Road Kill

Superbowl Preview coming out tomorrow. Canucks get the win tonight. Let's roll...

Canucks Outshoot Coyotes

The Canucks win their 2nd road game in a row beating the Phoenix Coyotes 7-4 today. They jumped out to the early lead on goals by Daniel Sedin and Josh Green in the first and never looked back. The Canucks got sloppy later in the game but managed to outlast the Coyotes. Curtis Joseph was pulled in the 2nd after letting in 5. Alex Auld was once again the difference tonight making 42 saves overall including 21 in the 2nd period. It is troublesome that the Canucks are putting their faith in a young Alex Auld to win them games, but that's exactly what good teams and good goalies do, they take chances and hope their goalie bails them out. Naslund was back after missing one game. Reports indicated that Richard Park may be back in a week or so. Big talk on the local radio shows is making a deal to bring in some relief on the backend with the possible season ending injury to Ed Jovanovski. Couple of huge divisional games coming up vs Calgary and Edmonton coming up. Once again, it will be a good test to see where this team stacks up with when going head-to-head against the best.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Ottawa vs New Jersey, 4:30pm PST on TSN
NHL, Columbus vs Calgary, 7:00pm PST on TSN
NBA, Washington vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NCAAB, Duke vs Boston College, 6:30pm PST on the Score

Picks of The Day
Dallas Mavericks -1.5 over Memphis Grizzlies
Anaheim Ducks -140 over SJ Sharks
Record YTD (33-38, -1473)

Desert Bound

Preview of the Canucks in the Desert and Hurricanes pull off a big deal. Let's roll...

Walking Wounded

The Canucks continue on their longest road trip of the season heading to Phoenix to face the Coyotoes tomorrow. Fresh off a hard-fought win in Colorado, the Canucks are looking to catch up to the streaking Flames who sit atop the Northwest Division. The Coyotes have been overacheiving all year and their 26-24-3 record does not reflect the talent on the team. Head Coach Wayne Gretzky has his team working hard and squeezing ever last drop of potential from his team. Another reason for the success of the Coyotes has been the play of Curtis Joseph. The aging backstop is having a solid season in net and is 5-1-1 heading into tomorrow's game. Keys for the Canucks will be to jump on the scoresheet early. The Coyotes are a team that struggle to score goals and win when they get ahead early and sit on the lead. The injury bug has hit the Canucks real hard heading into the Olympic break. Dan Cloutier is a write-off for the season with a torn ACL, Marcus Naslund is out indefinitely with the hip-flexor, Ed Jovanovski is out for at least 2 weeks getting abdominal surgery, Matt Cooke is still nursing that sprained ankle, and Richard Park mind as well be gone for the season. Good news is that the replacements are playing well. There is still enough skill in the lineup to win games, especially against teams like the Coyotes. Canucks should win this one 3-1.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Canes Mean Business

The Carolina Hurricanes made a big push today to bolster their lineup as they head into the stretch run of the NHL season by picking up Doug Weight today. The Hurricanes essentially went the "Rent-a-player" route picking up Weight for a number of first round draft picks. Weight is earning roughly $5+ Million and his contract is up at the end of the season. Still, with Weight, the Hurricanes are looking to contend with the likes of Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay for Eastern Conference Supremacy. One has to wonder if the Canucks could have had a chance to pick up Doug Weight. This deal could be a catalyst for more for player movement before the Olympic roster freeze, we'll see if Dave Nonis makes a move given the grave injury situation the Canucks are in.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports


What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Phoenix, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Toronto vs Tampa Bay, 4:30pm PST on TSN
NBA, Phoenix vs Philadelphia, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NBA, Denver vs Sacramento, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of The Day
Detroit Pistons -5 over NJ Nets
Carolina Hurricanes -130 over Montreal Canadiens
Record YTD (32-37, -1373)

Sundays Belong to Tiger

No Sunday football to talk about this Sunday in more than 6 months, I'm pooped. 2 big stories of the day were in Individual sports. Also, a mini-review of Glory Road. Let's roll...

Tiger Back on The Prowl

In the first big event of the 2006 PGA Season, Tiger Woods proved to be automatic once again coming from behind to win the Buick Invitational, his 4th. Of course nobody is suprised he won it, when you see the name "Woods" anywhere within 10 shots of the leader you know he's going to make a charge in the final round. And when the pressure was on, all the also-rans (ie. Jose Maria Olazabal, Nathan Green, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson) all crumbled and faded. You can excuse Olazabal and Green, both just happy to finish somewhere in the top 25. But Garcia and Mickelson have mastered the art of chocking when Tiger is in the hunt. It's like they all of a sudden forget how to play the game when Tiger makes his move. The problem is that they're so obsessed with what Tiger is doing that they forget that they're still playing. Watching the final round, Tiger wasn't spectacular, he made some good shots but some terrible ones too. Should be another good Tiger watching Golf season ahead.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Are The Tears For Real??

Roger Federer won the Australian Open today, the first major Grand Slam of the 2006 Tennis season. Federer has been dominating Men's Tennis for the last 4 years picking up his 4th career major. He's making a routine of dispatching opponent after opponent with ease. But for the first time that we've seen, the usually stoic Federer let his emotions out with tears of joy after receiving the trophy. Hopefully this will be a sign of a more open and out-spoken Champion. There's a reason why Tennis, especially Men's Tennis has dropped in popularity especially in the US. Professional Sports is about entertainment. In the words of Ridley Scott's Gladiator "Are you not entertained?? Are you not entertained????". We want to watch athletes who are animated, who have something interesting to say. What gets people watching Tennis is the fist pumps, the flashy outfits, the arguing with the refs, and racket throwing. That is why sponsors have latched onto Andy Roddick and Rafael Nadal. They may not have skills like Federer, but they've got personality. I for one find it much easier to cheer for a Roddick and Nadal than Federer.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Glory Road, What's It Really About??

Went and caught the movie yesterday. First of all, I couldn't catch it at my local theatre as it was already pulled. In fact, Glory Road did not even open in the Top 10 on it's opening Weekend here in Canada. In the US, it opened #1 on it's opening weekend, and was #3 last weekend. Goes to show you how popular College Basketball is here in Canada.


Back to the movie, I thought it was well done overall. It was widely inaccurate and the term "based on a true story" should be used loosely here. So what is Glory Road really about?? Many reviewers and historians say that the significance of the 1966 Texas Western Miners National Championship was that it was the first time 5 black players started, but that's completely false. There were plenty of teams that had black players that same year and prior to. In fact, in the movie we see that in the Semifinal match, Kansas' top player was black.

