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Notre Dame Football: The Future of the Shamrock Series

Matt Smith — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:21:03 -0400

It has been primarily known for uniforms that have left traditionalists scratching your heads, and the games haven't been very competitive, but Notre Dame's Shamrock Series, which launched in 2009, has been a major success for the university.

The Shamrock Series has provided Notre Dame a means to showcase its program in various major cities around the country where it would not normally play. The Irish have played in San Antonio, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Chicago over the past four seasons, winning each contest. They'll meet Arizona State in Dallas this fall and Syracuse in 2014 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The formula of six home games, five away games and one off-site home game has been in place since 2011, as athletic director Jack Swarbrick, hired in 2008, chose to move away from the 7-4-1 model which his predecessor, Kevin White, implemented for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

The 2015 schedule currently has the Irish slated for six home games (Boston College, Georgia Tech, Massachusetts, Navy, Texas, USC) and five away games (Clemson, Purdue, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Virginia). The one remaining game would presumably be targeted for the Shamrock Series.

With the Irish now making regular appearances on the East Coast as a result of their ACC affiliation, what markets are left to tap into?

Although the Irish landed a pair of receivers from Texas in the 2013 class in Torii Hunter Jr. and Corey Robinson, Notre Dame hasn't had much recruiting success in the Lone Star State. It'll play in Dallas this year, but going even farther south could prove beneficial.

Houston offers a great venue in Reliant Stadium and fertile recruiting territory. Playing a Big 12 opponent such as TCU, Baylor or Texas Tech would make for an interesting matchup, or even an AAC team such as Houston or SMU, with whom Notre Dame has a history from past Cotton Bowls.

Notre Dame was once scheduled to play Baylor in New Orleans in 2012, but that game was later cancelled. Breaking into the Deep South has been a challenge for Brian Kelly's staff, and playing in New Orleans, a city with a great football tradition and a strong Catholic heritage, has to be attractive for Swarbrick and the powers that be. Big 12 opponents again make sense here, as do certain SEC schools (Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Missouri) that would also benefit from exposure and a presence in the Crescent City.

Swarbrick has been silent on future venues and opponents for the Shamrock Series, likely due to the maneuvering that must be done in order to fit in five ACC games each season. The games should continue, as both the school and NBC, who gets a rare primetime game, have reaped the benefits from a truly unique endeavor.

Chicago should be kept in the fold (once every five years) in order to take advantage of its close proximity to South Bend and alumni base larger than any other city in the country. Other new markets that should be explored include Cincinnati, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix and St. Louis.

Notre Dame would be crazy not to continue the Shamrock Series, as it's an opportunity that no other program in the country is capable of doing over a long period of time. It's a tremendous recruiting tool, as evident by the snazzy uniforms, of which Kelly has all but admitted were designed in order to appeal to both current and future players.

An announcement regarding a 2015 Shamrock Series game likely won't come until dates are finalized for the Irish''s ACC games (only the game at Pittsburgh) currently has a date). A year without an off-site home game is not preferred, but is still a possibility. It now becomes a matter of fitting dates, venues and opponents into the increasingly difficult puzzle that is future scheduling.

Bruins vs. Rangers Game 4: Score, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

Ethan Grant — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:17:31 -0400

Not many predicted that the Boston Bruins would sweep the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals and the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Rangers made analysts look right with an inspired performance at home over the final two frames and overtime, grabbing a 4-3 OT win over the Bruins to extend the series and avoid a sweep at the hands of their longtime rival.

Chris Krieder's overtime goal off a pass from Rick Nash helped the Rangers accomplish the feat. He beat Dougie Hamilton to the net and sent the tap shot over the right shoulder of Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, who allowed four goals to his 32 saves on Thursday evening.

Jesse Specter had the tweet as the Rangers pulled off the OT victory:

Put it on the board: There will be a Game 5 Saturday in Boston.

And if you agree with this ESPN tweet from the middle of the third period, there likely isn't anyone other than Boston fans disagreeing that the notion that Game 5 was necessary after the fast-paced, back-and-forth action between this two clubs in an elimination game:

If you watched the first period on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden and changed the channel due to boredom, you probably weren't alone. The Rangers came out sluggish and the Bruins missed several chances to score. The result was a 0-0 game heading into the first intermission.

Hopefully, you weren't the guy that missed the final two periods.

As Stan Fischler correctly predicted on Twitter, the Rangers, although not flashy about their business, managed to survive the first period. And as he mentions at the bottom of the tweet, it ain't over til it's over:

Boy, he was right.

Boston stormed out of the gate in the second period. The Bruins looked like the more motivated team, and really, the team that was facing elimination if you knew nothing about the series count already being 3-0 in Boston's favor.

Nathan Horton got the Bruins on the board in the middle of the second period. Wouldn't you know it—Boston scored on the power play, and managed to do so after Horton took the rebound on the left back line and five-holed Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

The Bruins' official Twitter account had the post:

Boston added another just a few minutes later, as defenseman Torey Krug added another goal to make it 2-0 Bruins and take the air out of the stadium at MSG. The Rangers' account had Krug's goal, and you can notice the lack of excitement when reporting the score:

With the Bruins up 2-0 in the second, it looked like New York finally was ready to cave and coast these playoffs away. Then, out of nowhere, a Tuukka Rask slip of the skates turned into New York's saving grace in the second period.

As this hockey fan shows you, it was hardly a thing of beauty.

Carl Hagelin got his third goal of the postseason on one of the weakest shots of his career, and hockey fans everywhere, including Buffalo Bruins star Steve Ott, were left to wonder what happened:

Rask's fall from grace allowed the MSG crowd to get back into the game and officially woke up the Rangers, who remembered that this is the postseason and that a loss means the end of their season.

New York headed into the second intermission down by one, but it was far from insurmountable. Derek Stepan proved that theory true just over a minute into the period, when he outhustled Zdeno Chara on a routine puck in the Boston end for the wrap-around goal and the 2-2 equalizer.

Joe Haggerty described the play perfectly:

But the Bruins weren't done yet.

Tyler Seguin added a goal on a beautiful assist from Dougie Hamilton and Chara, and the Bruins again looked poised to find a way to close this game out in regulation. It was not to be, however, as New York mounted a late push on the weakest part of its game in this series—the power play.

Boston had too many men on the ice during a line shift just under nine minutes into the period, and it led to a power-play chance for the Rangers with the season riding on the line. Easily the most laughable part of New York's postseason experience this year, Brian Boyle decided to give the Rangers one final chance to stretch this series to at least five games.

Boyle snuck through the crease and got his third goal of the postseason in the process, knotting the score at three and giving the Rangers a chance to close the game out in regulation, too. After 10 more minutes of futility, regulation would end in a draw and it would move to overtime to decide a victor.

As the NHL posted on Twitter, this was the kind of game that turns friends into enemies—especially when the stakes are high in overtime:

Both teams attacked the net with fury in the overtime period—the Bruins and Rangers both had seven shots each in just under eight minutes of ice time. Both goalies sent away great chances through the first few minutes of do-or-die action, but it was New York who managed to get a run and beat Rask for the game-winner and the series-extending goal when it was all said and done.

Lundqvist was the hero yet again for New York in these playoffs, finally getting some goal support to back his claims as an elite goalie. He allowed three goals himself, but finished with 40 saves—19 of which came after the Bruins already had their first two goals on the board.

The decision to sit Brad Richards also paid off for the Rangers. John Tortorella made him a healthy scratch prior to game time, and after the first win of the series, it would be surprising to see him again in a Ranger uniform in this series.

As the series shifts back to Boston, look for the Bruins to once again try to curb New York's power play goal chances. The Rangers kept blowing them through the first part of Game 4, but got one that ended up being the difference in a game that could come back to bite the Bruins.

Boston still has a two-up advantage over the Rangers, but the underdog still has nothing left to lose in this series. It made New York dangerous in Game 4, and should have Boston on edge for another matchup with the conference finals on the line for Boston in front of their home fans.

Follow B/R Featured Columnist Ethan Grant on Twitter:

Why Chris Bosh-Roy Hibbert Matchup Is Definitive X-Factor in Pacers-Heat Series

Grant Hughes — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:00:49 -0400

Everyone knew that the interplay between Chris Bosh and Roy Hibbert would go a long way toward determining the winner of the Eastern Conference finals series between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers, but nobody expected that narrative to play out as obviously as it did in Game 1 on May 22.

LeBron James converted two driving layups within the final 10 seconds of overtime, the second of which gave the Heat a shocking win at the buzzer. And as everyone immediately noted, Hibbert wasn't on the floor to defend the rim on either of James' point-blank finishes.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel admitted that his decision to leave Hibbert on the bench in those critical situations had everything to do with Bosh. Per ESPN's Tom Haberstroh:

Vogel explained his controversial decision to go with a switching lineup with 2.2 seconds remaining in the game with the Heat down one, citing the Heat's versatility and the potential for Chris Bosh making a long jumper to win the game.

There's a certain logic to that thinking. But it also seems to overlook the notion that a Bosh jumper is dangerous, while a James layup is fatal.

Vogel has been catching hell from every angle for his decision to sit his best rim-protector when he needed him most. The numbers bore out how much of a layup deterrent Hibbert was in Game 1, as James attempted only three field goals inside of five feet in the 38 minutes in which Indiana's big man was patrolling the paint.

In the nine minutes Hibbert rested, though, James fired up six shots from within that same distance.

There's no getting around it: Hibbert would have had an effect on that final play.

But we're not here to talk about what Vogel (who has done a masterful job all season long) should have done. We're looking at the matchup between Bosh and Hibbert as it pertains to the future of this series. It's just worth noting that Vogel's fear of Bosh—however misprioritized—was a key reason for the Heat's series-opening win.

Speaking broadly, the conventional wisdom that says the Bosh-Hibbert matchup is critical goes roughly as follows:

Bosh spaces the floor with his unparalleled mid-range accuracy. No player in the league—regardless of position—shot it better from 16-23 feet than Bosh, who converted those shots at a 53 percent clip. Therefore, he's got the ability to pull Hibbert away from the paint on defense.

Indiana's entire defensive scheme is built around directing traffic toward Hibbert in the lane. But if he's not there because he's honoring Bosh's deadly jumper, the well-oiled machine that is Indy's D could conceivably grind to a halt.

At the same time, Hibbert's size and rebounding skill makes him a difficult cover for Bosh.

It's all pretty basic, really; If Bosh hits jumpers, the Heat have an advantage. But if Hibbert dominates on the inside and Bosh doesn't get hot, it's the Pacers that have an edge.

For what it's worth, Bosh himself mentioned that his matchup would be determinative of the series' outcome. According to Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald, Bosh said before the series began:

I’m going to have to have a big match up with Roy. I feel he is the X factor for them. I’m the X factor for this team. This is going to be, I think, the matchup that really turns the series.

What's interesting is that even though everyone agrees that the center matchup is, in theory, a major one, nothing from the regular season contests between these two teams portrays that.

Bosh outplayed Hibbert in the three meetings between the Heat and Pacers this year, averaging 17 points per game on 58 percent shooting. Hibbert struggled with foul trouble and only managed 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game on 38 percent shooting. What's more, Bosh actually blocked more shots per game (1.7) than Hibbert (0.7) in the series.

And yet the Pacers took two out of three from the Heat in the regular season. Weird, right?

Even though the small sample of regular-season games doesn't necessarily corroborate the conventional wisdom on the significance of the Hibbert-Bosh matchup, we learned in Game 1 that it really is one of the series' biggest keys.

Going forward, it'll be fascinating to watch how both teams adjust.

According to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star, Vogel has said he'll "probably" have Hibbert in the game if a situation like the one that led to James' game-winning layup arises again.

If that happens, though, we're kind of right back where we started: with Bosh presenting a unique perimeter option that Hibbert might struggle to contain.

In Game 1, the two big men both played to something approximating a draw. Bosh had 17 points on just 11 shots and registered a pair of blocks. Hibbert defended the rim, scored 19 points and blocked a pair of shots himself. But the matchup swung in favor of Bosh and the Heat in the final seconds.

As it turns out, the matchup between Hibbert and Bosh really has proved to be as important as advertised. But as James' game-winner showed, its greatest significance lies not in the one-on-one battle between the two centers, but in the way their very different skill sets affect the strategy of both teams as a whole.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/22/3409567/chris-bosh-roy-hibbert-matchup.html#storylink=cpy

NBA Lottery 2013: How Drawing Shakes Up Top of Draft

Ryan Rudnansky — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:49:08 -0400

When all was said and done in Tuesday's NBA draft lottery, the Cleveland Cavaliers came away with the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in the last three years.

The Cavaliers grabbed Kyrie Irving in the 2011 draft. That turned out to be the right pick, as the electric point guard went on to become Rookie of the Year before making the All-Star team this season.

But Cleveland wasn't the only lucky team in the lottery on Tuesday. The Washington Wizards rocketed all the way up to No. 3 overall from No. 8.

Here's a look at whom I see being selected in the top five picks on June 27.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

There is a lot of speculation as to what the Cavaliers will do with the No. 1 overall pick. They have an obvious need at small forward, which has some believing they will grab Georgetown's Otto Porter. "A source with knowledge of the Cavaliers’ thinking" told Michael Lee of the Washington Post that the Cavaliers were "considering" Porter with the top pick.

There is also the possibility that the Cavaliers trade back, but that doesn't make much sense to me. Who would they trade back to get?

If they like Porter, they aren't going to trade back to get UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad, who has been sliding down draft boards based on an ailing jump shot.

Ultimately, while I like Porter, and he fits a need for Cleveland, I can't see the Cavaliers passing up Noel for him. Noel needs to add strength, but he has the potential to be a Anthony Davis-type player. After all, the Cavaliers weren't shy about drafting Irving on potential, who played a mere 11 games in college.

Easing Noel into the NBA behind veteran Anderson Varejao until he adds more strength is a solid idea.

2. Orlando Magic: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Kansas' Ben McLemore is a possibility here, but you have to like him a lot to pick him this high. There is no denying his potential as a scorer, but his inconsistency at Kansas—combined with concerns that he can be passive on the court—could see him slide past No. 2 overall.

What you see is what you get with Trey Burke. He showed the ability to both score and drive-and-dish at Michigan, and there's no denying his leadership qualities.

I like Burke succeeding Jameer Nelson in Orlando.

3. Washington Wizards: Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

Otto Porter would be a logical selection for the Wizards if he's available at No. 3 overall. He's a do-it-all player who can make a big impact on both ends of the floor and is a hometown kid.

Porter would help the Wizards form an identity alongside young shooting guard Bradley Beal and point guard John Wall. Imagining those three together is enough to make anyone salivate.

4. Charlotte Bobcats: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

It's only fitting that the down-on-their-luck Bobcats would slide from No. 2 to No. 4 in the lottery, but it may not hurt them much if Ben McLemore can live up to his potential.

McLemore has one of the sweetest strokes in the class and posted a 42-inch vertical leap at the combine. For him, it comes down to how hard he works to iron out some of his inconsistencies. He has the ability to be a dynamic player in the NBA.

5. Phoenix Suns: Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

The Suns have a dire need at every position except point guard.

Victor Oladipo is one of my favorite players in the class. At 6'4", he is a bit short for a shooting guard (subscription required) in the NBA, but he's strong, tough and explosive.

Oladipo is already a menacing defender, whether it be disrupting offenses with steals and blocks or playing sound man-to-man defense. He's also a fierce competitor, which makes me think that he will improve every year. We already saw him make strides with his jump shot last season at Indiana.

Wisconsin Football: Coach Andersen's Biggest Challenges for Badgers in 2013

Dave Radcliffe — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:40:50 -0400

It's already been four and a half months since the 2012 college football season came to a close as we near the end of May, and nobody is more eager to push through summer and begin the 2013 season than first-year Wisconsin football head coach Gary Andersen.

There is plenty to settle before the Badgers kick off the season against Massachusetts at Camp Randall Stadium on Aug. 31. Several positions have yet to be appointed, new schemes are being implemented and the majority of the 2013 class—including a few junior college recruits—hasn't arrived.

Since Andersen was hired in December, the move has been greeted with generally positive reviews because of how he built Utah State from the ground up, his straightforward approach and essentially because his name isn't Bret Bielema.

But the rave reviews will really kick in if Andersen can win ball games, and that will come easier if he can overcome three distinct challenges.

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Examining the New England Patriots' Youth Movement

Oliver Thomas — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:26:31 -0400

Age can define a football team. It’s what separates a 4-12 organization from a 12-4 one.

NFL coaches and general managers on the shorter end of the stick may ask themselves, “How can we win now, while also building for the future?”

They should just ask the New England Patriots.

Head coach Bill Belichick, director of player personnel Nick Caserio and football research director Ernie Adams know that it's about finding a balance between young and old.

Age is a double-edged sword. An abundance of over-the-hill players results in lethargy. An abundance of rookies results in miscues. Although when the two sides of the spectrum are blended just right, experience and energy are the most visible byproducts.

This is a juggling act that all 32 NFL squads go through, trying to find a common ground between “wet behind the ears” and “long in the tooth.”

New England has found a way to keep the Patriots roster competitive yet young enough to avoid attrition. Only missing the playoffs twice since 2001 is a strong indicator of that.

The Patriots have done well in retaining a group of seasoned veterans to aid the greenhorns through the inevitable growing pains. Because, after all, those greenhorns could one day be the seasoned veterans.

There's something to be said for learning under well-read football minds. Tutelage goes a long way. That said, the Patriots will need it to go even further this year.

A rampant youth movement is underway in Foxboro.

Strength in Numbers

According to Kevin Fishbain of Pro Football Weekly, the Patriots were ranked as the fifth youngest team in the league through late October of 2012. That clock has been set back even more through free agency and the draft.

While the figures are currently a little skewed due to the 90-man roster, the team’s average age is 25 years old. So, in essence, 2010 first-round pick Devin McCourty is the median.

Presently, New England’s roster consists of 11 players who are 22 or younger, with rookie wide receiver Aaron Dobson leading the way as the lone 21-year-old.

In total, there are 27 rookies vying for jobs. Seven of whom were selected via this year’s draft; the other 20 were undrafted free agents and are far from roster locks.

Regardless, one should expect to see eight to 10 of these college prospects on the final 53-man roster. Teams often retain a high-potential, low-cost youngster who can play special teams over an established vet who will serve primarily as a backup.

It will be tough to make the final cut, however, as there are also 16 one-year pros and first-year players in camp.

Don’t rule out candidates like Canadian Football League defensive tackle Armond Armstead or unsettled members from last year’s draft class, though. Everyone is looking to get on the field one way or another.

Anticipate the unproven talent to be motivated. This, in turn, should create strength in numbers for Belichick and Co. to work with.

Shedding Years

Just 11 Patriots are over age 30, which means that at 35 years old, quarterback Tom Brady is the oldest of them all.

Hard to believe, isn’t it?

How did New England get to this point? Well, to wax poetically, the team’s brass pruned away the weathered branches of experience to let unsprouted ones bloom.

Although not always in popular fashion, we have seen Belichick bid farewell to some quintessential Patriots before. He’ll do so again before long.

Belichick—who majored in economics at Wesleyan University—sees two factors at the forefront of personnel decisions: value and need. The Patriots don’t pay players for what they used to be; the Patriots pay players for what they are now and what they will be.

If there’s enough assortment to choose from at one position and a player’s salary is not indicative of their production, then the supply does not equal the demand.

This wagering assessment is how sentimental favorites like safety Lawyer Milloy, cornerback Ty Law, outside linebacker Willie McGinest, linebacker Mike Vrabel, defensive end Richard Seymour and center Dan Koppen all departed from the confines of Gillette Stadium. Some were via release, others were via trade. Nonetheless, they all left under same billing.

The Patriots continued to carve away at the over-30 corps this offseason, seeing how receivers Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch and Donte’ Stallworth, as well as linebacker Tracy White, are no longer on the books.

As we all know by now, tenure only goes so far. A new leaf has been turned over, and the oldest men in New England's locker room are guards Dan Connolly and Logan Mankins, safeties Steve Gregory and Adrian Wilson, wide receiver Michael Jenkins, running back Leon Washington, offensive tackle Will Svitek, defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, as well as linebacker Niko Koutouvides.

