After the NHL All Star game last week people are continuing to argue over who will truly be leading the NHL into the future. Is it the 19-year-old phenom from Cole Harbor Nova Scotia Canada, or the electrifying 21-year old from Moscow? Currently Sidney Crosby is leading the two in points with 75 while Alexander Ovechkin is close behind with 68 points but is leading in goals. The back and forth battle between who is more skilled is a hotly debated topic in hockey circles, but the better question is perhaps who is more helpful in a game whose US interest is steeply declining and searching for such players to reignite the NHL? Both play in struggling hockey markets with Crosby in Pittsburgh and Ovechkin in Washington D.C. and both have proven to be very well two of the most exciting players of the same era to ever play the game. Ultimately you can’t go wrong. Ovechkin may be more exciting to watch with razzle-dazzle moves and entertaining goal-celebrations while Crosby may be the “hometown boy” with incredible leadership, playmaking and equal goal-scoring ability. Both however, are in fact bringing people to the arenas around North America and putting the money into the game that is needed but will these two be enough to save their struggling franchises and markets?

Spring and summer 2007 will again be filled with Team beRecruited.com events and participants. We are always looking for beRecruited.com users and fans to join us in events across the US. We have fielded individual events to team relays and even seasons!

Last year Team beRecruited.com participated in various runs, races, triathlons and even had 4 Alcatraz swims. As the weather improves, we are beginning to fill out our 2007 spring and summer schedule. if there is an event you want to participate in or find people to join relays with - please let us know ASAP! We are planning to participate in some Alcatraz races, various triathlons and runs - but we are already registered for the Jamba Juice Wildflower! if you are interested in joining us - please let us know:

The Wildflower is one of the biggest California Triathlons and expects 15,000 participants this year. Team beRecruited.com already has 7 participants in the Half Iron Man course on Saturday May 5th.

Representing Team beRecruited.com will be two relay teams and one individual competing for his Iron Man qualifier:
* Male Team: Ryan Spoon (swim), Steuart Martens (bike) and Peter Korb (run)
* Mixed Team: Jarrod Schwarz (swim), Leigh Spoon (bike), Kristin France (run)
* Individual: Russell ‘Rusty’ Blaise

Training updates, photos, videos and more to come… Also to come: more Team beRecruited.com events!

The Wildflower Triathlons
Lake San Antonio, Monterey County, CA
• Saturday, May 5, 2007 8:00am - Long Course 1.2 mi-swim, 56 mi-bike, 13.1 mi-run
• Saturday, May 5, 2007 9:45am - Mountain Bike 0.25 mi-swim, 9.7 mi-bike, 2 mi-run
• Sunday, May 6, 2007 9:00am - Olympic Distance 1.5 k-swim, 40 k-bike, 10 k-run

Wild Flower Half Iron Man Details:

1.2m Swim, 56m Bike, 13.1m Run

The Wildflower Long Course Triathlon is one of the premier triathlons nationally and internationally. The 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run is one of the most challenging courses anywhere. Beach Hill, Nasty Grade, Polar Heart Rate Hill and the back country trail run will test the skills of the professional, elite, age group triathlete and the first time long course competitor.

In 2007 Wildflower will host the USA Triathlon Long Course Elite Championships with an additional $10,000 in prize money for the top five male and female USA competitors. The total prize purse will be over $50,000. Once again, the Wildflower will host the Triathlon Club Team Competition* with age group triathletes from club teams competing for club team points and a team title. There are also relay teams with six different categories.

While there has been plenty of talk about Todd Helton and Roger Clemens, little national news has been made about the remade Red Sox lack of a true-closer as its been overshadoweded by their great starting lineup and the new acquisitions. The usually insightful Tom Verducci or Si.com says the Sox will be just fine in his latest article: Casting call: Red Sox know they don’t need star closer to compete:

“So if anybody tries to tell you this spring Boston can’t win because it doesn’t have a closer, just tell them it will have one soon. The Red Sox will have a spring training competition among Brendan Donnelly, Mike Timlin, Julian Tavarez, Joel Piniero, Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen, Devern Hansack and a darkhorse, prospect Bryce Cox. (Forget Papelbon. The only way he goes back to closing is if team doctors change their minds that his shoulder needs four days of rest between pitching, that he isn’t at least the No. 2 starter the Red Sox believe he is, and the team already had gone through multiple options at closer).”

And:

Closers can fall out of trees: Jenks, Wainwright, Derek Turnbow, Ryan Dempster, Takashi Saito and Solomon Torres are just the “latest examples of teams hitting on fliers. The Red Sox will figure it out for themselves. They don’t need a Peyton Manning. Somewhere in Fort Myers this spring they’ll find a Rex Grossman.”

I think all of Red Sox nation agrees… We do NOT need a Peyton Manning.

We here at beRecruited.com love the iPod Shuffle because it so easy to use at the gym, the track - well anywhere other than the pool. We’ve heard from you the users that you’re split between the iPod Shuffle and the iPod Nano - which integrates with the Nike Plus running tracker. Maybe the New Shuffle colors will sway your next purchase? This comes from Engadget:

iPod shuffle — now with color

Well hello new iPod shuffles. Breaking free from their bleak battleship-grey origins, the $79 iPod shuffle now hits in your choice of pink, green, blue, and even a new tasty orange flavor. Still 1GB, still 12 hours of battery, and yes… available with free laser engraving just in time for Valentines Day.

Let’s be honest here, I would address this update to my doubters but what rational person would possibly doubt my abilities? Anyone who bets me to a physical challenge is clearly not rational. However, Ryan will be picking apart my form to make sure I’m not cheating the bench press like this loser:

The Juggernaut does not do half-assed 2/3 reps. He will be doing 27 reps from chest to just below locking. Speaking of which, I did a few practice runs these past 2 weeks:
Wednesday before last: 28 reps
Sunday before last: 26
last Wednesday: 26
Sunday (yesterday): 28

Here’s another lesson for you kiddies. You are a primate, which means you’ve evolved thumbs, which means you should use them or end up like this guy:

That’s all for now folks. After Superbowl weekend, you will see the video as I crush this bet like Barry Bonds on juice.
-The Juggernaut

And don’t forget to vote!…

See more of SportsRumblings’ posts at his blog, Sports Rumblings.

Today on the VC

• Mario Kart 64, 1000 Wii Points, up to 4 Players
• Contra III: The Alien Wars, 800 Wii Points, up to 2 players
• Bonanza Bros., 800 Wii Points, up to 2 players
• Comix Zone, 800 Wii Points, 1 player (oh those times..)

From 2 feet ahead of his end line and past the Gopher Goalie… Amazing:

This can’t be watched enough… deserves many, many viewings: