Bleacher Report - Front Page

Why Italy Needs to Improve Drastically in the Confederations Cup

Matteo Bonetti — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:51:35 -0400

After a scintillating 4-3 victory over Japan, Italy has automatically qualified past the group stages before encountering Brazil in a few days.

The Azzurri were still riding the wave of their dominance in Euro 2012, which saw them shock the world with one of the most aesthetically pleasing performances.

Led by the enterprising Cesare Prandelli, this revamped Italy garnered a newfound respect from some of the world's other footballing powers.

However, they won't surprise anyone now. Italy came into the Confederations Cup with a 4-3-3 formation, which differs vastly in tactics compared to Prandelli's Juventus-like 3-5-2.

This four-man defense has so far been led by the Bianconeri pair of Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli, who have played in a 3-5-2 all season long domestically.

Out on the wings, Ignazio Abate hasn't totally convinced, and youngster Mattia De Sciglio is playing his first tournament on the senior side.

Normally sound and collected, it seems even Cesare Prandelli isn't quite sure of which tactical setup to employ. He called up the likes of Stephan El Shaarawy after a disappointing second half of the season with Milan, only to keep him benched so far in the competition after a few indifferent performances in recent friendlies.

El Shaarawy was supposed to be one of the stars of this competition, spearheading an attack alongside Mario Balotelli, which would translate well into next summer.

Il Faraone has not managed to get on the field, and his place has been taken by Juventus substitute Emanuele Giaccherini, who is a Prandelli favorite.

Using an excuse about the players being tired for Italy's less than convincing start is nonsensical. Surely, a man of Prandelli's experience would have seen this trend before calling up certain players.

Against Japan, Italy was hardly deserving. The Blue Samurai were dominant for a majority of the first half and were unlucky on several occasions in the second.

Unfortunately, this says more about the Italian defense than anything. The usual sound Juventus pair need their third wheel, Leonardo Bonucci, to be introduced to the lineup.

Also, switching to a much more familiar 3-5-2 would not only accommodate the trio but also allow the attacking full backs to venture forward more freely.

In the end, a competition of this sort is hardly one that is remembered, but instead becomes a great practice for next year's World Cup in Brazil. Even thought most the players currently on the team are exhausted after finishing a domestic season that, in most cases, included playing in three or four different tournaments, it's a situation similar to what they can expect next season

Breaking Down Every San Francisco Giant's Odds of Being Traded at the Deadline

Matt Foster — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:48:04 -0400

The San Francisco Giants are hovering around .500 deep into the month of June, and many are already looking forward to the July 31 trade deadline.

Although the Giants almost certainly will not be sellers, they could still end up parting with a player or two from the big league roster.

Last year, the Giants packaged right fielder Nate Schierholtz with two minor leaguers to acquire Hunter Pence. One season later, the Giants could use an upgrade in the other outfield corner.

Unfortunately for the defending world champions, acquiring a left fielder won’t be the club’s most pressing need. Due to both injury and ineffectiveness, the Giants are in desperate want of both starting and relief pitching.

But who will they give up in order to land the new talent? Good players don’t come cheap, a fact that became painfully obvious to Giants fans when the team parted with top prospect Zack Wheeler to land Carlos Beltran.

This year won’t offer a repeat of the Beltran debacle, mainly because the Giants don’t have any prospects in their system who are as highly regarded as Wheeler was—and still is. So if the Giants want to improve their roster, they will likely have to part with an established big leaguer.

Let’s take a look at who they have to offer and what each player’s odds of being dealt are.

Starting Rotation

Matt Cain: 0 percent
Madison Bumgarner: 0 percent
Ryan Vogelsong: 5 percent
Chad Gaudin: 10 percent
Barry Zito: 10 percent
Tim Lincecum: 30 percent

The Giants recently extended the contracts of both Cain and Bumgarner, making it evident that the organization views the two starters as long-term anchors of the rotation. There is no scenario in which Cain or Bumgarner will be dealt.

Vogelsong is injured and was ineffective before hitting the disabled list. That being said, if the righty comes back strong and pitches well before the trade deadline, it’s not impossible to imagine that a team desperate for starting pitching would give up a decent prospect for the well-traveled veteran. But the Giants themselves are shallow in that department, making it very unlikely Vogelsong will be wearing a new uniform come August.

Gaudin is an interesting case. If Vogelsong proves himself healthy before the deadline, the Giants could elect to move Lincecum to the bullpen. Should that happen, Gaudin could be packaged with a B-level prospect to a bullpen-desperate team in exchange for a fifth starter. But if Gaudin continues to be effective as a starting pitcher, he almost certainly will stay put.

As long as Zito doesn’t reach 200 innings pitched this year, his contract will come to a close at the end of the 2013 season (with a $7 million buyout). Last postseason, the enigmatic lefty showed he can still be a factor in crucial games, making him a viable option for a playoff team in need of starting pitching. But if the Giants want to get anything in return, they would have to cover most of the remaining balance of his contract.

Of the six pitchers who have started games for the Giants this season, Lincecum is most likely to be traded. Despite his recent struggles, he is still a two-time Cy Young Award winner who is averaging 8.82 strikeouts per nine innings. Additionally, he showed in the 2012 postseason that he can be dominant out of the bullpen. Based on his skill set, he could net the Giants a decent return in a potential trade.

Infield/Catchers

Marco Scutaro: 0 percent
Brandon Crawford: 0 percent
Buster Posey: 0 percent
Nick Noonan: 5 percent
Joaquin Arias: 5 percent
Guillermo Quiroz: 10 percent
Tony Abreu: 10 percent
Brandon Belt: 20 percent
Pablo Sandoval: 25 percent

Posey and Crawford are both players who the Giants will keep around for as long as humanly possible. End of discussion.

Scutaro is in the first season of a three-year, $20 million deal. Never mind the fact that he’s a great 2-hole hitter; he’s a 37-year-old subpar defender with mallet finger. He’s staying put.

Noonan and Arias are both valuable to the Giants as utility infielders. The club likely wouldn’t have any qualms with trading Noonan, but he’s simply not good enough to net any decent talent. Arias could be part of a package for a fifth starter, although that scenario is not particularly imaginable.

If Sanchez and Arias can prove their 2012 seasons were not flukes, and if Scutaro and Sandoval remain healthy, Quiroz and Abreu could become expendable. Even so, neither player would bring back anything significant in a trade.

Belt has been a frustrating player to watch. At times he shows the type of ability that makes Giants fans salivate. But, more frequently, the lanky lefty looks lost at the plate, causing talent evaluators to wonder if he will ever be able to put it all together on a consistent basis. If the Giants grow tired of waiting, they could deal him to a club that thinks it could extract the promising talent from the 25-year-old first baseman.

Sandoval has drawn frequent criticisms about his conditioning and inability to stay healthy. But when he’s right, the Kung Fu Panda is one of the toughest outs in the game. If Sandoval comes back from his foot strain and continues to rake, the Giants could land a substantial return for the two-time All-Star. Although he’s a fan favorite and a proven revenue builder, his apparent unwillingness to stay in shape could cause the Giants to cash in while they still can.

Outfield

Hunter Pence: 0 percent
Angel Pagan: 5 percent
Gregor Blanco: 10 percent
Juan Perez: 10 percent
Andres Torres: 20 percent

The Giants outfield is already in dire straits, and the loss of Pence would likely knock them out of contention. Throw in the fact that the club is interested in re-signing the quirky right-hander, and you’ve got the makings of a player who won’t be moved.

After re-signing Pagan to a four-year, $40 million deal, the Giants were hoping for consistent production from the leadoff spot in the order. Due to injury and mediocre performance on both offense and defense, the Giants would probably be willing to ship Pagan to any club willing to assume his contract. But $10 million per season is a lot to pay for a hitter with a career slash line of .280/.332/.420.

Blanco and Perez are both speedy center fielders who play Gold Glove-caliber defense. Either player would be a decent fourth outfielder on any team, although the jury is still out on Perez’s bat. But the Giants seem to value defense above all else, and the two highlight-reel speedsters are likely to remain with the club.

Torres offers offensive production that is superior to that of most fourth or fifth outfielders. Plus, his speed and ability to play all three outfield positions could make him a cheap, coveted option at the trade deadline. If Pagan can re-establish himself as the everyday center fielder and Perez continues to show promise, Torres could be expendable.

Bullpen

Sergio Romo: 0 percent
Jeremy Affeldt: 0 percent
Santiago Casilla: 0 percent
Javier Lopez: 5 percent
Jean Machi: 10 percent
Sandy Rosario: 10 percent
Jake Dunning: 10 percent
Jose Mijares: 20 percent

Romo is a bona fide closer making only $3.5 million. He’s not going anywhere. Affeldt was recently re-signed to a three-year, $18 million deal. He is the club’s eighth-inning man with Casilla—who also had his contract extended before the 2013 season—on the DL. All three pitchers are staying put.

