Hopefully history will repeat itself.

I know it's a bit premature to put the Detroit Red Wings back in the Stanly Cup finals, however with a 3-1 series lead against the Chicago Black Hawks, and the Pittsburgh Penguins sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes, the chances of the Penguins and Redwings meeting in the finals for a second straight year look promising to say the least. If that happens, I hope history will repeat itself. Before anyone questions my loyalty to the Penguins let me tell you why.

Tell me if this one sounds familiar. A team lead by a couple of young budding superstars tear through the NHL play-offs, loosing just two games on the way to their first Stanley Cup finals, only to be brought crashing back down to earth, dominated by a veteran NHL team loaded with play-off proven talent. The next season, this same team is led back to the play-offs by their young superstars. After a grueling seven game, second round battle with one of their fiercest rivals, they quickly run through the conference championship series on their way back to the cup finals, a rematch with the same team that sent them home empty handed the year before.

No this is not the story of the 08-09 Pittsburgh Penguins it is the story of the 83-84 Edmonton Oilers. In the 1982-83 season the Gretzky and Messier led Oilers finished the regular season with 111 points, second only to the three time defending cup champion New York Islanders. In the playoffs the Oilers were unstoppable, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 3-1, Calgary Flames 4-1, and sweeping the Chicago Black Hawks 4-0. The Stanley Cup finals would be a different story though as the Oilers were over matched. The best of seven series would last just four games and the Islanders would raise the Stanley Cup for the fourth time is as many years. In 1984 the Oilers would post 119 points in the regular season. In the Play-offs the Oilers would sweep the Winnipeg Jets in round one but would face their toughest challenge in a second round battle with the much-hated Calgary Flames, winning the series 4-3 before sweeping the Minnesota North Stars 4-0. The sweep of the North Stars set up a rematch with the now four time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders. The Oilers would win game one 1-0 only to get run out of the building in game two 6-1. Games three, four, and five would shift to Edmonton Coliseum, and prove to be the end of the Islanders run of consecutive championships. The Islanders would be out scored in the final three games by a combined score of 19-6. That would be the first of five Stanley Cup championships the Oilers would win in a span of seven years.

This years Penguins struggled early in the regular season, but the team has had a similar run in the post season to that of the 83-84 Oilers. Weather or not the Crosby and Malkin led Penguins can do this year what the Gretzky and Messier led Oilers did in 1984 remains to be seen. Even if they do, will they be able to maintain that level of success in the world of salary caps and high dollar free agency? I’m not sure, but hopefully Crosby can live up to his nickname, as "The Next One" and history will repeat itself.

Why the NFL should reinstate Michael Vick…Well Maybe.

I am by no means a fan of Michael Vick. I thought he was an over hyped, slightly faster version of Kordell Stewart. I truly believe the future of the Atlanta Falcons is brighter with Matt Ryan under center. However I have decided to go against my beliefs and try to forge a convincing argument as to why Michael Vick should be allowed a second chance to play football in the NFL.

Reason 1: He has paid his debt to society.

Ok I’ll be honest this is one of the few times I feel a pro-athlete is honestly be treated like everyone else, if not being made an example of. Michael Vick served 19 months in a federal prison, had to return 20 million to the Atlanta Falcons for violating his contract, and one million deposited in an escrow account to care for confiscated dogs. He was then forced to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy. In contrast Ray Lewis was indicted for the stabbing murders of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar in 2000. The murder charges were dropped and Lewis pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in exchange for testifying against his two companions on the night in question. Ray received one year of probation, no suspension from the league, and was fined $250.000. While the fine was, at the time, the highest in league history it seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the millions that Vick has lost, and possibility will never be able to earn.

Reason 2: Allow Vick the opportunity to prove that he has learned his lesson.

In America there are two things we want from our celebrities number one is to watch them fall, but number two is to see if they can rise from the ashes back to stardom. It seldom happens, but if a team out there is willing to take a chance on Vick, and bring all that baggage that comes with him I say let them do it. Teams still sign T.O. (Before anyone freaks out I’m not comparing Vick to T.O. I’m just saying teams are sometimes willing to accept baggage if they believe the risk is worth the reward.) Hey now there’s an idea maybe Buffalo should sign Vick. Vick to T.O. in Buffalo! Say what you will but it would be the most attention the Bills have had since Jim Kelly was throwing passes to Andre Reed.

Reason 3: This is America the land of second chances.

Think of all the celebrities that have gotten a second chance. Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, Ron Artest, R. Kelly, Britney Spears, hell we even had to give Bill Clinton a second chance. Not because he cheated on his wife, but because the best he could do was Monica Lewinsky! Really? JFK had Marilyn Monroe couldn’t Bill have at least bagged Madonna? Everyone else has. The bottom line is if Michael Bay is allowed to make Transformers 2, then Michael Vick should be allowed to play football again.