The Rich Stay Rich

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Golden State Warriors closed out the professional "winter" sports season this week with the NHL and NBA titles, respectively.  If you missed either the Penguins closing out the Nashville Predators on Sunday or the Warriors vanquishing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, don't worry.  We will most likely see more of the same next year.

The Penguins are the first NHL team to repeat as champions since the Detroit Red Wings of 1997-98.  Next year they will attempt to achieve the first three-peat since the New York Islanders won four consecutive titles from 1980-83.  Isabelle Khurshudyan, of the Washington Post, outlined the Pens legitimate chance at securing a third straight Stanley Cup in the Tuesday paper.

The outlook is less rosy for the Washington Capitals, who have been escorted to the playoff exits early the last two seasons, both times by Pittsburgh.  Scott Cullen of TSN thinks the Capitals will have to let some free agents go, but it is still anybody's guess what happens with Alex Ovechkin. 

Golden State has now won two of the last three NBA titles.  They clearly displayed their dominance over all of the Western Conference contenders and their closest rival (Cleveland) by going 16-1 throughout the playoffs.  As David Aldridge said in a recent article on NBA.com, some NBA people are saying "how pointless it may be to compete the next few years" against these two powerhouses.

But even Cleveland is significantly behind Golden State.  For the Cavaliers to catch up with the Warriors, many in sports media are recommending Cleveland trades Kevin Love for the Indiana Pacers Paul George.  Initially, the idea of the Pacers moving George just made me sad and resigned to a mediocre fate for my favorite basketball team.  After reading Jonathan Tjarks piece on TheRinger.com, I am all about the Pacers trading George for Love.

Unless you are from Pittsburgh or the San Francisco Bay area, you are like me -- disappointed in the performance of your winter teams and not seeing a whole lot to be optimistic about for next year.  So here we sit in the summer heat with college and pro football still two months away.  What are we going to do with only baseball to watch?

The Tuesday morning Washington Post -- Warriors and Penguins did it again, and have inside track to do it again.

Beyond the obvious options of being more productive at work, spending time with family and actually participating in sports instead of spectating, I recommend a baseball road trip.  Do you know that there is an entire industry built around summer vacations focused on baseball?  Google "baseball road trip" and you will find countless sites dedicated to helping you with that pursuit.

I don't think you need the help.  My post Monday will take a closer look at the great American baseball road trip.