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Tyshawn Taylor Suspended; Is This the End of Kansas' National Title Hopes? 

Kansas junior guard Tyshawn Taylor was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules, head coach Bill Self announced Monday. 

The 6'3" point guard will still be enrolled in the university, Self told reporters Monday, although he declined to say what the rule violation was. 

Losing Taylor seems to be a huge blow to a Jayhawk team that has looked like one of the nation's best this season, currently ranked third with a 25-2 record. He's the team's starting point guard, and while he's struggled to fill the shoes of the departed Sherron Collins, he has started all but one of KU's games to this point. 

But is it really that huge of a blow? After all, the Jayhawks' offense has sputtered at times with Taylor at the helm, and it's not as though he was lighting the world on fire. He averaged 8.8 points and 4.7 assists per game this year, better than last year but still short of the scoring mark he'd set in his freshman season. 

Taylor never quite seemed to fit Kansas' system, as his shooting percentage wasn't great, but he wasn't able to create shots for teammates, evidenced by his pedestrian assist totals. 

Plus, it's not as though the Jayhawks don't have ample talent waiting in the wings. Highly touted freshman Josh Selby has proven to be as good as advertised, averaging 10.5 points, 3.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds while splitting duty with Taylor. Sophomore Elijah Johnson doesn't have the talent Selby does, but as a backup point guard, he's efficient and effective. 

In the short term, losing Taylor means the team could undergo some growing pains, as Selby learns to be the team's on-court leader. But, given his superior talent and playmaking ability, this could be just the boost Kansas needs come tournament time.  

Granted, Bill Self can't be pleased that his bench got thinner, and the lack of experience could prove costly down the stretch. Still, Selby's talent gives Kansas something to be hopeful about, even without their starting point guard. 

For more college basketball, check out UConn's Kemba Walker and the Top 25 Pure Scorers in College Basketball. 

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Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors Swirl Around Nets Once More, But Were They Better Off Out of Anthony Sweepstakes? 

The New Jersey Nets have re-entered the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, according to multiple media reports. Those same reports claim that the Nets and Denver Nuggets have agreed on a deal that would send Carmelo, point guard Chauncey Billups, and a trio of other players for a quartet of young players, including point guard Devin Harris, power forward Derrick Favors, and Ben Uzoh and Troy Murphy's expiring contract. 

While both sides are just waiting for Anthony to agree to the deal, does 'Melo really help the Nets that much? After all, they're losing one of their primary scorers (Harris), a promising rookie (Favors) who many still project as a future star, and a pair of bench players, and four first-round picks.

That means that for the next few years, it's going to be Anthony, Brook Lopez and a slew of role-players, without much help on the horizon. Billups can score, but he's old, while Balkman, Ely and Williams are limited in their on-court impact. 

Is it worth it? Carmelo is a sublime talent, to be sure, but he hasn't exactly wowed us with his ability to win playoff series, nor has he blown us away in the character department. 

Couldn't the Nets use those four picks to build a contender through the draft, rather than sacrificing their future for a shot at some merchandise sales when they move to Brooklyn? 

Wouldn't it be healthier to let the Knicks take on Anthony and focus on building on the solid, young nucleus you have now? 

I'm not saying Anthony can't help the Nets win now; he can and will. But would his presence increase the likelihood of being successful in four or five years, with all those young players and draft picks headed out of town? 

Maybe it's a bluff. Maybe they're trying to drive the Knicks' final sale price up, forcing them to give up young prospects to get the superstar to pair with Amare Stoudemire. 

But if it's not, and Carmelo winds up a Net, it's a deal that could prove too costly, after all. 

For more NBA news, check out LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the 10 Best Alley-Oop Pairings in the NBA. 

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Texas Rangers Defending AL Champs, But Can They Reach the Same Heights in 2011?

As spring training slowly wakes us from the doldrums of winter, many fans' attentions have fallen on last year's American League champions, the Texas Rangers. 

Led by a sweet-swinging outfielder and a bona fide ace, the Rangers rolled through the postseason before succumbing to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. 

But now that ace, lefty Cliff Lee, has flown the coop, back to Philadelphia, where he's joining what might be the greatest rotation in baseball history, and the Rangers will have to prove they can make it back to the promised land without him. 

Can they do it? Do they have what it takes? 

Offensively, this team looks like it should be even more potent than it was last season. Gone is designated hitter/slugger Vladimir Guerrero, but in his place is third baseman Adrian Beltre, who should thrive in the Rangers' bandbox of a ballpark.

