The GD Podcast: Episode 10

By Joe Dyton

On this week’s episode of The GD Podcast, Mike and I recapped the Caps-Ranger’s latest meeting, reflected on the Blackhawk’s impressive season-opening points streak, discussed Tiger Woods’ big win in Florida, and talked about the Yankees’ recent rash of injuries. In the Pop Culture Corner, we took a look at “House of Lies” and “Girls”. Finally, Mike concluded the podcast with what was brewing in “Mike’s Beer Blast.”

You can listen to all of it here:

Thanks for listening!

Joe Dyton and Mike Grant co-host The GD Podcast. Follow the podcast at twitter.com/thegdpodcast. You can also contact the guys at thegdpodcast@gmail.com.

The GD Podcast: Episode 9

By Joe Dyton (@dyton99)

On this week’s episode of The GD Podcast, Mike and I discuss the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres firing of head coach Lindy Ruff. We also reflect on the passing of Lakers’ owner Dr. Jerry Buss, the NBA’s age restrictions, Danica Patrick’s historic pole victory and the chances RG3 is back for Week 1.

Later, we preview the Oscars in the Pop Culture Corner, make a few “Fearless Forecasts” and Mike talks about what’s brewing in Mike’s Beer Blast. You can listen to it all here.

Mike Grant and Joe Dyton co-host The GD Podcast; an informal, yet insightful conversation about sports, pop culture, beer and the like. You can follow the podcast on Twitter at https://twitter.com/thegdpodcast. Have a question for the guys? Send it to thegdpodcast@gmail.com.

The GD Podcast: Episode 6

By Joe Dyton (@dyton99; thedytonian@yahoo.com)

In the first GD Podcast of 2013, Mike and Joe recap the NFL’s Divisional Round of the playoffs and preview Championship Sunday, celebrate the return of the NHL, talk about the Manti Te’o mess and the Eagles snagging Chip Kelly from Oregon, the Baseball Hall of Fame pitching a shutout and “Homeland’s” success at the Golden Globes. Later, Mike gives the listeners his best beer bets for the start of 2013.

Listen to it all here:
http://thegdpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2013-01-18T18_54_55-08_00

The Breakdown:

NFL: 0:00-23:45
NHL: 23:46-33:50
Coll. Football: 33:50-47:48
MLB: 47:49-50:48
Pop Culture Corner: 50:49-1:00:45
Mike’s Beer Picks: 1:00:46-1:04:13

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC, a freelance sports reporter for the Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD host of the “This Week in TV with Joe Dyton” podcast and co-host of “The GD Podcast”. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99. You can also follow The GD Podcast on Twitter at https://twitter.com/thegdpodcast

The GD Podcast: Episode 4

By Joe Dyton (the dytonian@yahoo.com)

In a jam-packed edition of  The GD Podcast, Mike and Joe discuss Week 12 of the NFL, look ahead to Week 13, put a bow on the 2012 Penn State football season and give their thoughts on Notre Dame’s chances in the BCS title game.

The guys also discuss the NHL labor dispute, the San Antonio Spurs’ fine and TV shows “Homeland” and “Boardwalk Empire.” Mike closes the podcast with a few suggestions for Winter Holiday beers.

Listen to it all here!

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC, a freelance sports reporter for the Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD host of the “This Week in TV with Joe Dyton” podcast and co-host of “The GD Podcast”. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.

“The GD Podcast”: “Pilot”

By Joe Dyton (thedytonian@yahoo.com; @dyton99)

My playoff baseball viewing kept me from watching many of my favorite shows last week, so I didn’t get to record a new episode of “This Week in TV with Joe Dyton”. I plan to be back on the airwaves this week however.

Although, I didn’t record a TV podcast, I did get to record a sports one. Mike Grant and I did a test run for “The GD Podcast”, which is sports-based. Mike and I discussed the NFL, college football, the MLB playoffs and the NHL lockout. On the non-sports front, we talked about Season Two of “Homeland” and shared our thoughts on “Jersey Shore” coming to a close. Also, Mike offered up suggestions on the best bets for beer this fall. You listen to it all here.

