Well it was a sad evening last night when I heard legendary American Bandstand and tv host Dic k Clark passrd away at 82 years after suffering a stroke back in 2004.

And then a little while a few friends here and Fox Sports told us that the blogs will be going away soon. We've been getting some notices lately when we get on the site that there would be some changes with the fox sports site that we've bookmarked and then last night they announced the changes.

If you want to blog you have to go over to Yardbarker.com or somewhere else to sign up and blog.

I'm going to check Yardbarker.com out soon because they say its FREE Blogging most important and after 6 years of blogging here first as fenway fanatic (fenfan) and the last few years as bratman, I really enjoy blogging and want to continue.

Its my one main way to contribute as a sports fan like you since most of us dont have jobs in the sports profession. But it makes us feel like we are sports journalists and gives us great training and freedom of expression to write and agree and disagree respectfully mostly lol about sports and we love it.

Anyway as Kelly Scott said we'll see you on the flip or B Side at Yardbarker.com hopefully and a few of you I've kept in touch with other ways. Anyway I'll close with a little tribute to the late Dic K Clark and see you on the other side soon. If not its been a pleasure knowing you all my friends.

So we'll be hopping, we'll be hopping today, we'll be be bopping, we'll be rocking today, we'll be hoppin and be bopping or rocking today on the Bandstand. American Bandstand Dic k Clark (1929-2012) RIP to Americas Youngest Teenager and a salute to you. Talk soon bratman and I'd like to keep that name too if I can. Otherwise I'll let you know who I am. See you soon friends!

Well the baseball season is going into its second week, the NHL playoffs started last week and there are already some surprise upsets and possible eliminations. The NBA is gearing up for the playoffs soon in this shortened season and the NFL Draft is already next week. And how about Sean Payton the Saints coach not being able to say hi to any football people for a year. Should he wear a monitor like a criminal or move to Siberia? In todays age of modern technology even getting away like that might be impossible!

In baseball the Texas Rangers just clobbered the Boston Red Sox 18-3 and they're 9-2 again. The Rangers are the team to beat at this point and their is even a radio ad in Texas saying to follow the Rangers to the World Series. Thats confidence when a team is the two time American League champs!

I'm still not enamored with Bobby Valentine as the Red Sox manager. He's like a fly on the wall that needs to be swatted and will jump on his own players like Kevin Youkolis. As talented a baseball man as Valentine is I liked him better as an analyst where he can talk and poor Terry Francona while a good announcer should still be in the Red Sox dugout and last years fallout wasnt all his fault. I like his cerebral style better!

And how about the 9-2 Los Angeles Dodgers?!Though I just read they lost to my Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th in Milwaukee. Think new owner Magic Johnson is smiling any more than he already does! He might even forget about the Lakers or put them in a second thought for awhile. Probably not but amazing start in LA and also in New York not with just the Yankees but the first place Mets so far. And Ozzie Guillen was back in the dugout tonight in Florida as the Marlins beat the Cubs 5-2. We'll see how that fallout goes after his cuban Castro comments.

In hockey wow some upsets as there often are in the first round of the NHL playoffs especially, but the Presidents Trophy for best record Vancouver Canucks are down 3-0 to the LA Kings, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby trail the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 and the Detroit Red Wings trail the Nashville Predators 3-1. Any comebacks in those series?? We'll see, but I love NHL playoff and overtime hockey and all the upsets are fun and interesting!

The NBA is winding down its shortened season and the playoffs start April 28. So who will win. The OKC Thunder are quite good, my San Antonio Spurs have been a surprise and dont sleep on the Lakers or maybe even the Clippers. The West could have some upsets as its a wild finish at the bottom of the conference as well.

In the East its the Bulls, the Heat and the wily old Celtics. I dont see anyone else really surprising there. It will come down to who gets hot or is the best playoff team there.

And finally the NFL draft is next week. Andrew Luck to the Colts RG3 Robert Griffin to the Redskins or somewhere else. We'll see what happens. As always stay in touch and keep the candle burning in sports and in life. Not sure where I'm going there but best wishes and talk soon. Bratman

Im just wondering as the NBA playoffs approach in a few weeks if the San Antonio Spurs are for real as a true contender for an NBA title. With a 42-16 record and 1 game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder the Spurs seem definitely poised to make a run in the Western Conference. The Spurs clinched the Southwest Division after a 105-91 win against the Phoenix Suns at home Saturday night in San Antonio.

But then the memory of the top seeded Spurs getting upset by the eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies last year creeps into mind.

Yes its a different Spurs team and players like Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are healthy. And there is a deeper and younger bench and good role players.

So I'm wondering is this the year the Spurs can challenge for a fifth NBA title that they havent won since their fourth one in 2007 over Lebron James and his then team the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If the Spurs did make it that far who would they face Lebron James current team the Miami Heat, Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls or the veteran Boston Celtics. Or someone else?

But the Spurs would have to beat the OKC Thunder, the LA Lakers or Clippers among other contenders in the West.

So we'll see what happens and how far the Spurs can go this year in the playoffs.

For the first time in several years I think Gregg Popovich the longest tenured Coach in the league at 15 years and the Spurs have a real chance.

Best wishes and talk soon. bratman