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Bayern Munich Transfer Mario Gotze Stays Neutral at UCL Final vs. Dortmund

Adam Hirshfield — 2013-05-25 15:22:00 -0400

The status and allegiance of Mario Gotze is arguably the most intriguing storyline of this Champions League final.

Gotze just finished his fourth season at Borussia Dortmund. But several weeks ago, it was announced that the 20-year-old native of Memmingen will be on the way to Bundesliga rival—and Champions League foe—Bayern Munich this summer. (Bayern’s €37 million bid—about £31.5 million—takes advantage of a release clause in Gotze’s contract, so there’s nothing Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp can do.)

So how would the impending transfer affect Gotze as his side prepared to play in the biggest club match in the world?

Well, Gotze took what some are saying is the easy way out. Dinged up with a nagging hamstring injury late in the season, he’s not in the lineup for Dortmund.

In fact, he’s not even on the bench.

In fact, he’s not even wearing BVB’s black and yellow.

Gotze looks a bit like Justin Bieber... twitter.com/GingeFC/status…
— Meytar Zeevi (@RossoneriBlog) May 25, 2013

Nope. Gotze is sitting in the stands at Wembley, wearing neutral black clothing and a backward baseball cap. Wonder how his Dortmund teammates feel about that.

Stay classy, San Diego.

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger Injured in UCL Final Warmup (GIF)

Adam Hirshfield — 2013-05-25 15:04:58 -0400

Breaking news from Wembley Stadium prior to the Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. According to multiple sources on and around the pitch, star Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger injured himself in pre-match warmups after running into teammate Mario Mandzukic.

Worry for Bayern. Reports that Mandzukic caught Schweinsteiger's ankle while they were warming up. Schweini went back to dressing room.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) May 25, 2013

But Fahey and the Associated Press quickly updated Schweini's status:

Schweinsteiger's on the pitch. Seems fine.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) May 25, 2013

Losing a player of Schweinsteiger’s stature would have been a huge loss for Bayern, but he is back up and walking, and that there’s no reason to think he won’t be more or less at 100 percent for Jupp Heynckes.

Again, Schweinsteiger ambled out onto the pitch with the rest of Bayern's starting lineup, so all systems are go for the 28-year-old.

Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Roundup Surrounding Gunners' Summer Intentions

Ethan Grant — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:56:47 -0400

Arsenal finished fourth in the English Premier League table for the 2012-13 season, earning a Champions League berth by narrowly topping Tottenham on the points table and ending the year with a win over Newcastle United.

Now, the real fun begins for Arsene Wenger—it's time for the Gunners' manager to make his pitch to prospective players on the idea of coming to Emirates Stadium to help Arsenal move back to the top of EPL play during the 2013-14 campaign.

Already, the rumour and news mill has been buzzing with Arsenal activity.

For starters, the Daily Mirror reported that Wenger will be able to boast deep pockets this summer, as merchandising deals and a large TV contract will help generate £70 million in revenue to use as bait for those looking for a change of scenery this summer.

With Arsenal already boasting a solid-enough squad to earn a Premier League berth, adding several pieces to provide depth and talent to a growing roster could make Arsenal a dangerous team next season. Here's a look at three names that are circulating in the latest roundup of Arsenal transfer news.

Ashley Williams

The Gunners have been linked to the Swansea City defender in recent weeks, with Goal.com reporting on Friday that Wenger had prioritized a move for Williams to join his defending outfit next season.

On a deal that would be somewhere around £8 or £10 million, the 28-year-old Williams was confirmed as wanting a move—per the report—to an English club that would be playing in top competition next season.

With Arsenal earning the Champions League bid, Williams' needs for that demand have been met.

Liverpool had been active in their pursuit of the Swansea City captain, who completed a terrific season in helping establish his current club as an EPL team in the first place. Although no deal is officially in place, The Sun is also reporting that Williams and the Gunners are closing in on a new deal—a move that could spell the end of Thomas Vermaelen's time with the club.

Christian Benteke

The Aston Villa star knotted 19 goals for the club this season, helping it stave off relegation from the Premier League and establishing himself as a hot candidate to transfer to a bigger club during the transfer window.

According to the Daily Mirror, Tottenham and Arsenal are the top two targets for Benteke's affection.

With three years left on his contract at Villa, there's no guarantee that his current club would even hint at the possibility of his availability, but with Arsenal's interest likely high through their deep pockets and Tottenham eager to add talent around star Gareth Bale, anything is possible.

Per the report, Atletico Madrid have also expressed interest in Benteke.

Keeping Villa relevant will be Benteke's job if no club can tempt him away from Villa Park, but if not, he will command some serious wages next season and would likely double—or triple—his current rate if bought by a rival club.

In short, there's nothing to get excited about on this front yet, but his comments in the piece lead to the theory that no call should be stuffed just because he has a long contract and is integral to Villa's success next year.

Wayne Rooney

On May 17, Wenger denied reports that Arsenal had been aggressive in making a bid toward disgruntled Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.

A week later, new reports have Arsenal as one of the highest bidders for his services.

The Daily Mirror first broke that Arsenal was ready to "smash the wage structure" to bring Rooney to town, mindful that other interested clubs like Chelsea, Paris St-Germain and Monaco would not have any problem doing the same.

After selling Robin Van Persie to United last summer, getting Rooney back from the Red Devils would certainly be an interesting turn of events in the Premier League setting.

As reported by Metro, Arsenal is prepared to offer Rooney £200,000 per week to complete a bid for his services, and if Rooney wants to join a fellow Premier League club without losing any of his high-level European games like the Champions League, Arsenal is a great place to go.

The latest report also feels it will take at least £25 million in bid money to get United to bite on negotiations for the 27-year-old star. Rooney is the biggest name linked to Arsenal this summer, and getting his services would be a huge coup for the Gunners.

With the Champions League final for this year ending most of the major competition this year, expect the transfer window to really heat up over the next few weeks.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Ethan Grant on Twitter:

NBA Draft 2013: Highlighting 1st-Round Prospects Flying Under the Radar

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:55:57 -0400

While the 2013 NBA draft discussion to this point has revolved around Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo and Otto Porter, there are a number of future NBA talents going unrecognized this summer.

That's not to say that one of those four players isn't worthy of the top selection on June 27, but that there is plenty more value to be had once you dive deeper into the first round.

Here, we'll highlight a trio of first-round prospects flying under the radar heading into June's draft.

Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse, PG

Before a disappointing performance in the Final Four (two points, two assists and five turnovers), Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams' stock was flying through the ceiling.

The 6'6" floor general averaged 11.9 points and 7.3 assists per game last season as a sophomore, struggling from the field at times but making up for it with sensational defense and a selfless style of play.

Carter-Williams demonstrated tremendous court vision in two seasons with the Orange, and his length was key in Jim Boeheim's vaunted 2-3 zone defense.

The knocks against Carter-Williams are that he needs to bulk up in order to match up with NBA guards and that he must improve and become a more consistent shooter to become more effective at the next level.

While it's hard to argue the 21-year-old is ready to dominate right away, given his size and ability to penetrate with a quick first step on the offensive end, Carter-Williams looks poised to become a lottery pick and eventually an impact player in the NBA.

Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State, SG

After a quiet freshman year at San Diego State, Jamaal Franklin exploded onto the scene in 2011-12, playing increased minutes and boosting his scoring output from 2.9 points to 17.4 points per game.

A long, athletic shooting guard, the 6'5" Franklin is at his best when he's slashing to the basket or making a play above the rim. His leaping ability is impressive, and his rebounding prowess is exceptional for a 2-guard.

The X-factor for Franklin is his competitiveness. Scouts and coaches won't be questioning his motor anytime soon, and that's key for his development at the next level.

Like Carter-Williams, though, Franklin has to improve his jump shot in order to truly make a difference on the offensive end in the NBA. But given his athleticism and desire to win, there should be no doubt that he'll continue to improve in that area.

Franklin could go anywhere from the mid- to late-first round this summer.

C.J. McCollum, Lehigh, PG

Another talented guard few are talking about this summer is Lehigh's C.J. McCollum, who is best known for helping lead the Mountain Hawks to an upset win over Duke in the first round of the 2012 NCAA tournament.

As a senior this past season, McCollum absolutely lit it up for Lehigh, averaging nearly 24 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 51.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

He averaged at least 19 points per game in each of his four seasons with the Mountain Hawks.

The knock on McCollum is a significant one, however. He hasn't played since last January after suffering a foot injury, and there are concerns about his health and whether or not he's worth a first-round selection.

Assuming he can return to being the player he was before the injury, some NBA team is going to land an efficient scoring guard who can also impact the game defensively. McCollum averaged 2.6 steals per game as a junior.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Should The Shield Hold Even More Championship Belts in WWE?

John Nizinski — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:53:05 -0400

The Shield burst onto the scene about six months ago and has made a huge impact in the WWE. The group started targeting the top talent in the company and immediately made a name for itself.

Stables have been a significant thing throughout the years in professional wrestling. Groups like the N.W.O, the Four Horseman, Evolution and D-Generation X all made significant impacts that helped change the landscape in their respective companies.

The Shield is making that same impact and is starting to put itself up on the level of the aforementioned stables.

After months of ambushing top Superstars and winning every six-man tag team match it was involved in, The Shield captured some gold.

At Extreme Rules last week, Dean Ambrose beat Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship, and the team of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins defeated Team Hell No for the Tag Team titles.

With three belts currently in the stable, is that all the trio is going to get? Or will The Shield continue to accrue more titles?

The initial feeling about The Shield was that Ambrose was the leader and the other two were supporting cast members. However, the more we have seen of the group, the more we have realized that all three members have pretty much an equal amount of talent and potential.

At this point, The Shield could split up and Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins would probably be fine on their own. But the longer the group stays together, the stronger it will become and the more gold it will capture.

The three other championships The Shield has yet to win are the WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship and Intercontinental Championship.

The most realistic belt it could go for next would be the Intercontinental Championship. But right now, Wade Barrett holds that title and he is a heel as well.

If Barrett drops the belt to a face like the Miz, Reigns or Rollins could potentially go after it.

The World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship would probably come further down the road because they are obviously the two most prestigious titles in the company.

But if the group stays together for a while, it could potentially go after one of those two belts.

I think The Shield should set its sights on the Intercontinental Championship. That way, it could have all of the titles in the WWE, except the two top belts.

This could help make the stable even more dominant. It also could set up a way for the WWE to break the stable up.

