Saturday, April 30, 2011

2011 NBA Playoffs - Conference Semifinals



















Tomorrow tips off the Conference Semifinals in the NBA Playoffs. This round features a little of everything. We have the likely MVP in Derrick Rose leading the Bulls against the underdog Hawks. Two small market teams battle as the Oklahoma City Thunder look to take another step towards the ultimate goal against the upstart Memphis Grizzlies. Two teams that are in the Playoffs every year but haven't faced off in them since the 80s pair up as the Lakers face the Mavericks. And of course we have the series that all eyes will be on - Boston and Miami begin play in what could be an epic series. Below are the positional matchups of each series with the person/team with the advantage in bold. Here is how I think things will play out.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

1 Chicago (-1200) vs. 5 Atlanta (+700)

PG - Derrick Rose vs. Kirk Hinrich
SG - Keith Bogans vs. Joe Johnson
SF - Luol Deng vs. Marvin Williams
PF - Carlos Boozer vs. Josh Smith
C - Joakim Noah vs. Al Horford
Bench - Chicago vs. Atlanta
Coach - Tom Thibodeau vs. Larry Drew

The Bulls received a scare in 4 out their 5 games in the First Round versus Indiana. They received an even bigger scare when Derrick Rose appeared to hurt his ankle. It seems that D Rose is fine, as the Bulls blew the Pacers out to close out their series. The Hawks pretty much dominated the Magic in their series, winning in 6. Jamal Crawford was a star in that series, and will need to be again in this series to give the Hawks a chance. I don't think that the Hawks have the mental fortitude to pull this series out - but I do think that they will give the Bulls all they can handle.

Prediction - Chicago over Atlanta 4-3

2 Miami (-185) vs. 3 Boston (+155)

PG - Mike Bibby vs. Rajon Rondo
SG - Dwayne Wade vs. Ray Allen
SF - LeBron James vs. Paul Pierce
PF - Chris Bosh vs. Kevin Garnett
C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs. Jermaine O'Neal
Bench - Miami vs. Boston
Coach - Erik Spoelstra vs. Doc Rivers

I am actually a little surprised that Miami is favored in this one. Save the last meeting, Boston owned Miami throughout the regular season so much that Dwayne Wade said that they were the Celtics' little brothers. This group of Celtics certainly knows what it takes to win a title. The Heat only have 1 player that can say that - in Dwayne Wade. LeBron James knows how difficult it is to get past Boston in a best of 7, having lost to them twice in the last 3 years while in Cleveland. I think Game 1 is going to go a long way towards who wins this series. I think the Celtics will use the week of rest to their advantage and send a message to the aspiring champs in Miami.

Prediction - Boston over Miami 4-2

Western Conference Semifinals

4 Oklahoma City (-360) vs. 8 Memphis (+280)

PG - Russell Westbrook vs. Mike Conley
SG - Thabo Sefolosha vs. Sam Young
SF - Kevin Durant vs. Tony Allen
PF - Serge Ibaka vs. Zach Randolph
C - Kendrick Perkins vs. Marc Gasol
Bench - Oklahoma City vs. Memphis
Coach - Scott Brooks vs. Lionel Hollins

I had both of these teams going out in the 1st Round - boy was I wrong. Oklahoma City thumped Denver and proved that they were ready to take the next step. Memphis proved that a nice blend of youth and experience coupled with a defensive mindset can go a long way in pulling a playoff upset.  Now one of these small market teams will be moving on to the Western Conference Finals. I think the Thunder learned a lot from the experience of last season, and the Grizzlies may not be ready to take that next step. While, Memphis has an advantage in the frontcourt, the dynamic duo of Westbrook and Durant will lead the Thunder to new heights.

Prediction - Oklahoma City over Memphis 4-2

2 LA Lakers (-400) vs. 3 Dallas (+360)

PG - Derek Fisher vs. Jason Kidd
SG - Kobe Bryant vs. Roddy Beaubois
SF - Ron Artest vs. Shawn Marion
PF - Pau Gasol vs. Dirk Nowitzki
C - Andrew Bynum vs. Tyson Chandler
Bench - LA Lakers vs. Dallas
Coach - Phil Jackson vs. Rick Carlisle

In the last decade, both of these teams made the playoffs 9 times yet they have not met in a playoff series since 1988. That will end Monday when they tip off their best of 7 series at Staples Center. Both teams come in off of hard fought 6-game series victories. The Lakers were vulnerable at times, but received contributions from the likes of Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom to help Kobe out. The Mavs also showed some vulnerability, blowing a 23-point lead in Game 3 to lose in Portalnd. They too got contributions from outside of their star, Dirk Nowitzki. Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler were huge for the Mavs. This series is going to come down to who has the best supporting cast. I think that belongs to the Lakers.

Prediction - LA Lakers over Dallas 4-2

2011 NHL Playoffs - Conference Semifinals



















The Conference Semifinals are underway. The Canucks, Sharks, and Lightning have all taken 1-0 leads in their respective series' and the Flyers and Bruins will get started today. I correctly picked 2 out of 4 first round series in the East, while my West bracket remains completely in tact. Here is a look at the odds for the Semis and how I think they will shake up.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

1 Washington (-150) vs. 5 Tampa Bay (+120)

The Lightning used the momentum they generated from coming back from down 3-1 to Pittsburgh and parlayed that into a Game 1 victory. Washington won their opening round series pretty convincingly, and should be the fresher team. It is essential that they win Game 2, which I believe they will. Tampa has the momentum but Washington has the rest and superior talent.

