Jennifer Lopez Upcoming World Tour Has A Lot of ‘Firsts’

Jennifer Lopez just ended her second season as judge on American Idol but the “On The Floor” singer will be undergoing a lot of firsts during her upcoming world trek.

For one, it’s JLO’s first ever global odyssey. Her “Dance Again World Tour” gets underway June 14 in Panama City and is followed by seven more Jennifer Lopez concerts in South America.

She comes to North America on July 14 for a concert in Montreal. The U.S.-Canada portion of her journey is a co-headlining venture with another Latin superstar, Enrique Iglesias. Their itinerary has them performing in Newark, Atlantic City, Anaheim, San Antonio, Houston, and Las Vegas.

Highlights of their outing are Iglesias and Lopez in Boston on July 25, Iglesias and Lopez in Chicago on Aug. 3, and Iglesias and Lopez in Dallas on Aug. 25.

On Aug. 16 and 17, in Los Angeles, Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias take over Staples Center. They also have back-to-back shows planned for Toronto on July 17 ad 18.

Their leg ends Aug. 31 with a concert in Miami, Florida at the American Airlines Arena.

Opening for Enrique and JLO is Wisin Y. Yandel. That’s an urban Latin duo out supporting their latest release, “Lideres.”

The team-up seems like a no-brainer but joining forces with Enrique, especially if you’re a pop princess, is harder than it looks. Last summer, everyone thought Enrique was going to tour with Britney Spears but that obviously didn’t happen.

Instead, Enrique grabbed Pitbull and Prince Royce and launched the Euphoria Tour. That outing sold a lot of Enrique Iglesias tickets, including more than $7 million’s worth in its final nine shows and $1.3 million for a concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

After her North American dates with Enrique, Lopez then has concerts planned for Ireland, Dubai, London, and Manila—just to name a few.

Her Oct. 19 concert at the O2 in Dublin is her first ever show routed for Ireland. The 42-year old singer follows that up with another show at an O2 arena but this one is in London and is set to take place on Oct. 22.

Lopez’s Nov. 22 appearance in Dubai is not only her first show in the UAE but her first show in the Middle East.

Two days later, JLO will be in the Philippines for a concert at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Philippines. It’s unclear if Enrique will join Jennifer in the Philippines. Enrique is half-Filipino.

Lopez is touring to support her seventh studio opus, 2011”s “Love?” and her latest single “On the Floor.” That track could find its way onto the singer’s upcoming greatest hits compilation.

The real question is who is going to watch her kids? The father of her twins, Marc Anthony, is also touring this year. His “Gigant3S” tour launches Aug. 3 in Miami and stretches for 14 dates.

Nicki Minaj’s Tour Rider Includes Waffles, Fried Chicken, Snapple

On May 15, Nicki Minaj landed in Sydney for the Australian leg of her “Pink Friday Tour.” As always, the singer attracted the attention of a gaggle of reporters–Minaj sneezes and there’s a story about it on some news site or blog. One of the many Minaj-related stories that caught our attention was about her rider.

A rider is a list of things—usually food and beverages—which a performer expects to find in his or hers dressing’s room when they arrive at a particular venue. Riders are usually kept secret but whenever they’re leaked entertainment publications jump at the chance to publish them. Since they are usually salacious (well, as salacious as a list can be) publishers think they are good for a shock or two.

However, judging a recording artist by their rider is like judging a normal person by their grocery list. I mean doesn’t everyone buy seven different kinds of coffee creamer and four cases of Pringles every time they go to the supermarket? ... They don’t? ... It’s just me? ... Never mind.

First, the main objective of a rider is to make sure it’s read. That’s why there’s usually something odd or weird on it. When the artist sees that odd thing in their dressing room they know their rider has indeed been read. In Nicki Minaj’s case there’s nothing really out of the ordinary on her rider unless you think a lot of calories and cholesterol are strange.

Two, an artist usually asks for a lot of food and drink so all their moods and whims are covered. Thirdly, who would pass up the opportunity to get anything they wanted victuals-wise? If I could get gummy worms and hamburger shooters just by asking, then I’m asking ten out of ten times.