If two members hold individual championship belts (the Intercontinental and United States Championships), it could create a situation where one member is jealous or seen as the weakest link.

Either way, another belt within the group could open up so many more opportunities for the group and the WWE. At the rate this dominant stable is going, I wouldn't be surprised if we see The Shield holding another championship belt in the near future.

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger Injured in UCL Final Warmup (GIF)

Adam Hirshfield — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:40:39 -0400

Worry for Bayern. Reports that Mandzukic caught Schweinsteiger's ankle while they were warming up. Schweini went back to dressing room.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) May 25, 2013

But Fahey and the Associated Press quickly updated Schweini's status:

Schweinsteiger's on the pitch. Seems fine.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) May 25, 2013

Again, Schweinsteiger ambled out onto the pitch with the rest of Bayern's starting lineup, so all systems are go for the 28-year-old.

Curtis Axel: What Is the Real Meaning Behind His Sudden Push?

David Levin — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:39:55 -0400

The jury is still out for me on whether Curtis Axel's re-emergence in the WWE is the right move at the right time. I have my reservations given the fact the WWE has been so quick in recent past to give up on angles involving Zack Ryder and Bo Dallas and have not worked to give Cody Rhodes the push he deserves.

Having another up-and-comer thrown immediately into the spotlight and not building his character is a lot like Ryback being thrust into the title spotlight before he was ready. While I think Joe Hennig's character has loads of talent and plenty of possibility, I already see an overuse of talent—and top-level talent at that (The Miz)—who've been used up quicker than Kim Kardashian's 15 minutes of fame.

Don't get me wrong in my meaning. The Curtis Axel gimmick is great and should be used. I, however, am worried it will be used at the expense of Wade Barrett or Rhodes or even Damien Sandow, just because the WWE changes its mind with angles more so than it changes its opinion of a particular wrestler.

Axel's appearance in the WWE means a few things, one of which is that CM Punk will probably return to the company as a face, seeing the light of his wrongdoing and utterly destroying a character who is one o the best ever created in this company.

It also means characters like Bo Dallas, Zack Ryder, The Miz and Rhodes will never get a true push or will have to wait further down in the pecking order. The WWE is doing too much at once. While Axel is being pushed by Paul Heyman as his new guy, Daniel Bryan is in the middle of a midlife wrestling crisis and may be overshadowed by the emergence of Axel as the new "villian" of the company.

Now that he has "disposed" of Triple H, with the help of Brock Lesnar, who becomes the choice for Axel's opponent? I do not see him challenging Dolph Ziggler or John Cena for the WWE or World titles as Rndy Orton and The Rock did early on in their careers. Will there be a slow build? The WWE wouldn't have Axel beat Shield member Dean Ambrose or Wade Barrett (unless Barrett turns face), and Alberto Del Rio is caught up in a feud with Jack Swagger and Ziggler.

Randy Orton could be a fit, but he probably won't be the answer. Chris Jericho, if he could stop dancing around Fandango, would be an awesome matchup, as would The Miz. And there is Kofi Kingston, who needs a heel change more than Zack Ryder needs a personality.

The fact is, having another possible great Superstar in the WWE is something this company needs. But if there is no true plan for him and there is no dance partner to make the gimmick work, then the point of having him join the fray is useless.

Giro d'Italia 2013 Standings: Stage 20 Results, Leaderboard and Highlights

Tyler Conway — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:39:38 -0400

If Vincenzo Nibali didn't already have the 2013 Giro D'Italia championship locked up before today, he can now all but coast to a victory following Saturday's triumphant Stage 20.

The Astana cyclist climbed the event's most treacherous course, a trek all the way up to 7,550 feet above sea level in the Dolomites. He finished his day at the hallowed Tre Cime di Lavaredo, fighting through some of the worst conditions in the event's history.

Heavy snow and ice forced the cancellation of Friday's 19th stage, leaving Saturday as one last opportunity for the field to catch Nibali. However, an altered route lessened the difficulty of the Giro D'Italia's hardest climb—the riders went on a flatter route from Silandro to Tre Cime di Lavaredo—and Nibali took advantage as he scampered to a stage victory in 5:27:41.

The Giro D'Italia's Twitter feed sent out a picture of Nibali crossing the finish line through the inclement weather:

Colombia's Fabio Duarte finished second in the stage, 17 seconds behind the likely race champion. Duarte was one of three Colombian riders who finished within 21 seconds of Nibali on a day that saw conditions wipe out most of the Italian's top contenders.

Here's a look at the full results for the rest of Saturday's top-10 riders.

Finish	Cyclist	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Italy	5:27:41
2	Fabio Duarte	Colombia	+ 0:17
3	Rigoberto Uran	Colombia	+ 0:19
4	Carlos Betancur	Colombia	+ 0:21
5	Fabio Aru	Italy	+ 0:44
6	Franco Pellizotti	Italy	+ 0:48
7	Domenico Pozzovivo	Italy	+ 0:54
8	Damiano Caruso	Italy	+ 0:58
9	Darwin Atapuma	Colombia	+ 1:00
10	Rafal Majka	Poland	+ 1:04

Having won the 18th stage time trial, it would have been easy for Nibali to rest on his laurels. He had opened up a massive lead prior to Saturday's running, one comfortable enough to make him the prohibitive favorite. When Friday's 19th stage was canceled, Nibali's positioning looked even better—leaving some to wonder whether he would be aggressive or lay back when trekking up the mountain.

Instead, Nibali went on the offensive. He charged to the front of the pack with about two miles remaining in the stage, putting his nearest competitors on ice (almost literally) on his way to Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Rigoberto Uran and Cadel Evans both lost time to Nibali, who now holds a lead of four minutes and 53 second on the field. With wins in each of the past two stages, Nibali has a relatively flat ride to Brescia remaining and should breeze to the championship.

Here is a look at the increasingly spaced out top-five following Stage 20:

Finish	Cyclist	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Italy	79:23:19
2	Rigoberto Uran	Colombia	+ 4:43
3	Cadel Evans	Australia	+ 5:52
4	Michele Scarponi	Italy	+ 6:48
5	Carlos Betancur	Colombia	+ 7:28

Standings via the BBC.

Barring something catastrophic happening between now and Sunday, Nibali will walk away with the biggest win of his career. Nibali's most notable previous triumph came at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana.

But the 2013 cycling season has seen the 28-year-old ascend to the top of the sport. As cycling commentator Anthony McCrossan noted, Mark Cavendish and Nibali are separated by the thinnest of margins for the Maglia Rossa jersey:

With an easy ride facing him in Stage 21, there is no hotter cyclist in the world than Nibali as he prepares for the Tour de France later this year.

Stage 21 Preview

A relatively relaxing final stage is a staple of the cycling world, allowing the triumphant rider to celebrate his victory on a relatively breezy ride. The sipping of some bubbly has been a Tour de France tradition for years, and Nibali should face an easy enough ride if he wants to partake on Sunday.

The final stage of the Giro D'Italia is a 122-mile trek that starts in Riese Pio X and finishes in Brescia. This year is the first time the race's final stage has concluded in Brescia, as it beat out Vicenza in vying for the honor. Many saw the shift away from Milan as a shocker, with the traditional finish becoming synonymous with the race.

However, officials decided a change was necessary.

The result for the riders is rather negligible. Riders will notice that there are very few twists and turns to this course and the ride is almost completely flat. They will see a slight uphill climb at Bosco Di Sona midway through and again at the two-thirds mark.

Holding a lead of nearly five minutes means that none of this should be a problem for Nibali. His torrid finish to the Giro D'Italia proves that Nibali is firmly in his prime and not prone to any major fatigue that will hurt his chances. Look for Nibali to run a conservative race, hanging behind the main pack to avoid any accidents for drivers looking to aggressively move up.

Though he might have hoped for better conditions, Nibali should be smiling all the way to the finish line to capture his first Giro D'Italia following Stage 21.

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva: What to Expect in UFC 160's Rematch

John Rozum — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:23:02 -0400

Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva will square off in UFC 160—a rematch of the 146 bout from a year ago.

What can we expect entering this heavyweight title fight?

More of the same.

In the previous fight, Velasquez totally wrecked Silva from start to finish. His wrestling ability, combined with defense, initially gave him the advantage on a takedown. Thereafter, Velasquez's marksmanship on striking with his punches and elbows simply took over.

As for this bout, Velasquez holds an edge whether it's on the feet or the ground. He's incredibly quick when counter-attacking and brings an onslaught of combinations to break his opponent's defense.

Even better, though, Velasquez is a stronger martial artist on the ground. With his excellent wrestling experience, he's rarely caught out of position and knows how to avoid any lock or submission hold.

Jeff Wagenheim of Sports Illustrated puts this fight's potential into perspective:

Cain is faster, in better shape, is disciplined and has the wrestling chops to dictate where this fight is fought. That means the big fists of “Bigfoot” are unlikely to be a factor, and Velasquez will roll onward, possibly into a rematch with Junior dos Santos.

If anything, Silva must find a way to first win on his feet. His size is a favorable edge regarding reach and power, so avoiding the ground keeps that relevant. Given Velasquez's defense, Silva must also avoid telegraphing kicks to prevent easy takedowns.

Fighting with a lower center of gravity and building efficiency from punches will help him gain the advantage. The challenge is actually matching Velasquez's reactionary quickness and instincts.

That was an obvious disparity between the two in their first match. Don't expect that to change here.

After getting the victory over Junior dos Santos in December, Velasquez just has more confidence now than ever before. He's also, however, displaying admirable humility. Per Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, Velasquez said:

What I have learned is that the smart thing to do is to consider we're fighting for a new belt and that neither of us is the champion. The truth of it is, what has happened in the past really matters when it comes to this fight. What happens on Saturday night is going to determine what happens in Saturday's fight, not what happened in my last fight or any fight before that.

This shows great focus and preparation on Velasquez's part, as well as respect for Silva. Refusing to get overconfident and suppress his anxiousness to fight is quite impressive.

Mesh all that with having smashed Silva's face in once before, and UFC 160 won't offer anything unexpected.

NBA Draft 2013: The Boston Celtics' 5 Most Important Draft Targets

Matthew Wolfe — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:04:35 -0400

The Boston Celtics finished with a 41-40 regular season in 2013, which got them the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

They were bounced out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks in round one after putting up a fight and bringing the series to six games.

The days of the Big Three are coming to an end due to age and free agency, and the Celtics are looking to get younger with the 16th pick in this year's draft.

Although the core of their team may be slowly deteriorating, the Celtics still have plenty of young pieces to build around, giving them hope for the future.

