The Day That Changed College Football

Today will turn into a historic day in the eyes of college football fans. Starting in 2014, college football will have a 4-team playoff system to decide the national champion. The two semifinal games will take place at the existing BCS Bowl spots. The highest bidding city will host the National Championship. There are a lot of fans of this playoff system. However, lots of people think this will cause more controversy. I actually like this system. I think it shows who the best team in the country is. The selection committee will have a tough time picking the four teams, though. You have to realize that in whatever system you have somebody is going to complain about it. This system will start in 2014 and end in 2026. It is a 12-year deal. This will give plenty of teams a better opportunity. I can't wait to see how this plays out.

5 Players with the Most Pressure to Win a Title

Now that LeBron has gotten the burden of not winning an NBA Championship off his back, who will take up the new found pressure? Here are my top five players that need to get a ring on their finger:

5. Chris Paul

Paul is with a Clippers team that is very exciting to watch and is energetic. He has boatloads of talent and is arguably the best Point Guard in the NBA. His window for a title is getting smaller and unfortunately for him, he now has to deal with the OKC Thunder in the Western conference.

4. Kevin Durant

Durant is just simply an athletic monster. He is the future of the NBA. He now has experience in the Finals which is what the Thunder lacked this year. He would be higher up on the list, but he has more opportunities to win. There is no doubt in my mind that he will win at least two titles. 

3. Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo is one of the best pure scorers in the league. He came to New York to win a title, but his chances are getting slimmer. It is obvious that the Knicks cannot work well together. He has to step up. Nobody in NY is satisfied with a first-round loss.

2. Dwight Howard

One of the only reasons Howard is up here is because he has acted immature. He will likely be on the move this offseason. He got his coach Stan Van Gundy fired. Howard is actually injured right now and will not participate in the Olympics. Howard is a great defensive player and is a force to be reckoned with in the post. Brooklyn will most likely be his first option. Him and Deron Williams could do very good things depending on if Williams stays in Brooklyn.

1. Derrick Rose

Rose is a phenomenal player with tremendous skill. He is one of the best Point Guards in the league. However, the 2010-2011 MVP has sustained many injuries. I would like to see how he holds up. Rose is a fun player to watch. When you play for the Bulls though, in Jordan's shadow, greatness is expected. Rose has a great career ahead of him. 

Miami Vice

Last night, the Miami Heat secured their second NBA Championship is the history of their organization over the OKC Thunder. LeBron go the ring he has desired for years. The Big 3 for the Heat were outstanding. Wade and Bosh came up huge. The key for the Heat towards the end of the series was the role players. Mike Miller, Shane Battier, and Mario Chalmers were great. Miller had 23 points which included seven three-pointers. Erik Spoelstra coached this team exceptionally well. All LeBron needs is six more rings to fulfill his promise.

Can't Feel The Heat

In just a few minutes, Game 3 of the NBA Finals will tip off. With the series tied at one apiece, the next three games will be played in Miami. The first two games have been back and forth. The Thunder came back to win Game 1, but in Game 2 LeBron and his Heat managed to survive after a crazy Thunder rally. Tonight's game should be very interesting. I think the matchup to watch is Wade on Westbrook. If Wade plays like he did in Game 2, I think the Heat have a very good chance of winning. These are the two best transition teams in the game. Tonight's game will be great, but I have a feeling the Thunder might steal one from the Heat. OKC has to come out rolling or it will be very tough to come back. Miami will be going insane when Game 3 tips off in just under 25 minutes.

Take My Talents to OKC

Just about two years ago, LeBron made his decision to "take his talents to South Beach" and play with DwyAne Wade and Chris Bosh on national television. He got a lot of ridicule for that. The day before LeBron made his decision, Kevin Durant signed a five-year contract with the Thunder. That got basically no media attention at all. Now, wouldn't it be funny if Durant got his first ring before James. They now face off in the NBA Championship. I am actually so thrilled for this series. It will just be star covering star. Wade will be covering Westbrook most of the game. Ibaka and Bosh will go at it in the post, but Ibaka will have to cover Bosh's mid-range jumpers he does from the corner like against Boston. The matchup everybody wants to see is LeBron covering Durant. The MVP against the scoring champion. That is some good basketball. This will be a terrific game. However, I think the Thunder will pull this out.  Two of the keys for the Thunder are Derek Fisher and the home fan base. Fisher has won a handful of  NBA Championships. Fisher will be like a coach to this Thunder team.  I also think the home crowd for the Thunder will help rattle some of the bench players for Miami. Not players like Wade, James, or Bosh, just the role players. Oklahoma City will be going insane tonight when these two teams take the floor.

