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Big-Money MLB Free-Agent Acquisitions Making the Worst First Impressions

Gabe Zaldivar — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:22:06 -0400

Well, it seemed like a good idea.

That may very well be the sentiment creeping through a number of MLB front offices at the moment when discussing names like Edwin Jackson, Josh Hamilton or B.J. Upton.

While it’s still early in the season, there have been enough games played to push the panic button on some of the biggest free-agent acquisitions this offseason.

Join MLB Lead Writer Zach Rymer and MLB Contributor Gabe Zaldivar as they break down the busts who were the talk of free-agent circles just a few months ago.

These guys are getting paid millions to hit into double plays and whiff at the plate. It’s time we alert you to the matter.

Of course, you might think every last one of these guys was unfairly criticized; by all means let us know in the section below. There have been plenty of early flops this season, so leave those down there as well.

Follow Zach on Twitter at: @zachrymer

Follow Gabe on Twitter at: @gabezal

French Open Tennis 2013: Championship Odds and Predictions for Top Contenders

Nick McCarvel — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:17:10 -0400

The tennis world descends on the City of Love in a sport where players aim to be loveless for the second major of the year: the French Open at Roland Garros. In tennis, love means nothing, and it's a score every player wants to avoid, no matter the cost.

Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are no doubt the favorites. Serena's won 24 matches in a row while Rafa's streak stands at 15 after he bounced back from his first loss in Monte Carlo after claiming the tournament a jaw-dropping eight years in a row.

But who can drop some jaws in Paris? Maria Sharapova is the defending women's champion, and over the past year, Victoria Azarenka has proven that she is perhaps the biggest threat to Serena's solid grip of power. Novak Djokovic has said it is his biggest goal of 2013 to win the French, while Roger Federer sits safely on the other side of the draw from his two biggest rivals.

We'll take a look at the top players' draws at Roland Garros while placing odds on how they'll perform and breaking down just what they'll have to do to win seven straight on the grueling, unforgiving red clay.

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Roy Hibbert's Performance Around the Rim Will Be Biggest Key for Pacers vs. Heat

Patrick Clarke — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:11:02 -0400

While Paul George's ability to match LeBron James' output on the offensive end is crucial to the Indiana Pacers' chances of taking out the Miami Heat and advancing to the NBA Finals this summer, Roy Hibbert's play around the rim is the biggest key of all for Frank Vogel's squad.

You can't turn on the television without hearing someone second-guessing Vogel and his decision to leave Hibbert on the bench at the end of Game 1.

And while it is far too late to ask "what if?" there's definitely a strong case to be made as to why Hibbert should have been in the game. Either way, you can bet he'll be standing tall in the paint if Indiana finds itself in a similar situation down the road.

A Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2012-13, Hibbert has emerged as one of the top interior defenders in the game today. While his offensive game is still developing, Hibbert's shot-blocking and rebounding prowess has made him a key player for Indiana.

Now, those attributes make him the key to a potential NBA Finals berth.

In their Eastern Conference finals series with the Heat, the Pacers will need to call upon Hibbert more often on both ends of the court. The reason is simple. Miami doesn't possess a post scorer or defender who can score on Hibbert or consistently stop him from scoring.

Establishing Hibbert early on the offensive end is a great way to get the big fella going and to perhaps put Miami in early foul trouble.

Plus, if Hibbert is involved in the offense, it's nearly impossible for him not to be on the defensive end. In addition to averaging 14.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this postseason, Hibbert is averaging 2.5 blocked shots per game in these playoffs.

He blocked 19 shots in six games against the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals.

There's definitely no questioning Hibbert's effort out on the floor either. A poor stretch of play on offense isn't going to make him invisible on defense.

Therefore, Hibbert's performance around the rim, both offensively and defensively will be pivotal for the Pacers the rest of the way against the Heat. While Chris Bosh's perimeter-oriented game can give Hibbert trouble, Bosh has no answers for Indiana's big man on the other end.

The former Georgetown star is the one player who can exploit Miami's seemingly one and only weakness. After all, without Hibbert on board, the Pacers wouldn't have ranked first and second in the NBA in rebounds (45.9 per game) and points allowed (90.7 per game) respectively this past regular season.

Roy Hibbert scored 19 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and picked up nine rebounds in Wednesday's gut-wrenching Game 1 loss in South Beach. And considering the question being asked is how Indiana blew what should have been a series-opening victory, that level of production from the fifth-year center is enough to power the Pacers past the Heat.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Grizzlies' Tony Allen Fined $5,000 for Clutch Game 2 Flop

Grant Hughes — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:06:43 -0400

The NBA has come down hard on the Memphis Grizzlies' Tony Allen, fining him a cool $5,000 for his acting job after Manu Ginobili spilled him to prevent a layup with 26 seconds left in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

In the immediate aftermath, just about everyone was skeptical about Allen's reaction. The Grizzlies guard practically went into convulsions on the court, grabbing his head and writhing around like he'd been seriously injured.

Soccer fans, you know exactly what I'm talking about. All that was missing was some guy running in from the sidelines and spritzing Allen down with a little water bottle.

The play was called a Flagrant 1, so credit Allen for recognizing the currently protective stance the NBA is taking on all hard fouls and selling the contact at a crucial time in the game.

It's a shame that there are rewards for these kinds of plays nowadays (the Grizzlies got a pair of free throws and the ball, which allowed them to take the game to overtime), but it's also a good thing that the league is retroactively punishing overzealous acting jobs.

Don't worry, though, Allen will probably be able to afford the fine by supplementing his income in Hollywood.

Also, it might not be fair to completely rule out the notion that Allen really did hit his head. Apparently, we've got the NBA equivalent of the Zapruder film, which shows that Allen might have actually hurt himself.

Of course, it's also possible there were some residual effects from something like this:

It seems unlikely, though. And if Allen really did manage to bang his head on the floor after being dragged down by his left arm, that must have been one magic flagrant foul by Ginobili. (That last part was a blatant excuse to link to this video). I will not apologize.

Anyhow, all's well that ends well. The Spurs went on to win the game, negating the advantage Allen gained by flopping, and now the league has penalized the Grizzlies guard. If only the NBA could just get these things right in real time, we'd finally be getting somewhere.

Manchester City vs. Chelsea: International Friendly Odds, Preview and Prediction

Kevin Stott — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:57:23 -0400

Who: Chelsea FC vs. Manchester City FC

What: International friendly

Where: Yankee Stadium, New York (Bronx), New York, USA

When: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Weather: The Weather Channel forecast

Time: 21:30 GMT/5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT

TV: Fox Soccer Channel, FOX Deportes (US), ESPN UK / HD (UK)

Worldwide TV Coverage: LiveSoccerTV.com

Radio: SiriusXM SIRI channel 94 (Internet 94)

Odds: Chelsea +155, Manchester City +150, Draw +265

Source: LVH SuperBook (Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)

Chelsea and Manchester City wrap up their two-game, end-of-season international friendly series on Saturday when the two English Premier League giants meet in Yankee Stadium in New York City.

By the time the match starts, Chelsea will no longer be able to say it's both the reigning UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League trophy holders with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund playing for the former honor at London's Wembley Stadium (CL final preview link) earlier in the day (FOX, 2:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. PT).

As was obvious in City's 4-3 come-from-behind win in St. Louis on Thursday, club friendlies like these are usually high-scoring affairs, with neither side really caring about getting the win or having to try to earn the three points.

Many players coming up in clubs' systems get a chance to play in matches like these and these games give managers and management a chance to see how these guys fare on the big stage.

The Blues led 3-0 in the second half when outgoing interim manager Rafael Benítez replaced goalkeeper Petr Čech with Jamal Blackman, and the 19-year-old quickly allowed a goal before you could even say "Roman Abramovich is a mad Russian oligarch," making Chelsea fans happy to remember they have Thibaut Courtois waiting in the wings on loan at Atlético de Madrid.

With the win, the Sky Blues improved to 4-1-0 against the Europa League champions in their five meetings this year and from a wagering standpoint, taking City at +150 here in Gotham City seems like the logical thing to do, even if you're a Chelsea fan.

The big news in the City camp this week actually came out on Tuesday when Major League Soccer announced that the Sky Blues are actually teaming up with the Yankees—who will be minority owners—to create Major League Soccer's 20th franchise, called New York City FC or NYC FC.

The new club will begin play in 2015.

As far as Saturday's game in The House That Ruth Built—aptly nicknamed for famed Yankees slugger Babe Ruth for those who may not know—Chelsea fans should expect to see Frank Lampard play, as the Blues vice-captain did not get in on Thursday.

Two Chelsea youngsters who really impressed with their play in that game were César Azpilicueta, who played the right wing and converted on a penalty kick, and central midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who should one day make the club's first team.

Despite the deceiving scoreline, City absolutely dominated Chelsea in the Gateway City and had Čech not been in goal for so long, the Blues could have been thoroughly embarrassed, even if it was just a completely meaningless friendly.

And whereas an NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings in London's Wembley Stadium—the two teams will meet there on Sept. 29—may not spark the kind of interest on of this side of the pond as one would think, these international friendlies that are held stateside with clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, City and Real Madrid really show how many hidden and intelligent soccer fans dwell in the United States.

