Bleacher Report - Front Page

USMNT Upcoming Friendlies: What Should US Fans Be Expecting?

John D. Halloran — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:32:48 -0400

Next week, the United States men’s national team takes on both Belgium and Germany in two international friendlies. The games will serve as preparation for the U.S. for their three World Cup qualifiers in early June against Jamaica, Panama and Honduras.

So, what should U.S. fans be expecting to see out of the two friendlies?

Let’s take a look.

The Belgian Squad

Although the U.S. will not have its full squad available for the friendly against Belgium on May 29 due to injuries and late arrivals to camp, the Belgian squad is absolutely stacked.

The Belgian roster is a who’s who of upcoming and current superstars in world football.

In the back, the Belgians boast established defenders Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Daniel Van Buyten (Bayern Munich) and Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham).

In the midfield and up top, the Belgians have Moussa Dembele (Tottenham), Marouane Fellaini (Everton), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Christian Benteke (Aston Villa), Kevin De Bruyne (currently on loan at Werder Bremen from Chelsea ) and Romelu Lukaku (currently on loan at West Bromwich Albion from Chelsea).

The U.S. simply cannot match Belgium’s talent or experience—it will take a special effort to stay competitive with a Belgian team ready to make a deep run at the 2014 World Cup.

The German Squad

The German squad, in comparison to the Belgian squad, is considerably less deep. Because of the Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, German coach Joachim Loew has not called up many of the team’s usual stars.

The U.S. will, in many ways, be facing a German “C” team that will be highlighted by Rene Adler (Hamburg), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal) and Miroslav Klose (Lazio).

Although it will be disappointing not to get to watch many of the German stars line up against the Stars and Stripes, the U.S. may need an easier game after facing off against the powerful Belgians.

Generating Some Offense

While it is smart of U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to want to test his squad against the best teams in the world, neither of these friendlies will simulate the type of competition the U.S. will face in the World Cup qualifiers following the friendlies.

The U.S. will face stiff tests from Jamaica, Panama and Honduras, but none of them has anywhere near the talent or experience of Belgium or Germany.

With a U.S. team that has generated a grand total of three shots on goal in its first three hexagonal World Cup qualifiers, Klinsmann needs to find a way to generate some offense.

The problem is, against Belgium and Germany, the U.S. is likely to be on its heels for most of the match no matter what players or formation Klinsmann deploys because the U.S. will simply be outmatched.

The one positive that may come out of these matches is that Klinsmann will get another chance to give his defenders a good workout and get Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler and Geoff Cameron some valuable international experience.

Experimentation

The U.S. will be without Edgar Castillo, Joe Corona, Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams for the friendly against Belgium due to club commitments. The U.S. may also be without Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore depending on how much training they get after arriving to camp late.

Their absences will give Klinsmann an opportunity to get some players, likely Terrence Boyd and Sacha Kljestan a proper run-out with the first team. While both have gotten frequent call-ups under Klinsmann, neither has had the chance to prove themselves in a full game.

These friendlies may also give Klinsmann an opportunity to see how much damage was done to the form of Michael Parkhurst and Brek Shea due to their lack of playing time with their clubs and assess how far along Stuart Holden is in his return from injury.

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The Greatest Obstacles Facing David Moyes as Manchester United Manager

Max Towle — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:24:52 -0400

It is still hard to believe that Sir Alex Ferguson won't be manager of Manchester United next season.

The parade, the speeches, the trophy celebration—it all passed a little too quickly for comfort. A year-long mix of celebration and mourning may have been more apt.

But this is the man he is—like the retiring Paul Scholes, he would rather go quietly into the night than overshadow the club for an extended period.

Sir Alex is Manchester United, Manchester United is Sir Alex—the two are inextricably linked. I, like so many young fans of the Red Devils, have known nothing else in my lifetime.

There was Sir Matt Busby, and there is Sir Alex Ferguson. These men were irreplaceable and yet must be replaced. It is the toughest job in the game.

The weight of responsibility that falls on the newly-appointed David Moyes is immense. He will face countless obstacles and challenges in his United career, both immediately and in the long term.

Here is an in-depth look at what those might be.

The Wayne Rooney Situation

It is unfortunate that the first order of business David Moyes has to deal with at Old Trafford is the wantaway intentions of one of the club's stars.

Wayne Rooney hasn't had the best season, but when Sir Alex revealed to Sky Sports "[Rooney has] asked for a transfer. I think he's maybe a bit frustrated at being taken off once or twice in the past few weeks," it was quite a shock.

The English forward demanded to leave United in 2010, citing the club's lack of ambition in the transfer market, but was persuaded to stay.

The Red Devils are champions, have the strongest squad on paper since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney again wants to leave, whether due to a lack of playing time or otherwise.

Another reason which is possibly fueling his desire to leave is his strained relationship with Moyes—his first manager at Everton.

The two were engaged in a bitter legal feud in 2006 when the forward was sued for libel for making defamatory remarks about Moyes in his autobiography, My Story So Far.

Though they have supposedly patched up their differences, there is sure to be some lingering awkwardness or ill feeling.

So how does Moyes deal with this first challenge?

Does he go out of his way to persuade the English forward to stay? Or does he look for the quick sale, ridding the squad of any bad blood?

He wouldn't want his first significant act as manager to be to sell a top player, but this situation was not of his making. All he can do is act in the best interests of the club.

Earning the Respect of the Players

There have been few managers in the game who have as much gravitas as Sir Alex Ferguson.

David Moyes will not be able to walk straight into Old Trafford and assume the respect of the playing staff, he will have to earn it.

So many of United's players have given their all for Sir Alex, asking them to do the same for Moyes immediately is unreasonable.

Moyes must be glad that tears were shed in the dressing room when Sir Alex announced his retirement—he will eventually ask that same loyalty.

He must be a father figure on some occasions, and a disciplinary force on others.

His authority may be tested—it would be impossible to drive all thought of Sir Alex from the team meetings and half-time team-talks.

The good news for the Red Devils is that those who played under Moyes at Everton rarely have a dissatisfied word to say about him.

In an interview with The Sun, former United and Everton player Phil Neville sung the praises of the Scotsman.

"David Moyes is the best candidate, 100 percent. You can put him alongside any coach in the world for that job and he is the best candidate," he said. "He sucks everything out of everyone. That shows you he’s got something."

The Return of Chelsea

Manchester United romped to Premier League glory this term without any real challenger to the throne.

Next season, it would be difficult to envisage the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea dropping so far off the pace.

In the case of the latter, the potential return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge could worry the Red Devils.

Say what you want about the man, he gets results. He has won at least one league trophy at every club he has managed since Porto, including two at Chelsea.

Roman Abramovich, the Blues' owner, is certain to pour a vast amount of money into new signings for the Portuguese boss.

This week, The Mirror reported that Mourinho's transfer wish list includes Radamel Falcao, Hulk, Isco and Marouane Fellaini.

Personally speaking, it seems like Chelsea will pose the biggest threat to United's domestic dominance next term.

With the wealth of talent already in the squad, if a free-scoring goalscorer like Falcao were to arrive, they will be a very hard team to stop.

Moyes hasn't had the best record against top five teams in recent seasons. He will need to devise ways of beating the league's best.

On paper, next season's Premier League seems too close to call. Moyes' primary job will be elevating United above their rivals.

Managing a "Big" Club

Much has been made of David Moyes' nose for a bargain. At Goodison Park he worked with a slim budget, forced to sniff out potential stars from near-obscurity.

Manchester United are a completely different prospect.

As soon as the Red Devils' interest in a potential target becomes known, his price tag inflates. Other clubs also begin sniffing around—such is the high reputation of the United scouts.

There will be some clubs that try to exploit Moyes and United, asking them to pay ridiculous sums of money for transfer targets.

This is an obstacle he must be wary of.

At Manchester United, anything less than first place is seen as disappointing.

At Everton, gaining a European place was the only real goal. It is worth mentioning that he never won a trophy at Goodison Park. He will have to right that wrong as soon as possible at Old Trafford.

There will be bigger egos in the dressing room, bigger contracts, a bigger media spotlight shone on his every move.

In his post-match interview after United's 5-5 draw with West Brom, Sir Alex briefly referred to this aspect of managing Manchester United: "I think the enormity of the club—he will soon realise that anyways. The global brand and number of sponsors we have here, he has to fit into that."

The pressures he will face will be 10 times bigger than anything previously in his career.

Some men would buckle under this burden, Moyes must thrive.

Longevity

In the grand scheme of things, David Moyes' biggest challenge will be trying to replicate the longevity of Sir Alex's Manchester United career.

Part of what made Fergie so special was his ability to adapt to the changing nature of the game—to build and rebuild teams of winners.

He is the best because over 26 years, trophies were never very far from his grip.

No one is asking Moyes to coach the Red Devils for 26 years, perhaps not even 16, but he is no stop-gap solution.

This is why Jose Mourinho was overlooked—the Glazers and Sir Alex wanted stability—a man who wouldn't get a wandering eye or be tempted by other challenges.

In an interview with The Sun, Phil Neville explained how he believes this is why Moyes was hired:

He’s not at United for two or three seasons. If Mourinho came to Man United you’d think, with his track record, that in maybe three seasons he’d be gone.

People talk about Mourinho being the Special One but the gaffer has something special about him in his own way. United are looking at the next 20 years. They’ve just given Moyes a six-year contract, and he’s probably going to be there for the rest of his managerial career. It’s that kind of club.

They invest in a certain kind of manager and that’s why he’s the best man for the job. There’s no one else they could have invested in who would offer the same longevity as the previous manager.

Moyes must win too—and regularly. United officials won't do a Chelsea or Manchester City and fire him after one barren campaign. But expectations at Old Trafford are just as high, if not higher than anywhere else.

Fans will be patient, but not if it seems as if the club is in decline.

That's not to say that improvement is necessary.

Moyes is arriving at a club which has won five of the last seven Premier League trophies—keeping things at status quo would be more than enough.

There's the real challenge.

What will be the greatest obstacles in David Moyes' way at Old Trafford?

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

Follow @MaxBentleyTowle

Why the Packers' Offense Should Be Unstoppable in 2013

Matt Stein — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:16:02 -0400

To say the Green Bay Packers have had a good offense for the past few seasons would be quite the understatement. The Packers' offense hasn't just been good, it's been one of the best units in the league.

However, Green Bay has the potential to become unstoppable during the 2013 season. Even with the loss of Greg Jennings, the Packers' offense should be the best it has been in years.

Let's take a look at why this group should be unstoppable in 2013.

A Ground Game

This is the area of Green Bay's offense that has been lacking since Ryan Grant rushed for over 1,200 yards back in 2009. Since that season, the Packers have finished 20th (2012 season), 27th (2011 season) and 24th (2010 season) in total rushing yards in the NFL.

While this isn't a team that is ever going to lead the league in rushing, they do need to be able to take the pressure off Aaron Rodgers at times. That hasn't happened, which has allowed defenses to hone in on slowing down the passing game.

However, the Packers should be much improved on the ground for the 2013 season. Along with DuJuan Harris and Alex Green, Green Bay added two potentially studly running backs in the draft in Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin.

