Let's recap:
Conference Quarter-Finals predictions
East
Canadiens over Bruins in 6 (Canadiens in 7)
Penguins over Senators in 5 (Penguins in 4)
Caps over Flyers in 7 (Flyers in 7)
Devils over Rangers in 7 (Rangers in 5)
West
Red Wings over Predators in 4 (Red Wings in 6)
Sharks over Flames in 5 (Sharks in 7)
Avalanche over Wild in 7 (Avalanche in 6)
Stars over Ducks in 6 (Stars in 6)
How did I do? Not too bad. I picked all 4 advancers in the West. The Red Wings and Sharks had more trouble than I thought they would and frankly they have no one but themselves to blame! Dude, the Predators had absolutely nothing on Detroit and how they took 2 games is beyond me--even in a wildly unpredictable game like hockey, the Red Wings still should've swept Nashville. The Sharks, too, should've moved on with room to spare but the Flames played a wide-open style that allowed them to hang around. If the Sharks can drop 3 games to Calgary then they can drop 4 to Dallas.
I was only 2 out of 4 in the east, however. I was rooting for the Caps (Ovechkin is a beast), but they were a very even match-up with the Flyers. Their seasonal stats are virtually identical but the Caps were coming in hot and I thought that alone would push them past an even opponent. OT in game 7 shows that either team could've won. The only real surprise to me was the Devils. Wow, they limped quick. They dominated the east for long stretches of the season and it looked to me like they were poised for some ass kicking. Nope.
But now on to the next round. I've been watching a lot of hockey lately but I've managed to miss the Canadiens, Rangers and Penguins so far. I look forward to catching them from here on out.
Conference Semi-Finals predictions
East
Canadiens over Flyers in 6
Rangers over Penguins in 7
West
Red Wings over Avalanche in 6
Stars over Sharks in 7
So there it is.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Red Sox 6-4 Indians
I loved the way my Indians played last night. Except for Joe Borowski. They looked strong frustrating Jon Lester and Jake Westbrook did well into the 6th. Hafner got big hits, Martinez was clutch, Sizemore was strong on D and Cabrera and Blake had critical at-bats. Then came Borowski and he very quickly, very assuredly unraveled it all. Man, my Tribe needs a new closer. I'd be up for grabbing David Riske back from the Brewers but apparently they're closer needs are not being satisfied by Eric Gagne.
Oh and how the hell did the Red Wings blow game 3? I watched some of the 1st period and quite a bit of the 2nd and 3rd and Nashville exhibited absolutely no attack at all while I was watching. The Red Wings weren't playing classic hockey but they wree getting it done. Perhaps they got lulled to sleep by the obviously inferoir Predators. Somehow they beat Hasek for 2 goals in 9 seconds and added an empty netter to cake walk into game 4. WTF?
Oh and how the hell did the Red Wings blow game 3? I watched some of the 1st period and quite a bit of the 2nd and 3rd and Nashville exhibited absolutely no attack at all while I was watching. The Red Wings weren't playing classic hockey but they wree getting it done. Perhaps they got lulled to sleep by the obviously inferoir Predators. Somehow they beat Hasek for 2 goals in 9 seconds and added an empty netter to cake walk into game 4. WTF?
Trevor Immelman (-8)
Some bemoan the lack of drama on Sunday at the Masters but I dug it. Early on I had my eye on Snedeker but he started piling up bogeys and was out of it by the turn. Paul Casey disappeared quickly, Mickelson never got into it, Steve Flesh did not have a good day and Stewart Cink stepped up enough to collect 3rd place money. I kept waiting for Tiger to come around and he had his moments--beautiful stick on 16 but he didn't finish the birdie--but he just never looked comfortable out there. He looked like that last year against Zach Johnson too--has Augusta become his Waterloo?
So basically it was a waiting game to see if Immelman would yack it up and he did give up 2 strokes late and 75 on Sunday was the highest by a winner in 40 years. Nobody took it from him and he didn't give it away. He had the steady nerve and did what needed to be done. What's boring about that? That's good solid Sunday Masters golf.
