The Stanley Cup

A repeat of last years cup is exactly what i want to see, the two most talented teams battling it out for Lord Stanley's Cup. Detroit will win this series because they are all around the better team. From their 4th line to their defensemen to their goalie. During the playoffs the Penguins needed Crosby or Malkin to win virtually every game but the Red Wings get help from everywhere like Wednesday night when Darren Helm scored the series clincher in overtime and when Mikael Samuelsson scored the winner in Game 2. The Red Wings defense can shut those two down like they did last year and then all they have to do is score on Fleury which they have no problem doing. With great defense, amazing forwards, and a veteran goalie in Osgood who knows how to win with it all on the line Detroit is gonna win this series no doubt about it. This team is just too well rounded to lose to an offensively reliant team like the Penguins. They can win any way with anyone this year with all the weapons they have defensively and offensively I just don't see them losing. My prediction is Detroit in 6.





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Damn Yankees

You would think after Alex Rodriguez's great 1st game and CC earning his millions the Yankees would build on that and get out of their normal April/May slump but no that didn't happen last night. It was embarrassing to watch them yesterday getting railed by Baltimore 12-5 and Phil Hughes couldn't even get out of the 2nd inning. It's just sad to see that 2 Yanks only come to play: an ex-red sock Johnny Damon and "number 2 in your program number 1 in your hearts" (Steve Somers) Derek Jeter. With a-rods return and CCs gem this team needs to build around that and win a few in a row. Mark Teixera has to step up now that the lighting rod is behind him. Maybe he can hit a home-run in a game that matters as opposed to all the ones he does hit when they're down too many runs that it matters. They need to step it up and make it look like they want to win. I just hope they're having the normal slow start and they can finish strong or Girardi will be gone and another year in which we'll be missing Joe Torre as he glides his way to an NL West division win and possibly the World Series.

I hope Brian Cashman is cutting his wrists because he didn't want to trade Ian Kennedy (0 wins in the Majors and out for season) and Phil cant pitch for shit Hughes for most likely the NL CY Young winner Johan Santana. What kind of moron doesn't trade unproven minor leaguers for one of the top lefties in the game? How does this guy still have a job after he got such great pitchers like Kei Igawa (56 Million) who cant pitch in the majors, Jaret Wright(21 Million) who isn't even in the Majors anymore, Carl Im always injured Pavano(40 million), Javier Vazquez (45 million) but he was decent but not worth it, Latroy Hawkins (4million) what a waste, Kyle Farnsworth who is the worst relief pitcher I've ever seen and who could forget Roger Million dollars a game Clemens which was a joke. But he got a 3 year extension which amazes me to this day. This idiot needs to be fired and maybe they should start watching what the Bosox do because everything they do is right and best for the team. Their farm system is amazing and everyone they pick up ends up doing very well (see Jason Bay beating the Yankees a couple weeks ago). They better right the ship or we're in for a long wait til football season.


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NHL Playoff Preview Western Conference

1st San Jose Sharks vs. 8th Anaheim Ducks
San Jose was drew one tough 8th seed in Anaheim and their amazing defensemen. With Beauchemin back from injury along with Pronger, Niedermeyer, and Whitney they easily have the best D corps in the league and they will need it against Thornton, Marleau&Co. This is going to be a tough hard fought series and it can go either way and may be won by San Jose being so good at home and I think they squeak by just barely.
San Jose in 7

2nd Detroit Red Wings vs. 7th Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus enters its first postseason against the Detroit and they couldnt ask for a worse opponent. This series depends on the rookie Steve Mason stopping the Detroit scoring attack led by Pavel Datsyuk and his sidekicks Marion Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg and anchored on defense by the best in the league in Nicklas Lidstrom. I just dont think the Jackets are good enough to beat this Detroit team that makes up its lack of goaltending with its ability to outscore anyone.
Detroit in 4

3rd Vancouver Canucks vs. 6th St. Louis Blues
The best 2 teams in the second half of the season square off in an extremely even series. Luongo and the Sedin twins will win this series over the inexperienced Blues but it wont be easy. Chris Mason has played some amazing goal as of late and has really kept this team in it. They just dont have enough to beat Luongo and the twins.
Vancouver in 6

4th Chicago Blackhawks vs. 5th Calgary Flames
This series will be one thing, high scoring. Toews and Kane, two of my favorite players to watch because they are so young but play like they've been in the league for so long and do it so well. They embark on their first playoff stint against a flat looking Calgary team that doesnt look as good as they did a couple months ago. These two teams combined have 11 20 goal scorers so there is no doubt they will score but can Kiprusoff stop the young guns of Chicago and can the Bulin wall stand up against the veteran experience of Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla? I think that the Blackhawks will keep playing amazing hockey and get put out the Flames.
Chicago in 5

