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2013 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat, Game 7 Picks

Jeff Grant — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:57:32 -0400

The Miami Heat are 0-8 against the spread in their last eight games following a straight-up win, which is important to consider when making your NBA picks on Thursday as they close out their best-of-seven series with the San Antonio Spurs at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Sports bettors will find that the Heat are six-point home favorites in the pro basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total has settled in at 189.5 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals from a betting perspective, while offering up a first-half prediction along the way.

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The Faces of the Game 6 Press Conferences Say It All

Tristan Thornburgh — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:49:35 -0400

The faces from the postgame press conference after the Miami Heat's overtime win against the Spurs perfectly encapsulate how both teams were feeling.

LeBron called it "The best game I've been a part of." You mad, Spurs?

Italy vs. Japan Confederations Cup Live Blog: Azzurri take on Blue Samurai

Christopher Impiglia — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:45:01 -0400

Italy will be looking for another convincing win when they take on World Cup hopefuls Japan in Group A of the Confederations Cup. The Blue Samurai, meanwhile, will be hoping to bounce back from the tough 0-3 loss to Brazil in their first match. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. ET, with coverage starting at 5:45 p.m. ET.

Adrien Broner Must Stop Paulie Malignaggi To Pass Newest Test With Flying Colors

Brian Mazique — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:42:29 -0400

When you're Adrien "The Problem" Broner, just winning isn't enough. The same concept will apply when The Problem faces WBA welterweight champion Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The two men have exchanged a number of barbs during the buildup for the fight, but Broner has definitely taken the lead on the trash talk scorecards. Take a look at the pre-fight press conference:

Broner's talent and bravado demands spectacular performances each and every time he appears in the ring. For the most part, he has never failed to meet these lofty standards. When he faces Malignaggi, Broner will be looking to win his third world title in as many weight classes.

When you consider the fact that he's just 23 years old, The Problem could be on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

There is some question about Broner's level of competition to date. In 26 fights, he's faced only three fighters whose names would ring a bell in the heads of most boxing fans. Broner stopped Vicente Escobedo and Antonio DeMarco in 2012 and he won a unanimous decision over Daniel Ponce De Leon in 2011.

Beyond those three opponents, he hasn't faced top-notch competition.

Malignaggi isn't exactly a world beater, but he is an experienced and crafty champion at 147 pounds. Broner's exploits have taken place at 135 pounds primarily; he's jumping two weight classes to challenge a man who has been in the ring with the likes of Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Diaz.

While Malignaggi has been in the ring with some of the better fighters of his era, he hasn't beaten any of them. Because of this, it would not look good for Broner if The Magic Man finds a way to hand him his first loss.

Punching power is non-existent when it comes to Malignaggi. He has only seven KO wins in 36 professional fights. Though he is a skilled boxer, it is hard to imagine a scenario where he could get the best of Broner.

Even if Malignaggi has his moments early, the fighter most believe Broner to be should have Malignaggi worn down by the middle-to-late rounds. Malignaggi has always been tough and shown a great chin despite his lack of punching power, but Broner has built a reputation as a power puncher.

In theory, an athletic, heavy-handed fighter like Broner should stop someone like Malignaggi. However, when a fighter jumps up in weight, there is a concern as to whether he will be able to hurt heavier opponents.

Broner can put that concern to rest by stopping Malignaggi.

If The Problem allows Malignaggi to go the distance, this will be seen as a so-so performance and despite holding a title at 147 pounds, his stock won't rise.

Follow me for boxing news and opinions.

NBA Draft 2013: 2nd-Round Prospects Climbing Into 1st Round

Tom Ciampoli — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:39:00 -0400

There has been some speculation among analysts and talking heads alike that this year's NBA Draft is not very top-heavy. Some feel that this year, instead of superstars emerging from the top of the draft, 2013 will be measured by the steals that come from the middle-to-late picks of the first round. Here are some players that could make more than a few teams feel silly for passing on them:

1) Livio Jean-Charles, F/C, France

An under-the-radar prospect before pre-draft workouts began, Charles impressed many scouts with his performances in practices at the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit. After scoring 27 points and 13 rebounds in the game at the Summit against other top prospects, Jean-Charles soared onto the radar of several teams, including the San Antonio Spurs.

The 6'9", 217-pound teenager is still considered somewhat raw, but if any team has experience bringing up young foreign talent, it's the Spurs (Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili rank as proof of that). Alex Kennedy of hoopsworld.com says that San Antonio, drafting 28th overall, might keep him overseas for at least a year, which would "give them one more open roster spot next season and allow the 19-year-old to develop before joining the team."

2) Erick Green, PG, Virginia Tech

Green was the NCAA scoring leader in 2012-13, scoring 25 points per game for the bottom-dwelling Hokies while also pulling down four rebounds and almost four assists each contest. This senior star had an outstanding 9.2% turnover rate while winning ACC Player of the Year honors.

Though most mock drafts still put Green in the high second round, the 6'4" guard worked out for the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, according to nuggets.com. With the 37-year-old Andre Miller nearing the end of his career, Green, an excellent jump-shooter, could be an ideal fit to back up starting point guard Ty Lawson.

3) Tony Snell, SG/SF, New Mexico

In a draft full of swingmen with great potential (Georgetown's Otto Porter, Kansas' Ben McLemore, etc.), Snell is flying under-the-radar. After hitting 39% of his three-pointers in his junior season with the Lobos, Snell won Most Outstanding Player honors in the Mountain West Conference Tournament while averaging 17.6 points a game during that span.

"I just have a chip on my shoulder," Snell told Dime Magazine after several outstanding pre-draft workouts, which included finishing second in the shooting and lane efficiency drills at the NBA Combine in Chicago. "I have to go to these workouts and compete against the best players...so I have the mindset to compete as hard as I can and be dominant in everything I do."

After originally being thought of as a second-round prospect, Snell is now considered a first-round prospect, drawing interest from teams such as the Cavaliers and Nuggets who would be able to play the 6'7" guard-forward immediately off the bench. Snell will be working out with the Kings on Monday, alongside other prospects such as Mountain West opponent Chase Tapley of San Diego State.

7 Strange MLB Rules You Might Not Know Exist

Joel Reuter — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:37:57 -0400

The baseball rule book may be as complicated as any in professional sports, and a recent ESPN article showed just how little some MLB players/coaches/analysts know about the more in-depth rules of our national pastime.

With that in mind, I gave the rule official rule book a quick scan on MLB.com, and compiled some of the more strange rules that the rule book contains.

Here are seven MLB rules you might now know exist:

Rule 2.00: "...An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out."

The infield fly rule can be a cause for confusion sometimes, and there was some controversy regarding an infield fly call in the Braves-Cardinals postseason game last year.

However, the little-known part of this rule is that an infield fly cannot be called on a bunt. Generally, bunts don't get very far off the ground, but there are occasions where a hitter pops one straight up in the infield, so I was surprised to learn that no bunts can be called infield flies.

Rule 3.09: "...Players of opposing teams shall not fraternize at any time while in uniform"

This is one of those archaic sports rules that no one follows and no one would ever enforce. Players regularly converse prior to games, during batting practice, and on the basepaths between plays once the game begins.

Rule 4.03: "When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than the catcher shall be on fair territory."

There's no logical reason why a fielder would ever position himself in foul territory prior to a pitch being thrown. However, it's not only a poor decision, but in fact a violation under the rules. All players, aside from the catcher, must be in fair territory once the ball is live.

Rule 4.03a: "The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher’s box until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. PENALTY: Balk."

Most understand that a catcher has to remain in the box behind home plate until the pitch is thrown; that is the reason why catchers hold out their hand/glove on an intentional walk rather than simply setting up behind the opposing batter's box. However, the fact that a balk can be called on the catcher for being outside of the box was news to me.

Rule 6.08c: "...If a play follows the (catcher's) interference, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire that he elects to decline the interference penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play..."

Catcher's interference is a somewhat rare occurrence, but it does happen from time to time. It is called when a batter makes contact with a catcher's glove on the swing, and as a result is rewarded first base. Should the batter manage to get enough bat on the ball that he makes solid contact and gets a hit on the play, however, the manager can opt to take the result of the play as opposed to the interference penalty of first base.

Rule 7.05b: "Each runner including the batter-runner may, without liability to be put out, advance three bases if a fielder deliberately touches a fair ball with his cap, mask or any part or any part of his uniform detached from its proper place on his person."

