Kanye West - Power

This is the first single off of his upcoming album. He's back to his College Dropout/Late Registration self...no autotune, no stunned emo-ness. sheeeeiiiit. Yeezy iz back

One more First Rounder? - Part 1: Defenseman

I think it's pretty clear at this point that Boston GM Peter Chiarelli isn't going to trade away that 2nd overall pick - unless it means he'll be getting the 1st back in return.

That being said, I don't think this should keep the Oilers from trying to acquire another high quality draft pick in the upcoming 2010 NHL Draft. The fundamental basis of a re-build is to accumulate blue-chip prospects in order to develop a perennial contender - and what better way to expedite the process than grabbing more 1st rounders? There's two ways you could go in moving up here: grabbing a defenseman or grabbing a forward.

Ideally, you'd like to see the Oilers move to grab a blueliner, seeing as how there are no real blue-chippers apart from Jeff Petry in the system. But if you look at the past 10-15 years, the Oilers organization has never seemed keen to pick a defenseman in the first round. The one year they did (Alex Plante 15th overall in 2007), it didn't turn out well for them - perhaps making them even more weary of selecting a defenseman in the first round. In regards to defensemen, I think the top-3 in the draft - Erik Gudbranson, Brandon Gormley, and Cam Fowler - are unattainable without an over-pay. Teams picking in the 3-6 slot, including the Panthers, Blue Jackets, Islanders, and Lightning, all seem to have a void on their bluelines - and will likely be leaning towards selecting one of these three with their selections.

When I discuss grabbing a defenseman, I'm talking about the second-tier prospects in the draft. These include (with scouting reports):

• Derek Forbort: 6'5 200lb - One of the most talented defensemen in the 2010 draft.  Exceptional decision-making. Has the size and skating and is very agile. Doesn't like to carry the puck, but his passes are laser sharp. He could stand to add a bit of grit to his game. Comparable: Ryan Whitney

• Jon Merrill 6'3, 198lb - Merrill is a tall and lanky player with a lot of room to build on his frame. He has tremendous speed and has extremely good intelligence with and around the puck. Great shut down capability, and not flashy offensively. Dominated the U-18 with the US and was perhaps the best defenseman in the tournament. Comparable: Ryan Suter

• Mark Pysyk 6'1, 178lb - A moderately-sized defenseman who is very good in his own zone, and he can move the puck. He isn't an offensive defenseman the way Fowler could be, but is instead the kind of guy who can play 10 years in the NHL and make a solid name for himself. He can move the puck, defend his own zone, shoot, block shots, and he isn't afraid to mix it up physically. In short, he's the kind of prospect with little upside, but someone with a chance to make a nice NHL career for himself. Comparable: Rob Scuderi

• Jarred Tinordi 6'5, 205lb - Very solid defensively and tough. Skating is fine. He probably does not have the puck skills to be a two-way defender at the NHL level, however. Comparable: Hal Gill

While many are picking Forbort to go somewhere in the 8-15 spot with Merrill goes in the 13-20 range, many believe Merrill to be easily equal to Forbort in terms of potential. Merrill, if you don't recall, was one of the highly touted prospects for this draft when he was a 15-year old, however he hasn't progressed as originally intended. His recent showing at the U-18's was a major positive, and has many pushing for him to go in the top-12. He'd probably be the most valuable player to target if the Oilers trade up into the 12-15 picks. To move into this range the Oilers may have to look at trading Dustin Penner - or adding some value to a 31st+ deal.

Pysyk and Tinordi both project to go in the 18-25 spot, and a package I'd be pushing to move into that range would be a Cogliano+31st type of deal.

But who knows - maybe they find a Shea Weber in the second round a la 2003?

Song of the Week: Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight

Instead of posting the original, I'm going to post 2 amazing live concert versions of the song.

1) The Jazz version (unreal)


2) The normal version (also unreal)

Linus Omark 2009-2010 Highlights: Believe The Hype

Thanks to Jonas Kollberg for putting this on YouTube - the third year this guy has dazzled a world-class league with his skill, passion, and grit.

