After hearing San Jose Sharks president Greg Jamison on KNBR 680 with Gary Radnich today, my suspicions about the near future of the team were all but confirmed outright.

He intimated that over the next few weeks, hard decisions about the “core” of the team would have to be made. When Gary offered that Jumbo Joe Thornton needed a more competent running mate, Jamison did not deny that fact.

This subtlety was not lost on this commentator. I have overty claimed on the radio that this “core” of Sharks must be overhauled, and I have even gone so far as to “name those names”.

First to go would have to be Patrick Marleau.

I’m well aware of his no-trade clause but if the right situation was presented, he would go. Even though he has spent his entire career with the organization, the time has come for change and I’m sure he wouldn’t object to a new scene.

His career numbers are trending downward, especially those from the all-important Stanley Cup playoffs. 

Over the past four regular seasons, Marleau is averaging nearly a full point per game (283 pts. in 313 games). Great production that has been greatly aided by the arrival of Joe Thornton.

However, in the taut playoffs, those numbers are miniscule. In 41 playoffs game over the same stretch he’s collected just 31 points, including a paltry three points in the 6 game loss to Anaheim.

The biggest deficiency has been in his inability as captain to rally the team over tough challenges in the playoffs. The team is 20-21 over the last 4 playoff years and it’s impossible to win the Cup with a losing record.

The other big move would take creativity and awareness that are outside my level of expertise but I’ll propose half of it anyway. It’s not a popular stance but I’m not afraid of the tough take.

Trade Evgeny Nabokov.

Brian Boucher had a great year while playing 33% of the minutes. His Goals Against Average (GAA) was 2.18 to Nabokov’s 2.44 and his save percentage was a couple clicks higher (.917 to .910).

Nabokov is great but he has also shown a propensity to NOT BE BETTER in the postseason.

This year, his GAA went up nearly an entire goal (2.82) from the regular season and his save percentage dipped below .900 in the defeat.

Maybe the stats don’t alarm you but it’s a fact that only once in the last four seasons did Nabokov’s GAA go DOWN in the Stanley Cup playoffs versus his regular season numbers.

Let me close by saying Greg Jamison was forthright, classy, and impressive today on the radio. He is the perfect embodiment of the way the Sharks run the franchise. I have no doubt that they’ll make the tough decisions and get this team ready for a deep run in 2010.

Well, that sure was a gigantic stink-job of a playoff hockey game by the Sharks. It’s a meltdown of epic proportion.

You can see the Sharks Stanley Cup hopes washing away

In a near must-win situation, the Presidents Trophy winning, best-record having, top-seed earning San Jose Sharks went out and basically laid down in a 4-0 loss to Anaheim.

I’m not here to gloat over the fact that I was one of the only “pundits” to forecast an early Sharks exit. I’d much rather have them advance deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It would be different if they were down 3-1 in the series while playing good, tough hockey but they’re not. Yesterday’s defeat is the worst in Sharks playoff history and it came at the worst possible time.

Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton were dominated again by the Ducks’ top line of Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan and goalie Jonas Hiller has been impenetrable.

The most disturbing part is the lack of urgency and fire shown by San Jose at a time when those commodities were most-needed.

Now they’re in a desperate situation as only 9% of NHL playoff teams down 3-1 in a best-of-seven have come back to win the series.

If they fail to win three straight against the Ducks they’ll become the third team since the inception of the Presidents Cup in 1985 to be knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.

All that talk about home-ice advantage and a showdown with the Detroit Red Wings looks pretty damn silly about now.

If this is the end of the season for the Sharks, don’t be surprised if the team jettisons some big names and doesn’t display what looks like a meaningless Presidents Trophy.

When you break it all down, there’s really not much difference between me, you, Milan Mihalek, and Marcel Goc.

All of us in this world have “gut check” moments in our life, although admittedly most of our “moments” are not being played out on Versus before a National television audience (small as it might be).

The San Jose Sharks spent an entire season establishing home ice advantage, then gave it away in the span of just three nights. As a result, they trail the somewhat-mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2-0 in the best of seven Western Conference quarterfinal series, and now have the tough task of playing the next two games on the road.

The fact that the Sharks have been a postseason buzzkill over the past few seasons only adds to the pressure they now feel after gagging away games 1 and 2 at home. The expectation is heightened by the fact they had the best record in the NHL in the regular season.

It takes four wins to claim the series, making this not a must-win for San Jose but instead The Most Important Game Of The Year. Hence, it’s gut-check time.

Everyone has these moments in their life where their decisions or actions will have major life-ramifications. I liken this to the pressure that athletes feel in these big games.

Maybe you want to approach a woman in a bar, ask your boss for a raise, or figure out where to live, these are all gut check, big life-changing moments. I’m fortunate to have made good decisions that have resulted in positive life outcomes.

The biggest gut-check moment is an action I didn’t take.

I was just minutes removed from being fired by a local radio station and I was hot. Very hot. Pissed. Steamed. You get the point.

I decided I would roll into the studio and steal as many CD’s as I could possibly handle. I was going to get even by god. My employer would feel my wrath!