So basically it was a waiting game to see if Immelman would yack it up and he did give up 2 strokes late and 75 on Sunday was the highest by a winner in 40 years. Nobody took it from him and he didn't give it away. He had the steady nerve and did what needed to be done. What's boring about that? That's good solid Sunday Masters golf.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
NHL playoffs predicted
East
Canadiens over Bruins in 6
Penguins over Senators in 5
Caps over Flyers in 7
Devils over Rangers in 7
West
Red Wings over Predators in 4
Sharks over Flames in 5
Avalanche over Wild in 7
Stars over Ducks in 6
I know, I know: only 1 upset in the first round? The NHL doesn't have the home-ice advantage that you look for in other sports so upsets are fairly routine. I just don't see it coming this season, the top sqauds are too dangerous. That's good for now, I'll check back before the conference semi-finals.
Canadiens over Bruins in 6
Penguins over Senators in 5
Caps over Flyers in 7
Devils over Rangers in 7
West
Red Wings over Predators in 4
Sharks over Flames in 5
Avalanche over Wild in 7
Stars over Ducks in 6
I know, I know: only 1 upset in the first round? The NHL doesn't have the home-ice advantage that you look for in other sports so upsets are fairly routine. I just don't see it coming this season, the top sqauds are too dangerous. That's good for now, I'll check back before the conference semi-finals.
NCAA B-Ball updates
Kansas 75-68 (OT) Memphis
Memphis had it and didn't close it. John Calipari is a great recruiter and a snappy dresser but he's not an in-game tactician. Derek Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts are 2 of the best guards I've seen in a while and they'll both be excellent pro players. I like Brandon Rush, probably a little undersized for what will be expected of him at the next level but I think he'll be pretty good.
North Carolina was disappointing but if you think about, the Tarheels have a long history of making the Final Four and then doing nothing. UCLA was just outmatched at every position by Memphis. I like Kevin Love but I think he'd be better served by another year in college and Darren Collison basically proved he can't play at the next level by getting his ass handed to him by Rose. I like Tyler Hansbrough, he's got good hands, good feet and plays with intensity but I just don't think he's got the skills to be an all-star; he could contribute along the lines of what Chuck Hayes is doing with the Rockets.
Tennessee 64-48 Stanford
UT's defense was too stifling for Stanford's attack. Gotta admit defense may win championships but in the ladies' game I'd rather see offense, cutting to the basket, crisp passing, clutch jumpers. Tennessee is a great champion (as usual) but it was a pretty dull game. Candice Parker went on to be the #1 pick in the WNBA draft this afternoon. Damn, they have the draft the day after the championship? No combines? No hype? No fun!
Memphis had it and didn't close it. John Calipari is a great recruiter and a snappy dresser but he's not an in-game tactician. Derek Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts are 2 of the best guards I've seen in a while and they'll both be excellent pro players. I like Brandon Rush, probably a little undersized for what will be expected of him at the next level but I think he'll be pretty good.
North Carolina was disappointing but if you think about, the Tarheels have a long history of making the Final Four and then doing nothing. UCLA was just outmatched at every position by Memphis. I like Kevin Love but I think he'd be better served by another year in college and Darren Collison basically proved he can't play at the next level by getting his ass handed to him by Rose. I like Tyler Hansbrough, he's got good hands, good feet and plays with intensity but I just don't think he's got the skills to be an all-star; he could contribute along the lines of what Chuck Hayes is doing with the Rockets.
Tennessee 64-48 Stanford
UT's defense was too stifling for Stanford's attack. Gotta admit defense may win championships but in the ladies' game I'd rather see offense, cutting to the basket, crisp passing, clutch jumpers. Tennessee is a great champion (as usual) but it was a pretty dull game. Candice Parker went on to be the #1 pick in the WNBA draft this afternoon. Damn, they have the draft the day after the championship? No combines? No hype? No fun!
Monday, April 7, 2008
NCAA Update
One upside of Kentucky being so poor lately is that I actually put together a real bracket instead of picking UK to win (though I did have them going to the sweet 16 this year). The last time I picked the final correctly was (I'm guessing) the year North Carolina beat Illinois. Well, I had Kansas over Memphis in my bracket so I guess I'm sticking with that.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
NIT Picking
Ohio State -3.5 UMass
In the NIT semi-finals, Ohio State easily handled Ole Miss while UMass brushed aside Florida. This actually looks like an interesting match-up. I still don't know much about these teams but I'll go with UMass to win straight up.
