After a lockout and an exhilarating season, two remain for the Lombardi Trophy hunt.  In Indianapolis, two teams will battle it out in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.  That game changed the fate of both of these two NFL teams.

The Patriots were better back then, with a defense just as strong as their offense.  However, they lost 17-14.  And it burns a hole inside that franchise.  It burns inside Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the rest of the Patriots.  Revenge will play a factor in this game, and it could benefit the Patriots to victory.  They were able to shut down the running games of both Denver and Baltimore.  Now, he only way they can reclaim their status as champions is beating the team that started their downfall in the first place.  Can they do it?

The Giants are a better team now than four years ago.  They remember that victory and are rightfully proud of it.  Now, quarterback Eli Manning has a chance to back up his words before the season started. He told the world he belonged in the elite status of quarterbacks.  So far, he’s proven it.  Manning led that offense to significant victories against Atlanta and Green Bay.  Plus, he took a beating and still kept coming in beating San Francisco.  If he wins the Super Bowl, many won’t deny that claim.  But will they win?

Seven players remain from that Patriots team, while 15 remain from that Giants team.  Both sides of the ball will feature intense battles.  Can the resurgent Giants defense stop Tom Brady?  Can the Patriots stop Manning, who is having the best season of his career?  Expect both Belichick and Tom Coughlin to execute their game plans to perfection.  However, revenge can blind as easy as it can motivate.  If the Patriots remain focused, they will win.  But the Giants are the better team.

Prediction: Giants 20-18

Be sure to like the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Todays-Sports-Update/136729589760548) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/SebastianTSU).  Good luck

Yours truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

We went from 32 teams to four.  Who will go to Indianapolis to vie for the Lombardi Trophy?  All four franchises have won before, and each one wants to win the Super Bowl more than ever.  But first, they must pass their rivals in the Championship games.

NFC Championship: The New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers duel it out once more.  The Giants return to San Francisco, where they lost 27-20.  Both teams answered questions last week.  The 49ers offense is capable of gun slinging with the best of them.  The Giants defense can shut down an MVP-caliber quarterback.

The key matchups are on the other side for both teams.  The 49ers could not shut down Drew Brees, and now they face Eli Manning.  The way Manning looked, he seemed unstoppable.  However, he faces a top ranked defense.  Manning probably won’t be as good as he was in Green Bay, but expect the Giants to get the victory.

Prediction: Giants 24-19

AFC Championship: The Baltimore Ravens travel to New England to face the Patriots.  Both teams are hungry for the Lombardi Trophy.  Can Ray Lewis lead this Ravens defense to stop this amazing Tom Brady led Patriots offense?  It might be too much offense for the Ravens to handle.

The key matchup is the Ravens offense against the New England defense.  The Patriots had one of the worst defenses this season.  However, they face a run first offense.  As shown last Saturday, they are capable of stopping the run.  For the Ravens to win, they need to expose the defense and prove they can stand toe-to-toe with Brady.  Otherwise, expect the Patriots going back to the Super Bowl.

Prediction: Patriots 30-16

Good luck with your picks and teams this week.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/SebastianTSU) and like the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Todays-Sports-Update/136729589760548).

Yours truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

Welcome to the second round of the NFL Postseason.  Last week, Tim Tebow showed up and led the Broncos past the Steelers in overtime.  The Giants dominated against Atlanta.  Houston won their first playoff game in franchise history.  The Saints showed the world why they are the best show on turf.  This week brings familiar matchups on a playoff level.

I went 2-2 last week.  Let’s see how these games will play out this weekend.  Check local listings for all games.

#4 New York Giants at #1 Green Bay Packers: the defending Super Bowl champions enter the fray against a familiar team.  They beat the Giants during the regular season 38-35 thanks to a Mason Crosby field goal as time expired.  The Packers are well rested, as well as Aaron Rodgers, who is having a superb year.

