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Manny Machado and the Four Greatest Career Starts in Oriole History

Alex Snyder — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:45:07 -0400

As every Oriole fan knows, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is off to one of the hottest starts to a career that anyone will ever see.

The Orioles have a rich history of developing players. From pitchers to fielders, there have been many players that have come through the Orioles system and made an impact not only on the team, but on MLB history.

Surprisingly, Manny Machado's hot start hasn't been the most impressive one in O's history, as the following slides will demonstrate.

Let's take a look at some of the hottest career starts in Orioles history.

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Kobe Bryant Reveals All-Time Starting 5, Aims for November or December Return

Dan Favale — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:44:16 -0400

Kobe Bryant can be an open book when he wants to be. Speaking on ESPNLA 710 in Los Angeles, he wanted to be.

Asked about when he thought he would return from his ruptured Achilles, Kobe told Lakers.com's Mike Trudell that he was aiming to take the court sometime in November or December.

Returning in November or December wouldn't put Kobe back in the lineup in time for opening day like he was originally hoping to be.

Still, coming back one month (two months tops) into the season is far better than the Los Angeles Lakers being forced to play without him until the All-Star break.

When he was on crutches, Dwight Howard led the Lakers into a not-so-clean sweep in the first round of the NBA playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs. Los Angeles needs Bryant to help shoulder some of the burden, especially if Superman leaves.

Injury talk being as depressing as it is, Kobe was kind enough to provide more than just some inside information on his rehab. He also revealed who his all-time starting five would be: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Personally, I'm surprised Kobe didn't name himself. A year or two ago, I believe he would've. Shameless bravado is a specialty of his.

Pushing 35, Kobe runs deeper than self-confidence now. This season, we saw a humbler, more pensive Mamba. And it's showed even through injury.

Because everything comes back to Howard, I can't help but wonder if he missed an opportunity to score some brownie points for the Lakers in their continued pursuit of the big man. Naming him to his all-time starting five would have been both unfounded and the ultimate form of flattery.

However, he was probably better off being honest. No one would have taken him seriously. I doubt Kobe himself could have gotten through that list with a straight face.

Speaking of which, he told the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina where he felt Howard and Chris Paul were headed—nowhere.

That's good news for Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers fans, but bad news for Donald Sterling's ever-closed wallet.

Alas, these forthcoming sentiments are yet another reason why Kobe is among the best in the league. This type of jovial honesty used to follow every Lakers win and the cold, hard truth would come after every loss.

We miss that. Interviews and basketball in general can seem so bland without him.

November or December can't get here soon enough.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Nationals Live Blog: Instant Reaction and Analysis

Brandon Glass — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:39:49 -0400

The Philadelphia Phillies will look to complete a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals when the two teams meet tonight at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia will look to Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 3.76 ERA) to bounce back after his last outing in Colorado, where he gave up 10 hits and seven runs in just over four innings pitched.

Meanwhile, the Nationals place their hope for tonight's matchup in the hands of starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.40 ERA).

While the Phils are looking to win their third straight game after an absolutely awful road trip, the Nats are trying to avoid a four-game losing streak themselves.

The winner of tonight's matchup will take over sole position of second place in the National League East, making tonight's contest a pivotal one.

Tune in live at 7 p.m. ET to follow my instant play-by-play reactions and analysis of the final game of this series. In the meantime, feel free to give me your predictions of tonight's contest in the comment thread below!

Lego Wrigley Field Featured in Amazing 'Big Leagues, Little Bricks' Display

Gabe Zaldivar — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:32:21 -0400

Time, imagination and tiny little Legos can yield something truly amazing.

Gizmodo spotted some remarkable images over at the Tumblr Fred_T's photostream featuring some rather wonderful Lego sculptures.

According to the report, the following images come from an exhibit you can see now at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, which runs through September 2.

The jewel of the Lego Brick display has to be this replica Wrigley Field, which the museum's website states is made by Sean Kenney.

If the field made of the famous toy bricks looks impressive, that's because it is made with 57,960 Legos, according to Gizmodo.

An exhibit that features works by Tim Kaebisch and Jason Burik covers baseball items such as Miller Park and Yankee Stadium, as well as sluggers such as Derek Jeter and Joey Votto. In all, the works took 222,000 Lego bricks and countless hours to complete.

Gizmodo's Tatiana Danger informs us the following mural showing a classic baseball scene took 55,269 bricks and four days to finish.

If harnessing buckets full of Legos wasn't impressive enough, that mural also includes the lyrics to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in raised lettering. So you can say artists who work in Lego as a medium are as meticulous as they are talented.

So the real question is: Do you love Legos?

Of course you do. That was a stupid question, because so many grew up with these toy bricks and infinite possibilities sitting before them.

The upcoming The Lego Movie isn't the only way to sate your need for nostalgia, because the museum offers a whole mess of Legos to play with at the exhibit.

Still, if you have any ideas of creating the next great Lego wonder, you might have to clear a few days from your schedule.

Hit me up on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

Down on the Farm: 3B Joey Gallo Showing Tremendous Power This Season

Zachary Krueger — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:26:38 -0400

Joey Gallo may seem like just another young kid in the minors, but his power display at the plate this season is that of a seasoned veteran. Gallo is only 19 years old and likely has a long way to go before reaching the majors, but his recent power numbers could propel his ascent through the ranks.

Gallo is currently playing for the Single-A Hickory Crawdads, and is one of several power hitters in their lineup. So just how good has the young third baseman been for the Crawdads this season? Here is a look at his offensive numbers.

Through 68 games this year, Gallo has belted 22 home runs. His home run total puts him in a tie for the most home runs in the South Atlantic League with teammate Ryan Rua. He also has 16 doubles and two triples, to go along with 44 RBI, the eighth highest total in the SAL.

Recently, Gallo went on a ridiculous tear over his last 10 games. He led the way for the Crawdads, hitting .425 over that span with eight home runs and 14 RBI. His best performance of those 10 games came when he hit a perfect 4-for-4 with three home runs against the Hagerstown Suns.

Last week's performance was enough to earn Gallo the SAL Player of the Week award, closing out the first half of the regular season on a high note for him. As if things couldn't go any better for Gallo right now, he managed to take home another accolade on June 17th.

Gallo was named to the SAL All-Star Game a few weeks ago and had the privilege of participating in the game's Home Run Derby. By the time the derby had come to an end, Gallo found himself taking home the hardware as the champion of the 2013 SAL Home Run Derby.

With so much upside, it's hard to believe that Gallo won't be in the majors within the next year or two, but there are areas he must improve on. When looking for a major league comparison to Gallo's offensive game right now, think of a guy like Indians third baseman Mark Reynolds.

Both Reynolds and Gallo play third base, they both hit for high power totals, and they both struggle with striking out and posting a high average. As the season currently sits, Gallo is hitting just .252 for the Crawdads, an average that was significantly boosted after his recent tear. Here is something else that may sound eerily similar to Reynolds: Gallo is tops in the SAL in strikeouts this season.

At the All-Star break, he is currently second in the league with 108 strikeouts, just one strikeout behind teammate Lewis Brinson.

While he is similar to Reynolds right now, don't expect that comparison to stick around for long. Reynolds has had several years to fix his strikeout problem, while Gallo hasn't even finished out his second year in the minors. He doesn't turn 20 until November, so look for him to mature in his approach at the plate as he gains many more years of experience.

It will be interesting to see how quickly Gallo can continue to grow as a player and advance through the Rangers' minor league system. While there is no projected time for him to arrive to the majors, expect him to make an immediate contribution to the Rangers once he gets called up.

All stats and info courtesy of Twitter.com, MLB.com, MiLB.com, HickoryCrawdads.com, ConstantContact.com and BaseballReference.com unless noted otherwise.

Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZacharyKrueger

Tim Duncan's "Anti-Style:" How the Big Fundamental Bucks All the Fashion Trends

Lance Fresh — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:25:54 -0400

Today, NBA players have placed an importance on not only playing well on the court, but looking good off of it. Nowadays, guys have to both play the part and look the part.

There is one player who ignores all the latest trends, never taking advantage of the spotlight that comes with being an NBA player: Tim Duncan.

I caught up with San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green to talk about Tim Duncan's style and what he thinks about his lack of attention to fashion trends.

Duncan is constantly in the public eye, more so now since he is trying to lead his team to another championship. But even with all this attention, he sees no need to up his style.

Watch now to hear Danny Green talk about his teammate and let me know what you think about Duncan's style in the comments below.

Follow Lance Fresh

Fantasy Football Rankings 2013: Top RBs That Will Slow Down This Season

Jesse Reed — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:24:57 -0400

Running backs who produce consistently high points totals in fantasy football are critical to winning your league.

Owners without them are doomed to cellar-dweller status.

Looking ahead to the 2013 NFL season, there are a few top-ranked running backs who should be carefully considered before investing a high pick to acquire them.

These men put together phenomenal seasons for themselves and their fantasy owners last year, but they will not produce at the same level in 2013.

