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SEC Baseball Tournament 2013 Scores: Day 2 Results, Highlights and Analysis

Timothy Rapp — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:50:18 -0400

The first day of the SEC tournament featured a 17-inning game, two traditional rivals doing battle and two talented teams that slumped down the stretch in Florida and Kentucky being eliminated. So what did the second day of baseball have in store?

With Ole Miss facing Arkansas, LSU taking on Alabama, Vanderbilt taking on Texas A&M and South Carolina facing Mississippi State, the action should only heat up even more on Wednesday. Let's break down each Day 2 game.

Arkansas Beats Ole Miss, 2-1 (10)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Ole Miss	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	1
Arkansas	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	11	1

If there is a theme developing in this year's SEC tournament, it's strong pitching. Oh, and games reaching extra innings.

Arkansas and Ole Miss didn't stray from those themes.

Barrett Astin was outstanding for Arkansas (eight innings, five hits, one earned run, four strikeouts), Sam Smith and Aaron Greenwood held Arkansas to one run in the first nine innings and the game was ultimately decided on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th, as Arkansas squeaked by Ole Miss, 2-1.

Believe it or not, the scoring started early in this game, with both teams pushing across a run in the first inning. A Stuart Turner single with two outs plated Tanner Mathis in the top of the first for Ole Miss, but Arkansas answered behind a Tyler Spoon RBI single that drove in Matt Vinson in the bottom of the inning.

Arkansas would threaten in the fifth. After back-to-back, two-out singles by Joe Serrano and Vinson, Brian Anderson walked to load the bases. But Smith recovered, fanning Dominic Ficociello to end the threat.

Ole Miss had an excellent opportunity with two outs in the top of the eighth after Jamison stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Will Allen promptly lined out to end the inning.

Arkansas again loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth with two outs, and again Ole Miss escaped danger. It looked as though Eric Fisher was going to drive the winning run up through the middle, but the ball hit Jacob Mahan and ended the threat.

Not surprisingly, the pitching duel would head to extra innings, the second game in a row to do so at this tournament, as Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette noted:

Arkansas would continue to threaten, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the 10th. Mahan promptly struck out, but a wild pitch by Matt Denny would score Anderson and give Arkansas the win.

Arkansas now awaits the winner of the LSU and Alabama contest, while Ole Miss will face the loser of that game.

Tony Allen Is the Best at Flopping, Which Also Makes Him the Absolute Worst

Gabe Zaldivar — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:48:58 -0400

Tony Allen's portrayal of a man clobbered by Manu Ginobili was a breathtaking tour de force that had the audience riveted and in as many knots as the Memphis Grizzlies actor seemed to be.

A tip of the hat to Big Lead for spotting this video from Tuesday night's slugfest between the Grizzlies and Spurs, one San Antonio would ultimately win in overtime, 93-89.

Not that Memphis star Tony Allen was beyond busting out every last trick in the book to keep the game within reach.

As you can see here, Allen gets hacked by Ginobili with a little over 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter. In real time, it looked like Allen hit his head on the court, which gave everyone in the arena and those watching from home quite the scare.

Thanks to instant replay, we now know Allen never touched the court with his head. It was a beautiful illusion that somehow caught the eye of every single person watching the video, save the NBA officials who reviewed the tape.

Big Lead, SportsGrid, Yahoo! Sports and so many others shouted in one big voice, "Flop." We don't only agree, we give Allen the standing ovation he deserves.

In all seriousness, I am just shocked that an act like this still warrants surprise from the peanut gallery. I wrote about that very thing with regard to LeBron James' propensity for basketball theatrics.

It's a new game, and the hard-hitting action is many times just an illusion. Allen sold the foul and got himself some free throws, which then led to Mike Conley sending the game to OT.

I gave up being frustrated by these types of flops long ago. Now I just accept that the athletes have made this a part of their game, as useful as a step-back jumper and as second nature as dribbling.

Adding to the beauty is this happened to Ginobili, a man with quite the track record himself.

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

Suddenly, There's Plenty of Optimism Regarding the Dallas Cowboys

Brad Gagnon — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:46:25 -0400

Dallas Cowboys fans have for quite some time been immensely passionate and loyal, but also increasingly frustrated with the franchise's inability to reanimate the glory days that slipped away a decade-and-a-half ago.

The 'Boys have won only a single playoff game since 1997 and haven't made the playoffs since 2009. They're coming off back-to-back 8-8 seasons and it didn't appear as though they did much to change that this offseason.

All spring, I've been trying to tell fans to relax. This is a team that suffered a disgusting amount of injuries last season but has most or all of the right pieces in place. They finished 5-3 despite those injuries, falling just short of the postseason, and now they could be on the brink of something rather special.

I elaborated on that in a Bleacher Report article this morning, wherein I declared that Dallas is one of seven teams that could shock the world in 2013.

And it turns out I'm not alone.

Two months after NFL.com's Adam Schein drew heavy criticism for inexplicably calling the Cowboys one of the worst teams in the NFC, Schein's colleague, Gil Brandt, has penned the antithesis of that piece.

Brandt lists 10 reasons why the Cowboys will be better in 2013, and it's hard to argue with any of them. Better defensive coaching and more help for Tony Romo factor in, but the key point is that the odds indicate Dallas will be healthier.

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News banged the same drum in a Tuesday column telling readers to "look for Cowboys to ride new 4-3 scheme to playoffs." He argues that the Dallas D is an ideal fit for Monte Kiffin and his 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme, and he's right about that.

With DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer setting the edge, Jason Hatcher and Jay Ratliff clogging things up, Sean Lee and Bruce Carter spanning the middle and Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne clamping down on the outside, the Cowboys could have one of the best defenses in football in 2013.

Throw in that Romo's in his prime, Tyron Smith and Dez Bryant are only getting better and Terrance Williams, Gavin Escobar, Travis Frederick and Joseph Randle have all been added to lend support to an already-explosive offense, and it's hard not to be optimistic about this Dallas team.

NBA Picks: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat, Game 1

Jeff Grant — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:31:02 -0400

The Miami Heat are outscoring opponents by an average of 13.9 points through nine playoff games, which is important to consider when making your NBA picks Wednesday, as they take on the Indiana Pacers at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Sports bettors will find that the Heat are eight-point home favorites in the pro basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the totals sits at 182.5 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction on the total along the way.

Begin Slideshow

Manchester United: Picking a Starting XI to Include Wilfried Zaha

Darren Richman — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:27:55 -0400

Next season is a crucial one for Manchester United.

With the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson and the arrival of David Moyes, change is in the air at Old Trafford.

Moyes is not the only notable man coming in, though. The playoff final between Crystal Palace and Watford on Monday will be Wilfried Zaha's final appearance for the Eagles. Officially he is already a United player and he's currently on loan in South London. Next season, he might well be a key part of Moyes' squad.

Zaha can play either as a winger or a striker but, given the fact that Antonio Valencia, Luis Nani and Ashley Young all disappointed out wide this campaign, it is on the wing where he's most likely to find himself utilised.

Picking a starting XI for next season incorporating the young starlet is by no means a simple task. Each match will be judged on its merits since football is far more of a squad game these days than ever before. Despite this, here is one man's guess at a 4-4-1-1 counterattacking formation in a similar vein to tactics used by Ferguson in some of the biggest games of recent years.

There is absolutely no question that the goalkeeper has to be David de Gea. The young Spaniard excelled this term and was rewarded with his first Premier League winners' medal. If the 5-5 draw on the final day against West Brom showed us anything, it is that Anders Lindegaard is nothing like as accomplished as the club's No. 1.

The right-back position is another with one outstanding candidate. Rafael da Silva was arguably United's player of the season, adding defensive solidity to his tremendous attacking prowess.