Here is a look at the Boston Celtics' five most important draft targets.

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UFC 160 Live Streaming: How to Watch Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva Online

Sean Smith — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:04:04 -0400

Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will meet Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in a rematch on Saturday, and you can watch UFC 160 live streaming online.

Velasquez dominated Silva in their first meeting, but "Bigfoot" rightly earned a shot at the re-established titleholder by upsetting Alistair Overeem with a come-from-behind knockout win. Despite already being a two-time heavyweight champion, Velasquez will try to successfully defend his belt for the first time against Silva.

Before Velasquez and Silva even step into the Octagon, the next heavyweight title challenger will already be determined. Former champion Junior dos Santos and the surging Mark Hunt will clash in the co-main event, and the winner is almost guaranteed to earn a fight with the victor of the UFC 160 main event.

Here is how MMA fans can tune in to watch every portion of the UFC 160 fight card.

YouTube Prelims—6:30 p.m. ET

Stephen Thompson vs. Nah-Shon Burrell

Brian Bowles vs. George Roop

Jeremy Stephens vs. Estevan Payan

All three of these preliminary card bouts will be shown on the below video player. Follow the link to the UFC's official YouTube page.

FX Prelims—8 p.m. ET

Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story

Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway

Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

Contact your cable provider for more information on how to watch FX on your television.

UFC 160 Pay-Per-View—10 p.m. ET

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt

Glover Teixeira vs. James Te-Huna

Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant

Donald Cerrone vs. K.J. Noons

You can purchase the pay-per-view via the above YouTube player. Follow the link to the UFC's official YouTube page.

Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund: Key Players Who Will Decide Champions League Final

Tim Daniels — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:03:42 -0400

Last season, Chelsea completed a miracle run to the Champions League final. There were no such underdog stories this time around. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund were quickly established as title contenders and will now battle for the coveted trophy.

The German rivals both earned their championship match spots with semifinal victories over La Liga powerhouses. Bayern crushed Barcelona by an aggregate score of 7-0, while Dortmund survived a comeback bid by Real Madrid, 4-3.

It will mark the fifth meeting of the campaign between the Bundesliga sides. Bayern is unbeaten in those matches. Let's examine the most important player from each club. They will have a major impact on deciding whether FCB's dominance continues or Dortmund pulls off the upset.

Bayern Munich: Thomas Muller

Muller is the main reason Bayern are playing for the title. He was virtually unstoppable against Barcelona, scoring three goals over the two legs. His ability to put relentless pressure on the Barca back line caused it to wear down and then the floodgates opened for the Bundesliga champions.

What makes the 23-year-old attacking midfielder special is his unique approach. At times, it's a bit unorthodox, but he uses a combination of creativity, vision and a nearly unmatched work rate to create chances for both himself and teammates.

There are certain stars who always appear like they playing the match a couple steps ahead of everyone else. He's one of them. He can drive toward the box with what seems like reckless abandon, and in the blink of an eye, the ball is in the net.

He creates, while others react. That split-second difference is what makes him so dangerous heading into the final. It only takes a single defensive lapse from Dortmund for Muller to completely change the course of the match.

The German international has been in fine form lately, netting four goals over his past five appearances. Expect him to get plenty of touches in the first half as Bayern makes him the focal point of the attack. From there, they hope he creates his usual magic.

Borussia Dortmund: Robert Lewandowski

In many ways, Lewandowski is built from the same mold as Muller—somebody without extraordinary natural gifts, but he built himself into a vital asset for Dortmund through hard work and a tremendous finishing touch.

Look no further than his four-goal outburst against Real Madrid in the semifinals. The Blancos didn't pay nearly enough attention to him early. He built up momentum and had so much confidence by the second half that the defenders were powerless to stop him.

Dortmund are going to need a similar effort from him in the final. They will be without superstar midfielder Mario Gotze, who was ruled out due to injury. His absence is going to leave a void in the attack that must be covered.

Lewandowski has only scored once in four meeting with Bayern this season. That's mostly because FCB understands exactly how critical he is to Dortmund's success. The Polish star must find a way to produce despite the added attention.

Bayern's advantage in the midfield should allow them to create more chances. That means the ones the Dortmund midfielders are able to generate for Lewandowski need to get converted if they want to pull off the upset and capture the trophy.

Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2: Keys to Cain Knocking Off Antonio Silva at UFC 160

Mike Chiari — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:39:25 -0400

When Cain Velasquez and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva met at UFC 146 last year, most expected it to be one of the most exciting fights on the card. That turned out to be true, but it didn't last long, as Velasquez knocked out Silva in just three minutes and 36 seconds. Silva will have another crack at Velasquez at UFC 160 on Saturday, however.

Velasquez has since captured the UFC heavyweight title after defeating Junior dos Santos in December, so the stakes will be even higher this time around. Based on their last fight, Velasquez is a heavy favorite. He can't afford to take Silva lightly, though, because the Brazilian has a big-time track record of success.

Here are the three biggest keys that Velasquez must adhere to if he hopes to repeat his UFC 146 performance against Silva on Saturday at UFC 160.

Go for the Knockout

After getting thoroughly dominated by Velasquez at UFC 146, it's possible that Silva will be a bit more cautious this time around. Velasquez can't allow that type of approach to influence him, though. Three out of Silva's four career losses have come by way of knockout and Velasquez has nine career knockout victories in his own right, so there is no point in straying from that.

Perhaps in an effort to get into his opponent's head and throw him off his game, Silva claims that he is going to knock Velasquez out, according to MMASpot.com.

Velasquez's one career loss did come by way of knockout against dos Santos, so that may actually be the best strategy on Silva's part. However, Velasquez shouldn't let Silva's talk distract him.

Velasquez isn't the type of fighter who generally goes the distance, nor is Silva. Velasquez's aggressive style has allowed him to become the best heavyweight in UFC, and he needs to worry about fighting the fight that is most comfortable for him rather than falling into his opponent's traps.

Avoid Mat Grappling

Both Velasquez and Silva are considered to be knockout fighters by most, but Silva certainly has the ability to tap his opponent out in certain situations. Silva has three career submission victories, and although he hasn't turned the trick since beating Jim York with an arm-triangle choke in 2009, it is something that he has in his back pocket at all times.

Velasquez, on the other hand, has never scored a submission win, so he should do everything in his power to avoid mat grappling with Silva. That means Velasquez should stand toe-to-toe with Silva and throw punches for as long as possible before ultimately going for a takedown. If Velasquez is too sloppy, though, Silva could turn the tables and put him in a very precarious position.

That is why Velasquez can't get overzealous until he is sure that he has the advantage. Velasquez is the clear favorite, but Silva's submission ability definitely makes him a threat. As long as Velasquez succeeds in keeping the upper hand, though, he should be fine.

Forget About Last Fight

It would probably be pretty easy for Velasquez to enter UFC 160 with a great deal of confidence and maybe even a bit of cockiness after UFC 146. He took Silva out to the woodshed and laid a beating on him, but that fight is in the past and has very little to do with Saturday night. If Velasquez comes into UFC 160 expecting a similar fight, he could be in for a rude awakening.

Velasquez remembers what he did to Silva, but Silva remembers as well. Bigfoot will do everything in his power to ensure that he isn't embarrassed again, so Velasquez needs to be on his toes and can't simply expect to do the same thing as last time. It's unclear if either man will be able to block UFC 146 from their memories, but Connor Casey of H4TV has noticed that UFC itself is treating UFC 160 like an entirely different ballgame.

As long as Velasquez does the same and focuses on taking care of UFC 160, he should be able to beat Silva for a second time and retain his title.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

Champions League Final 2013: Last-Minute Preview for Bayern vs. Dortmund

Ethan Grant — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:35:33 -0400

After a few weeks of waiting, the highly anticipated matchup of German rivals is set to commence on Saturday in London.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are already rivals in Bundesliga play in their native country, but that rivalry will reach its boiling point on Saturday night, as the two German clubs square off for the 2013 UEFA Champions League title.

Bayern and Dortmund have faced each other four times this season, with the Bundesliga champs winning two and the other two matches ending in draws.

The two German clubs managed to defeat Real Madrid and Barcelona en route to the Champions League final, with Bayern dominating a Lionel Messi-less Barca and the Borussians hanging on for a 4-3 aggregate victory over Madrid.

The title will now be decided in London's Wembley Stadium. As Fox Sports posted on Twitter, the stadium is already rocking and ready for the German invasion of fans, of sorts, that has already descended to watch these two clubs battle it out.

With the match right around the corner, we've got you covered with a last-minute preview, complete with each team's projected lineups and some top storylines to follow during this all-German final.

Event Information

Where: Wembley Stadium in London, England

When: Saturday, May 25 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Watch: Fox and Fox Deportes

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Probable Lineups

BAYERN MUNICH		BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Pos.	Player	Pos.	Player
G	Manuel Neuer	G	Roman Weidenfeller (c)
D	Philipp Lahm (c)	D	Lukasz Piszczek
D	Jerome Boateng	D	Neven Subotic
D	Dante	D	Mats Hummels
D	David Alaba	D	Marcel Schmelzer
M	Bastian Schweinsteiger	M	Sven Bender
M	Javi Martinez	M	Ilkay Gundogan
M	Arjen Robben	M	Jakub Blaszczykowski
M	Thomas Mueller	M	Marco Reus
M	Franck Ribery	M	Kevin Grosskreutz
F	Mario Mandzukic	F	Robert Lewandowski
Coach	Jupp Heynckes	Coach	Juergen Klopp

Injuries

Bayern Munich

Toni Kroos, OUT

Holger Badstuber, OUT

Borussia Dortmund

Mario Gotze, OUT

Top Storylines

Bayern Dominance

In addition to not dropping a match against Borussia Dortmund this season, Bayern has been victorious in each of its last 14 matches—the one exception being a draw to Dortmund on May 4 that helped provide a window to how tense this match could be.

With only a valid argument to be made for a handful of other Premier League and La Liga teams, Bayern has been the best team in Europe this year—the Champions League legs have helped prove that assertion to be right on target.

On a historical level, Bayern has also dominated the group and elimination stages of Champions League play.

This will be Bayern's third appearance in the last four years in the Champions League final, and they have been unable to finish the job in the match after losing to Inter Milan in 2010 and Chelsea in last year's thrilling CL finish.

With experience, a revenge-factor of sorts and the four previous matches between these two teams during the 2012-13 calendar season, Bayern figure to have all the momentum heading into this mother of all European finals.

