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NCAA Lacrosse: Cornell Advances to Final 4; Blows by Ohio State 16-6

Dave Giancola — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:08:23 -0400

The No. 3 seed Ohio State Buckeyes got all they could handle and more in the quarterfinal round today. The Cornell Big Red used a huge first half on the offensive end to blow out OSU 16-6.

Cornell took the lead early and never let up. The Big Red were able to maintain possession throughout the first half and were able to limit the production of the Buckeye offense. Cornell took an 11-3 lead into the locker room at halftime and never looked back.

Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Rob Pannell was tremendous on attack for Cornell, while his roommate Steve Mock had a career high seven goals in the win. Pannell finished with eight points, leaving him just six shy of the single-season NCAA record as he heads for the semifinal round. His two goals and six assists today certainly made a statement as he looks to take home the player of the year award this year.

Ohio State really struggled throughout the contest, and its inability to produce defensive stops proved to be the difference. The Buckeye defense gave Steve Mock way too much room near the crease, and was unable to pack it in tight and let its goalie try and stop shots from further out. Goaltending was a problem for OSU, but the Cornell attackers were taking quality shots from close quarters every time down the field.

Cornell was able to score at will, but the Big Red's defense was equally as impressive. Ohio State scored 16 goals just a week ago in the first round, but was held to just five by Cornell today. The Cornell defense was aggressive, and was quick to slide and double-team some of the Buckeye's better players.

This game was a yawner to start the quarterfinal round. I thought Cornell would win, but certainly not by 10 goals. Cornell was relentless today, and seems to be playing its best lacrosse at the right time. With Pannell and Mock running on all cylinders, it will be tough to defeat the Big Red in this year's tournament.

Cornell will face the winner of the Duke-Notre Dame game in the Final Four next weekend in Philadelphia.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for continuous coverage of this weekend's quarterfinal matches.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland: Premier League Live Score, Highlights, Recap

Thomas Cooper — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:59 -0400

Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League season comes down to this.

Beat Sunderland and, with a little good luck elsewhere, they will finish in fourth place and enter the qualifying stage of the 2013-14 Champions League.

The specter of Arsenal's game versus Newcastle United will be hanging over White Hart Lane on Sunday. Just like last year, a win on the road for the Gunners will see them finish above their North London rivals.

On that occasion, Spurs won their final match against Fulham, but they still lost out on third place after Arsenal comfortably dispatched West Bromwich Albion. With Chelsea winning the Champions League a week later, the Blues took Spurs' place in the competition for the following year.

The situation is not much simpler this season. With both Sunderland and Newcastle United safe from relegation, they might not be fighting for their lives, but they may be battling to avoid accusations of not trying.

Spurs know what they have to focus on, and their manager, Andre Villas-Boas, is certainly saying the right things.

“We have to win and it’s not that straight forward," he told his club's official website. "The ingredients of the game are dangerous. We have to be aware. We have to focus on our task."

It is impossible to know which version of Paolo Di Canio's suitably unpredictable Sunderland side will turn up. Spurs cannot rely on it being the lazy Black Cats, and they will have to work hard to avoid Sunday becoming a needlessly tense affair.

Aiding those attempts should be an almost fully fit squad for Villas-Boas to choose from. Benoit Assou-Ekotto is fit again after missing the Stoke City win with a knee injury. Only long-term absentees Sandro, Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are unavailable.

Sunderland will have to make do without the ineligible Danny Rose, who, as of last Monday, has returned to his parent club. Craig Gardner and Stephane Sessegnon are also unavailable because of suspension, though Connor Wickham is available.

Tottenham came away from the Stadium of Light with all three points when they beat 2-1 Sunderland in both club's final game of 2012. Aaron Lennon scored a second-half winner shortly after a Carlos Cuellar own goal put Spurs level following John O'Shea's opener.

Mosley vs. Cano: Preview and Prediction for Sugar Shane's Comeback Fight

Tim Daniels — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:12 -0400

Shane Mosley returns to the ring on Saturday night to face Pablo Cesar Cano. After a brief retirement and more than a year between fights, Mosley must prove he made the right decision to return with a strong performance against a fighter 18 years his junior.

"Sugar Shane" was originated slated to return against Paulie Malignaggi last month, as reported by Dan Rafael of ESPN. Before the deal fell through, Mosley talked about his desire to return to the sport after some promising sessions in the gym.

I was thinking about it and running a little bit and I said, 'You know what? I think I can do this.' I'm holding my own in the gym no matter who I work with. I really love this sport. I love to do it. When I am in the gym, I can see myself improving.

Even though there's a major difference between the gym and the ring, Mosley clearly felt good enough about his form to give it another go. Since an agreement with Malignaggi couldn't be reached, he'll face off with Cano instead.

The biggest question mark for Mosley heading into the bout is his speed. It was one of the attributes that made him so difficult to face in his prime. Like all aging fighters, however, he's lost some of that quickness as his career has dragged on.

It's one of the main reasons why he has three losses and a draw in his last four fights. He continued to go up against top-end competition like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but he wasn't able to keep pace with those superstars of the sport.

In his last fight, which came last May, Mosley wasn't able to make any type of inroads against rising star Saul Alvarez. It was a thoroughly lackluster unanimous-decision loss that sent a clear signal he wasn't ready to fight opponents of that caliber.

Cano represents a clear drop in the level of competition. The 23-year-old Mexico native lost to the aforementioned Malignaggi in his last fight, albeit by split decision.

Mosley must be prepared to handle Cano's power. He possesses enough striking ability to turn the fight into a one-sided demolition if the veteran isn't ready to defend.

At the same time, he's susceptible to the counterattack and hasn't faced a fighter with the type of experience and track record Mosley possesses. It's new territory for him. Mosley must capitalize on that early in the fight.

Ultimately, it's a very winnable fight for Mosley. Cano is an opponent that doesn't feature the elite quickness that's been giving him trouble in recent fights, and "Sugar Shane" clearly believes he's still got a couple wins left in the tank.

Whether he does or not will probably be pretty obvious by night's end. While this fight could go either way, Mosley gets the benefit of the doubt one more time.

Prediction: Mosley by unanimous decision

5 Early Surprise Teams That Have the Best Chance of Making Playoffs

Jason Lempert — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:57:51 -0400

Before the beginning of each regular season, supposed experts and gurus from around the sport make predictions, guessing on who they think will make the postseason in the coming year. Many of these predictions are made based on expectations of teams, primarily looking at the talent that resides on the roster.

Of course, baseball is mostly an unpredictable sport, so any predictions can be considered "bold". And every year there is at least one team that surpasses expectations, making these experts look uninformed sometimes.

In 2012, the Oakland A's and Baltimore Orioles both unexpectedly made the playoffs. Neither club was supposed to be relevant in the standings, but nevertheless played baseball in October.

With about a quarter of the 2013 season in the books, let's take a look at some of the big surprise teams that have the chance to be this year's version of the A's and O's.

Begin Slideshow

Crystal Palace Find Excrement in Locker Room Prior to Away Match vs. Brighton

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:47:05 -0400

Brighton manager Gus Poyet is hot after discovering that excrement was found in the Crystal Palace dressing room prior to Monday's English League Championship semifinal loss to the visiting club according to The Guardian.

An investigation has reportedly been launched by the club to figure out what exactly occurred and who is responsible for it. The report does mention that it's not believed that Poyet nor his assistant Mauricio Taricco and first-team coach Charlie Oatway were involved.

Poyet had the following response via an email to employees acquired by The Sun:

For some reason that is still not clear to me, someone during the day had access to the away dressing room and done [sic] something terrible, trying to upset everyone related to Palace. To say it in clear English, someone had a 'poo' all outside the toilets, over and around the toilets…

I am angry that someone within this club could endanger our good reputation and stoop so low. Did they imagine that this would affect the Crystal Palace players? Well possibly it did. It may just have fired them up more.

Well someone made a very bad decision and I think it is time to stand up and take responsibility. Not just the culprit but those employees who are supposed to make our stadium safe and secure.

Crystal Palace won Monday's second leg 2-0 to win by the same score on aggregate and advance to the Championship final against Watford, which is scheduled for Monday, May 27.

Poyet has plenty of reason to be upset following his club's disappointing performance against Crystal Palace. In addition to the unsettling incident prior to kickoff, he was recently suspended by the club for an "unrelated alleged breach of contract," according to The Guardian.

The 45-year-old Poyet is a native of Uruguay and has been with Brighton since 2009. He is better known as a former midfielder for Premier League clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Brighton finished fourth in the English League Championship table this season, three points ahead of Crystal Palace. Each team won 3-0 against the other at home during the regular year, but drew at Crystal Palace on May 10 in the first leg of their semifinal clash, three days prior to the incident in question.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Are NBA Stars Returning Too Early from Serious Injuries?

Will Carroll — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:21:28 -0400

It would seem that the calendar has shrunk in sports.

Time has changed value. More and more, players who are out for injury seem to be coming back quicker. Is this a medical miracle or a new problem for players?

Seeing players like Amare Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert and David Lee return from once-devastating injuries not only helps their team (and career), but resets the expectations we have, setting the stage for the Derrick Rose backlash.

The change in the rehab clock is difficult to understand for many, but most revolutions are. The difference we've seen over the last decade in terms of timeline is not one single factor, the way it was in the 1980s.