The Giants defense, however, seems to be resurrected.  They dominated their last three games against the Jets, Cowboys and Falcons.  Can they dominate this week?  If they show up against Green Bay’s offense, they can win this game.  But don’t expect the Packers to give up without a fight.

Prediction: Packers 28-26

#3 New Orleans Saints at #2 San Francisco 49ers: the 49ers have a tough test at home.  They must defeat a Saints team who offensively is on a roll.  The Saints’ defense is also better than the last time they won the Super Bowl.  It was the Saints who beat the 49ers during the season, but that was at New Orleans.  New Orleans does have problems on the road, which could give San Francisco the advantage.

The 49ers’ defense will be tested against this offense.  Despite a core defensive line and veteran linebacker leadership in Patrick Willis, it is unlikely the 49ers can pull this one out.  Expect the Saints to prove they can indeed win on the road.

Prediction: Saints 35-30

#4 Denver Broncos at #1 New England Patriots: the Patriots and Broncos meet again.  This time, it could lead to different results.  The Broncos’ defense has seen Tom Brady before, with disastrous results.  No one should deny that their second encounter could be tougher than their first.

The real question is the Patriots’ defense.  They were able to shut down Tebow, but it’s different now.  Tebow just beat the best defense in the league.  Add that to the Patriots’ woes on the defensive front and it could spell bad news for New England.  Many fans have faith in Tebow and the Broncos to win.  Experts prefer having faith in the mad genius that is Bill Belichick.

Prediction: Patriots 28-14

#3 Houston Texans at #2 Baltimore Ravens: Houston is coming off an impressive victory over the young Cincinnati Bengals.  Now, they must take on the veteran Ravens.  They are hungrier than ever, and they believe their time is now.

Their questions don’t arrive on defense but on offense.  Is Joe Flacco a quarterback that can lead them to the Lombardi Trophy?  The same can be said for Texans QB T.J. Yates, who is only a rookie and was the third string quarterback before Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart were injured.  Defense wins game, and the Ravens’ defense should win this one for Baltimore

Prediction: Ravens 10-3

That’s it for today.  Good luck to your picks and teams this week.  Don’t forget to like the update of Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Todays-Sports-Update/136729589760548?sk=wall&filter=1 and follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/SebastianTSU.  See you next time for the Championship games.

Yours truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

As my regular season record finished with 164 wins and 92 losses, one thing surfaces again.  The playoffs are upon us! Twelve teams remain from 30.  Who will be the Super Bowl Champions?  Will Green Bay repeat this year, or will there be another team to take the Lombardi Trophy?

We start with the Wild Card rounds for both the AFC and NFC Conferences, which start tomorrow.  Check local listings for all games.

#6 Cincinnati Bengals at #3 Houston Texans: both teams are on losing streaks entering this game.  The Texans have been injury plagued but did make the playoffs.  Everyone seems to be healthy.  The Bengals also struggled making the playoffs. However, no significant injuries hurt this young team.

The Bengals have one of the top ranked defenses in the NFL.  They need to keep that trend going to beat the Texans.  Otherwise, expect the Texans to win their inaugural playoff game.

Prediction: Bengals 17-10

#5 Pittsburgh Steelers at #4 Denver Broncos: both teams are defined by their defenses and running games.  Both coaches have been in the Super Bowl.  One intangible setting them apart is leadership experience.  Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger know what it takes to get his team into the promised land, while Broncos QB Tim Tebow gets his feet yet in this postseason.

The Steelers should and need to dominate this game.  Their defense is best in the league and still is capable of shutting down this Denver team.  The only way the Broncos can win is if Tebow shows up and shocks the world again.

Prediction: Steelers 24-7

#6 Detroit Lions at #3 New Orleans Saints: the last time these two teams battled, the Saints torched the Lions 31-17 at New Orleans.  The Lions are determined not to show the world that they are a fluke.  This could be the statement game they can make.  Can their defense avoid being schooled like they were earlier?

The Saints are currently the best show on turf.  They are also viable Super Bowl contenders.  They need to remind the world why they could win the Super Bowl.

