Three Thoughts: Rangers, Phil, Jets and I'm Back From Vegas

Sorry for the lack of updates on the blog, but I was on a mini-vacation to Las Vegas. Fear not, because I'm back with three sports-related thoughts for you:

1. The ending to the Rangers' season was about as brutal as it gets. 82nd game and the shootout. Tough way to be sent home. The Rangers' problem all season was scoring and in that final game, the issue came to a head. I watched this game from Lagasse's Stadium/Sports Book in the Palazzo. It was one of the nicest places to watch a game--though it will always be soured a bit by what I saw there (and the rude hostess who refused to turn on the game). I don't think the Rangers were going to go anyplace in the playoffs. But the chance to beat the Devils (AGAIN) in the playoffs was one that I was looking forward to. Let's hope this off-season leads to some retooling of the team and the end to the Wade Redden and Michael Rozsival eras on Broadway. Maybe even the Sather era too...(hopefully)
2. Las Vegas loved Phil. Watching the Masters from Vegas was interesting because of the betting interest vs. the rooting interest. I'm not sure which way most of these people were leaning, but they all seemed to love Lefty. Tiger got cheers as did the rest of the pack--but no one got the roars form the crowd quite like Mickelson. People may have had rooting/betting interest in Lee Westwood, Anthony Kim or Fred Couples, but no one seems to have won golf fan's hearts and wallets combined quite like Phil Mickelson. Especially now with Tiger's public demotion.
3. The Jets are pretty large favorites. As soon as the Santonio Holmes trade came across the ESPN screen, the Mandalay Bay sports book jumped the Jets odds to win the Super Bowl to 6-1. The only team better than the Jets were the Colts at 5-1. The Jets were very close last year and the odds makers seem to be taking the flurry of off-season moves as the push they need to get over the top. They should be a better team, but the 2nd best team in the NFL? Or the second-most-likely team to win the Super Bowl? I'm not sure yet.

I am now back, refreshed and ready to blog. I'll throw up something on the Yankees today and hopefully last night's LOST as well a bit later. I miss the bright lights of Vegas but it's time to get back to blogging...and rooting for my baseball bets--the Brewers to win the NL Central, the Braves and Rockies to make the NLCS...with the Rockies hopefully winning and losing to the Yankees in the World Series. Picture above is taken from my Blackberry (sorry, a little blurry) from the Mix Lounge in THEhotel at Mandalay Bay.