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The future of the NBA is very much up-in-the-air right now, but that isn’t stopping mayor Thomas Menino from considering the idea of Boston hosting the NBA All-Star Game once the league’s work stoppage comes to an end. Menino said that he wants the league to bring the event to Boston, according to The Boston Globe. “We haven’t had it since ’64 and I think we’re ready for it,” Menino said. “We have new ownership, new enthusiasm, the fan base out here for it, and I just think we have the facility and everything ready to go.” Menino said that he would endorse the idea, although the Celtics would have to file a formal proposal to host the game. Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck has said that his team is interested in doing so, The Globe reports. “As a city, I would endorse the idea of bringing it here with the Convention Center folks, get all the entities in our city working together to make sure the All-Star Game is a first-class game that people participate in and neighbors could participate,” Menino added. “I just think it’s long overdue.” Orlando is currently slated to host the 2012 All-Star Game, while Houston is expected to host the 2013 contest — although the NBA lockout could alter those plans in some way.

Who should pay for new arenas in Canada has been a topic of much debate in Edmonton and Quebec City, where the desires of local hockey enthusiasts have clashed with fiscal conservatives. But the economic reality is that most cities need to subsidize construction to attract the NHL, according to a study.

The study, from the Conference Board of Canada, says that the economies of the largest Canadian cities -- Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver -- are large enough to support a privately financed arena. And, indeed, they are, as history as shown us.

But when you start looking at smaller cities, a public component has been necessary for a new facility to succeed. In Ottawa, a privately financed arena went under and was bailed out by new investors; conversely, Winnipeg's MTS Centre was mostly privately financed.

“In an ideal world, pro sports franchises and their playing facilities would be privately-financed. But in Canada, this ideal has only worked out in the three largest cities whose arenas host National Hockey League teams,” said Glen Hodgson, senior vice-president and chief economist for the conference board, via press release.

In other Canadian cities, the local market may be too small and the potential number of events hosted at the venue too few to attract strictly private-sector investment.

“From a purely economic perspective, there is not a compelling case for public investment in professional sports facilities, but other considerations have to be assessed. A new arena or stadium may benefit the city as a whole by improving the quality of life of the community,” said Hodgson.

That's red meat for the owners of the Edmonton Oilers (NHL), who have both made an argument for public financing of a new arena while at the same time pledging $200 million toward the project and positioning the construction as an economic-development tool. Similarly, public funding of a new Quebec City arena has been pitched as a quality of life issue. And we'd expect the owners of the Calgary Flames (NHL) to make similar argument when it becomes the Saddledome is financially obsolete.

The argument from the Conference Board is pretty simple and actually conforms closely to what actually happens now: each arena financing project must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There's no formula that seems to work, no set economic strategy that succeeds in every situation. From the report:

Professional sports facilities can have attributes of what economists call “public goods”—that is, they provide economic benefits to society as a whole, and not just to the franchise owners, athletes, and fans. For example, a new pro sports facility and the franchise or franchises that use it might help to raise the profile of a community as a place for private investors to locate. The facility could encourage local entrepreneurs to create new ventures, or it could draw in tourists. All these things would bring ongoing economic benefits to the community. The facility can be used for other for-profit events (such as concerts), but also by amateur athletes or for other socially oriented purposes (for example, blood donation clinics or charity fundraising events), which might increase the possible benefit to all of society. The economic benefits to the community and to society as a whole can be evaluated, as can the costs, using techniques that economists have developed over many years....

In addition, positive economic benefits are likely to result from the investment, and these can be estimated. The dollars spent on labour and capital for the specific investment and its ongoing operations get re-spent in the local economy, creating multiplier effects, such as increased wages and additional jobs. But there are also bound to be significant economic costs and “leakages” from a pro sports project, including interest costs on borrowed public money, or imports used in construction and operation. A proper evaluation would need to consider whether the investment in a new professional sports facility was creating new or “incremental” activity, or simply displacing private or public investment that would have occurred in the community in any event. Governments need to consider alternative public infrastructure programs that might also generate economic and social benefits for the same funding. Public money needs to be spent wisely.

This means assessing what economists call the “opportunity costs”—a key variable in any kind of cost-benefit analysis (although challenging to assess). In the context of public money for professional sports facilities, opportunity costs mean that if a stadium or arena requires, say, $200 million in public investment, the alternative use for these public funds needs to be examined as well. If detailed economic analysis indicates that a similar investment of $200 million on other kinds of activities would yield stronger overall benefits to society, then the government should move forward with that other project, not with the stadium or arena.

