istmas

By Cal Beneze

The last week in April is, to some NFL fans, Christmas in April. Im talking, of course, about the NFL Draft. For this football fan, it is the next best thing to his favorite team playing in the Super Bowl. My ultimate goal, for the people that don't know, is to be a college football analyst. More specifically, an NFL Draft Analyst...much like Mel Kiper, Jr. or Todd McShay from ESPN. I was watching the 1st round of the draft last night with my roommate and I correctly guessed the first 6 picks in the first round. Obviously, I didn't see the trades coming, but once they did come I knew which player that team would choose. It comes from just completely living and breathing the sport, loving the sport and knowing the sport. My roommate looked at me and told me that he was amazed and didn't know how I knew all of what I knew, he said it was like a foreign language to him. I guess what I am trying to say is that if you love something bad enough, you'll know or try to know everything about it because that is what makes you wake up in the morning.

By Greg Dillard

Shane Doan has been through it all with the Phoenix Coyotes.

The relocation from Winnipeg, the Gretzky years, the ongoing ownership saga, and countless playoff disappointments, the list goes on.

With all that in mind, the Coyotes' current playoff success has to be extra special for Captain Coyote.

By Greg Dillard

After months of speculation, could the Steve Nash era in Phoenix be over?

It sure felt like ‘Goodbye’ on Wednesday night.

Nash and the Suns fell to the San Antonio Spurs 110-106 last night at U.S. Airways Center in the team’s regular season finale. With the conclusion of the 2011-12 campaign, comes the unrelenting speculation that the iconic Nash has played his final game for Phoenix.

The face of the franchise will become a free agent this offseason after returning to the Valley of the Sun prior to the 2004-05 season.

He’s been nothing short of spectacular since. He’s been the anchor of a team that routinely qualified and succeeded in postseason play.

Yet the Suns were never able to claim their long anticipated NBA championship. Nash remains ring less following 15 professional seasons, and that’s exactly why he deserves to play for a winner.

Let’s face it, the Suns are not poised or even close to competing for a championship. Their roster is loaded with mediocre players at best.

Suns faithful made their feelings known late in the fourth quarter last night when they stood and chanted, “We want Steve!” Phoenix fans, including myself, selfishly hope to see Nash donning purple and orange for the remainder of his career.

After everything he’s given to this team, it’s time for him to win a ring. He certainly deserves it.