Gotze's Absence

Mario Gotze has proven himself as one of the biggest rising stars in Europe this season, scoring 20 goals in 43 games (all competitions) this season. As fans descend on Wembley Stadium, they'll notice that Gotze won't be in action for this Champions League final:

He's also joining up with the team on the other side of the field next season.

Expected to join Bayern when the 2013-14 season commences, Gotze would have already been in a weird place if he was on the pitch for this match. He won't be, though, and Borussia Dortmund will have their hands full in replacing his production.

As noted by OptaFranz, he's not an easy player to replace for a match of this magnitude:

However, Dortmund is a pesky squad who has no problem playing the underdog role in any given match. Additionally, Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus are fine players, capable of playing a solid match to force the ball on the attack.

Will Dortmund crumble without Gotze, or rise to the occasion and prove his absence won't be that noticeable next season? It's one of the big questions of the match.

All-German Rivalry

Like many rivalries in professional sports (Ohio State-Michigan, New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers), you throw previous records out the window when the game commences.

Prepare to do the same for this match.

Bayern had the upper hand on Dortmund for most of the season—both home and away matches ended in a 1-1 draw in Bundesliga play—but Dortmund won the previous two Bundesliga finals before this year's Bayern triumph.

Prepare for the fireworks to commence both on and off the field in this matchup of bitter rivals. As most Champions League finals are, expect this one to resonate in your soccer memories for years to come.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Ethan Grant on Twitter:

2013 French Open: Dark Horse Contenders to Watch in Women's Bracket

Merlisa Lawrence Corbett — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:33:58 -0400

Serena Williams is the favorite to win the French Open.

However, she was also the favorite going into last year's French Open, where she lost in the first round.

Unlike Rafael Nadal on the men's draw, no Women's Tennis Association player is a sure-thing on clay.

The last woman to repeat as French Open champion was Justin Henin, who won in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Even defending champion Maria Sharapova is no lock to make it to the finals.

Counter punchers and clay-court specialists, like Angelique Kerber and Sara Errani, could upset Williams or Sharapova.

That's why this year's French Open looks anything but bleak for these dark horse contenders.

Begin Slideshow

NBA Picks: Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers, Game 3

Jeff Grant — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:28:57 -0400

The Miami Heat are 4-0 against the spread on the road during the 2013 NBA playoffs, which can't be ignored when making your picks Sunday, as they continue their best-of-seven series against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Sports bettors will find that the Heat are one-point favorites in the pro basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 183.5 in the betting market.

Let's take a closer look at Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction along the way.

Begin Slideshow

English Premier League Promoted Teams: Players to Watch Next Season

Jack O'Riordan — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:27:14 -0400

With three teams being promoted to the Premier League, there will be several new players catching the eyes of supporters.

Cardiff and Hull have already booked their places in the Premier League, and next Monday sees Crystal Palace and Watford do battle in the world’s most lucrative football match for the final spot in the Championship playoff final.

With that in mind, there will be some fresh, exciting and hungry new talent entering the Premier League fray for the next season. Here are some of those names who could make an impact and help their teams to achieve the greatest of successes next campaign—maintaining Premier League status.

CARDIFF

Keep an eye out— Ben Turner

Young Ben Turner really came of age at the heart of Cardiff’s defence last season. The champions of the Championship won the league at a canter, in truth, and Turner was one of the unsung heroes of that tremendous run.

Standing at 6’4”, the 24-year-old is a domineering figure for strikers to try and get past or around, and his positional sense makes it very difficult to catch him off guard. He played 31 games in the league last season and will be an integral part of Malky Mackay’s squad in the Premier League.

There are a few players in this Cardiff side who will have points to prove next season; Peter Whittingham, Craig Bellamy, Frazier Campbell and Mark Hudson to name but a few, so there were plenty of worthwhile candidates to choose from. But in Turner, Cardiff have a leader.

A young man who is still developing, still learning the game and, should he get a chance to further that in the Premier League, could turn into one of the country’s finest centre-backs.

One to watch—Craig Noone

As I said, there are some established names in this Cardiff side that can offer a lot of experience to some of the younger heads in their debut Premier League season.

One of those young heads is Craig Noone, whose form last season was one of the reasons why Cardiff were so imperious in their rise to the top of the league.

The diminutive midfielder scored seven goals in 32 appearances, a fairly decent return, and he made an immediate impact on his debut and continued to do so right the way through the season.

Noone is blessed with blistering pace which makes it incredibly hard to defend, especially when he marauds right through the middle of the park. His pace is augmented by some fancy tricks which he has the confidence to use in order to beat a man.

His displays have made him a favourite with the fans, and he could pick up a few more admirers if he can replicate the form shown last season in the Premier League.

HULL CITY

Keep an eye out—Jack Hobbs

Hull City’s counter-attacking style of football is predicated upon a solid base at the back from which to build. One of the main reasons for having this solid base is Jack Hobbs. The former Liverpool youth player and England U-21 international has excelled in the past season.

Playing in his manager's former position, Hobbs has been the bedrock that has served the Tigers so well in the Championship.

His calm under pressure and assured performances stood out in the Championship and, at 24 years of age, he is only going to improve.

Hull will know it is the conceding of goals, rather than the scoring of them, that is the most difficult part of assimilation into the Premier League but with Hobbs they have a young, tenacious, physical specimen that won’t be bullied into defensive submission.

Schooled at Liverpool, he has experience in playing with big players, so I expect he shouldn’t be too daunted. In fact, quite the opposite: He will probably relish the Premier League challenge.

One to watch—Sone Aluko

Brought in from Rangers in 2012, Sone Aluko has continued to impress with his all-action, box-to-box style. With his boundless energy mixed with his considerable ability, he has been the midfield general at the heart of Hull’s promotion push to the Premier League.

Playing in 22 games this season, he scored nine goals, which represents a healthy return from the midfield. Cut from the mold of an Abou Diaby or a Mo Diame type figure, it is easy to see why he is such an imposing figure on the pitch.

For those of you who like to have a fantasy league team, this could be a player to pick up points for a cheap return. He has all the attributes, including the confidence, to achieve relative success with Hull in the Premier League next season.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Keep an eye out—Wilfred Zaha

It would be remiss not to mention this electric, dynamic prospect who, irrespective of whether Crystal Palace win their playoff final match against Watford, will be playing in the Premier League with Manchester United next season.

His transfer to the English champions was for £15 million no less—a clear indication of the talent this young man possesses.

His two goals, against rivals Brighton, were the match winning goals responsible for getting the Eagles to the playoff final, so he will leave Palace on good terms.

Zaha has lightning pace and several tricks in his armory, but probably his biggest asset is his direct approach to goals. Yes, he does like to display his tricks but only when possible. Zaha has that innate knowhow of when and where to showboat during matches.

He knows how to score and has an explosive right foot at his disposal. Though he may not start many times for United next season, he will certainly make an impact when he does play. Expect big things from this young man.

One to watch— Mile Jedinak

Mr. Captain Fantastic, Mile Jedinak, will be the one to watch should Crystal Palace make it to the Promised Land next season. He really is the epitome of the complete footballer. That’s not to say to quite the same calibre as a Yaya Toure or a Xavi, but he has every attribute in his locker.

He tackles, passes, motivates, unlocks defence and scores goals. He creates the moves from deep inside his own half, allowing the electric pace of Yannick Bolasie and Wilfred Zaha to expose space on the wings and the guile of Owen Garvan to make space in the middle of the pitch.

As captain, though, he knows the importance of defensive responsibility and marshals the defence too. Talismanic in his performances, he played 43 times in the last season for Crystal Palace, missing only three league games all season.

Jedinak is the metronome that keeps Palace ticking—he is also capable of having those barnstorming appearances so associated with all-conquering midfielders. He is a crowd favourite too, and when he is on song, you can bet the Palace faithful will be at their fervent best.

WATFORD

Keep an eye out—Matej Vydra

The Czech Republic striker, on loan from Italian side Udinese, was sensational in his first season in English football. He scored 22 league goals and was named with the Championship Player of the Year after propelling Watford into playoff contention.

Watford are under a transfer embargo at the moment, meaning boss Gianfranco Zola can’t sign players until after this summer’s window so Vydra might not be able to turn out for the Hornets, should they get promoted.

If they can find a loophole to keep hold of him, though, the 20-year-old will be a terrific prospect in the Premier League. His pace is electric, his finishing accomplished and he is adept at both playing off the shoulder of the last defender or coming in from a wide position and penetrating back four’s with that whippet-like pace.

He formed a formidable partnership with Troy Deeney upfront for Watford, which saw the Hertfordshire club top-score the Championship with an incredible 85-goal haul—let’s just hope there is an opportunity for the two to showcase that partnership next season.

One to watch—Troy Deeney

After a tough year away from the game because of some transgressions in his personal life, Troy Deeney came back with a bang.

Watford gave him another chance to prove his worth, and he hasn’t left them regretting the decision. Deeney is big and powerful but has pace and agility too. Crucially for his position on the park, he also has an eye for goal.

He scored 20 of them in a rip-roaring season for the Hornets, including a dramatic last gasp winner in the playoff semifinal against Leicester City to send them to Wembley and one step away from the Premier League.

Too often we hear about the peccadilloes of professional footballer’s but never about when they turn it around and prove their worth as an individual. In Deeney’s case, if he gets the chance to play in the top tier, he will have earned it, and he could cause defences a few problems with his strength and keen eye for a goal.

Is Lionel Hollins Coaching for His Memphis Grizzlies Future vs. Spurs?

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:25:36 -0400

Lionel Hollins has coached the Memphis Grizzlies to the best season in the team's history, taking them to their first Western Conference Finals in the process, yet he still seems to be coaching for his future.

As the 56-26 Grizzlies do their best to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the San Antonio Spurs, Lionel Hollins remains without a contract for next season.

Even as other teams are nipping at Hollins after each game he and the Grizzlies win, the front office is seemingly still questioning whether or not he's the right coach for the team it has put together.

Obviously there are fundamental differences between Hollins and the front office.

When Robert Para bought the team back in October, no decisions were made considering the direction of the team, as it seemed they were reserved to see how the season unrolled.

In essence, it seemed like a tryout for a lot of the team this season, and that includes Hollins.

What has become a problem throughout the season is that the new owners have gone all-in on embracing the statistical revolution in basketball. They hired ESPN's John Hollinger back in December in an attempt to start filling the front office with younger, analytic-driven basketball minds.

While that seems to be a good idea given the success of the Houston Rockets and the importance they've placed on analytics in the past few seasons, it's a style that clashes with Hollins.

Hollins is generally considered to be in the old-school basketball camp, intent on playing a traditional lineup pigeonholing players into certain positions given their size.

He's a defensive-minded coach who has ingrained his professionalism into the rest of the players on the roster, and he also happens to be the winningest coach in Grizzlies history.

However, the Rudy Gay trade at the deadline seemed to be a direct contrast to old-school basketball thinking.

Memphis got rid of its leading scorer, brought back Tayshaun Prince, a lanky veteran, and Ed Davis, a guy who would be called a power forward by old standards but simply a "big" in today's NBA.

There is no "true" center other than Marc Gasol on the team, and that's the way the front office designed the team. However, that's not the way that Hollins coaches. (Via the Memphis Commercial Appeal)

One of the issues that I have is that neither Darrell or Ed (Davis) are fives. We don't have another big guy. We weren't able to play big and have two bigger people across the board because we don't have a bigger guy to put in the game.

Davis averaged just 15 minutes per game following the trade to Memphis, compared to 24 minutes when he was splitting starts with Amir Johnson on the Toronto Raptors.

Hollins also talked with Grantland's Zach Lowe following the Gay trade, telling Lowe that he wasn't a fan of the Gay trade when it went down:

People made it seem like I didn't know, or that I was upset. I wasn't upset. Somebody asked me a question: "Would you want to do the trade or not?" And I said I would not. But I also voiced that to management before the trade was even made, because they asked me.

Even though Hollins did lead the team to its most successful season yet, if he's not the type of coach that fits what the team is trying to do, letting him go wouldn't be that far-fetched.

They're obviously not at a boil-over point yet, especially since the team is winning, but it seems to be a similar situation to the Art Howe-Billy Beane dynamic with the Oakland Athletics back in 2002, around which the book Moneyball was based.

Howe was the old-school manager, while Beane was championing moneyball from behind the scenes.

The A's won 103 games in 2002, yet Beane released Howe from his contract following the season to go in a different direction.

I suppose now all we need is for Brad Pitt to play Hollinger and Phillip Seymour Hoffman to take on the Hollins role, the pair of them starring in Moneyball II: Mid-Range Jumper.

It still seems as if things are hunky-dory in Memphis (the team is successful), it's just up to the front office to decide whether it wants a coach to challenge the team or run its system to a tee.

One of the biggest votes of confidence for Hollins came after the Grizzlies lost two games out of the gate against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. (Via ESPN)

The only conversations we've had is they said they wanted me back. After we lost the first two games to the Clippers, we had a friendly conversation about the series and how they just wanted me personally to know that regardless of what's being said out there, this is how they felt.

Regardless of what the Grizzlies decide, it seems safe to say that Hollins will be coaching in the NBA next season.

2013 NBA Playoffs: Who Will Prevail in Heat's Big 3 vs. Pacer's Big 5? Who Knows

Martin Telleria — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:21:24 -0400

It seems that, contrary to popular belief, LeBron James is indeed human.

In the Indiana Pacers’ 97-93 win over the Miami Heat Friday night, James opened the floodgates for criticism once again.

If there is one chink in the king’s armor, it is that he is selfless to a fault. In the eye’s of LeBron, there is always a better shot. It is rare that we see a superstar so hell-bent on making the right play.

Friday night, it cost him.

He picked the wrong time to have two turnovers in the last minute of a playoff game, desperately attempting to convert passes that simply weren’t there.

That being said, I’m not putting the loss completely on him. Once again, he was brilliant, scoring 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting. Throw in his eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot and you have a typical LeBron box score.

No, the Heat didn’t lose because of LeBron. They lost because, quite simply, the Pacers are a fantastic team.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports that star Paul George, in his postgame press conference, said what many of us have known.

"Take nothing away from their Big Three, what they have going. But we'll take a big five any day. That's what we have."

George is absolutely on the money with his opinion. The Pacers were the epitome of a team.

All five guys in the starting lineup chipped in at least 10 points, balance in its purest form.

None, however, were bigger than Roy Hibbert (literally and figuratively). Scoring a hyper-efficient 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting, Hibbert continues to expose the biggest flaw in the defending champion’s armor: size.

Hibbert was candid with his remarks after the game, oozing confidence as he spoke.

"We're not going to back down. They could be the champs, but we're coming for them.

"A lot of us feel we should be up 2-0. They're at the top. Like I said, we're coming for them."

Hibbert is correct in his assessment. The Pacers are one defensive lapse away from being up 2-0 in the series.

As strange as it seems to say, the Heat no longer look the favorite to emerge from this war. If anything, this series is dead even, the greatness of the Heat’s stars doing battle with the greatness of the Pacers’ as a whole.

It’s a beautiful juxtaposition of styles.

At this point, this is a series that absolutely nobody has any idea how it will turn out.

In Game 1, it appeared that James’ superiority as a player would ultimately be the deciding factor between two evenly matched foes. Game 2, however, showed that the Pacers not only do not fear the King, but they have the tools to stop him.

Anyone offering predictions should simply be ignored. They don’t know how this series will play out. Neither do you, and most certainly, neither do I.

It’s time for us all to just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s probably going to be a long one.

Cold Hard Fact for Saturday, May 25, 2013

Daily Cold Hard Facts — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:14:31 -0400

Fact: In 1963, Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, "They'll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run." On July 20, 1969, a few hours after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Perry hit his first and only home run.

Bleacher Report will be bringing sports fans the most interesting and engaging Cold Hard Fact of the day, presented by Coors Light.

2013 Detroit Red Wings Thriving as Playoff Underdogs

Greg Eno — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:11:49 -0400

So this is how the other half lives, when it comes to playoff hockey.

This is what it’s like to be a low seed, prohibitive underdog.

This is what it’s like to have a goalie as hot as a firecracker, turning into Mr. Zero against a high-powered offense.

This is what it’s like to see the players on the other team frustrated, angry and telling themselves that the breaks will eventually go their way.

This is what it’s like to squeak into the playoffs, flying under all the so-called experts’ radar.

This is what it’s like to upset a high seed in the first round and vex another high seed in the second round.

This is what it’s like to play loosey goosey while the other guys are gripping their sticks like they’re strangling a chicken.

This is what it’s like to watch the other coach juggle lines as frantically as a circus performer.

This is what it’s like to actually have fun, instead of carrying the weight of Stanley Cup-or-bust expectations on the shoulders.

This is what it’s like to have a team short on talent but long on spunk.

This is what it’s like to be Cinderella on skates.

For 22 straight springs, the Red Wings have qualified for the playoffs. In about 20 of those years, they were in the conversation for the Stanley Cup.

The 1990-91 season is when the streak began. The Red Wings were a playoff pretender that year, not a contender. They were 34-38-8 and were considered easy first-round fodder for the St. Louis Blues.

But the Red Wings kicked up their heels and took a 3-1 series lead over the Blues before collapsing into defeat, 4-3.

That was the last time—22 years ago—when the Red Wings didn’t have a team considered Stanley Cup worthy.

They didn’t always win it, of course. Sometimes they were blotted out in the very first round. But when those regular seasons ended, NHL observers pretty much threw the Red Wings into the mix of teams who had a shot at hoisting the Cup.

Not this year.

The string of playoff appearances continued this spring, but the streak of being a Cup contender ended.

The Red Wings had to hustle just to make the playoffs, number one. They had to win their final four games to nip the rest of the pack at the wire. Teams that do that can’t seriously be considered Cup-ish.

Going back even further, to the start of the season, hockey folks had the Red Wings’ grave dug and the team lowered three feet into it.

There was no Nicklas Lidstrom, most famously. The All-Universe defenseman retired last summer, and according to the puck brains, Lidstrom took with him any real chance that the Red Wings could continue to be a playoff team, much less one that could make a long run.

The Red Wings were as young and as inexperienced heading into this season as any Red Wings team in recent memory. In fact, you might have to go back further than that 1990-91 team to find a team this youthful wearing the Winged Wheel on its collective chests—certainly when it comes to playoff hockey.

Not that this team, which is on the verge of swatting the mighty Chicago Blackhawks out of the playoffs, doesn’t have its veterans.

There are still your Hank Zetterbergs and your Pavel Datsyuks and your Danny Clearys and your Todd Bertuzzis and your Johan Franzens.

But the list of recently retired Red Wings reads like a mini franchise Who’s Who.

Since 2009, the Red Wings have lost the following to retirement: Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty, Chris Chelios, Tomas Holmstrom and Chris Osgood. There are about 215 Stanley Cups in there.

This year’s squad?

It’s not exactly made up of a bunch of grizzled playoff veterans.

Beyond Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary, Bertuzzi, Justin Abdelkader, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson and Johan Franzen, the Red Wings are made up of mostly rookies, second- and third-year guys, and a few re-treads.

It’s a patchwork lineup—the likes of which have spoiled Red Wings playoff parties in years past, back in the days of 100-plus point seasons and when anything less than a Stanley Cup was considered to be failure.

There’s another aspect of these playoffs that has often been played out by the Red Wings’ opponents over the years, and one that has spurred this spring’s surprise uprising.

That would be the goaltending of one Jimmy Howard.

Red Wings fans know this story, but it’s been told by the other team’s guy.

Remember New Jersey’s Marty Brodeur in the 1995 Cup Finals? J-F Giguere in the 2003 first round against Anaheim? Those are just two examples. There have been others—goalies whose feats have caused Hockeytown’s fans to wake up in a cold sweat.

This year, it’s Howard who’s “that guy.”

It’s Howard who is repelling shot after shot, scoring chance after scoring chance—turning a powerful opponent into a pile of frustrated rubble.

Howard made Anaheim’s Corey Perry look to the heavens more than once in the seven-game first round. Perry, a top goal scorer ever since he entered the league, went goal-less against Howard.

Now Howard’s doing it to Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, who has yet to score a goal in this conference semifinal series against the Red Wings.

Toews did get a hat trick of sorts in Game 4—he took three straight penalties in the second period, all within a 5:34 time frame. The Red Wings scored on one of those three power plays, and it turned out to be the only goal they needed, as Howard was again stellar.

The Blackhawks hadn’t been shut out all season. They also hadn’t lost three straight games all season. Both those streaks ended Thursday night. Howard can’t be judged an innocent in making that happen.

Howard is playing the best hockey of his career, and in the process he is exorcising demons—the ones that said he isn’t a money goalie, and that he can’t be trusted in the playoffs.

Win me a playoff series and then we’ll talk, the Howard critics like to say about the goalie they hate to love.

