Without much fanfare, the hockey hall of fame inductions have come and gone and truly, this is a shame because some pretty awesome players were honored at this year’s ceremony.  The 2012 inductees included powerful, game-changing players, all-around nice guys and elite athletes who reached milestones, broke records and endeared themselves to their loyal fans. This year, the Hockey’s Hall of Fame welcomed Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure into the fold, which is staunchly reserved for NHL’s crème de le crème.

Drafted in 1989 as the first player overall by the Quebec Nordiques, Mats Sundin spent four years with that franchise before being traded to Toronto 1994. Sundin quickly settled in with the Maple Leafs, becoming the face of the franchise and serving 11 seasons as team captain (1997-2008). Although Sundin never won the Stanley Cup with the Leafs, he was pinnacle in getting Toronto to the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals. Sundin played his last year in the NHL as a Canuck and he retired quietly in 2009. For two decades, Mats Sundin was an integral part of the NHL, amassing numerous on-ice accomplishments and endearing himself to hockey fans everywhere. Sundin was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on June 26, 2012, in his first year of eligibility.

Joe Sakic, former Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche captain, enjoyed an illustrious career filled with national and international accomplishments. In his more than two decades of play, Sakic won two Stanley Cups (both with the Avalanche), was voted to 13 NHL All-Star Game, and achieved Olympic gold as part of Team Canada’s 2002 hockey team, where he also won the Winter Olympics MVP award. Known throughout the league as an elite motivator, Sakic’s jersey was retired by the Avalanche prior to the 2009-2010 season opener.

Current Washington Capitals head coach, Adam Oates, joins the 2012 NHL induction class with an impressive resume. Boasting nearly two decades in the league as a player, Oates spent time with multiple teams, including the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers. Known for his unselfish on-ice play and his “pass-first” mentality, Oates is accomplished yet humble and spent most of his acceptance speech praising his former colleagues. Proving he’s a class act all around, Oates goes into the books as a true gentlemen and team player.

Pavel Bure clocked 12 seasons of NHL hockey, playing for storied teams including the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. Known as the “Russian Rocket” because of his intense speed and agility on the ice, Bure grew up in the Soviet Union and also made appearances in the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games.  He retired from the NHL in 2005 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012, after six years of eligibility.

While the puck has yet to drop on the 2012-2013 season, there’s still plenty of reasons to celebrate professional hockey. FansEdge.com has a great selection of Center Ice merchandise and NHL jerseys for every team in the league. Although the Boys of Winter have yet to take the ice, you can still honor one of your favorite sports by treating yourself to a new piece of NHL gear today!

There’s no denying it’s an exciting time of year to be a sports fan and the NFL is heating up just in time to take the nip out of Jake Frost’s bite. The National Football league is going strong and teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants are playing tough fall ball. Chicago fans have enjoyed an exciting season thus far as well but, are the combined talents of Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and a tough defense enough to help the Bears soldier on and achieve division glory? Green Bay is trying to right its ship after a few early season calls that had them crying foul because of replacement-ref blunders but it could be too late in the game for the Packers to gain yardage on their competition.

In the contentious and rivalry ridden AFC, the Baltimore Raven’s Ray Lewis seems to have experienced a career-ending injury while the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting roster is looking more like a pickup game in the park, with many third string players, bringing their talents to the gridiron and showing that a Dick LeBeau-backed defense is anything but patchwork. In Denver, Peyton Manning continues to solidify his game as the Broncos continue their quest to dominate the AFC North and, although they are down but not yet out, Andrew Luck is trying to push his as he drives for a late-season comeback for the Indianapolis Colts.

While some teams are trying to make a mid-season rush toward the finish, others are having a hard time on the field. Rookie quarterback RGIII can’t seem to bring consistent heat to the Washington Redskins and coach Mike Shanahan has already put his players on notice, publicly stating that everyone’s job is on the line for the 2013 season. Carolina’s Cam Newton is having a less than stellar sophomore season and has had his share of on-field growing pains. Michael Vick continues to struggle in Philly, the Jets are scrambling to gain traction in New York and the Kansas City Chiefs’ season is all but salvageable.

The NFL’s halfway point has come and gone and while some team’s playoff dreams have already been sidelined, many teams are still in the hunt for division titles and wild card sports. Now’s the time to get excited for football’s second half so treat yourself to a new rally cap or NFL jersey before playoff action gears up. We have new Nike jerseys for every team in the league and we also carry an assortment of 2012 Sideline Gear, t-shirts, snapback hats, Nike Vapor gloves and more. Plus, football apparel makes great presents this holiday season so check out our Gift Center for ideas and treat your special sports fan to new NFL merchandise today!