From that group, only Brady, Wilson, Wilfork, Kelly, Jenkins and Koutouvides have logged over a decade in the NFL.

A very exclusive club; don’t be surprised if that group gets even thinner as the cut-down days pass.

As cliché as it sounds, it’s a business. There’s little room for sentimentality. Belichick is well aware of that.

Maintaining the Nucleus

Despite the renovations, New England’s core has remained intact. In all, 21 of the team’s 24 starters from 2012 are set to return in 2013. Because of the minimal turnover, a drop-off in performance appears unlikely.

The Patriots are a very young team, consisting of 33 former draft selections. That does not, however, mean that all of their youth lacks the game experience needed to contribute.

On the offensive side of the ball, make note of left tackle Nate Solder, tight end Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, as well as running back Stevan Ridley—none of whom are over 25 years old.

On the defensive side of the ball, make note of defensive end Chandler Jones, linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Brandon Spikes, defensive backs Alfonzo Dennard, Tavon Wilson and McCourty—none of whom are over 25 years old, either.

Those 10 former draft picks may all have their best days of football in front of them.

Tandem all of that upside with the old standbys like Brady, Mankins, Wilfork and Mayo, and New England may have just found a way to get younger without lowering the ceiling.

Now that's a formula for winning games in 2013 and beyond.

If the Patriots are to continue winning, the team will do so with youth. Experienced youth.

Dana White: Mark Hunt's Story 'Is One of the Greatest Stories in Sports'

Trent Reinsmith — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:22:18 -0400

UFC heavyweight competitor Mark Hunt may be one win away from fighting for the UFC title. Yes, the same Mark Hunt whom the UFC once tried to pay to just go away and never fight for the promotion at all.

Hunt’s road from unwanted asset to title-fight contender is a crazy story. On Thursday, UFC president Dana White spoke about the tale of Mark Hunt.

When the UFC bought PRIDE FC, Hunt was part of that deal. His record at the time was 5-3, and he was coming off consecutive first-round submission losses to Josh Barnett and Fedor Emelianenko. As White recalled, Hunt was not a fighter the UFC wanted: “We said ‘here, we’ll just buy your PRIDE contract out and pay you not to fight.'"

According to White, Hunt replied, “‘I want to fight, I want to earn it’ and he comes in and does what he did.”

What Hunt did and is still doing is to win. Sure he lost his first fight with the UFC, falling to a Sean McCorkle armbar at UFC 119, but since that loss, it’s been all victories for Hunt.

Hunt has won four straight fights. Two of them earned him “Knockout of the Night” bonus money, including his spectacular walk-off knockout of Stefan Struve on the UFC on Fuel TV 8 fight card.

White was asked if he admired the stance and accomplishments that Hunt has run up since their conversation about the possible buyout. The UFC president took it one step further than mere admiration: “I don’t admire it, I absolutely, positively and completely respect it. What he’s been able to accomplish is one of the greatest stories in sports right now. It’s unbelievable.”

Will Hunt take another step in his unbelievable journey? We’ll find out on Saturday night when he faces Junior dos Santos in the co-main event of UFC 160.

All quotes were obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report MMA.

San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings Game 5: Live Score, Updates and Analysis

Tyler Donohue — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:18:19 -0400

San Jose seeks its third straight victory in a Western Conference semifinal series dominated by home teams. Los Angeles hosts the Sharks on Thursday night at 10:30 p.m. ET, as each team aims to claim a 3-2 advantage.

The home squads are unbeaten through four contests, which include consecutive 2-1 Sharks victories in San Jose. The Kings are sputtering offensively, putting additional pressure on 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick.

Can Los Angeles improve to 6-0 at home during the postseason? Stay tuned right here for live game updates, analysis and reaction.

Texas Football: Predicting the Longhorns' Statistical Leaders for 2013

Zach Shelton — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:15:58 -0400

For the first time really since 2009, the Texas Longhorns know who their starters will be in the spring. Because of that fact, we can predict with relative certainty which players will lead the team in the major statistical categories.

In each of the last three seasons, a freshman has had to step up and lead the Longhorns in key areas of production—whether it was running backs Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray the last two seasons, or Quandre Diggs back in 2011.

Barring injury, this season will be different. Mack Brown and his staff know where they can expect high levels of production from their 19 returning starters, the most in the country.

These are the players that will be producing at the highest level next season in all major offensive and defensive statistical categories, along with the players that could surprise us with big seasons.

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Why Many of College Football's Top Assistants Aren't Taking Head Coaching Jobs

Cory McCune — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:14:48 -0400

Alabama's defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and Clemson's offensive coordinator Chad Morris were considered top candidates for several head coaching jobs this offseason. However, neither left their current position for a head gig.

A trend is breaking.

Position coaches are supposed to look to become coordinators. Coordinators are supposed to jump at their first chance to be head coaches.

Urban Meyer spoke about this shortly after capping off an undefeated season at Ohio State.

But Smart and Morris didn't leave—even though those opportunities were at some of the nation’s better programs.

With the ever-changing landscape of college football, Smart and Morris could be starting a new trend.

Instead of jumping at the first solid head coaching gig, coordinators may start to decide to stay. There are several—increasingly persuasive—reasons for them to do so.

Show Me the Money

Smart and Morris aren't just two of the top assistants in the country, they are also the two highest-paid assistants.

Smart recently signed a three-year $3.85 million contract.

Morris is currently making $1.3 million as the top-paid assistant in college football, after Monte Kiffin stepped down at USC.

Those salaries are higher than all but four non-BCS programs paid their head coaches in 2012. According to USA Today's college football head coaches salaries database, only Central Florida, Boise State, Colorado State and SMU could offer Morris and Smart a pay raise.

This is another sign of the growing separation between the haves and the have-nots in college football. With conferences like the Big Ten getting $34 million per school from the Big Ten Network, the gap will continue to grow.

That will allow more schools like Clemson, Alabama and LSU—which pays defensive coordinator John Chavis over a million dollars a year as well—to pay top assistants more than smaller programs can pay head coaches.

According to Athlon Sports, coordinators' salaries have increased at a higher rate than head coaches' salaries. It's not hard to believe when you consider Morris' salary jumped from $450,000 to $1.3 million after one season.

Part of the credit for that can go to Ohio State and Meyer. Meyer reportedly offered Morris $1.5 million to coach in Columbus.

Head Coaches Becoming CEO's

Most of the credit belongs to Clemson's head coach Dabo Swinney. Swinney isn't one of the top-paid head coaches in the country. In 2012, he was 39th on the list. Yet, his assistants made $4.2 million last season—partially because Swinney redirected his bonus to his assistants.

Swinney understands the importance of great assistants. Meyer and Brady Hoke have encouraged spending in the Big Ten, and the rest of the conference has stepped up.

With all the responsibilities head coaches have, it is increasingly important for them to have coordinators to run the offense and defense. That allows the head coach to oversee everything without having to run everything.

Less Risk

Coaches who become top assistants and coordinators have proven themselves to be good at what they do. You don't see great coordinators suddenly become bad.

However, many great coordinators don't translate into great head coaches. It's a different job with different responsibilities.

Now that coordinators are beginning to get paid like head coaches, there is less of a reason to take that risk. Assistants can make an incredible living without taking on all the pressure of being a head coach.

Besides, major schools have started to hire head coaches that have never been head coaches in the past.

In 2010, Jimbo Fisher was named head coach after Bobby Bowden retired. It was his first time as a head coach. A year later, Florida named Will Muschamp head coach despite never holding a head coaching job.

There is no longer the pressure to go to a small school and get experience. Programs will hire coaches that are the right fit—even if they haven't been the head man before.

That is why Smart and Morris will still be assistants in 2013. They can make head coach-like money without head coach-like pressure, yet keep themselves in the running for big-time jobs.

I do not think these two are anomalies. I think they are starting a trend.

Chase Utley Injury: Updates on Phillies Star's Oblique

Ethan Grant — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:10:15 -0400

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has caught the injury bug again.

Utley is heading to the 15-day disabled list with what the team is calling a "very mild" Grade 1 oblique strain, according to a report from Mike Axisa of CBS Sports. Philadelphia expects Utley to return to the lineup within the next two-to-four weeks.

The move is retroactive to May 21, and an MRI on Thursday did not reveal any further intercostal or ribcage damage.

Utley's latest DL stint will mark the fourth time in the last four seasons that he's missed time during the regular season due to injury.

Philadelphia has not yet made a roster move to replace Utley on the 25-man list. Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen will likely get the bulk of the playing time at second base while Utley recovers from his latest trip to baseball's medical haven.

A five-time All-Star, Utley was off to a good start to the 2013 campaign. Hitting .272 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 44 games this year, Utley isn't exactly lighting the world on fire but is a steady contributor to Charlie Manuel's lineup and a proven veteran presence.

It looks like Utley's trip to the DL is nothing more than a precaution for the Phillies, who were 5.5 games out of first place behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East heading into Thursday night's action. When it comes to the Utley's status, though, Phillies fans have learned to take nothing for granted when he is forced to miss time via injury.

Miami Football: Why 2013 Receivers Could Be Best Since National Title Group

David Kenyon — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:09:45 -0400

The Miami Hurricanes will have a deep and talented pass-catching group in 2013, one that might be the best since the 'Canes 2001 national championship team.

While there certainly isn't an Andre Johnson-like talent on the roster, the potential of this corps, between the wide receivers and tight ends, is exceptional.

The lone senior expected to start on this year's squad is Allen Hurns, while juniors Phillip Dorsett and Rashawn Scott will both lead the battle for another top-string position.

Behind the three upperclassmen, sophomores Herb Waters and Malcolm Lewis will both provide a big challenge on the depth chart for the entire season. Waters, in fact, was listed as a starter on the post-spring practice release.

Additionally, redshirt freshmen Jontavious Carter and D'Mauri Jones capitalized on an opportunity to make an impact this spring, while Dorsett was running for the Miami track team.

Jorge Milian of the Palm Beach Post considered Carter an honorable mention "winner" following his 113-yard performance during the 'Canes' spring game. Jones earned praise as a "blessing in disguise" from offensive coordinator James Coley, according to Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald.

When the tight end corps of Clive Walford, Asante Cleveland and JUCO transfer Beau Sandland get thrown into the group, Miami has plenty of weapons roaming the middle of the field, too.

