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NHL Playoff Schedule 2013: When and Where to Watch Friday's Action

Maxwell Ogden — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:30:00 -0400

The 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs will continue on Friday, May 24, as the action returns to Pittsburgh, Pa. With the Eastern Conference Semifinals taking center stage and the potential for elimination upon us, tensions will be high.

The question: When and where can you watch Friday's action?

The postseason will be limited to one game on Friday, but it will be a high-stakes affair as the Pittsburgh Penguins attempt to close out the Ottawa Senators. Pittsburgh enters this game with a 3-1 series lead after winning Game 4 in dominant fashion.

Something tells us we'll see a more competitive game than the 7-3 drubbing we witnessed in Game 4.

Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 5

Time: Friday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: NBC Sports

Series Record: Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Ottawa Senators 1

The Pittsburgh Penguins enter Game 5 in full control, owning a 3-1 series lead as the action shifts back to their home ice. With that being said, the New York Islanders took a road game against the Penguins during the first round.

Who's to say the Ottawa Senators can't do the same?

The Senators enter this game in a rather uninspiring manner, but they have played the Penguins well at times. In fact, their most recent road loss against Pittsburgh came by just one goal during Game 2.

The question is, do the Senators believe they can come back?

Daniel Alfredsson has been the leader of this team for a long time, but doubt is a contagious thing.

For those concerned with Alfredsson's comments, don't jump the gun. The 40-year-old veteran clarified his comments and assumed his role as the leader of the Senators.

According to a report via The Associated Press, Alfredsson and the Senators don't plan on giving up.

"I know what we're going to do," Alfredsson said. "We're going to go out and play one hell of a game. That doesn't worry me at all. We never quit and that's not going to stop now. We know the odds are against us in every way, but we never quit and that's going to continue."

That's more like it.

The question is, will the Senators be able to pull out the victory and bring the series back to Ottawa? Or will they be the next team to fall to the powerful Penguins?

Either way, it all starts with Sidney Crosby.

When you're the best player in the world and there isn't a close second, it may be a bit unfair to label you as the X-factor. After all, you're expected to come out and produce with every passing game, regardless of who they draw.

With that being said, the Senators have one hope to take down the Penguins—slowing down Sidney Crosby.

Pittsburgh is a deep team with multiple weapons, which makes Crosby's greatness all the more dangerous. Ottawa must focus on Crosby's playmaking ability whenever he's on the ice.

With 14 points in nine games, it's not hard to see why.

Legendary.

For perspective, the Senators held Crosby to zero points in Game 3 and won 2-1 in overtime. Crosby netted a hat trick during a 4-3 Game 2 Penguins victory and two points in Pittsburgh's 7-3 Game 4 win.

The proof is in the numbers.

Even if Crosby is held without a point, the Senators must provide an offensive counterattack. Players such as Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and Pascal Dupuis are certain to be on the attack, which places Ottawa's elite defense under attack.

The question is, will this series end on Friday as the Penguins win Game 5, or will the Senators muster up enough offense to get the job done?

We're soon to find out.

French Open 2013 TV Schedule: How to Watch Grand Slam Tennis at Roland Garros

Mike Chiari — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:30:00 -0400

The French Open is arguably the most unique of tennis' Grand Slam tournaments and it is oftentimes the most exciting as well. The red clay at Roland Garros makes for some interesting matches and they are always a treat to watch on television.

It's easier to catch big tennis events now more than ever due to the amount of channels that carry the matches. For the French Open in the United States alone, NBC, ESPN2 and Tennis Channel will be showing matches from early in the morning into the afternoon on a daily basis.

Here is the entire television schedule for the French Open so you don't have to miss a second of the most important matches, as well as some further analysis on which players you should be tracking throughout the tournament.

Full TV Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Matches	Channel
Sunday, May 26	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	First Round	ESPN2
Sunday, May 26	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	First Round	Tennis
Sunday, May 26	Noon-3 p.m.	First Round	NBC
Monday, May 27	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	First Round	ESPN2
Monday, May 27	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	First Round	Tennis
Monday, May 27	Noon-3 p.m.	First Round	NBC
Tuesday, May 28	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	First Round	ESPN2
Tuesday, May 28	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	First Round	Tennis
Wednesday, May 29	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	Second Round	ESPN2
Wednesday, May 29	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	Second Round	Tennis
Thursday, May 30	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	Second Round	ESPN2
Thursday, May 30	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	Second Round	Tennis
Friday, May 31	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	Third Round	ESPN2
Friday, May 31	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	Third Round	Tennis
Saturday, June 1	5 a.m.-Noon	Third Round	Tennis
Saturday, June 1	Noon-3 p.m.	Third Round	NBC
Sunday, June 2	5 a.m.-1 p.m.	Round of 16	Tennis
Sunday, June 2	1 p.m.-4 p.m.	Round of 16	NBC
Monday, June 3	5 a.m.-10 a.m.	Round of 16	ESPN2
Monday, June 3	10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.	Round of 16	Tennis
Tuesday, June 4	8 a.m.-1 p.m.	Quarterfinals	Tennis
Tuesday, June 4	1 p.m.-7 p.m.	Quarterfinals	ESPN2
Wednesday, June 5	8 a.m.-1 p.m.	Quarterfinals	ESPN2
Thursday, June 6	9 a.m.-2 p.m.	Women's Semifinals	ESPN2
Thursday, June 6	11 a.m.-2 p.m.	Women's Semifinals	NBC
Friday, June 7	7 a.m.-11 a.m.	Men's Semifinals	Tennis
Friday, June 7	11 a.m.-2 p.m.	Men's Semifinals	NBC
Saturday, June 8	9 a.m.-1 p.m.	Women's Final	NBC
Sunday, June 9	9 a.m.-2 p.m.	Men's Final	NBC

*Schedule courtesy of TimesUnion.com

Top Stars to Watch

Rafael Nadal

There is no disputing the fact that Rafael Nadal is the king of clay. Rafa has won the French Open on seven occasions, and all seven of those victories have come over the past eight years. He is the three-time defending champion and there is no reason to believe that he will falter in 2013. Nadal returned to action this year after missing seven months with a knee injury, and he is seemingly better than ever as he boasts a 36-2 record along with six titles.

Nadal will always be the favorite to win the French Open as long as he remains in good form, but he may be an even heavier favorite this year than usual. For starters, Andy Murray will miss the French Open with a back injury, so one of his biggest tests is out of commission. Also, Novak Djokovic has struggled as of late and Nadal destroyed Roger Federer in the Italian Open final.

It simply doesn't seem as though anyone can hold a candle to Nadal right now, particularly on clay. It would take a superhuman effort to beat him, but the matches still need to be played. With how well Rafa has played over the past several weeks, it should be a pleasure to watch him at Roland Garros.

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova completed the career Grand Slam last year at the French Open as she won the tournament for the first time. Sharapova also has one singles title in each of the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, so she has a great deal of diversity in her game. Repeating at the French won't be easy, but Sharapova is clearly among the top contenders in the women's draw.

Sharapova has lost just five matches all year, so she has obviously been playing well. With that said, it seems as though her kryptonite is Serena Williams. Three of Sharapova's five losses have come at the hands of Serena, so she may have to slay that dragon in order to win her second consecutive French Open.

While it may not seem like Sharapova has the game and body type necessary to excel on clay, she has managed to acclimate herself to the surface and uses her immense power to her advantage. It remains to be seen if she can beat Williams in a big spot, but Sharapova will definitely be among the top contenders in the French Open.

Novak Djokovic

Although Novak Djokovic is technically the No. 1 player in the world, he hasn't really played like it as of late. Djokovic has only lost four times and has three titles to his credit in 2013, but he has really struggled in his past two tournaments. The Djoker was ousted in the first round of the Madrid Open by Grigor Dimitrov and then lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.

Djokovic is still one of the players to beat in the men's draw, but it's hard to imagine him taking out Nadal. It's certainly possible that Djokovic can reach the finals even if he isn't playing his best, but there is no way he can beat Nadal without playing a perfect match. The French Open is the one Grand Slam Djokovic has yet to win and doing so this year will be a very tall order.

Should Nadal somehow get upset along the way, though, Djokovic will become the de facto favorite. He has shown a knack for grinding out matches in which he isn't playing his best, so he should be able to make a deep run in the French Open. Whether or not that results in a title will have everything to do with how Nadal plays, though.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning Throws to Manchester City's Joe Hart

Will Tidey — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:24:59 -0400

Manchester City are really throwing themselves into their short U.S. trip this week.

As well as playing two friendlies against Chelsea (the first finished in a 4-3 loss), the Premier League club have announced the purchase of a new MLS franchise and made numerous public appearances.

The above clip shows City players meeting New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning at their training facility.

Manning explains the trajectory of his throw and has City goalkeeper Joe Hart play wide receiver to run and make a catch.

Hart's City and England teammate James Milner is next to go, and also brings the ball in nicely.

Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Gunners Shouldn't Sell Thomas Vermaelen

Timothy Rapp — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:02 -0400

The 2012-13 season was one to forget for Thomas Vermaelen, as the Arsenal captain and centre-back went from being one of the team's steadier players to a bench-warmer by the end of the year.

And with the duo of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker playing so well for Arsenal late in the season, it will be very, very difficult for Vermaelen to earn back his first-team place next term.

But that doesn't mean the Gunners should give up on him, even if plenty of teams would be interested in snatching him from Arsenal if he's made available.

From John Cross of the Mirror:

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger could be ready to listen to offers for his out-of-favour captain, as he looks to shake up his squad.

That has alerted several top clubs, including Manchester United, who are watching developments closely.

Unlike last year, when they reluctantly allowed Robin van Persie to move to their their rivals from Old Trafford, Arsenal would be willing sellers this time.

Barcelona are also keeping tabs on the situation.

As Cross notes, Vermaelen would like to remain at the club but could see his international spot with Belgium lost if he doesn't play. That could motivate the former captain to push for a move.

But there is another way of looking at this—it could also push him to work hard in the offseason and earn his spot back. He didn't earn the captain's armband by being a mediocre option at the position, after all.

And here's another option, albeit one I haven't seen discussed much—would Wenger ever consider giving him a run as a defensive midfielder similarly to how David Luiz was played in the role for Chelsea?

