What 2 Watch (Feb. 3-5)
February has started meaning the end of the fall sports season and the beginning of the end of the winter sports season. The Fall sports will officially end with the biggest game in sports the Super Bowl this Sunday as the Giants and Patriots face off for the Lombardi Trophy. Meanwhile winter sports are through their halfway point including the NHL. A weekend after the all-star break teams begin to look towards the playoffs in the second half with the first Hockey Night in Canada after the All-Star Break. Basketball continues to roll as the NCAA looks to the end of their season with only one month left. The condensed NBA season continues with a matchup of two of the worst teams in the NBA as both look to overcome the difficulty of playing back to back games. The lacrosse season is also in full swing with the Toronto Rock looking to defend their title against a very good Philadelphia teams. The UFC will also continue on in 2012 with UFC 143 and the interim welterweight title. In another special event Red Bull Crashed Ice continues as they move on to their second race in the World Championships. Of course some season are just beginning with the PGA Tour entering their 5th tournament with the Phoenix Open. With so much going on including the Super Bowl there is plenty to watch and The Sport Addiction is here to help you out.
NBA Basketball: Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards
The NBA season seems to be wearing on the teams as many teams begin to look more and more worn out as the back to back games take their toll. This is true for the Toronto Raptors who seem to be asleep at moments of the game but are looking to improve on their 7-16 record. They will try to do this against the 4-18 Wizards who will be looking for the same thing. The Raptors did not have many expectations this year but one thing has stood out more than others and that is the rise of Andrea Bargnani from a role player to a team leader. They will suffer in this game though as Bargnani will likely be out again which does not bode well for Toronto. The Raptors will hope to get some revenge for a 93-78 loss against the Wizards earlier in the year. The Wizards have not fared much better as they have the worst defence in the NBA allowing a league worst 107.6 points per game. That average gets worse in Toronto as they have allowed an average of 117.3 points in Toronto but will try to chip away at that average this weekend. This game will match one of the worst offences against one of the worst defences as fans will see which one breaks first.
When: Friday February 3rd
Time: 7:00 pm
Channel: TSN2
Red Bull Crashed Ice: Valkenburg, Netherlands
After one race the Red Bull Crashed Ice world championship is underway and will be moving from St. Paul Minnesota to Valkenburg, Netherlands. The second race of the series will continue the charge towards the championship and the last race in Quebec City. As of right now two Canadians are sitting at the top of the standings as Kyle Croxall and his brother Kyle Croxall sit #1 and #2 respectively after finishing in those positions in the first race. In second place sits Arttu Pihlainen from Finland who landed in second place after an interesting finish in St. Paul. The first race of the world championship finishing in dramatic fashion the second race looks to be just as good. Crashed Ice is one of the most interesting sporting events this weekend with men flying down the ice track and going over obstacles and crazy speeds. The second race will see the same craziness as the Croxall brothers look to continue their success in the world championship as Scott looks to catch up to Kyle.
When: Saturday February 4th
Time: 12:30 pm
Channel: Sportsnet One
NCAA Basketball: #15 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The NCAA Basketball begins the end of their season as only one month lies between the regular season and March Madness. The surprises have already started as well with Notre Dame coming off of a win against #1 Syracuse last week. The Irish are looking to continue the momentum that they got from beating the Orange as they have moved on to a three game win streak including a win over #19 UConn. They will take on another top ranked team as they take on Marquette in a Big East matchup. Marquette has been playing great with a special concentration on passing the ball with the 6th most assists per game. Notre Dame has a way of pulling out big wins though and beating another ranked opponent could put them in to the top 25. It is essential for both teams to continue their winning ways as the season draws to a close and both teams look to make the NCAA tournament in good standing.
When: Saturday February 4th
Time: 1:00 pm
Channel: CBS
PGA Tour: Waste Management Phoenix Open
The PGA Tour continues to move through the beginning of their season with the Waste Management Phoenix Open. With few big names in the tournament this will be an opportunity for the other competitors to put their names on the earning board. It is also an opportunity for golf fans to see one of the most unique golf courses on the tour at the TPC Scottsdale Golf Course. The Phoenix Open is regularly held at this course and is widely known for their loud and rowdy crowds. They are also known for the 16th hole that has what closely resembles stadium seating surrounding the entire hole. As fans look at the unique desert covered course the golfers will be looking to get their season’s started off right. One of the golfers to watch is Mark Wilson who won the Humana Challenge earlier this year and won the Phoenix Open last year. There are still of course a number of bigger names including Phil Mickelson who has struggled early in the season. Missing the cut in his last tournament Mickelson will be trying to get back on track and earn his 40th win on the tour. The Phoenix Open is always an interesting tournament and whether you watch for the course, the fans, or the golfers the Waste Management Phoenix Open is a good start to the PGA Tour season only 5 tournaments in. This weekend the last two rounds will be broadcast as a host of known and unknown golfers look to get on the earning board.
