Bleacher Report - Front Page

South Carolina Football: Hard to Fathom, but Gamecocks' D Is More Than Clowney

Barrett Sallee — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:34:01 -0400

The hype is building around South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, and that will only continue as we enter the "Summer of Clowney."

The rising junior from Rock Hill, S.C. finished sixth in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting, and stayed in the public eye for the majority of the winter months, after his hit on Michigan's Vincent Smith from the Outback Bowl stayed as ESPN's "Best of the Best" highlight on SportsCenter into early April.

Clowney will get the hype, but don't be tricked into thinking that it's a one-man show on South Carolina's defense, because it's not.

The Gamecocks have finished with a top 15 defense in four of the last five seasons; and with the crew coming back to Columbia this season, a repeat performance could be in store for 2013.

With Clowney in the mix, it's all going to start up front for defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward's crew. But the Gamecocks are more than just Clowney up front.

Junior defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles had 38 tackles and eight tackles for loss last season, and will benefit from the extra attention paid to Clowney. The 6'4", 293-pounder's ability to clog the middle helps Clowney at times, but that can work both ways. Quarles is solid against the run and is agile enough to make life difficult on opposing interior linemen.

With Clowney stealing headlines, don't be surprised to see fellow defensive end Chaz Sutton finish off his Gamecock career with a solid senior season. Sutton came to the program as a Rivals.com 4-star prospect from prep school in January 2009, and made an impact in 2012 with 25 tackles, seven tackles for loss and five sacks.

Sutton is excited about the added attention given to Clowney on the other side of the line.

"[It] opens up a lot for me, because I think a lot of teams are going to try to slide to his side, and they might leave me one-on-one with a (running) back or a tight end," he told the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier in April. "So it’s going to be helpful a lot."

Sutton is so highly regarded that ESPN.com's Chris Low ranked him as one of the SEC's top 20 draft-eligible prospects earlier in May.

In the secondary, the Gamecocks are loaded.

Jimmy Legree and Victor Hampton will man the cornerback spots, and both of them have proven that they have what it takes to be shutdown corners during their respective careers.

Legree led the Gamecocks with three interceptions last season, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He started eight games at corner after moving back from safety prior to the season, and has evolved into one of the more reliable cornerbacks in the SEC.

Hampton has seen plenty of action over the last two seasons, and finished last season with 40 tackles, one interception and tied Legree with a team-high six pass breakups. The 5'10", 202-pounder is very solid in coverage and plays with a physical style that works well in Ward's system.

The duo will continue to get a major boost from Clowney and the Gamecock pass rush. Clowney and Co. make life difficult on opposing quarterbacks, which means that the entire secondary will benefit from the mistakes forced up front.

The only real issue with South Carolina's defense is its lack of proven depth at linebacker. The entire two-deep is gone from last year's squad, but that shouldn't cause you to write off the entire defense.

Junior Sharrod Golightly nailed down a starting spot as at the hybrid "spur" spot this spring, leaving Kaiwan Lewis, T.J. Holloman, Cedrick Cooper and Kelvin Rainey battling for time and the "Mike" and "Sam" spots.

Cooper will likely land in the "will" spot after missing spring practice due to a knee injury. If he thrives, he might be the piece that rounds off the Gamecock defense and keeps them at an elite level.

Clowney gets the publicity, and with good reason. But look past the rest of the unit, because South Carolina's defense has the talent to lead the Gamecocks back to the Georgia Dome for a chance to play for the SEC Championship in 2013.

Follow @BarrettSallee

Arsenal: How Arsene Wenger's 2012/13 Performance Stacks Up to Years Past

James Dudko — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:24:58 -0400

Arsene Wenger's 2012/13 performance compares favorably with any achievement during his time in charge of Arsenal. By securing another top-four finish in the context of the 2012/13 season, Wenger has produced a minor miracle.

He has done it by cleverly boosting competition in arguably his weakest-ever squad. The Frenchman has also displayed a tactical flexibility few ever give him credit for.

Wenger began the season facing up to losing his most talented player, Robin van Persie. After the Dutchman had slyly manipulated his way through the exit door, Wenger was tasked with replacing a 37-goal striker.

That ruined the original intention to have Lukas Podolski provide greater support for van Persie. It sent Wenger scrambling into a market not containing a like-for-like replacement.

Even after signing the more bullish Olivier Giroud, Wenger still needed to identify the right type of forward to support Arsenal's combination play.

Podolski, Giroud, Gervinho and Theo Walcott were all auditioned to mixed success. Wenger had to find the right balance for a team with new players in key positions.

Not only did the forward line lack structure, but so did the midfield. The late sale of Alex Song left a void in midfield.

Wenger gambled that dropping veteran schemer Mikel Arteta deeper was the answer. Yet, while his new-look team lacked a structure and identity, Wenger relied on a new approach to team defending to yield early successes.

That involved working with new assistant manager Steve Bould to emphasize dropping more players behind the ball. Arsenal didn't press in numbers and had a more disciplined approach to defending deeper.

While that crafted some initial positive results, the balance of the attack suffered. That forced Wenger into another shift.

His search for balance continually led to parts of a winning formula but never a full picture. Like a master craftsman, it was up to Wenger to do the rendering.

However, he had to hone and reshape his grand design during the season, when results are all that counts. His necessary tweaking and retooling often led to failings on the pitch, most notably cup exits to Bradford City and Blackburn Rovers.

Yet despite the inevitable swarm of criticism that followed each high-profile loss, Wenger did not relent. He continued working feverishly to mold the right blend of players and tactics to keep Arsenal competitive.

When his new-look midfield balance was wrecked by yet another injury to Abou Diaby, Wenger brought Jack Wilshere into the fold. After it became evident that Wilshere and Santi Cazorla did not complement each other as a central partnership, Wenger made another adjustment.

He shifted Cazorla out wide, despite his successes in the middle, and pushed Wilshere further forward. That meant altering his original 4-3-3 dynamic to something more akin to a 4-5-1.

It was more defensive in structure and intent than Wenger has often favored, but it worked. Since Wenger moved Cazorla to the left, giving Arsenal four true midfielders, the Gunners have been a more cohesive team.

However, it is Wenger's handling of individual players that has been so impressive this season. The contract saga involving Theo Walcott grew into a distraction.

It added weight to the arguments that Arsenal had become too weak to retain star players and were now a selling club. Yet after dealing with the mercenary tactics of van Persie and the inflated ego of Song, Wenger used the Walcott dilemma to his advantage.

First, he stood firm and dropped Walcott from the starting 11. The message had the desired effect. Walcott took every opportunity he was given to prove he should be starting.

Whether he was doing it for Arsenal or for potential suitors was irrelevant. A player marked by chronic consistency was now delivering on a regular basis.

After letting Walcott stew in domestic cup duty, Wenger finally unleashed him back on the English Premier League. However, rather than let Walcott's improved form become a bargaining chip for the player to hold the club to ransom, Wenger kept Arsenal in the driving seat in negotiations.

He indulged Walcott's long-held desire to play as a central striker. This was not a capitulation in a contract standoff.

It was a calculated risk worth taking at the time. The move paid immediate dividends, leading Arsenal to some positive results at the turn of the year.

It also put the ball in Walcott's court. Arsenal had done all they had to do to keep him; now it was purely down to the player. By the time Walcott put pen to paper, he had proved his worth to the squad on the field and his commitment to his teammates off it.

Wenger's skill in resolving Walcott's contract problem left Arsenal with a better player and a more unified squad.

Similar man-management success stories occurred at goalkeeper and central defence. When Wenger dumped Wojciech Szczesny to the bench, it forced the cocky young stopper to commit to improving his game.

It let Szczesny know that despite a perceived lack of competition, his place was far from guaranteed without the performances to justify it.

While Szczesny may always remain inconsistent, he certainly played his part in Arsenal's late run to fourth place. Key saves against Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic were proof of that.

Dumping club captain and starting centre-back Thomas Vermaelen sent a more team-wide message. Wenger let every player know they were not above reproach.

His recent squads have often been seen as too comfortable, but dropping Vermaelen showed the ruthless streak many felt Wenger lacked. He did what was necessary to improve Arsenal's fortunes.

He let Per Mertesacker become the leader at the back. The German formed a stout combination with Laurent Koscielny, who was magnificent in the season's final months.

Yet, as well as both played, neither can feel comfortable with Vermaelen lurking. In the same way, the Belgium international knows that if he wants to save his Arsenal career, he must make the most of his next chance.

While changes at the heart of his defence made Arsenal more solid, it was Wenger's willingness to adopt a more defensive structure that proved to be the key.

Once he paired Aaron Ramsey alongside Arteta, to form a two-man base in midfield, Arsenal became a stingy outfit. They still dropped off in deep areas, but Wenger and Bould encouraged more pressing in advanced positions.

They also got the team to defend in packs, particularly in wider areas. In the season's last two months, Wenger crafted a plan that enabled Arsenal to carve out wins and protect leads.

He is often portrayed as the symbol of football snobbery and intransigence. Wenger's insistence on playing the beautiful game, no matter what, is one of the favorite retorts of his critics.

However, he proved, not for the first time, that he is prepared to sacrifice flair if it means earning results. In the final 10 games of the season, a run which produced 26 points from 30, Arsenal kept five clean sheets and allowed only five goals.

That type of solidity wouldn't have been possible without tactical adjustments, and any other manager would receive plaudits for that improvement.

In the last two seasons Wenger has lost his three best players in van Persie, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas. While he has struggled to reproduce the same quality, he has molded a squad based on greater resilience and unity.

He spent the 2012/13 season altering and adding to a new design on the fly. He moved players into different positions and developed them in new roles. He spurred other members of the squad to improve their form. Wenger kept Arsenal moving even after embarrassing defeats that might have crippled other clubs.

In doing so, he earned UEFA Champions League entry for an incredible 16th season in a row. He beat a Tottenham Hotspur club that boasted the Player of the Year and spent big to land Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele and others.

Becoming a major force in the EPL title race and a legitimate contender for the Champions League is the next step for Wenger. However, Arsenal's miracle worker proved in 2012/13 that he is still the best man for the job.