Here are the top 25 fantasy football running backs for the 2013 season, according to ESPN.com:

Rank	Player	Team
1	Adrian Peterson	Minnesota Vikings
2	Arian Foster	Houston Texans
3	Marshawn Lynch	Seattle Seahawks
4	Ray Rice	Baltimore Ravens
5	Doug Martin	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6	Jamaal Charles	Kansas City Chiefs
7	C.J. Spiller	Buffalo Bills
8	Trent Richardson	Cleveland Browns
9	Alfred Morris	Washington Redskins
10	LeSean McCoy	Philadelphia Eagles
11	Steven Jackson	Atlanta Falcons
12	Matt Forte	Chicago Bears
13	Steven Ridley	New England Patriots
14	Frank Gore	San Francisco 49ers
15	Chris Johnson	Tennessee Titans
16	Maurice Jones-Drew	Jacksonville Jaguars
17	David Wilson	New York Giants
18	Darren McFadden	Oakland Raiders
19	Montee Ball	Denver Broncos
20	Darren Sproles	New Orleans Saints
21	Demarco Murray	Dallas Cowboys
22	Chris Ivory	New York Jets
23	Reggie Bush	Detroit Lions
24	Ryan Mathews	San Diego Chargers
25	Eddie Lacy	Green Bay Packers

Looking at this list, there are a few players near the top who have been stalwarts as high-producing fantasy running backs. Unfortunately, these running backs won't give fantasy owners the kind of production they expect in the 2013 season.

Arian Foster, Houston Texans

It's hard to believe that Foster is entering just his fifth season as a pro. The Texans have used him like a beast of burden and don't seem to care that he is wearing down in a bad way.

This guy has carried the ball an incredible 956 times in the past three years, and his yards-per-carry average has dropped every season. Furthermore, Foster's reception totals have fallen in each of his last three seasons.

Even now, before the season has begun, Foster is dealing with a nagging calf injury, as reported by Ross Jones of FoxSports.com, and it isn't a sure thing he'll be ready for training camp.

Foster will still be a solid fantasy back this year if he can stay healthy. But given the way his numbers have consistently fallen the past three years, owners would be wise to think about grabbing him too early.

Steven Jackson, Atlanta Falcons

Jackson was brought in to Atlanta to replace Michael Turner, whose production and explosiveness dipped dramatically in 2012.

While Jackson appears to fit in well with Atlanta's offensive scheme, it would be foolish to assume that he's suddenly going to revert back to the form that saw him score 16 total touchdowns and log over 2,300 all-purpose yards in 2006.

A powerful runner between the tackles, Jackson will certainly help Atlanta in short-yardage and goal-line situations. That said, Atlanta is a pass-happy team, first and foremost.

Jackson won't be toting the rock 20 to 25 times per game, and he won't be producing double-digit touchdown totals. In fact, Jackson has only averaged 5.17 touchdowns per season since his monster campaign in 2006.

Don't target Jackson early. He'll be a nice No. 2 running back, but owners expecting him to produce huge numbers will be sorely disappointed.

Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

Gore is still the No. 1 running back on San Francisco's depth chart, but fantasy football owners would be wise to realize that the 49ers will feature a running-back-by-committee approach this upcoming season.

Perhaps no team in the league features as many excellent running backs as the 49ers.

Kendall Hunter is coming off an Achilles injury but expects to be ready for the start of training camp, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). He and LaMichael James are both explosive running backs with the ability to break off huge gains on any given play.

General manager Trent Baalke has accumulated these backs with a purpose in mind, according to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area:

I'm a big believer—we are big believers—in a three-headed approach. In other words, having a group of backs that bring to the table something a little bit different than the other one so you can do a lot of different things. But also having those backs be able to do enough things the same so you don't become so predictable on game day.

With Colin Kaepernick's ability to gash opposing defenses with his legs, you can expect James and Hunter to see plenty of action in the read-option game. Furthermore, Gore's attempts will likely be carefully monitored as the team attempts to keep him healthy for the long haul.

Like Jackson, Gore is a player owners should be wary of targeting too early. He'll still be a productive player, but you shouldn't expect him to log double-digit touchdown totals in 2013.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees: Live Score, Analysis and Reaction

Joe Tansey — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:21:07 -0400

When: 7:05 p.m. ET

Where: Yankee Stadium; Bronx, NY

Where to Watch: ESPN2

Pitching Matchup: Chris Capuano (LA; 1-4, 5.45 ERA) vs. Phil Hughes (NYY; 3-5, 4.89 ERA)

There will be no rest for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees on Wednesday.

Just hours after completing the first game of their day-night doubleheader, the two storied franchises will be back under the lights in Bronx tonight.

While the Dodgers have seen plenty of press recently for the impressive debut of Yasiel Puig, the Yankees have received attention for their string of injuries to older players like Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis.

Who will win the second game of the twinbill in the Bronx?

Find out when comprehensive live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET right here on Bleacher Report.

Indiana Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing Hoosiers' Chances to Land Jaquan Lyle

Scott Henry — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:15:03 -0400

One week ago, five-star point guard JaQuan Lyle of Evansville (Ind.) Bosse High School trimmed his list of potential college destinations to four. Indiana, Tennessee, Florida and defending national champion Louisville are the chosen quartet.

At first glance, these programs have the feel of "one of these things is not like the other," but each have strengths and weaknesses in regards to their chances of landing Lyle.

Indiana fans can feel good about their chances, but the decision is by no means a slam dunk. Let's examine each team's pros and cons, presenting the schools in alphabetical order.

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Grading the Top 15 Rated Players in EA Sports NCAA 14

Randy Chambers — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:14:07 -0400

The days of playing with your favorite team are over. Now it's all about playing with the loaded rosters and players who are nearly unstoppable to game-plan against. You want the fastest running backs, quarterbacks who can do it all and the defensive players who will force fumbles with each crushing blow.

NCAA Football 14 is scheduled for a July 9 release and some of the player ratings have been leaked beforehand. This provides a quick glimpse of the best available players in the upcoming game and who you are most likely going to see a lot of when searching for an online match.

There are plenty of terrific offensive players to choose from, but there are also three defensive players, including one who holds down the top spot.

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LeBron James Says He Will Start Game 7 With His Headband On

Ken Dorset — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:13:42 -0400

Looks like LeBron James' run of playing with no headband is coming to a quick end. Here is what journalist Rachel Nichols tweeted after interviewing LeBron.

LeBron had fun w/his headband during our interview - kissed it, said sorry for abandoning it. He'll start Game 7 w/it on & see how he plays.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 19, 2013

LBJ and his headband are back together.

But we will always have the "No headband" game.

During 11-3 run, LeBron has scored or assisted on nine of the points. Heat lead 84-82. Headband stays off.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) June 19, 2013

LeBron without a headband is like an unlockable character
— Team Athlete™ (@Team_Athlete) June 19, 2013

Mike miller took his shoe off. LeBron took his headband off and looks nekid. Next??? Pat riley should take his shirt and read Shakespeare.
— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) June 19, 2013

I'm never wearing my headband again either #riptotheheadband
— Ty Lawson (@TyLawson3) June 19, 2013

Neymar Volleys Brazil Ahead of Mexico Early in Confederations Cup (GIF)

Michael Cummings — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:01:49 -0400

This Neymar kid might just be worth all the hype.

Neymar, Brazil's 21-year-old attacking starlet, scored another golazo Wednesday at the FIFA Confederations Cup, exciting the home fans and providing further evidence of what a talented player FC Barcelona have signed for next season.

This time, the victims were Mexico in a Group A match in Fortaleza. Brazil won 2-0, and Neymar was involved in both goals. Neymar's goal was his second in as many matches at the Confederations Cup and his 22nd overall in 36 senior appearances with Brazil.

Both of his goals this week have come early in the match, and both were well taken.

On Sunday, Neymar opened the scoring for Brazil against Japan in the third minute with a powerful, accurate volley from long range following Fred's chest-down outside the box. Brazil went on to win the match 3-0.

Wednesday's opener wasn't quite as early, nor was it quite as impressive. Still, it once again demonstrated Neymar's superb technique and touch.

In the ninth minute, Dani Alves crossed from the right, and after Mexico failed to clear properly with a defensive header, Neymar buried his first-time volleyed shot at the near post. The goal appears in GIF form below (HT 101 Great Goals). Enjoy, and for another angle, check out this video.

Neymar scored his goal against the backdrop of civil unrest in his homeland, which is set to host the FIFA World Cup next summer. Tens of thousands of Brazilians have taken to the streets to protest the government's "policing, poor public services and high costs for the World Cup," per The Guardian.

Neymar said before the match that the protesters had "inspired" him.

Neymar said on Facebook before Brazil-Mexico game he'd be inspired by the protesters in the streets. Took him just 9 mins to score
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 19, 2013

Brazil went into halftime leading Mexico 1-0, and the score remained the same until second-half stoppage time—when Neymar produced another jaw-dropping moment.

Neymar collected the ball on the left and beat two Mexican defenders before picking out a wide-open Jo to slot home.

Follow @MikeCummings37

Charles Barkley Breaks Down '90s 'Dream Team' Fashion

Lance Fresh — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:01:44 -0400

In this day and age, fashion has become essential in the NBA. Players are constantly diving into the latest trends, mixing it with their own personal flare.

The Miami Heat are notorious around the league for the different outfits they wear. While most criticize them, many of the other players and fans have followed the lead of stars like LeBron and Wade.

While fashion has changed over the years, the stylistic impact that star NBA players have on the league and youth has not.

I caught up with Charles Barkley to talk about some of his "Dream Team" teammates and their fashion sense.

