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Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
Dodgeball in the Olympics? Why Not?
In 2024, the Summer Olympics will take place in Paris, France, marking a global celebration of athleticism and competition. Yet, amidst this grand event, another significant tournament will unfold: the 2024 World Dodgeball Tournament in Graz, Austria. Despite its growing popularity and international reach, dodgeball once again misses the opportunity to showcase the art of the game on the world stage at the Olympics.
Carina SimmsPublished 18 days ago in UnbalancedJets Take Off to the Playoffs
A packed Thursday night of NHL action only saw one team with the opportunity to lock up a playoff spot. That team was the Winnipeg Jets, and their destiny was in full control. A win would do it. If not, just one point and the Blues losing would get it done. Or a Blues regulation loss and a Wild loss would also get the job done. The schedule was interesting, as there were Eastern Conference games and Western Conference games, and and the three games connected to the scenario all played at the same time: Flames @ Jets, Avalanche @ Wild, and Blues @ Predators.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 19 days ago in UnbalancedAvalanche Game 76 Recap: A Wild Thursday
Boy, do I hate the Minnesota Wild. I mean, you can't blame me for hating the Wild. After all, they are the Colorado Avalanche's longest tenured division rival. No lie there, folks. While the Battle of Quebec (Nordiques/Canadiens) only lasted 16 years, and was a division rivalry for only 14 of those years, the Wild and the Avalanche have been division rivals since 2000. Whether it's the Northwest Division, the current Central Division, or even the localized West Division from the COVID-affected 2020-21 season, we just can't get away from the Minnesota Wild.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 19 days ago in UnbalancedJohnson Owns Dayton Record
Kendall Johnson is one of the NCAA's brightest new stars in the long jump. The freshman from Tulsa, Oklahoma broke the University of Dayton indoor long jump record on just the fourth attempt of her first collegiate competition. She finished the Indiana Invitational with a top four result and a mark of 5.87 meters. That jump toppled a Dayton record that stood since 2012, when sophomore Hillary Lang landed at 5.62 meters on her way to winning the pentathlon silver medal at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Championships.
Winners OnlyPublished 21 days ago in UnbalancedAvalanche Game 75 Recap: Goalie'd
The month of April is here. The beginning of the end is upon us. I love the month of March because it's the last full month of the NHL season, but I really love April, because it's the beginning of the end. The final countdown. The regular season ends on April 18. The Stanley Cup Playoffs start on April 20. Seven teams are in the big dance. One of them is the Colorado Avalanche, whose ticket was punched on the penultimate day of March. For the Avs, this is the first game of a three-game road swing, and the first of the team's final eight games remaning. Our opponents: the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 22 days ago in UnbalancedCanucks Lock Up Playoff Spot With Help From Division Foes
On Monday, March 25, the Vancouver Canucks had the NHL's first clinching scenario of the season, but they came up short in becoming the first team to clinch. They had another chance three days later, but they were defeated by the Dallas Stars. On the penultimate day of March, the Canucks were idle, but could still get in. They needed losses from the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild to get in. Minnesota's loss didn't have to be in regulation. St. Louis' loss, however, had to be in regulation.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 23 days ago in UnbalancedHow Sweep It Is!: Reviewing the New York Yankees' Big Series Win
A tide is turning, folks! I looked forward to the 2024 Major League Baseball season, because there's always something special about Opening Day, well, the Opening Week overall. One reason, of course, involved the New York Yankees. I entered this season optimistic about the Yankees' 2024 season, because, well, we have nowhere else to go but up. The Yankees are coming off a 2023 campaign that saw us miss the postseason for the first time since 2016, as well as the first time overall with Aaron Boone as skipper. Also, the Yankees had a new superstar to show off: in the form of Juan Soto.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 24 days ago in UnbalancedAvalanche Game 74 Recap: Ticket Punched
Phase One: complete. The Colorado Avalanche's first attempt to lock in a playoff spot came up short, but the main story of that game was the controversial end of Nathan MacKinnon's home point streak, which remained official after a long review. So MacKinnon had a proverbial axe to grind, and who better to grind it against than the Nashville Predators in the last leg of Colorado's homestand.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 24 days ago in UnbalancedStars Look to Avenge West Final Loss
Three East teams had chances to clinch playoff spots, and they all did. Three West teams had that same chance: the Dallas Stars, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Colorado Avalanche. All three scenarios involved the St. Louis Blues losing in some fashion, but the Blues won, 5-3, over the Calgary Flames. With that, the Avalanche's scenario was kiboshed, but the Stars and Canucks could still get in with a win. Here's the thing: the two teams faced each other, and it was 1-1 late in the third period.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 26 days ago in UnbalancedPanthers Clinch Playoffs With Hopes to Return to Cup Final
The wild 14-game Thursday evening included so many clinching scenarios, with one of them including the Florida Panthers. The Panthers looked to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a victory, but the New York Islanders had other plans. The Isles looked to move up in the Wild Card ladder, and they did so with a win over the Panthers, a 3-2 win at that. However, the Panthers did have other ways in, and one of them was a Detroit Red Wings loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. As a result of this, not only did the Canes get in, the Panthers did as well.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 26 days ago in UnbalancedAvalanche Game 73 Recap: What Just Happened?!
As a Colorado Avalanche fan, I was entering Game 73 feeling quite confident. Yes, we were facing off against the high-powered New York Rangers. However, the Dallas Stars were facing the Vancouver Canucks...on the road. So I had a good feeling that first place could happen for the Avs again. The first part had to be taken care of: taking down the Rangers. The Avs were coming off the end of a nine-game winning streak, but at least Nathan MacKinnon's points streaks were still a thing.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 26 days ago in UnbalancedLast Chance for Hurricanes?
A loaded day in the NHL saw six teams with a chance to clinch a playoff spot, and the Carolina Hurricanes were one of the teams with that opportunity. This was their second chance to do so, but their first attempt saw the Hurricanes defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in what was a homecoming for Carolina's biggest deadline acquisition of the season, Jake Guentzel. Take Two came against the Detroit Red Wings, and all they needed was just two simple points. They would get them behind a Frederik Andersen shutout; a 4-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 26 days ago in Unbalanced