2nd Round Playoff Preview

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

The Habs pulled off the upset beating the Capitals in 7 games, and are on a roll having won the final 3 games of that series. They face the Penguins, who overcame an early deficit to beat the Senators in 6 games. This will be an intriguing matchup, as it pits a super hot team riding an insanely hot goalie against the defending Stanley Cup champs. In my years of watching playoff hockey, there is one maxim that always holds true. A team with a hot goalie can beat anyone. Jaroslav Halak has been a hot little potato in the past three games, and was the biggest reason that the Canadiens were able to win. I’m really having a tough time picking this series, because on one hand we’ve got the hot goalie on a team that’s riding high, and on the other hand we’ve got the defending champs with another hot potato in Sidney (henceforth referred to as Cindy) Crosby. I’m going to have to go with the hot goalie here, and I’m picking the Habs.

BOLT prediction: Canadiens 4-3


#6 Boston Bruins vs. #7 Philadelphia Flyers

This series is another one that is tough to call, but for a different reason. I’m not convinced that either of these teams are that good, but they both advanced. Going back to the old adage, I’m going to go with the team with better goaltending. The Bruins rely on Tuukka Rask, one of the best young netminders in the league, while the Flyers have Brian Boucher in net. Boucher performed admirably against the Devils, but I’m not convinced that he will keep that going against the Bruins. I’m going with the Bruins here, but I think that whoever makes it out of this series is just going to lose to the winner of the other series.

BOLT prediction: Bruins 4-2


WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings

The Sharks managed to avoid choking in the first round again by beating the Avs, but their reward for that series win is a date with the Red Wings. The Red Wings were pushed to the brink by the Coyotes, but showed why they’re the Red Wings by crushing in game 7. I look for the Wings to keep that momentum going. While the Sharks did win, they did so against a depleted Avs team. I think this may be the last hurrah for the likes of Lidstrom and Rafalski, so they’ll look to keep winning. I’m going to take the Red Wings in this one. The Sharks may have won one series, but they’re facing a team with a whole lot of Stanley Cup rings.

BOLT prediction: Red Wings 4-2


#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #3 Vancouver Canucks

The Blackhawks had their hands full with the Predators in the first round, but were able to emerge victorious. The Canucks faced a quality Kings team, but were able to defeat them with a balanced scoring attack, and former Red Wing Mikael Samuelsson, who contributed several key goals. I think the series will hinge on the play of the goalies of Chicago. They proved to be rather shaky during the first round, and if that continues, it could spell a quick series for the Hawks. Since I picked the Canucks to win the Cup in my original preview and they played very well in their first round series, I’m going with the Canucks here. Even though the Hawks beat them last year, I think this year’s Canuck team is better across the board.

BOLT prediction: Canucks 4-1

-THE-A-TRAIN-

Hottest Little Potatoes

Robinson Cano, NYY: 12/23, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, SB

Kendry Morales, LAA: 10/25, 3 HR, 10 RBI

Miguel Olivo, Col: 7/17, 3 HR, 8 RBI (Threw out 7 of first 9 attempted steals this year and took the starting job from Chris Ianetta.

Francisco Liriano, Min: 16 IP, 16 K, 2 W, 0.00 ERA, 0.81 WHIP

Josh Johnson, Fla: 15 IP, 14 K, W, 1.80 ERA, 0.73 WHIP

Phil Hughes, NYY: 13 IP, 12 K, W, 1.38 ERA, 0.69 WHIP

(All stats from last 7 days unless otherwise noted)

THAT'S HOT!!!!!!!!


-APT

Playoff Sprites

- The Coyotes played the Redwings to 7 games, but Detroit was not to be denied, trashing the Coyotes, in Phoenix, 6-1. The Wings have a tendency to make sure these game 7s are never in doubt. I painfully remember a game 7 where the Wings dropped 7 goals on the great Patrick Roy to dispose of my beloved Avalanche. So everyone's favorite not-so-sleeper pick to make it to the finals out of the West are still alive. They move on to San Jose. The Sharks struggled early in the series with Colorado, but that had more to do with the play of Craig Andersen, at times, than it did with how well the Sharks were playing. Despite Andersen's sharp play, the Sharks still do have to find a way to bury pucks. They have some great finishers; it's just a matter of putting things together.

- The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns have both spent time in this first round as the best team in the West. They've also both spent time in the shoes of a team that didn't look like it was going to get out of the first round. The Lakers came out strong against Oklahoma City, and then battled well in Game 2 to finish a close game. However, they were beat up in Game 4 at OKC, and all of the sudden the series was level. However Game 5 was back to LA and back to work, as Kobe and company turned up the defensive pressure and rendered the Oklahoma Cities fairly helpless. The Lakers were able to rest their stars for the 4th quarter. It's back to OKC for Game 6; so we'll see which Lakers show up. The Suns have shared similar ups and downs. In the three games that the Suns have won in the series, they have absolutely dominated Portland. Their offense has looked absolutely unstoppable, their defense has been stout, and they have been beyond opportunistic with their transition from one to the other. However, in the other two games, they looked like they were walking in cement shoes, unable to run up and down, and defensively static. They have started running even after makes at this point in the series, though, and Brandon Roy's initial burst seems to have tapered off. Both of these series are likely over tomorrow.

- There are two big stories from the Eastern Conference 1-8 series. One is of course, Alex Ovechkin, as he centers many of the NHL's finest stories. Ovie's Capitals were dismissed by Montreal after a 2-1 Game 7 loss. Ovechkin has been a great individual player, and the Capital's have had plenty of regular season success, but they have only been out of the first round of the playoffs one time. With his inability to bring post-season success to Washington or major Olympic success to Russia, many are going to start to question Ovechkin's performance in these kind of big money situations. It is especially relevant when you look at the way the Canadiens were able to shut Ovie down in this series, in the four games they won. Granted, teams game plan to shut #8 down. This is the way to beat the caps. But this begs the question, is it Ovechkin's responsibility to break through and lead his team mentally and on the score sheet despite these grand attempts to slow him or is it up to his team to step up, knowing they will be granted opportunities in this situation? That's a tough question to answer. I would imagine it's at least a little of both, but it's more important the Capitals figure it out than I do.

- The other big story in this series, to me, came from a decision by Jacques Martin. It was a decision that I believe came even later than it should have, and was probably aided by an unsportsmanlike penalty in a poor Game 5 from Carey Price. But Martin changed the series when he went back to Jaroslav Halak for Game 5. Halak was bombarded early in game 3 and pulled for Price, before sitting Game 4. However, to anyone who saw these games played, Halak's performance was stand-out. For anyone that watched the Olympic tournament, Halak put up huges performances for Team Slovakia, as well. He answered Martin's call by giving up 3 goals in the last 3 games of the series combined, in 3 wins for the Canadiens, which brought them back from a 3-1 deficit. Halak made 37 saves in Game 5, 53!!! in game 6, and just for good measure, another 41 tonight in the clincher. That's 131 saves on 134 shots in the 3 games, a save percentage of 97.8. With that kind of goal-tending, could even Sid the Kid be in trouble? That's doubtful with the scoring depth of the Penguins, but you could have made that argument for Washington. Between the Veteran defensive units of Montreal and the potential of Jaroslav Halak, you never know.

- As I'm typing this post, the Milwaukee Bucks, sans Andrew Bogut, continue the stream of great performances by teams who are missing major contributors. The Bucks were down 9 with 4:09 minutes left in the fourth quarter, before Scott Skiles called a time out. Now, I don't know what Skiles said during that time out, but he must have had some of Michael Jordan's magic water from Space Jam, because the next thing you know, John Salmons is leading the Deer on a 14-0 run before the Hawks score again with 19 seconds left. The Bucks held off a semi-valiant effort from the Hawks late, but head back to Milwaukee with a 3-2 series lead.

- The Eastern Conference Semi-Finals consist of the #4 vs. #8 and the #6 vs. #7. The NHL continues to prove that their playoffs are the epitome of parity. Perhaps the parity is almost too extreme, with so many top seeds falling short each year, but I personally love the unpredictability.

- The Orlando Magic QUIETLY swept the Charlotte Bobcats out of their playoff series. Outside of Dwight Howard's (likely financially costly) complaints about the fouls called on him, the Magic were very impressive. They were able to easily handle the Bobcats with Dwight Howards spending way too much time on the bench and Vince Carter spending way to much time on ice. The Magic were this blogger's favorite to come out of the East and repeat as losers to the Lakers in the finals. The Magic also draw what is looking to be an easier second round match-up, judging by the way the Celtics disposed of the Heat quickly. If they can iron out their couple of issues, Lebron and his sore elbow could be in a lot of trouble.

- I made light of this in the previous piece about how it's not always the higher seed that gets the draw in these 8 team playoff brackets. The Magic are seemingly benefiting from being the #2 in the NBA East as opposed to the #1. The New Jersey Devils suffered from their late season move up to #2 in the NHL Eastern Conference. That gave the Devils a battle with the Flyers, a team that they have consistently matched-up poorly against. This regular season was no different, and sadly, so was the playoff series. The same can be said for the Dallas Mavericks, who, as the #2 seed in NBA, were lucky enough to draw the San Antonio Spurs. Caron Butler led the Mavs to a game 5 win to pull that series back to 3-2, but Dallas is still in big trouble.

