Left Handed Larceny

The Big East
by Caleb Musselman

Photo Cred: www.sports-kings.com

Intro - Just a few short months ago, the hockey world was awoken from its slumber. Escaping from a lockout that threatened to give us a year without hockey, the NHL prepared for a 48 game season. Blink your eyes and blow your nose and the regular season is over. When hockey is usually getting into its most grueling weeks of the middle of the season, 16 teams are prepping for a run for the silver goblet of glory, the holy grail of hockey, Lord Stanley's blinged out cereal bowl. However, before one team fills it with jello and instagrams their puppy sleeping in it, we have some games to play. In fact, we have a lot of games to play. What's the West look like? Check out Eric's article about the Western match-ups (http://sportseyeview.blogspot.com/2013/04/left-handed-larceny_30.html). Now let's take a look at the East. Upsets? Star performances? Breakout rookies? Here we go. 

Penguins #1 vs. Islanders #8

Season Series - Penguins 4-1

I wrote in my Atlantic Division preview at the beginning of the year that I thought the Islanders were about one to two years away from a playoff run. Well, I may have been slightly wrong but I don't think this will be a run. This will be more of a jog for the other team from New York. After the Flyers and Devils wet the bed, the Islanders practically walked into the 3rd spot in the Atlantic. A team with outstanding young talent and more speed and spunk than a youth soccer team, the Islanders have taken giant strides in their development as a franchise. Problem: They have to play the Penguins in the first round. On par with the Blackhawks as the most dominant team of 2013, the Penguins are downright scary. With 8 to 1 odds of winning the Cup at the beginning of the year, the Pens took their premium squad and shot steroids into it. With the addition of Iginla, Morrow, Jokinen and Murray, the Penguins are sure-fire favorites to win the East. So what will this match-up look like? 

Photo Cred: www.zimbio.com

For a while near the end of the season, it looked like the Rangers were going to secure the 8th seed. That match-up should have caused the Pens to lose some sleep. However, with the Rangers and Islanders switching spots in the standings, they are most likely looking at an opening round exit. Without Crosby, I would expect the Pens to dominate the Islanders. With Crosby, I could see a few of these games being 3+ goal wins. Even with the offensive skill of the Islanders, Crosby and Co. have a clear advantage both offensively and defensively. Nabokov is historically a consistently inconsistent playoff performer and the Isles need him to play huge in this series if they hope to win a game. The titanic top 3 lines of the Penguins cause the likes of Tavares, Grabner, and Okposo to look like Bambis in a world of bucks.

Prediction - Crosby eases his way back into the mix and has a "quiet" 6 points in the series. Neal goes wrist-shot happy and lights the lamp 5 times. Malkin takes his poor grammar out on the Islanders and posts an average of 2 points a night. The Islanders come out quick at home in Game 3 or 4 and steal one from the Penguins on an off night for Fleury. In the end, Pittsburgh dominates and New York gains some valuable playoff experience. Sleeper performance - Brandon Sutter has a coming out party and averages over a point a night. Penguins win the series handily and move on to the next round.

Penguins 4-1

Canadiens #2 vs. Senators #7

Season Series - Tie 2-2
Oh Canada, why are there so many intra-divisional match-ups in the first round? One of two Northeast
first round match-ups, the Canadiens-Senators series is probably the least talked about series coming into the playoffs. Why? Is it because no one is giving either of these teams any credit? Probably. The simple fact of the matter is that Montreal has gone virtually unnoticed all season long. Quietly picking up the 3rd most victories in the league, the Canadiens feel they have something to prove. Part of the reason for not getting any attention is the fact that the Penguins have been so dominant. The other reason is that they fought Boston tooth and nail to see who could end the season on a worse note. Montreal, finishing the season 4-6 in their last ten barely squeaked out the division against a Bruins team who bled through the finish at 3-5-2. Everyone knows hockey is all about streaks and the Canadiens have given fans every reason to worry that their next streak will be how many birdies they have on the front 9.

Photo Cred: www.thefarmclub.net

On the other side of the puck, Ottawa is probably the second-most mediocre team in the playoff picture (behind NYI). I may sound harsh when talking about the East, but the truth must be spoken. Without the unbelievable goaltending that they received from a trio of studs (Anderson/Bishop/Lehner), the Senators would be playing pond hockey this week. They scored the least amount of goals out of any of the 16 playoff teams and were led in scoring by a rookie. It sounds like an exciting story but when you hear that he only scored 12 goals it sounds a little less enthralling. I could tell you I led my softball team in batting average but if I followed that up by telling you it's an over 60 league you'd be less impressed. They have problems scoring. Anderson had a 1.69 GAA this season and his record was only 12-9. That about sums it up. 

After all that negativity, this could be an interesting series. With both teams backed by solid goaltending and decent struggles in the scoring department, these games should be close and exciting.

Prediction - Montreal gets their act together in time to put an average Ottawa team to bed. Subban thrives and Pacioretty puts up some solid points.

Montreal 4-2

Capitals #3 vs. Rangers #6

Season Series - NYR 2-1

This match-up is easily the best of the East. An underperforming Rangers team meets a Capitals team who were brought back from the grave by the suddenly dominant Alex Ovechkin. In the first few weeks of the season, sports writers all across the nation were joking about how Ovechkin, the one trick pony, has finally been figured out. Well, I think the Ovechkin equation is a bit harder than everyone thought. Someone or something lit a fire underneath Ovechkin. He finished the year with 32 goals to lead all goal-scorers and pulled a struggling Caps team from the bottom of the conference to the 3rd seed in just over a month.

