San Jose Sharks: 3 Ways the Culture in San Jose MUST Change

Another year, another late round exit for the San Jose Sharks. The team from the South Bay came up short in the playoffs yet again, falling to the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Finals. This coming after a 2010 that ended in much the same way, when the Sharks were swept by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Many teams would be happy with back-to-back Conference Finals, but it is all too familiar for the people of San Jose, who continue to see their team play tremendous hockey during the regular season, only to come up short in the playoffs.

It was an up-and-down playoffs for the Sharks. At one moment, they were riding high after a good effort against the Los Angeles Kings led to 3-0 lead against the Detroit Red Wings in the second round. Three straight losses later, the Sharks were a bad Game 7 away from completely blowing the team up and starting over.

Fortunately, a strong final game defeated the Red Wings in seven games, and a sense of relief was felt around the Bay Area.

Still, this year's Western Conference Finals seemed just like 2010. The Sharks were over-matched and seemed to not belong on the same ice with the Vancouver Canucks, or the 2010 Blackhawks, for that matter.

How do the Sharks get over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals?

Not blowing up the team, that's for sure.

A few tweaks here and there should do it, but that is what the Sharks have been doing these last several years, with nothing to show but two heart-breaking losses in the Western Conference Finals.

Next season is a new season, but there is a lot to change in the culture of the team between now and then.



1. Understand This Team Is Built For the Future

Year after year the Sharks are in the running for the Stanley Cup, and every year it seems the fans get disappointed.

It may seem as though the Sharks' window of opportunity is closing, when, in fact, it is just opening.

Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley are all entering the prime of their careers, they have young studs like Logan Couture ready to take on bigger roles and the defensive core of Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray and Marc-Edouard Vlasic are all locked up for a few more seasons. Not to mention, role players like Ryane Clowe and Joe Pavelski have deals with San Jose that run through 2014.

Compare that to the past teams that have done well in the playoffs.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, only to lose their goalie Antti Niemi and several very good role players, such as Dustin Byfuglien to free agency or trade.

This year's representative of the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals is the Canucks. At the end of their season, they will see star defensemen Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff all become free agents.

Do not be surprised if one of those defencemen sign with the Sharks, who are in dire need of another strong blueliner to put them over the top in the Western Conference.

So as much as other teams are struggling to stay relevant, the Sharks have been one of the few teams to stay competitive and will continue to stay competitive for at least the next several years.



2. New Defenceman

The Sharks did not have the defensive weapons that teams like the Boston Bruins and Canucks had in 2011.

That is to not say they did not try.

Acquiring Ian White from the Carolina Hurricanes was one of the better roster moves made all season. Although the move did not fully take care of the problem on defense, it did silence the critics, who were demanding a defenceman be acquired.

Still, the Sharks will have to re-sign White in the offseason, but he is sure to pitch San Jose a discounted rate.

As for Niclas Wallin and Kent Huskins, neither are expected to return to the team, which frees up a ton of money to spend on a star defenceman.

Some notable free agent defencemen are Tomas Kaberle, Joni Pitkanen, Eric Brewer and Andrei Markov, but do not rule out Kevin Bieksa or Christian Ehrhoff.

Realistically, it would seem as though the Sharks could have their sights set on one of three players in Brewer, Bieksa or Ehrhoff, and any of them would be welcome additions to a defense that was clearly the weakest part of the Sharks' playoff run.



3. Trust Todd McLellan

Coach McLellan has been the head coach of the Sharks for three years now.

His first year started off spectacular with a President's Trophy win, but a first round exit to the Anaheim Ducks quickly brought this franchise back to reality.

Since then, McLellan and the Sharks have seemed to elevate their playoff games, hoping to prove that they belong.

A loss in the 2010 Western Conference Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks sufficed then, but two straight Western Conference Finals losses and some are calling for McLellan's head.

The truth is McLellan made all the right moves. He made the right line changes during the season, and even the right goalie decision, as Niemi started to play well once given the time.

Stand by McLellan and he will take San Jose to the promised land sooner or later. He has proved it by winning in Detroit.

Given the right amenities with the Sharks, he will prove it in San Jose.

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2011 San Francisco Giants: Can Team Recover From Loss of Buster Posey?

San Francisco Giants fans' worst fears came true on May 25 when catcher Buster Posey was injured in a home plate collision with Florida Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins.

Posey broke a bone in his lower left leg and is out for the season after surgery on Sunday repaired three torn ligaments in his ankle.

The Giants have said that they are optimistic for his return on Opening Day 2012.

The "Collision Heard 'Round the World" has received equal part criticism of Cousins, and equal part freak accident. Some were calling for a new rule change, and others, like Ray Fosse, who was injured in the infamous collision at home plate with Pete Rose in the 1970 All-Star Game, said that there should be no rule change at all.

What is done, is done, however.

Posey is out for the season, and the main question now is how the Giants will cope without their best player and only consistent offensive threat.

Can we eliminate them from repeating as World Series Champions? Can we eliminate them from the NL West race?

Time will tell, but the Posey injury does not hurt the Giants' line-up as much as it hurts the team mentally.



Dirty Play?

Cousins' lowered shoulder caused some to jump to the conclusion that he was trying to hurt Posey, and that there should be an immediate rule change.

Catchers are allowed to block home plate, but they run the risk of getting run over by a physical specimen running at full-speed turning around third base and heading for home, whose only thought in his head is to touch home plate in any way possible.

In return, that physical specimen runs the risk of getting a pitch thrown at his head the following inning.

It goes both ways.

So, yes, Cousins had the right to do what he did, as anyone in his position would have done.

Cousins is batting .167 this season. That was his defining moment when he was rounding third base. It was a chance to make a name for himself and contribute to this team in one way or another. If he gets tagged out without giving Posey a good shellacking, odds are he gets sent down to the minors the following day.

I do not blame him.



Should the Giants Seek A Replacement For Posey?

Posey was batting .284 with 21 RBI's in 2011 and was the only consistent hitter in that Giants line-up.

Despite Posey being a great hitter and his potential is through the roof, the Giants were not hitting with him in the line-up anyways.

San Francisco was averaging 3.6 runs per game, while giving up 3.7 runs per game.

The loss of Posey affects this team mentally more than it affects this team in the field.

Eli Whiteside is not going to hit the baseball very much, but he knows this pitching staff and they trust him.

That was the difference between Posey and all other catchers. He could hit the ball, as well as call a great game from behind the plate.

Whiteside cannot hit, which his .162 average is witness to, but he can still call a great game behind the plate that the Giants' pitching staff trusts.

If the Giants went out and sought the services of Ivan Rodriguez from the Washington Nationals, San Francisco would be getting a player that is batting .211 on the year and does know the pitching staff.