The significance of the 1966 TWU team was that it was the first time a team won the National Championship by "playing black". When I mean "playing black", I mean they played with style, creativity, and attitude. It was the first time a coach let his players win with playground moves and above the rim tactics. That's what changed the game of Basketball forever. Again, it wasn't about skin color, it was about style. Similar to how Canadians changed the game of Hockey in 1972 when they beat the Russians, by playing "Canadian". Glory Road focused way too much on the race factor and less on the style of play which was obviously done to make it more dramatic. But overall, I think it is an entertaining movie and a story that needs to be told.
*Photo from IMDB

What's on TV
NBA, Portland vs Seattle, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Calgary vs St. Louis, 5:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NHL, Toronto vs Florida, 4:00pm PST on Sportsnet Ontario
NHL, Boston vs Ottawa, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet East

Picks of the Day
San Antonio Spurs -5.5 over Utah Jazz
Ottawa Senators -1.5 (-130) over Boston Bruins
Record YTD (31-36, -1073)

HNIC, Good to Canucks

Canucks win!!! Didn't want to do a NCAAB recap, Oklahoma upsets Texas as the major news story. Lets roll...

Prayers Answered


The Canucks stop the bleeding for now and pulled out a tough 4-3 OT Shootout win over the Avalanche tonight in Colorado. In a late scratch, Marcus Naslund decided to sit this one out. Finally, Naslund has come out publicly and acknowledged that he has a hip-flexer problem that has been bothering him for quite some time. He hinted it may even keep him from playing at the Olympics next month. As for the game itself, Alex Auld put the team on his shoulders tonight and pulled out the victory. He made 40 saves including several spectactular ones that kept the Canucks in it in the 2nd period and later in the 3rd when the Canucks were leading. Jarkko Ruutu scored one in the 2nd and the only goal in the shootout to end the Canucks recent 3 game slide. Next game is on Tue vs the Coyotes in Phoenix. Dallas Stars take out the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in a OT Shootout thriller today on National TV on NBC. Too bad, WWE wrestling, and Bowling probably rated better.
*Photo from ESPN

What's on TV
NBA, Phoenix vs Cleveland, 10:00am PST on ABC
NBA, Miami vs Houston, 12:30pm PST on ABC
NBA, Sacramento vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NCAAB, Indiana vs Minnesota, 10:00am PST on CBS
PGA, Buick Invitational Final Round (Live), 12:00pm PST on CBS
NHL, Edmonton vs Phoenix, 5:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
LA Lakers +8 over Detroit Pistons
TB Lightning -1.5 (+200) over Washington Capitals
Record YTD (31-34, -863)

Must Win??

Preview of Canucks vs Avs, Brodeur signs mega-deal in New Jersey. Let's roll...

Avs, Canucks Renew Rivalry

The Canucks roll into the Mile High City tomorrow to face divisional rivals Colorado Avalanche tomorrow. The Canucks are fresh off another loss, their 3rd in a row heading into this matchup. The Avs are 8-3 in the month of January, 2 of those losses coming against Detroit and Dallas. The Avs are 16-7-4 at home while the Canucks are 10-15-2 away from GM Place. The head-to-head matchup is completely 1-sided as well with the Avs winning all 3 matchups so far this season. Both teams have deficiencies at the Goaltending position, David Aebischer has been wildly inconsistent for the Avs, Alex Auld has been a little more steady but has started way too many games in a row. The X-factor in this game will be Joe Sakic and Alex Tanguay, both are known to be Canuck killers in the past. Bottom line, Canucks are slumping, Avs are surging, Avs take it 5-3.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Brodeur to Stay a Devil


With some speculation that Martin Brodeur could be traded by the New Jersey Devils, Brodeur did the exact opposite today signing a mega 6-year contract extension with the Devilswhich would more than likely ensure that Brodeur retires a Devil. Brodeur has been absolutely on fire the last several weeks leading the Devils on a resurgence up the Eastern Conference Standings heading straight for the top. His numbers this season, slightly down from the previous NHL season, are more impressive given the increased scoring in the new NHL. He's facing more shots, in more PP situations yet Brodeur has been able to consistently rank among the top 5 in almost every statistical category. The length of deal was quite surprising given that Brodeur is 33 years of age and probably has about 3 good years left. Then again, Dominik Hasek is playing well into his 40s.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Montreal vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, Vancouver vs Colorado, 7:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, Pittsburgh vs NY Rangers, 11:00am PST on NBC
PGA, Buick Invitational 3rd Round (Live), 12:00pm PST on CBS
NBA, New Jersey vs Seattle, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NCAAB, Texas vs Oklahoma, 6:00pm PST on the Score

Picks of the Day
Dallas Mavericks -10 over Utah Jazz
NY Rangers -1.5 (+125) over Pittsburgh Penguins
Record YTD (29-34, -1088)

Bad Things Come in 3s

Canucks lose again, Babcock is fired, and Minny and Boston play "lets make a deal". Let's roll...

Canucks Slide Continues

The Canucks lose their 3rd game in a row by a score of 2-1 to the Detroit Red Wings tonight in Detroit. The effort level was solid but the Red Wings got the breaks, especially by the refs. The problem with the loss here is that had the Canucks beaten the Blues and Blue Jackets earlier in the week, this loss wouldn't be so tough to swallow. Now, Canucks' fans are in full panic mode. As many have pointed out, the top line has been completely unproductive in the last dozen games. You have to wonder when Nonis will decide to make a move here. He's been quite patient thus far, but with the Olympic roster freeze coming up and a rush afterwards to make up for lost time, there is much urgency to make a move before it's too late. It's like the stock market, and waiting for the market to bottom out before dipping in. Experts know that you can't predict the bottom, if you try you'll almost always end up missing the boat altogether.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Anyone Looking to Buy a House??

That quote from Ron Babcock, formerly the GM of the Toronto Raptors who was turfed today. Anyone surprised?? Hell no. This is the guy that traded Vince Carter to New Jersey for Alonzo Mourning. Wait, Mourning never played for Toronto. Ya, that's right, Babcock shipped Mourning to Miami for NOTHING and the news gets better, he agreed the Raptors would pay his salary not Miami. Lets see, recent draft history, Babcock decides that his #7 pick is worthy of selecting Charlie Villanueva. The year before, Babcock thinks Rafael Araujo is going to set the world on fire and selects him with the #8 pick overall. And so when Babcock said in his press conference today that he was "totally shocked" that he was being let go, it all starts to make sense. This guy was NEVER meant to be a GM, he just doesn't get it, never has, never will. As optimistic as I am about the move and how it will only get better going forward, I think about the irreparable damage that Babcock has created for the franchise. It will literally take years, several at the least, before the Raptors can rise again to highs they once acheived. I will always have hope as a Raptor fan, hope for a better day. Tomorrow will be a good day, a new day.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Beantown welcomes Wallyworld

