Rev. Wright’s voice has stopped reverberating in the media, former President Clinton seems disinterested with making waves, Barack Obama seems comfortable, and Hillary doesn’t seem to be rattling her sabers as often; a strange thing on the eve of a West Virginia primary that she’s expected to win by a mile.

With the exception of Tim Russert’s anything-but-tepid predictions, the media has sheepishly begun to declare Obama the inevitable Democratic nominee. Since a projected win in West Virginia won’t be enough to remedy Sen. Clinton’s ailing delegate math, political talking points have shifted to the consolation prize—the veep.

Over the weekend, CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider wrote an article exploring the significance of a decisive win for Sen. Clinton in West Virginia.

Schneider predicted that the Democratic constituency in West Virginia represents a serious problem for the Obama camp during the general election if he ends up winning his party’s nomination.

So much of a problem, concluded Schneider, that “If Obama gets the nomination and it looks like the only way he can win is to get those West Virginia Democrats back, you can be sure he will think seriously about asking Clinton to go on the ticket.”

This topic has been dealt with before, but once is never enough. Just like those really annoying inextinguishable trick birthday candles you buy your friends, the issue has flickered back to life again.

The “ticket” being referred to here, of course, is the Obama/Clinton “dream ticket” that so many love to fantasize about, but perhaps the notion of an Obama/Clinton ticket should be called the “pipe dream ticket” instead.

Media speculation that Clinton would seek, or that Obama would offer, the veep position on the Democratic ticket is a great way to fill airtime, but that’s about it.

Referring ad nauseam to a bad idea will never turn it into a good one, and this is especially true if there isn’t any concrete evidence to base the discussion on.

Let us not forget that despite an impeding sense of doom, Sen. Clinton has no intention of dropping out of the race. On “Fox News Sunday,” Clinton’s top strategist, Howard Wolfson, said that “We think Sen. Clinton is going to be the nominee,” and that he has “seen no evidence of her interest” in the veep position.

There is also an inherent fallacy of the “pipe dream ticket” that isn’t getting the attention it deserves: the “pipe dream” would make both candidates appear soft.

Sens. Clinton and Obama have spent a great deal of time and money debating change versus experience and how Washington can’t possibly endure both.

So to place themselves on the same ticket, in any order, would immediately cancel out both arguments, communicating only that neither candidate was serious about their political philosophies from the start.

It would, in short, be a terrible mess.

Still, this discussion has endured with complete disregard for the only two individuals that actually need to have it, and in the future, when this “pipe dream” fails to become a reality, I’m sure it will continue in the past tense.

“Can it happen” will become “Should it have happened”.

In either case, the answer is no.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff

The San Antonio Spurs evened up the Western Conference Semifinal at two games each yesterday, beating New Orleans by a solid 20-point margin. Despite the Hornets putting up some pretty admirable numbers—and Chris Paul putting up some more than admirable plays—the Spurs are finally beginning to look like the familiar reigning champs of the NBA.

They’re patient, precise, methodical . . . and mundane.

Now, before all the Spurs faithful start feeding me hate mail with a shovel, please realize that I’m not trashing San Antonio.

The Spurs are scary good. Nobody in their right mind would say otherwise and games three and four are proof of that.

Yesterday’s game gave us everything we’ve come to expect from San Antonio; efficient and blazingly fast ball movement around the perimeter routinely ending with open looks, huge numbers by Ginobli, Duncan, and Parker, brutal defense, etc., etc.

But more than anything the Spurs have managed to tap back in to their extensive playoff experience, find their stride, and maintain the status quo like a quadruple-championship team should.

They’re stomping out the youth movement in Chris Paul and New Orleans with faceless efficiency.

And this, one could argue, is the true power behind San Antonio’s dominance in the NBA. The Spurs are modest to a fault about their talent. They suck the fun out of the opposition like a vampire going straight for the jocular (Yeah, I know it’s a terrible pun. Couldn’t resist).

Hornets coach Byron Scott left his optimism in the locker room for Sunday’s post game press conference. “They’re just kicking our butts right now”, Scott said.

And it’s true. The Spurs literally did whatever they wanted to New Orleans yesterday, but the demoralizing thing is that the Spurs hardly even seem to notice. It’s business as usual for them, and business has been good since Thursday.

Yet the fact still remains that watching one of the most dominant basketball teams in recent history win in the playoffs doesn’t seem to get people as excited as it used to, and that goes double for the finals.

