The World of Wadley NBA Playoff Guide

Finally, it's here. The NBA Playoffs are upon us. The Association, which has found a way to stay at the forefront of sports news around the calendar, put together another dramatic regular season with questions in Cleveland, injuries to Western Conference titans, more triple-doubles from Russ and so much more.

The league is thriving and it's now time to enter an enticing postseason with plenty of intriguing first round matchups. What should you expect? It's tough to say with the Warriors' injuries, Cleveland's rollercoaster regular season and the unproven past of so many contenders such as the Raptors and Rockets.

Before the games tip off, here's a few things to watch...

Will we see Warriors-Cavs Part IV?
No we will not. It wouldn't be wise to write off a LeBron James-led team, but Cleveland's road looks tougher than in past years. The Indiana Pacers won't be an easy first round matchup with Victor Oladipo's emergence as an All-Star caliber player. Lance Stephenson, though ultimately unsuccessful in his efforts, is just crazy enough to push LeBron's buttons and Bankers Life Fieldhouse can be a difficult place to play when it's filled with LeBron haters. Toronto would most likely await Cleveland in the second round and the 76ers look like a formidable opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals. Still, LeBron is LeBron and Cleveland will end up in the Finals.

The Warriors won't though. Injuries have plagued Golden State and they will be without Steph Curry for the first round against San Antonio. If Golden State were healthy, there is no team on the planet that could unseat them as the NBA's best, but they aren't healthy and that means James Harden and Houston will meet Cleveland in the Finals. For what it's worth, Houston will hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy.

What about the Raptors?
The Raps have turned in some disappointing playoff performances in past seasons and Brian Windhorst wrote a piece on their Game 1 woes, which they can potentially end Saturday against Washington. There's reason to believe Toronto will advance past the first round, but I struggle to believe they can beat a LeBron-led team four times. That means the No. 1 seed in the East will be out in the semifinals, adding another chapter to the franchise's disappointing playoff story.

Are the Sixers for real?
Winning 16 games in a row without one of your top two players means you are for real. Joel Embiid will return from injury and Ben Simmons looks like a superstar in the making. The Process has been a long one for Philly, but this young bunch looks primed to make a run. Some of that is due to their talent, while some of it is due to injuries to other teams. Boston doesn't pose nearly the same threat in the second round as we thought they would now that Kyrie Irving is out. Count on the Sixers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, which will give us a Ben Simmons vs. LeBron matchup that should provide great theatre.

What's an underrated first round matchup to watch?
The Portland Trail Blazers versus the New Orleans Pelicans is a series to watch. Houston and Golden State hog the national spotlight out West, but Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard will have national stage they deserve in this series. Davis is an MVP candidate with 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. Lillard has put up 27 points, 6.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. This one will be fun.

It's a long road to the title and it begins Saturday with Warriors-Spurs at 3 p.m. ET. See the entire playoff schedule here.

Even a World Series Ring Can't Guarantee Patience for Cub Fans

As I sat and ate my breakfast this morning, I read all the articles I could find recapping last night's Cubs game (a morning ritual for me between the months of April and October). Jesse Rogers and Carrie Muskat are usually my go-to beat writers for all things Cub, but an article written by former Cub Doug Glanville was my favorite this morning. He talked about his experiences on the Cubs back in 1997 when they started the season 0-14 and how a 3-4 start for the 2018 team should not cause panic for the Cubs' fan base.

I was only 3 years old in 1997, so my knowledge of that start and that season as a whole is non-existent. In fact, my first memory as a Cub fan is sitting on the living room couch watching game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. It doesn't require an explanation, you know what happened. Moises Alou went up against the brick wall in left and Steve Bartman did what any fan would have done. I remember being frustrated, but as a fourth grader the enormity of the situation didn't stand out to me. I viewed it as a bump in the road in that game and that game alone, but for my dad, a lifelong Cub fan who had experienced plenty of Cub-related heartbreak before that game, it was a much bigger deal. My dad is one of the most laid-back and easy-going individuals I've ever met, but when Bartman touched that ball and my brother, Zach (a Cardinal fan, no less), started laughing, my dad about lost it ("IT'S NOT FUNNY!"). Needless to say, that's one of the funnier moments we reflect on as a family now, but how fitting is it that my first memory of cheering for the Cubs is one of heartbreak?

It's hard to believe this year will be the 15th anniversary of that game. The craziest part about it is how much the Cubs' organization has changed since then. In 15 years the Cubs have had plenty of different "saviors" who would lead the ball club to that coveted World Series title: Nomar Garciaparra, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Lou Piniella just to name a few. Not one of those guys made it out of the NLDS. However, those guys gave the fan base hope. It was after they were all gone, with Soriano being the last man standing, that things had to get ugly in order to get pretty.

I have this app on my phone called "TimeHop" which, for those of you not familiar with it, allows you to see your social media posts from past years on today's date. Looking back four, five and six years ago on that app at this time of year is incredibly painful. Seeing the starting lineups featuring the likes of Luis Valbuena, Emilio Bonifacio and Jeff Baker isn't something I hope to relive any time soon. Add in the fact that Carlos Marmol was the closer back then and you have a heart attack waiting to happen. Cubs baseball was not fun back then. Did I still watch as many games as I could? Absolutely. All the way through September. It was brutal most days, but there was a reason for it and Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer had the 5-year plan in place.

So now here we are in 2018. A World Series banner has been raised and the Cubs have made three consecutive trips to the NLCS. I grew up watching an NL Central division that was perennially dominated by the St. Louis Cardinals. Heck, the Cardinals made three consecutive trips to the NLCS TWO SEPARATE TIMES. My brother couldn't have been more spoiled as a Cardinals fan. Sheesh. But look at who was on those Cardinals teams. Generational legends like Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. All-time legends like Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa. Those teams were flat-out good, and now the Cubs have the roster to make the same noise those Cardinals teams did.