- Again, I have already made light of this, but it should be highlighted how the consistent veteran contenders that we all have come to expect solid playoff showings from have, once again, come to play in the big show, despite struggles throughout the regular season. I've already addressed Detroit's playoff surge. They were battling just to be in the playoffs until a couple weeks from regular season's end. The Celtics were a popular upset pick after the geriatric performance they put on after the all-star break. And no one knew what to think of the Spurs upon watching the regular season. We all hoped and probably still expected to see a different version of these teams come playoff time, and so far have not been disappointed.

- I don't think Lebron's injury is anything serious, but I'm not a doctor.

- Orlando over Milwaukee 4-1, Cleveland over Boston 4-3; Orlando over Cleveland 4-2; Los Angeles over Utah 4-1, Phoenix over San Antonio 4-3; Los Angeles over Phoenix 4-2; Los Angeles over Orlando 4-2

- Pittsburgh over Montreal 4-2, Philadelphia over Boston 4-2; Pittsburgh over Philadelphia 4-0; Detroit over San Jose 4-3, Vancouver over Chicago 4-3; Detroit over Vancouver 4-2; Detroit over Pittsburgh 4-3

-APT

Mock Analysis

-The first thing that you will see is that I go with Eric Berry at 5 to the Chiefs. Some think they’ll go O Line here, but they drafted Branden Albert top 5 two years ago so this pick would likely be for RT. Berry is BPA at that point, and they need help in the defensive backfield.

-I have Dez Bryant dropping far, but I could see him possibly going to the Broncos, Texans, possibly even the Browns.

-You’ll notice that Jimmy Clausen is missing. While this is mainly because I forgot about him until I was done, there is another reason. I’m convinced that whoever picks Clausen will do so via trade, so I think it would be a moot point to try to pinpoint a place where he’ll get picked. If Bulaga and Williams are both off the board by the time the Bills pick, I can see them going for Clausen.

-I, like everyone not named Al Davis, have no idea who the Raiders will actually pick. My thought is Campbell because they’ve picked some skill position players early in the last few years and Campbell has arguably the highest upside of any of the tackles in the draft. He’s big and he’s athletic, but he doesn’t have a lot of experience and has had some character issues.

-If Rolando McClain is off the board at 15, I see the Giants going with Dan Williams from Tennessee. The DT play last season was subpar at best, with little to no pressure coming from the middle.

-The end of the first round will be very interesting, as there are many first round talents that will not be drafted in the first round this year. Just some of the players that could go in the first round include Golden Tate (WR Domers), Devin McCourty (CB Rutgers), Everson Griffin (DE USC), Arrelious Benn (WR Illinois), Brian Price (DT UCLA).

-I suppose I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Tim Tebow. I think he can go anywhere from late 1st to mid 3rd. I could see the Bills taking him early in the 2nd. Personally, I’m not sure he can make an impact as a QB in the show. His footwork and mechanics a whole lot of work, and he needs to learn how to properly go through progressions in a pro offense. While everyone keeps saying “I wouldn’t bet against Tim Tebow, his intangibles, etc”, I am going to bet against him. If you don’t have enough tangibles, all the intangibles won’t make you a starting QB.

-THE-A-TRAIN-

1st Annual A Train Mock Draft

Here are the picks. Stay tuned for a more thorough analysis before draft-time tonight.

-THE-A-TRAIN-

1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma

2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma

4. Washington Redskins: Russell Okung OL Oklahoma State

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Berry S Tennessee

6. Seattle Seahawks: Trent Williams OL Oklahoma

7. Cleveland Browns: Joe Haden CB Florida

8. Oakland Raiders: Bruce Campbell OL Maryland

9. Buffalo Bills: Brian Bulaga OL Iowa

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Morgan DL Georgia Tech

11. Denver Broncos (from Chicago): Rolando McClain ILB Alabama

12. Miami Dolphins: Jason Pierre-Paul OLB South Florida

13. San Francisco 49ers: Earl Thomas SS Texas

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): C.J. Spiller RB Clemson

15. New York Giants: Dan Williams DT Tennessee

16. Tennessee Titans: Carlos Dunlap DL Florida

17. San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Davis OL Rutgers

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Iupati OL Idaho

19. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Graham DE/OLB Michigan

20. Houston Texans: Kyle Wilson CB Boise State

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma State

22. New England Patriots: Jermaine Gersham TE Oklahoma

23. Green Bay Packers: Jerry Hughes DL/OLB TCU

24. Philadelphia Eagles: Sean Witherspoon OLB Missouri

25. Baltimore Ravens: Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech

26. Arizona Cardinals: Sergio “Amazon” Kindle OLB Texas

27. Dallas Cowboys: Taylor Mays SS USC

28. San Diego Chargers: Ryan Matthews RB Fresno State

29. New York Jets: Jared Odrick DE Penn State

30. Minnesota Vikings: Maurkice Pouncey C/OG Florida

31. Indianapolis Colts: Charles “Chuck, Chazz” Brown OT USC

32.New Orleans Saints: Patrick Robinson CB Florida State

Hoodie-Gate

As it was dubbed by Joe Maddon, Hoodie-Gate in the MLB has come to a close. Major League Baseball is allowing Maddon to wear his hoodie after banning it just a day earlier. The ban was ridiculous, so it's great that it was reversed, but what's better are Joe Maddon's comments in this article on ESPN.COM.

-APT

This Baseball Saturday

The two features stories of course:

The 20 inning Marathon between the Mets and the Cardinals. The major moments in this game were 1. Alex Cora's catch to end the 11th inning. In only his third appearance at first base in his career, Cora made a catch jumping into the stands of Busch Stadium to catch a foul pop by Matt Holiday with the bases loaded. 2. Tony LaRusa double-switching Matt Holiday out of the game. The pitcher spot ended up behind Albert Pujols, allowing the Mets to remove Pujols from the game. This one almost certainly would have ended, had Pujols gotten a chance, as I already discussed the 11th inning, and twice the Mets retired relief pitchers with the bases loaded to end an inning after walking Pujols. Also, props in this one to Felipe Lopez, who pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the Cardinals, and Mike Pelfrey, who did what the great K-Rod could not do, closing the game in the 20th for his first career save.

Ubaldo Jimenez pitched the first Colorado Rockies No-Hitter, defeating the Braves 4-0. Jimenez walked 6, but gave up nothing else. Congratulations to the Rockies organization and to Jimenez, whose last pitch in the game still fired in at 97mph.

Other things happened today (Tim Lincecum was awesome again (including 3/4 from the plate), Garrett Jones walked-off with a Pirate win, Alfonso Soriano still can't play left field), but none of them seem to matter too much.

What a day! (And this was in and around a day of NHL and NBA playoffs)

-APT

Hottest Little Potatoes

This weeks 5 Hottest Little Potatoes in the Major Leagues:

Shin-Soo Choo, Cle: 9/17, 6 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 7 BB, 1 K 1 SB

Dustin Pedroia, Bos: 11/23, 3 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K,

Jose Guillen, KC: 11/25, 8 R, 2 2B, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K

Jeff Francouer, NYM: 10/21, 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 2 K

Andre Ethier, LAD: 10/23, 4 R, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

(Stats over the last 7 days)

- Jose Guillen revealed this week that blood clots in his legs forced him to discuss the possibility of death with doctors. Guillen with a new lease on life, and making the best of it in baseball.

- Jeff Francouer has 7 walks already this season. Last season he walked 23 times all season. Seems someone in NY has got him seeing the ball a lot better.

- Andre Ethier hit 2 HR last night, in the first 2 innings against San Francisco, making him a late potatular addition.

-APT

The Marshall Plan

The Miami Dolphins made what I would consider a great trade this week, acquiring Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos for a 2nd round pick in each of the next 2 drafts. This is certainly not a nothing-price, but in return, the Dolphins acquired at top-5 NFL receiver. To currently rank all the Wide Receivers in the NFL right now, the list would have to go something like...

(I did this quickly and it is based upon capability for production, not any kind of proven production)

1. "Nice Hands" Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Brandon Marshall
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Sidney Rice
6. Vincent Jackson
7. Calvin Johnson
8. Greg Jennings
9. Anquan Boldin
10. Marques Colston
11. Randy Moss
12. Santonio Homes
13. Roddy White
14. Wes Welker
15. Miles Austin

(This was supposed to be a list of 10 but I felt bad leaving some people out.)

Anyway, the point is that the Dolphins made themselves a lot better in one quick move. They now have a weapon for their young quarterback, that other defenses can only stop if they leave the 80% of the field vulnerable. There is no better safety blanket than a receiver like that. If the Dolphins can keep their 2-headed backfield healthy, maintaining prime effectiveness of the only legitimate WildCat offense, then their scoring production is going to soar. Simply the natural development of gained experience will put Chad Henne in a position to thrive. He is used to having big, near uncoverable split-outs (Mario Mannigham and Adrian Arrington at Michigan). I am a believer in Henne. I think he is a winner, his flaws are not drastic, and in the right situation, he can be a substantial producer in the NFL. The Dolphins are one giant step closer to creating that type of "right situation".