This should be the first season in quite some time in which the experience and depth at receiver and tight end really equates to production.

The following table is a look back at the top two receivers based on yardage from each season since 2001:

Year

Player

REC

YARDS

2001

Andre Johnson

Jeremy Shockey

682

519

2002

Andre Johnson

Kellen Winslow

1092

726

2003

Ryan Moore

Kellen Winslow

637

605

2004

Roscoe Parrish

Sinorice Moss

693

351

2005

Sinorice Moss

Ryan Moore

614

464

2006

Lance Leggett

Sam Shields

584

501

2007

Darnell Jenkins

Sam Shields

619

346

2008

Aldarius Johnson

Thearon Collier

332

324

2009

Leonard Hankerson

Travis Benjamin

801

501

2010

Leonard Hankerson

Travis Benjamin

1156

743

2011

Tommy Streeter

Travis Benjamin

811

609

2012

Phillip Dorsett

Rashawn Scott

842

512

Since 2002, the top two receivers for the 'Canes have combined for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns only three times. One of those instances, of course, was Leonard Hankerson's school-record-breaking year where he nearly accomplished the 1,200/10 feat on his own.

Each time the level has been surpassed (2009, 2010, 2011), the two leaders included both a possession receiver and a speedster, which is exactly what this year's Miami team has.

Dorsett and Scott were well on their way to becoming the next tandem to hit the mark, but Dorsett was plagued with the "dropsies," while Scott was suspended for the final three games of the season.

The underlying factors in this case, however, are that senior quarterback Stephen Morris is a fantastic distributor, and that the offensive line will be great for the 'Canes in 2013.

When Morris has good protection, he will have time to make the right decision. If Morris has ample time in the pocket, the receivers will find numerous open spaces and therefore get targets.

Dorsett, Waters and Lewis are each big-play weapons, while Hurns and Scott are possession receivers who can make plays after the catch.

Last season also marked the first time in school history that eight Miami receivers each had 200-plus yards. Six of those players return this season, and Malcolm Lewis isn't one of them.

With a great quarterback, strong offensive line and a bevy of pass-catching weapons, the 2013 Hurricanes offense could be the best at the school since a national championship-winning team.

It's that whole defense thing that may hurt the 'Canes.

But that's a different story...for another day.

Note: Statistics courtesy of sportsreference.com.

UFC 160: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Predictions

James MacDonald — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:06:44 -0400

With UFC 160 fast approaching, it is once again time for us to engage in the thankless task of forecasting what will happen when trained killers engage in unarmed combat. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Saturday night's card, coming to us from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, is stacked from top to bottom: Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons, Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt and Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, for the UFC heavyweight title, are just a few of the corkers on the agenda.

With that in mind, the team got together to predict what the future holds for the UFC 160 competitors.

Our seers include the Nostradamus-like Scott Harris, the telepathic McKinley Noble, the clairvoyant Sean Smith, the prophet-esque Riley Kontek and me, the Sylvia Browne of MMA, James MacDonald.

Begin Slideshow

Charles Woodson Won't Regret Signing with Floundering Raiders

Richard Langford — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:58:53 -0400

Early in free agency, Charles Woodson said he wanted to go a contender. The Raiders are not a contender.

Even in the best possible scenario, I don't see Oakland making the playoffs. And I say this as a lifelong Raider fan who would like nothing more than a trip to the postseason.

The talent just isn't there.

Despite what is almost certainly to be a losing season in Oakland, Woodson won't wind up regretting his decision, and it's not because he didn't have options.

Woodson, according to ESPN, wound up signing a one-year deal worth a maximum of $4.3 million that includes a $700,000 signing bonus. And the 36-year-old made this commitment after visiting the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.

Both of those teams would certainly qualify as contenders.

However, both of those franchises likely offered Woodson a deal that wasn't up to his monetary wishes.

It can be a dangerous proposition to forgo something that once seemed essential for an acceptable quality of life for more money. This is a fast track towards unhappiness—especially for people who are already wealthy.

It won't in this instance.

Woodson is not a veteran chasing an elusive Super Bowl victory. He already has won one. He did so with the 2010 Green Bay Packers, and he's spent most of his career on playoff teams.

After being drafted by the Raiders with the fourth overall selection in the 1998 draft, Woodson left the Raiders following the 2005 season. During his seven seasons with the Packers, Woodson made the playoffs five times. And he was a huge reason why Green Bay was so successful.

Woodson had long been regarded as one of the game's best corners, but while in Green Bay, he matured into one of the game's best players. In 2009, he won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award to cement that status.

However, it's not like his time with the Packers was Woodson's only opportunity to get a taste of the postseason.

During his first tour with the Raiders, Oakland won three straight AFC West titles and made a Super Bowl appearance following the 2002 season.

Woodson was also part of one of the more memorable plays in postseason history in that stretch. That came on a snowy night in Foxboro against Tom Brady and the Patriots. I'll refrain from posting video or getting into specifics for fear of my PTSD overtaking me.

Instead, I'll post this epic pic of Woodson hauling in one of his 55 career interceptions.

My point is, Woodson has accomplished just about everything there is to accomplish on an individual level, and he has done so while playing in many meaningful games.

While winning never gets old, for some it might become less of a priority, especially if they've tasted team success before.

Playing in Oakland isn't likely to lead Woodson back to the postseason this year, but it does offer him a different opportunity to have a rewarding season. The Raiders are in a transition phase as general manager Reggie McKenzie tries to rebuild this sinking franchise in a sustainable manner.

Woodson can now step in and offer his experience to youngsters like rookie cornerback and first-round pick D.J. Hayden, and do so while being a needed and valuable part of the defense.

He can help instill a feeling of tradition—one that actually comes from a time when the Raiders were competitive.

And he has the chance to play for a fanbase that adores him. There is nowhere that Woodson could have gone to receive the support he will in Oakland.

Woodson was reminded of this just before inking his new contract on his visit to the team headquarters. Check out his quote, which the Raiders tweeted, and the video from the fan rally:

We've seen plenty of players return to their original franchise simply to retire. Woodson now gets a chance to do this while still making an impact on the field and in the locker room.

This presents him the chance to be a true Raider legend whose imprint is ingrained in the DNA of the franchise, and that's not a bad way for a player who has accomplished everything to go out.

Dallas Cowboys: 4 Players That Will Need More Money Sooner Rather Than Later

Christian Blood — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:57:25 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys, like all teams in the NFL, have their share of holes—but there's fewer than some seem to think. Between every hole should be something solid that represents some degree of strength or confidence. Perhaps foundation is the right word.

Dallas definitely has some foundation going on, but keeping it in place will soon be a financial challenge for a team that presently sits right beneath the salary cap.

After the mega-extension for quarterback Tony Romo earlier this offseason, it's been easy to forget that the Cowboys will have other future financial obligations very soon. Now, soon doesn't exactly mean this summer, this year or even next.

However, the clock is ticking.

As starting right tackle Doug Free has agreed to drastically reduce his previously scheduled $7 million salary for 2013, Dallas may have taken the first step towards planning for its financial future.

It's been learned that spending heavily in free agency generally doesn't translate into championship contention. The Cowboys learned this last year, especially with the signing of free-agent offensive guards Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings. Furthermore, the signing of cornerback Brandon Carr did next to nothing to differentiate the Cowboys from last season and the one before.

Yes, it's best to build through the draft and also to focus on guys who have been playing on your team for a few years. This philosophy hasn't generally been employed very well by the Cowboys despite having tried to lock up some of their own players long-term in recent years.

Free is a perfect example. His 2011 contract extension was the right idea, but he was simply the wrong player. I would suggest that wide receiver Miles Austin is another example of a player that showed ability, but certainly not long enough to rake in a guaranteed $18 million back in 2010.

But here's four players that will be in position to break the bank known as owner and general manager Jerry Jones not too far down the road. These players are ranked in the order of how quickly they'll be considered for lucrative extensions.

All contract data courtesy of Spotrac.com.

Begin Slideshow

Dana White: 'Fed Up with the Bulls—t,' Not Playing Around with Code of Conduct

Damon Martin — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:47:47 -0400

UFC lightweight Nate Diaz found out the hard way that the promotion isn't playing around with their newly instituted code of conduct, and a recent Twitter message that contained a homophobic slur cost him $20,000 as a result.

The message was Diaz's response to bantamweight fighter Bryan Caraway receiving a post-fight bonus for Submission of the Night at UFC 159 only after Pat Healy tested positive for marijuana. Diaz used a homophobic slur as part of the message blasted out on the social media site, and it didn't take long for the UFC to take action.

Diaz was suspended for 90-days and faced a stiff penalty for the use of the word.

It marked the third such fine the UFC has handed down since instituting the fighter code of conduct policy (Matt Mitrione was fined an unstated amount for comments about transgender fighter Fallon Fox and Anderson Silva was fined $50,000 for missing a media obligation), and UFC president Dana White wants all of his fighters to know that they will not be easing up so long as misconduct is happening.

"I am fed up with the bulls—t," White said when speaking with the media on Thursday. "Money makes people f—king react real quick. Sorry's great—I love a sorry here and there, sorry's are always good. But when you've got to start forking out some cash, you start remembering a lot more."

Since the fine was handed down, Diaz hasn't responded much outside of another Twitter message aimed at Caraway, this time without the use of a homophobic slur.

White says he's also heard from many fans and critics reminding him that he said the same word that Diaz used when ranting about a reporter in an infamous video blog from 2009. The UFC president says his verbal slip cost him plenty as well because it's something that continues to haunt him to this day.

"Do you think that I didn't pay in a million different ways for saying that word? The difference is I'm really sorry for saying it," White stated. "I am not a homophobe whatsoever. When I said it, I have people that work for us that are gay, I have friends that are gay, it is a word that bothers them and it's a word that shouldn't have been said. I had the same argument that Nate had, and I don't disagree with that argument."

The argument actually comes from Diaz's manager Mike Kogan who spoke to Bleacher Report about the incident just hours after it happened.

"That one word did not mean homosexual, it was not intended to be homosexual," Kogan stated. "It was not meant to have a homophobic connotation at all. The word for years and years and years also means b—ch, little punk, little whiny, little f—kers. That's what he meant with what he said."

