(Photo Credit: NHL)

Taking a break from football with hockey and basketball

We’re nearing the time of the year when it pays to watch hockey. And why not start with the NHL’s big weekend?

The NHL’s All-Stars compete in St. Louis on Saturday night. It’s Metropolitan Division vs. Atlantic at 8:15 p.m. and Pacific vs. Central at 9:15 p.m. NBC will be showing these Ice Capades.

Start the weekend off with the NBA. The Los Angeles Clippers, No. 3 in the Western Conference, visit the Miami Heat, No. 2 in the Eastern Conference. Watch it on ESPN on Friday night at 8 p.m.

Down a level in the colleges, peek in at No. 15 Kentucky vs. No. 18 Texas Tech on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN. On Sunday, check out Indiana, coming off its upset of No. 11 Michigan State, as the unranked Hoosiers are hosts to No. 17 Maryland, another Big Ten opponent. CBS shows the game at 1 p.m.

We’re still a week from Super Bowl LIV and the Pro Bowl is a poor substitute, but it resembles a football. Sort of. It’s live from Orlando on Sunday at 3 p.m., with ABC/ESPN presenting. Imagine what quarterback Lamar Jackson, one of 13 Baltimore Ravens selected to play, can do in a game without blitzes and really tackling.

Tiger Woods is back on the golf course, playing in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Will he make the cut and play Saturday and Sunday? If he does, you’ll want to watch. He shot a 3-under 69 in the first round Thursday and was in a tie for 21st place. CBS takes you to the course on both days at 3 p.m.

Interesting variety this weekend. Enjoy it.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman