We can start with the upcoming US Open. Even with the unexpected cosmic accident that was Tiger Woods finishing twenty, yes 20, shots back of the Memorial Tournament Champion Matt Kuchar (-12), is there really any disputing that he is the favorite to win this major? Although Woods was a dismal +8 and Rory McIlroy, a still disappointing +6, how many golf analysts will ask the question, Tiger and Rory or the field? In my predicting major golf tournaments, despite the fact Tiger hasn't won a major since 2008, and ignoring his uncharacteristically poor play at the Memorial, I have always found it impossible to confidently pick against Tiger when he is in the field. With his regaining of the World Number 1 ranking, it may just be fate that Woods' major drought ends in the same tournament he won his last.
World Cup Qualifying for the US Men's National Team resumes on June 7th when they travel to Jamaica. A place where they lost their last bout 2-1 in Kingston. A tough place to play for sure. The rule of thumb for WCQ (World Cup Qualifying) is that a team should at least tie on the road and win at home. With the US having 2 of their next 3 games on the homeland, one would say that 2 wins and a draw (7 points) would be a success. But what people may not realize is that 3 days prior to the US playing in Kingston, Mexico travels to Jamaica which may give the US a slight fitness advantage over the Jamaicans. With this in mind the US has a very strong opportunity to snatch all 3 points with a victory come Friday.
The NBA playoffs have been exciting with no series more riveting than the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat. I will claim the fact I went on record by predicting Miami in 7. This series had blood boiling from the beginning. Both teams traded victories by both notching away victories. Then it came down to defending home court, which Indiana and Miami did as well. The Pacers are a match up nightmare for the Heat down low with Roy Hibbert and David West over powering anyone Miami puts down there. But the funny thing is, every one of the Pacer's wins was because they dominated inside. That shouldn't change as often as it did in these six games. Indiana simply chooses to create havoc in the paint on an every other game basis? No, Miami adjusted and had the one match up in their favor that mattered the most. And that sports fans, was LeBron James. For all his critics throughout his entire career, there is no way James was going to lose to the Pacers. He said it himself, he went back to his Cleveland days and dragged his teammates behind him in Game 5. He did a similar thing in Game 6 last year against the Celtic. The Pacers have no answer for LeBron and he knows that. James and the Heat will not bow out before making it to the Finals and I can't for the life of me see Miami losing two straight games.
Some unfortunate news coming out the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I shaved my beard. Not because my team (the Pittsburgh Penguins) was knocked off, but because my facial hair was so out of control, it was about to be named. And unless you are James Harden or Brian Wilson, beards must not be named. So I shaved it for the betterment of my face and overall appearance. This being said, if in this situation in future Stanley Cup playoffs, hockey fans learn this lesson, I will never touch my beard again. As soon as I shaved it, the Penguins lost 3-0 at home to the Boston Bruins. Not a coincidence. The superstition of the beard is real and not to be messed with. In the Western Conference, The Blackhawks took advantage of home ice by staking a 2-0 series lead over the Kings. In both games Chicago seemed just a wee bit too much offensively for Goaltender Jonathan Quick and the Kings defense. Quick was pulled during the 2nd period after giving up 4 goals in Game 2. Look to see if his confidence is wounded at all heading into Game 3.
Summer baseball is back, and due to the fact I live in St. Louis, its only natural to talk about the Cardinals who are leading the NL Central Division by 2.5 games over the Pirates and the Reds. Not only are they leading their division, the Cards also sport the best record in baseball at 37-19. Some surprises this season would be the fact that the laughing stock of the MLB in the Houston Astros has a chance to sweep the under performing LA Angels. Remember when they had Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton and Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo and Jered Weaver and C.J Wilson? They still do. If they were aspiring to the Philadelphia Eagles of baseball bringing in star player after star player and flopping, they would have succeeded and probably outdone the Eagles so far this season. I mean Texas and Oakland are running away with this division at the moment. According to ESPN.com they have a 7.7 percent chance of making the postseason. Clearly things need to change for this ball club and fast before they dig themselves a hole deep enough that they can't crawl out of.
So there is the summary of June and where we stand in the sporting world for this month. Hope you enjoy!