Another day featuring another blockbuster trade in the NBA. This time, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics hook up in a mega-deal that essentially sees Wally Szczerbiak of the T-Wolves go to the Celtics for Ricky Davis. I like the deal for the Timberwolves, they get a more versatile, explosive, and durable player in Davis. Wally was often injured and rarely played a full season in Minnesota. The Celtics are clearly rebuilding right now, trading for Wally is a curious move as you would've thought that the Celtics would go for more draft picks or a young promising talent rather than the oft-injured Szcerbiak and the hugely disappointing Michael Olowakandi. But then again, the Celtics are one of the worst teams for a reason (Doc Rivers hasn't helped the cause either). As for Minnesota, the player they really coveted was Ron Artest but a deal wasn't in the cards and so the T-Wolves will have to settle for Davis.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NBA, Toronto vs Milwaukee, 5:30pm PST on the Score
Tennis, Australian Open Women's Final (Live), 6:30pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Orlando/New York O206.5
NJ Devils -125 over Florida
Record YTD (29-32, -853)

Motown Mojo

Preview of the big game tomorrow with the Canucks at Detroit to face the Red Wings, Artest is a King, Thomas in a little hot water. Let's roll...

Canucks at Hockeytown USA

The Canucks head to the Motor City (home of the Superbowl XL next weekend) to face the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night. Both teams have been struggling lately, the Canucks lost the first 2 of their current 7 game road swing, the Red Wings have lost a couple of games to the Nashville Predators and now share the lead for tops in the Western Conference. At the beginning of the season, many thought the Red Wings would struggle to compete in the new NHL, but the Wings have had a fantastic first half of the season and surprised everyone with their fast start. Couple of reasons for their great start, an awesome PP, and outstanding goaltending from both Manny Legace and Chris Osgood. The Red Wings are 3rd in the league in goals scored and 5th in goals allowed. But the biggest reason has been the hiring of Mike Babcock. Finally, Babcock is able to shine in a town that is worthy of his Hockey knowledge. As for the Canucks, they will be in tough here. But if the Canucks can outhustle the Red Wings, they should be able to squeeze one out. Ed Jovanovski re-injured his groin and is out indefinitely, no status update on Matt Cooke. Alex Auld will get the start here. Canucks win in a shootout, 5-4.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Artest Heads West

Nothing surrounding the story in the life of Ron Artest is ordinary so why would his trade to a new team be any different. The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings finalized the deal today that sends the much maligned Ron Artest to Sacramento in exchange for Peja Stojakovic. Initially, the deal was shot down by Artest's agent, Mark Stevens who vetoed the trade because his client did not want to play in Sacramento. That veto was later recinded allowing the deal to go through. So who wins in this deal?? Nobody really. The Kings start their Artest experimentation which should produce dividends in the short-term but could end up costing them in the long-run should Artest break out of control again, something we have expected from him. As for the Pacers, Stojakovic is a great offensive shooter, but doesn't nearly have the defensive capability to shut down opposing guards that they'll need in the playoffs. In the end, the deal was a necessary evil for both teams to rid themselves of the distractions and move on.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

He Said, She Said

NY Knicks President Isiah Thomas is being sued by former team executive, Anucha Browne Sanders for sexual harrassment. Sanders claims Thomas made several sexual advances and made it impossible for her to continue employment with the organization. When Sanders reported her claims to team officials, they told her to take a leave of absence then proceeded to terminate her employment for not fulfilling her Professional duties of her employment contract. Sanders is demanding $6 Million in lost future wages. Now, Sanders doesn't exactly fit the profile of a gold-digging groupie looking to cash in here. Sanders had worked for the Knicks organization since 2000, 3 years before Thomas arrived in NY. This is going to be very bad for Thomas, he's got a lot of supporters right now, but a lot of questions about his behavior will be raised.
*Photo from MSNBC

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Detroit, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Edmonton vs LA Kings, 7:30pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
Dallas Mavericks -6 over Seattle Supersonics
Carolina Hurricanes +105 over Atlanta Thrashers
Record YTD (27-32, -1058)

Thanks For The Memories Mario

Another day, another loss. Mario retires again, slow news day again. Let's roll...

Canucks seeing Blue

First the Blues stuck it to the Canucks last night, and tonight the Blue Jackets socked the Canucks 6-5 in Columbus. Alex Auld came up limp on the first 2 goals, then a valiant effort to comeback from the Canucks was thwarted when Todd Bertuzzi watched Trevor Letowski of the Blue Jackets skate by him and put the game winner past Auld. Keyword here being "watched" and "Letowski". You don't watch a guy skate right by you, you knock him on his a**, especially when you have 50+ pounds on the guy and skate a hundred times better. More bad news for the Canucks, Ed Jovanovski re-injured his groin. With the Olympics so close, I expect that Jovo will not be back until March and could even have a limited role in the Olympics. Huge game coming up on Thursday as the Canucks face the Detroit Red Wings. Let's hope that they decide to show up this time.

He's Done

Mario Lemieux re-retired from the NHL today in Pittsburgh. This just a few days after he announced that he's stepping down as the CEO/President of the Penguins and put up the For Sale sign for the franchise. This time Lemieux will stay retired. Too many injuries, too many politics, a bad, really bad season. All were contributing factors. Lemieux has been the thread holding the fragile Penguins together for the better part of 15 years ever since he led them to back-to-back Stanley Cups in the early 90's. The stress of carrying the entire franchise on his shoulders physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially was too much for him and his family. Watching the press conference today, Lemieux was more relieved than sad or disappointed. He simply wanted OUT, and now he's officially out. Lemieux leaves the NHL as arguably the greatest talent in the history of the league. Gretzky may have the stats, Howe may have the durability, Orr may have the heart, but Lemieux was the most complete NHL player of all time. God given athleticism, an NHL body decades ahead of his time, undeniable skating and puck handling ability, and a hockey IQ that was simply unmatched. Lemieux was the greatest. Not only will Super Mario be sorely missed, we will NEVER see a talent like him ever again. Au revoir Mario!!

What's on TV
NHL, Montreal vs Philadelphia, 4:00pm PST on TSN
NHL, Edmonton vs Anaheim, 7:00pm PST on TSN
NBA, Chicago vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on Sportsnet Ontario
NBA, Milwaukee vs Detroit, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet East
NBA, Minnesota vs Memphis, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NBA, Denver vs Portland, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Denver Nuggets -4 over Portland Trailblazers
Dallas Stars -1.5 (-130) over St. Louis Blues
Record YTD (27-30, -818)

Election Day Spanking

The Liberals were dethroned, and the Canucks collapse in St. Louis. Slow sports news day overall. Let's roll...

You Snooze, You LOSE!!!

