Green - White - Checkers

Stop #17: Kentucky

By Ryan Frisco

Photo Cred www.espn.go.com

I'll be honest with y'all; I'm not looking forward to the race at Kentucky.  I think NASCAR has brought in too many of the intermediate level tracks that don't have much character.  Tracks like Bristol, Martinsville, Talladega, Richmond...these tracks have a little something different about them you don't see anywhere else.  I like that, and most of the fans like that as well.  The races at tracks like Kentucky turn into a fuel mileage race, which is about the most excitement you really see.  I will say one thing positive going into it: it's a night race.  You know how much I talk about my love for night races!  If NASCAR was going to do anything to make racing at Kentucky better (besides removing the track from the circuit) making it a night race was the way to go.

So, Saturday night...what's going to happen?  I really don't have too much to say this week.  Kentucky will come down to pure speed and great strategy.  Brad Keselowski and Paul Wolfe have killed it in the strategy section the past three years.  Let's see if they can pull out a fuel mileage win here again.

Photo Cred www.sbnation.com

Expect the Hendrick cars of Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to be near the front all night.  Junior has the pole, I expect him to run well.  Why did I leave out the fourth Hendrick car, Jeff Gordon?  Every time I lump him in with the Hendrick squad, he seems to be the only one who doesn't run well.  I'm using reverse psycology this week; I'm not picking him to be fast, so he'll prove me wrong as usual and probably win the race! 

Other cars that win when it comes to pure speed?  Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart. 

My Pick: Kurt Busch.  He has proven he is fast this season, and they usually go with an obscure pit strategy.  This week, I'm thinking the strategy just might work.

NASCAR...under the lights...tonight! 

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder of Sports Eye View, as well as the Head NASCAR Analyst.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com

Rounding the Bases

Big League Division

Ranking the MLB

By Ryan Frisco

We're getting close to the midway point of the baseball season, and things around the league are beginning to take shape.  Instead of a team by team ranking like you usually see, Sports Eye View is going to break down the strength of the 6 MLB Divisions to see where the strength of Baseball lies.

Photo Cred www.bostonherald.com

1. American League East: All 5 teams in the AL East are above .500.  I could end right there and no one would argue.  Baseball is used to the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox dominating, but lumping the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays all right there in the running changes the game.  Each team in this division has a legitimate shot at taking the Crown, and it seems likely that both Wild Cards will be coming out of the East.

2. National League Central: This division is close in the discussion for #1.  the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds are killing it this year. Yes, I said the PIRATES in that sentence!  Shout out to Eric.  If not for the horrid performance of the Brewers and Cubs, they would easily be the best division in baseball.  But hey, second ain't so bad.

Photo Cred www.yahoosports.com

3. American League West: From the Top 2 divisions to the 3rd, there is a steep drop off.  The only reason the AL West qualifies in the top half of the MLB is because they have two quality contenders for the World Series in the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics.  Each of these teams made the playoffs last year, and each one is a step better this season.  Oh, you want to know about the other three teams in the division?  Seriously, you don't.  The Angels, who I would rank in the Top 3 MLB on a list of potent offenses, can't win a game to save their lives.  Seattle is stuck in the same rut they've been in for 10 years, and Houston still stinks, although a lot less than a month ago.  

4. National League East: This division has it all.  They have the up and coming team of the future in the Nationals.  They have the bottom feeders of the MLB in a well below par Miami Marlins team.  They've got one of the league's better lineups with the Atlanta Braves, who aren't playing their best baseball but still lead the division by 6.  And then, there's the Philadelphia Phillies who can't figure out if they're winners or losers and the New York Mets who need to rebuild.  Why are they #4?  Potential.  The Braves are good, the Nats can be great and the Phils could come out of nowhere.  It could go either way.

Photo Cred www.foxnews.com

5. American League Central: On paper, you would think the AL Central would be at least #4 in the MLB.  They've got the defending AL Champions (Detroit Tigers) along with the Cleveland Indians who are over .500.  That's one more team than the NL East with a winning record.  So, why am I dropping them down so low?  Because, if your honest with yourselves, you know that the only team who stands a chance at the postseason is the Detroit Tigers, and the only reason is because they win the division, which is poor.  Playing so many games against the Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox will boost your record, but it's not extremely impressive.  This division hasn't been great for a long time, and this year's not their year either.