Watch now to hear Barkley talk about the looks that Jordan and Magic would wear and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Follow Lance Fresh

5 Committed Recruits Who Continue to Flirt with Other Schools

Edwin Weathersby — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Many tend to forget that verbal commitments are only non-binding oral agreements between a recruit and a school. Thus when a recruit commits to a program, he is still free to speak with other schools. Some coaches make it clear to recruits when offering that should the player commit to their program, they strongly prefer he shut down all other communication with other coaches.

Most recruits who commit stick with their pledges and stop visiting and communicating with other schools. However, some do not and continue to "flirt" with other schools, even though they are committed to a program.

A talented receiver in Texas has Baylor head coach Art Briles sweating bullets. The nation's top dual-threat quarterback may not end up at Clemson and Kirk Ferentz's top commitment is looking around.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

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2013 NBA Mock Draft: Teams That Must Select Impact Post Players

Mike Chiari — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:58:43 -0400

The 2013 NBA draft is certainly an intriguing one despite its perceived lack of top-flight talent. Perhaps the next Michael Jordan, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant won't be found, but there is plenty of depth in this class, particularly at the center and power forward positions.

Guards are generally viewed more favorably than bigs by fans, but every team needs a quality big or two in order to succeed. There are plenty of post players out there, but skilled ones are at a premium. Luckily for the teams in need of one this year, the 2013 class is particularly stacked at center.

In addition to a full, first-round mock draft, here is some further analysis on teams that must come away with at least one big who can contribute significantly in the near future.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Alex Len, C, Maryland

While it certainly won't come as a surprise if the Cavaliers select a center No. 1, considering the fact that they already have a strong backcourt consisting of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, they certainly could surprise some people when it comes to which center they take. Kentucky center Nerlens Noel has presumably been the No. 1 guy throughout that process, but that may no longer be the case.

Maryland center Alex Len has slowly but surely moved up the charts and may now be in the mix for the Cavs at No. 1. Cleveland has yet to tip its hand, so the Cavs could go with Len, Noel or any number of different prospects. According to Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, however, Len is Cleveland's likely target.

While Len hasn't been hyped quite as much as Noel, it's easy to see why the Cavs might like him. He is a physical specimen at 7'1" and he made big strides from his freshman year to his sophomore season. He seemed to be on a leash at Maryland as the coaching staff didn't want to overexert him, but it's possible that he simply wasn't able to play a bigger role. The Cavs could really use a center at any rate and Len has a ton of upside.

2. Orlando Magic: Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

With a decent amount of depth and youth at every position, the Magic are in a pretty enviable position heading into this draft. They have a myriad of options to choose from, but Oladipo makes a lot of sense as he is a shooting guard capable of taking over games.

3. Washington Wizards: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

If the Cavs go with Len as has been rumored, the Wizards may very well have a crack at Noel. While the big man may not be back until Christmas at the earliest due to an ACL injury, his long-term ceiling is extremely high. The Wizards would love to get better right away, but if taking Noel means that they will thrive down the line, then that would be a smart selection.

The Wizards are a lot like the Cavaliers in that they have a great, young duo in the backcourt in the form of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Washington doesn't have much down low, though, on either end of the court. Despite the fact that Noel was a freshman last year and Len was in his second season at Maryland, Noel actually outperformed Len in most statistical categories:

Len was a slightly better scorer as he averaged just under 12 points per game to Noel's 10.5, but the difference was negligible. Noel was a better rebounder and shot blocker right off the bat, so he'll at least make an impact defensively as soon as he is ready. The offense will come as he develops, so he simply seems like a safer pick than Len even with the injury concerns involved.

4. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Bennett, SF/PF, UNLV

It's amazing that the Bobcats haven't shown any improvement over the past few years with the amount of high picks they have accrued, but they have a chance to find an impact player this year and Bennett should be their man.

5. Phoenix Suns: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

It isn't inconceivable to think that McLemore could be taken No. 1 overall, so if he manages to fall to the Suns at No. 5, Phoenix shouldn't hesitate to take him even with work ethic concerns currently surrounding him.

6. New Orleans Pelicans: Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

With an exciting nucleus in place, which includes the likes of Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, Greivis Vasquez, Austin Rivers and others, the Pelicans simply need a promising glue guy to ring it all together, and there is no better fit in this draft than Porter.

7. Sacramento Kings: Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

Regardless of how things ultimately play out with center DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings could really use some help in the paint, and Zeller is a guy who has shown the ability to absolutely dominate offensively for long stretches.

8. Detroit Pistons: Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA

Muhammad's draft stock has seemingly fallen since the beginning of last college basketball season, but he averaged nearly 18 points per game as a freshman and has an NBA body, so the Pistons will be thrilled to take him here.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves: C.J. McCollum, PG/SG, Lehigh

While McCollum isn't quite as highly touted as Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, the Weber State product proved last season that small-school guards can contribute in the NBA immediately. The T'Wolves hope that McCollum can do the same.

10. Portland Trail Blazers: Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

The Blazers have a strong starting lineup, but they need depth at every position. Despite the fact that young center Meyers Leonard is still developing, Portland should nab Olynyk and create a promising rotation for the future.

11. Philadelphia 76ers: Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

Philly thought that it found its ideal big man for many years to come when it traded for center Andrew Bynum last offseason. Bynum didn't play a single game all season, though, and he will be free to sign anywhere. Even if the Sixers are able to re-sign Bynum, there is no question that they need a contingency plan of some kind as his injury history makes him far too unreliable.

The 76ers have plenty of options, but Pittsburgh center Steven Adams would be a particularly good addition. The seven-foot New Zealand native played just one season at Pitt, but he showed flashes of brilliance. He averaged over seven points, six rebounds and two blocks in just 23 minutes per game last season, so he doesn't have a lengthy track record of success, but there is definitely room to grow.

If the 76ers do bring back Bynum, Adams would be a great understudy at first. He is a bit young and raw to count on immediately, but he could potentially be just as good as a healthy Bynum in a couple years. The Sixers need a short-term or long-term answer at center one way or another heading into next season and Adams would provide that.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors): Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville

Although Russell Westbrook's season-ending injury was probably the true culprit behind the Thunder's early exit in the playoffs this season, center Kendrick Perkins seemed to decline, so bringing in a younger defensive stopper like Dieng would be ideal.

13. Dallas Mavericks: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Burke is a guy who could be taken as early as No. 2 overall, but with so few teams in the market for a point guard, the Mavericks could be the big winners of this draft as the Michigan star plummeting to No. 13 is a definite possibility.

14. Utah Jazz: Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

Much like Burke, Carter-Williams may be a victim of circumstance in this draft. He is a top-10 pick from a talent perspective, however, the Jazz will reap the benefits when he falls into their lap and fills a major hole at point guard.

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Rudy Gobert, C, France

The Bucks have a fantastic guard combo in the form of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, but they need some more offensive production in the paint and Gobert could eventually develop into a player who provides that.

16. Boston Celtics: Glen Rice, Jr., SG, D-League

Boston has a serious hole at shooting guard, and while there is no question that taking a guy who was dismissed from college is a risk, Rice showed some incredible offensive ability in the D-League and deserves a chance to impress at the next level.

17. Atlanta Hawks: Mason Plumlee, PF/C, Duke

Plumlee may not be the flashiest pick in this year's draft, but he does all the little things that teams look for out of their bigs. If he rebounds, blocks shots and contributes a bit offensively, the Hawks will be more than happy.

18. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston Rockets): Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia

Caldwell-Pope's draft stock has seemingly risen in recent weeks, so it's possible that he won't make it to No. 18, but if he is available, then Atlanta would be crazy to pass him up as he and Lou Williams could form a dynamic guard combo.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers): Sergey Karasev, SF, Russia

With a young trio of Len, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters in place, the Cavs should have an opportunity to build upon that at No. 19. International prospects come with some risk, but Karasev is polished and could be an Andrei Kirilenko type.

20. Chicago Bulls: Allen Crabbe, SG, California

Chicago needs to find a long-term answer at shooting guard, and while Crabbe isn't as hyped as many of the shooting guard prospects in this draft, he is a consistent player who should be able to complement Derrick Rose well.

21. Utah Jazz (via Golden State Warriors): Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State

The Jazz have a ton of depth and talent up front, but the cupboard is pretty bare at guard. After already stealing Carter-Williams earlier in the round, the Jazz could have another value pick on their hands with Franklin.

22. Brooklyn Nets: Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

Even though center isn't necessarily the Nets' biggest need with Brook Lopez already in the fold, a team can never have too many quality bigs. Withey can contribute right away off the bench and eventually grow into a bigger role.

23. Indiana Pacers: Reggie Bullock, SG/SF, North Carolina

The Pacers have a really nice starting lineup, but they can definitely afford to bring in some competition for shooting guard Lance Stephenson. Bullock may not usurp him right away, but a great shooter like him will be utilized.

24. New York Knicks: Shane Larkin, PG, Miami (Fla.)

New York has a quality starting point guard in place in the form of Raymond Felton, but with Jason Kidd retiring and taking the Nets' head coaching job, the Knicks need a point guard of the future and Larkin could be it.

25. Los Angeles Clippers: Tony Snell, SG/SF, New Mexico

The Clippers are in a state of flux right now as they didn't fare quite as well as most anticipated they would this season. They have stars in place provided Chris Paul re-signs, but they're clearly missing something. Snell may not be a key player right away, but he could develop into one.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis Grizzlies): Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Greece

Few teams enjoy taking international players more than the Timberwolves and they'll have plenty of options in this draft. Antetokounmpo still needs a decent amount of seasoning, but he is a big, skilled player with a ton of potential.

