Friday, March 19, 2004
Ok, so playoffs or no playoffs, those of you who know what SXSW is won't be surprised if I don't blog again this weekend -- which isn't to say I won't be checking Pointstreak on my cell phone.
PREDICTIONS
First up, Greg Rajan of the Corpus Christi Caller Times.
Laredo in 4
Amarillo in 5
Colorado in 3
Bossier in 5
And guess what Gorillas fans? You won't have John Kaltefleiter to kick around any more... Amarillo's tell-it-like-it-is hockey scribe is headed to Athens, GA as of Saturday. That being the case, here are his complete predictions:
Amarillo in 5
Laredo in 4
Wichita in 5
Bossier-Shreveport in 5
(Conference finals)
Laredo in 6
Bossier-Shreveport in 5
(President's Cup final)
Laredo in 6
As with last year, I will actively solicit finals predictions from folks around the league (and have another contest) when the time comes. And now my own:
San Angelo in 4
If you believe it means something that Reid was the best goalie in the league over the last two months, if you believe it means something that the Saints played better down the stretch, if you believe it means something that the 'Rillas lost the last three meetings (as well as all three away from home), you gotta go with the division champion everybody underrates, especially if the Coliseum's semi-packed (the thing about San Angelo is when they have 1600 people at a game 75% are loud, proud and follow the team on a regular basis. When you have 4500 people at various other (non-expansion) cities I doubt more than 25% fit that description).
Laredo in 4
Shift for shift, it will be as close as last year's Ice Bats-Scorps tilt, but the Killer Bees' work ethic and goaltending can only slow the Bucks up to a point, especially on special teams.
P.S. -- Nothing against Scott Reid or Jeff Levy, I'm a fan of both and have seen what they can do firsthand. But while reflecting on Austin's 16th-rated offense, I couldn't help but wonder -- were those guys really that lights-out, or were Austin, Corpus, Odessa and Lubbock just pathetic with the puck?
Bossier in 5
Indy's not quite the team it was last season, and I can't help thinking they would have preferred a shot at slowing Colorado, instead of going up against a Bugs team that can out-defend them. Baird and company may get their points, but the Bugs will come through with more scoring from the second and third lines.
Colorado in 4
"Let's win one because we hate John Nath!" Not exactly inspirational. The Eagles were 8-1-1 in their last 10, without Tobler. I think they are ready to go, and Ryan Bach could end up as this year's Mark Richards.
