2012 Stanley Cup Finals Preview

Los Angeles Kings vs. New Jersey Devils

The upstart Kings have finally lived up to the expectations the last few seasons and are in their second Stanley Cup Final in franchise history.  The problem is they run into another elite goaltender that has already won three Stanley Cup titles in Martin Brodeur.  

The Kings fortunes are riding on their opportunistic style in these playoffs.  They have scored 5 shorthanded goals in the playoffs. Four of them by Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar.  It's not expected that they will be able to score more shorthanded goals against New Jersey's stifling defense.  The one advantage the Kings do have is their top two lines of Brown, Kopitar, Justin Williams with Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Dustin Penner is playing at an all-time level.  Their goaltender Jonathan Quick has also been this years darling of the playoffs.

For New Jersey they are riding the skates of their 40 year old goaltender Martin Brodeur.  He has been flying under the radar for most of these playoffs, which is hard to believe.  His performance in the Eastern Conference Finals has brought him back into the spotlight and the Devils aren't winning their games solely on defense.  Ilya Kovalchuk, their leading scorer and Zach Parise are both hungry for their first Stanley Cup title.  It should be low scoring games, but both teams take advantage of opponents mistakes.  That won't change for the Stanley Cup Finals.

Matchup to watch: C Dustin Brown (7goals, 9 assists) vs. G Martin Brodeur (2.04 GAA, .923 SV%)

Results: Kings in 6 games

NBA Conference Finals Preview

Eastern Conference Finals

2. Miami Heat vs. 4. Boston Celtics

You couldn't ask for a better performance out of both LeBron James and Dwayne Wade in the semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.  When the Heat needed them both to step up, they did in full force from Games 4, 5 and 6 in that series.  Now they have to do it again against the Celtics.  Boston had their fair share of trouble against the Philadelphia 76ers, but Boston has one thing the Heat don't.  A reliable point guard.  Rajon Rondo was the hero in that series.  Not Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce.  Ray Allen has been hobbling on one leg for most of the season.  If Rondo can take over this series, the Heat will have a hard time with the Celtics and their stifling defense first strategy.

Key Players: G Dwayne Wade and G Rajon Rondo

Results: Heat in 7 games

Western Conference Finals

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 2. Oklahoma City Thunder

It isn't exactly the matchup the NBA would be hoping for in the Western Conference Finals, but basketball fans will love this one. The Spurs are the 'boring' team and the Thunder are the 'exciting' team.  They're both actually exciting and in my opinion San Antonio isn't boring at all.  They play basketball the right way.  This will boil down to the point guards for both teams in this series. Tony Parker is playing his best basketball for the Spurs.  He's also making Tim Duncan look like he's still in his late 20s.  San Antonio's depth will be hard to match.  Oklahoma City has an even more dynamic point guard in Russell Westbrook.  However, he does have stretches of selfishness and the Spurs will try to exploit that.  If Westbrook doesn't give in and play like he did against the Lakers.  The Thunder will be playing for their first NBA title.

Key Players: G Tony Parker and G Russell Westbrook

Results: Thunder in 6 games

My Newest Venture

I'm pleased to inform you that I have a new home on the world wide web.  The newest 24/7 sports network promises to be both an informative and fan friendly source of news from the world of sports.  I will still be writing my usual opinionated posts here on my website and now on the Final Score's website as well.  

A brand new radio network will be starting later this summer.  I'm looking forward to debuting my new radio show for the Final Score Sports Network.  Stay tuned for updates.  In the meantime bookmark finalscoresportsnetwork.com and continue to check back here at westhesportsguy.com for my insight and analysis on all things sports.

NBA Semifinals Preview

Eastern Conference

2. Miami Heat vs. 3. Indiana Pacers

Key Players: F LeBron James and C Roy Hibbert

Results: Heat in 7 games

4. Boston Celtics vs. 8. Philadelphia 76ers

Key Players: F Kevin Garnett and G Andre Iguodala

Results: Celtics in 6 games

Western Conference

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 5. Los Angeles Clippers

Key Players: G Tony Parker and G Chris Paul

Results: Spurs in 6 games

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 3. Los Angeles Lakers

Key Players: F Serge Ibaka and F Pau Gasol

Results: Thunder in 7 games

NHL Stanley Cup Conference Finals Preview

Eastern Conference

1. New York Rangers vs. 6. New Jersey Devils

Matchup to Watch: C Brad Richards (6 goals, 5 assists) vs. C Travis Zajac (5 goals, 5 assists)

Results: Rangers in 6 games

Western Conference

3. Phoenix Coyotes vs. 8. Los Angeles Kings

Matchup to Watch: G Mike Smith (1.77 GAA, .948 SV%) vs. G Jonathan Quick (1.55 GAA, .949 SV%)

Results: Kings in 7 games

Identity Crisis

He was a Hall of Fame player and a great teammate.  And by all accounts he was a great man.  Junior Seau, according to the police investigation committed suicide.  It's sad that someone would take their own life.  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends in their time of mourning.  

Now with the initial shock of what happened, there came the reaction.  Far too often we as a society try to find out why things happen the way they do.  Just two quick examples of how insane in my opinion we've become.  Almost immediately after the Virginia Tech shooting and the shooting in Tucson, Arizona we all were clamoring to know every single detail of why someone would do such a thing.

As it turned out in both of those cases the shooters were completely crazy and evil.  Nothing more to it in my opinion.  At that point when a person crosses that threshold into oblivion there is no rational thought left in them.  I could care less to know what they were thinking when they shot and killed innocent people. 

That was just to point out the insanity I see in our society after a tragedy.  I'm seeing it in a different light with Junior Seau's suicide. Almost immediately the name of Dave Duerson came into the conversation again.  Duerson also shot himself.  Afterward his brain was examined by Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy.  It turned out that Duerson suffered some brain trauma due to him playing football.  

Was that the reason he shot himself?  I don't know.  I'm not a medical expert, but I'm sure that playing football for a good portion of your life, even if you've never suffered a concussion will have an effect on your brain.  But why was Dave Duerson's name being mentioned with Junior Seau?  Was it just because they both committed suicide or did it have something to do with the concussion issue in the NFL?

Either way my opinion that the NFL was in an identity crisis is true now.  Because of lawsuits and the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal the NFL is trying to do a complete 180 on what they've been about.  It's been a whirlwind of opinions and statements from both the league and its players.

The most controversial comments came from former QB Kurt Warner, now an analyst for the NFL Network.  He worries about the long-term effects and what would happen to younger players if they suffer a concussion.  He also said that he would encourage his kids to stay away from the game of football.  

How could those thoughts be deemed controversial?  This isn't a football player talking.  It's a father talking.  He's talking about his kids.  Not anyone else's kids.  Yet some former players, Amani Toomer and Merril Hoge didn't see it that way.  

Somehow Amani believes that Kurt Warner has defamed the game. Merril went as far to say that Kurt's comments were 'uninformed' and 'uneducated'.  The argument that was used by both Amani and Merril was that you're going to have concussions in every sport. Both of them also believe that what he said was damaging to all young kids who want to play football in the future.

So by their logic any parent can't have the same thought process that Kurt does with his kids about playing football?  Both Amani and Merril are correct when they said that you can get a concussion in any sport.  However, football is the only one that will increase your chances of getting one.  Hockey is the only major sport that comes close to football in the concussion department.

Do you see how insane this conversation is?  Instead of mourning the loss of the player and the fact that his three kids don't have a Dad now.  We're talking about the future of the game of football. There is a time and a place for everything and this was not the time to debate whether or not kids should be told they can or can't play football.

The so-called analysts were already worked up about the player suspensions for the New Orleans Saints.  Yet the players said it was okay for commissioner Roger Goodell to be the one person to hand out the punishment and to hear their appeals as well.  