While Vermaelen doesn't have the athleticism or devastating shot of Luiz, he has always liked to join the attack and has the quickness and tackling acumen to play in a deeper midfield role. While he wouldn't be able to facilitate the attack from a deep-lying position like Mikel Arteta, he would certainly add a more physical presence to the midfield.

I know, I know, this may be a case where I want it to be "just crazy enough that it might work," when really it's just plain old crazy. But it's something to consider.

Besides, if Theo Walcott is given time playing at striker to keep him happy, why not play Vermaelen occasionally in the midfield to ensure he could be kept as centre-back depth?

Wenger will have to monitor this situation closely. If he feels Vermaelen will improve upon his form, add some healthy competition to the position and won't sulk if he opens the season on the bench, there is no reason to get rid of him.

But if Vermaelen is going to be a distraction if he isn't a first-choice centre-back next year and Wenger sees no potential for him as a holding midfielder—a slim possibility, I know—then perhaps the best option will be to sell him this summer.

But I hope it doesn't come to that. Vermaelen's form may have dipped this season, but he's a leader and high-character guy, and the sort of player you want to see kept at the Emirates.

SEC Baseball Tournament 2013: Red-Hot Hitters to Watch on Final Three Days

Ethan Grant — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:02 -0400

With only six teams remaining and three days left at the 2013 SEC Baseball Tournament, scouts and fans from all walks of life will likely flock to Hoover, Alabama on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to see the diamond talent on display.

Heck, when the weather is as beautiful as it was on Thursday according to ABC's James Spann, who wouldn't want to take a weekend trip to Alabama and catch some baseball?

Alabama and LSU will take each other on in the first of two games on Friday, while Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Vanderbilt are the other four teams remaining in action—all vying for the tournament championship on Sunday.

Team wins are what the tournament is all about, but to some fans, scouting talent that might make it to the next level is equally important.

If that's the case for you, here's a look at three players to watch over the final three days of action at the SEC tournament. You won't be disappointed and might even see these guys on national TV in the near future.

Vanderbilt CF Connor Harrell

Harrell has started over 220 games for the Commodores in his collegiate career, a remarkable number considering the amount of guys that move on to Major League Baseball before their eligibility is over.

Harrell is making full use of his eligibility, and Vandy is eternally grateful.

Despite the setback against Texas A&M, Vanderbilt is still in a good position. It's time to put on the winning mindset from here on out, but as Anchor of Gold's Christian D'Andrea posted on Twitter, Vandy's long-term World Series chances hinge on his ability to get hot:

Harrell has a career .289 batting average in college, and has upped that mark with a .319 campaign this season. He also has 11 home runs and 61 RBI, making opposing pitchers aware of when he's coming to the plate in run-scoring situations.

He also has zero errors over the past two seasons, proving his worth as a defensive outfielder, too.

He's been on base five times in the past two games, though the RBI chances have been limited because coaches are picking their spots to challenge him in the Vandy lineup. Hopefully he gets a pitch or two to hit in the next couple of games, because he's an intriguing talent to watch.

Arkansas CF Matt Vinson

Vinson made headlines last year for a home run-saving catch that made its way into all the major network highlight shows, but he's a capable hitter who's helping the Razorbacks make some noise this season.

With six hits through the first two games of play, Vinson is crushing opposing pitching from the No. 2 spot in the Arkansas order. He's increased his season batting average up to .310 in the process, and is a key player for the Razorbacks' heart of the order (3-4-5) in scoring situations.

As the Arkansas News' Robbie Neiswanger reported on Twitter, Vinson has been one of Arkansas' most reliable players this season:

Vinson also has 50 doubles this season for the Hogs, and can use his speed in spots where the team needs him to steal a base (7-of-8 this year) or lay down a bunt and beat out the throw to first (which he did in the tournament already).

Overall, Vinson keeps getting better. It will be interesting to see how he rises to the occasion the rest of the way.

Texas A&M 3B Hunter Melton

Melton only played in 26 games for the Aggies this season, but his .505 slugging percentage should tell you something about his worth to the team—the freshman has power and is ready to use it.

He belted a three-run homer as the Aggies took down Florida and added another solo shot as the Aggies beat Vanderbilt in the upset of the tournament so far.

Again, Melton is a freshman, seeing time in the tournament because his bat has been valuable to the Aggies so far in reaching new heights after an up-and-down regular season.

Melton also led Texas A&M in home runs despite playing roughly half of the games that the starters did during the regular season, meaning he's on pace to have a big sophomore year and certainly be a player to watch for the rest of his time in College Station.

There's players on every team to watch, but these three are getting fans out of their seats in Hoover. Gear up for an exciting finish to the 2013 SEC Baseball Tournament.

Follow Ethan Grant on Twitter: Follow @DowntownEG

NBA Playoff Schedule 2013: Full Preview For This Weekend's Contests

Jesse Reed — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

There are three playoff games on the NBA schedule this weekend, and a chance to compete for the NBA Championship is up for grabs.

The Miami Heat took Game 1 of their series against the Indiana Pacers and will face them twice this weekend—Friday in Miami and Sunday in Indiana.

The San Antonio Spurs will travel to Memphis on Saturday to face the Grizzlies after winning both home games to take a 2-0 lead in the seven-game series.

Here's a look at the details surrounding these upcoming matchups, along with a look at the top stories heading into the weekend.

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

Game 2

When: Friday, May 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Fla.

Series: Miami leads 1-0

TV: TNT

Game 3

When: Sunday, May 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.

TV: TNT

Preview

In Game 1, Pacers forward Paul George found out what it's like to be the hero one minute and the goat the next.

George saved his team by hitting a long three-point shot to send the game into overtime. He then hit three clutch free throws near the end of the overtime period to put the Pacers up by one point with 2.2 seconds remaining.

It was one of those clutch playoff performances that can immortalize stars in the eyes of their fans, and Twitter was alive with comparisons between George and Pacers legend Reggie Miller.

Unfortunately, George then failed to guard LeBron James on the final possession of the game, and the Heat stole Game 1.

Hero to goat, in 2.2 seconds.

Many have pointed the finger at head coach Frank Vogel for keeping Roy Hibbert on the bench, but it's important to note that Chris Bosh had been abusing Hibbert in the fourth quarter with his quickness and agility.

Also, as ESPN's Mike Wilbon aptly pointed out, the foul called on Dwayne Wade that sent George to the line for three free throws was suspect, at best:

It is going to take another amazing effort by Indiana to defeat the Heat in Game 2. Miami was rusty in its first contest against Chicago, but the Heat came to life in a major way the final four games of the series.

In order for Indiana to even up the series at a game apiece on Friday night, point guard George Hill must be more effective on the offensive end of the court. Hill was brilliant on defense, logging five steals, but he managed only five points and turned the ball over three times.

Should Miami win Game 2, it's hard to see Indiana coming back and winning four out of five with three more games in Miami.

Should Indiana come back strong after such an emotional loss and knot the series at one game apiece, anything can happen.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Game 3

When: Saturday, May 25 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn.

Series: San Antonio leads 2-0

TV: ESPN

It would be easy to think the Spurs have this series in the bag after going up two games to none, but it would be foolish to count out the Grizzlies at this point in the proceedings.

The way these two teams got to this point is uncannily reminiscent of how the Grizzlies started out their series against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. In both series, Memphis lost big on the road in Game 1 and then nearly pulled off a tough road win in Game 2 only to come up just short in the end.

While it's important to note that the Spurs are much more competitive than the Clippers were, it's equally significant to know that the Grizzlies are more than capable of making this a competitive series—if not winning it outright.

One of the biggest reasons Memphis has struggled stems from the struggles of Zach Randolph, who couldn't buy a bucket in Game 1. He went one for eight from the floor, causing Project Spurs co-founder sa2ny2004 to post this amusing message on Twitter:

But Randolph got his groove back in the second half and overtime period of Game 2. He will likely continue to improve as he comes to understand how to combat what the Spurs defenders are doing to combat him on offense.

Another area of concern for Memphis that could cost the franchise this series is the fact that Tony Parker has been able to do just about anything he wants on the offensive end. He has averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 assists in this series and absolutely killed the Grizzlies with his passing in Game 2.

Should San Antonio go up three games to none, you can forget about Memphis coming back. On the other hand, if Memphis pulls off a big win at home, we'll have ourselves a nice series out West.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

Indy 500 Lineup: Drivers Most Likely to Overcome Mediocre Qualifying Efforts

Tyler Conway — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

NASCAR's Daytona 500 may have emerged as the United States' most popular race in recent years, but there is none with a more hallowed history or richer tradition than the Indianapolis 500.

The Kentucky Derby of auto racing, each year the Indy 500 brings droves of intrigue to a sport that stands mostly on culture's fringes. IndyCar remains a thriving business thanks to its small but passionate fanbase, one that spans across the globe.

But on Sunday, the entire globe will be watching as the world's best open-wheel racers descend upon Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500. Qualifying festivities set the field of 33 drivers last week for this year's event, leaving practices as the only form of racing between now and Sunday.

Chances for history adorn the field of drivers, giving the 2013 festivities the highest intrigue in recent memory. Four women drivers will vie to become the first to ever win the Indianapolis 500, with Simona de Silvestro being the highest qualifier at 24th.

Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves will also have history on the line, as they can match the all-time record of four wins. Last year, it was again Franchitti taking home the checkered flag. Dominating for much of the final Sunday in May, Franchitti kissed the bricks for a third time.

However, he put himself in a bit of a hole in qualifying and will have to fight his way up from 17th. And Franchitti isn't the only favorite who put themselves behind the proverbial eight ball in qualifying, either.

Here is a breakdown of a few drivers most likely to storm back from disappointing qualifying runs to contend on Sunday.

