Video Clip of the Day: June 29th

Alas, the wait is over.

Islanders tag Tavares as Savior

By Scott

The New York Islanders took goal-scoring phenom John Tavares with the 1st overall pick of the NHL Draft on Friday night. Tavares was undoubtedly viewed as the most skilled offensive player available, after netting 72 goals for the OHL's London Knights this past season. Tavares is not Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin in terms of obtaining a complete game, but he may establish himself as an Ovechkin-esque goal-scorer in the league. Although Tavares was not a lock to be taken first overall with rumors of the Islanders taking defenseman Victor Hedman or trading down, New York made the right move by securing the most hyped player in the draft who they hope will ressurrect the near-dead franchise. If Tavares turns out to be a bust, the Islanders could be leaving New York.

Another franchise on the verge of relocation, the Tampa Bay Lightning, took Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman. Hedman is easily the most NHL-ready defenseman taken in the draft. He is brilliant with puck and is one of the smoothest skaters in the world. Perhaps Hedman's biggest weapon is his mammoth size and linebacker build. 6'6", 220 pounds will allow Hedman to be a force in the league for years to come. With little skill and depth already protecting Tampa Bay's blue line, Hedman could definitely see some playing time this season. If last year's top pick Steven Stamkos can begin to take form and the Lightning's management crisis can be resolved, the Lightning may begin to reverse their recently poor fortunes.

To cap off the "Big 3", the Colorado Avalanche took forward Matt Duchene third overall. Duchene assembled 79 points in 57 games for the OHL's Brampton Battalion this season, and has been marked as the best all-around player in the draft, drawing comparisons to Joe Sakic and Mike Modano alike. Duchene will probably need some time in the minors especially considering his rough adjustment to the speed of the OHL he endured. But, once he gets up to speed, the Canadien center should be a fixture in Colorado's lineup for years to come. Whether or not Joe Sakic will hang around one more year and mentor his protege will be publicized this week as Sakic has reportedly made a decision.

Blake Griffin is Doomed and Brandon Jennings is a Big Deal... Thoughts on the NBA Draft

By Scott

"Hasheem hungry. Hasheem eat you?"

The NBA Draft is always a lock for entertainment. Ridiculous suits, foreign players giving awkward interviews, and immature kids earning millions of dollars that they'll soon burn on Bentleys, houses, and girls. But, set aside the social travesty that the NBA Draft ultimately personifies, it is largely a comedy show.

• Blake Griffin went 1st overall to the Los Angeles Clippers and proved he has no chance of becoming the face of any franchise. So stolid and emotionless, Griffin could easily turn into the next Tim Duncan in terms of great players who are just simply unattractive off the court and slip through the media cracks. But, Griffin did tell the world that he'd like to host Saturday Night Live. Yeah, right.
• Blake Griffin, you just got drafted 1st overall by the Los Angeles Clippers and you're going to make millions of dollars, how do you feel?.....

• Please, control your emotions, Blake.
• Hasheem Thabeet went 2nd overall to the 2nd most irrelevant team in the NBA, the Memphis Grizzlies. Thabeet is the 1st player from Tanzania to be drafted into the NBA, and that's about the only interesting part of this pick. The UConn center is not physical and his game consists of sitting back and stuffing the crap out of little point guards. I don't think that translates well to the NBA, but being 7'3" does.
• The Thunder and Kings both shocked the league by taking James Harden and Tyreke Evans respectively over Spanish phenom Ricky Rubio. Harden sported the best attire of the night with a classy beige suit and a bow-tie, but going at #3 feels like a stretch for a guy who kind of came out of nowhere and shined in a Pac-10 that lost O.J. Mayo, Kevin Love, Jerryd Bayless, and a few more lottery picks from last year.
• Minnesota obviously made the biggest splash of the night by drafting both Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn. GM Dave Kahn insists they'll keep both, but now that Rubio has threatened to go back to Europe for another year or two, Kahn might want to get some good value out of Rubio and build the team around Flynn who has a much more complete game.
• Bucks draftee Brandon Jennings decided not to attend the draft because he thought he might not get drafted early, and essentially didn't want to pull an Aaron Rodgers. So, Jennings decided to watch from his New York City hotel room, that is, until he was drafted 10th overall and decided to make an appearance. Odd, but I thought it was actually a nice gesture by Jennings to give the league some pictures and show off himself to Milwaukee fans. Jennings is a freak athlete that definitely needs some grooming, but his cockiness could allow him to evolve into the face of a franchise that needs an identity.
• Why does David Stern always look so happy when he comes to announce picks? Is there someone telling him jokes as he walks out to the podium or is he just a weird guy?

Trades Headline NHL Draft

By Scott

Trades are the one thing that rescues the NHL Draft from total obscurity. The draft really turns into a difficult watch after the top 5 and your favorite team picks, but when names like Bouwmeester, Heatley and Kessel are lingering around trade rumors, the draft picks up plenty of intensity. Although Heatley and Kessel weren't moved (yet, anyway) defensemen Jay Bouwmeester and Chris Pronger were moved, and both deals headlined the weekend.

Florida Panthers Interim GM Randy Sexton pulled off the impossible by sending the negotiating rights of defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to Calgary for defenseman Jordan Leopold and a 3rd round pick (Josh Birkholz). Obviously, there's no guarantee JayBo will sign an extension with the Flames, but they have 5 days to convince him to do so. Bouwmeester has openly expressed a desire to play in Western Canada, particularly for his hometown Edmonton Oilers. But you have to wonder if Calgary's serious talent will lure him in. Imagine Bouwmeester playing next to Dion Phaneuf or Robyn Regehr, plain scary. Calgary's offense is ready to win a cup, Bouwmeester is the missing piece.

As for the Panthers, they just traded a ghost for a serviceable defenseman and a draft pick. Jordan Leopold isn't a top-4 defenseman, but expect the Panthers to try and sign him to add some much needed defensive depth. Calgary is going to be under ton of pressure to sign Bouwmeester, and if he's smart, JayBo will be putting on a red and black sweater come October.

