My 2017 Stanley Cup Finals preview + pick

How about this NHL postseason so far. It’s been a great one, maybe the best in a long time. We now reach the final series of the season. The defending champions are back, I’m speaking of the Pittsburgh Penguins. They take on the red hot Nashville Predators, who was the last team to enter the postseason. I think the Predators have had one of the most impressive postseason runs in sports in years. Blowing away the competition after facing the Blackhawks, Blues, and the Anaheim Ducks. Also it is great to see the city of Nashville embracing this outstanding hockey team. Now the Predators have a golden opportunity to win a Stanley Cup for there team and there city. However the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins will have something to say about that. The Penguins made a bold move in changing goaltenders going with Matt Murray instead of Marc Andre Fleury lately when they fell behind the Ottawa Senators early in the series. So it paid off for the Penguins who themselves have had a fantastic postseason run of there own. So here is my pick: Nashville in 7 games. This should be a great Stanley Cup final and I can’t wait to start watching.

2017 NBA Playoffs Conference Semifinals Picks

Even though the second round will start soon, not all 2nd round matchups have been set yet. I wish the NBA would change there playoff scheduling in sort of have all series finished before the next round starts. I love the NBA playoffs but they need to consider changing it’s format once and for all. Now the lone series that is not finished is Utah Jazz Los Angeles Clippers, and they still have a Game 7 This coming Sunday. I think who ever wins that game has to deal with a well rested Golden State Warriors. Some of the 1st round series were at times great. Here is my Round 2 picks:

Eastern Conference

Boston over Washington (6 games)

Cleveland over Toronto (6 games)

Western Conference

San Antonio over Houston (7 games)

Golden State over Utah or Los Angeles (7 games)

 

There you have it, so make sure you keep up on my picks throughout the postseason. I have to run as I will be traveling back home from New York. So I won’t be watching until I get back. I will talk to you soon.

 

2017 Round 2 Stanley Cup Playoffs Picks

Now time to get this round started even though one of the favorites is not around. I’m talking about the Chicago BlackHawks getting swept unexpectedly by the Nashville Predators in 4 straight. How about the Edmonton Oilers handling the Sharks in unique fashion. Finally how about the Washington Capitals taking down the Leafs although the Capitals almost blew it on a couple of games. Now here is my Round 2 picks:

Eastern Conference

NY Rangers over Ottawa (6 games)

Pittsburgh over Washington (7 games)

Western Conference

Edmonton over Anaheim (7 games)

Nashville over St. Louis (7 games)

 

There you have it and enjoy this round’s games

2017 NBA Playoffs Picks + Notes

What a season for the NBA, i mean that marathon of a regular season is finally over. I thought the playoffs would not get here, with everything settled. Did we really get the 16 best teams this season. In my opinion Heck NO we did not. I mean there were some teams that showed up too late (That’s right Miami Heat), and some teams that never got off the bus (New York Knicks). I really should call out the sorry Brooklyn Nets, but its typical for them. So they allowed the Chicago Bulls to get a playoff spot that they never really earned. No one can convince me otherwise, on why they should be in over Miami Heat (who went 30-11 in the 2nd half of the season). You got to be kidding me with that garbage i just watched. The rest issue is getting out of hand and its time for new rules and standards, once and for all. Meanwhile, we got a postseason to get ready for and here are my 1st round picks (Conference Quarterfinal matchups):

Eastern conference:

Boston over Chicago (5 games)
Cleveland over Indiana (6 Games)
Toronto over Milwaukee (4 Games)
Washington over Atlanta (4 Games)

Western conference:

Golden State over Portland (7 Games)
San Antonio over Memphis (6 Games)
Oklahoma City over Houston (7 Games)
Utah over L.A. Clippers (7 Games)

Well there is my picks, so enjoy the playoffs and i will be back soon with the next round worth of picks and notes.

2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs Picks + Notes

Well my favorite (and hopefully yours?) postseason in all of sports is back once again for its annual excitement and festive moments. Now what a season it has been, and now we have the 16 best teams in all of the NHL left standing. So without further a due, here are my 1st round picks:

Eastern Conference:

Pittsburgh over Columbus
Washington over Toronto
N.Y. Rangers over Montreal
Boston over Ottawa

Western Conference:

Edmonton over San Jose
Anaheim over Calgary
Minnesota over st. Louis
Chicago over Nashville

There you have it so enjoy the playoffs

My Weekly Extra Point #6

The Houston Texans Quarterback Soap opera

So when they got rid of Brock Osweiler, the idea was the Texans wanted a proven QB that has won. However as of now, it has proven to be a nightmare for the Texans. All they have left is Brandon Weeden and Tom Savage, and they are clearly not the answer for the Texans at this time. Colin Kaepernick and Jay Cutler is still out there (and there proven QB’s) but i do not see anybody else. I guess the upcoming NFL draft (which is within weeks by the way) will be interesting considering they dont pick until the 20’s. The Texans will have to hope for the luck of the draw, in order to find a Quarterback that they can develop into there own. I know you are probably are wondering why i call it a soap opera, its a show that i cannot turn away. Also the headlines continue to mount day after day. This would make newspapers desperate to attract readers for once. Its time for the Texans to find that Quarterback (once and for all) and develop him into a winner as the AFC South division will be wide open for the 1st time in 4 years. Can’t wait for the NFL season to get started.

