Take me out to the ballgame?

This week, the question came up about why more people are not attending Rays games even though the Rays are in first place and a marquee team (the Yankees) was in town. Here are the results of a Times online poll asking why attendance might be down and a few of your responses.

Why aren't you going to Rays games?
Stadium location: 31 percent.
Current economic climate: 30 percent.
Too expensive: 18 percent.
Other things to do: 17 percent.
Not buying into recent on-field success: 4 percent.
Total votes: 709

I thought it was interesting that only four percent (29 votes) hasn't bought into the Rays early success so far this season. Anyway, I've received plenty of reader reaction over the past few days, so here's a sampling of those letters:

The answer to the subject question is straightforward; it is not the state of the economy, the location of the stadium, ticket price, or other things to do; it is simply that every game is televised. Why go to the stadium when you can watch the game in the comfort of your home? If the Rays want to increase attendance, black out TV coverage within a 50-mile radius of the stadium. This is not rocket science. Please don't get me wrong. I enjoy watching the Rays on TV and attend five to 10 games a year. And if the Rays weren't on TV I would probably go to twice as many games. If a lot of fans are like me that would double attendance. By the way, I won't like it if you stop televising the Rays games, but I'll get over it.
Paul Chiavacci
St. Petersburg

Perhaps the reason the fans aren't turning out to see the Rays this year is because there are just too many other places for their income has to be spent. Gasoline is rapidly heading toward $4 a gallon, food prices are going through the roof, insurance rates for homes and cars keep increasing, as do our taxes. Then on top of all that, the powers that be decide that this year they will resume paid parking at the stadium then add a price increase for tickets to the prime games and a $2 surcharge on all tickets that are not purchased five hours prior to the start of the game. I think the Rays owners and management need to do some serious rethinking.
Jeanne Humphrey
Largo

You ask why more people don't attend the Rays games? I'll tell you why. I have been to three games this year and I'm not sure I’m going back until the St. Petersburg police learn traffic control. At last Saturday's game it took 30 minutes to go from Tampa to St. Pete and 62 minutes to go from the interstate ramp to the parking lot at the Trop down Martin Luther King Street. There were no police north of Central Avenue. Cars were cutting in line from all directions. The traffic lights were not timed for the increased north/south traffic. So three or four cars got through and we sat there with little or no cross traffic. I have to say that the Tampa police do a much better job at Raymond James Stadium with three or four times the number of vehicles and fans.
John Moroney
Tampa

Special guest Marc Topkin gives us his five best baseball towns

This weekend, the Rays make their first-ever visit to St. Louis, which many claim is the best baseball town in the country. So Two Cents decided to bring a special guest who knows a thing or two about baseball towns. I might be a little biased, but I don't think you're going to find a better baseball writer around than the St. Pete Times' Marc Topkin, who has covered baseball since 1987. So Marc gives us his five best baseball towns. Take it away, Marc:

1. St. Louis: A college football atmosphere around the diamond.
2. Boston: Everyone's into the Sox, though some do it for show.
3. New York: The fans know a lot about the game; just ask them.
4. Baltimore: That's why it's so sad to see what's happening now.
5. Cincinnati: Traditionally among the best; but what's up with that chili?

Pats Spygate start with the Bucs?

Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh (that's him in the photo) gives his first television interview Friday night when he appears on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Walsh, one of the key figures in the Patriots' Spygate scandal, was interviewed by Andrea Kremer and there are startling revelations made about the Patriots-Bucs game in 2000, which the Bucs won 21-16. Here's a portion of what Walsh said to Kremer about that game:

"I had spoken with one of our quarterbacks, uh, that said, he was called into Coach Belichick's office shortly before the Tampa Bay game. In the office was Ernie Adams, Charlie Weis, and Coach Belichick. They closed the door, Charlie said to him, 'You know, we’ve got tape of the Buccaneers' coaches defensive signals. What we're going to do is have you learn this, then we’re going to have you next to Charlie on the sideline, when he's calling in the play to Drew (Bledsoe, the starting quarterback), over the coach to quarterback communication system. Drew's got the, the earpiece in the helmet, and you're going to tell Charlie the defense that's being called, and we’re going to relay the information, or use that in calling the play into Drew.' Um, the quarterback, you know, later told me that within two to three seconds of when (Bucs defensive coordinator) Monte Kiffin sent a play call into (Bucs safety) John Lynch, Drew Bledsoe had it in his helmet.''

