Weekly Blogger Debate – Answer Top 5 Sports Questions

Thanks to John, Nolan & Rob for joining the Blogger Debate!  Answer the questions below…

1.  Will both the Red Sox and Bobby Valentine move on to have success or will this damper their season?

NOLAN MUCCIARONE:

I’m all for the Boston Red Sox struggling for years and years. They’ll probably be fine.

ROB YUNICH:

As we’ve learned in the past, the Red Sox always seem to have controversy surrounding them. I don’t think any of these April shenanigans will be a huge factor, but they’ve still got to worry about their own pitching issues and of course the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays.

JOHN MANUEL:

Each passing day I more closer to No.  Lester just got shelled.  Crawford has been a disaster.  Division is too tough to get behind early.  Would like have to pass two of the three between the Rays, Jays and Yankees and even the O’s look like a more solid team now.  As an O’s fan, Thank you Bobby V for passing on our managers job and letting Buck take it.

2.  Not based on opponent winning percentage alone, Which team in your mind has the hardest schedule this season?  Which team has the easiest schedule?

NOLAN MUCCIARONE:

The only schedule I really pay all that much attention to is the Redskins’. But I heard someone the other day say the Arizona Cardinals have a difficult schedule.

ROB YUNICH:

I’m not going to say they have the hardest schedule, but the Houston Texans certainly do not have a walk in the park to defend their AFC South title. In October and November, they face (in order) the New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, (bye week), Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Detroit Lions. Ouch. All are playoff teams (except the Bills and Jags) and it’s entirely possible their season could be lost during that stretch.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Cincinnati Bengals could be helped by their schedule. They open at the Ravens, but then face the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Browns again, and Pittsburgh Steelers before their bye week. That’s 6-2 easy and maybe 7-1. Even if they’re 5-3, that’s more than halfway to their 9-7 record from last year (when the clinched the wild card). In the second half of the season, their schedule gets a bit tougher with the Broncos, Giants, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Steelers, and Ravens, but they certainly could have 10 or 11 wins heading into the last two games of the year.

JOHN MANUEL:

Really tough question since its still early.  Unfortunately it looks like New England to me based on how bad some of the teams on the schedule were last year has the easiest.  As for the hardest, not sure so I am going to say whoever Peter King said has the easiest schedule and go with that.  Because he is an idiot.

3.  Did the refs blow the call on Nikolas Backstrom, or is this another excuse for Caps fans?

NOLAN MUCCIARONE:

It’s hockey. There should never be any excuses. But teams like Washington, whose dependance is entirely is on Ovechkin, won’t win it all anyway. So it doesn’t even matter.

ROB YUNICH:

I’m not going question the refs’ call because I don’t want to be fined. Seriously, this is yet another excuse the Caps can add to their whining list. Whether Backstrom deserved the suspension or not, he got it and the Caps had to play without him in game four, which they won. The bottom line is that, with or without Backstrom, they needed to play a smart game to beat the Bruins and they did that. For games five and six this weekend, they need to keep doing that — and Backstrom will only help that cause.

JOHN MANUEL:

Even though I get have been annoyed in the past injury excuses after Caps playoff losses.  And that by rule it was probably the right call.  I don’t think the ref blew this one, I think Brendan Shanahan did.  He was so inconsistent with suspensions the first week that he is trying to make up for it now.  I do feel the Caps are right to bring up the “head play” of the Bruins and what makes me mad is that the Bruins are the last team that should be going at an opponents head.  How is Marc Savard doing?

4.  What’s the biggest surprise in the NHL Playoffs thus far (either a player, a team or situation)?

NOLAN MUCCIARONE:

The physical play (read: fighting) that is going on. I love it. Go Blues!

ROB YUNICH:

It’s hard not to say the Penguins-Flyers series. Not only are the scores and penalties off the board, but the feel of the entire series is out of control. It’s a nightmare for the referees and a joy for some fans.

JOHN MANUEL:

The unreal amount of goals in the Pens/ Flyers series.  May have been the Canucks being down 3-0 but they come back now with both Sedins.  If the Pens take it seven games that series will have to go down as one of the most entertaining.  Its almost like the 80s Oilers playing in the finals again.

5.  Nats & O’s are both in 1st place right now, due in large part to the success of their leadoff hitter, Ian Desmond and Nolan Reimold.  Which hitter will have the better season?

NOLAN MUCCIARONE:

Nolan Reimold. He’s got the best first name in the world.

ROB YUNICH:

Reimold. He’s been due for a breakout year and, so far, it seems he’s heading for now. After taking three of four from the Chicago White Sox, Reimold is batting .341 with four home runs and eight RBIs in just 41 at bats. Last year, in 87 games, he had just 13 home runs while batting an awful .247. So he clearly feels more comfortable and that’s starting to show in his stats.

JOHN MANUEL:

Tough question since both have histories of fading.  Gonna go with Reimold just because he has shown more power so far.  And with the way the Nats get starting pitching, Desmond just needs to be consistent at the top of the order.