Although the team still look at their most solid with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence, the veterans don't quite have what it takes to play twice a week these days. It is highly likely Phil Jones and Johnny Evans, two extremely promising young players, will continue to feature in place of one or the other stalwart on a regular basis. Chris Smalling, if he can maintain his fitness, is another youngster likely to play more often in the years to come.

Patrice Evra is still United's best left-back by quite some distance. Although Alexander Buttner has not quite proven to be the disastrous signing some fans feared, he is clearly not up to the standard required in the toughest encounters.

With Nani likely to leave and Young as frustrating as ever, one can only hope Valencia's poor form this season has been an aberration. He's the only real candidate for the right wing slot but, on current form, it's safe to say he's the best of a bad bunch.

In the centre of midfield, on the assumption that Wayne Rooney will leave rather than reinvent himself as the next Roy Keane, Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley are the likely starters. Carrick had a magnificent campaign, his best since joining the club, while Cleverley is another youngster starting to look the part.

Though right-footed, Zaha's best chance of a starting place is on the left wing. Ryan Giggs is not getting any younger, and Moyes would be wise to tell his young charge to seize the moment. If his dazzling Championship form can translate to the Premier League then there is much excitement in store.

Up front, Robin van Persie, off the back of a marvellous debut season at the club, must start. It might make sense for him to play behind one of Danny Welbeck of Javier Hernandez. Welbeck has been in fine form, but it hasn't quite led to an abundance of goals. On that basis alone, Hernandez just edges ahead of him in this starting XI.

The season has only just concluded, and there are likely to be plenty more comings and goings in the transfer window before the Premier League returns. Different games will require different tactics and personnel. For all that, the starting XI described here would win a fair few games, and in style—which is all one can ever ask for as a fan.

Real Madrid Transfer Rumors: Players Los Blancos Need to Finally Ditch

Alana Nassiah — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:22:48 -0400

Real Madrid will be looking to make several changes to their roster following their disappointing and trophy-less year. But not all the changes should involve bringing in superstars.

The first item on Madrid's agenda should be to get rid of the players the team no longer needs.

Here are some who Real Madrid should sell.

Kaka

Everyone loves Kaka. He is a very likable player, and fans from around the world root for him. But since coming to Madrid, Kaka is no longer the player he once was.

Once touted and prized as one of the best footballers in the world, the Brazilian has been a shadow of himself for Los Blancos.

The best thing Florentino Perez can do for Kaka is send him to a team that will play him and get him back into top form.

He has shown flashes of the brilliant player he once was, but the lack of playing time has not helped.

Frank Tigani of Goal.com reported earlier this month that Zico, the Brazilian legend, told Esporte Interativo that he wants Kaka to return to Brazil and play for one of the teams there.

He believes this will help Kaka return to his once great form and make him a national team regular again.

Pepe

Pepe is being linked with a move to Manchester City. According to The Daily Mail, future Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is keen on signing the defender.

The asking price is said to be around £20 million.

Pepe would not be a major loss for the team. With young French star Raphael Varane proving himself on the field over this past season, the team can easily fill the void the Portuguese will leave.

Varane can handle the position and should be a consistent starter come next season.

Pepe is most likely aware of this and will be looking for a way out so he can get consistent playing time elsewhere.

Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema

Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema are great players, but having them both on the team is not productive.

Both players can be a starter anywhere else, and with younger forwards like Alvaro Morata and Jose Callejon available, Madrid can afford to sell one of the star strikers.

But whom will it be?

Comparatively, the two stack up well against each other, which is probably why no one ever really knows who will be starting what game.

In La Liga this season, Benzema had 10 goals and 10 assists in his 29 matches. Higuain, meanwhile, played in 26 matches, scored 14 goals and assisted on another five.

Both Higuain and Benzema are wanted men in Europe.

According to Jeremy Wilson of The Telegraph, Arsene Wenger is very interested in Higuain, whose transfer fee is said to be £19 million.

Neil Custis and Phil Thomas of The Sun are reporting that Manchester United is keen on Benzema since Wayne Rooney looks to be on his way out of Old Trafford.

The team is supposedly preparing a £30 million bid.

Madrid can afford to lose one of the players, but it must decide which one is no longer worth it. Losing both players this summer is not an option.

Alabama vs. Texas A&M Headlines SEC on CBS for 2013 College Football Season

Randy Chambers — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:13:40 -0400

CBS Sports has been the home to many of the top SEC games going on 13 straight seasons. Often picking the "Game of the Week," the network has decided to open things up with a bang.

How does the Alabama-Texas A&M game sound to kick things off?

According to SEC Digital Network, CBS Sports has picked up the highly anticipated matchup, which will be played at 3:30 p.m. ET on September 14. It is arguably the most talked-about game of the 2013 season, as it will include SEC Championship and BCS implications.

After Johnny Manziel and company found a way to top the Crimson Tide, it will be a heated matchup between two SEC West highly ranked programs. There will be storylines by the truckloads leading up to the big game and could possibly be the most watched game of the season if it lives up to the hype.

The rest of the schedule includes 16 games during the network’s 13-week season. Some of the other games include Florida-Georgia on November 2, Arkansas-LSU on November 29 and the SEC Championship Game on December 7.

There will also be an SEC doubleheader on October 19 and November 9. The two-game event in October could feature South Carolina at Tennessee and Florida at Missouri, while the November games are certain to include the LSU at Alabama meeting.

With the SEC looking like the conference to beat once again, CBS will continue to be the station that you want to focus on the most if you are a fan of championship-level football. There will be plenty of competitive matchups with national championship implications on the line most weeks.

Still, none is bigger and more exciting than round two between the Aggies and Crimson Tide.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

College Football Bowl Game Schedule Released for 2013-14 Season

Ian Berg — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:13:33 -0400

The bowl season brings a lot of mixed emotions to the table. It marks the end of the college football season, but it also produces 35 games in 17 days for our viewing pleasure.

For the college football fan, it is the best way to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year. The Football Bowl Association built excitement today by releasing the 2013-14 bowl schedule.

The season will kick off with the Gildan New Mexico Bowl on December 21, with three games to follow the same day.

There will be only three days from December 21 to January 6 where a bowl game won't be on television.

The VIZIO BCS National Championship game is set for Monday, January 6 with the Rose Bowl hosting the game this year.

BCS competition will begin on January 1 with the Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIO kicking things off. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl follows on New Year’s Day, the Allstate Sugar Bowl is set for January 2 and the Discover Orange Bowl will be played on January 3.

The AT&T Cotton Bowl will also be played on January 3. The Cotton Bowl is notable for its presence as a member of the playoff rotation in the new playoff system.

Love them or hate them, the bowls are great for the game and the economies that they impact. According to the schedule release, 28 communities host bowl games, with 7,000 student-athletes and two million fans being impacted.

Bowls have been an important part of the college football landscape and its rich history. It is a full lineup, but if the audience wasn’t there, the games wouldn’t be either.

Soak this piece of history in, as this will be the final bowl schedule release of the BCS era.

There is no better way to spend the holidays than watching the bowl games unfold. Now you can plan your parties and travels thanks to the FBA.

Follow @ShugJordanPkwy

Detroit Red Wings: Why Game 4 Is a Must-Win Game for Detroit

PJ Sapienza — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:12:09 -0400

The Detroit Red Wings lead the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in their second-round series. Game 4 will be a home game for Detroit, and while winning it would definitely put them in full control, it is actually a must-win game for them.

Granted, a loss will only tie the series, essentially making it a best-of-three, but two of those games would be scheduled to be played in Chicago.

Currently, the Red Wings are playing better than they did in the regular season and the Blackhawks are playing worse. Some may argue that momentum does not carry over from game-to-game, and while that is debatable, confidence does carry over.

The Red Wings are playing more rookies and young players then they have in recent history. So far they are responding well. Over half of the team’s goals scored in this series have come from rookies or end of the bench players.

This kind of confidence can grow with each successful game; however, it can also be shattered with a bad outing. That is why Game 4 is so important for Detroit. These young players need to learn how to keep the pressure on a team when they have them down.

