NHL
Boston vs. Philadelphia - I'd take Boston because of Tim Thomas, and if there really is a tooth fairy she might need to shake out the piggy bank, it's going to be rough. Five games should be all they need. This is a huge day for me when I backtrack on a prediction. It's like giving in on my divorce battle and letting a certain someone keep the family Honda while I drive a rust bucket that's weekly repairs keeps my mechanic in a new Lexus.
Can Giroux and Briere carry the load beyond four games? Carter hasn't even had a chance to poke someone's eye out and the series will be over. At least try and maim Marchand and I won't have to send hate mail to Bruins fans all winter.
There is only one Boston fan on the planet whose company I enjoy. His rumpus room shrine is a testimony to a lifelong dedication to an original six team and a huge supply of Crown Royal whiskey. Long live Bobbie Orr, but please let Lucic get hit by Lightning.
Vancouver vs. Nashville - Nashville needs a miracle or Music City will go back to doing what they do best - fistfights outside of cowboy bars, which are more entertaining than the slop we've seen from this series.
Vancouver will destroy them while Rinne outplays Luongo in every game. Look for a sweep and Kessler to drag the Sedins along with him towards to the finals. Luongo will come around and then implode. The Sedin twins should be playing in a no-contact, no- heart league. Gutless seems to run in the DNA. Who ever would have thought that the famous Canuck secondary scoring would dry up?
Mark my words Loungo will find time during these playoffs to do what he does best - choke. He's got four more tries at it, but you can't win if you can't score and Nashville was one of the lowest scoring clubs during the regular season. The Canucks can't lose.
Tampa Bay vs. Washington - Lecavalier was dragging his team towards an upset over the Capitals, which could mean a shakeup will be in order in their front office after breaking the bank for Semin and Backstrom. OV finally showed up to play, but so did Stamkos and Roloson is doing exactly the opposite of what I thought he would by standing on his head.
Whoever picked Steve Downie in their fantasy playoff pool is either as crazy as Downie or smarter than me. Downie is like Bin Laden on skates. Time bombs are only useful for terrorists and guess what happened since my last column? Downie may yet make the FBI Top Ten Most Wanted list while still tearing up the score sheet. He'll go crazy before this is over and there won't be enough ambulances to carry off the wounded.
Detroit vs. San Jose - I was still picking the Wings when they were down 2-0 in the series and looking old. Datsyuk is the only Detroit player in the top 20 in playoff scoring, but that can change before this column is out in the streets.
Howard is 小蓝视频 swarmed by a hungry pack of Sharks that smell blood. I think it will still go seven because I equate Thornton's ability in the clutch with a cross eyed goalie in an overtime breakaway.
Where are Franzen, Cleary and Zetterberg?
Bertuzzi has the nicest beard, but needs to stop playing like he's on loan from the palliative care ward.
NBA
Miami's big three are outplaying the Celtics' big three, but Boston had their number all season -this one's far from over. Any team with a centre called Big Baby should be worried. Ray Allen can shoot out the lights one night and disappear the next. Between Wade and James they will get 60 to 70 points and Bosh has outplayed Garnett.
Rondo is the trump card for Boston and can turn a game around all by himself. Boston might get Shaq back before the series ends, but he's so far over the hill we can barely remember when the height of his vertical jump could clear his American Express card. I'd say seven games, as much as I hate Boston, I hate Lebron more - it is a tossup.
It's anyone's game in the West. Kobe has the weapons to win another ring if they can find a way to shut down Nowitzki and get past Dallas. Durant will finally end the hopes of the upstart Memphis Grizzlies, but doesn't have the roster around him to go any further.
The Lakers and Celtics would be fun.
MLB
Jose Bautista was named player of the month, and I still say he will struggle to hit 25 to 30 homers and every time I watch them play they find a new way to lose.
Their bullpen is deadly but only Romero can be counted on to compete every fifth day. Morrow has an electric arm but has one win under his belt and I am predicting his elbow short-circuits before the dog days of summer. The Bo-Sox will find their stride and Jon Lester will win the Cy Young.
I hate them worse than the crazy guy on the corner of my street who wanders around town with a fly swatter. It's not a big town, and when he finally gets around to my yard and thinks he's going to kill bugs in my yard I'll put him in a chokehold out of the ultimate frustration of having to change my predictions.
