It's Super Bowl Week

The world's sports media descend on New Orleans this week (as I watch from my living room) for The Greatest Show on Earth. Over the next few days I will look at the two teams who have made the game - the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens and the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers - their coaches - the first pair of brothers to coach opposite each other in a Super Bowl, John and Jim Harbaugh - the history of the game and the host city itself.

The P+T:3+G Super Bowl XLVII Preview week begins tomorrow with a look back at the history of the game.

Stay tuned!

College Football: The strange tale of Manti Te'o

The big emotional story of the college football season was Notre Dame's star linebacker Manti Te'o losing his grandmother and girlfriend within a 24 hour spell in September. Te'o's grandmother most certainly did pass away on September 11th 2012, but the news that his girlfriend Lennay Kekua did not die, and actually never even existed has come as a massive hoax, and has left everyone wondering how on Earth something like this could even happen.

The details are increasingly strange with every piece of information that comes out. The whole "meet-cute" story of Te'o and Kekua's eyes meeting across the room at a party following the Irish's game at Stanford in November 2009 (the game definitely happened by the way) was diminished to the two having a relationship purely over the phone and online when the hoax was broken by deadspin.com. The "relationship" began in early 2012 after being friends since the initial "meeting." The photos posted on Twitter and Instagram of "Lennay Kekua" have been ripped from the private Facebook of an unidentified California woman who has never attended Stanford, never had leukaemia and never met Te'o. The article at Deadspin goes into the details which we need not go into here.

The hoax appears to have been perpetrated by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a 22 year old musician, who was at the very least casually acquainted with Te'o. The main question is if Te'o was in on it? Was it a publicity stunt to drum up Heisman support? And if that was the case, would his grandmother dying not have been enough to gather any supposed sympathy vote. Te'o apparently found out about the hoax over the Christmas period and told the university on Boxing Day. Notre Dame's Vice President Dennis Brown released the following statement this week in response:

"On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te'o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukaemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators."

Te'o later released his own statement which read:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her. To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating. It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life. I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been. In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was. Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

Whether Te'o was in on the hoax or not is still up in the air. It seems unlikely that he could have been in the dark for such a long time over someone who he was supposedly in love with. But it also seems strange that in his first game following the "discovery," the BCS National Championship game, he had his worst game of the year, having played some of his best football after the "death." What is even stranger is that absolute no media outlets in the States checked any of the facts. Kekua's "death" was reported as gospel, as were funeral details and details of her student life. Details about a person that didn't exist. There's a bit of Stephen Glass about the whole thing.

There's something funny been afoot in the whole saga, and it looks like it may be some time before we find out exactly what. I still expect Te'o to be a first round draft pick, but this incident may have hurt his stock slightly if any teams have trust issues. I'm sure there’s more to come on this bizarre story.

Coming soon...

Pies and Tracksuits: 3rd and Goal will return tomorrow - January 19th - with a piece on the Manti Te'o saga, and NFL Conference Championship Previews on Sunday.

NFL Divisional Preview: Sunday

Wow. Saturday night's Divisional playoff games went above and beyond what was expected and gave us two of the most entertaining games of the season. I'll review the weekend as a whole tomorrow, and a tight schedule means I don't have time to properly preview today's two games. I expect Seattle to just about scrape past the number 1 seed Atlanta Falcons in the early game, and I expect the Patriots to race out to a massive lead over Houston, but the Texans to haul it back late and make it shaky.

A full Divisional round up tomorrow, as we get back to normal!

NFC Divisional Match: Seattle over Atlanta in overtime
AFC Divisional Match: New England over Houston by 7

NFL Divisional Playoffs - Saturday Preview

Despite what I may have predicted last week, it did pretty much go with the seedings in the NFL Wildcard Playoffs. Only Seattle went above their seeding, and they had actually won more games than their opponents anyway.

This week, the top seeds enter the race, and the participants in the Conference Championships will be decided. Who will be playing for a place in the Super Bowl next week?