The last thing the Red Wings want to do is to give Chicago any hope. The Blackhawks led the league with 77 points this season, five better than the next best team. They also led the league with a plus-53 in goal-scoring differential. This means that while they played great during the regular season, they also were not tested all that much.

The pressure will be more intense on the Blackhawks as they try to battle back from the unfamiliar territory of being behind. There is also added pressure on Chicago in that since winning it all in 2010, then have been ousted in the first round the last two years. With their great regular season, they entered these playoffs as one of the favorites to win the Cup. Falling behind to the seventh-seeded Red Wings by one game is bad enough, but to fall behind by two games would be too detrimental.

Historically, lower-seeded teams that are in Detroit’s position going into Game 4 do not have a great track record. According to whowins.com those teams only win the second-round series 41.5 percent of the time. If they win Game 4, those stats jump to 55.6 percent.

A loss by Detroit in Game 4 would completely change the series. After two very good games, they could swing everything back in the Blackhawks' favor and severely derail their efforts. When you have a team down, especially one that is better than you, you can not allow them any chance at a comeback. Game 4 is a must win game for the Red Wings.

Mike Krzyzewski Reportedly Will Return as Team USA Head Coach for 2016 Olympics

Alex Kay — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:09:10 -0400

Team USA basketball will have at least one familiar face at the 2016 Olympics, as Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski will reportedly return as head coach.

According to Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated, sources close to the situation have confirmed this and expect a formal announcement within the next two days.

This is great news for the defending gold medalists, as Team USA has only lost a single game under Coach K’s guidance.

Krzyzewski’s record since being appointed head coach of this prestigious program is an immaculate 62-1 and should only get better over the next few years.

Krzyzewski, 66, took over for Larry Brown after a dismal 2004 Olympics, an event in which an uninterested group of Americans failed to make the finals and settled for a bronze medal.

While Team USA stumbled out the gate at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, it’s been smooth sailing ever since under Coach K.

The team has yet to lose a single game since and captured the gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the 2010 World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 London Olympics.

The Hall of Famer will guide the best players the United States has to offer through the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Madrid and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, hoping to serve his country by adding two more gold medals to the collection.

Preparations for the upcoming Summer Games are expected to begin, and the first minicamp is slated for July in Las Vegas.

Jim Boeheim, longtime coach of the Syracuse Orange, has indicated (as per Thamel) he will likely return as an assistant, although the rest of the staff around Krzyzewski could change.

While there aren’t any firm commitments yet, players like LeBron James, Dwight Howard and even Kobe Bryant have participated in the past and may return for another run at gold.

FIFA 14 Will Have Qualities Even Non-Soccer Fans Can Appreciate

Brian Mazique — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:09:02 -0400

EA Sports' FIFA 14 recently received a major hype boost. The game was featured in the next-generation trailer for EA Sports' new rendering engine, Ignite.

A few of the qualities evident in the trailer for the next-gen version, as well as the version due out for Xbox 360 and PS3 should pique the interest of almost any gamer.

Sports video games are like most genres of video games—there are many subgroups within the full scope. For maximum interest, a gamer must like sports and then also like the specific sport being simulated.

In some instances, there are elements in a game that transcend a sport—and maybe even the entire genre.

While the Ignite engine will affect more than just collision detection, this element is undoubtedly one of the most important to future gaming experiences.

After all, physics are important in every game.

In FIFA 14, the new physics enhancements should even impress a gamer who only plays action or adventure games.

In every game where characters and objects interact, the need for the appropriate body and/or object reaction is important. Because most sports are games of inches, the genre can sometimes lead the way in collision detection.

This is never more apparent than when looking at EA Sports' True Motion Trailer. This trailer features development footage from the upcoming EA Sports UFC, Madden 25 and FIFA 14.

Notice how FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi talks about contact in football. Implementing those subtleties into the video game is not only big for the FIFA series, but big for sports games period.

I can't count the times that I've wished I could take an element from one game and incorporate it into another.

If the True Motion enhancements are as advertised in FIFA and other EA Sports' games, it could set the standard for how realistic physics, environments and animation should look and feel.

Follow me and Franchiseplay, my sports video game alter ego

Why Did WVU Coach Dana Holgorsen Let Ivan McCartney Back on the Team?

Lisa Horne — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:54:50 -0400

Is West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen desperate? Or is he just a real nice guy who wants to give kids a second chance?

Maybe it's both.

In 2012, West Virginia wide receiver Ivan McCartney left the team just prior to the Mountaineers' November 10 date with Oklahoma State. West Virginia lost 55-34.

On May 19, McCartney returned to the team, according to the Daily Mail. More:

"Second chances are few and far between," [head coach Dana] Holgorsen said. "This kid's got an opportunity to right the ship. Maybe he makes the best of it. Maybe he doesn't."

Holgorsen said McCartney was back home in Florida during the spring semester and that contacts from his high school reached out to discuss the idea of a return last month. Holgorsen said McCartney is eligible and will again be on scholarship - and that doesn't count toward the 2013 class of recruits.

McCartney started one game last season against TCU in place of injured Stedman Bailey. He caught 59 passes for 701 yards and three touchdowns in his three years at the school. Bailey, Tavon Austin and J.D. Woods were ahead of McCartney on the depth roster and were either selected in the 2013 NFL draft or exhausted their eligibility.

McCartney left the team "for personal reasons," according to WVIllustrated.com. Receiver Travares Copeland had left one week prior to McCartney's departure due to personal reasons as well, the report noted.

If McCartney's personal reasons involved a family emergency or resolving a personal matter, then most fans would be sympathetic to his plight. Lack of playing time—which is most likely why he left—is also understandable. McCartney has one year of eligibility left, so transferring to another FBS school was not an option.

While no coach wants to see a player leave due to lack of playing time, Holgorsen's actions indicate desperation.

Athlon Sports notes that West Virginia has three starters returning on the offense. The Mountaineers signed five receivers in this year's recruiting class and two of them, Daikiel Shorts and Kevin White, were very impressive this spring, according to the Charleston Gazette.

McCartney's return may not have registered a blip on the radar if Austin, Bailey and Woods were returning. But they're not, and West Virginia is now in complete rebuild mode.

After the Mountaineers' spring game, Holgorsen was asked if he was ready to name a quarterback. Holgorsen's answer, according to Sports Illustrated, was sobering.

"Not only are we not ready to do that at quarterback, we're not ready to do that at about 20 other positions as well," he replied.

McCartney may not start this year. He'll be competing against some raw talent, including Jordan Thompson, K.J. Myers and incoming freshman Shelton Gibson who arrives in the fall.

McCartney's presence will push the other receivers and that is an ideal situation for a coach. What remains to be seen is whether Holgorsen allowing McCartney to return helps or hinders the team.

ACC Baseball Tournament 2013 Rosters: Team-by-Team Preview and Biggest Stars

Timothy Rapp — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:49:55 -0400

The ACC tournament is stacked this season, and if you don't believe me, consider the following.

All eight teams in the tournament are ranked in the RPI Top 25, while Baseball America has six of the teams in the tournament ranked in its Top 25 (No. 5 Virginia, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7 Florida State, No. 9 NC State, No. 18 Clemson and No. 21 Virginia Tech).

In other words, there's no telling who will survive pool play or eventually win this tournament.

Let's take a closer look at each team in this loaded tournament.

Begin Slideshow

NHL Playoffs 2013: Kings' and Sharks' Home Dominance Changing Playoff Landscape

Mark Jones — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:49:55 -0400

As the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks duel for a spot in the Western Conference Finals, two avid California hockey fanbases are taking the opportunity to prove themselves among the NHL's most influential.

After the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings won Games 1 and 2 at the Staples Center, the Sharks rallied back with Games 3 and 4 victories at HP Pavilion.