When: Saturday February 4th/Sunday February 5th
Time: 3:00 pm/3:30 pm
Channel: TSN
UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit
After months of uncertainty in the welterweight division a title fight will finally take place at UFC 143. With Diaz getting a title shot in 2011 and then losing it and being replaced by Condit the soap opera of the welterweight division was started. Four different fights have been made and broken before UFC 143 finally saw a title match. After Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre suffered a serious knee injury he had to pull out of the fight. This gave Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit the opportunity to win the welterweight champion. It will be the first time the welterweight championship will change hands since 2007. Diaz and Condit are two very similar fighters as they are both Jiu Jitsu practitioners who have become serious stand up fighters. The fight could be an all out war as both fighters will be looking for a quick KO. Before the welterweight title changes hands there will be a full card of great fights. This includes the return of a legend who will take on another MMA veteran. Fabricio Werdum will make his return to the UFC as he takes on The Ultimate Fighter winner and MMA veteran Roy Nelson. Another great fight on the main card will be UFC veteran Josh Koshcheck against the welterweight up and comer Mike Pierce in another standup battle. UFC 143 will have a great card that will finish with a welterweight title fight for the interim welterweight championship.
When: Saturday February 4th
Time: 6:50 pm/8:00pm/10:00 pm
Channel: Facebook/Sportsnet/Pay-per-View
NHL Hockey: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
The second half of the NHL season has started and teams begin to push for a playoff spot. The first Hockey Night in Canada after the All-Star break will feature the battle of Ontario that was on display in the All-Star Game. Ottawa and Toronto separated themselves in the All-star game with All-star team captain Daniel Alfredsson refusing to choose a Leaf player putting all of the Leafs on Team Chara. These players will meet again on Saturday as the two Ontario teams face off for the 5th time this year. The series is 3-1 in favour of the Senators and this year the series actually means something with both teams looking to take 2nd place in the Northeast Division. The Leafs are coming off of a home and home series against the Pens that saw them go 1-1 but also saw the return of James Reimer in net as the Reiminister made an impression. The Sens have ridden the great play of Milan Michalek and recent addition Kyle Turris to the 2nd place spot in the division and the 6th place spot in the East. The Leafs and Senators rivalry is in full force and with few months left both teams will be looking to gain the upper hand as they make a push to the playoffs.
When: Saturday February 4th
Time: 7:00 pm
Channel: CBC
NLL Lacrosse: Toronto Rock vs. Philadelphia Wings
The NLL season is in full swing and Toronto is looking to defend their title from last year. After four games, the Toronto Rock have made their way to a 2-2 record and second place in the Eastern Conference. This puts them behind the Philadelphia and their game this Saturday will be a chance to take over the top spot. The Philadelphia Wings will be coming off of a 13-10 win against the Buffalo Bandits as they have leaned on the ten goals of Drew Westervelt and the passing of Dan Dawson. This combination has been great for the Wings as they have gone 2-1 in their three games. The Rock are looking to earn their 3rd win after a tight game against the Calgary Roughnecks which they won 14-13 in overtime. The performance of Garrett Billings has been the difference for the Rock as he has earned the lead in every major category for the Rock with 7 goals, 13 assists and 20 points. The fastest game on two feet will be in full effect this Saturday as the Rock try to continue their title defence and the Philadelphia Wings look to end their reign.
When: Saturday February 4th
Time: 7:00 pm
Channel: TSN2
Super Bowl XLVI: New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
The Big Game is here as the biggest single game on the Sports Calendar is this Sunday when the New York Giants and New England Patriots travel to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI. The Super Bowl is always the biggest event on the sports calendar with millions of viewers tuning in to the game. Of course the NFL puts on one of the biggest sports extravaganzas with big halftime shows and a build up that lasts a full week. Of course there is still a game involved among all of the fan fare and this year seems like Déjà vu. In 2008 the New York Giants ruined the New England Patriot’s attempt at a perfect 16-0 record as they beat them in Super Bowl XLII. The last time these two teams faced one play stood out as David Tyree made a spectacular catch extended the game winning drive. This year Tyree is no longer on the team but the Giants look eerily similar to the 2008 team. The Giants depend on their running game and their defence led by a fantastic front four that includes a NASCAR Package where four defensive ends play on the line. In 2008 the Giants were the same with Michael Strahan and a young Justin Tuck leading the way to a Super Bowl win. The New England Patriots are not so similar with the 31st ranked defence that was unlike the 2008 defence. They do still have one of the best offences in the league led by Tom Brady who has used his two Tight Ends to perfection tearing up defences along the way. The Pats will be looking to get revenge for their only Super Bowl loss since Bill Belichick took over and will be looking for revenge for their loss earlier in the season. With both teams on a collision course every sports fan should be glued to the TV to watch the big game.
When: Sunday February 5th
Time: 6:30 pm
Channel: CTV/NBC
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