Even if the Packers don't find an every-down back, they still have enough talented to get a tremendous amount of group production. Don't be surprised if this unit becomes one of the more productive units in the league by seasons end.

Evolution of Randall Cobb

The man who is going to be relied upon most in replacing Jennings' production is going to be Cobb. The second-year player finished just shy of 1,000 receiving yards last season with 954 and eight touchdowns.

Cobb certainly isn't as polished of a player as Jennings, but he is was more dynamic and a much better playmaker. He's the type of offensive player who is a threat to score every single time he touches the football.

The scary part about Cobb is that he is only entering his third season, so there is still room for growth. His evolution was a big reason why the Packers felt they could move forward without Jennings and still be successful.

Unfortunately, Packers' legend LeRoy Butler may not feel the same way.

However, Cobb won't only replace Jennings in terms of production, he'll eventually become more productive.

Improved Offensive Line

This might be shocking, but an offense won't be very good if a quarterback is always laying on his back. Rodgers was sacked a ridiculous 51 times last season, the most he's ever been sacked in his career.

Changes and improvements definitely needed to be made. While the Packers didn't make any big splashes via free agency or the NFL draft, they made in-house changes that should bring about positive results.

They're moving right tackle Bryan Bulaga and right guard Josh Sitton over to the left side of the offensive line. Marshall Newhouse, who played left tackle for the past two seasons, graded out as the 54th-best offensive tackle according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That isn't good, so it was definitely time for a change.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel spoke to head coach Mike McCarthy after the switches were announced, and this is what he had to say concerning his confidence in Bulaga:

"I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have full confidence in Bryan," McCarthy said. "He's been here everyday (in the off-season) and so I've seen him develop physically in all areas of his game. He's a very mature player."

Clearly, McCarthy feels that Bulaga can be that franchise left tackle that Rodgers desperately needs.

With an improved offensive line that will actually give Rodgers time in the pocket, the sky is literally the limit with this offense.

Still Plenty of Weapons

Even if Cobb didn't improve and the running game stayed the same, this is still an offense that has players like Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Jermichael Finley.

It really isn't even fair when you look at all of the weapons that the Packers have on offense. If a defense wants to try to shut down Nelson, Rodgers will simply hone in on Jones or Finley or Cobb.

There isn't a defense out there that has the personnel to slow down all the offensive playmakers that Green Bay can throw in the field at one time. The Packers' weapons are always going to outweigh the defensive playmakers.

With an actual ground game, Randall Cobb taking the next step, an improved offensive line and a handful of weapons, the Packers' offense simply has no other choice but to be unstoppable in 2013.

Neymar: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Tom Sunderland — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:08:00 -0400

One of the hottest properties in world football right now, Neymar’s immediate future and just whether it lies outside of Brazil is a topic to have been discussed ferociously in recent months. Read on for all the Samba starlet’s key scouting information heading into a hectic summer transfer window.

Age: 21

Contract Situation: Currently contracted to Santos until 2014, after the conclusion of the 2014 World Cup in his native Brazil.

Career Stops: Santos (2003-present)

Current Campaign: 2012 Brasileiro Serie A—17 appearances, 14 goals, eight assists; 2012 Copa Libertadores— 12 appearances, eight goals, three assists.

Video Showreel

Scouting Guide

Like many young wunderkinds to come out of Brazil and the rest of South America, Neymar’s greatest talents undoubtedly lie in his trickery and ability to dribble.

That being said, the forward does have a remarkable knack for finishing when in front of goal, proving himself to not just talk the talk but walk the walk amongst the Brazilian elite.

However, doubts rest over Neymar’s physical attributes and just whether his frame would allow him to enjoy similar success in Europe.

Where Next?

Although a number of European outfits have certainly raised interest in the forward, Neymar’s most likely destination, if there is to be one, would appear to be Spain at this point.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been heavily linked with Neymar’s services in the last two years and a titanic battle between the two La Liga giants looks set to ensue.

Joinville goalkeeper, Ivan, is quoted by Goal.com as saying that after a recent match against Santos, Neymar told him he can’t reject a European move any longer as "it’s too complicated.”

This comes just several days after Barcelona were reported to have had a second transfer bid for the young maestro turned down, as Goal.com reports.

Where Will Gareth Bale Play His Football Next Term?

Gareth McKnight — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:02:40 -0400

Gareth Bale’s future is well and truly up in the air after Tottenham missed out on the Champions League once more in 2012-13. The north London side were edged out by local rivals Arsenal on the last day of the campaign, and as such Andre Villas-Boas’ men will feature in the Europa League again next season.

Gareth Bale had a fantastic campaign once more, developing into one of the best players in Europe with outstanding performances. The Wales international has been awarded the PFA Player of the Year award and has also been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane this summer. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona are just three of the clubs believed to be interested in the flying attacker, according to the Mirror.

But where will Bale play his football next season?

It is only natural that Bale will have thoughts of leaving White Hart Lane. The best players want to play at the best possible level, and that means Champions League football. Spurs have missed out for the last number of seasons, and there is no guarantee that they will finish in the top four next term. A move to a bigger club would deliver the chance to play in Europe’s top tournament on a regular basis.

Financially, a move to a bigger club would also boost Bale’s wages and would also give him the chance to play alongside some of the top players in the world game.

However, there is no guarantee that the talented forward will leave Tottenham. When Spurs missed out on the Champions League last term, it was obvious that Luka Modric would leave. The same cannot be said about Bale.

It is clear to see that Bale has an allegiance and gratitude to the club and also revels in the fact that he is the best player in the squad. There is still a buzz around the club, despite finishing fifth, as Spurs recorded their record points total this term in the Premier League.

In Andre Villas-Boas, Spurs have a boss that Bale clearly gets on with, and someone who is looking to build something special at a historic club. Bale, if he stays, will be the fulcrum of a young, ambitious team that will look to challenge for the Premier League title in years to come.

Should Bale decide that he wants to leave, there is no guarantee that Tottenham’s asking price will be met. With a number of years left on the player’s contract, Spurs are in no position to have to sell Bale and will want to paid top dollar. A transfer fee of at least £50 million will greet all potential suitors.

Bale’s future is certainly still up in the air, and Tottenham’s near future could well depend on the attacker’s decision.

Nani: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Tom Sunderland — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:24 -0400

With David Moyes taking the reins at Old Trafford, it’s unclear what the future holds for numerous Manchester United stars, winger Nani more so than most.

Here’s a rundown of the Portuguese maestro’s current situation, scouting report and just where you might expect to see Nani end up come September.

Age: 26

Contract Situation: Nani’s contract has just over a year left to run and will expire in June 2014.

Career Stops: Sporting Lisbon (2003-07), Manchester United (2007-present)

Current Campaign: Premier League—11 appearances, one goal, three assists; Champions League—four appearances, no goals, one assist; FA Cup—five appearances, one goal, two assists; Capital One Cup—one appearance, one goal.

Video Showreel

Scouting Guide: The last two seasons have seen Nani become a less and less prominent component in the Manchester United setup, with the 2012-13 campaign in particular leaving the Portuguese international with just seven league starts to boast of.

With that in mind, the 26-year-old may have a chance of rediscovering past form should a starting spot come his way once more, a style illustrated fantastically by the winger’s fantastic celebration—the death leap.

Although a deep, deep bag of tricks lies in his arsenal, Nani’s overzealous nature can sometimes get the better of him, with decision-making and a trend of selfish behaviour letting him and his teammates down on occasion.

Where Next?

Sources had been linking Nani with a return to his native Portugal in previous months but those rumours appear to have simmered slightly of late.

Instead, the Mirror have suggested that the winger could be used as a makeweight in order to bring Juventus star, Claudio Marchisio, to the Theatre of Dreams.

With Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Wilfried Zaha, Shinji Kagawa, Wayne Rooney and even Danny Welbeck or Javier Hernandez able to play out wide, central reinforcements would certainly appear as more of a priority for United, adding some sense to the proposed deal.

This news comes just several months after the Metro alleged that Nani had told friends of his intentions to leave his current surroundings having become disillusioned with his chances there.

2013 MLB Draft Prospects: 7 Most Overrated Players in the 2013 Draft Class

Mike Rosenbaum — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

With roughly two weeks before the 2013 MLB Rule IV Draft, which begins on June 6, each team is trying to gauge the potential interest in certain players while keeping their own cards close to their chest.

As expected, the draft board continues to fluctuate with players moving in and out of first-round consideration. At the same time, a significant number of players have solidified their status as a potential Day 1 selection thanks to a strong showing this spring.

Due to the overall lack of impact talent in this year’s class, it’s conceivable that many teams will draft as a means of addressing their current needs in the high minors or at the major-league level. And as a result, there will undoubtedly be a large contingent of players who are both overvalued and, in turn, over-drafted.

Here’s a look at the seven most overrated prospects in this year’s class.

1. Andrew Mitchell, RHP, Texas Christian

Mitchell emerged as one of the top amateur strikeout artists last season as the right-hander struck out 101 batters in 77 innings as a sophomore in the starting rotation.

But, for some odd reason, the coaching staff decided that he would be more effective as the team’s closer in 2013. Sure, Mitchell struggled with his control and command during the previous season (46 walks), but certainly not to the point where a relegation to the bullpen was necessary. Thankfully, due to a lack of save opportunities—and the fact that his power arm was going to waste in the bullpen—Mitchell’s stay in the ‘pen was only temporary, and he was subsequently moved back into the rotation.

Having said all that, I do think the right-hander’s future is in a major-league bullpen. Although he has a durable frame at 6’3”, 225 pounds, Mitchell’s short arm action and lack of explosiveness with his lower half and core doesn’t project well in a starting role. While his walk total has been tolerable at TCU, it will likely deteriorate at the next level when he faces opposing hitters with advanced plate discipline and pitch recognition.

If Mitchell is ultimately selected in the first round, then it’s safe to assume that the drafting organization plans to develop him as a starter.

2. Casey Meisner, RHP, Cypress Woods HS (Texas)

At 6’7”, 185 pounds, Meisner struggles with the same problems that plague most lanky pitchers. Due to his wiry thin frame and long limbs, repeating his mechanics and release point can be a battle for the right-hander, as it hinders his control and renders his secondary offerings ineffective.

Even though he showcased improved fastball velocity last summer in the 92-to-94 mph range, Meisner has sat consistently in the upper-80s this spring while losing a few ticks when working deep into games. He’ll mix in a fringy curveball and decent changeup when around the zone with the heater, though neither offering is particularly sharp given the aforementioned mechanical issues.

While Meisner certainly offers plenty to dream on, there’s an enormous gap between his present ability and overall future potential.

3. Ivan Wilson, OF, Ruston HS (La.)

At 6’3”, 220 pounds, Wilson has a physically mature build that requires minimal projection, though he does showcase respectable athleticism for his size. However, the right-handed hitting outfielder’s calling card will always be his robust raw power, as it represents his only chance for an above-average-to-plus tool at the next level.

