NBA PLAYOFFS - Previews and Forecast

The 2016-17 NBA Playoffs are underway and the favorites without a doubt to win the NBA championship are the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors (67-15) closed the regular season on a 15-1 roll to clinch home court advantage throughout the playoffs, including the NBA Finals. Led by Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, they should cruise to the NBA title for the second time in three years.
The only team that could possibly stop them would be the San Antonio Spurs (2-1 vs. Golden State in the regular season, including a 20-plus point blowout victory when Durant was active for the game) who finished the season with a 61-21 mark, but staggered home by going just 9-7 to close the regular campaign.
The Spurs are led by Kawhi  Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge and still have two of the "Big Three" in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, along with a deep bench with Patty Mills and David Lee among the stalwarts.
Look for these two teams to clash in the Western Conference Finals in a series that may very well go the full seven games.
In the East, it appears the Cleveland Cavaliers (defending NBA champs) will get back to the Finals once again. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love lead the way for the Cavs and only the Boston Celtics have an edge (or so it seems) against Cleveland as they are the number-one seed in the playoffs.
The dark horse team could be the Washington Wizards, who finished strong and are looking healthy as the post-season begins.

PREDICTIONS - Western Conference
Golden State over Portland in four games
San Antonio over Memphis in five games
Houston over Oklahoma City in six games
Los Angeles Clippers over Utah in seven games

Semi-Finals
Golden State over Los Angeles Clippers in four games
San Antonio over Houston in six games

Western Conference Finals
Golden State over San Antonio in seven games


PREDICTIONS - Eastern Conference
Boston over Chicago in seven games
Cleveland over Indiana in six games
Milwaukee over Toronto in six games
Washington over Atlanta in seven games

Semi-Finals
Boston over Washington in seven games
Cleveland over Milwaukee in five games

Eastern Conference Finals
Cleveland over Boston in six games


NBA FINALS -  Golden State Warriors over Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.

NHL - Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

The Stanley Cup Playoffs get it going this week and the favorites to advance to the Finals are the Chicago Blackhawks (Western Conference) and the Washington Capitals, the top team in the Eastern

Conference, who also had the best record in the NHL this season.
The Caps have been labeled as "chokers" in recent years after posting big regular seasons before exiting the playoffs short of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Blackhawks were one of the hottest teams going from early February all the way through the end of March, which catapulted them past the Minnesota Wild to win their division as well as compile the most points in the West.
The question is whether either team can make it to the Finals this year. The Blackhawks bowed out early in last year's playoffs the year after winning their third Stanley Cup in a six year span.
Both conferences have several teams that could get hot and make it to the Finals, so that makes the playoffs look like they will be ultra-competitive, at least on paper.

For a look at the playoff chase for the 2016-17 NHL season, Heftyinfo will attempt to pick the Stanley Cup champion.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Rangers -  Canadiens in five games.
Ottawa Senators vs. Boston Bruins -  Senators in six games.
Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs - Capitals in six games.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets - Blue Jackets in seven games.

Second Round
Montreal Canadiens over Ottawa Senators in six games.
Washington Capitals over Columbus Blue Jackets in seven games.


WESTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators -  Blackhawks in six games.
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues -  Wild in six games.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Calgary Flames -  Flames in seven games.
Edmonton Oilers vs. San Jose Sharks -  Sharks in six games.

Second Round
Chicago Blackhawks over Minnesota Wild in five games.
San Jose Sharks over Calgary Flames in six games.

Conference Finals
EAST -  Montreal Canadiens over Washington Capitals in six games.
WEST - Chicago Blackhawks over San Jose Sharks in five games.




                                                                  STANLEY CUP FINALS

              

   Montreal Canadiens over Chicago Blackhawks in seven games.

War Is Sell

Here we go again.
After fourteen years, the republicans once again have complete control of the power in Washington, D.C. and the drums of war are starting again. Cue the music reminiscent of the Bush/Cheney years (2002-03 to be exact) when they and their cronies went on the political talking shows on TV and radio and sold the American people that a Middle East war was necessary to keep America safe.

Yeah right.

