Is John Tortorella getting the cold shoulder?

Could former Lightning coach John Tortorella be following in Ted Nolan's footsteps? No, I don't mean as the next coach of the Islanders (although, if I were the Islanders, that would be a great idea). I mean as a good coach who might be getting a cold shoulder from NHL teams.

Nolan was coach of the year with Buffalo in 1996-97, but his contract was not renewed. He did receive an offer from Phil Esposito to coach the Lightning when Terry Crisp was fired in 1997 but turned it down. Other than that, he did not receive another NHL head coaching offer from the time Buffalo let him go for nearly 10 years. Some thought it was because he had the reputation of being a "GM killer,'' while others wondered if it was racism because Nolan is a member Ojibwa Indian tribe. Finally, the Islanders hired him in 2006, but even though he went 74-68-21 over two seasons, he was fired Monday, and now we'll see how long it will take him to get another job, if ever.

So now about Tortorella. Despite a great run with the Lightning that included four playoff appearances, a Stanley Cup and a coach of the year award in six full seasons, Tortorella, as far as I can tell, didn't even come close to landing one of the six jobs (not counting the Islanders) that were open this summer.
Atlanta, Florida and San Jose hired coaches with no NHL head coaching experience. Ottawa dug up Craig Hartsburg, who has never won a playoff series as a head coach. Colorado went with Tony Granato, a guy the Avs once fired as head coach. Toronto brought in retread Ron Wilson, who has coached 14 NHL seasons with three teams and either missed the playoffs or failed to get past the second round in 12 of those seasons.

The last straw is Los Angeles. The Kings hired Terry Murray on Thursday. Terry Murray!? Nice guy, but this will be Murray's fourth NHL job, and his biggest claim to fame was taking a Flyers team to the finals, getting swept and then getting fired immediately.

You're telling me that Tortorella isn't better than any of those guys? That he wasn't even seriously considered? It just sounds fishy. Tortorella is known for his brusque personality, but his reputation might be worse than reality. Most of his players like playing for him, and he never had any public -- or as far as we know, private -- problems with GM Jay Feaster. So what gives?

Who will win the AL East?

The AL East is normally a two-team race between the Red Sox and Yankees. This year, add the Rays. You could make a case for all three teams winning  (or losing) the division. Here's a look:

Tampa Bay Rays (55-36)
Why they will win
They're bound to hit. With the exception of Dioner Navarro, most of the Rays are hitting below normal, especially Carlos Pena, Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton. Eventually, they will hit, won't they?
Pitching. Of the three teams, the Rays have the best pitching with a 3.59 ERA, compared to the Red Sox (3.83) and the Yankees (4.10). The Rays' starting rotation seems too good to let them fall into extended slumps.
Young and athletic. They can catch and run, and those things don't go into slumps. And you have to think these lads won't get tired even in September.
Why they won't
Never been here before. Each day, the Rays go into uncharted territory. What's worse is, starting with tonight, they will play 40 road games and only 31 home games. The Rays are 36-14 at home, but under .500 on the road.
No closer. Troy Percival is almost 39 with a bad hamstring, and it's foolish to rely on him. Unless the Rays acquire a closer, they'll either have to cross their fingers with Percival, give the job to an unproven or have the dicey "bullpen-by-committee.''
Maybe no one will get hot. The Rays keep waiting on Pena, but you know, if you look at his career, the season he is having is more typical of Pena than last year's incredible season.

Boston Red Sox (55-39)
Why they will win
Best lineup. The Red Sox still put out the best everyday lineup in the majors. They're first in the AL in batting average, second in slugging and OPS, and second in runs. And they've done most of that without David Ortiz.
Been there, done that. They're the defending champs. That counts for something.
Best starting rotation. The Rays staff has been good, but the Red Sox top four of Josh Beckett, Dice-K Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield and Jon Lester are 30-15 and appear the most reliable of the three teams.
Why they won't
Shaky bullpen. The Red Sox are second in AL with 16 blown saves and the pen's 3.95 ERA is 10th in the AL.
J.D. Drew's health. Drew is having a monster season, but only once in his nine-year career has his body allowed him to get 500 at-bats. And, oh, did you hear? His back acted up and he missed Wednesday night's game.
David Ortiz's injury. He's due back soon, but wrist injuries typically cut into a player's power numbers long after he returns. And with Ortiz limited and/or out, Manny Ramirez has not had a typical Manny season. He's on pace for 30 homers and 105 RBIs, well below his career average of 40 and 132.

New York Yankees (49-43)
Why they will win
Experience. Just consider this: Since 2001, the Yankees record after August 1 is 250-148. Simply put, they win big when the games count the most. Last time they had a losing record in the second half? 1992!
Defense. Yep, believe it or not, for all the talk about the Rays and Red Sox defense, the Yankees have a better field percentage than both teams and have committed fewer errors.
The bullpen. New York's bullpen has a 3.23 ERA, third best in the AL. And they still have Mariano Rivera, the most dominant closer in the history of baseball.
Why they won't
Starting pitching. With ace Chien-Ming Wang out until maybe September, they'll have to rely on 39-year-old Mike Mussina, 36-year-old Andy Pettitte and journeyman Sidney Ponson.
The schedule. The Yanks have not one, but two 10-game road trips in the second half and finish with six consecutive road games, including the final three at Fenway Park.
They're old. Not only is the staff aging, but so are key players Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon. Even Alex Rodriguez is about to turn 33. Old means injuries or, at least, wearing down over a long season.

Red Sox Nation is not happy

Yeesh, can't anybody take a joke?

I decided to have a little fun the other day as we all got ready for the big series between the Rays and Red Sox and wrote an apparent suicide note about the 10 Reasons to Hate the Red Sox. I thought it might stir a little playful banter with a few bored Red Sox fans out there. I didn't realize I was sticking my hand into a wasp's nest ...or a bear's den .. or whatever is a really, really bad thing to do.

A blogger at the Boston Globe decided to pick apart my list one by one. Jerry Remy, the legendary Red Sox announcer and the leader of Red Sox Nation, held up the page on Tuesday night's NESN broadcast of the Rays-Sox game. Word is that my name is being soiled all over New England talk radio.

And now I'm hearing the phrase "You've Got Mail'' in my sleep. The e-mails have poured in -- from New England, from Sox fans here in Tampa Bay, from California, from Texas, from pretty much everywhere. They range from long impassioned opuses of how great it is to be a Sox fan to why I'm an idiot to my favorite e-mail which was a mere one word and, unfortunately, cannot be written here.

I've written more than 200 e-mails back to folks who have written me and almost all of them, in the end, seem to get to the point of the article. And what was the point? If you stuck around until the end of the piece -- and I get the feeling that most of those people angry with me were the ones who only saw the headline and couldn't see the end because of all the steam coming out of their ears -- is that people hate the Red Sox BECAUSE THEY ARE SO GOOD. Think about it. Who hates the Royals? Or the Pirates? Or the Rays, for that matter? We save our hatred for winners: the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Cowboys, Duke basketball and, until recently, Notre Dame football.

Yet, come on, the other reasons did have some vailidity, did they? I mean, Curt Schilling does talk too much, doesn't he? The Red Sox are one of the richest teams in baseball, are they not? Manny Ramirez pushing a team employee is NOT cool, is it? Coco Crisp shouldn't charge the mound after being hit in the leg, should he? Some in Boston did run Bill Buckner out of town, didn't they? And, in the end, if one city wins a bunch of championships, all the other cities get tired of it, do they not?

