MLB.com recently published a pair of articles. One talked about how the Red Sox are dominating the AL's All Star voting and the other talked about how the Cubs are dominating the NL's. They each included a list that showed who the current leaders are. Looking at them inspired me to think.

It's a sad but true fact that the most popular teams will put some undeserving representatives on the All Star team as long as the fans elect the starting lineup. I don't take the All Star Game seriously enough to be enraged by it, but I have to laugh at the fact that Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis are dominating the votes at their positions. Youkilis is good, but not "almost twice as many votes as Justin Morneau" good. Jason Varitek, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz are all leading at their positions as well, though those aren't quite as laughable.

I'd like to blame ESPN and their endless hype of all things Boston, but there is a precedent for this type of thing. Back in 1957 the fans in Cincinnati stuffed the ballot box and got seven Reds starters elected to the All Star team. That's right, small-market Cincinnati. Commisioner Ford Frick actually had to void two of the selections in the interest of fairness. After all, I think we'd all agree that Willie Mays and Hank Aaron were better choices than Gus Bell and Wally Post. I have a feeling that these 2008 Red Sox are leading by bigger margins than those 1957 Reds were elected by, but I'll cut Boston some slack since they just won the World Series. When Boston fails to win the Series and still dominates the voting I'll shoot them and ESPN a few dirty looks.

Even though I'm a Cub fan I think it's ridiculous that Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot are among the top five vote-getters at their positions. You could argue that both are having pretty good years, but there are plenty of players at their positions doing just as well or better that aren't being recognized. Does it make any sense that Theriot has more votes than last year's MVP, who also happens to be doing better than him this year? How about DeRosa being ahead of Dan Uggla? The only reason so many Cubs are up there is because their team is in first place, they have a national following and it's the hundredth year since their last World Series title. I'm happy for my guys, but it just doesn't look right to see them there.

The biggest mystery to me though, concerns a team that doesn't seem to be getting any special amount of hype. The NL's leader at first base is Lance Berkman of the Astros. No surprise there, as he's having an outstanding year. The second-place vote-getter at shortstop is the Astros' Miguel Tejada. Again, no surprise there. In second place at second base is the Astros' Kaz Matsui. Now there's a head-scratcher. Matsui's never been a star, nor is he having a year that's anything special. Fourth place at third base is Ty Wigginton, also of the Astros. Huh? A guy with two homers and eight RBI? Fifth place at catcher...J.R. Towles? Don't be ashamed if you've never heard of him. He's a second-year catcher with four home runs, 13 RBI...and a .143 batting average. Ouch! The Astros' three outfielders (Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn) are all in the top fifteen. Astro fans are obviously doing a lot of voting this year. What's the deal? Do they have more fans than I realized or is there some sort of voting campaign going on?

There's still plenty of time for these rankings to change, but based on these initial showings it looks like we'll have the usual AL lineup dominated by Yankees and Red Sox and a somewhat more honest NL lineup. Like I said before, I don't take the All Star Game that seriously, but you notice some funny things when you watch the vote totals.

A new baseball season is just around the corner, and right now every team has the chance to make this year something special. At least, that's what they want you to believe. Is there reason for you to have hope? Sorry, but no. This just isn't going to be your year. Whichever team you root for, here's why it ends for them after Game #162.

AL West:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They have too many mediocre players in their lineup. With injuries to their two best starters this early in the season there's no way they're going to be able to get the momentum going that they need to make the Playoffs.

Oakland Athletics. They had a losing record last year and then gave away most of their good players. What are they going to do, improve?

Seattle Mariners. Last year's 88 wins were an illusion. They actually allowed more runs than they scored. You can get lucky like that once, but it's hard to do it two years in a row. The rain outside Safeco this year will match the tears inside.

Texas Rangers. They have below-average hitting and below-average pitching. Put it together and you get a below-average team. When September rolls around the Cowboys will be the only team in town anyone is talking about.

AL Central:

Chicago White Sox. OK, so they improved their bullpen. It doesn't change the fact that their roster is full of guys who are living off their past reputations. It's going to be another long year on the South Side.

