I am a huge fan, and I love my team and want to see it achieve, so I was laying out the ideal situation of what could happen moving forward. If you’re a sports fan you surely have felt that exact same way before.

But that doesn’t mean those five points weren’t true. I believe everything I wrote, but that doesn’t mean I can’t see reality and be objective just because I am a fan.

Thus, I am here now to give you the exact opposite of my last article – five reasons why the Blackhawks will not repeat in 2011. Balance is always good.

1. Not Being Able to Handle the Playoff Grind

A lot of NHL players will tell you that going the distance in the playoffs takes a lot out of you. It’s an intense experience for the rookies and the veterans, so a team hoping to win the Stanley Cup needs to be able to play their best for a long time.

That attribute – the ability to handle the grind – is something this ‘Hawk team has failed to show me.

When the game is a grind and the going gets tough, the ‘Hawks don’t have that second gear. This has been evident during the many times the ‘Hawks have failed to win in close games.

Playoff games are mostly close, tough-played games. If the ‘Hawks can’t win these types of games in the regular season, what are the chances of them winning them in the playoffs?

2. A Mediocre Defense

The biggest factor in winning championships is defense. Last year the ‘Hawks had one of the best, if not the best, defenses in the NHL. While the defense hasn’t been terrible this year, it hasn’t nearly been great.

The drop-off of production is usually blamed on the lack of depth in the defense, but I believe a major factor was Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook having terrible seasons compared to last season.

Keith was the winner of the Norris Trophy last year, an award given to the best defenseman in the league. He recorded 69 points with a plus/minus of 21. This year, Keith has recorded 42 points and a plus/minus of -2.

Seabrook has seen an increase in points, but has also allowed his plus/minus rating drop to -2 from a +20 last season.

These stats indicate that Keith and Seabrook are allowing players to score on them a lot more than last year.

A top defensive line cannot play this mediocre and expect to be successful in the playoffs.

3. Lack of Depth in Offense

Your heart would tell you that the offense is less explosive this season than last, but when you look at the numbers the ‘Hawks are only 24 goals shy with 3 games left of their 2009-10 total of 271.

So what is the difference?

The difference is that this year much of the scoring is being done by the first line. The lack of scoring depth has really hurt the ‘Hawks, especially when the first line has struggled.

The recent lapse in offense can be blamed on the loss of Patrick Sharp to injury. Sharp is the team’s leading goal scorer, as well as a vital part of the ‘Hawks’ offense and first line.

The chemistry between Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Sharp is one of a kind. Losing him and having to replace him with another play disrupts the chemistry, as well as the offensive production.

It’s pretty evident that the offense success of the ‘Hawks relies solely on the first line. Good teams are able to spread the wealth.

Troy Brouwer was injured in Tuesday night's game.

4. Loss of Another Player to Injury

Not only did the ‘Hawks lose to Montreal Tuesday night, but they also loss Troy Brouwer to a shoulder injury.

Brouwer left the game in the third period after he missed a check and hit the boards pretty hard. Brouwer immediately fell down and started grabbing his right shoulder.

The injury could possibly be a serious one. Brouwer looked like he was in a lot of pain, needing help to get up and off the ice.

For the ‘Hawks this is terrible news.

Brouwer has been healthy all season long. Losing him means more change of the lines, but more importantly, a loss in an offensive threat, as well as a big guy who can be a physical threat to opponents.

The offense is already having trouble picking up the slack of injured players, so this injury is salt in the wound.

5. Dallas Is Threatening

The ‘Hawks had better win at least two out of the next remaining three games because with a Dallas win last night, the Stars are creeping their way into a playoff spot, and it could be the ‘Hawks’ spot.

Dallas has three easy games left: two against the Colorado Avalanche and one against the Minnesota Wild. Three much easier games than the ‘Hawks’ remaining schedule, which features St. Louis and Detroit, two teams that always play the ‘Hawks hard.

If the Stars go 3-0-0 and end with 97 points then the ‘Hawks will need to go 2-0-1 and get 98 points.

If the Stars go 2-0-1 and finish with 96 points then the ‘Hawks will need to go 2-1-0 and finish with 97 points.

All in all, these last three games are crucial to the ‘Hawks just to get into the playoffs. With the stagnation of the offense it won’t be easy.

