasty international fight over the validity of international contracts and individual player’s rights. ¶

Malkin’s former team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk filed a complaint in Manhattan’s Federal Court, alleging that the Penguins and the NHL interfered with the Russian team’s signed contract with the 20-year-old. The complaint also alleges that Malkin is in breach of his contract with the Russian Super League team. Preliminary hearings are set for Wednesday, November 15th. Alexander Berkovich, who is representing Metallurg, said that his client wants Malkin, the Penguins and the NHL to honor the contract. ¶

"A Russian player has a contract with a Russian club," explained Berkovich, who is also representing Lokomotiv Yaroslav in lawsuits against the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames regarding the signings of Alexei Mikhnov and Andrei Taratukhin. "(Malkin) cannot declare himself a free agent." ¶

The Penguins did not sign Malkin as a free agent. Rather, the Penguins owned his draft rights after selecting him No. 2 overall in the 2004 draft, behind only the Washington Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin.Berkovich pointed out that the Malkin case is nothing like the complaint Moscow Dynamo brought upon the Ovechkin last year. Berkovich, who represented Dynamo, said, "Ovechkin’s contract with Dynamo had expired. (In Malkin’s case), the signed contract is not an issue." ¶

No one disputes that Malkin had a contract with Metallurg. On August 7th, Malkin signed a one-year deal worth $3.45 million with Metallurg. Five days later, Malkin left Metallurg at Helsinki-Vantaa airport in Finland, having jumped on a plane headed to North America. What is disputed is whether or not Malkin could use Article 80, which is an opt out clause in Russian labor laws. The law states that employees can give two weeks’ written notice to their employer and they are free to seek employment elsewhere. In the court papers, Berkovich wrote that the resignation clause wasn’t applicable because Metallurg did not give Malkin their "consent" and that "the ‘resignation’ of Russian hockey players does not release or relieve the players of their obligations to Russian hockey clubs." ¶

The NHL disagrees with Berkovich. ¶

"It’s clear we do not agree with the legitimacy of the claims that have been made," NHL Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly told the Post. "We intend to defend the case vigorously. ¶

"Individual player rights are at issue. But broader issues are also at stake regarding an employee’s rights under applicable law." ¶

According to Szymon Szemberg, the Media Relations manager for the International Ice Hockey Federation, the problem lies with the Russians for not signing off on the NHL-IIHF player transfer agreement. If a NHL team signs a player from a team that signed off on the agreement, his IIHF team receives $200,000 in compensation from the NHL. If said player is not on a NHL team’s active roster for 30 or more games in his rookie season, the NHL team is forced to pay a fine up to $150,000. Since Russia didn’t sign the agreement, Russian teams do not receive anything for developing players. Since 2003, Malkin, Ovechkin, Mikhnov and Taratukhin and Columbus Blue Jackets’ right wing Nikolai Zherdev are amongst the most notable players who left the Russian Super League for NHL riches. ¶

"They feel an agreement, with the current conditions, is not in their best interest," Szemberg said. "They basically want more money than the agreement stipulates for an IIHF-to-NHL transfer. It has hurt them in the sense that the Russian clubs have not received any compensation for the players who have left their league prior to the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. The players who have left, would have left regardless if there is an agreement in place or not." ¶

It seems as if the off-ice controversy swirling around Malkin has not affected him.Since joining the team November 1st, Malkin has scored seven goals in six games, breaking the rookie record of six goals in six games, set in the league’s debut season of 1917-18 by NHL Hall-of-Famers Joe Malone, Cy Denneny and Newsy Lalonde. Malkin’s goal against the Devils on October 24th, in which he split Devils’ defensemen Colin White and Brad Lukowich before sliding the puck under future Hall-of-Famer Martin Brodeur, was the league’s early season highlight. ¶

"My dream was to play in the NHL," Malkin said in a conference call last week through interpreter George Berman. "It was difficult to have all those changes in the lifestyle (and) on the ice. But, to have the kind of teammates that I have, it becomes much easier. I have (a lot) of support from all (of) my teammates."