The Orlando Magic already finished two rounds of playoffs on the road, clinching the first in Philadelphia and the second in Boston.
They better do this one at home.
The Magic take a 3-2 lead into Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final Saturday night at Amway Arena against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, well aware that they might be pushing their road luck if they are forced into a return to Cleveland for Game 7.
"We don't want to go back and play in their arena again,'' said Magic forward Rashard Lewis. "They feed off that crowd there.''
For a moment, let's take a quick break from the playoff action to stop, smell the roses and admire the work of some of the people behind the scenes in the sports industry. I direct your attention to the photo above, which was taken by Phillip MacCallum of Getty Images before Game Two of the Habs/Flyers series Saturday night. It's an absolutely stunning shot, and one of thousands of examples which show us that sports photographers aren't simply clicking away clumsily during the game. This shot is so much more than the average picture. It's clearly well thought out and carefully crafted. Photography is a hobby of mine, so I've got a bit of an idea about what goes into shots such as this one -- not that I could take something so nice but I actually do have some idea of what I'm talking about. It's really one of those shots that makes you want to get up, go to a rink and play some hockey.
One of the great things about FanHouse is that we have access to Getty Images and all the great work they do. We're able to grab great pictures like this one and include them in our posts. And even if you're not a subscriber to Getty, you can still click around their website and sample all kinds of great images (yes, even the ones of Pamela Anderson kissing Fin the Orca). Check them out at gettyimages.com.
The Wings announced that Todd Bertuzzi will not play in Game 2 vs. Calgary Sunday and is day-to-day. After practicing Saturday, Bertuzzi (concussion, strained neck) said he is optimistic he'll be ready for Game 3 in Calgary on Tuesday.
"I feel a lot better, whether a couple of days of practice would put me in a better position or not, we'll have to decide after,'' Bertuzzi said, before learning that he would not play. "It's not ultimately my decision. I tell them how I feel and they base their decision on that.''
Asked if he would at least be ready for Game 3, he said, "I'm hoping so. Obviously when you're winning you have to continue it. See what happens.''
So, even with the extra day of rest, the Wings won't be dressing Bertuzzi. Is this simply a precautionary measure, or do they not want to screw up the good chemistry they showed in their 4-1 victory?
Whatever the case, Bertuzzi needs to get into some game action soon if he wants to get used to the high pace of the playoffs. As good as Bertuzzi can be, his lack of defensive attention can screw up even the best of plans.
21-14 Louisiana State. It looked early like LSU was going to run the Irish right out of the Dome. ND surprised many by going strong to the run as Darius Walker has been the reason ND was able to comeback and tie the game at 14.
Both teams have missed field goals of under 35 yards after the QBs have turned the ball over. LSU does not look that much faster with its defense against the ND offense. Walker has been able to get around the corner on LSU.
JaMarcus Russell has outplayed Brady Quinn so far in this game for whatever that is worth. Quinn has sailed a lot of passes so far.
ND had dominated by nearly 2-1 on time of possession. Hardly matters if LSU capitalizes more often then ND.
After a week of speculation and cross-country interviews, BC finally found its man. According to multiple sources, Green Bay Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski will become the new Head Coach at Boston College. Jags proved the ideal candidate for the BC administration in that he has connections to the Tom O'Brien staff so he knows what works, yet has enough of his own identity to bring in new ideas. But this is Boston, having a good personality is never enough (just as Pete Carroll). Jags inherits a talented, Senior heavy squad. He will have to win and win early. Until he makes his mark on the field, the Jags critics will be out in force calling this hire a stretch, or worse, a mistake.
Jags reportedly has a lot of energy and a vision of where he can take Boston College. After a decade of Mr. Bland Tom O'Brien, even the biggest whiners are just waiting for a Coach they can love. If Jags can combine his winning personality with winning an ACC Championship, BC fans will finally be happy (for a little while at least).
The Orlando Magic already finished two rounds of playoffs on the road, clinching the first in Philadelphia and the second in Boston.
Well, so much for 
After a week of speculation and cross-country interviews, 
