The NFL Loses To A Tree!!!! (DRIVES with DAVE Podcast #19)

So, the NFL decided it needed to own every day of the week.

Hi Wednesday!!

BUT, that didn’t stop the NFL from taking a MAJOR LOSS!!!!

I wonder how it feels to get bumped by a tree?!?!

Enjoy today’s episode to find out.

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I’m Sure You Won’t Regret This For The Rest Of Your Life….

How did you sleep last night??

I bet you slept better than James Neal.

“You Gotta Dunk That S***!!”

Neal, who plays left wing for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, missed what can only be categorized as THE MOST WIDE-OPEN SHOT IN THE HISTORY OF THE NHL Monday night. The Golden Knights were in the nation’s capital, looking to even up the Stanley Cup Finals at two games a piece. And with 15:31 to play in the 1st period, Neal had a chance to set the tone.

Instead, he did this:

Neal has scored 294 goals in his career, none would have been easier than this. To think he’s not replaying this opportunity in his head over and over and over again is naïve. If the Golden Knights fail to come back from a 3-1 series deficit, Neal will likely join Terry Rozier in that dark video room (accompanied by scotch of course).

If I could say just one thing to Neal….

dunk that

The rest, as they say, is history. The Washington Capitals would score three 1st period goals en route to a 6-2 whoopin’ of the Golden Knights. Evgeny Kuznetsov finished with four assists, becoming just the 4th player to have four assists in a single Stanley Cup Finals game.

The Golden Knights will try to continue their Cinderella story with a victory in game 5, in Las Vegas, Thursday @ 8:00 P.M. EST. You can catch all the action on NBC.

“The Catch”

The_Catch,_Dwight_Clark,_S_F,_Ca__1981

Dwight Clark, former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, passed away Monday at the age of 61. Clark who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015, died in his Montana home surrounded by loved ones according to his wife, Kelly Clark.

Clark is best known for “The Catch”, one of the most memorable plays in NFL history. “The Catch” led the 49ers past the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFC Championship Game (01/10/1982). This sparked the 49ers’ dynasty in the 80s, as they won four Super Bowls in nine years.

The 49ers held “Dwight Clark Day” last season at an October 22nd game against the Dallas Cowboys. This would be his final appearance in front of a stadium filled with 49ers’ fans. Clark addressed the crowd, ownership, his family and more than 40 teammates from a Levi’s Stadium suite. That day, he said he simply wanted one more chance to be around the team he loved.

Giancarlo Stanton Vs. Mike Fiers

mike fiers

New York Yankees’ slugger, Giancarlo Stanton, doesn’t like Mike Fiers. Fiers nearly ended his career in 2014….

And Monday, in the 2nd game of a doubleheader, Fiers plunked Stanton again….

Stanton wasn’t overjoyed. Not even a quarter of his way to 1st base, Stanton had a few choice words for Fiers. Benches half-cleared, but nothing real happened. And in the top of the 6th inning, Stanton hit an ABSOLUTE BOMB off Fiers, to the tune of 456 feet. Some, would call it revenge. Stanton took it a step further with an epic bat-flip, and an extra special “point” in Fiers’ direction as he crossed home plate. I’m a Yankee fan through and through, but this was a pretty sad display of machismo by Mr. Stanton.

 

Can the Las Vegas Golden Knights make a comeback?? Post your prediction in the comment section.

You can find me on the Radio as well. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’m on live, every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. Each show is also broadcast on Facebook Live via: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NOW GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

If 7 Isn’t Your Favorite Number….It Will Be!!

7.

It can mean so many things:

7 days of the week. Lucky 7. The 7 Dwarfs.

7

But when 7 and Game collide in the same sentence, the world is a better place.

Eastern Conference Finals (NHL style)

alex-ovechkin-052318-getty-ftrjpeg_7513g6pe4b50zgp6p6q1ian9

The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning spoiled us with a Game 7 Wednesday night. The winner, would face the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals. The loser, would get reacquainted with their couch.

It’s not often a game-winning goal is scored just 1:02 into a game. But Alex Ovechkin made sure of it. Check out his one-timed slap shot of beauty here:

Capitals’ goaltender, Braden Holtby, stood on his head for the 2nd consecutive game, posting another shutout, 4-0 (29 saves). The Capitals are heading to their 1st Stanley Cup Finals in 20 years, shedding the “choke artists” label one win at a time. The general public is now guaranteed a brand spankin’ new Stanley Cup Champion, as the Golden Knights continue their historical inaugural season.

The puck drops on the Stanley Cup Finals Monday @ 8:00 P.M. EST on NBC.