But in the end, the biggest point made -- the gist of the entire article -- was this: People hate the Red sox because THEY ... ARE ... GOOD. I raved about their lineup. I called their manager the best in baseball. I praised their GM. I called their ballpark the best in sports. But that didn't stop the e-mails from pouring in inviting me to do what his physically impossible for a person to do by himself. I get the feeling that I won't get Red Sox Nation off my back for the rest of my life. Or until I write 10 Reasons to Hate the Yankees.

Until then, excuse me, I have to go make sure my car tires haven't been flattened.

ESPN's Jemele Hill talks to AOL about her suspension

Perhaps you heard that ESPN recently suspended writer Jemele Hill for a line she wrote in a column about why a Detroit Pistons fan could not root for the Boston Celtics. Hill wrote that "cheering for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim.''

She is off suspension now and talked about the column and her suspension in an excellent interview with AOL Fanhouse's Michael David Smith, author of one of the best sports blog in the business. Here's the link.

Here's what else is going on ...

* Barry Melrose will be named coach of the Lightning on Tuesday. Catch 47 will show the news conference live at 11 a.m. Also, Melrose is the scheduled guest on Tuesday night's Sports Connection on Bay News 9 at 11 p.m. Look for No. 1 pick Steve Stamkos to be on the Sports Connection on Thursday.

* My TV show, The Press Box (Catch 47 at 6:30, 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.), will talk about the Melrose hiring and the new Lightning ownership, as well as what's new with the Rays and Bucs. Guests this week include Times writer Joe Smith, Catch 47's Roxanne Wilder and Whitney Johnson -- the man, the myth and the legend from WDAE 620-AM.

* Neil Best, who writes a must-read sports media column for Newsday, had the big stunner of the weekend, writing that New York's famed Mike & the Mad Dog radio show might have seen its last day. Check out the first story and then the follow-up on Monday.

* HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns with a new show Tuesday at 10 p.m. This episode has four new features:
-- A look inside the Chinese sports school system.
-- The fight to keep softball as an Olympic sport.
-- A profile of British cyclist David Millar.
-- Looking at the billion-dollar business of horse breeding.

Tiger's greatest moments

I already miss Tiger Woods. He has only been out of commission, what, three days now? And, already, we are wondering what in the world golf is going to be like without him. Plus, all golf fans are still drunk from his incredible performance at the U.S. Open. Speaking of that performance, where exactly does it rank in a career full of incredible perfomances? Well, right at the top.

Here's a look at the top 10 moments (so far) in the career of Tiger Woods:

1. 2008 U.S. Open
Considering the knee surgery, doctor's orders to not play and the long layoff -- heck, the guy hadn't played a tournament in two months -- this has to top the list, especially knowing what we know now. He seemed out of the hunt heading into the back nine on Saturday. But two eagles and a birdie while limping and wincing in pain combined to make up one of the best and most dramatic nine holes in major championship history. As if all that wasn't enough, he overcomes the enormous pressure that he is supposed to win a playoff against a heavy underdog and does just that -- wins. And he did it with two fractures in his leg. Incredible.

2. 1997 Masters
This tournament officially announced Tiger intended on being one of the legends. At age 21, Tiger shot 70, 66, 65 and 69 for a Masters-record 18-under-par 270. He won the tournament by 12 strokes. CBS's Jim Nantz accurately called it "a win for the ages.''

3. 2000 U.S. Open
Tiger shot a U.S. Open-record 12 under at Pebble Beach. That's remarkable. Can you think of a word better than remarkable? Well, you should think of one to describe the rest of this story. Miguel Angel Jimenez and Ernie Els tied for second. They were 3 over par! Tiger;s score and margin of victory were U.S. Open records.

4. 2000 British Open
Tiger became only the fifth player -- and youngest, at 24 -- to win a career grand slam. And it was in grand fashion. He shot an astounding 19 under, the lowest score in regulation in the history of the Open. In fact, 19 under remains the lowest score in the history of all four majors. He won the tournament by eight shots over Els and Thomas Bjorn. British Open legend Tom Watson said, "He is something supernatural.''

5. 2001 Masters
Tiger shot a final-round 68 to beat David Duval by two strokes. When he put on the green jacket that April afternoon, he  was the current defending champion in all four majors, thus completing the "Tiger Slam.''

6. 2006 British Open
Tiger showed that he is human. Not because he played poorly, but because he broke down in tears after winning the Open. It was his first major victory after the death of the man who inspired him -- his father, Earl.

7. 2000 PGA Championship
Tiger beat Bob May in a three-hole playoff, but only after he birdied the 71st and 72nd holes to force the playoff. The victory came after he had won the U.S. and British Opens, making him the first since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in one year.

8. 1996 U.S. Amateur
Tiger trailed Steve Scott by five shots with 16 holes to go and needed a long birdie putt just to send it to a playoff. He won on the second extra playoff hole, his third consecutive amateur championship.

9. 2006 PGA Championship
At the longest course in major championship history, Tiger had rounds of 69, 68, 65 and 68 for an 18-under 270 and a five-stroke victory. The 18 under tied the PGA Championship record set by Bob May in 2000. Oh, and Tiger shot 18 under in 2000, too, then beat May in the playoff.

10. 2005 Masters
After Saturday rain stopped the tournament halfway through the third round, Tiger trailed Chris DiMarco by four shots. But helped by seven straight birdies, Tiger waged a duel with DiMarco that ended with Woods winning in a playoff for his fourth green jacket.

Broadcasting's best

Last week, we lost the best television sports broadcaster ever in Jim McKay. At age 86, McKay, the longtime host of the Olympics and Wide World of Sports, passed away. It got me thinking about the most notable and influential sports television broadcasters to ever look into a camera and talk into a microphone. They weren't known for one sport, but for their ability to cover any and all sports. But if they were there, you knew one thing for sure: This was the big event of the moment. Here is my list of the most notable TV sports broadcasters of all time.

1. Jim McKay
The gold standard. The Edward R. Murrow of sports broadcasting. His prolific work on ABC's Wide World of Sports alone sets him above all others because he wasn't calling just baseball or football. He was calling every sport known to man and a few man didn't know, such as barrel jumping or some such thing. Of course, he had no problem with the big event either. After all, does it get any bigger than hosting the Olympics? In fact, you could argue McKay helped make the Olympics what the Games are today, and his work covering the tragedy at the Munich Olympics in 1972 was legendary. Throw in his smooth, classy and comfortable work on golf and horse racing and you have the master.

2. Howard Cosell
Some of you out there will absolutely hate Cosell being this high on the list, or even on the list at all. But in the 1970s, if it was a big event, Cosell  was there. Let's face it, he WAS Monday Night Football. He WAS the World Series. He WAS boxing on TV, especially because of his playful interaction with  Muhammad Ali that not only helped make Ali famous, but helped advance Ali's social causes. You watched often not to see the game, but to listen to Cosell. You loved him or hated him, but you were never ambivalent. When you think about it, is there a better compliment than that?

