2011 World Series Champions

World Series MVP: 3B David Freese - St. Louis Cardinals
.348 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI

Will the 2011 World Series be considered one of the best of all-time?  Yes.  The reason.  It had everything.  By that I mean close, historic games and even come from behind victories.  Games 1 and 2 were one run victories for both the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers.  Game 3 we saw a historic performance from 1B Albert Pujols going 5 for 6 with 3 HR and 6 RBI.  Game 4 had one of the best pitching performances in a World Series by Derek Holland of the Rangers.  Game 5 gave Texas all the momentum to win their first World Series title, but Game 6 had one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Series history.

You can't really say that the Cardinals were a team of destiny.  No one, me included didn't even have them making the postseason at the beginning of September.  They got hot at the right time.  That's usually the case with most of the championship teams in every sport.  That same case can be said about the World Series MVP David Freese.  He has struggled to stay healthy for an entire season, but he remained healthy going into August and September. Then he started to heat up in the NLCS.

The Milwaukee Brewers had no answers for Freese.  His numbers during the 6 games of the NLCS went as follows; .545 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI.  With Freese doing that in a lineup that includes Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday it's pretty phenomenal. Freese's story is amazing too.  A native of St. Louis, Missouri he was acquired from the San Diego Padres in 2007 in a trade for CF Jim Edmonds.  The Cardinals have a history of making subtle trades that eventually pay off in the end.  The scary thing is they won a World Series when one of their best starting pitchers went down with Tommy John surgery in Spring Training.  That's right, Adam Wainwright should be back next year ready to defend this title.

Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning their 11th World Series title.  Now they just need to re-sign Albert Pujols and everything will be fine in St. Louis.

Week 7 Review of the NFL

Worst weekend, ever

Yeah it pretty much was.  I would rather have been working than watching those crappy games.  That's how bad it was.  Let me remind you of what was perhaps the worst weekend of football I have ever seen.  Houston beat Tennessee 41-7.  Texans RB Arian Foster out-gained the entire Titans team.  Chicago beat Tampa Bay 24-18 in London.  Did anyone even notice?  San Diego choked away a 21-10 halftime lead to the New York Jets eventually losing 27-21.  For some reason Chargers TE Randy McMichael thinks that his team does in fact choke games away because he gave no credit to the Jets for beating his team.  Crazy huh?  Cleveland and Seattle actually played against each other and the final was 6-3.  I won't even bother telling you who won.  Washington and Arizona look like polar opposites of what they were supposed to be at the beginning of the season as they were both blown out.  The Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams combined for 7 points in their blow-out losses.  Indianapolis lost 62-7 on Sunday night.  Please stop putting the Colts in primetime this year.  Take them off.  And Baltimore and Jacksonville were apart of perhaps the worst Monday Night Football game I have ever seen.  Bring Hank Williams Jr. back for your intro song ESPN.  Because that would have been the only thing worth watching with that debacle.  If you think I'm wrong in my summary, please try and tell me.  I know you're wrong, but if it's worth your time I'm willing to listen.

Tim Tebow's triumphant return to Miami

I left out Tim Tebow's victory in Miami at the top because I wanted to tackle this topic separately.  I did defend Tebow in the 'Week 5 Review' mainly because I'm willing to give him a chance to prove himself.  I still believe he can have success, but I don't think it will be in Denver.  The new staff and management in Denver didn't draft him, but the fans think he's their only hope.  Sorry to be a realist, but he's not 'Obi-Wan Kanobi' Broncos fans.  He won a road game.  That's great.  Am I going to yell and scream that he is the real deal after that one game?  No.  He beat a winless team in the Miami Dolphins.  Which I will say that after blowing a 15 point lead with 7 minutes left to play, they are winless for a reason.  To top it off it was on a day in which Dolphins owner Stephen Ross honored the 2008 national champion Florida Gators team at halftime.  That entire stadium was full of Florida Gators fans and they are of course Tim Tebow fans.  If he didn't win that game something is definitely wrong with him.  Either way it was a nice win, but do the same thing at home against a better opponent.  Namely the Detroit Lions.  Win that game and then I will send R2-D2 to bring you in.

Who wants Andrew Luck?

There are three viable candidates that will have a shot at drafting Stanford QB Andrew Luck next year.  They are the St. Louis Rams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins.  Now I know what you're thinking.  The Rams and Colts already have quarterbacks.  Yes, the Rams already used a number one pick on QB Sam Bradford.  I agree that there is no way they draft Andrew Luck, but they sure could use that pick to jam whoever needs him as their quarterback.  The Colts are interesting though.  They certainly would love to have Peyton Manning back as does the rest of the NFL.  The Colts are awful without the guy.  Plain and simple. Could they draft Luck as the heir apparent to Manning?  Yes they absolutely could if Manning has no chance of playing again.  They can also do what the Rams will probably do and that's trade the pick to rebuild for another title run with Manning.  It's a win-win for Indianapolis.  Miami desperately needs Andrew Luck.  They have struggled for so many years to find a replacement for Dan Marino. Miami has passed on quarterbacks in the past that could have helped, but Luck is one of a kind.  You can't pass on him.  Miami would be screwed if either St. Louis or Indianapolis beat them out for the number one pick.  They would have to give up so much to get that pick, especially if the Colts get it.  Like I said earlier the Colts could draft Luck.  Miami better play it safe and just lose every single game.  Who wouldn't want to see another 0-16 season? 

Week 6 Review of the NFL

A new rivalry has started

I won't delve into the aftermath of the Jim Harbaugh v Jim Schwartz nonsense.  Because that's really what it was.  I found myself arguing with my Dad over who was more at fault and the next day the logical conclusion was it was both of their faults. Case closed.  Unfortunately that incident took away from what was probably one of the best games of the season.  Who would have thought that coming into this season that during Week 6 the Detroit Lions would be undefeated hosting the 4-1 San Francisco 49ers? Not me and I'm a Niners fan.  I'm seeing what is perhaps one of best all-around teams in the league in Detroit and a new head coach changing the culture in San Francisco literally overnight. Alex Smith after so many different head coaches and offensive coordinators is starting to look like a good quarterback. Do I think that will continue?  History tells me know, but I'm willing to give him another chance.  This doesn't mean the season will come crashing down for the Lions, but that they need to get back to the drawing board.  The 49ers figured out how to keep Calvin Johnson out of the endzone and to keep QB Matthew Stafford in check from the second quarter on.  Sadly a great game was taking a back seat to a stupid coaches brouhaha.  

Did Sean Payton's absence affect the Saints?

It's a legitimate question, but I don't think it mattered.  If it wasn't Drew Brees at quarterback for the New Orleans Saints then yes I would say that Sean Payton being unable to coach due to a torn MCL and broken tibia had an affect on the game.  If we're going to consider Drew Brees one of the top five quarterbacks in this league then we have to assume that he can call a game without Sean Payton being in his head or yelling at him from the sideline.  The way it looks right now is that Brees is suffering from the turnover bug and he will need to snap out of it fast.  Yes, the Saints nearly beat their division rival Tampa Bay, but you can't throw a pick when you're about to score what would've been the game winning touchdown.  Where is the running game?  If I'm not mistaken didn't the 49ers last week rush for over 200 yards on the same Tampa Bay Buccaneers?  Why wasn't that in the gameplan?  They ran the ball 20 times for only 70 yards.  That has to change if the Saints are going to be considered contenders like I still think they are this season.

Has Jason Garrett lost faith in Tony Romo?

I have to ask this question.  If you saw the way the Cowboys were playing at the end of their game against the New England Patriots you would've thought the same thing.  Dallas was winning by 3 points. Their defense was doing a great job against Tom Brady and the Patriots.  Play to your strength, but at the same time don't play to not lose the game.  Take a chance on first down by throwing the ball.  That is unless Tony Romo is your quarterback.  That is no slight against him, but I'm just wondering what Jason Garrett was doing there?  If you're doing to protect him from further scrutiny don't.  You should know that as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys you're going to be criticized for anything and everything. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't in 'Big D.'  Making the Patriots use two of their timeouts is good and all, but you left 2:30 on the clock with one timeout and the 2-minute warning for Tom Brady.  Once again I'm talking about the Cowboys and the only reason I am is because I'm just so confused.  It appears Cowboys fans are too because whatever owner Jerry Jones is talking about isn't what everyone is watching.

2011 World Series Preview

2011 World Series 

Texas Rangers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

There isn't a single person that had the Texas Rangers getting back to the World Series after they had lost Cliff Lee in the offseason.  The thought was that their pitching wouldn't be good enough to get them to this point again.  However, by acquiring relievers Mike Adams and Koji Uehara at the trade deadline during the season that has helped their depth in the bullpen.  This postseason the Rangers bullpen has been tremendous in helping the Rangers put away the Tampa Bay Rays hot bats and the Detroit Tigers powerful lineup.  Texas also is fortunate to have a powerful lineup for themselves.  OF Nelson Cruz was on fire during the ALCS and earned MVP honors.  Really there isn't any weak points in their lineup.  Although if a few of their power bats, say Cruz, Adrian Beltre, Mike Napoli or Josh Hamilton all go cold during the World Series, then the Rangers will only be looking at an American League title instead of a World title.

I'm pretty sure that the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers would have liked to have done things differently at the end of the season.  The Phillies shouldn't have swept the Atlanta Braves during the final series of the season and the Brewers should have a few more games against the Cardinals down the stretch.  Had they done that the Cardinals wouldn't be in the postseason.  Now St. Louis is in the World Series for the 18th time in franchise history.  Second only to the New York Yankees in baseball history.  Like the Rangers, the Cardinals bullpen was phenomenal.  It is full of no-name players for the most part, but manager Tony LaRussa knows how to use and at what point in the game to use them.  It's his style and it does work.  Look at his record.  The Cardinals key will be which Chris Carpenter shows up. The one who put away the Phillies or the one who struggled against the Brewers.  St. Louis shouldn't have any trouble scoring runs with Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman and NLCS MVP David Freese in the lineup.  The Cardinals have the better starting pitching and they will need it to win another World Series.

Rangers in 6 games

Stanley Cup Prediction

+ - Division Winner

Eastern Conference

1. Philadelphia Flyers+

2. Washington Capitals+

3. Boston Bruins+

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

5. Buffalo Sabres

6. Tampa Bay Lightning

7. New York Rangers

8. Montreal Canadiens

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks+

2. San Jose Sharks+

3. Detroit Red Wings+

4. Los Angeles Kings

5. Chicago Blackhawks

6. Anaheim Ducks

7. St. Louis Blues

8. Nashville Predators

Conference Finals

Flyers over Sabres

Kings over Sharks

Stanley Cup Finals

Flyers over Kings

Northwest Division Preview

1. Vancouver Canucks

They'll need to get over last years final failure

2. Calgary Flames

They're still contenders, but the division is becoming more competitive

3. Minnesota Wild

An influx of offense should rejuvenate them

4. Colorado Avalanche

After going two steps backward last year they must leap forward

5. Edmonton Oilers

It will be another year before they will contend for the playoffs

Key Acquisitions

Canucks: F Marco Sturm

Flames: D Chris Butler

Wild: F Dany Heatley, F Devin Setoguchi

Avalanche: G Semyon Varlamov, G J.S. Giguere

Oilers: F Ryan Smyth, F Eric Belanger

Team Previews

Vancouver

There has been a lot of time for the Canucks to think about what happened in the last two games of the Stanley Cup Finals last year.  It's hard to say that Vancouver won't make it back, but they have a lot of soul searching to do.  First is with goaltender Roberto Luongo.  More concerns are coming up that he can never win the Stanley Cup.  That still remains to be seen because he can still get the job done by getting Vancouver back into the playoffs.  They decided to stand pat with the roster that took them to the Stanley Cup Finals last year.  Henrik and Daniel Sedin are still among the best players in the NHL.  Their playoff performances though will damage their reputations going forward.  Ryan Kesler would be on the top line of the other 29 teams in the league, but he fits in perfectly with the Canucks top two lines.  Alex Burrows was a pest during the playoffs and will look to continue his upward trend. Whether Mason Raymond and Mikael Samuelsson can have better scoring seasons will be the key to their offense.  Their depth on the blue-line is still staggering.  Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis form a terrific duo and Alex Edler complements Vancouver's power play with excellent precision.  

Calgary

They had a rough going last year, but remained competitive even after firing GM Darryl Sutter halfway into the season.  This year the roster looks the same, but are counting too much on aging veterans to make another run at the playoffs.  Jarome Iginla is still a productive force for the Flames.  Him and Alex Tanguay formed a good duo last year and the Flames re-signed Tanguay to keep that chemistry going.  Whether they can ever get anything out of Olli Jokinen remains to be seen, but they expect more of the same from Rene Bourque and Curtis Glencross with their 20+ goal seasons.  Calgary invested a lot in defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and they haven't yet seen that investment come to fruition.  Anton Babchuk and Mark Giordano had great seasons, but it will be overlooked if Bouwmeester has another down year after wanting out of Florida for so many years.  Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff is still playing in a lot of games at this stage in his career.  The Flames will have to keep him fresh if they are to end their two year drought in the playoffs.

Minnesota

A big splash was made in two separate deals between Minnesota and San Jose this offseason.  The Wild gave San Jose Brent Burns in exchange for Devin Setoguchi in a draft day deal.  Then into the free agency period the Wild dealt Martin Havlat to San Jose for Dany Heatley.  The deal that brought Setoguchi fulfilled needs for both teams, but the deal that brought Heatley was a surprise.  For one no one thought that they would be able to deal Havlat and his contract.  And two who thought they would be able to get one of the best scorers in the process?  Heatley's two years in San Jose weren't spectacular by any stretch.  They expected him to play big in the playoffs and he fell flat.  With Heatley and Setoguchi playing on the top line with Mikko Koivu it will instantly bring life to Minnesota's offense.  Far less pressure playing in Minnesota than in San Jose.  Nick Schultz is their top defenseman on the blue-line now that Burns is gone.  Schultz isn't an offensive force, but can manage the teams attack.  Niklas Backstrom had a nice bounce back season in net for the Wild, but his record indicates that there was no support from the offense.  That should change this year.

Colorado

The expectations were getting to this young team last year and it showed down the stretch.  The peculiar deadline trade of Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Stewart to St. Louis for Erik Johnson and Jay McClement brought more angst than relief.  Going forward this year the Avalanche believe that they are poised to get back into contention with a fresh start.  Young stars Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly have to shake off their struggles from last year.  Paul Stastny and David Jones should continue to provide support with Duchene and O'Reilly on the top two lines.  With Erik Johnson now charged with leading the defense he must start living up to is billing as the number one overall pick in 2006.  Another problem in the Rocky Mountains was their goaltending.  They believe they've solved that problem with the additions of Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere.  Both have had trouble staying healthy for a full season.  The Avs believe that with both of them sharing the load in net that they will stay healthy for what Colorado hopes is a playoff run.

Edmonton

The Oilers are going about their rebuilding project the right way. They have two stars in the making in Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who will eventually bring Edmonton back into the playoffs. They haven't been to the playoffs since 2006, the year in which they lost in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Looking at them now they have good pieces in place to remain competitive and stay out of the cellar in the Western Conference.  Bringing back Ryan Smyth won't make a big impact for the Oilers, but it will help in bringing along the young players.  Eric Belanger is a great playmaker and will help win important faceoffs throughout the game.  Taylor Hall led the team in goals scored last year and should approach the 30 goal plateau this year.  If Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky can remain healthy for more than 40 games it will put less pressure on Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle to repeat their early success last year.  Ryan Whitney is becoming a mainstay on the blue-line, but health has become a problem for him.  Tom Gilbert is another big body who was a good producer on the point when Whitney was out. They'll have to find a new goalie soon.  Nikolai Khabibulin is nearing the end of his career.  Waiting in the wings is the 6-6 Devan Dubnyk who put up good numbers in 35 games last year.

Central Division Preview

1. Detroit Red Wings

This could be the last time they contend with Lidstrom

2. Chicago Blackhawks

With some added grit Chicago could make another title run

3. St. Louis Blues

It's time for the Blues to reach their potential

4. Nashville Predators

Their defensive trio can't do it all by themselves

5. Columbus Blue Jackets

They want to win now, but they're still weak in net

Key Acquisitions

Red Wings: D Ian White, G Ty Conklin

Blackhawks: D Steve Montador, F Andrew Brunette

Blues: F Jason Arnott, F Jamie Langenbrunner

Predators: F Niclas Bergfors

Blue Jackets: F Jeff Carter, D James Wisniewski

Team Previews

Detroit

They will do enough on offense and defense to win games, but will they get a better year from goaltender Jimmy Howard?  He did win 37 games last year, but his 2.79 GAA was way too high for him. Bringing back Ty Conklin to backup Howard was a good move to help insure there isn't any let down in net this season.  Detroit must have a healthy Pavel Datsyuk if they are to make another run at the Cup.  They will get the same consistent production from Henrik Zetterberg, but the key is with Datsyuk.  The same can be said for Johan Franzen who was healthy, but didn't produce at his usual pace.  Valtteri Filppula and Darren Helm will have to emerge as premiere players this season.  They can't continue to rely on them as players waiting in the wings.  The defense will have Nicklas Lidstrom for another season and that bodes well for the entire team.  He never stops playing at a high level and has been instrumental in the emergence of fellow Swede Niklas Kronwall. Ian White will try to replace the production of the retired Brian Rafalski. It will be hard, but the Red Wings depth on defense is as good as its ever been.

Chicago

The salary cap era in the NHL hasn't been too kind to the Blackhawks.  They have lost some key players due to the restrictions of the salary cap the last two offseasons.  However, they still have a talented core that will be around for a long time and that alone will keep them in contention.  Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are two of the best young forwards in the NHL.  They are complemented well on the top line with Patrick Sharp who must be re-signed soon or he will likely find a new home after the season.  Marian Hossa is still a great scorer, but age is starting to catch up with him.  Dave Bolland must stay healthy to keep the second line productive when Toews and Kane are in slumps. Andrew Brunette was a great find who will bring added scoring to the power play.  Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are the only defenseman who can provide a consistent scoring threat from the blue-line.  Steve Montador was brought in to try and change that, but youngster Nick Leddy can provide added offense as well. Goaltender Corey Crawford had some fans forgetting about Antti Niemi.  Crawford was given an opportunity to be the full time starter and didn't disappoint.  How he does in his second full season will determine the Blackhawks fortunes.

St. Louis

If the St. Louis Blues are going to get back to the playoffs, they will need a big season from goalie Jaroslav Halak.  It was big news last year when they acquired him from Montreal after his tremendous playoff performance in 2010.  He fell flat last year and so did the rest of the team.  Halak has a good young defense in front of him that should rejuvenate him and the Blues.  Kevin Shattenkirk was acquired at the trade deadline last year that saw Erik Johnson depart to Colorado.  Shattenkirk is a good puck passer and excellent on the power play.  Along with Alex Pietrangelo who is in the mold of Chris Pronger who once played in St. Louis, the Blues have a fabulous blue-line.  Along with Shattenkirk the Blues received Chris Stewart who has drawn comparisons to Jarome Iginla in Calgary.  If Stewart does live up to that potential the Blues will have a one-sided victory in that deal. Veterans Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner were brought in more for support and to keep the young players motivated and focused.  David Backes and T.J. Oshie are stars in the making, but Oshie must stay healthy and keep his head on straight.  If Andy McDonald can stay healthy the Blues will have a big boost from the wing to set up Backes and Oshie for easy goals.

Nashville

It's imperative that the Predators keep the trio of start they have in Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne.  It will be tough, but for the future of the franchise to stay competitive they must keep all three.  They advanced past the quarterfinals last year for the first time in franchise history.  The big reason was because of those three mentioned earlier.  Weber is a physical force wherever he is on the ice.  Like Zdeno Chara for Boston, Weber has a devastating slap shot that is tough to pick up.  Suter is an excellent setup man on the blue-line.  Not the fastest skater, but he knows his way around the ice.  Rinne is among the best goaltenders in the NHL today.  Another Vezina trophy nomination this season will result in a big pay day coming to the 6-5 Finn.  The Predators have struggled to find a consistent scoring threat, but that hasn't stopped them from competing.  Patric Hornqvist and Sergei Kostitsyn were the top goal scorers last year and must be again. A full season from Mike Fisher after being acquired last season from Ottawa will help set up Nashville's top scorers.  If David Legwand and Colin Wilson both have 50+ point seasons it will be a breathe of fresh air in the Music City.

Columbus

They made two big moves to help improve the team now and for the future, but it might not be enough in the competitive Central Division.  Jeff Carter was the Flyers best scorer in Philadelphia. Now the Blue Jackets expect the same, but also expect a resurgent Rick Nash.  Nash struggled last year.  He had no one else to take the pressure off him the entire season.  With Carter aboard all that should change.  R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette had decent seasons, but should bounce back with Jeff Carter's presence. Columbus hopes that with that move on offense, the defense will be much improved with the signing of James Wisniewski.  He received a hefty pay raise after a career year in Montreal and New York with the Islanders.  He should instantly bring life to the Blue Jackets power play which was near the bottom statistically last year.  It remains to be seen if Fedor Tyutin and Kris Russell will pan out, but with Wisniewski aboard their roles will be more to their talents.  Goaltender Steve Mason must return to his rookie season in which he had 10 shutouts and a goals-against average of 2.29.  Since then he's had a combined 8 shutouts and a goals-against average over 3.00.  Columbus' success can only go as far as Steve Mason takes them.

Pacific Division Preview

1. San Jose Sharks

This has to be the year they get over the hump and play for the Cup

2. Los Angeles Kings

The next step is to get past the first round of the playoffs

3. Anaheim Ducks

So goes G Jonas Hiller, so goes the Ducks season

4. Phoenix Coyotes

They've defied all odds the last 2 years, but not this year

5. Dallas Stars

A new head coach means a rough season in 'Big D'

Key Acquisitions

Sharks: D Brent Burns, F Martin Havlat, F Michal Handzus

Kings: F Mike Richards, F Simon Gagne

Ducks: F Andrew Cogliano, D Kurtis Foster

Coyotes: G Mike Smith, F Raffi Torres

Stars: F Michael Ryder, D Sheldon Souray

Team Previews

San Jose

They went all in again this year with a bit of house cleaning in the offseason.  They dealt away two of the best goal scorers to get some help on the blue-line and add a playmaker to the offense. Brent Burns is the perfect complement to Dan Boyle on the blue-line.  Burns is more of a goal scorer while Boyle is perfect at setting up the scorers.  Both should make each other more potent. Martin Havlat is the playmaker that the Sharks have lacked. Other than Joe Thornton there isn't anyone else that is a consistent threat to setup the other scorers.  Havlat has been an afterthought since signing his free agent deal in Minnesota.  He will be tasked with replacing Dany Heatley who hasn't lived up to his billing in the playoffs for the Sharks the last two years.  With Thornton on the top line will be the reliable Patrick Marleau.  He is their best goal scorer and their catalyst on offense.  Following the top line are a slew of young scorers in Logan Couture, Ryan Clowe and Joe Pavelski.  All three are great players that make the Sharks team go.  Goaltender Antti Niemi was good, but not anywhere near what he was for Chicago two years ago.  He'll have to be that if the Sharks want to win the Stanley Cup.

Los Angeles

This is the Kings make or break year.  They have put all of their chips on the table to make a move this year at getting to the Stanley Cup Finals.  General Manager Dean Lombardi traded a top prospect in Brayden Schenn and an established player in Wayne Simmonds to acquire Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards. He then signed Richards' former teammate when he played for the Flyers in Simon Gagne.  Two moves that will pay dividend for the rest of the team that is already in place.  Richards immediately helps on the power play and in penalty kill situations.  Gagne will be a good complement with Richards on the same line.  Anze Kopitar being fully recovered from an ankle injury should scare the rest of the league.  This could be an MVP year for him.  Dustin Brown, Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll are scrappy players who can also score goals with the best of them.  Which Dustin Penner will show up this year?  LA would like to see the former 30 goal scorer in Edmonton.  Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson could have another great young defenseman in Alec Martinez coming through the ranks after his late season performance.  Their blue-line is extremely deep.  Jonathan Quick had another great year in net for the Kings and will have to continue that upward trend for the Kings to get out of the quarterfinals.

Anaheim

There wasn't a hotter team for the last two months of last season than the one in Anaheim.  They surged past a lot of teams in the Western Conference to host a playoff series.  Unfortunately they were knocked out of that series by Nashville, but the Ducks remain relatively intact and will have a healthy Jonas Hiller in net to start the season.  If Hiller doesn't have anymore bouts with vertigo this season the Ducks will be a dangerous team.  The return of Teemu Selanne might not mean much, but his 80 point season last year was one for the ages.  He is without a doubt the heart and soul of this team.  Ryan Getzlaf must remain healthy for the Ducks to remain competitive, but even without him the Ducks were fine thank to last years MVP, Corey Perry.  His 50 goal season was one that many hockey fans will talk about for a long time.  Bobby Ryan could potentially have a season like the one Perry had last year, but he doesn't have to do that.  His 70+ point seasons are just fine.  Look for Lubomir Visnovsky to not skip a beat after his 68 point season last year.  His fellow linemate Toni Lydman should continue to be an excellent complement to Lubo.  Cam Fowler had a tremendous rookie season last year and will only get better thanks to the many veterans the Ducks have on the blue-line.

Phoenix

With so much turmoil regarding the arena and ownership the Coyotes manage to compete and have been in the playoffs the last two years.  All the credit goes to head coach Dave Tippett who shouldn't have been let go in Dallas.  What he has done is simply amazing.  This year is going to be even tougher for the Coyotes. They let go their franchise goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to Philadelphia.  To replace him they brought in Mike Smith who was once a top prospect in Dallas under Tippett.  Smith did underachieve in Dallas and Tampa Bay, but Phoenix is a perfect spot for him.  Less attention and less pressure in the sense that no one will expect him to replace Bryzgalov.  Captain Shane Doan continues to be a consistent scorer for the Coyotes.  Without a lot of support he doesn't give in to the naysayers that don't think Phoenix can compete.  Veterans Radim Vrbata and Ray Whitney are excellent complements and set a good example for the young players Phoenix is bringing along.  The time will come very soon that defenseman Keith Yandle will be nominated for the Norris trophy.  He is the real deal.  Pretty soon he will have another great defenseman alongside him in Oliver Ekman-Larsson.  Their 1st round pick in 2009 is quickly becoming a household name in the desert.

Dallas

They let their best player leave during free agency.  Now they are left to pick up the pieces.  They can't replace Brad Richards, but they still have some talent in place to try and help offset that loss. Loui Eriksson and Brenden Morrow will be tasked with trying to replace what Richard was able to do for the Stars.  Both are good players, but it will be hard to ask them to try and do that.  Mike Ribeiro will take over the top line.  He is a good setup man and it should be a nice welcome for Eriksson and Morrow.  Whether Jamie Benn can continue to increase his production remains to be seen.  Newcomer Michael Ryder wasn't asked to do a lot in Boston, but it will be a different story in Dallas.  Defensively the Stars should be sound with Stephane Robidas and Alex Goligoski holding down the blue-line.  Both are great offensive defenseman. Especially Goligoski who is a force on the power play.  Goaltender Kari Lehtonen had a great year for the Stars last year.  If he is right Dallas might surprise some people this year and that will be because of Lehtonen.

Southeast Division Preview

1. Washington Capitals

The moves they made in the offseason will result in a deep playoff run

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

Their success depends on their goalies and blue-line

3. Carolina Hurricanes

They will need even more production from Staal and Ward

4. Florida Panthers

All the offseason moves combined with the young talent will eventually lead to the playoffs

5. Winnipeg Jets

A supportive fan base won't be enough to get the Jets into the playoffs

Key Acquisitions

Capitals: F Troy Brouwer, D Roman Hamrlik, G Tomas Vokoun, F Joel Ward

Lightning: G Mathieu Garon

Hurricanes: G Brian Boucher, D Tomas Kaberle

Panthers: D Brian Campbell, G Jose Theodore, F Kris Versteeg, F Scottie Upshall

Jets: F Eric Fehr

Team Previews

Washington

They desperately needed some grit after another early exit in the playoffs.  George McPhee didn't stand pat and made some key moves to bring some grit to their talented roster.  Acquiring Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward to complement the scoring of Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom was huge. Brouwer is a Stanley Cup winner in Chicago and knows what it takes to play during the playoffs.  Ward had a fantastic playoff run last year in Nashville and was rewarded for that run by signing with a powerhouse team.  Should all the players mentioned perform up to their standards the Capitals will be among the best scoring teams once again.  Tomas Vokoun was signed to a one year contract to help the Caps win right now.  He is among the best goaltenders year in and year out, but Michal Neuvirth will get his chance to play as well learning under Vokoun.  Mike Green has to return to form.  If he doesn't the defense will suffer again.  Signing Roman Hamrlik was a big acquisition as it helps offset the issue of Green's health.  John Carlson and Dennis Wideman aren't too bad either on the blue-line.

Tampa Bay

Boston had to beat the Lightning in 7 games of the conference finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals last year.  They lost some key pieces during the offseason, but the majority of their core has stayed intact.  Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis are apart of that core and they both are expected to continue their 90 point production.  Vincent Lecavalier had a good year and an even better playoff run.  He'll need to be even better for the Lightning to make the next step into the Stanley Cup Finals.  Teddy Purcell will have to step into a bigger role with the departures of Simon Gagne and Sean Bergenheim.  Tampa Bay received a spark in net when they acquired goaltender Dwayne Roloson last year.  They will be careful not to overwork the 42 year old net-minder.  That's why they signed Mathieu Garon to be the backup.  He is more than capable of spelling Roloson for 30 games.  This will be the year for defenseman Victor Hedman to see if he can live up to his billing as a top-5 pick.  He has been good, but he must be great.  A full season with Eric Brewer should help Hedman become a great player.

Carolina

They just missed out on the playoffs last year.  Now Carolina has to regroup with the talent they have.  Captain Eric Staal will look to have another stellar season, but he will need help from other teammates to get Carolina into the playoffs.  Particularly Jussi Jokinen and Tuomo Ruutu.  Both were fantastic two years ago, but with the expectations they haven't been able to repeat those performances.  Jeff Skinner was phenomenal in his rookie season. Can he continue to put up 30 goal seasons from here on out? Goaltender Cam Ward is a fan favorite for the Hurricanes.  He is their security blanket with a suspect defense the past couple years.  Brian Boucher was a great acquisition to keep Ward fresh for the playoff run later in the year.  Will the Hurricanes get what they expect out of defenseman Tomas Kaberle?  That will be a big question for them as he instantly becomes their best defenseman. Joni Pitkanen and Jamie McBain aren't too shabby either, but they will need Kaberle to produce a 40 point season.

Florida

There is a good mix of established players, free agent signings and young players that is built to win for a long time in Florida.  At the top is Stephen Weiss and David Booth.  With all the moves GM Dave Tallon made in the offseason both Weiss and Booth will have less pressure and should produce 60+ point seasons.  Kris Versteeg is one of three former Chicago Blackhawks players that Tallon acquired in the offseason.  Tomas Kopecky and Brian Campbell are the other two.  Tallon is familiar with those players since he was the former GM of Chicago before their Stanley Cup championship two years ago.  Versteeg is a talented young forward who should push for 30 goals this season.  Scottie Upshall can do the same.  He's a pure shooter and is exactly what the Panthers need with Booth and Weiss on the top line.  Sean Bergenheim's playoff performance in Tampa Bay didn't go unnoticed and the Panthers would like to see that from him.  With Campbell and Ed Jovanovski on the blue-line Florida has a deep defensive line. Dmitry Kulikov is already establishing himself as a mainstay for many years.  Jose Theodore isn't an upgrade over Tomas Vokoun, but with him and Scott Clemmensen sharing the net it isn't a bad combination.

Winnipeg

The NHL has returned to Winnipeg for the first time since 1996. That last year in Winnipeg happened to be a playoff year for the Jets.  They have inherited a good team in the Atlanta Thrashers, but they play in perhaps the toughest division in the NHL.  It is unlikely these Jets will compete for a playoff spot this year, but with a supportive fan base it will be tough to beat the Jets in Winnipeg.  Subtle moves were made in the offseason to improve the Jets.  They hired a new coach in Claud Noel who coached in the same arena in Winnipeg for the Manitoba Moose last season. He knows the area and will take advantage of that.  He has a pretty good roster that includes captain Andrew Ladd.  His 59 point season last year was a career high, but expect that to go up this year.  Evander Kane is a young talented forward that is ready to breakout into the 60 point range.  If Eric Fehr can stay healthy he can provide added scoring punch coming over from Washington. Dustin Byfuglien transitioned nicely into a defenseman last year. He still put up amazing offensive numbers and will continue to improve on defense.  Tobias Enstrom is ready to become a Norris Trophy contender.  Back to back 50 point seasons prove that. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec rebounded nicely after a scary scene on opening night last year.  He is healthy and ready to show he can play amongst the best in the league.