At that point, the introduction of the arthroscope changed the recovery timelines and allowed new surgical techniques to rapidly deploy. The reduced trauma to the damaged joints allowed for better results and quicker comebacks.

Now, we're seeing a multi-factorial change that is not quite so clear and a differential spread that has disguised the causations. Understanding what is going on behind the scenes is, by definition, not broadly explained in the mainstream.

Most fans can't name their team's athletic trainer, let alone the rehab professionals that are involved. While there are some recognizable names doing the surgery—Dr. James Andrews, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Dr. Tim Kremcheck—fewer know the rehab geniuses that work with them, like Kevin Wilk or Mike Reinold.

Wilk has been at the forefront for several decades, one of the "secret weapons" of Jim Andrews. Wilk's clinic in Birmingham, along with the biomechanics lab of Glenn Fleisig, has pushed Andrews forward, but without the notoriety.

Over the last decade, Wilk has made several changes to the rehab protocols, the schedule followed by the rehab professionals in guiding a player back from surgery.

The major change is an aggressive follow-on from those that came after the advent of arthroscopic surgery. Players are now pushed to work on range of motion and weight bearing almost as soon as they wake up from anesthesia. The quicker the body part is back to normal function, the quicker that athletic function can be worked on.

Nerlens Noel is a great example of this. His devastating knee injury in February not only hasn't hurt his draft stock, but he's been able to help his position by being, literally, a walking PR campaign. Noel is just three months post-surgery, but he has made a point of walking around ESPN's headquarters and walking from interview to interview, where he is telling teams that he'll be ready to play by Christmas.

The technology of rehab and health maintenance has also changed greatly over the last decade. Trainers aren't magicians now, but technologists. While there's plenty of tape and Tiger balm available, there's also things like cold lasers, high-tech rigs for electric stimulation, Swim-Ex pools for rehab and NASA-looking tubes for cryotherapy.

New stadiums have brought big changes, but in the back, that increased room has also allowed for a better experience in the training room. The use of these new technologies as well as the wide availability, even on the road, has allowed the medical staffs to work more aggressively and more quickly on their injured players.

There have also been some surgical changes.

While the basic techniques have remained the same, and, in some cases, things have reverted back to previous techniques, overall, the sheer amount of injuries have created opportunities for the doctors to refine the techniques. Use of new surgical tools, such as smaller anchors, jigs for drilling precisely aligned suture points and more, all help reduce trauma and bring the athlete back more quickly.

Perhaps most importantly, the athletes themselves have changed. It just takes a simple look at some of these athletes to realize they are both genetic freaks and in top physical condition, even above the norm of their sport. Players with this type of conditioning will have advantages in the rehab process and on the court.

In some situations, we're also seeing an increased acceptance of risk—coming back early, or even coming back at all, as best typified by the return of David Lee just days after a severe strain of his hip flexor.

Lee and the Golden State Warriors made an informed decision, knowing that the surgery he faced after the season would be the same, even if he exacerbated the condition by playing in the playoffs. Lee dealt with the pain and physical change, something more and more players are doing on a daily basis.

There is a difference between accepted risk and the kind of macho, play-at-all-costs mentality that has led to many problems. Accepted risk is a more informed decision, allowing a player to change his game as much as possible to minimize the issue while working in concert with the medical staff to keep the player's situation both functional and minimized in terms of risk.

The changes that have occurred over the last decade may not be as visible as advancements in shoes or uniforms, but they're vastly more important to the fortunes of injured players and teams. The clock is still 24 hours and the calendar still flips 12 times, but the timeline for injury has shrunk. Living by the old timeline is the same as believing the earth is still flat.

How Bayern and Dortmund Prepared for the Champions League Final (GIFs)

Jerrad Peters — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:13:21 -0400

A wild final day of action brought the 2012-13 Bundesliga season to the end, and in the thick of it were Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund—the two sides that will contest the UEFA Champions League final next Saturday.

Bayern, having already wrapped up the title some weeks ago, nevertheless fielded their strongest possible team but fell behind to Borussia Monchengladbach after just four minutes, when Martin Stranzl opened the scoring for the hosts.

Goals from Mike Hanke—playing his final match for Monchengladbach—and Havard Nordtveit made it 3-1 to Die Fohlen before 11 minutes had ticked off the clock. Javi Martinez replyed for Bayern in the seventh minute. Frank Ribery pulled the guests back to within a goal in the 18th minute and from there, things settled down somewhat until just after the restart.

GIFSoup

In the 53rd minute, it was Ribery again finding the back of the net for Bayern—this time with an incredible volley. And just before the hour-mark, Arjen Robben put the finishing touches on the comeback with his 12th goal of the season in all competitions.

GIFSoup

Dortmund, meanwhile, took an early lead of their own when Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the sixth minute with his 24th goal of the Bundesliga campaign.

But Hoffenheim, facing the prospect of relegation, hung around throughout the match and took advantage of the two opportunities presented to them when things got rather crazy in the final quarter of an hour.

In the 77th minute, Dortmund defender Mats Hummels was judged to have fouled Hoffenheim midfielder Kevin Volland inside the area, and after Sejad Salihovic’s confident conversion, the guests were back on level terms and within striking distance of a relegation playoff instead of automatic demotion.

Their second break came only five minutes later.

Following a foul on Sven Schipplock, Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller was shown a straight red card, and Salihovic again stepped up to the spot.

GIFSoup

The 28-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina international made no mistake with his second spot-kick of the evening, and just like that, unfancied Hoffenheim were drawn into a two-legged playoff against Kaiserslautern, who finished third in 2.Bundesliga this season.

As for the Champions League finalists, both put out the lineups they will likely be starting at Wembley, but while Bayern scored for fun after allowing three goals for the first time this season, Dortmund struggled mightily against a desperate opponent and will certainly be the more banged-up of the two going into next Saturday’s centrepiece match.

Derrick Rose Can't Be Too Happy About What Bradley Beal Had to Say

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:01:55 -0400

Everybody has an opinion on the season that wasn't for Derrick Rose. But it seems like whenever a basketball player talks to a local radio station, he's asked to offer his opinion, which is what happened with Bradley Beal.

This has been one of the most unusual situations surrounding an injury that we've seen in a while. Rose was medically cleared to play, but he never felt confident enough to return to the court, leading to a constant back-and-forth about whether or not he would end up playing.

The Chicago Bulls' season ended after the Miami Heat knocked them out of the playoffs. That was the end of the speculation, but it was hardly the end of the interest in everything that's gone on with Rose.

Beal appeared on a Washington-based radio show and was asked his opinion on Rose not playing this season. Per Sarah Kogod of the Washington Post, he said:

That’s hard, because I’ve never experienced that injury. And I know what type of injury that is, it’s possible it’s gonna happen again. Knock on wood. But at the same time, you might have to give it a go. If you’re practicing for two months and everybody in practice is saying you’re practicing well, I figure you gotta give it a shot in a game.

But it’s his decision. I can’t really have a say so in it. If he doesn’t feel he’s mentally confident to be able to go out there and help the team, I guess I can’t really blame him for it.

Beal was then asked whether or not he would lose respect for a player who sat out despite being medically cleared to play:

A little bit. Yeah, I would. The type of player he is, and the mentality and competitiveness that he has, I think he would have gave it a go. I don’t know what was holding him back. I think he’s scared it’s probably going to happen again and he won’t be the same. But you’re never the same after an injury. But you just have to fight through it and do something else to be able to impact the game. I’m not sure what it is he has to do. I really can’t speak for him.

So, was Beal right to call Rose scared?

There had to be more than doubt in Rose's mind that kept him from getting back on the court after doctors told him that he was good to go.

This seems like one of those situations where we're never truly going to know what Rose's mentality was throughout the season, so the conversation will continue until we hear something from Rose himself.

Preakness 2013 Weather: How Rain Will Improve Orb's Triple Crown Chances

Richard Langford — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:53:53 -0400

While rain can be the kind of wild card in a race that allows for a lightly touted horse to steal an upset win, in the 138th Preakness, it simply tips the odds in favor of Orb. And the Kentucky Derby champ is already a huge favorite.

The rain may not be a factor anyway. It is looking like mother nature may be a Preakness fan. The Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. has been getting hit with rain on race day, but we might not be able to tell once the 6:20 p.m. ET post time for the Preakness arrives.

The Doppler radar via Weather.com tells us that the storms are expected to be on their by 4:30 p.m. ET.

Still, we all know that predicting the weather is not quite an exact science. In fact, it's a more fickle prognostication business than handicapping horses. So, in case the rain does persist, let's take a look at why Triple Crown hopeful Orb will be just fine with a little precipitation.

First, take a look at the field for the Preakness.

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Morning Line
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1-1
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O’Neill	8-1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	30-1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	6-1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5-1
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	15-1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1

As you might have noticed, the track was a bit damp during the biggest victory of Orb's career: the Kentucky Derby.

Orb was simply dominant. He looked extremely comfortable in the two-and-a-half length win. There was nothing to suggest that any horse in that field would be able to really push Orb for the victory.

The Preakness offers a slightly shorter and tighter track, but it is a comparable race. So, given the same type of conditions, there is no reason to think that Orb won't be able to display similar dominance.

Five of the horses (besides Orb) who ran in the Derby—Goldencents, Mylute, Oxbow, Will Take Charge and Itsmyluckday—will be running in the Preakness.

