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Brittney Griner Asked by Former Baylor Coach to Keep Quiet About Sexuality

Matt Fitzgerald — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:14:05 -0400

Former Baylor Lady Bears basketball superstar Brittney Griner was told to be publicly mum about her sexuality by her head coach, Kim Mulkey, because it was believed to be harmful to recruiting and reflect badly on the program.

Griner's candid testimony was documented in a report by ESPN, which included excerpts from interviews Griner did with ESPN The Magazine and ESPNW.com's Kate Fagan:

It was more of a unwritten law [to not discuss your sexuality] ... it was just kind of, like, one of those things, you know, just don't do it. They kind of tried to make it, like, "Why put your business out on the street like that?"

I told Coach [Mulkey] when she was recruiting me. I was like, "I'm gay. I hope that's not a problem," and she told me that it wasn't. I mean, my teammates knew, obviously they all knew. Everybody knew about it.

The story produced from Griner's interviews will hit newsstands this month.

As the ESPN report indicates, Griner revealed her sexuality about a month ago, but she had never tried to hide it from friends or family. After going No. 1 overall in the WNBA draft to the Phoenix Mercury, she has been outspoken, and this instance is clearly no exception.

Baylor University is a private Baptist school, and the student handbook dictates that students are expected not to "participate in advocacy groups which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching."

Homosexual behavior is one of the perceived actions of misconduct in Baylor's handbook, and perhaps that was Mulkey's reasoning behind repressing Griner in the way she did in college.

Griner led the Lady Bears to the NCAA tournament championship in 2012, was a three-time Big 12 Player of the Year and arguably the most dominant women's player in college basketball history.

Preakness Odds: Last-Minute Betting Tips for Saturday's Big Race

Jesse Reed — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:07:39 -0400

The 138th Preakness Stakes looks like it's Orb's race to lose according to the latest odds.

After winning the Kentucky Derby earlier this month, Orb is unsurprisingly the heavy favorite to win. As we saw at Churchill Downs, there's been some rain falling at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Unlike what we saw in early May, however, the track at Pimlico won't be as sloppy.

As Bob Ryan of ABC Washington points out, it's "good racing weather" for today's big event:

The second leg of the Triple Crown is contested on a slightly shorter track than the mile-and-a-quarter Derby. It is the shortest of the three races that comprise the Triple Crown.

That said, at a mile-and-three-sixteenths, the Preakness is still quite a test of endurance. Sprinters will be challenged to stay their penchant for jumping out to an early lead.

The field for this year's Preakness is small, featuring just nine horses. After the 19-horse race at the Derby, it seems quite small, indeed, though only 11 horses ran last year at Pimlico, which features a traditionally smaller field.

Here's a quick look at the latest odds being given for each horse.

Post	Horse	Odds
1	Orb	1-1
2	Goldencents	8-1
3	Titletown Five	30-1
4	Departing	5-1
5	Mylute	8-1
6	Oxbow	15-1
7	Will Take Charge	12-1
8	Govener Charlie	10-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	12-1

Live odds can be found at HorseRacingNetwork.com.

Here are a few things for you to consider before placing your bets.

Orb and Post No. 1

From a betting standpoint, it might be wise to stay as far away from Orb as possible.

There's no doubt that Orb has an excellent chance to win, based on his victory at the Derby and the fact that, by all accounts, the horse has been looking fantastic in training leading up to Saturday's race.

That said, recent history suggests starting on the rail could hurt Orb's chances. According to David Grening of DRF, the last time any horse won from this spot was in 1994, and the time before came back in 1961:

Combined with the fact that Derby-winning horses have only won the second leg of the Triple Crown 33 times since 1919, Orb isn't a sure bet this Saturday.

Don't Be Afraid To Bet On Titletown Five

The horse being given the longest odds in this race is Titletown Five.

Looking at the horse's history, it's easy to see why. In seven career races, Titletown Five has only won a single race, which was the horse's Maiden Special Weight victory.

But Titletown Five is trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lucas, who has seen five of his horses win the Preakness. He's convinced that Titletown Five has a shot to win this race, according to Alicia Wincze Hughes of herald-leader.com:

His last two races they put him into the race too much...I'd like to see him relax about 3-4 lengths off (the pace). I don't think he'll be on the lead and I really don't want him on the lead, either...He's a more talented horse than you people realize.

Given the extremely favorable odds being given to this horse, it might be a smart move to consider putting some money on Titletown Five to win, place or show.

Departing's Fresh Legs Could Be a Factor

After Orb, Departing is being looked at as the next-best horse in this race—and for good reason.

In four races this year, Departing has won three. This horse showed in the only race he didn't win—the Louisiana Derby, which was won by Revolutionary and which saw Mylute finish in second place.

Furthermore, Departing didn't race at the Derby and will be coming into the Preakness as a "new shooter," meaning he has fresh legs.

Departing has enough speed and stamina to win this race, and at 5-1 odds you'd be getting a nice little return for your money if he does.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

Preakness Picks: Predicting Which Horses Will Finish in Money at Pimlico

Tim Daniels — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:07:05 -0400

Every horse in the Kentucky Derby arrived to Churchill Downs with questions to answer. The only one who passed the test with flying colors was Orb. That's why he enters the Preakness Stakes as the prohibitive favorite and a legitimate Triple Crown threat.

It's an amazing transformation when you consider there were nothing but question marks about Orb through three career races. He hadn't finished better than third in any of those starts and certainly didn't have the look of an unstoppable force.

Yet, when he turned on the jets during the homestretch of the Kentucky Derby and blew past the rest of the field like they were all moving in slow motion, a statement was made. It marked his fifth straight victory after that early slump.

If Orb runs his best race in the Preakness, none of the other eight horses have a chance. He's the best three-year-old contender in the field, and that's why he was installed as the 1-1 morning-line favorite.

As he showed in the derby, his tremendous closing speed gives him margin for error. Add in the very average level of the competition and it would be a surprise if he doesn't cross the finish line first.

The tougher part of projecting the second leg of the Triple Crown is determining which horses will finish in the money behind Orb.

Goldencents is the most talented horse in the race outside of the Kentucky Derby winner. He showed off his tremendous speed at Churchill Downs; it just happened too early in the race and left him without a finishing kick to remain in contention.

A more reasonable early pace paired with a better ride from jockey Kevin Krigger would put Goldencents in contention. The talented colt likes to be near the lead, which is perfectly fine, but he can't afford to race as hard as he did in the first half of the derby.

His run in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, his last start before the Triple Crown, was a better example of the type of race he needs to run to win at Preakness. Even though he hasn't shown that form enough to have confidence he can beat Orb, he should be in the mix.

Triple Crown newcomer Departing has a great chance to round out the Preakness trifecta. He's won four of his five career starts, including the Illinois Derby his last time out. His finishing time in that race was better than Orb's in the Florida Derby, his last race before the Kentucky Derby.

He's never raced against the level of competition he'll face at Pimlico, though. That's the only reason he's only considered as an outside contender rather than a horse with a great chance to dethrone Orb.

When a horse enters the Triple Crown fray in the middle, you always want to see a track record of success. It shows they are a true threat instead of just filling a spot. Departing has that and could sneak into third.

In the end, however, Orb will rule the day once again.

Prediction: 1. Orb 2. Goldencents 3. Departing

Preakness 2013 Horses: Orb and More Contenders to Bet Big

Alex Kay — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:04:19 -0400

Post time of the 2013 Preakness Stakes is quickly coming up, as the 13-race card at Pimlico Race Course is already well underway.

If you are looking for some last-minute advice on how to bet the main event and trying to make the second jewel of the Triple Crown a profitable one, you’ve come to the right place.

I’ve identified a handful of horses that should hit the board on Saturday evening and included some advice on how you should bet each one of them. Let’s take a closer look at this trio of contenders.

*Odds via Preakness.com.

The Long Shot: Govenor Charlie at 12-1

Any time a horse comes into Preakness having run just three times during his prep career and having skipped the Kentucky Derby, there’s a reason to be skeptical.

Still, Govenor Charlie has been nothing short of excellent in the first few races, winning twice and finishing second in the other. He set a track record at the Sunland Derby and looked prime to be a major contender in the Run for the Roses.

Unfortunately, he suffered a hoof injury that forced trainer Bob Baffert to keep him away from Kentucky two weeks ago.

He’s now healed up and looking great in workouts, which is why he’s a perfect bet to fill out exotics. This three-year-old has a good shot of paying dividends for those that back him to show, which is exactly what I’m recommending in this race.

Advice: Bet to show.

Contender: Goldencents at 8-1

Despite a poor finish in the Kentucky Derby, Goldencents should fare much better in this event. While the forecast shows rain in the Baltimore area, it’s doubtful that the slop will be nearly as wet or muddy as it was beneath the Twin Spires a fortnight ago.

There’s also more room for jockey Kevin Krigger to maneuver his mount to avoid kickback, something Goldencents can’t handle well, as the Preakness field only boasts nine horses.

Expect trainer Doug O’Neill to have this horse primed to come flying out of the gate and trying to win it in wire-to-wire fashion, which was a successful strategy during his prep career.

