Eastern-Southeast Division

Hockey season is right around the corner with training camp set to start within weeks and the first preseason games a month way. Last year hockey took major steps forward regaining popularity and respect after the lockout just five years ago. The Olympics showed the world how exciting and gripping this sport can be as everyone watched a goalie put the entire nation on his back only to be outdone by the sports golden boy. A city and team regained dominance after decades of frustration and lack luster teams. 2010-2011 looks to continue momentum into the new decade with new and interested fans across the entire nation.

TLAAB will dissect every division and preview the upcoming season. We start in the dirty south, the Southeastern division of the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta- If it seems like the thrashers look a lot like the Blackhawks, its true. Well sort of. Atlanta picked up some key additions this off season and maybe the biggest are coming from the Stanley cup champions. Dustin Byfuglien was dealt this offseason in trade and free agent Andrew Ladd also landed in Atlanta. Both were instrumental in Chicago’s championship run. Also coming out of the cental is former St. Louis goalie Chris Mason. Mason should bring some leadership and stability in the locker room and most importantly between the pipes.

In this division its pretty locked up at the top with Washington. Everyone else has a chance to sneak into the second spot and playoffs. Atlanta is still a couple years away but clearly are moving in the right direction. Along with Ladd and Byfuglien, Nik Antropov and still unrestricted free agent Maxim Afinagenov should provide some scoring and excitement. 25 year old Swedish born Tobias Enstrom had 50, (6 G, 44 A) points from the blue line and will continue to anchor the Defense.

Key Additions: Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Chris Mason

Key Departures: Pavel Kubina, Colby Armstrong

Prediction: 80 pts. 4^th in SE.

Carolina- It’s been five years since the Hurricanes hoisted the cup. They got off to a terrible start last year and looked destined to finish in the bottom of the league. Eric Staal became captain and the teams salvaged what was left of the season finishing third in the division. Building off of last year’s momentum the canes should be much better in 2010-2011. Staal will continue to be one of the best centers in the league and now it’s his team to lead. Losing veteran Ray Whitney (21 G 37 A) certainly will hurt but adding veteran Joe Corvo to the defense gives Carolina another veteran leader. On July 15, 2010 the Hurricanes announced that Brind'Amour's #17 number would be retired in after he officially announced he would retire as a player. Brind’Amour was captain in 2006 when Carolina won their first Stanley cup and was eventually replaced by Staal.

Carolina fans can expect to be back in the playoffs once again. They may not have the talent to dethrown Washington, but expect them to be in the mix in April in the sixth-ninth range of the conference. Cam Ward continues to progress as a net minder. Staal and Jussi Jokinen have provided scoring, while Corvo and Joni Pitkanen will provide support on defense.

Key Additions: Joe Corvo

Key Departures: Ray Whitney, Rob Brind’Amour

Prediction: 95 pts. 2^nd in SE

Florida- Panther fans are asking, “Is this the year we make it?” Probably not, but the future is definitely bright. Three first round draft picks including third overall pick, Erik Gudbranson will help get this franchise back in the right direction. Gudbranson was ranked the best defensive prospect in the entire draft. Florida also added Nick Bjugstad (19^th) and Quinton Howden (25^th) to the squad. Gudbranson is the only one likely to make the team and impact immediately but clearly panther fans have reason to look toward the future. Florida didn’t make much of a splash in free agency adding only Christopher Higgins to the roster. Bringing back Stephen Weiss, Nathan Horton and David Booth certainly will be the backbone of the offense. Tomas Vokoun comes back once again and builds of last years 2.55 GAA and .925% SV%.

Don’t expect much from this young squad, but seriously in 2-3 years they may be at the top of the division and knocking on the Caps door.

Key Additions: plethora of Pipeline talent

Key Departures: NONE

Prediction: 75 pts. 5^th in SE

Tampa Bay- Stevey Y. Mr. Red wing brings his talent and knowledge of the game to the Bay. Hiring Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher has brought some electricy, (no pun intended,) to the Lightning. Already stacked with scoring talent, some key additions have made this one of the most talented and threatening offenses in the entire league. Steve Stamkos is coming off his Rocket Richard Trophy winning season with 51 goals, tied for most in the NHL with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Martin St. Louis and newly signed Steve Downie provide instant offense, and oh yeah there’s that other French Canadian Vincent Lecavlier who has seen production decline over the years but still had 24 goals and 46 assists last season. Yzerman bolstered the roster even more with additions like Simon Gagne in a trade, Dominic Moore and former Thrasher Pavel Kubina at the blue line.