Wow! See the entire interview at 8 Friday night on HBO.

Why the NBA playoffs are better than the NHL playoffs

First, I'm a hockey guy. I covered the NHL for 15 years and if the choice is between watching a hockey game on television and watching another event live from the first row, I'd probably pick the hockey game. To me, it's the best sport there is, and there's nothing like the passion, drama and intensity of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Except this year. (And, to be honest, last season, too, because I wrote about this same subject.)  Quite frankly, the NBA playoffs have been better than the NHL playoffs. Here are five reasons why:

1. The superstars are playing in the NBA
The four best players in the NBA this season, in no particular order, have been Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett. All four are still alive and well in the playoffs. In hockey, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins are still playing, but the other teams -- the Red Wings, Stars and Flyers -- are built on a team concept. The league's other top stars -- Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the Rangers' Jaromir Jagr, Calgary's Jarome Iginla, New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, the Lightning's Vinny Lecavalier, Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson -- have been sitting at home or playing golf for quite a while.

2. The NBA has been more competitive
Three of the four conference semifinals in the NBA were tied after four games. The Spurs-Hornets, Lakers-Jazz and Cavs-Celtics were all at 2-2. This after the Celtics were pushed to seven games in the first round, and the Jazz, Pistons and Cavs had to go to six games to win their first-round series. Meantime, in the NHL, the Red Wings are about to sweep the Stars in the Western Conference final after sweeping Colorado in the last round. Over in the East, the Penguins are about to sweep the Flyers and are 11-1 in the postseason. And the Flyers won their last series over Montreal in five games.

3. The defending champs are playing in the NBA
Parity is all the rage, but dynasties still are the best thing to happen to sports. Right now, there is a mini-dynasty  in the NBA. The defending-champion Spurs are still kicking  and looking for their fifth title in 10 years. The NHL hasn't had back-to-back champions since the 1997-98 Red Wings and six different teams have won the past six Stanley Cups. There won't be a repeat this year either -- the defending-champion Ducks have been eliminated.

4. The NBA has the glamor teams
The Red Wings, in years past, have been a glamor team. But not so much anymore. This team is as talented as any  Detroit has had, but outside of Nicklas Lidstrom there are no well-known stars. (Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are wonderful players, but not marquee names because of their quiet personalities.) There's no Steve Yzerman or Brendan Shanahan or Scotty Bowman. The Pens are sort of a marquee team with Sidney Crosby, but Dallas and Philadelphia are not. The league could've used a few more of the Original Six teams to make a run -- the Rangers or Canadiens or Maple Leafs. The NBA? As I mentioned, the defending champion is still alive, and so is the best team in the NBA beside San Antonio over the past decade: Detroit. But the two marquee teams in the NBA have been, are and always will be the Celtics and Lakers. Not only are both teams alive, but if the seeding holds true, the two would meet in the title series.

5. The NBA plays five-on-five all the time
The penalties being dished out in the NHL playoffs these days are a joke. Every time you flip on an NHL game, someone is headed to the penalty box, often for something that wouldn't even get you in trouble at the office if you did it to a co-worker. What happened to the good old NHL days when you had to earn every shot, every goal, every inch of ice? These are the playoffs, for goodness' sake. The Sharks were eliminated in the fourth overtime of a game because of a ticky-tack penalty. At least in the NBA, you have to earn it. Now, it appears the old saying "No harm, no foul'' applies more to the NBA than NHL. The NHL's slogan these days is "The Cup changes everything.'' When it comes to penalties, it actually hasn't changed a thing from the way the game is called in the regular season.

Pride of the Yankees

The Yankees are in town this week, so here's a look back at the greatest franchise in the history of sports. They've won 26 championships, and their all-time roster is loaded with a who's who of baseball superstars. Here are the best moments in Yankees history and my picks for the top 10 players to ever wear the pinstripes and an all-time Yankees 25-man roster.

10 GREATEST MOMENTS IN YANKEES HISTORY
The curse luck of the Bambino
The Yankees had never won a world title when they purchased Babe Ruth, the best player in baseball at the time, from the Red Sox before the 1920 season. That all changed with Ruth. During Ruth's 15 seasons with the Yankees, he led the league in homers 10 times and the Yankees won seven pennants and four world titles.

