Losing to Win

euphoria -- n -- a feeling of great happiness

When the Penguins finished 2nd to the Washington Capitals in last year's draft lottery, many Caps fans thought they had finally bested the Penguins when it mattered.

But like all things between the Capitals and Penguins, an early edge quickly turns into just another defeat.

When the Board of Governors established the rules for the 2005 draft lottery, they decided that each team would start with three balls in the lottery but would lose one for each playoff appearance it had made in the past three years (only to a maximum of 2 balls) and b) (and more importantly for our discussion) one ball for having won the 1st pick in the draft over the previous four years.

So by finishing 2nd last season (and not making the playoffs in any of the past 3 seasons), the Penguins were one of four teams with 3 balls instead of being one of 12 teams (presumably the Capitals would have had an extra ball as well) with 2 balls. How this shifting probability would have impacted the 2005 NHL lottery is impossible to say, but what one can say with certainty is that the next NHL superstar -- Sidney Crosby -- is going to be a Penguin and the Caps will be picking 14th.

Making it even sweeter is the fact that some are now even suggesting that the Penguins' pick in last year's draft, Evgeni Malkin, is an even better prospect than the Capitals' pick (and first pick overall) Alexander Ovechkin.

Oh yeah, and the Rangers are picking 16th!

It's a great day for hockey... at least in Pittsburgh, if not in New York or Washington ... indeed.

A Great Ad

apercu -- n -- discerning perception; insight

I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger

They may have overplayed it.

And it was definitely conceived to push Nike merchandise.

But while watching this, I can't help but forget that. In that moment, I see myself and the kid that is still in me, and I recognize that I, like Tiger Woods, am the man that I am because of my mom and dad.

A wonderful marriage of technology, creativity, and music.

Kudos to Nike, on a great ad. Kudos to Tiger, on another great championship effort.