When San Antonio won their second NBA title in 2003, the TV ratings were the lowest of any NBA final in history—until 2007. Last year’s San Antonio/Cleveland final came and went like a ship in the night, turning in record-low ratings.

The series heads back to the Big Easy tomorrow for game five, where the Hornets will try and throw a roadblock in San Antonio’s way to winning a series after starting in an 0-2 hole; a rarity in the NBA.

It’s also going to be a last gasp scenario for Chris Paul and company. There’s no reason to believe the Spurs are going to falter now, but there’s only one hurdle left for San Antonio if they want to punch their ticket and move on.

If they can pick up a third win on the road it will be a nail in the Hornets’ postseason. The smart money says we’ll end up with a Lakers/Spurs series, which should be a razzle-dazzle ratings bonanza.

And I think we all know why.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff

–38 year-old singer Mariah Carey and 27-year old actor Nick Cannon tied the knot in a secret ceremony in the Bahamas, and they have tattoos to prove it. “To me rings are special and exciting, but tattoos mean more than anything,” Cannon said. “They’re forever and ever. They professed our love.” Strange, I overheard the same thing at a truck stop last week.

–CNN ran a cute little article this week about what it’s like to be a reporter traveling with and covering the president. Apparently, one of the biggest drawbacks to this privilege is the evil lure of calorie-laden food . . . must be those loads of crap the president likes to feed people.

–“Actress” Lindsay Lohan has been dumped from the upcoming movie “Manson Girls” because the film’s producers couldn’t find a single big name actress willing to work with her. I’m not sure what’s next for Lohan’s career, but I’m pretty sure it’ll involve VH1.

–Despite the looming possibility of being shut down by an actor’s strike, filming has already begun for “Terminator 4.” I’ll start praying for a strike immediately.

–MSNBC reported that “American Idol” ringmaster Ryan Seacrest is in “serious negotiations” to take over “Larry King Live.” Larry King told the press that Seacrest is a “classic generalist”, which only confirms my suspicion that nobody really knows what Seacrest actually does.

–In Duluth, Minnesota, the driver of a 1997 Honda Civic that sustained damage after hitting and killing a 13-pound dog is suing the dog’s owners for repairs totaling $1,200. The dog’s owners are countersuing for $2,400, but the level of idiocy in this lawsuit is priceless.

–According to “The Rough Guide to England”, a newly revised travel manual, England is an “irritating and insular country full of overweight, binge-drinking, reality TV addicts.” I had no idea England loved our culture so much.

–According to a recent poll of 2,000 Canadian baby boomers between the ages of 44 and 62, 40 percent said they feel ignored by advertisers who cater to a younger demographic. These feelings of “neglect” are usually the first signs of “getting old”.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff

The pitifully weak US dollar has left many Americans wondering whether they ought to limit their travels to their own country this summer. Financial markets have the US dollar trading near all-time lows against the euro and the British pound, and even the Canadian dollar is more expensive than it has been in decades.

But there’s no reason to give up entirely on foreign travel. With a little flexibility and a willingness to explore hidden gems, overseas vacations remain within reach for most Americans. Here are a few of the best bets:

Eastern Europe. Long a favorite of Brits and Germans, Croatia’s Mediterranean beaches, Slovenia’s alpine ski slopes and Bulgaria’s Black Sea resorts lie well outside the radar of American travelers. And their obscurity guarantees a sense of adventure. Most of Eastern Europe doesn’t use the expensive Euro (with the exception of Slovenia), and while local currencies have gained strength against the dollar, lower demand means lower prices.

South and Central America. Argentina is a great deal for American travelers, owing to its currency devaluation in 2002. But you don’t have to limit yourself to Argentina. Much of this continent remains a budget traveler’s dream. Consider a nature tour in Peru, surfing lessons in Nicaragua or indigenous culture in Bolivia.

Southeast Asia. Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia remain among the world’s best travel bargains, even for owners of a weakened US dollar. Pristine beaches, centuries-old Buddhist temples and unforgettable markets have raised the profile of these once war-torn nations.

Dollarized countries. These are nations that use the US dollar as their official currency, and they include Panama, Ecuador, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos. Several other nations have an official local currency but widely accept US dollars, including Peru and Cambodia. Visiting a dollarized country doesn’t mean you won’t find expensive meals or resorts—you will, especially in the Caribbean—but you’ll avoid the brutal ups and downs of currency fluctuations.

