CAPS WIN! And No, MSG, We Can No Longer Hear You

I know, I haven't blogged at all this month. You know what? You write a thesis on the Free Soil Party and find time to discuss why the Nats have no offense or how disappointing the NBA playoffs have been so far! That's right, you can't. But I will take some time out today, having finished a draft of my first 20 pages, to comment on the glory that happened at F and 7th this afternoon. Our Washington Capitals closed out their series with the New York Rangers in wonderful fashion in front of a sea of RED.



The Caps won 3-1, and won the series 4-1. The big controversy of this series was Caps coach Bruce Boudreau calling out Ranger fans and Madison Square Garden. He called it a dump, and he said their fans were quieter than those in DC. While I cannot speak to the second charge, everything I have heard or read about MSG backs up Boudreau's claim. They are even going through a huuuuuuuge renovation as you read this. Clearly, the owners think the building is run down. So Bruce wasn't wrong there.

Now, as for the fans being quiet: They were very loud for the first 2 periods of game 4. Chanting "Can you hear us?" at the Caps coach. And he could, as could the team, who trailed 3-0 at the end of the 2nd Period. However, the Caps came out and scored 4 unanswered goals in the 3rd period and OT, ending with Jason Chimera's tip in after a stunningly bad display of defense by the Rangers. The Caps won, and the Rangers heart was gone. You know what else was? So did the chanting. It was as if Rangers fans knew. They realized what was happening. A team that hadn't lost a single game when entering the 3rd period with a lead was giving it up. And they gave it up. Caps win. Brought it back to DC and shut it down. Defense and goal-tending, coupled with the same explosive star power that has been there the past 3 seasons. Now it is on to the 2nd round. Feels good.

Oh, and New York? We can't hear you. Sorry.

HA!

I know I haven't been posting much, but writing a thesis and going to baseball games take up a lot of time. I just wanted to share this with you. I hope it makes you smile like it did me.





Good ol' Larry King after throwing out the pitch at the Nats' second home game. And nice job Screech with the impression.

NFL Draft- Rule #1

So, I think I would make a pretty good GM. I watch enough college football where I could draft pretty well. And I have noticed a wonderful trend that could save your team a wasted pick. Here is my #1 rule for the NFL Draft: DO NOT DRAFT WIDE RECEIVERS FROM THE BIG XII! Think about it- Who is the top Big XII receiver currently in the NFL? Well, let's see. Who are the top WRs? By 2010 Stats, they are as followed:

1. Brandon Lloyd- Illinois, Big Ten
2. Roddy White- UAB, C-USA
3. Reggie Wayne- Miami, ACC
4. Greg Jennings- Western Michigan, MAC
5. Mike Wallace- Ole Miss, SEC
6. Andre Johnson- Miami, ACC
7. Dwayne Bowe- LSU, SEC
8. Larry Fitzgerald- Pitt, Big East
9. Calvin Johnson- Georgia Tech, ACC
10. Santana Moss- Miami, ACC (though they were Big East when he played)
11. Steve Johnson- Kentucky, SEC
12. DeSean Jackson- Cal, Pac-10
13. Hakeem Nicks- UNC, ACC
14. Miles Austin- Monmouth...
15. Marques Colston- Hofstra...
16. Brandon Marshall- UCF, C-USA
17. Terrell Owens- Tennessee-Chattanooga...
18. Jeremy Maclin- Missouri, Big XII
19. Mike Williams (TB)- Syracuse, Big East
20. Johnny Knox- Abelein Christian
21. Mario Manningham- Michigan, Big Ten
22. Braylon Edwards- Michigan, Big Ten
23. Jabar Gaffney- Florida, SEC
24. Anthony Armstrong- West Texas A&M...
25. Percy Harvin- Florida, SEC

One. Just one. Jeremy Maclin, the #2 receiver on his team behind DeSean Jackson. If you are looking for a big time wideout, someone who can be a big threat for you, avoid the Big XII at all costs. Could there be exceptions? Maybe. Michael Crabtree, Dez Bryant, Roy Williams, Wes Welker. But they didn't have great seasons last year. Luckily, for those wanting a top WR this year, both AJ Green and Julio Jones are SEC products. Might have a better chance. No Malcolm Kelly's or Michael Westbrook's, just solid WRs that will move your team forward.

Slow Day...

Slow Day today at work and in sports. Here are some thoughts-

- People are still saying that VCU never deserved to be in the tournament. I disagree, just because they have proven themselves now, and Colorado and V-Tech didn't take control of their own destiny down the stretch. Interesting thought: The last time people were so up in arms about a small school getting into the tournament over a big school was in 2006. The team was George Mason. They made it to the Final Four also.