Comparisons and Projection: Jordan Eberle

Jordan Eberle has certainly become somewhat of a legend since being drafted by the Oilers 22nd overall in 2008. From World Junior heroics to WHL dominance to World Hockey Championship surprises - the 5'10, 185 lb forward has done nothing but prove that his size is no obstacle to him having a successful career. Poised to make the Oilers as soon as this upcoming season, Eberle could be a big part of the future heading forward.

Although small, and not necessarily fast, Eberle is able to be effective using elusive skating, smart puck management, and great hockey sense. Although originally drafted for his goal-scoring ability in the WHL with the Regina Pats, Eberle has emerged as one of the smarter players in junior hockey. His uncanny ability to read plays, find openings, and protect the puck have helped him turn into a stud of a prospect. Although not a world-class shot, his wrist shot is quick and accurate, and more than effective given the tricky stickhandling and skating he employs while moving in for a shot.

His ability to play along the boards may surprise some who see him as an equal to Gagner in stature. Eberle is able to use quick, elusive moves (spins, fakes) to prevent himself from being absolutely clobbered in the corners, and hold onto the puck against much larger defensemen. Once in open space with the puck, Eberle usually slows the game down in order to integrate what is around him, again his hockey sense clicking in before he decides to make a play (rather than relying on instinct like a Cogliano would). But most of Eberle's goals are scored in front of the net, odd for someone who isn't a horse like Holmstrom and Byfuglien. Using smart positioning and a quick stick, Eberle is able to clean up around the net as good as any junior player in recent history. Another favorite move for him is to work off the left side-boards on the power play - where he was featured as a playmaker for the Pats this past season.

With 50-56-106 in just 57 games this past season, Eberle really had a breakthrough season - one that will likely garner him the nod for CHL Player of the Year, in addition to the WHL Player of the Year award he was already given. His dominance at the World Junior tournament earlier this year saw him score 13 points in 8 games, which earned him MVP honors for the tournament. He cemented his status as one of the most clutch players of all time when he heroically willed Canada into overtime against the US in the final. Eberle also had a stint with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL this past season, where he put up 14 points in 11 games, excellent numbers for someone his age. All signs point to Eberle cracking the lineup this fall - but what kind of player will he be in the NHL?

Although it's rare for a small player to succeed in the NHL in front of the net, it's being done in the NHL right now by a few outstanding players. One of them is Zach Parise, a player Eberle is sure to be compared to for the rest of his career. Similar in size and stature, both of these players rely on hard work, elusive skating and stickwork, as well as excellent hockey sense, to power their games. Parise has made a living playing within 5-10 feet of the net on the New Jersey Devils powerplay, and it's helped him turn into a 40-goal scorer in the NHL. Although not as physically developed as Parise is, Eberle has the potential to fill out into a similar player capable of holding their own in front of an NHL net. Another comparable talent is Daniel Briere, a small player with the heart of a lion. Briere has made a living off of using his skill and shot to produce offense in the NHL. He's also commonly found around the net on the powerplay, knocking in rebounds and scoring goals in close. Eberle's recent development of an excellent passing game has made Briere a really good comparable. Although not blinding fast, Briere possesses good enough speed to cancel out his size, while Eberle has slightly better elusive techniques. Another good comparable is Derek Roy in Buffalo, a player whose speed is comparable to Eberle's, but uses above average hockey sense and stick work to avoid trouble while handling the puck. He's another guy who is at home playing along the boards and near the net.

It's important to temper expectations for Eberle, and not use his outstanding junior numbers as an indicator of future NHL performance. It's well documented that the CHL and World Juniors are conducive to smaller players putting up numbers they would not never have in the NHL - and Eberle's stats may be slightly inflated due to that fact. Regardless, if his WHC debut performance against Norway is any indication, he is more than capable of holding his own against fully grown men on the world stage. Although it's unlikely he'll ever reach the 85-90 point plateau like Parise, I see a very capable 60-70 point player in Eberle - one whose value won't be derived from points alone - but also his hard work and penchant for showing up when his team needs it.

Song of the Week: Nelly - #1

No explanation needed for this SOTW - been an awesome last week.

Comparisons and Projection: Anton Lander

With a lot of recent hype about the Oilers prospects - both current and future - I've decided to start a series of posts that explore what we can expect with each of the individual prospects - and what current NHLers we can compare them to in order to forecast a developmental path and ultimate peak.

