The best time of year to be a sports fan

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Opening Night Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae if she is checking in.

October is without a doubt the best month to be a sports fan:

• the MLB Playoffs get underway - our man Quikdraw checked in yesterday with his predictions;
  
  
• the NFL is well underway and starts to sort itself out - the best teams start to flex their muscles and distance themselves from the pack;
  
  
• the NHL faces off with 28 teams dreaming of a Stanley Cup - with apologies to Hazel and any of you who are Bruins fans, you can't possibly think you are going to make the playoffs, let alone win the Cup...Phoenix Coyotes fans (all 13 of them) feel your pain.
  
  

MLB
We don't claim to have the insight our man Quikdraw has on the MLB - we're hockey fans first; but we keep an eye on MLB, so we'll post our post-season picks.

Boston over Los Angeles - Boston has too much for the Angels, Boston's starting rotation has the stuff to shut the Angels down; unfortunately for Angels fans, the same can't be said of their team. No surprise here - Boston wins it in four games.

Cleveland over New York - the Yankees still have some question marks in their starting rotation - after Chien Ming Wang, its a crap shoot for New York; Pettitte hasn't been the starter he once was and can Roger Clemens go past six innings? Cleveland can go with Sabathia and Carmona who have the kind of stuff that can keep the Yankees in check. This series could come down to whether or not Tribe DH Travis Hafner can get it done when it counts - if he has a decent series, not great - just decent, the Tribe win. Sorry Red Sox Nation, you can't beat up on New York in this year's ALCS - Cleveland wins it in five games.

Philadelphia over Colorado - lost in the euphoria of the last couple of days is that the Phillies erased a 7.5 game deficit with 17 games to go. Sure Colorado won 14 of their last 15 - but the Phillies have been playing well too and hitting the cover off the ball. The Phillies can throw Cole Hamels at Colorado twice in this series if need be - the Rockies don't have anyone that compares. Chase Utley leads the Phillies to a series win in four games.

Chicago over Arizona - we still don't know how Arizona pulled this off; this may pick may be based more on our dislike for them than anything, but we're going with the Cubs. The pitching is a saw off, but the Cubs have the bats to get it done. Alfonso Soriano justifies the big money contract he signed last off-season. The Cubs win this one in four.


NHL
Leafs face off against the SenaTards at the ACC tonight in the only game that matters - we're taking tonight off to watch the game. We're hoping Hazel does too - to watch the Leafs and the Sox.

We'll find some times to do an NHL breakdown - though Bruins fans won't like it.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
YES, we are talking football. Matchday 2 kicked off yesterday with Sporting Lisbon pulling off a mild upset and beating Dynamo Kyiv in Russia.

FC Porto travels to Turkey to play Besiktas - Ricardo Quaresma and Lisandro Lopez come up big for the Dragaos and get a win in Istanbul.

Benfica welcomes Shakhtar Donetsk to the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon for a beat down.

WEDNESDAY THREE PLAY
Thanks for Trevor Hoffman we are off to a bad start this week, the total stands at - $40. We'll get it back on track today.

Boston over Los Angeles - John Lackey has been awful at Fenway, not good when you are going up against 20 game winner Josh Beckett and a Red Sox team that has Manny back in the lineup. Having said all that, watch JD Drew be the star of the game for Boston. Lay $100 on the Sox - $165.

Philadelphia over Colorado - Cole Hamels faces a team that came off a 13 inning game on Monday night and traveled two time zones to play a game that starts at noon. Unfortunately, Jeff Francis is going to be the sacrificial lamb for the Rockies. Lay $100 on the Phillies - $140.

Detroit over Anaheim - we think the Ducks will be in the mix next June, but we don't like them tonight coming off two games in London over the weekend. The Red Wings will get off to a good start at home. Lay $100 on the Wings - $235.

Carolina over Montreal - because we hate the Habs. Seriously, Montreal is in for a tough year while the Canes' should rebound from a sub-par 2006/07. Canes use their speed to take advantage of the Habs' bad defence corps. Lay $100 on the Canes - $160.


SUGGESTED READING MATERIAL FOR HAZEL

Jason Blake talks about this year's Leafs

Damian Cox says Sundin should step aside - he has written this same column twice before

Damian Cox talks to Paul Maurice

Anyone's guess as to who starts tonight against the Tards

Leafs need to start well - unlike last year's disaster

Salming has still got it

Leafs top prospect Jiri Tlusty assigned to the Marlies - he'll be back

Mats looking to tie Darryl Sittler for number on all-time goal list for Leafs

Ferguson adopting Ricciardi's stand pat mode for this year's Leafs

That's it for today gang - thanks for taking the time to check in. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, we hope things are groovy in your world - with the Sox at Fenway and the Leafs at the ACC, we think they are.

We're Out!