Avs playoff push; too much pressure

It’s been an unexpectedly warm March on record for Denver, but on the ice it seems extra cold.

The Colorado Avalanche have lost 4 straight games, during the most inopportune time to go on a chilly streak. They’ve given away, surrendered, and just haven’t found a win to put the closing marks against teams that right there in the hunt with them.

The sharks (including San Jose) have now come and gone. And they have left the young, late-game resilient team to flounder around hoping for one last gasp.

With three games remain, two of which come at the Pepsi Center, the Avs sit just two points out of 7^th place. So they aren’t that far out of postseason play, and they have played as good as any team in the league during spurts this year, but it feels like they are a million miles away.

Every game is said be “the most important game of the year”, and then restated over and over again to no end.

You cannot expect a team to get-up for a game-7 type atmosphere night after night, and then say they have a do-over. (Even though us naïve sports fans would like to think they play with the same heart if Lord Stanley’s Cup were on the line.) It’s physically and mentally exhausting.

Colorado still has an opportunity to get 6 points and get into the mix. They will have to play better hockey to do so, and a little less pressure wouldn’t hurt.

Strong Brees

Drew Brees doesn't get cold feet. He doesn't get happy feet. But he has thrown for 16,428 feet this year (5476 yards), claiming the NFL record for yards through the air from a fish, Dan Marino.

The Purdue alumni has overcome long odds. In his case though, his odds have been often shorter than most. His 6 foot-even stature scared away numerous bidders, and a horrific shoulder injury could have shorten (pun inevitably intended, I apologize) his now illustrious NFL career.

So why, after silencing his critics, appeasing the people at Disney World, and muffing the deafening noise for his son after the biggest day in New Orleans history since the French sold off the territory in 1803, is Brees apparently afraid of the outdoors?

A balmy 24-degree day in Green Bay, Wisconsin isn't presumably the best football weather, but apparently the soft air in Lucus Oil Stadium, home of the dicrepid Indianapolis Colts, isn't either. Playing outside, for a bunch of grown men who earn their living that way week in and week out, especially for a team as good as the Saints, won't be the issue.

They may even hope to get the chance to go to the Frozen Tundra, the sweaters their grandmas knitted for them for Christmas are getting dusty.

The only team in the NFL that has done a good job of cooping up Brees is New Orleans themselves. Their stout offensive line has only given up 24 total sacks this season. They have surrounded #9, keeping him in the pocket safe and secure like a boys favorite toy.

What should scare the Saints is the vaunted Giants pass rush, not what kind of goose feathers their down coats will be filled with if they end up going to the Green Bay. A strong Brees is good in a wind tunnel, but won't be stopped if you let it out on the open plains of northern Wisconsin either.

Milwaukee Brewers; No Time For Sour Grapes

As August gets underway the darrrrrlings of the big leagues are the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are 54-54, which doesn’t seem all that good to most. But when you have 18 straight losing seasons and are .500 this late in the year it’s like winning the Indy 500 blindfolded on your step-moms Mo-Ped.

But the real team, the real team you should be paying attention to out of the NL Central aren’t the Bucos. The real team that is concocting, stirring and distilling a chance to go deep into October is the Brew Crew.

The Milwaukee Brewers are the real deal.

Ryan Braun is a fan favorite; he led the NL in All-Star votes…. The lean vegetarian Prince Fielder is hitting home runs into Canada… they signed Francisco ‘Blackjack’ Rodriguez… John Axford would look better with a leather vest than mit …. And Bob Uecker’s crazy antics in the booth.

The Brewers are playing good baseball. But they don’t necessarily have enough pitching to take on some other rotations when it matters most. Their roster is not stacked the way a Jimmy Kimmel prank is loaded. Their fan base isn’t so drastically hungry for a title it makes their Wisconsin cows dry.

And yet, this has all the makings for a perfect ‘Milwaukee’ story book ending. It’s just so crazy it could work.

Nugget Run

Scott Hasting, Kiki Vandeweghe and Adrain Dantley better bring their Icy/Hot Patches, and the sneakers to the arena and start scouting Kevin Durant’s every move.

The Nuggets have the toughest matchup of the first round of the NBA Playoffs in the Oklahoma City Thunder. And they’ll have to take the challenge on shorthanded. The injury list looks more like a Seattle weather-man’s prediction on rain for the week…Gallinari 85%, Mozgov 60%, Felton 90%, Afflalo 45%, Lawson 85%, Andersen 80% and NOW Nene 85%.

But even with a healthy lineup George Karl was going to install the Guarding-Kevin-Durant-By-Committee defense anyway. And that may not even work.

In the playoffs stars win games, stars win series and stars win championships. This isn’t baseball where momentum carries you over the top. On the hardwood you need that great player, now those great players (OKC, LA, Boston, Chicago), to hoist their team above the rest.

And let’s say the Nuggets somehow find their way moving onward. (NOT losing in 6 games to the Thunder) It could mean trouble for the rest of the West. The playoffs have as many days off in between game that even Ferris Bueller gets jealous, and that could be just what the doctor ordered.

So then the only thing really stopping the Nuggs from THE NBA FINALS is Los Angeles. But I’m liking our chances…. if it’ll rain, it’ll pour.