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WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Start Time: How to Watch Hardcore PPV Event

Brian Mazique — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:02 -0400

The number of gimmick matches in the Extreme Rules pay-per-view event is exciting. Sometimes, too many theme matches can result in stipulation overload, but its been a while since the WWE universe has been treated to a card like this.

Although it seemed like the WWE creative team missed an opportunity to make the Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger clash a submissions match, the I Quit Match has some solid history.

The Rock vs. Mankind's war from the 1999 Royal Rumble will always have a place in my heart. We can only hope Swagger and Del Rio's match can be half as good.

Here is how you can catch that match and the others from the card.

Where: Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

When: Sunday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET

TV: PPV for $44.99

Live Stream: WWE.com has PPV for $44.99

Confirmed Matches

The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes (Pre-show on YouTube)

Randy Orton vs. Big Show in an Extreme Rules Match

Sheamus vs. Mark Henry in a Strap Match

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

WWE Tag Team Championship Match - (c) Team Hell No vs. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns - Tornado Tag Match

United States Championship - (c) Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose

Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H in a Steel Cage Match

No. 1 Contender Match - Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger - I Quit Match

WWE Championship - John Cena vs. Ryback in a Last Man Standing Match

With nine confirmed matches, this is a stacked card. Here are a few things to watch for during the pay-per-view

The Shield are in Line For a Big Night

Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins have been on a great run ever since they stepped on the scene.

They will finally get their shot at individual and tag-team gold on Sunday night. Dean Ambrose challenges newly crowned U.S. champion Kofi Kingston and Reigns and Rollins try to dethrone Team Hell No.

I'd love to see the WWE create Six-Man Tag Team championships; but as it is, some gold is definitely in order for the Hounds of Justice.

Believe in the Shield.

Huge Randy Orton Events in His Hometown

Would the WWE actually turn Orton heel in his hometown? It is possible, but probably more apt to happen the following night on Monday Night Raw—if at all.

That said, if such a thing is in the cards, the seeds could be planted at Extreme Rules. If you take a look at the marketing for the WWE's next pay-per-view, Payback, it seems something is brewing with the Viper.

Will we see more clues on Sunday night? Who knows, but that is one of things that makes this event worth watching.

While the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and SummerSlam are the biggest commercial events, this Extreme Rules could feature the best pure wrestling moments.

Follow me if you believe in the Shield

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Live: When to Catch Blockbuster PPV Event

Tyler Brooke — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

One of the biggest wrestling events of the year takes the stage on Sunday, and the event is bound to have a number of exciting fights.

Extreme Rules 2013 is exciting, but it may not be as hyped up as the event was back in 2012. The headline fight last year put Brock Lesnar against John Cena, and it was one of the bigger pay-per-view events of the year. Who knows how popular the event will be this year, but Cena vs. Ryback just doesn’t have the same exciting feel to it.

Here’s the information for Extreme Rules 2013 for where and when to watch, as well as some exciting stories heading into the event.

When: Sunday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri

Watch: Pay-per-view through your cable provider

Live Stream: WWE.com

Who Will Win the Continued Feud Between Triple H and Brock Lesnar?

This rivalry has gone back and forth a number of times, and it will continue once again on Sunday.

The Steel Cage will make for a refreshing aspect to a rivalry that is beginning to feel a little stale. The two have gone at it a number of times, but the two fighters just don’t seem to mesh like an exciting rivalry should.

The legacy of Triple H has made him one of the more exciting wrestlers of this generation, while Lesnar has gone from an MMA fighter to a WWE wrestler. Unfortunately, the two just don’t seem to have the spark of a truly great feud.

Still, it will be interesting to see who wins. It has the potential to be the last fight of the rivalry, and the winner will have bragging rights for quite some time.

How will Cena’s Achilles Impact His Fight Against Ryback?

During their European tour, Cena was injured during a fight against Ryback, according to WWE.com.

With the Achilles injury, Cena could potentially be limited in his rematch against Ryback. That could be a problem, considering Cena is trying to defend his title.

Meanwhile, Ryback has become a bigger name in the WWE, and he is slowly climbing up the ranks. If he wins, he can take the title away from Cena.

Even with the injury, Cena is still the favorite in this fight. Since the fight is a Last Man Standing match, it will be quite an entertaining one to watch with two physical guys like Cena and Ryback.

Can The Shield Take Home Some Titles?

The three members of The Shield will be fighting in Extreme Rules. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are competing for a chance to take the Tag Team Title and Dean Ambrose will be going up against Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship.

Both fights have titles on the line, so the odds for The Shield grabbing at least one title has to be pretty high. These guys are gaining momentum after taking down giants in wrestling like The Rock and Cena.

One win would be a good day for The Shield, but they have a real shot to bring back both of these titles. It will be interesting to see what happens.

John Cena vs. Ryback: Predictability Won't Take Away from Match's Intrigue

Tim Keeney — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

SPOILER ALERT: John Cena will beat Ryback at Extreme Rules on Sunday night.

He just...will.

Cena, for better or for worse, means too much to the WWE to lose the business' biggest title so quickly after winning it. He has left victorious in too many big-time (and small-time, and medium-time) matches to even remotely suggest he will be defeated on Sunday.

But don't let that deter you. There are still plenty of compelling factors surrounding this match.

First and foremost, you have the intrigue of the unknown.

Are Cena and Ryback going to fly around the ring and put on a tactically enthralling show? Well, not quite.

The Cenation Leader hasn't exactly drawn rave reviews from his fellow wrestlers (via World Heavyweight champ Dolph Ziggler):

And for as athletically and physically gifted as Ryback is, his towering size obviously limits him in certain aspects of the business.

But these two have never faced off in an official match before. If nothing else, it's worth seeing what kind of chemistry they have together for an extended period of time. It could very well be disastrous, but considering the strength and talent of each wrestler, they could also gel really well together.

Throw in the several different directions the match could take because of the Last Man Standing stipulation, and there is plenty of potential.

Now, potential isn't typically what you look for in a main event match. You look for what you know is going to be electrifying. But don't underestimate how gripping it can be simply to see something new.

This will be new.

Additionally, there is intrigue to see how the WWE treats Ryback.

Since his loss at WrestleMania, the company has been building him up as an unstoppable monster in the ring:

But he's also showcasing a bit more personality, which should only help—wait for it—feed his current push:

So in a match he almost has to lose, does the WWE continue to make him look strong? Does he control most of the offense before losing via interference or something equally as shady?

Or does he get beat straight up and subsequently taken out of the title push?

There is little question that this match is headed towards a predictable result, but there are a slew of different routes to the same place. Simply put, it will be interesting to see which of those routes is taken.

Predictability doesn't mean the action has to be any less captivating or appealing.

Follow @t_keen

Are Read-Option Quarterbacks Destined for Shorter NFL Careers?

Andrew Garda — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

We all know the new rage in the NFL: The read-option quarterback.

While the read-option is certainly exciting for the fans, it's also exciting for the quarterbacks who play it. The question is, could it be too exciting?

Given that a read-option quarterback tends to be exposed to more hits, will they end up with shorter careers on average?

The answer is: Yes.

And no.

Am I waffling?

Not really, because the truth is that the answer has a ton to do with each individual quarterback.

I'll get to what that means in a second, but first let's acknowledge that we've got a very short sample size so far and an equally short list of players who fit the bill.

It's hard to be definitive when you only have about half a dozen players who you can examine.

Also, let's point to the fact that the read-option may not stick—or, as Pete Prisco of CBS Sports likes to say:

If it's the next Wildcat formation, and not the next spread offense, then sure, some of the read-option bunch will have a shorter time in the sun.

How defensive coordinators adjust to the offense will be a huge storyline this season, and have a tremendous impact on how long the read-option is around.

We saw teams get blown up last year when they didn't adjust well to it. It's enough of a problem that the Green Bay Packers sent coaches to Texas A&M to study how to counter it, as mentioned in an article by Rob Demovsky in the Press Gazette.

Bleacher Report's own Matt Miller put together an excellent piece on how defenses might cope with the read-option, which I highly recommend reading.

As Miller says in his piece, stopping the read-option is easier said than done and really cannot be done overnight. You may see some gains this year in defending it, but they won't be huge, because you also need the right players.

It's one of the reasons you saw the Packers take Datone Jones, a hard-tackling and, more importantly, versatile player who takes good angles and is smart enough to avoid getting fooled.

The NFL is a league of push and pull between the offense and defense. One comes up with a new look and the other counters.

Unlike the Wildcat, the read-option is more dangerous due to the ability of the quarterback to throw as well as run, and will take longer for teams to subdue.

Ultimately though, the longevity of a read-option quarterback's career (and the read-option itself) will be defined by each individual quarterback. His skills, his build and his ability to alter his game to protect himself are a huge factor.

Right now we have four "veteran" quarterbacks who fit the bill for a read-option signal-caller. Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and Cam Newton are guys who run it to some percentage most games.

EJ Manuel and Geno Smith are rookies who could run it. Smith isn't a runner, though. He can run, it's just not his mentality. He's predominantly a pocket-passer who can move.

Manuel is not a starter yet and we don't know 100 percent what the offense will be in Buffalo.

Besides, it's impossible to really involve incoming rookies here with so many factors at play.

Tim Tebow conceivably could run it, but as he doesn't have a team and certainly has issues as a passer, he is also not included here.

Alex Smith and Andrew Luck could run the read-option but neither one is set to (although it will be interesting to see what Kansas City does for Smith). Mike Vick could as well, but hasn't in some time (and actually would be a poster boy for abbreviated careers if he did).

So looking at our original list, here are the builds and sizes of the four current read-option quarterbacks (and again, that's not all they do, just a part of it):

Robert Griffin III: 6'2", 217 pounds

Russell Wilson: 5'11", 206 pounds

Colin Kaepernick: 6'4", 230 pounds

Cam Newton: 6'5", 245 pounds

Of course, Wilson is clearly the shortest and lightest, while Newton is the Mack Truck of the group.

