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FIFA 13: Thiago Alcantara, Isco and the Best Euro U-21 Squads on Ultimate Team

Nick Akerman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:47:44 -0400

Thiago Alcantara and Isco have fired Spain to the European Under-21 crown, and as any FIFA 13 fan knows, this will have a profound effect on the Ultimate Team market.

Many gamers will try their hardest to select an online side that features U-21 players, is enjoyable to use and possesses high chemistry (if you don't know what that means, head over here). While difficult, the task certainly isn't impossible.

Here are a few Ultimate Team squads that might tickle your fancy and are only made up from players who featured in Israel's recent tournament.

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Duke Basketball: Blue Devils' Best-Ever Player at Each Position

David Aldridge — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:44:46 -0400

When names like Laettner, Redick, Battier, Hill, Williams and Hurley hang on retired jerseys in the rafters over the court, you have a program with rich basketball tradition, which is exactly what the Duke Blue Devils have.

For a program with four national championships and over 2,000 wins, it's impossible to make a list of the best player at each position without leaving off a fantastic player. The honorable mentions could play the starting five on this list and have a great chance at winning.

But as a fun topic for the offseason, let's look at the best-ever player at each position for the Blue Devils.

Each player was considered based on the impact he had during his entire career at Duke, postseason success, and the context of the competition he played against.

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Dodgers and Yankees Get Into Twitter Battle Ahead of Rivalry Series

Gabe Zaldivar — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:40:43 -0400

There are hardly two more storied franchises in all of sports history than the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. And it was their history that was on full display during a heated skirmish on Twitter.

It seems the Yankees Twitter account just couldn't wait for their team to take the field against one of their greatest rivals—the two teams have met 11 times in the World Series, with the last one taking place in 1981.

Here is how it all played out on Twitter in a slugfest between the Yankees Twitter feed and that of the L.A. Dodgers:

The Yankees seem to get things started with the Dodgers firing back. Of course, as tends to be the case, the Yankees went "scoreboard" on the franchise that once resided in Brooklyn.

Although, I have to say the Dodgers did well by using Vin Scully as ammo, because there isn't a better broadcaster in baseball.

Fans and players alike are amped to reinvigorate a dormant rivalry, so we understand when the Yankees Twitter feed fired off a couple more tweets, one of which using the hashtag #Dropthemic:

The dust has finally settled on a brief battle that took place before a beautiful baseball war starting on Tuesday night. Still, there are so many questions that need to be answered.

Will Don Mattingly get applause from his former home crowd? Will Yasiel Puig continue his hot start in New York? Will either team come away from the series without any injuries?

It's obvious both franchises differ in the amounts of success they've had since they last met in the World Series. The current season has been an extreme case of a tale of two cities, though.

While both have had to go through a great deal of injuries, the Yankees have been far more successful with solid pitching leading them to a respectable 38-31 record.

As for the Dodgers, not so much.

A superstar roster has been battered and bruised through a humbling season that sees them at the bottom of the NL West. Their only bright spot is their Cuban rookie who continues to dazzle in the field.

And so another chapter of a book we just can't put down gets written. The Dodgers and Yankees reprise their roles as bitter rivals for a rare series that is sure to captivate.

Judging by the response on Twitter, it can't take place soon enough.

Let's continue the party on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

Pitchers Boasting Baseball's Most Devastating Breaking Balls

Gabe Zaldivar — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:39:00 -0400

That’s nasty.

Really, there is nothing more satisfying than watching sluggers leave the batter’s box completely flummoxed and mystified by what they just saw. In a sense, fans and hitters alike are shaking their heads in bewilderment.

These few pitchers have that one amazing pitch that can render a big league batter completely hopeless at the plate.

Join MLB Lead Writer Zachary Rymer and MLB Contributor Gabe Zaldivar as they discuss those pitchers armed with a specific weapon that makes some at-bats a lopsided affair.

From a pitch that some experts still haven’t classified to a pair of curveballs that are ridiculous to behold, we have you covered.

There are so many pitchers in baseball throwing Bugs Bunny type of junk, and they deserve recognition. Sound off with your suggestions in the comments section below.

Follow Zach on Twitter at: @zachrymer

Follow Gabe on Twitter at: @gabezal

New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Live Blog with Reactions and Analysis

Andy Wittry — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:35:50 -0400

Former New York Yankee great Don Mattingly, rising star Yasiel Puig and the Los Angeles Dodgers head to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night to begin a three-game series.

Mattingly returns to the Bronx amid recent uncertainty about his future in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times. Despite having the second highest payroll in the MLB at more than $220 million, the Dodgers are 10 games below .500 and in the cellar of the NL West.

With three outfielders and more than 40 percent of Los Angeles' payroll on the disabled list, Cuban rookie right fielder Yasiel Puig is a sign of hope who may prove to be Mattingly's lifeline.

Through the first 13 games of his career, Puig is batting .479 with four home runs and 10 RBI. Not only can the 22-year-old hit for average and power but he has shown flashes of his lethal arm.

The Yankees have been plagued by their share of injuries as well. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Francisco Cervelli, Eduardo Nunez and Michael Pineda are on the 60-day DL. Curtis Granderson and Kevin Youkilis are on the 15-day DL.

Around 2:45 pm on Tuesday, first baseman Mark Teixeira was put on the disabled list due to a wrist injury.

Despite its limited roster, New York has stayed afloat. The Yankees are 38-31 and only three games back of the Boston Red Sox prior to the games on Tuesday.

New York is only a half game behind Baltimore and Texas in the AL Wild Card standings, which bodes well for the Yankees if their star players can get healthy as the playoffs draw near.

Tonight's starters are New York's Phil Hughes (3-5, 4.89 ERA) and Los Angeles' Hyun-Jin Ryu (6-2, 2.85 ERA). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

Check back throughout the game for scores, updates, reactions and analysis.

Michigan State Basketball: Best-Case Scenarios for Projected Starters in 2014

Adam Biggers — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:35:34 -0400

Michigan State Spartans coach Tom Izzo is known for juggling lineups to accentuate his team's strengths.

That being said, Spartans followers should plan to see a few different starting fives during the 2013-14 season.

As of now, Michigan State's starting lineup could look something like this: Adreian Payne (F/C), Branden Dawson (F), Alex Gauna/Matt Costello (F), Gary Harris (SG) and Keith Appling (PG).

Denzel Valentine, Michigan State's top bench contributor from a year ago, may even get a crack at a No. 1 role.

Travis Trice could see meaningful time at the point, and depending on progress, Russell Byrd could catch more than his typical 7.5 minutes per game at shooting guard. While it's doubtful that either will play a role as a "starter", they could be on the floor during tip-off, technically making them a starter by definition.

This slideshow will focus on the best-case scenarios for Harris, Payne, Dawson, Gauna/Costello and Appling and explore the heights that each of them could reach during this upcoming Big Ten basketball gauntlet.

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WWE: A Full Vince McMahon Heel Turn Is Just What the WWE Needs

John Nizinski — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:26:02 -0400

There is no denying that the WWE has gone through a tough time recently. The product and creative angles have fallen flat more times than they have landed.

However, there is also no denying that the company is currently on its way back up. There is a nice mix of veteran superstars and young talent making an impact, and its recent creative ideas are working.

One angle that is currently going on is the difference of opinion and balance of power among the McMahon family (Triple H included).

Triple H's desire to compete after suffering a concussion has caused his wife, Stephanie McMahon, and his father-in-law, Vince McMahon, to be concerned for his health and take action.

We have seen the family butt heads and disagree on almost everything lately.

This storyline has also shown a shade of Mr. McMahon that we haven't seen in a while. He has started to have some heel-like tendencies.

On the most recent Raw, McMahon was seen praising The Shield and Mark Henry to Vickie Guerrero, which contradicted his son-in-law's comments to Raw's general manager earlier.

This could and should be the start of a full-blown Vince McMahon heel turn.

Whether it was during the Attitude Era or in his feuds with DX or Donald Trump, McMahon as a heel is so much more intriguing.

He is one of the greatest heels of all time and has a strong ability to get the WWE Universe to despise him.

Having McMahon as a heel opens up so many different doors for the creative team. Imagine the interaction between a heel Mr. McMahon and Paul Heyman.

The feud between the people running the company could also lead to many things, one being a battle for full control of the company, which might also lead to Shane McMahon getting back in the mix.

If McMahon is going to continue to get attention and be involved in storylines, it would be best for the WWE and WWE Universe if he does so as a heel. It is time for the power-hungry, manipulative and greedy Mr. McMahon to come back.

Italy vs. Japan: Confederations Cup Live Score, Highlights, Recap

Michael Cummings — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:23:04 -0400

FIFA Confederations Cup, Group A, Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil

Italy vs. Japan (kickoff Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 6 p.m. ET)

Every team at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup has played one match, and our coverage continues Wednesday with a Group A match between Italy and Japan.

Italy opened with a 2-1 win over Mexico, and Japan lost to hosts Brazil. Depending on the result of the other game in Group A, a win for Italy on Wednesday could both send the Azzurri to the semifinals and eliminate Japan.

There's added intrigue for Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni, who was born in the north Italian town of Meldola.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET, and we'll have full coverage here beginning an hour before kickoff. See you then.

Click here for FIFA.com's preview of the match. Click here for information on the venue for Wednesday's match, Arena Pernambuco in Recife.

