This past Thursday night my wife and I joined a bunch of friends at a local sports bar to watch the first round of the NFL draft. Amid the anticipation of what the Cleveland Browns would do with the first overall pick, there were other sports to concentrate on.
As I sat down and looked at the many television screens I felt like I was at a sports buffet. The bigger screens were tuned to ESPN and their pre-draft coverage,while other screens were tuned into so much more. There were the two Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Final match-ups (Game 1 between the Rangers and Senators, Game 1 between the Capitals and Penguins). There was Game 6 of the NBA first round series between the Raptors and Bucks on another one. Finally the latest meeting between the Yankees and Red Sox aired around the bar.
I thought to myself, what a great time of year! It’s one of two times a year when all four major professional sports come together. As Roger Goodell approached the podium in Philadelphia to the usual draft night chorus of boos, there was a tight hockey game going on in Canada’s nation’s capital. At Fenway Park in Boston, Masahiro Tanaka and Chris Sale were locked up in a pitcher’s duel. The Milwaukee Bucks were playing for survival on their home court against the Toronto Raptors.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces Cleveland’s selection of DE Myles Garrett in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
My two favorite NFL teams, the Dolphins and Giants wouldn’t pick until 22 and 23 respectively. The Fins would pick DE Charles Harris, and Big Blue would shake things up with the questionable selection of TE Evan Engram.
In between the beginning of the draft and where my teams picked, so much else was going on. Tanaka would pitch a complete game in front of the dreaded Fenway faithful, as the Yankees defeated the Sox 3-0. Erik Karlsson would score from a fluke goal from an odd angle with 4:11 left in regulation to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead over the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The two teams followed that game up with a double overtime thriller yesterday afternoon in which the Senators took a 2-0 series lead.
Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury closes the door on the Washington Capitals.
In our nation’s capital, there was a back and forth tilt between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. Sidney Crosby scored twice in 52 seconds for the Pens, and the game ended with the Capitals buzzing around the Pittsburgh net. Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury was amazing in preserving the victory.
The Toronto Raptors eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks from the NBA playoffs on Thursday. The San Antonio Spurs also advanced by dispatching the Memphis Grizzlies.
What a night it was! It happens in late October and late April. In the fall, baseball has the World Series coming to a climax, the NFL and NHL are in full swing and the NBA opens its season. In April the NHL and NBA are in playoff mode, baseball is in full swing, and the NFL has its annual choose-up fest. So great when all four major sports are grabbing headlines at the same time!
Time for a program note. Both my Sunday blog and Wednesday Night Baseball blog will be on hiatus until Wednesday May 17. The Sunday blog will resume on May 21. This will allow me some family time. I can’t wait to see my daughter, son-in-law, and meet my brand new granddaughter!
briankarpel 