Report Card Grades for Sneak Peak of LeBron James XI Nike Shoe

Dan Favale — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:21:44 -0400

The moment all sneakerheads have been waiting for is finally here. Well, almost.

Maverick Carter, the man behind LeBron James, posted a sneak peek of the the LeBron XI on his Instagram.

Don't go throwing out your LeBron X's already (kidding), though, because these puppies have not dropped just yet, hence the "sneak peek."

Until they're released, visual evidence will have to suffice. It allows us to get a better feel for what we're in for and plan accordingly.

Will you inevitably be laying down a few hundy sticks for these bad boys?

Don't answer that right now. There's still so much for us to consider.

Design: C

Try to look past the horrendous colorways displayed here, and really, it's not that bad.

I've always admired Nike/LeBron's willingness to move the company's logo wherever it pleases depending on the version of the shoe you buy, and this one provides a similar feel. It's pleasantly off-centered.

King James' logo is prominently displayed as always, though it seems a brighter color would have done it more justice.

What is really intriguing about this set of kicks is the futuristic vibe it gives off. Again, the colors here are unflattering, but the varying use of material is pretty stylish.

It also looks like they may be deviating from the zoom system in the LeBron X's, which won't be making Goodwin Sports' Nate Jones too happy.

Still, this shoe seems to have sturdier a base, something that could wind up being embraced.

The cut around the ankle won't be, though. It appears to extend lower in the back, which doesn't make much sense (though it could merely be the way the picture was taken).

Overall, this particular piece of footwear has a lot going on in a small surface area. Whether that adds or detracts from the shoe's effectiveness remains to be seen.

Fashion: B-

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm going on the assumption that Nike won't be limiting us with this one abomination of a colorway.

When you look past the bland and potentially vomit-inducing color scheme, though, these would make for a nice look off the court.

As previously stated, there's a lot going on here, which, from a fashionista's standpoint, isn't a bad thing at all. The featured one could benefit from some louder coloring, but this is definitely something that can be leisurely worn.

My main concern would be the weight of said shoe. These look bottom-heavy, unlike the LeBron X that gave the impression of a lighter feel.

Extra weight would obviously pose more problems on the basketball court than off it, but you don't want to be sporting anchors on those feet of yours, whether they be for fashion or function purposes.

Oh, and did I mention we need some different colors? I did? Well, it's worth mentioning again. Because the color scheme here is both hideous and depressing.

Swagger: C-

Does anything about this shoe make you scream, "I want it!" Doubtful.

There is plenty to look at, but nothing about this is especially unique.

They have the potential to be loud and obnoxious, which let's be honest, enhances the swag factor. But there's just something missing; the intrigue just isn't there. Or even close to there.

Broken-record style, the color scheme here sure isn't helping. It's making me actively not want to buy them, actually. I also find myself longing for the LeBron Xs. Those had some serious swag. These are just too ordinary and don't instill enough bravado.

Unless the whole I'm-off-to-play-shuffle-board-when-really-I-shoud-be-mowing-the-lawn type of audacity is the kind of thing you're into. Then these are very cool.

Overall Grade: C

Hopefully Nike and LeBron eventually free us from the prosaic aura surrounding this shoe.

Somehow, it's both futuristic and pedestrian. There's potential in the design and its many different cuts and shapes (I do dig the swoosh placement), but there's little, if anything, that stands out otherwise.

Showing us a different set of colorways would have once again helped. With the cutting edge use of angles, going bright and flamboyant would have made this sneak peak far less disappointing.

Let us then hope this shoe is fundamentally sound on the hardwood, because the look and feel we've gotten at first glance isn't doing much to up-sell it.

Superior function, however, might just be able to salvage our initial perception.

Liverpool Summer Transfer News: Tracking Latest Rumours, Updates

Karl Matchett — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:20:27 -0400

Now that the Premier League season has come to a close, the world media will start to ramp up in a big way the numbers of players linked with transfers to Liverpool over the summer months.

The Reds will likely be active in the window as Brendan Rodgers aims to significantly improve on his seventh place finish in his first season in charge, which means plenty of both out-goings and in-comings around Anfield over the next couple of months.

All the latest transfer news concerning the club can be found right here, regularly updated for you with new rumours over the next week.

Latest Update: Monday, May 20

Begin Slideshow

Buffalo Sabres Re-Sign Winger John Scott to 1-Year Deal

Matt Clouden — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:19:45 -0400

The Buffalo Sabres have re-signed John Scott to a one-year deal, bringing the bruising winger back for another year, according to Sabres.com. The deal is worth $750,000 according to Renaud Lavoie of RDS.

The 6'8", 270-pound Scott did not score a single point with the Sabres this year but certainly brought an increased physical presence to the fourth line. Scott played in 34 of the Sabres' 48 contests, racking up 69 penalty minutes in that time.

Scott is certainly not a high-minute guy, having played less than 10 minutes in 31 of his 34 games. His highest-minute games were toward the end of the season when it was almost assured that the Sabres were going to be on the outside looking in on the Stanley Cup playoffs.

So, while this may not be a step forward in terms of any rebuild, the Sabres certainly ensured that they would have their enforcer back for another season.

With Scott's signing, the Sabres have six remaining free agents. Adam Pardy and Alexander Sulzer are unrestricted free agents and may sign with any team come July 1. Cody Hodgson, Brian Flynn, Mike Weber and Jhonas Enroth are restricted free agents, and any offer may be matched by the Sabres.

While Pardy and Flynn are essentially toss-ups as older, veteran guys who are not true top-four players, expect all four RFAs to be back next season with increased roles under Ron Rolston.

Follow me on Twitter for NHL and Sabres news all off-season: @SwordPlay18.

Jose Mourinho Reportedly Will Leave Real Madrid at End of Season

Timothy Rapp — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:19:13 -0400

In news that will come as little surprise to most and has been rumored now for weeks, Jose Mourinho reportedly will depart Real Madrid at the end of the season.

From Guillem Balague:

According to the team's website, Perez will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. ET today, likely to make this news official.

Real Madrid went trophy-less this season and Mourinho was thought to be on the hot seat given that fact. It is widely believed (h/t Sky Sports) he will be making a return to Stamford Bridge this summer to once again manage Chelsea, where he was the boss from 2004 to 2007.

His tenure at Real Madrid, which began in the 2010-11 season, wasn't as successful as fans and ownership would have liked, but it was hardly a failure. He led Los Blancos to a 2011 Copa del Rey title and last year's La Liga title, the club's first since the 2007-08 season.

But Real Madrid went without silverware this season and Mourinho was never able to lead the team past the Champions League semifinals, reaching that stage of the tournament in all three seasons.

His tenure was also marked by several controversial moments, including poking then-Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye during a 2011 match.

He has also come under criticism for an alleged dispute with Iker Casillas that has seen the world-class keeper relegated to the bench for most of Real Madrid's matches since December. Veteran defender Pepe has also found his ire recently and joined Casillas on the bench in favor of Raphael Varane.

For most clubs, a league championship, a cup victory and three trips to the semifinals of the Champions League would be a successful tenure. At Real Madrid, more is expected. But Mourinho should land on his feet, likely inheriting a very talented Chelsea roster and plenty of cash to spend this summer.

EPL Transfer Talk: Latest Rumors About Players Coming to England

Alana Nassiah — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:17:18 -0400

Now that the Barclays Premier League season is over, transfer talk is not only heating up but becoming a bit more serious as well.

Teams are more aware now of the areas that need to be improved upon, and some are willing to pay the money to make their team better.

Here are the latest rumors linking top players with a move to England.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Chelsea fans who latched onto the rumors linking Cristiano Ronaldo with a move to Stamford Bridge will be disappointed to know that this will not be coming to fruition, according to Dave Kidd of The Mirror.

Kidd reports that while Jose Mourinho is almost a lock to come back to London, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez denies Ronaldo will be joining him.

Madrid is apparently uninterested in selling the star Portuguese winger to any team, including the player's former club, Manchester United.

Perez is said to be extremely disappointed in the lack of trophies this season but knows that selling Ronaldo is not the answer.

Ronaldo would be a fantastic addition to any team, but his price may be out of reach for most clubs.

The estimated transfer fee for the Portugal captain is said to be around £55 million.

Gonzalo Higuain

According to Spanish website Sport.es (via The Week UK), Arsenal has agreed to a deal with Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain.

The transfer was contingent on Arsenal reaching the UEFA Champions League. Now that the team has secured a place, it is expected that Higuain will join.

The Gunners are on the lookout for a new striker, as Olivier Giroud is expected to be the only option next season.

Higuain has not had as much playing time in Madrid this past season as he might have wanted. Frenchman Karim Benzema was often chosen ahead of him, and young stars Alvaro Morata and Jose Callejon were given more opportunities.

Despite only playing 26 matches, Higuain had 14 goals and five assists.

Arsenal will reportedly pay £18.5 million for the Argentine.

Pepe

Pepe is yet another Real Madrid player linked with a move out of the club.

According to The Daily Mail, Manuel Pellegrini, who is expected to be Manchester City's new manager, wants the defender to be a part of his setup in Manchester.

Pepe has lost playing time this season because of the emergence of young French star Raphael Varane and could be interested in a move out of Madrid.

A big payday at Manchester City could also entice the defender.

Real Madrid reportedly wants £20 million for the player.

Joao Moutinho

The season ended in disappointing fashion for Tottenham Hotspur. Not only will the team need to focus on keeping star man Gareth Bale, they also must sign a few new players.

If the team manages to keep Bale, it will be a player or two away from reaching another tier and becoming a true force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.

Mike McGrath of The Sun is reporting that Andre Villas-Boas wants FC Porto's Joao Moutinho to be the first signing of the season.

The Spurs almost secured the player at the start of the season, but the deal fell through.

Moutinho is expected to cost the team £30 million, but Tottenham will face stiff competition from newly promoted Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, who are also said to be interested in the player.

Radamel Falcao Will Leave Atletico Madrid at End of Season

Rob Goldberg — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:14:48 -0400

Radamel Falcao is officially set to end his career with Atletico Madrid at the conclusion of the season.

