Each year, the line up changes so much. Which is why I think Hockey is one of the most exciting sports out there. Like with playoffs games in other sports, I like to go online and pretend like I'm betting. This time it brought me to an article that covers the odds for every team. Here they are:

Tampa Bay Lightning+250

Calgary Flames+800

Boston Bruins+900

Washington Capitals+1000

Winnipeg Jets+1000

San Jose Sharks+1200

St. Louis Blues+1200

Nashville Predators+1200

Pittsburgh Penguins+2000

New York Islanders+2000

Toronto Maple Leafs+2000

My money would definitely be on Tamp Bay, second pick for me would be the Bruins. I think they will be a bit of a challenge for Tampa Bay. Feel free to sound off your pics. What teams do you think will be facing off in the final game?

They beat UCF by the skin of their teeth with just seconds to go and being tied. It was a really exciting last minute of the game.

Skulking around the net, I came across a pretty interesting article about MLB's Opening Day. At first, I thought the idea behind it to be a tad over the top, but being a pseudo baseball traditionalist myself, I couldn't help but agree with what the guy was saying.

For those who do know, Opening day for MLB in America was held in Cincinnati for the majority of its life as our favorite past-time, from 1876 to 1989. I understand, things change, teams move, get knew names, and people forget who they used to be *cough* Tennessee Titans. I agree with the writer, this year, they've gone a little overboard. The official Opening Day of MLB was the Mariners vs Athletics in Tokyo, Japan. I'll quote another article I read about the same thing.

"It has been clear Major League Baseball scuttled tradition in the name of progress years ago, but did it also have to do away with common sense?"

I, like many baseball fans find that sort of progress scary at times. Sure, branch out, but don't lose your identity for a buck. So what does everyone else think? Does it matter? I don't know, I'm on the fence. What other traditions has the MLB broken that they shouldn't have?

PowerPlay Wrote:

And yeah, I like your Michigan State vs. Tar Heels prediction. I could totally see that happening. If the two actually did make that happen, I'd like to see Michigan State win.

joetemple Wrote:

It won't effect any of the draft I don't think. But think about it, if at least 3 of their starters get drafted, this will not be the same team by any stretch next year. AND if you have 3 of the best players in all of college ball (arguably) how does anyone compete against that??

It's a huge moment for the Phillies. Bryce Harper finalized a 13 yr deal with them for $330 million, which set a record for total value in MLB, NBA,NFL, and NHL history. With Manny-Machado's contract coming in at a close second at $300 million, for 10 years with the Padres. I found a pretty decent article on the subject. This could be big for a team such as the Phillies.

A little about this guy. I'm not the first, nor the last to say this, but he isn't your average ball player. He's truly an all-star player. He was the first overall pick in the draft at 17, and had reached the majors, and the All-Star team by 19. Won an MVP award at 22, which went without saying that we was the most sought-after free agent in history at 26. Now, he's looking to make huge bucks playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, possibly until he's 39.

So what does this mean for the Phillies? This heavy hitter could seriously beef up the Phillies' offense. There certainly is a chance for more wins in a season, and dare I say, a spot in the playoffs, now that he is on the team. It's a decently strong possibility when you look at his stats. One good example, in 2015 he was the best hitter in baseball, batting 330/460/649, with 42 home runs and 124 walks. Like the article says:

That 10.0-WAR season ranks as the best by a National League position player since Barry Bonds.

Even if Harper could bolster the Phillies offense, many would argue they have the worst defense, and not to mention Harper had a bad defensive season in 2018, and his strike out rate has increased recently from 19.6 to 24.3 percent. Harper fans argue that he's just swinging for the fences more often than he used to - homer happy.

Harper joining the club will most certainly be a make or break for the Phillies. I see it going either way. I certainly don't think it will fail to cause waves one way or another.

I think the article ends it well:

Before the signing, FanGraphs projected the Phillies' record to be 80-82. The projection of Harper as a 4.9-WAR player would be about a four-win upgrade for Philadelphia. Of course, we've seen Harper play at a much higher level. If that happens, even for just a few seasons at the beginning of the contract, the upgrade will be even greater -- and nobody will question if the money was worth it.

What does everyone else think? Was this a good investment for the team, or will it be one of the most expensive blunders in sports contract history?