With news breaking earlier this week that Alexander Semin was unhappy with the Washington Capitals and was looking to go elsewhere once he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, as has happened many times in the past, rumors began to kick up once again that a good landing places for the sharp-shooting Russian would be the Boston Bruins.

Do the Bruins, however, really want Alexander Semin? 

Might seem like a foolish question for even the most disheartened Bruins fan when they think back to the power play goal Semin scored in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series between Boston and Washington last month. It was never more evident than during that playoff series that general manager Peter Chiarelli and the rest of the Bruins brass have work to do this summer to improve the top end of the Bruins offensive set. A talent like Semin would certainly fit the criteria of much needed top six forward/goal scorer. 

With more than a month before free agency begins in the NHL, the Bruins front office will have plenty of time mull over the notion of Semin wearing their sweater. On the surface it is a tantalizing idea. Still young, having just turned 28. Fast. Good hands. Better shot. The look and feel of an elite goal scorer, and based of off this year’s numbers the Bruins would have the money to do something outrageous in the offseason. 

In an age where every armchair GM bases their decisions on the performance of their fantasy team, chasing Semin is nothing short of a good idea. In the real world, however, bringing in Alexander Semin could be a deal that does not pan out for the Boston Bruins. 

On paper, Semin is everything Boston needs. Sadly, it is that talent that could be his ultimate undoing when it comes to becoming a Bruin. The main reasons Semin’s agent, Mark Gandler, cited for his client wanting out of Washington is how the winger felt the Capitals were not properly using him. With a change from highflying offense to trap-happy, defensively sound team this season, in order to stay within the system, Semin had to play a far different game than what is suited to his talents. And if Semin thought the Bruce Boudreau/Dale Hunter coaching tandem in Washington this season was bad, how happy would he be playing for Bruins head coach Claude Julien, the godfather of defense first, “let’s win 1-0” hockey? 

And for all of his scoring prowess, thrice recording more than 30 goals in a season and one time 40 goal scorer, it is Winning Time that counts the most and Semin has been a player whose production drops in the postseason. Averaging 0.42 goals, 0.87 points per game over his 469 regular season games in the NHL, Semin has put up just 15 goals in 51 postseason games, dropping his average from a goal just about every other game to once every four games. The Bruins need someone who can score when it matters. 

There have also been many a rumor over the years of Semin’s enigmatic ways that are often coupled with questions of his effort level and willingness to work at his craft. Despite those rumors, it is clear the Russian winger thinks very highly of himself, his skills and his ability to get top dollar on the open market. If that were not the case, his agent would not declare his client’s intentions of leaving the Capitals behind this shortly after their season ended, nor mention he was flirting with a move to the Kontinental Hockey League. Gandler is on record saying they are looking for a “significant term” commitment or at least “the amount of money that we feel he deserves,” which is agent-speak for top dollar. 

Even if the Bruins do have the money to sign Semin and a desperate need for a proven goal scoring, does that make it a good idea? Big money, big talent, but questionable effort? Alexander Semin is the next generation Michael Ryder, but will cost more money over more years and does not have the playoff track record Ryder had when the Bruins signed him to a deal that ultimately proved to be overvalued. 

As with anything else in NHL free agency, when it comes to Alexander Semin, the risk could be worth the reward if it comes at a suitable price. Even in his most malcontent days, Semin is still a 20+ goal scorer. For a player with the character concerns of Semin, regardless of price, the optimal deal is short-term of about three years, which would probably garner the most effort out of him. The kind of deal that is right in Chiarelli’s wheelhouse, as the Bruins GM is not known for signing a player to long-term deal or taking on substantial risk. So, if the Bruins were able to get him for the typical Chiarelli deal – short years at a price that is probably a little over market value – bring Semin to Boston and see if it works. 

Conceptually, it is a good idea. Sadly, it is probably nothing more than a pipedream. On the open market, the odds are in Semin’s favor that things will break his way and some team will pony up a lot of money and a lot of years, which should be more than enough to take the fiscally responsible Bruins out of the running. 

Still, it is fun to think about.

Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals saw the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers engage in their best Boston-Philly impression, with the Thunder escaping for a 77-75 victory.

