Bleacher Report - Front Page

Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Gunners Shouldn't Sell Thomas Vermaelen

Timothy Rapp — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:02 -0400

The 2012-13 season was one to forget for Thomas Vermaelen, as the Arsenal captain and centre-back went from being one of the team's steadier players to a bench-warmer by the end of the year.

And with the duo of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker playing so well for Arsenal late in the season, it will be very, very difficult for Vermaelen to earn back his first-team place next term.

But that doesn't mean the Gunners should give up on him, even if plenty of teams would be interested in snatching him from Arsenal if he's made available.

From John Cross of the Mirror:

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger could be ready to listen to offers for his out-of-favour captain, as he looks to shake up his squad.

That has alerted several top clubs, including Manchester United, who are watching developments closely.

Unlike last year, when they reluctantly allowed Robin van Persie to move to their their rivals from Old Trafford, Arsenal would be willing sellers this time.

Barcelona are also keeping tabs on the situation.

As Cross notes, Vermaelen would like to remain at the club but could see his international spot with Belgium lost if he doesn't play. That could motivate the former captain to push for a move.

But there is another way of looking at this—it could also push him to work hard in the offseason and earn his spot back. He didn't earn the captain's armband by being a mediocre option at the position, after all.

And here's another option, albeit one I haven't seen discussed much—would Wenger ever consider giving him a run as a defensive midfielder similarly to how David Luiz was played in the role for Chelsea?

While Vermaelen doesn't have the athleticism or devastating shot of Luiz, he has always liked to join the attack and has the quickness and tackling acumen to play in a deeper midfield role. While he wouldn't be able to facilitate the attack from a deep-lying position like Mikel Arteta, he would certainly add a more physical presence to the midfield.

I know, I know, this may be a case where I want it to be "just crazy enough that it might work," when really it's just plain old crazy. But it's something to consider.

Besides, if Theo Walcott is given time playing at striker to keep him happy, why not play Vermaelen occasionally in the midfield to ensure he could be kept as centre-back depth?

Wenger will have to monitor this situation closely. If he feels Vermaelen will improve upon his form, add some healthy competition to the position and won't sulk if he opens the season on the bench, there is no reason to get rid of him.

But if Vermaelen is going to be a distraction if he isn't a first-choice centre-back next year and Wenger sees no potential for him as a holding midfielder—a slim possibility, I know—then perhaps the best option will be to sell him this summer.

But I hope it doesn't come to that. Vermaelen's form may have dipped this season, but he's a leader and high-character guy, and the sort of player you want to see kept at the Emirates.

NBA Playoffs 2013: Complete Preview and Analysis for Pacers vs. Heat Game 2

Tyler Conway — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

It was about this time one year ago at this time that the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers were facing off in their second-round NBA playoff matchup, and the NBA punditry was having its favorite conversation at the time: Is LeBron James "clutch" enough to lead a championship team.

Over the past 12 months, many great things have happened in the NBA. That conversation meeting a Mortal Kombat-style demise is arguably the best.

James again proved why the "clutch gene" conversation was inane again on Wednesday night, scoring a game-winning layup as time expired to give Miami a Game 1 victory in its Eastern Conference Finals matchup versus the Pacers.

It was a contest that only heightens the intrigue for this series, which will return to action on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena. Just 48 hours ago, the casual NBA fan saw—possibly for the first time—Paul George's ascent to superstardom. His jaw-dropping three-pointer to send the game to overtime and cold-blooded knocking down of three free-throws to put Indiana ahead by a point with 2.2 seconds remaining would have been the story had LeBron, you know, been a human being or something.

This series may turn into a carbon copy of Round 2, with the Pacers only putting up something that resembles a "good job, good effort" en route to Miami advancing to the NBA finals. Or Indiana could use the momentum and confidence gathered from Game 1's close call and put a real scare into the defending champs.

Either way, this series is an absolute godsend for NBA junkies who love watching both ends of the floor. With that in mind, here is a complete preview for Friday night's Game 2 action.

Game Information

When: Friday, May 24, at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami

Watch: ESPN

Stream: WatchESPN

Key Storylines

Do the Heat Have an Answer for David West?

While everyone rightfully went into a tizzy about Paul George making The Leap right before our eyes in the second half and overtime, it was David West who provided the steadying hand for Indiana in the first three quarters.

West shot 9-of-12 in the first three frames, frustrating the Heat with his ability to make shots all over the floor. The always underrated forward finished the game with 26 points and five rebounds, which in and of itself isn't that disconcerting for the Heat. They knew West was hell on wheels for smaller big men coming into the series, and he had success against them in the regular season.

Miami's relative weakness in front-line defense was covered plenty in the seemingly never-ending wait for this series to begin. Chris Bosh's primary defensive job will be Roy Hibbert, and Shane Battier isn't big enough with him to bang down in the post. West isn't one to shy away from contact, either, so Indiana will look to take advantage of West mismatches as much as it can.

What we need to watch in this series is how the Heat choose to combat the advantage everyone knows West has. In Game 1, as it was in the regular season and as I suspect it will be in the remainder of the series, Erik Spoelstra had his bigs front West in the post any time they could.

On this play, Udonis Haslem's presence on the floor allows Bosh to camp out on West. The Bosh-West matchup is one where Miami will always want to front the Pacers big man because Bosh's length makes those tricky lob passes over the top nearly impossible. Though Bosh does a pretty good job of keeping West at bay here, you see the all-around threat he poses by knocking down a jumper.

Of course, David West wouldn't be having a David West game if he wasn't acting as a battering ram in the low post. Here West just absolutely abuses Chris Andersen, who is possibly the only non-LeBron player on the Heat's roster capable of guarding him on paper.

Just watch Dwyane Wade's eyes as he halfheartedly follows Sam Young across the baseline. He's infinitely more concerned about West and that will only continue throughout the series.

Indiana will need Paul George to be its best player in this series to compete. But it will need West to continue dominating the way he did in Game 1 almost as badly.

Can the Heat Continue Limiting the Roy Hibbert Effect?

I'm not sure whether you've heard this or not, but folks were pretty upset with Pacers coach Frank Vogel for keeping Hibbert on the bench for Miami's final possession. If you hadn't heard, well, just do a quick Twitter search consisting of Hibbert, Vogel and any vile four-letter word normally reserved for longshoremen.

You'll get a good idea of how people felt then. We're not going to waste our time feeding into this nonsense. I probably would have had Hibbert on the floor, but Vogel's strategy behind the move was sound. He wanted to be able to switch through Miami's array of off-the-ball screens on the inbounds play, and the strategy might have paid off had Paul George not lost just enough balance to allow James to go blowing past him

Whatever. If someone brings this one play up in a bar over the next few days, you can point to a ton of plays where Miami scored on Hibbert at the rim in Game 1.

In Round 2, the Knicks' offensive efficiency bottomed out for two reasons. One was that George had the lateral quickness and strength (for the most part) to handle Carmelo Anthony and force bad perimeter shots. The other, more important factor, was that Hibbert's presence demoralized New York at the rim.

The Knicks shot an absolutely abhorrent 45.5 percent against Indiana within five feet in their series and an even more dreadful 47.7 percent in the restricted area, per NBA.com. Both of those numbers are about eight percent worse than the Bobcats' league-worst percentages during the regular season. While the remainder of the Pacers' NBA-best defense deserves credit, Hibbert was an absolute menace on pick-and-roll plays and he made Tyson Chandler look decrepit for most of the series.

Indiana learned how quickly things can change when the world's best player comes around. In Game 1, the Heat shot 73 percent of their shots within five feet and buried 26 baskets inside the restricted area, per NBA.com.

Small sample sizes apply of course, but the Heat got past Indiana's stalwart perimeter defense with ease and finished when they got there. Most of that involved lulling Hibbert out a little too far in rim-protector mode and dishing off to his man on the baseline, usually Chris Andersen on Wednesday night.

Disconcerting for Hibbert and Co. was that Miami wasn't doing anything that revolutionary. The Heat would run a pick-and-pop with James and Bosh, LeBron gets a head of steam to draw Hibbert out and then dishes to the open man.

There is no trickery or double-screen action here. Just fantastic execution from the NBA's best offense.

New York seemingly sent every variation of a pick-and-roll known to NBAkind at Indiana and still couldn't get anything going. The sheer will of James is always going to bring Hibbert a little farther out than he wants to be, and even when LeBron takes that shot Andersen or whomever is there with the follow-up.

It's hard to say how Indiana should defend against this. Vogel could try playing Hibbert on Bosh, but Bosh's ability to knock down 18-footers deserves respect and might do more harm than good. It's a heady conundrum for a head coach to have, but Vogel has to figure something out soon or the Pacers will lose one of their biggest advantages.

Can Either Team Buy a Bucket From Three-Point Land?

Hibbert may not have been David Robinson circa 1991-92 protecting the rim in Game 1, but it would be patently unfair to say Indiana played a poor defensive game. The Pacers force Miami, the league's most efficient offense during the regular season, to have a below-average scoring rate on Wednesday. The Heat's 101 points per 100 possessions would have ranked just below the Boston Celtics' 20th-ranked offense in the regular season

How was Indiana able to limit the Heat's efficiency when they were able to score at video-game levels around the rim? By protecting the arc, that's how.

Miami shot just 5-of-18 from distance, as Mario Chalmers was the only semi-effective shooter from long range. He made both of his three-point attempts. In fact, Miami made just 15 shots outside the restricted area the entire contest and shot 30 percent on those attempts.

For you baseball folks who just happened to accidentally stumble upon an NBA article, batting .300 isn't good around these parts. Especially when much of a team's offense is predicated on taking good, open three-pointers and knocking them down at an elite rate the way Miami's is. The Heat averaged the sixth-most three-pointers per game this season and hit just below 40 percent, per NBA.com.

Indiana's defensive system prides itself on taking away three-pointers, especially the juicy corner looks. Pacers opponents shot a league-low 32.7 percent from three-land against them during the regular season, and only the Chicago Bulls allowed teams to shoot fewer attempts.

Miami had trouble finding good looks against Indiana from distance in the regular season, something that could cost the defending champs a game in this series.

The problem—at least from the Pacers' perspective—is that Indiana couldn't shoot worth a damn in Game 1, either. George knocked down three of his six attempts from distance, but the remaining Pacers shot a crisp 1-of-8 beyond the arc. Included in that wonderful percentage was Lance Stephenson, whose 0-of-5 rate from deep was again proof that the Lance Stephenson self-awareness calibrator was on the fritz again.