The problem is that Wilson’s poor plate discipline and pitch recognition has prevented its utilization. Beyond his struggles in catching up to average velocity, decent secondary offerings (by high school standards) can make him look foolish and throw his swing mechanics even more out-of-sync.

Whether he attends college (he’s currently uncommitted) or begins his professional career, Wilson will need to transfer more weight off his backside, as his current swing is reliant on pure strength. Additionally, his point of contact is highly inconsistent and he’ll need to learn how to extend his arms and drive the ball off a firm front side.

4. Ryan Eades, RHP, Louisiana St.

A 6’3”, 200-pound right-hander, Eades pitched like a potential first-rounder to open the season, but has since seen his draft stock fall over the last month. Although he can be overpowering, Eades velocity has been up-and-down this spring and he’s lacked command of his secondary offerings.

It’s not that the right-hander doesn’t have good stuff—he does. However, that makes his inability to miss bats consistently all the more frustrating. Boasting an arsenal that includes a plus fastball (when he's at his best) in the 91-to-95 mph range and above-average changeup, Eades hasn’t shown the feel for his breaking ball—he’s thrown a curveball and slider this spring—that he did in previous seasons.

Despite his lack of success this season, Eades is still widely regarded as a Day 1 guy, especially in relation to the lack of projectable college arms in this year’s draft class. It’s also important to keep in mind that the right-hander has been slowly trending in the wrong direction dating back to his sophomore campaign. As a result, he’s emerged as somewhat of a wild card in the final weeks leading up to the draft. And at this point, I don’t think anyone knows what to expect. If they say they do, don’t hesitate to call them a liar for me.

5. Thomas Milone, OF, Masuk HS (Conn.)

Primarily a football player during his amateur career, Milone is an outstanding athlete at 6’0", 185 pounds, with baseball skills that lag well behind his raw tools. On the field, the outfielder’s lack of experience is apparent in all facets of his game.

Milone’s swing is weak and inefficient, as he’s been forced to figure things out on the fly since taking to the diamond. Currently, the one outstanding aspect of his game is his speed, which may allow him to remain in center field at the next level.

Unlike Lewis Brinson and D.J. Davis—the premier raw but toolsy prep players selected in the 2012 draft—Milone is already significantly behind the developmental curve. And while his athleticism suggests that he may be able to tap into some of that potential down the road, Milone is not a Day 1-caliber player.

6. Jake Johansen, RHP, Dallas Baptist

Besides his durable, 6’6”, 235-pound frame, Johansen stands out for his outstanding arm strength and potential plus-plus fastball in the mid-to-upper-90s. While one would expect the right-hander to dominate college hitters, he’s actually been quite hittable.

Johansen’s heater is relatively straight and easy to recognize out of his hand, while his only secondary offering, a below-average slider, tends to have more of a cement-mixer rotation and shape, and lacks swing-and-miss potential. With technically one pitch to his name, it’s difficult to envision the right-hander as anything more than a late-inning reliever at best. Although there’s still a chance that he puts everything together with the proper instruction, it would likely come at the cost of numerous seasons in the complex levels.

7. Adam Engel, OF, Louisville

At face value, the 6’1”, 208-pound Engel has the makings of an everyday center fielder at the next level thanks to his plus speed and range, average arm strength and outstanding athleticism. Unfortunately, his ongoing struggles at the dish continue to hurt his draft stock and overall projection. Engel has the strength to both shoot the gaps with consistency—and even sneak a few over the fence—but his inability to achieve a favorable point of contact and drive through the baseball raises legitimate concerns about his potential hit tool at the next level.

The one facet of his game that’s remained consistent—other than his defense in center field—is his ability steal bases; his 39 steals currently stands as the third-highest total among all NCAA Division I players.

If Engel’s bat never comes around, there’s a decent chance he won’t make it past Double-A. At the same time, hitting for a respectable average while reaching base at a decent clip could lead to a career as a fourth outfielder in the major leagues.

Honorable Mentions: RHP Jonathan Crawford (Florida), 1B Rowdy Tellez (Elk Grove HS, Calif.), RHP Brett Morales (King HS, Fla.), RHP Ryne Stanek (Arkansas), OF/RHP Michael Lorenzen (Cal St. Fullerton)

Why Jon Jones Has Nothing Left to Prove at Light Heavyweight

Nathan McCarter — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

Jon Jones, UFC light heavyweight champion, has absolutely nothing left to prove in the division. None.

Some of you are sitting behind your computer screens or smart phones saying that he still has challenges left. Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but he doesn't. He is, and has been, the greatest light heavyweight of all time.

Lets begin by recapping his light heavyweight tenure.

Jones made his debut as a late replacement against a budding prospect in Andre Gusmao. Jones won, and the curiosity level around the sport piqued. From 2009-2010, he would go 4-1 with his lone loss being highly controversial vs. Matt Hamill. Many still view the champion as being undefeated.

After 2010, Jones was already seen as the future of the division, but next to no one expected his rise to be as meteoric. Next to no one expected the single greatest year in division history.

In the span of 11 months, Jones dispatched of rising contender Ryan Bader, won the championship on short notice against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, dominated former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and left former champion Lyoto Machida unconscious on the canvas.

He is 3-0 since that incredible calendar year, and there is nothing left for him in the division. Is it really necessary for him to defend the title once more to break Tito Ortiz's record for fans to know he's the greatest the division has ever seen? No.

Dan Henderson and Alexander Gustafsson seem to be the only challengers left that he has yet to face. Henderson is older, slow and plodding. He has one great strike, and his wrestling is vastly overrated in the MMA terms.

Gustafsson is a quality prospect, but one who has already shown holes in his game that Jones would have little problem with.

Don't get me wrong, I would pay to watch those fights. I just would not be paying for competitive action. I would be paying to see Jones' brilliance in the Octagon.

Then there is the inevitable superfight discussion against Anderson Silva. Does that really add to Jones' legacy? Think about it.

Silva is 38 years old. And he is a middleweight. Jones is a freak athlete that is still growing and learning at the ripe age of 25. And he is a light heavyweight.

Jones is supposed to win that fight. Yes, Silva is the greatest we have seen but weight classes are in place for a reason. The physical gifts Jones has are his greatest asset, and he uses them better than the technical skills he is continuing to refine.

I hate to shatter your dreams, but Jones would defeat Silva and make it look relatively easy in the process.

The move to heavyweight is his only great challenge.

The only question Jones has to answer is if he wants to test himself. If he does, he will make the trek to heavyweight. However, that is not an easy decision. If could elevate him to being one of the greatest fighters of all time, or alter his current trajectory in a downward fashion. He won't take that decision lightly.

But one thing is for certain...there is nothing left for him to prove at 205 pounds.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney: Could They Play Together?

Karl Matchett — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:40:31 -0400

Manchester United are set for a summer of change with long-serving manager Alex Ferguson retiring and David Moyes coming in to take his place, leaving the futures of some of the playing staff up for discussion too. One of those who has come in for speculation about where he will be playing next season is forward Wayne Rooney.

The attacker was reported to have handed in a transfer request, as reported in this BBC article, around the end of the season, and now there are rumours circulating that French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to shell out serious money to take Rooney abroad, according to Mirror Football.

It's an interesting move to consider, not least of all because PSG already have themselves a world-renowned centre-forward, none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Could he and Rooney gel to form a partnership?

PSG's Season

PSG still have one match left in their domestic season but are 10 points clear at the top ahead of Marseille and will be keen to make an impression on the European stage next season as well as solidifying their newfound domestic domination.

With boss Carlo Ancelotti in charge this season, they have generally favoured a fairly narrow 4-2-2-2 system, with two holding midfielders, Javier Pastore and Lucas Moura in the attacking roles—the latter offering rather more width than the former—and Ezequiel Lavezzi playing up top alongside Zlatan.

The Swedish forward has been the star of the show, scoring 29 league goals to take the top scorer award and win the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award, as reported by BBC. Some changes will be in the offing over the summer, though, with the BBC reporting that Ancelotti has asked to leave the club, with the vacancy at Real Madrid in his sights.

PSG are known to have huge reserves of money to spend, as they already have done so to bring the likes of Thiago Silva, Lavezzi, Lucas Moura and Pastore to the club, so the estimated £40 million fee to sign Rooney would present no issue.

Rooney and Zlatan

While Ibrahimovic is the go-to man up front, he does not remain central. A player of his natural talent and sizable ego merely moves where he feels he will receive the ball in the most dangerous areas, and it is not uncommon to see Zlatan drifting wide or dropping a little deeper.

Lavezzi has provided the industry and pace to make the most of the spaces Ibrahimovic leaves around him, though his scoring record has been nowhere near as good, netting just three times in the league this term.

Zlatan isn't only a goalscorer for PSG, as he claimed seven assists and made more key passes per game on average than any of his team-mates; it might be the view of the technical and coaching staff that replacing Lavezzi with another forward with a better eye for goal might be the best way of getting even more out of Zlatan.

Rooney hasn't had his best season in terms of goals at Manchester United, scoring 12 league goals this season, but he does have a proven history of hitting the back of the net and averages a goal every 2.2 games in his entire Premier League career. This doesn't drop much when Champions League football is considered, with Rooney finding the target every 2.6 games in that competition.

Aside from goals, when he is fit and in form, Rooney works hard, is tactically aware and conscientious, important for if PSG hope to overcome the bigger and better sides in Europe next season. In addition he is capable of playing as a true striker or in a supporting act—both useful when dealing with the unpredictable nature of Ibrahimovic's movement and decision-making.

Drawbacks?

Does Rooney want to go to France? That would be the first question. He has been linked with moves away from Old Trafford before, but this perhaps seems the closest he has come to actually departing. There do not appear to be too many other clubs in the Premier League who could, or would sign him, so heading abroad might be Rooney's only option.

He doesn't fit at Barcelona, Bayern Munich will not need him, Juventus have a whole host of forwards already and are seemingly signing Gonzalo Higuain, according to Goal.com—that perhaps leaves Real Madrid, or PSG and Monaco in France.

Though Rooney's wages are extraordinarily high at United, both PSG and Monaco would likely be capable of competing at that level. Playing alongside top names in the European game would certainly help, and PSG have no shortage of those. They also reached the Champions League quarterfinals this season, one round further than Rooney's present team, Manchester United, managed.

The image of Wayne Rooney in Paris isn't, culturally speaking, one that seems the easiest to imagine, but a huge sporting project, vast financial incentives and a chance to restart his career as he moves into what should be his prime years might be extremely tempting for the former Everton forward.

Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a strike partnership has the potential for fireworks and compelling viewing, and it also has the potential to fire PSG to significant title glory.

Follow @karlmatchett

5 Free Agents the Utah Jazz Must Avoid

Eric Edelman — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:30:48 -0400

Okay, we know, Salt Lake City possesses neither the Hollywood glamour of a Los Angeles nor the breezy beaches of a Miami, but they still have the cap space to lure in a free agent looking to make an easy pay day.

A job in Utah as a professional basketball player is rather easy at this point. Utah is lottery team lacking a clear direction, so the bar is already set rather low.