Canada. True, the US dollar doesn’t buy as many loonies as it used to. But Canadian destinations remain among the best value foreign vacations for American travelers, especially outside large cities. And transportation to Canada is particularly inexpensive for those living along America’s northern border.

Of course, the time-tested adage remains true: If you travel off-season, avoid following the pack and do your best to eat and shop as the locals do, you’ll get away with traveling on a thin budget, even overseas. Do your research and you’ll discover there’s no reason to stay home this summer.

–Amy S. Eckert, RED Travel Writer
–Photo courtesy of Croatian National Tourists Board

October 14, 1908, Bennett Park in Detroit: Cubs right-hander Orval Overall gets Tigers catcher Boss Schmidt to ground out to first, completing his Game 5 shut-out as the Cubs win consecutive World Series Championships.

One hundred years have since passed without a title, the longest World Series drought in Major League history.

The epic streak, complete with Billy Goats, black cats, curses and Steve Bartman, has become something more than just a mere stat in baseball’s record book.

It has become iconic, an expectation in the unpredictable world of sports. It has become an inheritance, passed on from one generation of fans to the next. It has inadvertently become the identity of a team affectionally known as “The Lovable Losers.”

Yet a legion of fans as loyal and devout as the Red Sox Nation has stuck with the Cubbies through thick and thin, holding on to their die-hard belief in “next year.”

And maybe 2008 is next year. The Cubs have a lot going for them this season.

For starters, “Sweet” Lou Pinella is at the helm again after leading the Cubs to the NL Central title in his first year.

First baseman Derek Lee is back at full strength after an injury plagued 2007 season, batting .324 with eight dingers.

Veteran ace Carlos Zambrano is as reliable as ever with a 5-1 record, an impressive 1.80 ERA and a team leading 38 K’s, while hitting a respectable .250. Last year’s closer, Ryan Dempster, has gone 4-0 with two no-decisions and a 2.72 ERA in his return to the starting rotation. Kerry Wood returned to the roster as the closer and has done well, striking out 16 with five saves.

Japanese free-agent import Kosuke Fukudome has lived up to the hype surrounding his acquisition over the off-season. He is hitting .320 with 13 RBIs while slugging an outstanding .456. His lone homer was a ninth inning game-tying three-run shot in the Cubs’ season opener and his MLB debut, endearing him to Cubs fans in grand fashion.

But Fukudome brings more than a quick bat; he also brings a Zen-like patience at the plate, something that has rubbed off on the rest of the team. The Cubs lead the National League in runs (195), and RBIs (185), and rank second in walks (163) and on-base percentage (.370).

But it is only May, and the 19-15 Cubs have a long way to go before October.

They are two and a half games out of first in the NL Central behind longtime rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, who took two of three from them over the weekend. They dropped two more games in Cincinnati to the struggling Reds to start the week, division opponents Milwaukee and Houston are nipping at their heels, and they face the red-hot Diamondbacks next.

Of course, none of this will ever dissuade the Cubs faithful. This year, just like the last 99, is next year.

–Aaron Whitebread, RED Editorial Staff

In its first full week of sales the controversial new video game “Grand Theft Auto IV” has sold 6 million copies, earning its developer, Take-Two Interactive Software, more than $500 million. But with triumph comes opposition.

If you don’t know anything about the game, let’s just say GTA IV content is not for the easily offended. Critics are lambasting it as well, expressing particular outrage over the game’s mature and explicit subject matter.

In GTA, players are able to participate in a wealth of illicit adventures from running drugs in stolen cars to assaulting strangers with stolen guns. There’s even a point in the game when a playable character is tasked with driving a car drunk.

The drunk driving sequence has met with adamant disapproval from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), who are the latest addition to GTA’s growing number of detractors.

MADD released a statement in conjunction with GTA’s release on April 29 stating, “MADD is extremely disappointed by the decision of the manufacturers of the game Grand Theft Auto IV to include a game module where players can drive drunk. Drunk driving is not a game and it is not a joke. Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable.”

MADD went on to call for tighter restrictions to be placed on GTA’s sales by requesting the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) to “reclassify Grand Theft Auto IV as an Adults Only game”. They would also like “for the manufacturer to consider a stop in distribution”.

