We Are Hot Chicks Wednesday: Conference Finals

Seeing as how we're neck deep in playoffs this time of year, this would normally be the venue in which I take great liberties to bag on the National Basketball Association and offer a mutiny of praises for the National Hockey League. But I won't. I'll take the higher ground and throw the both of 'em a bone.

No. I haven't had a leap of faith. I've turned over exactly zero new leaves. I'm a little irritated, actually, at the notion that I way more appreciate the matchups in the NBA's Conference Finals versus those played atop frozen water. It would be so much easier if the never-tiresome allegations of fixes and rigs in the NBA were obvious right now, and the Lakers and Cavaliers were handshakes and airline tickets away from playing for a championship, but that's far from the truth, and the NHL meanwhile, saw both of last year's Finals contestants destroy their this-year's opponents, and are locked in for a rematch, which is totally and completely lame.

Jennifer Denise



In any other season, I would've laid out my soap box, and adorned it with jewels.



Circumstances, however, have forced me to turn my views, at least for now.



The NHL will likely crown the Red Wings again, while in hoops, we're all shrugging at who the champs might be.



Though I've barely watched much of either NBA series, I've embraced these playoffs a bit.



I'd love for the Magic to give Cleveland an ole in the East;



all the King James hype is a bit silly to me.



And I couldn't be more pleased that the Nuggets have stood up to Phil Jackson's crew.



Few expected Denver to show their swagger, but they've done so with confidence.



Orlando, on the other hand, has established a novella of braggin' rights all their own.

Joanna Prus



Call me what you will, but I can't stand Kobe Bryant.



This is not to say I don't recognize his talent. I just can't freaking stand him.



And really, the whole Lakers squad has never meant anything to me, even though I admired their old-school look with Worthy, Jabbar, and Johnson.



But a breath of fresh air is always good for a professional sport,



and if you can do so, and shed the Ass in the same breath, well durn tootin'.



Same goes for James. Not that I dislike him. I just refuse to pretend that he walks on water.



For all I can tell, Cleveland has laid down and let Orlando have their way with them,



which doesn't give the they're-not-a-one-man-team theory much upon which to lean.



I think the Cavs have just found themselves dazzled;



they brought their black-and-white game to a color court,



and if the Magic were a coloring book, I'd pull out my Fervor crayon.



I'm hoping that the Nuggets and Magic can square shoulders for the championship.



Over in hockey, though, we're gettin' a look we've seen before, and too soon at that.



Sometimes it's nice to see the same gig, but Detroit is perennially that stubborn-willed woman that just won't budge.

Ursula Vargues



Having met just last year, Detroit and Pittsburgh are again the identified beacons.



They'll come out of their corners swingin', no doubt.



I just hope we get different angles on this series,



like this seemingly plain Pittsburgh crew has proved themselves not to be.



They've ravished opponents with their two stars certainly not disappointing.



Like any fan, I hope it's a backyard brawl, a basement slugfest,



not a senior stuffing a freshman in the latter's locker.



One thing about the series, though, is that it will definitely be classy.



Detroit's long-established as the best of the American originals,



but this showy young Penguins club has a chance to steal their throne.



I'll be tuned in to see how this talent will, if they can, compete.

That's it for this week. Thanks to the Bettmans and the Sterns for keeping their hands out of the cookie jar.