27. Denver Nuggets: Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil

The Nuggets did a fantastic job making Nene into a quality NBA center, so they will look to Brazil once again and select Nogueira in hopes that he can one day become a comparable player.

28. San Antonio Spurs: Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

Most mock drafts have Schroeder being taken earlier, but due to a combination of teams not needing point guards and wanting guys who can step in right away, he falls to the Spurs who can groom him to take over for Tony Parker one day.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Lorenzo Brown, PG, North Carolina State

Oklahoma City has what it takes to get back to the NBA Finals next season despite their disappointing year, but now the Thunder know that they need more depth behind Westbrook, so Brown would be a logical pick here.

30. Phoenix Suns (via Miami Heat): Tony Mitchell, PF, North Texas

The Suns' backcourt is set if they are able to get McLemore at No. 5, so it makes sense to focus on the frontcourt at No. 30. Mitchell is a very versatile player who can move around to a couple different positions, which makes him a nice fit.

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Breaking Down How to Stop USC Trojans WR Marqise Lee

Brian Leigh — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:50:40 -0400

USC's Marqise Lee was the best wide receiver in college football last year, and barring something unforeseen, he will retain that title again in 2013.

He finished his sophomore season with 118 catches, 1,721 yards and 14 touchdowns, earning First-Team All-American status and positioning himself to get selected in the top 5 of next April's 2014 NFL Draft.

But every lock has a key, and even though it may seem impossible, there are little ways to slow Marqise Lee down. Stopping him may be implausible, but containing him is not. You just can't play to his strengths.

Here are three of the best ways to slow down Marqise Lee, complete with specific examples of what happens when these guidelines aren't followed:

Use the Sideline:

Lee excels after the catch, taking short-to-medium passes and turning them into big gains. Sometimes it seems like 11 guys on defense just aren't enough to slow him down.

He also does most of his work in the middle of the field, which is rare for a homerun threat of his ilk. Those guys are usually known as "outside receivers" because they prefer to beat you deep. But Lee wants to beat his man inside first, then outrun him down the seam.

Because of that, a team's best bet of keeping Lee in check is keeping him away from the middle. Defenders must use the sideline as an extra defender, one that never misses a tackle once a player steps there. If not, Lee will almost always make them pay.

Take this play against Arizona last season. Lee is working in man against the Wildcats' Derrick Rainey. After a quick hesitation move, Lee gets inside position to work with him:

Immediately Rainey is at a disadvantage. There is safety help over the top (though we don't see him from this angle), and by forcing Lee outside, he could funnel him between himself, the safety and the sideline. Instead, Lee is one good route away from a big seam, which is exactly what he runs:

Now Lee has the ball, separation and 20 yards on each side of him to work with. Using his speed—of which he has a lot—he breaks away from Rainey and outruns the entire Wildcats defense to the endzone:

Making plays in the middle of the field is Marqise Lee's strength. And if you play into the strengths of someone that talented, you hardly ever stand a chance.

See the Ball:

Marqise Lee has phenomenal ball skills, using not just his size, but his vision to haul in passes. He always knows when the ball is in the air, and that enables him to bring down passes in traffic.

Even when a defender plays him properly—tight coverage, sees the ball—Lee makes extraordinary adjustments on the ball. Just like this huge 53-yard catch in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame last year:

Still, one of the most egregious sins a defensive back can commit is not turning to see the ball. It's tempting for a player to keep his eyes pinned on Lee—lest he shake free and get wide open—but if he sees Lee's head turned toward the ball, he needs to follow suit.

Take, for example, Lee's second tuchdown grab at Syracuse last year. He only gained 66 yards on 11 catches in that game, but caught three touchdowns because Syracuse couldn't guard him in the red zone.

Here's the second one. Barkley takes the snap from the four-yard line and Lee runs a simple fade. Once the ball is out, though, Lee recognizes it:

Lee turns his head back to the play, but the cornerback doesn't. He's playing with his back to the quarterback, trying to face-guard Lee from catching the ball. But Lee's vision is too good to fall victim to that. If the corner wants to defend a fade against him, he'll need to play the ball himself.

Which he doesn't...

Because Lee saw the ball, he was able to make adjustments. And he makes some of the best in-air adjustments in the game. The cornerback didn't see the ball and put himself at a fatal disadvantage.

A cornerback who did know where the ball was would have trouble breaking it up, but a cornerback who doesn't stands no chance at all.

Tackle With Discipline:

The simplest in concept is actually the hardest in practice. Marqise Lee does most of his damage after the catch, and he doesn't just run in straight lines. He loves to cut across the field and make east-west runs, leaving defenders in the wake of his shiftiness.

The only way to stop that is with disciplined tackling—players staying in their lanes and refusing to chase the ball. One reverse against Arizona State began like this last year:

A clear advantage for ASU, right? Lee is 11 yards in the backfield, and even if he broke free of Will Sutton, there are five more Sun Devils waiting to track him down.

Lee makes a few nifty moves and picks up a block, which allows him to get back to his own 48. He's still got two Sun Devils on both sides of him, which is good. But look at their depth:

The four ASU defenders are split into two groups, and both groups are standing right next to each other. They're swarming as individuals instead of as a unit. Look at the two white helmets to Marqise Lee's right—they're on top of each other. And look how much daylight there is around the outside!

Those defenders collide as one messy group—a group that Lee managed to shift out of, into the open space he sensed before.

From there he's in the clear, and with one useful cut block from quarterback Matt Barkley, he's turned the corner and sprinted down the sideline for a 38-yard gain:

If a team breaks contain against a guy like Lee—even on a "broken play"—he's gonna make them regret it every time. He's like Peter Baelish, thriving in entropy; chaos is his ladder, and he's gonna climb it into the opposition's endzone.

A team's best bet is to keep the ball out of Lee's hands entirely. But once he does get the ball, which he always will, they need to attack him in disciplined ranks. Taking the big play away from Lee is like forcing Manu Ginobili to go right.

Against players of that caliber, it's a defense's only hope.

All screenshots courtesy of YouTube user CaliforniasGold

Denver Broncos: Why QB Peyton Manning Will Win 2013-14 NFL MVP Award

Soven Bery — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:39:46 -0400

Peyton Manning is one of the best active players in the NFL and his four MVP awards only solidify that fact. The Denver Broncos quarterback should be making room on his trophy shelf this season for a fifth MVP, though.

The Most Valuable Player award, voted upon by sportswriters at the end of the season, is given to a player who is considered to be indispensable to his team. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won the prize last season after he ran for 2,097 rushing yards, the second-most ever for a running back in a single season. However, the MVP is usually given to a quarterback, as four of the last five winners have played under center.

Two of those four quarterback winners have been named Peyton Manning.

Manning took home MVP in 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009. He will do it again in 2013.

Last season, 2012, was the first year that the future Hall of Fame signal caller played for the Denver Broncos. Nonetheless, Manning finished second in MVP voting. He received 19.5-of-50 first-place votes.

“The Sheriff” should build on a terrific 2012 season en route to an amazing 2013. Manning was arguably the best quarterback last year as he finished with a 105.8 quarterback rating. He also threw for 4,659 yards with a 68.6 completion percentage, an NFL best for starting quarterbacks.

It follows that the Denver Broncos had the second best passing attack in the league. They were beat out by only the New England Patriots. However, the best wide receiver in New England, Wes Welker, is set to be a Bronco in 2013.

Manning was brilliant with Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker after only a couple months. But, the All-Pro signal caller is a quarterback who is a student of the game. He needs to have a connection with his wide receivers or everything could fall apart. The Broncos were amazing in 2012 with just one offseason for Manning to work with his pass catchers. Give him another year to gel with Thomas, Decker and now Welker and their chemistry, and the ensuing results, will skyrocket.

When Manning becomes more comfortable with his receiving corps, a good 2012 season will turn into a great outing in 2013. It doesn’t hurt that Manning is protected by the second best pass blocking offensive line in the NFL.

The Broncos were 13-3 in 2012 and one of the best teams in the AFC. They are poised to become even better and, if Manning can keep up high numbers while Denver keeps winning games, then it will be difficult to not hand Peyton the MVP award.

Manning was a legitimate candidate for the MVP last season. With another year in Denver and a rejuvenated wide receiving corps, he may very well take home the award this upcoming season.

He tore apart the NFL in last year’s comeback season as he set single-season Broncos franchise records for yards, completions (400) and touchdowns (37) thrown. Denver could not be as good as they were without Manning.

Voters will recognize that as the quarterback is set to be a focal part of the Bronco’s offense. The team recently released lead running back Willis McGahee. This means that Manning has to step up and play an even greater part in the success of Denver. With his football skills on display and his knack for leadership guiding the Broncos, Manning should once again catch the eye of sportswriters and fans alike.

The stars are aligned for Peyton Manning to have a MVP caliber season in 2013 and take home the award for an unprecedented fifth time.

Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards Raise Interesting Teammate Question

Paul Carreau — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:35:47 -0400

This past Sunday, in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Carl Edwards twice looked for some help from teammate Greg Biffle to help remove some paper from the grille of his No. 99 Ford.

He got that help neither time.

The first situation arose around lap 70. At the time, the teammates were running 6th and 7th respectively. Edwards asked his spotter to talk to Biffle's spotter and see if Biffle could drop back and let Edwards get close enough to his back bumper to attempt to get a piece of paper off of his grille.

