tylerarltunl

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 12.0

May 26th, 2018

Welcome one welcome all back to Tyler’s Takes after an extended absence due to a sickness I am still fighting.. I thought all my naps last weekend when I was off would help but apparently not.. I am back! My takes have been bursting at the seams so I will not withhold them very much longer I just want to say some things about my next idea and a long term outlook! So I am excited to say that starting next week I am going to be doing a game/preview prediction for Husker Football!! With 12 games and doing one game a week I will finish a week before the season starts.. that is hard to believe isnt it.. I will also be introducing a new style instead of Headlines for specific teams I am going to be just doing quick hits for everything on my mind. I think this will go better if you do not like it as much as always let me know! College football is my favorite sport and I am excited to dive in with Tyler’s Takes and Husker football and college football for that matter at the same time. So with that news out of the way I will get to it. 

-The Red Sox designated Hanley Ramirez for assignment yesterday and my take is this.. I really liked the dude so I am hurt. His numbers have been bad and financially it makes sense so I get where the ownership is coming from. I know he will be missed in clubhouse and by the fans. He was a fun goofy guy who was better then the team will remember him for and that is partially do to the money he signed for. Thanks for the memories Hanley!

-Boston has had the best record in baseball since Tuesday and has not relinquished it. They go for a sweep of the Braves tomorrow with Sale on the mound I think they get it done.

-The Braves! My Cinderella ran into a buzz saw that is the Boston offense but they are talented enough to rebound and man they are young. I go to watch a little bit of the game today and they are trending for like a 5 year run at the pennant probably starting next year. 

-The Phillies claim the number one spot in the NL East now and they are just as young as the Braves. I think this division will be fun in the future... I still expect the Nationals to ruin the fun this year and figure things out and beat out these two young teams but once Bryce Harper leaves Washington ie after this season.. Phillies and Braves fans are going to have some fun summers ahead of them. 

-The Yankees and Astros are keeping pace with the Red Sox in the win column so the American leagues has three titans and the lets just take a peek at the National League division leaders right now for a quick laugh.. Philadelphia Milwaukee and Colorado are all leading their divisions at this point with the likes of the Cubs, Nationals, Dodgers, and Cardinals all puttering around .500. Its only May so this is going fix itself right!?

-Aaron Rodgers said why would we cut Jordy and then sign Dez Bryant.. WOW dude has no shame I mean I totally see where he is coming from on production but both guys were cut for money reasons and if you could pay either as your third best wide receiver option you should do it. Now Jordy got better money than that but Dez is looking like that may be the best he gets and I think it would be a significant upgrade over Geronimo Allison. Rodgers said later in the interview he would welcome Dez with open arms. I would welcome him with a loop of Dez catch that wasnt on the JumboTron but that is just me.

-Two game sevens in the NBA Conference finals with lots of question marks flying around in both games.

-Lets start with the Sunday game between the Cavs and Celtics. No Kevin Love but the Cavs just beat the Celtics at home when he only played 5 minutes.. Lebron in a game 7 on the road or at home you have to think he is going to be special. But this series has been so home dependent like the craziest home swings I have seen... makes me think the Celtics have a chance. Vegas says the Celtics are favored I say how is Lebron not favored in a game 7 when he is head and shoulders the best player on the court. I stated in pre playoff predictions when the Playoffs role around you take Lebron and win money. I am sticking to it even though I want the Celtics to win the gut says the Cavs make it out of the East. I will own it if I am wrong but at least I will be happy about being wrong!

-My Warriors man oh man what expecting to win every time the ball is rolled out on the court does to twitter. If the Dubs cannot win the game 7 twitter is literally going to be on fire. I do not think I will be able to look at it till after the Fourth of July. These are two great teams can we just enjoy that? Yeah KD left Oklahoma City to join a talented team but why does that matter here and now. This Houston team is legit and has been all season and losing to them shouldn’t make me want to delete twitter but it will if it happens. I already saw a headline “If the Warriors lose should they make BIG changes”... STOP that it has not even happened but STOP. 

-The game itself I see breaking this way if CP3 plays it will be a “lower” scoring game think 96-90. If he does not play I do not see how Golden State does not win and does not win by 15. Think 125-110. I think the Warriors win either way but I mean as a fan I wouldn’t be that sad if CP3 does not play... Every close game has gone to Houston this series and I think the Warriors will not look as bad as they have down the stretch if it is close.. Im calling my shot right now but KD plays like he did in the finals last year and carriers the Warriors to a slim lead at the half and if CP3 does not play the SplashBros go off in the third and end it. KD is going to go for 32+ and will remind everyone one of the guy that showed up in the Finals last year. 

-Las Vegas vs. Washington for Lord Stanley’s Cup should be an exciting clash of a star vs. a team of nobodies (literally Vegas is full of guys that were not protected by their former teams) If you still have not taken my advice and watched playoff hockey watch the Finals you will be entertained I promise you. 

Well folks that is all I have got for this week I hope you enjoyed the new format and I am excited to get to some Husker football next week. No golf for me this week due to my sickness. I HATE being sick in the summer like it is gross. Anyway Dad, sis and I are playing in a golf tournament on Monday and that brings me to my next point.. I would like to thank all the Veterans for their service to this great country that allows me to spread my takes to the people. Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Earl, Cousin Luke and everyone else out there who has served thank you for service it will never be forgotten. Have a drink on me please I will get ya back next time I see ya! and to everyone else thanks for reading and enjoy the hot days heading your way!

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 11.0

May 15th, 2018

Long over due Tyler’s Takes is here I had a busy hectic weekend with work followed by some time enjoyed on the golf course but I am back so I will get right to it. 

Major League Baseball

- Boston vs. New York is going to like the most fun day in day out baseball I have seen. We already know these teams do not like each other.. something that has been missing from previous seasons... and both teams are really really good. I am excited to see the season develop around these two teams but also do not forget the Houston Astros who will have something to say about the American League before it is all said and done.

-I really believe the Red Sox are the better team in the long haul. I think their starters are better and I would rather have Kimbrel and Kelly than Chapman and Betances. Both teams know how to score runs so that is how I determine which is better.

-Some of the worst teams in the league are playing good baseball right now. The Rays, Royals, and Orioles have been respectable as of late. Baltimore sits in last place but has been crushing the ball Manny Machado  is in the zone right now. Heck even the Reds have won 6... before losing Monday... in row and swept the Dodgers!

-So is it too early to sell my Braves and Phillies stock yet? I dont want to sell but will the price be any higher than right now?!?  at the quarter poll these two teams seem legit. The Braves are 25-15 and Yankees and Red Sox were both 28-12 and had historic streaks. Both these teams will be ignored (Braves, Phillies) by the national media because the Nationals everyone expect will right the ship BUT, to me, give a young team life like both of these teams have and they start to believe. Young talent with confidence goes a long way. 

-Hey Dodgers you want to like wake up and actually be a good baseball team? A 1-7 stretch against the Reds, Padres, and D-Backs is not what the doctor ordered.

National Basketball Association

-So I totally flunked my Eastern Conference Picks I will own it. That is the realism Tyler’s Takes gives you.. I am not afraid to say hey I was an idiot here so hey I was an idiot and took the Raptors and 76ers. 

-If I had been on top of my game and got this done over the weekend I would have predicted Warriors vs. Cavs in the Finals but man if the Celtics did not show me something in game 1. I have picked against them every round and they have proved me wrong each time so I will stand by my Cavs pick. (trying to reverse jinx the Cavs here because I would love to see new blood in the Finals this year.)

-The fact that my favorite team added Kevin Durant two years ago probably is not fair. But I do not care. Go Warriors!! They looked really good Monday night. When the Slim Reaper, my favorite nickname for KD, is ON no team can stay within competitive distance of this team. My favorite player is Steph and he is the reason I am Warriors fan and get to enjoy this incredible run they are on right now but he is not 100% which makes this team that much scarier. I hope LeBron leaves Cleveland to try and assemble a team he thinks can reasonably compete with the Warriors be that in the Eastern or Western Conference. 

-My prediction to my friends in the West was if the Rockets do not win game one they get swept I will stand by the #hottake.

National Hockey League

-I am a Boston Bruins fans and I know very little about hockey so this is a loser fans take but I am rooting for the Vegas Golden Knights at this point.. I have mentioned their story before and now I just want to see it come to fruition. 

-Hockey has the best postseason in sports and you are missing out if you do not watch even a period of one game I ask you to just give it a shot and if you do not have a rooting interest cheer for the Golden Knights this  team did not existence last year and they are 7 wins away from hoisting the toughest trophy to win in all of sports. 

Extra

-The Supreme Court ruled that basically we can gamble legally! I saw some tweets that compared it to marijuana smoking and how every state once weed was “legalized” would flock to it and that has not really happened.. I think this is a poor comparison.. Put me down as most states are going to want to regulate and cash in on legal gambling and it is not a political issue like marijuana.. who says no to gambling both sides of isle gamble its not a red or blue thing.. so that will end my political takes for uh ever!

Just want to wrap up with my usual thanks and blessing to all who read and enjoy my takes. Want to wish my cousin a great and happy wedding and life with his about to be wife. They are an amazing couple and she survived my uncles and Arlt side of the family so that deserves an award in itself.  My update on my golf game.. I kid you not you may think I am full of hot air at this point but my swing in GROOVED. I hope to hit the ball like this all summer. Golf is fun all the time but it is really fun when you do not have to worry about where your ball is going to end up. I shot a 38 and 41 since my last takes and I have played about the last 5 round without taking worse than a bogey. As always thanks for reading and I hope your summer is off to a great start.. If you do not have a summer like me now (really butt hurt about this) then lets make our own fun! If ever day is summer for you like my dad well then you can (bite me) enjoy that too!! Peace out yall.