And they need to be hoping for a dry track. In this instance, that has become their wild card.

The other contenders—Titletown Five, Departing and Govenor Charlie—won't have the same psychological damage from the Derby hanging over their heads, but they also won't have the confidence running in the mud that Orb has.

Also helping Orb out is the fact that he is starting on the rail. The track will get sloppier farther away from the rail. So, while the first post has been home to just one winner in the past 60 years, if it rains, any disadvantage from being on the inside will be neutralized.

On top of all of this, Orb will be completely acclimated to the rain, as he was working in the rain at Belmont leading up to the Preakness.

It is hard to find a way to look at the Preakness without seeing a victory by Orb, and that is even more true if it happens to rain.

Preakness 2013 Post Positions: What Experts Are Saying About Draw

Donald Wood — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:51:33 -0400

The 2013 Preakness Stakes is approaching fast, and the excitement over where each horse will start the second leg of the Triple Crown has horse racing fans at a fever pitch.

Preakness Stakes' official Twitter revealed the post positions that were drawn earlier this week, and the experts have come out in force to give their options on where each horse starts on Saturday:

All of the following top contenders are under a microscope at Pimlico Race Course, and which post position each breaks out of the gate will play a role in where each of these horse's finish.

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Post Time: 6:20 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

2013 Preakness Stakes Post Positions

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	1/1
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O’Neill	8/1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	30/1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	6/1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	5/1
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	15/1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12/1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12/1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10/1

*Odds via Preakness.com.

Orb

The favorite coming into the Preakness has been Orb all along. With Weather.com forecasting rainy conditions in Baltimore Saturday, the Triple Crown contender looks to run his way out of the No. 1 post position and to the front of the pack.

While the wet conditions at Pimlico Race Course will play into orb’s favor, Daily Racing Form’s David Grening reminds us that the No. 1 position is less-than-ideal:

Orb proved at Churchill Downs that he can come through the pack in sloppy conditions to steal a win. As long as he avoids falling all the way to the back of the pack or getting trapped along the rail, the Derby winner will steal the Preakness Stakes.

Mylute

After a solid finish at the Kentucky Derby (fifth place), Mylute will look to prove the critics that say the colt can’t win on a track longer than a mile wrong by stunning Orb and taking the Preakness Stakes victory.

Mylute’s jockey Rosie Napravnik—one of the best in the sport and one of the few females in the male-dominated profession—took to Twitter to talk about her post position (No. 5) and her feeling about the draw:

Not only does Mylute have the speed and acceleration out of the gate to get an early lead, the experience running on sloppy conditions at Churchill Downs and the talent of jockey Napravnik will be enough to help this horse finish in the top three and contend for the win.

Oxbow

While Oxbow isn’t a betting favorite for Saturday’s race, this is a horse that was built for the course and conditions at this year’s Preakness. After finishing sixth at the Kentucky Derby, Oxbow starts in the No. 6 post position and is ready to prove his dominance.

Horse racing insider Stephen Panus reveals on Twitter what makes Oxbow's draw for the 2013 Preakness Stakes very favorable:

Not only did Oxbow draw a favorable starting spot, the horse is trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. With everything going his way, watch out for Oxbow to contend Saturday.

NASCAR All-Star Race 2013: Drivers to Watch in Unique Charlotte Race

Alex Ballentine — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:47:17 -0400

The NASCAR All-Star race always offers an exciting change of pace from the weekly points race. The 2013 edition should be no different.

Because the race isn't for points, there's a real winner-takes-all mentality that will make the action all the more intense. Throw in the fact that the biggest names in racing will be vying for a $1 million purse and you know that this is one of the most unique races of the year.

Many of the sports biggest names have already qualified. The Sprint Showdown and a fan vote will allow three more drivers to get in on the action. There's plenty of star power to make this a must-see event for any racing fan.

Here's the current lineup along with the top contenders to watch.

No.	Driver	Make
2	Brad Keselowski	Ford
5	Kasey Kahne	Chevrolet
9	Marcos Ambrose	Ford
11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota
14	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet
15	Clint Bowyer	Toyota
16	Greg Biffle	Ford
18	Kyle Busch	Toyota
20	Matt Kenseth	Toyota
22	Joey Logano	Ford
24	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet
29	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet
34	David Ragan	Ford
39	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet
48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet
55	Mark Martin	Toyota
78	Kurt Busch	Chevrolet
88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet
99	Carl Edwards	Ford

Drivers to Watch

Jimmie Johnson

If you're talking about the All-Star race, no one does it better than Jimmie Johnson. In addition to winning the 2012 edition, he's one of the few racers in history to win the event multiple times.

Even though the race is just an exhibition, Johnson has made it clear that he's coming to compete, per the USA Today.

I don't spend a lot of time looking at stats, but I'm very proud of what I've done and very excited to put my name up there with Jeff and Earnhardt. It's one of the majors for us. When drivers map out the year and set goals, the All-Star Race is one of the top three for everybody

Johnson's three wins has him tied for most all time with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt. If he wins this time around, he'll have the record all to himself.

As one of the best racers in the sport right now, he has to be the odds on favorite.

Kyle Busch

There are some drivers who really benefit from the win-or-go-home nature of the All-Star race. Because ending the night on a crash is just as bad (financially) as finishing in second place, there's more impetus to "go for broke".

Kyle Busch, for one, embraces that challenge, per the Sports Network.

It's just no holds barred... Go for everything, go for broke and see what you get. Literally, it's going for broke, because you either come home with a million bucks or you're broke, so it's a great race just for the fans, I think, and for the drivers, because it's a non-points race. You get to go out there and put everything on the line.

Busch already holds two wins and six top-10 finishes in 11 starts this season. It wouldn't be surprising if his aggressive style leads to a strong showing in this race.

Jeff Gordon

Gordon may not be having the best season. He has yet to earn a win in 2013. But as Johnson alluded to, he's also tied for the most All-Star victories of all-time.

Despite the lack of wins, he's been on the cusp a few times. He has two top-five finishes, including a third-place finish in the Bojangles Southern 500 in his last race.

A return to the familiar All-Star format might be just what he needs to get back to the winner's circle.

Tottenham's Biggest Summer Transfer Window Needs to Get into Top 4 Next Season

Thomas Cooper — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:37:13 -0400

Andre Villas-Boas and his players know that even if Tottenham Hotspur manage to finish fourth this season, it is going to take a big effort to get there again next year.

Several clubs share similar aspirations, ensuring plenty of competition between seasoned top-four campaigners and dreamers alike in the coming season.

The difference-maker, especially for the more aspirational of the bunch (like Tottenham, rather than the genuinely successful Manchester United), is the work done in putting together a squad for the season in the summer transfer window.

Back in March, this writer wrote about what Spurs and Villas-Boas' biggest transfer objectives for the summer might be.

Little has changed in regards to some of those suggestions.

A backup goalkeeper to challenge Hugo Lloris and replace the aging Brad Friedel is still needed. As too is competition on the wings—though Andros Townsend has only helped his own prospects with his impressive performances at Queens Park Rangers.

The need for reinforcements at left-back, strengthening what has been an occasionally porous defense, remains. There have been, though, some intriguing developments and rumors in relation to the position.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto's assertion in an interview with The Guardian's David Hytner that he "would be quite happy to see out my playing career" at White Hart Lane was a statement not in keeping with previous rumors (like this Daily Mail story) surrounding the player.

Should this be Assou-Ekotto's intention, Villas-Boas has things to consider. Despite a subpar season by his standards, the Cameroon international remains a talented full-back. But with the returning Danny Rose having given the manager food for thought on loan at Sunderland, now might be deemed the time to cash in on Assou-Ekotto.

Then there was the rumor, in The Mirror, of a swoop for Everton's Leighton Baines. Given the article's brevity, it might just have been a case of a newspaper filling up column inches. The idea of Spurs looking elsewhere for a left-back is not to be dismissed if Villas-Boas can identify a target he believes improves the position.

A similar situation is brewing further up the pitch. An outright creative midfielder has been on the club's shopping list since Luka Modric departed. Joao Moutinho and Wesley Sneijder have been among the standout names linked with Spurs at various points.

In many respects, Mousa Dembele has filled the void left by the Croatian, but there is still a feeling the team could benefit with some extra creativity when the influential Gareth Bale is unavailable or underperforming.

Spurs possess some fine players in this department. Younger guys like Lewis Holtby and Tom Carroll may yet step up and alleviate some of the pressure placed on the aforementioned players.

What is certain is that Spurs do not have someone at the level of a Juan Mata or a David Silva who can pull the strings like they do. It is a player of that pedigree that might be needed for Spurs to truly match teams like Chelsea and Manchester City, rather than just threaten them.

Then there is the Tottenham attack.

Spurs' need for a top-class addition to their front-line weaponry has been apparent for some time (and much discussed). That has not changed.

Emmanuel Adebayor's recent resurgence has certainly reinforced the argument as to why he might be kept. As someone who has been suggested as possibly being sold to make room financially, it means things might not be too clear-cut for Villas-Boas here.

The Portuguese will be attempting to find a balancing act between strength in depth and the personnel that will make for a viable and cohesive strike-force.

Any potential target will be judged in accordance to how they fit in Villas-Boas' plans for his team. Considerations here include the formation he ideally would like to progress with and how they might fit alongside the "star-man", Bale.