Lopez is set to be a free agent at the end of the season, and the only way the Giants deal the lefty specialist is if they fall out of contention. Not likely.

Machi, Rosario and Dunning are all unknown commodities at this time. If Casilla comes back strong, one of the three could potentially be part of a trade for a fifth starter.

After being claimed on waivers in 2012, Mijares pitched well for the Giants. In 2013, however, he hasn’t been nearly as effective. Because there are two other lefties in the bullpen already, the Giants would likely part with Mijares if they received a decent offer.

The Giants are in the market for pitching, which usually comes from teams that are out of contention. These teams almost always want cheap, young talent in return. Besides Brandon Belt, the Giants don’t have any big leaguers who fit the bill.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is that a promising minor leaguer, such as Kyle Crick or Gary Brown, will be the headlining name in any trade for an above-average starting pitcher.

What LeBron James' Teammates Must Do to Ensure Game 7 Miami Heat Win

NBA365 Productions — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:46:59 -0400

Sure, LeBron James is the best player on the Miami Heat.

Sure, he's probably the best player in the entire NBA.

But basketball is a five-on-five game; LBJ can't do it all by himself. Tune into the video above to see Raja Bell break down what the rest of the Heat squad must do to help LeBron and win Game 7 for a Miami repeat.

Questions? Comments? Hit us up in the section below!

How Tony Parker Can Finish What He Started with the Spurs

NBA365 Productions — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:44:33 -0400

After what we can safely classify as one of the greatest NBA Finals games of all time, the Miami Heat have forced a Game 7, and the San Antonio Spurs will need point guard Tony Parker to produce if they want to bounce back and win an NBA title.

Tune into the video above to see Raja Bell break down what Parker needs to do to lead his team to a championship.

Questions? Comments? Hit us up in the section below!

How the Montreal Canadiens Should Fix Every Hole on the Roster

Ryan Szporer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:43:58 -0400

While the Montreal Canadiens displayed impressive depth over the course of an incredibly successful regular season, there are nonetheless some holes that will need to be filled by the time 2013-14 rolls around.

Of course, unrestricted free agent Michael Ryder won’t be back, leaving one roster spot open, potentially one as high as on the second line. Also, defenseman Alexei Emelin isn’t projected to be back until two months into next season, leaving a gaping vacancy on the blue line.

However, there are other, less obvious needs that free agency or the upcoming NHL entry draft won’t necessarily cure. Here are the top five:

All salaries taken from CapGeek.com.

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Ranking the 5 Biggest Fan Favorites in Tampa Bay Lightning History

Eric Steitz — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:29:18 -0400

The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrated their 20th season in the NHL last year. The franchise has done it all in its short history. They have a Stanley Cup, Hall of Fame inductees and a big influence in the Tampa Bay community to their credit, and none of that would have been possible without these fan favorites.

The Lightning are a first-class organization from the ownership on down. They are more than just hockey players. They are members of the community, and that tight-knit bond has only strengthened the interest and support for the team.

The success on and off the ice can be attributed to a large group of players and front office members. Here are the five biggest on-ice fan favorites in Tampa Bay Lightning history.

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Yasiel Puig: Why Yankee Stadium Performance Proves Nothing Can Stop Him

Adam Wells — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:27:03 -0400

Whether fans around the country like to say it or not, there is a sentiment in Major League Baseball that a player hasn't really proven what he can do until succeeding—or failing—under the bright lights of New York City.

Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig made his first trip to the Big Apple this week for a marquee two-game series that got delayed until Wednesday by Mother Nature, though it did give us an extended look at the Cuban star, which is always welcome.

As far as Puig's performance on the field in this brief series, well, it was about what we have come to expect. He entered the series hitting .479/.500/.771 with four home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs scored.

He started the day going 2-for-5 with a double and run scored in the first game. Puig did join Mariano Rivera's hit list, striking out to end the game and giving the Yankees a 6-4 win.

But it was the nightcap, which of course had a national broadcast on ESPN 2, that really cemented Puig's time in New York. The Dodgers bounced back with a great all-around performance, led by Puig. The future superstar reached base three times with two hits, one hit by pitch and, most importantly, a home run off a slider by Adam Warren. It was an opposite-field shot, the third he has hit.

That might be the most impressive thing about Puig thus far. Most young players come up trying to pull everything with authority, but he has shown a knack for waiting back on the ball to drive it the other way while still managing to hit it out of the park.

All you need to know about how quickly "Puigmania" has caught on is to look at what happened in between the sixth and seventh innings. It was shown on the ESPN 2 broadcast, where Puig was standing in the on-deck circle and a fan came down to ask him for an autograph as the game was going on.

Only in New York.

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times had to break the hearts of Yankees fans everywhere who were already envisioning seeing Puig in pinstripes when he hits free agency a long time from now.

Speaking of the Yankees, Puig's 27 hits tie him with Joe DiMaggio and Terry Pendleton for the second-most through 15 career games. (via ESPN Stats and Info)

With the Dodgers getting ready to take their act back to the west coast, Puig ended his east-coast swing with a line of 4-for-9 with a double, home run and two strikeouts. Yet because he has been hitting so well, a four-hit day actually lowered his batting average to a miniscule .474.

Obviously, the way Puig is hitting right now through a ridiculously small sample size, which is leading to the hyperbole getting out of control, is not sustainable. He's not Bo Jackson.

But this was a big series for Puig, as well as the Dodgers, to try and make his presence felt on a bigger stage. Say what you want about the Los Angeles media market, but it pales in comparison to what the group in New York will do when they lay their eyes on you.

Again, trying to judge these things by a small sample size, especially one that is only two games, leads to a lot of misinformation. Puig is being talked about like a Hall of Famer already, which is may be a tad premature.

However, since we are talking about discussions involving the 22-year-old, there is a sentiment building, at least in some circles, that Puig should be part of the 2013 All-Star game next month in New York even though he isn't on the ballot.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports really got the discussion going with his piece earlier this week. In it he talks about why Puig is needed at the All-Star game this year.

While some might disagree because he doesn't have enough games or plate appearances under his belt, I think Passan is dead right and there is one huge reason why: It's an All-Star game, not a random collection of players who have had a good three months.

Major League Baseball wants to use the game to market itself and the stars to the country. Right now, there are very few players generating more buzz than Puig, to say nothing of what his raw talent suggests he can be.

That is another pet peeve of mine when it comes to All-Star roster decisions. Stop taking a player who has so clearly played over his head that when history looks back on the team, it wonders why in the world that guy made the team.

Bringing this back to New York, which is where the All-Star game will be this year, albeit in Citi Field and not Yankee Stadium, Puig just had his first test of the big city and bright lights, faring as well as we have come to expect from him.

New York is the kind of market, and the All-Star game the kind of event, where Major League Baseball can capitalize on the craze that is Yasiel Puig. We know that he has talent, his performance right now is seemingly superhuman and there are a few areas he can improve that will make him a better player moving forward.

Just think of how good Puig will be when all his skills are firing at the same time.

Denver Broncos: More Critical to Team's Success? Montee Ball or Wes Welker?

DJ Siddiqi — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:15 -0400

The Denver Broncos enter the season with high expectations.

LVH Superbook lists the Broncos—along with the Patriots and Niners—as the favorites to win the Super Bowl in 2014, with 5-1 odds.

A lot of that has to do with the fact that the Broncos finished the 2012 regular season with a 13-3 record—tied for the best record in the league—and possess the league's best quarterback, who finished as a runner-up in MVP voting.

A lot of it also has to do with Denver's newcomers through free agency and the draft.

Although the Broncos were one of the most complete teams in the NFL—they finished in the top five in offensive and defensive points per game—they weren't satisfied after losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in heartbreaking fashion in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The Broncos picked up such veterans as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Louis Vasquez and the biggest free agent of all of the Broncos' signings, slot man Wes Welker.

Through the draft, Denver filled some key voids by drafting Sylvester Williams in the first round and drafting defensive Quanterus Smith with a late-round pick to help fill the pass-rushing void left by Elvis Dumervil.

But the selection that got the most attention—especially now with a strong performance during OTAs and minicamp—is running back Montee Ball.

The Broncos return most of the same nucleus that landed them the best record in the league, except with a few new faces. Of the veterans and rookies that are new to Denver's camp in 2013, Welker and Ball have received the most attention.

With Willis McGahee's release last week, Ball is now in the driver's seat to be Denver's starting running back in 2013.

Peyton Manning commented on Ball as if he's going to be a focal point of the offense in 2013. Per Lindsay Jones of USA Today:

We're just kind of going through plays, going through games, getting him comfortable hearing audibles at the line of scrimmage. Because we are going to count on him in a big way this year. He's a rookie, but coach (John) Fox isn't going to bring him along slowly.

As for Welker, he's a proven veteran in the NFL. Clearly the league's best slot receiver for the last half-decade, Welker averaged 112 catches while playing with Tom Brady from 2007 to 2012 in New England's high-octane offense.

