by Tom Weppel
Random thoughts from a cluttered mind...
This holiday weekend, there are two events, both in auto racing, that are tied directly with Memorial Day weekend. In Indianapolis, they will run the Indy 500. This is a race we are all familiar with in oh so many ways. However, in the last decade or so, the Indy race has totally lost its luster. Because of the differing factions of drivers, owners, and others that are in charge, open-wheel racing has gone substantially downhill, all to the benefit of NASCAR, which in turn has simply exploded and flourished.
Now, with the reunification of all the major players, for all intents, we shall see what the circuit can do as it tries to re-establish itself. The one place to start would be in Indianapolis.
I think it’s fair to say the most popular driver in this race is Danica Patrick. She won a race in Japan a month or so ago. She has personality and attractiveness. She has skill. And so it will be very interesting to see if what she can do with her racing team this Sunday. If she were to win, it would bring a lot of attention to this circuit, for sure. I honestly believe a lot of fans are pulling for her to win the race. And so we’ll see how things turn out…
Meanwhile, in Charlotte, NASCAR will run the 600 miler. To me, this is WAY too long of a race! It’s gotten to be ridiculous, in all honesty. Every NASRCAR race is won within the last few laps. The first 450 miles of a 500-miler are a boring waste of time. Its lame entertainment, unless maybe you are there and have a chance to take in all the sights and sounds.
We haven’t seen Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, or Dale Earnhardt, Jr. winning races lately, and I think that has taken a little luster away from the Series. One of those guys needs to come out and win this one, to give us a little push into getting back into things, especially when we’ve got 600 miles to follow…
We are now down to our final four teams left to compete for the NBA Championship. The Celtics and Pistons are dueling in the East. Boston has taken heat for not winning on the road. In particular, Ray Allen hasn’t shown up like we are used to seeing him play. He has been a key for the Celtics this season. We need to see more out of Ray Allen in this series for the Celtics to prevail against a very solid, veteran squad in the Detroit Pistons.
Out West, the Lakers are well-rested and ready to go against a Spurs team that got worn down against the Hornets, before pulling out a Game 7 win. I have a sneaky feeling the Lakers are gonna run roughshod over San Antonio. It could also be a great series. The Spurs have not gotten the respect past champions usually receive, and it’s a shame.
A lot of NBA fans are hoping for a Boston/Lakers Final. We’ll see how things shake out.
While there are four teams left in the NBA, there are only TWO left in the NHL. The Stanley Cup Final will pit the Detroit Red Wings against the Pittsburgh Penguins, in what should be a very entertaining series.
Pittsburgh comes into this series having only lost one game so far in the postseason. They have played great hockey in winning these three series. Sidney Crosby has been the leader, but he has gotten great support from his mates. Evgeni Malkin has made key plays. Ryan Malone and Petr Sykora have done a great job on the wings. Segei Gonchar and Hal Gill have been strong in their defense work. And of course, Marc-Andre Fleury has done fabulous goaltending. But the Pens have not played a team so far in these playoffs like Detroit. The Red Wings are loaded with talent, experience, and skill. Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper have been the leaders at the Center position. They are great in their play. Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom are crafty wingers. Chris Osgood has been outstanding between the pipes.
And so, sit back and watch this Stanley Cup Finals series…it’s gonna be a fantastic series.
Tom Weppel talks trash with Greg Larson, Lonnie Marts, Eugene Chung, Artis Gilmore, and Ron Duguay on SportsAvengers.com 24/7.
Article Published in the May 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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