NHL Season Opening Night Wednesday Night!

It's that time again. The NHL season starts Wednesday night. A new era in national broadcasting will also take place that night.

The first game of the season will be yet another chapter in the Habs-Leafs rivalry. Remember when Colton Orr threw down George Parros in last year's season opener? Who knows what will happen Wednesday night. This will mark the first game under the new NHL national television deal in Canada where the CBC will remain, but will have the support of the Rogers family of networks. Flames-Canucks will be their other game on Wednesday night as part of their doubleheader.

The Kings will raise yet another Stanley Cup championship banner at home on Wednesday night before their game with the Sharks (not the Shorks). The headliner of the NBCSN doubleheader that night, which will begin earlier with the Flyers/Bruins.

NFL Regular Season Returns Thursday (Includes the Ongoing Fight for the Bills)

Lost amid the US Open, pennant races, the college football season and this year's FIBA World Cup for Men, the NFL regular season returns beginning Thursday night.

The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks will open up their season on NBC Thursday night against the Packers. ESPN will once again have a Monday night doubleheader, headlined by the Chargers and Cardinals. Last year's 9-7 playoff team against last year's 10-6 and missed the playoffs. The better Monday night game, not the 7pm Eastern game of mediocrity.

In other NFL news, Bills found three successors to the late Ralph Wilson: among those are the Sabres' principal owner and of course Jon Bon Jovi, with Rogers (the Toronto-based telco) as backers and they want the team to stay in Buffalo, or will we take their word if they win the bidding. We'll see.

AFL Premiership 2013 Begins Friday!

The long road to September begins for 18 clubs in the Australian Football League.

This weekend is the AFL Premiership 2013 by Toyota season opener. The defending premiers Swans will open their 2013 campaign against Greater Western Sydney.

The first match of the 2013 season will pit the Crows against the Bombers at Football Park on Friday night, live on 7.

In the US, AFL telecasts from 7 and Foxtel are on Fox Soccer Plus, beginning with the Western Derby on early Saturday (go Eagles)!

New faces in new places, gonna be an interesting season.

NFL Regular Season Returns This Wednesday!

The NFL is back, and this year's kickoff night has moved from Thursday to Wednesday due to Obama's speech on Thursday in Charlotte. Pretty stupid.

Super Bowl champion Giants will host the Cowboys on a busy NYC night that will also see action across the river at Flushing Meadows with the U.S. Open.

Speaking of the U.S. Open, Sunday's men's final will headline a day on CBS marked by early NFL regional action, including the AFC champion Patriots, and the debut of #1 draft pick Andrew Luck as the Colts are in Chicago. Fox will have the round 1 doubleheader, with the 49ers/Packers as the headlining match.

ESPN will carry a doubleheader on Monday night to mark its 26th year of live NFL football-with the Ravens/Bengals and the late game with the Chargers/Raiders.

CBS will carry the Super Bowl this year, as the big game returns to the Superdome for the first time since the last second thriller at Super Bowl XXXVI.

NFL Sunday Ticket will return on DIRECTV at the lowest price.

So there you have it, and to all those involved in the fantasy games this season, good luck!

NHL 2011-12 Season Begins Thursday!

Could the Bruins repeat?

New challenges for the 2011-12 NHL season. As you all know by now, Winnipeg is back, because the new owners purchased the Thrashers and moved them up there. As a result, for the first time since '99-00 season, no NHL hockey in Atlanta (or no ice hockey of some sort at the moment). The NEW Jets will play in the East, just like the Thrashers were from 2000 until 2011.

The new Jets will kick start the NHL's return to Winnipeg on Sunday against the Habs. The game will be on NHL Network. Those in the border regions of the US with a CBC affiliate can be able to watch the game. The Jets will then take on the original Jets on October 15, and it will also be nationally on CBC.

The defending Stanley Cup champions Boston Bruins will kick start the 2011-12 season as they host the Flyers Thursday night. Live on Versus.

The defending West champions Vancouver Canucks will start their season as they host the Pens Thursday night, and will be live on Versus cable and free-to-air on CBC.

So there you have it folks...