The buzz is that UMass's Travis Ford will be rolled out as LSU's new coach on Friday. With Western Kentucky's Darrin Horn (name dropper alert, a high school classmate of mine) heading to South Carolina the SEC will be infused with some new blood. Unfortunately for those guys, I think they're on the wrong side of big time basketball. Darrin, buddy, South Carolina is a graveyard, smack dab in the middle of the fiercest of SEC and ACC recruiting battles simultaneously; man, I thought Marquette would've been a better fit. As for LSU, its a football school and basketball over the years has been dedicated to zinging Kentucky every once in a while, I just don't see the upside. (Incidentally I thought the LSU job was ideal for Bobby Knight--he could've zinged Kentucky with some gusto and maybe built something interesting there but he seems to have found a home at ESPN)
In the NIT semi-finals, Ohio State easily handled Ole Miss while UMass brushed aside Florida. This actually looks like an interesting match-up. I still don't know much about these teams but I'll go with UMass to win straight up.
The buzz is that UMass's Travis Ford will be rolled out as LSU's new coach on Friday. With Western Kentucky's Darrin Horn (name dropper alert, a high school classmate of mine) heading to South Carolina the SEC will be infused with some new blood. Unfortunately for those guys, I think they're on the wrong side of big time basketball. Darrin, buddy, South Carolina is a graveyard, smack dab in the middle of the fiercest of SEC and ACC recruiting battles simultaneously; man, I thought Marquette would've been a better fit. As for LSU, its a football school and basketball over the years has been dedicated to zinging Kentucky every once in a while, I just don't see the upside. (Incidentally I thought the LSU job was ideal for Bobby Knight--he could've zinged Kentucky with some gusto and maybe built something interesting there but he seems to have found a home at ESPN)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
NIT Picking
Massachusetts-Florida
I didn't blog as such but Florida was my pre-tourney pick to win it. Billy Donovan's mind games with his players, not allowing them to wear school colors for example, looked like just the thing a great coach does to motivate so-so players for a tournament run. Florida's players are actually pretty good but they were considered a disappointment this year. That was probably unfair as they're so green. A good run through this NIT may give them just the taste of success they need to come back strong next season. (Personally I'm hoping it burns them out and they suck next year) UMass incidentally is also coached by a Rick Pitino disciple, Travis Ford. I'll always remember Ford setting himself to take a charge from Shaq; didn't get the call if I'm not mistaken but on the up-side, he didn't shatter every bone in his body either. This shouldn't be quite as physically exhausting but I'm guessing Ford comes up on the short end here too. I'll take Florida.
Ole Miss-Ohio State
I saw Ole Miss play a coupla times this year and frankly they were pretty bad. I'm surprised they advanced this far even in a mediocre tourney like the NIT. I didn't see Ohio State play this year but I'm assuming they're better. I'll take Ohio State.
Looks like we're on track for a rematch of last year's NCAA finals. Or a double disappointment for football schools trying to turn into basketball schools. Never happened before. Cool or sad?
I didn't blog as such but Florida was my pre-tourney pick to win it. Billy Donovan's mind games with his players, not allowing them to wear school colors for example, looked like just the thing a great coach does to motivate so-so players for a tournament run. Florida's players are actually pretty good but they were considered a disappointment this year. That was probably unfair as they're so green. A good run through this NIT may give them just the taste of success they need to come back strong next season. (Personally I'm hoping it burns them out and they suck next year) UMass incidentally is also coached by a Rick Pitino disciple, Travis Ford. I'll always remember Ford setting himself to take a charge from Shaq; didn't get the call if I'm not mistaken but on the up-side, he didn't shatter every bone in his body either. This shouldn't be quite as physically exhausting but I'm guessing Ford comes up on the short end here too. I'll take Florida.
Ole Miss-Ohio State
I saw Ole Miss play a coupla times this year and frankly they were pretty bad. I'm surprised they advanced this far even in a mediocre tourney like the NIT. I didn't see Ohio State play this year but I'm assuming they're better. I'll take Ohio State.
Looks like we're on track for a rematch of last year's NCAA finals. Or a double disappointment for football schools trying to turn into basketball schools. Never happened before. Cool or sad?
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