Put a pin in that line of thought for a minute and we'll get back to it. Because along with size and mass, we need to talk about football smarts and adaptability.

Of the four above, only one left the field injured. You could see Griffin's injury a mile away though, couldn't you? I respect the fact that RG3 will take a hit, but he is apparently religiously opposed to running out of bounds or even sliding.

Sometimes you have to take a big hit, read-option or not. Sometimes it's wiser to avoid the hit.

Griffin is not one to avoid the hit and the result was a torn ACL. Of course, staying in the game against the Seattle Seahawks on the horrific field had its place in causing the injury, but that's decision-making as well and needs to be adjusted.

For what it's worth, Griffin says if he took another hit like he did against the Seahawks, he's going to take himself out (from ESPN The Magazine via CSNWashington.com).

Even if he does, though, and even if he learns to slide, at a relatively slight 6'2", 217 pounds, he's not built to withstand the pounding.

It's why I feel better about Wilson going forward rather than Griffin, in terms of durability.

Yes, at 5'11", Wilson is shorter than Griffin, but his body type is far stouter than Griffin's and is likely to withstand a big hit a little better.

Also, Wilson was not shy about sliding and running out of bounds after he got jacked up a few times early in the season.

But slide or not, Wilson (as any read-option quarterback will have happen) is going to take a big hit sometimes and is better built to survive it.

Ditto Kaepernick, who was fine getting out of bounds and sliding.

In fact, while watching both players, it struck me how wise it was that they limited their exposure to the big hits. Again, as a read-option quarterback you are going to get hammered. Heck, as any quarterback you will, but the read-option exposes you to more big hits than a pocket-passer is.

So why not do what you can to limit your exposure to that?

Griffin appears to be wising up to it, but we'll see if it sticks into the season.

Again, it depends on the quarterback.

That's why in some cases, the answer will be yes, he's going to have a shorter career. If a quarterback can't adjust to protect himself, he will end up hurt.

And no, it shouldn't make too much of a difference—if a quarterback takes care of himself.

In the end, the read-option will be around for a while. There are plenty of quarterbacks who can run it who will be entering the NFL over the next few years, and while they will never replace pocket-passers, they will add an interesting flavor to the NFL.

So when it comes down to it, the length of a read-option quarterback's career will come down to whether they can stay off the trainer's table and on the field.

All measurables according to NFL.com.

Andrew Garda is the former NFC North Lead Writer and a current NFL Analyst and video personality for Bleacher Report. He is also a member of the fantasy football staff at Footballguys and the NFL writer at CheeseheadTV.com. You can follow him at @andrew_garda on Twitter.

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Predictions: Breaking Down Each Title Match

Donald Wood — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

The 2013 edition of the WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view is just a few hours away, and the excitement around the card highlighted by three marquee title matches has the fans ready for Sunday’s action.

Not only is the WWE Championship on the line—a main-event bout between John Cena and Ryback—the tag team straps and the United States title are also going to be contested Sunday night.

All of the following title matches are scheduled for Extreme Rules and will help make this one of the best cards of the year. Wrestling fans will enjoy this show.

WWE Champion John Cena vs. Ryback

Stipulation: Last Man Standing Match

In the most anticipated match of the night, defending champion John Cena will put his belt on the line against Ryback in a last man standing match.

While Cena is legendary for his resilience in these kinds of matches—just ask the dozens of superstars that have fallen victim to his unwillingness to stay down—the Achilles injury that the WWE has been playing up has created legitimate doubt.

If the company was trying to add intrigue with the injury, it worked.

Ryback has been doing much better in the ring and on the mic, and while beating Cena clean would redeem all of his previous PPV losses, that is something the WWE has proven it won’t do very often.

Whether it’s The Shield or someone else, this match will end with both men unable to make the 10-count and the match will end in a draw.

Neither Cena nor Ryback will take the loss, and the feud can continue.

Predicted Winner: John Cena and Ryback Draw

WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No vs. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins

Stipulation: Tag Team Tornado Match

Team Hell No is one of the most successful tag teams of the last decade, but their reign over the division is likely about to end as they take on The Shield’s Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins in a tornado tag team match for the straps.

Daniel Bryan and Kane have been better than advertised over the last several months, but the opportunity to put over two of the brightest young stars in the company is something the WWE can’t pass on.

It’s the right time for Team Hell No to drop the titles.

Along with Dean Ambrose winning the U.S. title against Kingston, Sunday’s PPV will mark the beginning of The Shield’s hunt for the championship gold in the WWE.

While Team Hell No will be one of the first victims, they won’t be the last.

Predicted Winner: Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins

United States Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose

Stipulation: None

While Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose for the United States Championship is not a dream match on paper, the immense skill of each man in the ring will result in one of the best technical showcases of the night.

Ambrose has years of experience on the indy scene as one of the best workers in the business, and with Kingston’s high-flying style, this is a perfect matchup of contrasting styles that will work perfectly together.

Too bad for Kingston that Ambrose is going to steal the victory and the title.

There is little doubt that the WWE will do everything in its power to make the face look strong in this match, but with much bigger plans for The Shield going forward, there is little doubt that Ambrose walks out of Extreme Rules the new U.S champ.

Predicted Winner: Dean Ambrose

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW.)

Follow @Donald_Wood

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WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Live Stream: When and Where to Watch Pre-Show and PPV

Mike Chiari — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

One of the most exciting wrestling shows of the year is set for Sunday as Extreme Rules takes place at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. While Extreme Rules isn't hyped as much as WrestleMania or SummerSlam, it is consistently entertaining and provides fans with great matches.

While pay-per-view through your cable or dish provider is one way to watch Extreme Rules, it can now be viewed easily online and on a multitude of different mobile devices, so you don't have to miss it no matter where you are. Also, you can catch the pre-show featuring The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Here is everything you need to know about how to catch the Extreme Rules pay-per-view and pre-show online Sunday night.

Where: Scottrade Center in St. Louis

When (Pre-Show): Sunday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET

When (PPV): Sunday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET

Live Stream (Pre-Show): WWE.com and Yahoo.com

Live Stream (PPV): WWE.com

Full Extreme Rules Card

Match	Stipulation	Title
The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes	Pre-Show	N/A
John Cena vs. Ryback	Last Man Standing	WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H	Steel Cage	N/A
Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger	I Quit	WHC No. 1 Contender
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry	Strap	N/A
Team Hell No vs. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns	Tornado Tag	Tag Team Championships
Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose	N/A	United States Championship
Randy Orton vs. Big Show	Extreme Rules	N/A
Chris Jericho vs. Fandango	N/A	N/A

*Card courtesy of WWE.com

Top Matches to Watch

John Cena vs. Ryback

It may not be the best technical match on the card, but Cena vs. Ryback could very well be the most important once. Cena will put his WWE Championship on the line against Ryback in a Last Man Standing match and there are certainly a lot of possibilities. Not only could we see either a Cena win or a Ryback win, but a draw is a very strong option as well.

If Cena wins, it will allow him to keep the title, but it will also further damage Ryback's credibility. If Ryback wins, he will suddenly seem legitimate, but he doesn't seem to be ready to carry the title. Perhaps the best move at this point is an attack from The Shield that results in both Cena and Ryback staying down for the 10 count. That would keep the belt on Cena, while also protecting Ryback.

In addition to that, it would be huge for The Shield to stand tall at the end of the pay-per-view. Since all three Shield members are likely to leave Extreme Rules with championship gold in tow, Extreme Rules could be their official coming-out party. Even if Cena vs. Ryback isn't memorable for its in-ring work, it could produce one of the most memorable moments of the year.

Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H

After splitting two previous matches at SummerSlam and WrestleMania XXIX, Lesnar and Triple H will look to settle the score once and for all at Extreme Rules. This bout could be especially brutal as it will take place within the confines of a steel cage. Although some fans may not be particularly excited since we have already seen them wrestle twice in less than a year, this match could very well steal the show.

Lesnar and Triple H are among the greatest brawlers of all time, so they certainly know how to make the most of a cage match. It seems somewhat obvious that Lesnar is going to win since he figures to be more of a factor moving forward than The Game, but it is far from a guarantee. Neither man necessarily needs a win as they are both entrenched among the all-time greats, so it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

As long as fans just forget about the fact that these guys have faced each other and focus on enjoying the match, there is no reason why this can't be the best bout on the entire card. The WWE needed some star power with CM Punk, The Rock and The Undertaker out of the picture, and both Lesnar and Triple H will provide that.

Team Hell No vs. The Shield

Team Hell No and The Shield have been at odds for quite some time and have faced each other on several occasions. All of their matches have been fantastic thus far and things should be no different at Extreme Rules. The duo of Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns will challenge Kane and Daniel Bryan for the titles they won way back at Night of Champions. If things go as expected, Rollins and Reigns will end Team Hell No's impressive run.

The Shield has managed to get the better of Team Hell No many times and there is nothing to suggest that things will change on Sunday. It is time to let The Shield shine as champions and the creative team surely realizes that. As always, The Shield is confident in its ability to thrive as evidenced by a recent tweet.

Also, Dean Ambrose will face Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship, which means that The Shield should leave Extreme Rules with three titles. Anyone who has been watching WWE since Survivor Series can see that The Shield has been the most dominant force in the company over the past several months. That will become even clearer on Sunday night.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Card: Projecting Biggest Winners at Marquee Event

Tim Daniels — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

A lot of momentum was lost between WrestleMania and Extreme Rules. Although it's a common problem after the year's biggest show, the build toward the latest pay-per-view was even more sluggish than usual until picking up steam over the last few weeks.

So Extreme Rules is an important event for the WWE. It will either spark interest heading into the summer months or cause the slide to continue. The company must pull the right strings to set up intriguing storylines moving forward.

With that in mind, let's examine the biggest overall winners that are likely to emerge from Extreme Rules on Sunday night. To check out the complete card scheduled for the critical show, visit the WWE's official site.