Photo Cred www.bleacherreport.com

6. National League West: What happened?!  Last year, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series!  The Dodgers were also acceptable, almost making the Wild Card.  The division has flip flopped, with the bottom three last year on top this year and the two standouts from 2012 in the cellar.  With 4 of the 5 teams below .500, and the Arizona Diamondbacks leading the division, things are looking bleak for the NL West halfway through the season.



I probably won't catch too much heat for this column because it's ranking divisions and not actual teams individually, but I'd still like to know what you think.  Should someone else be #1?  Am I missing any key points, or showing some sort of personal bias? Let me know, we'll have some friendly fire back and forth!

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder and MLB Analyst for Sports Eye View.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com.

Left-Handed Larceny

Dy-Nasty
By Caleb Musselman

photo cred: www.bostonherald.com

It's not over til Chicago scores two in the final minute and a half. That just happened so now it's over. Whoa.

In quite possibly the most shocking 17 seconds in the history of the NHL, Chicago turned a sure Boston victory into an event that would have rivaled the quiet game played between 20,000 mice. Boston doesn't lose with a lead. They just don't. Well, they didn't until Monday.

I watched all 6 games of the NHL playoffs and plain and simple, I want more. While everyone hoped for a Penguins/Blackhawks final, Boston was readying itself for a cup run that would prove to be electric. However, Chicago, from start to finish in the shortened 2013 season, was always the team to beat.

Dominant Performances:
Patrice Bergeron

photo cred: www.barstoolsports.com

Patrice has been one of the best players on the Bruins for a few years now. However, in these playoffs, he
established himself as one of the best players in the league. A strong leader and dynamic talent both offensively and defensively, Bergeron scored 9 goals and contributed 6 assists to the Bruins finals run. At only 27 years of age, Bergeron will be a force in the league for many years to come.

Brian Bickell
Bickell scored 9 goals in all of the regular season. In the playoffs, he scored 9 goals and added 8 assists. Easily the best breakout performance of this year's playoffs, Bickell increased his trade stock immensely by proving to be an offensive threat for Chicago all throughout their cup run.

photo cred: checkingthescore.wordpress.com

Chicago's Back Line
Crawford got completely snubbed by the NHL by not receiving the Conn Smythe. Chicago's goaltending brought them through the season and all the way to the cup and Crawford was front and center for most of that. His 1.84 GAA throughout the playoffs proved enough even to oust the electric Tukka Rask for the Bruins. However, Crawford could not beat the Bruins single-handedly. Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Johnny Oduya, Niklas Hjalmarsson deserve to have their named etched into the cup twice. Known for their stellar offensive talent, Chicago's defense, matched with Crawford in net, proved to be too much for any team this season.

photo cred: www.chicagotribune.com

You all know I don't like recaps, so I tried to keep this short. If you didn't get a chance to watch any of the Finals, don't worry, they will be playing reruns for many years to come. Specifically, Game 4 and Game 6. Don't know what happened in those games? Call me and I'll let you know. For now all you need to know is that Duncan Keith's newborn baby rested in the mouth of the Cup at TD Garden on Monday night. Talk about a special day for Duncan.

When Chicago beat the Flyers in the finals in 2010 (sore subject), I said Kane and Toews were on the brink of creating a dynasty. Now they have a young goaltender who proved that he was up for the task (providing they don't ship him out like they did with Niemi). Chicago is so young and talented that they could easily win 3 or 4 more cups in the next 5-7 years. Thankfully, there should be enough parity in the league to even things out.

Who wins the cup next year? Penguins? Chicago? LA? St. Louis? The possibilities are endless. Now I just can't wait for November.

photo cred: www.thenervousbreakdown.com

Caleb Musselman is a co-founder and NHL Analyst with Sports Eye View.  He can be reached at cbmusselman@gmail.com.

30 Degrees of Banking

NASCAR Nuggets: Sonoma

By Ryan Frisco

Photo Cred www.yahoosports.com

The Victor: The last time Martin Truex, Jr. won a race, I was still in high school. Since then, I've graduated college, gotten a real job, gotten married and had a son.  Needless to say, it's been a while for Martin, and victory in the rolling hills of Sonoma couldn't be sweeter. A track where he has performed well the last 5 years before running into trouble, the breakthrough second career victory is finally in hand.  Now the wins can start flowing.  I have a feeling the nickname The 'Other' Junior will soon wear off and Truex, Jr. becomes a valid title contender.

The First Loser: Hmm, I'm pretty sure we've had Jeff Gordon in this segment before this year.  Again, oh so close!  If not for that totally ridiculous ill timed pit stop right as the caution came out, I'd say Gordon would have been the one sipping wine in victory lane.  As it fell, Gordon had to fight his way back from 38th on a ROAD COURSE to finish second.  I'd say a win for him given the situation.  Jeff is inching closer to that Top 10 in points, and oh so close to a win.  I'd say we'll be calling his name in the Victor column before the Summer's out!

Photo Cred www.speedtv.com

Tough Luck: Three guys on Sunday had great cars but ran into hard times in Sonoma.  Kyle Busch's day just never seemed to go right.  A speeding penalty on pit road and more than one spinout caused by someone else resulted in a 35th place finish.  Tony Stewart was in prime position in the last quarter of the race before a spin relegated him to 28th.  Juan Pablo Montoya, the king of road racing, dominated the Top 5 for much of the race. Sitting in second place with 2 laps left, his car ran out of gas and he fell from runner up to 34th.  Chase hopes are looking slim for him.

Pat on the Back: Gotta hand it to a few guys again.  Kurt Busch finished fourth.  He runs so well in underfunded cars.  Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards both finished in the Top 10...at Sonoma!  They aren't known for running well there.  Marcos Ambrose went home 7th, which is expected for him here, but still good for the man from Down Unda'.

The standings are crowded from 10th to 20th, and races before the Chase are dwindling.  Guys have to start making their moves soon to stand a chance.  On to Kentucky next week!...yeah, I can't even fake that I meant that excitement.  More on that this weekend...

Green-White-Checkers

Stop #16: Sonoma

By Ryan Frisco

NASCAR gets a bad rap sometimes because the only 'skill' involved is the ability to turn left.  Those people are seriously misinformed, haven't taken the time enough to actually watch a race intensely or are just jealous they don't have the greatest job in the world driving 200mph every weekend.  But, for those who have this opinion, try tuning in this week as NASCAR takes on the first of two ROAD COURSE races in the Napa Valley of California.

Photo Cred www.stockcarracing.com

These tracks are a different breed.  11 turns make up this windy track, as drivers turn left AND right with some S bends and180 degree hairpin turns.  This track isn't necessarily about having the fastest car, it's more about finesse and timing.  It's nearly impossible to pass at Sonoma.  Naturally, on a track this difficult and tight, there are going to be a ton of tempers flaring and drivers pushing each other around.  You can get away with that here, as speeds are much lower and you don't run the risk of causing a serious crash.

There is also an added element to these races; Ringers.  Every year, we see drivers enter these races that aren't part of the normal circuit.  They are professional road course racers, and many times they give the full timers a run for their money.  I've seen Ron Fellows and Boris Said both legitimately contend for victory and have solid Top 5 finishes.  It definitely makes it interesting for these drivers to be out there, although I have seen them falter as of late as the regular NASCAR drivers have stepped up their game at the road courses.

Photo Cred www.speedwaymedia.com

So who should we be looking out for?  Top two always here are Juan Pablo Montoya and Marcos Ambrose.  Both drivers have two career victories, and both of them are on road course tracks only.  They will be in contention.  Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are two other big ones.  Martin Truex, Jr. and Clint Bowyer, the two Michael Waltrip Racing cars, have been solid as well, as Clint won here last year.  Also, keep an eye on the Busch Brothers, as both run very well at these tracks.

Dark Horse Alert: Danica Patrick.  Danica ran full time Nationwide last year, and dominated at Montreal until an untimely shoe was thrown in her path.  I expect her to have a better than average run this week.

My Pick to Win: Jamie McMurry.  He's starting on the pole.  He's driving the #1 car.  Why not?

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder of Sports Eye View, as well as the Head NASCAR Analyst.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com

30 Degrees of Banking

Playing Catch Up!

By Ryan Frisco

To all of my loyal NASCAR followers (I believe there are 8 of you) I apologize for my lack of presence the past couple of weeks.  I have slacked severely, and there is no excuse for it.  I will try to get back to my consistent ways with timely previews and reviews of each race.  I mean come on, without NASCAR what would the Sports Eye View Blog be?  This is totally the Cash Cow!