One of my first thoughts, however, when I saw this deal was made was, "I hope they don't quickly turn around and trade Ted Ginn, Jr." For those up with news, they have just traded Ginn to San Francisco. They get a 5th round pick back, which isn't enough for the kind of player Ted Ginn can be. Ginn's problem is that he is not a #1 receiving option and he is not made to excel when split out against a teams #1 cover guy + safeties. But if you want to know about his abilities just ask "Flavor of the Year" Darelle Revis. Ginn was the only receiver in the league able to light up Revis this past season. He was simply too fast for Revis to cover without umbrella help. I'm assuming that the decision to trade Ginn has a lot to do with the combined factors of Finances and Satisfaction in the ability of Davone Bess. I'm not fluent in Miami's financial situation, but I think they are missing a golden opportunity. For more on Ginn, we turn to...

EVERY DAY SPORTS WITH PIERRE ESCARGOT

me: marshall was for 2nd round 2010 and 2nd round 2011 right?
A-Train: i do believe so
me: words
A-Train: then theodore ginn to the 9ers for a 5th this year
me: yeah i saw that
i was gonig to write in my marshall post how they shouldn't trade tedd ginn
but it's too late
now i have to wriet how they shouldn't have traded tedd ginn
A-Train: yeah
i guess they have faith in devone bess
me: i suppose
but just cause you acquire matt holiday to bat 4th and play left
doesn't mean you trade denard span
it just means you are super relieved that denard span doesn't have to bat fourth and play left
cause now he can bat first and play center
where devon bess really should be at 2nd batting in the 2 hole
A-Train: word
but thats a good move for the 9ers
me: because as much as i'm sure you'll admit denard span should not be a clean up hitter
i ask you this
is denard span fast?
A-Train: i do believe so
he has referred to as notoriously fast
me: i've heard it
so where does that leave ginn on the niners
in the slot where he should be on the dolfans?
did isaac bruce retire?
A-Train: not sure
but probably will if he hasnt already
me: they still list him
but i imagine it will be crabtree and josh mogan wide
with ginn slotted
A-Train: but whats weird with the 9ers is that vernon davis is essentially their #1
i would imagine itll be crabtree as the 1 receiver
me: yeah but that's fine
A-Train: then ginn as 2
me: well it's like San Diego 2 years ago
Gates was obviously the #1 option
but they still had a receiver hierarchy
A-Train: word
me: i am less concerned about where people rank in the hierarchy
and more about where they will best succeed positionally
the way that wes welker is (was) the best receiver on the Pats
but he should be in the slot
A-Train: yeah
me: or how Roy E. Williams might suck
but if he's on teh field
he should be split out to the open side
A-Train: yeah
i think the fact that davis is dangerous should open things up for theodore
me: yeah, definitely
it'll move safeties
and if you can move safeties
give ted ginn some room
A-Train: and theodore with room
not good for the other team
me: no, severely hampering to scoring defense numbers

me: i like i talk to you while blogging
because then i can just copy and paste it
instead of doing actual blogging
and now it comes up as A-Train
instead of Tom

-APT

NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW: WESTERN CONFERENCE

Yesterday I previewed the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, so today I’ll do it all over again for the West (where we should see some “upsets”):


#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs #8 Oklahoma City Thunder

Last week in my Western Conference playoff pre-preview, I alluded to the fact that Oklahoma City had a shot at stealing the Northwest Division and gaining home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, a remarkable achievement for a team that was 23-59 one season ago. Well, the Thunder slipped up a bit down the stretch, and in this tight race that means that they have fallen all the way to #8 and will draw LA in the first round. The Lakers have struggled a bit down the stretch themselves, however they went 3-1 against the Thunder this season, so this shouldn’t be a matchup that gives them too much trouble. Pau Gasol is going to be a big problem for the Thunder’s frontline, and Kobe should be somewhat rejuvenated after sitting out some games during the last week of the season (although the broken finger he suffered back in December is still an issue). Kevin Durant aside, Oklahoma City is probably a year away from contending in the West, and considering how far they have come this year they are probably okay with that.

Prediction: Lakers in 5


#2 Dallas Mavericks vs #7 San Antonio Spurs

This is a rematch of last year’s first round series in which the 6th seeded Mavericks knocked out the 3rd seeded Spurs. To be honest, the Spurs have a good chance at returning the favor this year. Based on offensive/defensive rating, San Antonio is the more impressive team (+5.64 versus +2.88), and their W-L records aren’t so drastically different to make one think that Dallas is that much better than the Spurs. For some perspective, Dallas’ +/- is the worst of all 8 playoff teams in the West, so based on this measure it appears that Dallas has overachieved this season, even after the acquisition of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood at the trading deadline. Combine this with the fact that the Spurs are healthy and playing their best basketball down the stretch and Dallas could be in trouble. The Mavs do have some momentum coming into the playoffs, though, as they are riding a 5 game winning streak. Also, they took 3 out of 4 from the Spurs this season, so there is that, however in only 1 of those 3 wins did Duncan, Parker and Ginobili all play (this includes Wednesday’s regular season finale). This should be a close series, however the Spurs should be able to avenge their early exit from a year ago and move on.

Prediction: Spurs in 6


#3 Phoenix Suns vs #6 Portland Trailblazers

Phoenix’s dominating performance on Wednesday night in Utah comes with the reward of a matchup with arguably the weakest team in the West. Portland has been ravaged by injuries all season, and the bug bit again the other night when Brandon Roy suffered a knee injury (torn meniscus). Roy is going to have surgery and will miss the entire series, a big loss for the Blazers. On top of that, Portland isn’t a great defensive team (106.8 defensive rating), so they will have trouble defending the league’s most efficient offensive team (115.5 offensive rating). Specifically, Amare Stoudemire has become a respectable mid-range jump shooter (on top of being a monster inside), and Channing Frye has become one of the league’s top shooters from 3-point range (43.9%), so Portland’s top interior defender, Marcus Camby, will almost surely be guarding one of these two for much of the game (most likely Frye). This leaves more wiggle room for Steve Nash to do his thing in the paint and spells trouble for the Blazers unless they can really step it up on offense. They are more than capable on that end, but the Suns are playing so well right now that I just don’t see them being a legitimate threat without Brandon Roy.

Prediction: Suns in 5


#4 Denver Nuggets vs #5 Utah Jazz

This is definitely the toughest first round series to predict in the West. Both teams finished with the same record and showed flashes of being legitimate threats to dethrone the Lakers. Both teams score the ball efficiently and are middle-of-the-road defensive teams, although Utah is a bit better (105.2 DR versus 107.9 DR). One would expect Utah to have the edge, however they are the 5 seed, so Denver has the home court advantage (where they were an impressive 34-7 this season). This series has the potential to go 7 games, especially if Kenyon Martin is able to produce after sitting out 18 games with a knee injury. He saw limited minutes in Denver’s last three regular season games, but the Nuggets are going to need him to do a lot more if they want to stop Carlos Boozer. Similarly, the Jazz need Andrei Kirilenko to bounce back from his own injury to help bolster their bench, which is pretty thin even with him healthy. Denver has been through a lot down the stretch with George Karl stepping down to get treatment for cancer (he will miss at least this series) and Martin’s injury, so they seem like the more vulnerable team at this juncture. I like the Jazz in this series, but it won’t be a cakewalk. If this series goes to a Game 7, the Jazz will have a tough time pulling it out at the Pepsi Center, so let’s say they grab an early road win and take care of business at home, where they were also very good (32-9).

Prediction: Jazz in 6

I picked some names out of a hat to “predict” the rest of the Western Playoffs…just kidding (but not really):

West Semifinals

LA over Utah in 7
Phoenix over San Antonio in 7

West Finals

Phoenix over LA in 6 (upset special!)

Yours,

The BOMB

NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW: EASTERN CONFERENCE

As promised, here is a preview of the first round matchups in the NBA Playoffs. First up, the Eastern Conference (with the West to come tomorrow):

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #8 Chicago Bulls

There is no real reason to break this series down into any great detail, since the outcome isn’t really in doubt. Cleveland for the second straight year finished with the best record in the NBA, and something tells me that this team will work extra hard to win a championship with Lebron James’ pending free agency just around the corner. In addition, this is the same Bulls team that blew a 35 point second half lead at home to the Kings and that lost to the Nets twice (with one of those coming just last week when they had everything to play for). What I am getting at is that there is no realistic chance that the Bulls knock off the Cavs, even though they split their season series 2-2 (one of those wins came in December, the other last week with Lebron on the bench). ESPN’s playoff predictor gives them a 5% chance of moving on, and honestly even that might be generous.

Prediction: Cavs in 4


#2 Orlando Magic vs #7 Charlotte Bobcats

This one isn’t too tough to pick, either. In terms of point differential, Orlando has been the most impressive team in the league this year, and that didn’t just happen by accident. This team is loaded, and they look ready for another run to the Finals. Charlotte on the other hand will be making their first playoff appearance ever, so I think it is fair to say that this is a mismatch (as one would normally expect from a 2-7 playoff series in the East). That isn’t to say that Charlotte isn’t a quality club, as their 103.3 defensive rating* is second only to Milwaukee’s in the entire league. The problem is that their offense ranks in the bottom half of the league, and Orlando can essentially match them on the defensive end (103.6 defensive rating) while also sporting one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses (111.8 offensive rating). Thinking back to last year when Philadelphia put a bit of a scare into the Magic, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Charlotte steal a game, but expecting any more than that would be unreasonable.

Prediction: Magic in 5


* Recall that offensive/defensive rating is defined as points scored/allowed per 100 possessions. This is a more reliable stat than points scored/allowed as it is not affected by a team’s pace of play.