Biffle did not do it. After the race, he told reporters that he had never received word of Edwards' request.

The second time Edwards was looking for help came during the closing laps of the event. With approximately 40 laps to go, another piece of debris had lodged itself on to the grille of Edwards' car.

Edwards again asked for help from his teammate. This time, Biffle was relayed the message but declined to offer assistance, as he was the race leader by some 20 car lengths.

Edwards has since said that he completely understands Biffle's decision not to drop back and help him in that situation, as the race was nearing its conclusion and that Biffle was contending for the win, which he would ultimately get.

It was the first time that Edwards needed some assistance and didn't receive it that had him confused and a little frustrated.

"I want us to be the best teammates we can be. My hope is he never heard the communication on lap 70," Edwards told ESPN.com

Biffle reiterated that he never heard about Edwards' lap 70 request during the race. He told ESPN.com "I'll help Carl absolutely any time I can. We go out of our way to help each other. It's a team sport."

The Roush Fenway Racing teammates are set to meet at Sonoma this coming Friday to further discuss the incidents. In all likelihood, the two will clear the air after a brief discussion, and all will quickly be forgotten.

But it does lead to an interesting question. How much responsibility do teammates have in helping each other during a race?

I completely understand the concept of working together all throughout the week, and even at the start of a race weekend. Of course it makes sense to share as much information within an organization as possible to make each individual driver better, but once the race starts, shouldn't it be every driver for himself?

As soon as the green flag waves, there are 42 other drivers on the race track with one goal in mind, and that is to beat you and win the race. So why, at any point, does it make sense to help someone who has that mindset?

What if Biffle had helped Edwards in either instance at Michigan? Who knows how that could have affected the final outcome of the race?

That could have been the difference between winning or second place for Greg Biffle, and ultimately, that could be the difference between making the Chase or missing it.

Obviously teamwork and communication go a long way in helping a driver win races, and win championships. But at the end of a race, when the checkered flag is waving, if it came down to you and your teammate, wouldn't you rather be called winner as opposed to runner up?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk vs. Rakhim Chakhkiev: Fight Time, Date, TV Info and More

Brian Mazique — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:31:52 -0400

There is a slugfest on tap in the cruiserweight division on Friday night.

Krzysztof "Diablo" Wlodarczyk (47-2-1, 33 KO) of Poland will defend his WBC cruiserweight title against the undefeated Rakhim "The Machine" Chakhkiev (16-0, 12 KO) in the challenger's home country at the Dynamo Palace of Sports in Krylatskoye, Moscow, Russia.

This is Wlodarczyk's fifth defense of his title, and the fact that he is traveling to the challenger's country to fight is noteworthy. This should be an exciting battle.

Though the bout is only televised in Poland for the public, here is the information for viewing the fight and a deeper look at the matchup.

The Book on Wlodarczyk

Road Warrior

This isn't the first time Diablo has taken to the road in a title fight. The first time he fought for the WBC title, he took on Italian Giacobbe Fragomeni in his home country in 2009.

The result was a draw, though Wlodarczyk would later defeat Fragomeni in Poland to win the title in 2010. Wlodarczyk's third defense was against Aussie Danny Green in Western Australia.

To this point, Wlodarczyk hasn't lost any of his championship road ventures. He'll be looking to remain undefeated away from Poland in championship bouts on Friday.

In the Ring

Diablo is a boxer-puncher who throws a pushing but stiff jab to set up the strong right hand. He also has a sneaky left hook that can do damage. You'll see evidence of this in his KO win over Green in the video below.

Though Wlodarczyk isn't blessed with great quickness, he's strong and physical on the inside. He excels at in-fighting and has a solid chin.

Defeating him would be a tall task for any 175-200 pound fighter in the world.

The Book on Chakhkiev

On the Fast Track

The Machine has had only 16 bouts in his career, but he's 30 years old. Because of his age, it makes sense for him to take on an established champion like Wlodarczyk relatively early in his professional career.

Needless to say, Chakhkiev is really raising the bar with this matchup as it compares to his previous fights. Only five of his 16 bouts have been scheduled for 10 rounds, and Friday's clash will be his first fight set for 12.

Chakhkiev will have a lot to get acclimated to in the ring, but such is the plight of an inexperienced 30-year-old contender.

In the Ring

Chakhkiev's power is easy to see. He throws heavy shots with bad intentions, as he comes in looking to finish his opponents with power punches straight down the middle of their guard.

Take a look at him in this KO win over Zack Page in May 2012.

One potentially perilous habit Chakhkiev has is the tendency to drop his right hand when he's still in punching range for his opponent.

It is quite possible that he hasn't faced an opponent with the quickness or training to take advantage of that deficiency; but if he hasn't cleaned that up, it could spell trouble for him against Wlodarczyk.

Prediction

This should be an exciting fight filled with good offense, but Wlodarczyk's experience and power on the inside gives him an edge. The jab and lead left hooks should be the key punches in what I predict will be a fifth-round KO win for Diablo.

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Best 2013 NBA Draft Options for NY Knicks to Boost Bench Attack

Ciaran Gowan — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:29:44 -0400

The New York Knicks won't have much to spend this offseason, so it's important that they add someone in the NBA draft who can help out right away and contribute off the bench.

Picking at No. 24, the Knicks will have a wide range of options available to them, with plenty of players capable of filling their needs. They'll need to pick wisely, though, because free agency will be a lot tougher if they miss on this pick.

Most glaringly, New York will be on the lookout for a backup point guard or frontcourt depth, but there's a chance they could look elsewhere if a better player at another position falls to the back end of the first round.

Being realistic, these are the best eight players New York will have a chance to draft on June 27, all with the potential to boost the bench attack.

The players will be assessed based on whether or not they fill a need, if they are NBA-ready right now and if they have the potential to be a major piece in future years.

Begin Slideshow

Michigan's Motivational Locker Room Sign Adds Fuel to Ohio State Rivalry

Brian Leigh — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:29:33 -0400

Before Notre Dame players take the field every day, they're reminded to play like champions. But Michigan players, before they leave the locker room for a hard afternoon's practice, are reminded how long it's been since they beat Ohio State.

Revered quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr. tweeted out this picture on Wednesday, an inside look at the Wolverines' daily dose of motivation:

The sign doesn't explicitly say "Ohio State," but we know Michigan isn't talking about the Bobcats. That scarlet and gray palette—not to mention the exact amount of days its been since Michigan beat Ohio State—lets us know precisely who they're referring to.

So why the omission? Whitfiled has it covered once again. Apparently, Michigan doesn't use full names for either of their rivals, Ohio State and Michigan State, presumably since they DON'T DESERVE NO RESPECT:

College football's version of North Carolina-Duke, Ohio State vs. Michigan is (arguably) the sport's most bitter rivalry. From the Snow Bowl of 1950 to the Ten Year War waged between Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes, this series is lined with moment after moment of antagonistic history.

Michigan is 58-45-6 in the all-time series, but the modern era has been dominated by the Buckeyes. Ohio State has won eight of the last nine and 10 of the last 12, including a seven-game win streak between 2004 and 2010.

That streak ended on November 26, 2011, exactly 565 days before Mr. Whitfield took that picture. Denard Robinson was the hero of that meeting, throwing for 167 yards, rushing for 170 more, and combining to score five total touchdowns.

The Buckeyes exacted revenge as part of their undefeated 2012 campaign, beating Michigan 26-21 in a game the Wolverines needed to tie Nebraska atop the Big Ten Legends. And as Ohio State-Michigan is always the last game of the season, that put to rest any hope Brady Hoke & co. had of making the Rose Bowl.

This year's game is scheduled to take play on November, 30th in Ann Arbor. Whether or not that sign will read "zero" at the post-game press conference...well, that part is up to the Wolverines.

Comparing Matt Harvey-Zack Wheeler to Other Young MLB Pitching Duos

Zachary D. Rymer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:19:51 -0400

The Matt Harvey-Zack Wheeler duo officially became a thing on Tuesday, and it was glorious.

The New York Mets featured both of their talented young right-handers in their doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves. Harvey got things started by taking a no-hitter into the seventh and ultimately walked away with 13 strikeouts in a 4-3 Mets win. Wheeler then tossed six scoreless innings in his major league debut, striking out seven to lead the Mets to a 6-1 win.

Harvey is 24 years old.

Wheeler is only 23.

As horrendous as this season has been for the Mets, at least it looks like they have an elite duo of young pitchers on their hands.

There aren't many of those out there. Per FanGraphs, the list of qualified starters 26 years old or younger is only 35 players long. There are only a handful of teammates in that mix, and an even smaller handful who boast a combined WAR of at least 3.0.

They are:

Note: Harvey and Jon Niese also make the grade with a combined fWAR of 4.1, but...nah...

Comparing Harvey and Wheeler to these guys is tough simply because there's a lot we still don't know about Wheeler. But based on the things we do know about him and Harvey, it's safe to make at least a couple comparisons.

We can start with the tales from the radar gun.

You Shall Know Our Velocity!

There's one thing you might have noticed while watching Harvey and Wheeler on Tuesday. Both of them throw really freakin' hard.

For the season, Harvey is averaging 95.4 miles per hour with his hard stuff, according to Baseball Info Solutions by way of FanGraphs. There's only one other starting pitcher in baseball regularly throwing that hard, and he goes by the name of Stephen Strasburg.