The Pacers aren't an elite shooting team from distance. They were about league average from an attempts and percentage standpoint. However, Indiana has shot 30.7 percent from three-point land during the playoffs while taking a higher number of shots. The Pacers are trying to keep defenses honest on the perimeter by jacking up the shots afforded.

It's just not working. While those shots didn't have to fall against an overmatched Hawks team or a self-combusting Knicks squad, the margin of error here for Indiana is nil. The David West bully pulpit and Paul George superhero act can keep them around in games, but you can't beat the human cyborg LeBron James and his sidekicks four times out of six without playing beyond the realm of normal expectations.

For Indiana, that means hitting threes. And they better do it fast before those shots start falling for Miami.

Follow Tyler Conway on Twitter:

Tony Romo: Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Not Wise to Skip OTAs

Alex Hall — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

Tony Romo might be healing from minor back surgery, but that doesn't excuse him from organized team activities. David Moore of The Dallas Morning News reported on May 21 that Romo recently had "a minor procedure to remove a cyst from his back." Due to the surgery, Romo will not take part in OTAs.

The Dallas quarterback told Moore that he's not worried about his recovery timetable, saying, "This will have no effect on training camp. No way will it have an impact. And I still think there’s a good chance I’m on the field for minicamp."

Romo is human and everyone needs time to recover from surgery. Still, he needs to make up for not participating in other ways, especially when some media members, like ESPN's Ed Werder, tweet this interesting information:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has called for his newly signed quarterback to work "Peyton Manning-type time," and he's right to expect that from Romo. Jones wants Romo to be the unquestioned leader of this team. The quarterback needs to make sure that all the players feel that he is indeed just that.

Despite Jones' earlier comments, the owner told Jarrett Bell of USA Today, that he's not worried about this situation, saying:

His new role is to really be involved in the formulating of the offense, the game plan. He'll spend more time doing that, as opposed to the repetitions out on the field. If he decides not to do it at minicamp, that's not going to be a big issue.

Whether Romo likes it or not, Jones has shined the spotlight brighter on him since the six-year, $108 million contract extension that he signed this offseason.

The owner wants Romo to be the visible and vocal leader of the Cowboys in an even bigger way than he has been in the past. Romo can only do so much on the sidelines while others are doing suicide sprints in the Dallas heat at the OTAs.

OTAs might not be as big of a deal as minicamp, and they are certainly not as important as training camp, but they're still about building team chemistry. Dallas hasn't made the playoffs in the past three seasons, and there's plenty that needs to be worked on chemistry-wise in order to end the postseason drought.

If he doesn't want to participate in drills, Romo better be giving pointers to young guys like Dalton Williams, and he better be welcoming newcomers like Anthony Hargrove to make them feel like a vital part of the Cowboys roster.

Romo is the quarterback of this team. He should be at OTAs to welcome new teammates and help in all other ways if he can't actively participate.

It's understandable why Romo doesn't want to be part of the drills but he needs to be a part of all team activities in some fashion.

The team owner just backed a truckload of money onto Romo's front lawn, and then Jones handed the quarterback some playcalling ability in the offense. Romo needs to be as active as possible without being physically active during all OTAs.

Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Latest on Thomas Vermaelen, Stevan Jovetic and More

Tim Daniels — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

Arsenal were able to secure a Champions League berth after some drama on the final matchday. Beating out Tottenham for the final spot in the top four should give manager Arsene Wenger more options during the summer transfer window.

Wenger figures to have a busy offseason ahead as he attempts to bolster the squad. Even though the Gunners were thrilled to survive the UCL battle, the ultimate goal should be getting the club back into Premier League title contention.

It won't be an easy task, but a summer of smart moves by the club could help starting closing the gap on Manchester United and the other top sides. With that in mind, let's examine some of the latest transfer talk involving Arsenal.

Thomas Vermaelen

In order to acquire top targets, clubs must first make decisions about players on their current squad. Clearing space for new players to arrive is the initial step. One such example for Arsenal is Vermaelen, the veteran center-back and club captain.

The Gunners are willing to listen to offers for him after he struggled to make an impact during the final stretch of the campaign, reports Charlie Wyett of The Sun. Barcelona and Manchester United are mentioned as sides with prior interest.

Vermaelen represents a particularly tricky decision for Arsenal. His form dropped during his fourth season with the club. While the club needs more consistency in the middle of its defense, the Gunners would be forced to sell low on him. It won't be an easy sale for Wenger to make.

Stevan Jovetic

Jovetic is a coveted commodity that's been linked to Arsenal for awhile now. The 23-year-old Fiorentina striker scored 13 goals during the Serie A campaign and has been viewed as a possible answer to the Gunners' attacking questions.

It appears the club's interest may be starting to fade, though. Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail reports the Italian club is seeking a gaudy £25 million for one of its main assets and Arsenal are already tracking Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid in case the Jovetic situation doesn't work out.

Arsenal must be aggressive in order to keep pace with the league's top clubs. Spending that much on a player who's still seeking elite form would be a risk, however. Wenger would be wise to wait out Fiorentina for a more reasonable asking price.

Kevin Strootman

Strootman is ready to take the next step after spending his entire career to this point playing in the Netherlands. The 23-year-old Dutch international has shined for PSV Eindhoven over the past two seasons. He's a well-rounded, box-to-box midfielder.

John Cross of the Daily Mirror reports Arsenal are expected to have £70 million to spend over the summer. Strootman is one of two midfielders listed on the possible list of targets alongside Maxime Gonalons of Lyon.

While Gonalons is mainly a defensive midfielder, Strootman would bring more versatility to the squad. He can play multiple roles and should continue to excel once he gains some valuable Premier League experience. It makes him a good potential fit for Arsenal.

Can Jon Bostic Be the Next Brian Urlacher for the Chicago Bears?

Ben Phillis — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:55:12 -0400

With all-time great Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher having recently retired, rookie Jon Bostic faces the question: Can he fill Urlacher's cleats in Chicago?

Urlacher was widely considered to be the second-best middle linebacker of his time after Ray Lewis, even by Urlacher's own admission, according to CBS Sports. Though analysts at NFL.com debated if the lifelong-Bear will make the Hall of Fame, the prevailing opinion is that he will one day reach Canton.

Since Bostic came to Chicago right after the famous middle linebacker’s decision to hang up his cleats, he will forever be remembered as the guy after Urlacher. Whether it’s fair or not, it’s the reality.

Without having a single NFL snap to his name, it’s too early to predict Bostic's future, but an analysis of the information available about Bostic can’t hurt.

Based on his college career and measurables, the Florida product is capable of ascending to Urlacher’s level. It’s far from a guarantee, but Bostic is a good pick with the potential to flourish at the pro level.

A CBS Sports article claimed that Chicago general manager Phil Emery “valued Bostic’s upside and versatility.” Versatility was one of Urlacher’s strong points in college where he played a hybrid defensive back position. The two share the ability to play multiple positions because of their athleticism.

If Bostic sticks at middle linebacker, he will need that athleticism. New defensive coordinator Mel Tucker is keeping the Cover 2, noted the Chicago Sun-Times, which means the mike linebacker has to thump runners at the line and drop back into coverage in the middle of the field.

He’s capable of it. Another factor that will help is his pure speed.

The former Gator ran a 4.61 40-yard dash, the best for any middle linebacker at the NFL combine, according to NFL.com. Urlacher ran a 4.57 in the 20 before he entered the NFL, according to Sports Illustrated.

Those times are close to identical, but the difference is that Urlacher is 6’4” (Bostic is 6’1”), and the recent retiree had been bulking up before the combine. Urlacher has a slight edge in speed, but a huge advantage in size.

Both players were prolific tacklers in college. The Bears rookie definitely proved he can produce and he will bring an aggressive attitude to the NFL.

Reports from the Chicago Tribune indicate that Bostic looks good, with Tucker saying Bostic is smart and has a good work ethic. That makes two more attributes that are similar to Urlacher.

Bostic has a lot going for him—he’s athletic, fast and a good tackler. He works hard and should be able to run the defense.

The competition at linebacker will be tough, though. Bostic is fighting veteran D.J. Williams for the starting job.

Fellow rookie Khaseem Greene could compete at middle linebacker, too. Urlacher started outside before moving inside, and Emery and the coaching staff are all about players who can play multiple positions. The Bears won’t hesitate to shuffle personnel around.

Bostic’s path to playing time will be hard-fought this season. ESPN reported Emery’s comment that “we expect him to be a starter in the future,” though. Expect to see him starting by his second season at the latest.

Once he’s starting, he could be the next Urlacher. Having the potential doesn’t mean it will turn out that way, though. It’s a long shot.

Urlacher was an unbelievable talent and Bostic is similar in some ways, but the blend of speed and size that the former Bear possessed was incredibly unique. Bostic doesn’t have that combination, and those extra inches are a big deal in the middle of the field.

On top of quantifiable advantages, Urlacher also had incredible intangibles.

His great football IQ was cultivated at New Mexico, where he played tight end and returned punts. Urlacher received coaching in every phase of the game, making him extremely knowledgeable. It’s almost impossible to find a player who plays offense, defense and special teams in college these days.

Urlacher’s leadership skills were praised by coaches, too. Former defensive coordinator coordinator Rod Marinelli told Chicagobears.com that “his leadership was off the charts.”

Bostic could end up being a great player, but the physical and mental skills that Urlacher brought will be difficult to match.

Don’t expect the Bears to find another player like Urlacher for quite some time. That’s OK because Bostic will be good in his own right, even if the shadow of his predecessor looms large.

Manchester United: Who Will Struggle Without Sir Alex Ferguson Next Year?

Jake Nisse — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:45:34 -0400

With the the 2012-2013 EPL season ending last Sunday vs. West Brom, it is time for Manchester United to look forward and prepare themselves for a new chapter without Sir Alex Ferguson.

While their world-class squad still remains, there will soon be a different man in the technical area, and how he will use that squad remains to be seen.

Though stalwarts such as Michael Carrick and Robin van Persie should be left in their roles, tampering to some degree should be expected from David Moyes. The manager's tactical style is far different from that of SAF, and he may feel urged to make changes to have the team feel like his own.

As I mentioned in a previous article, Moyes is known to have an affinity for strong, gritty players, unlike some of the more finesse-oriented players United have. While he will certainly need to play to some of the Reds' strengths, he will also want to play his brand of football, potentially leaving players like Shinji Kagawa out of the mix.

Kagawa, an extremely imposing threat on offense, will at the very least get a chance to prove himself to the new boss (some may think he shouldn't have to do so). However, as a complete defensive liability (only 0.9 tackles per game, via WhoScored), he will probably have a short leash, especially after already experiencing a year of English football.

