The Riff's Deluxe Edition: Ketchup, Mustard and Pickles

Missing a week of writing meant missing a lot of great sports stuff.  Baseball's not the only season heating up. Today, you'll see everything-the deluxe edition of the Riff.

I will post more on the baseball on my weekly recap.  But here are my observations of the week:

-Early reports of the Cubs' demise were greatly exaggerated.  Even with injuries and a very leaky bullpen, the Cubs are very much in the NL Central race and on pace with last year when they had the NL's best record.  Scary what they could do at full strength.

-In Washington, the talk is centering around who the next Supreme Court Justice will be.  Maybe talk will also center around who the next manager will be.  I don't think everything is Manny Acta's fault, but at some point fingers have to be pointed at the field general.  And that's Acta.  The Nats could be so much better, given their offense.  But pitching helps win championships and the offense isn't even putting fannies in the seats.  For all of the battles getting baseball in DC, no one is going. Granted things are tough and team is the worst in baseball.  But a 35% decline in attendance is a very bad thing.

The NBA playoffs chug along and last year's finalists are in the fights of their lives.  The Lakers should be on easy street, given that Houston lost their two best players.  But the series inexplicably is tied and one wonders if the Lakers really care.  When Kobe is your so called leader, that explains some things.  As for the Celtics, they have been fighting since the playoffs started.  And they also lost two key players, but they are far from quitting  Perhaps the lakers can learn from them.  Sure if they win today, they get Cleveland.  But the Celts are the Champs until someone beats them.  I still won't watch this crap, but frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing a Lakers-Celtics rematch in the end.

The NHL playoffs have been sensational this year and not just because the Black Hawks have advanced to play Detroit.  The Pittsburgh-Washington series, for what little of America saw, was a great series with a great rivalry re-born.  Every game was a fight and fans were not disappointed.  Pittsburgh ultimately won, furthering my dream of a Chicago-Pittsburgh Stanley Cup Final.

The Preakness stakes saw a filly won for the first time since 1924.  Probably more noteworthy was the new policy that fans could not BYOB.  Attendance dropped 30%, putting the future of this event in jeopardy.

Soon to be inducted NFL Hall Of Famer Bruce Smith was busted for DUI.  I believe this is his third or fourth offense.  Not a great way to conduct yourself...

Summer's almost here.....maybe it's time to go bowling...

JP