Before the Panthers and Flames pulled the trigger, the Flyers and Ducks did some business of their own. Anaheim sent defenseman Chris Pronger and prospect Ryan Dingle to Philly for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenseman Luca Sbisa, 1st round draft picks in 2010 and 2011, and a conditional third round pick in 2010 or 2011. The Flyers may have overpaid for a 35-year-old defenseman, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Philly tried desperately to land Florida defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, but they appear to have settled with Pronger as the man who will lead a defense that struggled throughout the season. Philly is under huge pressure to compete for the cup this year, and Pronger might be the missing piece. If he doesn't pan out the Flyers will be in big trouble.

While Pronger drew all of the attention from the trade, the Ducks continue morphing into a sleeper pick for next season. Stockpiling another scoring threat in Joffrey Lupul gives Anaheim even more upside to a lineup already consisting of stud prospects Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, and Jonas Hiller.

There should be some movement before the start of free agency on Wednesday. Reports have a handful of teams inquiring about Detroit's Marian Hossa. Because of the massive contract Hossa will expect, his suitors will probably be limited to a large market. If the Rangers can't strike a deal for Danny Heatley, expect them to make a run at Hossa. As for Danny Heatley, Phil Kessel, and others, the possibilities are endless, and the next few days should bring about plenty of movement.

Baseball Midseason Awards; An Interesting Proposal

Roy Halladay is in line for a Cy Young Award.

By Stanley

Baseball season has basically reached its midpoint.  Although the All-Star game is traditionally dubbed the "Midsummer Classic", the end of June truly marks the midpoint of the baseball season.  So who takes home the hardware in Mel Kiper's Hair Baseball Midseason Awards?  Let's find out.

AL MVP:   Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees.  Clearly, the best acquisition by the Yankees from their very busy 2008-2009 offseason was Mark Teixeira, who was signed to a massive deal in the free agency.  Through 6/27, Teixeira had hit 20 home runs and belted in 58 RBIs.  He was only batting .276, but his power numbers are huge.  Teixeira has taken a huge lift upon his shoulders to help carry the Yankees' sometimes struggling offense.  He has done a great part in keeping the Bronx Bombers anywhere near the surging Red Sox, who look like they are running away with the division.  But right now, Mark Teixeira is loving the pinstripes and the Yankee faithful are loving the first baseman.  If he continues to hit like he is, Teixeira could take home an MVP award.

NL MVP: Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals.  Pujols has been absolutely crushing the ball this season.  As I am writing this article, the Cardinals' first baseman has belted home runs number 27 and 28 on the season.  This puts him on pace for almost 60 for the year, which is unbelievable.  The Cards are in great position to win the NL Central, much thanks to Pujols' bat.  He also has 74 RBIs on the year and has a .328 batting average.  In comparison, his numbers are much better than Texiera's.  Well, Pujols' numbers are much better than everyone else's, in fact.  As long as he can stay healthy, he should take home the NL MVP award.  

AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, SP, Toronto Blue Jays.  Halladay is once again having an unbelievable season for the Jays and has kept Toronto in the playoff hunt.  Through 6/27, Halladay is 10-1 with 88 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.53.  His primary competitor, Zack Greinke of the Kansas City Royals, has a lower ERA (1.90) and more strikeouts (111 K's total) but is 9-3.  While Greinke's losses can often be chalked up to poor run support by his Royal teammates, Halladay is still a better bet for the award because of the irrelevance of the Royals.  

NL Cy Young: Chad Billingsley, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers.  While there isn't one main candidate for the award in the NL, Billingsley is a pretty safe bet to be in the running late in the season.  With the success of the Dodgers, the young hurler will likely continue to rack up the victories, giving him an edge over other pitchers on less successful teams.  He has 9 wins on the year, which is tied for the lead in the NL.  His ERA is pretty solid at 3.10 and he has K'd 99 batters on the season.  In June, he is 3-0 with a 3.82 ERA with only 13 earned runs in five starts.  However, he was assessed two no decisions in two Dodger losses in June as well.  But Billingsley for the most part has held up his end.  

The AL Favorite: Boston Red Sox.  The Red Sox are most definitely playing championship-caliber baseball right now.  The Yankees' struggles plus Boston's own success has created a substantial lead in the AL East for the Red Sox, which through 6/27 is 4 games over the Yanks.  The Red Sox are probably the most balanced team in the majors.  They have great starting pitching, good relievers, a great closer, and a balanced, consistent, and sometimes explosive hitting lineup.  However, the Red Sox will have to contend with the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Rays in the AL East, who are all fairly close together.  In the AL Central, the Detroit Tigers are playing the best baseball.  The Tigers have gotten great starting pitching and solid hitting all year.  However, relievers continue to be an issue for this team.  If Detroit wants to hold off the Twins and White Sox, the relievers must hold.  Once the playoffs come around, the Tigers can beat every team in the American League in a series except probably the Red Sox.  But anything can happen.  

The NL Favorite: Los Angeles Dodgers.  Everything is going very smoothly for the Dodgers right now.  They  have been the best team record-wise in all of baseball for the entire season.  They kept up their success even when Manny Ramirez was suspended, and now they are close to getting their superstar slugger back in the lineup.  The Dogers are running away with the NL West.  And they are running away with the National League.  No team in particular looks very good right now except for Los Angeles.  The Phillies were playing good ball but have been atrocious recently, allowing the horrible Mets and even the Marlins to stay in the NL East race.  Interesting fact: The Phillies have the best road record in all the majors, at 25-12.  However, their home record is an abysmal 13-22.  Can we definitely say now that the negativity and arrogance of the Philadelphia fans has caused this oddity?  I say yes.        