3. Bob Costas
When it's all said and done, Costas likely will be at the top of this list. He has hosted just about every major sporting event from the Olympics to the Super Bowl to the World Series to the NBA Finals. He mixes humor with intelligence and he manages to pull off the difficult task of being a thinking man's broadcaster while relating to the common man. In other words, he appeals to those who read the New York Times and the New York Post. Best of all, he never makes himself bigger than the event he is covering. And he is the best interviewer in sports.

4. Al Michaels
Simply put, the absolute best play-by-play man there has ever been. Timing? Perfect. Emotion? Always just right. Mistakes? Rare, if ever. He's so good that it seems as if he is calling a game that he has already seen and he knows exactly what is going to happen. His call of the 1980 U.S.-USSR hockey game might be the single-best performance ever by a play-by-play announcer. Sure, we all know his signature line of "Do you believe in miracles?'' but go back and listen to that entire broadcast and just how good Michaels was. That was 28 years ago and he has only gotten better since.

5. Curt Gowdy
Maybe there wouldn't have been a Dick Enberg or an Al Michaels if it hadn't been for Curt Gowdy, whose work in the late 1960s and 1970s earned him the well-deserved tag of "the best announcer in the business.'' He had another nickname -- "Broadcast of Everything'' -- because of his ability to call any sport. He did it all, but saved his best for the World Series and Super Bowl. During the 1970s, Gowdy's football work on NBC -- calling classic showdowns involving the Raiders, Dolphins and Steelers -- helped turn football into America's favorite sport on television.

6. Dick Enberg
For a good chunk of the 1980s, Enberg seemingly called every sporting event on TV -- the baseball game of the week to the top football game each Sunday to the best college basketball games to Wimbledon to the Olympics. While he called a game, he made it sound as if there was no place he would rather be than watching this game with you. Nearly 30 years later, Enberg still can be found at many major events and he hasn't lost a step.

7. Brent Musburger
Wait, don't roll your eyes. Yes, I know Musburger has become the butt of jokes by fans and critics. But don't underestimate his work. "You are looking live at … '' has been a signature call for, don't look now, more than 30 years. And you know what? He's still around, calling ABC's top college football and basketball games, hosting big horse races, as well as major bowl games. With Musburger as host, CBS's NFL Today became the blueprint for the modern-day NFL pregame show. And, say what you will about his style, you cannot deny that Musburger sounds truly excited about whatever he is calling.

8. Chris Schenkel
A pioneer in broadcasting. He might have been the original sports "host.'' For parts of five decades, Schenkel -- with his low-key, baritone, smooth style -- called it all, but is best known for his work on college football, the NBA and the Pro Bowlers tour. He was the voice of college football before Keith Jackson. He was the voice of the NBA before Marv Albert. And you can't even think of bowling on television without thinking of Schenkel.

9. Keith Jackson
The voice of college football. If Jackson was calling the game, you knew it was the game in the country on that particular Saturday. But often forgotten is Jackson was the original play-by-play announcer on Monday Night Football and called events such as the World Series, the Indy 500, the NBA Finals, the Olympics and even a few Evel Knievel jumps. His college football work was so outstanding that it overshadowed just how versatile he was.

10. Pat Summerall
Summerall isn’t known for covering the variety of events like the others on this list. He is best known for two things: the NFL and the U.S. Open tennis tournament. He called more Super Bowls (16) than any other broadcaster. He was the voice of the NFL at a time when the NFL on TV became the phenomenon that is today. Plus, he was a former NFL player, which leads us to this statement: Summerall is, by far, the best athlete-turned-broadcaster in the history of sports or broadcasting. That's why he's on this list.

Sam Wyche update

Hey, congrats to Sam Wyche. The former Bucs and Bengals ballcoach cleared his first big hurdle at winning elected office. Wyche defeated incumbant Ben Trotter in the Republican primary Tuesday for the Pickens County (S.C.) Council District 3 seat. He now will face Democrat Wesley Burbage in November. Earlier this week, Two Cents talked with Wyche, so scroll down for the interview if you missed it.

Sam Wyche wants your vote

He's Sam Wyche and he approves this message. And he wants your vote.

Well, he wants it if you live in District III of Pickens County, S.C. Wyche, who coached the Bucs from 1992-95, is 63 and living in semi-retirement outside of Greenville. Tuesday, he's going out for a new job on the Pickens County Council. On Monday, the day before the Republican primary, Wyche answered the phone at his campaign "headquarters'' (uh, that would be home) and spent a few minutes talking to Two Cents.

So, Tuesday is the big day?
Yep. If there is a good turnout, I think I will win comfortably. But we're in the middle of the heat wave and they're calling for afternoon thunderstorms. So if we have tough weather, the numbers could be down. My opponent is the incumbent and he has lived here all of his life. He's 59. And he comes from a big extended family that lives throughout Pickens County.

How did you end up in Pickens County, S.C.?
I went to Furman. Met my wife there. She's from Pickens. We lived here after college. Had a little garage apartment with a pot-bellied stove to stay warm back in 1965. We came back in 2000. Now we just bought a 28-acre Morgan-horse farm. So we've experienced it all here.

What made you decide to run for county council?
Well, I contracted a heart disease a while back -- and I'm feeling fine now, by the way -- and during surgery my larynx was damaged. I was working for CBS and they went as far as they could for me, but eventually I semi-retired and we moved here. I get itchy and I pretty much volunteer for everything. I'm an assistant football coach for the high school. I substitute teach for fun. I love doing that. I'm chairman for the Pickens Meals on Wheels. I work with Special Olympics. Well, people called and said it looked like I had room for one more thing and we needed a change. That's sort of a theme all over politics this year. So I decided to do it, but the campaigning has been tough.

How so?
Just a lot of hand-shaking. You're trying to be sincere, but it's hard not to be a little bit phony. You say, "Hey, great to see you.'' Well, we're standing in the middle of street. It's not that it's great to meet you, I'm trying to get your vote. But I tell them that. Occasionally I put my foot in my mouth like I did when I was coaching. But I think people can see that I'm just being myself.

Do you have aspirations in politics beyond county council?
I don't know. I'm just dipping my toe into the public service pool. If I were to get in there, I hope I wouldn't drink the Kool-Aid and become a so-called politician. I'm really just trying to make some changes here and do a good job.

What is your platform?
Well, I'm running as a Republican, a conservative. This part of the state has lost a lot of textile work. It has gone overseas. We need to find an industry that will settle here, create new jobs. That's No. 1. There are other issues, such as improving the fire departments. A lot of the rural areas outside of Greenville have fire stations that are mostly manned by volunteers. We need to find ways to improve that. Those are the big things. Also, improving the arts and culture and listening to all the concerns that people everywhere have.

Anything else?
Well, I'm here to do what I can for John McCain and his bid for president.

He has an opening for a running mate.
Oh yeah, I'm really pulling for that. I've started a toll-free line: 1-800-VP! Seriously, though, I am interested in speaking on his behalf and doing what I can to help get him elected.

Do you still follow the NFL?
I follow it in that I still watch games. I don't follow it in terms of the newest rules on salary cap exemptions or anything like that. Usually at the end of December, I start getting phone calls from old coaches I've worked with who say, "Looks like we're going to get fired here, can you make a call and help me get another job?'' And I'm conveniently located between Atlanta and Nashville so I still get to do some work with NFL chapel programs with teams as they pass through.

Do you still follow the Bucs?
Oh, yeah. Jon Gruden is a good friend of mine. I still can't help keeping an extra eye on the Bucs and Bengals — the two teams I coached.