- If VCU somehow beats Kentucky in the National championship game, they would have beaten teams from all 6 major conferences. Amazing.

- One Big East team made it to the Final Four. No ACC teams. No Big Ten teams. No Pac 10 teams. No Big XII teams. Big East, SEC, Horizon and CAA. By the knee-jerk logic of the first weekend, when everyone (including the journalists on ESPN, excluding JA Adande and Jay Bilas) said that clearly the Big East was no where near the best conference in basketball based on their tournament performance, this clearly means that the CAA, SEC, Big East and Horizon are superior conferences to all others, right? Cause I am doing just what everyone else did, and not paying attention to the regular season or out of conference records either. Same thing. I get actively rooting against other teams or other conferences. I hate the ACC. People hate the Big East. Having strong allegiances is a good thing. But the numbers don't lie. They had the best out of conference record, and the best record against the other BCS conferences. The Big East was the best conference all year. The tournament doesn't change that. Were they a disappointment in the tournament? Sure. Do they still have a team in the Final Four? You bet.

- I am loving watching Charles Barkley pick against the Big East every game and be wrong. Kemba Walker is making the Round Mound of Rebound eat his words like a box of donuts and a Big Mac... then again, Chuck would probably like that...

- Yes, rooting for UConn makes me sick to my stomach... but I am doing it anyway.

- Congrats to Barry Sullivan, James Mitman and my brother Billy for winning the JFLANland Challenge. I know what you are thinking- there are still 3 games left, how could they have won? Well, The rest of the entrants can no longer score points, so they have the Top 3 set. I finished in 4th, content that I did not waste $20 in my office pool.

- Opening Day is Thursday! Like that the Nats traded Nyjer Morgan. I think Rick Ankiel is better now, and Roger Bernadina is better in the long run. He was very fun at times, but had no power and got in too many fights. His OPS was awful. We need our leadoff hitter on base as much as possible, especially with Werth, Zim and LaRoche as the 2-4 hitters.

- I love the Orioles' fire and smacktalk coming from Buck Showalter. I don't like their owner. I am not a huge fan or their rotation and bullpen. I don't like that they compete with the Yankees and Red Soxs.

- The Draft is less than a month away!

- Hockey regular season coming to a close soon. As a Caps fan, I am amazingly afraid of possibly playing the Rangers in Round 1. Terrified.

- Tiger still isn't back. There's your golf update.

- That Carmelo trade was supposed to make Knicks better, right? And was supposed to decimate the Nuggets, right? Welcome to the bizarro NBA.

- The NBA lockout should scare every college player, but hopefully it will lead to a better product next year. Were I a freshman phenom like Jared Sullinger, I would stay in school too. They are going to miss games next season. Be afraid. Stay where it is safe. Stay in school. Go to class. Get a 4.0 like Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight. Work on your game like Syracuse center Fab Melo. Enjoy your time being a college student like Jared Sullinger. The NBA will be back, just not next year.


That's all I got for right now.

Hmmm... Interesting Bracket/Sports Thoughts

So, right after Syracuse lost tonight, ending their season, I realized something. No, it wasn't just that Scoop Jardine is overly-inconsistent, or that people love bashing on the Big East's shortcomings in the tournament, though they have just as many teams in the Sweet 16 as the Big Ten. No, it was that the people that seem to do the best in brackets are those that do not go to real NCAA Basketball schools. By that, I mean teams that do not consistently make the NCAA tournament, so everyone from the people that went to Division II or III schools, to those from BCS conference schools that just don't have good basketball programs, like South Florida, UVA, Northwestern or Oregon State.

I think I finally have found the reason for this- they don't actually care about the game. They pick based on their head, and not their heart. It is great if they are gambling. More power to them, because they usually win their office pools. But I doubt they truly appreciate March Madness the same way as someone from Duke, UConn, Michigan State, UCLA, Syracuse, Kansas or Kentucky. It is a weird feeling. For the most part, you will get your heart torn out with a crushing loss to a team you know you are better than. But, still, you made it to the dance. You had a 1 in 68 chance in winning it all.