Cleveland Indians. After coming within one game of the World Series last year they basically stood pat during the offseason. That's a good way to fall behind other teams. Don't be scratching your head in October wondering why the exact same guys as last year didn't make the Playoffs.

Detroit Tigers. Yeah, they've got a great lineup, but you know they aren't going anywhere with that underachieving pitching staff of theirs. Enjoy the slugfests Tiger fans, because they're all you're going to get.

Kansas City Royals. They're the Kansas City Royals, also known as "That Team That Never Makes the Playoffs".

Minnesota Twins. Other than Francisco Liriano they have a weak starting rotation, and their lineup isn't good enough to pick up the slack. Get ready for the Lousiest Show on Turf.

AL East:

Baltimore Orioles. Peter Angelos is still the owner. That's all you need to know.

Boston Red Sox. Yeah, they won the World Series last year, but the Patriots' Super Bowl loss is a clear sign that New England's deal with the devil has expired. Members of "Red Sox Nation" can only hope that the drought doesn't reach 86 years again.

New York Yankees. Their old guys are too old and their young guys are too young. This is a rebuilding year in the Bronx.

Tampa Bay Rays. I'm pretty sure the only reason the Rays were created was because the owner of last place in the AL East was tired of renting it out and wanted a buyer. Sorry, but the Rays are comfortable right where they are.

Toronto Blue Jays. They were one of the worst run-producing teams in the league last year, and they've done little to improve in that area. Their pitching staff was great last year, but they aren't good enough to lead the team to the Playoffs single-handedly. It's safe to say that baseball won't be making anyone in Canada forget that it isn't hockey season this summer.

NL West:

Arizona Diamondbacks. See my comments on the Mariners. There won't be much charming about these snakes.

Colorado Rockies. They have a talented roster, but their lack of depth is going to hurt them in the strong NL West. It's back to mediocrity in the mountains.

Los Angeles Dodgers. They have too many overrated players on their roster. Overrated players make overrated teams. Teams as overrated as the Dodgers don't make the Playoffs.

San Diego Padres. Their center fielder is 37-year-old Jim Edmonds and they actually have Mark Prior on their roster. Those are two recipes for disaster right there. Kiss this season goodbye.

San Francisco Giants. Their lineup last year consisted of Barry Bonds and little else. Now they don't even have him. When your best hitter is Aaron Rowand you have problems. Show me someone who honestly thinks the Giants will contend and I'll show you a delusional fan.

NL Central:

Chicago Cubs. They made the Playoffs last year. The last time the Cubs made the postseason two years in a row was 1908, when they won their third straight pennant and second straight World Series. Sorry, but two years in a row just doesn't happen in Wrigleyville.

Cincinnati Reds. When Dusty Baker isn't wearing out his pitchers he's encouraging his hitters to be too aggressive. The only way the Reds contend is if their youngsters develop, and that's not happening under Dusty. Does Vegas have the odds on how long it'll be before Scott Hatteberg gets released for being too patient at the plate?

Houston Astros. They've invested a lot in their lineup and bullpen, but the only reliable starting pitcher they have is Roy Oswalt. Sorry, but that's not the model for a contending team. Craig Biggio knew just when to retire.

Milwaukee Brewers. They have a lot of power, but their depth and starting pitching leaves a lot to be desired. Besides, their closer is Eric Gagne. He used to be good, but based on those 18.7 innings he pitched for the Red Sox last year he's clearly not good anymore. With all the games Gagne blows for them the Brewers will be eliminated by the All Star Break.

Pittsburgh Pirates. It'll be a while before the new management can undo the damage done by the previous regime. The Pirates have some promising young talent, but haven't we been saying that for years? This season will be just as undistinguished as any of the last ten Pirate seasons.

St. Louis Cardinals. Adam Wainwright is their only good starter who isn't rehabbing, and fewer than a handful of their hitters scare opposing pitchers. The Redbirds had a good run earlier this decade, but their time has passed.

NL East:

Atlanta Braves. The Braves stopped making the Playoffs when Leo Mazzone left. Until they bring him back they're doomed to hover around .500.

