After his second start, however, he is starting look like the Knick’s answer for their hole at point guard. First, he kept pace with Deron Williams on the defensive side while dropping 25, and dishing out 7 assists. His 7 turnovers in the Jazz game were humbling, but not particularly surprising. After all, New York’s two best players were out of the game; as such, the passing lanes were smaller and the defensive pressure was on him instead of Melo and Amar’e. Furthermore, the offenses’ second option was Jared Jefferies. That’s a rough beat. Lin shows he drives well and, most importantly, keeps his head up the entire time. If a man is open for a better, he’ll send the ball their way, even if he is, himself, standing under the hoop. He’s seems to have good chemistry with Tyson Chandler too.

It’s no secret that Mike D’Antoni needs a pass first point guard for his offense to work. In Phoenix, he went 21-40 without Nash, and 62-20 the next year with him. It’s a two way street though; Nash may have made the offense work, but D’Antoni brought the best out in Nash, who was a great point guard in Dallas, but never close to the heights he reached on the Suns.

It should also be said that Nash, despite his billing as a scrappy all-hustle guy, is a physical freak in his own right; anyone who is a productive pro-athletic at the age of 38 is running on a different kind of juice. Lin’s physical capabilities are still a mystery. He quick, but he looked winded against the Jazz. Then again, he never played that many game minutes in his life. The Wizards game will be a good litmus test for him; John Wall is one of the fastest players in the NBA, and if Lin can keep up, it’s a good sign. It won’t determine if he’s ready to be the entrenched starter, however, nor will the Lakers game later in the week. The real question for Lin isn’t whether he can be an All-Star or a Hall of Famer, its if he can key an offense with two power-house scorers, and Knicks fans won’t know that until all three play together again.

The New York Giants, as predicted here, won another Super Bowl.  They beat the Patriots, who were inexplicably favored by three points, and put to bed a slew of rumors.  Tom Coughlin is not going anywhere despite a remarkably mediocre season and two playoff collapses since his last Super Bowl win.  Eli Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and his drive in the final minutes that went the full length of the field cemented his place as an elite quarterback.  Here is my quick Super Bowl Recap:

1. Super Bowl XLVI came down to the final play: Eli Manning was forced to drive his team the length of the field with three minutes left.  A bomb to Mario Manningham and a consistent, heroic drive ultimately led to the Patriots conceding a touchdown with 57 seconds left.  Tom Brady was let down by a few drops and a tipped Hail Mary barely fell to the ground.

2. Ahmad Bradshaw almost stopped on the one: I’m not sure why, but it appears the Giants tried to kneel down on the one, run the clock down to about twenty seconds, and kick a field goal.  Kneeling would be moronic in that situation, in my opinion.  You’d allowed just 17 points all game, Brady would need to go the length of the field with one timeout and under a minute, and anything can happen on that kick.  Nerves, a bad snap (49ers playoff gamea few years ago?), a missed kick, a block…  Just take the points and play defense.

3. Rob Gronkowski: Gronk tried to play through a high ankle sprain, an injury which typically takes four to six weeks to heal, and was a non-factor two weeks after the injury.  He caught two balls for a total of 26 yards, couldn’t get open, demanded only single coverage, and couldn’t get to a hail mary tipped up that landed a few inches away from him.  I blame Gronkowski.  Great prop bets:  Gronkowski under 80 yards receiving, no touchdown in the first half, no touchdown.

4. The commercials sucked: The commercials were so boring that it had people proclaiming the Super Bowl, which came down to the final play, as boring.  Some women, children, and non-football fans can’t watch football without good commercials and the advertising world really let us down on this one.

5. Eli Manning: He really is that good.  He outplayed Tom Brady again, made huge plays when they mattered in the fourth quarter, and may have supplanted his brother as the best quarterback in the family.  At the very least he’s by far the most clutch.  Elite.

6. Luck: The Giants put the ball on the ground twice and were fortunate enough to fall on it both times.  On the final drive Tom Brady was trying to put together, two dropped passes stalled any real chance of putting plays together.

