Preying on Detroit's Octopus

For several years, the Nashville Predators have been used as a measuring stick for the Detroit Red Wings' success. They were eliminated in six games of the 2004 and 2008 playoffs, the latter en route to Detroit's 11th Stanley Cup. However, the script appears to have been reversed in 2012.

Nashville and Detroit met for the third time in the playoffs; however this was the first time that the Predators finished with a better record than the Red Wings. This despite Detroit's record-setting home surge, winning 23 straight games at Joe Louis Arena. Heading into their playoff matchup, Nashville and Detroit split their six-game regular season series. The Predators were brimming with confidence, having just won their first playoff series the year before. The Red Wings are priming for perhaps its final run with this year's group, as aging captain Nicklas Lidstrom's future with the team remains uncertain. Both teams are heading into opposite directions, and it showed why in a five-game battle.

The series showed how much Nashville has grown as a team, while it witnessed how Detroit's old dog couldn't keep up with the younger Predators. Most of Detroit's top players, among them Lidstrom, Todd Bertuzzi, Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Dan Cleary, are over 30 years old. Nashville's unit remains relatively young, and still with room to grow. Their top 20-somethings include the Kostitsyn brothers Andrei and Sergei, Alexander Radulov, Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and rookie Gabriel Bourque. Nashville's youth was clearly the difference.

Nashville and Detroit split the first two games at Bridgestone Arena, with the team scoring first winning each game. The Predators head into Joe Louis Arena with something to prove, as they were winless in six trips at the Joe in the playoffs. They continued the ongoing trend by scoring first en route to breaking the hex at the Joe in Games 3 and 4. They returned to Bridgestone Arena brimming with confidence, and when Radulov scored the opening goal, the sell-out yellow-clad crowd went into a frenzy. Though Jiri Hudler would tie the game, David Legwand's goal in the second period proved to be the difference, as Nashville finally put away Detroit for the first time in three tries in the playoffs. When the horn sounded, the crowd noise grew louder, the Nashville players celebrated with goalie Pekka Rinne, and coach Barry Trotz applauded his players' effort.

Nashville did what they had to do: be patient, and strike when the opportunity comes. The Detroit players appeared tired while trying in vain to pepper Rinne with flying pucks, and that made the difference in the series. While Rinne had more saves than his opposite number Jimmy Howard, Nashville took advantage of several Howard miscues and slow Detroit skaters en route to winning the series. Lidstrom failed to register a point in the series, and Nashville's work on the defensive end proved to be the difference.

Nashville is currently waiting for its next playoff opponent. As for Detroit, an offseason shakeup is needed, to say the least. 

Summertime Survival

It was lunchtime in Manila. Office workers leave their desks to dine inside restaurants, some village folks take siestas, and others take time to partake in card games to alleviate work-related stress. Unfortunately, the heat of summer is unbearable, with noontime temperatures reaching nearly 40 degrees, almost equal to the body temperature of a fever-riddled person. It hasn't been a good summer, isn't it?

I experienced a mild headache recently, not because of my strained eyes, but because of the summer heat. The prolonged exposure to heat may cause some headaches, which may lead to heatstroke. It also leads to sunburn, unless you're willing to take a tan. Even the eyes isn't safe either, as harmful UV rays may affect our eyesight. Summer is not for the weak at heart.

Here are some tips to beat the summer heat. We lose a lot of water because of sweat that cools our skin, thus a bottle of water or any fluid-retention drink may help us regain some of the lost fluid. Wearing light-colored shirts may help reflect the rays away. Most of all, a wide-brimmed hat and shades are also helpful to shade your face away from glare. A towel is also handy to wipe away sweat. Never stay outdoors for an extended period of time. And most of all, a sunblock lotion may help protect your skin from any damage.

Summer is still a month and a few weeks away from completion, so savor most of the trips to the beach, or if you're a cool customer like me, a trip to chilly Baguio or Tagaytay. But be safe.

The New Araneta

The Mall of Asia Arena near completion
in March 2012

A new Araneta rises near the Manila Bay. The Mall of Asia Arena, the brainchild of SM patriarch Henry Sy, will officially open on May 21, on the night Lady Gaga holds her Born This Way tour. 

The MOA Arena has been in the works since 2010, and the arena's interior was patterned after Atlanta's Philips Arena, complete with plush seating, private luxury boxes and club suites, and accessible facilities such as wi-fi capabilities, state of the art sounds and lights system, and abundance of food kiosks.