The two California franchises—thousands of miles from the traditionally legendary fanbases of Boston, Montreal, Ottawa and others—are now a combined 9-0 at home during the 2013 postseason.

Extreme success in familiar confines is no new blessing for these clubs, though.

The Kings won 19 of 24 home games during the lockout-shortened regular season, leading the league in that category. Meanwhile, the Sharks lost just two home games in regulation during the regular season, leading the league in that category.

All in all, Los Angeles and San Jose have posted a combined 45-6-6 home record since the 2013 calendar year began.

That point-per-game ratio (1.68) isn't just better than that the Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks (1.60), it's better by a significant margin.

Such dominance has simply never before been seen in the competitive likes of the Stanley Cup Playoffs—and, with one of these teams guaranteed to advance into the NHL's four Cup finalists, it's of major concern to the rest of the league, too.

Entering this spring's postseason, many experts predicted runaway regular-season conference champions Pittsburgh and Chicago to roll comfortably into a highly anticipated heavyweight Cup final. However, while both of those teams remain alive today, their statuses as clear favorites are becoming increasingly cloudy.

Part of that reduction in presumed invincibility can be accredited to the persistence of bottom-seeds like the Islanders, Senators and Red Wings. But part of it can also be attributed to the impressive performances put on, night in and night out, by hockey's two California powerhouses.

Both sport goaltenders already boasting the experience of a prior Cup championship—Jonathan Quick's from 2012 with L.A., Antti Niemi's from 2010 with Chicago—and a sparkling combined career playoff record of 57-37.

Moreover, with save percentages of .946 and .930, respectively, in this spring's campaign, they're clearly also capable of maintaining that winning percentage moving forward.

Even outside of the net, though, the Kings and Sharks can compare competitively to their Blackhawk and Penguin foes.

A cast of forwards including Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski could arguably keep up with Chicago's Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. A defense featuring Drew Doughty, Rob Scuderi, Alec Martinez and the quickly-improving Slava Voynov could perhaps best a Pittsburgh back end of Kris Letang, Paul Martin, Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik.

Nonetheless, the roots of Los Angeles' and San Jose's successes always trace back to the Staples Center and HP Pavilion.

Neither franchise played a single game, even in the regular season, in front of a less-than-sellout home crowd this year. Every game night, 18,118 and 17,562 dedicated followers flooded into their seats to support the novelty of hockey in California—and helped push their two respective teams into the elite class of the NHL.

Entering Thursday night's Kings-Sharks Game 5, the Pacific Coast is set to have one very viable Cup contender for the third June in a row.

The NHL's landscape, both in terms of success and support, is changing rapidly.

The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are at the very front of the movement.

Sergio Garcia Can't Think We're This Stupid, Unless He's That Dumb

Dan Levy — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:48:55 -0400

Sergio Garcia sat with members of the European media on Wednesday and apologized for his ill-timed and poorly worded…joke, I guess…about Tiger Woods at Tuesday night's European PGA Tour black-tie event, suggesting Garcia would serve the best golfer in the world "fried chicken" for dinner when they play in the U.S. Open next month. (Via GolfNewsNet.com):

“I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I obviously was kind of going by the question, but don’t get me wrong, I understand that my answer was totally stupid and out of place. I can’t say sorry enough about that.”

Garcia apologized to those who were offended, the European tour, his European Ryder Cup teammates and, finally, Woods.

“Finally, and most importantly, I want to apologize to Tiger and to anybody that I could have offended by the comment I made. I just want to say that I feel sick about it. I’m truly, truly sorry.”

The apology was as sincere and heartfelt as one could expect from Garcia, who clearly comes out of this situation looking like a total buffoon. It was noteworthy that Garcia apologized to Woods last, not first, but his statement certainly underscored how important he felt it was to apologize publicly to Tiger for his comment.

Time to move on, right? Well, Garcia didn't exactly handle the media's questions as well as he handled his opening statement, leading one to wonder if he is ignorant and naive, or just pretending to be.

Making an Effort to Reach Tiger

When asked if he had personally reached out to Woods, Garcia explained that he didn't have Tiger's number but that he left a message for Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, hoping to set up a call.

Here's the thing about that one, Sergio: it shouldn't be that hard to find Tiger's number.

Garcia, after all, is playing a European PGA Tour event this weekend with dozens of other professional golfers. One of them surely has a working phone number for Woods.

Garcia said he spoke with higher ups within the PGA about his comment. Surely Tim Finchem has Tiger's cell phone number.

Failing that, Woods was on Twitter earlier on Wednesday to share his thoughts on Sergio's comment. Garcia could have easily followed Woods on Twitter, sent him a message via social media and asked Tiger to DM (direct message) a good phone number to ensure he had a chance to speak with Woods before talking to the media. (Note: Garcia, who is verified on Twitter, has not tweeted since August, 2011. Today would have been a good day to start that up again.)

Sergio, Meet Fuzzy

Sergio's gaffes went beyond his inability to call Woods before he talked to the press. Garcia admitted during the conference that he was unaware of Fuzzy Zoeller's comment during the 1997 Masters, when Zoeller overshadowed the epic victory by Woods after making a "fried chicken and collard greens" comment about the following year's champions dinner. Sergio said he was told of the comment for the first time today, suggesting that he was only 17 years old at the time and was unaware.

How could Sergio not know about Zoeller's comment? I was 19 at the time and still recall it being one of the biggest stories of the year in American sports.

Garcia didn't play in America until 1999—his first tournament in America was the 1999 Masters—but he was a highly-regarded amateur in the game and that was one of the biggest stories in golf that year, especially on the heels of Woods' record-setting victory at Augusta.

Perhaps Sergio didn't remember it, but suggesting he didn't know about it is patently ridiculous.

Recognizing Racism

Still, that may not have been the dumbest thing Garcia said to the press on Wednesday. Sergio apologized for his offensive remark but stopped short of admitting it was racist.

Via GolfChannel.com video:

Reporter: Sergio, you spoke about it being a silly comment, do you accept it was a racist comment, or do you disagree with that?"

Garcia: No. Not at all. It wasn't meant that way. Like I said before I was caught off guard at what seemed to be a funny question and I tried to give a funny answer that came out totally wrong. I want to make sure that everybody knows that I'm very, very sorry. I cannot apologize enough times.

To be clear, in Garcia's own words he does not accept that his comment was racist—"not at all"—but admits it came out totally wrong and he is very, very sorry for saying it. If he does not believe the comment is racist, what exactly is he sorry about?

Is Garcia "very, very sorry" for an inappropriate and clearly racist comment or is he only "very, very sorry" that this became a story so big he needed to hold an entire press conference about it so he could apologize?

Garcia has a long and less-than cordial past with Woods, so he must have known that any snide remark about the world's best player would make international news. Making a comment—joking or not—with any racial undertones was a dangerous move for Garcia to make. Not owning up to the racism the next day, even while apologizing for it, is somehow even worse.

The reporter didn't ask Garcia if he intended it to be a racist comment, only if he accepts that it was.

If Garcia can't accept that making a fried chicken reference about Woods is racist—even if Garcia truly didn't know about the past comments from Zoeller—he's lying to himself, lying to the media and lying to Woods.

Sergio cannot be this dumb. Unless he is, which given his comments, it seems he just might be.

Kevin Durant Shows off Massive Back Tattoo After Its Completion

Dan Favale — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:46:53 -0400

Kevin Durant is tatted up more than you realize.

When sporting an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey, or shirt of any kind, the number of tattoos Durant has doesn't fully resonate with you. Depending on what you see him wearing, he doesn't look like he has any.

But he does. And what he has is freaking enormous.

The Durantula posted a photo on his Instagram account showing off his completed back tattoo.

"All done...James 1:2-4...look it up," the caption reads.

Once you get past the fact that Durant's ink is the size of your living room, feel free to look it up, because, well, Durant wants you to.

He also wants you to admire this mural. Some serious work and detail clearly went into this monstrosity. And it looks far more complete than the free-for-all he has going on around his chest and stomach.

