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Ranking the Chicago Bulls' Most Likely NBA Free Agency Moves

Andres Montero — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:34:15 -0400

The Chicago Bulls don't have a lot of cap room to make a big splash this offseason, but that doesn't mean there won't be a few changes.

Upcoming free agents like Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli increased their value with their great performances during the regular season and playoffs, so it might not be possible to re-sign both players.

There's also the possibility of bringing in some new faces. The Bulls need a big man on their bench, and they'll need some backup 2-guards and someone to spell Luol Deng.

Chicago might not make a ton of noise, but there are more than a few moves—both in-house and on the market—they could make.

Rankings will be based on the likelihood of the signing.

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Ranking the Unluckiest Teams in Baseball in 2013

Joe Tansey — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:27:37 -0400

In the game of baseball, it is good to be lucky.

But, when a team has an unlucky season, it could mean a long 162-game stretch for the ballclub and its fans.

Just like any other season, the 2013 Major League Baseball season has its own respective crop of unlucky teams.

Here is a look at the five unluckiest teams in baseball so far this season.

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Miami Dolphins' Running Back Breakdown: Full Evaluation and Depth Chart Analysis

Mario Cuadros — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:23:32 -0400

The Miami Dolphins have a history of fielding a good crop of running backs—from Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris to Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown. The Dolphins will now look to field another group of top running backs.

The Dolphins lost leading tailback Reggie Bush in free agency, and will be looking at a young group of players to fill his void.

Head coach Joe Philbin will be looking to finally instill his West Coast offense with the talent Miami has added this offseason and, even though it will be a pass-happy offense, running back is still an important position.

Miami will most likely start out with Lamar Miller as their starter when the regular season begins. He had a full season to get acclimated to Philbin's system and the speed of the NFL. He was used sparingly last season, but did show some flashes that he can take over the starting role.

Miller carried the ball 51 times for 250 yards and a touchdown, while averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He showed patience behind the offensive line and a burst that allowed him to get to the second level in a hurry. He also showed soft hands as he caught six passes for 45 yards out of the backfield.

What kept Miller off the field was the fact that he really struggled with his pass blocking. Running backs in today's NFL have to be able to contribute even when they aren't running the ball. Miller just wasn't getting the job done in that department.

If he shows improvement in this area during OTA's and the preseason, his name will be written in ink on the depth chart.

Behind Miller, there will be fierce competition between three running backs. Mike Gillislee, Daniel Thomas and Jonas Gray will have a lot to prove in order to fill the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

Gillislee was Miami's first pick in the fifth round and was considered one of the steals of the draft. He comes out of Florida showcasing the complete package as a running back at the next level.

He shows speed, burst, soft hands and the ability to block. Gillislee was given his opportunity to shine during his senior season in Gainesville and failed to disappoint. He carried the Florida Gators on his back and was their best offensive player throughout the year.

If Gillislee is able to improve during training camp, he will secure the second spot on the depth chart and may even give Miller a run for his money.

What about Thomas? If anyone has read any of my previous articles you probably know I'm not a big fan of Thomas. That doesn't mean I can't change my mind.

In his two years with the team, he has been plagued by injuries and hasn't shown he can be the leading running back.

During his career, Thomas has carried the ball 256 times for 906 yards and four touchdowns. If you do the math, you can see how many yards per carry that is. If you're not good with numbers (like myself), I can tell you that he has averaged 3.5 yards per carry during his career.

Not exactly what you're looking for from a second-round pick.

With the addition of Gillislee, I think Thomas will be staring up at both Gillislee and Miller in the depth chart. The only thing that will get him on the field is his big body, which the Dolphins could use in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

However, Gray is also a big-bodied back who will be eager to compete for a spot on the roster. As an undrafted rookie last year, Gray spent the whole season on IR after suffering a torn ACL during his senior season at Notre Dame.

The coaching staff obviously saw something they liked if they decided to keep him around all season. He will finally have the chance to get on the field and prove what he's capable of.

I don't think Gray will be competing for the starting spot, but he does have the ability to be used for short-yardage situations.

Depth Chart Prediction

No. 1: Lamar Miller

No. 2: Mike Gillislee

No. 3: Daniel Thomas

No. 4: Jonas Gray

This young group of running backs is still very much unproven, but they have a lot of talent and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Miami Heat: Heat Must Amnesty Joel Anthony This Offseason

Joshua J Vannuccini — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:20:28 -0400

With a team as talented as the Miami Heat, there are few issues to be concerned with. The overbearing problem with this current roster is the health of the team's payroll going forward. Their trio of All-Stars ultimately takes up most of the cap, thus the ability to add complementary pieces is difficult with whatever remains. The Heat currently have a number of overpaid contracts that they could do without, starting with backup center Joel Anthony.

If there could ever be a player to epitomize what this Miami organization represents, Anthony fits the bill. His hustle, defense and 100 percent effort attitude every game are what has kept him in a Heat uniform, despite the general public questioning his ability.

Anthony's offensive game has always been questionable, but his heart and passion have not. The undersized center was signed to his current deal because of this, in addition to the belief Anthony could be a Dennis Rodman-esque piece to the Heat's championship puzzle.

That attitude has since changed, not by any fault of Anthony's, as Miami took on a new identity. The Heat remain a scrappy and live-or-die defensive team, but their offensive versatility required more than what Anthony brings to the table.

His lack of post moves and mid-range shot hinders the coaching staff's ability to routinely give him minutes. While it gripes me to say it—as Anthony is one of my favorite players—it's the equivalent of the Heat playing 4-on-5, with Anthony seemingly a void in the offense.

Chris Andersen, who plays very much like Anthony, is a more athletic and experienced center. The duo are similar in terms of their offensive abilities; however, Andersen's movement and length are what puts him ahead of Anthony.

Many questioned the Heat's judgement when they signed Anthony to a five-year, $18 million deal back in 2010. As aforementioned he's all about hustle and sacrifice, and this was ultimately the reasoning behind his contract.

Anthony's 2009-10 season averages of 2.7 points and 3.1 rebounds do not denote what he was given in free agency, and while it's a nice gesture to reward a player for his hard work, it's now created an issue within the team's payroll.

Courtesy of HoopsWorld, the Heat's salary cap is listed at $83.4 million for this season. The team has $75.5 million guaranteed for next season, which doesn't include the potential returns of Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen.

Anthony's $3.8 million for next season would rank seventh-highest on the payroll, ahead of integral players like Chalmers, Allen, Shane Battier and Norris Cole. Amnestying the center's deal won't create cap space for the Heat to explore, but it will lessen the luxury tax burden for Miami.

Trading Anthony would be a arduous task, as finding a team to take on his contract will be difficult. Deciding to amnesty him is a much easier choice, and beneficial to both parties. Anthony would retain his dignity, as opposed to being sent away and prejudiced for his pay. He'd still receive his pay and could take on a role similar to teammate Juwan Howard.

Howard is not celebrated for his leadership at this point and is often completely unnoticed on the Heat bench. However his ability to mentor and advise the players has been essential to their success, with praise from Pat Riley via ESPN.com:

"Juwan is a key part of the championship culture here in Miami," Riley said Saturday in a statement released by the Heat. "He is essential to this team and can still play this game at a high level in some of our biggest games yet to come. He has a unique veteran savvy and will provide leadership and experience to our team."

Howard played in grand total of seven games for the Heat this season, serving more as an assistant coach than anything else. Anthony could fill a similar role, in contrast to being traded away.

The move would clear close to $4 million from the cap, thus making re-signing Andersen and other role players less strenuous. Miami can use its mini mid-level exception to sign a decent player, which is an option of about $3.5 million for teams over the salary cap.

Whether the Heat split it between Andersen and a veteran center or decide to throw it all at one player, amnestying Anthony will make the transition much easier. The luxury tax is already a concern surrounding the future of the Big Three, thus making a slight adjustment by amnestying Anthony preserves the future health of the Heat's payroll.

The Biggest Thing in College Football? Literally, Tennessee's Daniel McCullers

Adam Kramer — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:15:22 -0400

The buzz began with one image, a scene so unfathomable it had to be photoshopped.

But it wasn’t.

Tree-trunk legs with a waistline that would be chest-high for most. An upper body that made the No. 96 look remarkably out of scale. Just mass, endless mass, and a low-cut jersey that could serve as a gown for us mere mortals.

The legend of Tennessee defensive tackle Daniel McCullers and his incredible physical presence has grown since this image surfaced. Others photos have followed, each just as hard to comprehend. With a season in the SEC under his massive belt, however, the potential of college football’s biggest being remains a mystery.

On his official Tennessee bio, McCullers is listed at 6’8” and 360 pounds. This is actually down from his playing weight last year—around 380 pounds—but much heavier than his current senior offseason trim.

