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WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Results: Sheamus Defeats Mark Henry in Strap Match

Big Nasty — 2013-05-19 20:47:59 -0400

Sheamus took Mark Henry off his feet early in the match, but Henry quickly over powered Sheamus. Henry tied Sheamus into a ball with help from the strap, but was only able to touch two of the four corners.

The crowd was into Sheamus as he touched three of the four corners while on the outside. Henry knocked him off the apron before he could finish.

Henry repeatedly whipped Sheamus and touched three of the four corners while carrying Sheamus, but Sheamus touched the corners as well. Henry noticed this and dumped Sheamus.

Sheamus crotched Henry with strap and whipped him a multiple times. He was once again shrugged off after touching three corners

Sheamus dragged Henry into the steel post. He touched three of the corners but Henry stood in his way. Sheamus Brogue kicked Henry and dove for the fourth turnbuckle for the win.

Winner: Sheamus

This Match as an ECW Wrestler: The Eliminators

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Results: Dean Ambrose Beats Kofi Kingston, Wins US Title

Big Nasty — 2013-05-19 20:33:19 -0400

Dean Ambrose saluted his fellow Shield mates before making his way to the ring alone. Loud "let's go Ambrose" chants to start the match. Kingston and Ambrose went back and forth on an early exchange that ended with Kingston teasing the Trouble in Paradise.

Ambrose quickly overtook the match with his brand of unorthodox offense.

Kingston took control with a flurry of offense. At one point, there was a scary spot where Kofi landed awkwardly on his leg while trying to roll up Ambrose. Ambrose kicked out of an SOS as Kofi kept forcing the issue.

Ambrose came back and hit a double underhook suplex from the top rope for a nearfall. The back and forth action spilled to the apron as Kingston caught Ambrose with a Trouble in Paradise on the apron.

Kingston rolled Ambrose back in the ring. Kingston missed a trouble in Paradise and Ambrose countered with his modified DDT finisher.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

This Match as an ECW Wrestler: Balls Mahoney

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Results: Chris Jericho Defeats Fandango

Big Nasty — 2013-05-19 20:19:11 -0400

The match starts out with Jericho in control. Jericho knocked Fandango to the outside and hit an axe handle splash to the outside before playing to the crowd.

Fandango seized control by blocking a charging Jericho in the corner. Jericho teased knee problems after a schoolboy rollup went array.

Jericho quickly made his comeback, teasing The Walls of Jericho before Fandango countered and went back on the offensive.

Fandango went for the flying leg drop but missed as Jericho came back with a Lionsault for a nearfall. Jericho rolled through A Fandango rollup attempt and slapped on the Walls of Jericho.

Fanango retreated to the corner as he caught a charging Jericho with an enzuigiri. Fandango leaped on the top rope and dove for Jericho but Jericho caught him in midair with a Code Breaker for the win.

Winner: Chris Jericho

This Match as an ECW wrestler: Roadkill

Mark Helfrich's 5 Biggest Challenges for Oregon in 2013

Jeff Bell — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:45:54 -0400

Each season of football typically offers up something new and exciting for fans to look forward to, whether it's new talent, new opponents or simply high expectations and the hope of winning a national championship.

Not a single one of those three items will catch Oregon fans by surprise as the team has been competing at an elite level for several years now. But one major difference will be the man in charge, Mark Helfrich.

If you've been rooting on the Ducks on since the late '70s, Helfrich will be just the fourth head coach you've seen in that time.

He replaces the departed offensive genius Chip Kelly and will face enormous expectations. But he inherits a team poised to once again capture a league title and compete for a national championship.

This isn't a rebuilding job by any stretch of the imagination, and the right pieces are in place. But while other new coaches like Sonny Dykes at Cal may be facing more X-and-O type issues, Helfrich will have some major challenges of his own to overcome.

Let's take a look at the top five challenges that Mark Helfrich and Oregon will face in 2013.

Begin Slideshow

Dean Ambrose Wins the U.S. Title at WWE Extreme Rules, What Happens Next?

Tom Clark — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:32:56 -0400

Dean Ambrose is your new WWE United States Champion. He defeated Kofi Kingston at Extreme Rules in the third match of the night, marking Ambrose’s first title in WWE. Now the question is, what happens next?

For any critics of The Shield who may still be out there, this title victory may go a long way in silencing them. Because despite how unimportant the secondary championships may appear to be at times in Vince McMahon’s company, the fact is that the belts are still a big deal.

Putting the United States title around the waist of Ambrose? That’s a very big deal.

From the moment that The Shield debuted in WWE they have been virtually unstoppable. Many Superstars have made the mistake of getting in their way and they have each fallen one by one. Sheamus, Randy Orton, Kane, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, John Cena, The Rock and even The Undertaker have all tasted The Shield’s brand of justice.

All of them have been left for dead.

Their meteoric rise to the top of WWE is unparalleled, and just when it seems as if they may be pushed back on their heels, the trio from NXT always finds a way to regroup and come out on top. Using gang warfare, The Shield works together in every encounter and every assault they perpetrate.

If you knock one down, the other two take his place. The Shield leave absolutely no breathing room for their opponents and it’s because of this one-for-all group mentality that they have been the most dominant force in WWE.

But they have always operated outside of the system. They come to the ring through the crowd, not down the ramp. They have no allies except for each other, and as soon as they are finished doing business in the ring, they disappear until the next program.

For all intents and purposes, The Shield is an outlaw faction who does not have to adhere to any set rules or guidelines laid out by the company. They are anarchists with no authority over them at all.

But not anymore.

Now, one of them has a championship. For Ambrose, that means that he is now at the mercy of the WWE hierarchy. Vickie Guerrero, Booker T, Teddy Long, Triple H and of course McMahon, all have authority over him. Ambrose now operates and performs at their whim.

Even though The Shield has been allowed to commit the acts that they have with no one governing them, the fact is that it could all be explained very easily. McMahon or Triple H’s point could always be that they chose to leave it up to the WWE Superstars to handle their business against The Shield, to somehow work it all out.

Perhaps they wanted to see just what Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns could do in the ring, to see if they truly are the future of WWE as many fans believe them to be.

But now that Ambrose has a belt, it’s game on. Now, he is under direct WWE jurisdiction. He can technically no longer walk away from a challenge if he and his Shield teammates are evenly matched against three baby faces. Basically, if he wants to remain United States Champion, he cannot say no.

When Ambrose does defend his title, he may no longer have backup at ringside.

Again, if he wants that belt, then he will have to play ball. A no interference stipulation can be added to his matches, forcing him to compete alone or be stripped of the championship.

Perhaps in lusting after gold, The Shield has managed to outsmart themselves.

Now for the reality of it all.

The truth is that The Shield has been three of the hottest new prospects that WWE has seen in years. They are very good at getting into their characters, they have excelled in their roles and they play them to the hilt. Collectively, they are successful in every way. Individually, they have great potential.

So, why ruin it now? Why handcuff The Shield because of championship gold? The bottom line is, if it’s working, don’t mess with it. Don’t repair what is not broken.

The Shield is working. It’s working on every level. Perhaps this is WWE’s belief as well, so even though my theories about Ambrose coming under fire from company authority would provide a nice twist, the fact is that it may not be what happens.

Ambrose’s victory for the WWE United States Championship could be the first step into a new direction for The Shield. The company could choose to tweak the storyline and begin featuring Ambrose more in an individual role, essentially forcing him to become a company guy. But whatever the future holds for Ambrose, the fact is that this title win could likely be the first of many in his WWE career.

Believe in Ambrose.

Newcastle vs. Arsenal: Arsene Wenger Proves Worth as Gunners Secure 4th Place

Tom Kinslow — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:28:54 -0400

There are few constants in this world. You have life, death, taxes and Arsene Wenger in the Champions League.

Despite prophecies of negative spirals and various other obituaries for arguably the greatest manager in Arsenal's history, he found a way to keep his squad in Europe's most elite club tournament for one more season.

For all of the talk of Wenger being past it, of being too cheap and being too stubborn to fix a broken system, it was his gambles in the second leg against Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of the Champions League that swung the campaign.

Telegraph Sport previously shared this scene on Twitter:

Most managers wouldn't have dropped keeper Wojciech Szczesny for Lukasz Fabianski and they certainly wouldn't have dropped club captain Thomas Vermaelen for Laurent Koscielny. Those changes inspired a great performance from a club in dire need of a spark and started the run that ended up with a Champions League place in Wenger's back pocket.

Koscielny took the chance and never looked back, as he was vital to the defensive discipline down the stretch and once again scored the winning goal that put the Gunners into a Champions League place with a twirling strike early in the second half.

Szczesny's demotion was a wake-up call for a talented but inconsistent keeper. When he returned to the starting 11 following Fabianski's rib injury, his play was markedly improved. Both gambles could have backfired, but Wenger knew his team and knew his players, and it led to another improbable run to end the season in which Arsenal won eight of their final 10 Premier League matchups.

For all of the criticisms lobbed at Wenger over eight trophy-less years, the stark reality of the matter is that there are few managers in the world who could have managed the type of consistent performance shown by Arsenal since their move from Highbury.

Regardless of your opinion of Wenger's offseason spending, the truth is that he has been severely hamstrung by the financial constraints created by the construction of Emirates Stadium. There won't be silverware to go with it, but the consistency at the club since the move is one of Wenger's greatest achievements as a manager.

Now, it seems as if Wenger is seemingly set to lead Arsenal into a new age of success, as the club is seeing an influx of profit from increased commercial deals. First there was the new deal with Emirates to extend the kit sponsorship deal through 2018 and the stadium sponsorship through 2029 for £150 million (per the BBC).

There are also reports of a massive kit manufacturing deal with Puma, which according to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, would pay the club £170 million starting with the 2014-15 season. These are deals that represent a massive increase over the old deals and would give Wenger a massive transfer kit to work with for the foreseeable future.

This is a vital summer for Arsenal and Wenger, and with Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all going through periods of readjustment with new managers, it's important that the Gunners make a serious statement of intent in the transfer market.

There is a strong core in place, and without any major star angling for a summer move, Arsenal have a chance to stake their claim among England's elite, and no Gooner should want anyone other than Wenger at the helm after yet another miracle run to the Champions League.