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC, a freelance sports reporter for the Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD and host of the “This Week in TV with Joe Dyton” podcast. He is a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.

Rangers-Capitals Game 7 recap: “Seventh Heaven”

By Joe Dyton

Yo, Rangers, where was that effort in Game Six?

Seriously, if they had played the way they did in Game Seven as they did when they mailed in Game 6, they could have saved their fan base a little stress. I guess I just need to accept the fact that the Rangers are going to bring their best when their season is on the line. Think about it, they took care of business in the last two games of the Ottawa Series, and won all the swing games againstWashington (Three, Five and Seven).

Given their track record, I shouldn’t be too surprised the Rangers came out flying in Game Seven, but their effort, or lack thereof, in Game Six gave me reason to doubt them. I was afraid they might be spent and not have anything left to give, while the Caps were feeling good after bouncing back from a devastating Game Five loss. I started mentally preparing for a Rangers’ Game Seven loss the minute Game Six ended.

It wasn’t until sometime Friday afternoon when I saw on Twitter that Rangers coach John Tortorella said the guys would be ready to play on Saturday that I started to regain faith. I don’t know why that statement made me feel good, but it did. I figured as long as the Rangers came out with the same fire they showed in Game Five, they had a shot.

And, come out with fire they did. It is hard to ask for a better start than Brad “Worth Every Penny So Far” Richards scoring for the Rangers less than 90 seconds into the game. When Torts double-shifted the Richards-Marian Gaborik–Carl Hagelin line, it was obvious how badly they wanted to get the first goal. It made sense, whoever scored first had won every time in the series.

While Richards set the tone, it was Henrik Lundqvist who kept momentum on the Rangers side in the second period. The Capitals looked like they were on a power play midway through the period and the Rangers couldn’t clear the zone to save their lives, but King Henrik made sure his team would still lead after his busiest period (11 shots against) ended. I’m still not sure how the Capitals didn’t find the back of the net on one of those mad scrambles.

I almost fell over when Michael Del Zotto gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the third. A TWO-GOAL lead?? The Rangers hadn’t had one of those since Game One of the series. They were obviously shocked too; so much so they didn’t know what to do with it and gave it up just 38 seconds later. The PA announcer wasn’t done reading the details of Del Zotto’s goal when Roman Hamrlik cut the Rangers’ lead in half.

Surprisingly, the Caps only took one more shot on goal after Hamrlik’s score, and that didn’t come until the game’s final minute. In a do-or-die situation, it’s astonishing the Caps only got four shots on goal in the third period, none of which came from star player Alex Ovechkin. I feel that’s more of a testament to how hard the Rangers played than a lack of effort on the Capitals’ part. Although Ovie didn’t exactly break any speed skating records getting back on defense on Del Zotto’s game winner.  In the end, all that mattered was the Rangers brought their best when it mattered the most.

A few other thoughts…

*I’m glad the waved-off goal in the third didn’t come into play. Since the ref’s mic cut off during his explanation, I was not sure why it didn’t count. I understand it was the dreaded “intent to blow the whistle” rule. I won’t complain too much since it’s helped the Rangers more than once. If the Caps had found a way to tie the game and win in OT, my attitude would be a lot different.

*I’m not sure the Caps need to play so conservatively against the Rangers. I know hockey isn’t like football where a coach may come up with a totally different scheme depending on the opponent, but this whole series, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Caps did themselves a disserve by being so defensive-minded against the Blueshirts. I respect what Caps coach Dale Hunter did to turn his team into a defense-first unit, but the Rangers don’t pose much of a threat when it comes to scoring goals. I thought if the Caps played a little closer to their high-flying  style, they could have overwhelmed the Rangers’ defense and went up a goal or two, and then revert back to their tight-checking style. The Rangers aren’t built to make big comebacks; I still think back to Game Four of these two teams’ series last year; the Rangers went up 3-0, but the Caps came all the way back and won in double overtime. If that score was reversed, the Rangers don’t make that comeback. Like I said, I know it’s tough to change up a system on a dime, but I thought the Caps did the Rangers a favor by playing that defensive style.

