Super Quick NBA Finals Preview

I intended to write a long preview of the NBA Finals before Thursday, but apparently the NBA decided to move the start of the series up to Tuesday without informing me (jerks). So to make a long story short, Miami is going to win this series in 7 games. Dirk still has the tiger blood, but tiger blood can only carry you so far against Lebron and D-Wade.

2011 Stanley Cup Finals Prediction

            Other than the two Penguins-Red Wings series, has there been a more interesting Stanley Cup Finals match-up than this in the last decade? While Vancouver and Boston may lack the star power Detroit and Pittsburgh had, the storylines are still juicy. The Bruins haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1972, and hasn’t even appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals since a 1990 loss to the post Gretzky Edmonton Oilers (one of these days I’m going to do research and figure out how a team could trade the greatest player that ever played the sport and win a championship within two years). Vancouver has never won a Stanley Cup, losing the epic 1994 series against the New York Rangers in their only Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Furthermore, the Canucks are looking to become the first Canadian team to win the Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.

            It’s fair to call Vancouver a “fragile juggernaut”. With the talent they are able to put on the ice, they should blow Boston’s doors off. However, if Boston is able to press the right buttons, they can knock the Canucks off of their game. Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo was so bad at times during the first round series against Chicago that some in the Vancouver media were calling for backup goalie Cory Schneider to play. If the play gets physical, some Vancouver players can lose their focus in an attempt to slam people into the boards (2^nd line center Ryan Kesler, who had the distinction of being the best player on my crummy fantasy hockey team this past year, is a good example of this). Most importantly, don’t underestimate the amount of pressure that will be on this team from the entire country of Canada. Hockey is more important to Canadians than any sport is to Americans by roughly a factor of 12. If the Canucks have issues during the first two games, they could crack under the pressure.

            However, I fully expect the Sedin twins to power Vancouver to victory. Henrik and Daniel have each won scoring titles the last two seasons. You’d be hard pressed to name a set of twins that are better at something than the Sedins are at hockey.

            I’ll be pulling for Boston, but objectively, I’m predicting Vancouver to win in 5.  

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (5/27-5/29)

10. Avril Lavigne Lashes Out At Tampa Bay Ray’s Fans

            Let the record show that this 10 spot on this list was blank until 11:24pm Sunday when I read this story on Yahoo. I hadn’t realized that Avril’s career had gone so far off the tracks that she was performing a concert after a baseball game. 

9. Cleveland Cavaliers Attempting To Acquire 2^nd Overall Pick in NBA Draft

            So let me get this straight…Cleveland fans are supposed to be excited about their favorite basketball team potentially having the top two picks in the draft when this year’s crop of rookies is considered to be the worst in over a decade? Man it sucks cheering for the Cavaliers.

8. Golfer Jordan Spieth Skips High School Graduation to Play PGA Tour Event

            In retrospect, I would’ve gladly skipped my high school graduation ceremony to get in a couple of extra games of “MVP 2004”, so I don’t fault Spieth for missing his to actually do something worthwhile. He pulled within 3 shots of the lead before fading on the back 9.

           

7. Djokovic Wins 43rd Straight Match

            I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m a tennis expert (although I am pretty solid at Wii Tennis), but I do know that winning 43 straight matches is pretty hard to do. If he keeps the streak alive, he’ll more than likely face Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the French Open.

6. David Ortiz Hits Pinch-Hit Home Run To Lift Red Sox Over Tigers

            For all the talk about the 0-6 start, Carl Crawford’s struggles, and Adrian Gonzalez proving his worth, there hasn’t been enough talk about David Ortiz. Big Papi delivered a rare pinch-hit home run off of Tigers closer Jose Valverde to give Boston a 4-3 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader Sunday. After two horrid starts in both 2009 and 2010, Ortiz has hit at a .305 clip (9^th in the AL), a team-leading 11 home runs (5^th in the AL), and is currently 5^th in the American League in OPS. Either Papi is back on the juice, or he’s really happy to have Adrian Gonzalez in the lineup.

5. Barcelona Hammers Manchester United, Wins Champions League Title

            If you want to keep your kid away from football for fear of injury, have him or her watch highlights of Lionel Messi. That should be able to hook them for life.

4. Steven Stamkos Undeterred By Broken Nose

            Hockey players come back from stuff like this all the time, but it never ceases to amaze me. The last thing I would do after taking a frozen rubber brick to the sniffer was return to the very same activity that resulted in the injury 15 minutes later.  

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Runs Out of Gas on Last Lap

            After the craziness that happened in the Indy 500 earlier in the day, about the only thing that could’ve knocked the 500 off the front page would’ve been a win by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Coca-Cola 600. Amazingly, he came within about a 500 feet of pulling it off. Kevin Harvick was again the beneficiary of Junior’s misfortune (like Martinsville earlier this year).

2. Boston Bruins Advance to Stanley Cup Finals

            I’m not going to write too much here due to the fact that my Stanley Cup Finals preview will be up within 36 hours from now.

1. JR Hildebrand Chokes, Gives Dan Wheldon Indianapolis 500 Victory

            Hildebrand could go on to win three 500’s during his career, but he’ll more than likely never forget the mistake he made on the final corner of the last lap.

5 Hitters to Trade For and Trade Away in Fantasy Baseball

The title of this article is pretty self-explanatory. I'm going to give you five hitters who have scuffled out of the gate that you should try to acquire via trade, and then five over achiever's you should try to sell high.

5 YOU SHOULD TRY TO GET

1. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins - He probably went no later than 4th in your league this year, but so far has only delivered a .215 batting average. This is a case of a guy who is way to talented to struggle for an entire season like this. Now that Florida has him hitting 1st or 2nd everyday as opposed to 3rd, expect a steady increase in the stolen base department.

2. Carl Crawford, OF, Boston Red Sox - His spot on this list would've looked a lot smarter if he hadn't of just gone 4-4 today with a homerun. My case for Crawford is similar to Hanley's (he's too good to be this bad all year), but Crawford does have added risk. He's admittedly been pressing at the plate since his arrival in Boston, and also appears to have struggled with the unseasonably cold New England weather. I wouldn't trade Jose Bautista for him or anything, but if you can flip a starting pitcher for him, by all means take the chance.

3. Nelson Cruz, OF, Texas Rangers - As I documented during my preseason fantasy baseball mockdraft, I have a man crush on Cruz. I've traded for him each of the past two years. He has prodiguous power, but always seems to find his way onto the disabled list with a hamstring or quad injury. He just returned Monday from another of his famed DL stints, and promptly mashed a home run in his first game back. Perhaps you can play the health risk angle with a fellow owner to nab Cruz at a discount price.

4. Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees - This listing comes with some specific instructions, so please read carefully. At this point in his career, Jeter is not going to singlehandedly carry your fantasy team. However, if you're desperate for a shortstop, you could do worse than a guy who Joe Girardi will stubbornly plug in the 1 or 2 hole everyday. Even if Jeter finishes the year with a .255 batting average, he'll still score around 100 runs. See if you can trade a backup outfielder or a mid-level starting pitcher for him.

5. Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Chicago Cubs - Baseball is known for producing statistical oddities, but none are stranger than what Aramis Ramirez has put together so far this season. A perrenial 30-homer guy for most of the '00s, Ramirez has only hit one home run all season, despite the fact that he's hitting .295. However, he has smacked 12 doubles so far, which puts him on pace for about 40. Expect a few of those doubles to morph into home runs the rest of the way, giving Ramirez a shot to finish the year close to 20.

5 YOU SHOULD SELL HIGH BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE READS THIS COLUMN

1. Matt Joyce, OF, Tampa Bay Rays - Joyce is a nice player, but you should not expect him to maintain batting average above .360. There's plenty of depth in the outfield, so see if you can sucker some owner into sending you some help in the infield.

2. Howie Kendrick, 1B-2B, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - I've owned Kendrick a couple of times over the past five years. I'm going to tell you one thing he'll consistently do...pull a hamstring. He's missed the past five games with a hamstring injury, but apparently will avoid a trip to the DL. If he hits well for a week after he returns, try to ship him out before he pulls his groin again.

3. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates - McCutchen is a talented dude, but doesn't have enough of a supporting cast (besides No Credentials favorite Neil Walker) to deliver his full potential value. I don't think I would move him in a keeper league, but if you are in a re-draft group, see what you can get for him.

4. David Ortiz, 1B, Boston Red Sox - I think Ortiz actually is legitimate this year (a better supporting cast has helped him more than anyone else on the Red Sox), but for those of you in a league that is heavy with Red Sox fans, test the waters to find out what you can get back. You probably didn't draft him as your starting first baseman, so you should have the flexibility to move him.

5. Starlin Castro, SS, Chicago Cubs - This again applies to re-draft fantasy teams. Castro so far has delivered an elite batting average, but not much else to go with it (just one homer and only four stolen bases so far). Unless the rest of your squad is full of Adam Dunns, try to parlay his elite batting average into better counting stats.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (5/20-5/22)

10. The World Didn’t End

            As most of you should know by now, we are still here. Whatever you do, don’t trust an 89-year-old man named Harold.

9. Carl Edwards Wins Sprint Cup All-Star Race

            Edwards was easily the class of the field, which made this year’s All-Star Race less exciting than usual. Nevertheless, let me make for why the NASCAR All-Star Race is the best all-star event in sports.

            It’s pretty simple really…the winner gets $1 million. NASCAR doesn’t play around with the whole “celebration of the sport” gimmick. It’s all about the cash. Would you like to see an NBA All-Star Game where players actually play a little defense? Throw up a $1 million reward to be divided up among the winning team, and you would have yourself the most hotly contested basketball game in the history of man. Baseball should take a page out of the NASCAR book too. You will never convince me that an outfielder from the Pirates would give a crap whether or not the National League is going to win home-field advantage or not.

            Let’s watch a couple of videos for comparison’s sake. Here is the final play of the 2011 Pro Bowl.

            Now watch the final lap of the 1992 Winston as Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Petty, and Davey Allison duel for the win.

            Allison was knocked unconscious in this crash and ended up getting hauled off to the hospital. The car was hauled to victory lane on a flatbed. I rest my case.

8. Former Teammates Roll Lance Armstrong Under the Bus

            I’m not sure what Lance did to piss people off, but he’s getting attacked from all sides. My question for you is, does it matter if he took steroids or not?

            Regardless of whether or not Armstrong was doping, he still managed to win seven straight Tour De France races after almost dying from cancer. More important to me, the majority of cyclists in the field were also doping. Ultimately, cycling has been proven to be a dirty sport in general. That doesn’t make Lance Armstrong any worse than anyone else.

7. Jose Bautista Hits Two More Homers Saturday

            Amazingly, in the post-steroids era, Jose Bautista finds himself on a 72 homer pace through 40 games. After the #8 item on this list, is it wrong for me to suggest that we ask Bautista to pee in a cup everyday for the rest of the year?

6. Canucks Take 3-1 Lead Over San Jose

            After a spirited effort in Game 3, the Canucks blew San Jose out of the water after three straight power play goals in the 2^nd period of Game 4. Giving the Sedin twins a man-advantage is not a recipe for success.

5. Animal Kingdom Fails to Win 2^nd Leg of Triple Crown

            And by doing so, he guarantees that No Credentials will not mention horse racing until April of 2012.

4. Chicago Cubs Play at Fenway Park For First Time Since 1918

            Now that the Cubs have played at Fenway, I vote for killing inter-league baseball for good. Until both league’s adopt the same stance on whether to have a DH or not, it makes no sense for a meeting between the AL and NL before the World Series.

3. Down 3-0, Lightning Storm Back Against Bruins to Even Series

            Boston needs to show some serious mental fortitude after getting a little too content and blowing Game 4. Tampa Bay has too much firepower to step off the accelerator.

2. Mavericks Take Game 3 in Oklahoma City

            For a while last night I thought was watching Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. After two offensive showcases, defense finally showed up. The Thunder did a great job on Dirk Nowitzki until the 4^th quarter. Oklahoma City needs to bring the same defensive intensity for the rest of the series. They won’t shoot 1 for 17 from three-point range again. I like the Thunder to win Game 4.

