There’s lots of excitement in the sports world in the next few days.

Let’s start with the CONCACAF Gold Cup™ 2011.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup™ is the biennial nations championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean, and is the confederation’s premier event. The Gold Cup evolved from a series of championships in the region dating back to 1941. It began in its current structure in 1991. At times, the CONCACAF championship also served as a qualifier for the World Cup, but since its inception, the Gold Cup has been an independent championship irrespective of other tournaments. However, once every four years, the winner of the Gold Cup serves as the region’s entrant to the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Initially an eight-team event, the Gold Cup finals have grown into a 12-nation championship with countries qualifying from the three regions of CONCACAF, North America, Central America (UNCAF) and the Caribbean (Caribbean Football Union). The tournament features the best players from the region, and between 1996- 2005 included guest teams from South America, Africa and Asia. Mexico has won the most titles, five, one more than the United States. Canada claimed the remaining crown. From a relatively modest 40,000 that witnessed the first Gold Cup final at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1991, when the United States outlasted Honduras on penalties 4:3, the Gold Cup has grown to the region’s most anticipated soccer event, routinely drawing a capacity crowds.

I won’t go into all the details as to the standings, schedule, etc. You can find all that at http://www.goldcup.org/page/GoldCup/ ; however, I will say that, yesterday, Panama ended the United States’ 26-game unbeaten streak in group play, withstanding a second-half charge to upset the Americans 2-1 and assure itself of a place in the quarterfinals . . . and that a second-half penalty kick from Dwayne De Rosario gave Canada a 1-0 victory over an undermanned Guadeloupe (also on Saturday), and revived its hopes of reaching the quarterfinals.

Canada faces Panama, and the USA plays Guadalupe, on June 14.

Today sees El Salvadore playing Cuba . . . and, more importantly for Tico fans, Costa Rica plays Mexico.

Games can be watched live at CONCACAF TV.

The NBA Championship Finals resume today.

Dallas leads the series three games to two, and can win the Championship this evening . . . which I (and almost the rest of the world) would love to see. My gut tells me, however, that the Heat will win tonight to force a game seven . . . and then, who knows what might happen!

Then, tomorrow, the NHL Stanley Cup Finals resume.

The “pundits” have predicted that Vancouver will win this series in six games. I hope (for once) the pundits are right. If I could be assured 100% that the Canucks would win game seven, I wouldn’t mind having Boston win tomorrow night and the Canucks could then win the Cup before their home-town fans. However, I will be just as happy (and I’m sure all other Vancouver fans would agree) if Vancouver closes it out tomorrow night.

Finally, I have lately been wondering about the fate of my favorite (former) Canadian Football League player – Andy Fantuz.

Fantuz is one of the best Canadian-born football players in history and has been a big reason why the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been in the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup game the last couple of years. Last year, Fantuz was the CFL’s leading receiver, grabbing 87 passes for 1,380 yards and six touchdowns, which are great stats for the relatively short CFL season.

It was just a matter of time, before the NFL sat up and took notice. Fantuz, the 2010 CFL most outstanding Canadian, was invited to six NFL tryouts in the course of four dizzying weeks in December and January, hopping flights to audition for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, as well as the Chicago Bears, with whom he signed a two-year contract.

Since then, of course, the NFL lockout has threatened the upcoming season. As things sit, right now, the Roughriders are without their star receiver and Fantuz has an NFL contract that might be moot unless the NFL dispute can be settled.

I’m excited to watch Fantuz play in the NFL; but, until the NFL labor dispute is resolved, it would be great if he could somehow come back and play for the Riders . . . but I suspect that that is not a possibility. What a shame, if Fantuz doesn’t play anywhere this year.

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