Photo Cred: www.rantsports.com

The Rangers, who were said to have the best line in hockey at the season opener with Richards,
Gaborik and Nash, have struggled to put things together this season. With consistently solid goaltending from Lundqvist (2.05 GAA), New York just couldn't score goals. With only five players scoring double figure goals, this Rangers squad is in need of a breakout playoff performance. Thankfully for them, they have the pieces they need. Nash, who scored 21 in the regular season has what it takes to step up big in his first playoff experience with his new team. I believe Ryan Callahan will be the difference for NYR in this series against the Caps.

Prediction - This series will be electric. The question remains: Will the Rangers finally find their potential and put together a run? Or will Czar Alex propel Washington one step further in the 2013 season? I believe it will come down to the wire with Henrik Lundqvist being the difference maker. Ovechkin scores 4 goals in the series but can't put the team on his back. The Rangers will find ways to get past the slightly above average goaltending of Washington and take the series in 7.

NYR 4-3

Bruins #4 vs. Maple Leafs #5
Season Series - Boston 3-1
This is the other series in the East to keep a close eye on. Boston seriously struggled down the stretch and Toronto has stayed consistent all season long. The Leafs may not be the best team in the East but they are certainly no team to count out. Look for Lupul and Grabovski to have big series for Toronto. Whether or not Reimer is ready for the playoff spotlight may be the difference for the Maple Leafs in this series.

Photo Cred: www.mapleleafshotstove.com

The Bruins are one of the most talented teams in the league. With a roster littered with offensive studs, the Bruins are the second best team in the East. However, as I stated earlier, hockey is all about streaks. Boston has struggled mightily down the stretch and I think those struggles continue into the playoffs. This series is my big upset. Now, a 5 over a 4 might not seem incredibly bold but in reality this Bruins team should have won the Northeast. If Horton and Lucic can't get going (both combined for only 20 goals on the year), I'm going to take Toronto in this one. Should Boston win? Probably. However, Toronto has been down and out for almost 10 years and this Canadien city is ready for a revival. Reimer plays his heart out, James Van Riemsdyk shines in the playoffs and the Leafs upset the Bruins in Boston in Game 7.

Toronto 4-3

Agree or disagree with any of these picks? Let me know. You don't have to be nice.

Left Handed Larceny

The Wild Wild West

by Eric Berkenpas

Believe it or not, the season is over! For me, it feels like it barely started but nonetheless, 48 games have been played by every team and it's time for the best time of the year, the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. As was proven last year, any team can emerge victorious and what happened in the regular season can almost entirely be erased from memory. The Los Angeles Kings had a less than stellar regular season last year but were able to turn on the jets from the start of the playoffs and cap off a 16-4 run with the ever coveted Lord Stanley's Cup. This year, much of the same craziness can be expected. There has been such a rise in talent coming into the league over the past several years that the playing field has been significantly leveled between 1 seeds and 8 seeds. There are no longer any guarantees and every team feels like they have a very legitimate shot at going all the way so without further ado, let's look into the matchups in the West and what to expect in the first round.

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #8 Minnesota Wild

01/30/2013 CHI 2 @ MIN 3

03/05/2013 MIN 3 @ CHI 5

04/09/2013 CHI 1 @ MIN 0  

Photo cred bleacherreport.com

The Minnesota Wild definitely proved to be one of Chicago's toughest opponents in the regular season. They handed Chicago their first loss of the season and recovered from a mid season 5-3 loss in the third meeting where they lost a nail biting 1-0 game. If I were a Chicago fan, this would not have been the team I would have ideally wanted to play in the first round. The additions of Parise and Suter definitely added scoring from last year, going up from 2.16 goals per game to 2.54. Their goals against per game also went down from 2.76 to 2.64. Niklas Backstrom has been a horse all year, starting 41 out of 48 games and winning a league best 24 games (tied with Antti Niemi and Henrik Lundqvist). Minnesota has also been the second most disciplined team all year with only 153 minor penalty minutes. Staying out of the penalty box can sometimes be a make or break it aspect to a series. Against Chicago though, this may not prove to be that big of an advantage as Chicago does most of their damage during 5 on 5 hockey.

Photo cred commons.wikimedia.org

Regardless of matchups, the Blackhawks will prove to be a very formidable opponent for anyone. They have great young leadership in Jonathan Toews who can best be compared to Steve Yzerman. He plays a tough, gritty style of hockey but also has a ton of skill. Patrick Kane is one the the most talented players in the league and is a pure goal scorer at it's finest. Marian Hossa is one of the best in the business when it comes to carrying the puck, controlling the tempo in the offensive zone and making plays. The depth of the Hawks is definitely their strongest suit. Brandon Saad has really impressed in what is in essence his first year in the league and the third line, comprised of Michael Frolik, Marcus Kruger and Viktor Stalberg, may be the most potent third line in the league. On the defensive side of the rink, the Blackhawks are just as good. Duncan Keith, Michael Rozsival, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Nick Leddy and Brent Seabrook have made up one of the most dynamic defensive cores in the league. They have speed, offensive skill, great shot blocking and very good discipline and patience. There are no weaknesses and there are rarely breakdowns and if there are, the duo of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery has been more than enough to make up for it. From top to bottom, the Hawks are arguably the best team in the league and with the regular season they had, it's hard to not label them as favorites to win the cup. This is all without mentioning that they have one of the best coaches in the league in Joel Quenneville who has already won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks just 3 years ago.