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid: Breaking Down Cristiano Ronaldo's Performance

Maxwell Ogden — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:19:41 -0400

In one of the most stunning upsets of the year, Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid by a score of 2-1 to win the 2013 Copa del Rey. This marked the first time Atletico Madrid had defeated their rivals since 1999, which has inevitably led to questions surrounding Real Madrid leader Cristiano Ronaldo.

The question is, how did Ronaldo perform with the Copa del Rey on the line?

Entering the game, I made the claim that Ronaldo's legacy was on the line, as there was no excuse for losing this game. After watching it all transpire, however, my opinion has changed on the issue.

As has been the case in a strong majority of his international and club games, Ronaldo was magnificent—this time, there just wasn't enough support.

This loss wasn't just a display of lackluster results, but an inability to capitalize on opportunities. From shots off of the post to senseless penalties, Real Madrid failed to execute in the manner expected of them.

So how did Ronaldo's day transpire?

Production

Cristiano Ronaldo wasted no time in putting his squad on the board, scoring in the 14th minute. Coming off of a cross, Ronaldo entered the box, out-muscled his defender and sent a header into the left corner of the net.

Just like that, it was 1-0 Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has now netted at least one goal in nine of his past 12 games with Real Madrid. He has 34 goals and 10 assists in 34 games, which displays how dominant he's been.

Unfortunately, one goal wasn't enough here.

Ronaldo had other opportunities, even drawing the post on a goal attempt that everyone watching expected to see fly into the back of the net. Ronaldo even found Karim Benzema in position to score, but he failed to convert.

For that reason, we certainly cannot knock what he managed to do—you know, what his teammates couldn't.

Penalties

During stoppage time of the second half, Cristiano Ronaldo made what proved to be a costly mistake. In the first of two major gaffes, Ronaldo drew a yellow card and thus displayed the high tensions in this clash.

It only got worse in extra time.

In the 114th minute, Ronaldo was caught up with Atletico Madrid captain Gabi. After falling to the ground, Ronaldo appeared to throw a kick—although the intent is questionable—and thus caught Gabi in the face.

After some Oscar-worthy acting by Gabi, that was enough for the referees to hit Ronaldo with his second penalty—a red card.

Regardless of the acting, it wasn't too stunning to see Ronaldo sent off for this offense. With that being said, one has to wish that Ronaldo would keep his cool and thus give his squad the opportunity to come back for the win.

When you pair the production with the penalties, however, one thing is clear—Ronaldo is not to blame for Real Madrid's defeat.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs Game 1: Video Highlights and Recap

Maxwell Ogden — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:12:49 -0400

The 2013 NBA playoffs resumed on Sunday, May 19, as the San Antonio Spurs hosted the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals series.

Tony Parker led the charge for the Spurs, going for 20 points and nine assists on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor. Kawhi Leonard added 18 points and Danny Green tallied 16, while Matt Bonner stepped in off of the bench for 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.

Gary Neal added eight of his own, while Tim Duncan grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists.

For the Grizzlies, Quincy Pondexter tallied a team-high 17 points on five three-point field goals made. Marc Gasol dropped 15 points and seven rebounds, while Mike Conley tallied 14 points, eight assists and four rebounds.

Jerryd Bayless posted eight points and five assists in 21 minutes of action.

The question is, were the Grizzlies able to pull out the Game 1 upset on the road? Or did the Spurs hold down their home court to take the early advantage?

Check the video provided above to find out.

2014 Offensive Recruits Who May End Up Playing Defense in College

Edwin Weathersby — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:07:08 -0400

One aspect that makes recruiting tricky is that recruits are still growing and physically maturing. This can lead to many of them being at different positions than where they are now. Yes, coaching is better now so recruits have better technique and are more advanced than years past, so a wealth of recruits are actually in their right positions now.

Yet, players like Bo Scarbrough, John "JuJu" Smith and Cameron Denson have the ability to flip from offense to defense and vice versa. It is the vice versa that will be the focus of this read. Players who are offensive recruits now but may end up being defenders in college.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

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WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Results: Full Winners and Analysis for PPV Card

Donald Wood — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:01:13 -0400

The 2013 Extreme Rules pay-per-view is one of the WWE’s most exciting events of the year, and the results of this show will have long-term implications on the entire product moving forward.

When: Sunday, May 19, at 8 p.m. ET

Where: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

Watch: PPV (order details)

Live Stream: WWE.com

While the PPV after WrestleMania used to be a secondary show that helped the WWE clear the slate for the next year of programming, Extreme Rules has taken on a life of its own and become something much more special.

With the addition of Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho and Triple H to the card this year, it’s clear the company went all-in on this show and regards Extreme Rules as one of the WWE's top events.

There is a wild night of wrestling ahead, and we'll be updating the results of every match throughout the night. Enjoy!

Begin Slideshow

San Antonio Spurs' 3-Point Assassins Are Biggest X-Factor in NBA Title Push

Jimmy Spencer — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:55:15 -0400

The visiting locker room of the San Antonio Spurs is often filled with the collective what-are-we-supposed-to-do shrugs of mystified opponents.

Welcome, Memphis Grizzlies.

The Spurs' collective of diverse talent and an offensive scheme that’s harder to figure out than a silver-and-black puzzle was at it again Sunday in San Antonio’s 105-83 Game 1 blowout of Memphis.

The Spurs execute opponents to—yeah, death—through offensive sets that present multiple high-percentage options.

In Game 1, the Spurs got plenty of looks and connected on 14 of their 29 launched three-pointers. The trio of Kawhi Leonard, Matt Bonner and Danny Green combined for 11-of-17 three-pointers for San Antonio.

That’s just unfair.

The Spurs don’t sway far from their routine. When they settle into a rhythm that includes hitting jump shots, they are nearly unbeatable.

Now imagine that Memphis locker room.

“You got your guy?”

“I helped on your guy.”

“Well, I was helping on his guy.”

Annnnnnd that’s how a barrage of 14 three-pointers are landed.

The Spurs’ deep threat has become the biggest X-factor this postseason, a difference-maker that could carry them past the Grizzlies and act as an equalizer against the league favorites, the Miami Heat.

"Looking past Memphis" alert: Miami allowed 7.6 three-pointers per game in the regular season, the highest mark of any remaining postseason team. Could the Spurs’ outside shooting, buoyed by a veteran core and the game’s best coach, Gregg Popovich, be enough to overcome the Heat?

San Antonio has now averaged 7.8 of 21.0 (37.2 percent) three-pointers per game this postseason, the highest of the remaining teams.

The rest of the field:

	Memphis	Pacers	Heat
Three-point rate	4.6-of-14.3 (32%)	6.8-of-22.2 (31%)	7.1-of-20.9 (34%)

Bonner, Leonard and Green each unloaded in Game 1, as the Spurs collapsed the Grizzlies’ defense despite the scoring of two-thirds of the Spurs' veteran core: Tim Duncan (six points) and Manu Ginobili (8 points). Duncan needed to play just 27 minutes while Ginobili played 21 minutes.

But with the sharpshooters populating every region of the three-point arc, the Spurs become unmanageable and the task of the team’s primary scoring threat, Tony Parker, becomes even more dangerous.

As opponents, or specifically the Grizzlies Sunday, are forced to play deeper out on shooters and less in defensive help, Parker’s abilities to attack the basket become more potent. Parker shot 59.7 percent from less than eight feet in the regular season.

On Sunday:

The Spurs shot 37.6 percent to make 8.1 three-pointers per game in the regular season, including Green, who hit 2.2-of-5.2 (42.9 percent) per game. Three other Spurs averaged more than one three-pointer per game: Leonard (1.8), Ginobili (1.4) and Gary Neal (1.3).

The Spurs' shooting breakdown:

Mid-range	42.3%
Corner 3	41.1%
Above the Break 3	41.1%

However, their perimeter shooting also creates issues aside from just the three-point shot in itself.

If San Antonio is hitting, the interior defense of the Grizzlies is left paralyzed.

The lane-clogging presence of Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol will allow the Grizzlies’ perimeter defenders to overplay shooters, but that only works if one to two Spurs shooters are hitting.

Gasol’s ability to help defensively inside will allow for Memphis to defend the corner three-point shooter. But because the Spurs move the ball so well around the perimeter to multiple shooters, defenders cannot move fast enough around the arc and are simply too late on close-outs.

All Memphis was able to do Sunday was shrug its shoulders.

If the Spurs' systematic offense continues to shoot with such precision, they’ll make quick work of the Grizzlies and give Miami a run in the NBA Finals.

When it's falling, the three-point shot levels everything.

Follow @JimmySpencerNBA

Tim Kennedy: 'I'm Chael Sonnen with Better Jiu-Jitsu and Better Hands'

John Heinis — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:54:10 -0400

UFC middleweight/United States Army veteran Tim Kennedy isn't one to pull his punches in or out of the cage.

Therefore, it's no surprise that he was quite candid when asked by Above and Beyond MMA how he felt a potential fight with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva would go.

I think I could beat him. Everybody will be shaking their head, “Oh my gosh, Tim is insane!” No. Stylistically, I think I’m a bad matchup for him. I’m Chael Sonnen with better jiu-jitsu and better hands...I love making fights ugly. It’s a fight that I can go out there and make a guy that is music personified into violence — like Anderson — and just grab the record and start going [record-scratching noises] and play my own song.

Kennedy is 3-2 in his past five fights, losing Strikeforce middleweight title bouts to Ronaldo Souza and Luke Rockhold, respectively.

The Greg Jackson's MMA fighter maintains that he fought poorly against both Souza and Rockhold, though he still believes he won his August 2010 encounter with "Jacare."

The two biggest fights of my career, I looked flat...One fight against “Jacare” [Ronaldo Souza] for the Strikeforce title was really close, but I won it. Regardless, I fought a horrible fight. On the two biggest stages of my life, I — I — came up short. Me, I sucked...I’m not taking anything away from Jacare or Luke [Rockhold], but I beat me; they didn’t beat me.

Both Souza and Rockhold made their first appearances in the Octagon on Saturday at UFC on FX 8.

Souza scored a masterful submission win over Chris Camozzi, while Rockhold suffered a devastating knockout at the hands of Vitor Belfort.

Kennedy is scheduled to make his UFC debut at UFC 162 in July, taking on a world renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt in Roger Gracie.