Remember the "weapons of mass destruction" that now deceased Iraqi leader Sadaam Hussein supposedly had possession of and was ready to hit the United States with?
Me neither.
There were NONE, but Hussein did gas his own people, much like what happened in Syria in recent days.
So now here is Trump and his minions beating the drums of war once again. In fact, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham was stating we should have a repeat of the actions from 2003 and do for Syria (and possibly other Middle Eastern countries) what we were supposed to do back when W and company were running things.
We all see how that has turned out.
Never again people . . .  NEVER AGAIN!
It doesn't work and causes even more terrorism to form among the people living over there. They hate us for the actions taken and will do so again.
So why bother repeating these same failing policies and put our troops at risk?
As Ozzy and Black Sabbath said decades ago in song, "The war machine keeps turning."
Indeed it does and now with the GOP in charge of things (thanks idiot voters) after the 2016 elections, look for the worse to come in the next four years (possibly two years if the American voters can get their heads out of their collective asses) as the same old tired policies take shape again.
We have seen this show before my fellow Americans and it doesn't turn out well . . .  for anyone.
But the political talkers will be following in lock step with the mantra we must fight the "war on terror" and repeat the actions of 2002-03 and invade foreign countries, destroy their infrastructure and then rebuild them.
Dramatic pause . . . 
The congressional elections are in less than two years (November 2018) and that will be the chance for the American people to send a real message to the powers that be that we the people do not want this crap again like we saw a decade-and-a-half ago.
Vote the bums out (if you can get to the polls thanks to the aggressive voter suppression efforts as well as gerrymandering via the republican parties in control in so many states) in November of 2018 and replace them with leaders who will enact a different strategy.
The United States of America cannot go down this road we are currently on any longer.
We cannot afford it, in human or monetary losses.

Stay tuned . . .

MITCH McCONNELL HIJACKS DEMOCRACY

Today, democracy died in  the United States of America.

McTurtle

 The U.S. Senate majority leader Mitch (McTurtle) McConnell, a REPUBLICAN, decided to use the so-called "nuclear" option to blow up the Democratic filibuster of Neil Gorsuch, a radical right-wing extremist for the United States Supreme Court.
McConnell is nothing more than a corporate shill and this action further proves just that after he bowed to his corporate masters once again.
This same spineless McConnell is the one who refused to give a hearing to President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland for the SCOTUS last spring, following the death of Antonin Scalia.

Hey Mitch McConnell, you are a TRAITOR to the United States of America . . . Gorsuch will always have an asterisk next to his name regarding being a justice on the United States Supreme Court.

North Carolina Reigns Once Again In College Hoops

The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 71-65 to capture their sixth overall NCAA Basketball championship.
It was Gonzaga's first ever appearance in the championship game while the Tar Heels were able to get a measure of redemption after losing a close one last year to Villanova in the title game.

Congratulations  NORTH CAROLINA . . .  2016-17 NCAA Men's Basketball Champions !!!

Major League Baseball - 2017 Season Preview

Play Ball !

The 2017 Major League Baseball season begins on Sunday as the defending World Series Champion Chicago Cubs (yes, that is correct Cubs fans) take on the St. Louis Cardinals in the "prime time" Sunday night opener.
The New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays while the San Francisco Giants play the Arizona Diamondbacks in two other games earlier on Sunday. The rest of the 30 major league teams get it going on Monday.
It will be very interesting to see if the Cubs can do it again after a memorable seven game Fall Classic last year that saw them beat the Cleveland Indians to claim their first World Series title in 108 years.
The Boston Red Sox spent some money and also mortgaged their future by trading big time prospects to land Chicago White Sox ace pitcher Chris Sale to go along with David Price and Rick Porcello in the starting rotation. Porcello enjoyed an especially big time career season in 2016 when he led baseball with 22 victories.
The Bosox seem to be the overwhelming choice to win the American League pennant and face the Cubbies in the 2017 World Series.

Not so fast !

There are many teams that will contend in the loaded American League as well as numerous teams in the National League that will surely challenge the Chicago Cubs to represent the senior circuit in the World Series.
For a look at the 2017 pennant chase, Heftyinfo will attempt to break down the division races for the 2017 MLB season and also predict the playoff winners and World Series champions as well.

Here goes nothing . . .