According to analyst Guillem Balague, the club announced that the 27-year-old forward will not be on the roster next season:

Dave Kidd of Mirror Football reported that Falcao is headed to Manchester City for £54 million. However, the only official statement to this point is that the player will leave Atletico Madrid.

Falcao is currently third in La Liga in goals scored this season with 28, trailing only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Colombian star also added six scores in other competitions this season to help his club.

Atletico Madrid has two matches left in the year, but it has already clinched third place to earn a spot in the Champions League next season. The squad also won the Copa del Rey with an upset win over Real Madrid in the finals on Friday.

This was a huge moment for the club, as you can see in the celebration recorded here:

However, it appears that Falcao is set to move on from the Spanish club to a new challenge in the future.

If he does go to Manchester City, he would join a club that finished in second place in the English Premier League after winning the title last season. The squad allowed the fewest goals in the league, but it only ranked fifth in goals scored.

With Falcao, the club would instantly become a top contender not only in England, but also in Champions League as well.

Wherever the talented forward ends up, he should find plenty of success at both the individual level and with his new squad.

Follow @TheRobGoldberg

Can Crowd Sourcing 'Bring Ronaldo Home' to Manchester United?

Will Tidey — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:11:53 -0400

A group of Manchester United fans from Australia believe they can deploy crowd sourcing to finance the return of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

The 'Bring Ronaldo Home' campaign went live last week. The business model, familiar to those who know Kickstarter, has fans encouraged to donate £10 toward the eventual purchase of Ronaldo's replica United shirt next season, should United sign him.

That £10 commitment becomes £55 if the deal goes through, buying you the shirt (£50 if it's a child size). In theory, that money is delivered to United, who will use the money, minus the shirt printing costs and anything else owing (image rights etc.), toward paying his transfer fee.

How much might Ronaldo cost United? Some reports have a figure around the £55 million mark (Bloomberg). Others cite the speculated €1 billion buy-out clause in his contract, which still has two years left to run (ESPN FC).

If we take the £80 million Madrid paid United for Ronaldo, Bring Ronaldo Home would need to take roughly 1.5 million pledges at the £55 mark to raise the necessary funds. Or at least that's the premise we're supposed to get excited about.

The truth is more complicated and has many people calling the movement out as either a scam or just a remarkably naive concept that fails to recognise the basic mechanics at work here.

Firstly, neither United nor Nike, their kit suppliers, are officially involved in any capacity. United have yet to comment on the idea and will undoubtedly be opposed to a third party leveraging their brand to attract investment of any kind—regardless of whether the intent is to buy the world's second-best player.

Secondly, the premise assumes all £55 from the sale of an adult United shirt goes to either the club or to Nike. The precise details of United's kit deal with Nike are hard to come upon, but it will almost certainly be more complex than that.

There are image rights and other factors to consider. This as per a Metro report commenting on monies earned from Ronaldo shirt sales at Madrid:

The income of around £100 million has not all gone towards paying back the outlay for the player’s services due to production and marketing costs and payments to kit manufacturer Adidas and Ronaldo himself.

Let's just say Nike and United were both on board with the idea—Nike sponsor Ronaldo after all, so the company wouldn't mind seeing him at United for marketing purposes next season, rather than promoting Adidas with Madrid. You still have to cover a lot of costs outside of the straight shirt price and appease Ronaldo himself.

Sport Witness have identified another cause for concern. Respected journalist Annie Eaves looked at the terms and conditions section at Bring Ronaldo Home, which lays out how an administration fee of between 50p and £3 will be charged on each donation.

If they succeeded and United signed Ronaldo, fans might be happy to suck that up. Should they fail—as is the more likely outcome—those getting a refund would see it short while the people behind the idea could potentially turn in a very nice little profit.

This, as per Eaves' article, entitled "Manchester United to fund the return of Cristiano Ronaldo this summer through pledges, and flying pigs":

So, if you give £10 then you may get £7 back or you may get nothing at all if their costs, and that would be mainly personnel related, take up that money. Let's go half way on some figures and imagine they get 200,000 people to pay up (They claim to have 3700 in just a day of really pushing it), which totals a cool £2 million. If Ronaldo didn't return then they would get £1 million in admin fees at £5.

Having been contacted by the Bring Ronaldo Home group on Twitter, I was sent some press materials by Angus Mullane, their head of social media, by email on Sunday. He wrote of trying to harness an estimated 659 million United fans worldwide and answered the accusation that there might be dishonesty at play.

"Thousands of fans have already pledged for the campaign," read an extract of Mullane's email. "However there are a bunch of sceptics on twitter who are trying to shut down the campaign labelling it as a 'scam' and 'not legit' which isn't true in the slightest."

To be clear, I have no reason to doubt the integrity of this initiative. I'd like very much to believe everything is well intentioned and these are just United fans who've let their ambition run away with them.

It may very well be that this type of thing, in the future, will actually come to fruition. But not on a deal this big, not with Manchester United and not with a player like Ronaldo. There are too many factors involved, and the business of football is far too convoluted for something of this nature to actually succeed in the current climate.

If Ronaldo comes home, it will be because United themselves, possibly with the help of Nike, have found a way to make it financially viable and managed to convince Madrid to sell him. I wouldn't bank on that, either, but I'd give it more chance than the an operation with no formal backing out in the world asking for your money.

Monday Morning Manager: A Weekly Take on the Detroit Tigers

Greg Eno — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:11:10 -0400

Last Week: 3-4

This Week: at Cle (5/21-22); MIN (5/23-26)

So, What Happened?

Toto, I don't think the Tigers are playing Houston anymore.

The Tigers are 6-1 against the Astros, and 23-19 overall. MMM will save you the math. That's 17-18 against the rest of baseball.

Not ridiculous, but maybe a little troubling?

Last week was a microcosm of sorts. The Tigers went 2-1 against Houston, 1-3 against the rest of baseball. Correction—the best of baseball.

Gee, those Texas Rangers can hit, eh?

The Rangers looked at the Tigers' glorified starting rotation and gave it a Texas-sized laugh.

The Rangers scored 29 runs against our boys last weekend, and that's numbing considering Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister combined to pitch about 11 innings in their starts.

That's impressive hitting.

Before the horrid weekend in Texas, the Tigers beat down the Astros twice more before finally losing to Houston on Wednesday afternoon, when the 'Stros managed two runs in the top of the ninth to win, 7-5.

Oh, and some guy named Cabrera hit three home runs on Sunday night, each more impressive than the previous one. The Tigers still lost in one of the most frustrating games MMM has ever watched.

To make matters worse, the Tigers fell out of first place. The (gulp) Cleveland Indians are in the catbird's seat, by two games.

Hero of the Week

MMM was struck by something FSD's Rod Allen said during a recent broadcast.

Allen said he was chatting with Tigers legend and Hall of Famer Al Kaline. Allen asked Kaline if he'd seen anyone like Cabrera—whether a teammate or someone Kaline played against. Now, we're talking 60 years of MLB (Kaline debuted in 1953).

Kaline flatly told Rod that no, he's never seen anyone who can do the things with the bat that Cabrera can do.

MMM thinks that if someone like Al Kaline puts you in a class by yourself, then that's saying something.

MMM is making Miggy HotW largely for his three-homer effort on Sunday, but he had a good week other than that. Heck, Miggy always seems to have a good week, eh?

Cabrera went 12/28 (.429) with four homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored.

Just another week at the office.

Cabrera's performance on Sunday night was amazing.

The third homer, especially—a pitch that jammed him near his wrists, yet was driven over the CF wall—was jaw-dropping. The ESPN announcers, Orel Hershiser and John Kruk, were beside themselves.

"Aw, heck, he's just better than everyone else. Let's just go with that," Kruk said finally.

Miggy is, and he was again for the Tigers last week.

Honorable mentions: Don Kelly (for filling in admirably in CF and knocking a homer); rookie RHP Evan Kelly (two strong outings in Texas).

Goat of the Week

Where would you like MMM to start?

There was suspect fielding, bad pitching, and questionable decisions—and most of that happened in the seventh inning on Sunday night alone.

It wasn't the greatest of weeks.

MMM is going to name, as a trio, Verlander, Sanchez and Fister as co-Goats.

The Tigers' Big Three of Four (don't forget Mad Max Scherzer) simply didn't get it done against Texas. They didn't come close to slowing the Rangers down, and JV and Fister had leads with which to work with. They each let their respective games slip away.

Ugly starts from those three guys.

The bullpen, as a result, got drained, and thank goodness for Monday's off day to allow those arms to rest.

Look, the big boys have to be the big boys and they have to take the heat when they don't get the job done. Verlander, Sanchez and Fister let the Tigers down, big time, in a "measuring stick" series.

Under the Microscope

MMM is too lazy to pore over the archives, but this week may be a first.

Justin Verlander, meet the microscope.

Twitter and MLive's comments section are aflutter with worries about JV. Is his velocity down for a reason? Why have his last two starts been so bad? Is he going south?

MMM would like everyone to exhale, but still thinks Verlander should be scrutinized.

Why?

Well, the last two starts have been rough. Thursday's was downright ridiculous.

Plus, the storied fastball seems to have abandoned Verlander, mainly from a command standpoint.

MMM thinks that Verlander gets too amped up sometimes. The much-ballyhooed match-up between JV and Texas' Yu Darvish on Thursday qualifies as one of those "big games" that sometimes gets Verlander to do too much.

He overthrows. He walks guys (walked in TWO on Thursday). He throws too many pitches. He gives up hits on 0-2 counts. And so on.

That's what happened on Thursday, and JV wasn't all that sharp against Cleveland the start before that.

His ERA jumped from 1.93 to 3.17 after the debacle in Texas. He is 4-4.

MMM doesn't think it's necessarily alarming, but still enough to place JV's start on Wednesday UtM.

Besides, MMM is curious to see how Verlander's countenance is in his first start after his Texas-sized meltdown.

Upcoming: Indians, Twins

Back to the AL Central salt mines this week.

Wait—are those the Cleveland Indians in first place? Do MMM's eyes deceive him?