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 10.0

May 6th, 2018

Welcome back to Tyler’s Takes everybody. Hope you had a good week. The weather has officially made a turn for the best here. It feels like spring may very well just not happen this year. I like the 60 degree weather but will not complain about 80s and sunny so let me jump right to the takes!

College Basketball

-Joey Baker reclassified to the 2018 Duke team. This means he was supposed to be a 2019 recruit and then decided he could graduate high school early and start college a year ahead of schedule. This now means that Duke in 2018 has 4 5 star players and Tyus Jones little brother who is 4 star point guard. Talent wise they are going to be loaded but I do not if that will translate to wins on the court. If anyone can make the talent mesh I trust in coach K.

College Football

-Nebraska signed a 4 star running back out of New Jersey. This staff is pulling kids heavily from the east coast and Texas. I like this strategy more than the previous staff trying to go out West for a bulk of their recruiting because with Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers, and Ohio State all relatively close to the Eastern Seaboard it is easier for kids to see and know Big Ten football than out west.

-Just think we are a summer away from the pads crunching and my favorite sport coming back into the fold. I cannot wait for college football!

Major League Baseball

-Cannot complain about the Red Sox week. I actually got to watch them win some games during my day off and two series wins will get the job done. Beating the Royals and Rangers is nothing special and the Sox head to New York for a series with the Yankees who are white hot right now. I just do not want the Red Sox to get swept it will be interesting to see if the bad blood continues into part two of the season.

-The Royals got their first series win of the season this weekend and it was a four game series win which is tougher to do. A four win week for the Royals is a great building block and as bad as they have been the Central leading Indians are 17-17.

-The Cardinals have won four in a row after getting swept by Pittsburg. They lead the division and were one of my picks to make the playoffs. They are 19-12 right now but the central is a mess with Cubs in fourth place at 16-14. Sunday night baseball is Cubs and Cardinals tonight as the Cardinals go for the sweep. This division will settle down with the Cubs and Cardinals reigning supreme.

-The Braves and Phillies continue their impressive start to the season. Both of these teams have young talent and are probably a year away. I enjoy watching young teams play well and that is what both of these teams are doing right now. I hope both of these teams keep winning.

National Basketball Association

-Okay I was dead wrong about the Eastern Conference. LeBron owns the Raptors. I mean the Raptors were not the greatest one seed but they still should not be getting embarrassed by this Cavs team.

-Philly is playing like the young team they are and also Brad Stevens is a genius and the the best x’s and o’s coach in the game right now. The fact that he is going to get this roster to the Eastern Conference Finals is minor miracle. 

-That brings me to the Cavs vs. Celtics.. Brad Stevens has taken that roster as far as he can. Sadly the Cavs are going to make it out of the East because I was hoping for some new blood because this Cavs team stands no chance against the Rockets or the Warriors.

-I still think it will be Rockets vs. Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors started their death line up today and it won to the tune of a 30 point victory. 

-The Rockets take on the Jazz tonight trying to get a 3-1 series lead. They will do it.

National Football League

-Yay! No more pre draft analysis! This is the best part of the NFL off-season when all is quiet. 

-Where do you think Dez signs? He turned down a deal in Baltimore.. I think he wants to play on a contender but money talks a lot. I still think he should sign with the Giants. Him, Odell, and Barkley could make that offense look impressive.

National Hockey League

-My Bruins are done.. Lost four in a row to the best hockey team in the regular season. Just could not score enough to keep the games close.

-My attention turns to the Vegas Golden Knights. Would love to see a Sabres Golden Knights series to decide who goes to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Golden Knights are in year one as an expansion team and what they are doing is historical if it was not hockey and was baseball, football, or basketball what they have accomplished already would be a huge story. Sadly they will have to win it all for them to get the recognition they deserve. 

That will do it for Tyler’s Takes! The sports seasons are winding down and the summer will be the slowest part of the year for Tyler’s Takes I am excited to continue writing and will keep everyone posted even if there is not a lot to talk about. My golf game update for the week.. Shot a 43 in tournament hole locations yesterday. I will take it.. I am just waiting for all aspects of my game to come together at once and I will be good to go! Im out of here thanks and I hope you enjoyed it.

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 9.0

April 29th, 2018

This week will be a short week not a whole lot to cover! Got some good takes on the few things that caught my eye this week though so I will get to it.

College Football

Nebraska Cornhuskers 

So the hot take from the spring game did not have to do much with the product on the field but what occurred before the players took the field. The Tunnel Walk song has been the flashing point and the big discussion. Nebraska came out to a version of “Come Together” forgoing Sirius.. At first this did not sit right with me. I went to my first Nebraska game at age five and I do not remember plays or players (OK you caught me of course I remember Eric Crouch but at the time he was just the QB to my young eyes) but I remember the Tunnel Walk and I remember sitting at home  begging my parents to take me to another game so I could watch another Tunnel Walk. As I grew older the games became more important to me but the Tunnel Walk will always be special so changing it up right when I expect the Huskers to be respectable again felt like a slap in the face. I am sure whatever they decide will get the blood flowing and skin raised but for all this talk about getting back to what made Nebraska Nebraska and then changing something like the Tunnel Walk seems weird. I am in the do not change it group. Tom Shatel of the Omaha World Herald made a point that basically was winning cures all ills which is true if Nebraska wins a national title no one is going to care what the Tunnel Walk is or was. I am a traditionalist in every way just ask my parents. If things have been done a certain way for a long time you do not change that. 

Major League Baseball

-The Red Sox had their worst week of Tyler’s Takes.. I knew it was too good to be true! Just kidding 20-7 is one hell of a start and the things were going to balance out eventually and they were never going to keep hitting like they were. Cause for concern is that the starting rotation does not seem as good as I thought it would be.

-The Royals are off to their worst start in franchise history and that is saying something for how bad this team is right now.. Salvy is back though so at least they have that going for them and Moose is crushing the ball right now too trade him while he is hot!!

-The Yankees are playing good baseball for the first time this year and look like what many thought they would look like.

-Going to mention the Braves and Phillies being good for as long as I can sitting at 16-11 with the third best record in the National League. 

National Basketball Association

-So I went 7-1 in my first round predictions (The bSucks lost to a depleted Celtics team #freethefreak) 

-The Cavs are really not good. 

-The East is incredibly more interesting than the West I think Houston and Golden State win in 5 but the Raptors Cavs series goes 7 and I think Philly should easily take care of Boston but the Celtics have surprised me every time I doubt them.

-My conference finals predictions Warriors vs. Rockets and Sixers vs. Raptors

-LeBron is playing his last season in Cleveland and the Raptors get over the hump.

-I may be a hater on Russ but Utah fans were out of bounds. Dude is a hothead no doubt but why would a player lie about what is said to him on the court... I mean Utah fits the stereotype of a place where I would expect something like that to happen... I am just glad the Jazz took care of business at home after choking in OKC and then Rubio getting hurt.

National Football League

-Okay peeps if you want me to do a draft review of your team just let me know I would rather do it that way then go on and on about every team so I will leave it at that.

-Green Bay is so frustrating to me right now. Not keeping Aaron Rodgers in the loop on things and then another predictable draft.. I mean they fleeced the Saints by trading back but then traded up for a guy they could have got right where they were after the trade with the Saints. Getting Justin Jackson (a Hawkeye gross I know) in the second round made up for a lousy first round pick in my book. Then the Packers had the audacity to draft a PUNTER in the fifth round... but if that is not bad enough they drafted a freaking long snapper in the seventh round RIP.

-Gah the Browns can never do anything right... I am okay with Baker (Rosen is my #1 QB Baker #2) I think the dude is going to win and a good QB cures all wounds but drafting Denzel Ward at fourth overall was a huge stretch for me and then taking Nick Chubb over Guice of LSU was another mistake. I hope Baker is legit for the Browns sake.

-The Jets are going to be bad for the foreseeable future.

-The Ravens got the steal of the draft with Lamar Jackson at the end of the first round. How hot is Joe Flaccos seat going to be when the offense sputters early in the season. 

-Everyone out here hating on the Bills and with Rosen still on the board I mean talent wise it looks bad but Josh Allen is a way better fit in Buffalo than Rosen. I really like the pick I was shocked Rosen was still on the board but taking an LA guy and putting him in Buffalo does not seem right. I like what the Bills did even if I think Rosen is the better player.

-Arizona is in good hands. 

-NFC West Quarterbacks are in the future going to be.. It will be interesting to see how this division plays out.

Rams- Goff 49ers- Garoppolo Seahawks- Wilson Cardinals- Rosen

National Hockey League

-It might be the Las Vegas Golden Knights year the run they are on is incredible and I do not see it coming to an end in their conference especially if the Predators get bounced this round. 

-Gah the Bruins made me nervous a 3-1 series lead and down 2-0 in Game 7?!? At least they pulled it out and kept my Stanley Cup pick alive. If you have never watched playoff hockey or hockey in general watch the Bruins and the Lightning in the next few days. Two of the best teams in the League all season it should be a really fun series. Go Bruins!!

Thank you everyone I am done! Sorry this weekend has been a whirlwind for me I think this edition to be honest is not as good as last week (Glad I saved that for the end!). I had a ton of fun writing last weeks edition for some reason so anyway! Naturally I shot the best round of the year last Sunday and have not been able to get back on the course since my luck. Rolling Hills it is freaking May can we get the course out of winter already.. This weeks forecast has 3 off days for me so lots of golf, lots of watching sports. and lots fun living life. I hope you enjoyed reading this and as always thanks for the support.

