The NHL season has begun and the hard hitting, bloody, fight filled game known as hockey is back. I must start out by apologizing to all you hockey fans out there for not even mentioning them recently. You’ll have to forgive my hockey ignorance because I grew up and live on the West Coast where we don’t have much in the hockey department. So if you’re wondering why I don’t mention hockey a lot it is because I don’t know that much. I will try and work in big games when I see/know of them but I apologize in advance for the lack of good hockey news here. I more than welcome your suggestions on what games people should be watching and why. Just leave a comment and let everyone know.
The baseball post season is under way and so far the two big teams, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, have made short work of their first round opponents. The Yanks cruised past the Minnesota Twins who just can’t seem to overcome the New York team. Yankees wait for the outcome of the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers to see who they’ll play in the American League Championship Series.
So far the story of the playoffs is the Phillies’Roy Halladay pitching his second no-hitter of the season and only the second no-hitter in post season history against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1. The Phillies got sort of a tune-up against the Reds but there really wasn’t ever any doubt in the outcome. Philadelphia will play the San
Francisco Giants who just knocked out the Atlanta Braves to earn their spot in the National League Championship Series.
Enjoy this week because baseball season is finally getting intense and interesting and you never know what could happen in any of these games with so much on the line.
Top Games To Watch
1. MLB – National League Division Series – Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays Game 5 – Oct. 12 @ 8 pm
The Rays fought back after trailing 0-2 in the series and now they face the Rangers in a do-or-die game that will test the intensity of each and every player. The Rangers send up ace pitcher Cliff Lee who is a Cy Young Award contender and also pitched magnificently against the Rays in Game 1. The Rays will be sending up David Price who didn’t fair so well in Game 1 and will have to put that all behind him in order to pitch right. This is an ultimate game because the consequences are so important. The loser goes home and the winner earns the right to face the reigning champion New York Yankees in the American League Championship. Every run will have to be fought for because every run could be the winning run that keeps that team on the path to the World Series. Single elimination games are what sports are all about and this will be a game you do not want to miss.
2. MLB – National League Championship Series – San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies – Oct. 16, 17, 19, 20 & 21, 23, 24 as needed
The Giants were able to overcome the Braves and send Bobby Cox into retirement but now that will have a much bigger challenge ahead of themselves. The Phillies are a strong, powerful team with the best pitching rotation in the post season. The Giants will have to battle Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hammels who have all pitched masterfully so far. The Phils are two time National League Champions and two seasons ago they were World Series Champs, they know what it takes to win in the playoffs and they will play smartly and make the Giants truly earn every run they want. Will the Giants be able to handle the pressure and win in Philadelphia and dethrone the reigning champs? You’ll have to watch and see what plays will go down in baseball lore forever.
3. College Football – No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers – Oct. 16 @ 7 pm
The newly crowned top ranked Buckeyes have their hands full with a big and tough Badgers team. With the Alabama Crimson Tide (now ranked No. 
losing last week, it opens up the BCS Championship to new teams that wouldn’t have otherwise been able to break into the top two. This gives motivation to every team to try and win and keep winning because they may be given the opportunity to prove they’re the best. The Badgers will be motivated because they are the underdogs when they think they’re the best and the Buckeyes will be motivated to stay at the top and begin their winning streak. Watch and see which team really wants to be in the big game and who just came to play.
Things To Keep An Eye On
- Here is the NHL Season Schedule. It’s just the beginning so get ready for hockey in the weeks to come.
- Tony Stewart earned the win at the Pepsi Max 400 last weekend but Jimmie Johnson only expanded his lead over the rest of the Sprint Cup chasers by taking 3rd place. I don’t think Jimmie will ever give up the top spot and achieve immortality by winning his unprecedented 5th consecutive Sprint Cup Championship. He’s just that good.
- Check out the new College Football Rankings. Boise State moves into position to make the Championship game, will they be able to stay there and finally prove to everyone that they really are the best team in the land?
- The Minnesota Vikings are spiraling out of control. Brett Favre is now under investigation for inappropriate actions. Randy Moss comes over to provide a spark but they still can’t win. Will they be able to pull out a winning season at all?
