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Miralem Pjanic: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Tom Sunderland — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:41:41 -0400

Once one of the most sought-after teenagers in world football, it would seem that Miralem Pjanic may once again be on the move this summer despite already having three club in his professional career. Here’s a report on the Roma midfielder and just where you might expect to see Pjanic end up should he indeed be moving on in the coming months.

Age: 23

Contract Situation: Pjanic signed for Italian outfit Roma in 2011 and has two years remaining on a four-year contract, set to expire in June 2015.

Career Stops: Metz Youth (2004-07), Metz (2007-08), Lyon (2008-2011), Roma (2011-present).

Current Campaign: Serie A—27 appearances, three goals, six assists; Coppa Italia—two appearances, one goal, two assists.

Video Showreel:

Scouting Guide: One of the more versatile talents in Roma’s squad, Pjanic is a central midfielder at heart but has shown the ability to play in a more attacking sense as well as out wide too.

During his career, the Bosnian has developed a habit of scoring long-range goals and proven to be somewhat of a set-piece specialist, scoring several memorable goals for his national team of this nature.

What's more, Pjanic's reputation as a bit of a linguist, speaking fluent Luxembourgish, English, Italian, French and German makes him even more of an attraction.

Although 5’11”, one of Pjanic’s weakness is his ability in the air as well as the more physical side of the game, showing tackling to not be among his strongest suits.

Where Next?

The most frequent suitor being linked with Pjanic’s signature in recent months has been Manchester City, who The Mirror allege are looking at the midfielder with a view to replacing Samir Nasri this summer.

Not only are the club interested but Pjanic comes as heavily recommended by compatriot, Edin Dzeko, who has been quoted by sport.ba (h/t Sky Sports) as saying: "If Mire came to City then I would certainly not want to leave the Etihad.”

Just whether that commitment is enough to push the Citizens into tying up a deal for their midfield target is unsure.

However, with two years left on his Roma contract, City can rest assured that they would be expected to fork out more than the £9.5 million pound paid for his signature in 2011.

Mats Hummels: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Tom Sunderland — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:35:46 -0400

Mats Hummels has been one of the most consistent aspects of a Borussia Dortmund side that’s enjoyed a meteoric rise in world football, entering the hearts of football “hipsters” on a global scale. Read on to find a scouting guide and more information on just where the German international is tipped to be moving this summer.

Age: 24

Contract Situation: Hummels penned a five-year contract extension in the summer of 2012, set to expire June 2017.

Career Stops: Bayern Munich Youth (1995-2006), Bayern Munich II (2006-07), Bayern Munich (2007-09), Borussia Dortmund (2008-09 loan deal), Borussia Dortmund (2009-present).

Current Campaign: Bundesliga—28 appearances, one goal, three assists, eight clean sheets; Champions League—10 appearances, one goal, one assist, two clean sheets.

Video Showreel

Scouting Guide

Although a central defender by nature, the frequency with which Hummels likes to come forward with the ball, providing a platform for those around him, makes him a valuable asset in attack, too.

Alongside Neven Subotic at Signal Iduna Park, the German international can often play the sweeper role and act as a sweeper should the occasion call for it, earning some comparison to German great Franz Beckenbauer.

Where Next?

After surrendering the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich in an almost helpless fashion, one particularly bright side to Hummel’s 2012-13 season has come in the shape of a Champions League final.

Although the Black and Yellows head into the Bayern Munich clash as underdogs, the 24-year-old’s reputation has only grown as a result of this year’s tournament.

As a result, the German has been quite frequently linked with a move to Barcelona. These rumours kicked into overdrive mid-April, when the defender was quoted by Bild (h/t Sky Sports) as saying that he “would reject 99.9% of all clubs” but that Barca were “one of two or three clubs” that would interest him.

Since then, BBC Sport have reported Hummels as claiming that Saturday’s final will most certainly not be Hummels’ last game as a Dortmund player but that will only quash rumours for so long.

Lucas Moura: Assessing His 1st Season at Paris Saint-Germain

Jonathan Johnson — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:05:38 -0400

Big things were expected of Lucas Moura immediately after his arrival at Paris Saint-Germain in January. Although he has not quite lived up to those expectations just yet, through no fault of his own, the signs are there to suggest that he will be a big hit next season.

His first half-season with the capital club has been hit by injuries, but PSG have surely seen enough from the Brazilian to be confident that he will grow in confidence at the Parc des Princes. Already a champion, of course, after helping to seal the club’s first French title in 19 years, Moura has an encouraging semi-campaign to build on for next season.

Immediately after arriving from Sao Paulo in January, the Brazilian usurped Jeremy Menez for a space in the first team, despite the Frenchman having been a regular first-team selection. It quickly became evident why because, despite the fact that he is only 20 years old, his ability still makes him a natural first-team starter.

He had been expected to begin his PSG career on the bench, slowly introduced to the first team over the remainder of the season. However, after making his debut in a goalless draw with Ajaccio in early January, a month later he was starting a Champions League last 16 tie with Valencia and running the show.

That was on the back of a good start to life in Ligue 1, bagging three assists inside his first five games, shining particularly brightly in a 4-0 away win at Toulouse. He was stripped of his first goal for the club; a deflected strike against bitter rivals Marseille (credited as a Nicolas N'Koulou own goal) on David Beckham’s debut. But his impact was already being felt on the pitch as he drove PSG to some early 2013 victories.

It also became evident fairly quickly that Moura was not fully fit. Coming off the back of a Brazilian club season that finished in December, having won the Copa Sudamericana as he’d hoped to before leaving, the Selecao star linked up with PSG in Doha for their winter training break.

Instead of being rested, though, Carlo Ancelotti threw him into first-team action immediately to gauge how long it would take the Samba sensation to adapt. "No time at all" was the answer.

Despite his debut against Ajaccio finishing goalless, his performance individually was impressive. Some superb dribbling and a demonstration of his raw pace punctuated an energetic, purposeful display against the Corsicans.

That showing carried over into his next game, the muted 1-0 win over Bordeaux, played in the most difficult of circumstances. Following the death of Head of Performance Nick Broad, new arrival Moura provided Zlatan Ibrahimovic with the game’s only goal in an emotional match when PSG were forced to play against their wishes.

From then on, the Brazilian has been a first-team regular when fit, but it was obvious from his reaction when substituted in early April against Troyes that his niggling injury problems had not subsided.

With the summer break just one game away, Moura will have to wait to finally get that rest to recharge his batteries adequately.

The youngster has been selected in Felipe Scolari’s Confederations Cup squad so will be busy until the end of June, assuming that he stays fit for the entirety of the tournament.

PSG will have to wait until next season to see the best of him, though, after an inconsistent but encouraging start.

Speaking to ESPN upon his arrival, he talked about his bold desire to become the world’s best player in the French capital. If the club’s ambitious project continues its upwards trajectory, this will be possible in time if Moura continues to improve and can start scoring goals in Ligue 1.

A lot of that potential success, though, will depend on the future of coach Carlo Ancelotti who has spoken of his desire to join Real Madrid, according to ESPN. The Italian has been a big factor in PSG’s success this season and a bigger factor in the immediate impact of some big-name arrivals, most notably Ibrahimovic, Moura and Thiago Silva.

His exit would have a serious impact on those players’ comfort in the French capital, at least in the short term.

Moura can be pleased with his first five months in Paris; he has adapted quickly and become an important member of the PSG first team. But next season, more will be expected of him for both club and country as the capital club are expected to make a bigger splash on the European stage and Brazil gear up for a World Cup assault on home soil.

The Brazilian will be expected to have a big impact on both fronts.

Arsenal: 5 Things Arsene Wenger Needs to Do to Win the Title Next Year

Charlie Melman — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

Arsenal celebrated finishing in fourth place like they had just won the title.

But if they really want to knock Manchester United off their perch, Arsene Wenger will need to make some serious changes at the club.

The Gunners certainly have the resources to do so this summer, and their Champions League qualification affords them the foundation on which to build lasting success.

Let's look at how Wenger can accomplish that between now and the beginning of next season.

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Orlando Magic: Magic Must Target Trey Burke in the Draft

Joshua J Vannuccini — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:47:24 -0400

The Orlando Magic were hopeful to obtain the first overall pick in this year's draft, but the second selection from the plethora of attractive talent is just as valuable. Their roster of very young talent, with an average roster age of 25, is ripe with potential, which makes their choice in the draft important to round out the team.

It must all start with Trey Burke.

The Magic have some intriguing prospects already, including Tobias Harris, Nikola Vucevic and Andrew Nicholson. Certain other players like Nerlens Noel or Otto Porter have high ceilings, but the front office must draft to accommodate the roster.

Burke had a phenomenal season for the Michigan Wolverines, averaging 18.6 points and 6.7 assists. He had a terrific 3.02 assist-to-turnover ratio, in addition to knocking down 46.3 percent of his overall shots. Burke's 38.4 percent clip from three-point range and 80.1 percent from the free-throw line are indicative of his prowess shooting the ball and are especially important when transitioning to the NBA level.

Orlando could form a "Big Three" of Burke, Vucevic and Harris, in what is the new NBA standard of building a team. The latter duo closed the season strong, with Vucevic putting up 18.5 points and 15.3 rebounds through April and Harris averaging 19.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 44 percent shooting.

Adding a dynamic point guard to the Magic's roster would create an effect much like what happened to the Portland Trail Blazers this past season. Damian Lillard's arrival in Oregon didn't ultimately translate to the success the Trail Blazers were hoping for, as they missed the postseason and finished with a worse record than last season.

It was mostly due to a 13-game losing streak to close the season, however Lillard's effect on the team was clear. Burke could do the same with the Magic, by being thrust into the spotlight and handed the keys to the franchise.

It would be a slight reach for Orlando to take Burke with the second pick, yet the other choices on the board clash with the other players on the roster. Noel's ability to play effectively after an ACL tear waves a red flag, and the drafting of a small forward puts a question mark above Harris' place in the rotation after performing really well in a Magic uniform.

