Holtby Shines In Game Two

Every once in a while, a player does something that goes beyond description. When it comes to hockey, it could be a goal, a pass, a hit, a block or even a save. In the case of game two of the Stanley Cup Finals, the play was a save and the man was Brayden Holtby.

Washington not only stole the game on the stick of Holtby, but they managed to get this game in the bag without Evgeny Kuznetsov, who's been the teams leading scorer in the post season. So now the question was, who's going to score for Washington? It took a little while, but they got their answer. vegas got the party going on a great pass from Luca Sbisa, who sent in James Neal. Neal had to knock the puck out of the air, got to the circle and roofed a wrist shot over Holtby's shoulder to go up 1-0. Then the Washington offense woke up. Lars Eller got redemption for missing the empty net in game one by tying this game up with about two and a half left in the first. He got a great pass from Michal Kempny and was standing by an open net, which lead to a slam dunk tying goal.

Once the 2nd got started, Washington's offense took control. Ovechkin scored his first goal ever in the finals, and 13th of this year's playoffs, on the man advantage to give the Caps a lead. To add to that lead, Brooks Orpik got in on things, scoring his first of the playoffs, set up by Lars Eller, giving him a hand in every goal in this game for Washington. Play got chippy as the period went along, which lead to TJ Oshie taking a bad cross checking penalty, which bit Washington in the rear end. Vegas got back in the game twenty seconds into the man advantage on Shea Theodore's third of the playoffs.

That was as close as the Golden Knights got. Vegas best chance came with just under two minutes left in regulation, when this happened:


Alex Ovechkin's reaction on the bench told the entire story That save by Holtby will forever rank as one of the greatest saves in an NHL Playoff game. He made 37 stops in the game, lowering his goals against average in the playoffs to 2.19. Aside from the one highlighted, Holtby stood on his head at times in this second game to help pull Washington even.

There was still more to be talked about from this second game in the finals. One of the big things to stand out was the refs. The guys in the strips got trashed by the crowed for bad calls, and the big one that was missed, Reeves cross check on Carlson before he scored his goal. The refs kind of made up for it with the Oshie call. It going to be busy for the guys in stripes when things move back to DC Saturday night for game two.

After everything that went down in game one, the second game had a lot to try and live up to. It did in more ways than one. Brayden Holtby's stop at the end of regulation stood head and shoulders above the rest.

2018 NBA Finals Preview

Here. We. Go. After 82 regular season games and three more rounds of playoff hoops, we are set to go. Seven games, four wins for somebody to lay claim to the Larry O'Brien trophy as the top team in the National Basketball Association. The writing has been on the wall since the beginning of October who was going to be the last two teams standing. Only question was how were they going to get here. Well we got our answer. Enough wasting time. Here's a breakdown of this years NBA Finals.

For the fourth straight year, it's the Western Conference Champion Golden State Warriors taking on the Eastern Conference Champion Golden State Warriors. Cleveland finished the regular season with a 50-32 record, which placed them 4th in the Eastern Conference. Once the playoffs rolled around, Cleveland defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the first round, then swept the Toronto Raptors in the second round and defeated the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland is now 119-97 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Golden State, they are the defending NBA Champions. Golden State finished with a 58-24 record, which was good enough for 2nd place in the West. Once the playoffs rolled around, Golden State beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the opening round, a five game series win over the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2nd round and a seven game series win over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. Golden State is now 114-83 lifetime in the playoffs. This marks the 4th straight meeting in the finals between these two clubs, with the Warriors having won two of the previous three series.

Here's the date and times for every game in this series:
May 31 9:00 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
June 3 8:00 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
June 6 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
June 8 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
June 11 9:00 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors* Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
June 14 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers* Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
June 17 8:00 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors* Oracle Arena, Oakland, California

Looks like old friends meet up again with the title on the line. Cleveland got here, no surprise, on the strength of the greatest player in the world, LeBron James. King James has been playing out of his mind all playoffs long. Kevin Love's been out hurt, so the biggest star that LeBron has been playing alongside is J.R. Smith. Just consider for a moment the level LeBron is playing at to this point in the post season. He is averaging 34 points, 9.2 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game these playoffs, which is eye popping numbers. So who's gonna draw the assignment of trying to cover LeBron in this series? You'd think it would be Andre Iguodala, who'd done it in the past. He's dealing with a bit of an injury right now, so if he can't go, Draymond Green and maybe some David West could get the assignment. If its Iguodala, then it'll make the King work plenty hard at both ends of the floor. If it's not him, then it may make things a little easier, and give LeBron more room to move. It won't be just on LeBron for Cleveland to pull off this series win. Kevin Love, George Hill, Tristan Thompson and Kyle Korver are going to need to really step their game up in this series and if they don't show up, it doesn't matter what James does. It won't be enough.

Golden State looks to be their usual balanced selves heading into this finals showdown. Just like trying to find somebody to cover LeBron, its going to be a tough task to try and cover Kevin Durant. Tristan Thompson or Larry Nance were used well against Boston, but if Cleveland wants to stand a chance, then Jeff Green is going to be their top choice. It's more then just trying to guard Durant, as the Warriors are known for their rotation. If Durant doesn't get you, then Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymon Green can find ways to burn you. That's the beauty of having a team as talented and loaded as the one the Warriors have. Golden State can really get a team spread out when Steph Curry is allowed to do his thing from deep. The Warriors are at their best when Curry is bending a defense to his will and he needs the ball to do that. Give the ball to Curry and let him unleash the Warriors heavy 3-point shooting offense.

Had it been Houston, I would have given the Cavs more of a chance. But, much like last year, the Warriors are too deep and balanced compared to Cleveland. LeBron has managed to pull off some playoff magic tricks in the past. This case, he doesn't have enough in it to try and pull it off this year. Cleveland may get a game at home but it won't be enough. Warriors are just too good a team.

Prediction: Warriors in 5!