Now, that might seem like an unfair measuring stick, but this is Detroit, whose fans have always had a fascination with the quarterbacks and goalies who were on the sidelines and on the bench, rather than supporting the ones actually playing.

The Red Wings haven’t won this series against the Blackhawks yet. The fourth win won’t be easily attained. Frankly, for it to happen, Howard has to continue to be red hot.

And, for it to happen, the Red Wings have to continue to be the team that they loathed to play against in so many of those aborted playoff runs.

They have to continue to experience how the other half has lived for the past 22 years.

UFC 160 Main Event Will Be Highlighted by Cain Velasquez's Unrivaled Power

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:09:08 -0400

It's been nearly a year since Cain Velasquez destroyed Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva at UFC 146 in Las Vegas. But the only thing that's changed over those 12 months is that this time around, Velasquez enters the Octagon as the reigning UFC heavyweight champion.

Therefore, the 30-year-old will head into Saturday's main event at UFC 160 with a massive target on his back. But don't expect the current UFC heavyweight trend of champions going down to continue.

Velasquez is no Brock Lesnar, and as he proved last December, he's a step above Junior dos Santos.

The belt won't change anything for Velasquez this weekend. At the end of the night, the former college wrestler's unrivaled power, stamina and strength will be what fans remember most about UFC 160.

After all, four of Velasquez's five victories have come via knockout or technical knockout, including last year's first-round win over Silva. While Velasquez had plenty of motivation to annihilate Silva on that night, having surrendered the title in his previous bout, the motivation this time around is simple: Keep the belt.

As Velasquez's trainer Javier Mendez recently pointed out, the UFC's heavyweight division has been plagued by parity (via ESPN.com's Josh Gross):

Remember, no one has defended the title more than twice, so if he's talking about wanting to keep defending that title, he wants to be remembered by everybody as one of the greatest, like Fedor [Emelianenko].

While recent history suggests that Velasquez will soon be forced to hand over the title, recent performances from the current champion tell us he will be a heavy favorite when the bell rings on Saturday night.

Silva only lasted a little over three-and-a-half minutes in the cage with Velasquez in their first meeting. But he was lucky to last that long. He had no answer for Velasquez's power, speed and strength despite boasting a significant size advantage.

Right off the bat Velasquez forced Silva to the mat and within a minute he drew blood, delivering an elbow to Silva's head. After Velasquez landed a plethora of combinations and significant strikes, the referee finally stepped in and stopped the fight.

Velasquez absolutely dominated from start to finish, and while his speed was perhaps the difference, it was his deceptive power that put Silva on the defensive within moments.

While the 6'4" Bigfoot has had plenty of time to analyze what went wrong for him in that fight, there's simply no way around Cain Velasquez's strength and speed. This is a terrible matchup for Silva, as it is for just about every heavyweight fighter in the UFC.

The result of Saturday's main event remains to be seen, but all indications are that Cain Velasquez will put on a show, displaying more of his unrivaled power in another dominant performance.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Neymar to Barcelona: Barca Reportedly Signs Brazilian Star

Tim Daniels — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:05:49 -0400

Neymar is reportedly heading to FC Barcelona, according to world football writer Guillem Balague.

According to ESPN's Mac Bretos, the supremely talented rising star from Brazil is reportedly being sent to Barca after Santos agreed to a €30 million price with the Spanish club.

Santos will have to find an amenable contract with Barcelona before the transfer gets completed.

Until now, Neymar had spent his entire career with Santos in his home country. The original plan was for him to remain with the club through the 2014 World Cup, but plans clearly changed and now he'll test his talents with Barcelona.

The 21-year-old striker has already showcased immense attacking ability. A combination of pace, creativity and a terrific finishing touch have made him an extremely coveted commodity for years. These attributes should eventually allow him to rival any forward in the world.

Making the move now, before next year's World Cup showcase in Brazil, was the right decision. He had nothing left to prove with Santos, where he honed his skills for four years. He was prepared to make the jump without waiting until next summer.

Although Neymar was already gaining worldwide attention, it isn't until he proves himself against elite competition that he'll truly earn his place among the world's best players. Santos wasn't going to provide that opportunity for him.

Joining a bigger club will also allow his stock to rise ahead of the World Cup. He's expected to take center stage as Brazil attempts to return to the forefront of the football world on home soil. It's a role that includes a massive amount of pressure.

Now, he'll get a taste of that next season with his new club. He's ready for the challenge. There might be a brief transition period, but it's only a matter of time before he's making an impact.

The other aspect to consider is the potential for Neymar to become the face of the club for a long time. SportsPro rated him as the world's most marketable athlete, and the World Cup in Brazil should only further build his individual brand.

While it's probably not something most fans consider, that marketability is something clubs must take into account before making a large investment in a player like Neymar. The fact he could attract so much positive attention for the club limits the risk of signing him.

Now that the transfer drama is over, the Brazilian can focus on proving himself to the remaining skeptics. He has a golden opportunity to do exactly that between now and next summer.

By the end of next year's World Cup, Neymar's place on the global football stage should be a lot more clear.

WWCFL Veteran Stacey Rogowski Brings Leadership to Expansion Lady Outlawz

Mark Staffieri — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:05:40 -0400

Having competed for three seasons with the Calgary Rage, Stacey Rogowski provides the expansion Okotoks Lady Outlawz with a veteran perspective. Playing for the newest entry in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, Rogowski extols all the qualities of leadership.

As an athlete that has enjoyed all types of competition, Rogowski has a sporting background that covers a wide breadth of endeavors. Her leadership was evident at a young age as she helped make high school rugby a reality for competitive girls.

“My entire life has always revolved around sports. I was the type of athlete that would give any sport a try. I started out as playing on a boy’s hockey team when I was 8 years old to playing sports like soccer, basketball and rugby through high school. I even helped start up my high school rugby team because my friends and I were tired of the boys having all the fun with the full contact sports.”

“I never really seriously considered playing football in high school, as I knew I would be the only girl on the field. Yet, I was still at all the games watching and cheering the team on. So when a friend mentioned a women’s football team, I knew I had to play. I instantly fell in love with the intensity and team aspect of the game.”

Rogowski’s first joined the Calgary Rage in 2010, when the franchise was part of the former AFFL (Alberta Female Football League). When the AFFL absorbed teams from Manitoba and Saskatchewan to become the WWCFL, she became one of many women’s football players that suddenly became pioneers.

“My first three seasons with the Rage were amazing. I broke my ankle in my first season, so that was not what I would call successful. In my second year, I was named outstanding offensive back of the year. When I started with the Rage, it was tough. As the Rage were just going into their second year, the starting couple years are always tough for (new) teams.”

Those first three seasons with the Rage provided Rogowski with the confidence to persevere. In having had the opportunity to compete with a close-knit group of players, the camaraderie and feeling of family enriched the experience.

“Learning football and getting that instinct you need comes through games and experience. The team got better as the years went on, and the players are super competitive and have a ton of heart. The coaching staff was always really great, and I do credit them and my previous teammates for making me into the confident player I am today.”

Although Rogowski joined the expansion Lady Outlawz for the 2013 season, the roots of respect and friendship that were established in Calgary still bear fruit.

“I didn’t leave the Rage on bad terms. In fact I still talk to handful of them weekly, some even daily. Barry Hunter was the coach of Calgary Rage when I first joined them—he and I had a good player-coach relationship and I really enjoyed playing for him.”

“When he told me he was going to start a team in Okotoks, I thought it would be great to help start up anew. I knew I could be a player that could bring experience and knowledge to these new players.”

Despite the fact that the Lady Outlawz are still looking for their first win in franchise history, Rogowski understands that the inaugural season is a learning experience. After suffering from an ankle injury in her first year with Calgary, Rogowski understands about adversity, character and the need to remain a positive attitude.

“This year has been a struggle for our “rookie team." I just try to keep my teammates positive and tell them to learn as much as they can.”

With the blend of younger and older players on the Lady Outlawz, the diverse mix leads to a special dynamic. As the team features several mothers, their patience and maturity helps to provide a calming presence for the nascent franchise.

“We do have quite the age range on this team. I think we all balance each other pretty well. To me, I do not care how old you are—all I care about is how much heart you play with and what you bring to the game. I know every one of my teammates regardless of age will give it 100 percent on the field.”

“I think it is great that we have moms out there playing with younger players. Us younger ones know that we will always be taken care of and looked out for from our “football mommas." We even have a mother-daughter pair playing on our team. Trust me, the two of them compliment each other. No one wants to disappoint their moms, and no mother wants to disappoint her daughter!”

While Rogowski is one of the younger players on the team, her experience contributes to a unique situation, as older players seek advice on the game from her. Although the experience makes Rogowski the de facto leader for the Lady Outlawz, it is a role that she accepts with great pride and devotion.

“I definitely see myself as a leader on the team, and I do know that my teammates look to me for leadership and experience. From the very start of the season, the coaches and players all made me feel (like), and almost expected me to be, a leader without having to say it.”

“My teammates ask me about technique and any pointers I have for them. The coaches know they can throw me into any position and ask me to do anything, and I will give everything to succeed.”

“All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated”

Jabrill Peppers' Best Fits from Dwindled List of College Football Programs

John Rozum — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:02:15 -0400

Jabrill Peppers is among college football's top 2014 recruits, and he has reportedly dwindled his list of schools.

According to MaxPreps.com, Peppers will choose from six schools and expected to select a program on Sunday:

He will make his much-anticipated college decision on Sunday at 5:15 p.m. in an announcement on ESPNU. Peppers has narrowed the list down to LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers.

Using his list, let's find the best fits for making an immediate impact at the collegiate level.

Ohio State

For one, the Buckeyes have BCS National Championship expectations with Coach Urban Meyer. Coming off a 12-0 campaign, the Buckeyes have every reason to anticipate another perfect season.

Second, Ohio State may lose elite cornerback Brad Roby to pro football after the 2013 season. Roby enters this fall among the top overall defenders in the nation. And given his 19 defended passes with 63 tackles last fall, another solid year will have Roby as a top-10 NFL draft prospect.

As a result, Peppers can come in and instantly take over. Peppers has both man coverage and zone awareness skills, so he'll allow Meyer's secondary to lock down half the field.

Notre Dame

The Irish aren't exactly young at cornerback heading into the 2013 college football season.

That bodes nicely for Peppers to enter South Bend and quickly isolate at cornerback.

The Irish will lose Bennett Jackson, a senior coming off a season where he defended eight passes and made four picks.