The Dark Horse Playoff Team: Chicago White Sox: The White Sox are one of the better teams in the majors that always underperforms, and this year is no exception.  Chicago has been hanging around .500 for awhile, and remain 6 games behind the division leading Tigers in the AL Central.  The White Sox have a very good lineup and pretty good pitching that should allow them to make a run in the second half.  Expect Chicago to give Detroit some trouble.  But the Tigers should hang on to the division with their superior starting pitching.  The Twins could also be trouble in the central in a weird year like this, but expect the Tigers to maintain their lead.  

Proposal that the league should consider: As originally brought up by radio host Evan Cohen on ESPN 760's Palm Beach's Gameday, the Florida Marlins should swap places with the Toronto Blue Jays in terms of divisional lineup.  Everything about the Marlins being the AL East would make sense.  The large New England/New York population in South Florida would make for great home draws with the Yankees and Red Sox in South Florida.  The Marlins average 30,000 to 35,000 fans for those games, sometimes even more.  They would play the Yankees and Red Sox nine times each at home.  That would be 18 home games with over 30,000 fans packing Land Shark Stadium and in the future the new Marlins Stadium.  Also, there is potential for a Florida baseball rivalry with the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.  On the flip side, Toronto gets to go to the less competitive NL East, where they would actually have a chance of winning.  The Blue Jays will dole out the money to get the good players, but they always finish behind the Yankees and the Red Sox because of the massive payrolls of the two clubs.  Being in the National League East would allow the Blue Jays to have more success with the pretty substantial payroll of the team.  Additionally, the Jays could set up a yearly interleague bout with the Detroit Tigers, who are the closest American League team to Toronto.  It would be a win-win situation for the Jays and Marlins.  The Jays would be able to compete on a yearly basis for the divisional crown, and the Marlins would be able to draw more fans and start a rivalry with the Rays.  

Video Clip of the Day: June 27th

This one has been circulating around the web for a few days now. I bet someone could make one of these between Kiper and McShay.

Is Ricky Rubio Worth It?

By Scott

Spanish superstar Ricky Rubio made himself a very nice sum of money Thursday night after he was selected 5th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rubio, who has already drawn comparisons to Pistol Pete Maravich and Larry Bird because of his jaw-dropping passing skills, is essentially Spain's Lebron. He has been playing pro basketball since he was 14 and gained worldwide attention after leading the Spanish National team in the '08 Summer Olympics on an injured foot. He's everything an NBA franchise looks for in a draft pick. He's a heartthrob, extremely marketable, and most importantly, he'll put butts in the seats immediately.

But, Rubio leads a slew of European players who have entered the NBA draft with tales of legendary skill and serious hype. Remember Darko Milicic, Yi Jianlian, Saer Sene, Oleksiv Pecherov, Fran Vasquez, Yaroslav Korolev or Pavel Podkolzine? Yeah, neither do I. And trust me, there are sooo many more where that came from. The success stories are so minimal: Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming and Rudy Fernandez are the few exceptions to the harsh transition of the wide-open European play to the physical, bruising American game.

The only hard evidence we have of Rubio is YouTube and stories from European scouts. As for the American basketball minds who have seen Rubio firsthand, not all of them were as impressed, just ask Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim,

"I think he’s got a little too much American in him. He’s a cocky little kid. He complained on all the calls. He’s good with the ball. He’s not a great shooter. I think he will have trouble guarding people. He didn’t play very well against us, especially in the championship game. I’m not sold on him. I think he needs to shoot it better, and his defense will be questionable. He’s one of those guys the scouts don’t see a lot, so they haven’t had time to pick him apart. He’s flashy. They pick all our players apart, and I don’t know if they always do that with some of the guys over there. My impression was less favorable than most people who’ve seen him, I guess."

Personally, I'll take Boeheim's word over the hearsay of European scouts who praise Rubio's every move. But, before we get any farther, let's break down Rubio:

1. Elite passing skill, no doubt. He's already among the most prolific in the league when it comes to ball handling.
2. He can't shoot. Probably the biggest gripe that almost every scout has held against him.
3. He is not physical. Just watch the video above. Almost every time he drives to the hoop he is unchallenged and untouched. When's the last time you saw that happen in the NBA?
4. No one has really seen him play. American prospects are picked apart inch by inch. Rubio is all hearsay. I'd rather take my chances with Johnny Flynn or Tyreke Evans.
5. He's European. Look at the success rate. Not favorable.

Obviously, the Timberwolves saw both the upside and the downside of Rubio by drafting him 5th overall and also drafting another point guard in Johnny Flynn with the 6th overall pick. Personally, it looks to me like the Timberwolves drafted Rubio for his name value and will trade him for some nice value, especially now that Rubio has threatened to return to Spain for another year or two.

My untrained scouting eye isn't reliable, but that's really the consensus from watching the limited footage of his play and the few that have critiqued Rubio. The negatives outweigh the positives when it comes to basketball skill, but of course Rubio's image is part of his lure. Plus, the biggest question is how he'll transition from the European game to the American game. Will Ricky Rubio join the list of irrelevant names that have passed through the NBA before? We'll find out soon enough.

Do We Really Want Athletes' Political Opinions?

By Scott

Just a day after Jim Brown's criticism of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods' silence on the social issues that Brown believes still plague the African American race surfaced, New York Jets' Kicker Jay Feely took the time to sit down with Sean Hannity & Co. and share his thoughts on President Obama.

Not to say that these issues are directly related, but they do fall under the same context of athletes' and politics. Everyone likes to believe that athletes have this obligation to be something more than a guy who plays basketball. People want more. We want to know what cereal he eats, who he's dating, and every single, miniscule detail in between. And then, we want to know who he's voting for come election time, or what he thinks about North Korea. But, when we find, we get pissed off. It's the truth.