“Man Mountain,” “Mount McCullers,” “Big Dan” and “Ton DMC” (clearly the winner of the bunch) are just a handful of the nicknames that McCullers has acquired since arriving in Knoxville. And while they still apply, McCullers is below the 350-pound mark for the first time since his freshman year.

More specifically, for the first time since his freshman year of high school, McCullers is down below 350 pounds. Calling him “big” doesn’t do him justice.

“I’ve covered the SEC for all but two or three years since 2000 and he tops them all,” said Wes Rucker, senior writer at GoVols247 who still marvels at each Tennessee practice. “He makes 6-4, 300-pound linemen look like linebackers. It’s amazing.”

If the name Daniel McCullers is new to you, you’re likely not alone. After spending his freshman and sophomore seasons at Georgia Military College, he transferred to Tennessee before his junior season.

While his size has been well known, the rest is not. Scouts and coaches have had a difficult time evaluating McCullers because his dimensions have yet to pan out to consistent dominance along the defensive front.

247Sports had him rated as the No. 41 JUCO player and the No. 6 defensive tackle. He recorded 37 tackles, nine for loss, and two sacks in his final season at Georgia Military Academy while being recruited by former Tennessee coach Derek Dooley.

Playing under Dooley, his numbers were comparable against much-improved competition. In 12 games for Tennessee, McCullers recorded 39 tackles (including eight against Georgia), five-and-a-half for loss and one sack.

On one play in particular in the game against Georgia, his unbelievable potential was on full display. Although Aaron Murray completed the pass for a substantial gain, McCullers bulldozed Georgia's 300-pound center, moving him like a shopping cart with a bad wheel.

Oh, this is beautiful football poetry that requires multiple viewings.

His 2012 season was a solid foundation considering the significant upgrade in talent. Still, his ceiling is still out of sight. His play (and effort), by the accounts of his coaches, still isn’t always where it needs to be.

New Tennessee head coach Butch Jones is hoping this talent comes into focus. McCullers is keeping his weight down in an effort to improve his conditioning, and expectations are beginning to build.

Butch Jones on Dan McCullers: "I think we've probably pushed him the hardest, because we need him to be a dominating defensive tackle."
— Volquest Staff (@Volquest_Rivals) April 20, 2013

As both Butch Jones and defensive line coach Steve Stripling push him, hoping that he realizes this potential, McCullers has done what he has always done: quietly go about his business.

While he’s impossible to miss on the field, vocally he’s quite the opposite.

“He’s a really good kid, but he’s incredibly soft-spoken and hates drawing attention to himself off the field,” Rucker added. “You have to strain to hear him. I never imagined such a big guy would have such a quiet voice.”

Tennessee isn’t worried about his demeanor. Instead it's counting on McCullers to help stop the run, something that was problematic a season ago. The Vols ranked 87th against the run in 2012, allowing 4.75 yards per carry and giving up 25 touchdowns on the ground.

The defense is undergoing yet another overhaul, switching to a more traditional 4-3 front versus the 3-4 run under former defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri. For McCullers, this will means opportunities to be more than just a space-eater. He’ll have chances to disrupt, and a sudden influx of batted balls wouldn’t be a surprise, either.

As he readies for his senior season, the inevitable talk about his NFL future has started to surface.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper has McCullers ranked as the No. 4 defensive tackle in the country and No. 43 overall on his yearly big board. Other scouts and draft analysts will undoubtedly be fascinated with this unique prospect simply because of his size. If he can back it up with improved play, the buzz could be enormous.

“Some people think he’s a first-rounder. I think that remains to be seen, but he’s really a much better athlete than most people probably imagine,” Rucker noted on his draft potential. “When he wants to go fast, he’s not slow. NFL teams will see that. Many already have seen it.”

Just how much McCullers improves during his senior year will be telling. His improvement could mean a fast start for a program that would love to add wins and early success to some recent recruiting momentum. It could also mean an added checking account boost for McCullers come next spring’s NFL draft.

Whether or not a slimmed-down McCullers finally reaches his potential this fall remains to be seen, although he’s one to keep an eye on in the SEC.

After all, he’ll be hard to miss.

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

North Carolina Basketball: 5 Burning Questions for Tar Heels' Offseason

Rollin Yeatts — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:07:43 -0400

North Carolina traveled a rocky road last season with the departure of the Big Four. The Tar Heels were working with very little starting experience, and most players were forced into roles they haven't been at UNC.

Heck, by the end of the season, P.J. Hairston was playing power forward and James Michael McAdoo was at center. It worked out, though.

So did starting Marcus Paige as a freshman.

Now all three players have starting experience, and everyone is much more aware of these players' deficiencies. With a six-month break before the 2013-14 starts, they will all have time to work out those kinks with coaches, teammates and former Tar Heels.

That goes for the rest of the team, too.

How much success the Tar Heels will have next season will all hinge on positive answers for these five burning questions.

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Roy Nelson Faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 161 After Main Event Scrapped This Week

Damon Martin — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:04:10 -0400

UFC 161 took a hit this week when interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao was forced out of his fight against Eddie Wineland, which scrapped the main event for the upcoming card in Winnipeg on June 15.

The UFC moved quickly to shift the light heavyweight fight between Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans to the headline slot, but it left a bit of an open hole on the card with one less marquee featured bout.

With time running out and less than a month to go until the show takes place, the UFC appears ready to call on heavyweight Roy Nelson to potentially step in and fill the vacancy on the card.

According to a report from UFC Tonight on Tuesday, the UFC has contacted Nelson about possibly stepping into a featured bout on the UFC 161 card.

Nelson was on call already for UFC 160 when heavyweight co-main event fighter Mark Hunt had visa issues and was unsure if he'd be able to gain entry into the United States by the necessary time to fight this weekend. Luckily for Hunt, he got cleared for travel on Monday and arrived in Las Vegas for his scheduled fight against Junior Dos Santos.

Now, with a spot to fill on the UFC 161 card, the promotion is again calling on Nelson to potentially step in and help save the show.

Nelson's manager Mike Kogan spoke to Bleacher Report on Tuesday night and stated that it was "realistic" that the former Ultimate Fighter winner could end up on the UFC 161 card, although no opponent has been confirmed at this time.

Nelson is coming off of his third straight knockout victory—the latest coming at UFC 159 in April when he finished off Cheick Kongo in the first round.

Finding the right opponent and compensation could ultimately decide Nelson, or any fighter's involvement, with a new fight being put together on less than a month's notice.

It's likely the UFC will try to make a decision in the next few days to give Nelson and any potential opponent as much time as possible to prepare for a June 15 bout.

UPDATE: Nelson will in fact compete on the card and it will be against Ohio native Stipe Miocic, as the two heavyweights have agreed to meet on the card according to UFC President Dana White who confirmed the news with MMAJunkie.com on Tuesday night. Miocic was already scheduled for the card against Soa Palelei, but now he will get pulled to face Nelson instead.

There's been no word on a replacement to step in and face Palelei yet.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Is It Time for LA Lakers to Slam Panic Button over Dwight Howard's Free Agency?

Josh Martin — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:01:17 -0400

If you follow the Los Angeles Lakers (or any sliver of the NBA, for that matter), you're probably curious as to whether or not Dwight Howard will be back in Purple and Gold next season.

As are the Lakers themselves. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Dwight's been chilling at his cabin in Lake Tahoe, trying to clear his head and think things over in anticipation of the biggest decision of his (professional) life.

Which has left everyone else to do the talking for him, anonymously and otherwise. Per Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, Howard is intrigued by the opportunities to play with James Harden's Houston Rockets and Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks, and will entertain all offers that come his way. There have also been whispers about friction between Dwight and Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni, though general manager Mitch Kupchak doesn't seem to be too worried about that, via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com:

"I think Dwight likes winning, he likes performing at a high level. I think he's fine with Mike D'Antoni, but I'm not really concerned if players like a coach, so I don't ask that question. Our coaches are evaluated by wins and losses."

Of course, the Lakers didn't do that much winning with D'Antoni this past season. L.A. went 40-32 with D'Antoni at the helm, but did well to finish with a 28-12 record over its last 40 games and sneak its way into the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference. This, despite injuries to just about every player of consequence, forcing D'Antoni to reshuffle his rotation from night to night.

But there appeared to be plenty of drama along the way. D'Antoni leaned much more heavily on the aging backcourt of Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash for support, both in the locker room and in organizing on-court tactics.

Even though Dwight is purportedly the future of the franchise. This isn't to suggest that Mike was wrong to do so; if there's anything we learned from the "Dwightmare," it's that Howard can't exactly be counted on to provide the sort of leadership that winning teams need, particularly amid the sort of turmoil that the Lakers faced.