It's as simple as that folks. If you don't show up to play, you will get your a** spanked, and that is exactly what happened to the Canucks in St. Louis tonight losing 4-0. Let's give the Blues some credit here, they've played 2 solid games coming into this one and they sure as hell didn't want their losing streak to hit double-digits. But the Canucks hit the snooze button and never woke up in time for this one. Maxime Ouellet started in net, and played decently, but the team in front of him was downright awful. Ed Jovanovski did play today and the rust was evident. Not much time to dwell on the loss, the Canucks headed straight to Columbus tonight to face the Blue Jackets tomorrow night.

If there was ever a time for Marc Crawford to rip into his team for their non-existent effort, tonight would be that night. As bad as the game tonight vs the Blues was, I don't think there's reason to panic yet. Certainly there's little time time to do so as the Canucks flew directly to Columbus right after the Blues game. Tomorrow, the Canucks go against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Since Rick Nash's return to the team from injury almost 1 month ago, the Blue Jackets have been pretty decent. Assuming the Canucks can pick up their energy level in time for tomorrow's game, they should be able to blow away the Blue Jackets. Marc Denis has been suspect most of the season, and Rick Nash has been silent in the last 3 games, 2 of which were losses. If the Canucks can keep Nash in check and pick up their intensity, should be an easy 4-1 victory. I expect Marc Crawford to go back to the reliable Alex Auld in net for this one.

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Columbus, 4:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Phoenix vs Minnesota, 5:00pm PST on TSN
NHL, Calgary vs Colorado, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NBA, Indiana vs Cleveland, 4:00pm PST on the Score
Tennis, Australian Open Quarterfinals (Live), 7:30pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Phoenix Suns -5 over Orlando Magic
NJ Devils -150 over NY Islanders
Record YTD (26-29, -808)

DeeTroit Here We Come

AFC and NFC Championship games today, Canucks crush Habs and go back on the road, Kobe makes NBA History. Let's roll...

Steelers and Seahawks Superbowl Bound

In the first game of the day, the Steelers slammed the Broncos 34-17 in Denver for the AFC Championship. Similar to how Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts could not pick up on the Steelers blitz, Jake Plummer of the Denver Bronocos had a terrible game today. Plummer threw 2 picks and fumbled twice, and it was the difference. The Steelers did not do anything different than they've been doing in the last 6 weeks other than blitz, blitz, blitz. And nobody has been able to pick that up. Bottom line, the Broncos did not prepare for the blitz and they had no answer for it.

In the second game of the double-header, the Seahawks dismantled the Panthers 34-14 for the NFC Championship. The Seahawks offense was simply unstoppable. The pass, the run, the Offensive line. I cannot see anybody that can stop them, you can only slow them down. On defense, the Seahawks took care of Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith limiting them to a handful of catches. The turning point in the game was when Panthers RB Nick Goings was knocked out of the game. The Panthers were already decimated at the Running Back spot with DeShawn Foster not playing in the game, they simply had no run game to go to. The Seahawks dropped all the Safeties and Linebackers back into coverage, and with the great speed of the Defensive Line created enough pressure on Delhomme to cough up the ball 3 times. Again, the Seahawk offense cannot be stopped, Shaun Alexander had a huge game, Matt Hasselbeck had a huge game, Darrell Jackson had a huge game, way too many weapons there.

As for my NFL Playoff record, I went 2-0 today ATS, and 7-3 overall ATS, 8-2 straight up. The early line is Pittsburgh -4, it will probably move to 2.5 by next Sat.

Canucks Steamroll Habs

Yesterday, the Canucks blasted the Canadiens 6-2 and spoiled the party with the many Habs fans in attendance at GM Place. They did it by blasting out of the gates scoring all 6 goals in the first 15 min of the first period, then put it into cruise control the rest of the way. Habs Goalie Jose Theodore was pulled after the 5th goal. Canucks still not quite Stanley Cup contenders yet, but they're getting there. Bottom line is that they've beaten some pretty bad teams in the last couple of weeks and we'll reserve our place in the Stanley Cup parade on Robson until we see the Canucks beat some of the upper echelon teams in the league.

The Canucks hit the road again with their first game tomorrow vs the basement dwelling St. Louis Blues. The Blues have lost 9 straight and haven't won since they beat the Canucks several weeks ago. We've seen this bad team before. The Canucks have been energized lately and should be able to pick up a few early goals to coast to victory. Big question will be whether Maxime Ouellet will start in goal. Dave Nonis hinted as much during his post-game comments on HNIC. I say the Canucks take it 5-2.

Where Were You When...

Kobe dropped 81 points in a 122-104 win over the Toronto Raptors. Un-freaking-believable. Post NFC game, I landed on the Lakers/Raptors game with the Raptors up by 15 in the first half. Fast forward to the 3rd quarter and Kobe popped off for 27 in the 3rd quater. Then he put the Raptors away for good in the 4th scoring 28 in the process. Kobe's 81 points ranks as the 2nd highest single point total in a game in NBA History, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's unreachable 100. If the Lakers make the playoffs, I can't see why Kobe won't get the MVP award. Steve Nash has had another fantastic year in Phoenix, but Kobe has been unreal this year.

Unbeaten No More

In a funky NCAA College Gameday yesterday, all 3 remaining undefeated teams went down in flames to unranked opponents. #1 Duke fell to unranked Georgetown, #2 Florida to unranked Tennessee, and #9 Pittsburgh to unranked St. John's. It's just as well, unbeaten teams almost never go all the way, Illinois lost last year in the NCAA Tournament Championship. The 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins lost to the Washington Redskins in the Superbowl. I still think Duke will stay #1 througout, Florida may drop. #3 UConn could move up after beating #17 Louisville. The most shocking upset of the day was #15 Wisconsin losing to the basketball wilderness of N Dakota St. My beloved West Virginia Mountaineers outlasted the UCLA Bruins yesterday. I love that 1-3-1 trap they run, Coach Jim Beilein is a basketball genius. Can't wait for the NCAA Tournament, better get your brackets ready.

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs St. Louis, 5:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Calgary vs Edmonton, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NBA, Toronto vs Denver, 6:00pm PST on the Score

Picks of the Day
Indiana Pacers -5.5 over Atlanta Hawks
Vancouver Canucks -1.5 (+110) over St. Louis Blues
Record YTD (26-27, -598)

Sleepless in Seattle

Another terrific weekend of sports action especially locally. Once in a lifetime chance to see a Conference Championship in our backyard. Canucks host the Habs tomorrow. Let's roll...

It's All About the Fans


2 weekends remain before the biggest sporting event in North America and 2 of the teams playing this Sunday will be there. The Precursor to the Super Bowl, the Conference Championships have traditionally given us the greatest moments in the history of NFL football and this weekend should be no different. But what the Conference Championships is really about is the final home game for the fans. This is especially unique for Seattle as they have never hosted a Conference Championship and the city is going absolutely bananas for the Seahawks. Regardless of the result of the game, this will be a special weekend for Seattle Superfan Big Lo and the rest of Seattle.

