Lions Pick Nick Farley

The Detroit Lions, with the 13th pick in the first round of the NFL draft, picked Nick Farley, a DT from Auburn. That is about all I know about him.

Second-Round Picks-A Lot Of 6's

WESTERN CONFERENCE

NASHVILLE-VANCOUVER-These teams split the season series. It could go either way. BUT, if Vancouver does not win it all this year, they probably never will
CANUCKS IN SIX.

DETROIT-SAN JOSE-The Sharks dominated the season series. They should win it. BUT, they won't. The Wings are getting healthy at the right time
WINGS IN SIX.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TAMPA BAY-WASHINGTON-The Lightning came back from 3-1 down to upset the Penguins. The Caps are the better team, and will eliminate Stevie Y's boys.
CAPS IN SIX

BOSTON-PHILADELPHIA-Talk about going from the frying pan into the fire-The B's just beat their #1 rival, and now they have to play their #2. BUT, they have a huge desire for revenge after blowing a 3-0 lead last year, and this year they will get it.
BRUINS IN SIX.

I went 4-4 in the first round. In the past, that usually has been a good sign for the remainder of the playoffs. We'll see what happens now.

What A Night Of TV It Will Be!

Tonight will be quite a night of TV! A little something for everybody! ABC has the Dancing With The Stars results show, NBC has the premiere of The Voice, and VERSUS has, not one, but TWO game sevens back-to-back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. For those of us in border cities like Detroit, Buffalo, and many Canadian cities, the CBC is carrying Game Six of the Canadiens-Bruins series, AND, I'm sure somebody has some Royal Wedding preview show for those who are so inclined. So, there is something for everybody, Should be a good night in front of the tube.

60 Years Ago

60 years ago tonight, Bill Barilko skated into history. Four months later, he WAS history. The Leafs were leading the finals 3-1, and all games had gone into overtime, with the score still tied 2-2, "Bashin' Bill", who was one of the first players to use the slapshot, hurled himself at the puck, and fired a wild shot which beat Gerry McNeil in the Montreal cage to give the Leafs the cup. Four months later, Barilko wanted to fly with a friend Dr. Henry Hudson on a fishing trip, and he argued with his mother, who lost her husband on a Friday, and wanted him not to go for a day. He went anyway, and it could be argued that Mama knew best, as Barilko and Hudson's plane crashed, killing both of them instantly, but the two of them were not found for 11 years, during which time the Leafs did not win the cup, Barilko's plane was found about a month after the Leafs won the 1962 Cup.


THE WINGS DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO, and that was stay out of the box. After the first three games, it was obvious the Phoenix Coyotes could not compete with the Wings 5 on 5, so when the Wings stayed out of the box, the series was over, and with it quite possibly the 'Yotes' time in Phoenix.

Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth II, Iggy Pop both on April 21st,, and Jack Nicholson, Peter Frampton and...theicedog! all on April 22nd.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldQIgTEq6oY&feature=autoplay&list=PLB3B9473363BA35B4&index=4&playnext=2

My Favorite Time Of Year

It is spring...My Birthday, the weather gets better...and the playoffs are on! Not only good hockey, but great hockey, every night. The playoffs are my absolute, favorite time of year. It is the time of year that I think about hockey, and nothing but hockey. It consumes my waking moments for two months, and it is the perfect showcase of athletic competition. Further, there is the Stanley Cup itself. No sports trophy is as instantly recognizable. I have said for years, that, IF you put the Stanley Cup, Vince Lombardi trophy, Larry O' Brien trophy, and the Commissioner's trophy on display in a shopping mall in a non-hockeyown like Birmingham, Alabama, the Stanley Cup will stil be the most recognized trophy of all of them.

What follows are my first-round playoff predictions. Now, understand that the first-round has often proved to be kryptonite to my bracketology, as I seem to improve as the playoffs go on...

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Rangers-Washington-The Rangers won their way in on the last weekend of the season, while the Caps dominated. The fact is...the Caps are simply the better team, and will win in six games.

Buffalo-Philadelphia-I smell an upset coming here. I believe it has everything to do with Ryan Miller, who backstops the Sabres to a seven-game victory.

Montreal-Boston-This is the most contested playoff matchup in history, with over 200 playoff games played. Despite the 7-0 shellacking the Habs took a couple of weeks ago from the Bees, They have matched up well during the season with Boston, and IF Carey Price plays like he did in the regular season, and not the last two playoffs, he could have the Habs primed for s seven-game upset.

Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh-Steve Yzerman's Lightning are the most improved team in the playoffs this year. They are also the weakest defensively(more goals allowed than scored), while the Pens have been winning close games during the abscence of Sidney Crosby. The Pens are better defensively, and will win in seven.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Vancouver-Chicago-The Canucks dominated the league this year, winning the President's Trophy, while becoming the first team since the 1978 Montreal Canadiens to be first in goals scored, and the least goals allowed, while the defending champion Hawks are simply not the same team that won the cup last year. The Hawks may have been the Canucks bugaboo in the past, but no more. Canucks in six.

San Jose-Los Angeles-The Sharks and Kings are meeting in the playoffs for the first time ever. The Sharks are better. 'Nuff said. Sharks in five.

Detroit-Phoenix-The Wings and 'Yotes met last year, and the Wings won in seven. IF Henrik Zetterberg can return for Game Two, the Wings should win in seven again, as he, Jimmy Howard, and Mike Modano could be X-Factors.

Nashville-Anaheim-The Ducks have been the hottest team in the league, with Hart Trophy candidate Corey Perry leading the way. It will be another short spring for the Predators. Ducks in Six.

"IDOL" SHOCKER: PIA GOES HOME!

American Idol had a shocker result tonight, as Pia Toscoro, who was one of the favorites, was eliminated, as a furious crowd was booing after the announcement was made in Los Angeles. Ryan Seacrest said at the beginning of the results show, that there might be a shock result. He was right. Toscoro was joined on stage by Jacob Lusk and Stefano Langone, who was expected to be eliminated, but, alas, Toscoro was the one going home. One can argue that the judges may have made a mistake saving Casey Adams two weeks ago. That move has come back to bite the show in the rear now.

BAD DAY FOR TIGERBLOOD

It was a bad day to have Tigerblood in Detroit, as the Detroit Tigers were bombed by the New York Yankees 10-6, and Charlie Sheen bombed in his "Violent Torpedo Of Truth/Defeat Is Not An Option" tour at the FOX theatre in Detroit. Things were so bad at the Fox that fans booed him off the stage, and people who wasted good money to be there were suggesting that fans in future shows sell their tickets before the reviews(like this one) are released. Further, promises that stars like Snoop Dogg would show up were LIES. In what could have been an omen for Charlie Sheen, the Tigers earlier in the day were bombed by the Yankees, 10-6.