This is playoff hockey!

How can you not get excited watching this game? Flyers vs Capitals, starting the 3rd period as I type, tied 2-2. Ovechkin's scored, Philadelphia is trying to avoid blowing (another) 3-1 series lead. This is one heck of a game so far, both teams want it badly. The Caps killed off a nearly 2 minute long 5 on 3, and a 4 minute long power play in total in the first period. So much drama! And there's controversy, too, the Flyers' second goal was on a very, very borderline non-call when Capitals' goalie Cristobal Huet was knocked out of the play by his own teammate. It appeared that a Flyers' defenseman knocked him down, but the referee did not agree.

While I'm live-blogging, it's 2-2 Yankees vs Chicago White Sox right now. Jason Giambi hit a home run! Are you as shocked as I am? Last I checked, Jose Contreras is not Mike Timlin (though he's not much better).

The Hornets are killing Dallas, too. Thank you for taking Jason Kidd off our hands, Cuban! Devin Harris isn't a top point guard yet, but he's probably as good as Kidd is now, and he's also younger, cheaper, and less whiny. Kidd has 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 99-79 game. Chris Paul has abused him all season long. I know I should root for Kidd to win his championship, but not now. He quit on the Nets this year. I'm no fan of his right now.

Toronto up 2 against Orlando right now. Can't say I really care all that much, but it looks like a heck of a turnaround, as Orlando was up 17 after the first quarter. Whoever wins has a fighter's chance against Detroit (or Philly), but the Pistons should beat whoever wins. That's, of course, if they get past the feisty 76ers, who won game one of the series. Philadelphia is young and hungry, but Detroit will step up their play and take them out. As good as Philadelphia is, Detroit is more talented and more experienced.

As for the Hank Steinbrenner mini-breakdown, what can I say? Brian Cashman and the Yankees organization have a plan for Chamberlain to get him to only increase his innings incrementally, so he doesn't get hurt. If Hank doesn't understand that, that's a shame. It should not be hard to understand, unless Hank is just that knee-jerk in his reactions that he forgets these things and wants to win now. Either way, the Yankees are handling Joba just fine. His future is as a starter, and that future should start in a few months, and we can finally phase Mike Mussina out of the rotation. That assumes that Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy get their seasons turned around. Both have started off with ERAs above 8, but both are talented enough to pitch much better. If not, then maybe one will go back to AAA eventually. That would be very tough to see because both pitchers have plenty of talent, especially Hughes, but if their ERAs are this high in another month, then it's time to consider other options.