Round Table Discussion: Who's Hot, Who's Not

Welcome to the first installment to another former SJ column, the Round Table. In these articles a group of SportsJudge writers (with the occasional guest writer) will contribute their thoughts on a fantasy relevant discussion (or other sports related topic). Each will give their opinions concerning the round table subject while commenting on all previous opinions. As with all SportsJudge content, please feel free to give your opinions and ask questions.

Our first topic this year will have to do with fantasy baseball. There are many players that have shot out of the gates and had an incredible month of April, while perennial All-Stars have been hurting your squads early in this long season. The SJ Team will go over which breakouts they feel will keep their shine or lose their luster, as well as discuss what players will break out of their slump or you should trade away before they become too much of a burden.

Kevin Fenstermacher: The first player I want to talk about this year that has been off to an unbelievable start is Zach Greinke. Greinke was a recent topic in Rob Burckhard’s “First to Third” article about how he came back from psychological issues. He always had the talent and he is finally putting it all together and much more. His insanely miniscule ERA is obviously not going to stay that low all year, but you can expect him to continue to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Coming into the season I had Greinke ranked in my top 15 SP’s and in turn have him in 3 of my 4 leagues (the league I don’t have him I decided to keep Edinson Volquez over him as my 10^th and final keeper…) and I’m reaping the rewards so far. If you looked at his numbers last season he put together a very good season and now with a better team around him and another year of development and some confidence, which may be the biggest factor, Greinke has turned into an elite pitcher.

On the other hand there a few veteran pitchers whose numbers are a little too good compared to their career trends. A pair of former Phillies pitchers, Kyle Lohse and Kevin Millwood, I feel are two players that you will see a sharp decline over the next few months. Now, I know you probably aren’t relying on these guys to put up ace-like numbers and I’m sure they aren’t the anchor of your pitching staff. But, be sure that you don’t overestimate their ability and trade away one of your top pitchers banking on them to put up similar numbers. Millwood’s ERA has been above 5 in each of the past two years in Texas and Lohse’s low K/9 scares me and I think will lead him to occasional trouble.

Chris Carmona: I like Grienke but one person that I see on a daily basis that has jumped out to a hot start is Michael Young. I got some grief for taking him in our league but his numbers thus far, +.310 and 7 HR. Young hit just 22 HR his last 2 years and is 4 seasons removed from his career high of 24 HR in 2005. The emergence of Nelson Cruz as a fulltime starter and Andruw Jones back to form, Michael Young will continue to climb this season. He has made a smooth transition to third base defensively and we all know that the ball flies further in the hot summer in Arlington. The Rangers are near the top of the league in HR hit and in stolen bases. It’s not hard to see Young going 20-20 this year.

I’ll disagree with your statement about Millwood. The guy is comfortable in Texas and he is in a contract year. The Rangers have a $10 million option for next year and this guy wants to be paid. I expect Millwood to get run support all year long so a 3.50 ERA, while not the best, will be enough to get him 15 wins this year. He has a 2.13 ERA now. The AL seems to be a bit down this year with power so Millwood will be a great starter for any fantasy team all year long. His 22:8 strikeout:walk ratio in 38 innings is very good too. Millwood hasn’t had a year in Texas under 4.57 ERA but I think he can keep it at <4.00>

I don’t see Raul Ibanez keeping it up all year. He is currently the 6^th ranked player on Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball. Sure he has a great cast around him this year in Philadelphia but in 8 full seasons, Ibanez has hit over .300 just once. He will be turning 37 this year so he is passed his prime but his OPS of 1.157 is near the top in the league. I can’t see this going on much longer so I’d trade him for as much as you can get for him.

How about those getting off to a slow start? There is Jose Reyes, who usually doesn’t start slumping until September, sorry Mets fans, but now he only has 9 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. Reyes will pick it up and finish with 50 SB and 100+ runs.

I also expect Mark Teixeira to step his game up for the rest of the year. This is tough though because the fans and media will jump on him even more if things don’t turn around fast. Teixeira has always started slowly and this year is no different. This is his 4^th team in the last 3 years so I don’t think we have seen the full potential of Teixeira yet. Get him cheap in your league if you can, the future is bright.

Mike Colligan: I totally agree with your opinion there. Teixeira is a proven hitter and that’s the reason he was in such demand at the trade deadline and in free agency. With the Arod circus due into town any day now, that will not only draw the attention away from his terrible start, but it’ll be a huge boost to that Yankees lineup.

Kevin Fenstermacher: Not only that, but Teixeira is traditionally a slow starter and if you are an owner of Teixeira for a few seasons you should be used to this by now. He is one of the most complete players in the game and will find his bat sooner or later. I can only imagine the numbers he will put up once his bat heats up with the weather while sitting in the middle of that potent lineup.

Brian Doyle: While Zach Greinke is the feel good story of the season so far, I’m going to go ahead and steer everything in another direction. There’s one position in particular where the top tier of players have underperformed or been unable to perform due to injury: catcher. Among the top tier catchers, Russell Martin has been off to a slow start, hitting .224 with no home runs, but still maintains a solid 12 RBI batting towards the end of the Dodgers potent lineup. Meanwhile, Geovany Soto is hitting .158, has an OBP under .300, and has just 3 RBI. Joe Mauer spent the first five weeks of the season on the DL with back problems, and has been the exception to the rule with struggling catchers, starting his season off 7 for 10 with and has already matched Soto’s RBI output (and almost his hit total, Soto has 9 so far this year). Atlanta’s Brian McCann, suffering from an infected eye, is also on the DL after starting the season hitting .195.

It doesn’t get much better below the first tier of catchers. Highly touted Baltimore prospect Matt Wieters didn’t even get the chance to start the season in the Bigs and has been hampered with a bad hamstring since landing with Triple-A Norfolk, where he’s hitting .259. Chris Ianetta, after a solid performance in the WBC has struggled to a .173, with 4 of his 9 hits being homeruns.

Mike Colligan: You could even look as far as Pablo Sandoval. While not exactly a catcher, he was the sexy pick on draft day this spring in Yahoo! Sports leagues as a result of his catcher eligibility. In most leagues I’m involved in I’ve seen him available at some point this season. He was such a hyped prospect that you knew it’d be difficult to live up to the hype but if you can plug this guy in at catcher you’re going to reap the rewards as he continues to find his stroke.

Brian Doyle: On the flip side, Victor Martinez is back to his old self with a .461 OBP, 5 homeruns and 13 RBI. Meanwhile Brandon Inge has come out to a hot start, already with 8 home runs, 19 RBI and an Austin .316 batting average. Just keep in mind that he’s a 31 year-old .239 career hitter who averages about 10 home runs a season (his high was 27 a few years ago, which appears to be an…anomaly). I say sell high and sell now. Shop him to the guy who scooped up Emilio Bonifacio back in the first week of the season while you still can. Old-timer Jorge Posada is also off to a solid start, which proves that purposefully peeing on your hands isn’t just puerile, it’s productive too.

Kevin Fenstermacher: Inge has been off to a great start and is sitting in another quality lineup. I don’t expect these numbers all season, but I don’t expect him to drop down to his career numbers. As with Greinke getting over his psychological issues that we have mentioned before, Inge no longer has to focus on catching. There is a lot that goes into calling a game and the fact that Inge is finally able to concentrate on one position instead of bringing a truckload of different gloves is going to help him at the plate. Not having to call a game and work with pitchers will turn into more production at the plate. Having an identity is a sometimes underrated factor for a player.

Brian Doyle: From an offensive standpoint, Kevin Youkilis surprises me, even though I guess he shouldn’t. They say never judge a book by its cover…but look at him. Does he look like he should be hitting over .400? No, not at all. In fact, throw some red plaid flannel on him and he’s the bad guy from this tragedy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSEaHyzbqTA). Plus, he drives a Touareg. I couldn’t make that up, he really does.

Kevin Fenstermacher: Speaking of Boston, another player who hasn’t shown his bat at all this year is Big Papi, David Ortiz. Still without a homer to this point in the season, is it even right to still call him by that name? His bat has disappeared and left a hole in the middle of the Red Sox lineup. The Sox will need him to become the player he was before all of his injury issues and provide the left handed power bat they need, but I think his days of being one of the most feared hitters are over. I think a slip down into mediocrity is what Ortiz owners should expect from now on. He will still hit for decent power, but by what I have seen from him thus far it is hard to see him as a premier power hitter in the game anymore. If you can still get good value for him from a diehard Sox fan, pull the trigger.

Mike Colligan: This is a more difficult one to decipher. I think I agree that he’ll never have the power he once had, as long as he’s in the meat of the Red Sox lineup, how can you really argue against owning Big Papi on your team? He doesn’t have a homer yet, but his numbers aren’t as bad as some of the previously mentioned players, and with so many deadly hitters around him, it’s only a matter of time until he breaks out in a big way I think.

There is a quick look at some of the players that are off to some surprising starts this year. Thanks for checking in with our first Round Table for this baseball season. We look forward to bringing you more coverage and arguing with each other over various topics for the next several months. Please feel free to chime in and give you opinion as well. Tell us what you think.

Can the NBA and NFL Place Teams in Europe? Exploring the EC Antitrust and 'Free Movement' Risk

With talk of the NFL hosting a Super Bowl in London, some sports fans are beginning to wonder if we will soon see U.S. sports leagues place teams in Europe.

In a recent law review article, Brian Doyle and I argue that before either the NBA or NFL could expand into Europe, these leagues would need to first abandon their age/education requirements and alter their reserve rules.

While the NBA and NFL age/education requirements might be legal in the United States, these requirements are much more likely illegal under Article 81 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community (the EC's counterpart to Section 1 of the Sherman Act).

The NBA and NFL age/education requirements likely violate Article 81 of the EC Treaty, even though the EC recognizes a non-statutory labor exemption to antitrust law, because the European Court of Justice defines its non-statutory labor exemption more narrowly than the Second Circuit did in Clarett v. National Football League, 369 F.3d 124 (2004).

In addition, the NBA and NFL reserve rules may violate Article 39 of the EC Treaty by preventing "free movement" of European nationals between teams located in EC member states.

To learn more about the antitrust risks of U.S. sports leagues expanding into Europe, please visit Marc Edelman & Brian Doyle, Antitrust and 'Free Movement' Risks of Expanding U.S. Professional Sports Leagues into Europe, 29 N.W. J. of In'tl L. & Bus. 403 (2009).


(Cross-Posted on Sports Law Blog)

Chin Music: Reviving the Craft

On April 26, with the bases loaded and Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte on the mound, Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury took off for home, stumbled as he approached the plate, and slid into an awkward belly flop, safe at home plate. Since the game was on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball and happened in a game against the Yankees, the feat of Ellsbury stealing home blew everyone’s collective mind, like when Daniel Faraday’s own mother sent him back in time so she could knowingly, but really unknowingly kill him. See, either you have no idea what I’m talking about or your mind was just re-blown.

With one stolen base on everyone’s mind, Rockies rookie center fielder Dexter Fowler pluralized the whole situation and made it a bunch of stolen bases on everyone’s mind the very next day when he swiped five bases in a win over San Diego.

Not to be outdone, this past Sunday (six days after Fowler’s accomplishment), Carl Crawford stole six bases against the slow deliveries of Brad Penny and the Red Sox bullpen, becoming the fourth person to accomplish that feat by joining Eric Young (who was last to do it in 1996), Otis Nixon, and Hall of Famer Eddie Collins (who did it twice in 1912, which I believe is back when the base paths were all uphill, both ways).

So that’s pretty cool, I guess. There are a handful of top-tier base stealers pompously showing off in a dying art, which is sort of like writing a dissertation in Latin. But wait, maybe in this pseudo-post-steroid-era transitional purgatory that Major League Baseball finds itself in stealing bases is the new homerun; maybe Carl Crawford is the next Max Fischer. Crawford, whose previous season high for stolen bases was 59 in 2004, already has 18 stolen bases through the first month of play. At this pace, while he likely won’t approach Ricky Henderson’s record of 130, he will break the 100 stolen base plateau. Meanwhile, Ellsbury has already stolen 14 bases, and looks well on his way to surpassing the 50 he stole in his rookie season last year. These players are supposed to steal bases though, so what’s the big deal. As John Schlegal points out over at MLB.com, everyone is attempting more stolen bases, and everyone is succeeding at the highest rate since the 1950s.

There are roughly 2 stolen base attempts per game this season, compared with 1.59 per game last year, but some of the league’s top base stealers are actually behind their normal pace –players like Jose Reyes and Grady Sizemore. And despite that, there are still more attempts and a higher success rate (76%). The key that unlocks this conundrum is that it seems like everyone is running. Bobby Abreu, who is 35, already has 11 stolen bases this season, halving his total from last season and pacing him for a career high, surpassing the 40 he stole in 2004. Ian Kinsler, who stole a career high 26 bases last year, already has 7 steals and is also on pace to demolish that previous high. Even some corner infielders are getting in on the act. Padres slugger Adrian Gonzalez swiped the first base of his career this season, and even the likes of Joey Votto, Kevin Youkilis, and Evan Longoria, none of whom are exactly fleet of foot, are getting in on the action.

With the deflation of some power numbers, base stealers are back to being important in a game where manufacturing runs and aggression on the base path are playing an integral role in winning. Base stealers are becoming the anti-McGwire (who, by the way, stole 12 bases over the course of his career) and baseball executives are slowly realizing that to win games, they may just need to replace the stigma of Big Mac Land with the all-natural goodness of say, Whole Foods.

The Mulligan: Fantasy Golf Picks for The Players Championship

Its that time of year again, The Players Championship is upon us. The best week of the year for those of us who love to watch the Pros fall victim to the infamous "bullseye." I feel better about my golf game every year after watching the best players in the world take a drop after plunking in the water. If there is even a mud puddle on a golf course, my ball will find a way to land in it. I don't know about you, but the fact that the Pros also put their Titleists in the drink gives me a boost of much needed confidence on the course. For an entertaining example of the craziness that occurs on the 17th at Sawgrass, click here.

The field this week is loaded, as this is one of the biggest tournaments of the year. There are so many big names and hot players to pick from, but I have some good fantasy golf picks for you this week. If you followed my advice last week, you found yourself with 3 players in the top 10, in Ian Poulter, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson. Lets see if we can have a repeat performance this week.

I am so excited about my sleeper pick this week, that I am starting off with him. Jeff Klauk. I have been watching this guy all year, waiting to put him in my fantasy golf lineup. This is the week to do it. Klauk is one of the hottest rookies on tour this year, and he will feel very comfortable at Sawgrass. His father, Fred Clauk, was the superintendent of TPC at Sawgrass for 23 years before retiring after last years tournament. The Klauk's live about a mile down the road from the course, so you can imagine the following this guy will have. This is Klauk's first time playing in the Players, but don't let that hold you back. Put Jeff Klauk in your fantasy golf lineup so you can tell your buddies you picked the sleeper this week.

Another good pick is Sergio Garcia. He won here last year and finished 2nd in 2007. Despite a somewhat lackluster 2009, I think Sergio should play well this week. There is just something about this course that brings out the best in him.

Henrik Stenson should be in your lineup this week. He has two top-10 finishes at Sawgrass and a lot of casual golf fans underestimate his talent. This is Stenson's week. Put him in your lineup.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

Phoenix Coyotes Bankruptcy: Breaking News

Breaking News: The Phoenix Coyotes today filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing plan appears to be a pre-packaged plan, under which the Coyotes (and specifically their holding company) filed to effectuate a sale of the franchise.

SportsJudge previously posted on a "hypothetical" Coyotes bankruptcy specifically involving a pre-packaged plan filing in the following articles:

"What Would Happen If The Coyotes Went Bankrupt? - March 2

"What would happen if the Coyotes actually filed for bankruptcy? First, the Coyotes would have to decide whether to file a pre-packaged plan. In a pre-pack, the Coyotes and their creditors would negotiate a refinancing structure for the Coyotes' debt before filing, and then to make the deal work, the Coyotes would file Chapter 11 to take advantage of Bankruptcy Code provisions needed to carry out the plan. A pre-pack would resolve the case rather quickly. In the sports context, a pre-pack would likely involve transferring ownership to a new group which would assume most, if not all, of the team's debt. The L.A. Kings used a pre-pack during their bankruptcy in 1995."

"Coyote Roundup" - March 9

The two pieces of particular interest are that (1) the lease has a "poison pill" clause that would impose a $750 million fee on the Coyotes for breaking the lease and (2) the Coyotes just brought their lease payments up to date after seven months of delinquency.

For a more detailed background on the legal history of bankruptcies in professional sports, you can also check out my full law review article on the topic here.

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First to Third: Should the Mets Vote for Pedro?

The Mets pitching staff, specifically the starting rotation, isn't in the best shape right now. The Mets, Sports Illustrated's pick to win the World Series, just sent Oliver Perez (see today's 'Buzz Around the Bullpen' for in-depth analysis) to the bullpen to work on some control issues (On a sidenote, I was at the Mets/Phillies game Saturday when Perez walked Phillie pitcher Jamie Moyer to force in a run). Despite having three wins, Mike Pelfrey has an ERA of 6.00. Top pitching prospect Jon Niese isn't really lighting it up at AAA Buffalo (16 ER in 22.0 innings) and free agent signee Tim Redding isn't healthy yet.

Given their 4.49 team ERA, is it time for the Mets to look outside the organization for another starting pitcher... someone like.... Pedro Martinez? If he truly is healthy, and that's a big if, Martinez would certainly bolster the depth of the Met pitching staff. As an MLB team, you can never have too much pitching. Other alternatives for the Mets would be Paul Byrd, Jon Lieber, and former Met Steve Trachsel, but I'd still take Pedro over any of those guys. The real question is, will the Mets make the call?

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: The Indians Aren't the Only Ones Praying That LaPorta Will Be a Success?

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. This past week several bombshells were dropped on A-Rod and the Yankees’ clubhouse. Among them, the most publicized and outrageous was the allegation that A-Rod took performance enhancing drugs during high school. The evidence…his bench press increased significantly. While I’ve voiced my feelings for A-Rod before, I have to come to his defense on this one. With nothing more than some baseless circumstantial evidence, author Selena Roberts sent the national media into a frenzy with the new scoop on A-Rod and his supposed misdoings. Unfortunately, I believe this “new scoop” was rushed to the shelves in an attempt to capitalize on the “media money machine” that has become the A-Rod steroid scandal. Regardless of your feelings on A-Rod or your stance on whether this new information is in fact true; you have to ask yourself, did this author really intend to break the next big story, or was the author simply looking to “strike while the iron was hot”?

For now, lets talk about some hits and misses for this upcoming week.

Big Hits

Matt LaPorta (OF, CLE): After an injury last week to Tribe DH Travis Hafner, the Indians were forced into promoting stud prospect Matt LaPorta to the major leagues. While it is likely that LaPorta will be stuck in a platoon situation with David Dellucci for the time being, his ability to hit will eventually force manager Eric Wedge to give him everyday at-bats. As a result, you should move quickly on picking him up in your league. While he does have star potential, I’m not sure he can mimic Ryan Braun’s unreal numbers in 2007 after his early-season call-up. Depending on the number of at-bats he gets, 20+ HRs is not out of the question. In case you didn’t see, he got off to a good start last night when his first major league hit was a home run.

Kendry Morales (1B, LAA): There were definitely some questions coming into 2009 about filling the first base vacancy for the Angels. Critics questioned whether a guy with less than 400 major league at-bats could be the answer to fill a position that was previously held by one of the game’s most talented young hitters. For the time being, his performance has left those critics silent. Although he did struggle in the very early-going, he has rebounded over the past couple of weeks and raised his average to .279. He’s also showed some pop with 4 HRs, 16 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .535. Although he’ll never be Mark Teixeira, I think you can count on him for .275, 24 HRs and 90+ RBIs. Those are numbers that any fantasy owner would love to have on their squad.

Big Miss

Oliver Perez (SP, NYM): Unfortunately, Mets’ fans are finally getting a taste of what Pirates' fans had to endure for several years before Ollie’s departure. When he was still a member of the Buccos, I forbid myself from attending any game in which he pitched. It reminded me too much of the movie “Remember the Titans”. Just when you think everything was going great and there would be a positive ending, tragedy strikes.

I believe what makes Perez so frustrating to watch is that he has as much natural ability as anyone that pitches in the major leagues. He’s has a great arm, a great breaking ball and an ability to make any hitter look like they’ve never tried to hit before. The problem with Perez is that has lacks any sort of consistency.

If you watch a game that Perez pitches, keep tabs on how many different deliveries he uses. Also, watch to see if he establishes any sort of rhythm in his delivery or in his pre-pitch and post-pitch routine. While this all may seem somewhat elementary and unnecessary at the major league level, watch any great pitcher today. The only thing that changes pitch to pitch is their grip on the baseball and occasionally their arm-angle. A pitcher’s ability to duplicate and repeat their delivery is what breeds consistent pitching performances. Furthermore, if a pitcher repeats the same delivery, when they do make a bad pitch, they can recognize the mechanical flaw and make an adjustment. Ollie lacks any sort of a consistent delivery so when he struggles out of the strike zone, he has no idea what adjustment needs to be made.

From a fantasy standpoint, Perez’s demotion to the bullpen makes him much less attractive. If Perez can find his way back into the rotation he does have the ability to give you quality starts with an opportunity for great strikeout numbers. However, he also has the ability to walk six and give up a ton of runs. Personally, I’d shy away from Perez and go with a less sexy, more consistent option. From the looks of it, the Mets are thinking the same thing with their promotion of reliever Ken Takahashi to their starting rotation. Mets fans…did you ever think Ken Takahashi would be in your starting rotation this year?

As with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

O'Malley's Tallies: 2009 NFL Draft Winners and Losers

While the 2009 Draft may have lacked that sure fire #1 player like some years in the past, talent still remained abundant for those teams willing to take some chances and risks. With a good mix of both underclassmen and senior talent on the board, every team had the challenging task of trusting their hard work for months with scouting and interviewing and being able to weigh the importance of talent compared to character. With all that being said, here are the teams that I felt left Radio City Music Hall in New York City with both the best and worst draft classes from 2009…


BEST OF THE BEST

1. New York Giants – After many years of being an avid NFL Draft watcher, I don’t think I’ve ever liked one team’s draft class more than this year’s New York Giants class. In my opinion, every single selection made by GM Jerry Reese was a strong one and will make a valuable impact on the field in 2009. With the exception of Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree, UNC wide receiver and Giant’s first round pick Hakeem Nicks is without question the most NFL ready receiver in the draft and will be one of Eli Manning’s top targets with his big, physical frame and great hands. In the 2nd round, the team added another strong pass rusher (as if they didn’t already have enough!) to the mix by taking Virginia OLB Clint Sintim who registered an impressive 70 tackles and 11 sacks his senior year at Charlottesville. In the third round, Reese added some tight end depth by taking Wisconsin’s athletic Travis Beckum (will play a role similar to Redskin’s Chris Cooley at the next level) as well as another big receiver in Cal Poly’s Ramses Barden. Lacking the household name recognition coming from a 1-AA football program, I have always felt that Barden was flying way too under the radar coming into this draft and will be a definite red zone impact player for Big Blue in 2009.

• 4th round (129 overall): Andre Brown, RB (NC State)
• 5th round (151 overall): Rhett Bomar, QB (SHSU)


2. Cincinnati Bengals – Yes, I know it’s shocking to see the “Bungals” on a list that accentuates the positives rather than the negatives. However, as much as we all are quick to jump on them for what they usually do wrong on the field, it is very tough for me to do that this year after having such a successful 2009 draft class. With age and injuries quickly creeping up on the Bengal’s offensive line depth chart in 2008, the team was able to address that issue quickly by taking the highly touted Alabama LT Andre Smith 6th overall. While the naysayers will quickly try and point to Smith’s questionable work ethic and weight issues, there is simply too much talent and upside on film to not feel this is a great selection. In the 2nd round, the team found a great value selection in USC’s First Team All American linebacker Rey Maualuga. While Maualuga may not do any one thing exceptionally, he is still very good in many other areas and will be a great on field leader for the defense. In the 3rd round, the team selected perhaps the most risk/reward defensive player in the draft in Georgia Tech’s Michael Johnson. An elite pass rusher when he wanted to be at Georgia Tech, Johnson’s NFL outlook could land himself anywhere from a perennial All-Pro defensive end or a total bust that is out of the league in three years. While he may possess in the talent in the world, proper coaching will be a must each and every year in Cincy.

• 4th round (106 overall): Jonathan Luigs, C (Arkansas)


3. Philadelphia Eagles – If Donovan McNabb is not happy with the amount of playmakers on the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009, I don’t think he ever will be. With Kevin Curtis having an injury plagued 2008 and Reggie Brown looking more and more like a 1st round bust, the Birds were able to find themselves a steal at 19th overall in Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin. While some may consider Maclin more of a track star than a polished NFL ready receiver, it is really tough to ignore his game changing speed and ability and will give opposing defenses fits as a slot receiver, deep threat, and return man. In the 2nd round, the team was able to draft Brian Westbrook’s clone in Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy. McCoy was a major star at Pitt despite having poor talent around him on the offensive side of the ball and should be a great 3rd down and spell back for incumbent starter Westbrook. On the 2nd day, Eagles found themselves a possible replacement for tight end L.J. Smith (signed free agent deal in Baltimore) in Florida’s Cornelius Ingram. Despite missing all of 2008 with an injury, Ingram’s talent is tough to ignore and should be a major nightmare for linebackers in coverage if he can remain healthy.

• 5th round (157 overall): Victor “Macho” Harris, DB (Va. Tech)


Honorable Mention

4. Chicago Bears – Jarron Gilbert (DT - San Jose St), D.J. Moore (CB – Vanderbilt)

5. Green Bay Packers – B.J. Raji (DT – Boston College), Clay Matthews (LB, USC)


WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???

1. Oakland Raiders – I am going to keep this one short and sweet because I am truly lost for words on how bad this team did in the draft. With the best receiver in the entire country sitting there waiting for you to call his name (Michael Crabtree), how can you possibly justify taking Maryland’s Derius Heyward-Bey 7th overall!?!? While I will be the first to admit that Bey does indeed have long term potential at the next level, he is truly as raw as it gets as a route runner and was usually feast or famine on the stat line during his days at College Park. If Bey’s 4.3 forty time was the only thing that owner Al Davis cared about with that selection, why doesn’t he just go ahead and try to convince Jamaican track star Usain Bolt and his 9.69 second 100-meter dash to come to the Black Hole? This was just one of the many awful personnel decisions made by the incompetent Oakland Raiders in the 2009 draft…

2. Dallas Cowboys – After cutting your All Pro WR (Terrell Owens) as well as losing one of your impact defensive linemen to your division rival in free agency (Chris Canty), why in the world would you use your first few picks in the 2009 NFL Draft on a no name OLB from Western Illinois and a quarterback that threw for less than 600 yards last year?!?! That is exactly what the Dallas Cowboys did this year while the rest of the teams in their division snatched up talented players like Brian Orakpo and the aforementioned Hakeem Nicks and Jeremy Maclin. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Boys’ then went on to draft a KICKER in the 5th round (already have the All-Pro talented Nick Folk on the roster) despite having a number of talented players in need positions still on the board. I know it is still very early in the year to tell, but it certainly appears as if it could be a long, soap opera like year down in Big D…

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I am far from an NFL talent evaluator, but I really, really just don’t see it in Josh Freeman. Playing in the “defense is optional” Big 12 conference while at Kansas State, Josh Freeman wasn’t even one of the top 3 quarterbacks in his conference let alone a 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (more like a late 2nd early, early 3rd round pick to me). In addition, Tampa Bay already had 4 quarterbacks on their roster going into the draft including Byron Leftwich, a player with a lot of similar qualities to Freeman. While Freeman may have the long term potential to contribute later in his career, I just feel there were bigger needs for the Bucs with an aging Ronde Barber and defensive mainstays Derrick Brooks and Kevin Carter being released. Even after their selection of Freeman in the 1st round, there just wasn’t a selection made by the team the rest of the draft that seemed to catch my attention…


2009 Fantasy Impact Makers

1. Chris “Beanie Wells: RB, Arizona Cardinals – In 2009, Tim Hightower should get a taste of his own medicine from “Beanie” Wells after stealing many red zone scoring from Edgerrin James last season. This season, look for Wells to be very Brandon Jacobs like, being that bruiser opposing defenses get worn down by late in games and a possible candidate for double digit touchdown scores.

2. Knowshon Moreno: RB, Denver Broncos – As much as new Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels likes to chuck the pigskin all over the field, there is something about a talented Denver Broncos running back and their track records over the years that have to make a fantasy owner salivate. With perennial “game manager” Kyle Orton expected to be at the helm in 2009, Moreno and his big play potential will be crucial in making sure WR Brandon Marshall is not always doubled teamed on the outside and that the Broncos are able to stay balanced in their attack to the best of their ability.

3. Shonn Greene: RB, New York Jets – For those fantasy owners planning on making Thomas Jones their keeper selection in 2009 after his amazing 13 touchdown campaign, you may want to think again after Shonn Greene signs his contract with Gang Green. In 2008 as an Iowa Hawkeye, Shonn Greene took the nation by storm by rushing for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns on 307 carries. Listed at nearly 230 lbs., Greene can expect to take the majority of the goal line carries for head coach Rex Ryan and offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

4. Chase Coffman: TE, Cincinnati Bengals – After slipping nearly into the 4th round, I truly believe there will be a lot of teams regretting not selecting this very talented tight end out of the University of Missouri. Throughout his time in Columbia, Coffman was able to break the record for most catches by a tight end in their career with 247 (including 90 his senior season)! Once paired up with a healthy Carson Palmer, it would be far from a stretch to envision Coffman finishing the 2009 season as a top 10 fantasy tight end (similar to and if not better than the rookie impact of Seattle’s John Carlson in 2008).


Thank you all for reading as always and feel free to leave your comments for me!!

Above the Rim: Playoff Update

The first round of the NBA playoffs gave us some blowouts (Cavs-Pistons, Nuggets-Hornets) and a classic (Bulls-Celtics). Overall, there was only one real upset, the Mavericks knocking off the shorthanded Spurs. With the second round kicking off yesterday, here is a look at the next round.

First round results:
Eastern Conference
Cavs in 4 (my prediction- Cavs in 5)
Celtics in 7 (me- Bulls in 6)
Magic in 6 (me- Magic in 6)
Hawks in 7 (me- Hawks in 5)
Western Conference
Lakers in 5 (me- Lakers in 5)
Nuggets in 5 (me- Nuggets in 5)
Mavericks in 5 (me- Mavericks in 7)
Rockets in 6 (me- Rockets in 6)

Eastern Conference
Cavaliers (1) vs. Hawks (4); regular season- Cavs 2-1
Prediction- Cavaliers in 5
The Cavs have not played since April 26th, but this is not a team to get lazy and by unprepared, despite the long layoff. The veterans on this team (Joe Smith and Zydrunas Ilgauskas for example), along with LeBron James, will not let this team suffer a letdown. I expect the Cavs to come out fired up on Tuesday for game 1 and pick up where they left off against the Pistons. With the first two games in Cleveland where the Cavs are 41-2, including the playoffs, this year, the Hawks could be in for a couple of long games. After a bruising seven game series against the Heat that left Al Horford and Marvin Williams battered, the Hawks will not be 100% for this series. The Hawks are an improvement over Detroit and should be competitive in two games in Atlanta where I expect them to give the Cavs their first loss of the playoffs, but Cleveland will end this series in game 5 back in Cleveland.
The Hawks do have a younger, more athletic team than the Pistons, but Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Mike Bibby will not be able to give the Cavs a serious test in round 2. The Cavs have too much talent and depth. With Delonte West and Mo Williams having rough opening series against Detroit, LeBron James played like a monster, but had solid support from Ilgauskas and Smith. Joe Smith (aka Joe Beast on his new rap album) showed why the Cavs picked him up after the Thunder bought him out. Smith was arguably the Cavs second best player in the series.
Look for Williams and West to bounce back in this series and LeBron to continue his dominance; he is playing like a man possessed right now. Smith, Bibby, and Johnson should make the series more competitive than the Pistons in round 1, but the Cavs are by far the superior team and are well rested. The chance of a sweep in this series is better than the Hawks chance at an upset.