Yes, the Tribe is hot. They are 17-4 in their past 21 games, and have surged from 8-13 and last place to 25-17 and first place.

But we've seen this before, haven't we?

The Indians have been a pretty good April to June team in recent years. But when the temps get hotter, the Tribe gets colder.

Their second half collapses are well-noted.

But for now, with some new players, the Indians are enjoying a great run. And they host the Tigers in a two-game mini-series this week.

MMM doesn't think Cleveland has the horses to stick around all summer, but who the heck knows?

Tigers starters: Scherzer, Verlander.

After the quick trip to Cleveland, it's back to the good side of Lake Erie for four games against the slumping Twins at CoPa.

The Twinkies have lost five straight and have sunk to the depths of the division at 18-22.

Joe Mauer's 15-game hitting streak was stopped Sunday against Boston.

The Twins were stopped several games prior to that.

For about 35 games, the Twins raised some eyebrows with their .500 play and the general nuisance they were causing in the division. Now, they are back to being the team most thought they were prior to the season.

Remember, this is a team that didn't even settle on who was in their five-man rotation until AFTER spring training, and didn't name an Opening Day starter until less than a week before the game.

But Mauer is back to the Mauer of old. He's batting .342 and he has 17 doubles. But he is striking out once every four at-bats, which is not like the Mauer of old. Still, .342 is .342.

The Twins' bugaboo is their starting pitching. No one in the rotation has an ERA lower than 4.66, and three of their starters have ERAs of 5.85-plus.

Tigers starters: Porcello, Sanchez, Fister, Scherzer.

The Tigers need a big week. Yes, it's May, but the team is wobbly now. They are 4-8 in their last 12 games, and the Indians are feeling good about themselves. As Mickey Redmond would say, time to "get 'er goin'."

That's all for this week's MMM. See you next week!

Brock Lesnar Needs a Vicious WWE Monster Rivalry Going Forward

Ryan Dilbert — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:04:58 -0400

Having defeated and damaged Triple H at Extreme Rules 2013, Brock Lesnar needs a compelling rival to maximize his WWE run.

Since returning to WWE in 2012, Lesnar has battled only John Cena and Triple H. Deciding who will be the next man in line is an impactful and important decision. How impressive Lesnar is going forward will largely depend on the quality of his next foe.

In Lesnar, WWE has a unique monster, a fantastic athlete with UFC credentials, a man who teems with intensity and power. He's a monster who needs an opponent who can survive his onslaughts and deliver their own. With Lesnar's ring time limited, WWE needs to choose who that is wisely.

Unless there are some heels headed away from the dark side, the two most likely candidates to face Lesnar are Sheamus or Randy Orton.

John Cena looks to be busy with Ryback for the time being. Alberto Del Rio has a date with Dolph Ziggler. The rest of WWE's faces are either not believable competition like Miz and Kofi Kingston or are not regularly available like The Rock and Chris Jericho.

That leaves two men with a history of being a part of compelling brawls.

A History of Viciousness

Mat wrestling and in-ring storytelling should certainly be a part of what Lesnar does next, but it's clear that his best work is done with the rules tossed aside.

Blood, chains and steel steps played major parts in Lesnar's clash with Cena last year. After amping up the violence in his feud with Triple H, those stars gave fans two intense matches marked with suffering, intensity and weapons.

Orton and Sheamus are the type of warriors who can thrive in those kinds of battles.

Fresh off a victory over Big Show at Extreme Rules where he smacked the giant with whatever he could find under the ring, Orton could transition right into a war with Lesnar. Orton's resume includes a fantastic street fight against Mick Foley, Last Man Standing matches and brutality and barbarism against the likes of Triple H and Cena.

Sheamus has a similar record of violence.

His battles over the world title against Big Show last year were hard-hitting affairs that grabbed fans' attention. He's also made a habit of producing great slugfests against Wade Barrett on WWE Raw. Imagine then what he could do against Lesnar, against elevated competition and the most dangerous predator he has faced to date.

A rivalry with Lesnar would not only make for great entertainment, but it would benefit Sheamus in a big way.

The Effect of Challenging a Monster

Fighting with Lesnar puts the lion's share of the spotlight on his rivals.

Without a championship or even without seeking one, Lesnar has been a part of three pay-per-view main events in the last year. His previous WWE success and his star power elevate the profile of his matches. Both former world champs, Sheamus and Orton would suddenly be thrust back in the main event scene and benefit greatly from tangling with Lesnar.

Sheamus' win against Mark Henry made him look impressive, but getting within striking range of WWE's most intimidating force bolsters his resume like few things can.

For Orton, slugging it out with Lesnar will have him gain major momentum. Even if he loses, being able to go toe-to-toe with Lesnar ignites his career. The way a good showing against The Undertaker at WrestleMania is a victory in itself, survival against Lesnar holds a great deal of power.

Hold your own against Godzilla and watch the accolades roll in.

Final Thoughts

The best element of the Triple H and Lesnar battles were the grandness they exuded. It felt like we were watching titans colliding.

That's what Lesnar needs in his next feud. WWE has viable options to fill that role, men who can bang heads with Lesnar in entertaining fashion. Going with Orton or Sheamus or some third option can have Lesnar build on the momentum he gained from knocking off Triple H.

Delaying Lesnar's next conquest, having too much time pass between battles lets the air out of what WWE has built for him.

For the sake of his foes, the fans and Lesnar himself, WWE must find an adversary capable of stepping up to Lesnar's level, of giving us a Goliath vs. Goliath matchup we'll never forget.

Manager: Carlos Condit Targeting August/September Return to the Octagon

Damon Martin — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:03:45 -0400

UFC welterweight contender Carlos Condit wasn't kidding after his last fight against Johny Hendricks that he really wanted to concentrate on bettering his wrestling before returning to the Octagon.

In his last two fights, Condit struggled to stop the offensive wrestling advances of both Hendricks and UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Takedowns were the biggest difference in scoring during both bouts, and following his second consecutive loss he wanted to dedicate himself to adding that element to his game.

Now more than two months removed from the fight with Hendricks, Condit is starting to receive calls from the UFC about his return to action, and it appears that a late summer date could be the time when the "Natural Born Killer" next appears in the cage.

According to Condit's manager Malki Kawa, the New Mexico-based fighter has a potential fight being offered to him, but no deal has been struck just yet to make it happen. Kawa says when Condit reappears in the UFC he wants to make sure wrestling is never a reason he loses a fight again, so timing is crucial for his return.

"There actually is a fight on the radar," Kawa revealed when speaking to MMA's Great Debate Radio. "The UFC has been talking about a fight for Carlos Condit, but Carlos right now at this moment is looking to improve his wrestling. He's really concentrating on that a lot. I'll have a conversation with Carlos this week and figure out if he wants to do something in August or September."

Condit's personal timetable would land him on a card in September, possibly even the recently announced UFC 165 fight card taking place in Toronto that month. The UFC would like to place Condit on a card in August, but it's unknown at this time which date will end up on his calendar.

"I think his timetable is September, and I think the UFC wants him to come back and fight some time in August," Kawa stated. "So we'll see what happens, I think right now he really wants to perfect his wrestling."

While Condit's record may sport two losses in a row on it, that doesn't mean his career is by any means at a crossroads where he desperately needs a win. Condit is still ranked No. 2 in the world at 170 pounds according to the official UFC ranking system, and the only losses he's suffered in the past few years came at the hands of the welterweight champion and the current No. 1 contender.

Still the right fight needs to happen for Condit to get back into title contention and in the win column.

A couple of names brought up to Kawa included former UFC welterweight title contender Nick Diaz and top-10 fighter Martin Kampmann. Both would be interesting rematches for Condit, who holds a win over Diaz and suffered his first loss in the UFC to Kampmann.

"I think those are two fights that definitely interest Carlos. I think any fight that gets him back into title contention is an interesting fight to him," Kawa said. "If Nick was interested in that rematch, I think we'd give it to him. I think it's a big-money fight, and I think it's an opportunity for Carlos to go out there and finish him this time. I think the Kampmann fight is interesting only from the aspect of him avenging that loss."

Currently, Diaz remains retired after suffering a loss to St-Pierre at UFC 158 in March, but a rematch with Condit could potentially serve as motivation to draw the Stockton, Calif., native out of hibernation. Kampmann hasn't fought since his own loss to Hendricks in November 2012, but a fight against Condit may be the right way to jump back into the deep end of the welterweight division for the veteran contender.

Either way, decisions on Condit's next fight will be made soon with the August UFC cards filling up now, and September won't fall far behind.

"He told me September, the UFC wants him in August," Kawa revealed. "We'll figure it out and see what happens. It's all up to him and what he decides what he wants to do."

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Frank Lampard Celebrates Chelsea Scoring Record with Unusual Gift from Adidas

Ian Rodgers — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:19 -0400

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard was given an unusual celebration of his club-record goalscoring feat recently.

The England international scored twice in the 2-1 win at Aston Villa a week on Saturday to break Bobby Tambling's long-standing club record of 202 goals.

Tambling presented Lampard with a golden boot ahead of the final Premier League game of the season against Everton on Sunday in honour of his achievement.

Sportswear firm Adidas got together with Chelsea to commemorate Lampard's achievement by placing 203 balls in the position the midfielder scored every one of his goals for the Stamford Bridge club.

Each ball was marked with the name of the opposition against whom Lampard scored and the number of the goal in his career.

The 34-year-old speaks with BBC presenter Dan Walker in the video clip about his winning goal in the 2009 FA Cup final against Everton.

Lampard, who has signed a new one-year deal with Chelsea, also discusses his strike at Barcelona in the Champions League group stages in 2006.

The midfielder collected the ball almost on the by-line inside the area, turned and flicked the ball over Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes into the far corner of the net.

The question remains whether Lampard actually aimed at goal, but the Chelsea legend insists during the video that he meant it "100 percent" despite admitting he had been "disappointed" with the way he had controlled the ball initially.