Race Information

When: Sunday, May 26, at 12 p.m. ET

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Watch: ABC

Qualifying Results

Pos.	Driver	Car No.
1	Ed Carpenter	20
2	Carlos Munoz	26
3	Marco Andretti	25
4	E.J. Viso	5
5	A.J. Allmendinger	2
6	Will Power	12
7	Ryan Hunter-Reay	1
8	Helio Castroneves	3
9	James Hinchcliffe	27
10	J.R. Hildebrand	4
11	Alex Tagliani	98
12	Tony Kanaan	11
13	Oriol Servia	22
14	Justin Wilson	19
15	Sebastien Bourdais	7
16	Scott Dixon	9
17	Dario Franchitti	10
18	Takuma Sato	14
19	Charlie Kimball	83
20	James Jakes	16
21	Simon Pagenaud	77
22	Townsend Bell	60
23	Ryan Briscoe	8
24	Simona de Silvestro	78
25	Josef Newgarden	21
26	Graham Rahal	15
27	Sebastian Saavedra	6
28	Tristan Vautier	55
29	Ana Beatriz	18
30	Pippa Mann	63
31	Conor Daly	41
32	Buddy Lazier	91
33	Katherine Legge	81

Mid-Pack Drivers to Watch

Scott Dixon (No. 9)

Dixon heads into the Indy 500 fifth in points, but the season's first four races certainly haven't gone as well as he'd hope. The 32-year-old Dixon has finished in the top five just twice, languishing near the middle of the field as he struggles to make much headway toward the front of the field.

Among IndyCar's top-five drivers this season, he's the only one to not lead a lap yet. That's not exactly the way anyone wants to head into the sport's biggest race, and Dixon is coming off an 18th-place result at the Sao Paulo Indy 300.

Last week's qualifying effort is just more of the same struggles. While most of the focus has been on Dixon's mediocre finishes, the No. 9 car's difficulty qualifying has been more disconcerting. His qualifying average of 14th is pretty dreadful for a driver on Chip Ganassi Racing's monolithic payroll.

Luckily, Dixon might be able to get off the schneid on Sunday. He won the Indy 500 in 2008 and has always exhibited comfort on the sport's biggest spotlight. Only teammate Dario Franchitti kept Dixon from kissing the bricks a second time last season, and he led the most laps before finishing fourth in 2011.

Ganassi brings his best to the Indy 500, and Dixon's car should be raring to go on Sunday. Though the qualifying struggles put him in an untenable position to start, Dixon should be able to work his way up the pack as long as he avoids trouble early in the race.

Dario Franchitti (No. 10)

Speaking of drivers not living up to their expectations...yeesh, Dario Franchitti. Heading into this year's race, the 40-year-old Franchitti is just 15th in the point standings and has major trouble staying on the track. Of drivers who have participated in each of the season's four races thus far, only Ana Beatriz has logged fewer laps, per NBC Sports.

It hasn't just been one problem, either. Franchitti had mechanical issues at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama but smacked hard against the wall at St. Petersburg. Both early-season finishes left Franchitti's chances at coming away with a championship gasping for a bit of air already.

Though a fourth-place and seventh-place finish in the seasons' last two races give him a little momentum heading into the Indy 500, qualifying again was ripe with troubles. Franchitti could not get his car to stick where he wanted it on the track and will now face starting in the 17th position.

Still, history says there's reason for hope for Franchitti. In his three previous Indy victories, he's only started inside the top-10 once. Last year, he started 16th and was on the inside of the sixth row. This year, he'll be one spot to the inside of where he was 12 months ago.

Of course, history doesn't automatically repeat itself. Franchitti will have to have the car to get things done, which didn't look to promising in qualifying. With teammate Scott Dixon also hanging toward the middle of the pack, one has to wonder about the strength of Chip Ganassi's cars this year.

Odds are Franchitti will be in contention. I just wouldn't bet on him winning, especially at Bovada's current 17-2 line.

Takuma Sato (No. 14)

While the two previously mentioned Ganassi drivers have had their fair share of frustrations, Sato cannot be too concerned with his 18th-place qualifying effort.

Driving for A.J. Foyt Enterprises this season, the Japanese racer is off to a fantastic start. He's leading the points standings through the first four races of 2013, having finished no worse than 14th in any event.

What's most notable about Sato is his aggressiveness on the track. The 36-year-old has a go-for-broke mentality straight out of Talladega Nights, driving his No. 14 car like a spider monkey all jacked up on Mountain Dew. It's that aggressive spirit that makes him a perfect fit to drive under Foyt, who is one of the legendary names in all of racing.

Last year at Indy, that aggressiveness didn't pay off. After leading 31 laps and being among the race's most dominant cars, Sato went for a risky pass on Franchitti in the 500's waning moments in a thrilling moment for all watching.

Unfortunately for Sato, he crashed and finished 18th. When asked whether he plans on being as aggressive this time around with the points lead at stake, Sato wasted no time telling Steve Keating of Reuters that fans can expect similar tactics this time around.

"The 500 last year gave a very clear idea for the fans if there is any chance I will attack for sure," Sato said. "This is the 500, you go for the win. Why not?"

Whether Sato will be able to make his way up the field from the sixth row remains to be seen. But we know that it won't be fore lack of trying.

NBA Playoffs 2013: Complete Preview and Analysis for Pacers vs. Heat Game 2

Tyler Conway — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

It was about this time one year ago at this time that the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers were facing off in their second-round NBA playoff matchup, and the NBA punditry was having its favorite conversation at the time: Is LeBron James "clutch" enough to lead a championship team.

Over the past 12 months, many great things have happened in the NBA. That conversation meeting a Mortal Kombat-style demise is arguably the best.

James again proved why the "clutch gene" conversation was inane again on Wednesday night, scoring a game-winning layup as time expired to give Miami a Game 1 victory in its Eastern Conference Finals matchup versus the Pacers.

It was a contest that only heightens the intrigue for this series, which will return to action on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena. Just 48 hours ago, the casual NBA fan saw—possibly for the first time—Paul George's ascent to superstardom. His jaw-dropping three-pointer to send the game to overtime and cold-blooded knocking down of three free-throws to put Indiana ahead by a point with 2.2 seconds remaining would have been the story had LeBron, you know, been a human being or something.

This series may turn into a carbon copy of Round 2, with the Pacers only putting up something that resembles a "good job, good effort" en route to Miami advancing to the NBA finals. Or Indiana could use the momentum and confidence gathered from Game 1's close call and put a real scare into the defending champs.

Either way, this series is an absolute godsend for NBA junkies who love watching both ends of the floor. With that in mind, here is a complete preview for Friday night's Game 2 action.

Game Information

When: Friday, May 24, at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami

Watch: ESPN

Stream: WatchESPN

Key Storylines

Do the Heat Have an Answer for David West?

While everyone rightfully went into a tizzy about Paul George making The Leap right before our eyes in the second half and overtime, it was David West who provided the steadying hand for Indiana in the first three quarters.

West shot 9-of-12 in the first three frames, frustrating the Heat with his ability to make shots all over the floor. The always underrated forward finished the game with 26 points and five rebounds, which in and of itself isn't that disconcerting for the Heat. They knew West was hell on wheels for smaller big men coming into the series, and he had success against them in the regular season.

Miami's relative weakness in front-line defense was covered plenty in the seemingly never-ending wait for this series to begin. Chris Bosh's primary defensive job will be Roy Hibbert, and Shane Battier isn't big enough with him to bang down in the post. West isn't one to shy away from contact, either, so Indiana will look to take advantage of West mismatches as much as it can.

What we need to watch in this series is how the Heat choose to combat the advantage everyone knows West has. In Game 1, as it was in the regular season and as I suspect it will be in the remainder of the series, Erik Spoelstra had his bigs front West in the post any time they could.

On this play, Udonis Haslem's presence on the floor allows Bosh to camp out on West. The Bosh-West matchup is one where Miami will always want to front the Pacers big man because Bosh's length makes those tricky lob passes over the top nearly impossible. Though Bosh does a pretty good job of keeping West at bay here, you see the all-around threat he poses by knocking down a jumper.

Of course, David West wouldn't be having a David West game if he wasn't acting as a battering ram in the low post. Here West just absolutely abuses Chris Andersen, who is possibly the only non-LeBron player on the Heat's roster capable of guarding him on paper.

Just watch Dwyane Wade's eyes as he halfheartedly follows Sam Young across the baseline. He's infinitely more concerned about West and that will only continue throughout the series.

Indiana will need Paul George to be its best player in this series to compete. But it will need West to continue dominating the way he did in Game 1 almost as badly.

Can the Heat Continue Limiting the Roy Hibbert Effect?

I'm not sure whether you've heard this or not, but folks were pretty upset with Pacers coach Frank Vogel for keeping Hibbert on the bench for Miami's final possession. If you hadn't heard, well, just do a quick Twitter search consisting of Hibbert, Vogel and any vile four-letter word normally reserved for longshoremen.

You'll get a good idea of how people felt then. We're not going to waste our time feeding into this nonsense. I probably would have had Hibbert on the floor, but Vogel's strategy behind the move was sound. He wanted to be able to switch through Miami's array of off-the-ball screens on the inbounds play, and the strategy might have paid off had Paul George not lost just enough balance to allow James to go blowing past him

Whatever. If someone brings this one play up in a bar over the next few days, you can point to a ton of plays where Miami scored on Hibbert at the rim in Game 1.

In Round 2, the Knicks' offensive efficiency bottomed out for two reasons. One was that George had the lateral quickness and strength (for the most part) to handle Carmelo Anthony and force bad perimeter shots. The other, more important factor, was that Hibbert's presence demoralized New York at the rim.

The Knicks shot an absolutely abhorrent 45.5 percent against Indiana within five feet in their series and an even more dreadful 47.7 percent in the restricted area, per NBA.com. Both of those numbers are about eight percent worse than the Bobcats' league-worst percentages during the regular season. While the remainder of the Pacers' NBA-best defense deserves credit, Hibbert was an absolute menace on pick-and-roll plays and he made Tyson Chandler look decrepit for most of the series.

Indiana learned how quickly things can change when the world's best player comes around. In Game 1, the Heat shot 73 percent of their shots within five feet and buried 26 baskets inside the restricted area, per NBA.com.

Small sample sizes apply of course, but the Heat got past Indiana's stalwart perimeter defense with ease and finished when they got there. Most of that involved lulling Hibbert out a little too far in rim-protector mode and dishing off to his man on the baseline, usually Chris Andersen on Wednesday night.

Disconcerting for Hibbert and Co. was that Miami wasn't doing anything that revolutionary. The Heat would run a pick-and-pop with James and Bosh, LeBron gets a head of steam to draw Hibbert out and then dishes to the open man.

There is no trickery or double-screen action here. Just fantastic execution from the NBA's best offense.

