Anything of note happening tonight in the sports world?  Oh yeah, that "Stanley Cup" thing comes to a conclusion.  Game 7, as you all know, goes in Vancouver tonight with word the city is shutting down booze stores at 4pm to try to keep things under control.  Yeah, closed doors will really slow down rioting crowds. I've barely hidden my disdain for the Canucks whining, diving and theatrics over the course of the playoffs, so it shouldn't be a big surprise I not only think Boston will win but am actually pulling for them, which is a surprise given my Boston hate, largely focused on the Red Sox.  In big games, I look to the team with experience, which Boston has more of in Mark Recchi alone than Vancouver combined.  I look to which team plays smarter, which is a huge edge to Boston with the likes of Raffi Torres and Alex Burrows on the other side.  I look to the team that is coming in more loose, and the thought of Roberto Luongo with a proverbial noose around his neck right now doesn't inspire confidence, regardless of how well he's performed over the playoffs at home (exclusively).  And if you're looking for the team with momentum, it has to be the Bruins who have been in every single game in Vancouver.  Can the Canucks win a fourth at home?  Sure.  But there isn't a line anywhere that I wouldn't bet on Boston tonight.  I'm saying Bruins win it 4-1.

Canuck Daniel Sedin is guaranteeing a Canucks Game 7 win.  Given how he's performed of late, that's just another reason to hurt your man with a Boston wager.  Have the Canucks not learned yet that chirping Boston hasn't exactly panned out for them?

The Cleveland Indians were 30-15 a mere 22 days ago. Since then they've been shut out more times (6) than they've won (5).  Ouch.

Yahoo! Sports columnist @DanWetzel tweets: "Source w knowledge of NFL negotiations: by Friday could be "substantial framework if not a complete plan" to bring back to owners/players." In other signs of progress, have you noticed of late the rhetoric has quieted down substantially from both sides?  This thing gets done with no season lost, as I've mentioned repeatedly for over the last year.

Mark Cuban is taking the NBA trophy everywhere since they've won it.  I'm sure NBA Commish David Stern will be thrilled that this one has leaked (heyooo!) out.

A little disappointed that the Toronto Blue Jays have sent Kyle Drabek down to the minors.  I was really enjoying his walk-infested, guaranteed-over-the-posted-total starts.

Shaquille O'Neal has often spoke over the years about a post-NBA career in law enforcement.  Not sure how allegations of a kidnapping to get a sex tape - starring him - returned will play with that.  He's not charged or alleged to be involved, but who steals sex tapes of other people back?

Haven't touched on baseball's realignment plans.  If you've not heard, they're finally considering balancing off the leagues at 15 squads a piece with talk of Houston or Florida making the move to the AL.  There's also talk that this may lead to removing the divisions - yes, please! - and see the top five teams qualify in a far more balanced format.  If you're the Toronto Blue Jays, from a business perspective, you'll miss roughly a quarter of your home schedule being dates with the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, but, am guessing you'll like having a far more open route to the playoffs and playing meaningful games - in theory - longer into the year.  Feasibly, you could see 3 or 4 teams from the traditional division make it.  I love it.  Not sure how they address interleague in that if a balanced schedule is the goal - and it should be - but have even seen some suggestion from the Keith Law's of the world that there is a chance, small albeit, that the NL even goes to a DH, which I personally would prefer. Ken Rosenthal's take suggests moving the Boston Red Sox to the AL Central helps as well, if they stay in divisions.  Not sure how a city on the coast suddenly becomes in the middle, but that's just from a guy who doesn't like the geographical bent without fully going on geography. Here's my take: 15 teams in each, no divisions with balanced schedules, no interleague if you can't balance the schedule, ditch the DH.  If you are to keep interleague, I suggest a rotation of three teams faced by each, home and away, and you keep changing opponents each year.  Lose this fabricated "local rivalry" nonsense that exists only for a handful of teams.  Thoughts?

I'm no fan of the whole "lime in beer" concept, but this ad featuring UFC octagon girl Arianny Celeste sure is damn good.


Turns out LeBron James has made another "The Decision".  I still can't see him winning on his new team.  Enjoy.