Think OLN Is Lovin' The New NHL???

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Three of the NHL's final four teams have been determined. Anaheim, Buffalo and Carolina are all going to be playing in the Conference Finals...San Jose and Edmonton are really slugging it out to see who completes the foursome.

A funny thought crossed my mind today - how in the world is OLN going to sell the NHL Hockey playoffs to the rest of the United States? When they signed the deal, they had to be thinking that bigger markets like New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Detroit and of course Boston would be watching their teams competing deep into the playoffs. I wonder how many millions they are going to lose now...I wonder how many more viewers they will lose if Edmonton upsets San Jose.
For the record, I picked Anaheim, Buffalo and Carolina to win and advance to the Conference Finals - my fourth pick was San Jose, who I think will eventually win the Stanley Cup over Buffalo. With respect to my playoffs hockey pools, its all good. If San Jose wins, I'm pretty much guaranteed of winning one and finishing second in the other. If Edmonton wins, I'm guaranteed first place in one...with a decent shot of winning the other. So as you can see...it really is all good.

Speaking of pools - I've asked the participants in the Hazelspeeps Baseball Pool if they are ok with me posting the league standings here. Of course I ask this now because my team (Hazel Mae's Hackers) have risen from the depths of the nether regions to 5th place - the biggest move of the week. For those of you keeping track - yes, I am ahead of my friend Renee now...who emailed me on Monday to say

I know you are busy with work-poker-hockey and the sites, BUT geez do somethin' to get outta last place!!!

I took Renee's advice and did a little tinkering with the lineup - we recorded the biggest gain of the week. My goal, when I grow up, is to be like the Tom Sawyer team (owned by our friend "Hubie") who made an astounding 50+ moves in one month. For those of you wondering...Hubie is near the top of the pool, he knows his stuff.

Interesting tidbit about our pool players - NOT ONE team has bothered to pick up Barry Bonds. I wonder, is it because he is having a terrible year - or are we all afraid of being "the team that picked Bonds." I mean...for chrysss sake Giambi is on a roster - someone even picked up Johnny Damon!

A funny thought today - while Red Sox Nation sat through another rainout...they had to be laughing at the fact that the Oakland A's kicked Randy Johnson around today. Rogers kept updating the A's and Yankees today - and on every break talked about how this was Johnson's fourth bad start in a row. On the yahoo site, I talked about how the injuries to Matsui and Sheffield will likely result in the Yankees panicking and throwing MAJOR JACK at Clemens to come in and help hold the fort. After watching Randy Johnson's start today - I think that theory is even more plausible...sorry Red Sox Nation. We'll see though, I have been wrong before (NOT on the NHL playoffs mind you).

Some Sunday night musings from the desk of Pogue. The Sharks just tied Edmonton 1-1 (Scott Thornton goal), so I'm going back to the game. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - still lovin' the fact that the SenaTards are gone.

Oh Be Joyful - Matthew Good

"Live your life outside - the life you know"

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!