Jameer Nelson, Orlando's current point guard, could provide veteran leadership and mentor Burke through his first season. Whether Nelson started and Burke came off the bench or vice versa, it would present an interesting one-two punch in the backcourt for the Magic.

Ben McLemore, a superstar talent out of Kansas, would also be a great choice for Orlando. However, the league is becoming more and more point-guard-orientated, and taking Burke allows the team to begin a proper rebuild immediately.

Adding McLemore would create discussions surrounding what to do with Arron Afflalo, the team's current shooting guard, and the plethora of 2-guards on the roster.

He's predicted to have a very high ceiling, but ultimately Burke is a better piece to Orlando's puzzle.

How Much Influence Does an Offensive Line Have on Quarterback Success?

Tyson Langland — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:18:44 -0400

Success at the quarterback position in the NFL is not only predicated on the individual success of a signal-caller, but it is predicated on the success of his supporting cast. Whether that is his backfield, wide receiving corp. or offensive line, everyone has a hand in the accomplishments of a team’s offense.

Moreover, the same can be said about a team’s offensive failures. On any given play, there could be an individual who misses a blocking assignment, fumbles the football, drops a pass or simply runs the wrong route. All of these misfortunes directly or indirectly affect the quarterback.

However, no offensive position affects a quarterback’s play more then the offensive line. Over the course of a game, offensive linemen are asked to keep the quarterback upright by giving him adequate time to throw the ball.

When given adequate time to throw the ball, quarterbacks have a higher probability of finding the open receiver. This, in turn, leads to more passing yards, completions, touchdowns and overall offensive success.

With the help of Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) in-depth analytics database, we are going to measure how much influence the offensive line has on quarterback success.

In the chart above, players are sorted from best to worst based on their Pro Football Focus passing grade. The 49ers, Titans, Jaguars, Chiefs, Cardinals and Eagles have combined quarterback grades because those six teams featured two quarterbacks who played more than 25 percent of their team's offensive snaps.

Aside from being sorted from best to worst, the list is equally separated into two groups. The top group features the 16 best quarterbacks in the NFL, and the bottom group features the 16 worst quarterbacks in the NFL.

When one takes the time to analyze the chart, it’s apparent that organizations suffer when they have to use two different quarterbacks. Jacksonville, Kansas City, Arizona and Philadelphia all finished with negative PFF passing grades. San Francisco and Tennessee were the two lone multi-quarterback teams that finished with positive PFF passing grades.

The 49ers were put in a unique situation when Alex Smith suffered a concussion against the St. Louis Rams, while the Titans had Matt Hasselbeck to fall back on after Jake Locker exited Tennessee’s Week 4 contest against the Houston Texans with a left shoulder injury.

After collecting the data and running the numbers, it also became evident that even the slightest of differences in offensive play affected a quarterback’s effectiveness over the course of a 16-game season.

For example, take a look at the calculated averages of the league's top quarterbacks and their offensive lines. The average PFF passing grade from Peyton Manning to Jay Cutler was a plus-24.8, while the average PFF passing grade from Joe Flacco to Brandon Weeden was a minus-9.6.

Moreover, the top 16 quarterbacks, on average, were sacked less, hit less and pressured less than the bottom 16 quarterbacks. Thanks in large part to the Cleveland Browns; the cellar dwellers did surpass the top-notch talent in one category (offensive line hurries allowed).

Yet, a year's worth of data doesn’t exactly tell the whole story. We need to go back in time and examine the success of past Super Bowl champions. In 2008, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) proclaimed that the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the five worst pass-blocking offensive lines in all of football.

That notion didn’t seem to bother Ben Roethlisberger and his offensive line. They rolled through the playoffs and beat the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl. Surely it was a fluke that they won the Super Bowl with such porous offensive line play, right?

The 2011 New York Giants would attest that it was no fluke. Per PFF (subscription required), the Giants had the worst offensive line in the NFL at the end of the 2011 season. There wasn’t a single offensive line that surrendered more quarterback pressures that year.

So, what did the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2011 New York Giants have in common? Both teams had quarterbacks who managed to overcome subpar offensive line play all throughout the playoffs. Eli Manning and Roethlisberger combined for 1,911 yards passing, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions amidst bad offensive line performances in the playoffs.

Even though strong quarterback play can often outshine bad offensive line play, Manning and Roethlisberger are seemingly exceptions to the rule in years past.

In 2009, the New Orleans Saints had the 11th best pass-blocking offensive line in the NFL. Additionally, the Green Bay Packers had the third best pass-blocking offensive line in 2010, while the Baltimore Ravens had the 17th best pass-blocking offensive line in 2012.

This just goes to show that advanced data and analytics are great tools that help us understand the story, yet they are only a small piece of the puzzle. In terms of quarterback success, offensive line play may have the greatest impact on the position, but there are other factors that should be factored into the equation as well.

Accuracy, arm strength, toughness, pocket presence and awareness are a few of that attributes that help define a quarterback. A top-notch offensive line can only control what they do in pass protection; they can’t help a quarterback with his accuracy, arm strength, toughness, pocket presence or awareness.

Despite the fact that numbers from the 2012 season support the notion that strong offensive line play directly correlates with strong quarterback play, it’s simply unquantifiable based on numbers alone. Sure, it doesn’t hurt to have a good offensive line, but in the end the NFL is still a crapshoot.

Rather than a team’s offensive line, a handful of plays away from the line of scrimmage seemingly have a higher probability of impacting the annual success of a quarterback. Football is the ultimate team sport, which in turn makes each position equally valuable in terms of offensive and defensive success.

St. Louis Rams RB Breakdown: Complete Position Evaluation

Jamal Collier — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:13:22 -0400

Steven Jackson’s departure left the St. Louis Rams with more questions than answers at the starting running back position. Three tailbacks have their reasons to assume the primary ball-carrying duties in 2013, but they have combined to take just 108 carries as professionals.

That’s 4.5 percent of Jackson’s career 2,395 rushes.

With 98 career carries, Daryl Richardson is by far the most experienced of the trio, which also includes Isaiah Pead and Zac Stacy. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry as a rookie and produced the Rams’ biggest running play of the 2012 season: a 53-yard sprint against the Washington Redskins in Week 2.

Big plays are in the sophomore’s repertoire. He just hasn’t scored a touchdown yet.

Neither has any other Rams rusher, though. At least Richardson has a two-point conversion to his credit.

Maybe he is just a change-of-pace back, as plenty of analysts seem to believe. Alabama’s Eddie Lacy was even mocked to go to St. Louis in the first round—but the Rams didn’t take a running back until the fifth, and Lacy was selected in the second. The prevailing thought was that someone needed to replace Steven Jackson, and the guys on the roster were too small or inexperienced to do so.

Funny how a rookie was supposed to fix the latter problem.

Besides, Richardson’s two biggest runs in 2012 came in his only two appearances during which he received double-digit carries.

This wasn’t the case of inflated production due to lopsided scoring.

Both were three-point contests: Week 2 against the Redskins and Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins. In the nine games that he received six or more carries, Richardson averaged 3.0 yards per tote. In the seven that he took seven or more, he averaged 5.8 yards per carry.

At the very least, he deserves a shot at the starting job.

If physique is any indication, Richardson’s role may be in direct competition with that of Pead, a 2012 second-rounder. Pead struggled to see the field in his self-described “miserable” rookie season: Despite leading St. Louis with 5.4 yards per rush, the sophomore only had 10 opportunities to carry the football.

He played 15 games.

Of his 54 yards, 32 came on three carries against the New England Patriots. That's 52.9 percent of his yards on 30 percent of his carries. St. Louis lost that matchup in London by 38 points, and Pead fumbled twice the next week against the San Francisco 49ers, losing one.

Nevertheless, Pead has a clearer path to more touches in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense with Jackson out of the picture. Stacy may be second in line behind Richardson by virtue of the coaching staff’s excitement about the fifth-rounder and the alleged contrast between his game and Daryl’s.

Physically, Stacy is expected to pummel potential tacklers at 5’8”, 216 pounds. He can move a pile, but he’s also pretty shifty between the tackles.

Zac tossed up 225 pounds 27 times at the NFL combine. He also took 24 or more carries in four games as a senior. Three were against the SEC, and the fourth was in a bowl game.

He scored seven TDs in his five appearances with 20 or more rushing attempts, including at least one each time he eclipsed the mark. Stacy should figure to get the first crack at the big-back touches ahead of Terrance Ganaway, who never touched the rock for St. Louis in the regular season as a rookie.

He rushed for 17 yards on seven carries in the preseason for the New York Jets.

If undrafted rookie Benny Cunningham from Middle Tennessee State is going to make the Rams' roster, it will most likely be on special teams. While St. Louis has plenty of questions regarding the hierarchy of ball-carriers this fall, the volume of running backs should prove that inserting oneself into the offensive rotation would be a long shot, barring injury.

Injuries seem to strike running backs the most, though, so a number of capable rushers is a welcome “problem” in the NFL.

For more St. Louis Rams thoughts, follow Jamal on Twitter: Follow @StatManJ

Why Arsenal Should Do Everything Possible to Sign _____ This Summer

James McNicholas — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 -0400

On May 19, as Arsenal prepared to face Newcastle in what had essentially become a playoff for Champions League qualification, Stevan Jovetic’s Fiorentina side were facing their own judgement day.

The Viola were also hoping to qualify for Europe’s elite competition and held up their own end of the bargain with a thumping victory over Pescara. Jovetic himself scored with a neat finish and also claimed an assist.

However, Vincenzo Montella’s side were foiled by rivals AC Milan. A Mario Balotelli penalty helped ensure the Rossoneri qualified at Fiorentina’s expense.

Stevan Jovetic is a player with the class to grace the Champions League. If he is to do that now, he’ll have to leave Florence.

Arsenal has long been mooted as a potential destination, with Italian paper La Stampa claiming that interest has formalised into a €28 million bid (via Football Italia). Recently, however, a rival has appeared on the scene, with The Independent suggesting that Jovetic is also attracting interest from Juventus.