Prediction - Washington over Tampa Bay 4-2

2 Philadelphia (-115) vs. 3 Boston (+105)

This is the only Semifinal pairing yet to drop the puck. Each team won in exhilarating Game 7 matchups. The Flyers struggled down the stretch, but gained a sense of revival when Chris Pronger returned to the ice. I have said all along that if the Bruins could get past their bitter rival, Montreal, they would be the team to beat in the East. I am sticking win that and see Boston winning another hard fought series.

Prediction - Boston over Philadelphia 4-2

Western Conference Semifinals

1 Vancouver (-170) vs. 5 Nashville (+140)

The playoffs are all about goaltending, and this series features two of the finalists for the Vezina Trophy which is given to the league's top Goalie. Roberto Luongo was pulled twice and benched for another game in Vancouver's 7-game series with Chicago. He responded with solid play in Game 7 versus Chicago and shut out Nashville in the opener of this series. The Predators are stellar defensively and will have to take the Sedins out of their game to win this series. I don't see it happening.

Prediction - Vancouver over Nashville 4-1

2 San Jose (-115) vs. 3 Detroit (+105)

This should be the most evenly matched series of the Semis. San Jose took Game 1 in OT last night to take an early lead. I expect this one to go back and forth the entire way. The Red Wings got some needed rest, but I think the Sharks have what it takes to advance. Expect this series to go the distance.

Prediction - San Jose over Detroit 4-3

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

2011 NFL Mock Draft 5.0



















The NFL Lockout has been lifted. Well sort of. Football activities have not officially started, but we do know one thing for sure. The NFL Draft will take place tomorrow. And with no further adieu, here is my final edition of my 2011 Mock NFL Draft.

1. Carolina - Cam Newton QB/Auburn
2. Denver - Marcell Dareus DT/Alabama
3. Buffalo - Blaine Gabbert QB/Missouri
4. Cincinnati - AJ Green WR/Georgia
5. Arizona - Von Miller LB/Texas A&M
6. Cleveland - Patrick Peterson CB/LSU
7. San Francisco - Prince Amukamara CB/Nebraska
8. Tennessee - Nick Fairley DT/Auburn
9. Dallas - Robert Quinn DE/North Carolina
10. Washington - Julio Jones WR/Alabama
11. Houston - Aldon Smith LB/Missouri
12. Minnesota - Da’Quan Bowers DE/Clemson
13. Detroit - Tyron Smith OT/USC
14. St. Louis - Corey Liuget DT/Illinois
15. Miami - Mark Ingram RB/Alabama
16. Jacksonville - JJ Watt DE/Wisconsin
17. New England (from Oak) - Muhammed Wilkerson DT/Temple
18. San Diego - Cameron Jordan DT/Cal
19. NY Giants - Anthony Costanzo OT/Boston College
20. Tampa Bay - Ryan Kerrigan DE/Purdue
21. Kansas City - Nate Solder OT/Colorado
22. Indianapolis - Gabe Carimi OT/Wisconsin
23. Philadelphia - Mike Pouncey G/Florida
24. New Orleans - Adrian Clayborn DE/Iowa
25. Seattle - Jake Locker QB/Washington
26. Baltimore - Cameron Heyward DE/Ohio St.
27. Atlanta - Kyle Rudolph TE/Notre Dame
28. New England - Akeem Ayers LB/UCLA
29. Chicago - Derek Sherrod OT/Mississippi St.
30. NY Jets - Stephen Paea DT/Oregon St.
31. Pittsburgh - Aaron Williams CB/Texas
32. Green Bay - Brooks Reed LB/Arizona
 
Round 233. New England - Phil Taylor DT/Baylor
34. Buffalo - Marvin Austin DT/North Carolina
35. Cincinnati - Andy Dalton QB/TCU
36. Denver - Jimmy Smith CB/Colorado
37. Cleveland - Leonard Hankerson WR/Miami
38. Arizona - Ryan Mallett QB/Arkansas
39. Tennessee - Christian Ponder QB/Florida St.
40. Dallas - Brandon Harris CB/Miami
41. Washington - Colin Kaeprnick QB/Nevada
42. Houston - Ras-I Dowling CB/Virginia
43. Minnesota - Rahim Moore S/UCLA
44. Detroit - Martez Wilson LB/Illionis
45. San Francisco - Randall Cobb WR/Kentucky
46. Denver - Benjamin Ijalana G/Villanova
47. St. Louis - Torrey Smith WR/Maryland
48. Oakland - Jabaal Sheard DE/Pittsburgh
49. Jacksonville - Stefan Wisniewski G/Penn St.
50. San Diego - Jon Baldwin WR/Pittsburgh
51. Tampa Bay - Allen Bailey DE/Miami
52. NY Giants - Mikel Leshoure RB/Illinois
53. Indianapolis - Marcus Cannon G/TCU
54. Philadelphia - Tyler Sash S/Iowa
55. Kansas City - Titus Young WR/Boise St.
56. New Orleans - Bruce Carter LB/North Carolina
57. Seattle - Rodney Hudson G/Florida St.
58. Baltimore - Greg Little WR/North Carolina
59. Atlanta - Quinton Carter S/Oklahoma
60. New England - Quan Sturdivant LB/North Carolina
61. San Diego - Justin Houston LB/Georgia
62. Chicago - Will Rackley G/Lehigh
63. Pittsburgh - James Carpenter OT/Alabama
64. Green Bay - Terrell McClain DT/South Florida

Thursday, April 21, 2011

2011 Mock NBA Draft



















This is my initial Mock Draft in 2011 for the NBA. A lot is going to change over the next two months. Some players are going to return to school that we didn't anticipate, while some are going to officially declare for the draft. And who knows which way the ping pong balls are going to bounce. Nonetheless, here is how I project the 2011 NBA Draft shaping up as of now.