As mentioned, from a betting point of view, taking City with the healthy plus (+150) seems pretty wise, and although not offered at the LVH SuperBook here in Sin City, seeking out a total at a European or offshore sportsbook and playing the over is also a very strong angle.

Whatever happens, both clubs will definitely be glad their grueling schedules have finally come to an end and that they can finally get some much-needed offseason rest.

PREDICTION: Manchester City 4, Chelsea 2

BET: Manchester City +150

Follow me on Twitter: @KevinStott11.

Novak Djokovic Needs to Regain Consistency to Win 2013 French Open

Joseph Zucker — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:57:16 -0400

Don't be fooled by the rankings. Despite being the No. 1 player in the world, Novak Djokovic shouldn't be considered the favorite for the 2013 French Open.

Djokovic lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters and fell to the unranked Grigor Dimitrov in the second round of the Madrid Open. Of course, prior to those defeats, the Djoker won the Australian Open and knocked off Rafael Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters.

On the whole, it's been a pretty nice 2013 for him.

Unfortunately for Djokovic, his bad run of momentum couldn't come at a worse time.

Roland Garros is the only Grand Slam beast the Djoker has yet to slay. His best showing was last year when he lost to Rafael Nadal in the final. Djokovic has also made the semifinals on three occasions (2007, 2008 and 2011).

When you couple that history at the tournament with his rather underwhelming buildup to the French Open, you've got a vulnerable top seed, at least as vulnerable as he can be.

When he's at his best, the Djoker is the best player in the world. He'll need to be at that level if he has any hope of winning his first French Open, especially considering whom he could meet in the semifinal, according to Sky Sports Tennis:

Whether it's on grass, clay or hard court, Djokovic remains a strong player. It's one of the biggest reasons he's the top player in the world. Unlike Nadal, Andy Murray or Roger Federer, there isn't one surface that has been an Achilles' heel.

The problem for Djokovic is that Nadal is playing so well right now that the top seed has to be at the peak of his game in order to knock the Spaniard off. You can possibly write off the past two tournaments as nothing more than anomalies.

But at the end of the day, Nadal's track record at Roland Garros is too great to overlook. Plus, Nadal has been very good since making his return to the court.

There is that loss to Djokovic in Monte Carlo, but it's been a pretty successful 2013 for Nadal so far. He's got six singles titles en route to a 36-2 record. Not to mention, he's won seven of the last eight French Open titles.

It's not so much that Djokovic is playing so poorly that he's not even a favorite to win the French Open. He's pretty much right behind Nadal, or you could even argue, he's got the edge on Nadal.

Of course, there's the chance that Nadal is upset before the semifinals, but the chances of that happening are pretty slim.

With the first couple of rounds, Djokovic needs to demonstrate that the Rome Masters and Madrid Open were just nothing more than a bit of bad luck and playing guys in Berdych and Dimitrov who couldn't do anything wrong.

Should the top seed make quick work of his opponents, there's every reason to think he's got what it takes to get his first title at Roland Garros.

2013 NBA Draft Breakdown and Scouting Report for Trevor Mbakwe

Jonathan Wasserman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:52:10 -0400

It's been a long journey for 24-year-old forward Trevor Mbakwe, formerly of the University of Minnesota Gophers. Now he's finally in position to take that next career step.

Mbakwe has hit some rough patches along the road, including a couple of run-ins with the law and a torn ACL in 2011.

He returned in 2012-13 in a reduced role, playing 24.9 minutes per game compared to the 28.7 minutes he played the year before and 30.9 the year before that. But it was just good to see him back out there competing, as Mbakwe was once considered a lottery pick and a highly touted prospect.

Despite his limited minutes, Mbakwe still led the Big Ten in rebounding at 8.7 per game, providing Minnesota with a physical presence on both ends of the court.

Physical Tools

At the NBA combine, Mbakwe measured in at just under 6'7'', a slightly disappointing number for a one-dimensional power forward. However, his incredible 7'4'' wingspan and monstrous hands are both mesmerizing features. Though not the highest leaper or quickest mover, Mbawke has the ability to haul in rebounds, a skill that can be attributed to his length and instincts.

But he's also very strong. Mbakwe plays a physical brand of ball that should assist in the transition from college to pro.

The one thing to keep an eye on will be his explosiveness. Mbakwe got up to a 36.5'' vertical leap at the combine, a good sign that some of his spring has returned after surgery.

Low-Post Game

Mbakwe's core offensive strength is his low-post game. He's got a diverse arsenal, where he's capable of beating his defender with a number of moves and countermoves. His ability to play with his back to the basket or facing the rim makes him an awfully tough cover with room to operate

Like most big men, Mbawke is comfortable swooping into the lane for the over-the-shoulder flip, which he knocks down comfortably with either hand:

He's also slippery with his back to the rim. Mbakwe likes to lean one way and spin the other, preferably baseline where there usually isn't a help defender present:

Facing Up

Mbakwe's sweet spot is that mid-range area from the baseline to the elbow. He has a deceptively quick first step that allows him to face his defender and take him off the bounce. He's capable of knocking down mid-range jumpers (though it's something he must improve on), so defenders must play up and challenge, allowing Mbakwe to beat his man and get to the basket:

Pick-and-Roll

Teams at the NBA level will use Mbakwe in pick-and-roll sets for sure. He's a good, solid screener and a big threat rolling off the pick.

Here's a simple screen-and-roll that sees Mbakwe slip to the rim for an easy lob.

Weaknesses

Continuing to develop a reliable mid-range jumper will be key for Mbakwe moving forward. A jumper will give him an extra weapon and increase his versatility as an offensive player.

Foul-shooting has never been a strength. Mbakwe finished his senior year at just 61.4 percent.

Mbakwe could also use work on his handle. He's capable of using a dribble or two out of the triple-threat position to get to the rack—but not if he's more than 15 feet from the rim.

Defensively, he might struggle given his height disadvantage, though his willingness to battle might make up for that extra inch.

Draft Breakdown and NBA Outlook

At already 24 years old, Mbakwe's upside is pretty much capped. Teams targeting Mbakwe will be coveting his toughness and fearlessness inside and on the glass, as well as his ability to score points in a slowed-down, half-court attack.

Teams will want him to come in off the bench, pick up a couple of fouls, clean the glass and finish some drive-and-dish plays at the rim.

When you combine his talent and physical tools, there's no reason that 60 guys should be taken before him. Nobody is going to hand him a first-round guaranteed contract, but he offers value in Round 2 as a fairly safe pick.

French Open 2013: Rafael Nadal Will Overcome Tough Draw to Win 8th Title

Matt Fitzgerald — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:39:04 -0400

The 2013 French Open presents yet another opportunity for Rafael Nadal, the King of Clay, to capture his eighth title at the prestigious tournament. Even with a difficult draw ahead of him at Roland Garros as a No. 3 seed, the living legend will find a way to capture the trophy yet again.

Nadal made sure he was fit enough to compete at his extraordinarily high level when he returned from an eight-month injury hiatus, because he's been in the final of every tournament he's entered thus far in 2013.

Given his previous success in Paris, there is little reason to believe he won't duplicate the feat, which Sports Illustrated's Bryan Armen Graham highlights with a mind-blowing statistic:

That's not to say Nadal's run is going to be easy, though. It's getting harder to project when Nadal's career is going to end. Though he does maintain peak physical condition when he's competing, the knee issues that have ailed him over the years make his situation constantly precarious.

Nadal plays every point as if it is his last almost better than anyone. Such a sense of urgency is rare, and it will only increase as his career winds down. Whether that's good for Nadal or not is another matter entirely, but it bodes well for him in the second leg of the Grand Slam events.

Also helping Nadal is his momentous, dominant victory in Rome over the legendary Roger Federer by a margin of 6-1, 6-3. Below is just one of the highlights from the win, which marked Nadal's sixth singles title of the season and bumped his record against Federer to 20-10:

The Spaniard has always had a stranglehold on this epic rivalry, but on his preferred surface, it hasn't been close, per ESPN Stats & Info:

As strong as Nadal's form is right now, plenty of resistance stands in Nadal's way as he bids to continue rewriting history at the French Open. Not least among his opponents is a prospective semifinal clash with Novak Djokovic.

The world No. 1 defeated Nadal in their last meeting at the ATP Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and will be seeking to avenge his loss in the French Open final from a year ago. It's the only part of the career Grand Slam Djokovic is missing, which only adds more fuel to the fire.

Even before then, several upstarts have the potential to topple Nadal if he's not completely on his game.

The possibility exists that Nadal may face Lukas Rosol in the third round—the same man who defeated Nadal at Wimbledon in Round 2, which was the precursor to his extended layoff.

Kei Nishikori, who upset Federer in Madrid, is also a threat in the Round of 16. In the quarterfinals, a resurgent No. 7 seed, Richard Gasquet, could very well beat out Stanislas Wawrinka and prove to be a tough out with his native French crowd behind him.

None of the aforementioned players can match Nadal's unique combination of fitness, power, topspin and overall prowess on clay. It's a formidable slate of opponents, but other than Gasquet, Nadal should dispose of them rather easily.

With his recent dominance over Federer and his 4-0 record against top contender Andy Murray on clay, look for Nadal to triumph even if he does encounter either of those superstars in the final.

Note: All statistics and information, unless otherwise indicated, are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com.