If you haven't seen what Durant looks like on the other side, I encourage you to take a gander.

There's nothing really hideous about this one, it's just so damn busy. It's like artistic chaos.

Myself, I prefer the one on his back. It may be a tad oversized for some, but it flows nicely and every aspect of it complements another. It doesn't hurt that the Angel appears to be holding a basketball.

Now, to answer your question: Yes, this had to hurt. Durant is skinny. Down-to-the-bone slender. He felt this one being applied. And it wasn't pleasant. It's times like these when a little extra cushion goes a long way. Just ask Eddy Curry.

Putting on some extra dough is the least of Durant's worries now, though. It seems that the word "mature" is misspelled.

The Bible verse in question does have the word "mature" near the end of it. Barring some hip, new way of spelling or pronouncing "mature," Durant appears to officially be sporting a typo on his skin.

Zero in on the first word of the last visible line and you'll see what I'm referencing to.

Yeesh. That could be a problem. I hear tattoos are permanent.

If Durant is a glutton for punishment he does have options. He could always have that particular word removed via a laser and then re-do it. Like a mulligan of sorts. Or he could just cheer himself up with another new, grammatically correct tattoo.

But wait, that presents yet another problem.

His back, chest and stomach are completely covered. Unless this tattoo was his swan song—which is unlikely because they're addicting as hell—he's going to have to (gasp) put them where we can all see them.

Short of putting them on his derrière, he's going to have to move onto the legs or arms. Or he always has the option of doing what is known as the DeShawn Stevenson, J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen—tattooing his neck.

Couldn't you just picture Durant covered head-to-toe in ink like some of his peers?

Yeah, me neither. And I doubt it will get that far. He doesn't appear to be as cavalier when it comes to branding himself as the rest.

Figure on him just getting an "I heart Russell Westbrook" design stamped on his forehead before retiring from the tattoo game.

Follow @danfavale

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NIV

Triple H: Instead of Curtis Axel, It Was All About the Game… Again

Andy Soucek — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:44:35 -0400

This was the week of Triple H.

Sure, he lost to Brock Lesnar again, but that didn't matter. He didn't care, so we shouldn't either.

Because both times after Lesnar’s victory, the spotlight was on the loser of the match.

Hunter quickly dismissed his most recent loss by saying how he won at WrestleMania (though he also forgot to bring up his loss at SummerSlam), and mentioned how Lesnar was the one who needed help leaving Extreme Rules.

The announcers talked up what a war their boss had been through the night before and how they were shocked that he could even show up. The problem was that Triple H didn't look in rough shape at all.

He looked like he'd spent the day before at the office or maybe shopping for some new leather jackets, not in a cage match with a former UFC champion.

The guy couldn't even sell a slight limp. That would have been too much to ask.

This time especially, it was time to give the spotlight to someone else or at least share it. It was the night to introduce Curtis Axel (aka Michael McGillicutty, aka Joe Hennig).

Instead, Axel was a mere afterthought.

The new look, the new name, the new music (which was really well done) and all the effort put into making a McGillicutty a somebody fell flat.

The poor guy already has an uphill battle overcoming the terrible booking he’s endured the past few years. The last thing he needed was to be bigfooted the first night of his reintroduction.

First off, the man has never won a singles match on Raw or SmackDown. Heck, he just lost to Sin Cara on Superstars last week!

Curtis is now 33 years old. Sure, in wrestling that’s not bad, but it’s not exactly rookie age either. If he’s going to become a star, now wouldn’t be a bad time to actually present him as one. But in typical fashion, Triple H talked down to his new opponent in a way that only he and John Cena are capable of doing, saying, "The adults are having a conversation."

Yes, a 43-year-old man told a 33-year-old man that the "adults" are having a conversation. Let's not forget that Hunter is the one with the humor of an 8-year-old.

Because of his lineage, the comparisons of Curtis to his father, Curt Hennig, are inevitable. But Curt was much farther along at this point in his career than his son is. Triple H and the WWE should have taken note of this.

Curt rejoined the WWF in 1988 as Mr. Perfect. During his first night as the new character, Curt wasn’t slapped in the face by his boss and then laid on the ground until his manager told him to get up. He didn’t then battle his boss, an extreme part-timer, to an apparent no-contest.

Mr. Perfect had weeks of vignettes hyping his debut, which were filled with big-time athletes in awe of how amazing he was. He also went undefeated for over a year. That is how you make a star.

In short, it was about Mr. Perfect when he debuted, not about someone else.

But Raw wasn’t about Curtis Axel. It wasn’t about full-time talent Paul Heyman either. It was about Triple H.

While Raw started off on an intriguing note by hyping who Heyman’s new client was, the night basically ended with Triple H having a concussion. You know, like the one that Dolph Ziggler has in real life right now.

How worried are we really supposed to be about Triple H? If he’s actually hurt, then he goes home, gets better and goes back to his COO job where he casually threatens to fire company doctors who are just doing their jobs for years to come.

If he’s not actually hurt, then he'll maybe come back for next year's WrestleMania against a big name opponent.

But worst of all, why did WWE not give Curtis the victory on Raw? Why wasn't Triple H counted out? Does the 10-count rule not apply to members of management?

It's not that Curtis Axel has no chance of getting over now. After all, Paul Heyman has a fantastic track record of helping young stars develop. But the way he was portrayed as being so clearly inferior to Triple H just makes it so much more difficult for him.

By the end of the night, we found out that Curtis’ re-debut may be more difficult to pull off than previously thought.

UEFA Champions League: Plotting Bayern Munich's Path to the Final

Michael Cummings — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:44:02 -0400

Bayern Munich are favorites for glory in Saturday's UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium in London. For those who have followed Bayern this season, that fact comes as little surprise.

Beaten finalists a year ago in their home stadium, Bayern reloaded in the offseason and stormed to the Bundesliga title in record style, clinching the trophy with six matches to spare. After a slow start in the group stage, Jupp Heynckes' team has enjoyed remarkably similar dominance in the knockout rounds.

Bayern will meet domestic rivals Borussia Dortmund in the final, and with a win would clinch their fifth European Cup/Champions League title, tied for third all-time with Liverpool.

Below is a recap of Bayern's run to this season's Champions League final, starting from the beginning.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Group stage

Bayern qualified for this season's Champions League by finishing second behind Dortmund last term in the Bundesliga. At the Champions League draw, Bayern entered Group F with Valencia, BATE Borisov and Lille.

Despite receiving a favorable draw, Bayern experienced a hiccup along the way, losing 3-1 at minnows BATE on Matchday 2. But the Bavarians recovered with back-to-back wins over Lille, including a 6-1 demolition at the Allianz Arena in which Claudio Pizarro scored a hat-trick.

Bayern finished atop the group with 13 points, the same as Valencia but ahead of the Spaniards on goal differential.

(Photo credit: Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

Scare at the Allianz

Bayern received a second scare in the Round of 16 against Arsenal. After dominating the Gunners 3-1 in the first leg in London, Bayern entered the second leg without influential midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and nearly crashed out of the competition.

Arsenal scored early and completed a 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena, leveling the tie at 3-3 on aggregate. Bayern advanced, however, on the away-goals rule.

"We managed to get off with a slap on our wrists," Heynckes told UEFA.com. We still haven't won anything. This was a timely reminder for us—that we have to continue working hard in order to achieve our goals."

(Photo credit: UEFA.com)

Outclassed Italians

Bayern's Champions League challenge gathered steam in the quarterfinals as Juventus were outclassed 4-0 on aggregate.

David Alaba scored in the first minute of the first leg, and Bayern cruised from there. Thomas Muller added another goal in the second half as the first leg ended 2-0 in Munich.

In the second leg, Mario Mandzukic and Pizarro scored in the second half to complete a 4-0 aggregate victory.