1. Minnesota - Kyrie Irving G/Duke
2. Cleveland - Derrick Williams F/Arizona
3. Toronto - Enes Kanter F/Kentucky
4. Washington - Jan Vesely F/Czech Rep.
5. Sacramento - Kemba Walker G/UConn
6. Utah - Brandon Knight G/Kentucky
7. Detroit - Terrence Jones F/Kentucky
8. Cleveland (from LAC) - Alec Burks G/Colorado
9. Charlotte - Bismack Biyombo F/Congo
10. Milwaukee - Jonas Valenciunis F/Lithuania
11. Golden St. - Kawhi Leonard F/San Diego St.
12. Utah - Jimmer Fredette G/BYU
13. Phoenix - Jordan Hamilton F/Texas
14. Houston - Donatus Montiejunas F/Lithuania
15. Inidana - Nikola Mirotic F/Serbia
16. Philadelphia - Tobias Harris F/Tennessee
17. New York - Nolan Smith G/Duke
18. Atlanta - Chris Singleton F/Florida St.
19. Memphis - Klay Thompson G/Washington St.
20. New Orleans - Josh Selby G/Kansas
21. Portland - Jeff Taylor F/Vanderbilt
22. Denver - Marcus Morris F/Kansas
23. Houston (from Orl) - Kenneth Faried F/Morehead St.
24. Oklahoma City - Markieff Morris F/Kansas
25. Boston - Travis Leslie G/Georgia
26. Dallas - Tyler Honeycutt F/UCLA
27. New Jersey (from LAL) - Trey Tompkins F/Georgia
28. Chicago (from Mia) - Iman Shumpert G/Georgia Tech
29. San Antonio - Justin Harper F/Richmond
30. Chicago - Reggie Jackson G/Boston College


http://dcprosportsreport.com/NBAMocks.htm

Thursday, April 14, 2011

2011 NBA Playoffs



















The 2011 NBA Playoffs tip off on Saturday afternoon. Familiar faces will be all over the court this year. There are headlines galore. The Lakers will try to 3-Peat. LeBron and "The Heatles" begin their quest for an NBA title. Boston will try to prove they have yet another run in them. San Antonio goes for their 5th title since 1999. And the new kid on the block, Derrick Rose, leads the NBA's top regular season team into the postseason. Don't count out the likes of Dallas, Orlando, or Oklahoma City either. The oddsmakers have pegged the Bulls and the Lakers as co-favorites to take down the crown. Now let's take a look at how I see the Playoffs shaking up.

For the opening round I have listed all of the individual matchups in each series with the player/team I give the advantage to in bold.

East Quarterfinals

1 Chicago (-3500) vs. 8 Indiana (+1900)

PG - Derrick Rose vs. Darren Collison
SG - Keith Bogans vs. Paul George
SF - Luol Deng vs. Danny Granger
PF - Carlos Boozer vs. Tyler Hansbrough
C - Joakim Noah vs. Roy Hibbert
Bench - Chicago vs. Indiana
Coach - Tom Thibodeau vs. Frank Vogel

The Bulls are clearly the better team in this one. Derrick Rose is the likely MVP, and will prove it in the First Round matchup. The Pacers are just too young and inexperienced to compete with this team. The Bulls play tremendous team defense and will make it very difficult for Indiana to score. Chicago takes this series rather easily.

Prediction - Chicago over Indiana 4-1

4 Orlando (-600) vs. 5 Atlanta (+400)

PG - Jameer Nelson vs. Kirk Hinrich
SG - Jason Richardson vs. Joe Johnson
SF - Hedo Turkoglu vs. Marvin Williams
PF - Brandon Bass vs. Josh Smith
C - Dwight Howard vs. Al Horford
Bench - Orlando vs. Atlanta
Coach - Stan Van Gundy vs. Larry Drew

This should be the most evenly matched series in the East Quarterfinals. The Hawks actually took 3 out of 4 from the Magic in the regular season. I view the Magic as very comparable to the 2008 Cavaliers that completely overhauled their team at the trading deadline. They too struggled through the regular season only to scare the living day lights out of teams in the playoffs. Look for the Magic to turn things on and make a run.

Prediction - Orlando over Atlanta 4-2

3 Boston (-400) vs. 6 New York (+300)

PG - Rajon Rondo vs. Chauncey Billups
SG - Ray Allen vs. Landry Fields
SF - Paul Pierce vs. Carmelo Anthony
PF - Kevin Garnett vs. Amare Stoudamire
C - Jermaine O'Neal vs. Jared Jefferies
Bench - Boston vs. New York
Coach - Doc Rivers vs. Mike D'Antoni

It is always entertaining when these two cities square off in any sport. This should be no different. Both teams have had plenty of ups and downs throughout the season, especially since they each made trades at the deadline. The Celtics have not been the same without Kendrick Perkins, but have a veteran squad who knows how to win in the Playoffs. The Knicks struggled at first, but have come on of late since acquiring Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks will fight, but ultimately defense prevails in this one.

Prediction - Boston over New York 4-1

2 Miami (-2000) vs. 7 Philadelphia (+1200)

PG - Mike Bibby vs. Jrue Holiday
SG - Dwayne Wade vs. Jodie Meeks
SF - LeBron James vs. Andre Iguodala
PF - Chris Bosh vs. Elton Brand
C - Erik Dampier vs. Spencer Hawes
Bench - Miami vs. Philadelphia
Coach - Erik Spoelstra vs. Doug Collins

The 76ers have had a nice season, but it is about to come crashing to an end. Though LeBron James-led teams have always been viewed as underachievers, he has never lost a 1st Round playoff series. And now he has much more help than ever before. The Heat are just much too talented for the 76ers to be able to compete in this series. Miami will overwhelm Philly and face little adversity on their way to the East Semis.

