Man U 3-2 AC Milan

Man U came out with more goals but those 2 goals on the road might push Milan through to the next round. While watching the game they seemed to be debating whether Cristian Ronaldo should get credit for that first goal or whether it was own goal by Dida; Dida didn't touch the ball into the goal, he couldn't keep it out of the goal, thus Ronaldo deserves the score. Kaka was brilliant in the first half, both of his goals were marvelous! But the second half was brutal for them. After losing Gattuso to an injury and subbing out Gilardino, their only forward, Milan had no offense at all--it was like they were allergic to the ball or something, no touch whatsoever. And packing it in on D was a tough gig without Maldini or Gattuso. Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs and Scholes controlled the ball and they got 2 goals back. (I thought Evra got jobbed--twice, actually, but has nothing but a yellow card to show for it) I picked Milan before and I'll stick with them, but they better bring more offense at home.

More hockey

Okay, we're almost to the best part of the NHL season. But until then I'm just thumbnailing it.

Rangers-Sabres
Senators-Devils
The Sabres were the best in the east this year but the Rangers just smoked in Atlanta in the first round. I care not for momentum, I'll take the best squad. Sabres in 6.

The Senators got the scoring, the Devils got the D. I'll take the scoring. Senators in 7.

Canucks-Ducks
Sharks-Red Wings
I just like the Ducks, got a feeling about those Ducks. Canucks beat the better team in the first round but the momentum doesn't carry over to Anaheim. Ducks in 7.

I like the Sharks, they are spunky. But the Red Wings are the 'evil empire' of hockey. I ain't betting against an evil empire--would you? Red Wings in 6.

NBA playoffs foretold

East
Pistons-Magic (Pistons in 5)
Raptors-Nets (Nets in 7)
Cavs-Wizards (Cavs in 5)
Bulls-Heat (Bulls in 7)

West
Mavs-Warriors (Mavs in 6)
Suns-Lakers (Suns in 5)
Spurs-Nuggets (Spurs in 6)
Rockets-Jazz (Rockets in 7)

NBA MVP

1. Dirk Nowitzki (he played like a monster all year, he came to win)
2. Lebron James (the Cavs are absolutely nothing without him)
3. Kobe Bryant (he carried the Lakers even more than usual)
4. Chauncey Billups (Nash has Stoudamire, Marion & Diaw, Billups has Webber, McDyess & Rasheed; Nash is still great but Billups is underappreciated)
5. Gilbert Arenas (would've been higher if he hadn't gotten hurt)
6. Tim Duncan (steady Timmy, day after boring day he's winning games)

No curse here, man

ESPN is reporting that the cover boy of next year's John Madden Football will be Vince Young. Is his career doomed? Did he just drop 4 or 5 rounds in everybody's fantasy league draft? Barry Sanders, Eddie George, Ray Lewis, Daunte Culpepper, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, and Donovan McNabb all had injury-plagued sub-par years after being doused in John Madden's anointing oils (well, in fairness, Sanders retired and completely disappeared from the face of the earth), thus leading to the notion of a cover boy curse. This 'curse' is a bit dubious: uh, guys get hurt playing football all the time regardless of whether they've been on the cover of a video game or not.

And I say the curse ends here! I called it first! Young will be great next year and I say he even avoids injury. I'm not that high on the Titans next year (I'm 'shorting' Titans in market parlance), but I still think he has a productive year and carries them all the way to not making the playoffs. Wait a minute--would that still be considered a curse? You don't think the Titans are going to the playoffs, do you?

Thoughts on Major League Soccer

Watched a bit of the LA Galaxy (1-2) Dallas Fire last night. (Yeah, I know, I missed Man U-Roma the other day but I caught Galaxy-Fire. I guess my high school guidance counselor was right to impugn my 'priorities') The Galaxy suffer the same malady as Team USA: when Landon Donovan is double-marked, he disappears and the offense dries up with him. And Donovan is really surrounded by a bunch of stiffs out there. Every time a defender pushed up, seemed like it was just to rip a ball into the stands. They'd make these 70-yard runs and then not bother to make the next pass and, man, those guys can't shoot worth a shit!

LA controlled the ball well at times but Dallas was more effective around the goal, just more determined to score. And in the second half, Dallas was effective at packing in the D (their goalie is Shaka Hislop, sweet) and grinding the Galaxy out. Galaxy stuck in a goal after I went to bed but it must have been pretty late in the game (yeah, 86th minute by Findley who came off the bench). The Galaxy got 3 yellow cards, each of which was well deserved.

The game got MLS-style sloppy out there: they're athletic and speedy enough to get the pace of the game up pretty high but then they don't have the skill to control the ball. So (and this is a major problem for MLS) the most exciting parts of the action are the sloppiest. At its best MLS is high action fast-break soccer; at its worst, its high school soccer with bigger dudes.

I'm curious to see what kind of difference Mr. Posh Spice will make out there, but the next month until he arrives will be a painful time for Donovan. Once Beckham arrives to suck up some defense and deliver some service then I think Donovan really shines out. If they can make some magic then they should breeze through the MLS. And I'm guessing Donovan will be your MLS MVP this year.

3 English teams in the Semis

Man U v. AC Milan
Milan is loaded from top to bottom but Manchester has had pretty powerful luck so far. They're both great teams, I'll take Milan.

Liverpool v. Chelsea
Liverpool has probably gone further then they should have. I'll take Chelsea.

Mind blowing commentary, no?