NORWAY BEATING USA IN MEDALS RACE IS NO BIG DEAL
Norway is roughly the size of the state of New Mexico and its population of 5.2 million is similar to the state of Colorado.
So why is Norway on top of the medal standings – and way up on the United States -- at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea?
Entering Friday:
1st--Norway – 37 medals (13 gold, 14 silver, 10 bronze)
2nd -- Canada – 27 (10-8-9)
3rd -- Germany --26 (13-7-6
4th -- USA – 21 (8-7-6)
5th -- Netherlands – 18 (8-6-4).
Norway has huge advantages over the USA and most of the rest of the competition in the Winter Olympics. The Scandinavian country has lots of snow and ice and no pro sports to speak of. Winter sports are the most popular form of recreation and the focus of national sports media coverage. Success in the Winter Olympics is a much bigger deal than in the USA – not including the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey gold medal at Lake Placid.
Since the Winter Olympics began in 1928, and though the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, Norway had a total of 329 medals (118 gold, 111 silver, 100 bronze) and the USA had a total of 152 medals (56 gold, 49 silver and 47 bronze).
If Norway had a similar advantage over the USA in Summer Olympics, there would be more cause for concern. Obviously, that is not the case. In the history of the Summer Olympics, Norway has 282 total medals (96 gold, 102 silver and 84 bronze) and the USA has 2,522 (1,022 gold, 795 silver and 705 bronze).
ADDITIONS TO TWINS FIGURE TO BOOST ROCHESTER’S STARTING ROTATION
The Minnesota Twins have added six pitchers in this offseason and those moves figure to boost the stock for the starting rotation for the 2018 Rochester Red Wings.
Veterans Fernando Rodney, Addison Reed and Zach Duke are expected to bolster Minnesota’s bullpen, and Jake Odorizzi is likely to join the starting rotation. Anibal Sanchez is a possibility. Other potential starting pitchers include holdovers Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Adelberto Mejia and Phil Hughes (coming off a second surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome). Plans call for reliever Tyler Duffey to stretch out and possibly start. Ace Ervin Santana will start this season on the disabled list after hand surgery in February. Ex-Yankee Michael Pineda will return from Tommy John surgery in September at the earliest.
All of those arms in Minnesota mean the Red Wings figure to begin this season with three solid starting pitchers:
1—Aaron Slegers. The 25-year-old, 6-foot-10 right-hander had a terrific 2017 season for Rochester: 15-4 record, 3.40 ERA. He’s in the major-league spring training camp but figures to start this season in AAA.
2—Stephen Gonsalves. The 23-year-old, 6-foot-5 left-hander is coming off a strong 2017 season for AA Chattanooga: 8-3 record, 2.68 ERA, 87 1/3 innings, 67 hits, 23 walks, 96 strikeouts.
3—Fernando Romero. Minnesota loves his stuff. Last season at Chattanooga, the 23-year-old right-hander was 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA. In 125 innings, he allowed 124 hits and 45 walks, with 120 strikeouts. He has the makings to become a workhorse starter for the Twins.
SABRES, AMERKS STRUGGLING IN ONE-GOAL GAMES
The NHL Buffalo Sabres defeated the host Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime Thursday night. It was a welcome change for the struggling Sabres.
Buffalo and the AHL affiliate Rochester Americans have played in inordinate number of one-goal games this season and the results haven’t been great in the standings:
SABRES – 29 one goal games: 8 wins (4 in OT) and 21 losses (11 in OT and 1 shootout for 12 points in the standings)
AMERKS 27 one-goal games: 10 wins (7 in OT and 2 shootouts) and 17 losses (8 in OT and 6 shootouts for 14 points in the standings).
SHORT SHOTS
As expected, Wednesday’s Amerks vs. Syracuse Crunch “home” game was a big boost for Rochester in the AHL attendance standings. The announced crowd was 16,675 (the turnstile count was in the 3,000 range). Rochester went from 21st in the 30-team league with an average home attendance of 4,673 to 18th place and 5,153.
Drexel set a NCAA Division I college basketball record Thursday night for the greatest comeback victory. Drexel trailed Delaware by 34 points – 53-19 with 2:36 remaining in the first half – and rallied to win 85-83.
No surprise: former Rochester Rhinos coach Bob Lilley’s USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds are 3-0 in the preseason after a 1-0 victory over St. Bonaventure. Christiano Francois scored the only goal of the match on a penalty kick. Like the NWSL WNY Flash and Major League Lacrosse Rattlers, many Rochester sports fans won’t miss the Rhinos until they’re gone.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Friday, February 23
D’Angelo Russell (22)...Jamal Murray (22)...Andrew Wiggins (23)...Da’Quan Bowers (28)...Jeff O’Neill (42)...Rondell White (46)...Bobby Bonilla (55)...John Shelby (60)...Ed “Too Tall” Jones (67)...Ron Hunt (77)...Tom Osborne (81).
Saturday, February 24
Chris Parmalee (30)...Lleyton Hewitt (37)...Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41)...Bronson Arroyo (41)...Simeon Rice (44)...Mike Lowell (44)...Alexi Kovalev (45)...Manon Rheaume (46)...Terry Hollinger (47)...Zach Johnson (52)...Paul Gruber (53)...Eddie Murray (62)...Alain Prost (63)...Tom Burleson (66)...Phil Knight (80).
Sunday, February 25
Joakim Noah (33)...Shannon Stewart (44)...Don Majkowski (54)...Paul O’Neill (55)...Todd Blackledge (57)...Kurt Rambis (60)...Ric Flair (69)...Dave Vineyard (77), the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter for and against the Red Wings.