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

East Division
1.  Boston - The Red Sox payroll makes winning it all a must.
2.  Baltimore - Every season, the Birds are written off and yet they are always in contention for the division title.
3.  Toronto - They will definitely miss Edwin Encarnacion's bat this season.
4.  New York Yankees - They could be a surprise team this year and actually make the playoffs.
5.  Tampa Bay - The Rays could play .500 ball this year and still finish in the basement in the best division in the big leagues.

Central Division
1.  Cleveland - The Tribe is loaded and can win it all this season IF they stay healthy.
2.  Detroit - The Tigers last hurrah?
3.  Kansas City - Far cry from the team that won it all just two years ago.
4.  Minnesota - Which Twins team will show up this year?
5.  Chicago White Sox - The rebuilding has begun.

West Division
1.  Houston - The Astros have no excuses this year.
2.  Texas - The starting pitching looks shaky after Darvish and Hamels.
3.  Seattle - This team has potential, but can they maintain for the entire season?
4.  Los Angeles Angels - They should fend off the A's to avoid the basement.
5.  Oakland - At least the A's are staying put in Oakland.


NATIONAL LEAGUE 

East Division
1.  Washington - Can the Nationals put it all together this year?
2.  New York Mets - Pitching, pitching, pitching.
3.  Atlanta - The Braves may surprise some people.
4.  Miami - Too many question marks with their pitching staff.
5.  Philadelphia - The Phillies are getting better, but . . .

Central Division
1.  Chicago Cubs -  Go Cubs Go!
2.  St. Louis - The Cardinals will hang with the Cubs most of the summer. Wild card team for sure.
3.  Pittsburgh - The Pirates need a big turnaround after last season's debacle.
4.  Milwaukee - The Brew Crew will be improved, possibly a .500 team this season.
5.  Cincinnati - The Reds have a long way to go.

West Division
1.  Los Angeles Dodgers - This team is loaded and could get to the World Series this year.
2.  San Francisco - Never count the Giants out. Manager Bruce Bochy is among the best in baseball.
3.  Arizona - The Diamondbacks need a better season from their starting pitching. Offense is solid.
4.  Colorado - They hit lots of home runs, but the pitching is still going to hold them back again this season.
5.  San Diego - This is basically a glorified Triple A ball team.

AL Wild Cards -  Baltimore over Detroit

NL Wild Cards - San Francisco over St. Louis

American League Division Series
Baltimore over Cleveland
Boston over Houston

National League Division Series
Chicago Cubs over San Francisco
Los Angeles Dodgers over Washington

ALCS
Boston over Baltimore

NLCS 
Chicago Cubs over Los Angeles Dodgers



WORLD SERIES                                                      

Chicago Cubs over Boston Red Sox

March Madness - The Final Four Is Set

The NCAA Basketball tournament is down to the Final Four next weekend in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs will be facing the South Carolina Gamecocks, the "Cinderella team" in one national semi-final game. The other game will feature the Oregon Ducks playing the North Carolina Tar Heels.
The Bulldogs are in their first ever Final Four as is the South Carolina team. Meanwhile, the Oregon Ducks are making their first appearance since the 1939 NCAA tournament.
The Tar Heels, considered a "blue blood" program by many collegiate sports analysts, will likely be the favorite to win the championship game next Monday night.
However, the old saying "that is why they play the games" rings ever true regarding this year's NCAA tournament.
South Carolina has especially been the big "bracket buster" this March and they could knock off the 'Zags and quite possibly win it all.
Go back and check history when North Carolina State did the impossible and knocked off the high flying Houston Cougars (known as Phi Slama Jama) back in the 1983 tournament. Not to be outdone, the Villanova Wildcats stunned the heavily favored and defending national champion Georgetown Hoyas two years later in the 1985 championship game.
So it is NOT a far reach to pick a championship game between Oregon and South Carolina. How about North and South Carolina going at it for all the marbles? That would be one for the ages.
Gonzaga finally got the monkey off their backs and will have a chance to cut the nets down in Phoenix as well. They would be a big favorite against Oregon, but would likely be the underdog against North Carolina.
Just three games left in the 2017 version of March Madness.
Stay tuned.