Vegas Surge To Game One Win

There had been a lot of interest going into the opening game of the Stanley Cup finals, with two teams facing off who've never been here before. Boy, game one didn't disappoint. It had a little bit of everything: big hits, big goals, great saves and great defensive plays. It was a high flying hockey game right from the get go, with teams trading goals in the opening period.

Both teams scored twice in the opening period. The first goal came from Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Colin Miller whose slap shot went past Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby. Washington struck back later in the period as both Brett Connolly and Nicklas Backstrom scored 42 seconds apart. William Karlsson then snuck the puck in between Holtby and the left post to tie the game.

Early in the second period, a rebound off the glass came to Deryk Engelland who passed to an open Reilly Smith firing one past Holtby. Capitals defenceman John Carlson tied up the score after some nice passing from the defender and T. J. Oshie left himself wide open for the goal. In the third period, Tom Wilson redirected Alexander Ovechkin's shot past Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to take the lead in the game. However, Vegas responded 1:41 later as Ryan Reaves went top-shelf to tie the game yet again.

Tomas Nosek, a fourth liner for most of the year, did this about half way through the third:

Nosek would score again into an empty net to seal the win in the opener for Vegas.

You could kind of tell that Washington was a little nervous going into this series. Ovechkin even said it that it would take Washington a game to get used to facing an opponent they've only seen twice this year. They haven't played each other since the meeting in DC in February, so it may have thrown Washington off their game just a little. You could see the Caps getting their chances late in the game, nobody had a better one then Lars Eller, who was by himself at the side of the net, but got tied up by a Vegas defender at the last second to prevent him from scoring.

Yes, there was also a case to be made that some officiating was questionable in this game. Four minor penalties were called in this entire game, but the biggest one that WASN'T called came late in the 3rd period. Ryan Reaves got away with an egregious cross-check on Capitals defenseman John Carlson before he scored his third-period goal on the doorstep against Holtby. Honestly, hope that the officiating crew can get it together and not miss calls that bad the rest of the series.

Vegas got a great performance from their bottom six, Washington is going to have to do that if they want to have any chance to get back in this series.

LeBron's Level Of Greatness

It's no secret to anyone who the best player in the basketball world is. The debate will continue to rage on as to who the greatest player in the history of basketball is. Sure, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell and Kobe Bryant all come to mind immediately. They've all got multiple titles in multiple trips. LeBron James is often brought into that conversation but isn't put at quite the same level. Now I think the conversation might have to start changing.

After beating the Celtics in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals last night, LeBron will now be appearing in the NBA finals for the 8th straight year. Let that sink in for a moment. Eight. Straight. Years. Not too many people have been able to do that. James is now tied with Frank Ramsey for the 3rd most consecutive finals appearances. LeBron has had to be tough in game sevens. Per ESPN Stats, LeBron has won six straight Game 7s over the past 10 years, two of them on the road. He has won seven of the past eight elimination games he's been in, including three this postseason. And he has now come from 2-0 down to win a series three times in his career. That has happened only 20 times in seven-game series in NBA history.

Yes, LeBron is back in the Finals again. Can he win a fourth ring? We will find out in a few weeks. But that's been the biggest knock on LeBron during his career. Yes, Lebron is 3-5 lifetime in the finals, which again is the only knock against the best player in the game. I think if he has more titles and a better record in the Finals, then people would be putting him past Jordan and Kareem on the all time greatest players list as the true king of the NBA. Sure the rings would be nice, but look at what LeBron has had to do over his career just to get to the finals as often as he has.

Sure he had Kyrie Irving two years ago as the Robin to his Batman. Other then that, LeBron hasn't really had the opportunity to play alongside a superstar near his level. Kevin Love is a good to great player, but he's not at the same kind of superstar level as Irving. Everybody talks about the fact that LeBron doesn't have as many rings as some of the games true greats like Jerry West, Kareem, Jordan or Bill Russell. But lets take the number of titles out of the equation for just a moment.

What LeBron has managed to do has been impressive beyond description. Some will argue those three finals appearances in Miami. He had Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosch helping him out, sure. But the other five appearances were with almost nothing in Cleveland. He takes his game to another level when it matters the most. He's done that in game seven's in his career. Can't seem to really get it done in the finals, that knock sticks with him. Still eight finals appearances in a row now marks for a very impressive career. Some speculate that it was an easy walkthrough  to get to the finals. Not so fast. He was pushed to the limit against Indiana in the opening round. Had an easy sweep of Toronto in round two, which came off as a surprise. Then just went through a very game Celtics team in seven games, a series which saw the home team win every game through the first six, before LeBron and company pulled out the win in game seven.

Should be be able to get his fourth ring this year, then I think he can be moved into the top three or four greatest players in the history of the game. There's no doubt he's a top five player in this league and the history of basketball. The fact that he's now played in eight straight finals is really a testament of just how great a player he is. He's King of the East, there's no doubt about it. He can add to his legacy if he's able to win a title this year. It's a legacy that few players have or will be able to touch in the history of Basketball.

2018 Stanley Cup Finals Preview

The time has arrived. After a playoff tournament that started with sixteen teams, we are now down to the final two. Over the next two weeks, and possibly seven games, we will decide who the best team in the National Hockey League is for the 2017-18 season. History will be made in this year's finals. For the first time since 2007, we've got two teams playing in search of their first ever Stanley Cup Title. One team is in its first year of operation, while the other has been around since 1975 and is making their second ever finals appearance. This has been a fairytail run for both teams. One an expansion franchise that nobody expected to get this far. The other is a team who hasn't been able to get out of its own way and has been snakebitten by not getting out of the second round in recent years. Here we sit, the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals have arrived and here's how we see it going down.

This year's finals pit the Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Eastern Conference Champion Washington Capitals. Washington earned 105 points during the regular season, which was good enough to win the Metropolitan Division. In the first round of playoffs, Washington came back from a 2–0 series deficit to win four in a row to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games. They followed that up with a six game series win in the 2nd round against their division rival Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington then defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals in seven games, winning game seven on the road for only the second time in franchise history and first since 2012. This is the 2nd ever trip to the finals for the Capitals, who were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in their other finals appearance in 1998.