Via Lindsay Jones of USA Today:

This is just the beginning stages of (Welker) getting comfortable in this offense, and he and I getting on the same page. We put a lot of time in together as individuals, but just versus air. We spent a lot of time talking as well. Now that we're going against the defense, we'll continue to learn, and there will be some things we have to work through, but that's what OTAs and training camp are for.

We know Manning and the coaching staff figure to use both players in prominent roles this season. The question is—who figures to be more critical to the team's success in 2013?

The Argument for Ball

McGahee's release last week opened up the running back competition.

Although the Broncos currently have seven running backs on the roster after the veteran's release, there are only three guys that figure to have a legitimate chance at being Denver's starting running back during the 2013 season—Ball, Ronnie Hillman and Knowshon Moreno.

Hillman likely won't be the starting running back, as his frame and skill set dictate that he should be a change-of-pace back in the NFL. At just 5'9" and 195 pounds, Hillman does have great speed, but he would be best served as a complement to a team's starting running back.

Moreno has starting experience through his first four seasons in the NFL with the Broncos, but coming off yet another serious knee injury suffered in the playoffs, combined with his lackluster running skills—he averaged just 3.8 yards a carry in 2012—the Broncos may prefer to start Ball.

When discussing the running back competition between Hillman and Ball, coach John Fox had this to say to Mike Klis of the Denver Post: "They'll determine the reps they get. They're getting good instruction out here right now, but we're still out here in our underwear."

The Argument for Welker

Unlike Ball, who enters his first season in the NFL this year, Welker is a proven commodity.

A nine-year NFL veteran who led the NFL in receptions in three different seasons, Welker has the slot receiver position locked up after the Broncos allowed Brandon Stokley to walk in free agency.

The Broncos ranked second in the league in points per game in 2012—behind none other than the Welker and Tom Brady-led New England Patriots—ranking third in the league in passing touchdowns and fifth in the league in passing yards.

Denver utilized a three-wide look for 64 percent of its snaps, by far its most-used personnel grouping.

Outside of Denver's heavy dependence upon the three-wide personnel, Manning has a history of utilizing numerous receivers in the passing game, including a heavy dependence upon the slot receiver.

In 2004 with the Colts, Manning completed 86 passes to Marvin Harrison, 77 passes to Reggie Wayne and 68 passes to slot receiver Brandon Stokley.

So even with two proven pass-catchers on the outside—Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker—Welker will be a huge part of Denver's offensive game plan in 2013.

Offensive Balance

We know Welker will be Denver's slot receiver, barring injury, in 2013.

We don't know if Ball will be the starting running back in 2013, as he'll have to compete with Moreno, Hillman and several other backs in order to claim that job.

But let's assume Ball does the expected and wins the starting running back job. The situation becomes pretty simple then.

Welker, as a slot receiver, will have a huge impact on Denver's success through the air. Ball will have a huge impact in the ground game because he is the starting running back.

The question can now be asked, "Who will be more critical to the team's success?".

You have to now take into account the Broncos' offensive balance. And let's just say they're pretty damn well-balanced.

Despite all of the praise that has been heaped Manning's way, the Broncos threw the ball 588 times last season—10th-most in the league—while running the ball 481 times—ninth-most in the league. So contrary to popular belief, it wasn't just Manning that carries the Broncos' offense; he had a little bit of help too.

Here's where the stats show a little more disparity in favor of the passing game—the Broncos finished third in the league in passing touchdowns with 37. Denver finished 13th in rushing touchdowns with 12.

To further illustrate the Broncos' efficiency when passing the football in comparison to their efficiency when running the football, let's take into consideration yards per attempt. The Broncos finished first in the league in net yards per attempt while finishing 25th in the league in rushing yards per attempt.

Needless to say—as has been the case for many of Manning's offenses over the years—the Broncos rely more on the success and efficiency of the passing game in comparison to the running game.

Who Will Be More Critical to the Team's Success?

Denver's offense will go as Peyton Manning goes.

Manning runs the show, makes his entire supporting cast better, and as evidenced by the Colts' 2011 showing without Manning—2-14 record—his teams succeed based upon his success.

Ball will obviously be affected by Manning's presence in a positive way, although as a running back, the key to Ball's success will mostly hinge on the offensive line.

But the Broncos' offensive identity is pretty clear—they like to pass the ball, and they utilize three wide receivers while doing it.

Denver succeeded in 2012 with a below-average running game and a top-tier passing game. With a four-time NFL MVP taking snaps under center, if the Broncos are to succeed again in 2013, it will be due to the passing game and not the running game.

Which means that Welker will be more critical to his team's success this upcoming season when compared to Ball.

Ranking the 10 Best Lines in the History of Boxing Trash Talk

Briggs Seekins — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:25:21 -0400

I have ambivalent feelings about trash talk in boxing. The old school crank in me generally thinks, “Look, if you fellas are going to fight, anyway, why spend so much time talking about it?”

But then there's the part of me that writes about fighting on the Internet. That part of me has deadlines to meet and copy to generate. And I want people to read that copy.

So fighters who like to talk smack make my job easier. And in boxing, it's good for business all the way around when the two competitors have spent some time jawing at each other in sight of the paying public.

I was on a media call earlier this afternoon promoting the June 29 fight with Gennady Golovkin and Matthew Macklin. Everybody on the call was a total gentleman.

Co-promoters Tom Loeffler and Lou Dibella complimented each other. Trainers Buddy McGirt and Abel Sanchez complimented each other. And Macklin and Golovkin were very respectful and complimentary of each other.

That doesn't make me want to see the fight any less. Two of the top middleweights in the world will be squaring off. For me, that's always going to be enough.

But when Paulie Malignaggi fights Adrien Broner Saturday night in Brooklyn, I'm going to be pretty curious to see which guy ends up eating crow.

For the purposes of this list, my own tastes have been weighed towards entertainment and historical significance. Most of the fighters on this list have talked enough trash to generate an entire list all of their own.

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Why the St. Louis Cardinals Have Baseball's Best Starting Rotation

Corey Noles — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:23:48 -0400

As the St. Louis Cardinals continue their dominance in 2013, they owe everything to their starting five.

Despite injuries, bullpen struggles and one of the toughest April schedules in baseball, the Cardinals continue to show that they have what it takes to succeed this season.

Their starting rotation boasts the lowest ERA among all teams in baseball (2.97). The division rival Cincinnati Reds are the closest behind them with an ERA of 3.20.

The rotation also has combined for the most wins (39), is tied for the best WHIP (1.19), most complete games (5), shutouts (4), second-lowest OBP (.293) and slugging percentage (.355).

The numbers say it all.

This rotation is making a serious statement and is arguably the best in baseball in 2013. Following are five reasons why.

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Dolph Ziggler's Face Turn Should Spell the End of His Entourage

Bill Atkinson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:22:01 -0400

Dolph Ziggler may have made the turn from heel to babyface, but do not expect his entourage to join him in hearing the cheers.

In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter (available by subscription only), Dave Meltzer reports that the double switch pulled off by Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio at last weekend’s Payback might affect how WWE books Big E Langston, Ziggler’s self-proclaimed “heavy.” While then-World champ Ziggler recovered from a concussion, Del Rio and Langston faced off five times on television, with Langston winning twice. That could have put Langston in a position to turn face and possibly go after Ziggler’s title.

But that was before Ziggler and Del Rio changed roles and Del Rio recaptured the World Heavyweight Championship:

The idea is Ziggler is a face, but Big E Langston and A.J. Lee are staying heel. How this plays out is interesting, because all the TV build had been how Langston had wins over Del Rio, and how it was inevitable Langston would want to get a title shot at Ziggler.

The Ziggler turn should be the catalyst for Lee and Langston to finally strike out on their own.

Lee currently is the WWE Divas Champion, which, with the sad state of the women’s division these days, is akin to being the president of a company that makes motorcycle doors. But the diminutive Diva is such a conniving and polarizing character with her crazy antics and fly-off-the-handle temper, so putting the title on her may just be the long-awaited shot in the arm the division needs to survive.

Aside from Vickie Guerrero, Lee is the only woman in WWE who can draw major heat from the crowd. She needs to stay on the heel side of the fence if for no other reason than to keep fans watching and maybe getting more interested.

Unlike Lee, who already achieved stardom before her current role, Langston could dip into the upper portion of the midcard talent level, But that would not be a bad thing. The midcard needs a strong (no pun intended) heel to help maintain it, and Langston is the perfect candidate for that job.

He is a no-nonsense heel character who says little but works large. He probably could stand some tweaking in terms of his move set, maybe even adding a second finisher because the Big Ending he relies upon now is not selling like it used to.

With a few more matches against opponents not named Alberto Del Rio, Langston easily could move into the uppercard in no time at all.

Maybe then he will get his shot at the World title…and Dolph Ziggler.