Goldencents is arguably the fastest horse in this competition, and he should have no problem keeping the pack behind him for most of the 9.5 furlongs. I just don’t think he has the stamina to fend off a late surge by the favorite and he will lose by a length.

Advice: Bet to place.

Winner: Orb at 1-1

After being adorned with roses at Churchill Downs, Orb heads to Maryland eyeing another prize: the blanket of Black-Eyed Susans. This event is practically a formality in trainer Shug McGaughey’s bid to win the Triple Crown for the first time since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978.

There’s simply no other competitor in the field that possesses the same combination of speed and closing ability, which means Orb could come from anywhere after the turn and still win by mile. Just look at his Beyer Speed Figure from the Kentucky Derby, as this colt clocked in at a 104, despite abhorrent conditions and immense traffic out of the gate.

With less horses and slightly better surfaces expected at Pimlico, don’t be surprised when Orb runs away with this and prepares for Belmont as a Triple Crown favorite.

Advice: Bet to win.

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Latest Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1-1
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O'Neill	8-1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	30-1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez, Jr.	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	6-1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5-1
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	15-1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1

Preakness 2013: Why Low Payout for Orb Makes Favorite a Bad Bet

Rob Goldberg — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:49:20 -0400

After winning the Kentucky Derby in convincing fashion, Orb enters the Preakness Stakes as the overwhelming favorite. This is not necessarily the best bet to make on Saturday.

According to John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader, the horse was listed at 4-5 odds during the afternoon:

This means that a successful bet on the top contender would provide a return of less than your original price. While Orb is good, he is not solid enough to justify this low payout.

Despite winning five straight races, a lot had to go in the horse's favor to continue this streak. One major factor was the muddy track at Churchill Downs, where his experience paid off against some of the other competitors.

Other contenders like Goldencents and Itsmyluckyday struggled in those conditions earlier in the month, but they should be stronger at Pimlico. Newcomers Govenor Charlie and Departing should also be tough to beat.

However, the biggest issue that could hold Orb back from winning the second leg of the Triple Crown is the post position. He will have to start from the No. 1 slot, which could end up being a problem.

We saw at the Kentucky Derby what jockey Joel Rosario wanted to do with his mount. From the No. 16 post, he did not even try to get into good position at the start and was very comfortable sitting behind the pack. It was not until the final turn that Rosario pushed the horse to the front.

Unfortunately, this strategy might not be possible at the Preakness. Starting close to the rail will force Orb to get a good start; otherwise, he could end up being trapped inside with no room to maneuver. This will especially be true with the fast-starting Goldencents starting at No. 2.

Additionally, history is not on Orb's side entering the prestigious race, according to David Grening of Daily Racing Forum:

The Kentucky Derby winner will have to overcome a long list of failed runners at this event. Based on the competition around him, it will not be too easy.

Orb is likely the most talented horse in the race, but that does not always lead to a win. There are too many factors at play that can prevent him from entering the winner's circle.

With this in mind, it would be a smarter move to place a bet on one of the other contenders that could hopefully bring a better payout.

Rafael Nadal Will Cruise to 7th Career Rome Masters Final Win on Sunday

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:48:39 -0400

There's never been a player as dominant on clay or at the Rome Masters than Rafael Nadal, who will be gunning for a seventh career title at the Italian Open on Sunday.

Nadal will face the the greatest champion in the history of men's tennis in this weekend's final, but even Fed doesn't stand much of a chance going up against the 26-year-old Spaniard on his favorite surface.

The defending champion at this tournament and a six-time winner in the past, Rafa has reached the final in Rome for the eighth time since 2005. And while Federer is a 17-time Grand Slam champion, he's just 2-12 against his archrival on clay all time.

Plus, Fed has never won this tournament before, coming closest in 2003 and 2006, when he finished as runner-up on both occasions. And while Fed has been playing arguably his best tennis of the season this May in the Italian capital, his history against the King of Clay is discouraging.

Fed hasn't beaten Nadal on clay since the 2009 Madrid Masters final. That was a straight set win, but the Swiss legend was also just 27 years old at the time, rather than 31 going on 32.

Meanwhile, there might not be a single player on the planet capable of slowing the seven-time French Open champ at the moment.

In Saturday's semifinal win over Tomas Berdych, Nadal was outright dominant, winning 100 percent of his second-serve points (10-of-10) to take the match in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-4 in just under 80 minutes.

The Czech star made plenty of unforced errors, but credit Nadal for capitalizing.

Nadal also won 42 percent of his return points, compared to Berdych, who won just 18 percent of his return points for the match. The win bodes extremely well for Rafa on Sunday and quite terribly for the rest of the men's field as the French Open draws closer.

While Nadal did look human in wins over Ernests Gulbis and David Ferrer, he was able to overcome both men despite leaving his A-game at home. It's victories like those two that prove Rafa is in a class by himself when it comes to the red stuff.

Keep in mind that Rafa is 27-1 in his last 28 clay-court matches dating back to last February. The lone loss coming to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo. Djokovic, meanwhile, was bounced in the quarterfinals of Rome on Friday, losing to none other than Tomas Berdych.

Roger Federer will likely go down as Rafael Nadal's greatest rival, but he's no longer the same player he was four or five years ago. Nadal has taken 11 of the their last 15 meetings dating back to the start of 2008.

More importantly, Rafa is 7-2 against Federer in tournament finals over that time.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Card: Non-Title Matches Guaranteed to Impress

Mike Chiari — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:45:57 -0400

While titles can certainly add to matches and make them feel more important, they aren't necessary in order for a match to be great. Several championships will be on the line at Extreme Rules; however, the non-title matches could ultimately steal the show.

Many of the matches on the Extreme Rules card are interesting as they involve stipulations that fans don't get to see too often. All signs point to this being a fantastic pay-per-view, and the non-title matches will likely have a lot to do with that.

Here are three particular non-title matches that are guaranteed to impress viewers at Extreme Rules on Sunday night.

Full Extreme Rules Card

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

*Card courtesy of WWE.com

Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H

Brock Lesnar and Triple H have been engaged in one of the WWE's bitterest rivalries for more than a year, and it appears it will reach its conclusion at Extreme Rules. Lesnar beat Triple H at SummerSlam, but The Game prevailed at WrestleMania XXIX, so this one is for all the marbles. To make things even more exciting, Lesnar and Triple H will do battle inside a steel cage, so there is a lot to like about this contest.

Even if there isn't much on the line, Lesnar and Triple H have made it seem like they really hate each other, so both of them are going to go all out in order to entertain the fans. Their first two matches were fantastic brawls and there is no reason to think that their Extreme Rules match will be any different. In fact, it could very well be better as the cage will allow them to do some different things in comparison to their previous encounters.

Extreme Rules is all about taking things to the next level and that is precisely what Lesnar and Triple H will do. Although this is nothing more than speculation, it wouldn't be a surprise if there was a little blood involved. That is so infrequent in the WWE these days due to how dangerous it can potentially be, but Lesnar and Triple H are two veterans who will likely be trusted to do it the right way.

Sheamus vs. Mark Henry

While few wrestling fans consider Sheamus or Mark Henry to be in-ring technicians, both men know how to brawl and that is exactly what they'll be asked to do at Extreme Rules. Sheamus and Henry have engaged in an "anything you can do, I can do better" feud of sorts since WrestleMania as they continue to attack each other and compete in events such as tug of war and arm wrestling. They will finally prove who is the better man on Sunday night.

Even a normal match between these two combatants would be interesting, but the fact that they'll be duking it out in a strap match is even better. Strap matches used to be fairly common in the 1980s, but you simply don't see that stipulation used much anymore. There may not be any two superstars more perfect for it than The Celtic Warrior and The World's Strongest Man, though. It's tough to say who is going to come out on top, but Sheamus has talked plenty of trash on Twitter.

The feud has already been extremely physical as Henry even used a belt to leave welts on Sheamus' back a couple weeks ago. Both men feel as though they have a lot to prove, and they will do so at Extreme Rules. It probably makes more sense to give Henry the win since he is coming off a WrestleMania victory over Ryback, but the result is anyone's guess.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger

Alberto Del Rio and Jack Swagger were initially set to face World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler in a Triple Threat Ladder match for his title at Extreme Rules, but an errant kick from Swagger on SmackDown caused Ziggler to go down with a concussion. Since he hasn't been medically cleared to compete, Del Rio and Swagger will instead go one-on-one in an "I Quit" match to determine the No. 1 contender for Ziggler's world title.

Although the fans already saw Del Rio and Swagger face each other at WrestleMania and have seen them wrestle a few times since then as well, there is still plenty of reason to be optimistic about this match. Both Del Rio and Swagger are underrated from an in-ring perspective and they seem to have pretty good chemistry. Also, the fact that they each have devastating submission finishers means that an "I Quit" match will add a different dimension to their rivalry. Swagger's manager Zeb Colter doesn't believe his protege will have any trouble coming out on top, though.