As for those targets, Gonzalo Higuain, David Villa and Leandro Damiao have been among the notable forwards linked with a move to North London.

The legitimacy of some of speculation relating to these names, and others, will become apparent soon enough. The transfer window does not officially open for some weeks yet, but for all intents and purposes, business gets done as soon as the Premier League season finishes.

Keep an eye on Bleacher Report, as we will be bringing you all you need to know about Tottenham's transfer activity this summer, as well as that of other Premier League clubs too.

5 NBA Teams That Should Change Their Names

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:20:35 -0400

Thanks to the New Orleans Pelicans giving up the nickname "Hornets," the Charlotte Bobcats are finally going to reclaim their old Hornets moniker with a name change, and it seems like there a handful of other teams who should follow suit.

According to CBSSports.com, the Bobcats are starting the process that should allow them to reclaim the Hornets nickname at the start of the 2014-15 season, officially making them the Charlotte Hornets once again.

Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues might not be on the way back to Charlotte, but at least the league will finally be able to rid itself of the generic Bobcats nickname, and Charlotte can get back to having the fresh blue and yellow uniforms.

Of course, the Bobcats aren't the only team in the NBA who remain misnamed. There are a few still scattered about who have an overly generic name, a silly remnant of the past or a one that just doesn't make sense.

For instance, the Los Angeles Lakers nickname comes from their days as the Minneapolis Lakers. They used to play in a city surrounded by lakes, but now they're a coastal team in a city surrounded by silicone.

At this point the Lakers are too steeped in history for anybody to even consider a name change, but the fact that they're named after a region that's a solid 2,000 miles away is rather humorous.

In the interest of righting wrongs, which the league has done quite a bit as of late, it's time to track down the teams still in need of a name change.

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Giro Italia 2013 Standings: Stage 14 Results, Leaderboard and Highlights

Steven Cook — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:11:21 -0400

Italian cyclist Mauro Santambrogio took Stage 14 of the 2013 Giro Italia on Saturday in exciting fashion, as overall leader Vincenzo Nibali extended his lead by finishing just behind in second place (via Cycling Weekly).

Saturday brought with it some of the worst weather conditions so far, as dense fog, cold temperatures, mountains and rain vastly affected the cyclists.

After two straight stage victories for sprinter Mark Cavendish, the tour finally opened up once again for another star to claim a victory. This time it was Santambrogio, as the 28-year-old completed his most impressive day of racing in some time.

As for the overall leader, Nibali came into the day with just a 40-second lead but now leads Cadel Evans by more than a minute after one of his best days on the roads.

Going through some of the toughest conditions of the tour, cyclists had to fight through the cold, mountainous and sometimes wet terrain to post solid times Saturday. That didn't stop Nibali from having a stellar day that put him one step closer to locking up the exhaustive race.

Despite now trailing by more than a minute, Evans had himself a solid day as well. He finished sixth in the stage, just 33 seconds behind the leader.

Let's take a look at the results, overall leaderboard and some highlights of the Stage 14 action.

Stage 14 Results

Finish	Cyclist	Team	Country	Time
1	Mauro Santambrogio	Vini Fantini/SelleItalia	Italy	4:42:55
2	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana	Italy	+:00
3	Carlos A. Betancur Gomez	Ag2r-La Mondiale	Colombia	+:09
4	Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez	Euskaltel-Euskadi	Spain	+:26
5	Rigoberto Uran Uran	Team Sky	Colombia	+:30
6	Cadel Evans	BMC	Australia	+:33
7	Domenico Pozzovivo	Ag2r-La Mondiale	Italy	+:33
8	Robert Kiserlovski	Radioshack-Leopard	Croatia	+:33
9	Sonny Colbrelli	Bardiani Volvole-CSF	Italy	+:55
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale	Italy	+:58

For a complete list of Stage 14 results, visit the race's official site.

Stage 14 Route

Overall Leaderboard

Place	Cyclist	Team	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana	Italy	57:20:52
2	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing	Australia	+1:26
3	Rigoberto Uran Uran	Sky Procycling	Colombia	+2:46
4	Mauro Santambrogio	Vini Fantini/SelleItalia	Italy	+2:47
5	Michele Scarponi	Lampre-Merida	Italy	+3:53
6	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre-Merida	Italy	+4:55
7	Domenico Pozzovivo	AG2R La Mondiale	Italy	+5:12
8	Rafal Majka	Saxo-Tinkoff	Poland	+5:32
9	Carlos A. Betancur Gomez	AG2R La Mondiale	Colombia	+5:39
10	Benat Intxausti Elorriaga	Saxo-Tinkoff	Poland	+5:51

To see where every cyclist stands after 14 stages, visit the race's official site.

Highlights and Recap

While Stage 13's results were filled with cyclists that were nowhere to be found in the overall leaderboard, Stage 14 was the complete opposite.

We saw the cream rise to the top Saturday as six of the top 10 Stage 14 finishers are also in the top 10 overall. This usually means that conditions weren't ideal for the sprinters, causing the more talented cyclists to make the surge.

Nibali, as he's seemed to do for the whole race, was the one leading that charge. He attacked late in the stage to get out in front before being overtaken by Santambrogio. Despite that, they both finished with the same time.

Other than Nibali and Evans, the rest of the field sits nearly three minutes out of the lead. Although anything can happen, you'd like to imagine this is now a two-man race for the most part.

It'll be interesting to see if Nibali can hang on to his lead and keep growing it as the race wears on. Evans is certainly hungry for victory so he can establish his status as one of the best cyclists around, but it won't be easy.

There's certainly plenty of reasons to tune into the rest of the action in Italy as the race gets closer to reaching its finale.

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Rafael Benitez: Could Liverpool Legend Make Move to Everton from Chelsea?

Ian Rodgers — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:58:02 -0400

Here's a thought: You have achieved legendary status at one club after guiding them to an incredible Champions League success, but you have not worked in full-time management since December 2010.

You were gifted an opportunity to take over another leading English club in a temporary move and ended up taking them to another European trophy, reminding the football world of your abilities.

However, despite that success, you are a surplus to requirements, most notably with a number of the club's supporters, and are looking for a full-time role.

Only one exists, though, and it's with a team you once described as "a small club," incensing the fans there while you were managing their local rivals. Do you put yourself forward for that position?

Rafael Benitez for Everton? On the face of it, it sounds like a marriage made in the depths of Dante's worst nightmares.

However, there would be a logic behind the idea which should not go unnoticed by the Goodison Park hierarchy.

Benitez made his mark on Merseyside when he guided Liverpool to that remarkable comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005.

With the Anfield side facing humiliation in front of a global television audience at 3-0 down to the Italian team, Benitez provided a change of tactics and a half-time team talk which prompted a revival never to be forgotten by Liverpool supporters, as The Mirror reported.

That match alone would have been enough for Benitez to seal his place in Anfield folklore, but his feud with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, culminating in his "fact" press conference in 2009, as chronicled in The Guardian, assured him of even greater respect in the eyes of Reds fans.

The Spaniard's comment that Everton were "a small club," after a goalless Merseyside derby at Anfield in February 2007, drew the fury of Goodison Park officials, players and fans, according to BBC Sport.

Benitez left Liverpool in June 2010, as BBC Sport reported, and took up the reins at Inter Milan a week later, but was sacked six months later with the Serie A giants 13 points behind league leaders and rivals, AC Milan.

The final straw for Inter president Massimo Moratti and the board came when Benitez asked for money for squad strengthening immediately after the FIFA Club World Cup win over TP Mazembe in December 2010.

Benitez would be in the managerial wilderness for two years before Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich brought him to Stamford Bridge as the interim replacement for Roberto Di Matteo, who was sacked in November.

As outlined in the Daily Mail, the former Valencia coach's arrival was greeted with jeers and catcalls from a sizeable number of Chelsea supporters, who had been angered by comments he made while in charge of Liverpool.

However, Benitez will finish the season for Chelsea on Sunday with a Champions League place assured and the Europa League trophy in the Stamford Bridge cabinet.

Benitez has also introduced a squad rotation system to Chelsea which has not disrupted senior professionals at the club. He has also balanced the phasing out of club legends, such as John Terry, without lighting fires, as outlined by ESPN.

The West London club will finish their campaign with the visit of Everton, with whom David Moyes will be making his final appearance in the dugout before succeeding Ferguson at Old Trafford.

It should be a ready-made vacancy for Benitez. He is a trophy winner, has a home on the Wirral and hasn't ruled himself out for the job, although he concedes it may be "difficult" for either party to accept the job, according to the Liverpool Echo. And, importantly for Everton, no compensation payment will be required.

Perhaps the most intriguing comments on the possibility come from Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, an Everton fan as a boy but now an Anfield legend, in a Talksport interview.

Everton are looking for a manager and he’s looking for a job. He wants to stay in the Premier League and he’s stated that a few times, that is his priority.

It might ruffle a few feathers with the Liverpool and Everton side of it. I don’t know how difficult that sort of thing is. I know it happened between Tottenham and Arsenal with George Graham and I think eventually it was a problem for him.

Everton would love to get someone with his CV, but with the Liverpool situation it makes it difficult. If all parties come together and they are willing to give it a go then I’m sure he would do a good job.

For a Merseysider like Carragher, who has had a foot in both camps as a fan and player, to suggest it is a workable appointment must mean there is some merit to the idea.