New York seemingly sent every variation of a pick-and-roll known to NBAkind at Indiana and still couldn't get anything going. The sheer will of James is always going to bring Hibbert a little farther out than he wants to be, and even when LeBron takes that shot Andersen or whomever is there with the follow-up.

It's hard to say how Indiana should defend against this. Vogel could try playing Hibbert on Bosh, but Bosh's ability to knock down 18-footers deserves respect and might do more harm than good. It's a heady conundrum for a head coach to have, but Vogel has to figure something out soon or the Pacers will lose one of their biggest advantages.

Can Either Team Buy a Bucket From Three-Point Land?

Hibbert may not have been David Robinson circa 1991-92 protecting the rim in Game 1, but it would be patently unfair to say Indiana played a poor defensive game. The Pacers force Miami, the league's most efficient offense during the regular season, to have a below-average scoring rate on Wednesday. The Heat's 101 points per 100 possessions would have ranked just below the Boston Celtics' 20th-ranked offense in the regular season

How was Indiana able to limit the Heat's efficiency when they were able to score at video-game levels around the rim? By protecting the arc, that's how.

Miami shot just 5-of-18 from distance, as Mario Chalmers was the only semi-effective shooter from long range. He made both of his three-point attempts. In fact, Miami made just 15 shots outside the restricted area the entire contest and shot 30 percent on those attempts.

For you baseball folks who just happened to accidentally stumble upon an NBA article, batting .300 isn't good around these parts. Especially when much of a team's offense is predicated on taking good, open three-pointers and knocking them down at an elite rate the way Miami's is. The Heat averaged the sixth-most three-pointers per game this season and hit just below 40 percent, per NBA.com.

Indiana's defensive system prides itself on taking away three-pointers, especially the juicy corner looks. Pacers opponents shot a league-low 32.7 percent from three-land against them during the regular season, and only the Chicago Bulls allowed teams to shoot fewer attempts.

Miami had trouble finding good looks against Indiana from distance in the regular season, something that could cost the defending champs a game in this series.

The problem—at least from the Pacers' perspective—is that Indiana couldn't shoot worth a damn in Game 1, either. George knocked down three of his six attempts from distance, but the remaining Pacers shot a crisp 1-of-8 beyond the arc. Included in that wonderful percentage was Lance Stephenson, whose 0-of-5 rate from deep was again proof that the Lance Stephenson self-awareness calibrator was on the fritz again.

The Pacers aren't an elite shooting team from distance. They were about league average from an attempts and percentage standpoint. However, Indiana has shot 30.7 percent from three-point land during the playoffs while taking a higher number of shots. The Pacers are trying to keep defenses honest on the perimeter by jacking up the shots afforded.

It's just not working. While those shots didn't have to fall against an overmatched Hawks team or a self-combusting Knicks squad, the margin of error here for Indiana is nil. The David West bully pulpit and Paul George superhero act can keep them around in games, but you can't beat the human cyborg LeBron James and his sidekicks four times out of six without playing beyond the realm of normal expectations.

For Indiana, that means hitting threes. And they better do it fast before those shots start falling for Miami.

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Belmont Stakes 2013: Analyzing Top Favorites in Final Leg of Triple Crown

Matt Fitzgerald — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

The 145th Belmont Stakes promises to be a thriller even without the possibility of an individual Triple Crown champion.

Traffic issues prevented Kentucky Derby winner Orb from truly challenging at the Preakness, where 15-to-1 long shot Oxbow strode to a wire-to-wire victory with Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens aboard.

It is difficult to discount those two as top favorites entering the Run for the Carnations, but also not to be dismissed is Revolutionary. Trained by the legendary Todd Pletcher, the thoroughbred who finished third at Churchill Downs is going to be very fresh after electing not to bid for the Middle Jewel.

Let's take a closer look at these three horses, who should figure prominently into contention at Belmont Park on June 8.

Orb

Even the 2013 season's hottest jockey in Joel Rosario couldn't help Orb overcome beginning at the No. 1 post position. Perpetually pinned against the rail from the starting gates, Rosario could not make a move to the outside quickly enough, and Orb finished fourth as a result.

As long as Orb doesn't suffer similar misfortune this time around, he should be considered the No. 1 favorite in Elmont, New York.

It's a bit concerning that Rosario couldn't maneuver into an ideal spot for a final-stretch surge at Pimlico, especially considering it was only a nine-horse field. However, the early, relatively slow pace set by Oxbow caused the convolution, and Stevens couldn't have executed his strategy better.

Though Horse Racing Nation lists Orb as a "possible" entry, trainer Shug McGaughey was pleased with Orb's work on Thursday morning at Belmont Park, enhancing Orb's chances to run, according to DRFDerby on Twitter:

Orb adds undeniable intrigue to the Belmont with his combination of physicality and speed, and McGaughey has a golden opportunity to notch two jewels of the Triple Crown with him.

Oxbow

The combination of trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Stevens in the saddle got the speedy colt Oxbow to the winners circle in Baltimore. Lukas finally notched his record 14th Triple Crown victory after going winless in such races since 2000, and Stevens justified his return after a seven-year retirement.

Neither had much left to prove in their respective careers, but the fire is still clearly there. Stevens confirmed on Twitter on Saturday that Oxbow would indeed take part in the Test of Champions:

Oxbow proved at the Preakness that he could maintain a consistently swift cruising pace while still crossing the finish line first. That is precisely what he'll look to do in the final leg of the Triple Crown.

The 1.5-mile track at Belmont Park is an arduous, physically demanding journey, but Oxbow has the luxury of Stevens and his immense experience getting the mount.

Stamina is still a concern nevertheless. If Stevens can rein in Oxbow long enough and stay within shouting distance of the leaders entering the final turn, he has as good a chance as anyone of winning.

Revolutionary

After coming up empty in his Triple Crown campaign thus far, Todd Pletcher's top contender to win the Run for the Carnations has to be Revolutionary.

According to Horse Racing Nation, the renowned trainer may be entering as many as five horses at Belmont Park, but this thoroughbred is a particularly formidable contender.

With Calvin Borel aboard, Revolutionary finished third in the Kentucky Derby, which was a respectable follow-up to the horse's previous win at the Grade I Louisiana Derby.

The latter race was up against the likes of Mylute—who placed fifth at Churchill Downs and third in the Preakness—and Golden Soul, who finished fourth in Louisiana but edged out Revolutionary for runner-up in Louisville.

WinStar Farm announced on Twitter that Javier Castellano would replace Borel aboard Revolutionary in the Preakness, and provided highlights of his win at the 2013 Withers Stakes:

Notice how Revolutionary was in last place entering the final stretch before Castellano turned him loose to a magnificent, triumphant finish.

It's that type of pacing and effortless stride that makes Revolutionary a formidable threat to win the Belmont Stakes. Don't be surprised if he enters the race as the No. 1 favorite given his endurance and strong season thus far.

Tony Romo: Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Not Wise to Skip OTAs

Alex Hall — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

Tony Romo might be healing from minor back surgery, but that doesn't excuse him from organized team activities. David Moore of The Dallas Morning News reported on May 21 that Romo recently had "a minor procedure to remove a cyst from his back." Due to the surgery, Romo will not take part in OTAs.

The Dallas quarterback told Moore that he's not worried about his recovery timetable, saying, "This will have no effect on training camp. No way will it have an impact. And I still think there’s a good chance I’m on the field for minicamp."

Romo is human and everyone needs time to recover from surgery. Still, he needs to make up for not participating in other ways, especially when some media members, like ESPN's Ed Werder, tweet this interesting information:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has called for his newly signed quarterback to work "Peyton Manning-type time," and he's right to expect that from Romo. Jones wants Romo to be the unquestioned leader of this team. The quarterback needs to make sure that all the players feel that he is indeed just that.

Despite Jones' earlier comments, the owner told Jarrett Bell of USA Today, that he's not worried about this situation, saying:

His new role is to really be involved in the formulating of the offense, the game plan. He'll spend more time doing that, as opposed to the repetitions out on the field. If he decides not to do it at minicamp, that's not going to be a big issue.

Whether Romo likes it or not, Jones has shined the spotlight brighter on him since the six-year, $108 million contract extension that he signed this offseason.

The owner wants Romo to be the visible and vocal leader of the Cowboys in an even bigger way than he has been in the past. Romo can only do so much on the sidelines while others are doing suicide sprints in the Dallas heat at the OTAs.

OTAs might not be as big of a deal as minicamp, and they are certainly not as important as training camp, but they're still about building team chemistry. Dallas hasn't made the playoffs in the past three seasons, and there's plenty that needs to be worked on chemistry-wise in order to end the postseason drought.

If he doesn't want to participate in drills, Romo better be giving pointers to young guys like Dalton Williams, and he better be welcoming newcomers like Anthony Hargrove to make them feel like a vital part of the Cowboys roster.

Romo is the quarterback of this team. He should be at OTAs to welcome new teammates and help in all other ways if he can't actively participate.

It's understandable why Romo doesn't want to be part of the drills but he needs to be a part of all team activities in some fashion.

The team owner just backed a truckload of money onto Romo's front lawn, and then Jones handed the quarterback some playcalling ability in the offense. Romo needs to be as active as possible without being physically active during all OTAs.

Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Latest on Thomas Vermaelen, Stevan Jovetic and More

Tim Daniels — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

Arsenal were able to secure a Champions League berth after some drama on the final matchday. Beating out Tottenham for the final spot in the top four should give manager Arsene Wenger more options during the summer transfer window.

Wenger figures to have a busy offseason ahead as he attempts to bolster the squad. Even though the Gunners were thrilled to survive the UCL battle, the ultimate goal should be getting the club back into Premier League title contention.

It won't be an easy task, but a summer of smart moves by the club could help starting closing the gap on Manchester United and the other top sides. With that in mind, let's examine some of the latest transfer talk involving Arsenal.

Thomas Vermaelen

In order to acquire top targets, clubs must first make decisions about players on their current squad. Clearing space for new players to arrive is the initial step. One such example for Arsenal is Vermaelen, the veteran center-back and club captain.

The Gunners are willing to listen to offers for him after he struggled to make an impact during the final stretch of the campaign, reports Charlie Wyett of The Sun. Barcelona and Manchester United are mentioned as sides with prior interest.

Vermaelen represents a particularly tricky decision for Arsenal. His form dropped during his fourth season with the club. While the club needs more consistency in the middle of its defense, the Gunners would be forced to sell low on him. It won't be an easy sale for Wenger to make.