7. Slow Start: After a Giants safety on the Pats’ first possession, it took a little while to get going but once it did it was worth the wait.  The Patriots were down 9-0 at the end of the first, but ten unanswered points gave them momentum.  After a long touchdown drive to open the second half, the Pats were in cruise control.  The Giants battled back, scored last, and won a thriller where the slow beginning served to magnify the excitement at the end.

8. Hot Quarterback Play: Eli Manning opened the Super Bowl completing nine passes in a row, a new record.  Tom Brady answered back with fourteen of his own in the middle of the game, also a record.  Brady drove his team 98 yards for a touchdown, Manning went the length of the field to win the game in the final minute.  The league is truly a league of quarterbacks, and Eli Manning and Tom Brady proved that.

Ultimately, it was another historically exciting Super Bowl, won by the Giants on their final drive.

6:05: Purchased 18 tallboys at 7/11. I now know what it feels like to be stunting like my Daddy.

6:25: The awkward moment when Justin Tuck realizes nobody wants to shake his hand.

6:33: Eli looks adequate thus far. Better than Sacha Baron Cohen’s next movie. Pickin’ that defense apart through the air.

6:36: Nevermind.

6:40: My esteemed colleague, Matt, has invented a Super Bowl drinking game.

6:41: Safety. Very non-Brady. He is still beautiful though.

6:42: Hudson just made Elton John her bitch.

6:47: Bradshaw only has an earring in his right year. Where I come from, people will beat you up for that.

6:51: Manning threads the needle to Cruz, and we got a 9-0 Giants lead.

6:52: OH MY GOD IS ZIMA BACK?!

6:57: Just got a text from a friend who alleges Bud Light Platinum is ‘gross.’ Damnit.

6:59: I wonder if the Patriots have more white receivers on their roster than BYU.

7:05: 9-3 after a New England field goal.

7:20: How am I not supposed to purchase my undergarments from H&M now.

7:34: LADIES LOVE GRONK.

7:36: I just got the biggest nerd boner. Real excited about Avengers. Also, I am buying flowers this Valentine’s day.

7:47: 10-9 Pats going into halftime after a Brady to Woodhead TD pass.

7:51: At halftime, I realize I am really not blogging to the best of my abilities. Pretty much every entry has been ~160 or less, so I could just be Tweeting all this. Sorry. I will do better. Maybe. Four pounders in, by the way.

8:05: Madonna is a little bit awkward. But her dancers are bangin’. And LMFAO are excellent as always.

8:13: I think it’s safe to say Madonna peaked a while ago. METTA WORLD PEACE.

8:19: ‘Imported from Detroit’ makes no fucking sense. And you’ve got to wonder if that ad was paid for with government bailout funds.

8:24: BRB my friend Phil and I just got 50 chicken wings.

8:28: Hernandez catches the Brady pass, and we got a 17-9 score. His celebration was confusing.

9:03: Alright, we got 17-15 New England and Brady just threw a deep deep interception. Wings were phenomenal in case you’re wondering. Old Bay Butter flavor. I highly recommend it.

9:06: Got really excited for the Broderick Honda commercial, and was a bit let down Like losing my virginity all over again, except the commercial was longer in duration.

9:23: So MIA did this.

9:25: I’m really excited to know the singer from The Darkness is still alive.

9:28: LADIES LOVE GRONK PART TWO:

9:30: Welker just had a huge drop. Collinsworth just said he will make that catch ’100 times out of 100,’ which is an impressive statement since it had just been disproven five seconds before he said it.

9:33: Mario Manningham is an OG.

9:41: I’m going to mute this if Al Michaels says ‘huge’ like the word doesn’t begin with an H one more time.

9:44: They let Bradshaw in. This is so intense. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone be more upset that they scored a touchdown in my life.

9:53: Game, blouses. Giants win.

The New England Patriots were the top seed in the AFC.  They were led by the top quarterback in the AFC and possibly the NFL.  The Pats have a great coach in Bill Belichick, a great offense, and experience.  They get to rematch the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI and get revenge on the 18-1 season the Giants caused in 2007.