Given Anderson Silva's reign of excellence inside the Octagon, it's tough to imagine Kennedy would present much of a challenge for him should they even square off in the cage.

"The Spider" boasts a perfect 16-0 record under the UFC banner, also holding the promotion's record with 10 successful middleweight title defenses.

He last defended his belt against Sonnen in July, though he improved his light heavyweight record to 3-0 when he TKO'ed the very durable Stephan Bonnar, the original "The Ultimate Fighter" runner-up, at UFC 153 in October

Sonnen, known for his takedowns and top control, is the only opponent who provided a challenge for Silva during that time frame. However, "The American Gangster" ended up being defeated on two occasions: via submission at UFC 117 and via TKO at UFC 148.

Silva headlines the UFC 162 card against a former collegiate All-American wrestler in Chris Weidman. "The All-American" boasts an undefeated 9-0 record heading into the matchup.

Would Kennedy stand a chance against Silva, or are his comments completely off-base?

John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com and contributes MMA videos to The Young Turks Sports Show.

Why New York Rangers Need Perfection from Henrik Lundqvist to Survive 2nd Round

Nicholas Goss — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:53:26 -0400

For the New York Rangers to overcome an 0-2 series deficit against the resurgent Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist must play at an elite level for the remainder of the series.

Sunday's 5-2 loss in Game 2 at TD Garden was one of the lowest points of the Rangers' season, one that could end quickly if the Blueshirts fail to win Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.

"I don’t think you can say that we were close in this game," said Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh. "We did have chances there in the second. I think the second period was probably our best period of the six we’ve played so far against them. We weren’t able to get enough goals there."

After back-to-back shutouts in the final two games of the Rangers' first-round series against the Washington Capitals (including a Game 7 road victory), Lundqvist has given up eight goals in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

"I’m not evaluating our goaltending," said Rangers head coach John Tortorella after Game 2. "I don’t need to evaluate Henrik. We know what Henrik is."

New York is facing an 0-2 deficit for the second consecutive playoff series, but mounting another remarkable series comeback will be much harder against Boston than it was against Washington.

"We’ve done it before," said Lundqvist when asked if his team is still feeling confident heading home down 0-2.

"But I think we are playing a better team now so it’s going to be tough to do it. They’re a solid team and you can’t give them too much. They work hard and they pay attention to all the details in the game and that’s why they have been so successful so far in these two games."

Lundqvist is arguably the best netminder in the NHL and is the model of consistency at his position. He was named as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy earlier this month after winning the award for the first time last year, but there's no question that he has not played to his normal standard versus the Bruins.

Here are some historical stats from Lundqvist's disappointing Game 2 performance:

Lundqvist had never allowed more than three goals against the Bruins in his 32 previous starts (including playoffs) before Sunday.
He had gone 151 straight games (including playoffs) without giving up five goals before Game 2 (Every start since March 9, 2011).
The last time Lundqvist allowed five goals in a playoff game: Apr. 26, 2009, Game 6 of Round 1 vs. Capitals.

Not all of the Bruins' eight goals in this series have been Lundqvist's fault, but he could have done a bit better on all three he gave up in Game 1, as well as Gregory Campbell's goal off a rebound to give Boston a 2-1 lead in the second period on Sunday.

"The third and fourth goals are defendable," said Tortorella. "We made coverage mistakes. Our second period is where we want to be. We can’t put it in the net. We had multiple chances. We felt really good going into the third, and to have that type of goal go in on just a two-on-two, it hurts you."

With the Rangers playing so poorly defensively and unable to capitalize on their power-play opportunities in this series, Lundqvist will need to carry this team through its scoring struggles once more. Against a team with great depth and a wealth of playoff experience, this will be among the hardest challenges that Lundqvist has faced in his brilliant NHL career.

New York is now 0-of-20 on the road in power-play opportunities, including an 0-of-5 showing in Game 2. "Our power play was better tonight," said Tortorella. "Didn’t score, but it was better." Since the Bruins are so strong at even strength, failing to capitalize with the man advantage is going to hurt the Rangers in this series.

Overall, the Rangers have scored the second-fewest goals of the eight remaining teams in the playoffs with an average of 2.22 per game.

Many of the team's most highly-skilled forwards have failed to find the back of the net through the two games in Boston, including Mats Zuccarello, Carl Hagelin, Brad Richards and Derick Brassard. Superstar winger Rick Nash finally scored his first playoff goal for the Rangers in Game 2, but he still needs to be a lot more productive against the Bruins for his team to earn positive results consistently.

New York is unable to rely on its offense to make up for the team's breakdowns defensively, which puts a huge responsibility on Lundqvist to make almost every save for the Rangers to have a chance of victory in the third period.

There were too many times when Rangers defensemen, most notably Dan Girardi (who was on the ice for all five of Boston's goals), were either out of position or not able to handle the Bruins' speed in the defensive zone. A couple of Boston's goals on Sunday were also scored by trailers, which shows the Rangers forwards' inability to back check effectively.

Of the few of the goals that Lundqvist allowed in Game 2, there was one or more Rangers in front of the net preventing their goaltender from getting a clean loom at the puck. If a player is going to be in front of the goal, a shot block has to be expected; but the Rangers blocked just 12 Bruins shots on Sunday after preventing 29 of them from reaching Lundqvist in the series opener.

It's very rare that you see so many defensive breakdowns from the Rangers, who are one of the most fundamentally strong teams in this aspect of the game. New York prides itself on team defense, and it must get back to this in Game 3 or there will be a real chance that Boston could sweep this series.

Another reason why Lundqvist needs to play at perfect level to win this series is because his opposite number, Tuukka Rask, is also one of the top goaltenders in the league and won't give up many goals in this series (just four GA in two games).

Rask is 6-3 in the playoffs with a .928 save percentage and a 2.38 GAA, and if he didn't stop the Rangers on nearly all of the odd-man rushes they created off of terrible defensive plays and turnovers from the Bruins in Game 2, the final scoreline would have looked much different.

The Bruins' No. 1 goalie is fully capable of outplaying Lundqvist in this series, which has been the case in the first two games. Given the team's trouble scoring enough goals, this is a matchup that the Rangers cannot afford to lose if they are to make a series comeback.

"Well we’ve got a lot of confidence in Tuukka [Rask]," said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. "And if you compare both there’s no doubt that Henrik Lundqvist has more experience than Tuukka [Rask] does, but that doesn’t change anything."

"He’s been good for us all year, and our guys have lots of confidence in him. So it’s about having confidence in your goaltender and finding ways to get through the other one."

Fair or not, Lundqvist has to stand on his head for rest of this series for the Rangers to win four of the next five games and reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season.

Luckily for the Rangers, they have a goaltender who is among the best in the league at putting disappointing results behind him and focusing on the next challenge.

"I’m confident and I’m going to go home and try to play a strong game in the next one."

Nicholas Goss is an NHL lead writer at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter. Nick was a credentialed reporter at the 2011 Stanley Cup final and 2012 NHL playoffs, and he is also a credentialed writer at the 2013 NHL playoffs in Boston. All quotes obtained first hand.

Lionel Messi and Barcelona Have a Chance to Make History in La Liga

Ryan Rudnansky — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:50:48 -0400

Lionel Messi and Barcelona are six points away from tying Real Madrid for the most points in a single season in La Liga history.

The La Liga champions have racked up 94 points this season after they defeated Real Valladolid 2-1 on Sunday. That includes 30 victories, four draws and a mere two losses. With two more games to go in La Liga play, they have a shot at joining Madrid in the record books.

During the run, Messi has scored the most goals in La Liga with 46, which is 12 more tallies than Cristiano Ronaldo. His 46 goals in 32 games is a better ratio than last season when he scored 50 goals in 37 games.

He's also posted 12 assists, second only to teammate Andres Iniesta in the league (Messi had 15 assists last season).

Messi, of course, isn't the whole team, but it's obvious that he has driven Barca to this spot. The club has won the league title in four of the last five years. And Barca now leads Madrid by 13 points in La Liga.

It would be something else if Barca tied Madrid's mark of 100 points in a single season. Not only is it an impressive number, Madrid set the record just last season. It was hard to imagine Madrid's record falling anytime soon, let alone in one year's time.

But anything is possible when you have Messi.

The four-time Ballon d'Or winner has a way of making anything possible for a club, whether it be league titles or league records. He's the Michael Jordan of world football, capable of guiding a team to glory time and time again.

Barcelona plays Espanyol and Malaga in its final two La Liga games of 2012-13. Seeing that Barca has defeated the two clubs by a combined score of 7-1 this season, it's safe to assume Madrid will have company on June 1.

Carmelo Anthony: Rings Not in the New York Knicks' Future Unless Anthony Changes

Martin Telleria — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:49:58 -0400

Carmelo Anthony is one of the most brilliant scorers the NBA has ever been fortunate enough to see grace its court.

He is also a tragic example of what happens when a team relies so heavily on a one-dimensional superstar.

When Anthony is on his game, it’s the basketball equivalent of poetry in motion. The one-dribble pull-up pop. The feathery touch from three. The exquisite body control of his 230-pound frame around the basket.

He is the most unstoppable force the NBA has to offer.

Unfortunately for the New York Knicks, when poetry in motion becomes a reckless disregard for the rim, there isn’t enough substance to forgive his propensity for clanking.

His defense can be described as inconsistent at best. Passing is little more than a last resort. Rebounding becomes his personal version of hot potato.

The sad truth is that Anthony is just as likely to shoot you out of a game as he is to winning it for you.

Now, it’s hard to be too difficult on Anthony after his brilliant performance in the Knicks’ 106-99 Game-5 series-clinching loss Saturday night. 39 points on 15-of-29 shooting is nothing to sneeze at.

Still, his play throughout the rest of the playoffs was difficult to watch. Though he did average an impressive 28.8 points per game during his series versus the Indiana Pacers, three games of shooting under 43 percent from the field is hard to ignore—his 38 percent showing against the Celtics in a victory was even more mind-numbing.

Especially when he contributed little more to the Knicks’ cause.

Anthony is not LeBron James. We’ve known that for a long time. Although he is indeed a more gifted scorer, the all-around game that James possesses is the difference between James advancing to the conference finals and Anthony going home.