Follow Bill Atkinson on Twitter at @BAtkinson1963.

UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator Veteran Renato 'Babalu' Sobral Retires from MMA

Damon Martin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:21:36 -0400

With a career that spanned nearly 16 years competing in MMA, Renato "Babalu" Sobral said goodbye to the sport on Wednesday night after suffering his second straight defeat in the Bellator cage.

As relayed by MMAjunkie.com, the former Strikeforce champion retired after a loss to Jacob Noe in the opening rounds of the latest light heavyweight tournament, being stopped in the third and final round by TKO.

The fight moved Sobral's record to 2-4 over his last six fights, but during the biggest part of his career, the Brazilian grappler was consistently ranked as one of the top 10 light heavyweights in the sport.

Starting out his career all the way back in 1997, Sobral fought all around the world, battling some of the best in the MMA game, including names like Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson.

He finally landed in the UFC in 2000 and fought there on and off for the next seven years.

One of Babalu's crowning achievements in the sport actually happened outside the UFC in 2003 when he entered the IFC: Global Domination tournament. It was a one-night tournament throwback to the early days of the UFC when fighters would routinely compete two or three times on a single card.

On that night, Sobral had to battle through three different opponents to win the tournament crown. He defeated Trevor Prangley and Jeremy Horn by decision, and finished future UFC and Pride champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua by guillotine choke.

He was the first fighter to ever hand Rua a defeat.

As the years passed, Babalu remained relevant in the division going as far as winning the Strikeforce light heavyweight title in 2008, but it wasn't long after that where the battles he endured over the years started to catch up with him.

Following a loss to Dan Henderson in Strikeforce in 2010, Sobral left the sport for a year-and-a-half after a snowboarding accident left him injured and contemplating retirement.

Once again, the tough-as-nails Brazilian refused to give up and returned with a victory in his lone appearance as part of One FC in Asia with a win over Tatsuya Mizuno. That now stands as Sobral's last victory before he would sign with Bellator and lose the last two fights of his career by TKO.

At 37 years of age, Sobral retires with a 37-11 record overall, having fought in the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator during the course of his career.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Jason Kidd Shows Off Baseball Skills with First-Pitch Strike at Yankees Game

Jesse Dorsey — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:19:52 -0400

Jason Kidd became head coach of the Brooklyn Nets just days after retiring with two years remaining on his contract with the New York Knicks. As he threw out the first pitch at Wednesday afternoon's New York Yankees game, it seemed that the city had no hard feelings.

Kidd was met with the same smattering of unbridled enthusiasm that any Wednesday afternoon first pitch would be given...so not that much at all.

To be fair, it was a Wednesday, the Yankees were just starting the first half of the day's double-header, and fans were just settling in. At the very least, there were no disgruntled Knicks fans who felt the need to boo (or, weren't very audible about it).

It would seem that most of them are fine with Kidd's departure, especially since he spent his final days with the team on a 10-game scoreless streak.

Kidd jogged onto the mound with his son in tow, sent in a solid strike down to backup catcher Austin Romine that Adam Dunn likely would have swung at and missed, and jogged off quickly.

Unassuming, but effective, just like the final five years of Kidd's playing career.

Hopefully this isn't the last we see of Kidd as a public figure throughout New York. As long as he's being asked to throw out first pitches and do other New York-y things, it generally means that he's held in a positive light publicly.

If those Nets don't play well under the new head coach, then he could be hidden from sight from the people.

A big tip of the hat to Beyondthebuzzer.com for digging up this bad boy.

UFC 162 Video Preview: Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin Full Fight Video

Trent Reinsmith — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:15:43 -0400

Anderson Silva made his UFC debut with a 43-second shellacking of Chris Leben at UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5. A few months later, he walked out of the Octagon in Las Vegas, Nev. as the UFC middleweight champion.

Silva had a professional record of 18-4 when he faced UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin at UFC 77 in October 2006. Franklin had won the title when he defeated Evan Tanner in June 2005. His fight against Silva was his third attempted defense of the title. Franklin had previously defended the title by defeating Nate Quarry and David Loiseau.

Franklin was 22-1-0-1 when he entered the Octagon to face Silva. Franklin was, without a doubt, the crowd favorite entering the arena that night in Vegas. He was also favored in the eyes of the oddsmakers, via MMAmania.com, as he entered at minus-185 to Silva’s plus-165.

When the fight began, Silva was fluid in his motions and wasted very little time working knees to the body from the clinch. The strikes were very effective, and in short order Silva had Franklin lowering his hands to his reddening torso to block the blows.

As soon as Franklin dropped his hands, Silva went upstairs and delivered a knee to the chin of his opponent. That gave Franklin something to think about, should he protect his midsection or protect his head?

Franklin didn’t have much time to ponder that question. Shortly after planting that seed in Franklin’s head Silva planted a knee directly on his nose. He followed that with a kick to the head and another knee to the head, and that was the end of the night for Franklin.

Just 2:59 after the fight began, the UFC had a new middleweight champion and Franklin had a new angle to his nose. After Franklin was back to his feet, Bruce Buffer announced “and now the new UFC middleweight champion of the world, Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva.”

Since that night, Buffer has only announced the finish of Silva’s middleweight bouts with the phrase “and still UFC middleweight champion of the world.” That announcement has been made a UFC record 10 consecutive times.

Will Silva make it 11 at UFC 162 or will we finally hear the words “and new UFC middleweight champion of the world” again? We’ll find out on July 6 when Silva attempts to defend his title against top-ranked Chris Weidman.

Vin Scully Takes over Dodgers Twitter Feed: Highlights and Reaction

Doug Mead — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:12:32 -0400

Legendary Los Angeles Dodgers play-by-play man Vin Scully has been broadcasting games since 1950. Though he has cut down on his travel schedule, some 63 years later, he's still going strong and still at the top of his game.

Scully is so good that he doesn't even need an analyst beside him. His engaging style and tremendous storytelling skills are more than enough to fill up a broadcast. Now, the 85-year-old Scully has taken to a new venue to regale a newer, hipper kind of crowd—Twitter.

Yes, Scully is tweeting. On Wednesday night, he took over the team's Twitter feed.

The beauty of Scully—and one of the reasons he's become one of the celebrated announcers in the history of professional sports—has always been his ability to describe game action in a way that resonates with fans. His unique, folksy style has been a hit with several generations, and the Twitter world is just finding that out.

Almost immediately after his first tweet, #VinScully was trending worldwide.

A classic Scully greeting, indeed.

Scully talked about his personal history covering the Dodgers-Yankees rivalry over the years—certainly a storied one.

Since Scully no longer travels farther west than Arizona to cover games, he described what New York means to him.

When the person working with Scully told him he was such a hit on Twitter, he replied in his typically non-assuming manner.

He took time to respond to questions as well. He recalled a couple highlights of his illustrious career and explained how he stays so engaged during games and the steps he takes to continue being energetic at the ripe old age of 85.

In talking about the beginning of his career, he recalled the man whom he eventually replaced, the legendary Red Barber.

No worries there, Vin, Red is smiling from up above at what you've achieved.

And the player he believes was the greatest of all time?

Scully also fondly recalled an endearing trait of the Tigers' former stadium.

During his Twitter journey, Scully did take some time to do some play-by-play as well.

Yahoo! Sports baseball expert Tim Brown just tweeted what I've been thinking/doing all night.

And, Scully's thoughts on the designated hitter.

Hmm...Scully's been broadcasting Dodgers games in the National League since 1950. Why does that answer not surprise me?

Scully also gave his view of Dodgers' prized rookie Yasiel Puig and his free-swinging ways just before he got plunked with a pitch in the fifth inning.

Scully poked a little fun at the Yankees and their current inability to break out at the plate. Not a complete zinger, but in typical Scully fashion for sure.

Scully talked about his love for baseball and why he chose MLB over many other sports he covered early in his career.

Now here is a little known fact: Vin Scully once played against a future president. Considering how they played that day, it's obvious why they chose different career paths.

Scully has seen some of the best players in the history of baseball. But even after 64 years in the booth, it's obvious that he thinks Yasiel Puig is something special after witnessing an opposite-field home run at Yankee Stadium.

He even responded to a Dodgers beat writer's tweet, giving Puig's solo shot a name.

He followed with even more platitudes for the Cuban sensation.

Scully believes that with Puig in the fold, along with the returns of injured stars, the Dodgers aren't out of it at this point of the season.

Here is a Scully gem that every single broadcaster/announcer should file away and keep bookmarked in their minds.

Once again, in the typical humble manner in which he's known for, Scully responds to the many folks on Twitter who were grateful for his time and efforts.

No, Mr. Scully—what you've done is show nothing but class, professionalism and excellence for seven decades. Your contributions to the sport are forever priceless and immeasurable.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

Power Ranking the Top 10 Outfielders with the Best Throwing Arms

Brandon Croce — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:07:18 -0400

There may not be a more exciting play in baseball than a play at the plate. The only way these plays can happen is if the outfielder catching the ball has the arm strength to get it home.