Do you ever come back to Tampa Bay?
Not as much as I want. I do a lot of motivational speaking and I thought I would be around Tampa and Orlando a lot more than I am, but I don't seem to get there very often.

You're still a young guy. Would you ever want to return to coaching?
I would go back in a heartbeat. I'm probably out of the loop now. I still get calls from players or coaches I used to coach who just want to talk football. About a month ago, (new Redskins coach) Jim Zorn called and asked for some advice. Those talks get you thinking and I think I would love to get back in it. But right now, the big thing for me is this election and being on county council.

NBA Finals preview -- Two Cents style

This is the matchup everyone wanted. It's the matchup we all saw coming months ago. Everything until now has been merely the appetizer before the main course. Thursday night the best rivalry in NBA history is renewed as the Lakers and Celtics begin playing each other for the NBA title for the 11th time, but the first since the Bird-Magic days of 1987. Among the key ingredients that remain are the parquet floor in Boston and Jack Nicholson sitting courtside in L.A.  But best of all, not only are these clearly the best teams in the NBA, but just like the days of Magic and Bird, the series is loaded with stars -- Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Phil Jackson. It's a series fitting for this historic rivalry. Here's a Two Cents breakdown of the series, its history and the pick for which team will win it all. (Hey, I correctly picked the Red Wings in six for the Stanley Cup, so I could go 2-for-2.)

Season series
The Celtics won both regular-season meetings, and the games weren't even close: 107-94 at Boston and 110-91 at Los Angeles. But two things to remember: Both games were played before the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol, and Celtics guard Tony Allen helped hold Bryant to 28 and 22 points in the matchups. There's a chance Allen won't play because of an Achilles' tendon injury, but he did practice Wednesday. How effective will he be? Well, it's hard to cover Kobe with two good legs.

Who wants it more?
Boston's Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have two things in common: They are great players, and none of them has won an NBA title. This Celtics team was assembled to win the title. Meantime,  Bryant has won three titles, but none without  Shaquille O’Neal. He's out to prove he can win without Shaq. Who wants it more? My money is on KG. By the way, this is interesting: If Bryant wins the title, he will have more at his age (29) than Michael Jordan did at 30.

Chasing history
As if the renewal of the NBA's greatest rivalry isn't enough, another juicy bit of history comes into play.  Jackson has won nine NBA titles as a coach. He's tied for most ever, and a Finals victory would give him sole possession of first place, ahead of … Celtics legend Red Auerbach.

Two more story lines
Yeesh, this series is full of story lines. Keep an eye on Bryant and Allen. The two don't care for each other. It stems from Allen popping off about Bryant when L.A. traded Shaq. Meantime, guess who said this: "As a kid, I hated the Celtics.'' That would be L.A. native  Pierce, now a Boston star.

The best of the rivalry
You can't talk about this matchup without paying homage to the best moments in Lakers-Celtics history. Here are the top five:
1. Magic Johnson hits his "junior sky hook'' at Boston Garden to win Game 4 as the Lakers go on to beat the Celtics in six games in 1987.
2. After falling behind 2-0 in the series and not having won in Los Angeles all season, the Celtics overcome the NBA Finals-MVP performance of L.A.'s Jerry West to win Game 7 on the road 108-106 and the 1969  title.
3. The Memorial Day Massacre: The Celtics beat the Lakers 148-114 in Game 1 of the 1985 Finals. But the Lakers rally to win the series in six.
4. Boston great Bill Russell scores 30 points and pulls down — get this — 40(!) rebounds as the Celtics win Game 7 in 1962. This comes after L.A.'s Elgin Baylor scores a Finals-record 61 points in Game 4.
5. Inspired after being called "sissies'' by Larry Bird, the Celtics rally behind the MVP and win the 1984 Finals in seven games, a series that featured several hard fouls and bad blood.

O vs. D
The Lakers, behind MVP  Bryant, had the fourth-best offense in the league this season, averaging 108.6 points per game. Led by Bryant's 31.9-point average, the Lakers are averaging nearly 106 points in the playoffs, best in the NBA. Meantime, the Celtics have the top defense in the playoffs, allowing a little more than 87 points per game. So what wins championships, offense or defense? We shall soon find out, but history in the NBA suggests defense. The big key is that Boston has to figure out how to stop Bryant. The Lakers have to figure out how to stop  Garnett. And Pierce. And Ray Allen, who might have woken up from his playoff slumber. Boston has a little more offense than Los Angeles has defense.

Breaking it down
The Lakers have a little more going for them than Bryant. Gasol who should keep Garnett busy on defense, is averaging nearly 19 points and eight rebounds. And Lamar Odom averages 14 and 10, along with 3.5 assists. We know about Boston's big three, but Rajon Rondo is playing well at point guard with 10 points and five assists, as well as playing great defense. And the Celtics can turn to veteran Sam Cassell if Rondo isn't productive. Give the bench edge to Boston but the coaching edge to the Lakers. It's really a coin flip to pick a winner. Well, a coin flip or home-court advantage.

TJ's pick
Seems as if everyone is picking the Lakers, but winning titles comes down to three things: team chemistry, team defense and playing at home. The Celtics have all three. Boston in seven.

Remembering Tortorella

Say this for John Tortorella: He was one of a kind. Brutally honest. Outspoken. Controversial. Emotional. He said what he thought when he thought it. Everything he said went from his gut to his brain to his mouth in less than a second. If it ruffled feathers, so be it. If you didn't like it, tough. He could be gruff, insensitive and disrespectful to players, media, NHL officials and even his own bosses. His focus was one thing: the team. He wanted it to be better today than it was yesterday, and better tomorrow than it is today. That was his sole focus every day, all day.

Yet, he had a soft side, too. Believe it or not, he could be a players' coach, giving them more days off than most NHL coaches and once taking them for a four-day, in-season vacation to Atlantic City. He often sought their advice on how to best handle a certain situation or dilemma. He praised more than he criticized. You might not think it, but most players loved playing for him. (Well, the non-goalies, that is.) And his charity work, helping children  who had cancer, was a passion and went unnoticed, mostly because he never wanted it publicized.

When looking back at Tortorella's 61/2  seasons in Tampa Bay, you remember the stories. The time he yelled about this, the time he exploded about that. This wasn't all that Torts should be known for, but, right or wrong, these are the stories we remember today.

Shut your yap!
You can't even think about Tortorella without thinking of "Shut your yap!'' It's like Pavlov's dog. Someone says "Tortorella'' and someone else says, "Shut your yap!'' With the 2004 Eastern Conference final at one game apiece, Tortorella looked to deflect criticism from his team, and went after Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock because Captain Kangaroo mouthed off to one of the Lightning players during a game. Torts cut loose with his most famous tirade:
"The last time I looked, he's wearing a suit back there, the same type of suit that I'm wearing. He's not in the battle. You have two quality teams here. He should shut his yap. When it comes to a coach (and) an opposing player, it's disrespectful and it's wrong. It's gutless. That's got to stop. Park your ego and shove it in your pocket. It's about the two teams.
"It's chicken (expletive). And it's not for the series. I don't care about all the garbage that goes on, and Philly does it all the time. They like to listen (to) hear themselves talk about this, that, the other thing. That's not going to affect us. But when it comes to a coach to a player, that's just so disrespectful.''
The Lightning went on to beat the Flyers and then the Flames for the Stanley Cup.

