Top Seeds In Trouble
The Blackhawks and Canadiens have both lost home ice advantage in the Conference Finals during this past week. The Canadiens lost it thanks in large part to their starting goalie, Carey Price, getting injured in Game 1. Ironically, they are back in this series thanks in large part to their backup goalie, Dustin Tokarski. He faced 37 shots this past Thursday in Madison Square Garden and turned back 35 of them. That was just enough for the Habs to clinch the game in overtime, keeping the series within reach for Montreal. Unfortunately, the way that Henrik Lundqvist and the rest of the Rangers are playing, Tokarski will likely have to play that well for the rest of the series. It's possible, but not likely. If the Rangers win Game 4 tonight, I think Montreal might be done.
Over in the West, the Kings keep finding a way to get it done. After falling behind in the series, a recurring theme for them this playoffs, the Kings turned a close 2-1 lead heading into the third period in Game 2 into a 6-2 rout of the Hawks at the United Center. Yesterday, coming back to the West coast, the Kings overcame a two goal effort from Jonathan Toews to take the series lead. While I don't think you can pinpoint one exact moment as the cause for a team winning or losing, I thought the Kings' power play goal a minute after Toews scored first short handed was critical. The Toews goal sucked the life out of the building, but the place was rocking once again after Slava Voynov took a laser slap shot from the top of the circles. The series isn't over by any stretch, but the Hawks, particularly Crawford, better rally and step it up in Game 4.
The Old Guys Beating The Young'uns
Switching from the ice to the hardwood, it seems like both the Heat and Spurs have their series right where they want them. The Spurs take a 2-0 lead into Oklahoma City, but that 2-0 lead doesn't tell the whole story. Based on how badly they beat the Thunder, it should really be 4-0. Game 1 was actually a bit closer than the final score, but the Spurs simply pulled away down the stretch. Game 2 was an absolute pounding. 112-77. The team with 77 having the MVP along with one of, if not the best, point guard in the game. There's talk that Serge Ibaka will play in Game 3, but you have to question how effective he will be and how much, or if, he will play. Either way, the Thunder are in a hole they don't want to be in. If they drop even one of the next two in OKC, that means they will have to beat the Spurs twice in San Antonio to win the series. Good luck.
In the East, while the Pacers seemed to catch the Heat napping in Game 1, the Heat have since found their form. Game 3 looked like it was going well for the Pacers as the Heat struggled in the opening half of the first quarter. The tipping point in this game was the late run the Heat made right before halftime. Although the Pacers still led, their lead had been cut to four after leading by double digits through a lot of the first half. The Heat, and Ray Allen, did their veteran thing and pulled away down the stretch.
For the Pacers and Thunder, this has got to be frustrating. Both of them have a wealth of young talent, and they're both facing teams that start players considerably older than them. Despite this, these two teams continue to be spurned by the veteran groups. Even when the Thunder made it to the Finals, the Heat were able to beat them back. I know people would like to think they have plenty of time to get it done, but they're not getting any younger. I think their window to win a title is closing faster than either team thinks, even if the Spurs and Heat are not there down the line to defeat them.
Will LeBron Come Back?
Next time I buy a lotto ticket, I'm wearing a Cavaliers jersey, shorts, hat, socks, and shoes. Somehow, the Cavs once again got the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft, despite having just a 1.7% chance to get that pick. This, coming off last year's number one pick, as well as in 2011 when they selected Kyrie Irving at number one, and in 2003 when they selected one LeBron James. Now, with the possibility of Kyrie, a seasoned Anthony Bennett, and a possible franchise player this year (Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Joel Embiid are the likely candidates to go number one), is it possible that James comes back to Cleveland with this core?
I think it would be a great move. I think the animosity in Cleveland has passed since he left for Miami. Whether or not James wins a title this year, he has to accept the fact that the Heat are getting old. Dwayne Wade has shown flashes of being Flash, but he's certainly not the player he used to be. With just a Bosh-LeBron core, I'm not sure if the Heat can win another title. Cleveland, however, has a solid point guard in Irving, a big man in Bennett if he ever pans out, and a possible wing player or center coming in this year. I think Wiggins and Parker are about as NBA ready as you can be, and I think Embiid could be great his first year pending his health. The point is they would have a great, young core, he would stay in the Eastern Conference where the road is not as rough as it is out West, and he could come back to his hometown. I still argue that one title in Cleveland would be more important than eight titles in Miami for LeBron. If he chooses to opt out of his contract, this is a possibility that is on the table.