Let's start with a quick review of Pocono two weeks ago.  Jimmie Johnson dominated and won the

Photo Cred www.fox6now.com

race, Tony Stewart continued his hot streak with a Top 5 finish.  Enough said.

Last week, NASCAR endured a tragedy in the death of driver Jason Leffler.  He died while racing the Sprint cars on the dirt tracks, something he was looking forward to getting heavily back into.  He leaves behind a young son.  What is NASCAR to do in an event like this?

NASCAR isn't like other sports.  Yeah, other athletes run the risk of serious injury or death, but not like in NASCAR.  The death of an athlete in this sport happens more often than in other professional sports.   I've seen it too much in my lifetime.  First I saw Adam Petty die in a crash, the grandson of NASCAR's King Richard Petty.  Then it was Kenny Irwin, and Dale Earnhardt, Sr., one of the sport's top 2 most famous, popular and decorated drivers of all time.  It happened at NASCAR's grand stage, the Daytona 500.  Within the past couple years, Dan Wheldon, and Indy 500 Champion and beloved Indy Car Racer, was killed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Photo Cred www.flapperdays.blogspot.com

So, what is NASCAR to do?  What they've been doing since the beginning, and what they've continued to do nonstop: make the sport safer.  They have added technology to all of the tracks to soften the impact on the wall when a driver hits it.  They have reinforced the roll cage to protect the driver inside.  They have implemented a HANS device around the drivers head/helmet to keep their neck from snapping forward.  They have found numerous ways to keep the cars from going airborne.

Yes, there have been deaths in the sport, but it is obvious that there have been many more deaths prevented by the hard work NASCAR has done to make the sport safer over the years.  But, events like this bring light to the fact that every single one of these drivers runs a serious risk each and every Sunday they step into that car.  Jason Leffler, we are praying for your son and those close to you.  We enjoyed having the opportunity to see you race at the NASCAR level.

Photo Cred www.usatoday.com

In light of these events, the race went on as planned Sunday at Michigan.  The track was primed for one of the four Hendrick cars to win, but that was not to be...

The Victor: The Bif!  Greg Biffle somehow pulled out victory Sunday.  He may not have had the fastest car out there, but he put himself at the front near the end and held on for dear life.  Second two weeks ago, first this week...Biffle's Summer so far is heading in the right direction, with a spot in the Chase!

The First Loser: Kevin Harvick.  He just keeps doing this, finding himself near the front at the end.  Happy Harvick is looking like his old self...which is bad news for everyone else not named Jimmie Johnson.

Hendrick Motorsports: So, I mentioned that Hendrick was supposed to dominate?  Check out these stats.  Jeff Gordon, great car, crashed on lap 6, 37th.  Kasey Kahne, dominated, cut a tire while leading, 36th.  Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was running away with the lead, blown engine, 35th.  Jimmie Johnson, runner up with 3 laps to go, cut tire, 28th.  Each and every one of these drivers had a legitimate shot to win, it just wasn't in the cards this week.

Photo Cred www.heraldtimesonline.com

Shout Outs: Gotta give a shout out to Martin Truex, Jr. He came home third, which moved him up four spots in the standings.  I'm confident he'll find himself in the Chase this year.

I'm going to keep mentioning Tony Stewart until he has a bad finish.  5th place Sunday. The string continues, as he is now 10th in points!  Five races ago he was outside the Top 20.  What a run!

I've got one more shout to Sports Eye View writer Caleb Musselman.  He turned 23 on Tuesday!  Exciting birthday, right?  Now he can...nevermind, he's just a year older.  Happy Birthday!

Okay, that's enough for this week, I think we're caught up enough.  Next week, we're going road racing!  It's a whole different ballgame, tune in this weekend for the Sonoma Preview!

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder of Sports Eye View, as well as the Head NASCAR Analyst.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com

30 Degrees of Banking

NASCAR Nuggets: FedEx Autism Speaks 400

By Ryan Frisco

The Victor: WHERE IN THE WORLD DID THAT COME FROM TONY STEWART?!!!!!  I definitely was not expecting Smoke to come out on top at Dover.  Not at the start, not at the 3/4 mark, not at the 7/8 mark.  After a completely dirt poor start to the season, a 7th last week and win at Dover is a HUGE upgrade to the season.  Tony finds himself in prime position to nab one of the two Wild Card spots as the Summer is just heating up.