Things are different this time.  There’s no pressure on the Pats this year because the New England Patriots shouldn’t even be in the Super Bowl.  If Billy Cundiff were any high school kicker in the nation, or Lee Evans didn’t eat buttery popcorn at halftime it’s Ravens Giants.  The Pats are lucky this year; a team of dropped-pass, missed-kick destiny that slayed the Tebow dragon.  However, the Patriots are not going to win Super Bowl XLVI, and here’s why:

1. Rob Gronkowski: Gronk suffered a high ankle sprain two weeks ago and has been in a walking boot since then.  He’s not running in practice and won’t run, full strength at least, in the Super Bowl.  Remember all the talk last year about Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey playing through a similar injury and then missing the game?  The Giants will game plan as if he’s 100% but Rob Gronkowski will not be a factor in Super Bowl XLVI.

I realize the Pats still have Aaron Hernandez, but keep in mind they’ve had both all year.

2. Bill Belichick: The way Belichick coaches doesn’t work against a team like the New York Giants.  Belichick is an expert at minimizing a team’s best weapon, but when the Giants have three wide receivers it’s hard to choose.  Besides, how many championships do the Patriots have since they presumably stopped illegal sideline videotaping?

3. The New England Patriots defense: They’ve played well in the playoffs so far, but they’ve also only beaten Joe Flacco and Tim Tebow.  There’s no way to cover Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham with wide receivers playing the other side of the ball and a dilapidated coverage team.  Add Eli Manning throwing open his receivers when coverage is acceptably and it’s not going to be pretty for the Pats.

4. The Action is on the New York Giants: Trust your gut, America.  Last year we all picked the Packers and pushed the line a point or so.  The year before we all hoped for the Saints and their feel good story in Louisiana.  In 2009 nobody gave the Cardinals a chance and while they made it close and beat the spread, Arizona fell for moneyline fans everywhere.  In fact, not since the Patriots beat the Rams have gamblers truly been surprised.  The Pats are favorites but the betting is on New York.  It could be all that Wall Street money, or it could just be that collectively we know our football.

5. The New York Giants D-Line: The Giants linebackers have been eaten alive all year.  The secondary of the New York Giants is a liability.  The defensive front of the New York Giants is so good that none of that matters.  They don’t need to blitz to generate pressure and they throw other teams off their game plans.  They hit Tom Brady, force mistakes, and stop the run.  Chris Canty, JPP, Justin Tuck, and a pissed off Osi Umeniora will be enough to keep Brady and company in check.

6. Eli Manning: In the beginning of the season Eli Manning called himself an elite quarterback and spent the rest of the year backing up his uncharacteristically controversial words.  Of course he’s in the same class as Brady – he’s beaten him once before.  Manning has 8 TDs, 1 interception, and 900 yards in the playoffs so far.  He’s as hot as Aaron Rodgers was last year and that kind of quarterback play wins championships.  Add to it that the Pats have the weakest defense the Giants have faced yet and Manning will have his biggest game of the playoffs on its biggest stage.

7. The Giants Running Game: It took all season but the two-headed monster is back.  Brandon Jacobs is actually gaining yards, which is bringing out the best in Ahmad Bradshaw.  If these two can keep rattling off twenty-yard runs and closing out games, the Giants can control the game from start to finish.

8. Lucas Oil Stadium: The Pats don’t win in Indy.  Whether it’s 4th and 2 from the mad genius, the ghost of Peyton Manning lurks these halls and locker rooms.  Fans will travel better from New York and any Colts fans will surely root against the Pats.  It’s Peyton’s little brother and their arch rivals.  Look for the Giants to have something of a home field advantage.

9. Super Bowl XLII: I’m not sure how the 18-1 disaster-bowl for the Pats will factor into the equation but I expect it to have a negative effect.  Eli Manning pulls confidence from his improbable win against the Patriots a few years ago and I think that outweighs the revenge factor.  Combine Lucas Oil’s ghosts with the ghost of Super Bowls past and the Patriots have a lot of mental anguish to overcome.

