Overtime

As we are in one of the best sports stretches of the year with so much going on – from the NBA/NHL playoffs, to the NFL draft not long ago and getting into the baseball season – let's just touch on a handful of issues, rather than having me rant for 1,100 words.

Seven Members of the Basketball Media Should be Fired

The fact that LeBron James was not the unanimous MVP is embarrassing. Even as someone who was one of the first on Kevin Durant's bandwagon, it is clear LeBron was the more productive player this season. He averaged slightly fewer points per game; however he averaged almost six more assists per game and played better defense. I will not even bring Dwight Howard into this argument because an MVP should be capable on both ends of the floor.

Either way, this is all secondary to what really matters – the playoffs. LeBron makes Cleveland easy favorites to get past the aging Boston Celtics and eventually to the NBA Finals.

Can the Lakers Overcome Derek Fisher?

It was clear early in the Lakers-Thunder series that Fisher could not guard Russell Westbrook. However, because of loyalty (arrogance?), the Lakers refused to make the necessary change of putting Kobe Bryant on Westbrook until game six, giving Oklahoma City life when they should have been overmatched. With Deron Williams, Steve Nash and George Hill (who torched the decrepit Jason Kidd in the first round) still lingering, can the Lakers get away with Fisher playing a prominent role against better competition?

The Washington Capitals Are the New San Jose Sharks

I had numerous discussions about how this had to be the Caps' year. The Eastern Conference could not be much weaker, especially considering Evgeni Malkin and Marc Andre-Fleury's (overrated?) down years and the Penguins' lack of replacements for defensemen Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill and the Capitals seemed like a shoe-in to represent the East in the Stanley Cup Finals.

However, after Alexander Semin and Mike Green pulled Houdini acts and Jaroslav Halak stood on his head, the Capitals are headed home. The true losers in this debacle are the fans. A few weeks ago, we ran a blog almost rooting for the Caps and Blackhawks to meet in the finals, mostly because of the teams' fast, exciting styles, but with the Caps having their season ended in game seven on their home ice for the third-straight year, and the Hawks struggles against the Predators in the first round and now against the Canucks, it looks like this style may not be conducive to playoff success. Bummer.

The Sharks and Roberto Luongo Are . . . Living Up to Expectations?

So maybe there is some hope for the Capitals heading forward, as the Sharks have been led by Joe Thornton Pavelskiand have basically dominated the playoffs to this point. Despite some weird loses (I'm looking at you, Dan Boyle), the Sharks have routinely dominated their opponents in shots and have controlled play, making some believe that this could finally be the year they follow through on their regular season expectations.

Meanwhile, goalie Roberto Luongo is following up his gold-medal-winning performance at the Winter Games by finally shutting up the critics in the playoffs. When push came to shove, the Canucks easily dismissed the Kings in the first round, and dominated the Blackhawks in game one last Saturday.

You Can Take Your UZR and Shove It

All I heard about this winter was how the Red Sox and sabermetricians continue to be a step ahead of everyone else with the use of UZR (ultimate zone ratings). Well, so much for that.

Now, don't get me wrong – stats are very valuable. However, they have to be taken in context. Making mediocre Mike Cameron, soft-swinging Marco Scutaro and the pedestrian Adrian Beltre the key additions to a lineup that already featured declining hitters in David Ortiz, Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell really makes me question boy-wonder Theo Epstein.

Also, emptying the bank account for 32-year-old John Lackey and 30-year-old Josh Beckett, both of whom probably have their best years behind them. It really does not seem too surprising that the Red Sox have struggled so much early on this year, especially considering the injuries.

Let's Calm Down with the Mets

What's with the Mets and the ridiculously strong reactions? At the beginning of the year they were called "terrible," a team that cannot get out of its own ways and either the third- or fourth-best team in the NL East. Then this past weekend the New York media hypes up some kind of first-place showdown with the two-time defending National League Champion Phillies.

Please, let's all collectively calm down. First of all, the Mets are not terrible. This team is very similar to the one that was a win away from the 2006 World Series and competed for playoff spots in 2007 and 2008. So, after struggling in 2009, a season where they had an apocalyptic rash of injuries, we're supposed to write them off? However, after a fast start, putting them head-to-head against the Phillies is downright insulting as a Phils fan.

The truth lies somewhere in between. The Mets will most likely compete for a playoff spot throughout the season, but the Phillies still remain the class of the NL East, even with suspect pitching.

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