Bill Simonson, a Detroit Red Wings writer for MLive.com, is begging for you to feel sorry for his club. The Red Wings, a team the NHL has almost entirely based their future realignment around, is suddenly the overlooked squad in the league. The same team that will play in its second Winter Classic on New Year's Day 2014 before other noteworthy squads even play their first. The same team that has one of its own in Brendan Shanahan ruling over NHL discipline. The same team that has won the Stanley Cup 11 times is, according to Simonson, a team without national media love or attention from the NHL.

Simonson recently penned this article explaining why he thinks Justin Abdelkader's recent two-game suspension is unfair. Granted, we use the term "article" pretty loosely here. If you scan through his rant, you'll probably find yourself laughing at his delusions. We're not here to defend the NHL discipline system (it stinks), but we will point out a mockery of the written word when we see one.

Greg Wyshynski over at Puck Daddy already tore up Simonson's work, but we'll add a few thoughts of our own. 

Abdelkader's hit was a perfect example of what should be disciplined by the NHL. The NHL blows plenty of calls, but this one they got right due to the fact Abdelkader charges across the ice and propels himself upward to hit Anaheim's Toni Lydman in the head. 

We'll let you see the hit in question for yourself.

Frivolous lawsuits are one of the top five things that are slowly ruining this great country of ours.

In related news, the people behind Dr. Phil are suing Gawker Media and Deadspin in particular for publishing information spoiling a "cliffhanger" for the second of a two-part episode involving Ronaiah Tuiasosopo.  Here's more from Yahoo:

On the night in which Reggie Miller made his return to Madison Square Garden to do Game 2 of the Pacers-Knicks series for TNT, we were given one more classic moment involving Miller and Spike Lee -- even though Reggie had no knowledge of his involvement in said moment. 

On the 18th anniversary of Miller scoring eight points in less than nine seconds to lead Indiana over New York in a playoff game at MSG, Lee videobombed Miller while he was doing an on-camera hit. Love the smirk at the end, which worked because the Knicks also won handily to tie the series. 

That short-but-sweet moment came hours after Miller tweeted this:

Since its the anniversary of the 8pts, maybe I walk by Spike tonight and give him the choke sign for old times sake...jk jk, I'm an ANGEL..

— Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) May 7, 2013

The fact that the series will automatically be coming back to New York for Game 5 means Miller could have one last chance to do so.

H/T Next Impulse Sports

All Times Eastern

College Baseball
Wofford at South Carolina -- Fox College Sports Atlantic, 7 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live -- ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

College Softball
SEC Tournament, Lexington, KY
1st Round
Alabama vs. Texas A&M -- ESPNU, 4 p.m.
Kentucky vs. South Carolina -- ESPNU, 6:30 p.m.

Cycling
Giro D'Italia
Stage 5: Cosenza-Matera -- beIN Sport, 9:30 a.m.

English Premier League
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur -- Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.

Carrie Underwood tweeted that this would be coming and it was formally made official today by NBC - she will be singing an updated version of the Sunday Night Football intro song, "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night."

SNF producer Fred Gaudelli commented in a national conference call with a mix of sports media, country music and entertainment reporters that Ms. Underwood was his only choice to replace the departed Faith Hill and in fact, was his first choice before Ms. Hill.

Wednesday, May 8

Atlanta Braves @ Cincinnati Reds (MLBN 12:30PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: Mariners @ Pirates]
Minnesota Twins @ Boston Red Sox (ESPN 7PM) TBA

Thursday, May 9

Atlanta Braves @ San Francisco Giants (MLBN 10PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: Phillies @ D-backs - 9:30pm]

Friday, May 10

Chicago Cubs @ Washington Nationals (WGNA 7PM) Len Kasper, Jim Deshaies
New York Yankees @ Kansas City Royals (MLBN 8PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: Angels @ White Sox]

Saturday, May 11

Atlanta Braves @ San Francisco Giants (MLBN 4PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: Brewers @ Reds]
Cleveland Indians @ Detroit Tigers (MLBN 7PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: Angels @ White Sox]
Los Angeles Angels @ Chicago White Sox (WGNA 7PM) Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone

Sunday, May 12

Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox (TBS 1:30PM) TBA
Chicago Cubs @ Washington Nationals (WGNA 1:20PM)
Len Kasper, Jim Deshaies
Los Angeles Angels @ Chicago White Sox (ESPN 8PM) Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, John Kruk

H/T Sammy!

The plight of long suffering Cleveland sports fans is entrenched into the fabric of American culture.  Like fast food and representative democracy.  It's a part of us all.  Every sports fan knows and empathizes with what Cleveland sports fans have lived through.  From The Fumble and The Drive to The Decision and whatever is left of the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland sports fans have suffered like none other for decades.  That's not to mention losing the Browns for a brief period of time.  And the fact that many Cleveland sports fans actually live in Cleveland.

The Browns won the last title for Cleveland's pro sports teams in 1964.  The Indians last won in 1948.  The Cavaliers have never won a title.  Next year, 30 for 30 will showcase the journey of Cleveland sports fans for the 50th anniversary of the city's last championship with filmmaker and Akron native Kris Belman, who produced More Than A Game about LeBron James and his time at St. Vincent-St. Mary.  Belman revealed the new 30 for 30 project last week on ESPN Radio in Cleveland.  Here's more from the Cleveland Plain Dealer: 

The long-reported move of the Final Four from CBS to TBS was confirmed today by CBS and Turner in a press release today. The Final Four will take place on TBS in 2014 and 2015, while the National Championship game will remain on CBS. Also, Elite Eight games will be split between the two networks from 2014 until 2024 after exclusively airing on CBS.

However, starting in 2016, the networks will alternate coverage of the Final Four and National Championship games. TBS will get the full monty in 2016, with CBS taking all three games in 2017, and so on until the contract's expiration in 2024.

Star Trek Into Darkness comes into theaters on May 17th, so what better way to promote it than an ESPN commercial starring one Stephen A. Smith?

Actually, wait. There are a gajillion better ways to promote this movie than by subjecting us to seven Screamin' Stephen A's. Although, really this commercial isn't all that special when you consider Stephen A. Smith appears on ESPN and ESPN2 at the same time multiple times a week.

Trekkies will flock to the premier regardless, but the last thing we need more of is Stephen A. Smith. Unless it's Jay Pharoah doing Stephen A. Smith that is.

Last night's Spurs-Warriors game was a true NBA playoff classic.  A game that went into double overtime and included a 16 point comeback with 4 minutes to play at the end of regulation.  A game that had the league's most exciting young superstar, Steph Curry, put up 44 and 11 while playing all 58 minutes, including a stretch of 14 points in less than 3 minutes in the third quarter.  A game that featured so many thrilling twists and turns - players fouling out, players getting sick, players you've never heard of making huge baskets (Kent Bazemore?!?!) that finally ended when Manu Ginobili hit a game winning three with just over a second left.

Last night's Spurs-Warriors game was overshadowed by a much greater, much more evil presence though.  A presence that gave millions of Americans nightmares as they laid down their heads, hopelessly searching for peace after the terror they had experienced.

The terror that is Screaming Spurs Lady.