Perhaps Howard would be a more dependable option as a purple-and-gold pied piper if/when he's returned to tip-top shape. Dwight battled through the residual effects of a surgically repaired back that took quite awhile to heal and might still be a bit gimpy. Howard came back in time for the first day of training camp, albeit against the wishes of some who felt he'd have been better served taking another few months to get into proper playing shape, via Ramona Shelburne.

Nonetheless, Dwight did his best to endear himself to the city of L.A.—with mixed results. He averaged a robust 18.4 points (on 57.8 percent shooting) with 13.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists after the All-Star break, per Basketball-Reference.

But the issue at hand isn't whether the Lakers and their fans want Howard to stay. Rather, it's whether he wants to spend the next five years of his career at the Staples Center. Chances are, Howard wants to win and would rather not hitch the rest of his athletic prime to a wagon that he doesn't feel can be pulled to the Promised Land.

That's precisely where the Lakers find themselves as the summer of 2013 approaches. According to ShamSports, L.A. will be well over the luxury-tax threshold, even if Howard comes back. That likely leaves Mitch Kupchak with little more than the allure of a veteran's minimum contract, a spot on the roster of the NBA's most glorious franchise and the appeal of L.A. as a city with which to attract talent. Unless the Lakers do something drastic (Trade Pau Gasol? Pressure Metta World Peace to opt out? AMNESTY KOBE?!?!), they won't have the necessary tools to revamp a roster that's old, injury-prone and defensively deficient.

Not exactly the prettiest of pictures to paint for Dwight. A smart long-term plan would see the Lakers take a mulligan on next season—assuming the Jerry Buss-less ownership is willing to fork over gobs of cash to the rest of the league for one more year—and go H.A.M. on the free-agent market in 2014, when they'll have only Nash's contract (and, perhaps, Howard's) clogging the cap.

Would Dwight want to give up a pivotal year for that? Perhaps, but it doesn't help that Chuck Person, the Lakers assistant who often acted as Howard's buddy and buffer, wasn't invited back. Neither is it at all promising that Steve Clifford, whose relationship with Dwight dates back to their days in Orlando, is a popular pick to land a head coaching job in time for the 2013-14 season.

It's no wonder, then, that Phil Jackson, in his infinite wisdom, thinks that Howard may well bolt for his third team in as many years, via Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. The Lakers aren't likely to contend for a title with Dwight next season, and D'Antoni's style doesn't quite fit Howard's desire to be the go-to guy in the low post.

To be sure, the Rockets and the Mavs aren't all that much better-equipped to make Howard happy in the immediate future. Houston plays a floor-spreading, pace-pushing, pick-and-roll style that's akin to what D'Antoni might try to implement in L.A. this season. As for Dallas, the Mavs are counting on an aging Dirk Nowitzki and (probably) a bunch of castoffs to rekindle the fire they rode to the Larry O'Brien Trophy two years ago.

But the prospect of paying far less in taxes in Texas has to entice Dwight somewhat. And, NEWSFLASH: Whichever team winds up with Howard probably won't have the chops to unseat the Miami Heat just yet. And, ALSO NEWSFLASH: The Lakers can offer Howard approximately $30.4 million more than any other team over the course of a five-year deal.

If Dwight doesn't flame out in his early 30s, he'll be as good a candidate as any to notch another veteran max deal. Playing elsewhere would allow Howard to re-up one year earlier and, in theory, expand his already impressive earning potential.

Make no mistake: Dwight's decision won't be an easy one by any stretch. He'll probably enjoy the wine-and-dine recruiting trips he never got to experience as a high school kid, when everyone and their mother knew he was skipping college to go straight into the NBA draft.

Still, all the fancy food, jet travel and brown-nosing presentations on tap for the NBA's biggest free-agent-to-be won't make Howard any more or less likely to leave L.A. The Lakers still have the upper hand, thanks in no small part to all of the aforementioned factors at Kupchak's disposal.

Dwight's return is no slam dunk—even though legendary Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn invented the term—but if the choice is on par with Tiger Woods circa the early 2000s (i.e. choosing Tiger over the field at a Major event), then the Woods-like Lakers still deserve the benefit of the doubt.

That is, unless/until Howard announces otherwise.

Follow @Josh_E_Martin

Watch Memphis Grizzlies Fail at Rim 7 Times in Single Possession vs. Spurs

Jesse Dorsey — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:00:46 -0400

With the San Antonio Spurs scoring as many points in the second quarter as the Memphis Grizzlies did in the entire first half, the Memphis offense looked for anything to get moving. Missing seven consecutive shots at the rim likely isn't what they had in mind.

Starting with Tony Allen getting his layup blocked by Tim Duncan, Memphis missed seven shots in a row, three of which were sent back by Spurs blocks.

ALL OF THE MISSED LAYUPS EVER
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 22, 2013

We've got Allen getting blocked by Duncan, then by Kawhi Leonard and then straight out missing a layup, Zach Randolph missing a tip-in, followed by Duncan blocking his shot, Randolph missing another layup, and, finally, Tony Wroten missing a layup.

It all mercifully ended when Duncan grabbed the rebound and got fouled by Allen.

Griz could have built a small ranch house with all the bricks from that last offensive possession.#SpursvGrizzlies
— Fran Blinebury (@franblinebury) May 22, 2013

Everybody on the Grizzlies is Charles Smith.
— Taco Trey Kerby (@treykerby) May 22, 2013

For those of you who don't remember, this is the Charles Smith incident that everybody is referencing:

Statistically speaking, the shot inside the restricted area around the basket is the best shot to take on a basketball court. It's the easiest to make, and quite often a player will get fouled when he's driving and scoring right next to the hoop.

How Memphis managed to miss seven times directly at the rim is beyond me, and I've watched the clip a half-dozen times.

In all, Memphis missed 11 out of 11 shots in the restricted area in the second quarter. But hey, offensive rebounds are cool too.

Ohio State Football: 3 Buckeyes on 2013 National Watch Lists

David Regimbal — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:55:38 -0400

If you were wondering whether we've reached the dog days of the offseason yet, the slow-trickling release of the national watch lists for college football's major awards should give you your answer.

We're exactly 100 days away from the first 2013 matchup, and with excitement growing for the coming season, so too comes the excitement for the individual players on our favorite teams.

On that note, Ohio State has announced that three Buckeyes have already been named to a pair of national watch lists.

Last week, cornerback Bradley Roby and linebacker Ryan Shazier, both juniors, were named to the Lott Impact Trophy watch list. On Tuesday morning, senior center Corey Linsley made the initial Rimington Trophy watch list.

Ohio State spokesperson Jerry Emig announced the news via Twitter:

Two watch lists revealed and already three Buckeyes being watched: Corey Linsley (Rimington) and Bradley Roby & Ryan Shazier (Lott IMPACT).
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) May 21, 2013

The Lott Impact Trophy is awarded annually to the defensive player who best exemplifies integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity throughout the season. Both Roby and Shazier made the initial watch lists after outstanding sophomore campaigns.

Roby became the best player in a very talented and experienced secondary in 2012. The lockdown corner led the nation in passes defended per game (1.73) and ranked third on the team with 63 total tackles (41 solo).

And while John Simon was the "heart and soul" of the Buckeyes' defense, Shazier was the most productive member of the unit. The third-year linebacker had an incredible season, piling up a team-high 115 tackles and 17 tackles for loss (which led the Big Ten). Shazier also registered five sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

The Rimington Trophy is an award given to the nation's top center, and with Linsley joining three other returning starters up front for the Buckeyes, Ohio State's offensive line should shine in 2013.

Linsley, who transitioned from the guard position to center when Urban Meyer was hired by Ohio State, earned a starting spot in a unit that turned into a surprising strength for the Buckeyes in 2012. Linsley helped turn what was an anemic offense in 2011 into a unit that led the Big Ten in scoring (37.2 points per game) in 2012.

LeCharles Bentley was the last Ohio State player to win the Rimington Trophy (2001), and James Laurinaitis last won the Lott Impact Trophy in 2008.

There will certainly be more Buckeyes added to various watch lists as we move through the summer. Guys like Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde, Devin Smith, Corey Brown, Jack Mewhort, Christian Bryant and CJ Barnett are all top players at their positions and should earn some preseason attention.

David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report.
Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.

2013 NBA Mock Draft: Full 2-Round Predictions, Post-Draft Lottery Edition

Jonathan Wasserman — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:55:37 -0400

The results of the NBA draft lottery saw a slight change from the initial projections, with the Cleveland Cavaliers moving up to No. 1, the Orlando Magic down to No. 2, the Washington Wizards sneaking up to No. 3, and Charlotte falling to No. 4.

Teams at the top will have big decisions to make with a weak field to choose from and a number of injured prospects.

Expect heavy trade chatter to pick up over the next month. The teams drafting at the top will certainly have their ears open.