Florida Marlins. They traded the last two stars remaining from the 2003 World Series team. It's time for the Marlins to start rebuilding, not trying to win. The Fish are going to be fried in this year's NL East race.

New York Mets. Have you seen their current list of injuries? By the time everyone's healthy they'll be out of the race. They proved last year that September isn't their month, so don't expect any late-season heroics.

Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies didn't win the division last year, the Mets just choked it away. Don't believe me? Any Mets fan will tell you the same thing. Since the Phillies aren't capable of making the Playoffs on their own they'll have to watch as someone else takes the division this year.

Washington Nationals. They've collected so many problematic players it'll be a miracle if they avoid 100 losses. They're continuing the tradition of incompetence started by their ancestors, the Expos.

To sum things up, don't get too excited about October. Your guys will only be there if they buy tickets. But hey, keep your head up. There's always next year.

Only a select few ever get to play professional sports; even fewer ever get to experience the ultimate reward: playing on a professional sports championship team. Many great players have come up short in their attempt to reach that goal, but there's something especially heartbreaking about cases where the team wins a championship immediately after a longtime player leaves or is traded. One can only wonder what might have been.

With our most recent Super Bowl champion having lost its star player to retirement last offseason, I thought I'd compile a list of the top ten pro athletes who just missed getting to be part of the celebration. The focus of this list will be players who spent a considerable amount of time with the team before they left, not players who were only there for a few seasons preceding the championship. I'm also excluding players who ended up getting a ring with another team and ones who are still active. Now that we've established those criteria, let's get to the list.

10. John Vanbiesbrouck

Detroit-born John Vanbiesbrouck played his first full season as a goaltender for the New York Rangers in 1984-85. He wasn't the biggest goalie in the league, standing only 5'9", but he made up for it with his quick reflexes and aggressiveness. He had the best year of his career in 1985-86, when he won the Vezina Trophy, was named to the All-Star First Team and helped the Rangers reach the Conference Finals despite their losing record during the regular season. The popular goalie (known as "Beezer" to the fans in Madison Square Garden) required surgery for a lacerated wrist during the 1988 offseason. It was thought that he would miss several months of the 1988-89 campaign while recovering, but he ended up playing in the season opener. In the early 90's he teamed with Mike Richter to give the Rangers one of the league's best goalie duos.

Believing Richter could handle the goaltending duties on his own, the Rangers traded Vanbiesbrouck to the Canucks after the 1992-93 season. Just four days later he was taken by the Florida Panthers in the expansion draft. While Vanbiesbrouck helped the new team in Florida to a respectable inaugural season (and was named to the All-Star Second Team in the process) the Rangers went on to win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. Vanbiesbrouck's popularity continued in the Sunshine State, and he played in three All-Star Games while a member of the Panthers. He helped the fledgling franchise reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, but they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche. He made it back to the Finals in 2001 as a backup for the Devils, but once again his team fell to Colorado.

Vanbiesbrouck retired in 2002 holding the NHL record for most victories by an American-born goaltender with 374. He also tied Frank Brimsek with 40 shutouts, most among American NHL netminders. In 2007 he was inducted into the American Hockey Hall of Fame.

9. Billy Cox

You've heard of the famous Brooklyn Dodgers infield, right? Hodges-Robinson-Reese-Cox? All were great players, but one of them never got to be part of a World Series winner, and that was Billy Cox. A shortstop with the Pirates, the Dodgers acquired him after the 1947 season and moved him to third base. He was a dazzling fielder at the hot corner who once inspired Casey Stengel to say: "He ain't a third baseman. He's a [bleep]ing acrobat." The World War II veteran wasn't much of a hitter (lifetime .262 batting average, 66 home runs, .698 OPS), but he had a reputation for coming through in key situations. Cox played in three World Series with the Dodgers, but each time they lost at the hands of the New York Yankees.