Prediction - Miami over Philadelphia 4-1

West Quarterfinals

1 San Antonio (-2000) vs. 8 Memphis (+1400)

PG - Tony Parker vs. Mike Conley
SG - Manu Ginoboli vs. Sam Young
SF - Richard Jefferson vs. Tony Allen
PF - Tim Duncan vs. Zach Randolph
C - Antonio McDyess vs. Marc Gasol
Bench - San Antonio vs. Memphis
Coach - Greg Popovich vs. Lionel Hollins

It isn't every day that you see a 1-seed enter a series struggling while the 8-seed has been hot; but that is the case as the Spurs get ready to meet up with the Grizzlies. San Antonio had one of the all-time great starts in NBA history as they began the season 44-8 before finishing 17-13. Meanwhile Memphis was 19-22 at the half way point and went 27-14 in the 2nd half of the year. despite the way these two team finished the year, San Antonio has had too much success with this corps of players to bow out this early., but it won't be easy.

Prediction - San Antonio over Memphis 4-2

4 Oklahoma City (-220) vs. 5 Denver (+180)

PG - Russell Westbrook  vs. Ty Lawson
SG - Thabo Sefolosha vs. Aaron Afflalo
SF - Kevin Durant vs. Wilson Chandler
PF - Serge Ibaka vs. Kenyon Martin
C - Kendrick Perkins vs. Nene
Bench - Oklahoma City vs. Denver
Coach - Scott Brooks vs. George Karl

I felt like this was my one shot to not go chalk, so I'm taking it. There is no questioning the talent the Thunder have, particularly Durant and Westbrook. But from top to bottom the Nuggets have a complete team. Denver's backups are just as good as their starting 5, and their starters have been solid. It is hard to believe that the Nuggets have been better without Melo, but it's true. This series is a toss up for me so I'm going to take one upset and go with Denver.

Prediction - Denver over Oklahoma City 4-3

3 Dallas (-220) vs. 6 Portland (+180)

PG - Jason Kidd vs. Andre Miller
SG - Roddy Beaubois vs. Wesley Matthews
SF - Shawn Marion vs. Gerald Wallace
PF - Dirk Nowitzki vs. LeMarcus Aldridge
C - Tyson Chandler vs. Marcus Camby
Bench - Dallas vs. Portland
Coach - Rick Carlisle vs. Nate McMillan

This is a very intriguing series. Dallas has garnered the reputation of underachievers over the last decade. They always win 50 games but never do much in the postseason. Well they won 57 this year and are looking to make some noise. On the other hand, Portland overachieved. When Brandon Roy went down early they were not even expected to make the playoffs. Well here they are, led by LeMarcus Aldridge. I expect this series to go back and forth, with Dallas using their experience and homecourt advantage to win it in the end.

Predcition - Dallas over Portland 4-3

2 LA Lakers (-2200) vs. 7 New Orleans (+1300)

PG - Derek Fisher vs. Chris Paul
SG - Kobe Bryant vs. Marco Bellanelli
SF - Ron Artest vs. Trevor Ariza
PF - Pau Gasol vs. Carl Landry
C - Andrew Bynum vs. Emeka Okafor
Bench - LA Lakers vs. New Orleans
Coach - Phil Jackson vs. Monty Williams

The Lakers begin their quest for a 3-Peat against CP3 and the New Orleans Hornets. The Lakers struggled immensely down the stretch, losing 5 in a row at one point. I'm actually going to chalk it up to boredom. This team has all the tools to make another run at the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The Hornets put together a nice season amid all of the early season distractions of Paul's contract; but it comes to an end here. The Lakers should disarm of the Hornets fairly easy.

Prediction - LA Lakers over New Orleans 4-1

Here are my picks for the remainder of the NBA Playoffs (bold team the winner):

East Semifinals

1 Chicago over 4 Orlando 4-3
3 Boston over 2 Miami 4-2

West Semifinals
1 San Antonio over 5 Denver 4-2
2 LA Lakers over 3 Dallas 4-2

East Finals
3 Boston over 1 Chicago 4-2

West Finals
2 LA Lakers over 1 San Antonio 4-2

NBA Finals
3 Boston over 2 LA Lakers 4-2

It could be one hell of a party in Boston this summer. While the Red Sox struggle, I am picking the Celtics and Bruins to both win titles. I'm not going to lie, I am plenty nervous about picking the Celtics to win it all based on the way they have played of late. But then again, I though they had no prayer to get past Cleveland or Orlando in last year's playoffs and they proved me wrong. I picked them to win in the preseason and I am sticking with that. Boston is filled with veterans who have won a ring together. They are fully aware that this could be their last go-round and will put forth everything they got. I think that their everything is better than any other team's. No Kendrick Perkins hurts them but if they can get consistent play from Jermaine O'Neal and get some contributions from Shaq, I think they will walk away as the 2010-2011 NBA Champions.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

2011 NFL MOck Draft 4.0



















We are now just 2 weeks away from the kickoff to the 2011 NFL Draft. Things are continuing to change on the draft boards. All signs point to Carolina snatching Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton with the first overall pick. Whether or not I believe that is the right choice is up for debate. Nonetheless, here is how I see the first 2 rounds of the draft shaking out.