He said it
"The circumstances stink. The famous line is that it's all part of the game, but it still stinks.''
— John Tortorella, on Jan. 6, 2001, when he was named to replace the fired Steve Ludzik as Lightning coach.

He said this, too
"In this day and age, it's not the adversarial coach and players. The players and coaches are partners. The Lightning has been (bad) for a number of years. The only way we have to go is up.''
— Tortorella, after his first team meeting as coach.

How about a save?
Tortorella's wrath at times seemed exclusively reserved for goalies. Mister Rogers, he was not. Dozens of times over his tenure, Tortorella laid into his netminders. But his best was probably on the night of Dec. 28, 2005, after John Grahame -- one of Tortorella's favorite chew toys -- played poorly in a 4-3 loss to the Canadiens at the St. Pete Times Forum. Asked if the goaltending could've been better, Tortorella exploded:
"Think that has a little thing to do with it tonight? Yeah. We can't have four goals go in our net on 10 (scoring) chances. Especially the fourth goal. It can't happen!''

By that point, he was pounding the podium with his fist.

Asked if it was time to think about trading for a goalie, Torts said, "Absolutely, but in today's game, where are we going to go with the (salary) cap? I am (upset) at what is happening there because I thought our team played very well tonight. … Is there other options out there? We can't do (anything)!''

Get the … outta here
During the 2007 playoffs against New Jersey, an irritated Tortorella met with reporters after a tough loss. When pressed by New York Post hockey writer Larry Brooks on an argument he had with a Devils assistant, Tortorella made it clear he didn't want to talk about it. Brooks responded by saying the interview was "a waste of time.''

Tortorella, on live TV in Canada, responded by saying, "Well then get the (expletive) out of here then.''

Brooks was heard yelling an expletive back as Tortorella said, "Okay, see ya.'' He turned to the rest of the media and barked, "Next question.''
Not that we promote profanity here at Two Cents, but there's a YouTube.com clip of it if you’re interested. But you've been warned about the, shall we say, colorful language.

(Expletive) that
Tortorella detested making excuses, but occasionally, his anger and need to defend his team got the best of him. Such was the case Nov. 19, 2007, when the Lightning lost in OT at Atlanta with Brad Richards in the penalty box for an iffy penalty.

"The frustrating part for me is these organizations pay the players millions upon millions of dollars,'' Tortorella said. "They're the ones who need to decide outcomes of games. Listen, I'm trying to stay away from criticizing as far as the calls, but (expletive) that. I just don't get it. And it makes the coaching job that much harder, how you coach your players in playing when you get that (expletive) out there.''
Two days later, Tortorella was fined $10,000 by the NHL for his comments.

Torts vs. Andre
Tortorella often butted heads with players, especially the goalies and, often, Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis. But no one drove Tortorella crazy more than enforcer Andre Roy. Twice, Roy was booted off the team for a short spell -- once last season and once during the 2003 playoffs.

Sorry 'bout that
In a game early in the 2005-06 season, Lightning defenseman Paul Ranger was injured after a dirty hit by Atlanta tough guy Eric Boulton. Tortorella was incensed. "That guy should be playing the East Coast Hockey League and he takes out a National Hockey League player. He'll get suspended, but who cares? Nobody wants him on the ice anyway.''
The next day, Tortorella apologized, saying, "I don’t think a coach from another team should be criticizing another player.''

The disease of the mores
Few things infuriated Tortorella more than players he felt were disloyal. That was how he viewed who left for free agency after the Stanley Cup victory, players such as Nikolai Khabibulin and Jassen Cullimore. Here's what he said after Cullimore left:

"We won the Stanley Cup as a team.  …But when it comes to negotiating in the summer, all the garbage coming out of the agents' mouths and the players' mouths make it seem like they were the most important part of the Stanley Cup.  …(It's) the disease of the mores. I want more. When is it a little giveback to the organization and their teammates? I know we don't live in a perfect world. It's not just Jassen, but the whole scenario of the people coming to (GM Jay Feaster). What they're throwing at him is a joke.''

Final thought
Ultimately, Tortorella will and should be remembered for one thing. Yes, we will think of "shut your yap'' and all the times he bashed the goalies or used his catchphrases such as, "We’re just going about our business'' and, "this, that and the other thing'' or the ever-favorite, "None of your business.'' But this is what fans should think of first: he coached a team that won Tampa Bay the Stanley Cup. Just after the Lightning won the Cup, Tortorella was named the league's coach of the year, and he summed it all up in one short sentiment: "The reason we had success is we believe it's about a team. You give them an opportunity to go down the right road. If they veer off you've got to bring them back.''

Who will be the Lightning's next coach?

Who will coach the Lightning next season? Will it be John Tortorella or ESPN analyst Barry Melrose? The smart money is on Melrose. Yet it appears to be an either-or proposition. Why is that? If soon-to-be-Lightning owner Oren Koules is bent on making a change — and I'm not so sure that a change is in order — these are five others he should at least consider for a minute or two before deciding that his new favorite hairstyle is the mullet. I'm not saying any one of these guys should get the job, but don't you at least consider them?
1. Ron Wilson
The former Ducks, Caps and Sharks coach has a lifetime record of 518-446-127. Those 518 wins are eighth in NHL history. During the past three seasons, his Sharks went 187-97-38, but then again, they failed to get past the second round of the playoffs. Still, eighth most victories of all time?
2. Scotty Bowman
Hey, why not? He's the greatest coach in NHL history. Maybe the greatest coach in any sport ever. And, here's the kicker: He lives in Sarasota. You probably would have to give him a boatload of money and let him be in charge of the whole shebang, but, say it again, the greatest hockey coach of all time!
3. Pat Burns
Another local. He has a place on the other side of the Skyway. He has overcome cancer and appears a little more mellow these days. Was coach of the year with three teams and is a proven winner. And he's hungry.
4. Andre Savard
There's always some hot assistant coach floating around, and Savard, an assistant with the Penguins, is the hot name these days. He has been a head coach (back with Quebec in 1987-88) and is very well-liked by the players he coaches. Rumor is he could be the Panthers’ next head coach.
5. Paul Maurice
Fired after two seasons in Toronto, but he did take the Carolina Hurricanes to the finals in 2002. A young guy (he's only 40) who relates well to players.

A farewell to Bo Diddley

The great Bo Diddley passed away today at the age of 79. He's known for, of course, classics such as Who Do You Love, Before You Accuse Me and I'm a Man. But we sports fans remember for him for this, as well. So long, Bo.

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What's up, Doc? Mike Emrick honored by Hall of Fame

The Hockey Hall of Fame announced Thursday that Mike "Doc'' Emrick will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. Emrick is pretty much the American voice of hockey, having called games on all the major networks, as well as primarily the Flyers and Devils over the past 30 years. Actually, I'm surprised Emrick is being honored this year. I would've sworn he had won this award years ago.
Here are my picks for the top five hockey announcers on television:
1. Sam Rosen, MSG (Rangers). Still the gold standard.
2. Bob Cole, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Some think he has slipped in recent years, but still feels like a special game when he's calling it. Expected to retire before next season, but here's hoping he still calls games now and then.
3. Rick Peckham, Sun Sports (Lightning). The locals know how professional this guy is. A class act off the ice, too.
4. Mike Emrick, MSG (Devils), Versus, NBC. Sounds like he's having the time of his life every second he is calling a game.
5. Jim Hughson, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Usually calls the second game of the Saturday night doubleheader and is expected to take over for Cole on the prime-time game.

