Previously:
* Pytel’s Picks: Round One
* Pytel’s Picks: Round Two
Round 3: The Conference Finals
First, here’s a brief recap of Round 2 where a lot of my predictions bit the dust:
The Western Conference was at one time referred to as the Campbell Conference, so I guess it’s fitting that neither San Jose’s Brian Campbell nor the Campbell Conference are still alive in the playoffs. The Dallas Stars shocked many observers by taking the first three games of their quarterfinal series against the San Jose Sharks, including winning the first two games in San Jose. They seemed to cruise through the series, although two games later they found their series lead had narrowed to 3-2, and it did take the Stars four overtimes to finish off the Sharks in Game 6, though the Stars dictated a lot of the play.

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Posted on May 8, 2008

By Jim Coffman

I knew I had definitely left the country when I turned on the TV and didn’t just find cricket, I found cricket in the sand. One of the British networks was televising some sort of special cricket exhibition on a beach somewhere. The bowlers were firing away at the wickets, the batters were swinging their cool flat bats and the hits were flying . . . until they plunked down unceremoniously in the sand. Guys trudged in, dug the balls out and then tossed them back to the middle of the field. I’ve seen soccer played on the beach, and touch football, and of course there is volleyball. But cricket?

Beachwood Baseball: The White Sox Report The Cub Factor

I actually attended the only college in America with an official cricket team. I have watched portions of games – it is just about impossible to watch an entire test (match) – they often lasted all weekend when I was at the ‘Ford in the 1980s. I even had a go at writing a story about cricket during my college newspaper days (also just about impossible if one hasn’t spent a lot of time learning the lingo). So I might have been the only expatriate sports fan in all of England willing to try and find something to appreciate in the midst of this undeniable sporting silliness.
Couldn’t do it. Then again everyone involved seemed to be having a grand old time and what’s the harm in that then?
The other sporting choice on television that night at a hotel on the outskirts of Heathrow was Everton versus Chelsea in Premier League soccer action. Everyone was very excited about the goings on out on the pitch and Chelsea even scored a goal (Hurrah!) before the intermission, but I couldn’t stay awake as the second half wore on. Must have been the jet lag.
My family wrapped up a long trip to Israel (with a brief stop in London) last week and while sports were entirely peripheral to the journey there were still plenty of, not “highlights” exactly but there were plenty of happenings and therefore plenty of observations.

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Posted on May 5, 2008

By Marty Gangler

Do we think Lou Piniella is stupid? Hey, he’s the one who asked. My answer: I’m not sure. You use your entire 40-man roster over the course of the season and ride the hot players when you can. So that seems pretty smart. But your closer is the third-best reliever on the team and you keep trotting out Alfonso Soriano when you should be trying to get rid of him. And those things aren’t too smart. So really, we don’t know if you are a grizzled veteran manager or a crazy old stupid coot. Personally, I think Uncle Lou isn’t stupid but he doesn’t seem to be giving his team the best chance to win.
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Week in Review: The Cubs lost two of three to both the Brewers and Cardinals, their closest rivals. That’s stupid.
Week in Preview: The Cubs go to Cincinnati to battle Dusty Baker and his flailing Reds for three games, and then come home to host the best team in the National League – the Diamondbacks – for three more. Another bad week and the Cubs will be heading for their stupidest May ever to follow their best April in franchise history.

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Posted on May 5, 2008

By Ricky O’Donnell

After starting out the season strong, the White Sox have now dropped eight of their last 11 games. This weekend was the low point of the young season, as the Sox lost three consecutive games in Toronto, and can be swept by the Blue Jays tonight.
So instead of focusing on the negatives, like the abysmal team batting or the abundance of solo home runs, let’s talk about something more enjoyable: my trip to Toronto a few years ago.
I went to see the Sox take on the Blue Jays in Toronto with a few friends in the Summer of 2006. The Sox ended up losing on a walk-off homer in extra innings by Shea Hillenbrand, but the beginning of the game was far more exciting than the end.
Four of us arrived at the Rogers Centre about an hour before game time. One of our friends, we’ll call him Anthony (since that’s his name), had to go back to our hotel room, so he was arriving at the game by himself.
Anthony shows up at the stadium about 15 minutes before the first pitch. He comes dressed in an American flag shirt, carrying a huge American flag on a staff, and holding two signs.