Terrelle Pryor should just play wide receiver!

Like it's that easy.

It's not easy, and there's a long line of players who have ultimately bombed in the NFL at receiver. And I don't mean former college quarterbacks like Reggie McNeal, Isaiah Stanback and Matt Jones. I mean former college receivers -- great ones -- like Mike Williams and Reggie Williams. And Ashley Lelie. Charles Rogers. Troy Williamson. And Ted Ginn Jr., just to name one from Ohio State.

But Terrelle Pryor should move to wide receiver because, well, because it just makes so much sense!
No it doesn't -- and if it seems like I'm arguing with myself, good. I'm trying to capture the feeling of insanity here, because this growing momentum about Terrelle Pryor becoming a capable NFL receiver is nuts.

Only two players in the last quarter-century have made the successful transition from college quarterback to NFL receiver: Antwaan Randle El (Indiana) and Ronald Curry (North Carolina). And that's it.

Don't email me just yet. I didn't forget about Josh Cribbs (Kent State) or Brad Smith (Missouri) or Brian Mitchell (Southwestern Louisiana), but they don't count in this argument because they didn't make it in the NFL as a receiver, or in Mitchell's case as a running back. They made it as return men. Do you see enormous Terrelle Pryor returning kicks? No. Of course not. So don't tell me about Josh Cribbs or Brad Smith or Brian Mitchell and expect me to back down on Terrelle Pryor.

Don't tell me about Hines Ward (Georgia), either. He's a great NFL receiver, a Hall of Famer probably, but he didn't convert from college quarterback. He played that position at Georgia, yes, but he played quarterback only briefly. He also was a college running back but mainly he played receiver -- and finished his career ranked second on the Bulldogs' all-time list for receptions.

Similarly, don't tell me about Patrick Crayton (Northwestern Oklahoma State) or Drew Bennett (UCLA), both of whom spent multiple years in college at receiver. Those guys, like Ward and Cribbs and Mitchell, are apples.

And Terrelle Pryor is an orange.

But it has been fashionable in recent weeks to say Pryor should convert to receiver, or convert to tight end, or convert to any position but the one he is trained and built for and dying to play. It's nonsense, and not because Pryor will be a great NFL quarterback or even a good one. I'm not here to tell you he'll succeed at quarterback. Pryor strikes me as another Vince Young or Tim Tebow, and we all see what kind of success Vince Young and Tebow have had, so far, as NFL quarterbacks.

But all this talk about a new position for Pryor -- just as there was talk about a new position for Tebow, talk I embraced myself on radio shows before the 2010 draft -- is naïve, simplistic, maybe even stupid. From the looks of things, I just called myself naïve, simplistic and maybe even stupid, but you know what? I deserve it for thinking two years ago that Tebow ought to change positions to H-back if he wanted to make it in the NFL.

That was wrong, and again, not because Tebow looks like a good NFL quarterback. He doesn't, at least not yet, but at least he's playing the position he knows -- and wants -- to play. The second half of that, wants to play, can't be stressed enough. The only way a college quarterback can make the switch to another position is if he embraces it, and not like Terrelle Pryor is embracing it when he says "it's a dream of mine to play quarterback here" in the NFL, but fine, if someone forces him to switch positions, he'll do it.

Good attitude? Sure, if this was Pop Warner football. But it's not. This is the NFL, where great, trained and motivated athletes get released every day. Pryor is a great athlete, yes, but he's not trained to play anything but quarterback -- and he doesn't sound all that motivated to make it happen. The two ex-quarterbacks I mentioned earlier as exceptions to the rule of switching positions, Ronald Curry and Antwaan Randle El? They came out of college knowing they'd switch positions. Wanting to switch positions. Ready to make it work. And so they did.

These other guys? Marcus Vick and Eric Crouch and Rasheed Marshall and Jammal Lord? They were dragged out from under center, and they never made it anywhere else. Because it's just not that simple.