As for Nicki Minaj, who returns to the States on July 16 for a show in Chicago, her leaked rider included the following:

Belgian waffles (with syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, butter, and strawberries)
Cool-mist humidifier
Contact lens solution
Deli tray (with condiments)
Fried chicken (three 12-piece buckets, no thighs)
Red Bull (12 cans—six iced and six at room temperature)
Salad (with tuna in water and low-fat crackers)
Snapple (24 bottles)
Space heaters (two)

That’s a fairly tame rider and definitely not worth a news story. It will be interesting to know if she has the same rider when she returns to North America in mid-July.

Touring to promote her latest release, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which dropped in early April, Minaj has fifteen dates planned for the United States and Canada. That includes a highly anticipated Nicki Minaj performance at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on July 22.

Other important dates on her touring calendar include July 17 that’s when Detroit welcomes Nicki Minaj to the Fox Theatre, July 28 when Houston rolls out the red carpet for Nicki Minaj and her performance at the Bayou Music Center, and Aug. 7 when Phoenix hosts a Nicki Minaj concert at the Comerica Theatre.

As for Nicki’s rider, let us say in conclusion that we think it’s fine. Also, we hope she invites us back stage and offers us some waffles.

Nicki Minaj Tour Schedule
» July 16 - Chicago, IL @ The Chicago Theatre
» July 17 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre Detroit
» July 19 - Cleveland, OH @ State Theatre at Playhouse Square
» July 22 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre Atlanta
» July 24 - Miami, FL @ James L. Knight Center
» July 26 - Birmingham, AL @ Boutwell Auditorium
» July 28 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
» July 29 - Dallas, TX @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
» July 31 - St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
» Aug. 2 - Denver, CO @ Wells Fargo Theatre
» Aug. 4 - Las Vegas, NV @ Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
» Aug. 7 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
» Aug. 11 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
» Aug. 12 - Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Madonna Timeline: Ten of Madge’s Most Important Performances

Madonna can do two things extremely well. She can reinvent herself and she can perform—the Material Girl puts on one heck of a good show. Who knows when Madonna will reinvent herself again but on Aug. 28 she kicks off the North American leg of her world tour at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The highlight of her upcoming outing is a pair of Madonna concerts at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Sept. 6 and 8.

The MDNA Tour—which spans into mid-November and has Madonna visiting cities like Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta—is yet another opportunity for fans to experience “Esther” in her element. And her element is of course on a stage in front of a microphone (preferably with a camera nearby) performing in front of thousands of fans. Below is a timeline of ten of Madonna’s most important and notorious live performances. With one exception, all involve Madonna singing and/or dancing.

1984 – MTV Video Music Awards
During the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna performed “Like A Virgin” while wearing a wedding dress. By today’s standards it was rather tame, but at the time it was pretty racy. The performance didn’t necessarily put Madonna on the map, but it did wonders for the Video Music Awards.

1985 – Live Aid
It’s hard to believe but the Material Girl was part of Live Aid. She performed at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia in 95° F weather. Referring to nude images of her that had recently appeared in Playboy and Penthouse, Madonna told the crowd that she wasn’t going to take off any of her clothes.

1987 – Who’s That Girl World Tour
This was Madonna’s first world tour and it was a critical and commercial success. The trek—which saw cities like Montreal, Anaheim, and Chicago hosting Madonna concerts—caused controversy for using a portrait of Pope John Paul II during “Papa Don’t Preach.” The Vatican actually urged Italians to abstain from buying Madonna concert tickets.

1990 - Blonde Ambition Tour
The North American leg of the Blonde Ambition Tour kicked off with a Madonna show in Houston and ended with four concerts in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The trek juxtaposed Madonna’s sexuality with Catholic iconography. The whole thing was chronicled in the movie “Truth or Dare.” “Blonde Ambition” was pretty much the zenith of Madonna’s career.