James has always found a way to positively affect his team even when his shot isn’t falling. Anthony’s 1.4 assists per game average against the Pacers suggests the opposite. 24.4 shots per game is a very large number. It seems even bigger when only 11 of them fall.

At this point, it doesn’t matter what roster moves the Knicks make next season. The only thing that can propel this franchise to true contender status is a concerted effort by Anthony to evolve his game further.

Frustration should not be the inherent emotion when watching Anthony. He’s just too skilled. Yet often times it’s the only one that makes sense.

Anthony was surrounded this year by exactly the type of teammates that should compliment his abilities perfectly. For a player that commands as many double teams as Anthony, three-point shooters that can make the opposition pay should have been his ultimate weapon.

Instead, too often he chose to ignore those weapons and relied solely on his vast offensive skill set. Even when that skill set wasn’t clicking.

Anthony has the game to reach champion status. However he will never achieve that if he doesn’t change his mindset.

Yes, a gunner has to gun. But he doesn’t always have to gun on his own. A combination of ‘Melo’s elite skills with some added trust in his teammates is undoubtedly a recipe for success.

Only time will tell, however, if that type of trust can ever be forged with a scorer so reliant upon himself as Anthony.

Ancelotti Asks to Leave PSG for Madrid: What It Means for PSG and Real

Jonathan Johnson — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:48:56 -0400

Following Paris Saint-Germain securing the club’s first Ligue 1 title in 19 years last week, the capital club celebrated the right way, bidding farewell to David Beckham, with victory over Brest on Saturday.

A day later, though, coach Carlo Ancelotti rocked the club by revealing that he wants to quit PSG for Real Madrid. The story first surfaced on Sunday afternoon, broken by beIN Sport’s French branch, via ESPN FC, before sporting director Leonardo confirmed the negative talks swiftly afterward to L’Equipe (in French).

The Brazilian did reveal, however, that the request has been denied by the club. Les Parisiens are intent on keeping the two-time Champions League-winning coach for next season as part of their assault on Europe’s top prize.

Ancelotti’s request brings an end to the speculation (via ESPN FC) that has plagued him and the club over recent weeks, and also overshadowed a first domestic title victory since 1994. The Italian has confirmed his interest in leaving for the Santiago Bernabeu, which had been the main point of debate, and now the club seem to be intent on keeping him out of their clutches.

That would include keeping Ancelotti, a highly respected coach within the game, against his will. It is a potentially foolish move for PSG who are now set to pay for their rash decision to put the Italian under pressure late last year when results were not going the way of Les Rouge-et-Bleus.

Now, with so few suitable options on the market to choose from, Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo are in a difficult position.

Ancelotti is undoubtedly the best man for the job, but despite his investments in the project, he wants to call it a day. The team are primed for success once again next season after the progress they have made so far in 2013, losing the Italian risks destroying that momentum. Not to mention losing the faith of some of the ambitious strategy’s most valuable stars.

If PSG want a long-term project manager, Arsenal’s qualification for the Champions League on the final day of the English Premier League season have likely put paid to any lingering hopes that Arsene Wenger would reconsider his previous stance on leaving the Gunners (via ESPN FC).

Otherwise, the only option they have is Malaga’s Manuel Pellegrini and to hope that they can beat Manchester City to his signature (via ESPN FC). Rafa Benitez and Roberto Mancini are other possibilities, but neither seem an immediate fit.

In terms of short-term success, Real’s current coach Jose Mourinho would be a better fit. Capable of taking over a solid team left over by Ancelotti, the Portuguese would no doubt thrive to start with as he has done in the wake of two previous Italian tacticians, Claudio Ranieri at Chelsea and Mancini at Inter Milan.

The difficulty in that, if PSG do decide to pursue "the Special One," is that he appears set to join Chelsea, according to latest reports from ESPN FC. That perhaps explains Les Parisiens' reluctance to part with Ancelotti at this point.

For Real Madrid, though, this news means, among other things, possibly keeping want away coach Mourinho a little bit longer than desired.

The Portuguese is set to sit down with Florentino Perez at the end of the season, but his position has become increasingly untenable (via ESPN FC). His antics during Real Madrid’s 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to bitter rivals Atletico could even see him sacked before Ancelotti’s position becomes any clearer (ESPN FC).

Los Merengues’ position is easier than that of PSG though and with nothing left to play for and the Italian now clearly keen to go to the Spanish capital, it is a question of patience.

One of Ancelotti’s biggest perceived problems in France has been the hands-on role of sporting director Leonardo, whose direct interference has irritated the former Chelsea coach. It is by no means guaranteed that the same thing won’t happen in Madrid.

For now though, it appears that whether PSG like it or not, Ancelotti is on his way to Madrid and will get his wish eventually. The Italian claimed the Ligue 1 coach of the year award, sharing it with Saint-Etienne’s Christophe Galtier, but his silverware collection in the French capital looks set to end there.

Novak Djokovic's Recent Inconsistencies Make Him the X-Factor at French Open

Dan Talintyre — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:43:47 -0400

Novak Djokovic will come into the 2013 French Open with the No. 1 ranking firmly in his pocket but without the pre-tournament form he would have desired.

The Serbian international looked very strong heading into Roland Garros with a defeat of Rafael Nadal on red clay earlier in the month. However, he then backed that up with consecutive defeats to Grigor Dimitrov (second round, Madrid Open) and Tomas Berdych (quarterfinals, Italian Open) to seemingly undo all the hard work he'd done and cast a huge question mark about his French Open chances.

The French Open remains the only outstanding jewel in Djokovic's crown, and with the Serbian playing some excellent tennis earlier in the year, 2013 was looking like a great opportunity to end that drought—especially given Nadal's injury problems at the time.

Yet so much can change in a week of tennis. Djokovic has gone from being a possible favorite to being a distant second behind the clay-court king, Nadal.

Nadal's stock is rising with each and every tournament and he is primed for another French Open title. Djokovic, on the other hand, will be lucky to even make it to the final at this rate and has lost the rhythm that we've become so accustomed to from him.

And yet, as we know so well, that rhythm can be just one game away.

Djokovic is truly explosive on his day and has shown that he is the best player in the world. On any surface, against any opponent—he is the world No. 1.

He showed it in the first Grand Slam of the year and could very well show it again at Roland Garros next week. After all, so much can change in a week of tennis, and as quickly as the Serbian was considered "out of form," he could again be touted as the man most likely to topple Nadal in Paris.

Djokovic—the world No. 1—is the X-factor at Roland Garros this year.

Nadal will be the clear favorite, and aside from that, there are few men capable of beating him this year.

The likes of David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro and Roger Federer will threaten, but they do not have the dominance of Nadal. The only man capable of beating him is Djokovic, and even then, it will take a truly special performance by the 25-year-old—an X-factor performance if there was one.

Djokovic will no doubt be in full preparation-mode for the upcoming Grand Slam and told the ATP that he felt it was "the most important event of the year" for him.

How he fares over those two weeks in Paris still remains to be seen, but it's almost impossible to rule out the best player in the world here. His proven success is second to none and even on clay, stands as the best possible chance to take down Nadal and end the Spaniard's French Open dominance.

Can it happen? Absolutely. Will it happen? Well, that's still up in the air.

At the moment, the ball is seemingly in Djokovic's court.

Hit me up on Twitter for more sports goodness: Follow @dantalintyre

Philadelphia Eagles: What to Watch for at OTAs

Cody Swartz — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:43:02 -0400

Organized team activities (OTAs) will offer fans and the media the first glimpse at Chip Kelly’s new Philadelphia Eagles. Kelly has already made his mark known, adding elements such as loud music throughout practice while eliminating Taco Tuesday and Fast Food Friday.

It’s nothing like the practices run by Andy Reid, but hopefully, the results will be different than those from Reid. Reid’s Eagles finished just 8-8 in 2011 and 4-12 in ’12, so Kelly is completely changing the way of the franchise.

Kelly has already brought in a pile of new starters on defense, and his offense could be one of the more explosive units in the league if it runs as smoothly as anticipated. His OTAs won’t reveal everything there is to know about Kelly, but they will offer a glimpse at what to watch for from the 2013 Eagles.

Begin Slideshow

Dallas Cowboys: Signing Anthony Hargrove Makes Very Little Sense

Christian Blood — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:39:36 -0400

Well, so much for acquiring ''Garrett-type'' players—whatever that really means.

Last week, the Dallas Cowboys signed often troubled defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $840,000. It's a good thing because the minimum is likely all the franchise is going to get.

You probably remember Hargrove as one of the fall guys in the New Orleans Saints' recent bounty drama. Hargrove was suspended for eight games last season by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for his apparent involvement in the scheme dreamed up by former Saints defensive coordinator Greg Williams.

I'm not going to go into detail regarding this controversy other than to simply acknowledge the fact that Hargrove was apparently involved to some extent—my opinion as to the legalities surrounding the suspensions of New Orleans coaches and players doesn't matter.

Now, if this was the only blemish on the record of Hargrove then I could see possibly overlooking that and moving forward, especially if he's a talented player who is available. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has never had much issue with taking chances on high-risk players—except for wide receiver Randy Moss, who was never actually the risk he was feared to be coming out of college in 1998.

But the concern with Hargrove goes back even further than "Bountygate."

In short, Hargrove has bounced around between seven teams, counting Dallas, but has actually logged playing time with just four. His first two-plus seasons spent with St. Louis are the longest he has played anywhere since being drafted in 2004 in the third round.

A quick glance at Hargrove's statistics shows some very modest numbers, but probably not as much because he's an average player, at best. On the contrary, this is because he just can't stay on the field.

Forget "Bountygate."

Hagrove has suspensions prior to that situation due to substance abuse.

This is where the situation gets pretty dicey.

Another potential problem is the fact that it's almost a certainty that Hargrove's best days are behind him, at least physically speaking. He'll turn 30 about the time the Cowboys officially open training camp in Oxnard, Calif. on July 19.

So much for getting younger and more reliable along an already aging defensive line.

And where exactly does Hargrove play? He's listed as a defensive end who would seem to be a backup for apparent starter Anthony Spencer—but he's also capable of playing inside at defensive tackle.

Either way, one has to seriously question exactly how much reliance should be placed on a player that has multiple suspensions over a somewhat brief NFL career.