The new arena will also play host to both the UAAP and NCAA games, as most of its member schools are situated a few miles from the MOA. The PBA has also entertained talks of holding some games in the new facility. And there are also talks of bringing preseason NBA games to the MOA.

And how about this: the MOA is the closest facility to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, making it easier to hold concerts for international acts due to its close proximity. 

The Mall of Asia Arena is a few walks away from the SM Mall of Asia, and a few minutes' drive from the Bonifacio Global City, Alabang, Makati and Ortigas Central Business Districts.  So if you're a dude from the south, now you will never worry about fuel consumption.

The Smart Araneta Coliseum is arguably one of the most famous facilities in the Philippines. But its reputation as a concerts, sports and events hub may soon be overshadowed by a state-of-the-art arena at the Bay. Sadly, in a few years, we may see the last of the Big Dome, unless drastic changes occur to make it appealing to a younger audience.

The Truth Behind Pro Sports in North Carolina

North Carolina is the undisputed hotbed of college sports, with successful programs of Wake Forest, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and NC State dominating the landscape. In the last 20 years, professional sports tried to make its mark in the Tar Heel State, but has had limited success over the years.

Fortunately, no Major League Baseball team has ever expanded to North Carolina, to this point.

The starting five of the final Hornets team
in Charlotte.

The National Basketball Association first made its mark in the state by bringing the Hornets to Charlotte. Capitalizing on the popularity of college hoops, the Hornets debuted in the NBA in 1988 to high fanfare. They dominated league attendance during their early years, and it reached its peak during the mid-90s, when players such as Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues and Glen Rice proudly wore the pinstriped teals. However, owner George Shinn's sexual abuse scandal and a failed new arena deal resulted in a sharp decline in attendance, and in 2002, Shinn moved the Hornets to New Orleans. The NBA then promised a new team in the city.

While the Hornets were at their peak of popularity in Charlotte, the National Football League's Carolina Panthers debuted in the 1995 season. In just their second season, they made it to the playoffs, and in their ninth, made it to Super Bowl XXXVIII, losing to the New England Patriots. In recent years, however, the Panthers faded into prominence, bottoming out in 2010 with a 2-14 mark. In the 2011 NFL draft, they added quarterback Cam Newton, and rebounded somewhat from last year's dismal performance. Unlike the Hornets, the Panthers have been consistently popular in Charlotte, averaging around 72,000 fans at the Bank of America Stadium. However, on the field, they haven't been able to consistently put together a consistent culture of winning.

The Carolina Hurricanes moved from Hartford, Connecticut (as the Whalers) to North Carolina in 1997. The Hurricanes have enjoyed decent success since the relocation, earning two trips to the Stanley Cup Finals and winning it all in 2006. However, the Hurricanes also had its fair share of frustrations, such as being one of only a few teams to miss the playoffs a year after winning the Stanley Cup. Attendance is normally below average when they're enjoying a losing season, but above when they're having a winning campaign and a playoff appearance. The Hurricanes missed the playoffs in 2012, but there are positives on the horizon.

Finally there were the Charlotte Bobcats. Debuting in 2004, the Bobcats haven't been able to draw crowds like the Hornets did in their heyday, and even on the court they haven't been consistent either. They made the playoffs in 2010, upon Michael Jordan's purchase of the team, but things went downhill since, posting the NBA's worst record this year. The Bobcats are currently one of the NBA's most undervalued teams, and coupled with low attendance figures and underachieving teams, it is possible that Charlotte may lose its NBA team again.

If you're from North Carolina, you may as well cheer for either the Tar Heels or the Blue Devils rather than the Bobcats, the Panthers or the Hurricanes. College sports will remain a hit in the Carolinas, but not in professional sports. 

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

Here we go again. 16 teams, 16 victories to capture Lord Stanley's Cup. The Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us. 

Before the opening faceoff gets underway, we preview the eight first-round matchups, each with a story to tell.

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

(1) New York Rangers vs. (8) Ottawa Senators

Regular Season: Ottawa won 3-1

The Senators slipped to No. 8 on the final day of the regular season, which was a blessing in disguise considering they were 1-5 against their supposed playoff opponents from Boston. Now they figure in a favorable playoff matchup against the Rangers, whom they defeated three of four times. But this is the playoffs, and the Rangers know all too well that it's a different puck game. 