Prediction: Saints 34-28

#5 Atlanta Falcons at #4 New York Giants: both teams are due for a playoff win.  Falcons QB Matt Ryan has not won a playoff game in his career.  The Giants have the home field advantage and momentum thanks to the experiences of coach Tom Coughlin and QB Eli Manning.  Both know what it takes to win the Lombardi Trophy.

Can Atlanta run the ball against a resurging Giants defensive line?  Can the Giants keep their momentum going against Atlanta?  Both teams need to control the clock with the run.  Both defenses will prove tough, and the quarterbacks will be the deciding factor in this game.

Prediction: Giants 20-16

Good luck with your picks and teams this week.  See you next time.

Yours truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,300 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 55 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

#1) Triumph Over Tragedy: http://sebastiantsu.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/triumph-over-tragedy/

September 11, 2011 marked the tenth anniversary of 9/11/01. This date is and will forever be remembered in infamy. What followed after was baseball making the world feel better for seven games of the World Series. As a sports fan, it was important to relive that World Series. As a New Yorker, I felt obligated to write this piece.

The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees in seven games. Both teams won all of their home games. Four out of the seven games were decided after the eighth inning. Derek Jeter became Mr. November, while Luis Gonzalez beat Mariano Rivera in the ninth. Many moments still live in history. But the importance remains clear. It helped the world heal.

I decided to give a recap of the Series while relating it to world events. Key moments were brought back into my mind. Both teams’ motivation had to be told. The Yankees bringing a title back home meant more than just another number. The hungry veteran Diamondbacks almost became villains by happenstance. Yet, both played their hearts out and gave us arguably the best World Series of the 2000 decade.

I always wanted to write about 9/11 but didn’t have an approach. It was during a train ride when I saw the banner of the Diamondbacks celebrating their tenth anniversary that gave me that approach. I realize that some of my viewers were too young to grasp that day ten years ago. These same viewers also inspired me to take a positive approach while keeping a serious tone.

This was my most successful update post of critical acclaim. I appreciate the comments left and was touched by each of them. I cannot thank you all enough for the views and comments. You are all the reason why I keep writing. I hope that you all stay on the blog and also hope that these “revisited” entries provided insight into my writing. Take care, and Happy New Year!

Yours Truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

Welcome to the last week of the 2011 NFL season. Playoffs are nearly set. Only three spots remain with seven teams still alive. Plus, home field advantage is on the line for the AFC Playoffs.

Who will set the tone for the AFC: New England, Baltimore or Pittsburgh? Will the Giants or the Cowboys take the NFC East? Will the Broncos or Raiders take the AFC West? Will either team be the last Wild Card team in the AFC? Will the Titans, Jets or Bengals take that last slot? These questions will be answered this Sunday.

I went 12-4 last week, bringing my record to 152 wins and 88 losses. I also got my third shutout of the season thanks to Pittsburgh blanking St. Louis. Here’s a look back at what I got wrong.

Here are my picks for this week. Also look out for the AFC Wild Card games and the AFC West games. See Oakland hosting San Diego, the Jets visiting Miami, Denver hosting Kansas City and Tennessee taking on Houston. Plus, pay attention to a potential AFC shift in power. The Ravens face Cincinnati, another potential Wild Card team. The Steelers face Cleveland while New England hosts Buffalo. The entire AFC postseason picture could be rewritten once more.

Game of the Week:

How fitting that a season is on the line with one game! Too bad neither team has a quarterback that they completely trust.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo has a bruised hand after his loss to the Eagles last week. The Giants won, but Eli Manning did not play to the high standards he set for himself. Their seasons are in their hands as they meet again for the NFC East. Did I mention it’s also a primetime game, again?

The Giants iced the Cowboys to win in a thriller on Week 14. Both are tied at 8-7, with the Giants holding the tiebreaker because of that victory. It’s simple. Whoever wins gets the NFC East and will host a playoff game in their arena. Who will step up?