Stamkos has nothing on this kid

By now, you've probably seen the dipsy-doodle, behind-the-legs goal scored by soon-to-be-Lightning draft pick Steve Stamkos in a junior all-star game skills competition. But I'll take this kid here. Check out the move of this NINE-YEAR-OLD at the intermission of a Dallas Stars game a while back. This is incredible.

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Rays making a name for themselves

Rays mania is sweeping the nation! Well, sort of. There might not be lines forming outside the ticket office at Tropicana Field, but the rest of the country is starting to realize that Tampa Bay actually has a baseball team. That hasn't happened since Lou Piniella went bat-crazy on Ben Grieve a few years ago. Now the Rays actually are getting some recognition beyond Tampa Bay, and not for being the punch line to a bad joke. Here are 10 examples of how the Rays are starting to make a name for themselves outside of Tampa Bay.

Making the cover of Sports Illustrated
A cartoon of Carl Crawford tossing around a Yankees player under the headline "Bizarro Baseball'' was cool and, sure, a little weird. But the Rays finally made the cover of the premier sports magazine in America and it wasn't, you know, for being in the background of Big Papi hitting a homer or something. The cover is usually reserved for the hottest story and top sports star of the moment and the best part is no one thought it was strange the Rays landed on the cover. And jinx? What jinx? The Rays did lose their first two games after making the cover, but then won four in a row.

Going national
ESPN recently announced that the June 4 game against the Red Sox will be shown nationally.

Making the cover of Sporting News
This one isn't out yet, but it will be this week, and here's a sneak peak. Closer Troy Percival graces the cover. Don't they call Sporting News the Bible of Baseball? Hey, awesome, the Rays are in a bible!

They're running out of media request memos
Carmen Molina, the manager of communications for the Rays, says she runs out of room on her sheet of media requests just about every day. Two years ago, the Rays would get, maybe, five to seven requests a day. This year? "Like 20 a day,'' Molina said. Not only is the local media swarming, but the requests come from all over -- from Boston to San Diego, from big stations in New York to a little station in Columbus, Ga. Sometimes they ask for certain players. More often that not, they just want "anybody who is available.''

The Jim Rome show
Welcome back to the jungle, Clones. Romey here. Talked to Rays closer Troy Percival recently. It was epic. Callers had great takes. The Rays are talking smack, taking names. It's epic. If the Rays keep it up, we'll talk to C.C., maybe Bossman Junior. It'll be epic. I'm out.

Mike & Mike in the Morning
Being on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike isn't like a singer at Radio City Music Hall, but … it's probably the biggest national sports talk radio show outside of Jim Rome, and is simulcast on ESPN2. B.J. Upton made his Mike & Mike debut last week.

Sales are up
According to the Rays and Major League Baseball, retail sales -- you know, hats, jerseys, T-shirts, those little wooden bats and so forth — are up 70 percent, the second-highest jump behind the Rockies. Of course, part of this is because of the Rays' name and uniform change. Still, selling more stuff today than you did yesterday is a good thing. Don't look for explanations. Just enjoy it.

Making the cover of ESPN The Magazine
Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton shared the cover with brother Justin of the Diamondbacks. ESPN and its properties rule the sports world, so to finally get its attention means the Rays must have arrived.

Tuning in
Rays communications VP Rick Vaughn said the phone rings off the hook whenever the team is not on television. See, there are two ways to look at it. When the Rays are on, it's essentially three hours of advertising. During a recent game against the Cardinals, the Rays had a viewing audience of about 85,000 homes. That's probably about 200,000 people, give or take,and that's impressive. But if fewer games were on, maybe more would go to the games. The bottom line is the Rays still have drawn fewer than 20,000 fans at home more often than not. The rest of the country is getting on the bandwagon. Now all the Rays are waiting for is the locals.

Pardon the Interruption
The ESPN afternoon show had the Rays as a talking point on a recent edition. Co-host Tony Kornheiser admitted he didn't know who managed the Rays or any of their players. Who cares? The best sports-talk show on TV was talking about our Rays. And if Tony sees this, it's Joe Maddon.

Ashley Harkleroad represents female athletes by getting naked

You've probably heard that Ashley Harkleroad, who apparently is the 61st-ranked female tennis player in the world, will be in the August edition of Playboy. After getting dusted 6-2, 6-1 by Serena Williams at the French Open on Sunday, Harkleroad said, "I'm proud of my body. I was representing a female athlete's body.''

Harkleroad can do what she wants, including posing for Playboy. That's her business. But don't come off like you're representing female athletes and it's important business to make sure men see the naked female athlete. To be honest, I'd never heard of her until I saw a headline that said, "Tennis star to appear in Playboy.'' Just be straight-up and say that you're the 61st-ranked player in the world, you're making a name for yourself and you're getting paid.

The Two Cents Stanley Cup preview

The last time a team from Detroit played a team from Pittsburgh for a championship in one of the four major sports leagues was 99 years ago. Honus Wagner's Pittsburgh Pirates defeated Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers to win the 1909 World Series. Starting Saturday night the two cities meet again for a championship, this time on sheets of ice. And what a rematch. The Detroit Red Wings, one of the NHL's Original Six and probably the best organization in hockey over the past dozen years, take on the Pittsburgh Penguins, just two seasons removed from being one of the worst teams in the NHL. It's a  storied franchise  facing off against a Penguins team with the marquee player , Sidney Crosby. It's the old guys vs. the  kids.

"The hockey gods are smiling so wide we can count their broken teeth,'' said NBC announcer Mike Emrick. Here's a breakdown of the teams, the series and the pick for which team will win it all.

You ain't seen nothin'
The Penguins superstars (and, yes, I mean "superstars'') Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa have combined for 59 points in 14 games. Throw in Ryan Malone (15 points) and Jordan Staal (four goals in the last series) and you have a team that resembles the run-and-gun Oilers of the 1980s. But here's the rub: the Pens have played against shoddy defenses in Ottawa, the Rangers and Philadelphia. They  haven't seen anything like Detroit's top two defensive pairings. Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski likely will be assigned Crosby, while Niklas Kronwell and Brad Stuart will check Malkin. The Pens offense won't run wild.

Best in the game
Lidstrom was just mentioned, but the guy is so good he needs his own category in this preview. He's the best defenseman in the game and has been for the past 10 years. Just having him makes it hard to pick against the Red Wings.

Top heavy
Most of Detroit's scoring comes from three players and one is hurt. Henrik Zetterberg has 11 goals and 10 assists, while Pavel Datsyuk has nine goals and 10 assists. Johan Franzen leads playoff scorers with 12 goals, but has missed five games with a concussion. He's out for at least Game 1. Still, there's no indication that the Pens inexperienced and suspect defense can slow Zetterberg and Datsyuk.

The best defense is a strong offense
Up front, the edge goes to the Penguins. But what about offense from the defense? No contest. True, the Penguins' Sergei Gonchar is one of the slickest offensive-defenseman in the NHL. He has 11 playoff points. But then you have to send out a search party to find out another Penguins blueliner who can score consistently. Meantime, the Red Wings trio of Lindstrom, Rafalski and Kronwall have combined for 32 points. Kronwall leads playoff defenseman with 12 points.