The examples are endless. Remember last year when Lebron refused to sign teammate Ira Newbie's letter to the Chinese Government condemning China's support of genocide in Darfur? It had nothing to do with Lebron supporting China's actions, but James stated that he simply wanted to learn more about the situation. People didn't want to hear it. Lebron was quickly made subject to harsh criticism from every available media outlet. And then to the shock of many, he decided not to sign the petition at all. But, all of those Lebron critics failed to realize that he is Lebron James. He can't just put his name on something without seriously considering the consequences. China doesn't care that Ira Newbie's name is on there, but Lebron's signature would catch their eye, and therefore damage his chances at achieving the global icon status that he openly desires so much. Do you think Chinese investors would have just purchased part of the Cavs if Lebron had signed that petition? Neither do I.

Remember in 1990 when Michael Jordan refused to support an African-American, Democratic politician by stating, "Republicans buy sneakers, too"? Similar to Tiger Woods' refusal to openly support President Barack Obama during his campaign has nothing to do with Tiger's political views. Let's say Tiger decides to endorse Obama and appear at a rally. Inevitably, he'll lose much of his Republican fan base. And, who plays golf? Primarily, rich white guys. So, is it worth it for Tiger to sacrifice millions of dollars to please his race? No, of course not. It may be acceptable for a guy like Charles Barkley who has built his image as an outspoken, political activist, but not for Tiger or M.J. who built their images as athletes and not politicians.

The aspect that the blogosphere and media constantly ignore is athletes' sponsorship obligations. Jim Brown didn't have any obligations to Nike or Reebok in 1965, he could do whatever he wanted. Obviously, he'd face scrutiny for doing something racial due to the political tension at the time of his career, but Brown didn't have to wear someone's cleats and he could say what he wanted to. Today's sports culture is a total 180 degree turn from the culture Brown played in. People ask to hear athletes' political opinions when really the only answer they'll receive is a "no comment" or whatever the athletes' advisors tell them to say. Besides, most of the guys had some nerds get them through college, so why are their opinions so coveted?

Nadal out of Wimbledon

By Mike

Unfortunately, no more wedgie-pulling in Wimbledon

With Rafael Nadal not surprisingly pulling out of the most prestigious major in tennis, the tournament is wide-open.

Roger Federer looks to regain the trophy that Nadal took from him last year in possibly the most epic five-set match ever. But in my mind, I do not think that Federer can pull it off; he just is not hitting the ball as hard as he used to and people are beginning to tee-off on his high topspin groundstrokes.

Andy Murray looks to become the first British player in a while to finally take home the trophy.

Novak Djokovic wants to return to his star form and actually compete in a major tournament once again.

Andy Roddick is always a favorite to win Wimbledon because of his rediculous serve, but I do not expect him to get past the Quarterfinals, especially if he has a foot-injury (he retired in the Queen's Club tournament).

Surprisingly, I expect Juan Martin del Potro to destroy the field and take his first major tournament of his career. This young phenom is extremely tall at 6 foot 5 inches, and has a humongous serve, sometimes reaching 140 MPH. His huge serve and monster strokes should, in my mind, easily push him to the victory.

Santana Gets Shelled

By Mike

What are you smiling about, Johan Santana?

Over the past seven years, Johan Santana has been reguarded as the most dominant pitcher in baseball posting ERA of about 2.7 during that span and over 200 strikeouts per season. But his luck has quickly changed. Heading into Sunday's self-destruction against the Yankees, Santana had a 5.54 ERA over his previous two games, and it is getting progressively worse. This is Santana's career worst stat line in the 16-0 shutout loss: 3.0 IP, 9 H, 9 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; at least he had a 9.0 K per 9 average.

Johan Santana has not been able to locate his pitches like he used to. He can no longer throw to the outside part of the plate against lefties, and as a result they are sitting for the inside fastball and knocking it out of the park (he allowed 4 homeruns against the Phillies). Lefties are also hitting above .300 against him in his last few starts. Even more alarming for Santana is that his fastball velocity is down about 3 MPH from last year. This is extremely alarming to me, and unfortunately might indicate that Tommy John's surgery is inevitable. This decrease in fastball speed also makes his nasty changeup more hittable, because the difference in velocities is a lot smaller.

If Johan Santana doesn't start to get his things together, then he certainly won't be in the running for the National League Cy Young this year, and the already struggling Mets will most likely drop out of the playoff race; if all of the Mets starters are healthy, their rotation is subpar, but it doesn't help that two of them are injured.

If Santana does not start to pitch well, then you might have to consider a back-up plan. The most reasonable pickups at this point in the season are:

1.) John Smoltz - if he is able to achieve a slight amount of the success that he used to, he should be a great addition especially with the run support in Boston.
2.) Aaron Cook - the Rockies are finally starting to hit the ball, which means more run support. Cook has always been a somewhat reliable sinker-baller and he should continue to do so.
3.) Joe Blanton - after nearly 5 quality starts in a row, maybe Blanton is returning to his old-Oakland Athletic form?

Fantasy Forecast: 189 IP, 15 W, 9 L, 191 K, 3.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

Penguins upset Wings, win the Stanley Cup

By Scott

Yes, as predicted, the Pittsburgh Penguins have earned themselves the title of Stanley Cup Champions. While it's obviously a stretch to say David beat Goliath, there was little hope of a Penguins win in Detroit last night, in game 7 nonetheless. But, in retrospect, everything added up to a predictable Penguins victory last night. First and perhaps most importantly, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury displayed the most crucial attribute a goalie can possess: a flare for the dramatic. He transformed into a brick wall in the fading moments of game 6, stoning Dan Cleary's breakaway chance and somehow preventing Johan Franzen from poking in a rebound with just seconds left (with plenty of help from Rob Scuderi), and then showcasing his clutch once again last night as he made a diving save to prevent Niklas Lindstrom's put-back from sending the game into overtime, effectively clinching the championship.

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby's appearance in this year's cup as opposed to their disappearance last year, provided an immeasurable boost for the Penguins. Combining for 67 points throughout the postseason, Malkin and Crosby transcended themselves into hockey immortality with Crosby becoming the youngest captain to hoist the cup, and Malkin becoming the first player to win both the Conn Smythe and Art Ross trophy since his boss, Mario Lemieux won both in the '91-'92 season.