Who would have thought there would ever be a year where Cubs fans couldn't wait for their bullpen to enter the game? Last night, Justin Wilson walked three straight hitters to load the bases only to watch new-comer Steve Cishek strike out Lorenzo Cain to get out of the jam. The days of watching Kevin Gregg or Brian Schlitter blow a late-game lead are over. They have one of if not the best bullpen in baseball right now (albeit with a very small sample size) and even though they're off to a bit of a slow start, their starting rotation should be at least in the top five, potentially top three by the end of the season. There is not a single hole in their batting order and the youth of the team projects perennial contention for the next few years. This is a Cubs team unlike any other Cub team before them.

So stop panicking. Stop being impatient. Stop questioning the Cubs' focus or motivation. It's April 7th. This team was built for longevity, not just "win now" on a one or two year timeline. Cubs fans (myself included) have been so spoiled these past three years and I never thought I'd be able to say that. The problem now, though, is that success is not a hope or a pleasant surprise, it's an expectation. Hoyer and Epstein have made all the right moves and now the team has shown the potential it has. That brings about a lot of pressure, but also a lot of irrationality from the fan base.

The bottom line is this: things could be so much worse. It's a beautiful day when a 3-4 start can be considered a reason to be anxious rather than bringing about a "here we go again" mentality when thinking of the season as a whole. Be excited because truthfully, it could and has been so much worse. I'd take a 3-4 record with Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Javy Baez headlining the Cubs any day over a team with Marlon Byrd, Bryan LaHair and Koyie Hill. Smile, Cub fans. Life's pretty darn good right now.

Tiger's Resurgence Promises Compelling Masters

Masters weekend promises a few things for golf fans. Jim Nantz will lower the volume after last week's Final Four, Tom Rinaldi will tell beautiful stories and the actual golf at Augusta will be even more beautiful with the game's best playing on the world's most famous course. A decade ago, another promise could be made: Tiger Woods would put on a show just as he had been doing since 1997 when he won his first green jacket.

Times changed though. Tiger's downfall is well-documented with the lowest of lows coming so fast that it seemed we hardly had time to say goodbye. He was still around, and he was still Tiger, but he wasn't that Tiger. He didn't invoke that fear in opponents that was his signature.

Despite his struggles both on and off the course, Augusta has always brought the best out of Woods. After his infamous infidelity scandal in November 2009, he has won just eight tournaments with three coming in 2012 and five in 2013. There were times he fell off the grid completely it seemed, but Augusta almost always gave us the old Tiger. Woods has tied for fourth three times at The Masters since 2009 and shot six rounds under 70.

While Tiger scuffled through the past few years, golf didn't wilt. On this very blog, we looked into how golf has done in Tiger's absence, which was just fine thanks to Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy and others. But there's nobody like Tiger.

Tiger is playing his best golf in a long time and, according to him, feels the best he has felt in six or seven years. A few weeks ago, Woods finished second in the Valspar Championship and nearly shut down Twitter in the process. Consider the fact that he had fans turning away from March Madness to watch him make a late charge in the Arnold Palmer Invitational of all things. That's the Tiger Effect.

Thursday he will tee off a little before 11 a.m. in what is the most exciting buildup to the Masters we've had in awhile. Along with Tiger, McIlroy and Phil Mickelson have also turned back the clock in recent weeks. The game's new wave of stars in Spieth, Jason Day and Rickie Fowler will be there, and there will also be somebody like 2016 champion Danny Willett who nobody expects to challenge for the jacket, but does so against all odds.

For years there seemed to be a collective groan from fans and media as we watched Tiger struggle on the course, change his swing or sit out altogether. Now, love him or hate him, don't deny you're excited to see that red shirt on Sunday walking up to the 18th green most likely in contention for his fifth green jacket.

Tiger is back, folks, and it promises to be a good show.

----------------------------------------------------

Rounds 1 and 2 Tee Times (ET)

8:30AM/11:15AM: Austin Cook, Ted Potter Jr., Wesley Bryan

8:41AM/11:26AM: Ian Woosnam, Ryan Moore, Jhonattan Vegas

8:52AM/11:37AM: Mike Weir, Brendan Steele, Matt Parziale (a)

9:03AM/11:48AM: Jose Maria Olazabal, Kevin Chappell, Dylan Frittelli

9:14AM/11:59AM: Bryson DeChambeau, Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Fitzpatrick

9:25AM/12:10PM: Mark O’Meara, Brian Harman, Harry Ellis (a)

9:36AM/12:32PM: Vijay Singh, Satoshi Kodaira, Daniel Berger

9:47AM/12:43PM: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Pat Perez, Francesco Molinari

9:58AM/12:54PM: Danny Willett, Kyle Stanley, Jason Dufner

10:09AM/1:05PM: Hideki Matsuyama, Patton Kizzire, Paul Casey

10:31AM/1:16PM: Zach Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Branden Grace

10:42AM/1:27PM: Tiger Woods, Marc Leishman, Tommy Fleetwood

10:53AM/1:38PM: Sergio Garcia, Justin Thomas, Doc Redman (a)

11:04AM/1:49PM: Bubba Watson, Henrik Stenson, Jason Day

11:15AM/2:00PM: Patrick Reed, Carley Hoffman, Adam Hadwin

11:26AM/8:30AM: Billy Horschel, Chez Reavie, Cameron Smith

11:37AM/8:41AM: Sandy Lyle, Si Woo Kim, Doug Ghim (a)

11:48AM/8:52AM: Trevor Immelman, Ian Poulter, Patrick Cantlay

11:59AM/9:03AM: Angel Cabrera, Ross Fisher, Jimmy Walker

12:10PM/9:14AM: Fred Couples, Hao Tong Li, Joaquin Niemann (a)

12:32PM/9:25AM: Larry Mize, Russell Henley, Shubhankar Sharma

12:43PM/9:36AM: Bernhard Langer, Tony Finau, Yuta Ikeda

12:54PM/9:47AM: Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson, Yuxin Lin (a)

1:05PM/9:58AM: Kevin Kisner, Thomas Pieters, Xander Schauffele

1:16PM/10:09AM: Gary Woodland, Yusaku Miyazato, Tyrrell Hatton

1:27PM/10:31AM: Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar

1:38PM/10:42AM: Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm

1:49PM/10:53AM: Jordan Spieth, Alex Noren, Louis Oosthuizen

2:00PM/11:04AM: Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, Rafael Cabrera-Bello

"You Suck, Ref!" And Other Things I Wish I Hadn't Said

My job as a sports information director takes me to gyms and fields all over the country to cover a plethora of sports from football to cycling to bowling. It's a dream job covering sports for living, knocking out press releases and running social media accounts. I love most of it, but there a few negative things you can count on no matter where you are or what sport you're watching. One of those is that fans will undoubtedly make a referee or umpire's night a long one.