Will this be Ray Lewis' last stand? The veteran linebacker will retire when the Ravens' post-season run is over, and he would love nothing more than a second Super Bowl, twelve years after his, and the Ravens' last. But last week's final home game seemed like a goodbye, not just to Baltimore, but to the league as well. The Ravens travel to Mile High to face Peyton Manning and his Broncos side who haven't lost since the first week in October. After starting the season 2-3, Denver have won 11 in a row, tying up the #1 overall seed in the process. Peyton Manning returned from missing the whole of last season with a neck injury to have an MVP candidate season in his first year in Denver, lifting the Broncos to their best season since winning the Super Bowl in the 1998 season.

The Ravens can't be counted out though, as good as the Broncos are. They haven't allowed a touchdown pass in their past 3 playoff games, with six interceptions in those three games. Indeed, since John Harbaugh took over in 2008, the Ravens have 18 post-season interceptions, no other team in the league has more than 16 overall turnovers. It should be noted that Peyton Manning is one of only 2 quarterbacks with more touchdown passes than interceptions against the Ravens in the postseason since 08. Joe Flacco had a very good game against the Colts last week and does come in with some good momentum. It should be a good game in Denver, but I fully expect to see the home side preparing Mile High for a championship game next weekend.

It's going to be a primetime showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers at Candlestick, and the winners will feel like they have a great chance of becoming the NFC Champions next week. The Packers overcame an understrength Minnesota Vikings last week, but looked a team in form when doing so. The 49ers lost two of their last five in the regular season, but have looked like a strong side throughout the year.

Aaron Rodgers is once again in the MVP frame, but the emergence of Colin Kaepernick has revitalised a 49ers offence that was beginning to stagnate with Alex Smith under centre. There is going to be a lot of offence in this game, as good as both teams' defences are, the quarterbacks coupled with the running games on both sides should light up the field. The 49ers win over the Packers in Week 1 can almost be written off as an irrelevance due to the way the Pack have come on since then. This is gonna be a classic.

Predictions
Saturday
AFC Divisional Match: Denver over Baltimore by 10
NFC Divisional Match: San Francisco over Green Bay by 3

NBA: Eastern Conference Mid-Term Report Card

When the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship in June, it looked like a dynasty could be being built. The finals the year before where they lost to an inspired Dirk Nowitski and the Dallas Mavericks, and then a crushing win over the brilliant Oklahoma City Thunder to take the title to South Beach, with the talented trio of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh at the heart, serious questions were asked of who could beat them over the season and in a seven game series. Has the first (almost) half of the 2012-13 changed opinions? Here we grade the 15 Eastern Conference teams' mid-season performance. Western Conference Reports are coming on Sunday.

Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics (18-17) The Celtics haven't had the best of starts to the season, but in an Eastern Conference that isn't as competitive as it could be, a .500 record will probably be enough to sneak into the playoffs. They're a team in transition, but could come good later in the season, especially if Rajon Rondo can turn on the style.
Grade: C+

Brooklyn Nets (20-15) The Nets first season in Brooklyn started off so well as they raced out to an 11-4 start. They struggled in December, but are currently riding a four game winning streak. The team has stabilised following the firing of Avery Johnson under the interim stewardship of PJ Carlesimo. They should be a postseason team for the first time since 2007.
Grade: B

New York Knicks (23-12) When was the last time the Knicks were this good? Probably 1994 when they reached the finals. This team looks better than their 1998-99 side who also made the finals, as it looks like the roster has clicked and the talents of Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler are working well together with the experience of Jason Kidd. There have been slip ups along the way, but the Knicks can count themselves genuine contenders.
Grade: A

Philadelphia 76ers (15-22) The Sixers have really struggled for consistency this year, and that comes as a disappointment after their solid playoff run last time round. With Andrew Bynum injured, Jason Richardson is struggling to carry the team on his own, and without some major improvement (or trades) post-season basketball won't be coming back to Philly this year.
Grade: C-