And finally, enough credit can not be given to Dan Bylsma. He took a dead team, nearly double digits out of the 8th spot in the East, pressured to trade one of their superstars to build the depth that Pittsburgh appeared to lack, and went an incredible 18-3-4 with them over the last 25 games of the regular season. And in fairy tale fashion he defeated the man whom some regard as the best coach in hockey, and who once coached Bylsma to a Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 himself, Mike Babcock. Student defeated teacher.

As mentioned in our playoff preview, there is nothing more dangerous than a hot team coming into the playoffs, and even more dangerous than that is a hot team with a great goaltender, and the Penguins just happened to have both.

Great Moments from Game 7

• Detroit fans bombarded Commissioner Gary Bettman with boos as he walked out to present the Stanley Cup, the true sign of a good fan base; however, it was great to hear applause for the Penguins throughout the celebration and most of them stuck around to watch. There's no doubt watching a team winning a championship on the road is a bit anticlimactic, but Detroit fans made it enjoyable.
• Watching Bill Guerin lift the cup over his head after 18 years of pro hockey had to send chills down your spine. Although Guerin did win a cup with the Devils in the '94-'95 season, he played in only 48 regular season games, and was not a key component to their championship, so you can imagine now after several clutch playoff performances, Guerin will take this one to heart.
• Speaking of trophies, Geni Malkin almost dropped the Conn Smythe at least 5 times (notice the boos reigning down on Bettman). I know he was probably just looking forward to getting his hands on the cup, but still, it's the freaking Conn Smythe trophy and Malkin was just dangling it around. But, I guess you really can do whatever you want if you score 14 goals in the playoffs.
• Verne Lundquist once called Cowboys TE Jackie Smith the "Sickest man in America" after Smith dropped a touchdown pass that arguably cost the Cowboys, Super Bowl XIIII. But, Marian Hossa may take over that title now. Hossa turned down a contract extension from the Penguins after last year's loss to the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals. Believing he had a better chance to win in Detroit, Hossa signed with the Wings, and the rest is history. The worst part for Hossa is that he did not even score a goal in the finals after leading the Wings in goals during the regular season with 40. He can become a free-agent July 1st if the Red Wings don't re-sign him, and rest assured if he leaves, he will be criticized.
• We may have witnessed the birth of a dynasty last night, and we certainly did not see Sidney Crosby & Co. lift the cup for the last time. With only a few key players, and no really notable players headed to the free agent market, the Penguins will surely make a run next year, and I think they repeat.
• Prediction for the '09-'10 season: Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Chicago Blackhawks in 6. Depending on free agency and retirements the Red Wings could be back, but it's really difficult to predict considering their age. Even their "young" stars like Pavel Datysuk and Johan Franzen are 30 and 29 respectively, there seems to be too much working against them to consider them the biggest threat in the West.
• Football is sooo close.

Penguins Will Have Many Challengers Next Season

It will take more than this ref to separate Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby from meeting in the postseason for years to come.

By Stanley

The Pittsburgh Penguins were able to claim the 2009 Stanley Cup tonight by knocking off the mighty Detroit Red Wings. Pittsburgh defeated the tough Philadelphia Flyers, the explosive Washington Capitals, and the talented Carolina Hurricanes before finally beating the Wings in their playoff run. The Penguins will almost definitely be the favorite to win it all again in 2009-2010. But who will their top challengers be? (This is only a preliminary list; a second list will be generated after offseason moves).

Top Five Challengers in the East

1. Washington Capitals: Yes, I do believe that the Capitals pose more of a challenge to the Pens than the Red Wings. Why? First of all, the Caps were able to take the Penguins to a seven game series, in which three games went to overtime. Of those three games, the Pens won two. If the puck had bounced differently even once, the Caps may have advanced. Alexander Ovechkin is unquestionably the best player in the league, and he is surrounded offensively by several other very good young players. His supporting cast does not quite match that of Sidney Crosby's, but the Capitals have a lot of talent. Their defense and goaltender are definitely their two weak points. Washington has the best offensive defenseman in the league in Mike Green. If they can add a solid defenseman or two in the offseason, they could be in prime position to take down Pittsburgh. Goaltender is another question. Simeon Varlamov played pretty well in the postseason, even though he made several rookie mistakes. It will be interesting to see whether the Capitals stick with Varlamov or try to acquire another goalie. Additionally, if Marian Hossa does not re-sign with the Red Wings, Washington would make for an interesting destination for the former Penguin. The Caps are probably the closest team to a cup other than the Pens and Wings. If Hossa ends up in the nation's capital, this team's offense would be lethal. The Capitals' explosive offense is definitely good enough alone to give the Penguins a run. If Washington can get solid goaltending against Pittsburgh, the Capitals should be able to advance past the champions next season. Washington and Pittsburgh will be atop the Eastern Conference for years to come. Both of these teams are primed and loaded for Stanley Cup runs year in and year out.

2. Philadelphia Flyers: The Broad Street Bullies have seen their season end two years in a row to their cross-state rival. This year, Philly was extremely close to sending their first round bout with the Pens to a Game 7 when Sidney Crosby took over the game. The Flyers are a very solid and young squad. Danny Briere, Mike Richards, and Jeff Carter are three very good players that can put the puck in the net and challenge the Pittsburgh defensemen. Philly will be hovering around the postseason, like Washington and Pittsburgh, for many years down the road. They are built very well, with a great offense and stellar defense. Although Philadelphia lacks the explosion of Pittsburgh or Washington, the Flyers are a solid team that can bring a lot to the table. If they can get consistent goaltending in a playoff series against Pittsburgh, the Flyers could give them a run. Whether Philadelphia would be able to sustain that sort of energy against Pittsburgh and Washington back to back is questionable. But the Flyers should be a constant challenger to Ovechkin's squad and Crosby's team in the east.

