Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
CFL Week 20 Recap: Collapses and Completion
I was honestly hoping that we would see some playoff drama continuing into the final week of the season. Week 20, of course, is the penultimate week of the CFL season, and while the East picture is completely locked in, the West still had a few things to settle. I did figure that Week 21 would be needed to fill in those final pieces.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 5 Recap: Goals, Goals, Goals
Every team has to face that one tough test at some point in the NHL season. For the Colorado Avalanche, that test came in the form of the Carolina Hurricanes. The biggest talk in this young season is that these two teams are the most favored to win the Stanley Cup this year. Basically, the court of public opinion is saying that this is a preview of this year's Stanley Cup Final. If this is what we will get in June, I say bring it on!
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
History of the NFL Playoffs (Part I: The NFL Championship - 1920-1959)
Ever since I finished writing about the history of the MLB postseason, I had been wanting to do the same regarding the NFL playoffs, because I find the NFL's postseason so fascinating. For one, unlike the other three main leagues, the NFL doesn't do the whole "playoff series" thing--it's one game and done, though it feels like you're watching a playoff series all in a three hour span. Another thing I can't help but love is how similar the MLB and NFL playoff formats are, even back in the earliest of days.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 4 Recap: Home Sweet Home
After three straight home games to start the season, the Colorado Avalanche finally returned to their home ice at Ball Arena for this meeting with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Avs have a strange schedule to open the season; started with three road games, then it's two home games, followed by three more home games. On the bright side, there has to be a home stand somewhere in this season.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 19 Recap: Who Wants it Less?
The 2023 CFL season is coming down to the home stretch, and usually, those last moments are full of nail-biting playoff races. The number of them is a variable; there could be a plethora of teams competing for about two or three spots, or all could be settled and the teams are just ready to either prepare for next year, or get ready for the postseason. In the case of this CFL season, a lot is settled, especially entering Week 19...except for one thing.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 3 Recap: Payback
With two road wins under the team's belt, the Colorado Avalanche finished off their three-game road trip against a very familiar foe: the Seattle Kraken. As we recall, the Kraken's breakout sophomore season included a stunning playoff series victory over the then-defending champion Avs in seven games, and as soon as the schedule was released, every Avalanche fan (myself included) had this date circled on their calendars.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
NFL Week 6 Recap: Not So Purdy
Entering the sixth week of the NFL season, two unbeaten teams remained, and they were the last teams standing in the NFC last year: the defending conference champion Philadelphia Eagles, and last year's NFC runners-up, the San Francisco 49ers. To the surprise of no one, both teams stood standing as the remaining teams unbeaten in a not-so-deep NFC. As we all know, when there's one left, that's when the 1972 Miami Dolphins mentions come in. The 1972 Dolphins stand tall as the NFL's only perfect team; the originators of "run the table." Few teams have come relatively close. As we all know, the 2007 New England Patriots almost did it, but lost Super Bowl XLII late in the fourth quarter. So how would the 49ers and Eagles fare in Week 6? Let's find out.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 2 Recap: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
The Colorado Avalanche's season opener saw the team flex on offense. Five goals, two on the power play, a dominant win over the Los Angeles Kings. Next up was an outing against the San Jose Sharks, and as a longtime Avs fan, I do have memories of the classic Avalanche/Sharks battles. However, those were against the strong Sharks teams who made the playoffs almost every year. These, sadly, are not those Sharks. The Sharks have suffered since reaching the Western Conference Final in 2019, and it seems like their rebuilding period will never end. Nevertheless, they were prepared for their second game of the season, as were the Avs.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
2023 League Championship Series Preview
I always love that final round before the championship in sports. In the NBA and NHL, it's the Conference Finals. In the NFL, it's the Conference Championship. In Major League Baseball, it's the League Championship Series that has served as that penultimate semifinal round since 1969. It was during that year that the wave of expansion and relocation during that decade resulted in the American and National Leagues being split into two divisions: East and West. For 66 seasons, the pennant was decided via the league standings, but with two divisions in each league, the East and West winners faced each other in the League Championship Series, MLB's first official playoff round.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: "Just Like Rear Ends"
You know, I wasn't expecting this year's postseason to be the forum for déjà vu, yet here we are. For the second straight year, the Tampa Bay Rays offense fizzled in October. For the second straight year, the Los Angeles Dodgers had all of the expectations in the world, yet found themselves humiliated in the Division Series. And for the second straight year, the Atlanta Braves were upset in the National League Division Series by the Philadelphia Phillies.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: What a Waste
"Mom! The Dodgers are doing that thing again!" You know, I'm not even a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but living in Southern California, that's the team I hear about. Yes, the Los Angeles Angels exist, but outside of Shohei Ohtani, the team is irrelevant. In my story about the 1955 championship, I mentioned that the Dodgers were the ultimate "fool ya team" back when they played in Brooklyn. They always had great seasons, but could not win the Fall Classic. Though, if there was any fair excuse for them, they always ran into the New York Yankees. The Dodgers finally won in 1955, and after moving west, their "fool ya" days appeared to be behind them, though recent years have seen them go back to their Brooklyn days of blowing seasons.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