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5 Eye-Popping Statistics from New York Rangers' 2013 Playoff Campaign

Jeremy Fuchs — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:49:29 -0400

Now that the New York Rangers are 10 games into the 2013 playoff campaign, there are enough meaningful stats that can be properly analyzed.

Of all the stats—goals scored, plus/minus, ice time, faceoffs, etc—which are the ones that are the most interesting? Which are the most impressive, and which are the most head-scratching?

What are the five most eye-popping stats for the Rangers in the 2013 playoff campaign?

Read on to find out.

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Nick Gilbert and Machine Gun Kelly Provide Cavs with Good Luck at NBA Lottery

Tyler Conway — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:48:29 -0400

What do you get when you cross bow ties, the 16-year-old son of an NBA owner and a Billboard-charting rapper?

Apparently the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, that's what. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2013 NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night, but people walked away buzzing more about who was representing the team than they did about whether Nerlens Noel was headed to the Greater Ohio Area.

In the proverbial hot seat was Nick Gilbert, son of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. And in the audience with Dan and others was rapper Machine Gun Kelly. Yes, Machine Gun Kelly was on hand representing the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise.

We'll get to him. But first, Nick.

The relationship with NBA fans and Nick dates back to the 2011 NBA draft lottery. Swagged out again in his bow tie, the youngster was the Cavs' human embodiment of a rabbit's foot. They went on to win that lottery and draft Kyrie Irving, an All-Star who took up the face-of-the-franchise moniker after LeBron James left for Miami.

As one would expect, most everyone on Twitter went bonkers at Nick's innate luck. A snapshot:

Machine Gun Kelly, better known as MGK for those not into the hippity-hop culture, is a Cleveland-based rapper best known for his single "Wild Boy." If you went to college any time in the years of 2011 or 2012—which I did—you at one point screamed out the song's derogatory chorus and thought you, indeed, were a wild boy.

This wild boy is best known for falling asleep at 9:30 p.m. on St. Patrick's Day.

But I digress.

MGK has a special relationship with the Cavs franchise thanks to his 2010 hometown anthem "Cleveland," which as you can expect is a hit in a certain area of the country. No, not Poughkeepsie, Cleveland, silly. The song from his 2010 mixtape Lace Up—not to be confused with his debut album of the same name—is on heavy rotation at Quicken Loans Arena.

We won't link the song here because, like...for the kids, man. But if you know how to use the Google machine, you can find it. Along with "Wild Boy," which I expect all of you to report back here knowing the chorus by draft day.

Apparently, somewhere along the way, MGK and little Gilbert linked up and became fast pals. Nick sent out a tweet before the lottery with him and MGK getting ready, teasing Cavs fans by asking what they were missing:

The answer, of course, was bow ties. Not just ties. Bruce Bowen bow ties.

The snazzy look usually reserved for the annoying hipster in your family—everyone has one, unless you don't, in which case...well, never mind, you can find out on your own—has become a beloved staple of lottery day in Cleveland.

The bow ties date back to the 2011 NBA draft lottery, the first time Cleveland harnessed Nick's luck. They are a nod to neurofibromatosis, a genetic nervous system disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves. Nick Gilbert has suffered from the disease since childhood and has undergone brain surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy due to the condition. (For more information on neurofibromatosis, go to CTF.org.)

With any luck, this will be the last time for a while Nick will have to be breaking out his bow tie in mid-May. The Cavs, with Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and whoever goes No. 1, have a burgeoning young core that could contend for a playoff spot.

Who knows, with any luck, LeBron James could consider coming back to Cleveland in 2014. Maybe then Nick and MGK will get to be bow-tie-wearing wild boys at another type of NBA celebration.

Follow Tyler Conway on Twitter: Follow @tylerconway22

Redskins Running Back Breakdown: Full Evaluation and Depth Chart Analysis

Matthew Brown — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:48:25 -0400

With all eyes on Robert Griffin III's recovery from knee surgery, it is easy to overlook the other driving force of the Washington Redskins offense. Alfred Morris finished second in the NFL with 1,613 yards as a rookie, which no one can say they truly saw coming.

Mike Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme has created another 1,000-yard back, but how he handles his running backs in 2013 will be interesting.

Behind Morris is a collection of backs with very different skill sets, though it remains to be seen who makes the cut, who is stashed on the practice squad and who is shown the door.

Here's an in-depth look at Washington's running back depth chart.

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Sergio Garcia Makes Insensitive Remark About Tiger Woods

Tim Keeney — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:41:26 -0400

The feud between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods was taken to another level on Tuesday night.

According to The Guardian's Ewan Murray, Garcia was at the European Tour's gala players' awards dinner, where he was asked a question about Woods.

His answer could be construed as a racist remark:

Garcia was asked in jest if he would have the American round for dinner one night during the upcoming US Open. "We will have him round every night," García said. "We will serve fried chicken."

Later on, the Spaniard apologized, saying that his comment was a "silly remark" and not meant to come off in a "racist manner."

No matter what Garcia meant with his comments, this will likely serve as yet another landmark in the ongoing spat between the two golfers.

Garcia's unfortunate choice of words brought to mind Fuzzy Zoeller's offensive remarks after Woods won his first major back in 1997 at Augusta. Zoeller was quoted as saying of Woods' win, "You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not serve fried chicken next year. Got it? Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve." The winner of the Masters traditionally chooses the champions' dinner menu for the following year's tournament. Zoeller later apologized.

While Woods and Garcia have more or less been rivals for more than a decade, fuel was seriously added to the fire earlier this month at The Players Championship.

As he was getting ready to play his second shot, Garcia claimed that he was distracted by cheers for Woods, who was buried deep in the trees about 50 yards away.

The two had some choice words for each other after the round ended.

Weeks later, Woods said that he wouldn't contact Garcia to try to smooth things out, and Garcia responded with some choice words.

“He called me a whiner. That’s probably right,” Garcia said to reporters. “It’s also probably the first thing he’s told you guys that’s true in 15 years. I know what he is like. You guys are finding out.”

So, yeah, there's some history between these two, and as such, Garcia may not have intended for his most recent comment to be interpreted as racism, rather a joke towards a guy he seems to genuinely dislike.

Either way, you can rest assured that the duo won't be shaking hands anytime soon, and if they are paired up on tour, more fireworks will almost undoubtedly be expected.

Follow @t_keen

Randy Orton and Sheamus Set to Have a Match at WWE's SummerSlam Event?

Sharon Glencross — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:38:35 -0400

Could Randy Orton and Sheamus be set to face off at this year's SummerSlam event?

Well, there has been simmering tension in the storylines between the two for a while now and one recent report indicates that this may indeed be the case.

In this week's (subscribers-only) F4W Newsletter, Bryan Alvarez writes that the two are currently planned to wrestle each other at the summer pay-per-view:

The plan at the moment is for Orton vs. Sheamus to be a featured match at SummerSlam. That would indicate one of them is turning soon. Orton hates being a face and there has been talk of him turning for literally almost a year now.

OK, the news that Orton may—finally—be turning heel is certainly welcome.

Orton's babyface character feels bored and stale these days. It doesn't help that the star himself positively exudes apathy and indifference whenever he comes out on Raw and SmackDown these days, either.

He's obviously frustrated with his current role and desperately wants to do something different. A heel turn might just be the thing that gets him back into the main event scene (Orton has been out of the title picture for ages now).

Clearly, a change is long overdue.

But assuming a Viper heel turn is in the works, is Sheamus really the ideal opponent? Let's be honest: No one is exactly clamouring for an Orton-Sheamus feud right now.

Frankly, Sheamus is arguably having as many problems with being a babyface as Orton is. This has been strongly apparent in his most recent feud with Mark Henry, which saw the supposedly babyface Irish star come off as obnoxious, rude and a total bully.

Come on, who wasn't rooting for Henry to teach him a lesson?

If Orton and Sheamus do square off in August, will anyone actually care?

Predicting the 10 Most Exciting Alley-Oop Combos in NCAA Basketball for 2014

Thad Novak — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:37:13 -0400

As much as the alley-oop is a flashy, look-at-me play, it’s also a great demonstration of teamwork. It takes both a terrific pass and a great finish to make a highlight-reel alley-oop, and there are going to be plenty of them in college basketball next season.

One pairing that few thought they’d see in the college ranks again is Oklahoma State’s backcourt of Marcus Smart and Markel Brown. But, with both standout guards back for another year, Stillwater will once again be a prime site for top-notch alley-oops.

Herein, a closer look at the Cowboys’ skywalking potential and nine more of the most electrifying passer/dunker duos in the country for 2013-14.

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Can Mariano Rivera Win the AL Cy Young in His Farewell Campaign?