*Going forward…I don’t know what to think of the Rangers chances against the Devils. I don’t doubt they can win, but I wonder if they’ll have a tough time adjusting to a more offensive-minded outfit like Jersey after playing the Caps. On the other-handed, maybe the Rangers will find more open ice and shooting lanes in this series. I think it will come down to whoever can get their opponent to play their game most of the time. I also think the Rangers’ power play needs to be a lot better this series. Rangers in six.

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC and a freelance sports reporter for the Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD. He is a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.

Rangers-Capitals Game Two Recap: “The Garden of Even”

By Joe Dyton

Two games may be a small sample size, but it appears the difference in the Rangers-Caps series is going to be which team can avoid making the crucial mistake.

Throw the seedings out the window, these teams are evenly matched. The Caps have more offensive firepower, but some of that is negated by the Rangers’ solid team defense and Vezina and Hart trophy nominated goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Since both teams have decided to play the same low-risk, defensive style, each game is going to come down to power play effectiveness and avoiding costly mistakes.

Take Game One where Mike Green’s ill-advised line change led to Chris Kreider’s game-winning goal. That brief mental lapse swung the momentum in the Rangers’ favor and the Caps never recovered.

On Monday night, the trended continued in Game Two, but it was the Rangers’ miscues that helped the Caps even the series. A turnover led to a 3-on-2 for Washington that resulted in the game’s first goal. Lundqvist inexplicably tried to play the puck behind the net with the Caps rushing in. Let your “D” men get that puck, Hank! Two-zip, Caps.

Despite the Rangers’ comedy of errors, they were still somehow tied at two with the Caps midway through the third period. Their most costly mistake off call came when Brad Richards took a penalty just 36 seconds after the Rangers had just killed one off. I know some people felt the holding call was marginal, but at that stage of the game, a player can’t give the ref any reason to raise his hand. The Caps’ power play had been unimpressive to that point, but with all the skill players they have, it was inevitable they’d cash in eventually. Sure enough, before Richards could get comfortable in the penalty box, Alex Ovechkin rifled one past Lundqvist.

As the series moves on to Washington, I don’t see either team changing their strategies too much, especially the Caps who were able to steal home ice. Prepare for more low shot totals, a lot of blocked shots, a clogged neutral zone and hopefully less mistakes.

A few other thoughts…

*A bad game for Lundqvist? I don’t like to always like to look at the goal total when judging a goalie’s performance. I’m more interested in how each goal was scored. Last night, the Caps’ first goal was a tic-tac-toe assault finished off by Mike Knuble. I’d hardly put that on The King. Same goes for Ovie’s game-winner. The last things you want to give Ovechkin are time and space and he had both when he ripped that shot past Lundqvist. The only goal I’d put on him was the second when he gave the puck away. Bad decision, yes. Bad game, not really.

*Have the power play units broken through?: I was exchanging texts with my Caps-fan buddy Mike and whenever one of our teams had the man-advantage, we hardly got excited. Could you blame us? After all, both teams started the series 0-for-6. Then wouldn’t you know…

Mike (after Knuble’s penalty): “I’m scared.”

Me: “Like the Caps’ PP, the Rangers’ is bad.”

Ryan Callahan scores on a deflection. Two-all.

