Hello sports fans, I’m back in business and ready, like always, to talk sports. Sorry for my hibernation, but I was working on my public relations internship with my beloved Dodgers arch-enemy, the San Francisco Giants. Yes, the Giants. I was able to conceal my true loyalties while at Scottsdale Stadium for Spring Training. (All though when I graduate, my loyalties will be with whomever shows me the money.)
There is a plethora of topics to talk about in the wide world of sports right now and I’m foaming at the mouth. Between March Madness, Opening Day and the NBA Western Conference playoffs, I don’t know what to do.
Let’s start with college basketball. This might very well be the best Final Four of all time. For the first time in the history of the tournament, four number one seeds made the final four. Chalk! If you were one of the lucky ones to have all four in your bracket, then you are sitting pretty right now. I did go all chalk this year for the first time ever and it has worked out thus far. I took Kansas to win it all, so if they beat North Carolina, I will win my bracket of 30 people. I think that Kansas is the most balanced team and don’t look to much into the Davidson game, because Davidson was one of the hottest teams in the country and if they would of played UCLA then they would of been in the Final Four. Speaking of Davidson, how about the school paying for their students to go to the game in Detroit? That is one of the coolest things I have heard in a long time. I wish Arizona State would do that for its students…oh wait, they have to make the tourney first. Stupid committee. If I could go back and re-pick, I might be temped to take Memphis. Rose is the best player in the Final Four and Memphis looks like a NBA team, kinda like Larry Johnson and the Running Rebels of UNLV of the early 90s. As long as the Tar Heals don’t win, it’s all good. My prediction is the Kansas will beat their old coach Roy Williams and Memphis is too much for UCLA. Since I took Kansas in my bracket, I will stick with them to take the trophy back to Lawrence, KS.
Next up is the NBA playoffs, particularly the Western Conference. Boston and Detroit should fight it out for the Eastern Conference and the Cleveland LeBron’s will be on the outside looking in. It’s the wild wild west that is interesting and no team is safe. Thank god that David Stern increased the first round to seven games. This is the year that if a one or two seeded team loses to a seven or eight seeded team, its not an upset. No more Nuggets over the Sonics or Warriors over the Mavs. A few weeks ago I was calling the Lakers the best team in the west, but when Pau Gasol got hurt and they lost to the Grizzlies, I changed my mind. The Spurs looked bad during their losing streak, but they have since turned the ship around and are in playoff form in the nick of time. Did anyone have any doubts? The Suns looked as if the Shaq trade would blow up in their face and that Steve Kerr would be looking for a new job before the season was over but, Stop the Press!!!! The Suns look as good as ever with the big fellow in the paint and will be able to challenge any team for the title. By the way, Shawn Marion is now out for the rest of the year with a foot injury. Teams that scare me the most being a Suns fan is the Jazz and the Hornets. The Suns just can’t beat those guys. They have in my opinion the two best point guards in the country with Williams and Paul. If the Hornets keep the one seed in the west, he should win the MVP. Just like Nash did three years ago. For me to say that those two are the best takes a lot being Nash is my boy. So my prediction for the NBA finals is a rematch of one of the best finals of all time. The Boston Celtics will play the Phoenix Suns, but the end result will be different. Larry Bird isn’t walking through that door so the Suns will win their first NBA title in the face of KG. I know I’m a homer.
Saving the best for last, Major League Baseball started this week and everything is good in the world. I say this week because I don’t count the Japan opening. Did anyone wake up at three o’clock in the morning to watch? I didn’t think so. This is my most anticipated season for me because the three teams I follow, Diamondbacks, Tigers and Dodgers, have a great chance at winning the World Series. They all have a solid lineup full of hitters and solid starting pitching. The one thing that sets the Dodgers aside from them is the bullpen. The pen could come to haunt the D-Backs and Tigers in their respected championship run. The season is young though so lets wait to see. Here are my predictions for the playoffs and series. In the American League, the Red Sox, Tigers and Mariners will win their divisions with the Indians taking the wild card. I got the Tigers in the World Series. Too much hitting and solid starting pitching will win you a ton of ballgames. In the National league, the Braves, Cubs and Dodgers will win their divisions and the D-Backs will take the wild card. I got the Dodgers in the World Series because they are the most balanced team in the league. The Dodgers do it all: they have speed at the top of the lineup with Furcal and Pierre, good power in the middle of the lineup Jones, Kemp and Kent, the best catcher in the game with Martin, with Jones patrolling out in center field and Furcal at shortstop, their defense is steller, with starting pitching that can go for days and a bullpen that won’t quit, the Dodgers will be tough to beat. Dodgers over the Tigers for the championship. I know I’m a homer. The MVPs will be Tigers’ third baseman Miguel Cabrera and the D-Backs center fielder Chris Young. Young is the real deal out in Phoenix and there will not be a sophomore slump for this guy. The Cy Young winners will be Brad Penny and Justin Verlander. Penny always starts off strong but dwindles off at the end of the year. This is the year for him, especially since Joe Torre is his manager. Championship!!