Eastern Conference Finals (NBA style)

Celtics-Beat-Cavs-96-83-in-Game-5-Lead-East-Finals-3-2-696x521

Stop me if I sound like a broken record….

LeBron James’ teammates SUCK!!!!

Oh, okay, I’ll stop.

It’s literally LeBron against the Boston Celtics. Now staring a 3-2 deficit in the face, LeBron MUST reach into his bag of tricks and pull out something amazing — again. If LeBron wants to see a Game 7, he’ll need to add to his list of 40-point playoff games.

Now, it’s hard to feel TOO bad for him, as he requested this band of losers:

J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr., Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, and George Hill.

Outside of the occasional Kevin Love sighting, this is a REALLY BAD TEAM. Without LeBron, this is a 25-win team (at best).

The Celtics held serve (96-83), as both teams have done in this series, sending the series back to Cleveland. Last time I checked, you can’t win a basketball game with 83 points. Anyway, LeBron will do what he does, and will gift us another Game 7. And we all know what LeBron does in Game 7s….

 

Do you still have faith the Cleveland LeBrons will win this series?? If not, explain yourself!!

You can find me on the Radio as well. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’m on live, every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. Each show is also broadcast on Facebook Live via: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NOW GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

The NFL Schedule Release Is The MOST Exciting Day Of The Year!!

The NFL doesn’t understand the word off….sea….son.

Technically defined as the time period between the end of the Super Bowl and the start of training camp, NFL players, and hopefuls, aren’t exactly on vacation from February through July. The scheduling of the NFL’s offseason brings significant happenings virtually every month.

The 2017 NFL season officially came to a close when the clock struck 0:00, and the Philadelphia Eagles became Super Bowl champions. That was February 4th, 2018. Just 75 days ago. Since then, the following has happened:

nfl combine

February 27th (Combine)

March 14th (Free Agency)

April 19th (Schedule Release)

And the best, is yet to come:

April 26th (Draft)

Mid-July (Training Camp)

September 6th (Start of Season)

Thursday night at 8:00 P.M. EST, the full NFL schedule was released. That means it’s time for “geniuses” to predict team records. YAY!! Because that’s a rational thing to do before the draft and nearly 5 months prior to the start of the season….

The 2018 season will kick-off with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Atlanta Falcons (Thursday, September 6th @ 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC). Traditionally, the defending champions host the first game of every season.

Super Bowl LII - Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots

As for the local trainwrec….I mean local teams, the New York Jets and Giants will both be seeking bounce back campaigns in 2018-19:

New York Jets

Check out the Jets’ schedule here.

Their out-of-division schedule consists of the NFC North, AFC South, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns. Not the easiest schedule in the world, but their distance traveled will be in the bottom-five. That never hurts. The Jets kick things off, in Detroit, on Monday Night Football (September 10th).

Jets’ Record Prediction: Wait, you thought I was going to mock people for predicting team records in April….and then turn around and predict the Jets’ record?!

You’re silly.

Check back with DaveTalksSports.com for record predictions in August.

New York Giants

Check out the Giants’ schedule here.

Their out-of-division schedule consists of the AFC South as well, NFC South, San Francisco 49ers, and Chicago Bears.

My favorite part of the Giants’ offseason, so far, is Brandon Marshall being severely out of touch with reality. Marshall responded to Dez Bryant’s desire to play for the Giants following his release from the Dallas Cowboys by saying, “sorry baby bro, no room.” Marshall was promptly released from the Giants the next day.

HAHAHAHA!!!!

What a JACKWAGON!!

The NFL schedule release is yet another reason to get overly excited about football while it’s still months away.

 

Do you get excited about the NFL in April. Tell me in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

The Best Day Of The Year Is ALMOST Here!!

I feel like a little kid.

You remember that feeling….

Something special would come up, like your birthday, making those last 3 days impossible to sleep — or sit still. With just 3 days until Super Bowl LII, that feeling is coursing through my veins. Just in case you live under a boulder, kick-off is set for 6:30 P.M. EST on Sunday, February 4th, on NBC.

The Philadelphia Eagles, in search of their 1st Super Bowl victory, will look to tackle the Tom Brady led, New England Patriots. Some “experts” are hoppin’ on the Eagles’ bandwagon, touting their knowledge of the Eagles’ defensive game plan. They believe the Eagles will follow the only game plan known to man to stop, or slow, Tom Brady. Pressure up the middle. Early, and often.

The Eagles front-4 may get pressure on Tom Brady. Hell, they may even sack him 3 times. But they won’t be the over the edge the Eagles are looking for. Brady will still complete his 12-yard crossing patterns all night. And, he will drive the field when it matters most. And if all else fails, he can always rely on his safety blanket, Rob Gronkowski.

IMG_1437

“But Dave, Gronkowski is in the concussion protocol. What if he doesn’t play?!”

If you think there’s even a 1% chance Gronkowski isn’t playing in this game, I have a bag of garbage to sell you.  Yes, the Eagles possess a top-10 defense, but that’s because they ranked 1st overall in rushing yards allowed per game (79.2). Through the air, not so much. They finished the regular season ranked 17th against the pass (227.3 yards per game).  The ONLY WAY the Eagles win is if Nick Foles duplicates his performance from the NFC Championship (352 yards and 3 TDs). While the Patriots’ defense is nothing to bring home to mama, they’re not going to be systematically dismantled by Nick Foles.

Come Sunday night, if you’re still awake, you’ll have the displeasure of watching Tom Brady and Bill Belichick hoist the Lombardi Trophy — for the 6th time. Gross!!

For all my degenerate gamblers out there, the spread, which opened at 5.5, is now 4.5. The line has moved due a handful of grandiose, 7-figure bets placed in favor of the Eagles. The Patriots will win. I have little doubt in that. However, I don’t know if they’ll cover. IF I was a gambler….I’d bet the Patriots on the Money Line (-198). In layman’s terms, bet 300 bananas to win 151 bananas.

Score Prediction: Patriots 27, Eagles 24

 

Who wins Super Bowl LII?? Post your prediction in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

 

The NFL Playoffs Are Finally Here!!!!

kamara

After enduring 17 weeks of mediocrity, the real stuff is finally upon us. Saturday afternoon, the NFL Playoffs commence with Wild Card Weekend. Despite the large “spreads” in each of the 4 impending games, expect entertaining, competitive football. And if all 4 games turn into blowouts, it beats the hell out of shoveling snow….

Tennessee Titans (5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4) – 4:20 P.M. EST on ESPN 

The Kansas City Chiefs’ season started on as high of a note as possible. They beat up the defending Super Bowl Champion, New England Patriots (42-27), in Foxborough, sending a message to the rest of the league. They started the season 5-0, and climbed to the top of the NFL Power Rankings. And then, the wheels started to fall off. They lost 6 of their next 7, including a loss to my wretched New York Jets. And then, the Chiefs flipped another switch, winning their final 4 games. You figure it out….

All you need to know about the Tennessee Titans is Marcus Mariota threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (13) this season. Also, Demarco Murray has been ruled out for this game. While the Chiefs aren’t a blow-you-out kind of offense, this is the 1 game that may get out of hand this weekend.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Titans 20  

Atlanta Falcons (6) @ Los Angeles Rams (3) – 8:15 P.M. EST on NBC

If going out in -2° is your thing, enjoy!! For the rest of the normal people out there, Saturday Night Football will keep you warm. Expect a high scoring affair between the ‘new look’ Rams and the defending NFC Champion, Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have had a weird season. Some call it a Super Bowl Hangover. I call it regression to the mean. At no point throughout this season did I think the Falcons were a good team. Matt Ryan certainly didn’t play anywhere near his 2016 MVP level, and their backfield was littered with injuries all season.

We all saw what the Rams are capable of when they walloped the Seahawks 42-7 (Week 15). I don’t anticipate a whooping of those proportions, however, I do think they win handily. Todd Gurley will prove why he SHOULD be this season’s MVP.

Prediction: Rams 34, Falcons 27

To Sunday we go….

Buffalo Bills (6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (3) – 1:05 P.M. EST on CBS

The Buffalo Bills are hoping to continue their celebration from Week 17. After not having made the playoffs since 1999, advancing to the Divisional Round, aka the get routed by the Patriots round, would be the overachievement of the century. With Lesean McCoy’s health in question, I see little chance of that happening.

The only way the Bills win this game is if Blake Bortles throws 3 interceptions and Lesean McCoy hits 100 yards rushing. Yes, Bortles is a walking interception, but I think the combination of the Jaguars’ defense and Leonard Fournette will ultimately be too much for the Bills too handle.

Prediction: Jaguars 23, Bills 17  

Carolina Panthers (5) @ New Orleans Saints (4) – 4:40 P.M. EST on FOX

3rd time’s the charm?? The Carolina Panthers certainly hope so. The New Orleans Saints swept the season series with the Panthers. Yes, Cam Newton’s ceiling is WAY higher than most, but this isn’t his year. His own team traded away his top receiver (Kelvin Benjamin). Greg Olsen hasn’t been right all year. And their usually strong secondary, isn’t what it used to be.