I almost fell out of my chair when Callahan tied the game. Mike texted me, “God (the Caps’) PP sucks,” just a few minutes before Ovie scored. We tried to figure out if the Rangers and Caps’ penalty kill units were really that great, or if the power play units were underachieving. Ultimately, we decided both teams are very good at killing penalties, but the power plays are so-so. I’ve actually accepted the fact that Rangers power play isn’t effective, but I’m surprised the Caps have been unable to get it going. I think both teams pass way too much to find the perfect shot. By time they get that perfect shot, 45 seconds of the power play has expired. We’ll see if either team tries a new strategy going forward.

*Missing, Marian Gaborik, last seen New York, NY, Game One, Eastern Conference seminfinals: Where has the Great Gabby gone? I know he set up Richards on the goal on Monday, but this guy scored 41 goals this season! The Rangers need him to find the back of the net if they’re going to win this series. They don’t have enough weapons to get by another round without him. I saw on Twitter today some people wondered if he’s nursing an injury, but it not like he’s skating poorly or anything. I just think he’s been kept in check.

That’s it for Game Two. As a Ranger fan, I’d love to see them take both in DC, but I think that’s unlikely. A split is fine, just as long as they win Game Three so I can watch Game Four pressure-free. Ah forget it, take ‘em both boys!

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC and a freelance sports reporter for the Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD. He is a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.

 

2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers-Capitals Game Three recap

Well, the high the Rangers had me on after winning both games in DC was fun while it lasted.

 

I can’t say I was surprised by what transpired last night. The Capitals are obviously the more superior and talented team in this series, and they finally realized it yesterday. There was no way they wanted to go down three games to none, and they played like it last night.

 

What did surprise me was how badly the Rangers played. I think Lundqvist was the only Ranger who came back from D.C. Everyone else seemed to be in slow motion. Combine a lackluster effort from one team with a desperate, pedal-to-the-metal effort from the other, and you end up with a lopsided, 4-0 game like we got yesterday. If it wasn’t for King Henrik, the score probably (make that definitely) would have been a lot worse.

 

It really blew my mind how poorly the Rangers played yesterday. They played with such purpose, during the first two games, which were on the road by the way. It seemed like they’d be able to keep it up with their home crowd behind them. Then again, I guess the same thing could be said for the Caps when they were at home. Maybe this will be one of those bizarre series where the road team wins every time. That would be fine by me of course since the Rangers would be on the road for Game Seven.

 

But, as badly as the Rangers played, the Caps played just as well. They played with a purpose last night, much like the Blueshirts did in D.C. Rookie goalie Simeon Varlamov has made coach Bruce Boudreau’s decision to make a switch between the pipes look like a good one. The kid’s only allowed one goal during the last two games. And unlike Saturday’s game, he was tested last night. Going into the series, the one advantage the Rangers had over the Caps was goaltending, and now the playing field may have been evened up a bit in that category. Given the Caps outshine the Rangers in every other aspect of the game, this series could be turning Washington’s way in a hurry.

 

Here are a few other random thoughts about last night’s game…

 

*Rangers forward Ryan Callahan hitting the post and Caps going down and scoring was obviously the game’s turning point. If Callahan puts that shot another inch over, the game is tied at one, and who knows what happens after that. Instead, the Caps take the missed shot down to the other end and Alexander Semin gets his second goal of the game. Two-zip, Caps and I write, “Game Over” in my notebook.

Yes, I know it’s sad that I thought the Rangers were cooked despite the fact that they were only down 2-0 with 8:24 left in the first period, but I’ve been watching this team all year. I know these things. The Rangers have no offense. I still don’t know what Rangers GM Glen Sather was thinking when the let the likes of Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka and Brenden Shanahan go. When I looked at this roster at the beginning of the season, I couldn’t help but think, “Where’s the scoring come from.” It’s no surprise to me that they finished at the bottom of the league and scoring, and it was no surprise that they couldn’t come back despite having almost two and a half periods to erase a two-goal deficit. The Rangers’ only hope to win this series is to play like they did in the first two games, pick their spots, get a lead and suck the life out of the Caps’ offense. The Blueshirts are not built to mount huge comebacks.