Give Whiteside some consistent at-bats and he can give the team over a .200 average and save them some money. Reports are the Nationals have been dangling Rodriguez in front of San Francisco, hoping to get the 2010 World Series Champions to overpay for him.

Not worth it.



Posey's Return

I am sure this last week has been torturous for the people of San Francisco.

Posey, the pride and joy of San Francisco, gets injured trying to block home plate.

The first report was that it was a broken leg and that he would be out 6-8 weeks, much like the Josh Hamilton injury earlier this season.

Then there was ligament damage and all hell broke loose in San Francisco.

The Giants lost Posey for the season, instantly.

It is, of course, too early to tell when Posey will return from an injury that may set-back his career a year or so.

His return is unknown, but the team is optimistic that he will be ready for Opening Day 2012.

“The fracture will be fine,” Giants trainer Dave Groeschner told ESPN. “The ankle injury is most concerning to us.”

That would be the left ankle that had three torn ligaments in it, and the one that Posey had surgery on this past Sunday, causing him to be out indefinitely.

More reports will come out in the next couple of months, but do not expect Posey on your television set anytime soon.



Team Expectations Now

It is funny how things change on a team like the Giants when one person gets injured.

After Posey was sent to the DL, the Giants immediately promoted Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford to the big leagues, something that they were going to hold off on doing for at least a few months.

Crawford was not even expected to be called up this season.

Some would suggest that this was panic by the Giants' organization, when in reality this was San Francisco's way of immediately changing the mind-set of both the fans and players by bringing up two of the best prospects the Giants have to offer in order to change the morale of this team.

It worked.

Crawford's grand slam in Milwaukee was the turning point in life after Posey's injury.

Do the Giants still have what it takes to win the NL West and contend for another World Series title?

As long as they have that same pitching staff, they do.

Madison Bumgarner is starting to throw well again, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are going to consistently give the team good outings, Jonathan Sanchez is what he is (3-3 3.47 ERA) and either Ryan Vogelsong or Barry Zito are going to give the Giants a better than normal fifth starter outing most of the time they take the mound.

The Giants will not miss Posey now, it is a long season, but they will miss his consistent bat when the playoff race heats up in September.

For now, continue getting used to pitching duels and one-run games.

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NHL Finals 2011: 5 Biggest Storylines Of the Finals

The Boston Bruins will match up with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday.

The Canucks won the President's Trophy this season, as well as stormed through the Western Conference playoffs, showing that they were undoubtedly the best team in hockey for a reason.

The Bruins, on the other hand, shocked some by making the NHL Finals as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They knocked off the Montreal Canadians, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning on their way to the Finals.

Many story lines abound for this series. In fact, it was relatively hard to get it down to just five.

The Canucks could become the first team since the NHL lockout to win the Stanley Cup as a President's Trophy winner, and the Bruins have overcame a lot since letting the Flyers come back from a 3-0 series lead in last year's playoffs to go to the Stanley Cup.

Those are just two of many story lines in the much-anticipated 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.



5. Manny Malhotra

Malhotra may or may not be able to return to the Canucks for the Stanley Cup Finals, but if he does, that is one crazy story line.

Malhotra was sidelined earlier this season after a puck struck him in the eye during play. The left-eye injury was extremely serious at one point, and many thought his career was over.

After many surgeries, Malhotra is back, but not ready for game situations just yet.

Malhotra was acquired by the Canucks this past offseason to bolster the face-off and defensive side of the puck, and he did just that in 72 games this season. He also tallied 30 points.

Malhotra is, in fact, cleared to play by doctors, but there is no word as to whether he will actually play or not.

If he does play, it will be one of the greater comebacks in hockey history.



4. Can Canada win a Stanley Cup?

It must be painful for Canada to be without a Stanley Cup year after year.

Canada has not hoisted the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens won it all in 1993 over Wayne Gretzky's Los Angeles Kings. Also, it is only the fifth time a Canadian team has made it to the Stanley Cup in 17 years.

Canada picked a good year to put all hopes in the Canucks, though.

Vancouver is undoubtedly the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

If the Canucks' play in the first three rounds were any indication, Canada will be hoisting their first Stanley Cup since 1993.



3. Boston defense vs. Sedin Twins

The Bruins boast shutdown defenders Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg, as well as Tomas Kaberle, who hope to corral the duo of Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

The Sedin brothers finally went off against the San Jose Sharks, especially Henrik, who tallied 12 points in five games.

Overall, the Sedin brothers have been rather quiet all postseason. They were called into question up until the San Jose series for disappearing since the playoffs began.

Now up against the Boston defense, both Henrik and Daniel will have to live up to the hype once again.



2. Can Roberto Luongo Meet Expectations?

Luongo was not tested very often in the San Jose series, but he got the job done, and that is what matters.

The gold medal-winning goalie was called into question, much like the Sedin brothers, for crumbling in the playoffs. Luongo had a terrible Game 4 and 5 against Chicago, allowing six goals and four goals and letting the Blackhawks come back from a 3-0 deficit.

Even when Luongo could not close it out in Game 5 against Nashville, fans were calling for the Canucks' back-up goalie Corey Schneider.

After his rather impressive effort in the Western Conference Finals, Luongo is here to stay. But will he crumble under the pressure of being the only Canadian team left in the playoffs?

We will see.



1. Can the Canucks End Their Drought In Vancover?

The Vancouver Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup in the 40-year history if this franchise.

Lucky number 40 I say.

It will be the team's third trip to the Finals, and undoubtedly the most favorable trip.

The Canucks are high favorites for their relentless offense and suffocating defense, while boasting a gold medal-winning goalie.

Even with history going against them, this Vancouver team has so much chemistry that it is hard not to pick them to win in either five or six games.

The only thing standing in their way from hoisting the Cup in year number 40 is Boston goalie Tim Thomas, who has arguably been the best player in these playoffs.

Get the puck past Thomas, and the Canucks can win the Stanley Cup for the first time in their history.

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NHL Free Agency 2011: Where Will the Top 12 Forwards Play Next Year?

On July 1, all hell will break loose in the hockey world. It marks the first day of open free agency in the NHL with several big names looking for new homes, and too many teams looking to sign them.

The 2011 NHL free agency is dominated by defense and goaltending this year. Names like Tomas Vokoun, Ilya Bryzgalov and Tomas Kaberle will be coveted by numerous teams, either looking to get their team over the hump or into contention.

But this year's free agency may be dominated by a payer that is not a goaltender or a defenseman.

Brad Richards will most certainly be on the move, and teams will be throwing all they have at the crown jewel of the 2011 NHL free agency.

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San Jose Sharks: The Western Conference Finals Is Not Enough

It took an awkward bounce off the boards, and not a single Sharks player to know where the puck was, for the San Jose Sharks to be eliminated from the 2011 NHL Playoffs on Tuesday night.