Follow @MikeCummings37

Darrelle Revis Reportedly Paid Mark Barron $50K to Keep No. 24 Jersey

Rob Goldberg — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:22:44 -0400

Some professional athletes are really attached to their numbers, and it appears as though Darrelle Revis is one of them.

As Paul Lukas of Uni-Watch reported, "A well-placed source tells me that the amount Darrelle Revis paid to Mark Barron in order to get Barron to give up No. 24 was — get this — $50,000."

It seems like keeping this jersey number is quite important to the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback.

At least this will count as a business expense on his taxes, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell:

Revis was traded from the New York Jets in April for two draft picks, one of them in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He then signed a six-year deal with his new club.

While he has yet to step on the field, he is already making his mark with the rest of the roster by buying the jersey from second-year safety Mark Barron. The young player will now take No. 23 next season.

Interestingly, Revis has only worn No. 24 throughout his NFL career. At Pittsburgh, he wore No. 25 while becoming one of the top defensive players in the country.

This practice of buying a number from a teammate is nothing new, although the numbers have certainly increased over the years.

One of the biggest transactions of this sort was when Clinton Portis paid Ifeanyi Ohalete $40,000 to have No. 26 with the Washington Redskins. Of course, this was eventually settled in court, according to Lee Jenkins of the New York Times.

Still, players have their right to choose what they want to do with their money after deciding what is truly important to them. If they want to spend the price of a new car on a number, they have that option.

They just better hope they do not change teams again any time soon.

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

Notre Dame Football: Burning Questions for Fighting Irish for 2013 Season

Tyler Conway — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:18:55 -0400

Even after their utter evisceration at the hands of Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, the 2013 offseason was supposed to be one of adulation and looking forward to a bright future for the Irish.

Everett Golson was a blossoming young star at quarterback, the defense lost star Manti Te'o but brings back a host of characters—including defensive end Stephon Tuitt—and Brian Kelly's status as something of an instant-oatmeal miracle worker continues to grow.

After looking bleak for so long, things were starting to finally perk up in South Bend.

Yet the early summer months have already turned 2013 into a year of tumult. Golson's dismissal from the school sent shock waves through the Notre Dame community and left some wondering about the viability of this program in the upcoming season.

The young signal-caller was not the overarching reason the Irish were able to make their way to the title game last season, but his expected growth under center had led many to be bullish about the program's chances.

Good things still abound in South Bend, and Kelly still has time to adjust how he looks at this current roster. But that doesn't eliminate the hole Golson leaves on the roster, nor does it obscure Te'o's departure also playing an underrated factor in this team's ceiling.

While we're still a long way from Notre Dame's Aug. 31 kickoff, let's take an early look at some burning questions that need answering if the team looks to contend in 2013.

Tommy Rees Was Named Starting QB. Will He Stay There?

Give this to Kelly—he didn't waste any time naming Golson's replacement under center. A little more than a week after the incumbent Notre Dame starter was dismissed, Kelly announced that 2012 second-string quarterback Tommy Rees would take over, per the South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen.

“We have Tommy Rees, who is an established player, and he will be our starter," Kelly said. "We think Andrew Hendrix and Malik Zaire can contribute, but Tommy will be our starter.”

While the Rees announcement didn't exactly shock anyone, his appointment will come with some uneasiness in South Bend. The senior signal-caller walked into fall camp last year as the expectant starter—he had been a heavy part of Kelly's first two years with the Irish—before losing the job to Golson.

Even last season, Rees played a strangely integral role in Kelly's plan. He closed out Notre Dame's 17-14 win over BYU and was almost viewed as a "closer" for long stretches of the season, with Kelly's faith in Golson seemingly waxing and waning every week. It wasn't the most sensible plan then and it is still baffling now, but Rees' experience in that pressure-cooker should bode well for his chances as a full-time starter.

Dave Miller of the National Football Post even noted a particularly promising statistic with Rees' red-zone numbers:

All of these things are well and good. They just obscure the most salient question: Is Tommy Rees any good over a long-term sample size?

That answer is far more unsettled. Rees spent the entire 2011 season oscillating between spectacular and dreadful—one game looking like the next in Notre Dame's long lineage of great quarterbacks and the very next moment being the subject of derision. His complete inability to hold onto the ball cost him the job last season, with Kelly preferring the Golson's steadiness over Rees' erraticism.

Kelly has maintained that Rees won't have to fight to keep his job this time around. His experience under center obviously plays a major factor in that decision, especially with a team expected to be among the nation's best

But should Rees come into camp and struggle again? It will be interesting to see if and how Kelly's answers change should Hendrix or Zaire start showing real flashes in August.

Can Troy Niklas Replace Tyler Eifert?

The answer to this question might loom large in answering the ones left by the Golson's suspension. Even if Golson was returning for his redshirt sophomore campaign, the youngster would be doing so without his biggest safety valve, Tyler Eifert.

Eifert, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals No. 21 overall in April's NFL draft, made 50 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns last season—all statistics in which he led the team or was tied for the lead.

But more important than Eifert's counting stats was the role he played within the Irish's offensive attack. Kelly, long known for his more spread-oriented offense at Cincinnati, has noticeably shaved off his innovator label with the Irish to adjust to his personnel.

That's the mark of a great coach, one that can morph to any situation.

The adjustment for Kelly, though, has been to go almost holistically traditional and conservative. Notre Dame's longest completion of the season last year was 50 yards, which was only done twice and only once for a touchdown.

Golson's progressions consisted almost entirely of a web of intermediate and short passes, ones designed to keep the chains moving, the clock running and (hopefully) end with points. Whether that was three or seven was often irrelevant, though everyone obviously prefers the latter.

Eifert was almost inarguably the Irish's most important cog in that lineup, a man who helped enable the them to still finish among the nation's best passing offenses from a metric perspective. His ability to run subtle underneath routes and always find a pocket in the defense—even when he was the third or fourth progression in Golson's reads—was critical.

Replacing a player with that skill set obviously isn't going to be easy.

Junior Troy Niklas is expected to take the bulk of that workload. A converted linebacker, Niklas has all the physical tools to make it happen. At 6'7", he's a hulking presence who commands the respect of defenses and seemed to pick up on the position well last season.

Plus, Notre Dame has a pretty good history of developing tight ends over recent years. It's hard to see Niklas having the same effect as Eifert, who was the nation's best tight end, but the production shouldn't fall off a cliff.

Notre Dame's Defense Is Good. Is It Great?

We can sit and talk about questions on the Irish offense for days. I haven't even mentioned the departures of Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick, both of whom represented a great deal of the Notre Dame attack. While that's mostly because George Atkinson III and Amir Carlisle should be able to handle sharing the workload, their ascent isn't without some concern.

What this season will really come down to, though, is how the Irish defense responds to their biggest losses.

The name Manti Te'o has become more synonymous with his off-the-field story, so it's easy to obscure what a phenomenal player he was in South Bend. He was the unquestioned leader of the Irish defense, emotionally and physically, and finished second in the Heisman voting. This isn't a guy you can just shrug at losing, even if the Irish have a strong stable of linebackers waiting to take over.

Also gone are stalwarts in defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore and safety Zeke Motta.

Jamoris Slaughter went to the NFL as well, though he missed most of last season with an injury; to add him in with those players would be a bit of a disservice.

Don't get it twisted, losing these players isn't insurmountable. Stephon Tuitt is one of the best, if not the best, defensive ends in the country, Louis Nix is equally brilliant inside, and the return of talented cornerback Lo Wood should give Notre Dame come comfort in almost every area. Linebacker isn't worth worrying about because it'll be just fine: Te'o was a great player, but the Irish will be able to find a decent facsimile of his production if not his leadership.

This should be a very good defense. The answer to whether it's a great one—and possibly the answer to whether Notre Dame will be a BCS bowl candidate this season—could come down to the safety spot. Nicky Baratti and Matthias Farley are both wholly unproven commodities, both having a chance to soar into the stars or make the Notre Dame defense have a leaky back half.

Overall, it's a good problem to have. The Irish will have one of the 20 best defenses in the country this season even if the safety duo gives below-average production. Then again, Notre Dame excelled last season because of the transcendence of its defense; merely being good won't be good enough.

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Michigan Football: Biggest Questions Going Into 2013 Season

Joseph Zucker — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:15:02 -0400

Brady Hoke has some major issues to deal with before the season if Michigan is going to improve upon its 2012 showing.

It's safe to say that last season didn't exactly go according to plan. The Wolverines were ranked eighth in the preseason AP Poll but only managed to finish 8-5 and 24th in the final rankings.

Despite a couple of major losses for Michigan, Hoke should be able to get his team right back near the top of the Big Ten again.

Here are the three biggest questions that need to be answered if Michigan is to get there.

Can Devin Gardner Lead the Michigan Offense?

The blunt answer is that he better be able to do so.

Russell Bellomy tore his anterior cruciate ligament back in April. It's going to take a superhuman recovery to get him back on the field in 2013. Shane Morris is only a freshman, so you'd think Michigan will want to redshirt him this season. He's out as an option. And MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner reported Hoke isn't looking to bring in a transfer.

Devin Gardner should be able to handle the load. The Wolverines won't need him to win the Heisman Trophy. As long as he can move the offense and limit turnovers, Michigan should be just fine.