Terrelle Pryor has no idea how to run routes, and none of us has any idea if he can catch. I mean, we saw him make this catch against Texas in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, but it was just one catch. And it was a short lob over a short defensive back who made no play on the ball. Can Pryor catch a sizzling sideline pass from one of the howitzer-arms playing quarterback in the NFL? Can he run over the middle and make a catch in traffic? I'm sure he could if he was making this switch in high school. Maybe he could if it was college. But this isn't intramurals, brother. This is the NFL.

I'm not saying it's impossible, OK? You're not reading that it can't happen for Terrelle Pryor. What you're reading is this: Terrelle Pryor's best chance to make it in the NFL is to use his quarterback's body, quarterback's training and quarterback's mindset to play ... pause for dramatic effect ... quarterback.

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora isn't going to be practicing with the New York Giants for a while, and this time it has nothing to do with his contract.
Umenyiora had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Friday and likely will miss the season opener on Sept. 11.
The surgery to clean out the knee came just four days after the disgruntled Umenyiora joined teammates at practice for the first time since training camp opened late last month.
"It was better to do it now as opposed to midseason," Umenyiora said in a statement. "It was going to have to be done, the only question was when. If I'm going to miss a little while, I would prefer it be now than at the crucial part of our season. It's the best decision for the team and myself."
Umenyiora has been a headline all summer, as he did not report to training camp with the team following the lockout because he was unhappy with his contract. He alleged that general manager Jerry Reese had promised to re-work the final two years of a contract that was to pay him $7.1 million through 2012.
The 29-year-old told The AP on Sunday that he would start practicing on Monday, working this season under the terms of his current deal.
Umenyiora shared the team lead with 11 1/2 sacks last season and led the NFL with 10 forced fumbles.
Pryor considering appeal of suspension after draft
Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor could appeal the five-game suspension levied against him by the NFL should he be chosen in next week's supplemental draft, a decision that would add another layer of complexity to an already unprecedented situation.
Pryor was part of a list distributed by the league of players who are eligible for the draft, but the NFL decided that he won't be allowed to practice for the team that selects him until Week 6.
Pryor gave up his final season with the Buckeyes following an investigation into the team's memorabilia-for-cash scandal, which ultimately landed the school on probation and cost coach Jim Tressel his job. Pryor would've had to sit out five games had he chosen to return to Ohio State.
Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told The Associated Press on that "we accept that voluntarily." But the player's attorney, David Cornwell, told ESPN Radio on Friday that it's "likely" the five-game punishment will be appealed once Pryor signs an NFL contract.
Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith worked together to craft the decision. The league is trying to dissuade future college players who run afoul of the NCAA from using the NFL as a means of escaping punishment.

The mother of University of Kentucky freshman basketball player Terrence Jones said Wednesday that her son probably will wait until Sunday’s deadline to decide whether to remain in the NBA Draft.Meanwhile, Kentucky Coach John Calipari is talking as though freshman guard Brandon Knight has already made up his mind to turn pro.Jones and Knight recently completed a two-day skills showcase at UK’s Joe Craft Center that was heavily populated with representatives from NBA teams. Linda Jones said her son will consider the feedback he received and spend the next few days making a final decision.Calipari told ESPN’s Andy Katz on Wednesday that Jones received mixed signals from NBA personnel and that Knight heard the news he wanted.Knight is projected by many analysts as a top-five draft pick.”You had some guys tell (Jones) he’s a 1-2-3-4 pick in the draft next year, and there were some telling him you should go back, and there were others saying he should stay in the draft,” Calipari said. “Brandon got the confirmation that he wanted (that he should stay in the draft), and DeAndre (Liggins) met with five or six teams. Josh (Harrellson met with four teams.”Linda Jones said she planned to speak with Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne about how the UK combine went and her son’s future.”There really isn’t anything new at this point,” she said. “I plan on talking with Terrence later (on Wednesday) to see what he’s thinking, but no decisions have been made. He’ll listen to what the coaches and (NBA) GMs have to say, and I think he’ll probably use all the time that he has before he decides.”Linda Jones noted the timing of the deadline, which falls on Mother’s Day.”I really don’t think Mother’s Day is the greatest day to ask a young man to decide on his future, but we’ll work with it the best we can,” she said.Jones is projected as the No. 11 pick in the latest NBA Mock Draft released by ESPN.com’s Chad Ford on Wednesday.Jones, Knight and Liggins entered their names in the NBA Draft last month but have not hired agents, meaning they are eligible to return to UK if they withdraw from the draft by Sunday’s deadline.