Prediction: Hawks take the series 4-2


#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #7 Detroit Red Wings

02/15/2013 ANA 5 @ DET 2
03/22/2013 DET 5 @ ANA 1
03/24/2013 DET 2 @ ANA 1

Photo cred www.annarbor.com 

The Red Wings are another one of those teams none of the top seeds wanted to match up with in the first round. They enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the West, winning their last 4 en route to clinching a playoff spot for the 22nd year in a row on the second to last day of the season. The Wings have struggled with consistency all year but a lot of that was due to getting used to life without Holmstrom and Lidstrom and to injuries. Currently, the Wings are almost entirely healthy and are playing their best hockey of the season. Their lineup is stacked with good talent and a ton of playoff experience and it all starts with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg who are quite possibly the two-way hockey forward combos in the league which has been a huge bonus for the Wings in recent years. Johan Franzen took some time settling into Holmstrom's role in front of the net but has been excelling as of late scoring 7 goals in the last 8 games of the season. Jimmy Howard and the defense in front of him could prove to be troublesome but they have done it in the past so who's to say they can't do it this year with basically the same core of guys. Lastly, Mike Babcock has been here over and over and over again. He knows what it takes to win in the playoffs and that fact cannot be undervalued.

Photo cred aol.sportingnews.com

Anaheim for most of the season was challenging Chicago for the best team in the league. The same can no longer be said of them. They posted an average record of 7-5-1 in the month of April and were really floundering and looking more like the team everyone expected them to be at the start of the season. Viktor Fasth, who earned a contract extension midway through the season, seemed to lose his mojo, creating somewhat of a goalie issue that hadn't been present all season. Teemu Selanne seems to have finally hit the point in his career where his age now restricts his productivity. Enough about the bad though, let's cover the threat and powerhouse that the Ducks can be. Jonas Hiller is one of the best goalies in the league and will likely see most of the starts through the playoffs. Captain, Ryan Getzlaf, who earned a huge contract this season, had one of the best seasons of his career, if not the best. Corey Perry, who also earned an extension during the season, had a solid year as well as Bobby Ryan, Saku Koivu and breakout youngins, Kyle Palmieri and Andrew Cogliano. The true reason the Ducks enjoyed so much success this year is because of the play by their defense, namely Francois Beauchemin and Sheldon Souray who combined for 13 goals and 28 assists in the season. It is really hard to defend a team that has such offensively active and potent defensemen like this. Coach Bruce Boudreau fit this team like a glove as it looked a lot like what the Capitals had but with much more manageable players. The team isn't playing well right now and did lose back to back games against the Wings in the season, but should they get back to how they were playing earlier in the season, they will be very tough to topple.

Prediction: Detroit takes the series 4-1


#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 San Jose Sharks

01/27/2013 VAN 1 @ SJ 4
03/05/2013 SJ 3 @ VAN 2 OT
04/01/2013 VAN 2 @ SJ 3

Photo cred www.nhlpa.com

This is one of those matchups where you almost have to favor the lower seed. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Canucks in all three matchups this year, albeit 2 of those at home where they are clearly much more comfortable playing. They are going to have to find a way to take one or two games on the road where they were only 8-14-2 in the regular season. The addition of Martin Havlat and the movement of Brent Burns to the top line has helped to make the top two lines much more dynamic and created more of a guessing game for opponents that they now have more than one potent line to find and answer for. The third line also poses an interesting threat with Joe Pavelski's presence along side the power forward, in Raffi Torres and speedy Tommy Wingels. It really makes for a tough matchup because Pavelski' skill has to be respected, Wingels speed has to be respected as well as worrying about the forechecking and physicality of Torres. Antti Niemi has been solid in net all year and has won a Stanley Cup before so he has the experience for what it takes. The defense is not as strong as the rest of the conference but they all split time pretty evenly to provide fresh legs each and every shift that can keep up with any line put up against them. Dan Boyle leads the group and has won a Cup with Tampa Bay so he, too, knows what it takes. In the end, though, this team is centered around their captain, Joe Thornton. He will be the key to whether or not San Jose can make a run. He is arguably the best playmaker in the league and can make a goal scorer out of anyone who can hit an empty net.

Photo cred www.theglobeandmail.com

Vancouver has had one of their worst seasons in recent years but still found themselves on top of the
Northwest Division, thanks to poor performances by their other division opponents. The strength of the Canucks is found almost entirely in their top line; Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows. All three players finished the season with double digit plusses and are one of the potent scoring lines to go along with their solid back checking. Beyond the top line, there are some question marks to be raised. There are some talented players but nothing really meshed well and no chemistry was created. Derek Roy was a good addition to center the second line with Ryan Kesler and Christopher Higgins. Zack Kassian is a skilled and gritty forward that plays a little bit different of a role on the 4th line than most players do which can catch teams off guard. The defense and toughness of Vancouver is their bread and butter though. Kevin Bieksa is due back after missing most of the last couple weeks of the season and he is always good for some big hits and can really mess with the minds of opposing forwards. Jason Garrison and Dan Hamhuis form a solid defensive pairing and the last pairing of Andrew Alberts and Keith Ballard can really pack a punch and both prefer to play the body over the puck. The 6 defensemen of the Canucks can really wear down forwards and make them second guess many decisions they would like to make for fear of taking a big hit. Where Vancouver will live or die is inside the crease. Corey Schneider has yet to prove he is a legitimate starting goalie and Roberto Luongo has never been good in the playoffs and is as much of a head case as any goalie in the league. If the Canucks can't put a capable goalie out there each night, they may not last more than 4 games in the playoffs.