My Weekly Extra Point #5

The Tony Romo Retirement

I really thought the Dallas Cowboys handled it poorly, first they were gonna release him 2 months ago. Then the trade that never took place at all, leaving him out there to fend for himself. I for one would have loved it if he went to the Houston Texans. I will try not to show my NY Giants fan bias on here. Romo is retiring on his terms and going to the broadcast booth at CBS. I however disagree with him replacing Phil Simms as the #1 NFL Game analyst (For CBS). I think he should work his way up from the bottom. But hey the TV executives know more than me, so it would only fall at there feet if it doesn’t work. Romo could have gone to Fox Sports, but CBS offered a better deal. As for his playing career, i think he is done. However it would have been better if he played better in the postseason (2-4 in the playoffs, all with Dallas). I cannot blame him entirely, i mean his teams didn’t last long enough. Also he did not get past the 2nd round of playoff competition which is a big factor as Dallas was the perennial favorites to end up in the super bowl. So the ride ends for Romo as Jerry jones (Owner of Dallas Cowboys) would not let this end without haste. Clearly Jones did not want him to end up with the team of his choice. Let’s hope the Dallas cowboys have some good seasons coming up as the Dak Prescott era is well underway.

2017 NCAA Tourney Picks (Day 2)

What a day yesterday, plenty of games that were duds?? Are you kidding me if you are Vanderbilt, how you let Northwestern win like that? The other games were no better, i just hope Saturday is much better than Thursday’s action. Now time to get to Friday’s action, so good luck and now my picks:

Afternoon session:

Oklahoma State over Michigan
Baylor over New Mexico State
Seton Hall over Arkansas
Oregon over Iona
Louisville over Jacksonville State
USC (southern California) over SMU
North Carolina over Texas southern
Creighton over Rhode Island

Evening Session

Kansas over California-Davis
Wichita State over Dayton
Duke over Troy
Kansas State over Cincinnati
Michigan State over Miami (FL)
Kentucky over North Kentucky
South Carolina over Marquette
UCLA over Kent State

there you have it my friday picks are up, and with the weekend 2 go, i should be back tomorrow with more from the tourney. Now let watch some more basketball

2017 NCAA Tourney Picks

well March madness is here, and I am not filling out a bracket for the 1st time in years. Besides I think doing picks is better than doing a bracket, in my opinion. Now that the first four is finished, time for the real games. Besides we did not feel we got the best matchups. Now here is my Thursday Picks:

Afternoon session:

Norte Dame over Princeton
Virginia over NC-Wilmington
Butler over Winthorp
Gonzaga over South Dakota State
West Virginia over Bucknell
Florida over East Tennessee State
Middle Tennessee State over Minnesota
Vanderbilt over Northwestern

Evening Session

Xavier over Maryland
Villanova over Mount St. Mary’s
VCU over St’ Mary’s
Purdue over Vermont
Florida State over Florida Gulf Coast
Wisconsin over Virginia Tech
Arizona over North Dakota
Nevada over iowa state

There is your first day I will be back on here tomorrow for Fridays session, then the weekend enjoy watching some basketball…

Latest weekly extra point #4

Islanders and Coyotes need new homes and soon

First for the New York Islanders, there time in Brooklyn maybe coming to an end much sooner than anyone anticipating? The Barclays Center wants to kick them out, and there product on the ice is not helping the Islanders cause. But they have 2 seasons to go after this current season. So there have been reports lately that Hartford, CT wants to house them on a temporary basis. The XL Center would love to have them, but they will need to renovate quickly in order to make them a permanent home. So the fight there is not over, but not so much for the Arizona Coyotes.

The Coyotes have had problems ever since they relocated from Winnipeg, MA. They have loss money on an annual basis, and yet they continue to play in the state of Arizona. The arena they currently play in cancel a 15 year lease with the team, as the city of Glendale no longer wants them. They recently learned that Arizona State University has backed out of a deal to help build them a new building. Well the Coyotes will need a solution soon, because there lease in there current arena is over after 2018. There have been reports of team officials touring possible sites for relocation. Cities that have been mentioned are Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. Quebec City is also a possibility, but it would be a long shot at best. So what would the Coyotes do at this point? They don’t have a lot of time to figure it out, and may need the help of the NHL.