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NHL Playoff Preview-Eastern Conference

1st-Boston Bruins vs 8th-Montreal Canadiens
In this hated Original 6 rivalry we see one hell of a match up. This series could go either way even though it's an 8 vs 1. Montreals terrible 2nd half confuses me because they were such a good team for the start of the season but I have high hopes for the Habs in the playoffs. If they can right the ship here and start playing some hockey with the veteran leadership of Kovalev and get some solid goaltending from Carey Price they can surprise the Bruins and send them to the golf course early. They just need to find a way to get past Tim Thomas who's 4-0-1 against them and learn how to control Zdeno Chara who has 3 goals and 3 assists and Marc Savard 3 goals and 2 helpers against them this year. If they can pull that off they can upset the B's and help out my Rangers.
Canadiens in 7 (wishful thinking)

2nd-Washington Capitals vs. 7th New York Rangers
Offense meets defense in this battle between Ovechkin and his merry bunch of scorers vs King Henrik. This game is decided by if the Rangers want to score or not which tends to be a big problem for them this year. If Washington starts scoring 3-4 goals it's going to be very difficult for the Rangers to keep up and it could end up like last year against the Penguins. As long as they play stellar defense, dont take dumb penalties and Lundquist plays his ass off the Rangers could somehow get by this offensive powerhouse.
Rangers in 6

3rd-New Jersey Devils vs. 6th Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina coming off a great playoff push going 9-2 in their last 11 games are playing a great Devil team with a healthy Brodeur. Can the Hurricanes beat the Devils yet again in the playoffs which they've done the last two times they met? And can the Devils finally win at the RBC Center where they can't seem to win at all? I think so with Brodeur and Zach Parise they hold a slight edge over Eric Staal and Cam Ward. I see a bunch of 2-1 and 3-2 games and the Devils taking the series.
Devils in 5

4th Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5th Philadelphia Flyers
The battle of Pennsylvania is here and Pittsburgh is ready to kill the Flyers. Their offense is too potent to be contained by the Flyers. Malkin and Crosby are gonna skate circles around the Flyers defense and make quick work of them.
Penguins in 4

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NL East Preview

The Marlins have great young pitching that goes unnoticed and so many young players that I wouldnt be surprised if they make a playoff push this year or next but they are not to be overlooked. This 4-0 start is no fluke and they will continue to perform this well as the season goes so they are my surprise pick this season.
Even though the Phillies have had a bad start their team is too good to not win the NL East unless the fish sneak up on them. I would throw the Marlins in second because they have great arms and great bats but will it be good enough to topple the defending World Series champs? The Mets will choke during September as usual even though they have K-rod and Putz to set him up but they still don't have a dominant lefty in the pen and that's something you need when playing the Phillies. I dont see them making the playoffs yet again even though they are lucky enough to not be playing Florida the last 3 games of the season. The Braves are a solid team but their pitching is just not good enough to do well in this division. The Nationals dont need to be mentioned because well they're the Nationals and who really cares about them?
So its obvious I'm drinking the Marlin Kool-aid and I hope they do well as the season progresses but we will just have to wait and see.
NL East Finish: Phillies 95-67, Marlins 87-75, Mets 85-77, Braves, 81-81, Nationals 60-102

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The Rangers are in the Playoffs!

I dont know how the most underachieving team in the NHL did it but they managed to hold on for a nice playoff spot. Excluding King Henrik the Rangers underperformed especially on offense and more importantly on the power play which looks more like a penalty kill at times. They need to pull it together and get ready for a playoff run which i know this team has in them under the veteran leadership of Chris Drury. Hopefully they can get a win on Sunday over the Flyers and get that 7th spot so they can play the Capitals and let the Habs play the Bruins. History tells us the Rangers like playing Washington in the playoffs (see 1994 Stanley Cup) and they stand a way better chance of beating them then the Bruins.
I see Montreal being able to beat the Bruins mainly because they have won a Stanley Cup in every decade except this one. Seeing as this is the last year to do so they cant lose plus they beat them a couple years ago in the playoffs when they met in opposite positions (Montreal now 8th seed was 1 and vice versa).
If somehow the 7th and 8th seeds upset the 1st and 2nd it would set the Rangers up for a cup push but its highly doubtful and i can only dream but you never know. Let's Go Rangers


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Tiger Tiger Woods Y'all

This weekend is what golf fans have been waiting nearly a year for, Tiger Woods in a major event. The Masters will be watched by millions including myself(if O'Malley allows it) solely because of his presence and greatness . I would like to see him down a couple strokes going into Sunday so we can see him do what he does best; scare the shit out of whoever is ahead of him to the point where they choke. Then all he has to do is put on his Sunday red shirt and make shot after shot after shot and win yet another major. If anyone is going to bet on golf now's the time Tiger Woods +170 to win The Masters

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