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the Saints aren’t what they used to be either — in a good way. The Saints actually have a defense worth writing home about. I guess firing Rob Ryan was a good idea. WHO KNEW?! They have the best rushing attack in the NFL. And Drew Brees is still, well, Drew Brees.

Prediction: Saints 30, Panthers 24 

 

Who do you think will win this weekend?? Post your predictions in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

Hey..Psstt..I’ve Got A Great Business Idea For You….

craig-cartin

You are a bad guy!! No no, I’m not talking to you (the reader), I’m talking to Craig Carton. This, allegedly, is a really bad human being. Be careful everyone, I’m being very judgmental today.

Craig Carton

What a bleeping scumbag!! This guy was arrested by the FBI in a $5.6 million scam. Carton was duping investors in order to cover his gambling debts. Debts that had reportedly reached millions of dollars. Carton is ‘in the hole’ with 2 casinos as well as an unidentified individual. How the hell do you fall so far into debt?!?! Carton, along with Michael Wright, are formally being charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy. The maximum sentence is 45 years in prison. Have a nice time buddy!!

Here’s the deal: Carton set-up a fake, ticket-selling business. He lied and forged documents to dupe people into investing into his “business”. He forged signatures, posing as the concert vendors for stars like Adele, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry. His Ponzi-Scheme reached unbelievable heights, as billionaires Michael Dell and Paul Tudor Jones are on the Carton’s victims list. Carton was arrested early Wednesday morning at his Manhattan home. The real sad part in all of this, he has 4 children.

Roger Federer

On the lighter side of things, oh well, maybe not that much lighter. Roger Federer lost in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Wednesday night. As a big Federer fan, this disappoints me. I was looking forward to another edition of Federer vs. Nadal. Thanks a lot Juan Martin Del Potro!! You don’t have to believe me, but as much as I like Federer, I predicted this. Del Potro has simply been playing too well. Federer’s 41 unforced errors and 5 double faults probably had something to do with it as well. Now, Nadal’s path to a 3rd U.S. Open title (I predicted that as well) is as clear as it gets.

We have an All-American semifinal on the Women’s side:

Venus Williams vs. Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys vs. CoCo Vandeweghe (All are in action tonight)

Let’s Go Venus!!

NFL Kick-Off

And last, but certainly not least, the NFL. The 2017 season finally kicks-off tonight. The defending champion, New England Patriots play host to the Kansas City Chiefs. You can catch the action on NBC @ 8:30 P.M. EST (which really means 8:50 pm). I’m on my way couch!!

In New York news, the Jets will travel to Buffalo to get the ball rollin’ on their 0-16 campaign. And the Giants will take their talents to Dallas to battle the Cowboys (with Ezekiel Elliot) on Sunday night.

Due to Hurricane Irma, Week 1’s match-up between the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been postponed to Week 11 (both teams original Bye Weeks).

Stay Safe Everyone!!

 

What have you been watching in the world of sports this week?? Are you as excited as I am for the NFL Season?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

Crosby, Penguins Dominate Game 5

penguins

If you like blowouts, 2017 has you covered. The Stanley Cup Finals did their best NBA Finals impression Thursday night. Game 5 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators was for lack of a better word, not competitive. The Penguins took an early lead, scoring just 1 minute and 31 seconds into the game. They would not look back. They added 2 more goals in the 1st period, forcing Peter Laviolette, Nashville Predators coach, to pull his goalie. The Predators’ hero from Game 4, Pekka Rinne, would watch the rest of the action from the bench. Nashville’s backup goalie, Juuse Saros, didn’t fare much better, giving up 3 more goals in the 2nd period. The Predators would lose by the final score of 6-0. The Penguins now own a 3-2 lead in the series.

Thursday was an eventful evening for Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby. Crosby, regarded by many as the best player in the world, showcased his skills with 3 assists (he was the 1st star of the game). However, Crosby’s evening did not end there. With 1:32 left in the 1st period, Crosby thought it would be a good idea to slam P.K. Subban’s head into the ice..multiple times. Oh yeah, you heard that right. Now, before you watch the video, I’ll say it wasn’t as bad as it sounds, but he definitely deserved a more severe penalty than he received. Check out the head slamming here. I’m pretty sure you can’t do that. Both Subban and Crosby received 2-minute, minor penalties. Naturally, the Penguins scored while playing 4 on 4.