3. Boston Bruins: The Penguins sort of dodged a bullet this year when Carolina knocked out the top seeded Boston Bruins in the semi-final. Pittsburgh was able to sweep away the Hurricanes, but the Bruins may have been a bit tougher. Boston is solid all around. Even though they lack the superstar power of Washington or Pittsburgh, they can spread the puck around and make it very difficult for the opposition's defense to focus in on the puck. Zdeno Chara, a defenseman for Boston, is an absolute monster. The tallest player in the NHL, Chara's slapshot is unlike anything Pittsburgh has faced this postseason. Although the Penguins were able to largely eliminate the offensive threat of Mike Green this postseason, Chara's shot brings something totally different to the table. The Bruins had the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2009, and they should be back for another run next season. Their depth may give the Penguins a bit of trouble, although Pittsburgh was able to handle the even better depth of Detroit this year.

4. Carolina Hurricanes: The Hurricanes were able to knock off the veteran New Jersey Devils and the talented Boston Bruins in the 2009 posteason before being swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Carolina is only three years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup. Cam Ward has been a fixture in the net for the Canes, who are young, deep, and talented. Eric Staal, the best of the Staal brothers, is one of the best players in the NHL today. Staal was actually selected number two in the draft in 2003, behind only Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The center already is the franchise leader for the Carolina Hurricanes in postseason points, and he should continue to rack up the goals and assists. Staal is surrounded by players like Erik Cole, Rod Brind'Amour, Tuomo Ruutu, and Ray Whitney, which make up a pretty solid nucleus of players. Obviously, Carolina was completely overmatched by Pittsburgh in 2009. However, if they can add a couple of pieces, they may be able to make a run in the East next year. As long as Cam Ward holds up in goal, the Hurricanes can beat anybody.

5. New York Rangers: The Rangers are actually one of the younger teams in the NHL, and they should be back next year as well. New York took the Washington Capitals to 7 games in the first round. The Rangers were up 2-0 and then 3-1 in the series before the Caps came back; the early victories were mostly due to the awesome play of goalie Henrik Lundqvist. If Lundqvist can get hot against Pittsburgh or during the postseason, the Rangers could definitely make a run. Players like Scott Gomez, Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, and Brandon Dubinsky need to step up in order for New York to make a run. The Rangers are a bit of a dark horse, but New York has been pretty solid for the past couple seasons, and a playoff run is not out of the question by any means.


Honorable Mentions: New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens


Top 5 Challengers from the West:

1. Detroit Red Wings: Don't quite expect the Red Wings to go anywhere yet. Although many will proclaim this Stanley Cup loss to be the end of the Detroit dynasty, the Red Wings will be back and just as good as ever next season. Although the Wings are older than the Penguins, their nucleus hovers around the age of 30. Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, and Pavel Datsyuk are all in this category. Darren Helm is a young, extremely fast player that the Detroit organization seems to like a lot. The Wings reload every year and have been one of if not the most consistent team on the ice for the past 15 years. Goalie continues to be a weak spot for Detroit, but Chris Osgood is always stellar in the postseason. Detroit will most likely be right back in the playoffs next season, and will probably make another deep run. If we see another Pittsburgh-Detroit rematch, it could once again go either way. The Red Wings and Penguins are extremely close in terms of talent, and most hockey fans would enjoy another matchup between these two great teams. I don't think anyone would really be surprised if the Red Wings beat the Penguins in another series.

2. Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks are the youngest team in the NHL, and are just about ready to challenge the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference. This year, they made a run to the Western Conference Finals, where they were beaten soundly by the Wings. Led by young stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Chicago is explosive and will be a solid team out west next season. Kane and Toews are surrounded by other very good players like Martin Havlat, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, and Brent Seabrook, who compose a really talented, deep Blackhawks team. Chicago will be a team to reckon with in the West for years to come, and if they can get to the Cup, they could challenge for the title.

3. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks had a very successful 2009 postseason, defeating the top overall seed San Jose Sharks before losing to the Red Wings in 7 games in the second round. The Ducks play physical hockey, and are one of the physically biggest teams in the league. Young players like Ryan Getzlaf coupled with seasoned veteran stars like Chris Pronger make Anaheim a very difficult team to match up with. Jonas Hiller, a goaltender, also had a remarkable run in the 2009 postseason. The Ducks won the championship in 2007, and could easily make another run next season. You have to like their chances to perform well again in the postseason. If only they could go back to those old uniforms.

4. San Jose Sharks: The Sharks have consistently been one of the top teams in the league for years now. They just can't seem to find their game come postseason. San Jose was knocked out in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks are loaded with veteran talent, and on paper should have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals at least once by now. Time and time again, however, they continue to fail in the postseason. If the Sharks can somehow pull it together and win a couple of series, then this team will be very difficult to beat in the Finals. But I'm just not sure if I see that happening unfortunately.

5. Calgary Flames: The Flames are a very solid team overall. Calgary has several scorers, led by Jarome Iginla, and also plays good defense. Hopefully Dion Phaneuf can get back to 2008 form for Calgary. Their defense and goaltending must be more than stellar for them to make a run in 2009-2010. However, Calgary controls the puck well, and could have made a deeper run this season if not for a bad first round matchup with Chicago. During the Blackhawks series, the Blachawks seemingly scored goals at will at certain points. The Flames may have to get lucky in terms of playoff matchups, however, if they want to have any chance. Adding a piece or two in the offseason would greatly increase their chances of making a run.


Honorable Mentions: Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers

Football Season is Right Around the Corner.........

Michigan State Spartans mascot "Sparty" crushes Mr. Potato Head....Ahhh, football season.

....and Mel Kiper's Hair has you covered.

Over these next few months, the experts on this blog will preview every aspect of college football and pro football. We will give you divisional, conference, and individual team analysis in order to get you prepared for the pigskin. Stay tuned.

