Wings/Stars Highlights from Game 1, 5/8/08

Highlights from the Dallas Stars vs. Detroit Red Wings in game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Stars came out flat and the Red Wings looked like they didn't miss a beat since sweeping the Avalanche last week.

Red Wings @ Avalanche, Game 4

Highlights from the Game 4 dismantling of the Colorado Avalanche by the Detroit Red Wings. The Avalanche were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Detroit Red Wings advance to the Western Conference finals. Enjoy!

Oh, and just in case you missed the incredible goal by Henrik Zetterberg, here it is again:

Fantasy Baseball

My fantasy baseball team is mired in third place in a ten team league. Not that I am complaining too much. Last year I had a hard time getting and staying above 7th. I must've learned a little bit. My goal for this year was to not finish last. So far so good. I try not to look at my team's performance too often. Things have a way of evening out as the season progresses.

Why do I enjoy fantasy baseball so much? Not sure. I've tried other fantasy sports and just don't enjoy them as much. Maybe it's because of the natural statistical order of baseball. Once the sample sizes are large enough, the stats become meaningful and performance can be predicted with some degree of accuracy. Other sports aren't like that. In baseball if a career .250 hitter suddenly starts mashing at .450 for a few weeks I know not to get too excited because there is a cold period coming up where that player will regress back to their mean. Similarly if a career .300 hitter starts scuffling at .175 I know to just let it ride and he'll come back. It might also be the individual nature of the battle between the hitter and the pitcher. Other sports depend far more on team effort for individual success. In baseball, no one is going to help Miguel Cabrera hit home runs other than Miguel himself. In hockey the most skilled player in the world will not shine without a good supporting cast around them.

I guess in the end I enjoy crunching the numbers of all of those baseball players and seeing if I can dig up a sleeper that will launch my team to the top.

Go Wings!

It's late April in Michigan so that means the Red Wings are rolling along in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Just started the Western Conference semi-final round against the Colorado Avalanche with a win. Woot! There were a few flashes of the new rivalry that is shaping up shown in the game last night. A few little scrums, some pushing and shoving, and some big open ice hits. I can't wait for game 2. These two teams were making the NHL must-see television in the US before the lockout. They could easily reach that level of intensity again. Go Red Wings!

Get cookin' -- it's tax time

Get cookin' -- it's tax time

Tax day in the United States is coming up on April 15th. Hooray! Since I am a CPA, that means the end is in sight for me. I've almost survived another tax season. If you haven't thought about filing your tax returns for 2007 yet, now is the time to jump on that. Have a great day!

Scotty Bowman Answers Your Questions - Slap Shot - Hockey - Sports - New York Times Blog

Scotty Bowman Answers Your Questions - Slap Shot - Hockey - Sports - New York Times Blog

A great read for any hockey fan. Scotty Bowman is a living legend. Enjoy!

Scotty Bowman Answers Your Questions - Slap Shot - Hockey - Sports - New York Times Blog

Scotty Bowman Answers Your Questions - Slap Shot - Hockey - Sports - New York Times Blog

Get your questions in ASAP. I can't wait to see what Scotty has to say.