Celtics (2) vs. Magic (3); regular season- 2-2 (Magic won the last two)
Prediction- Magic in 6
The Celtics were banged up going into the playoffs with Kevin Garnett, then they lost Leon Powe in their first round series with the Bulls. Stephon Marbury has not been effective since the Celtics picked him up. Point guard Rajon Rondo’s ankle may not be 100% either. On top of all this, the Celtics are coming off of a brutal seven game series with the Bulls that featured 4 overtime games and 7 overtime periods. The Magic are looking good after beating the Sixers in 6 games, including game 6 without Dwight Howard who was suspended. If the Magic can get their shooters (Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston) hot, they will be very tough to beat in the playoffs. Courtney Lee should be back from his fractured sinus and J.J. Reddick (15 points on 5-7 shooting from 3-point range) played well in game 6 when he replaced him in the starting lineup.
The Celtics will be tough in this series, but the extra time and hits from this series will wear on them as this series goes longer.
The most important match-up in this series is Kendrick Perkins against Dwight Howard. Perkins needs to stay out of foul trouble for the Celtics to win this series. Against the Bulls, the Celtics struggled without Perkins in the game because there was no interior defender to intimidate the Bulls. If Perkins misses time with foul trouble, Dwight Howard will have a monster series. If Perkins can play 40-45 minutes a game, the Celtics may have a chance to pull this series out. Any production offensively from Perkins would be nice, but if he can neutralize Howard’s impact in the paint and on the boards while picking up some rebounds and discouraging the rest of the Magic from driving, he could help the Celtics win this series. Without Perkins, the Celtics will have to get outstanding shooting from Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Eddie House to pull this one out. Even with good series from those shooters, the Celtics will have to contain the Magic’s stable of shooters as well. Expect a good series, but the Celtics will get worn down and lose the last few games to get eliminated.

Western Conference
Lakers (1) vs. Rockets (5); regular season- Lakers 4-0
Prediction- Lakers in 6
I know the Lakers swept the season series against the Rockets, but this Houston team has just started playing well together. Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowery have stepped up their games down the stretch after the Rockets traded Alston to the Magic, and the front line rotation of Shane Battier, Yao Ming, Luis Scola, and Ron Artest may be one of the strongest frontlines in the league. Those four players are what I think should scare the Lakers in this series. The Rockets just beat a very good Blazers team in just 5 games, and they will not be intimidated by the Lakers. The Rockets matchup with the Lakers very well defensively. Artest will make this series extremely frustrating for Kobe Bryant and if he needs a break, Battier is one of the best defensive players in the league. In the post, Yao’s length should bother Pau Gasol, and Luis Scola is tough and physical and should neutralize Andrew Bynum. That leaves Battier and Artest to guard Lamar Odom, another favorable matchup for the Rockets. Lakers point guard Derek Fisher should have an edge on Brooks and Lowery, and the Lakers bench of Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, Trevor Ariza, and Shannon Brown (and Luke Walton if he can play) should have their way with the Rockets bench of Von Wafer, Lowery, and Carl Landry.
For the Rockets to win this series, their veteran post players and Artest need to have big series both offensively and defensively. This team gets after it defensively, so the Rockets could make the series interesting, but overall, there isn’t enough firepower to knock off the Lakers. This will be the Lakers hardest series until the NBA finals though.
The Lakers will rely heavily on their stars, Kobe and Gasol, to pull them through the tough defense in this series. They have been here before and they want the burden of putting the team on their backs and leading them back to the finals. Fisher and Odom are also veterans that know what it takes to buckle down and do what it takes to get it done in the playoffs. But the key to this series will be how Kobe plays against Artest and how the Lakers bench plays against the Rockets. On paper, the Lakers should win these matchups and take the series, but Artest has played very well this season and could surprise everyone and play Kobe close to even. If that happens the Lakers will need their deep, but occasionally streaky bench to execute and give the Lakers the edge in this series. Don’t be surprised if this is a low scoring, physical series with a lot of close games. The Lakers should win, but if the Rockets get a couple of breaks early in the series, the Lakers could be in for a scare.

Nuggets (2) vs. Mavericks (6); regular season- 4-0 Nuggets; series currently 1-0 Denver
Prediction- Nuggets in 6
The Nuggets won the regular season matchup 4-0, but two of those games were decided by 2 points and a third by 3. The Mavericks were also banged up in the regular season, notably with Josh Howard battling injuries. The Mavs looked good in the opening round against the Spurs, winning in 5 games. Down the stretch and into the playoffs, the Mavericks started playing very well as they got healthy and are a dangerous 6 seed. However, the Mavs are only seven deep. They rely heavily on the scoring of Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and 6th man Jason Terry and the dual point guard play of Jason Kidd and Jose Juan Barea. Erick Dampier and Brandon Bass are also key contributors for this team with Dampier providing toughness and rebounding in the post and Bass contributing off the bench. Antoine Wright also contributes, but the Mavs don’t expect much from the rest of their squad.
The Nuggets, on the other hand, have a ton of depth. Starters Chauncey Billups, Dahntay Jones, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, and Nene Hilario play together very well, and, with the exception of Jones, a defensive specialist, all are effective scorers. Off the bench, J.R. Smith matches Terry’s production, but the Nuggets add Linas Kleiza’s shooting, Anthony Carter’s ballhandling and penetrating ability, and Chris “Birdman” Anderson’s energy to the mix. The Mavericks have no answer for this trio of depth and versatility in skills. Anderson is the X-factor of this group as he can effectively shut down the lane when he is in the game. At 6’10” (without the mohawk) and a longer wingspan, Anderson controls the boards and has an affinity for blocking shots. While Kidd and Barea like to drive, they need to think twice with the Birdman waiting to swat their shots as soon as it leaves their hand. In game 1, Anderson picked up 11 points, but his 6 rebounds led the team and he also blocked 6 shots. With two point guards that like to penetrate, the Mavericks need to hope Anderson doesn’t do this every game or it could be a quick series. When you watch Anderson play, it appears that his favorite thing to do is block shots, which is probably why he picks up a few goaltending violations in many games, but that aggressiveness could win this series for the Nuggets.
Unless Nowitzki and Howard explode in this series, the Nuggets should continue to roll into a matchup with the Lakers, but they won’t average 20+ per victory over the Mavericks like they did against New Orleans. The Mavericks will keep the series competitive, but, like with the Lakers series, the bench will make the difference for the Nuggets leading to an intriguing matchup of deep teams in the Western Conference finals.

And Now You Know!: It's Pronounced "Lee-ver"

I am simply amazed at this first round series between the Bulls and the Celtics. ESPN and all other sports outlets have made a huge hyperbole out of the first six games that game 7 will most likely be a 15-point blowout. And now that there are talks of Kevin Garnett pulling a Willis Reed things can only get more interesting.

The key to this series has been the point guard battle between Rajon Rondo and rookie Derrick Rose. Let's look at a few of their numbers:

This year Rose, as a rookie, did what very few point guards can do in a season. Rose had 16.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, and just 2.5 turnovers a game. Only 20 other players in NBA history have accomplished that feat. And how about what Rose is doing in the playoffs right now? Rose is averaging 20 ppg, 7 apg, and 6.7 rpg, something that only two other players have maintained over their playoff career.

And let's not forget about Rajon Rondo who is averaging a triple-double in this year's playoffs. Only one other player has ever maintained a triple-double in the playoffs with fewer than 3 turnovers a game while playing six or more games, that man was Magic Johnson.

But with all that said about Rondo and Rose, there is one man who paces these two men when it comes to all around point guards, assists, and lack of turnovers. His name is Fat Lever.

Lever was drafted by the Portalnd Trail Blazers in 1982 and played for three teams over an 11-year career. Lever's stats might not jump out at you as he never lead the league in scoring or assists, thanks in large part to Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Mark Jackson, and Michael Jordan. The two-time all-star did have three separate seasons though in which he had 18+ ppg, 7+ apg, 6+ rpg, and -3 tpg. Only two other players in NBA history can claim they have had those numbers (Gary Payton, LeBron James). Lever did it during three consecutive seasons while the other two players only did it once.

More impressive is that Fat is just one of three players to ever have 15+ points/rebounds/assists in a single playoff game, mind you he was just 6-foot-3. Unfortunately his career though was cut short because of a knee injury but many guards today still look to Fat as an example as an all-around complete player. Many players can put up the numbers on offense but are sloppy with the ball and accept turning it over 7+ times a game. Lever valued every possession and was one of the best at his position. His career in the 80s will always be overshadowed by the likes of other Hall of Fame guards.



And Now You Know! (And Knowing is Half the Battle)

First to Third: The Emergence of Zack Greinke

The most dreaded ailment for any major league pitcher to be placed on the disabled list for is not an actual physical injury, but a psychological one. Rick Ankiel's pitching days were numbered because he could no longer find the strike zone. Dontrelle Willis won 22 games in 2005 and only 22 since. He's currently on the DL with the Tigers for an "anxiety disorder." Then there's Zack Greinke.

In 2006, a 22 year old Greinke was on the DL for "psychological issues" and even took time away from baseball before returning to make 14 starts and 52 appearances for the Royals in 2007. Through his first five starts in 2009, however, Greinke has only allowed two earned runs for an ERA of 0.50. He's pitched a shutout and two complete games with 44 strikeouts in 36.0 innings, 24 hits and eight walks.

With the advancement of modern medicine, it's become very routine for athletes to recover from physical ailments. Tommy John surgery doesn't even scare anyone anymore. Psychological issues, on the other hand, are a bit more frightening and even more difficult to come back from. It seems as if Greinke, who was once a highly regarded prospect, has made it all the way back in a way that few pitchers have, and I find that impressive.

NHL Playoffs: Eastern Conference Preview and Schedule - 2nd Round

*Eastern/Western Conference 2nd Round Wrapups will appear Friday, May 15.
*Eastern/Western Conference Finals Schedule and Preview will appear Saturday, May 16

Western Conference - 1st Round Preview
Western Conference - 1st Round Wrapup
Western Conference - 2nd Round Preview

Eastern Conference - 1st Round Preview
Eastern Conference - 1st Round Wrapup
Eastern Conference - 2nd Round Preview

#1 BOSTON BRUINS vs. #6 CAROLINA HURRICANES

Friday, May 1 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. VS (JIP), TSN
Sunday, May 3 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. VS, TSN
Wednesday, May 6 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VS (JIP), TSN
Friday, May 8 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VS (JIP), TSN
*Sunday, May 10 at Boston, 7:30 p.m. VS, TSN
*Tuesday, May 12 at Carolina, 7:00 p.m. VS, TSN
*Thursday, May 14 at Boston, TBD TSN

In our preview, we expected Boston would hardly be challenged by Montreal in round one and that was definitely the case. It looked as if Pittsburgh would face the Bruins in the 2nd round and would expose their unseen weaknesses. Surprisingly, that all changed when Carolina mounted a shocking comeback in Game 7 against New Jersey and now will face the top seed. If you're a Bruins fan, be very thankful - Boston will likely survive another series. The Bruins are a solid and deep team and will be tough for Carolina to match up against. New Jersey lacked a shutdown defenseman like Boston's Zdeno Chara and the Hurricanes newly-formed top line of Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, and Chad LaRose walked all over them. I have a hunch Chara was a little banged up late in the season but with a long rest he should be ready to contribute big minutes for the Bruins.

If Carolina is going to win this series, I think two things need to happen. First, their powerplay has to start clicking. After coming through at a 6.9% rate in the first round, the Hurricanes will need to capitalize on any man-advantage situations they get. Much of their scoring revolves around their talented defense, especially Anton Babchuk as of late. The 6'5 Russian finished the season on a tear with eight points in his final four games, but came up empty in the first round with zero points and a healthy scratch to show for his efforts. If he and Joe Corvo can put the puck in the net, they could catch Boston sleeping. The other key to Carolina's success is going to be Cam Ward. Any goalie that outplays Martin Brodeur is dangerous and that's exactly what Ward did. If he plays to his potential, the Hurricanes could knock off Boston, but I think the Bruins are just too deep.

Prediction: Boston in 5 games


#3 WASHINGTON CAPITALS vs. #4 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Saturday, May 2 at Washington, 1:00 p.m. NBC, CBC, RDS
Monday, May 4 at Washington, 7:00 p.m. VS, CBC, RDS
Wednesday, May 6 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. VS, CBC, RDS
Friday, May 8 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. VS, CBC, RDS
*Saturday, May 9 at Washington, 7:00 p.m. VS, CBC, RDS
*Monday, May 11 at Pittsburgh, TBD VS, CBC, RDS
*Wednesday, May 13 at Washington, 7:00 p.m. VS, CBC, RDS

"That (series against New York) wasn't a circus," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It wasn't Ringling Bros. We're playing Pittsburgh. Welcome to the circus."

In January, our 'Cold War' article took a look at one of the fastest-growing rivalries in all of sports: Washington vs. Pittsburgh. On Saturday, the rivalry will finally take the next step as both teams get to meet in a 7-game playoff series. The NHL has been waiting for this to happen for years and with so many storylines and star players, it definitely has the potential to push the NHL to the top of the sports headlines. For as much as I love the potential for fireworks to explode between these two clubs, I have a funny feeling it might be a quick series.

In Round 1, Washington found themselves trailing the NY Rangers 3-1 before rookie goalie Simeon Varlamov led the charge into the second round. Tuesday's Game 7 victory was the first of it's kind for Washington in 21 years. On top of that, the Capitals had not won a playoff series since the 1998 Eastern Conference final when they knocked off the Buffalo Sabres. Varlamov is a solid goalie and will likely become Washington's starting goalie of the future, but he was hardly tested by the hapless Rangers offense in this series. In Game 7, New York dominated the Capitals for over 40 minutes, yet finished the game with only 15 shots.

Pittsburgh was bottled up at times by Philadelphia's stingy defense, but should get back to their high-flying offensive ways in this series. Expect them to average over 40 shots a game and skate circles around the Caps lumbering defensemen. In fact, when Pittsburgh starts to put 4+ goals a game past Varlamov and Washington realizes he is not exactly the savior they had expected (yet), Jose Theodore will be back in net at some point this series. Theodore has fared well against the Penguins in his career, but unlike Varlamov in round one, Theo won't be able to salvage this series. Part of me is tempted to predict a 4-game Penguins sweep, but I think giving the Capitals one win is only fair considering their impressive home record in recent seasons.

Prediction: Pittsburgh in 5 games

NHL Playoffs: Western Conference Preview and Schedule - 2nd Round

*Eastern/Western Conference 2nd Round Wrapups will appear Friday, May 15.
*Eastern/Western Conference Finals Schedule and Preview will appear Saturday, May 16

Western Conference - 1st Round Preview
Western Conference - 1st Round Wrapup
Western Conference - 2nd Round Preview

Eastern Conference - 1st Round Preview
Eastern Conference - 1st Round Wrapup
Eastern Conference - 2nd Round Preview

#2 DETROIT RED WINGS vs. #8 ANAHEIM DUCKS

Friday, May 1 at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. VS, TSN2
Sunday, May 3 at Detroit, 2:00 p.m. NBC, TSN
Tuesday, May 5 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. VS, TSN
Thursday, May 7 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. VS, TSN
*Sunday, May 10 at Detroit, 5:00 p.m. TSN
*Tuesday, May 12 at Anaheim, TBD VS, TSN
*Thursday, May 14 at Detroit, TBD VS, TSN

The Ducks are fresh off their huge upset of the top-seeded San Jose Sharks and now move on to face the #2 seed Red Wings. Much like the Edmonton Oilers a few years ago, the Ducks took the momentum from a late-season push and caught the Sharks off guard by winning the first two games on the road at HP Pavilion. What really impressed me about this team in Round 1 was Anaheim's defense. With the addition of offensive defenseman Ryan Whitney at the trade deadline and the return of Francois Beauchemin from injury, I really think this is the strongest defense in the league. Jonas Hiller got all the first-round attention after averaging 39 saves a night, but much of his success was a result of Anaheim limiting San Jose to long-range shots from the perimeter. If they can play a similar style against the Detroit, the Ducks could definitely win this series.

Detroit on the other hand disposed of Columbus with very little trouble in four games. Columbus never led in the series and Chris Osgood was hardly tested until the fourth game. Despite the fact the Red Wings are essentially being crowned the Western Conference champs with San Jose out of the picture, I'm not so quick to come to the same conclusion. This team has weaknesses that haven't been exposed and it starts with Osgood in net. He struggled mightily all season and even was given a two-week break late in the year to get himself straightened out. At the age of 37, it's not going to be easy for the veteran goalie to make another long playoff run. In round one, I warned you that Simeon Varlamov would make an appearance sooner rather than later for Washington...in round two, Ty Conklin is going to be the guy to watch. If the Ducks steal a game or two on the road in this series, head coach Mike Babcock will have Osgood on a short leash. Red Wings fans just have to hope it's not too late. I'm going with the upset again.

Prediction: Anaheim in 7 games


#3 VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs. #6 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Thursday, April 30 at Vancouver, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VS
Saturday, May 2 at Vancouver, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VS
Tuesday, May 5 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VS
Thursday, May 7 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VS
*Saturday, May 9 at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m CBC, VS
*Monday, May 11 at Chicago, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VS
*Thursday, May 14 at Vancouver, TBD CBC, VS

This will be an interesting series of two teams with minimal postseason experience. On one hand, the Blackhawks are one of the most offensively entertaining teams in the league and seem to have found their stride with Nikolai Khabibulin in between the pipes. While Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane get all the credit, Chicago might have the most deep set of forwards in the Western Conference, if not the league. Martin Havlat has had a quiet yet outstanding season and has finally shown what he can do if he stays healthy for an entire season. Heading into free agency this summer, look for him to have a monster series for the Blackhawks. Much like the Ducks, the Blackhawks have a very underrated defensive group with tons of young skilled blueliners. Brian Campbell was the big offseason signing from San Jose, but Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Cam Barker are the ones to watch this season and beyond.

Representing Canada's last hope for this year's Stanley Cup is Vancouver. The Canucks dispatched of an inexperienced St. Louis Blues squad in four games and have been waiting for a week and a half for this series to get underway. After suffering a serious groin injury early in the year, most have forgotten about how dominant Roberto Luongo can be. Had he not missed over two months with the injury, I think he would've been your Vezina trophy winner. He seems to finally be healthy and that isn't good news for Chicago. He allowed only 5 goals in the first round and never looked to be out of position. As a team, SportsJudge hockey columnist summed up the Canucks best: they are great at nothing, yet weak nowhere. This is just an all-round solid defensive team that is absolutely on fire at home over the past two months (15-1-1 streak). If Luongo continues his brilliance in net, it'll be tough for Chicago to find an answer. However, I think stealing a game in Vancouver is all the Blackhawks need to get confidence and take this series. Let's just hope this time around no one gets their hair pulled.

Prediction: Chicago in 7 games