As I turned to the door to leave it hit me. This is not how I was raised. This is not who I am. I didn’t want to go out like a “buster”.

I put every CD back, in order, and took my firing like a man. I gathered my things and trudged defeatedly toward the elevator.

Lo and behold, four years later the same company that had fired me called to see about hiring me at one of their sister stations. Because I had taken the “high road” I was in good enough graces to get another gig with the company.

I’ve been at KNBR ever since.

Here’s hoping Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle, and the gang can handle their gut check tonight.

I would consider myself a hypocrite if I did not venture down to San Jose to the Sharks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

After all, it was me who theorized that this could be the final home game of the 2008-2009 season.

For me to sit back and wait for San Jose to return home before I went out to a playoff game would go against the very urgency that I implored Sharks’ fans to have.

Therefore, I’m on my way out the door to make the journey south. I’ll be enjoying the game from the highest possible vantage point; in the auxillary press box.

This perch is across from the regular press box, which is up a couple flights of stairs from the upper deck seating area.

I’m nor complaining about this seat location; it’s actually a pretty good place to see all the action. I wanted to give some perspective as to where I’ll be for those of you following on Twitter.

Despite the Sharks being highly motivated and the better team overall, I’m seeing at least one overtime and a Sharks 2-1 win. San Jose will outshoot the Ducks nearly 2-1 again but it will take OT heroics, thereby limiting my Sunday Night Sleep.

I’ll go ahead and call a Pavelski game-winner.

GIANTS WIN BEHIND R-J

A very big outing from the pitcher-formerly-known-as-the-Big-Unit.

Just one hit allowed and a super-quality start was enough as the Giants bats were uber-quiet again. It took a great outing (and a good close from one of Twitter pals Brian Wilson) to nurse a 2-0 win as the offense failed to erupt for anything. They’re averaging 2 runs a game over the last 10.

Basically, the formula for 100 I laid out is looking pretty cogent in the early going.

Let me start by saying that I don’t think Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against Anaheim will be the final home game for the San Jose Sharks this Sunday.

But it could be. And that fact should be a big wake up call for this team that has to prove it can succeed in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Thus the team, and by extension the fans, need to bring much more urgency and desperation to the ice on Sunday to avoid another stunning upset.

Sure the Sharks outshot the Ducks 35-17 and drew two more penalties than Anaheim. The problem was the poor power play performance that was caused by a staunch Ducks’ blue-line defense that prevented San Jose from setting up.

Even though they faced a hot goalie in Jonas Hiller, the Sharks offense never clicked in getting shutout at home. The Joe Thornton line was outplayed by Anaheim’s Getzlaf line.

Losing game 1 of a best-of-seven NHL series is not a death knell. Game 2 is the real indicator of postseason success as 71% of Game 2 winners, regardless of the Game 1 outcome, win the best-of-seven series.

For those of you who don’t believe this Game 2 is a must-win, teams that have gone up 2-0, have won series’ at a 87 percent clip.

The President’s Trophy would become nothing more than a paper-weight if the Sharks fail to get out of the first round.

Sharks fans need to stop talking about a possible matchup with Detroit and focus on the scary reality staring them in the face.

Sunday could be the final home game of the season for the Sharks.

I’m super-glad to be back in Cali after a long (almost) week in Detroit/Dearborn. I’ve been thinking this morning about the upcoming week and how it feels like a Monday to me, despite the fact that the week is almost over.

The Final 4 trip was really good (except for the crappy title game) but I missed my family and the comfort of my little studio here at KNBR 680.

This week on the sports calendar has always been one of my favorites, especially in the four years that I have been going to the Final Four. Returning home always brings Opening Day and mopre.

Without further ado, here are my 5 Things To Look Forward To (with apologies to my dad for using a preposition at the end of the title)

1. The Masters

I know it has become a schmaltzy made-for-Tiger-and-TV event but I look forward to this event as a golf fan. The course is impeccable and it is a high-definition orgy on the eyes.

It all starts today with the even more schmaltzy par-3 event leading up to tomorrow’s 1st round. Tiger is the easy choice for the winner but I’m going with Jeev Milkha Singh in a shocker

2. Giants’ Big Unit

I haven’t had much of an affinity for Randy Johnson in the past but now that he’s a Giant, I’m definitely curious about how he’ll do. If he can stay healthy at 45 the Giants have a great chance at a winning season.

3. Easter

I’ll leave the religious ramifications of Easter aside and just celebrate what the holiday means for me and my family.

My family and I get together with other relatives for our annual Novato Easter Egg hunt and hike. It’s just a good time out.

4. Monday April 13

This day has significance this year because it’ll be the day the kids go back to school after Spring Break.

I love my kids and relish the time I get to spend with them but make no mistake; Spring Break is no break for parents. I have to fill my nap time with entertainment for the little guys or else they turn on me.

5. NHL Stanley Cup playoffs

There’s something about the NHL 82-game season that seems WAY longer than the 82-NBA season (and even the 162-game MLB campaign). I don’t know what it is but I’m stoked that the REAL season begins.

Despite having the league’s best record, the San Jose Sharks are underdogs. The Sharks have enough talent and with home-ice advantage, they CAN win it all.