Northeast Division Preview

1. Boston Bruins

Their stellar defense has them positioned to repeat

2. Buffalo Sabres

With a new owner in place the future looks bright

3. Montreal Canadiens

They're on the cusp of breaking into elite status

4. Toronto Maple Leafs

Too many question marks for a team that must win now

5. Ottawa Senators

A lot of young talent is waiting to make an impact

Key Acquisitions

Bruins: D Joe Corvo

Sabres: D Christian Ehrhoff, F Ville Leino, D Robyn Regehr

Canadiens: F Erik Cole

Maple Leafs: F Tim Connolly, D John-Michael Liles

Senators: F Nikita Filatov 

Team Previews

Boston

If you want to repeat let alone make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals you're going to have to get a repeat performance from your goaltender.  It's hard to imagine Tim Thomas doing just that after the tremendous regular season and playoffs he had.  With defenseman Zdeno Chara and his 6-9 frame protecting Thomas it might not be that far fetched to think the Bruins can repeat.  New defenseman Joe Corvo is being counted on to do what Tomas Kaberle couldn't do last year and that's be another scoring threat from the blue-line.  Health will be an issue for the Bruins forwards. Milan Lucic was the only 30 goal scorer for the Bruins last year. They will need Nathan Horton and/or Patric Bergeron to do the same.  Brad Marchand will be expected to capitalize on his playoff success with a stellar regular season.  With the Bruins now having some open spots on the top two lines it will be interesting to see what Tyler Seguin does with more opportunities to showcase his talent.

Buffalo

They were the busiest team during free agency.  Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff had a magnificent season in Vancouver, but it remains to be seen if he can do that for another 10 years.  Which is the length of the contract he signed in Buffalo.  Also acquired was Robyn Regehr who waived his no-trade clause to come to Buffalo from Calgary.  He's a gritty defenseman who will help keep big bodied forwards away from goalie Ryan Miller.  The scary thing is that Tyler Myers and Jordan Leopold didn't have great seasons last year.  With Ehrhoff and Regehr aboard the Sabres will have a devastating defense.  Goalie Ryan Miller did everything he could to get the Sabres deep into the playoffs, but they were without a consistent scoring threat.  They hope to have solved that problem with Ville Leino being signed.  The same Ville Leino who's overtime goal in Game 6 of the quarterfinals helped the Flyers beat the Sabres.  He is a deceptive skater.  Pairing him with Thomas Vanek will make both players even better.  The breakout player last year was Drew Stafford and his 31 goals.  If he comes close to that Buffalo will be riding high.

Montreal

The Canadiens kept playing the 'what if' game all offseason.  It does them no good at this point, but they certainly could have competed with the rest of the league for the Cup.  Goalie Carey Price was fantastic in net for Montreal.  The pressure seemed to have vanished over thin ice as the season progressed.  The key once again for Montreal is the health of defenseman Andrei Markov.  He is their best point man on the blue-line and without him they seemed lost on the point.  P.K. Subban filled in nicely, but Markov must be around for Montreal to stay in the hunt. Michael Cammalleri is on a downward trend the last two seasons. He and Brian Gionta are the top two scorers on the team. Cammalleri has to bounce back so that newly acquired Erik Cole doesn't have so much pressure to perform right away.  If Max Pacioretty can recover from a devastating hit by Zdeno Chara at the end of last season then he will be on his way to a 30 goal season.

Toronto

The big question in Toronto this offseason is did GM Brian Burke do enough?  Did he do enough to try to lure Brad Richards in free agency?  Did he do enough in putting the right pieces in place to get the Maple Leafs back to the playoffs?  Toronto has some talented pieces in place all over the ice, but is it enough? Goaltender James Reimer did well to earn the starting job going into this season and get a three year contract extension.  Captain Dion Phaneuf received some help on the blue-line when Toronto traded for defenseman John-Michael Liles from Colorado.  Both are excellent puck passers and point men on the power play.  It remains to be seen if there will be other defenseman to help lighten the load.  Tim Connolly isn't exactly Brad Richards, but he is a good playmaker when healthy.  That has been the only problem his entire career.  He has to stay healthy to play up to his standards. If that happens Phil Kessel will continue to be a top goal scorer. And if Joffrey Lupul can stay healthy as well that will take pressure off Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin to duplicate their 50+ point seasons.

Ottawa

They have built one of the best farm systems in the NHL.  But that doesn't mean they will be able to compete for a playoff spot right away.  First things first, the Senators don't have a reliable goaltender.  Craig Anderson had a phenomenal season in Colorado two seasons ago, but it's starting to look more like a one year wonder.  Defenseman Sergei Gonchar was lost at times last year and he must make the most out of the situation in Ottawa. Youngster Erik Karlsson is developing quickly into one of the best offensive defenseman in the league.  This will only be his 3rd NHL season and his 21.  They're starting to go with a younger looking scoring line as well, but at the top remains center Jason Spezza. His playmaking skills are still among the best and with younger players around him it will only help those players develop faster.  If the Senators can get a rejuvenated season out of Milan Michalek and Daniel Alfredsson, it will help keep them competitive in most games.

Atlantic Division Preview

1. Philadelphia Flyers

Being a defensive team rather than an offensive team might be better

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

The health of Crosby and Malkin will determine the teams success

3. New York Rangers

One player won't change their fortunes, but it will help

4. New Jersey Devils

They're not going to dwell on last season.  Instead they'll push forward

5. New York Islanders

Time is running out to build a winner in Long Island

Key Acquisitions

Flyers: G Ilya Bryzgalov, F Jaromir Jagr, F Jakub Voracek

Penguins: F Steve Sullivan

Rangers: F Brad Richards

Devils: F Eric Boulton

Islanders: F Brian Rolston, F Marty Reasoner

Team Previews

Philadelphia

Gone is their captain Mike Richards and two of their best scorers in Jeff Carter and Ville Leino.  The Flyers completely changed their identity with the acquisition of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.  He finally solves their problem of finding a consistent goal stopper.  That will allow Sergei Bobrovsky to further develop into a top tier goalie. The return of Jaromir Jagr to the NHL is a headliner, but it isn't expected to be a big help to the Flyers.  If they can get 50 points out of Jagr that will be a surprise.  As always when you have a top notch goaltender you must have a good defense.  It's crucial that Chris Pronger stay healthy for an entire season.  Kimmo Timonen, Matt Carle and Andrej Meszaros can't do it without the big 6-6 defenseman.  The scoring will have to come from Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk.  Both have had great playoff statistics and now must step it up during the regular season.  Danny Briere will have to repeat his 68 point performance from last year.  If Jakub Voracek can live up to his billing as a top 10 pick with Columbus, the Flyers will be all right without Richards and Carter.

  

Pittsburgh

It's simple.  So goes Sidney Crosby, so goes the Pittsburgh Penguins chances of winning the Stanley Cup.  If Crosby doesn't miss as many games as he did last year, the Penguins will be contenders.  It has to be mentioned that even without Crosby and Evgeni Malkin the Pittsburgh finished second in the conference in points.  Emerging as one of the best defenseman in the NHL is Kris Letang.  His 50 point season last year was his breakthrough season and shows that he should be considered among the best in the league.  As long as the Penguins can get 30 wins or more from goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, they will be contending with their rivals in Philadelphia.  Pittsburgh has tremendous depth on offense if Crosby and/or Malkin are out for a significant period of time. James Neal is another 30 goal scorer they acquired last year from Dallas. Tyler Kennedy had his best year to date with 45 points. And Chris Kunitz remains one of the most underrated forwards in the NHL. This is still a great team, but will be among the best if Crosby comes back.

NY Rangers

They nabbed the biggest free agent prize in Brad Richards now they'll need him to produce.  He is one of the best passing centers in the game.  His Stanley Cup title proves that when he was with Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier in Tampa Bay.  Also there was current Rangers head coach John Tortorella.  He knows how good Richards can be and welcomes his playmaking skills.  As will Marian Gaborik who must bounce back from a disappointing 22 goal season.  With Richards aboard that problem should be solved. The amount of young scorers the Rangers have is staggering. Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and Derek Stepan all scored 20 or more goals last season.  Those goal stats should stay the same and even rise with Richards.  The Rangers have a mainstay in net with Henrik Lundqvist.  He plays so much that it's crucial the Rangers give him some rest for a longer playoff run. There is still a weakness defensively for the Rangers, but youngsters Marc Staal and Michael Sauer are growing into their roles rapidly.  Expect the Rangers to make a move mid-season to improve in that area.

New Jersey

It's hard to imagine the Devils being any better than last year. They did finish the season on an incredible run, but they didn't make any major improvements in the offseason.  The only major change was naming Peter DeBoer the new head coach.  It will be interesting to see what he can do with this group.  Led by Ilya Kovalchuk, who had the worst season of his career.  He's better than the 60 point performance from last season.  Another crucial aspect for New Jersey is the health of Zach Parise.  If he is healthy the Devils are a much better offensive team.  The only problem is if the Devils start out slow do they trade their best player in a contract year? Defense has been a stalwart in New Jersey for a long time, but how much longer does Martin Brodeur have left?  Johan Hedberg is just as old as Brodeur and he will be the primary backup in net. Whether defenseman Henrik Tallinder can improve upon his best season in New Jersey will be something to watch for.  They don't have a lot of NHL prospects on defense, but Mark Fraser and Mark Fayne appear ready.

NY Islanders

They are amassing a lot of talent, but time is starting to run out on their chance to see that talent being unleashed on Long Island. John Tavares and Kyle Okposo lead the way.  Tavares has the pieces in place, but Okposo must stay healthy for the entire lineup to be cohesive.  Michael Grabner broke out for a 34 goal season last year.  He and Matt Moulson are the Islanders best goal scorers going forward.  Veterans Brian Rolston and Marty Reasoner will provide balance at the back end of the lines, but they can't be counted on to produce more than their 30 point production nowadays.  It's been said so many times that goalie Rick DiPietro must stay healthy, but that might not be important this season with the emergence of Al Montoya last year.  In limited time (21 games played) his .921 SV% opened some eyes in the organization. Mark Streit being healthy will improve the defense immensely. Youngsters Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic had breakthrough years, but Milan Jurcina struggled not having Streit next to him.

Week 5 Review of the NFL

"Just Win Baby"

Yes, that's what the Oakland Raiders did this past Sunday.  With the passing of owner Al Davis the entire NFL community has a heavy heart.  This was one of the few franchises that has been tied to one man for most of its existence.  You can look at his passing in two ways.  One is to say that he is one of the most innovative and outspoken owners ever in any sport.  And two, it was either his way or nobody's way.  He has butted heads with so many people that it's hard to keep track.  From head coaches to commissioners and even to city leaders.  One thing is for certain that it was fitting that the Oakland Raiders won that game against the Houston Texans.  Houston had the advantage playing at home and have better players at key positions.  However, there was motivation on the Raiders side to just win one for Al and that's just what they did.

Timmy has arrived

For far too long there was rumbles about starting Tim Tebow in Denver.  I'm not going to bash and critique Tim's quarterback prowess unlike some, mainly Merril Hoge, who isn't even a quarterback to begin with.  I am going to say that it was unwise to think that Tim Tebow would have done better than Kyle Orton through the first 5 games.  He's learning a new system in only his second year.  The coaching staff obviously doesn't think much of him because they didn't draft him and John Elway isn't going to risk everything he's trying to build on one guy.  Granted when Tebow entered the game in the second half against the San Diego Chargers the entire team transformed.  They nearly beat the Chargers, but I'm not going to say that it was entirely because of Tebow because it wasn't.  This issue is finally coming to an end with him being named the starting quarterback in Denver, but if the Broncos don't win another game while Tebow is the starter who will they turn to then?  I think he can be a good quarterback, but only under a staff that believes they can win with him.

Now is not the time to panic 

Everyone in New York and Philadelphia are up in arms about their respective teams.  New York Jets fans to be more specific there. Both are off to slow starts, but it's only Week 5 folks.  Calm down. Lets take a look at the Jets brutal road schedule the last 3 games. At Oakland, at Baltimore and at New England.  Not one team in the league could go 3-0 on the road against those teams.  Not one. The Jets however went 0-3, but you can't count them out just yet. They have been a second half team as their history shows under head coach Rex Ryan.  They play Miami and San Diego at home going into their bye week so be thankful for that.  The Eagles with all those expectations that everyone stupidly put on them have bit them in the butt.  The only loss that the Eagles were totally dominated in was against the New York Giants and that was without Michael Vick for most of that game.  Now Vick's turnovers haven't helped, but they play at Washington which is a winnable game.  Who expects the Redskins to stay in first place, honestly? If they win that game going into their bye week they play at home against Dallas, Chicago and Arizona the next three weeks.  All the groaning will go away with wins in those games.  Atlanta is fortunate that they play in Atlanta.  Mainly because no one is paying attention.  They were supposed to be atop the NFC, but are wallowing near the bottom.  Playing Carolina at home should be the wake up call they need for their next game.  But if they continue to disappoint they will be scrutinized a lot more towards the end of the season when everyone will wonder, 'What happened to the Falcons?  Weren't they supposed to be good?'