Gardner did very well in replacing Denard Robinson last season. He completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also threw four fewer interceptions than Robinson.

While not quite the athlete that Robinson is, Gardner is arguably a better pure passer. He should fit in well with Hoke and Al Borges' offense. Plus, he's got more than enough speed to create more time for himself in the pocket.

Athlon Sports named Gardner to the preseason All-Big Ten third team. He's got the talent to be the guy for Michigan. Now if he gets hurt, the Wolverines will have a major problem on their hands.

Who Will Be the Starting Running Back?

Along with Robinson went a majority of the Wolverines' ground game as well. Here's a breakdown of Michigan's top four runners (Note: Devin Gardner was the fourth-leading rusher with 101 yards.)

Back in March, Fitzgerald Toussaint was coming along very well from the broken tibia and fibula he suffered against Iowa. There's no doubting he'll be ready by the time the season begins. The bigger question is whether he'll really be that needed.

The Wolverines are welcoming in 5-star running back Derrick Green. 247Sports had him ranked as the 26th-best recruit of the 2013 class.

Green is a powerful back who's got very good speed for his size (6'0", 220 lbs.). He has the body and style that will allow him to be the starter against Central Michigan.

Throw in the fact that Hoke hasn't been knocked off his feet by anybody in spring practice and you've got quite a battle between Toussaint and Green.

As things stand now, Hoke will probably give Toussaint the majority of the carries, with Green getting the nod as the season goes on. There will no doubt be a big transition from high school football to the FBS, but Green will be ready for it.

While he's not a finished product, the freshman has more than enough to become an impact player right away for the Wolverines. With a little experience under his belt, he should flourish in Ann Arbor.

Will the Wolverines Be Able to Fix the Turnover Problem?

Turnovers are the kind of thing that generally tend to even out over a period of time. If you had a really good turnover margin one year, you should probably expect that to level off a little bit in the next season.

Hoke will be hopeful that is the case for Michigan. The Wolverines finished tied for 99th in the nation last season in turnover margin. They turned the ball over 27 times, while getting it back 18 times.

You simply can't be a national title or BCS contender and turn the ball over that much and have such a poor turnover differential.

Part of this problem was due to the turnover-prone play of Robinson, who threw nine interceptions. He also had trouble holding on to the ball at times, as well.

Even if Michigan holds on to the ball better offensively in 2013, it still needs to improve on the defensive side. The Wolverines only intercepted seven passes (tied for 96th) and recovered 11 fumbles (51st in the nation).

The return of Blake Countess will be a huge boost to the secondary. Athlon has him listed as preseason third-team All-Big Ten.

You're not going to see Michigan turn around its turnover problems and get near the top of the list, but the Wolverines should be much better in forcing the opposing team to cough up the ball.

New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves Live Blog: Instant Reactions and Analysis

Joe Diglio — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:14:09 -0400

The New York Mets (26-40) and Atlanta Braves (42-29) continue their five-game series at Turner Field tonight with the nightcap of a doubleheader.

The Braves won the first game of the series after a lengthy rain delay Monday night on Freddie Freeman's walk-off home run. Less than 12 hours later, the Mets turned around and won today's matinee, 4-3. Atlanta's Alex Wood, who had previously pitched only in relief, lasted just three innings in his first career start due to bleeding on his pitching hand, via SB Nation's talkingchop.com.

Another pitcher gets his first career start as the Mets call up Zack Wheeler to make his major league debut. He will face off against Paul Maholm (7-5, 3.65 ERA) tonight, with the game scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. ET.

Stay tuned here for updates throughout tonight's game.

When: 7:10 p.m. ET

Where: Turner Field, Atlanta, GA

Watch: SNY (NY), SPSO (ATL)

Rafael Nadal's Opening Rounds Will Be Key to Success at Wimbledon

Tim Keeney — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:07:06 -0400

For Rafael Nadal, it's not a question of talent or ability on the grass—his five career Wimbledon finals appearances and two titles are evidence of that—but of rust.

Not overall rust. In nine tournaments since returning from a seven-month injury hiatus, Rafa has made a staggering eight finals in a row, including wins in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome before emerging victorious at Roland Garros for a record eighth time.

After such a dominant run, it's apparent that he's back to form.

Instead, the only thing potentially holding Nadal back at the All-England Club will be rust on the grass.

It's been two years since he has had success on the semi-fast surface.

After advancing to the 2011 Wimbledon final before eventually bowing out against Novak Djokovic, Nadal was looking for redemption in 2012.

But he came nowhere close to that.

He lost to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarterfinals at the Gerry Weber Open before finding himself on the wrong end of the most shocking upset of the year when he lost to then-world No. 100 Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon.

That was his final match before his extended absence.

Fast-forward to present day and Nadal is getting prepared for Wimbledon with no grass warm-ups under his belt:

All things considered, we're going to know very early on whether we're getting the Nadal that has won an unbelievable 85.71 percent of his matches at the All-England Club or the Nadal that hasn't played a healthy match on grass for over 700 days.

As such, his first few matches—albeit against lesser opponents—will be vital in his overall tournament success. How he trains, how he adjusts to different adversaries and different styles and how his knee reacts to the grass will all be extremely important.

Nadal admitted to Sky Sports how important it will be to hastily get back into the flow of things:

"I am going without having trained on grass and it is a surface that you have to understand, learn once again and know how to play the points and focus in the right manner in certain situations," said the world No 5.

"I have gone practically two years without playing on grass because last year I arrived in very bad condition due to the knee, just as much in Halle as at Wimbledon.

"So I have to work from today, doing things right and trying my hardest in every training session, which is the only way to arrive at the first round in good condition."

Moreover, the opening rounds are when the grass is fastest and Nadal is most susceptible.

It will be more difficult for him to display his world-class defensive abilities, not to mention we still don't know how his knee will fare on a surface faster than clay. But as the days pass and more tennis is played, the grass will slow and Nadal will be the benefactor.

This is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Wimbledon tournaments in recent memory.

If Nadal's condition turns out to be a concern in the opening rounds, you could see another early exit.

If he passes the eye test and gets past the first week, however, his sixth championship appearance is all but inevitable.

Antonio Cesaro's Alliance with Zeb Colter Will Earn Him Money in the Bank Spot

Ryan Dilbert — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:01:23 -0400

Strange as their pairing might be, it will be Antonio Cesaro's partnership with Zeb Colter that will assure him a spot in one of the Money in the Bank matches.

Colter introduced Cesaro as his newest solider before his match against William Regal on Monday's WWE Raw, a move that signals at least a minor push for him.

It's a move that increases WWE's options when coming up with storylines for Cesaro and one that doubles his reaction from the crowd.

WWE has seemingly been unsure what to do with Cesaro, a throwback wrestler with phenomenal mat skills.

The company first tried to make use of Cesaro's ability to speak multiple languages by having him say a single word in five languages. However there was little Cesaro could do with that angle. It wasn't as if he could really use it to spark a feud or generate heat.

Fans have booed WWE's bad guys for many reasons, but booing him because he was multilingual didn't have a ton of promise.

Cesaro slid from gimmick tweak to gimmick tweak. He scoffed at America's obesity issues, wore a beret and even tried yodeling. With Colter at his side, he can go back to his most successful heat magnet in which he talked down to Americans.

Yodeling might annoy folks, but constant condescension and self-righteousness can dig deep. Colter has done that superbly recently and Cesaro can be a lot more involved in his speeches than Jack Swagger has been.

Colter has largely focused on immigration when speaking about what ills America. Cesaro talked mostly about the country's excess and materialism.

Together they can form a duo of smug, proud men needling the audience into hating them.

Combining the heat garnered by both men and Swagger when he returns can create far more momentum than Cesaro had earlier. Without Colter, without this new, clearer direction, Cesaro might have been left out of the Money in the Bank mix the way he was left out of WrestleMania 29, Extreme Rules and Payback.

Side by side with Colter, Cesaro now makes an ideal foe for Sin Cara.

There could also be tension between him and Swagger down the line, but in the next few weeks the Colter-Cesaro partnership helps the former United States champ raise his profile enough to assure him a spot in a Money in the Bank match.

Cesaro's talent is aided by the controversy that surrounds Colter. Colter's added heat elevates him to the point where he beats out borderline Money in the Bank entrants.

Having Colter on his team had Swagger go from essentially a jobber to competing for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. The initial hype over Colter's propaganda has certainly died down, but his presence will definitely help Cesaro.

Colter will be pounding the ring apron in encouragement as Cesaro joins the many Superstars battling for the Money in the Bank briefcase on July 14.

Kevin Youkilis Will Miss 10-12 Weeks After Undergoing Back Surgery

Justin Onslow — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:57:08 -0400

It may be a while before the New York Yankees receive any contributions from third baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reported on Monday that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was concerned over Youkilis' status following a lumbar strain the veteran sustained in the team’s 18-inning loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.

Instead of good news, however, the Yankees learned Youkilis will need back surgery to repair a herniated disc and is expected to miss 10-to-12 weeks of action, as reported by Aaron Gleeman of NBC Sports:

Given the initial timetable for his return, Youkilis could face missing the remainder of the season after batting just .219 in 28 games with the Yankees thus far in 2013. Considering the team’s mounting list of injuries, even that subpar production will be missed from the lineup.