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 8.0

April 21, 2018

Not a whole lot of sports to get to this week but I will provide my takes regardless of the little action there was. Got some college football, NBA, and my take on the NFL draft coming up so let us get to it.

College Football

Nebraska Cornhuskers

There were a lot of spring games today but only one of them was sold out. I do not if that is how desperate Nebraskans are for something good in their life or what but that is a record that will stand the test of time. Husker fans sold out a practice. I still cannot wrap my brain around how that could ever happen. I am proud to be a Husker and now to what I saw... Adrian Martinez is FAST. Or the Husker defense is slow.. This dude should still be in high school right now and put on one heck of a show. His passing will only get better and that is why I think he has the starting job in his sights. You cannot coach what he does with his feet and pocket presence and timing is either something you have or you do not have. He seems to have it and he is 18. My other player I enjoyed was Greg Bell.. Man it is nice to see some speed and vision in the backfield again. Wilbon had speed but no vision and to me Ozigbo had the between the tackles runs you want. Ozigbo is a change of pace back to me and I think he will be a great second string back behind Bell. One cause for concern... The field goal kicking looked awful. They have a scholarship kicker missing a 34 yard field goal.. that cannot happen. Not much to say about the defense only time and real competition will show there. Is it September yet? This Husker team is not going to impress a national audience this year. What I am looking for will not be wins on the schedule but some effort and attitude like they belong on the same stage with the upper tier teams which they will see enough of this season. What I want is 8-4 and with two wins coming from Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Iowa.

Major League Baseball

-The Red Sox had won 8 in a row.. I finally get to sit down a watch a game from start to finish and what happens.. they get no-hit for the first time in 25 years. That is my luck. So a spectacular week turns into an okay week and maybe the bats go in a prolonged slump and they give this great start away... No-hitters can mess with a team so here is to hoping they get the win tomorrow and can forget about the awful game I sat through tonight. No bones to pick about starting 17-3 just a little salty they decided to play their worst game of the year the night I had free to watch them. 

-Thoughts and prayers to  White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar who collapsed on Friday with a ruptured aneurysm.

-Danny Doughy had a nice tweet today. “I have as many wins as my dog right now” that pretty much sums up the Royals season so far. Moustakas is smacking the cover off the ball right now just keep uping that trade value for Royals fans.

-Braves and Phillies keep winning holla

-Yankees fans are so annoying... booing Stanton and giving him hell I mean dude is a strike out machine right now but no one but me will remember this behavior when he is hitting homers in late September. 

National Basketball Association

-My upset special was not that special.. I mean the Pelicans won but sweeping Portland shocked the hell out of me. I like getting proving right though so I hope you got it all out of your system AD. 

-Warriors are cruising (18 straight Western Conference Playoff Wins) YES! They actually look like they were waiting to flip the switch which is great news for me. Anthony Davis and the Pelicans pose a serious and real threat in the next round. Who guards him?

-The Bucks finally decided to show up at home.. They should be up 2 games to 1 and I would be a lot happier about that pick. They are not and the beat up Celtics are two games away from a series win.

-76ers vs. Heat as the best playoff series of the first round? I do not think so.. if D Wade does not go off in game 2 Philly is cruising. 

-Rockets look like old Houston tonight which made me happy. If Chris Paul doesnt get to a conference final with this team his haters will be out in numbers labeling him a great player who could never win. I think they do but tonight was interesting.

-The series I predicted as the best to watch OKC vs. Utah is playing out well. I love how these two teams attack each other and the crowds in both these small markets are what playoff basketball is all about. Really cheering for the Jazz because I picked them and hate Russ but Russ vs Harden would be an interesting option. 

-I said come playoffs you always take Lebron and I will be the first to admit when I am wrong.. BUT I would never be happier to admit I was wrong then seeing Bron go down in the first round. Watching him sulk and not give effort in the fourth quarter is why I am not a fan. Me not being a fan of him is not a mark on how great he is..  he has just always rubbed me the wrong way. Go Pacers!!

National Football League

-The Draft is too over-hyped... I hate all this talking and speculation about speculation. Not going to dive deep into the draft just my take on the Quarterbacks... I look at QB play as who is going to lead my team to the most wins year in and year out. Blah Blah Blah the talking heads will talk your ear off about what a guy can and cannot do.. Just give me a winner so that is how I would draft and that is how I will rank the QBs here.. This is a list of the guys who I think would lead their teams to the most victories and therefore who I would take and in the order I would take them. The first three I would stake as playoff caliber the last two as busts.. look for a steal (Mason Rudolph) to do some things as a late round pick.

1- Josh Rosen (Too much being made about his personality did not win at the highest level in college but will be the most successful)

2- Baker Mayfield (You can be short and win)

3- Lamar Jackson (Call me crazy but here I am most talented player in the draft)

4- Josh Allen (Everyone wants him to be Carson Wentz he is not)

5- Sam Darnold (Total Browns move if they take him does not value possession of the football and does nothing really well if he played at Illinois he would be below Mason Rudolph who should be getting more love)

One more and I am done

National Hockey League

-The Bruins had a chance to close out Toronto at home and failed to get it done. They move to 11-10 in Game 5s with a chance to close out an opponent. I think this goes 7 now but I stand by my champion. 

-Las Vegas was 500 to 1 to win it at all before the season started you have to know someone in Vegas took that bet.. and now they look like the second best team in the field. CASH IN THAT MONEY

-Washington is the most up and down team in hockey. More talent than they know what to do with but cannot put it together in the playoffs down 2 games to none to Columbus they have rallied back and lead 3-2 no one wants to play this team if they get over their yips

That will do it for me everyone I want to thank you for reading and as the weather hopefully gets nicer wherever you are reading this I hope you start to enjoy the spring and summer with whatever you find fun. For me it is getting on the golf course which I really value now. I am hitting the ball amazing I just cannot putt and the course is not to my liking right now (tight lies and dead spots). Just getting that handicap up for summer tournaments though! Everyone have a great week and Ill see ya back here next Saturday. 

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 7.0

April 14th, 2018

It seems longer than a week when I did this last. Maybe that is because of a full week of work is making me think everything is dragging but anyway I am glad to be back! The sports world is coming alive. Two leagues have playoffs that have started and the NFL Draft is coming. I have a Masters recap and some NBA predictions here we go!

Golf

The Masters

Man does anything ever live up to the hype? This was supposed to be the Masters to end all Masters and it finished with a pretty easy putt to win it. There was not the pop I was expecting or wanting. Jordan made a run on Sunday but that bogey on 18 kinda fizzled out what he had accomplished for the day. Still what a great day for him and Rickie. Rickie is right there and I was hoping for a Reed bogey late but give Reed credit for finishing smoothly. Rickie took too long to get going Sunday but it will not be long before he breaks through. I think he proved to himself that he belongs among golf’s best last weekend. Rory was a major let down on Sunday as well. I do not think he will ever get a Green Jacket he just does not putt well enough to give me any confidence. I bought into and encouraged the hype of the old guys! I totally thought the way Phil and Tiger were playing they would be in contention. That is why I thought this had the chance to be an all timer for the Masters. The old guys disappointed and the Masters is never boring but it just did not have the pop for me. Maybe that is because Patrick Reed won and his game does not have a lot flair to it. There was no iconic Masters moment this year I guess is what it comes down to for me. I did not think there was one last year either. I mean the most memorable thing I will take away from The Masters 2018 is Sergio’s meltdown on 13. Golf is in a great place but I am taking a wait and see approach for the rest of the majors before I buy in on the hype train again.

Major League Baseball

Boston Red Sox

-The Sox are hot! Man if I could write that every Saturday for the rest of the season I would be a happy camper. Or how about this stat... The Red Sox have lost once each week so I only have one loss to reflect on when I write these. The starting pitching has been great but the bats are now coming around too. Boston leads the league in most games with 7 or more runs and with their pitching that is just gravy. The errors have returned to normal and that was to be expected. Again this Red Sox team is nowhere near full strength and is still playing the best baseball in the American league. They are down a starting pitcher, and a third of the line up is out. Well Hanley is back today so 2 studs are on the DL right now. All I wanted was for them to tread water to start the season so this has been a spectacular surprise. 

Everything Else

-That was a cheap slide and then to get pissed off when you get hit by a pitch is weak. The Yankees are frustrated because they are bad right now. I do not expect that to last but Joe Kelly won every instance of that brawl. 

-Standings Watch.. Its laughable to look at the standings right now because the Pirates are winning their division the Dodgers are in fourth as well as the Cubs and Nationals. Are the Angels for real? Probably not I know the Pirates are not. I hope I shot called the Phillies and Braves though they have had decent starts to the year so I hope that continues

-The Royals will be tanking with the Rays for the worst record in baseball. The Rays do not even have a rotation they pitch bullpen guys as starters right now so the Royals have some competition to be the cellar dweller.

National Basketball Association

The Playoffs

-It is playoff time and you know what that means you get my stone cold predictions for how it will all play out. I will say it should be a fun first round year for the first time in recent memory so it all starts tonight I hope your team does not disappoint you because I feel like mine is going to disappoint me

The East

Washington vs. Toronto

-This should be a 5v4 matchup not a 8v1. The Wizards are too talented to be this bad. They need to mix things up at this rate because whatever they have is not working. Toronto cruises in 5 games.