Champions League Final 2013: Key Questions Surrounding Championship Tilt

Alex Ballentine — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:38:36 -0400

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are set to square off in an intriguing matchup to determine the 2013 Champions League final. The meeting between the two German clubs is only the fourth time in Champions League history that the two finalists will be from the same country.

Despite heavy competition from top clubs all over Europe, both German clubs have exhibited dominance en route to this final game.

Bayern Munich comes into the much on the strength of shutout victories over Juventus and Barcelona to punch their ticket to the grand stage. Borussia Dortmund went on a magic run that included close victories over Spanish clubs Malaga and Real Madrid.

With the domestic rivals set to battle it out for one of the sport's premier accolades fans should be treated to an intriguing matchup. These are the biggest questions heading into this premier match.

Will Mario Gotze's Absence Hurt Dortmund?

When Borussia Dortmund confirmed via ESPN that Mario Gotze would not be involved in the Champions League final, it saved Munich from an awkward situation. It may also have changed the complexion of the match.

The 20-year-old is set to leave Dortmund on July 1 for none other than Bayern Munich. While it would have been awkward for him to take on his future teammates, he's still one of the best offensive players on the Dortmund side.

Gotze has 10 goals and eight assists in 28 Bundesliga appearances. His presence in the midfield would have given Dortmund a leg up against their opposing lineup, but his absence will put the underdog at a disadvantage.

Does Dortmund Have Bayern Munich's Number?

Bayern Munich has dominated Bundesliga in 2012-2013. The club was only defeated one time and finished with an astounding 91 points to second-place Dortmund's 66.

However, they simply haven't been able to defeat Dortmund as easily as the rest of the league. In their last two matches, one in December and another earlier this month, the sides played to a 1-1 draw.

It isn't often that the two Champions League finalists have this much background against each other. In this case, the previous matches have shown that this should be a good matchup. Dortmund hasn't been nearly as dominant in Bundesliga, but they've shown they can keep the powerful Munich offense out of the net.

Bayern Munich may be the favorite, but Dortmund was only a missed Robert Lewandowski penalty kick from upsetting the league champions last time around. On the grand stage of the Champions League finals, things could be different.

Can Bayern Munich Continue The Champions League Dominance?

Dortmund has performed well against Bayern Munich recently, but no club has been more impressive in Champions League games than the German powerhouse.

The whole side has been terrific both offensively and defensively. The club has gone four consecutive Champions League games without giving up a goal. To make things even more impressive, they've scored multiple goals in each of those games.

Thomas Muller has been especially prolific. He's scored eight goals with two assists in 12 appearances.

Muller and Munich have been impressive throughout the tournament. Whether or not Dortmund's familiarity with them from Bundesliga is enough to overcome Bayern Munich's impressive momentum will be what determines who raises the trophy.

Titus Young to Be Charged with 3 Additional Counts

Benjamin Klein — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:26:25 -0400

The bad news just keeps on coming for former NFL wide receiver Titus Young.

On Friday, Young was in court for a pretrial hearing when it was announced that he would be charged with three additional counts, increasing his total to 11, according to David Leon Moore of USA Today.

The new counts haven’t been filed yet, but Young’s attorney, Altus W. Hudson II, said that they’re in connection with a May 11 alleged attempted burglary, reports Moore.

Young was arrested on May 5 for suspicion of driving under the influence. He was arrested again that same day after trying to take his car back from a tow yard, according to ESPN. He was then arrested later in the week and charged with attempted burglary, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest after breaking into a home.

“We knew that something had happened to him or he was locked up again,” Richard Young, Titus’ father, told The Detroit News. “His mind is not capable enough to go out and deal with society because of this situation.”

Due to the increase in charges, the judge doubled Young’s bail from $25,000 to $50,000, but his family likely won’t post it, per Moore. According to the report, Young has been "described by his father and others as having mental health issues."

“Mr. Young poses a danger to the community,” Judge Andre Manssourian said.

Young remained silent throughout the entirety of Friday’s hearing, even when the judge asked him several simple questions such as, “Can you hear me?” and, “Are you Titus Demetrius Young?” according to Moore. Hudson said that Young remained silent because it was his right to. He even remained silent when his father called out to him, according to the report.

Former teammate and fellow wide receiver Calvin Johnson is still in Young's corner (via Carlos Monarrez of USA Today):

It’s very tough. We were talking earlier, man. It’s just one of those things that we pray that he can get his off-the-field situation straight so then he can move forward with his life.

You can never foresee things like this. And like I say, we just wish him the best, man. It’s unfortunate what he’s going through. But like I said, we’re praying for him.

The Detroit Lions selected Young in the second round of the 2011 draft. In two seasons with the team, Young caught 81 passes for 990 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. The Lions released him back in February after too many indiscretions.

Young was promptly picked up by the Rams, but released just nine days after the team claimed him off waivers. A return to the NFL is a long ways away for the former Boise State wide receiver and seemingly becomes more and more unrealistic every day.

San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree Injury Unleashes Questions in Passing Game

Martin Telleria — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:16:42 -0400

Fantasy geeks, rejoice. Vernon Davis might be in for a huge year.

With Michael Crabtree likely out for six months following surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon, Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick must now find a way to replace the massive production they were looking to receive from their No. 1 option.

Enter Davis. Coming off the heels of two back-to-back playoff explosions—104 yards against the Baltimore Ravens and 106 yards and a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons—many were pegging Davis to have a huge year anyway.

With Crabtree on the shelf for at least the beginning of the season, Davis is now the clear-cut No. 1.

He’ll have to play like it if the San Francisco 49ers hope to weather the storm that Crabtree's injury has brought.

While the 49ers have become known for their physical running game, the promotion of Kaepernick last season opened the door for increased production in the passing game.

Crabtree was evidence of that. With Alex Smith at the helm for the first eight games, Crabtree had amassed only one 100-yard game and three touchdowns. Upon the emergence of Kaepernick, those numbers jumped to three 100-yard games and six touchdowns in the second half of the season.

It continued in the playoffs, where the emerging receiver added two more 100-yard performances and three touchdowns in three games.

Everything was aligned for a huge year in 2013-14.

With him now assuredly out of the equation, Davis must step up his game.

Only amassing 548 yards and five touchdowns last season, the 49ers will need a lot more from their former first-round pick. He must now do what he was drafted to do and what we know he is capable of.

He is only four years removed from his record-setting year in 2009, when he went for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns.

If he can provide the 49ers with similar numbers again, they might be able to make up production elsewhere.

The Anquan Boldin trade now looks even better following the injury. The similarities between Boldin and Crabtree are evident. Neither will ever be confused for speedsters, but the valuable assets they provide more than make up for it.

Strong hands, the willingness to go down the middle of the field and the toughness to break through tackles are traits both men possess.

Whether or not the eleven-year veteran can keep up his solid production will be instrumental in whether or not the passing game falters.

Especially because further down the depth chart all we find is questions.

With Mario Manningham having suffered a torn ACL and PCL last December, his ability to produce upon his return will be in question. While reports have surfaced that he has began running and cutting, via Josh Alper of NBC Sports, there is never a guarantee that a player ever returns the same from that type of injury.

The mystery surrounding A.J. Jenkins is of a different variety. Upon entering camp out of shape last season, the 2012 first-round pick was the target of one pass last season. We have no idea of whether he is even capable of playing in this league.

Still, he bulked up over the offseason and has been living with Kaepernick for two months, via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. These seem to be signs that Jenkins might be in for a bigger role.

With numerous question marks surrounding the passing attack, Vernon Davis must become a relialbe source of production. He must become more than just a vocal leader. He’s too skilled to not pick up the slack for Crabtree.

Jim Harbaugh will figure the rest out.

Kevin Durant Gets Nike's Help in Supporting Moore's Tornado Relief Effort

Zach Buckley — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:16:07 -0400

Kevin Durant didn't need the rigorous travel schedule of the NBA to see this country from all angles.

His life story spans the nation.

Before he was a three-time scoring champion, four-time All-Star and NBA Finals MVP runner-up (O.K. I made that last part up, but have you seen his stats from the 2012 championship series?), he was wreaking havoc on the playgrounds of our nation's capital.

He suited up for three different schools during his high school days (via Biography.com), Maryland's Montrose Christian School and National Christian Academy, as well as the Virginia hoops factory Oak Hill Academy. Then he took his talents to Austin, Texas, playing one season of college ball under Longhorns coach Rick Barnes.

The Seattle SuperSonics snagged the scoring savant with the second pick of the 2007 NBA draft. After one season in Seattle, Durant then followed the franchise to Oklahoma City.

And that's where he's made his home for the five past five years, a stone's throw away from Moore, Okla. The city saw a devastating tornado (the Associated Press) sweep through its heart on Monday that claimed the lives of 24 people, damaged some 13,000 homes and caused an estimated $2 billion-plus in damage.

Oklahoma City's adopted son visited its shattered suburb on Wednesday (via Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman), providing whatever relief he could in the form of autographs, pictures and hugs. This coming on the heels of the financial relief, $1 million, he'd given just a day before.

But still he felt the need to do even more to help his reeling neighbors, so he reached out to one of his corporate backers for even more support (via his official Twitter feed):

And his sponsor, Nike, answered his call. The company pledged to donate $1 million worth of its products to those affected by the storm, then offered an equal split of all of the profits from Oklahoma City KD V Elites sold on its web site between May 23 and June 15 between Kaboom (a national charity that rebuilds playgrounds) and the Moore Public School Foundation (via Nike.com).