Before we get to looking at the PATCO Speedline (as named by Chas9) Draft Challenge, the 5-at-10 had an inspired jolt of good news this morning.
The 5-at-10 loves the draft. You know this.
Well, the draft starts Thursday — you know this, too — and in some ways the 5-at-10 was already thinking about the next few months without draft discussions.
Then it occurred to us that the NFL supplemental draft this summer will have more big names than normal.
Janoris Jenkins, the All-SEC cornerback that was dismissed from Florida’s program this week, likely will be in the supplemental draft. So could any number of the Ohio State players, depending on how the OSU situation with Jim Tressel shakes down. (Here’s how the 5-at-10 would handle the OSU situation — Tressel, bye-bye; call Urban Meyer, if he wants it great, if not, call Chris Peterson and start going down the list. The next coach, however, will tell everyone involved in Tattoo-Gate, “Thanks for your efforts and your sacrifice for the Buckeyes. You are welcomed to stay on scholarship and finish your degree, but your playing career here in Columbus is finished.” Time to move on.)
That means there could be a few guys in the supplemental draft that are worth drafting. Jenkins is a player, the OSU receiver and running back will be NFL guys, and Terrelle Pryor could be a big-time NFL tight end.
We’ve got to get going, so we’ll update the PATCO Speedline (as named by Chas9) Draft Challenge entries later in the comments.

Published: Sunday, April 24, 2011
0digg
0By JEFF SCHUDELjschudel@MorningJournal.com

Click to enlargeFourth in a series previewing players the Browns might select during the NFL draft Thursday through Saturday. Tuesday: Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
If tough and fast are the most important traits a coach or general manager look for in a football player, then Julio Jones is the man for the Browns.
You want tough? Jones was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot two days before the NFL Scouting Combine in February and he still ran a 4.39 40-yard dash.
You want tougher than that? The 6-foot-3, 220-pound wide receiver broke his left hand playing against South Carolina and didn’t miss any games. He underwent surgery to have a plate inserted in his hand and caught one pass for eight yards against Mississippi the week after the South Carolina game. He followed that up with 12 catches for 221 yards against Tennessee.
The Crimson Tide played LSU the week after the Tennessee game. Jones caught 10 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown, working most of the time against cornerback Patrick Peterson.
“He’s obviously a good player.” Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said last week. “He’s a big, fast kid. They told him about (the stress fracture) before he ran (at the Combine) and he said, ‘I’m going to run it anyway.’ It shows how tough the kid is.”
Some draft analysts have the Browns taking Jones with the sixth pick in the first round if wide receiver A.J. Green of Georgia is already off the board. Not much separates the two, Heckert said.
“If you talk to 32 teams, you’ll probably get 16 answers to why one guy might do something better,” Heckert said. “At that position, it’s a little hard because they’re both kind of the same size. Maybe one (Jones) runs a little faster but they are very similar players. There’s not much difference as an overall package.”
Jones might be better in the West Coast offense the Browns will run because he runs well and hard after the catch. He isn’t afraid to go across the middle for a pass and won’t find a soft place to land, as some receivers without Jones’ temperament do.
“I have a defensive mentality,” Jones said at the Scouting Combine. “I’m not scared to hit. I’m a physical guy. I look for that. I like to hit defensive players because they’re not used to getting hit. They’re used to hitting offensive players and getting them out of their comfort zone.”Because of his feistiness, Jones has been compared to Hines Ward, the Steelers wide receiver all but Steelers fans love to hate.
Jones’ numbers at Alabama are similar to Green’s – 179 career catches compared to 166 for Green, a 14.8 average compared to 15.8 for Green and 15 touchdown catches to Green’s 23 TDs.
Jones posted those numbers in Alabama’s run first offense. What separates Green and Jones in some scouting reports is Green has better hands. But Jones is also capable of acrobatic catches, and the way he fights for the ball makes him a threat in the red zone.
“I’m a playmaker, a guy who can step in right away,” Jones said. “My hands were never an issue. I sometimes try to play too fast. I taught myself to play fast, but don’t hurry.
“I’m a great blocker. I’m a physical receiver. A lot of guys are finesse type guys. You really can’t compare their game to mine because they’re different (type of receiver)
“I never take no (for an answer). I never want to be denied. I’ll do anything to win. That’s just how I approach the game. (If I catch a slant over the middle), I’m not going to fall down.
Only once since 1979 did the Browns take a player from Alabama in the first round of the draft.
In 1994, the Browns drafted cornerback Antonio Langham from Alabama ninth overall. Langham was acquired by the new Browns franchise in 1999 in the expansion draft, and then finished his career with the Patriots in 2000, marking the end of an unspectacular career.
The Browns hit the jackpot the time they chose an Alabama player before the Langham pick. In 1978 they used a first-round pick on tight end Ozzie Newsome, who played 13 years for the Browns in a Hall of Fame career
It might be time to go back to the Alabama well again.

Let’s play a little Fact or Fiction on Friday’s action.
We asked five writers to tell the truth about the Knicks-Celtics, Hawks-Magic, and Hornets-Lakers series:
1. Fact or Fiction: The Celtics are lucky to be up 2-0 versus the Knicks.Eddy Rivera, Magic Basketball: Fiction. There’s a saying: Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation. That axiom couldn’t be more true for the Boston Celtics. Thanks in large part to Celtics coach Doc Rivers’ late-game mastery and preparedness with the clipboard, Boston (with the help of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett) came through in the clutch in Games 1 and 2.
Caleb Hellerman, KnickerBlogger: Fact. I know the Celtics expected to be up 2-0. But a Boston fan watching Roger Mason and Jared Jeffries close out Game 2 in place of Chauncey Billups and Amare Stoudemire knows the leprechaun is on his or her side. Don’t shave that beard or change that underwear. Chicken for every meal. Whatever it takes.
Brendan Jackson, Celtics Hub: Fiction. The Celtics have all the advantages — home court, a relatively healthy roster of players, the NBA’s second-best defense — they are just playing really poorly. Credit the Knicks for not laying down after losing two of their best players, but the Celtics are the better team, the higher seed, and the better closers. It can’t really be luck if it’s expected.
Brian Cronin, KnickerBlogger: Fact. There is no doubt that the Celtics’ playoff experience plays a huge role in their ability to close out games in the postseason; that is not luck. But between the botched calls at the end of Game 1 and the injuries to two-thirds of the Knicks’ “big three” in Game 2, the Celtics are definitely lucky to have this 2-0 lead.
Phillip Barnett, Forum Blue & Gold: Fiction: You can’t blame the Celtics for going out and beating the team placed in front of them. The Knicks have had key injuries, but the Celtics’ resolve and end-of-game execution is why they’re up 2-0.
2. Fact or Fiction: The Knicks are unlucky to be down 2-0 vs. the Celtics.Eddy Rivera, Magic Basketball: Fiction. Partly. Freak injuries incurred by Chauncey Billups in Game 1 and Amare Stoudemire in Game 2 didn’t do the New York Knicks any favors. However, an inability to execute with the game on the line proved to be their downfall more so than bad luck.
Caleb Hellerman, KnickerBlogger: Fiction. Some are pointing to the blown calls, but the Knicks had great opportunities both nights and didn’t grab them. If you don’t want bad luck, don’t call a play for Jared Jeffries the next time you’re down one with five seconds left.
Brendan Jackson, Celtics Hub: Fact. It seems counterintuitive to call truth on this one and malarkey on the other, but It takes a certain amount of luck to win on the road in the playoffs, and the Knicks haven’t had it. The leprechauns in the Garden are earning their keep.
Brian Cronin, KnickerBlogger: Fact. It is difficult to call a 42-40 team being down 0-2 to a 56-26 team “unlucky,” but in this series, it does apply. The calls in Game 1, the injury to Billups, and then Stoudemire injures himself on a trick dunk during warm-ups?! People in Midtown might want to bring their umbrellas Friday, as it might rain frogs.
Phillip Barnett, Forum Blue & Gold: Both. Not having Billups and Stoudemire definitely hurt the Knicks; untimely injuries to key players is not the recipe to playoff success. However, the Knicks were in position to win both games and are now heading back to Madison Square Garden in a huge hole.
3. Fact or Fiction: The Hawks-Magic series is still Orlando’s to lose.coach Larry Drew not made a serious tactical error by sitting Al Horford for most of the first half in Game 2, the Atlanta Hawks probably would be enjoying a 2-0 lead and the series would be theirs to lose. But as it is, all the Magic need to do is win once in Atlanta to retake home-court advantage and that’s very doable.
Caleb Hellerman, KnickerBlogger: Fact. The Magic won’t be bothered by playing on the road, and they have by far the best player in the series. Orlando’s troubles say more about its fall from title contender status than they do about the Hawks.
Brendan Jackson, Celtics Hub: Fact. It’s every higher seed’s series to lose. Having home court in the playoffs is a huge advantage. So is having the best player and the better defense. The Magic should win this series. If they don’t, expect wholesale changes.
Brian Cronin, KnickerBlogger: Fiction. I think that the Magic are the better team and will likely win the series, so if “theirs to lose” just means that they are still slight favorites, then I would agree. But I think that phrase carries the connotation that the Magic are in the driver’s seat (such as Oklahoma City is with Denver) and that’s definitely not the case here.
Phillip Barnett, Forum Blue & Gold: Fact. Dwight Howard hasn’t just been the best player in this series, he’s arguably been the best player in the whole postseason thus far. Atlanta has no answer for him, and I doubt Orlando continues to shoot less than 30 percent from behind the arc.4. Fact or Fiction: CP3 is the best player in the Hornets-Lakers series.Eddy Rivera, Magic Basketball: Fact. Chris Paul is playing like he did in 2008 and 2009, when he was, unequivocally, the best point guard in the NBA and a top-five player. Paul is still revered as a top-five player but his claim as the best point guard in the NBA is threatened with Derrick Rose’s emergence. However, if Games 1 and 2 are any indication, Paul remains the king of all floor generals.
Caleb Hellerman, KnickerBlogger: Fact. I’ll go out on a limb and say that a year from now, we’ll be shaking our heads over Chris Paul and his knees, saying, “Remember when …” But for now, I won’t argue; he’s still better than Bryant or Gasol.
Brendan Jackson, Celtics Hub: Fiction. If the Hornets are going to win another game in this series, Paul is going to have to play as well as he did in Game 1. Before it’s all said and done, Andrew Bynum is going to look like the best player in this series and Hornets fans will have a nice Game 1 memory to hold on to until next season.
Brian Cronin, KnickerBlogger: Fiction. If he was playing at pre-injury levels (think 2008-09), I think Paul would be. But despite an absolutely brilliant Game 1, I think Paul remains a close second to Kobe Bryant. Of course, there are at least three more games left in this series, so Paul has plenty of time to make me look awfully foolish for putting him there.
Phillip Barnett, Forum Blue & Gold: Fact. Chris Paul has created offense for the Hornets and himself in myriad ways, and his performance thus far has been brilliant. However, if Pau Gasol continues to struggle, Andrew Bynum may prove to be the most important player in this series.
5. Fact or Fiction: All three the series played on Friday will go to a Game 7.
Eddy Rivera, Magic Basketball: Fiction. If any series is most likely to go seven games, it’ll be the matchup between the Magic and Hawks. It’s doubtful to expect the same from the other two series, given that the Celtics are up 2-0 on the Knicks (in a weakened state) and the Lakers will, invariably, overwhelm the Hornets with their talent.
Caleb Hellerman, KnickerBlogger: Fiction. I don’t think any of them will make it to a Game 7. The Lakers and Magic will pull it together, at least until Round 2. Are the Knicks sweeping the next four? I won’t tell you. That would be unlucky.
Brendan Jackson, Celtics Hub: Fiction. Despite the way these series have played out thus far, all three are more likely to go five games than seven. The Celtics, Lakers and Magic are all better teams and their struggles have more to do with what they are not doing than what their opponents are.
Brian Cronin, KnickerBlogger: Fiction. The Hawks-Magic series has the best chance of going seven games, because of how evenly matched they are. Next best chance I’d give to the Hornets, since they’re playing very well. Heck, they have an outside shot of winning before it gets to seven. The Knicks, with their various plagues, probably won’t take Boston to six games, let alone seven.
Phillip Barnett, Forum Blue & Gold: Fiction. Even if Stoudemire and Billups come back, New York lacks the talent and experience to take three games from Boston. I also don’t expect the Lakers to drop more than one more game. Boston wins 4-1 and the Lakers win 4-2. If any of these goes seven games, it’ll be Orlando-Atlanta.