King George buys the Yankees
In early 1973, ship-builder George Steinbrenner led a group of investors that bought the struggling Yankees from CBS for a mere $10-million. With free agency on the horizon, not only did Steinbrenner change the Yankees, he changed Major League Baseball by spending whatever it took to field a winner. Love him or hate him, the Yankees continued to be a premier sports team under his ownership.

56 straight games
On May 15, 1941, Joe DiMaggio went 1-for-4 against the White Sox and thus began, perhaps, the greatest record in the history of baseball. Not until 56 games later, on July 17, did DiMaggio play in a game and not get a hit -- and it took two stellar defensive plays to snap the streak. How impressive is DiMaggio's streak? Only 23 players have had a streak of at least 30 games since then and the closes anyone has got is Pete Rose with 44 games -- still a dozen games shy -- in 1978.

Reggie, Reggie, Reggie
Facing three different pitchers. Taking three swings. Crushing three home runs. The controversial Reggie "Straw That Stir The Drink'' Jackson capped the zany 1977 Bronx Zoo season and helped deliver the Yankees' first world title since 1962 with three homers in the deciding sixth game of the World Series against the Dodgers.

Deep to left
The Yankees trailed the rival Red Sox by 14 games in July of 1978. They they caught the Sox, went ahead and then had to duke it out in a one-game playoff at Fenway Park. Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, light-hitting shortstop Bucky Dent, who would hit only 40 homers in 12 seasons, lifted a three-run homer over the Green Monster to spark the Yankees to the victory and, ultimately, their second straight world title.

The perfect game
Don Larsen was a mediocre pitcher. He was 81-91 with seven teams over 14 seasons. But on Oct. 8, 1956, he delivered what must be considered the greatest pitching performance of all-time. He is on of 17 pitchers to ever throw a perfect game, But Larsen is the only one to do it on baseball's biggest stage -- the World Series. Seeing catcher Yogi Berra jump into Larsen's arms after the final out is one of baseball's lasting images.

It could be .. it is ... gone
The great Yankees had gone 12 years without reaching a World Series -- their longest drought since before they acquired Babe Ruth -- when they played the Royals in the fifth and deciding game of the 1976 American League Championship Series. In the bottom of the ninth, Chris Chamliss laced a Mark Littell pitch into the rightfield stands and sent the Yankees to the World Series for the first time since 1964.

61*
I n 1961, the American League expanded from eight teams to 10 and from 154 games per team to 162. All season, teammates Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris chased Babe Ruth's record of 60 homers in a season. Mantle eventually faded, hitting 54, but Maris continued his assault. After 154 games, Maris had 59 homers. Finally, in the final game of the season, Maris hit No. 61. Commissioner Ford Frick announced that an asterisk would be placed next to Maris' record because he didn't break it in 154 games.

Today, I consider myself the luckies man on the face of the earth
Those 13 words are not only the most famous ever spoken in baseball history, but showed the courage of one of baseball's true greats. Lou Gehrig spoke those words on July 4, 1939 not only as he was ending his baseball career but dying from the disease that would claim his life and bear his name less than two years later.

The dynasty
Okay, so it's not really one moment, but how can you put together a list of the best Yankees moments and not talk about winning five consecutive World Series titles from 1949-53? Think of the names -- Mickey, Yogi, Whitey. And remember this: no other team has ever won five consecutive World Series.

10 GREATEST PLAYERS, IN ORDER, IN YANKEES HISTORY
1. Babe Ruth: Founding father of greatest team in sports history.
2. Joe DiMaggio: They wrote songs about the guy.
3. Lou Gehrig: A lifetime .340 batting average. Ridiculous.
4. Mickey Mantle: Three MVPs and 16 all-star appearances.
5. Derek Jeter: Heart and soul of current dynasty. Has never missed the postseason!
6. Yogi Berra: Three MVP awards and 10 World Series titles.
7. Bill Dickey: Won seven World Series and caught record 38 World Series games.
8. Whitey Ford: Best starting pitcher in franchise history.
9. Mariano Rivera: Most dominant closer in baseball history.
10. Reggie Jackson: Only five seasons but earned Mr. October nickname with postseason heroics.