The Vancouver Canucks were the dominant team. In fact, the Canucks are probably the best team left in these playoffs, and you may not hear an argument from anyone refuting that. They have speed, defense, goaltending and chemistry, and the Sharks were just trying to keep up.

San Jose was knocked out by the best team in hockey.

Are you satisfied with the Sharks, though?

I wrote an article on my own personal blog around this time last year where I said that I was satisfied with the Sharks appearance in the 2010 Western Conference Finals, even though they were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.

I was satisfied last season because they had overcome several demons in that 2009-10 season. They had just come off a series in the 2009 playoffs where they lost in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks, after earning the President's Cup trophy for the regular season as the number one overall seed.

This season was a different story.

The Sharks had risen above it all in 2010, beating the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings, before losing in the Western Conference Finals.

Now in 2011, the team from the South Bay has been defeated again in the Western Conference Finals. They did not lose by lack of talent, though. They were defeated by losing their cool in Game 2, dumb penalties in Game 4 and one of the weirdest endings to a playoff game you will ever see in Game 5.

This Sharks/Canucks series could have been so much more. In the end, the Canucks were the more professional team and now head to the Stanley Cup Finals, something the Sharks have never been able to do.

No, the Western Conference Finals is not enough, not anymore.

The 2010 season was the start of something, and the 2011 team was showing so much grit, passion and dominance that they were a lock to make a deep run the playoffs. The run was not deep enough.

The question needs to be asked: Is the core of players the Sharks have now ever going to get this team to the Stanley Cup Finals?

That is GM Doug Wilson's question to answer.

The Sharks will be back, though.

They have a nice mix of young talent and experienced leaders to make another run -- they always do.

The increased salary cap may help, too. It will give them a chance to go out and get the defenseman they so desperately need.

Besides all that, this 2010-11 Sharks team entertained us, while showing pride, talent and determination. For another year, though, that was not enough.

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Golden State Warriors: Is Jerry West Really That Big Of A Deal?

Jerry West not only knows basketball, being one of he greatest NBA players of all-time, but he knows the corporate side of basketball, as well. West was responsible for igniting the Los Angeles Lakers' three-peat from 2000-02, by acquiring players like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, as well as hiring Phil Jackson as head coach.

West's new challenge is to do with the Golden State Warriors what he did with the Lakers, and somewhat with the Memphis Grizzlies.

West was pursued by Warriors' owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, and they hired him this past week as an adviser to the Warriors' executive board.

Who knows how much of a role West will play with the Warriors, but having one of the greatest basketball players of all-time is not a bad person to have advising your team.

Although West does still plan to live in Southern California, he will be working very closely with Warriors' ownership, as well as, and most importantly, General Manager Larry Riley. West was the former ultra-successful GM with the Lakers, and the hope is he can rub off some wisdom on Riley.

But whether or not West's role with the Warriors is significant or not, the name is there, and that is what counts right now.

West's new job with the Warriors helps improve two aspects of Golden State's mission to be a successful franchise.



1. The New Coach
Jerry West has been around the NBA long enough to know what coaches and players are for real, and which are not. Right off the bat, West will be helping with the hiring of the Warriors' next head coach.

Warriors' owner Joe Lacob is not dumb. He knows that with West apart of the Warriors, he will attract high-profile names to this team, whether they are big name coaches or players.

For now, any coach would like to work with West, as well as an ambitious Warriors ownership that is determined to make this team a success.

West totally changes the image of the Warriors from the Don Nelson/Keith Smart Era to the new and improved Lacob/Guber Era with their eyes set on the playoffs.

Also, West has first-hand experience with some of these coaches, such as Lakers' assistant coach Brian Shaw.

Is Shaw for real as a coach?

I'm sure West has already filled the Warriors in on that one.



2. Acquiring Players

West's name, alone, will draw players to Oakland.

Without West as an adviser, there was no chance at landing a big name free agent. Now with West, the Warriors suddenly have a shot. Given West's success both on the court and off, it may entice a player like Dwight Howard, for instance, to come to Oakland and become apart of something very special taking flight.

But most of all, West will be working with GM Larry Riley, arguably the weakest link in the Warriors' front office. As a former successful GM, West will be sure to have a say in what moves Riley and the Warriors will be making.

Reports are this may even be the start of West becoming the next GM of the Warriors. Keep your fingers crossed on that one.

So not only will West be attracting players to Golden State, but he will have a say in whether or not those players are worth it.

In a history of the Warriors that has seen several talents slip through the cracks and other talents rot in the Warriors' former corrupt system, it is good to see Lacob and others making moves that everyone agrees makes this franchise better.

West is the first step.

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Golden State Warriors: Mike Brown and the Best Coaching Fits in Golden State

For once, the Golden State Warriors are one of the bigger stories in the NBA these days. Sure, they cannot compete with the NBA Playoffs, but the recent flurry of coaching candidates that have been interviewed with the team and the news of Jerry West joining the front office has the Warriors being a hot commodity these days.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob is making all the right moves.

One thing is for sure, Lacob wants a big name as head coach of the Warriors next season. For too many years, the Warriors have been swept under the rug because of less than high-profile coaching and players. Even last year, the Warriors had their first chance at a big name coach, and they decided on Keith Smart. A less than expected season then occurred.

It is obvious that Lacob wants a high profile coach and, sooner or later, high profile players to go with that high profile coach. Jerry West's move to Golden State mean just that. He is a big name in the basketball community and Lacob hopes he can attract big name players with that big name executive.

But before the Warriors get those high profile players, they need that high profile coach.

The reason the person that fills this Warriors head coaching position will be hired will have a lot to do with how recognizable his name is. It is the first step to Lacob's scheme of moving the Warriors up in the basketball ranks with high-profile names.



5. Kevin McHale

The big name is there, for sure.

The legendary power forward, who played for 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, has been recently interviewed by the Warriors and seems to be the front-runner for the Houston Rockets head coaching position, as well.

But McHale is a risk, if that.

Sure, he was a great player in his day, but McHale, as a coach or in any position other than on the court with the ball in his hands, has not had much success.

He stepped down as VP of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves after he and others had seemed to run that team into the ground. McHale became head coach and was not brought back after serving that brief head coaching stint in 2008-09.

Because of his risk, the Warriors would be smart not to take him on.

The name is there and he is a coach with great knowledge for the game, but his track record is what it is....risky.



4. Dwane Casey

The sexiness of the name is not there, but Casey is sought after by several teams for being one of the best assistant coaches in the NBA.

He is currently the assistant coach under Rick Carlisle for the Dallas Mavericks, and has been interviewed twice for the Philadelphia 76ers head coaching position.