Vegas won the Pacific Division with 109 points. Vegas swept the Los Angeles Kings in four games, defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games, and eliminated the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Finals in five games. This is the third straight year that a Western Confernce team is making its first trip to the finals, joining the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators. This also marks the 3rd ever appearance for an expansion team in the finals, with the 1918 Toronto Arenas and the 1968 St Louis Blues.

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
Game 1: Capitals at Golden Knights on Monday, May 28 (NBC)
Game 2: Capitals at Golden Knights on Wednesday, May 30 (NBCSN)
Game 3: Golden Knights at Capitals on Saturday, June 2 (NBCSN)
Game 4: Golden Knights at Capitals on Monday, June 4 (NBC)
Game 5: Capitals at Golden Knights on Thursday, June 7 (NBC)
Game 6: Golden Knights at Capitals on Sunday, June 10 (NBC)
Game 7: Capitals at Golden Knights on Wednesday, June 13 (NBC)

All games slated to start at 8PM.

Vegas is coming into this final series after having a very strong playoff run in the West, losing only three games en route to the finals. The biggest reason has been the outstanding play of netminder Marc Andre Fleury. In this year's playoffs, Fleury is 12-3, with a 1.68 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. That save percentage is the highest percentage in post season play since 1982. Fleury's play has kept Vegas in a ton of these playoff games, most nights when it takes the offense a while to get going. Should Vegas win the Cup, there has to be strong consideration for Fleury for winner of the Conn Smyth Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. Fleury's goaltending has allowed the Golden Knights top line of William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. That unit has combined for 47 points this postseason, this coming after totaling 213 points as a line during the regular season. Vegas doesn't just rely on that top line, though. They get contribution from all four lines. It may not reflect in the scoresheet, but the rolling of four lines has been tough to handle for opposing teams this year. Vegas has the foot speed that few teams, if any, can match this year. Its been throwing off opponents in the playoffs, which is a major reason why the Golden Knights are in the finals.

They are going up against another team that has been riding a wave of momentum into the finals in the form of the Washington Capitals. Washington had to get through two of the more powerful teams in the game today in both the Penguins and Lightning in order to reach this final round. While Felury has been playing, at an MVP level for Vegas, Alex Ovechkin has been doing that for the Capitals. He's got 22 points in 19 games in this years playoffs, only two points back of his linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov. This is going to be a defining series for Ovie, because the greatest career goal that has avoided him during his 13 year run in the league has been a Cup. He's accomplished every thing there is possible to accomplish in this league, except win the big one. He's got his best chance at it now. And he's got the supporting cast around him that can help make a difference. Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Oshie, Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, they've got a balanced team. They might not be able to match the speed stride for stride with the Golden Knights, but they will be able to use their physical play to be able to slow the team down.

Its going to be a battle of will in this years finals. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch the finals this year, with two teams that play slightly contrasting styles. At the end of the day it comes down to who has the edge and momentum on their side. In this case its the Capitals. Nothing against what Vegas has done, its been an amazing run and they may still have one more surprise left in them. At this moment, Washington seems to have the edge and all the luck going on their side. Sure, they've had to play four more games the the Golden Knights, which could really play in the favor of Vegas. But it might not be enough for the Golden Knights to beat out a more balanced, veteran and physical team.

Prediction: Capitals in 7!

NFL Gets A Rule Change

For almost two years now, players around the National Football League have been taking a stand. They look to make a statement against something they feel is an injustice in this country. It's been going on for two years now, NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem as a form of protest. Well, now the NFL is fighting back against it.

It was announced yesterday that the NFL owners have unanimously approved a new national anthem policy that requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance but gives them the option to remain in the locker room if they prefer. The policy subjects teams to a fine if a player or any other team personnel do not show respect for the anthem. That includes any attempt to sit or kneel, as dozens of players have done during the past two seasons to protest racial inequality and police brutality. Those teams also will have the option to fine any team personnel, including players, for the infraction.

A few of the players have spoken up against the decision. Snacks Harrison of the Giants said this in a tweet "It’s crazy to think that they think ratings dropped because of the kneeling. I can promise you it was wayyyy more people ACTUALLY not watching due to the support of the kneeling than the ones who opposed. Most of those TV games were actually terrible."

"To make a decision that strong, you would hope that the players have input on it," Cleveland Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor said. "But obviously not. So we have to deal with it as players, for good or a bad thing."

The NFL is making this decision more with their wallets then with their heads. Owners had a chance to really take a stand and really make some noise and they failed to do so. What the owners are more worried about is the bottom line and being able to make money for themselves and use the players to do so. Now granted, it is a two way street. Players need the owners to earn a paycheck playing a game we played as kids. Owners need the players in order to make money. See owners use public money to be able to build these parks and they take that money and try to put the best product on the field for their fan bases. So far, with this ruling, they are telling their fan base that we care more about money then public opinion.

Owners are worried that they are going to lose sponsorship money because the players are taking a stand for something that they believe in. I could be reading this all wrong but that the vibe I'm getting by this ruling. Still don't get why everybody is freaking out of players trying to make a stand. That's the beautiful thing about living in America, the fact that if you feel something isn't right or just then you do something about it. Players went out and made a stand for something they believed in and they did it in a peaceful manner. They weren't hurting anybody. It started to fade, before outsiders started mouthing off about the issue, so it picked up steam again. Now when it looks like it was starting to die down, this ruling comes down. Its a dumb idea that might blow up in the owners faces.

Welcome To New York Lou

It has been a long time since the New York Islanders have really had a man in charge of this calibre. New York just brought in somebody with a pedigree of winning. They've got their man now, somebody who is expected to help point this team in the right direction and get the Islanders back on track to try and win a Stanley Cup. The man chosen to lead them back to the promise land from the front office is Lou Lamoriello. Lou has been hired as President of Hockey Operations, giving him full authority over all hockey matters with the organization.