The Shield

It's amazing how far The Shield has come since debuting at Survivor Series last year. The talented trio began as virtual unknowns, at least among mainstream fans, and became a vital asset. Now they are set to become champions.

Dean Ambrose, who features the most upside of the three rising stars, will face Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are slated to take on Team Hell No, Daniel Bryan and Kane, for the tag team belts.

It would be a surprise if they don't win both matches. Holding titles is the next step in the natural progression of their sustained push. Anything that leads to The Shield getting featured more often is a good move by the WWE. They could make an impact in the WWE title match, too.

Brock Lesnar

Lesnar lost to Triple H last month at WrestleMania. The rematch at Extreme Rules will take place inside a steel cage, which is the perfect atmosphere for the brawl the two always put on. Fans got a taste of it at the end of Raw on Monday night.

The most important thing is maintaining Lesnar's reputation as a dominant force. His booking since coming back to the WWE has been questionable and, although wins and losses are only part of the equation, it's hard to maintain the same level of intrigue if the defeats start racking up.

There's a good chance the 'Mania rematch will be the best match of the night, at least in terms of entertainment value. It's certainly going to live up to the show's extreme name. In the end, Lesnar should pick up the win and boost his stock once again.

Alberto Del Rio

Del Rio was originally scheduled to battle for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat Ladder match alongside Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger. After Ziggler's concussion, however, it became an I Quit match against Swagger for the No. 1 contender spot.

After an initial surge following Swagger's return, thanks in part to his alliance with Zeb Colter, he's leveled off recently. On the other hand, Del Rio has maintained a steady presence in the main event scene in recent years.

The next logical step would be a feud between Del Rio and Ziggler, once the champ returns to full strength. It's a storyline that would feature a lot of tremendous in-ring work, allowing both superstars to shine. First, he'll pick up a key win over Swagger at Extreme Rules.

Mobile Quarterbacks Are All the Rage, but Why Hasn't It Translated to Winning?

Christopher Hansen — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:55:20 -0400

Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson bucked the trend in 2012, but mobile quarterbacks have consistently struggled to find the winning formula. For every mobile quarterback that is successful, there are at least three failures.

The mobile quarterback trend hasn’t translated to winning consistently and it may never be a winning formula in the NFL. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of running quarterbacks, but it’s important to remember that the success of the mobile quarterbacks in 2012 was tied to their ability to throw more than it was their ability to run.

Put simply, the few mobile quarterbacks that have been successful have also been good passers. If the quarterback is a good passer, then there is little reason to subject him to the hits they will take running the ball.

Only 49 quarterbacks have rushed for over 400 yards in a season since the NFL went to the 16-game schedule in 1978 and seven of them have occurred in the last two years. Only three quarterbacks in the history of the NFL have averaged over 50 rushing yards per game in a season (Michael Vick, Randall Cunningham, Griffin III).

Quarterbacks are often judged by Super Bowl victories and a there just aren’t many mobile quarterbacks on the list. The only quarterback that would qualify as a mobile (running) quarterback to win a Super Bowl was Steve Young.

These mobile, running quarterbacks that can pass just aren’t that common. Teams have long experimented with mobile quarterbacks, but they have rarely been given starting jobs. The Denver Broncos couldn’t wait to dump Tim Tebow despite the fact that he won a playoff game.

Mobile quarterbacks are all the rage, but we would be wise to remember that many have not been successful in the past.

The Coin Flip

Quarterback is the most important position and losing a quarterback for even a couple of games can be extremely damaging. If that quarterback is a good passer, he’s also not easily replaced by a backup. Any coach letting his quarterback run is playing an unnecessary game of chicken.

The Washington Redskins played that game and eventually lost when Griffin was hobbled in the playoffs. The injury risk is going to increase the more times a quarterback runs the ball, so it’s a coin flip each and every time they do.

Every flip of the coin has the same set of odds, but the odds of getting heads 100 times in a row are extremely small. That’s like a mobile quarterback running the ball 100 times a year and not getting hurt. Eventually, an injury is going to happen.

Based on the NFL’s recently released data, the injury rate was 5.3 per game on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and 5.2 per game on Thursday. At an average of 64.2 plays per game (2012’s average), there would be roughly an 8.3 percent chance of injury on any given play or roughly 0.4 percent chance per player per play (22 players on the field at any given time).

The injury risk seems small on a per-play basis, but there becomes a point that coaches are playing with fire. The injury risk obviously varies by position and play type. If the injury risk to a quarterback running the ball is just one percent per rush, they would have a very good chance of being injured on 100 rushes.

A big part of the reason mobile quarterbacks haven’t been able to be consistent winners is that they get hurt. Teams are putting their seasons on the line by putting the quarterback in harm’s way and wasting valuable practice time that they could be using to further develop passing skills.

Rate of Return

What are teams really getting out of a mobile quarterback?

The simple answer is that they are forcing the defense to account for the quarterback in the running game, but there is an ugly truth here that no one wants to acknowledge. Most of the good mobile quarterbacks get more yards per pass attempt than they do per rush attempt.

Roughly speaking, teams are using their quarterbacks to try to be more productive in the running game and putting the quarterback at risk. The teams would probably be better off just letting those quarterbacks throw the ball.

Griffin, Kaepernick and Wilson all gained significantly more yards per pass attempt than rush attempt in 2012. Wilson can get 2.7 more yards per pass play than run play, so why have him run it when Marshawn Lynch can average at least four yards per carry?

In theory, the Seahawks got more rushing yards out of Lynch because Wilson was a threat to run, but the difference on a per-carry basis is just 330 yards when compared to Lynch’s career average prior to Wilson’s arrival (4.0 yards per carry).

If every Wilson run was a pass at his average of 7.9 yards-per-pass attempt, he would have gained an additional 743 yards of passing and lost his 489 rushing. Roughly speaking, the Seahawks were subjecting Wilson to greater injury risk for about five yards per game in total offense.

If those plays would have been Lynch runs instead, the net loss would be about 7.1 yards per game. The Seahawks just aren’t gaining significantly more yards because Wilson runs the ball because he is so good throwing the ball.

Even if Wilson’s yards-per-pass attempt dropped significantly (as it likely would), the Seahawks lose maybe 10 more yards of offense per game. If defenses adjust and the running game isn’t as productive, there’s a legitimate chance that there’s absolutely no benefit to having a running quarterback.

The rate of return on runs by a mobile quarterback is just another reason that they haven’t been successful. If a quarterback is running the ball a lot, there’s a good chance that the quarterback isn’t a capable passer. If the quarterback is a capable passer, there’s a good chance that the team is better off throwing the ball.

Are Times Changing?

Of the 20 quarterbacks to rush for more than 400 yards in a season since 1978, eight have done so more than once. Of those eight quarterbacks, six have won more games than they have lost in their careers. The only two quarterbacks with losing records are Cam Newton and Daunte Culpepper.

Of all the mobile quarterbacks to rush for 400 yards in a season more than once, only Young has a career passer rating over 90.0. Young is also the only one to win a Super Bowl and he won two as a starter, but he didn’t rush for over 400 yards in either championship season.

Are Griffin, Kaepernick and Wilson changing the game? After all, Kaepernick became the first quarterback to rush for over 400 yards in a season and appear in a Super Bowl in the same season. With Griffin and Wilson knocking on the door, another appearance by a mobile quarterback in the Super Bowl could follow.

There appears to be no indication that these teams will force their quarterbacks to become pocket passers, nor should they. However, if defenses adjust to the read-option, these quarterbacks are going to be forced to use their arms to hurt defenses.

Like Young, the ultimate success of these mobile quarterbacks is tied to their ability to throw the ball. We aren’t seeing any type of significant change to the game, because mobile quarterbacks are still struggling around the league.

Vick and Newton are prime examples of mobile quarterbacks that are struggling to win games. Terrelle Pryor has been buried on the depth chart in Oakland and Tebow is without a job. Mobile quarterbacks have to bring something more to the table than just their ability to run to even win a starting job.

Mobile quarterbacks have struggled because not enough of them have been good passers. The running ability is great, but the NFL is a passing league. Mobile quarterbacks are the rage, but that’s only because there were three that could also pass the ball in 2012.

Who's Clutch and Who's Choking in the 2013 NBA Playoffs?

Bryan Toporek — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:30:00 -0400

The 2013 NBA playoffs have featured no shortage of clutch heroics...just not from the usual suspects.

While stars like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry struggled at the end of close playoff games, the 5'9" Nate Robinson took over and dominated.

Nate Rob isn't the only surprisingly clutch player through the first few weeks, either. Through two full rounds, it's been a postseason of nontraditional stars stepping up in clutch situations.

Only 34 players have taken at least five field-goal attempts within the final five minutes of a game with their team ahead or behind by no more than five points. Of the 10 with the most clutch shot attempts, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah and Robinson, respectively, have been the most efficient.

With that in mind, let's take a look at which players and teams earn the "clutch" and "choker" labels through the second round of the 2013 playoffs.

Note: This is not a referendum on a player's overall career. I'm looking strictly at clutch stats in the playoffs here, nothing more. "Clutch time" means the final five minutes of a game in which neither team is ahead or behind by more than five points. All advanced statistics come from NBA.com/stats, unless otherwise noted.

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6 Highest-Paid Coaches in NFL History

Brandon Alisoglu — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:17:36 -0400

The doldrums of the NFL offseason has lulled us into desperate state, meaning we have to figure out who the highest paid NFL coaches are.

To some, it may seem like an effort to fill the football-less void we find ourselves in. And you would be absolutely right.

But I need something to hold on to. So do you.

Coaches’ salaries are kept quiet, meaning there is some variation between sources. We can't always nail down the details, but a range will be provided when the specifics are hazy.

All contract numbers are sourced from Spotrac.com, unless otherwise linked.

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Virginia's Class of 2014 Is Loaded; Can UVa and Virginia Tech Keep It in State?

Bryan Manning — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:49:42 -0400

The 2014 class of football recruits in the state of Virginia is arguably the best ever. Led by the No. 1 overall prospect in the country, Da’Shawn Hand of Woodbridge, the state boasts three of the top 10 players overall, according to 247Sports.