Landon Donovan
How is this guy not on the World Cup squad? Not even as a sub? People that agree with his absence will point to his poor season he has had with the LA Galaxy, but I think that should be given a bit of a pass considering his past performance for the US National Team. He had eight goals in 11 appearances in 2013, and has been a crucial member of each US World Cup squad dating back to 2002. Is he getting older? Yes. Should the US try and give some of the young guys a chance? Yes, but that's what friendlies and things like the Gold Cup are for. The World Cup is the playoffs and Super Bowl of national soccer.
I think that the leadership that he would provide would help the young US squad, as well as draw attention to the event itself. I guarantee that by Donovan not being on the squad, there are some people in the US that won't wind up watching the Cup. I'm a Bulls fan, but with Derrick Rose out and Luol Deng traded, my interest in them was minimal at best until the playoffs (crappy time to become interested again). He, more so than Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard, is the most recognizable player on the team. To not have him out there would be like the Yankees without Jeter or the Lakers without Kobe (both of whom signed extensions with their teams, despite being not as skilled as they once were). In a group that includes Germany and Portugal, having a veteran like Donovan, even if he doesn't start, would help out.
Forget Lawsuits, The Culture Needs To Change
This past week, former NFL players filed a suit against the NFL, claiming that they were given harmful drugs and painkillers, which are now negatively effecting their lives. There are also claims that team doctors would allow players to play, despite having obvious injuries, which has now caught up to them later on in life. As harsh as it sounds, I don't agree with the suit at all and think former NFL players need to start taking a bit more responsibility. It's quite sad the damage, mentally and physically, that has been done to many of these players. The thing that gives me pause, however, is that pretty much every athlete in every sport will claim that if they are injured, they will do everything in their power to get back out there and continue playing. Concussion or not, these guys want to get back out there and finish the game with their team. I admire that, but you can't then turn around and blame the NFL and team doctors for the issues you have now.
While I am against the doctors and NFL in the fact that they hid injuries from players and did not tell players what drugs they were taking, I do understand where they are coming from. The doctors are employed by the team. With that in mind, there's not a "no" person along the line to protect the player from himself. The doctors want you to play, the coach wants you to play, the owners want you to play, and the NFL front office wants you to play. They put in a bunch of these tests to try and protect the players, but short of doing extensive tests and scans, it's hard to firmly say a player has an injury, when they are insisting that everything is fine.
The solution to this problem isn't clear. The owners and possibly coaches and current players as well, will likely protest an outside doctor coming in. The fear would be that injuries would swing too far in the other direction and players with a playable injury would be held out since that doctor has no stake in the player getting back out there. This means less skill players on the field, which could lead to less wins, which leads to less money. Nobody is happy. If the system stays as is, however, then players will continue to want to, and be, rushed back onto the playing field. It will be interesting to see how this suit plays out and if it causes any change in injury protocol for the NFL and/or other sports leagues.
Public Service Announcement
After seeing another Not Top 10 on ESPN of a fan getting nailed in the face with a baseball trying to catch it, I must emphasize that it is perfectly fine, no matter ones age, to bring a baseball glove to the game. The odds of catching a baseball are very low, so maybe you don't have to worry, but when the time comes, you'll be glad you have it. The reason is that, contrary to what a lot of people seem to think, catching a baseball when you're not expecting it, staring into the sun, are dodging seats and small children, while balancing your beer, is not easy. Add to the fact that you now don't have a glove, and you're just asking to look like a fool. I'd much rather be that guy that brought a glove to the game, but didn't need it, rather than the dope that just took a Mike Trout baseball to the face and is bleeding profusely from the nose. If you don't want to bring a glove to the game, fine, just please don't try and catch it when it comes near you.
Matty O
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