10. Predictions: We’ve never gotten a major prediction wrong on The Faster Times.  The NBA Championship, Stanley Cup (in seven games as well), and Super Bowl last year were all dead on. Aaron Rodgers carved up the Steelers, the Canucks choked, and Dirk got his ring.  Now it’s time for Manning and Coughlin to get the recognition they truly deserve.  Since it is written, so it shall be.

Many people would love to see a rematch of the 18-1 Patriots Giants Super Bowl.  Others want to see the Har-bowl featuring the the Niners’ and Ravens’ fraternal coaches.  Personally, I want to see the Giants in a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens.  I know the teams are completely different, but there’s more at stake than that.

First of all, I made a bet last year for the NFC to win the Super Bowl at even money, and if the Patriots beat the Ravens I won’t have any value in my moneyline pick.  Secondly, the no-call on the pass interference from the last playoff game between the Giants and 49ers was one of the biggest blunders in NFL officiating history.  It needs to be righted.  Lastly, I don’t like New England.

So how can this come to fruition?  It’s unlikely, since I’m giving up around ten combined points by picking the games the way my heart wants to see them.  How will the Ravens possibly stop the Patriots?  Do the Giants have anything left to slow down one of the most underrated teams in the NFL?

Baltimore Ravens (+7) at New England Patriots

Ray Rice.

The Patriots hemorrhage yardage but buckle down in the red zone.  They have a weak secondary, but the Ravens have a perennial playoff choker at quarterback and I expect those two weaknesses to cancel out.  I assume that the Ravens will be able to march down the field like every other team in the NFL, but when it really matters the Ravens have one of the best finishers in the NFL.  Ray Rice is a slippery option out of the backfield and can catch passes better than any other back in the league.  Look for Rice to be the difference and the Ravens to finish off drives with points.

The Patriots will score, but the Ravens defense will keep them in the game.

The Ravens will be able to win if they can hang around long enough to force a mistake.  They can’t fall behind early because depending on Joe Flacco will not lead to a victory.  The Ravens need a big dose of Ray Rice and a big play on defense or special teams.  I think they’ll find a way.  I hope they’ll at least keep it within a touchdown.

Ravens 27 – Patriots 24

New York Giants (+2.5) at San Francisco 49ers

Picture this:

A huge lead is blown in the fourth quarter.  Morale is at an all-time low.  It’s the final minutes of the last game of the Giants’ season.  A miracle drive comes down to one final play with time expiring.  A field goal attempt offers redemption from one of the greatest collapses in playoff history.  The free-agent long snapper signed for the playoffs botches the snap.  The holder rolls out yelling “Fire, fire, fire”.  The end releases.  A hopeless pass flutters through the air, legally, before the game comes to an unfortunate end.  Then, inexplicably, the receiver is tackled.

No pass interference, game over, Giants lose.  Instead of an untimed down to close out the fourth quarter, the Giants’ season comes to an end.  The league later admits the blown call.

Now, years later, redemption is again on the line for the New York Giants.  After nearly missing the playoffs, costing Tom Coughlin his job, and sending the franchise into a playoff-less spiral, the Giants are back.  They’ve got all the momentum in the world.

The 49ers have a great defense but Eli Manning won’t be deterred.  The Giants running game, once useless, is one of the most productive tandems in the postseason.  The Giants defense is in a favorable matchup with Alex Smith after taking out Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, and Tony Romo in consecutive weeks.

I’m not sleeping on the 49ers but the Giants are rolling.  Coughlin won’t allow a let down after a huge win against the Packers and Harbaugh isn’t experienced enough for a game of this magnitude.  The Niners’ win against the Saints was a shock, but the Saints have no defense.  The Giants will shut down Alex Smith.

Giants 28 – 49ers 17

The GM’s plan made sense, given the circumstances; with the lockout preventing moves during the offseason, and a weak free agent class, Washington was better off eating Rashard Lewis’ ridiculous contract, staying above the cap minimum, amnestying him next year and using that cash to fill the glaring holes from this year. The problem is, everything is a hole. At every position, they either have talents that are too raw to start (Javale McGee, Jan Vesley) or veterans who aren’t cut out for starter minutes (Blatche, Lewis). John Wall is took two steps back from last year, but, honestly, with the talent around him, it’s a miracle he’s averaging more than 3 assists a game.