Peppers' wherewithal and his natural athleticism will simply keep the turnovers coming.

In addition, his size, at 6'1" and 210 pounds is excellent for playing press coverage in Cover 1 and Cover 2. Ultimately, Peppers' impact for Brian Kelly and Co. will be maintaining a physical identity at each defensive level.

Michigan

The Wolverines are looking like the most likely choice for Peppers. Brady Hoke's team is the unanimous selection amongst the 247Sports.com crystal ball predictions.

Mesh that with Michigan's need to sustain its strong pass defense and Peppers suits the Wolverines perfectly.

The Wolverines ranked No. 2 in pass defense a season ago, but did allowed a 58.8 completion percentage (ranked No. 50). Fortunately, Peppers' knack for making plays on the ball and quickly redirecting to the developing route is capable of emerging as a competitive advantage.

After all, the Wolverines also only managed seven interceptions in 2012.

French Open Live Streaming 2013: When and Where to Watch Online

Tyler Conway — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:00:08 -0400

All eyes in the tennis world will shift focus to the majestic red clay of Roland Garros as the ATP's best and brightest descend upon Paris for the beginning of the 2013 French Open on Sunday.

A two-week event that is as grueling for the players as it is captivating for the fans, the French Open, historically, is the tournament that vaults tennis into the conversation for the entire summer. The long lull between the descent to France and January's Australian Open allows everyone to get into top form, but it often puts fans in a bit of a malaise.

That changes starting Sunday.

Rafael Nadal heads into the festivities as a prohibitive favorite despite having missed much of the past calendar year with injury issues. The 27-year-old Nadal is a clay-court legend, having amassed seven French Open titles, including the past three events. Standing in his way is the normal duo of top clay contenders in Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, with an underrated crew of underdogs waiting in the wings as well.

On the women's side, all eyes will be fixated on Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. It's been 11 years since Williams won at Roland Garros, but her recent dominance across the WTA makes her a force in any tournament. Sharapova is the defending women's champion.

With all the top names—minus Andy Murray—in action, and ESPN and NBC's family of networks both carrying all the action from France, it will be critical to know where and when to watch—even when you're on the go.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a complete viewing guide to all of this year's action at Roland Garros.

Event Information

When: Sunday, May 26 through Sunday, June 9

Where: Stade de Roland Garros in Paris

Watch: ESPN, NBC, NBC Sports Network and Tennis Channel will all carry the event at various points. (For the full listings for the 2013 French Open, go here.)

Live Stream Schedule

Date	Service	Start time
May 26	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
May 26	NBC Sports LiveExtra	12 p.m. ET
May 27	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
May 27	NBC Sports LiveExtra	12 p.m. ET
May 28	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
May 29	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
May 30	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
May 31	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
June 3	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
June 4	WatchESPN	8 a.m. ET
June 4	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
June 5	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET
June 6	WatchESPN	5 a.m. ET

*Dates and times subject to change as the tournament progresses.

Men's Favorites

No. 3 Rafael Nadal

Andy Murray's withdrawal from this year's action at Roland Garros led to Nadal vaulting up to the No. 3 seed in this year's tournament, but that's about where the good luck ended for the defending French Open champion.

Despite being the third seed, the French Open does not use a typical S-curve for its draw. Instead, there are pairings that are drawn live, a quirk of the tennis world that's as baffling as it is endearing. In this case, the draw led to the tournament's two prohibitive favorites—Nadal and Novak Djokovic—seeing each other on the same side of the bracket, setting up a possible semifinal faceoff that to most will feel like the final.

Djokovic defeated Nadal at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters at the beginning of the clay-court season, which could give the Serb confidence heading into the French.

Nonetheless, it's hard to favor anyone but Nadal heading into this tournament. Since returning from injury at the Chile Open, Nadal is yet to miss a final in 2013. He's been utterly dominant in a way few thought he could instantly, having taken an ATP-high six calendar titles and compiling a 36-2 record this season.

That's a lot of momentum for Nadal to take into a tournament where he seemingly needs none. The Spaniard has won seven of the last nine tournaments at Roland Garros, a feat of sustained excellence that rivals anything in tennis history. With Nadal having taken the Italian Open and the Madrid Open—the two highest-profile tuneup tournaments for France—all signs point to an eighth French Open triumph.

No. 1 Novak Djokovic

As noted in the previous section, Djokovic is the man with by far the best chance to take down Nadal. A potential matchup between Nadal and Djokovic in the semis has match-of-the-year potential, which speaks to just how much work the Serb has put in on clay.

The world's most dominant force on the hard court—he's won the past three Australian Opens and the 2011 U.S. Open—Djokovic has historically struggled at Roland Garros. He's made the final just once—last year when he faced the inevitable defeat at Nadal's hands.

However, the world's top-ranked player has made vast improvements from his early struggles. His win over Nadal at Monte Carlo was the type of resume-affirming triumph that you so rarely see in non-Grand Slam tournaments. It seemed to tell everyone that this was the Summer of Novak and everyone was just along for the ride, picking up the table scraps in tournaments he left behind.

And then the wheels started falling off a bit. Djokovic, who injured his ankle in the Davis Cup, suddenly started dropping out early in tournaments. He was upset by Grigor Dimitrov at the Madrid Open and then followed it up with a frustrating quarterfinal loss to Tomas Berdych in Italy.

The momentum-shifter now feels like a blip on the radar. Djokovic and Nadal finding the same side of the draw is a massive disappointment, but it should be a coronation for the winner. It'll be interesting to see if Djokovic has any Monte Carlo magic left.

No. 3 Roger Federer

Hey guys, anyone remember Roger Federer? You know, the guy who has had arguably the longest sustained run of excellence in tennis history? Yeah, him. Has anyone seen or heard about him whatsoever this season?

Oh, OK, me neither. Fed-Ex, who returned to the world's No. 1 ranking a year ago, has been nowhere to be found roughly since August, having not won a tournament since the Western & Southern Open midway through the month.

Thus far in 2013, the results have only gotten worse for Federer. He's only made one finals appearance in six events—a sound defeat at the hands of Nadal at the Italian Open—and boasts an un-Federer-like 18-6 record for the season.

Having turned 31, ancient for a top tennis pro, one has to wonder whether we're seeing the end of the line for the all-time great. Father Time waits for no man, even though Federer's scintillating run last season made everyone suspend their disbelief for a long time. His triumph at Wimbledon and re-ascent to the top of the tennis world was the type of late-career renaissance only seen by the Andre Agassis of the world.

Though the draw played to his favor with Nadal and Djokovic being on the opposite side of the bracket, it's hard to envision a scenario where Federer actually wins the title. He has only one career French Open title, though Nadal's excellence on clay has a good deal to do with that. His path looks clear in theory, but let's hold off before we go sending Federer straight to the final.

Then again, we've counted out Federer before and been proven wrong. Very, very wrong.

Women's Favorites

No. 1 Serena Williams

Viewed mostly as a monolith on the women's tour by casual fans, it's easy for some to chalk the French Open up as Serena's tournament to lose. History tells us that's not the case. Her only French Open championship came in 2002, at a time when her dominance rivaled anything we've seen in the sport's history—regardless of gender.

Even as she enters this year back atop the tennis world, Serena's not a spry 21-year-old anymore. She's pushing 32, a time where the quickness needed to excel on clay could frustrate any top player.

It doesn't help that the last 10 tournaments that have come and gone since her last French Open title have been a never-ending series of disappointments. Williams has not made it past the quarterfinals in a decade, finding new and semi-humiliating ways (for her at least) to get upset with every trip to Paris. In 2012, Virginie Razzano defeated the fifth-seeded Williams in Round 1.

Wait, who? Wikipedia tells me she's a French tennis pro. Good enough for me. Suffice it to say, there were plenty of mouths agape at Roland Garros when the hometown hero defeated Williams last year.

The only real success Williams has had at Roland Garros has come with her sister Venus by her side. The duo won the doubles tournament in 2010.

Nevertheless, there's reason for hope. Serena has regained not only her world No. 1 ranking but her form over the past 12 months. She heads into Roland Garros with a 36-2 record for the season and five calendar titles already, including three straight on clay. In two of those finals, she defeated her greatest competition, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka.

If Williams ever plans on holding La Coupe des Mousquetaires again, this may be her last shot.

No. 2 Maria Sharapova

Sharapova may have lost the last time she played Williams on clay, but she was triumphant the last time she stepped on Roland Garros soil. The 26-year-old Russian pulverized Sara Errani in straight sets to take the 2012 French Open crown, a victory that completed her career Grand Slam.

It was also a win that culminated her career-long effort to get better on clay. An expert on hard and grass surfaces, Sharapova's frustration on clay was well-documented. She famously called herself a "cow on ice" on the surface following a second-round victory in 2007, a quote that's stuck with her ever since.

Since then, her footwork and defensive skills have made dramatic improvements, two critical elements on the clay. Sharapova's comfort on the surface was obvious last year, though she did defeat a somewhat depleted field.

That being said, it's impossible to count her out for a repeat. The victory at Roland Garros last season sparked something of a career renaissance for Sharapova, whose struggles with form and injury made some wonder whether she'd ever return to her former glory. With two victories already in the books for this season, it's safe to say she's back to form.

It will be interesting to see how the draw affects her, though. Victoria Azarenka awaits in the semifinals if the seeds hold, and the duo have battled through close matches in their careers. Williams' presence looms on the other side, but much like Nadal-Djokovic, Sharapova-Azarenka could become the tournament's best match.

No. 3 Victoria Azarenka

She's the least-covered top tennis draw in this tournament, but it's arguable Azarenka has been the most successful this season. While Williams has a tour-best five calendar titles, it's Azarenka who comes into Roland Garros having taken the year's first Grand Slam.

The 23-year-old Belarusian's triumph over Li Na gave her two straight victories down under, her only Slam titles. But with a strong start to the season, it looked like Azarenka had the momentum to challenge Williams' world No. 1 ranking.

Unfortunately, injuries have marred Azarenka's post-January schedule. She had to withdraw from the Dubai Tennis Championships, Indian Wells and Sony Open in March with a lingering ankle injury and took the entire month of April off to rehab.

Since returning, the results have been mixed, to say the least. Azarenka lost in the second round of the Madrid Open to Ekaterina Makarova, and though she made the final at the Italian Open a week later, Williams took her to the woodshed in straight sets.

