The Pittsburgh Penguins, although flightless like their arctic cousins, have little else in common.  The Pittsburgh species is capable of great speed and agility. They're highly aggressive, and hostile toward all other colonies that wear skates and carry hockey sticks.

Yes, the aforementioned Pittsburgh Penguins are on a mission, but instead of feeding on krill, squid, and other assorted sea creatures, these predators are devouring hockey teams on their quest to win the Stanley Cup.

The Marching Penguins. (NHLI via Getty Images)

The New York Islanders fought hard, but succumbed in six games.  It was the Penguins' resiliency and determination that made a big difference in that series.  It seemed like every time the Islanders scored a big goal, Pittsburgh would respond with a goal of their own. In fact, they did that five times within about two minutes of an Islanders' goal.

Unlike New York, many of Pittsburgh's players had been there before, including several  from the 2009 Stanley Cup Championship team.

The next meal for the hungry Penguins? The Ottawa Senators, but the Penguins aren't being quite as patient with them.

I have been watching, perhaps out of morbid curiosity, the Pittsburgh Penguins in round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs, swallowing the Ottawa Senators like so much krill. As I observe the slaughter, I’m reminded of my world history class when we studied the sacking of Rome in 455 AD.  But instead of the Vandals routing the outmatched Romans, it was the Penguins last seen running amok in the streets of Ottawa.  

With Thomas Vokoun restoring order in the Pittsburgh nets, Game 1 was decided by which team would be more stubborn, physically. Clutching, hacking, grabbing, slashing, shoving, spearing, flying elbows, and rude insults.

Unlike the series against New York, which featured breathtaking rushes up and down the ice, this series opened with physicality that would make an Ultimate Fighter cringe.  Ottawa went into the series knowing they could not out-skate Pittsburgh. So they went with Plan B, which worked well against Montreal, who they dispatched in six games.  Ottawa dished out a brawny 26 hits to the Penguins, but the adaptive Penguins threw 40 hits of their own for a total of 66 hits combined.

Hey, where are the ice bags?  Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs!

Brooks Orpik is an angry Penguin. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

Game 2 was played under the deafening roar that either was fed by, or inspired by Sidney Crosby.  “Sid the Kid” notched his second career playoff hat trick and was aided by a strong performance by the suddenly rejuvenated Tomas Vokoun who sent the fans into a frenzy after a spectacular save on a Cory Conacher breakaway.  And if that was not enough to fuel an ear-splitting roar, the suffocating, time-eating offensive zone shift that Pittsburgh employed over the waning minutes of the game was plenty.  That keep away strategy employed by head coach Dan Bylsma, killed off chunks of a half-minute or more as the clock wound down, and enabled the Senators only one shot over the final eight minutes of the game.

Special teams were once again an advantage for the Penguins who notched two PP goals and one shorthanded, which was the difference in Pittsburgh's 4-3 win.

As far as the goal-tending goes, the Penguins sent Craig Anderson to the bench early in the second period and was replaced by Robin Lehner who was outstanding. Vokoun, on the other hand, let in a couple goals that he would normally stop, but shook those off and came up huge when it counted.

Game 3?  Can anybody say the word ‘titillating?’ In a Stanley Cup play, double overtimes are not uncommon but how this game got there was.  Tomas Vokoun was part whirling dervish, a bit of Houdini and a whole hunk of brick wall as he stopped 46 shots over almost five periods of play.

The intense, ferocious checking game was up for grabs throughout, and Vokoun was out dueled by Craig Anderson who made one more critical save than the Penguin's goalie.  The sting of 2-1 loss for the Penguins will be lessened by the inspired play of their net minder.  If Vokoun duplicates that performance, the visiting Penguins would surely return home with a 3-1 series lead.

So as you'd expect, Game 4 was not a site for squeamish Ottawa fans. If the Scotiabank Place were a cruise ship, the women and children would have been scrambling for the lifeboats while being serenaded by to the tune of “Danny Boy.”