Nothing good is going to happen this year. Ted Leonsis has bit the rebuilding bullet, assembled a young roster that has potential, but primed the team to break the Cavalier’s record for most losses in the regular season. So, do it. Start the rookies. All the rookies. Have them come off the bench. Make Rashard Lewis the 11^th man. They’ll have bad nights, awful nights, They might not even win another game, but this ship has sunk. Now is the time to make the most of it. Hell, they might even find a way to win.

I’ll admit that I seem to only hit every other NFL playoff bracket.  Two years ago I got every game except for one right, last year I pretty much got half right.  In 2009 my bracket was decimated by the Cowboys falling to the New York Giants.  It seems I’m due for a fantastic football postseason, but I’m going to deliberately screw it up by betting on Tim Tebow.

UPDATE: The first round could have gone better, but I’m updating my bracket to show my mistakes and my new predictions.  I hit the Broncos upset, missed on the Lions and Bengals.  We’ll do better in the next round.

AFC Wild Card

Cincinnati Bengals at  Houston Texans
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

Ben Roethlisberger has already proven he can’t play on one ankle.  After a setback against the Browns, look for Big Ben to revert back to his inept and hobbled self.  The Broncos defense is almost as good as the Pittsburgh Steelers.  If Pittsburgh reverts to injured Big Ben form (3 points against the 49ers, 14 against the Browns, 13 against the Chiefs), they might actually lose this one.  If you had to choose between Ben Roethlisberger’s rapist karma and Tim Tebow’s divinity, only a football fan would bet on the Steelers.

Broncos 9 – Steelers 3

The Bengals have Andy Dalton, one of the best young quarterbacks in the game.  The Texans have Jake “daylight come and you got a” Delhomme.  The Texans have a better defense, but when you have to revert to a quarterback with a Chris Berman catch phrase almost as bad as his play, you’re in trouble.  The Bengals will pull the upset.

Bengals 24 – Texans 21

NFC Wild Card

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints

The Atlanta Falcons are a solid team.  They run well, they throw enough to protect a lead, and they have a defense that’s squarely in the middle of the pack.  The New York Giants have Super Bowl MVP Eli(te) Manning playing the best football of his career.  I think that’s enough.

Giants 31 – Falcons 20

The Saints are lights out at home and run the ball better than the Lions.  But let’s not kid ourselves – there won’t be much running the ball in this game.  Neither team has a defense and this one should eclipse 50 points in the first half.  Bet the over, but why not have a little fun here?

Lions 44 – Saints 42

AFC Divisional Round

Cincinnati Bengals Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Denver Broncos Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens

The Broncos will not beat the Patriots.  If they can squeak past the Steelers, it’s the best possible playoffs scenario for the New England Patriots.  The Pats offense is too much for this team, and Tebow doesn’t have the arm to capitalize on New England’s terrible secondary.

Patriots 41 – Broncos 17

I think Joe Flacco is the only quarterback in the playoffs that’s worse than Tim Tebow.  This game will come down to defense.  The Ravens defense is better than the Texans, and I like Baltimore.  Look for a heavy dose of Ray Rice to carry the Ravens into the next round.

Ravens 28 – Texans 10

NFC Divisional Round

Detroit Lions New York Giants at Green Bay Packers
New York Giants New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers

The Giants will move the ball against the Packers’ defense, but I refuse to bet against Aaron Rodgers.  If this game was close in East Rutherford, it will be less close in Lambeau.

Packers 42 – Giants 24

The New Orleans Saints are a far better team than the 49ers.  It’s cute that Alex Smith and company got a bye in the first round, but playing .500 or worse teams all year really doesn’t impress me.  I think we’re headed for a New Orleans at Green Bay rematch.

Saints 41 – 49ers 21

AFC Conference Championship

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots

Sigh.  I’m going chalk.  Ray Rice is a great weapon and the Pats defense is terrible, but the Patriots offense is unstoppable.  The Ravens will choke.  Joe Flacco will start running out of bounds ten yards behind the line again.  You just can’t trust Flacco in the playoffs.