It's commonplace for little kids playing a neighborhood game of baseball to throw their gloves at the ball to try to stop it or catch the ball in their hat for one reason or another. In the MLB, however, taking off any piece of your uniform and touching the ball with it is an immediate three-base penalty. This includes a catcher accidentally making contact with the ball when throwing his mask off— the most surprising example to me.

Rule 8.04: "When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.""

Another rule that is never enforced: a pitcher actually has just 12 seconds to deliver his next pitch once he gets the ball back from the catcher if there are no runners on base. Last season, the Wall Street Journal did an interesting study on how quickly each pitcher in the league works. While this included all situations, not just when the bases are empty, it's safe to assume a sizable quantity of pitchers violate this rule on a daily basis.

LeBron James Proving There's More Than 1 Way to Win Finals MVP

Dan Favale — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:36:04 -0400

There's more than one way to win an NBA Finals MVP.

Look no further than LeBron James to understand that the qualifications for an MVP-esque performance aren't cut and dry. He is without a doubt your finals MVP, if the Miami Heat win.

No one in South Beach has even come close to having the kind of impact on this series as LeBron has. Not Chris Bosh, or Ray Allen or even Dwyane Wade. Especially Dwyane Wade.

LeBron hasn't been perfect by any means. Putting up 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 7.5 assists on 43.3 percent shooting isn't his best. Near triple-doubles are his thing, but so is consistency, and LeBron has been neither consistent nor efficient.

Through six games of the series, he has shot better than 50 percent from the field once. Him, the guy who connected on a career-best 56.5 percent of his shot attempts during the regular season. Economic scoring is supposed to be one of his other things.

As is scoring in general.

For the first three games, LeBron averaged 16.7 points a night. Over the last three, he's averaging 30. More inconsistency.

See for yourself how temperamental he's been:

Game	FGM	FGA	FG%	3P%	PTS	REBS	ASTS	STLS	BLKS	+/-
1	7	16	43.8	20.0	18	18	10	0	0	-3
2	7	17	41.2	33.3	17	8	7	3	3	+29
3	7	21	33.3	20.0	15	11	5	2	0	-32
4	15	25	60.0	50.0	33	11	4	2	2	+8
5	8	22	36.4	50.0	25	6	8	4	0	-9
6	11	26	42.3	20.0	32	10	11	3	1	-1

Posting two triple-doubles is expected from LeBron. Finding out that the Heat are a combined minus-8 with him on the floor during the series is not.

Still, he's the Heat's MVP, and if my prediction holds true, the finals one as well. No ifs, ands or "but what about this guys" necessary.

There's no question this has been a strange series for LeBron. That's kind of the point. He's managed to carry the Heat within one victory of a second straight championship in the midst of both team-wide and individual struggles.

Game 6 saw LeBron shoot 3-of-12 from the floor through the first three quarters for 14 points. In 12 previous elimination games, he averaged 31.5 points, the highest in NBA history.

Where was that LeBron?

He was waiting for the fourth quarter.

Seven of his 11 shot attempts went down in the fourth. He dropped 16 points on his own—including a big three-pointer that brought the Heat within three inside half a minute to go—almost outscoring the San Antonio Spurs who tallied 20.

That's LeBron.

Coughing the ball up at a pivotal point in the fourth quarter and going 1-of-3 from beyond the arc in the last 30 seconds wasn't LeBron. And yet again, that's the point.

Everything LeBron has done extends far beyond his scoring and shooting percentages. He's averaging more than 10 rebounds a night in the finals, he helped shut down Tony Parker (6-of-23) for much of Game 6 and he willed his Heat to a fourth-quarter comeback.

Midway through that comeback, when the Heat had cut the lead two, LeBron treated us to one of the most LeBron moments we've ever seen.

San Antonio had the ball and Danny Green got a step (or two) on Ray Allen. Chris Andersen was forced to help off Tim Duncan in an effort to contest Green at the rim. Recognizing that Duncan was open, Green hit The Big Fundamental for an easy two.

Or so he and the rest of us thought.

LeBron, who had been defending Parker beyond the three-point line, came slashing through to block Duncan's shot and advance the Heat's momentum at a time when it could have been killed.

We've seen what can happen when Duncan dunks. Home crowds go silent and opposing players sag their shoulders and put their heads down. LeBron would have none of it. And he wasn't done either.

Mike Miller grabbed the ball off LeBron's swat and began to dribble up the floor before bouncing it back to the man who made the possession possible.

Using a screen set by Birdman, LeBron went around Parker and right at Duncan, banking in a shot to tie the game.

That's LeBron.

Every millisecond of that sequence is him, representative of all he can do. He doesn't have a specialty nor does he need to be going in one area of the game to make an impact. At any given moment, he's one basket, one block, one pass or one rebound away from going off.

Some will shrug off his fourth-quarter performance because of his topsy-turvy play through the first three quarters. Others—the more stubbornly illogical ones—will theorize it's all a part of the NBA conspiring against any team that isn't the Heat. The rest of his detractors will look to his 1-of-3 effort in overtime and see mediocrity.

The rest of us will still see greatness.

Scoring two points in overtime doesn't scream dominant. Most would have assumed he would do more after the fourth quarter he had. But remember, it's not about scoring.

LeBron had two rebounds, two assists and a steal in overtime, in five minutes. If we were to extrapolate that type of diligence over 36 minutes, he'd be the proud owner of a 14.4-rebounds, 14.4-assists and 7.2-steals per-36 minute stat line. Try to discredit that. I dare you.

But you can't: None of us can. In lieu of his imperfections, LeBron has used his versatility and hard-nosed will to carry the Heat to where they are.

He hasn't shot a high percentage from the field or put up gaudy point totals in every game or even protected the ball particularly (six turnovers in Game 6). He's done something more—risen above the verbal drivel, overpowering narratives and fluctuating stat lines, putting the Heat in a position to win another ring.

Putting the Heat in a position to continue their pursuit of a dynasty.

That's so LeBron, your NBA Finals MVP.

Early Prediction on How the 2013-2014 Premier League Table Will Finish

Nick Akerman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:32:20 -0400

It's never too early to think about how the next Premier League season will finish. With the 2013-14 fixtures announced, each club knows when and where their toughest fixtures appear.

Can Manchester United reclaim the trophy? Will Chelsea or Manchester City sneak ahead of David Moyes in his first season at Old Trafford? Can Tottenham finally topple Arsenal? Will a surprise package take the league by storm?

Here's some early predictions considering just that.

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NFL 2013 Offseason Grades: Philadelphia Eagles

Aaron Nagler — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:31:33 -0400

This is part of a series of videos grading NFL teams' offseasons, from the opening of free agency to the end of the draft, up through OTAs and minicamps.

After crashing and burning in 2013, the Philadelphia Eagles swung for the fences with the hiring of Chip Kelly as their new head coach.

In the video above, I give my grades for free agency and the draft, as well as the team's offseason overall.

Let us know in the comments below where you agree or disagree and what kind of grade you would give the Eagles for their work this offseason.

Stanley Cup Final 2013: Critical Keys to Game 4

Steve Silverman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:30:12 -0400

The Chicago Blackhawks are in a critical position as they head into Game 4. They have to win to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final.

If the Blackhawks are going to win this game, they are going to have to improve their fight and battle level.

The Bruins have given up one goal in their last three home playoff games. The combination of Tuukka Rask, Zdeno Chara, Dennis Seidenberg and Patrice Bergeron means opportunities are going to be limited for the visitors.

The Bruins played well in winning Games 2 and 3, but if they lose Game 4, they lose the home-ice advantage they gained with a win in Chicago.

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ICC Champions Trophy 2013: England vs. South Africa Semifinal Score and Recap

Patrick Clarke — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:27:34 -0400

England won a hard-fought battle with South Africa in the first semifinal matchup at the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval in London on Wednesday, topping the Proteas by seven wickets and earning a berth in Sunday's final.

While South Africa made it a close battle late, thanks to some hard work in the field, it was the Proteas' inability to put up a respectable amount of runs early on that ultimately did them in, via Cricket South Africa:

ESPN Cricket Info tweeted this intriguing stat for South Africa during a disappointing performance with the bat:

Still, despite a slow start, South Africa wasn't ready to quit. The Proteas battled back as expected for a team at this stage, keeping the pressure on England in the field, via BBC Sport:

South Africa would head to the field knowing it would need to be magnificent after posting just 175 runs in 38.4 overs.

