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BLOG: Playoff Preview

By: Andy Wheeler

So here's what we know. For the first time in a couple of months, we have 2 teams that everybody knows isn't good enough. The Eagles qualified for that in January.

They might have all the talent in the world, but to believe that anything other than failure for either of these teams is possible is unrealistic.

Trust me I don't like to deal in the realistic all that much. In the past 2 weeks I've won money for guessing my way through a bracket, and for just sitting down at a poker table. Tack on 3 days of perfect weather for golf in Myrtle Beach. Now I'm back to work.

Realism stinks.

And honestly I hate being negative. I really do. Positive is so much more productive. But there is no way either of these teams are winning championships this offseason. Not
unless something dramatic happens.

Something is very wrong with the Flyers. I've thought it long before most…and now I got plenty of company on this bandwagon.

Pronger will help…but seriously what is going on with Richards? "Maintenance Day"? That sounds like something that happens for large buildings.

Something is going on with the Flyers, and for some reason it has really effected what's going on on the ice. I don't know if one thing created this problem for the team, and then the play went bad…or if the playing bad has made it worse…but something's up.

This team thinks it has a switch. Problem is you have to know where it is to flip it. I think at best we can hope for advancing one round…but whatever mojo this team had last year is gone. They must create Mojo out of thin air and that's tough to do.

As for the Sixers…realism comes to town in the form of the unholy alliance and the Miami Heat. Look…I'm crazy enough to think they can knock out the Heat…I really believe that. But the East's going to be represented by the Chicago Bulls.

However, I look for a surprise performance out of the Sixers. They have literally NOTHING to lose. The only people in the World that think the Sixers can beat the Heat are the players, the coaches, their families and a few nut jobs like me. That's it.

But the reason there's a chance is simple. Pressure. The Sixers have no pressure at all to deal with. They can create some if they want but the Heat MUST win. In fact if the Heat don't dominate their pressure will increase a million times what it is now.

The only thing the Sixers have to worry about is having fun. They're playing the Heat…it's time to let it all hang out. The Heat have accomplished nothing yet…and every great team that comes into being always has the first time in the playoffs together…when everything doesn't go right. I think if the Sixers don't beat the heat…somebody else in the East will.

Go Flyers! Go Sixers!

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