The Dodgers traded Cox and Preacher Roe to the Orioles after the 1954 season (coincidentally, the same trade that had originally brought Cox to the Dodgers was the same one that had brought Roe). In June of 1955 the Orioles traded him to the Indians, but he chose to retire rather than report to his new team. Four months later the Dodgers finally beat the Yankees to win the franchise's first World Series title.





8. Paul Reinhart

In 1979 the Atlanta Flames used the 12th overall pick in the NHL Draft on a young defenseman named Paul Reinhart. Though defense was his primary job, Reinhart was also a strong puck handler who was versatile enough to play any position on the ice, and he developed into one of the best all-around defensemen in the game. With the Flames (who moved to Calgary after his rookie year) he had two Playoff hat tricks, made an All-Star appearance and helped them to the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals. For all his success, he might have accomplished even more had he not struggled with injuries throughout his career.

The Flames traded Reinhart to the Canucks before the 1988-89 season. At the time of the trade he was the last remaining player from the franchise's days in Atlanta, and he held most team records for defensemen. Despite playing in pain, he made his second All-Star appearance that year and helped the Canucks to a first-round Playoff matchup against his former team. The underdog Canucks stunned the Calgary crowd by winning Game 1 in overtime, with Reinhart scoring the deciding goal. The two teams battled their way to seven games, but the Flames ultimately weren't going to be denied their first Stanley Cup that year. Reinhart played one more season in Vancouver before his back problems forced him to call it quits at age 30. He finished his career with 133 goals and 427 assists in 648 games.

7. Wilbur Cooper

Wilbur Cooper was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the Dead Ball and early Live Ball Eras. He once played for a minor league team owned by future U.S. President Warren G. Harding, and legend has it that Harding himself recommended Cooper to the Pirates. The left-hander had great control, a good pickoff move to third and was a solid hitter as well. The Pirates weren't a very good team early in Cooper's career, but as Cooper developed and the team around him improved his numbers got better. For eight straight seasons he won at least 17 games. The Pirates were annually in the first division, but the NL pennant always eluded them.

After the 1924 season Cooper was traded to the Cubs. The move was unpopular in Pittsburgh, and Cooper himself was disappointed to be leaving the Pirates. After winning 20 games the year before, he was nothing more than an average pitcher for the last-place Cubs, which translated into a losing record. Meanwhile, his old teammates took up residence on the opposite side of the standings, eventually winning the pennant by an 8½ game margin and overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the Washington Senators to win the World Series. 1926 was Cooper's last year in the Major Leagues, but he continued his career by pitching in the minors for several years after that. He remains to this day the Pirates' all-time leader in wins with 202.

6. Tiki Barber

Tiki Barber was a running back drafted by the New York Giants out of the University of Virginia. For the first three years of his career he was used mainly as a return man, a third-down back and a receiver out of the backfield, so his rushing numbers weren't particularly impressive. When he became a full-time starter in 2000 however, he emerged as a star and helped the Giants reach the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. It would be Barber's only Super Bowl appearance. He built up an impressive résumé over the next six seasons, which included three Pro Bowls, three All-Pro selections and the franchise record for most rushing yards.

In 2006 Barber announced that he was retiring at the end of the season. Though still in his prime, he said that his passion for the game had decreased and that he was ready to move on. It came as a surprise to many fans, but he was committed to his decision. The Giants had an up-and-down year in Barber's last season, but their Playoff hopes were still alive going into their final game against the Redskins. With his team needing a win, Barber rushed for a franchise-record 234 yards to lead them to a 34-28 victory. After the Giants lost their Wild Card matchup with the Eagles and he made his final Pro Bowl appearance, Barber hung up his cleats just like he said he would.

The Giants went 10-6 and qualified for the Playoffs the next year. Though most observers didn't see them as a threat to take home the Lombardi Trophy, they did just that, winning three Playoff games on the road and then upsetting the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl.

5. John Franco

The Cincinnati Reds were a perennial second place team during the mid-80's, but those teams are mostly forgotten today. One of the players who helped them stay in the race every year was closer John Franco. After two years finishing games part-time, Franco became the Reds' main closer in 1986. For the next four years he was one of the best in the game, finishing in the NL's top five in saves each time and being selected to three All-Star teams.