He has had one stint as a head coach. He led the Timberwolves to a 33-49 record in 2005.

Not the track record Lacob may want, but Casey is a being sought after for something, right?

Two things stand out about Casey to NBA teams: He is a defensive-minded coach, and a disciplinarian.

There will be no rough-housing going on in whatever locker room Casey runs.

I am not sure that is what the Warriors need right now, though. Especially from a coach that has not been impressive as a head coach.

How that would sit with Monta Ellis is another deal.

But the defense he brings is much needed in Golden State. The problem is they just had a defensive-minded coach with little experience in Keith Smart. How did that work out?



3. Brian Shaw

The Los Angeles Lakers' assistant coach is the new, young hot commodity in NBA coaching. He is attractive to teams because he has learned from the best, and the best is Phil Jackson.

Plus, he has already received support from Kobe Bryant for the Lakers' head coaching vacancy, which means a lot.

But Shaw is one of those "hit or miss" coaches.

Do we even know what Shaw would bring to the Warriors? What does he specialize in, other than he had a good career as a player in the NBA?

It would be Shaw's first stint as head coach of an NBA team, and do the Warriors really want their team to become an experiment?

Sure, there is no one better to learn from than Phil Jackson, but there are more sure things in head coaching than Brian Shaw.



2. Lawrence Frank

Here is Lacob's Boston man.

Frank has served as assistant coach for the Boston Celtics for the last year after coaching the New Jersey Nets for six fulls seasons.

Frank's success in New Jersey is what is drawing teams to him. He had a streak of four straight playoff appearances in his first four seasons with the Nets before an 0-16 start to the 2009-10 season shelved him for good.

Frank is known for how smart he is, rather than his experience in the NBA, as many others are. The prototypical basketball nerd that found his way into NBA coaching, Frank adjusts to the teams he coaches.

With the Nets, he coached his fast, high-powered offense to several playoff appearances. In Golden State, he can do the same.

Sure, Don Nelson tried it for years, and it was successful for one of those years.

Frank is a gamble as he would most likely lead the Warriors right back into the high-octane offense that draws fans to the arena just as they were getting out of "Nelly ball."

But Frank is one of the more accomplished coaches available right now, and the Warriors could do worse than hire him as head coach.



1. Mike Brown

This is the man the Warriors need to hire as their next head coach.

He fits all the criteria that Lacob and the Warriors want and need.

He is a big name coach, after taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to playoff appearance after playoff appearance. Plus, he has ways of pleasing big name athletes like Lebron James, as he could do with Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry.

Most of all, Brown preaches defense, which is something the Warriors got a taste of with Keith Smart, but could really dive into with Brown.

He is a coach that could change the image of this team, while making them better, and teaching Ellis, Curry and Lee how to work together and elevate their games to the next level.

With the Warriors, Brown takes this team from being two to three years from the playoffs, to one to two years.

That is something the Warriors and their fans can appreciate.

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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Bold Predictions For the 2011 Season

The 2010-11 NFL Season was franchise-changing for the San Francisco 49ers. The 0-5 start to the season was the first step, and losers in six of their first seven games was the next step, causing them to ultimately fall out of the terrible NFC West division race.

It took until Week 16 for the 49ers to finally yank the cord on Mike Singletary's tenure as head coach, which has led to a total team makeover in Santa Clara, CA.

The 2011 NFL offseason has sprung recent hope into the hearts of 49er fans.

They hired Jim Harbaugh in January and have built him up to be the second-coming of Bill Walsh, another former Stanford coach that has come to save the day in San Francisco.

But the 49ers may be the team that has been most affected by the NFL Lockout.

They have a new coach trying to learn his way in the NFL, a quarterback that has said he will sign with the team but cannot until the lockout is over and a quarterback from the NFL Draft that needs to learn an NFL offense as soon as possible.

So what should we expect from the 49ers in the 2011-12 NFL season?

Nobody knows.

For now, here are five bold predictions for the 49ers' upcoming season, whenever that is.



1. Alex Smith Will Start the Entire Season For the 49ers

Alex Smith is not even apart of the 49ers yet, and still it feels like Smith will be the man under center in 2011.

Smith recently said that he would like to sign with the 49ers as soon as the lockout ends, but who didn't see this coming? The 49ers had no other choice with the lockout still intact.

With David Carr as the only quarterback under contract for the 49ers, it was only a matter of time until the 49ers went knocking on Smith's door, or vice versa.

Still, with the drafting of Colin Kaepernick from Nevada, Smith's stay in San Francisco this time around may be short-lived, although it is not clear if Kaepernick is the 49ers' quarterback of the future.

But in the 2011-12 NFL season, Alex Smith will start every game for the 49ers.

There are two methods to my madness: The 49ers do not have any other NFL-caliber quarterbacks on their roster, and Smith is sure to benefit from Jim Harbaugh's tutelage, even if their preparation time for the season is at a minimum.

Get used to Smith under center. Whether the fans like it or not, Alex Smith is here to stay in 2011.



2. Anthony Dixon Will Have an Impact

In his rookie season in 2010, Dixon had 70 rushes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. In 2011, he will play an even bigger role than that.

Right now, Dixon is the 49ers' second string running back behind Frank Gore. Dixon gives the team a tough running back with power at the goal line, which is where the 49ers will be using him most.

And with Brian Westbrook looking to be fully out of the picture in San Francisco, this opens the door for Dixon to get some work in behind Gore.

Trent Baalke has come out and said that he wants another running back behind Gore and Dixon, and he got one in Kendall Hunter from Oklahoma State. They did this not because Dixon will not be able to carry the load of back-up running back, but because the 49ers cannot risk a Gore injury again.

Gore will be receiving a lighter workload this season because the 49ers do not want to risk another injury like he had last season, which is why I see Dixon getting a consistent amount of carries in 2011.

In 2010, Dixon ran for 237 yards. In 2011, Dixon will run for over 400 yards with over five touchdowns.

Sure, it is not a crazy prediction, but Dixon will receive a larger workload and it will show that Dixon means business in 2011.



3. Nate Clements Will Have A Break Out Season

How many years have 49er fans been waiting for this to happen?

In 2007, Clements signed an eight-year, $80 million contract with the 49ers.

Now, in 2011, the 49ers want him to re-do his contract, thus putting Clements' 2011 season with the 49ers in jeopardy.

Clements has never, at any point, lived up to this gargantuan contract since signing with the 49ers.

Clements likes the Bay Area, and although I do not see him restructuring his contract in the foreseeable future, he will be playing in San Francisco for the remaining three years of that contract.

But Clements is due for a break-out season. He earned all that praise in Buffalo and could not live up to it in San Francisco. But in year four in San Francisco, Clements will be earning his paycheck.