1. Heat Defend Home Court, Take 2-1 Series Lead Over Chicago

            Chris Bosh showed up in a big way with 34 points in this game. Chicago needs to reestablish their dominance in the paint to get back into the series.

Quarter Pole Keeper League Team Review

            We’ve just crossed the quarter pole of the fantasy baseball season. At this point you should be starting to get a good feel for what your team needs to compete for a championship in your league. Or, if you’re in a keeper league, you might be realizing that it’s already time to start planning for 2012 and beyond.

            In this column, I’ll review the 35 players that are on my keeper league team (you can review the draft review for the league here, if you’re struggling to fill a day that was never supposed to happen because the world was supposed to end yesterday). I’ve got five players on the disabled list right now, which gives me an extra five guys to rank. The exercise here is very simple. I’m going to rank 1-35 the order I would consider keeping a player for next season. This is the first season of the No Credentials Baseball keeper league. We are only allowed to keep five players after this first season, then 10 after 2012, and 15 for every year after that. The price for a keeping a player would be losing the draft pick that they were selected for the previous season (for example, I took Marlins outfielder Mike Stanton in the 8^th round. If I keep him for 2012, he would cost me an 8^th round pick in next years draft). The top five would be the guys I would keep if I needed to decide today.

            Before I begin, I’ll give a quick overview of my team. So far, my team is off to a 44-15-1 start (I’m leading 7-2 as of right now going into the final day of week 7), which gives me a 9.5 game lead on the second place team. There’s been a little smoke in mirrors involved, as a few of the weeks I was lucky to face a team that struggled to bat .230 for a full week. Pitching has been a strength, with late round picks Michael Pineda and James Shields providing a huge boost. I also had the foresight to load up on a bunch of minor league prospects. Eric Hosmer has already arrived and made an impact at the major league level. I should have the flexibility to consider trading virtually any player on my roster (for the right price).

            Without further ado, here’s how I’m currently ranking my team.

           

35. Brandon McCarthy, OAK, SP (30^th)

34. Maicer Izturis, LAA, 2B-3B-SS (30^th)

33. James McDonald, PIT, SP (30^th)

            All three of these guys are waiver wire plug-ins that have no chance of being kept on my team for the 2012 season.

32. Chris Perez, CLE, RP (14^th)

           

            As predicted before the season by No Credentials, Perez has been a solid source of cheap saves. He’s gotten a nice bump in the saves department thanks to Cleveland’s surprising start.

31. Ted Lilly, LAD, SP (18^th)

            Lilly has been pretty miserable so far this season. His strikeout rate is down (only 39 in 57 innings), and he’s looked very hittable. Other than Matt Thornton (who barely made it two weeks on my roster), Lilly has been my worst draft pick so far.

30. Pedro Alvarez, PIT, 3B (30^th)

            After being picked in the 12^th round, Alvarez found himself on the league’s waiver wire for the past two weeks. I scooped him up with the intentions of stashing him on my bench to see if he can turn it around. The news that he hit the DL today is a bit discouraging, but a rehab assignment in the minors might not be the worst thing for him. If he does, I’ll be able to shop a 24-year old 3^rd baseman that would only carry a 30^th round price tag for someone who might want to keep him.

29. Kyle Farnsworth, TB, RP (30^th)

            It’s fitting that the Tampa Bay Rays figured out how to make Farnsworth a usable closer. It must have something to do with Joe Maddon’s glasses.

28. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN, 2B-SS (24^th)

            It’s hard to gauge what the newest Japanese import can bring to the table after Nick Swisher broke his fibula sliding into 2^nd base. He’s on track to be back in the Twins lineup within a month.

27. Brian Matusz, BAL, SP (16^th)

            A long DL stint has kept Matusz off of both of my team’s since the start of the season. He’s expected to make one or two more rehab starts before potentially rejoining the Baltimore rotation. If he finishes strong, it’s not out of the question that he could make a late push to be kept for next season.

26. Carlos Marmol, CHC, RP (7^th)

            Marmol has been awesome so far, delivering 27 strikeouts in 20 innings along with a 1.35 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. I’d have him ranked higher if I were able to keep 15 players for next season, but can’t justify using one of my five spots on a closer that was drafted in the 7^th round.

25. Derek Holland, TEX, SP (26^th)

            Holland struggled in April, but has rebounded to post a 3.38 ERA so far in May. The only issue left for him is the lack of run support he has been receiving. Eventually, he should develop into a solid 2^nd or 3^rd starter.

24. Adam Lind, TOR, 1B-OF (19^th)

            Even despite a back injury that has landed him on the DL since May 7^th, Lind is still enjoying a solid bounce back season. At age 27, he’s young enough that someone could potentially consider keeping him for the price of a 2012 19^th round pick.

23. Jordan Walden, LAA, RP (30^th)

            I scooped Walden off of waivers after Fernando Rodney finally was stripped of closing duties for the Angels. It’s been bumpy at times, but I won’t complain about 21 strikeouts in 19 innings and seven saves coming from the waiver wire.

22. Jordan Zimmerman, WAS, SP (22^nd)

            Zimmerman has been decent in his first full season after returning from Tommy John surgery. He doesn’t look like he will jump to a level where I would consider keeping him, but he should be a solid option to fill out my rotation for the year. The only concern for me going forward with him is if the Nationals decide to shut him down come September to limit his innings.

21. Dustin Ackley, SEA, OF (23^rd)

            As written here by ESPN’s David Schoenfield, Ackley should be called up from Triple-A within a week or two. He will man 2^nd Base, and has the potential to make a Dustin Pedroia like impact. If he delivers a batting average over .300 in the majors, he will be much higher on this list when I re-rank my roster in August.

20. Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 3B (3^rd)

            When I first owned Zimmerman on a fantasy team back in 2008 he was hurt for half the season, so it’s fitting that by the time he returns in June he will have already missed six weeks in 2011. Hopefully he’s healthy when I need him in September (which is really, all that matters in a head to head fantasy league, assuming your team is slated to make the playoffs). He could still impress enough that either I may consider keeping him for 2012 or find another owner that would like to acquire him for the fantasy playoff run.