@JerodMSF Robbie Hummel: OUT FOR SEASON

As you know, I’m an IU fanatic. I hate Purdue, with every fiber of my being. Yet I still felt like someone had punched me in the stomach the second I read that.

And sorry Tyler, I cannot agree with you. The IU fan in me most certainly does not love this.

You’ll remember that Hummel also tore his ACL last year. He reportedly tore the same one in practice yesterday and now will miss the entire 2010-11 season.

There is nothing more I hate as a sports fan than when good athletes get injured, even when those athletes are on teams I hate. It just sucks. Hummel has done nothing but represent the Big Ten and college basketball well. As Mark Titus put it on Twitter, “Life isn’t fair sometimes.”

No, no it’s not.

Understand, I don’t necessarily feel bad for Purdue as a program. And by that I mean that injuries are part of sports. Scott May, Alan Henderson, Maurice Creek…I could go on and on listing great IU players who suffered injuries that derailed seasons. It happens. It sucks, but it happens. And it can happen to the teams you’re the most excited about, as when Henderson was hurt during IU’s 1992-93 season…my favorite sports team of all-time.

Who I feel bad for is Hummel, and to a certain extent E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, the trio that has helped Matt Painter rebuild Purdue and that were coming back together for one more run. As a college basketball fan I was curious to see just how good this team could be…while obviously hoping that they didn’t end up being as good as I feared they could be. (The one trump card I have over Purdue fans is the five banners! We can’t have Purdue getting one…)

But I certainly didn’t want them to not live up to expectations because of another season-ending injury to Hummel, and especially when you injure the same knee.

My younger brother did the same thing in high school, tearing the same ACL twice (and he actually tore the other one once too). The rehab sucks and it can really mess with you mentally to work that hard to return and then suffer the same injury again. After seeing my brother go through that, I wish it no one…obviously not even my worst enemy.

Best wishes to Robbie Hummel. Hopefully he makes a full recovery and can have a healthy NBA career. He can be a solid bench contributor to a good NBA team…so long as his knees to cooperate.

More specifically, the buzz is about LeBron’s elbow, and the possibility that the injury may be “way worse” than anyone realizes or than the Cavs will let on. (More on that in a bit.)

To clarify, LeBron James has been playing with what was originally deemed a minor elbow issue, but ever since the Cavaliers met up with the Bulls in the first round, LeBron’s elbow has gotten more aggravated, leading to a great deal of worry in Cleveland.

Ever since that incident, many things have been occurring. First, there were the questions as to why LeBron would shoot a free-throw with his left hand. Many began to question whether or not this was a publicity stunt or not. After it was confirmed that LeBron did indeed tweak his elbow, which was already bothering him to some extent, the chatter began to get much worse.

After all of the fallout over one of LeBron James’ joints, a big LeBron stalker…(cough), I mean fan, decided to make a Twitter account, that had everything on LeBron’s elbow. Really. Don’t believe me? Follow @LeBronsElbow here (Then follow this other great guy…)

Can you believe that? This goes to show you how important a JOINT of the LeBron James can be, and how much exposure it can receive. Is there actually a point to it all?

Perhaps there is.

The Cavs began their 2nd round series against the Boston Celtics this past weekend, a high-IQ, great defensive team, and a former champion. Indeed, a challenge!

Cleveland began the series by taking the Celtics out in the 2nd half of Game 1 to get a decent victory, much courtesy of Mo Williams. Then came Game 2, the game that really sparked everything for the “Le-Elbow” drama.

Everything was looking great for the re-newly named MVP, LeBron, whom received his 2nd straight MVP award before Game 2. But then the game started. And it is fair to say that the Celtics destroyed the Cavaliers, due to what some would call a soft performance by LeBron (24,7,7). Not bad numbers, right? Not at all. But you’d really have to see the game to wonder if something was wrong, as most of LeBron’s layups were left-handed, and he missed all 4 of his 3-point attempts.

The Celtics at one point had a 25 point lead, and the final score was 104-86. Might I add this was in Cleveland.

But this is not the worst part of the news…

Courtesy of RealGM, there are reports surfacing that LeBron’s elbow is much worse than reported:

According to a report on BallinEurope.com, the injury to LeBron James’ right elbow is “way worse than is generally known” and the Cavs’ superstar should not be playing in his present condition.