White said that he has no doubt that Diaz probably used the word in that exact context, but it doesn't matter because it's still offensive and it's not an excuse to use it.

"I grew up in the 80's and that was a word you used," White explained. "If you go back and watch Sixteen Candles, that word is in Sixteen Candles. Molly Ringwald says it to Anthony Michael Hall. I was watching another 80's movie the other day where these little kids are saying it. That's the way it was.

"It's not that way anymore. It's an offensive word that they don't like and people want to call it oh we're bowing down to political correctness. No we're not, we're being civil human beings."

Kogan's defense of Diaz was also brought up to White when he was asked if the manager's statement actually did more harm that good in the long run. It prompted White to then detail his opinion of managers in mixed martial arts and the job they provide the fighters.

"Managers are scared s—tless of their clients. No manager wants to come out and say "he was stupid for saying that." You're one phone call away from not working for that guy anymore," White said. "Managers don't matter. Let me put that one out there. I don't give a s—t what they have to say or what they think or whatever. They're puppets."

White had no problem pointing the finger back at himself as well because at one time before he was the president of the UFC he also represented fighters like Chuck Liddell as a manager.

"I was a puppet, too," White said about himself.

When it's all said and done, Diaz will walk away from the situation $20,000 lighter in the wallet whether he likes the fine or not.

While White did apologize for his use of the homophobic slur back in 2009, Diaz has done no such thing since he tweeted out that particular message. While Diaz did eventually delete that particular Twitter message, White says he's not going to force the lightweight fighter to apologize for something he's not sorry about.

"I'm not going to tell grown men to apologize if they're really not sorry," White stated.

Sorry or not, Diaz is still left with a hefty fine to pay and a three month suspension for his actions.

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

Predicting the Next MLB Prospects Who Will Impact Their Teams in 2013

Zachary D. Rymer — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:44:53 -0400

It's been a busy week on the border between Major League Baseball and the wild land beyond where top prospects roam free, waiting for their chance to break through.

The Texas Rangers called up all-world shortstop Jurickson Profar, and young Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman is making his big league debut on Thursday night.

Now that they're (back in Profar's case) in The Show, we have to ask: Who's next?

That's always a tough one with prospects, as the dominoes have to fall just right and you just never know with the timing. The best you can do is take educated guesses.

Shoot, I'm game. Here are some predictions for five top prospects who will be coming soon to a major league ballpark near you.

Gerrit Cole, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

I feel obligated to include one of my preseason Rookie of the Year picks in this discussion, and that means either Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wil Myers or Pittsburgh Pirates righty Gerrit Cole.

Between the two, I like Cole's chances more.

The issue with Myers is that the Rays outfield isn't quite hopeless, as it ranks about in the middle of the pack in OPS (see FanGraphs). Desmond Jennings has had issues, but Myers isn't the sort of true center fielder who could take his spot.

Beyond that, Myers has hit the skids a bit in May. He's only a .154/.255/.256 hitter over his last 10 games, bringing his OPS for the season down to .712. Bill Chastain of MLB.com opined in late April that Myers isn't going to get the call until the Rays are sure he's major league-ready, and that's a bit of a question mark for now.

As for Cole, the Pirates had an excuse to call him up when James McDonald went on the DL, but decided to go with Jeanmar Gomez instead. McDonald will soon be back, and then the Pirates will have a solid starting five with him A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, Jeff Locke and Francisco Liriano.

So...Where will Cole fit in?

The best answer I can give now is "somewhere," and that it will be happening "soon." Even once the usual suspects are back together again, the Pirates aren't going to have an airtight rotation. There will be a chance for Cole to step in thanks to an injury, ineffectiveness or both.

Yeah, I'm reaching a bit, but what it comes down to is that Cole is a guy the Pirates can't keep down forever.

Cole is arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball in terms of pure talent, and he's running out of things to prove in the minors. His control is still iffy—he has a 4.3 BB/9 in nine starts—but his stuff is marvelous and he was cruising to the tune of a 2.55 ERA until he got lit up in his most recent start at Pawtucket.

The Pirates' early success this season has been built much more on pitching than hitting. Adding Cole to the mix is one way they could make a strength even stronger, and I'd expect it to happen no later than mid-June.

Nick Franklin, 2B/SS, Seattle Mariners

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the Seattle Mariners are having trouble hitting again.

It hasn't helped that guys who were supposed to hit haven't hit. That's your cue to look in the general direction of Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak and Jesus Montero, though he may not be there when you look now that he's been optioned to Triple-A.

You can also look in the general direction of Seattle's shortstops. Brendan Ryan and Robert Andino are responsible for a .170/.245/.204 batting line, the rough translation for which in baseball-ese is "Yuck."

Meanwhile, there's Nick Franklin at Triple-A Tacoma with a .318/.441/.481 batting line. He's played second base more than shortstop this season, but that's a switch from the last couple years. Franklin isn't regarded as a great shortstop, but he's certainly not out of his element at the position.

The Mariners don't necessarily have to view Franklin as an answer for only their shortstop quandary. They should also be thinking long and hard about what's to be done with Ackley, as he's following up a bad April with an even worse May. In 16 games, Ackley's hitting just .161/.266/.232.

Between Seattle's light-hitting shortstops and light-hitting second baseman, the wall between Franklin and the majors is only about ankle-high. The only thing keeping him on the outside looking in is the Mariners' sense of the proper timing to call him up, as the last thing they want is to potentially ruin another hitter by asking Franklin to do more than he's ready to do.

But Franklin's production says his bat is ready, and the (non-)production the Mariners have gotten from the middle of their infield says that a change is needed. Two and two together should make a promotion.

Franklin's not going to be able to make a huge difference at the major league level when he does get the call, as he can only solve a small part of a larger problem. But he'll bring some much-needed energy to the lineup if he hits, and giving him some OTJ training this year could pay off later.

Yasiel Puig, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers' immediate future probably involves spontaneous combustion.

Seems that way given how this season is unfolding, but there's a good chance slugging outfield prospect Yasiel Puig is going to get the call to the majors before it hits.

According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, calling up Puig has at least been discussed:

Whether Don Mattingly is still going to be there to manage Puig when he arrives is anybody's guess, but the timing of this discussion certainly fits. Andre Ethier was put on the bench and in Mattingly's doghouse this week, and Dave Cameron of FanGraphs is right in thinking that Ethier can probably be had if anybody out there wants him.

The Dodgers don't necessarily need to wait for Ethier to be gone to call up Puig, though, as he could always come up and platoon with Ethier or just take over the starting job for himself.

Whatever it takes to get some offense, really. The Dodgers only have a .692 OPS as a team, and only the Miami Marlins have a worse ISO (see FanGraphs). More than anything, the Dodgers need power.

Puig has that in spades. He hit the cover off the ball in spring training, at which point Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports wrote that Puig might have more raw power than anyone outside of Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton. In 32 games with Double-A Chattanooga, Puig is slugging .579 with six homers.

The kind of offensive boost Puig can provide could make a difference for the Dodgers. As disappointing as their season has been, they're only six games out of first in the NL West. They have enough pitching to hang in there now that Zack Greinke is back. They just need some offense.

Expect them to try and conjure some by promoting Puig any day now.

Zack Wheeler, SP, New York Mets

And we now come to my boldest prediction.

...Or whatever the exact opposite of "boldest" is.

I was going to throw Zack Wheeler in here either way, but news came out from Mike Puma of the New York Post while I was in the process of writing that the countdown is officially on. Word is that Wheeler is going to make two or three more starts for Triple-A Las Vegas before joining the New York Mets.

Makes sense. Wheeler is the No. 7 prospect in baseball according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, he's accumulated plenty of experience in the minors and the Mets could use some help in their rotation.

It's not much outside of Matt Harvey. Among the starters the Mets have used this season, Harvey is the only one with an ERA south of 4.80. Per ESPN.com, the Mets rank 20th in MLB in quality starts despite Harvey's contributions.

Wheeler's going to be able to add to that total. He's similar to Harvey in that he can get his fastball in the high-90s, and he also throws a curve, a slider and a changeup. Command has been an issue for him in the past, but he hasn't walked any more than two in his last four starts.

Sort of like with Franklin and the Mariners, Wheeler's not going to arrive on the scene and catalyze a magical run to the pennant. The Mets are a bad team. Wheeler's only going to serve to make them less bad.

But the OTJ training will come in handy for Wheeler, as it did for Harvey last year. Having the two of them in the rotation will also make for more stability, which will be nice.

And yes, having Harvey and Wheeler in the rotation will excite the Mets' fanbase, who will be watching hope for the future personified in two golden-armed righties.

Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins

The list of reasons to be interested in the Miami Marlins doesn't have much on it, but another item is going to be added when Christian Yelich gets the call to the majors.

Hey, why not? The Marlins already have one of their best youngsters on the major league roster in right-hander Jose Fernandez, and they could use some more talent in their outfield. Marlins outfielders have a mere .656 OPS, and Giancarlo Stanton will only be able to do so much to bring that number up when he returns from his hamstring injury.

Yelich has played 28 games for Double-A Jacksonville and is hitting at .308/.376/.624 with six home runs. The power he's shown off is particularly encouraging, as Yelich is already halfway to his home run total from 2012.

Yelich could come up and play either center field or left, and there's not much standing in the way of him finding a home at either spot. Center field is where he's played most often this season, however, and that's where he could supplant the struggling Justin Ruggiano.

As for when Yelich will be getting the call, I wouldn't expect it to be a second before the Super Two cutoff seeing as how these are the Marlins we're talking about. That means June 15-ish (I haven't seen an exact date anywhere out there).

The Marlins would need about 20 Christian Yeliches and a few more Giancarlo Stantons on the side in order to have any hope of emerging as a contender down the stretch, but promoting Yelich could help the organization put butts in seats at Marlins Park. That may have been their goal when they promoted Fernandez, but he obviously can't play every day like Yelich can.

Once he gets the call, Yelich will get some OTJ training this year, develop into a star over the next couple years, and then be traded just when he's about to get expensive.

It's the Marlins way.

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

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

Champions League Final 2013: Bayern Munich Will Win Title on Saturday

Matt Fitzgerald — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:40:05 -0400

Bayern Munich has the luxury of facing Bundesliga foe Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 UEFA Champions League final.

