It's a great time to be alive

If you're an Australian sports fan with a love for American sports this time of year is always awesome. It's probably my favourite.

Here at home we have the NRL & AFL finals starting up, the Tri-Nations rugby is still on, the Spring Racing Carnival is not far off and the A-League is gathering some momentum.

Across the Pacific it's even more packed with the US Open Tennis, the start of the College Football season (ouch Oklahoma!!!), NFL, MLB pennant races happening and playoffs approaching, and NBA and NHL on the horizon. How good!!

The only pain in the ass is the time difference, but then again, if the time zones were all the same there wouldn't be enough time to take it all in.

So who is going to win??

That is something I am asked often by my sports loving brethren so I thought I'd have a crack - as much to get your thoughts and as much to see how stupid I might look down the track when everything is decided for another year. Although, I probably don't need to stick my neck out there too look stupid!

So here goes (with personal bias firmly in place):

Tri-Nations - The Springboks (pretty much already lifted the trophy)

NRL - Manly

AFL - Geelong

Cox Plate - Maldivian

Melbourne Cup - Profound Beauty

A-League - Sydney FC

MLB - Yankees

NCAA Football - Florida

NFL - New Orleans

NBA - Cleveland

NHL - Flyers

All this is without bringing into play the end of the various motor racing seasons, the Premier League in the UK and the myriad of exciting European football competitions. Damn work, can't someone just pay me to watch all of this stuff!

Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Vick has served his time

Former NFL quarterback stud Michael Vick this week finished his 23-month jail sentence for bankrolling an horrific and illegal dog fighting operation.

Vick has indicated his desire to play top level football again but he is currently under an indefinite suspension handed down before his custodial sentencing by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

His release from prison (and home detention) means Vick is now free to settle back into society and with that process should come the right to re-renter the workforce which for him would mean coming back to the NFL.

In a nutshell, Vick has served his time for this abhorrent crime and deserves a second chance. Goodell should reinstate the ex-Atlanta Falcons and Va-Tech star poste-haste and give each of the 32 clubs in the NFL the opportunity to decide if they wish to employ someone with Vick's character.

Personally if I was the GM of one of these multi-million dollar franchises I would be very hesitant to have Vick on my books (even though he was my favourite player for many years) because I believe he is too high a risk to run foul of the law again. Just my opinion. But I think each of the 32 clubs, and Vick himself, deserve the right to make that decision independently of the NFL.

If nobody picks him up, fine. But at least give him the chance. He's done his time.