Though Kagawa is one player that doesn't fit the mold of Moyes' system, the Scot, first and foremost, will be looking for consistency in his starting XI. While his former club Everton had no superstars, they had a lineup of unselfish and hardworking footballers, with Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini leading the way with continued excellence.

The fact that Moyes has little to no relationship with many of the United players means the manager will likely judge by what he sees at the club, and not a player's legacy or reputation. This means that some fringe starters and squad players could potentially be mulling their futures at United this summer.

Though players such as Van Persie, Carrick, David De Gea, and Rafael da Silva will have to prove themselves to the new gaffer, they will be expected to do so after impressive seasons at their respective positions.

However, players such as Anderson, Nani, and Antonio Valencia, who were heavily inconsistent this season, will not be given the same benefit of the doubt that Fergie gave them. Being players that SAF bought himself, they were given decent minutes and kept in his plans for the future.

With the same type of lackluster performances, however, Moyes will have no problem benching them, as his unfamiliarity with most of the players will help him make decisions based solely on what his head tells him rather than his heart.

All in all, the hiring of David Moyes as United's first new manager in 26 years gives many players a clean slate to prove themselves as a worthy and important member of the squad.

At the same time, struggling players such as Nani and Valencia will no longer be able to live off their past reputations as skilled footballers—rather, they'll have to perform like them.

May the best men win.

(All information from ESPN FC)

Follow me on twitter for my take on world soccer's hottest topics at: @jake_nisse_BR

Why Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Shamarko Thomas Won't Be the Next Bob Sanders

Mike Stanger — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:39:39 -0400

The comparisons to Bob Sanders were inevitable for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie safety Shamarko Thomas. In fact, Thomas is basically Sanders' doppelganger.

They share many traits, the most obvious among them is size. Sanders stands at 5'8", 206 pounds, while Thomas is slightly larger at 5'9", 213 pounds

Both men had impressive NFL combine numbers. Sanders ran a 4.35 40-yard dash and jumped 41.5" vertically. Thomas ran a 4.42 and jumped 40.5".

And both men are known as hard hitters who play with a reckless abandon well above their weight class.

But one trait that the Steelers hope Thomas doesn't share with Sanders is longevity, or lack thereof.

Indeed, Sanders has never played an entire 16-game season and has played in more than 10 games twice in his career. Since 2008, he has started in only 11 games. At 32 years old, he is out of football.

Is Thomas so inextricably linked to Sanders that he is destined for the same fate?

No.

Why?

The new safety-conscious NFL won't allow it.

You see, now that the NFL is ultra-obsessed with player safety, particularly when it comes to traumatic brain injury, a player like Thomas must adapt or suffer obsolescence. He can no longer flail his body around like a rogue torpedo. If he does, the risk of injuries and suspensions will make him a liability and a poor man.

One would think that general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin are well aware of this. They have likely charged defensive backs coach Carnell Lake as well as veteran safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark with indoctrinating Thomas into the NFL's new group think.

Furthermore, Thomas doesn't need to be a one-trick pony. He possesses the speed and athleticism to be more than just a wrecking ball in the secondary. His excellent cover skills give him the flexibility to line up in the slot, and his football acumen make him valuable at the free safety position where he can call out the plays.

Yes, it is possible for Thomas to be like Sanders without becoming like Sanders. It's just up to him to decide on the path that he wants to follow.

Here's hoping that he chooses the long, successful one.

Winners and Losers from 5th Week of 2013 NBA Playoffs

Bryan Toporek — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:30:00 -0400

With the 2013 NBA playoffs down to its final four teams, the action only promises to heat up from here.

Home teams have held court through the first three games of the conference finals, but it hasn't been easy, to say the least.

In the Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs know their 2-0 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies still doesn't give them much room for comfort. It was only a year ago that the Spurs blew a 2-0 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference finals, after all.

Meanwhile, if Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals is any indication, we're in for a good old-fashioned slobberknocker—in the words of WWE's Jim Ross. The Indiana Pacers won't be shying away from the Miami Heat, especially after jumping out to a 2-1 series lead over the soon-to-be champions during the 2012 playoffs.

Before we get too deep into the conference finals, let's take a look back at who emerged as a clear winner and loser from the fifth week of the postseason.

Note: For the purposes of this slideshow, Week 5 spans from games played on Friday, May 17, through Wednesday, May 22. All advanced statistics come from either Basketball-Reference or NBA.com/stats, unless otherwise noted.

Begin Slideshow

Biggest Questions and Answers for the LA Lakers This Offseason

Ehran Khan — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:23:31 -0400

Hollywood is the epicenter of drama, so it's no wonder the Los Angeles Lakers are always surrounded by it.

This offseason promises more of the same as the NBA's signature franchise faces a crossroads.

There are burning questions regarding the team's three biggest stars and also their head coach. Who will stay and who will go? Or rather, who should stay and who should go?

And will it be enough to avoid a repeat of a disastrous 2013 campaign?

Let's delve into L.A.'s five most-pressing queries in the offseason.

Begin Slideshow

20 Athletes Who Always Make Excuses

Amber Lee — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:05:39 -0400

Excuses are a part of being human. We all make excuses. When it comes to athletes, we hold them to a higher standard. Competition—sports—have no use for excuses. Leadership, strength—these are things outside the realm of excuses.

Excuses are really just a softer word for betrayal. When you're not accountable for your own actions, when you shift blame from yourself to someone or something else—fair or not—you are making excuses. And while excuses are not necessarily wrong, rarely do you get the benefit of the doubt.

For athletes, nothing is worse than going beyond offering the company line. Maybe the athlete feels like the coach or a teammate screwed up, but you never point the finger. And, if you screwed up; own up.

These are 20 athletes who always make excuses.

Begin Slideshow

French Open 2013 Draw: When and Where to Catch Singles Bracket Release

Patrick Clarke — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

The tennis season's second Grand Slam event has arrived, as Friday marks the release of the 2013 French Open main draw.

Reigning men's champion Rafael Nadal enters Roland Garros with a ton of confidence as always, but this time having won three consecutive clay-court tournaments dating back to last month.

On the women's side, it's all about American superstar Serena Williams. The 2002 French Open champion has won 24-straight matches overall, defeating defending French Open champion Maria Sharapova in two tournament finals over that stretch.

But while both Nadal and Williams currently look like the players to beat in their respective singles draw this summer, the draw could set them back a bit.

Here we'll get you set with everything you need to know to catch Friday's 2013 French Open main draw release.

When: Friday, May 24 at 5:30 a.m. ET

Where: Roland Garros, Paris

Watch: Roland Garros TV

Link to Men's Singles Draw

Link to Women's Singles Draw

Men's Draw Missing Stars

Two of the top players in the men's game will sit out the French Open this summer, including current world No. 2 Andy Murray, who won the 2012 U.S. Open last September.

Murray has been battling a lower back injury that forced him to retire early on at the Rome Masters last week. With a plethora of big tournaments upcoming, including Wimbledon a month from now, the 26-year-old Scotsman felt he would be best suited to withdraw (via ESPN.com):

It's a really tough decision and I love playing in Paris, but after seeking medical advice I am not fit to compete. Apologies to the organizers and thanks to everyone for the messages of support. Now my complete focus is on getting back on the court as soon as possible.

Murray lost in the quarterfinals here a year ago, one year after making a run all the way to the semifinals in 2011.

The only player outside of the Big Four to win a Slam since the 2005 French Open, Juan Martin del Potro was also forced to withdraw from this year's clay-court Slam.

Delpo, the 2009 U.S. Open champion had been battling injury and illness before ultimately deciding to skip Roland Garros and put forth a full effort to recover from a respiratory illness. Like Murray, Delpo lost in the quarterfinals at the French Open a year ago.

Will Anyone Stop Serena?

Serena Williams is playing arguably the best tennis of her career coming into the French Open this May. Despite getting set to turn 32 in September, and not having won this tournament in over a decades, Williams comes in as the overwhelming favorite on the women's side.

The women's world No. 1 is off to a 36-2 start this season and has already won five singles titles, including three on clay.

Even scarier, Williams has dropped just four sets total over her current 24-match winning streak.

Some feel that last year's champion, Maria Sharapova has a shot to knock off the scorching-hot American. But keep in mind that Williams has won 12-straight meetings with the Russian star and is 3-0 all-time against Sharapova on clay.

World No. 3 Victoria Azarenka would have her hands full in a potential clash with Williams as well. Vika is just 2-12 against Williams all time and 0-1 against her on clay.

While Serena Williams has some making up to do after suffering her first-ever, first-round loss in a Slam at Roland Garros last year, all indications are that she'll cruise through the women's draw in Paris this summer.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Raul Ibanez and Endy Chavez Deserve More Playing Time

Madison Guernsey — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:56:39 -0400

The 2013 Seattle Mariners season has been, well, mediocre thus far. The team has underachieved and is in the midst of a six-game losing streak, including three walk-off losses in four days against the Cleveland Indians.

One of very few bright spots that came to light during the skid was the emergence of Raul Ibanez. The veteran outfielder slugged five home runs in as many days on the road trip and reminded the baseball world that he can hit.

Ibanez got off to a terrible start, hitting .158/.213/.298 in April, and was looking like he may be sent down to Tacoma when Franklin Gutierrez recovered from his injury.

But the month of May has been a complete 180 for Raul. He's batting .333/.366/.872 with six homers and 15 RBI, cementing his spot on the roster. Maybe it's a hot streak. Maybe he was fueled by returning to Yankee Stadium. Either way, he's earned a starting spot in the lineup.

Another guy who fills up the box score whenever he sees the field is Endy Chavez. Believe it or not, he has the highest batting average on the team at .289 and remains one of the only players with speed. He isn't going to wow you with the long ball, but he plays hard and is a defensive upgrade in the outfield.

The tricky part for Eric Wedge is, how can both of these guys see more playing time without benching an indispensable player?

Chavez could take Jason Bay's place in left field and Ibanez could be the DH over Justin Smoak, but Smoak is getting his season back on track and taking him out of the lineup would only slow down that process.

Wedge will have an even tougher decision to make when Gutierrez comes back. Who will be sent down or designated for assignment? Robert Andino is the logical choice, but he's the only backup infielder on the roster. Jason Bay is performing the worst of Seattle's five outfielders and should be moved to make room for Guti.

Wedge has no easy task in finding playing time for each one of his five outfielders, each of whom deserve to play. Maybe the answer will come in the form of a trade for a middle infielder or pitcher, both positions Seattle is in need of.

All stats via espn.com.