"Bayern are really strong, individually and collectively," said Juventus manager Antonio Conte (per UEFA.com), whose team later won the Serie A title. "They can do wonderful things and they fight for every ball. It's tough to play against them and we did everything we could."

(Photo credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barca blown away

Bayern drew Barcelona in the semifinals, setting up a showdown with superstar Lionel Messi and the 2009 and 2011 winners. Bayern passed the test easily.

In the first leg at the Allianz Arena, Muller scored two goals and assisted on another as Bayern whipped Barca 4-0. Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez each scored once to give Bayern a big advantage for the return leg in Spain.

In that return leg, Messi did not play for Barcelona, and his team looked lost without him. Bayern dominated again, winning 3-0 with strikes from Muller, Robben and a Gerard Pique own goal. The victory clinched Bayern's third appearance in the final in the last four seasons.

The 7-0 aggregate scoreline was the heaviest ever recorded in a Champions League semifinal. The loss was Barca's first at home in the Champions League since 2009.

"I think it was clear that my team entered this game extremely focused," said Heynckes (per UEFA.com), who plans to retire at the end of the season. "We played great right from the start. There's no denying Barcelona are a different team without Messi. Even so, I'm sure no one expected us to win 7-0 on aggregate."

(Graphic courtesy of Favourit)

By the numbers

Bayern Munich have played 12 Champions League matches this season, winning nine, losing two and drawing one. The Germans have outscored opponents 29-10, including 11-0 over the last two rounds.

Muller is the team's leading scorer in the Champions League with eight goals. Pizarro has scored four times and Robben and Toni Kroos have scored three times. Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm have assisted four goals each, tied for most on the team (WhoScored?).

According to Squawka, Bayern have held 53 percent of all possessions in their Champions League matches while completing passes at an 85 percent rate.

The most important number now, though is one. Only one opponent—Borussia Dortmund—remains between Bayern and the Champions League title.

Follow @MikeCummings37

Best Advice for MLB Rookies on Draft Day

Behind The Mic — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:43:38 -0400

With the MLB season in full swing, it's time to look ahead to the 2013 MLB draft. In early June, young athletes who have given it their all for years will finally begin the track to the bigs.

Ron Darling joins Behind the Mic this week to share his experience and give some advice to the MLB stars of tomorrow.

Watch Behind the Mic now and stay tuned for more right here on Bleacher Report.

3 Questions We Have About Junior Dos Santos Ahead of UFC 160

Nathan McCarter — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:40:45 -0400

Junior dos Santos makes his return to the UFC's Octagon for the first time since being beat down by Cain Velasquez in their heavyweight title tilt in December. He will battle Mark Hunt in the evening's co-main event.

This bout features two of the best strikers in the division and two of the hardest hitters. Dos Santos is a powerful boxer, and Hunt is a former K-1 champion. Fans are expecting fireworks.

However, three questions immediately come to mind when talking about this fight.

How did UFC 155 effect JDS' confidence?

Dos Santos is one of the most confident people you will ever meet. He is a jovial character who believes in his abilities. That confidence played a big role in him capturing the UFC heavyweight championship.

At UFC 155, Velasquez broke his will. Velasquez dominated the fight in every facet.

JDS got touched up on the feet, repeatedly dragged to the canvas and pummeled in every which way. He was a defeated man after that fight. Velasquez broke him.

Sometimes after a fight like that fighters never return to the cage the same way. They lose their confidence. They lose that mental edge they used to have. Has that happened to JDS? We will find out at UFC 160 on Saturday.

A good bet is to say that he will have trained harder than ever, but we won't truly know until we see him in action.

Will he stand and trade with Hunt?

This is what fans most want to see. They want these two elite strikers to stand toe-to-toe until someone drops.

That is typically what both of these men want to do, but I'm not sure we should expect that in this fight.

JDS needs a win. The smartest course of action against Hunt is to grapple with him. That is clearly not his strong suit, and it is the path of least resistance. However, when a fighter loves to strike they may decide to do that regardless of the individual matchup.

He may, in fact, have the skills to throw with Hunt. JDS' boxing skills are second to none in MMA, but Hunt has an incredible chin and can wade through punches to deliver his own. Does JDS really want to risk allowing Hunt inside of his reach?

We haven't seen dos Santos utilize his wrestling much, but we have seen it sparingly. At UFC 160 we will most likely find out very quickly if we'll see it again in this fight.

How good are his submission skills?

This question may still have to be asked after the fight. Hunt isn't exactly known for his submission defense.

Anyway, if JDS does take this fight to the mat we will finally get a glimpse in to his ground game.

It has been much talked about since his UFC debut. We know he idolizes Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. We have seen the love he has for his hero, but at UFC 160 we may see a tiny bit of what he has learned over the years.

There is no question that he can submit Hunt. Any heavyweight that has a mediocre ground game can do that. It is simply not Hunt's specialty. We have seen him tap to rudimentary submissions.

If JDS takes him down it will be interesting to see how quickly he sets up and completes a submission. He may chose to ground-and-pound, but if the fight hits the canvas I have a feeling most fans want to see where his submission acumen lies.

Those three questions pop up for JDS entering this fight. We are just a few days out from getting the answers.

Twitter Reacts to Sergio Garcia's Apology to Tiger Woods for 'Fried Chicken' Jab

Alex Kay — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:35:12 -0400

It’s been 10 days since Sergio Garcia accused Tiger Woods of maliciously pulling a club from his bag during The Players Championship, but this feud is far from over.

Garcia made headlines on Tuesday when he responded to a question (h/t Ewan Murray of The Guardian) posed by the Golf Channel’s Steve Sands, who asked if he would have dinner with Woods at the U.S. Open.

What followed could certainly be construed as racist, with the Spaniard answering: "We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken."

After much uproar, Garcia issued an apology through the European Tour (via Murray), which stated:

I apologise for any offence that may have been caused by my comment on stage during The European Tour Players' Awards dinner. I answered a question that was clearly made towards me as a joke with a silly remark, but in no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.

Tiger was clearly still upset about the situation, taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning to issue a response and scolding to his rival:

He wasn’t the only one who took umbrage to the comments, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport couldn’t comprehend the rational behind Garcia’s apology:

Godfrey, the co-host of Upload with Shaq on Tru TV, believes Woods has to use the weak apology as motivation:

I think Tiger Woods should not accept Sergio's empty apology. Instead he should use it as fuel to up his game.#ESPN_FirstTake
— godfrey(@GodfreyComedian) May 22, 2013

Cindy Boren of The Washington Post offers one possible, but certainly not acceptable, explanation behind why Garcia made the initial remarks.

Boren also offers up a ridiculous situation with Garcia claiming to want to apologize to Woods personally, but doesn’t have his phone number. If the Spaniard truly cared about making that call, he could likely acquire it.

ESPN’s Darren Rovell received a statement from a Sergio endorser, TaylorMade-adidas:

Sergio Garcia’s recent comment was offensive and in no way aligns with TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s values and corporate culture. We have spoken with Sergio directly and he clearly has regret for his statement and we believe he is sincere. We discussed with Sergio that his comments are clearly out of bounds and we are continuing to review the matter.

ESPN’s Jemele Hill thinks Sergio Garcia is an idiot, but his comments have made her hungry:

What do you think of this controversy? Drop your opinion on Twitter or in the comments below.

Michigan Wolverines Brand New Footballs with 'Made in USA, Not in Ohio'

Randy Chambers — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:58 -0400

And you thought the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry couldn't get any feistier than it is already.

We already know these two schools hate each other and absolutely refuse to refer to the other by name. Well, there are names that they refer to each other as, but they likely aren't appropriate for family time.

Nonetheless, Michigan has now decided to label its footballs as "made in the USA, not in Ohio." Wolverines wide receiver Bo Dever posted the picture on his Instagram for the world to see (h/t Yahoo Sports).

Oh, shots fired.