When team's are able to employ outfielders with these kind of skills it has a wide range of benefits. Those benefits begin with stealing outs from overzealous base runners, and extend to eventually holding runners just because of the outfielder's reputation.

It is hard to rank outfielders' throwing arms based purely on statistics.

Assists are generally the stat used, however, if a player has built a reputation for having a deadly arm, like Ichiro Suzuki has, baserunners will be more hesitant to try and extend hits.

For these power rankings, I ranked players based on a combination of a poll of 305 MLB players by Sports Illustrated as well as highlight clips. I put together the top 10 outfielders with the best arm at this point in the year.

Begin Slideshow

Italy V. Japan: 6 Things We Learned

Sam Lopresti — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:00:31 -0400

OK, everyone. Let's breathe.

Italy and Japan played a thrilling game in Recife on Wednesday night. Japan was up 2-0 after 33 minutes, but Italy clawed one back on the stroke of halftime and pulled ahead 3-2 within seven minutes of the restart.

Japan tied the game off a free kick with 20 minutes on the clock. Twelve minutes later they were shockingly denied by the woodwork twice in the span of ten seconds before the much-maligned Sebastian Giovinco finally opened his account for his country in the 86th.

Even then, the Italians needed the assistant's flag to escape Recife with a win and a guarantee of playing their first Confederations Cup semifinal.

What did we learn on the field at Recife? Let's take a look.

Begin Slideshow

Liverpool Transfer Rumours: How Incoming Players Would Impact Club Next Season

Rob Goldberg — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:53:59 -0400

Liverpool are not waiting around to make things happen this summer. The club has been aggressive in the offseason market and are set to make four major signings.

As Wayne Veysey of Goal.com reports:

Liverpool are close to signing four new players in a £42million splurge on the summer market, Goal understands.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has returned from his holiday in Spain to oversee the capture of midfield playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, goalkeeper Simon Mignolet as well as wide forwards Luis Alberto and Christian Atsu.

This will represent a major overhaul to a club that finished seventh in the league this past season.

The good news is that money should not be an issue. Luis Suarez continues to edge closer to joining Real Madrid, which could bring £40 million in transfer fee, according to David Maddock of Mirror Football.

If he does stay, Liverpool will still be happy to have the second-leading scorer in the English Premier League. This is certainly not something to be upset about.

Either way, the club is certain to get a serious boost from the incoming talent.

One of the most important players in this move is goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. While Pepe Reina is still on the roster for now, the Belgian is more of a long-term answer at the position.

The 30-year-old Reina has received interest from Barcelona, and he could possibly be sent out before the end of the summer. He told the Spanish paper AS (via Kyle Bonn of NBC Sports) "there are not going to be any changes," although it might not be in his control.

Despite his high level of play for years, Mignolet is only 25 years old and has shown great potential in his career at Sunderland. He could be the squad's keeper of the future, and it would be better if the future started as soon as possible.

Another big move is the addition of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has been impressive everywhere he goes. The Armenian national was a playmaker for Shakhtar Donetsk and displayed skill as both a scorer and a passer.

Next season, the 24-year-old midfielder should find himself immediately in a starting role and will be asked to contribute right away on the attack. This will be a huge addition for Liverpool after relying too much on Steven Gerrard to make plays over the past year.

Just as importantly, he continues to get better as he gets more experience, which is something that should continue on his new club. Here is a look at his performances in league play in each of his past three seasons.

Mkhitaryan's ability to create opportunities for himself and others will either work well alongside Suarez or help fans forget about him.

Christian Atsu and Luis Alberto represent more of the future and will probably struggle to get onto the pitch next year, although both youngsters have a lot of potential and could be big-time players down the road.

With few sure things in the front line, there will certainly be room if either player reaches their potential.

Overall, these four moves represent a great improvement for Liverpool. The club has struggled in recent years simply due to a lack in overall talent on the pitch. These players will help that no longer be a problem.

Although more will need to happen to get to the top of the EPL table, this is certainly a good start.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest updates in sports.

FIFA Confederations Cup 2013: Players Who Must Step Up for Their Team to Advance

Justin Onslow — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:35:12 -0400

With both Mexico and Japan losing on Wednesday, Italy and Brazil clinched the top two spots in Group A of the FIFA Confederations Cup. While each team will play one more match, there isn’t much excitement left in that portion of the field.

But in Group B, there are still plenty of possibilities. Spain and Nigeria have a comfortable lead with three points apiece, but an upset by either Tahiti or Uruguay in the coming days could significantly shake up the group.

That’s a big “if,” however.

Spain and Nigeria were tremendous in their opening matches. Nigeria crushed Tahiti 6-1, and Spain edged out Uruguay 2-1. For the group tables to change much by the end of the stage, both losing squads will have to experience a massive turnaround.

As it stands, neither Uruguay nor Tahiti is eliminated, but one bad showing on Thursday will all but sink their Confederations Cup hopes.

Let’s take a look at two players from each winless side who must step up on Thursday to ensure their respective teams have a chance of advancing past the group stage.

Xavier Samin: Tahiti

Tahiti surrendered six goals to Nigeria in its opening match of the tournament. And as scary as this thought may be, Spain has the firepower to top that number on Thursday.

For Tahiti to have even the slightest chance of upending the Spanish side, keeper Xavier Samin has to play the match of his life.

The 35-year-old will need a lot of help from Tahiti’s back line, though. Spain’s attack is devastating from wing to wing, and it’s nearly guaranteed that Samin will see more than eight shots on target in this match—which was the magic number for Nigeria to score its six goals on Monday.

Anything can happen, but it probably won’t. Tahiti is staring down the barrel of an early exit courtesy of the best international team in the competition, and it will take a monumental effort from Samin and the rest of his squad to avoid giving away three points to the Spanish side.

Edinson Cavani: Uruguay

Nigeria blasted Tahiti on Monday, but Uruguay represents a much more difficult challenge in the second match of group play.

If Nigeria is to notch three more points and a chance at advancing early in the group stage, it’ll have to keep tabs on Edinson Cavani.

Cavani has the finishing ability to cause a lot of problems for Nigeria’s back line. Paired with Luis Suarez, the 26-year-old represents the other half of an attack that can net a lot of goals in a short period of time.

But Uruguay’s attack isn’t the same when either striker isn’t in form. For Uruguay to avoid an early exit, it’ll need a strong performance from both players.

Marama Vahirua: Tahiti

Given Spain’s formidable attack, it would be a surprise to see Tahiti maintain possession for more than a quarter of this match. Tahiti doesn't have enough talent to go around.

If Tahiti is to cause any trouble at all in Spain’s final third, forward Marama Vahirua will have to be the player to cause it.

The 33-year-old set up Tahiti’s only goal against Nigeria with a terrific corner kick in the 54th minute, but he’ll need to do a lot more than that against Spain. He has to be the heart and soul of Tahiti’s attack.

Tahiti coach Eddy Etaeta put it mildly when he described the challenges facing his side against Spain, as quoted at FIFA.com:

There is reason for concern after watching Spain's performance against Uruguay. Tactically, we need to be better than we were against Nigeria. And on a physical level, we'll need to be stronger in the challenge.

Tahiti doesn’t have the talent to be superior tacticians in this match, though. It will take a team effort, but players like Vahirua have to step up in a big way.

Luis Suarez: Uruguay

Few players in the tournament are as capable on the attack as Uruguay’s Luis Suarez.

The Liverpool striker is a tremendous tactician with finishing prowess unmatched by any player in this contest. With his side’s fate hanging in the balance, Suarez has to come up big for his country.

Suarez has the talent to find the net on multiple occasions in this tilt, but he’ll also need Cavani to be in top form. As a tandem, Suarez and Cavani can do a lot of damage to the Nigerian side.

Uruguay has a real chance of upsetting Nigeria on Thursday, but that effort has to start with a coordinated attack and a front line that can finish scoring chances in the back of the net. If Nigeria fails to do so, it will be on its way to the second stage of the tournament.

Will a Tight NL West Race Heighten Tensions Between Warring Teams Even More?

Josh Schoch — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:35:04 -0400

Jesus Guzman and Madison Bumgarner are the latest National League West stars to make headlines. While guys like Yasiel Puig have been doing it on the field, Guzman and Bumgarner did so with their fists.

Wednesday afternoon had yet another bench-clearing brawl in the NL West in store for us, and things got ugly.

After the San Francisco Giants kept Guzman in the minors for years, he finally got his chance in the big leagues with the San Diego Padres, and he didn't take too kindly to the Giants failing to utilize him.

On Tuesday night, Guzman belted a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning off Matt Cain to put the Padres up, 4-3. As he trotted (or skipped) down the first base line he yelled to his bench and showed up his former club.

Bumgarner took notice.