Del Rio is likely to win since the WWE probably won't go through with a heel vs. heel feud between Swagger and Ziggler, but the match promises to be solid nonetheless. It seems like there aren't many fans talking about this contest or expecting much out of it, but Del Rio and Swagger have worked well together in recent months and will continue to do so at Extreme Rules.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

Mike Krzyzewski Reportedly Considering Returning as Team USA Coach in 2016

Justin Onslow — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:30:32 -0400

Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has made quite a mark on the USA Basketball team since he assumed the head coaching position in 2005. Despite remarks to the contrary, it now seems Krzyzewski could remain at the helm through 2016.

According to Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated, Coach K has “reversed course” in admitting he is considering a return:

BREAKING: Coach K reverses course and tells @sinow "there's a chance" he coaches USA Basketball again. sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basket…
— Pete Thamel(@SIPeteThamel) May 18, 2013

Thamel reports that Krzyzewski, 66, and chairman Jerry Colangelo have been discussing the ongoing nature of the former’s relationship with USA Basketball.

Colangelo commented, "I think it's very close to being resolved. That's all I can say for sure. Give it another week and it should be resolved.”

USA Basketball hasn’t always been a top priority for the NBA’s brightest stars. After a lull in success prior to Krzyzewski’s arrival, the team has been a dominant force in international play, compiling a 62-1 record in that span. His tenure also includes Olympic gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Games.

While nothing is finalized, the fact that Colangelo didn’t find an immediate replacement is telling. According to Thamel, the chairman held off naming a new coach at the beginning of the year in hopes of convincing Krzyzewski to retain his position to lead the team in the coming years.

Coach K was the architect of USA Basketball’s most recent Olympic gold medal in 2012 at the London Games—a run that included a perfect 8-0 record and a 107-100 victory over Spain in the gold medal game.

USA Basketball also won gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but that may not have been possible without Krzyzewski at the helm. The year before Coach K took over (2004), the team produced a disappointing third-place finish at the Athens Olympics.

Should he agree to remain with the team, Thamel suggests Krzyzewski’s final run could encompass both the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Sacramento Celebrates Saving Their Kings

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:30:22 -0400

As the Sacramento Kings prepare to delve into their future, past the uncertainty of the 2012-13 season that cast doubt on where they would play next season, the city and the fans celebrate a team that won just 28 games this season.

It's hard to imagine that anybody in basketball is happier than Kings fans simply for the privilege of still having a professional basketball team in their backyard. It's probably a pretty good feeling to have some new owners on the horizon as well.

The Kings started to give thanks to the people that helped them stay in Sacramento with a simple 90-second clip that plays when you go to the team's official website.

Fans chanting "Here we stay!" along with Chris Webber and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson are joined by clips of the good old days accompanied by some sappy music and a voiceover by play-by-play man Grant Napear to create a clip that easily sums up the fight that the city went through to keep their team.

They haven't been in Sacramento forever, but the people in the city have grown to love the team, and moving them would have been a tragedy.

Now, with some solid young talent, a few good drafts and ownership that doesn't blatantly squeeze every penny, the Kings should finally be on the rebound and on their way back to the days when Arco Arena was the loudest place in the NBA.

Exit out of the video and you'll see what every team no longer playing is advertising: season ticket sales.

However, right above that, smack-dab in the center of the screen it reads "Sacramento Kings: 1985-Forever."

We certainly hope so.

Liverpool vs. QPR: Premier League Live Score, Highlights, Recap

Karl Matchett — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:23:01 -0400

Live Premier League coverage

Liverpool vs. QPR

Kickoff: Sunday May 19, 4:00 p.m. (UK)/11:00 a.m. (ET)

Hello again, football fans. For the final time this season, welcome to another round of live Premier League action here on Bleacher Report.

This time, we bring you the match from Anfield between Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers. There's only one real storyline here, that of the final match of legendary defender Jamie Carragher before his retirement. The No. 23 will captain Liverpool as he plays his 737th, and final, match for the Reds.

Liverpool will end the season in seventh position, with QPR relegated and likely finishing bottom of the table. But there'll likely be plenty of entertainment and excitement on show on the final day of the Premier League season.

Make sure you join me, your regular commentator, Karl Matchett, for all the team news, buildup and in-game action as we bring the curtain down on Carra's career, beginning around an hour before kickoff. Meanwhile, here's all the latest reading for you:

Jamie Carragher's Best LFC Moment in Videos

Why Raul Albiol Isn't the Man to Replace Carra

Tactics: Could Liverpool Play a Back Three for 2013-14?

Six Goalkeepers who could Replace Pepe Reina

Transfer Window Advice for Liverpool

Follow @karlmatchett

NCAA Lacrosse: Cornell Advances to Final 4; Blows by Ohio State 16-6

Dave Giancola — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:08:23 -0400

The No. 3 seed Ohio State Buckeyes got all they could handle and more in the quarterfinal round today. The Cornell Big Red used a huge first half on the offensive end to blow out OSU 16-6.

Cornell took the lead early and never let up. The Big Red were able to maintain possession throughout the first half and were able to limit the production of the Buckeye offense. Cornell took an 11-3 lead into the locker room at halftime and never looked back.

Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Rob Pannell was tremendous on attack for Cornell, while his roommate Steve Mock had a career high seven goals in the win. Pannell finished with eight points, leaving him just six shy of the single-season NCAA record as he heads for the semifinal round. His two goals and six assists today certainly made a statement as he looks to take home the player of the year award this year.

Ohio State really struggled throughout the contest, and its inability to produce defensive stops proved to be the difference. The Buckeye defense gave Steve Mock way too much room near the crease, and was unable to pack it in tight and let its goalie try and stop shots from further out. Goaltending was a problem for OSU, but the Cornell attackers were taking quality shots from close quarters every time down the field.

Cornell was able to score at will, but the Big Red's defense was equally as impressive. Ohio State scored 16 goals just a week ago in the first round, but was held to just five by Cornell today. The Cornell defense was aggressive, and was quick to slide and double-team some of the Buckeye's better players.

This game was a yawner to start the quarterfinal round. I thought Cornell would win, but certainly not by 10 goals. Cornell was relentless today, and seems to be playing its best lacrosse at the right time. With Pannell and Mock running on all cylinders, it will be tough to defeat the Big Red in this year's tournament.

Cornell will face the winner of the Duke-Notre Dame game in the Final Four next weekend in Philadelphia.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for continuous coverage of this weekend's quarterfinal matches.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland: Premier League Live Score, Highlights, Recap

Thomas Cooper — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:59 -0400

Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League season comes down to this.

Beat Sunderland and, with a little good luck elsewhere, they will finish in fourth place and enter the qualifying stage of the 2013-14 Champions League.

The specter of Arsenal's game versus Newcastle United will be hanging over White Hart Lane on Sunday. Just like last year, a win on the road for the Gunners will see them finish above their North London rivals.

On that occasion, Spurs won their final match against Fulham, but they still lost out on third place after Arsenal comfortably dispatched West Bromwich Albion. With Chelsea winning the Champions League a week later, the Blues took Spurs' place in the competition for the following year.

The situation is not much simpler this season. With both Sunderland and Newcastle United safe from relegation, they might not be fighting for their lives, but they may be battling to avoid accusations of not trying.

Spurs know what they have to focus on, and their manager, Andre Villas-Boas, is certainly saying the right things.

“We have to win and it’s not that straight forward," he told his club's official website. "The ingredients of the game are dangerous. We have to be aware. We have to focus on our task."

It is impossible to know which version of Paolo Di Canio's suitably unpredictable Sunderland side will turn up. Spurs cannot rely on it being the lazy Black Cats, and they will have to work hard to avoid Sunday becoming a needlessly tense affair.

Aiding those attempts should be an almost fully fit squad for Villas-Boas to choose from. Benoit Assou-Ekotto is fit again after missing the Stoke City win with a knee injury. Only long-term absentees Sandro, Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are unavailable.

Sunderland will have to make do without the ineligible Danny Rose, who, as of last Monday, has returned to his parent club. Craig Gardner and Stephane Sessegnon are also unavailable because of suspension, though Connor Wickham is available.

Tottenham came away from the Stadium of Light with all three points when they beat 2-1 Sunderland in both club's final game of 2012. Aaron Lennon scored a second-half winner shortly after a Carlos Cuellar own goal put Spurs level following John O'Shea's opener.

Mosley vs. Cano: Preview and Prediction for Sugar Shane's Comeback Fight

Tim Daniels — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:12 -0400

Shane Mosley returns to the ring on Saturday night to face Pablo Cesar Cano. After a brief retirement and more than a year between fights, Mosley must prove he made the right decision to return with a strong performance against a fighter 18 years his junior.

"Sugar Shane" was originated slated to return against Paulie Malignaggi last month, as reported by Dan Rafael of ESPN. Before the deal fell through, Mosley talked about his desire to return to the sport after some promising sessions in the gym.

I was thinking about it and running a little bit and I said, 'You know what? I think I can do this.' I'm holding my own in the gym no matter who I work with. I really love this sport. I love to do it. When I am in the gym, I can see myself improving.

Even though there's a major difference between the gym and the ring, Mosley clearly felt good enough about his form to give it another go. Since an agreement with Malignaggi couldn't be reached, he'll face off with Cano instead.

The biggest question mark for Mosley heading into the bout is his speed. It was one of the attributes that made him so difficult to face in his prime. Like all aging fighters, however, he's lost some of that quickness as his career has dragged on.

It's one of the main reasons why he has three losses and a draw in his last four fights. He continued to go up against top-end competition like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but he wasn't able to keep pace with those superstars of the sport.

In his last fight, which came last May, Mosley wasn't able to make any type of inroads against rising star Saul Alvarez. It was a thoroughly lackluster unanimous-decision loss that sent a clear signal he wasn't ready to fight opponents of that caliber.

Cano represents a clear drop in the level of competition. The 23-year-old Mexico native lost to the aforementioned Malignaggi in his last fight, albeit by split decision.

Mosley must be prepared to handle Cano's power. He possesses enough striking ability to turn the fight into a one-sided demolition if the veteran isn't ready to defend.

At the same time, he's susceptible to the counterattack and hasn't faced a fighter with the type of experience and track record Mosley possesses. It's new territory for him. Mosley must capitalize on that early in the fight.

Ultimately, it's a very winnable fight for Mosley. Cano is an opponent that doesn't feature the elite quickness that's been giving him trouble in recent fights, and "Sugar Shane" clearly believes he's still got a couple wins left in the tank.

Whether he does or not will probably be pretty obvious by night's end. While this fight could go either way, Mosley gets the benefit of the doubt one more time.

Prediction: Mosley by unanimous decision

5 Early Surprise Teams That Have the Best Chance of Making Playoffs

Jason Lempert — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:57:51 -0400

Before the beginning of each regular season, supposed experts and gurus from around the sport make predictions, guessing on who they think will make the postseason in the coming year. Many of these predictions are made based on expectations of teams, primarily looking at the talent that resides on the roster.

Of course, baseball is mostly an unpredictable sport, so any predictions can be considered "bold". And every year there is at least one team that surpasses expectations, making these experts look uninformed sometimes.

In 2012, the Oakland A's and Baltimore Orioles both unexpectedly made the playoffs. Neither club was supposed to be relevant in the standings, but nevertheless played baseball in October.

With about a quarter of the 2013 season in the books, let's take a look at some of the big surprise teams that have the chance to be this year's version of the A's and O's.

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Preakness 2013 Jockeys: Highlighting Riders of Top Challengers

Justin Onslow — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:53:55 -0400

There’s a lot more to thoroughbred racing than fast horses and exciting finishes.

As with any sport, training, strategy and skill are critical to finding success on the track. The horse may be doing most of the work, but it takes a skilled jockey to harness that physical ability and turn it into a winning performance.

Joel Roasrio did just that with Orb at the Kentucky Derby, and he’ll look to do the same Saturday at the Preakness Stakes. He’ll be facing some tough competition, though.

Goldencents and Departing enter the Preakness as two of the favorites to upend their Triple Crown bid, each hoping to make history on Pimlico’s storied track. If Rosario hopes to keep the dream alive, he’ll have to outrace counterparts in Kevin Krigger and Brian Hernandez Jr.

Let’s take a look at three of the top horses in the field and highlight each challenger’s jockey as they attempt to find a big payday at Pimlico and the 2013 Preakness Stakes.

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
1	Orb	Shug McGaughey	Joel Rosario	4-5
2	Goldencents	Doug O'Neill	Kevin Krigger	9-1
3	Titletown Five	D. Wayne Lukas	Julien Leparoux	33-1
4	Departing	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	Brian Hernandez, Jr.	7-1
5	Mylute	Tom Amoss	Rosie Napravnik	17-2
6	Oxbow	D. Wayne Lukas	Gary Stevens	18-1
7	Will Take Charge	D. Wayne Lukas	Mike Smith	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Bob Baffert	Martin Garcia	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	Eddie Plesa Jr.	John Velazquez	10-1

*Odds acquired from Bovada.lv

Joel Rosario (Orb)

Rosario has been one of the most dominant jockeys in the sport this year, tallying wins in the $10 million Dubai World Cup and 2013 Kentucky Derby, not to mention another 38 wins at the Keeneland spring meet that broke Randy Romero’s single-event record, as outlined by Joe Drape of The New York Times.

Rosario is modest about his success this year, but it’s no coincidence that he’s had the golden touch in 2013. Tim Sullivan of USA Today quotes Rosario as saying, “I think it's not me. I think it's the horses. If you have good horses, you're going to run good.”

Running well and winning the Kentucky Derby over a field of 18 challengers are two different things. Rosario is one of the best jockeys at Pimlico this weekend, and trainer Shug McGaughey acknowledges that, according to Drape.

I think Joel will get him where he wants him to be, and we’ll take it from there — he’s riding like he’s seeing things before they happen. I know if Orb goes over and runs his race, I’m quietly confident that he’ll be tough to beat.

That premonition McGaughey hinted at is what makes the Rosario-Orb combination so deadly. There aren’t many horses as talented as the Derby winner, and few jockeys as tuned in to their horse as Rosario.

Kevin Krigger (Goldencents)

Krigger looked to make history at the Derby, but his bid came up short with Goldencents’ 17th place finish on May 4. He won’t have to wait long for redemption, however.

With a win at the 138th running of the Preakness, Krigger would become the first African-American jockey to win the prestigious event in 115 years.

The 29-year-old isn’t a long shot to do so, either. With 25 wins this year ($1.3 million in purse earnings) and a horse who is much better than he looked at Churchill Downs, Rosario will be looking over his shoulder from the rail position.

Krigger will be taking Goldencents from the No. 2 post, right next to Orb along the rail. The former is among the fastest pure sprinters in the field, and Krigger may find himself in good position if he can coax Goldencents to a hot start from the gate.

But whether he wins or not, Krigger seems to have his career in focus. This won’t be the last Triple Crown event the 29-year-old takes head-on. Quoted by Kristian Dyer of Yahoo! Sports, Krigger says:

It isn’t an easy road, to get here period. It’s not an easy road. It took me 12 years to get here. I’m finally here and hopefully I can continue to have the success to make it here every year. That’s my goal from here on out, to find that Derby horse, that Triple Crown horse every year.

Brian Hernandez Jr. (Departing)

The most talented of the New Shooters in this race, Departing is one of the heavy favorites to challenge Orb and secure the second leg of the Triple Crown.

With four wins in five events (including three on tracks a mile or longer), the colt is in tremendous position to earn the Black-Eyed Susan Blanket ahead of Orb, especially with a jockey like Hernandez on his back.

Hernandez was the architect of all four of those wins, including Departing’s most recent victory at the Illinois Derby on April 20. That 1 1/8-mile run was the perfect warm-up for Pimlico’s 1 3/16-mile dirt track.

The 27-year-old boasts an impressive record aboard some extremely talented thoroughbreds. He rode 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra to two wins in her first five starts as a two-year-old and also took down the 2012 Breeder’s Cup Classic for his second Grade 1 victory.

Hernandez has proved he is capable of winning big races, and he’ll be taking one of the best in the field into the Preakness this year. Look for Departing to turn some heads with in Hernandez in control, potentially taking the No. 4 post all the way to a first-place finish.

Crystal Palace Find Excrement in Locker Room Prior to Away Match vs. Brighton

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:47:05 -0400

Brighton manager Gus Poyet is hot after discovering that excrement was found in the Crystal Palace dressing room prior to Monday's English League Championship semifinal loss to the visiting club according to The Guardian.

An investigation has reportedly been launched by the club to figure out what exactly occurred and who is responsible for it. The report does mention that it's not believed that Poyet nor his assistant Mauricio Taricco and first-team coach Charlie Oatway were involved.

Poyet had the following response via an email to employees acquired by The Sun:

For some reason that is still not clear to me, someone during the day had access to the away dressing room and done [sic] something terrible, trying to upset everyone related to Palace. To say it in clear English, someone had a 'poo' all outside the toilets, over and around the toilets…

I am angry that someone within this club could endanger our good reputation and stoop so low. Did they imagine that this would affect the Crystal Palace players? Well possibly it did. It may just have fired them up more.

Well someone made a very bad decision and I think it is time to stand up and take responsibility. Not just the culprit but those employees who are supposed to make our stadium safe and secure.

Crystal Palace won Monday's second leg 2-0 to win by the same score on aggregate and advance to the Championship final against Watford, which is scheduled for Monday, May 27.

Poyet has plenty of reason to be upset following his club's disappointing performance against Crystal Palace. In addition to the unsettling incident prior to kickoff, he was recently suspended by the club for an "unrelated alleged breach of contract," according to The Guardian.

The 45-year-old Poyet is a native of Uruguay and has been with Brighton since 2009. He is better known as a former midfielder for Premier League clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Brighton finished fourth in the English League Championship table this season, three points ahead of Crystal Palace. Each team won 3-0 against the other at home during the regular year, but drew at Crystal Palace on May 10 in the first leg of their semifinal clash, three days prior to the incident in question.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Are NBA Stars Returning Too Early from Serious Injuries?

Will Carroll — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:21:28 -0400

It would seem that the calendar has shrunk in sports.

Time has changed value. More and more, players who are out for injury seem to be coming back quicker. Is this a medical miracle or a new problem for players?

Seeing players like Amare Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert and David Lee return from once-devastating injuries not only helps their team (and career), but resets the expectations we have, setting the stage for the Derrick Rose backlash.