Photo Cred www.usatoday.com

The First Loser:  Another guy I didn't expect to see there at the end; Juan Pablo Montoya.  Juan didn't have the fastest car Sunday, but he made the right call at the right time to be at the front when it mattered the most.  Montoya has impressed as of late, and he's keeping himself in position so that if he does nab one or both of the road course wins, he'll have a good shot of grabbing a Wild Card berth in the Chase.

Pat on the Back:  Jeff Gordon came home 3rd.  A good finish for him in another season of bad luck.

Kurt Busch ran another great race, only to be stung by poor pit strategy.  Good job to come back to 12th.

Photo Cred www.whattalking.com

Penske Racing:  Brad Keselowski finished 5th, Joey Logano 7th.  This team has been great at times, poor at times and wrapped up in controversy.  Although Keselowski was penalized 6 points for failing post race inspections, finishing up front again is encouraging after a rough stretch in May.  Logano is still working back from his 25 point penalty.  Penske looks to be back on track somewhat.

Jimmie Johnson Penalized: Yep, that's right.  Jimmie Johnson broke the rules, and paid the price.  That should silence the critics! Johnson was on the bottom line during the race's final restart, next to Juan Pablo Montoya, the leader.  Jimmie started the race prematurely (the leader, Montoya, was supposed to) and failed to give the position back to Montoya before the start finish line.  That led to a black flag, penalty trip down pit road and a 17th place finish one lap down.  

Was it controversial?  Yeah, you could argue that Juan spun the tires and didn't get going when he should have.  But, NASCAR made the call and I believe it was the right one.  Take a look at the video and decide for yourselves.

Next up is Pocono!

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder of Sports Eye View, as well as the Head NASCAR Analyst.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com

And the Foul

NBA Finals Preview

The Battle of the Big 3's

atgsports.blogspot.com

Intro - When I was a wee lad, my brother used to take me up to the community park to "ball out". Basically, this meant me standing at the top of the key and heaving with all my might to get that pumpkin up to the rim. We would spend about an hour there while he encouraged me and rewarded my single daily triumph with an ice cold coke. A few years later, I graduated to playing one on one with some of my friend's older brothers. This was a tragedy. Giving 150% of my effort just to be rejected at the rim and tossed around the court like Raggedy Andy, I would endure a comedic display of decimation on a daily basis. Myself and four of my BFFs taking the court against the equivalent of the MONSTARS from Space Jam. Their words for us after the game? "One of these days you guys will own this court." 

www.nytimes.com

In 2007, Lebron James and his four best friends (Gooden, Gibson, Ilgauskas and Pavlovic..... seriously?) walked onto the court in the NBA Finals against the high and mighty Spurs. To put it lightly, it was a comedic display of decimation. In a short and sweet four game sweep, Tim Duncan and Co. put on a clinic against the 2nd seeded Cavaliers. When the confetti streamed from the rafters in San Antonio after their game four victory, Duncan had just a few words for Mr. James: "In a few years this league will belong to you." 

Well, here we are. A few years have passed and the league now does belong to Lebron James. Lebron has established himself as the best player in the league for a few years now, and he finally got his coveted ring in 2012. Now, James finds himself back on the podium in 2013 with another shot at increasing his resume. How fitting it is that he would face the Big Fundamental in what could be his last hoorah as an NBA star. 

So what do we expect? 

blog.ticketcity.com

Spurs - This Spurs team is unbelievable. Anchored by Duncan, Parker, and Magnificent Manu, they have miraculously never lowered the bar of greatness. Popovich, one of the greatest basketball minds of his era and the best coach in the league (try me), has this Spurs team working like a well-oiled machine. Which is good because without some WD-40, this old classic would surely be squeaking and wheezing. Or would they? 

2.bp.blogspot.com

Tony Parker (31) is playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 23 points and 7.2 assists per game. Parker promised Duncan he would win him one more ring. It's looking like he doesn't like breaking a promise. Duncan (37) is averaging 18 and 9 while consistently stifling the best power forwards in the league with his reach and defensive toughness. He will most likely be matched up against Udonis Haslem at the PF. Enough said. 