I also had another thought. I have had a rough 12 months. And I think I have come to realize that sports are not the end-all be-all of happiness or sadness. Sure, it is a great diversion from your every day life. Lord knows that the Pinstripe Bowl victory for my Orange certainly helped make my New Years bittersweet instead of just awful. In the end, sports can make you amazingly happy, but you shouldn't let it make you miserable. I can't control that Scoop Jardine can't make an inbound pass. There is nothing I can do about Stephen Strasburg's elbow or the Capitals choking in the playoffs. My rants won't change how Dan Snyder spends his money. Is it fun? Sure. Does it help to get rid of some stress? Indeed. But it won't make a lick of difference to my life or the fate of these franchises in general.

Anyway, I hope your brackets are doing better than mine, if you happened to fill one out and put money on it. Mine is done, as always, because I blindly picked Syracuse like a good alum would. But if your bracket is doing poorly as well, then maybe you should take my tactic and not bet on it anymore. I now have that $20 to buy beer to help drown my real sorrows, but you lost $20 to your bosses 9-year old daughter because she really liked the nicknames "Spiders", "Wildcats" and "Aztecs". Hooray Sports!

Bracket Challenge!

The 1st Annual JFLANland Bracket Challenge is here. Join on ESPN.com, fill out your bracket and see how you do. The winner gets a PBR!

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/group?groupID=95156&entryID=1807883

The NFL vs The WWE- Part VIII- NFC West

And finally we come to the end of the saga. The NFC West marks an end to our comparisons. Its been fun. It has helped distract me while I am at work. It has taken a week to do because of extreme laziness. But hey, it is over now. So thanks for making these easily my most viewed posts in a while, possibly ever.

- Seattle Seahawks: R-Truth. You want to know why you are K-Kwik all grown up, Seattle? It is because you are constantly in the main event, or close to it, and I have no idea why. How do you keep getting to the playoffs? You got in this year with a losing record, and then shocked everyone when you beat the Saints. It baffles me. I am equally vexed whenever I see R-Truth in a PPV Main Event. Why? What does he bring that John Morrison, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus or Ted Dibiase can't do better. What, is it because he raps? John Cena raps better. Is it because he is black? Kofi Kingston is more athletic, and Mark Henry can at least sell being intimidating. JFLANland has no love for R-Truth, and no love for the Seahawks. I am sorry, but that's what's up.

- St. Louis Rams: Alberto Del Rio. Confession time. I don't like this character. Why are we supposed to hate him? Because he is a rich Mexican? Really? Are we that xenophobic, Vince, that you expect us to hate a Mexican just because he has more money that us? Wait.... don't answer that. I forgot about just how much white trash there is in America. Nevermind. (This is why Vince is a billionaire) Anyway, Del Rio is going to vie for the title at Wrestlemania. He is in the big time now. Are the Rams? No. But I see good things. They go from being the worst team in football to almost making the playoffs. Not too shabby. And Sam Bradford looks like a solid NFL starter, just like Del Rio looks like a solid heel. All the talent is there (except a #1 WR in St. Louis). Just take some time to develop it.

- San Francisco 49ers: Shawn Michaels. HBK was one of the greatest of all-time, but he isn't around much anymore. That is kind of like the 49ers. Can anyone argue they aren't a Top 5 All-Time NFL Franchise? (I put them with Pittsburgh, Dallas, Green Bay and Indianapolis) They were amazing. Ruled the 1980s, and won a title in the 90s. HBK became one of the faces of the WWE in the 1990s, and helped to take back Monday nights with Degeneration X during the Attitude Era. But now, he is retired. He is out of the spotlight. So are the 49ers. No QB, no heart, no playoffs. They are the HBK by the Bay, and we wish they would come back.



- Arizona Cardinals: Sheamus. Wasn't it just yesterday that the Cardinals were in the Super Bowl? Where are they now? Wasn't it just yesterday that Sheamus was the WWE Champion? Where is he now? I don't really understand the way they book him in WWE, but he was getting over pretty well as a heel. People seemed to hate him for some reason. I don't. I like him. He is Irish. Like, real Irish, not Northern Irish like Fit Finlay. He is solid on the mic and not a bad wrestler, right Fella? Plus, look at how white he is. He is like a glowing beacon of hope that pasty Irish kids can be huge if they wanted. We all liked the Cardinals too. Kurt Warner made them relevant. Then he retired, and down the tubes they go. Larry Fitzgerald is begging for a new QB. Marc Bulger, Kevin Kolb, maybe McNabb, any would do. It is just more fun when both Sheamus and the Cardinals are good. I want more competition at every level. Squashes aren't fun. So, AZ, find a QB. WWE, let Sheamus drop the stupid King gimmick and get back to just bashing people's heads in like a real Irishman. It'd be a great early St. Patty's present.