When Bumgarner faced Guzman for the first time on Wednesday afternoon he got his revenge, throwing way inside on Guzman on the first pitch of the at-bat.

Bumgarner was clearly sending a message not to taunt the Giants, and Guzman was furious, walking out to meet the pitcher before catcher Buster Posey and home plate umpire Tony Randazzo held him back.

However, Bumgarner appears to have preferred that the two let him go, as he walked over to Guzman, shouting at him the whole way.

As the two got closer, the rest of the players got involved and the benches cleared, resulting in both teams pushing and shoving each other, although no serious fights broke out.

It's not like the shot at Guzman on Wednesday was unexpected.

If I were Jesus Guzman's ribs, I'd double my life insurance before he stands in against Bumgarner tomorrow. #sfgiants.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) June 19, 2013

The fact of the matter is that if you show up your former team, you're in trouble. No self-respecting team of professional athletes is going to take any form of taunting lying down, and even the fans started jumping on Guzman.

#Giants fans take great delight in Sergio Romo whiffing Jesus Guzman on three pitches to start the ninth.
— Steve Corkran (@CorkOnTheNFL) June 19, 2013

From all of us here at AT&T Park, you stay classy Jesus Guzman!
— Will Candlestick ™ (@CandlestickWill) June 19, 2013

Bumgarner certainly feels the same way the fans do, as he kept things short and simple in his postgame interview.

Madison Bumgarner said, "there's no need to talk about that," when asked about throwing a pitch behind Jesus Guzman's back in the 2nd inning.
— Steve Corkran (@CorkOnTheNFL) June 20, 2013

This was just another fight between NL West rivals, and it was the third major scrum of the year.

The Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers got things started when Zack Greinke plunked Carlos Quentin and Quentin charged at Greinke, ultimately breaking his collarbone and putting him on the DL for a month.

Exactly two months after fighting the Padres, the Dodgers were at it again with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Greinke hit Miguel Montero to defend his teammates after Puig was hit the nose by an Ian Kennedy pitch, leading to both benches clearing.

Nothing serious happened until the next inning, however, when Kennedy went upstairs again and hit Greinke, which sparked a brawl between both clubs as the benches cleared for a second time.

Puig was in the middle of the fracas and had to be held back, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

The Diamondbacks were still talking about Puig’s actions Wednesday, saying that the Dodgers were shouting at him, “No! Not you!” as he kept charging back into the melee.

Nine games into his career, Puig is already that valuable. The Dodgers were fearful of losing him to an ejection (which happened) and a suspension (which almost certainly will follow).

Puig, though, was in a rage.

Kennedy had hit him the previous inning, grazing his nose with a 92-mph fastball. According to several Diamondbacks, Puig kept shouting, “Yo soy Cubano!"—“I am a Cuban!”—as he drifted in and out of the fight, at one point landing a haymaker on the back of Eric Hinske’s head.

Puig wasn't the only one in the middle of the fight, though. Both managers got into it, and Kennedy ended up receiving a 10-game suspension.

These are not isolated incidents in the NL West, as seemingly every series has a brawl or some bad blood in it.

The scary thing is that the fights might only get worse from here.

The NL West is easily the tightest division in baseball, as four teams are separated by just three games. Every team has at least a .500 record, other than the Dodgers, who have been having a miserable season.

This is clearly a recipe for disaster, as all five teams have a reason to fight the others.

Forget about bad blood. Forget about history. All you have to know is the here and now.

The Diamondbacks, Giants, Rockies and Padres are all fighting for a playoff spot, and they don't want to back down from one another. There are individual player feuds on every roster when it comes to facing these divisional opponents, and they are forced to compete with each other more than with anyone else.

When you throw in the fact that the Dodgers are undoubtedly very frustrated with how the season has gone, all five teams are playing emotional baseball right now, and tensions couldn't be much higher.

As we enter the dog days of summer the temperature will rise, and along with it the friction between these teams.

The hatred between NL West teams is approaching an all-time high, and this is one of the least friendly divisions when the playoff race isn't even close. With four teams jockeying for position, there is no doubt that we will continue to see brawls break out in the second half of the season.

You can expect to see these teams keep fighting, both in the standings and during extracurricular activities.

Follow @JoshSchoch

Best-Case Scenario for Butler Basketball Starters in 2013-14

Joe Boozell — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:33:42 -0400

If the past is any indicator, the Butler Bulldogs appear to be a best-case scenario waiting to happen.

The term would aptly describe a 2009-10 squad that was within one point of a national championship after reaching the NCAA tournament as a No. 5 seed, or an even more improbable bunch reaching the final game of the dance a year later.

The honeymoon has long passed since then. Coming off a 27-win season that ended in a disappointing NCAA tournament loss to Marquette, Butler once again finds itself in position to retool its starting five—albeit with some important pieces returning to the fold.

Can the 'Dawgs overcome the loss of Rotnei Clarke's scoring and Andrew Smith's awkward yet effective display of manning the paint?

Negativity certainly isn't a staple of Brad Stevens' coaching style. Therefore, here's what the head master will be be hoping for in order to fuel a successful 2013-14 tournament run.

Begin Slideshow

Breaking Down Vince Wilfork's Impact on the New England Patriots Defense

Oliver Thomas — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:31:43 -0400

When an NFL player decides to call it a career, they are immortalized by the numbers they leave behind.

How many Super Bowls, Pro Bowls, sacks, interceptions, completions, rushing yards, receptions and touchdowns—all are used as measurements in determining one's legacy.

But for many players, those measurements are irrelevant. They do not justify success on the football field. And they most certainly do not justify how valuable a player can be to their respective football team.

Just look at New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Since the University of Miami product was taken in 21st overall in the 2004 NFL draft, he has started 128 of 138 regular season games Of the ten games he didn't start, he missed a total of just three.

He has served as a team captain since 2008. He has been voted to five Pro Bowls and he has been part of one Super Bowl victory.

In all, his resume is an impressive one. Yet when it comes to the most illustrious stats a defensive lineman can amass—tackles, sacks and forced fumbles—Wilfork often gets lost in the trenches.

Over nine seasons in Foxborough, Mass., the 31-year-old has collected 326 tackles, 16 sacks and five forced fumbles.

While those numbers stand on their own two legs, they are not particularly unique. Statistically speaking, the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Haloti Ngata, Tommy Kelly, Tommie Harris, Randy Starks, Geno Atkins, Corey Williams, Kyle Williams and Barry Cofield have all met or exceeded portions of Wilfork's production at defensive tackle since 2004.

And based on Wilfork's role and skill set, he probably couldn't care less.

No. 75 is an integral part of the Patriots defense, even if the stat sheet doesn't show it.

A Deceiving Athlete

It takes a rare physical ability to carry the 325 pounds—on a good day—the way the 6'2" Wilfork does on a bad day. At a glance, he may look like a plodder in the thick of the defense. Yet in actuality, he's arguably the most light-footed natural nose tackle in the game.

Change of direction is an underrated trait. Wilfork has it.

This surprising quickness helps the one-time high school running back and returner disengage from blocks, knife through running lanes, stunt blitz, and even drop back into coverage in zone blitz situations.

Last season, then-Patriots offensive guard Donald Thomas gave The Boston Globe's Shalise Manza Young a brief scouting report on Wilfork. Thomas said that Wilfork is "an extremely large human being." But, the 305-pound Thomas added, "he has great explosiveness."

Mass plus speed equals force. Wilfork is a force.

A Space Eater Against the Run

Christopher B. Brown, Grantland.com contributor and author of The Essential Smart Football, once said that "a 1-gap player attacks gaps, a 2-gap player attacks people."

Wilfork attacks people.

He often lines right over the center or guard, which usually allows his fellow D-linemen to shoot gaps as he absorbs blocks.

Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 of last season, his prowess as a two-gapper was on display.

With edge-rusher Rob Ninkovich flanking his outside shoulder, Wilfork lined up over left guard Andy Levitre as a 3-4 end facing Buffalo's "11" personnel.

Following the snap, then-Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick pitched the ball to running back C.J. Spiller.

At the same time, Wilfork was getting the jump on Levitre. By maintaining both leverage and leg drive over Levitre, he freed up fellow Patriots defenders to make a play on the ball.

Wilfork beat Levitre, closed in on Spiller's off-tackle run, and ate enough space for defensive end Rob Ninkovich, linebacker Jerod Mayo and cornerback Kyle Arrington to finish the play off.

No, he wasn't credited with any sort of statistic for his non-glamorous battle against Levitre. His type of hard work inside isn't often credited with any sort of statistic.

Wilfork isn't typically part of a play's end result. Nonetheless, he is typically part of a play's beginning.

A Disruptor Against the Pass

Wilfork is not a pass-rusher; he's a prerequisite for pass rush.

As an interior lineman, the former Hurricane's job is essentially to be a hurricane, and ultimately to collapse the pocket.