Everton would love to have someone with Benitez's CV as their manager to replace Moyes. Under any other circumstances, it would be a tremendous coup for the club.

But the name Rafael Benitez carries some venom for Everton supporters, and chairman Bill Kenwright's vow to seek guidance from the supporters, according to the Liverpool Daily Post, may see the former Liverpool boss out of the frame.

However, Everton fans pride themselves on being distinct from others, and Benitez's treatment by Chelsea supporters could act as a catalyst for the Spaniard being afforded more respect than he may previously have expected.

Benitez's appointment as Everton manager is a situation which will probably never arise, but it would be remiss of Kenwright not to speak with the man in the home dugout at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

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

5 Big-Name Starting Pitchers in Danger of Losing Their Jobs

Nathan Palatsky — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:48:01 -0400

Most teams are paying their big-name starting pitchers a fortune to provide 200 innings this season. But for a few of those pitchers, their performance is crippling teams that hope to contend, and that brings their job security in question.

Some of these pitchers have long track records that afford them a longer leash. They may not lose their jobs based on a bad first month, but if the struggles continue into June, teams may begin looking for alternatives.

Some of these pitchers will turn it around and finish just fine, but others will either be demoted, traded or pushed to the bullpen.

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Rome Masters 2013: Highlighting Biggest Disappointments at Italian Open

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:44:13 -0400

The Rome Masters is the last stop for a majority of tennis' top stars before they gear up for the season's second Grand Slam: the French Open at Roland Garros.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have been strong to this point on the men's side, and top-ranked female players Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka have cruised through the women's draw.

But not all of the top stars brought their A-game to the Italian capital.

Here we'll recap some of the biggest disappointments in Rome this past week.

Novak Djokovic

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has been inconsistent since knocking off Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo last month. He lost in the second round of the Madrid Masters to Grigor Dimitrov and was defeated by Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals of Rome this week.

Djokovic struggled mightily in his return game against Berdych, winning just 20 percent of his first-serve return points for the match.

You have to believe he'll patch up his game before heading to the French Open, but he's missed another golden opportunity to put some doubt in Rafael Nadal's mind before the year's second major.

The fact that Djokovic is considered to be the one guy capable of upending Nadal in Paris this summer is what makes his Rome performance so disappointing.

Agnieszka Radwanska

Following a first-round bye in Rome this week, women's world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska turned out a disappointing effort in her first match of the tournament: a second-round loss to Simona Halep.

The 24-year-old Polish star has never been particularly dominant on clay, winning just two career singles titles on the surface and never getting past the fourth round at the French Open. But there's no excuse for dropping the final two sets 1-6, 2-6 to a player ranked No. 64 in the world.

Halep is a clay-court specialist, but if Radwanska is going to contend for the No. 1 ranking, she has to be able to overcome lesser players on challenging surfaces.

After early exits in Madrid and now Rome, Radwanska looks poised for another early exit in the French Open this summer.

Juan Martin del Potro

It's hard to believe that Juan Martin del Potro hasn't strung together consecutive match wins since Indian Wells last March.

The 6'6" Argentine lost his first match at the Miami Masters soon after Indian Wells and fell in the third round at Monte Carlo last month. And in Rome on Thursday he dropped his third-round match against Benoit Paire, falling in straight sets to the unseeded Frenchman.

The result is a huge disappointment for the 2009 U.S. Open champion, who has won four clay-court tournaments over the course of his career.

Delpo reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 2012 and the semifinals at Roland Garros four years ago. In between those impressive runs at the French Open, he bowed out in the third round in 2011.

And it looks like he will do the same in 2013 based on what we've seen from him on the red stuff thus far.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Preakness Picks: Challengers Most Likely to Upend Orb's Triple Crown Bid

Justin Onslow — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:39:26 -0400

The 2013 Preakness Stakes is like many others in the last 35 years. With Orb’s win at the Kentucky Derby, the colt is now in line for a historic Triple Crown bid—an accomplishment not completed since Affirmed won thoroughbred racing’s ultimate prize in 1978.

But like so many of those previous Derby victors, Orb faces an uphill battle to secure the second and third legs of the Triple Crown. His pursuit commences Saturday evening at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Shug McGaughey-trained colt drew the No. 1 post, pinned between the rail and 9-1 challenger Goldencents. While Orb has 4-5 odds of triumphing at Pimlico (per Bovada.lv), poor positioning and a few strong challengers may be enough to keep the Triple Crown out of reach for another year.

Let’s take a look at three challengers most likely to derail Orb’s Triple Crown hopes prior to the final leg at Belmont on June 8.

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
1	Orb	Shug McGaughey	Joel Rosario	4-5
2	Goldencents	Doug O'Neill	Kevin Krigger	9-1
3	Titletown Five	D. Wayne Lukas	Julien Leparoux	33-1
4	Departing	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	Brian Hernandez, Jr.	7-1
5	Mylute	Tom Amoss	Rosie Napravnik	17-2
6	Oxbow	D. Wayne Lukas	Gary Stevens	18-1
7	Will Take Charge	D. Wayne Lukas	Mike Smith	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Bob Baffert	Martin Garcia	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	Eddie Plesa Jr.	John Velazquez	10-1

*Odds acquired from Bovada.lv

3. Itsmyluckyday (Post 9, 10-1)

Itsmyluckyday didn’t produce a strong finish at Churchill Downs (15th place), but the Eddie Please Jr.-trained colt is by no means a long shot at the Preakness.

One of the fastest sprinters in the field, Itsmyluckyday won’t be deterred by the No. 9 starting post. In fact, the colt has more than enough tactical speed to emerge from the outside down the stretch, unaffected by the bunching that will likely occur closer to the rail.

Orb’s position next to the rail may mean trouble toward the end of the race, when top challengers like Goldencents and Departing are positioning for a strong finish on the inside. If the Derby winner gets pinned to the rail and can’t break free, Itsmyluckyday could be the horse to take advantage.

The Holy Bull Stakes winner has a rare blend of tactical speed and endurance that will allow jockey John Velazquez to adapt to the pace and positioning of the rest of the field. Without a challenger to his outside, Itsmyluckyday could easily come from off the pace to take down a first-place finish.

2. Goldencents (Post 2, 9-1)

Like Itsmyluckyday, Goldencents failed to impress at Churchill Downs, despite favorable odds and adequate post positioning.

But the Doug O’Neill-trained colt isn’t without the ability to triumph at Pimlico. Arguably the fastest pure sprinter in the field, Goldencents could be an extremely dangerous challenger if he can manage to position himself ahead of Orb out of the gate.

Running from the No. 2 post, Goldencents can gain a huge advantage by assuming the lead ahead of Orb. Without adequate space between Goldencents and the rail, Orb will be cut off from setting the pace, forced to wait for an opportunity to emerge from the pack later in the race.

Orb certainly has the ability to do just that, but Goldencents won’t make it easy. Look for the latter to break quickly from the gate and assume an early lead at Pimlico.

1. Departing (Post 4, 7-1)

One of the three new shooters in this race, Departing doesn’t have the benefit of having run with Orb at the Kentucky Derby.

That may not be much of an issue, however.

The Albert Stall-trained colt has the best odds of derailing Orb (7-1), due in large part to his success on longer tracks.

Unlike many thoroughbreds in this year’s field, Departing has raced most of his events on tracks of a mile or longer. With four wins in five starts (three of which were a mile or longer), Departing shouldn’t struggle with Pimlico’s 1 3/16-mile track.

The colt also benefits from a good post draw that should keep the inside wide open. At 33-1, Titletown Five is unlikely to pose much of a threat to the Illinois Derby winner.

We already got a good look at Goldencents and Itsmyluckyday at the Derby, but don’t be surprised it the field’s best new shooter surpasses all the Derby challengers en route to a dominating first-place finish at the Preakness.

Preakness 2013 Weather: How Horses Will Fare in Muddy Track

Steven Cook — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:31:37 -0400

Horses, trainers and jockeys at the 138th Preakness Stakes hoping for conditions opposite of those at the Kentucky Derby just weeks prior may be out of luck, as rain looks to be pouring down all over Baltimore in the hours leading up to the race.

The Doppler radar (via Weather.com) isn't showing promise for sunny skies and a dry track. In fact, there looks to be scattered showers at Pimlico starting at noon ET that will keep the track's surface wet and muddy throughout the day.

If it's raining all day leading up to the race, we could see absolutely dreadful conditions similar to those at Churchill Downs earlier this month.

But if it can hold off in the mid-afternoon and move out of the area like it's looking around 3 p.m. ET, things will be much more bearable.

Here's the forecast for the hours of the race (via Weather.com), which shows likelihood of precipitation at 6:20 p.m. ET.

Judging from the weather reports, there's no doubt that Orb and his eight opponents will be racing through some less-than-ideal circumstances and that will make things quite difficult for certain horses.

One of those horses whose difficulties were made clear after Churchill Downs was popular pick Itsmyluckyday. Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. admitted to the Miami Sun Sentinel that the sloppy conditions were a huge factor in his poor performance there.

Plesa said it was evident to him early in the race that the colt was having a difficult time with the sloppy surface. Itsmyluckyday had trained sharply at Calder Casino & Race Course leading up to the Derby, but never managed to get closer than sixth in the 1 ¼-mile Derby.

The muddy conditions at Churchill Downs were so extreme that some trainers referred to it as creamy peanut butter, according to ESPN. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure if I could walk on a peanut buttery floor, much less compete in a prestigious race.