Zachary D. Rymer — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:34:46 -0400

Mariano Rivera has many awards in his collection, but he doesn't have an American League Cy Young Award yet.

Maybe you missed it tacked onto the end there, but the key word in that lead-in would be "yet." He still has this year to win one, and his chances are looking pretty good.

The longtime New York Yankees closer is proving all over again that there's nothing he can't do. And while the stars aren't perfectly aligned for Rivera to walk away with a Cy Young at the end of the year, there's certainly a hint of some sort of alignment.

Entering Tuesday's action, Rivera is tied for the major league lead in saves with Jason Grilli of the Pittsburgh Pirates with 17. Mo owns a 1.47 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and is holding opposing hitters to a .541 OPS with a 7.0 K/BB.

That's how "dominance" is spelled in numbers, and these numbers are none too shabby for an older guy whose 2012 season came to a premature end thanks to a torn ACL.

The track record of past 43-year-old relievers says Rivera is playing way above his head and that he can't keep it up. He's already broken the saves record for 43-year-old relievers by six and is looking to be just the third 43-year-old reliever in history to make 40 appearances and post an ERA under 2.00.

Rivera's own track record says something else. Something along the lines of, "It's cool, it's cool. Dude's got this."

Rivera has posted an ERA in the 1.00-2.00 range 11 times already in his 19-year career, and eight of those have come since his age-33 season in 2003. Mo has been just as good, if not better, in his old age than he was at any point in his youth.

Rivera's cutter, meanwhile, is about as effective as it's been in the last decade or so. Per Baseball Info Solutions by way of FanGraphs, Rivera's wCT/C—that being the number of runs above average he's saving with his cutter for every 100 he throws—is 2.31. That's slightly better than his career mark of .206.

If we once again turn numbers into words, the translation here is "Still freakin' awesome."

All of this adds up to a portrait of a pitcher who's going to do just fine with the save opportunities he gets, and he could get enough of those to break one of the only closer records he doesn't already own.

That would be the single-season saves record of 62, set by Francisco Rodriguez in 2008.

I hadn't noticed until Dayn Perry of CBSSports.com pointed it out, but that's the kind of pace Rivera is on. With 17 saves through 19 appearances and a quarter of the season, he's on pace for about 63 saves.

So is Grilli, of course, but he'll have to excuse me for being skeptical about his chances to break K-Rod's record. He's got the stuff to have a brilliant season, but he's doing work for a franchise that hasn't had a winning season in something like a million years. The Pirates have flirted with snapping out of their funk the last two seasons, but couldn't quite get the job done.

The Yankees, on the other hand, are not the old and rusty train wreck they were supposed to be. They haven't been a steamroller, but there they are in first place in the AL East despite the fact they're still toughing it out without Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter and that one other guy, among others.

This is certainly no ordinary Yankees team no matter which way you slice it, but that could actually work to Rivera's advantage.

Rivera has had little trouble picking up save opportunities in the past, but he could get a few extra ones sent his way in 2013 by virtue of the Yankees' watered-down offense. The Bombers are only scoring 4.32 runs per game, their lowest per-game rate since the bad old days of 1991.

So enough save chances to make a run at K-Rod's record? That's a legit possibility. Mo should get enough chances to make a run at topping his personal best of 53, anyway.

For Rivera to loom large in the Cy Young discussion, the target number for saves is 55. That wouldn't be a single-season record, but it would put Mo in territory where few have tread in recent years. Outside of K-Rod's record-setting season in 2008, there have been zero 55-save seasons since 2004.

If Rivera gets there, he'll have the Cy Young voters' attention. Then he'll just have to hope that there isn't a clear-cut winner from the fraternity of starters, which is obviously the big hitch in the prospect of him contending for the Cy Young.

The voters weren't afraid to cast Cy Young votes for relievers for a period of time back in the day. The period from 1974 to 1989 saw Mike Marshall, Bruce Sutter, Steve Bedrosian and Mark Davis win the Cy Young in the National League. Between 1977 and 1992, Sparky Lyle, Rollie Fingers, Willie Hernandez and Dennis Eckersley won the Cy Young in the American League.

But since then, the only reliever to win the Cy Young was Eric Gagne in 2003. Voters have gotten over their obsession with relief pitchers, and this is one area where the sabermetric community isn't about to complain. In the eyes of the geeks, relievers are a sort of "meh" crowd.

Rivera's probably going to be out of luck if an AL starter puts forth a typical Cy Young-caliber season: 20 wins and an ERA in the 2.00s with over 200 innings pitched. There are guys who look like they could do that, such as Clay Buchholz, Felix Hernandez and Matt Moore.

On the off chance that nobody in the American League has a season like that, Rivera would be nothing short of a shoo-in for the award. That's his best hope, even if it is a fool's hope.

But let's say several pitchers in the American League end up having a typical Cy Young-caliber season. That would create a bicker-and-argue situation among the voters that could potentially open the door for Rivera to win the award. Instead of splitting hairs to determine who the best starter was, voters could just choose to flock to the guy who was clearly the best reliever.

Rivera's numbers could make that an awfully tempting idea, and sympathy could be what seals the deal.

Voters love a good narrative, after all. They gravitated toward R.A. Dickey—the once-forgotten guy who remade himself with a knuckleball—in the NL Cy Young voting last year even though Clayton Kershaw's creds were just as good. They could pull a similar act with Rivera this year, as his narrative is going to be at least as appealing as Dickey's.

It's going to be like something out of a cheesy Kevin Costner movie if Rivera actually makes good on the enormous potential of his start to 2013. The Cliffs Notes version would be:

Act 1: Pitcher becomes greatest closer baseball has ever seen.
Act 2: Pitcher destroys leg in gut-wrenching accident, putting career in jeopardy.
Act 3: Pitcher returns, dominates, rides off into sunset.

Put that narrative next to some eye-popping numbers, and you've got a very attractive Cy Young candidate. Remove the competition or make it unspectacular, and you've got a wide-open door for said attractive candidate to walk through.

Rivera has contended for the Cy Young in the past, finishing second in the voting in 2005 and third in 1999 and 2004. If ever there was a year for him to win it, however, it's this year.

Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter.

Bruins vs. Rangers Game 3: Score, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

Justin Onslow — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:34:09 -0400

Henrik Lundqvist turned in a masterful performance, but it wasn't enough to propel the New York Rangers to a Game 3 victory Tuesday night. The Boston Bruins got two critical third-period goals to take the contest, 2-1, and put New York at a 3-0 disadvantage in the conference semifinals.

The Rangers entered the night with a spotless home playoff record, and they did well in keeping Boston off the board early in the game. As ESPN Stats & Info noted, Boston would be up against it at Madison Square Garden:

It looked like New York might take an early lead when Jaromir Jagr was assessed a two-minute holding penalty, but the Rangers power-play unit hasn’t performed well in the series, and that didn’t change in the early going.

Michael Del Zotto and Rick Nash each got scoring chances, but Boston killed the momentum with very little effort before returning to full strength.

As Ty Anderson of HockeyBuzz noted, New York’s power play failures didn’t come as much of a surprise:

Aaron Asham and Brad Marchand would both come off for penalties with just over 12 minutes to play in the first, resulting in a two-minute 4-on-4. Boston got a tremendous opportunity when Chris Kelly picked up a turnover in New York’s defensive end, but Lundqvist made a terrific save to keep Boston off the board (via Bruins Daily):

But even that wouldn’t be his best effort of the period.

As Joe Haggerty of CSNNE noted, the goalie negated a huge defensive breakdown from his team in stopping two big Boston scoring opportunities just a few minutes later:

The Rangers weren’t aggressive in the early going, and it nearly cost them dearly. There just didn’t seem to be a lot of energy at the Garden—a huge difference from New York’s previous home playoff games.

The Bruins were far more aggressive, and it was a small miracle they were unable to find to twine in the first frame.

Tuukka Rask was the star of the first two games of the series, but he didn’t have to do much in the first 20 minutes Tuesday night. Despite facing 11 official shots on goal in the first, Rask was rarely tested with difficult save opportunities. Via Joe McDonald of ESPN:

The Rangers came out with more energy in the second period, though, and they got a big boost just a minute-and-a-half into the frame when Nathan Horton was handed a two-minute hooking penalty. New York had a couple opportunities, but once again wasted the power play without putting much pressure on Rask.

It wasn’t a lack of aggressiveness that doomed the Rangers power play in their first couple attempts, though. New York seemed to lack cohesiveness on the attack, allowing Boston to clear the puck without much effort.

But even after their second wasted power play, New York managed to get on the board first with 16:07 to play in the second period when Ryan McDonagh found the twine from 60 feet with a tremendous wrist shot past a screened Rask. He never got a great look at the puck, and it cost the Bruins a lot of momentum:

The McDonagh goal was enough to get the home crowd into the game, and New York seemed to be building off its momentum. Despite Boston’s first-period dominance, the Rangers found a way to pull ahead and put the pressure back on the series leaders.