 

*I despise all of the silly TV blackout rules. Honestly, I pay for the NHL Center Ice package all season, and when it comes to the playoffs, I can’t watch my team’s local broadcast because they’re playing the area team? It’s unfortunate the Rangers drew the Caps in the first round because I can’t watch the game on the MSG network. Since I live in the metro D.C. area, I’m forced to watch the Capitals broadcast and listen to Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin all night. It’s not that they do a bad job, it’s just that I want to listen to game from the Rangers perspective, plus at times I feel those guys openly are rooting for the Caps. It doesn’t make for a fun viewing experience, especially when the Rangers can’t get out of their own way. What was even worse was I thought I was catching a break with the game being on Versus last night. I figured, I may not get to watch the Rangers local broadcast, but at least I can watch a neutral, broadcast. Nope, when I turned the TV to Channel 603, the screen was black. I was actually forced to watch the game on Comcast SportsNet. Maybe I’ll make a complaint call to DirecTV tonight…

 

*I love what Sean Avery brings to the table, but he killed the Rangers last night. Not that it matters a whole lot, because the Rangers weren’t going to get a goal last night anyway, but Avery’s non-stop march to the penalty box last night, put them in an even bigger bind. Three penalties in the second period and one more in the third? Seriously? I will say that the officials seemed to have it out for him later on in the game though. That goaltender interference call was a joke. If anyone else had gotten pushed into Varlamov, a penalty wouldn’t have been called. I can’t just kill Avery though, the Rangers took too many penalties as a team yesterday; eight in all. They can’t score with five men on the ice, the last thing they need it to be continuously playing with four.

 

*Quick question, do the Rangers work on the power play in practice? Because during the games, it looks like they’ve never seen a power play before. Give credit to the Caps penalty killers too, but man, the Rangers have struggled with the power play all season. I don’t know if they just don’t have the right players to have a successful power play or what. But I do know when a Cap gets sent to the sin bin, I don’t get all that excited because I have no confidence the Rangers are going to take advantage of having the extra man. They were 0-for-6 on the PP last night. If they can capitalize on two of those opportunities, the game has a totally different feel. Unfortunately, with the lack of offensive the Rangers have, they need that man advantage to generate scoring chances, and it’s not working. During one of the Rangers power plays last night, I blurted out Jack Warden’s classic line from “The Replacements,” “I’ve seen monkey (crap) fights that are more organized than this.”

 

*Despite having a 2-1 series lead, tomorrow night is a must-win game for the Rangers. I know it sounds crazy, but it they head back to D.C. tied, 2-2, I think the Rangers are cooked. The Capitals will be flying high on the momentum, and will have their raucous crowd behind them in the pivotal Game Five. With the Rangers offense becoming more anemic by the second, do you really think they can win that game? I didn’t think so. So now they’d be down, 3-2 and would have to sweep the next two to advance. The sad thing is even, if they win tomorrow, I still wouldn’t write off the Caps. They forced a Game Seven last year after falling behind the Flyers, 3-1 and Philly is a much better team last year than the Rangers are this season. I think the only way the Rangers advance is if Lundqvist pitches a shutout the next two games. Stay tuned.

 

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC. He’s a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers retail real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com.

 

 

 

 

 

2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers-Caps Game Two recap

Hello Puckheads!

 

I attended the Rangers-Capitals Game Two match-up on Saturday and wanted to share a few thoughts about the game before tonight’s big game three.

 

I am a Rangers fan living in the DC area, so when the playoff match-ups were set, I decided I wanted to attend one of the first two games at the Verizon Center. I opted for Game Two, and after watching the Rangers take the first one, I kicked myself because I figured there was no way that they’d take both game in DC, as the Caps are nearly invincible at home this season. But, I decided to suck it up and get a ticket anyway. It’s not often I get to see my team in the playoffs in person.