Carolina at Seattle (-3.5)

This game can really go either way as both teams have a great offense to go with equally good defenses. The bottom line in this game will come down to whether the young and inexperienced Seahawk Secondary can shutdown WR Steve Smith of the Panthers. As good as Smith was last weekend vs the Bears, the Panthers won on 2 TD catches by Smith where Bears DB Charles Tillman fell on 2 deep plays. The Seahawks are too good on offense to be denied points, they will get at least 21. As I said, the game will come down to whether they can prevent Smith from burning the DBs deep. Remember as well that Smith is a short guy, he's only 5'9. It's really only his speed the Hawks have to worry about. In a speculative play, I'd go with the Hawks by 3.

Pittsburgh at Denver (-3)

Couple of big concerns on both teams. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is banged up going into this one, could affect his play. For the Broncos, can their QB Jake Plummer duplicate his flawless performance vs the Patriots, it's only a matter of time before he starts throwing picks again, could it be on Sunday?? Gamebreakers will be the DBs and Safeties in this game. The Broncos have Champ Bailey who broke open their win vs the Patriots with his big pick and run back. For the Steelers, Troy Polamalu has been coming up big time and time again, he will be recognized in this one. In the end, go with the Steelers and take the points.
*Photos from Yahoo!Sports

Habs in Friendly Territory


The Montreal Canadiens come to Vancouver to face the Canucks in GM Place tomorrow. As with the Leafs, there is usually a heavy contingent of Habs fans whenever the Canadiens are in town. The Canadiens are playing inspired of late since Bob Gainey fired Claude Julien and took over the coaching reins. Reports indicate that Julien was canned partly because of his strained relationship with Superstar Goalie Jose Theodore. The Canadiens are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Flames on the first of long 6 game road swing. The top scorers for the Canadiens are Saku Koivu, Michael Ryder, and Andrei Markov. The Canadiens are an average team, nothing too special all-around. The Canucks are clearly expected to win this game easily. They are much better on the PP, and have much more team speed. Markov is on the IR for the Canadiens, Matt Cooke and Ed Jovanovski are both still out. I like the Canucks in a 3-2 win.
*Photo from BobandAJ

What's on TV
NHL, Montreal vs Vancouver, 7:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, Toronto vs Ottawa, 4:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, San Jose vs LA Kings, 3:00pm PST on NBC
NCAAB, West Virginia vs UCLA, 1:00pm PST on CBS
NCAAB, California vs Arizona, 3:00pm PST on ABC
NCAAB, Conneticut vs Louisville, 6:00pm PST on the Score
PGA, Bob Hope Classic Round 4 (Live), 12:00pm PST on ABC
Tennis, Australian Open Early Rounds Day 7 (Live), 7:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Milwaukee/Charlotte O198
NY Rangers/Boston O6 -130
Record YTD (26-25, -358)

Auld is Our Man

Canucks make it 3 in a row, Davis slapped with 5 gamer, Berard is a doper, and Epstein is back. Let's roll...

Sabres Thumped

The Canucks rolled the Sabres 4-1 tonight at GM Place for their 3rd straight win. It was a close game most of the way but the Canucks got the breaks they needed both on offense and defense. The pace of the game was fast with plenty of chances on both ends. Canucks backstopper Alex Auld was solid stopping 24 of 25 shots in the win and was the difference in the end. The win was despite 2 key injuries to Matt Cooke and Ed Jovanovski's nagging groin pull. Not much else to say here, both teams played well but lacked intensity. Canucks got lucky more than the Sabres did, take the 2 points and keep on rolling. The Canucks are now 17-3-3 at home and 8-1-0 against Eastern Conference teams. The Montreal Canadiens are up next on HNIC Saturday night in Vancouver.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Protecting Your Own

Stu Jackson handed down a 5-game suspension today to NY Knicks forward Antonio Davis for leaving the court and entering into the stands to intervene in an altercation between his family and a Bulls fan in last nights game. To add insult to injury, the 22 year-old punk fan Michael Axelrod who instigated the altercation is now suing the Davis family because Kendra Davis allegedly "scratched" him and that Antonio Davis called him "a drunk" which was a lie according to Axelrod. Let's face it, there was probably fault on both parties, Axelrod was an idiot for heckling Antonio Davis especially with the Davis family sitting just 1 row down. And in Axelrod's defense, this is apparently not the first time Kendra Davis has had a run in with fans. But the bottom line is, Davis acted instinctively when he saw that his family was being threatened, I'm pretty sure any one of us would've done the same.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Berard on Roids

Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman Bryan Berard tested positive today for a banned substance in his bid to join Team USA at the Olympics next month. This will certainly add some fuel to the fire that Dick Pound started by saying that 25% of NHL players are using performance enhancing drugs. Although I don't think the number is anywhere as high as 25%, I do believe that there is a significant number of players using some form of performance enhancing drugs, alot higher than most people think. It's common knowledge that many hockey players use Sudafed as an energy boost. The Edmonton Oilers of the 80s are widely speculated to have been heavy Cocaine users including the likes of legends Grant Fuhr and Mark Messier. All I know is that it's about damn time the NHL starts testing for drugs. I'm sure a Rafael Palmeiro fiasco is imminent.
*Photo from Tuomoruutu

Epstein Out Again, In Again

The Boston Red Sox have announced that they have agreed in principal to bring back Superkid Theo Epstein into the front-office in Beantown. This after Epstein walked away from what he perceived to be a lack of recognition (ie. money) for bringing the World Series Title back to Boston and ending the dreaded curse of the Bambino. The Epstein saga has been dominating Boston SportsTalk Radio for the last several months since it began and seems to have more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie Murder Mystery. I'm actually surprised that another team did not take advantage of the situation to offer Epstein a big pile of money to run a team somewhere else. Somewhere where the fans aren't nearly as maniacal and possessive. The return of Epstein should ensure that the Red Sox will be at least semi-competitive this upcoming season. Although looking at the roster as is, they'd be lucky to be .500, Epstein has a lot of work to do.
*Photo from NEsery

What's on TV
NBA, San Antonio vs Miami, 5:00pm PST on the Score
NBA, Toronto vs Seattle, 7:30pm PST on the Score
Tennis, Australian Open Early Rounds Day 6 (Live), 7:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Dallas Mavericks -3 over LA Clippers
Chicago/Minnesota U5.5 -120
Record YTD (24-25, -558)

Lets Battle

Preview of Sabres in Vancouver for tomorrow's big game, Bulls and Knicks do battle literally, undefeated teams stay undefeated in NCAA basketball action. Let's roll...