The game would be a back-and-forth affair for much of the second period, but neither team was without scoring opportunities. With 8:24 left in the frame, Gregory Campbell had a big breakaway scoring chance along the left wing, but his shot was snagged by a tremendous Lundqvist glove save that likely would have found the inside of the post:

Horton nearly finished the job just a few minutes later with an attempt that banged off the outside of the post, but it was clear the Bruins were once again picking up steam. As slow as the game started, the second period was a good preview of things to come in the remainder of Game 3.

After two periods, Boston held the advantage in shots (23-16) and faceoffs (19-16), but the second period certainly seemed much more balanced than the first. For the Bruins to overtake their counterparts in the final frame, they would need to get through Lundqvist and a physical Rangers defense. Via CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty:

And they did just that less than four minutes into the final frame.

With traffic in front of Lundqvist in the Rangers net, Boychuk snapped a shot from the right wing that found its way over Lundqvist’s glove shoulder and into the back of the net. It was a huge momentum-shifter for the Bruins, potentially setting up an electric final 16 minutes of play (via Boston Bruins Twitter Account):

Boychuk seems to come alive whenever the Stanley Cup playoffs come around:

Boston’s momentum shift should have been a troubling sign for the Rangers. As Dan Rosen of NHL.com noted, the Bruins entered the contest 3-0 in overtime games, and New York was certainly hoping to avoid letting the game enter a fourth frame:

Boston held a huge advantage in shots midway through the third period (27-18), giving New York even more reason to turn up the aggression. The Rangers had some quality shot attempts, but they needed to find a way to get more shots on net. They simply weren’t picking up enough rebounds on failed scoring attempts.

With just under six minutes left, it seemed the game would be headed for overtime. Rask and Lundqvist were tremendous in net, their only blemishes coming on goals produced multiple-player screens. With two giants between the pipes, it would take a massive effort to end Game 3 short of overtime.

And that’s exactly what Boston got.

At the 3:31 mark, Lundqvist blocked a Shawn Thornton shot that popped up in the air and landed just shy of the red line by his left skate. Daniel Paille wrapped around the back of the net to poke the rebound in behind Lundqvist and give Boston a 2-1 advantage with time running out.

New York pulled Lundqvist with 1:06 to play, but the extra attacker wasn’t enough to even the score. Once again, Boston mounted a tremendous effort in the final period, stealing a critical road game from the Rangers to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

It was a fantastic outing from both goalies, but Lundqvist’s shining performance wasn’t enough to give New York the edge in Game 3. Instead, the Rangers face an elimination game at home on Thursday.

What the NY Knicks Need To Do to Win an NBA Championship

Jesse Dorsey — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:31:39 -0400

As composed, the New York Knicks are not a championship-caliber basketball team. There are a few fatal flaws that led to their elimination in the second round of the playoffs that need to be fixed in order for them to win an NBA Championship.

They were exposed over and over again by the Indiana Pacers, as they forced them to realized that simply playing isolation basketball and chucking three-pointers wouldn't work with Indiana's lock-down defense.

New York shot just under 41 percent in the series against the Pacers and 35.3 percent from the three-point line.

Honestly, that's all that's really needed to know in order to understand why they lost. Never mind the fact that they turned the ball over nearly 11 times a game or that they had just 15 assists per game in the series.

It was Indiana's defense that became an eye-opener for the Knicks.

Isolation basketball is fine when you have a few players capable of producing on their own. But, when they start to slow down, you better know that the rest of your team can help run the offense.

New York found out just that when Carmelo Anthony shot a few percentage points below his season average and J.R. Smtih completely laid an egg.

Smith and Anthony combined to account for 47 percent of New York's points against the Pacers but shot a combined 38 percent from the field.

One of the biggest problems for the Knicks squad is that very little of what they planned on in the beginning of the season came to fruition.

Knicks 2013 postseason: K-Mart outplayed Chandler, Prigioni badly outplayed Kidd, & Copeland scored more than Amar'e, Novak & Camby combined
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) May 21, 2013

In essence, there never seemed to be confidence in the lineups that were used most often throughout the season, panic set in and drastic measures were taken.

What other excuse is there for a guy who was signed by the team in February taking minutes away from their starting center once the playoffs started?

Martin was playing well, but there has to be some confidence in Chandler to give him a bit of a boost along the way.

So what are the Knicks supposed to do this offseason in order to fix the fact that they are not on the same level as the Miami Heat and the elite teams in the NBA, or possibly even a notch below the Indiana Pacers?

Unfortunately for the Knicks, there's not a ton of wiggle-room for them to do anything in free agency this summer beyond their mini mid-level exception.

The Knicks are going to have to improve from the inside more so than from the outside.

From there, they have to ask themselves questions about some key players.

Can J.R. Smith be a team's No. 2 scoring option? Was Tyson Chandler simply having a down year? Is Amar'e Stoudemire going to fit into next season? How do the old folks factor in?

It seems that the most important question surrounds Smith, especially with the news that he will reportedly re-sign with the Knicks next season.

A sixth man generally shouldn't be the second-best scorer on the team, especially when he is as streaky as Smith. His performance in the playoffs should be reason enough to understand the problems he can create.

What causes a problem is New York's financial situation, which is basically forcing them to re-sign Smith or heap way too much responsibility on a player already in the lineup.

That's the same situation they find themselves in when it comes to Stoudemire, only he's even more complicated.

Stoudemire will make over $45 million in the next two seasons. That, combined with his injury history, makes him nearly immovable for the Knicks, at least in a situation where they would get any kind of value in return.

If they can somehow swing a trade that lands a player who can help the offense, then pull the trigger.

However, the most likely scenario seems to be New York letting him recuperate this summer and hopefully adding him for the entirety of next season.

Is he a perfect fit in New York's heavy-isolation system? Absolutely not. However, it seems that he's the best option they have.

As far as Chandler goes, it seems risky to make assumptions, but the neck injury that slowed him down near the end of the season was the biggest factor in his impact on the series.

If you're New York, the best move possible given the cap situation is to assume that Chandler will be back and ready to lead the team's defense next season.

New York's old folks and expiring contracts are a pretty easy group to figure out. Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby are going to stay unless the Knicks find a way to trade them or persuade them to retire.

They both have two years (two!) left on their current deals paying out over $3 million in each season.

Martin, Pablo Prigioni and Chris Copeland should all be brought back, regardless of their price.

All three players either showed promise or were playing a solid role by the end of the season and are much more important to the team moving forward than the likes of any other player on an expiring contract.

Basically, it seems that the Knicks biggest step to become championship contenders will be to cross their fingers exceptionally hard.

Unless some trade suddenly appears that lets them get rid of Stoudemire while simultaneously picking up a guy who can score at least 15 points per game, then they're going to have to hope for improvement from within.

That is the only way this team will become championship contenders.

Dallas Cowboys Running Back Breakdown: Full Evaluation and Depth Chart Analysis

Christian Blood — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:30:05 -0400

It's been suggested that the NFL is a ''passing'' league, which it always has been.

Most importantly, the game of football is about running the ball, which it also always has been.

The Dallas Cowboys seem well positioned in the backfield with numerous young running backs that offer plenty of capability. This, of course, assumes that the Dallas offensive line will perform better in 2013 than it did a year ago—there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it should.

The Dallas offense has never finished better than 7th in the NFL in rushing under head coach Jason Garrett. This came in 2009, during Garrett's final season as offensive coordinator. That was also the last year the Cowboys both made the playoffs and won a game in the postseason.

In all other seasons, beginning in 2007 with Garrett as a rookie offensive coordinator, Dallas has never finished higher than 16th in rushing yards per game and fell all the way to 31st in 2012.

Again, pending a better offensive line, the main question concerning Cowboys running backs is whether or not Garrett cares to use them. Another mystery, at least concerning the heir-apparent in the starting lineup, is whether or not the starter stay healthy for once in his brief NFL career.

Can Dallas cough up a 1,000 yard rusher for just the second time since the departure of Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith in 2002?

I highly doubt that.

Can the Cowboys cross 2,000 yards on the ground, as an offense, to quite likely win the NFC East?

That idea has some legs, possibly.

Here's a look at the candidates charged with bolstering a rushing attack in this alleged ''make it or break it'' season for Garrett as head coach. The good news here is that no runner is beyond 25 years old, and most are even younger. The players listed fall in order based on my best guess as to what the depth chart will look like heading into training camp.

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Ranking the Houston Rockets' Most Likely NBA Free-Agency Moves

David Kenyon — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:26:07 -0400

As the Houston Rockets officially enter the NBA offseason, the most likely moves for the team in free agency are beginning to surface.