Milwaukee vs. Boston

-The sexy pick is the Bucks.. there is no one way they should lose this series to a Boston team that does not have its two best players? I want to take the Bucks but I have a tinge of buyers remorse because Brad Stevens is that good. Tatum Brown and Horford or Giannis Bledsoe and Middleton when you simplify it down to that it seems more even. Giannis clearly reigns supreme but after that yikes. Give me the Bucks in 6 Giannis has a playoff coming out party and carries this team to the second round.  

Miami vs. Philadelphia

-Young teams struggle in the playoffs and Spoelstra is a great coach... blah blah blah everyone has doubted this Philly team all year so I think they are use to it. I think this will be the most game by game fun series to watch in the East. Philly needs a game one win to get the confidence going. I am taking the 76ers in 7 games but this will be fun. 

Indiana vs. Cleveland

-The East is as open as it has ever been but like I told my dad yesterday it is open but just take Lebron and you will not look stupid. This Pacers team was a fun story this season but no playoff experiences turns this ugly as Lebron takes over. Cleveland in 4.

The West

Minnesota vs. Houston

-The TWolves have something to cheer about as they made the playoffs. That is all the cheering they are going to get and I hope their fans enjoy a the home playoff atmosphere because it is not going to last long. Houston drains threes all series and gets the sweep. 

San Antonio vs. Golden State

-YIKES. I am a fan of the Warriors as you all probably know by now and man they gave me nothing to be confident about. Is this a switch thing like they just did not care? I hope so. Does Curry play in game 6 or 7 if they need him too? I doubt it. This is Durant’s show. He has to get them to the second round without Curry or he will be ridiculed and mocked. This Spurs team is good do not get me wrong but it is not a powerhouse. Give me the Warriors in 5 I wanted to say 6 but I will be bold. Please do not disappoint me. 

New Orleans vs. Portland

-How good is this Portland team? Dame and CJ are All-Star caliber players but is that enough? This New Orleans team was supposed to be dead in the water when Cousins was out for the year and the weathered the storm and impressed the league. Anthony Davis was not human for the final stretch of the season and I think that continues. Portland is the smart pick but something is telling me take the best player on the court in this series. I am taking the New Orleans Pelicans in 7 as my upset special of the first round. 

Utah vs. Oklahoma City

-Maybe it is my disdain for all things Westbrook. I really have nothing against Oklahoma City. I wish Westbrook was a Laker or something so I could just lump him with that whole team but he is great. I cannot deny that. Dude is a beast but is he a winner? I really like this Utah Jazz team and Synder > Donovan. Just feed me Westbrook and Mitchell going at each for seven games. Give me Utah in 7.

RECAP

My Winners

Toronto, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Houston, Golden State, New Orleans, and Utah

National Football League

-I hate the NFL this time of year so I do not have much. ESPN is shoving draft hoopla at us and I want to run and hide. 

-The Cowboys released Dez Bryant. Man can still play but is not worth the money they were going to have to pay him. I think it is a smart move for the Cowboys and that is why I do not have a problem when players hold out or do not report because the teams always do what is in their best interest so why shouldnt the player. Dez go get paid in the AFC please. Do not go to Seattle or I will hate it. Go to the Eagles!! That would be fun. Heck imagine him on the opposite side of Odell that is scary.. Actually Dez go to the Giants. Then New York take Lamar Jackson in the second round... That would be fire and I could be a GM.

National Hockey League

-Do not have much to say but go Bruins! They looked good the another night... also if you do not watch hockey playoff hockey is a completely different thing. I enjoy watching playoff hockey and I do not watch regular season hockey give it a shot if you have never done it. 

PREDICTION

Bruins over Nashville for the Stanley Cup

-That is all for me today I hope you enjoy and as always let me know what you want to see in here. Also debating whether or not to record a podcast. I think people would rather read at their own pace then listen to me yammer on is why I am hesitating. Let me know what you think about that and as always thanks for reading!

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 6.0

April 7th, 2018

Welcome one welcome all to a late night early morning addition of my steaming hot takes on this week in sports. My good friend Cade Webb who has plenty of hot takes as well you should give him a follow on twitter if you do not already. His takes get even better during college football too! But anyway he gave me the idea to have two editions this week so this will be the general what has happened in the week and tomorrow I will release a half edition that focuses on the Masters and how it played out through my eyes so without further ado I will start supplying the takes. 

College Basketball

The masses are declaring for the draft there were a few surprises and a few kids I wish would stay but I cannot blame them for wanting to cash in a big payday. I think their game would develop with another year at the college level but I would never tell anyone to turn down money. Also I am going to pat myself on the back for my bracket. Bet yall didnt think I would do that well now did ya!

-Trevon Duval (Point Guard, Duke) is a kid I think could increase his draft position by 10 spots if he were to stay another year at Duke. I know when he signed at Duke he was intending to be a one and done but could you imagine a summer where he doesnt have the pressure to get ready for the draft and can focus on his weaknesses. IE his shooting. A summer and another season to work on his jump-shot would do wonders for him. 

-Malik Newman (Guard, Kansas) made himself some serious cash with the finish to his season. Apparently his plan and Self’s plan was for him to leave after this season regardless of how he performed. He is counting his dollars because he went from not even being talked about to putting himself on the map with his late flourish. A position less player in the NBA who benefited from having Davante bring the ball up will find it comforting that teams like guys who can shoot which makes him a better prospect than Duval in my eyes. 

-Landry Shamet (Point Guard, Wichita State) Here is a guy I thought would stay solely based on how the season ended for him and I thought he would want to come back and get the bad taste out of his mouth. This might be an indictment on what the Shockers are going to be next year but I never blame a kid for leaving. I think he is the best NBA ready prospect of the three guys mentioned here as he can do a little bit of everything. I am concerned about his speed on defense but if Fred Van Vleet can guard NBA talent Landry Shamet can learn to do the same. 

-Nebraska has two guys that have not signed an agent yet and  I think should come back and make a run next year. Neither guy excels at what they do (Issac Copeland and Jordan Palmer Jr.). If they come back Nebraska will be picked in the top 5 of the Big Ten in preseason polls because the Big 10 is losing a lot of its elite talent this year. I think both guys would be better served rounding their game into form in their senior campaigns but if they both go Issac has a better NBA future. 

College Football

-Not a lot here just Spring games will be happening around the country in the coming weeks so I hope you enjoy your teams game! I am in the minority here but I think Spring games are a whole lot to do about nothing. Tanner Lee threw some pretty passes in the Spring game and look how that turned out. Just know your team is never as good or bad as you think it is in April and you will be for the better. 

-My quick take on the Huskers...  their spring game is April 21st so lets hope the QB position has a direction by then. If there is no separation from someone in that group that usually means they are all BAD. What are the odds you are going to have three studs in the same room. Scott Frost does have a plethora of talent at the skill positions. Morgan, Lindsey, and Speilman could be a special trio at receiver and please please please dont make me suffer through another season of Devine Ozigbo and Mikale Wilbon as the primary running backs. Please let Greg Bell and Jaylen Bradley separate from the group. Maurice Washington could be a factor as a true freshman as well when he arrives on campus in the fall. I think Tre Bryant might not play football at all or successfully again. (You heard that here first)

Major League Baseball

-The Red Sox are hot!!! The temperature outside may be cold but they are clicking right now. The starting pitching has been the story for this team. Rick Porcello pitched a great game today and it was the worst start by a starter this season. 7.1 IP and 3 earned runs. That is crazy. The Sox also have not committed and error yet this season and since I typed that sentence Sunday they will commit one you can bet on it. The Red Sox played 162 games without a grand slam last year they got that out of the way before game 10 this year. 

-CC Sabathia is headed to the DL and so the Yankees weak rotation gets even weaker. They are going to win games by scoring 10 runs but I honestly do not think they have the horses in the rotation to be taken seriously.  The bullpen has surprisingly cost the Yankees wins so far this year dont look for that to continue.

-The Phillies scored 20 runs today as a WTH stat of the week. Interested to see which team.... the Phillies or the Braves rise out of the ashes first. I think both are a year away but the NL East is about to be loaded.

-The Royals are bad. They could have had a jump start on the rebuild and I am guessing management is feeling they should have taken that path. How about Danny Duffy being spotted a 4 run lead in the first on Opening Day then getting shelled and the loss then getting spotted a 2 run lead in the first to Cleveland on Friday and giving up 3 in the bottom half of the inning as they went on to lose 3-2.

National Football League

Not a whole lot here this week just a signing and a trade

-The Cowboys added Kony Early to the roster. He averaged 4 sacks a year with Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. Dont know if that moves the needle at all. Randy Gregory is said to be asking for reinstatement into league as well. The league would be foolish to grant that. I dont blame the Cowboys for drafting the former Husker but dude has issues LAY OFF THE WEED.

-The Rams traded for Brandin Cooks. The Patriots got a first round pick and a 6th round pick. The Rams are all in while Jared Goff is young. Am I the only one that thinks he could take a step back this year? Todd Gurley is a beast and the defense appears to be insanely good on paper with all the pieces they added. If those pieces mesh is a completely different story. 

-Any guesses as to what the hoodie has up his sleeve in New England? I really wish he and Tom Brady had left on top after their historic comeback against the Falcons. That would have made such a better story then quietly going into the night. 

National Basketball Association

-Very concerned Warriors fan here. I am not saying a first round exit but man they look bad right now and the west is as good as ever since the Warriors made their run. Happy for Quinn Cook to be playing so well and earning himself a nice contract. He is the perfect backup to Steph Curry. 

-I hope you have been taking my advice and watching the western conference standings! The west is a crazy fun mess right now with 6 teams vying for 5 spots. Give me the Spurs, Jazz, Thunder, Pelicans, and Nuggets not in that order.