Pats 30 – Ravens 13

NFC Championship

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

The Packers will beat up on a soft New Orleans defense with an unstoppable passing game.  The Saints will score against the Packers, but not enough to overcome the league’s best player.  I am willing to bet, however, that if this game comes down to one play from the one yard line, Sean Peyton won’t run the ball this time.

Packers 45 – Saints 28

Super Bowl

New England Patriots Vs Green Bay Packers

This close to another championship, Aaron Rodgers won’t be denied.  They didn’t get their unbeaten season, but they’ll get their Super Bowl.

Packers 41 – Pats 28

The Winter Classic obviously steals the headlines for Monday’s picks.  Hooray for hockey on a baseball field.  The New York Rangers renew their rivalry with the Philadelphia Flyers and “take it outside” if you will.  This one will be a physical game in a Winter Classic between two teams who hate each other.  I’m also interested to see if the Sharks can keep up with the Canucks.  I think the Oilers have no hope against the Blackhawks.

I’m really excited about the Devils Senators game.  The Sens always seem to give the Devils trouble, and it’s a true test for a couple of teams squarely in the thick of the early playoff races.  The Senators aren’t exactly thought of as an elite team and the Devils were in last place this time last year.  Who’s rebuilding effort worked best?

We opened the year with a bang, hitting the Preds over the Flames on New Year’s Day.  Let’s keep rolling.

New York Rangers (+105) at Philadelphia Flyers (Winter Classic Game)

For a detailed breakdown of my thoughts (mostly disappointment) on the Winter Classic click here.

The New York Rangers have the better team and better goaltending.  I expect the elements and an outdoor hockey spectacle to eliminate some of the Flyer’ home ice advantage.  Philadelphia isn’t that far from New York and an unfamiliar arena should level the playing field even more.  I trust Lundqvist over Bobrovsky.

Rangers 2 – Flyers 1

Confidence: 3/6
Value: 4/6  I trust the Rangers more on a big stage – the Flyers are proven failures in this spot.

New Jersey Devils (+105) at Ottawa Senators

Are the New Jersey Devils an elite hockey team?

They’re currently masquerading as a playoff team despite blown leads, aging goaltenders, young defensemen, and, at times, inept superstars.  The same can be said of the Ottawa Senators.  They have no goaltending, no defense, and an offense prone to ridiculous comebacks and high-scoring affairs.  Both would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

I don’t think the Senators can keep this up, but I do think the Devils can.  Look for Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise to exploit a dilapidated defense and ineffective goalie.

Devils 4 – Senators 3

Confidence: 3/6
Value: 4/6 – The Devils are a long way from home, but they’re the better team.

San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks (-150)

The Canucks match up nicely with the Sharks.  They got them in the playoffs last year, earlier this season, and will get them again.  Too much offense, the goalies are a wash, and the depth is similar.  The Canucks just have the better team.  The Sharks know it.

Canucks 4 – Sharks 2

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 1/6 – I’m not sure enough for a price this high

Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks (-250)

I don’t know that anyone should be a -250 in hockey, but the Oilers are slumping and the Hawks are playing well.  I can’t see this one going the other way.

Blackhawks 4 – Oilers 2

Confidence: 5/6
Value: 1/6 – It’s a really high price for very little reward.  Why risk it?

Colorado Avalanche (+140) at LA Kings

Are we ready to proclaim the Kings out of their slump?  The Avs are one of the hottest teams in the NHL and if anyone can prove the Kings aren’t completely back yet it’s the streaky Avalanche.  Why not?

Avs 4 – Kings 2

Confidence: 1/6
Value: 3/6 – This is a great line for a team as hot as the Avs.

January: 1-0

The New York Rangers deserve to play in the 2012 Winter Classic.  They’re an Original Six franchise in the heart of Manhattan, playing in one of the most famous arenas in the world, with a decorated hockey history.  They added the biggest name in free agency this offseason, have one of the best goalies in the NHL, and are the best team in the Eastern Conference right now.  They’re an exciting choice with an enchanting, storied history.  It makes sense, and their spot in the Winter Classic was inevitable.