The people of Moore have another adopted son coming to their sides. Chicago native and All-Defensive first-teamer Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies is set to join the relief effort.

The American Red Cross will be collecting donations at the next two Western Conference finals games between the Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs. And Allen, a former Oklahoma State Cowboy, will be matching those contributions (via The Associated Press).

Some star athletes don't know how to handle the limelight. Or they use their celebrity status to cash in on everything they feel is owed to them.

But Durant, an unassuming, humble star near the top of his sport, took full advantage of his far-reaching influence to do everything in his power to bring as much support to his community as possible.

Even with that community only being part of his life for five of his 24 years.

Best-Case, Worst-Case Scenarios for Steve Nash in 2013-14 Season

Howard Ruben — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:08 -0400

It was not the sort of season Steve Nash envisioned when he agreed to a trade last summer that brought the 17-year NBA veteran point guard to the Los Angeles Lakers.

His familiar No. 13 was already retired (Wilt Chamberlain), so Nash took the No. 10 purple and gold jersey. The new number was not so lucky for the two-time League MVP.

The future Hall of Famer had virtually every obstacle thrown his way, from injuries to three coaches in the same season. From Mike Brown to Mike D'Antoni, Nash was never given a clearly defined role, even though he'd spent his entire career perfecting the art of being the consummate pick-and-roll point guard.

The surprise announcement last July 4 that Nash was a Laker caught most fans by surprise. Just one week prior to that deal, Nash told ESPN Radio New York (via Sporting News) that he wouldn't be comfortable playing for his longtime rivals:

I'm a bit old school. I think for me, it'd be hard to put on a Lakers jersey. That's just the way it is. You play against them so many times in the playoffs, and I just use them as an example. I have the utmost respect for them and the organization, but I think it was Larry Bird (who said) he would never play for them.

That all changed when the Phoenix Suns agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Lakers, granting Nash his wish to be closer to his children and play for a championship contender.

But, just two games into the regular season, Nash was injured in a freak play when he bumped knees with Portland Trail Blazers rookie guard Damian Lillard.

Initial reports said Nash would be out for about one week. The injury, a fracture to his left leg, occurred on October 31. Nash didn't return to the lineup for almost seven weeks. He later missed the last eight games of the regular season with a hip injury which caused nerve damage in his right hamstring.

So what can the Lakers expect from Steve Nash heading into the 2013-14 season?

The obvious, best-case scenario has a healthy Nash at the point, directing a Lakers offense that features a healthy Kobe Bryant at his normal shooting guard position, a happy Dwight Howard in the low post, Pau Gasol as their skilled power forward and a small forward (Metta World Peace or possibly a free-agent signing) who can defend and hit perimeter shots with regularity.

If Nash is healthy and allowed to play his game—which involves directing the offense and executing a lot of pick-and-rolls—there is no reason for him not to average about 10 assists a game. And, as one of the game's best pure shooters, Nash should also be counted on for 12-14 points a night and a shooting percentage close to 50 percent from both long and medium range.

Steve Nash has been the model of consistency for most of his career. Even with a staccato season that saw him miss a third of it, Nash still posted pretty good numbers: 12.7 points on 50 percent shooting in 32.5 minutes of action per game.

Nash's recent history of averaging 10 dimes a game for seven of eight seasons in Phoenix did not transfer to the Lakers for a couple of reasons. Kobe Bryant became much more of a facilitator during the middle of the season, as he tried to will his slumping team to victories. In the process, head coach Mike D'Antoni asked Nash to play off the ball and be more of a spot-up shooter.

The Lakers improved significantly over the last half of the season, going 28-12 to finish 45-27 and squeaking into the playoffs on the final day. Nash played a key role until being forced to the sidelines with just eight games left to play, so he ended up as cheerleader rather than conductor.

The Lakers became one of only six teams in league history to make the Western Conference playoffs after starting 17-25. It was a minor victory to an otherwise forgettable season for Nash and the Lakers, who were then swept out of the first round by the San Antonio Spurs. Adding insult to injury, Nash went down and out for those final two playoff games with the strained right hamstring.

A worst-case scenario this coming season would be one in which Nash is not completely healthy. When you are about to turn 40 (next February) and are coming off an injury-riddled season, there will be conjuncture as to whether or not Nash has slowed down and if he can even handle the daily rigors of practice, travel and playing 30-33 minutes a game.

Upon taking the Lakers job last November, D'Antoni must have reminisced just a bit about what it would be like to coach Nash again after their glory days in Phoenix. Toward the end of the regular season, he was still reminiscing but realistic about his aging superstar.

D'Antoni told Dave McMenamin, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com:

In Phoenix, when we had it going, I don't know if there's many point guards in the history of the game that played that level as good as he played for a couple of years where he didn't make any mistakes and (he is) one of the best shooters, if not the best shooter, in all-time history, so it's hard to duplicate that.

As you get older, obviously, you have to have certain things go your way and you're not going to be able to be the MVP two times in a row like he was, but his level is still very high. We just got to get everything right, get him going again.

That was easier said than done. And the big question remains: Can Steve Nash get it going again?

The Lakers of today look more like a recovering M.A.S.H. unit than a healthy, hungry professional basketball team. There's Howard's continuing daily battle to come back from major back surgery, Bryant's uncharted waters of recovery from surgery to repair a torn Achilles and Nash's serious leg injuries that could send his career into a quick tailspin if he doesn't respond properly to treatment.

The uncertainties surrounding the immediate future of Nash are as varied as the opening-day lineup the Lakers can expect to see in five months. Nash could fully recover and be the consummate floor leader this team so desperately needs.

Or, he could be hobbled by an inability to get himself totally healthy, which may prompt an earlier-than-expected retirement from the game he obviously loves.

Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund 2013: Why Robert Lewandowski Won't Be a Factor

Jeremy Fuchs — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:57:58 -0400

Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund 2013 is shaping up to be a terrific Champions League Finals. And while Dortmund is fortunate enough to have a star in Robert Lewandowski, he will not be a factor in this match.

There is no denying Lewandowski's skill. Only 24, Lewandowski possesses a tremendous amount of athleticism, size, speed and technical skill. He's scored 35 goals this season. Karl-Heinz Riedle, who played for Dortmund in the 90s, told The Guardian that:

His superior technique and strength means you can play him up front all on his own. He shields the ball perfectly and then brings team-mates into play. And then he is a real poacher as well. It is also noteworthy how he has dealt mentally with all the transfer rumours. He has just kept on playing and that attitude has all the hallmarks of a great player.

That skill allows him to take advantage of any space the defense gives him. However, there will be less space against Bayern Munich. Twenty-year-old Mario Gotze, who is a tremendous midfielder with a knack for dangerous passes, often takes defensive pressure off of Lewandowski. Gotze is a goal scorer in his own right, with 24 this year. When the two are on the pitch together, defenses have to make a choice on whom to defend.

It'll be an easy choice for Bayern, as Gotze will miss the final with a hamstring injury. Instead of having to deal with two dynamic offensive players at once, Bayern can shift all of its defensive attention to stopping Lewandowski. By doing so, the Polish striker will have very little room with which to operate.

Even if Lewandowski can get a clear shot, he'll have to deal with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Neuer is on fire right now, with four clear sheets in the quarterfinals and semifinals:

Neuer is stopping everything he sees and is playing the best soccer of his career. With a great defense in front of him, Neuer probably won't see too many shots, and any shots he sees from Lewandowski will probably not be of the best quality.

Lewandowski is going to have a tough time. His skill is undeniable, but the circumstances in this matchup make it difficult for Lewandowski to make a huge impact.

Without Lewndowski, Dortmund will have a tough time beating the better Bayern team. This game could get ugly.

10 Best Combined Playing and Coaching Careers in NHL History

Al Daniel — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:56:47 -0400

Patrick Roy, who plugged the Colorado Avalanche vacancy on Thursday, is all but indisputably the best former NHL goaltender to return to the league as a head coach. In an 18-year Hall of Fame career, he backstopped four Stanley Cup championships and collected a troika apiece of Vezina Trophies and Conn Smythe Trophies.

Only the 2013-14 season and beyond will determine how he translates his success as a major junior skipper with the Quebec Remparts. But any reckonable success he attains with the Avs will nudge him in the direction of exclusive company among those who have excelled in the NHL both as players and coaches.

Here is a glance back at 10 exceptional individuals who collected All-Star accolades and individual and/or team trophies as players and then orchestrated hardware-caliber teams from behind an NHL bench.

Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics and playoff results for this report were found via hockey-reference.com.

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Liverpool Transfer News: Iago Aspas Would Be Nice Fit for Reds' Attack

Joseph Zucker — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:56:12 -0400

Despite scoring the fourth-most goals in the Premier League, Liverpool would help itself this summer by signing Iago Aspas.

Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror reported the Reds are interested in a transfer, and it may be close to happening:

The Celta Vigo forward was wanted by Chelsea and Reading in January, but only the relegation-bound Royals made an official bid and Celta refused to sell their man for less than his €10 million release clause.

However, with rock-bottom Celta now looking set for relegation from La Liga, the Anfield giants want to take advantage of his clause dropping to €7m and have offered him a £45,000-a-week deal.