Stevan Jovetic

Jovetic is a coveted commodity that's been linked to Arsenal for awhile now. The 23-year-old Fiorentina striker scored 13 goals during the Serie A campaign and has been viewed as a possible answer to the Gunners' attacking questions.

It appears the club's interest may be starting to fade, though. Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail reports the Italian club is seeking a gaudy £25 million for one of its main assets and Arsenal are already tracking Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid in case the Jovetic situation doesn't work out.

Arsenal must be aggressive in order to keep pace with the league's top clubs. Spending that much on a player who's still seeking elite form would be a risk, however. Wenger would be wise to wait out Fiorentina for a more reasonable asking price.

Kevin Strootman

Strootman is ready to take the next step after spending his entire career to this point playing in the Netherlands. The 23-year-old Dutch international has shined for PSV Eindhoven over the past two seasons. He's a well-rounded, box-to-box midfielder.

John Cross of the Daily Mirror reports Arsenal are expected to have £70 million to spend over the summer. Strootman is one of two midfielders listed on the possible list of targets alongside Maxime Gonalons of Lyon.

While Gonalons is mainly a defensive midfielder, Strootman would bring more versatility to the squad. He can play multiple roles and should continue to excel once he gains some valuable Premier League experience. It makes him a good potential fit for Arsenal.

Indy 500 Schedule: Complete Viewing Guide for Greatest Spectacle in Racing

Mike Chiari — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

As is tradition, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 will be run on the Sunday before Memorial Day and all racing fans will have their eyes on Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR may be king when it comes to auto racing in the United States, but the Indy 500 is still considered "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

With 33 of the best drivers in the world competing to reach victory lane, the Indy 500 is always one of the most exciting and unpredictable races on the IndyCar circuit. Perhaps IndyCar's popularity has waned to some degree over the past several years, but the Indy 500 simply transcends everything as it is an American tradition.

Here is everything you need to know about when and where to catch the 97th running of the Indy 500, as well as which drivers to keep an eye on.

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

When: Sunday, May 26 at 12 p.m. ET

Watch: ABC

Live Stream: LiveStream.com

Top Contenders to Watch

Dario Franchitti

The 2013 season hasn't gotten off to a great start for Dario Franchitti as he currently sits 15th in the standings, but there is something about the Indy 500 that brings out the best in him. Franchitti is among the all-time best Indy 500 performers as he has won the race on three occasions, including last year's. In fact, Franchitti has won two out of the past three and three out of the past six at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Franchitti is the winningest current driver in the Indy 500, and he trails A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears on the all-time list as they have each won the race four times. With one more victory, the 40-year-old Franchitti will move into elite company. Although Franchitti will only be starting 17th, he had an extremely strong practice and was the fastest car on Indy or Bust Day, according to Indy Motor Speedway on Twitter.

Franchitti is always a threat to win the Indy 500, and this year is no different. He'll have to shake off an inconsistent start to the season if he wants to cross the finish line first, but he certainly has the ability to do it.

Helio Castroneves

Dario Franchitti isn't all alone atop the list of active Indy 500 winners as his good friend Helio Castroneves has won the race thrice as well. Castroneves hasn't had as much recent success as Franchitti as his last Indy 500 win came in 2009 with his other two coming in 2001 and 2002, but he is one of only four drivers in this year's field who has won the race in the past.

Like Franchitti, Castroneves has a chance to make history if he wins again this year. He would become one of the four winningest drivers in Indy 500 history and would take sole ownership of the title of winningest foreign racer ahead of Franchitti. Castroneves has a fairly advantageous starting position at No. 8 as well, so he figures to be running near the front.

Also, Castroneves has a lot of momentum heading into the race as he is third in the points standings and has two podium finishes through four races. If he continues to the race the way he has thus far, he will be a definite threat on Sunday.

A.J. Allmendinger

One of the most interesting drivers in the entire Indy 500 field is A.J. Allmendinger. While Allmendinger is technically an IndyCar rookie, he has more racing experience than many of the drivers in the field. He spent several years on NASCAR's Sprint Cup circuit and is running a limited schedule this year as well, but the true highlight of his racing season will likely be competing in the Indy 500.

Allmendinger certainly didn't show any rookie jitters as he managed to qualify fifth with a four-lap average speed of 228.099 mph. Allmendinger is in an interesting situation because he is running part time in two different series, so he can afford to take risks and go for the win. According to Bob Pockrass of Sporting News, it is unclear when Allmendinger's next Sprint Cup race will be, so he'll likely go all out in an attempt to win at Indy.

Allmendinger has been through a lot over the past couple years as he was suspended by NASCAR for violating its substance abuse policy. He is doing everything in his power to make a comeback, though, and an Indy 500 win would be the icing on the cake.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

How Can Dion Jordan Avoid Being Labeled a 'Reach' as a Rookie?

Erik Frenz — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

The Miami Dolphins showed a lot of faith in DE/OLB Dion Jordan by trading up to the No. 3 spot in this year's draft to get him.

The onus is now on Jordan to prove that their faith is well-founded, but it is also on the coaching staff to put his talents to good use.

There's no denying that Jordan is talented, but some players might crumble under that kind of pressure, while others will rise to the occasion. It also may not be a one-year process. For instance, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill took steps toward proving that he wasn't a reach as the No. 8 overall pick in last year's draft, but there are still considerable question marks around his future.

The pressure will be similar for Jordan as it is for Tannehill, and while Jordan doesn't play the game's most important position, expectations around the Dolphins are considerably higher across the board than they were last year at this time.

That being said, Jordan's situation is specific to himself, so here is what he needs to do in order to avoid the dreaded label of a 'reach'.

Get to the Quarterback

Jordan won't be asked to carry the burden of the Dolphins' pass-rush on his own. He joins a talented front seven that already includes one of the game's best pass-rushers in Cameron Wake, as well as talented defensive tackles Randy Starks and Paul Soliai, who will both help by eating up space in the middle of the trenches.

If we look back at recent defensive ends and outside linebackers taken in the top half of the first round, we can get a good feel for a baseline of expectations:

Typically, the results have not been immediate. In fact, a majority of edge defenders drafted within the first 16 picks failed to log five or more sacks in their rookie seasons, as 12 of the 18 players on this list failed to reach this total.

A few players have excelled right out of the gate, though, including recent examples like Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin, 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith and Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Rams defensive end Robert Quinn came out of his shell in his second year by logging 10.5 sacks.

Perhaps the focus on the sack total is subconscious, but my question is: In a hypothetical situation, would Jordan be better served in coverage on Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, or by bringing the heat on Tom Brady? He has natural talent to rush the passer, and it goes to waste every snap that he's in coverage.

He's not on the list since he's not a true "edge" defender, but think about Denver's Von Miller, another player who was projected to be an edge defender in a 3-4 but has since been utilized primarily as a blitzing linebacker in a 4-3 front. The Dolphins will find a way to get the most out of Jordan's pass-rushing ability.

Which brings me to my next point.

Coaches Must (Correctly) Utilize His Versatility

It seems that the Dolphins have drafted Jordan to fill their need for a pass-rushing defensive end in their 4-3 front. Jared Odrick clearly was a fish out of water at the position last year, and although he could be a role-playing defensive end against the run, his pass-rushing skills are at their best use on the inside.

If that's what the Dolphins want, they could certainly plug him in there.

If Jordan can play at his new weight of 245 pounds, the 4-3 defensive end spot wouldn't be a bad fit for him. However, if there's one thing we learned about Jordan in the pre-draft process, it's that he was used a variety of ways. He was asked to drop into coverage often at Oregon, even lining up at nickel cornerback at times against slot receivers.

He was moved around quite a bit at Oregon, and Bleacher Report's Alessandro Miglio outlined some of the alignments that we could see from the Dolphins this season. He pointed out that Jordan could be the key that unlocks a plethora of possibilities for the Dolphins defense:

Drafting Jordan has opened up all sorts of possibilities, but he must live up to his potential. Part of the reason his draft stock was so high was upside; he is not quite the polished pass-rusher some of his peers were heading into the draft. He can indeed be a jack of all trades defensively, so long as Dolphins fans prepare for the possibility he might be the master of none.

He is highly versatile indeed, but as stated in the previous section, his addition to the defense should be all about getting to the passer. Even with that narrow scope on his rookie season goals, the Dolphins still have some options.

As mentioned above, he can rush the passer with his hand in the dirt, but he was even more explosive when he rushed from a two-point stance.

He showed that he can rush the passer from an upright position on the edge of Oregon's defense with regularity.

Here, he used his quick burst to get upfield against the offensive tackle, and the two engaged each other rather quickly.

Jordan ripped the arms of the blocker away, and made his way around the tackle to get the sack.

He didn't just bring the heat off the edge, though.

Here, we see Jordan's keen ability to shoot a gap and get pressure from various directions.

He once again lined up on the edge in an interesting defensive alignment from Oregon's defense. Three edge players lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, and all three rushed in different directions.

The formation gave the look of an overload blitz, which caused the offensive line to account for the extra rushers with their blocking assignments. They compromised their lane integrity to compensate for the overload, but Jordan simply looped around, shot the A-gap (between the center and guard) and logged the sack.

If there's one thing we can take away from the offseason moves at linebacker, it's that the Dolphins wanted to improve their athleticism at the second level and expand their pass-rushing possibilities at linebacker. When it came to blitzing, Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler were considerably better than Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett, respectively.

Adding Jordan to that repertoire could be the final piece to the defensive puzzle, which will be a puzzle for opposing quarterbacks to figure out with all their versatility.

Erik Frenz is also a Patriots/AFC East writer for Boston.com. Follow Erik on Twitter and "like" the AFC East blog on Facebook to keep up with all the updates. Unless otherwise noted, all stats obtained from the Sports-Reference.com network, and all quotes obtained firsthand or via team press releases.

Former Oakland Athletic Lenny DiNardo Tosses No-No

Devon Teeple — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:59:27 -0400

Lenny DiNardo made his last appearance in MLB for the Kansas City Royals in 2009, but that doesn't mean he still isn't making baseball headlines.

DiNardo, now 33, made history on May 8 by tossing the first no-hitter in franchise history for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League. DiNardo struck out eight and walked only two in a 9-0 shutout of the Long Island Ducks.