The Rodney Dangerfield Award
The No-Respect Award goes to ... oh, it's a tie. Neither Detroit goalie Chris Osgood nor Pittsburgh netminder Marc-Andre Fleury gets any respect, but they've been the best goalies of the postseason. The 35-year-old Osgood, who was backing up Dominik Hasek at the start of the playoffs, is 10-2 with a playoff-best 1.60 goals-against average. The 23-year-old Fleury  is 12-2 in the playoffs with a 1.70 GAA. Osgood backstopped the Wings to the 1998 Cup, while Fleury is just in his second postseason. So give the edge to experience.

Isn't that special
Both teams have scored 16 power-play goals, but the Pens have scored theirs in 11 fewer chances than Detroit. Meantime, both teams are killing off penalties at  87.3 percent. But the Red Wings have been shorthanded 71 times in the postseason, while the Pens have been more disciplined, being shorthanded only 55 times. If the Red Wings send a parade to the penalty box, Pittsburgh will win the series on the power play.

Check your schedule
I hate the NHL's goofy schedule and love to rail on it every chance I get. So we thought I  would point out that the Red Wings and Penguins did not meet in the regular season. And, oh, this is the third straight season the Stanley Cup finalists didn't play each other in the regular season. Can somebody please straighten out this nonsense?

Experience vs. youth
Which is better this time of year? Depends on your point of view. The Red Wings have 14 players who are 30 or older including 46-year-old Chris Chelios. The Wings will say experience is what you need to win close games for all the marbles. Meantime, the Penguins' youth is incredible, especially among its core: Crosby is 20, Malkin  21, Fleury  23 and Staal is only 19. The Penguins will say that their youngsters can skate all night long around Detroit's  geezers, especially at the end of the long playoff season. Oh, just for fun, I’ll mention this: Crosby was born when Chelios was about to start his fifth NHL season.

Taking the shortcut
Neither team's road to the final was all that impressive, especially Pittsburgh's. The Penguins swept an Ottawa team that looked like it gave up after the first period of Game 1. The Rangers were decent, but the Flyers were an overachieving bunch with no defense. Meantime, Detroit played a banged-up Nashville team, then a Colorado team that grew old before our eyes. Dusting off the Stars was impressive, even if the Red Wings did have a 3-0 series lead cut to 3-2 before winning Game 6.

When it's all said and done
The chic pick is Pittsburgh because the Penguins have all the marquee names. But don't underestimate how good Zetterberg and Datsyuk are, and the Wings have Lidstrom, who is the best player in this series, with all due respect to Sid the Kid. Pittsburgh's offense is slightly better than Detroit's. Detroit's defense is way better than Pittsburgh's. And the goaltending edge goes to Detroit.

If you had to pick any organization to be right now, you'd probably be the Penguins, whose march to the Stanley Cup final is a year or two ahead of schedule. This team will win Cups — plural. But not this season. TJ's prediction: Red Wings 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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Best overtimes in sports

Sunday night's Sharks-Stars Stanley Cup playoff game went four overtimes and ended at 2:24 Monday morning in the latest edition of the best moment in all of sports — sudden-death overtime in an NHL playoff game. Here's a look at postseason overtimes and how they rank with 10 being the most dramatic and 1 being a sleeping aid.

Stanley Cup playoffs: No commercials, no breaks and next goal wins. One moment you're scrambling to keep the puck out of your net, the next you’re pouring off the bench in ecstasy. Rating: 10.

NBA playoffs: It's the only OT where you lose interest at the start because you're still a few minutes away from potentially a dramatic finish and that's if you don’t get a rout. Rating: 3.

Baseball playoffs: Usually one run is all it takes. That means every pitch is loaded with drama and strategy and chew-on-your-nails tension. Rating: 9.

NFL playoffs: There's a problem when it's possible both teams won't even get a chance with the ball. Then you're talking about a coin flip deciding the winner. Rating: 4.

The Masters: One-hole sudden-death, meaning one bad shot, one bad lie, one yipped putt can ruin four days of great golf. Rating: 8.

U.S. Open (golf): Wait, I have to come back tomorrow and watch another 18 holes? Rating: 1.

U.S. Open (tennis): A seven-point tiebreak ends too quickly and seems unfair. Rating: 3.

World Cup: Soccer fans really hate penalty kicks, but for the rest of us, it's the rare time we will stop and watch. Rating: 7.

Stanley Cup playoffs, round 2

The second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs crank up Thursday night with two games: Colorado visits Detroit and Philly is at Montreal. On Friday, it's the Rangers at Pittsburgh and Dallas at San Jose.

So in the words of MC Hammer, let's "break it down:''
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Philadelphia vs. Montreal
Both teams are coming off emotional Game 7 victories and, quite frankly, I don't know how the Flyers are here. The Canadiens are the better team, but the Flyers have more grit. In the playoffs, that means something. Still, Montreal has a bit more scoring punch and cannot be accused of being soft. The Habs can withstand the physical play of the Flyers. And goalie Carey Price does not look like a rookie. Canadiens in five.

NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh
Jaromir Jagr returns to Pittsburgh. Oh, speaking of Jags, check out what he said about Sidney Crosby/Mario Lemieux comparisons. The Pens are coming off an impressive four-game sweep of Ottawa, but the Sens were finished before that series started. The Rangers are deeper than Pittsburgh, better in goal and look for their forwards to punish Pittsburgh's defense -- the Pens' weak link. Rangers in six.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Colorado vs. Detroit
A renewel of one of the most bitter rivalries in sports. I still think the Avs should sign Claude Lemieux just for this series. Detroit looked shaky against Nashville. In fact, the Red Wings looked shaky for big chunks of the second half. Still, they're better than Colorado. The Avs are talented, but key players are old. And I still can't believe Jose Theodore is playing as well as he has in goal for the Avs. If Theodore can keep it going, he could steal the series. But ... Red Wings in six.

Dallas vs. San Jose
The Sharks, as is their nature, tried to choke away their first round series against Calgary, but the Flames beat them to it. Meantime, the Stars were impressive taking out the defending champs. The Stars just have that look of a team that's going to go deep into the playoffs, especially with Marty Turco finally shedding his tag of "can't-win-in-the-playoffs.'' I like Dallas to win the whole West, but this series will be close. Stars in six.

Alexander the Great

I really didn't care who won Tuesday's Game 7 between the Flyers and Caps. All I wanted was a good game and the teams gave us a mini-classic, becoming the 30th Game 7 in NHL history to go to overtime. The Flyers advanced on Joffrey Lupul's power-play goal 6:06 into OT. But a quick word about Washington's Alex Ovechkin.

Alexander the Great not only showed what he is made of on the ice in the playoffs, but he showed what he is made of off the ice as well. On the ice, Ovechkin was terrific in his first postseason series: four goals and five assists in seven games, including a hand in both Washington goals Tuesday with a goal and a helper.

Just as impressive was his behavior after the game, holding his head high and showing grace and class in congratulating the Flyers in the post-series handshake. (You know, "one of the great traditions is all of sports.'') Then as he skated off the ice, he stopped and applauded the fans. That's the kind of thing that makes this kid special.