What the NBA's Next Superteam Should Look Like

Adam Fromal — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:55:52 -0400

Bob Dylan would be a big fan of the NBA right now, because the times they are a-changin'. The Miami Heat have firmly ushered in the era of the superteam, and it's going to take either one hell of an effort by a more traditional lineup or another superteam to dethrone them.

While the Los Angeles Lakers tried forming an amalgamation of superstars who would immediately morph into that second superteam, their efforts ultimately failed. Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol couldn't stay healthy, and they weren't particularly effective even when they avoided that pesky little injury imp.

So, let's try our hand at forming a different superteam. Fortunately, we get to start with an almost-clean slate. Danny Ferry saw to that.

When the Atlanta Hawks hired the former Duke star as their general manager, Ferry immediately began making changes. He shipped Joe Johnson off to the Brooklyn Nets and Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz, racking up young players and expiring contracts in return.

Now the Hawks enter the 2013 offseason with only Al Horford, Lou Williams, DeShawn Stevenson, John Jenkins and Mike Scott under contract. Together, they're owed just $21,543,122 for the 2013-14 season (per Spotrac.com).

Let's go crazy-best-case scenario with the Hawks and see what type of superteam Ferry has the potential to assemble this summer—starting with the man patrolling the sidelines.

Finding a Coach

Larry Drew did a solid job holding the clipboard for the Atlanta Hawks, but he doesn't have the creative mind necessary to take this squad to the next level. The offense under Drew has been rather vanilla, for example.

Atlanta runs plenty of pick-and-roll sets at the top of the key, and shooters curl off screens in an attempt to get open on the perimeter. But that's about it. Drew's system has become stale and predictable, and the Hawks don't have enough defensive talent to compensate.

Ferry now gets to search for a new candidate, though. Rick Sund's hire is no longer under contract with the team, and it doesn't appear likely that he'll return.

One of the most intriguing options to replace Drew would have been Stan Van Gundy, but the Orlando Sentinel's Mike Bianchi reported that the former Orlando Magic head coach may never return to the sidelines.

So instead, let's turn to his brother, Jeff Van Gundy.

JVG last coached for the Houston Rockets, bowing out in seven games during the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. He ended that portion of his coaching career with a lifetime record of 430-318—good for a winning percentage of 57.5.

With the team we're going to assemble, Van Gundy would certainly be able to bring that winning percentage up a few more ticks. He's well known for his ability to get along with his players, and his time in the ESPN broadcasting booth has informed just about everyone that he knows what he's doing.

Sometimes JVG can come across as rather opinionated and stubborn, but you can't doubt his knowledge of the game. Between that and his knack for raising chemistry in the locker room, he's the perfect fit for a team about to have a number of stars.

Finding the Stars

When you're building a superteam, you reach for the stars. And I mean that both literally and figuratively.

In this free-agency class, the stars are Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. So let's go get them. Atlanta has plenty of money to do so, after all.

Dwight and CP3 made $19,536,360 and $17,779,458, respectively, during the 2012-13 season, and those numbers are going to be even higher for 2013-14. According to the collective bargaining agreement:

A free agent's maximum salary in the first year of a new contract is never less than 105 percent of his salary in the last year of his previous contract. For example, a 10-year veteran free agent who most recently earned $20 million has a maximum salary of at least $21 million, even if that is above the league-wide maximum. A free agent does not need to remain with the same team in order to receive 105 percent of his previous salary, although the team that signs him is subject to the same salary cap restrictions as with any other free agent.

If we apply that calculation to the two max-contract guys in question, we're giving them respective salaries of $20,513,178 and $18,668,431. Adding these two to the five players already in place, Atlanta now has $60,724,731 committed and five spots left to fill in the 12-man roster.

As a quick side note, I'm not particularly worried about overspending and losing the ability to re-sign Al Horford down the road because he's under contract through the 2015-16 season.

The 2013-14 salary cap has not yet been set, but there's a chance it could rise up above $60 million after hovering at $58.044 million for each of the past two years. Even if it doesn't, though, these moves are still possible because Mike Scott and DeShawn Stevenson's contracts are not guaranteed. If necessary, Atlanta can opt not to bring back either the young forward from Virginia or the veteran one from Washington Union—instead saving the money and signing a minimum deal to fill the last roster spots.

Or Paul and Howard could take slight pay cuts to play together, just like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh did to join forces at South Beach.

Regardless of the manner in which these transactions are completed, Ferry has the financial means necessary to bring any two free agents to Philips Arena and surround them with a number of veteran role players.

I'm going to play it a little safe—assuming I'm allowed to even write that phrase, given the unlikely nature of this scenario becoming a reality in its full form—and have the Hawks let Scott go. Stevenson can stay because his defense is exactly what Atlanta needs at the 3.

At this point in the hypothetical process, we're now at the salary cap and looking at the following roster:

Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy

Point guard: Chris Paul

Shooting guard: John Jenkins, Lou Williams

Small forward: DeShawn Stevenson

Power forward: Al Horford

Center: Dwight Howard

Not a bad start, right?

Finding the Roster Fill-Ins

At this stage, we're using the minimum player salary exception. Actually, we're using it a few times—five to be exact.

Under the rules of the current CBA, once a team is over the cap, it can sign players to contracts for either one or two years as long as said player agrees to the minimum salary.

With three stars (Paul, Horford and Howard), a scorer off the bench (Williams), a great perimeter defender (Stevenson) and a rookie with potential (Jenkins), there's a very specific set of needs for this version of the Hawks.

First, let's look for a veteran floor general who can spell CP3. Nate Robinson, C.J. Watson, Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack and Mo Williams are all going to be a bit out of the price range, but Chauncey Billups is certainly a strong possibility.

Mr. Big Shot is 36 years old, and a run at one more championship would be more than a little tempting. He's still got some quality ball left in the tank, after all.

Next, we need to find a veteran sharpshooter. John Jenkins has potential down the road, but he's certainly not ready to play a major role at this stage of his career. Lou Williams isn't a starter either, because he's far better suited for his traditional role as a spark plug off the bench.

While it would be great to bring Kyle Korver back, he's going to be too expensive. He was that good at shooting during the 2012-13 season. Instead, targeting a three-point shooter such as Daniel Gibson is more realistic.

Gibson struggled immensely during the 2012-13 season, and a fresh start would do him wonders. Playing alongside LeBron James back in the day allowed him to thrive, and he'd play a similar spot-up role on this squad.

But are we done adding shooters yet? No, of course not!

Richard Jefferson is another formerly potent sniper who could use a new team. It's been a long time since he averaged over 20 points per game for the New Jersey Nets, but Jefferson still has a sweet stroke when he actually manages to make it off the bench.

The small forward has a player option for the 2013-14 season, and he'd be leaving a lot of money on the table by opting out. But remember, we're talking about the crazy-best-case scenario, so the possibility that he actually wants playing time again is coming into play here.

That leaves us with just one spot to fill, since the Hawks have two first-round draft choices to play with. For those two picks we're rolling with B/R's resident draft expert Jonathan Wasserman and adding Jamaal Franklin and Gorgui Dieng to the roster.

The last spot must be dedicated to a frontcourt member, because there's a rather significant lack of size at the moment. Dwight is the only true center, and there's no backup for either him or Horford. And given the amount of offense already in place, we're looking for a defensive specialist.

Elton Brand is the logical choice.

The big man made just over $2 million with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2012-13 season, and it's now time for him to start chasing a ring. At 34 years old, he's allowed to take a pay cut and pursue a championship. And since he's never won a championship, it's well within the realm of possibilities that he does exactly that.

So after these signings, we're looking at the following:

Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy

Point guard: Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups

Shooting guard: Daniel Gibson, Lou Williams, John Jenkins, Jamaal Franklin

Small forward: DeShawn Stevenson, Richard Jefferson

Power forward: Al Horford, Elton Brand

Center: Dwight Howard, Gorgui Dieng

How Good is This Team?

We've learned from the Lakers not to judge the superteams too early. But what the heck, let's do it anyway.

The big question is: Can this squad beat the Miami Heat?

And while the answer isn't by any means a definite one, this team absolutely has the ability to take down the defending champions—and current title favorites—in a seven-game series. There's plenty of star power and a whole bunch of quality role players.

A Dwight Howard-Chris Paul pick-and-roll combo would be absolutely devastating, especially when joined by Al Horford, who would essentially play the Chris Bosh role for the Atlanta Hawks.

Remember, Paul is the best point guard in the NBA, although Tony Parker is giving him a serious run for his money during the postseason. Behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant, he's the third-best player in professional basketball.

And this might be even harder to remember, but Dwight is still the best center in the league when healthy. Marc Gasol and Tim Duncan outperformed him during the 2012-13 campaign, but a functioning back would allow Howard to reclaim his spot at the top of his position. He's also another top-five player if every part of his body is working properly.

Joining CP3 and D12 (CPD15?) is a whole bevy of three-point shooters: Chauncey Billups, Daniel Gibson, John Jenkins and Richard Jefferson.

There's also a lockdown perimeter defender (DeShawn Stevenson) and two big men who could form one hell of a defensive frontcourt (Elton Brand and Gorgui Dieng).

What more could you want?

While discussing this potential offseason plan with a good friend of mine, one who happens to be an Atlanta Hawks fan, I had the pleasure of reading the following quote: "I would convert to Ferryism as my official religion if he pulls of Paul and Howard."

Can you imagine what his reaction would be if all the veteran role players signed on as well?

The scary thing is that there's actually a chance.

It's a long shot, but every player involved has a reason to make the decision I've made for them in this article, and Ferry has enough money at his disposal to convert the hypothetical into a reality.

We're in the era of superteams now. Could this be the next one?

San Francisco 49ers: 5 2012 Draftees Who Face Most Pressure from 2013 Class

Joe Levitt — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:48:58 -0400

Even from a surface level vantage point, it’s readily apparent that the San Francisco 49ers 2013 draft class is abundantly more talented than its 2012 counterpart.

It legitimately contained starting-caliber prospects through the first four rounds. Last year’s class simply did not.

Bashing one 49ers prospect group while elevating another, however, is an irrelevant exercise when discussing the here and now.

The pertinent idea is how their most recent draftees will exert pressure on the ones who arrived a mere 12 months ago. The NFL is a brutal bottom-line business where one year’s lauded class can turn into relative trash in the face of superior talent.

We’re not saying that San Francisco’s 2012 prospects are worthless by any means—they certainly provide depth at key positions.

It’s merely a case of these latest NFL entries being just that good. A conflict-free environment really wouldn’t be reasonable.

With that in mind, here are five 49ers from the last year’s draft who will face the most pressure from this latest 2013 class.