-Are the Sixers putting the East on notice? They look scary good right now for a conference that does not have an elite team. Lebron is Lebron but I do not think the Cavs are elite and this is the worst team personnel wise he is taking to the playoffs since his return to Cleveland. 

-Can the Bucks play competently in a playoff series? Right now they are 7 to the Celtics 2. That will be the hot upset pick of the playoffs but it really should not be all that surprising after the injuries the Celtics have been dealt. 

Last one and I am gone 

Golf

-Man I love the Masters and I will go in depth in 6.5 edition but seeing the best play at their best is great television. I think it should be a four horse race tomorrow because Reed just put so much distance between himself and the meat of the pack. Reed, Rory, Rickie and Rahm are the four horses their but I would not be shocked if Bubba or JT threw a 64 on the board and put themselves in the mix. Rory is my favorite international golfer the emotion he shows is good for the game in my opinion but I will be cheering for Fowler to break through. I hope it is tight late and someone makes a putt or hits a shot that we will remember.

As always thanks for reading and for your support. Enjoy your Sunday folks! 

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 5.0

April 1st, 2018

I am back with a hopefully quick rendition of Tyler’s Takes this week. There is not a lot to get too for me and not a ton of sports news caught my eye this week so there will be some golf and college basketball predictions and a peak into baseball and spring football practice in Lincoln. Here we go

College Basketball

-Went 2-0 in predictions of the final four games! Michigan made me nervous with a sluggish 25 minute start then turned it on late and ended the magical run of Loyola Chicago. I said Mo Wagner would have a day to remember and he did just that. He was the first player since Hakeem the Dream to post a 20 point and 16 rebound game in a Final Four. I will pat myself on the back because that is a night he will never forget. 

-My original bracket champion Villanova is in the championship game and they look to be playing on another level right now... what they did to the Jayhawks was astounding and as I watched I said aloud that I had never seen anything like this before. Villanova shot 33 times in the first half and 26 of those shots were 3 point attempts... They hit 50% and KU could never recover after the initial 22-4 run to open the game. My old assistant golf coach used to tell me on the golf course “sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the windshield” KU was the bug in a major way on Saturday. 

-I have to stick with my original champion don’t I? I am a little nervous that Villanova shot the ball so well on Saturday that there is no way they can even come close to shooting that percentage again. Can a team play that good twice in a row? I do not think so but Michigan is not Kansas and Villanova does not need to play at that level to win on Monday.  This is a Michigan team that lost to Nebraska by 20 points. 

PREDICTION- Villanova struggles early while they come back to earth from a night on top of the world Saturday but Jay Wring rights the ship at halftime and gets the most out of his guys and Villanova wins by 10. Credit and respect to John Beilein because this Michigan team made it past the sum of its parts this season. 

College Football

Nebraska Cornhuskers

-A week into spring ball and I am tired of reading how everything is going so great and how guys have impressed the coaches. WHAT ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO SAY... Man these guys really blow I wish we had stayed at Central Florida?!? This roster is a 4-8 roster that lost its starting QB and plays the second toughest schedule in college football next year. Frost is a great coach but he is not a miracle man. I just want to see improvement and effort which as hard as it is to say did not happen last year. In a season that should not be measured in wins and losses there is a lot of unnecessary hype around this team in the spring.

Golf

-It is Masters week everyone! Get HYPED! I do not think a Masters will be as looked forward to as the one that is set to happen this weekend. You have the return of Tiger (actual formidable return has a chance to be in contention on the weekend), Phil is ranked in the top 10, then all the young guys that have been playing well lately, Rory Mcilroy, Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Speith (got his confidence going with the flat stick this weekend look out for him), and the villain of the tournament in my eyes Sergio Garcia trying to defend his win. I love golf and right now the game is trending up with these guys leading the way.

PREDICTION- Your 36 hole leader will not put on the Green Jacket. With my family we pick three golfers and 2 have to make the cut you take the best two scores of your three golfers... My three golfers were Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas, and Louis Oosthuizen. Jordan Speith scares me after watching him today... gut feeling says he puts on the Green Jacket Sunday around 6.

Major League Baseball

Boston Red Sox

-So glad to have baseball back even if it snowed on me on the back from Nebraska today. I kid you not Dad and I were listening to the Red Sox on the radio and it was snowing on us. The Red Sox starting pitching looked amazing in the first series of the year. Tampa Bay also couldn’t hit its way out of a wet paper bag so take that for what it is worth. Xander Bogaerts is the Tyler’s Takes MVP of the week. He carried the offense to two wins over the weekend and was impressive doing it. 

-The Royals lost a laugher (14-7) on opening day a game they led 4-0 then gave up 3 in the 8th to lose on Saturday before being snowed out. Nothing like an early sign to the remaining fans that its not going to be a good year like your best player (Salvador Perez) getting hurt the day before the season lifting luggage then getting embarrassed at home while giving up 3 home runs to a guy (Matt Davidson) no one knew about until after the game. He was the most signed player in Fantasy Baseball this weekend though so good for him!

National Football League

-Dez caught it!! The NFL has a new catch rule that will make it simpler to determine what a catch is. FINALLY. Cowboys fans can cry all they want there is no way the defense stops Aaron Rodgers from leading a game winning drive if the new rule was in place anyway. Just go look at the Rodgers to Cook throw again and tell me he does not have the Cowboys number. 

National Basketball Association

-3 wins separate the four seed from the nine seed in the west with 5ish games to go its going to be a wild ride to the finish. 

-The east is all about seed jockeying seeds 3,4,5 could all be different as well as 6,7,8. I would like Toronto vs Miami... Boston vs Philly.... Cleveland vs Milwaukee....  Indiana vs Washington

-Last one and I am gone... The Warriors look awful right now and it is not the time to be looking bad. The injury report is 7 deep and prayers to Patrick McCaw that was a scary fall and I know Vince Carter felt awful but what was he thinking during that play.. if you havent seen it I suggest looking it up (Patrick McCaw fall will probably do the trick) 

Thanks for reading everyone and I hope you enjoy!

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 4.0

3/26/2018

It is another late edition of Tyler’s Takes! I apologize for the delay as I have been wanting to wait until after the basketball concludes each weekend before I start with my takes. That will no longer be happening and I will be posting on the usual Saturdays from now on. There is a ton of stuff to get to so here we go...

College Basketball

Duke Blue Devils

Man that was a whirlwind of emotion to go through in short span of time. The game was pressure filled and intense but it was not played well. It was an instant classic from the standpoint of it being a close game but there was a lot of bricks and turnovers for it to be an all time great game. I really thought Grayson Allen had hit the buzzer beater to win in regulation. That was brutal.. I replay it in my head about every hour or so.. Sometimes you get the breaks and sometimes you don’t. That is life... and hats off to KU they played good enough to win yesterday. Okay now that the emotion is out of the way lets break down what I saw. Duke just did not hit shots. 24% from 3 point land will not win you many games especially against elite teams. This Duke team did not live by the three as previous teams did but when you shoot that low of a percentage it is going to catch up with you. Duke also did not feed Marvin Bagley enough in my eyes. That could have been how Kansas was defending him but I think the guards were hesitant to try and feed the post for some reason. Wendell Carter was underrated all season and I hated to see his last game as a Blue Devil go like that. Duke was really clicking in the second half with him on the floor and an awful block call ruined his last game. The call did not change the game but it was about as bad a call as you can make on a block/charge. This Duke team was really fun to watch all year and I will miss Grayson dearly. Duke reloads next year with the top rated recruiting class but this team was special with their senior leader. The zone decision by Coach K early in the year transformed them into a good defensive team that I did not think was possible after their early defensive whoas in the man to man. I will be interested to see how Marvin develops his feet in the league because he could not guard a sole in college (in man to man). Wendell will make some team that drafts him extremely happy and I cant wait to see where he ends up. Thanks for a fun season Duke!

Everything Else

Kansas State looked ugly in their loss. A game I thought they would control with their defense got away from them early in the second half. Give them credit they never gave up and didnt have their best player (Dean Wade) for the tournament and still made a run. 

Kansas was beatable the first weekend of the tournament but have found their groove. Malik Newman was on fire yesterday and if he keeps that up they will be cutting down the nets a week from now.

My original bracket still has the champion alive and 50% of final four teams. I will take that after the craziness of the tournament. Villanova was an easy pick. Ill pat myself on the back for Michigan even though they looked ugly at times they are two wins away from a championship.

PREDICTION- Ill take the chalk this weekend Michigan vs. Nova in the championship. Loyala is a poor mans Michigan. Mo Wagner will have a day to remember. Villanova has too much elite guard talent and Newman shows he is human and takes a step back. Look for my championship prediction in 5.0!

Major League Baseball

Boston Red Sox

The baseball season starts this week and I need to take my mind off the crushing Duke loss. Thank you baseball! Call me a homer but I am not sold on the division rival Yankees. Ya the playoffs left the media with a bad taste in their mouth about the Red Sox and the Yankees added the National League’s best hitter but I am taking the Sox to win the division. The Red Sox had no power last year, did not have David Price, and had down years from the core of their lineup. The Red Sox starting rotation is better, the line up will only improve from last year, and I think the Yankee starting pitching lets them down (they Yanks do have the best back end in baseball though). This Red Sox team needs to tread water for the first month of the season while they are dealing with injuries and suspensions. (Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez - starting pitchers injured Steven Wright -starting pitcher suspension Dustin Pedrioa -starting second baseman injured) Look for a bump and boost in moral from the manager change. Alex Cora cant be worse at decisions then Farrel was. 