Lou brings to the organization a very impressive resume from the world of hockey. He joined the NHL in 1987, becoming President and General Manager of the New Jersey Devils, a position which he held until 2015, which was the 3rd longest tenured run as a General Manager in NHL history. After leaving New Jersey, Lou moved on to Toronto to become the General Manager of the Maple Leafs, a position he held until last week. Now he comes aboard as President for the Islanders. During Lou's tenure running the Devils, New Jersey went to the Stanley Cup Playoffs 21 times. During that time, Jersey posted thirteen 100-point seasons, winning nine division titles, appeared in the Stanley Cup Final five times and won three championships (1995, 2000 and 2003). Jersey also had a stretch of thirteen consecutive post-season berths from 1997 to 2010.

After turning the Devils into one of the most successful franchises in the NHL, Lamoriello decided it was time to step down and take on another tasks, running the Toronto Maple Leafs. Under his guidance, Toronto had turned from a 29 win team in his first year, to winning 40 and 49 games the last two seasons, reaching the playoffs both times. Which shows just how well of a job Lamoriello can do running a franchise. When he was informed by Leafs management and Brendan Shanahan that he wouldn't be staying on as GM, Lou decided to move on, and here we are with him as the Islanders President of Hockey Operations.

Lamoriello is well known in NHL circles for his hard-nosed approach to contract negotiations, and also being known for showing consistent shrewdness in identifying and signing top talent that other teams were passing over. Two of his biggest prized draft picks, Martin Broduer (20th overall) and Patrik Elias (51st overall) went on to have pretty good careers with the Devils. There's hope that he can bring some of that quality drafting to the Islanders starting this year.

What does this mean for the future of the Islanderrs?

Could mean that Garth Snow's job could be on the line. Snow's track record, at least in my eyes, hasn't been that great as of late. The fact that John Tavares hasn't signed a new contract yet is quite shocking for a guy who's the face of the franchise. Maybe by bringing in a guy of Lamoriello's talent to run this team could convince Tavares to want to come back and take a shot at winning a Cup with the franchise that drafted him. The team has some good young talent. Tavares will hopefully stick around, they've got a great young stud in Matthew Barzal, Josh Bailey had a really coming out party the last two seasons. There's something to really work with on the blue line as well with guys like Scott Mayfield and Calvin De Haan. Having that good young mix together could be something that Lou could work with in running this team.

What will the future hold for the Islanders franchise? Who knows. But steps have been taken in the right direction over the last few months. Got a brand new home to play in over in Belmont, they will be playing games at Nassau Coliseum during the season until Belmont is ready. Now there's this. Things could be looking up for the Islanders.

Is Thor's Hype Real?

There's no denying the fact that Noah Syndergaard is one of the best pitchers in baseball. The New York Mets felt they might be getting something good in him when they sent Cy Young winner R.A Dickey to Toronto in the winter of 2012 (along with Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas) in exchange for Travis d'Arnaud, John Buck, Noah Syndergaard and Wuilmer Becerra. Thor has been the real bright spot of the trade since it was completed. Now, some concerns have come out about the man they call Thor. And its coming from people in his own organization.

The other day. Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland went to the press with some concerns over Syndergaard.

"I just don't know where the expectations came from," Eiland told the New York Post. "He's spent -- what? -- two-and-a-half years in the big leagues? So I don't know where all the expectations came from. I wasn't here for all that, but he has yet to do a whole lot at the major league level." Eiland backtracked a little before Noah's start on Tuesday by saying "I don't say anything publicly before I say it to them first. ... I didn't say he hasn't done anything. I said he hasn't done a whole lot."

Look at things going on this year. The best pitcher in New York isn't coming from Queens, its coming from the Bronx. Louis Severino has been the best pitcher in the Metro area. Thor may not even be the best pitcher on the current staff, I think that title goes to Jacob deGrom. There's no denying the fact that Thor can dominate a game at times. He's one of those pitchers who has no problem blowing people away with a fastball. At times that has been good enough to get him wins. BUt at times it hasn't. Sure he got the win over the Jays on Tuesday night, only giving up two runs. But he threw 103 pitches and went only five innings.

In 70 career starts, including nine he's made this year, Thor has never pitched a complete game and never pitched a shutout. This was a guy who was an All Star in 2016. Look at some of the other guys in the league who had big hype around them coming up. Guys like Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, and Chris Sale. They all had hype around them just like Syndergaard, and they've been able to more then live up to it. Noah hasn't quite done that yet.

Don't read into this as there's something wrong with Thor, because there isn't. It's just that Dave Eiland has a point. Maybe this was done as a motivational tool. I love Syndergaard as a pitcher I really do, and I'm not just saying that as a Mets fan. The guy is a lot of fun to watch. It's entertaining to see guys blow away hitters with straight up with gas hitting triple digits on the radar guns. At the same time there's more to it when it comes to pitching then straight gas, at least for starters.

Look at a guy like Bartolo Colon He couldn't hit anywhere near what Noah does on the radar gun, but he's ablew to get a lot of swings and misses and he was and is able to go deep into baseball games, something which Noah hasn't REALLY been able to do to this point in his career. I love Syndergaard I really do. I just want to see him take his game to the next level and really take off as a Major League pitcher. He has the tools, and an intimidation factor that only so few players have been able to get to. He just doesn't have the mental side nailed down yet. Sure there's a lot of room for improvement and there's no real telling how far this kid can go in the Majors. He just has to find a way to bring it all together, and maybe these comments from his pitching coach can help get him going in that right direction.

Place Your Bets

Sports fans rejoice! A landmark decision was struck yesterday in the Supreme Court. allowing it to now become legal to gamble on professional sports in all fifty states, not just Las Vegas. According to the Associated Press, the Supreme Court on Monday gave its go-ahead for states to allow gambling on sports across the nation, striking down a federal law that barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states. The justices voted 6-3 to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 law that forbade state-authorized sports gambling with some exceptions. It made Nevada the only state where a person could wager on the results of a single game.

So what does this all mean?