It sounds crazy, but Clements will be fueled for a break-out season after being asked to restructure his contract, which is the 49ers' way of saying that he has not lived up to what they are paying him.

If Clements wants another high-paying salary when his seven to eight years are up in San Francisco, he will produce. And 2011 looks like an ideal time for that.



4. Offensive Line Will Prove To Be a Solid Foundation

The 49ers' 2010 draft focused on the offensive line in hopes of creating a stable force around their quarterback of the future.

Still with no quarterback of the future to protect, the 49ers' offensive line is a mix of solid athletic bahemoths that are looking to make a name for themselves in 2011.

Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati were at the center of the 2010 draft for the 49ers. Solid rookie seasons from both players, especially Iupati, has this offensive line looking up.

Mix those two linemen at around 6'5" and 330 pounds in with the likes of a healthy Joe Staley, David Baas and Chilo Rachal for yet another year, and the 49ers may have something up front in 2011.



5. Vernon Davis Will Have Over 1,000 Receiving Yards in 2011

I base this prediction on one thing and one thing only. Alex Smith will be the quarterback for the 49ers in 2011, and is going to want to produce, or else his days as a second-stringer for the remainder of his NFL career may be coming.

Smith will want a sure thing in regards to the offense in order to produce, and what is more of a sure thing than a pass to Vernon Davis?

Davis is a constant match-up nightmare for the opposing teams, which is why Smith should throw to Davis early and often, and I have no doubt that he will.

In the last year, the 49ers have gone away from the obvious pass to Davis and have tried to mix in passes to Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan.

For Smith's sake in 2011, he better pass the rock to Davis who will haul it in, no questions asked. He is a sure thing, and Smith needs that now more than ever.

This, again, is not a crazy prediction.

In 2009, Davis had 965 receiving yards, and in 2010, he had 914 receiving yards.

With Smith needing a consistent season to save his career, the likelihood of Smith passing to Davis for a good majority of passes seem very likely.

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NHL Playoffs: San Jose Sharks Dismantled in Game 2 As the Western Conference Final Heads to the Shark Tank

The Vancouver Canucks dismantled the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night, 7-3, in an ugly loss for the Sharks at Rogers Arena.

Unsportsmanlike penalties and overall bad play for the majority of the game has the Sharks heading to San Jose dazed and confused, as they look to overcome a 2-0 series deficit.

Not sure how a team can come back from a game like that, though. It was an utter and complete meltdown from the Sharks, in which some players on their team showed zero class while attempting to stand up for an embarrassing display of playoff hockey.

The game was not completely in the Canucks' hands for the entirety, though.

A fast-paced 1st period led to scoring chances aplenty for the both teams. The Sharks would finish the period with 14 shots on net, and the Canucks would finish with 13.

The scoring got started with surging speed out of the neutral zone by Dany Heatley, which led to a Logan Couture power play goal, as the Sharks broke down the Canucks' superb penalty kill, which had been 92% successful in the last nine games.

But Vancouver responded rather quickly with a power play goal of their own by Daniel Sedin, followed by an even-strength goal just 39 seconds later by Raffi Torres.

Daniel Sedin would give his goal right back after a tripping call sent him to the penalty box, setting up another power play goal, this time by Patrick Marleau with help from Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle, after video review.

For those wanting just as much action in the 2nd period, didn't get it.

Turnovers were the name of the game for the Sharks, several leading to close calls that were withstood by goalie Antti Niemi, who was superb in net and kept the Sharks in the game for most of the 2nd period.

But, yet, it was a stalemate for most of the 2nd period until Vancouver's Chris Higgins fed a stretch pass to Kevin Bieksa while the Sharks were caught watching and could not stop Bieksa from scoring on a breakaway, making it 3-2 Canucks.

Things continued to get ugly for the Sharks at the end of the 2nd period.

At an attempt to give the Sharks the momentum, Marleau fought with Bieksa, only to be badly beaten and add to the Canucks' momentum in their own building. It was Marleau's first fight since 2007.

An attempt to retaliate the Marleau beating by Ben Eager led to a roughing penalty that should have been so much more, and the Sharks were back-stepping into the 3rd period.

After the Sharks killed the Eager penalty, Eager committed another penalty seven minutes later, leading to a Higgins' power play goal and a 4-2 lead for the Canucks.

The game was over from there.

The Sharks looked drained, not to mention having to deal with the Canucks' relentless offensive pressure for the rest of the 3rd period. The Canucks would tally whopping ...... shots for the game.

Daniel Sedin, Aaron Rome and Mayson Raymond tacked on three more goals in the 3rd period and the Sharks ultimately lost 7-3 .

An ugly and disappointing game from the Sharks, for sure, most notably from Eager, who tallied four terrible penalties.

After a Game 1 in which the name of the game was to hang on and hope for something good to happen, Game 2 was out of reach after that 2nd period.

Ultimately, a poor fight by Marleau and two penalties by Eager when the Sharks needed to grab momentum led to Vancouver seizing control of Game 2 and this series, as it heads to San Jose for games three and four.

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers.

Either it seemed like the Canucks' sticks were in every lane possible, or the Sharks were being careless with the puck. Either way, the Canucks benefited from it in the scoring column, as Niemi could only hold on for so long.

Also, the lack of legitimate scoring chances past that 1st period didn't help either.

Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo didn't look like he had it in that 1st period, giving up two fairly easy goals to Couture and Marleau. But the Sharks could not get the puck past the Canucks' stellar defense on Wednesday night, and the Sharks find themselves in a 2-0 series hole.

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2011 NBA Draft Lottery: Initial Reactions For the Golden State Warriors

The Cleveland Cavaliers turned a draft pick acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Baron Davis trade into the #1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft on Tuesday. The Cavaliers' pick had a 2.8% chance of winning the NBA Lottery, and it did just that by beating out the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz.

The Golden State Warriors' role in the NBA Lottery was a bit insignificant, if you will.

No, they were not expected to win the NBA Lottery with their .7% chance, but viewers tune in to see their team move up a few spots from where they were initially supposed to be. That was not the case for the Warriors. On the bright side, they stayed exactly where they were positioned, at #11.

Other than the dry comment made by Warriors' owner and NBA Lottery team representative, Joe Lacob, in which he said that he was less worried about luck being a factor and more worried about the "physics of the ping pong ball," the NBA Lottery was a snorefest.

But what about that #11 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft?

The initial reaction is that that position in the Draft is nothing special.

This Draft has no superstars in the making, other than Kyrie Irving and possibly Derrick Williams. This Draft could be over by the fifth pick.

Whether this Draft is that untalented, or that the amount of European players has some people confused as to the talent level of this Draft, we will find out.

For the Warriors, the need is at center.....and preferably a big one.