Note: We include undrafted free agents from 2012 in this list.

Begin Slideshow

8 MLB-Ready Prospects Turning Veterans into Trade Bait

Jason Martinez — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:35:51 -0400

It's getting close to that time where teams start discussing internal moves within the organization that could make their big league roster better. Down on the farm, certain prospects are forcing the issue and doing what I call "knocking down the door" to the big leagues.

In some cases, getting through that door is as simple as playing well over a period of a few weeks while the major league roster gets limited production out of that position.

Kevin Gausman, who is making his big league debut tonight for the Orioles, didn't force a good pitcher out of the rotation. He had terrific numbers in Double-A (3.11 ERA, 46.1 IP, 5 BB, 49 K), but the O's simply had a huge need to fill and made the easy call to go with one of the best pitching prospects in the game.

Then there are the prospects doing everything they can to kick the door down, but there's a veteran player—often established in the majors and with a guaranteed salary—standing in their way.

Instead of gambling on an unproven player and pushing a veteran to the bench or off the roster, it could make more sense to open up a spot with a trade. The Braves opened a spot for pitching prospect Julio Teheran in their rotation by trading Tommy Hanson before the season. The Diamondbacks traded away two outfielders, Justin Upton and Chris Young, ensuring that center field prospect Adam Eaton would have regular playing time.

Here are eight prospects who could be forcing a trade of the veteran currently blocking their path to the majors.

Begin Slideshow

Why Nathan Ake Was Chelsea's Breakthrough Star of 2012-13

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:27:23 -0400

18-year-old Nathan Ake made his full debut for Chelsea's first team in the FA Cup tie away at Middlesbrough. Rafa Benitez's post-match bite-back at the fans overshadowed what had been a composed, confident performance by the youngster, but it was not Ake's only chance to shine.

His inclusion in the squad to face Rubin Kazan raised eyebrows, but his six tackles and seven interceptions were vital to Chelsea's 5-4 aggregate win. With injuries and fatigue pressuring the squad, Ake found himself playing in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final and sitting on the bench for the Europa League final in the same week that he made his full Premier League debut in the final game of the season.

Again he impressed, with an 84 percent passing accuracy complimenting his three tackles and four accurate long balls. When you consider the fact that he is significantly younger than even Eden Hazard and Oscar, the impact that Ake has made in the centre of midfield is nothing short of remarkable.

Ake was brought to Chelsea from Feyenoord in 2011 and spent a year in the youth and reserve teams before his promotion to the senior squad. One of many promising young talents currently employed by Chelsea, Ake looked likely to be spending a season watching from the sidelines instead of gaining valuable experience out in loan.

Instead, he has patiently awaited his opportunity, and when it presented itself he seized it with both hands. Whilst he would have had significantly more minutes on the pitch if he had departed West London, the experience that he has gained from regularly training with the first-team squad will be invaluable to his, hopefully long, future at Chelsea.

Dennis Bermudez Isn't Gunning for a Post-Fight Bonus, but Keeps Racking Them Up

Damon Martin — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:22:25 -0400

It's next to impossible to top a classic fight.

For UFC 160 fighter Dennis Bermudez, his next bout on paper will be an attempt to pick up his fourth straight win inside the Octagon. In reality, however, fans will undoubtedly look at his bout against Max Holloway as a chance to produce another epic battle with fists meeting flesh in a 15-minute slugfest.

In Bermudez's last trip to the cage, he and opponent Matt Grice put on a Fight of the Year-worthy performance while attacking and countering each other for the better part of three full rounds. The two featherweights were applauded loudly by the crowd in Anaheim, Calif. as part of UFC 157's undercard and were rewarded with a Fight of the Night bonus by UFC President Dana White.

As spectacular a moment as it was for Bermudez, he admits as he comes back for his next fight there's probably no way to try and top that performance, so it's not worth pursuing that kind of perfection again.

"I mean ultimately the goal is to go in and get the win as fast as possible. I do feel like that was such an epic battle that it would be super hard to beat. It's almost like I’m playing horse if you will against myself," Bermudez explained when speaking to Bleacher Report ahead of UFC 160. "I make an amazing shot and then I'm up again and I have to make another amazing shot again."

The expectations to go out and put on another action-filled fight could weigh on the minds of many fighters, but not Bermudez. With a new baby at home that he's had to spend weeks away from to concentrate on preparing for this bout, Bermudez knows there are bigger things on the line now than ever before.

His goal is to go out and put on the best fight possible that earns him the win. If it happens to be a knock-down, drag out classic, then that's what it is. But Bermudez isn't gunning for another fight like he had against Grice.

"I feel like a lot of my fights are exciting. I'm not too worried about it. I feel like if I go in there and do what I do, everything will turn out alright," Bermudez said. "There's no secret. I go out into every single fight with the same mindset, the same mentality, with the same game plan. To get in the guy's face, put constant pressure on him and just make it so he can't breathe. He'll be so tired he'll either quit or he gets knocked out or just gives me a submission. Ultimately, just grinding guys out until they are nothing."

Bermudez may not like to talk about surpassing his last performance because of how that fight will be remembered, but he's capable of topping it even if it's not the foremost thought on his mind. Through four fights thus far in his UFC career, Bermudez has taken home three post-fight bonuses—an impressive feat for any fighter in the promotion.

The bonuses he's won have allowed him to become a full-time fighter, provide for his new baby and allow him the financial breathing room to only think about the next opponent in his way.

Still, as great as the monetary compensation has been, Bermudez only wants to acknowledge one factor that plays the biggest role in his fight career—get the victory at any cost necessary.

"It's exciting to think about, and it's great to have," Bermudez said about the UFC bonuses he's earned. "It's made it so I didn't have to work a second job and if I head to the healthy store I don't have to think about the price. I don't go crazy and buy fancy cars or anything like that.

"Going into the fight I don't think 'oh I have to put on a show to get a bonus.' It's go out there and win—win ugly if I have to."

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Florida Football: Discipline Will Be Key for the Gators in 2013

Tyler Piccotti — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:11:46 -0400

If the Florida Gators want to have a season as successful as their 2012 campaign, they will have to improve in a variety of areas.

Jeff Driskel's performance at quarterback, a lack of depth at wide receiver, a brutal SEC schedule and key losses on defense are all being looked at as possible trouble spots. The Gators will have to overcome these obstacles in order to remain competitive.

However, there is another obvious problem that has been getting worse and needs to finally be addressed.

I am, of course, talking about Florida's tendency to be penalized. A lot.

You can certainly pin some of the blame on Will Muschamp and his staff for the Gators' offensive woes throughout the season and poor performance in the Sugar Bowl. However, they have repeatedly been forced to deal with an avalanche of costly penalties on both sides of the ball.

That needs to stop.

Since the 2009 season, the Gators' average of penalty yards per game has risen every calendar year. Last season's average of 68.8 yards marked a 9.3-yard jump from that of 2011.

Such behavior has turned Florida into the most penalized team in the SEC in recent years.

This makes their 2012 BCS run seem all the more remarkable. Their defensive unit had to repeatedly follow up stalled offensive drives with momentum-shifting series in order to turn tight games in their favor. Without this effectiveness, they could have easily lost three or more games during the regular season.

That brings us to this season. With so many departures from the defensive side of the ball, the Gators will have to score more points in 2013 to continually remain competitive. This cannot happen if holding violations and false starts repeatedly put Driskel and the offense in a bind.

Likewise, Florida cannot afford to give away extra points to opponents on the heels of silly personal fouls and other defensive violations.

Therefore, limiting the damage done through penalties will be crucial to the Gators' success.

Last year, we saw the Gators at their best when the flow of the game was relatively quick. They would get in a rhythm, and one big play would follow another.

This did not happen against Louisville and Georgia, and it proved costly on both occasions.

Driskel is certainly under enough pressure already. He doesn't need to deal with 3rd-and-longs that resulted from undisciplined penalties. Furthermore, his receivers should not have to feel like they need to make a huge downfield play just to move the chains.

Finally, Muschamp and Brent Pease need to believe that the entire playbook is always available for use. They cannot afford to protect Driskel with safe passes and hand-offs on third down.

The Gators simply will not win with that formula.

Yes, they need to play better football and make more plays. However, they also need to stop inflicting wounds upon themselves.

When they prove that they can do this, more and more people will begin to recognize them as a legitimate national contender.

Boston Red Sox: 5 Prospects Who Never Lived Up to the Hype

Bryan Shaffer — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:04:11 -0400

With the 2013 MLB first-year player draft set to begin on June 6, teams are excited about the prospect of replenishing their organizations with young and promising talent.

The sad fact of the matter is that for every young player who pans out, there are dozens who fade into obscurity.

The Boston Red Sox have seen their share of both. Over just the past decade, they have seen the likes of Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury—to name a few—come up through their farm system and thrive in Boston.

They have also had players who have fizzled out without meeting their promise. These are the kind of players whose underwhelming careers disappointed the Red Sox fans who anticipated watching the young stars light up Fenway Park.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but it is a sample of some of the biggest disappointments to roll through the Red Sox farm system.

Begin Slideshow

New York Yankees: Top 5 Surprises This Season

Josh Housman — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:00:14 -0400

Baseball, and especially New York Yankees baseball, can be unpredictable at times. From the emergence of unlikely heroes, such as Aaron Boone in the 2003 ALCS, to the out-of-nowhere dominance of previously unknown prospects such as Joba Chamberlain in the closing month of the 2007 season, one never knows where the Yankees will find their magic.

This season has been different than most for this generation of Yankees. They entered the season as an underdog, a postseason afterthought. However, a plethora of unexpected performances has given the team early success.

Given their abundance of needs due to injury, many replacement level players have been relied on to take the spots of All-Stars such as Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Kevin Youkilis, Curtis Granderson and Russell Martin. Some have played as replacement level players, while others have come close to or exceeded the production of the players they are filling in for.

There has been enough of the latter to say that to this point, the whole Yankees season has been a surprise. Here are the top five surprises for the New York Yankees in 2013.

Begin Slideshow

San Jose vs. Los Angeles: No Need for Veteran Sharks to Panic in 3-2 Hole

Nicholas Goss — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:56:51 -0400

The San Jose Sharks are facing elimination for the first time in this year's playoffs following their 3-0 loss in Game 5 to the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center on Thursday night.

If the Sharks lose at home in Sunday's Game 6, the team will have failed to reach the Western Conference Finals for the sixth time in the Joe Thornton era (eight seasons from 2005-06 through 2013).

But even after a very difficult loss in a crucial Game 5, there are plenty of reasons for this Sharks team to feel confident about its chances of extending this series to a deciding seventh game.