That being said, they don't exactly want to fall victim for reactionary hype that often exists in free agent classes. Before signing a free agent, they need to ensure they are the real deal rather than settling for whoever is hot at the moment.

The best examples of this phenomenon are the streakiest of shooters—the sixth man who is either all the way on or all the way useless.

So keeping that in mind, whom exactly should the Jazz avoid signing this offseason?

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What If City Had Held out When They Played Real Madrid at the Bernabeu?

Najeeb Rehman — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:19:33 -0400

Manchester City began their ill-fated Champions League campaign with one of the toughest games in the club’s entire history.

City had once again been drawn in the so-called "Group of Death," but the team were determined to learn from the mistakes of last year, and qualification to the knockout stage was a minimum requirement.

The team arrived at the Bernabeu with Roberto Mancini trying to take the pressure off his players by insisting they were not contenders for the trophy and that no team could win it in just their second year in the competition.

Real Madrid had begun the season in complete disarray. They had only taken four points from as many games and were already eight points behind Barcelona in the league. They had just lost 1-0 to Sevilla, and Jose Mourinho was attracting stinging criticism from the Madrid press for openly questioning the focus and commitment of his players.

Real were the better team on the night, but Joe Hart was having a magnificent game and kept them in the match with a string of fine saves. Yaya Toure was also having a great game, and City opened the scoring when he made a penetrative run from deep to present Edin Dzeko with an easy chance.

Real equalised in the 76th minute, but when Aleksandar Kolarov scored directly from a free-kick to make it 2-1 in the 84th minute, it looked like they had secured an improbable away win against one of the competition’s favourites.

This is when everything went wrong, and within six minutes City’s season had changed completely. First Karim Benzema turned inside Matija Nastasic to score from the edge of the box, and then Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a winner from a tame shot that should have been blocked by Vincent Kompany or saved by Hart.

Hart was partially at fault for the last two goals but had a great game up until the last few minutes, and it should have been accepted that every goalkeeper makes mistakes. His reputation was in the ascendancy, and Europe was beginning to take notice of this talented young English goalkeeper everyone was talking about. The former Manchester United captain Roy Keane had not yet questioned his talent.

The fallout from the game was enormous, and the shock waves could be felt for the remainder of the season. In the post-match interviews Hart told reporters that the team needed to take responsibility for letting a lead slip away in the final few minutes, but according to The Telegraph, Mancini interpreted this interview in the wrong way:

“Joe Hart should stay in goal and make saves. If anyone should criticise the team it should be me, not Joe Hart. I am the judge, not Joe Hart.”

The seeds of Mancini’s downfall were planted in this game and in the way he behaved afterwards. He needed to take City to the knockout stage of the competition but let three precious points slip away. The self-belief the team would have got from beating the mighty Real in their own backyard is immeasurable, but losing in the manner they did only added to their European angst, and their confidence diminished as the games went by.

Mancini’s post-match attack on his players became a running theme throughout the year. He didn’t just single out Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany’s performance was also criticised. The Italian publicly questioned why the defender ducked under Ronaldo’s shot and why the defence sat back so deep in the last 10 minutes.

His behaviour was not too dissimilar to Mourinho’s after the Sevilla game. Real players responded to his public attack with a great performance against City, but ultimately he poisoned his relationship with the players by continually and openly shaming them.

Mancini went even further then the "Special One," and his increasingly fractured relationship with his players culminated in training-ground fight with the enigmatic Mario Balotelli, as reported by the Daily Mail.

The manager undermined his players, and City’s entire squad seemed to lose their form, consistency and confidence—none more spectacularly than the England No.1, Joe Hart.

It's telling that when Mancini lost his job not a single player came out to question the decision or back the manager the way they did when Mark Hughes got the sack.

What if City had held out in the Bernabeu? Would they have qualified from their group? Would Mancini still be in a job? Would the squad have made a stronger defence of their title?

How Arsenal Can Get More from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Next Season

James McNicholas — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 -0400

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will look back on the 2012-13 season with mixed feelings.

At international level, he excelled. He scored his first international goal against San Marino and established himself in the senior squad. At 19, he already has 10 England caps to his name.

Domestically, Oxlade-Chamberlain would have hoped to have a greater impact.

Heading into the season, Arsenal fans would have felt justified in holding high hopes for their young midfielder. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s emergence was one of the few positives in Arsenal’s 2011-12 campaign. After making his debut in Arsenal’s humiliating defeat at Old Trafford in August 2011, he went on to become an integral member of the squad, with a dominating midfield display against AC Milan a particular highlight.

However, Oxlade-Chamberlain appears to have suffered from the infamous condition known as "second season syndrome." It is a commonly-observed phenomenon whereby a player has an extraordinary impact in their debut season only to fall slightly short of that standard second time around. It is usually attributed to the fact that they have lost the element of surprise: opposition managers know what to expect and subsequently how to deal with them.

All of this could apply to Arsenal’s young tyro. Oxlade-Chamberlain has not regressed, but he has failed to kick on as much as he would have hoped. He began the season starting ahead of Theo Walcott, but Walcott’s good form and the resolution of his contract troubles saw the more experienced man reclaim his place.

Oxlade-Chamberlain will be disappointed to have only started 17 games across the entire season. That’s one less than the erratic Gervinho, who also spent considerable time away at the African Cup of Nations.

A simple solution to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s struggles is to give him more game time. Only by playing regularly can he be expected to gain the experience which will allow him to improve.

French media outlets, including Le Foot Gazette des , are reporting that Gervinho could be a transfer target for French side Lyon. If Arsenal were to let the Ivorian go, they would be able to invest more time in the development of Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is six years younger and is already demonstrating significantly superior technical ability.

It’s worth noting that Oxlade-Chamberlain doesn’t have to be starting games to contribute.

In the last few weeks of the 2012-13 season, he began to carve a niche role as an impact substitute. Against Reading for example, Oxlade-Chamberlain entered the field of play after 75 minutes. Within 120 seconds, he had burst in to the penalty area and won a penalty, which Mikel Arteta subsequently converted.

His raw pace and upper-body strength make "The Ox" a nightmare for defenders with tired legs to shackle. He should also endeavour to add more goals to his game: a final tally of just two is poor for a player with such outstanding shooting ability.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career has already mirrored Theo Walcott’s in his journey from Southampton to Arsenal to precocious England international. Perhaps there will be another parallel added, as Oxlade-Chamberlain imitates Walcott’s apprenticeship as an impact substitute prior to becoming a regular starter and scorer.

Perhaps another clue as to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s role next season came on the final day of the Premier League at Newcastle. When Mikel Arteta was withdrawn with a calf problem, Oxlade-Chamberlain was drafted in as a central midfielder—the very same role in which he excelled against Milan 14 months ago. Perhaps this, rather than on the wing, is where his future truly lies.

Goal-by-Goal Retrospective of Gareth Bale's 2012-13 Tottenham Season

Frank Wagner — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:26:23 -0400

With Tottenham's season now over, the focus around the club has shifted to the transfer dealings of Gareth Bale.

As Spurs have once again narrowly missed out on the Champions League, the question is whether the superstar Welsh winger will stick around at White Hart Lane or whether he might venture off in search of greener pastures.

While all of the initial signs point to Bale staying at Tottenham, one cannot fault the legitimacy of the question.

After all, the Welsh superstar has established himself as one of the finest players in the world.

At just 23 years of age, Bale won his second PFA Player of the Year award this season after carrying Spurs through their final stretch of matches.

Given his incredible talent, it is hard to fault Bale should he decide to go in search of the highest level of competition.

Further, with clubs lining up ludicrous sums of money for the Welshman, the decision to leave could be out of his hands.

Hence, it makes sense for Tottenham supporters to be slightly reserved about Bale's future, even if optimistic.

Still, this should not stop one from celebrating the incredible season that the winger had in 2012-13.

Let's relive the glory of Gareth Bale's season through every fantastic goal he netted.

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Julio Cesar: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Peter Brownell — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Julio Cesar 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: 33

Contract Situation: Cesar joined Queens Park Rangers in 2012 and is under contract until June 2016.

Career Stops: Flamengo (1998-2005), Internazionale (2005-2012), Chievo (2005, loan), Queens Park Rangers (2012-present).

Current Campaign: Premier League—24 games, 37 goals conceded, one assist; League Cup—one game, three goals conceded; FA Cup—one game, one goal conceded.

Video Showreel

Scouting Guide

Julio Cesar is a goalkeeper for English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers.

He sports a big frame, making him capable of covering much of the goal. However, he is also athletic and quick enough to make excellent reaction saves.

Cesar owns his box and can pick off crosses and corners with ease.

Where Next?

If all indications are true, the Gunners could be employing Cesar very soon.

The Mirror suggests that Arsenal might be the most likely destination for Cesar. A move to the Emirates would be excellent for the Brazilian as he prepares to host the World Cup in 2014.

Breaking Down the Tom Brady Replacement Plan

Mike Dussault — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Tom Brady signed a contract extension with the New England Patriots this offseason, setting 2017 as the likely end of his career with the team.

Unfortunately for Patriots fans, Brady won't play forever, and the end often comes quickly for quarterbacks. Brady has shown no sign of slowing down over recent seasons, but as he gets older, it gets even more important for the Patriots to have an eventual replacement lined up.

What we do know about Bill Belichick is that as soon as there's a better and cheaper option than Brady, he'll no longer be a New England Patriot. That's the harsh reality, but Brady is well aware of the fact, and it helps keep him on top of his game. A new quarterback will have to dethrone Brady to take his job before 2017, and Brady certainly won't make it easy.

Ideally, the Pats would love to have a player who can back up Brady and learn from future the Hall of Famer before taking the reins (Aaron Rodgers anyone?)

Ryan Mallet has had two seasons behind Brady so far, but showed little in preseason to convince anyone that he's the heir apparent. This will be a huge summer for Mallet to make an impression on the Pats and the rest of the NFL, though he got off to a shaky starts at OTAs this past week, appearing "rusty."

Mallet is in no-man's land with two years left in his contract. Even if he shows enough potential this season, can the Pats really hang on to him long enough for him to beat out Brady?

Third-stringer Mike Kafka showed real promise with the Eagles in the 2011 preseason, completing 69.4 percent of his passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns. He also has two years left on his current deal, so he still has a chance to earn a second contract and possibly succeed Brady.

There are no easy answers, especially when Brady remains among the best in the NFL at his position.

It's rare that the quarterback transition goes as cleanly as the Colts' did, going from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck. Barring an epic meltdown season, it's unlikely the Pats would be in position to draft the next great quarterback at the top of the draft before Brady retires.

Therefore, New England must continue to stock the bottom of the roster and practice squad with quarterbacks while also paying extra close attention to the ones coming out of the draft.

A quarterback drafted in 2014 would sign a four-year deal, matching their contract length with Brady's and presenting the perfect mentorship opportunity. Mallet would provide an element of insurance in 2014 should Brady get hurt or sharply decline, and from there it would be an open competition until 2017.

Whether it's via free agency or the draft, the Patriots must get at least a couple quarterbacks in the pipeline over the next few seasons. Mallet's experience in the system provides them a bit of a safety net, but his long-term viability is still in question.