Unfortunately for Virginia Tech and Virginia, many of the nation’s top schools have noticed the unusually high level of talent in the Old Dominion State.

Mike London’s future at Virginia could be dependent on how well he continues to recruit within the state. In a year like 2014, London has an opportunity to stock his talent-deficient roster with several top-rated players. London can offer these players something many of the top schools can’t—the chance to play as true freshmen.

Legendary Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer’s job is not in jeopardy, nor should it be. However, with each passing season he is getting further away from filling that empty trophy case on the school’s campus.

In 2013, the state's top two players, Christian Hackenberg and Jonathan Allen, bolted Virginia for Penn State and Alabama, respectively. In recent years, Michigan, North Carolina and Stanford, in particular, have consistently raided Virginia for top talent. London and Beamer can’t afford to see this happen again.

Derrick Green, the state’s No. 5-ranked player in 2013, signed with Michigan in February and didn’t even have the Hokies or Cavaliers in his final three. The Hokies have long had a tradition of signing the state’s top running backs.

Both schools got an early jump on the Class of 2014. The Cavaliers landed a commitment from 5-star safety Quin Blanding of Virginia Beach, and the Hokies received a commitment from 4-star running back Marshawn Williams of Hampton. The No. 9 player in the state, offensive lineman Steven Moss, also committed to Virginia.

‪Hand, the state’s prized recruit, is a 6’5”, 245-pound defensive end who currently has offers from 39 schools, including the Cavs and Hokies. Hand’s size, athleticism and overall game are reminiscent of 2011’s top high school player, Jadeveon Clowney.

The competition to sign Hand will be fierce. As noted by 247Sports, Hand has said that Michigan, Alabama and a few other schools are "warm," but Hokies’ defensive coordinator Bud Foster is his favorite recruiter.

For whatever it is worth at this point, 247Sports’ Director of Recruiting, J.C. Shurburtt, has the Hokies landing Hand.

While Hand is not seriously considering Virginia, not all is lost for the Cavaliers. The state’s No. 2 ranked player, defensive tackle Andrew Brown of Chesapeake, has the Cavaliers as one of his favorites. 247Sports has Brown as the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect.

If Virginia lands Brown, that would be three of the top 10 players in the state for Cavaliers, giving them arguably their best recruiting class of all time. The 1989 class featuring Terry Kirby and Chris Slade is tough to beat.

With so much premier talent in the state in 2014, do the Hokies and Cavaliers have a legitimate shot at keeping the majority in state?

In the past several years, the state’s top talent often went elsewhere. In 2006, Percy Harvin of Virginia Beach was the top-ranked player in the Commonwealth. Harvin chose to attend the University of Florida. The Hokies or Cavaliers weren’t even in Harvin’s final five.

While the Cavaliers are off to a good start for 2014, will it be enough to save London’s job? In three seasons at Virginia, London has an overall record of 16-21. He has one 8-5 season sandwiched between two 4-8 campaigns.

London needs progress in 2013. He made several coaching changes this offseason, undoubtedly feeling the heat after a miserable 2012. The Cavaliers have struggled to fill Scott Stadium in recent seasons despite some noteworthy opponents. The easiest way to get fans to attend the games is to win. Acquiring the top talent in a talent-rich state is a good place to begin.

The great programs keep the top talent in state. Miami built its program in the 1980s by keeping the top players home. Sure, Alabama doesn’t build its roster with only homegrown talent; however, they rarely let the best players in the state leave.

Texas is perennially one of the top programs in the country. Its spring roster featured just 12 players from the outside the state. Since Mack Brown took over as head coach of the Longhorns in 1998, he made signing the top players in Texas a priority each season. He has competed for national titles and kept Texas in the top 25 for the better part of the last 15 years by prioritizing in-state talent.

So, if London’s job is on the line, what does this mean for Beamer?

Beamer has often resisted change with his offensive coaching staff for years. However, after a mediocre 2012 season in which the Hokies finished 7-6, their worst record in 20 years, Beamer finally made changes to his staff. Was it panic, or did Beamer truly feel it was time for a change? Nonetheless, the timing was interesting.

The Hokies’ current athletic director, Jim Weaver, is set to retire at the end of 2015. Does Beamer feel the pressure to win now before Weaver leaves his post? A new athletic director will likely not feel the same loyalty to Beamer that Weaver does.

Firing Beamer is out of the question—he built the program—but would it be outside the realm of possibility for a new administration to try to force Beamer into an early retirement?

In assessing the last 10 years of recruiting data for Virginia’s top 25 players, Virginia Tech has scored well. The Hokies have averaged signing nine of the top 25 per year. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have averaged just over five per season.

The “757," aka the Tidewater region of Virginia, is the state’s most fertile recruiting ground, and the Hokies have traditionally fared well there. But since London assumed the reins in Charlottesville, the momentum has shifted a bit.

London and his top recruiter, Chip West, both hail from Hampton and have an excellent reputation with high school coaches in the area.

As the 2013 season gets closer, look for more head coaches, like Nick Saban and Brady Hoke, to make frequent visits to the state. A head coach often stays out of the recruiting process until the end, unless the player possesses elite talent. The state of Virginia has several elite talents in 2014.

Can the Hokies and Cavaliers both sign double-digit numbers of players from within the state in 2014? The Cavaliers look primed to do so. The Hokies, however, are focusing on specific players, such as Hand and defensive end Jalyn Holmes of Virginia Beach.

Over the last several years the Hokies have focused on other states such as North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. With the recent influx of talent on the home front, perhaps they’d be wise to get more involved with the uncommitted players inside their own state in 2014.

2014 could be a make-or-break year for both schools for different reasons. If the Cavaliers can sign a top-10 class, London likely buys himself a few more years at the helm of the Cavaliers. Beamer likely cares chiefly about landing Hand. If he can, it would be the first time in school history the school signed 5-star recruits in successive seasons.

The battle for recruiting supremacy in the state of Virginia will be fun to watch in the next nine months. Sadly for Beamer and London, they will be competing with coaches from across the entire country.

Will the Class of 2014 pay close attention to what was a dreadful 2012 for both schools? If so, Saban will be smiling again next February while London and Beamer ponder what could have been.

2nd-Round Draft Prospects Guaranteed to Interest the Dallas Mavericks

Ross Bentley — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:07:12 -0400

While much of the attention is being focused on what will happen in the NBA lottery, there can be potential value in all 60 picks on draft night.

Just in recent years, Marc Gasol, Gilbert Arenas, Manu Ginobili and Carlos Boozer are among the players picked in the second round of the NBA draft who went on to become All-Stars in their NBA careers.

Last year, the Dallas Mavericks picked up Jae Crowder in the second round, who ended up being a solid rotation player for the club, and Bernard James, who got some playing time at the center position as well.

While this may not be a strong draft class up front, plenty of players who are currently projected not to be first-round picks could end up making a serious impact in the NBA.

The Mavericks need all the help they can get if they want to get back into the playoff mix, and if they play their cards right, they could end up getting a second-round pick who can help their squad.

Here are some potential second-rounders who will be capturing the Mavericks' attention in the next month.

C Jeff Withey

Depending on where you look, Jeff Withey is either projected as a late-first- or early-second-round draft pick, and if he does slip into Round 2, the Mavericks should do whatever they can to bring him in.

The Mavericks are in need of a big man who can make a difference defensively, and that is certainly where Withey could come in.

Withey is a legitimate 7-footer who averaged over eight rebounds and three blocks a game at Kansas last year. He is excellent at protecting the basket and could give the Mavericks a great backup, or even starting, center for years to come if he can develop his offensive game.

PG Myck Kabongo

Myck Kabongo is an under-the-radar point guard prospect who could easily fall into the mid-second round come draft night.

However, Kabongo has shown in his college career that he has the ability when he is on the court to be a serious playmaker.

Kabongo is an excellent passer and is extremely quick in the open floor, and he also operates very well in the pick-and-roll.

Kabongo isn't a good shooter and still needs to get much stronger defensively, which is why he will slip to the second round. However, if the Mavericks can bring him in and slowly build him into the rotation, he could end up being a huge bargain.

SF Adonis Thomas

Adonis Thomas out of Memphis is a player who could be exactly what the Mavericks are looking for late in the draft.

Thomas is a work-in-progress on the offensive end, but the former Memphis standout is an extremely tough and gritty player who can end up being a bruiser defensively.

Thomas can use his athleticism to rebound the ball effectively at the pro level, and he could be a player who develops into a stopper if he can work on his perimeter game.

The Mavericks already have a player similar to Thomas on their roster in Jae Crowder, but if Dallas decides to part ways with Crowder via a trade in the offseason, it would be nice to have Thomas there to take on that role.

PG Nate Wolters

Nate Wolters may end up being limited on the defensive end and needs to bulk up and improve his quickness if he wants to make it in the NBA.

However, one thing is for sure, Wolters can flat-out score the basketball.

Wolters can shoot from distance, get into the lane, hit free throws, and he also has the ability to get his teammates involved in the game.

He has a great presence on the court and a high basketball IQ. It would be smart for the Mavericks to at least consider Wolters if he is still on the board when Dallas picks in the second round.

C Dewayne Dedmon

If Dallas still finds itself without a big man in the second round, it may want to look into USC big man Dewayne Dedmon.

Dedmon without a doubt had a disappointing college career. He never made the impact that many believed he would in SoCal and has big strides ahead of him if he wants to make it in the NBA.

Still, Dedmon has serious potential, especially on the defensive end. Considering that he didn't even pick up basketball until age 18, Dedmon has come a long way and should only continue to improve.

Make no mistake, Dedmon is a project, but with his shot-blocking ability to go along with his athleticism, he could be worth taking a flyer on in the second round.

SG Vander Blue

Anyone who watched Marquette's run to the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA tournament can tell you: Vander Blue can straight-up play.

Blue's jump shot may be unconventional, he needs to improve his ball-handling, and his basketball IQ simply must get better.