Anton Lander is perhaps as North American a Swede can get. Picked 40th overall in the 2009 draft, the 6', 198lb center wasn't selected for his hands, skill, or play-making like most Swedish centers - but for his gritty two-way game and leadership that has seen him become an important part of Timra's success this past season in the SEL. Often relied upon in a checking role, he sees an abundance of PK and ES time, playing against the top-2 lines of the opposition.

That being said, Lander's value isn't limited to his defensive abilities. He possesses a well-rounded offensive game - though not mind-blowing like other early-drafted Swedes. He relishes opportunities to play along the boards, crash the net, battle for positioning in tough areas, and score garbage goals thanks to his drive. Most of his goals in the SEL have come in this manner - but he is by no means a Tomas Holmstrom like player. He is always prone to making the right play with the puck - rarely does he turn it over or try to exceed himself in trying to make a play. He possesses a solid wrist shot - one that allows him to be a consistent scorer when give an opportunity from the slot. This past season he put up 7-9-16 in 49 games - pretty good numbers for a second round selection - he also put up an impressive 8 points in 6 games for the Swedes at the World Junior Championships (impressive for an 18 year old).

Although at first glance those numbers don't scream offensive dynamo, I think there is still a lot of room for him to grow into a regular offensive contributor. Centers like Daniel Alfredsson and Henrik Zetterberg took until the age of 21-22 in the SEL before they were really recognized for their offensive skills. I think it's something to take note of before prematurely classifying Lander as a solid third-line center for the future - there's always a chance he becomes a top-6 player with an important offensive role down the line.

So as for contemporary comparisons, it's tough to find a Swedish forward with his type of game. Alfredsson and Zetterberg are the closest ones in my opinion, but their offensive outputs at this point far exceed that of which can be expected from Lander at the time being. Samuel Pahlsson would also be a good comparison, but I think Lander's offensive potential and production at age 18 far exceeds that of Pahlsson.

I know many like to throw out the Brandon Sutter/Jordan Staal/Rod Brind'amour/Ryan Kesler comparisons - but I don't think they necessarily fit. Not because Lander doesn't have the same offensive potential as these players - but because he's not the same style of player as these guys. They are each 6'2-6'4, 210+ pounds - big, rangy players that use their size to help enhance their two-way game. I think it's important to consider that Lander is only 6' - and that he'll rely on a smart gritty game to become the player he will be.

I think the best way to go about it is to look at a similar type of player in Ryan O'Reilly in Colorado. O'Reilly, taken 33rd in the same draft as Lander - plays an almost identical game. Same size, no outstanding skill or speed, but a great thinker of the game and a very gritty hard-working player to top it off. He was able to slide into the Avalanche lineup as an 18-year old on the third line, and never relinquished the center spot there throughout his rookie season. Overall, I see O'Reilly having the potential to turn into another Chris Drury (NYR) - a leader lauded for his defensive ability and effort, who is still capable of chipping in offensively. Obviously he is a little more ahead in his game than Lander is - but I believe as their careers progress they will be very similar in their styles, production, and role. However, I don't think this means the Oilers should try to bring Lander into the NHL when he reaches an "O'Reilly-at-18" level of play - there is a different path available to Swedish players in the SEL.

Now some believe that Lander should come over as soon as possible - so he can adapt to the North American game and work up through the AHL into a roster spot one day. Instead, I think they should try to bring him in like how Detroit did with Zetterberg. Let the kid remain in Timra for another 1-3 years, cultivating his offensive game while playing a larger and larger role on the team as he becomes better. It is possible he could become a top-line center on the team, and develop into the 2-way dynamo Zetter became for Timra when he was there.

If the Oilers were to bring Lander in at age 20-22 - it'd give him a chance to crack the NHL roster without getting lost in the AHL - as many European prospects tend to do when they come over to North America before developing to the proper point. If he is able to establish himself as important both defensively and offensively in the SEL - it makes him a sure-fire candidate for the third line center position right off the bat, and maybe even a future second-line center.