When you pair him with fellow infielders Ian Kinsler and Michael Young, catching prospect Taylor Teagarden and veteran slugger Mike Napoli, and big bopping outfielders Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, you've got one of the most power-laden lineups in baseball.

Plus, with the speed that shortstop Elvis Andrus brings to the table, things are looking good at the plate for the Rangers in 2011.

Defensively, this team is rock-solid. There are no major holes anywhere, other than possibly center field (although, Hamilton has looked good there in the past). 

The biggest issue is the rotation. The loss of Lee leaves Texas without a proven ace, athough there's plenty of potential in guys like Derek Holland, C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis and Brandon Webb. If Webb, a former Cy Young winner, is healthy, he could prove to fill that role, and would be a steal.

Likewise, fireballing youngster Neftali Feliz is supposedly in the running for a spot in the rotation, although he looked awfully good as a closer last season. If he winds up starting, the Rangers will have to find a closer in a hurry, if they want to win the AL West, much less contend for the World Series crown. 

In the end, there's a lot to like in Arlington this season, but the Rangers aren't without some serious questions. If they find an ace in their hand, look for Texas to shine once again as one of the league's best teams. 

For more baseball news, check out MLB Power Rankings: Breaking Down Baseball's Top 100 Prospects. 

Dave Duerson's Suicide, Rumor of Brain Damage Should Prompt NFL to Change, Right?

When it was announced last week that former Bears and Giants safety Dave Duerson had committed suicide at age 50, the football world wept. 

Duerson had long been seen as one of the good guys in the sport, and the loss of the former Pro Bowler was tough for friends, coaches and former teammates to take. 

But then came news that he had sent texts to friends requesting that his brain be checked for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition which has been found somewhat commonly in former football players and can lead to depression, dementia and even suicide. 

While it's unclear what caused Duerson to kill himself, this should be a message to the NFL to change. 

The league has stubbornly refused to mandate helmets designed to reduce concussion risk, fearing either liability when a concussion is sustained, or accusations of limiting a player's individuality. 

However, even if the NFL is liable for concussions (they're not), why risk giving your players long-term brain damage in return for using an inferior helmet? 

Even if Duerson didn't have encephalopathy, there have been dozens of cases who have had it over the years. Why not use this push to make the game safer and mandate players wear properly fitted helmets designed to minimize concussions? 

If they truly care about keeping players safe, isn't that the least they could do? 

For more NFL news, check out 2011 NFL Mock Draft: Complete 1st Round Predictions. 

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Rihanna's All-Star Game Performance Showed Us All Why She Should Have Been NFL's Super Bowl Halftime Show

Sure, the game was close at halftime of the 2011 NBA All-Star Game Sunday night in Los Angeles. But that didn't stop Rihanna from stealing the show. 

The pop/R&B singer delivered a stellar show that was both sexy and fantastic. Her voice was perfectly suited to the NBA's biggest event this side of the finals, and it was clear from the start that we were in for quite a treat. 

From the guest spots from Kanye and Drake, to her solid renditions of her biggest hits, Rihanna proved that she's still capable of captivating a crowd as well as anyone in Hollywood. 

But, apart from that, the singer sent a pretty strong message to the NFL: She should have been the pick to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. 

I know, she never said anything like that, and never would (although stage-mate Kanye just might), but her performance showed us all who should have been taking the stage at the Super Bowl. 

Unlike the Black Eyed Peas, whose performance has drawn largely mixed reviews due to a combination of technical glitches and an overall lackluster showing, Rihanna's vocal-based style is perfectly suited to a halftime show. She's one of the hottest artists in the world right now, and as we saw Sunday night, she has absolutely no trouble playing large venues. 

Sure, her show might be a little more sexually charged than the buttoned-up NFL is willing to risk. But Rihanna showed us on Sunday that if given the chance, she can deliver the kind of performance you expect in a big-ticket halftime show. 

Let's just hope the NFL was paying attention. 

For more NBA news, check out LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the 10 Best Alley-Oop Pairings in the NBA. 

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Daytona 500 Winner Trevor Bayne Is Just the Kind of Feel-Good Story NASCAR Needs to Boost Ratings

If you were a NASCAR official, things were looking awfully bleak at various points Sunday. Gone from the race early were stalwarts (and ratings boosters) Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth, thanks to a 14-car pileup on Lap 29. 

Sure, you had big names near the front; Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were close to the leader until the bitter end, but with a slew of no-names (David Ragan, anyone?) leading the way, they had to be less than thrilled at the proposition. 