19. Jose Tabata, PIT, OF (15^th)

            Tabata was on a tear to start the year before falling into a deep funk that has dropped his average to .235 (as of today). I expect his average to settle somewhere in the .265-.270 range by seasons end. He only turns 23 this August, so he is also a trade chip that can be used.

18. Lance Berkman, STL, 1B-OF (30^th)

            Berkman’s performance so far this year makes you either think that A) maybe he got some “training” tips from Lance Armstrong, or B) it’s a lot easier to hit in a lineup that has Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday as opposed to a lineup that features a very overweight Carlos Lee. I picked Berkman up off of waivers about three weeks ago (which seems ridiculous, but this is a keeper league, so a 35-year old player isn’t that attractive to most owners), and have been enjoying the ride ever since. If he keeps this up all year (which I doubt he will), I’d have to seriously consider keeping him at the cost of a 30^th round pick next season.

17. B.J. Upton, TB, OF (9^th)

            Upton has been solid this year, and has a chance to deliver both 30 homers and 30 steals. His low batting average is the reason he’s ranked so low on this list.

16. Colby Rasmus, STL, OF (12^th)

            Rasmus hasn’t been hitting for a ton of power, but he’s been getting on base and scoring a ton of runs out of the second spot in the Cardinals lineup. The power should show up at some point, resulting in somewhere between 20-25 dingers by season’s end.

15. Desmond Jennings, TB, OF (30^th)

            Jennings is a Carl Crawford clone (not the Crawford that has played for the Red Sox so far, but the one that was awesome in Tampa Bay for several years) that will be called up from Triple-A sometime during the month of June. I picked him up on waivers very early in the season, which means he’s another prospect that I could keep for a 30^th round price tag.

14. Brett Anderson, OAK, SP (11^th)

13. Gio Gonzalez, OAK, SP (13^th)

            These are two solid young pitchers that have a very pitcher-friendly home ballpark. If Oakland could ever put some semblance of an offense together, these two guys could easily put together multiple 20-win seasons.

12. Brandon Phillips, CIN 2B (5^th)

            Phillips is well on his way to delivering 20 homers, over 100 RBIs, and over 100 runs scored for both of my fantasy teams. If Dustin Ackley produces once he is called up to the majors, I will have the option of moving either one for starting pitching or a stud third baseman.

11. Jesus Montero, NYY, C (30^th)

            The only thing keeping Montero in Triple-A right now is his inability to play defense, which is an issue when you’re a catcher. New York should seriously consider bringing him up as their full-time DH. He should be in the majors sometime by August 1^st, whether he is playing for the Yankees or another major league team.

10. Matt Wieters, BAL, C (10^th)

            Wieters has begun to show signs of reaching his potential over the past month. However, his place on this list could plummet if Jesus Montero arrives on a major league roster and performs. Even if Wieters were to do well, a productive Montero is a much more attractive option to keep for 2012 at the price of a 30^th round pick.

9. Cole Hamels, PHI, SP (4^th)

            Other than an abysmal first start of the year, Hamels has been awesome this season. The only reason he’s this low on my list is A) I have other talented players, and B) I’m not too keen about keeping a pitcher at the price of a 4^th round pick.

8. Mike Moustakas, KC, 3B (21^st)

            Moustakas struggled to start the year (which is the reason Eric Hosmer got called up to the Royals first), but he’s raised his batting average 25 points in the last two weeks. He’ll be joining Hosmer in Kansas City within the next month.

7. Tommy Hanson, ATL, SP (6^th)

            The two round discount makes Hanson a much more likely candidate to be kept than Hamels. Hanson will anchor the Braves rotation for years to come (barring injury).

6. James Shields, TB, SP (25^th)

            I thought Shields would be a great bargain buy going into the year, but never expected him to post 2.26 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in the first quarter of the season. He’s forced himself into the discussion as a possible candidate to be kept for a second season.

5. Prince Fielder, MIL, 1B (2^nd)

            Fielder would be the clear #1 if not for a player I added on waivers that we will get to later. He’s off to a great start so far in his contract year. He should expect a big payday from whichever team misses out on the Albert Pujols sweepstakes.

4. Hanley Ramirez, FLA, SS (1^st)

            Even despite Ramirez’s awful start, he would half to fall off the face of the Earth in order to be left off of my 2012 roster. He’s too talented at a position where there are not a lot of quality offensive options. He’s started to heat up during the past week (.292 batting average, pair of homers and a steal), and I’m expecting him to finish with a batting average around .280 by years end.

3. Mike Stanton, FLA, OF (8^th)

            Stanton has been the National League version of Adrian Gonzalez so far this month, smacking 8 home runs. The scariest thing about Stanton is that he doesn’t turn 22 until November.

2. Michael Pineda, SEA, SP (20^th)

            Pineda looks like a cyborg that was built for the sole purpose of throwing 97 mph fastballs for strikes. Throw in his very spacious home ball park, and you have yourself a pitcher who has a chance to be a top-5 fantasy starter for the next decade. In retrospect, it was ridiculous that I was able to nab him in the 20^th round.

1. Eric Hosmer, KC, 1B (30^th)

           

            I grabbed Hosmer off of waivers after reading that he had 1.100+ OPS at Triple-A. He’s delivered a .314 batting average so far in his first 51 at bats with Kansas City. This guy is the real deal. The scariest part of him being on my team is the price I’ll have to pay for him for the next four seasons after this. After the second year, there is a three-round tax for each extra season you keep a player (we are only allowed to have a player for five seasons in this league). Here’s the price I’ll have to pay for Hosmer through 2015.

2012 = 30^th round pick

2013 = 27^th round pick

2014 = 24^th round pick

2015 = 21^st round pick

            In other words, good times are ahead. Hosmer’s emergence gives me tons of flexibility going forward. I have the freedom to shop Prince Fielder for a top flight starting pitcher or 3^rd baseman. I could also move Hosmer for a star player that could help me for the stretch drive.            

Randomly Awesome Video Game Teams

            After mentioning some video game teams in my NHL Eastern Conference Finals preview, that got me thinking about which were the most exciting video game teams of all time. For the purpose of this exercise, I’m going with just the base rosters for each game mentioned (except when I talk about a created player I liked to add to the Boston Bruins). The teams aren’t ranked in order.