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Posted on May 5, 2008

By The Beachwood Tout Division

Our staff of derelicts and drunks brings you the odds and comments you need to make the Kentucky Derby pay off for you this weekend. Odds via the Daily Racing Form.
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Big Brown, 3-1: Don’t believe the hype. There’s no way a UPS truck can outclass a field like this.
Colonel John, 4-1: Too M*A*S*H-y.
Pyro, 6-1: Deep down we like this firestarter, but in the end too self-destructive.

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Posted on May 2, 2008

By Marty Gangler

If you read last week’s Cub Factor, you know my wife and I had a baby boy last week. Well, little Mitchell is home now and mom and dad aren’t getting a whole lot of sleep. Okay, the Cub Factor is getting pretty personal now, but I promise I won’t talk about my son every week. But I will again this week. I mean, give me a break. Anyone who’s had a child knows that the first few weeks are just plain nuts. And honestly, lack of sleep over a sustained period is a form of torture. Which was kind of like watching the Cubs lose their weekend series to the Washington Nationals. Just torture. Losing to the Nationals is like waking up every 45 minutes for 10 hours straight and then getting punched in the lower back. It’s super annoying and you are so sleep-deprived delirious that when you hear the wailing from the other room you wake up so fast you say things like, “Take a strike Felix!” and the game’s been over for hours.

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Posted on April 29, 2008

By Ricky O’Donnell

Through his first 24 games as a member of the White Sox, Orlando Cabrera has fit in perfectly in Chicago. Acquired for his gold-glove defense at shortstop and to bring speed and intelligence to the top of a powerful order, Cabrera has been as good as advertised so far. He’s struggled a tad at the plate, but boasts an OBP .100 points higher than his batting average, and his defense has been as stellar as ever.
Cabrera has also fit seamlessly into Ozzie Guillen’s heavily Latino clubhouse. But just this week, we found out that Cabrera also has a lot in common with some of Chicago’s other top athletes. Ladies and gentlemen, Orlando Cabrera likes to party.

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Posted on April 28, 2008

By Eric Pytel

Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoff kicks off tonight and there’s a little bit of everything mixed into the matchups. This time of year is usually all about grit and perseverance. Teams in short supply of both usually have difficulty surviving in the playoffs, but this is also the time of year when the best talent can shine on the biggest stage, and unknowns can go from anonymity to playoff stardom.
Let’s briefly recap the first round:
* Detroit changed goalies midway through the series and survived against the Nashville Predators in six games.
* San Jose fought off a serious challenge from the Calgary Flames, aided by the Game 7 heroics of ex-Blackhawk star Jeremy Roenick and his 4-point performance.
* Colorado won three games in overtime to advance past Minnesota in a series that went six games.
* Dallas is riding a high after knocking off the defending champion Ducks in six games.
* Montreal sent Boston packing after a 5-0 Game 7 trouncing of the Bruins.
* Pittsburgh made quick work and looked very impressive in a sweep of the Ottawa Senators.
* Philadelphia and Washington played a wonderfully entertaining series that saw Philadelphia win in overtime in Game 7 on the road.
* The New York Rangers defeated the rival New Jersey Devils in five games, including three on the road.
With only 8 teams remaining, each team probably feels it has a good shot at the Cup and the margin for error becomes a little bit narrower this time around. Let’s take a look.

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Posted on April 24, 2008

Today marks the one year anniversary of Bears fans collectively saying “We’ve one good offensive player away from the championship.” The Bears drafted such a player in the first round, and quickly received a beating from the NFL.
Perhaps the Bears need to change draft strategy. Perhaps the key is to draft from a different talent pool. Here are my recommendations:
Round One: Draft one of Todd Stroger’s many public relations representatives to help the Bears Front Office sell Bear fans on the idea that they are one player away from a championship.

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Posted on April 24, 2008

By The Beachwood Zogby Affairs Desk

“Chicago officials released results of a new poll by Zogby International indicating that 84% of those surveyed support the Chicago bid, up from 76% a year ago. Just 6% of residents surveyed in the metropolitan area oppose, and another 6% ‘strongly’ oppose.”
Working around the clock, Beachwood Labs has divined the poll’s methodology and questions:
* If you were given the choice between sex with the mayor and supporting the Chicago Olympics, would you support the Olympics?
* Are you under the age of 13? If so, stay on the line. If not, you are not eligible for this poll.
* Would you support the Chicago Olympics if it meant no more cougars would be killed?

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Posted on April 22, 2008