Prediction: San Jose takes the series 4-1


#4 St. Louis Blues vs. #5 Los Angeles Kings

02/11/2013 LAK 4 @ STL 1
03/05/2013 STL 4 @ LAK 6
03/28/2013 LAK 4 @ STL 2

Photo cred bigstory.ap.org

This series on paper might look to be the most boring series of all 8. Both teams boast a "defense first" mentality that extends to almost every aspect of the game and every area of the ice, but none more deliberately than Ken Hitchcock's Blues. He is perfectly fine year in and year out to put up below average offensive numbers. He prefers forwards who have the ability to score, but are more geared towards the defensive side of the ice. David Backes is a perfect example of that and if Hitchcock could put 12 of him on each of the 4 lines, he would. Backes has the ability to score and make plays offensively but his bread and butter is in his ability to back check, create havoc in his hitting, create turnovers and even block shots. Every single defenseman is very good at closing down shooting lanes and preventing opponents from getting good shots off. On the offensive side of he rink, the Blues rely on capitalizing on a couple of their few scoring chances in hopes that their defense will only require 2, maybe 3 goals to be scored to get a win. The problem the Blues had all year which is the exact opposite of last year is good goaltending. Halak has struggled with injuries all year and Elliot was so bad that he had to be sent down to the minors. This left the starting job up to rookie Jake Allen who actually stepped in nicely and won his first 3 starts and 8 of his first 9 before faltering and being sent back down to the minors. Elliot was a completely new goalie when he came back and propelled his team in a big way to the #4 spot in the West and will likely be relied on the carry the load in the playoffs. This is the area that will make or break the Blues this season. When you play the type of defensive scheme that the Blues do, you need your goalie to step up when he needs to to make the saves he is supposed to. If he doesn't do that, then the defense is pointless and the Blues will be dismissed real quick.

Photo cred www.canada.com

The Kings are looking to repeat their performance from last year and come into the playoffs after having
completed a more successful regular season than last year. The end results, however, were quite different. Where last year the Kings struggled to find the net, this year they were much better, thanks in large part to Carter's 26 goals. On the flip side of the rink, Quick did not have himself a great season this year where last year he was the obvious runner up to Lundqvist for the Vezina. The Kings found their scoring touch this year with two very talented top lines and great leadership from Dustin Brown who really provides the fuel for this team with his hard nosed, big hitting, yet skilled offense. He lead the team in hits and also finished second in goals. Mike Richards plays very well with his former Flyers teammate, Jeff Carter and plays his strong two way hockey that makes his line both a potent scoring threat and a solid defensive group, making it very difficult to matchup well. The loss of Matt Greene in the first game of the season has a lot to do with the diminished defensive play of the team and the rise in goals against but Quick partially rediscovered his mojo three quarters of the way through the season and looks to be in good form entering the playoffs, which doesn't bode well for a St. Louis team that has trouble scoring goals. The game changer for the Kings will be if they can win a road game or two which, though they struggled with it in the season, they did not struggle with beating the Blues by a combined score of 8-3 in 2 games in St. Louis. If the Kings can take one or both of the first two games in the series, they will likely find themselves moving into the next round.

Prediction: Los Angeles tops St. Louis in a low scoring affair 4-3

Green-White-Checkers

Stop #9: Richmond

By Ryan Frisco

Yeah, I'm one of those weird people that not only like NASCAR, but also like to go to the NASCAR races.  I've been to Dover a ton of times, and Pocono once.  I've also got a top three list of races I hope to one day attend.  First on that list is the Bristol night race.  My favorite track, at night.  You can see it all.  The bumping and banging, the tempers and drama.  I will one day make it to Bristol, Tennessee in August for that race.

Photo Cred www.justcustomz.com

Second on the list is the Daytona night race.  If you really like NASCAR, you can't help but feel a natural draw to Daytona, where it all began so many years ago.  I'd rather watch the Daytona 500 on TV, but want to at least see the Fourth of July night race special sometime.

Third on my bucket list of tracks to visit is Richmond.  This track is so good, they run both of the year's races there at night.  One of the few short tracks on the circuit, this is another track where you never  know what's going to happen next.  The fact that it's under the lights is just an added bonus.  They used to call this race the Pontiac Excitement 400, and excitement couldn't be a more perfect word for the race.  I know I'm excited!

So, this past week in NASCAR.... If you haven't been keeping up (which I must admit I've been a bit busy myself) there was a ton of drama this week!  Matt Kenseth won Sunday's race, but unfortunately the car did not pass post race inspection. Apparently, one of the connecting rods in the engine was 3 grams too light. What does that mean for Matt Kenseth and Joe Gibbs Racing? Oh, just take a look at this list.