But for whatever reason, Harvey's usual velocity wasn't good enough for him on Tuesday. Brooks Baseball clocked his average fastball against the Braves at over 97 miles per hour, and ESPN Stats & Info had this to note:

In the nightcap, Wheeler wasn't throwing quite as hard as Harvey. Per Brooks Baseball, the slacker was only averaging 96.5 miles per hour with his four-seamer, and only got as high as 98.4.

Though he wasn't throwing as hard as Harvey, Wheeler was still having little trouble baffling Braves hitters. Of his 14 swings-and-misses, Wheeler got 12 on heaters. Harvey only got eight whiffs on his four-seamer on Tuesday.

You're going to want to appreciate the velocity of the Harvey-Wheeler duo, because there's no other young duo in baseball that can light up the radar gun quite like they can.

Right now, the hardest-throwing young duo in the league is Yu Darvish and Derek Holland, who both average better than 93 miles per hour. After them, the hardest-throwing duo is Shelby Miller and Lance Lynn. Miller averages 93.5 miles per hour, and Lynn averages 92.1 miles per hour.

We know all about how hard Harvey can throw, and the book on Wheeler has always had very kind things to say about his velocity. A few weeks from now, the two of them should be at the tippy-top of the velocity charts with no other set of teammates around them.

But it's not just the heat that sets these two apart. They also like to spin things more than your average pair of teammates.

Breaking Good

It's easy to geek out over fastball velocity where Harvey and Wheeler are concerned, but their breaking balls deserve some props as well. They both have two good ones, and they're not shy about going to them.

And that's what makes them special.

Per Baseball Info Solutions, Harvey throws his curveball 13.6 percent of the time and his slider 19.9 percent of the time. That makes him a special breed, as he's the only pitcher in the 26-or-younger group who throws both a curve and a slider at least 13 percent of the time.

Harvey isn't wasting his time with these pitches either. According to Brooks Baseball, hitters have sub-.200 batting averages against both of his breaking balls. And while linear weights favor Harvey's curveball—he owns a 1.08 wCB/C to a 0.93 wSL/C—he's shown that his slider can be a downright dominant pitch.

Just watch it go to work against the New York Yankees:

Wheeler also features a curve and a slider. Time is going to tell exactly how dominant both pitches are in the majors, but they drew positive reviews in the minors and he was breaking both of them out a fair amount in his debut.

Of Wheeler's 102 pitches on Tuesday, 71 were fastballs. But he mixed in 12 curveballs and 18 sliders. That's 11.8 percent curveballs and 17.6 percent sliders, numbers that compare pretty favorably to Harvey's.

Want to know how many other teams have two young pitchers who throw curves and sliders at least 10 percent apiece?

Just one.

Only the Los Angeles Dodgers know what it's like to have two young pitchers like that, as Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu both throw a ton of sliders and curves. The only other tandem that comes close is Mike Minor and Julio Teheran in Atlanta, as Teheran's CB% of 9.7 is just shy of our 10 percent cutoff.

Velocity and breaking stuff are where Harvey and Wheeler are similar. There's one area where they're a lot different, and where we can make another super-duper-intriguing comparison.

One's in Command, the Other is Still in 'Command 101'

When you watch Harvey pitch, the thing that stands out besides his awesome stuff is just how much command he has of it. He's not quite Cliff Lee, but he can generally put his pitches where he wants to.

Baseball Info Solutions has Harvey's Zone%—that being the percent of pitches he throws inside the strike zone—at an even 48.0 percent. Among the young pitchers on our radar, that ties him for 11th with Wade Miley. Harvey is also among the best at getting ahead of hitters, as he boasts an impressive 65.1 first-pitch strike percentage.

We don't yet have a BIS Zone% for Wheeler, but his command didn't pass the eye test on Tuesday. He threw first-pitch strikes to only 10 of the 26 batters he faced and ended up walking five. And if it felt like his fastball command was all over the place, that's because it was.

Courtesy of TexasLeaguers.com, here's a look at where Wheeler's fastballs ended up:

And here's a look at which ones were and weren't called strikes:

The first plot shows how many fastballs Wheeler never came close with, as well as how many he left up in the zone. The second shows that he didn't get a couple calls, which will happen when you're not pounding the zone consistently and you're making your catcher's glove move too often.

But if you were watching, you know that it didn't matter. The same conclusion can be drawn just from looking at the numbers. Wheeler's stuff was nasty enough for him to be effectively wild.

There's only one other young duo in baseball that has a similar sort of dynamic to Harvey and Wheeler, and it's Darvish and Holland.

Holland is much like Harvey. He has a Zone% of 49.3 and a first-pitch strike percentage of 61.3. Pounding the zone is his thing.

Darvish is different.

His Zone% is 43.9 and his first-pitch strike percentage is 58.6. He doesn't operate like Harvey and Holland because, frankly, he doesn't need to. Darvish's stuff is so good that he can render the strike zone practically moot.

Darvish's O-Swing%—that being the percentage of pitches outside the zone he gets batters to chase—of 31.2 isn't mind-blowing. It ranks 13th out of our 35 young pitchers. Harvey is first with an O-Swing% of 35.8, which goes to show that he can expand the zone in addition to pounding it.

But then there's this: Darvish's O-Contact% is a mere 45.4 percent, by far the lowest among the 26-or-younger group. When hitters chase his pitches, they miss. Plain and simple.

Wheeler is probably going to operate along those same lines for a little while until he masters the art of fastball command, and that's OK. If Tuesday was any indication, Wheeler's wildness works pretty well next to Harvey's precision.

The "We'll see" caveat obviously applies. Harvey and Wheeler have only performed Act I of a longer production. The big picture could change drastically, and likely will.

But for now, it looks like the Mets have quite the duo on their hands. The similarities to other young duos are there, but the total package is something wholly unique.

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

Denver Broncos: Breaking Down Options at the Center Position

Christopher Hansen — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:19:06 -0400

The Denver Broncos were hoping to have a healthy J.D. Walton start at center in 2013, but it appears that plan will have to be pushed back once again.

According to Jeff Legwold of The Denver Post, Walton had another surgery on his injured ankle and is likely to miss the 2013 season.

The injury to Walton leaves the Broncos with only the unproven Quentin Saulsberry and Philip Blake on the roster at center. The team will likely comb through the available free agents for a veteran to snap the ball to Peyton Manning.

Walton originally hurt his ankle in Week 4 of the 2012 season, but the Broncos had wisely signed veteran center Dan Koppen to a one-year contract and he ended up starting 12 games.

Though the Broncos didn’t re-sign Koppen this offseason, there’s nothing stopping them from bringing him back for the 2013-14 season.

The fact that Koppen wasn’t re-signed could be an indicator that they weren’t all that happy with his production last year. Koppen will be 34 in September, so the Broncos may have to bring in multiple players even if they decide to bring him back.

Outside of Koppen, there are several less obvious options the Broncos could consider, including one player that is already a proven performer and on the roster.

ESPN Denver's Cecil Lammey believes the Broncos might consider sliding right guard Chris Kuper over to center. Kuper doesn’t have an obvious path to playing time after the Broncos signed right guard Louis Vasquez in free agency, so a move to center might make sense for both him and the team.

Kuper is younger than several of the free agents on the market and seems to have the skills to be a solid center. The obvious challenge for Kuper would be the quarterback-center exchange, but that is something he should be able to learn quickly.

Ryan Lilja made the transition from guard to center on the fly in 2012 for the Kansas City Chiefs and there’s reason to believe Kuper could have similar success.

Coincidentally, Lilja is also a free agent and could be an option for the Broncos.

He will be 32 during the season, but has missed only three games in the last four years. Lilja also played five seasons with Manning. Even if he didn’t win the starting spot, he would provide good veteran depth if the younger players don’t develop.

Another veteran option would be Eugene Amano, who was released by the Tennessee Titans this offseason. Amano is coming off a torn triceps that caused him to miss all of the 2012 season. He had poor seasons in 2011 and 2010, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Amano is also 31, so he is probably not a good bet to turn around his career. However, he is a veteran who has started 68 games in his career and only missed four games from 2008-2011.

It’s probably worth having Amano in for a tryout to see where he is physically.

There are also two younger linemen who have experience with Manning, but not the experience to push for the starting job.

Kyle DeVan started 21 games from the Indianapolis Colts at guard and has some experience at center, but according to his Twitter profile, he is retired and starting a career as a coach at Oregon State University.

The other option would be Jamey Richard, who played guard and center for the Colts from 2008-2011 and started 11 games—including a few at center. Richard and Koppen would be the only free agents available with experience snapping to Manning.

Richard spent all of last season on injured reserve with a concussion after signing with the Patriots, so the Broncos would have to make sure he is completely recovered before considering him. Richard would likely be brought in to push the other guys more than to be used as a legitimate starting option.

The Broncos have several options to consider, but they don’t have to make a decision until the start of training camp on July 24. Koppen, Kuper and Lilja seem like the likeliest options.

Breaking Down 2014 NFL Draft Prospect Dominique Easley

Dan Hope — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:16:13 -0400

Sharrif Floyd quickly shot up draft boards to become one of the hottest defensive line prospects in the 2013 NFL draft. Another Florida defensive lineman, Dominique Easley, could be in line for a similar rise in 2014.

Throughout the months of June and July, I am looking ahead to the 2014 draft here at Bleacher Report and breaking down 10 of the top defensive linemen in the upcoming draft class.