Coming off an unprecedented 10 days off, the Spurs were able to go on vacation, play 10 rounds of golf and still have plenty of time to prepare for Miami. Of course, knowing Popovich, there hasn't been in a moment in the last 10 days when he has taken a break or allowed his guys a break for that matter. This team may have a bit of rust but they will be much more mentally and tactically prepared for the Finals than Miami ever could be.  

simplybasketball.tumblr.com

Heat - Remember back when Bosh and James moved to South Beach? Remember that embarrassing party that was held where they jumped around stage and talked about how they would win 6 straight? Well, after a tragic loss in 2011, Miami took their first step in that direction. Here's step number 2. Problem? Last year Lebron had the help of Bosh and Wade in his journey to the crown. This season, Wade and Bosh have a better chance of being admitted into an assisted living center than they do helping Lebron to the title. Wade is frail. That being said he still plays a pivotal role in this series. Even with a bum knee, Wade must score 15 a game for the Heat to succeed. 

Just as in years past, Miami's deficiencies come under the basket. Bosh is a formidable offensive talent but a lousy defender. Fortunately for the Heat, Chris Andersen has found a glimmer of youth underneath his chameleon skin. Andersen's rebounding prowess basket protection will be critical to Miami's success in key moments throughout this series. 

www.therichest.org

As far as Lebron is concerned, expect him to be an absolute force. The question is not will he score 20 a game, but will Leonard have what it takes to keep him under 30 a game. Love him or hate him, Lebron is an unstoppable force who enacts his will on any opponent. San Antonio will be no different. 

Prediction - So who has the upper hand? This is the million-dollar question. Honestly, I don't think either team has the upper hand. This series will be a game time decision, if you will. Lebron will dominate. The question is whether or not Wade has enough juice left to contribute and whether or not Bosh can find a spark. Like in Game 7 against Indiana, I believe Wade will contribute. But a knee-to-knee collision could eliminate his effectiveness at any moment during the series. 

blog.mysanantonio.com

For San Antonio, I believe the onus lies on the shoulders of Manu Ginobili. Manu has the ability to transform any game he enters. His break-neck mentality can be contagious and is absolutely critical for the Spurs success. 

So the big brother is getting older and the younger brother has come of age. Lebron stands in front of Tim Duncan tonight and tells him this is the time that the league changes hands. Easy Lebron. Duncan said a few years, but the due date has been pushed back. What he should have said is several years. 

An old but rested Spurs team steals Game 2 in Miami and caps a dream career for Mr. Duncan. I might be crazy but I'm going with my gut on this one. This series will be SPECTACULAR. But with a hobbled Wade, I don't think Lebron can put the team on his back long enough to win 4 games against this never quit Spurs team. The real Big 3 (Parker, Duncan and Ginobili) shows the younger brother once more that this league is not ready to change hands. 

Spurs in 6

Green - White - Checkers

Stop #13: The Monster Mile

By Ryan Frisco

There are many tracks on the NASCAR circuit.  Some are things of legend, others are your run of the mill ordinary track.  Some are new and some are old.  Some, like Darlington two weeks ago, have nicknames that kind of send a chill down your spine.  That was the Lady in Black (queue goosebumps).  This week, the drivers head to Dover, which is nicknamed the Monster Mile...and no, we're not talking friendly monster, like in Monsters, Inc.

Photo Cred www.flickr.com

Dover is known as the track too tough to tame.  It's one whole mile of holding on for dear life as you careen through the corners at 165 mph next to a wall with no give.  There's not a lot of room on the track like at Las Vegas or Fontana.  If you crash here, you're walking away with a migraine, no matter what part of the track it is.  The Monster's out to get you this Sunday.

So, what's in store for this Sunday?

As far as cautions go, I'm betting on over 10.  This week marks the first race of the summer months.  What does that mean for drivers?  That means they only have 12 weeks left to solidify their spot in the Chase...that means they better get goin!  If they've been playing it safe so far, and that game ain't workin yet, they better start taking some chances.  If the guy in front of you is giving you a hard time to pass him, just bump him out of the way to pick up that extra point.  If your car isn't giving you enough horsepower, run it just a little harder until it blows up.  The first 12 races were the warmup. The next 12 are the Sprint to the playoffs.  It's time to make your move!

Things are just about to get exciting in NASCAR.  Who's got the edge this week?