PREDICTIONS- 

AL East - Red Sox                          NL East - Nationals

AL Central - Indians                        NL Central - Cubs

AL West - Astros                             NL West - Dodgers

Wild Cards - Yankees vs. Blue Jays and Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks

PLAYOFFS

Yankees over Jays and Cardinals over Diamonbacks

Astros over Yankees and Red Sox over Indians

Dodgers over Cardnials and Nationals over Cubs

Astros over Red Sox and Dodgers over Nationals

Dodgers over Astros

National Football League

Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys got off to a slow start during the free agency period taking a wait and see what happens approach during the lead up and first week and half. They have been busy ever since will additions and subtractions. The big news is the subtractions. They released Orlando Scandrick. It will be his tenth season in the league this year but without a replacement in place yet I think his production will be missed. In his time with the Cowboys he had 406 tackles, 8 interceptions,  63 pass break ups, and 11.5 sacks. A rookie will not have the impact this season he would have had for the Boys. Dallas lost some depth on the offensive line as well but they still will be one of the best lines in the league. The exciting news for Dallas is what they added for Dak. The wide receiver room now includes proven pass catchers Allen Hurns (underrated since he had Blake Bortles throwing to him) and Deonte Thompson. This should give Dak unlimited resources to spread the wealth and with Zeke back for a full schedule this offense could return to form.

Everything Else

Suh signed with the Rams today for 1 year 14 million. The Rams signed everyone on defense it seems like so it will be interesting to see how that all meshes together when it comes time to actually play the games. The NFC West is really interesting but that is a topic for another time. 

As April comes around more draft talk will begin happening (YUCK). Ill revive the NFL commentary during the week before and week after the draft unless requests are made or breaking news happens around the league. 

College Football

Nebraska Cornhuskers

A quick college football note! Spring practices are starting around the country. Scott Frost had his first spring press conference and the team practices tomorrow for the first time. Expect a lot of patience and pump the breaks on expectations for the season from the coaches but also dont be surprised if they tell you there are some really good players on this team because that is not a lie. The cupboard is full of talent but two new systems will make for some ugly time as well. The Nebraska media will gush about Scott and what he is doing all spring so just expect that if you are a Husker fan. Rainbows and sunshine articles until they lose their first game. 

A few quick NBA hitters and I am gone!

-Golden State has the injury bug in a bad way. Kerr said Curry is out until after the first round... Durant and Klay have not been playing with their own injuries of late but they are not as serious. The Warriors have had great injury luck during this run of theirs but that might be changing now. 

-The Celtics are in trouble. The Irving knee issue is bothersome because I feel like no one actually knew what was wrong with him. We will see if the surgery they performed on him last week helps. 

-Will the real east contenders please stand up? The Raptors will be the one seed but does anyone believe in them? Does this Cavs team flip the switch? Are the Wizards anything with or without John Wall? Do the Bucks make it out of the first round with a top 4 player in the league on their team? So many questions headed into the final stretch of the season 

-If you are not an NBA fan I challenge you to look at the Western conference standing after reading this and then just check it every week. It is a log jam and is entertaining to see who falls in and out on a weekly basis. You do not have to watch the games just look at the standings. ITS A MESS!!

With that I am out of here! I want to thank everyone for reading and supporting Tyler’s Takes. I do this for the enjoyment it gives me so it is gravy if you enjoy reading it as well. Remember if you have something you want to see in next weeks edition just let me know and I will work it into the fold. Thanks and have a great night!

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 3.0

3/19/2018

Welcome back to the third edition of Tyler’s Takes. There is a ton of college basketball to get to and in this edition I will sprinkle in some NFL Free Agency takes as well with some local signings and a look at my favorite team. I will maybe even dive into a player or two. So lets get it going.

College Basketball

Duke Blue Devils

Duke looked amazing this past weekend and I could not be happier with how they played and with how the bracket broke for them on Sunday. I am not going to lie I was scared of a rematch against Michigan State but the basketball gods love Syracuse in March (when they don’t deserve to even be in the tournament) and allowed the Cuse to beat Sparty in an ugly basketball game in Detroit. Michigan State could not put the ball in the hoop against the Syracuse zone, so my fear was they were going to escape and then be on fire against Duke. That didn't happen so now I can break down a team Duke has already beat with their C+ game in Cameron. Duke is too talented offensively to to keep Syracuse in this game. They have weapons at every position and if Duval is going to keep this impressive play up Duke will win the National Championship. I do not see a Syracuse team that has not been able to play offense all year hang with a Duke team that is clicking at the right time. Iona and Rhode Island were just blips to this team over the weekend and I came away impressed with just how dominant Duke looked. In a weekend that was filled with huge upsets (mostly on Sunday) it was nice to see Duke take care of business with ease. Duke vs. KU in Omaha is the match up of the Elite Eight. Everyone will be wanting this to happen. I will break down KU later but I do think it will come down to these two teams for a trip to the Final Four. Duke matches up so well against KU. I could see Bill Self trying something different on defense because Azubuike can not guard anyone on Duke’s starting 5. 

PREDICTION- Duke rolls Syracuse. Graham keeps KU in it for about 30 minutes before Duke stretches the lead to 12 and wins by that.  

Everything Else

Wichita State

The Shockers looked bad. They looked even worse after Marshall got handled by West Virginia. The tournament is great because of the first round upsets but Wichita State has to be doing a lot of soul searching. Landry Shamet might have played his worst game of the season but owned up to it after. I wonder if that will leave a bad enough taste in his mouth to want to come back. The Shockers need him too. Why the Shockers didnt pound Shaq down low I will never understand. Early foul trouble was an issue but a 7 point lead in the second half was the time to let him go to work and they refused to do so. Greg Marshall is in a respectable league now and will have to recruit kids that can play in the American. Rebuilding years are easier in the Missouri Valley. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Shockers. A future they didnt want to think about this soon.

PREDICTION- Shamet comes back to help a depleted Shockers team try and make it back to the NCAA Tournament. 

Kansas State

The bracket breaks right for one or two teams a year and man did the Wildcats catch the break of lifetime. Now you have to give credit to Bruce Weber and his team for winning the games they played. I thought they matched up really well with Creighton and that was proven on the court. They handled the Blue Jays with ease. Then UMBC stunned the world and beat Virginia. KSU got the benefit of playing UMBC and find themselves dancing in the Sweet 16. Now the Wildcats play excellent defense and have all year. That gives them a shot in any game. Their track record on the season says against top-tier opponents their offense is not good enough to get the job done. Kentucky being a top-tier team is up for debate. I give the Wildcats a shot in this one and a healthy Dean Wade increases that chance. K-State fans need to revel in this accomplishment for this team and for this coach. Sure they caught some breaks along the way but this was still a great season that has the potential to get better. 

PREDICTION- Kansas State keeps it close and gives their fans a taste of an Elite Eight but Kentucky slams the door with a late run.

Kansas Jayhawks

Davante was a beast against Penn. I witnessed in person just how good he can be and man he looked like a first round draft pick Thursday. He was going against an Ivy League defense but he could and did get his shot whenever he wanted. The rest of the team looked awful though. He literally carried them all on his back and it was enough to get the job done. Penn went 4/13 from the free throw line otherwise this game is tight late. Kansas against Seton Hall was a really exciting game to watch. As good as Davante was on Thursday he was equally bad on Saturday. He might have been tired from carrying 9 other guys for a game but it showed. Thankfully for Kansas Svy, Vick, and Newman picked up the slack and played great. Seton Hall had a turnover just sitting there but the ball rolled under their hands and KU got a dunk that sealed the game. KU vs. Clemson should be a great game. I expect Davante to return to form and put up about 25 points in a KU victory that is tight to the final seconds. 

PREDICTION- KU gets to the Elite Eight with a close win over a good Clemson team then their roster deficiencies are put under the scope against Duke.

My winners....

Kentucky, Loyola, Gonzaga, Michigan, Villanova, Texas Tech, Kansas, Duke

My new Final Four....

Kentucky, Michigan, Villanova, Duke

National Football League

Green Bay Packers

The Packers got busy living instead of dying! The sign of life in free agency was a welcomed surprise for this fan. Jimmy and Aaron?! That is going to be lethal. Now even though Jordy Nelson went to Kansas State I really enjoyed and am thankful for what he did for the Packers. I am glad he got a ring and wish him the best the rest of his career. I am okay with move as it allowed them to get Jimmy and I don’t believe the wide-outs lose much. Alison is ready for his chance.. They just paid Davante Adams... and Cobb will look good with a healthy QB1. Look for Ty Montgomery to maybe play some slot as well. The Packers needed and STILL need defensive help. I love the Wilkerson signing. The Packers now have one of the best defensive lines in the league. The back end is a different story and Clay is getting old. I really wanted them to sign a proven DB but it looks like their draft picks will be DB heavy now. I think they are content to play the Linebackers they have in Perry, Martinez, Ryan, and Clay. This is a playoff team regardless if Aaron stays healthy and a Super Bowl contender if they can fix the back end of the defense. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs added Sammy Watkins. This move makes a ton of sense with the Mahomes hype train. Dude can throw a deep ball and Watkins can catch it. I’m not sold on Mahomes as a long term QB in the league but this move should lead to some long bombs for TD’s and a lot of happy fans. Some addition by subtraction movies for the locker room could pan out but if they don’t and Mahomes looks like a first year QB expect the seat to get hot under Andy. 

The Rest

The Vikings are dumb. Kirk is not that good. Maybe you don’t have to be a great QB to lead that team but I think they reached their peak this year.

