Weekend Wrap

I haven't done a Weekend Wrap in quite a while, so as I was able to watch everything from luge to golf to football to tennis this weekend, it seems like a good time to review.

Roger Federer has a chance to become one of the stories of 2005. He was dominant in '04, but some think he has a great opportunity to capture tennis' grand slam. (Jon Wertheim of SI.com agrees.) All eyes will be on him this year beginning with the Australian Open. Federer rolled through his first match Down Under.

What else can be said about the NFL playoffs? It appears the best four teams have advanced. I love the Pittsburgh Steelers, a childhood favorite of mine, but I cannot and will not pick against New England. I can't. The Pats are two wins short of dynasty talk. Two wins from football immortality.

In the NFC, my head says Philadelphia has to win. They've been here far too often to fail, again. However, I just see Michael Vick running, throwing, kicking, selling hot dogs and keeping the Eagles D busy enough that they forget to watch someone else from Atlanta long enough to lose the stinking game.

Vijay Singh won, again. Shocking, I know. The guy is just in a groove. One of the ESPN broadcasters made mention the runs of guys like Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Nick Faldo and other top players and opined that Singh was now in that type of streak. Who could argue?

In case you had not noticed, and don't feel badly if you haven't, the NHL lockout continues. The league's puck manufacturer has been forced to lay people off and the NHLPA is suggesting it's players look for other work. Anyone else remembering the air traffic controllers strike of the 80's? I think it may be time for the rank and file to consider a new strategy-firing it's union leaders or becoming strike breakers. Unless, they like playing overseas, of course.

Where is the outcry? A sixteen year old was the first draft pick in the MLS draft. No screaming about missing college? No worries about too much, too soon? No, it's American soccer. No one really cares about those kids.

I know the Phoenix Suns have hit the skids since Steve Nash's injury, but even with the Suns rolling, it's time to notice Seattle. The Sonics dispatched LeBron James and Cleveland last night. While Nash deserves MVP consideration, so, too, does Seattle's Ray Allen. Allen has been the focus of the SuperSonics attack and has been doing it all, as their record indicates.