With a prospect like Lander - it's tough to project his development because there are a variety of factors at play. Drafted for his work ethic and 2-way play, some may suggest he takes the Drury/O'Reilly route. However, it's hard to discount the possibility that he could follow in the footsteps of many late-blooming Swedish prospects and turn into an offensive force in his early 20's. He does bring a very North American flavor to his game, which is rare to see from a Swede at such a young age - making it hard to project if and how his offensive game will develop.

iWatch?? :O

It has come to our attention...

Etown's Greatest leader, Saurash Reddy will be bed-ridden and unable to post until further notice. Reddy is in the hospital after partying too much. The nature of the injury is unmentionable - although it would be completely ballin' if we could tell you.

Get better Saurash.

Oh and congratulations on getting into both U of A and U of C medical schools.

But also, shame on you for having another Reddy night.

The above picture show's Reddy's face as the incident took place.

A little gift to Mr.Reddy for Med School

Eberle's WHC debut: Will he get a chance?

With the injuries to Ryan Smyth and Steven Stamkos, Team Canada has no other choice but to insert junior star Jordan Eberle into their 12-man forward roster on the eve of their match-up with Norway on Friday at the World Championships.

With his debut, Eberle will be the first non-NHL prospect to play in the tournament since Jonathan Toews did it in 2007. That's some elite company. Toews started off as a 13th man, then as a guy who only received PP minutes, before ending the tournament as one of Canada's most important players en route to a gold medal victory. He was then able to step into the NHL the next season and put up an astounding 54 points in 64 games.

If Jordan Eberle is able to contribute anything like Toews did on the same stage, then we ought to be really optimistic heading into next season. However, given the names already on the roster, Eberle may not be given the opportunities that Toews was given to succeed.

As of now, here is how Canada's forward lines look:

Bourque ______ Perry
Whitney Tavares Duchene
Laich Ott Downie
_____ Peverley Kane

Canada's in trouble without a legitimate #1 center, and with Bourque and Perry both acting as scoring wingers, I think it's important to have a play-maker between them. I think this will allow Matt Duchene to take the #1C position, opening a hole on RW on the 2nd line for Eberle to take. With Whitney, a proven playmaker, and Tavares, a person he has chemistry with, Eberle should be able to have some success out there as a clutch goalscorer.

As for powerplay opportunities, I think there is no other choice here but to have Eberle get some PP time. His shot and poise on the left-side should make him a great addition to the second unit.

Eberle's going to get legitimate opportunities to make a name for himself in this tournament, both with top-6 minutes and powerplay time - it's up to him to step up and grasp the opportunity.

World Cup 2010 - 30 Man Squad

So the provisional teams are announced for the World Cup 2010. Maybe it's because I am British, but I find my country to have the weakest team in the top 10 rankings. Capello has picked a team that hasn't changed the way it plays in 4-6 years. Big man upfront with Rooney playing off him. Brazil and Spain have changed their style of play. Spain now play more like Barcelona with Brazil using flair in the final half and adopting a hard European defence. England have not changed, they have not adopted pace on the wings - Walcott and Lennon are used sparingly. The England midfield will be Gerrard, Lampard, Barry and Carrick/Milner. A very rigid midfield. No fluid movement, looking for Heskey to come deep and collect and play Rooney in behind the defence. Everyone knows how we play, they have seen it over the years. Spain will pass you to death, like they did in our previous encounter. Pass, pass, pass, pass, GOAAAALLLL. Beautifully played with technical players of the highest caliber. Brazil adopt a more stronger presence in midfield and defence, they look like monsters in bright yellow shitting on your pigeon chest as they pound across the field like a herd of elephants. The flair in Brazil is still there, Kaka, Robinho, Nilmar to say the least. Those these days they play a more structured way, no mistakes, keep possession and close down the opponents in the right areas, suffocating the opponent into their own half. My only concern is Kaka, coming back from injury will he be fit enough to deliver his best?

Based on Capello's philosophy you have to be on form and playing for your club, that does not apply to Emile Heskey. Somehow this over the hill, can't score - won't score, used more as a sub and off form player is in the side over Bobby Zamora. Bobby Zamora who has been steaming hot this season in both Premier League and Europe won't be on the plane to South Africa.