Maybe Hargrove has moved beyond his troubled passed. Perhaps he's a hidden gem for a franchise lacking funds to spend on additional talent this offseason.

Or maybe Hargrove is simply a camp body intended to help guys like Jay Ratliff, Sean Lissemore and Jason Hatcher stay fresh for the season.

I have no clue if Hargrove will even be on the roster by training camp.

You might recall Jones taking a shot on former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Terry ''Tank'' Johnson back in 2007.

By the end of 2008, Johnson was no longer desired—and that guy had a rap sheet that makes Hargrove look pretty harmless, but not much more reliable.

Sometimes it's better to simply put good, smart football players on the field and to stop taking unnecessary risks on players who have shown repeatedly that they just can't get it together.

Again, I'm not saying that Hargrove can't do that—or won't—but a career total of 19.5 sacks for a guy that wasn't even in football last season should keep expectations very, very modest.

Follow @CowboysGuru

Why Tito Vilanova Should Trust in the Barcelona Youngsters

Jason Pettigrove — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:38:27 -0400

Barcelona vs. Real Valladolid turned out pretty much as most people expected.

With the title already in the bag for La Blaugrana and their visitors safe from relegation and no hope of getting into Europe, there was nothing but pride to play for on either side.

It was the perfect game, one might say, in which to rest the star names and give those squad players/La Masia graduates that have struggled to impose themselves over the course of the season a decent run out.

It was a chance to demonstrate strength in depth and for the management team to assess the balance of the squad as a whole. Moreover, it was a chance for a timely confidence boost as the summer transfer window approaches.

This could've and should've been a game in which Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova tinkered with formations, tactics and style.

That he felt compelled to stay with his "tried and trusted" lieutenants in a game so meaningless says much about his opinion of the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Marc Bartra, for instance.

Or could it be that Barcelona really do care about equalling the points record set by rivals Real Madrid last season?

In a season that has seen Xavi Hernandez already play over 50 games for club and country and with a national team friendly in New York just 10 days after the end of the season—not to mention the Confederations Cup—one wonders just what sort of logic Vilanova imbues his charges with.

The team is looking tired and out of sorts. Bayern Munich gave Barcelona a footballing lesson in the Champions League, and you could see how leggy a number of Blaugrana players were, especially during the second leg of the tie.

Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique have not had a proper summer holiday for nigh on three years now. One wonders what the longer term consequences of that are for this Barcelona side, especially given that next year is a World Cup year.

A hallmark of the Pep Guardiola era was that he was not afraid to always keep freshening things up in-game, to maintain sharpness for a full 90 minutes.

It's becoming more and more noticeable how little faith Vilanova places in the youngsters.

If Barcelona are to adequately assess if they do have a "Plan B" or not, then clearly the squad players, those of Barca's future, must be given minutes on the pitch in the present.

Gerard Deulofeu is a particular case in point. He's far too good for Barca B in the Liga Adelante, and despite his obvious potential, he has only featured for the first XI for 26 minutes this season in a convincing 5-0 win vs. Real Mallorca. Criminal.

Whilst Thiago finds himself in the unfortunate position, along with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, of being on the periphery of midfield, a more-than-acceptable 92 percent pass accuracy across the season should really have seen him considered for the entire game tonight.

Granted he has the somewhat immovable objects of Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets barring his progress to some degree, but with those sorts of performance figures, and in a match such as this evening's, what on earth does the player need to do to force himself into the thoughts of the manager?

Martin Montoya was unlucky not to score and to also concede a late penalty tonight. But his general all-round play—whilst not in the class of Dani Alves—will allow the youngster to go away and ponder the aspects of his game that need to be improved.

Vilanova will be well advised to allow him to cement his understanding with the rest of the defence over the course of the final two La Liga matches, with an eye on a more regular berth and some much-needed squad rotation next season.

That Marc Bartra was again left out of the Barca back four tonight is a real kick in the teeth for the player.

When given the opportunity—as against Mallorca—Bartra responds with a willingness and desire to do well, and a hard work ethic, as evidence by the heat map below.

His passing accuracy of 88 percent has been as good in the Champions League as La Liga.

With Gerard Pique taking his eye off of the ball on more than one occasion this season, surely Vilanova can see the tangible double benefit of a fired-up, ready-to-prove-you-wrong Pique and a more confident and assured Bartra?

It would appear that Barcelona are no longer just "Messi dependent," and that could well spell danger for the future well-being of the production line at La Masia.

Dwight Howard Reportedly Will Give Multiple Teams Consideration in Free Agency

Tim Keeney — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:35:51 -0400

If you tend to grow tired of news headlines constantly surrounding Dwight Howard, you might want to disappear this summer.

According to CBS Sports' Ken Berger, the upcoming superstar free agent won't immediately re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Instead, he will "explore all such options":

With the Lakers hoping for a swift decision from Dwight Howard on his free agency this summer, the All-Star center has given no indication he will rush the process and has privately indicated that he plans to give strong consideration to multiple teams, league sources told CBSSports.com.

Let the "Summer of Dwight" begin.

Many fans quickly became annoyed with Howard's off-the-court antics when he was with the Orlando Magic. He seemingly went back and forth between wanting out and being perfectly happy on countless occasions, and when he was finally shipped to L.A., it seemed as though the media circus was over.

Just one year later, and it's back on.

That's not to suggest Howard isn't worth all of this attention.

Despite recovering from major back surgery and never really looking 100 percent, he averaged 17.1 points on 57.8 shooting to go with a league-high 12.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per contest this season.

When he was on the court, the Lake Show scored 3.4 points per 100 possessions more than when he was off it.

Even during a perceived down year, Howard, who is still just 27 years old, showcased what makes him one of the most dominant forces in the league down low.

As such, the interest in him once free agency starts on July 1 will be overwhelming.

According to Berger, teams such as the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks—who both made serious attempts at a coup last year when he was on the trade block—will be in contention for the big man's services. The Atlanta Hawks also jump out as a team with potentially oodles of cap space.

However, as Berger also points out, the Lakers may still have the clear advantage. Because of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, they are able to offer the superstar bigger annual increases and a longer deal—if that is indeed what he desires.

Either way, there figures to be much speculation and a slew of questions surrounding Howard's future in the coming months.

And as we currently stand, those questions won't be answered anytime soon.

Follow @t_keen

How Tiger Woods Must Improve Leading Up to 2013 US Open

Jesse Reed — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:30:59 -0400

Tiger Woods is the hottest golfer in the world once again, but there are still some holes in his game heading into the U.S. Open.

A quick review of Wood's recent winning ways paints a picture of a man well on his way back to breaking all the sport's biggest records—including Jack Nicklaus' 18 major championships.

Woods has entered six PGA Tour stroke-play tournaments this year and has won four of those six, including his impressive Players Championship victory at TPC Sawgrass—an event he hadn't won since 2001.

He's leading the Fed-Ex Cup standings and the PGA Tour money list.

The way he's been dominating this season, it feels almost like the Woods of old, but there's something missing: Tiger hasn't won a major championship since 2008. In fact, his last major victory came five years ago in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

The East Course at Merion Golf Club has hosted the U.S. Open four times prior to this year's event.

It's one of the top courses on the planet, and though not particularly long (under 7,000 yards) it will test every ounce of skill, grit and patience the world's best golfers have to offer.

Here's what Woods must do in order to finally break his five-year major title drought.

Hit Fairways, Even if it Means Sacrificing Distance

Like the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, the East Course at Merion looks innocent but is treacherous. Birdies are certainly doable, but it's just as "easy" to score a double bogey on any given hole.

Woods wisely chose to ditch his driver in favor of his fairway woods and irons off the tee at the Players, and he won the tournament.

He had just one bad day out of four off the tee, and his fairways-hit percentage was 67.86—much higher than his seasonal average, which is now 57.74 percent after factoring his excellent showing at the Players.

Woods sacrificed distance off the tee by choosing irons and woods off the tee, coming in at 288.4 yards per tee shot—well under his yearly average, which is now at 294 yards.

Thankfully, Merion's lack of length lends itself well to a similar strategy, and if Woods can hit the fairways on a consistent basis he'll have a shot at finally winning major championship No. 15.

Par-3 Scoring

The par-three holes at Merion are incredibly challenging.

Three of the four are over 225 yards, while the other is a tiny 115-yard hole that features a massive bunker in front and bunkers behind and to the left. The green is a small, sloping target that will frustrate the field to no end.

The golfers who can somehow squeeze a few birdies out of these difficult holes will inevitably find their way to the top of the leaderboard.

Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily bode well for Woods, who shot one-over par on the par-threes at TPC Sawgrass in early May.

Woods' iron play must be stellar at Merion for him to emerge as the winner, as taking advantage of the par-threes will be a big key to winning this major championship.

Figure Out His Wedges

If there's one aspect of Woods' game that has really bothered him at this point in the season, it's his wedge play.

Short shots are usually golfers' bread and butter.

Most players are adept at knocking it stiff from 75 yards and in, but Woods is missing his mark far too often when he sets himself up with shorter wedge shots.

Thus far in 2013, here's how his wedge shots are faring, along with his PGA Tour rank in these categories:

Type of Shot	Distance to Pin	PGA rank
Approach Shots from 50-75 Yards	13' 1"	72nd
Approach Shots from 75-100 Yards	17' 6"	105th

Clearly, Woods has some work left to do in order to dial in his distance control in order to knock more of these short shots stiff. Should he struggle to maximize his scoring opportunities, Woods will also struggle to win the U.S.Open.

Note: All stats courtesy of PGATour.com.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

Lionel Hollins Can't Remember Jerryd Bayless' Name in Postgame Presser

Jesse Dorsey — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:28:28 -0400

Jerryd Bayless is the guy with a shiny head and a headband on the Memphis Grizzlies who sort of looks like Derek Fisher. He spells his first name with an odd "y" and has many identifiable characteristics, but Lionel Hollins had a rough time remembering his name at Sunday's postgame press conference.

Hollins celebrated his 59th birthday back in October, so he's hardly the oldest head coach in the NBA. However, he had himself a bit of a rough time getting his mind to remember the name of that guy on the Grizzlies who missed all those jump shots in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.

He was going off on a tangent about the Grizzlies needing outside shooters to be more consistent and started listing players.

Then came that moment of realization, a brick wall, and a furrowed brow, along with an awkward moment of silence.

Hollins took a quick glance down at the game notes and probably just looked down the list of zeroes in the "three-pointers made" column, where he found Bayless' name sitting pretty with an 0-for-2 on the night.

I've got two possible explanations for what went through Hollins' mind when he was busy forgetting the name of one of the two players that he actually gives minutes to on his bench.

First, he could have been replaying the number of times Zach Randolph looked completely overmatched when the Spurs ran a pick-and-roll at him, along with all of his missed shots within five feet.

It took so long to replay it all that there was a solid five-second gap of silence that created the flatulent brain of his.

Second, it could be another Hollins coaching tactic, which I'm hoping it was.

Hollis went out there with the intention of slighting one of his players at the press conference, so when he took a look at the stat sheet for the night he decided to call out Bayless.

He couldn't have picked out Z-Bo or Mike Conley—it would have seemed too staged. However, Bayless would be a totally believable name to forget.

Now, Bayless has the motivation to come out next game and give Hollins a reason to remember his name, for better or worse.

2013 NBA Draft Breakdown and Scouting Report for Kentucky's Archie Goodwin

Jonathan Wasserman — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:26:21 -0400

Archie Goodwin committed to Kentucky with hopes of shining under the spotlight on the national stage, but it just didn't work out that way.

Despite averaging 14.1 points, most of his production was driven from his physical tools instead of a refined basketball skill set. He's a raw offensive player, which is rare these days for a guard. Usually it's the big men who are the longer-term projects.

Goodwin's draft stock took a hit during his one year at Kentucky, and he'll be entering the 2013 draft in hopes of landing a first-round promise.

Physical Tools

Just about all of Goodwin's strengths stem from his physical tools. He's an exceptional athlete with a solid 6'9.5'' wingspan, measuring in at 6'5.25'' in sneakers. He's got the size of an off-guard with the speed and quickness of a point guard.

Goodwin is explosive with room in front of him and is capable of climbing the ladder and throwing down above the rim.

Attacking North-South

Goodwin's most glowing offensive strength is his ability to attack the basket. He's got the agility to shake defenders on the ground and elude them in the air.

But he's also quick off the bounce, capable of shaking defenders with the dribble and getting into the lane. Once Goodwin's momentum takes him into the heart of the defense, he's shown he can finish in traffic or set up a teammate.

The first play below shows Goodwin beat his man off the dribble and finish strong with his left hand:

Here's Goodwin using his quick first step to get into the lane, draw the help defender and set up Nerlens Noel for an easy finish at the rim:

Attacking from Angles

Goodwin is at his best attacking the basket from the wing. He uses the angle to shield his defender, his quickness to turn the corner and his athleticism to finish.

Here's an example of Goodwin working on the left wing, only to attack the angle with his right hand and get to the rack:

Same play, same game, different half:

Same play, different game, just a tougher finish:

Weaknesses and Challenges

Goodwin had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, with an average of 2.7 assists and 3.1 turnovers. His decision-making at times was brutal. Goodwin develops tunnel-vision all too often, making up his mind without showing the willingness or ability to adjust.

Goodwin's shot selection has also been under fire.

Without the ability to create easy shots for himself, many of his attempts come off balance. Goodwin needs to refine his offensive repertoire, tighten up his handle and show better poise and balance as a shot-creator on the perimeter.

All of this will become easier once his jumper becomes a threat. He shot it just 26.6 percent from downtown at Kentucky, showing little-to-no range throughout the year.

At one point, Goodwin went 11 straight games without making a three. He made just 17 of them all season. At the pro level, the arc only gets deeper.

Goodwin's jumper appears to be a few years away, as he'll first have to develop a reliable pull-up game before mastering the long-ball.

Draft Breakdown and NBA Outlook

Had John Calipari not recruited the greatest class in history for 2014, chances are Goodwin would have been back as a sophomore.

He's nowhere near NBA-ready at the moment being the youngest American prospect in the field. Another year in school would have allowed him to grow physically, mentally and fundamentally and given him a much better shot at a first-round promise.

Now, he'll be fighting for a guaranteed contract instead of a spot in the lottery.

Goodwin projects as a Tyreke Evans-like guard who can handle the ball from the wing. These guys excel at attacking the basket and struggle to connect from the perimeter. Chances are Goodwin finds an NBA rotation a few years down the road when he becomes more reliable as a shooter and decision-maker.

Comparables Prove Chris Bosh Is Right Big Man for Miami Heat

John Friel — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:24:39 -0400

Despite being the one member of the trio that can never grasp the offensive spotlight, Chris Bosh has been at the center of more trade rumblings, at least amongst the masses of bloggers and analysts, than any other member of the Miami Heat.

Back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals and the highest PER of his Heat career coming this past season won't help Bosh's cause. His game that's been described as passive, since all passive forwards go for 20 points and 19 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls, has warmed up on his former critics and naysayers who once wished to trade him.

Winning a championship can help do that for you. Bosh was instrumental in the Heat's Game 7 Conference Finals victory over the Boston Celtics, dropping 19 points and converting a career postseason-high three three-pointers, and he also played a heavy role in Miami's NBA Finals victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, stretching out the offense and rendering the roles of Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins obsolete.

However, it wasn't until the Heat were without Bosh that his significance to the team came to light for many of his critics. When Bosh went down with an abdominal strain in Game 1 of last year's semifinals, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were able to pull out a victory in the same game but would go on to lose the next two.

Miami failed to score more than 76 points in either outing, scoring 75 in their Game 2 home loss and then matching it with arguably one of their worst postseason efforts in the "Big Three" era when they lost in a 19-point laugher on the road.

It took a mammoth effort from Wade and James for the Heat to win the next three games. They combined for 70 of their team's 101 points in Game 4 and 67 of Miami's 105 points in Game 6.

The two combined for 58 in Game 5, but that game was mostly heralded by Miami's ability to hold Indiana to 34 percent shooting and using their defense to convert into immediate offense.

No, it wasn't until after their three consecutive losses to the Boston Celtics that the importance of Bosh truly become appreciated. With no reliable third option on the floor, Kevin Garnett and the Celtics immediately started double-teaming Dwyane Wade, which led to a greater burden on the shoulders of LeBron James.

It took arguably the greatest postseason performance of LeBron's career in Game 6 and arguably the most improbable postseason performance of Bosh's career in Game 7 just to beat Boston. LeBron would be propped up on everyone's shoulders because of his magnificent Game 6, but Miami probably doesn't make the Finals without Bosh nailing three threes, including two in the fourth.

Even though Bosh wasn't able to drive to the rim as he would with an abdominal that wasn't strained, his influence alone as a perimeter threat is enough to force defenses to adjust because of how difficult an assignment he is.

There are so few players in the league who can shoot as well as Bosh and can drive as well as he can for a 6'11" center. He continues to buy into the Heat's offensive system of spacing the floor. Even though his post-up attempts are down, his spot-up attempts are up, and it's resulting in some of the best numbers of his career.

The 54 percent he shot this season was a career-high by a mile, as was the 52 percent he shot in the range between 16 and 25 feet. In the middle of critics wanting to trade him for a flashier, more aggressive option, Bosh quietly became the league's greatest mid-range threat.

With nearly 33 percent of his offense generated off of spot-up opportunities, Bosh was a 47 percent shooter overall and ranked 154th in the league, per SynergySports.

Compare that to Portland Trail Blazers' power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, also considered an excellent shooter for a player his size, who shot under 44 percent and only saw 15 percent of his offense stem from spot-up, according to SynergySports.

Aldridge was also a 15 percent three-point shooter, while Bosh has shot 32 percent, including the postseason.

Spot-up shots are what Miami is relying on when LeBron and Dwyane aren't taking shots near the rim. Those spot-up shots are what pay the bills for the likes of Shane Battier, Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers and Bosh, who has seen a significant increase in the amount of spot-ups he's taken.

Bosh, not one to complain, has raised no quarrel in seeing his role on the offense diminish as he becomes a glorified shooter who is given the green light to drive when the matchup is right.

Miami leads the league with 1.09 points per possession of spot-ups, per SynergySports, shooting 43 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, they rely on their post-up game for only seven percent of their offense.

To put that into perspective, the Miami offense is more reliant on isolations (10.8 percent) and cuts (8.3 percent) than they are on post-ups. So much for the idea that a team can't win a championship without an established post threat.

Bosh has been one of the key reasons why Miami has been so successful with their innovative offensive and defensive systems. He is a perfect fit for this Heat team because there is no other player his size that can command as large an influence as a perimeter threat.

You can compare the spot-up percentages of many other power forwards and centers, and they won't come close to matching Bosh's numbers. Even if they have a higher shooting percentage than Bosh, they fail to come close to shooting that high of a percentage at the same volume and magnitude of Chris.

Dirk Nowitzki shot 47 percent on spot-ups but only saw 23 percent of his offense stem from those types of plays. Garnett shot 50 percent on 190 attempts, which is solid but fails to compare to Bosh shooting 47 percent on over 300 field-goal attempts on the same plays.

For Heat fans who wish oh-so-badly for the flash and athleticism of Blake Griffin, take note that he's a 36 percent shooter on spot-up opportunities. Miami's offense would come to a crashing halt on many possessions if they had Griffin as their resident stretch 4/5.

He'd be fun in the open court, but as you saw with the Los Angeles Clippers, they're not that great of a team when they're forced into the half court. If Chris Paul has trouble generating offense for you, chances are you're not a multidimensional player.

I'm aware I'm putting a lot of emphasis on each player's spot-up ability, but that would be the position they'd be in with this Heat team. The question this article creates is how any other power forward or center would react and adjust to becoming a player in the position of Bosh, who is now a perimeter shooter that has range beyond the three-point arc.

Wish they had a rebounder like Zach Randolph? He's a 44 percent spot-up shooter who relies on that play for four percent of his game, according to Synergy, and also converted two of his 20 three-point attempts on the season.

His future matchup in David West was only a 43 percent spot-up shooter that has shot 18 percent on 22 three-point attempts. Like so many other forwards/centers not named Chris Bosh, West was primarily dependent on his post-up game.