Fiorentina’s sporting director, Daniel Prade, admitted to Tuttosport after the match with Pescara that Jovetic’s future is due to be discussed with the club’s president Andrea Della Valle (via The Independent):

Is this his last game with us? Never say never.

We will give a response only after a meeting between the player and Della Valle. Juventus still have not asked us about Jovetic.

For all Fiorentina’s posturing, there are bound to be private concerns that keeping Jovetic may have become impossible. The lure of Champions League football may prove too great.

Jovetic now needs Arsenal, and Arsenal certainly need him.

All of Arsene Wenger’s most successful teams have had a talismanic striker. Ian Wright was succeeded by Nicolas Anelka. Anelka was then replaced with the greatest striker in Arsenal’s history: Thierry Henry.

Since Henry’s departure, trophies have proved harder to come by, but Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie have shone fleetingly.

Olivier Giroud does not appear to be in that class. His first season in English football was littered with inconsistent finishing. He is a good centre-forward, but not one likely to win the same plaudits as Henry or Van Persie.

It took Arsenal 12 months to replace Cesc Fabregas. They waited until they could get their man, with Santi Cazorla eventually arriving from Malaga to take on Fabregas’ role as playmaker.

Perhaps 12 months after losing Robin van Persie, Arsenal are now preparing to bite the bullet and bring in the world-class striker required to replace him.

Jovetic has all the attributes required to flourish in the Premier League. He is powerfully built, moves with intelligence and finishes calmly.

Signing him would immediately improve the Arsenal team, but it’d also make a statement. Not since the arrival of Andrey Arshavin in February 2009 have Arsenal broken their transfer record to acquire one of the big-name stars of European football. Buying Jovetic would buck the trend and raise the bar.

Jovetic would bring glamour to the Emirates Stadium once more. In exchange, Arsenal could offer him the glamour of Champions League football.

It’s a move that ought to prove hugely beneficial to both parties.

3 Reasons the Diaz Brothers Need to Leave Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Dustin Filloy — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:53:17 -0400

Like most natural-born fighters, brothers Nick and Nate Diaz obviously won't ever grow accustomed to losing.

Nick illustrated this theory when he threatened to retire after each of his last two setbacks to Carlos Condit and Georges St-Pierre at UFC 143 and UFC 158, respectively.

And Nate, who's suffered back-to-back losses to Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson, received a 90-day suspension and a $20,000 fine for his use of a homophobic slur following his devastating loss to "The Punk" at UFC on Fox 7.

Although many believe the Diaz brothers each hit walls because of a hike in competition in recent bouts, their collective behavior outside of the Octagon has been even more alarming and unsavory.

Both Nick and Nate have trained under the tutelage of Cesar Gracie at his academy, Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, since they were teenagers.

But negative remarks from Nick following his loss over St-Pierre, coupled with Nate's decision to part ways with Gracie as a manager, have led many believe that the brothers should part ways with the coaching legend.

Here are three reasons the Diaz brothers need to leave Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

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2013 NBA Playoffs: San Antonio Spurs Are the Blueprint for Excellence

Martin Telleria — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:21:19 -0400

The San Antonio Spurs forgot the meaning of panic a long time ago.

Not even a furious comeback by the Memphis Grizzlies—down by as many as 18 late in the third quarter—was enough to rattle the ever-calm Spurs, who prevailed 93-89 in overtime Tuesday night.

This is nothing new; we’ve grown accustomed over the years to the Gregg Popovich-led squad imposing their will in the closing minutes of games.

Still, they’ve been doing it for a really long time. We expected the wheels to fall off three years ago, let alone it continue to this day.

But they haven’t. They just continue to roll along, game-after-game, series-after-series, season-after-season.

It appears as if father time has no jurisdiction in San Antonio.

The Grizzlies came into the series as the sexy pick to move onto the NBA Finals and battle the Miami Heat for the NBA title. After their dismantling of the L.A. Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder, it only seemed logical. Especially after the problems the Golden State Warriors presented the Spurs.

Once again, the Spurs have laughed in the face of sexy.

For too long their greatness has gone unappreciated, their brilliance on both offense and defense described as boring.

Beauty, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.

It baffles me how one can come away from a Spurs clinic and leave anything but awestruck. It’s basketball the way it’s supposed to be played: the ball moving beautifully, players exactly where they’re supposed to be, perfect execution.

Tim Duncan proved once again why he’s the greatest power forward to ever step foot on the court, scoring six out of San Antonio's eight points in overtime.

Tony Parker, while he struggled with his shot—6-of-20 from the field for 15 points—found a different way to impose his will, dishing out 18 assists to his teammates.

This is a team that is simply designed to churn out wins, sexiness be damned.

Still though, anyone that doesn’t find the wizardry of Parker and the uniqueness of Manu Ginobili entertaining quite simply doesn’t like basketball. The plays they make and the shots they hit are bewildering at times.

Obviously this series is far from over. Despite being down 2-0, the Grizzlies are a team that commands nothing but the best.

Unfortunately for them, their best is all the San Antonio Spurs are wired to give.

Whether or not a trip to the finals is in the cards is irrelevant. The fact remains that the other four trips were not properly valued.

It’s time that the basketball community began giving the Spurs the respect they deserve. After all, father time can only be combated for so long.

The continued excellence that the Spurs have provided will be missed when they’re gone. Now, if only that excellence could be appreciated while they are still currently here.

Louisiana QB Brandon Harris to Visit Ohio State Next Week

Austin Kemp — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:06:16 -0400

Coach Urban Meyer has not taken his foot off the pedal in search for a quarterback for the 2014 draft class. Today, though, some news was released that should make Buckeye Nation hopeful. One of the most underrated prospects of the class, quarterback Brandon Harris, has announced that he will visit Ohio State on May 30.

Brandon Harris is one of the fastest rising QB prospects in the country - and he'll be in Columbus next week. bit.ly/10jVuOk

— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) May 22, 2013

The Buckeyes extended an offer to the Louisiana native earlier this month, and if this visit does in fact happen, it’ll be huge for Urban Meyer and his staff.

Harris currently holds offers from Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn and many more. With Harris being from Louisiana, there’s no doubt that some of the southern schools could have the upper hand for one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, or at least that’s the way it has sounded recently. On Tuesday evening, Harris seemed to hush the talk of southern schools being at the top of his list: “Don't believe all the stuff you read. It's not true at all. I'm wide open,” he told Eleven Warriors.

At 6’2" 193 pounds, Harris has the size and the arm to be successful in any system he runs at the next level. However, his mobility makes him a perfect candidate to run the spread offense, most notably, Urban Meyer’s spread offense.

As a junior in 2012, Brandon Harris threw for over 2,500 yards and 26 touchdowns while also adding 667 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. His completion percentage only hovered around 50 percent though, and that’s probably why offensive coordinator Tom Herman made the effort to go see him throw at his high school.

Harris is planning to announce his choice sometime over summer, but we all know when it comes to high school kids, the official date could change anytime. This means Urban Meyer has two months to sway this kid to be a Buckeye. No one in the country closes in on a recruit like Meyer, and Harris’ visit on May 30 is just the start. Meyer and the Ohio State coaching staff will lay out the red carpet for Harris when he arrives on campus and we’ll see if that’s enough to make him a Buckeye.

Watch Harris' highlights here.

Key Adjustments the Memphis Grizzlies Need to Make to Win

Tom Firme — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:43:30 -0400

The Memphis Grizzlies hold many problems in their hands after losing the first two games of the Western Conference finals to the San Antonio Spurs. Whether they adjust in those areas will determine whether they come back to win the series.

Two key Grizz players started shakily. Zach Randolph couldn't hit shots in the first game-and-a-half. Mike Conley struggled to control the ball in Game 1.

Also, Memphis failed to stop the Spurs in a key area.

Here's a look at these issues and how the Grizzlies can address them:

Defend the Three-Ball

The Grizzlies had shut the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder down beyond the arc in the first two rounds. They held the Clippers to 30.4 percent and the Thunder to 33.3 percent. In Game 4, the Grizz allowed the Thunder to reach a high of 45 percent. Against Los Angeles, the most they allowed was 36.8 percent in Game 1.

The Spurs quickly put a dent in Memphis' three-point defense. San Antonio went 14-of-29 (48.3 percent) in Game 1. Kawhi Leonard was 4-of-5 from downtown. Matt Bonner hit four of six three-point attempts in 16 minutes, triggering this tweet from Josh Coleman of the Three Shades of Blue blog.

The Grizz cooled the Spurs' hand in Game 2, limiting them to 36 percent. However, the Spurs were 9-of-21 (42.8 percent) before missing their last four. Mostly, the Spurs maintained their laser aim from deep. While Bonner and Tony Parker each went 1-of-4, Danny Green drilled three of four long-range shots.

Indeed, the Thunder were third in three-point field-goal percentage in the regular season, one place ahead of the Spurs. However, the Spurs are more disciplined and make smarter passes than Kevin Durant's crew.

Mike Conley told Matt Moore of CBSSports.com that the Grizzlies "overhelped" on outside shots on Game 1. The Memphis Flyer's Chris Herrington explained that it was more complicated than that, saying that they didn't show good awareness on pick-and-roll sets.

The difference between the two teams' three-point aptitudes is vast. The Grizz were No. 24 in three-point field-goal percentage. Quincy Pondexter is the only Memphis player to shoot better than 37 percent. San Antonio had six.

Letting the Spurs run away in this area would be unaffordable.

Get Zach Randolph on Even Ground

Randolph's shot was horrifically off during the first six quarters of this series. In that time, he shot 2-of-18 from the field, including 1-of-8 for two points in Game 1.

The Commercial Appeal's Peter Edmiston noted via Twitter how rare Randolph's funk in the series opener was.

The 31-year-old finished 5-of-8 to salvage his Game 2 figure.

Still, Randolph needs to find his stroke for an entire game. The Grizzlies won eight of the 10 games in which he's scored 15 points.

Part of the solution is opening angles for Randolph. The Spurs collapsed on him in Game 1. Thus, they limited him to 11 offensive touches, according to ESPN.