            Most of the clubs listed have at least one of two traits. Almost all of them had at least one transcendent talent that could single-handedly win you a game (the 1994 Expos are the only exception). Almost all of these teams were much more potent in the virtual world as opposed to real life (the only exception being the 2006 Colts, which are the only team mentioned on this list that won a championship in real life).

            Feel free to write in the comments section teams that I have left out. I’ve played quite a few sports games over the years, but certainly haven’t played them all. Now on to the list…

 

1988 Los Angeles Raiders (TECMO Bowl) – Bo Jackson was so overwhelming in this game, he was the most dominant force in the game even though there was only one play you could call for him. For video proof, check out this TECMO Bowl highlight where Bo Jackson runs 99 yards and kills the entire 1^st quarter (for those that didn’t play this game, he’s the dude running with the flashing “1” over his head). 

 

1999-2004 Minnesota Vikings (Madden 2000-2005) – There will never be a more dominant video game wide receiver than Randy Moss during this time span (he wasn’t too shabby in real life in this era either. If you forgot, watch this). The Vikings always had plenty of weapons around him that made them much more effective on Playstation than in real life. Robert Smith and Cris Carter were there the first two years, but things went to another level with the arrival of Daunte Culpepper and Michael Bennett. Culpepper was a huge dude with a cannon arm that could also run (in other words, he was the kind of guy you would create to play quarterback), and Bennett was between a 96 and a 98 in speed. Bennett was the classic guy who’s speed made him a much better Madden player than a real life one (former Broncos runningback Tatum Bell was another famous one). Minnesota was a juggernaut for online play.  

2002-03 Boston Bruins (NHL 03) – This Bruins club was based on the season after they earned the top seed in the east, but ended up choking against the Canadians in the first round. Anchored by Joe Thornton, this team had a fleet of goal scorers in Glen Murray, Sergei Samsonov, Brian Rolston, and Mike Knuble. Things were even better offensively when 18-year old super phenom Cam Muir was added to the mix. Muir’s ability to skate in circles around the net almost resulted in my friend Ethan punching my television on several occasions. Muir’s exploits on the ice were almost as prolific as his efforts on the gridiron playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Someday, his multi-sport efforts will be recognized (oh wait, they all happened in video games…nevermind). 

 

1994 Montreal Expos (TECMO Super Baseball) – If the 1994 strike had never happened, there would still be a baseball team in Montreal. They were selling home games out every night while turning every game into a track meet. This was the club that the current day Tampa Bay Rays most closely resemble. In TECMO Super Baseball (the greatest baseball game ever made in my opinion), the Expos have speed to burn. Larry Walker, Moises Alou, and Marquis Grissom formed the fastest outfield in baseball. Even their first baseman, Cliff Floyd, has the speed to steal 25 bases in a season. A very young Pedro Martinez anchored the rotation, and they also had the best bullpen in the game. You don’t mess with the ’94 Expos.

(EDITORS NOTE: I’ve owned TECMO Super Baseball for almost 15 years now. One of my goals in life before I croak is to play every single game of a 162 season for every team. I pick which team to use in a given match-up based on who’s pitching or which team is at home. So far I’ve made it through roughly 18 games for each club. The estimated ETA for finishing this project is 2039. Is this a good time to mention that I was somehow able to produce an offspring?)

2006 Indianapolis Colts (Madden 2007) – This was the first year that Madden introduced the passing cone, where you had to use the right analog to highlight which area of the field you would be able to throw an accurate pass. The size of your cone (or in other words, the size of the area you could throw an accurate pass) was based on how high your quarterback was rated in both awareness and accuracy. Peyton Manning was rated a 99 in both awareness and accuracy in this game, so his passing cone was roughly the size of Alaska. Compare that to what JaMarcus Russell’s cone, which was the size of a thumbtack.

1992-93 Chicago Blackhawks (NHLPA ’93) – You could probably put this team down for any hockey game from 1992 through 1995 because of the most destructive on-ice force in video game history, Jeremy Roenick. Roenick was a very good NHL player, but his video game exploits were made legendary by the 1996 movie “Swingers” (that movie is rated R, for those that do not want to see adult content). After winning a game against his buddy, Vince Vaughn stated, “It’s not so much me as its Roenick. He’s good.” It was the truth.    

2005 Philadelphia Eagles (Madden 2006) –Donovan McNabb was coming off his best season in the NFL, which gave him the highest rating in the game he ever had. Terrell Owens was the second best wide receiver in the game. Throw in Brian Westbrook (a runningback that you could use quite easily as a receiver, which made him a nightmare to match up with) and a great defense, and you had yourself one of the greatest Madden teams of all time.

2006 Team USA (NHL 06) – A friend of mine and I were able to complete an entire “World Tournament” in this version of NHL (the “World Tournament” was essentially the game’s version of Olympic hockey). On paper, Canada was far and away the best team, with Russia and Sweden tied for second. However, when the real games were played, the United States was unstoppable. Led by grizzled vets Brett Hull, Mike Modano, and Brian Leetch, Team USA cruised to the World Tournament victory. It had to have been a programming glitch by whoever made the game.

2004-05 Houston Rockets (NBA Live ’05) – My college roommate put up an 84 point, 34 rebound game with Yao Ming against me one night. That performance was enough to earn the Rockets a mention in this column.

2004 New York Yankees (MVP Baseball 2004) – The Yankees lineup was so ridiculous that it makes it all the more amazing that the Red Sox were able to come back from a 3-0 deficit in real life. Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, and Hideki Matsui were all All-Stars in real life. Throw in Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Kenny Lofton, and you end up with 8 out of 9 guys capable of doing damage. Pitching to them in MVP was like navigating a minefield.

Quick NBA Western Conference Finals Pick, Plus Belated NHL Western Conference Finals Pick

Oklahoma City is the more talented team. I fully expect them to be in NBA Finals sometime between 2012 and 2015. However, this year, the Mavericks have the tiger blood. Expect Dirk to be the best player on the floor as Dallas beats the Thunder in 6.