The Reds have already locked up the league title by a wide margin, and though they've tied their previous encounters with their archrivals, they will emerge victorious on Saturday in London's Wembley Stadium.

Fueling the players on the favored squad will be the impending retirement of 68-year-old manager Jupp Heynckes, who will be coaching his final game at the conclusion of this marquee fixture.

Also hurting the cause for the Black Yellows is the absence of prodigious 20-year-old attacking midfielder Mario Gotze, who is out with an injury, per ESPN FC:

Heartbreak has to be prominent amongst the Borussia Dortmund fans, as Gotze is leaving the Bundesliga runner-up for Bayern Munich. Let the conspiracy theories ensue as to whether Gotze is actually ailing enough to sit out for such a massive match, but it's a bad sign for the Black Yellows regardless.

The position that Gotze plays is critical not only for his club to run an effective attack but to maintain possession in general. That void is going to be difficult to fill without Gotze.

Marco Reus' success depends on the lethal combination he and Gotze typically form. Absent that, the onus will be on Reus to be the catalyst against the stout opposing defense of the Reds.

In the past four Champions League fixtures, Heynckes' bunch has stonewalled everyone, scoring 11 aggregate goals while maintaining a completely clean sheet. Bayern Munich notched 91 Bundesliga points compared to just 66 for Borussia Dortmund, which shows it is the superior team in terms of consistency, depth and offensive firepower.

The devastating Bavarian wingers, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, shouldn't have much issue on the attack with midfielder Thomas Müller setting them up to thrive. Central midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be facing Dortmund counterpart Ilkay Gündogan frequently, and their duel will loom large in the game's outcome.

Once again, though, that matchup will tip in Bayern's favor due to the absence of Gotze, and the Bavarians' defense is too strong to yield much from the Black Yellows' attack keyed by striker Robert Lewandowski.

Bayern shut down the high-octane offense of Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals. Although the Catalans were shorthanded significantly with the sparse services of prolific scorer Lionel Messi, their bunch still has more stars up front than Dortmund will have in this contest.

It's a wonderful achievement for the Black Yellows to be here and to take part in the first all-German final in this tournament's renowned history. It's indicative of the talent level the country boasts in football, as The Guardian's Stuart James highlights:

However, when the dust settles on Saturday, Bayern Munich will leave the pitch with the trophy in the form of a 4-2 triumph—finally getting its win after two losses in the past three years in the final.

Chelsea Transfer Rumours: Latest Buzz About Blues' Potential Summer Moves

Tyler Conway — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:34:35 -0400

The summer transfer window is still in its infancy, yet it's already become apparent that Chelsea are setting themselves up as one of the offseason's most active clubs.

They've already landed their biggest top target in manager Jose Mourinho. The 50-year-old Mourinho is returning to his post at Stamford Bridge after a three-year stay with Real Madrid. He previously was the Blues' manager from 2004-2007, where he was among the longest-tenured and most successful skippers in club history.

With Chelsea having finished third in the Premier League table, Mourinho returns to a roster filled with top-level talent. And considering the level of fanfare that's come along with the legendary manager's return to his old stomping grounds, it's fair to say the pressure has been ratcheted up far higher than it was his first time through the world's most famous league.

Luckily, Mourinho has a plan to make Chelsea a competitor again—spend money. There have been rumors that the Blues will give Mourinho a £100 million transfer budget this summer, putting the club in position to land almost every player in the world not named Lionel Messi. And if you believe the rumors that have been flying around since Mourinho's hire, he might just be targeting each and every one of those guys.

With that in mind, here is a breakdown of all the latest rumblings about the Blues' summer transfer window plans.

Blues in "Pole Position" To Land Cristiano Ronaldo?

It’s become no secret that Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s second-greatest player, and Real Madrid aren’t on the best of terms. The 28-year-old striker first publicly declared he was “sad” in September, as contract negotiations between he and the club had gone south.

Though Ronaldo put on a brave face throughout the campaign and again was sterling as an individual, there’s been no real indication the two sides have mended fences. While Ronaldo commands a hefty fee for whichever team lands him, it’s expected that he will be sent packing elsewhere this summer.

Where is the question. Most of the initial speculation centered around Manchester United. Ronaldo starred for the Red Devils from 2003-2009 and has always been a fan favorite for fans at Old Trafford. He was sold to Real Madrid for a world-record fee of £80 million after Ronaldo grew unhappy and requested a transfer.

Well, absence makes the heart grow fonder. But it’s looking increasingly unlikely that Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford. According to David Kent of the Daily Mail, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon notes that Chelsea have become the favorites to land Ronaldo rather than Manchester United:

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has raised the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo following Jose Mourinho to Chelsea... after dismissing Manchester United's chances of re-signing the Portuguese star.

Ronaldo played under Mourinho at Real. Though the two have had an up-and-down relationship to say the least, Mourinho has reportedly made Ronaldo a top summer target.

While there is a ton of logistics work to be done, Chelsea are one of a select few clubs with a transfer kitty high enough to land Ronaldo. It will be interesting to see whether he has more interest in discontinuing his relationship with Mourinho or Real over the next few weeks.

Mourinho Preparing Sizable Bid for Mario Gomez?

Landing the summer’s biggest fish may be a top priority for Chelsea, but reality is often far different from desire during transfer windows. That means having first, second, third and fifteenth options is necessary—even for a club as deep-pocketed as the Blues.

Much of the early window rumblings tabbed Wayne Rooney as Chelsea’s secondary attacking target behind Ronaldo. However, Paris Saint-Germain have stepped up their offer and are willing to match Rooney’s current wages at Manchester United if the 27-year-old striker chooses to leave, per The Guardian’s Dominic Fifield.

With the Red Devils certainly looking to send Rooney outside the Premier League if he’s moved, PSG seems to be in the pole position should he be moved.

If that’s the case, it seems Mourinho and Co. already have their next target waiting in the wings. According to the Daily Mail's John Edwards, Chelsea are preparing to make a £25 million bid for Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez:

Chelsea are lining up a £25million bid to make Mario Gomez the spearhead of a new-look attack under Jose Mourinho. Despite also competing with Manchester City and Monaco for Radamel Falcao, Chelsea-bound Mourinho wants a strong physical presence up front and has identified Bayern Munich frontrunner Gomez as the prime candidate.

The 27-year-old Gomez has emerged as one of Bundesliga's most respected and powerful attackers sine arriving with Bayern Munich. That all changed this past season, though, as Gomez was pushed to the outskirts of the starting rotation after the acquisition of Mario Mandzukic.

Gomez started just nine games in Bundesliga competition. Unsurprisingly, that has not sat well with Gomez and he's become an interesting buy-low candidate for Chelsea.

Still in his prime, Gomez would be a more than adequate secondary option if Rooney and Ronaldo fall through the cracks.

David Luiz on His Way Out?

One of the biggest positives of the 2012-13 season for Chelsea has been the development of David Luiz. The 26-year-old Luiz joined Chelsea the same year as the oft-maligned Fernando Torres and has become one of the world's best central defenders.

Known colloquially for his long, frizzy mop of hair, the Brazilian star has become a fan favorite at Stamford Bridge. His expert shift to the holding midfield role has been something to behold for Chelsea, as they stormed to a late-season run to finish third in the Premier League table.

By all accounts, Luiz was a complete steal and is one of the club's driving forces. He even became a bit of an offensive force down the stretch in the midfield.

One problem: Mourinho doesn't seem to be much of a fan of Luiz's style of play. According to a Daily Mail report (h/t ESPN), Chelsea will look to find Luiz a new home quickly this summer:

It seems a series of cracking goals and a successful move into the midfield wasn't enough for David Luiz to impress Chelsea's likely next manager Jose Mourinho. According to the Daily Mail, Luiz could be the first casualty of Mourinho's reign, with the Real Madrid boss not a fan of the 26-year-old's defensive abilities.

The report cites FC Barcelona and Real Madrid as two teams that would likely target Luiz—and for good reason. While Luiz isn't the greatest defender in the world, his versatility was apparent for Chelsea this past season and he's a fit for almost any scheme.

On the positive side of this development, Chelsea should be able to land a sizable fee in return for Luiz. Which, of course, is more than they can say about Fernando Torres.

Follow @tylerconway22

Indy 500 Lineup: Highlighting Racers With Best Shot To Win Big Race

Jesse Reed — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:31:18 -0400

Billed as the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indianapolis 500 is one of the biggest events on the sports calendar, and the starting lineup for this year's race features some heavy hitters.

Ed Carpenter shocked everyone by winning the pole, and he becomes the first Indiana native to lead the field since 1951, according to KSTP-TV's Chris Long:

Last year's winner and three-time champ, Dario Franchitti, will be racing from the middle of the 33-car field, starting from the No. 17 spot. He's not the only three-time winner in the field, either. Helio Castroneves will also be attempting to win Indy 500 No. 4 from the No. 8 spot.

Here's the official start order for the big race, courtesy of the Indianapolis 500 official website:

Start Position	Driver	Car
1	Ed Carpenter	20
2	Carlos Munoz	26
3	Marco Andretti	25
4	EJ Viso	5
5	AJ Allmendinger	2
6	Will Power	12
7	Ryan Hunter-Reay	1
8	Helio Castroneves	3
9	James Hinchcliffe	27
10	JR Hildebrand	4
11	Alex Tagliani	98
12	Tony Kanaan	11
13	Oriol Servia	22
14	Justin Wilson	19
15	Sebastien Bordais	7
16	Scott Dixon	9
17	Dario Franchitti	10
18	Takuma Sato	14
19	Charlie Kimball	83
20	James Jakes	16
21	Simon Pagenaud	77
22	Townsend Bell	60
23	Ryan Briscoe	8
24	Simona De Silvestro	78
25	Josef Newgarden	21
26	Graham Rahal	15
27	Sebastian Saavedra	6
28	Tristan Vautier	55
29	Ana Beatriz	18
30	Pippa Mann	63
31	Conor Daly	41
32	Buddy Lazier	91
33	Katherine Legge	81

Now it's time to look at which drivers will have the best chance to win this year's race.

Marco Andretti

If anyone is due for a big win, it's Andretti.