There are three drivers who have literally owned Dover over the recent past.  1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Kyle Busch and 3. Martin Truex, Jr.  All three of these guys should be in the hunt at some point in the race.

Photo Cred www.aarons.com

My Pick:  I'm reaching deep into the bag this week, and 10 years into the past for my pick at the victor. Mark Martin!  Yes, the same Mark Martin  who hasn't raced full time since the Nextell Cup.  Yes, the same Mark Martin who's like 55 years old.  Yes, the same Mark Martin who does the dorkiest Aaron's commercials with Michael Waltrip.  This old dawg still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and he might just play one of his final cards left this weekend.  Here's to the oldies but goodies!

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder of Sports Eye View as well as the Head NASCAR Analyst.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com

Left Handed Larceny

Western Conference Final

by Eric Berkenpas

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? You get a Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks. In my mind, this is the most intriguing matchup thus far in the playoffs and the Pens and Hawks is the only series that could top it. The Kings didn't have a season even close to comparable to the Hawks but come playoff time, LA looks like the team to beat in the West after Chicago struggled with the old bearded men of Detroit. You can immediately dismiss the seeds of either of these teams because they are neck and neck. If I had to put odds on this game, they would be the same for both teams. Let's get into it!

photo cred: www.zimbio.com

Season Series

1/19/2013 CHI 5 @ LAK 2
2/17/2013 LAK 2 @ CHI 3
3/25/2013 CHI 4 @ LAK 5

#5 Los Angeles Kings

I know, I know, you are probably yelling at me in your head about putting the seed in front of LA. Well, I did so deal with it. The Kings had the tougher road to get to where they are now. Jonathan Quick was a huge question mark at the start of the playoffs because of the shaky season he had. It did not take long at all to see which Quick hit the crease. From the start of the playoffs, Quick has been lights out between the pipes. He has been by far the best goalie, posting a 1.50 GAA in 13 games including 3 shutouts. He has put this team on his back and that very fact should be very disconcerting for any opponent. Mike Richards who was virtually invisible through the season has stepped up in a big way and leads his team with 10 points in the playoffs. Jeff Carter is doing his usual thing in scoring goals and leads the team with 5. The goal scoring has been the issue though. Yes, Quick built a brick wall in front of the net, but that wall will only get this team so far. Quick needs to get some support and while the support has been enough through the first two rounds, it won't be enough this round. Anze Kopitar needs to get going. A player of his caliber should not be carrying only 2 goals and 5 assists at this point in the playoffs. Dustin Brown who was the man last year has been sleeping on the job. Getting Jarret Stoll back will be huge for the Kings as that means they can re-insert Brown into that top line and renew chemistry all over the place.

#1 Chicago Blackhawks

photo cred: www.thejerseychaser.com

Regardless of how the Hawks are playing or what the series is looking like, they always find a way to win and score when they need to, and this is what makes the Hawks so gosh darn hard to beat. They have depth all over the ice which is evidenced in the fact that their fearless leader, Jonathan Toews, has registered only 7 points in 12 games and Kane only has 9 points. Hossa and Sharp are leading the way with 11 a piece but the Hawks are getting solid contributions from the likes of Shaw, Keith, Bickell and Handzus. Corey Crawford should have shaken all the doubters by now as he has been phenomenal for the Hawks and stood up in big moments to make big saves. He seems focused and ready to lead his team to the finals but due credit must be given to the dynamic set of defensemen in front of him. Oduya, Hjalmarsson, Keith and Seabrook particularly have been playing a solid defensive game in front of Crawford, making his job easy. The power play has not been good but that comes as no surprise to anyone given that the power play wasn't good in the season. It doesn't really matter so long as you can score the 5 on 5 goals which the Hawks have proven by now that they can do. The penalty kill has been the thing that has helped Chicago to win the special teams battle. They have surrendered only 1 PPG so far and are clicking at 97.6%. That is amazing and will be crucial as the Kings have been one of the better teams on the power play in the playoffs thus far.