Photo Cred www.espn.go.com

Kenseth was penalized 50 points (he only earned 48 for the win).  The victory does not count.  His pole for the race does not count.  Crew Chief Jason Ratcliff was suspended 6 races, along with a $200,000 fine.  Joe Gibbs' owner license has been suspended 6 races, and none of his 3 cars will earn any owners points during that stretch.  He was also penalized 50 owners points, and Toyota lost 5 manufacturers points. 

What?!  That's an insane penalty!!  I really don't think there was any intention behind this, I'm not even sure if it really gives you an advantage.  Wanna know the catch?  Toyota has taken full responsibility for the light connector.  Whatever error occurred, it didn't even happen in the #20 garage, it was already flawed when they got it!  Okay, so NASCAR has their zero tolerance rules, but this seems a little harsh.  Have I stood up for every driver penalized so far this year?  Yes.  I guess this sport is different in that there is a car involved in the success of each team, which can be tampered with to gain an edge, but I just don't see these miniscule things warranting the punishment that was given out.  Please, let me know if you see the other side.

Photo Cred www.facebook.com

So, naturally after this happened, Matt Kenseth went out and won the stinkin pole position for Richmond.  IN YOUR FACE NASCAR!  Just kidding, that's not what Matt would say, just what I would.  Hopefully this doesn't derail this team that has been dominant thus far (winning 4 of the first 8 races).

A couple drivers to watch: Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer.  Busch has been great this year, and dominating at Richmond.  Bad Brad is Mad, and he won last night's Nationwide Richmond race.  Gordon is desperate, and this is one of his better tracks.  Bowyer?  I dunno, he won here last year when it mattered and I think he'll run well.

Who will win:  I'm going serious underdog this week, Brian Vickers!  Driving the #11 Gibbs car that's run well here, he's got the same motor as Kenseth and Busch.  Why am I picking him to win?  Because I bet no one else has, and I want to be the only one to predict the victor this week!  Giddy up Vickers!



30 Degrees of Banking

NASCAR Nuggest: STP 400

By Ryan Frisco

So you've heard the saying 'Better late than never.'  This review of Sunday's race is definitely late, and probably would have been better 'never,' but I'm writing it anyway.

Photo Cred www.kansascity.com

The Victor:  For the third week in a row we had a driver win their second race of the year.  Way to go Matt Kenseth!  It's amazing what someone with true talent can do behind the wheel of that #20 Joe Gibbs car (yes, that was a dig on Joey Logano).  Great start to the year, Kenseth keeps putting himself in the right place late in the race.  A solid block job on Kasey Kahne lookied eerily familiar to his victory earlier this season at Las Vegas. 

The First Loser:  And once again, Kasey Kahne shows up in this segment.  He just has the hardest time passing Matt Kenseth for the lead!  Kahne is proving himself a dominant force in NASCAR this year, and barring a lot of bad luck later this season (which has been the case for Kasey in 99% of his seasons), my preseason pick to win the cup may very well be hoisting in in Homestead.

Tough Break: Kyle Busch.  He had been on a tear up until this week.  He was driving the car so hard he spun it out on his own not just once, but twice!  The first time didn't hurt him except for losing a bit of ground.  The second time did him (and Joey Logano) in. Watch the below wreck.

Ouch!  Not a huge deal for Kyle, who already has two wins and has all but solidified a spot in the Chase.  For Logano though, after last week's 25 point penalty, this is a big blow.  He's got a lot of ground to make up and those kind of crashes cannot keep happening.

Up in Smoke: Let's talk about Tony Stewart.  What is going on with his season?!  Two years ago he won the championship, along with five races. Last season he proved himself extremely competitive, winning three races and making the Chase.  This year?  One Top 10.  His average running position is like 20th and he hasn't even been finishing in the Top 20.  Not sure what's going on in the Stewart-Haas racing team, but it's sure bringing Newman and Patrick down with him.  Tony needs to get things together over there.

Up next is an AWESOME  night race in Richmond!  Can't wait till Saturday night!

Showcase Showdown

MLB: Which league is better?

By Caleb Musselman and Ryan Frisco

The NBA and NHL have East and West. The NFL has AFC and NFC. However, none of these leagues have any unique characteristics to set them apart. Truly, it is just a way to separate and evenly divide teams. The MLB is different. Have you recently stopped to think about how one sport has different rules for different teams? What if the Eastern Conference of the NHL played with 6 skaters on the ice while the West only played with 5? What if the NFL allowed one of their conferences to play with more than 2 guys in the backfield? The MLB's difference in rules is accepted under the "that's how its always been" clause. Many would argue that it causes one team to have unfair advantages over another. However, we would argue that

it is one of the many reasons that make baseball so special. 

In other sports, the "which is better question" comes down to standings and rankings. In the MLB, the word better can have a different definition. Which is better? The NL or the AL? The DH or the hitting pitcher?

Game on.

