Sport and Cinema.com

The 14-2 Colts, ending their fine year with a 31–17 Super Bowl XLIV will use the same formula for success this year, despite some personnel changes. Behind the arm and mind of four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning is a feeble running game of Joseph Addai and Donald Brown (32nd-ranked).

But it is through the air Indianapolis makes their mark. Led by Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, the offensive line allowed a franchise-low 13 sacks and management picked up some younger and bigger bodies to continue in that mode. Manning’s receiving corps of Reggie Wayne, one of the game’s best, and youngsters Pierre Garçon and Austin Collie is a talented trio. Of course, tight end Dallas Clark is highly productive.

This is the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Orlando Magic, two worthy groups of talented players to determine the best TEAM in professional basketball. The hype of “Kobe vs. LeBron” doesn’t work just like “Kobe vs Dwight” doesn’t work. While they are their team’s respective leaders, Bryant and Howard don’t face each other in direct mano-a-mano competition for 48 minutes like a hardwood version of Ali vs. Frazier. They play different positions in a team game. Having said that it may still come down to how the respective opposing defenses handle these two stars. But there are a lot more contributing factors involved.

That’s right the former Defensive Player of the Year and holder of the NFL’s single season sack record is back into football.

One of the team leaders that helped the New York Giants win Super Bowl XLII, Strahan will co-star in a new half-hour comedy about a former NFL hot shot who learns that even though you can always go home again, the trip back might be tougher than you think.

The Lakers, after a surprisingly testy series that went the distance against Houston, now have a short turnaround, unlike their Jazz series, and face a hot and well-rested Denver Nugget team starting tonight in Los Angeles.

The late Chick Hearn, longtime voice of the Lakers, must be going crazy in hoop heaven.

Of his many phrases that describe any element of play for a given moment, the most apt for the Lakers as they head into today’s showdown with the Rockets would be- ‘defense on vacation’, ‘my grandmother could guard him, and she can’t go to her left’, or ‘they couldn’t beat the Sisters of Mercy’

It has been over a dozen years since Houston has advanced past the first round of the playoffs and it won’t get any easier tonight as they begin their Western Conference semifinal series in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

The Rockets defeated Portland at home on Thursday taking the series in six games to advance, whereas the Lakers beat Utah in five games clinching it last Monday. No game action for Los Angeles in a week may play to Houston’s favor who will take any advantage they can after being swept 4-0 in their season series against the Lakers.

Lou Piniella hopes to erase the early exit from the first round of the playoffs to the Dodgers and with much the same lineup that led the national league in runs scored, walks, slugging and on-base percentage, the Cubs are poised to win a third straight central crown.