NHL Top 10 Power Rankings

1. Red Wings- NHL's version of the Patriots?

2. Senators- Heatley+Alfredsson+Spezza=Magic.

3. Stars- "Hey y'all, let's play some puck!"

4. Flyers- If you buy them, wins will come.

5. Sharks- Here comes the Cheechoo train!

6. Penguins- They are 6 without Crosby... yikes! (3rd with him)

7. Devils- Still finding ways to win with no fans and new roster.

8. Wild- Representing Canasota very well.

9. Canadiens- Great PP means a lot of wins.

10. Flames- Iginla is a consistent leader for Calgary.

2008-2009 Outlook

Ouch... the Steelers enter the 2008-2009 campaign facing a brutal schedule, with not much sunshine in any week of the season. Here is a look at what they face:

Home Games:
Browns, Bengals, Ravens, Texans, Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, Giants

Away Games:
Browns, Bengals, Ravens, Jaguars, Titans, Patriots, Eagles, Redskins

No game in this lineup is a cupcake by any means. The Steelers face 8 playoff teams. They only face two teams that had a losing record (Ravens, Bengals) last season. Their opponents combined record is 131-77, which is just daunting. They go up against 3 of the 4 Conference Championship Round teams and both Superbowl teams. They have to go on the road against the only team that beat them at home last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now, I understand that all the NFL cares about is TV ratings, but when it was determined that the Steelers would have to play the 2 strongest divisions in the NFL, you would think that the two bonus games would be a little easier (maybe the Raiders or Chiefs). But no, they gave them an away game against the New England Patriots and a home game against the Chargers. With this schedule, i feel as if the Steelers will be an 9-7 team, which might be enough to actually win the division this year. The Browns, who will probably compete for the division with the Steelers, face much easier bonus games, with the Bills and Broncos on the schedule. It is important that the Steelers win all their games in the division, if they want any shot at winning the division title and making the playoffs again. But, every team has that shot (Giants) at winning it all, and hopefully we will se a familiar sight at the end of next season:

The Dream... Come True. 18-1*

In what looked to be one of the more boring Superbowl's in recent history, quickly turned into one of the most thrilling and amazing finishes to any NFL game. Eli Manning, took a 10 minute opening drive down the field, only to kick a FG. The Patriots would answer that score with a Lawrence Maroney touchdown from one yard out, making the score 7-3. The score would stay the same until the 4th Quarter, where the action picked up. Manning drove the Giants down the field, hitting David Tyree with the go-ahead TD, making the score 10-7. The Patriots, led by Tom Brady, would rush down the field and hit Randy Moss for the touchdown, making the game 14-10 Patriots. With a couple minutes left in the game Eli Manning started the biggest drive in Superbowl history. After a few nickle and dime plays to get the Giants near midfield, Eli Manning connected on an enormous pass to David Tyree, after sneaking away from the Patriots charging blitz. What is debatable is which part of the play was more impressive: Tyree's catch, which he out-jumped Rodney Harrison for, and pinned against his own helmet, keeping it from hitting the ground, OR Eli Manning's remarkable escape from certain doom to make a bullet pass to Tyree. After this play, Manning connected on a 3rd and 11 to pick up the first down. Then, with 39 seconds left on the clock, Manning hit Plaxico Burress on a fade route to put the Giants up 17-14. The Patriots would try 4 Hail Mary's (3 incompletions, 1 sack), all failures. Mannning took over with 0:01 left on the clock, nealt down and secured the Giants first Superbowl win in 21 years.

From a Steelers fan to the G-Men, I say congrats. We know what it's like to run the table on the road and come out victorious, so I salute you. I was rooting for you the entire time. Not because I necessarily wanted you to win, but because I didn't want the Patriots to win.

18-1*.

Stay tuned for some variation to new sports, as well as an early outlook on next football season.