It wasn’t all blissful in the sunshine state this offseason. Losing goalie Antero Nittymaki in free aganecy to San Jose is a bummer. They added Dan Ellis from Nashville to take the role, but its hard to believe he has all that it takes to be a dominant # 1. Alex Tanguay also left the gulf coast heading back to Calgary. The defense is shaky, but adding Kubina will help. This team should make the playoffs or at least battle with Carolina for the second spot in the division.

Key Additions: Simon Gagne, Dominic Moore, Pavel Kubina

Key Departures: Antero Nittymaki, Alex Tanguay

Prediction: 92 pts. 3^rd in SE

Washington- We know this team can score and score a lot, but they lack one key ingredient to get over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals…a goalie. Coming off a Presidents Trophy can leave high expectations. They couldn’t be any greater heading into this season. We all saw what a hot young goalie, (Jaroslav Halak) can do to a team in the playoffs. The Caps didn’t get a big time goalie in the offseason and have put a lot of faith in 22-year-old Semyon Varlamov. Varlamov went 15-4-6 last year, but with a .909 SV%. The team is going to put up goals in front of you, easy to do when you have the best player in the world, Alexander Ovechkin, on your team. Joe Corvo will be missed and Mike Green as a great a player as he is, is an offensive minded player. Jeff Schultz signed a huge 4-year $11,000,000 deal this offseason and a lot if riding on him to perform. The defense needs to show up and play in front of Varlamov or this will be another heart breaking performance for Caps fans.

The caps didn’t make any big free agency moves, but didn’t get any worse. They have a lot to prove this year and don’t want to let down like in years past. Don’t expect them to give up control of the Southeast or Eastern conference any time soon. When you can score five goals a night, the regular season won’t seem so bad. The playoffs are where it hurts and Washington might not have what it takes just yet to get to the finals.

Key Additions: NONE

Key Departures: Joe Corvo, Milan Jurcina, Shaone Morrisonn

Prediction: 118 pts. 1^st in SE

All Division Team:

Center: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay

Right Wing: Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay

Left Wing: Alexander Ovechkin, Washington

Defense: Mike Green, Washington

Defense: Tobias Enstrom, Atlanta

Goalie: Tomas Vokoun, Florida

Big Ten Divisions

Reports are coming out of ESPN that the Big Ten has its divisions set and will adopt a 9 game schedule starting in 2015. We do not know the specifics to the divisions yet, but what we do know is that Iowa and Wisconsin, a protected rivalry, are split up. 

I have played with division alignments a lot, and I think that while rivalries are extremely important, the smart thing to do is maintain competitive balance. Geography should play the smallest role in the decision making process. With that being said, here is my two cents in the division alignment debate.

East

Ohio State

Penn State

Wisconsin

Northwestern

Illinois

Minnesota

West

Michigan

Nebraska

Iowa

Michigan State

Indiana

Purdue

Michigan and Ohio State split makes the most sense to me. They can still play a protected crossover, along with Wisconsin-Iowa, and Penn State-Michigan State. This way still keeps some important rivalries in tact, maintains competitive balance (based on success within the past 15 years) and makes geographical sense. Do not be surprised when the divisions are revealed you see something similar to this line up. The two divisions are mirror images, (which makes the teams interchangeable to protect rivalries while separating the giants) maintains some rivalries, and makes geographical sense.

Preseason Top 25

For those of you who pay even the slightest bit of attention to college football, you know the AP Top 25 Poll was released over the weekend. While I, like some, believe that preseason polls can make or break a season, I figure if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em. Here is my top 25 for the 2010 season, including a breakdown of the top ten.

1. Alabama- It is hard to argue with Nick Saban's success in Tuscaloosa, starting with the fact they haven't lost a regular season game in 2 years. With a star studded backfield and a dynamic group of wide receivers, it is tough to see them losing this year either, even with an inexperienced defense. If any team gets to them, it will be early.

Set your TiVo- Sept. 11 vs. #19 Penn State, Sept. 25 @ #17 Arkansas

2. Ohio State- A Heisman Trophy quarterback, a deep backfield, an experienced offensive line, a solid defense, and the BCS monkey finally off their back, what's not to like? A tough schedule including road dates to Camp Randall and Iowa City is a start, and seemingly the only things standing in the way of the Buckeyes and a National Championship date in Glendale. Oh, and don't forget about The Big Game and a rising "Border War" with Penn State.