#3 Atlanta Hawks vs #6 Milwaukee Bucks

It’s a shame what happened to Andrew Bogut, because if he were still healthy this would be the East’s best first round series. Milwaukee has hung tough without the big fella, going 4-2 down the stretch, however one of those losses came at home to the Hawks just this past Monday. This probably isn’t a good sign for the Bucks chances in this series, however they still are the league’s top defensive team statistically (103.2 defensive rating) and are still tough to score on without Bogut as Kurt Thomas plays solid interior defense, and this gives them a fighting chance at least. The Bucks are clearly going to try to shut down Joe Johnson, who dropped 30 on them a few days ago, however the Hawks have plenty of other options capable of picking up the slack even if Johnson isn’t producing. 4 other players average in double figures, not even counting Mike Bibby, a more than capable scorer himself. The Bucks have no answer for this depth on offense, as they are 24th in the NBA in offensive rating, and they presumably will struggle even more on that end without someone who can get them easy buckets inside consistently. This all adds up to Atlanta moving on rather easily, although I will definitely wonder what could have been if the Thunder from Down Under were in the mix.

Prediction: Hawks in 5


#4 Boston Celtics vs #5 Miami Heat

The Heat draw the shell of what used to be the Boston Celtics in the first round, and honestly this may be a tougher matchup for them, despite the Celtics’ struggles. The Heat beat Atlanta 3 out of 4 times during the regular season, while they lost all 3 of their games against the Celtics (though the most recent of those games was played in early February). Regardless of that fact, however, the Heat still have a pretty real shot at winning this series. Dwyane Wade has shown countless times that he can lift this team to levels above what one would think is possible for a team this lacking in secondary talent, and honestly this Celtics team is ripe for the picking. Rajon Rondo is amazing, Paul Pierce is still Paul Pierce and Ray Allen has had a decent enough season, however Kevin Garnett is really starting to show signs of serious decline, and this is most evident in the Celtics regressing to the mean defensively this season (they finished 6th in defensive rating after finishing 1st and 2nd the last two seasons). Add in the fact that Boston’s bench is almost as thin as Miami’s (did you see Rasheed Wallace score on his own hoop the other night? My goodness) and this could be a surprisingly competitive series. I think this series could go 7 games, considering how well Miami is playing right now. However I’ll tone down the dramatics a bit and say that the Celts get it done in 6, because their problems aside, Boston is still the better team.

Prediction: Celtics in 6


I’ll also take a stab at predicting the later rounds of the East playoffs, although of course these rounds will be previewed in more detail once the time is right:

East Semifinals
Cleveland over Boston in 6
Orlando over Atlanta in 6

East Finals
Cleveland over Orlando in 7

-The BOMB

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

(Note: Someone remind APT to get a knock hockey board)

EASTERN CONFERENCE


#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

The Washington Capitals finished with the most points in the NHL this season 121, and won the President’s Trophy as best team in the league. It would seem that this should be an easy first round, seeing as the Canadiens finished with a measly 88 points on the season. The Habs have a quality team, with two good scoring lines, and two solid starting goalies. The Caps are able to score goals in bunches, and have an extremely potent offense. As I stated in the mid-season review, the only thing that could be the Caps tragic flaw would be their goaltending. While Varlamov and Theodore have performed solidly in the regular season, they have shown bouts of inconsistency, especially in the playoffs where Theodore got pulled midway through the first round series last year against the Rangers, and the Habs have much more firepower than the Rags did last year. That being said, I don’t think that the Caps should have much trouble in the first round

BOLT pick: Caps 4-1


#2 New Jersey Devils vs. #7 Philadelphia Flyers

My thought is that this series could be the most entertaining of the first round. These are two bitter rivals from the Atlantic Division, and they do not like each other in the least. This year’s Devils are a pretty standard Devil team, with sold defense and goaltending, and a couple of good scoring lines. The Flyers are also a stereotypical Flyers team, with a lot of physical, borderline dirty players and shaky goaltending. The X-factor in the series could be Ilya Kovalchuk, who the Devils acquired at trade deadline. Kovalchuk has the ability to break open any game he is in, and with the shaky play of the Flyers goalies throughout the season, Kovalchuk’s wrist shot could do some serious damage. The Flyers have enough grit and power to make this a great series.

BOLT pick: Devils 4-3


#3 Buffalo Sabres vs. #6 Boston Bruins

There are many who will say that this is the series that will be most likely to result in a first round upset in the East. The Sabres are a team that relies very heavily on their ability to play defense and goaltend. Their defense is lead by a rookie in Tyler Myers, and they are lead in net by Team USA standout Ryan Miller. They are not a particularly adept team at goal scoring, with many small skilled forwards and only one real goal scoring threat in Thomas Vanek. If Myers does not perform up to snuff, the defense could falter, and it will be squarely on the shoulders of Miller to win the series. The Bruins have been playing well as of late, having finally made the move to bench Tim Thomas in favor of Tuukka Rask. They too have had some goal scoring woes, but have been able to pucks in over the course of the last month of the season. I do think that the Bruins have a great shot of taking the series, but Miller has played in pressure situations before, and has shown the ability to put a team on his back. At least for this round, I think he will.

BOLT pick: Sabres 4-2


#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Ottawa Senators

This series, in my opinion is the easiest to pick. The Senators have overachieved significantly this year, and will be overmatched against the Pens in the first round. The Sens have a good team, but not one that can match the depth of the Pens, especially in the playoffs. The Penguins are a playoff tested team, and are lead by the best one-two punch of centermen in the league. Add in Jordan Staal, arguably the best third line center in the league who can shut down opponents top lines, and the Pens will be a very difficult team to beat.

BOLT pick: Penguins 4-0



WESTERN CONFERENCE


#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche

The San Jose Sharks were the best team in the league for the first two months of the season, and have kept up their stellar play throughout the course of the season. There has been a tendency in the past, however, for the Sharks to be unable to replicate their success in the playoffs. There are many who have labeled them simply as chokers, and who won’t pick them in the playoffs until they show they can actually win in the playoffs. The Avalanche played better than many would have expected this year, as they are an extremely young team. They were dealt a serious blow last week when a suspect hit by Shark Rob Blake gave Peter Mueller a concussion that has left him out indefinitely. Mueller was traded to the Avs at the trade deadline and had been a fixture at the point on their powerplay. The Avs certainly have the ability to pull off the upset, but I think they may be a year or two away from a deep playoff run.

BOLT pick: Sharks 4-2


#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators

This is another series that I think will be a fairly easy pick. The Predators are a good team lead by a great pair of young defensemen in Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. They have a quality goalie in Pekka Rinne, and a veteran corps of forwards including Jason Arnott and Steve Sullivan. The Blackhawks, however, scored the third most goals in the league this year and are lead by a pair of great young forwards and a pair of great young defensemen. With Pat Kane and Jonathon Toews up front and Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, the Hawks will be difficult to beat. Much like the Capitals, the only weakness that could doom the Hawks playoff run would be some shaky goaltending from Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi.

BOLT pick: Hawks 4-0


#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings

This series will contend with the Flyers/Devils series as the best in the first round. The Canucks have the Art Ross Trophy winner in Hank Sedin, and Roberto Luongo in goal. They have been a very hot team at the end of the year, and have shown that they can bring it against anyone, as they scored the 2nd most goals in the league this year. The Kings are a team that is loaded with young talent, and depending on the night, can beat absolutely anyone in the league. As a young team, however, they are prone to bouts of inconsistency, and as such will have a hard time putting together a deep playoff run. If they are able to fire on all cylinders, however, everyone needs to look out because the Kings could do some damage. I think this series should go the distance, with a lot of great games and some great performances along the way.

BOLT pick: Canucks 4-3


#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings

Of all the first round series, this one was by far the hardest to pick. On one hand, you have the Coyotes. The Coyotes started the year under turmoil with their team going bankrupt and the NHL taking control of the team. With all that, coach Dave Tippett (a slam dunk for the Jack Adams award) has turned this team into the biggest surprise of the year. The Coyotes are, as always, led by captain Shane Doan, and have had a career year from goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. They made a deal with the Leafs at the deadline to get Lee Stempniak, who has been on fire since he came to the Coyotes. Against these upstart Yotes, there are the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings started out the year with a significant amount of injuries, and were on the edge of a playoff position. Since the new year, however, they have gotten healthy and have a quality starting goalie in Jimmy Howard. The Wings are a veteran group of playoff tested players, who have been to the Stanley Cup Finals the past 2 years, and many on occasions before then. The only element that could lead them to lose would be the playoff inexperience of Howard, but he has shown throughout the year to be a very quality starting goaltender. Although I would love to see the Yotes make a run, I just think that the Wings have too much experience to get ousted in the first round.

BOLT pick: Red Wings 4-2


I’ll go through how I think the rest will shake out, but after each round I’ll give a short preview of the matchups.