But the fact is that this Draft has only one bonified big man in Enes Kanter, who will be gone by the third pick, if that. The other possible big man is Bismack Biyombo from the Republic of Congo, but his stock is said to be rising in the coming months from a top-10 pick to a top-5 pick because of his size and potential.

Realistically, if the Warriors want a big man, their best bet will be 6'9" Marcus Morris, who will be playing power forward in the NBA. If they want to reach a bit, they will go after Kenneth Faried from Moorehead State, the nation's leading rebounder in college this past season. But at 6'8", that is a lengthy reach in the Draft.

If you wanted to take this to Vegas, put your money on the Warriors drafting a European player. They're everywhere in this draft.

Jan Vesely from the Czech Republic is a bit of wishful thinking for the Warriors in their position, but if he is there at #11, the Warriors will not pass on him. The 6'11" SF/PF is predicted to be a late top-10 pick.

He is in one word "explosive" although he needs some work on his offensive game. For now, he lives above the rim.

The stock of these players will rise and fall before the 2011 NBA Draft on June 23. For now, the Warriors will be looking at size in the frontcourt and defense in the backcourt when making their pick at #11.

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San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey Will Be Changing Positions Sooner or Later

An article written for ESPN caught my attention this past week. The article was by David Schoenfield entitled "Mauer Position Change Becoming Inevitable."

Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins is batting .235 with 4 RBI's in just nine games this season. He has been hampered by a knee injury that has kept him on the DL since April 15, after being rushed back from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee during the offseason.

There is no current timetable for his return.

In the article, Schoenfield points that while Mauer's value at catcher may be high, his value on the DL is zero. Mauer will have to move away from catcher at some point in his career, and that point seems to be approaching ever closer these days.

Schoenfield goes into detail about how the Twins have Mauer signed until he is 35-years-old, and that first baseman Justin Morneau is signed through 2013, which hurts because first base would be the obvious position to play Mauer other than catcher.

DH seems to be the only option for the Twins since Mauer is not equipped to play any other position other than catcher and first base.

But this article strikes close to home, as Eric Byrnes addressed on KNBR last week.

Here, in the Bay Area, we have our own version of Joe Mauer in Buster Posey. A solid catcher who can produce at the plate as well as any other hitter in the league, as Mauer was before his injuries.

Using Mauer as the prime example, it is inevitable that Posey will be changing positions within the next five years.

If the San Francisco Giants want his bat for his entire career, as I'm sure is quite high on their priority list, they will switch Posey to a different position.

Honestly, this will not be as big a shock in the coming years as it is right now.

Posey played shortstop for Florida State his freshman year in college, batting .346 in that season. His move to catcher was only to guarantee him a roster position in Major League Baseball by making him unique as a catcher that could hit, instead of a shortstop that could hit.

So Posey can play the field with no problem, or at least with less problem than, say, a Joe Mauer.

Here is where it gets tricky if you are the San Francisco Giants.

Looking down the road a few years, the Giants' infield will consist of Pablo Sandoval at third base and Brandon Belt at first base. These are guarantees in the field that hurt Posey because those would be the two positions that would come most naturally to him.

For those saying to put him back at shortstop, that is no longer an option. As Byrnes put it, his legs are like "tree trunks" now. He will not be able to cover that much ground, as he will need to do.

That does not rule out an outfield spot for him, though.

Sure, center field and right field may not be options, especially at AT&T Park, but I'm sure Posey could do just as good a job in left field as Pat Burrell does right now.

More realistically, Posey will be playing second base for the Giants sooner or later.

As Schoenfield pointed out, former Houston Astros' catcher Craig Biggio did it. In fact, he is the only catcher to move to second base from catcher, and play on a regular basis, in baseball history.

Well, make some room, Biggio.

Given the Giants' roster situation in a few years, the ballpark they play in, and the seemingly constant reminder of the clock ticking on Posey's legs, as being currently proven by Joe Mauer, the Giants will inevitably have to move Posey from catcher to second base in the coming years.

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San Jose Sharks' Game 7 Win Slays Many Demons

In what will go down as one of the greatest wins in San Jose Sharks’ history, the Sharks avoided just that and advanced to the Western Conference Finals on Thursday night.

Vindication.

There were sweat and tears in this series, and that was just from the fans sitting at home in front of their televisions. Thursday’s Game 7 epitomized what this series was all about, what the Sharks/Red Wings rivalry is all about and what hockey is all about.

The Sharks avoided what could have been an epic collapse that would have gone down in history, after being up 3-0 in the series, only to see the Red Wings battle back and win three straight games to force a final Game 7.

But just as we saw in each and every game this series, one goal separated these two teams, and it was Patrick Marleau’s goal at 12:13 in the 3^rd period that was the difference in Game 7.

It did not come without turbulence, though.

Ryane Clowe was a game-time decision heading into Game 7, to start off, but it was what happened in the game that had this team seeing the building crumbling down upon them once again.

When the Sharks scored, the Red Wings scored. Twice that happened. Even after the Sharks were up 2-0 in that 1st period, the game never felt like it was in the hands of the Sharks

Down to the very last penalty kill, this game was not over. But two penalty kills in the final 10 minutes of regulation brought this team together and the gritty team that we saw for the majority of the regular season showed up once again just in time

The Sharks are heading to Vancouver.

Sure, it took longer than everyone expected, especially with the Sharks being up 3-0 to start the series, but this was one of the most evenly matched series you will ever come across.

Chokers, they are no longer.

This was a franchise-defining game for the Sharks. If they lose, it sets the team back several years. There were even talks of blowing the team up by trading away core players and starting next season with a new product, which seemed like the only viable option for a historic meltdown in such a crucial series.

But win, and the Sharks continue their climb in the playoffs, and as a franchise with heart and determination after so many years of lacking just that.

The win accomplishes that.

This win was for years of failure and being dubbed a team that cannot play well when the game gets tight.

But when the game got tight in Game 7, Marleau scored, the defense stood strong, the back checking picked up and Antti Niemi was electric in net.

Yes, the Sharks will go down in history, but not for the reason that everyone around the country may have hoped for going into Game 7.

The Sharks are heading back to the Western Conference Finals in search of their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.

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Golden State Warriors Need To Throw the House At Andrew Bynum

Andrew Bynum is available for trade, or at least we think he is after a "bush league" foul on the Dallas Mavericks' J.J. Barea, paired with speculation that Dwight Howard may be heading west to Los Angeles has sent the NBA media's minds wandering.

Bynum's departure from Game 4 of the Lakers/Mavericks series seemed almost Lebron James-esque. James left his last game as a Cleveland Cavalier in much the same way Bynum did, with their shirts off as if to say "I'm done with this."

Whether Bynum meant to evoke that image or not, we will not know. But it is the Howard heading to L.A. speculation that may play the biggest role in whether or not Bynum is a Laker next season.