The change in the rehab clock is difficult to understand for many, but most revolutions are. The difference we've seen over the last decade in terms of timeline is not one single factor, the way it was in the 1980s.

At that point, the introduction of the arthroscope changed the recovery timelines and allowed new surgical techniques to rapidly deploy. The reduced trauma to the damaged joints allowed for better results and quicker comebacks.

Now, we're seeing a multi-factorial change that is not quite so clear and a differential spread that has disguised the causations. Understanding what is going on behind the scenes is, by definition, not broadly explained in the mainstream.

Most fans can't name their team's athletic trainer, let alone the rehab professionals that are involved. While there are some recognizable names doing the surgery—Dr. James Andrews, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Dr. Tim Kremcheck—fewer know the rehab geniuses that work with them, like Kevin Wilk or Mike Reinold.

Wilk has been at the forefront for several decades, one of the "secret weapons" of Jim Andrews. Wilk's clinic in Birmingham, along with the biomechanics lab of Glenn Fleisig, has pushed Andrews forward, but without the notoriety.

Over the last decade, Wilk has made several changes to the rehab protocols, the schedule followed by the rehab professionals in guiding a player back from surgery.

The major change is an aggressive follow-on from those that came after the advent of arthroscopic surgery. Players are now pushed to work on range of motion and weight bearing almost as soon as they wake up from anesthesia. The quicker the body part is back to normal function, the quicker that athletic function can be worked on.

Nerlens Noel is a great example of this. His devastating knee injury in February not only hasn't hurt his draft stock, but he's been able to help his position by being, literally, a walking PR campaign. Noel is just three months post-surgery, but he has made a point of walking around ESPN's headquarters and walking from interview to interview, where he is telling teams that he'll be ready to play by Christmas.

The technology of rehab and health maintenance has also changed greatly over the last decade. Trainers aren't magicians now, but technologists. While there's plenty of tape and Tiger balm available, there's also things like cold lasers, high-tech rigs for electric stimulation, Swim-Ex pools for rehab and NASA-looking tubes for cryotherapy.

New stadiums have brought big changes, but in the back, that increased room has also allowed for a better experience in the training room. The use of these new technologies as well as the wide availability, even on the road, has allowed the medical staffs to work more aggressively and more quickly on their injured players.

There have also been some surgical changes.

While the basic techniques have remained the same, and, in some cases, things have reverted back to previous techniques, overall, the sheer amount of injuries have created opportunities for the doctors to refine the techniques. Use of new surgical tools, such as smaller anchors, jigs for drilling precisely aligned suture points and more, all help reduce trauma and bring the athlete back more quickly.

Perhaps most importantly, the athletes themselves have changed. It just takes a simple look at some of these athletes to realize they are both genetic freaks and in top physical condition, even above the norm of their sport. Players with this type of conditioning will have advantages in the rehab process and on the court.

In some situations, we're also seeing an increased acceptance of risk—coming back early, or even coming back at all, as best typified by the return of David Lee just days after a severe strain of his hip flexor.

Lee and the Golden State Warriors made an informed decision, knowing that the surgery he faced after the season would be the same, even if he exacerbated the condition by playing in the playoffs. Lee dealt with the pain and physical change, something more and more players are doing on a daily basis.

There is a difference between accepted risk and the kind of macho, play-at-all-costs mentality that has led to many problems. Accepted risk is a more informed decision, allowing a player to change his game as much as possible to minimize the issue while working in concert with the medical staff to keep the player's situation both functional and minimized in terms of risk.

The changes that have occurred over the last decade may not be as visible as advancements in shoes or uniforms, but they're vastly more important to the fortunes of injured players and teams. The clock is still 24 hours and the calendar still flips 12 times, but the timeline for injury has shrunk. Living by the old timeline is the same as believing the earth is still flat.

Ranking the 10 Most Unexpected Major Victories in the Past Decade

Fred Altvater — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:15:05 -0400

John Daly's win in the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick as the eighth alternate was certainly one of the most unexpected major victories of all time.

Ben Crenshaw was 43 years old when he won his second Green Jacket in 1995. His longtime teacher Harvey Penick had died earlier in the week and the 43-year-old Crenshaw was on the back nine of his career.

Here is a ranking of the ten most unexpected major winners over the past decade.

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How Bayern and Dortmund Prepared for the Champions League Final (GIFs)

Jerrad Peters — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:13:21 -0400

A wild final day of action brought the 2012-13 Bundesliga season to the end, and in the thick of it were Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund—the two sides that will contest the UEFA Champions League final next Saturday.

Bayern, having already wrapped up the title some weeks ago, nevertheless fielded their strongest possible team but fell behind to Borussia Monchengladbach after just four minutes, when Martin Stranzl opened the scoring for the hosts.

Goals from Mike Hanke—playing his final match for Monchengladbach—and Havard Nordtveit made it 3-1 to Die Fohlen before 11 minutes had ticked off the clock. Javi Martinez replyed for Bayern in the seventh minute. Frank Ribery pulled the guests back to within a goal in the 18th minute and from there, things settled down somewhat until just after the restart.

GIFSoup

In the 53rd minute, it was Ribery again finding the back of the net for Bayern—this time with an incredible volley. And just before the hour-mark, Arjen Robben put the finishing touches on the comeback with his 12th goal of the season in all competitions.

GIFSoup

Dortmund, meanwhile, took an early lead of their own when Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the sixth minute with his 24th goal of the Bundesliga campaign.

But Hoffenheim, facing the prospect of relegation, hung around throughout the match and took advantage of the two opportunities presented to them when things got rather crazy in the final quarter of an hour.

In the 77th minute, Dortmund defender Mats Hummels was judged to have fouled Hoffenheim midfielder Kevin Volland inside the area, and after Sejad Salihovic’s confident conversion, the guests were back on level terms and within striking distance of a relegation playoff instead of automatic demotion.

Their second break came only five minutes later.

Following a foul on Sven Schipplock, Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller was shown a straight red card, and Salihovic again stepped up to the spot.

GIFSoup

The 28-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina international made no mistake with his second spot-kick of the evening, and just like that, unfancied Hoffenheim were drawn into a two-legged playoff against Kaiserslautern, who finished third in 2.Bundesliga this season.

As for the Champions League finalists, both put out the lineups they will likely be starting at Wembley, but while Bayern scored for fun after allowing three goals for the first time this season, Dortmund struggled mightily against a desperate opponent and will certainly be the more banged-up of the two going into next Saturday’s centrepiece match.

Will Titus Young Get the Help That Charles Rogers Never Received?

Greg Eno — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:11:09 -0400

Ten years ago last month, Charlie Rogers stood in front of the media wearing a Detroit Lions baseball cap and proudly holding his brand new Honolulu blue and silver jersey with a No. 1 on the front, signifying his status as a first-round draft choice.

There were smiles all around. President Matt Millen smiled. New coach Steve Mariucci smiled. Chairman Bill Ford Jr. smiled. Lions fans all over the country smiled.

It was a giddy time.

The Lions felt like they were on to something. The year prior, the team drafted its "franchise quarterback" when it selected Joey Harrington from Oregon.

Now the Lions were adding Rogers, out of Michigan State, to be the franchise receiver.

Finally, a real quarterback-receiver tandem!

Harrington proved himself to be a bust—a nice young man, but he lacked the intangibles needed to be a winning professional quarterback. The Lions did him no favors, never able to surround Harrington with bona fide talent. Within three years, the Lions pulled the plug on the Harrington era.

Rogers was a bust, too, maybe one of the biggest in NFL history. But his problem wasn’t lack of talent. It was lack of moral character and decency.

The Lions, as usual under Millen’s leadership, failed to do their due diligence before drafting Rogers. Had they done some digging, they likely would have learned about Charlie’s skeletons at MSU. The failed drug tests, for one—Rogers failed one each year at MSU, it came to light years later—and according to some MSU folks, Rogers wasn’t exactly the hardest-working player on the team.

But Rogers was loaded with talent. In his last season at MSU (2002), Rogers won the Paul Warfield Trophy as the best college wide receiver in the country. He was a unanimous first-team All-American.

It never came close to happening for Rogers in the NFL.

Rogers was released by the Lions just before the 2006 season, after two seasons cut short by injury and one cut short by multiple violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, resulting in suspension. His NFL career consisted of 15 games played with 36 catches for 440 yards and four TDs.

In 2008, Rogers was arrested for assault and battery of his girlfriend. In a separate incident, he violated probation, testing positive for the pain killer Vicodin. In 2009 he was arrested in Novi for drunk driving. Less than a year later, Rogers was arrested again, having passed out drunk—again in Novi.

It was easy for those of us not connected to Charlie Rogers personally to smirk and shake our heads at his misadventures. No matter how many times he got arrested, Charlie Rogers was still known as “that NFL bust.” He wasn’t a person—and that was the problem.

Rogers didn’t have an inner circle of friends who gave two you-know-whats about him once his NFL days were done. He had tons of “friends” when football was his world—a world that he, at times, appeared to have in the palm of his big hand.

