Baseball

The accidental classic: 2011’s Wild Card war

It wasn’t that long ago that the media was spinning the baseball postseason. Not this season’s postseason, next year’s, when an extra team is added. It’s not much of a surprise why. At the beginning of the month, each of the races looked wrapped up. The AL West was the only place in baseball where […]

Hockey

Underdog deals may help shape East

A pair of under-the-radar transactions in the NHL this offseason may not carry the clout of a Dany Heatley deal or Brad Richards signing, but may end up being the two most significant roster moves made by playoff teams looking to shore up their odds of contention in 2011-12. Under much scrutiny for underachieving in […]

Football

Where have all the Wildcats gone?

As quickly as it burst onto the scene, it appears as though the Wildcat offense (made famous by the 2008 Miami Dolphins) has been classified a playbook novelty. The innovative formation, however, hasn’t completely disappeared. Thanks to teams like the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, the Wildcat lives on.

Hockey

From east to west: The NHL’s Southeast Division

There was a time when the Southeast Division was referred to as the South ‘Least’ due to its lack of intrigue and poor attendance records. While attracting fans to the arena on a nightly basis is still a struggle, the Southeast is quickly becoming one of the most electrifying divisions in all of hockey. Most […]

Basketball

The Miami Heat makeover

Even without taking into consideration their players or basketball prowess, the Miami Heat should be the hottest franchise in professional basketball. By most measures, they are; they’ve got the biggest superstar in the game, a championship caliber shooting guard, the best third option in the league and a bench deep enough to bring them to […]

Hockey

Habs and Leafs: Rediscovering the rivalry

For what’s regularly billed as one of the most significant rivalries in the NHL, the tension between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens seems to have tapered off in recent years, especially in comparison to other such rivalries like Montreal-Boston and even Toronto-Ottawa. When in its illustrious history did things start to change?

Baseball

The delivery that saved Charlie Morton

Charlie Morton isn’t going to win the Cy Young. That much, we know for sure. The numbers for the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander are mediocre at best, and he’s the third-best pitcher on a team that’s more than 20-games out of first place. Even the most obscure of advanced metrics fail miserably to make a case […]

Football

Two-and-a-half quarterbacks: What to make of the Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have two quarterbacks that were drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, two quarterbacks who played for a pair of the most storied college football teams in the nation. One of those players has a Heisman trophy and two national championships, the other won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. […]

Baseball

Jason Motte: From catcher to closer

After trimming down his repertoire and sticking to only three pitches last year, St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jason Motte put together a breakout season in 2010, slicing his ERA in half from the year before. It was hard to imagine him improving even more in 2011, but that’s exactly what he’s done. Having already set […]

Hockey

From east to west: The NHL’s Atlantic Division

Teams in the Atlantic Division, more specifically the Pittsburgh Penguins, enter the season with great uncertainty as to whether Sidney Crosby, the face of the NHL, will return at some point or continue to man the sidelines. Sir Crosby’s health dramatically affects the outcome of the coastal division, as the 24-year-old’s impact on each game […]