It's not necessary for New England to overextend or make risky moves to find a suitable replacement. Their system is established, and there are enough weapons to ease any transition they might have to make in the next few seasons.

Brady's retirement is inevitable, but the Patriots are always thinking ahead and should begin to target potential successors immediately following this season, if not sooner.

Mike Dussault is a New England Patriots Featured Columnist and is the Managing Editor of PatsPropaganda .com. You can follow him on Twitter here.

Teixeira Is More Than Hype; Should Get 'Shogun' with Win over Te Huna

Adam Hill — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:49:04 -0400

If Glover Teixeira’s hype were a publicly traded stock, then Jim Cramer would be screaming like a madman to buy it bullishly.

Since making the jump to the bright lights of the UFC, Teixeira has slowly built up a head of steam in the light heavyweight division. And in that time, the Brazilian has gone from a relatively unknown entity to a budding star on the world’s biggest MMA stage.

After Teixeira destroyed Fabio Maldonado in his second bout at UFC 153, it appeared that he was set for a collision course with a potential contender.

In the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White told MMA Weekly where Teixeira stood in the division, stating that, “He’s going to have to fight one of the top guys before we start talking about title shots."

In January, Teixeira chalked up a decisive unanimous-decision victory over former light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The fight gave him a win over an opponent with marquee name value, but it would be disingenuous to say that “Rampage” was in top form.

Regardless of this concession, Teixeira’s performance alone should have earned him the opportunity to be paired against a legit top-10 opponent in his next fight.

Originally, Teixeira was supposed to take on Ryan Bader at UFC 160, but Bader pulled out of the fight with an unspecified injury. Now he is scheduled to fight James Te Huna in the third fight of the pay-per-view card.

Te Huna is currently riding a four-fight win streak in the UFC. Most recently, he thumped Ryan Jimmo in a pretty lopsided bout, but that certainly doesn’t put him in the upper echelon of the division.

Okay, so riddle me this, Batman.

If Glover Teixeira is the No. 4 light heavyweight in the UFC’s official standings, then why on God’s green Earth is he fighting the unranked Te Huna?

Even if one believes that Teixeira’s placement is over-inflated, this fight still makes absolutely no sense for him. What does he achieve if he beats Te Huna? Nothing.

At best, it is a lateral move for Teixeira. A victory puts him no closer to getting a crack at the belt. On the other hand, a loss would be devastating to his title hopes, especially given the fact that he’s already 33. This is a no-win situation.

Right now, Teixeira exists in the nebulous world of hype. People are buying into the promise. The Brazilian has shown glimmers of greatness, but it’s impossible to know if it is for real without him actually fighting a top-level guy. Until that happens, everything else is purely conjecture.

The UFC needs to stop messing around and give Teixeira an opponent that will put his skills to the test. Then fans will finally see if he has what it takes to be a serious contender in the light heavyweight division.

A matchup with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua would be perfect follow-up for Teixeira after he runs through Te Huna on Saturday.

“Shogun” is already set to take on Antônio Rogério Nogueira at UFC 161 in June. This fight is a rematch of their battle in the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix quarterfinal.

Teixeira and Rua also already have a “history.” This stems from Rua supposedly stating—according to Dana White in a postfight UFC on FX interview—that he would prefer to be cut from the UFC than fight Teixeira at UFC on FOX 4. Rua disputed that in an interview with Tatame that was reposted on SB Nation.

According to White, the reason “Shogun” and his managers didn’t accept the fight was because:

[Teixeira’s] not top 10. But then we offered him Brandon Vera and he took it in two seconds – and Vera isn't top 10 either.

Rua ended up defeating Vera via TKO in the fourth round.

Now nearly a year later, the two fighters find themselves in similar positions. Teixeira is riding an 18-fight win streak and “Shogun” is sporting a record of 3-4 in his last seven bouts; however, they are in the mix at 205.

The fighters would bring similar styles to the Octagon. They are both effective strikers and submission artists with a combined 36 finishes between them. “Shogun” has been involved in some epic wars over his career, and a fight with Teixeira has all the makings for another classic.

A win over "Shogun" would still probably put Teixeira at least one more quality fight away from a title shot, but it would go a long way in proving that he is more than just hype.

And if Teixeira can finish Rua in spectacular fashion, it will be difficult not to consider him a true force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division.

San Francisco Giants: Offseason Moves the Team Should Have Made Going into 2013

Keely Flanagan — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:21:37 -0400

The San Francisco Giants are off to a winning start. They currently sit at a respectable 26-21 (as of May 22), tied for first in the NL West with the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

However, there are noticeable holes that have only become more noticeable as the season has worn on.

To be fair, hindsight is 20/20. Still, there are moves the Giants' front office could have made in the offseason. Going further, there were signs during spring training that should have clued general manager Brian Sabean into potential problems.

San Francisco is currently in need of a solid backup catcher and another starter in the rotation, with the latter arising before right-hander Ryan Vogelsong fractured his pitching hand on May 20.

The backup catcher issue at first appears to be a minor one. Buster Posey is the reigning NL MVP, after all. Upon further investigation, however, the problem magnifies. Posey is not only the reigning NL MVP, but he is arguably the single most valuable commodity on the Giants. Historically, manager Bruce Bochy favors giving his catchers much-needed rest—and with good reason. Bochy himself played the position and knows full well the physical demands playing behind the plate incurs.

In 2012, the Giants had a solid option in backup catcher Hector Sanchez. Although his defense was still in the development phase, Sanchez added a bat to the lineup. In 2012, Sanchez batted .280 in 227 plate appearances. Sanchez took over catching for an erratic Tim Lincecum, thus lessening Posey's workload as well as his possibility for injury.

Fast-forward to spring training 2013. Sanchez arrived to Arizona out of shape:

Be it his weight issues or other factors, Sanchez fizzled in spring training. His injury-plagued spring opened up the competition for the backup catcher spot. Unfortunately, the competition was not exactly stiff.

Carl Seward of the San Jose Mercury News wrote on March 14:

"The Giants don't have the safety net at catcher they once did. Other than National League MVP Buster Posey and Sanchez, the departed Eli Whiteside was the only other Giants player who saw time behind the plate last season, and that was for a mere three starts and 37 innings."

Currently, the Giants have employed Guillermo Quiroz as their go-to backup catcher. As of May 22, the 31-year-old Quiroz is batting a paltry .214—still higher than his career average of .207. His defense behind the plate leaves much to be desired, and he just does not appear to be a viable option long-term.

Hector Sanchez's absence revealed a gaping hole on the Giants bench. Going one step further, San Francisco's previously impenetrable starting rotation has largely struggled throughout 2013. The last thing a struggling pitcher needs is uncertainty with his partner behind the plate.

Fifth starter Ryan Vogelsong is reportedly out six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his pitching hand, according to The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). While the tough-as-nails right-hander has undergone a dismal start to 2013 (7.19 ERA in nine starts), his absence still leaves a huge void in the starting rotation.

Speaking on who will replace Vogelsong in the very near future, Bochy was vague: "Brian's [Sabean] always looking at things. Right now, we're looking at it internally. That's all we're talking about it."

For the short term, there appear to be two likely options moving forward. MLB.com's Chris Haft writes:

The simplest move would be to move Chad Gaudin from the bullpen to the rotation. The right-hander has made 75 Major League starts and possesses more durability than the average reliever, having pitched three innings or more twice and working between two and three innings seven times. He entered Tuesday with an 0-1 record and a 2.10 ERA in 14 appearances.

The second option resides in Triple-A Fresno: left-hander Mike Kickham. The 24-year-old has the hot hand in the minors and could be given the nod to start in the big leagues.

More important are the long-term effects of Vogelsong's departure. The starting five of Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Vogelsong have been lights out as a unit over the past couple of years. They led the charge (minus Vogelsong) in the Giants' 2010 World Series campaign, and then again in 2012.

And yet, the cracks began to show not in the opening months of 2013, but toward the end of 2012. Vogelsong lost his mojo after the All-Star break, posting a 6.32 ERA in August and a 5.34 ERA in September/October, according to Baseball-Reference. Lincecum had the worst year of his career and one of the worst years of any starting pitcher in all MLB. Bumgarner had a rough patch that extended into the playoffs until fixing his mechanics. Zito excelled in the playoffs, but on the whole, his numbers (except for wins and losses) did not improve much.

Cain and Bumgarner are solid as the rotation's leaders. Lincecum is improving, especially as he regains his control and hits his locations, but his status is still that of a "wild card." Zito is a fine option to anchor a rotation, but is in no way a No. 3-caliber starter. Hopefully, Vogelsong can return to his 2011-12 form after this two-month DL stint, but, if not, the Giants are without a consistent starter for the 3-hole in the rotation.

To reiterate, hindsight is 20/20. The fact remains: There were signs of cracks in the starting rotation. If the Giants want to go deep into the postseason, or even make the postseason, they need another consistent arm in the rotation.

For now, the Giants will work with what they've got. The offense has picked up the slack, and the team has experienced moderate success so far. While the Giants chose to undergo a quiet offseason, some louder moves will need to be made down the stretch.

Everton FC: Complete Stats Guide to the Toffees' 2012-13 Premier League Season

Matt Cheetham — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:10:24 -0400

Everton's 2012-13 Premier League season, the last under David Moyes, is now well and truly consigned to the football annuals of time.

A sixth-placed finish and 63 points may well have been taken by most supporters back in August, but an unfortunate lack of European football and two dismal cup exits will leave a sour taste lingering in the mouths of many.

Several excellent, in-depth analysis of the Toffees' fluctuating fortunes have already been written, highlighting the tactical trends of the season. Following on in this style, here's more of a focus on the individuals, as opposed to the team.

Goalkeeper

We start with a look at Everton's goalkeeper, which, as it has been for the past seven years, was almost entirely Tim Howard. Jan Mucha performed heroics in a memorable win over Manchester City, but the rest of his season was almost completely irrelevant, mirroring his previous three years on Merseyside.

Here's a look at Howard's statistics, compared to his form over the past five seasons:

It's actually quite remarkable how similar Howard's five years have been, but these numbers don't show the American's sporadic production this season. Six clean sheets in his final nine appearances actually glossed over a lengthy bout of inconsistency and rather augmented his final return, as this article highlights.

Initially this campaign was on course to be his worst at Everton, as early-season lapses against Newcastle, Stoke, Norwich and Fulham ultimately cost the Toffees dearly. His five individual errors, all during the first half of the season, are his worst return for the club.

On his game, the American is still one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the division, but there is certainly a need to identify a younger model to develop behind him and eventually replace him with.

Defence

After an uncertain middle period, Everton's defence rallied to finish the year as the top flight's fourth-best unit, conceding just 40 goals. Here's a look the main defensive contributors:

It doesn't take a particularly educated eye to spot the main culprit for the Toffees' poorer spells at the back. Having been awarded the Fans' Player of the Year award last season, to say John Heitinga has disappointed over the past 12 months would be a huge understatement.