The numbers were shocking for the Proteas, as everyone expected England to surpass their mark with ease, via BBC Sport:

Excited English players wasted no time congratulating and celebrating with each other following the success in the field, via International Cricket Council:

The celebration wouldn't last long, however, as South Africa started off strong in the field itself. Not long after, Liam Cupido highlighted what it would take from Gary Kirsten's bunch in order to snag the victory:

The order was too tall for South Africa, though, as Jonathan Trott and England were able to land the runs they needed to return to the final for the first time since England last hosted the ICC One Day International tournament back in 2004, via ICC:

English spin bowler James Tredwell was the Man of the Match on Wednesday, dominating the South African batters during his time on the pitch. ODI captain Alastair Cook was quick to give praise to Tredwell as well as James Anderson, who also played a brilliant match, via ICC:

The loss is no doubt a painful one for South Africa, which has not won the ICC One Day International tournament since 1998 in Bangladesh.

ODI captain AB de Villiers made no excuses for his squad, acknowledging their early struggles after the match, via ICC:

England will have to wait for Thursday's second semifinal match between India and Sri Lanka to see which side it will play in the tournament final, but will be happy to do so.

The ICC Champions Trophy final is scheduled for Sunday, June 23 at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham. Keep in mind that England's lone loss in the group stage this year came against Sri Lanka.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

ICC Cricket 2013: Players to Watch in India-Sri Lanka Semifinal Matchup

Benjamin Klein — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:23:07 -0400

Either India or Sri Lanka will be advancing to the ICC Champions Trophy final match and this fixture will feature some of the top players in the entire tournament.

Throughout group play, we’ve seen several great performances from those hitting and those bowling. India and Sri Lanka are the only two teams with a player who has accomplished a century thus far. In terms of bowlers, India has a bit of an edge, but Sri Lanka should be able to hold its own.

Both teams have played very well to this point in the tournament, India entering the semifinal undefeated and Sri Lanka with two wins and a close loss during group play.

So, which team is going to get the opportunity to play for the title against England? Well, we’ll have to wait to see who wins, but these players will certainly have a big impact on the result.

Ravindra Jadeja, India

Ravindra Jadeja will easily be the most feared bowler in this semifinal matchup. Jadeja has been unstoppable through India’s three matches during group play. He has a 3.59 economy rate, which is the third-best of any other player who has at least 10 overs. In 68 career ODI matches, Jadeja has a 4.72 economy rate.

Jadeja also has nine wickets to his credit through India’s trio of victories. That’s the third-most of any other bowler, two behind Mitchell McClenaghan (New Zealand) and one behind James Anderson (England). By the end of the ICC Champions Trophy, Jadeja could easily hold the lead—especially with how he’s played.

Against South Africa, Jadeja had a 3.44 economy rate and a pair of wickets. He was just as good against the West Indies, finishing with a 3.60 economy rate and five wickets. Jadeja made it three straight great performances when Indian defeated Pakistan, as he allowed 30 runs on eight overs and added a pair of wickets.

Jadeja has been one of the better bats for India too, but it’s clear that he’s much more valuable when he’s bowling. If Jadeja can continue to bowl well when India takes on Sri Lanka, there’s a strong likelihood that the Indians advance to the final.

Shikhar Dhawan, India

Shikhar Dhawan has hit better than any other player at the ICC Champions Trophy. He has a commanding lead in runs scored, strike and batting average. Through India’s first three fixtures of the tournament, Dhawan has scored 264 runs, which is 49 more than the next closest player—who I’ll talk about later.

Dhawan had 114 runs against South Africa, 102 runs against the West Indies and 48 against Pakistan. Dhawan’s pair of centuries is the most of anyone else in the tournament and only one other player has reached the 100-run mark during one match.

India has scored 643 runs in its three victories, meaning that Dhawan has contributed 41 percent of the team’s run production.

Dhawan needs to be successful in the semifinal against Sri Lanka or India might be in a bit of trouble. India still came out on top when he only scored 49, but another performance like that might not get the job done.

Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka

Kumar Sangakkara has been the other player I’ve been referencing for most of the article without actually saying his name. He has been nearly just as good as Dhawan and has really helped Sri Lanka advance to the semifinals. He’ll hope to lead his team into the final for the first time since 2002.

Sangakkara has the third-most runs ever at the ICC Champions Trophy, and if India ends up winning the title, he could potentially break the all-time record. He sits 38 runs behind his teammate, Mahela Jayawardene and 125 behind Chris Gayle, according to ESPN CricInfo. He already has one century in this year’s tournament and has the potential to break it in just one fixture.

Sangakkara has the second-most runs of anyone in this year’s tournament with 205 runs. He had just 68 runs when Sir Lanka lost to New Zealand, but followed that up with a 134-run performance against England—who Sri Lanka could potentially face in the final. When Sri Lanka recently beat Australia by 20 runs, he scored three times.

If Sangakkara doesn’t have a strong match against India, his team could easily get bounced from the tournament. His team relies on him to score plenty of runs each time it plays and if he can’t come through, it likely will be the end for Sri Lanka.

Formula 1 Tyre Test Scandal: Possible Punishments for Mercedes

James Neilsen — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:20:06 -0400

Mercedes and Pirelli will find themselves in the dock at the FIA International Tribunal (IT) this Thursday (20 June) as Formula One's "Tyregate" controversy approaches its conclusion.

It all stems from a "secret" tyre test back in May, held by Pirelli.

Accusations and press releases have been flying around the paddock for weeks now. Finger-pointing seems to be the order of the day, with everyone blaming someone else for the mess.

Their rivals claim Mercedes have broken the sporting regulations which ban in-season testing. The team and Pirelli dispute that, claiming the test was legal under the terms of Pirelli's contract and that they had the FIA's permission.

Of course, the FIA say they didn't.

The decision on who to punish, and what the punishment will be, will be made by at least three of the 12 judges elected to the IT for three-year terms in 2011. Due to the nationality of the parties involved, the one Italian (Pirelli) and two German (Mercedes) judges are excluded from selection.

Though elected by the FIA, the IT operates independently of the governing body.

It's impossible to say who'll be blamed for what, but that isn't stopping us from guessing.

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Can Doc Rivers Actually Return to Celtics Bench After Wanting Out?

Adam Fromal — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:19:42 -0400

Now that Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers are no longer going to be getting together, it's time for the Boston Celtics to see if they can pick up the pieces and allow the gravel-voiced head coach to return to the sidelines of the TD Garden.

Unfortunately, those pieces are scattered all over the place, from the Charles River to Hollywood.

It's one thing to actively shop a player who has no other options, testing the waters to see what you can get for him. It's another matter entirely to attempt trading a head coach who is already disgruntled and contemplating either retirement or a move to another team.

That said, the deal is completely dead. According to the Boston Globe's Baxter Holmes, this has been confirmed by Boston general manager Danny Ainge:

This is no anonymous source, but rather words from the mouth of the man at the center of this failed deal. From the sounds of things—I hesitate to be any more definitive until the Clippers actually hire a different coach—Boston is moving firmly into the process of appeasing Doc.

That's no easy task, and it might be tougher still for Boston fans and players to accept Rivers returning to the sidelines after giving no clear indication that he still wanted to coach the team he once guided to a championship.

The original question posed in this article dealt with whether or not Rivers can actually return to the bench, and the answer is as complicated as these failed negotiations.

In short, It depends on the rest of the roster. As seems to be the case with everything else this offseason In Boston, what Ainge chooses to do with Paul Pierce will determine the fate of the franchise.

If Pierce Stays

Boston has until June 30 to decide whether it wants to keep Pierce on the roster for $12.4 million or buy out his contract and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent.

If "The Truth" is allowed to continue playing for the team with which he's spent his entire professional career, there's little doubt that Rivers will be able to pace the sidelines of the Garden once more. As Pierce goes, Kevin Garnett goes, and the relationship KG and Rivers share is a special one.

Keeping the small forward is a clear indication from Ainge that he believes in the short-term ability of the C's.

He'd be counting on a healthy Rajon Rondo coming back and allowing Boston to take the next step, cementing itself alongside the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls as one of the truly elite teams in the Eastern Conference.

