2013 NHL Season Preview

As the nation has gotten caught up in the beginning of football season and the dramatic conclusion of the regular season in baseball, sports is back in a big way. But all of a sudden, people wake up today and BOOM, it’s October, yes that means playoff baseball but it also means that the NHL drops the puck on their regular season tonight… what? yep, that’s right it’s hockey season already. Perhaps a bit sooner than normal, gotta find a way to squeeze some extra games in with the Olympics this year, but alas the zambonis are movin’, sticks are taped, and clean sheets of ice await 30 teams across North America. It’s hockey season!

Let’s get right to it, lots of new faces in new places, but the real story here is division realignment. Detroit’s no longer in the West, Columbus too, and somehow Boston and Montreal find themselves new local rivals in… FLORIDA? yes, it will take some getting used to, but new rivalries will take shape, and we’ll all get used to Washington and Carolina being in the same division as the Atlantic teams from PA, NY and NJ. Enough already, let’s jump into some pre-season picks:

METROPOLITAN
1. Penguins*
2. Rangers*
3. Capitals*
4. Devils*
5. Flyers*
6. Islanders
7. Blue Jackets
8. Hurricanes
* indicates playoff team
This division combines some intrastate rivalries with some new blood. The Ovechkin v Crosby thing will get new life, but my sense is that the newcomers will be a bit surprised at how competitive things are in this division. Teams like Pittsburgh, New York and Philly are all used to grinding out games late in the season against division rivals. The Caps have simply coasted through the Southeast in recent years. Perhaps Adam Oates and pick up where he left off and get that offense back to prominence.

ATLANTIC
1. Canadiens*
2. Bruins*
3. Senators*
4. Red Wings
5. Maple Leafs
6. Lightning
7. Sabres
8. Panthers
Yes it seems like a mish-mosh of teams but the original 5 from the Northeast simply get an O-6 team in Detroit, plus two from the Southleast. The Tim Thomas tending the net across the team he won a Cup with is the most tantalizing storyline for me, but Alfredsson v Ottawa is another juicy one. This looks like it could be a really physical division night in and night out.

CENTRAL
1. Blackhawks*
2. Blues*
3. Predators*
4. Stars*
5. Wild
6. Jets
7. Avalanche
This seems like an easy division to call, but after the Hawks, we don’t really know what to expect from a lot of these teams. Many pundits are high on St. Louis, but they also were last year and that season saw more than a few highs and lows. Nashville and Dallas look like revamped clubs to me. Deeper lines make for better hockey teams and I think both are ready to compete in 2013-14.

PACIFIC
1. Kings*
2. Ducks*
3. Sharks*
4. Canucks*
5. Oilers
6. Coyotes
7. Flames
This could be the most difficult division in hockey to predict. The Kings and Ducks SHOULD be good, and the Sharks are a sleeper pick for many (as always), but in the end there are so many question marks surrounding Vancouver, Edmonton, and the rest of the bunch.

After that we come to the post-season. In the East, the Penguins are a popular pick to make is back to the conference finals, while the Capitals would be a team I think could get over the hump this year. While the Hawks are a really solid team, it’s just going to be really hard for these guys to do it again. This time around I like the Sharks defeating the rival Kings in the Western Finals. I really think Pittsburgh will be punching through teams to battle to the Cup this year especially after the embarrassment of getting swept in the Conference Finals last season, so I’ll take the Pens over the Sharks in the Cup Finals

Finally, instead of making boring prognostications like “Stamkos will win the Rocket Richard” or “Jose Theodore will win the Vezina” (it happened folks), I am going to do something a little different this year:

10 BOLD PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2013-14 NHL SEASON
– No Penguin player will lead the NHL in scoring
– Brad Richards finds new life on the wing and returns to scoring ways
– Martin Brodeur retires at the season’s end
– Blues go into the season as a potential Cup contender, but lose in the 1st round of the playoffs
– The Sharks squeeze into the playoffs, and then make a deep run
– Alex Ovechkin makes another run at 60 goals (with more than half coming on the PP)
– Maple Leafs start a new streak of season’s without a playoff appearance
– Marc Andre Fleury leads the league in wins
– Luongo will be in Vezina talk at season’s end
– Peter Laviolette is the first NHL coach fired, but the Flyers still make the playoffs

1 NOT SO BOLD PREDICTION
– The NHL has ice problems at the outdoor game between the Ducks and Kings

Well, that about wraps it up folks. I hope everyone enjoys the season, and that the Olympics are a welcome addition to the hockey calendar as always.

Time to Play a Little NFL Over/Under

So each year I’m looking for different stuff to bet on. A few years back, one of my friends convinced me to bet the coin toss at the Super Bowl, while we got a little carried away, Heads prevailed but I still felt silly for gambling on such a meaningless thing. So let’s look at something more meaningful… Team wins and losses! Below I’ve listed Vegas’ lines for total team wins applicable to the 2013 Regular Season. Here goes nothing:

Arizona Cardinals – Over 5½
While Carson Palmer isn’t striking fear into the hearts of many opponents, the Cards’ defense is good

Atlanta Falcons – Under 10
I’m going out on a limb here, but the Falcons looked shaky in the pre-season and play a tough schedule

Baltimore Ravens – Under 8½
Super Bowl hangover, not to mention all the weapons they lost

Buffalo Bills – Under 6½ 
EJ Manuel could be the next rookie sensation, but he’s already banged up

Carolina Panthers – Under 7
I have a feeling this is the year it all blows up for Cam Newton.

Chicago Bears – Under 8½
Speaking of it all blowing up, how long is Cutler going to last with that O-line?

Cincinnati Bengals – Over 8½
This would be my lock of the century, Cinnci could be playing for a first round bye this year

Cleveland Browns – Under 6
While 6 is a reasonable expectation, they still have to play the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals for 6 games

Dallas Cowboys – Over 8½
This is my sleeper team of the year. Revamped defense and a Romo looking to disprove the nay-sayers

Denver Broncos – Under 11½
13 wins was impressive last term, tougher schedule this year, but 11 wins still wins the division with ease

Detroit Lions – Over 8
The addition of Reggie Bush was clutch, remove some bad breaks last year and this is a playoff team

Green Bay Packers – Under 10½
10 wins is likely, great offense but injuries and a questionable Defense keep them from a better record

Houston Texans – Under 10½
Texans have some really great players but I’m concerned about Arian Foster’s health, and he’s their bread & butter

Indianapolis Colts – Over 8½
Some people are sleeping on this team, I wouldn’t, not with Luck on their side (sorry bad pun, apologies)

Jacksonville Jaguars – Under 5
Will struggle to get to 3 wins,even with a healthy MJD

Kansas City Chiefs – Over 7½
My sleeper pick in the AFC. There’s a ton of question marks here but the combo of Andy Reid and Alex Smith could surprise some people

Miami Dolphins – Push 8
I’m not as keen as some others, Tannehill is too inconsistent, they’re the second best team in the AFC East though.

Minnesota Vikings – Under 7½
Last year was a fluke, plain and simple. Teams that limit Peterson even just a little will confound the Vikes’ offense

New England Patriots – Over 11
Brady will be Brady, no matter who he’s throwing to.

New Orleans Saints – Over 9
Sean Payton and co. will be back for revenge, Expect the Saints to contend for a division title

New York Giants – Under 9
Injuries already a concern, and Eli was less than effective late in the year last season.

New York Jets – Under 6½
This could be the worst team in football. I’ll refrain from commenting on the stories already beaten to death

Oakland Raiders – Under 5½
Rebuilding years rarely produce more than 5 wins. Terrel Pryor is not the answer

Philadelphia Eagles – Over 7½
I think Chip Kelly could catch some teams off guard and rattle off a few early season victories

Pittsburgh Steelers – Under 9
This looks to be the poorest Steelers team in recent memory. Coaching staff will face major questions throughout the season

San Diego Chargers – Under 7½
A confusing team to peg down, but with an increasingly shaky Rivers at the helm it’s more likely to go south.

San Francisco 49ers – Under 11
I think 11 wins sounds just about right, but also think Kaepernick could face a few growing pains along the way

Seattle Seahawks – Over 10½
While I think Seattle is being a bit over-hyped, I still like them to finish the year with a solid record. Can almost bank on 8 home wins off the bat

St. Louis Rams – Under 7½
While I really like the Rams’ chances of being a sleeper team, there are just too many areas of weakness on offense. This could also be the most competitive NFL division

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Under 7½
I think Freeman loses his job at some point this year. Revis can only guard one guy at a time on defense

Tennessee Titans – Under 6½
Jake Locker looked like a QB with potential a few years back, now I can only envision him holding  a clipboard

Washington Redskins – Under 8½
I can see this team winning 10 games this year, but in their division and with the health of RGIII in question odds favor a slight drop, 8-8 is more realistic

BONUS
The week 1 match-up between the Falcons and Saints looks to be a shootout, take the over (54 pts)
So that’s that. We’ll check back at season’s end to see how we did.

2013/14 Premier League Kits – the Best and the Worst

Best

#5 WEST BROM – BOTH: Adidas didn’t do too much to mess this one up. Colors on both strips look nice, and the finished product pops on both (unlike Stoke’s offense)

#4- CRYSTAL PALACE – BOTH: Fans are happy about the return of the two-toned half and half look, while the sash on the away strip is equally popular

#3- CHELSEA – HOME: while other top clubs like Man United and Arsenal have had some very lackluster kit variations in recent years, Chelsea has retained a classy yet modern look year after year

#2- MAN CITY – AWAY: while Nike has muddled with overly simple (bland) designs as of late, this one is a stylish yet imposing look.

#1- ARSENAL – AWAY: I’m not an Arsenal fan, and often don’t like their kits, especially since moving to Nike, but this one is what Gunners fans have been waiting for. An ode to the days of glory, with an overall sharp presentation featuring the old-school alternate color scheme.

 

WORST

#5- ASTON VILLA – AWAY: while some like the look, most people are not fans. Luckily, not the worst geometric second kit on the list…

#4 CARDIFF- HOME: this misstep is all in the non-matching shorts. Management finally caved and moved to black shorts after this ruby-red with brick-red turned into a minor uprising.

#3 HULL CITY- AWAY: Yep, this is Hull City, the Tigers famously wearing their black and oran…. wait, huh?

#2 SWANSEA – AWAY: After such a success with both home and away kits last year, they pulled a near 180 for 2013/14. Home strip isn’t terrible, but many people are questioning their thinking with the gold and purple change kit.

#1 LIVERPOOL – BOTH ALTERNATES : the Reds’ second kit was instantly panned, especially after Jose Enrique’s less than excited pose with the new design…

their third kit maybe isn’t as bad because it doesn’t look like the players are in need of a Rolaids or Pepcid. Regardless, this kit looks like the Villa kit (see #5) and went all Picasso on it.

April… Opening Day Highlights an Underrated Sports Month

Every year, February rolls around and the sports world lets out a big collective sigh. The NFL season wraps up, the NHL and NBA are both still a month away from the stretch run, not much to talk about in the way of golf, tennis, etc. But then March rolls around… College Basketball kicks into high gear, playoff hunts start to tighten up in basketball and hockey, and most importantly, Spring Training arrives. As long as the baseball season might be, the off-season absence of America’s pastime seems even longer. Hot-stove chatter and free agency is enjoyable, but nothing beats the ability to go out and watch a game, and breathe in the sport so many of us love… baseball.

For millions of people across our fair nation, baseball is the end-all-be-all of sports. While the NFL grabs the highest TV ratings, snags the big sponsorships, and rakes in the most money, there’s still something about our beloved baseball that Roger Goodell and company can’t touch. Nostalgic, historic, poetic and timeless… words that are deeply ensconced in the game. As a kid, baseball signified not only that spring was here, but also that summer was just around the corner. Baseball is also a game in which things like father-son relationships are built on (in America at least). I’d be willing to bet my next paycheck that if you asked 100 random men on the street, more than 75 have been to a baseball game with either their dad, their son, or both. Baseball has survived multiple wars; World War 1 & 2, the War on Terror, and the war on steroids. In the end, Baseball stands the test of time. Where else would you rather be on a warm April afternoon than in a foldout seat at your local ballpark with a hot dog in one hand, a cold beverage in the other, and a bag of peanuts/crackerjacks on deck?