Also, he should take stronger attempts. Many of his shots during the first two games were either weak tosses or the result of a sloppy approach.

The 12-year pro shouldered the load for both of the Grizzlies' significant playoff runs in the last three years. If they are to recover, his return to form is a must.

Steadier Point Guard Play

Conley had played outstanding ball through two rounds. He had three 20-point games and an assist-to-turnover ratio of five against the Clippers. Against the Thunder, he had a 3.1 assist-to-turnover rate and scored 26 and 24 in Games 2 and 4, respectively.

In this series, Conley has taken time to load up. He had 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting while turning it over a playoff-high-tying four times in Game 1.

Conley played hero toward the end of Game 2, hitting a game-tying shot to send it to overtime. However, he missed all three shots in overtime. He also had three fouls in the first 19 minutes of action.

His absence was felt as the Spurs went on a 13-1 run to enter the half with a 15-point lead.

Meanwhile, Jerryd Bayless has had an unimpressive postseason. He averaged 14.7 points per 36 minutes in the conference semifinals after scoring 19.3 per 36 in the opening round. He's shooting 37.1 percent in the playoffs.

To his credit, he's turning it over just 1.1 times per game.

Bayless shot 7-of-18 in Game 2, even though he and Conley shared the team lead with 18 points.

He missed two three-pointers in the final minute of overtime.

The efficient play that helped the Grizz reach this point is due in large part to the guile of Bayless and Conley. That efficiency is imperative in order to match the well-heeled Spurs.

Antonio Cesaro Is Not Ready for WWE's Main Event Scene

Sebastian Maldonado — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:40:51 -0400

Antonio Cesaro is floundering in the WWE. His disappointing fall started after losing the United States title to Kofi Kingston on the April 15 edition of Raw. Since that fall, his losing streak began and as a result, he has lost the fans’ interest. The streak encompasses losses to Kingston, Alberto Del Rio and Randy Orton among others.

The writing’s on the wall; Antonio Cesaro is not ready for the WWE’s main event scene.

Why isn’t he ready? We can’t question his wrestling ability because he works great matches, as evident from his rematch with Kingston on WWE’s Main Event show.

Could it be what happens backstage? Unfortunately, this has some truth to it.

Vince McMahon reportedly is not a fan of Cesaro, as confirmed by Dave Meltzer’s subscriber-only radio show (via Cagesideseats.com). The report published a written excerpt of the show, stating how officials believe Cesaro is boring.

Believe it or not, there is some merit behind that. Quick, go to a memorable Antonio Cesaro promo in the WWE. Can you remember any?

The problem lies with the entertainment value. Antonio Cesaro, at the moment, is boring.

He doesn’t have that ability to click with fans. Why do you think the yodeling gimmick was started and quickly dropped? It was a failed attempt to connect with fans.

Many wrestlers have had this same problem before making it big, namely three main event Superstars, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler.

Punk uttered the pipe bomb, and that led to his reign as champion. Bryan shouted, “YES,” and he became a fixture in the WWE. Ziggler had Vickie but used his charisma to garner attention to himself. All three are great wrestlers and developed their personas to connect with the WWE Universe.

Antonio Cesaro needs to bond with that audience. He needs that moment that puts him on the level of those WWE Superstars. It’s the only way he can reach the WWE Universe. Until then, as far as being in WWE’s main event scene, Cesaro is just not ready.

Where Tim Duncan's Big Three Ranks with Greatest NBA Playoff Trios

Adam Fromal — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:37:45 -0400

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have dominated the NBA for a long time, and this postseason hasn't exactly been an exception to that general rule of the thumb.

Thanks to the victories it's accumulated during the 2013 playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs trio has moved up the leaderboard and now has more postseason wins than all but one group of three players in the history of the Association. That's not too shabby, and they aren't done yet.

So, that begs the question: Where does this Big Three rank among the greatest NBA playoff trios of all time?

To approach this task, I had to set up a few ground rules. Two of them, in fact.

All three players in the trio must be big-name studs. We don't want any glorified role players like Robert Horry in there. If you never made an All-Star team or were clearly past your prime from start to finish during your tenure with the trio, fuhgeddaboudit.
Players can only appear once. That prevents all trios involving Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, as well as the litany of three-man groups that the Boston Celtics produced much earlier on in NBA history.

With that in mind, these are the 10 trios that have emerged ahead of the pack. Only two of them are active, but both have the potential to continue their ascents toward the coveted No. 1 spot.

Note: All stats came from Basketball-Reference's archives and are current through Tuesday, May 21.

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Stanley Cup Playoffs 2013: The 10 Most Exciting Players to Watch in 2nd Round

Tyler Donohue — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:23:28 -0400

Through slightly more than three weeks of Stanley Cup playoff action, hockey fans have been treated to a multitude of thrilling performances. Gut-wrenching overtime battles, bullying defenders and elite offensive threats have thrived on the game's greatest stage since the opening round commenced.

Players at the center of these memorable moments have gained attention while leading their respective franchises. In a tournament filled with uncertainty and surprises, there's only one sure thing.

A champion will be crowned next month.

These standout performers are doing everything to ensure they're the one hoisting the Cup when the curtain closes. Here's a look at players who, in the pursuit of professional hockey domination, have entertained onlookers throughout the postseason.

Begin Slideshow

Arizona Cardinals Running Back Breakdown: Full Evaluation, Depth Chart Analysis

Andrew Nordmeier — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:15:41 -0400

The Arizona Cardinals' running back situation has been defined by the word "in" over the last three seasons. Unfortunately it's not "in" the end zone but rather, ineffective, injury-prone and inconsistent. The Cardinals finished dead last in rushing yardage in 2012 with 75.3 yards per game on the ground. With a new coaching regime and a shake-up in the backfield, the Cardinals have nowhere to go but up.

The Cardinals currently have six running backs on the roster, and we'll examine each of them to paint a full picture about the potential for the Arizona ground game to be better than last season.

The six backs are four veterans and two rookies in Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Williams, William Powell and Alfonso Smith. The rookies are Stepfan Taylor from Stanford and Andre Ellington of Clemson. Let's start with Mendenhall who might wind up on the top of the depth chart.

Last season was a tough one for Mendenhall. He didn't get on the field until Week 6 and missed the opening games of the season recovering from a torn ACL he suffered on New Year's Day in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season finale for 2011.

He was limited to 51 carries for 182 yards and no touchdown runs. Let's break down Mendenhall, looking particularly at his outing on a wet, rainy day against Philadelphia in Week 5.

In this first frame, we see Mendenhall (yellow circle) lined up in an I-formation with single receivers on each side. The Philadelphia Eagles sense the run and are walking defenders up toward the line of scrimmage.

Look at the blocking Mendenhall gets on the play as he has his wide receivers engaged in blocks and a lineman who has a linebacker engaged in the red circle. Mendenhall (yellow arrow) was able to burst through for a 16-yard gain but it was called back on a penalty.

In this play, Mendenhall is standing next to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (yellow circle). Notice the formation with the two wide receivers (orange arrows) tight to the formation with the tight ends (red arrows) lined up the way they are.

This makes it tough for the Eagles to know if they're going to stay in and block or possibly flare out for a pass. The Eagles themselves are lined up mainly in the white box in the middle of the field, so the sidelines are open for business.

Mendenhall takes a short pass from Roethlisberger and is in open space. He has one defender to beat which he does with a nice in and out move. Once the defender misses, he has clear sailing to the end zone. Tight end Heath Miller is also heading downfield to throw a block if needed. The blue box indicates where a pair of Eagles ran into each other and made this play easier to execute.

Notice again how Mendenhall is in an I-formation. This is a look you won't expect to see much of out Arizona since they no longer have a fullback. They traded Anthony Sherman to Kansas City for cornerback Javier Arenas. Sherman was the lone fullback on the roster.

Mendenhall again gets great blocking from the offensive line (red boxes) and wide receiver (blue box) and has a lane to run. He would gain 17 yards and a first down on the play before he fumbled the ball out of bounds. Keep in mind, the game was played in rainy conditions.

Williams has been injury-plagued during his first two years in the league. He lost his rookie season to a ruptured patella tendon in the preseason against Green Bay. In 2012, he lasted just five games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in St. Louis. Williams gained 164 yards on 58 carries before he was injured.

We'll take a look at Williams' outing in Week 3 against the Eagles in this article.

Williams stands next to quarterback Kevin Kolb in the red circle. Arizona has three wide receivers and tight end Rob Housler (second from bottom) lined up to go out for passes. Williams will get the hand off on a draw play.

As we see, there are solid blocks by the wide receivers at the top (Larry Fitzgerald) and bottom (Michael Floyd) of the image. Andre Roberts, a lineman and Housler (top to bottom) work in the middle of the image to throw three blocks and Williams is able to gain 22 yards for a first down.

On the next play, he gets the call again. He gets four good blocks (blue Xs) and has two more about to be thrown (red lines). The only downside is that he trips on the 46-yard line and falls down untouched for a two-yard loss.

While most of his action came late in the game, Williams showed he can find the holes and make plays if the blocking can hold up. And he doesn't trip himself up in the backfield.

Powell leads all of the running backs on the Arizona roster with 217 yards gained on the ground in the NFL last season on 60 carries. Powell was limited to five or fewer carries per game for most of the season. Only twice did he rack up more than 10 carries in a game with mixed results.

Powell picked up 70 of his 217 yards on 13 carries against Buffalo. He also took the ball 14 times and ran for 52 yards in the meaningless season finale at San Francisco. He's going to compete for a job on the roster, but would be seldom used barring injury.

Alfonso Smith didn't gain a yard last season and didn't get a single carry. His only carries were in 2011 when he picked up 102 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries for the Cardinals. He had four carries over the final nine games of that season. Smith doesn't have a carry longer than 12 yards in his NFL career and looks to be primarily a back to serve on special teams.

The rookies hold a lot of promise, and it should be interesting to see which one of them comes out on top between Taylor and Ellington. The winner of this battle might wind up third on the depth chart behind Mendenhall and Williams.