After the 1989 season the Reds traded Franco to his hometown Mets for Randy Myers. Myers would join with Rob Dibble and Norm Charlton to form the "Nasty Boys" bullpen corps, and the Reds would win the World Series. Franco would spend the next 15 years in a Mets uniform, and he finally experienced his first postseason nine years after the trade. The Mets made it to the NLCS in 1999 and the World Series in 2000, but both times their season ended with a loss. Franco signed as a free agent with the Astros in 2005, but he was released in July of that year and hasn't returned to the Majors since. His 424 saves are currently 4th all-time.

4. Don Mattingly

Don Mattingly was called up by the New York Yankees in September 1982. Despite coming off a pennant-winning season the Yankees were struggling. The next year Mattingly would get some significant playing time and the Yankees would improve to third place. In 1984 he took over as the full-time first baseman and a star was born. For the rest of the decade he would be an All-Star every year, win five Gold Glove Awards, finish in the top 5 in MVP voting three times (winning it in 1985), finish in the top ten in batting average five times (including the 1984 batting title), lead the league in doubles three times, and win three Silver Slugger Awards. 1987 was notable for two accomplishments: he set a record (later tied by Travis Hafner) for most grand slams in a season with six, and he tied a record held by Dale Long with home runs in eight consecutive games. The Yankees were usually in contention during the 80's, but they always fell short of the Playoffs.

1990 was when things started to go downhill for Mattingly, as he started suffering from back problems. He had the worst year of his career and the Yankees finished in last place. Though he (and the Yankees) rebounded over the next few years, he never reached the levels he did in the previous decade. The only awards he won during the 90's were four more Gold Gloves.

In 1995 the Yankees made the postseason for the first time in Mattingly's career by virtue of the Wild Card. They had a hard-fought five-game series with the Mariners, but in the end Seattle prevailed. Mattingly's .417 batting average and 6 RBI made him one of the hitting stars of the series, but it ended up being his last hurrah. Mattingly decided to sit out the 1996 season due to his recurring back problems and the need to spend time with his family. It was poor timing, as 1996 was the year the Yankees finally got over the hump and won the World Series. In 1997 he officially announced his retirement from baseball, and the Yankees retired his #23. He is the only Yankee with his number retired not to play for a World Series winner.

3. Bruce Armstrong

Can you name the only player who wore the current Patriots uniform design as well as the classic red uniforms with "Pat the Patriot" on the helmet? The only Patriot to play for both Raymond Berry and Bill Belichick? That would be offensive tackle Bruce Armstrong. Armstrong was New England's first-round draft pick in 1987 out of Louisville. He started his career at right tackle and moved to his more famous spot on the left side in his fourth season. He was a warrior, committed to playing every game he could. He started all 12 non-strike games his rookie year despite sustaining a shoulder injury in training camp that required surgery after the season. In fact, the only affliction that ever prevented Armstrong from playing came in a 1992 game when he tore three of the four main ligaments in his right knee. He was out for the entire second half of the season and his career appeared to be in jeopardy, but he came back next year and started all 16 games. Recognized leaguewide as one of the best, Armstrong was named to 6 Pro Bowls and 7 All-Pro Teams between 1988 and 1997.

After the 1999 season Armstrong was released by the Patriots due to his declining skills and his refusal to accept a pay cut. It was seen by many as a classless move, as Armstrong had played through the second half of the previous season with torn ligaments in his right knee, but new coach Belichick saw it as necessary. Armstrong eventually agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots, but it was clear his time in New England was running out. Though Armstrong wanted to play one more season after 2000, the Patriots didn't re-sign him and he officially announced his retirement in September 2001. The Patriots honored him by retiring his #78 and inducting him into the team Hall of Fame. He remains New England's all-time leader in games played. A few months later the Patriots would win the franchise's first Super Bowl and begin a run that would lead to them being considered the Team of the Decade.