Sabres Looking For Blood

The Buffalo Sabres are in town to face the Canucks tomorrow at GM Place. The Sabres are on the frontend of a long road trip and are red hot at the moment coming off a couple of big wins over LA and Edmonton. The Sabres are another team like the Hurricanes that are winning without the superstar forwards and centers. They've built their team from the ground up by drafting well and adding character players. They have a young hot rookie goalie in Ryan Miller and their top scorers are relative unknowns in Ales Kotalik, Tim Connolly and Chris Drury. With the exception of the offensive explosion in LA where the Sabres scored 10 goals, the Sabres are doing it mostly with aggressive forechecking, solid defense and goaltending, and a solid PP. As for the Canucks, they are coming off 2 wins vs terrible teams and need to show up for this one. Alex Auld will start this one again, Coach Crawford has publicly stated he's going to ride Auld throughout. Side story with the Sabres is the Canucks reportedly trying to court the services of Goalie Martin Biron. Matt Cooke is most likely out for this one as he injured his ankle in practice, Ed Jovanovski needs at least 1 more week. Bottom line, Canucks take this 3-1.
*Photo from TSN

Bulls Win Wild One

Da Bulls beat the Da Knicks today 106-104 in OT today. Ben Gordon hit the game winning jumper in OT in front of a packed United Center arena. Couple of wild moments in this game. First Bulls Guard Chris Duhan got in a scuffle with Knicks Forward Maurice Taylor which resulted in the ejections of both players. Then after play resumed, Knicks Forward Antonio Davis climbed into the stands to intervene in an altercation between his wife and son and some Chicago fans. It's fine to be a fan of your team, to be loud and obnoxious, but when you physically interfere with other fans around you trying to enjoy the game, you've stepped too far. Anyone who has gone to any Major Professional Sporting Event lately knows that there are way too many inhebriated morons that are way out of control. When I got to Canucks and Lions games now, I see at least 1 to 2 fights break out in the stands every single time. If I had kids, I would not bring them to the game, too many loonies out there.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Undefeated

It was closer than expected, but #1 Duke outlasted NC State 81-68 today to stay undefeated. The Blue Devils were down at halftime but JJ Reddick put the game on his shoulders and delivered the knockout punch in the 2nd half. The University of Pittsburgh Panthers are getting little press lately with the Steelers deep in the NFL Playoffs but #8 Pitt beat Rutgers 76-68 tonight extending their record to an undefeated 15-0. The Panthers have some local BC talent as Forward Levon Kendall and former Kitsilano Blue Demon had a career night with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Panthers were bounced in the first round last year and are looking to more than just return to the Tournament. A Final Four appearance would not be out the realm of possibility this year.
*Photo from ESPN.com

What's on TV
NHL, Buffalo vs Vancouver, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Boston vs Philadelphia, 4:00pm PST on TSN
NHL, Montreal vs Calgary, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
Tennis, Australian Open Early Rounds Day 5 (Live), 8:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Oregon St +17 over Washington
Ottawa Senators -1.5 (-130) over Anaheim Ducks
Record YTD (23-24, -528)

Watch Out for Those Hurricanes

Very slow news day, Canucks not playing till Thursday, NBA only has 2 games on the sked, we're talking NCAA hoops and the upstart Carolina Hurricanes. Let's roll.

Hoosierland Reason to Celebrate

#13 Indiana edged #5 Illinois today 62-60 in a mild upset in Bloomington, Indiana. Slowly but surely, Mike Davis is building a program at Indiana that rivals that of perennial top 10 teams Duke, North Carolina, and Conneticut. The Hoosiers play has been somewhat inconsistent so far losing to unranked Indiana State but they showed today that they can run with the best of them. In other action, former Indiana Coach Bobby Knight watched his Texas Tech Red Raiders get blown out 80-46 by #6 Texas. At least Knight didn't go ballistic and throw a chair into the court. My beloved West Virginia Mountaineers and Coach John Beilein take care of business in a 64-48 drubbing of Providence. Yesterday, upstart #UConn beat #20 Syracuse 88-80. Boone is coming into his own at UConn, Canada's Denham Brown has been a great recruit so far for Uconn.
*Photo from IUHoosiers

Hurricanes Take Top Spot

Don't look now, but the Carolina Hurricanes lead the NHL with 66 points as we surpass the halfway point in the NHL season. That's right the Carolina Hurricanes. Those pesky Canes beat the Flyers today 4-3 in Philly for their 8th straight. And they've done it with a Rookie goalie in Martin Gerber and leading scorer Eric Staal. Can they keep this pace up for the second half of the season?? Maybe not, but teams around the league are certainly taking notice of the Canes and their spectacular first half of the season. The Canucks should take a good look at how the Hurricanes have been able to build their team from mostly draft picks and picking up role players like Mike Commodore and Corey Stillman to become Stanley Cup contenders.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Toronto vs Minnesota, 5:00pm PST on TSN
NBA, New Jersey vs Philadelphia, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NBA, Phoenix vs LA Clippers, 7:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Memphis Grizzlies -2 over New Orleans Hornets
Detroit/Columbus O6.5 -125
Record YTD (23-22, -293)

Pens Non-Existent

Canucks rout the pathetic Pens, Kobe beats his nemesis Shaq, and D-Train gets record deal. Lets roll...

Canucks Stomp on Pens

The Vancouver Canucks fresh off an 8-1 thrashing of the Isles continued their assault, this time stomping on the Penguins 4-2. As many have commented on Talk Radio, Penguins are a team full of pussies. When you're leading scorer is getting layed out every single shift (this time it was Bryan Allen with the beat down), and you're teammates do NOTHING, you know your team isn't going anywhere. Where is the protection?? What happened to all those "so-called" tough guys the Pens brought in to protect Sid the Kid?? This Kid won't last 5 seasons the way he's getting pounded. Oh and by the way, Crosby scored 1 of their 2 goals. Simply pathetic the Pens are. A sorry excuse for a franchise. Crosby would be better off playing in the QMJHL this season. Anyways, as for the Canucks, it sounds cliche, but they did what they needed to do to win. Take the 2 points and move on. Alex Auld started yet another game. Dave Nonis must be close to a deal, otherwise Auld could be near a mid-season collapse. How many more games can Marc Crawford expect to ride the young tender?
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Kobe Goes Off Again

This time for 37 points and the 100-92 win over the Miami Heat. Don't look now, but Kobe is slowly building a case for MVP of the league, and the Lakers are heating up winning 6 of their last 7. For the first time in 2 years, Kobe Bryant is playing with a passion and determination that once had him pegged as the next Savior of the NBA (before the Colorado Rape Case that tarnished his perfect image). He's not only putting up huge numbers, but he's taking over games in the 4th quarter. Maybe it's taken the 2 years to figure out how to win games without Shaq, or maybe it's Phil Jackson's return. Whatever the reason, I think that this is exactly what the NBA needs right now. Detroit and San Antonio are great teams, maybe 2 of the greatest in the last 10 years, but the NBA needs players, personalities, heroes that win games in the last minute. Kobe's resurgence could be the face of the new NBA.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Money Train for D-Train