Then, as the checkered flag flew, something crazy happened: One of those no-names, 20-year-old phenom Trevor Bayne, racing for the oldest team in the sport, took the race. Bayne held off furious charges from Stewart, Mark Martin and several others down the stretch to take home his first Sprint Cup victory on NASCAR's biggest stage. 

Could the men in the suits have scripted a better ending than Bayne, the young kid trying to break into the sport, winning the biggest race of the year, for a team that hadn't won any race since 2001, and hadn't taken home the 500 since 1976? I'd say no. 

NASCAR's ratings and popularity have been on a slippery slope for several years now, as the sport's boom of the late '90s and early 2000s appears to have ended. But with an upstart like Bayne shaking things up like this, the sport could have the budding star they need to get back to the top. 

Bayne sure didn't feel like a rookie in this race, holding off hard-charging vets and keeping his wits about him. While his starstruck interviews proved his greenness, it's clear this kid has the kind of bankable appeal and talent the league hasn't had for a while.

After all, Dale Jr.'s in a massive slump, Joey Logano's not ready, and fans have never related well to the dominance of Jimmie Johnson. And with a group of potential stars who missed the mark (Kasey Kahne, anyone?), NASCAR could use an exciting young racer like Trevor Bayne. 

Sure, this could be a fluke. But why not take a chance and see if Bayne's the real deal? 

For more NASCAR news, check out Trevor Bayne Wins Daytona 500: NASCAR Power Rankings Coming Out of Daytona. 

Troy "Escalade" Jackson, Brother of Former NBA Guard Mark, Dies; Remembering And1 Star

Do you remember those And1 streetball shows that popped up on ESPN for a few years there? The ones with the unreal moves, thunderous slams and more flash than any NBA game could have hoped to deliver?

If so, you definitely remember Troy "Escalade" Jackson. He stood 6'10" and weighed close to 400 pounds, even during his playing days, but got his nickname because, despite his size, he played with a smoothness and skill that many smaller guards would have killed to have. 

He was a former standout at the University of Louisville, and was the younger brother of NBA point guard Mark Jackson. 

Escalade didn't truly get famous until he and his teammates found themselves as the focus of an ESPN series surrounding the And1 streetball team. And once on the air, Escalade charmed the pants off America; after all, this literal mountain of a man could do more jumping, dribbling and dunking than most of us could ever dream of doing.

He was as talented as anyone on the tour, but his size made him impossible to miss. 

Jackson's off-court persona was just as nice as his on-court persona was dominant. He was a longtime advocate for STD prevention and treatment, after losing a brother to AIDS in the 1980s. He was described by his former high school coach as being "all class," and NBA players including Shaquille O'Neal sent their condolences. 

Police say the cause of Jackson's death is still unknown, but say that he died in his sleep. 

No matter what, it's a little sad to know we won't see Escalade cruising down the court, ready to make us all go "How did he just do that?!" again. 

For more basketball news, check out LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the 10 Best Alley-Oop Pairings in the NBA. 

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Cricket World Cup Airing On ESPN3, But Can Sports Juggernaut Make America Pay Attention? 

The Cricket World Cup is arguably the biggest event on the sport's calendar. Taking place once every four years since 1975, it pits 16 of the world's best squads head-to-head in a month-and-a-half long tournament similar to FIFA's own World Cup. 

But while the Cricket World Cup has long been a massively popular sporting event around the world, the event has barely registered a minor blip in American sports consciousness. Yet, with the news that ESPN is covering the event and giving it the kind of treatment only the Worldwide Leader can provide, one must ask: Can they make the U.S. care about this crazy sport, with bouncing pitches, wickets and googlies? 

And on the surface, things certainly don't look good. With no American team in the tournament in 2011, it shows just how far behind the rest of the world the United States is in this English sport. Americans, like most people on Earth, are much more inclined to care about a sport if we're taking part in its marquee event, not sitting at home during it. 

Add to that confusing rules, an odd field and matches that can last for even longer than a Yankees-Red Sox telecast (no small feat, mind you) and you've got a recipe for Americans not to pay attention. 

But, look again. This is the network that made us all care about darts in it's early days, and more recently, has found gems in the World's Strongest Man competition (turn on ESPN2 almost any day and you'll probably find it on at some point) and the World Series of Poker. They find this success by treating new sports as though they're already loved, informing us of the rules and strategy without making us feel like idiots.

Once they've done that, ESPN loves to hit us with more advanced analysis for those who've gotten hooked on the sport, keeping our newfound appetite for it satiated.

Can they do it again with cricket? Maybe, maybe not. But with all the successes they've had with less internationally popular sports, can we bet against them? 

For more cricket news, check out Restricting Number of Teams in Cricket World Cup a Good Idea.