There's something to be said for chemistry in the NBA, and that makes Rivers the best man for the job in this situation. Fans—the ones who have learned to appreciate the man who has coached the second-most games in Boston history and will pass Tom Heinsohn for the second-most wins in franchise history during the upcoming season—will easily accept this.

Nothing makes forgiveness easier than winning. It's the panacea of the sports world. Plus, there's a large contingent of people out there who don't even feel the need to forgive Rivers in the first place.

Players will still accept "Ubuntu," largely because they have no choice but to respect the man who helped hang the latest championship banner up in the rafters. Between that and the locker-room enforcement of KG, that won't be too difficult.

It's hard to see any players leading a mutiny during the 2013-14 season.

Garnett would never allow it, and Pierce's presence on the court strictly prohibits it. Even though Rivers has alienated most of the C's by making it quite clear that he wasn't completely committed to coaching them, his pacing up and down the sideline gives them the best chance at victory.

Rivers and his froggy voice are familiar with the Boston personnel. He knows how to coach them, and they know how to play in his system. He's also a certainty, whereas the rest of the coaching candidates are surrounded by questions marks.

George Karl and Lionel Hollins have emerged as fantastic head coaches, but we don't know how their philosophies would translate to Beantown. And as for Brian Shaw, we don't even know if he's capable of being a head coach yet. We think he will, but you don't want to just cross your fingers and hand him a contending roster.

The best option is still Rivers, despite all of the drama he's been a part of lately. But that's only true if Pierce and KG remain on the roster.

That's a big "if."

If Pierce Goes

Now let's say that No. 34 is indeed bought out by Ainge, and he departs Boston for a new location. The grass might not necessarily be greener—that's tough when you're leaving the Celtics—but Pierce would be given a true opportunity to compete for a title during the twilight of his career.

If this happens, you can bet on Garnett leaving town as well. As B/R's Matthew Schmidt states, there is no other option:

That's why Garnett is only going to come back if Pierce is in a Celtics uniform. San Antonio has given Boston hope, hope that, in KG's mind, is only legitimate if The Truth's leash is extended for another season.

Without Garnett, there's roughly a negative-3.2 percent chance that Rivers wants to stay. That's right. It's less than zero (not that such a thing is mathematically possible).

The head coach's relationship with Garnett was one of the few things keeping this option open, and he'd have no motivation to return to a locker room in which Rajon Rondo was the primary presence. The talented point guard is notoriously difficult to coach, and he never built the type of relationship that Rivers enjoyed with his two veteran teammates.

In fact, this whole situation would be rather problematic for the majority of Boston's remaining roster. The following is a quote from Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, delivered in a radio interview on The Dan Patrick Show:

Doc hasn't taken a lot of grief, because Doc's a great guy. The media loves him, myself included, and he's done a fantastic job in Boston. But I'm not sure Doc can go back to Boston either way. I think he's burned this bridge pretty good. I'm not sure how he walks back into that Celtics locker room and looks at some of these young players in the eye and basically says, "I didn't want to coach you."

You know he wants to coach the veterans that are still there. He wants to make one more run, but the guys that are going to be part of this team long term—the Rajon Rondos, the Avery Bradleys, the Jeff Greens, the Jared Sullingers—I'm not sure how he goes back to them and says, "I'm still OK with coaching you, you still have to have the same level of respect for me." I think that you can't really put the genie back in the bottle here, and I think we may have reached the point of no return on Doc Rivers.

As Christina Aguilera once stated so eloquently, genies in the bottle have to be rubbed the right way. This whole trade fiasco has not allowed Rivers to make the proper strokes.

If Pierce and KG are gone, Boston is inevitably going to be thrust into some sort of rebuilding mode. It may not be a full rebuild, as there's still a lot of talent on the roster, but it's still going to be one of some sort.

Rivers is not the right coach for that situation.

While he's a great manager of personalities, a fantastic in-game coach and a tremendous motivator, the perennially hoarse sideline figure is not a great developer of talent. And when you're in a rebuild, that's what you need more than anything else.

Tough as this claim is to make, Brian Shaw would become a better fit for the roster.

Throughout his time with the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers, the future head coach has made his mark by speeding up the growth curves of young players. He helped Andrew Bynum take the next step before allowing Paul George and Lance Stephenson to truly blossom.

Given the inevitable presence of youth on the Boston roster, he'd be the best option in this situation.

Truth be told, we don't know yet whether Rivers can realistically return to the Celtics' bench. There are too many factors that lie outside of his control.

But by June 30, we will certainly have a better idea. Just as seems to be the case with everything this offseason, it hinges on what happens to Paul Pierce.

NHL Trade Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs Must Stay Away from Jonathan Bernier

Jon Reid — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:18:43 -0400

Here we go again.

More NHL trade rumors have come about regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs and goaltending.

It seems like no matter how well James Reimer plays, the Toronto media and a portion of the fanbase still don't trust the 25-year-old Manitoba native.

Yet, according to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, the Leafs may still be in the hunt for Los Angeles Kings backup netminder Jonathan Bernier (via twitter):

Keep hearing #Kings Bernier will b traded sooner than later. With poss' Breeze buyout and Leiweke LA link, #Leafs #Flyers front-runners
— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) June 18, 2013

Why Dave Nonis would want to give up assets like draft picks or young prospects (the reported asking price) for a backup goaltender who is about to hit restricted free agency is beyond me.

Sure, James Reimer has been hurt in each of his last two seasons, but Ben Scrivens has proven to be more than capable in the backup role.

This season, Scrivens played 20 games for the Leafs and had a respectable 2.69 GAA and .915 save percentage.

His numbers may not have been as stellar as Jonathan Bernier's in a backup role, but keep in mind the Leafs are a far worse possession team and aren't nearly as good defensively.

Is it really worth the price to upgrade your backup goaltender spot and bury Ben Scrivens in the minors?

Secondly, for those who believe in bringing in Bernier to potentially start or give James Reimer a run for his money as the Leafs' starting goalie, you must remember just how good James Reimer was this season, both during the shortened regular campaign and in the playoffs.

At the age of 24 (though he turned 25 in March), Reimer was able to post a 2.46 GAA and .924 save percentage. In the 2013 postseason, his GAA spiked a little bit, but he was still stopping over 92 percent of the shots he faced, registering a .923 save percentage and helping Toronto steal Game 5 against the Boston Bruins.

For starters, that gives him the best save percentage for a single season in Toronto Maple Leafs' history (with at least 25 games played), just ahead of Ed Belfour.

Speaking of Ed Belfour, who is widely regarded as a great NHL goaltender, just how good was he at James Reimer's age?

Well in the 1990-91 NHL season, Belfour posted a GAA of 2.47 and save percentage of just .910.

Compare Reimer to another favorite among Leafs fans, Curtis Joseph, and you'll get the same result: CuJo didn't register a sub-3.00 GAA until he was nearly 30 years old.

James Reimer probably hasn't even hit his prime yet, and he's already putting up Ed Belfour and Curtis Joseph-like numbers. Trading for Bernier right now looks to be a complete waste of assets to make a lateral move, at best.

The final reason Dave Nonis should put the Bernier rumors on the back-burner, is because finding another goaltender is so far down the Leafs' priority list right now, it may as well be in fine print.

At this juncture, Toronto has to make big decisions on who they want to buyout, their unrestricted free agents (mainly Clarke MacArthur and Tyler Bozak), who should fill the No. 1 center role, locking up Phil Kessel (who's contract ends following the 2013-14 campaign), ensuring they keep all of their talented restricted free agents (who compose a significant part of Toronto's team) and preparing for the 2013 NHL Draft.

All of those things have the potential to make a far greater impact in Toronto than dealing for a restricted free agent backup goaltender.

Trading for Jonathan Bernier just doesn't make sense.

Follow @JawnReid

Zeb Colter, Antonio Cesaro and Mick Foley Featured on The Daily Show

Ryan Dilbert — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:18:29 -0400

WWE again received some mainstream attention thanks to Zeb Colter, this time when John Oliver responded to Antonio Cesaro's new manager on The Daily Show.

On Monday's WWE Raw, the Swiss Superstar joined forces with Colter, taking out their mutual frustrations about the direction of the country on Cesaro's opponent. What caught Comedy Central's attention was the debate the WWE announcers had during Cesaro’s match with William Regal and mentioning Oliver by name.

Colter has been harping against immigrants since his arrival. He has argued that they are the main cause for so many of America’s ills. For him to then team up with a European immigrant stirs up questions of racism and prejudice.

Oliver, who has taken over hosting duties in Jon Stewart's absence, showed the clip from WWE Raw and praised WWE for making more valid points in the immigration debate than those made by government officials.

He called it "a good discussion about the ambivalence and hypocrisy at the heart of our policies."

It's not often that WWE happenings get reported on by news organizations, but Colter's controversial rhetoric has changed that. Touching on a sensitive issue and mocking conservative dogma has had Colter and WWE become the target of conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

This time around, the reception was extremely positive. Oliver was excited about this debate being combined with "half-naked men fighting."

Oliver ran with the angle and responded to Colter's assertion that immigrants were like "rats in the street." With a retro WWE title belt on his shoulder, his suit sleeves torn and fire roaring on a green screen behind him, the British comedian cut a hilarious promo. Watch the full video here.

Mick Foley joined him to add to the fun.

Oliver and Foley called out Colter, questioning his toughness and refuting his views. It is the first wrestling trash-talking session in history that has used the phrase, "that is the economic reality of the situation."

Foley told Colter that "while immigrants are taking the path to citizenship, you'll be crawling down the path to the emergency room."

Beyond being an amusing merging of worlds, the fact that Cesaro and Colter are being introduced to an audience who largely does not know who they are has to make the WWE very happy. The more eyes Colter’s controversy can bring to the product the better.

This is further proof of Colter's power as a manager.

Joining Colter in his growing militia means added expose for Cesaro, whose talent hasn't translated into major success with the company as of yet. Colter's ability to unsettle us with his rants helped Jack Swagger earn a WrestleMania world championship bout. It could mean similar success for Cesaro in the future.

Let's just hope it doesn't lead to John Oliver vs. Zeb Colter at SummerSlam.

Stanley Cup Finals 2013: Trends That Will Decide Pivotal Game 4

Zach Brown — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:17:14 -0400

The Boston Bruins seem to have everything going their way in this year's Stanley Cup Final. In Game 3 on Monday night, the Chicago Blackhawks looked outmatched as they failed to sustain any offensive pressure while Boston controlled the puck throughout the game.

The two teams will meet again tonight in Boston, where the Bruins have won their last seven playoff games.

But Boston has more than just home ice advantage working for them. The Bruins have done the little things well, like keeping Patrick Kane in check and winning the battle in the faceoff circle. If these trends continue, the Bruins will be skating with the Stanley Cup again in 2013.

Patrick Kane's Disappearance

Throughout the regular season, captain Patrick Kane was Chicago's heart and soul. He recorded 23 goals and 32 assists in 47 games.

Kane, however, has been nearly invisible so far in the Stanley Cup Final, recording just a single assist in three games.

As former coach and analyst Ed Olczyk explained to ESPN's Scott Burnside:

"That's the biggest thing for me when this team is playing [well]: They play inside the dots. They're not getting there a lot and they're not getting a lot of second-, third-chance opportunities."

For Chicago to even the series tonight, Kane and the Blackhawks offense are going to have to find ways to get the puck deep in the zone and create scoring chances, something they were unable to do in Game 3.

It all starts with creating space for Patrick Kane.

Goaltending

Boston's Tuukka Rask has been a wall throughout the playoffs, recording a 1.64 GAA while blocking 95 percent of the shots directed at him.

Rask's shutout in Game 3 was overshadowed by his team's performance.

As Sports Illustrated's Brian Cazeneuve wrote,

"The Bruins have clogged the neutral zone, limited Chicago's stretch-passing game, and so thoroughly muffled the Hawks that goaltender Tuukka Rask's 28-save effort almost seemed like an afterthought."

Boston's stifling defense has certainly helped, keeping the Blackhawks from establishing themselves deep in the offensive zone, but Rask was able to answer the bell all 28 times he was called upon in Game 3.

On the other end of the ice, Corey Crawford has been solid, but the Bruins have found a weakness high on the glove side. According to ESPN's NHL Shot Tracker, all seven of the goals ceded by Crawford have been high, five of them coming on the glove side.

It will be hard for the Blackhawks to adjust on defense. If the defensemen cheat to Crawford's glove side, they risk opening space on the left wing, giving increased scoring opportunities for players like Milan Lucic and Daniel Paille.

Faceoffs

With the Stanley Cup on the line, the battle to control the puck off the draw is critical. In Game 3, the battle for puck possession was clearly won by the Bruins, and it started in the faceoff circle.

Boston won 40 of 56 faceoffs in Game 3, better than 70 percent for the night. More importantly, the Bruins were 17 of 23 in the defensive end, preventing countless scoring chances just by winning their draws.

"When a team like the Blackhawks relies largely on a puck-possession game, face-offs become critical, especially when it’s struggling to generate offense," noted Sarah Kwak of Sports Illustrated.

The Bruins' dominance in the circle begins and ends with Patrice Bergeron, who was nearly unbeatable on Monday night, winning 24 of 28 draws, including going a perfect 8-for-8 against Michal Handzus.

With home-ice advantage comes last change, allowing Bruins coach Claude Julien to continue to exploit this matchup tonight at TD Garden.

Winning the faceoff battle is the first step to winning the game. If Boston can keep control of the puck off the draw once again tonight, the Blackhawks offense will have a hard time generating scoring chances and the Bruins will leave home with a 3-1 advantage.

Heat vs. Spurs: Key Stats and Must-Know Info for Game 7 of 2013 NBA Finals

Alex Kay — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:17:11 -0400

As you may have heard by now, the Miami Heat came back from a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to eventually steal Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals away from the San Antonio Spurs in an instant-classic overtime battle.

With the championship now undeniably set to be decided in Game 7, scheduled for Thursday night, you are going to want to keep reading to find out the most important stats and other interesting tidbits that may end up altering the outcome.

At the very least, knowing these things will make you an intelligent viewer, so read on to impress your friends and become a more knowledgeable fan.

Three-Pointers Matter

Obviously, having the ability to make treys on a consistent basis is a huge advantage for a team in the NBA. As expected, the three-ball has been a huge determining factor for the outcomes of games in this series.

Look no further than LeBron James’ and—especially—Ray Allen’s back-to-back bombs with the clock winding down, daggers that forced both overtime and arena security to put away the yellow ropes that would allow the Spurs to celebrate their championship without hindrance.

As a team, the Heat went a sizzling 11-of-19 from downtown, which makes a huge difference when contrasted with the Spurs brick-filled 5-of-18 performance in Game 6.

However, the Spurs have used the long-distance shot to their advantage in this series. Emerging star swingman Danny Green has made a living from the perimeter, knocking down 26 three-pointers and counting thus far—shattering Allen’s previous record of 22.

It’s not a sure bet, but the team that makes the most and shoots the highest percentage on threes will likely win the championship on Thursday. That was the case in Games 2, 3, 4 and 6 and certainly could be the deciding factor in Game 7.

Tim Duncan May Have Given His All

Through the first five games of the series, Tim Duncan was solid, but not excellent. He quietly grinded away in the low-post, scoring when he could and grabbing plenty of rebounds, but never made the major difference that a two-time Finals MVP should.

That all changed in Game 6, when Duncan came out and put on a clinic, wowing us all with one of the most dominant first halves of basketball the Finals has ever seen. He connected on 11-of-13 attempts for 25 points—half of San Antonio’s 50 points after 24 minutes of play.

He put the team on his back and finished with 30 points and 17 boards, numbers in line with his other huge performances in must-win scenarios.

As per Grantland’s Bill Simmons, The Big Fundamental always comes to play with a chance to end a critically important series. Check out the graph below to see some of his very best performances:

He was no different in Game 6, but the Spurs ultimately failed due to his second-half shortcomings and the last-minute meltdown.

If he’s not able to muster another performance of that ilk in Game 7, it will be hard to blame the 37-year-old power forward. He gave it his all and came up just short.

No Road Team Has Ever Won in this Situation

Going into the final game of the 2012-13 NBA season, the Spurs would be wise to stay away from the history books.

The last time a road team won a Game 7 was all the way back in 1978, when Wes Unseld led his Washington Bullets to a championship over the Seattle SuperSonics, back when the Finals format was still 2-2-1-1-1.