Round 1
1. Carolina - Cam Newton QB/Auburn
2. Denver - Marcel Dareus DT/Alabama
3. Buffalo - Blaine Gabbert QB/Missouri
4. Cincinnati - AJ Green WR/Georgia
5. Arizona - Von Miller LB/Texas A&M
6. Cleveland - Patrick Peterson CB/LSU
7. San Francisco - Prince Amukamara CB/Nebraska
8. Tennessee - Nick Fairley DT/Auburn
9. Dallas - Robert Quinn DE/North Carolina
10. Washington - Julio Jones WR/Alabama
11. Houston - Aldon Smith LB/Missouri
12. Minnesota - Da’Quan Bowers DE/Clemson
13. Detroit - Tyron Smith OT/USC
14. St. Louis - Cameron Jordan DT/Cal
15. Miami - Mark Ingram RB/Alabama
16. Jacksonville - JJ Watt DE/Wisconsin
17. New England (from Oak) - Ryan Kerrigan DE/Purdue
18. San Diego - Corey Liuget DT/Illinois
19. NY Giants - Akeem Ayers LB/UCLA
20. Tampa Bay - Justin Houston LB/Georgia
21. Kansas City - Anthony Costanzo OT/Boston College
22. Indianapolis - Nate Solder OT/Colorado
23. Philadelphia - Mike Pouncey G/Florida
24. New Orleans - Adrian Clayborn DE/Iowa
25. Seattle - Jimmy Smith CB/Colorado
26. Baltimore - Gabe Carimi OT/Wisconsin
27. Atlanta - Leonard Hankerson WR/Miami
28. New England - Derek Sherrod OT/Mississippi St.
29. Chicago - Muhammad Wilkerson DT/Temple
30. NY Jets - Phil Taylor DT/Baylor
31. Pittsburgh - Aaron Williams CB/Texas
32. Green Bay - Brooks Reed LB/Arizona
 
Round 2

33. New England - Randall Cobb WR/Kentucky
34. Buffalo - Cameron Heyward DE/Ohio St.
35. Cincinnati - Jake Locker QB/Washington
36. Denver - Brandon Harris CB/Miami
37. Cleveland - Marvin Austin DT/North Carolina
38. Arizona - Benjamin Ijalana G/Villanova
39. Tennessee - Ryan Mallett QB/Arkansas
40. Dallas - Ras-I Dowling CB/Virginia
41. Washington - Colin Kaepernick QB/Nevada
42. Houston - Stephen Paea DT/Oregon St.
43. Minnesota - Christian Ponder QB//Florida St.
44. Detroit - Martez Wilson LB/Illinois
45. San Francisco - Andy Dalton QB/TCU
46. Denver - Kyle Rudolph TE/Notre Dame
47. St. Louis - Torrey Smith WR/Maryland
48. Oakland - Jabaal Sheard LB/Pittsburgh
49. Jacksonville - Rahim Moore S/UCLA
50. San Diego - Jon Baldwin WR/Pittsburgh
51. Tampa Bay - Stefan Wisniewski G/Penn St.
52. NY Giants - Mikel Leshoure RB/Illinois
53. Indianapolis - Bruce Carter LB/North Carolina
54. Philadelphia - Allen Bailey DE/Miami
55. Kansas City - Sam Acho LB/Texas
56. New Orleans - Terrell McClain DT/South Florida
57. Seattle - Rodney Hudson G/Florida St.
58. Baltimore - Titus Young WR/Boise St.
59. Atlanta - Quinton Carter S/Oklahoma
60. New England - Quan Sturdivant LB/North Carolina
61. San Diego - Davon House CB/New Mexico St.
62. Chicago - Will Rackley OT/Lehigh
63. Pittsburgh - James Carpenter OT/Alabama
64. Green Bay - Marcus Cannon G/TCU


http://dcprosportsreport.com/MockDraft.htm

Monday, April 11, 2011

2011 NHL Playoffs



















Playoff hockey is upon us. The puck will be dropped in the 2011 NHL Playoffs on Wednesday night. The Vancouver Canucks enter the postseason as the oddsmakers favorites. There are plenty of teams that can make some noise though. Vancouver gets the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round. Can the 'Hawks make a surprise run to defend their trophy? Can the Washington Capitals avoid another first round upset? Will Sidney Crosby return to the ice? These are some of the questions that I plan to answer with my predictions for the 2011 NHL Playoffs.

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

1 Washington (-260) vs. 8 NY Rangers (+200)

This will be a hard fought series down to the end. I don't think Alex Ovechkin will let his team have another early exit.

Prediction - Washington over NY Rangers 4-3

4 Pittsburgh (-155) vs. 5 Tampa Bay (+125)

The Penguins have already accomplished plenty this year. The fact that they were within 1 point of the East's best record is remarkable in its own right. Marc-Andre Fleury leads the way as Pittsburgh continues to impress without Crosby and Malkin.

Prediction - Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay 4-2

3 Boston (-200) vs. 6 Montreal (+160)

Does it get any better than Boston-Montreal? These two teams have hated each other for decades, and that hate has been evident in this year's brutal meetings. The team that can endure the most punishment will likely come out of this one - and the team with the best goaltender. That's Boston.

Prediction - Boston over Montreal 4-1

2 Philadelphia (-170) vs. 7 Buffalo (+140)

This could be the most intriguing matchup in the East Quarters. Philly enters slumping, while Buffalo could be the hottest team in the conference. There always seems to be at least one of the lowest seeded teams advance. This year look for it to be Ryan Miller and the Sabres.

Prediction - Buffalo over Philadelphia 4-2

Western Conference Quarterfinals

1 Vancouver (-240) vs. 8 Chicago (+180)

This is a great way to kick off the Playoffs. This year's President's Cup winners take on the defending Stanley Cup champions. Vancouver has been on a terror since the calendar flipped to 2011, while Chicago has been very inconsistent. The 'Hawks still have lots of talent, but the Sedins will be too much to handle.