“A source close to the Cleveland Cavaliers who wished to remain anonymous has admitted that LeBron James should not [be] playing with his injury in its current state,” the report reads. “Apparently, the damage is enough that the right arm of King James … is having great difficulty in carrying anything heavier than a basketball.”

The report does say that it cannot be “independently verified” but other sites like HoopsVibe.com have picked up on it as well.

Scary news for Cavs fans? That’s an understatement.

Update: [Editor's Note: While the above report is making the rounds today, it should be noted that, as our friend Scott from Waiting for Next Year tweeted this morning, "Regardless of what it *looked* like, everyone close to the situation has refuted said report." Obviously all Cavs fans are hoping this is the case. We'll find out a lot more tomorrow

Also, ESPN's Rachel Nichols just tweeted that if LeBron feels good enough, a scheduled MRI will not be necessary. This would obviously be great news and really what everyone should pay attention to who is worried about LeBron's health.]

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m prepared to make a prediction based on this information…so mark this down!

If LeBron James’ elbow is really described to the degree as it is above, then the Cavaliers will not win a championship. They most likely won’t even pass Orlando.

But you and I both know that. The Cavs are the King’s team. Without him, and without him at full strength, what we saw in Game 2 against the Celtics may not be an anomaly.

**********

* – LeBron holding elbow photo credit: AP Photo/Nam Y Huh via Examiner.com

They are one word in sports that we never look forward to…not even if this is a Yanks/Sox series and Derek Jeter just tore his achilles tendon sliding home. No sports fan will ever want to see injuries, even if it’s too a player on a rival team.

Why, you might ask?

Well it’s simply because we don’t get to see the leagues, the games, and the stars at 100% if guys get injured. If they get injured, for example, we don’t get to see the full ankle-breaking ability Adrian Peterson shows us, we never get to see if the Lakers would’ve swept the Celtics without Kareem, and we’ll never get to see if Ryan Howard can beat the single season HR record.

That’s the tale of the injury. And why do I bring this up as an NBA writer? Because the game’s only two non-human athletes are injured: Kobe and LeBron.

What does this mean for the NBA? How did they happen? How will this affect the teams? You are about to find out!

Well, let’s first start off by saying that injuries hurt the  league…at the moment.

When the average NBA viewer (you), sits back and watches Kobe’s finger being broken, you can’t help but cringe and grit your teeth. You say to yourself, “Oh no!” That equals to, “this is going to hurt Kobe’s performance” to “this is going to lead to the Lakers losing.” And what does that turn to? Less attention by the viewer because, quite simply, the full abilities of a star are not shown.

The same thing goes for LeBron and the Cavs. But there is a difference folks. LeBron and the Cavs have a little more at stake this year than the Lakers. First off, LeBron James is in the final year  of his contract, meaning that after this season the future Hall of  Famer will be able to go where he’d like. On top of that, the city of Cleveland hasn’t won a championship in about 64 years or so.   So, there is a lot at stake for the King’s rep, the Cavs, and the city  of Cleveland!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s see how, and when the game’s best two players had gotten  these injuries.

Kobe Bryant Injury: Dislocated Finger (1/19/09)

As you can see, this was over a year ago. Unfortunately, certain injuries seem to last a lifetime, but hey, no one said sports came with all goodies!

LeBron James Injury: Sore Elbow; Shoots Left Handed

Strange, no? There has been much speculation over the last 24 hours claiming that the free-throw was shot just to add drama to the elbow that kept him out the final few games of the regular season. Or this could be something to worry about. We should find out in the coming days.

So how do these two injuries affect theese two greats?

Well first off, this will definitely impact both teams quite negatively. Enough to lose a series? Well, maybe not.

Kobe is a warrior. Reminds me of AI when he was going through the period with broken body parts while willing his team to the playoffs. Incredible. What’s the difference? Kobe’s been doing this for years and years and years. He has that over LeBron.

LeBron has never been in the playoffs with a nagging injury like this (never mind that these playoffs are huge for the Cavs), so LeBron will be trying this out for the first time.

Kobe also has the best supporting cast in ball. Don’t get me wrong, the Cavs are loaded, but the Lakers have the edge in support. What’s the difference? Pau. Are you serious? Pau Gasol, who could be a star on any team, is a role player on the Lakers. Amazing.