Senator goalie Craig Anderson could not match his Game 3 performance, and in fact was banished to the bench by Pittsburgh’s third period offensive barrage.  The awakening of two snipers that had been quiet in the first three games bolstered the Penguins.  Jerome Iginla and James Neal emerged from their unaccustomed dormant state for two goals each.  A three-goal bust with less than two minutes to go saw Anderson driven to the pines, and the only question was who would turn off the lights.  That would be Iginla, who buried a slap shot while on a PP for the seventh goal and the capstone of a 7-3 win, and a 3-1 series lead for the marching Penguins.

If Pittsburgh keeps up their offensive thrust, I guess Game 5 could be compared to the prospects of a certain team led by one George Armstrong Custer at Little Big Horn.

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Mike Romano with A View From the Mic

Essentially, it annoyed people.

Adam Scott and his....belly putter! (Reuters)

The god-forsaken belly putter was a big enough deal that they had to get rid of it. As of Jan 1, 2016. Rule 14-1b now bans the anchoring of long putters and belly putters against the body. This won't actually ban long putters though, just the practice of anchoring them against the body. Four of the last six majors have been won by players using a belly putter - including Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Ernie Els, and the latest green jacket winner - Adam Scott. 

Think what you want, but the belly putter is gone. I say what the hell. Why stop there? Let's ban all things that annoy us in sports. There's a heap of other irritating elements in its wide world of existence. I'll do everyone the honor of starting of a list. And in honor of the belly putter, I'll try to keep it rational. 

In game interviews with coaches.
I mean come on, these are just plain stupid. Not only does it remove the mystery of watching a professional sporting event on TV, it distracts the coaches from being able to focus on the game. I guess the only argument would be that television viewers get in-depth information and key insights from the coaches on the game. Oh wait..

The flop. After watching Lebron James in this playoffs, no more. It's just sad the best player since MJ is allowed to flop. I mean come on, flopping? Above all else, the term flopping just sounds like it should be illegal. Get rid of it already. It's flopping!

NBA on TNT. I'm almost okay with this because they don't seem to take themselves seriously either. But still should go.

Jim Rome's Twitter account. I'll let the Tweet below do the talking. Check out his Twitter, it won't take you long to get a cheap laugh or two.

The entire sport of Spanish Bullfighting. Okay seriously, this sport is just stupid. It's cruel to animals (normally fatal for the Bull), and is extremely dangerous for the matadores.

The net behind home plate. Talk about a genius way to lower premium ticket prices for broke-ass college students! It'll put younger fans in the stands that are paying more attention to the game, and provides plenty more souvenirs. And what do fans love most? Free souvenirs.

Bud Selig, David Stern, Gary Bettman. Roger Goodell is cool for now. But when it rains it pours, so look out Roger.

The NBA Celebrity All-Star Game. I got this suggestion from my friend Bruce. Good enough for me.

Popcorn in the concession stands. Too difficult for stadium crews to clean up.

Vuvuzelas. They sound annoying..

Any more?

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A View From the Mic by Keegan Goudie

So, let's have some fun. Let's get a liquored up bar stool argument rolling. This is the kind of list that guys who live and die for box scores will chew on for hours.

Just what do I have in mind? A lineup of the 12 most dynamic, energizing, and enjoyable baseball players I've ever seen - going back to my misspent youth. Keep in mind, I was the only reporter on site when Grant and Lee settled the tabs at Appomattox, so this covers seven different decades. God that hurts. 

For openers, let's talk about who didn’t make the cut.

The "Iron Man" doesn't quite make my cut. (Karl Merton Ferron/ The Baltimore Sun)

Cal Ripken
Too stoic, too methodical. His consecutive games streak tells me he played far too long, and actually hurt the Orioles rather than helped them.

Carlton Fisk
The ultimate Connecticut Yankee. He conspired with Tony La Russa to make the average ballgame last four hours.

Frank Thomas
I'm usually big on numbers, and The Hurt's numbers were sizzling. But he never created that "must see" feeling for me.

Alex Rodriguez
In reality, how many tickets has Madonna's boy toy peddled? Do people riot on your block to see A-Rod play ball?

So without further ado - here are the top 12 baseball players that really rattled my cage.

12. Ron Santo
Mike Royko, the superb and heroic Chicago columnist, had a line about Santo that was a masterpiece: "This guy gets so dirty playing ball, he washes his hands before he goes to the bathroom."