As if this rivalry needed any more hatred and reason for these schools to dislike one another, here you are. Any opportunity for one of these schools to poke fun at the other or a chance to remind people that the bad blood is still there, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be put into motion.

But refusing to play with footballs made from Ohio makes you wonder what other lines in the sand Michigan has drawn. ESPN made it clear that a fan of the Buckeyes and a fan of the Wolverines could not go out on a date and that it could actually put one's life in danger if the possibility ever took place.

Does Michigan also refuse to eat at a restaurant in Ohio? What if a Wolverine ran out of gas in Ohio? Does he walk his way home or dig up the courage to actually put his hard-earned money into a state he can't stand? Better yet, has a Wolverine ever entered enemy territory?

These are questions we all need answers to. Where does the hilariousness stop?

It certainly doesn't come to an end on the gridiron.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

Theo Pinson to UNC: Tar Heels Land 5-Star Prospect

Alex Kay — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:27:58 -0400

Theo Pinson, one of the most skilled basketball players in the Class of 2014, has reached a decision on where he will play at the next level.

According to ESPN's Dave Telep, Pinson will be taking his talents to the University of North Carolina:

He made the announcement at his high school, Wesleyan Christian Academy, Wednesday afternoon:

Considering Pinson’s junior season just wrapped up, it’s a bit surprising that he was willing to commit to the Tar Heels at this juncture. However, it seems that he just fell in love with the program and wanted to avoid a long, drawn-out recruiting process.

Coach Roy Williams certainly isn’t going to complain, as he was able to convince this 5-star swingman to take his talents to Chapel Hill, despite some strong competition.

A number of high-profile college basketball blue bloods had the No. 12 recruit in the 2014 class in their sights, but he felt UNC was the best choice.

ESPN’s Dave Telep listed Indiana, Duke, Louisville and Georgetown as four other possible destinations Pinson was considering, with IU widely expected to land the star recruit:

While he couldn’t lose by picking any of the other prestigious universities on his short list, the Greensboro, N.C., native is a great fit with North Carolina.

Pinson is a natural scorer that isn’t afraid to fire away, knowing full well that he’s often the best player on the court. Whether he’s bombing away from deep or slashing to the rim, the youngster always finds a way to get his buckets.

However, he’s by no means a selfish player. Pinson is a top-notch facilitator that loves to kick it to open teammates and is capable of making some flashy passes to deliver the rock.

Add in the fact that this kid grades out as an elite athlete, hard-nosed defender and relentless worker and you have the recipe for a perfect Tar Heels recruit.

The 6’6”, 190-pound star has to work on his handle and extending his shot out to the NBA three-point line, but should have no problem picking up those skills during his time under coach Williams next year.

Tar Heels fans are going to have to wait over a year to watch this elite prospect star on the hardwood at the Dean Smith Center, but it seems Pinson will be well worth the hype and anticipation.

Roberto Mancini: Why the Love All of a Sudden?

Nathan Judah — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:24:46 -0400

Many people are of the opinion there is not enough loyalty in football, but where Manchester City fans are concerned, there is way too much of it.

Over the last two weeks, it has been astonishing how bitterly opposed most Citizens appear to be at the long-overdue sacking of the underachieving Roberto Mancini.

One can only assume these fans don't want City to improve or challenge United on a consistent basis over the next decade and beyond.

These are the same followers who must be happy for the boys in blue to cause the occasional upset and challenge for the title every other leap year.

Please tell me someone is pleased Roberto Mancini has lost his job.

This is not a complete Mancini-bashing piece; he did do some good things during his reign.

The way he dealt with the Carlos Tevez saga was masterful after he refused to come off the bench in a Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.

But that's where the love stops.

Without a shadow of a doubt, he should have won the last three EPL titles.

He was far too conservative during 2009/10, just scraped home last year and put up one of the worst title defences in recent history this season.

The performance against Wigan in the FA Cup final was so unacceptable that some sections were calling for Mancini's head at half-time while the score was still 0-0!

Yes, the supporters point to the fact that he brought the first league title to the club, but that was virtually impossible not to do because of the obscene amount of money that had been spent.

The embarrassing home loss to Norwich summed up Mancini's time with the club—unacceptable.

It remains to be seen whether Manuel Pellegrini will bring regular success to a club whose infrastructure is set up for domination, but it's safe to say he will perform no worse than the recently departed Italian.

The major obstacle may prove to be winning over the fans' misplaced loyalty toward a man that simply didn't do enough.

Giro D'Italia 2013 Standings: Stage 17 Results, Leaderboard and Analysis

Patrick Clarke — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:22:38 -0400

Italy's Giovanni Visconti won Stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday, powering past the pack late on a challenging climb to win his second stage of the event (via BBC Sport):

Visconti, who also won Stage 15 on Sunday, overcame a late mistake that nearly cost him the lead. Leading by just a few seconds towards the finish, he misjudged a turn and nearly fell off his bike. Credit a brilliant recovery for his second stage victory in a span of four days (via Giro d'Italia on Twitter):

Wednesday's Stage 17 featured a 214-kilometer ride from Caravaggio to Vicenza. The stage is one highlighted by flat terrain, but capped off with a climb just 16 kilometers out from the finish.

Cycling Weekly's Nick Bull tweeted this photo which previews a unique "pinch point" that riders had to deal with towards the finish of Stage 17:

The late climb in Wednesday's stage was thought to be a pivotal moment before the riders arrived at the point, and sure enough, it was.

Visconti proved unbeatable late, muscling his way through and eventually ahead of the pack to take an insurmountable lead down the stretch.

Stage 17 Results

Finish	Cyclist	Country	Time
1	Giovanni Visconti	Italy	5:15:34
2	Ramūnas Navardauskas	Lithuania	+0:19
3	Luka Mezgec	Slovenia	+0:19
4	Filippo Pozzato	Italy	+0:19
5	Danilo Honda	Germany	+0:19
6	Salvatore Puccio	Italy	+0:19
7	Sacha Modolo	Italy	+0:19
8	Fabio Felline	Italy	+0:19
9	Francisco Ventoso	Spain	+0:19
10	Cadel Evans	Australia	+0:19

To view the complete Stage 17 results, visit the race's official website.

Stage 17 Route

Overall Leaderboard

Place	Cyclist	Team	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana	Italy	73:11:29
2	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing	Australia	+0:01:26
3	Rigoberto Uran Uran	Sky Procycling	Colombia	+0:02:46
4	Michele Scarponi	Lampre-Merida	Italy	+0:03:53
5	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre-Merida	IPoland	+0:04:13
6	Mauro Santambrogio	Vini Fantini/SelleItalia	Italy	+0:04:57
7	Carlos Betancur	AG2R	Colombia	+0:05:15
8	Rafal Majka	Saxo-Tinkoff	Poland	+0:05:20
9	Benat Intxausti	Movistar	Spain	+0:05:47
10	Robert Gesink	Blanco	Netherlands	+0:07:24

To view the complete standings, visit the race's official website.

Recap and Analysis

It looked to be anyone's stage for the majority of Wednesday's ride before Italy's own Giovanni Visconti took over late, demonstrating an unrivaled combination of stamina and power to ride across the finish line first with his hands high above his head.

Points competition leader Mark Cavendish looked extremely disappointed with his finish in Stage 17 as he crossed the line, but was still able to maintain his points lead despite a shaky effort though the climb.

There's still plenty of reason to believe he'll be a contender over the next few days.

Overall, Wednesday's stage was uneventful with Visconti's late surge stealing the show and capping off a rather forgettable day of racing as the flat terrain offered few challenges for the riders for the most part.

With only four stages left to race, however, including a pair of mountain stages on Friday and Saturday, the action is sure to heat up as riders will have very little room for error moving forward.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Plaxico Burress Wants to Dominate the Sock Game, Launches Stylish Hosiery Line

Gabe Zaldivar — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:22:05 -0400

Plaxico Burress is jumping into the sock game with both feet.