1991 – Academy Awards
Madonna performed “Sooner or Later” at the 1991 Academy Awards ceremony showing everyone that she cleans up real nice. Her performance is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of the stuffy event. By the way, the song was written by Stephen Sondheim and it appeared in the film Dick Tracy. Madonna also appeared the flick.

1993 – The Girlie Show World Tour
The Girlie Show World Tour only played three U.S. cities—New York, Philadelphia, and Auburn Hills—but it still managed to rake in more than $70 million. The trek, widely regarded as her best, was part carnival, part cabaret, and part burlesque. Some even described it as a “sex circus.”

1994 – Late Show with David Letterman
This wasn’t exactly a singing performance but Madonna’s 1994 salty appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman was part of a major turning point in her career. After swearing and handing Letterman her underwear to smell, Madonna soon realized that her sexual escapades needed a bit more substance.

2003 – MTV Video Music Awards
Madonna performed a medley of songs with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott. The highlight, or lowlight of her performance (depending on your point of view), was when she kissed Britney and Christina on the lips. While the moment was completely contrived and obviously intended to shock, it did get everyone talking.

2006 – Confessions Tour
Quite simply, Madonna’s Confessions Tour is the highest grossing concert excursion by a female artist of all-time. Thanks to multiple Madonna shows in Boston, Chicago, and New York City (x6), Confessions grossed nearly $200 million and was attended by 1.2 million fans.

2012 – Super Bowl XLVI
Just when we thought Madonna was done she goes and performs at halftime of Super Bowl XLVI and attracts 114 million television viewers—she garnered 3 million more sets of eyeballs than the game. Her halftime performance is the most watched event in the history of American television.

Phish’s 2012 Summer Trek Begins June 7 In Worcester

Phish kicks off the first leg of the 2012 summer tour on June 7 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. It ends July 8 when Phish plays their third consecutive night at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. Their second leg launches Aug. 15 with a Phish concert at the Long Beach Arena and ends Sept. 2 when Phish plays the last of three straight nights at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

In honor of Phish’s 2012 summer tour, we decided to comprise a list of the ten greatest bands with misspelled names. We should probably let you know that we excluded all names where the “s” was substituted with a “z” (like Starz and Boyz II Men), and those that substituted numbers for letters (like 2 Live Crew). We also overlooked names of solo artists (Soulja Boy). One more thing, the artist needed to have some degree of notoriety. That post-hardcore, nu metal, screamo band you saw the other night named “Pherret Phace” might have been totally awesome but they’re just too obscure for our list.

Ten Greatest Bands With Misspelled Names

The Beatles
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. Just about everything the Fab Four did was genius and their name, inspired by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, was no exception. By changing the second “e” to an “a” they created a near-perfect name for a rock band initially known for their “big beat.”

Def Leppard
Def Leppard went with the name “Def Leppard” because they felt “deaf leopard” looked like nomenclature for a punk rock band. You have to remember the year was 1977. The name was actually conceived by frontman Joe Elliott. He came up with the appellation while writing fake music reviews in English class.

Korn
The letter “k” is cool. Saying the word “corn” is a whole lot of fun. Combining the two is a stroke of inspiration. Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly Korn’s thought process when they chose their moniker back in the late 1980s. They picked “corn” for a lack of anything better and then stylized it with the letter “K” and a backwards “r.”

Limp Bizkit
Fred Durst wanted a band name that would turn people off. He wanted music fans to see his band’s name and say “these guys must suck” (insert your joke here). The epithet “Limp Bizkit” definitely fulfilled his wish. By the way, “limp biscuit” is also the name of a disgusting sex game (insert your Fred Durst joke here).

Lynyrd Skynyrd
As everyone knows, southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd named themselves after their high school P.E. teacher, Leonard Skinner. Mr. Skinner was a stickler for making sure boys kept their hair short—no word on how he felt about poor spelling. What most people don’t know is Mr. Skinner and Lynyrd Skynyrd eventually developed a rather friendly relationship.