He recorded the lowest production in most categories and too often handicapped a side that conceded far more goals with him in defence. Leighton Baines may be slightly disappointed with his overall contribution at the back, although his sensational offensive facets more than atone for this.

In contrast, Seamus Coleman was arguably Everton's most improved player this season. His growing effectiveness is demonstrated by some impressive numbers, especially in the challenge area, while Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka are extremely consistent throughout.

That previously mentioned uncertainly relates to a period between September and January when the Toffees failed to keep a clean sheet in 18 matches. A worrying trait that became particularly prominent during this run was an inability to cope with physical strikers. Only Wigan conceded more headed goals than the Toffees' 15, which is reflected by the aerial duels won column, in which only Distin excels.

Jagielka is exceptional on the ground and in almost all aspects of defending, but perhaps only average in the air. Everton need a towering presence in their left-sided berth to not only complement Jagielka, but also to compensate for Baines' lack of height. Without Distin, Heitinga is not able enough in this department, and too stylistically similar to Jagielka to partner him, ever. An imposing centre-back must be brought in over the summer.

Midfield

Next, here's a look at Everton's midfield men. When looking at scattered numbers like these it must be remembered how different players have different roles to perform. Sometimes these statistics are useful merely in identifying them as opposed to making instant judgements without relevant context:

One of the main issues with the Toffees' midfield was a lack of bite when not in possession. With Marouane Fellaini predominately occupying a forward berth, Leon Osman, Darron Gibson and Phil Neville were generally left responsible for Everton's core.

Gibson produced the worst tackling figures at the club, Osman was dribbled past more than anyone in the Premier League (aside from Santi Cazorla) and Neville's ground duel success is rather awful. In other words, the Toffees were often vulnerable through the middle.

Fellaini reappeared in a deeper role toward the end of the season and, coincidentally, the Toffees only conceded four goals in their last 10 games—although they also scored far less. With the Belgian potentially about to depart the club, a physical, energetic presence should be targeted in midfield.

Elsewhere, Pienaar's exceptional creative production is emphasised here, a return that makes his sometimes sloppy retention skills slightly more forgiveable. With the ball, Osman and Gibson produced fine campaigns, with Gibson's poise and Osman's passing in the final third especially impressive.

Strikers

Attack was Everton's glaring weakness this season, with the Toffees managing at least 10 goals fewer than each of the six sides around them. Too often goals were not registered during dominant passages of play meaning narrow leads were eventually surrendered. Here's a look at the main offenders:

It's hard to summarise Nikica Jelavic's fall from grace. Having started brightly enough, with six goals in 15 games, the Croatian's currently on a demoralising run of just one Premier League goal in 22 games.

While it may have initially had something to do with Fellaini's forward berth, the fact that the Belgian's recently returned to a deeper role dispels, or at least silences that argument for now. After such a bright burst late last season, this year has only brought disappointment, and he now looks completely bereft of confidence.

As a result, he records some pretty dismal figures. He creates the least, wins little in the air, misses the target most often and, crucially, needs more chances to score than any other forward.

Elsewhere, the reason for including Kevin Mirallas here is to reveal his increasing effectiveness in the final third. As well as leading the creative and dribbling stakes, he more than holds his own in the shooting department and is surely a candidate to play behind the striker more frequently next season.

Fellaini enjoyed an outstanding start, with eight goals in 14, but found it hard to maintain the pace. The Belgian was still dominant in the air throughout the year and was his side's most clinical player in the final third. Without producing anything statistically stunning, Victor Anichebe produced his most consistent year in an Everton shirt and can be an effective, physical foil for more subtle players around him.

Best and Worst

To finish, here's a light-hearted look at some of Everton's best and worst statistical performers:

It's impossible to review the season in numbers without mentioning Baines' outstanding creative production. From left-back, the England man fashioned out a mammoth 116 openings for his teammates, the most in the Premier League—by 12—and currently the most in Europe's five major leagues.

He was also the Toffees' top crosser, made the most tackles, had the most touches and played every minute of a season. He was effectively his side's heartbeat and was rightly crowned his club's Player of the Year.

Statistics via EPL Index and WhoScored?

Follow @Matt_Cheetham

Jonathan Dos Santos : Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Peter Brownell — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:00 -0400

Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos 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 Mexican international, along with a few hints as to where he might be playing next summer.

Age: 23

Contract Situation: joined Barcelona in 2012 and is under contract until 2015.

Career Stops: Barcelona (2009-)

Current Campaign: Primera Division—three games; Copa Del Rey—three games.

Video Showreel

Scouting Guide

Dos Santos is a midfielder who plays as an attacking central midfielder for Barcelona and the Mexican national team.

He fits in nicely with Barcelona's tiki-taka style of soccer, competently capable of playing one-touch in tight areas. His distribution is often incisive and he is a very technical player.

Where Next?

With scant playing time this season, all indications are that Dos Santos is on his way out of Barcelona.

Seeking more first-team minutes, the English Premier League club, Liverpool, might well fit the bill as a new home for dos Santos. This piece in the Metro suggests as much at least.

Word from the Mail suggests that both Chelsea and Arsenal could also be potential landing spots for dos Santos as Barcelona try to figure out how to make room to land Gareth Bale.

Regardless of where he ends up, it will be critical for dos Santos' international career to find a club he can play for on a more frequent basis. That will likely be the main motivation behind his decision.

What's Next for Kevin Durant After OKC Thunder 2013 Playoff Exit?

Jimmy Spencer — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:42:01 -0400

Kevin Durant’s season of missed opportunity supports multiple truths that we already knew:

1. Even the most elite of superstars can’t do it alone in today’s NBA.

2. Scoring will never be valued ahead of winning.

3. Durant is still the second-best superstar.

That last detail may be too tart to digest for the league’s sweetheart, considering how much the Oklahoma City Thunder's scorer is "done with" his runner-up baggage, as he said to Sports Illustrated.

But all that feel-good stuff for the 24-year-old, the one who seems like he's already been around for a decade, is ticking toward expiration.

Even if it's still wide open, the window for a title is inevitably closing, and this season proved Durant can't win without sidekick Russell Westbrook.

That’s not harsh; that's the NBA. Excuses don’t carry over in discussions decades later when Hall of Famers are ultimately judged by championships.

Durant dominated offensively in the postseason, averaging 31.8 points after Westbrook went down with a season-ending knee injury in the second game of the first round.

The box score looked fantastic. But so what?

He didn’t succeed late in games when victories were absolutely available. In Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference semifinals versus the Memphis Grizzlies, Durant combined to shoot just 3-of-17 from the field in both fourth quarters and in one overtime. Oklahoma City lost each game by six points.

Spare us all the “he was the only reason the Thunder were close” escapist harmony. LeBron James didn’t get that back in Cleveland.

Durant didn’t come through. It was his moment to overcome the improbable in a way that creates all-time greats. Instead, Durant was awful at 5-of-21 in the Thunder's series-ending Game 5 loss. He had the opportunity to tie that game in the final seconds and missed.

The league’s No. 2 superstar could not return to even second-place without his second guy.

That’s ultimately how his 2012-13 season will be remembered, like it or not.

2012-13 by the Numbers

The season that ended too abruptly for the league's finest scorer also came with the end of three consecutive scoring titles. Durant finished with a scoring average of 28.1 points, just a smidge behind Anthony's 28.7-point average.

Other than that, it was buckets per usual for the 6’9” try-and-stop-this, box-score magician.He finished second in Most Valuable Player voting to James, receiving 93 out 121 second-place votes.

Durant didn't catch that elusive No. 1 spot, but he did claim the second-highest-scoring season of his career and balanced it with a career-high 4.6 assists, which by the way was second-highest for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City finished first in the Western Conference standings, and, yes, second overall behind the Miami Heat.

No championship yet, but Durant’s postseason numbers were quite ridiculous despite his late-game failings versus Memphis. In 11 playoff games, he averaged 30.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 44.1 minutes per game. As the singular focus of a thinned-out lineup, Durant still shot 45.5 percent.

What They're Saying

There’s nothing wrong with being a good guy; there’s no requirement that says winning a title is only accomplished by being a hardwood punk.

The “not nice” marketing campaign is relevant only to selling apparel.

Still, the clean image continues to follow Durant, even as he nicely barked a little during exit interviews after the Thunder’s second-round exit.

Durant was asked if he felt the 2012-13 season was "wasted," a sentiment expressed once before by Godfather superstar Kobe Bryant after seasons that didn't end with a title.

According to DailyThunder.com, Durant said:

I don’t give a damn. I’m going to be who I’m going to be...I’m not Kobe Bryant. I’m not Michael Jordan. I’m not LeBron James. I’m not Magic Johnson. I’m me. I’m not ever going to compromise myself and my integrity and what I believe in for winning some basketball games or winning a championship. That’s just not how I was brought up. I’m always going to fight for the game I love.

I’m going to claw until the last buzzer sounds and if I win a championship, of course I’ll be happy. I’m not satisfied to be in this league and losing, I’m going to work as hard as I can to get to that mountaintop. I enjoy playing the game, I enjoy being here, but I’m never [sic] come out to the media and say I wasted a year because we lost a championship. Like I said, I don’t have to be Kobe Bryant.

It’s hard to decode what Durant is getting at when he says he won’t compromise his integrity to win a championship. It’s subtly insinuates that the guys he mentions did.

It would have been interesting to hear Durant expand on what exactly he meant, or perhaps the quote can simply be credited to misinterpreted thought.

Either way, what he's saying there doesn't add up with what he's already said.

Stock Watch

For Durant to say he doesn’t “give a damn”? C’mon.

Of course Durant cares. He's the one who said he was tired of being second. He's the one who vocalized his distaste for being the second-best player out of high school, second in the NBA draft and second in MVP voting.

He cares. And so do 99 percent of all NBA fans who qualify superstars against one another, past and present.

Even if Durant truly doesn’t “give a damn,” well fine; that doesn’t mean the comparisons will cease. Expectations for the great ones will always be overly scrutinized.

Durant is awarded patience by popular opinion mostly because of his young age and a humble attitude that never guaranteed immediate championships.

Obviously Westbrook’s injury led to a backward step after an early arrival last season.

Contract Situation

Durant signed a five-year deal for $86 million in the 2010 offseason that will carry him through the 2015-16 season.

Between Durant's paycheck and Westbrook’s deal that extends through 2016-17, the Thunder have an unshakeable core—if not for further injuries—through at least the next three seasons.

By not tying up all its money with a third big-money contract for James Harden, the small-market franchise has left financial room to operate moving forward.

If the team can continue to stay in a healthy financial situation, it will only prolong Durant’s window of winning a title. Durant and Westbrook are both 24 years old and Serge Ibaka is 23 years old.

Projected 2013-14 Stat Line

27.8 PPG / 8.3 RPG / 5.2 APG / 52 FG% / 42 3PT%

Durant upped his assists to 6.3 in the postseason, a clear effect of guiding more Oklahoma City possessions without the presence of Westbrook.

Durant has already dropped hints that he would like to become more of a complete player in the NBA, and he showcased that in the postseason.

Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman quoted Durant:

“I can do a lot more,” Durant during the conference semifinals. “It's always things you can do more. I talk to one of my good friends and he said no matter how good you're playing you always can do more.

“That's how I look at it. I just got to find ways to help them out and put them in great positions and continue to just be a vocal leader, a positive leader on the bench and every single time down the court and we'll be fine.”

Durant’s ability to create shots through his unmatchable length will always remain. His true shooting percentage of 64.7 percent this past regular season was the highest of his career.

As his scoring maintains, Durant will naturally shift defensive pressure away from teammates. As he develops a greater veteran lens, his ability to read defenses will naturally create added assists. His long body creates automatic passing lanes.

The Crystal Ball Says...

The pressure will begin to mount.

The wealth of an NBA franchise can spoil quickly and dramatically. Even the infallible can fall suddenly, as was the case when Westbrook went down.

Durant lost a season because of a teammate’s injury.

The outpouring of love for Durant still exists, but the demand to win a title will eventually devour even the most adored superstar. He’s already showing frustration in his role as the league’s deputy MVP.

If Durant and the Thunder fall short again next season, how long will the fickle sports world remain patient?

How long will Durant himself remain patient?

Durant will return for the 2013-14 with a heightened sense of urgency.

With a roster that will includes Westbrook and the potential of another scorer added in the offseason, the Thunder will return to the NBA Finals.

From there, Durant will have the chance to finally ascend to No. 1.

Follow @JimmySpencerNBA

Why We Want to See Mark Hunt Earn a Title Shot with a Win over Junior Dos Santos

Dustin Filloy — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:36:20 -0400

Two years ago, the prospect of watching hard-hitting heavyweights Mark Hunt and former UFC champ Junior dos Santos lock horns in the Octagon seemed like a far-fetched proposition.

Hunt had just snapped a six-fight losing skid with his first win in the UFC, while “Cigano,” was riding an impressive seven-fight winning streak that included five victories via knockout in the UFC.

But the once down-and-out Hunt has evolved radically in the last two years, revitalizing and ultimately transforming his volatile career with four straight wins.

His good fortune has landed him in an advantageous position that few envisioned him leveraging two years ago.

Hunt will square off with Cigano on Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 160 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White has deemed the bout a de facto heavyweight title eliminator.

Since rendering Chris Tuchscherer unconscious at UFC 127 for his first win with the company, Hunt’s reeled off notable wins over Ben Rothwell (unanimous decision), Cheick Kongo (TKO) and Stefan Struve (TKO).

Hunt broke Struve’s jaw with a vicious leaping left hook in the third round of their enthralling fight at UFC on Fuel TV 8 to help his popularity reach new heights. The win also garnered him "Knockout of the Night" honors and catapulted “The Super Samoan” to No. 9 on the UFC’s heavyweight rankings.

Hunt, who decisioned the likes of Wanderlei Silva and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships, had already built a loyal allegiance of fans before joining the UFC.

With one-punch knockout power, sound technical striking chops and a jaw of steel, The Super Samoan represents the prototypical fighter that spectators of all walks of life can pull for.

Hunt also sports a Rocky-like persona that spawned when he began training after being discovered at a street fight outside a nightclub in Auckland, New Zealand.

Not only does The Super Samoan consistently invite a violent, back-and-forth brand of stand-up brawl, he also opposes most forms of ground fighting—unless of course he's in a dominant spot to strike in the top position.

If Hunt can continue to develop a defensive grappling prowess, then The Super Samoan could realistically threaten the UFC's heavyweight strap, regardless of who's holding it.

First, however, Hunt must get through the man that many considered indestructible before his last bout against champ Cain Velasquez at UFC 155.

Before getting brutalized and dropping a unanimous decision to Velasquez in their rematch, Dos Santos terrorized the UFC's heavyweight division winning nine straight fights, seven by way of knockout.

Cigano's dynamic skill set has influenced the oddsmakers to deem him a significant favorite to best Hunt. In fact, Bovada.com has named Dos Santos a 4.5-to-1 favorite (-450) to prevail at UFC 160.

He may not carry the oddsmakers' blessings, but that never stopped Hunt from pulling off an upset over a seemingly unbeatable opponent in the past.

One thing's certain, however; as long as Hunt continues to live the life of a head-hunter, The Super Samoan will always have a large contingency of fans behind him—win or lose.

Chicago Bulls' Step-by-Step Guide to the Offseason

Mike B. — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:22:46 -0400

If you’re hoping for an exciting Chicago Bulls offseason, you’ll be deeply disappointed.

The team doesn’t have the money to sign a top-notch free agent, and it's not going to pull off any blockbuster trades.

There has been speculation, a la Grantland's Bill Simmons, of a deal that would send the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love to Chicago. While a squad featuring Derrick Rose, Love and Joakim Noah would be fun to watch, a major transaction like that just isn’t in the cards for the Bulls.

Rose and Noah are basically untouchable. Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler aren’t going anywhere either unless a trade offer emerges that the Bulls can’t turn down.

Also, Carlos Boozer won’t be amnestied, especially after a solid season. The Bulls could let him go next summer, though.

Will Nate Robinson or Marco Belinelli be bought back? What about Nazr Mohammed?

And who should the Bulls draft with their first-round pick—a center or shooting guard?

This slideshow lists the team’s offseason decisions in the order they will be addressed as well as how they will be handled.

Begin Slideshow

Power Ranking the Most Talented College Football Families

Jonathan McDanal — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:21:26 -0400

There are plenty of familiar names running around college football fields today, but some are recognizable to more than just one age group of fans.

From the glory days to the modern era, some families have etched their name on each generation of college football. Some families simply have a lot of talent loaded into one generation.

While everyone on the list is definitely talented, here is the ranking of each of the top 10 families in college football history.

Begin Slideshow

What Philadelphia 76ers Roster Will Look Like with and Without Andrew Bynum

Zachary Arthur — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:15:55 -0400

The looming question surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers is what will end up happening with Andrew Bynum and their roster.

Bynum is now a free agent after bowling his knees off to never see the court this past season, and Philadelphia is forced to pull out a Shakespeare quote:

"To re-sign or not to re-sign, that is the question." Well, it was something like that.

The Sixers will have to weigh every option and take a complete look at who they want on their roster for this coming year.

Let's take a look at what would happen if he were on the team and if he wasn't on the team for the 2013-14 season.

Free Agency

With Bynum:

There isn't much to say here. If Philadelphia truly believes that Bynum will be able to get back to full strength and help the organization, then there is a good chance that they'll end up attempting to sign him.

They will be getting a center with a defensive presence, unique body control throughout the paint and severe attitude problems. He is an absolute animal when he is injury-free. So much of an animal that it often overrides any personality issues that arise.

Signing a healthy Bynum would be a good move for the team, but it also leaves them with next-to-no money for remaining free agents. They would be stuck signing veterans and low-level players to minimum contracts.

Without Bynum:

This is where a pretty uneventful free agency would turn fun. It isn't because of the number of available players or because of their talent level.

It is because of Philly's ability to spend money to get who they want.

The Sixers struggled with consistent bench scoring, so look for that to be one of their main points of interest. A number of potential free agents come to mind, but be on the lookout for players like O.J. Mayo and Nate Robinson. These are players who are able to change the landscape of a game by only playing around 25-30 minutes a night.

Next up on this list is rebounding. Paul Millsap and Josh Smith are going to be heavily pursued, but there is a low probability of landing either one. That makes Philadelphia look toward players a tier down like DeJuan Blair or Emeka Okafor. A big name isn't needed to fill this position, just somebody who can go and get a rebound.

Last but not least is that veteran big man. Last year, Philly went with Kwame Brown, and it feels like every team ends up picking one up. It wouldn't be a surprise to see somebody like Samuel Dalembert get an offer as he has maintained some level of productivity throughout the years, and he used to play on the Sixers.

Philadelphia will be able to examine the free-agent field and extend money to those that fit best.

Rotation

With Bynum:

Having Bynum on the team only helps if he is able to play.

Something he wasn't able to do once last year.

With that in mind, we're going to assume that he is healthy and ready to go when we talk about what Philly's rotation would look like with him in it.

Starters

Bench

Spencer Hawes, C
Jason Richardson, SG
Damien Wilkins, SG
Kyle Korver, SF
Lavoy Allen, PF/C
Justin Holiday, PG
Draft Pick, PG
Draft Pick C

This rotation assumes that the Sixers will go with a point guard and a center in this year's draft, though that is still to be determined.

The key to the rotation is that Bynum will require some kind of larger contract, limiting what Philadelphia will be able to do in free agency. There isn't going to be much spending money after signing him, so they'll need to pick their other acquisitions carefully.

One type of acquisition that should be a sure signing is some kind of shooter. Above, we have Kyle Korver filling that role as he has played in Philadelphia before, but that person could be anybody. It's all about finding a wing who can knock down perimeter jump shots, so it'll be interesting to see who ends up as that guy.

You also may have noticed Arnett Moultrie moving into the starting role. The Sixers next coach will see Moultrie and what kind of talent he has. He wasn't given much of a shot last season, but he always produced when he saw the court. An advantage to starting Moultrie is that Philly moves Thaddeus Young back to his natural position of small forward.

There is no point in overstating it, but this rotation will only work if Bynum is healthy. The Sixers are almost guaranteed to have a repeat of last year if he isn't.

Without Bynum:

Playing without Bynum on the team is something Philadelphia is all too familiar with, so there won't be much of a transition here.

The Sixers will look to round out their troubled areas by signing a big man, backup point guard and somebody who can score off the bench.

Starters

Jrue Holiday, PG
Jason Richardson, SG
Evan Turner, SF
Thaddeus Young, PF
Spencer Hawes, C

Bench

Nate Robinson, PG
DeJuan Blair, PF
Samuel Dalembert, C
Arnett Moultrie, PF
Damien Wilkins, SG
Lavoy Allen, PF/C
Draft Pick, PG
Draft Pick, C

Picking up Robinson, Blair and Dalembert would address all of their concerns. The other great thing about it is that there is a strong chance that the Sixers would have some money left over that they could play with and end up picking up another player.

The negative aspects of this rotation immediately stand out, though.

Young playing the power forward position means that he'll be able to hold his own, but he just won't be as effective as he could be. Hawes didn't play terrible basketball this past year, however, he never played consistent enough and proved that he shouldn't be in a starting lineup. The most important issue with this rotation is having Turner playing out of position at small forward.

We all know how that recently worked out for the team.

With negatives come positives, and there are is a big one here. Not having Bynum allows the Sixers to give their rookies more minutes. There is a good chance that Philadelphia's lottery pick will be good enough to play but not to start, so easing him into his playing time will be a good thing.

Playing Style

With Bynum:

The 2012-13 Sixers' playing style would have been perfect if Bynum would have been playing. Instead, it felt like the team was running a style for a man who would never end up being there.

Having a healthy Bynum would prevent Philadelphia from having to change much.

Holiday would still be the decision-maker, but now, he would have a reliable inside presence. There would be much more in-and-out basketball, meaning the Sixers would have a guy who draws people into the paint, only to be able to kick it back out for a good look.