Houston has a solid core with superstar James Harden, center Omer Asik and forward Chandler Parsons, but another star would make the Rockets a great team.

A few big-name players will be on the market, and Houston has the space to be a big-time contender in free agency.

Making a splash will certainly be a main focus in the Rockets' front office.

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Panthers' Running Back Breakdown: Full Evaluation and Depth Chart Analysis

Stephen Fenech — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:26:02 -0400

The Carolina Panthers do not have a need at the running back position; they have a combination of veterans and young players on their roster.

With Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams both signed to lucrative long-term deals, rookie GM David Gettleman has to decide if the team can afford both of them in the future. While both Stewart and Williams each took a pay cut for the upcoming season, both of them are still owed a significant amount of money moving forward.

After finishing third in rushing in 2011, the Panthers slipped to ninth in 2012. Injuries to Ryan Kalil and Jordan Gross could be blamed as reasons for the regression, but both will be back next season.

Cam Newton led the Panthers in rushing last season, as the versatile quarterback is not shy about carrying the football in order to gain yards. That being said, Carolina's offense would be more formidable if an actual running back was the team's leading rusher.

While Newton should look to burn opposing defenses with his legs when the right opportunity presents itself, the Panthers offense won't reach its' true potential until Cam develops from inside the pocket.

For that to happen this season, Carolina will need to be effective when running the ball on first and second down. The Panthers will need their offensive line to develop as a formidable unit in order to pull the best performances out of their running backs.

In his last offseason as general manager, Marty Hurney signed Mike Tolbert to a three-year contract. The move bewildered the media, as the Panthers did not have a need in their backfield.

As it turned out, the Tolbert signing worked out. He was utilized effectively as a blocker and as a goal-line option. Since the Panthers use two-back sets on a regular basis, Tolbert will see the field often in the upcoming season.

While he will not be a playmaker between the 20s, Tolbert will make a difference in red-zone situations. The Tolbert signing didn't make sense at the time, but the addition does make the Panthers offense more diverse and that's always a good thing.

Tolbert is more of a fullback than a running back, but the seven rushing touchdowns that he compiled last season makes him a legitimate threat with the ball in his hands.

Stewart and Williams will split most of the carries, as the two of them accounted for 226 carries and 1,073 yards in 2012. If both stay healthy, they should finish the season with a comparable amount of carries. They each bring something different to the table.

Williams is more of a big play threat, as he has the speed and acceleration to break away once hitting the second level. On the other hand, Stewart has the elusiveness and burst to be a consistent option no matter the down or distance situation.

The two complement each other, and when playing well they are arguably the best rushing duo in the league.

The Panthers will enter the 2013 season with concerns in the secondary and at wide receiver, but they should not have to worry about the production from their starting running backs.

At the onset of this year's draft, the thought of the Panthers investing a pick in a running back was unthinkable.

With Williams, Stewart and Tolbert on the roster, Carolina clearly didn't need another ball carrier.

Gettleman saw it different, as he selected Oregon product Kenjon Barner in the sixth round. While that pick could have been used on a cornerback or receiver, the odds of a sixth-round pick making an actual impact are long.

Barner is a home-run threat, as the soon-to-be rookie ran for 1,767 yards and 21 touchdowns during his final season at Oregon. The Panthers will look to get Barner the ball in space, as his quickness and speed is lethal.

Carolina is loaded at running back, which means there will be even more pressure on the offensive line to generate opportunities in the run game.

Stay or Go: Which Current Redskins Running Backs Will Be on the 2013 Roster?

Brian Filler — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:23:38 -0400

The Washington Redskins backfield has been anything but consistent in recent memory. With the addition of Mike Shanahan at head coach, the Redskins began embracing Shanahan's new affinity for late-round running backs. Like coach Jon Gruden with quarterbacks, Shanahan appeared to feel you could never have enough cheap running backs at your disposal.

To Shanahan's credit, he was right and probably ahead of his time. The development of the passing offense in today's league has devalued the running back position. Shanahan was ahead of most franchises in recognizing a value in selecting scheme-specific backs in the later rounds, rather than investing premium draft selections early on.

Now the Redskins appear to be a haven for mid- to late-round backs, as the they currently have seven on their roster. While it is clear that some will have to be cut over the next few months, the question becomes, who will it be.

Alfred Morris is the only player who is essentially guaranteed a spot at this point. After a miraculous rookie season, Morris is the bell cow for this offense, but potentially with some new teammates around him.

If he is able to stay healthy, there is no reason to expect Redskins fifth-round pick Chris Thompson not to make the roster. Thompson has an injury-riddled history but also packs elite top-end speed. With experience working out of the read-option offense, Thompson has the inside track to be Morris' change-of-pace backup.

With two spaces gone, one active spot along with a likely practice squad position remain for these five backs. Tristan Davis is a player who has jumped around the league and spent the previous few seasons on the Redskins practice squad. With so much competition, it is unlikely he is able to weather this storm.

Keiland Williams is another interesting name with ties to Washington and has shown his value at times in the NFL. Despite the familiarity, Williams is looking at an uphill battle against incumbents Roy Helu and Evan Royster, as well as rookie seventh-rounder Jawan Jamison.

The name of the game between all three of these backs will be health. Each has battled injuries in the past, and the selection of Jawan Jamison cannot leave either Royster or Helu feeling secure. The pains and rigors of training camp will likely flush out a healthy victor, and there is no reason to expect it will not be the more vibrant Jamison.

The selections of Thompson and Jamison mimic the 2011 draft when the Redskins selected Royster and Helu in the fourth and sixth rounds. Shanahan sees the value in younger backs at a position with such a short shelf life. Helu and Royster have provided great on-field value at times but have failed to withstand the true NFL test: health.

Royster and Helu will likely battle it out for the final spot on the Redskins practice squad, but do not be surprised if Helu's knee injuries creep up again. If that turns out to be the case, Royster will face off against Keiland Williams for a familiar spot as the Redskins' fourth/practice squad running back.

Can Deron Williams-Joe Johnson Backcourt Ever Reach Elite Status as Expected?

Andrew Kipp — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:19:29 -0400

The Deron Williams-Joe Johnson backcourt failed to live up to expectations in 2012-13, but there’s reason to believe it can reach elite status next season.

It probably wasn’t fair to assume Williams and Johnson would form an elite backcourt in just their first season together. There is, after all, something to be said for NBA players taking the time to develop chemistry and continuity with each other.

Now that Williams and Johnson have had a full season together, there is reason to believe the Brooklyn Nets’ starting backcourt will have more success next season.

Unfortunate injuries to both players also contributed to their uncharacteristically poor performances.

Johnson was hobbled by plantar fasciitis in his left foot, while Williams was plagued by ankle and wrist injuries throughout the first half of the season. Johnson wasn’t willing to use the injury as an excuse, but it’s hard to imagine a healthy Big Shot Joe shooting 2-for-14 from the field against the Chicago Bulls in Game 7.

Williams, who got healthy as the season progressed, showed what he can do at full strength after the All-Star break. Over the last 32 games of the regular season, he averaged 22.9 points on 48.1 percent shooting.

Williams and Johnson now have the entire summer to rest and should return at 100 percent next season.

After watching D-Will average just 16.7 points on 41.3 percent shooting through the first 50 games of 2012-13, many forgot they were watching the same player that made three straight All-Star teams from 2010 to 2012. He’s also the same player that averaged a double-double for three consecutive seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2007 to 2010.

Johnson, meanwhile, made six-consecutive All-Star appearances with the Atlanta Hawks.

At 31 going on 32, Johnson is no longer at his physical peak, but he’s certainly capable of having a few more highly-productive seasons in Brooklyn, especially with Williams at his side. D-Will, who will be 29 next season, is still in the latter stages of his prime.

To a certain extent, Williams and Johnson also suffered from playing in a lineup that featured Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans, who brought very little to the table on the offensive end. Wallace shot a dreadful 33.5 percent from the floor after the All-Star break, while Evans averaged just 4.5 points per game.

Wallace and Evans severely hampered the Nets’ ability to space the floor, and allowed opposing defenses to focus their energy on stopping Williams, Johnson and Brook Lopez.

After back-to-back losses to the Bulls in Games 2 and 3, in which the Nets averaged 79 points, former interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo refused to make changes to the starting lineup. A new, more innovative and cerebral coach, that focuses more on floor spacing and ball movement, could help Williams and Johnson become one of the best backcourts in the NBA.

Williams, Johnson and the rest of the Nets disappointed fans with a first-round playoff exit to a tough, yet utterly depleted Bulls squad. But those fans still have reason to be optimistic about their team’s star-studded backcourt next season.

Better continuity, a clean bill of health and new coach with a new offensive philosophy should help the Nets’ backcourt reach its full potential in 2013-14.