A Train picks

EAST
Devils over Sabres 4-1
Capitals over Penguins 4-3

Capitals over Devils 4-2

WEST
Red Wings over Sharks 4-2
Canucks over Hawks 4-3

Canucks over Wings 4-2

FINAL
Canucks over Capitals 4-3

-THE-A-TRAIN-

Apologies

Admittedly, we (mostly I) have been slacking here at the Bolt, and as a result have missed commenting on some pretty major sporting events along the way. Here are some quick thoughts on some major issues that are worth more than a quick thought:

- Hell of a run by Butler, but they ran into a team that was created to beat them. As much as Butler is a great mid-major team, they still play a mid-major style of basketball. They play tight pressure defense, maybe not the full-court press of some of the low majors, but a tight half court, quick hands, turnover defense. They also rely heavily on outside shooting. Howard is an inside player, but not of the caliber of that Duke had been facing all season. I have repeatedly both complemented and criticized Duke for their style of play, which makes them a hard team to get upset by the low and mid major schools, but leaves them susceptible to domination by superior athletic play. They can counter outside shooting with outside shooting of their own, they are very responsible with the basketball, they have enough inside presence to rebound the basketball, but don't need to rely on tight entry passes for scoring, and they are also able to tighten defense around the perimeter. Duke also is consistently one of the best free throw shooting teams in the nation. The inside presence of Duke was at the forefront of what allowed them to win this National Championship game, and what had carried them there all tournament. Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas were very strong on the offensive boards, and they had the presence of mind to find outside shooters, for big points. Nevertheless, Butler played hard, and despite Matt Howard's inability to find his scoring touch inside, they stayed right with Duke. Gordon Hayward was great and within inches twice of the shot of a lifetime. This game speaks mostly for itself.

- Phil Mickelson was Masterful this past weekend. His iron shot from between the trees on the 13th Sunday was the shot of champion. By late Saturday afternoon, it seemed clear that the Jacket was Phil's to lose. For me, it was seeing the frustration from Mickelson for failing, by inches, to convert a third consecutive eagle on Saturday, that he felt the tournament in his hands. I admittedly was pulling for Fred Couples to come in and take it at 50 years old, but Phil is a great story and a very admirable player. Congratulations are surely in order.

- The Portland Trail Blazers were smacked with the bad luck stick and Brandon Roy tore the Meniscus in his knee. He is out indefinitely and so, likely, are the chances of the Blazers seeing the second round of the NBA playoffs. Speaking of playoffs, stay tuned for an NBA playoff preview from The BOMB.

- Speaking of playoffs, the NHL wrapped up their season this weekend. The Canadiens and Bruins snatched the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and now we are set to go. Stay tuned for an NHL playoff preview from THE-A-TRAIN.

- Joe Girardi, pretty much unsolicited, put for the the informaton that he would have pulled C.C. Sabathia after 8 innings as he was in the middle of a no-hitter on Saturday. He did not get the chance to prove this, as Kelly Shoppach scored a base hit of Sabathia in that 8th inning. I don't really know what to say on this issue, as I would have had to see it to believe it. His pitch count was relatively high, but we are talking about C.C. Sabathia, an innings machine through his entire MLB career. Surely, C.C. had a few pitches left in him, to try to give the 9th inning a go. In order for me to believe this is actually an argument, I'd have to see Girardi do this on another occasion, and see C.C. actually turn over the ball.

- Speaking of balls, we promise to be on the ball and get you these top stories in a more timely fashion.

Apologetically,

APT

Happy Birthday Mark Sanchez!!

I don't actually know when Mark Sanchez's birthday is, but the Jets are certainly been giving him some great gifts. The Jets acquired Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, for only a 5th round pick in this year's draft. I know that he will be suspended for four games to start this year, but it is well worth it for the quality of player that the Jets are getting. If you're Mark Sanchez, you have to be 30 feet in the air. Here's a quick look at Sanchez's receiving corps, before the 2009 season, and now before the 2010 season.

2009

1. Jericho Cotchery (89 games, 317 catches, 4081 yards, 16 TD)

2. Chansi Stuckey (30 games, 62 catches, 677 yards, 5 TD)

3. David Clowney (15 games, 15 catches, 217 yards, 1 TD)

2010

1. Braylon Edwards (74 games, 273 catches, 4238 yards, 32 TD)

2. Santonio Holmes (60 games, 235 catches, 3835 yards, 20 TD)

3. Jericho Cotchery (89 games, 317 catches, 4081 yards, 16 TD)

(all statistics are career numbers entering this season)

That's not to mention a Pro Bowl appearance and a Super Bowl MVP for the 2010 squad. The Jets went into 09 with a lot of question marks at WR, especially with the young Sanchez at quarterback. And with the trio they were sporting, I can't blame the questions for being asked. Cotchery is a professional receiver, but is no #1. And the combination of Stuckey and Clowney wasn't turning any heads. However, when you can move Cotchery to the slot, and let Edwards and Holmes stretch the field, you have a receiving trio that rivals almost any in the National Football League. There will still be those who questions Edwards for drops, but now that he is supported by Jericho, who will catch absolutely anything, and Santonio Holmes, who has made a couple of the more memorable catches in the past couple of years, Edwards hands become less of an issue.

Combine that with the top rushing game and defense that the Jets already possess, and this team could be a real threat again in January. Though, this time, they won't be sneaking up on anybody.

-APT

Truth Serum?

I know I've been talking about the Mets a lot lately, but it was very hard to see this article by Ian O'Connor and not have something to say. O'Connor rights about how Santana regrets coming to New York, wishing he could've been traded to the Yankees. He writes this based on his thorough research, which consists of O'Connor conducting a fictitious interview with Santana after spiking his water with "truth serum". I know I'm an amateur observer of the sports world here, but this is not reporting. All the factual reporting in the article taken from ACTUAL interview with Johan do not state nor imply anything that could be the foundation for this column. The foundation is 100% fabrication, and it is remarkable that is is passing here as legitimate reporting. I understand that there is a place for column-writing and opinion, as I take liberties of this nature constantly, but there is a professional way to present it and there is an unprofessional way to present it. Writing an article based on a fictional interview, putting words in the mouth of a professional baseball player who has to answer to the city and fans that you are forcing him to criticize, is not the way to do it. If Ian O'Connor thinks that it was a mistake for Johan Santana to have ended up in Flushing Meadows, he has the right to express that opinion as his own, and I'm sure he would not be alone in that opinion. However, until Johan Santana expresses something relevant to that train of thought, it should be left off his lips, whether they real or fantasy.

-APT

Matt Cerone of metsblog.com shared a very similar sentiment here.

MLB FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The first week of the Major League Baseball season is now complete, and while it usually does no good to draw conclusions based on such a small sample size, there are definitely some early developments that are worth following:

The Serpent Strikes?

During our extensive team-by-team offseason review/regular season preview, I picked the Diamondbacks as a team capable of surprising the NL West this year. I felt this way because this team can flat out hit, and they have lived up to this reputation for the most part over their first 6 games. They are second to only the Phillies in runs scored (41), although that number is inflated by their 15 run outburst against the Pirates on Sunday. Now, Kelly Johnson isn’t going to post a 1.426 OPS over the course of an entire season, however it looks like Chris Young is poised to fulfill the promise he has shown in the past, and the D-Backs have scored all these runs without much help from Mark Reynolds or Stephen Drew (.770 and .682 OPS, respectively). Once those two guys get going and they get Miguel Montero back from injury, this lineup will do some serious damage.

Slow Starts

While it is obviously impossible for every team to get off to a good start, there are a few high-profile cellar dwellers whose names pop out.

Many people (read: non-Mets fans) don’t expect much from the Mets this year, and the Mets delivered on this lack of promise this past week with a 2-4 homestand against the Marlins and Nationals. I honestly thought a lot of people were writing off the Mets a little too quickly after what was an injury plagued season a year ago. Let’s just say I could be wrong. With a six game road trip to Colorado and St. Louis coming up this week, the Mets are already looking at a serious uphill climb if they want to hang with the Phillies (and Braves) this season.

Another interesting development this past week was the struggles of the two LA teams. The Dodgers got off to a shaky start on the road by losing 2 out of 3 to both the Pirates and Marlins, while the Angels were outscored by a total of 20 runs over their first 7 games, all played at home (against the Twins and A’s). Honestly the Angels’ situation is more alarming, as that run differential is by far the worst of any team in the league that has a win (sorry Houston). They have been positively lit up thus far, and their beleaguered pitchers will be rewarded this week with a trip to Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers on the other hand get to figure things out at home this week, albeit against the aforementioned Diamondbacks and the 5-1 Giants, one of the young season’s most impressive teams thus far, so they may also be in danger of slipping further down the standings.

-The BOMB

Edgar Renteria...

...may be the hottest little potato in baseball right now.

Ravenous Rant: I don't give a crap about Tiger Woods...

In case there was any wonder about why we have yet to comment on Tiger Woods' triumphant return to Golf.... It's simply because I don't give a shit. I didn't really give a shit when this whole thing went down in the first place. I understand that his sponsors care, and that makes sense to me, especially those that are less associated with sports. I would not keep him as a representative of my company, because he obviously is not the type of person that I would want as a representative. And, as great as Tiger is at golf, there are plenty of other famous persons that are equally recognizable, and can move merchandise. As for the PGA, I would care, because the fact that this guy chose, idiotically, to get married and have children, when he obviously is not in a state or at a point where he can handle such a responsibility, is going to cost me a shit-ton of money, while he is busy transforming his image. However, as a viewer, I couldn't care much less.