Despite the poor conditions there, though, the horses seemed to handle the mud tremendously and still posted scorching times that didn't resemble any issues with the surface. This was obviously highlighted by Orb, who galloped his mud-coated frame to victory on the outside stretch.

All of the talk heading up to Churchill Downs was on how the conditions of the race track would affect the competitors, but it didn't seem to show up much when the race got started. That was all done amidst a crowded 19-horse field, mind you.

Though just because the Kentucky Derby was finished without a major mishap doesn't mean Saturday will follow suit. It only takes one off step for a thoroughbred to come tumbling down, and those chances are definitely amplified on a muddy, slippery track.

But with 10 less horses competing and a much less muddy track at Pimlico, these subpar conditions shouldn't affect the outcome of the race too much. Unless your pick is on Itsmyluckyday, don't start second-guessing who you're going with in the "Run for the Black-Eyed Susans."

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Chelsea vs. Everton: Premier League Live Score, Highlights, Recap

Sam Tighe — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:28:01 -0400

Stamford Bridge—London, England.

Chelsea vs. Everton

Sunday, May 18, 11 a.m. ET

Chelsea's final game of the season doesn't have the colossal ramifications of Arsenal and Tottenham's, but it's still well worth tuning in for.

A playoff for third place with Arsenal after the season's end isn't exactly top of the Blues' wishlist, and a final win for Rafa Benitez at the Bridge would ensure that's not a possibility.

It's also the small matter of David Moyes' final game of a 10-year tenure as Everton manager, and both sets of fans will be eager to give their head coaches good send-offs.

Chelsea fans may not have warmed to Benitez, but they'll certainly be grateful for delivering the Europa League trophy midweek.

Follow @stighefootball

Arsenal Transfer News: Analyzing What Makes Target Yaya Sanogo Special

Tim Daniels — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:24:57 -0400

Most of the early transfer talk surrounding Arsenal concerned links to marquee names such as Wayne Rooney and Stevan Jovetic. But it appears the first splash Arsene Wenger wants to make involves lesser-known striker Yaya Sanogo.

Wenger confirmed that the Gunners are working toward an agreement with the 20-year-old French youth international but cautioned no deal is complete yet, according to John Cross of the Daily Mirror.

We are advanced with him, but it's not done. I'm very confident (it will be done).

He's a young striker who is promising. He has some talent. Big talent.

Sanogo has shown terrific ability in front of goal for both Ligue 2 side Auxerre and France's youth national team. He's found the net eight times in 12 league matches during the current campaign—an impressive rate even against a lower level of competition.

The most important thing to realize about the Gunners' target is that he's still very raw. He's had no trouble scoring, but the difference between where he's played so far and the Premier League is gigantic. It would be a major jump.

There would be a transition period before he's ready to make an impact with Arsenal. While he possesses the potential to fill the void atop the club's formation in the future, it won't happen right away next season. So that search should continue into the summer.

That said, it's hard not to be intrigued by his upside. Sanogo is 6'3'' with a combination of strength and speed that makes him an ideal player to lead an attack. He can win a ball in the air one minute and run past a defender the next.

Injuries have held him back, though. Robin Bairner of Goal.com explains the constant issues that have held him back in recent seasons.

Looking at the player's injury record gives a clue as to why. He has been beset by problems throughout his young career, including a broken leg that kept him out of virtually the entire 2009-10 campaign and a torn adductor that saw him sidelined for much of the following season.

To make matters worse, he has been plagued by a series of more minor issues over the course of the last year and will on Friday, assuming he is selected to play against Clermont, only feature in five consecutive matches for the first time in his career.

It's a concern, there's no doubt about that. Players who receive the injury-prone label early in their careers often have a hard time shaking it. The endless issues also tend to become a mental battle, although Sanogo has bounced back strong each time.

For Wenger, it all comes down to risk and reward.

The risk is that injuries will stop him from reaching his sky-high potential and keep him from ever making a serious impact with the Gunners. On the flip side, the reward is Premier League experience allows him to grow as a player and he becomes the lead striker Arsenal lost when Robin van Persie left.

Add in the fact Wenger only has to pay a compensation fee, and it's clear the potential reward outweighs the inherent risk.

Sanogo has all the tools to become a star. Taking a chance on him while his stock is still low could pay off in a major way for Arsenal down the line.

They just have to hope he can remain healthy enough to start putting his finishing ability, strength and speed into one total package. It's going to take some patience from the Gunners, but that's something the club should understand going in.

Arsenal have to take some chances to keep up with the likes of Manchester United. Sanogo is an example of one they should take, and it sounds like they are close to doing exactly that.

The Preakness 2013: History-Making Accomplishments to Watch For at Pimlico

Mike Chiari — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:24:05 -0400

While every racing fan will have history on their minds on Saturday as they watch Orb attempt to capture the second leg of the Triple Crown, there are plenty of other horses and people involved in the Preakness Stakes who can potentially make history themselves.

Horse racing has such a long and rich history that it is truly special when something is accomplished for the first time ever or for the first time in many years. There will be plenty of chances for that to happen in this nine-horse field as almost everyone involved can potentially do something special.

Here are the top three history-making accomplishments that could potentially come to fruition at Saturday's Preakness Stakes.

Starting Order

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	10-13
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O'Neill	9-1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	33-1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr.	Albert M. Stall Jr.	7-1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	17-2
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	18-1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1

*Odds courtesy of Bovada

Rosie Napravnik First Winning Female Jockey

Rosie Napravnik acquitted herself quite well aboard Mylute in the Kentucky Derby as they finished fifth in a stacked field. While she was unable to become the first female jockey to win the Derby, her fifth-place finish was the best for a female jockey in the premier race at Churchill Downs. Napravnik is hoping to build upon that on Saturday as she can become the first female jockey to win the Preakness Stakes.

While Mylute is only No. 3 in terms of the betting-line favorites, he certainly has a chance to come out on top. He surprised a lot of people with a strong run in the Kentucky Derby, and nobody is questioning Napravnik's status as an elite jockey at this point.

Even if Mylute finishes dead last, Saturday will be a big day for Napravnik. According to Mike Gathagan of Pimlico Race Course, Napravnik will be only the third female rider in Preakness history.

That, in and of itself, is pretty special. Napravnik probably looks at herself as just another jockey, though, so simply starting the race won't be enough in her book. She wants to win just like the other eight jockeys involved. Outlasting Orb will be an extremely tall order, but Napravnik is up to the task.

Kevin Krigger First Black Jockey Winner since 1898

Much like Napravnik, jockey Kevin Krigger is looking to ride into the record books at the Preakness. He also had a chance to make history at the Kentucky Derby as he could have become the first black jockey to win The Run for the Roses since Jimmy Winkfield in 1902. Goldencents ultimately faltered, though, as he couldn't keep up the break-neck pace that he set and ended up finishing 17th. Krigger will look for redemption at Pimlico.

If Krigger wins the Preakness, it will be even more historic. According to Baltimore City and Press, Krigger would be the first black jockey to win the Preakness Stakes since 1898.

It has been a very long time since an African-American jockey has been relevant, so Krigger is breaking the mold no matter how well Goldencents runs on Saturday. If Goldencents struggles in the Preakness like he did in the Kentucky Derby, though, Krigger will likely consider this endeavor to be a failure. Goldencents should be one of the most talented horses in the field, so Krigger should be able to contend.

Expect redemption to be on Krigger's mind more so than anything as he wants to prove that the Kentucky Derby was a fluke. A victory would certainly accomplish that, but it would also give hope to aspiring black jockeys who hope to be like Krigger one day.

D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert Look to Move Up All-Time List

D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert are two of the greatest horse racing trainers of all time. Whenever they have horses entered in a big event, they are always a threat to win.

Since their horses comprise four-ninths of the Preakness field on Saturday, there is certainly a decent chance that one of them will be celebrating. If either Lukas or Baffert manages to win, they will move up to No. 2 on the all-time Preakness victory list.

According to The Associated Press, Robert Wyndham holds the record for Preakness wins with seven. Both Lukas and Baffert are in hot pursuit as they have five victories apiece, which makes them the winningest active trainers at Pimlico, according to Racing Stats & Info on Twitter.

Although Shug McGaughey is in the driver's seat with Orb to his credit, both Lukas and Baffert are in the mix. Lukas actually has three horses entered in the form of Will Take Charge, Oxbow and Titletown Five, who happen to be the longest shots on the board. Baffert has everything riding on Govenor Charlie, who also is not considered to be among the top contenders.

Both legendary trainers know that they have their work cut out for them as Orb is a heavy favorite, but they are hoping that strength in numbers will prevail. It isn't as if either man needs to add anything more to their respective résumés, but they both want to win nonetheless.

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Yankees Acquire Infielder Reid Brignac from Colorado

Matt Barbato — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:12:31 -0400

According to a report from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the New York Yankees have acquired infielder Reid Brignac from the Colorado Rockies. Brignac, a utility infielder, was designated for assignment by the Rockies earlier in the week. According to NBC Sports, Heyman later tweeted that the Rockies will receive $75,000 in return.

Brignac has been in the majors for six seasons, five in Tampa Bay. In his first season in Colorado, he hit .250 with a .294 OBP, with one home run and six RBI.