Mark Teixeira is back on the disabled list, as reported by Feinsand, joining Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Eduardo Nunez and Francisco Cervelli. If the Yankees’ injury problems continue to pile up, they could be entering dangerous territory in a tight AL East race.

At 38-31, New York is three games back of the Boston Red Sox and just two games ahead of the fourth-place Tampa Bay Rays. In the middle of a recent 4-6 skid and with even more uncertainty at key positions, New York is facing an uphill battle to stay afloat in the division.

Youkilis signed with the Yankees last offseason on a one-year, $12 million contract in hopes of replacing some of Rodriguez’s production as he tries to get back into playing shape. Instead, the former Red Sox slugger tallied just two home runs and eight RBI this season.

His injury now leaves the Yankees with yet another hole to fill.

Is It Time for the Yankees to Shut Mark Teixeira Down for the Rest of 2013?

Chris Stephens — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:54:31 -0400

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is headed back to the disabled list with the same injury to his wrist. Is it time for him to shut it down for the year?

Mark Teixeira is going on DL. No surprise. Yankees bringing back RHP Adam Warren. Heard OF Zoilo Almonte could be added too.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) June 18, 2013

After returning from the disabled list, Teixeira played in 15 games, batting .151 with three home runs and 12 RBI.

With everything that's gone on with Teixeira this year, is it time for the New York Yankees to shut him down for season-ending surgery and get him ready for 2014?

Background

Teixeira originally hurt his wrist while taking batting practice for Team USA in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.

It was a freak thing that happened with nobody to blame.

What made it nice for the Yankees was the fact that the WBC payed Teixeira's salary ($7.38 million) while he was out.

Since the Yankees brought him off the DL, they're now on the hook for the remainder of his season's contract.

Why Surgery is the Best Thing

Surgery is the route the Yankees and Teixeira need to go.

If he just stays on the disabled list until he feels ready to go, the same thing is going to happen. He'll play on it for a few weeks and then it will tweak again.

Then what?

Surgery would be the next course of action.

The Yankees have been doing fine with Teixeira out of the lineup. With Teixeira out of the lineup, the Yankees are 32-23. With him in the lineup, they were 6-8, including losing their last five games.

Injuries are nothing new for the Yankees this year, as they've dealt with a whole slew of them.

From Derek Jeter to Alex Rodriguez to Curtis Granderson to Kevin Youkilis, the Yankees are literally the walking wounded.

But that hasn't stopped them from being seven games above .500 and only three games back in the AL East.

Moves the Yankees Can Make

While New York was counting on Teixeira to be in the lineup at this point (and he could still return), they can still make moves to help the team.

They can make a trade for multiple first basemen who are free agents after this season. Paul Konerko (the White Sox owe him), Kendrys Morales and Michael Morse could all be had for a decent price.

All three bring power and wouldn't be in the way of Teixeira coming back next year.

They could also move Youkilis to first and trade for someone like Michael Young.

What the Yankees can't afford is for Teixeira to do more damage to his wrist by playing. Doing so could risk part of the 2014 season if he isn't careful.

There are options on the table. The Yankees just have to save their first baseman from himself and do what's in the best interest of the team. After all, he's still got three years and $67.5 million left on his contract.

Minnesota Twins: What to Make of 1B/RF Chris Parmelee

Tom Schreier — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:52:59 -0400

In my mind, Chris Parmelee is like a baby Trevor Plouffe. This is confusing, of course, because the latter is occasionally referred to as Babe Plouffe due to his ability to hit the long ball (and because of his Ryan Gosling looks). Plouffe, by the way, is a baby Josh Willingham. All three players are selective with what pitches they hit, occasionally get beaned and are power hitters at heart.

Willingham, of course, is nobody’s baby because he is all that is man. Willingham is the master; Plouffe and Parmelee are his disciples.

So, just to keep everything straight: Parmelee is 25, Plouffe is 27 and Willingham is 34, or as the good book says, “Willingham begat Plouffe who begat Parmelee.”

It may be hard for people to believe that I am comparing Parmelee to Plouffe. After all, Plouffe hit 24 home runs last year and Parmelee hit five. But there are similarities that go beyond their bats.

Plouffe is a converted shortstop that spent time in right field before settling in at third base. Parmelee spent most of his time in the minors playing first base, but moved to right field in order to accommodate Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.

Parmelee raked in Triple-A, hitting .338/.457/.645 with 17 home runs in Rochester and put up similar numbers at all his stops in the minor leagues.

Two years ago, at age 23, he was brought up directly from Double-A—where he hit .282/.355/.416 with 19 home runs in two seasons—and killed it in his short big league stint. He hit .355/.443/.592 with four homers in 21 games.

Things slowed down a bit for Parmelee last season. He split time between Rochester and Minneapolis, hitting only .229/.290/.380 with five home runs in 64 games at Target Field. He spent 38 games at first base but had to move around the outfield in order to keep his spot on the team.

Parmelee has had spurts of greatness this season. He hit a bomb against the Orioles in Baltimore that probably landed in a different area code. He has played 60 games already and has similar numbers to last year—.223/.302/.346 with five home runs.

“I feel good at the plate,” he says. “The numbers aren’t where I’d like them to be. I’ll do whatever I can to get the runners in, get a run over—hit some balls hard and hit some soft ones for hits."

“It all evens out at the end of the year.”

Parmelee is being pilloried for those numbers. While fans tend to acknowledge his ability to hit home runs, they say he hits too many squibblers that stay in the infield and too many fly balls right at fielders.

NBC's Aaron Gleeman writes, “[The] jury is very much still out on whether Parmelee is part of the future anyway,” while acknowledging how well he played in his debut and during his stint in the minors.

In short, there is a feeling among many fans that Parmelee can take care of business in the minors but struggles to produce in the big leagues. The “Quad-A” label has been thrown around from time to time.

Take a look at Plouffe, though. He did not play at age 23, like Parmelee, but he batted .146/.143/.317 with two home runs at age 24 in 2010 and .238/.305/.392 with eight homers the next year at age 25. At that time, people were saying the same thing about him: He’s a great minor league hitter, but can’t produce in the majors.

After all, Plouffe reached Triple-A at age 22 but spent six seasons at that level. While his numbers were impressive (.261/.316/.449 with 47 home runs), they did not mean much unless he could replicate them in the big leagues.

Last season, however, Plouffe hit 24 home runs with a .235/.301/.455 line and probably would have hit 30 if he had not had a nagging thumb injury that set him back immediately after a hot streak. It is no coincidence that that production came both when he entered his prime at age 26, but also when the team assigned Willingham to a locker spot next to his.

This year, he is hitting .264/.344/.457 with five homers. But the injury bug got him again. He suffered a concussion and then had his calf flare up following an eight-game hit streak, but Plouffe returned to face the Tigers on his birthday and hit a home run to celebrate.

Safe to say, I think he’s doing just fine.

Here’s the similarity between the two Southern Californian sluggers: At age 25, people thought they were “Quad-A” players. But, remember, as soon as Plouffe entered his prime, at age 26, his production jumped.

And, for the record, Parmelee’s locker is right next to Plouffe’s.

The biggest difference between Plouffe and Parmelee is that it was the former’s bat that kept him in the lineup, where Parmelee’s defense is likely to keep him on the field.

Parmelee has an incredible ability to play the ball off the wall, which compliments his arm strength and allows him to throw players out at second or relay a ball to home plate.

“He works really hard at it,” says manager Ron Gardenhire. “He’s got quick feet, and he’s got a nice spin that’s under control—he’s very accurate with his throws."

“That throw to second base is one of those throws where, if you play it off the wall well, he’ll have a lot of chances [to throw people out].”

Parmelee primarily played first base in the minors and people questioned his ability to man right field when the Twins placed him there this season. “It's interesting that the Twins are using Parmelee in right field,” wrote Gleeman last year. “Because he figures to be below average there and played zero innings in the outfield for Rochester.”

Parmelee’s biggest asset in the field is his ability to play the ball off the wall; a task is more difficult than it appears.

“The wall here, it’s really tough,” says Gardenhire. “There’s a lot of things out there that it can hit.”

“It seems like there are 15 different surfaces out there, with the limestone fence, wood, padding, tin—a little bit of tin, concrete,” says Parmelee.

Yes, there is a little bit of tin in right field.

“Where the scoreboard is in right-center, the big screen, right above it is almost like a rain sheet of tin,” he continues. “Every once and a while, it’s pretty rare, but you see a ball come off that and just die.”

All the surfaces play differently. If the ball hits the scoreboard, it goes straight down. If it hits the concrete, it jumps farther than it would if it hits the padding. The wood is somewhere in between. The limestone fence is a complete wild card.

“It’s definitely repetition,” says Parmelee. “Sometimes there’s not much you can do about it. It’s just knowing how the ball is going to go."

“If you know that the ball is going to hit the plywood, repetition tells you how hard it is going to come off and where you need to be.”

Every park has a unique design, so when Parmelee goes on the road, he will take time during batting practice to practice playing balls off the wall.

“We’ll have a guy, usually Scottie Ullger, our outfield coach, he’ll hit balls down the line just to see how [they play],” he says. “Just because sometimes stadiums come to a point and sometimes they curve, so during batting practice we’ll get out there on the first day and throw some balls off the walls.”