Capello has not picked a side good enough to get to the semi-finals let alone win the competition. John Terry and Rio Ferdinhand are an accident waiting to happen, Rio because of fitness and John because he is shit now. I am super upset so lets see the squads:

Argentina

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar/Netherlands), Mariano Andujar (Catania/Italy), Diego Pozo (Colon)

Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan/Italy), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich/Germany), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan/Italy), Gabriel Heinze (Marseille/France), Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle/England), Juan Manuel Insaurralde (Newell's Old Boys), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes), Ariel Garce (Colon)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool/England), Sebastian Blanco (Lanus), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes), Jesus Datolo (Olympiacos/Greece), Jose Sosa (Estudiantes), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Liverpool/England), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina/Italy), Juan Mercier (Argentinos Juniors), Angel Di Maria (Benfica/Portugal), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle/England), Javier Pastore (Palermo/Italy)

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid/Spain), Diego Milito (Inter Milan/Italy), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City/England), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid/Spain), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Spain), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli/Italy)

Spain

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), David De Gea (Atletico Madrid), Diego Lopez (Villarreal), Jose Reina (Liverpool) Victor Valdes (Barcelona).

Defenders: Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Cesar Azpilicueta (Osasuna), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergi Busquets (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao) Marcos Senna (Villarreal), David Silva (Valencia), Xavi (Barcelona).

Forwards: Santi Cazorla (Villarreal), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Juan Manuel Mata (Valencia) Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Dani Guiza (Fenerbache) Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla), Fernando Torres (Liverpool FC) and David Villa (Valencia).

Brazil

Goalkeepers:

Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Doni (Roma), Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham).

Defenders:

Maicon (Inter Milan), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Lucio (Inter Milan), Juan (Roma), Luisao (Roma), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Gilberto (Cruzeiro), Michel Bastos (Lyon);

Midfielders:

Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Felipe Melo (Juventus), Josue (Wolfsburg), Elano (Galatasaray), Ramires (Benfica), Kleberson (Flamengo), Kaka (Real Madrid).

Forwards:

Julio Baptista (Roma); Robinho (Santos/Manchester City), Nilmar (Villarreal), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Grafite (Wolfsburg).

These are the three teams I think we challenge for the World Cup with Holland/Netherlands installed as the dark horses. No way can anyone say that the England squad is better than any of these teams. Only one player can walk into each of these teams - Rooney. We have one sole superstar. Not enough when the rest of world have a team full of them.

End of the Premier League

Season is over.

Chelsea are champions, deservedly so. They accumulated the most points this season so therefore by law they deserve the title of champions. They also broke the 100 goal barrier, first time since the formation of the Premier League. A team often criticised for playing like a snail fucking an iPad, Carlo has changed the way they played, their formation and attacking presence has increased. To be honest if this Chelsea team had realised their own potential, they would have won the Champions League a long time ago. Instead their ruthless criminal Russian billionaire owner kept sacking managers till he could fire no more, lets not forget Carlo almost faced the axe after losing in the Champions League. Man United came second, one point behind. Alex Ferguson saying it was one week of bad results that cost the title, I don't think so. I know better, I have more played more seasons of Football Manager then he has, I know better. When you sell the best player in the world along with Carlos Tevez and you don't replace them, you lose. Also with Rio and Vidic constantly injured, it didn't really help. I have no sympathy for them, they have produced a team that won the treble, based on youth players they produced throughout the years, but they seem to have misplaced that trust and just brought a shit loads of players. A lot of those players were really shit; Djemba-Djemba, Bellion, Kleberson, Veron, Smith, Saha, Ricardo (season of 03.04) so they brought Rooney for 27 million the following season. Two seasons later they brough Carrick for 18.6 million, season later they spent 63.1 million on Tevez, Nani, Anderson, Hargreaves, De Silva twins. You see my point, they spent all their money on youth, they didn't make the players no more. It's a shame, United were the model to follow till the board of directors decided to sell to the Glazers who dumped 700 millions pounds of debt onto the club. United now are the same place Chelsea are, they need new players, Terry is old, Rio is old, Drogba and Anelka are old, Berbatov didn't work out (32 million), Nani has not played well enough for long enough, Deco, Ballack, J Cole all are over age and over the hill.