If the Lakers pursue Howard, then they will need room at the center position, and Bynum would see to be the odd man out.

If this is the case, teams will be sprinting to acquire Bynum. The 23-year-old big man boasts the defensive and offensive abilities that not many players his size own, which makes him a hot commodity if he is available.

If there was ever a team that needed a center with his set of skills, it is every team, but the Golden State Warriors need him most.

A player like Bynum could put the Warriors over the top in the Western Conference and into the playoffs most certainly.

The talk has always been about how the Warriors need a big man to build around, and the opportunity to get a big man with his ability does not get much better than this.

The Warriors need to throw the house at Andrew Bynum and the Lakers.

By the house, I mean anything.

Monta Ellis or Stephen Curry, you name it, the Lakers get it in exchange for Bynum.

It has come to a point with the Warriors that they cannot win with a stellar backcourt. They need a legitimate center if they want to win. And his name is not Andris Biedrins...

A frontcourt of Bynum and David Lee is a duo the Warriors can build around. Building around Ellis and Curry is not. It's been proven with 36 wins this season, and less the season before.

Just a possibility, but Curry, Dorell Wright, Lee and Bynum sounds a lot better than Ellis, Curry, Wright and Lee.

I am not saying that Ellis is on his way out of Golden State, but if the Warriors want to acquire Bynum, either Ellis or Curry, plus a package of players and draft picks, will be L.A.-bound.

But it's worth it.

Give the Lakers what they want because an opportunity to snag a center of his caliber does not come along that often, especially for a team that has not had a legitimate center since Nate Thurmond in 1976.

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Decisions Aplenty As the San Francisco Giants Get Healthy

San Francisco Giants' manager Bruce Bochy will have some decisions to make in the coming days and extending for the next several weeks.

The Giants are finally getting healthy again.

The injuries started back on Opening Night when Andres Torres got injured and ended (knock on wood) with Pablo Sandoval's injury two weeks ago.

On Tuesday, both Torres and Mark DeRosa were activated off the DL and available to play the field. But where?

Torres will be starting in the outfield somewhere, but that is as much as we know for now.

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San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks Have Two Very Different Weekends

It was a tale of two Bay Area teams headed in two very different directions this past weekend.

The San Francisco Giants swept the division-rival Colorado Rockies, and the San Jose Sharks are headed back to Detroit after not being able to close out the Red Wings series in Games 4 or 5 on Friday and Sunday.

Resurgence in San Francisco, and panic an hour south in San Jose.

It's hard to say which is a bigger surprise in the Bay Area, the Mike Fontenot-lead Giants gaining ground in the NL West by sweeping the Rockies after such a tough stretch of bad breaks, or that the Sharks have lost back-to-back games for the first time since February and are suddenly in the middle of a real series in which they seem to be the team currently on the short-end.

Coming into this weekend, Sharks' fans were thinking about the Conference Finals. Now, they're thinking of a possible Game 7 in the Conference Semi-finals in which pucks can bounce in any direction.

To add more fuel to the fire, Versus analyst and former Shark, Jeremy Roenick, has put Patrick Marleau on blast for "not showing heart."

I want to disagree with Roenick, but Marleau has zero points in this series. Whether that has to do with heart is up to you.

The comment by Roenick can either fuel Patrick Marleau or cause him to press, and for the Sharks' season's sake, I hope it's the former.

Just an hour north, the Giants may have finally arrived in the 2011 season.

After the Giants' offensive struggles, the Miguel Tejada issue and recent injuries to both Andres Torres and Pablo Sandoval, the Giants have turned to Mike Fontenot for their resurgence?

Fontenot, paired with a good outing from starting rotation fill-in, Ryan Vogelsong, and timely hitting from Cody Ross on Sunday, has suddenly given life to San Francisco with a sweep of the Rockies, including two of the walk-off-win variety.

It was a weekend good enough, and clutch enough, to get this team back on track while they await the returns of Torres and Sandoval.

Torres is expected back Tuesday.

But two problems have arisen for the Giants, despite a three-game sweep of the Rockies. But these may ultimately be good problems to have.

Fontenot or Tejada, when Sandoval comes back?

Vogelsong or Zito, when Zito is healthy?

We will have to wait for the answers to those problems.

Despite a good weekend for the Giants, the overall morale of the Bay Area may be a little nervous today.

The Sharks, who on Thursday could not be touched, have been rattled and panic is currently setting in in San Jose.

The NHL Playoffs are a cruel mistress and the Sharks are feeling just that way on their flight back to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit for Game 6.

The story for Game 5: The Sharks could see the Conference Finals in sight after two periods, but playing tight in the third period is no way to move on this time of year, and it ultimately cost them the game and a ton of heartache for the next 48 hours.

After Game 2, there was no way the Sharks were going to lose four of the next five games.

Now, the Red Wings are half-way there, and a Game 7 does not seem too far off.

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Jonathan Sanchez Disappointing as the San Francisco Giants Head Home

Jonathan Sanchez has walked 12 batters in his last two starts and the San Francisco Giants could not sweep the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon.

It will be a much-needed homestand spanning seven days for the Giants, in which they will see NL West rivals Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks take the field at AT&T Park.

This was not the most successful roadtrip for the Giants. They finished the trip with a record of 5-5, and saw Pablo Sandoval go down with injury, while encountering two rather disappointing outings from starter Jonathan Sanchez.

Giants' analyst Mychael Urban summed it up best when he commented after the game that Sanchez just "wasn't making adjustments," and that pitching coach Dave Righetti must be wondering "how to get through to this guy."

Sanchez surrendered five runs on five hits through five innings, including walking another six batters on Thursday.

That outing followed up his start on April 30th, where he only let up one run on two hits through five innings, but walked six batters in the process. Sanchez's record was 1-1 on the roadtrip.

There are obvious mechanical problems with Sanchez at this point, as can be seen with the surplus in walks. Rest assured, Righetti will be working very hard with him before his next scheduled start in order to fix what currently ails Sanchez.

It seems like the Giants just need a home-cooked meal right now. At 15-16 on the year, this homestand against two NL West opponents seems like as good a time as any to get back on track.

One good thing that came from this roadtrip that seemed to last forever was the resurgence of Mike Fontenot, who has seemingly replaced injured Pablo Sandoval in the line-up and on the field at shortstop.

Fontenot has bat .350 in his last six games with seven hits and a homerun. Looking at he Giants' offense over this last week, it would be safe to say that Fontenot was the only source of offense.

Matt Cain will be on the hill on Friday night against the Colorado Rockies in what will prove to be an early season test for the Giants as they look to rebound from a very disappointing roadtrip in all aspects.

