Captains of Midnight

How did two of the top-ranked teams fare in their opening night contests? Lauren Dellipoali has the scoop on the first moments of the season for UConn and Syracuse.

(Darry2385/Creative Commons)

Midnight Madness began all over the country last night...though most weren't really at midnight, and teams had varying ways of celebrating the start of practice(not sure who really wants to celebrate the start of practice). The Big East had two teams, Syracuse and UConn, who opened up in very different ways.

Syracuse opened up at the Dome in front of about 14,000 people clad in orange. They held player introductions and welcomed back many former players who participated in a legends game against the current roster. Former players who participated in the game included Jonny Flynn, Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins, Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamaraCarmelo Anthony also made an appearance, butdid not participate in any of the events. Usually Midnight Madness celebrates the current team and gives fans a peek at that is to come, but Syracuse decided to honor its past. Instead of giving fans a glimpse into the future, they got a glimpse into the past.

The Shady Deal Behind the Thrashers Potential Move to Winnipeg

Are the Jets coming back? Will the NHL finally return to Canada? Did Bettman finally admit that hockey won't work in the South? Oritt Blum is here to break down a possible relocation that could send shockwaves through the NHL

Although ESPN.com reported that no official deal has been made, True North, the group negotiating to bring a team over the border, confirmed that talks are in the works with the group that currently owns the Atlanta Thrashers. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was vague about the possibility of the move.

“I can tell you with certainty that there is no deal for this team to move. Am I predicting that there will never be or that there won’t be at some point in time? No, I’m not saying there is or there isn’t,” he announced on his weekly radio show.

Gary Bettman, vague? Never.

One of Atlanta’s main owners, Bruce Levenson, has been unsuccessfully searching for a buyer for the past two years who would keep the team in its current city. Atlanta has been in this position before, in 1980, when the Calgary Flames moved to Alberta. Then again, is it really worth keeping a team whose average attendance this season, 13, 469, was ranked 28th out of the 30 teams in the NHL?