2. Nate Thurmond

One of the most underappreciated big men in NBA history, Nate Thurmond was considered the best defensive center of his era by many opponents. A backup to Wilt Chamberlain as a rookie, he helped the San Francisco Warriors make it to the NBA Finals in the 1963-64 season. The Boston Celtics were unstoppable in those days, so needless to say it wasn't the Warriors' year. Still, Thurmond played impressively enough to earn a spot on the All-Rookie Team. The Warriors traded Chamberlain in the middle of the next season, making Thurmond the new starting center. He finished the year averaging 18.1 rebounds per game and set an NBA record in February with 18 rebounds in one quarter. Over the next five seasons he would never average fewer than 17.7 rebounds per game, including two years averaging more than 20. He helped the Warriors get back to the NBA Finals in 1967, but once again they ran into an unstoppable team, this time the 68-win 76ers. Though Thurmond never reached another NBA Finals with the Warriors, his personal accolades with the team included two All-Defensive First Teams, three All-Defensive Second Teams, and seven All-Star selections.

After the 1973-74 season the Warriors traded the aging Thurmond to the Bulls for the younger Clifford Ray. While Ray didn't quite put up the numbers Thurmond did, he was valuable to the Warriors for his defense and his unifying effect on the team. Thurmond joined a Chicago team that had made it to the Conference Finals the previous season. They were an aging bunch, but they still had one good year left in them. In Thurmond's Bulls debut he racked up the first quadruple-double in NBA history (22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks) and set the stage for the franchise's first division title that season. The Bulls made it back to the Conference Finals and ended up facing Thurmond's old Warrior teammates. The series went seven games with the Warriors emerging triumphant in the end. The underdog Warriors went on to sweep the Bullets in the NBA Finals to win the franchise's first Bay Area title. Thurmond was traded to the Cavaliers in the middle of the next season, where he was part of yet another run to the Conference Finals, this one ending against the Celtics. He retired after the 1976-77 season with career averages of 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game. His #42 was retired by both the Warriors and the Cavaliers, and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1996 he was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.

1. Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers out of Seattle University with the #1 pick in the 1958 NBA Draft. The Lakers franchise was struggling at the time, but Baylor gave them a superstar that restored their fortunes. With averages of 24.9 points and 15.0 rebounds per game, he easily captured the Rookie of the Year Award. The Lakers had been the NBA's worst team the year before, but he took them to the Finals that year, where they lost to the Celtics. In 1960 the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, where rookie Jerry West joined with Baylor to form what would be one of the NBA's greatest duos for the next decade.

Though Baylor never won an MVP or scoring title, his list of accomplishments is long. He was named to the All-NBA First Team ten times, the All-Star team eleven times, and averaged more than 30 points per game three times. He finished in the top ten in scoring ten times, the top ten in assists six times and the top ten in rebounds nine times. In 1960 he scored a then-NBA-record 71 points in a game. About the only thing he couldn't do was win an NBA Championship. Baylor's teams made it to the NBA Finals a total of eight times, but they lost each one. The Lakers made it to the Finals in 1965, but Baylor didn't play because of a knee he injured in the first game of the Playoffs. The injury carried over to next season, as Baylor had the worst year of his career to date. Fortunately, he bounced back. While he didn't play at quite the same level as before, he definitely reclaimed his status as one of the game's best. Injuries limited him to two games in 1970-71, but he attempted to keep playing.

Early in the 1971-72 season, after Baylor got off to a slow start, the Lakers asked him to relinquish his spot in the starting lineup to a young forward named Jim McMillian. Rather than accept a bench role (and the fact that he wasn't the player he used to be), Baylor retired. As soon as he was gone the Lakers went on an NBA-record 33-game win streak. They finished the season with 69 wins, another NBA record which stood for 24 years. The Lakers made it back to the NBA Finals, but this time they did something they hadn't done during Baylor's career: they won. Baylor finished his career with averages of 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, and the Lakers retired his #22. He earned induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, and in 1996 he was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.

Sometimes that elusive championship is so close and yet so far. These players may not have won championships, but none of them should ever be forgotten.

