Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
A Look at the Vast Decline of the NFC South
I said this once before; I do love "trainwreck divisions," because they get all the interest and attention. This on-and-off trend started in 2010, when the NFC West was so terrible that the Seattle Seahawks ended up finishing first with a 7-9 record. Since then, we have seen our share of mediocre/subpar division champions over the years. Even the NFC North fell victim to this in 2013. I remember that year vividly; Aaron Rodgers missed several weeks due to injury, yet while the Green Bay Packers did regress, so did the rest of the division. Rodgers returned on the final week to defeat the Chicago Bears, resulting in the Packers winning the division at 8-7-1.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
The Iconic Career of Börje Salming
On November 24, 2022, Börje Salming, one of the most legendary figures in the history of the National Hockey League, passed away at the age of 71. As a diehard hockey fan, I am ashamed to say that my knowledge of this great man is quite small, but I would learn a lot about this amazing player in the last couple of years--especially in the last few weeks. Born Anders Börje Salming in Salmi, Sweden on April 17, 1951, Salming began his hockey career in his native country in 1967, playing three years for Karuna AIF before joining Brynäs IF in 1970, going on to win two championships in 1971 and 1972.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What's On the Horizon for Elektra Lopez?
I've been wanting to write a story about Elektra Lopez for a while now. Her young WWE career has fascinated me for a while, especially the big shocker from last year, when she went from a few appearances as an enhancement talent, to becoming a fierce villainess aligned with the Legado del Fantasma faction.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
NFL Week 11 Recap: Loser Should Be Fired
So the game that seemed to get most of the attention featured two teams who are nowhere near the playoff line: the Las Vegas Raiders and the Denver Broncos. This was the second meeting between the clubs; the Raiders won the first meeting in Vegas, which was the Raiders' first win of the season. The reason why this matchup got a lot of attention is simple: these team have the biggest bumblers at head coach.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
109th Grey Cup Recap: 18 and Victorious
Oh man, this one is special. As I'm writing this, I'm still on a huge happiness high from the game I just watched. On November 20, 2022, the 109th Grey Cup took place in Regina, Saskatchewan--the provincial capital's first time hosting the CFL's annual championship game since 2013, which saw the hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders capture the Cup. In this year's affair, the Toronto Argonauts faced off against the Winnpeg Blue Bombers, the first Grey Cup meeting between the clubs since 1950. For the Bombers, they were looking to win their third straight Grey Cup and become the first team to do so since the then-named Edmonton Eskimos won the 66th-70th Grey Cups. As for the Argos, they were looking to win the Cup for the first time since 2017.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look at the 2011-12 and 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings
When I started getting into hockey at the age of seven, the Los Angeles Kings were the lone local team out here in Southern California. The Kings were part of the "Original Expansion Six"; the six franchises who joined the NHL in 1967 and doubled the size of the league--from six teams to twelve. The Kings joined the league along with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the St. Louis Blues, the Minnesota North Stars, and the defunct Oakland Seals. The team was best known for being the lone American team in the infamous Smythe Division in the 1980s and early 1990s, forming some interesting rivalries with the Alberta teams. 1992-93 saw the Kings (with The Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky) reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time, and it was an interesting run that saw them face nothing but Canadian teams; defeating the Flames (Smythe Semifinals), Canucks (Smythe Final), and Maple Leafs (Campbell Final), only to be defeated by the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
NFL Week 10 Recap: Hail to the Commanders
This is my second year writing week-by-week NFL recaps, and I've never started with Monday Night Football. Of course, it's not every Monday that the last unbeaten team loses on that day. The Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football, and upon looking at the matchup, a thought entered my mind. The last time Washington faced off against an undefeated Pennsylvania team? Washington won. They defeated the 11-0 Pittsburgh Steelers two years prior, and interestingly, that was a Monday game (due to COVID outbreaks postponing the game). So could this team do it again?
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
25 Years: A Look at the Nashville Predators
It doesn't seem like 25 years since the Nashville Predators joined the NHL. I remember it like it was yesterday; I was 13 years old and in eighth grade when the Predators joined the league. The expansion/relocation wave during the 1990s and early 2000s was very intriguing. NHL franchises were located in markets that no one ever thought would have hockey in them. Two teams in Florida, two more teams in California. Teams moving to Dallas, Denver, and even Phoenix. Now Nashville with a team? Amazing.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What in the World is Going On with the Columbus Blue Jackets?!
I've always been fascinated by the Columbus Blue Jackets, even before the team officially debuted. It was back in 1998 (the year that the Nashville Predators debuted in the NHL) that I learned about Columbus getting an NHL franchise. That was a pretty fun period for me as a hockey fan, because I had never seen expansion like this in any sport. The Predators debuted in 1998, and a year later, the NHL returned to Atlanta with the Thrashers (they would move to Winnipeg in 2011), and 2000 gave us two teams: the Minnesota Wild (bringing the NHL back to Minnesota for the first time in seven years) and the aforementioned Blue Jackets.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
109th Grey Cup Playoffs: Division Finals Recap
I entered this year's Division Finals very excited. I always love the Grey Cup Playoffs, and I enjoy the Division Finals because it's that final step before the big game; similar to the Conference Championships in the NFL. But my main reason for my excitement comes from my Toronto Argonauts fandom. While this is the second straight year that the Eastern Final emanates from Toronto, I felt that this year would be different. Last year was disappointing. The Argonauts left too many points on the board, and it ended up costing them on their own home field. That loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats left me sour and angry, and even as the bracket was set, I had that feeling: "This year would be different."
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Down South it's not hard to find some great golfing options
Being a lad from South Wales I’m well aware of the wonderful courses on my doorstep but my great regret is that I haven’t played many of them, although I have walked beside the fairways of a great many more.
By Steve Harrisonabout a year ago in Unbalanced
109th Grey Cup Playoffs: Division Semifinals Recap
One of the things I do love about the month of November is the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup Playoffs. After a 21-week regular season, six teams remain in the hunt for the prestigious Grey Cup, with two of the six getting an additional week off as a bonus for finishing first in their respective divisions. The other four teams face off in the opening round of the playoffs, the Division Semifinals, with the winners moving one step closer to that ultimate goal.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
