NHL playoffs bring great first round matchups, stars

It’s time for some of the most dramatic postseason action you’ll see in all of sports. Like the NBA, there isn’t much reason to pay attention to hockey until it gets close to the end of the season, but there is nothing like watching a tense battle in the playoffs of hockey. 

Like almost every hockey game, it is usually a tight contest coming down to the last couple seconds of the game. That creates great drama, especially in a setting as big as the playoffs.

Hockey is also a sport were any given team can win on a given night. This is where it differs from the NBA as you already know who is going to be in the finals before it even starts (Heat-Thunder). In 2010 the number 8 and 7 seeds met in the conference finals. You just don’t see that in other sports. 

This year the Philadelphia Flyers will face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in what will undoubtedly be one of the greatest first round playoff pairings in recent history. These two teams left the ice in an all-out brawl just a few weeks ago and tempers will flare during the postseason as these close distance rivals square off. 

Another great rivalry will be going on in the first round between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings. The Wings bring all the history and past Stanley Cups with them, but The Predators are an up and coming team that is looking to make a statement in the NHL. 

There could be all kinds of squid, catfish and other sea creatures being thrown onto the ice as this series goes on. The two division rivals will be in a heated contest for what I expect to be a seven game series. 

The defending champion Boston Bruins and Tim Thomas will be taking on the Washington Capitals who have struggled this year but as long as Alexander Ovechkin is on the ice they’ll have a shot. The Vancouver Canucks will look to get back to the Stanley Cup finals but first they’ll have to get through the Los Angeles Kings who also have been a bit of a disappointment this year but could be dangerous. 

It would have been great to see Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Lightning get into the playoffs, especially after he recorded his 60th goal of the season, but there will still be plenty of stars on the ice to entertain the crowd. 

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will more than bring the star power to the playoffs, and Claude Giroux, Scottie Hartnell and Jaromir Jagr will only add interest on the other side of the ice.

The best goalie in the league, Henrik Lundqvist, will lead the attack for a New York Rangers team. Ilya Kovalchuk and Jerome Iginla give the New Jersey Devils some excitement against the unimpressive Florida Panthers. The Sedin brothers begin another quest for a championship. Anze Kopitar will help the Kings pull off a first round upset. Pekka Rinne and the best defensive player in the league, Shea Weber, lead a great group of Predators. 

And then of course the playoff run of the Chicago Blackhawks is still fresh on our minds. That team retains one the most exciting players in the league in Patrick Kane. Marian Hossa has also had a good year for that team, as well as Patrick Sharp. 

Needless to say there are many reasons to be excited about the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The stars will be on display and dramatic finishes are guaranteed when the path towards a championship begins Wednesday (April 11). 

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Jake also writes for Gloves Off Sports Business.

My Predictions for 2012 MLB season; playoffs and awards

The day has finally come to make the most difficult predictions of the year. With a 162 game schedule, picking a winner in baseball has to be the most difficult task in the world, but it must be done.

I know the Athletics and Mariners already played in Japan, but I don’t consider that Opening Day and neither one of them will play into my predictions. Tonight will start the long journey of the 2012 baseball season, and here is how I see things playing out. 

American League

I’ll start with the easiest league to predict as there are really only six teams involved fighting for five spots. 

AL East:

1. New York Yankees 98-64

2. Tampa Bay Rays* 94-68

3. Boston Red Sox 88-74

4. Toronto Blue Jays 83-79

5. Baltimore Orioles 71-91

The Yankees lineup is just too dynamic. While I think the Rays may actually be a better team, the Yankees just seem to find a way to beat up on all the lower teams in the league and rack up high regular season win totals. I would love to pick the Blue Jays to finish ahead of the Red Sox, but I’m not confident yet in their rotation after Rickey Romero. The Red Sox need a lot to go right in order to fight for the division. 

AL Central:

1. Detroit Tigers 102-60

2. Kansas City Royals 85-77

3. Cleveland Indians 78-84

4. Minnesota Twins 72-90

5. Chicago White Sox 68-94

This might be the easiest prediction in baseball history. I don’t think anyone is picking somebody to dethrone the Tigers, who have looked amazing in spring. I like the Royals and Indians to both continue developing and could make a push if things fall right for them. 

AL West:

1. Anaheim Angels 96-66

2. Texas Rangers* 94-68

3. Seattle Mariners 73-89

4. Oakland Athletics 64-97

I think the Rangers have had too many chances and I feel like this could be a down year for them. The Angels had a better offseason and Mike Scioscia is a great coach that will do wonders with Albert Pujols in his lineup. The Mariners and Athletics might as well get comfortable down there. 

National League

This is where things get fun and interesting. This league is wide open and 10 of the 16 teams have a chance of making the playoffs; however, very few teams have a chance of taking down one of the AL powerhouses. 