Now that the modern 2-3-2 method is installed, the Heat are looking to prove that their sterling regular season mattered and home court advantage through the Finals was a worthy proposition to fight for.

They would be following the 1988 Los Angeles Lakers, 1994 Houston Rockets and 2010 Lakers as just the fourth team in history to win Game 6 and 7 at home, as per ESPN Stats & Info:

Considering the Spurs had their heart ripped out in the waning moments of regulation and overtime on Tuesday night, it’s hard to imagine them recovering and mustering the spirit to go another round.

Don’t be surprised when Miami claims its second-straight championship in a Game 7 blowout.

10 European Under-21 Stars in the Making

Dan Sheridan — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:16:25 -0400

While Spain proceeded to dominate the recent European Under-21 Championships, beating Italy 4-2 to lift the trophy for a fourth time, a wealth of talent from across the continent was on show.

Headlines were grabbed by well-established stars such as Barcelona’s Thiago Alcantara - a hat-trick hero in the final - and Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.

But beyond the well-known names and faces, a host of young players from a range of nations caught the eye and reminded the watching world what they’re capable of.

Here we take a look at ten such stars in the making, who will be looking to grab the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs and become household names themselves over the coming seasons.

Begin Slideshow

Stanley Cup Final Game 4 Preview: 5 Things Needed from the Chicago Blackhawks

Jon Fromi — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:09:32 -0400

The Chicago Blackhawks go into Game 4 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final needing a win to even the series. Based on how things went Monday in Boston, the Blackhawks are going to have to raise their game a notch to gain equal footing heading back to Chicago.

The Blackhawks were blanked 2-0 in Game 3. Boston had Chicago's offense in check, dominated draws and currently holds the momentum heading into Wednesday's action.

How does Chicago get that momentum back?

Here are five things we need to see from the Blackhawks in Game 4.

Begin Slideshow

Is Michigan Best Fit Among 4-Star Garrett Dickerson's Final 3 Schools?

Brian Leigh — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:05:28 -0400

With official visits looming this fall, 4-star recruit Garrett Dickerson has chosen a path of minimalism, narrowing his list of schools down to three.

According to ESPN.com, Dickerson, a rising senior at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, is now only choosing between Stanford, Northwestern and the Michigan Wolverines.

Dickerson stands 6'4'' and weighs 270 pounds. Blessed with that nice combination of height, bulk and athleticism, he is capable of playing both tight end and defensive end at the next level. Though many saw Dickerson playing offense at the dawn of his recruitment, it's now looking more and more like he might make the transition to defense.

Which is exactly why Michigan would be such a good fit for him. The Wolverines already have a 4-star tight end, Ian Bunting, signed up from the Class of 2014, and they, like any team, could always use more talented pass rushers. And that is exactly what Dickerson would provide.

Michigan's 2014 class also includes Lawrence Marshall, another 4-star defensive end who many predicted would go to Michigan State. That coup was great for the Wolverines in a vacuum, but would amplify in importance if the team signed Dickerson. It would give Michigan a pair of 4-star pass rushers to build around.

There was a bit of a void at that position in Michigan's 2013 class, where only one defensive end, 4-star freshman Taco Charlton, took his talents to Ann Arbor. For some teams, two 4-star recruits in two seasons would be a gold mine. But Michigan isn't some teams. Not every prospect pans out, and if either Marshall or Charlton go awry, they need another capable body. They need a guy like Dickerson in the fold.

More than anything, though, Dickerson would get to work with Brady Hoke, a coach who's proven his ability to be flexible with players. He was bold in moving Denard Robinson to receiver late last season, leaving himself vulnerable to vitriol, but in truth it was the best move for the team. And judging by Robinson's early form with the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was probably the best move for the player too.

Hoke would exhibit the same type of suppleness with Dickerson, letting a unique athlete grow into his body and find out what he does best. Michigan might prefer him to play defense, but if Dickerson wants to prove himself at tight end, the coaching staff should not be hostile to that idea. They've recruited well the past few years; they can afford to be patient.

By contrast, a team like Stanford usually cares about technical skill more than physical upside. Their defensive lineman archetype is not the guy who switched over from tight end; it's the guy who was born and raised to battle opposing tackles.

Northwestern has been more amenable to defenders like Dickerson, but doesn't possess that big-stage opportunity of Michigan. The allure of wearing Maize and Blue has not been lost on Dickerson, who said (per ESPN.com):

I got to go out there and got to see being in the Big House, 110,000 people.

I have good contact with Coach [Curt] Mallory. I speak to him a lot and really feel I can fit into their system and make an impact. They’re excited about me and want me to get out there again on an official.

It's the first part that's most important, that intoxicating effect the Big House clearly had. That's the kind of thing that Northwestern simply can't match.

Still, there are plenty of obstacles still standing between Dickerson and Ann Arbor. It's clear by his top three that Dickerson values his education, and Stanford and Northwestern, like Michigan, are two of the most prestigious academic institutions in America. His older brother, Cameron, plays wide receiver at Northwestern and Dickerson's high-school teammate, Kyle Quiero, just committed to play in Evanston too.

But Michigan would afford Dickerson a unique situation, both in prestige and opportunity. At the end of the day, that probably makes it the best fit of his final three.

Top 4 Transfers: The Best Signings from La Liga's Summer so Far

Tim Stannard — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:00:00 -0400

All but two La Liga teams are penniless and are sniffing abound for freebies and loan deals for their new signings. This sees selecting gold-plated, stomach-tingling summer transfers being a bit of a tough affair. However there are four standout candidates from the close season so far that have been ranked in order of genius using a complex formula of bias, quality, potential impact and most importantly of all, value.

1 - Dani Carvajal: Bayer Leverkusen to Real Madrid (€6.5 million)

If Madrid did not activate a buy-back clause on the former youth teamer who spent a glorious year in the Bundesliga, then club president Florentino Perez would have had a serious pitchfork-waving revolt on his hands. The right-back berth was the weak spot for the Spanish side for the whole of the past season. First choice player, Alvaro Arbeloa is solid but limited in terms of offensive play. Sergio Ramos is best left in the centre of defence. Even Michael Essien, Fabio Coentrao and Jose Callejon got a go on the flank last year. And that really cannot be a good thing.

In bringing Carvajal back from Germany, Madrid have brought in a potential fixture in the full-back position for the next ten years—a 21-year-old defender who is not the tallest but who possesses speed, attacking ability and boundless energy to run up and down the touchline all day. It’s a move that could turn out to be a bargain in a decade’s time for Real Madrid.

2 - Leo Baptistao: Rayo Vallecano to Atletico Madrid (€7 million)

The Brazilian youngster is by no means a replacement for the departed Falcao and the forward’s billions of goals. However, the purchase sees a touch of flair and quality being added to the Atletico squad. Whilst Diego Costa and a big name striker to come will lead the line, Baptistao will offer much needed goalscoring assistance to the club in a long campaign that sees the return of Champions League football to the Vicente Calderón.

The twenty-year-old is not exactly prolific with just seven league goals scored last season, and recently broke a collarbone. Nevertheless, the former has sublime skills when required and the ability to pull off the remarkable against hardened defenses.

3 - Neymar: Santos to Barcelona (€57 million)

There are those who may declare this to be the swoop of the summer and that absolute madness has been written. After all, this is the most in-demand footballer on the planet who will add even more attacking magic to an already outstanding forward line for Barcelona. But, this grump goat of a column is very much in the wait-and-see camp with the Zlatan Ibrahimovic disaster still fresh in the memory.

The open questions of a very expensive deal for Barcelona have already been much mulled over. Will La Liga be too aggressive for the Brazilian? Is Neymar merely a YouTube footballer? Can the forward ever fit into to Barcelona’s passing scheme and can the incoming upstart and Leo Messi ever be friends. For these reasons, Neymar is certainly the most spectacular signing not just in La Liga but the world this summer, but this jury is still out on whether it is the best.

4 - Javi Fuego: Rayo Vallecano to Valencia (free transfer)

Whilst Rayo Vallecano’s successful survival bids have been lead by the goals of Michu, Diego Costa and Piti over the past two seasons, the Madrid club would have been sunk without Javi Fuego. The 29-year-old Asturian has spent three years in the Republic of Vallecas doing the dirty work for the team, by sniffing out any danger coming from midfield and dealing with the peril in a no-nonsense fashion. It is no wonder that Valencia have moved for the midfielder who was out of contract with Rayo as the replacement for David Albelda and a potential candidate to anchor the Mestalla midfield.

