Steelers  look very strong to start the season.  I know they've only played Cleveland and Buffalo, but they've destroyed them.  They humiliated Cleveland in Cleveland, and then the Browns turn around and hang 50 some points on the Bengals.  How embarassing for Bengals fans.  power polls have the Steelers ranked in the top five, and I am completely surprised by that.  I am one of the few Steeler fans that was never a big fan of Bill Cowher.  One of the characteristics of Cowher's Steelers were that they started slow, and were horrible making in game adjustments.  I thought this team was short on talent and depth, especially the lines.  Mike Tomlin has had this team ready from the start, and the beat 2 teams they should have beaten.  You couldn't always say that about Bill Cowher's teams...  Bill Belichick got off easy.  I'm not down playing the fine, as in the words of ESPN's Eric Young, "$500,000 hurts no matter how much you're making."  Here's why i think he got off easy -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell specifically held a meeting with NFL coaches and owners this Summer telling them not to tape opponents on the sidelines.  Here it is, week one, and Belichick defies him.  it doesn't matter if it somehting everyone does or not, there is no excuse patriots fans can make on this.  It is cheating and it attacks the credibility of the game.  This team is good enough it doesn't need to cheat.  I'm not comparing the two people, just the actions here.  If Adam "Pacman" Jones gets a year suspension for actions off the field that have no impact on the credibility of the game, Belichick should have gotten at least a suspension for the next Jets game.  I originally thought he'd get 4 games, and was completely surprised that it was just a steep fine...  What happened to the Saints?  This team was unstoppable last year, and now they can't score or, more importantly, stop anyone from scoring.  These games weren't even close, either.  Their secondary's a mess, and the strength of the offense is the running game.  Hard to run the ball when you are playing catch up...  We are 11 days from the start of the NHL season.  Here are my preseaon picks (* - playoff team):

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division

1.  Ottawa Senators*
Returns pretty much the same team that made it last years' finals.
2.  Buffalo Sabres*
Lost both co-captains, but still return plenty of talent.
3.  Toronto Maple Leafs*
Adding Jason Blake and  Vesa Toskala should get them into the playoffs.
4.  Montreal Canadiens
I just don't see enough talent to rank them as one of the best 8 teams in the East.  They'll contend, but I don't see a playoff team here.
5.  Boston Bruins
A team lacking talent trades promising youngsters Hannu Toivonen and Brad Boyes and don't get a difference maker in return.  Another season buried on Boston sports pages.

Atlantic Division

1.  Pittsburgh Penguins*
Yes, the Rangers grabbed the offseason headlines, but the Pens still have the most talent up front, and added quality guys Sykora and Sydor.
2.  New York Rangers*
Plenty of superstars (Jagr, Drury, Gomez), still no dominant defenseman.
3.  New Jersey Devils*
It's a toss-up between them and the Flyers here, so I'll take Marty Brodeur over Marty Biron and say the reigning Vezina winner will carry them to the 8th and final playoff spot.
4.  Philadelphia Flyers
They will be a lot better than last year, and even better next year when all the youngsters get a year older/better.
5.  New York Islanders
I like Ted Nolan, Bill Guerin and Rick DiPietro, and I would love to see them surprise everyone again and make me wrong here.  But they gave up too many parts that could have helped them this year to rent Ryan Smyth.

Southeast Division

1.  Carolina Hurricanes*
I'm chalking last season up to injuries and burnout.  This team, on paper, is the best in what has become the league's weakest division.
2.  Tampa Bay Lightning*
Great forwards, good defense, and the goaltending can't possibly be as bad as it was last year, can it?
3.  Washington Capitals
I present to you everyone's darkhorse for 2007-08.  I'm just not sold yet.
4.  Florida Panthers
Plenty of talented youth here, and addinf Vokoun gives them one of the division's best goalies.  I just don't see him staying healthy, which he hasn't done since the lockout.
5.  Atlanta Thrashers
The finally break out and make the playoffs, and then lose all the key contributors.  If the young guys (Bryan Little, Brett Sterling) are for real and play like it, they could surprise.

Western Conference

Central Division

1.  Detroit Red Wings*
The most talent+most experience+Hasek = another division crown.
2.  St. Louis Blues*
John Davidson has quickly built a team deep on talent, youth and experienced guys who are good in the locker room.
3.  Nashville Predators
They lost a lot in the offseason firesale, but there's still enough here to challenge for a playoff spot.  No depth, though. 
4.  Chicago Blackhawks
I wanted to make them my darkhorse pick, but I need to see progress first.  The best rookie class in the league in Toews, Kane and Skille.
5.  Columbus Blue Jackets
It's going to take a few years before they can fix what previous GM broke.  Hopefully, there will be enough fans left in that beautiful arena.

Northwest Division

1.  Colorado Avalanche*
Adding Scott Hannan and Ryan Smyth to a lineup that already includes Sakic, Stastny, Hejduk and Wolski is just not fair.  Budaj is underrated in goal, as well.
2.  Vancouver Canucks*
They have one line that can score consistently.  They also have Roberto Luongo, and he's good enough to carry them into the playoffs.
3.  Minnesota Wild*
The team was 19-2-2 when Marian Gaborik scored a goal last year, and they have the best goaltending tandem in the conference.
4.  Calgary Flames
Two scoring lines (no depth), 7 NHL caliber defensmen (not bad), Kiprusoff's backup will have exactly 0 NHL minutes played when he makes his first start (not good).
5.  Edmonton Oilers
is Dustin Penner really worth 4 first round draft picks when they're gonna be this high?

Pacific Division

1.  San Jose Sharks*
They'll eventually play to their potential, right?
2.  Anaheim Ducks*
Short offseason+no captain+no Teemu = playoffs, but as a low seed.
3.  Dallas Stars*
Injuries made this team look worse than it was last season, and it still made the playoffs. 
4.  Los Angeles Kings
If they had solid goaltending, the peices are in place to make a playoff run.
5.  Phoenix Coyotes
Questions abound as rebuilding stage at least 2 years from fruition.

Stanley Cup Prediction:

Penguins over the Sharks