Well, in basic terms, it's allowing something to come to the forefront that has already become a major hobby for most Americans. The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegally wager about $150 billion on sports each year, an eye popping number. IT now gives people another way to be able to make money, this time legally, on something that they've been doing behind closed doors for years. Of course this has some deterrents.

Some high ranking people inside the sports world aren't happy with the decision because of the effect it could have on games. Some inside Major League Baseball are against the ruling because of the profound effects it could have on the game. I could see that side of the argument. Some people involved with the various teams around the Majors could have a wager on a game, which could effect how the game is played. I'm sure that people inside not only Major League Baseball, but the other major sports as well. The NHL, MLB and NBA could, and should, join MLB in finding a way to keep the gambling on the games. You saw what it did to Pete Rose. If you haven't I suggest you go read about it, there's way too much to that story to get involved with it here. I'm sure, knowing the higher ups in the sports world, they will find a way to make it work so that nobody involved with what's going on on the playing surfaces can make any wagers of any kind on the action.

As far as the fans go, this comes as a nice surprise to them, and a welcomed one at that. Its no secret that people place bets on sporting events. I've done it on a number of occasions, not all of them for money (small money bets if anything) but also for other stuff like a meal or drinks or stuff like that. Now the money can roll in anywhere else in the country just like it can in Vegas. The logistics of it have to be worked out so that everybody can benefit from it, and it can be done in a very positive way.

Any way you slice it, this is a huge step in the world of sports and in the world of finance as well.

NBA Conference Finals Preview

Here we go. The Conference finals are now set for the National Basketball Association. Whoever walks out from these two remaining series will get their shot at the Larry O'Brien Trophy for being the best team in all of basketball. Its the matchups that everybody wanted and had everybody talking. Its the clash of the titans in the Western Conference finals, while the East has a rematch of last season. So lets not waste anymore time, here's how we see the conference finals going down.

First up its the Eastern Conference Finals as the second seeded Boston Celtics take on the fourth seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. For the fourth straight year, and eight time overall, the Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference finals. They got here by beating Indiana in seven games, followed by a sweep of Toronto. This marks the eight straight year that LeBron James has played in the Conference finals. Cleveland is 119-97 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Boston, this marks the 35th time that the Celtics have reached the conference finals. They got there this year by beating Milwaukee in seven and Philadelphia in five. Boston is now 349-263 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning four of the first seven meetings. Cleveland won two of the three meetings during the regular season/

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
May 13 3:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 15 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 19 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 21 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 23 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics* TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 25 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers* Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 27 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics* TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

After getting a scare from the Pacers in the opening round, Cleveland looks to have found their stride. This coming after having almost a fire sale at the trade deadline. Cleveland dumped off Jae Crowder, Isiah Thomas and Dwayne Wade. In return, Cleveland brought in Larry Nance, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and George Hill. Yet despite it all, LeBron has played, well like LeBron. His playoff numbers are off the charts this year, averaging 34.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists a game. To go along with that, he's shooting 55.3 percent from the field and delivering a slew of late-game heroics. LeBron is going to be in for a challenge in this series trying to go up agains Marcus Morris. Morris just did a fantastic job of Shutting down Ben Simmons in the last round. So LeBron is going to have to try and find a way to get past him to be a factor in this series. It isn't going to all fall on the King. JR Smith is going to have to step up and make an impact on this series much like he did against Toronto in the last round.

Meanwhile, Boston has been beaten up with Injuries this season. As the year has worn on, Boston has managed to lose Gordon Hayward at the beginning of the year and since late in the season, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and now Shane Larkin have all gone down at some point due top injury. Yet still Brad Stevens has managed to guide his team back to the conference finals for the 2nd straight year. Much like LeBron has done for the Cavs, Al Horford is going to have to do the same thing for the Celtics. He has to play at a level he never knew he could reach if Boston wants to hold out any hope of knocking off the Cavs. Its going to be on him, Morris and Jayson Tatum  to try and shut down the Beasts of the East from Cleveland.

Boston has a lot they can build on when they get both Hayward and Irving back next year. They will be even more of a battle tested and playoff experienced team. They have a good bunch, no denying that right now. What Brad Stevens has been able to do with this group is remarkable. But I think its going to be too much to deal with when facing the King. LeBron is going to be playing great, most of the playoffs has already been an indication of that. He needs his supporting cast to try and play close to his level to secure a victory in this round. They will get it.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 6!

In the Western Conference Finals we got the top seeded Houston Rockets taking on the second seeded Golden State Warriors. For the fourth straight year and tenth time in franchise history, the Warriors are in the Western Conference Finals. They got here by beating San Antonio in the opening round and New Orleans in round two, both series going five games. Golden State now sits at 1680148 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Houston, this marks the eight time ever that the team is playing in the Western Conference finals, their first appearance since 2015. Houston got here by beating Minnesota in the first round and Utah in the second round, both series ending in five games. Houston is 136-146 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first two meetings. Houston won two of the three meetings between these teams during the regular season.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 14 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 16 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 20 8:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 22 9:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 24 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets* Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 26 9:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors* Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 28 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets* Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

This is the matchup everybody wanted and now we have it. Houston had the overhaul last summer, bringing in names like PJ Tucker and Chris Paul. Throw in a guy like Luc Mbah a Moute, who along with Tucker, have no problem being aggressive, switch friendly defenders. Having a style like that on defense could work quite well against a team that moves the ball around as well as Golden State does. Houston was the top scoring team in the playoffs this year, a big reason for that has been Chris Paul and James Harden. Harden has been playing at an MVP level most of the year and that hasn't stopped once the playoffs rolled around. As for CP3, he's showed flashes this year in the playoffs that he too, can be a dominating force in games. Just ask Utah, he dropped 41 points again in the 5th and deciding game in that series.

Houston is good, but they are going up against a loaded and battle tested Golden State team. They aren't the three time defending Western Conference champions for nothing. Trevor Ariza is going to have his hands full in this conference finals, having to defend against Kevin Durant. Much like CP3, Durant has been playing up to par and then some in the playoff this year. He's actually had to carry the bulk of the scoring for Golden State this year, which I really don't think he minds doing, he a big boy he can handle it. if Durant for some reason falters, the Warriors still have Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, who are kinda good at playing basketball.