However, Blue is a playmaker, and even though his jumper is a bit unconventional, it is still highly effective. He can create for himself off the dribble and hit the jumper, or get to the rim. Defensively, Blue's quickness and athleticism should make him a good NBA defender.

The Mavericks took a chance last year in the middle of the second round on a Marquette player who was undervalued, and they may be smart to do the same this year with Vander Blue.

My Top Wrestling Moments of the Week: Extreme Rules Card, AJ Styles and More

Kyle Schadler — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:59:27 -0400

Another week of professional wrestling has come to an end, and it was an overall good week!

Things started out, for me at least, with ROH Border Wars. Officially airing a few weeks ago, I finally got around to watching Ring of Honor’s big event in Toronto. It was a great show overall! While there weren’t any particular moments of note, there were a number of excellent matches.

WWE Monday Night Raw was better than it was last week, but it was still a decent show at best. There were a few good matches and solid build for Extreme Rules; it’s just that the show was a bit boring at times.

WWE Main Event was also a decent show. Out of the three matches, only one was any good, which is a change of pace for the Wednesday night show.

WWE NXT, TNA Impact Wrestling and WWE SmackDown were all solid shows. All three events featured good matches, while both Impact Wrestling and SmackDown had moments that made it onto the list.

TNA Xplosion wasn’t very good this week as its one match fell flat, and WWE Superstars delivered a decent show as well. With two matches and long recaps, my first time watching Superstars in weeks was a disappointing experience.

As for the May 11 edition of ROH Wrestling, the episode was a Road Rage edition. For those that don’t know what that is, Road Rage episodes recap whichever big event that had just happened. In this case, it showed three matches from Border Wars. Due to no new content, the show will not be featured.

Which show, or shows, was the best this week? Click here to cast your vote!

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WWE Extreme Rules 2013: Predicting a Night WWE Goes to the Extreme

Kyle Schadler — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:58:26 -0400

WWE presents Extreme Rules, live on pay-per-view tonight!

The Extreme Rules PPV made its debut in 2009 with Jeff Hardy defeating Edge in a Ladder match for the World Heavyweight Championship, but it also saw CM Punk cash in Money in the Bank briefcase to take the title from Hardy.

From 2005 to 2008, though, the event was One Night Stand. Originally ECW reunion shows, One Night Stand was exactly like Extreme Rules only with a different name.

Since its inception, the event has seen many extreme-style matches take place, including: Steel Cage matches, Ladder matches, Last Man Standing matches and Extreme Rules matches. This year’s event will be no different as the nine matches announced, one of which is on the YouTube pre-show, five will feature an extreme stipulation.

Three of WWE’s six titles will also be on the line year as fans see the WWE, United States and Tag Team Championships defended.

Here is the card for the 2013 Extreme Rules and who I think is going to win!

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JR Smith Says He Wants to Retire with New York Knicks After Playoff Exit

Grant Hughes — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:51:06 -0400

Well, nobody ever accused J.R. Smith of lacking confidence.

Shot selection? Sure. General judgment skills? Absolutely. But confidence? No, sir.

Fresh off of a truly abysmal performance in the New York Knicks' Eastern Conference semifinal defeat to the Indiana Pacers, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year told reporters that he'd kind of like to stick around the Big Apple for a while:

Well of course he does. New York does have excellent nightlife.

Smith will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he'll have a few options. But with the way he finished out his playoff run with the Knicks, it's hard to imagine that his employer is as jazzed about his potential return (and apparent desire to stay put for a long time) as he seems to be.

I mean, he didn't exactly leave the best impression in his final games this year:

The Knicks certainly aren't laughing about Smith's horrendous offensive showing against the Pacers, but that doesn't mean the rest of us have to clam up. After all, making jokes at the expense of others is sort of what Twitter is for, isn't it?

Seriously, though, the Knicks are really going to have to figure out whether Smith's production is worth the headache of his inconsistency. When Smith catches fire, he's capable of taking over games. But as an overall asset, he's basically a one-dimensional scorer who gets his points in an extremely inefficient way. Just try to guess which game this tweet came from:

It's tough, right? Really, it could have been from almost any contest that involved Smith. Horrible shooting performances are that common for him. Worse still, he almost never stops shooting, no matter how cold he gets. Knicks coach Mike Woodson has to sit him down in order for there to be a cease fire.

Maybe Smith will be back with the Knicks. If he is, it'll signal that New York hasn't yet realized that low-percentage, high-volume offensive players were part of the problem with the team this year.

It's cool that Smith is professing his loyalty after a loss, but it's hard to imagine that the Knicks are feeling the same love right now.

Mosley vs. Cano: Sugar Shane Should Call It Quits After Ending Losing Streak

Tyler Brooke — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:43:28 -0400

After being winless for the past four years, Shane Mosley was finally able to end the streak on Saturday night against Cesar Cano.

After such a difficult stretch of fights, Sugar Shane needs to finally retire and end his career on somewhat of a high note.

At 41 years old, his best boxing years are certainly behind him. He has a respectable career record of 47-8-1 with 39 knockouts, but the recent winless streak put a blemish on a successful career. If he continues trying to fight, that record will continue to look worse and worse.

Even in the fight against Cano, who is a relatively average fighter, Mosley had his struggles. Even though he was able to win this fight by unanimous decision, there were times in the fight where Mosley seemed to be staggered.

According to a report by ESPN.com before the fight, Mosley believed he lost before due to injuries, saying:

"The last few fights I lost because of injuries, but I'm well," said the 41-year-old Mosley (46-8-1, 39 KOs) after the weigh-in. "My body tells me I'm well, so we are still going to be doing this for a while. Cano is a tough fighter, but I shouldn't have any problems beating him and being on my way to win a world title."

If Mosley is now having trouble with mediocre competition, how can he expect to continue fighting at a high level like he used to?

Back in the day, Sugar Shane was one of the best fighters in the world. He held titles in three weight divisions, holding the IBF Lightweight, WBC Welterweight, WBA Welterweight and several other Championships. He started his career with 38 consecutive wins before falling to Vernon Forrest in 2002. He has two big wins in his career against the great Oscar De La Hoya.

Now, it’s pretty clear that Sugar Shane can’t keep up with the competition. He's lost unanimous decisions to both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. since 2010, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s unable to pull off an upset against any solid fighter at this point in his career.

Coming out of retirement for a fight is nice, but now Mosley has the opportunity to end his career officially with a win. Not every fighter can say that, and it would do a lot to keep a positive reputation on one of the better fighters of this generation.

It’s been a great career for Mosley, but now it’s finally time to hang up the gloves for good.

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 2013: Winners and Losers in Charlotte

Joe Menzer — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:33:46 -0400

It rained, but it didn't pour on the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The night started with an, uh, interesting National Anthem. It ended with another runaway victory by Jimmie Johnson—the man they call Five Time, who became the first four-time champion in the history of the event. In between, there was a 45-minute rain delay and a reasonable if not overwhelming amount of action.

There were subplots all over the place: boyfriend battling girlfriend; brother fending off brother (Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch each won two of the first four segments before surrendering the fifth that was worth $1 million to Johnson); and a new format that seemed at times to confuse everyone trying to explain it on television.

As with most All-Star Races, there was good to go along with the bad, and vice versa.

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Is It Time for New York Knicks to Start Over?

Daniel O'Brien — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:30:35 -0400

After falling to the Indiana Pacers four games to two in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, it's clear that the New York Knicks lacked the firepower and the wherewithal to make a championship run this spring.

A mountain of pressure was put on Carmelo Anthony to carry the club, especially in this physical second-round series. He gave it his best effort, but it fell short, and he didn't get enough help.

Indiana exposed New York on many levels, chief among them being an overreliance on the jump shot and an inability to handle a paint-oriented opponent that possessed size.

Mike Woodson's veteran guards were overmatched, his energy post players Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin were too one-dimensional, and the isolation-based play of 'Melo and J.R. Smith was often detrimental.

Entering this offseason, the Knicks must take a good, hard look in the mirror and ask whether the team as its currently comprised can challenge for a title in the near future.

Changes definitely need to be made, but how much and at what positions?

Chief among the dilemmas is whether to keep J.R. Smith long term, and whether to hang on to many of the veteran role players.

He put together a brilliant regular season to help the Knicks earn the No. 2 seed; however, his incredibly inefficient shooting ruined New York's chances to advance past Indiana.

Signing the veteran reserve to a few more years would likely cost more than they're paying him now, and I don't know if the New York brass is ready to commit to a volume scorer who's quite one-dimensional.

If you're asking me whether keeping him is going to help them win a championship within the next couple seasons, the answer is no.

Smith was an exciting scorer and a handy guy to have around during 'Melo's brief injury absences. However, his style of play is part of the reason New York struggled to topple the underdog Boston Celtics and failed to upend the Pacers.

The decision to let him go is only part of the equation.

There's also the question of what to do about guys like Jason Kidd (signed through 2015), Marcus Camby (signed through 2014) and Pablo Prigioni (restricted free agent in 2013).

Not all of them can stay, and they certainly can't be a major part of the team's future plans. Although Kidd and Prigioni were effective for much of the season, they were exposed in the playoffs and are both miles past their primes.

The main obstacle that makes New York's offseason alterations and potential additions so difficult is the massive percentage of payroll consumed by Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

'Melo is obviously going nowhere. Amar'e is the star Knicks fans would love to shed. General manager Glen Grunwald would get rid of Stoudemire in a heartbeat if he could find a good deal for him.

Good luck with that.

Stoudemire is owed more than $45 million over the next two seasons, and since the Knicks already used their amnesty clause on Chauncey Billups in 2011, the only way to unload him is via trade.

That's a tall order, because his bloated salary and injury-plagued past aren't attractive to anyone. Most NBA trades need to match up financially, and it's just not worth it for potential suitors.

Ultimately, New York's front office needs to deliver another offseason of tricky maneuvering in order to make the club better in 2013-14. Can it add an affordable forward like Elton Brand or DeJuan Blair to bolster the roster, or will it come up empty-handed?