The game abounded with subplots and wrinkles, aside from the obvious heroes:

• James Harden struggled all game before racking up 4 critical points in the last two minutes to help OKC back from a 7-point deficit
•  Kevin Durant made the game-winning runner with 18 seconds left, although he could have been the goat with his errant intentional miss on his final free throw.

The Maturation of Russell Westbrook: It started in the sweep of Dallas, when Westbrook committed 10 total turnovers and forced maybe 10 bad shots in four games. The maturity wave has continued to rise against the Lakers, who have scarcely recognized this collected, confident point guard who refuses to force shots, swings the ball for hockey assists, keeps his dribble alive to probe the defense, and acts decisively whenever he sniffs an opening for his near-automatic elbow jumper.

(Of course, just to keep fans on their toes, he forced up a couple stinkers in the tense fourth quarter, finished 5-17 from the field, and lost track of Steve Blake on the potential game-winning shot. There’s work to be done yet, but Westbrook needs recognition for his improvement this postseason.)

Study That Game Film: Through two games, Thabo Sefalosha has played some of the best defense ever seen on Kobe Bryant. His secret: he anticipates Bryant’s pump fakes, stays on his feet, and refuses to reach unless he is 100% sure of coming away with a steal.

Sefalosha isn’t the best one-on-one defender for every explosive perimeter scorer, but against the cerebral, earthbound 2012 edition of Bryant, his approach has been just right. Even Kobe’s fourth-quarter flurry came with hands in his face, and mostly when James Harden, instead of Sefalosha, was watching him.

Leave the Right People Open: The list of “right people” is two names long – Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes. Small forward was a giant hole for the Lakers all season, and World Peace and Barnes have done nothing to dispel that notion by shooting 9-27 through the first two games. Every open look either man had looked worse than the last, especially when they had time to size up an open look.

The Thunder should also continue to dare Steve Blake (1-6 in Games 1 & 2) to shoot, even though it almost blew up in their faces on the game-deciding shot. If nothing else, it treated a national TV audience to Bryant’s priceless pout in high-definition close-up, followed by his chewing out World Peace for the unpardonable sin of passing to a wide-open teammate.

The 2011-2012 NBA season was the year of the underdog. Many basketball fans we’re pleasantly surprised by many unknown players who have become quality contributors for their respective teams and one who has the cause of an international craze. These FIVE players have stepped up and showed that they can play with the superstars of the NBA.

The 2011-2012 NBA All-Unexpected Team:

PG: Jeremy Lin – NY Knicks: J-Lin is the star of this team. Linsanity took over the NBA for a couple of months during this past season. Jeremy went from the end of the bench to starting for the Knicks and helping them earn the 7th seed in this year’s playoffs. A knee injury cut his season short but Lin has become the poster child for all future basketball underdogs.

SG: Gerald Green – Brooklyn Nets: This explosive high flyer saved his career this year with great play at the end of this season. Green quickly put together a string of good games & highlight plays for the Nets. Green’s amazing journey has taken him from overseas to the D-League to becoming a highly sought after free agent this summer, all in a single season.

SG: Avery Bradley – Boston Celtics: Despite being a 1st round pick. Bradley didn’t get off the bench much last year. It was pretty much the same situation this season until a Ray Allen injury forced the Celts to play Avery & he hasn’t disappointed yet. Bradley has become a nice complement to Rondo with his speed, good defense & his improving shooting range. Avery has become a key part of the Celtics rotation.

PF: Ryan Anderson – Orlando Magic: The 2011-12 Most Improved Player became an All-Star caliber player this year. Ryan averaged 16 points & 7 rebounds a game for Orlando. Anderson’s three point shooting(39.3%) & improved rebounding has made him one of the most wanted free agents this off-season.

C: Ivan Johnson – Atlanta Hawks: This bruiser has played everywhere Korea, China, Puerto Rico and the D-League before making it to the Hawks and becoming a key role player for them after a injury to Al Horford gave him a chance to earn his minutes. Johnson reminds me of Charles Oakley, no nonsense. Ivan plays good defense,he is also a strong offensive rebounder and a improving scorer for the Hawks.