This has the feeling that it might be the year for Houston. I think that Paul and Harden will neutralize Curry and Thompson. So its going to come down to Durant and Ariza. Trevor has a tough task ahead of him but I think he might have just enough in the tank to be able to handle it. This is going to be an entertaining series that could go down to the wire.

Prediction: Rockets in 7!

Stanley Cup Conference Finals Preview

We started this crazy run with sixteen teams standing. Now we're down to the final four. Winners of these two series will advance on to play for the holy grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup. There's a lot to look forward to in this round of the post season. The West has two teams in it who nobody really expected to get there when the playoffs began. One is a relocated franchise, while the other is an expansion franchise. The East is a battle of teams who have storied pasts. One is a team that has been trying to break through the glass celling for the last twenty years or so, while the other one is trying to build off a record of sustained excellence. The final four has arrived and over the next two weeks we will determine who has earned the right to play for the holy grail of hockey. So lets get right into it and break down the conference finals.

First up, its the Eastern Conference Finals between the Atlantic Division Champion Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Metropolitan Division Champion Washington Capitals. For the first time since 1998, the Washington Capitals are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. They got here by beating the Blue Jackets in six games in the opening round, then following it up with a win over the Penguins in six games in round two. Washington is now 19-27 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Tampa Bay, this marks their first trip to the conference finals since 2016 and the third time in the last four years. Tampa got here by beating New Jersey in the first round and Boston in the second, both series coming in five game wins. This is the third playoff meeting between these teams with Tampa Bay winning both previous series. They last met in the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which Tampa Bay won in a four-game sweep. This is the Lightning's fifth appearance in the Conference Finals, while this marks the Capitals third Conference Finals appearance. They last made the Conference Finals in 1998, in which they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games. Tampa Bay won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 11 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 13 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 15 Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Capital One Arena
May 17 Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Capital One Arena
May 19 Washington Capitals 7:15 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 21 Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Capital One Arena
May 23 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena

So now that Washington finally has the Piano off it's back about not getting past the second round, they have to try and prove that what just happened against Pittsburgh was no fluke. Alex Ovechkin has a lot left in the tank and is trying to add to his trophy case with a championship. Part of what is holding back his legacy is his ability to lead Washington to a championship. He's got 15 points so far in 12 playoff games, so he playing like a man on a mission. So to was Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was the hero against the Penguins in the last round. And Washington was able to pull this off with Nicklas Backstrom having missed a little time in the last round due to injuries. So with him back in the lineup and healthy, the Caps could be a tough test in the Conference finals. That and with the way Brayden Holtby has been playing so far, he making life difficult for the opposition. Its funny, because Philip Grubauer was given the honor of being the guy in Washington's net to start the playoffs. But when he stumbled in the first two games of the playoffs, Holtby has come back into the mix and won eight of his 10 starts and sports a .926 save percentage. Washington has managed to be able to clamp down on defense as the playoffs have worn on. Don't believe it? Just as the Penguins.

Now they got to face the fastest and most balanced team in the playoffs in the Lightning. See what Boston relied on was one line to really power their hockey club, while Tampa has their top two lines firing at just the right time. Everybody has been talking about the Bolts top line of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and J.T. Miller and rightfully so. They've been an noutstanding top unit, with Kucherove leading the charge with 12 points and Stamkos chipping in ten points in ten games. Its not just all on that unit. The Bolts second line of Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson. That line has not only been contributing as much as the top unit, but they did a fantastic job of shutting down Boston's top unit in the last round. Tampa has had a four-line rotation that's been on full display this post season and it will continue to be a weapon against Washington, which is something that the Caps might not be ready to deal with in this series.

As glad as I am that the Capitals have finally climbed over the mountain top to get to the East finals, they've got one more hill to climb in the East and its the best team left standing in the Bolts. Washington is a very skilled hockey club, but they've now got to deal with the best and deepest team in the East, a team that has all four lines rolling right now and are a club that's going to be very hard to contain. As good as Washington has been, they're not going to have enough in the tank to get it done here. Tampa is just too good.

Prediction: Lightning in 6!

Next in the Western Conference Finals its the Central Divisions Second Seeded Winnipeg Jets taking on the Pacific Division Champion Vegas Golden Knights. For Vegas, they got here by sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and then beating the San Jose Sharks in six in the second round. This is the furthest that an expansion team has ever gone in the playoffs, with Vegas winning their first two playoff series ever. As for Winnipeg, they knocked off the Minnesota Wild in Five and the Nashville Predators in seven. This is also the farthest that the Jets have gone in the playoffs, getting swept in their first two previous playoff appearances. This is the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This is the first Conference Finals since 2003 (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Minnesota Wild) to feature two teams making their Conference Finals debut. Winnipeg advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time in their 19th season after entering the league in 1999 as the Atlanta Thrashers. Vegas made the Conference Finals in their inaugural season becoming the first expansion team since the St. Louis Blues to advance past the second round of the playoffs. Vegas won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 12 Vegas Golden Knights 7:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place
May 14 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place
May 16 Winnipeg Jets 9:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
May 18 Winnipeg Jets 8:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
May 20 Vegas Golden Knights 3:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place
May 22 Winnipeg Jets 9:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
May 24 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Bell MTS Place

This is going to be a fast and fun series to watch. Vegas wasn't really projected to be here, because this was a group of players that was viewed as castoffs from the other thirty teams around the NHL. Now here they sit, just four wins away from playing for the biggest prize in all of the sport. They are a team that goes to show that anything is possible. Vegas has been dominating teams in this years playoffs with their speed, there's not been a team that has come close to being able to match the Golden Knights speed. Powering this offense is the top line of Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson. They've been nearly unstoppable this year in the playoffs and could very well be the best trio left standing. The only thing you have to worry about with this Vegas team is the possibility of turnovers. They have the speed and are great in transition but if they turn the puck over that could spell trouble. What could bail Vegas out is the play of Marc Andre Fleury, who's been playing out of his mind this year in the playoffs. He's got four shutouts and given up just 17 goals all playoffs. He's looking like the goalie was saw lead the Penguins to a 2009 Stanley Cup Title. He's going to have to do it again in this series to get Vegas to the finals.