2011 MLB Championship Series Preview

American League

Detroit Tigers vs. Texas Rangers

The Tigers had just enough to beat the New York Yankees.  They had better pitching when they needed it and timely hits when they had to have them.  Manager Jim Leyland only had his Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander pitch in only one game.  I know he did start Game 1, but I'm not going to count that one. When he did pitch he was exactly what the Tigers needed.  Detroit also got a great start from Doug Fister in the clinching game in New York.  If both Verlander and Fister can repeat those performances.  Plus Delmon Young can continue his hot streak at the plate.  The Tigers might be heading to another World Series.  However, they will need more production from the entire lineup.  Namely Alex Avila and Miguel Cabrera.  

The Texas Rangers had a nice balance throughout their lineup.  Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton had big hits at key moments.  Mike Napoli and Adrian Beltre had a power surge to get Texas ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for good.  The only problem was with their pitching.  Namely C.J. Wilson.  If he doesn't have a rocky start to the series the Rangers just might have a chance at getting back to the World Series.  Texas' bullpen was fantastic and the big reason why the Rangers are back to defend their American League title. They have a devastating offense, but they must have a balanced attack to get back to the World Series.

Rangers in 6 games

National League

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers

There is absolutely no quit in the Cardinals.  They knocked off the Philadelphia Phillies.  Everyone's (including me) pick to win the World Series this year.  After Game 1 the Phillies offense was stagnant and that was a credit to the Cardinals bullpen who proved me wrong by lulling the Phillies bats to sleep.  St. Louis got a fantastic performance out of Chris Carpenter to win the Series in Philadelphia in Game 5.  He'll have to do that again during the Championship Series.  Albert Pujols didn't have to hit a bunch of home runs, but he was constantly getting hits.  The same could be said for Skip Schumaker and David Freese.  Especially Freese who has finally arrived as the cornerstone third baseman that the Cardinals have missed since Scott Rolen.  If the Cardinals pitching can continue their consistent production the Cardinals could surprise everyone all over again.
Everything is going right for the Brewers.  They have a dominant starter in Yovani Gallardo.  Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are doing exactly what they need to do to get Milwaukee runs.  The bullpen has been spectacular.  But the one glaring fact is that the Brewers don't play very well away from Miller Park.  They go into the Championship Series against their division rival St. Louis.  This will be the biggest test for a team and a franchise that won only their second postseason series in franchise history against Arizona.  If they can return to the World Series it will reignite a fan base that has desperately been wanting another chance at winning the World Series.

Brewers in 7 games

Week 4 Review of the NFL

So, you were saying about Calvin Johnson

I didn't actually hear anything about Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's comments about Calvin Johnson until after the Lions had come back to beat Dallas.  Well, I suppose Ryan is eating a lot of crow since Sunday.  First of all, isn't Jason Garrett the head coach of the Cowboys?  And second, why would Rob Ryan say something so stupid?  Basically he said that Calvin Johnson isn't good enough to be the 3rd receiver on the Cowboys.  Excuse me? Besides the fact that Tony Romo threw two interceptions for touchdowns to get the Lions back into the game.  Calvin Johnson did catch two touchdown passes against your porous defense Robby.  If Jason Garrett is the head coach of the Cowboys, he will keep Rob Ryan in check and keep him away from the media.  So far the Cowboys have been decent defensively, but have looked really bad for long stretches of their games.  Thankfully the Cowboys are going into their bye week, but it might also be a bad thing having to think about giving up that lead to the Detroit Lions. I would think Rob would have learned something from his brother Rex about what not to say to the media before a game.  Rex would never have said that.

Surprise!  We're 3-1

Yes, the Buffalo Bills are 3-1, but I'm going to focus on the other 3-1 teams that we didn't expect to be in this position during the season.  The other surprise in the AFC is the Tennessee Titans. First year head coach Mike Munchak has a pretty good defense in place, but I didn't expect them to be as good throwing the ball with QB Matt Hasselbeck.  That's no slight against Hasselbeck, but being in a new system I thought it would be a tough process with hardly any time in training camp to get up to speed.  That and not having RB Chris Johnson up until the week before the season started.  Johnson hasn't been playing well, but Hasselbeck is throwing them into contention.  The Washington Redskins are atop the NFC East.  The main reason is because of their defense.  They actually are playing to their strengths which is rushing the passer and taking away the run.  QB Rex Grossman is doing enough to score points for the Redskins and they have three capable running backs to keep some balance in their offense.  Will this last? Probably not, but it isn't far fetched to think they can finish with a .500 record.  Lastly my San Francisco 49ers are also 3-1.  They could be 4-0, but I won't get into that discussion.  They've beaten Seattle and Cincinnati.  You could argue those are teams they should beat.  But not many had them beating let alone coming back to beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is going about it the right way.  Not trying to be too complex with the offense, but rather wearing out opponents with the running game and making the most of opponents mistakes.  The 49ers defense isn't elite, but they are getting there.  I've said it for years that if they can get a quarterback the 49ers will be a threat every season.

Who will be the first to lose their job?

Lets go through the candidates.  The Indianapolis Colts are 0-4, but I don't see GM Bill Polian and owner Jim Irsay firing Jim Caldwell. Peyton Manning's injury has deflated this entire team.  There should be a one year grace period for that.  The St. Louis Rams are 0-4.  Head coach Steve Spagnuolo is dealing with the same thing the Colts are.  The injury bug has affected this team dramatically on offense.  I don't see the Rams taking Spags' out after all that has happened.  The Minnesota Vikings are 0-4.  Leslie Frazier is getting his first chance to be a head coach in the NFL. He did a good job last year after Brad Childress was fired.  That alone will give Frazier a one year period to get things right. However, if the Vikings finish with the worst record in the league, it will be hard to justify keeping him when Andrew Luck is available and you already drafted a quarterback this past year.  If the Arizona Cardinals finish with a 6-10 record or worse this season there will be talk of Ken Whisenhunt being on the chopping block.  I don't think it will happen since he did get the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance just a few years ago.  Andy Reid is safe unless there is a total collapse this season with the Eagles.  Jack Del Rio will most likely be on his way out when the season is over. However the Jaguars have surprised many in the past under Del Rio.  Todd Haley could be gone in Kansas City if the Chiefs continue to meltdown during the season.  The only one I see being fired soon is Tony Sparano in Miami.  The Dolphins haven't won a home game since November 14 of last year.  They've lost 9 of their last 10 home games.  All signs are pointing to his dismissal before this season ends.