“He fields balls off that bat,” says Gardenhire. “He takes a lot of pride in it and that’s a start.”

Parmelee says he has the AL Central parks down for the most part, but playing in an unfamiliar park, like when they traveled to D.C. to play the Washington Nationals in the beginning of June, is particularly difficult.

“The places you go the least,” he says. “You definitely have to do a bigger refresher course.”

As soon as he finished his sentence, Willingham, who had just received a cortisone shot in his knee, walked by and gave him a purple nipple. Parmelee froze for a few seconds, waiting until he thought Willingham was out of earshot. “Ow!” he expressed in pseudo-anger, half chuckling as he said it. There was a smile on his face, but also a little wince once his shirt finally untwisted.

That too was a refresher course; a reminder that Willingham may be 34, may have just gotten a cortisone shot and may only be hitting .211/.352/.411 with 10 home runs, but he’s still the man around here.

Tom Schreier covers Minnesota sports for Bleacher Report and is a contributor to Yahoo! Sports.

Follow @tschreier3

Chelsea Transfer Rumours: Four Attainable Players on Jose Mourinho's Radar

Joe Krishnan — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:52:53 -0400

As the summer transfer window starts to gather pace, clubs are beginning to prepare for the new season ahead.

One of the busier clubs this summer is likely to be Chelsea, with the West London outfit naming Jose Mourinho as their new manager on a four-year deal earlier this month.

The appointment of the Portuguese tactician, combined with the club's back-to-back European titles, mean that they can attract some of the world's best players to the club.

As expected, the Blues were linked with some big-money moves in the early weeks, with Radamel Falcao regarded as a top target. However, the Colombian opted to join ambitious French club Monaco, and perhaps highlights how competitive the market will be for transfers.

That being said, Chelsea have never been afraid to splash the cash, and have already agreed to a deal for Germany forward Andre Schurrle.

Here we take a look at who could be joining the 22-year-old at Stamford Bridge next season, and playing under one of the best coaches in the world.

Edinson Cavani

The Napoli forward is currently with Uruguay on international duty at the Confederations Cup in Brazil, but that has not stopped rumours linking the lethal frontman with a move away from the Partenopei. The 26-year-old has just completed his best season since moving to Europe in 2007, scoring 29 Serie A goals in 34 appearances to finish the campaign as top scorer in the division.

Cavani is an all-around quality striker with supreme aerial ability, and is one of the most composed strikers in front of goal. Currently part of a dangerous front three involving Marek Hamsik and Lorenzo Insigne, the former Palermo man is being tipped to leave the Italian league runners-up after three seasons at the San Paolo.

Cavani recently admitted that he would love to play under Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini, per The Guardian, and his words have engineered some interest as Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid battle for his signature. Chelsea have reportedly had two bids for Cavani turned down by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, per Daily Mail, although according to The Telegraph, the world-class forward favours a move to the Spanish giants.

Marco van Ginkel

Holland have experienced an unexpected rise in producing young playmakers in recent years, and following in the footsteps of the likes of Wesley Sneijder is Vitesse Arnhem's creative genius Marco van Ginkel.

The 20-year-old was one of the bright lights in Holland's disappointing Under-21 Championship campaign, scoring in the 3-2 defeat of Germany and putting on a mature display which would have had visiting scouts going back to their clubs with glowing reports.

The highly rated Dutchman can operate either as a central midfielder or as a playmaker, and in the latter position, he scored 12 goals and made 10 for his teammates in all competitions this season. Chelsea were reported by Goal.com to have agreed terms with van Ginkel, although these claims were denied by the youngster while he was in Israel.

According to ESPN, the Blues may face competition from Manchester United as David Moyes looks to make his mark as manager of the Red Devils. Nevertheless, the blooming partnership between Chelsea and Vitesse could see a deal go through without any hitches should Mourinho want to sign him.

Geoffrey Kondogbia

Ever since they lost Claude Makelele to Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea have struggled to replace the Frenchman. But it seems that a candidate has emerged in the form of Geoffrey Kondogbia, despite only moving to Sevilla last summer.

Kondogbia could follow Mourinho out of La Liga to the Premier League after showing some outstanding form at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, gathering admirers from Real Madrid and Manchester United, according to the Independent.

Just 20 years old, he tends to float around just in front of the back four, protecting them from any danger that the opposition attack poses. Previous managers Roberto Di Matteo and Rafa Benitez have tested out several players in the position, such as David Luiz and John Obi Mikel.

Sevilla are financially struggling and have already flogged Jesus Navas to Manchester City, but a lucrative offer around the £10 million mark could force their hand. And with the future of Michael Essien unclear after his loan spell, Kondogbia could be the long-term option to replace him.

Eliaquim Mangala

Arsenal will know all about Eliaquim Mangala, as the towering centre-half scored against the Gunners whilst playing for Standard Liege in the Champions League.

Now at Porto and a full international for France, Mangala is one of the most coveted defenders in Europe at present after forming a solid defensive partnership with Nicolas Otamendi as the Portuguese giants sealed yet another title.

The 22-year-old is a strong, pacey and composed defender who also chips in with the odd goal, scoring four times for his side last season. According to Sky Sports, Mourinho is said to be interested in raiding his former club to bring the 6'2" man to West London.

However, the Blues will face a fight to bring him to Stamford Bridge, with Manchester City and PSG tracking his progress, although a fee of around £30 million would be enough to trigger his release clause.

2013 NBA Finals: Why Game 6 Won't Define LeBron James' Legacy

Brett Gering — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:52:18 -0400

Every June, LeBron James and the word "legacy" are bonded tighter than someone licking an Alaskan pole after flunking the cinnamon challenge.

Nearly three years ago, The Decision baited middle-aged men into a TV trance—hands locked, jaws dropped and eyes superglued to flat screens like giddy cheerleaders watching The Bachelor finale.

Ten minutes before the announcement, James was an athletic demigod moonlighting as a franchise savior. After he uttered, "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach," he was demoted to a fraudulent, subhuman two-timer.

The sequel to his vilification came in the form of the Big Three's introduction: a pyrotechnic ambush that purveyed a hint less color than a raving Teletubby.

The triad basked in the multicolored glow, channeling the aura of a band reuniting for one last surprise performance before accepting a lifetime achievement award.

Chris Bosh let out a Jurassic "Are you not entertained?"-like shriek. Dwyane Wade looked like someone who was keenly aware of the surrounding corniness but was contractually obligated to pay off a bet. James posed like he was just awarded silver in Olympic vaulting.

The shooting star's crash landing in South Beach buried Twitter's servers under cemented vitriol, and the lion's share of it was well deserved.

But none of it should define James' legacy—a word whose meaning has become watered down in the past decade.

Heat of the Moment

Before his first finals appearance in a Miami Heat uniform, it was clear that James' initial uphill climb wouldn't end at the mountaintop; it would end at the surface of the grave he had dug.

And it began.

Leading up to the 2011 NBA Finals, hordes of critics doubled as part-time psychics and capped James' legacy.

That trend only intensified throughout the 2012 playoffs—one year removed from the Heat's celebrated finals demise.

Ten days later:

Following his successful title run—in which he averaged 28.6 points, 7.4 assists, 10.2 rebounds and drained 82.6 percent of his free throws during the finals—James was greeted with two distinctly different sentiments.

A fragment of the sporting world took the feat for what it was: one championship. It wasn't a coronation, but it verified his greatness.

However, a larger faction of contentious critics rallied their troops, emboldened the letters on their picket signs and nostalgically protested down memory lane.

Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote:

Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and [Michael] Jordan all had help, but their championship teams weren’t store-bought. Jordan helped make Scottie Pippen an all-star. He nurtured his supporting cast. LeBron created his — at least the key elements of it.

Valid point. But if the Big Three's final destination would have rerouted to Cleveland instead of Miami, would that have added an extra coating of credibility to James and his championship?

Due to their organizations' quasi-monopolies on talent and disproportionate spending ceilings, should no New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox have a place in the pantheon of baseball? Should an asterisk overshadow Mariano Rivera's saves record?

Absurd, right?

On the hardwood, Jordan still hails as the greatest player of all time—the king of contrarians wouldn't dispute that. However, he wasn't as immortal as his glory years would suggest.

Before Pippen arrived, Jordan tallied a 1-9 postseason record throughout his first trio of seasons with the Chicago Bulls. At one point, the franchise was even tempted to trade the icon to the Los Angeles Clippers following his fourth year in the league. Meanwhile, James propelled a spectacularly average Cavaliers squad—whose second-leading scorer was Larry Hughes—to the NBA Finals in his fourth tour.

During Jordan's rookie campaign (age 21), the Bulls notched 11 more victories than the previous season; the win total for James' (age 19) Cleveland Cavaliers ballooned by 18.

But unlike Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, James had no help in Cleveland—a small market that, in the eyes of free agents, is dwarfed by the appeal of Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.

Instead, the four-time regular-season MVP was a victim of his own success. Over the course of his stay, Cleveland consistently drafted in the latter half of the first round, if not the second. The Cavaliers were never in position to snatch a Pippen-like talent at No. 5 overall.

Ultimately, there were two choices: break hearts and join a title contender or remain stubbornly loyal and risk becoming basketball's Dan Marino—a legend whose only championship rings come in the form of echoed criticism for not winning any.