The BROWNS!! There is a pulse in Cleveland! REPEAT the Browns are alive. They made a lot of trades and won every trade they made. Tyrod Taylor is a playoff QB Jarvis Landry is a beast and they got a starting corner for a back up QB (Kiser) with a trade (Green Bay) that still doesn't make sense to me.

Hey Buffalo... you make the playoffs for the first time in ages and decide to ship your QB to another team? Have fun being irrelevant again. 

The hype around the Broncos has been give us a QB and we have a chance to make a run. Is Keenum that guy? Not to me. The Broncos stay irrelevant in that division.

Finally my man Suh... Gosh i wish he would wear a Packers uniform even if they dont need him I would love to cheer for him. He is every bit as good as the money he wants. You dont hear his name because he is eating 3 blockers in the middle of the line. He is getting older but I think he still has two good seasons in him. Wherever he lands the defense will improve. 

Thanks again to everyone who is following along. I really enjoy doing this and I hope you enjoy reading it. I am open to any any and all suggestions on what the readers want to see. Message me on facebook or twitter if you want something added in next weeks script! 

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes 2.0

March 11, 2018

College Basketball Exclusive

Welcome back to Tyler's Takes! This week I will be focusing only on college basketball as the field of 68 was set of the NCAA tournament and sadly I have to mention the NIT since that is where one of my teams and my alma-mater ended up. So let's get it to it!

College Basketball

Duke Blue Devils

Duke only has themselves to blame for the region of death. Two losses to North Carolina sealed their fate as a two seed. Out of all the 1 seeds I wanted to avoid Villanova. Xavier and Kansas are quality teams but I think Duke matches up well with either of them and Duke ended up getting the two seed in the Midwest region. Duke vs. Michigan State would be an excellent game but as a fan I would prefer blow outs and an easier match up. Kansas has a really easy path to the Elite 8. They should be there... now Duke's half of the bracket is tricky. Michigan State should breeze into the Sweet 16 without breaking a sweat. Iona the 15 seed plays a hectic and crazy pace. Duke will have to play their game and be focused. This Duke team has shown the ability to loose to inferior teams this season and that is concerning because Iona is not a pushover by any means. I see Duke vs. Iona as a first half battle that balloons to a 15+ point victory for Duke. Now to the second round. I would prefer if Duke played OU. Rhode Island has been ranked in the top 25 consistently all year. With either OU or Rhode Island Duke's bigs (Wendell Carter and Marvin the Third) should dominate. Rhode Island is the better team but the Trey Young factor against Duke's zone defense is a wee bit scary as well. If he goes off Duke could be looking at another early exit. I don't think it happens. OU plays with a fire and beats Rhode Island but Duke is too much for OU at every position. Trey Young keeps it interesting for the first 10-12 minutes but Duke sets the tone after that. This Duke team has the most talent in the country. If they play their A+ game I don't think they can be beat. The problem is I haven't seen the A+ game since Duke beat Louisville in Cameron Indoor.

PREDCITON- Duke goes 2-0.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

WOW. I thought this team deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament. Little did I know they were barely invited to the NIT Tournament. All bubble teams have flaws and Nebraska's flaw happened to be what the committee chose to care about most this year with the quadrant system as a guide. "Quality" wins were talked about at length and Nebraska just did not have enough of those. I feel for this team because they are talented enough to play in a Sweet 16 this year but will not get the chance. I think it is a good learning moment for their young talent. If you roll the ball on the court I think Nebraska today would beat Syracuse, Arizona State, UCLA, Oklahoma, St. Bons, and TCU. Sadly that is not how the NCAA Tournament is chosen. Now to the slap in the face and maybe the chip on the shoulder that ignites this team to run to Madison Square Garden and cut down the nets.... A 5 seed in the NIT is ridiculous and laughable. LSU is a three seed at 17-14 in a bad SEC. Utah a 2 seed at 19-11 in an awful PAC-12. Nebraska should be playing a game or two in Pinnacle Bank Arena but they aren't and will have to get over it. I think they use this as motivation and beat Mississippi State by 12+ in Starksville. Now can James Palmer Jr please come back for a run at the tournament next year? I sure hope so because Isaiah Roby is going to blossom in to a star.

Prediction- Nebraska wins by 12+ on Wednesday

Everything Else

Oklahoma State was the team got screwed the most by the committee. If they put OU in they had to put the Pokes in by my standards. They went 2-1 against OU and swept Kansas in the regular season.. OU gets way to much credit for wins in November and December when teams did not know who the heck Trey Young was. Oklahoma State's non-conference was not as impressive as OU's BUT that is not the same OU team I have seen for the last month and a half. I was fine with both being left out or if one team made it out of the two it should have been Oklahoma State. I hope to the good man upstairs the committee didn't factor in Trey Young because that is not what the NCAA Tournament should be about.

PREDITICON- OU plays their best game in a month and a half against Rhode Island since they are tired of hearing they don't belong and win, Then return to form and lose to Duke, Oklahoma State shows the committee why they should be in the field of 68 and win by 20+.

What a match up of Creighton and Kansas State. Marcus Foster against his old team and his old coach. Creighton and Kansas State are the same team with different styles. Creighton is going to shoot 3s and get good looks while Kansas State is going to muck it up and play really good defense. They are the same team because neither team has a bad loss. Creighton has shown the ability to beat the best of the best with a home win against Villanova and Kansas State just didn't lose a horrendous game all year. Both are just solid in what they do and how they play. To be honest both stand a change against Virginia in the next round. If Kansas State advances and plays Virginia that will be a game that might put you to sleep. The first team to 45 could win that game. Creighton has a better chance to beat Virginia with their ability to shoot the 3 ball but I think Kansas State matches up really well with Creighton and Marcus Foster tries to do to much against his former team.

PREDICITON- Kansas State beats Creighton, Marcus Foster costs Creighton late with some selfish basketball, Kansas State losses a brutal game to watch against Virginia but covers the spread.

I might be called a hater for this but man this Wichita State team scares me and in a bad way for their fans. Shaq Morris is a beast and doesn't get enough praise nationally but Wichita State has played suspect defense at best all season. I know very little about Marshall (the team they play in the first round) but I would not be shocked to see the Shockers in a final possession game. I don't know who I am picking in this matchup but I am confident in the fact that the Shockers will struggle and lose to West Virginia in the second round. McDuffy just hasn't been the same and Landry Shamet can't do it all against a press that will drive him crazy.

PREDICTION- The Shockers escape Marshall but run into a team they don't match up well against in West Virginia.

I will wrap up with Kansas. This Kansas team is good. It is not the best Kansas team in recent memory though. They have been better than the sum of their parts all year and if they can keep it up they will cruise to an Elite 8. If Malik Newman and Desosa keep playing they way they did in the Big 12 Tournament this KU team could make it all they way to the Final Four. I say that on one hand but my other hand comes back and slaps sense into me with this.. KU won 11 games by single digits this season. They have lost to mediocre teams this season as well. That makes me think this could be an early exit year for Kansas because NC State has proven it can beat the top teams in the field. Kansas is very interesting because by the numbers they should walk to the Elite 8 but something is telling me this could be a one weekend team.

PREDICTION- Kansas doesn't stub its toe and makes the Sweet 16 but NC State or Seaton Hall give them a scare.

Final Thoughts

March Madness is finally here. This is the best tournament in sports. I feel like the past few years upsets just haven't been there. That is what makes March so special. I think there are some good teams that can pull a few upsets. If you are filling out a bracket consider Loyola Chicago, Wright State, and San Diego State on Thursday as possible upsets and on Friday look for whoever TCU ends up playing, Murray State, and Marshall. My are you crazy never going to happen but you heard it here first picks if it does happen are Georgia State over Cincinnati and College of Charleston over Auburn. I will post my bracket in a special 2.5 edition of Tyler's Takes on Wednesday night after the play in games. Thanks for reading!

[tylerarltunl]