If he can do so effectively, the quarterback has no void to step into. As a result, he's either rushed into a throw that's not there, or he's kept in the sights of a speed rusher who nets a sack.

Even when Wilfork is at his best, another man is reaping the benefits.

Last season, during New England's Week 11 tilt against the Indianapolis Colts, that man was cornerback Aqib Talib.

With linebacker Brandon Spikes slicing inside right guard Mike McGlynn, Wilfork shoots through the B-gap past the inside shoulder of right tackle Winston Justice.

Defensive ends Jermaine Cunningham and Trevor Scott close off the corners as Wilfork gets his frame in front of quarterback Andrew Luck. There's no pocket to shuffle into, and Luck fires the ball deep to avoid a sack.

Jerod Mayo leaves wide receiver Reggie Wayne's hip pocket, as Devin McCourty and the rest of the Patriots secondary inherits the coverage. Luck's overthrows his target, and consequently, Talib is in the right place to capitalize with an interception.

Talib returned the pick 59 yards for a score. It all stemmed from the penetration up front.

Sometimes there are coverage sacks, sometimes there are pressure interceptions. In this case, it was a pressure interception.

An Every-Down Player

At a press conference leading up to Super Bowl XLVI, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith that Wilfork "takes a lot of pride in not coming off the field."

Belichick added, "Out there at practice today during the offensive period he’s running sprints back and forth on the field, working on his conditioning, with a week to go in the season. I think that’s a sign of his dedication.”

Dedication may be Wilfork's greatest asset. He hardly ever leaves the defensive huddle, and not many other 325-pounders can say the same.

Actually, no other 325-pounder can say the same.

According to Football Outsiders, only four defensive tackles logged more snaps than Big Vince in 2012. The catch, however, is that those four weigh at least 20 pounds less than New England's first-team All-Pro. And, to take it a step further, no defensive lineman has played more snaps since 2011.

That's called earning your paycheck.

Wilfork's relentless motor is not only a testament to his conditioning, but to his versatility.

On any given series, Wilfork could feasibly line up as a zero-technique over the center, a one-technique shaded inside the guard, a three-technique shaded outside the guard, and a five-technique over the offensive tackle.

In layman's terms, he's a chameleon. Whether New England's front is in a 4-3, a 3-4 or a hybrid alignment, the coaching staff has one less personnel decision to worry about.

Entering his 10th NFL season, Wilfork is still the mainstay in the center of New England's defense. In fact, his workload has increased exponentially in each of the last four seasons.

The surrounding players may sub in and out based on the down and distance, Wilfork is the lone constant. He's not a run-stopper specialist. He's not a situational pass-rusher, either.

Wilfork's impact is felt every time he steps on the field.

And it doesn't take numbers to figure that out.

Ranking Miami Heat-San Antonio Spurs Epic Game 6 with Best NBA Finals Games Ever

Josh Martin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:30:13 -0400

I think we can all agree that Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs was an instant classic.

There were standout performances from league legends (Tim Duncan's 25-point first half, LeBron James' 18 points over the final 17 minutes). There were unforgettable moments (Kawhi Leonard's facial over Mike Miller, LeBron's block on Duncan, Tony Parker's clutch shots, Ray Allen's trey from the corner, Chris Bosh's big blocks, etc.). There were crucial coaching decisions (no Duncan at the end of regulation, Parker on the bench for stretches in crunch time, more playing time for Birdman). There were high stakes (Miami attempting to stave off elimination, San Antonio trying to avoid a seventh game).

And, to top it all off, there were five minutes of free basketball once regulation was through.

I think we can all also agree that Game 7 will have a hard time topping its predecessor, though you won't hear many complaints if it does.

Where the disagreement begins is in properly placing Game 6 in the context of NBA history. The finals have given birth to more incredible contests than I'd care (or even have time) to count. Finding a spot among the top 10 for Heat-Spurs will be no easy task, but we hear at Bleacher Report will do our best.

Feel free to disagree in the comments section below!

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NBA Rumors: Latest End of Season Chatter

Grant Hughes — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:28:14 -0400

Gather around, everyone; it's time to take stock of all of the latest chatter, buzz, water-cooler talk—and whatever other synonyms for "rumors" you can think of—floating around the NBA now that the actual hardwood product is on hiatus for the summer.

There have already been a handful of coaching changes, but many more are surely on the way. Plus, free agency will kick into high gear on July 1, so this is the spot to keep tabs on all of the comings and goings of what's sure to be an active offseason in the player movement department.

All of our rumors are freshly sourced, meaning they come from someone substantially more reputable than your cousin, Steve, who knows a guy that knows a guy that mops the floor at the Staples Center.

Check back frequently for all of the latest whispers and a heavy dose of reality as we examine the likelihood and potential impact of each rumor coming true.

Rumors, commence!

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Ranking MLB's Top 10 Corner Infield Trade Candidates

Jason Martinez — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:11:00 -0400

Several contending teams around the league will be looking to add a corner infielder by the trade deadline. The problem is that it doesn't appear as if the market will be flush with options.

The New York Yankees, who are without corner infield tandem Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis after both recently reaggravated injuries, could be looking for help. The cast of journeymen who have played so far above their heads for the first couple of months have all seen their production dwindle while the Yankees have dropped to four games out in the American League East.

With Youkilis out a minimum of eight weeks after back surgery and Teixeira possibly requiring season-ending wrist surgery, the combination of Lyle Overbay, David Adams and Jayson Nix at two spots in the lineup that should be providing some firepower makes it hard to believe the Yankees will stand pat.

Here are the top 10 corner infielders who could make sense for the Yankees or any other team looking for an upgrade at first or third base.

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WWE Main Event Results: Winners, Twitter Reaction and Analysis from June 12

Tim Keeney — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:06:13 -0400

The WWE always tends to put together a very solid show for Main Event, and on Wednesday Night, that trend continued.

It's not exactly a surprise, either.

After a spectacular pay-per-view and follow up Raw, the WWE creative team is clicking on all cylinders right now, and with The Shield and Antonio Cesaro both making appearances, it would be difficult for the weekly show not to continue being good television.

Let's take a look at what went down from the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.

The Shield defeats Usos and Justin Gabriel

The Usos spent the last month mostly building up wins on Main Event shows, leading many to believe that they would soon establish themselves as the next threat for the Shield's tag team titles.

This tweet by the WWE only further strengthened that belief:

Wednesday's match, although won by the Shield, should fuel the speculation.

It was an exciting, back-and-forth match that featured solid offense from both sides. Jimmy and Jey got their moments to shine, came close to winning and didn't look weak or overmatched despite going up against the hottest trio in the company.

Moreover, in the end, it was Dean Ambrose who pinned Justin Gabriel, leaving the storyline open for the tag teams.

It will be intriguing to see if this turns into anything in the future, as there is plenty of in-ring potential with these two duos.

Antonio Cesaro defeats Sin Cara

Antonio Cesaro with Zeb Colter has a lot of potential.

The Swiss Sensation has always had a terrific blend of power and technical ability inside the ring, but as a heel, he has never been able to draw much heat on the mic. Colter changes that:

It's still unclear where the seemingly inevitable push will take Cesaro leading up to Money in the Bank, but his match on Wednesday with Sin Cara was up-tempo, highly entertaining and well done:

Cesaro is clearly on the way up.

Kaitlyn defeats Aksana

This wasn't an overly long match, but it's good to see the WWE giving the Divas—and especially Kaitlyn—some air time.

Kaitlyn and AJ proved on Payback that if they are simply given time to operate, they are capable of putting on a good show. Now if the WWE starts giving some opportunities to other ladies, such as Aksana, the Divas division has lots of potential.

At the very least, this is the first time in a while there has been intrigue surrounding the division.

Examining Washington Redskins' Offseason and Key Preseason Positional Battles

Justin Onslow — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:05:29 -0400

Patience is a virtue. For the Washington Redskins, patience is what this offseason has been all about.

After trading away much of their 2013 draft in acquiring Robert Griffin III last year, the Redskins weren’t expected to make a big splash in late April. With only two picks in the top 100 and no first-round selection, Washington would walk away from the draft with a solid class with considerable upside, but very little to be overly excited about.

But just as Washington was without many options in the draft, it also had a difficult salary cap situation to deal with following the NFL’s ruling to strip the team of $36 million in cap space over the last two seasons. As reported by Rich Campbell of the Washington Times, the Redskins currently have just $1.4 million in salary cap space following offseason dealings.

As a result of their cap situation, the Redskins didn’t make many big moves in free agency. General manager Bruce Allen kept things in-house for the most part, re-signing players like cornerback DeAngelo Hall and tight end Fred Davis to facilitate as much continuity as possible following a successful 2012 campaign.

Again, patience has been key. Allen would have probably loved to make some additional signings to build on last year’s success, but it simply wasn’t in the cards.

Still, the Redskins are in position to make even bigger strides in 2013. Provided Griffin can make a full recovery from surgery to repair his ACL and LCL to take the helm from Week 1 this season, there’s no reason to believe Washington can’t top its 10-win mark of a season ago.

