While some NFL odds action may top it before the end of 2009, I think I found the hit of the year…while there were some doozies in the NHL this year, I don’t think it comes from the ice…

It comes from — the Tony Awards??? Yessir. Check out what happened to poor, poor Brett Michaels:

WOOOO! I am a better person for having seen that. Aren’t you? I’m betting management of the stage production got a little paycut after that one. Can the hit be topped? There was a pretty sweet hit by the security guard at the U.S. Open when that guy rushed Federer — maybe it’ll be topped in the Wimbledon odds? You never know.

Of all the awesome hitters we imagined making waves in our sports predictions this season, who knew they’d all be topped by a giant stage prop?

Mine that Bird may disappoint in the Preakness odds according to the hype, but it will be tough to top the egg Roberto Luongo laid last night in Game 6 against the Chicago Blackhawks, in which Vancouver was eliminated.

Hey, the blame can’t all be placed on Luongo — the Canucks crapped the bed as a team last night — but it’s hard to get around the fact that a guy who’s supposed to be the best goalie in hockey betting allowed four goals on nine shots in the third period of an elimination game.

Seeing an emotional Luongo storm off the ice, I started wondering about Luongo. Wondering what he’d won in his career.  As a Quebec Major Junior Leaguer, he won the league title but lost in the Memorial Cup. In the World Junior Championships, he lost in the Gold Medal game. He does have two gold medals in the World Hockey Championship and a gold in the World Cup of hockey.

As an NHLer, he’s played on just two playoff teams - both as a Canuck. And hasn’t made it past Round 2. Now, I DON’T want to jump to conclusions, as I really think he’s a supremely talented goalie, but I think if he repeats this year’s performance — in which he arguably didn’t steal a single playoff game — it may be time to label him the Joe Thornton of goaltending.

it happens in online sport betting — not just in hockey betting, but NBA odds too. Some guys are amazing physical specimens but just don’t have that extra “winner” gene in their makeup. Karl Malone comes to mind.

Too early to judge Luongo, but I’m just sayin’, it’s something to ponder.

25 years ago, Masters odds favorite Tiger Woods was a media-hype sensation as a child appearing on various American sports programs to show off his insane child skills. I think the show was the Mike Douglas Show. Actually, I know so, as I just found it…

Back then, the prodigies appeared on TV. Now, online betting fans can peak at the next great ones via YouTube, of course. Swedish sniper Linus Omark is no child — he’s 22, though he is about the size of a 15-year-old — but he’s making a name for himself through online videos. In fact, he’s been dubbed the Swedish YouTube Sensation. Have a look at the moves of this possible future NHL betting star, who is an Oilers draft pick:

After watching him on YouTube, an unnamed KHL team is apparently offering him a contract for next season. Pretty cool stuff. It’s not that we online betting fans have never seen a phenom on YouTube, but this is one of the first instancesI can think of in which a team specifically used YouTube as a recruiting tool.

Could this be the way of the future (at least until the Robot Apocalypse comes)? Maybe players will even start posting their own “demo reels” featuring their best highlights. You never know…

Happy NHL betting this week! Last week of the regular season…

Yes, yes, March Madness betting was on last night, but something magical — and HARDCORE — happened in NHL betting.

First-place Calgary coming to town: check. 5-0 shutout win over the Flames: check. Shutting out Calgary despite receiving death threats after the first period: CHECK. Steve Mason is the man.

And we thought Columbus had no die-hard hockey fans. Well, apparently it does, only they don’t cheer for Columbus. Peter Stenzel, a 52-year-old man who undoubtedly chows down on microwavable TV dinners and RC Cola for his dinner of choice, called the Nationwide Arena several times last night and threatened to “bomb and shoot” Steve Mason.  He was promptly caught thanks to caller ID — ever heard of *67, jackass? — and arrested.

The kicker for online betting fans: the guy was covered in Flames gear when the cops crabbed him. Almost as bad as O.J.’s blood being at the crime scene. Wait a second…

Anyhoo, if you weren’t starting to trust the Blue jackets at the sportsbook, you may want to start now. Steve Mason is the man.

Think hockey players partake in March Madness betting? When I look at the way some guys are playing of late, I wonder if they’re too busy making online betting picks on other sports or something. What else would explain sudden drops in caliber of play from star players like, I dunno…Dion Phaneuf?

Just kidding, Dion. I doubt you’re involved in any big March Madness betting. I wasn’t kidding about your play, though. Check out the career numbers, NHL betting fans:

2005-06: 82 games, 20 G, 29 A, 49 PTS, +5, 16 power-play goals

2006-07: 79 games, 17 G, 33 A, 50 PTS, +10, 13 power-play goals

2007-08: 82 games, 17 G, 43 A, 60 PTS, +12, 10 power-play goals

This season: 72 games, 11 G, 32 A, 43 PTS, -11, 4 power-play goals

What the hell? Obviously, Phaneuf still has 10 games left and could improve upon those numbers. But those who bet hockey certainly see some alarming trends there — a big minus rating on a first-place team, a massive drop in power-play goal production, and a sudden reputation for improvising on “D” when he shouldn’t. He also isn’t dishing out as many thundering hits as normal.

I can’t help but wonder if dating Elisha Cuthbert has anything to do with Dion’s play. Really, it’s the only factor (as far as we know) in life that has changed from last season. In fact, Phaneuf’s supporting cast in Calgary is as good as it’s ever been, so the argument that 24’s Kim Bauer is messing with his game is that much more valid.

Wake up, Dion! She’s gorgeous but the time to enjoy her is the summer! If you’re not careful, you’ll be left off the Canadian Olympic team next year…

Nope, not gonna talk about March Madness betting or Don Cherry today. You can get your hoops fix elsewhere and Cherry — well, let me just say I told you so. Today, let’s enjoy the best NHL betting goalie freakout I’ve seen in a long time. Technically, this isn’t even NHL betting — Boston’s Tuukka Rask is a Providence Bruin right now — but you get the idea. Watch as Rask loses his mind after what he believed were botched calls on rule violations during a shootout:

On one hand, it’s hard for online betting fans to blame Rask. I think he was right — at least about the first goal. But this still probably won’t help his chances of getting a callup any time soon. Oh well — Ron Hextall would be proud. And with these types of freakouts, you can bet at the sportsbook that they’re not one-time things either. So maybe Rask will dazzle us NHL betting fans with another tantrum soon…

Sometimes NHL betting has to come to a halt so we can just take in greatness. And who’s greater than Alexander Ovechkin? Yeah, the Caps are taking a nosedive in online betting circles and lost the most recent clash against the rival Penguins…but could you ever bet at the offshore sportsbook on Crosby or Malkin pulling off this brilliance?

Wow. Remember, online betting players — this is the most charismatic player in NHL betting. That should tell you a bit about hockey players.