Lots to talk about in the world of sports

Well, as a sports fan I'm not sure there's a better time of year than right now.

Major League Baseball is in full swing (pun intended) now and all my teams are doing reasonably well (the Indians, Jays and Cubs). As a long-time Cubbies fan I've found that I need to have other favorite teams to cheer for because focussing just on the Cubs would be far too painful.

The NBA playoffs are in full gear as well. As a long-time Steve Nash fan (going back to when he first busted onto the scene as a dynamite PG at Santa Clara) I have been watching the Suns' opening round battle (and it has been a battle) with the "Lake Show". I wasn't a big Kobe Bryant fan going into this series and I have to say, after the first four games of this series I like the guy even less. I recognize that there's a huge amount of ego in the NBA- probably more-so than in any other professional sport- but Kobe is so far ahead of any other professional athlete when it comes to arrogance, it just angers me to see him succeed :). Kid Canada has had a tough series so far as he tries to carry the load for a Suns team that just doesn't seem to have what it takes to get by a Lakers squad that is finally playing like a Phil Jackson-led team. Put a healthy Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas in that Suns front court and you've got a four game sweep for the Stevey and the Sunshine gang.

My other NBA team- the Detroit Pistons- are also facing some early adversity in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. Rip Hamilton's been slowed by a sprained ankle and Milwaukee is led by one of the best pure shooters in the game in Michael Redd. Detroit will survive and go on to the NBA finals no doubt, and I'm actually thankful that Milwaukee is giving them a bit of a push in this first round series because it's only going to make the Bad Boys v.2 that much stronger down the stretch.

I'm glad my slo-pitch season kicks off tonight (as long as no more rain falls today) because it means that I can focus on something other than the potential demise of my beloved Detroit Red Wings. On the verge of coupling yet another first overall regular season finish with a first round playoff exit, the Wings have been given all they can handle (and then some) from the young and hungry Edmonton Oilers.

In a previous post I put Dwayne Roloson down as one of my playoff X-factors, believing that if the Oil got good tending from Rollie the Goalie then the Wings were in big trouble. Well. so far Roloson has been outstanding and low and behold, the Oilers have a 3-2 series lead with a chance to send the Wings packing in front of what I'm sure will be a wild Rexall Place crowd in Edmonton.

As much as I'd hate to see Detroit bow out early, AGAIN, there is a part of me that also would love to see the rebirth of the Battle of Alberta. In the first year of the "New NHL" I think it would be great for one of hockey's greatest all-time rivalries to be thrown into the incinerator in the first playoff season of the new era.

I'm still hoping though that Detroit pulls it out tonight and lives to fight another day on Wednesday back at the Joe.