Brignac's best quality is that he is a guy who can play almost everywhere on the diamond. He primarily plays at second base or shortstop, but has also played in left field, right field and third base. With Derek Jeter, Eduardo Nunez, Kevin Youkilis and Alex Rodriguez all on the disabled list, Brignac could be used in numerous situations to give the healthy players a much-needed rest.

This is another nice move by GM Brian Cashman. Brignac adds depth at three of the four infield positions and can even play in the outfield if necessary.

Brignac is the second player the Yankees have acquired from the Rockies this season, the first being Chris Nelson. It is unknown when Brignac will join the Yankees.

Bay to Breakers 2013: Date, Start Time, Route and Race Preview

Timothy Rapp — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:09:02 -0400

The Bay to Breakers run, a 12K race in San Francisco, is one of the most entertaining races in the country. At the annual running, you will see both serious runners and folks running in full costume (and yes, even a few streakers).

Would you expect anything less from San Francisco?

Let's take a closer look at this annual spectacle.

When: Sunday, May 19th at 7 a.m. PT

Where: San Francisco, CA

Route: Info on the race's route can be found here.

Preview

Bring your costume!

One of the time-honored traditions is both registered runners dressing in costume and non-registered runners dressing up and joining the fray for a few blocks at a time.

While alcohol is not permitted at the race, there's no shortage of participants that have imbibed before the race, to say nothing of the hordes of people gathered to watch the race, one of San Francisco's largest annual parties.

And yes, nudity is permitted, though not encouraged. So if you are bringing your kids, well, get ready to cover their eyes.

Sure, there are plenty of serious runners at the race who are there to beat personal bests or challenge themselves at the longer distance. But the real color of the run comes from the costumed participants.

Will Kane of the San Francisco Chronicle has more info on the race:

"It's a 12-kilometer art project," said Matt Striker of the San Francisco Travel Association. The race is a "pressure release valve for those of us that live here."

More than 30,000 registered runners will start the 7.5-mile course at Howard and Main streets at 7 a.m. Organizers expect another 50,000 to 70,000 people will turn up to watch the mobile mob huff and puff up the Hayes Street hill or sprint for the finish through Golden Gate Park.

As Kane notes, police and race officials will be at a heightened state of awareness following the bombings at this year's Boston Marathon, and additional security will be enlisted, as well as surveillance cameras being added to several points along the race.

But, of course, the expectation is that the race will go off without a hitch and once again be a blast.

The race dates back to 1912 (then called the Cross City Race) and was started to lift morale alongside rebuilding efforts in the city after a devastating earthquake rocked San Francisco in 1906. It's now evolved into one of the largest—and most memorable—races in the United States.

If you've never seen pictures of the event, it's quite the spectacle. It may not be the most traditional of races, but it's arguably the most fun.

Preakness 2013 Horses: Speedy Thoroughbreds Sure to Fly Out of Gate

Steven Cook — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:04:12 -0400

All talk surrounding the 2013 Preakness Stakes has surrounded Triple Crown hopeful Orb, to nobody's surprise. But that's only where you start as far as talking about elite thoroughbreds capable of victory at Pimlico.

While a handful of Orb's opponents have followed him from Churchill Downs after the Kentucky Derby, there's no shortage of fresh horses who skipped this year's Run for the Roses in the efforts to have a better shot at victory in the Preakness.

That move has paid off for some trainers and owners, while at other times, the horse with the hot hand or the most recent experience takes the crown. With this year we have a combination of both, and each side of the spectrum shows incredibly talented horses who are capable of stealing Orb's thunder and ending his Triple Crown bid.

Post position to start out the race is a huge deal as well, despite the nine-horse field making things a bit less crowded and easier to move around in. Some horses found just the gate to suit their style.

Let's take a look at the speedsters Orb will have to fend off to keep the Triple Crown hopes alive.

Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Md.

When: Saturday, May 18

Post Time: 6:20 p.m. ET

Purse: $1 million

Television: NBC

Post Positions and Odds for 2013 Preakness Stakes

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	10-11
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O’Neill	8-1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	28-1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr	Albert M. Stall, Jr	13-2
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	13-2
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	16-1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	10-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1

Odds via Bovada

Mylute

It just seems like the perfect time may have finally presented itself for Mylute to make history for the jockey and trainer he follows.

For starters, jockey Rosie Napravnik is trying to become the first female jockey to win the Preakness Stakes. And it's a long time coming, as she's boasted a few consecutive seasons of solid racing and figures to be one of the sport's elite horse riders.

Napravnik and Mylute are coming off a fifth-place finish at Churchill Downs amidst a muddy, crowded track. Her resolve and ability to stick with it through tight spots will pay off in the much more spacious Pimlico.

As crazy as it is that respected trainer Tom Amoss has never won a Triple Crown race, this is likely his best shot at doing so.

And with the experience Napravnik has in following Orb throughout the Churchill Downs race earlier this month, it shouldn't be too tough for Mylute to stick with the derby champion and make a late push.

Goldencents

It's hard to see a scenario where Goldencents doesn't come firing out of the gate. The only question is how the last half of the race will treat the scrutinized thoroughbred.

Part-owned by Rick Pitino and trained by I'll Have Another star Doug O'Neill, Goldencents has all of the training and preparation necessary to become the horse to upset Orb's chance at the Triple Crown.

We could talk all day about Goldencents' championship-caliber pedigree and training, buti t's the position that will help him the most. Starting out in the No. 2 position, he'll be able to get out to an early lead with little to no issues considering Orb will be saving his best for last.

O'Neill wasn't shy about how his contender looked on the track the eve leading up to the big race, according to his personal Twitter.

Jockey Kevin Krigger will have to magnificently work the opening gate to make sure his horse gets out in front and can take the inside. Doing so is so crucial at Pimlico, where it's much tougher to caddy-corner the turns.

Inside position is huge in the Preakness, and Goldencents can prove that if he can win Saturday.

Govenor Charlie

Starting in the No. 8 spot, Govenor Charlie will have a great opportunity to attack from the outside late in the race just as Orb did in Churchill Downs.

But it's not the starting position that has trainer Bob Baffert excited. It's his decision to skip out on the Kentucky Derby in the efforts to rest his thoroughbred that has Govenor Charlie boasting a unique advantage over most of the field.

Baffert knows what he's doing at Pimlico. He's won five races in 13 appearances there and certainly has the knowledge part of the track down.

The trainer seems to be a fan of his horse's post spot as well, according to his personal Twitter account.

Led by one of the sport's legendary trainers and ridden by jockey Martin Garcia, Govenor Charlie seems to have a solid shot at upsetting the field and proving his worth. A victory is certainly too much to ask for, but it's not impossible and he should at least be finishing in the first three.

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Results: Joel Rosario's Win Is Excellent Omen for Orb

Timothy Rapp — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

Joel Rosario has a winning touch these days. And that's good news for Orb—and horse-racing fans in general—as the Preakness Stakes approach.

After leading Orb to a victory in the Kentucky Derby, the jockey kept his hot streak alive, riding Fiftyshadesofhay—one of the better horse names in recent memory, for what it's worth—to victory in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes in the lead-up to the Preakness.

From Claire Novak of ESPN:

Jockey Joel Rosario's remarkable run continued May 17 when he cleverly brought Fiftyshadesofhay from off the pace to win the $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Rosario, who will ride Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Preakness Stakes May 18, took his mount in hand to rate sixth early on, atypical of her usual running style. After closing well and altering course to the outside in the upper stretch, the Bob Baffert-trained filly reached the wire in front under strong right-handed urging to win by a neck over 12-1 shot Marathon Lady.

This is how hot Rosario is right now—he ran a totally different style of race than what Fiftyshadesofhay generally runs and still led the horse to a win, according to the horse's trainer, Bob Baffert (via Novak):

"I said 'Ride her the way you feel,' and then when he had her back, I thought 'Oh boy, this is something new!'" Baffert remarked. "Is he a riding sunofagun or what? I thought she'd run well, but I was surprised when he took her back like that."

But Rosario's plan was to keep the horse to the outside and let it progressively build up to speed, and the plan worked to perfection.

Rosario now has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, however, as the entire horse-racing world hopes Orb can be the first horse to win the Triple Crown since 1978. And Orb isn't just the favorite, it's an overwhelming favorite, currently coming in at 4-5 odds, according to Bovada.

The next closest horse on the odds is Departing at 7-1. In other words, it will be a huge shock if Orb doesn't win the Preakness.

The Preakness could potentially cause Orb some problems, however. While the horse has proven in the past it can run off the leaders and handle a shorter track, Rosario had Orb run well off the pack in the Kentucky Derby and close in the end.

That strategy won't be viable in the Preakness, a shorter track that will require Orb to remain for closer to the pack then in the Derby. A slow start in this race could potentially cost the horse a shot at the Triple Crown.

But given Rosario's hot hand of late, it seems unlikely Orb will be done in by a poor strategy. If Orb gets out to an early start and keeps pace with the leaders, its hard to imagine the horse—or its jockey, Rosario—losing.