Defensively, the entire team would be able to play more intense defense. Everything from guarding the ball to denying passing lanes would be stepped up a notch.

All because they would have Bynum there to protect the basket if one of them got beat.

Bynum's presence would allow Philadelphia to play similar basketball, but at a much more efficient rate.

Without Bynum:

It would be time to revamp the Sixers' style of play without Bynum on the team.

They are already full of younger players with the ability to get out in transition and make plays happen, but they never seem to capitalize on this fact. A high-tempo, up-and-down offense would be necessary, seeing as how they have the athletes to do it.

Using their athleticism would also be beneficial on defense. The team could use a mix of man and zone to force bad shots and turnovers that would lead to what?

You guessed it, transition offense.

There is no point in not using your athletes to their full capability, and that would be the necessary move if Bynum weren't with the Sixers next season.

Only time will tell, though.

To-Do List for Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry to Return Better Next Season

Scott Burns — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:15:46 -0400

Steph Curry lit up the scoreboard and the national fans’ attention spans with dominant playoff performances, but he still has a to-do list to become even better next season.

Curry is arguably the best pure shooter in today’s NBA game, and he will work to improve on his shot selection and his ability to move off screens, since he is now one of the top 10 players in the Association.

With him propelling into stardom, teams will be focusing on limiting his movement and forcing him into close quarters. Curry will need to break through double-teams, use his brilliant ball-handling skills and use his vision to create opportunities for him and his teammates.

Getting Stronger

The first item on his to-do list is to get stronger and strengthen both of his ankles. As you can remember from the playoffs, he hurt his non-surgically repaired ankle, and it significantly limited his mobility in the San Antonio series.

The strength will help Curry play and grind out the extra minutes that he will be playing next season. The stronger each ankle gets from conditioning and hours in the weight room, the better off he will be going into the late season and the playoffs.

He can’t majorly bulk up, or he will lose some of his quickness, but if he can add strength to his frame, he can continue to drive to the center of the court and take on other teams’ bigs. He has perfected his floater as you can see in the video below.

Curry is very creative when he drives to the basket, but the major missing ingredient is that he doesn’t get the fouls and hasn’t generated enough trips to the line.

Finding His Way to the Foul Line

If he can start getting the fouls, and his rising ascension around the league will help, Curry is a deadly shooter at the charity stripe. He shot 90 percent from the line, but he only earned 291 free throws, ranking him 42nd in the league and 12th versus point guards with an average of 3.7 attempts per game.

When he became the “guy” in the playoffs, Curry only averaged 3.2 free throws per game. Yes, he converted at a 92.1 percent rate, but he could have used at least four or five more free trips. In the same number of games (12), Memphis Grizzlies’ point guard Mike Conley has averaged 6.8 attempts per game.

The strength will help show the league that Curry isn’t someone who is afraid of the contact and won’t always be in a position to pass the ball when contact is near. However, he is a very creative passer, as evidenced by his assist to Carl Landry below.

Curry dribbles around and draws the defenders up before he spots Landry near the baseline. He lofts a pass that only Landry can catch, and Landry converts on the play.

Increasing His Assists

Passing is a strength of his game, but he needs to continue to develop the skill before the start of next season. Curry needs to have a 360-degree awareness at all times, so that he can make transition passes, start the pick-and-roll with Andrew Bogut or David Lee and find the open man when he draws more than one defender.

The focus on passing will further enhance his shooting ability, because defenders will have to react to Curry, instead of focusing on just his shot or his dribble-drive penetration. Curry can’t fall into the habit of just relying on his shooting ability.

During the season, Curry averaged 6.9 APG, which ranked him 13th among point guards. In the playoffs, he stepped it up a notch as he dished out 8.1 dimes per game. If he can bring that type of consistency to next season, he is one step closer to becoming one of the league’s best players.

Limiting the Turnovers

Curry has outstanding ball-handling skills, but he can give up easy turnovers here and there. The ankle problems have increased the occasional turnover at times, but this is one area that he really needs to focus on this summer.

He finished the season ranked tied for 180th place in the NBA with former Warrior Monta Ellis by committing 3.1 turnovers per game. Yes, Curry has the ball in his hands more than most players, but he finished tied for 39th place out of 43 point guards.

He can’t force the ball when nobody is open. He needs to survey the floor and kick the ball back to a wing or Andrew Bogut, if he is hanging out near the top of the arc.

On this play, Curry has the ball batted away, which leads to an easy conversion by the San Antonio Spurs.

Combining his assists with his turnovers, Curry has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.25, which ranks him 35th among point guards. Top-tier point guard, Chris Paul has an AST/TO ratio of 4.26.

If he can increase his assists and lower his turnovers, Curry will help the Warriors win more close games and pad his star status.

Becoming More of a Defensive Presence

Coach Mark Jackson and assistant coach Mike Malone have reinvented the culture of the Warriors with an intense defensive focus. Curry is a good defender, but there is a lot of room for improvement.

Hopefully with a full offseason without any surgery, Curry can improve his lateral quickness. Against the Spurs, he didn’t have what it took since he was hobbled by his ankles.

Tony Parker dribbles around Curry, gets him off balance and forces him to reach with the foul. As you can see from the remainder of the highlights, Curry is running very slowly and he can’t use his legs to break through the screens.

When he returns next season, he will need to use his new strength and quickness to get between his man and the basket, while he breaks through and avoids players trying to shield him from the play.

He needs to be more effective off the ball where he can fill passing lanes to deflect passes and be in the right position for medium to long rebounds. He also needs to finish plays and not give up if the ball isn’t in his vicinity for a period of time.

Ideally, he should have a sit-down with Chris Mullin, who was known for wearing out his opponents on both sides of the floor.

Curry has a solid foundation in place, and if he can strengthen and condition his body during the summer, he will be an even better player next season. He can isolate and pay particular attention to his weaknesses, Curry could very well move into MVP consideration.

We saw during Game 1 versus the Spurs what Curry can provide.

If Curry can provide this type of consistent play all season, his teammates will benefit from an open floor, and the win total should continue to increase. He can also become a certified All-Star and build on the Warriors' championship dreams.

The Most Electric Red Sox Pitchers of the Last 50 Years

Saul Wisnia — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:10:33 -0400

In leading the Red Sox to victory in Chicago during the final game of a nine-game road trip last night, Clay Buchholz ran his early-season record to 7-0.

The wiry right-hander's white-hot start, which includes a 1.73 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 72.2 innings, is one of the best in franchise history. It also has Red Sox fans wondering, is Buchholz ready to join the list of elite pitchers in Red Sox annals?

These are the guys who didn't just win big games, but had the ballpark buzzing before they even walked in from the bullpen.

Today's Sox in Six focuses on the most electric Red Sox pitchers of the past half-century (in chronological order):

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Updated NBA Playoff Superstar Rankings: How Conference Finals Are Shaking It Up

Adam Fromal — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:08:56 -0400

The players populating these updated NBA playoff superstar rankings are so close to a championship that they can taste it. Well, maybe some of them are still using their noses rather than their taste buds, but the point still stands.

We're into the conference finals now, so only players from four teams—the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs—are still eligible for the rankings.

This round features a number of incredible individual matchups. Tony Parker and Mike Conley are going head-to-head out on the perimeter. Marc Gasol and Tim Duncan are banging bodies in the paint. LeBron James and Paul George are doing everything they can to embarrass each other on both ends of the court.

So, who's emerging out of the pack? Has anyone dethroned the league MVP? How are things changing from last week's edition?

You'll have to read on to find out.

Note: All stats, unless otherwise noted, come from ESPN and Basketball-Reference.com and are current through Tuesday, May 21. Performances from Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals were accounted for.

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Breaking Down the Biggest Keys to Another Alabama Football National Championship

Charlie Potter — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:46:31 -0400

The University of Alabama is on top of the college football world, after winning its third national championship is four years, and it will look to do the unthinkable and win a third consecutive title in the upcoming season.

But the Crimson Tide are not invincible to obstacles that every program faces during the offseason. No, Alabama must overcome the departures of several key contributors and groom inexperienced players into elite playmakers before the Tide's Aug. 31 matchup with Virginia Tech.

There are pieces already in place for Alabama to reach the same level it met in 2012, but there are still aspects of the game that need to be addressed before head coach Nick Saban and Co. can begin to think about the coveted three-peat.

Here, we break down the biggest keys for Alabama to obtain yet another national championship.

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Paul George Says He Wishes Hibbert Played in Key Game 1 OT Possessions

Jesse Dorsey — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:35:39 -0400

LeBron James blew by Paul George for the game-winning layup in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the help defense for the Indiana Pacers never showing up, Roy Hibbert sitting 25 feet away on the bench.

It was one of the most criticized moves of the game, Frank Vogel deciding to go with Tyler Hansbrough over Hibbert for the final play.

Hansbrough, George, David West, George Hill and Sam Young were on the court for the play, and when LeBron got the best of George, the only person down low to help out was the 6'6" Young.

LeBron scored and the Pacers lost.

Vogel's reasoning behind benching Hibbert was centered around Chris Bosh's ability to hit a jumper.

"That's the dilemma...when they have Bosh at the five...his ability to space the floor." -Vogel
— KJ_NBA (@KJ_NBA) May 23, 2013

He definitely makes sense, as the fleet-footed Hansbrough is a better option than Hibbert to chase Bosh around on a single possession, but you can't overcompensate for a team's third option when its first option is LeBron James.

Similarly, on the first go-ahead layup that LeBron hit in overtime, George was on the floor with Hill, Lance Stephenson, Young and West, Hibbert chilling on the bench.

The reaction from most was utter shock that Vogel left Hibbert on the bench for those two huge plays, especially since LeBron scored at the rim on both plays.

George wished Roy Hibbert was on the floor at the end: "Yeah, I think we all would. 100 percent he would've been there."
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) May 23, 2013

Thankfully for the bamboozled Pacers fans, Vogel is man enough to admit when he's made a mistake.

Pacers Coach Frank Vogel on Roy Hibbert at the end of the game: "I would say we'll probably have him in next time."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 23, 2013

Besides the desire for Hibbert to be in the game late, there was one other big takeaway from George's press conference.

You know what the problem is when you wear a silly shirt to a basketball game?

Paul George postgame podium look: twitter.com/BeyondTheBuzze…
— Beyond The Buzzer(@BeyondTheBuzzer) May 23, 2013

When you look like this, it's hard to get much sympathy from the people watching.

Next time these two meet, let's all hope for a lot more crunch-time Hibbert and a lot fewer amoebas on shirts.

Ranking the Top 10 Free Agent Left Wingers Available This Offseason

Tyler Donohue — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:33:40 -0400

Though the spotlight currently shines squarely on Stanley Cup playoff action, it's never to early to take a peek down the road and reassess rosters in preparation for the offseason. Players from across the globe will be up for grabs.

Some seek solely money, while others are doggedly pursuing elusive Stanley Cup titles. For squads in need of a left winger, there are a variety of options to chose from.

Here we take a look toward free agency with a rundown of top available left wing standouts.

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