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Devin Setoguchi and the San Jose Sharks Continue OT Success; Take 3-0 Series Lead

It took a Devin Setoguchi hat trick, including the overtime clincher, to push the San Jose Sharks past the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night. The Sharks continued their perfect streak of overtime wins, now five of five, and put the Red Wings into a huge 3-0 series hole.

Instant classic.

Arguably both teams' best efforts of the series, the Sharks managed to get by the Red Wings with solid goaltending from Antti Niemi and a little hockey luck.

Everyone knew the Red Wings would come out swinging in Game 3, being down 2-0 in the series, so it was no surprise when Sharks' goalie Niemi was swamped with a flurry of shots early in the first period. Fortunately for the Sharks, Niemi was perfect in net for most of the period, making several superb saves and keeping the Sharks mentally in the game.

With Niemi's incredible saves came frustration from the Red Wings and they picked up a penalty, which lead to a Setoguchi goal, his second of the playoffs.

Niemi remained superb in net, but his opponent Jimmy Howard matched him shot-for-shot in the first period, stopping 12 shots to Niemi's 11.

The Sharks looked to hold a first period lead when Nicklas Lidstrom scored for the Red Wings with 19 seconds to go in the period, tying the game at one apiece.

Both teams came out firing in the second period with a the pace of play being extremely quick, which led to scoring opportunities aplenty.

The Red Wings took momentum when Patrick Eaves scored at 13:59 of the second period. It was soon followed by another power play goal by Setoguchi, but this time he threw Howard a little off-speed and it got by for Setoguchi's second goal of the game.

Still, the Red Wings dictated the pace of play in their home arena. Pavel Datsyuk continued his phenominal series with a power play goal of his own at the end of the second period, and the Red Wings took full momentum into the 3rd period.

But it was the Sharks who had the early opportunities to start the third period. Howard continued his brilliance in net stopping a flurry of shots from the Sharks keeping the Red Wings with the advantage on the scoreboard.

Again, the Sharks continued to strike, and with seven minutes to play, urgency set in.

With four minutes to play, a scuffle to the left of the net resulted in Kyle Wellwood throwing the puck in front of the net and into Dan Boyle's lap. He would strike top-shelf over Howard's glove to tie the game at 3-3.

The game went to overtime.

An early holding penalty lead to a hard-earned Sharks penalty kill thanks to save after save from Niemi.

That shift in momentum would lead to a Setoguchi goal halfway through overtime giving the Sharks the 3-0 series lead.

The goal gave Setoguchi a hat trick for the game, as he scored three of the Sharks' four goals.

For the Red Wings, this one will hurt.

Several opportunities to score during regulation, including the power play to start the overtime period, did not ignite the score sheet for the Red Wings.

For the Sharks, it was their play on the defensive side of the puck that got them this win. A strong penalty kill in overtime, as well as a solid Niemi in net constantly switched momentum in the Sharks favor during the game.

At the end of overtime, it was either going to be a whole new series or the nearing end of one.

I'd say, with the Sharks effort tonight, the Red Wings will need to pull something out of a hat to get back into this series and stop the seemingly destined San Jose Sharks.

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San Jose Sharks...Torture?

The San Jose Sharks currently hold a 2-0 game lead over the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The Sharks seem to have nothing holding them back from reaching the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years.

But what has some people doubting how far the Sharks can go is history.

The Sharks fall notoriously short when it comes to pursuing the Stanley Cup in April and May. Year after year we see the Sharks become the favorite to win it all, and then see them falter when it comes to crucial games and series.

The Sharks have never won a Stanley Cup, let alone get to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Remind you of another Bay Area sports team?

The Sharks are drawing a lot of comparison to the 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, who reside just about an hour up the street from HP Pavilion.

The Sharks tend to play very close games, much like the Giants of 2010, and as a result, the Sharks are four for four in overtime games in these playoffs.

Torture.

Also, The Giants had never won a World Series since their move to San Francisco in 1957, and the Sharks have never won a Stanley Cup since their expansion into the NHL in 1991. Although, there have been several chances.

The Giants played the underdog role in 2010 and shocked the baseball world by defeating heavyweight after heavyweight on their way to a World Series title. And even though the Sharks did finish second in the Western Conference standings, history would still suggest that they are underdogs to win it all this year, despite very good play to this point in the playoffs.

But what may draw even more similarities to the Giants of 2010 is the players that the Sharks have picked up during this season, and who have played huge roles in getting the Sharks to this point.

Kyle Wellwood is to the Sharks as what Pat Burrell was to the Giants.

I'll do you one better.

Ian White is to the Sharks as what Cody Ross was to the Giants.

It is well-known that Burrell's sudden resurgence in power since the Giants picked him up mid-season of 2010 helped the Giants reach the playoffs. It is also well-known that Ross's series against Doc Halladay and the Phillies helped the Giants reach the World Series.

Mid-season pick-ups Wellwood and White have done much of the same for the Sharks, but solely in the playoffs.

The Sharks were locks for the playoffs a long time ago, but it is Wellwood and White's play in the playoffs that has the Sharks seeking the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011.

Think about it. Wellwood was released by the Vancouver Canucks in 2010 and was forced to play in the Russian KHL only to be picked up by the Sharks to help solidify the four lines.

Remind you of anyone? Maybe Aubrey Huff, who no team wanted in the off-season, or even Cody Ross, who was placed on waivers by the Florida Marlins towards the end of the 2010 season only to be picked up by the Giants for help off the bench.

Wellwood now has one goal and three assists with a +/- of 6 in these Stanley Cup Playoffs.

White, in the same way, has been a huge boost in helping to solidify the lines on defense. He has one goal and five assists, while sporting a +/- of 6, as well, in these playoffs. Not to mention having instant chemistry with fellow line-mate Niclas Wallin.

You can even throw Ben Eager in there as a physical reason as to why the Sharks are playing well right now.

Although the Sharks and Giants draw several similarities, the NHL playoffs may be a much different beast than the MLB playoffs. Things can change at any moment in these NHL playoffs, and the Giants seemed like a team of destiny from the very beginning.

That is not to say the Sharks do not feel like a team of destiny, as well, but the Sharks have been here before, and this year it is time to produce a Stanley Cup. There will be plenty of time to be crowned a "Team of Destiny" later.

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San Francisco Giants: Pablo Sandoval's Injury Could Not Come at a Worse Time

Have the San Francisco Giants hit rock bottom yet?

Sure, that may be taking it a bit too far, but these are the World Series champion San Francisco Giants we are talking about. Not only is their hitting not getting it done as of late, but the pitching isn't too hot either.

Now, third baseman Pablo Sandoval is out 4-6 weeks with a broken wrist. He will have surgery today, May 3rd, or so he tweeted... I mean twittered...I don't know.

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