Honourable Mentions

Sevilla have picked up a good deal with signing the previously on-loan goalkeeper, Beto, for €2 million to replace the departing veteran Andres Palop. Nelson Valdez is a handy squad filler up front for Valencia at the cost of €3 million. Betis have also made an intriguing signing in recruiting Cedric from Numancia for the very specific value of €1.21.

Boston vs Chicago Betting: Odds Favor Bruins, History Favors Blackhawks

Mike Pickett — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:58:46 -0400

Leading the Stanley Cup Finals heading into Game 4 has been a kiss of death in recent years, a stat that heartens Chicago Blackhawk bettors tonight in Boston.

In the past four seasons, the team leading the NHL championship round has lost Game 4. With the Bruins leading the series 2-1, history tells us that Chicago could win here, even if the odds say otherwise.

Boston was sitting as -135 moneyline favorites earlier today at most sportsbooks tracked by OddsShark.com. A few had the price lower at -130.

But the Los Angeles Kings were looking for a sweep last year before losing Game 4 to New Jersey. A year earlier, the Bruins were trailing Vancouver 2-1 in the 2011 Finals when they won Game 4.

In 2010, the same Blackhawks who trail today were leading the Flyers 2-1. They lost Game 4 as well. Ditto in 2009, when the Penguins won Game 4 while trailing the Red Wings in the series.

"It's far from a definitive betting angle, but it is something to consider for hockey fans tonight," according to Jack Randall, a hockey analyst at Odds Shark.

"Put it together with Marian Hossa's questionable status and the fact Chicago is just 3-6 SU in their past nine road games and you are building a case for the Bruins to win here."

Boston locked down Chicago in a 2-0 Game 3 performance. Goalie Tuukka Rask has now given up one goal in total in his past three home games. He looks unbeatable at times, giving rise to tempting NHL Finals odds that they could run the table and win the series 4-1.

The Bruins have won seven straight at home, including back-to-back shutouts of the league's highest-scoring teams (Chicago and Pittsburgh). They have allowed two goals in four home games.

Chicago, meanwhile, is in danger of losing three straight for the second time in these playoffs. They lost three to Detroit, before rallying from a 3-1 series deficit to advance.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Should Alabama Worry Oklahoma is After 4-Star Tide Commit Deionte Thompson?

Andrew Kulha — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:58:35 -0400

Alabama commitment Deionte Thompson is a 2015 recruit, so there's plenty of time for his recruitment to shake up. That said, there's little reason for the Crimson Tide to worry they will lose Thompson's commitment.

Sure, anything can happen—this is college football recruiting, after all—but Alabama is, well, Alabama. It's going to be hard for any program to pry away Saban's commitments as long as he's the coach and the Tide are competing for national championships.

Why the fuss though?

According to Alex King of SoonerScoop.com, Oklahoma has offered Thompson despite his commitment to 'Bama:

That commitment to the SEC powerhouse though hasn't halted other programs from offering Thompson who boasts a growing list that includes the likes of Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Utah and one of his more recent offers - Oklahoma. The Sooners offered the 6-foot-3 and 172-pound prospect shortly after the Satellite camp on June 9 that was cancelled due to weather in Houston that he was present at.

"They have been recruiting me, I think, the first day they came to the school was in April sometime. Coach (Tim) Kish told me about the camp. I just decided that I wanted to go to Oklahoma's camp because it was closer than all the other camps were. It got rained out and I didn't get to perform but I felt like I was going to perform really well that day," Thompson replied.

Though the Sooners didn't get to see Thompson workout in person, it's obvious they were already impressed enough with what they had already seen of him. The offer was made by Kish, who informed Thompson's head coach, who then told the West Orange Stark product's dad, who then relayed the message to his son.

"It was exciting because growing up and watching Oklahoma they always had a powerful team. It's just a great feeling," he answered.

Oklahoma is a marquee college football program and coach Bob Stoops is a great recruiter, so this is not to say that the Sooners couldn't out-recruit Saban for Thompson. The one thing Oklahoma does have going for it is a substantial pipeline with Thompson's school, West Orange Stark High in Orange, Texas.

King mentions that West Orange has sent players like Trey Franks, James Haynes and Gayron Allen to Oklahoma, and Thompson does recognize that connection, per the report:

"At West Orange Stark we've had a couple of players go to OU. Just knowing what kind of program they have and playing in National Championships and stuff, it lets me know that they have a great program," he explained.

King also reports that Thompson might visit Oklahoma.

With all that in mind though, Thompson did tell King that his commitment to Alabama is "100-percent" and it "most likely won't be changing".

Considering Alabama's national championship track record that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon, it would be hard to blame him for staying with the Crimson Tide.

2015's signing day is a long time away, but Alabama has little reason to worry Thompson's commitment will change.

Thompson is the No. 7 safety in the 2015 class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He's 6'2'', 175 pounds and runs a 4.65 40 (247Sports).

U-20 World Cup 2013: Groups, Fixtures, Teams, Preview and More

Timothy Rapp — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:56:58 -0400

We may have to wait a year for the World Cup in Brazil, but we'll get to see the stars of tomorrow compete this summer in the U-20 World Cup in Turkey.

With the Confederations Cup already in action and the U-20 World Cup starting soon, there will be plenty of chances to get your international soccer fix fulfilled this summer.

Below, you'll find everything you need to know heading into the tournament, including the teams, groups, a full list of fixtures and a preview of all the action. Enjoy.

Groups

Group A: France, Ghana, USA, Spain

Group B:Cuba, Korea Republic, Nigeria, Portugal

Group C: Turkey, El Salvador, Colombia, Australia

Group D: Mexico, Greece, Paraguay, Mali

Group E: Chile, Egypt, England, Iraq

Group F: New Zealand, Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Croatia

Matches and Viewing Schedule

Group A

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
2	June 21 at 11 a.m. ET	Istanbul	France vs. Ghana	WatchESPN
4	June 21 at 2 p.m. ET	Istanbul	USA vs. Spain	ESPN2; WatchESPN
13	June 24 at 11 a.m. ET	Istanbul	France vs. USA	ESPN2; ESPNU; WatchESPN
15	June 24 at 2 p.m. ET	Istanbul	Spain vs. Ghana	ESPNU; WatchESPN
27	June 27 at 1 p.m. ET	Istanbul	Spain vs. France	WatchESPN
28	June 27 at 1 p.m. ET	Kayseri	Ghana vs. USA	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Group B

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
1	June 21 at 11 a.m. ET	Kayseri	Cuba vs. Korea Republic	WatchESPN
3	June 21 at 2 p.m. ET	Kayseri	Nigeria vs. Portugal	WatchESPN
14	June 24 at 11 a.m. ET	Kayseri	Cuba vs. Nigeria	WatchESPN
16	June 24 at 2 p.m. ET	Kayseri	Portugal vs. Korea Republic	WatchESPN
25	June 27 at 10 a.m. ET	Istanbul	Korea Republic vs. Nigeria	WatchESPN
26	June 27 at 10 a.m. ET	Kayseri	Portugal vs. Cuba	WatchESPN

Group C

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
5	June 22 at 11 a.m. ET	Trabzon	Colombia vs. Australia	WatchESPN
7	June 22 at 2 p.m. ET	Trabzon	Turkey vs. El Salvador	ESPNU; WatchESPN
17	June 25 at 11 a.m. ET	Rize	Australia vs. El Salvador	WatchESPN
19	June 25 at 2 p.m. ET	Rize	Turkey vs. Colombia	ESPNU; WatchESPN
31	June 28 at 2 p.m. ET	Trabzon	Australia vs. Turkey	WatchESPN
32	June 28 at 2 p.m. ET	Gaziantep	El Salvador vs. Colombia	WatchESPN

Group D

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
6	June 22 at 11 a.m. ET	Gaziantep	Mexico vs. Greece	ESPNU; WatchESPN
8	June 22 at 2 p.m. ET	Gaziantep	Paraguay vs. Mali	WatchESPN
18	June 25 at 11 a.m. ET	Gaziantep	Mexico vs. Paraguay	ESPN2; ESPNU; WatchESPN
20	June 25 at 2 p.m. ET	Gaziantep	Mali vs. Greece	WatchESPN
29	June 28 at 11 a.m. ET	Trabzon	Greece vs. Paraguay	WatchESPN
30	June 28 at 11 a.m. ET	Gaziantep	Mali vs. Mexico	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Group E

