Philadelphia 76ers: Rise of the Underdogs

(photo courtesy of sportslogos.net)

(photo courtesy of therx.com)

With the Conference Finals underway, the Heat, Celtics, Spurs & Thunder will do all they can for a chance at competing in the NBA Finals. One team that won’t be is the Philadelphia 76ers, whose playoff hopes were crushed by the Celtics Saturday Night.

(photo courtesy of thestartingfive.net)

(photo courtesy of depressedfan.com)

The Sixers just barely made the playoffs and were considered underdogs from the jump. They silenced their critics by knocking out the top-seeded Bulls in the first round, and brought fourth place Boston to 7 games in round 2. Although officially done for the season, the 76ers proved that the future is theirs. With an average age of 25, Philly should be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. With their showing in these playoffs, fans can now see that it’s time for the rise of the underdogs.


-Raindrops

Coach St-Pierre is Lengthening His UFC Legacy

Rory MacDonald (left) and GSP (photo courtesy of cagepotato.com)

GSP may be on the mend, but he's never off his game. The UFC welterweight champ has been helping along several young fighters on his Tristar team, and the results speak for themselves. Georges' influence has been evident, with Rory MacDonald, Mark Bocek, and most recently Yves Jabouin, all registering very impressive wins. Not only are they winning, but they're each exhibiting mutual distinctive traits that mirror St-Pierre's game: tactical striking, ring control, and a nearly impenetrable sprawl. Plus, fighters are fight fans too, how jacked must they be to see GSP in their corner after each round? Regardless of what his in-ring future holds, it seems like St-Pierre has the goods to become a full-time trainer. We saw it on The Ultimate Fighter, we're seeing it now, and we could see it a whole lot more in the future.

Have The Heat Already Won The East?

(photo courtesy of www.peninsulaismightier.com) 

The Miami Heat look like they might just be untouchable in the Eastern Conference. Chicago were the only real contenders to their crown, and we all saw how they looked without D-Rose. It's ludicrous to think Philadelphia or Indiana can matchup with the Heat, and Boston would have had their hands full with that lineup even a few years ago when they were the big dogs. With Rose out of the picture along with Dwight Howard, it has become painfully obvious just how lopsided the talent pool in the NBA really is. Blue collar teams that reside in the middle of the pack can simply do no more than compete, creating an elitist culture that is even more exclusive than English soccer. For the swaths of Heat haters, it would seem that their hopes live on only in the West. 

Manchester Drama Provides Epic Premier League Finish

(photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk)

Hollywood couldn't have scripted it better; Cross-city rivals Manchester United and Manchester City tied atop the table on the last day of the season. United, the juggernaut of the EPL. City, the kid brother. United's game finished moments earlier than City's, and that was all it took for history to happen. City, down 2-1 in stoppage time, scored two massive goals to steal the title from the jaws of what would have been a crippling defeat. 

(photo courtesy of tsn.ca)

City has drastically changed their culture in recent years, becoming big spenders in an attempt to turn England's big 4 into a big 5. After so many controversies, and the scourge of their powerhouse rivals at Old Trafford, it seems their mission has been accomplished. With a single strike, a title was won, a team was relegated, jobs were saved, and history was rewritten. 

Ovechkin's Legacy: The Biggest Loser

(photo courtesy of sbnation.com)

Over his short career, Alexander Ovechkin has seen his status slip from being the Russian answer to Sidney Crosby, to being just another "Russian enigma". Ovie saw his role change drastically in this year's playoff run in an attempt by coach Dale Hunter to get his offensively-charged lineup to play a defense-first style. Ovechkin's ice time dropped drastically as a result, but the Caps were pulling out some gritty wins. 

(photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

Game seven in the Big Apple was a tightly-contested match that offered Ovie the opportunity to change the narrative about his worth as a big-game player. Instead, he withered under the pressure, failing yet again to make the big play and carry his team to victory. Pressure creates gems, but it also creates rubble, and Ovechkin is running out of chances to show us what he's made of.

Canada's Got Talent; Struggling on IIHF Stage

(photo courtesy of thechroniclehearald.com)

At the 2012 IIHF World Championships, Canada boasts yet another roster that is oozing talent, but *gasp* they've failed to utterly dominate thus far.  Canadian fans don't accept mediocrity. Despite an epic gold medal at the Olympics, Canadian hockey has begun to show an alarming trend; players are putting on the red and white, automatically saying "gold medal, please". American basketball and Brazilian soccer have had similar problems; heavy hangs the head that wears the crown. 

(photo courtesy of hockeycanada.ca)

Canada lacks chemistry. A group of stars are playing as individuals, just as they normally do in their respective NHL roles. The goaltending depth is not what it used to be, so bailouts are harder to come by. Canada's sheer talent does win out sometimes, i.e. today vs Finland. The question is: is that going to be enough to rule the world?