Sharkey’s quick-hit thoughts on the world of sports…

• Monday, Ilya Kovalchuk signed a 17 year deal with the Devils.  Yesterday morning, the Devils rolled out all the stops with a press conference/love-fest the likes of which Newark, NJ has never seen before.  Last night, the NHL rejected the deal.  Dangerous precedent the NHL is setting here.  And I’m not just saying that because I’m a Devils fan.  I agree the contract is ridiculous.  17 years is absurd, and it’s clear the Devils are skirting the rules on this one.

  

  For those who don’t know, Kovalchuk’s deal was heavily front-loaded to get around the salary cap.  In the NHL, your cap his is the average salary you make over the length of the contract.  Kovalchuk was set to make $95 million of the $102 million deal during the first ten years, and finish the contract at a lowly $550,000 per season until he was 44 years old.

  But, the Devils were certainly not the first team to hand out a contract like this.  Yes, none have ever been for 17 years, but there have been 11, 12, 13, and 15 year contracts handed out quite often over the last few NHL seasons.  Now, the NHL is going against one of its best GMs, and someone who has helped the NHL tremendously over the years.  Not only that, but it has to find a way to prove that this contract isn’t like all the rest.  My money is on them not being able to find a way to do it.  Or, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello reworks the deal rather quickly.  Either way, Kovalchuk is staying a Devil.




• The popular thought lately seems to be that Miami’s new Big Three – which, sidebar; they need a better nickname than Big Three – won’t be able to win many or any championships because of a lack of role players and a lack of defensive presence.  I call bologna.  Maybe the 2010-11 Lakers will be able to beat them, and maybe we’re in store for a decade of Oklahoma City-Miami NBA Finals, but I don’t envision the Heat winning any less than 3 titles between now and 2015.




• USC has hired Pat Haden to be their new Athletic Director.  As a Notre Dame fan, this makes me happy for one reason, and one reason only.  He will no longer be working the Notre Dame games 8 Saturday’s a year for NBC.  I don’t know who they’ll get to replace him, but there’s zero chance it’ll be a step backwards.




• The latest rumor this morning is that Jimmy Johnson, ex-Cowboys coach, current Fox Pregame Show personality, will be in the forthcoming season of Survivor, on CBS this fall.  I’m one of the minority in that I still watch Survivor every Thursday (Wednesdays, now), and have for the last decade.  The show is riveting.  But I have no idea how having a star as big as Johnson is going to work out.  I’ll say this, I’m excited to watch it play out.  You can bet ERP will be covering Survivor regularly now, as it relates to the world of sports.




• The two-time defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies are ‘this’ close to acquiring Roy Oswalt, according to everyone who pretends they know anything about baseball.  I love this move, if it happens.  I still believe the Phillies are the best team in the NL, and when all is said and done they’ll find themselves playing in the World Series again.  This trade will only make that possibility more likely.  But, I still can’t help but think this would be an unnecessary trade if the Phillies had just opened up their wallets a bit more when they acquired Halladay, and said screw it, we’re keeping Cliff Lee, too.




• Speaking of the Phillies, it appears the Jayson Werth era is just about over.  He’s had a career revival in Philadelphia, and I’m going to be sad to see him leave.  I just hope I don’t have to watch him on the Mets or Yankees next season.  That’ll be sickening.  I’m excited for Dominic Brown to join the bigs, though.
  

  There aren't a lot of fans who wouldn't love cheering for a guy like Werth.




• NFL Training Camps open this weekend.  Football is right around the corner, and I’m starting to get very excited!  I love summer, but I’m ready for fall.  I have a vacation/wedding in Boston in a few weeks to look forward to, and then after that, I’ll be in full-fledge football mode.  It’s time.