I played sports much of my life and I can tell you I was hardly easy on an official. I've received technical fouls, I've glared and stared down officials, I've yelled at umps and told them they were wrong, and I've tested refs with as much sarcasm as I could muster throughout a game. In short, I'm sure there were plenty of refs who didn't love me by the end of the game.

I wish I hadn't been that way. It's funny how my view has changed since I've moved to the scorers' table and press box instead of the sidelines. From my seat I can hear and see everything and I am disappointed most nights. I meet the officials before each game and talk with them when they arrive. Most of them are friendly and in a good mood. Depending how the night goes, I can almost watch them gain a few gray hairs and look a year older by the end of the game. The fans are relentless.

If you listen to the common fan you would think that every official had it out for their team, that they were blind or that they are a laundry list of negative qualities such as terrible, horrible and awful. Sometimes fans say they are all of the above. All that abuse for a couple hundred bucks if you work at the college level, but even less money if you work a lower level. What a gig.

How easily we forget that an official is a human too. They are going to make mistakes, but they are doing the best they can. Keep in mind, they are trained to do their job and their best is far better than the job any fan could do, despite what that fan might say. Sure, officials signed up for a highly-scrutinized position and being upset with a call is okay. Yet fans take it too far, too often. 

I know very few younger people who aspire to be an official. I have tried it at the youth level and got a taste of some loud parents. A few years was enough for me. One day we will have a shortage of officials and we will have only ourselves to blame. Who would want to sign up for that job? Coaches who scream after every call, parents who think their kid is getting slighted every time down the floor and players who have no respect for officials? Those who do the job have my respect.

Next time you head to a game consider this: every time you make a mistake at work there isn't a large crowd yelling at you and saying how awful you are. Imagine if there was. You would probably leave feeling miserable every day. 

Sit back, enjoy the game and cheer on your team. But remember the officials and umpires aren't getting paid full-time salaries and they are out there doing a job that is essential for the game to take place. Show some respect and let's all be better.

Krishawn Hogan: Small-School Stud Ready for the Big Time

Beginning Thursday night, dreams will come true for over 200 young men in the NFL Draft. The
usual suspects will have multiple names called - Alabama, Clemson, USC, etc. - and there will be those from non-Power 5 Division I programs as well. However, there might be one name called from a school never heard from before. Krishawn Hogan of Marian University - Indianapolis.

Hogan, a 6-4, 225 pound wide receiver, wrapped up an illustrious career at Marian in November and he leaves the NAIA as one of the greatest players in history. And he did it all in three seasons. A graduate of Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, Hogan played just one season of varsity ball and ended his high school career with 20 catches and one touchdown. Suffice to say, he was lightly recruited and left Walsh University after just one season.

He came back home and took classes at Ivy Tech while working the night shift as a janitor. He enrolled at Marian University, fell in love with the weight room as he likes to say and started tearing up the NAIA competition. Hogan was a touchdown machine, finding the end zone 67 times in 40 games. He won a national title and finished runner-up a season later. All of his work and success led to a Combine invite where he was nearly flawless. Now, the Draft looms.

Stories like Krishawn Hogan's aren't necessarily new. There are guys like him every year in the Draft. But I don't and won't know them. I've had the pleasure of working with Krishawn for the past year at Marian so forgive me if my bias shows through.

Count on Hogan to make it in the league. Will he be drafted or eventually see playing time? That's not something I consider myself an expert on. But will he put in the work and do it the right way? Yes, that I know. Hogan wasn't born with an NFL body. He's made his into one with hours in the weight room at Marian. Last Saturday, the Marian football field was empty (a rare occasion at a school with 24 sports) around 3 p.m. in the afternoon except for one guy - Hogan. There's a million other things a 22-year-old kid could be doing on a Saturday afternoon, but for a guy trying to make the NFL, he was right where he needed to be, putting himself through various drills and exercises.

His journey and unlikely story has drawn national attention. The Indy Star ran a feature on him prior to the Combine and Sports Illustrated featured him as well.  ESPN came to campus last week and will run a story on him during Sportscenter this Saturday. On a small campus, it would be easy for the spotlight to go to Hogan's head. However, he has remained as humble as can be through the entire process and never big times anybody.

Plenty of teams are interested in Hogan, who has been projected as high as the fourth round. But despite all his talent, he must shed the small-school label as the Draft begins. The skills are there and the team that drafts him will get a steal, but it will take a risk. Yet it's a risk worth taking for a guy who can dominate on the field, but also be a quality individual off of it.

A lifetime of work has led up to this for Hogan. An unlikely story, but a story that is about to begin its greatest chapter.

Unpredictable Bulls May Have Saved Best Act For Last

Forgive these Chicago Bulls if they are are disrupting what was expected in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Forgive them if they've put Boston in a sour mood after a stellar regular season, and certainly forgive a few Chicago players for quizzically playing their best ball of the season here in the last two games. Forgive them because this Bulls team can't figure out who they are. They weren't able to do so through an 82-game regular season, but perhaps now they have and it couldn't have come at a better time.

The Bulls, an eight seed, went into Boston and didn't just beat the top-seeded Celtics - they whooped them. Twice. It's only the second time ever that an eight seed has won the first two games of a series against a one seed on the road and now Chicago gets to go back to the United Center for two games.

What a surprise it was to see Bobby Portis play like an animal in game one. Or to see Robin Lopez act like Brook Lopez in game two. Rajon Rondo? He's looked like the 2008 version of himself. Jimmy Butler has continued to play like a superstar and Dwyane Wade bounced back to have a quality game two after a poor game one, which featured a missed dunk on a breakaway.

Chicago earned the eight seed after a rollercoaster season in which they went 22-24 against teams .500 or better, but 19-17 versus teams that were below .500. They were mediocre in every sense of the word and finished 41-41.