THE YANKEES ULTIMATE LINEUP AND 25-MAN ROSTER
Starting lineup
Catcher: Yogi Berra
First base: Lou Gehrig
Second base: Tony Lazzeri
Shortstop: Derek Jeter
Third base: Graig Nettles
Rightfield: Babe Ruth
Centerfield: Joe
DiMaggio
Leftfield: Mickey Mantle
Reserves
Catcher: Bill Dickey
Infielders: Don Mattingly, Joe Gordon, Phil Rizzuto, Alex Rodriguez
Outfielders: Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, Bernie Williams
Starting rotation
Whitey Ford
Ron Guidry
Lefty Gomez
Red Ruffing
Andy Pettitte
Bullpen
Goose Gossage
Sparky Lyle
Dave Righetti
Mariano Rivera
Manager
Casey Stengel

Shooting from the lip

A look back at the weekend in televised sports ...

Best Storm
ESPN is taking over all of sports. Need proof? Now the World Wide Leader is competing against ... itself. Richard Deitsch, the first-rate media writer at Sports Illustrated, reported over the weekend that Hannah Storm -- the former CBS morning host and former NBC Sports broadcaster before that -- will anchor a new weekday morning SportsCenter on ESPN. Right now, ESPN just shows the replays of the late SportsCenter from the night before. In addition to Storm's SportsCenter, there could be additional live SportsCenters in the morning.

What's odd is ESPN's stiffest sports competition will be over on ESPN2 where the mornings are filled with the Mike & Mike radio show and First Take, the revamped version of Cold Pizza. Strange ESPN is adding competition for itself, but give the network kudos for hiring the talented Storm.

Maybe it all means nothing, but if ESPN is going to throw a bunch of money at producing fresh SportsCenters, could that mean the ESPN2 lineup is in danger of getting cut? I kind of like First Take, but quite frankly, I'm not sure anyone would miss it or Mike & Mike, especially if the new SportsCenters add the latest in analysis and interviews.

Best villain
Watching fans boo Kyle Busch after he won Saturday night's race at Darlington, NASCAR must have been giddy. NASCAR fans' hatred of Jeff Gordon has faded a bit in the past couple of years, partly because Gordon isn't winning enough to hate anymore. The sport needs somebody new to hate. Busch is just that guy.

Best props
The Rays are no longer our little secret. On Fox’s coverage of the Yankees-Tigers Saturday, analyst Eric Karros said, "They're going to be a factor all year.'' Meantime, former Ray Eduardo Perez was singing the Rays praises on Baseball Tonight, even if he is still referring to them as the Devil Rays. Come on, Eduardo, it's only been like six months since the name change.

Best recovery
It's hard to find someone whose reputation has crumbled as quickly as Roger Clemens, but what about the other way around? Have you ever seen a player rebuild his reputation as quickly as the Lakers' Kobe Bryant? He went from a rape allegation (at the least, it was an extra-marital affair) and wasn't it like eight months ago that he was doing everything he could to get traded out of L.A.? Now he's the MVP and good guy again. How did it happen? As Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free-Press said on ESPN's Sports Reporters, "Nothing in sports rehabilitates like winning.''

Best point
Speaking of Sports Reporters, ESPN's Howard Bryant was on the panel Sunday and he's always a welcome sight. You can tell he doesn't fly off the handle and abide by the theory that the louder he is, the more right he must be. He's sort of the anti-Around the Horn. (That's a compliment.) His opinions are strong, but obviously measured and delivered only after he has thought about them.

Anyway, Bryant made the best point when talking the latest allegations in the whole Bill Belichick/Spygate story: "Now we're going to find out just how tough and how fair Roger Goodell is. We know what he'll do with the players. ... But now it's one of your own. Now it's management and now it's the front office. And I think if the commissioner wants to have any credibility whatsoever, he's got to suspend (Belichick) if it comes out conclusively.''

By the way, Pats fans, this mess isn't going away. Belichick apparently was caught with his hand in the cookie jar back in 2001 and 2002 and then again in 2007. You're telling me he never did it once in-between?

Best reporting
Kelly Naqi's thorough story Sunday on ESPN's Outside the Lines uncovered a potentially major scandal involving USC basketball star O.J. Mayo, who has declared for the NBA draft. Check out ESPN's Outside the Lines page on its Web site, but essentially her story breaks down like this: Mayo was befriended by a man who gave Mayo money and gifts dating back to when Mayo was in the ninth grade. Some of the money, apparently, was provided by a sports agent  -- the same agent who now represents Mayo. Naqi had receipts, witnesses, the whole nine yards that leaves little doubt about the story.