So in essence, there is fear that GTA would justify illegal behavior, causing those who play it to mimic their experience in real life.

Now, MADD does wonderful things for this country. Their cause is a noble as they come, and if they feel the need to make their outrage known on a national stage, that’s their right. The only drawback taking such a hard-nosed stance against the influence games like GTA might hold over the masses is this:

It undermines the importance of personal accountability and espouses a lack of confidence in humanity’s judgment.

As it stands now, GTA has a “Mature” rating. That means the game is suitable only for persons aged 17 and older. If the game’s rating were to be changed at the request of MADD to “Adults Only” then it becomes suitable for persons aged 18 and older.

So the question then becomes, what’s the difference between 17 and 18? Is there some kind of safety mechanism in the minds of teenagers that doesn’t kick in until their 18th birthday? Certainly GTA’s critics can’t believe that a 17-year old could mimic what they see in the game without thinking it’s wrong, while an 18-year old could somehow be immune?

I don’t deny that drunk driving is a heinous thing, but to think the problem would somehow be alleviated through stringent legislation of a video game is not addressing the problem.

It’s not the charge of Take-Two to play surrogate parents to a nation. Playing parent is a parent’s job, and if a parent decides that a game like GTA has no place in the home, then so be it. In their press release, MADD stated that, “drunk driving is a choice”, but so is dropping $60 on a video game.

Choose wisely.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff

Nominated for 31 Emmys (and winning five), Alan Alda was also nominated for an Academy Award in 2005. For 11 years he played Hawkeye Pierce on the hit TV series M*A*S*H, hosted PBS’s Scientific American Frontiers for another 11 and also starred in the TV series West Wing. Besides that, Alda also writes and directs.

His second book, Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself (Random House 2007; also available through Random House Audio read by the author and will be released this September in paperback), is a follow up to his autobiography, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed. And yes, his eccentric family did have the family dog (who died from eating bad Chinese food when Alda was seven) stuffed and placed in their living room. Alda talked about all of that and more to RED.

You personify normal, but your childhood was anything but. Your mother was diagnosed as schizophrenic and tried to stab your father, actor Robert Alda. And you spent part of your childhood hanging around strippers while your parents performed onstage. You also had polio. How did you become so stable?

When Carl Reiner read my book, he told me I had a right to be a lot crazier than I am. But I credit my wife, Arlene, whom I’ve been married to for 51 years.

What made you decide to write?

When I was recuperating from surgery, I just had the overwhelming obsession to write. And as I’d walk around my apartment in New York, I would scribble down thoughts on little pieces of paper and stick them in my bathrobe pockets. Listening to yourself is hooking into the little modules that are working on things. Listening to these things and getting to the point where you trust yourself brings them to the surface.

You seem to find humor in almost everything, including the emergency operation you had in La Serena, Chile several years ago.

That’s how my mind works. I remember when Dr. Zepeda explained what he was going to do before the operation. He told me that the blood supply to some of my small intestine had been choked off, and it was dying. He was going to go in and take out the bad part and then sew the good parts back together. And I said, oh, you’re going to do an end-to-end anastomosis. He asked me how I knew that and I told I did many of them on M*A*S*H.

Friends and family mean a lot to Alda. He and Arlene have three children and numerous grandchildren. The family frequently vacations together but that doesn’t mean Alda has slowed down his work schedule. He’s in two films this year, Flash of Genius with Greg Kinnear and Dermot Mulroney and Diminished Capacity, and he also has another in post-production, Nothing But the Truth with Kate Beckinsale and David Schwimmer. Alda talks to RED about family time.

So tell us about your annual family vacations.

We’ve been going to St. John Island at Christmas time for the last 30 years. First, it was us and our children and then us and our children and their families and that kept growing and growing and growing, so we have a big bunch of people that go with since we have grandchildren now. We get everybody together, we lug presents down there to open and then we lug them back. It’s a good thing we love presents.

You must really like the island, why did you choose it?

know St. John, which is in the American Virgin Islands, very well. I’ve been all over the Virgin Islands in both a speedboat and a helicopter when I shot the movie The Four Seasons down there. I scouted all around there to find locations for the movie and looked all over the place. We were trying to find the perfect place and I wound up back there because that was the most beautiful I could find. So it just seemed right for all those reasons.

So are you a beach bum when you’re down there?