I completly forgot about posting my NHL Western Conference Finals pick. I'll sign off on San Jose winning in 7, even despite their 3-2 loss in Game 1. As much trouble as both Vancouver and San Jose have had in the playoffs in the past, there's no way this series will be shorter than seven games.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (5/13-5/15)

10. ESPN’s Matthew Barnaby Arrested During a Domestic Dispute

            Barnaby was a fringe contender to make the 10 worst ESPN employees list, but no one in America cares about hockey, which doesn’t really make him relevant. I don’t want to make to much light of this situation (according to police there was no reports of violence), but when did ESPN begin to have more legal issues than the Cincinnati Bengals?

9. Carl Edwards Dodges Scary Crash in Nationwide Race at Dover

            Edwards was so concerned that he caused this last lap crash that he skipped his usual back flip after winning the race.

8. Matt Kenseth Steals Win

            A very boring race was given a bit of a jolt by an odd caution with 38 laps to go. Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, and Clint Bowyer were the three fastest cars on the track, but they took four tires on the final pit stop (to put it simply for non gear heads, that was the wrong decision). Matt Kenseth elected to take two tires (again for non gear heads, that was the right decision). Kenseth cruised passed old-timer Mark Martin to take his second victory of the season.

7. Troy Polamalu Graduates From USC

            I’m not sure what Polamalu plans to do with a degree in history after his playing career, but good for him.

6. Chad Ochocinco Rides a Bull

            Of all of Chad’s antics over the past 10 years, this one is my favorite. It’s one thing to propose to a cheerleader, or Velcro a fake name to your jersey, or even legally change your last name. Riding a bull though is pretty serious business.

5. Lightning Smoke Bruins in Game 1

            Tampa scored three goals in 85 seconds of this one and never looked back. Boston looked very old trying to chase down Tampa’s top-3 lines (you’ll recall they had a similar issue against Montreal in Round 1).

4. Jose Bautista Hits Three Home Runs in One Game

            I’m not sure who is responsible for turning Bautista into the 1996 version of Mark McGwire (more than likely a rogue Canadian scientist), but it’s awesome. He smacked five dingers in the three game series at Minnesota, which isn’t the easiest place to hit a home run.

3. Thunder Finally Knock Off Grizzlies

            It’s strange to say it, but I’m going to miss the Memphis Grizzlies. They gave us an epic upset of the veteran San Antonio Spurs. They pushed a much more talented Oklahoma City team to a 7^th game, despite losing the epic triple overtime game 4. They didn’t put out their best effort Sunday, but what are you going to do when Kevin Durant drops 39 and Russell Westbrook gets a triple-double? Look out for Memphis next year when a healthy Rudy Gay returns.

2. Jorge Posada Refuses to Hit 9^th in Yankees Lineup

            What do you get when you mix a washed up player with an oversized ego that’s upset about his spot in the batting order? This story.

            I was planning on talking about how this is only the beginning of issues that New York Yankees will have with aging players, but ESPN’s Wallace Matthews (who actually gets paid to write) beat me to it here.    

1. Chicago Hammers the Heat

            This was a tie game at halftime, but the depth of the Bulls overwhelmed Miami in the 2^nd half. Unlike Boston, Chicago has plenty of big bodies to clean up the boards and shut down the boards. The only thing that held them back in the first half was some sloppy play by Derrick Rose. Miami is in big trouble if they can’t keep Chicago off of the offensive glass (the Bulls had 19 offensive rebounds).

Half-Hearted Eastern Conference Finals Reverse Jink Attempt

PREDICTION = Heat in 7

NHL Conference Finals Preview

            I’ve been a casual Bruins fan since the days of Cam Neely, Adam Oates, and Ray Bourque (that was a killer threesome in NHLPA ’93 for Super Nintendo). When things for Boston were so bad that they traded Bourque to Colorado so he would have a chance to win the Stanley Cup, I cheered for the Avalanche (because that’s what every Bruins fan did). The failure of the Joe Thornton-era Bruins against Montreal before the lockout were devastating to the franchise, ultimately leading the club to trade Thornton a month into the 2005-06 season (the Bruins were pretty solid in NHL ’03, but unfortunately, Byron Dafoe was a much more effective video game goalie than a real life one). Thornton going on to win the MVP the very same year he was traded seemed to doom the Bruins to a decade of futility.

            Which makes where we are today all the more amazing. Boston enters its first Conference Finals since 1992 tomorrow night when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tim Thomas (who is the biggest reason Boston has been able to rebound from the Thornton trade to make the playoffs the past four seasons) is squaring off against fellow old-timer Dwayne Roloson in a battle of two ancient goaltenders that are on a roll. Thomas turned in a masterpiece in Game 3 of the Flyers series, stopping 46 straight shots after surrendering two early goals to help Boston steal the game in double overtime. Roloson has been on fire ever since Tampa fell behind 3 games to 1 against Pittsburgh. Often hockey comes down to which team has the hotter goalie. In this case, both old dudes cancel each other out.

            Where this series will be won is in the match-up between the Boston defensemen against Tampa Bay’s highly skilled forwards. Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are playing almost as well as they did during Tampa’s 2004 Stanley Cup Finals run. Steven Stamkos has cemented his status as one of the game’s elite. Journeyman Sean Bergenheim has come out of nowhere to lead the league in playoff goals scored. Boston has a pretty deep defensive unit, but I’m not sure they will be able to contain the Lightning attack for a seven game series.

            This year’s run by the Bruins has been a thrill. I’ve been sucked in since Game 3 of the first round against Montreal. In my heart, I want to see Boston win, but in my head I don’t see it happening. Roloson will give Boston a much tougher test than the revolving door in goal the Flyers were throwing at them. Look for Tampa’s superior firepower to prevail.

PREDICTION = Lightning in 7   

Status of the Celtics

            Unlike the Lakers, the Celtics fans shouldn’t be completely demoralized. You could argue that if not for Rondo’s elbow injury, they would’ve won both of the final two games of the series (it’s much better to lose when you have a viable excuse, at least in my opinion. If you’re a Lakers fan, you have none because your team just got annihilated). Not to mention that Lebron James credits Boston’s Big Three as the reason he, Wade, and Bosh decided to team up (oh wait, that should make a Celtics fan feel worse. Nevermind). However, with its aging core Boston’s future going forward is very murky. Only Rondo, Paul Pierce, and Avery Bradley are signed on for contracts that are past the 2012 season. Just like I did with Los Angeles a couple of days ago, here is a look at all of the components of the Celtics organization.

Carlos Arroyo, Troy Murphy, Sasha Pavlovic, Von Wafer = I hope none if you invested in one of these players jerseys, because there is a 0% chance they are on the team next year.

Avery Bradley, PG-SG = Bradley didn’t see a second of playing time during the postseason, but he does have some potential. Just two years ago he was the top ranked high school senior in the nation. Expect the Celtics to give him some run as the back-up point guard in the event that Delonte West is not resigned at the beginning of 2011-12.

 

Nenad Krstic, C = Krstic is an unrestricted free agent, but I’m not sure I would let him walk if I was the Celtics. He’s a bit soft, but maybe a full season in KG boot camp could toughen him up.

 

Jermaine O’Neal, C-PF = Jermaine is under contract through the end of next season. The only thing of value he provides to Boston is a just under $6 million expiring contract that could be shipped to another team seeking cap relief (unless Boston hangs on to him so he comes off their books at the end of the season). 

Shaquille O’Neal, C = Shaq has a player option that he would be a fool not to exercise. If he does, he’ll get just under $2 million to miss 65 games with an injury.

Glen Davis, PF = Big Baby’s issues the past couple of months have not been talked about enough. He went from a guy who was a serviceable 6^th man and fill-in at center to a basket case that only averaged 4 points a game in the series against Miami. I’m willing to bet that some team will throw him a four-year, $24 million deal. Baby’s days in Boston are over.

Delonte West, PG-SG = Delonte is an interesting dude. On one hand, he is rumored to have had sexual relations with Lebron’s mom. On the other, he played solid minutes for the Celtics this year when he was healthy. On the other hand, he was once arrested with a guitar case full of guns. I’m hoping that his past episodes allow Boston to be able to resign him at a discounted rate.  

Jeff Green, SF = It was fitting that the backbreaking play of the 2010-11 Celtics season was Jeff Green fumbling the ball out of bounds when Boston was down 90-87. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be a viable option in Boston as long as people are still upset about acquiring him for Kendrick Perkins. Green is a restricted free agent this year, which gives the Celtics the right to match any offer another club makes to him.

Rajon Rondo, PG = Rondo will be in a Celtics uniform for the next four seasons. In order to join the elite group of point guards, Rondo needs to work on mid-range jumper. If he added a steady 18-footer that he was willing to take when he had an open look. Throw that in with improved free throw shooting, and Boston would no longer have to worry about playing 4 on 5 on offense at the end of games. Rondo needs to take his game to the next level for Boston to have any chance to win a championship in the next five years (barring a miracle acquisition of Dwight Howard).

Ray Allen, SG = Just like Shaq, Ray also has an opt out clause that would allow him to be a free agent this summer. Unlike Shaq, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea for him to explore his options. If Allen were smart, he would bolt for Chicago. The Bulls have a glaring hole at shooting guard. Ray Allen would be the perfect compliment to Derrick Rose at shooting guard. Even if his skills degrade, he could drain wide-open 3s for the next five years. If he’s interested in winning more titles, going to the Bulls makes the most sense. However, Allen stated after Game 5 that he would remain with the Celtics.

Paul Pierce, SF = Pierce is under contract for the next three seasons, which could be his last three years in the NBA. His improved efficiency (he almost made half of his field goals during the regular season, and shot a career high 86% from the line) have made him a much more effective player as he has gotten older. Barring injury, he should be able to give the Celtics solid production for the remainder of his contract.

Kevin Garnett, PF = Garnett is under contract through the end of next season. With KG already hinting at retirement during this past year, don’t be surprised if 2012 is the final team we see Garnett on the court. If things go really bad for Garnett next year, his $18 million that he is owed for next season would make for an attractive expiring contract.

Doc Rivers, Head Coach = Doc just inked a new five year contract with Boston. Some of the lineups he through out against Miami was a bit odd (the Rondo-West-Allen-Pierce-Garnett he called upon to play the 4^th quarter in Game 4 being the strangest), but desperation will make you do funny things. Boston should let Doc coach as long as he wants.

Danny Ainge, General Manger = Here’s the list of things that needed to happen in order for Ainge’s decision to trade Kendrick Perkins a good move.

1. Jeff Green needed to go from being the 3^rd option on Oklahoma City to a bench player who gave quality defensive minutes at both small forward and power forward (that didn’t happen).
2. Shaquille O’Neal needed to be healthy for the playoffs and give Boston 20 to 25 solid minutes a night (that didn’t happen).
3. Glen Davis needed to continue his stellar early season play as an undersized center and backup power forward (that didn’t happen).

It’s fair to say that Ainge botched this one. Never in the history of the NBA had a team that was the favorite before the trade deadline butchered its roster so poorly. It would’ve made much more sense for Ainge to hang on to Perkins, make a minor move to acquire a wing player (Corey Brewer would’ve made a ton of sense if Jeff Green hadn’t already been added to the roster), and go into the playoffs as the #1 seed in the East. Hindsight is 20/20, but this is a move that Ainge should regret for a long time.

State of the Lakers

            As someone who predicted Los Angeles to crush the Mavericks in five games, I couldn’t of been more surprised how the Lakers folded like a lawn chair against Dallas. Now that the dust has settled for a couple of days, let’s look at the key components of the Lakers and figure out where they go from here.

Derek Fisher, PG – Fisher’s basketball career needs to be put down like a dying dog. The offense the Lakers run doesn’t require much ball handling from the point guard, but they desperately need some speed and defense at the 1 (Lakers fans shouldn’t expect either of those traits to ever come from Steve Blake). Here’s a quick list of potential free agents that they might be able to sign for a low-risk contract.

Delonte West (BOS)

Jose Juan Barea (DAL, would make a ton of sense after Barea destroyed them during the sweep)

T.J. Ford (IND)

Anthony Carter (NY)

Ron Artest, SF – Los Angeles would’ve been much happier with acquiring Artest if they had done in it 2003 as opposed to 2009. He still has instincts on defense, but no longer has the speed to hang with athletic wings. Sadly for Lakers fans, he’s going to be owed another $22 million for the next three years. The best-case scenario would be forcing a club that wants Bynum or Gasol to take Artest along with him.