For all the unpredictable play in the regular season though, Chicago has looked like anything but an eight seed through two games. The Bulls have been locked in and have hardly suffered any lapses, something that plagued them throughout the regular season. In game two, Boston made several runs at the Bulls, but every time Chicago responded and fended off the Celtics' charges. Simply put, they looked like a team ready to make a run in the postseason.

This looks like a different team and it's all thanks to the role players. Butler, Wade and Rondo are clicking, but it takes guys like Lopez and Portis to make a run in the playoffs. So far those guys have stepped up. It's given the Bulls a real chance to pull off the upset and move to the ECF semifinals. But to accomplish that it will take sustained focus. Inconsistent play doesn't work in the playoffs and the Bulls had 82 games to prove they could play consistent basketball and they couldn't do that.

The time is now for Chicago. They have been the better team to this point and the belief that Jimmy Butler with two seasoned veterans like Wade and Rondo could thrive looks justified. It may not have been pretty during the regular season, but the Bulls are staying true to form. The up-and-down team is trending up.

They couldn't have picked a better time.

The State of College Basketball: Trending Up or Down?

It's the most dreadful time of year for a college basketball fan. March Madness has come to a close, the game is absent from the sports world, and along with that, underclassmen begin to declare for the NBA Draft later in June. Spurning one to three more years of college for the chance at fame and millions of dollars seems like a no-brainer, and the amount of young men who choose that path illustrate that thinking. But while players sign agents, fans are left with the changing landscape of college basketball.

Is the game improving? Quite simply, it is not. A case could be made that the game has been stagnant, but it's difficult to argue that college basketball has improved in the last decade. Choppy gameplay due to fouls, conference realignment, coaching changes and early draft entries have affected the game negatively and continue to do so.

The national championship game between North Carolina and Gonzaga was difficult to watch despite the close score. 44 fouls meant constant stoppages, which led to poor shooting and no rhythm in gameplay. The final 20 minutes seemed to take a lifetime as it became a free throw contest. 52 free throws were shot before the end of the night and both teams were in the bonus with 13 minutes left. In the second half alone there were 27 fouls and it sent nearly every big man for both teams to the bench in foul trouble.

Unfortunately, the national championship was not an anomaly. UCLA, a run-and-gun team that featured quality shooters, versatile big men and Lonzo Ball to orchestrate it all, was a breath of fresh air during a season that would frequently feature games in the 60's.

Four different conferences were represented at the Final Four this season (ACC, SEC, WCC, PAC-12), but not one of those conferences has had the same members for longer than five seasons. Football and the pursuit of the almighty dollar for television networks has led many conference to shift and change over the years. This is nothing new, but it's reached a new level in this decade. It's taken away fantastic basketball rivalries like Kansas-Missouri, Syracuse-Georgetown and Duke-Maryland.

Instead, fans are treated to games like Missouri-Auburn, Syracuse-Clemson and Maryland-Nebraska. Sure, there are still plenty of great rivalries, but a Missouri fan has lost the two best games of the year. A Maryland fan is watching their team in games with no history or passion. A Syracuse fan is pleased to see games against Duke and Carolina, but it's not Georgetown or UConn. The realignment is not what is best for the game despite being what's best for the bottom line.

Speaking of the bottom line, did you watch ESPN's 30 for 30 One and Not Done on John Calipari? His players have made plenty of money in the NBA and very few of them stuck around for more than a year or two in college. The one-and-done topic has been beaten to death, but despite all the talk, there has been no action to fix what plagues the game and the NBA.

For the college game, it's an issue for the fans and that's it. The teams and coaches must continually replenish their rosters, but that has not been difficult for the game's best. For the fans though, they are watching a revolving door. Players come and go and there is hardly any connection between the player and the university. Kyrie Irving can claim to be a Dukie, but 10 games doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Consider all the freshmen who have gone through Kansas in recent years: Xavier Henry, Andrew Wiggins, Josh Selby and Josh Jackson. They have all done well in Lawrence, but departed after a year. Perhaps only a Jayhawk fan can truly answer the question, but is that fun? Those players have brought plenty of wins and that's fun, but is it truly fun to root for the program when the best player is someone new every season? There's rarely a long-term connection with stars anymore like J.J. Redick or Adam Morrison. That's why teams like this year's North Carolina and Gonzaga squads should be treasured.

And it's not just players who leave early. Coaches are guilty as well. No one could ever fault someone for moving up in the ranks and bettering their career, but coaches don't last long at one place anymore. Jim Boeheim vs. John Thompson or Gene Keady vs. Bob Knight? Those kind of coaching rivalries are hard to come by now. Is that a death sentence for the game? Of course not. The game can go on without those, but it doesn't make for a better product.

Make no mistake though, college basketball is a great game. March Madness continues to thrill the masses year after year, but that can't be the sole barometer for the state of the game. There are plenty of factors that contribute to college basketball as a whole and as the book closes on another season, it's safe to say there is work to be done.

The NHL's Top 10 Sweaters

It's playoff time in the National Hockey League and the best teams are on display, but not only are the teams great, but the sweaters are too. Hockey gives us the most unique uniforms in sports. When else is it okay to pair a sweater with shorts? The simple answer: never. But in hockey it works and there are some fantastic tops in the game.

Here are the top 10 sweaters in the NHL this season with a little bonus at the end...

1. Chicago Blackhawks (Red)
The bright red color. The primary logo on the front. The secondary logo on the shoulders. The triple-stripe look. This one has it all and it's the best in the game. Chicago's red top looks fantastic and their logo has remained virtually the same throughout time. It's an easy one on the eyes and it's a clear number one.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs (Blue)
The classic to end all classics. Toronto is the center of hockey and the Maple Leafs don't have to change what's been working for a very long time. Toronto unveiled a new logo before the 2016-17 season and it has more of a classic feel. The simple blue-and-white two color scheme keeps it clean and the in year one of the new jersey the Leafs are back in the playoffs.

3. Montreal Canadiens (Red)
The Canadiens wear some absolute beauties and with the added laces it's even better. Lace are always a good call in hockey and adding them along with the iconic logo and the bold blue stripe across the chest makes this one a winner.

