Are the Philadelphia Flyers really that good? Or were the Pittsburgh Penguins just that bad? That’s the question everyone’s asking after the Flyers were thrown out of the playoffs by the New Jersey Devils in just five games.

In last night’s elimination game, the Flyers looked defeated from the moment they stepped onto the ice, and it was a far cry from the highly aggressive, high scoring team that we saw in the first round. And once the Devils got two shots past Philly goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, the Devils pretty much had it in the bag.

You can credit the 27 saves that Martin Brodeur made for the win, or maybe the fact that Claude Giroux, their best player, was out on a suspension. But what really made the difference in this game was that the Devils knew what they had to do: play a completely different game than Pittsburgh did.

While Pittsburgh was all about engaging in the emotional side of the game with Philly, getting into scrums after the whistle and giving hits that walked the fine line of the penalty box, New Jersey would have none of it. They were extremely focused and if one teammate forgot that for just a moment, there was another one there to pull him away, reminding him what they were to do. It was what’s needed against a team like Philly, and it was enough to effectively shut them down.

The New Jersey Devils have been to the Stanley Cup Finals seven times, and have won six. The last time was in 2003 when Martin Brodeur carried his team to the title, and his performance this season has made all the retirement talk long-forgotten.

“I don’t think he was ever a guy that was going to retire,” said Devils’ forward David Clarkson. “He’s won us some games in the playoffs. He’s held us in. He’s exciting to watch.”

While New Jersey has moved on, they still don’t know who they’ll face — the Washington Capitals, or the New York Rangers. That Game 7 will be played on Saturday and the winner will move on to face New Jersey.

In the game between the L.A. Lakers and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, there was a lot of weirdness to go around. The first weird factor may have been the fact that the Lakers were down by six points at halftime against a team that they should easily beat. While that situation rectified itself, what was definitely even weirder was the disoriented fan that walked out onto the court just before halftime.

First, game talk. The Lakers definitely proved why they’re the better team of the series when they took the game 92-88 and came back from a small deficit in the first half. Kobe Bryant put up 22 points and Andrew Bynum was just behind him with 19 of his own. But the Lakers needed more than just their big guns last night, and everyone stepped up to the plate. Or the net, rather.

Jordan Hill put up 12 points and his 11 rebounds proved to be huge in such a close game. Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake both had 3-pointers late in the game that prevented the Nuggets from coming out on top; and they did so in a huge way. With Kobe setting up each of these three in the third quarter, and all of them coming up short, they certainly redeemed themselves.

The fact that Kobe spoke like a coach afterwards saying, “I was ticked. I was and didn’t think I would trust them at the end of the game to knock down those shots, but they stepped up and knocked them down,” was also a little weird, but so were his teammates reverence for him.

“It’s always good when you get a hug from Kobe,” said Blake, referring to the hug Bryant had given him during a timeout. “It means you did something right.”

But no comments, or even plays on the court for that matter, could be as weird what happened late into the second quarter, when a fan walked onto the court.

The woman, a 20-year-old named Savannah McMillan-Christmas, walked right out onto the court during the middle of play, when the referee blew his whistle to stop the game and have the woman escorted off the court. Everyone was baffled about it, including the announcers who thought maybe the woman had dropped something. While being taken off the court, the woman repeatedly asked “Where’s Kenyon?” seeming to ask about Kenyon Martin, who used to play for Denver. The police later charged her for trespassing, as allegedly she’s been banned from the stadium due to the former stalking and following players.

Hopefully fan interference won’t be something either team has to deal with when the series goes back to Los Angeles for Game 5 tomorrow night.

The NCAA March Madness Finals are tonight and it seems only suitable that it’s a game between the first-ranked team, the Kentucky Wildcats, and the second-ranked team, the Kansas Jayhawks. In a matchup of the best versus the best, this one will be tough to predict right up to the last second.