Here in lies the problem, none of their youth players are good enough to replace European class players. I think they wont be able to buy many players this season, Chelsea's upper management want to cut spending and wages. Over the last two seasons Chelsea have spent 28 million, it's a sign from the Russian criminal he doesn't want to spend any more money. Why? He doesn't want to keep funding the club when he knows it can be self sufficient, problem is, wages. His little diva's are getting paid out of their skins, they wont leave. He is therefore not renewing their contracts. I sense the end of Chelsea diva's, hopefully a new era in the Chelsea world.

More to follow tomorrow....

Game's Album Review by Complex Magazine

1. "Infared"
Produced By: Cool & Dre
Complex says: The Compton rapper’s forays into name-dropping have recently been hit or miss, but over Cool & Dre’s 70s funk-jazz-influenced instrumental, the album’s intro is a major hit. Game drops attention-grabbing lines (“Will I ever go at Nas? Hell nah! / Will I ever go at Jay-Z? I don’t know”) and doesn’t waste a second spewing his fully automatic braggadocio. It’s an instant head-nodding banger for a kickoff.

2. "Ricky"
Produced By DJ Khalil
Complex says: As the title implies, it’s a reference to Morris Chestnut’s character in John Singleton’s debut film Boyz N The Hood. A saxophone intro trails up to the congo drums in the backdrop, and the track leads off as a cautionary tale about 'hood violence—but quickly veers off into Game sucking himself off about how he remains victorious in front of gun claps. Gunshot sound effects, paired with the chanted shout of “Ricky!” make this one memorable...for its repetitiveness.

3. "Good, Bad, Ugly"
Produced By: Hit Boy
Complex says: Grimy keys and dark drums play the backdrop for a storytelling joint. The saga begins with the former drug dealer getting ambushed by several hostile guests with heaters, then segues to a scene where two detectives question the injured rapper. The Game skillfully flips the tone of his voice, and weaves an entertaining verse when he refuses to cooperate, instead spinning out a story that's different from what actually went down. Straight gangsta shit.

4. "Heavy Artillery" f/ Beanie Sigel and Rick Ross
Produced By: Street Runner
Complex says: The three self-claimed gangsters flex gun talk, murder, and their own craziness. Game even compares himself to Marshall Mathers (“Eminem ain’t Dr. Dre’s only sick nigga").

5. "Diamonds" f/ Robin Thicke
Produced By: Phonix
Complex says: The version we heard featured an up-and-coming talent named K-Young, though we were told that the infectious hook would be re-sung by Robin Thicke (for the record, we didn’t mind the version with K-Young on the reference).

6. "It Must Be Me" f/ Pharrell
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: Certified 2002 club banger!!! We had no idea P had a Delorean.

7. "Ain’t No Doubt About It" f/ Justin Timberlake
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: Justified x In My Mind x Game sounding a little uncomfortable with the terrycloth-soft vibe of the track. Nothing much else to say. *shrug*

8. "Mother's Womb" f/ Nelly Furtado
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: The title's kind of gross, right? Doesn't sound so hot, either. Game waxes poetic about all the gangsta shit he's been up to since he's left his mother's womb. What better way to do that than have Nelly Furtado ride shotgun? FOH. Skateboard P brings those Neptunes key patterns that sound like a throwback to his early chart-toppers, which is both a good and bad thing. The mix we heard was rough, but Furtado's vocals sounded good.

9. "She'll Look Good To Me"
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: This one is all about bakin' pies with a college chick. But not for her culinary class. As long as they're of age, we always co-sign corrupting co-eds.

10. "When My Nigga Come Home" f/ Snoop Dogg
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: Game heads to the strip club with a close friend fresh out the joint. Pharrell provides the soundtrack for the celebration with a mix of luscious synth waves and deep, hard-hitting drums. Snoop name-drops plenty of fellow Crips, but in that nice and smooth way that doesn't offend middle America to the point that they'll revoke sponsorships.