The Florida Marlins and Dontrell Willis went to Salary Arbitration and was awarded BIG-TIME, a 1 year 4.35 Million Dollar deal. Willis is the future of Baseball. You talk about the next best pitchers to take over the reigns over the likes of Rocket Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson. This deal is just the start, expect Willis to sign a long-term deal with someone, maybe Florida, next year. After a great rookie season, Willis hit the wall a little in 2004, but was simply unhittable in 2005. What I love about Willis is that he's fearless. He's unafraid to pitch inside, intimidate, and go for the strikeouts. The Marlins are coming off a hugely dissapointing season where they faded late in the season and ultimately missed the playoffs. There is talk of the Marlins on the move if a new ballpark is not built in Miami, Portland has been named as the frontrunner for relocation. What a treat it would be for Willis and the Marlins to come to the Pacific Northwest where we would get to watch the D-Train blow by batters.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Pittsburgh, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Buffalo vs Edmonton, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
West Virgina -12.5 over Providence
NJ Devils -200 over St. Louis Blues
Record YTD (20-22, -493)

Wide Right

Ahh, the life of a kicker. The Colts watched their season go down the tubes as they saw the universal signal of "Wide Right" waved by the endzone officials. Canucks face the lowly Pens tomorrow and the Raptors are rising from the dead. I went 2-2 straight up, and 1-3 ATS this weekend, not as good as last weekend but not too bad overall. Let's roll...

Steelers Bring Down the House, Bears Bounced

The Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Indianapolis Colts 21-18 in a wild and bizzare ending to the first Playoff game today. The Steelers dominated the Colts for the better part of the day until 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. First the usually sure-handed Bettis fumbled the ball on the Colts goaline which was then picked up and ran back for 40 yards by Nick Harper. Then the usually dependable Mike Vanderjagt who had never missed a FG at Indianapolis missed the game-tying FG try with seconds remaining. The Colts offense was simply off for the first 3 quarters. The timing was off and the play calling was not consistent. It was too late when things finally started to get going. The Colts have to be extremely disappointed with how they finished the season and you have to wonder if some major changes will be made in the off-season. As for the Steelers, they have a date with the Broncos next weekend for the AFC Championship. I like the Steelers so far early on here.

In the day's second playoff matchup, the Carolina Panthers put the boot to the Chicago Bears 29-21. The much heralded Monsters of Midway were unable to stop, contain, slow down Panther WR Steve Smith. Add to that the amount of time given for QB Jake Delhomme to find his favorite receiver, and it was game, set, match for the Panthers. What surprised me most was how well the Bears offense was able to respond almost coming all the way back. But in the end, QB Rex Grossman simply did not have the big game experience to pull off the comeback. For the Bears, the future looks very bright. All they need is to add a few pieces to the puzzle and they should be Super Bowl contenders next year. The Panthers are headed to Seattle and the NFC Championship next week. The Panthers are an extremely dangerous team, especially on the road. I think the Seahawks have their hands full in this one.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Can the Penguins be Saved?

The Canucks roll into Pittsburgh to face the Penguins at the Mellon Arena tomorrow. The Penguins have more problems than they can handle right now both on and off the ice. Coaches getting fired, owners in the locker room, a building that is falling apart, relocation, the list goes on and on. Lost in all of this is the most exciting thing in the NHL since Wayne Gretzky in Sidney Crosby. Unfortunately, the problems at Pittsburgh are far beyond what Sid the Kid can do for this sorry excuse for a franchise. As for the game itself, I look for the Canucks to build off of their beat down of the Isles and continue the beating with the Penguins. Interesting thing will be who starts in net, Alex Auld has gone at least 5 straight games including back-to-back on Friday and Saturday. Marc Crawford obviously has zero confidence in Maxime Ouellet. Bottom line, Canucks win 5-1.
*Photo from Sports Illustrated

Raptors Rise from Near Extinction

After starting the season 1-16, theToronto Raptors have started their slow but steady climb back up the standings to respectability and playoff contention. Today, the Raptors dumped the red hot New York Knicks 129-103 to push their record to 13-24. There are several reasons for the resurgence. The suprising play of Mark James, the hot shooting of Jalen Rose and Morris Peterson, and the consistent low post presence of Chris Bosh. All have been factors but the reason for the latest rise of the Raptors are because they are attacking the hoop and being much more aggressive. They are getting more free-throw attempts and fast break layups. Can they keep this streak up?? In the East, anything can happen. With the exception of Detroit, Indiana and Miami, the rest of the 5 playoff spots are all up for grabs and the race to 5 will be as tight as ever. If the Raptors continue to be aggressive, a playoff berth would not be out of the question.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Pittsburgh, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Buffalo vs Edmonton, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
Denver Nuggets +2.5 over Chicago Bulls
NY/Columbus O6.5+110
Record YTD (18-22, -703)

NFC Championship, Here We Come

Lots of action today. NFL playoffs, Canucks in NYC, College Gameday. Let's roll...

Seahawks Cruise, Broncos Capitalize

In the first of 2 games in NFL Playoff action today, the Seahawks cruised past the Redskins 20-10 despite losing MVP Shaun Alexander early in the game to a concussion. After the hit that took out Alexander, there was a collective gasp in the crowd. But Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck looked impressive by carrying his team on offense to 2 decisive TDs. WR Darrel Jackson had a huge game for the Hawks in the win. Last but not least, the Seahawks D-line created havoc all day in the Redskins backfield. The Hawks make it to a Conference Championship for only the 2nd time in franchise history. They will face the winner of the Carolina/Chicago game tomorrow. I think I speak for most Hawks fans in that we'd rather face Chicago. Our Defensive secondary is the weak link and could be lit up big time by Delhomme and Smith.

