I guess the Penguins will never win the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh. It’s pretty incredible to think that the Pens have won five cups in their fifty year history, which is incredibly impressive, and all five were won on the road. While I thought the Pens and Nashville would decide the cup in Pittsburgh this Wednesday, I can’t say I’m surprised Pittsburgh wrapped up the series in Nashville. It was a heck of an effort, and the perfect way to put the finishing touches on an unforgettable 50th anniversary season.
· Sidney Crosby, now a back to back Conn Smythe winner as the NHL playoff MVP, has now cemented his legacy as one of the top players in hockey history. He’s also being mentioned as one of the top five players to ever play the game, which I happen to agree with. I don’t think it’s a stretch to put Crosby up there with Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe. Crosby now has three Stanley Cups, two Olympic Gold medals and a World Cup of Hockey title to his name. And he’s got plenty of hockey left. What a player.
· I’m seen a lot of Pittsburgh Penguins’ games during their 50 years in the NHL, both in person and on television. I’m not sure I’ve seen the Pens play a better game than they turned in during Game Five of the Stanley Cup Finals. I was lucky enough to be there and have to rate it as one of the most amazing games I have ever attended. It was sensational, start to finish. The Pens looked like an all-star team while Nashville looked like a bunch of minor leaguers. I never expected to see a game like that. Game 5 was one for the history books. It’s a game I will never forget and for all the right reasons.
· I’ll never forget how disappointed I was last year when I attended Game Five of the Finals, only to see the Pens lose in their first ever chance to win the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh. After winning the first two games of the series, I thought the Pens had another great chance to do it again at home in Game Five. That obviously wasn’t the case after they got swept in Nashville. I can’t imagine what it would have been like had Game Five been the possible clincher. And after witnessing the Pens dominate Game Five, I can’t help but think what could have been.
· Gerrit Cole is in a funk and it’s hard to figure out why. He was so good early in the season, even though he didn’t have the record to show for it. Over the last three weeks Cole has imploded. He’s giving up a lot of hits and long balls, and his stuff isn’t what it was. There has been speculation that the Houston Astros are very interested in trading for Cole, and they’re probably not the only team that was interested in him. But now, are teams still high on Cole? I’ve said previously that I would trade the righty if the Pirates can get a nice return for him. After all, he will leave as a free agent after the 2019 season. In the meantime, I hope Cole returns to his usually great form, both for his sake and for the Pirates’ sake.
· Felipe Rivero is now the Pirates’ closer, which makes a lot of sense. Tony Watson had to go after his two blown saves in Baltimore last week. Watson had blown five saves this season. Face it, he’s best served as a set-up man. While they’re at it, the Pirates should also think about getting rid of Wade Leblanc. He hasn’t been very good either.
· I fully expect the Golden State Warriors to close out the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland tonight. They won’t collapse like they did last year. Lebron James is the best basketball player on the planet, but he can’t do it alone. Get ready for the parade, Warriors fans.
· The US Open takes place this week. It’s always a great event to watch and one of the great tests of golf. It’s hard to imagine the US Open without Phil Mickelson. He said he’ll skip the event this year so he can attend his daughter’s high school graduation, which is exactly what you’d expect from Phil. Too bad Lefty won’t compete. He’s running out of chances to win the only major he’s never been able to win.