Change is necessary, because the current composition of the squad can't lift the Knicks through the East.

Follow Daniel on Twitter for more NBA coverage: @DanielO_BR

Preakness Results: Payout and Belmont Prediction for Oxbow

Tyler Conway — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:25:58 -0400

They always say the biggest upsets come when you least expect it, and that was certainly the case in Saturday's 138th running of the Preakness Stakes.

Oxbow, a 16-1 underdog and widely disregarded horse coming into the Preakness, shocked everyone at Pimlico Race Course by winning the Preakness Saturday. Ridden by the legendary Gary Stevens, the three-year-old colt scampered to a wire-to-wire triumph.

Obviously, that result means a premature end to Kentucky Derby winner Orb's Triple Crown run. Starting at the inside post, Orb struggled to get around the mass of bodies funneling to the inside lane and wound up finishing fourth.

Itsmyluckyday carried a strong ride throughout to come in second while pre-race darling Rosie Napravnik pushed Mylute to a third-place finish down the stretch.

Here is a look at how the rest of the field played out, along with payouts from Saturday's event:

Pos.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Post	Payout	Purse
1	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	6	$32.80, $12.00, $6.80	$620,000
2	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	9	$7.80, $5.00	$200,000
3	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5	$5.20	$100,000
4	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1		$50,000
5	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O'Neill	2		$30,000
6	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	4		$0
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	7		$0
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	8		$0
9	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	3		$0

Results via NBC telecast, payouts via America's Best Racing.

In the grand scheme of things, most of the focus in the coming days will be on Orb. The Derby champion came into Saturday's race as a 5-7 favorite (per Bovada) and many viewed him as the best Triple Crown threat since Big Brown in 2008.

But it was obvious from the opening gate that Orb did not the rocket-fuel-injector second gear he had at Churchill Downs. The horse, jockeyed by Joel Rosario, fought back after being shuffled near the back of the pack, yet that was all he could muster. By the time the stretch run hit, Orb was nowhere to be found as Oxbow held off all comers to stay in front.

Oxbow's ascent was almost unforeseen heading into Saturday's race. His $32.60 payout is one of the greatest in Preakness history, a race that usually bets down the odds due to a relatively small field. And it wasn't a case of luck for Oxbow, either. According to Derby Contenders' Twitter feed, Oxbow was the first wire-to-wire Preakness winner in over three decades:

While all involved will have the next few days to bask in the glow of their win, next month's Belmont Stakes lingers. The Triple Crown capper is often the biggest litmus test in all of horse racing, the type of event that separates great thoroughbreds from the very good.

With the caveat that this is extremely early, here's a quick look at how we think Oxbow will fare at Belmont.

Belmont Prediction

Obviously, we first have to know whether or not Oxbow will be in fine enough form to make the trip up to New York on June 8. Though the three-year-old colt (obviously) showed no signs of wear in Saturday's dominant performance, but the workload for these horses often goes unmentioned. Running three high-profile races in the span of five weeks can take an immeasurable toll on even the most fit of horses.

Many non-Triple Crown-contending owners and trainers will pull their horse out of the Belmont simply as a precautionary measure. These horses make for quite the secondary payday once they're put out to stud, and jeopardizing monetary windfall and health of the thoroughbreds often takes precedent.

That being said, all signs point toward Oxbow being in the field in a few weeks. D. Wayne Lukas spoke to reporters after the race and said Oxbow's owners, Bluegrass Hall LLC, are the type of aggressive folks who would be amenable to allowing their horse to enter the Belmont, per Derby Contenders:

Gary Stevens, the Hall of Fame jockey who came out of retirement recently, seems to share the owners' aggressiveness. As noted by Rick Snider of the Washington Examiner, Stevens was essentially calling all comers to the Belmont Stakes after Saturday's race:

While it's impossible to discount Oxbow, there will definitely be some strategic adjustments needed between the Preakness and Belmont if he wants to have a chance. Oxbow was able to capture the Preakness by starting on a torrid pace ahead of the pack and winning a wire-to-wire thrill ride. There was almost no time in that two-minute run that Oxbow wasn't going all-out.

That won't fly at the Belmont. With a mile-and-a-half track length, the New York-based track is seen as easily the most daunting of the three Triple Crown races. It's a test of the horse's endurance, the jockey's patience and a cavalcade of other factors that go into the sport. Belmont, though rarely carrying high intrigue without a Triple Crown contender, is often the most interesting race for the hardcore fan's perspective.

Can Oxbow navigate those conditions? It seems doubtful. The colt was 16-1 odds coming into the Preakness for a reason. Horse racing by and large is fluke-driven at its core, but to see a mildly regarded thoroughbred take two of the three Triple Crown races is a bit of a stretch.

Plus, Belmont is Orb's home track. Look for the Derby winner to get back on track (pun intended) and Oxbow to take a very respectable show home for his efforts.

Belmont Prediction: Third Place

8 Takeaways from the 2nd Round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs

Grant Hughes — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:23:09 -0400

Now that the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs is in the books, there are four teams left to fight for a ring and twice that many lessons to take away from the semifinal series that just came to a close.

The Indiana Pacers proved that defense counts for an awful lot, especially when there's a dominant big man like Roy Hibbert in the middle. At the same time, Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks learned that it's important to have a backup plan.

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors announced their arrival but ultimately fell to a better-prepared, more experienced San Antonio Spurs squad. And Scott Brooks is going to have to do some explaining in OKC after the surprisingly fun (you read that right) Memphis Grizzlies mauled the Thunder.

Plus, the Miami Heat showed that even the gutsiest opponent could hardly make them sweat.

There were takeaways aplenty in the second round of the NBA playoffs. You'd better hurry up and absorb them; the conference finals are just around the corner.

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What's Klay Thompson's Ceiling for the Golden State Warriors?

James Pearson — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:00:54 -0400

Klay Thompson has been everything that the Golden State Warriors could have asked for.

He came into the league primarily known as a shooter, but in just two short seasons, he has developed a solid all-around game and turned himself into a complete player.

His stroke is still his trademark, and he can get his shot off as quickly as anyone in the league. Alongside Stephen Curry, in just their first full 82-game season together, they have already earned the name Splash Brothers. They have put their names in the argument as the greatest shooting backcourt of all time.

Thompson's shooting ability led him to joining the All-Rookie first team and earning an invitation to the 2012 USA men's select team. The latter helped because the work he put in over the summer helped as he improved every facet of his game.

His numbers backed up his work. They all went up except for his percentages. This can be expected when anyone averages 11 more minutes attempting four more shots per game.

But it's not just in his numbers.

His defense improved dramatically. So much so that after Brandon Rush went down for the year, Thompson became the Warriors' best perimeter defender.

You can argue that when Andrew Bogut was out due to injuries, Thompson was the best defender on the team.

He was routinely called upon to defend their opponents' best offensive player on a nightly basis. His pick-and-roll defense really stood out. In an article by Chris Palmer of ESPN.com, he points out:

Among all players with at least 200 possessions guarding the pick-and-roll ball handler, Thompson gave up the fewest points per possession, with 0.686. By comparison, All-Defensive team members Tony Allen held pick-and-roll ball handlers to 0.649 points per possession and George to 0.783.

Thompson has put his name among the best defenders in the league. This is the same guy who hit eight of nine three-pointers for 34 points to go with 14 rebounds in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Oh yea, he rebounds now too.

After posting 2.4 rebounds a game in his rookie year, he improved that number to 3.7 this year. It helped lead to the Warriors in becoming the third-leading rebounding team in the NBA with 45 per game. Sure, having Bogut and David Lee helped, but Thompson has the ability to develop into a terrific rebounding guard. His 14-rebound game attests to it.

Speaking of getting to the rim, Thompson can do that too.

That is something he should be doing more of. Especially if—and it hurts to think about—Jarrett Jack doesn't re-sign. Even if he does come back, Thompson should be attacking the rim more often. It will open his perimeter game up, and being an 85 percent career free-throw shooter, creating contact is a great way to raise his average.

The problem is he has only gone to the line an average of 1.7 times per game so far in his career, less than one shooting foul per game. Going forward, you would like to see Thompson get more aggressive while avoiding plays like this.

There is good aggressive play, and there is bad aggressive play.

That was a bad aggressive play.

He also tends to disappear at times.

After making 11 of 14 threes in the first two games in the second round of the postseason, Thompson made just two more on six attempts in the remaining four games.

How is that possible?

Thompson has the tools to develop into one of the top shooting guards in the league. He just needs to become more consistent and aggressive.

In Game 5 against the Spurs, Thompson scored the first two points of the game. Good start, but the rest of the final 47 minutes he managed to get just two more points. That is unacceptable.

You can't expect him to make five-plus threes a night, but someone with his talent should not be going 6-of-20 for 14 points in two of the biggest games in Golden State history.

Thompson's ceiling is on an All-Star level. He has the complete package and has no limitations on the basketball court. As he matures as an NBA player and person, he will start taking better shots, attacking more and become the consistent player we all know he can be.

If he continues the growth that he has shown thus far, a long successful career with the Warriors is ahead of him. That is as long as they can afford him. When it is all said and done, his career should include multiple All-Star appearances and three-point titles. It may even include an All-NBA defensive team member and hopefully a championship ring.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Follow @JKPIII

MLS Saturday Wrap

Joe Tansey — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:00:07 -0400

Saturday was quite the exciting day in Major League Soccer with 16 goals scored and six red cards handed out.

The most excitement came from CenturyLink Field in Seattle as the Sounders put on a second consecutive dominant performance in front of their home fans with a win over FC Dallas.

The biggest surprise of the night came from Houston as the Dynamo lost their second consecutive match at home, this time to New England.

Read on for recaps of each and every one of the six matches played in MLS on Saturday.

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UFC on FX 8 Results: Grades for All Main Card Fighters

Sean Smith — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:52:40 -0400

At UFC on FX 8, Vitor Belfort put himself in the front of the line for a shot at the winner of an upcoming middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman.