There is no doubt about this: Naqi continues to set the standard for investigative sports reporting. I'd hate to see her knocking on my door with a microphone and a camera, but I love seeing her on my television. Simply put, she's the best in the business.

Best conversation
ABC's taped conversation between Celtics center Kevin Garnett and Celtics legend Bill Russell, which it has been showing throughout the postseason, is fascinating stuff. Rarely anything that comes out of the mouth of ESPN/ABC's Stuart Scott interests me, but he nailed it after ABC showed a portion of the talk: "If you don't have chills right now then you don’t get it.''

Best question
Props to ABC's Mike Breen. During Saturday's broadcast of the Celtics-Cavs, Breen asked partner Mark Jackson what Jackson thought of the Knicks hiring Mike D'Antoni as coach. Why made it such a good question? Jackson wanted the Knicks job.

"What?'' Jackson said half-jokingly. "You trying to rub it in?''

Number of the weekend
128. That's how many at-bats Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter had gone without homering this season -- the longest drought of his career. It's a point Fox's Dick Stockton made just seconds before ... Jeter hit his first homer of the year.

Best and worst quote of the weekend
I know the Rays' Evan Longoria was all jacked up after his walk-off homer Friday night, but he could've found a better phrase during the live post-game interview on FSN about the one-hit gem tossed by pitcher James Shields than, "He pitched his a-- off.'' Then again, it’s true. Shields did do just that.

Three things that popped into my head over the weekend
1. New Orleans guard Chris Paul was three votes shy of being a unanimous selection of the NBA's All-Star team. How could anybody not vote for him?
2. The Magic play its games about an hour-and-a-half from here and is in the second round of the playoffs, but yet hardly anyone around here cares. Why is that?
3. Give me one good reason why the Rays can't keep this pace going all season long.

50 best things anyone has ever said in sports

Maybe it was a quote after a game. Maybe it was a slogan. Maybe it was an announcer's signature or memorable call. Whatever it was, if you're sports fan, you know it. And I give a nod to a couple of local coaches and their most famous sayings. It is what it is. (That cliche did not make the list). So enjoy my selections of the 50 best things anyone ever said in sports. There certainly have been more than 50. Some were left out. Which favorite of yours didn't make the list?

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.'' (boxer Muhammad Ali)

"You can run, but you can't hide.'' (boxer Joe Louis)

"Let's get ready to rumble.'' (ring announcer Michael Buffer)

"It ain't over till it's over.'' (Yankees' Yogi Berra)

"The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!'' (baseball broadcaster Russ Hodges)

"Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.'' (Yankees' Lou Gehrig)

"Havlicek stole the ball!'' (Celtics announcer Johnny Most)

"We're gonna win the game. I guarantee it.'' (Jets QB Joe Namath before Super Bowl III)

"I don't believe what I just saw.'' (announcer Jack Buck after Kirk Gibson’s homer in 1988 World Series)

"We talking about practice.'' (former 76er Allen Iverson)

"Playoffs? Playoffs?'' (former Colts coach Jim Mora)

"Gentleman, start your engines.'' (late Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman Jr.)

"Win just one for the Gipper.'' (Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, quoting George Gipp)

"Don't look back, something might be gaining on you.'' (pitcher Satchel Paige)

"Let's play two.'' (Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks)

"Do you believe in miracles?'' (Olympic hockey announcer Al Michaels)

"The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.'' (Wide World of Sports)

"One minute remaining in the period.'' (PA announcer at every hockey game)

"How about that?'' (announcer Mel Allen)

"You da man.'' (unknown golf fan)

"Just give me the damn ball.'' (NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson)

"Fore!'' (bad golfers)

"Play ball!'' (baseball umpires)

"Down the stretch they come!'' (PA announcers at horse races)

"Goooooaaaaaaaallll!!!!'' (Spanish soccer announcer Luis Omar Tapia)

"He shoots, he scores.'' (late Hockey Night in Canada announcer Foster Hewitt)

"Say it ain't so, Joe.'' (child to Shoeless Joe Jackson after 1919 Black Sox scandal)

"I had a better year than he did.'' (Yankees’ Babe Ruth on making more money than President Hoover)

"Nice guys finish last.'' (baseball manager Leo Durocher)

"No mas.'' (boxer Roberto Duran)

"There's no 'I' in team.'' (unknown)

"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.'' (sort of said by Packers coach Vince Lombardi)

"Yes! And it counts'' (announcer Marv Albert)