Bench:

PG: Norris Cole – Miami Heat

SF: Chandler Parsons – Houston Rockets

SF: Steve Novak – New York Knicks

PF: Jordan Hill – LA Lakers

C: Lavoy Allen – Philadelphia 76ers

As a basketball fan, I love to see these type of players get their opportunity to play. It’s even better to watch them succeed among the pressure, superstars, craze fans and prying media. Now, it will be interesting to see if any of these guys will be available to sustain the unexpected production that they have put up this past season.

The Minnesota Twins used a committee of pitchers and scored the most runs they have all season to pick up an 11-7 victory over the Tigers tonight.  Nick Blackburn lasted only 2 innings after being shelled for 6 runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 2 and Rick Porcello didn’t fare much better, giving up 6 runs (2 earned) in 4 innings.  But, for once, the Twins used their sticks to make up for the rough start by Blackburn and managed to get a win.

The biggest hit for the Twins came in the top of the second, with Jamey Carroll on and Erik Komatsu reaching on an error,  Brian Dozier smacked a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left for a 3 run jack which cut the Tigers’ early lead to one.

The next inning, Doumit tied the game with a single to center, scoring Willingham.  They added 2 more in the 6th, 1 in the 7th and 2 in the 9th off a Trevor Plouffe 2 run homer to left to claim the 11-7 victory.

Up until tonight, the most runs the Twins managed to score was 10 back on April 12th against the Angels.  It was the much needed shot in the arm the Twins needed and the best part is that it was provided by the offense.  For once they were able to cover a bad outing from their starter.  By the way, the Twins bullpen did their jobs and kept the team in the game for 7 innings.

Overall, it was a nice win for the Twins.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the two teams cycle back and forth, furiously, changing places, scurrying around, the crowd is tense, but no shots are getting through- it’s the nightmare which is the Eastern Conference playoffs. That’s the way this one started, but thankfully, not the way it ended.

The first period was more of the same old between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils, but in this game two, it was take two for the Devils, who finally managed to come out on top with a 3-2 win. By all accounts, the Devils should have taken game one with two periods of stellar play, but the Rangers made a comeback in the third off little mistakes from a tired squad who threw everything in the general direction of the net. New Jersey learned from its mistakes and while it seemed that frustration was beginning to set in, Kovalchuk’s corner pocket rocket helped bring the team back to life.

It was far from a perfect game for both teams. Penalties, some of which were soft calls, and ensuing power play opportunities accounted for 3 of the 5 goals in this game. There was some nastiness and some fluky shots on goal which probably should have gone in. Both goaltenders are world class, but have their shortcomings as well. Brodeur may want to consider spending less time playing the puck and concentrating on being in his net if a bad bounce occurs; Lundqvist definitely has space issues, getting visibly upset when players come too close to the paint. It’s not difficult to get in his head or trip up his glove side.

The best players for both teams were not their big ticket names, but their nose-to-the-ground guys who take a lot of ice time and do a lot of little things right. New York’s most valuable player overall on the night is Marc Staal without a doubt; he hits, takes hits, scores and dominates minutes. New Jersey’s workhorse is David Clarkson, taking draws, battling hard for position in front of the net, hitting hard and scoring a big, important goal.

While reffing was an issue for this game, the most blatant fail on the night was the missed goaltender interference call on Ponikarovsky, as he bowled over Lundqvist late in the third. No doubt that Torts won’t be mute on the subject, nor King Henrik himself. Both will be indignant, one with more choice words than the other, and they will have a solid case for it.

The series is now tied at one and thankfully, the pace has improved. It’s hoped that two days rest won’t induce a long nap followed by a relapse. Game one was painfully dull to watch, and while this game was better, it was far from being a true post-season thriller. The dominant emotion of the Western Conference Final is one of pure will, brought on by the surprising rise of the LA Kings and their utter determination to play every shift and win. The dominant emotion of the Eastern Conference Final has been frustration, and it’s probably been the same for most of the players too.

They’re two very different stories from East to West. But there’s still time for New York and New Jersey to rewrite this one.

For more on this story, please click on the link below.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/19064691/giants-unveil-super-bowl-rings-and-allow-fans-to-pose-with-it-on-their-fingers

Philly fans are noted for their venom towards rivals and they have plenty across the spectrum of the four major sports played in the City of Brotherly Love. The Cowboys and Giants are the enemies on the gridiron and foils that have historically prevented the beloved birds from winning a Super Bowl. The Sixers have the Celtics and to a lesser degree the Knicks, while the Flyers have the Penguins, Rangers and Devils.