Motley Crüe
While playing for a band called White Horse, Mick Mars remembers being called a “motley looking crew.” Mars liked the phrase but wrote it down as “motley cru.” It was Vince Neil who suggested the metal umlauts. He was inspired by the band’s beer of choice at the time, Löwenbräu.

The Monkees
The Monkees, which were the brainchild of Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, “borrowed” a lot from The Beatles including misspelling their name. While the Fab Four dropped an “e” the “fabricated four” added one. Thanks to them, a generation of hippies grew up thinking you had to drop the “y” and add an “es" to pluralize words ending in “ey.”

Phish
There are several theories as to the origins of the name “Phish.” To choose only one is likely to irk Phans all over the world and nobody wants that to happen, especially the guy who oversees our servers. Suffice to say, it’s probably not a coincidence that Phish’s drummer is named Jon Fishman.

The jam band has very few single night stops on their upcoming itinerary. Most cities on their route will get multiple shows. For example, Phish will perform at Bader Field in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey on June 15, 16, and 17; Phish will grace the stage of the nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Portsmouth, Virginia on June 19 and 20; Phish will jam at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin on June 30 and July 1; and Phish will be at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, New York on July 3 and 4.

Ratt
Ratt can trace its roots all the way back to San Diego and 1976. Back then they were called Mickey Ratt. In 1981, the name was shortened to just Ratt. Around the time they shortened their name some members peeled off and formed another band with a misspelled name, Rough Cutt. Those guys sure did love the double “t.”

Staind
Where did the “e” go? In 2003, the Springfield, Massachusetts alternative metal band attempted to sue musician John Stainbrook over his patent “The Stain.” Stainbrook turned around and sued Staind. Had Stainbrook been successful, Staind would have been forced to change their name (perhaps to “Tarnishd”). The two parties finally came to an agreement in 2006. Still, there are no signs of that missing “e.”

One Direction: 5 Good Reasons For Announcing ‘World Tour’ Year In Advance

Stand-up comedians, Cirque Due Soleil, and touring Broadway shows commonly schedule shows a year in advance. Then again, in a year’s time comics will still be funny, Cirque will still be amazing, and Broadway shows will still be entertaining. Prominent rock bands will announce tour dates a year in advance if it’s part of a massive global trek and they’re promoting a smash hit album, but even then it’s a rarity. Pop bands, much more dependent on the whims of their fans, seldom schedule that far in advance and boy bands never do it.

That is until now. Britain’s One Direction has announced, and are selling, concert tickets to shows that are more than a year away! The band’s 2012 North American tour begins May 24 in Fairfax, Virginia and ends July 1 in Sunrise, Florida (there’s also a One Direction concert schedule for New York City on Dec. 3). Long before the curtain rises on their 2012 North American jaunt, One Direction announced plans for a global trek in 2013. The U.S. leg starts where their 2012 outing left off—Sunrise, Florida—and does so on June 13, 2013. Their 2013 leg ends with a pair of 1D shows in Los Angeles, California at Staples Center.

Scheduling shows that far in advance, especially for a band so fettered to the winds of change, is brazen. A music editor from New Zealand, where One Direction tickets have also been sold a year in advance, says it’s “crazy.” She warns that their fan base may grow out of their music, the boys’ voices might change, they could suddenly switch genres, or they could break up. Those are all good points, but we think selling tickets a year-out is brilliant. In fact, we have five reasons why we think 1D are geniuses.

1. Get The Money While You Can
One Direction is hot! The band is riding high thanks to a number one album and appearances on Saturday Night Live and iCarly. So why not capitalize on their immense popularity and sell as many tickets as possible. Heck, schedule dates for 2014. If parents are willing to buy their tween-age daughters tickets for one show—say One Direction in Dallas 2012—they are likely to pony over the dough for another set—say One Direction in Atlanta 2013.

2. All They Have To Do Is Show Up
You’ll get your money back if they cancel their Las Vegas 2013 show but you don’t get your money back if you grow out of their music. In other words, their fan base could move onto another heartthrob, or their music could fall out of favor, but as long as the tickets have been sold it doesn’t matter. So regardless of their standing in 2013, all 1D has to do is show up and perform—say for the One Direction show scheduled for Minneapolis in 2013 or the One Direction concerts set for Toronto in 2013. Yeah, they’ll get mounds of bad press for playing to empty arenas but they won’t have to refund anyone’s money.

3. X-Mas Presents
Certainly a lot of little girls have already leveraged their upcoming birthdays and Christmases for 1D tickets. But for the tweens who still have some gift-giving holidays to work with, there’s always Christmas 2012. A pair of tickets to One Direction in Tinley Park 2013, coupled with whatever Yuletide album they’re going to release, will look very nice under the tree. In fact, we predict 1D tickets will be the hottest Christmas gift of 2012. Obviously, One Direction tickets to Vancouver 2013 or One Direction tickets to Seattle 2013 are natural stocking stuffers but we say have fun and wrap them in a big box.

4. Compound Interest
The sooner One Direction gets their fans’ money the sooner they can invest it. It’s sort of like winning the lottery. Do you take the one lump sum right away or do you take the annual payout for 20 years. Most of us would take the former. This is exactly what One Direction is doing. They’ve won the pop music lottery and are taking their winnings right away.

5. Focus
One Direction has already been told to stay away from girls on their upcoming North American tour and now they have a global odyssey planned for 2013. Sounds like their management and record company wants/needs to keep the boys focused. Keeping them away from chicks is one way to do that and having tour dates planned a year in advance in another. If these young men (four of the five are still teenagers) know what’s coming up, they are more likely to pay attention, be prepared, and stay out of trouble.

One Direction 2012 Itinerary
>>May 24 - One Direction tickets for Fairfax, VA @ Patriot Center
>>May 25 - One Direction tickets for East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center
>>May 26 - One Direction tickets for New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
>>May 28 - One Direction tickets for Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre
>>May 29 - One Direction tickets for Toronto, Ontario @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
>>June 1 - One Direction tickets for Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
>>June 2 - One Direction tickets for Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
>>June 8 - One Direction tickets for San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
>>June 9 - One Direction tickets for Las Vegas, NV @ Planet Hollywood
>>June 10 - One Direction tickets for Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
>>June 13 - One Direction tickets for San Jose, CA @ Events Center
>>June 14 - One Direction tickets for Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
>>June 16 - One Direction tickets for Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
>>June 17 - One Direction tickets for Anaheim, CA @ The Theatre At Honda Center
>>June 23 - One Direction tickets for Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion
>>June 24 - One Direction tickets for Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
>>June 26 - One Direction tickets for Atlanta, GA @ The Arena At Gwinett Center
>>June 27 - One Direction tickets for Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena
>>June 29 - One Direction tickets for Tampa, FL @ 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
>>June 30 - One Direction tickets for Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
>>July 1 - One Direction tickets for Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center

Mayhem Festival To Feature “Ferocious Rotation”

The 2012 version of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival begins June 30 in San Bernardino, California and ends Aug. 5 in Hartford, Connecticut. In total, the festival will visit 27 U.S. markets.

Highlights of the traveling heavy metal music show include the Mayhem Festival at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California on July 1; the Mayhem Festival at the Comfort Dental Amphitheatre in Englewood, Colorado on July 8; and the Mayhem Festival at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Illinois on July 21.

This is the fifth year in-a-row that the Mayhem Festival will rock the United States but the first time it will employ the so-called “ferocious rotation.”

Slipknot, Slayer, and Motörhead are headlining and filling three of the four slots on the festival’s main stage. The fourth slot will rotate between bands As I Lay Dying, Asking Alexandria, and The Devil Wears Prada.

When not on the primary platform, the other two bands will shred the Jagermeister Stage in support of one of the greatest bands of all-time, Anthrax. So, fans with tickets to the 2012 Mayhem Festival will actually be treated to two headlining stages. That’s because any stage with Anthrax is a headlining stage.

Also performing on “Jagermeister” are Whitechapel (who also appeared in 2009) and High on Fire.