I don’t go to the Caribbean for the beaches. The sun is too hot and salt makes you sticky. I can do without it. Not liking the beach but loving the Virgin Islands is probably one of the many things that made Peter Jennings (who was a trustee for the British Virgin Islands) and me good friends. What he did for the British Virgin Islands was so terrific. I felt very badly when he died, it happened so fast. I think he thought he would be able to be back on the air but it just didn’t happen. He was very heroic, too. I never saw anybody face death the way he did.

Well, do you do water sports?

I never liked snorkeling much, which did not come in handy when I was hosting PBS’s Scientific America Frontiers, which I did for 11 years. I also don’t like boats and I don’t like the ocean. It’s hard to believe, but I don’t go to the Caribbean to go in the ocean, to go snorkeling or to sit on the beach. Usually I go in the ocean once or twice on our whole trip. The ocean scares me. The thing I don’t like about the ocean is it’s so unpredictable. It’s a big, heavy thing and it’s got a lot of force. I’m not a brave person and yet was constantly in dangerous situations when filming down there, so I must be stupid because I don’t really want to be on a boat and a lot of the filming was on the boat or around the boat. In an emergency, I do fine. I don’t quiver and shake—I just take care of business, but I don’t like the sound of things that could be emergencies on boats or on or near the ocean.

So what do you do in the Caribbean if you don’t go in the ocean and don’t hang out on the beach?

I play tennis a lot and they have great tennis down there. But, because of the heat, you can only play in the morning or late in the afternoon. What I do like about the Caribbean is the weather and the beauty of the islands and the people and the food and the culture. It is all wonderful and amazing. It’s also a great place for our family to be together. It’s a perfect place for our family—all of them—and our presents.

–Interview by Jane Ammeson, RED Editorial Staff
–Photos courtesy of Random House

Our public bus rips through the winding, dirt roads of Tuscany. Due to my sheer terror, I pay no attention to the emerald fields, lush with Italy’s spring bounty. My knuckles clench the seat back in front of me, but I briefly look up to search for others who may hold the same fear of this speeding diesel bullet.

Embarrassed, I find the other passengers blithely chatting away with fellow travelers oblivious to my terror. I try to maintain focus on the unknown culinary delights that await me inside the famed ancient walls of Siena, our final destination.

Something magical happens when the first springtime sun shines on the Italian countryside—locals begin to linger a bit longer in the piazzas, the rolling hills turn a jeweled green and the outdoor markets are abound with a rainbow of fresh spring produce.

For traveling gourmands, the trek to Siena is worth the effort to find just the right café for an afternoon respite. The city’s ancient cobbled pathways offer a modest workout with challenging peaks and valleys to work off your hearty Italian meal.

The bus stops and passengers gleefully depart. As my sandals first hit the cobblestone roads in Siena, the city’s medieval charm quickly soothes my soured stomach. I am ready to eat.

Not knowing a word of Italian or having a guidebook in hand, I randomly select a café tucked deep into a back alley and order the springtime specialty that my waiter points to: “Asparagus with Poached Quail Egg”. Bravo to the chefs of Italy for taking only three or four seasonal ingredients to create a masterpiece for the mouth. This purist attitude towards cooking can often elevate Italy’s homegrown produce to rock star status.

After a long meal and a casual stroll through the shops, I reluctantly head back to the bus for my return to Florence. The 90 minutes of twists and turns on the rural Tuscan roads now seem like a cheap price to pay for the memorable spring meal I relished in that obscured alley café.

Cook’s Notes:
In effort to replicate the appetizer I ate in Siena, I adapted a classic Italian asparagus recipe, Asparagi Con Uova, by roasting the asparagus to bring out the latent sweetness of these spring spears. Salty pecorino contrasts with the grassy and floral notes of the asparagus while the soft poached egg creates a silky sauce that marries the two in a happy union.

Asparagus, Soft Poached Egg with Shaved Pecorino Romano
(Asparagi con Uova)
Serves 4 . . . or 2 hungry people

4 slices Italian country bread
1 garlic clove, cut in half
6 stalks of asparagus
4 fresh eggs
Couple of ounces of shaved Pecorino Romano
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt/fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375˚. Lightly brush olive oil on top of the sliced bread slices. Place on baking sheet and toast in oven for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Take crostinis out of the oven and rub the toasted tops with the open end of garlic clove.

Place asparagus drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper on baking sheet and roast for 5-7 minutes. Pull out of oven immediately. Spears should be al dente. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on top of the garlic crostini.