In welcoming former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold to the Octagon, Belfort landed a spinning heel kick that led to a first-round knockout win. After finishing Michael Bisping in January, the victory was Belfort's second in a row that resulted from a kick to his opponent's head.

Both Bisping and Rockhold were likely to be named top contenders in the 185-pound class had they beaten Belfort. After halting both of those rising fighters, it will be tough for the UFC brass to deny Belfort another chance to battle for the middleweight crown.

With another UFC event in the books, let's take a look at the report cards for the main card competitors.

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Biggest Takeaways from Saturday's NHL Playoff Action

Steve Silverman — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:41:21 -0400

Home domination for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks?

Not any longer.

The seventh-seeded Detroit Red Wings showed they weren't just happy to be there. Instead, they wanted to make their presence felt and win a game on the Blackhawks' home ice.

Not only did Mike Babcock's team accomplish its goal, but Detroit did it in convincing fashion in a 4-1 win.

In the other Western Conference semifinal, the San Jose Sharks showed the Los Angeles Kings they are not going to go away easily, either. They beat the Kings, 2-1, in overtime at the Shark Tank and got back into the series.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Saturday's games.

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12 NFL Players Set for Bounce-Back Seasons

Matt Miller — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:38:45 -0400

The 2012 season was great for some, and not so great for others. That leaves a long list of NFL players looking to hit the rebound during the 2013 campaign. Who tops the list?

Be it through injury, poor schemes or just bad fits on the depth chart, these 12 players found themselves on the outside looking in on elite 2012 seasons.

If you're Larry Fitzgerald, this next season brings a chance for a rebirth thanks to a new quarterback. If you're Darrelle Revis, this is your chance to show the football world that you're still elite post-injury and in a new scheme.

No matter the reason, these 12 players are primed for big seasons in 2013.

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Lucas Matthysse: Forget Danny Garcia, Let's Talk a Money Mayweather Showdown

Lyle Fitzsimmons — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:37:51 -0400

Sure is funny how a Saturday night in Jersey can change things.

When the Showtime Championship Boxing card from Boardwalk Hall began a few minutes after 9 p.m. ET, the talking heads on the premium cable network’s in-house set were framing the imminent events as Devon Alexander’s audition for a role as second banana to the sport’s biggest cash cow.

If he impresses against stand-in Lee Purdy, they opined, Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be waiting.

And bless his heart if the IBF champ from St. Louis didn’t go out and do his job, overcome a damaged left hand and make the English challenger’s corner think better of the combat after seven one-sided rounds—a decision that allowed Alexander to improve to 25-1 in nine years as a quality pro.

Problem is…the rest of the night didn’t go exactly according to the Alexander script.

Rather than simply titillating against 140-pound title claimant Lamont Peterson in what many saw as a slam dunk 2013 fight of the year, Argentine import Lucas Matthysse put on a performance that stretches his career arc light years beyond such short-sighted baubles.

And while the immediate aftermath of the three-knockdown blitzkrieg merely prompted Showtime toward repeated camera shots of prospective next opponent Danny Garcia at ringside, it says here that the South American’s itinerary ought to include pursuit of a much more lucrative quarry this summer.

Yes, Argentina…Lucas Matthysse is ready for his “Money” shot.

Now 34-2 in his own nine-year pro career, Matthysse shook off a strategically daunting first round and ultimately knocked a fleet-footed Peterson silly with a looping left hook late in the second. Only an inconveniently timed bell kept “The Machine” from finishing the job instantly, but he was undeterred come the third, scored two more knockdowns and forced a Steve Smoger stoppage at 2:14.

It was abrupt. It was decisive. It was violent.

And if you’re among those who pine for a challenger to spring from the weeds to push Mayweather beyond a $40 million sparring session, it was not a moment too soon.

In fact, with a speculated Floyd showdown against junior middle hotshot Canelo Alvarez best left to simmer until Cinco de Mayo 2014—and without another visible foe worthy of $70 fan outlay—the second fight in Mayweather’s six-fight contract could have shaped up as a late-summer pay-per-view train wreck.

But thanks to Matthysse, it has the chance to be a true September sizzler.

And with all due respect to the likable Garcia—who outlasted vet Zab Judah in an entertaining scrap just three weeks ago—the look on his face after witnessing Matthysse’s in-ring destruction of Peterson said all that was needed about what would happen should he and Matthysse ever actually meet.

Danny would try hard. His father would talk a lot. Someone would bleed.

And eventually, the preposterously hittable Philadelphian would wind up unconscious.

By skipping that interim step, the suits at Showtime and Golden Boy can spend the next four months properly building up Matthysse—whom Showtime blow-by-blow man Mauro Ranallo accurately said had “served notice that he is one of the biggest forces in boxing”—as a real threat to the Mayweather empire.

As much fun as the Garcia-Matthysse press conferences would be, the blather reaches another stratosphere with the addition of Floyd Sr. and Roger. And as compelling as a brawl for 140-pound dominance might be for as long as it lasted, imagine the Argentine’s irresistible force when contrasted with the shoulder roll that’s dominated the sport since the 1990s.

Call it puncher vs. stylist. Call it bull vs. matador. Call it offense vs. defense.

Regardless of how it’s labeled…coming out of Saturday night, it’s the only match worth making.

UFC on FX 8 Full Fight Video Highlights, Including Belfort's KO of Rockhold

Trent Reinsmith — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:35:37 -0400

In the days leading up to UFC on FX 8, Vitor Belfort said at a press conference (h/t MMA Weekly), “TRT doesn’t win fights.”

We could argue that point for days and I’m sure that in some circles that debate will take place. What you can’t argue is that the type of kick that Vitor Belfort delivered on Saturday night does end fights, and it ends them quickly and effectively.

Belfort is known for his devastating first-round knockouts, most of which have come via his quick and heavy hands. On Saturday night he ended his second consecutive fight with a kick, using a spinning heel kick to put Luke Rockhold down and out at the 2:32 mark of the first round. Sure, some ground strikes followed that kick, but it’s doubtful those strikes were necessary. Rockhold was not getting off the mat after the kick landed.

In his previous bout Belfort dispatched Michael Bisping with a head kick. Both knockout kicks were enough to justify the UFC writing “Knockout of the Night” bonus checks in Belfort’s name.

Following the fight, Belfort said, during in his in-cage interview, “I’m stronger than ever. I appreciate all the love from the fans.” Belfort then went on to thank the team he trains with, The Blackzilians.

As for Rockhold, the dejected former Strikeforce middleweight champion said after the fight, “I take my hat off, he landed a spinning heel kick to my head. I didn’t see that coming. What can I say, he caught me with a spinning heel kick to the head, kudos to him.”

The win will, at the very least, put Belfort in the discussion for the next shot at the UFC middleweight title.

The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC on FX 8

Duane Finley — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:30:46 -0400

Brazilians love their mixed martial arts and vicious knockouts. At UFC on FX 8, they got both.

The country largely recognized as the homeland of the sport has produced a passionate and educated fanbase who always turn out when fisticuffs are on the menu. The raucous crowd helps to create one of the most unique "fighting environments" in all of combat sports as they keep the energy levels high from the opening bout until the lights go out in the arena.

All the Brazilian MMA faithful want to see is beautiful violence, and they were treated to their fare share Saturday night in Jaragua do Sul.

The sport's most successful promotion made its first visit to Jaragua, Brazil, with a card anchored by a high-profile tilt between middleweight contenders Luke Rockhold and Brazilian superstar Vitor Belfort.

While the event was largely overlooked in the MMA community—save for the main event and co-main event between Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Chris Camozzi—this didn't stop the fighters on the bill from getting down to serious business inside the cage.

The action came fast and furious at Arena Jaragua. From the lightweight ruckus displayed between Lucas Martins and Jeremy Larsen in the opening bout to a blistering spinning heel-kick knockout scored by Vitor Belfort in the main event, UFC on FX 8 certainly had high points..

That being said, there were certainly a few awkward and unsavory moments to go along with all of the face-punching goodness from Saturday night.

Here is a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC on FX 8:

The Good

Belfort is an absolute wrecking ball. Over the past 16 years, "The Phenom" has proven to be one of the best fighters in mixed martial arts. But in 2013, the 36-year-old has elevated his game to become an a monster in the middleweight division.

The former light heavyweight champion kicked off the year by starching Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7 in January, then one-upped himself by scoring an early candidate for "Knockout of the Year" by flattening Luke Rockhold with a spinning back kick in the first round of their main event bout at UFC on FX 8.

The biggest question is what comes next for Belfort? With devastating wins over Bisping and Rockhold, another title shot should be in short order for the Brazilian knockout machine. Nevertheless, in his post-fight interview with Jon Anik, Belfort shrugged off the suggestion of him stepping in for another crack at UFC gold, which will leave a limited number of options for his next step.

With Belfort's hesitation to jump into the title picture, a great option for his next challenge could very well be the owner of the event's most impressive showing—Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza.

The Brazilian grappling machine once again proved he's an absolute nightmare when the action hits the canvas as he left surging middleweight Chris Camozzi sleeping on the cavnas. Certainly, there is some slack to be given for the Colorado native—having stepped up to take the fight on short notice—but from the onset of the fight, it was all Souza.

Once the submission ace pulled Camozzi into his world, the clock on the TUF alum's fate began to tick. After a bit of ground-and-pound, Souza locked in a fight-ending arm-triangle choke, and that left Camozzi unconscious.

The victory was certainly an impressive Octagon debut for the former Strikeforce champion, and his performance put the rest of the middleweight division on notice. In his post-fight interview with Anik during the FX broadcast, Souza asked for the winner of Belfort versus Rockhold, and that is a solid possibility.

In the featherweight division, Nik Lentz keeps on rolling. The scrappy, former NCAA Division I wrestler picked up his third consecutive victory since dropping down into the featherweight division. While "The Carny's" fighting style is never anything to come out of your chair for, there is no way to argue his effectiveness inside the cage.