Chicago Blackhawks: Roster Tweaks for Game 3 vs. Detroit Red Wings

Jon Fromi — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:57:18 -0400

The Chicago Blackhawks need to take a game in Detroit from the Red Wings this week in their Western Conference semifinal series. To do that, coach Joel Quenneville would do well to shuffle his lineup a bit going into Game 3 Monday.

After Detroit earned a split of the first two games at the United Center with Saturday's 4-1 defeat of the 'Hawks, the action moves in the Motor City for the next two games. Winning in Detroit is far from impossible. To do so, however, it might take making a change or two.

What moves could bring about a Game 3 win for Chicago? Let's explore a few.

Viktor Stalberg: In

This seems to be how Quenneville is leaning based upon his comments to ESPNChicago.com's Scott Powers after Sunday's practice. Whatever went down between Quenneville and Stalberg will apparently be put on the back burner long enough for Stalberg to reenter the lineup.

Is he the key to victory Monday? Perhaps not, but Stalberg is capable of getting by Detroit's defense and creating scoring opportunities.

Michal Handzus: Out

Dave Bolland was back up with the second line on Sunday. This could mean Handzus is a scratch for Game 3.

This is a speed issue to me. Handzus just doesn't have it, despite the ability to win draws. Chicago will have to step up in this area. Bolland was 6-of-11 at the dot in Game 2. If he can replicate those numbers and Jonathan Toews returns to form at the circle, this could be a winning move.

Daniel Carcillo: Out; Ben Smith: In

Sending Smith to the fourth line could provide a small boost to the bottom six. He has fresh legs and is capable of playing a headier game that Carbomb.

On one hand, inserting a player who last played in the regular-season finale could be chancy. On the other, Smith has playoff experience and would be a great fit with Michael Frolik and Marcus Kruger.

Ray Emery: Still wearing a ball cap

Corey Crawford is the starter no matter what you think of his Game 2 performance. Make no mistake about it, Crawford was left out to dry by some spotty defensive decisions.

Emery certainly is as healthy and well-rested as he can be. That said, he can stay on the bench. If anyone has earned his spot in the crease, it's Crawford.

Andrew Shaw: Out

I believe Shaw will play Monday night. However, if there is anyone who could use a seat upstairs right now, it would be him.

Shaw has committed a few penalties that were poor choices, to say the least. If Quenneville thought benching Stalberg sent some sort of message, making Shaw an observer for a game might do him some good.

Quenneville has a lot of choices he can make in regards to Game 3's lineup. We will see what he elects to do Monday night.

Basketball and Trampoline Jumping Meet for One Amazing Trick Shot

Gabe Zaldivar — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:56:55 -0400

Someone get this guy a bouncy house.

BroBible spotted a video that proves trampolines and basketball go together very well. There is Tom and Jerry, peanut butter and jelly and now bouncing around and buckets.

Of course, every trick-shot video features a myriad of shots from different locales. This is that rare video that needs only one shot shown from various vantage points.

When you spin in the air and launch a ball from your legs, you have our attention.

We have to rely on the YouTube description for most of the information regarding this video:

World's best trampoline trickshot from 63 feet on a 10 feet hoop filmed from 3 different angles for authenticity. It took a long time but it was worth it so please enjoy.

Sadly, there is no mention as to what that sound is at the start of the video. It sounds like someone invited Chewbacca to come take a gander at this young man going HAM on a trampoline.

If anyone has more information and details on the best shot from distance we have seen this week, by all means comment below.

It is mentioned the shot took a great deal of time, so I assume our acrobatic marvel here was near exhaustion on this shot. I have no idea what he can do to trump this particular trick, but we wait patiently at the ready for whatever they have in store.

Might we suggest more flips and, what the hell, get Chewbacca involved if he is indeed off screen somewhere enjoying the festivities.

Hit me up on Twitter for more Internet trickery: Follow @gabezal

Ranking the Best Strikeout Pitches

Chris Stephens — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:54:37 -0400

With the downfall of the PED-era, Major League Baseball has become more of a pitcher's league.

From starters to relievers, there are multiple pitchers who can make hitters look like fools.

However, each has their own special way of doing so.

Using insight from Bleacher Report MLB featured columnists Joel Reuter, Adam Wells and Joe Giglio, here's a look at the best strikeout pitches in baseball.

Note: This list specifically deals with individual pitches from a particular pitcher with all stats being through May 12.

Begin Slideshow

Bryan Colangelo Reportedly Will Remain with Raptors in Corporate Role

Alex Kay — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:53:47 -0400

The Toronto Raptors reportedly have decided to cut ties with current president and general manager Bryan Colangelo, sort of.

According to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star, Colangelo will be relieved of his current duties, but will remain with Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment—the entity that owns the Raptors and Air Canada Centre, among other major professional sports assets in the city—in a corporate role:

Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed this and noted that the two parties are finalizing agreements to move Colangelo away from basketball operations:

There is still an ongoing search to find the next head of the organization, a position Colangelo has held since 2006.

As per Wojnarowski, current Denver Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri is the top candidate to replace Colangelo, although it may take MLSE a massive financial offer to pry him away from his current role:

Regardless of who assumes the day-to-day president and GM duties, a fresh face will be a sight for sore eyes in Toronto. Colangelo wore out his welcome long ago and hasn’t had this team relevant in years.

Despite a hot start that included making a postseason appearance, claiming the sole Atlantic Division title in franchise history and winning the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award—all in 2007—things quickly turned sour for this club under Colangelo’s guidance.

Toronto hasn’t made the playoffs since 2008, which was the last time the team’s record was at or above .500 at the end of the season (a meager 41-41).

The Raptors finished their dismal 2012-13 campaign with a disappointing 34-48 record, despite making a pre-trade deadline splash to acquire star swingman Rudy Gay from the Memphis Grizzlies.

The acquisition was yet another questionable one by Colangelo, who also failed to move struggling and ineffective big man Andrea Bargnani at the deadline.

While not all blame should fall on the head of basketball operations for this squad’s failures, Colangelo certainly deserves a majority of it for failing to build a proper roster and put a contending product on the floor.

NHL Playoffs 2013: Breaking Down Bruins vs. Rangers, Kings vs. Sharks

Donald Wood — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:51:04 -0400

The action thus far in the 2013 NHL playoffs has been red hot. With Tuesday’s matchups featuring battles like the Boston Bruins vs. the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings vs. the San Jose Sharks, hockey fans won’t want to miss a second of these games.

Whether your favorite team is from the Western Conference or the Eastern Conference, the hard-hitting postseason matchups on display will have even the casual fans ecstatic.

If you’re a hockey fan, find a comfortable seat Tuesday night and enjoy what is shaping up to be a wild night of NHL action.

Boston Bruins at New York Rangers: 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network

Game 3 - Bruins lead 2-0

After squeezing out a tight overtime win against the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Boston Bruins dominated Sunday on home ice to take the 2-0 series lead.

As well as Boston has played this postseason, the Rangers have been amazing in Madison Square Garden—winning all three of their games at home against the Washington Capitals in the first round—and will be fighting with every ounce of energy the team can muster.

Led by the infectiously physical play of captain Ryan Callahan, New York must come out swinging on Tuesday night and attack the Bruins’ inexperienced defensive group with every offensive look imaginable.

With three rookies on the blue line for Boston, the veteran offensive weapons for the Rangers like Rick Nash and Brad Richards must step up their game and put New York on the board early and often.

If the Rangers don’t win Game 3, this series won’t make it past five games.

Predicted Winner: Rangers 3, Bruins 2

Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks: 10 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network

Game 4 - Kings lead 2-1

The Los Angeles Kings looked to be in the driver’s seat in their Western Conference semifinals matchup with the San Jose Sharks after taking the 2-0 series advantage. But a huge overtime win for the Sharks has turned the tide of the series.

San Jose must capitalize on home-ice advantage in Game 4 and make this a best-of-three.

The Sharks were deadly on the power play in Game 3—both of the team’s goals in the 2-1 victory came on the man-advantage—and despite Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick making 38 saves, San Jose was able to sneak out a victory.

Los Angeles is predicated on great goaltending and elite defense, but with the Sharks getting timely offensive production from veterans Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle, LA is in serious trouble.

Expect another physical battle Tuesday night and a momentous San Jose victory.

Predicted Winner: Sharks 4, Kings 1

Follow @Donald_Wood

2014 Recruits Michigan and Ohio State Will Go Head-to-Head For

Andrew Kulha — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:50:21 -0400

It's almost a forgone conclusion that Ohio State and Michigan will boast two of the best recruiting classes in the 2014 cycle, but arguing about which program will come away with the better class is really the topic that both fanbases want to discuss.

The two major Big Ten programs usually compete for many of the same recruits, and the program that has the better overall class in regard to quality and/or ranking normally comes down to which program wins these head-to-head recruiting battles.

Everything in this rivalry is a competition, and that includes recruiting.

With that in mind, here are three recruits who Michigan and Ohio State will be fighting for this recruiting cycle:

Chase Winovich, 3-star OLB, Thomas Jefferson High School (Pa.)

Pittsburgh could end up becoming a player in this race, but for all intents and purposes Winovich seems to be debating between Michigan and Ohio State. He has offers from both programs, and he's made visits to both schools.

Winovich has taken three visits to Michigan and was last in Ann Arbor on May 10 according to his 247Sports timeline. He's only taken two visits to Ohio State, the last was in late April.

According to the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Winovich, six experts predict he will go to Ohio State, while just two predicted MIchigan.

Either way, look for this race to come down to the two powerhouses, with a potential outlier in Pitt.

Predicted Winner: Michigan

Jamarco Jones, 4-star OT, De La Salle Institute (Ill.)

Jamarco Jones is ranked as the No. 4 offensive tackle in the 2014 class according to the 247Sports Composite. He has great size at 6'5'', 290 pounds and currently has Ohio State on top of his 247Sports interest list.

Michigan is in Jones' top four though, and it's easy to see this recruiting race coming down to both the Buckeyes and Wolverines, especially if Notre Dame can't sneak into the running. Jones did take an unofficial visit to Michigan early in April.

Jones may find a bit more opportunity at Ohio State considering Michigan's impressive offensive line hauls as of late, but a good year in the Big Ten for Michigan could really even things in this race.