Ellington was picked in the sixth round from Clemson and racked up 1,081 yards and eight rushing touchdowns last season for the Tigers. His style of running is low to the ground, and he has the ability to make defenders miss. In addition, he's got excellent balance as seen in this clip below.

Clemson is at its own 17-yard line, and Ellington (No. 23 in orange) gets the handoff back at the Clemson 11-yard line.

He cuts right and nearly gets wrapped up at the 20-yard line for a three-yard gain. Instead, he keeps his feet moving, and the defender is forced to take a three-yard ride with Ellington. A second defender tries to make the tackle but can't. A third one stands there in awe before Ellington takes off running and gets to the Auburn 17-yard line for a 66-yard gain.

But how did he do it? Check out the tape and turn down the sound.

Notice on the third replay how he is able to keep his balance. He has the presence of mind to keep his hand down three times to keep the rushing attempt alive. It turned a three-yard gain into a 66-yard scamper. In the rest of the video, he's able to step out of tackles, find the right lane downfield and extend plays which will be a big asset if he can do that for the Cardinals.

Taylor rolled up 1,530 yards and 13 touchdowns on 322 carries last season for the Stanford Cardinal. In this highlight video, you can see why Arizona took him in the fifth round with the 140th overall pick.

If he gets a lane, he's able to accelerate and get away from defenders. He's able to make those second-level defenders miss tackles and turn good runs into great runs that wind up in the end zone. Taylor can also score the tough-yardage touchdowns up the middle as shown in the video. Turn down the sound here again.

Between veteran leadership, a much-improved offensive line and a pair of rookies who can wow, the Cardinals should enjoy much better production out of their running backs in 2013.

Advising Joe Dumars so He Doesn't Waste Detroit Pistons' Free-Agency Cash Again

Jay Wierenga — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:14:25 -0400

Let's just be clear about one thing. I am not a Joe Dumars hater.

I love and respect the man for not only helping the Detroit Pistons win two titles during my early years, but I also appreciate all he did in building a winner in my senior year of college.

My formative years on this planet have been dramatically influenced by this man.

That being said, I am not 100 percent sure that I can trust him right now.

The Detroit Pistons are about to embark on just their second offseason during the Dumars era in which they have a heap of cash to spend on prospective free agents.

We already know that the NBA draft will be tough sledding for the Pistons since the basketball gods deemed them unworthy of luck during the draft lottery (I knew we were in trouble when ESPN rolled out its karma list and had the Pistons drafting first).

The best they can hope for at this point is that Shabazz Muhammad slips to them with the eighth overall pick.

So it will be up to Dumars to turn this team around quickly through free agency

Here is what I would do to advise Dumars as he sets out to build a winner this summer.

Restore the Defense

Dumars has a lot of pressure on him these days. He has an owner who is antsy, and who can blame him? Tom Gores bought the Pistons for upwards of $300 million and wants to see a return on his investment.

But since Gores took control, the Pistons have become a tough sell to the fans.

Obviously the economy is still struggling in Detroit, but it's been struggling for over a decade. During the last decade, the Pistons were consistently the biggest draw in the NBA. Obviously they were winning back then, but they still were drawing.

The reason the Pistons were so great to watch back then was because they had a story that people could relate to.

They were a team of castoffs and busts that assembled together and found their identity as a tough, defensive-minded group of ballplayers.

Average fans could relate to them and their "going to work" mantra.

One of the biggest reasons for this relationship was the fact that Pistons' fans love defense. They love rough play and they love effort.

But when Dumars finally pulled the plug on his core of title winners, he decided to change his approach.

The league had changed into a more offensive-friendly sport. Dumars thought that his only option since he couldn't beat them was to join them.

So he used his cap space to sign talented yet soft Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon.

Both, obviously, were colossal busts.

So what exactly should Dumars do this summer?

The Pistons need to get back to a tough-minded and defensive-centered approach. They already have an excellent defensive center in Andre Drummond who should be able to anchor the interior for years to come.

But outside of him, this team is short on defensive talent.

Luckily for Detroit, there are a few players that could immediately help the Pistons on the defensive side of the ball.

Corey Brewer is a player that I have been focusing on all year. He is a big, long and athletic freak who loves defense and has steadily improved his long-range shooting.

Tony Allen is another player that should have Pistons fans excited. A fan favorite with the Boston Celtics and now with the Memphis Grizzlies, he is generally considered one of the top perimeter defenders in the league.

He also can jump out of the gym and has a good attitude.

And then there is Josh Smith.

Smith is one of the few max-contract types of players available this summer. He is a fantastic forward who is athletic, strong and is versatile on the offensive side of things.

He also is a stellar defender.

That being said, he will cost way too much money and probably should be avoided by Detroit.

Brewer and Allen are the type of player that the Pistons should be focusing on, but they aren't sexy picks. Smith is the type of player that could get Pistons fans excited, but he is not the right fit.

The Pistons don't want to just win the press conference; they want to win games.

Smith could potentially pair well with Drummond, but at what cost? If they sign him to a big deal, will they still have money available when their other young talent is looking for their extensions?

The answer is probably not.

That's why the Pistons need to focus on one of these two players and sign him to a four-year deal. The Pistons will probably have to overpay a little bit, but they should still each be a good value.

What Dumars needs to remember is that there usually aren't any quick fixes in basketball. Rarely do teams get a transcendent player to just plop in their lap like the Cleveland Cavaliers did with LeBron James, the San Antonio Spurs did with Tim Duncan or the Chicago Bulls did with Michael Jordan.

Instead, he needs to make subtle and smart moves.

Unclear Time Frame

It remains to be seen how much time Dumars has to figure things out.

This past season's attendance was embarrassing—ESPN reports that at 14,782 per game, the Pistons' attendance was third-worst in the league—and that can't be lost on the owner. There is a real possibility that Gores decides to light a fire under Dumars' can and get the process rolling.

He already has been advised by some smart basketball people like Dave Checketts and Phil Jackson.

So how hot is Dumars' seat?

I would imagine that his resume and a perceived fan outcry is the only thing keeping Dumars employed. Gores must believe that Dumars still has the potential to get this thing right.

But how much patience can he have? And if he indeed is pushing Dumars, what could that lead to? If Dumars is being pushed by Gores to win at all costs, you may see the Pistons offer Smith a big deal.

Or perhaps they could go after a restricted free agent.

Personally, I think that Dumars' biggest fear should be spending too much money on a free-agent class that is flawed and end up rudderless—and lost and unemployed to boot.

If Gores is pushing Dumars, there is a real possibility that this summer involves some serious fireworks.

But it all comes down to how far away this team feels it is from playoff contention. Could this current roster be just one or two players away from the playoffs?

Or are they further away than that?

Personally, I think that this team has no shot at winning until they find out what its team philosophy is. Dumars probably is looking to get back to a defense-first mentality since he knows that that can work.

Therefore, it makes sense to improve the depth of the team and the overall team defense. And they can do this through subtle, relatively inexpensive moves.

Trades Are Also an Option

Dumars also needs to realize that the draft and free agency aren't the only avenues available to him.

The Pistons also have the potential to deal one or two of their players.

I have been an open proponent of dealing Greg Monroe. I have questioned whether or not he fits with Detroit's current team dynamic. He isn't athletic, he plays awful low-post defense and he needs to work on his offensive range.

That being said, the fact that three of the four teams remaining in the playoffs have a similar big-man situation bodes well for Detroit.

However, they should at least field phone calls for Moose.

Rodney Stuckey is another player who should be shopped. He is athletic, quick and probably just needs a new environment.

The NBA is quickly running out of shooting guards, so he should have some value on the open market.

If the Pistons can deal Stuckey for either a first-round pick that they can package with their existing pick for a chance to move up or for some young talent, they should count themselves lucky.

The bottom line is that the Pistons need to explore all options; a team this bad really can't be picky about taking phone calls.

Outlook

This really comes down to how much pressure Dumars is under.

Something tells me something big may be coming down, and the Pistons need to be careful. They could mortgage their future for a chance to win a press conference.

That's why its this writer's belief that the Pistons need to target a defensive wing right away and throw enough money at him to pry him away.

That being said, they can't break the bank. Luckily for the Pistons, they have other options.

But the most important thing is that Dumars avoids dropping a pile of cash on the wrong player. He needs to be smart with his cash, and if the pieces aren't right, he needs to walk away from the table.

Fernandinho: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Peter Brownell — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:00:00 -0400

Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fernandinho is among many players being tipped with a possible transfer in the summer window.

Here's a breakdown of his numbers and a brief scouting guide to the Brazilian, along with a few hints as to where he might be playing next summer.

Age: 28

Contract Situation: Fernandinho joined Shakhtar Donetsk in 2005 and is under contract until 2016.

Career Stops: Atletico Paranaense (2002-2005), Shakhtar Donetsk (2005-current).

Current Campaign: Premier Liga—23 games, two goals, seven assists; Champions League—eight games, one goal, one assist; Kubok Ukrainy—two goals, one assist; Superkubok Ukrainy—one game, one assist.

Video Showreel

Scouting Guide

Fernandinho is a midfielder for the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk.

He can play as a box-to-box midfielder, capable of controlling possession with a smooth touch and high work rate. The Brazilian has a few weapons in his arsenal, including the ability to unleash shots from long distances.

Overall, he is a technical midfielder with plenty to bring to a club both offensively and defensively.

Where Next?

If Fernandinho gets his wishes, he will be wearing Manchester City blue when City's next campaign starts. The Brazilian tweeted, via the Mirror, his desires to join the Champions League club and could well be an excellent addition to Manchester City's midfield.

Then there is the other club in Manchester, Manchester United, who could well have a chance to sign Fernandinho if previous reports, per the Metro, are indeed true.

Either move would be a massive step for Fernandinho.

Chargers' RB Breakdown: Complete Position Evaluation and Analysis

Alex Ramirez — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:57:36 -0400

The San Diego Chargers have recently made some big signings in Dwight Freeney and Max Starks, but one of their smartest moves of the current offseason was the addition of Danny Woodhead. For a team who had the best running back in the league for about seven years, San Diego is trying everything they can to find stability and production in the backfield.

