ABL Podcast - Episodes Three and Four

As many of you know, I love the radio. My goal has always been to broadcast sports, but doing them on the radio would be even better. That's why I started the ABL podcast. It gives me a chance to talk about sports, which is exactly what I love to do. And I hope you love listening. In episode three, Carter Rodriguez tries to fuel my new love for the NBA playoffs in our NBA podcast, and in episode four, Rob Guliano and I talk about everything else: playoff beards, NHL playoffs, favorite scenes from sports movies, and we list our favorite sports media personalities. Plus, in episode four, Rob and I have another installment of "Today in Craig Sager's Wardrobe"...what a great segment. Thanks for listening!

Episode Three

Episode Four

The picture we talk about during the Craig Sager segment (aka the funfetti cake plus a carnival lollipop plus a Litebrite toy)

Why the NHL Should be Rooting for Boston to Win the Cup

A few things for you to understand before I make this statement:

1. I'm from Pittsburgh, so the Penguins are my team, but in general I love hockey more. I think it's one of the two best sports in the world and I'd like nothing more than the sport that I love to have an NFL-sized fan base and a big TV contract.

2. Along those lines, the NHL is an extremely regional league. In most cases, the majority of a franchise's fans live (or have lived) very close to their team.

3. For reasons I can understand - it's the same way with me and the NBA - if you weren't "born" a hockey fan, you aren't currently a hockey fan.

4. More people read ESPN.com articles now than ever before, especially those written by Boston-native Bill Simmons, who has an absolutely enormous readership (for good reason).

So, that being said, the NHL advocate in me wouldn't totally hate it if the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup.

Before you Pittsburgh fans rush my dorm room to tar and feather me (obviously the correct punishment in this situation), I want you to consider a few things:

- If Boston were to win the Cup, the likelihood that the ever-popular Simmons would write post-season articles about hockey would skyrocket.

- In turn, his readers, hopefully in bulk, would at least entertain the idea of finding Versus on their televisions (a tough task) and watching amazing athletes play a sport on a sheet of ice. (Let me repeat: hockey players do things that other athletes do - pass, shoot, score - but they do it frozen water.)

- It's possible that some of those readers who weren't hockey fans before would be turned on to the game.

- the NHL might be able to overcome the regional nature of the game and attract fans from non-NHL cities.

- And hockey fans wouldn't have to deal with explaining themselves when asked the condescending question: "How can you like hockey? You can't even see the puck!" (the equivalent of "I've never watched a game in HD before!")

But because we can't rely on Gary Bettman to market the NHL, I'm saying it's now up to Bill Simmons to get the word out about hockey.

The problem is: by the time Simmons would write an article about the Bruins winning the Cup, the season would be over and there would be no more hockey for these new fans to watch...and that's a shame, because if that were the case, the commish wouldn't know what to do with all the new publicity. He'd probably just blow yet another chance to market his league. All the intrigued potential hockey fans would have no hockey to watch, and thus, to the casual sports fan who's bored by the thuggery and bad refereeing of the NBA or the horrible economics of MLB, the zeal of the new, fast, exciting NHL would fade away forever.

Penguins over Bruins in seven if they meet in the Eastern Conference Finals.

So this doesn't even matter. It won't happen. Go Pens

Thanks for reading.

New Schedule Previews: Part One - NHL

This is part one of a three-part column detailing the key games in the 2009 NFL, NHL, and College Football schedules. I'll start in the NHL.

After the 2008-2009 season, which ended with the arguably the most exciting postseason in NHL history, the league may be making a comeback. In honor of what I sincerely hope is a schedule that will result in much more respect for the game I have fallen in love with here in Pittsburgh, here are the top five stories of the 2009 NHL regular season.

5. The Defense Begins: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (October 2, 2009)

The defending champs raise the franchise's third Stanley Cup Champion banner to Mellon Arena's rafters when they host the new-look Rangers to open the season. This will be the last opener played at the 49-year-old Igloo, as the Pens will move just down the street to the Consol Energy Center (cool nickname undetermined; my favorite so far is The Fusebox). The Rangers, fresh off their acquisition of often-injured star Marian Gaborik, once again hope to be anything but disappointing. At least their jersey's are sweet.

4. Marian Hossa Returns (II): Chicago Blackhawks at Pittsburgh (December 5), Chicago at Detroit Red Wings (October 8)

Once again, Marian Hossa will return to Pittsburgh as a member of another team, but this time, it won't be the team who's roster is similar to the Soviet teams of decade's past. Think Marian won't get the Jaromir Jagr-booed-every-time-he-touches-the-puck-treatment? Think again. But before he returns to face Crosby and Malkin, he has to play in Detroit, the team he most recently abandoned for another city. I really don't have anything against the guy (seriously), but can't wait to hear what kind of...umm...ovation he gets at the Joe. Chicago, prepare for twelve years of "Bridesmaid" status.

3. More Hockey! February 14, 2010

This is the last day before a 16-day layoff for the Olympics in Vancouver. With all the great talent in the NHL today, this Olympic tournament should be one of the best in recent memory. Canada will obviously be the favorite, but look out for Russia, led by Alexander Ovechkin (Washington) and Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose), and defending gold-medalist Sweden. Team USA's chances of winning gold? 20-to-1 would be my guess. What's the best result of the layoff? The NHL playoffs will run into late June, which will give us Pittsburgh'ers more time to forget we have a baseball team.

2. Another rematch? Detroit/Pittsburgh (at Pittsburgh: January 31, at Detroit: March 22)

The two best teams in hockey (clearly) for the past two years will play a home-and-home in 2010, and it's not a coincidence they played for the Cup in 2008 and 2009. Do you need a refresher? Here you go. And here's another. And another. That's all. Seriously. I'm done.

1. Winter Classic: Philadelphia Flyers at Boston Bruins (January 1, 2010)

The NHL cannot lose with the Classic. It has already become a premier New Years Day event and now, with the game at prestigious Fenway Park in Boston, it can only get bigger as the sport continues to dig itself out of the hole it created with the lost season in 2004-05. Nay-sayers complain that Ovechkin and the Capitals weren't chosen for this game, but I don't think it matters. The only thing the NHL needs now is a big-time television deal. Hello, ESPN? Bring back Gary Thorne (and another - he's just pure gold) and Darren Pang to announce the game and I'll love you forever.

Kick back, have a buddy punch you in the jaw to get into the spirit, and enjoy the most exciting game in sports.