Celta Vigo is last in the Spanish league table. The club is not mathematically relegated yet, but it has to make up four points in three matches on 17th-place Deportivo La Coruna and hope the other two clubs in the relegation zone drop points as well. If Celta is relegated, Aspas would be a bit of a bargain.

Attack wasn't a major problem for the Reds last season, especially after the arrival of Daniel Sturridge in January. As the Luis Suarez suspension illustrates, though, Liverpool is lacking the necessary depth at striker.

Chris Bascombe and Luke Edwards of the Daily Telegraph reported earlier in the week that Andy Carroll could be off to West Ham United. It's the best move for both parties, but that would leave Suarez, Sturridge, Fabio Borini, Adam Morgan and Samed Yesil as the only recognized strikers. You can probably discount Morgan and Yesil for next season considering their collective inexperience.

The club can't possibly expect to stand pat with what it has and remain optimistic about finishing in the top four.

Along with simply being another body, Aspas can be the kind of centre-forward who can play off of Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho and the other more creative options in the attack. Brendan Rodgers can slot in Aspas near the box and ask him to hold up the ball. However, Aspas can also play in more of a secondary role if need be.

He's a very versatile forward who is constantly running around the pitch. Aspas' movement is very strong. He's not a tremendous athlete, but he more than makes up for that with a great amount of intelligence of when to start his runs and where to be in order to maximize his impact.

With Celta only scoring 34 goals in 36 league matches, Aspas has been asked to do a lot for his team's attack. So far, he's duly delivered and done very well making the leap from the Segunda Division to La Liga. Last season, Aspas scored 23 goals in 35 league matches. In his first year in La Liga, he's found the net 11 times and notched five assists in 32 matches.

Should Suarez stay, Liverpool has good options up top with he and Sturridge. Suarez is one of the best forwards in the Premier League, and Sturridge should be able to build upon the form he showed in the second half of the season.

The club doesn't need to go after a world-class finisher. It would be great to have Robin van Persie, Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, etc., but that kind of player isn't going to come to Anfield right now. Plus, Liverpool doesn't have an endless supply of money to spend this summer.

That's why Aspas is such a nice target for the summer. He's not going to come in demanding high wages and first-team football every week. He'll be happy to remain a second or third option in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Reds would have only spent €7 million. That leaves plenty of money to address the hole at centre-back and add another defensive midfielder to alleviate the pressure on Lucas.

With the way Liverpool finished out the season, there's no reason to think that with the right moves and luck turning around a little bit, the Reds can realistically challenge for the top four. Signing Aspas would be the first step in that process.

5 Free Agents the Miami Heat Must Avoid

Sean Grimm — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:53:43 -0400

The Miami Heat won't be the most active team on the free agency market this summer, but general manager Pat Riley and team owner Mickey Arison will still be looking to make some minor tweaks to Miami's roster.

There's no doubt the Heat will at least attempt to get younger this offseason, especially with the need to ensure LeBron James remains in Miami for years to come.

However, there are a few free agents Miami should avoid this summer, despite these individuals appearing to be ideal fits.

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Epic Kobe Bryant Dunk Takes Center Stage in Latest Ad for NBA Finals

Grant Hughes — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:51:15 -0400

It turns that out Kobe Bryant got to be a part of the 2013 NBA playoffs after all. And look, so did Todd MacCulloch!

Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers (and Bryant himself, no doubt) would have probably preferred to see No. 24 participate in actual games rather than be featured in a commercial commemorating the snoozefest that was the 2002 NBA Finals.

Still, it's a pretty cool dunk.

And even though that freeze-the-shot-and-pan-around style of cinematography hasn't been particularly novel since The Matrix came out, it does make it easier to appreciate the hops Bryant possessed in bygone days.

Actually, come to think of it, Bryant proved this past season that he's got a reserve tank that allows him to occasionally elevate for highlight dunks:

ICYMI Kobe Bryant's dunk on Josh Smith in 99-98 Lakers win: youtube.com/watch?v=bbXSsK… #Lakers #Hawks
— Triple Threat (@LA_TripleThreat) March 4, 2013

But the NBA's latest ad gives us a glimpse of the old days, when the guy who wore No. 8 made trips into the stratosphere part of his nightly scoring routine.

In the 2001-02 season, the Lakers secured their third straight championship, and Bryant averaged 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. It's safe to say he's adjusted nicely to his diminished athleticism as the years have gone on, as he put up averages of 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists this past season.

It's also nice that MacCulloch is getting a little shine from the video, although he'd probably prefer to be featured in a different way. Nobody wants to be remembered for a play in which he was basically a prop in a dunk contest.

Fortunately, the plodding big man has reinvented himself by taking up (and dominating) a new career. This is old news (trust me, all news is old news when it comes to MacCulloch, who has been out of the league since 2003), but the 37-year-old retiree is actually a really good pinball player:

World pinball finals today -- at ex-NBA/Husky center Todd MacCulloch's house. Really. His house. tiny.cc/iy5ofw
— Jim Caple (@jimcaple) June 10, 2012

No, seriously. Like, really good:

Ex-Sixer Todd MacCulloch is now a world-ranked pinball player: bit.ly/PinballingTodd
— CBSSports.com (@CBSSports) August 16, 2011

So it looks like everyone involved in the ad landed on his feet. Well, except for Kerry Kittles. What ever happened to that guy?

Sin Cara: Can His Knee Hold Up, or Will He Be WWE's Next Mysterio in a Bad Way?

Ryan Dilbert — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:45:53 -0400

Sin Cara's high-risk style combined with a history of injury does not bode well for his WWE future, making him Rey Mysterio's unwitting partner in continual rehab.

The high-flying luchador has spent much of his time with WWE either suspended or injured, and it has been his knees that have been giving the most trouble. At just 30 years old, Sin Cara may already be on the downside of his career thanks to those knees.

Since debuting for WWE in 2011, Sin Cara suffered a patella tendon rupture at Survivor Series 2011, according to WWE.com, and as Wrestling Observer reported (via CagesideSeats.com), he required knee surgery after TLC 2012 in December.

These weren't Sin Cara's first instances of knee damage, either.

Luchaworld.com noted that he suffered a knee injury in a 2009 match. In an interview with Record.com, Sin Cara claimed that it was a medication for knee pain that caused him to violate the Wellness Policy.

Were this someone with Big Show's offense that had this history of knee trouble, it would be less troubling. Sin Cara’s style, though, is predicated on leaping, springing, speed and quickness. Sin Cara's knees are as important to his performances as a bird's wings are to its flight.

Take a look at him in this collection of highlights. Nearly everything he delivers puts him in danger of re-injuring his knees.

Couple that with the fact that Sin Cara went from working in Mexico—where his dizzying style is commonplace—to WWE, and he has more reasons to be pessimistic. Sin Cara has developed a reputation for botching moves, but at least part of that has to be attributed to the differences between lucha libre-style wrestling and the slower, more grounded WWE product.

If WWE's roster has trouble working with Sin Cara, the chances for moves going wrong and those knees twisting and bending the wrong way shoot up.

Rey Mysterio has been struggling with knee injuries as well. Tweets like this one have been too regular a sight on Mysterio's feed.

He, like Sin Cara, may be forced to end his in-ring career before he's ready or else come back but be unable to perform the same type of offense fans expect from him.

The difference is that if Mysterio retired today, his legacy is so well-established that he could start preparing his WWE Hall of Fame speech and order his tux. On the other hand, Sin Cara has barely made a dent in WWE after having a fabulous run in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, where he was popular enough to have his own comic book.

Sin Cara looks to be close to joining a list of wrestlers whose careers were stalled by injury.

What would Brian Pillman, Magnum TA or Droz's careers have looked like had their bodies not been so damaged? Is that what we'll be asking about Sin Cara in a few years?

Maybe he's just had a run of bad luck and will go the next few years injury-free. Maybe he avoids seeing a surgeon's knife as often as he has so far. Mysterio managed to wrestle for decades flying around the ring.

If Sin Cara is lucky, his knees will hold up on his nightly flights. The next time he soars through the air, though, he may want to do so with his fingers crossed.

Juventus: Rating the Likelihood of the Bianconeri's Rumoured Summer Deals

Colin O'Brien — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:31:01 -0400

Another season, another Scudetto for Juventus. Antonio Conte's side was by far the best in Italy, and though they eventually lost heavily to Bayern Munich, the way in which the Germans dismantled Barcelona in the following round suggests that Juve have little to be ashamed of.

This summer will be more about refinement than renovation, but some key additions remain essential if this generation of Bianconeri are to become great rather than just very good.

So who's being linked, and how likely is the move?

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Ranking the 10 Most Disappointing Seasons in Sprint Cup Series History

Christopher Leone — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:24:31 -0400

Don't let Jimmie Johnson's career statistics fool you. Most drivers have a disappointing season or two over the course of their Sprint Cup careers.

It can happen for any number of reasons, from a slow car to a team's inner turmoil to simply a lack of confidence behind the wheel. But there's often a season on every driver's stat sheet that sticks out like a sore thumb, an anomaly that sees a top driver slip from the sharp end of the field to the middle of it.

This list is designed to rank those seasons.

Fans may read this as a modern era-heavy list, and it's the truth; you won't see a lot of the sport's legends here. Many of them retired early (Ned Jarrett, for example), transitioned into part-time schedules before they passed their prime (Cale Yarborough and David Pearson), or just dropped off gradually instead of all at once (Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip).

Those factors, plus the fact that the field wasn't quite as deep as it is today—in that fewer drivers had cars capable of winning races—keep a lot of legends from making appearances.

There are two kinds of seasons that generally make this list. The first is when a driver follows up a really good season with a really bad one; there are a lot of those present, and many should be apparent to recent fans.

The second is when a driver posts magical numbers, in some cases career bests, only to lose the championship. Let's be honest—running that well and losing a title, for any reason, is a disappointment.

Without further ado, here are the 10 seasons that should have left drivers the most frustrated in the Cup ranks:

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Pacers vs. Heat Game 2: Live Score, Highlights and Analysis

Tristan Thornburgh — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:22:01 -0400

The Indiana Pacers almost nabbed a Game 1 overtime stunner, but LeBron James found the seam to a 103-102 Miami Heat victory at the buzzer.

Can Paul George and Co. get over the hump in Miami tonight or will the Heat find yet another gear to pull away with?

Especially important will be how the Heat slow down behemoth Pacers center Roy Hibbert (19 points and nine rebounds in Game 1) along with David West, George and Tyler Hansbrough, who combined for an additional 63 points and 15 boards.

Moreover, will Hibbert—the team's leading shot-blocker and highest-paid player—be on the floor in end-of-game situations? Pacers coach Frank Vogel certainly took enough heat for sitting Hibbert while James got to the rim undeterred for the game-winning layup on Wednesday.

For the Heat, it's about getting Chris Bosh more than two boards (as he had in Game 1), figuring out why Ray Allen and Shane Battier suddenly can't shoot and monitoring Dwyane Wade's ever-finicky knee injury.

Triple-doubles and buzzer-beaters from James, along with perfect games from Chris Andersen, will be enough to keep the Heat going for now. But will it be enough against a Pacers team that took them to the brink in Game 1, led 2-1 in last year's semifinals and beat Miami two out of three times during the regular season?

We'll find out tonight in Game 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Busting Five Myths About the Jacksonville Jaguars

Andrew Garda — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:16:38 -0400

There are a lot of things to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars that are true. They lose more than they win. They have issues at quarterback. They are, indeed, located in Florida.

However, there are numerous myths tossed around about the franchise that are simply false.

Here are five significant myths about the Jacksonville Jaguars.

5) Blaine Gabbert: Worst QB in the NFL

Let's start here: Blaine Gabbert is not good. He might one day become good (I have serious reservations about that) but he is not, at present, good.

He is also not the worst quarterback in the NFL—even without Tim Tebow playing in the NFL.

Yes, ESPN's Total QBR had him rated pretty low in 2012. It also had Philip Rivers lower. Joe Flacco was on the bottom half of the list. You know, the guy who just won a Super Bowl?

Of course, Gabbert appears to be horrific based on pure stats (rather than questionable math) as well.

Consider though, that Gabbert was out for six games last season. If you whip the calculator out and just assume he hits his rather low average those size games, he adds 996 yards to his total.

That gives him 2,658 yards on the season, which according to the stat list on ESPN, places him 27th in the league in total yards.

Not great to be sure, but he was coming off three decent games against the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts and seemed to have finally found a bit of a groove.

Honestly, off the top of my head, Gabbert is better than Mark Sanchez, Kevin Kolb, Jake Locker, Brandon Weeden and Carson Palmer. All starting quarterbacks, all with issues and some of whom (Sanchez and Kolb) might not even hold onto their jobs.

Gabbert isn't good. But he is far from the worst in the league.

4) Small market teams can't support an NFL franchise

This goes hand in hand with the next myth: attendance.

As of 2011, the estimated population of Jacksonville is 827,908 people—actually the 11th most populous city in the US.

Hang on, you say, that can't be right. Because they're a small market team, right?

True. They lack the wattage of New York City or San Francisco. However, they actually have a larger population than San Fran, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Washington, DC and Baltimore.

Green Bay by the way—one of the smallest market teams in the universe and ranked 10th in attendance for 2012—is ranked as the 268th city in population.

Like Jacksonville, Green Bay lacks big media hubs, giant cities and are not giant tourist destinations.

What they have that Jacksonville lacks is a winning team.

But as for small markets, they do just fine.

Jacksonville is far from too small to support a team and not even close to the smallest or least populous city with an NFL team.

3) Attendance

"The Jaguars can't draw a crowd. The fans don't show up. Just look at the attendance figures."

There is no denying they have struggled at times.

However, last I checked the team ranked 20th in attendance for 2012.

Better than a winning team like Chicago, playoff teams like Pittsburgh and Minnesota, and better than the likes of Oakland, Buffalo, Arizona and San Diego.

Some teams, like Chicago, suffer from a lack of size. But some don't and there are plenty of teams below Jacksonville struggling to draw a crowd.

I have found a variety of numbers on overall capacity for Everbank Field which have it marked from just over 67,000 to 73,000 in overall capacity.

Either number is lowered in part because of the dreaded tarps.

And oh, how we (and I include myself) love to mock the tarps. It's an easy joke, but one that really just keeps us from noticing that this team does draw fans.

However, it's not without precedent to tarp seats in a stadium that is overly large. Teams like the Raiders had issues in Los Angeles when they were in the 100,000 capacity (at the time) LA Coliseum.

Again, it's not to say the team hasn't struggled at times to fill the stands (just sort the ESPN chart for 2009). Just to say this is far from the worst. Even looking at the years before 2012, while not fantastic, the average attendance has been pretty good.

2) The Jaguars need/want Tim Tebow

I would couple that with "they just don't know it yet".

It doesn't matter that then-new GM Dave Caldwell flat out said, "Thanks but no thanks".

To be clear, here is a quote from the ESPN piece:

"I can't imagine a scenario in which he'll be a Jacksonville Jaguar -- even if he's released," Caldwell said.

Pretty darn clear, huh?

Despite beliefs that he loves Tebow, owner Shad Khan also had no real enthusiasm for the former Jacksonville resident.

Yes he showed interest when Denver shopped him, eventually losing out to the New York Jets. He and the team have since not replicated that interest because, as Khan told reporters in the same article when asked why not:

"I'm telling them to take a look at Tebow and they're saying, 'We're going to go in a different direction,' Khan said. That's the difference."

Translation: I have competent people I trust telling me he isn't worth our time.

That the people saying that are clearly and resoundingly echoed by 31 other teams doesn't seem to stop the Tebow Train, causing Khan to ask why they don't show as much enthusiasm for the other nearly 3,000 players who could help Jacksonville turn things around.

Of course, there is the school of thought that there is a grand conspiracy keeping Tebow from finding work. That all 32 teams clearly just don't 'get' Tebow or don't like him for off-field reasons.

Further, there is a contingency of fans (Jaguar and otherwise) who feel that Tebow in teal will 'fix' the franchise. This is most common in people who buy into any of the above myths. He will boost attendance, he will win games, he will turn the team around.

Honestly? The only thing I will guarantee Tebow would do for the Jaguars is sell jerseys. The rest is conjecture and really, thinking Tebow will 'fix' any franchise by his mere presence is beyond ludicrous.

This is the ultimate team sport—one man isn't a fix. And before you point to Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III or any number of quarterbacks who came in and won quickly, Luck had some decent receivers, a solid defense and a middling schedule while Griffin had a good defense and Alfred Morris.

Also, both are the exception, not the rule.

Tebow isn't as good as Luck or Griffin either. Not nearly as polished, even after several years, and lacking the throwing mechanics that Luck and Griffin possess.

He might work as a final piece, but he won't be a solo difference-maker for a team like the Jags who have more holes than not.

Maybe Tebow can still develop into a starter, maybe not.

That's a separate debate. At this point you either believe in him or don't and whatever I write won't likely sway you.

The important thing is the Jaguars don't believe he is a piece of the puzzle.

He's not going to be a Jaguar. If all the above doesn't sway you, perhaps the complete lack of interest from every team and GM will.

You can petition the White House all you want.

1) Relocation

Now, I kid some of the Jaguar writers I know about moving. Los Angeles, London, it doesn't matter—whatever suited the gag the most.

I went so far as to put together a new logo for the London Jaguars.

As much as I kid though, it doesn't seem all that likely this team will move. Yahoo Sports' Jason Cole wrote about this a while back, and you can read his piece for the full story, but the gist of it is they can't even if they wanted to.

The Jaguars have a lease for the stadium which locks them in the location until 2027.

Now you'll probably scoff and say that any lease has a loophole—an escape valve, as it were, which will allow the Jaguars to leave.

You'd be right—the contract does.

It's just nearly impossible to utilize.

Here's what former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney told Cole for the above article.

“The team would have to show that because of lack of attendance it’s losing money for three straight years and that’s probably a difficult thing for an NFL team to do,” Delaney said. “That’s there for if the city doesn’t support the team. If we don’t, we shouldn’t stick the team with a long-term lease. But if we support it, they can’t just pretend they’re losing and expect to get out.”

Some of you still clinging to myths No. 3 and 4 will say that the team isn't supported by the fans, in which case please scroll up and re-read those two points and then come back.

Because the team is very much being supported on most weekends by their fans. Again, there are plenty of teams with weaker attendance who would be on the block before the Jaguars.

Beyond that is the idea that the Jaguars could prove they weren't profitable, which is just laughable.