The Phillies don’t really have a historic rival, due in large part to a period of ineptitude but during their resurgence of late they have developed a rivalry with the Mets, albeit a one sided one, with the Phillies playing the role of school yard bully and the Mets being the one getting their lunch money taken. This dominance is just one of the reasons being swept by the Mets is so galling for Phillies fans.

Making matters worse is the fact that they had the lead in the ninth inning of their first of the three game series only to see off season acquisition Jonathon Papelbon give up a three run home run to a rookie pinch hitter. They also had the lead in the 7th inning of game 2 only to see it evaporate due to blunders in the field and timely hitting from the Mets and David Wright who had two hits and two RBI. The trend continued in game three of the series with the Mets spoiling Cliff Lee’s return from the DL. Lee allowed two runs on five hits through six innings, but Kyle Kendrick couldn’t hold the lead Lee gave him and the Mets were able to sneak away with a sweep.

The Philly fans weren’t the only ones disgruntled by the performance; usually low key manager Charlie Manuel called a team meeting after the loss. The Phillies have struggled throughout the young season, especially at the plate with the absence of their three-four hitters, but this loss had rock bottom written all over it. It was the third game of a series to a division rival where you’ve already blown two games.

If ever there was a time to sharpen your focus it would be at home in front of fans who are expecting more then you’ve been delivering. What those fans got instead was Kyle Kendrick allowing the tying run to score by plunking a pinch hitter with the bases loaded. An RBI groundout later gave the Mets the lead, but that’s not the worst of it. The next inning Kendrick would return amid boos and gave up a double to David Wright who was driven in by Scott Hairston on his double. Kendrick was relieved by Jose Contreras who didn’t fare much better. Hunter Pence fumbled a routine fly ball and one batter later Ike Davis blasted a home run.

Things have been looking up since though. The Phils have reeled off four out of five – granted against the Padres and Astros – but four wins nonetheless. The issues these loses illuminate can be productive to a point but they’re really nothing the Phillies weren’t aware of. The bullpen was the guiltiest party, blowing leads their aces handed them and the Phillies are done if they start losing games where they get solid performances from their starters. Papebon has been a good addition but he’s really not much of an upgrade and the rest of the relief core outside of Bastardo is dismal. The offense has been inconsistent and stagnant at times, with Hunter Pence leading the way with 9 homers and 25 RBI despite some bad at bats during their slide. Carlos Ruiz has also been hitting well posting a .337 BA along with 23 RBI. Pence also provided some thrills Tuesday night when he hit a walk off homer against his former team to make up for another costly error. This win had some significance since it allowed the Phillies to end a drought of three game winning stenches. It has been 37 games without a three game streak which was the longest such streak to start a season since 1971. The Phillies have some momentum going into a series with Chicago at Wrigley before welcoming the Red Sox to Citizens Bank Park which will feature a Cliff Lee-Josh Beckett rematch from last year.

When it comes down to the last few possessions of a basketball game. Their are only a few players that have the“Killer Instinct”. This special kind of player is willing to put the game literary into his hands determining winning and losing by the things they do on the court. In my opinion, here are the BEST “Killer Instinct” players in the NBA playoffs this season.

2012 All-Killer Instinct Team:

PG: Chris Paul – LA Clippers: CP3 has proven his clutch ability by single handedly taking over the 4th quarter in the 1st round against Memphis. Whether leading his team from 27 points down in Game 1 or  guiding his squad to a huge win Game 7 on the road. Paul has shown that he is the BEST point guard, when it comes down to the final moments of a game.

SG: Kobe Bryant – LA Lakers: Kobe is the MOST clutch player in the NBA since MJ. Bryant has hurt many teams in the final moments with his un-believeable gift of snatching a win from the grips of defeat. Even though, he hasn’t done it so far in this year’s playoffs. Every fan knows when the game is on the line, he’s gonna take the last shot to win it.

SF: Kevin Durant – OKC Thunder: This sharpshooter has already broken the Mavs heart in Game 1 of their series. KD is beginning to develop a knack for handling the pressure situations in the playoffs. Despite having multiple weapons on the floor. The ball is always in KD’s hands when the Thunder need a BIG shot and Durant almost always comes through for his team.