But when the football was in the rear-view mirror, Rogers’ posse evaporated. They moved on to other folks on whose coat tails they could ride.

Charlie Rogers was troubled, but worse than that, he was alone.

Lacking a support group of sorts, Rogers kept getting into trouble.

In 2010, Rogers was ordered to return to the Lions $6.1 million of the $9.1 singing bonus he received in 2003. A judge agreed with the Lions’ contention that Rogers’ drug use equated a breach of contract.

In December 2011, Rogers was pulled over in Saginaw. Police found an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. That incident is still without resolution. Possible charges are pending.

Throughout all of these misadventures, Charlie Rogers was never helped. No one took Rogers in. No one reached out to him. He wasn’t a star football player anymore, so screw him—that seemed to be the attitude.

Today, Rogers is approaching his 32nd birthday in less than a week (May 23). He has no future to speak of. He never earned his degree from MSU. He is, perhaps, unemployable.

No one said it better about Rogers than Rogers himself.

In an interview in August 2009 with ESPN’s Jemele Hill, whose journalism roots include Detroit, Rogers said, "I got a little greedy. The girls played a part in it.” Then, even more astutely, Charlie added, "I f----- up. Point blank, simple."

Ten years after Rogers entered the NFL, there’s another former Lions receiver battling demons.

Titus Young was a second-round draft choice of the Lions in 2011, out of that pass-happy program in Boise State. Like Rogers, Young exhibited some troubling behavior in college. And, like in Rogers’ case, the Lions chose to ignore it.

At Boise State, Young was suspended for most of his sophomore season.

Young was the 44th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. His off-field behavior scared some teams off. It didn’t scare off the Lions.

Last summer, Young punched teammate Louis Delmas in practice, which started a downward spiral with the team.

Young ran wrong routes on purpose in a game against Green Bay last season, it was charged. He was causing trouble for his coaches in practice and during games. The Lions finally benched him.

Young took to Twitter in January and got into spats with fans on social media. The Lions released him the day after the Super Bowl. The St. Louis Rams, another franchise not known for smart decisions, claimed Young. But even the Rams had second thoughts and released Young nine days later.

This month, Young has been arrested three times for alleged violations ranging from drunk driving to theft to resisting arrest. Last week, Young’s father said that his son has a severe mental disorder and needs help.

It’s not about football anymore for Titus Young. It’s about life and his ability to survive it. It should be pointed out that Young is the father of a nine-month old baby boy, Titus Jr.

Again, we smirk and shake our heads at Young’s personal life, as we did at Charlie Rogers’.

Rogers never got any help. Young’s father’s comment gives hope that Titus can get some help and support. Maybe there will be a personal posse that will gather and help Young battle his demons.

Charlie Rogers is 32, broke and has no future. The world that was once his oyster is now his living hell.

That’s nothing to smirk about.

Derrick Rose Can't Be Too Happy About What Bradley Beal Had to Say

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:01:55 -0400

Everybody has an opinion on the season that wasn't for Derrick Rose. But it seems like whenever a basketball player talks to a local radio station, he's asked to offer his opinion, which is what happened with Bradley Beal.

This has been one of the most unusual situations surrounding an injury that we've seen in a while. Rose was medically cleared to play, but he never felt confident enough to return to the court, leading to a constant back-and-forth about whether or not he would end up playing.

The Chicago Bulls' season ended after the Miami Heat knocked them out of the playoffs. That was the end of the speculation, but it was hardly the end of the interest in everything that's gone on with Rose.

Beal appeared on a Washington-based radio show and was asked his opinion on Rose not playing this season. Per Sarah Kogod of the Washington Post, he said:

That’s hard, because I’ve never experienced that injury. And I know what type of injury that is, it’s possible it’s gonna happen again. Knock on wood. But at the same time, you might have to give it a go. If you’re practicing for two months and everybody in practice is saying you’re practicing well, I figure you gotta give it a shot in a game.

But it’s his decision. I can’t really have a say so in it. If he doesn’t feel he’s mentally confident to be able to go out there and help the team, I guess I can’t really blame him for it.

Beal was then asked whether or not he would lose respect for a player who sat out despite being medically cleared to play:

A little bit. Yeah, I would. The type of player he is, and the mentality and competitiveness that he has, I think he would have gave it a go. I don’t know what was holding him back. I think he’s scared it’s probably going to happen again and he won’t be the same. But you’re never the same after an injury. But you just have to fight through it and do something else to be able to impact the game. I’m not sure what it is he has to do. I really can’t speak for him.

So, was Beal right to call Rose scared?

There had to be more than doubt in Rose's mind that kept him from getting back on the court after doctors told him that he was good to go.

This seems like one of those situations where we're never truly going to know what Rose's mentality was throughout the season, so the conversation will continue until we hear something from Rose himself.

Preakness 2013 Weather: How Rain Will Improve Orb's Triple Crown Chances

Richard Langford — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:53:53 -0400

While rain can be the kind of wild card in a race that allows for a lightly touted horse to steal an upset win, in the 138th Preakness, it simply tips the odds in favor of Orb. And the Kentucky Derby champ is already a huge favorite.

The rain may not be a factor anyway. It is looking like mother nature may be a Preakness fan. The Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. has been getting hit with rain on race day, but we might not be able to tell once the 6:20 p.m. ET post time for the Preakness arrives.

The Doppler radar via Weather.com tells us that the storms are expected to be on their by 4:30 p.m. ET.

Still, we all know that predicting the weather is not quite an exact science. In fact, it's a more fickle prognostication business than handicapping horses. So, in case the rain does persist, let's take a look at why Triple Crown hopeful Orb will be just fine with a little precipitation.

First, take a look at the field for the Preakness.

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Morning Line
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1-1
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O’Neill	8-1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	30-1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	6-1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5-1
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	15-1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1

As you might have noticed, the track was a bit damp during the biggest victory of Orb's career: the Kentucky Derby.

Orb was simply dominant. He looked extremely comfortable in the two-and-a-half length win. There was nothing to suggest that any horse in that field would be able to really push Orb for the victory.

The Preakness offers a slightly shorter and tighter track, but it is a comparable race. So, given the same type of conditions, there is no reason to think that Orb won't be able to display similar dominance.

Five of the horses (besides Orb) who ran in the Derby—Goldencents, Mylute, Oxbow, Will Take Charge and Itsmyluckday—will be running in the Preakness.

And they need to be hoping for a dry track. In this instance, that has become their wild card.

The other contenders—Titletown Five, Departing and Govenor Charlie—won't have the same psychological damage from the Derby hanging over their heads, but they also won't have the confidence running in the mud that Orb has.

Also helping Orb out is the fact that he is starting on the rail. The track will get sloppier farther away from the rail. So, while the first post has been home to just one winner in the past 60 years, if it rains, any disadvantage from being on the inside will be neutralized.

On top of all of this, Orb will be completely acclimated to the rain, as he was working in the rain at Belmont leading up to the Preakness.

It is hard to find a way to look at the Preakness without seeing a victory by Orb, and that is even more true if it happens to rain.

Preakness 2013 Post Positions: What Experts Are Saying About Draw

Donald Wood — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:51:33 -0400

The 2013 Preakness Stakes is approaching fast, and the excitement over where each horse will start the second leg of the Triple Crown has horse racing fans at a fever pitch.

Preakness Stakes' official Twitter revealed the post positions that were drawn earlier this week, and the experts have come out in force to give their options on where each horse starts on Saturday:

All of the following top contenders are under a microscope at Pimlico Race Course, and which post position each breaks out of the gate will play a role in where each of these horse's finish.

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Post Time: 6:20 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

2013 Preakness Stakes Post Positions

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1/1
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O’Neill	8/1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	30/1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	6/1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5/1
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	15/1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12/1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12/1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10/1

*Odds via Preakness.com.

Orb

The favorite coming into the Preakness has been Orb all along. With Weather.com forecasting rainy conditions in Baltimore Saturday, the Triple Crown contender looks to run his way out of the No. 1 post position and to the front of the pack.

While the wet conditions at Pimlico Race Course will play into orb’s favor, Daily Racing Form’s David Grening reminds us that the No. 1 position is less-than-ideal:

Orb proved at Churchill Downs that he can come through the pack in sloppy conditions to steal a win. As long as he avoids falling all the way to the back of the pack or getting trapped along the rail, the Derby winner will steal the Preakness Stakes.

Mylute

After a solid finish at the Kentucky Derby (fifth place), Mylute will look to prove the critics that say the colt can’t win on a track longer than a mile wrong by stunning Orb and taking the Preakness Stakes victory.

Mylute’s jockey Rosie Napravnik—one of the best in the sport and one of the few females in the male-dominated profession—took to Twitter to talk about her post position (No. 5) and her feeling about the draw:

Not only does Mylute have the speed and acceleration out of the gate to get an early lead, the experience running on sloppy conditions at Churchill Downs and the talent of jockey Napravnik will be enough to help this horse finish in the top three and contend for the win.

Oxbow

While Oxbow isn’t a betting favorite for Saturday’s race, this is a horse that was built for the course and conditions at this year’s Preakness. After finishing sixth at the Kentucky Derby, Oxbow starts in the No. 6 post position and is ready to prove his dominance.