In the poorly constructed teeter-totter that was The Decision, legacy eventually outweighed its competition.

Broken Records

In an effort to satisfy their own vindictive narrative, the majority of James' antagonists still view his career through a narrow kaleidoscope. Choice media figures rope-a-dope their audience into judging No. 6's legacy through a narrow prism and buying into smoke and mirrors.

In 2013, yesterday's obscure shock jocks have graduated to today's voices of reason (at least, for the large number of willing listeners). Ratings depend on headlines, and headlines' primary source of circulation aren't newspapers, but social media.

With a 24-hour news cycle, standing out from the competition is like finding Waldo at Busch Stadium.

Controversy sells, so bold statements get retweeted.

And judging by Twitter, James' legacy fluctuates like Metta World Peace's mood rings.

Over time, sports—alongside politics and religion—have become the third member of a molotov cocktail for public venues.

They used to simply be games melded with statistics. To a casual fan, the name of Ty Cobb is synonymous with one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, not with a racist who allegedly pounded on a handicapped heckler.

But today, in the court of public opinion, a player's character determines their value nearly as much as their talent. Tim Tebow's legion of fans—or at this point, groupies—can't ascertain why he's not a starting quarterback, despite the fact that he scans defenses like a Rubik's Cube and catapults passes that look like drunken frisbees.

Whether you base James' legacy on numbers or character, nobody with a shred of objectivity can relegate him to second-tier stature and justify it.

Rounded off, he currently averages 28 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals per game throughout his postseason career.

Amongst his scrapbook of achievements, James became the first player in league history to post at least 40 points in their road playoff debut; the only player to tally 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 100 steals in four consecutive seasons, and he holds the postseason record for most consecutive points (25) scored by a player for one team.

James captured the regular-season MVP, finals MVP, NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal last year.

If numbers are the argument for denigrating James' historical status, they don't add up.

People were right to lambaste his lapse of judgment throughout the 2010 offseason. But if bulletproof decision-making is a prerequisite for all-time greatness, Hall of Fames would house more tumbleweeds than busts.

If rings dictated legacies, sons would be begging their parents for Air Horrys.

The truth is that most of James' denouncers don't hate him. Conversely, they were on the verge of loving him in 2010, but he rejected their proposal and doused salt in open wounds.

But resentments shouldn't distort reality, and the reality is that the polarizing playmaker is a transcendent talent that comes along once every generation.

"Legacy games" aren't predicted; they're assessed.

Game 6 is just as likely to be forgotten by July as it is to sprout a defining moment in one player's career.

Legacies normally aren't written until the author's laid to rest.

In LeBron James' case, the only people writing him off are the ones that have already decided his fate.

Statistics provided by Basketball-Reference.com.

Brett's Twitter: Follow @BrettGering

Brett's Email: gering.brett@gmail.com

Do Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher's Tough Stances Help or Hurt Recruiting?

Lisa Horne — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:51:35 -0400

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said no. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said no, then changed his mind. Are there potential recruiting repercussions for schools who place severe restrictions on players who want out?

We may find out next year.

Cowboys quarterback Wes Lunt transferred to Illinois, but only after he was originally restricted from transferring to 37 schools by Gundy. On June 18, Lunt went on Illinois radio station Channel 1450 and said that Gundy had lifted most of the transfer restrictions, according to an ESPN report. Lunt will sit out 2013 since he transferred to an FBS school.

Defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes committed to Notre Dame in February but had not enrolled at the school. On June 4, the 5-star defensive tackle announced he would play at UCLA.

The Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton tweeted that Notre Dame would not release him from his national letter of intent, which meant Vanderdoes would not only sit out this year at UCLA but would lose a year of eligibility. CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman reported that Vanderdoes will appeal by trying to make the case that he transferred due to a family medical crisis.

Florida State did not give 5-star linebacker Matthew Thomas many options. Thomas wanted to go to Georgia or USC, but his mother would only sign his LOI if he selected Florida State, according to an ESPN report. Thomas recently issued a statement on his decision to stay at Florida State.

Three well-publicized cases of players having second thoughts have resulted in three different outcomes. Will those decisions hurt future recruiting classes?

Gundy took a hard line but softened it. Oklahoma State should not see any negative impact on its future recruiting classes.

For Notre Dame and Florida State, however, the results may have a different outcome.

Neither Vanderdoes nor Thomas had set foot in their classrooms before announcing their intent to play at another school. Vanderdoes was willing to give up one year of eligibility in order to not attend Notre Dame. Thomas was reportedly also willing to do the same, according to his father.

That is a big statement from both of them, more so for Vanderdoes.

Notre Dame has seen a rash of negative publicity. The Manti Te'o hoax, the 42-14 beatdown from Alabama in the BCS National Championship, the unexpected decision of starting running back Cierre Wood to enter the 2013 NFL draft, the transfers of receivers Davonte' Neal and Justin Ferguson, and the announcement that starting quarterback Everett Golson was no longer enrolled at the school have kept Notre Dame in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Both schools' tough stances have sent a clear message—if you sign with us and decide to leave, you will suffer heavy consequences. For a 17-year-old unsure of his decision on signing day, that message may dissuade him from considering those two schools down the road.

Not many fans will argue against the schools' decisions to do what is in their best interests. The coaches have to hold players accountable for their decisions or college football would look like the NFL's free agency. But there is a difference between a high school senior and a grown man being held accountable.

Many teenagers have the attention span of a kitten. Is keeping a kid who initially implied he signed his LOI under duress but is not leaving a Florida State victory?

In his statement, Thomas said that he was "looking forward to winning games at Florida State." Most kids want to win games wherever they are play, so that is stating the obvious. Thomas also noted "after gathering the information, I have decided to honor my commitment to Florida State." That is not a ringing endorsement. That reads more like "after seeing my options and their consequences, I'm sticking it out due to a signature."

If Thomas decides to stay at Florida State at the end of the academic year, then the fracas will be forgotten. That would help recruiting. Not wanting to go to a school but ending up staying is a great recruiting tool. Football in Florida is fun.

If Thomas decides to transfer, though, that could negatively impact the Seminoles' recruiting efforts.

Thomas will have been in Tallahassee for a full year because of his mother's strong influence. Essentially being forced to honor a commitment by coaches who can leave without a one-year show cause does not sit well with bleeding hearts. The kid loses one year of eligibility, but a coach who decides to leave for another school does not—his contract's financial penalty (buyout) can be picked up by his new employer.

If Florida State is smart, it plays Thomas right away. Redshirting him will cause heads to explode. Sitting him on the bench seems cruel, especially if he ends up transferring next year to USC or Georgia. Instead of having five years to play four, he will have three years to play three.

Florida State and Notre Dame have elite football programs and recruit very well. The Irish have the fifth-ranked class in 247Sports' composite team rankings. Florida State is ranked 10th.

February 5 is signing day for the class of 2014. There will be commits who flip from one school to another.

If Notre Dame or Florida State sees a higher-than-usual number of decommitments, then the coaches' stance on releasing prospects from their scholarships will have caused collateral damage.

The best outcome for the two schools and players is simple: Notre Dame releases Vanderdoes from his LOI, and Thomas enjoys calling Tallahassee his home for the next four years.

And they both thrive.

Breaking Down Manchester United's Finances and How Large Their Debt Is

Peter Brownell — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:51:33 -0400

Manchester United is making financial news as the club attempts to deal with its large debt.

The Guardian recently reported that United have nailed down a new loan from Bank of America which will reduce their interest costs by about £10 million a year. The deal cuts United’s total debt to £370 million and offers an estimated interest rate of 2.78 percent—dropping the interest dues from £31 million to £21 million per year.

This financial restructuring follows a recent trend of United doing its best to cut down its debt.

Malcolm Glazer, head of United’s American ownership group, significantly reduced the club’s financial hole by using the proceeds from a public offering at the New York City Stock Exchange in August 2012, according to Sports Illustrated.

The Glazers chose to go public in New York as opposed to Singapore, Hong Kong or London, largely to take advantage of the “Jumpstart Our Business Startups” program created by the Obama administration in April 2012, per the Wall Street Journal.

Known as the “Jobs Act,” the new law sought to make going public in the U.S. more appealing for smaller companies by reducing the costs of doing so.

Their public offering was a critical reason for the 16 percent decrease in debt United enjoyed at the time, cutting their total from about £572 million to about £370 million.

The Glazers took over ownership of Manchester United in 2005, a move that forced the family to borrow a significant amount of cash and take on a hefty load of debt. In fact, The Wall Street Journal article mentioned above reports that the Glazer’s purchased Manchester United for £1.47 billion—much of which was borrowed through bonds.

At the time, the move to rely heavily on debt concerned fans and players who wondered if United would struggle to compete for top-transfer targets. However, legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson was supportive of the new owners.

According to The Guardian, critics of the Glazer regime had particular fodder to work with in 2010, when the club recorded operating profits over £100 million for the first time in its history, thanks mostly to commercial revenues and an uptick in match day broadcasting.

Despite the ballooned operating profits, the club recorded an overall financial loss because of the bond debts owed by the Glazers.

So the financial restructuring with Bank of America by Manchester United is a fascinating topic in world football. How they manage financially will be of particular interest going forward, considering UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play rules, too.

