PLAYOFF HOCKEY

 

Will the Avs lift the Cup or lose in the 2nd round? There is no other option.

This Avalanche roster was built from the Matt Duchene trade so it's poetic justice to play him in Round One. He was my favorite player on those Colorado teams from a decade ago when I first became an Avs fan. But, when it comes down to it, we're rooting for laundry.

update

 the bucks covered the -2.5 spread in game 3

Bulls-Bucks

About halfway through the season, the Chicago Bulls had the best record in the East. However, as the season went along a worrisome trend popped up:

They couldn't beat any good team. 

Which meant heading into the playoffs the Bucks were heavily favored to win the series (-700, I believe) and were 10 point favorites in each of the first two games. 

In Game 3, the Bucks are only 2.5 point favorites. 

The Bulls won Game 2, beating the Bucks for the first time this season. And Middleton is now out for the series. And the series shifts to Chicago. 

This is my first time watching the playoffs as a Bulls fan. Even though I don't feel like a full-fledged fan, it's still fun to have a dog in the fight. 

2022 World Cup: First Thoughts

I remember watching the announcement that this World Cup would be in Qatar. It was December 2010. I was in Denver for a job interview. A month later we'd find out we were having a baby. Eight months later, I'd actually get hired at the same place I interviewed at in December and we'd be moving to Colorado. 

By 2014, I had two kids and was watching the World Cup at that same Denver agency. My life had changed between 2010 and 2014. And then it's changed a couple times since then too. 

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By the way, for all the authenticity nerds, I'll be pronouncing it Qatar and not Qatar for the remainder of the post. You'll just have to deal with it.

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I've gone in-depth before, so here's the abridged version of where I was for every World Cup that's mattered to me:

1998: Peoria, high school. Fell in love with the World Cup.

2002: Peoria, college. Didn't really pay attention.

2006: Chicago, 1st agency. Watched games at Timothy O'Toole's.

2010: Chicago, same agency, different building. Watched at office watch party.

2014: Denver, 2nd agency. Watched at office watch party.

2018: Kansas City, 3rd agency. USA missed tournament, watched mostly at home.

2022: Kansas City, 4th agency. USA is back

In 7 lines of text about a soccer tournament, there's a pretty good snapshot of my life from high school to present. From one World Cup to the next, I've been in a different office building for every one. The four agencies I've worked at are all represented. 

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Here's how the USA has fared at these World Cups:

1998: Finished 4th in group.

2002: Finished 2nd in group, beat Mexico 2-0 in round of 16, lost to Germany 0-1 in quarterfinals.

2006: Finished 4th in group.

2010: Finished 1st in group, lost to Ghana 1-2 in extra time in round of 16.

2014: Finished 2nd in group, lost to Belgium 1-2 in extra time in round of 16.

2018: Did not qualify.

2022: Qualified

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Here's the history of the Finals over this time:

1998: France defeated Brazil in France

2002: Brazil defeated Germany in Japan

2006: Italy defeated France in Germany

2010: Spain defeated Netherlands in South Africa

2014: Germany defeated Argentina in Brazil

2018: France defeated Croatia in Russia

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Two years ago, I did my 23 and Me, so in addition to the USMNT, I have dna ties to these countries:

Germany (Group E)

Poland (Group C)

Sweden (Did not qualify)

Denmark (Group D)

England (Group B)

Because of the Qatar heat, the 2022 World Cup starts in November instead of the traditional summer schedule. 

The first game will be on the Monday before Thanksgiving.

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Here's Group B of the 2022 World Cup:

England

USA

Iran

tbd (one of Scotland/Ukraine/Wales)

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Here's USA's Schedule

Game 1 vs tbd: 10pm local time / 1pm Central on Monday, November 21 (day before my birthday)

Game 2 vs England: 10pm local time / 1pm Central on Friday, November 25 (day after Thanksgiving)

Game 3 vs Iran: 10pm local time / 1pm Central on Tuesday, November 29 

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For us folks in central time, the first two group stage matches will be played at these times:

4am

7am

10am

1pm

The final group stage matches are simultaneous per group, and will be at 9am and 1pm, starting on 11/29. 

The knockout round continues in December culminating with the final on December 18 at 9am central.

2022 Bracket Results

Tracking the Calcutta Championship Belts

We've been competing in Calcutta since 2009 and brackets since 2002. 

Today as I was seeing who's won the most March Madness Calcutta titles, it made me think of a championship belt. Basically who's been the leader at various points throughout our competitive history. My way of thinking is that once someone has the belt, you have to pass them in number of titles to take the belt from them. (ie Just tying them doesn't steal it.)

For some of our competitions, it's not that interesting. 

NHL Calcutta Championship Belt
Mark: 2012 - Present

(I would have to win the next five in a row to steal this belt.)

NFL Calcutta Championship Belt
Dave: 2010 - Present

(Mark would have to win six to steal this belt.)

March Madness Calcutta Championship Belt
Niraj: 2009-2011
Matt: 2012-2014
Niraj: 2015-2021
Matt: 2022 - Present

(Niraj won three of the first seven but Kirat has won three of the last four and Matt also has three titles to his name. Regardless of the outcome of Kansas-UNC, we'll have a new leader and someone who will hold on to the belt for at least two years.)