Set your TiVo- Sept. 11 vs. #13 Miami, Nov. 20 @ #9 Iowa

3. Boise State- There is no team in the nation with more returning star power than Boise State. Kellen Moore is for real, and will prove it yet again this season. They have two early tests, one in D.C. and then two weeks later in Boise, but there is no reason to think back to back 14-0 seasons aren't well within reach for coach Petersons Broncos. If there ever were a chance for a non-BCS team to make it to the big show, it is this team.

Set your TiVo- Sept. 6 vs. #10 Va. Tech (in D.C.), Sept. 25 vs. #24 Oregon State

4. TCU- Some may disagree but this team is nearly as dangerous as the team above them. They boast a ton of experience, an explosive offense, and a traditionally stout defense. Experience at the quarterback position is what separates this team from Florida and Texas, and trust me people will know who Andy Dalton is by the end of this season.

Set your TiVo- Sept. 4 vs. #24 Oregon State, Oct. 16 vs. BYU

5. Texas- Texas is the model of consistency when it comes to college football. With Mack Brown at the helm, coupled with being at the center of the recruiting universe, you can guarantee a 10 win season just about every year. Although Garrett Gilbert wasn't able to put together the storybook ending on a special season last year after taking over for an injured McCoy, what I saw from the true freshman really impressed me. This team definitely won't run away with the Big 12 South, but another title is well within their grasp.

Set your TiVo- Oct. 2 vs. #7 Oklahoma, Oct. 16 @ #8 Nebraska

6. Florida- Things in the land of Tebow will be a little bit different this year as John Brantley takes the helm. Fans in The Swamp shouldn't give up all hope yet though, Brantley is a big kid with a strong, accurate arm who makes his receivers look better than they are. Look for Meyer to air it out a little more to utilize his new QBs talents. My only concern is Brantley's leadership skills. Can he replace one of the greatest leaders of all time?

Set your TiVo- Oct. 2 @ #1 Alabama, Oct. 30 vs. #23 Georgia

7. Oklahoma- While this is a fairly young team on paper, there is a lot of experience in key areas, including all of the skill positions on offense. Landry Jones looks to take the next step in an offense that is always good, and DeMarco Murray is on my Heisman Trophy darkhorse list (coming soon). With most of their secondary returning in an air-it-out conference their defense looks to be solid this year as well. Avoiding Nebraska doesn't hurt either.

Set your TiVo- Sept. 11 vs. #20 Florida State, Oct. 2 vs. #5 Texas

8. Wisconsin- This is a very risky pick for one reason, Wisconsin is no longer coached by Barry Alvarez. While Bret Bielema is no slouch, the last time Wisconsin entered the season with any sort of expectations, they were a major flop. However, with one of the best offensive lines in the nation, and experience QB, and a Heisman contender in the backfield, it is really tough to mess this one up. This team has a very high ceiling and it helps to get Ohio State at home.

Set your TiVo- Oct. 16 vs. #2 Ohio State, Oct. 23 vs. #9 Iowa

9. Virginia Tech- Tyrod Taylor's production jumped greatly last year as he refined his passing ability and compiled a nice season. It helps to have one of the nations top returning rushers to open up the passing game as well. Combine that with an always stout Hokie defense and the tradition of "Beamer Ball" and you have the recipe for another ACC Championship.

Set your TiVo- Sept. 6 vs. #3 Boise State, Nov. 13 @ #18 North Carolina

10. Nebraska- While their offense was anemic at times last year, nearly all starters are returning in what could be a special last go round for Nebraska in the Big 12. Their defense may not be as stout as last years, but they still will be a force in what is usually a defenseless Big 12. Watch for this team to win the North again without much of a challenge setting up a potential rematch of last years title game.

Set your TiVo- Oct. 16 vs. #5 Texas, Oct. 30 vs. Missouri

Best of the rest:

11. Iowa

12. Miami

13. Oregon

14. USC

15. Arkansas

16. North Carolina

17. Florida State

18. Penn State

19. Pitt

20. Georgia Tech

21. LSU

22. Oregon State

23. West Virginia

24. Georgia

25. Cincinnati

Breakdown of the rest: While the ACC and Big East don't have that elite team to win it all, (although Virginia Tech is close, I don't think they have the star power to make a run at the crystal football) they do have a lot of very good teams which is made evident in the best of the rest category. The Pac 10 isn't the Pac 10 minus 9 it has been for the past decade, with both teams from Oregon having a legitimate shot at the Pac 10 crown this year. The SEC remains the top conference in the land, but the gap between them and the Big 10 and Pac 10 isn't as big as it used to be.

Welcome!

Welcome to 3 Lions and a Bonnie's Sports Blog! We are four recent college graduates from Penn State and St. Bonaventure combining to cover the vast world of professional and college sports.

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