These are just some of the reasons why the arrival of April signifies so much… not only will the weather be warming up, so will sports. The NCAA Final Four wraps up, the Masters takes place, and both NBA & NHL teams will push for the playoffs.

To me, Opening Day is not only the start of it all, but also the icing on the cake. It’s day that signifies so much, including the hope that this could be the year… you know what I’m talking about Red Sox fans… Play ball!

Read more on Whitsport’s take on what to expect for the upcoming 2013 MLB Season

Premier League Outlook: Final Third

OFFICIAL 2/3rd PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

Now that the Premier League season is about 2/3rds of the way through, the picture is beginning to clear up. Upon the season’s kickoff, most pundits figured it would be a Manchester battle for the title, and that’s exactly where we stand again today. Man City, the defending champions, have enjoyed a spell of successful football in December and January, but still trail the pace-setters Man United by 7 points. While the January transfer window comes to a close, there are only a few moves that will drastically shape the final layout of the league table. So we can really begin to assess what each team can do in their last 14 games

At this point in the season, clubs have different goals: to win the Premier League, qualify for a European spot, make the top half of the table, or to just stay afloat. Each result is crucial, and to some, holding on for draws is good enough, while for others, it could be the different between holding a trophy and coming home empty handed. Here’s how I see things playing out the rest of the way.

Prediction: Final Standings

Place	Club	Points
1	Manchester United	88
2	Manchester City	83
3	Tottenham	67
4	Chelsea	66
5	Everton	62
6	Arsenal	57
7	Liverpool	56
8	Sunderland	52
9	Swansea	51
10	Stoke City	45
11	West Brom	43
12	West Ham	42
13	Fulham	41
14	Norwich	38
15	Newcastle	36
16	Southampton	33
17	Reading	32
18	Aston Villa	30
19	Wigan	29
20	QPR	24

Quick Assessment:

Top 4: Man United have been improving defensively since Nemanja Vidic’s return, which could be the thing that gets them over the mountain. City’s recent form (5 straight victories) has them keeping pace with their cross-town rivals, and could really put pressure on the Red Devils with continued success leading up to the Manchester derby on April 6. Tottenham Hotspur started the season a bit slow, but AVB now has them hitting their stride. With Chelsea seemingly unable to make their minds up about who they can beat on a given day, Spurs could surprise a few people and pip Chelsea for the 3rd automatic Champions League spot.

Europa League: Everton should be hailed for a marvelous performance; to make the top 4 would be a dream, but even a top 5 finish is impressive for David Moyes. I just don’t see Arsenal clawing back up into the top 4 this season, they’re W1-D2-L4 against teams ahead of them in the table this season and aren’t picking up points with enough consistency. Liverpool should consider things a success as well. Although Brendon Rodgers has had a tumultuous first year at Anfield, their offensive performances are improving, and Luis Suarez has enjoyed his best PL campaign to date.

Mid-Table: Swansea have had a magical run, and deserve praise for what will likely be a top half finish. Perhaps even more praise could go to Martin O’Neill who may be in the process of saving his job and his club. Sunderland was just 2 points above the drop zone last month, but the crafty gaffer has finally turned the tides. West Brom spent a good portion of the year in the top 4, but are now sinking fast. They’re likely safe from the drop though. Stoke City’s once heralded defense has been leaking like a sieve. Can Tony Pulis get them back to their stingy ways?

Relegation Zone: Aston Villa are sitting in the drop zone for the first time this season, but it’s fitting considering they boast the worst Goal Differential in the League. I’m amazed this hasn’t yet cost Paul Lambert his job. My pick for drop zone survivalists is Reading. They’ve lost just one of their last 6 matches, and seem to be repeating their late season run of good form. Wigan and QPR, to me, are both finished, as they continually get outplayed by teams in similar positions, and haven’t shown much grit in the last month or two. Newcastle and Southampton both look to have enough quality to stay afloat.

Redknapp signed on for the impossible job. As you can tell… he’s super excited