They're going up against a tough test in Winnipeg, who just knocked off the Presidents Trophy winners in the last round. This team has pretty much played outstanding hockey in the playoffs, almost to the point where you really can't find a flaw in their game. Getting Paul Stastny at the trade deadline has been a brilliant move, as he's scored clutch goals in helping lead the Jets this deep in the playoffs. Then there's the play of Mark Scheifele. Three years ago, Scheifele registered just one assist in the four-game sweep by the Ducks. Since then, Scheifele has taken his game to another level, managing to transform himself into one of the top centres in the game today. Patrik Laine and Connor Hellebuyck are going to be two guys to watch in this series. Laine is getting his chances, but he only has three goals to this point in the playoffs and is due to break out. As for Hellebuyck, he's been playing almost as well as Fleury has. He's given up ten more goals in two more games then Fleury, but when the pressure is at it's highest, Hellebuyck has been just as good as Fleury.

What Winnipeg just managed to do in the last round to Nashville could be an indication of what might happen in this series. They were able to neutralize the depth of Nashville over  the long haul, which is why they walked away with the series win. They are going to do that here. Winnipeg is going to be the team to end the Cinderella run for the Golden Knights. It goes the distance, but the clock will strike midnight for the Golden Knights.

Prediction: Jets in 7!

Stanley Cup Playoff Sweet Victories

It has been a fun ride through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As we now get closer to the conference finals, there's two teams that are advancing that have had a lot to prove this year. One is an expansion team that nobody really expected to make this much noise, while the other has been trying to shake a piano off its back in the post season for a long time now. Both got it done in the second round and turned quite a few heads doing it.

The biggest story right now has to be the Washington Capitals. It has been twenty years since the Capitals had been able to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, something that has been a thorn in the side of the franchise ever since. Last time Washington was back in the Eastern Conference Finals, the average Cost of new house was $129,300.00, the average Income per year was $38,100.00, while the average Monthly Rent was $619.00. Cost of a gallon of Gas was $1.15, while the average cost of new car was $17,200.00. A postage stamp cost you 32 cents, while a loaf of Bread was $1.26, a Dozen Eggs cost 88 cents and Titanic hit theaters. This series not only marks the first conference finals appearance since 1998, its the 2nd time in 11 tries that the Caps have beaten the Pens.

A lot had been riding on Washington in this series, as they've been trying for the longest times to get this piano off their backs. In the tenure of Alex Ovechkin in Washington, the 2nd round was the highest level in playoff competition he seemed to be able to attain. Now he's got a shot at a conference title and a birth in the Stanley Cup Finals. That has got to be the biggest knock on the career of one of the greatest Russian scorers in the history of the NHL. Hockey is a team sport, so its not all on one guy, even if that guy is somebody as gifted as Ovechkin. That's where players like Evgeny Kuznetsov come in. He was the hero in overtime of game six. Oh and Washington was not only able to beat the two time defending cup champions to get to the next round, they did it without one of their best playmakers in Nicklas Backstrom. Washington got balanced scoring in the series, getting contributions from everybody and were able to good job to shut down the Penguins best forwards.

It was performances like this that have to feel good for a team and a franchise that has done so many great things during the regular season but just never seemed to get it done in the playoffs. They haven't quite reached the summit just yet, but they have taken a huge step in the right direction.

Then there's the upstart Vegas Golden Knights, who've been shattering every expansion record in the book this year. Its really amazing to consider that the Golden Knights have won more playoff series in the last month then a team like the New York Islanders have won in the last 25 years. Vegas has really taken a city by storm with their exciting brand of hockey Its a chance to expand a sport into what was considered a non traditional market and bring it to a different kind of crowd. It has worked and worked well.

Vegas has been running with this through a sweep of the Kings then beating the Sharks in six games. The funny thing is, the average game attendance at T-Mobile Arena is now 18,042. What's happened in Vegas goes to show that the power of the game can do to a community. There were naysayers going into this experiment, but the team has shown that this has, at least in its first year of existence, that the game can work here. This is a group of basically castoffs from other teams who felt these players were expendable. They are out to try and prove everybody that they were wrong.

Nobody has done that more then Marc Andre Fleury. He's 8-2 in the playoffs with a .951 save percentage and a goals against of 1.53, to go along with four shutouts. He, along with William Karlsson are the big reasons why the Golden Knights are here. This is a team who was listed by the books at the beginning of the year as a 200-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. Now they're four short wins away from making it to the finals. Is this team really this good? The next few years will truly be able to determine that. But for right now, its been a hell of a run. So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Tom Wilson Faces Punishment

Any hockey fan would have been able to tell you, going into this series, that the Eastern Conference semifinals series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals was going to be a nasty, physical series. Monday night, in game three of the series in Pittsburgh, the series took on a new life. Tom Wilson, the Capitals forward, has been known for being a bit of an adgitator. Tuesday night, he took it to a whole different level.

Here's a video of what happened:


No penalty was called on the hit and Zach Aston-Reese missed the rest of the game.

It was revealed earlier today that Aston-Reese has a concussion and a broken jaw, which will cause him to miss the rest of the playoffs. Tom Wilson had a hearing with the Department of Player Safety, which resulted in a three game suspension for Wilson for the actions.

Did the punishment fit the crime?

Yes and no. It is indeed the type of hit that the NHL is trying to get rid of. At first look it seemed like Wilson caught Aston-Reese in the shoulder, which is probably why the refs never made a call on the hit. The blood on the ice after the play was a better indication of what happened, as was the video replay showed both on TV and on the video scoreboard over center ice. Once fans in the arena saw what happened, they really got on Wilson's case over it, and rightfully so.

