3 Up, 3 Down

Mowing 'em down while getting psyched for some ALCS retribution ...

3 Games to Keep an Eye On the Weekend

1. The Bruins look to keep their win streak going as they host the NY Rangers on Saturday. This game is clearly more important to the Rangers, who are barely holding on to the 8th (and final) playoff spot. Howard Kussoy over at the New York Post notes that the Rangers must be feeling a sense of deja vu.


2. The Orlando Magic take on the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. Its a tight race for the number 2 seed in the playoffs, and the Celtics will be hoping the Hawks can pull it off (after they themselves beat them on Friday night). Hopefully the Magic will still be tired from the whupping they put on the Cavs.


3. Michigan St. vs. Connecticut. I'm not much into college hoops, but I did party at UConn about a million years ago --- so I've got that going for me.

3 Reasons the Sox will Beat the Rays in the Opener

1. Josh Beckett. This is what he looked like at this time last year. By all accounts, he's in MUCH better shape heading into this year, and looking to make up for last season.


2. They've put the Manny-sode behind them, and there's a lot to say about a peaceful Spring Training.


3. The Rays have a solid team, but I still think they caught a lot of people by surprise last year. I'm not buying (yet) that they are a legitimate threat to take the East this year. Now excuse while I try to expunge the remaining memories of the ALCS Game 7 from my head.

3 Reasons the Broncos Actually Ended up in Pretty Good Shape

1. While Kyle Orton and Chris Simms might not be as good as Cutler, just how good was Cutler really? You can say what you want about the Denver defense, but a quarterback still has to find a way to win --- and he didn't.


2. The two number 1's that Denver picked up could really help McDaniels put his stamp on the team. If he learned anything from Belichek, its scouting and the importance of bringing in guys who fit the system.


3. When Pat Bowlen signed off on the trade, he effectively put his support behind McDaniels ---- and avoided dragging out the drama that could've killed their camp.