The Sports Monitor

If I see a movie trailer and don't get the plot, I just avoid it. I don't care who's the lead. I want to have an idea what I'm getting into. I saw the "After Earth" promos and despite Will Smith being in the movie, I'll pass. I had to read too much to find out what it's about. And now that it's being panned pretty much everywhere, I know I made the right choice. Maybe I'll rent it when it gets to the bargain side of the video store.

The NBA needs a villain. LeBron James and the Miami Heat fit that perfectly. People root for James to lose. They'll be rooting for the Pacers to win in Game 6 Saturday. If the Heat win, fans will be rooting for the Spurs in the NBA Finals. Me? I'm a Pacers fan. I became hooked when I lived west of Indianapolis in the mid-90s. It's probably too much to ask for the Pacers to win Game 6 and 7 to advance to the NBA Finals. Either way, I'll be cheering them on. I'll be rooting against LeBron and the Heat in the Finals, however. Sometimes, it's nice to fit in.

Cedar Point's new coaster, GateKeeper, is quite an amazing ride. It's the world's longest, tallest winged coaster. And it's worth the wait. Two-plus hours on opening day this past Saturday. I'm a coaster fan, and my oldest son is a huge fan. He couldn't wait to ride. It was a cool, brisk day, something more like a fall day instead of a spring one. But it was a blast. Here's a shot of the coaster and the new entrance to the park:

Do you still trust Marc-Andre Fleury? I don't. We'll see if the Penguins do when their Eastern Conference semifinal series starts later this week against the Ottawa Senators. But I can tell you one thing, I certainly don't want to see him in goal again. Yes, he's won a Cup. But he's cost the Penguins the past two springs in the playoffs. I don't want to see it become a third. Tomas Vokoun might not be the best goalie around, but with the players the Penguins have assembled, he doesn't need to be. The shutout of the Islanders in Game 5 was nice (Fleury also had one in Game 1), but Vokoun did enough to help the Penguins win Game 6. I'm afraid if Fleury would have played in Game 6, the Penguins would have lost. At a minimum, Vokoun should start until he puts up a Fleury-like game. Then a debate can begin. Until then, ride Vokoun.

When it comes to fantasy baseball, the regular season is all about making the right waiver wire pickups, and trading for guys at the right time. With about a month of the season in the book, some owners might be getting a bit frustrated with solid players having bad starts. So who are some of the best players to target in a trade that you could probably get for well below value? Here’s a look at three of the best options. Yovani Gallardo David Price and Matt Cain are two of the top pitchers who have struggled early, but most fantasy baseball owners will probably be smart enough to hold onto them. However, Gallardo has never truly been elite, so chances are you can trade for him without giving up a ton. The right-hander is consistent with his strikeouts and walk rate throughout his career, so despite them being out of control right now, they should return to normal. He has had a few slow starts in the past, and it might actually be a pattern for him. Adrian Beltre Owners might...