Now hopefully cooler heads will prevail, but I for one am sick and tired of the nonsense.  Face the fact that your sport is now dealing with an identity crisis and be sure to improve the medical treatment of your players.  Your future is up in the air right now.

MLB Recap - April

Best Hitter - OF Matt Kemp (.417 AVG 12 HR 25 RBI) LA Dodgers

Best Pitcher - Kyle Lohse (4-0, 1.62 ERA) St. Louis Cardinals

Best Team - Texas Rangers 17-8 (9-1 road record)

Division Leaders

American League

Tampa Bay Rays 15-8

Best Player - 3B Evan Longoria (.329 AVG 4 HR 19 RBI)

Cleveland Indians 11-9

Best Player - P Derek Lowe (4-1, 2.27 ERA)

Texas Rangers 17-8

Best Player - OF Josh Hamilton (.395 AVG 9 HR 25 RBI)

National League

Washington Nationals 14-8

Best Player - P Stephen Strasburg (2-0, 1.13 ERA)

St. Louis Cardinals 14-8

Best Player - 3B David Freese (.333 AVG 5 HR 20 RBI)

Los Angeles Dodgers 16-7

Best Player - OF Matt Kemp (.417 AVG 12 HR 25 RBI)

Wild Card Teams

American League

Baltimore Orioles 14-9

Best Player - P Jason Hammel (3-1, 1.97 ERA)

New York Yankees 13-9

Best Player - SS Derek Jeter (.389 AVG 4 HR 13 RBI)

Toronto Blue Jays 12-11

Best Player - DH Edwin Encarnacion (.322 AVG 8 HR 21 RBI)

Chicago White Sox 11-11

Best Player - P Jake Peavy (3-1, 1.67 ERA)

Boston Red Sox 11-11

Best Player - DH David Ortiz (.405 AVG 6 HR 20 RBI)

Detroit Tigers 11-11

Best Player - 3B Miguel Cabrera (.298 AVG 7 HR 20 RBI)

Oakland Athletics 11-13

Best Player - P Bartolo Colon (3-2, 2.53 ERA)

Seattle Mariners 11-13

Best Player - P Felix Hernandez (2-1, 2.23 ERA)

National League

Atlanta Braves 14-9

Best Player - P Brandon Beachy (2-1, 1.05 ERA)

New York Mets 13-10

Best Player - 3B David Wright (.389 AVG 3 HR 14 RBI)

San Francisco Giants 12-10

Best Player - 3B Pablo Sandoval (.311 AVG 4 HR 14 RBI)

Arizona Diamondbacks 12-11

Best Player - P Joe Saunders (2-1, 0.90 ERA)

Cincinnati Reds 11-11

Best Player - P Johnny Cueto (3-0, 1.39 ERA)

Colorado Rockies 11-11

Best Player - OF Carlos Gonzalez (.303 AVG 4 HR 18 RBI)

Philadelphia Phillies 11-12

Best Player - P Roy Halladay (3-2, 1.95 ERA)

Milwaukee Brewers 11-12

Best Player - OF Ryan Braun (.294 AVG 7 HR 17 RBI)

Pittsburgh Pirates 10-12

Best Player - OF Andrew McCutchen (.302 AVG 0 HR 7 RBI)

Outside Looking In

American League

Los Angeles Angels 8-15

Best Player - P Jered Weaver (3-0, 2.02 ERA)

Kansas City Royals 6-15

Best Player - 1B Billy Butler (.329 AVG 5 HR 16 RBI)

Minnesota Twins 6-16

Best Player - OF Josh Willingham (.347 AVG 5 HR 15 RBI)

National League

Houston Astros 9-14

Best Player - 2B Jose Altuve (.360 AVG 1 HR 10 RBI)

Miami Marlins 8-14

Best Player - P Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 2.73 ERA)

Chicago Cubs 8-15

Best Player - 1B Bryan LaHair (.390 AVG 5 HR 14 RBI)

San Diego Padres 7-17

Best Player - P Cory Luebke (3-1, 2.61 ERA)