Baseball season ended less than two weeks ago and already I'm going through withdrawal. I've found myself playing Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball on the Super Nintendo just to fill the void in my life. There's no other sport that captivates me like baseball does. Without it the world is a much duller place. Nonetheless, I'll try to give some sort of take on the other sports I follow.

The NBA season has gotten off to an interesting start. Some of the predictions from my last post already look like they'll be wrong. Then again, anyone who follows sports knows that the way a team starts isn't much to go by. My Bulls just beat the Pistons tonight for their first win after a 0-4 start. Having a 1-4 record isn't ideal, but so what? There's still plenty of season to go. Last year they started 3-9. The season before that they were below .500 most of the year, and even had a 29-39 record at one point. The season before that they got off to a 2-13 start in which they lost their first 9 games. If you've been following the NBA during that stretch, you know they ended up in the Playoffs each of those years. Right now that 1-4 record doesn't look too bad. This Bulls team just finishes better than they start.

My "other" NBA team, the Clippers, is off to a 4-0 start. Color me surprised. With injuries to Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston I didn't expect much out of them this year. Then again, a good start can be just a deceptive as a bad one. In 2000-01 the Cavaliers started out 15-7. Their final record? 30-52. That's right, they got half their wins for the season in their first 22 games. Anything can happen at this point. I'm not going to rush to any conclusions about any teams yet. All I can say is that I hope the Clippers continue to play well and that the Bulls can get back on track after tonight's win.

I'll just skip the NFL since the Lions' 6-2 start and the Browns' 5-3 start have been the most interesting parts of it for me. With my Bears struggling, the only enjoyment I've gotten out of this season is watching the underdogs win. What other sport is there to talk about, you ask? My profile says I only follow baseball, basketball and football. Well, I've started to become more conscious of another sport this season: hockey.

I've always had a weird relationship with hockey. When I was growing up they used to show Blackhawks games on SportsChannel (remember that, Chicagoans?), but at the time I was all about baseball and basketball. I would read the articles in the Chicago Tribune criticizing the Blackhawks' management and analyzing their trades, but between school and following my main sports there wasn't much room for me to be a real hockey fan. Over the past few years I've developed an interest in hockey, because one of the reasons I love baseball seems to apply to hockey as well: the guys who play it have a true passion for the game. That's not to say that athletes in other sports don't have passion, but guys can become basketball players just because they're tall, and guys can become football players just because they're big or fast. Baseball and hockey require more specialized skills, plus you have to go through the minors to make it to the top. If you see an MLB or NHL game you know it took a lot of hard work for those guys to get there. That's the kind of sport I can appreciate. I guess you could say I've always wanted to be a hockey fan but found it hard to do so.

One big problem, especially these days, is that it's hard to find a hockey game on TV. I recently discovered though, that there's an NHL Network on digital cable. I've actually enjoyed watching some of the old games from the 80's that they show. I've heard that hockey was more exciting in those days, but even if the game isn't quite as high-scoring today I can see its appeal. The Blackhawks have been a pretty bad team in recent times (only one Playoff appearance in the past ten years), but they have some young guys coming up that give them hope for the future. They currently have a winning record and look like they have a shot at the Playoffs this season. Perhaps now is a good time for me to become a real hockey fan. Call me a bandwagoner if you wish, but I take pride in any team that represents Chicago. If the Blackhawks ever win another Stanley Cup someday I want to be able to say I was a part of the experience.

I could talk about baseball and all the offseason player movement, but I don't have much to say about it. The only thing I will say is that I hope the White Sox aren't planning on having Juan Uribe start at shortstop next year. I hope the only reason they exercised his option was to have a backup plan. If he's our starter in 2008 we're going to have a big hole in our lineup. Neither the Cubs nor the Sox have made any major moves yet, so until they do I have no particular expectations for next season.

This may be the first post I've made on this blog that covered all four major sports. I guess I'm legit now.