11. "Dead People"
Produced By: Dr.Dre
Complex says: Dre laces Game with a beat that sounds like it was left off 50 Cent's The Massacre (in the same vein of "I'm Supposed To Die Tonight"), and Jayceon takes the opportunity to steal 50's style, even sounding like him on the hook (a stashed joint he wrote, maybe?). Granted, he writes from an interesting perspective—at one point he goes into the POV of a bullet like Nas' "I Gave You Power"—but it stills come off as an odd fantasy about murder.

12. "It Must Be Tough" f/ Pharrell
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: Even though this was clearly unmixed and still has some reference vocals on it, it's still one of the clear highlights of the album. Typical baller shit we've heard before, but Pharrell stunts on another level and absolutely dominates on the ad-libs and the hooks. There's synths galore and heavy 808s that build back and forth (from low volume to high), and Game delivers a solid third verse.

13. "Roll My Shit" f/ Snoop Dogg
Produced By: Pharrell
Complex says: Some real G-shit, straight up and down. Game and Snoop are clearly in their element on this one. Pharrell brings his best Dr. Dre impression by using light, wavy synths reminiscent of The Chronic.

14. "Lost Ones" f/ K-young
Produced By: Cool & Dre
Complex says: Bonus cut that focuses on really dark themes of death and the molestation of his sister by his father. Fooled you, right? You thought it was some diss to Jigga, right?

Only one song produced by Dre???? Wow.

Awesome Capture

3 Different Generations of Oilers Hockey on Display here - taken from Canadian WHC practise.

Eberle Messier and Smyth

On the edge....

As I sit here watching the UK Election being thrown into chaos by Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrats, I can only wonder what would have happened if Man City had beaten Tottenham on Wednesday night??

Man City have spent $450 million dollars (roughly 250 million pounds) on players since the rich Arab owners came over, sacked Mark Hughes (lost only 2 games in his reign) and employed a very defensive Italian coach - defensive means you don't lose then again you don't win. Leaves you with 1 point. Which Mark Hughes had 7 in a row. His ultimate fate.

Back to my question, Man City win - Buffon would have been their new goalkeeper, Kaka brought in, Torres possibly tempted, Di Maria, Dzeko along with Lucio and possibly Thaigo Silva to back up the defence. This would have cost them something around 300 million I guess? Pocket change for the owners, they somehow think by buying the best players in the world will win them trophies, Real Madrid will contest that argument. Winning is about pride and struggle, something Man City don't have anymore, they were a short while ago everyones second favourite team, they struggled to match Man United but always played attacking, balls out, dicks swinging football. Now they play a shitty defensive game with players who only play for money (same could be said about a lot of athletes). I drift from my point, my main anger is at the owners, they come from a world of money. A world of anything they want, they can have. Simply in football, sometimes reputation comes before money and this has hurt Man City.

Champions League = Reputation. No champions league means no Mourinho. Why didn't the owners come in and say to the fans, hey, we got shit loads of money and we want to invest into the youth system, coaching, fitness, manager and build a team with great young players. This did not happen, now they look stupid, real stupid. I hope they look stupid next year as well. Stop trying to buy yourself glory, work for it and gain respect.

It's horrible to think about the young players in Man City's youth team hoping to come up and now see these big players coming in from overseas pissing on their young dreams. That's life, its the same at Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and now Man City. Young players should ply their trade elsewhere.

Here is some fun - LINK

Status of the Rebuild: Where are the Oilers so far?

There is some disagreement among Oiler fans as to when this "re-build" started. Some think the drafting of Hall will mark the beginning of the re-build phase, while others insist they are much farther along thanks to the selections made since 2007, when the Oilers picked Sam Gagner. I'm with the latter group, but I don't think we can look at it and think the Oilers are three years closer to competing.

The blueprint for a re-build was set heading into the 2007 off-season, when the Oilers had three first-round draft picks - 6th, 15th, and 30th (eventually turned into 22nd) - and the opportunity to stockpile the prospect depth heading into the future. Although the selection of Sam Gagner resulted in a future top-2 center for this team, I'd say the Alex Plante and Riley Nash selections are yet to pay off. Another relevant highlight from that draft includes Linus Omark.