While we all heard the league rhetoric during the lockout–that owners were having problems making money and profits were low–we also know a lot of that was bluster. With television revenue and merchandizing, teams make plenty of money.

Cole's article points out that even as the least profitable NFL team, Jacksonville makes $725 million.

I don't think any team can easily make the claim they are losing money for a single year, much less three in a row. And as Cole points out in the article, you'd end up having the whole thing litigated, which would take much longer than the NFL would want it to as well as be very ugly and very public.

Most importantly, it would force the team to open its' books which, let's face it, is the last thing on earth the NFL wants.

These days teams move (or threaten to) when a city can't or won't contribute money to things like a new stadium.

Jacksonville took out about $115 million in bonds to improve Everbank Field.

I don't know about you, but that seems like a city willing to help out. Not like San Diego, who cannot afford to do so or at least not so inclined.

The Jaguars are not moving. Khan has said he doesn't want to, and to get out of the lease would be next to impossible.

None of this is to say that the Jaguars are the epitome of a great NFL franchise. The team clearly has issues and the fanbase is definitely frustrated (which is not unique among NFL fans).

However, those five things are commonly held beliefs that, when honestly examined, just aren't true.

Andrew Garda is the former NFC North Lead Writer and a current NFL analyst and video personality for Bleacher Report. He is also a member of the fantasy football staff at Footballguys and the NFL writer at CheeseheadTV.com. You can follow him at @andrew_garda on Twitter.

Giro D'Italia 2013: Vincenzo Nibali Is Lock to Win after Stage 19 Cancellation

Mike Hoag — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:13:07 -0400

Any chances Cadel Evans and the rest of the pack had at catching Vincenzo Nibali went out the window when Stage 19 of the 2013 Giro d’Italia was cancelled on Friday.

BBC Sport announced the news of the cancellation. Severe windchill reportedly dipping temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit and heavy snow were the reasons for the move.

The mountainous third-to-last stage was pegged as the best potential spot for ground to be made up in the race for the Giro title.

That’s why it was so hard for officials to make the call.

"It was a tough decision on a big stage on a great finish in a great Giro. It was very hard to say no,” race director Michele Acquarone said, according to BBC.

While fans may be discouraged by Stage 19’s exclusion, Nibali certainly won’t mind too much.

The Italian leader currently holds a four-plus minute lead over Cadel Evans of Australian and Colombian Rigoberto Uran Uran after 18 stages.

His 18th-stage win is the first of his career at the race.

Cutting out the steepest climbs and giving cyclists a day of rest will undoubtedly help him maintain his lead until the final stage.

Not so fast; Stage 20 is still a potential problem for riders. Cycling News has nearly as much revere for the penultimate stage as its predecessor:

Lacking the glamour of Stelvio or Mortirolo, it's still totally unforgiving. The giant Tre Cime di Lavaredo rounds off what promises to be another great day of racing. It's one of the great theatres of cycle sport and a fitting way to conclude the race as a contest.

Despite the daunting challenge this second-to-last stage presents, Saturday’s mountainous Stage 20 course has also been modified to exclude three of the higher points in order to avoid any further weather complications, according to BBC.

Once past the watered down Stage 20, Nibali should cruise to victory on Stage 21’s nearly flat course. The highest point of the stage is a whopping 200 meters.

A Giro d’Italia race win would be the first for Nibali, who finished in second place at the event in 2011.

Does the Pac-12 Need to Upgrade Its Bowl Tie-Ins?

Lisa Horne — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:08:32 -0400

The college football bowl schedule was released this week. ESPN's Kevin Gemmel laid out the Pac-12's portion of the schedule and nothing has changed:

Dec. 21, Gildan New Mexico Bowl, 2 p.m. Pac-12 vs. MWC

Dec. 21, Las Vegas Bowl, 3:30 p.m. Pac-12 vs. MWC.

Dec. 27, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, 9:30 p.m. Pac-12 vs. BYU (if bowl eligible)

Dec. 30, Valero Alamo Bowl, 6:45 p.m. Pac-12 vs. Big 12

Dec. 30, Holiday Bowl, 10:15 p.m. Pac-12 vs. Big 12

Dec. 31, Hyundai Sun Bowl, 2 p.m., Pac-12 vs. ACC

Jan. 1, Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIO, 5 p.m.

Jan. 6, VIZIO BCS National Championship (at the Rose Bowl), 8:30 p.m., BCS 1 vs. BCS 2,

Except for the Rose Bowl, do any of these excite Pac-12 fans? That's an honest question and the league's fans should be honest with their answers.

The Pac-12 has bowl tie-ins to the Mountain West, the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 12 and the Big 10. While the MWC has had some very competitive teams in the past, the losses of BYU, TCU and Utah has reduced its potency. Yet the Pac-12 still has two bowl contracts with the conference.

The ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten bowl contracts are fine. There is no need to retool those. But one bowl needs a makeover.

The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl appears to have lost its identity. Since 2002 the bowl's name has changed from the San Francisco Bowl to the Emerald Bowl to its current name. The match-ups have also changed.

It used to be an ACC vs MWC bowl. In 2006, it was changed to the Pac-10 vs the ACC. Then things got strange.

Nevada (WAC) played Boston College (ACC) in the 2010 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The next year it was Illinois (Big Ten) vs UCLA (Pac-12). Last year it was Arizona State (Pac-12) vs Navy (Independent). This year it has scheduled the Pac-12 vs BYU (Independent). The MAC is also an available alternate.

Anyone else confused?

Four different conferences and two independent teams have played in that bowl since 2002. It is a mish-mash of conference teams and independents.

This is not the bowl's fault. The problem is that it is contracted to take the Pac-12's sixth-place team. If a Pac-12 team isn't bowl eligible—and that happened twice, in 2004 and '05—then the alternates play instead.

This bowl has a $1 million payout to the Pac-12 and is played in beautiful San Francisco. It is obviously a win-win for the league. But it can be better.

How much more interest would this bowl garner if it featured the Pac-12 vs the SEC or Big Ten? The SEC would be a hard sell because their teams prefer staying close to home in the postseason.

Had the SEC and Pac-12 agreed to a contract with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl last year, we would have seen Arizona State vs Vanderbilt instead of Arizona State vs Navy.

Say hello to an instant upgrade.

The Pac-12 may be an elite conference, but it is not playing the big boys in three of its bowls. Not only does fan interest wane in lower-tiered bowls, but player interest wanes as well. The quick fix is scheduling a big boy conference.

Every major conference has a bowl tie-in with the SEC except one.

The Pac-12.

That needs to change if Commissioner Larry Scott wants to improve the Pac-12's image.

Engagement Rumors Hit AJ McCarron and Katherine Webb as Huge Ring Surfaces

Gabe Zaldivar — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:08:23 -0400

Katherine Webb and A.J. McCarron may be secretly engaged. Then again, the model may just have an affinity for wearing fat rings precisely where they would attract the most interest from fans.

Busted Coverage may have uncovered what would be the greatest engagement to hit college football. Or, perhaps, just a ring that looks to weigh about ten pounds.

BC's Joe Kinsey states that he was watching MTV's production featuring Webb and fellow model Chrissy Teigen as they embarked on the Hangout Music Festival. For those looking for whimsical fashion shtick, you can watch the video over at MTV's website.

For the task at hand, we direct your attention to the screen capture below.

As Kinsey notes, that is most definitely a ring, and it is very much on the correct finger to cause a mini-freak out on the Internets. Though it may be nothing more than Webb wearing a ring on that finger to keep the boys away, as if any take the time to notice such things.

It could also just be where she enjoys wearing her rings, especially if this is the one that she received from her Alabama quarterback boo on Valentine's Day, via Webb's Instagram.

We do have to note, just as BC did, Webb has talked about McCarron and her thoughts on a long-term commitment before. Here is what she had to say in January to Ryan Seacrest (via USA Today):

Yeah, absolutely. It's kind of funny because I've dated in (Los Angeles) and I've kind of like seen how Hollywood works. But when you find yourself with someone that you really can see yourself with, like, you know it. I knew in the first two weeks that we were going to be together for a long time. Love kind of takes over and you start talking about the future. So yeah, it's definitely something that I want. I don't see all of this fame–or whatever it is–kind of affecting how I feel toward AJ.

Well, that's almost sweet enough to put in your coffee.

This is all pure speculation, stuff that you can expect when Webb goes out in public with a rock the size of Dwayne Johnson.

When you receive as much attention as the Sports Illustrated model, you are bound to garner some rumors that go along with very specific fashion choices.

With that, we give Webb and McCarron our congratulations, either for their engagement or ability to wear shiny rings in public.

Hit me up on Twitter for more sexy swag: Follow @gabezal

Is Michael Vick off His Rocker Saying He's the Fastest QB in the League?

Zach Kruse — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:01:14 -0400

Despite an influx of young, athletic quarterbacks with wheels, Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles insists he's still the game's fastest player at the position.

And he's not wrong.

The 33-year-old Vick said on "The Dan Patrick Show" Friday (via ESPN) that he remains faster in the open field than the likes of Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III and the rest of the NFL's crop of quick quarterbacks.

"These guys are young and they're fast and they're quick; the thing I do have is a very quick get-up. I really don't feel like there's a quarterback in the league who can beat me in a 40-yard dash. If somebody wants to set something up, I'll be more than glad to accept the challenge. But as of right now I'm going to say me. But Colin Kaepernick is fast and RG III is fast as well."