Kentucky very well could pull out an early lead; especially considering that they’re the number one team and the fact that have already beaten Kansas back in November when the two teams met at Madison Square Garden. Kentucky took that game 75-65. But, Kentucky also has the habit of becoming too comfortable with a lead and when up against the Jayhawks that could be dangerous. Let’s not forget that Kansas is still one of the best teams in the country, and they are especially known for coming back late in the game.

Kentucky is also known for is being one of the best teams in the league when it comes to rebounding shots, averaging about 39.2 per game. But Kansas isn’t that bad either with forward Thomas Robinson himself averaging 11.8 per game. He’ll have to put on his best game face and make sure that he’s getting every rebound possible if he hopes to take on a team that excels in the area — while his defence will have to make sure they’re not giving Kentucky any rebound chances of their own.

The game is probably going to come down to the two star centers — Robinson on the side of Kansas, and Anthony Davis playing for Kentucky. Both are stars in their own right, and the final tally could just depend on who’s more on top of their game. We’ll see who that is tonight.

Tiger Woods is already a legend in the sport of golf — perhaps the greatest golfing success story of this generation. Tiger Woods could easily retire now and enjoy a magnificent legacy. And yes, that is precisely what some people think he should do!

Forget the fact that Tiger Woods’ name has been driven through the mud over personal issues. (After all, he is the very first famous athlete to ever cheat on his wife, right? Umm…sure) He has also lost endorsements and many of his ardent fans and been demonized by the press.

The question is, can he still play? Many in the industry are quick to say no! After all, he lost his #1 ranking nearly two years ago, and was ranked below the top 50 by the end of last year. He also managed to rake up a career long loss streak of 107 weeks.

Why just consider the dirt coming from Hank Haney, Woods’ former coach. In his new book The Big Miss he states bluntly that he doubts Tiger will ever recover from his career slump. He says that the scandal specifically affected the player’s game, going from “potentially irreparable.” Haney also said that Tiger, no longer a young man at 36 years of age, has learned that “realization creates doubt and in competitive golf doubt is a killer.”

Of course, it’s hard to deny that Haney has a personal issue against Tiger, not only because of money, but also because Haney (admittedly) didn’t like the way Woods always attributed problems to his coaching style.

Nevertheless, not everyone is giving up on Tiger Woods. Jeneé Osterheldt of the Kansas City star remains one of Tiger’s biggest fans and stated that “Tiger Woods is genuinely smiling. And people are smiling along with him.”

Why so? Could it be because Tiger is finally swinging success? As of March 2012, he won a 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and this is his first win on the PGA Tour in over two years. He is now ranked #6 in the golfing world.

What do you think, sports fans? Does Tiger have another championship left or has he peaked before his time?

The Final Four is set for March Madness, and the two games left to play are both set to be equally exciting.

The first game will be between Kentucky and Louisville and will be held at the Superdome in New Orleans. This matchup has all kinds of storylines going for it, including the fact that the team of the Cardinals’ coach, Rick Pitino, will be playing against a team that he once coached. After Pitino left Kentucky to coach the Boston Celtics, but when he returned to college ball, it was Louisville that he coached for, a team that has a deep-rooted rivalry with Kentucky, the Cardinals have since turned against him.

After that game is played, Ohio State and Kansas will face off against each other, two teams that have almost no history between each other. In their entire histories, they have only met nine times and this season, only twice.

Once these four teams have duked it out, the winners will go on to face each other on April 2 for the national title. Kentucky seems to be the favorite so far, winning seven titles in the past, with Kansas being next in line with only three. Louisville only has two titles under their belt, but it’s important to remember that their coach, Pitino, was responsible for the seven titles Kansas won. Ohio State is least likely to win the ultimate title, as they’ve only won one in the past — and that was over 50 years ago in 1960.

But it is the NCAA Final Four, one of the most exciting and unpredictable events in college sports, and one truly can never tell.