Now, I suppose I must understand that I just don't enjoy this type of "entertainment" as much as some others. I hate Reality TV. I don't hate Reality TV that is a legitimate competition among skilled competitors (save America's Next Top Model: but that has more to do with Tyra Banks, AND we could certainly argue the terms "legitimate competition" and "skilled competitors" in the context of ANTM), such as the cooking or design reality competitions. However, shows which are created by bringing stupid, over-dramatic people together so that they will bitch at one another, is certainly not my cup of tea. So, I guess I am not the proper person to be commenting on whether this whole Tiger thing is worthy of so much mention. All I know is that I hated him for a month, because he ruined sports coverage. I wanted coverage about sports, yet I got the kind of crap celebrity gossip that I should be looking for on E! or perez hilton.

But I should digress on whether or not ANYONE should enjoy this nonsense, and focus on whether this is, to any degree, a sports story. Let us get one thing straight. There is nothing COURAGEOUS about Tiger Woods playing the Masters. Just because he apparently is a slime-ball, and had to take time off to stop being a slime-ball (or make it seem to women like he was trying to stop being a slime-ball), doesn't make this comeback a big deal. The idea that Tiger would come back to Augusta if he wasn't in playing shape, if his practice rounds weren't on par (no pun intended) with the level of play he expects, is a complete farce. Tiger is a professional golfer; he is the single best professional golfer that most of us have ever seen. He very well may be the single best professional golfer that most of us will ever see. Do you think he can't take a few months off and come back able to play golf. It is a thoroughly refined skill, but it is one that he has kept in constant practice since he was a child. It is not just going to go away. That, and it's not like he didn't touch a club the whole time he wasn't playing. So, did I expect Tiger to play a perfect four days, to look like the best golfer I've ever seen? No, of course not. I expect him to be about where most Major League baseball is right now: mildly seasoned from some training, and in playing shape, but still find tuning the minute tactical aspects of the game. So am I surprised that he is competing in the early rounds? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

The Masters is a sports story, because it's the Masters. Is it a larger story because Tiger is there? Yes! Just like a Yankee game is a bigger story than a Royal game, or a Federer match is a bigger story than a Mardy Fish match. When the biggest name in the sport is involved, it is a bigger story. Golf is interesting without Tiger, as the other golfers can play with more confidence and you will more consistently see more competitive golf without a dominating force, but it's not the story that it is as the field chases Tiger and Tiger chases history. Is it a larger story because Tiger returns to golf after some time off? Yes! Just like it's a larger story when a pitcher returns from a surgery than it would be if it was any old start, or if a basketball player or boxers comes out of a short retirement. We know that time off will have some effect (even though it is not going to intensely hamper the athlete), and we want to know exactly so much. Will he still be as dominant as he once was? But is this a bigger SPORTS story, because Tiger banged some unknown number of chicks while he was supposed to be married to a super-model that most of us would give at least one nut to be married to (excuse the term)? NO! That is not sports, and that is why I haven't mentioned it on this blog until now.

Do not think that we will not be commenting on Golf, just because we have not gone crazy about Tiger. You can expect a report on the Masters some time tomorrow, as we prepare for the home stretch of Sunday afternoon.

In Masters new for now, Lee Westwood emerged today as the leader, shooting -4 on a much more difficult day at Augusta. Reports have come in that today's pin placement was much more difficult (Many, many golfers were under par on day 1), and the wind has picked up since yesterday. Westwood sits at -9 on top, with one hole remaining. The late group seems to be on hole 15, among the leaders. That group includes Phil Mickelson (-5). Ian Poulter is in the clubhouse at -8, after shooting a -4 on the day, a well. Anthony Kim is at -7 through 16 and then Tiger, K.J. Choi and Rick Barnes are all in the clubhouse at -6. Sadly, Fred Couples (who this blog was stoked to see atop the leader board after 18) had a rough +3 today. He and, fellow old fogey, Tom Watson sit at -3.

The cut is currently projected at +3. Notables below that line include Padraig Harrington, Mark O'Meara, David Duval, Stuart Cink and Vijay Singh, among others. Defending champion Angel Cabrera sits dangerously at +3.

Stay tuned for more coverage tomorrow.

Ravenously,

APT

NCAA Hockey Championship Preview

With 8-1 and 7-1 thrashings in the national semifinals, the championship game of the Frozen Four will be contested by Wisconsin and BC. Both teams dismantled their opponents in the semifinals it will be some great hockey when they meet Saturday night.

FORWARDS

BC
The BC forward group is among the deepest in the country. They roll 4 lines every game, and every line can score at any given time. The checking line of Matt Price, Matt Lombardi and Barry Almeida spends the majority of the game countering the other team's top line, and have had great success this year in shutting down opponents. The top 2 lines for the Eagles, however, are simply dynamite. The first line of Joe Whitney, Cam Atkinson and Brian Gibbons features the top 2 Eagle point scorers. The second line of Chris Kreider, Ben Smith and Jimmy Hayes came together recently and have been game-changers. Chris Kreider is the fastest skater in the NCAA (would likely be top 5 among NHLers) and has shown a goal scorer's touch recently. Jimmy Hayes and Ben Smith are very strong along the boards, and the line has recently begun to cycle at an almost unstoppable rate. The final line of Paul Carey, Steve Whitney and Pat Mullane also can cycle with the best and provide consistent pressure in the offensive zone.

Wisconsin
The Badgers have two lines that can absolutely dominate any defense in the country. The first line featuring Blake Geoffrion simply bowled over RIT, and will be a force that the Eagle defense will have to deal with. The second line, which features a 40 assist man in Derek Stepan, is always dangerous whenever the great playmaker Stepan has the the puck. The Badgers can score with any team in the country, but are heavily dependent on their top two lines

Advantage: BC
The Eagles simply have more depth than the Badgers, and can run and gun with anyone who tries to match them. The Eagles have scored 7+ goals in 3 of their last 4 contests. (And these have been NCAA tournament-level opponents)

Defense

BC
The BC defense features four freshmen defensemen, including the leading plus/minus player in Hockey East this season in Brian Dumoulin. The only upperclassman is Carl Sneep, who has given the Eagles 28 points this season, but is still prone to haphazard play at any point in the game. The BC defensive corps is young but talented, and have played well when they have needed to.

Wisconsin
The Badgers have arguably the most talented blueline in all of the NCAA. Their back line features 3 first round picks in Ryan McDonough, Brendan Smith and Jake Gardiner. Brendan Smith was the top defensive scorer in the nation with 45 points in the regular season. McDonough is an efficient 2 way defensman who has been the best defender for the Badgers throughout the season. Along with these first rounders, the Badgers feature 2 second round picks and a player who will be picked in the top 2 rounds in the 2010 draft.

Advantage: Wisconsin
The Wisconsin defense is more talented and has contributed significantly to the Badger season. They have more experience and talent than the BC blueline

Goaltending

BC
The Eagles are dependent on goalie John Muse at this time of the season. Muse has never lost a game in the NCAA tournament, and only 2 in March throughout his BC career. He sat some games in the 2nd half to rest his hip, but has been largely sharp(outside of the Yale game) in the NCAA tournament, and has the experience

Wisconsin
The Badgers have in their net Scott Gudmandson, who has been solid if unspectacular throughout the season. If there has been one potential reason for the Badgers getting beat, it is because Gudmandson is unlikely to steal a game for them. If the forwards and defense do not play a good game, it is unlikely that their goaltending will be able to bail them out.

Advantage: BC
John Muse has been here before, and has an unreal winning percentage this time of the year. While it is not a position of particular strength for either team, John Muse has a bigger chance of shining in a game of this magnitude.

Prediction
While the Badgers are certainly playing some great hockey as of late, I'm (big surprise) going with the Eagles in this one. The way that BC has been rolling over every team it faces is hard to ignore. The Badgers are certainly a great team, but if the Eagles can stay out of the penalty box, they can take this one. If the Eagles are unable to stay out the box, it is likely that the Badger powerplay will be able to take advantage and make this game a tossup. In a matchup of two great college hockey teams, I'm taking the scoring depth of BC in a great hockey game.

5-3 (with an empty netter) BC

-THE-A-TRAIN-

BOLT: Big Papi Problems

This article on ESPN cites a David Ortiz interview where he lashes out at reporters asking him about another "slow start". Although, I am in the camp that we have already seen the best of David Ortiz, and do think that at some point you'll start to see him rested or pinch hit for against left-handed pitching, you have to agree with Papi in that the intensity of these questions and attacks is far too high for the second game of the season. Let's not forget he was facing C.C. Sabathia in game one and A.J. Burnett in game two. As far as pitchers who are known by intials instead of first names, we are talking about possibly the two best that baseball has to offer. Reporters are already asking Terry Francona if he thought about pinch-hitting Mike Lowell, who, let's face it, also has to prove himself off what he's returning from.

So, for now, let's lay off Big Papi a little. Let's remember that, although he's 0-however many at bats, we like him. He's usually very accepting of reporters, great with fans, and just generally good for baseball. This blog will certainly be one that will give him a break for at least a little. If he goes 0 for the series against the Royals this weekend, maybe we'll begin to worry.

-APT

Opening Day

Some highlights from Opening Day 2010:

- Welcome to the Big Leagues Jason Heyward! Carlos Zambrano had a terrible day, though his reaction was relatively mild. You've been hearing about this kid Heyward all spring. Perhaps he will live up to the hype.