He has stood on the podium twice with two third-place finishes, and two other seventh-place finishes this year prove that Andretti will be one of the drivers to beat at this year's Indy 500.

All week long heading up to and during qualifying, Andretti's car has run well. Furthermore, he has finished on the podium at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway three times in the past seven attempts.

It's time for Andretti to finally win one at Indianapolis and break the "Andretti Curse."

Dario Franchitti

Last year's winner and three-time champion, Franchitti, is still trying to find his groove this season on the IndyCar Series tour.

After a couple of disappointing races to start the year (two DNF), he's begun to come alive in the past couple of races, finishing in fourth place at Long Beach and in seventh place at Sau Paulo.

Franchitti and his crew struggled during qualifying, as his No. 17 start indicates, but he posted the top time on Day 5, according to Indy Motor Speedway:

By the time the race hits the halfway point, Franchitti's start from the middle of the pack won't even be a factor. Provided he doesn't run into any mechanical malfunctions, he's going to be one of the racers in the thick of it at the end.

James Hinchcliffe

Hinchcliffe is the hottest racer in the IndyCar Series tour right now.

He's won two of the four races thus far in 2013. Granted, Hinchcliffe hasn't finished the other two races, getting stranded in Birmingham and crashing out in Long Beach.

But as long as his car is running well and he avoids a crash, Hinchcliffe will be one of the top drivers to beat. A strong showing in qualifying has him starting the race in the No. 9 spot, and at this point it would be foolish to count him out of this race.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

Duke Basketball: Head-to-Toe Comparison of Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins

David Aldridge — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:25:55 -0400

Is Andrew Wiggins the next LeBron James? Is Jabari Parker the next LeBron James?

Both have had the question asked of them during their high school playing careers, which should make Frank Vogel a little nervous.

As the top two high school basketball players in the country, Wiggins and Parker are regularly compared to each other. There is great debate about which one will be more successful in college and the NBA.

Let's take a look at how these two talented recruits measure up against one another.

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Scoring Title Aside, Carmelo Anthony Doesn't Deserve All-NBA First-Team Nod

Grant Hughes — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:24:44 -0400

Carmelo Anthony had a terrific year—by some measures, his best ever—but the voters who named him to the All-NBA Second Team got it right. Even after averaging more points per game than any other player in the league, 'Melo didn't deserve a spot on the NBA's first team ahead of either Kevin Durant or LeBron James.

That probably shouldn't come as a shock anymore, as the slow growth of analytics in NBA front offices and among fans is starting to pull the curtain back on the surprisingly low value of low-efficiency, high-volume scorers.

To be clear, this past year was one of Anthony's very best because he was more efficient than ever. His high number of shot attempts (22.2 per game) and rather pedestrian field-goal percentage (45 percent) might not make it seem that way, but because 'Melo jacked 6.2 threes per game at a 38 percent clip and knocked down 83 percent of his foul shots, his overall season was remarkably efficient.

As a result, he posted a career-high PER of 24.83 and a true shooting percentage of 56 percent, which was the first time since 2007-08 that Anthony had reached that mark.

Plus, from a team perspective, he was the best player on a New York Knicks squad that posted its most wins (54) since the 1996-97 season and captured its first Atlantic division title since 1994. For the first time in a very long while, it became hard to accuse Anthony of being an "empty stats" guy. Team success tends to have that effect.

Summation: 'Melo was really good during the 2012-13 season.

But James and Durant were a lot better.

By every conventional statistical measure besides points per game, Anthony fell short of the two forwards who earned spots on the NBA's first team.

Player	PPG	RPG	APG	BPG	SPG	FG%	3P%
Anthony	28.7	6.9	2.6	0.5	0.8	.449	.379
Durant	28.1	7.9	4.6	1.3	1.4	.510	.416
James	26.8	8.0	7.3	0.9	1.7	.565	.406

Looking at some more advanced metrics, the outcome is the same. Anthony's PER of 24.83 was good enough to rank fourth in the NBA, but it paled in comparison to James' league-leading 31.67 and Durant's 28.35.

The list could go on, but you get the idea: Anthony's excellent season just wasn't on the same level as either Durant's or James'.

If there's an argument against such a strong reliance on the numbers (and there always is), it's that Anthony didn't have the star talent surrounding him like James and Durant did. The thinking is that a better supporting cast would have taken the pressure off of Anthony and resulted in better numbers.

While it's true that nobody on the Knicks is as dangerous a teammate as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or Russell Westbrook, the argument that Anthony's numbers would have been better if he'd had a more capable sidekick is a lazy one.

How do we know that better surrounding players wouldn't actually have detracted from Anthony's production? It's conceivable that his percentages might have improved, but any such uptick would likely have come at the cost of the counting stats that many people cite as evidence of his quality as a player.

And here's the other thing: Anthony is a stone-cold scorer. In one-on-one situations, he has a single thought in mind: getting buckets. That kind of mental process makes it hard to pair Anthony with another star-caliber player because no matter who he's playing with, Anthony is never going to work to set up his teammates.

While James and Durant have proved themselves willing to occasionally take a backseat, function as a facilitator or focus on doing things besides scoring, Anthony has never shown a similar willingness to subjugate himself for the betterment of his team.

And as for the notion that better teammates would have drawn attention away from Anthony on offense, it's hard to ignore the fact that the Knicks' style basically left Anthony free to operate in isolation all the time. By spreading the floor and getting the ball to 'Melo in space, the Knicks essentially created a situation that allowed Anthony to work without being doubled.

We know how good Anthony is, and more importantly, we know who Anthony is. It's just not sensible to say that he'd be any better with a different cast than the one he played with this past season.

So, Anthony's failure to make the All-NBA First team isn't really a "failure" at all. And saying that he didn't deserve to be named one of the two best forwards in the game is hardly a knock against him.

He just had some historically great competition that he wasn't good enough to overcome.

The Biggest Area of Need for Every 2013 NBA Draft Lottery Team

Jonathan Wasserman — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:19:39 -0400

Teams drafting in the NBA lottery typically have more than one need. The toughest part of the evaluation process is deciding whether to fill a specific need or go with the best available player.

It's a pickle that general managers find themselves in all the time.

Let's address what each team needs specifically and see who might be available to fit.

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Tyrann Mathieu Reportedly May Be Drug Tested Up to 10 Times Per Month

Tyler Conway — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:19:11 -0400

The Arizona Cardinals took a chance by selecting Tyrann Mathieu in the third round of April's draft, and now the former LSU cornerback is going to have to prove himself not only on the field but off it as well.

Mathieu signed his rookie contract on Thursday, which will pay him $3 million over four years, per USA Today's Mike Garafolo. That figure is $100,000 more than the No. 69 pick got in 2012, a sign that Arizona has faith in a young man so few did heading into the draft.

However, Mathieu's contract comes with provisions that will help the Cardinals should he ever face off-the-field problems.

According to NFL.com's Dan Hanzus, Mathieu received just $265,000 initially—less than any player in five seasons. The rest of his signing bonus will be paid out over the next three seasons, but only if his drug-related issues are put in the past.

That latter portion is most notable because Mathieu will be subject to plenty of tests over his NFL career. As NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports, the "Honey Badger" will enter the NFL's drug-testing program, making him subject to up to 10 drug tests per month:

It's important to note that there is no specific language in Mathieu's contract with the Cardinals regarding his drug testing. According to Rapoport, Mathieu has been open to drug testing and entering the NFL's program avoids any team-mandated testing:

There is also no guarantee that Mathieu will face all 10 tests. The NFL keeps information private about how many times each player in its drug-testing program has been tested, so it's unlikely we'll find out unless he releases that number publicly.

However, Thursday's news likely provides relief to members of the Cardinals organization worried about whether Mathieu can stick with the team long term.

A burgeoning star at LSU, Mathieu's collegiate experience was marred by off-the-field problems. He was kicked off of the Tigers in 2012 for reportedly failing multiple drug tests. Though Mathieu tried working his way back into the good graces of coach Les Miles by entering a rehabilitation facility, a drug arrest in October essentially put the final nail in his coffin in Baton Rouge.

USA Today's Jarrett Bell reported in April that Mathieu failed at least 10 drug tests at LSU.

While Mathieu maintains those issues are in the past, he'll now get a chance to prove it. The NFL won't give him 10 different chances to fail a drug test the way LSU reportedly did. But the league will almost certainly give him 10 tests—perhaps all in one month.

South Carolina Football: Reliving George Rogers' 1980 Heisman Trophy March

Lee Schechter — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:15:28 -0400

In 1980, South Carolina running back George Rogers ran his way to the Heisman Trophy and a place in college football history.

With Rogers stampeding all over the field, the Gamecocks put together a good season with a final record of 8-4.

At the start of the year, South Carolina returned a lot of talent, although no one carried as much hype and pressure as Rogers.

Rogers became a standout player during his junior year when he ran for 1,681 yards, which vaulted him onto the national scene. The senior running back entered the 1980 season with high expectations as a Heisman hopeful.

South Carolina not only thought it had a potential Heisman winner but also a national championship-caliber team. Unfortunately, the Gamecocks did not contend for a title, although Rogers did make history.

Rogers was the focal point of the South Carolina offense, as he led the nation in rushing attempts with a staggering 297 rushes.

More impressive than the volume of his carries were the amount of yards he racked up as well as his yards per carry. Rogers amassed 1,781 yards on the ground, which gave him 6.0 yards per attempt, good for second in the nation.

Rogers did not just do his damage with racking up yardage; he also scored 14 touchdowns on the ground that season, which ranked him second in college football.

He hit the ground running in 1980 when South Carolina entered a matchup with the highly ranked University of Southern California. While the Gamecocks lost that game, Rogers ran for 141 yards.

Rogers and the Gamecocks then traveled to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines at the Big House in a hostile environment. South Carolina stole a victory, as Rogers ran for 142 yards and continued to grab some of the national spotlight.

The Gamecocks cruised to a few more victories, setting up a big-time battle with the Georgia Bulldogs on national television. It was the perfect opportunity for Rogers to set himself apart from the other Heisman contenders.

Rogers ran for 168 yards but had a crucial fumble in the fourth quarter. He was outperformed by fellow Heisman candidate Herschel Walker, who ran for 219 yards and had a key 76-yard touchdown run.