However, after that draft, GM Kevin Lowe did something counter-intuitive, and went on a free-agent signing spree, essentially calling off the re-build in favor of becoming competitive again within a season. It cost the Oilers big time - leaving them with only the 22nd overall selection in one of the deeper drafts in recent history - one where their place in the standings would have given them the 12th overall selection if not for the free agent signing spree. The Oilers lucked out, grabbing a top-15 talent in Jordan Eberle, saving face by grabbing another component key to their re-build in a year where they almost screwed up big time. Other highlights from this draft include Johan Motin and Teemu Hartikainen.

This new attempt at competing finally fell apart in 2009, as the Oilers choked down the stretch and managed to grab the 10th overall selection. They lucked out, grabbing a top-5 talent (in retrospect) in Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson. They also managed to add key organizational needs in potential 2-way center Anton Lander and #1 goaltender Olivier Roy.

After 3 drafts like that, some are convinced the Oilers are 1-2 top selections away from having finished putting the framework for this team together. I'd like to argue otherwise.

Although after this draft the Oilers will have added 4-5 key components to their future top-6 since 2007, there is a glaring hole in this organization's depth chart heading forward: the defense.

Since 2005, the Oilers have failed to draft and develop enough legitimate top-4 NHL defenseman. The Taylor Chorney experiment has been unsuccessful thus far, with him struggling to acclimatize to the NHL game after 2 pro seasons. Alex Plante is looking like more of a project than originally thought when he was drafted. Theo Peckham has looked great at times - bringing a physical element this team has lacked greatly since Matt Greene left - but he has no puck-moving or offensive game to speak of. Johan Motin looks like he will be solid #4-6 defenseman, but again, he brings no offense to the table. The only real promise is shown by Jeff Petry, a 2nd rounder from 2006 that recently signed with the Oilers after a breakthough college career.

After this draft, I doubt the Oilers will have added to the defensive depth with a legit top-4 talent - unless they turn their 31st overall pick into a defenseman. Even then, the Oilers will be missing that blue-chip defensive prospect that other teams have had in the past - the Hawks with Keith/Seabrook/Barker, the Penguins with Letang, the Capitals with Green/Carlson/Alzner, the Kings with Doughty/Hickey/Teubert.

Regardless of this recent splurge of offensive prospects, I think it'll be another 2-3 drafts before the Oilers will have added enough defensive depth to be a future threat. There needs to be some balance in the Oilers' drafting strategy - they can't over-load up front and expect it to lead us to glory.

Solutions?
I think there are a couple things the Oilers could do in the next couple years to expedite the re-build.

1) After taking Hall/Seguin with the #1 - I think the Oilers should try to trade up with that 31st overall pick to grab one of the defensive prospects still on the board. Obviously it's going to be expensive to move up into the top-10 to grab one of Gudbranson/Fowler/Gormley, but if the Oilers scouting staff finds someone worthy of a selection that can justify 31st+ going the other way, I think it's the right move to make.

2) With the 1st rounder in 2011, I think the Oilers have to take a defenseman - whether it requires trading up or justifying the move by trading down. If they again receive a top-3 pick, I think it's best that they go after someone like Adam Larsson - the young Swedish defenseman being hailed to be better than Victor Hedman - it would add to an already-deep set of Swedish prospects. I know some people are already clamoring for a Couturier or a Nugent-Hopkins - but at some time you need to start drafting according to organizational needs.

3) With almost the entire team on the trading block, I think the Oilers' main focus other than draft picks should be picking up defensive prospects a la the Bergeron-for-Grebeshkov deal of 2007. Adding players further along in their developmental process than fresh draftees would help in making this team competitive sooner.

If this team wants to compete by 2013-2014, it's important you have a young crop of talented defensemen ready to step in and grab the reigns. Gilbert and Whitney will be 30-31 by then, while Smid will be 28 - so there are players in the peaks of their careers ready to take the brunt of the load at that time. This should open up room for these young prospects to come in and flourish under less high-pressure minutes.

If the Oilers can add 3-4 defensive prospects at least as good as Petry in the next couple of years - I think the re-build will be nearing it's completion - but if they continue to pursue forwards with their higher draft picks you could see a one-dimensional team within a few years.

Song of the Week: The Underdog Project - Summer Jam

Tacky I know, but this song is actually so fresh to hear after exams.