11. Dave Parker
The almighty Cobra was an enormous physical presence. Parker was the kind of ballplayer who'd keep you in the yard during a 12-2 blowout just to see him get one more trip to the plate. That's saleability.

10. Barry Bonds
So what if his cap size went from 6 3/4 to an 8 in roughly 20 minutes? The guy was mesmerizing. Forget about the long ball, Bonds stole 30 bases eight times and won seven Gold Glove awards. He may well be, so help me Balco - the greatest position player of all time.

9. Mariano Rivera
The cutter, the stoic expression, the domination. Once this eternal Yankee leaves the game, Bud Selig has an obligation to create a "Mariano Rivera Award" for some kind of pitching excellence. Starter? Reliever? It doesn't make a damn bit of difference. Mariano needs to be recognized in bronze on an annual basis.

8. Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose was about swagger and defiance. He was the seventh grader who told his science teacher to buzz off. Remember when he clobbered Ray Fosse to lift the N.L. over the A.L. in the 1970 All Star Game? It’s a glorious reminder of when the game was played for real. Rose has to look at today's brand of baseball and think it’s a game of scrabble. See for yourself.

7. Robbie Alomar
I forgave him long ago for spitting on umpire John Hirschbeck. Arguably, he rates a notch below Barry Bonds as the most complete ballplayer in the bigs over the past 30 years.

6. Mickey Mantle
You marveled at his every step, his every at bat. Blessed with Herculean skills, his average homer traveled about 460 feet. Everything the Mick did including after hours binge drinking, was done "big." He established the modern major league record for most games played while completely hungover.

5. Roberto Clemente
So complete, so natural. The greatest right field arm in MLB history. A living, breathing gazelle and a tremendous "bad ball " hitter.

4. Sammy Sosa
Who cares what he was digesting or injecting? Sammy played to the crowd, and he was an absolute showman. He made scalpers a bundle. Who could ask for anything more?

Slammin' Sammy put bums in the bleachers. (Chicago Tribune)

3. Luis Aparicio
Still the greatest defensive shortstop I've ever seen. Went to the hole like nobody else ever has. "Leetle Louie" saved White Sox pitchers 250 extra hits on an annual basis.

2. Reggie Jackson
"Buck Tater Ball" lived for the big stage. Back to back to back home runs in the Yankees' close out World Series win in '77 will always be his museum piece. Jackson's charisma demanded your attention.

1. Dick Allen
The best base runner I've ever seen. Brooding charisma. I loved the long gone Sports Illustrated cover of Dick puffing on a cigarette in the White Sox dugout.

So as they say in the trade, let the argument begin. 

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Chet Coppock

1. Dick Butkus
2. Wilber Marshall
3. Lance Briggs
4. Brian Urlacher
5. Mike Singletary
6. Bill George
7. George Connor
8. Otis Wilson
9. Doug Buffone

There's six Bears linebackers enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Brian Urlacher will be the seventh.

I know you've learned a tough lesson Brian, but the NFL has never bothered to hire a Sympathy Director. If you can't go side-to-side, drop back in coverage, or blitz with authority - teams figure you may as well be a seven man blocking sled, a tackling dummy, or a burned out pair of shoulder pads.

How many clubs rejected your overtures? How many answered your agent's calls?

Bye, Bye, Brian. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Be honest, Brian. You thought you could win a game of "salary chicken" against Bears GM Phil Emery by knockout. You thought you could steal a 14th year in Chicago, didn't you? After all, you pouted your way to a massive slice of new money back in 2008, and the Bears just couldn't say no to you. But now they did, in bold type.

Emery laughed at you in 2013. He offered you a contract with a base that didn't qualify as parking meter change in your lofty standards.

So you left in a huff - angry, hurt, and dismayed that Soldier Field was no longer your turf. Trust me kid, you aren't the first.

Hey, you're Brian Urlacher. You had 19 tackles and forced a fumble that led to a Charles Tillman touchdown in that epic Monday Nighter against Arizona back in 2006. It was a night for the ages, a game for the scrapbook, and a performance that ranks just a notch below Gale Sayers scoring six touchdowns against the 49ers in 1965.

You're Brian Urlacher. For about two hours you won the heart of Paris Hilton. But Brian, I've got to be frank with you. If you're expecting to receive the same kind of treatment that Dick Butkus receives, guess again.

