Good Friday!

Been awhile since I last wrote a blog and as you can see by posts in the past my final four predictions were way off! My gut told me that UNC couldn't do it without Ty Lawson being 100% but his health and play proved me wrong. I'm not sure if he was 100% but he sure as hell didn't show it. NBA mock drafts have him out of the top 10 in this summers draft, but after watching him in this years tourney, it wouldn't surprise me if his stock rises.

If you had Michigan State or Villanova in your final four you either had a crystal ball or a hand in on fixing games. Those upsets busted my bracket after the Elite 8 (which BTW I had all right) sending me out of contention in my pool. The final four games sucked and the final game was a snooze. Still though... I can't wait till next years tourney!

NHL is winding down to the final games of the season and the races are heating up. Playoff fever is beginning to rise here in Vancouver as the Canucks are jockeying for position in the West. I like this team. I'm never one to jump on bandwagons nor will I ever, but this team is legit. They got a top line that produces, complete with secondary scoring. Goaltending is on lock down, with Luongo looking the best he has all season. Their defense is suspect. They're a good bunch but have shown weakness this season. Not saying this team will win the cup as that would take some magic. Wouldn't be out of the question to see them make it to the Western Conference finals.

Out in the East well its another playoff without my Leafs. Fourth straight year not in the dance. Not gonna dwell on it as I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. Burkey and Wilson are a bit of circus but I got faith that their doing the right things to get better. We won't be in the hunt for John Tavares or Victor Hedman as we just weren't bad enough, but Luke Scheen's brother Brayden is in the draft and so is Evander Kane from the Vancouver Giants who both would be fantastic in the T dot. I've watched Kane since he was 15 and love his game. He'll surely go in the top 5 and will be tough for the Leafs to nab.

I could care less who comes out of the east but if I had to say who had the momentum its got to be the Bruins. I know Montreal has had their number in playoffs past but its the Bruins to lose. I like Ovie and the Caps. Can see the Pens making a run. Think the Devils will turn it around once the dance starts and could see Carolina being the upset team of the east.

That being said its the playoffs and the NHL is one of the best leagues for parody so its any ones to win. Just not my Leafs!

One thing that I can't wait to see end in the NHL once the playoffs start are the fights after clean hits. Its such a bitch move to grab a guy after he's leveled someone and draw them into a fight. Shane O'Brien from the Canucks did this last night after an LA King leveled one of his Canuck teammates. How its not an instigator penalty is beyond me. O'Brien who is already on the bubble of the Canucks back end will have an exclusive seat in the press box if he pulls that shit in the playoffs where power plays will kill ya. NHL refs need to step up and call the extra penalty when this sort of bullshit happens. Its just flat out stupid. You get hit clean you take it and look for a chance to get them back.

NBA playoffs are inching closer. Like my Leafs, my Raptors aren't in. This one is tougher to swallow as the Leafs had zero expectations this season, where as the Raps were supposed to be a playoff given in the weak eastern conference. I've touched on this in the past and to tell you the truth I'm done with it. They just aren't a good team. All we got to look forward to now is the draft lottery. Fingers crossed for a top 5 pick.

I'm sure anyone can predict that the Lakers will win the west. That's money in the bank. Are they the favorite to win it all? Sadly yes. Kobe has proved that he is a complete player who makes his teammates better just as Jordan did. Nobody in the west in a seven game series can take them. Last nights Lakers/ Nuggets game proved that. The Nuggets are the second best team in the west and were at pace with the Lakers at halftime. The lake show proved that they're just too much to handle and easily took the Nuggets out. I don't see the Lakers cake walking through the playoffs but don't be surprised if they only lose two maybe three games on their route to the finals.

The only other contenders in my eyes are the Celtics and the Cavaliers. The Celts are beat up bunch and are not nearly as deep as they were last year. The Cavs are a one man show. Lebron is one hell of a one man show, but just not deep nor balanced enough to take down the Lakers.

I've never been a Laker or Kobe fan. Not sure why the Lakers? The Kobe hatred is from a few years ago when he was a selfish score first player who was more of an cancer then a leader. Kudos to Kobe for maturing and realizing that its just not about him. He'll never be Jordan but who cares. He can be Kobe. Like Magic before Jordan the NBA has its best players in each era. Kobe is the best player since Jordan. He will solidify this by winning a championship without Shaq and as the true leader of the Lakers. Lebron's time is next.

Paris and the Madness are about to go down!

Tomorrow morning at exactly 9:20am (pacific) the madness begins.
This evening at exactly 4:55pm hoop heads around the North America come down with the flu. A flu that can't get these brave warriors back into their offices for at least a week. Or at least till the Elite 8. Funny how that seems to happen year in and year out.

March Madness kicks off tomorrow and I've yet to do bracket. On paper it looks simple. Louisville, UNC, Pitt & UConn, all number ones. All worthy to win it all. All worthy to go down as quick as Paris Hilton at a Hollywood party.
This year is like every year for this tournament. Any team, any game. Thats why its the madness.
Lets begin.

Midwest:
Louisville is a beast. Earl Clark is one of my favorite players in the NCAA. They've lost to some weak teams this season, but have been on a tear to close out. I'm taking Louisville here. Look out for a gem of a game between Louisville and Ohio State in the second round. Won't be an upset, but Ohio State will give them a run. Im a big BJ Mullins fan. Watch out for him next year.

West:
Again with the number one seed here. U Conn is just too much for anyone in this bracket. Thabeet, Price, Dyson, Adrien. So many weapons. Memphis is a good team, but not great. I see them only getting as far as the sweet 16.
Purdue is my upset team if there is one in this bracket. Its U Conn's to lose.

East:
Hate to sound like a broken record, but the number one seed with prevail. Duke just hasn't convinced me all season long. Villanova & UCLA will have a great match up in the round of 32. I like Nova getting to the Elite 8, but Pitt will be too much.
Sleeper team. Florida State.

South:
Everyone has North Carolina as a lock to win the South. I however disagree. I watched UNC more then any team this season. I just don't think they can do it. Ty Lawson needs to be 100% for them to win. I got it down to two teams. Oklahoma or Syracuse.
Nobodies picked the Sooners with many people writing them off. I'm a Blake Griffin man, and think it will come down to the miracle Orangeman and Griffin's Sooners in an epic sweet 16 match up. I'll take Griffin and the Sooners here. Call this one more of a hunch. Its like I said though. Any team. Any game.
Oh and before I wrap up the South. My team the Michigan Wolverines whom I embraced in the Fab Five era, finally are back in the tourney. I got them to take Clemson in the first round. No chance against Oklahoma in the next round though.

Right so that makes my final four.....

Pitt vs Oklahoma
I like Oklahoma but I don't see them handling Pitt. Dejuan Blair and Sam Young are just too much for Griffin to handle. Pitt in a walk in this one.

Louisville vs U Conn
I think this will one hell of a match up. Louisville runs a lot of different guys, for short amounts of time. They got the depth in the energy department. Samuels, Clark & Williams will be big in the paint. Will they be enough to handle Thabeet. I think so. This one will go down to the wire, with Louisville taking it.

From 64 to 2. Pitt vs Louisville. Heres how I see it going down.

This will be physical and one of the best finals in recent memory. Blair & Clark will be leading their fronts. I like the strength of Pitt. It will be close, maybe even overtime.
Im saying Pitt wins it all.

Right so there we have it. You could really flip a coin for the majority of the games in this tourney. Thats the beauty of it. I will be shocked if one of the four teams I took to make the final four don't win it all. That being said. Put your money on UNC all you handicappers.