Tyler’s Takes

March 3rd, 2018 Edition 1.0 How about a little information before I get started. Tyler's Takes is going to be a weekly rendition on my thoughts about my favorite teams in every major league that I care about as well as college. This will be unedited and raw almost like a script for a podcast where I put my thoughts to the paper and would be reading into a microphone. The hope is to eventually start making podcasts and writing weekly thoughts on the sports teams that matter to me, breaking sports news, and maybe a little local flavor here and there. Hot takes will be plentiful and I am doing this for me and don't expect a lot of interest. After writing about sports in college I have a hankering to start up again so without further garbage here we go. College Basketball Duke Just when you think the Blue Devils have turned a corner they go out and lay a giant egg at Virginia Tech. The defense one of Dukes glaring weaknesses earlier in the year has turned into a bright spot once Coach K committed to the 2-3 zone full time. The Blue Devils face Carolina tonight in a game I expect Duke to win by 10+. Duke needs to prove to themselves that they are a legitimate contender for the NCAA championship. The talent is there and has been all year but the way Duke struggled in their last game @ VT was on offense. This team needs to find itself again. I think they are currently on the 2 line but flirting with a 3 seed. Now seeding is not really that important for Duke because if they play their best basketball I think they are the best team in the country. A comfortable win tonight along with a championship appearance in the ACC tournament should give the team the confidence it needs to take make a run at a National Championship. Grayson Allen is the most important player to this Duke team. A team that includes multiple first round picks needs to focus on getting Grayson going before getting the twin towers down low going. I am a huge fan of Coach K going to a full time zone with this team and it seems to have given them new life on defense which is important for their long term NCAA tournament hopes. This Weeks PREDICTION - Duke beats Carolina by 10+ and Duke is playing in the championship game a week from now Nebraska Man what an awful time for Nebraska to look awful. A team that has inspired a fan base and brought a football state to sellout its last 5 home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena just let their NCAA tournament dreams come crashing down. As much as I disagree with Nebraska not being considered as an at-large team it is time to face the writing on the wall. 13 conference wins in a power 5 conference should get you into the NCAA tournament but it won't this year for Nebraska, unless every bracket insider is wrong about them. Which is extremely rare but has happened once or twice. The big wins just are not there for the Huskers and with everyone watching on Friday Nebraska played arguable one of its worst games of the year. As a person who has watched every conference game the Huskers played this was not who they were all year. They were pressing and didn't play Nebrasketball. Michigan is a great team who went on to beat Michigan State today so they are climbing the seeding line but Michigan also lost to Nebraska by 20+ points earlier in the year. Nebraska faces a hard luck schedule and not winning on the road. Not playing MSU, OSU, or Purdue at home really hurt the Huskers. Losing to Illinois on the road is truly horrid. Nebraska will more than likely get to host a few NIT games if they can remain focused on basketball. Can I just say how dumb the Big 10 is for moving up its conference tournament.. The Huskers now face a week off while watching the bubble and then if they somehow make the first four or host an NIT game they will be playing teams who are fresh and have played within the last week. Get it together Big 10. This Weeks PREDICTION- An agonizing bubble wait thanks to Jim Delaney causes many what if scenarios for Husker fans. Final Thoughts The state of Kansas will be flexing its basketball muscles this month. 3 teams from the state are set to make the NCAA tournament as long as Wichita hosting first round action on Thursday and Saturday. Sean Miller is an idiot and a liar. OR ESPN just dug its own grave with retractions and removing retractions time will only tell. The Big 12 has one good team (Kansas) and a group of 6/8 teams that will make the tournament only to disappoint their fan bases (if these fan bases are expecting sweet 16s or more) This Weeks PREDICTION- Wichita State beats Cincinnati at home on Sunday and will still be playing by next weeks writing.... Kansas looks beatable in the earlier rounds but survives till next Saturday..... KSU wins two games in the conference tournament..... The bubble gets extraordinarily weaker as the week goes on.... Looking at you Rhode Island, Saint Mary's, Butler, Providence, Syracuse, Louisville, any PAC 12 team on the bubble, Oklahoma, Alabama and Arkansas College Football Nebraska The Omaha World Herald is doing some pretty cool stuff for subscribers the 6/7 day story on Scott Frost was really well done but lacked the spicy details that I thought it was going to have. Let's just say I didn't learn anything new from it. In what seems like a dull time for football it is important to note the staff is handing out offers for the next recruiting cycle. I think a key story from here through signing day of 2019 is how this staff recruits will a normal cycle. Under Mike Riley I thought the success of the team on the field was vital to his recruiting. I am not so sure it is with Frost and that is good because success will be hard to come by with that schedule. There will be plenty of time to talk about football especially with spring practice right around the corner. This Weeks PREDICTION- Fans start looking forward to spring practice as basketball comes to a halt. Major League Baseball Boston Red Sox It is Spring Training time for the Boston Red Sox and results don't mean anything but if they did I would be impressed with the results. That being said I am impressed by Hanley Ramirez. Man that dude lost some weight! He looks like the Hanley we saw at the Florida Marlins.. Yeah that it's that long ago. Many people have crowned the Yankees the division winners already but I think Boston has the better pitching staff and better defense. We all know about Judge and Stanton with the rest of that line up they will score runs but after career years from CC Fatbathia and Tanaka lets wait and see how well they hold up this year. The Red Sox addition of JD Martinez add much needed pop to the line up but I also expect bounce back years in the power department from HanRam and Mookie Betts. What was also lost on most fans last year is that this Red Sox team won the division with a hapless manager who made just about every wrong decision that was possible and also with David Price not being good until they playoffs. I expect a lot from this Red Sox team this year one of those things being having more fun. They are going to be more fun to watch and have more fun in the club house. Really looking forward to a full year of Rafael Devers too. This Weeks PREDICTION- Boston continues to "impress" in the result department of a meaningless Spring Training and go a week without an injury. Final Thoughts Captain Obvious moment but don't the Royals wish they had traded the young stars last season instead of losing them for nothing in free agency? Yeah they had a "chance" to make one final run at a World Series but their starting pitching was never going to be good enough to accomplish that dream. So for a farm system that ranks dead last in the league a rebuild seems longer than it needed to be. Trade those guys last year and the farm system doesn't seem so empty. This Weeks PREDICTION- Royals fans dream of their World Series win and that helps get through the next 4 year 60 win seasons they are facing. National Basketball Assoiciation Golden State Warriors Hey would you look at that... The Warriors are not in first place in the Western Conference. Houston seems legit but the Warriors were pulling a Cleveland the last few weeks leading up to the All-Star break. They are refocused now and look to be finding their groove with a huge beat down of the Thunder and a nice win in Washington D.C. A concern for this Warriors team is the health of Steph Curry's ankle. If this injury keeps popping up for the remainder of the season this could be cause for concern because the Rockets are not going anywhere. The bench may not be as good for this team as it was in their previous 3 Finals appearances but I expect Iggy and Livingston to return to their form come playoff time. This Weeks PREDICTION- Warriors continue the hot restart and don't lose a game before the next edition. Curry gets some rest this week due to the ankle Boston Celtics This Boston team is legit. I think the East could go in any one of four directions this year. LeBron is who he is so the Cavs remain the favorite but the Celtics, Raptors, and Wizards all pose serious threats to his reign. Probably for the first time since the Celtics had Rondo, Allen, Pierce, and Garnett. This Celtics team is being led by Kyrie who is playing some of his best basketball. Getting away from LeBron has a lot to with that. He enjoys the freedom he is allowed to play with on this Celtics team. My concern for the Celtics is once the playoffs come around they will be relying on two young forwards in Tatum and Brown. Both of those guys have been huge contributors for them throughout the season but the playoffs are a different animal. Horford and Irving might have to take on a slightly larger load while the two young guys figure out what playoff basketball is all about. This Weeks PREDICTION- Celtics lose a tight one in Houston but bounce back and don't lose another game during the week. Final Thoughts Did anyone else see that cheap shot by Jeff Teague on Rubio? What was that all about. I will say that was some old school NBA type action which was nice to see for a change. Hoping the Jazz can find a way to make a run at the playoffs and make it in. This Weeks PREDICTION- Jeff Teague is suspended by the league for one game. National Football League Green Bay Packers I have read so many articles this week about the Packers want to do this and that and blah blah blah. The Packers need to fix their defense. Aaron Rodgers is the most talented quarterback in the NFL. Give this man a defense and let him do his thing on offense. The year the Packers won the Super Bowl with Rodgers their defense had a young Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson leading the secondary. You can't when a Super Bowl when your defense is bottom ten in the league no matter how good your offense is. I would like the Packers to focus defense in the draft but their offensive line concerns me too. They have some big names on defense and boy am I happy to see Cappers leave but I don't think a scheme change will fix the Packers by itself. This Weeks PREDICTION- Not a lot to predict for the Packers, how about a cold Wisconsin winter starts to feel like spring. Final Thoughts So the Chiefs have been very active in the off-season. Trading Alex Smith to the Redskins may turn out to be the best move they have ever made or could send to the bottom of the AFC West standings. No one really knows at this point. Patrick has arm talent and can roam the pocket. Alex Smith was a proven winner but there always felt like a ceiling with him at the helm. I think Chiefs fan really liked what they got back in return and are willing to roll the dice with a QB change. All those good feelings went away after the Marcus Peters trade. The dude leads the league in interceptions and may be the youngest and most talented corners in the league and they got nothing back for him. Tough break for Chiefs fans who will point to this if the QB position doesn't work out. National Hockey League Boston Bruins I know nothing about hockey! My amazing girlfriend is a Boston Bruins fan though so I thought with my interest in her and with other Boston teams that the Bruins would be a match made in heaven. The Bruins started off to a putrid month and a half before turning things around. The turnaround was quite remarkable and the Bruins find them self in prime position for a deep playoff run once again. The have the fourth best record in the entire NHL but find themselves looking up at the Tampa Bay Lightning in their division. I am excited to continue to watch and read about them and learn more about hockey as I go. This Weeks PREDICTION- Boston goes 2-0 in their games during the week and continue to separate themselves from the muddle mess that is the Wild card. Professional Golf Association Man is it great to watch Tiger Woods play professional golf at an elite level again. He doesn't have it all figured out yet that is clear. I think he has shown that he can hang around the top of a leader board at some of the tougher courses the PGA plays. That is important because Tiger loves Augusta and if he can hang at the toughest courses he could really do something in Georgia. These young golfers are a joy to watch whether it Rickie, Dustin, Jordan, Justin, or Jason it is great to see golf is in good hands. Heck Phil is even playing tremendous to start the year. I hope the lefty can keep it up. This Weeks PREDICTION- Tiger makes the cut this week and wears red on Sunday. If you made it this far I thank you! I am going to be doing this every Saturday for the foreseeable future. I enjoy just jotting my thoughts down as they come to me and making some predictions. If your a grammar snob I would suggest not reading because punctuation is not going to be happening very much. Like I said this is stuff I would be wanting to say on a podcast or radio show so that is the format I type in and hopefully there will be a podcast coming in the near future and this will just be the transcript. Special shout out to my sister Kensey! Happy Birthday sis. Little did I know 19 years ago I was going from King of Castle to King of Second Fiddle. Thanks to all who read hope you enjoyed.