In the 2nd game, the Broncos ended the Patriots streak of consecutive Super Bowls with a decisive 27-13 win today in Denver. Props go to Broncos QB Jake Plummer. For much of his career, Jake the Snake has been dogged for not being a big game QB and crumbling under pressure. It was the Patriots who caved on this day making several uncharacteristic mistakes that cost them the game. The Broncos played well, but it was the Patriots who threw this game away. Colts will definitely make it to the Super Bowl now, I can't see Denver stopping the amazing Colts offense.
*Photos from Yahoo!Sports

Canucks Get Offensive in NY

After getting shutout last night by Martin Brodeur and the NJ Devils, the Canucks came out flying vs one of the worst teams in the league and crushed the NY Islanders 8-1 today. Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi recorded his 2nd Hat Trick of the season. The Isles were horrible, and the Canucks pounced on them. Alex Auld was solid in net again for the Canucks netting 36 saves. There is definitely concern about how much Marc Crawford is playing Auld, a deal for another Goalie must be done soon. Auld won't last until the playoffs at the rate of games he's starting. Slumping Penguins are up next on Monday night in Pittsburgh.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

NCAA Basketball Gameday Update

Not quite so many upsets this week. Big games were #1 Duke over Clemson, #8 Texas over #3 Villanova, #13 Washington over #11 UCLA. Watched most of the Duke game, even though the Tigers played JJ Reddick tough on the perimeter limiting his open looks, he still was able to burn them for 34 points, cutting around screens and driving to the hoop. This guy is going to something special in the NBA, that's for sure. In other action # 16 West Virginia beat Marquette, I must admit, I love the Moutaineers, I'm a big fan and follower of Coach John Beilein and I just love the system they play. Another game I watched was the Gonzaga vs Pepperdine game. Adam Morrison is an absolute scoring machine. He reminds me of former Florida Gator Mike Miller. Just a prolific scorer who can really fill the bucket. Also, former BC High Schooler Wille Gallick is a freshman on the Pepperdine squad so I like to follow the progress of BC Alums in Div1.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NFL, Pittsburgh vs Indianapolis, 10:00am PST on CBS
NFL, Carolina vs Chicago, 1:30pm PST on FOX
College BB, Michigan St vs Ohio St, 1:30pm PST on CBS
PGA, Final Round Sony Open in Hawaii, 4:00pm PST on TSN
NBA, NY Knicks vs Toronto, 10:00am PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
NY Knicks +1 over Toronto Raptors
NJ Devils -145 over Chicago Blackhawks
Record YTD (17-21, -693)

NFL Playoff Bonanza Continues

Canucks lose in a stinker of a game in New Jersey. NFL weekend again starting tomorrow, previews below. Let's roll...

Pigskin Picks

Another great weekend of football has arrived with a ticket to the Conference Championships on the line for each of the Final Eight. I went 4-0 last week, ATS no less, lets hope this weekend is just as good. Without further ado, let's break down the matchups.

Washington at Seattle (-9.5)

Coming from the Pacific Northwest, I'm a huge Seahawks fan. But the handicapping expert in me says they got the line wrong here, take Washington and the points. Seattle is the easy favorite but too many times they've squandered leads late in games (Atlanta in Week 2, SF in Week 10). Let's not forget that the Redskins did beat the Seahawks in Washington in OT in Week 4. Quest Field can be a huge advantage and disadvantage for the Seahawks. When the Hawks are ahead, it is the loudest building in the Country. When the Hawks get behind, you could hear a pin drop. As a side bet, I'd go under. I see the Hawks winning 21-14 or 17-13.

The most dangerous player on the field tomorrow will be Redskins WR Santana Moss. He has the big play ability that can break the Seahawks. Question for the Redskins will be can they get him the ball deep. The Hawks have the most efficient offense in the NFL and if they play conservative and take care of the football, they should come away with the win.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

New England at Denver (-3)

New England getting a lot of respect as a 3 point dog here. The game will either be a close win for the Patriots or a blowout by the Broncos. I'm going with the close win for the Patriots. In the regular season, the Broncos beat the Patriots 28-20 in Week 6. With a injury-riddle talent depleted lineup, the Patriots almost came back down 28-3 to win that game in Denver. All I know is that you should never count out Belichick, Brady, and Vinatieri. Belichick is the smartest coach in the NFL today. Nobody knows how to play the chess game better than Belichick and if there is a way to win, Belichick will find it. Patriots win this in a close one.

Broncos QB Jake Plummer is his team's best and worst player. It's all about confidence and momentum for Plummer. If things go well, he will get on a roll. If things go bad, they get worse for Plummer. We all know Patriots QB Tom Brady is the team MVP, but for the Patriots to win, the unknown starters need to make plays.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Pittsburgh at Indianapolis (-9.5)

This one will be an easy blowout win, take the Colts and lay the points. The Colts absolutely spanked the Steelers in the regular season 26-7. The usually strong Steel Curtain defense has been anything but this season and the Colts will shred it from kickoff to kneel down. The most improved defense of the Colts should keep the Steelers from scoring more than 14 points in this one.

Steelers RB Jerome Bettis is their lone shot to win. They need to pound the ball and chew up clock. As for the Colts, QB Peyton Manning should have a field day picking apart the weak Steeler secondary.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Carolina at Chicago (-3)

Should be a tight defensive battle for 3.5 quarters as most expect. However, I like the Panthers here on the road, take the Panthers and the points. The Bears Defense was the best in the NFL in the regular season, but that was the regular season. In the Playoffs, it's all about big plays. Carolina has the players that can make big plays. For 3.5 quarters the score should be low and tight. But all it takes is one big throw and catch. Do you really think Rex Grossman or Rookie Kyle Orton of the Bears will be making the clutch plays in the 4th quarter?? Hell no, go with the Panthers and Delhomme to make the big plays down the stretch.

Defensive Player of the year Brian Urlacher of the Bears should be in the face of Delhomme all day. A big sack by Urlacher could change the complexity of the game should Delhomme get injured. The Panthers will get at least 1 big play from WR Steve Smith, and with the score being so low and tight, it should be the difference.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Sleepy in New Jersey, Canucks Blanked

Maybe they didn't get enough sleep. Maybe they didn't get their afternoon nap. Whatever the reason, the Canucks look like they were the walking dead tonight losing 3-0. The difference was a soft goal on Alex Auld in the 3rd period. The Devils played their gameplan to script. Brodeur was solid in net (can you imagine how good the Canucks would look with Brodeur in net) yet again. I can find almost no positives out of the game tonight, just an absolute stinker, a big zero.

It's a good thing they face the Islanders tomorrow. The Islanders are a horrible team. After firing their coach on Wed, the Isles responded by beating Calgary on Thu. Bad news for the Canucks is that Goalie Rick DiPietro is back, he's a good goalie that can get hot. On the road, the Canucks have had problems scoring, and with DiPietro back that could be a major problem. That's all the Isles have, so as long as DiPietro is human, Canucks win 4-2.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NFL, Washington vs Seattle, 1:30pm PST on FOX
NFL, New England vs Denver, 5:30pm PST on CBS
College BB, Villanova vs Texas, 10:00am PST on CBS
College BB, Duke vs Clemson, 11:00am PST on the Score
College BB, Syracuse vs Cincinnati, 5:00pm PST on the Score
NHL, Colorado vs Philadelphia, 11:00am PST on NBC
NHL, Phoenix vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, Ottawa vs Edmonton, 7:00pm PST on CBC
NBA, Cleveland vs Phoenix, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Cleveland/Phoenix U204
San Jose Sharks -105 over Montreal Canadiens
Record YTD (17-19, -478)