"Time for a T.O. babeee.'' (announcer Dick Vitale)

"A tie is like kissing your sister.'' (former Navy football coach Eddie Erdelatz)

"It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.'' (sports writer Grantland Rice)

"Turn out the lights, the party's over.'' (former Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith)

"Holy cow!'' (former Yankees announcer Phil Rizzuto)

"You cannot be serious!'' (tennis player John McEnroe)

"Juuust a bit outside.'' (announcer Bob Uecker in the movie Major League)

"Just do it!'' (Nike)

"Just win, baby.''(Raiders owner Al Davis)

"Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!'' (boxing announcer Howard Cosell)

"Shut your yap!'' (Lightning coach John Tortorella)

"Pound the rock!'' (Bucs coach Jon Gruden)

"If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'.'' (unknown)

"There's no crying in baseball.'' (Tom Hanks in the movie A League of Their Own)

"Da Bears.'' (Spoof of Chicago Bears fans on Saturday Night Live)

"Upon further review … '' (NFL referees)

“Hi, mom!’’ (unknown origins, but an appropriate way to conclude this post)

Think this is maybe a bad idea?

With Lightning center Jeff Halpern sidelined possibly six months because of a knee injury suffered in the world championships, it's time to ask once again if it's such a swell idea for NHL players to play in such events. Halpern is not an isolated case. In 2006, the Vancouver Canucks briefly lost the services of two key defensemen because of injuries suffered in the Olympics. And the Ottawa Senators lost star goalie Dominik Hasek for the playoffs because of an injury suffered in those same Olympics.

You really can't blame the players. When asked to play for their country without pay in any international event, they're almost obligated to say yes. Should they refuse, they are viewed as arrogant and ungrateful and, worst of all, unpatriotic. The teams have no say in the matter, but you know owners, general managers and coaches of NHL teams are holding their collective breaths while their players are playing in a tournament that doesn't mean a thing to the NHL. They are forced to grit their teeth when they get that call in the middle of the night from a hospital in Prague or Moscow. What makes this one bitter is no one in North America, not even hockey diehards, cares about the world championships.

With all due respect to Halpern, whom the Lightning will sorely miss for the first month of next season, an injury to him isn't going to change the culture of NHL players playing in international events. But someday it's going to be Sidney Crosby going down with an injury. Or Alex Ovechkin. Or Ilya Kovalchuk. A franchise player is going to miss six months or the postseason because he was trying to help his country win an event that, in many cases, is pretty meaningless. That leaves two questions:
Is it worth the risk and, more important, do we have to wait until then to change anything?

NHL Playoffs conference preview

And when I say "preview'' I mean, "Who I'm rooting for.''

The West cranks up Thursday night with the Red Wings, my pick as the one of the two most boring teams in hockey because they're so good every year with some European guy who has come out of nowhere to score a boatload of playoff goals, and the Stars, my pick as the other most boring team in hockey because they're, well, boring. They should put "2-1 in overtime'' on the cover of their media guide. But the Stars do have Brad Richards and I'm not sure it's legal to live in Tampa Bay and not root for the Stars. If the Stars promise not have any more games that last until 2:24 in the morning, I'll be glad to throw them my support again. Plus, like I said, they have Brad Richards. Who will win? Let's go with the Stars in seven ... winning Game 7 by the score of 2-1 in overtime.

In the East, it's my hometown Penguins against the Flyers starting Friday night. I think I've been kicked out of the Pittsburgh fan club for openly rooting for the Rangers in the last round because I was sick of Pittsburgh fans booing Jaromir Jagr. So, I humbly ask all Pittsburghers if I can get back into the Steel Club. I promise to never let my Terrible Towel touch the ground and vow to use the words "Yunz'' "Jumbo'' and "Gumband'' as often as possible. And I will eat the kielbasa sandwich at Primanti Brothers whenever I go back to the 'Burgh. This series is going to be closer than Pens fans might want to admit. The Flyers are big and physical and will dish out some punishment. The Pens defense is suspect and I keep waiting for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to hit a few bumps in the playoff road. But I'll go with the Pens in six.

Armed and dangerous

St. Louis Cardinals wild-pitcher-turned-slugging-centerfielder Rick Ankiel might not be able to hit the side of a barn from 60 feet, 6 inches, but put him a couple hundred feet away from his target and he throws strikes. Check out not one, but two incredible throws in the same game from earlier this week.

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