There will also be a stage dedicated to three acts signed to Sumerian Records: Dirtfedd, Upon A Burning Body, and I, The Breather. A fourth spot will be filled by unsigned bands who win a regional contest. Unsigned bands that have performed at the Mayhem Festival in the past include Kingdom of Sorrow, Skinlab, Saint Diablo, and Psychostick.

With bands rotating between stages, different contest winners, and the proverbial “daily lineups vary by date,” the Mayhem Festival will be nothing if not dynamic. Meaning, the July 6 Mayhem Festival in Phoenix, Arizona will be quite a bit different than the Mayhem Festival in Mansfield, Massachusetts on Aug. 3.

The changing lineups will not only keep the energy levels high for bands, it will also make it attractive for fans to attend more than one show.

For instance, hardcore headbangers might consider attending the Mayhem Festival in Dallas on July 10 then driving four hours to Houston for the July 11 show. Or, one can rock out at the Mayhem Festival at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 24 and then make the four-hour roadie up to the Blossom Music Center in Cleveland, Ohio for the July 25 tour stop.

The Mayhem Festival began in 2008 as the brainchild of Kevin Lyman (founder of the Vans Warped Tour) and John Reese. Of this year’s headliners, Slipknot appeared at the 2008 show and Slayer at the 2009. This is the first year for both Motörhead and Anthrax.

'Penguins vs. Flyers' And Four Other Things To Look Out For In 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 11. The New York Rangers are the top team in the Eastern Conference while the Vancouver Canucks are the number one seed in the west. The first round will see old foes renew classic rivalries—Penguins and Flyers—as well as intriguing first time matchups—Rangers and Ottawa Senators. The NHL postseason is always thrilling and action-packed and this year looks to be no different.

Below, we list five things to keep an eye on during the conference quarterfinals. Of course, you’ll want to follow all eight opening round matchups. You don’t want to miss a single goal, an amazing save, or any bone-crushing hit. However, the five things listed below should definitely be your top priorities.

Penguins vs. Flyers
The most anticipated series of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is #4 Pittsburgh Penguins battling #5 Philadelphia Flyers. These are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and they’re meeting in the postseason for the third time in five years. Oh yeah, they don’t like another. You won’t be able to swing a hockey stick without hitting a star: Sydney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Claude Giroux, and Jaromir Jagr, just to name a few. We hope it goes seven and we expect a few overtime periods.

Roberto Luongo
The best observation I heard about the upcoming playoffs concerned #1 Vancouver Canucks’ goalie Roberto Luongo. The commentator said if Luongo is not playing, and backup goalie Cory Schneider is, the Canucks are in trouble. He said this despite the fact that Schneider is no slouch between the pipes. He finished the regular season among the leaders in save percentage and goals-against average. However, not even Presidents’ Trophy winners want to swap goaltenders in round one.

Nashville Predators
#4 Nashville Predators have the unenviable task of skating against #5 Detroit Red Wings and their wealth of experience. Even so, don’t count out the Predators in the playoffs. They split the season series with the Wings and they won the last two meetings. The Predators are led by defensemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, netminder Pekka Rinne is a Vezina Trophy finalist, and their power play is awesome. The Red Wings don’t often fall in the first round of the playoffs but they could in 2012.

Ken Hitchcock
We understand that it’s hard to keep an eye on a hockey coach, but going into the playoffs we wanted to single out Ken Hitchcock of the St. Louis Blues. He was named Blues head coach back in November when the team was just 6-7-0. All he’s done since is lead them to second place in the conference. How far can he coach this defensive-minded squad? We can’t wait to find out. Their opening series against #7 San Jose Sharks is getting overlook by the hockey intelligentsia. Please don’t make the same mistake.

Capital Punishment
We all love upsets (except if it’s our team getting upset). So can #7 Washington Capitals upset #2 Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs? Yes, but for that to happen Tim Thomas has to be off his game and Capitals stars Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Green have to be at their best. That’s something that hasn’t happened very often. Then again, the Capitals were favorites in years past. Now that they’re a seventh-seed the pressure is off and who knows…