Royal Highness

The Los Angeles Kings are now Stanley Cup Champions! They took care of the Devils in six games to claim the Cup. They rolled over the Devils last night 6-1 to bring home the Stanley Cup to LA. Lead by goaltender Jonathan Quick, the Kings had a remarkable 16-4 postseason record. They came into the Playoffs as the 8-seed in the Western Conference. They demolished the Canucks, Blues, and Coyotes to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they beat the Devils. This was the Kings first ever Stanley Cup. The Kings will be parading all over with the Cup. All LA needs now is a football team. 

I'll Have Street Life

There has been a complete twist in the racing world. The winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, I'll Have Another, has been scratched from the Belmont Stakes. He was scratched for a swollen tendinitis. It is good for the horse, but not for horse racing. The ratings will go down and they will be losing a lot of money. Their has to be a story behind this. The trainer Doug O'Neill is about to serve a suspension for giving one of his former horses a performance-enhancing mixture. He is going to serve a 45-day suspension after the Belmont Stakes is over. The rest of the field's odds have changed dramatically. For the 2012 Belmont Stakes, I will be picking Street Life with 8-1 odds. Tonight won't be as exciting as it would have been with I'll Have Another, but it will be surprisingly entertaining for most folks. 

One Ticket to OKC

The Celtics and Heat will go at it tonight for the right to play in the NBA Championship against OKC. This will be a great game like the previous battles in this series. LeBron has been terrific for the Heat this series. He is coming off a 45-point performance on Thursday. Rajon Rondo has been just as great this series. His passes have been amazing. The key for both teams tonight has to be the role players. Whichever bench plays better, that team will win. This will be a great game, but I have to go with Miami in the end. LeBron just has too much talent. I would be surprised if the Heat don't win. I don't mean to insult the Celtics, it is just that the Heat have more energy. By the end of the night, the Heat will be looking for a ticket to OKC. 

Back To Jersey

After New Jersey's 3-1 win in LA on Wednesday, the Devils are still alive. The series goes back to The Rock in Jersey. The Kings look to close out the series and bring the Stanley Cup to Los Angeles for the first time. Tonight's game should be a hard-fought battle. The Devils showed signs of life on Wednesday. They had more goals than they did the whole series. The Kings have been the more aggressive team in this series. Zach Parise needs to get going for Jersey. He has no points this whole series. I think he will step up for the Devils and break past Quick in the net. This will be a tough game, but I think the Devils will take it. All eyes will be watching tonight when these two teams hit the ice, except if you are an NBA fan.

Coast to Coast Battle

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals passed its expectations. It will be a tough act to follow for the Kings and Devils in Game 2. After a 2-day rest, the Devils will be ready to bounce back after an OT loss in Game 1. In order to tie the series, they will need to be able to get past the dominant Jonathan Quick in the goalie position. Patrik Elias will have a great game tonight for Jersey. The defense for the Kings was sensational on Wednesday night. Tonight, I have to go with New Jersey to tie up the series. This Stanley Cup, in some people's eyes, could solidify Martin Brodeur as the best goalie ever. I can't see him going down without a fight. All hockey fans will be watching when the Devils and Kings battle it out at The Rock.

Conference Finals Forecast: A little Thunderstorms on Saturday, but all Heat on Sunday

The Eastern and Western Conference Finals have both are very close. In the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs are up on the Thunder 2 games to 1. However, the Thunder have the momentum after a 20-point blowout on Thursday night. Tonight's game will be a great game to watch. If Thabo Sefolosha plays like he did in Game 3, the Thunder are destined for a win. This should be close, but I have to go with the Thunder at home. The fans at Chesapeake Energy Arena are some of the loudest fans in the NBA. 

The Eastern Conference Finals has been a tough and gritty series so far. Rajon Rondo has been stellar in his last two performances against the Heat. The Celtics' bench was the key in Game 3 to cut the series deficit to one. However, I think LeBron will play off the charts in Game 4 to give the Heat a 3-1 series lead. This should be a great game if you are a Miami fan. For the rest of the weekend, kick off your shoes and watch some basketball.