Over the past few years, there were three reasons for the Chargers' diminished running game: health, offensive line and Norv Turner.

They all tied in together if you think about it. Ryan Mathews hasn't played an entire season because of his inability to stay healthy. Yes, he's very fragile, but the NFL's worst offensive line doesn't help either. None of that really mattered anyway with Turner coaching. He had no clue as to how to use Mathews in his offense. He would run him up the middle a lot more than outside or on a pitch.

Let's now look into the future. 2013 should involve a heavy-running attack with Ken Whisenhunt now directing. Let's see if the explosiveness that LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles brought to the team years ago returns.

Ryan Mathews

Ht: 6'0'' Wt: 218 pounds

College: Fresno State

Experience: three years

2012 Statistics: 707 yards, 3.8 yards per carry, 1 TD

Three years into the league, Mathews is already facing a make-or-break season with the San Diego Chargers. It's very obvious and clear that Mathews has incredible talent and elusive ability, but his injury concerns scare MANY people, including coaches.

There is a reason the Chargers jumped up in the 2010 draft to land the former Bulldog. I still believe Mathews can be a top-five back in the NFL, staying healthy of course. In the Chargers' new offensive system, he'll have plenty of opportunities to shine.

The 2012 training camp was the best Mathews ever felt going into a season. After a broken collarbone, he wasn't able to gain momentum into the regular season. In 2013, he will.

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: starter

Ronnie Brown

Ht: 6'0'' Wt: 223 pounds

College: Auburn

Experience: eight years

2012 Statistics: 220 yards, 4.8 yards per carry, 371 receiving yards, 7.6 yards per catch

One of the founding fathers of the Wildcat offense in the NFL, Ronnie Brown, played very well for the Chargers in 2012. At this point in his career, Brown is more effective in the passing game. He doesn't have the speed he once did.

San Diego may not use Brown much next year, but when they do, it should be on third down. Brown is one of Philip Rivers' favorite targets and should get attention and praise for No. 17 himself.

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: third string

Danny Woodhead

Ht: 5'8'' Wt: 200 pounds

College: Chadron State

Experience: five years

2012 Statistics: 301 yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 4 TDs, 446 receiving yards, 11.2 yards per catch, 3 TDs

Charger fans should be excited to watch Danny Woodhead in San Diego. He may not have the speedy quickness that Sproles has, but he's pretty darn close production wise. Woodhead will become Philip Rivers' best friend throughout the season in the passing attack.

One little dump-off to No. 39 can result in a 20-yard play in the blink of an eye. The Chargers offense is much more explosive with Woodhead on the roster.

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: backup

Foswhitt Whittaker

Ht: 5'10'' Wt: 202 pounds

College: Texas

Experience: one year

2012 Statistics: N/A

Foswhitt "Fozzy" Whittaker was brought in with Ken Whisenhunt. After going undrafted and unsigned, Whittaker spent the entire season in free agency. That was until the Arizona Cardinals signed him to their practice squad for the final two games.

Whisenhunt had the Chargers bring Whittaker in based on what he saw last season. He'll bring competition to San Diego this summer. Who knows, maybe with this new youth movement, Whittaker could take Ronnie Brown's spot?

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: cut

Edwin Baker

Ht: 5'8'' Wt: 200 pounds

College: Michigan State

Experience: one year

2012 Statistics: N/A

Edwin Baker was the final pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 2012 NFL draft. He did not play one snap last season and did not make any game-day rosters. Baker bounced around from the practice squad to free agency the entire season.

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: Cut

Michael Hill

Ht: 5'10'' Wt: 209 pounds

College: Missouri Western

Experience: rookie

2012 Statistics: N/A

When the Chargers hosted Michael Hill in March, their intentions were never to draft him. They wanted to sign him as an undrafted rookie to add competition to training camp. Hill is a very talented running back that could have been a late round gem.

He'll have a chance to prove to coaches he deserves a roster spot, but it will be tough to do so.

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: cut

Chris Gronkowsi

Ht: 6'2'' Wt: 245 pounds

College: Arizona

Experience: four years

2012 Statistics: 11 receiving yards

Good news: San Diego's Gronkowsi is healthier than New England's. Bad news: San Diego's Gronkowski is not Rob.

Chris Gronkowski has a solid shot at making the Chargers' roster, but not as a running back. He'll either play fullback or be a special teams player. That is, if he makes the team or not.

Projected Position in the Depth Chart: cut

Note: None of these projections involve players added to the practice squad.

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2013: Who's Hot and Who's Not Midway Through 2nd Round

Nicholas Goss — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:55:36 -0400

We have now reached the point where most of the second-round series in the 2013 NHL playoffs have are at the halfway point.

With that said, it's now an appropriate time to assess which players are playing well at the most important time of the year, as well as those who are failing to meet expectations.

While certain stats such as goals scored and save percentage are often talked about at this time in the season, failing to do the little things (faceoffs, back checking, etc.) consistently also has a major impact on the outcomes of playoff games. The players who contribute in all areas will set their teams up for success as the postseason progresses.

Let's look at who's hot and who's not midway through the conference semifinals.

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Creating the Perfect Offseason Plan for OKC Thunder

Kyle Ramos — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:53:31 -0400

Though it's a bit earlier than most people expected, the 2012-2013 season is officially in the books for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The bitter taste of postseason defeat tends to hang around for a bit, but it's time for the players and the organization as a whole to move forward and start planning for next season.

It's not always the easiest task to find room for improvement in a 60-win team, but there are some definite needs that Oklahoma City needs to address in the coming months. Fortunately, the Thunder's early exit from the playoffs allows them to focus entirely on the offseason.

Let's take a look at things chronologically and map out an ideal plan for OKC to have a truly successful offseason.

NBA Draft

Even with the best record in the Western Conference this season, the Thunder managed to land a pick in the lottery via the Toronto Raptors, which was sent over from Houston as part of the James Harden trade.

Though the ping pong balls did not defy the overwhelming odds of Oklahoma City landing above their 12th slot, having a pick that high after a successful season is still a win for the Thunder.

In terms of who they should select, the Thunder could look to take the best player available on the board. However, I think it would be wiser for OKC to find a quality prospect to serve as an eventual replacement to the underperforming Kendrick Perkins.

Luckily, there are plenty of big men in this year's class who look like they could turn out to be solid contributors. While there may not be any stars that fall to the Thunder that low in the draft, all they need is an eventual starter who could bring more to the table than Perkins.

One player to watch for is Cody Zeller from the University of Indiana, who showed off his great athleticism in the 2013 NBA Draft Combine.

Zeller's athletic ability and solid speed for a big man would make him a wonderful fit for the Thunder, who thoroughly enjoy pushing the basketball down the floor. Instead of seeing Kendrick Perkins laboring down the court trailing his four teammates, it would be a breath of fresh air for Oklahoma City fans to see a youthful Zeller keeping up with the pace.

According to Draft Express' scouting report on Zeller, he is a great threat to score anywhere on the court, possessing reliable post moves, a decent jumper and a good ability to get to the foul line. This definitely sounds like the kind of guy that the Thunder could really groom and develop in the next couple of seasons.

While getting rid of Perk right away sounds tempting, Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti has already stressed via newsok.com that he will not be using the amnesty clause on him this offseason. Besides, it would do Zeller good to ease himself into the NBA instead of being thrust into the lineup as an immediate starter.

If Zeller is unavailable by the time the Thunder get on the clock, which is a very real possibility, there are other options out there like Kelly Olynyk of Gonzaga or Alex Len of Maryland. These two centers also have some good potential of their own, but Zeller would certainly be the best possible fit for Oklahoma City and could end up becoming a key to a championship run.

For the two other picks (one late in the first round at No. 29 and the other in the early second round at No. 32), the Thunder could go with the classic route of stashing talent from overseas, especially since there may not be a lot of roster spots available.

Instead, though, OKC should strongly consider finding a true small forward to play behind Kevin Durant. Though there are defensive specialists like Thabo Sefolosha and DeAndre Liggins on the roster that can play the small forward position, perhaps the Thunder should look for more offensive-oriented guys that can provide a spark off of the bench.

Taking risks at No. 29 and No. 32 overall would almost be no risk at all for OKC, who has an abundance of talent already. That's why they should strongly consider players like Reggie Bullock of the University of North Carolina or James Ennis of Long Beach State.

Bullock has some great spot-up shooting ability and can space the floor for Oklahoma City. Additionally, he rebounds well for his average size (6'7"), which is an area the Thunder could use help with in their second unit.

James Ennis is a bit more raw, but has freaky athleticism and great length for a wing player. Though nowhere near as good as Durant, his body type and style of play can mirror KD at times, so playing behind him would be ideal for his development.

If the Thunder wanted, they could even draft both of these prospects to see which one fits better as a reserve and reward that player with a valuable spot on the roster.

This draft has a lot of potential to be a great one for Oklahoma City, as they could really find some diamonds in the rough on June 27th. If his track record has shown anything, I have full trust in Sam Presti and know he'll do what's best for this team's success.

Free Agency

The primary concern for the Thunder going into free agency after the draft is not about who to sign, but who to re-sign.

Kevin Martin is the main target for OKC after he had a mildly successful year for the Thunder in his new sixth-man role. Though Martin's already expressed his high interest to re-sign for a long term deal, perhaps the Thunder should approach with caution.

Martin is now 30 years old and entering his 10th year of NBA service, meaning that he's logged some serious miles. Though he may not show signs of his age next season or maybe even the season after that, a long-term deal may not be what's best for OKC talent wise nor in a monetary sense.

Behind Martin is the young Jeremy Lamb, who was used sparingly this past year. Though we have no idea just how much Lamb would thrive, he has shown signs that he could perform well at the NBA level of competition.

I'm not saying that the Thunder should just shun the idea of keeping Kevin Martin, but rather that they should really try to keep the contract a bit shorter and the money amount smaller. Lamb would be a good source of leverage in negotiations, as he could possibly fill the same role Martin had (if not better) for less money.