Photo Cred www.hoopthoughts.blogspot.com

Caleb - First off, as with most showcases, I have many things to say that I won't be able to get to. But I'd like to highlight a few reasons why I believe the NL is "better" than the AL. First, the National League forces managers to be a more active part of the game. In the AL managers only have to worry about pitchers running out of steam or choosing their hurlers on the basis of match-ups. In the NL, once the game gets into its later innings, the manager has incredibly important decisions to make that could easily impact the outcome of the game. Tie game in the 7th. My pitcher is dealing and he's only at 90 pitches. Runners on 1st and 3rd. Do I let Kershaw hit with his .110 average? Or do I pinch hit for him and end his night early. The fact that the NL forces managers to have a more active role in the game makes the NL more interesting as well as more of a chess match. Hit me Ryan.

Photo Cred www.sportsmancave.com

Ryan - I will, next time I see you.  Right on the noggin.  But let's talk about the better league, the American League.  I'm going to pose a question; When I say American League, what words pop into your head?  Power.  Prestige.  Yankees. Home runs. World Series Champion.  There's no arguing with the facts.  When I hear National League, I think weakness.  The Yankees have been by far the most dominant team in history, and the AL East this year is where it's at.  You name for me a division in baseball that comes close to that level.  You think watching a National League game is interesting, like a chess match?  I think it's boring like a chess match.  The fact that pitchers hit makes for twice the amount of pitching moves, which means twice the amount of unnecessary Bud Light commercials.  More 'hitters' in the lineup makes for more excitement, and a faster moving game.  Thoughts?

Photo Cred magnetaccess.blogspot.com

Caleb - To the common uneducated sports fan, baseball is often considered to be on par with golf as the most boring sport in the nation. For these types of fans who can't understand and appreciate the beauty of baseball, more home runs, less strategy and more unathletic players who can't catch sounds really exciting. Maybe if they started putting hurdles in the baselines or gave the umpires a taser even some Baltimore fans would start watching baseball every night. The DH position was implemented into the American League in 1973. What does that say? It says that the Yankees won 20 World Series while their pitcher held a bat behind the plate. In fact, when I think of baseball, I think of the Yankees as well. But I don't think Tino Martinez or David Cone. I think Babe Ruth. It just so happens that Babe Ruth was a pitcher who hit 714 home runs. Why is the NL better? Because baseball was created and established with a hitting pitcher. We gawk and fuss about all the rule changes in baseball these days, yet many people welcome the DH with open arms. If you want more excitement and less of a chess match, then watch the NFL or the NHL. Watch replays of the Giants in the WS last year and tell me those games weren't exciting.

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Ryan - Alright, I understand where you're coming from.  I'm not denying that National League teams/games can be exciting.  But, I fear we may be straying a bit from the actual question posed: Which League is Better?  This isn't measured by how exciting the games are, how strategic the coaches are or how powerful the hitters are.  It's measured by wins.  It's measured by championships.  Okay, the Yankees won 20 titles before the DH was introduced.  They were still in the American League for those championships.  Overall, the American League holds the all time record over the National League in World Series wins, 62-46.  With that record, the National League would have to win 16 championships in a row (till 2029) to be in a tie with the American League.  You can make the argument that the NL is dominant as of recent years (4 of the past 5) but that doesn't matter overall.  I've got more to say, but I want to give Caleb one more chance to right his ship.

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Caleb - When asking the question of which is better, a defining of terms is crucial. If the definition of better is which league is historically better, then we are wasting our time. In your first response you argued that the AL was better because it was more exciting without hitting pitchers which leveled with the "better" definition that we've been discussing. Which is better to watch, better for the sport, etc. Suddenly, we're switching to talk about which league has the most overall wins. If wins and losses were the criteria for this argument, then I'd be as misguided as a Philly fan arguing that the Eagles are a historically "better" squad than the Steelers. Baseball is now a pitcher's sport. As the art of pitching evolves, career averages are going to continue to decrease. With either definition of "better" the National League comes out on top. With the Wins/Losses definition, the NL is currently dominant. The Giants proved last Fall that the pitcher still reigns supreme over the bats of Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and the AL. In my definition of "better", the NL style of play (no DH) still holds to the roots of how baseball began. It brings the historicity of the game together with the modern day style of play. In my mind, there's no contest. Finish it up.

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Ryan - I like what you said.  This arguement doesn't have to come down to wins and losses, to the number of championships won.  You think originality makes the National League better.  I think excitement and power make the American League better.  We both view baseball through a different lense, which means we may never agree.  But let me run this by you; do you know why the designated hitter position was introduced?  It's because pitching became so dominant, TOO dominant, that the game was borderline boring.  In 1968, Carl Yastrzemski led the MLB with a .301 average.  The American League voted in 1973 to incorporate the DH into everyday play and haven't looked back.  Since then, their overall average has always been higher than the National League.  Yes, the National League has stayed true to baseball's roots, but the way it's always been isn't necessarily the better way to do things.  I think the American League got that one right in 1973.  But hey, we can agree to disagree if you'd like.  Watching baseball is still one of my favorite pasttimes, whether it's the Yankees or the Phillies. 

So readers, what do you think?  Which league is the better league, and what defines 'better?'  Let us have it!!

Left Handed Larceny

Week 13 Power Rankings

by Eric Berkenpas

After a 3 week break and with 1 week to go, it's time to put out the final NHL Power Rankings. There are still some major races to make the playoffs so instead of doing all 30 teams, I am going to do the top 16, all of which I fully expect to be in the playoffs. Here we go!