- This was one of the most ridiculous Home Runs I've ever seen. Tim Kurkjian has been raving about Nelson Cruz for over a year now. I know, personally, after watching him in the WBC last spring, I picked him as one of my Break Out Players of 2009. I put him on both of my fantasy teams in the late rounds and was handsomely rewarded. This guy is incredibly strong. Usually a swing like this can plunk a ball over the first baseman's head. Cruz hit it 420 feet to right center field. Even if you want to blame the jet stream in Arlington, it's still not right to be able to hit a ball like this.

- It's probably not very often that on Opening Day you see the defensive play of the year, but http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7282679 is one of the best defensive plays I've ever seen. Mark Buerhle doesn't even know how he pulled this one. It is likely to reign supreme among defensive plays this season.

- Not all the defense was brilliant. One man can only see so much of the baseball action in a day, but I saw 3 pick-off attempts thrown away. Two of them came from Marlin's pitchers, in one case, they actually had Angel Pagan picked off, but it turned into a stolen base and an extra base on the error. Aaron Harang threw one past Joey Votto for the Reds, allowing Albert Pujols to score from 3rd.

- Also in the defensive lowlights category, I saw something twice that I don't remember the last time I've seen. Don't have the video, so I'll have to describe it. In both cases the runner took off from first attempting to steal second. The catchers popped up to make the throw down to second, but had the ball slip out of their hands in exactly the same spot of the wind-up, causing the ball to pop directly upwards and then landing right back in their throwing hand. This happened to Rod Barajas of the Mets, as Chris Coughlan stole second. It also got Gerald Laird of the Tigers later in the day.

- Placido Polanco welcomed himself back to the Phillies in an unorthodox way, hitting his first Grand Slam since 2000. (Halladay was very sharp as well)

- Didn't see this live, but Stephen Drew kicked off his season in Arizona with an Inside-The-Park Home Run. If you ask me, he deserved a traditional homer with how far he hit http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7285001 one.

- Though at the moment he's only a platoon catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia was unphased by the fact that the lettering on his jersey reaches his appendix, and openened the season in style, with this walk-off hit.

- The Tigers are always fun to watch. Justin Verlander once again kicked it off. I only watched a few innings of this one, but saw Verlander hit 100 mph a dozen times, and Joel Zumaya hit 101 mph. That game wasn't even on FOX.

- A lot of people were questioning the validity of Garret Jones' stellar half-season with the Pirates. He answered some questions by belting home runs in his first two at bats of 2010. http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7275351. Two.

- Speaking of multiple home run games, Scott Rolen, despite receiving relatively little chatter these days (and absolutely no love in fantasy rankings), was well on his way to one...until Colby Rasmus made this play, which on a Mark Buerhle-less day, would have been a play of the night.

- Hideki Matsui picked up where he left off in October, driving in the game winning run with a single in the fifth, and then kicking off a back-to-back episode with Kendry Morales to follow in the eighth. Boom!

- Aramis Ramirez was doubled up on a fly ball that the umpires claimed Nate McClouth made the play on. Ramirez kept running as he saw the ball LYING ON THE GROUND next to McClouth. (sorry, no video)

- Some aces were on: (Lincecum, Santana, Halladay, Buerhle, King Felix, Greinke, Jimenez, Haren) Others were off: (Zambrano, Josh Johnson, John Lannan, Aaron Harang, Oswalt) Shaun Marcum was both. The Blue Jays' new Ace threw no-hit ball for 6+ innings, filling Doc's shoes. Then he gave up a walk, a single and THAT home run by Cruz, and the game was tied.

- Chone Figgins had his first 2 stolen bases as a Mariner before he had his first hit.

- Another new Mariner slammed his bat so hard after a strike-out that it splintered.

- Pay special attention to the Rays and Orioles tonight as it is still their opening day.

And then we can watch 161 more games together.

Happy Baseballing!

-APT

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS PRE-PREVIEW: WILD WILD WEST

First, a quick update: Last week I profiled a team from the potential lower seeds in the Eastern Conference (the Milwaukee Bucks) that I thought had a legitimate shot at upsetting one of the top seeds. Since that post went up the Bucks have dropped two close games on the road against Eastern playoff teams (Cleveland and Charlotte) and lost their starting center, Andrew Bogut, for the remainder of the season. Bogut suffered a pretty horrific injury (broken hand, sprained wrist AND dislocated elbow? OUCH) on Saturday night in a win against Phoenix, one of the hottest teams out West (the loss snapped a ten game winning streak). It goes without saying that what I wrote last week changes significantly without Bogut, since he anchors their D in the paint and is also having the best offensive season of his career. They no longer look like as much of a threat in the first round, but that issue will be addressed by me in full once the regular season concludes and the playoff matchups are set.
This week it seems only fair to turn our attention out West, where an insanely tight playoff race should make for some marvelous first round matchups. I decided that it doesn’t really make sense to profile a single team poised to spring a first round upset, because honestly the top 8 in the West are so strong that literally any team has a real shot at winning a playoff series this year, especially with the Lakers sputtering a bit down the stretch. Remember when I mentioned last week that seeds two through eight in the West were separated by only four games? Yeah, make that THREE.
Granted there are only five games left to play for most of these teams, but one can certainly expect some serious jumps in seeding over the last ten days of the regular season. Currently Dallas, Denver, Utah and Phoenix all have identical 50-27 records, which is insane this late in the season. With the Lakers sitting pretty 5 games up in the standings, this means that one of these four teams will actually miss out on home court advantage in the first round, not even considering the fact that Oklahoma City is only 1 1/2 games back and could score home-court themselves.
Ignoring the latter scenario for a moment, it appears that Denver is a likely candidate to slip down to fifth. Three of their last five games are at home, however none of them are gimmes. The weakest opponent left on the schedule is the Memphis “Eastern Conference Playoff Team” Grizzlies, and they also have to play the Lakers and the surging Spurs on top of two tough roadies in OKC and Phoenix. Phoenix has a similarly treacherous schedule down the stretch (home against San Antonio, Houston, and the aforementioned Nuggets, away at OKC and Utah), however the Suns are playing much better than Denver at the moment (not even taking into consideration the whole George Karl situation…get well soon Furious George), so look for them to host Denver in the first round.
Now that college basketball season is almost finished (Go Cardinal!), I will definitely be watching closely to see how this jumbled playoff picture sorts itself out. Whatever the outcome, it certainly should be entertaining to watch. Now if only I had cable…

-The BOMB

In case you didn't get enough Mets...

I will be doing a live running commentary during opening day at Citi Field via twitter, that you can follow by clicking the Twitter link on the left.

I will post it all here after the game.

Then, I promise, I will ease off on the Mets for a while.

-APT

Gary Matthews looks as sure as he was on any fly ball all day. Put it in the books! Nice work all around and here comes a new year!
1 minute ago via web

I'm for the use of KRod here. His head has to be everywhere wright now. Why not put him where he is comfortable: on the pitchers mound
9 minutes ago via web

A lot of trouble trying to find balls in the Queens afternoon sky.
13 minutes ago via web

Jarrod Saltalamacchia's name gets about half way down his ribbs.
31 minutes ago via web

WOW, Nelson Cruz legitimately FLCIKED a homerun to Right center off Marcum to tie the game. That is NOT EVEN FAIR.
32 minutes ago via web

Also missed that rip by Gary Matthews Jr. My channel changing is rusty.
33 minutes ago via web

I flipped the Channel but I believe Vlad Guerrero just came up with the first hit of the day for the Rangers.
35 minutes ago via web

With the Mets having a comfortable leave, must admit my focus is shifting to Shaun Marcum
39 minutes ago via web

Some discussion on this call as the replay clearly shows that Nieve went to his mouth while well on the grass.
44 minutes ago via web

A rare call here. Nieve goes to his mouth while on the mound and that will cost him a ball. What it is.
about 1 hour ago via web

Garret Jones no fluke last season in Pittsburgh, making his presence known with 2 bombs on Opening Day.
about 1 hour ago via web
Gaby Sanchez making it CLEAR why he is in the big leagues today. He is obviously here to HIT, not to FIELD
about 1 hour ago via web

EVERYONE watch Web Gems tonight, because Mark Buerhle already may have made the play of the year!
about 1 hour ago via web

Nieve will get a low pressure welcome to the bullpen now.
about 1 hour ago via web

Wright is hitting hard today, now gets a lefty in a shaky inning. Maybe David goes deep again.
about 1 hour ago via web

Gaby Sanchez this inning, reminiscent of Dan Uggla's last all star performance. Good hustle by Castillo does not go unrewarded.
about 1 hour ago via web

Don't know what it is, but just looking at Pagan this season, he seems to have an air of maturity about him, (comes around to score)
about 1 hour ago via web

LOVE seeing the squeeze and so did the Citi faithful. Cora did a great job getting a bat on that ball to save the out.
about 1 hour ago via web

And another pick off thrown away. Pagan goes 1st to 3rd after potentially getting caught stealing.
about 1 hour ago via web

What did I tell you about newcomers. Barajas with the big hit, and PLACIDO POLANCO pops a grand slam for the Phils. 2 for 4, 6 RBI
about 1 hour ago via web

Angel better be careful coming through with big pinch hits. the mets won't want to start him.
about 1 hour ago via web

BIG HIT from Barajas!!
about 1 hour ago via web

That's the second pick-off throw away I've seen today. The Red's threw one away, ggiving the Cardianls a run.
about 1 hour ago via web