But there is still much speculation on whether LeBron’s injury is that nagging. Could the man-child just be milking it? Using it as an early excuse? Probably not. But anytime the best player on your team needs to adjust his game, there is cause for concern.

So how do the teams fair? Well the Lakers need one more victory against the up and coming Thunder to take the series. And there is still the rest of the West, let’s not forget that! But Kobe is Kobe, and has the best cast in the league. This should be enough to make it out alive.

What about LeBron? That’s the question. Is his injury that bad? With the Celtics in the next round, and fully rejuvenated, are the Cavs in trouble? Is LeBron going to suffer? Am I over exaggerating? Possibly. But only time will tell my friend.

History has already shown us that injuries negate many things. Wins, playoffs, awards, and rings. Let’s just hope that this is not the case for the two legends, and that we see the Finals we had all hoped for.

**********

* – Kobe/LeBron photo: Lakers Nation

* – Kobe Bryant photo: David Liam/Getty Images via SlamOnline

Whom in the Cleveland Browns organization determined that multi-million dollar franchise quarterback Brady Quinn would play against Houston last Sunday with a fractured finger tip on his throwing hand? And why?

(Editor’s Note: And, who will replace Brady Quinn as the Browns QB? Might It be someone other than Derek Anderson…?)

When questioned by Cleveland reporters today, Quinn said it was his decision to play and that he “tried to do the best I could.”

Hmmm…. a 24-year-old rookie quarterback who waited more than a year to be named the Browns starter, was allowed to make the final decision?

I would put this one squarely on Romeo Crennel and the Browns organization.

Sure, the 4-6 Browns wanted a win, but at what cost? The decision may have not only led to the Browns 16-6 loss (dropping them to 4-7), but compromised its prized player to the point that now Quinn has one week to decide whether to undergo surgery.

The news that Quinn actually injured his finger worse came from renowned orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., whom Quinn sought out Tuesday for a “second opinion.”

Dr. Andrews has been referred as Dr. Doom by the media because few football players have ever left his office without getting bad news.

Surgery on a Cleveland Browns player sends up a red flag to this writer who has seen too many routine surgeries turn into staph-infected, career-busting tragedies.

Just ask Joe Jurevicius, Browns tight end with the best hands this side of Dante Lavelli — and a team leader to boot. Or just ask former high-profile free agent acquisition center LeCharles Bentley, who suffered a leg injury after the first snap in the first practice.

Bentley had surgeries at Cleveland Clinic, then spurned the Browns’ health care plan and was operated on in an out-of-state hospital. At one point, Bentley nearly had to have his leg amputated. Although he said he would try, it is doubtful the man will ever set foot in an NFL stadium to snap the ball again.

Allowing Brady Quinn to play against the Houston Texans Sunday has now come to haunt the Browns as another huge setback in this season of drama.

Crennel justified the decision to play Brady by stating: although Quinn’s finger had become more sore in mid-week, “Browns specialists” had inspected the finger. Furthermore, Quinn’s X-ray showed a little fracture of the tip of the index finger so Quinn would wear a splint when he wasn’t playing — and that he would be good to go.

After being pulled in the third quarter, a very dejected Quinn walked the sidelines, perhaps blaming himself for his poor performance of completing eight for 18 for 94 yards and two interceptions.

The question no one is answering: Why was Quinn cleared to play against Houston and who made the final decision?

(Stay tuned to Cleveland Browns News Page for the latest updates on the Browns and Brady Quinn’s injury)

Why can’t 48 hours pass without some sort of controversial story about the Cleveland Browns?

Seriously.

ESPN.com is reporting that quarterback Brady Quinn, who has been suffering from an injured index finger on his throwing hand, has flown to Birmingham, Alabama to receive a second opinion on the severity of the injury from Dr. James Andrews.

You may know Dr. James Andrews from the 97,431 other stories in the past few years about athletes visiting him. This guy is like some sort of oracle or magical faith healer (or, just a really good orthopedic surgeon, I suppose). His name is also the most dreaded sound in the world of fantasy football. If your player is visiting Dr. James Andrews, it is rarely a good sign.

The news that Brady Quinn is traveling to see the magic doctor is surprising. While Romeo Crennel said that he thought Quinn’s injury was affecting his play somewhat on Sunday, resulting in Crennel benching Brady Quinn for Derek Anderson in the second half, Quinn steadfastly denied that the finger was a problem.