Needing a boost heading to Buffalo for game number three, Philadelphia got just what the doctor ordered when they skated away with a 4-2 victory and a 2-1 series lead. In the process the Flyers regained the home ice advantage and perhaps some much needed momentum with consecutive victories after the Sabres won the series opener. The offense received goals from four different players for another strong performance following a five goal explosion in game two. However, the biggest boost came from Brian Boucher who recorded 35 saves after getting the nod over Sergei Bobrovsky. He relieved Bobrovsky in the first period of game two while posting 20 saves to give Philly a much needed win.
Buffalo got goals from Nathan Gerbe and Drew Stafford while Ryan Miller gave up three goals on 25 shots. Jeff Carter gave the visitors a 1-0 at 4:42 of the first when his shot from the right circle eluded Miller. Drew Stafford tied on a power play chance at 11:55 of the opening period and this seemed destined for another shootout. Scot Hartnell took advantage of a Buffalo turnover and slid a pass to Briere whose shot found pay dirt just 2:44 in to the second. Philadelphia led 3-1 when Mike Richards found an open Nikolay Zherdev on the right side of the net for an easy tip in with over three minutes left in regulation.
Buffalo made things interesting when Gerbe pounced on a long rebound that he deposited behind Boucher with just 1:48 left in the middle period but Boucher stoned the Sabres after that with 13 saves to finish out the game. Kimmo Timonen finally put this in the win column with an empty net tally at 19:42 setting up a must win for Buffalo. Both teams have had obvious problems after three games and from a Buffalo standpoint much of it revolves around the play of Ryan Miller who was unbeatable in the Sabres 1-0 win in the opener but has allowed eight goals on 59 shots in both defeats.
Buffalo turnovers led to two Philadelphia scores in game three which seemed to come after their own goals and killed momentum. The Flyers have a few issues of their own and the goalie situation is a good place to start. Boucher took over for Bobrovsky and will likely be the number one for the remainder of this series while Bobrovsky’s immediate future is clouded with the recall of Michael Leighton as backup. Philadelphia has got to get the power play untracked also as it was only 1 of 15 in two home games before Carter’s first period strike. The Flyers need this as much as Buffalo and seem to be have a little bounce in their step and I think three consecutive wins is in their future.

