BY: NEIL BRASLOW

Month: 9-7-1

ST. LOUIS BLUES (AWAY) (-105) OVER SAN JOSE SHARKS (HOME)
The Blues have now beaten the Sharks 6 of 7 times this season. The Sharks scored two cheap goals late to make the score 4-3 in Game 3. It was never that close and Game 1 was a fluke. Until the Sharks show that they can play St. Louis, keep taking the Blues and don’t be afraid to go a little bigger than normal on this one. Blues win.

Be sure to check out other great articles at DailyShootout.com.

Rex Ryan KNOWS the 2012 New York Jets are going to be a great team. I’m glad one person does. The head coach spoke to the media yesterday on the first day of OTAs at the Jets facility in Florham Park.

The Jets began their offseason of healing with voluntary workouts on Monday at the team’s Florham Park headquarters. Rex Ryan met briefly with his team before the offense and defense separately received their playbooks.

“I know we’re going to build a great team,” Ryan said before adding that he’d like to establish a “brotherhood” or “tribe” to erase the memories of a 2011 season racked by locker room dysfunction and discord.

via The Daily News

I know, you don’t think that Wayne earned the right to complain and feel the way he does because of his play but your wrong. Regardless if you a starter, a bench warmer, the water boy, if Rex truly wants to create a brotherhood, EVERYONE has to buy into it.

Santonio Holmes started his 2012 season right where he left off, a disgruntled player who had an eventful press conference yesterday stating he had no regrets about how he personally finished the season.

He’s standing his ground that he did nothing wrong and that it was everyone else. Santonio is clearly taking no responsibility for his actions and if something goes south this season, all signs indicate he won’t take accountability for what he does or doesn’t do in 2012.

That right there is a formula for a disaster. That is the opposite of a brotherhood because in a brotherhood you must have your “brothers’” back. Santonio has his OWN back. Period.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Jets Twit.

NEWARK, N.J. – Former Rutgers defensive lineman Eric LeGrand has been selected as the recipient of the 2012 New Jersey Hall of Fame’s Unsung Hero Award, the organization announced . The Scarlet Knight has become a national icon and inspirational figure in the time since he was paralyzed from the neck down in a 2011 game vs. Army in Giants Stadium, using his upbeat personality and constant smile to reach out to others.

LeGrand will be honored at the Fifth Annual New Jersey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, June 9 at 7 p.m. at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, N.J.

LeGrand, the NJHOF’s fourth Unsung Hero honoree, was chosen due to his representation of courage, strength and character. LeGrand joins a distinguished list of past inductees, including Army Captain Brian Brennan, the late Detective Marc DiNardo, the late fire captain Jimmy D’heron, and the New Jersey victims and first responders from the World Trade Center tragedy.

The New Jersey Hall of Fame, a bi-partisan initiative established by unanimous vote in 2005, was created to honor those New Jerseyans who have made invaluable contributions to society and to provide positive role models in all fields of endeavor for young people.

More information about the NJHOF and induction ceremony can be found at the group’s website: www.NJHallofFame.org.

Newark, NJ - New Jersey Devils individual game tickets for the first round of the 2012
Stanley Cup Playoffs will go on sale to the general public tomorrow, April 3 at 11:00
AM. Tickets will be available through newjerseydevils.com, the Prudential Center box
office, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster charge-by-phone, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Devils’ fans can also purchase playoff ticket strips for all home games through the first two
rounds of the playoffs through the Pay as We Play program. Through Pay as We Play, fans
will only be charged for home games as they are confirmed. It also guarantees the right to
purchase those same seats throughout the duration of the playoffs. For further
information, please visit newjerseydevils.com, or contact a Devils’ fan experience
representative at 1-800-NJ-DEVIL.

The Prudential Center box office is open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00
PM; and through the second period of all Devils’ home games. It is located on Edison
Place off of Mulberry Street, adjacent to the PNC Bank Tower. For Ticketmaster charge-
by-phone, please call 1-800-745-3000.

At newjerseydevils.com, Ballena Technologies’ virtual arena offers a three-dimensional
view of Prudential Center’s sightlines to the ice from every seat in the building.
Additionally, Ticketmaster’s interactive seat map enables fans to click on specific
sections, check on the availability and purchase specific seat locations for each game.

Dates/times of all playoff games will be announced by the National Hockey League
upon the completion of the regular-season schedule.

BY FRANK VERDE

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

FRANKIE SAYS

Major League clubs are celebrating Opening Day throughout baseball, never mind those two games in Japan last week. Yes, those results count in the standings, but both the A’s and Mariners picked up their exhibition schedule again after splitting the first series of the regular season. In my book, there’s nothing “regular” about that.

There’s something else irregular about this season. This will be the first year in which two wildcards from each league qualify for the playoffs. The wildcards will face off in one-game playoffs for the right to continue in the postseason. The idea is to place more emphasis on winning a division title rather than settling for a wildcard berth. This time, there’s much more at stake than just home field. No club wants to start the postseason with a win or go home scenario.

With that said, here’s who I believe will be baseball’s big winners this year, both individual and team:

American League

MVP: Albert Pujols, Angels

Batting champion: Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox

Home run champion: Prince Fielder, Tigers

RBI champion: Pujols, Angels

Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Tigers

Rookie of the Year: Matt Moore, Rays

AL Division winners: Tigers, Angels, Rays

AL Wildcards: Yankees, Rangers

AL playoff matchups: Tigers vs. Yankees; Angels vs. Rays

AL Championship Series: Tigers vs. Angels

AL Champion: Tigers

National League

MVP: Matt Kemp, Dodgers

Batting champion: Joey Votto, Reds

Home run champion: Kemp, Dodgers

RBI champion: Kemp, Dodgers

Cy Young: Josh Johnson, Marlins

Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper, Nationals

NL Division winners: Marlins, Giants, Reds

NL Wildcards: Phillies, Cardinals

NL playoff matchups: Marlins vs. Cardinals; Giants vs. Reds

NL Championship Series: Reds vs. Cardinals

World Series: Tigers vs. Reds

2012 World Series winner: Tigers

See more of Frank Verde’s sports blog at frankverde.blogspot.com.