Yet, now he’s flying down to see Dr. James Andrews.

Hmm…not really sure what to make of this. The interesting part is that, according to the ESPN.com story, Quinn flew down to Alabama on his own initiative. The story does not say whether Quinn told the Browns he was going, but it certainly seems to allude to the possibility that he did not.

Honestly, it would not really surprise me if Quinn just went on his own. It was pretty obvious that he was pissed off that Crennel benched him on Sunday, and the Browns do not exactly have the most successful record when it comes to medical matters. Something tells me Brady did not want to be skipping over to the Cleveland Clinic in anything less than a HazMat suit.

It shall be interesting to see what comes of this. First off, hopefully the finger is okay and does not require any further surgery. Nothing against Derek Anderson (hell, I cheered when they put him in Sunday…before reflecting on it and realizing it was a poor decision) but the Browns need Brady Quinn to start the next five games. We have to see what we have in him, and he needs the experience. Any setback due to injury would be disastrous in terms of planning for next year.

Secondly, I will be interested to see if the Browns have a comment. It doesn’t exactly look good when your franchise QB is flying on his own to get second opinions on his injury and, ostensibly, not including the team in the decision.

Either way, the Browns play the Colts this weekend, and would get smoked even if John Elway was playing quarterback if the defense cannot do a better job against Peyton Manning than they did against…ugh…Sage Rosenfels. But hopefully Brady is back from Birmingham with a positive opinion of Dr. James Andrews. The Browns need him under center as they play out the string and plan for the future.

This post is from the regular season. Follow the link if you are looking for the Colts-Chargers Wild Card Playoff Game Preview, Prediction, and Injury Reports.

According to the AP, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders did not make the trip to San Diego for tonight’s Sunday Night Football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers.

Bob Sanders did not play last week either for the Colts due to swelling in his knee, and the problem has persisted through this week.

Of course, Bob Sanders being unable to play for the Colts is nothing new. Though Bob Sanders is perhaps one of the ten most indispensable players in the NFL in terms of value to his particular team, he has played in 43 regular season games and missed 32. (Thanks to ProFootballTalk for reporting that interesting nugget.)

Earlier this week, Joe Argabright provided a great prediction and preview of the Colts-Chargers game on NBC tonight. Obviously, it will be much harder for the Colts to defeat the Chargers, who always play them well, without their superstar strong safety.

(For the latest on Kellen Winslow’s current spat with Browns’ management, visit the Cleveland Browns news page or read the post specifically regarding Kellen Winslow being upset, and Romeo Crennel’s reaction.)

Just came across a report at the Plain-Dealer blog that Kellen Winslow returned to practice today for the Cleveland Browns as they prepare for this Sundays’ matchup against the Washington Redskins. (Follow the link to see our preview and prediction for this weekend’s game.)

The report says that Winslow claimed it’s “good to be back” (well I would hope so) but that no decision has been made regarding his status for the game against the Redskins. There was also no further information disclosed regarding the mysterious injury (which had been reported, but not confirmed, as some kind of swelling of Kellen’s dangling soldiers) that has kept Kellen Winslow out of practice and out of Monday night’s game against the Giants.

Regardless, Winslow’s return to the practice field is great news for the Cleveland Browns. I have spoken ad nauseum this week about the importance of Kellen Winslow’s dynamic play-making ability from the tight end position for the Browns’ offense. His return can do nothing but increase the momentum that began with Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards getting back on track Monday night.

Plus, Winslow seemed to be in relatively good spirits based on the AP report of his return to practice. In reference to all of the time he has spent rehabbing injuries during his football career, Winslow joked, “I’m a soldier. I can joke about it now, man. It’s just playing football. You’re going to have to deal with pain, and this league is what have you done for me lately? I just enjoy being on the field.”

Despite not disclosing the nature of the injury or illness, Kellen says that he did not suffer an infection and that he has not lost weight. The coaches will decide his status for Sunday’s game after watching him soldier through practice. (By the way, you can bookmark our Cleveland Browns news page to get the latest updates on the status of Kellen Winslow and other Browns news from across the web.

[tags]nfl, football, cleveland browns, kellen winslow[/tags]