The New York Times reports the Pittsburgh Steelers receiver is unveiling what he says is a fashion endeavor a couple years in the making.

You can find a great deal more about his fancy new socks and get a pair of your own at Plaxicoburresscollection.com.

The 35-year-old receiver presented his new business venture with the flash you might expect at a trendy nightclub last Friday night.

The Times' Tony Gervino describes the sight of Burress' first steps into the fashion world, one that featured "a tower of Champagne-filled glasses, a Maserati convertible and female models wearing nothing but white tuxedo shirts, Buddy Holly eyeglasses and Plaxico Burress Collection socks on their feet."

Of course, as Gervino also notes, it's almost impossible not to recall Burress' most famous trip to the nightclub, an ill-fated one that culminated in a self-inflicted gunshot wound and subsequent stint in prison.

But Burress isn't talking about that, nor is he chatting about football matters. When asked about the gridiron, Burress simply replied, "I’m only here to talk about socks."

So let's talk about them.

Again, you can take a gander at the website as well as the previous tweets made available over at the newly launched @PlaxicosSocks.

I know this is the point when we launch snarky comment after snarky comment, but I rather dig the direction the receiver is headed here. What, did you think he was jut going to launch some regular Gold Toe-type socks?

Since my one and only measure of top-shelf socks is whether they stay on my feet, I don't know enough to proclaim these a total success. However, the key is to stand out, and Burress certainly does that here.

The football star is even prepared to diversify his talents to other parts of your wardrobe. Burress offered, "The ultimate goal is to get into bow ties, cuff links and belts. Definitely belts. Come on, who doesn’t need a great belt?"

Well, it sounds like your belt needs will be answered in short order. You might also get some NFL-themed socks in some form.

And so the man who once shot himself is getting deep into socks. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I know better.

Hit me up on Twitter for more sartorial sizzle: Follow @gabezal

Breaking News: Shield Member Possibly Injured at SmackDown Tapings

Daniel Van Boom — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:18:54 -0400

Dolph Ziggler may not be the only WWE superstar to have a wave of momentum crushed by bad luck.

According to fan reports (via wrestlinginc.com), Shield member and WWE Tag Team champion Roman Reigns may have hurt his ankle at this week's SmackDown tapings:

Two of our correspondents at last night's SmackDown tapings in Omaha, Nebraska noted that one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions Roman Reigns may have been injured in the main event. Apparently Reigns tweaked his ankle during a six-man tag match with The Shield vs. Randy Orton, Big Show and Kofi Kingston. Reigns started limping after a spot with Orton on the ring apron. Reigns was seen limping around the ring during the end of the match and was helped to the back by a referee right after the finish. A post-show beat down by the babyfaces took place but only Dean and Seth Rollins were involved.

This is far from a confirmation of injury, but a severely hurt Reigns would be a devastating blow to the WWE.

The Shield have been the most consistently entertaining act on Raw since CM Punk's temporary departure.

The WWE have invested a lot in the talented trio, and it would be a shame to see their tremendous potential be squandered.

Again, this is a fan report but it doesn't sound good.

It's possible that Reigns just did an outstanding job at selling a spot, but a member of The Shield being helped by a WWE referee almost certainly means something went wrong.

As John Cena said on Raw a few weeks ago, there’s a big difference between hurt and injured.

Hopefully Reigns is the former and we won’t have to see this promising "Hound of Justice" put down.

Cold Hard Fact for Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Daily Cold Hard Facts — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:18:02 -0400

Fact: About 42,000 tennis balls are used in the roughly 650 matches in the Wimbledon championship.

Bleacher Report will be bringing sports fans the most interesting and engaging Cold Hard Fact of the day, presented by Coors Light.

Examining the NFL's Coolest Facemasks

Scotty McGraw — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:12:48 -0400

With all the health criticism circling around the USA's favorite sport, football gear is as innovative as ever. Helmets are changing, as are facemasks around the league.

Fans love facemasks. They can make players look like tanks, robots and gazelles. A facemask is a personality; it's a style of play.

Check out the coolest facemasks in the NFL today.

Begin Slideshow

NBA Mock Draft 2013: Post-Lottery First-Round Mock Draft

Matty Schreiber — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:12:16 -0400

Now that the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone, teams are fully aware of where they will be selecting come draft day on Thursday June 27, 2013.

The Orlando Magic came into the draft lottery with the best chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. Since the Magic captured the first selection in the 2004 NBA Draft Lottery, no team with the best chance has been able to draw the top spot.

Cleveland landed its third No. 1 overall pick since 2003, the most by any NBA team during that span. Washington, who had just over a 12 percent chance of landing a top-three pick, will be selecting third on draft night.

Phoenix, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Utah and Atlanta all have two first-round picks, while Miami, Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto, Memphis and Houston won't see any action in the first-round unless they decide to trade into it.

Despite being sidelined for the year in early February and potentially a portion of the first half of the NBA season, Kentucky center Nerlens Noel is pretty much the most versatile, athletic player available in this year's draft. Cleveland will have to choose between Noel and Georgetown small forward Otto Porter for the No. 1 pick.

I have been saying Trey Burke deserves recognition for a long time now, and with his dominant performance in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, everyone got a full taste of what Burke can bring to the court. For a quick report on Burke, click here.

This may quite possibly be the deepest draft at the center position that I can recall in recent years. With plenty of NBA teams starving to get bigger inside, it wouldn't be of any surprise to me to see eight centers go off the board by the end of the first round.

While the Los Angeles Lakers do not have a first-round pick, I wouldn't be shocked to see them trade Pau Gasol to a team with two first-round selections or any team in need of a big man who can eat the glass and score. The Lakers are one of the league's oldest teams. If they want to return to the dominant powerhouse they once were, they are going to need to start rebuilding with younger players. They'll need a first-round pick in order to do so.

I have the Clippers taking Shane Larkin as of now, assuming Chris Paul walks in free agency. If they are able to re-sign Paul, I will address the shakeup to the draft in a future mock.

Below is my complete first-round mock for the 2013 NBA Draft.

Pick	Team	Player	Position	College
1	Cleveland	Nerlens Noel	C	Kentucky
2	Orlando	Trey Burke	PG	Michigan
3	Washington	Otto Porter	SF	Georgetown
4	Charlotte	Ben McLemore	SG	Kansas
5	Phoenix	Victor Oladipo	SG	Indiana
6	New Orleans	Alex Len	C	Maryland
7	Sacramento	Michael Carter-Williams	PG	Syracuse
8	Detroit	Anthony Bennett	PF	UNLV
9	Minnesota	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	SG	Georgia
10	Portland	Dario Saric	SF	Croatia
11	Philadelphia	Cody Zeller	PF	Indiana
12	Oklahoma City	Steven Adams	C	Pittsburgh
13	Dallas	Shabazz Muhammad	SF	UCLA
14	Utah	C.J. McCollum	PG	Lehigh
15	Milwaukee	Allen Crabbe	SG	California
16	Boston	Mason Plumlee	C	Duke
17	Atlanta	Kelly Olynyk	C	Gonzaga
18	Atlanta	Jamaal Franklin	SG	San Diego State
19	Cleveland	Rudy Gobert	PF	France
20	Chicago	Tim Hardaway Jr.	SG	Michigan
21	Utah	Gorgui Dieng	C	Louisville
22	Brooklyn	Sergey Karasev	SG	Russia
23	Indiana	Glen Rice Jr.	SG	NBDL
24	New York	Lucas Nogueira	C	Brazil
25	Los Angeles Clippers	Shane Larkin	PG	Miami
26	Minnesota	Giannis Antetokounmpo	SF	Greece
27	Denver	Jeff Withey	C	Kansas
28	San Antonio	C.J. Leslie	SF	NC State
29	Oklahoma City	Tony Snell	SF	New Mexico
30	Phoenix	Reggie Bullock	SF	North Carolina