The Caps' future is bright. Of the 20 goals they scored in the series against the Flyers, 18 were scored by players 24 or younger. And with Ovechkin already showing he has what it takes to lead on the ice and conduct himself the right way off the ice, I'm sure of one thing: the next time Ovechkin is in a Game 7, I will care who wins. I'll be pulling for Ovechkin.

Q&A with The Fabulous Sports Babe

She has fought off cancer. She dropped more than 100 pounds. Now she's recovering from double knee-replacement surgery. And she says she's "more fabulous than ever.'' Nanci Donnellan, a.k.a. The Fabulous Sports Babe, returns to Tampa Bay radio when she joins former Bucs linebacker and long-time radio host Scot Brantley on WHBO (ESPN Radio) 1470-AM. Brantley and the Babe debuts Friday and will run each weekday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Back in 1981, Donnellan started on sports radio right here in Tampa Bay. She moved to Seattle and then on to become what is believed to be the first (and still only) woman to host a nationally syndicated sports radio talk show when she signed on with ESPN in 1994. In 1998, Donnellan continued her national show despite going through treatment for breast cancer. She eventually moved to Sporting News radio until 2001 when her show was canceled. Shortly thereafter, she left public life by retreating to her home in Gulfport. Over the past couple of years, she has filled in as guest host on various radio shows, but today makes her full-time return. Donnellan, who never reveals her age (she’s believed to be in her early-to-mid 50s), spoke by telephone from her home as she applied ice packs to her new knees.

How is your health?
I'm okay. I've got new knees now. I'm 2 inches taller. I'm like the bionic woman.
And you're cancer free?
This fall will make 10 years. It changed my life.
How so?
I'm more fabulous than ever. (Laughs) I have a whole new perspective on things. Suddenly knowing who the backup third baseman is for the Arizona Diamondbacks, let alone his actual stats, isn't so important anymore.
Why did you walk away from radio after your last job?
It was getting tiresome. I continued to work through my treatments (for cancer). I came back here to Tampa Bay and had my treatments at Bayfront hospital. I probably would make the same decision again, but when I got sick, I never really allowed myself to heal properly. It got to the point that my immune system was so badly burned, I couldn't even drive. I was wiped out. I needed to get away when I did.
What did you do?
I was here and I love it here. I know people call it God's Waiting Room, and I feel like I have to defend this place to other people, but it really is a great area. I hung out by the pool. I'm a beach girl. I did that. I didn't pick up a newspaper for six months. I didn't watch television for a year. I didn't listen to radio for two years. I reconnected with family and friends. That was the big thing.
And?
Well, you're not going to believe it, but I started working in fashion. We have this internet company called pjsplus.com. We make exercise clothes, yoga clothes and so forth for plus-sized women. I didn't know I had that in me. It's a mom-and-pop type of thing, but I've really enjoyed it.
When did you start getting the itch to get back into radio?
Well, I filled in for different people here and there and probably last (fall), I started thinking about it. And this opportunity came along with Scot and I thought it would be great because I worked with half the people who are there now.
Is sports talk-radio different than it was when you last did it full-time more than seven years ago?
Well, the amount of information available now to fans is so much greater than it used to be. In the old days, I'd go out to the Bucs press conference then come back and tell people what the coach had to say. Now, people know what the coach is saying as he is saying it.
What makes good talk radio?
Passion. That's the big thing. But now there's so much yelling going on. Too much of it, I think. I thought talk radio and everything would be kindlier and gentler following 9/11, but boy, was I wrong. It went the other direction. There's more yelling and screaming than ever before.
You did a little yelling, but you never came off as malicious.
Well, I don't suffer fools. I'm still not going to listen to some guy go on and on about his fantasy team. This is still an entertainment business. We can't ever forget that.
What kind of show do you want to have?
Well, Scot and I are different so there should be some fireworks. I love Scot. I covered him when he played for Bucs, so we go back. He does a great job and I look forward to coming in with him, talking about my football team here, my baseball team and my hockey team, which, by the way, better get itself straightened out.
Before we let you go, break down the teams for us. What do you think of the Rays these days?
My gut reaction is "Who are you guys? You're going to do away with 100 years of tradition and take spring training out of here? And now you want to build a $450-million stadium and I'm supposed to help you pay for this? I'm not paying for this. How about winning a few games first and then come see me.''
The Bucs?
I gotta tell you, those two guys — Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen — come off as a couple of smart-(expletive) frat boys to me. But Gruden gets a lifetime pass from me because he brought a Super Bowl champion here and I never, ever thought I would see that in my lifetime. So Gruden is okay by me.
The Lightning?
In the NHL, everybody makes the playoffs. If you can't make the playoffs then you pretty much (stink). Right? I mean, you, me and four guys could put together a team and get close to a playoff spot, no? But they're going to get the No. 1 pick and I really like John Tortorella. I think he's a terrific coach. So I think the Lightning is going to be okay.
So you're back. Is this the start of something big? Where are you going to be in five years?
Five years? All I know is what I'm doing five minutes from now and that’s turning over the ice bags on my knees. That's as far ahead as I think these days.

Who can beat Tiger?

The Masters starts Thursday and Tiger Woods, of course, is the favorite. He has won four times at Augusta, but is looking for his first green jacket since 2005. So who wins this weekend? I'll take Tiger and you take the field and I'll feel good about my chances. But, here are five players with the best chance of upsetting Tiger and wearing the green jacket come Sunday afternoon.

1. Phil Mickelson. Lefty has actually won more Masters in the past four years than Tiger. He won in 2004 and then again in 2006. He hasn't looked quite like himself recently, but the course is perfectly suited to his game and his success at Augusta gives him the confidence anyone needs to hold off Tiger. And if you believe in the whole even-numbered year thing, it's Mickelson's turn to win.

2. Zach Johnson. If I had offered up Zach Johnson's name a year ago, you probably would've said, "Zach Who?'' But now, we're talking about the defending Masters champ. Last year, he played the Par 5's in 11-under-par. If he can do that again, he'll have a chance.

3. Geoff Ogilvy. Playing as well as anyone the past month. He won at Doral and finished tied for second in Houston. Also has shown he can handle the pressure when his name is on the leaderboard next to Tiger's. One of the few guys who doesn't seem to get intimidated by Woods.

4. Fred Couples. Freddy seems to be gearing up for one great last run in his career and was in the hunt in Houston. And this is a place where he's extremely comfortable. He has played in 23 Masters and made the cut 23 times, winning in 1992. In fact, he's the only Masters champ to have never missed the cut and his streak of making 23 straight cuts at the Masters is a record he shares with Gary Player.

5. Jim Furyk. Another player who handles pressure well. He doesn't hit it long, and that could present some problems if the Augusta course plays long this weekend. But he hits 'em straight and that's always a good thing at Augusta. When his putter is working, he's usually in the running.

Sad day in Cleveland

Those from Cleveland will be sad to hear that Gib Shanley, who served as the radio announcer on Browns games from 1961 to 1984, passed away of complications from pneumonia on Sunday. He was 76.

Shanley, who was the face of sports at WEWS-ABC for 20 years, might best remembered for lighting an Iranian flag on fire during a news broadcast during the hostage crisis in 1979. Shanley then said anyone from Iran who was offended should leave the country. The station received about 500 phones calls, almost all in support of Shanley. The photo is of Shanley