4. New York Rangers (Blue)
This is a timeless classic that should never change. It's often imitated with the diagonal word mark, but make no mistake: this is the original and the best. 3-D numbers are also unique. The red, white and blue is impossible to hate and seeing these in the Garden is something special.

5. Boston Bruins (Black)
The triple-stripe style and the laces are a gorgeous combination for this Original Six sweater. Boston's logo has been around forever and the white and black outline around the numbers on the back gives the font a little extra pop.

6. Detroit Red Wings (Red)
There's not much going on here, but there doesn't have to be. The Red Wings are another team that only use two colors, but the classic logo with the bright red from head to toe is something every hockey fan recognizes right away. There have been plenty of wins in the red sweaters.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (Black)
Perhaps this is a bit high for some, but the Penguins have a sweet logo. It's a Penguin playing hockey! The stripes of white and gold pop just like the Boston Bruins' and the return to the classic gold was the right decision for this franchise.

8. Calgary Flames (Red)
The return to the red and yellow throwbacks has the Flames looking good once again. Black never really worked with their sweaters, but once it was taken out the Flames moved up considerably. The flaming "C" logo is outstanding as well.

9. Edmonton Oilers (Blue)
A great logo and a dynamite color scheme make the Oilers' blue sweater one of the game's best. The logo is what really stands out, but the bright orange also makes these pop out on the ice. Thankfully, they are back in the postseason this year.

10. New York Islanders (Blue)
These are very close to the Oilers, and like Edmonton, New York has a great logo that plays off their name perfectly (despite playing in Brooklyn now). The blue and orange looks great on the ice and when the Islanders are playing the game looks great.

Bonus: St. Louis Blues (Winter Classic)
St. Louis, please listen to this: make the Winter Classic uniforms the full-time uniforms! The lighter shade of blue and the absence of navy in the sweater makes these absolutely beautiful. St. Louis donned them multiple times throughout the season and if they went to them full-time there would be no complaints.

There are plenty of others that look great. The Washington Capitals' alternate red and the Philadelphia Flyers' orange come to mind. The uniqueness of the uniform style and the timeless classics hockey has make each game a sight to see when it comes to the uniforms.

When In Doubt, The Central Still Belongs to the Blackhawks

The winds of change seemed to blow through the Midwest last season as Brent Seabrook's slapshot
caromed off not one, but two posts in Game 7 of the NHL Western Conference First Round against the St. Louis Blues. The shot, which would have tied the game with just 1:30 left in regulation, narrowly missed and the Blues closed the series in dramatic fashion.

The mighty Chicago Blackhawks, owners of three Stanley Cups since 2010, had fallen. Not only had they fallen, they bowed out early to a Central Division opponent. Since the NHL realigned in 2014 and adopted its current playoff format, the Blackhawks were 4-0 in playoff series against Central Division opponents until last year's loss.

The analysts had been trying to hype up the story for years - that the Blues, Wild or Predators were ready to unseat the Blackhawks. When the Blues won, the media only heightened that chatter, highlighting the physical youthfulness of the Blues against the tired legs of the Blackhawks, a franchise that had finally lost a step due to years of success both for Chicago and Olympic teams.

Those winds of change have been silenced as the Blackhawks, perhaps rejuvenated from a longer offseason, marched to a Western Conference-best 50 wins this season. Now it's time once again, to see if someone can dethrone Chicago.

Nashville will have the first crack. The Predators have come close before, but have yet to defeat Chicago in the playoffs with Jonathon Toews and Patrick Kane running the show. The offseason trade for P.K. Subban was a change for Nashville as they try to advance past the second round for the first time in program history. First though, they have to beat a Blackhawks team that has been so deep and well-rounded that there's no telling who will do the scoring night-in, night-out. If the past tells us anything it's that Chicago may just go win the Stanley Cup again. The past two times they played Nashville in the first round (2010, 2015) they won it all.

The Blues have looked incredible at times this season and they have been especially sharp since firing Ken Hitchcock in favor of Mike Yeo. Yeo was fired by the Wild at the end of last season and that makes the matchup between St. Louis and Minnesota extra enticing. There's no doubt Minnesota would like another crack at Chicago, while St. Louis would love to prove that last year's series win and this year's Winter Classic third-period demolition of Chicago were no fluke.

While all three Central Division playoff opponents have their strengths, no team can boast the talent and experience Chicago has. Three banners from this decade hang in the United Center and the front office in Chicago has found a way to retool the team around the core year after year.

The Blackhawks may have left the playoff party earlier than usual last season, but that doesn't mean the times have changed. In fact, it may mean this year they are stronger than ever.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Central Division Playoff Schedule
April 13 Nashville Predators 8:00 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks United Center
April 15 Nashville Predators 8:00 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks United Center
April 17 Chicago Blackhawks 9:30 p.m. Nashville Predators         Bridgestone Arena
April 20 Chicago Blackhawks TBD Nashville Predators         Bridgestone Arena
April 22 Nashville Predators TBD Chicago Blackhawks United Center
April 24 Chicago Blackhawks TBD Nashville Predators         Bridgestone Arena
April 26 Nashville Predators TBD Chicago Blackhawks United Center

April 12 St. Louis Blues 9:30 p.m. Minnesota Wild Xcel Energy Center
April 14 St. Louis Blues 8:00 p.m. Minnesota Wild Xcel Energy Center
April 16 Minnesota Wild 3:00 p.m. St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
April 19 Minnesota Wild 9:30 p.m. St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
April 22 St. Louis Blues TBD Minnesota Wild Xcel Energy Center
April 24 Minnesota Wild TBD St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
April 26 St. Louis Blues TBD Minnesota Wild Xcel Energy Center

It's Okay To Not Stick To Sports

On this blog we talk about sports. You name it and we've probably touched on it, but sometimes there are current events in this world that take precedence over the games and the athletes. Here on our blog, Nate and I have sometimes ventured out (examples here, and here) beyond the borders of sports and written about those, like Carmelo Anthony, who chose to step out of the sports bubble. Sometimes there are things that are simply too important to brush to the side, although we try while escaping to sports.