Lamar Odom, SF/PF – On one hand, Odom is a skilled big-man who can handle the ball and pound the boards. On the other, he’s starring in a reality show with a Kardashian. In spite of the television shenanigans, he should be a player they keep going forward. His versatility is much to valuable to give away in a panic trade.

Andrew Bynum, C – Supposedly, Bynum has the talent to develop into a franchise center. If I’m the Lakers, I’m calling Orlando everyday until a trade for Dwight Howard is in place (the worst kept secret in the NBA is that Howard wants to join the Lakers either via trade or as a free agent after next season).

Pau Gasol, PF/C – If internet rumor sites are to believed, a fellow Laker encouraging Pau’s girlfriend to break up with Pau is the reason for Gasol’s struggles in the playoffs. If that Laker was anyone that doesn’t have the last name of “Bryant”, I would be shipping that Laker out of town ASAP. Gasol is too gifted an offensive player to be discarded for 25 cents on the dollar.

Kobe Bryant, SG – Here’s two things I can definitively say after watching Bryant play for the past month.

1. Bryant no longer has the ability to consistently get to the rim.
2. He ain’t no Jordan (this should be obvious, but I’ll say it for die-hard Lakers fans. MJ never would’ve let his team quit like they did in Game 4 against the Mavericks. Or for that matter, Game 6 of the 2008 Finals against Boston).

             Bryant still has life in him. No one will benefit from the upcoming lockout more than him (after the NBA Finals, there probably will not be a NBA game until January). The biggest question for him will be if he accepts being the second best player on a team that also could feature Dwight Howard within a year or two.

Phil Jackson, Head Coach – Phil is going to be smoking tons of pot in Montana. Unless the Knicks offer him $50 million to coach for the 2012-13 season, we’ll never see the Zen Master on the bench again.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (5/6-5/8)

10. Pacquiao Dominates Sugar Shane Mosley

            This fight would have been much more interesting if we could’ve teleported the 2001 version of Mosley into the ring Saturday night.

9. Derek Jeter Comes Back From the Dead

            Jeter’s declining performance has been equal parts depressing and amusing. As a Red Sox fan, I’m happy to know that the Yankees a shortstop with no range and declining power over $50 million for the next three years (I wrote an extended piece about Jeter last November when Jeter was still a free agent, which covered most of the issues that signing Jeter long term would bring). As a general sports fan, it’s been sad to watch one of the most important athletes of the last 15 years become a punch line. Before this weekend, Jeter had only two extra base hits in 28 games. He smacked a double Saturday night, and then cranked out two home runs against Texas on Sunday. Don’t expect too many performances like this the rest of the season, but it was fun to see the old Derek Jeter for a weekend. 

8. Predators Force Return Trip to Nashville, Win Game 5 in Vancouver

            I’ve been writing about Pekka Rinne and the Predators for three straight weeks, mostly because I really enjoy the name Pekka. I’m happy they kept the ride going for one more week. No Credentials is officially picking Nashville to win Game 6 (which means you should all get your money on Vancouver right now).

7. Animal Kingdom Wins Kentucky Derby

            I’m not sure what’s more enjoyable, watching the race or seeing the owners of the horses and their goofy hats. Also, I’m a big fan of the names of horses. In no particular order, here are some names I would consider naming a racehorse.

1. The Demoralizer
2. Text From Favre
3. Zoso (Led Zeppelin reference)
4. Rick James Bitch
5. Jimmer
6. Pekka
7. Supernaut (my favorite Black Sabbath song)
8. Dick Trickle (legendary American race driver, most famous for being named Dick Trickle)
9. Ace on the River

6. Justin Verlander Throws 2^nd No Hitter This Week

            The masses are begging me to begin the bring steroids back to baseball movement after Verlander tossed a no-no just five days after Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano did. For Verlander, Saturday’s effort was his second career no-hitter.

5. Regan Smith Pulls Off Upset at Darlington, Harvick Swings at Kyle Busch

            It’s a good thing the Celtics-Heat game ended a half-hour before the NASCAR race did, otherwise I wouldn’t of known the race was happening.

            You’ve got to feel bad for Regan Smith. This is a guy that had a win taken away from him at Talladega in 2008 because NASCAR ruled he illegally passed Tony Stewart below the yellow line (check the video to see what you think. Personally, I believe NASCAR was trying to get a bigger name into victory lane). He has been driving his ass off for the under funded Furniture Row team, which is the only NASCAR organization based out of Colorado, for the past three years. Smith finally pulls off a win (holding off the much faster Carl Edwards in the process), but it’s overshadowed by Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick acting like morons.    

4. Bruins Sweep Flyers

            Boston was able to get the job this year against the Flyers, but they had to pay a steep price to pull off the sweep. Center Patrice Bergeron suffered a concussion halfway through Game 4, and is out indefinitely. Bergeron had major problems with concussions in the past, so there is a very real possibility that we will not see him on the ice for the rest of the playoffs.

3. Grizzlies Take Game 3 in Overtime

            Memphis was down 16 during the 3^rd quarter, and 13 at the start of the 4^th, before holding Oklahoma City to 17 points in the 4^th quarter and overtime. Zach Randolph continued his month long tear with a 21-21 game. If Memphis takes Game 4, you can book them for a date with Dallas in the Western Conference Finals.

2. Mavericks Destroy Lakers

            Los Angeles showed some life in Game 3 before blowing a seven-point lead with five minutes to play. In Game 4, they looked like a team that was ready for summer vacation. Look for more on the Lakers from No Credentials later in the week. 

1. Rondo Dislocates Elbow, Returns to Help Celtics Win Game 3

            Just in case you forgot how badass Rajon Rondo is, watch this video. Then remember that after getting his dislocated elbow popped into place, Rondo was back on the court at the start of the 4^th quarter. I’m not sure how he’s going to do playing with one arm the rest of the series (if Miami isn’t setting up screens and nailing Rondo’s left arm every trip down the court, than Erik Spoelstra deserves to be fired), but Rondo’s epic Game 3 performance will never be forgotten.