Consequently, last night was brutal for me. It started with watching the Buins' biggest rival, the Montreal Canadiens, win, then seeing the Chicago Blackhawks sweep the Wild. Hoping to end the day on a better note I watched USA vs. Belarus in the World Championships ... and we lost ... to Belarus.
Belarus!
Apparently the hockey gods are in cruel/point-and-laugh mood this year.
Anyway, between the Blackhawks and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA I've been thinking about teams you never want to face in the postseason. Sure, it changes over time, but it's just amazing to me how some teams/programs always seem to be a nightmare to face when the most on the line.
A lot of that is coaching and character, but here's my list of teams that have that status (feel free to tweet me at @CrimsonWalsh to make your own case):
NBA: For me it was the Spurs, who I would never count out until they took the fourth loss in a series, and then would still wait until after the postgame press conferences. Now I think it's up for grabs. The Warriors? The Cavaliers? We'll see.
NCAA basketball: Michigan State
NCAA hockey: North Dakota
NHL: The Los Angeles Kings had this distinction, but since they didn't make the playoffs this year it's the Blackhawks. When goalie Corey Crawford is on, like he was against the Wild, the Hawks are very, very tough to beat.
MLB: San Francisco Giants
NFL: New England Patriots
NCAA football: North Dakota State
Ok, I want to say it's Alabama, which earned the status during the BCS era, but I think we're going to have to wait a while to see if it's still true during the playoff era. Anyone who is overlooking Nick Saban, though, is making a huge mistake.
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