Athletes, coaches and sports media figures are stepping out of the sports bubble more than ever and giving the media and fans their thoughts on the world's current issues, leaders and political debates. Check the comment or replies section after any of these opinions are given and there's the same old comeback of "stick to sports."

Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, the USWNT and a whole host of NFL and NBA players have given their opinion on Donald Trump, Black Lives Matter, race and equal pay matters. Reporters like Richard Deitsch, Seth Davis and others are willing to talk politics on their social media networks. Every time each person listed above strays from sports topics they are told to just "stick to sports."

Sports is an outlet for people. It's a place to get away from the political debates and the issues of the world we live in. For three hours, a fan's worries can just be about the bad call the umpire made or the dropped catch by their favorite wide receiver. Sports is an escape, but it seems some would like to completely forget that there is more to an athlete, coach or media member than their job. They have earned a platform and they are entitled to use it how they see fit.

These are turbulent times in our world. Political leaders in multiple countries pose a threat, violence is on the rise both at home and abroad and the divide between the American people seems to be at an all-time high. Now, more than ever, it would be great if we could just stick to sports.

But we can't. There's more to this life than just sports and there are decisions being made by our leaders that will greatly affect the trajectory of this country and this world. These are no small matters when we talk about people's freedoms, equal pay, race relations, etc. More than ever, sports figures are taking responsibility for their cities and the happenings in them. The platforms they have are massive, reaching millions of people each day. Thankfully, most choose to use them for what they believe in.

You might not agree with their opinion and that's okay. You may disagree with Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the National Anthem or you might disagree with Derrick Rose and LeBron James wearing "I Can't Breathe" shirts in warmups. That's okay. You might not understand why the US Women's National Team is asking for equal pay with their male counterparts. That's fine. But what is not fine is telling them to just stick to sports. Appreciate the fact that they are using their platform for what they see as positive change.

Can you imagine if no one used their platform for change? Why do we ask sports figures to stay in a box, but not others? If everyone confined themselves to their profession then Martin Luther King would have just been a preacher. No person in today's world thinks that MLK should have "just stuck to his day job." Chance the Rapper is very dedicated to seeing Chicago prosper and recently donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools. No one suggested he "just stick to music."

Rather than asking these sports figures to stick to sports, we should commend them for speaking up. When young black men are being killed unjustly, we should respect the fact that men with a platform speak out. When women aren't earning equal pay, we should appreciate that some of the most influential women in the US are setting an example and enacting change. When our President is causing strong divisions among the American people and a coach says it's wrong, bravo to the coach for taking a stand.

Sticking to sports is a tired comeback to those who choose not to. It's asking sports figures to put themselves in a box and not use the platform they have been given. Don't like it? The unfollow button isn't far away. Go ahead and give it a click.

Molina's Legacy Cemented With New Extension

With the stroke of a pen, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina cemented his legacy and joined an elite club this past Sunday. Just before the Cardinals opened the 2017 season against the Chicago Cubs, Molina signed a three-year extension, which signals that he will most likely finish his career in St. Louis. By the end of his contract, Molina will have spent 17 years as the Cardinals' backstop. The club might as well make some room for another statue on the corner of Clark and 8th Street.

Molina has been a top two catcher in baseball for almost his entire career. His resume speaks for itself: seven All-Star games, eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, two World Series rings and four trips to the World Series. That resume along with the fact that he's a clubhouse leader, fan favorite and still the game's best defensive catcher (did you see any World Baseball Classic highlights?) makes the extension an obvious move for the Cards.

However, the thing that stands out most about the extension is what it means for Molina's career. At the completion of his contract, he will have spent 17 seasons for one team. If that sounds rare it's because it is. Players just don't do that in this era of free agency and frequent trades.

Molina can become the third Cardinal to spend the first 17 years of his career in St. Louis. The other two are Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Bob Gibson. Molina can also become just the sixth catcher to spend 15-plus seasons with one team and only 52 position players have ever accomplished the feat, according to MLB.com.

Leaving a team certainly doesn't taint a star's legacy. Albert Pujols left St. Louis for Anaheim and, while his production has dipped, his spot in Cooperstown is still reserved. Molina didn't need to stay in St. Louis to get into the Hall of Fame, but it only enhances what is already an impressive resume.

Still, the extension means the Cardinals believe Molina can continue to succeed. They most certainly didn't sign him just to be a good story and to check a box for his legacy. Molina's game may be fading a bit, but he is the heart and soul of the Cardinals and he's what makes the pitching staff go.

"To me, this is much more than what he's done," GM John Mozeliak said. "What it means to me is what he's going to do. In a way, today is just the next chapter in our future. We believe he can compete at the highest level, and we still feel that Yadi is one of the greatest catchers in the game. He's in great shape. He trains well. He eats well. And he knows what's important about not only today, but tomorrow as well.

"So today is not about a sun-setting career. Today is about us retaining the greatest catcher to ever wear a Cardinals uniform."

Mozeliak is right - the Cardinals can compete at the highest level and they can give the Cubs a run for their money, but they can't do it without Molina. Luckily for St. Louis, they won't have to for quite some time.

The 2017 World of Wadley MLB Guide

The calendar has turned to that familiar time when the sun shines a little brighter, the grass turns a little greener and the grills come out. It's baseball season, and while the excitement of a new season is nothing new, something feels a bit different in 2017. The Chicago Cubs are defending World Series champions. 99.9 percent of the world's population has never known this kind of world, but the curse ended and so too did a major story line in the game. 2017 is a new chapter for baseball and it's an enticing one.

Here are some things to keep an eye on and what to watch for this season...

Can the Cubs repeat?
This is an obvious starting point for the 2017 discussion. The Cubs open the season Sunday night in St. Louis on ESPN and may have improved from last season. Kyle Schwarber will be available for an entire season and, who knows, maybe Jason Heyward will play like a big leaguer again. It's scary if both of them produce. After all, this team already has MVP Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo plus a stable of pitchers who are downright nasty.

So can they repeat? Sure they can, but they won't. It's simply too hard. Too many things can happen such as injuries or poor play at the wrong time. As ESPN pointed out, no team has repeated since the Yankees in 1998-2000 and only one National League team (the Cincinnati Reds) has ever repeated in the last 95 years. The numbers simply aren't on the Cubs' side.

So who wins then?
The Boston Red Sox. Boston spends big and they should win big this season. Rick Porcello may not turn in another season like last season, but Chris Sale is in Boston now and he and Porcello along with David Price is a nightmare for opposing offenses. Big Papi is gone, but name a more fun trio to watch than Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley, Jr.? The Red Sox will have to overcome an always tough AL East and the Cleveland Indians, but if they stay healthy then they will win it all.

What about those Indians?
The Indians will be in the ALCS. They came oh so close last season and they have a loaded roster. It wouldn't be surprising to see them in the World Series again if they can get past Boston. But like the Cubs, it's hard to do it all over again and that's why we are predicting the Indians to be ousted before the World Series rolls around.

Don't forget about Mike Trout
Last season we wrote about how Mike Trout is stuck in Anaheim. He might be stuck on a bad team, but tune in whenever you can to see him play. He's the best player in the game and it's easy to forget that he's still only 25 years old. Trout will be an MVP front-runner once again, but like past seasons, he's going to be sitting at home watching the playoffs. Still, he's a special talent so don't miss out on his best years.

Speaking of the Angels, Albert Pujols is going to make history
Albert Pujols' star has faded since leaving the St. Louis Cardinals, but this season he should pass 600 career home runs. He enters 2017 with 591 and he's done it all clean. His name has never been linked to steroids and he will become the ninth player to eclipse the 600 mark.

Are the Dodgers ever going to win with all that money and talent?
Who knows, but they won't win this year. Magic Johnson and the Dodgers have spent big and on paper this team looks fantastic. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in the game and will surpass 2,000 strikeouts for his career this season. Adrian Gonzalez, Corey Seager and Justin Turner make a great lineup. Yasiel Puig is a wild card year-in-year-out. LA hasn't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs and with the Cubs in the National League it doesn't seem like that will change this year.

Will Bryce Harper return to form?
Harper struggled last season after his MVP campaign two years ago. He hit .243 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs last season, which is a great season for many guys in the MLB. But this is Bryce Harper, the guy who hit .330 with 42 home runs and 99 RBIs in his MVP season. Still only 23 years old, this is Harper's sixth year in the league. The Nationals, much like the Dodgers, haven't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs and without Harper at his best they don't stand a chance.

Which Astros team should we expect?
The Astros have taken us on a rollercoaster ride the past two seasons. The joy of 2015 was gone after an average 2016 season in which Houston missed the playoffs. The core of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer is still there and the pitching staff hasn't changed. Dallas Kuechel's shoulder is an issue, but one thing to watch is whether or not the Astros make a move for Chicago's Jose Quintana before season's end. This is a fun team to watch, but the AL West has strengthened the past few years. Time will tell if the Astros can take the next step.

The White Sox stink now, but....
Okay, we know no one is tuning into White Sox games this year because they just can't get enough of the SouthSiders. Chicago is going to stink. Sure, Todd Frazier will hit some bombs, but that's about it. However, don't sleep on this team in the future. They made some quality moves this offseason (namely getting Yoan Moncada) to go along with youngsters Tim Anderson and Charlie Tilson, which means the future could be bright on the South Side. The young guys are going to get their chances this season and that may just be worth tuning in.

___

The 2017 season begins Sunday, April 2nd with a tripleheader on ESPN.

For Wenger and Arsenal, FA Cups Not Enough

In less than a month, Arsenal will host Manchester City at the Emirates in an
FA Cup semifinal that will determine which team moves to the Cup title to face Tottenham or Chelsea. The Gunners are making a run at the FA Cup title for the third time in the last four seasons, and as winners of 12 cups all-time, are looking to add to the highest total in English soccer.

One could be optimistic about Arsenal's run through the FA Cup, but supporters of the club have grown tired of what is merely a band-aid on a wound that continues to fester: Arsene Wenger's job status and the club's inability to win the Premier League. Wenger, a legend who has spent two decades in charge of the Gunners, has a resume others would die for. He's won three Premier League titles, six FA Cup titles and six Community Shields and yet his job is in question due to recent play in the Premier League the past few years.

Arsenal has not won a BPL title since 2003-04, which is a lifetime in sports. While Arsenal has consistently been mediocre during the last decade-plus, rivals Chelsea have won four times and Manchester United five times. Still, Wenger has directed the Gunners to the Champions League every season, meaning he's never outside of the top four, but merely making a home in the good-but-not-good-enough category.

Is it good enough anymore, though? Are deep FA Cup runs good enough anymore? And are appearances in the Champions League Round of 16 adequate at this point? Is the club satisfied with where it's at, or is it wanting to take a step forward? Lastly, is Wenger the man to get Arsenal to take that step?

His body of work should allow him time to fix things, but salvaging a lost Premier League season with another FA Cup title won't be enough this time around. Time may have run out on the Frenchman. Arsenal currently sits sixth in the Premier League table with Manchester United two points ahead in fifth and Liverpool six points ahead in fourth. At this point, Arsenal's run of Champions League appearances is in jeopardy and no Cup title could cover that mess.

An Arsenal that watches the Champions League from home is an Arsenal in decline. A team in decline needs a new voice to lead and the painful parting with Wenger must happen. His status as a legend is cemented, but his services are no longer able to get the club where it wants to be.

Times are tough at Arsenal. The board has been silent on Wenger's future and star players Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil may be on the move. No team will ever turn down a cup title, but for Arsenal supporters there are grander titles out there - ones that Arsenal has not competed for in some time.

Players have come and gone. A new stadium has been broken in. Perhaps the change needs to happen on the sideline.

A Rare Final Four Caps College Basketball Season

And now for the grand finale. In a season of twists and turns and unpredictability, the NCAA
Tournament has fit right in with the regular season's drama and rollercoaster ride. The dust has now settled after two weekends of bracket busting and the Final Four is set with blue-blood North Carolina, basically first-timer Oregon and newbies South Carolina and Gonzaga.

Raise your hand if you picked that Final Four.

This Final Four feels different than most and that's because it is. Final Fours like this one don't come around often. In fact, they are so rare that the younger generation has never seen anything like this before. It's been 20 years since two teams west of the Mississippi River qualified for the national semifinals. The last time it happened was 1998 when Mike Montgomery and Rick Majerus took Stanford and Utah, respectively, into San Antonio. Enter Oregon and Gonzaga.

The Ducks have flirted with the Final Four before under Dana Altman's watch and after toppling Kansas in Kansas City, they seem primed for a title run. All that stands in their way is North Carolina, a team on a mission after last year's heartbreak courtesy of Kris Jenkins and Villanova. The Tar Heels survived a scare from Arkansas in the second round and Luke Maye carved out his spot in Carolina lore with his game-winner against Kentucky in the Elite 8. Mission nearly complete.

The two will fight for the right to move to the title game. North Carolina has been to the Final Four six times since 2000 and won two titles in the span. The last time Oregon was in the Final Four the championship game was played in Evanston, Illinois, FDR was only halfway through his Presidency and the Yankees were starting a World Series season with featured superstar Joe DiMaggio. Oregon won the title during that 1939 season, which was the first NCAA Tournament ever held.

On the other side it's a whole new world for both programs. South Carolina came out of nowhere, defeating Duke in the second round and defeating Florida in the Elite 8. Frank Martin has the Gamecocks playing lockdown defense, but they will have to handle a Gonzaga team that has only one loss this season and finally broke through after years of second weekend exits.

In 1999, Gonzaga made a run to the Elite 8 as a 10 seed and since then they have appeared in seven Sweet 16's and two Elite 8's. Mark Few now has the Bulldogs in the Final Four with a legitimate shot at a national championship. This is for all the former lovable Zags who came up a bit short (Casey Calvary, Dan Dickau, Derek Raivio, Adam Morrison, Jeremy Pargo).

This Final Four is college basketball parity at its finest. Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and others are watching at home while three new teams take the big stage. Complain if you want that South Carolina is unappealing to watch, Gonzaga got an easy road or that Oregon's jerseys are too much for the eyes. The point is this: this Final Four sums up why March Madness is just that - madness.

Significant history will be made and college basketball is a winner once again. In a season that has given us so many surprises, what else did you expect out of the tournament?

Decision to Skip Bowl Games Sends a Horrible Message

It has been known for several days that star LSU running back Leonard Fournette will not be playing in the Citrus Bowl this year, but today another college standout followed suit. Stanford's Christian McCaffery has also chosen to forgo his team's bowl game, the Sun Bowl, to focus on the NFL Draft. Fournette and McCaffery, though full of both talent and potential, have also shown that loyalty and character are not exactly in abundance in college football.

Fournette was on perennial Heisman watch at LSU

Let me start off by saying this: the amount of bowl games in college football is absolutely stupid. You hear all these coaches complaining about society, about youth sports. Everyone has an issue with every single kid getting a trophy and, quite frankly, I completely agree. I hate that. I think it sends the wrong message entirely. Yet college football adopts that same mindset and sends how many schools to a meaningless bowl game every single year? That needs to change and the reason I bring that up is because the bowl games play a huge part in the way these athletes and coaches who leave early are being viewed.


First off, let's address the way the media is relaying their decisions not to play. "Skipping the bowl game" is sugar coating it. Call it like it is. They are quitting. Fournette and McCaffery have decided not to join their teams in preparation for the game and they will not be in uniform. They have quit the team. What kind of message does that send?

The Citrus Bowl and the Sun Bowl. I would be lying if I said I had any desire to watch either of those games. But you know what? They're still games. They're still on the schedule. The teams still have to prepare, show up, and play. There is still a winner and a loser. The decision to not play by Fournette and McCaffery is wrong, regardless of how much money in the NFL is on the line.

Few backs have the physicality and durability of McCaffery

Everybody wants to say that the risk of injury is too high and that it could cost them millions of dollars and draft stock. That's true and there is no denying either of those things. Everybody wants to argue that this game means nothing. Again, also true. But LSU and Stanford's last five regular season games meant nothing. If playing for a spot in the playoffs is the only way a game can mean something, then Fournette should have stopped playing when LSU lost two of their first four games, and McCaffery should have quit taking the field when Stanford lost three out of four games in mid-October. That's when their playoff hopes were shattered, right? So every game after that essentially meant nothing just like these bowl games, right?

No. Fournette and McCaffery signed up to play football. It's a dangerous game and you can get hurt at any moment. Welcome to the world of being an athlete. If injury is the big fear here then those guys should have never played another down once LSU and Stanford dropped in the AP Poll and had no hopes of making the playoffs. They are quitting not only on the teammates that helped shape their careers and bring them to the spotlight, but they are quitting on the coaches that helped them grow, and they are quitting on the schools they represented. If I'm a teammate, a coach, or a member of either school's athletic department, I would be immensely disappointed.

If Fournette and McCaffery can leave their teams because these games don't mean anything anyway, then how do you look the guys in your locker room in the face and say you're walking away? Those guys that blocked for you, those guys that handed the ball off to you, those guys that came to practice and analyzed film every single day so that they could do their job to protect you and you leave them in the final game of the season to focus on yourself? I understand the safety concerns, I truly do, but I believe that is a selfish move to leave your teammates to protect yourself. Those guys are going to be out there fighting and trying to bring home a win. You should be too.

It would be interesting to see how NFL scouts and executives view situations like this. To me, I think seeing guys make decisions like this tells me all I need to know: he's out for himself. They could be nice guys with great work ethics, but their final moment as college athletes was them quitting on their teams and walking away before the season was over. I don't want a guy like that on my team. I want loyalty and dedication whether it's the national championship or a scrimmage in practice. 

So where does this leave college football? It's been an on-going issue with coaches bailing on schools before bowl games, but now players are doing it too. You can't hardly stop it, but there's no doubt it hurts the NCAA, and God knows the NCAA doesn't need another reason to look foolish. Maybe we'll see a fix to this issue, or maybe we'll eventually see coaches and athletes that put their present team first all season long. I hope it's the latter. Regardless, the decisions have been made and they aren't going to change. Fournette and McCaffery will go on to get drafted, but not without leaving a final bad impression.