The series will once again shift to the HP Pavilion in San Jose, where the Sharks have been nearly unbeatable this season with a 21-2-5 record, including a 4-0 mark in the playoffs. The Sharks have scored an average 3.25 goals at home during the playoffs, compared to just 1.8 goals scored on the road.

But the real advantage that San Jose has had at home during the regular season and the playoffs has been on the power play. Even though the Sharks have played just four games at HP Pavilion in the postseason, they still lead the league with 11 power-play goals at home.

In its only two wins of this second-round series, both of which were at home, San Jose converted on three of its nine opportunities with the man advantage. Both of these victories included game-winning goals from star center Logan Couture on the power play.

Special teams is always a key factor in the outcome of every playoff series, and this matchup has been no different. For whatever reason, the Sharks' success on special teams is far greater when they play on home ice.

	PP	PK
Home	3-9	4-5
Road	0-10	7-10

With the support of the rabid Sharks fans giving the team plenty of energy on Sunday, there is a strong chance that San Jose will bring a ton of energy and a high level of effort to the first period of Game 6.

The Sharks have outscored opponents 5-2 in the first period at home during the playoffs, and when this team goes into the first intermission with a lead, it's 4-0 during the postseason.

Not only are the Sharks a better team at home than on the road, the Kings have played far worse away from the Staples Center compared to their performance on home ice during the playoffs.

Here are some notable road stats from L.A.'s postseason run thus far:

	G	GA	PPG	PPGA	W/L
Home	16	7	3	1	6-0
Road	7	10	3	4	1-4

Another reason why the Sharks should not panic after losing Game 5 is because of the fact that this has been a very close series. They have not been severely outplayed through five games, and if San Jose didn't give up two power-play goals in the final two minutes of Game 2 in Los Angeles, the Sharks would have a 3-2 series advantage with a chance to close out the Kings.

This is still a very winnable series for the Sharks, especially since starting goaltender Antti Niemi has been fantastic in the playoffs thus far.

Through nine games, he has a .929 save percentage and a 1.95 GAA, both of which would be career playoff highs if they were his final stats of the postseason. Niemi gave the Sharks a chance to win Game 5 by allowing only two goals and making some brilliant saves in the first and second periods.

Given his impressive success at home against the Kings in this series (2-0 with two goals allowed), the Sharks can rely on Niemi to give the team a big performance on Sunday. He has Stanley Cup-winning experience and knows what it takes to win high-pressure games.

San Jose will have to win at the Staples Center one time to end Los Angeles' Stanley Cup defense and reach the Western Conference Finals, but the focus right now is to continue its dominance on home ice.

If the Sharks take care of business in front of their hometown fans on Sunday, they will be a confident group playing with house money in Game 7. In that situation, all of the pressure would be on the Kings as the home team with its championship defense on the line.

As a team with a strong veteran core that has a lot of experience in closeout games, the Sharks will have plenty of confidence and focus in Game 6. They played their worst game of the playoffs on Thursday, but this team has done a great job of turning the page, not panicking and focusing on the next challenge all season.

For veteran players such as Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, this year's postseason run is one of their last quality opportunities to win a Stanley Cup in San Jose. Both players' contracts are set to expire at the end of next year (per Capgeek), and their future with the team beyond 2013-14 is uncertain right now.

These players will be highly motivated to extend their season by another game, and as the leaders of this team, Thornton and Marleau will help the Sharks win Game 6 and force a deciding seventh game back in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

San Jose has let its fans down plenty of times over the last few years with disappointing playoff exits, but there won't be another heartbreaking ending on Sunday.

Follow @NicholasGoss35

Nicholas Goss is an NHL Lead Writer at Bleacher Report. Nick was a credentialed reporter at the 2011 Stanley Cup Final and 2012 NHL playoffs, and he is also a credentialed writer at the 2013 NHL playoffs in Boston.

How the Memphis Grizzlies Defy Conventional Notion of Championship Contender

Tom Firme — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:52:09 -0400

Fans may mistake the Memphis Grizzlies' strained march much of the way through the first two games of the Western Conference Finals for that of a team that doesn't belong in the conference finals. However, the Grizzlies have earned their way to the conference finals.

They won frontcourt matchups in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thus far, the Grizz have put up impressive offensive numbers.

Indeed, not everyone's awoken without squinting to a world in which the Grizz make the NBA's final four. CBSSports.com's Matt Moore tried to hush someone on Twitter who thought the Grizzlies weren't for real.

A few aspects to the Grizzlies throw fans for a loop. They don't have a big-time scorer. Memphis isn't in the top four in their conference. They've moved past the trade of their leading scorer. Here's a look at why these haven't shaken the Grizz.

No overwhelming scoring talent

Whether the casual fan happens to catch a Grizzlies game or pick up a stat sheet, he or she might feel let down by the absence of the a killer scorer. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph won't barrel down the lane and throw it down in an opponent's face. Randolph isn't that type of athlete.

Gasol, who takes 20.9 percent of his shots at the rim, according to basketball-reference.com, prefers to take mid-range jumpers.

Also, Gasol isn't a shoot-first player. He kicks it out when he sees that a teammate may have a better shot.

Mike Conley only turned into a scorer after the Rudy Gay trade. Conley averaged 16.9 points per game to finish the season after the trade and is averaging 17.4 per game in the playoffs. His career high before this season was 13.7 per game in 2010-11. Whether he's capable of posting Deron Williams-esque lead guard numbers has yet to bear.

Gay had been that talent, but he never fulfilled himself as a scorer. He hung between 18.9 and 20.1 points per game for five years. Before being traded, he managed just 17.2 per game on 40.8 percent shooting. Additionally, Gay never took more than 16.3 shots per game in a season for Memphis.

The Grizzlies would be one of those rare teams to reach the NBA Finals without a dynamic scorer. They'd be the first since 2001-02 New Jersey Nets to make the finals without a 16-points-per-game player.

Anyway, Memphis' hard-driving defense, which ranked second in opponent turnover rate and defensive rating this year and led the league in opponent turnover rate the previous two, allows it to live without much scoring. With such a tough defense, the Grizz don't need to ask someone to stack up points.

Living down trading the leading scorer

That the Grizz lack such a scorer doesn't diminish their contender status. Many questioned the logic of dealing someone with Gay's scoring ability after it happened—and some still do, as The Commercial Appeal's Kyle Veazey noted via Twitter.

But the volume of scoring in one man's hands doesn't matter if it makes the offense less efficient. He produced 104 points per 100 possessions in 2011-12 and 97 per 100 before the trade this year.

Also, as Grantland's Zach Lowe pointed out, the Grizzlies offense became more efficient with Tayshaun Prince's efficient low-usage play.

The Grizz shot 45.9 percent from the field after the trade, compared with 43.8 percent beforehand.

As SI.com's Rob Mahoney said, the Grizz have kept this up in the playoffs, shooting significantly better than in last year's first-round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Also, the Grizzlies had the second-best offensive rating in the first round, as ProBasketballTalk.com stated.

Teams don't often achieve great playoff success after making a dramatic trade. The 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, which were Rasheed Wallace's third team for the season, were one exception.

Surviving with an eight-man rotation

Lionel Hollins' crew is going deep in the playoffs with a short bench. It only has eight players with double-digit minutes per game.

No other team in the last four postseasons made the conference finals without nine or more with at least 10 per game.

Hollins is leaning particularly hard on Conley and their starting big men. Gasol is playing 40 minutes per game, 0.2 fewer than LeBron James, who leads all those still in the playoffs. Conley is averaging 37.8 per game and Randolph is putting in 36.4 per game.

The burden the Grizz put on their leading bigs is surprising. Darrell Arthur, the third Memphis big man, is putting in 11.8 minutes per game. Their fourth, Ed Davis, gives a mere 6.1 per game.

They never put such pressure on Gasol and Randolph in the playoffs before. Last year, Marreese Speights and Dante Cunningham received more than 15 minutes per game, combining for 40 per game. Arthur played 15.5 per game in 2011.

Indeed, Arthur suffered injuries this season and shot 35.7 percent in a two-month stretch from Jan. 23 to March 23.

With that and the loss of other big men in midseason trades, Hollins seems reluctant to turn to backup frontcourt players.

Some may wonder when that will wear on Gasol and Randolph.

Overcoming not having a top-four seed in the playoffs

Before the playoffs, I had harped on the Grizzlies' need to get home-court advantage for the first round.

That turned out not to be a necessity. First, the Grizz won a franchise-record 24 road games in the regular season, good for fourth in the league.

Second, Memphis quelled fears that its post-Gay roster might not fit. As noted before, it's shot better and has been more efficient offensively without Gay.

Third, finishing within four games of first place and becoming the second team to land fifth place with 56 wins lessened the damage of missing out on the home-court spot.

The odds aren't in favor of the Grizzlies becoming the first team outside the top four to make the finals since 1999, but commentators haven't ruled them out. ESPN.com's J.A. Adande spoke of their never-say-die attitude when trailing by double digits in the third quarter.

Moore and Zach Harper talked in a podcast about Memphis' ability to rattle Tony Parker.

Conclusion: Cutting against the grain wouldn't kill the Grizzlies

Sitting outside these conventional ideas won't bring Memphis down. Instead of having one high scorer, the Grizz have three putting up 17 per game.

Falling behind 2-0 to the Spurs didn't happen simply because San Antonio is the No. 2 seed and the Grizz are the No. 5 seed. Memphis didn't succeed in the areas that made it a contender. Its defense failed in Game 1 and allowed 61 points between the second and third quarters of Game 2.

It also didn't shoot well, hitting 43 percent in Game 1 and 34 percent in Game 2.

If a comeback series win surprises people, it should be as a result of the fact that the Spurs blew a 2-0 lead in consecutive conference finals, not Memphis' low seed or scoring configuration.

Which Washington Capitals Free Agents Should Stay and Which Should Go?

Robert Wood — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:49:23 -0400

With their offseason in full swing, the Washington Capitals can now focus on re-signing a small handful of free agents.

Keep in mind, however, that Washington has a cap payroll of $58,641,517, seventh-highest among NHL Salary Cap Payrolls for the 2013-14 season. As a result, the Capitals only have $5,658,483 of cap space with which to re-sign these free agents, not to mention possible free agents from other teams. That leaves the team with some decisions to make.

Here is a list of which Washington Capitals free agents should stay and which should go. Each player is listed with his position, and the type of free-agent status (restricted or unrestricted) that applies to his contract.

Note: All data courtesy of CapGeek.com unless noted otherwise.