--The Hair

Must-Wins for Magic and Penguins tonight

By Scott

The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Detroit Red Wings in a potentially cup-clinching game 6 tonight. Detroit demoralized the Pens in game 5, posting 5 unanswered goals in a complete, dominating performance which left them 1 win away from hoisting the cup for the second straight season. However, the Wings struggled tremendously in Pittsburgh during games 3 & 4, and they'll have to play a strong game in order to prevent the Penguins from gaining any steam and possibly winning the next two games. Some other observations:

• The Red Wings' game 5 win came in large part to the return of center Pavel Datysuk. Datysuk recorded 2 assists in his first game back since suffering a foot injury in the Western Conference Finals. Detroit's regular season leading scorer has unbelievable awareness on the ice and rejuvenated a Wings offense that struggled in his absence. The Penguins need to slow him down if they want to limit Detroit's attack.
• As poor as Pittsburgh played in game 5, they may have lost in the perfect fashion. The Penguins had the life sucked out of them almost immediately as Detroit wasted no time in packing on the goals. So, instead of losing in a heartbreak, the Penguins can move on and forget that game 5 ever happened. Their mentality going into game 6 has to be one of confidence and assurance that they will force a 7th game.

Down 2-0, the Magic host the Lakers in a pivotal game 3 tonight on ABC. Orlando showed their capability to compete with, and possibly beat the Lakers, coming up just one Courtney Lee layup short of stealing game 2 in L.A. The Magic will have to exploit the Lakers' inconsistent road play and, of course, limit Kobe. Also:

• The 'Kobe Face' has to come to an end. Nobody seems to know where it came from, but it is only irritating basketball fans across the globe. Kobe has plenty of haters and this is not a favorable step for the self-image-obsessed Kobe.
• The Lakers need Lamar Odom to be on his game for the rest of the finals as their success hinges largely on his performance. The Lakers are 6-1 when Odom scores at least 15 points, but Odom is just moments away from entering diabetic shock. Odom laughs throughout the piece as if his candy habits were a childish joke. Is he trying to destroy his health? More importantly when is the last time Odom visited a doctor and had some blood drawn? One would hope that the Lakers will take some initiative and get Lamar into some kind of candy detox program.
• Stan Van Gundy doesn't seem to have the respect of many players on his squad. Playing Jameer Nelson 23 minutes in game 1 didn't help his team or his popularity. Van Gundy is a great coach regardless, but he needs to stick with what got the Magic to the finals with Rafer Alston running the point and commanding the team.

Strasburg set to get paid tonight

By Scott

San Diego State's right-handed pitching phenom, Stephen Strasburg, is now just hours away from becoming the highest paid draft pick in MLB history. The sudden explosion of Strasburg hype aided with super-agent Scott Boras will reel in an estimated 6 year, $50 million from the Washington Nationals who presumably will draft him with the 1st overall pick. Strasburg has been praised as the second coming of everyone from Cy Young to Randy Johnson, and beyond. But, most importantly, the question that is being raised throughout the country, is he worth the hype?

Well, there certainly are not many Strasburg skeptics out there, but for those of you that believe no rookie is worth that kind of cash, consider his Junior Year stats at San Diego State: 13-1, 1.32 ERA, 195 strikeouts, and a mind-blowing no-hitter with National's GM Mike Rizzo in attendance. If that's not enough for you, legend has it that Strasburg has touched 103 mph with his fastball, and that the ball actually caught on fire. Still not convinced? Check out this.

Whether or not Strasburg can convert his wild success in college to dominance in the pros is a mystery to us all; however, the Nationals simply need him to take the mound. Strasburg will bring fans and plenty of national media attention to a franchise on the brink of total irrelevance. If Strasburg does not pan out, however, the Nationals could find themselves in serious financial trouble and possibly on the move to a new city.

Who is this guy?

By Mike

I'm sure many people have glanced over the baseball statline in the newspaper this past week and asked to themselves, "Who is this guy?" A former number one overall draft pick, Adrian Gonzalez, the first baseman for the San Diego Padres, currently leads the MLB in homeruns with 22.

He was drafted in 2000 by the Florida Marlins, and quickly traded to the Texas Rangers. But at that time, the Rangers had the beast Mark Teixiera at first base. Also, many scouts claimed that Gonzalez just didn't have all the tools to make it in the major leagues. They claimed that he could hit for average, but that he just didn't have the strength to hit the ball over the fence. So, the Rangers listened to all of the scouts and traded him to the Padres; oh man did the Padres stike gold in this trade. Gonzalez is on pace for an insane 66 homeruns (just imagine how many he would be hitting if he played in the new Yankees' Stadium), and most important of all, he has never been accused of using any sort of performance-enhacing drugs (keep in mind, though, that he was in the Rangers system with Alex "Roid-riguez" and Rafael Palmeiro).

Adrian Gonzalez is definitely playing like an all-star, and I think it is time to finally give this guy some respect. Right now, he is in 5th place for the National League First Base All-Star position (he is behind Albert Pujols, Joey Votto, Prince Fielder, and Ryan Howard). Not to dis any of the others, but Gonzalez definitely deserves to be an all-star, even more so than future Hall-of-Famer Albert Pujols.

Prediction: .280 AVG, 54 HR, 125 RBI, 100 R

McLouth to the Braves

By Mike

A couple days ago, it was not much of a surprise to hear that the Pittsburgh Pirates had given up on their best all-around player and dealt him to the Braves for three minor leaguers. Nate McLouth was the Pirates only all-star last season, and now it seems like they won't even have one. Coming off his career year, McLouth has started the season off kind of slow. He is only batting .256, but he still does have 9 homeruns and 7 steals. McLouth fills a huge gap for the Atlanta Braves in center field. They lost gold-glove winner Andruw Jones a couple of years ago, and earlier this year depended on their best prospect to fill the void, but that didn't work out as planned. Jordan Schafer was borderline atrocious this season.

Fantasy Impact:

The Braves' stadium's dimensions are very similar to the Pirates, so I don't expect any more or less homeruns from McLouth, but he is under a lot more pressure in Atlanta. Unlike the Pirates, the Braves are potential contenders in the National League East Conference. McLouth could be batting leadoff for the Braves, or he could hit either in front of or behind Chipper Jones. If he does bat around Chipper, he could potentially get more RBI's, but overall I expect much of the same as last year as far as stats go for McLouth.

Prediction: .278 AVG, 25 HR, 100 R, 85 RBI, 25 SB

Don't Call the Pens "Superior" Just Yet

Don't forget: The Wings are still the champs.

In Response to Scott: By Stanley

-The Penguins are not necessarily the "superior" team.  We still got a series to determine that.  You can say that the Penguins are on par with the Wings, or close to them.  But you can't say they are superior until we see Sidney Crosby holding Lord Stanley's Cup above his head.  

-While the Penguins are the "young" team in this one, the Wings actually are not that young.  But they need to count on younger, quicker players like Wes Helms to help them get through this series.  Helms always seems to find the spark that Detroit needs, especially as the game goes along.  

Around the NFL

Will Plax be in uniform for the 2009 NFL Season?

It appears as though Plaxico Burress and his legal team have exposed some loopholes that could allow Plax to play in 2009.  It's such a predictable travesty and only further displays the sad exemption of athletes from the standard legal process.  We can only hope that NFL Executives conspire to not sign Plax and make an example of him; however, that's not likely to happen and there are probably a slew of teams waiting with their fingers crossed for Plax's status for the '09 season to be confirmed.  Although Plax expressed desire to play for the Dolphins, Miami kindly said no-effing way, and it now appears as though the Bears may be the frontrunner for his services.  Obviously, any team who signs him will boost their receiving corps, but will also take on plenty of media heat.  Plax also has a long, storied history of not practicing and disappearing in games; however, a team like the Bears on the cusp of becoming a contender need to take the risk, especially with a talent like Burress.

Brian Westbrook underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle yesterday, but is expected to be ready for the regular season.  A specific date for Westbrook's return is unknown, and while missing training camp might not be a catastrophe for a seasoned veteran like Westbrook, there's no doubt it will hurt the Eagles' offense and it could create some bumps in the road early in the regular season.  2nd-round draft pick LeSean McCoy should take over for Westbrook during his absence, but this is not good news for Andy Reid who could be fighting for his job this season.

To no surprise of anyone, Joey Porter has opened his mouth.  Feeling a bit disrespected by all of the "Patriots' Talk", Porter sent a reminder out to the rest of the AFC East stating that "the AFC East comes through Miami" and "we're the champs until proven otherwise".  It's nice to see some offseason fire coming from, well, anywhere, and especially Joey Porter.  It should be interesting to see how the AFC East plays out this year with 3 and possibly 4 (if you want to consider the Bills a legitimate contender) contenders showcasing Tom Brady's return, Mark Sanchez's debut, and the Dolphin's overlooked roster.

Things we learned from games 3 & 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals

By Scott

• Plain and simple: the Penguins are a superior team.  They're more talented, explosive and inspired.  Whether or not they can bring their newfound energy to Detroit for game 5 hinges on their ability to remain confident and play with a swagger that they lacked in games 1 & 2.  The Red Wings may not be as talented as the Pitt right now, but rest assured, they know what it takes to win a game and their confidence won't be thwarted by losing 2 straight.
• Although I attacked the misconceptions of the Penguins' "inexperience" vs. the Red Wings' experience, the Wings' age is showing off, while the Penguins' youth is paying off. Pittsburgh has spread out their attack and stepped up their physical play, wearing down Detroit's older players.  If Pitt can continue to execute their play, the Wings are in trouble.
• Penguin's head coach Dan Byslma outcoached Mike Babcock by a mile in games 3&4.  He made the perfect adjustments and brought some fire to his squad, all while igniting some offensive fireworks.  The true test for Byslma will come during game 5 in Detroit and his ability to keep his team motivated.
• This year's finals have turned into one largely decided by luck.  Pittsburgh was crushed by unfortunate bounces that went in Detroit's favor during games 1&2, but were on the receiving end of those bounces in games 3&4.  As well as Marc-Andre Fleury and Chris Osgood have performed, they'll need to keep their heads on a swivel to prevent fluky goals from ending their teams' runs at a Cup.

NBA Finals Preview

Will Kobe lead the Lakers to a championship ring?

By Stanley

The Magic come in as the underdog, even after upsetting the tournament-favorite Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Orlando has a really well-balanced team: they can take it to the low post with Dwight Howard, knock down three's with Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, and drive to the hoop with just about everyone else.  However, they were very unsuccessful in stopping Lebron James in the East Finals.  What does this mean?  Look for Kobe to have a monster series.

Although the Magic were able to overcome Lebron's attack, Kobe has a much better supporting cast.  Bryant can count on players like Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for help, while Lebron really had no one to look towards for support.  Orlando is really going to have a tough time stopping Los Angeles defensively.  The Lakers also should be able to contain Dwight Howard a bit better than the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The Lakers can rotate several players in to face Howard, while the Cavs barely even have a big man.  Advantage: LA.  

This series is going to be extremely close and well-fought.  However, I do believe that the Lakers will win in 6 games.  LA's combination of a balanced offense and a really solid defense will give the Magic a tough time.  If Jameer Nelson can come back for Orlando at near 100% (a near 100% impossibility), then the Magic may have a chance.  Unfortunately, Rafer Alston just does not give Orlando that edge at the point guard that they will need to beat the Lakers.  

Kobe here will win his 4th ring, and will have a huge series to take home championship MVP honors.  The Magic won't really have an answer for the abilities of Pau Gasol.  Look for one of the more intriguing matchups to be Turkoglu/Lewis against Lamar Odom.  If Lamar Odom plays terrible, then the Magic may have a chance to continue their excellent playoff shooting percentage to upset LA.  But don't expect anything like that.  The Lakers will take home the hardware Game 6 at the Staples Center.  

Stanley's Pick: Los Angeles Lakers in 6

Scott's Pick: Lakers in 6 (I'm tempted to take the Magic only because they will play the "no one believes in us card")