Simmer 2 inches of water in a skillet or sauce pan on medium/high heat. Break eggs, one at a time, into a bowl. Carefully slip eggs into the simmering water and cover pan. Cook eggs for 3 to 5 minutes for a medium runny egg. Gently lift each egg from the water with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess water, and place on top of the asparagus. Shave fresh pecorino on top of the eggs and serve immediately.

–Shelly Connors, RED Editorial Staff

Beach chairs are scattered about, along with brightly colored toy buckets and shovels. The sound of waves crashing ashore fills the air, which carries the slight tang of salt. Everyone walking around or reclining looks relaxed and peaceful. But they’re not spending a day at the beach; they’re spending 45 minutes in Galos Caves.

Galos Caves is one of just three salt rooms in America, all of which happen to be in the Chicago area. Popular in Eastern Europe, namely Poland, spending time in a salt room is believed to be not only relaxing, but also a cure for a wide variety of ills such as hypertension, stress, allergies, asthma, and skin conditions.

“A 45-minute session is like spending three days at the sea,” says Kasia Michon, a Galos employee. “The air clears your respiratory tract, and its iodine content is especially healthy for pregnant women and kids, because they have high needs for iodine.”

Owner Ewa Chwala was inspired to build Galos Caves in her banquet hall complex after seeing a salt cave during a trip to Poland a few years ago. Crafted from 20 tons of Baltic Sea salt crystallized in natural conditions, the salt is released into the air through radiant heat in the floor and air conditioning in the walls.

About a dozen customers can use the salt room at a time, with separate sessions designated for adults, who are encouraged to be quiet, and children, who are allowed to play in the salt nuggets on the floor just as they would in a sandbox.

Over at Megi’s Spa in nearby Park Ridge, the atmosphere around the salt room is a bit more serene, thanks to its spa surroundings. Customers can pop for a 30-minute session similar to that at Galos, or book a private massage right in the salt room.

“Before I worked here, I didn’t sleep well,” said Megi’s employee Mariya Buchor. “But once I started, the problem went away.”

To book a session at Galos Caves, call 773-283-7701. To book a session at Megi’s Spa, call 847-298-4406.

–Melanie Radzicki McManus, RED Travel Writer

The Philadelphia Flyers’ Steve Downie has managed to keep himself out of the news since he destroyed Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond last September in the preseason. After that game, Sens general manager/coach Bryan Murray said the hit was “all the things we talk about not having in our game.”

And for a short while, there was concern amongst the NHL’s talking heads about rethinking hockey’s attitude towards overly violent behavior. The issue has since been pushed to the wayside, but it might be back on the table again by Saturday.

I say that because the Flyers and the Penguins start their Eastern Conference playoffs this Friday, and to say there’s no love lost between those two teams is putting it lightly.

In fact, to say that Philly and Pittsburg have a rivalry wouldn’t even do it justice. They just plain hate each other, and I’m certain the word “hate” is being used with full understanding that it’s a strong word your mother never wants you to say.

The eventuality of a Pens vs. Flyers playoff game was sealed by the end of the season when Bryan Murray accused the Penguins of throwing their last season game against Philadelphia to avoid playing them again in the first round.

No one will really be able to prove that the Pens essentially chose their opponent by “rigging” a game to draw a struggling Ottawa team, but just like the NFL’s penchant for disciplining its wayward players before all the facts are in, it won’t matter to the Flyers it it’s true or not.

As far they’re concerned it probably is, which only fans the flames of vengeance (the slogan on the Flyers’ Website is “Vengeance Now”) in the city of brotherly love.

Perhaps this is a case of the media chumming the waters, but is does seem like every article is gearing NHL fans up for war rather than a hockey game.

The series is being called a “crucible” and a “vendetta”, and journalists in both cities are goading the other to “bring it”.

Everybody knows that hockey is a physical game. That’s what we love about it, but it’s the playoffs, and in the playoffs everything gets taken up a notch.

Add a media feeding frenzy, a few accusations and two teams that have hated each other for quite some time, and we might be dealing with a few unwarranted Steve Downie-esque hits to talk about after this conference final.

And if that happens, if the series gives us “all the things we talk about not having in our game”, we’ll spend the foreseeable future wondering if some things about hockey are overly violent again.

I wonder how much playing time Steve Downie will see this weekend?

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff.