Some folks say the NFL playoffs are best...or baseball culminating in the World Series...but for my money the best playoffs around are the Stanley Cup finals. Hockey people are intense. Maybe it's all the time hanging around cold, smelly rinks for so many years as kids...or maybe its knowing you're in on the secret that hockey played well maybe the sweetest looking game invented. This year you have two teams who havent sniffed the Cup in a long time...for Chicago it's been 49 years. It has showed in the first two games as the crowd at the United Center has been crazed. Last night they kept up a continous roar through the entire National Anthem. I have never heard that before. After a wild back & forth Game 1, the Blackhawks shut down Philly's offense with a 2-0 shutout to take a two games to one lead and every player on the ice is undoubtedly nursing bruises this morning. Some soccer folks will be callling the upcoming World Cup the "biggest tournament" in the world. Try doing it on skates.

The UW_Milwaukee baseball team won the Horizon League Tournament over the weekend and have earned a spot in the 64 team NCAA Tournament field. Their reward is to head to Tempe Arizona to face the #1 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils. Play begins this Friday. The Panthers (who are the state's only D-1 program) have 4 local players on the roster. Mark Strey of Marshfield, Cameron Amsrud of DC Everest and Ben & Jake Long of Wisconsin Rapids.

High school baseball & softball tournament action heats up today. I'll have the Wausau East at Rhinelander baseball game on our sister station Foxsports 1390 WRIG live at 3:15. The Lumberjacks are hoping it doesnt go extra innings as they have graduation ceremonies tonight.

Songs of the Day  (from My I-pod)

Forbidden Fruit-The Band (1975) from their last good studio  Lp "Northern Lights, Southern Cross" comes this cautionary tale of drug abuse aimed at the groups Richard Manuel who battled the demons for many years.

Fortunate Son-Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969) a great song from one of the best American bands. Critic Dave Marsh called this the "greatest rock song" ever. It gives you the frustration and angst of America's youth of the time in 2:19. The rock solid rythym section of Stu Cook and Doug Clifford is awesome.