“Sports Memories in the Making,” by Jeremy Suede, is a weekly column that looks at all the sports for the upcoming week and picks out games and events that might just be special enough to create a moment that you and your kids will share forever.
Buckle up and get ready for a big week in sports. On tap this week is the emergence of the NBA and the grand finale for baseball. Tuesday kicks off the NBA season with some good games including the Los Angeles Lakers receiving their championship rings. Will the Lakers be able to repeat as champs this season or will LeBron James and his reloaded Cleveland Cavaliers with Shaquille O’Neal be able to take down the champs? The curtain rises on the NBA season and all the drama that goes with it. Get your popcorn ready.
The World Series is now set; the New York Yankees will take on the reigning champs, the Philadelphia Phillies. Now let’s bring on the final seven games so we can crown a champ. These two teams are very evenly matched and it should be a great series. Game 1 looks to be great with both team’s aces taking the mound but you never know which game will provide the most memorable moment.
Didn’t I tell you it was going to be a pretty bad week for football? Geez, that was really bad. There were six games that were complete blowouts with a few decent games mixed in. This week promises to be a lot better with rivalries and grudges taking center stage.
Top 3
1. MLB – World Series Game 1: Philadelphia Phillies at New York Yankees – Oct. 28 @ TBD
This is going to be one hell of a World Series. The Phillies and Yankees both boast very powerful lineups, ace starting pitchers and decent bullpens to back them up. The Yankees will most likely start ALCS. Most Valuable Player, C.C. Sabathia against the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, Cliff Lee for this game. Both pitchers have dominated each of their appearances this post-season but going up against these lineups will be a different challenge. With so much power from the Phillies’ Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Jimmy Rollins to the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, both teams will hit the ball eventually but this first game may be very quiet for a while. Expect big things from this World Series where legends are made and championships are earned.
2. NBA - Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers - Oct. 27 @ 7:30 pm
The NBA season kicks off with one of the best match-ups you could ask for. LeBron James is King of the basketball world and with the addition of Shaquille O’Neal to his team, the Cavaliers look to be a strong contender for the NBA championship. But their first game is against the tough and also re-energized Boston Celtics, lead by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. In the off-season the Celtics picked up big-man Rasheed Wallace whose defensive skills, combined with the already tough Big 3, make the Celtics another strong contender for their second championship in three seasons. With all of these All-Star caliber players, this will be a great game to watch and cheer for no matter which side you want to win.
3. NFL – Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Nov. 1 @ 4:15 pm
Brett Favre will step into the legendary Lambeau Field for the first time and not be in a Packers’ uniform. This is a historic event. The Favre saga has been told and retold so I won’t go into it, but the bad blood is still very much there and both sides will be looking to beat the other into submission. Brett wants to prove they should never have given up on him and the Packers want to show that they are better off without him. Oh, and the division championship is at stake as well. Loser will most likely be out of the running for a division crown. The Vikings won the first meeting between these teams but now it’s in Lambeau and Brett’s return to Green Bay as a Viking will be remembered forever. Expect the fans to give him more punishment than they have given anyone in a long long time.
Quick Picks
- NFL – New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles – Nov. 1 @ 1 pm – This old-school rivalry is intense and heated, providing for a great game with high emotion.
- Still playing in theaters is LeBron James’ movie ‘More Than a Game,’ check out our review of it here
- NASCAR – AMP Energy 500 – Talladega Speedway – There are only so many times I can tell you to watch these races. Not only fun to watch but Jimmie Johnson is going to win his 4th consecutive Sprint Cup (prediction) and you need to say you saw him at least once. Do it!