In other words, this isn't exactly the best time for Azarenka to get over her clay-court woes. She's never made it past the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and has only gotten that far twice, in 2009 and 2011. Putting her on Sharapova's side of the bracket is just another sign that Azarenka is probably only a contender in name for only these next two weeks.

Complete Men's Seeds for 2013 French Open

Seed	Player	Nationality
1	Novak Djokovic	SRB
2	Roger Federer	SUI
3	Rafael Nadal	ESP
4	David Ferrer	ESP
5	Tomas Berdych	CZE
6	Jo-Wilfried Tsonga	FRA
7	Richard Gasquet	FRA
8	Janko Tipsarevic	SRB
9	Stanislas Wawrinka	SUI
10	Marin Cilic	CRO
11	Nicolas Almagro	ESP
12	Tommy Haas	GER
13	Kei Nishikori	JPN
14	Milos Raonic	CAN
15	Gilles Simon	FRA
16	Philipp Kohlschreiber	GER
17	Juan Monaco	ARG
18	Sam Querrey	USA
19	John Isner	USA
20	Andreas Seppi	ITA
21	Jerzy Janowicz	POL
22	Alexandr Dolgopolov	UKR
23	Kevin Anderson	RSA
24	Benoit Pare	FRA
25	Jeremy Chardy	FRA
26	Grigor Dimitrov	BUL
27	Fabio Fognini	ITA
28	Florian Mayer	GER
29	Mikhail Youzhny	RUS
30	Julien Benneteau	FRA
31	Marcel Granollers	ESP
32	Tommy Robredo	ESP

*Via RolandGarros.com.

Complete Women's Seeds for 2013 French Open

Seed	Player	Nationality
1	Serena Williams	USA
2	Maria Sharapova	RUS
3	Victoria Azarenka	BLR
4	Agnieszka Radwanska	POL
5	Sara Errani	ITA
6	Li Na	CHN
7	Petra Kvitova	CZE
8	Angelique Kerber	GER
9	Samantha Stosur	AUS
10	Caroline Wozniacki	DEN
11	Nadia Petrova	RUS
12	Maria Kirilenko	RUS
13	Marion Bartoli	FRA
14	Ana Ivanovic	SRB
15	Roberta Vinci	ITA
16	Dominika Cibulkova	SLV
17	Sloane Stephens	USA
18	Jelena Jankovic	SRB
19	Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova	RUS
20	Carla Suarez Navarro	ESP
21	Kirsten Flipkens	BEL
22	Ekaterina Makarova	RUS
23	Klara Zakopalova	CZE
24	Julia Goerges	GER
25	Lucie Safarova	CZE
26	Sorana Cirstea	ROU
27	Yaroslava Shvedova	KAZ
28	Tamira Paszek	AUT
29	Varvara Lepchenko	USA
30	Venus Williams	USA
31	Alize Cornet	FRA
32	Sabine Lisicki	GER

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Champions League Final 2013: News, Notes and Photos from Bayern vs. Dortmund

Adam Hirshfield — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:56:26 -0400

It doesn't get much bigger than this: the Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London.

As the two Bundesliga sides prepare for the most important match in European club football, there are so many fascinating storylines to consider.

This is the first Champions League (or European Cup) final to be played between two German sides.

Dortmund star Mario Gotze, who has shone all season long for Die Schwarzgelben, has agreed on a £31.5 million summer transfer to—you guessed it—Bayern Munich. Intriguingly, Gotze is sitting out Saturday's match with a nagging hamstring injury.

And while there may be no Barcelona, Manchester United or Real Madrid—no Lionel Messi, no Robin van Persie and no Cristiano Ronaldo—you could make a compelling case that Bayern and Dortmund have been the top sides in this Champions League tourney.

So stick with us as we delve into the wonder that is the biggest stage in soccer. It should be a fun day at Wembley.

***

Follow all my footbizzle shizzle on the Twizzle: Follow @ahirshfield

Tennessee Volunteers Football: 5 Freshmen That Could Start in 2013

Daniel Hudson — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:46:58 -0400

The Tennessee Volunteers are 98 days away from the kickoff of the 2013 college football season. It will be an important year for new head coach Butch Jones, both for recruiting and overall program-rebuilding. His first class, the 2013 recruits, features at least five players that could see potentially start from day one.

After the worst three-year stretch in 100 years, the Big Orange needs to get to the six-win threshold so that they can play in the postseason for the first time since 2009. I believe the team can get seven or even eight wins, but only if certain holes are filled.

Off the top of Vol fans' heads, wide receiver is a glaring weakness after losing two top-35 picks to April's NFL draft. But cornerback, defensive line and the all-important quarterback position are just a few others that offer incoming freshmen a chance at playing time or even a starting spot.

Tennessee's 2013 freshmen will make the difference in earning either a bowl-winning season or succumbing to an unprecedented fourth consecutive losing season.

Begin Slideshow

Wrestling Manager: A Review of Downloadable Game for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Seth M. Guttenplan — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:45:36 -0400

Wrestling Manager is a game developed by Serious Parody that is available for purchase and download through the app store on iTunes. For any wrestling fan who ever dreamed of becoming a promoter, this is your opportunity to prove it.

That is exactly what you have to do in this addicting game that provides all the components of running a wrestling promotion. You are given a set of talent for your roster as you create events. Hope that your events are a success because the money you make from events can be used to upgrade your talent and promotion.

The talent available is one of the more creative aspects of the game. Since Serious Parody could not legally use WWE and TNA Superstars’ names, it certainly had some fun creating new names. Wrestlers such as The Overtaker, Rodney Van Damn and the Penultimate Warrior are just a few names available to buy using the money made from events. Not only are these wrestlers’ names similar to WWE and TNA Superstars, but they look like them, too.

The Wrestling Manager is not like any other wrestling game you have seen in the past. It combines the franchise or dynasty mode of sports games with wrestling. I had the opportunity to speak with the creator of Wrestling Manager, Daniel Hinkles. In this interview, Hinkles encouraged me to buy and use managers and celebrities in the game.

Hinkles emphasized that one of the reasons why the inaugural WrestleMania was such a hit was that Vince McMahon brought in celebrities to help draw crowds. The creator of the Wrestling Manager said that celebrities have the same effect in the game. Celebrities will help one’s events draw better.

He had similar ideas about having managers on one’s roster. Managers help get wrestlers over with the crowd. Paul Heyman is hoping to do just this with the re-debut of Curtis Axel. There are managers in the Wrestling Manager that could possibly do the same for wrestlers in the game.

One aspect of this game that is familiar to wrestling fans is the ability to create different types of matches. Like the wrestlers and other parts to the game, these match types cost money. However, when creating an event, one must also include promos throughout the show. This is something that wrestling fans have not necessarily been able to do in past wrestling video games.

In terms of where this game can improve, there are a few areas. I didn’t quite understand how to improve events and upgrade talent. The Wrestling Manager game website does offer some hints on how to unlock various levels, but a tutorial on how to play the game would have been more useful.

Also, while it is meant to be a game in which one is the wrestling promoter and manages a wrestling company, fans tend to want to do the wrestling as well. Serious Parody has also created a game called 5 Star Wrestling that is more about the wrestling moves. This game is coming to PlayStation 3 this summer.

So if you are looking for an addicting game that allows you to become a wrestling promoter, be sure to check out the Wrestling Manager.

You can listen to my interview with Daniel Hinkles by clicking here. There were some initial issues getting Hinkles on the line, so feel free to fast forward the first 10 minutes.

Continue the conversation by following me on Twitter (@sethgutt), and check out my site guttwrenchpowerblog.com.

Like GuTTWrenchPowerBlog on Facebook here.

Bayern Munich vs Dortmund: Live Score and Highlights for Champions League Final

Tristan Thornburgh — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:39:06 -0400

Keep it locked right here as we bring you live coverage of Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund in the Champions League Final!

David Moyes Songs for Manchester United Fans to Sing Next Season

Darren Richman — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:33:29 -0400

Manchester United's fans are still amongst the loudest and most passionate away support in the country.

The level of wit and range of references displayed by the travelling fans borders on remarkable. Ryan Giggs has been serenaded to the tune of Joy Division while "We've got one stand bigger than your ground" was later updated to replace "one stand" with "Jaap Stam."

The arrival of a new manager might fill some fans with a degree of apprehension, but David Moyes will still probably receive the vocal backing of the supporters early on.

Here, then, are five songs about Moyes for the United faithful to sing next season.

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Jon Jones Wants to Know When Daniel Cormier's Diet Starts, Cormier Responds

John Heinis — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:25:05 -0400

Just in case a light heavyweight title fight between Jon "Bones" Jones and Alexander Gustafsson doesn't work out, the champion has a backup plan in mind: heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier.

Jones went for the jugular when he called out "DC" on Twitter Friday morning:

Someone ask DC when his diet starts #Wolftickets
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 24, 2013

Back in January, after cruising through his final Strikeforce fight against Dion Staring, Cormier said he wanted to fight Frank Mir in April before fighting Jones in the fall, according to Sherdog.

Cormier got his bout with Mir in at UFC on Fox 7 on April 20th, winning a fairly lackluster decision. Since then, the American Kickboxing Academy standout has been tepid about a move to light heavyweight.

The 34-year-old, who never got a chance to compete in the 2008 Olympic due to kidney failure, has stated he wants to cut the weight the right way to avoid any health complications.

Coincidentally, Cormier hosted the UFC 160 Fan Club Question & Answer session Friday night and made it a point to answer Jones' call-out:

I haven't started cutting weight yet, but we can fight at 220 tomorrow if you want. He can walk in off the street and fight at whatever he weighs. Let's get in the Octagon, Jon, you and I.

Nevertheless, Cormier remained complimentary of Jones, stating that he believes he would come out victorious in a superfight with middleweight champ Anderson Silva:

Jon and Anderson would be a good fight. I mean, you know man, regardless what you think of Jon Jones personally ... whether you like him or you don't like him, he's a fantastic fighter. I truly believe Jones, he's the best ... he's the best. Anderson is going to be too small and Jon's a good wrestler, he's a great finisher ... I think Jon would beat Anderson.

Cormier currently boasts a 12-0 professional mixed martial arts record, including eight finishes. He indicated that he would like to fight the winner of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio Werdum, who headline UFC on Fuel 10 next month.

Meanwhile, Bones has won nine fights in a row, tying Tito Ortiz's record of five consecutive title defenses with his TKO over Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 in April.

Will Jones versus Cormier finally settle their beef in the Octagon sometime in the next year, or is this long-awaited match up still a long way off?

John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com and contributes MMA videos to The Young Turks Sports Show.