Eventually, it's tough to see Urban Meyer missing out on a recruit who he has an edge for, but considering Brady Hoke's abilities on the recruiting trails, this should be an interesting finish.

Predicted Winner: Ohio State

Damon Webb, 4-star CB, Cass Technical High School (Mich.) *Ohio State Commitment

Don't be naive enough to believe that Michigan won't stop recruiting Webb just because he's committed to Ohio State. That actually may increase Michigan's aggressiveness with him on the recruiting trail. Webb is the No. 7 cornerback in the 2014 class, and he's the No. 3 player from the state of Michigan, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

He's a huge in-state recruit for Michigan, but he also goes to Cass Tech, which is a known Michigan pipeline

Ohio State seems to be in good standing right now, but if Michigan can land a few of its big targets (See: Jabrill Peppers and Malik McDowell), the Wolverines' momentum could make them an interesting option. Michigan has the "home-state advantage," and Hoke and his staff shouldn't let their Cass Tech connections go to waste here.

At the very least, Michigan will try to make this interesting. Still, look for Meyer to close the door come crunch time.

Predicted Winner: Ohio State

(Note: All recruit-star rankings according to 247Sports.)

Is Big Ten or Pac-12 Most Likely to Dethrone the SEC in 2013?

Randy Chambers — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:46:51 -0400

Ask 10 people in a room who will win the national championship in 2013, and most likely eight or nine are going pick a team from the SEC. When you win seven straight titles and finish with five teams in the Top 10 of the final AP Poll, you begin to build a reputation of being the big boys on campus.

But even with that said, there are teams that have a shot to dethrone the kings of college football. Will the conqueror come from the Pac-12 or Big Ten? Well, if you had to pick between those two conferences to produce a national championship winner, your best bet would be to roll the dice with the conference out west.

The Pac-12 has more contenders in that conference by far than the Big Ten does. This debate really should be Pac-12 versus Ohio State. Seriously, can you pick any team in the Big Ten besides the Buckeyes that has a legitimate shot to win the national championship this season?

Even making the big game would seem a little far-fetched. Beating an Alabama, Texas A&M or Georgia? Forget about it.

The Buckeyes were the only Big Ten team that finished in the Top 15 of last year's AP Poll. Northwestern was a respectable team at No. 17, but don't confuse progress with being a contender coming off a 10-win season. The other two Big Ten squads that finished the season ranked were Michigan and Nebraska. Two teams that finished with a combined nine losses were only included because they were less subpar than the rest of the pack.

Nebraska finished the final two games allowing a combined 1,229 total yards on defense. Michigan would be a respectable contender but has a lot of questions entering the new season. Will the offense truly take a step forward with Devin Gardner? How will the defense respond without Jake Ryan? Where in the world is the pass rush?

In order to dethrone the SEC, you are going to need an elite football team. A squad that limps across the finish line will not cut it. Right now, the only team that has a real chance to knockoff an SEC powerhouse in the big dance would be Ohio State, but even head coach Urban Meyer said his team has a ways to go, according to Sports Illustrated.

"For me to say we have to get there next year, that's like me talking about we have to go fly to the moon," he said. "We're nowhere near even having that conversation."

Then what are we talking about? Of course that is coach talk, but the Buckeyes did have plenty of close calls against mediocre teams. Let's also not forget that the entire defensive line needs to be replaced, as well as most of the secondary.

As for the Pac-12, teams such as Stanford and Oregon are almost guaranteed to begin the season ranked in the top 10 of all major polls. This doesn't include an Oregon State team that returns seven starters on defense, a rising UCLA program and USC will always receive love from the voters, regardless. In order to even have a shot, you have to begin the season in a nice position poll-wise. There aren't many teams that are going to pull off what Notre Dame did last year and climb out of the cellar to the top.

Oregon nearly knocked off Auburn in the 2010 national championship. Although there was a coaching change, when you have an offense that can score at the speed of light and have elite quickness on both sides of the ball, you have a chance. The Ducks have been in national title conversations the last three years and that won't change with 15 starters coming back.

Stanford finished last season ranked 20th in total defense and has seven of those starters returning. Really an elite club defensively, the Cardinal was only a bounce or two away from finishing the season undefeated and giving an SEC team a run for its money. The offense should also drastically improve with dual-threat quarterback Kevin Hogan now taking over.

While those are the two Pac-12 teams that will remain in the conversation until proven otherwise, you would be foolish to count out a loaded roster such as USC. There is also a defensive-minded team in Oregon State that forced 31 turnovers.

The Big Ten was brutal last season and while improvement should be made, it is hard to find a team that is truly capable of knocking down a giant besides Ohio State. It would be a daunting task even for a Pac-12 program, but there are a handful of teams you could realistically see playing for a national title. In order to even give yourself a chance, you have to at least make the big game.

The Pac-12 has the momentum and depth in its favor, while the Big Ten has some work to do before even thinking about hoisting a crystal football.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

Why Manchester United Are Best Positioned to Win the Premier League Next Year

Nick Akerman — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:45:06 -0400

The Premier League landscape is shifting at a ridiculous pace.

Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to retire as Manchester United manager may signal the most pivotal changing of the guard, but the Red Devils' competitors have also opted to freshen things up with a summer overhaul.

With the 2012-13 Premier League trophy nestling inside the Old Trafford trophy cabinet, it's time to consider how Manchester United's current position sets them up for the 2013-14 campaign.

It is undoubtedly a time of new beginning for United. With David Moyes coming in as manager, inevitable questions about how he will follow Fergie continue to circulate. While he certainly faces a difficult task, it's important to remember Ferguson's initial struggle as United boss and how it took time for the new man to assert himself.

Granted, Ferguson had already tasted success before arriving in Manchester. The gaping hole on Moyes' resume is his failure to capture a major trophy, but the circumstances of modern football aren't as favourable to sides outside the elite. Ferguson's Aberdeen managed to topple the Old Firm, but in reality, no Everton manager is going to overcome the Premier League's best across the course of a full season (not for the foreseeable future, anyway).

Moyes couldn't be arriving at a better time. Ferguson has built a strong squad that is full of developing talent, although a number of loose ends need to be cut. Players such as Anderson, Nani and Federico Macheda will consider themselves lucky to receive another year in United colours. If the incoming manager decides to sell, he frees up funds to influence the squad without changing its core.

There is also the Wayne Rooney situation to deal with. Despite handing in a second transfer request in three years, the Englishman has been told he cannot leave the club, per Sky Sports. Moyes is expected to meet the wantaway forward in the next few days in order to decide whether or not Rooney's future remains at Old Trafford, according to The Daily Mail.

Either way, Moyes can't lose. If Rooney decides to stay, the Scottish manager will be hailed for changing the player's mind. If Rooney leaves, Moyes has the opportunity to spend a significant amount on a world-class signing. The striker's departure would only add to the sense that United's current era has come to a close; something that is perhaps favourable for the new boss.

Many suggest that life after Ferguson is going to take some adjusting to. While that is probably correct, Moyes isn't the only individual who needs to settle in at a different club. His initial plans at Manchester United are likely to be taking shape already, but Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton are yet to replace their former managers.

Manchester United can already see the road ahead, whereas their nearest competitors are yet to lay the foundation for the future. Although a minimal advantage, Moyes will be able to assure players of their futures quicker than bosses at City and Chelsea. Although the latter has an excellent squad that is unlikely to massively change across the summer, City could be in for an overhaul.

Players such as Carlos Tevez could be on their way out of the Etihad, according to ESPN. Manchester City will most certainly replace any players with world-class talents, but it will be difficult to achieve instant results if the current squad faces major restructuring.

Names such as Jose Mourinho may have been linked with the Manchester United job, but there's something extremely adept about the appointment of Moyes. Ferguson's influence will no doubt be missed, but with the former Everton man in place, United are able to make a colossal change while building on everything that makes the club great.

Most tellingly, United's decision to put their faith in the 50-year-old already suggests he will be given time. As such, perhaps the pressure on Moyes to fill Sir Alex's boots isn't as pressing as the media reports. He knows he will receive the right resources and opportunity to assert himself.

Unlike Manchester City and Chelsea, it would be a huge surprise if Moyes was sacked while building his own squad and winning trophies. As United have proven throughout history, sticking with a single vision is the long-term route to maintained success.

Is Moyes' name the next Ferguson or Busby? Like those before him, hopefully United fans will be forced to make that judgement 30 years down the line.

Are Manchester United best positioned to win the Premier League in 2013-14? Let me know in the comments section below and be sure to follow me on Twitter right here:

Follow @Nakerman

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

Premier League 2012/13 Season: Has Every Team Been Disappointing?

Simeon Gholam — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:43:25 -0400

2012/13 has not been a classic by any means. As the years roll by, this season will certainly be remembered as the swan song of Sir Alex Ferguson rather than the football on display.

Considering how many of the Premier League teams have been desperately disappointing,
it is no surprise that this has been such an underwhelming season.

Expectation is everything, and there is one thing that strikes me when glancing over the final Premier League table: more than in any other season that I can remember, it feels as though teams have come up short relative to pre-season expectation.

It is a season where very few teams have excelled.

It is a season where the majority (rather depressingly), to one degree or another, have simply failed to impress...

Stand Out Good Seasons

Swansea City

Positives: 9th place finish; Carling Cup winners; Qualified for the Europa League.

Negatives: Tailed off a bit after the Carling Cup.

Swansea City have had a brilliant season. It would be very difficult to take anything away from Michael Laudrup's side, so I'm not even going to try. They have been this season's outstanding Premier League campaigners.

West Bromwich Albion

Positives: 8th place finish; The management of Steve Clarke.

Negatives: Slight dip in the second half of the season.

The greatest compliment you can pay to Steve Clarke's side is that they now look like an established Premier League club. Only until recently they were the perennial "bounce back" club; too good for the Championship, never quite good enough for the Premier League.That has now all apparently changed.

Whilst they were hovering around the Champions League spots throughout the first half of the season, they were never realistically going to last the course and distance in that position. 8th place for West Brom is an outstanding campaign.

West Ham United

Positives: 10th placed finish.