Regardless, their restructuring is certainly a step in the right direction in regards to the club's financial issues. Cutting debt, winning trophies and making sure the club follows the financial rules are just some of the factors the Glazers must balance as Manchester United heads towards the future.

The retirement of Sir Alex might well devalue the franchise, also—another factor the Glazers must deal with in regards to their debt.

Manchester United is making financial news as the club attempts to deal with its large debt.

The Guardian recently reported that United have nailed down a new loan from Bank of American which will reduce their interest costs by about £10m a year. The deal cuts United’s total debt to £370m and offers an estimated interest rate of 2.78%, dropping the interest dues from £31m to £21m per year.

This financial restructuring follows a recent trend of United doing its best to cut down its debt.

Malcolm Glazer, head of United’s American ownership group, significantly reduced the club’s financial hole by using the proceeds from a public offering (Sports Illustrated) at the New York City Stock Exchange in August 2012.

The Glazers chose New York to go public in New York as opposed to Singapore, Hong Kong or London largely to take advantage of the “Jumpstart Our Business Startups” program created by the Obama administration in April 2012 (Wall Street Journal). Known as the “Jobs Act,” the new law sought to make going public in the U.S. more appealing for smaller companies by reducing the costs of doing so.

Their public offering was a critical reason for the 16% decrease in debt United enjoyed at the time, cutting their total from about £572m to about £370m.

The Glazers took over ownership of Manchester United in 2005, a move that forced the family to borrow a significant amount of cash and take on a hefty load of debt. In fact, The Wall Street Journal article mentioned above reports that the Glazer’s purchased Manchester United for £1.47b much of which was borrowed through bonds.

At the time, the move to rely heavily on debt concerned fans and players who wondered if United would struggle to compete for top transfer targets. However, legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson was supportive of the new owners.

Critics of the Glazer regime had particular fodder to work with in 2010 (The Guardian) when the club recorded operating profits over £100m for the first time in its history, thanks mostly to commercial revenues and an uptick in match day broadcasting.

Despite the ballooned operating profits, the club recorded an overall financial loss because of the bond debts owed by the Glazers.

So the financial restructuring with Bank of America by Manchester United is a fascinating topic in world football. How they manage financially will be of particular interest going forward considering UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play rules, too.

Regardless, their restructuring is certainly a step in the right direction in regards to the clubs financial issues. Cutting debt, winning trophies and making sure the club follows the financial rules are just some of the factors the Glazers must balance as Manchester United heads towards the future.

The retirement of Sir Alex might well devalue the franchise also, another factor the Glazers much deal with in regards to their debt.

Steve Gleason Responds to Radio Hosts Who Mocked Him for Having ALS

Tyler Conway — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:49:56 -0400

Former NFL safety Steve Gleason has released an official statement after radio hosts in Atlanta were fired for a segment in which they mocked the former New Orleans Saints standout's battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In a post on his Team Gleason Facebook page, Gleason thanked fans for their outcries of support and noted that the radio personalities had apologized for their part in the incident.

Here is Gleason's full statement:

Regarding the DJ skit in Atlanta yesterday. I would like to thank the public for their support. 'Defend Team Gleason' now has been officially redefined. Additionally, the DJs have provided genuine apology. Received and accepted. We have all made mistakes in this life. How we learn from our mistakes is the measure of who we are.

I think everyone can learn from this event. Its clear to me that, on a national & global scale, ALS is not understood, which is part of why its under funded and largely ignored. In the past 36 hours lots of people have been talking. Lets talk about this... There are zero treatments for ALS. If you take any action as a result of this event, I prefer it to be action to end ALS. See what we are doing to change that @ teamgleason.org. SG

During Monday's Mayhem In The AM radio show on Atlanta's 790 The Zone station, hosts Steven "Steak" Shapiro, Chris Dimino and Nick Cellini took part in a skit in which they made fun of Gleason's ALS diagnosis.

Here is the full audio. (Warning: This content contains offensive remarks.)

As his condition has deteriorated, Gleason is now unable to use his hands, speak or communicate on his own volition. He communicates through a computer program, which he controls through his eyes.

Gleason was the guest writer for Peter King of Sports Illustrated's "Monday Morning Quarterback" column this week, where he spoke at length about his diagnosis in 2011 and how life has adjusted in the years since.

Using that as a platform for attempted humor, the radio hosts engaged in a mock interview with Gleason on Monday. They used a computer program to automate his voice in the same manner as the program he uses to communicate, telling knock-knock jokes and engaging in other sophomoric humor. At one point in the interview, the faux Gleason says he doesn't know how much longer he will live.

The story was first picked up on by a post on TigerDroppings.com. It then took on a life of its own, with many across all platforms of media—both inside the NFL and outside—decrying the segment as being in poor taste.

Upon heading the segment and the feedback from the local community, the station's senior vice president and general manager, Rick Mack, released a statement apologizing to Gleason and noting that the three hosts were terminated:

We deeply regret the offensive programming that aired this morning on “Mayhem In The AM” on 790 The Zone, related to former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS. We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment. 790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family and all those touched by ALS.

According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Nick Cellini took to Twitter after the segment aired and apologized for his part in the incident.

“My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid,” Cellini tweeted.

Cellini has since deleted his Twitter account. He also pledged to donate earnings to Gleason's Team Gleason charity in an interview with NOLA.com's Katherine Terrell.

Gleason, who went undrafted out of Washington State in 2000, went on to have a lengthy NFL career with the Saints from 2000 to 2007. Mostly a special teams standout, he is most beloved in New Orleans for a blocked punt in the Saints' home opener against the Atlanta Falcons in 2006. The game was New Orleans' first back at the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.

Since retiring in 2008, Gleason has worked hard at raising awareness for ALS. His Team Gleason charity raises funds to find a cure for the disease, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, which does not currently have successful treatments.

Kevin Youkilis out 10-12 Weeks, David Adams' Time to Shine

Kenny DeJohn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:44:19 -0400

Sweeny Murti of WFAN New York reports that New York Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis will miss 10-12 weeks after recovering from surgery to repair a herniated disc on Thursday.

Youkilis has not played since the 18-inning marathon in Oakland against the Athletics, as he woke up the following morning feeling numbness in his right leg. Whether manager Joe Girardi mishandled Youkilis in that situation will likely be a much-debated topic over the next few weeks, but the fact remains that the team will be without Youkilis for quite some time.

The surgery will all but ensure that Youkilis will be without any back issues when he's ready to return, but don't expect the Yankees to rush him back.

No matter how well he performs upon returning, his 2013 season with the Yankees will still be considered a disappointment. After signing a one-year, $12 million contract during the offseason, Youkilis has hit just two home runs and driven in just eight while hitting .219/.305/.343 in 105 at-bats.

Youkilis was expected to replace Alex Rodriguez at the hot corner while he nursed an injury of his own. Rodriguez could very well be on his way back at the same time Youkilis is ready to make his return, but Youkilis could still find time at first base if Mark Teixeira's injury ends up being worse than originally thought.

In Youkilis' stead, both David Adams and Reid Brignac will likely see time at third with Jayson Nix taking over full-time shortstop duties. Brignac is hitting just .100 over 40 at-bats, however, so Adams should be the favorite to start at the hot corner.

Adams has seen varying levels of success in his first career season in the bigs. He has two home runs and seven RBI, but his .213/.234/.333 line needs to improve. Luckily for him, he should have plenty of opportunities to do so.

Adams has always been a highly regarded prospect in the Yankees system and carries a big stick to go along with the team's expectations of him. It's unfair to call him the third baseman of the future with so little service time under his belt, but a strong showing the remainder of the season could put him in the discussion.

Having a healthy option at third base will be just what the Yankees need to jumpstart their stagnant offense and spark some life into the team. New York has been forced to infuse young stars into the roster because of injuries this season; it may end up working in their favor presently and for the future.

Adams' play over the next three or four months will have major implications on his role with the club moving forward.

Venus Williams Withdraws from Wimbledon with Back Injury

Tim Keeney — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:41:14 -0400

Venus Williams was hoping to get redemption after suffering through the worst Wimbledon finish of her career in 2012. Unfortunately, she is going to have to wait.

According to Sky Sports News, the five-time Wimbledon champ and seven-time major winner will miss the action this year at the All England Club with a back injury:

Williams confirmed the news on her Facebook page:

Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in Wimbledon this year. I am extremely disappointed as I have always loved The Championships, but I need to take time to let my back heal. I look forward to returning to the courts as soon as possible, with my goal being to return to Mylan World Team Tennis on July 8th in Washington DC. Many thanks to my fans for the love and support and I will be seeing you very soon back on the courts.

You have to go back to 1996 to find the last Wimbledon without Williams.

As a mere 17-year-old, she appeared in the 1997 tournament. She was ousted in the first round but went on to play in 16 straight at the All England Club, winning five and making it to three other finals. In the process, Williams established herself as a staple at the London tournament.

Overall, she is an astounding 71-11—by far her best major—on the famous grass courts, and it won't feel right to not have her there this year.

Still, Williams is clearly on the back end of her magnificent career, and it's not surprising to see her dealing with an injury.

This will mark the third straight year in which she has failed to participate in all four Grand Slam events, as she missed the French Open in 2011 and Australian Open in 2012.

Moreover, the 33-year-old was dominated by Elena Vesnina in straight sets in the first round at Wimbledon last year and is coming off another first-round defeat at Roland Garros three weeks ago.