Pagan comes out on deck. Good first outing for Johan. Just getting starrted.
about 1 hour ago via web

That'll do pig.
about 1 hour ago via web

Frank's going to come through for the Mets here.; kick off a solid season. Johnson will exit here, abandoning some ducks on the pond.
about 1 hour ago via web

Hopefully that rip from Bay kills Johnson's groove. How bout that? Digging a triple on that ball to LEFT CENTER.
about 1 hour ago via web

Jim Edmonds STARTING in Milwaukee. Great for him. Also Shaun Marcum with a no-hitter through 4 for Tor. Doc Who?
about 1 hour ago via web

Santana out of trouble. Mets announcers point out he has an extra day off between starts. Do we see him in the Seventh?
about 1 hour ago via web

Fernando Nieve is the first arm to warm in th e Met half of the Citi Field bullpen. It'll be interesting to see who comes up when.
about 1 hour ago via web

Cameron Maybin is helpless. He is just killing for that next at bat, when Santana will likely be out of the game.
about 1 hour ago via web

Johnson getting some D help the last few batters. Jorge Cantu is very smooth at 3rd.
about 2 hours ago via web

That last camera shot rreminded me of the BIG NUT BARS from planters that are advertises at Citi. Perhaps I'm still immature.
about 2 hours ago via web

Unlucky. Hanley could have Eric Bruntletted that one if there was only one out.
about 2 hours ago via web

the way that he swings, i don''t think that'll be Barajas' last HIGH pop to no man's land hit this season.
about 2 hours ago via web

Nice move by the Mets opening up the bullpens. I don't know whose idea iit was to hide the visitor pen last year.
about 2 hours ago via web

Frank draws a WALK! At this rate, he will walk 162 times, shattering whatever his previous season high might be.
about 2 hours ago via web

Jorge Cantu matching David Wright with a great at bat of his own
about 2 hours ago via web

Ramirez stole that base by a mile. That matches the amount of steals Santana gave up all last season.
about 2 hours ago via web

A ton of pitches this inning from Johnson. Six innings is looking like a long shot tonight. Pitch 33 of the inning upcoming.
about 2 hours ago via web

Ronny Paulino really dancing behind the plate. Perhaps wise old Castillo is playing spy.
about 2 hours ago via web

Great atbat here from Wright int he 3rd. After the HR in the first and the game from last week, he's really getting in the big man's head
about 2 hours ago via web

I actually would have liked to see Luis as the lead-off hitter without Jose, but why not leave him where he'll be later on.
about 2 hours ago via web

Castillo being Castillo, or at least the Castillo we hope to see. Taking the walk, taking second. Doing his job.
about 2 hours ago via web

you are hearing a lot of good things about better team chemistry for the mets this year; and my man Frank seems to have a lot to do with it
about 3 hours ago via web

Real good play from Cora. Nice to see a little range, being we have to wait on Jose Reyes.
about 3 hours ago via web

MLB has added a Mosaic channel to extra innings letting you see all the games, But they show all the ones that aren't happening. baby steps
about 3 hours ago via web

The first of many GINORMOUS Rod Barajas swings this year
about 3 hours ago via web

MLB Extra Innings showed a replay of that DeWayne Wise catch to save Mark Buehrle's Perfecto last season. One of the best catches I've seen
about 3 hours ago via web

David's first throw of the year, a little funny looking, but got the job done.
about 3 hours ago via web

Underrated pitching match-up of the day: Colorado v. Milwaukee: Ubaldo Jimenez vs. Yovani Gallardo. I think that game is at 4,.
about 3 hours ago via web

Choosing StL/Cinci my flipping game.
about 3 hours ago via web

Early on newcomers have been impressive..granderson, beltre and now Jason bay with his first Met Hit
about 3 hours ago via web

GET OUT!!!!!! right after they showed the replay of the homer run from last thursday off Johnson
about 3 hours ago via web

Castillo showing live legs early, beating out that DP
about 3 hours ago via web

Castillo's stat line just came up. one home run. But if anyone else remembers that game, it was an absolute BOMB to the left field landing
about 3 hours ago via web

Josh Johnson was absolutely filthy last season. Prediction for this game, far fewer runs than last night.
about 3 hours ago via web

Not the sharpest of first innings (though Maybin was owns) we'll chalk up the falling behind hitters to some extra adrenaline and overthrow
about 3 hours ago via web

First change up, absolutely disgusting. Maybin is well to young to deal with the likes of that.
about 3 hours ago via web

at the same time, Gary Matthews had a very good spring, so congrats to him.
about 3 hours ago via web

STIRKE (first picth is a fastball)
about 3 hours ago via web

Gary Matthews as the starter is a little surprising to me. I love Angel Pagan's young legs and athleticism. His upside is much higher
about 3 hours ago via web

if I haven't already told y'all. Jeff Francouer is my new favorite Met. I'm very happy he is here and not in atlanta
about 3 hours ago via web

Keith's moustache is looking prime for another season.
about 3 hours ago via web

Darryl is throwing out the first pitch to Howard Johnson. Bittersweet as it reminds me of Doc's latest sour turn.
about 3 hours ago via web

The game just popped from the MLB Extra Innings screen to live coverage. Nothing much going on, other than a rush of adrenaline.

Ravenous Rant: McNabb to Skins

So the Eagles finally traded away Donovan McNabb. I myself have never been a huge fan of Mr. McNabbs, likely because I am a Giants fan, but Philly fans have always treated him like trash and they’ve finally gotten their wish. While I get that they wanted Ricky Williams, having a QB who has been your starter for 10 years and taken the team to 5 NFC Championships games and a Super Bowl is a damn good draft pick. For some reason though, the shiny new toy syndrome has struck Eagle nation, as they want to see Kevin Kolb. While I understand why the Eagles traded McNabb (the 6 mil roster bonus he was owed didn’t help), what I don’t understand is why they traded him to the Redskins. Do the Eagles realize that the play in the same division as the Redskins? Now they are going to have to face Donovan at least twice. Throughout my time as a sports fan, one of the cardinal rules of trading has always been “never trade with a team in your division”. It seems that the Eagle management didn’t get the damn memo, as they have significantly upgraded the Redskins as a football team. Now there is little doubt that the Skins will pick an OT with the #4 overall pick, and if they can protect Donovan, he’ll be able to make that offense run. Sure, the pick that the Eagles got is a great value pick, as they will likely be able to get a first round talent., but they traded away the face of their damn franchise for the last decade. While I really have no ill will toward Kevin Kolb, I kinda want to see him struggle, so that Philly fans will understand that they had a damn good QB, but refused to see it. As a Giant fan, I feel like the Skins are better, but not good enough to really contend for the Beast title. The Eagles, on the other hand, are giving the reigns of an explosive offense to a QB who has started less than 10 games in the NFL. Sure he played well, but teams will begin to scheme around his skillset, and we will see how good he is. With this trade, I’ve now become more focused on the Boys as the team to beat in the Beast. What this can do, however, is re-establish the NFC East as the best division in football, as it was for 3 of the last 4 years (in my opinion, but they had 3 of 4 teams in the playoffs for like 3 years in a row).

-THE-A-TRAIN-

As a fan of the remaining NFC East team, The Dallas Cowboys, I told the train I'd drop my own opinion down here.
I'm not a fan of Donovan McNabb. I actually loved him and Marvin Harrison at Syracuse, but once he went to Philly, he lost me. I think that his flaws are consistently ignored both on and off the field. He was completely exonerated of blame in the TO saga, because TO is a jerk. Just because TO is a jerk doesn't mean that Donovan wasn't petty and over-sensitive. Jeff Garcia and Tony Romo dealt with similar issues, while not looking like Tools (I know, you're saying Cowboys fan, you just love Tony Romo. Not actually true. I actually think he may be a tool, but he didn't show it in the TO stuff). He also has to lead the league by a ton in "balls that are bulleted at a receiver's feet or 2 yards short" since he came into the league. That said, he has a lot of physical talent, for a while, had really grown into his game. I think that he took too much stake in trying to betray the title of "running quarterback" in recent years, but he still has found plenty of success. He will make the Redskins legit. The Skins have things going on defense, but the Offense has been lacking. I think Jason Campbell is an adequate NFL QB, but he didn't have the trust of his coach and team. McNabb will instantly have that trust and start leading this offense. He is used to working with a mediocre receiving core, and he has a backfield of Larry Johnson, Clinton Portis and Willie Parker. By the laws of probability, one them have to produce this season. This is a great get for the Skins. (The Train points out their ability to draft OL now in the first round. Great success!)
As for trading within the division. It seems like they are asking for trouble. McNabb is undoubtedly going to have success against the Eagles. He has practiced against that D for years. The D has seen him too, but he is changing offenses; the Eagles D remains the same. You just can't do this to yourself if you're the eagles. Kevin Kolb is going to experience growing pains. That is part of NFL life. But you can't let him experience those pains while the guy you ditched is putting up big numbers against the SAME EXACT TEAMS. How is that going to make you look?! If asked to predict how this will affect the two teams, I'll go THIS far.

Before trade NFC East Standings

Cowboys
Giants
Eagles
Redskins

After trade NFC East Standings

Cowboys
Giants
Redskins
Eagles

That's right! I said it! (typed it*)

Ravenously,

APT