After watching the replay of Crosby’s head slam, I’m having a hard time understanding why Subban was assessed a penalty at all. And at the same time, I’m puzzled as to how Crosby wasn’t assessed a 5-minute, major penalty. Is it just me? Am I crazy?? It must be nice to be a superstar, because they seem to get away with murder (sometimes literally). Crosby’s shenanigans did not stop there. Allow me to break into an entire scene from Super Troopers:

But our shenanigans are cheeky and fun!

Yeah, and his shenanigans are cruel and tragic.

Which… makes them not really shenanigans at all.

Evil shenanigans!

I swear to God I’ll pistol whip the next guy who says “Shenanigans.”

Hey Farva what’s the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy sh*t on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?

You mean Shenanigans?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Love that movie. Anyway, with just over 12 minutes to play in the 2nd period, Crosby kept his shenanigans going from the bench. He launched his water bottle onto the ice in the middle of play. You can see the throw heard ’round the world here (the throw happens at 44 seconds in the video). Although Crosby claimed it was a complete accident, you can see the wind up and intentional throw very clearly. He was not assessed a penalty (no shocker there), and the Penguins subsequently went up 5-0. The water bottle did not interfere with the on ice action, but last time I checked you can’t do that either. It must be nice to be the king.

Crosby’s Penguins are now 1 win away from winning back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships. They will travel to Nashville to try and close out the series on the road. You can tune into the action on NBC on Sunday night @ 8:00 P.M. EST. I guess the NHL is sticking with giving teams 147 days off in between games.

Will the Penguins win the Stanley Cup on Sunday?? Or will the Predators continue their strong play at home and force a Game 7?? Give me your thoughts in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

 

Big Weekend In Sports

This was a big weekend in sports that just passed us by. I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend and their Father’s Day. If you spent some time on your couch with your television like I did, than you definitely enjoyed yourself. There were 3 major sporting events going on, and I’m going to give you a quick rundown of what took place in each one. First you had Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night. Then you had the finish of golf’s U.S Open Sunday Evening. And last but certainly not least you had Game 5 of the NBA Finals Sunday night. None were more exciting than the hockey game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins.

If you saw Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals than you already know how epically great that game was, and how competitive this series is going to be. Quickly for those who don’t know, the Blackhawks took Game 1 in triple overtime! It was a game for the ages and it set the table for game 2. How could Game 2 live up to the expectations that Game 1 laid on top of its napkin you ask? Well, they mustered up another exhilarating overtime thriller, that’s how. The Boston Bruins evened up the series at 1 game a piece by winning 2-1 over Chicago. Boston allowed a lonely goal in the 1st period and then tightened up the defense for the rest of the contest. You can catch what should be another exciting game on Monday night on NBC. The puck drops at 8:00 p.m. in Boston. Enjoy!!

Now, ever since Thursday morning’s rain delayed U.S. Open got started, everyone was wondering and waiting for Tiger to make his push towards his 15th major. The only problem was that the push never came. Tiger didn’t start out too badly but played progressively worse as the week went on. Tiger finished with a career worst 72-hole score of +13. I guess we’ll all have to wait for the British Open to see if Tiger can end his 5 year drought without a major victory. His last major came at the U.S. Open in 2008 after beating Rocco Mediate in a ’19’ hole playoff. While Woods struggled with Mr. 3 Wiggle all weekend, Justin Rose minimized his mistakes and gutted out his 1st major victory. He won by 2 strokes (+1) over 2nd place finishers Jason Day and Phil Mickelson (both were +3). This is Phil’s 6th 2nd place finish at U.S. Open. Man that’s gotta suck! Anyway, job well done Justin Rose, and better luck next time Phil.

Sunday night’s NBA Finals Game 5 was one that was certain to bring big drama. The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat have exchanged wins all series, but everyone was expecting the Heat to carry their momentum from game 4 into game 5 and finally put this series out of reach. Boy were they wrong. Despite another solid performance from Dwyane Wade, the Spurs were simply too good for Miami. They basically carried the lead from wire to wire and won the game by a score of 114-104. San Antonio’s ‘Big 3’ hopped in their time machine and pulled a performance somewhere out of 2003. They scored a combined 67 points while arguably the Finals MVP at the moment, Danny Green, added 24 points of his own. Green hit another 6 3-pointers and surpassed Ray Allen as the all-time leader for 3-pointers in an NBA Finals. Manu Ginobili was inserted into the starting lineup and hit the Spurs first shot. He was off and running from there and never looked back. While the Spurs seemingly couldn’t miss, Lebron James went ice cold in the 2nd half. For the game he went a putrid 8-22 from the field, and will need to play a whole lot better if they plan on raising any more banners in Miami this year. You got what you asked for Lebron. Now all you have to do is execute. Good luck buddy, you’re going to need it.

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!