Begin Slideshow

Should the Denver Broncos Have Upped Their Offer for Charles Woodson?

Christopher Hansen — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:32:37 -0400

The Denver Broncos had Charles Woodson in for a visit, but couldn’t come to an agreement with the 36-year-old defensive back. Woodson ended up visiting with the Oakland Raiders and signing a contract that is worth a maximum of $4.3 million, according nfl.com.

That seems like a lot of money for an older player in the twilight of his career, but the Broncos offered Woodson a seemingly comparable contract worth a maximum of $3.7 million, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. It certainly looks like Woodson chose money over the ability to play for a contender.

If the Broncos were serious about signing Woodson, they should have upped their offer before he visited the Raiders. It sure seems like the Broncos miscalculated Woodson’s interest in returning to the Raiders and ended up losing a player they would have liked to add to their secondary.

Champ Bailey was on 102.3 FM in Denver on Tuesday and said there was “no freaking way” Woodson wanted to go to Oakland; he also called the visit a “negotiation tactic." Bailey’s thoughts may or may not have echoed the sentiments of the organization.

The Broncos may have assumed that they had the advantage if the money were equal. Not only would Woodson have a chance to win a ring in Denver, but his tax burden would have been lower playing more games in Colorado and fewer games in California.

Woodson will now play nine games in California instead of two, which means his base salary will be taxed at a higher rate for seven more games. Any incentives earned will also be taxed at the California tax rate. The cost of living is also much higher in California, so Woodson’s expenses will also be higher.

Based on these differences, Denver’s offer was probably nearly the same, even if the total dollar amount was $600,000 lower. What it likely came down to is the structure of the incentives, Woodson’s role with the team and the signing bonus.

According to Josina Anderson of ESPN, the base value of Woodson’s deal is $1.8 million, which included a signing bonus of $700,000. The Broncos reportedly offered realistic incentives with a base salary near the league minimum. As far as we know, Denver’s offer didn’t include a signing bonus.

Although the total amount of the deal was comparable, the Raiders' offer was better by at least $700,000. The base salary would have been nearly the same. The other factor could have been the structure of the incentives.

Although the incentives may have been realistic in Denver, the Raiders' offer may have been impossible for the Broncos to match. For Woodson, the opportunity to play free safety probably wasn’t on the table in Denver.

Woodson’s contract should, in theory, allow him to reach his incentive triggers more easily playing free safety for the Raiders than he would have playing strong safety for the Broncos (assuming interceptions are one of the incentives). Woodson may have also felt like he had a better chance to stay healthy not playing in the box at his age.

It didn’t make a lot of sense for the Broncos to offer Woodson more to play strong safety when they have a perfectly capable one in Mike Adams. In fact, ProFootballFocus graded Adams higher than Woodson last season (subscription required).

In a weird way, Woodson signing with the Raiders and not the Broncos could be a win for all parties. Both teams wanted to sign Woodson to help their team, but obviously more than the on-field factors were considered by all sides.

The Raiders need all the help they can get on defense, a good leader and something for the fans to be excited about. If Woodson doesn’t hold up physically or athletically, they have a realistic fallback plan in Usama Young.

Woodson gets to finish his career where it started, close to his winery in Napa, playing free safety and making more guaranteed money. For a player who has already won a Super Bowl, that’s not a bad consolation for playing for a rebuilding team.

The Broncos avoid overpaying for a player who may or may not be even better than their projected starter. If Woodson doesn’t have much left in the tank, Peyton Manning should be able to exploit him in pass coverage.

Even if Woodson does have something left, he isn’t likely to make a significant enough impact on the Raiders to make them a threat to the Broncos. Fans in Denver can also continue to dislike Woodson with the fervor they did when he played in Oakland for the first eight years of his career.

Golden State Warriors Fans Shouldn't Hold Breath About Landing Dwight Howard

Zach Buckley — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:25:17 -0400

The Golden State Warriors thought they had their offseason checklist already written.

A 47-win regular season brought them a rare postseason appearance, meaning May 21's draft lottery was finally not their concern. In fact, unless they're enthralled with a player from what's been called a historically weak draft class or they're offered an unlikely chance to unload one of their awful contracts, the Warriors don't need to be concerned with the draft at all.

Their first-round pick, 21st overall, is headed to the Utah Jazz as a late payment for their ill-advised acquisition of Marcus Williams(!) in 2007-08. Their second-round pick, 51st, belongs to the Orlando Magic after several exchanges since they dealt the pick as part of the David Lee sign-and-trade in 2010.

The cash-strapped Warriors, who could have as much as $74 million in salary commitments depending on player options (via HoopsHype.com), didn't figure to be concerned with outside free agents, either. At least, not before deciding on the futures of Jarrett Jack (an unrestricted free agent) and hearing the option decisions of Carl Landry and Brandon Rush.

Then Long Beach Press-Telegram hoops scribe Mark Medina offered the latest update on Dwight Howard's free agency. Essentially Medina said what all other Howard observers have been saying for months: The All-Star big man doesn't know where he wants to play next season.

That's great, but how does this relate to the Warriors? Because Medina offered a one-sentence bombshell, some 16 paragraphs into the piece. "A source familiar with Howard's thinking says he plans to test free agency and has considered the Lakers, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Golden State," Medina wrote.

And just like that, Golden State general manager Bob Myers' checklist was a crumbled mess in the bottom of his trash can.

The Warriors found a winning combination this year, one that carried them all the way to a competitive, six-game series with the San Antonio Spurs in the second round.

But folks, this is Dwight Howard we're talking about. Superman. A 6'11", 265-pound sculpture of a man, a player that never lost his standing as the best center in the business despite a nightmarish debut season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Think Warriors owner Joe Lacob isn't still cleaning the remnants of his beverage off his keyboard? He had tried, unsuccessfully, to pluck the big man away from the Orlando Magic in each of the last two seasons but could never sell his franchise as a viable landing point for the superstar.

Now not only was his team in the running, but it was reportedly just one of five hand-picked by the big man himself.

Sounds a little too good to be true, doesn't it?

I mean, Andrew Bogut proved invaluable in the Warriors' playoff run, but who's to say the big man will ever be fully healthy again? Even if it meant sacrificing Harrison Barnes or Klay Thompson (it would), those players built intrigue on their potential. Howard has suitors and media members hanging on his every word for substance, for tangible results like a trio of Defensive Player of the Year awards and seven All-NBA selections.

Bogut has the defensive ability (when healthy) to watch the backs of the defensively challenged Stephen Curry and David Lee, but never averaged better than 15.9 points per game even in his best years. Howard supposedly just finished one of his worst seasons as a pro and still managed 17.1 points a night on 57.8 percent shooting from the field.

Howard thrives when sharing the floor with proficient perimeter marksmen, which the Warriors have in droves. Golden State's shooters suffered to find space without a post scorer that demands defensive attention. Howard's devoured single coverage throughout his career and found ways to be successful when faced with double- or triple-teams.

A match made in heaven, right? One that Warriors coach, and pastor, Mark Jackson couldn't sign off on quickly enough.

If only it was that easy.

Unless Myers' past life as an NBA agent has made him the greatest salesman the world has ever seen, Medina's article will be as close as this team ever gets to landing Howard.

For starters, any ticket out of L.A. would be incredibly expensive for Howard. The Lakers can offer more money ($118 million as opposed to $88 million) and a longer contract (five years instead of four) than any of his other suitors.

Forget the economics, says blindly optimistic Warriors fan, Howard can recoup that money and then some in his next contract.

It's possible, but even that doesn't necessarily help the Warriors. With so much money already committed to next year's payroll, the Warriors would have to sacrifice valuable assets to land Howard in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers. The Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks can sign the big man outright on the free-agent market, and possibly still have enough financial wiggle room to search for even more talent.

And don't forget Howard reportedly just said he felt under-utilized and over-looked by Mike D'Antoni in Los Angeles (via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com).

Part of Golden State's long-overdue return to relevance centered around adding high-character players and respectable leaders to the locker room.

Howard's been the center (no pun intended) of three drama-filled locker rooms over the last three seasons. Would his same frustrations return when the Warriors' snipers are firing at will and the big man's not getting any touches? Does the team have a strong enough leadership core to handle a disgruntled star?

The only time Howard's coming to the Bay Area next season is when he's donning a road jersey and searching for laughs inside the visitors' locker room at the Oracle Arena.

But that doesn't mean that this situation is a complete loss for the Warriors.

Rather it means that Lacob's accomplished what he set out to do when he led the group that purchased this franchise in 2010.

And no, I'm not talking about giving this fanbase a reason to watch playoff basketball. I'm talking about completely changing the culture of the organization, transforming one of the league's laughing stocks into a coveted landing spot for superstar free agents.

This isn't the last step that this club needs to take, but you can see the light at the end of the tunnel that Lacob and Co. have been selling to Golden State fans for three years.

Yes, that light is indeed golden. And words can't begin to describe how magnificent of a site it is to see for Warriors fans.

Follow @Hoops_Guru

How the State of Virginia Is Shaking Up College Football Recruiting

Adam Kramer — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:25:11 -0400

The state of Virginia is poised to knock the recruiting world off its axis.

With three of the nation’s top 10 players in the 2014 class calling Virginia home—Da’Shawn Hand, Andrew Brown and Quin Blanding—geography could soon flex its recruiting muscles.

Whether or not in-state schools can capitalize on this perk won’t be known until next February, but the possibility of a shakeup (even a temporary one) is alive and well.

“Virginia has always produced outstanding football talent, but it is rare for a state other than Florida, Texas or California, to have three elite of the elite-type of prospects,” said JC Shurburtt, National Recruiting Director for 247Sports. “But these three, given their lofty comparative positions with other prospects nationally, will be remembered for years.”

This comes at a time where the names and faces are familiar. Not with the players, who become household names by the end of the recruiting cycle shortly before we hit the reset button and start from scratch. But instead the teams, coaches and powerhouse programs that reserve this yearly real estate at the very top of the recruiting rankings.

Under Nick Saban, Alabama has become a fixture at the top. The likes of Florida and LSU know plenty about this real estate as well, while Ole Miss and Auburn were able to stake their claim to this spot earlier this year. Other SEC schools such as Georgia and South Carolina occasionally stop by.

Sprinkle in Notre Dame, add in Big Ten powers Ohio State and Michigan, and throw in the occasional USC and Florida State commit, and a familiar equation comes into focus. Despite the unexpected that comes with recruiting, the end game remains predictable. At least it has in recent years.

2014—and perhaps beyond— could be different. If Virginia and Virginia Tech are able to close on these three prep stars, it will be different.