What happens when you throw these guys like West and Randolph on the Heat and relegate them as spot-up threats? Does David West willingly say, "Sure, I'll gladly abandon my post-up game so I can become a spot-up shooter?"

Sacrifice has been a key theme of this Heat team. Don't forget that Bosh was not a fan of playing center when he was a member of the Toronto Raptors and even made some mentions of not wanting to play it in Miami, yet he played all 74 games this season as Miami's center.

Look at it this way. How many of Bosh's peers willingly take a paycut so that they can become third scoring options and watch as their statlines are cut in half from what they previously were when they were the primary or secondary options on their former teams?

This game is so much more mental than it is physical, and what Bosh has done has been incredibly difficult, including what he has done as a shooter this season. It is not an easy feat to shoot so well on jumpers when you're hardly allowed to ever establish a rhythm since the ball doesn't run through you.

Bosh is the only player at his size and position that can play with this Heat team. As you can see by the offensive numbers of some of his competitors, there just wouldn't be a suitable replacement on that end of the floor for the Heat.

Miami isn't the same team without the shooting expertise of Bosh, which is primarily a reason why they chose him over Carlos Boozer, a 41 percent spot-up shooter that took only two three-pointers on the season, and Amar'e Stoudemire in the summer of 2010.

Boozer and Stoudemire just don't stretch out the floor like Bosh can. Nor do they match the defense that he provides.

Yeah, I said it. Chris Bosh, who is constantly described as passive, had an excellent season on the defensive end of the floor for Miami this season. The 1.4 blocks per he averaged was the highest he's posted since his second season in the league.

The 3.4 defensive win shares he had was the fourth-highest of his career. Three of his five best seasons in that category have come with the Heat.

SynergySports has Bosh among the league's top defenders, ranking him 55th in the league giving up 0.79 points per possession. Those who attempted to post-up on Bosh were held to 38 percent shooting, while pick-and-roll men were allowed to shoot only 35 percent, per Synergy.

The defensive numbers are staggering for Bosh. Naturally, he's going to benefit from being a part of a defense that is composed of brilliant defenders in a brilliant system, but it takes one busted pair of busted legs of this centipede for the entire system to fail miserably.

This Heat team requires extremely disciplined and talented defenders. Because the team relies more on constantly rotating, rather than traditional man-to-man or zone settings, there is always a need for communication and synchronicity between all five players on the floor in order for it to work.

Say the opposition runs a pick-and-roll. The Heat are going to need Bosh, or whoever the player is in that situation, to shield the ball-handler from getting a good look at his intended target and then must race back to his original assignment who has cut into the lane.

Bosh has been one of the league's top defenders in the pick-and-roll, ranking 26th and giving up 0.73 points per possession, per SynergySports.

Miami could have better defensive options than Bosh, obviously. Joakim Noah and Marc Gasol would be huge additions to Miami's defense, but they're not going to provide what Bosh can provide on the defensive and offensive ends.

And let's not look too hard at the rebounding statistics. Bosh may have averaged some of the lowest numbers of his career on the boards, but Miami hardly suffered significantly and found their rebounding problems overstated.

Miami's rebounding differential was only minus-1.5, ranking 21st in the league. However, the differential is inflated by the offensive rebounding numbers, which heavily favor Miami's opponent because of the high percentage the Heat shoot at.

If there are fewer shots being missed, there's not as large a need for offensive rebounds. It hasn't seemed to affect the Heat too badly, especially after beating the Bulls and their vaunted frontcourt in five games.

Rebounding has never been as large an issue as so many would like to indicate. Miami does get beat up on the boards occasionally, but they hardly ever allow their opponent to beat them on the boards when the games matter.

The 2011 Chicago Bulls with Boozer, Noah, Taj Gibson and Omer Asik? Five games to dispel of. The 2012 Indiana Pacers with Roy Hibbert, David West and Tyler Hansbrough? Six games, and that came without Bosh.

Per 82games.com, the difference in defense when Bosh is on and off the court is minimal, with the Heat giving up 105.6 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court and 104.5 points per 100 possessions when he's off.

However, the offensive numbers clearly indicate Bosh's influence in the offense. When he's off the floor, the Heat are scoring 111.6 points per 100 possessions. It's quite the difference from the 115.4 points per 100 possessions the Heat score when Bosh is on the floor.

While the numbers indicate the Heat are a better defensive unit when Bosh is off the floor, some of the best defensive units of Miami come with Bosh playing center. That includes the clutch lineup that features Wade, Allen, Battier, James and Bosh at the 5, which gives up only .98 point per possession.

No other Heat lineup that has played more than 100 minutes together has put together better defensive numbers. A lot of it has to do with the situation and implications, but don't think that Bosh's defensive influence hasn't played a role.

Per 82games.com, Bosh has had seven blocks in clutch situations, including five that have come near the rim.

Remember the adage, "The grass is always greener." It couldn't be more true in these circumstances involving Bosh, who has been the brunt of many complaints surrounding this Heat team that include their "problems" on the boards and the occasional games where Bosh's spot-up game isn't up to par.

But there isn't a player who can fill the role Bosh can. Not only do the Heat have an improved defender who has helped anchor arguably the league's greatest defense, but they have a shooter who cannot be compared to any other player that plays his position or is his size.

Mostly, however, there isn't a player that's going to make the adjustments and sacrifices Bosh has made. Even as the underrated and unappreciated member of the "Big Three," Bosh has taken every last jab at his game, face and emotions in stride as he continues to quietly oil the gears that make this Heat team run as volatile and lethal as they have over the past three seasons.

We can analyze the rebounding numbers and influence of guys like David West and Roy Hibbert all we want, but remember how important those spot-up shooting numbers are when Chris Bosh is splashing home 20-footers over a 7'2" center who will be baffled when defending the Heat's versatile power forward.

And the Heat wouldn't want it any other way.

Edmonton Oilers: The 5 Biggest Stories to Follow During the Offseason

Adam Bowen — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:23:32 -0400

The 2012-2013 offseason will be an interesting one for the Edmonton Oilers hockey club as new General Manager Craig MacTavish looks to make significant changes to a team that once again failed to live up to their enormous potential.

Ranging from player additions to potential departures, the Oilers could be a very different looking club entering the start of the 2013-2014 season.

Here are the five biggest storylines to follow during the Edmonton Oilers’ offseason

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Alabama Football: Coach Nick Saban's 4 Biggest Challenges for Tide in 2013

Sanjay Kirpalani — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:19:51 -0400

There are not many challenges that have gotten the best of Nick Saban and his Alabama program in recent memory.

The 2013 version of the Crimson Tide appears to have everything in place to make a run at the school’s 16th national title in school history, but the road to winning its third straight crystal football is sure to have its share of potential hiccups.

But what are some of the most significant hurdles for Saban’s club this fall?

A combination of new faces in key positions and the pressure of maintaining a dynasty is bound to provide moments of intrigue in the fall.

Here are the four biggest challenges that Saban and the Tide will face in 2013.

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Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer: Rafa's Convincing Win Ups Ante at French Open

John Rozum — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:12:23 -0400

Rafael Nadal bulldozed Roger Federer in straight sets to win the Rome Masters.

That impressive victory simply vaults the ante at the 2013 French Open, because Nadal's momentum is continuing to build.

Prior to the Italian Open, he fell to Novak Djokovic in Monaco but then followed up with victories in Barcelona and Madrid. Italy was his third consecutive tournament victory and sixth overall in 2013.

As Russell Fuller of BBC Sport wrote, Nadal's form is looking good right now:

Nadal heads to the French Open in tremendous form as he looks to win an Open-era record eighth title at Roland Garros, and knowing he is likely to be seeded fourth - and so potentially avoid leading rival Novak Djokovic until the semi-finals.

And speaking of the Roland Garros seedings, he is No. 4 according to ATPWorldTour.com:

Rafael Nadal will overtake David Ferrer for World No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on Monday. The result has huge implications for Roland Garros, as Nadal's No. 4 seeding guarantees the seven-time champion cannot meet World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, No. 2 Andy Murray or No. 3 Federer before the semi-finals.

In order to prevent Nadal from winning his eighth French Open in the last nine years, though, the rest of the field must step up.

Since defeating Nadal, Djokovic was upset in Round 2 in Madrid by Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. He then was unable to close the deal against Tomas Berdych in Italy. After taking the first set, Berdych edged by in the second and controlled the momentum for the third en route to winning.

Djokovic has proven to defeat Nadal before, and even on clay as previously seen in 2013. That said, Roland Garros is a different story. Not only will the magnitude of it be greater, but Nadal also worked Djokovic in 2012's final.

As for Federer, he fell to Berdych in Dubai's semifinals, Nadal in the Indian Wells quarterfinals and was upset by Kei Nishikori of Japan in Round 3 of Madrid. Include Rafa's dominant win on Sunday and Federer must also up his game for France.

Regarding other top competition, Andy Murray's status remains up in the air. In an article by Mike Dickson of the Daily Mail, Murray withdrew from the Italian Open and has yet to make a decision on Roland Garros:

The world No 2, 26 on Wednesday, pulled out of the Italian Open with a recurrence of lower back problems, and afterwards he cast heavy doubt on his chances of playing at the French Open, which begins in 10 days’ time.

‘I would be very surprised if I was playing in Paris,’ said Murray.

Even worse, Murray wasn't playing his best prior to the Rome Masters. Although he won in Miami over David Ferrer, Murray flopped in Round 3 of Monaco to Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. Berdych then fended him off during Madrid's quarterfinals before the Italian Open.

Now one common denominator mentioned thus far has been Berdych. Despite solid match wins in 2013, though, he still dropped to Nadal on the clay in Italy (6-2, 6-4). Elsewhere, Nadal's fellow countryman David Ferrer has lost to him three times this season.

So, clearly Berdych and Ferrer must also raise their ability for the French Open to challenge Nadal.

He's just playing the best of anyone right now, which only enhances the Spaniard's confidence as we hit the summer months. Even though another victory at the Roland Garros would not be surprising, doing so drastically bolsters Nadal's momentum for the remainder of 2013.

Coach Spurrier's 5 Biggest Challenges for South Carolina in 2013

Lee Schechter — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:06:00 -0400

The college football season brings pressure and challenges to the head coach, players and staff of every football team. South Carolina in 2013 is no exception.