The Senators thrive on offense and speed, while the Rangers play well with a gritty, physical defense. The Senators have their major offensive weapons in Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Erik Karlsson. While the Rangers have Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik and Carl Hagelin leading the forward lines, it is their No.1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist who leads the defense corps. This year, however, Lundqvist has his best offensive cast in his NHL career, a deficient end during his previous four playoff trips. Meanwhile, the Senators need to address their goaltending, which was shuffled between Craig Anderson, Alex Auld and Ben Bishop, neither of whom have the numbers worthy of No. 1 status. In the regular season, the Senators took advantage of Ranger miscues en route to a 3-1 season series win. However, can they pull off the upset, or can the Rangers unleash their dominant form in the best time of the year?

(2) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Washington Capitals

Regular Season: Washington won 3-1

The Washington Capitals clinched a playoff berth on the penultimate game against Florida, and then defeated the Rangers on the final day to take the seventh seed, ensuring a playoff matchup with the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins. The Capitals have a history of regular season success followed by playoff failures. This year, however, the Capitals are the underdogs, and can they relish it? And can Boston finally dominate after spending last season's run playing from behind?

It's Alex Ovechkin against the Bruins. After all, Ovi is the main attraction and the Capitals' anchor. However, he had a poor regular season, and as a result, the Capitals struggled.  Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom won't be 100% entering the playoffs. The goalie situation will also be an issue for Dale Hunter, as both Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth were both hurt and Braden Holtby is unproven. Meanwhile, the Bruins overcame a rough October, then lackluster play throughout February and March to post another division title and the second seed, and they rely more than just one moving piece. From Tyler Seguin to Patrice Bergeron to Brad Marchand to David Krejci, the Bruins have virtually everyone contributing. And Tim Thomas continues to be a human brick wall behind the pipes. Their big concern is Nathan Horton and Adam McQuaid's health, while Tuukka Rask is getting closer to returning from a groin injury. However, the Capitals won three of four from Boston this year despite odds thrown against them. It'll be a clash between Boston's experience against Washington's determination as they face off in the playoffs.

(3) Florida Panthers vs. (6) New Jersey Devils

Regular Season: Series tied 2-2

Old faces meet again. Peter DeBoer took over the Devils after being fired by the Panthers at the end of the 2011 season. John Madden won two Stanley Cups with the Devils, and Scott Clemmensen was Martin Brodeur's backup for several years. And the Panthers' last appearance in the playoffs was bittersweet, getting swept by Brodeur and the Devils en route to their 2000 Stanley Cup title. Now the Panthers are back in the playoffs after 12 years, but can they write a different script this time?

The Panthers are led by Tomas Fleischmann, Stephen Weiss and Kris Versteeg, their three top scorers. The midseason addition of Mikael Samuelsson gave them an additional scoring threat, while Sean Bergenheim, who flourished in last season's playoffs with Tampa Bay, will be relied upon as an insurance policy in case any of his teammates struggled. Both Clemmensen and Jose Theodore played decently behind the net, but they'll face a proven playoff performer in Brodeur, who at 39 may just about to write a final chapter in his NHL career. Among the skaters for the Devils, Ilya Kovalchuk will be the one to watch for, as he looks to rebound from his poor playoff debut in 2007. The Devils will also be led by Patrik Elias, Zach Parise, David Clarkson, Adam Henrique, Dainius Zubrus, and Petr Sykora. The Panthers have the youth, but the Devils have playoff wisdom, and a possible playoff repeat.

(4) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins

Regular Season: Philadelphia won 4-2

Scott Hartnell described this series as a 'bloodbath', and six games of the 2011-12 season wasn't enough. So here they go again, the Battle of Pennsylvania begins anew in a bigger stage that is the Stanley Cup playoffs. There will be bodies flying, coaches trash-talking, and even intense jarring from both fans. Indeed the Flyers and Penguins hate each other. 

Making it more intense are two Flyers who won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins: Max Talbot and Jaromir Jagr. Jagr will undoubtedly receive the most ire from Penguins fans, after spurning them for the Flyers in the offseason. Despite his age, he can still score with the best of them, flourishing alongside Hartnell and Claude Giroux in the Flyers' top line. The Penguins will counter with Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Pascal Dupuis and Evgeni Malkin. Marc-Andre Fleury has been stellar on goal for Pittsburgh, while Philly's Ilya Bryzgalov overcame a slow start to post stellar numbers in March. Both teams seem to be even on paper, which makes for an exciting and brutal series between the two teams.