Da’Shawn Hand

The Woodbrige, Va. defensive end is the No. 1 player according to 247Sports. He’s already been compared to Jadeveon Clowney and sports a 4.6 forty at 250 pounds.

“Hand's first step and quick hands (no pun intended) are elite and some of the best I've seen in person, said Shurburtt. “Combine that with his natural strength and tireless work ethic and it adds up to the No. 1 overall prospect at this time thanks in large part to the rarity factor.”

Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster has established a wonderful relationship with Hand, something that has been discussed often. 84 percent of the experts on 247Sports’ Crystal Predictions feel Hand will eventually sign with the Hokies, while the other 16 percent predict Michigan.

Andrew Brown

The No. 4 player nationally on 247Sports and the highest-ranked defensive tackle, the 6'4", 282-pound Chesapeake native is one of the fastest risers in the recruiting world.

“Brown's quickness and athleticism are too much to handle for most great offensive tackles,” Shurburtt noted. “That type of size/athleticism combo plus the versatility factor makes him a big-time rarity.”

As for 247Sports’ Crystal Ball, 89 percent feel he’ll stay close to home and commit to Virginia. Yes, that Virginia. North Carolina checks in second, getting 11 percent.

Quin Blanding

The nation’s top safety prospect according to 247Sports and also the No. 9 player overall, Blanding is the only top-10 player verbally committed.

“Blanding is a 6'2", 200-pound defensive back that has the hips, speed and athleticism to play cornerback in college, though he can and likely will be an elite free safety in the NFL,” Shurburtt said. “He's not just a coverage guy, either, as he's not afraid to come up and strike an opposing ball-carrier in the run game.”

Blanding has verbally committed to Virginia. Yes, that Virginia. If the commitment holds, it would be an enormous land for head coach Mike London, who is under pressure in 2013 to a) win and b) close strong on the recruiting trail.

A Big Splash Could Lead to Much More

It’s unfamiliar territory seeing the Virginia logo (and only the Virginia logo) at the top of the recruiting rankings.

Granted, it’s incredibly early in the 2014 recruiting cycle, and a verbal means little until the letter of intent is signed. Still, non-traditional powers rarely climb this high, at any time, even with distinct geographical advantages in play. If Virginia and Virginia Tech are able to keep three of the top 10 players from leaving the state, it’ll be an exceptional win in the world of ultra-competitive recruiting.

Landing one (or two) of the nation’s top players could go beyond simply landing a potential difference-maker. It could provide buzz and an infusion of energy both schools crave. It could give future recruits, both in- and out-of-state, something to think and talk about.

Success on the recruiting trail could be contagious, and the perks beyond simply keeping in-state talent close to home could be enormous.

The schools weren’t able to do it last year with quarterback Christian Hackenberg, linebacker Jonathan Allen or running back Derrick Green, all of whom were Virginia products considered premier players in the country at their positions. Hackenberg chose Penn State and Allen signed with Alabama, while Green chose to attend Michigan.

2014 could be different.

Alabama will still be in the picture, of course. So will Ohio State and Michigan. And LSU. And other familiar recruiting assassins will make their yearly cameos when it comes to landing the elite. But if both Virginia and Virginia Tech are featured prominently amongst the familiar powers, don't be surprised.

Geography is on their side, and momentum might not be far behind.

*Adam Kramer is the Lead Football Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

Projecting the State of the American League West in 2015

J.J. Matthews — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:23:47 -0400

With about a quarter of the 2013 season in the books, the American League West still has its fair share of questions moving forward as it did at the beginning of the season. With the exceptions of the Texas Rangers running away from the pack; and the Houston Astros performing at a historically poor level, there are no clear answers for what the rest of 2013 holds for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels.

But what about 2014? Or 2015? With strong farm systems, progression and regression of current players, free agency and trades; the landscape of the AL West could be drastically different a year and a half from now.

On that note, we peek into the crystal ball and predict how the AL West will look two years from now. The slides will be done in a power ranking from first to last, with a list of starting lineups, rotations, and best players.

Follow @thejagepage

Begin Slideshow

2013 MLB Draft: 8 Position Players Philadelphia Phillies Should Target

Marilee Gallagher — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:22:27 -0400

For the Philadelphia Phillies and all teams around baseball, the MLB Amateur Player Draft, taking place during the first week of June, is a chance for the team to really bolster what in recent years has been a barren and nearly decimated farm system.

The strength of the Phillies farm system comes in the form of pitching, particularly left-handed pitching. In fact since 2002, the Phillies have spent four of their six first round picks on pitching, three of which, including Cy Young finalist Cole Hamels and minor league standout, Jesse Biddle, who were left handers.

But while the pitching has been developed pretty well, many other areas, most notably at the corner outfield, have been neglected and sorely underdeveloped.

And for that reason, the Phillies should make the most of their four draft picks in the top 100 and their 16th overall pick, the highest since the team drafted Hamels in 2002.

While this draft has been considered a pitching heavy one, there are plenty of good corner outfielders as well as other positions that are there to be had. There are also some standouts who might fall through the cracks and some guys with marginal talent that could end up being draft steals when all is said and done.

There are spaces throughout the minor league organization that need to be filled, and the Phillies will certainly have a group of talented guys to choose from.

So in no particular order, here are eight position players the Phillies should consider drafting with some of their early picks.

All prospect rankings courtesy of Baseball America's Top 250 and MLB's 2013 Top 100 Draft Watch.
Scouting Grades courtesy of Jonathan Mayo (MLB's 2013 Top 100 Draft Watch)

Statistics courtesy of: Samford Baseball, Mississippi State Baseball, Stanford University Baseball, Fresno State Baseball

Begin Slideshow

Sacramento Fans, Franchise Legends Celebrate with 'Long Live the Kings Rally'

Grant Hughes — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:16:51 -0400

The Sacramento Kings are staying put, and on May 23, their fans got together with a whole bunch of the franchise's royalty to celebrate.

The rally actually kicked off well before the crowd gathered at Cesar Chavez Park in downtown Sacramento. In a fashion befitting the Kings' forward-looking new ownership, the social media hype reached a fever pitch well before everyone met up in the real world.

Hey, any excuse to watch Chris Webber snarl and dunk, right?

C-Webb also showed up in the flesh. He didn't come alone, though, as former Sacramento luminaries like Mitch Richmond and Scot Pollard (yes, that Scot Pollard) joined the party, too.

The rally was an excellent reminder of the kind of fans the Kings actually have. Nobody can blame them for failing to support a team whose ownership was totally clueless. The Maloofs ran the franchise into the ground with terrible coaching hires and even worse talent evaluation.

But now that there's reason to believe things might be turning around, people showed up in droves.

Suddenly, one of the league's most devoted fanbases was back.

Of course, since these are the Kings we're talking about, there had to be a few party poopers. One even took the opportunity to fire away at the woeful attendance levels that marked the past few seasons in the aptly named Sleep Train Arena.

Jokes aside, there was real reason to be concerned about one of the attendees. Former Minnesota Timberwolves GM David Kahn, famous for laughable draft picks and unforgivably bad contracts was spotted and photographed in secret.

Be afraid, Kings fans. Be very afraid.

There'll be plenty of time to worry later, though. It was cool to see so many happy fans assembled at the dawn of a new age for the beleaguered franchise.

In fact, all of the excitement may have triggered an actual tremor, according to the city of Sacramento.

As soon as that new downtown arena goes up, the shaking will likely be coming from a sellout crowd, which is a lot safer than the kind that results from tectonic shifts.

Party on, Sacramento!

Los Angeles vs. San Jose: Anze Kopitar's Emergence Makes Kings a Force

Steve Silverman — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:15:06 -0400

The Los Angeles Kings have all the elements to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

They have the strength up front with players like Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Dustin Brown.

They have a powerful and swift defense that does not often make mistakes. In the rare cases players like Slava Voynov, Drew Doughty or Jake Muzzin make a mistake, the Kings have Jonathan Quick in goal to clean up for them.

All he did last year was win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

But the one thing that the Kings had to be concerned about was Anze Kopitar. He is the Kings' best all-around player. When it comes to offense, he can dominate with his explosiveness and timely scoring.

Kopitar has excellent instincts and is regularly able to play the game with patience so he can finish his scoring opportunities.

But Kopitar has struggled for the Kings this year. His regular-season numbers were decent—10 goals and 32 assists in 47 games—but they were far below what Kopitar is normally capable of providing.

Kopitar has also struggled in the playoffs. Going into Game 5 of the Kings' series with the San Jose Sharks, he had scored one goal and four assists in 10 playoff games. In last year's playoff run, Kopitar had eight goals and 12 assists in 20 games.

Kopitar has not been the patient scorer who could hold on to the puck an extra split second and find the back of the net. Instead, he was firing the puck into Antti Niemi's pads or missing open corners.

But Kopitar came through for the Kings as the series returned to the Staples Center. The Kings were dominating in the offensive zone, but they couldn't dent Niemi until the late stages of the second period.

Kopitar was off to Niemi's side and when the goalie could not control a rebound on a shot by Justin Williams. Kopitar calmly backhanded the loose puck into the back of the net.

The Kings took the momentum from that goal and ran with it. Voynov added to the lead early in the third period and the Sharks were not able to get one past Quick. An empty-net goal by Jeff Carter made the final score 3-0 and gave the Kings a 3-2 lead in the series.

But the best news was clearly Kopitar's ability to score the goal that proved to be the game-winner.

After the game was over, Kopitar was relieved as he spoke with Joe Micheletti of the NBC Sports Network. "Yes, I have to say that my legs feel lighter after scoring that goal," Kopitar said with a smile.

Credit Kings head coach Darryl Sutter for helping Kopitar find a way to score his second goal of the postseason. The tight-lipped Sutter placed energy forward Kyle Clifford on the same line as Kopitar, and the move seemed to help the Kings create far more chances than they had in the two games that were played in San Jose. The Sharks won both of those games.

Kopitar had three shots on goal and worked well with Clifford and Justin Williams. Brown, who had skated with Kopitar and Williams, played with Trevor Lewis and Dwight King. Brown had one shot on goal, but he did not score.

A relaxed Kopitar could be a huge factor for the Kings. With the Chicago Blackhawks struggling badly in their conference semifinal matchup with the Detroit Red Wings and trailing 3-1, the Kings may be able to play themselves into the role of Stanley Cup favorites the rest of the way.

If Kopitar is squeezing his stick tightly and missing opportunities, the Kings are in trouble. But when he's having fun and relying on his instincts, he's a formidable player.

That's the best news for a Kings team that can clinch the series with a victory Sunday night in San Jose.