The fumble became a major red flag for Rogers' Heisman campaign and had the chance to overshadow his performance in 1980, according to Sports Illustrated's Mike DelNagro in the December 1980 issue:

What might damage Rogers more was his fourth-quarter fumble on the Georgia 16. But remember, two years ago Oklahoma's Billy Sims made a similar fumble that cost the Sooners a possible national title and gave Nebraska a tie for the Big Eight championship. And he still won the Heisman. Rogers should do so, too.

Despite the fumble, Rogers went on to close out the 1980 season with three more games of 100 or more rushing yards, which brought his 100-plus-yard rushing streak to 21 games. Rogers then extended the streak in the bowl game, making it 22 games.

With 100 or more yards rushing in every game and his nation-leading statistics, Rogers was invited to the 1980 Heisman Trophy Presentation.

He told Jody Barr of WISTV 30 years after his Heisman campaign:

They got me out of Duluth Georgia. Flew me up. At the end of the day, it was just me. But I was in the room, walking around just thinking what I'm going to do, what I'm going to say if I won the Heisman. And surely the next morning, they woke me up and they told me, "you won the Heisman Trophy."

Rogers took home the Heisman Trophy in dramatic fashion, since it was the first and only Heisman Trophy awarded to a Gamecock in school history.

Rogers started the year as a top running back but as a long shot to win the Heisman, since South Carolina was not in the national spotlight. Then, he put together a memorable senior season, captured the Heisman Trophy and claimed a place in college football history.

Looking back on the Heisman, Rogers told Barr of WISTV, "I'd give the Heisman Trophy back to get a National Championship, to be honest with you, because that's how much my team means to me."

He was the ultimate team player who understood how important the concept of "team" was in college football.

In 1980, Rogers became a South Carolina football legend by winning the school's only Heisman Trophy to this day. Rogers had his No. 38 jersey retired before the season's end and went on to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

While Rogers' attitude, team mindset and exceptional rushing skills lifted him to win the Heisman in 1980, his character to this day shows how much South Carolina means to him.

Rogers will always be a South Carolina Gamecocks' legend after he marched his way to the 1980 Heisman Trophy.

5 Options to Fill the Minnesota Vikings Hole at Middle Linebacker

Bob Garman — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:12:45 -0400

The Minnesota Vikings did a lot to address their needs in the 2013 NFL draft. Minnesota stole the show on the first day with three first-round selections, all of which filled important needs.

With the 23rd, 25th and 29th picks in Round 1, the Vikings selected defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, respectively. All three players have tremendous potential and fill spots on the roster where the team was thin.

There's one position that the Vikings didn't address in the draft: middle linebacker. Last year's starter, Jasper Brinkley, signed a free-agent deal with the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason. With Brinkley's departure, Minnesota was left with a hole in the middle of its defense.

The Vikings have a rich history at the middle linebacker position. Over the years, such players as Jeff Siemon, Scott Studwell, E.J. Henderson, Lonnie Warwick, Mike Merriweather and Jack Del Rio have manned the MLB spot in Minnesota.

Those are some big shoes to fill.

Currently, there's no NFL-proven middle linebacker on the Vikings roster. In Minnesota's Cover 2 scheme, the "mike" linebacker is extremely important. This middle 'backer is responsible for calling the defensive signals, stuffing the run game and covering the middle third of the field in the passing game.

While the position remains in flux, the Vikings have several options available to them to fill this crucial spot on their defense. The possibilities range from using someone already on the roster to starting a rookie at the spot to picking up a veteran linebacker in free agency.

The following slideshow examines Minnesota's options at the middle linebacker position. The slides are arranged from the least likely to the most likely scenarios.

We'll look at each candidate and consider his college and NFL history. We'll take stock of both experience and potential. Finally, we'll appraise how likely the candidate is to assume the inside linebacker role on the Minnesota defense in 2013.

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People Who Are Ruining Baseball

Zachary D. Rymer — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:03:27 -0400

Everybody in baseball is an angel.

Well, except for a few people. Yours truly got to thinking about people who are ruining baseball, and a few obvious targets came to mind.

I have no patience for certain managers who need to understand that there’s one inning when a sacrifice bunt should never be laid down, one umpire in particular who loves the spotlight or one owner in South Beach who seems hell-bent on putting himself in the history books as the worst owner in baseball history.

These not-so-angelic people—ironically, one of them is actually named Angel—are bringing baseball down. A good scolding is the least they deserve, and I got in front of a camera to do the deed.

Sound off in the comments section if you have any comments, questions or ponderous musings you want to share, and you’re also welcome to give me a follow on Twitter.

Follow Zachary: @zachrymer

What Should the Washington Redskins Do with Kirk Cousins?

David Webber — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:07 -0400

Robert Griffin III was great, Alfred Morris was superb, and the Redskins' defense played stunningly well down the stretch to push Washington into the playoffs in 2012.

Despite all of those amazing performances, there would have been no playoffs, no division title if not for the unheralded Kirk Cousins.

Cousins' case is complex and interesting. He's under contract until the end of the 2015 season, but his performance last year—466 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing a shade under 70 percent of his passes—suggests that he could be used as trade bait somewhere down the road.

As of right now, Cousins' role is simple: back up RGIII and provide a quality arm under center when necessary. But he was so much more than that in 2012, single-handedly saving the season with a gutsy game-winning drive against Baltimore and then shredding Cleveland on the road to the tune of 329 yards to preserve Washington's playoff hopes.

Cousins showed that he could be a good player in a pressure situation.

Somewhere down the road, the Redskins will be faced with a tough decision. Will they hang on to the player who has proven his worth to the club, or will they trade him to improve the current roster? No doubt there will be interest from around the NFL (if there hasn't been already). Cousins may be better than eight or nine current starters and could be a bargain for a team looking to rebuild.

In any other case, the answer would be simple. Of course you trade the backup; the drop-off from second-string to third-string is negligible and totally worth the price some desperate team would pay to snag him.

But RGIII complicates things.

Not only is he currently healing from a serious knee injury, but his history and style of play suggest he will do it again—and likely sooner rather than later. That means Cousins is more valuable to the Redskins than a typical backup, because you can be sure he'll probably get snaps in three or four games per year.

If you know you have an injury-prone starting quarterback, the best thing you can have is a dependable plan B. Cousins is familiar (and will become even more knowledgeable) with the game plan and executed it to near perfection in Cleveland.

He struggled a bit against Atlanta; he was a rookie, anyone who expected otherwise was foolish. All in all, Cousins displayed an unbelievable knack for playing well when it counted most.

At this point, the answer is easy. Hang on to Cousins and use him as a potential weapon if RGIII goes down. There's no point in trading a player who has immense value to the team, even if he is just a backup. As previously noted, Cousins is more than just a normal backup to the Redskins.

Unless some steal-of-the-century trade comes along next year or in the years after, the Redskins should stand pat with Cousins as the backup. The question of whether or not to keep him on board should intensify near the end of his contract—that's when things get really, really tricky.

But right now, Washington shouldn't mess with something that isn't broken. Cousins likely means more to the Redskins than anyone they'd get in return. He saved the season in 2012, and he'll probably be called upon to do the same thing in the near future.

Cowboys' Josh Brent's Bond in Danger After Potentially Failing Alcohol Test

Ethan Grant — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:58:14 -0400

Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent, who was involved in a drunk-driving related crash that resulted in the death of teammate Jerry Brown Jr. last December, is back in trouble with the law after reportedly violating the terms of his bond.

According to a report from ESPN Dallas, the Dallas County District Attorney's office detected signs of alcohol in his monitoring device. He will attend a hearing on Friday morning to determine with prosecutors if he violated the terms of his release from prison.

Here's an excerpt from the piece:

Debbie Denmon, a district attorney office spokesperson, said the office is seeking to have Brent's $100,000 bond revoked because he is not meeting the conditions of his release.

Brent is schedule to appear in front of Dallas State District Judge Robert Burns at 9 a.m. CT Friday. [He] is awaiting trial on charges of intoxication manslaughter in the death of Cowboys practice squad player and [his] best friend, Jerry Brown.

After being released on a $100,000 bond following the events of the December crash, Brent was ordered to wear the alcohol monitoring device.

For now, sources close to Brent speaking to ESPN are claiming that the device going off has nothing to do with Brent drinking alcohol. It claims he has not used any alcoholic beverages, and that Brent's attorneys are trying to figure out what substance (food or drink) might have set off the monitor.

However, the source goes on to admit that the monitor has gone off several times since Brent started wearing the device.

Prior to the Dec. 2012 tragedy, Brent already had a history with DUIs. In 2009, he was pulled over near the University of Illinois campus, where he and the deceased Brown both attended college.

As reported by Rebecca Lopez, who works for an ABC affiliate in Dallas, prosecutors are also trying to prepare a case on Brent for tampering with the device during the time he has worn it since making bond:

The news of Brent's return to the Dallas County Courthouse comes on the heels of yet another endorsement from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has supported his defensive tackle throughout the past five months and told the Dallas Morning News in late April he wanted Brent to be involved with the team as much as legally possible.

Jones also allowed Brent to be on the sidelines the week after the tragedy that took Brown's life occurred.

In that same spirit, Brent isn't being counted out yet. Dallas radio personality Ben Rogers is among those living by the innocent-until-proven-guilty mantra. He notes that the device Brent is wearing can be set off by daily products:

Brent has played all three of his NFL seasons with the Cowboys, after the team selected him in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL supplemental draft. In those three seasons, he has 31 career solo tackles and 1.5 sacks to his name.

Ranking the 5 Best US Open Sites

Ron Juckett — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:54:52 -0400

The 113th United States Open will be played Father’s Day weekend at Merion Golf Club outside of Philadelphia.

This is the fifth time this old course has hosted golf’s national championship; Merion has not hosted the Open since 1981.

Considered to be too short by modern standards, Merion hopes a good tournament in a few weeks will give them a shot in the hosting rotation again and knock one of these courses off this list.

How does a course make the list as a top five U.S Open Course?

It must be on the current rotation and personify some part of what makes the Open truly a unique event. It also must be difficult to score on and have a connection with the rich history of the game.

This is a tough list to crack. Lets count them down in order.

Begin Slideshow