Go with the more reliable defense. The Giants defense is terrible. However, they have the playmakers that can close games. The Cowboys only have one in LB DeMarcus Ware. Expect another high scoring game with defense winning in the end.

Prediction: Giants 30-28

Good luck with your teams and picks this week. Remember to follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/SebastianTSU) and like the Update on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Todays-Sports-Update/136729589760548?sk=wall&filter=1). See you in the playoffs, hopefully.

Yours Truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

#2) A Difficult Decision: http://sebastiantsu.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/a-difficult-decision%E2%80%A6/

This entry is still a shocker to me. It was requested by readers that I address the Andy Pettitte retirement. When I did it, I did not think it was one of my best posts. I was wrong.

This piece came out two weeks after Pettitte announced his retirement. I took my time to understand why he walked away after a pretty good season. I again took a quick retrospective on his career and pulled no punches. I investigated an athlete’s career/decisions before but not at this scale. I never questioned a player’s retirement before.

Pettitte’s retirement has been discussed long before he actually did. In fact, it became a question for three years because of his injuries during his stint with Houston. When Pettitte finally retired, it seemed a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Yes, he was sad at his press conference but seemed relieved. That’s the approach I took. It wasn’t the injuries or issues that forced him out. He wasn’t even forced at all!

Pettitte is a family man. His family was the factor that always became a question when asked about retirement. Pettitte wanted to stay close to his family, and because of that, his heart wasn’t in it for another season. That was the deciding factor. His love for his family is stronger than his love for baseball. You can’t blame Pettitte for that. If your heart’s not in it anymore, then it’s time to step away.

Yours Truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

This entry that made the list is a personal favorite of mine. When Shaquille O’Neal announced his retirement from basketball, I knew I had to address it.

We’re talking about an innovator and the last great big man (currently) to grace the NBA. He forced the NBA to reinforce their backboards after taking down two. O’Neal also has a big personality fitting his presence on the court. Since O’Neal had the stats and personality, I took a retrospective on his career.

I knew choosing photos from his career were the easy part. Show the impact made from his time on Orlando, Los Angeles and Miami. Also show his last team, the Celtics. The hard part was summing up a man’s career within one entry. Each statistic is measured by his impact on each team. When he was healthy, O’Neal was a force to be reckoned with. Even when he got older, O’Neal’s presence still dominated the court.

Shaquille O’Neal is easily one of my favorite players to watch on television and in person. I was there as a kid with my father and my sister when O’Neal brought down the backboard in New Jersey. It took a long time to fix that mess. I also saw O’Neal do it again on TV in Phoenix. As a kid, I was swept up in the SHAQ Attack mania. As an adult, I respect the player for not only his athletic ability but also his ability to entertain.

It was and still is my honor to write about Shaquille O’Neal. He should be very entertaining on TNT’s pregame and postgame shows for the NBA.

Yours Truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 2007

#4) Mirrors: Sports and Life http://sebastiantsu.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/mirrors-sports-and-life/

It couldn’t have happened out of happenstance, could it? It was the New York Mets who hosted the first Major League game after September 11^th. How fitting was it that they played as the world found out of Osama Bin Laden’s death. It was some coincidence that they played during the course of history.

It wasn’t just the Mets. It was nearly every key fact, from how they won to the score itself. Even Bobby Valentine witnessed both games as the Mets manager ten years ago and an ESPN announcer in the latter. It was coincidence that made the Mets play during world events that would alter the face of history. However, it was baseball’s significance that makes it more important for us.

I knew I had to remind readers of the first game back in 2001. That would set the tone between both games. I also had to find the things they both had in common other than the Mets. I found four instances which can be read as coincidences. It surprised me that I found that many. That’s how sports and life works sometimes. You would be surprised how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I just hope I was able to do this one justice, especially since it’s an important subject. Thanks to the voting by you guys, it seems I accomplished just that.

Yours Truly,

Sebastian Maldonado

Copyrighted @ 20007