This week's installment focuses on Easley, an explosive and versatile defensive lineman who projects as a potential impact player in any NFL defensive scheme. While Floyd stole the spotlight on the Gators defensive line last season, Easley could be viewed by some NFL teams as a better prospect for the 2014 draft than Floyd in 2013.

Last season's Sugar Bowl loss to Louisville wasn't a night to remember for Florida as a whole, but it was for Easley. In the national spotlight, he played arguably the best game of his career. He dominated the Louisville offensive line with quickness and power and finished the game with 3.5 tackles for a loss, while also deflecting a pass that was intercepted by a teammate.

The Minnesota Vikings selected Floyd with the No. 23 overall selection in the 2013 draft. If Easley finishes his Florida career strong in his senior season, he could follow in Floyd's footsteps as a first-round pick in 2014.

Explosive Penetration

The strength of Easley's game is his ability to explode off the line of scrimmage and make plays at or behind the line.

With a strong combination of quickness and power, Easley doesn't have much trouble generating explosion and momentum into his opponent.

He has a good first step off the line and accelerates quickly. He is very good at anticipating snap counts and timing his jump off the snap, although he needs to cut down on his tendency of jumping too quickly and drawing offsides penalties.

He can beat offensive linemen with his quickness alone, but he combines that quickness with the power and strength to push through offensive linemen or drive them back.

Easley can get into an offensive lineman's pads quickly to catch his opponent off-guard. After initiating contact, he can quickly shift to a power game and combine his strength and athleticism to generate momentum and drive his opponent back.

In the following video example, courtesy of Draft Breakdown, Easley gets a good jump at the line of scrimmage and decides to bull rush straight into the center. From there, he quickly generates the power to drive the center back into the quarterback for a sack.

Easley often draws double-team blocks from opposing offensive lines in efforts to neutralize his explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. He has shown that he can work through those as well, as he did for one of his tackles for a loss in last year's Sugar Bowl versus Louisville.

Easley is very good at getting into the backfield to make plays, and can do so from both inside and off the edge.

Physical Attributes/Versatility

Easley is a quick-footed defensive lineman who moves fluidly across the field. He is a nimble athlete who displays the ability to move laterally with agility and change directions with his hips.

Easley can also make plays with his speed in pursuit. When he gets free as a rusher, he has enough speed to track down the ball with a proper angle. He also displays the ability to track down a run that goes to the opposite side of the line by chasing the ball-carrier upfield and making a play from behind.

Easley is far from being a speed rusher, but if he has an angle to the quarterback, he can close quickly. An example of that came last year versus Louisiana-Lafayette, when Easley buried quarterback Terrence Broadway for a deep sack.

Easley has the strength to hold up against blockers both inside and out. He generates power effectively but also holds his ground well at the point of attack.

As a result, Easley has the versatility to line up in multiple spots on a defensive line. Playing primarily in a four-man front at Florida, Easley has experience lining up inside as both a nose tackle over the center and as a 3-technique between the guard and tackle. He has also played on the edge at defensive end.

The following pictures show a three-play sequence versus Louisiana-Lafayette in which Easley lined up first as a defensive end on the edge, then as a 1-technique nose tackle and finally in the 3-technique spot.

Size will be one of the biggest knocks on Easley in pre-draft evaluations. Listed at 6'2" and 280 pounds by Florida's official website, Easley will have trouble escaping the dreaded "'tweener" label.

Easley is undersized for a defensive tackle, but lacks the length and speed desired in a defensive end.

If Easley can bulk up and add 15-20 pounds to his frame, he is likely to receive more attention as a defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end. That said, Easley must be able to maintain his explosiveness while adding weight to remain an impact player and difference-maker on the defensive line.

Stuffing the Run

While Easley projects to have a size disadvantage against NFL interior linemen, he has shown to be a very good run-stopper at the collegiate level. He is best-known for his ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage, but is also very good at maintaining gap control and clogging run lanes.

By holding his ground and driving his opponent back with power, he can quickly shut down a run lane. He is effective with bull-rushing his opponent back up the middle of the offensive line to force a runner to pop outside and find a new lane.

Easley is strong with plugging a gap and holding his ground. He can effectively occupy a double-team and maintain his space to not only close a gap but also take multiple blockers out of a play.

The concern with Easley will lie in whether the interior run-stopping ability he has displayed in college will translate against stronger, faster opponents at the next level.

One area where Easley does struggle is allowing his opponents to initiate contact and get into his pads. Easley lacks the counter moves to consistently disengage from blocks and, as a result, he can get driven back or turned out of a play by his opponent.

Rushing the Passer

Easley's explosiveness gives him potential as an inside pass-rusher, but his game as a rusher remains very much a work in progress.

As demonstrated above with his sack versus Auburn, Easley is most effective as a bull rusher. With his quickness off the snap and ability to generate power, he can drive his opponent back quickly and put heat on the quarterback.

Easley has the athleticism to chase down a quarterback when he gets free, but breaking free from his opponent can be troublesome. In order to be an effective three-down player at the next level, Easley must become better at beating blockers with his hands.

Most of Easley's sacks at Florida have come as a result of winning on speed thanks to a breakdown in protection. He does not have a strong array of pass-rushing moves, which he needs to develop to consistently beat blockers at the next level.

When Easley does not win his initial start off the line, he struggles to disengage from pass protection. While he still makes some big plays as an inside rusher by jumping a snap and exploding out of his stance, his pass-rushing efforts are neutralized too often.

Projecting Easley's Fit and Draft Stock

Easley's ability to play various spots on the defensive line makes him a very intriguing prospect for both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses.

If he can bulk up while maintaining his quickness, he has incredible upside as a 3-technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 or as a 5-technique defensive end in a 3-4. His ability penetrating inside makes him a good fit to play either position, especially if he can become a more complete pass-rusher.

He brings more versatility to a four-man front, as he could play defensive end situationally against the run with his strength and ability to maintain gap control. He is likely limited to playing end in a 3-4, as he lacks the size to play nose tackle and the all-around athleticism to drop to outside linebacker.

While Easley will be stacked up against Sharrif Floyd given their time as teammates at Florida, he is a more comparable prospect to Sheldon Richardson. While the 2013 NFL Draft's No. 13 overall pick has more pass-rushing skill, Easley is comparable in terms of size, explosiveness and schematic versatility.

Had Easley declared for the 2013 NFL Draft, he likely would have been a mid-to-late Day 2 selection. With a strong senior season, however, he could vault himself into the first round.

Also Read:

Breaking Down Jadeveon Clowney

Breaking Down Jackson Jeffcoat

Dan Hope is an NFL draft featured columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow @Dan_Hope

Chris Bosh Tells Fans Who Left Game 6 Early to Stay Home for Game 7

Dan Favale — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:15:47 -0400

Chris Bosh has a message for the "fans" who filed out of their seats when the Miami Heat were trailing the San Antonio Spurs late in Game 6.

"For all those guys who left, don't come back for Game 7," Bosh said, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.

Good for Bosh. He showed some backbone at the right time.

More than a few of the Miami not-so-faithful fled from the AmericanAirlines Arena inside a minute to play when it was a two-possession game.

Two possessions. Anything can happen at that point. The Heat were a pair of threes and a botched free throw away from tying it up—which is exactly what they did.

LeBron James and Ray Allen knocked down a couple of treys to tie the game up at 95, and the Heat proceeded to win in overtime to force a Game 7.

Meanwhile, those who began their journey home tried to get back in and ultimately couldn't.

Serves them right, if you ask me.

Down by 10 or more inside of a minute to go during a regular-season game, feel free to head home early. But this wasn't a regular-season game, and the Heat weren't down by 10. It's the NBA Finals; a time when a little hometown appreciation should be shown even in the face of a loss.

Those outside of Miami would be free to call the Heat a failure had they lost Game 6. Alleged die-hard fans have an unspoken obligation to their team, though—the same team that was (and still is) battling through their third consecutive finals.

You don't just leave. You applaud them, maybe offer up a "good job, good effort" if the mood strikes. Don't, under this particular circumstance, leave.

For those who did, I, like Bosh, implore you to watch Game 7 from home, if at all. Plopped down on the couch is where you'll have control of the remote, leaving you free to remain loyal to your team when it's most convenient for you.

Follow @danfavale

NHL Draft 2013: Should We Believe Avalanche Will Pass Up Seth Jones at No. 1?

Steve Silverman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:13:34 -0400

The Colorado Avalanche have let word out that they are not going to draft Seth Jones with the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft later this month.

Jones, a right-handed shooting defense prospect, has been rated as the top prospect available in the 2013 draft for the last six months. Jones appears to have superstar-level potential.

Joe Sakic, the team's executive vice-president of hockey operations, will make the team's pick June 30. Sakic told Adrian Dater of the Denver Post that the Avs will not take the young defenseman and will choose one of the three top-rated forwards in the draft if they hold on to the pick.

Could subterfuge be at hand? Does Sakic have any need or desire to fool his competitors with his first-ever pick in the NHL Draft?

It is within the realm of possibility, but it does not seem likely.

This will be the first major move of Sakic's career as an NHL executive. He told Dater that he believes the Avalanche are going to turn to one of the top three forwards—Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin or Alexander Barkov—instead of Jones.

Jones is the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones. If Sakic is just trying to pull the wool over his competitors' eyes or he trades the pick to another team and Jones is selected, the 18-year-old would become the first African-American taken with the initial pick in the NHL Draft.