Western Conference Quarterfinals

(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

Regular Season: Series tied 2-2

Like the Rangers-Senators series, the Canucks-Kings series will feature a contrast of styles. The difference, however, is that top-seeded Vancouver can score goals in bunches, while Los Angeles relies on a defense-first mentality to win games, anchored by goalie Jonathan Quick.  Vancouver is off to yet another President's Trophy-winning season, but can they write a joyful playoff ending?

With Daniel Sedin still recovering from Duncan Keith's sucker-punch, twin brother Henrik will have to be relied upon to score, a role Daniel usually fulfills. Aside from the Sedins, Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows will be the primary goal-scorers for the Canucks. The only issue will be goaltending, as coach Alain Vigneault is still undecided on whether he would start breakout star Cory Schneider or veteran Roberto Luongo, who faltered down the stretch in last year's playoffs. Aside from Quick's stellar play on goal, the offense for the Kings remains its biggest concern, despite the addition of Mike Richards. His former Flyers teammate Jeff Carter has yet to make an impact, after missing the latter part of the season with an injury. Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Justin Williams remain the leading goal-scorers for the Kings, but if they failed to score regularly against either Luongo or Schneider, whoever will be the main starter, then it will be another 'Quick' exit for the Kings.

(2) St. Louis Blues vs. (7) San Jose Sharks

Regular Season: St. Louis won 4-0

Once again, good job Ken Hitchcock, turning a sad-sack team to a playoff contender, with a seemingly unstoppable goalie duo and a suffocating defense that throw opponents off their games. The St. Louis Blues are now an NHL power, enjoying their best season in over a decade. Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks underachieved, and even though they made the playoffs in the penultimate playdate, they knew it was a disappointing season for them. However, they have a chance to redeem themselves in the playoffs, against a Blues team that is still green.

The Blues' Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak will anchor the Blues' defense, which led the NHL in GAA. Elliott did his Tim Thomas impression in breaking his single-season save percentage record with .940. On offense, it'll be David Backes, Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk and T.J. Oshie leading the way. However, the Sharks' advantage will be experience, as the main line of Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have had tremendous playoff experience. Another major weapon for the Sharks is Logan Couture, who made the 2011-12 season his breakout party. And Antti Niemi is a playoff warrior, having played in more playoff games than Elliott and Halak combined. The Sharks are a battle-tested unit, but can they overcome the odds against St. Louis's goaltending duo?

(3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (6) Chicago Blackhawks

Season Series: Phoenix won 3-1

The Phoenix Coyotes won the Pacific Division title on the final day of the season, thus making the playoffs as the third seed. Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks overcame a tough February to finish sixth. The Coyotes are in the best position to make it to the second round, and they look at Chicago as a springboard to their breakthrough season.

Indeed, the Coyotes gambled on Mike Smith to replace the ineffective Ilya Bryzgalov, and he has been stellar. Smith finished at the top 10 in GAA, and rose to become one of the NHL's best goalies. The Coyotes only hope that Smith won't wilt like Bryzgalov did the past two trips. The aging duo of Ray Whitney and Shane Doan will again lead the Coyotes offense, and providing much-needed support will be Radim Vrbata, Raffi Torres, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Lauri Korpikoski. Chicago's main issues will be the health of Jonathan Toews, who missed the final two months of the season due to a concussion, as well as their inconsistent goalie duo of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery, who has shown Jekyll and Hyde tendencies. The Blackhawks will rely on their high-scoring forwards Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Viktor Stalberg, Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa, as well as veteran defenseman Johnny Oduya. All eyes will be on the Coyotes as they look to win a playoff series for the first time since moving to Phoenix in 1996. 

(4) Nashville Predators vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Regular Season: Series tied 3-3

For the first time ever, the Nashville Predators finished ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in the Central Division. More importantly, they earned the home-ice advantage for this series. The Predators are still learning, but they are maturing. Now what to do for an encore after winning a playoff series last year, a franchise first?