Toronto Raptors (13-22) No-one expected the Raptors to do anything this season, and the fact that they're only five games back from a playoff position is actually a pretty good place for them to be. Their young roster is going to take some shaping, and it's unlikely that they'll be bothering the playoff picture this year, but they are an improving side, who could be pushing in the next few seasons.
Grade: B-

Central Division
Chicago Bulls (19-14) The Bulls are really, really missing Derrick Rose. After finishing first in the Eastern Conference last year, they fell straight out of the playoffs when Rose got injured, and although they're well in the playoff hunt again, without Rose they don't seem the same team. Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah should have the talent to carry the team through, but the sooner they get Rose back, the better.
Grade: B-

Cleveland Cavaliers (9-28) It's becoming more and more obvious that Kyrie Irving is a very special player. It's also becoming more and more obvious that he needs some serious help to improve the Cavs. There is some serious young talent in the Cleveland locker room, but the team s failing to gel, and there's only so much Irving can do on his own. Big changes required.
Grade: D

Detroit Pistons (13-23) The Pistons are very clearly in a rebuilding season, carrying a league high five rookies on their roster and with just two signed players over the age of 30. There's signs that this could be a very good team, but it's just not happening yet. If the Pistons fans can cope with a couple of years rebuilding, there's nothing wrong with this approach, but it could be a long couple of seasons.
Grade: C

Indiana Pacers (22-14) The Pacers are having a great season. Tyler Hansbrough is playing as well as he has done since college, and the acquisition of his unheralded younger brother Ben has been an inspired piece of business. The Pacers lead the Central Division in just about every stat, and are putting together an excellent team, capable of challenging the big boys come the playoffs.
Grade: A-

Milwaukee Bucks (18-16) The Bucks could well make the playoffs this year, but it's more to do with the lack of strength in the teams below them in the standings than themselves being a particularly good team. There's not much actually wrong with the way that they're playing, but they don't look like a team who are likely to cause anyone any major problems in a seven game series. Decent, but could be better.
Grade: C+

Southeast Division
Atlanta Hawks (20-14) The Hawks are in a tough position being in the same division as the Heat. They can win games, go on great runs, but are always likely to play second fiddle to the big boys from South Beach. This is exactly what has happened this year, but it's actually suited them down to a tee. The Heat get all the attention and the Hawks just slide under the radar, quietly building themselves a fine record.
Grade: A-

Charlotte Bobcats (9-25) The Bobcats are hopeless. They've been hopeless since they entered the league in 2004 in all honesty - other than their 2009-10 playoff season, where they were pretty decent. They have won more games already this season than they did last, so that's something. But they'd be better off with their 49 year old owner Michael Jordan on the court than some of their current players. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist must wish he'd stayed in college another year.
Grade: D-

Miami Heat (23-11) The Heat lead the Eastern Conference, but they do so without actually being all that brilliant. When they've been at their best they have been excellent, but when they've been bad, they really have been awful. One of their losses was to the five win Wizards, something that shouldn't be happening to a title contender. But the Heat have done enough to show that they are one of the strongest teams in the NBA, and will be there or there abouts come championship time once again.
Grade: A-

Orlando Magic (12-23) They lost Dwight Howard, who was pretty much the only bright spot they had the past few years. There are two teams in Florida, and they are very much number two. Having seen the Magic a few times this year, it actually amazes me that they've even managed to win 12 games so far. Disappointing at best.
Grade: C-

Washington Wizards (5-28) Washington are on course to win 12 games this season. These Wizards need some magic.
Grade: F

NHL Season Preview

The NHL Lockout is almost over. The NHL Board of Governors have ratified the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and after a long, hockeyless winter, the CBA is now with the players association, who will vote today and tomorrow on whether to ratify the deal. If the players vote in favour - as they are expected to - training camps could open on Sunday, with a 48 game regular season facing off on January 19th. And while a 48 game schedule seems a little greedy - 40 or 42 would have made more sense in my eyes - it's great to have hockey back.