Hockey Night in Nigeria is coming to African shores, courtesy of a Surrey man who wants to spread the Canadian spirit to other cultures.
Monty Raisinghani, an Indo-Canadian engineer who carried the Olympic torch last year, is teaching poverty-stricken kids at the Light of Hope Orphanage about hockey’s power to take over a whole nation.
“I want to spread the Canadian spirit,” he says. “We have made playoff banners saying ‘Go Canucks Go’ and the orphans are cheering them on.
“I’ve taught them about towel power, where it came from and why hockey is so important. They don’t have much to look up to here,” he says.
In his professional life, Raisinghani is in Lagos building a giant offshore drilling platform for a French oil producer named Total.
His personal life is anchored in a desire to do something positive. It was rooted in a sense of loss he felt at seeing his fellow Indo-Canadians gunned down in gang warfare.
“I wanted to give something back to the community and become a mentor for kids. I always had a dream of giving something back in Africa.”
When he arrived in Nigeria in January, he knew Canucks’ followers would be non-existent, despite Lagos’ population of almost eight million.
“I can’t share the games with a huge group, but I’m sharing the spirit and feeling a part of what’s going on,” he says.
Funnily enough, the orphans are the ones keeping him company by embracing his enthusiasm for the game.
Their building is located in the slums, where fresh food and water are scarce. Most have been abandoned; one was found in a garbage dump.
“They look at the world in a different way. The spirits of the people are super. They’re really grateful for what they get. They’ve been watching Facebook for Canucks’ messages,” he says.
“It’s lonely at times. I make up for it by going to the orphanage.”
He arrived with some playoff towels and a few Canuck flags.
The youngsters had never seen a sheet of ice or glimpsed skaters gliding across a frozen pond.
“They were amazed to see a YouTube video of an ice show. They were asking me how skating works. They didn’t know the science behind it. They asked me how you become a professional hockey player.”
He says the 10-year-olds are eager to try a game of road hockey, despite the 35 degree heat and their lack of hockey experience. Sticks are coming from Canada.
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One inspiring youngster named Faith is full of life despite being an abandoned identical twin.
“She has so much poise, she’s like [Vancouver’s Manny] Malhotra. She’s a warrior.”