DiNardo was cognizant of the magnitude of the situation.

"I'm 33 years old," DiNardo said in an Atlantic League press release after the no-hitter. "I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to pitch. So, like I told (outfield teammate) Jerry (Owens), to be part of something like this, with a group of guys like this, is really special. This was a total team effort."

DiNardo played parts of six seasons in the big leagues, with his best season coming in 2007 for the Oakland Athletics when he appeared in 35 games, made 20 starts and went 8-11 with a 4.11 ERA in 131 innings.

Never the most imposing or intimidating pitcher, DiNardo relied on keeping batters off balance with a wide array of pitches. When your fastball tops out at 84 mph, according to FanGraphs, a mix of curves, sliders, and changeups is a must.

Since DiNardo made his last appearance in MLB for the Kansas City Royals in 2009, he has bounced around every possible minor league level in the Athletics' organization, making it all the way to Triple-A. His ERA during that three-year span ranged between 3.51 and 6.49.

DiNardo is now playing for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League. However, this is not his first start in independent ball. Before being re-signed by the Athletics in 2011, DiNardo spent the beginning of the year with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, going 2-1 with a 5.09 ERA, as noted by Baseball Reference and MLB Trade Rumors.

His numbers have been similar this year. In DiNardo's last start prior to his no-hitter, he gave up 10 runs in less than three innings to the Sugar Land Skeeters.

For DiNardo, there was nowhere to go from there except up, right?

Devon can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com. You can follow the GM's Perspective on Twitter and Facebook. His full bio can be seen here.

Can Jon Bostic Be the Next Brian Urlacher for the Chicago Bears?

Ben Phillis — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:55:12 -0400

With all-time great Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher having recently retired, rookie Jon Bostic faces the question: Can he fill Urlacher's cleats in Chicago?

Urlacher was widely considered to be the second-best middle linebacker of his time after Ray Lewis, even by Urlacher's own admission, according to CBS Sports. Though analysts at NFL.com debated if the lifelong-Bear will make the Hall of Fame, the prevailing opinion is that he will one day reach Canton.

Since Bostic came to Chicago right after the famous middle linebacker’s decision to hang up his cleats, he will forever be remembered as the guy after Urlacher. Whether it’s fair or not, it’s the reality.

Without having a single NFL snap to his name, it’s too early to predict Bostic's future, but an analysis of the information available about Bostic can’t hurt.

Based on his college career and measurables, the Florida product is capable of ascending to Urlacher’s level. It’s far from a guarantee, but Bostic is a good pick with the potential to flourish at the pro level.

A CBS Sports article claimed that Chicago general manager Phil Emery “valued Bostic’s upside and versatility.” Versatility was one of Urlacher’s strong points in college where he played a hybrid defensive back position. The two share the ability to play multiple positions because of their athleticism.

If Bostic sticks at middle linebacker, he will need that athleticism. New defensive coordinator Mel Tucker is keeping the Cover 2, noted the Chicago Sun-Times, which means the mike linebacker has to thump runners at the line and drop back into coverage in the middle of the field.

He’s capable of it. Another factor that will help is his pure speed.

The former Gator ran a 4.61 40-yard dash, the best for any middle linebacker at the NFL combine, according to NFL.com. Urlacher ran a 4.57 in the 20 before he entered the NFL, according to Sports Illustrated.

Those times are close to identical, but the difference is that Urlacher is 6’4” (Bostic is 6’1”), and the recent retiree had been bulking up before the combine. Urlacher has a slight edge in speed, but a huge advantage in size.

Both players were prolific tacklers in college. The Bears rookie definitely proved he can produce and he will bring an aggressive attitude to the NFL.

Reports from the Chicago Tribune indicate that Bostic looks good, with Tucker saying Bostic is smart and has a good work ethic. That makes two more attributes that are similar to Urlacher.

Bostic has a lot going for him—he’s athletic, fast and a good tackler. He works hard and should be able to run the defense.

The competition at linebacker will be tough, though. Bostic is fighting veteran D.J. Williams for the starting job.

Fellow rookie Khaseem Greene could compete at middle linebacker, too. Urlacher started outside before moving inside, and Emery and the coaching staff are all about players who can play multiple positions. The Bears won’t hesitate to shuffle personnel around.

Bostic’s path to playing time will be hard-fought this season. ESPN reported Emery’s comment that “we expect him to be a starter in the future,” though. Expect to see him starting by his second season at the latest.

Once he’s starting, he could be the next Urlacher. Having the potential doesn’t mean it will turn out that way, though. It’s a long shot.

Urlacher was an unbelievable talent and Bostic is similar in some ways, but the blend of speed and size that the former Bear possessed was incredibly unique. Bostic doesn’t have that combination, and those extra inches are a big deal in the middle of the field.

On top of quantifiable advantages, Urlacher also had incredible intangibles.

His great football IQ was cultivated at New Mexico, where he played tight end and returned punts. Urlacher received coaching in every phase of the game, making him extremely knowledgeable. It’s almost impossible to find a player who plays offense, defense and special teams in college these days.

Urlacher’s leadership skills were praised by coaches, too. Former defensive coordinator coordinator Rod Marinelli told Chicagobears.com that “his leadership was off the charts.”

Bostic could end up being a great player, but the physical and mental skills that Urlacher brought will be difficult to match.

Don’t expect the Bears to find another player like Urlacher for quite some time. That’s OK because Bostic will be good in his own right, even if the shadow of his predecessor looms large.

Manchester United: Who Will Struggle Without Sir Alex Ferguson Next Year?

Jake Nisse — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:45:34 -0400

With the the 2012-2013 EPL season ending last Sunday vs. West Brom, it is time for Manchester United to look forward and prepare themselves for a new chapter without Sir Alex Ferguson.

While their world-class squad still remains, there will soon be a different man in the technical area, and how he will use that squad remains to be seen.

Though stalwarts such as Michael Carrick and Robin van Persie should be left in their roles, tampering to some degree should be expected from David Moyes. The manager's tactical style is far different from that of SAF, and he may feel urged to make changes to have the team feel like his own.

As I mentioned in a previous article, Moyes is known to have an affinity for strong, gritty players, unlike some of the more finesse-oriented players United have. While he will certainly need to play to some of the Reds' strengths, he will also want to play his brand of football, potentially leaving players like Shinji Kagawa out of the mix.

Kagawa, an extremely imposing threat on offense, will at the very least get a chance to prove himself to the new boss (some may think he shouldn't have to do so). However, as a complete defensive liability (only 0.9 tackles per game, via WhoScored), he will probably have a short leash, especially after already experiencing a year of English football.

Though Kagawa is one player that doesn't fit the mold of Moyes' system, the Scot, first and foremost, will be looking for consistency in his starting XI. While his former club Everton had no superstars, they had a lineup of unselfish and hardworking footballers, with Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini leading the way with continued excellence.

The fact that Moyes has little to no relationship with many of the United players means the manager will likely judge by what he sees at the club, and not a player's legacy or reputation. This means that some fringe starters and squad players could potentially be mulling their futures at United this summer.

Though players such as Van Persie, Carrick, David De Gea, and Rafael da Silva will have to prove themselves to the new gaffer, they will be expected to do so after impressive seasons at their respective positions.

However, players such as Anderson, Nani, and Antonio Valencia, who were heavily inconsistent this season, will not be given the same benefit of the doubt that Fergie gave them. Being players that SAF bought himself, they were given decent minutes and kept in his plans for the future.

With the same type of lackluster performances, however, Moyes will have no problem benching them, as his unfamiliarity with most of the players will help him make decisions based solely on what his head tells him rather than his heart.

All in all, the hiring of David Moyes as United's first new manager in 26 years gives many players a clean slate to prove themselves as a worthy and important member of the squad.

At the same time, struggling players such as Nani and Valencia will no longer be able to live off their past reputations as skilled footballers—rather, they'll have to perform like them.

May the best men win.

(All information from ESPN FC)

Follow me on twitter for my take on world soccer's hottest topics at: @jake_nisse_BR

The 25 Greatest Players in Indianapolis Colts History

Tyler Brooke — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:45:00 -0400

As OTAs begin and teams in the NFL finally start preparing for the regular season, now seems like as good of a time as any to rank the greatest players in the history of the Indianapolis Colts.

The move from Baltimore to Indianapolis was a difficult one for the Colts, and the team struggled for quite some time. However, some gems came and went during these seasons who were truly great players in Indy.

Over the past few two decades, the team has certainly had plenty of exciting players.

When it comes to No. 1, is there really anyone else you can think of?

These rankings are not solely based upon stats. They are also based upon how big of an impact players made in Indianapolis and how they helped the team.

Opinions on rankings are bound to be different. These are from a native of Indianapolis who grew up in the Golden Age of Colts football.

Note: These rankings are based off players in Indianapolis, not Baltimore. Players who played on both teams are judged upon their performance solely in Indianapolis.

Begin Slideshow

Why Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Shamarko Thomas Won't Be the Next Bob Sanders

Mike Stanger — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:39:39 -0400

The comparisons to Bob Sanders were inevitable for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie safety Shamarko Thomas. In fact, Thomas is basically Sanders' doppelganger.

They share many traits, the most obvious among them is size. Sanders stands at 5'8", 206 pounds, while Thomas is slightly larger at 5'9", 213 pounds

Both men had impressive NFL combine numbers. Sanders ran a 4.35 40-yard dash and jumped 41.5" vertically. Thomas ran a 4.42 and jumped 40.5".

And both men are known as hard hitters who play with a reckless abandon well above their weight class.

But one trait that the Steelers hope Thomas doesn't share with Sanders is longevity, or lack thereof.

Indeed, Sanders has never played an entire 16-game season and has played in more than 10 games twice in his career. Since 2008, he has started in only 11 games. At 32 years old, he is out of football.

Is Thomas so inextricably linked to Sanders that he is destined for the same fate?

No.

Why?

The new safety-conscious NFL won't allow it.

You see, now that the NFL is ultra-obsessed with player safety, particularly when it comes to traumatic brain injury, a player like Thomas must adapt or suffer obsolescence. He can no longer flail his body around like a rogue torpedo. If he does, the risk of injuries and suspensions will make him a liability and a poor man.

One would think that general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin are well aware of this. They have likely charged defensive backs coach Carnell Lake as well as veteran safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark with indoctrinating Thomas into the NFL's new group think.