Olympics news continues to heat up the wire. . .Can 2012 Olympics gold medal hopeful Ryan Lochte continue to out swim Michael Phelps for Olympic gold or, did Lochte show his cards too soon? With Phelps being such a phenomenal athlete and consummate competitor, it seems likely that he would dial back his trial performance a smidge so he can surprise his frenemy with a secret reserve of power and speed. Can Phelps repeat his 2008 Olympic glory? Stay tuned to find out as the greatest swimmers from around the world take to the pool in a few weeks as the 2012 Summer Olympics get underway July 28th.

Say it aint’s so Becks! The UK Soccer Team snubbed David Beckham, soccer wonder and one of England’s best-known assets. Many say that Becks wasn’t invited to join the Team England soccer club because he’s just too old to be competitive, which seems ridiculous considering he’s one of MLS’s star players, he’s only 37 and he spearheaded England’s efforts to bring the Summer Olympic Games to London in 2012. Total snub but Becks is taking it in stride and he even threw his weight behind supporting his homeland. It takes a true gentleman to not cry foul at such at such an egregious slap in the face and David Beckham has shown millions around the world what it truly means to be a good sport.

In other Team USA news, the US Soccer Team is gearing up to kick it hard in London this year. The U.S. Women’s soccer team continues to firm up their game. Look for strong players like Amy Rodriguez and Alex Morgan to light up the Olympic field in London at the 2012 Summer Games. If you want to support Team USA Soccer in style, we have a selection of Olympics t-shirts and US Soccer jerseys that are up to the challenge.

Other notable mentions in US Olympic news—following a contentious 2012 NBA Finals series, America’s best basketball players are coming together in search of Olympic glory on the US Basketball team. Now that King James has his NBA Champs crown, will that be enough of a confidence boost he needs to bring a little extra game to the hardwood on his quest for Team USA Olympic gold? Only time will tell if the Dream Team 2012 edition has the chops to claim the gold but, with a roster that includes basketball greats like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant, all eyes will undoubtedly be on Team USA Basketball this summer to see if they can bring home a winner.

The 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony is just weeks away, making now the perfect time to score yourself an Olympics t-shirt that’s worthy of a perfect 10. At FansEdge.com we have a variety of Olympics apparel that will help you cheer on Team USA from across the pond in style. From Team USA jerseys, to LeBron James Olympics t-shirts, Kevin Durant jerseys and more, we have a variety of Olympics merchandise like 2012 London Olympics hats and Olympic Games memorabilia that will get you pumped for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Go USA!

Breaking news in the college football world. . . beginning in 2014, the NCAA football playoff landscape will feature four teams battling it out in a single elimination bracket-style competition, with the semi-final winners earning spots in the coveted College Football National Championship game. Playoff games will rotate among six sites with the championship game played at location based on a bid selection.

Current BCS games include the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA), Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, AZ), Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) and Orange Bowl (Miami, FL) and it’s apparent those sites will continue to be in the mix. Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, home of the Cotton Bowl, is widely rumored to be a front-runner to land one of the other two spots. Expect the sixth to go to a warmer-weather city like Jacksonville or Atlanta.

In the new model, playoff teams will be chosen by a selection committee weighing parameters like schedule strength, win-loss record and head-to-head matchups following the regular season. Conference champions get preferential treatment. While the committee makeup has yet to be determined, it will likely include college athletic directors and 20 conference commissioners.

Right now, the BCS selection process relies on an ambiguous mix of polls and programs to calculate rankings and determine the matchup for the BCS National Championship Game. Many think this methodology is intrinsically flawed because undefeated teams have finished their season without a National Championship game invite. Over the past 6 seasons, there have been more undefeated non-BCS championship teams than teams that went undefeated and won a BCS champions title.

And, while the shakeup seems promising for often overlooked teams, it bodes well for the NCAA too. Preliminary reports estimate the new playoff system will garner television rights upwards of 500 million and with the championship game becoming college football’s super bowl, you can bet that some dome-cities like Indy and Detroit will be wrangling for a chance to host college football’s biggest game and this translates into big bucks for the NCAA.

Back to School and college football season are right around the corner, making now a great time to find officially licensed college apparel. At FansEdge.com, we have an assortment of NCAA Sideline Gear, jerseys and NCAA snapback hats so you can rally your cheers in style. From popular teams like Alabama, Notre Dame, Kentucky, LSU, Ohio State and more, we have a massive selection of officially licensed college apparel. Shop now and stop back often because new styles are arriving daily.