Results

Purse: $500,000

Age: 3-year-old fillies

Grade: 2

Length: 1 1/8 miles

Place	Horse
1	Fiftyshadesofhay
2	Marathon Lady
3	Toasting
4	Maracuya
5	Petit Trianon
6	Emollient
7	Lady Banks

Horse	Win	Place	Show
Fiftyshadesofhay	$6.60	$3.80	$3.00
Marathon Lady	-	$8.40	$4.80
Toasting	-	-	5.40

Report: New York Yankees Acquire INF Reid Brignac in Trade with Colorado Rockies

Kenny DeJohn — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:58:51 -0400

The New York Yankees continue to make moves in order to maximize the effectiveness of a roster decimated by injuries.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that New York has acquired infielder Reid Brignac from the Colorado Rockies. According to NBC Sports, Heyman reported the Rockies will receive $75,000 in the deal for Brignac.

No corresponding roster moves have been announced just yet, but Alberto Gonzalez will likely be the odd man out in this equation. There's no reason to have two versatile reserve infielders on the roster. Brignac also has much more upside than Gonzalez.

Yankees fans will remember Brignac from his days with the Tampa Bay Rays (2008 to 2012). During his time there, he hit .227/.268/.317 with 10 home runs and 67 RBI. He played 113 games in 2010 and hit eight home runs and drove in 45—his best season to date.

General manager Brian Cashman has been notorious for making these scrappy deals this season. He acquired infielder Chris Nelson from the Rockies just a few weeks ago, though he's already been designated for assignment as well.

The Yankees won't be looking to get much out of Brignac, but his experience in a bigger role (2010) likely prompted the move. He has the potential to at least hold his own at the plate, whereas Gonzalez often seems lost in the batter's box.

We'll have to wait to see how this move pans out, but it has all the makings of another Cashman steal. Maybe Brignac can end up challenging Jayson Nix for the reserve infielder's role when the injured stars return.

Even if he can't, the Yankees likely won't have given up much in the process. This is another smart move by the Yankees GM.

Dwight Freeney Reportedly Reaches Agreement on 2-Year Deal with Chargers

Mike Hoag — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:31:35 -0400

Former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the San Diego Chargers, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

ESPN's Ed Werder later confirmed the report, courtesy of a quote from Freeney that showed he was in fact San Diego bound.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio provides details on the deal:

"Per a source with knowledge of the deal, Freeney’s two-year contract with the Chargers carries a base value of $8.75 million.

The deal pays $5.25 million in 2013, via a $3.25 million signing bonus, $1.5 million in base salary, and a $500,000 roster bonus tied to Freeney’s presence on the weekly 46-man roster.

Freeney is due to earn $3.5 million in 2014, $500,000 of which is linked to weekly roster bonuses."

Freeney, drafted by the Colts No. 11 overall in the 2002 NFL draft, solidified the defensive nucleus of the Colts teams of the past decade.

He went to seven Pro Bowls, was selected to the NFL’s All-Pro first team on three occasions (2004, 2005, 2009) and set the franchise record in sacks (107.5) while playing with Indianapolis over the last 11 seasons.

The 6’1”, 268-pound defender expressed his desire to stay with the team but said he understands that the nature of the business might not make that possible.

The Chargers scooped him up after his worst statistical performance of his career. He was a member of the old guard in Indy, the team that was built by the now-departed Bill Polian.

The writing was on the wall for 33-year-old when the Colts transitioned to the 3-4 defense during the 2012 offseason. Freeney spent the first 10 years of his career lined up as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme and is more suited for that role.

That much was apparent by his diminished role last season. His attempted transition to outside linebacker didn’t pan out, and he struggled dropping back in coverage when not rushing the passer. He still racked up five sacks in his limited opportunities, but he was nowhere near the dominant force of years past.

The Chargers present an interesting opportunity for Freeney to get back into his groove in the twilight of his career. They’re hoping the aging pass-rusher can regain his double-digit sack form in 2013, but it's still just a short-term deal.

Freeney will get a chance to square off against his old team on Monday Night Football in San Diego on Oct. 14 this season.

Phil Jackson Reveals True Story of Lakers Snub

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:24:53 -0400

After a miserable 2012-13 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers following a huge offseason, many fans are now left wondering what could have been had Phil Jackson taken over the team. Well, at the very least, he's finally telling us all why he didn't end up back in L.A.

On a tour to promote his new book Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success, Jackson showed up on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to talk about the Michael Jordan versus Kobe Bryant debate and give his side of the story on why he didn't end up coaching the Lakers.

Much as the story was told when it happened, Jackson recalls talking to Lakers vice president Jim Buss for an extended period of time, telling Buss he was positive he could coach the roster they had put together.

Jackson requested the weekend to think about it.

But late on that Sunday night, Jackson got a call from Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, who informed Jackson that the team had decided to hire Mike D'Antoni.

The decision caused a rift between Buss and his sister (and now Jackson's fiancé) Jeanie, who didn't speak to each other for an extended period of time.

You know the story from there. Los Angeles was barely able to squeak into the playoffs with a 45-37 record and was swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. D'Antoni's future with the team is shaky at best.

Jackson is now looking for a job elsewhere in the NBA, either in a front office role or once again as a head coach.

He's currently aiding the Detroit Pistons with their search for a new head coach, but his role in the NBA beyond that point is still up in the air.

I think we can rule out anything with the Lakers.

Preakness 2013 Post Positions: Horses with Least Advantageous Starting Spots

Mike Chiari — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:18:32 -0400

Although post positions may not be as important in the Preakness with nine horses entered as opposed to 19 in the Kentucky Derby, they are likely to come into play to some degree. Perhaps they won't prevent a horse from winning, but they can make the task far more difficult.

A poor draw shouldn't necessarily deter you from betting on a horse, but it should definitely make you think twice and consider other options. There are a number of different things to take into account, and post positions are definitely among them.

Here are three horses that will have to overcome poor starting spots if they hope to make an impact in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.

Starting Order

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Orb	Joel Rosario	Shug McGaughey	4-5
2	Goldencents	Kevin Krigger	Doug O'Neill	9-1
3	Titletown Five	Julien Leparoux	D. Wayne Lukas	33-1
4	Departing	Brian Hernandez Jr.	Albert M. Stall Jr.	7-1
5	Mylute	Rosie Napravnik	Tom Amoss	17-2
6	Oxbow	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	18-1
7	Will Take Charge	Mike Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	12-1
8	Govenor Charlie	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	12-1
9	Itsmyluckyday	John Velazquez	Eddie Plesa Jr.	10-1

*Odds courtesy of Bovada

Goldencents

Arguably the most disappointing horse in the Kentucky Derby was Goldencents. He entered the race among the top contenders, but he got caught in a very dangerous game. Goldencents and Palace Malice set an unsustainable pace early and Goldencents ended up fading. He ultimately finished 17th and crippled a lot of bettors in the process. It'll be tough for him to do much worse in the Preakness, but that doesn't mean that he'll rebound.

Goldencents drew the No. 2 position, which means he will likely have wait to make his move. While going straight to the front hurt Goldencents in the Kentucky Derby, that is his strength. He should set the pace, but he just needs to do it more reasonably.

Starting second will probably force him to come from behind as he will be right on the rail. Trainer Doug O'Neill believes that the Derby should be thrown out as things didn't break Goldencents' way, according to KY Derby Contenders, but things are unlikely to go well for him in this race either.

Jockey Kevin Krigger will certainly have his work cut out for him. Orb is technically in a worse position at No. 1, but being inside could actually play to Orb's strengths. The same can't be said for Goldencents as he may have to go outside his comfort zone in order to prevail.

Itsmyluckyday

Much like Goldencents, Itsmyluckyday went from darling to dud in the Kentucky Derby as he finished 15th after wasting his energy early in the race. He is looking to rebound in the Preakness, but it won't be easy.

Itsmyluckyday is starting on the extreme outside post at No. 9. That obviously isn't as disadvantageous as starting No. 19 in the Kentucky Derby, but it definitely limits jockey John Velazquez's options.

Generally speaking, it is best to be near the middle as that is where the most avenues open up. Starting outside means that Itsmyluckyday will almost be forced to hang back and make a late move. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when you're facing a closer like Orb, it's very difficult to make progress.

Itsmyluckyday's best strategy would probably be staying near the front early so that he can build a lead and possibly hold off Orb, but he'll be hard pressed to do that from No. 9.

It wouldn't be fair to say that Itsmyluckyday has no chance because he is obviously a talented horse. His dominance at Gulfstream Park prior to the Derby proves that. At the same time, he needs everything to go perfectly in order to contend for the win. That already can't happen because the outside lane won't give him the trip that Velazquez desires.

Titletown Five

As the longest shot in the entire Preakness field, the odds are already stacked against Titletown Five. Starting in the No. 3 position won't do him any favors either. The unheralded colt hasn't gotten much love from the bettors heading into the Preakness, and that probably has more to do with his light track record than his post draw. With that said, starting No. 3 is likely to hurt Titletown Five much more than it helps him.

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained horse obviously has some ability as he was able to make it into the Preakness field, however, he only has one career victory, which occurred way back in October of last year. One thing that Titletown Five does have to his credit, though, is finishing ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Orb last August at Saratoga, according to Mark Singelais of the Albany Times Union.

That happened a very long time ago and Orb has gotten significantly better since then. If Titletown Five is able to finish ahead of Orb once again, it will be considered a monumental upset. While the No. 3 spot doesn't necessarily preclude Titletown Five from getting to the front early, it makes it much more difficult.

Trying to close late alongside Orb is pretty much a death wish as Orb has proven capable of flying down the stretch. Titletown Five's chances aren't great anyway, but the No. 3 slot won't help.

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