Throughout the course of a season, teams must deal with injuries, momentum swings, tough games and many more obstacles.

Head coach Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks are a very talented team that has a great deal of added pressure from high expectations to have the best season in school history.

In order to win the SEC East, earn a bid in the SEC championship and a have a chance at a BCS title, Spurrier and his Gamecocks will need to battle through multiple challenges.

Here are Spurrier's five biggest challenges for the Gamecocks in 2013.

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HP Byron Nelson Payout 2013: Analyzing Top Earners in Irving

Ryan Rudnansky — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:05:19 -0400

Sang-Moon Bae captured the first PGA Tour title of his career Sunday at the HP Byron Nelson Challenge in Irving, Texas.

The 26-year-old finished with a 13-under-par 267, managing to score under 70 in each of the four rounds of the tournament. Heading into the tournament, he had just one top-10 finish on the year and was coming off a 33rd-place finish at the Players Championship.

Here's a breakdown of the 2013 HP Byron Nelson Challenge champion, as well as some of the other top earners in the tournament.

*Earnings via ESPN.com

3. Charl Schwartzel ($455,600)

Charl Schwartzel ranks 22nd in driving distance and 33rd in putting (strokes gained) this year, but, interestingly enough, he ranked first in greens-in-regulation percentage and 10th in driving accuracy in Irving, via CBSSports.com.

The 2011 Masters champion finished strong on Sunday with a 68, notching three birdies along the way. He posted a combined seven birdies in the final two rounds.

The impressive finish was also uncharacteristic for Schwartzel this year. Coming into the tournament, he ranked 110th on tour in third-round scoring average and 94th in fourth-round scoring average, via PGATour.com.

You could chalk it up to a golfer simply getting hot all of a sudden. Then again, this was Schwartzel's first career appearance in the tournament—perhaps he just likes the course.

2. Keegan Bradley ($723,600)

There is no question that Keegan Bradley is a very talented golfer (ranked No. 14 in the world), but you get the feeling that he's underachieving to an extent. He had a one-shot lead through three rounds in Irving—over a player without much history of success on the PGA Tour—yet shot a 72 on the final day.

Bradley ranked ninth in putts per GIR in the tournament, 10th in putts per round and second in birdies (20), but he also ranked 46th with 11 bogeys, per CBSSports.com.

Also, his late collapse is a bit troubling, given it marks a trend. He ranks 23rd on tour in scoring average before the cut this year, via PGATour.com, but he ranks 26th in the third round and 36th in the final round.

Bradley has six top-10 finishes this year but no victories.

1. Sang-Moon Bae ($1,206,000)

On Sunday at the HP Byron Nelson Challenge, Bae finished off a splendid four rounds of golf in Irving, finally getting into the win column on the PGA Tour.

Bae's strength this year has been his putting game. Heading into the tournament, he ranked 31st on tour in putting (strokes gained), according to PGATour.com.

He didn't disappoint in Irving, ranking first in the field in putts per GIR and eighth in putts per round, via CBSSports.com. That included sinking a 27-foot putt on hole No. 3 Sunday, as well as nailing another long putt at the fifth hole.

Bae also notched an impressive greens-in-regulation percentage (73.61), tied for ninth in the field, according to CBSSports.com. Coming into the tournament, he ranked 92nd on tour in greens-in-regulation percentage, via PGATour.com.

The South Korean was generally able to escape trouble during the tournament. While he had trouble at the ninth and 10th Sunday, he also made an eye-opening up-and-down on the 11th that saved par. He also registered just six bogeys in the tournament (tied for second in the field), while posting 21 birdies (first).

Don't Count Out Memphis Grizzlies After Game 1 Flop

Grant Hughes — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:58:14 -0400

The Memphis Grizzlies suffered a jaw-dropping 105-83 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals Sunday afternoon, but Marc Gasol and Co. have absorbed a series-opening haymaker before. So there's no reason to panic just yet.

Don't be mistaken—a little healthy worry is probably appropriate. After the way the Spurs diced up Memphis' vaunted defense with slashing drives and a bevy of threes, Lionel Hollins will have his work cut out for him in advance of Game 2.

But the Grizzlies just finished up taking four straight from the Oklahoma City Thunder last round after falling in Game 1. And looking back to the opening round, Memphis actually dug itself a 0-2 hole against the Los Angeles Clippers. Memphis advanced rather convincingly in that series as well, with four straight victories over the stunned Clips.

Plus, thorough beatings and emotional lows are nothing new to this Grizzlies team.

Remember, Memphis dropped Game 1 to the Clippers by a final score of 112-91. And the Grizzlies suffered the heartbreak of a game-winning jumper from Kevin Durant in the series opener against the Thunder.

There's no getting around the fact that this latest loss to the Spurs was a brutal one. I mean, San Antonio absolutely dominated on both ends. Tony Parker's ability to penetrate caused the Grizzlies defense to fall like dominoes, one mistake inexorably leading to the next. The veteran point guard put up 20 points and nine assists, many of which led directly to easy looks from beyond the arc for Danny Green (3-of-6 from three) and Kawhi Leonard (4-of-5 from three).

With Memphis overextended and out of position in its effort to contain the Spurs point guard, wide-open shooters buried threes from all over the court. In fact, the Grizzlies reached a milestone that they probably aren't particularly happy about.

But the Grizzlies have made it this far largely because they've shown the ability to avoid the onset of panic. By keeping cool after defeats, they've managed to make adjustments in previous series that ultimately led to victorious turnarounds. In this instance, there are a couple of obvious tweaks that Hollins and his staff are probably preparing as we speak.

First, the Grizzlies will have to rely on their big men to handle the Spurs' penetration. This'll be difficult, as a swarming defense that collapsed on the ball was a hallmark of the team's success this past season. But that strategy really only works if those collapsing helpers can recover to their assignments in time to contest shots.

Because the Spurs (Parker and Manu Ginobili in particular) are so good at waiting until the very last moment to whip a pass to an open shooter, the Grizzlies can't count on their help-and-recover game to be as successful. But that's fine, as Memphis should be able to depend on Gasol and Zach Randolph to stand tall in the lane when San Antonio's guards gain entry on drives or via the pick-and-roll.

Hey, it works for Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers. Why shouldn't it work for Memphis, who boasts a center fresh off of a Defensive Player of the Year award?

If the Grizzlies can funnel action to Gasol and keep secondary defenders glued to their matchups around the arc, the Spurs won't have nearly as much luck from long range.

And then there's Randolph, who had a game he'd probably like to forget. The bruising power forward finished with just two points on 1-of-8 shooting in 28 total minutes. His improvement won't require much of an adjustment at all, as he's bound to convert on a handful of close-range looks and tip-ins that simply didn't fall in Game 1. Z-Bo is a gifted offensive player, and when he's missing gimmes at the rim, there's not really a lot to say.

Credit the Spurs for defending Randolph extremely well in isolation, but he left plenty of points out there by failing to convert shots he normally hits in his sleep.

Look, these teams split the season series, at 2-2, this year. So we know that the Spurs aren't actually this much better than the Grizzlies. San Antonio is a great team, and it won by coming in with great focus and an even better game plan. But the Grizzlies are very good in their own right.

Memphis has a tough task ahead, especially because the Spurs aren't a team that generally gives up the advantage once they've seized it. San Antonio is no joke, and it's more than capable of advancing past the Grizz to the 2013 Finals.

But we've seen far too much from the resilient Grizzlies in these playoffs to count them out after a single loss—no matter how bad it may have looked.

10 Biggest Takeaways from the 2013 World Hockey Championship

Al Daniel — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:51:13 -0400

There is always something to watch for when NHL personnel―whether it's the players, prospects or coaches―engage in on-ice competition of any sort. For the followers of franchises who do not make the Stanley Cup playoffs, the IIHF World Championship is the tournament to turn to.

The 2013 World Championship culminated Sunday in a bronze medal for the United States, silver for Switzerland and gold for Sweden. For the two teams who won their final tilt on Sunday, the topmost storyline sits in the cage, where a couple of young goaltenders have elevated their stock as NHL starters in the making.

Other programs that came up short of hardware have their share of individual storylines that the fans of NHL teams should have been monitoring. Furthermore, with the next Winter Olympics approaching in nine months, participating stars in the World Championship have something to pick up on if they go to Sochi.

With summer suddenly harder to keep pushing off for the better part of the global hockey community, here are the top 10 ice chips to pick up from the World Championship and potentially revisit next season.

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Mark Hunt Receives Visa to Travel, Fight with Dos Santos on at UFC 160

Damon Martin — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:50:41 -0400

The long wait for Mark Hunt to travel to the United States appears to finally be over and the heavyweight slugger should be on a plane either Sunday or Monday headed for Las Vegas to fight at UFC 160.

Hunt has been waiting for two weeks to receive his travel visa to be able to come to the United States, but because of an arrest that happened in 2002 involving the former K-1 fighter he's been delayed and unable to get on a plane thus far.

While Hunt was never actually charged with a crime in the incident, he was unable to secure a travel visa for the past couple of weeks and there was some worry his fight at UFC 160 against former heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos was in jeopardy.

Fortunately for Hunt the red tape that was preventing his travel was cut down over the weekend, and as promised by UFC officials as of last week, the New Zealand fighter will be on a plane headed to the United States shortly (Hunt is expected to be on a plane this evening with an arrival time in the U.S. on Monday).

Hunt first confirmed the news via Twitter on Sunday.

Representatives from Hunt's camp also confirmed via email to Bleacher Report that the fighter would be on a plane very soon traveling to the United States.

The good news is that Hunt will be able to fight and the UFC won't have to scramble for a last minute replacement for the co-main event on a major pay-per-view card.

If there is a downside however it's the fact that Hunt will be traveling halfway around the world only four days before his scheduled showdown with a former UFC heavyweight champion.

Hunt's trip was supposed to take place two weeks ago to allow him time to acclimate his body to the time difference, food and other variables that can affect a fighter leading into a bout. Several competitors from countries like Japan have noted in the past that long travel schedules that see them arrive close to a fight date can be a factor when it comes to their performance.

Hunt has traveled long distances for fights for most of his professional career so hopefully this late notice trip to the United States won't stop him from putting on the best performance possible when he faces Dos Santos on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.