Negatives: Still question marks from some fans over Sam Allardyce's style.

West Ham have not felt like a newly promoted club this season. Never in threat of relegation, and a top half finish to boot (10th place being the highest a team that have been promoted through the playoffs have finished since West Ham themselves managed 9th in 2005/06). Great season overall.

Good Season, On the Whole

Manchester United

Positives: Premier League Champions.

Negatives: Disappointment in both major cup competitions; the loss of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Whilst a record 20th League title was the perfect send-off for Sir Alex Ferguson, disappointing premature exits in both the Champions League and the FA Cup would have left a sour taste in the mouths of many Manchester United fans and would have been a much bigger question mark at the end of the season had it not been for The Great One's shock retirement announcement.

It would be ridiculous to sneer at a Premier League title win, but there is a feeling that this season could have been so much more for Manchester United.

Wigan Athletic

Positives: FA Cup winners; European football next season.

Negatives: Relegation.

Only Wigan Athletic could get relegated and still be considered to have had a decent season. Not being relegated this season was more vital than ever with the new TV money coming in, but they won the FA Cup. Simple as that. Relegation and promotion will come and go but the days out to Wembley and the silverware is what the fans will remember forever.

Any Wigan fan who would swap winning the FA Cup for staying in the Premier League needs to take a good look at themselves.

Could Have Been Better

Everton

Positives: Finishing above Liverpool for the second consecutive season.

Negatives: Failing to push more seriously for a Champions League place; losing David Moyes; Poor FA Cup result.

Finishing 6th and missing out on Europa League qualification is a bit unlucky. Failing to push more seriously for a Champions League spot was disappointing. Getting hammered at home by Wigan in the FA Cup quarter-final was devastating. Replacing David Moyes will also be extremely difficult. Could have been better for Everton.

Southampton

Positives: Avoided relegation.

Negatives: Failed to push on for a top half-finish.

The positives and negatives pretty much speak for themselves. Just over two years ago, Southampton were still playing in League One, so to have stayed up in the Premier League this season should be heralded as a magnificent achievement.

But a lot of money was spent.

After an excellent run in March and part of April it looked as though they could have pushed on for a top-half finish. No wins in their last six games meant they were almost dragged back into a relegation battle they should have been nowhere near. Overall though, a solid first season back in the top flight.

Stoke City

Positives: Avoided a humbling relegation.

Negatives: Nearly didn't avoid a humbling relegation.

Make no mistake, this was a disappointing season for Stoke City. It is the first season since they were promoted to the top flight in 2008 where it's felt like they haven't taken a step forward from the previous campaign.

Their 13th place finish is somewhat deceiving. The bottom half of the league was so close and this Stoke City side could have, and should have, gained their first ever top-half finish in the Premier League.

Norwich City

Positives: Avoided relegation.

Negatives: Failed to build on an excellent league position.

Two brilliant wins in their last two league games put somewhat of a glass on what was an indifferent campaign for Norwich. They started woefully, then they seemed to get all their points before December, after which they stumbled over the line yet somehow finishing 11th.

An 11th place finish, whilst slightly deceiving, is still an improvement of one place on last season (although they got three fewer points). In the end it's been a decent season for Norwich City, when at one stage not so long ago it looked like it could have been a lot worse.

Somewhat Bad Seasons

Chelsea

Positives: Europa League win; Champions League qualification.

Negatives: Nowhere near the title race, Champions League embarrassment.

Chelsea's disappointing season has been somewhat covered up by their triumph in the Europa League. Fact of the matter is, though they played for eight pieces of silverware this season, they only won the one that they shouldn't have even been in the running for in the first place.

With the squad they have available they should have had a far better crack at the Premier League and the Champions League. They've lacked a quality striker all season, but then again, Liverpool won the competition in 2005 with Milan Baros up front, so anything is possible.

Liverpool

Positives: The brilliance of Luis Suarez.

Negatives: The idiocy of Luis Suarez.

Liverpool's campaign has been about one man and one man only. They have been "rebuilding" for what seems like forever now and they seem as far away as ever from getting back into the top four, let alone anywhere near the top of the table.

Liverpool belong at the summit of English football, but their squad is still bursting with mediocrity. Every year away from the top will only make it harder to get back there. They need to hold on to Luis Suarez.

Arsenal

Positives: Qualified for the Champions League next season.

Negatives: Everything else.

Watching Arsenal's wild celebrations on Sunday after securing fourth place made me feel a little bit uneasy. Whilst securing fourth should have come as a relief, and pipping Spurs to it will have been pleasing to say the least, the unbridled ecstasy that they showed was slightly excessive.

For a team who went unbeaten throughout an entire Premier League season less than ten years ago, celebrating fourth place so vociferously felt a bit wrong.

Arsenal have not won a trophy now for eight seasons, which is eight seasons longer than Wigan Athletic. Their limp exits in the cups to lower league opposition were unforgivable and their exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich was disappointing (but probably a relief it was only an away goals exit after seeing what they did to Barcelona in the semi-final).

Fourth place should not be the epitome for a club the size of Arsenal. Another poor season.

Aston Villa

Positives: Avoided relegation; Christian Benteke.

Negatives: Reduced expectations.

Looking at this season on it's own, Aston Villa should be very happy that they stayed up, finishing 15th in the process.

In the grand scheme of things, it is incredible how far the club has fallen in such a short space of time. Whilst Gabriel Agbonlahor, Andreas Weimann and Ron Vlaar all had excellent run-ins, they were kept in the Premier League almost single handedly by Christian Benteke.

If he decides to move on this summer, they will have to reinvest every penny they get from his transfer fee on new players in order to have any chance of survival next season.

Fulham

Positives: Dimitar Berbatov.

Negatives: Extremely poor end to their campaign

Fulham sold Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele at the start of the season and didn't replace them.

They have not had any kind of central midfield all season. Their squad is too old, which showed in the run-in. All in all, they actually did okay to finish 12th, but an end-of-season slump meant a casual flirting with the possibility of relegation. Something Fulham should have been nowhere near.

Downright Bad Seasons

Newcastle United

Positives: Decent Europa League campaign; Some solid acquisitions in January.

Negatives: Awful final League position; Losing Demba Ba.

Although they will be pleased with a decent run to the Europa League quarter-finals, it was a drab season on the whole for Newcastle.

Injuries, poor form and a horrendous away record led to a season to forget for Alan Pardew. Cisse, Coloccini, Jonas Gutierrez, Cabaye and Tiote were all a shadow of their previous selves.

They also lost Demba Ba in January, but did make some other decent signings. Maybe when the likes of Gouffran, Debuchy and Sissoko have had a chance to bed in at the club, Newcastle can push onwards again. All in all, though, it has been a season to forget for the Toon.

Reading

Positives: In a stable position to come back up.

Negatives: Relegation without much of a fight.

It was a poor season for Reading, in which it never really looked like they were staying up. But let's get one thing straight, this Reading side cost virtually nothing to put together, and all in all it was a bit useless.

This is a Reading side who probably shouldn't even have been good enough to get promoted to the Premier League in the first place. Exactly why Brian McDermott was sacked is beyond me, but expectations were low, so relegation shouldn't be treated as too disappointing.

You can't imagine too much of the rest of the squad being snapped up by any other Premier League sides, so they should be able to make a decent fist of bouncing straight back.

Sunderland

Positives: They actually have good players.

Negatives: The disappointment of the Martin O'Neill era; Going so close to relegation when they should have been nowhere near.

Bad season. Really bad season. After expecting to push on this year under Martin O'Neill Sunderland went absolutely nowhere. Their squad is decent and they should have been nowhere near where they were.

Paolo Di Canio saved them from relegation with a couple of excellent wins, particularly away at Newcastle. He has certainly shaken things up a bit, and he needs to get much better performances from the likes of Adam Johnson, Stephane Sessegnon and James McClean than Martin O'Neill managed to this season.

Tottenham Hotspur

Positives: The £20 million pounds or so that Gareth Bale added to his price tag.

Negatives: Failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Last season's failure to qualify for the Champions League was somewhat unlucky for Spurs. Finishing fourth but missing out because Chelsea won the damn thing is really unlucky, in fact. They should not have let Arsenal get anywhere near them, let alone finish above them and take third place.

Letting Arsenal do so again this season was nothing short of criminal. Tottenham should have gone further in the Europa League, they shouldn't have been knocked out of they FA Cup by Leeds United, but they most certainly should not have finished fifth in the League. They failed in their one major ambition and will surely lose their most prized possession in Gareth Bale.

Manchester City

Positives: Erm... they still have loads of money I guess.

Negatives: Horrendous title defence; Horrendous Champions League campaign; Horrendous FA Cup Final loss; Horrendous season.

They failed to compete with Manchester United in the Premier League and got brushed aside too easily in the Champions League. They then lost the FA Cup Final to relegated Wigan, then sacked the manager who had won them the Premier League title just 365 days earlier.

No player, other than Pablo Zabeleta, has come close to replicating their form of last season and it has really shown. Manchester City would undoubtedly have had the worst season of any Premier League team by a mile were it not for...

Queens Park Rangers

Positives: N/A.

Negatives: Literally don't even know where to start.

Seriously, no idea where to start with how bad QPR's season has been. They made so many awful signings. They've been just abysmal from the word go.

The good news that has come out of this season is that they might get to keep hold of Loic Remy, their only standout player from the campaign. The bad news is it might be whilst he is in prison.

QPR have given the perfect lesson in how not to run a football club in the Premier League. Other teams coming up with good financial backing can learn from their mistakes.

So there we have it then. An (albeit depressing) alternative League Table, which I have Christened "The Alternative Premier League Table of Achievement in Relation To Pre-Season Expectation".

Catchy I know.

NBA Playoff Schedule 2013: When to Catch Remaining Conference Finals Games

Rob Goldberg — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:41:55 -0400

At this point in the NBA playoffs, every possession of every game is important, so make sure you do not miss a second of the action.

Any one of the four teams remaining—Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers—is capable of winning a championship. Of course, two of those teams have a better chance than the others.