photo cred: www.cbc.ca

Los Angeles is going to try to get very physical against Chicago to wear them down and disrupt their pace that they like to play at. Brown will be much more involved this series. Being the captain, he is going to have to exemplify that physicality and grit all over the ice which is his bread and butter. Matt Greene is another guy who is going to have to be very active. The last time he played against the Hawks it was game 1 of the season and he had season ending injury. He needs to make his presence felt and with the Hawks powerplay being as bad as it is, he and the rest the team can afford to play on and maybe a little over the edge. Chicago is a very fast team and plays more of a finesse style of hockey but they get it done very efficiently. That flow and order is going to have to be disrupted or Quick may face a serious challenge that he might not overcome. For Chicago, they need to stick to their game plan. Sharp cooled off against Detroit but may be getting back on his game. Hossa has been a horse all playoffs and Kane and Toews need to do their thing. The Kings will be physical so Chicago may have to up their toughness a notch. Crawford will have to be sharp as the Kings have a wide variety of guys who can really bury the puck. Home ice will be a huge factor as well. The last home game the Kings have lost was March 23 but Chicago has always been a very tough team to beat in Chicago and this year is most definitely no exception. The first team to take a game on the road may well find themselves winning the series.

Chicago will win the series if they can implement their game plan and control the tempo on the ice. Toews will have to step it up and Crawford will need to continue his stellar play. Los Angeles will win the series if Quick continues his dominance and the offense can get ignited. The Kings will also need to establish their toughness and grit or the Hawks will be skating circles around them by the end if the series goes long.

photo cred: www.bleacherreport.com

Now for the fun part; the prediction. Sharp gets back on his groove and Toews leads his team with 7 points in the series. Quick plays well but not well enough. Hawks in 7.

Eric Berkenpas is the newest member of Sports Eye View and can be reached at ejberkenpas22@gmail.com

30 Degrees of Banking

NASCAR Nuggets: Coca Cola 600

By Ryan Frisco

I feel like I've said it too many times this year, but I'm going to say it again; I love NASCAR under the lights!  You just never know what's going to happen, and this week was no different, as NASCAR's longest race got even longer thanks to the second craziest thing I've ever seen in the sport. But, let's start with...

Photo Cred www.newsobserver.com

The Victor: Kevin Harvick, the Closer, closed out another one.  Creeping the entire race, slowly working his way up through the field, Harvick, in his patented form, stole the race at the end to pick up his second victory of the year.  After falling just short of the championship in 2010, Harvick looks primed to make another run at it this year.

The First Loser: Kasey Kahne.  The victor last year in the 600, he fell just short after dominating the race, settling for second.  The same thing happened last week, as he had the race in hand, but lost the lead to Jimmie Johnson in the All Star Race.  All in all though, a great run.  It's nice to see Kahne's finishes reflect how strong he is and not be ruined by a certain someone *cough* Kyle Busch *cough*.  The Kahne Gang is keepin' it strong!

Pat on the Back: Kurt Busch has run surprisingly strong this year, especially for the below par equipment he's driving.  If not for a stroke of bad luck here and there, he'd be sitting in the Top 10 in points.  Great job to come home third, let's hope he can keep his attitude in check to stick around for a while.

Denny Hamlin had another great Top 5 run.  The field better watch out if he makes the Chase.

For the first time all year, I'm writing something positive about Tony Stewart!  He finally got another Top 10!!  He finished 7th, and teammate Ryan Newman came home 6th.  Easily the best overall showing for this team all year.

In case anybody overlooked it, Marcos Ambrose came home with a Top 10 finish.  Good run for the Aussie.

Okay, let's get to the craziness.  First, the big crash.  Watch:

There were more crashes, but this one was the best.  I know for most people reading, this is the highlight of the race you were looking for.  You're welcome.

Caught on Camera...Literally: This is the real craziness of the race.  I've never seen anything like it before!  So, like in football, FOX Sports has added an overhead camera to get an aerial view that moves around the track.  Somehow, one of the cables running over the track to drive this camera broke, and was left hanging on the track, suspended from ground to air.  The leader, Kyle Busch, ran over the cord, snapping it off as well as mutilating the right front of his car.  Three or four cars in total sustained damage from the cord, and NASCAR had to red flag the event for over half an hour to clean up the camera mess and let the cars and crew fix what the cord had ruined.  What?!!  Seriously, I've seen a lot of crazy things, but this is by far the second craziest in NASCAR ever.

What is the first, you might ask?

Alright, enough of the craziness already!  Let's get going to the Monster Mile, Dover!

Ryan Frisco is a co-founder of Sports Eye View, as well as the Head NASCAR Analyst.  He can be reached at ryanafrisco@gmail.com