The American League has widely been considered the stronger of baseball's two leagues for the past few years. Indeed, the AL Playoff races were wrapped up fairly uneventfully, with each team having a decent-sized lead and their clinchings being mere formalities by the time they happened. The most dramatic moment that clinched anything in the AL was the Orioles coming from behind to tie the Yankees and winning on a bases-loaded bunt in extra innings. This brilliantly-executed play assured us that the Yankees would be reduced to Wild Card winners rather than AL East Champs, little more than a small victory for Yankee-haters everywhere. Any of the four teams in the AL Playoffs (Angels, Indians, Red Sox, Yankees) will be favored to win the World Series once we know which one will be playing in it.

The National League is much poorer than its younger counterpart. The NL's best team finished with a 90-72 record (worse than any of the AL Playoff participants) and allowed more runs than it scored during the season. There's so much parity in the NL that no team finished more than 19 games out of first place. While there's no denying that the NL is the weaker of the two leagues, there is one thing it provides more of than the AL: excitement.

That 90-72 team, the NL West Champion Diamondbacks, came out of nowhere to win it. The Padres and Dodgers were most people's picks to win the division before the season began, but the D-Backs stayed above .500 all year and eventually took first place in the last two months. It still isn't quite clear how they did it. On paper they don't appear to be that great a team, but you can't deny their success. Now the question is if they can continue it against the Cubs in the Playoffs.

The Cubs themselves had a pretty exciting year. The Brewers got off to a hot start and looked like the only team that wanted to win the NL Central early on. The Cubs, despite spending a lot of money in the offseason, struggled during the first two months and looked destined for another disappointing season. After Lou Piniella had his now-famous confrontation with an umpire (once again I'll brag about it...I was at that game!), the Cubs suddenly started getting back on track. As their rise coincided with the Brewers' collapse, the Cubs eventually found themselves in first place in late August. Even when they had a 3½-game lead with six games left it wasn't over. They got swept in a three-game series with the last-place Marlins and the Brewers still had a shot. Fortunately, the Cubs got back on track and clinched the division title in their final series with the Reds. They now have a shot at winning their first pennant in 62 years and their first World Series in 99 years.

The NL East had one of the most memorable races in recent times. Going into the season most people picked either the Braves or Mets to win the division, and a lot of people picking the Braves had the Mets as the Wild Card. Those two teams battled for first place during the early months while the Phillies got off to a slow start. The Mets eventually took first place and it looked like they would never relinquish it. Then, with 17 games left and the Mets holding a 7-game lead over the Phillies, the unthinkable happened. The Mets went 5-12 to finish out the season while the Phillies went 13-4 over the same span. In the end the Phillies won the division by one game and the Mets were out of the Playoffs altogether.

Then there's the Wild Card. The Padres battled the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead most of the second half. When the Diamondbacks established themselves as the division leader the Padres looked like they'd end up settling for the Wild Card. Not so fast. The Rockies, who'd stayed around .500 most of the year but never stepped it up to make a real postseason drive, suddenly went on a tear. They won 13 of their last 14 games to force a one-game playoff with the Padres which would determine the Wild Card winner. What a game it was. Both teams fought the whole way, and it eventually went 13 innings. In the top of the thirteenth the Padres got a two-run homer which looked like it would clinch the game. The Rockies didn't give up though, scoring three runs in the bottom half to earn the title of NL Wild Card.

These NL Playoff teams are a motley crew. None of them made the Playoffs last year, and the one that made it most recently was the Cubs in 2003. It's hard to believe that one of these four is going to be playing in the World Series this year. The AL, on the other hand, has the three teams with the league's highest payrolls playing this October (Angels, Yankees, Red Sox), and only one that has some underdog appeal (Indians). Except the Indians, all were in the Playoffs as recently as two years ago, and all but the Indians have won a World Series this decade. Truthfully, once you get past the Indians it's hard to root for any of the AL teams.

The AL may be stronger. One of their teams may end up hoisting the World Series trophy at the end of this month. They may be representative of what great baseball teams truly look like. Why would we follow sports though, if there were never any excitement? If the same teams always won easily it would be boring to follow them. If you simply want to marvel at greatness, the AL is there for you. If you want thrilling races, determination and never-say-die dramatics, the NL is the far superior league.