She hasn't made a quarterfinal appearance at a major since the U.S. Open in 2010.

Nevertheless, this doesn't mean we'll be completely void of the Williams sisters.

Serena won Wimbledon last year and will be looking for her fourth major victory in the last five tournaments—and with this news, she just gained one more super fan.

Follow @t_keen

Kentucky Basketball: Wildcats Players Under Most Pressure in 2013-14 Season

Bobby Reagan — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:41:08 -0400

Kentucky basketball fans expect a championship every season. This expectation may not be any more prevalent than in the 2013-14 season.

With two returning starters, the reigning SEC Sixth Man of the Year and arguably the greatest recruiting class ever meshing together in Lexington, a ninth NCAA title banner is what should be raised.

Now, with these expectations from Big Blue Nation comes pressure for players. We'll take a look at the three members on the Wildcats' 2013-14 roster that face the most pressure.

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Pavel Datsyuk Talks About the Winter Classic, Red Wings and the NHL Draft

Casey DeMarco — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:38:01 -0400

Pavel Datsyuk was in New York City recently to promote next season's Winter Classic and, as always, talk a little hockey.

"It's good for hockey fans of both teams, for the NHL, and for people who live in Michigan," Datsyuk said. "When I grew up, lots of kids played outside; I played all day, every day almost."

The Detroit Red Wings will host the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six clash set at "The Big House"—the University of Michigan's football stadium.

The Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals when Brent Seabrook scored at the 3:35 mark in overtime. As the Wings look to next season, they can find comfort in some sizable contributions from their young players.

"Nyquist, Brunner, Andersson, they were unbelievable, especially in the playoffs," he said.

Their contribution was sizable, to say the least—that wasn't just a veteran talking up the team's young guns. Damien Brunner had nine points (five goals and four assists), Gustav Nyquist had five points (two goals and three assists) and Joakim Andersson also had five points (one goal and four assists).

Detroit acquired Nyquist and Andersson through the NHL Draft, while Brunner signed with the Wings as a free agent. Nyquist was a fourth-round pick in 2008, and Andersson was a third-round pick in 2007.

Datsyuk was drafted by the Wings in the sixth round in 1998. Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg was also selected in a later round; he was drafted in the seventh round in 1999.

There are plenty of examples of NHL teams grabbing gems in later rounds of the NHL Draft, but the Red Wings seem to do it better than anyone else.

How?

"Work," Datsyuk said. "They love to work."

Auburn Football: Ranking Toughest Games on Tigers' 2013-14 Schedule

Benjamin Klein — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:37:01 -0400

The 2013-14 season is going to be a tough one for the Auburn Tigers, as several games on their schedule will be close or blowouts going in the opposition’s favor.

The teams that Auburn will be facing are largely the same as those on the 2012-13 schedule. The problem is that the Tigers, who won three games last year, haven’t improved enough to compete with many of the other squads in the SEC—easily the toughest conference to play in.

Auburn will be taking on Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi State and Ole Miss at home, among others. The Tigers will be on the road against LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Arkansas, among others.

Needless to say, it’s going to be a long season for Auburn football fans.

The Tigers’ schedule is a frightening one, but which matchups are going to be the hardest to win? Here’s a look at the three toughest games of the year for Auburn, what didn’t work a year ago and what’s to come this year.

3. September 21 at LSU

The third-toughest game on Auburn’s schedule is a bit of a toss-up. Georgia and LSU are both going to be difficult opponents, but seeing that Auburn plays Georgia at home and LSU on the road, the Tigers-Tigers matchup wins.

Auburn only won three games in 2012, but it would’ve been four if it could’ve put three more points on the board.

LSU, which was No. 2 in the country at the time, traveled to Jordan-Hare Stadium and nearly got upended. Auburn held a 10-9 lead at halftime, but LSU kicked a field goal in the third and the final score stood at 12-10.

Auburn couldn’t get much going on offense, totaling just 183 yards against its SEC foe. Part of the problem was the team’s inability to convert on third down. The Tigers—of Auburn—were 2-of-12 on third down and even just an additional conversion or two could’ve won the game for Auburn.

LSU isn't expected to be nearly as good as it was a year ago, losing a ton of talent on defense. This could end up being an upset if Auburn can put some points on the board.

If Auburn can win its first three games of the year, it could come into the Tigers-Tigers matchup with some momentum and the potential to win.

2. November 30 vs. Alabama

The Crimson Tide absolutely destroyed the Tigers in the regular-season finale a year ago. Auburn traveled to Alabama only to allow the eventual national champions to score 49 points while failing to put even two points up on the scoreboard.

It was the worst loss the Tigers suffered all year long.

Auburn’s biggest problem in the game was that it couldn’t get any offense going whatsoever and also didn’t have an answer for Bama’s run game. The Tigers only had 163 yards of offense—71 in the air and 92 on the yard. Alabama had 267 yards on the ground and 483 in total.

While Alabama sent a lot of players to the NFL via the draft, there are still many stars bound to give the Tigers headaches in the 2013 finale.

A.J. McCarron will be lethal through the air and T.J. Yeldon will torch the defense on the ground.

Alabama is the top team in the country and for good reason. The Crimson Tide have dominated nearly every other program in the nation, including Auburn. The reigning champions should have no problem winning the Iron Bowl for the fifth time in the last six years.

Hey, at least Auburn is home this year.

1. October 19 at Texas A&M

While playing Alabama is going to be a disaster, the toughest game Auburn will play in the upcoming season is when the Tigers have to travel to College Station. The Aggies are arguably the second-best team in the country behind the aforementioned Crimson Tide.

As long as Johnny Manziel is the quarterback for this game, Auburn is in trouble.

When these two teams faced off a year ago, Manziel and the Aggies put up 63 points on the Tigers, which was the most Auburn allowed all season long.

Manziel was a constant pain for the Tigers defense, as he was running and throwing all over the field en route to a 350-yard, five-touchdown performance.

There were four Aggies with at least 60 rushing yards and Texas A&M totaled 352 yards on the ground on the night. Auburn didn’t even have that many yards of total offense—although the Tigers were close with 211 through the air and 124 on the ground.

Even then, Auburn was lucky the game didn’t get any uglier.

Manziel is going to help the Aggies make a run toward a BCS National Championship and he isn’t going to allow the Tigers to stand in his program’s way. This should be a blowout, with a tally going in Texas A&M’s win column.

Jake Ellenberger: Rory MacDonald Was Invented by the Media and Sold to the Fans

Damon Martin — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:34:51 -0400

It's safe to say UFC on Fox 8 fighter Jake Ellenberger is not buying the hype surrounding his next opponent, Rory MacDonald.

The two fighters have recently engaged in a back and-forth war on Twitter, but even before that, Ellenberger didn't seem to care much for the overinflated way MacDonald is being promoted as a top-five welterweight.

According to the current UFC rankings, MacDonald actually sits one spot ahead of Ellenberger, and he believes the young Canadian is more artificial than reality.

"The thing with Rory, too, is he's been invented by the media," Ellenberger said in a recent interview with Bleacher Report. "He's been invented and sold to the fans and no disrespect, he is a talented fighter. I do agree with that, he is skilled, he's got a lot of potential. But we don't know how good he is. I'm glad I've got this fight."

Ellenberger hopes to expose MacDonald in the Octagon when they meet in July, while also possibly earning a long-awaited shot at the UFC welterweight title.

While UFC officials have yet to say the fight between Ellenberger and MacDonald is a No. 1 contender's fight, both fighters being ranked in the top five of the division speaks volumes towards the magnitude of this bout.

"I was told this was going to be the title eliminator fight for the No. 1 contender, but that's not what I'm thinking about," Ellenberger said. "I'm not looking past him at all."

In the interview, Ellenberger also comments on performance enhancing drugs in MMA, and welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre's influence on his next opponent.

SEC QBs Who Will Have the Best NFL Careers

Brian Leigh — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:34:07 -0400

For all of its recent success, the SEC has always struggled to produce quarterbacks at the next level. Programs like Alabama and Florida, always so prolific in college, rarely ever groom a quarterback who succeeds in the NFL.

Of the 32 projected NFL starters next season, only six—The Manning Bros, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton and Matt Flynn—played college ball in the nation's best conference. And of those six, one (Matt Flynn) has never actually started a meaningful game before, and three (Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler) played before the SEC's dominant BCS title run.

It's a curious phenomenon, since SEC programs typically have their choice of the recruiting pool. They also have the added benefit of playing the best defenses. Shouldn't they also have the best group of alumni starting in the pros? Instead of, you know, a pool of notorious flops.

Let's take a look at the current crop of passers and see if they have the potential to buck that trend.

Here are the five SEC quarterbacks who will translate best to the NFL.

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Dustin Pedroia and Baseball's Most 'Old-School' Players in Today's Game

Jason Lempert — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:31:46 -0400

Old school baseball. It means no batting gloves, choking up on the bat and not being afraid to get your uniform dirty. Over the years, the game of baseball has lost some of that "tough-as-nails" mentality, as players hide behind body armor and pitch counts.

But even in today's game, there are some players that embody the old-school approach, players such as Dustin Pedroia. The Red Sox second baseman is just one example of a player that is a throwback to yesteryear. Here's a closer look at Pedroia and some other old-school ballplayers.

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