In an ideal situation, Oklahoma CIty could re-sign K-Mart for a one or two-year contract. Even if they don't, Lamb has enough potential where he could rise to the occasion of becoming the new sixth man.

There's not much else for the Thunder to do in free agency with such little cap wiggle room and the possibility of bringing in three new players after the draft. However, if Dwight Howard came along with interest in taking a pay cut for a championship run, the No. 12 remains unused on the OKC roster.

The offseason could end up being a time of sour reflection for the Thunder, but it could also prove to be a big tipping point in terms of their championship contention for the next few seasons. The core may be locked in, but there's a lot to tinker with in the other areas of the team.

Oklahoma City has a lot to look forward to with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook putting on a show night in and night out. But Presti always finds ways to surprise us with hidden talent through the draft (see Reggie Jackson) and his smart financial philosophy in contract negotiations (see anyone but Kendrick Perkins).

Los Angeles Dodgers 2013 Mock Draft: Projecting Their Top 5 First Round Targets

Seth Victor — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:53:14 -0400

The MLB draft is coming up, with the first round occurring on June 6. The Dodgers have the 18th pick after finishing last season with an 86-76 record.

They clearly enjoy speculating on high-upside high school pitchers with their first round picks: see Clayton Kershaw in 2006, Chris Withrow in 2007, Ethan Martin in 2008 and Zach Lee in 2010. So it’s not a surprise that ESPN Insider Keith Law mentions that “the Dodgers are linked to a lot of prep arms.”

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com writes much the same thing, saying they “have a history of taking high school pitchers.”

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Tottenham: Why Moussa Dembele Will Be a Major Part of European Push at Spurs

Frank Wagner — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:52:20 -0400

After yet another late-season disappointment, Tottenham are headed for the Europa League next season.

However, while supporters of the north London club are sure to be hurting from the tough manner in which the club missed out on the Champions League, this should not stop them from looking forward to the club's European pursuits next season.

This past season's Europa League campaign ended with a penalty loss to Basel in the quarterfinals. One would hope that the club can improve on that result and push for European glory this time around.

Meanwhile, after missing the Champions League by one point for the second consecutive season, Spurs will hope that they can find a way to break into the Premier League's top four.

With the summer transfer window approaching, the focus at Tottenham is on the transfer rumors surrounding superstar Gareth Bale, per The Guardian, and the possible players who will be coming into White Hart Lane this summer.

One of the most important keys to next season, though, is being ignored.

Midfielder Moussa Dembele had a fantastic opening season at Spurs.

After transferring from Fulham last summer, the Belgian settled right in and scored on his Premier League debut.

Despite some injury issues, the 25-year-old was still able to contribute to the club throughout the season.

In fact, there is one incredibly flattering statistic that speaks to Dembele's importance at Tottenham over the past nine months: Spurs won just one of the eight league matches that Dembele missed while winning 20 of the 30 in which he played.

This record could be due to the Belgian's ability to hold the ball and ride tackles. With the side playing a high line, even Spurs' talented defenders have found it quite helpful to have a player to keep possession and provide a link from defense to attack.

Further, Dembele was able to score one of the most memorable goals of Tottenham's season, hitting an unstoppable long-range shot in the last minute of a match with Lyon to send Spurs through the round of 32 of the Europa League.

If Dembele is able to stay fit for the entirety of the 2013-14 season, it will be a huge boost to Spurs' aspirations for the season.

Should he miss as many or even more matches due to injury, though, Tottenham could be put in a tough position and have to rely on any new talent they pull in this summer.

A lot of Spurs' success next season could ride on Moussa Dembele.

What's more, given that he's just 25, Dembele's impact on Tottenham's European aspirations could run even further.

Follow @Fw1812

Junior dos Santos: MMA's Finest Offensive Boxer

Jack Slack — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:50:28 -0400

Boxing in MMA is still in it's infancy, but it is improving at a rate of knots.

I remember being surprised when Takanori Gomi actually doubled up and threw body shots against Jens Pulver back in PRIDE—now such tactics are becoming much more commonplace. That is not to say that body shots aren't still criminally underused in MMA—indeed one of the main reasons for the success of the fighter I am talking about today is the fact that the rest of the MMA world seems to have largely shunned the body punch.

Whenever a "best of" anything in MMA is brought up, many readers will scan for the names and prepare their venom as their favourite fighter is not mentioned soon enough or late enough for their liking. I dislike terming anyone "the best" at anything in MMA because I haven't seen every sanctioned fighter out there—but when I do I like to narrow the terms.

I discussed last week how the "best boxing in MMA" title was a ridiculous notion because there is no cookie-cutter mould for what is considered great boxing. Some fighters move laterally wonderfully well—such as Anderson Silva—but refuse flat-out to lead, while others are masterful at leading and countering, but refuse to move off of a straight line—like Dos Santos.

What I can do is narrow the terms and say that in high-profile MMA, Junior dos Santos might just be the best offensive puncher out there. Certainly at heavyweight it is almost impossible to think of a fighter who matches him in variety of punches and setups.

"Setups" is the all-important term there—Junior dos Santos sets his power strikes up. Unless you are fighting pretty poor strikers—who, of course, are in abundance at heavyweight—swinging off the bat won't work. This is 2013, and you are not going to hit anyone who can box even a little with the first punch you throw, let alone the first power punch.

You have to open up the holes in an opponent's defence, and to be honest, it isn't always best or particularly responsible to start trying to smash through with power strikes. What Dos Santos does masterfully is to pick and scratch at the existing holes in his opponent's guard until they are forced to compensate and allow a big punch through to a now unguarded area.

Dos Santos and the Body Straights

There is physically no way to protect the whole body from attack except to not be close enough to be attacked in the first place. This is what Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, Junior dos Santos and other truly good strikers are so good at. Many of their opponents, however, don't understand this and believe that by covering their head with their hands and their ribcage with their elbows they are safe.

Dos Santos will pick away with his body jab and powerful right straight to the solar plexus just enough to get his opponent to drop their hands or stay on the end of a tiring body punching assault for 15 to 25 minutes.

The body jab is treated as a nothing punch by a great many coaches—who insist one should just condition oneself against it. In truth you are, of course, never going to knock anyone out with a body jab—but if you keep taking stiff, well-targeted body jabs you are going to end up hurt and tired, if you drop your hands, you give the opponent exactly what he wanted in the first place.

Add to that the fact that if one drops down so as to be jabbing level with ones' shoulder and maximising the available reach, the body jab is the joint-longest punch one can throw.

Many coaches will explain how a nice right straight thrown simultaneously can act well as a counter, because the body jab is so rarely seen in MMA counters for it are hugely under practised. Fighters aren't going to start making up their counters in the middle of a bout.

Working the body up and down is a basic trait of Dos Santos', and it seems to work well in both tiring his opponents out and forcing them to over-react and expose themselves. In his first bout against Cain Velasquez, Dos Santos landed seven significant strikes, four of which were to the body.

Cain's reaction to the body straights—jabbing back at Dos Santos' head even though it meant jabbing across himself—was what opened the door for the overhand that finished the bout. It was essentially a cross-counter performed on offence.

Closing the Door

Something many MMA fighters fail to do—most notably Gilbert Melendez—is to "close the door" on their combinations.

Finishing combinations with the right hand or simply lingering too long before returning with the left or tying up is exposing oneself to counters. Not only does Cigano close the door beautifully on many of his combinations, he will actively encourage opponent's to chase him in order to snap them with a sharp left hook.

Against Frank Mir, Junior would feint a right hand, then begin to retreat as if he had lost confidence. Every time Mir would stumble in after him and eat a left hook on the jaw.

Junior hit Shane Carwin with everything but the kitchen sink on offence, yet it was when he caught Carwin with a seemingly throwaway left hook while retreating that he actually put the giant on his knees.

The difference between hitting a man when he is trying to protect himself and hitting a man as he comes in is enormous..

GIF of that here.

I could keep gushing over the game of Dos Santos and his striking weaknesses, but I have already hit my word count, and we've barely started.

Dos Santos is a boxer of wonderful subtlety, and I am extremely excited at the prospect of seeing him in against a man with a technical enough striking game that it could be competitive on the feet.

If you wish to read my thoughts on beating Dos Santos simply find my "Killing the King" article from when he was champion or my "How Cain Killed the King" article.

I, as always, have no idea how the bout between Mark Hunt and Dos Santos will play out and eagerly await UFC 160 for what many consider to be the card's true main event.

Pick up Jack's ebooks Advanced Striking and Elementary Striking at his blog, Fights Gone By.

Jack can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Power Ranking the Main Card Fights on the UFC 160 Fight Card

Joe Chacon — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:48:31 -0400

UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2 takes place this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The main card features a rematch between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva, which took place one year ago.

Also fighting on the main card are Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt, Glover Teixeira vs. James Te Huna, Gray Maynard vs. TJ Grant, and Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons.

For whatever reason, it seems as of late that the more excited we get for big names on a card, the harder the card falls. Rarely do we get each matchup on the main card to perform in the way we had anticipated.

I have a gut feeling this card is going to be different, and for the first time in a long time, we are going to see every single fight on the main card meet our expectations.

With five exciting fights lined up, let's take a look at which ones I believe will steal the show.

Continue on for the main card power rankings.

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Baltimore Ravens Running Back Breakdown: Full Evaluation & Depth Chart Analysis

James Reagan — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:30:55 -0400

In their 17 years as an NFL franchise, the Baltimore Ravens have established a name for themselves as a team that is consistently good at running the ball. Nearly every season, the purple and black have at the very least a 1,000-yard rusher, if not a Pro Bowler who is among the league's best runners.

The 2013 Ravens look to continue that tradition with Ray Rice set for his fifth season as the team's starting running back. Rice has made three Pro Bowls in four seasons and he is now widely regarded as one of the top running backs in the game today.

Rice is a small running back, though, and part of the reason he's stayed so good over these four years has been the assistance of a high quality backup. Bernard Pierce will try to fill that role in 2013 although he totaled 532 rushing yards as a backup last year, showing that he has the potential to become something special. As good as Rice is, Pierce could be in line for an increased workload this season.