Prediction - Vancouver over Chicago 4-2

4 Anaheim (-150) vs. 5 Nashville (+120)

This could be the most even matchup of the opening round. Both teams have played very well down the stretch. Ultimately, I give the edge to the better defensive team. That team is the Predators who will make Nashville proud and win the franchise's first playoff series.

Prediction - Nashville over Anaheim 4-3

3 Detroit (-200) vs. 6 Phoenix (+160)

Do the Red Wings ever get old? Every year you think that this could be the year that they start to go down hill, and yet here they are as Central Division champs again. They will have enough in their tank to win another playoff series as well.

Prediction - Detroit over Phoenix 4-2

2 San Jose (-280) vs. 7 Los Angeles (+210)

I seem to find myself picking the Sharks to carry the Cup every year, and every year they let me down. Well they are heavy favorites once again as the oddsmakers have pegged them as the largest favorite of the opening round. Though they have a history of letting me down, they get through the Quarters this year.

Prediction - San Jose over Los Angeles 4-1

Here are my picks throughout the remainder of the NHL Playoffs (bold team the winner):

East Semifinals

1 Washington over 7 Buffalo 4-2
3 Boston over 4 Pittsburgh 4-2

West Semifinals
1 Vancouver over 5 Nashville 4-1
2 San Jose over 3 Detroit 4-3

East Finals
3 Boston over 1 Washington 4-2

West Finals
1 Vancouver over 2 San Jose 4-2

Stanley Cup Finals
3 Boston over 1 Vancouver 4-3

I am picking the Boston Bruins to hoist the Stanley Cup at the season's end. They have a tough opening round matchup with their bitter rivals, but if they can withstand that series, they have what it takes to make a deep run. Vancouver has been the NHL's best team virtually all season, but only once in the last 7 years (Detroit in 2008) has the President's Cup winner went on to win the Stanley Cup. I think that trend continues as GK Tim Thomas and a bruising defense lead the B's to the title.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Pre-Preseason 2011-2012 NCAA Basketball Top 25



















1. Duke (32-5) - Coach K and his returning players know how to win
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 4

2. Kentucky (29-9) - Coach Cal brings in another loaded recruiting class
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 4

3. Ohio St. (34-3) - If Sullinger sticks to his word, OSU will be Final 4 contenders
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 3

4. Syracuse (27-8) - The Orange return most, and add a couple talented freshmen
Returning Starters: 4
Top 50 Recruits: 2

5. North Carolina (29-8) - If Harrison Barnes returns look for them to move to #1
Returning Starters: 4
Top 50 Recruits: 2

6. UConn (32-9) - Kemba will likely leave, but the cupboard is far from bare
Returning Starters: 4
Top 50 Recruits: 0

7. Michigan St. (19-15) - the Spartans will be free of distractions and thrive off it
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 1

8. Gonzaga (25-10) - The Zags will compete with Butler as the top mid-major program
Returning Starters: 4
Top 50 Recruits: 0

9. Louisville ((25-10) - The Cards will seek vengeance from their early Tourney exit
Returning Starters: 4
Top 50 Recruits: 2

10. Butler (28-10) - There's enough talent to believe they can make a 3rd Final 4 run
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 0

11. Vanderbilt (23-11) - Vandy could return all 5 starters and wreak havoc in the SEC
Returning Starters: 5
Top 50 Recruits: 1

12. Texas (28-8) - A team full of Canadians could win the Big 12
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 2

13. Pittsburgh (28-6) - Jamie Dixon has built an annual contender in Pittsburgh
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 1

14. Michigan (21-14) - All starters could return to a team that got much better down the stretch
Returning Starters: 5
Top 50 Recruits: 0

15. Florida (29-8) - The Gators return enough talent to make another Tourney run
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 1

16. UCLA (23-11) - The Bruins should be Pac-12 favorites
Returning Starters: 4
Top 50 Recruits: 1

17. Kansas (35-3) - The Jayhawks will find it hard to repeat this year's success
Returning Starters: 1
Top 50 Recruits: 1

18. Wisconsin (25-9) - Bo Ryan always has a Top 25 team in Madison
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 0

19. Arizona (30-8) - Sean Miller is leading a reemergence of the Arizona program
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 2

20. Xavier (24-8) - Tu Holloway will lead the X-Men back into the Top 25
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 1

21. Villanova (21-12) - Nova needs to forget about a collapse in 2011
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 0

22. Baylor (18-13) - Baylor has the talent to be a Top 25 program
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 1

23. Memphis (25-10) - If the Tigers grow up they could be ranked much higher
Returning Starters: 3
Top 50 Recruits: 1

24. Marquette (22-15) - Tourney success will provide needed momentum
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 0

25. Missouri (23-11) - If Lawrence Bowers and Kim English return this rank will climb
Returning Starters: 2
Top 50 Recruits: 0

Others to watch: Texas A&M, Alabama, Washington, Purdue, Cincinnati, Florida St., Notre Dame, West Virginia, St. John's, Arkansas

The 2011 Masters - Weekend



















The 2011 Masters is shaping up to be a dandy. The leaderboard is full of rising stars, and a few familiar faces are popping up as well. Tiger Woods turned it on with a 2nd Round 66. Woods is currently in a tie for 3rd, just 3 strokes behind the leader, Rory McIlroy. Only half of my top 10 favorites made the cut. The man I picked to win the green jacket, Hunter Mahan, failed to make it into the weekend. So that means I'm forced to change my pick. Here is a look at how my top 10 favorites have fared to this point as well as the new odds and my new pick to win the 2011 Masters.