Now comes into question how long the suspension should have been. Some fans are possibly calling for Wilson to be out as long as Aston-Reese, which is going a bit far. There's no doubt in anybody's mind that Wilson should serve a suspension for the hit, there really is no room in the game for a play such as that. I think three games might have been a little light. There's no way to tell how deep this series is going to go, as Washington has a 2-1 lead in the series heading into game four on Thursday in Pittsburgh. The rest of the series is easy for how long this suspension should go. If the series does end in five, then it should carry over into the next round, but if it goes the distance and the Caps move on, he should be eligible to come back at the start of the next round.

One things for sure, every time that Tom Wilson comes back to Pittsburgh, he will be booed every time he touches the puck. For his actions Tuesday night, Wilson has become a marked man.

Winners & Losers From NFL Draft

Now here we sit after seven rounds and 256 picks. The National Football League draft is in the books. Its going to be tough to really tell right now how well these picks are going to turn out. We will know that in about a year from now. For the moment at least, its worth taking a look at whether or not these picks were good or bad. Some of the picks are going to be enjoyed, while others are going to be loathed. With that being said, here's a look at some of the winners and losers, so far at least, from this year's NFL Draft!

Winner:
Cleveland Browns
It was almost a given that Baker Mayfield was going to go in the top five in this years draft. Cleveland was in need of a quarterback in a bad way, so they grabbed one with Mayfield. He has the ability to have that save a franchise type of skills, he's that good. Some question his mental makeup, but the physical tools are all right there for this kid to be a big star in this league. What did surprise me about the Browns a little was who they took at 4th. Many felt Bradley Chubb, the defensive end out of NC State was going to be the pick, but instead Cleveland grabbed Denzel Ward, the cornerback from Ohio State. A very solid pickup in his own right, a guy who can really help bolster the weak Cleveland secondary. Again the biggest piece of the day was adding Mayfield, who can already add another weapon to what, at least on paper is an already improved football team. Will it get them into the playoffs right away? Probably not. Will it get them a win? No doubt it. Only time will tell how good this team could be down the road, but I'd say its off to a decent start right now with the guys they added early in the draft.

Loser:
Oakland Raiders
Oakland had made some interesting moves at the draft. First they had the 10th pick, then flipped it to Arizona for the 15th pick. Arizona then grabbed Josh Rosen out of UCLA at ten. With the 15th pick, Oakland added Kolton Miller, the tackle from UCLA. A good pick adding a little more depth to an already solid unit. Then they were able to trade one of the 3rd round picks they had to the Steelers for Martavis Bryant, a receiver with a lot of upside, but also a lot of baggage. It says something about the kind of player that Bryant might be if the Steelers had no trouble getting rid of him for just a third round pick. It just feels like some of the other picks that the Raiders made on this day were just risky moves.

Winner:
Arizona Cardinals
Think its safe to say that the Arizona Cardinals had themselves a pretty good draft. First they moved up five spots and grabbed themselves a franchise quarterback in Josh Rosen. Yes Arizona does have Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon, but neither guy is going to be the long term answer for the Cardinasl. Rosen has the talent and all around makeup that could get the Cardinals what they want as the years go on. So by being able to trade up five spots and grab their guy shows brilliance on the part of General Manager Steve Keim. It really was a case of highway robbery because all it cost was just a swap of the first round picks, it didn't cost them future first or second round picks, allowing them to really build a team down the road. Great job by Cardinal management getting the player they want and not giving up the whole lot in order to get him.

Loser:
Dak Prescott
In the weeks heading into the draft, Dallas had said that they were trying to make the offense a little more friendly for their stud quarterback Dak Prescott. His tight end, Jason Witten just retired. Witten finished his career with 1,152 career catches. The rest of the receiving core that's still here in Dallas, Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Deonte Thompson, Noah Brown, Lance Lenoir, K.D. Cannon, Michael Gallup (who Dallas Just drafted in the second round), and Tavon Austin have a combined 948 career receptions. It was having that security blanket in Witten in the huddle and on the field for Dak and now that blanket isn't here. Dallas didn't really go out and make a splash in the draft to try and help Dak in the draft. Sure, Zek is still going to be an impact player for the Boys and maybe they can get something out of Gallup, Dalton Schultz the Tight End they got in the 4th round and Cedrick Wilson Jr. who they picked up in the 6th round. Something good could happen in Dallas, but on paper, the Draft didn't help them out much.

Winner:
John Elway
Denver is one of those teams that has struggled the last couple of years to try and stay competitive on the AFC West. It was just three seasons ago that the Broncos won the Division and the Super Bowl, but since then its been a 9-7 and 5-11 record for Denver. So it fell to General Manager John Elway to try and get the Broncos back on track. They just signed Case Keenum, which meant that they had something but could have still picked a signal caller with the 5th overall pick. At one point, there was a trade in place for the Broncos to make a deal with Buffalo. But when a player the caliber of Bradley Chubb is sitting there at the 5th pick, you sure take it. Elway knows a good thing when he's sees it and snatched up Chubb with the pick. The defensive lineman from NC State is a big threat in the pass rush department and throw him in with Von Miller, it makes for a very dangerous combination. Throw those two in with the likes of Chris Harris, Bradley Roby, Justin Simmons, Brandon Marshall and Todd Davis, it makes for a very dangerous defense and one that could help make Denver a threat again in the West.

Loser:
Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco's time as a member of the penthouse among QB's in the NFL seems to be running thin. After having a monster statistical year two years ago, Flacco's numbers took a bit of a dip last season. Ever since he signed his last contract, Flacco hasn't been able to really take the Ravens back to the promise land. Now, with the 2018 draft, Baltimore hopes they have found his heir apparent. Baltiomre traded up to the final pick of the first round and used that 32nd pick to select Lamar Jackson, the quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner from Louisville. Baltimore has found luck with selecting good players in the draft, Flacco being one of them in 2008. Now, here in 2018, they may have found his possible replacement in Jackson. Again no telling just how good this kid could be in Jackson, but if he's going to be able to produce in this league, Flacco's days are numbered.