Rounding the depth chart are backups Anthony Allen and Damien Berry. Both players are fighting for a third-string spot and/or extended playing time on special teams.

Here's an extended look at the Ravens' running back situation, with a look at what each back has to offer to the Ravens offense.

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Dwight Howard Rumors: Separating Fact from Fiction in Latest D12 Buzz

Zach Buckley — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:16:06 -0400

Dwight Howard hasn't said anything about his free-agent decision since his Los Angeles Lakers debut came to an untimely, abrupt end in late April.

Frankly, he hasn't needed to.

A number of voices have done the speaking for him, all offering their own take of where Superman should be taking his talents next season and why.

Some say the bright lights of L.A. and the storied history of its proudest franchise are unlike anything he'll find elsewhere. Others question whether the star-studded Lakers faithful would even welcome him back to the fold after a year of disappointments.

Some have speculated whether he can coexist with the fiery Kobe Bryant, or if he'd be willing to endure another season trapped in Mike D'Antoni's perimeter-oriented system.

Others wonder if he casts a great enough shadow to manipulate roster and coaching decisions, to demand certain moves are made before aligning himself with his next employer.

This has led to an inordinate amount of rumors floating through cyberspace, some with legitimacy and others based simply on speculation.

That's where we come in. Need help discovering the validity of a rumor? Do yourself a favor and bookmark this page.

We'll tell you how serious his interest in the Houston Rockets is. Or whether the Lakers are in serious jeopardy of a disastrous departure less than a year removed from his glorious arrival. Or what to make of the Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and other potential suitors courting the most dynamic center in the business.

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French Open 2013: Was Andy Murray's Pullout the Right Decision?

Michael Ann McKinlay — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:09:09 -0400

World No. 2 Andy Murray made headlines yesterday, as he withdrew from the second Grand Slam of the season, with a lower-back injury.

He said in a statement, “It’s a really tough decision and I love playing in Paris, but after seeking medical advice I am not fit to compete,” said Murray via ESPN. “Apologies to the organizers and thanks to everyone for the messages of support. Now my complete focus is on getting back on the court as soon as possible.”

What’s more concerning was what Murray said in Rome last week. He cited that this lower-back injury has been a problem since the 2011 season and was an issue last year on the clay.

This withdrawal is also major because it directly affects defending champion Rafael Nadal, as he will be bumped up to the No. 3 seed and will not face Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer until at least the semifinals.

Was this a good move for the remainder of Murray’s 2013 season?

The obvious answer is yes when looking at the 2013 season as a whole. First, Murray can sacrifice his last year’s result (quarterfinals) in Paris and work on defending the more important Wimbledon points and U.S. Open crown.

And after winning the gold medal during the London Olympics at Wimbledon last July, Murray (believe it or not) will be facing even more pressure to break the 77-year drought and finally become the first British male since Fred Perry to win Wimbledon. Plus, now that he’ll come to Wimbledon a Grand Slam champion, he is expected to win.

Secondly, rankings aside, Murray has always played better tennis during the June through August months, excelling on the fast grass and American hard courts. He needs to be healthy during that time because Wimbledon and the U.S. Open are probably his top priority for 2013. With the pullout, it also proved how much Murray values this part of the tennis season.

On the other hand, besides the points he’ll be forfeiting, he is also foregoing his highest Grand Slam seeding since the 2009 U.S. Open as No. 2.

In the last 10 months, Murray has worked hard to assert himself as a Grand Slam contender, not just a Masters Series contender and his ranking shows that effort. With this setback, he could be throwing away his hard work and giving his competitors a slight edge over him in the next month with more match play.

But in the end, Murray isn't considered a favorite to win at Roland Garros, and as such, made the right move to get healthy before the real test in London comes next month.

The French Open draw will be available Friday, with main draw action beginning Sunday.

10 Most Thrilling Finishes in NASCAR History

Jim Folsom — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:09:03 -0400

NASCAR is a sport that builds for the finish. The finish is all that really counts in a NASCAR race. You can lead every lap but the last one, and that makes you a loser.

Like baseball, a lot can happen during the course of the event, but the end is all that really matters. You can get 26 outs and be in good shape, but if you don't get that last one, you lose. Conversely, you can be down all day long, but pull it out at the end.

In NASCAR, you can trail all day long as well, but if you lead at the end it is all that matters. So to narrow it down to the top 10 most exciting finishes of all time will be quite a task. It will surely lead to many arguments as well, but that's alright. It's why there is a comment section below.

So without further ado, let's count them down.

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French Open 2013: About That Roger Federer Backhand Versus Rafael Nadal

Jeremy Eckstein — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:08:07 -0400

Roger Federer’s latest struggle against Rafael Nadal in the Italian Open finals was a microcosm of eight frustrating years of French Open futility against his Spanish nemesis.

There is little, if anything, to examine with the future of this rivalry on red clay. It would be like trying to sell a dunk contest between Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

Instead, it leads many tennis fans to reflect on the Swiss Maestro’s most glaring weaknesses. One of my readers, Aakash Karkare, recently summed this up by wondering how recent French Open history could have changed: “If Roger had a two hander, would Nadal not have bothered him as much?”

Certainly Nadal’s lefty topspin has created a terrible matchup for Federer’s more spotty single-backhand, but there are numerous layers to this question. Inexorable changes from the ATP tour have directed much of the warfare in tennis that has shaped these two epic champions.

Old-School Artistry

Federer, born in 1981, saw plenty of clay-court champions win with a single backhand. Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl could push away shots with their weaker side and set opponents up—Wilander preferred to grind for opponent errors and Lendl looked to club his forehand for winners.

There were other one-handers who thrived on clay in the 1990s, including bullish Thomas Muster, who needed a big wind-up for his other wing—and artistic Gustavo Kuerten, who used his lanky height and grace to place the ball deep in the court and stymie counter-attacks.

However, few tennis aficionados, and least of all Federer, would have foreseen the weaknesses to possessing a one-hander because they were nurtured to develop an all-court game. Half of the French Open champions in this draw used a single backhand.

In the 1980s, coach Pete Fischer had young Pete Sampras change his two-hander to the more well-rounded one-hander so that he could win Wimbledon. It’s hard to imagine this would happen again if Sampras were born in the 21^st century.

The champions during much of Federer’s upbringing sought to hit approach shots and force opponents into off-balanced impotent replies. Tennis required more vertical scrambling and guile. Federer honed his game to the 20^th-century ideals of perfected old-school tennis and added 21st-century athleticism and technology. From 2004-2008, it was a nearly unbeatable combination.

New-Wave Power

Nadal, born in 1986, may have been aware of Bjorn Borg’s clay-court dominance, but the Viking’s two-handed topspin dominance was still more of an aberration.

But by the time Nadal was five years old, Jim Courier and Sergi Bruguera had come along with heavy two-handed Western topspin that would dominate four consecutive French Open titles. Fellow Majorcan Carlos Moya also used a two-hander, and champions like Andre Agassi made the baseline style look highly attractive to tennis prospects.

For very young children, holding a racket with two hands is easier. Nadal’s autobiography, Rafa with John Carlin, explains that Nadal was using both sides with two hands. At age nine, his Uncle Toni had him commit to one side or the other for his forehand, and Rafa’s decision to use a lefty forehand certainly changed the future of tennis.

Yet even by 2005, when teenager Nadal was celebrating his first French Open title, it seemed inconceivable that he would conquer red clay with the kind of sweep not seen since the 13-century rise of the Mongol Empire.

Glimpse of the Future

If Federer has been the consummate artist and all-court champion, it’s Nadal who has influenced the way tennis is now played at the highest level. His heavy topspin has produced unprecedented spin speed (consistently measured over 3,000 rpms, according to tennis analyst John Yandell as reported in the New York Times) and high-hopping balls that can rise above an opponent’s head. He has sent every tennis pro back to the laboratory to develop countering techniques and mechanics.

Consequently, the past decade has seen the rapid expansion from a more traditional, two-dimensional game of placement and power added to a third dimension of aerial bounces produced to make it difficult for the opponent to line up shots in his wheelhouse.

For now, it feels as if Federer’s single backhand is all but obsolete in trying to chase titles on clay. If this style is to make a comeback, the players who succeed must hit the ball early and powerfully. Additionally, they must also learn to guide the ball with the same kind of ease seen from the double-handed players.

What young tennis player now would choose to still adopt a one-hander with Federer’s infamous difficulties in fending off Nadal’s devastating missiles? It’s like training to be a master swordsman only to find out that a newly-devised longbow is a more effective long-range weapon.

Federer has an original style, but also an anachronistic one playing under new conditions against a mostly new cast of competitors. He is Claude Monet's "Woman with a Parasol" hanging in a gallery now being decorated with digital facsimiles of supermodels.

Suppose Federer did possess Djokovic’s double-backhand? Would this be the ultimate completion to the perfect player? Would he have a shelf of half a dozen French Open cups to go along with the other 16 Grand Slam titles?

Probably not.

To gain a technical advantage is to lose something else. Federer built his game around quick reflexes and perhaps the most masterful baseline forehand in tennis history. He dominated Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Maybe 17 Grand Slam titles never happen if he decided to rely on a Djokovic-like backhand. He might gain the patience to bash from the baseline, but lose the aggressive, fluid attacking game that once ruled the sport. Changing Federer’s backhand would be like giving a makeover to the Mona Lisa. Some things are meant to be appreciated forever the way they are.

Nadal is also more than the sum of his whirlwind topspin. He has raised the bar for seemingly every aspect of clay footwork, retrieval and patience. There is arguably nobody who can top his mental toughness and determination to be a champion. Opponents like Djokovic and Ernests Gulbis can bring out a big backhand, but they will still need the fortitude and talent to seize the biggest points and dominate three of five sets.

French Open 2013 promises to be a spectacular display with Nadal determined as ever to combat his focused competitors. Whether or not someone can beat him with a big double-backhand, that challenger will need a big heart and legendary determination.

Nadal will not hand over his crown.

Click here to match Nadal and Federer with the great French Open champions of the past