 

Well, I’m glad I went. The game was fantastic, especially since the Rangers won. I have admit, I was a little concerned for my safety (not really, but you never know); I was cheering on the bad guys after all. I have rooted for my Blueshirts at Verizon Center before, but not during such an important game to the home team. But, I was more than OK. I got a few Rangers (stink) barbs thrown my way, but that comes with the territory. I have to tip my cap to the Washington fans for gracious in defeat. I wasn’t sure how things were going to go when a near altercation broke out between a Caps and Rangers fan a few seats down from me during the national anthem. Fortunately, security got everyone calmed down, and the rest of the contest went on with out any further incidents.

 

As for the game itself, here are a few thoughts…

 

King Henrik is the man. What else can I say. Henrik Lundqvist was Superman on Saturday. He made 35 saves, several from point blank range. I will admit, I was dying for the Rangers to score another goal because I thought there was no way they could win that game, 1-0. The Caps’ offense is too good. But Lundqvist made sure Ryan Callahan’s goal stood up. Before the series started, I felt the only way the Rangers had a shot is if Lundquist stood on his head for them a couple of times, and he did it yesterday. The Caps could have easily won that game, 5-1.

 

It looks like Bruce Boudreau made the right call with the goalie switch. Statistically speaking that is. I know Jose Theodore let in some soft goals in Game One, but the Caps played much better defense in front of rookie Simeon Varlamov than they did for Theodore on Wednesday night. While all four goals Theodore gave up probably should have been saved, they were all uncontested shots. The toughest shot Varlamov faced was the one he let in. I can’t wait to see how the rookie holds up in Madison Square Garden tonight and on Wednesday, if Brodreu decides to stick with him.

 

The officiating was horrific for the Caps. And that’s coming from a Rangers fan. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to see the Rangers get power plays, even if they can’t capitalize on them (that’s a story for another day). But, some of those calls were pretty ticky-tack; none was worse than the call against Caps’ defenseman Mike Green for hooking Nikolai Zherdev. I felt like they bumped into each other, Zherdev took one, two steps and then fell down. I was just as shocked as the Caps’ faithful when the officials hand went up to call the “infraction.” After that, there was a steady, “Ref you (stink)” chant going, and I couldn’t disagree with the home crowd. It would be on thing if the bad officiating went both ways, but the Rangers weren’t called for a penalty until there was 3:43 left on the clock in the second period. And believe me, they could have been called for a few things before then.

 

And finally….

 

As much as I hate to admit it, the Rangers really reminded me of the Devils on Saturday. Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise wrote after Game One that the Rangers were a “dump-the-puck-and-pray” team. In his column today, he referred to the Blueshirts as the New York “Dump-the-Puckers.” Honestly, I can’t disagree with him. I know my team does a lot of dump and chase, but on Saturday, I felt like that’s all they did. After the Rangers took advantage of the Caps’ defensive breakdown to go ahead, 1-0, they looked like they had no interest in scoring another goal. It’s a borderline miracle they survived that game.

 

But, it did remind me of watching the championship Devils teams that would get a lead and then just suck the life out of the game. I for one am in the minority that doesn’t think the Devils and their trap ruined hockey back in 1995. I am fine with watching a well –played, 2-1 game. Anyway, it just felt weird to hear someone complain about the Rangers doing the same things that Devils did to make me roll my eyes at times when the two teams faced off.

 

I will be honest, I’d much rather the Rangers attack and get a couple goal lead before they go into dump and chase mode, but I’m fine with whatever it takes to advance.

 

And before I wrap this up, I have to give kudos to the Rangers’ defense. I know Lundqvist was phenomenal, but the Rangers blocked another 29 shots to go along with the King’s 35 saves. It blew me away how committed everyone was to playing shut-down defense. I’m hoping to see more of the same this evening.

 

Tonight, the action shifts to the Garden. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I have a feeling this series is far from over. Stay tuned.

 

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC. He’s a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers retail real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com.