Butkus' stature in retirement has been an Indy car cruising at 240 mph. Dick's "status" growth has never had time for a lunch break, and the guy is beloved by four different generations. "Crunch" is a living, breathing, gridiron legacy. You were just a tremendous football player. Dick worked to hone his verbal skills, and he sold Miller beer products on TV until it came out his nose. But forty years and numerous sitcoms, movies, and endorsements later - Butkus is still in demand.

Need a guy to pitch barbecues? Call Dick, and bring money.

Butkus had a rare gift that most people just don't possess. This unmatched football beast was willing to laugh at himself. He had no issues with self deprecatory humor. Brian, that just isn’t your bag. You know it, I know it, and the guy in Section 442, Row 13 knows it.

Urlacher racked up 13 seasons in the NFL and a bundle of awards. Is his mantle big enough to hold honors recognizing his rookie brilliance, his defensive player of the year selections, and his eight trips to the Pro Bowl?

It's only natural to assume that your retirement would feature bells, whistles, the return of the Honey Bears, and a smiling George McCaskey, the Bears latest Board Chairman, talking about "just how much you did to help us hustle jerseys and bobble head dolls."

No dice. Frankly, I wouldn't want much to do with you if I'm the McCaskeys. You the slammed the door on us. By the way, the Bears have already forgotten your bold "Win one for the Gipper" statement about lying to stay in a ballgame even if you knew that you had sustained a concussion. That's old news.

I will miss the mutual respect that Brett Favre and Brian Urlacher had for each other. They shared a common bond - a desire to play every game like the seventh game of the World Series.

So, just what does Brian Urlacher plan to do for the next 40-plus years? You can only play so many rounds of golf before three-putt greens leave you brain dead. And don’t even think about coaching. Can you imagine Urlacher sitting in a cramped cubicle going over game film at 1:45 am?

Television? Brian isn't verbal enough to be a color announcer. Plus, I'd have long thoughts about Brian spending 16 hours per week memorizing numbers and passer ratings. That doesn't preclude a continued association with Fox-32. Urlacher has never been Steve McMichael or Michael Keller Ditka on Sunday night newscasts. But time out - Lou Canellis has always been able to drag decent material out of a very unquotable player. That's a tribute to sweet Lou, a remarkably underrated sports anchor.

So let's put the baby to bed. Expect the let down, pal. As June rolls into July, you will feel a loss of identity. You will yearn for the locker room laughter. When the Bears open the regular season, just avoid the TV at all costs.

This doesn't make you abnormal. Every football player goes through the same emotional barbed wire. Good luck, 54.

You sure as hell were fun to watch.

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Chet Coppock

Chris Sale is proving the critics wrong this season. (Jerry Lai, USA Today Sports)

Clayton Kershaw, LHP (Dodgers)
At just 25 years of age, Kershaw already has collected 65 wins. To display just how good a pitcher he is, Kershaw is the only pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball who has a career ERA of 2.70 in his first 1,000 innings pitched since 1920. Now if only the Dodgers had a better team behind him.

Matt Harvey, RHP (Mets)
Harvey might not be the best pitcher in baseball yet, but he certainly is the most exciting. No pitcher has taken control of Mets fans’ imagination like Harvey has since the mid-80s when Dwight Gooden was pitching in Shea Stadium.

Patrick Corbin, LHP (Diamondbacks)
Corbin just might be baseball’s best kept secret. In just 25 career starts, the 23-year-old southpaw has already won 31 games. What amazes scouts the most is the control this kid has had such a young age.

Matt Moore, LHP (Rays)
At just 23 years of age, Moore is already breaking some of David Price’s team records. After shutting down the Orioles this past Sunday, Moore became baseball’s first 8-game winner. He’s now the youngest lefty to start the season 8-0 since Babe Ruth did it way back in 1917 at the age of 22.

Chris Sale, LHP (White Sox)
With a power fastball and a slider that might be the best out pitches in baseball, this 24-year-old lefty makes the list. Some of the so called experts thought last year might have been a fluke, but after the first two months of this season, nobody is thinking that way anymore.

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Brought to you by Del Yates