Former college hockey stars Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter will be enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2008 it was announced today by USA Hockey. Providence and Women’s Team USA standout Cammi Granato was also selected, the first female among the Hall’s 134 members.

The quartet will be formally inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Denver on Friday, Oct. 10, at Magness Arena on the campus of the University of Denver. The following evening — Sat., Oct. 11 — the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game will take place in the same venue, when Denver plays Notre Dame.

“The Class of 2008 is one of the most accomplished groups that’s ever been inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame,” said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. “It is indeed with great pleasure that we welcome them to the group of hockey immortals in our country.”

Hull recorded 1,391 points during his more than 20-year National Hockey League career that included stints with five teams. Hull’s 741 career goals place him third all-time in NHL history. In his first full season with the Blues (1988-89), he scored 41 goals and captured the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The following year marked the first of three consecutive 70-plus goal seasons, which included a career-high 86 goals in 1990-91 to earn him the Lester B. Pearson Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP.

Hull helped the United States to an Olympic silver medal at his second Games in 2002 and topped the tournament in scoring as Team USA captured the World Cup of Hockey in 1996, the first of his two World Cup appearances. He also participated in the 1991 Canada Cup and 1986 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

Hull played two seasons at Minnesota-Duluth, where he scored 52 goals in his sophomore season and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. No college player has scored more goals in single season since.

In 18 NHL seasons, Leetch was an 11-time All-Star, won two Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman, captured a Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP and was the Calder Trophy winner as the league’s top rookie. He is one of only five blueliners in NHL history to record more than 100 points in a season and one of seven to accumulate more than 1,000 points in his career (247-781–1028).

In his rookie season with the New York Rangers (1988-89), who drafted him ninth overall in 1986, Leetch put up 23 goals and 48 assists to capture the Calder Trophy. Three years later, in 1991-92, Leetch tallied a career-best 102 points, including a team record 80 assists, to capture the Norris Trophy for the first time. In 1993-94, the Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in more than 50 years. He led the way as the top scorer in the post season and was the first ever American-born player to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.

Internationally, Leetch is one of just 10 American men’s ice hockey players to have competed in the Olympic Winter Games three or more times, as he played for Team USA in 1988, 1998 and 2002. He also represented the United States at three IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-87), two IIHF Men’s World Championships (1987, 1989), one Canada Cup (1991) and twice in the World Cup of Hockey (1996, 2004).

Leetch played one season (1986-87) of college hockey at Boston College and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Mike Richter played in 666 games during his 14-year NHL career, all with the New York Rangers. His 301 wins with the team are more than any other Rangers goaltender and he helped the club win its first Stanley Cup in over 50 years.

Playing full-time for the Rangers beginning during the 1990-91 season, he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie in just his second full season in the NHL. In 1993-94, Richter was selected as the MVP of the NHL All-Star Game and went on to set a Rangers’ single-season record with 42 wins in leading the team to the President’s Trophy and its first Stanley Cup title since 1942. Beyond making a huge impact for the Rangers, Richter also was an integral part of the U.S. program for parts of three decades. He is one of just 10 Americans ever to compete in at least three Olympic Games, including in 2002, when the team captured the silver medal. In addition, he led Team USA to the World Cup of Hockey championship in 1996 and was named the tournament’s MVP. He also played in two IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-86), three IIHF Men’s World Championships (1986-87, 1993) and the 1991 Canada Cup. Richter, a three-time NHL All-Star, played two seasons of college hockey (1985-87) at Wisconsin before beginning his professional career.

Cammi Granato’s extraordinary playing career, particularly at the international level, has played a key role in the growth of women’s hockey not only in the United States, but across the world. At Providence College, she established goal-scoring records and captured ECAC Player of the Year honors from 1991-93.

A 15-year member of the U.S. Women’s National Team beginning in 1990, Granato is the program’s all-time scoring leader with 343 points (186-157) in 205 games. She achieved international fame by captaining Team USA to the gold medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, the first time ever women’s ice hockey was included in the Games. Four years later, she captained the United States to the silver medal at the 2002 Olympics. In her last international competition and ninth World Championship, she led Team USA to the gold medal, its first-ever in an IIHF World Women’s Championship. In 2007, Granato received the NHL’s Lester Patrick Award in recognition of outstanding service to hockey in the United States, and, in 2008, she was enshrined into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Granato was the first woman to be honored with the aforementioned awards and will be the first female to be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Originally Written by CHN Staff, www.college hockeynews.com

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby won the Hart Trophy as the National Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player tonight, capping a sophomore season in which he became the youngest scoring champion in major pro sports history and sparked one of the NHL’s most dramatic team turnarounds.

Crosby, who earlier this month was named the youngest team captain in League history, received 91 of 143 first-place votes for 1,225 points in voting by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks, who tallied 25 first-place votes and 801 points, was runner-up.

At 19 years, 10 months, Crosby is the second-youngest Hart Trophy winner in the history of the award, which was introduced in 1924. Wayne Gretzky was 19 years, 5 months old in 1979-80 when he captured the first of eight consecutive Hart Trophies with the Edmonton Oilers.

Crosby finished the regular season with 36 goals and 84 assists for 120 points, winning the Art Ross Trophy as League scoring champion. He took the permanent scoring lead with a career-high six-point night against Philadelphia Dec. 13 and never went more than three consecutive games without a point afterward. The Penguins were 41-10-9 in games when Crosby recorded a point, 6-13-0 when he did not and 0-1-2 when he was out of the lineup.

The Penguins finished the season with a 47-24-11 record for 105 points, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2001 and recording a 47-point improvement over 2005-06. Only three clubs in NHL history have posted a bigger gain, most recently the Winnipeg Jets’ 48-point surge from 1980-81 to 1981-82.

Other honorees included Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. Malkin launched his NHL career in memorable fashion, becoming the first player in 89 years to score goals in each of his first six NHL games. Before Malkin, only three players in NHL history had scored at least one goal in each of their first six (or more) games and all did so in 1917-18, the League’s inaugural season. The 20-year-old went on to lead all rookies in goals (33), power-play goals (16), assists (52) and points (85).

Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings joined an elite group by capturing the Norris Trophy as the League’s outstanding defenseman for the fifth time. Lidstrom becomes the fourth defenseman in League history with as many as five Norris Trophy wins, joining Hockey Hall of Fame members Bobby Orr (eight), Doug Harvey (seven) and Ray Bourque (five). Lidstrom, who earned his fifth Norris in the past six seasons, tied for the League lead among defensemen in plus-minus with a +40 rating, ranked third among all players in ice time per game (27:29) and was fifth among defensemen in scoring with 62 points (13 goals, 49 assists).

Lidstrom’s teammate, Pavel Datsyuk, won his second consecutive Lady Byng Trophy for combining sportsmanship with a high standard of play. Datsyuk led the Red Wings in scoring for the second consecutive season, matching a career high with 87 points (27 goals, 60 assists). His plus-36 rating ranked second on the club and seventh in the League overall.

Another repeat winner was Carolina Hurricanes captain Rod Brind’Amour, who won the Frank Selke Trophy as the League’s outstanding defensive forward. Brind’Amour ranked second among all NHL centers with a 59.2% face-off winning percentage and ranked third among League forwards in average ice time per game (23:19).

The New Jersey Devils’ Martin Brodeur claimed the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender for the third time in the past four seasons following a record-breaking campaign. Brodeur won an unprecedented 48 games, surpassing Bernie Parent’s mark of 47 in 1973-74, led the NHL in shutouts (12), ranked third in goals-against average (2.18) and third in save percentage (.922).

Alain Vigneault of the Vancouver Canucks won his first Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach, edging last year’s winner, Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres, by eight points (134-126). In his first year behind the Vancouver bench, Vigneault guided the Canucks to a franchise record-breaking season. They improved their wins record to 49 from a previous high of 46 and recorded the highest points total in club history with 105.

Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu accepted the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and humanitarian contributions to his community. Koivu’s exemplary support of cancer treatment and research — and, more particularly, his personal demonstration of courage as a cancer survivor — is a source of inspiration and pride to his teammates as well as the many thousands of patients and their families who benefit from his generosity.

Boston Bruins center Phil Kessel received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Diagnosed with testicular cancer in early December, the 19-year-od Kessel played a Dec. 9 game against New Jersey, knowing he would be admitted to the hospital for surgery on Dec. 12. He missed only 12 games before returning to Boston’s lineup.

Four players who received the NHL’s statistic-based trophies June 2 in Ottawa also were acknowledged at the NHL Awards Show this evening: Crosby (Art Ross Trophy), Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier (Maurice Richard Trophy as goal-scoring leader) and the Minnesota Wild’s Niklas Backstrom and Manny Fernandez (William Jennings Trophy as goaltenders on the club allowing the fewest goals).

The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA) cast ballots for the Hart, Norris, Selke, Lady Byng and Calder Trophies. The PHWA also voted on the Masterton Trophy. The 30 NHL General Managers voted on the Vezina Trophy. The NHL Broadcasters’ Association (NHLBA) submitted votes for the Jack Adams Award, and a special panel of representatives from the PHWA and NHLBA chose the King Clancy winner. Voting for these awards was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season.

Balloting results were tabulated by the accounting firm Ernst & Young, with the exception of the Masterton and King Clancy trophies. The results for these awards were tabulated by the PHWA and the National Hockey League, respectively.

Orginally Written by http://penguins.nhl.com

Major League Soccer has named its championship trophy for Denver investor Philip Anschutz, owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer franchise.

The new Philip F. Anschutz Trophy — 28-1/2 inches tall, including the base, and weighing 43 pounds — was unveiled Wednesday at Tiffany & Co. in New York, on the eve of the start of the MLS playoffs, the league’s website, MLSnet.com, reported.

Anschutz is also part-owner of the Houston Dynamo.

At a news conference to unveil the trophy, which resembles a large loving cup, league Commissioner Don Garber described Anschutz as “the heart and soul of Major League Soccer.”

“We really believed that Phil Anschutz deserved a lasting legacy,” MLSnet.com quoted Garber as saying.

“Phil Anschutz believes in the sport down to its core,” he said. “He attends games almost every weekend with his family. He believes in the American player. He believes that this country has to have a top-flight league that celebrates what he thinks is the best sport in the world.”

He said the Denverite rescued the league financially a few years ago.

“In our darkest hour, we went through contraction,” Garber said, according to the MLSnet.com report. “We were really questioning what the future of MLS would be. Phil Anschutz stood up and said, ‘Even if I have to carry this league on my shoulders, I won’t allow Major League Soccer not to continue or grow.’”

The MLSnet.com report did not say whether the normally publicity-shy Anschutz attended the unveiling ceremony.

The new trophy replaces the Alan I. Rothenberg Cup, which has been retired.

Originally Written by http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles

Winning the Heisman Trophy does not guarantee a college football player a long and successful pro career, although every football player would love the bronze statue displayed on their mantle. Even if they do not have a successful career, they could use it like O.J. did as collateral to help pay off civil penalties.

In college football the Heisman Trophy is awarded usually to a quarterback or running back that is playing for a BCS contender. That is why most college football standouts have no chance of being awarded the Heisman Trophy. You can blame this on the American media hype machine.

USC’s John David Booty and Louisville’s Brian Brohm are two quarterbacks with the best chance at winning the Heisman Trophy in 2007. This season both of these quarterbacks lead their teams and have BCS Bowl aspirations. The winner of this race should have the edge for the Heisman Trophy.

West Virginia and Rutgers will give Brohm and the Cardinals a tough fight in the Big East this year. In last year’s Orange Bowl game and with 311 yards against Wake Forest showed that Brian Brohm has a great arm and that he is capable of making things happen. Last season Brohm missed two football games which affected his numbers, and if he starts to miss games this year his Heisman opportunity could disappear.

If you play quarterback at USC it makes you a Heisman contender by default it seems, although Booty is the real deal. In the Rose Bowl last year Booty’s immense skill shined with 391 yards and four touchdowns as they defeated Michigan. If Booty could post some big numbers with far fewer offensive weapons around him, he could get more Heisman votes, and if he gets his team back to the BSC Bowl this year, he could become the fourth player at USC in the last six years to win the Heisman Trophy.

If a quarterback does not win the Heisman, it is a running back that usually walks away with the trophy. Darren McFadden of Arkansas and Steve Slaton of West Virginia are this year’s biggest college standouts in the backfield.

Last year McFadden was the runner-up to Troy Smith, and that makes him the Heisman contender by default. Although, McFadden will have to exceed his numbers this year if he has any chance to win the Heisman Trophy. McFadden with his size, speed and power has the talent to do it this season.

Slaton who has blazing speed and a never-quit attitude, might be the best running back in college football today, and who fights hard for every yard that he obtains. This determination and drive showed up last year as he rushed for an incredible seven yards per carry. If Slaton can repeat these numbers, he should be able to help take West Virginia to the top of the Big East and earn himself valuable Heisman Trophy consideration.