Photo cred  www.zimbio.com

1. Chicago Blackhawks - The Hawks continue to dominate and edge the Penguins out for the top spot simply due to consistency. The Hawks made one minor move at the trade deadline to acquire Michal Handzus from the Sharks. Other than that they are the same team who shot out of a cannon at the beginning of the season and have hardly looked back. Only point of concern is injuries to Ray Emery and Patrick Sharp.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins - The Pens are back to their winning ways after dropping 2 lopsided losses in a row and have won 6 straight without Crosby, Malkin and Neal who combined for 41 goals this season so far. Iginla, Morrow and Jokinen have found chemistry with their new line mates and everything is clicking again. Both goalies look stellar and this team is looking primed and ready for a strong playoff run. 

3. Washington Capitals - With great hesitation, it's hard to deny the level that the Capitals are at right now. Alexander Ovechkin is scoring at an unbelievable rate and Braden Holtby is shutting the door at the other end of the rink. Depth could prove to be an issue but right now the Caps seem to only need that first line to produce goals enough to win.

Photo cred sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com

4. Los Angeles Kings - The Stanley Cup champs have shown their true colors after a first half flop. Jonathan Quick seems to have his mojo back and Dustin Brown is scoring the clutch goals, as any captain should. The Kings right now look to be the only legitimate threat to the Hawks, and boy are they ever. There are never guarantees in the NHL, and this is certainly one of those cases.

5. New York Islanders - It's time to put away the image of the Islanders that we have all grown accustomed to. They are worthy of being called elite and have shown it with their strong push into the playoffs. John Tavares is lighting up the scoreboard, eying up that Hart Trophy, and scoring has been coming from the first 3 lines. Nabokov has been the piece that the Islanders have been missing in years past and looks to put his team into the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Photo cred www.zimbio.com

6. Boston Bruins - No, they haven't been playing well lately, but yes, they are a very formidable opponent for anyone in the playoffs. They play with as much toughness and grit as anyone and have an endless supply of skilled forwards. Marchand and Bergeron suffered minor concussions and were able to come back quickly. Once Jagr gets accustomed to their system, the Bruins immediately become a legitimate Cup Contender.

7. St. Louis Blues -  Brian Elliot has been a completely different goalie since getting called back up into the NHL. He is 8-2-0 with a 1.39 GAA and 3 shutouts. St. Louis, who was hanging on by a thin thread to a playoff spot, now sits more comfortably in that 6 spot in the West. The additions of Jay Bouwmeester and Jordan Leopold have helped the Blues to get back to their gritty defensive ways that they excelled in last year.

Photo cred bigstory.ap.org

8. Vancouver Canucks - Was Derek Roy the answer? It certainly seems like it. The Canucks are 6-2-1 since acquiring him at the trade deadline. The true test comes in the last week of the season with matchups against the two top teams in the West.

9. New York Rangers - This could be a really bad first round matchup for the Penguins. The Rangers, since acquiring Brassard and Clowe have found their scoring touch in a big way. They have netted 38 goals in 10 games (almost 4 goals per game) and have been playing tough and gritty New York Rangers defense. They finally look like the Rangers team that topped the East last year.

  

Photo cred features.rr.com

10. Anaheim Ducks - The Ducks have almost fallen out of elite status and looked like they were about ready to give up the division to the soaring Kings, losing 5 out of 10 games in April and 4 straight before defeating the Oilers last night. Viktor Fasth has fallen away a bit from his first half fireworks, but Hiller has still been a steady presence in net, which will be much needed come playoffs. 

11. Toronto Maple Leafs - The problems the Leafs have had all year is beating the top teams in the East. In April, they beat the Rangers, Habs and Senators and are a great goaltender away from being an elite team. They could absolutely make some noise in the playoffs with their fast and dynamic group of forwards and solid special teams (3rd ranked Penalty Kill).

Photo cred www.zimbio.com

12. Columbus Blue Jackets - They likely deserve to be higher than this but I can't get passed the fact that I think this team is playing over their heads right now. Bobrovsky, who other than this year has been far from an elite goalie, has had himself a Vezina worthy season, but I am afraid if he loses his groove even just a little bit, the Blue Jackets will get sunk faster than a ball of lead in the Atlantic Ocean. Gaborik adds a level of legitimacy to the Jackets though.

13. San Jose Sharks - The Sharks have really turned it on at the right time. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have found their scoring touch again thanks to Logan Couture who has 4 goals and 5 assists in the last 10. Niemii has been solid in net too as the Sharks are looking to be in playoff form right now.

Photo cred www.cbc.ca

14. Montreal Canadiens -  The Canadiens are lucky they had such a strong start and aren't in threat to lose a playoff spot because they are dead right now. The injury to Alexei Emelin really ruffled up that defense and goals started pouring past Price and Budaj. Montreal is going the wrong direction entering the playoffs.

15. Ottawa Senators - The Senators got Anderson back but still are having the worst time scoring goals. They have scored 10 goals in 19 games in April and can't blame it much on injuries. There is still a ton of talent on this team to score goals. The poor special teams, namely, the power play could be their downfall in the playoffs.

Photo cred www.mlive.com

16. Detroit Red Wings - This is my bold prediction, that the Red Wings will find a way to get into the playoffs. There is a lot of veteran experience on this team to not make a push to make the playoffs for a league best 22nd straight year. Jimmy Howard has been very inconsistent and the Wings have just looked downright old and slow. Can never count these guys out in the playoffs though, not with names like Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the lineup.