Horse racing insider Stephen Panus reveals on Twitter what makes Oxbow's draw for the 2013 Preakness Stakes very favorable:

Not only did Oxbow draw a favorable starting spot, the horse is trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. With everything going his way, watch out for Oxbow to contend Saturday.

NASCAR All-Star Race 2013: Drivers to Watch in Unique Charlotte Race

Alex Ballentine — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:47:17 -0400

The NASCAR All-Star race always offers an exciting change of pace from the weekly points race. The 2013 edition should be no different.

Because the race isn't for points, there's a real winner-takes-all mentality that will make the action all the more intense. Throw in the fact that the biggest names in racing will be vying for a $1 million purse and you know that this is one of the most unique races of the year.

Many of the sports biggest names have already qualified. The Sprint Showdown and a fan vote will allow three more drivers to get in on the action. There's plenty of star power to make this a must-see event for any racing fan.

Here's the current lineup along with the top contenders to watch.

No.	Driver	Make
2	Brad Keselowski	Ford
5	Kasey Kahne	Chevrolet
9	Marcos Ambrose	Ford
11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota
14	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet
15	Clint Bowyer	Toyota
16	Greg Biffle	Ford
18	Kyle Busch	Toyota
20	Matt Kenseth	Toyota
22	Joey Logano	Ford
24	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet
29	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet
34	David Ragan	Ford
39	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet
48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet
55	Mark Martin	Toyota
78	Kurt Busch	Chevrolet
88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet
99	Carl Edwards	Ford

Drivers to Watch

Jimmie Johnson

If you're talking about the All-Star race, no one does it better than Jimmie Johnson. In addition to winning the 2012 edition, he's one of the few racers in history to win the event multiple times.

Even though the race is just an exhibition, Johnson has made it clear that he's coming to compete, per the USA Today.

I don't spend a lot of time looking at stats, but I'm very proud of what I've done and very excited to put my name up there with Jeff and Earnhardt. It's one of the majors for us. When drivers map out the year and set goals, the All-Star Race is one of the top three for everybody

Johnson's three wins has him tied for most all time with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt. If he wins this time around, he'll have the record all to himself.

As one of the best racers in the sport right now, he has to be the odds on favorite.

Kyle Busch

There are some drivers who really benefit from the win-or-go-home nature of the All-Star race. Because ending the night on a crash is just as bad (financially) as finishing in second place, there's more impetus to "go for broke".

Kyle Busch, for one, embraces that challenge, per the Sports Network.

It's just no holds barred... Go for everything, go for broke and see what you get. Literally, it's going for broke, because you either come home with a million bucks or you're broke, so it's a great race just for the fans, I think, and for the drivers, because it's a non-points race. You get to go out there and put everything on the line.

Busch already holds two wins and six top-10 finishes in 11 starts this season. It wouldn't be surprising if his aggressive style leads to a strong showing in this race.

Jeff Gordon

Gordon may not be having the best season. He has yet to earn a win in 2013. But as Johnson alluded to, he's also tied for the most All-Star victories of all-time.

Despite the lack of wins, he's been on the cusp a few times. He has two top-five finishes, including a third-place finish in the Bojangles Southern 500 in his last race.

A return to the familiar All-Star format might be just what he needs to get back to the winner's circle.

Tottenham's Biggest Summer Transfer Window Needs to Get into Top 4 Next Season

Thomas Cooper — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:37:13 -0400

Andre Villas-Boas and his players know that even if Tottenham Hotspur manage to finish fourth this season, it is going to take a big effort to get there again next year.

Several clubs share similar aspirations, ensuring plenty of competition between seasoned top-four campaigners and dreamers alike in the coming season.

The difference-maker, especially for the more aspirational of the bunch (like Tottenham, rather than the genuinely successful Manchester United), is the work done in putting together a squad for the season in the summer transfer window.

Back in March, this writer wrote about what Spurs and Villas-Boas' biggest transfer objectives for the summer might be.

Little has changed in regards to some of those suggestions.

A backup goalkeeper to challenge Hugo Lloris and replace the aging Brad Friedel is still needed. As too is competition on the wings—though Andros Townsend has only helped his own prospects with his impressive performances at Queens Park Rangers.

The need for reinforcements at left-back, strengthening what has been an occasionally porous defense, remains. There have been, though, some intriguing developments and rumors in relation to the position.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto's assertion in an interview with The Guardian's David Hytner that he "would be quite happy to see out my playing career" at White Hart Lane was a statement not in keeping with previous rumors (like this Daily Mail story) surrounding the player.

Should this be Assou-Ekotto's intention, Villas-Boas has things to consider. Despite a subpar season by his standards, the Cameroon international remains a talented full-back. But with the returning Danny Rose having given the manager food for thought on loan at Sunderland, now might be deemed the time to cash in on Assou-Ekotto.

Then there was the rumor, in The Mirror, of a swoop for Everton's Leighton Baines. Given the article's brevity, it might just have been a case of a newspaper filling up column inches. The idea of Spurs looking elsewhere for a left-back is not to be dismissed if Villas-Boas can identify a target he believes improves the position.

A similar situation is brewing further up the pitch. An outright creative midfielder has been on the club's shopping list since Luka Modric departed. Joao Moutinho and Wesley Sneijder have been among the standout names linked with Spurs at various points.

In many respects, Mousa Dembele has filled the void left by the Croatian, but there is still a feeling the team could benefit with some extra creativity when the influential Gareth Bale is unavailable or underperforming.

Spurs possess some fine players in this department. Younger guys like Lewis Holtby and Tom Carroll may yet step up and alleviate some of the pressure placed on the aforementioned players.

What is certain is that Spurs do not have someone at the level of a Juan Mata or a David Silva who can pull the strings like they do. It is a player of that pedigree that might be needed for Spurs to truly match teams like Chelsea and Manchester City, rather than just threaten them.

Then there is the Tottenham attack.

Spurs' need for a top-class addition to their front-line weaponry has been apparent for some time (and much discussed). That has not changed.

Emmanuel Adebayor's recent resurgence has certainly reinforced the argument as to why he might be kept. As someone who has been suggested as possibly being sold to make room financially, it means things might not be too clear-cut for Villas-Boas here.

The Portuguese will be attempting to find a balancing act between strength in depth and the personnel that will make for a viable and cohesive strike-force.

Any potential target will be judged in accordance to how they fit in Villas-Boas' plans for his team. Considerations here include the formation he ideally would like to progress with and how they might fit alongside the "star-man", Bale.

As for those targets, Gonzalo Higuain, David Villa and Leandro Damiao have been among the notable forwards linked with a move to North London.

The legitimacy of some of speculation relating to these names, and others, will become apparent soon enough. The transfer window does not officially open for some weeks yet, but for all intents and purposes, business gets done as soon as the Premier League season finishes.

Keep an eye on Bleacher Report, as we will be bringing you all you need to know about Tottenham's transfer activity this summer, as well as that of other Premier League clubs too.

5 NBA Teams That Should Change Their Names

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:20:35 -0400

Thanks to the New Orleans Pelicans giving up the nickname "Hornets," the Charlotte Bobcats are finally going to reclaim their old Hornets moniker with a name change, and it seems like there a handful of other teams who should follow suit.

According to CBSSports.com, the Bobcats are starting the process that should allow them to reclaim the Hornets nickname at the start of the 2014-15 season, officially making them the Charlotte Hornets once again.

Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues might not be on the way back to Charlotte, but at least the league will finally be able to rid itself of the generic Bobcats nickname, and Charlotte can get back to having the fresh blue and yellow uniforms.

Of course, the Bobcats aren't the only team in the NBA who remain misnamed. There are a few still scattered about who have an overly generic name, a silly remnant of the past or a one that just doesn't make sense.

For instance, the Los Angeles Lakers nickname comes from their days as the Minneapolis Lakers. They used to play in a city surrounded by lakes, but now they're a coastal team in a city surrounded by silicone.

At this point the Lakers are too steeped in history for anybody to even consider a name change, but the fact that they're named after a region that's a solid 2,000 miles away is rather humorous.

In the interest of righting wrongs, which the league has done quite a bit as of late, it's time to track down the teams still in need of a name change.

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Giro Italia 2013 Standings: Stage 14 Results, Leaderboard and Highlights

Steven Cook — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:11:21 -0400

Italian cyclist Mauro Santambrogio took Stage 14 of the 2013 Giro Italia on Saturday in exciting fashion, as overall leader Vincenzo Nibali extended his lead by finishing just behind in second place (via Cycling Weekly).

Saturday brought with it some of the worst weather conditions so far, as dense fog, cold temperatures, mountains and rain vastly affected the cyclists.

After two straight stage victories for sprinter Mark Cavendish, the tour finally opened up once again for another star to claim a victory. This time it was Santambrogio, as the 28-year-old completed his most impressive day of racing in some time.

As for the overall leader, Nibali came into the day with just a 40-second lead but now leads Cadel Evans by more than a minute after one of his best days on the roads.

Going through some of the toughest conditions of the tour, cyclists had to fight through the cold, mountainous and sometimes wet terrain to post solid times Saturday. That didn't stop Nibali from having a stellar day that put him one step closer to locking up the exhaustive race.