Furthermore, Thomas doesn't need to be a one-trick pony. He possesses the speed and athleticism to be more than just a wrecking ball in the secondary. His excellent cover skills give him the flexibility to line up in the slot, and his football acumen make him valuable at the free safety position where he can call out the plays.

Yes, it is possible for Thomas to be like Sanders without becoming like Sanders. It's just up to him to decide on the path that he wants to follow.

Here's hoping that he chooses the long, successful one.

Winners and Losers from 5th Week of 2013 NBA Playoffs

Bryan Toporek — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:30:00 -0400

With the 2013 NBA playoffs down to its final four teams, the action only promises to heat up from here.

Home teams have held court through the first three games of the conference finals, but it hasn't been easy, to say the least.

In the Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs know their 2-0 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies still doesn't give them much room for comfort. It was only a year ago that the Spurs blew a 2-0 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference finals, after all.

Meanwhile, if Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals is any indication, we're in for a good old-fashioned slobberknocker—in the words of WWE's Jim Ross. The Indiana Pacers won't be shying away from the Miami Heat, especially after jumping out to a 2-1 series lead over the soon-to-be champions during the 2012 playoffs.

Before we get too deep into the conference finals, let's take a look back at who emerged as a clear winner and loser from the fifth week of the postseason.

Note: For the purposes of this slideshow, Week 5 spans from games played on Friday, May 17, through Wednesday, May 22. All advanced statistics come from either Basketball-Reference or NBA.com/stats, unless otherwise noted.

Begin Slideshow

Why Neutrals Should Be Pulling for Borussia Dortmund Against Bayern Munich

Willie Gannon — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:03 -0400

Football hipsters and neutrals should unite and support Borussia Dortmund against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on May 25. Die Schwarzgelben are up against the unquestioned giants of the German game with the very soul of the Bundesliga on the line.

Munich are heavy favorites and are expected to wipe the floor with Jurgen Klopp's charismatic young team. Jupp Heynckes will lead his historic treble-chasing side out for the last time with the sheer intention of destroying everything that football lovers hold dear about Klopp's all-out attacking side.

Despite the fact that two German teams will play, in England, at Wembley in the Champions League final, and for all that that entails, this game is actually a philosophical war between a club that is all about big business and one built upon the ethics of youth and all-out attacking football.

Bayern, for the very good team they are, for the phenomenal club they are, for the vast and rich history they have and for the style in which they have swaggered to the Champions League final, are a blight upon the Bundesliga.

The Bavarians have won the league title eight times since the year 2000, and a record 23 times in total. Dortmund, in comparison, have won it title eight times altogether.

This season, as Dortmund so superbly concentrated upon the Champions League, Munich walked away with the Bundesliga.

Bayern won the title at the start of April after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0. This is the earliest ever title win in Bundesliga history. Munich also set the record for the most consecutive Bundesliga wins with 14. Dortmund were the team to bring this run to a halt with a well-earned 1-1 draw near the season's end.

Munich also set the record for the best ever start to a season with eight wins from their opening eight games. They also went unbeaten away from home for the entire season and set a new record by winning an amazing 15 games on the road.

And to top it all off, Bayern finished the season with a goal difference of plus 80, having scored 98 goals.

Dortmund, for their part, finished almost 30 points behind in second place.

In short, the gulf between the two sides as they head to Wembley is vast.

Dortmund's team have been built from the ground up by Jurgen Klopp. The former Mainz manager has worked wonders since he joined the club in 2008. Die Schwarzgelben have always been an attractive side to watch but Klopp has revolutionized the club in just five short years.

Klopp has taken all the best elements of Spanish, English and German football and combined them with youth, high fitness and superb tactics to make them the most talked about team in the world.

Dortmund press the opponent all over the pitch in a very Barcelona-esque style. They also attack at every opportunity and are an extremely honest side in the best sense of the English game. Add in German pragmatism and a new-found self belief from a highly technical youth education program and Dortmund are the most cosmopolitan team in Europe.

Football at the highest level is all about utilizing space, specifically the small spaces available near the opponents' defensive line and the larger spaces behind the defense.

Borussia Dortmund have highly mobile players all over the pitch and control this space superbly. They are more than capable of adapting to any opponent and playing in any style. But the speed at which they control transitional play, from defense to attack and vice versa, is what marks them out as a special team with a special coach.

It is little wonder that football tourists have started putting pins in their maps over the Westfalenstadion.

In short, Dortmund play the way all young players dream of playing. Going forward, they are as good as any team on the planet. Marco Reus is an amazing player with a God-like ability to open the very best of defenses. Jakub Blaszczykowski can combine work rate and skill like no other player in the final. Robert Lewandowski has been in phenomenal goalscoring form with 36 goals in 48 appearances this season and Mario Gotze is one of the best playmakers of our time.

They are a superb outfit and a dream team to many.

What do Munich do to break it up? Could they do it tactically? The answer was no. So, they buy Gotze for $47 million. They have been strongly linked with an attempt to sign Lewandowski after the final too, with this report from the Daily Mail suggesting Bayern are willing to pay Dortmund's 25 million euro asking price.

This is Munich's answer to every problem.

They either demolish them on the pitch, or they make an offer you can't refuse.

As it stands, Gotze will miss the final through injury. But one must wonder if the injury has been concocted so the young superstar will not have to play for his old employers against his new employers in the biggest match of his career.

This is the power of Bayern: When they can't beat you, they make you join them.

Over the rich history of the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich have been involved in 11 of the 12 highest transfers, 10 of them as the buying team according to World Soccer.

German teams have also contested 15 European Cup/Champions League finals (including the May 25, game). Of those 15 UCL finals Bayern have featured in 10. They have won the competition four times including a remarkable three in a row in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

Dortmund are the David to Bayern's Goliath. But they are also the panacea to all that Bayern represents in the modern game. Borussia took their philosophy to Manchester City, Ajax and Real Madrid and won against all the odds in the most incredible and emphatic of fashions.

Klopp and his young team were brave enough to stick to their guns against three of the most storied clubs in the world and triumph. Bayern, on the other hand, blitzed Juventus and Barcelona without conceding a goal.

Dortmund are up against it, and they know it.

They have a smaller squad, put together with far less money than Munich's, are without their best player for the final and win, lose or draw Bayern have signed Pep Guardiola to herald in a new era of global domination.

Borussia Dortmund needs to win for the sake of the Bundesliga.

As football fans we need them to win for the sake of all we hold dear in the sport we love.

Who do you want to win the Champions League?

Leave your comments, suggestions and Champions League thoughts and predictions in the section below!

Betting odds from Oddschecker.com

Statistics from uefa.com, fifa.com, www.bundesliga.de, www.soccerbase.com

You can follow me on Twitter @WillieGannon.

And listen to me on the Hold the Back Page podcast.

Biggest Questions and Answers for the LA Lakers This Offseason

Ehran Khan — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:23:31 -0400

Hollywood is the epicenter of drama, so it's no wonder the Los Angeles Lakers are always surrounded by it.

This offseason promises more of the same as the NBA's signature franchise faces a crossroads.

There are burning questions regarding the team's three biggest stars and also their head coach. Who will stay and who will go? Or rather, who should stay and who should go?

And will it be enough to avoid a repeat of a disastrous 2013 campaign?

Let's delve into L.A.'s five most-pressing queries in the offseason.

Begin Slideshow

20 Athletes Who Always Make Excuses

Amber Lee — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:05:39 -0400

Excuses are a part of being human. We all make excuses. When it comes to athletes, we hold them to a higher standard. Competition—sports—have no use for excuses. Leadership, strength—these are things outside the realm of excuses.

Excuses are really just a softer word for betrayal. When you're not accountable for your own actions, when you shift blame from yourself to someone or something else—fair or not—you are making excuses. And while excuses are not necessarily wrong, rarely do you get the benefit of the doubt.

For athletes, nothing is worse than going beyond offering the company line. Maybe the athlete feels like the coach or a teammate screwed up, but you never point the finger. And, if you screwed up; own up.

These are 20 athletes who always make excuses.

Begin Slideshow

French Open 2013 Draw: When and Where to Catch Singles Bracket Release

Patrick Clarke — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

The tennis season's second Grand Slam event has arrived, as Friday marks the release of the 2013 French Open main draw.

Reigning men's champion Rafael Nadal enters Roland Garros with a ton of confidence as always, but this time having won three consecutive clay-court tournaments dating back to last month.

On the women's side, it's all about American superstar Serena Williams. The 2002 French Open champion has won 24-straight matches overall, defeating defending French Open champion Maria Sharapova in two tournament finals over that stretch.

But while both Nadal and Williams currently look like the players to beat in their respective singles draw this summer, the draw could set them back a bit.

Here we'll get you set with everything you need to know to catch Friday's 2013 French Open main draw release.

When: Friday, May 24 at 5:30 a.m. ET

Where: Roland Garros, Paris

Watch: Roland Garros TV

Link to Men's Singles Draw

Link to Women's Singles Draw

Men's Draw Missing Stars

Two of the top players in the men's game will sit out the French Open this summer, including current world No. 2 Andy Murray, who won the 2012 U.S. Open last September.

Murray has been battling a lower back injury that forced him to retire early on at the Rome Masters last week. With a plethora of big tournaments upcoming, including Wimbledon a month from now, the 26-year-old Scotsman felt he would be best suited to withdraw (via ESPN.com):

It's a really tough decision and I love playing in Paris, but after seeking medical advice I am not fit to compete. Apologies to the organizers and thanks to everyone for the messages of support. Now my complete focus is on getting back on the court as soon as possible.

Murray lost in the quarterfinals here a year ago, one year after making a run all the way to the semifinals in 2011.

The only player outside of the Big Four to win a Slam since the 2005 French Open, Juan Martin del Potro was also forced to withdraw from this year's clay-court Slam.

Delpo, the 2009 U.S. Open champion had been battling injury and illness before ultimately deciding to skip Roland Garros and put forth a full effort to recover from a respiratory illness. Like Murray, Delpo lost in the quarterfinals at the French Open a year ago.

Will Anyone Stop Serena?

Serena Williams is playing arguably the best tennis of her career coming into the French Open this May. Despite getting set to turn 32 in September, and not having won this tournament in over a decades, Williams comes in as the overwhelming favorite on the women's side.