The Predators have leaned upon their main guns David Legwand, Martin Erat, Shea Weber, Mike Fisher, Patric Hornqvist and Sergei Kostitsyn, but the addition of Sergei's brother Andrei and the return of Alexander Radulov from the KHL proved to be crucial as the Predators locked up the fourth seed. Pekka Rinne has become a reliable force behind the pipes, and he proved that after signing the largest contract in the team's history by winning 43 games. The Red Wings are showing their age, however, and despite the NHL's longest home winning streak of 23 games, their below average road play will be tested in the early going. The aging core of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom will again be the key for the Red Wings, while Jimmy Howard will be relied upon behind the pipes. If the top line failed, backup skaters Johan Franzen, Valeri Filppula, Niklas Kronwall, Jiri Hudler and Todd Bertuzzi will be leaned upon for added scoring. The Predators have never beaten the Red Wings in a playoff series, so will this year be a breakthrough for Barry Trotz's troops?

MLB Opening Day

It's that time of the year again. Major League Baseball opens another new season full of drama, tension, excitement and pure adrenaline. This season looks to be as exciting as ever, as well-renowned free agents change teams, a team was renamed, new managers were hired, and highly touted rookies look to make an immediate impact.

Perhaps the pressure is on the St. Louis Cardinals to defend their World Series title. However, their title defense won't involve Albert Pujols and Tony La Russa, as Pujols moved to the Los Angeles Angels, while La Russa retired. After losing two straight World Series, the Texas Rangers now look to make it three in a row and hope to go all the way, as they added young Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish to fill CJ Wilson's void. Their road to the AL West title won't be easy, as the Angels acquired Pujols and Wilson in a serious bid to reclaim the division.

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, teams whose impressive regular seasons went for naught in the post-season, now try to maintain their stranglehold in the NL and AL East respectively, even as the Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have reloaded in hopes of toppling the Phillies and Yankees. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox are seeking redemption after blowing post-season aspirations on the last day of 2011. 

Prince Fielder takes his big bat to Comerica Park in hopes of leading the Detroit Tigers to another AL Central title. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers look to defend their NL Central title with Ryan Braun now the lead offensive star. However, the Cincinnati Reds pose a big challenge with Joey Votto on board. Chicago's Cubs and White Sox usher in a new era with Dale Sveum and Robin Ventura taking over the dugout. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles search for answers in ending their lengthy postseason droughts. And there's no way to go but up for rebuilding teams in Kansas City, Houston, Seattle, Oakland and Cleveland.

In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best pitcher in the NL in Clayton Kershaw, and the prolific star hitter Matt Kemp, but is it enough to claim the NL West title? The Arizona Diamondbacks overachieved last season, now what to do for an encore? The San Francisco Giants look poised to return to the postseason and reclaim the World Series title with strong pitching from Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, but will the offense deliver? Is the Colorado Rockies' duo of Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki enough to tow them to the postseason? And what role will the San Diego Padres play in the season, spoiler or contender?

The first pitch gets underway tonight as the defending World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals visit Marlins Park and the Miami Marlins at 7:10 EDT.

Meanwhile, PopCornTure will take a brief break in observance of Holy Week. We'll return on Easter Sunday as we wrap up the NHL season and begin the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Brawl to End It All (Or Sort Of)

The battle lines were indeed drawn in the state of Pennsylvania. At the conclusion of the NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, held at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center, a heated exchange between Flyers coach Peter Laviolette and Penguins assistant Tony Granato, standing in for head coach Dan Bylsma, highlighted the end-game war. 


Though the Flyers won 6-4, the intensity of this possible first-round series even got to a head. First it was Joe Vitale leveling Danny Briere, which led to a bench-clearing brawl. Then at the bench area separated by two layers of Plexiglas and NBC commentator Pierre McGuire, Laviolette and Granato began shouting at each other, with Laviolette going as far as demanding a piece of Bylsma in the exchange. At the Flyers bench, a Hulk Hogan look-alike even taunted Scott Hartnell. Finally, Brayden Schenn cross-checked Sidney Crosby, concluding a wild and frantic final minute.

The Flyers have so far dominated the Penguins all season, leading in the season series 4-1, in large part to two ex-Penguins, both of whom were Stanley Cup winners: Max Talbot (2009) and Jaromir Jagr (1991, 1992). That experience factor helped the Flyers remain in contention, even as their wild mood swings endured during some stretches. As for the Penguins, a dominant March pulled them into contention, but will it be enough to at least claim fourth place and home ice?


The game on April 1 was only the beginning of an even more intense war between two teams with proud traditions. The two teams meet again in Pittsburgh on April 7, the final day of the season, but for many, the playoffs between the two have already begun.