NL East:

1. Philadelphia Phillies 97-65

2. Atlanta Braves* 91-71

3. Washington Nationals 87-75

4. Miami Marlins 82-80

5. New York Mets 71-91

Probably shouldn’t predict this division as I’m biased to the Braves, but I think the Phillies will hold strong and defend their crown. This will be the most competitive division in baseball. The Mets won’t be as bad as people think. I’m not as high on the Marlins as everyone else. Things have to go absolutely perfect for them to even make the playoffs. I’ve loved the Nationals for years and think they’ll see a huge improvement this year. 

NL Central:

1. Milwaukee Brewers 92-70

2. Cincinnati Reds 87-75

3. St. Louis Cardinals 85-77

4. Chicago Cubs 74-88

5. Pittsburg Pirates -72-80

6. Houston Astros 54-108

I like the Brewers starting rotation and bullpen better than the Reds and Cardinals and that’s the only reason I’m picking them. This three-team race is going to be close and I believe they’ll have to win the division to make the playoffs. Injuries and letdowns from losing Pujols and LaRussa scare me with the Cardinals. The Reds pitching staff is weak to me, but they do produce the best lineup. The Cubs will improve and the Pirates and Astros will stand pat. 

NL West:

1. San Francisco Giants 94-68

2. Los Angeles Dodgers* 89-73

3. Arizona Diamondbacks 83-79

4. Colorado Rockies 79-83

5. San Diego Padres 65-97

Another wild race in the National League, I think the Giants come out on top because of their dominate top three starting pitchers. I liked the Dodgers going into this year after the way they finished last season and I think they’ll continue to get better with the added fan support. I liked the Diamondbacks last year but I think that gravy train will come to an end. Too many people out produced their normal numbers last year and I’m not confident their starting pitching will hold up. The Rockies might have the best offense in the league, but there are too many questions with the rotation. If Juan Nicasio, Drew Pomeranz and Jhoulys Chacin step up they could surprise some people.   

Playoff Predictions

Wild Card Round:

AL – Rays over the Rangers

NL – Dodgers over the Braves

ALDS:

Rays over the Tigers

Angels over the Yankees

 NLDS:

Phillies over the Dodgers

Giants over the Brewers

ALCS:

Angels over the Rays

NLCS:

Phillies over the Giants

World Series:

Angels over the Phillies

I’ve always been a believer in the Angels coaching staff. I think Pujols will help make that team much better like he did in St. Louis and Scoscia is great at finding a way to produce runs, which will support the great pitching staff with Jared Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana. 

Awards

AL Rookie of the Year: Matt Moore

NL Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper

AL Cy Young award: Dan Haren

NL Cy Young award: Yovani Gallardo

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera

NL MVP: Joey Votto

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Jake also writes for Gloves Off Sports Business.

Calipari changing the game of college basketball

The first thought that came to my mind after Kentucky won the national championship Monday was: What is the NCAA going to do to keep Calipari and Kentucky from dominating for years to come? 

The outspoken coach has let it be known that he’s willing to accept any kid that’s just looking for a ‘one-and-done’ situation for his college basketball experience. He has set up a breeding ground for the NBA and he’s drawing top recruits because of it. 

Let’s be honest, most 18-year-olds are looking to make money as soon as they can. They want to get out from under their parent’s roof and live a better life. Calipari sales these kids on the fact that they can come to Kentucky for a year, win a National Championship, get great exposure and be a lottery pick. 

If a coach came to my home when I was a senior in high school and promised me these things I’d ask where the dotted line is and when can I start. The sooner you can get to the NBA, the sooner you can start making big bucks, which is all a young kid sees after having none his entire life. 

That’s not to say that Calipari is the only coach preaching this philosophy. I’m sure other coaches are telling kids that they can come in, play a year and then jet for NBA and money if that’s what they want. But Calipari has that arrogance and cockiness that comes along with a talented teenager whose dream is instant success. He has the same mindset as them and can easily connect with his players. 

I’m also not implying that all players that go to Kentucky are looking for a quick exit to college instead of focusing on their education. But as I watched that team handle a veteran group of Kansas players I witnessed a lineup that is ready for the NBA and who will undoubtedly be selected early in the next draft. 

Kentucky also has a history that goes along with the school that in itself will draw the attention of a young kid looking to be in the spotlight. Other coaches have to be furious with Calipari’s actions as a coach. Their main job should be to further the kid’s education. So what can be done by the NCAA?

I think eventually you’ll see either an age limit or another year of college added. People hate to see the success the SEC is having and they hate even more that a guy with the character and past of a Calipari is finding a way around the system to dominate the sport. 

In college baseball and football a student is required to attend school for at least three years before entering the draft. Basketball players out of high school are more prepared to compete in the NBA than other sports, so making them stay somewhere they don’t belong for an extra two years seems a unfair. 

Ultimately I don’t disagree with the system or the way Calipari is exploiting it. I just know outrage is going to be coming from other conferences and coaches asking for a rule to be put in place that will stop him and others from making a mockery of this sport by bringing in NBA talent for one year just to win national championships. 

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Jake also writes for Gloves Off Sports Business.