For more Brooklyn Nets analysis, follow Andrew on Twitter:

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NBA Draft Prospects Guaranteed to Interest the LA Clippers

Oren Friedman — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:16:06 -0400

With the 25th pick in the NBA draft, the Los Angeles Clippers should be interested in selecting either a defensive-minded big man or an elite and athletic wing. Although most high-profile rookies are lottery picks, there are plenty of solid players that have been taken at No. 25.

Nicolas Batum was taken No. 25 in the 2008 draft while Tony Wroten was grabbed in 2012. The Clippers would sorely benefit from a late steal that could become a serviceable rotation player. Someone like a wing along the lines of Chandler Parsons, the No. 38 pick in the 2011 draft, would be ideal.

The Clips have had a tremendous amount of success in the draft in recent years. Whether it was Eric Gordon with the No. 7 pick in 2008, or the draft-day trade that netted No. 18 pick Eric Bledsoe in 2010, the front office has made some savvy picks. Throw in the No. 1 overall no-brainer of Blake Griffin in 2009, and the Clips had an intriguing core of homegrown youth before they traded for Chris Paul.

Who will Clippers’ brass have its eye on come June? Who can contribute quickly to Lob City?

Let's take a look at five prospects that are guaranteed to interest Clippers’ management.

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Oregon Football: Top 10 Highlights of the BCS Era

Jeff Bell — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:11:30 -0400

The BCS has been in place for the past 15 years, and in that time, Oregon Duck fans have had the pleasure of seeing some spectacular football.

There have been wildly entertaining games, gutty individual efforts and moments that simply cause you to smile and shake your head.

Here we're taking a look at the top 10 highlights of the BCS era, and when you pause to consider what kind of accomplishments the Ducks have had on offense, well, let's just say narrowing down the list to just a handful was quite a process.

Of course, that's not to slight the defense, which has come up huge time and time again. You can count on that side of the ball making an appearance or two as well.

Part of the criteria involved taking a look at when the play occurred—was it a pivotal moment in the game or a play that defined the season? But an equal if not slightly larger part of consideration went toward the play itself—how incredible was it regardless of the circumstances surrounding it?

Using that particular framework, let's take a look at the top 10 Oregon football highlights from the BCS era. And yes, there will be video.

Honorable Mention: I could probably list 20 different plays here, but among those that failed to make the cut despite being highlights that everyone remembers: Joey Harrington's 80-yard pass to Samie Parker in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, Cliff Harris' punt return at Cal, Ed Dickson game-tying TD catch at Arizona, DAT's punt return vs Colorado and many, many others.

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The Downward Spiral of Texas Football, Where Did the Longhorns Go Wrong?

Carl Stine — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:00 -0400

Heading into the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns were on top of the world.

Texas was coming off of a perfect 13-0 season, a season in which they scored 34 or more points in 11 games and won the Big 12 conference.

Nine plays into the game, the Longhorns' fortunes took a turn for the worse.

Quarterback Colt McCoy was tackled by Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus on a designed quarterback run play, which resulted in a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder and left him ineffective for the rest of the game.

Alabama went on to win, 37-21, as Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert struggled, throwing four interceptions and making pivotal mistakes in a game that was close until the fourth quarter.

It was the first time that Texas lost a game to Alabama, as they fell to a record of 7-1-1 in nine attempts against the Tide.

That was also McCoy's final game, and since the loss, the Longhorns have not been back to a BCS game, after playing in four in their previous five seasons.

The next season was a disaster, as the Longhorns struggled to 5-7 and missed a bowl game for the first time since Mack Brown's arrival 12 years before.

2011 and 2012 were better, as the Longhorns improved to 8-5 and 9-4 respectively, and won both bowl games in which they appeared.

Still, a combined 22-16 record over three seasons is unheard of at Texas over the first decade of this century, and Brown has never had a worse stretch since he arrived in Austin.

While the Longhorns seem primed for another double-digit win season in 2013 with the right breaks, it feels like an eternity since the team has even come close to sniffing a BCS game, after being a staple of the BCS for four out of five seasons.

So what went wrong?

Rather than try and pin the problems on one specific issue, there is a list that has to be taken into consideration, including the myth of the Will Muschamp effect, failure to develop talent, no star quarterback and a lack of flexibility.

Mack Brown and his staff have done an excellent job recruiting, bringing in a top five class from 2009-2012.

While that kind of recruiting success has translated to championships and undefeated seasons in places like Ohio State, Alabama and LSU, the 'Horns have been squandering that talent away.

College football, in spite of what some would argue, has much to do with the level of talent on the field, but truly elite coaching staffs take that talent, polish it, shape it and mold it into a team that produces.

Teams like Oregon, Alabama, Notre Dame and LSU are pulling in excellent recruiting classes, some better than the Longhorns, but the thing that sets them apart is the player development.

The second piece to this fall from grace is a lack of flexibility, especially when implementing a system on offense.

When Ricky Williams was punishing defenders, Brown and his staff relied heavily on a power run game. When Vince Young was dominating Rose Bowls, the offense relied heavily on zone read. Under Colt McCoy's leadership, the spread option led to tremendous success.

In recent seasons, lacking the quarterback to lead a specific offense, the Longhorns have struggled, which brings us to our next issue—Mack Brown's need to have excellent quarterback play to succeed.

While Vince Young was under center for Mack Brown's offense as the sole starter in 2004 and 2005, the Longhorns were an incredible 24-1. Young's ability to run the offense was incredible, and run it he did. He led a revamped Texas offense incredibly well en route to consecutive BCS game victories.

Upon Young's departure, Colt McCoy took the reins of the offense, and tied a then freshman record 29 touchdown passes thrown in his first season.

Three years and 45 wins later, McCoy was an icon of Texas football, a gunslinger who ran and threw the ball better than any college quarterback in the nation, and whose very name seemed to fit like a glove for a Texas quarterback.

Since McCoy's departure, a combination of Case McCoy, David Ash and Garrett Gilbert has not been the answer. It remains to be seen whether Ash can reverse that trend in 2013.

And then there is the curious case of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

Muschamp was anointed Coach Brown's successor in November of 2008, with the university making an announcement that he would take over the program upon Brown's departure.

That was shortlived, as Muschamp bolted for Florida following the Longhorns' disastrous 5-7 season.

But please don't look at Muschamp's departure as a major cause for the Longhorns' disastrous free-fall in 2010 and the ensuing mediocre seasons.

Even during the 2010 season, Muschamp's defense was ranked sixth in the nation in total defense, so it's impossible to lay the blame there.

However, in 2011, while Muschamp was in his first season at Florida, the defense finished 11th in the nation in total defense.

Then for some inexplicable reason beyond poor tackling and technique, the Longhorns, with seven starters returning to the defense, found a way to plummet to 68th in the same category last season.

The defense was atrocious last season, but let's not pretend that the loss of Muschamp was responsible for the sudden decline in production and execution.

Even one of these several issues could cause severe problems for an elite program, and four years ago, Texas was that. All of them together have been near crippling.

But the future is bright. Brown and his staff again return loads of talent, the Big 12 is as wide open as it has ever been and the Longhorns are changing up the offense to suit the talent.

In just a few months, we will see if Mack Brown and his staff are still in hot water, or if the new found flexibility coupled with emphasis on the fundamentals can help return the Longhorns to a BCS game for one final rodeo.

Dana Holgorsen's 5 Biggest Challenges for the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2013

Alex Sims — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:59:46 -0400

Going into the 2012 college football season, Dana Holgorsen and the West Virginia football team thought they were up to the challenge of moving from the Big East to the Big 12 Conference.

It looked like the Mountaineers were going to be a major player in the conference title race early on, but their young, undersized defense eventually collapsed and they fizzled out over the brunt of the in-conference slate.

Now in 2013, Holgorsen and his squad will face a whole new set of challenges.

This time around they'll be without three of the best players in school history, as Tavon Austin, Geno Smith and Stedman Bailey each departed for the NFL. As a result, this year's squad will have to depend on improvement on the other side of the ball.

Today we'll take a look at those two tall tasks and what else WVU will have to overcome this season.

Challenges are rated on how difficult the task is and how much impact the outcome will have on the team's success in 2013.

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Ranking the 5 Greatest Centers in Philadelphia Flyers History

Michael Pizzutillo — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:59:36 -0400

The Philadelphia Flyers had some highly-talented centers on its roster throughout the team's history.

Currently, the team's captain and center, Claude Giroux, is on pace to be an all-time Flyers great, but has much to prove in order to be in the company of his fellow alumni.

These players possessed offensive, defensive, special teams and leadership abilities, while helping the Flyers succeed over the years. Here are the five greatest centers in Philadelphia Flyers history.

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