Despite now trailing by more than a minute, Evans had himself a solid day as well. He finished sixth in the stage, just 33 seconds behind the leader.

Let's take a look at the results, overall leaderboard and some highlights of the Stage 14 action.

Stage 14 Results

Finish	Cyclist	Team	Country	Time
1	Mauro Santambrogio	Vini Fantini/SelleItalia	Italy	4:42:55
2	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana	Italy	+:00
3	Carlos A. Betancur Gomez	Ag2r-La Mondiale	Colombia	+:09
4	Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez	Euskaltel-Euskadi	Spain	+:26
5	Rigoberto Uran Uran	Team Sky	Colombia	+:30
6	Cadel Evans	BMC	Australia	+:33
7	Domenico Pozzovivo	Ag2r-La Mondiale	Italy	+:33
8	Robert Kiserlovski	Radioshack-Leopard	Croatia	+:33
9	Sonny Colbrelli	Bardiani Volvole-CSF	Italy	+:55
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale	Italy	+:58

For a complete list of Stage 14 results, visit the race's official site.

Stage 14 Route

Overall Leaderboard

Place	Cyclist	Team	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana	Italy	57:20:52
2	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing	Australia	+1:26
3	Rigoberto Uran Uran	Sky Procycling	Colombia	+2:46
4	Mauro Santambrogio	Vini Fantini/SelleItalia	Italy	+2:47
5	Michele Scarponi	Lampre-Merida	Italy	+3:53
6	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre-Merida	Italy	+4:55
7	Domenico Pozzovivo	AG2R La Mondiale	Italy	+5:12
8	Rafal Majka	Saxo-Tinkoff	Poland	+5:32
9	Carlos A. Betancur Gomez	AG2R La Mondiale	Colombia	+5:39
10	Benat Intxausti Elorriaga	Saxo-Tinkoff	Poland	+5:51

To see where every cyclist stands after 14 stages, visit the race's official site.

Highlights and Recap

While Stage 13's results were filled with cyclists that were nowhere to be found in the overall leaderboard, Stage 14 was the complete opposite.

We saw the cream rise to the top Saturday as six of the top 10 Stage 14 finishers are also in the top 10 overall. This usually means that conditions weren't ideal for the sprinters, causing the more talented cyclists to make the surge.

Nibali, as he's seemed to do for the whole race, was the one leading that charge. He attacked late in the stage to get out in front before being overtaken by Santambrogio. Despite that, they both finished with the same time.

Other than Nibali and Evans, the rest of the field sits nearly three minutes out of the lead. Although anything can happen, you'd like to imagine this is now a two-man race for the most part.

It'll be interesting to see if Nibali can hang on to his lead and keep growing it as the race wears on. Evans is certainly hungry for victory so he can establish his status as one of the best cyclists around, but it won't be easy.

There's certainly plenty of reasons to tune into the rest of the action in Italy as the race gets closer to reaching its finale.

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Rafael Benitez: Could Liverpool Legend Make Move to Everton from Chelsea?

Ian Rodgers — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:58:02 -0400

Here's a thought: You have achieved legendary status at one club after guiding them to an incredible Champions League success, but you have not worked in full-time management since December 2010.

You were gifted an opportunity to take over another leading English club in a temporary move and ended up taking them to another European trophy, reminding the football world of your abilities.

However, despite that success, you are a surplus to requirements, most notably with a number of the club's supporters, and are looking for a full-time role.

Only one exists, though, and it's with a team you once described as "a small club," incensing the fans there while you were managing their local rivals. Do you put yourself forward for that position?

Rafael Benitez for Everton? On the face of it, it sounds like a marriage made in the depths of Dante's worst nightmares.

However, there would be a logic behind the idea which should not go unnoticed by the Goodison Park hierarchy.

Benitez made his mark on Merseyside when he guided Liverpool to that remarkable comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005.

With the Anfield side facing humiliation in front of a global television audience at 3-0 down to the Italian team, Benitez provided a change of tactics and a half-time team talk which prompted a revival never to be forgotten by Liverpool supporters, as The Mirror reported.

That match alone would have been enough for Benitez to seal his place in Anfield folklore, but his feud with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, culminating in his "fact" press conference in 2009, as chronicled in The Guardian, assured him of even greater respect in the eyes of Reds fans.

The Spaniard's comment that Everton were "a small club," after a goalless Merseyside derby at Anfield in February 2007, drew the fury of Goodison Park officials, players and fans, according to BBC Sport.

Benitez left Liverpool in June 2010, as BBC Sport reported, and took up the reins at Inter Milan a week later, but was sacked six months later with the Serie A giants 13 points behind league leaders and rivals, AC Milan.

The final straw for Inter president Massimo Moratti and the board came when Benitez asked for money for squad strengthening immediately after the FIFA Club World Cup win over TP Mazembe in December 2010.

Benitez would be in the managerial wilderness for two years before Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich brought him to Stamford Bridge as the interim replacement for Roberto Di Matteo, who was sacked in November.

As outlined in the Daily Mail, the former Valencia coach's arrival was greeted with jeers and catcalls from a sizeable number of Chelsea supporters, who had been angered by comments he made while in charge of Liverpool.

However, Benitez will finish the season for Chelsea on Sunday with a Champions League place assured and the Europa League trophy in the Stamford Bridge cabinet.

Benitez has also introduced a squad rotation system to Chelsea which has not disrupted senior professionals at the club. He has also balanced the phasing out of club legends, such as John Terry, without lighting fires, as outlined by ESPN.

The West London club will finish their campaign with the visit of Everton, with whom David Moyes will be making his final appearance in the dugout before succeeding Ferguson at Old Trafford.

It should be a ready-made vacancy for Benitez. He is a trophy winner, has a home on the Wirral and hasn't ruled himself out for the job, although he concedes it may be "difficult" for either party to accept the job, according to the Liverpool Echo. And, importantly for Everton, no compensation payment will be required.

Perhaps the most intriguing comments on the possibility come from Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, an Everton fan as a boy but now an Anfield legend, in a Talksport interview.

Everton are looking for a manager and he’s looking for a job. He wants to stay in the Premier League and he’s stated that a few times, that is his priority.

It might ruffle a few feathers with the Liverpool and Everton side of it. I don’t know how difficult that sort of thing is. I know it happened between Tottenham and Arsenal with George Graham and I think eventually it was a problem for him.

Everton would love to get someone with his CV, but with the Liverpool situation it makes it difficult. If all parties come together and they are willing to give it a go then I’m sure he would do a good job.

For a Merseysider like Carragher, who has had a foot in both camps as a fan and player, to suggest it is a workable appointment must mean there is some merit to the idea.

Everton would love to have someone with Benitez's CV as their manager to replace Moyes. Under any other circumstances, it would be a tremendous coup for the club.

But the name Rafael Benitez carries some venom for Everton supporters, and chairman Bill Kenwright's vow to seek guidance from the supporters, according to the Liverpool Daily Post, may see the former Liverpool boss out of the frame.

However, Everton fans pride themselves on being distinct from others, and Benitez's treatment by Chelsea supporters could act as a catalyst for the Spaniard being afforded more respect than he may previously have expected.

Benitez's appointment as Everton manager is a situation which will probably never arise, but it would be remiss of Kenwright not to speak with the man in the home dugout at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Bleacher Report's Premier League coverage has been nominated in the 2012-13 EPLTalk awards. Cast your vote here.

5 Big-Name Starting Pitchers in Danger of Losing Their Jobs

Nathan Palatsky — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:48:01 -0400

Most teams are paying their big-name starting pitchers a fortune to provide 200 innings this season. But for a few of those pitchers, their performance is crippling teams that hope to contend, and that brings their job security in question.

Some of these pitchers have long track records that afford them a longer leash. They may not lose their jobs based on a bad first month, but if the struggles continue into June, teams may begin looking for alternatives.

Some of these pitchers will turn it around and finish just fine, but others will either be demoted, traded or pushed to the bullpen.

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Why Juan Mata Has Been Chelsea's Player of the Year

Garry Hayes — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:46:27 -0400

It was made official on Thursday evening that Juan Mata was indeed Chelsea's Player of the Year after being crowned at the club's annual ceremony.

In truth, we all knew that long before, didn't we?

The Spaniard has been a revelation since joining the Blues from Valencia in August 2011 for a reported £24 million, winning the club's coveted end-of-season award in each of his two seasons at Stamford Bridge.

He's scored vital goals, provided the ammunition for his teammates to find the back of the net themselves and has carried the team at vital stages of the campaign.

Mata is a player with grace. Harking back to a bygone age, he very much lets his ability on the field do the talking, avoiding the limelight in an era where WAG culture often snares football's elite.

Sure, that alone doesn't make him the player Chelsea fans worship, yet it completes the package. Right or wrong, some factions of the Blues dressing room have come in for criticism away from the game in their careers, but not Mata—nor will he.

Chelsea endured a difficult 2012-13, where their talented squad should have perhaps achieved more than the Europa League trophy they lifted.

Where the team struggled, though, Mata has continued to excel. Bleacher Report highlights just why he has topped his teammates this year.

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