RealClearSports: Sharks Stifle Ghosts of the Red Wings

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

SAN JOSE -- The ghosts were knocked around the ice Thursday night. So were the Detroit Red Wings. But for the San Jose Sharks, it's never been what happened in the present, but what didn't happen in the past.

Maybe it's about to change.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

SF Examiner: Bad news Bay Area at it again

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

SAN FRANCISCO — It was another of those should have, could have days for the Bay Area, the ones overloaded with bad memories and worse possibilities.

There was Manny Ramirez standing at the plate for the Dodgers, two outs in the eighth and you knew what was going to happen.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2010 SF Newspaper Company

RealClearSports: America's Infatuation with Hockey Is Over

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

We've had this infatuation before, after the World Cup was held in the United States in 1994, maybe after the women's World Cup win, in the same stadium where the '99 final was played, the Rose Bowl. America was soccer mad, like Europe and South America, was the wild proclamation.

Not at all. America was merely being America, a nation excited for a time about a special event, a competition that for that day was must-see, like a Super Bowl or a Kentucky Derby. Make it seem important enough and you can sell out anything from log rolling to curling.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

SF Examiner: New year doesn't bring much hope for Bay Area sports

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

SAN FRANCISCO — This is a happy new year? The 49ers reveling because they didn’t lose more games than they won. The Raiders groping because they did lose more games than they won. The Warriors making us wish it were baseball season. The Giants and A’s making us wonder why we should wish it were baseball season.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2010 SF Newspaper Company