There will be no Winter Classic this year, as New Year's Day has come and gone, and the All-Star Festivities have also been scrapped (although I'm not sure that many will care about that.) No-one will be opening the season in Europe, it's straight down to business. As things stand, with the current 48 game plan, each team will play 24 games at home and 24 on the road, all within their own conference. Teams will play two divisional opponents five times, and the other two four times, and will play the other ten teams in their conference three times each to reach the 48 games. This will of course be the harshest on the Winnipeg Jets, still placed in the Southeast Division, as realignment hasn't been worked out for the second successive season. Cue many a long road trip for the Jets again this year.

The Los Angeles Kings go into the 2013 season as reigning Stanley Cup Champions, having won their first title back in June in six games against the New Jersey Devils. The Kings were a surprising champion, having finished in 8th place in the Western Conference regular season standings. They disposed of the Presidents' Trophy winning (and 2011 Stanley Cup Finalist) Vancouver Canucks by 4 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs, before whitewashing the number 2 seeded St Louis Blues 4-0 in the Conference semi-finals. Their 4-1 win over the third seed Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference finals saw them reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time.

In the East, the New Jersey Devils were seeded six after the regular season and went through the Florida Panthers and Philadelphia Flyers before meeting their divisional rival New York Rangers in the conference finals. The number one seeded Rangers were beaten by 4 games to 2 by a surging Devils, who came up short when they met a Kings team in inspired form.

But what of this year? The Stanley Cup is notoriously difficult to win back to back. In fact, that last team to repeat were the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings, and we can all agree that they were one of the finest teams ever to grace the ice. The Kings were no more than an average team for much of the 2011-12 season, but found their form in the last month of the regular season and the playoffs. And that's the thing with an 82 game schedule, the teams who end the season well tend to do well in the playoffs, whereas teams who race out to a great start and tie up playoff spots early have a tendency to fade away. It happened last year with the Canucks - and to a lesser extent the Rangers - and we've seen it happen so many times before in the NHL and the NBA.

But a 48 game season could be different. Of course a team ending the season well is going to carry momentum into the playoffs - how many times have we seen an NFL team rally late in the year and go to the Super Bowl? And that's on a 16 game schedule - but with 48 games instead of 82 there's less time to get complacent, less time to run up a massive head start and slow down. In a shortened season it’s less likely that a team will go on a late season streak like last years' Kings. The Kings will of course be a playoff threat, they're not suddenly going to become a bad team, but I don't see them back in the finals.

Then who are the contenders? The New York Rangers will look to build on their great 2011-12 which took them to the Eastern Conference Finals. They have the best goaltender in hockey in Henrik Lundqvist, who saves points on a frequent basis, and the highly impressive Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik on their roster. With Sidney Crosby finally fully fit after a nightmare two years, the Pittsburgh Penguins can once again look to be challengers for the Cup. The Penguins' blend of youth and experience should see them as definite contenders come June. And also from the East, the Boston Bruins can never be counted out. The Garden is one of the toughest road games in the league, and even at 35, Zdeno Chara is still a fearsome opponent. And the reduced schedule could see the Toronto Maple Leafs challenge. The Leafs tend to start well before fading away, and the shortened season could mean that this doesn't happen this time around.

Out West (well, in the Western Conference anyway), as well as the champion Kings, 3 names stand out. The Vancouver Canucks were the best team in the league through the regular season the last two years, and made the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011. The Sedin twins are still two of the best in the league, and the spread of talent that the Canucks possess means that they will almost certainly be challengers. The other two are West teams only in the sense of the NHL - both cities' NBA teams are Eastern Conference for example - and are the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. The Blackhawks won the championship as recently as 2010, and although the roster has changed since then, a solid core remains. And the Red Wings won't want to give up their 21 year playoff streak. It's been five years since the last title came to the Joe Louis Arena, and the Detroit team looks as loaded with talent as it has since then.

It's great to have the NHL back. The Kings will open the season at home to the Blackhawks with a midday (PT) face-off at the Staples Center on Saturday January 19th.

Predictions:
Presidents' Trophy: Vancouver
Eastern Conference Champions: Pittsburgh
Western Conference Champions: Chicago
Stanley Cup Champions: Pittsburgh