2011 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals Schedule

The NBA really does come up with some infuriating schedules at times, don't they?

Eastern Conference Final

#2 Miami Heat vs. #1 Chicago Bulls

Game 1: May 15: Heat @ Bulls 8:00 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)
Game 2: May 18: Heat @ Bulls 8:30 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)
Game 3: May 22: Bulls @ Heat 8:30 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)
Game 4: May 24: Bulls @ Heat 8:30 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)
Game 5: May 26: Heat @ Bulls 8:30 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)
Game 6: May 28: Bulls @ Heat 8:30 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)
Game 7: May 30: Heat @ Bulls 8:30 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)

Western Conference Final

#4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #3 Dallas Mavericks

Game 1: May 17: Thunder @ Mavericks 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)
Game 2: May 19: Thunder @ Mavericks 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)
Game 3: May 21: Mavericks @ Thunder 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)
Game 4: May 23: Mavericks @ Thunder 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)
Game 5: May 25: Thunder @ Mavericks 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)
Game 6: May 27: Mavericks @ Thunder 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)
Game 7: May 29: Thunder @ Mavericks 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)

May 15 Playoffs Live Blog

Game 7: Grizzlies @ Thunder 3:30 (ABC - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)

Game 1: Sharks @ Canucks 8:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)

Game 1: Heat @ Bulls 8:00 (TNT - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, and Reggie Miller, SR: Craig Sager)

May 14 Playoffs Live Blog

Game 1: Lightning @ Bruins 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire) (CBC - Bob Cole, Garry Galley, and Mike Milbury, SR: Scott Oake)

May 13 Playoffs Live Blog

Game 6: Thunder @ Grizzlies 9:00 (ESPN - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, SR: Doris Burke)

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals Schedule

After one of the best first rounds in Stanley Cup Playoffs history, three of the 4 conference semifinal series histories were complete duds. The fourth was one of the best seven game hockey series ever played. Go figure. This year has been proof positive why I think the Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best playoffs in sports. Now onto the schedule for the Conference Final round which surely must have the NHL hoping ends in a Stanley Cup Finals berth for the Boston Bruins. If not, their run of 3 straight Stanley Cup Finals with big hockey markets that people watch may come tumbling down. No more local broadcasts. In the U.S., all Stanley Cup Playoff games from here on out will be exclusively on Versus and NBC. Which means regardless of whether or not you live in your team's market or not, the announcers listed here are the announcers you will hear in the next round. (all times ET)

Eastern Conference Finals

#5 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #3 Boston Bruins

Game 1: May 14: Lightning @ Bruins 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire) (CBC - Bob Cole, Garry Galley, and Mike Milbury, SR: Scott Oake)
Game 2: May 17: Lightning @ Bruins 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Joe Micheletti) (TSN - Gord Miller, ItG: Pierre McGuire)
Game 3: May 19: Bruins @ Lightning 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Joe Micheletti) (TSN - Gord Miller, ItG: Pierre McGuire)
Game 4: May 21: Bruins @ Lightning 1:30 (NBC - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Joe Micheletti) (TSN - Gord Miller, ItG: Pierre McGuire)
Game 5: May 23: Lightning @ Bruins 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire) (CBC - Bob Cole, Garry Galley, and Mike Milbury, SR: Scott Oake)
Game 6: May 25: Bruins @ Lightning 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire) (CBC - Bob Cole, Garry Galley, and Mike Milbury, SR: Scott Oake)
Game 7: May 27: Lightning @ Bruins 8:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire) (CBC - Bob Cole, Garry Galley, and Mike Milbury, SR: Scott Oake)

Western Conference Finals

#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #1 Vancouver Canucks

Game 1: May 15: Sharks @ Canucks 8:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)
Game 2: May 18: Sharks @ Canucks 9:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)
Game 3: May 20: Canucks @ Sharks 9:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)
Game 4: May 22: Canucks @ Sharks 3:00 (NBC - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)
Game 5: May 24: Sharks @ Canucks 9:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)
Game 6: May 26: Canucks @ Sharks 9:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Engblom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)
Game 7: May 28: Sharks @ Canucks 8:00 (Versus - Dave Strader and Brian Englbom, ItG: Darren Pang) (CBC - Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson, ItG: Glenn Healy, SR: Elliotte Friedman)

John Gonzalez And John Smallwood Fail At Writing About Soccer

(Originally posted at The Brotherly Game. Please go over there to comment.)

After last night's 1-1 draw, one would think that the columns in today's newspapers would be focused on the positives Philadelphia Union.  They battled an injury to their goalkeeper to manage to get their first point ever against the Los Angeles Galaxy, a team that features the most recognizable face in U.S. Soccer today, Landon Donovan.  However, unfortunately aside from a pair of game stories and a good column from Bob Ford, the mainstream Philadelphia sports media spent the rest of their morning completely trashing soccer with little factual basis.  Here is the first part of the most offensive of the column of the day, from John Gonzalez (a.k.a. Gonzo)

David Beckham didn't make the trip to Philadelphia. Five or six area soccer fans are still upset about that. The rest of you are almost certainly asking yourselves the same question right now: David Beckham was supposed to be in town?

Indeed. The L.A. Galaxy played the Union/Bimbos on Wednesday, but Beckham wasn't at PPL Park. No specific injury was cited as a reason for his absence. It's possible Beckham won't ever play professional soccer in Philly again. He's in the final season of a five-year contract. There's been speculation that he wants one last gig in Europe before he retires and becomes his wife's full-time Ken doll accessory. Those same five or six area soccer fans are probably angry that they missed what was possibly their last chance to see Beckham in person. And everyone else shrugs.

Sadly, he's slipped. His fellow Brits - who have always been fascinated by him and gave rise to his fame with their endless fanboy slobber - don't drool and obsess over Beckham quite as much now. The British tabloids have moved on to Pippa and other current curiosities. He's not even in the top 5 Davids on Google at the moment, trailing such other Davids in Internet search fame as David Yurman, David Foster, David Bowie (he's still alive), David Goetta, and David Letterman. Like Michelangelo's David, Posh Spice's David gets no online love these days.

Beckham's primary talent - ahead of his incredible ability to launch curved crosses into the box with pinpoint precision - was always getting attention. Now that's in question. His fleeting hold on the casual sports fan has long since relaxed, while his grip on the devoted soccer/football/futbol/foot-to-ball fan isn't nearly as tight anymore.

May 12 Playoffs Live Blog

(Posted retroactively because Blogger was down all night. Literally.)

Game 6: Bulls @ Hawks 8:00 (ESPN - Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown, SR: Lisa Salters)

Game 7: Red Wings @ Sharks 9:00 (Versus - Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, ItG: Pierre McGuire) (TSN - Chris Cuthbert and Ray Ferraro)