Jones will face quite a bit of scrutiny no matter when he's selected, but that pressure would increase dramatically if he is selected as the No. 1 pick.

Additionally, it is often takes longer for a young defense prospect to develop into a star NHL player than it does a forward.

However, the Avs have a number of solid young forwards, including Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene. The Avs had a poor year on defense (allowed 3.12 goals against per game, ranked 27th in NHL) and a strong need for help on the blue line.

Dater suggested that Sakic will attempt to improve the Avs' defense by going after free-agent blue liners as well as pursuing trades.

Here's a brief scouting report about Jones and the other three prospects that Sakic says the Avs are considering with the No. 1 pick in the draft:

Jones is 6'4" and 205 pounds, and an excellent skater, according to The Hockey Writers' mock draft. Jones played for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. He scored 14 goals and had 42 assists along with a plus-46 rating for Portland this year.

MacKinnon is listed as that online publication's No. 2 pick. He played for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The 6'0", 180-pound center has the quickness and skill level that makes him an elite player. MacKinnon scored 32 goals and had 43 assists this season, along with a plus-40 rating.

Drouin played with MacKinnon in Halifax. Drouin is an explosive left wing who has been called the most skilled player in the draft. He's not huge at 5'11" and 180 pounds, but he can take a hit and keep going towards the net. He can also score, as his 41 goals, 64 assists and plus-48 rating indicates.

Barkov has the size and strength at 6'2" and 205 pounds that all teams look for in young prospects. He scored 21 goals and 27 assists while playing for Tappara in Finland. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during his team's playoff run.

NBA Finals 2013: How the Miami Heat Won Game 6 and Forced a Game 7

Andrew Goldberg — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:12:48 -0400

Just in case you were without some form of electronics last night or were living under a rock, the Miami Heat came back with a 103-100 Game 6 overtime victory over the San Antonio Spurs last night. The win saves the legacy of both the Miami Heat and LeBron James—for now.

When all looked lost in the closing moments of Game 6 as James missed a game-tying three-pointer, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen both made defining plays to allow the Heat to force overtime and eventually win the game.

As everyone tries to pick up the pieces the day after an epic Game 6, including the Spurs themselves who were about thisclose to winning their fifth ring, what exactly happened last night?

Did the Spurs blow it or did the Heat win it? Did James have another performance like his Game 6 effort in Boston during last year's Eastern Conference Finals? Or was it the role players who helped extend the series?

The answers (or some of them) await you.

Begin Slideshow

Tracy McGrady: 7-Time All-Star Is Now Getting Clowned by Arby's on Twitter

Gabe Zaldivar — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:11:39 -0400

Arby's is serving up delectable burns much like they serve up delicious sandwiches.

For evidence of this, take a gander at the tweet from D'Brickashaw about the Spurs' Tracy McGrady and the response from Arby's.

Oh, would you like Arby's sauce with that, McGrady?

Here is just a smattering of the responses from fans who were essentially shouting, "Burn!"

Really, making fun of the NBA star is quickly becoming comedic low-hanging fruit. As a member of the Spurs, he has been relegated to a barometer of a game's final moments: If McGrady is playing, chances are the Spurs have a huge lead or have given up hope.

The 34-year-old joined the Spurs in April and has pretty much warmed a seat on the bench since that time.

During the NBA Finals, McGrady has seen action in just two games, playing close to eight minutes in a 103-84 Game 2 win for Miami, and then getting on the floor for six-plus minutes in a 113-77 Spurs blowout the very next game.

Essentially, if you see McGrady taking off the warm-ups, things are not going well for one of the teams, which has led to some Twitter hilarity.

McGrady wasn't always a social-media punching bag, and was once considered one of the best in the NBA. This is the same guy who featured in seven All-Star games and won two scoring titles.

Still, he is nearly four seasons removed from a year wherein he averaged double-digit points. You would even have to look as far back as the 2007-2008 season for the last time he averaged over 35 minutes per game.

So how do you know if it's time to hang up the sneakers and move on into retirement? Some might look to rickety knees, back pain or a jumper that yields a massive amount of bricks.

For McGrady, having a fast-food chain try out its best open-mic material on Twitter is as good a sign as any.

Hit me up on Twitter for more NBA nonsense: Follow @gabezal

Daniel Bryan's Backstage Confrontation with Triple H Will Benefit His Career

Joe Johnson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:09:23 -0400

Triple H has changed a great deal during the last 25 years, as he's risen from unknown enhancement talent to WWE main event star and current WWE chief operating officer.

He's cleaned up his look and sought ways, from the boardroom, to lead the wrestling business into a brighter future. All of this—pardon the pun—evolution doesn't change the fact that Triple H is a hardcore wrestling fan at heart.

Having grown up in the old school, where it was common to show intestinal fortitude both in the ring and backstage, Triple H likely sees Daniel Bryan's blow-up backstage on Raw as a positive.

Most talents would never have the guts to step toe-to-toe with not only a legend but their boss and give them a piece of their mind. Bryan did it publicly, reportedly with great passion, which is a sign that Triple H most certainly found admirable.

On CM Punk's DVD documentary, he speaks of a time that he stood up to Vince McMahon backstage and how it earned him respect. He discusses writing out several months of storyline for his character and the Straight Edge Society, dropping it on Vince's desk and telling him this is where he is going. Punk, similar to Bryan, doesn't possess the quintessential WWE look that Vince desires from his superstars.

Nonetheless, Vince respects men with opinions and passion.

Now, don't get carried away by thinking that calling out Triple H or Vince McMahon is the best way to advance at WWE. Both men have been known to be vindictive and territorial. They'd probably spin it by saying they are "proud." Ultimately, challenging either man could lead to a pink slip or complete burial of a wrestler's character.

But in the right circumstances, a performer with enough recognized talent and momentum can pick the perfect time to challenge authority and it will win them a greater push.

Daniel Bryan is at a pivotal moment in his career. He's never been this popular with such a large and varied audience. He's white hot in the ring and on the mic. He's forcing WWE's hand, as they cannot discount the reaction from the crowd, even if he was not initially planned to receive a main event push.

With speculation stirring that Bryan may be in line for a WWE title match against John Cena at an upcoming pay-per-view, the Goat-Faced Gremlin himself knows that he cannot risk losing momentum due to a questionable backstage call to stop his match against Randy Orton.A pinfall or submission victory over Orton, a legitimate main eventer and perpetual title contender, would have been one of the biggest wins of his career. Instead, he was forced to stop the match.

Reports from sources such as PWInsider have noted that Bryan and Triple H came to a mutual understanding on the matter at the conclusion of their confrontation. Knowing the adrenaline rush a performer experiences during a hot match and the frustration Bryan must've felt, Triple H could certainly relate to his perspective. If Bryan conveyed anything in his spat, it's that he has a passion for the business, he wants to be great and he wants to excite the crowd.

All of these things mean dollar signs to Triple H and the WWE. It's the type of energy you want out of your top stars and your locker room leaders. I'm willing to bet that Daniel Bryan is probably now a "Triple H Guy," even if he wasn't before.

Brazil vs. Mexico: What a Win Would Mean for Each Squad

Timothy Rapp — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:04:12 -0400

For both Brazil and Mexico, Wednesday's meeting at the Confederations Cup is extremely important. But just how important?

Good question. While Brazil are in a strong position after winning their first game, Mexico will surely be desperate for a victory after losing to the Italians. Let's break down what this match means for both sides.

When: Wednesday, June 19 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza, Brazil

TV: ESPN

Streaming: WatchESPN

What This Game Means For Brazil

For Brazil, a win would either put Brazil in an excellent position to advance to the group stage or guarantee that they will be moving on to the semifinals, if Italy either defeats or draws with Japan in the other Group A game.

Anything less than a win, however, and Brazil will be fighting for its tournament life with a game against a tough Italian side still to come.

Losing to Mexico would be a major opportunity squandered for Brazil. The Mexicans come into this match having won just one of their last six World Cup qualifying games and having drawn eight of their last 10 matches overall.

El Tri is not playing its best football, in other words.

As Brazil won't have another competitive match until the World Cup—only friendlies, since they automatically qualify for the World Cup as hosts—the Confederations Cup is a vital test for the Brazilians.

Don't expect the Brazilians to take the Mexicans lightly.

What This Game Means For Mexico

In a word, everything.

A win for Mexico would put them in an excellent position to advance, with a winnable game against Japan still to come. And while a draw wouldn't be ideal, Mexico would still have a shot to reach the semifinals.

But a loss would be potentially devastating. If El Tri lose this contest and Italy beat or draw against Japan on Wednesday evening, Mexico would be eliminated from the knockout phase. And while a loss and Japan win would keep them technically alive, El Tri wouldn't control their own destiny, needing a win against Japan, an Italy loss against Brazil and the advantage in goal differential over both teams.

Got all of that?

As noted above, Mexico has really struggled of late, and a strong performance in the Confederations Cup could be just what the team needs to reverse its recent World Cup qualifying woes. Mexico has just eight points from its first six Hexagonal games, and while they currently sit in third on the table, putting them in World Cup qualifying position, they have absolutely no room for error in their final four games.

What it all adds up to is a win being a very, very important result for Mexico today. A loss could have ripples that last long beyond the Confederations Cup.

Prediction

Given how dangerous Brazil looked against Japan and how mediocre Mexico has been of late, look for Brazil to take this one, 2-1.