PF: Kevin Garnett – Boston Celtics: This old guy has turned back the hands of time with his Game 6 performance against the Hawks. KG has stepped up his game when the Celts needed it most. Whatever his motivation, KG has displayed his energy & skills on both ends of the court to help his ballgame earn a victory.

C: Tim Duncan – San Antonio Spurs: If you look at the remaining centers in the playoffs no one matches up against Duncan. Tim has broken many opponents with his basic game. Fundamentals have always been Tim’s calling card and this year is no different. With his dominating performances over Utah in the 1st round. Duncan is still schooling the younger players on the court for San Antonio.

Bench:

PG: Tony Parker – San Antonio Spurs

SG: Dwayne Wade – Miami Heat

SF: Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics

PF: Pau Gasol – LA Lakers

C: Andrew Bynum – LA Lakers

Now, I know you may wonder…why a certain player isn’t on my list(Lebron James). Well, it’s because to me in these playoffs these ten players have displayed an ability, a gift to take over a game. No disrespect, too that great player but in my eyes, he hasn’t done it when it’s mattered most this playoffs so far. Yet, he still has time to make this list. I just hope that he makes the best this year’s opportunity.

SPRING HILL, Fla. — Basking in the golden sun shine and finding fare with the local restaurants of this wonderful community just a short drive from the city of Tampa, your old Uncle Mel is getting fatter and crispy to nice a golden brown.

With all of the bikini dressed distractions along with the food and weather Uncle Mel is keeping a watchful eye on the Eastern Michigan University baseball program and the business concerning the Mid-American Conference including last weekend results of the road trip to Buffalo, New York.

After almost choking on but spitting out a piece of boiled shrimp after seeing the score of Friday May 11,2012 Uncle Mel was looking for something cold and a liquid libation to correct his eyesight.

The Eagles were dismantled and plucked by the University at Buffalo 18-3 and Uncle Mel gulp down his cold beverage and wondered if this could happen to be a misprint or a mistake but after remembering the first commandments of being a smart and competent journalist Uncle Mel checked his research and his sources and found out the score was correct.

Uncle Mel ordered a double to help with the shock!

Eastern Michigan University baseball coach Jay Alexander being the competitor that he is must have been shaking his head through out the game and while sitting on the bus going back the team’s motel.

Being fair with Alexander he did mention that the Bulls are much better team that there record indicated and the program is improving so much with solid talent that his team needed to be ready for a good battle against Buffalo.

It is safe to say Friday afternoon that the Eagles were not ready for the Bulls.

The second game of the series played Saturday afternoon May 12, 2012 the Eagles arrived at the ballpark a band new team with a brand new idea.

Alexander felt confident and his starting pitcher Steve Weber did his job and contain the Bulls and their bats, the Eagles defeated the Bulls 11-7 and even up the series to add more drama to the series final game – a Mother’s Day showdown.

Alexander knew he also could count on Brent Ohrman, he did not expect Ohrman to have six-hit day.

Weber threw 6.1 inning giving up nine hits and four runs earning his seventh win of the season..

Many of the Eagles’ mothers made the trip to Buffalo and they put their mother of all will power together and after trailing the Bulls for eight innings the Eagles. The hope and prayers of the mom’s were answered and they watch their heroes score four runs in the ninth inning and defeated Buffalo 4-3 giving the Eagles’ moms a reason raise a glass of the there favorite cool liquid in a victory toast.

With two out in the ninth inning, the Eagles were down to there last strike, Daniel Russell took a 0-2 pitch and drove into the outfield and the come back began and the end of the day for Buffalo starting pitcher Mike Burke.

Burke worked hard and he weaved a masterpiece until the ninth he held the Eagles to just three hits before getting removed from the game.

John Rubino moved Russell to second base with base hit up the middle over second base and into center field.

Eagles on first and second base Adam Dennison joined the hitting heroic by getting a base hit and scoring Russell from second and setting the stage for Bo Kinder.

Kinder reached out on a River McWilliams’ fastball that found too much of the plate, Kinder sent the ball into right field.

Aggressive base running by Kinder forced first base man Alex Baldcock into a throwing error that scored two runs including the winning run.

