tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Tuesday Thoughts

While wondering why the hell I'm up at 4:30 in the morning here are some thoughts running around in my head:

* The Major League Baseball season begins on Thursday and it should be an interesting one.  My picks for this year:  NL -  East: Phillies,  Central: Brewers, West: Giants, Wild Card: Reds.  AL - West: A's,  Central: White Sox, East: Red Sox, Wild Card: Yankees.  World Series: Yankees over Reds.  Two wild cards make it.

* The Yankees announced their final roster cuts sending Jesus Montero and Austin Romine back down to Scranton and Trenton respectively.  Hopefully, Cervelli gets well soon.  Good news, it looks like Curtis Granderson will not go on the DL.

* The Yankee season beginning usually comes with high hopes for a championship.  I have to tell you this year I'm not so sure I have the same feeling.  The starting pitching is scary and Yankee hitters will need to produce.  What will be interesting is if the team starts off poorly what will Brian Cashman do to beef up the rotation and how will Joe Girardi handle it.  Could be real interesting.

* Being a Yankee fan, I watch every Yankee game I can.  However, the incessant self-promotion by Michael Kay is so disgusting that I wonder how long it will take before I'm yelling at the set: "Shut Up Kay!!!"

* The Leafs host the red hot Buffalo Sabres tonight at the ACC.  Here's hoping they can pull out a win and Carolina is victorious tonight.  Would like nothing more than to make Sabre fans sweat.

* The constant refrain from some up in Toronto that this is more of the "same old, same old" Leafs is just flat out wrong and quite frankly I say stop following the team.  Don't get me wrong, I have criticized this organization in the past going back to the Ballard days.  But if you can't see the difference and the hope this team brings then you are blind or bitter like Bill Watters.

* The Final Four matchups should really be fun to watch.  It's a shame that Butler and VCU have to face each other in the semi-finals.  This should be a fun game to watch.

* One other compelling item of the Final Four: one semi-final pits two coaches who have been around and the other semi-final pits two up and coming young coaches.

* Isn't it interesting how March Madness has captured the imagination of the country.  I mean people who know nothing about basketball are following the tournament because they are in some type of pool.  Does this tell us something about ourselves as gambling and office pools are what make the NFL so popular.

* What do you think will be watched more: March Madness or the NBA Playoffs.

And finally, could you imagine the interest in an 8 team college football playoff.  It would surpass the NFL.