Pre-Tournament Favorites:

Hunter Mahan
Current Standing: +2, missed cut

Phil Mickleson
Current Standing: -2, T22

Padraig Harrington
Current Standing: +5, missed cut

Tiger Woods
Current Standing: -7, T3

Retief Goosen
Current Standing: +4, missed cut

Fred Couples
Current Standing: -5, T7

Angel Cabrera
Current Standing: -3, T18

Stewart Cink
Current Standing: +2, missed cut

Steve Stricker
Current Standing: -1, T35

Anthony Kim
Current Standing: +2, missed cut

New Weekend Favorites:

1. Tiger Woods (2 to 1)
Current Standing: -7, T3

2. Rory McIlroy (3 to 1)
Current Standing: -10, 1

3. Fred Couples (40 to 1)
Current Standing: -5, T7

4. KJ Choi (10 to 1)
Current Standing: -7, T3

5. Phil Mickleson (22 to 1)
Current Standing: -2, T22

Weekend Prediction - In yesterday's round I saw that glimmer in Tiger's eye again. His swing has been a bit off, and so as his confidence. It looked like the confidence returned yesterday, and that is bad news for the rest of the field. Moving day is going to be huge. If Tiger plays his way into the final group, this tournament is all but over. Even though, he's the oddsmakers favorite at this point, I still think it's a bold move to take Tiger to win his 5th green jacket based on the way he has played over the last year. Nonetheless, I started to see some of the old Tiger yesterday and I think he restores himself as the game's greatest player.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The 2011 Masters



















The Masters will kick off the "unofficial" start of the 2011 PGA season. Augusta National is a special place that brings out the best in many. To nobody's surprise Phil Mickleson is the oddsmakers' favorite to win it again this year. He is the defending champion and is coming off of a win last week at the Shell Houston Open. Tiger Woods has continued to struggle throughout the beginning of the year, but you can never count him out in this tournament. While these two men have every right to be the favorites heading into the week, there are many others who I feel could be worth betting on. Here are my top 10 bets to take home the green jacket in 2011.

1. Hunter Mahan (25 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 26th in 4 starts
Average 2011 Score: 70.03 in 9 starts

2. Phil Mickleson (5 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 12th in 18 starts (3 wins)
Average 2011 Score: 69.82 in 8 starts (1 win)

3. Padraig Harrington (50 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 27th in 11 starts
Average 2011 Score: 70.78 in 6 starts

4. Tiger Woods (8 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 12th in 16 starts (4 wins)
Average 2011 Score: 71.17 in 4 starts

5. Retief Goosen (70 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 25th in 12 starts
Average 2011 Score: 70.75 in 5 starts

6. Fred Couples (80 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 19th in 26 starts (1 win)
Average 2011 Score: 70.08 in 3 starts

7. Angel Cabrera (100 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 28th in 11 starts (1 win)
Average 2011 Score: 71.39 in 6 starts

8. Stewart Cink (100 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 33rd in 13 starts
Average 2011 Score: 70.67 in 7 starts

9. Steve Stricker (40 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 44th in 10 starts
Average 2011 Score: 69.05 in 6 starts

10. Anthony Kim (30 to 1)
Average Masters Finish: 12th in 2 starts
Average 2011 Score: 70.54 in 9 starts

Prediction - I am taking Hunter Mahan to win his first major and slip on the green jacket this Sunday. Mahan is better than the PGA average in scoring, driving distance, driving accuracy, greens in regulation, and putting. He has 5 top 10 finishes in 8 starts this year, which includes an 8th place finish last week, and has finished in the top 10 at the Masters in 2 of his 4 starts. He is playing well and will enter his name into the hat of the PGA's elite.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - National Championship Game



















The 2011 NCAA Tournament will come to an end Monday night when UConn and Butler meet for the National Championship. The game will cap an unbelievable tournament and crown a new champion. This unlikely matchup features two teams riding remarkable hot streaks. UConn has won ten games in a row, while Butler has won their last fourteen.  One of those streaks will come to an end tomorrow night. Jim Calhoun has the chance to join the likes of John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Bobby Knight, and Mike Kryzewski as the only coaches ever to win three national championships. Butler has the chance to join Villanova as the lowest seeded teams to ever win the national championship. One way or another, history will be made when this one is all said and done.

3 UConn -3.5 vs. 8 Butler

How they got here:

UConn beat - Bucknell 81-52, Cincinnati 69-58, San Diego St. 74-67, Arizona 65-63, Kentucky 56-55
Butler beat - Old Dominion 60-58, Pittsburgh 71-70, Wisconsin 61-54, Florida 74-71 OT, VCU 70-62

Positional breakdown:

Backcourt (Advantage UConn) - You can't go against Kemba Walker
Frontcourt (Advantage Butler) - Matt Howard and Kyle Marshall are relentless on the boards
Coaching (Advantage UConn) - Jim Calhoun already has 2 National titles to his credit

Butler was inches away from taking home the National Championship last season. A half-court heave by Gordon Heyward at buzzer bounced off the rim and the Bulldogs' dreams were dashed. In an even more amazing journey, they have returned to the title game for the second consecutive year. This time they expect to win and hope to avoid the heartache that they had to endure in 2010. The 8th seeded Bulldogs will face 3rd seeded UConn for a shot at redemption tomorrow night. UConn finished 9th in the Big East this year, but Kemba Walker has lead this team marvelously and has them on the verge of the school's first national championship since 2004. Walker has had possibly the single greatest season a UConn player has ever had. Now that they have reached this point, he will not be satisfied unless the Huskies take the title. Butler has unfinished business of their own though. Look for Ronald Nored to get plenty of playing time and try to lock up Walker while making the other Huskies beat them. Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier, and Alex Orhiaki will need to come up big. If they can get solid games from this trio, it will be heartbreak city for the small school in Indianapolis again. I expect a close game, but I can't imagine that Kemba Walker's epic run will finish with anything other than a championship. The UConn Huskies will have their one shining moment and cut down the nets in Houston, capping off one the most memorable tournaments we have ever had.