Their counterpart certainly isn’t the most historic franchise in the NHL.  The Flyers have the “Broad Street Bullies” and “Legion of Doom” claims to fame, but compared to the Rangers the Flyers are a new and undignified organization.  They were brought into the league during the 1967 expansion, have only two Stanley Cup victories (and none since 1975), and a long history of disappointment.  However, in the last few years the Flyers have been one of the most successful regular season teams in the NHL.  The Winter Classic will be a showcase of the best the Eastern Conference has to offer.

Ignore HBO’s 24/7 shenanigans – I already knew Ilya Bryzgalov was crazy and that hockey players curse a lot.  Ignore the obnoxious “Winter Classic game” commercials.  Ignore Gary Bettman’s attempt to convince you that this game means something more as a hockey holiday.  This yea’s Winter Classic is going to be special because, for the first time, the two teams chosen absolutely hate each other.

As the game gets closer there are plenty of headlines to choose from.  Ilya Bryzgalov seems to be sitting this one out because he’s been a mediocre goalie this year (and for most of his career).  The Flyers dismantled their team this offseason to make room for the outspoken philosopher-turned-goalie and his giant contract.  Sergei Bobrovsky is outplaying Bryzgalov and will get the start.  Is this the type of drama that can tear the Flyers apart again?  Was it worth taking apart one of the league’s best rosters for Bryzgalov?

Chris Pronger is out for the season and the Flyers are not the same team without their captain.  Will they be able to handle one of their biggest rivals without their leader?

This year’s Winter Classic is located at Citizen’s Bank Park – home of the Philadelphia Phillies.  With the New York Rangers involved in a Winter Classic, it seems Yankee Stadium would have been a better choice.  I understand the NCAA’s Pinstripe Bowl gets in the way, but the Philadelphia Phillies are the losingest franchise in sports history.  This stadium choice is a bit of a let down and doesn’t compare to past hosts like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.

My pick:

I was hoping for snow.

I know the Flyers are home, but in an outdoor game I think you can throw most of that advantage out the window.  In the four recent Winter Classic games, three of the four games have been extremely low scoring.  Two were a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation, and the Capitals held the Penguins to just a goal in their 3-1 victory last year.  The Winter Classic, by and large, comes down to the terrible ice conditions limiting chances.

The Philadelphia Flyers average better than three goals per game, but the Rangers are right behind them with 2.94 goals per game.  The bigger difference between these two teams is that the Flyers also allow nearly three goals a game, while the Rangers are right around two.  Both teams can be physical, both teams will be energized.

The question for me in this game is who will let in the cheap goal that costs his team the game.  The ice will get bad rather quickly and the dynamic skaters on both teams will be silenced.  I don’t think Henrik Lundqvist will be the goalie that lets his team down.

Rangers 2 – Flyers 1

The Calgary Flames visit the Nashville Predators on New Year’s Day for the NHL’s only game.  This is the fourth and final meeting for the Flames and Predators, with Nashville taking two of three so far this year.  After giving up 12 goals in three starts, Pekka Rinne has settled in and allowed a total of two goals in his next two.  If Rinne is back, does the Flames’ offense stand a chance?

We finished December on a hot streak, but closed the year with a .500 day on New Year’s Eve.  It’s a new year and time for a new streak.  I expect big things in 2012.  Stay posted for another Man Vs Machine challenge, more great picks, and lots more fun.

Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators (-130)

I don’t usually do this, but I love the under here.  Where will the goals come from?  Nashville never scores much and the Flames have some pretty decent goaltending.  If Pekka Rinne is in net, the Flames won’t score three times.  I’m not sure the Preds will either.  Considering a total of six goals have been scored in three games so far this year, I like the under 5 line a lot.

The Predators are the better team here.  Nashville’s defense and goaltending comprise one of the best systems in the league and the Flames don’t have the firepower on offense to pull off a win on the road.

Nashville 2 – Calgary 1

Confidence: 3/6
Value:  4/6 – It’s a great price for the Preds at home against a perfectly mediocre Flames team