Originally Written By James Murray, Amazines.com

LOS ANGELES — The backstage trophy table was the place to be for serious celebrity watching at Sunday’s 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards - never mind that it was in the basement of a parking garage.
At one point Conan O’Brien was chatting on his cellphone as Amy Poehler and her husband, Will Arnett, walked by on their way to the elevator that would take them to the press tent. Kiefer Sutherland strolled by the trophy table just ahead of Tom Selleck. Christian Slater paused to wave to a group of firefighters working the awards show.
Also walking by the table that contained some five dozen Emmy statuettes was Lily Tomlin, who joked, “I like these three.”
Emmy winner Jeremy Piven, best supporting actor in a comedy series, surveyed the table and joked, “It looks like Hanukkah!”
The Emmy each winner carries off stage is just a prop. Winners give it back and head to the table in the parking garage adjacent to the Nokia Theatre to collect the real one.
As winners were collecting their Emmys, eight limo drivers were seated nearby, embroiled in an intense poker game. The drivers were paying the celebrities absolutely no heed.

Originated from The Canadian Press

Tony Kushner, the award-winning playwright who has spent much of his time in recent years writing Hollywood scripts, is the first recipient of a newly created $200,000 prize for playwriting, by far the largest theater award in the nation, and one of the biggest cash awards in any of the arts.

Times Topics: Tony KushnerThe unusually generous prize, named the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, will be formally presented on Wednesday. It was created with an eye toward attracting talented playwrights and bolstering the status of their profession.

“We wanted to make a splash,” said William Zabel, who is on the board of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, which is issuing the award. “We want people to realize the theater is important, and that a playwright who gets the award is important to our society and our culture. We wanted to create something that was really significant, like the Pritzker Prize in architecture or the Pulitzer in journalism.”

The Pritzker carries a $100,000 cash prize; a Pulitzer is worth $10,000.

Mr. Kushner already has a Pulitzer, which he won for his two-part epic, “Angels in America,” as well as two Tony Awards, an Emmy and an Olivier Award (the British version of the Tony) for best musical. His works include “A Bright Room Called Day,” “Slavs!” and “Homebody/Kabul,” and the musical “Caroline, or Change,” written with the composer Jeanine Tesori.

Surprised and thrilled to be the first recipient of the new prize, Mr. Kushner said, “Playwriting is in a lot of trouble now,” adding that even someone who has “a string of successful plays cannot make a living at it.”

Mr. Kushner pointed to himself as a case in point, since he now divides his time between New York and Hollywood, working on a screenplay about Abraham Lincoln for Steven Spielberg, and another about Woody Guthrie. The screenplay for Mr. Spielberg’s “Munich,” written by Mr. Kushner and Eric Roth, was nominated for an Oscar.

Mr. Kushner said that he planned to put the money away “to buy me time to work on plays,” which he hopes to do full time when he finishes the two films.

Oskar Eustis, the artistic director of the Public Theater and one of the judges, said that while there were many extremely qualified candidates, the committee wanted to pick a person who would be “universally recognized in the theater community as the right choice.” Mr. Kushner’s talent, seriousness and status as a public intellectual quickly made him the consensus choice, Mr. Eustis said.

Mr. Eustis originally commissioned “Angels” at the Eureka Theater Company in San Francisco and directed both parts when they had their debut in 1992 at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

In addition to his own work, Mr. Kushner has adapted and translated classics, including Pierre Corneille’s “Illusion,” S. Y. Ansky’s “Dybbuk” and Bertolt Brecht’s “Good Person of Setzuan” and “Mother Courage and Her Children,” which was performed in Central Park in 2006 with Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. He also wrote the English-language libretto for the opera “Brundibar” by Hans Krasa.

The trust, which was created in 1986 with part of the fortune Mr. Steinberg made from real estate, has donated more than $40 million to support regional theaters, leadership courses, scholarships, playwriting commissions, producing and more, said James Steinberg, a son of Harold and Mimi’s.

“Theater ought to be at the center of American culture,” he said, adding that the award was a way to honor playwrights and raise the visibility of theater.

Mr. Steinberg said his parents always loved the theater, and took him and his two siblings often. Even as a child, he sat through O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” Now he said he sees at least 100 productions a year.

The Mimi, as the trophy is nicknamed, was designed by David Rockwell and will be awarded every two years. In the alternating years the trust will issue two $50,000 awards for playwrights who are just starting out; the first is to be presented next year.

Originally written by Patricia Cohen