Prediction - UConn 66 Butler 61

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 33-33
SU: 43-23

Friday, April 1, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament - Final 4

















The Final Four is upon us. We are now just a day away from the most unlikely of Final Fours beginning. All four teams in Houston have taken unlikely paths. We can throw out a number of stats that can put the 2011 Final Four into perspective. When you add up the seedings of all the teams, it equals 26, which is the largest number ever competing in the Final Four. For the first time ever, there is no number 1 or number 2 seed represented. It is just the second time, and the first since 1979, that two teams from a mid-major have advanced this far. And when Butler and VCU square off Saturday night, their seedings combined will be the largest we have ever seen by two teams playing each other in the Final Four. The list actually goes on, but I will spare you. Let's take a closer look at this historic Final Four that features the aforementioned mid-majors in Butler and VCU, as well as traditional powers UConn and Kentucky.

8 Butler -2.5 vs. 11 VCU

How they got here:

Butler beat - Old Dominion 60-58, Pittsburgh 71-70, Wisconsin 61-54, Florida 74-71 OT
VCU beat - USC 59-46, Georgetown 74-56, Purdue 94-76, Florida St. 72-71 OT, Kansas 71-61

The team leaders:

Butler
Points - Matt Howard 16.7 PPG, Shelvin Mack 15.2 PPG
Rebounds - Matt Howard 7.8 RPG, Andrew Smith 5.4 RPG
Assists - Shelvin Mack 3.6 APG, Ronald Nored 2.6 APG

VCU
Points - Jamie Skeen 15.3 PPG, Bradford Burgess 14.0 PPG
Rebounds - Jamie Skeen 7.5 RPG, Bradford Burgess 6.1 RPG
Assists - Joey Rodriguez 4.8 APG, Darius Theus 2.2 APG

Who could have possibly seen this coming? This game will lead off this historic Final Four, and these two teams have plenty to do with why it is so historic. VCU joins fellow CAA member George Mason and LSU as the only 11 seeds to ever reach the Final Four. And in the inaugural year of the "First Four" they become the first team to win 5 games to reach this point. The Rams aren't the only story line here though. Butler is the only team in the country to reach the Final Four in 2010 and 2011, and look to advance to the title game as a 5 seed and an 8 seed respectively. I actually had both Butler and VCU losing in the Round of 64. Boy did they prove me and plenty others wrong. One of them will reach the National Championship Game and have a chance to knock off a national powerhouse for the title. Shaka Smart's team has had a fabulous run, but they will run into a bigger and more experienced Butler team. VCU needs Joey Rodriguez to control the tempo of this game and get open shots for Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess in transition to win. Brad Stevens and his Butler Bulldogs want to make this a half-court game and grind it out with Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard leading the way. If VCU continues to shoot lights out from beyond the arc they will win. Unfortunately, for the Rams I think their luck finally runs out and the experience of Butler leads them into their second consecutive National Championship Game appearance.

Prediction - Butler 68 VCU 65

3 UConn +2.5 vs. 4 Kentucky

How they got here:

UConn beat - Bucknell 81-52, Cincinnati 69-58, San Diego St. 74-67, Arizona 65-63
Kentucky beat - Princeton 59-57, West Virginia 71-63, Ohio St. 62-60, North Carolina 76-69

The team leaders:

UConn
Points - Kemba Walker 23.5 PPG, Jeremy Lamb 10.3 PPG
Rebounds - Alex Orhiaki 8.5 RPG, Kemba Walker 5.3 RPG
Assists - Kemba Walker 4.3 APG, Shabazz Napier 3.0 APG

Kentucky
Points - Brandon Knight 17.5 PPG, Terrence Jones 16.5 PPG
Rebounds - Terrence Jones 8.9 RPG, Josh Harrelson 8.8 RPG
Assists - Brandon Knight 4.2 APG, DeAndre Liggins 2.5 APG

When these two teams met in the finals of the Maui Invitational back in November it was unlikely that they would meet in the Final Four. At the time, UConn was unranked, and though ranked in the top 10, Kentucky was a team lead by freshmen. Kemba Walker emerged as a star during that tournament and never looked back. UConn had its ups and downs throughout the season and eventually wound up 9-9 in the Big East. Kemba Walker was always up despite some of the downs that the rest of his team had. He had an epic run through the Big East Championship that lead to 5 wins in 5 days and included a buzzer beater versus top seeded Pittsburgh. Then came the NCAA Tournament. Walker has lead his UConn squad to 4 more wins making them 12-0 in tournament games this season and getting them into the Final Four. They will face a Kentucky squad that has been just as impressive of late. They had some mid-season struggles on the road, but got hot at the right time. They won the SEC Tournament and has ridden that momentum into the Final Four. Their freshmen have more confidence and experience than ever. This game is tough to call. Looking at the rosters, Kentucky has the better team. But I am so hesitant to go against Walker and the UConn Huskies. I am taking team over individual in this one though. Kentucky moves on to their first National Championship game since 1998.

Prediction - Kentucky 67 UConn 62

Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 32-32
SU: 42-22