Vick hasn't been shy about expressing–or showing off–his top-end speed.

Earlier in May, Vick challenged Eagles running back LeSean McCoy to a 40-yard dash during offseason workouts.

According to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, Vick won the race against the shifty running back, who is nine years his junior.

While not official—and McCoy claimed that Vick cheated, just as you'd expect—the results show that Vick hasn't lost any of his elite straight-line speed.

Back in 2001, and before he became the No. 1 overall pick, Vick blazed through the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds. The time is not considered official, according to NFL Combine Results, but it would rank faster than any other quarterback time since 2006, the first year the NFL made 40 times official.

Former Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal holds the official quarterback record at 4.35 seconds, followed by Griffin III at 4.41. Kaepernick ran the sprint in 4.53 seconds in 2011, while Russell Wilson finished in 4.55 seconds last year. Jake Locker and Cam Newton both recorded times of 4.59 seconds.

The only other quarterbacks to break 4.50 seconds are Marcus Vick (4.42, 2005) and Brad Smith (4.46, 2006).

Vick, the NFL's all-time leader in quarterback rushing yards, told the radio program that he still thinks he can run in the 4.4-second range.

Such a time would almost certainly ensure that Vick retains the title of fastest quarterback in the NFL.

McNeal now plays in the Canadian Football League and Griffin III is coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Kaepernick, Wilson and Terrelle Pryor might be his best competition for the crown, but there's no reason to think a re-committed Vick wouldn't best the trio in a foot race.

Vick should probably have more important things on his mind—like beating out a certain rookie quarterback from USC for the Eagles starting job—but there's no need to question his speed.

Even at 32 years old, Vick should still be considered the NFL's fastest quarterback.

Champions League Final 2013: Why Bayern Munich Will Dominate

Jeremy Fuchs — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:59:09 -0400

Bayern Munich will take on Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final. While the rise of Dortmund is a good story, Bayern Munich are simply a better team and they will absolutely dominate the final game on Saturday.

Bayern are the best team in the world right now. They just beat Barcelona 7-0 aggregate in the semifinals of the Championship League. Bayern have a goal differential of plus-80. That's right. Plus-80. They scored 98 goals and allowed just 18. In contrast, Dortmund gave up 42 goals.

Bayern beat Dortmund in the DFB Cup quarterfinal in February by a score of 1-0, and Dortmund had just one shot on net. The squad has an absolutely stifling defense.

While Dortmund have Robert Lewandowski, perhaps the best young goal scorer in the world, they will be without stud midfielder Mario Gotze, who is out with a hamstring issue.

Gotze takes off a lot of pressure on Lewandowski. He's a terrific passer and an excellent scorer. Without Gotze, Bayern can shift all their defensive attention to Lewandowski, limiting his effectiveness.

Making matters worse for Dortmund is that Bayern goalie Manuel Neuer is playing at an incredible level right now. He recorded four clean sheets in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Champions League:

In addition, midfielder Thomas Muller has been terrific in Champions League play. He has eight goals and two assists in 11 matches.

Despite losing in last year's finals, Bayern and Muller believe it will give them more confidence:

The cards are stacked against Dortmund. Despite the fact they finished in 13th place in 2007-08 and engineered an incredible turnaround to get here, they are just overmatched. They are without their star midfielder, meaning that Bayern have a chance to completely keep Lewandowski out of the game. Also, Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is absolutely on fire, and the offense is incredibly potent, led by Muller.

Barring a major injury, or a major gaffe by Neuer, it seems that Bayern are set to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss and take home the Champions League final in dominating fashion.

NBA Playoffs 2013: Players Who Must Step Up After Poor Conference Finals Starts

Benjamin Klein — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:50:49 -0400

While some of the NBA’s best have stepped up during the playoffs—I’m looking at you, LeBron James—others have been far from stellar.

In the postseason, teams have to play well as a team in order to win. It’s not all about one player, although a dominant performance could obviously lead to a lopsided victory.

When key players fail to execute when given the opportunity, bad things happen. Just ask the Indiana Pacers, who, even though didn’t have Roy Hibbert on the floor late in overtime, couldn’t stop James from driving to the basket for the game-winning layup.

If poor play from the following players continues throughout the remainder of the conference finals and potentially the NBA Final, then their teams could be in big trouble.

Ray Allen, Miami Heat

The Heat barely escaped the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, but it wasn’t because Ray Allen did much of anything. Sure, Allen has a plus-10 plus/minus rating in the series’ opening game, but that number is skewed.

As long as a player can play solid defense and be on the court alongside of players like James and Dwayne Wade, their plus-minus is going to be high. What’s concerning, though, is how poorly Allen has shot the ball.

For those who don’t know, Allen has made more three-pointers than any other player in the history of the game. That’s one of the main reasons the Heat wanted him—aside from the fact he used to play for one of their top rivals, the Boston Celtics.

In Game 1, Allen attempted just four shots from beyond the arc, hitting just one. Allen has been pretty cold from three throughout most of the postseason. He shot 46.4 percent from downtown against the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round but just 23.5 percent in the quarterfinals against the Chicago Bulls.

Miami desperately needs Allen’s hot hand in order to continue winning. Going 1-of-4 or even worse on a night-to-night basis isn’t going to cut it. Allen knows that and is probably working on fixing it at this very instant.

George Hill, Indiana Pacers

Since sustaining a concussion during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the New York Knicks, George Hill just hasn’t been the same player. Throughout the season, Hill averaged 14.2 points in 34.5 minutes per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from downtown.

In Game 6, in which the Indiana Pacers clinched a trip to face the Heat, Hill was ice cold. In 42 minutes, he shot 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-6 from three-point territory. He finished the game with 12 points, but seven came from the charity stripe.

With a couple of days off, it was fair to assume that Hill would be his normal self for the start of the Eastern Conference finals. But that didn't turn out to be the case. In 45 minutes, he went 2-of-9 from the field and had just five points in the Pacers’ Game 1 loss.

Hill is more than essential to Indiana’s success. If he’s still feeling the after-effects of the concussion, that’s one thing, but if he’s healthy and just underperforming, the Pacers are doomed.

Hill may only have been the third-highest scorer on the team during the year, but Indiana is considerably worse without him on the floor. But as we’ve seen lately, he’s been bad when he’s on the court, too. Right now, if Hill doesn’t get his act together, it’s a lose-lose situation for the Pacers.

Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies

Zach Randolph was on fire to start the postseason but has since cooled off considerably, which should have Memphis Grizzlies fans somewhat worried. It was almost as if Randolph couldn’t miss a shot during the first round of the playoffs. He shot 56.8 percent from the field, 10 points higher than he did in the regular season.

Obviously, it’s a smaller sample size, so the percentage is skewed, but still, that’s an impressive shot percentage for a six-game series. His offensive abilities led Memphis to a second-round matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the quarterfinals, he shot 43.9 percent from the field.

Then in Game 1, Randolph was more than shaky each time he attempted a shot. He hit just six of 18 attempts on the night, dropping the opener of the series to the San Antonio Spurs. To add insult to injury, he only hit three free throws despite attempting eight. Those are points the Grizzlies certainly missed.

Now, I understand that Randolph’s game is not all about offense. He did grab 18 rebounds in Game 1, which helped Memphis keep the game close. But if he and his teammates can’t capitalize when he brings one in, then what’s the point? Seven offensive rebounds are worthless if he doesn’t hit the put-back.

The Spurs are very fundamentally sound and Randolph needs to either shoot better or give up the ball if he’s not going to be making shots. If not, Memphis could end up getting swept.

James Rodriguez: Summer Transfer Window Profile and Scouting Report

Garry Hayes — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:48:15 -0400

If Paris Saint-Germain thought their Ligue 1 victory this season would mean they were set to have it all their own way in France, they were mistaken.

Monaco have only just returned to the top flight, and with a Russian owner seemingly willing to back them to the hilt, they have already started their assault on challenging PSG for the title by snapping up James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho from Porto for a fee that The Sun reports to be in the region of £60 million.

Age: 21

Contract Situation: Monaco have tied Rodriguez down to a five-year deal, meaning he will remain a player for the Ligue 1 side until 2018.

Career Stops: Banfield (2008-10), Porto (2010-13), Monaco (2013-current)

Current Campaign: Portuguese Liga: 22 games, eight goals; Champions League: eight games, one goal, one assist

Video Showreel:

Scouting Guide: Rodriguez is one of the hottest young properties in European football right now, with his raw pace and an eye for goal catching the attention of many clubs on the continent and in the Premier League.

Eight goals in 22 league games isn't a bad return for a 21-year-old who is still finding his feet, and so much more is expected of him.

He'll need to address his distribution, however, as he failed to record an assist of any sort in Portugal this term, which, given his official status as a winger, will be a concern.

What's Next?

We now know where the 21-year-old Colombian will be plying his trade for the foreseeable future, although things were expected to be a whole lot different.

He had long been linked with a move to Manchester United, with the Daily Telegraph believing Anderson would be used as a make-weight in any deal. The Express also reported Atletico Madrid were set to make a move.

As Friday's news (May 24) showed though, money talks, and Monaco will be the envy of a few clubs having snapped up the talented wide man.