Eagles’ starting pitcher Ryan Lavoie only lasted to the second inning and Collin Taylor came in and held the Bulls to one run and five hits.

Winning the series at Buffalo is the fifth conference series victory and earning the seventh consecutive trip to the conference tournament..

The Eagles setting up a three game series that should be a bottle full of drama inside the diamond at Scott Park that begins Thursday afternoon May 17 with the first pitch schedule to cross the plate at 3:05 p.m.

The winner of the series will win the West Division title outright and the second seed in the 2012 Mid-American Conference Baseball Tournament being played All-Pro Stadium in Avon, Ohio.

So your, old Uncle Mel will slap on some more sunscreen and add more ice to the Tupperware tumbler to keep the soft drink good and cold and the News Mobile Unit will be gassed up and heading into the state of Ohio and the beautiful shore line of Lake Erie for a weekend of baseball – tournament style!

Well Well Well! Look who decided to show up last night at Fenway Park.  The rainy weather conditions did not bode well for Josh Beckett on the golf green which is why making his scheduled start probably took precedent over playing 18 holes. The Texas tough guy celebrated his 32^nd birthday yesterday which leaves Red Sox nation curious as to what he might have gotten for presents. Callaway golf clubs? Gift cards to the Cask N’ Flagon and Popeyes?  (Is anyone sensing some bitterness?)

All joking aside, Beckett came into last night’s game needing a good performance to be displayed for all to see. Not to prove anyone wrong because that’s not what his own personal job description entails. At the very least it will give him a sense of peace and allow him to continue to believe he is worth the horrendous $15.5 million dollar price tag he sports. Going 7 strong innings allowing only four hits while striking out nine is without a doubt a great performance… but take it with a grain of salt. The patty cake lineup that was on display for the Seattle Mariners is one that I truly believe would make Darnell McDonald look like a modern day Satchel Paige.  A few things did strike me as positives about this start with his velocity being one of them. He came right out of the gate throwing 93 mph against the leadoff hitter Dustin Ackley. He combined a better velocity of his heater with an even better command last night as well.  Beckett kept the pitch down in the zone habitually instead of throwing the hanging meatballs that were only to be launched onto the Mass Pike shortly after touching batters bats this season. His fastball has been his bread and butter his entire career with him being able to average around 94-95 topping out at 97 mph for the majority of his career. With the amount of innings he has thrown and his age being a factor as well, the days that he throws in the high nineties are long gone. Hovering around an average of 92-93 and being able to possibly reach back and hit 94 on the guns when he needs to has to be the goal at hand for him going forward. It allows the speed differential between his curve and changeup to increase giving him an advantage against opposing hitters. Another big change last night was not allowing him to have his personal catcher in Kelly Shoppach. Bobby V sent the right message by making that necessary change telling Beckett that he needs to be able to work with both catchers especially since Saltalamacchia is viewed as the starter.  It was no secret how well Beckett and Varitek worked together in their tenure together but the captain was notorious for mastering the art of game calling. Beckett has built a reputation as someone that takes shortcuts and is lazy with working out which is why in my opinion he loved having Tek there to do all the preparation for him which leads me to my final point.

Because of his strong ego and sense of entitlement Beckett has rubbed a lot of his fans and people in general the wrong way. He never has and never will take accountability for doing something wrong off the field. You would hope that as a human that he has some ounce of pride in his obese body that will allow him the ability to compete and be successful going forward in his career. Being able to win 15 games this year is something his current team needs if they are going to have any shot at making it to October. That’s all depending upon if the almighty blister that has appeared so frequently in his past doesn’t show up mid July.  Or allowing other off field things to cloud his judgment as well, but in my opinion the future is inevitable for him. He needs to be shipped far far away from this city either at the deadline or at season’s end. His attitude is an enigma that burns through this clubhouse like wildfire and it’s affecting the rest of the team.  He helped this organization accomplish its second world series victory in the last 90 years to which the fans and ownership are grateful for but that’s in the past. He is not the same pitcher or person he was five years ago. Whether his bloated ego has totally encompassed his ability to make proper judgments or he is exemplifying the pressures of being a full time dad and an athlete I am not sure. Either way the three stooges In the front office need to look at their business investment realizing that if this situation is not properly dealt with in the future this team will suffer immensely.