The Heat are certainly the team to beat after winning eight of their first nine playoff games and finishing with the best record during the regular season. Still, anything can happen in a seven-game series.

Here is a look at the conference finals on each side of the bracket with complete predictions.

Note: Schedule information courtesy of ESPN.

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

Game	Date	Time (ET)	Home Team	TV
1	May 22	8:30 p.m.	Heat	TNT
2	May 24	8:30 p.m.	Heat	TNT
3	May 26	8:30 p.m.	Pacers	TNT
4	May 28	8:30 p.m.	Pacers	TNT
5	May 30	8:30 p.m.	Heat	TNT
6	June 1	8:30 p.m.	Pacers	TNT
7	June 3	8:30 p.m.	Heat	TNT

The Chicago Bulls appeared to play the Miami Heat as tough as anyone has all year. Unfortunately, they were only able to win one game before being eliminated in the conference semifinals.

This is not a good sign for the Indiana Pacers.

The defending champs are playing as well as ever, especially on defense after holding the Bulls to 84.2 points per game last series. On offense, LeBron James has been incredibly efficient, and his play makes the team that much tougher to defend.

If Dwyane Wade is healthy after struggling with knee injuries in the playoffs, this will be a very one-sided series.

However, the Pacers have not received nearly as much credit as they deserve this season. They did a great job of shutting down the New York Knicks offensively in the last series and have shown the ability to do the same against the Heat during the year.

Indiana won both home games against Miami in the regular season, holding the opponent to an average of 83 points. If they can do the same in this series, the Pacers should be able to come away with some wins.

Unfortunately, the Pacers struggled on the road this season and are unlikely to get a win in Miami. With one home loss, this could be a very short series for the young team.

Prediction: Heat win 4-1

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Game	Date	Time (ET)	Home Team	TV
2	May 21	9 p.m.	Spurs	ESPN
3	May 25	9 p.m.	Grizzlies	ESPN
4	May 27	9 p.m.	Grizzlies	ESPN
5	May 29	9 p.m.	Spurs	ESPN
6	May 31	9 p.m.	Grizzlies	ESPN
7	June 2	9 p.m.	Spurs	ESPN

The Spurs came out strong in Game 1 and dominated their competition by a score of 105-83. However, it is highly unlikely the rest of the series is that easy.

Memphis now has four losses in this postseason, three of them coming in the first game of the series. After that point, the Grizzlies seem to figure out their opponent and improve on both ends of the court.

Primarily, it is hard to imagine San Antonio being able to hit 14 three-point shots every game like it did last time out. Memphis actually ranked second in the league at defending the outside shot, allowing only 33.8 percent of shots to fall.

You can be certain that coach Lionel Hollins will make sure the perimeter defense improves before Game 2.

That being said, the Spurs have something that Memphis has not seen yet in this postseason: playoff experience. The Los Angeles Clippers are still new to the postseason scene, while the Oklahoma City Thunder became a different team when Russell Westbrook went down.

Even the Grizzlies themselves have never advanced to this point. Meanwhile, the Spurs have won four titles since Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich joined the squad.

This confidence to go out and succeed will go a long way in this series, especially late in close games. As long as Tony Parker continues to play at a high level, San Antonio has what it takes to win this competitive series.

Prediction: Spurs win 4-2

Follow @TheRobGoldberg

Cold Hard Fact for Monday, May 20, 2013

Daily Cold Hard Facts — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:32:46 -0400

This would get old really fast. The referee tossed a jump ball after every basket in basketball until 1937.

Bleacher Report will be bringing sports fans the most interesting and engaging Cold Hard Fact of the day, presented by Coors Light.

Myles Jury Conveys Positive Message to Troubled Kids in Iowa

Damon Martin — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:32:24 -0400

Several UFC fighters have recently gotten involved in a number of campaigns to help young people around the world through programs aimed at important matters like anti-bullying, and now lightweight fighter Myles Jury has taken his time to do something for troubled youths in Iowa.

The Woodward Academy in Iowa is a school where troubled kids described by the school and their program that "targets youth new to the criminal justice system and are in need of a short-term intervention, a community residential program for youth who are in need of a longer length of stay, and a program for males in need of sexual offender treatment."

More than 3,300 students have enrolled at the school just outside of Des Moines, Iowa, and recently Jury appeared there to speak to the students.

Jury grew up making some of the same mistakes these kids did, but he found a positive outlet through martial arts, and he shares his message in hopes of helping them escape similar pitfalls.

Nadal vs. Federer Italian Open 2013: Victory Sets Up Rafa for French Open Win

John Rozum — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:30:10 -0400

Rafael Nadal's smashing performance over Roger Federer in the Italian Open is just a prelude to the 2013 French Open.

The Rome Masters is now Nadal's third consecutive victory, his sixth this season, and he has reached the finals in every tournament. Talk about consistency; that alone gives him a favorable advantage entering Roland Garros.

Wiping Federer off the court, though, after doing to same to Tomas Berdych in Italy's semifinals is straight up impressive. Now factor in Nadal's dominance over the years at the French Open and there is every reason to expect he'll win it again.

Peter Bodo of ESPN.com also wrote of Nadal's convincing victory leading into the clay Grand Slam:

So here we are on the brink of the French Open, and it sure looks like the same view we’ve had for every year but one since 2005 (Nadal is 52-1 at Roland Garros with seven titles in eight tries).

“I don’t want to think about Roland Garros yet,” Nadal said Sunday. “Let me enjoy this victory."

I have a funny feeling that the way Nadal is playing, nobody else wants to think about Roland Garros, either.

No one else has performed at Nadal's level recently.

Although Noavk Djokovic took the victory over him in Monaco, Nadal has polished off his game quite well since. On the flip side, Djokovic and the rest of the top competition have not met expectations by comparison and enter France desperately needing to respond.

On Monday, Nadal leap-frogged fellow countryman David Ferrer for the No. 4 ranking on ATPWorldTour.com. Federer slid ahead of Andy Murray into the No. 2 spot, while Djokovic still holds true at No. 1.

That said, Federer's increase can also be attributed to Murray's withdrawal from the Italian Open in Round 2. As a result, Murray may miss this year's Roland Garros. According to BBC Sport, Murray's mother Judy commented on the situation:

"Obviously the goal is to be in peak condition for Wimbledon," said Judy.

"It's not so easy on the clay. There is a lot more twisting and turning. He needs to be cautious and I'm sure Wimbledon will be his priority."

Murray's potential absence would only make things easier for Nadal. And after dismantling Federer for another clay-court victory, Djokovic remains the best of competition by a wide margin.

Ferrer hasn't fared well versus Nadal, and the same can be said for Berdych.

Regardless of who Nadal faces, though, that challenger will be at a disadvantage. Nadal is simply rolling right now and everything is pointing toward another French Open title.

Having won it three straight seasons, taking a fourth consecutive title will vault him higher into the rankings. That would make things extremely interesting with Wimbledon on deck.

5 Reasons for Chelsea Fans to Be Excited About Next Season

Rachel Bascom — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:26:33 -0400

After taking home the Europa League trophy and finishing third in the Premier League table, Chelsea fans were given some good reasons to cheer at the close of this season.

A long, football-free summer is on its way and there is not a fan out there who is not looking forward to the start of next season.

However, Chelsea fans have some very good reasons to be particularly excited about next season. And since it cannot start tomorrow (however much we want it to), let's whet our appetites by going over five of them.

Begin Slideshow

Biggest Takeaways from the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs so Far

Franklin Steele — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:23:22 -0400

The Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins played to the first double overtime of the 2013 NHL playoffs Sunday night, removing any lingering doubts that this postseason was just a mass hallucination put together in the subconsciousness of hockey fans trying to recover from the lockout.

Or was that just me?

Regardless, the playoffs are nearly three weeks old and us fans have had plenty of time to take in the sights and sounds.

Begin Slideshow

Stop Everything: Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari Throwing an 80s Dance Party

Dan Carson — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:23:15 -0400

What are you doing on July 18? Oh really? Sounds cool. Cancel it.

Your neighbor's Bar Mitzvah can wait; Jay Cutler’s '80s dance party cannot.

No, you’re not dreaming. You haven’t expired and floated up to a college campus in the skies. This is happening—Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari are throwing an '80s themed party to raise money for diabetes research and care (via NBC Chicago).

The party is an official Jay Cutler Foundation event, and all proceeds will go towards helping people with diabetes. So if you needed any other reason to go besides “Jay Cutler '80s party,” you can add “charity” as a justification to cancel your prior engagements.

Need more? Billy Ocean will be playing at the event. No, not Frank Ocean, the awesome one.

Sounds too good, right? You’re thinking, “Dan, are you trying to tell me that this July, Jay Cutler is going to dress up like a human road cone and chain-smoke fake cigarettes on the dance floor to ‘Caribbean Queen’?”

Yes. Yes I am. Well, I don't know about about the fake chain-smoking part—he’s done that before for his birthday—but I'm optimistic. I do know for certain the event is taking place in downtown Chicago at Joe’s on Weed Street.

This gala affair is a 21+ event, and tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. CST on May 21.

What’s the attire, you ask? “Your best 80s attire,” according to the event’s web site. Translation:

Also featured on the docket for the event is the '80s cover band The Breakfast Club, which Emilio Estevez is unfortunately not a part of.

On the other hand, if you ever were to randomly run into Emilio Estevez in the bathroom, this party is your best chance. I have nothing to back that up with, just a feeling.

Alright, I’ll see you guys there.

Ain’t nothing but a Cutler party:

Follow @Dr__Carson

One Transfer That Each Premier League Team Can't Afford to Miss: A-M

Sean Butters — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:22:49 -0400

Going into the summer transfer window feels like the beginning a long hibernation interspersed with the odd moment of excitement or disbelief (Andy Carroll for £35 million anyone?)

The best we can do is to have fun trying to predict who will be where next season, and whether or not it’s the right decision, so on and so forth.

This is a two-part list of every team that will be in the Premier League next year—with the exception of either Crystal Palace or Watford—and which players they should look at buying (or in some cases, keep).

All stats are courtesy of transfermarkt.co.uk, unless linked otherwise.

Begin Slideshow