At UFC on FX 8, the American Top Team fighter kept constant pressure on Hacran Dias and picked up the unanimous-decision victory. The win will definitely ensure Lentz's next outing will come against one of the featherweight division's best. And with the title race in the 145-pound weight class hotter than it's ever been, a possible matchup with Clay Guida or Chad Mendes would make sense.

Rounding out the category is Yuri Alcantara's performance. The 32-year-old Brazilian made short work of Iliarde Santos on the preliminary portion of the card and made his presence known in the bantamweight division. With the current lack of depth in the 135-pound weight class, it wouldn't come as a shock to see Alcantara's next outing come against a top-10 opponent.

The Bad

The only major entry into this category for UFC on FX 8 was the judging on the bout between Evan Dunham and Rafael Dos Anjos. This was a back-and-forth, "Fight of the Night" worthy scrap between two lightweights on the rise, but when the action came to an end and went to the judges' cards, a decision which should have belonged to Dunham went to Dos Anjos.

The Brazilian had his moments throughout the affair, but the Xtreme Couture product landed the cleaner shots and kept the pressure applied. While "RDA" was getting the better of the exchanges in the early goings, over the final two rounds, it was Dunham whose punches were getting there first.

UFC President Dana White took to Twitter to share his disapproval of the judge's decision.

With the loss, the 31-year-old Oregon native will lose substantial ground in the highly competitive lightweight division. Where Dunham was once on the verge of trading in his prospect card for a contender's badge, dropping two of his past three showings will put a top-10 ranking out of his immediate view.

Two other entries into this category are Roger Hollett's brutal low-blow against Fabio Maldonado and referee Mario Yamasaki's wavering authority in the bout between Hacran Dias and Nik Lentz.

"The Hulk's" effort to throw a spinning back kick came up remarkably short against the Brazilian which resulted in Hollett landing a mule-kick smash to Maldonado's delicate region. Whether it was an issue with flexibility or taking his eye of the target, missing a kick that poorly should keep Hollett from throwing anything that requires spinning for some time.

It wouldn't be a true mixed martial arts event if there were nothing to gripe about on the officiating side. While the rest of the card went off without a hitch, Yamaski telling Dias he was going to take a point if the Nova Uniao fighter grabbed the fence again—then proceeded to look on as Dias grabbed the fence several more times—was a solid example of an official waffling during a fight.

The referee is supposed to keep the action clean and make sure the fight takes place within the boundaries of the rules. Yamasaki had no problem taking control of the initial situation and has to stand up and take the point if the fighter he warned commits another infraction. It was simply a bad look for Yamasaki.

The Strange

While the UFC's last event at UFC 159 provided enough strangeness to put this category on overload, UFC on FX 8 was relatively light on "the weird."

There was no demon voice to be heard.

There were no majority-draw inducing eye pokes.

In fact, for the most part, the action went down in smooth fashion in Brazil with the majority of fights running their course without incident. That being said, there were still a few things that happened outside the realm of normal, with the most notable being Gleison Tibau finishing his opponent.

The muscle-heavy American Top Team fighter has been a staple in the lightweight division for the past five years. But while he has proven knockout ability and a power submission game, the stocky Brazilian has a reputation for going the distance inside the Octagon.

That trend was bucked for the time being when Tibau submitted John Cholish via guillotine choke in the second round of their tilt at UFC on FX 8. The submission victory snaps a four-fight decision skid for the 29-year-old and puts Tibau back into the win column after coming out on the losing end of a split decision to Evan Dunham at UFC 156.

It is a well-known fact that the fight game is an unpredictable beast. And while there is little that be counted on time in and time out, putting on the master of the microphone Bruce Buffer is about as consistent as they come. Nevertheless, "The Buff" has been misfiring as of late, and the trend continued at UFC on FX 8.

In both the pre-fight and post-fight announcements, Buffer incorrectly called light heavyweight slugger Fabio Maldonado "Fabiano". The Twitterverse quickly pointed out Buffer's mistake, but in the longtime announcer's defense, "Fabio" is a shortened version of Fabiano.

Nevertheless, if the man wants to go by Fabio, then you have to call him Fabio, and it is possible the rigors of his book tour for "It's Time is taking its toll.

The incident comes in the aftermath of his botched call in the Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy fight at UFC 159. Following the Strikeforce veteran's impressive third-round submission victory, Buffer incorrectly announced Miller as the winner of the fight.

While the moment was certainly embarrassing and a rare "off" moment for Buffer, perhaps, it was his clairvoyance showing through as the victory would ultimately be taken away from Healy three weeks later following a failed drug test.

Whether Buffer's backslide will continue remains to be seen. But with his work ethic and mastery of the craft, it is a safe bet that the inventor of the Buffer 360 will be back to form in no time.

Vitor Belfort's Win over Luke Rockhold May Cause More Problems Than It Solves

Damon Martin — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:29:29 -0400

For the second straight fight in a row, Vitor Belfort finished an opponent with a devastating head kick, this time around putting away former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.

With just over two minutes gone in the fight, Belfort launched a quick, spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockhold's jaw sending him crashing to the mat.

The spinning kick was similar to the ones landed by UFC lightweight Edson Barboza (finishing Terry Etim) and former Ultimate Fighter finalist Uriah Hall (putting away Adam Cella). Rockhold deserves some credit because he's the only one of the three who had the kick land and didn't get completely knocked out from the impact, but Belfort didn't need much more besides a few punches to put Rockhold's lights out and pick up another win at 185 pounds.

Belfort is actually undefeated at middleweight outside of one loss, and that's where his win creates a big problem in the UFC's 185-pound division

The Brazilian has now knocked off two top-five contenders in a row with Rockhold, and Michael Bisping in his previous fight. For any other fighter it, would almost seem a lock for him to receive a title shot in his next bout, but for Belfort that assumption can't happen just yet for a number of reasons.

The first obstacle is UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Belfort and Silva met already at UFC 126 in 2011 and ended in one of the most stunning knockouts in mixed martial arts history. Silva threw a front kick that landed straight into Belfort's mouth, knocking him to the ground in dramatic fashion.

Add to that the knockout happened in the first round in a one-sided fight that Silva controlled and no matter what streak he's on currently, it's hard to put Belfort back in against the champion a second time. Silva has never been keen on rematches although he did grant one to both Chael Sonnen and former UFC champion Rich Franklin since he's been middleweight champion.

Silva next faces Chris Weidman at UFC 162. With a win, he would seem poised to focus on fights that would define his legacy like bouts against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre or light heavyweight king Jon Jones. It's unknown if Silva would have any interest at all in taking on Belfort a second time.

The other major obstacle for Belfort right now is his use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

While the treatment is 100 percent legal by all standards in mixed martial arts, fighters are required to receive a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) by any state commission to be able to use TRT leading up to a fight. Belfort has now openly been using TRT for his last two fights, but he's only fought in Brazil while being on the controversial treatment.

In the past with cards in Brazil, the UFC acted as a governing body to test athletes who competed on the fight cards. Recently, a commission was formed in Brazil and it also allowed Belfort to continue using TRT before his fights.

If Belfort fights in the United States or other areas with recognized commissions, he would have to be approved to use TRT in those areas before a fight could happen.

Unfortunately for Belfort, he tested positive for steroids after competing in a Pride Fighting Championships bout in 2006 in Las Vegas. While there's no proof why Belfort has low testosterone, which is why he's on TRT in the first place, steroid abuse is a known cause of the problem in men.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer spoke to Bleacher Report in March and stated that because of Belfort's past conviction for steroid use, it's unlikely they would grand him an exemption to use TRT in that state.

"I don't see Vitor Belfort getting a TRT exemption from us," Kizer told Bleacher Report. "I really don't and I feel kind of bad for him in some ways because if he has learned from his mistakes and now he's trying to do it the right way and his levels are low with the treatment good for him and I hope he is doing that. The rules are the rules and you have to draw the line somewhere."

The line in the sand for TRT usage seems to be a past suspension for steroids, and that could prevent Belfort from using the treatment in a fight that takes place in Las Vegas or some major areas of the United States if other commissions follow suit.

It would mean that Belfort's fights would have to continue to take place in Brazil or England or other areas where the UFC acts as the governing body and would allow him to stay on TRT leading up to the show.

If that's the case, it's going to make a title fight with Belfort involved a hard sell especially with the lion's share of major UFC championship fights taking place in the United States or Canada.

The only other scenario would be Belfort discontinuing his use of TRT all together.

At the post-fight press conference in Brazil, according to Tatame reporter Guilherme Cruz, who was at the event, Belfort didn't seem too interested in talking about TRT or a potential matchup with Silva down the road anyway.

Belfort's best hope for a title shot might be to begin rooting for Chris Weidman when he takes on Silva at UFC 162, and then ask for the fight to take place in Brazil. Otherwise, Belfort may have to settle for big fights taking place in his native country with no title implications on the line.

It's not an ideal spot for any fighter to be in, but at 36 years of age, Belfort could certainly earn a nice living being a part of major cards in Brazil time and again, but another shot at UFC gold may never happen in his career.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.

UFC on FX 8 Results: Power Ranking the Top 10 Middleweights in the UFC

Nathan McCarter — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:11:14 -0400

UFC on FX 8 featured three top 10 middleweights, and after their performances on Saturday night, there was a mild shake-up in the division.

No. 5 Luke Rockhold stepped inside the Octagon for the first time to battle No. 2 Vitor Belfort. The fight didn't make it past the first round because Belfort pulled off an incredible KO. A spinning back kick leveled Rockhold, and The Phenom finished him off with heavy punches on the mat.

No. 8 Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza took on Chris Camozzi and made quick work of the young prospect. Once he took the fight to the ground, it was academic. Jacare locked in an arm-triangle and picked up an impressive debut victory.

The division has certainly heated up over the past year, and the inclusion of the Strikeforce middleweights has only deepened the talent pool. These are exciting times in the 185-pound division.

Here are the middleweight power rankings after UFC on FX 8.

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