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
9	June 23 at 11 a.m. ET	Antalya	Chile vs. Egypt	ESPNU; WatchESPN
11	June 23 at 2 p.m. ET	Antalya	England vs. Iraq	ESPNU; WatchESPN
21	June 26 at 11 a.m. ET	Antalya	Chile vs. England	WatchESPN
23	June 26 at 2 p.m. ET	Antalya	Iraq vs. Egypt	WatchESPN
35	June 29 at 2 p.m. ET	Antalya	Iraq vs. Chile	WatchESPN
36	June 29 at 2 p.m. ET	Bursa	Egypt vs. England	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Group F

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
10	June 23 at 10 a.m. ET	Bursa	New Zealand vs. Uzbekistan	WatchESPN
12	June 23 at 1 p.m. ET	Bursa	Uruguay vs. Croatia	WatchESPN
22	June 26 at 11 a.m. ET	Bursa	New Zealand vs. Uruguay	WatchESPN
24	June 26 at 2 p.m. ET	Bursa	Croatia vs. Uzbekistan	WatchESPN
33	June 29 at 11 a.m. ET	Antalya	Uzbekistan vs. Uruguay	WatchESPN
34	June 29 at 11 a.m. ET	Bursa	Croatia vs. New Zealand	WatchESPN

Round of 16 (All Games on ESPNU or WatchESPN)

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams
37	July 2 at 11 a.m. ET	Istanbul	1A vs. 3CDE
38	July 2 at 11 a.m. ET	Gaziantep	1D vs. 3BEF
39	July 2 at 2 p.m. ET	Istanbul	2B vs. 2F
40	July 2 at 2 p.m. ET	Gaziantep	2A vs. 2C
41	July 3 at 11 a.m. ET	Kayseri	1B vs. 3ACD
42	July 3 at 11 a.m. ET	Bursa	1F vs. 2E
43	July 3 at 2 p.m. ET	Trabzon	1C vs. 3ABF
44	July 3 at 2 p.m. ET	Antalya	1E vs. 2D

Quarterfinals

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
45	July 6 at 11 a.m. ET	Rize	W40 vs. W38	ESPNU; WatchESPN
46	July 6 at 2 p.m. ET	Bursa	W39 vs. W37	ESPNU; WatchESPN
47	July 7 at 11 a.m. ET	Kayseri	W44 vs. W43	ESPNU; WatchESPN
48	July 7 at 2 p.m. ET	Istanbul	W41 vs. W42	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Semifinals

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
49	July 10 at 11 a.m. ET	Bursa	W45 vs. W48	ESPNU; WatchESPN
50	July 10 at 2 p.m. ET	Trabzon	W47 vs. W46	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Third-Place Game

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
51	July 13 at 11 a.m. ET	Istanbul	L49 vs. L50	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Final

Match	Date and Time	Location	Teams	Watch
52	July 13 at 2 p.m. ET	Istanbul	W49 vs. W50	ESPNU; WatchESPN

Preview

Welcome to the Group of Death, United States.

The Americans will face a brutal challenge attempting to reach the knockout stage with France and Spain standing in their way, alongside Ghana.

France will be led by Juventus starlet Paul Pogba, who will arguably be the biggest star at this tournament. Of course, with Yaya Sanogo, Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Samuel Umtiti, this is a loaded French side.

And then there is Spain—in its 14th appearance at this tournament. With crafty midfielder Oliver and a slew of dangerous players in Gerard Deulofeu, Jese and Paco Alcacer, this Spanish side will be one of the favorites to watch for.

In other words, despite having one of the more talented sides in recent memory, led by Santos Laguna's Hector Joya, it would be a pretty big surprise if the United States finished in the top two in Group A. The team will likely have to advance as one of the four third-place teams to move on.

Mexico could win the whole thing, however. With a strong unit led by Jesus Corona, Marco Bueno and Antonio Briseno and a very winnable group—Greece, Paraguay and Mali aren't pushovers, but they aren't on the level of Mexico—El Tri should do some damage in this tournament.

Toulon runners-up Colombia, along with Portugal, Uruguay and England, should also threaten for the title.

Predictions

Loaded French and Spanish sides will advance out of Group A. Group B should be very interesting, with Portugal, Nigeria and the Korea Republic all capable of moving on, but I like Portugal and Nigeria to advance.

Colombia will dominate Group C, with hosts Turkey tagging along as well, while Mexico and Greece should advance out of Group D with little issue. England and Egypt will survive a tough Group E, while Uruguay and Croatia will move on in Group F.

Remember, in this tournament four third-place teams will advance. That's the meal ticket for the United States, along with the Korea Republic, Paraguay and Chile.

Look for Spain, France, Portugal and Colombia to reach the semifinals, with France knocking out Mexico in an excellent quarterfinal matchup. From there, France will defeat Portugal, while Spain will just sneak past a dangerous Colombia side.

In the final, it will be Pogba leading France to a mild upset over Spain, avenging Spain's finish atop Group A.

NFL 2013 Offseason Grades: Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Nagler — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:56:56 -0400

This is part of a series of videos grading NFL teams' offseasons, from the opening of free agency to the end of the draft, up through OTAs and minicamps.

Minnesota Vikings fans got a chance to witness an amazing season by an all-time great in 2012 that ended with a playoff berth. Provided this team gets some better play in one key spot, they could be in for even more success in 2013.

In the video above, I give my grades for free agency and the draft, as well as the team's offseason overall.

Let us know in the comments below where you agree or disagree and what kind of grade you would give the Vikings for their work this offseason.

Mason Plumlee's Pro Player Comparison

BRtv — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:45:42 -0400

While interviewing the top draft prospects of the 2013 NBA Draft Combine, Bleacher Report asked each one which NBA player he would compare himself to.

Afterward, we caught up with former Memphis Grizzlies scout Tony Barone Jr. to find out his pro player comparison for each prospect and what kind of impact these players will make in the NBA.

Watch now to see which NBA player Barone thinks Mason Plumlee is most like and what he thinks about his future in the NBA.

Which player do you think Plumlee plays like?

Let us know in the comments below.

Who John Smoltz and Cal Ripken Jr. Would Hate to Go Up Against in Today's MLB

Behind The Mic — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:39:17 -0400

John Smoltz and Cal Ripken Jr. join Behind the Mic to breakdown who in the majors they would hate to go up against today. From epic pitchers like Justin Masterson to the dominating Miguel Cabrera, watch now to see who these veteran players would not want to mess with.

Is Giannis Adetokunbo the Next Nicolas Batum?

BRtv — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:35:59 -0400

While interviewing the top draft prospects of the 2013 NBA Draft Combine, Bleacher Report asked each one which NBA player he would compare himself to.

Afterward, we caught up with former Memphis Grizzlies scout, Tony Barone Jr. to find out his pro player comparison for each prospect and what kind of impact these players will make in the NBA.

Watch now to see which NBA player Barone thinks Giannis Adetokunbo is most like and what he thinks about his future in the NBA.

Which player do you think Adetokunbo plays like?

Let us know in the comments below.

Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers Live Blog: Live Updates and Reaction

Daniel Williams — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:34:37 -0400

The Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers will take the field this afternoon in the final tilt of a three-game series. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:08 p.m. from Comerica Park in Detroit.

The teams have split the first two games of the series, the Tigers taking the first game 5-1 and Baltimore securing the second 5-2. Starting pitchers for today’s game feature Chris Tillman (7-2) against Rick Porcello (4-3).

Tillman toes the rubber for Baltimore having won four of his last five starts, including three straight over Houston, Tampa Bay and Boston. He has an ERA of 3.61 with a 1.28 WHIP in 14 starts this season.

Rick Porcello takes the mound for the Detroit Tigers in search of his fifth win of the season. He has four consecutive quality starts totaling 30 strikeouts—only four walks—during that 27-inning span.

The Tigers (39-30) have lost three of five to the Orioles this year and look to even things up in their final matchup. Baltimore (41-31) looks to earn their AL-best 22nd road win of the year.