Everyone knew that when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell dealt down his punishments for the Saints’ bounty programs, they would be harsh. So far, it has resulted in a suspension for head coach, Sean Payton, for the entire 2012-2013 season; a suspension for general manager, Mickey Loomis; an indefinite suspension for defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams; two second-round draft picks; and a fine of $500,000. But Goodell isn’t done. He wants even more people to pay, and it’s left the hands of the Saints tied tighter than ever.

The Commissioner also wants to find and fine the approximately 24 defensive players that were involved in accepting the bounties for “particularly unusual and egregious” and “totally unacceptable” hits on players of opposing teams. One of those players who will not be called into question is quarterback, Drew Brees. And now it seems, the New Orleans Saints might have to give him whatever he’s asking for.

Brees’ contract is up, and he can’t sign with another team due to the franchise tag the Saints have on him. In exchange for that tag, Brees gets a guaranteed $15-$16 million per year. Brees wants to earn $23 million, but the Saints came back with $18 million. That puts them at a standstill, with the scales tipping in the direction of the Saints‘ favor. But that was before the Commissioner showed that he wasn’t joking around with his bounty discipline. Now, the Saints are in a bit of a tougher spot.

Brees is exactly what this team needs right now to pull them together as a unit, and bring some sanity to an insane locker room. He’s inarguably an elite player and is the best chance the Saints have at pulling anything together for the coming season. He can’t leave, but he can decide that he’s just not going to play.

That’s something that the Saints just can’t afford right now; and is probably what will not only balance out the scales of Brees’ coming paycheck, but tip them right over into his bank account.

Even though we’re still only in March, September 15 is approaching way too quickly for many NHL fans and team owners. And the fact that the league and the Players’ Association aren’t talking yet has them even more anxious. September 15 of course, is the date that the current NHL collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires; and if there’s not a new one in place by that date, everyone’s looking at the one thing they’re trying to avoid — a lockout. So, is it a bad sign that talks haven’t even started? Or should fans and owners wait until the summer before they really start to panic?

In order to determine whether or not it’s time to start worrying, you need to go back to negotiations made prior to the 2004-2005 lockout and see where negotiations were at this time back then. In early January of 2003, commissioner Gary Bettman and then-NHLPA executive director, Bob Goodenow, met to talk about the deal that was going to expire in nine months. Then by the end of March, a total of eight meetings had been held. That’s nine meetings in three months that were held prior to April in 2003. In March 2012 however, no meetings have been scheduled and everyone’s keeping mum about it. Bettman keeps giving his “business as usual” line, indicating that teams should keep operating as they are and not worry about the CBA. And he’s even gone as far to say, “There’s nothing going on.”

So do fans and owners have reason to worry?

Probably not. There is a major difference between this CBA and the one that was so mightily fought over in 2003. That difference is that this time, the only real major issue is how high the salary cap will be. And that’s not even going to be that major. Last time, there were dozens of major issues, including the salary cap but also restructuring the entire league, how free agency works, and drug testing. And no one, including Gary Bettman, wants to see a waste of an entire season again.

The fact that the two sides haven’t sat down to talk yet might actually be an indication that things will be smoother this time around, not more difficult. What do you think? Do you think NHL fans will miss a portion, or all, of their season again?

After Peyton Manning missed all of the 2011 football season with a neck surgery, and as a result, the Colts had one of their worst years in recent history, the team has now decided to release the quarterback in favor of paying him a huge $28 million bonus. Manning stated in a very emotional press conference yesterday, “I haven’t given much thought to where I’m going to go; but I have given a lot of thought as to where I’ve been.” If that’s the case, he’s the only one. A few teams are already eager to get one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in their jersey; but will they hesitate due to the star’s past health history?

The Cardinals and Seahawks are two teams that have been rumored to mutter interest in Manning behind closed doors. But the Cardinals have already committed to Kevin Kolb and still owe him a heap of money; and the Seahawks currently have Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst on their roster. The team to express the most interest so far is reportedly the Miami Dolphins, and the fact that Peyton already has a home there might make it a good fit.