Domination Station

Sports: America's Answer to Tragedy

By Ryan Frisco

America endured a tragedy last week.  A bombing at one of the country's most prestigious sporting events, the Boston Marathon.  Three people were killed, and close to 200 others were injured.  We've seen the live footage of what happened, and the countless graphic pictures of the chaos that ensued.  America has been here before, and far too often the last 15 years.

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In the days following, American Pride came out in all sorts of ways.  Through this attack, the USA has banded together as one, rallying behind the cry 'Boston Strong' and 'U-S-A.'  In this week's Domination Station segment, I want to feature professional sports in general, for their response to events like these and the ways they bring the country together.

September 9, 2011, the United States endured by far the worst terrorist attack in history.  Thousands of civilians were killed.  Hundreds of first responders were killed.  Countless are still dealing with lasting effects both physically and emotionally from this event.  Life stopped for a week after that.

When sports started up again, I had the honor of attending two huge events.  The second Saturday after the attacks, I was present for the Orioles home game at Camden Yards, as they took on the New York Yankees in a return to baseball.  Being in attendance for that game was unforgettable.  The pre game ceremonies saw the baseball diamond lined with firefighters and policemen, honoring them and their selfless service.  There were cheers echoing around that stadium for 10 minutes.  Cheers of 'USA' were heard the entire time.  I was only 13, but I know those who understood what was going on were crying.  This was a step in the healing process.

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The next day, my family attended the race at Dover, the first race since the attacks.  It was just more of the same, as tens of thousands of fans came together in one place to not only cheer on the drivers, but show everyone else that life can go on, that America is strong, that we weren't afraid.  A teary rendition of the National Anthem.  Hours of the chant 'USA.'  A flurry of American Flags flying all over the grandstands.  Not only did these events help heal the wounds, it sent a statement to the world.

After the Boston Marathon, events in Boston were postponed for a few days.  When they came back, it was evident how the attack had once again brought us together.  If you haven't seen this yet, watch the video of the National Anthem during the first Boston Bruins hockey game last week.

            

That's enough to make you tear up.  I've never witnessed a National Anthem like that, where the entire stadium joins in.

There were plenty of other gestures around sports.  The Yankees played 'Sweet Caroline' after the third inning of one of their games to honor the victims.  The Red Sox held some pre game ceremonies this weekend (where David Ortiz used some questionable language) that were passionate and moving.

So much of America revolves around sports, and when something like this happens, sports play a major role in bringing us all back together.  I've witnessed this first hand.  After something terrible happens, it's freeing to sit down and watch a sporting event, whether it's a baseball game, football game, NASCAR race or anything else.  Sports are American, and somehow have that healing touch.  Sports know how important they are at a time like this, and do a fantastic job at living up to expectations.  Thank you sports for your impact this past week.

Green-White-Checkers

Stop #8: Kansas

By Ryan Frisco

As I sit here starting this article, I'm trying to find some clever way to incorporate Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz' into the introduction, when she states, 'We're not in Kansas anymore.'  Not happening.  Oh well, let's talk about NASCAR!

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So, if you watched the race last Saturday night in Texas, you pretty much saw what today's race is going to be like, the only difference being it's during the daytime.  Kansas and Texas are very similar tracks.  There are actually too many of these tracks on the circuit.  This intermediate level, 1 1/2 mile tracks make for not close racing and what many fans call 'boring' races.  I'm not totally on board with the 'boring' part, but NASCAR has too many races at tracks without any character to them.  Let's branch out and pick up a couple more road courses (Riverside, Montreal) and short tracks (Iowa, Nashville) and move some of these mid level tracks (Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Chicagoland,  Las Vegas, etc.) back to one race a year instead of two.  That's my two cents, and I think it would do NASCAR well in the long run to do so.

Photo Cred www.usatoday.com

Let's take a moment and review the penalties administered last week at Texas.  Defending Champion Brad Keselowski and his Penske Racing teammate, Joey Logano, were both penalized  heavily for their car's rear end housing not being 'In the spirit of NASCAR.'  I know, it sounds silly.  Both were penalized 25 championship points (equal to 25 positions on track).  In addition, their crew chiefs were fined $100,000 and the crew chief, car chief and engineer are all suspended 6 races.   That means they cannot be in contact with the team at all.  That is harsh.  That will make it tough for this prestigious team to continue to compete at the level they have.  Do I agree with the entire situation?  My opinion is slightly skewed, I've been rooting for the #2 car since 1990.  But, things seem a little fishy to me.

In other news, Martin Truex, Jr. was penalized 6 points and his crew chief is on probation until December due to a minor infraction.  Whatever minor means.  Every point is precious to these drivers, especially when you're on the bubble.

Photo Cred www.aol.sportingnews.com

Now, back to this week.  Like I said, expect more of the same. Rousch Racing, specifically Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards will be in the hunt again.  Hendrick cars will be too, much like they were last week until encountering trouble.  Gibbs (Kyle Busch) will be awesome.  Who will win?

Martin Truex, Jr.  Dude's been out of Victory Lane too long now.  Last week he should have won.  You can make the claim that it wasn't his fault, but a dozen other drivers in his spot would have pulled it out.  Truex is good, but he needs to take that next step to be a contender.  It's time Martin.  Win.