With the league’s best rushing attack in place—headed by Alfred Morris and his 1,613-yard rookie campaign—and an explosive dual-threat quarterback in Griffin, Washington won’t have problems scoring points this season. The biggest question mark, however, is the team’s defense.

The Redskins fielded the No. 28 defense in the NFL in 2012—a unit that surrendered 377.7 yards and 24.3 points per game. Without the ability to make many impactful defensive signings this offseason, that defense will have a lot of questions to answer in 2013.

Allen did what he could in the draft to augment some of those issues, though. Four of the Redskins’ seven selections went toward defensive players, including Washington’s second-round selection in cornerback David Amerson and fourth-round safety Phillip Thomas.

We’ll take a closer look at the Redskins’ 2013 draft class, as well as some additional offseason dealings and positions to watch as the 2013 season draws near.

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EPL Fixture Release: Early-Season Matches to Circle on Your Calendar

Ethan Grant — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:51:29 -0400

Although the start of the 2013-14 English Premier League season is just under two months away, it feels much closer now after the release of the fixture slate for the new season.

The EPL released the new schedule on Wednesday, totaling 380 games over the course of 10 months that will decide whether or not Manchester United will defend their title or if another club will climb the ladder and take over the league table by the time next season ends.

Wigan Athletic, Reading and Queens Park Rangers have been relegated for next year, while Hull City, Crystal Palace and Cardiff City are taking their place at the bottom of the table when the year opens.

Now that we can officially take a look at the upcoming fixtures and start to get ready for the excitement of English football, here's a look at a few early-season matches to circle on your calendar right away.

For a complete look at the entire 2013-14 English Premier League fixture schedule, click here (via PremierLeague.com).

Opening-Week EPL Schedule (August 17)

Arsenal vs. Aston Villa

Chelsea vs. Hull City

Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Liverpool vs. Stoke City

Manchester City vs. Newcastle United

Norwich City vs. Everton

Sunderland vs. Fulham

Swansea City vs. Manchester United

West Bromwich Albion v Southampton

West Ham United vs. Cardiff City

Fixtures via PremierLeague.com.

Early-Season Matches to Watch

August 24: Manchester United vs. Chelsea

The reigning champs will be headed for the Champions League next season, and the Blues will be joining them after finishing third in the EPL table at the end of the 2012-13 season.

Both squads will also have new managers and expectations to win the EPL in just the second week of the season.

David Moyes is taking over for Sir Alex Ferguson after the latter stepped down from his post at United, and "The Special One," otherwise known as former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, is taking over at Chelsea.

Sparks should fly between two of the most storied clubs in England, and there's a good chance this match sheds some light on what the early returns will be for the transfer efforts and new managers that have been brought in to both Manchester United and Chelsea.

It will also be a first chance to see Wilfried Zaha play for the Red Devils against a quality club, and if Wayne Rooney will still be around for the Red Devils. On all levels, this is a can't-miss match for the early part of the season.

August 31: Arsenal vs. Tottenham

Arsenal sneaked into the Champions League pool by besting Tottenham by one point in the table last season, and this is the third match of the fixture slate for both teams on the new season.

A chance for revenge awaits the Spurs, while the Gunners will look to prove they can be a force in Champions League play despite the loss of several contributors from the fourth-place squad last year.

The one-sided rivalry between these two sides has reached the point where some have pondered whether or not Tottenham will ever be able to climb the mountain and take down the Gunners in the table soon.

Eurosport (via Yahoo! Sports) pondered this question earlier in the year, and it's a question that might be partially answered if the Spurs can pick up a road win at Fly Emirates Stadium in the third week of the season.

September 14: Swansea City vs. Liverpool

There's a lot of buzz surrounding the Reds this offseason. After a seventh-place finish in the table last season, Liverpool is facing issues with retaining Luis Suarez and finding a way to crack the top four next year. They need to find a way to bring more talent to Anfield, as well.

Swansea City is a club to watch next year, mainly because the kind of talent it takes to leap into the fray for a top-four spot in the table is extremely hard to make.

However, the Swans have a chance to accomplish just that after finishing ninth in the table last year and picking up José Cañas from Real Betis during the transfer window.

It isn't a flashy match with high-level clubs, but it's one that is important in the sense that the table is made up of a large number of teams with championship aspirations. It's also one that holds a revenge factor for the home side—the Swans lost 5-0 against the Reds last year in EPL play.

The Reds and the Swans might be far apart in terms of assets, but they weren't that far apart on the table last year, and this might be a match at home against Liverpool that really cements the idea that every match in the EPL counts.

We're still waiting on the new season to begin, but at least you've got the schedule to mull over why you wait, right? In the meantime, there's plenty of international football to keep your competitive football juices flowing.

Follow Bleacher Report FC Ethan Grant (@DowntownEG) on Twitter.

Robert Griffin III Debuts Newest Adidas Shoes

John Bibb — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:51:19 -0400

In a proud announcement like a father showing off his newborn, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III posted a picture of the latest and greatest in shoes from Adidas on his Facebook site Wednesday night. Along with the photo, Griffin noted, "CANT WAIT to try these out tomorrow."

Whoa, RG3, take it easy. Aren't you still in the rehabilitation process following reconstructive knee surgery? These new shoes have plastic springs that resemble what Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius competed with in the 2012 London Olympics.

The shoe and the design are part of the company's new Boost Technology line, and the pair displayed by RG3 is known as the SpringBlade model. Griffin has an endorsement deal with the shoe and athletic apparel company, and is the star of one of its most successful ads this year.

The shoes will not be available in stores until August, according to website Pocket-lint, who reviewed the shoes in February. In that review, the site mentioned there was not much information released by the company on the latest in shoe incarnations, but added "Adidas confirmed...the shoe is designed for running and training."

When Adidas signed RG3 in February 2013, it issued the following statement:

“Robert Griffin III is an athlete first and we respect everything he brings to the game,” David Baxter, vice president of Sport Performance for Adidas America, said in a news release. “His team player mentality, strong leadership on and off the field and genuine character combined with explosive and dominant athleticism make him a perfect fit for our brand. He’s clearly a great football player but, importantly, he’s a great athlete.”

The relationship between RG3 and Adidas has not been without some mild controversy. According to CSN Washington, Griffin was fined $10,000 in December by the NFL for wearing Adidas apparel to a postgame news conference. The league has an apparel deal with Nike.

In pregame warm-ups to Week 1, ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported RG3 had to have a talk with the NFL after he covered the Nike name on his undershirt with the word "Heart."

During this offseason, RG3 told reporters he would be "all in for Week 1." This is the slogan for Adidas and Griffin's television commercial. He would later send a Twitter message explaining himself:

Feel like I need to say this..Although my goal is to start Week 1, that doesn't mean I will compromise my career to do so.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 19, 2013

Regardless of what RG3 does, he will always be one of the best things to happen to the Redskins in decades. However, those shoes look like an accident just waiting to happen.

Follow on Twitter @JohnBibb, and view previous Bleacher Report articles I have written on the Washington Redskins here.

ICC Champions Trophy Semi Finals 2013: England Looks Dominant in Victory

Richard Langford — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:46:09 -0400

Host nation England delighted its fans by rolling into the ICC Champions trophy final with a seven-wicket victory over pre-tournament favorite South Africa.

London's Oval was rocking for this match, as it was hard to find anyone rooting for South Africa in the pro-England crowd, and they had a lot to cheer for right from the start.

The English bowlers made sure of that. After winning the toss, England put South Africa in, and it paid off. It was a humid day, and this benefited the English swing bowlers.

They dominated the Proteas to the tune of 175 within 39 overs. This gave them an easily attainable target to surpass, and while they got off to a slow start reaching the mark, they managed to do so relatively easily in the end.

They caught the target with 7 wickets and a comfortable amount of balls left.

While it will be a popular conclusion to write off this outcome as simply another case of South Africa choking, that wouldn't be fair to England. They played excellent. And no one was more impressive than spinner James Tredwell.

Tredwell, who has been filling in for the injured Graeme Swann, was masterful. He earned Man of the Match honors, and deservedly so.

Sky Sports Cricket tweeted that news and passed along his impressive stat line:

James Anderson was also supremely impressive, as he yielded just 14 runs off his 8 overs, picking up 2 wickets.

This should help you get a feel for how dominant England was. Only four of the Proteas batsmen made it to double digits, and they likely would not have hit triple digits as a squad if David Miller and Rory Kleinveldt didn't go on an impressive 95-run ninth-wicket stand.

Prior to that, England reduced South Africa to 80-8 in the 23rd over.

England should be feeling great about this victory and confident heading into the championship match.

England won't find out who their competition will be for that match until Thursday. That is when India and Sri Lanka battle in the other semifinal.

The ICC Champions Trophy final will be Sunday, June 23 at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.