But will anyone actually end up taking him?

Before this year it was hard to imagine a football season without Peyton Manning. But with continuing health problems posing an uncertain future, who can afford to pay big bucks for a quarterback that might never amount to much more than health progress reports and sideline-sitting?

What do you think? Do you think Manning’s uncertain health will keep him out of football; or do you think the right team is going to come and scoop up this superstar?

We haven’t heard from Bobby Lashley lately, but the Bleach Report is stating that he may be interested in a WWE return.  This former Wrestlemania superstar was last seen in 2007 wrestling against Mr. Kennedy.  In 2008, he was released and then began a less-than-amazing MMA career. 

However, there is legitimate talk of Lashley returning to settle some “unfinished business” in the WWE.  (Oh, don’t they all say that?)  We do know that according to WWE Diva Kristal Marshall, she at least is interested in her off-screen spouse returning to action.  Of course, Lashley’s enthusiasm in returning may not be enough to heal the bad blood still lingering.  What’s the story here?

Apparently when Lashley left the promotion, he burned some bridges with the McMahons and more importantly with head writer and booker Michael Hayes.  Lashley never really said what the issue was but stated that people hated him and personally tried to destroy him!  “Evil has prevailed” he said, just after he left the promotion.  Since then however, Michael Hayes has been in hot water with management anyway.  So is it possible there could be a reconciliation in the future?  

Another issue to consider: will Lashley’s poor reception in MMA hinder a WWE return?  Lesnar, while not exactly the UFC champion, at least has some momentum in his favor.  Lashley’s career in the MMA, in contrast, hasn’t impressed anyone.  He actually lost to a relatively unknown fighter by the name of Chad Griggs.

The question at this point is, who does the WWE hate more?  Lesnar or Lashley–both of which are high maintenance guys, and yet both of whom could easily build new interest if they rejoined the WWE roster?  Last but not least, what about personality?  Let’s face it, neither Lesnar nor Lashley are on the same level as The Rock or even John Cena when it comes to interviews and charisma.  Perhaps the final decision is all about price.  How much these tough guys think they’re worth and how much WWE management is willing to pay big-name heels to feud against its fan-favorite faces.

What do you think?  Would you rather see Lesnar or Lashley back in a WWE ring?

The NHL All-Star game is being played this weekend on Sunday, January 29 at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario. And if fans were disappointed that Sidney Crosby won’t be showing up, they’re outraged that Alex Ovechkin won’t be there. And it’s not because they view Ovechkin as the bigger star of the two. Unlike Crosby, who can’t attend the game because he’s still out with concussion-like symptoms, Ovechkin is simply flat out refusing to play, since he’s now been suspended by the league.

It was during Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins that Ovechkin took a head shot on Zbynek Michalek that some are now saying was just plain dirty. The league agreed and suspended Ovechkin for three games. That time included the All-Star game, which Ovechkin had been invited to, but the league said that he could still play in that one game. Ovechkin though, wants the league to do him no favors and has now snubbed the invite. In a statement Ovechkin said, “My heart is not there. I got suspended so why I have to go there? I love the game; it’s great event. I’d love to be there, but I’m suspended. I don’t want to be a target. I feel I’m not deserving to be there right now. If I suspended, I have to be suspended. That’s why I give up my roster spot.”

The problem of course, is that Ovechkin is a huge draw for fans, and having an All-Star game without two of the game’s biggest stars seems a little counterproductive. But with Ovechkin’s stats this season, there will definitely be bigger stars with perhaps a little more talent there. But one of the other big problems with Ovechkin’s statement is that he’s been vying to get people over to Russia for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, often talking about how important it is that big stars show up to increase awareness and excitement for the sport. This leaves many saying that if he wants all-stars to go to Sochi, he’d better be prepared to make the much shorter trip to Ottawa.