The women's world No. 1 is off to a 36-2 start this season and has already won five singles titles, including three on clay.

Even scarier, Williams has dropped just four sets total over her current 24-match winning streak.

Some feel that last year's champion, Maria Sharapova has a shot to knock off the scorching-hot American. But keep in mind that Williams has won 12-straight meetings with the Russian star and is 3-0 all-time against Sharapova on clay.

World No. 3 Victoria Azarenka would have her hands full in a potential clash with Williams as well. Vika is just 2-12 against Williams all time and 0-1 against her on clay.

While Serena Williams has some making up to do after suffering her first-ever, first-round loss in a Slam at Roland Garros last year, all indications are that she'll cruise through the women's draw in Paris this summer.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Raul Ibanez and Endy Chavez Deserve More Playing Time

Madison Guernsey — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:56:39 -0400

The 2013 Seattle Mariners season has been, well, mediocre thus far. The team has underachieved and is in the midst of a six-game losing streak, including three walk-off losses in four days against the Cleveland Indians.

One of very few bright spots that came to light during the skid was the emergence of Raul Ibanez. The veteran outfielder slugged five home runs in as many days on the road trip and reminded the baseball world that he can hit.

Ibanez got off to a terrible start, hitting .158/.213/.298 in April, and was looking like he may be sent down to Tacoma when Franklin Gutierrez recovered from his injury.

But the month of May has been a complete 180 for Raul. He's batting .333/.366/.872 with six homers and 15 RBI, cementing his spot on the roster. Maybe it's a hot streak. Maybe he was fueled by returning to Yankee Stadium. Either way, he's earned a starting spot in the lineup.

Another guy who fills up the box score whenever he sees the field is Endy Chavez. Believe it or not, he has the highest batting average on the team at .289 and remains one of the only players with speed. He isn't going to wow you with the long ball, but he plays hard and is a defensive upgrade in the outfield.

The tricky part for Eric Wedge is, how can both of these guys see more playing time without benching an indispensable player?

Chavez could take Jason Bay's place in left field and Ibanez could be the DH over Justin Smoak, but Smoak is getting his season back on track and taking him out of the lineup would only slow down that process.

Wedge will have an even tougher decision to make when Gutierrez comes back. Who will be sent down or designated for assignment? Robert Andino is the logical choice, but he's the only backup infielder on the roster. Jason Bay is performing the worst of Seattle's five outfielders and should be moved to make room for Guti.

Wedge has no easy task in finding playing time for each one of his five outfielders, each of whom deserve to play. Maybe the answer will come in the form of a trade for a middle infielder or pitcher, both positions Seattle is in need of.

All stats via espn.com.

What the NBA's Next Superteam Should Look Like

Adam Fromal — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:55:52 -0400

Bob Dylan would be a big fan of the NBA right now, because the times they are a-changin'. The Miami Heat have firmly ushered in the era of the superteam, and it's going to take either one hell of an effort by a more traditional lineup or another superteam to dethrone them.

While the Los Angeles Lakers tried forming an amalgamation of superstars who would immediately morph into that second superteam, their efforts ultimately failed. Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol couldn't stay healthy, and they weren't particularly effective even when they avoided that pesky little injury imp.

So, let's try our hand at forming a different superteam. Fortunately, we get to start with an almost-clean slate. Danny Ferry saw to that.

When the Atlanta Hawks hired the former Duke star as their general manager, Ferry immediately began making changes. He shipped Joe Johnson off to the Brooklyn Nets and Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz, racking up young players and expiring contracts in return.

Now the Hawks enter the 2013 offseason with only Al Horford, Lou Williams, DeShawn Stevenson, John Jenkins and Mike Scott under contract. Together, they're owed just $21,543,122 for the 2013-14 season (per Spotrac.com).

Let's go crazy-best-case scenario with the Hawks and see what type of superteam Ferry has the potential to assemble this summer—starting with the man patrolling the sidelines.

Finding a Coach

Larry Drew did a solid job holding the clipboard for the Atlanta Hawks, but he doesn't have the creative mind necessary to take this squad to the next level. The offense under Drew has been rather vanilla, for example.

Atlanta runs plenty of pick-and-roll sets at the top of the key, and shooters curl off screens in an attempt to get open on the perimeter. But that's about it. Drew's system has become stale and predictable, and the Hawks don't have enough defensive talent to compensate.

Ferry now gets to search for a new candidate, though. Rick Sund's hire is no longer under contract with the team, and it doesn't appear likely that he'll return.

One of the most intriguing options to replace Drew would have been Stan Van Gundy, but the Orlando Sentinel's Mike Bianchi reported that the former Orlando Magic head coach may never return to the sidelines.

So instead, let's turn to his brother, Jeff Van Gundy.

JVG last coached for the Houston Rockets, bowing out in seven games during the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. He ended that portion of his coaching career with a lifetime record of 430-318—good for a winning percentage of 57.5.

With the team we're going to assemble, Van Gundy would certainly be able to bring that winning percentage up a few more ticks. He's well known for his ability to get along with his players, and his time in the ESPN broadcasting booth has informed just about everyone that he knows what he's doing.

Sometimes JVG can come across as rather opinionated and stubborn, but you can't doubt his knowledge of the game. Between that and his knack for raising chemistry in the locker room, he's the perfect fit for a team about to have a number of stars.

Finding the Stars

When you're building a superteam, you reach for the stars. And I mean that both literally and figuratively.

In this free-agency class, the stars are Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. So let's go get them. Atlanta has plenty of money to do so, after all.

Dwight and CP3 made $19,536,360 and $17,779,458, respectively, during the 2012-13 season, and those numbers are going to be even higher for 2013-14. According to the collective bargaining agreement:

A free agent's maximum salary in the first year of a new contract is never less than 105 percent of his salary in the last year of his previous contract. For example, a 10-year veteran free agent who most recently earned $20 million has a maximum salary of at least $21 million, even if that is above the league-wide maximum. A free agent does not need to remain with the same team in order to receive 105 percent of his previous salary, although the team that signs him is subject to the same salary cap restrictions as with any other free agent.

If we apply that calculation to the two max-contract guys in question, we're giving them respective salaries of $20,513,178 and $18,668,431. Adding these two to the five players already in place, Atlanta now has $60,724,731 committed and five spots left to fill in the 12-man roster.

As a quick side note, I'm not particularly worried about overspending and losing the ability to re-sign Al Horford down the road because he's under contract through the 2015-16 season.

The 2013-14 salary cap has not yet been set, but there's a chance it could rise up above $60 million after hovering at $58.044 million for each of the past two years. Even if it doesn't, though, these moves are still possible because Mike Scott and DeShawn Stevenson's contracts are not guaranteed. If necessary, Atlanta can opt not to bring back either the young forward from Virginia or the veteran one from Washington Union—instead saving the money and signing a minimum deal to fill the last roster spots.

Or Paul and Howard could take slight pay cuts to play together, just like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh did to join forces at South Beach.

Regardless of the manner in which these transactions are completed, Ferry has the financial means necessary to bring any two free agents to Philips Arena and surround them with a number of veteran role players.

I'm going to play it a little safe—assuming I'm allowed to even write that phrase, given the unlikely nature of this scenario becoming a reality in its full form—and have the Hawks let Scott go. Stevenson can stay because his defense is exactly what Atlanta needs at the 3.

At this point in the hypothetical process, we're now at the salary cap and looking at the following roster:

Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy

Point guard: Chris Paul

Shooting guard: John Jenkins, Lou Williams

Small forward: DeShawn Stevenson

Power forward: Al Horford

Center: Dwight Howard

Not a bad start, right?

Finding the Roster Fill-Ins

At this stage, we're using the minimum player salary exception. Actually, we're using it a few times—five to be exact.

Under the rules of the current CBA, once a team is over the cap, it can sign players to contracts for either one or two years as long as said player agrees to the minimum salary.

With three stars (Paul, Horford and Howard), a scorer off the bench (Williams), a great perimeter defender (Stevenson) and a rookie with potential (Jenkins), there's a very specific set of needs for this version of the Hawks.

First, let's look for a veteran floor general who can spell CP3. Nate Robinson, C.J. Watson, Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack and Mo Williams are all going to be a bit out of the price range, but Chauncey Billups is certainly a strong possibility.

Mr. Big Shot is 36 years old, and a run at one more championship would be more than a little tempting. He's still got some quality ball left in the tank, after all.

Next, we need to find a veteran sharpshooter. John Jenkins has potential down the road, but he's certainly not ready to play a major role at this stage of his career. Lou Williams isn't a starter either, because he's far better suited for his traditional role as a spark plug off the bench.

While it would be great to bring Kyle Korver back, he's going to be too expensive. He was that good at shooting during the 2012-13 season. Instead, targeting a three-point shooter such as Daniel Gibson is more realistic.

Gibson struggled immensely during the 2012-13 season, and a fresh start would do him wonders. Playing alongside LeBron James back in the day allowed him to thrive, and he'd play a similar spot-up role on this squad.

But are we done adding shooters yet? No, of course not!

Richard Jefferson is another formerly potent sniper who could use a new team. It's been a long time since he averaged over 20 points per game for the New Jersey Nets, but Jefferson still has a sweet stroke when he actually manages to make it off the bench.

The small forward has a player option for the 2013-14 season, and he'd be leaving a lot of money on the table by opting out. But remember, we're talking about the crazy-best-case scenario, so the possibility that he actually wants playing time again is coming into play here.

That leaves us with just one spot to fill, since the Hawks have two first-round draft choices to play with. For those two picks we're rolling with B/R's resident draft expert Jonathan Wasserman and adding Jamaal Franklin and Gorgui Dieng to the roster.

The last spot must be dedicated to a frontcourt member, because there's a rather significant lack of size at the moment. Dwight is the only true center, and there's no backup for either him or Horford. And given the amount of offense already in place, we're looking for a defensive specialist.

Elton Brand is the logical choice.

The big man made just over $2 million with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2012-13 season, and it's now time for him to start chasing a ring. At 34 years old, he's allowed to take a pay cut and pursue a championship. And since he's never won a championship, it's well within the realm of possibilities that he does exactly that.

So after these signings, we're looking at the following:

Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy

Point guard: Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups

Shooting guard: Daniel Gibson, Lou Williams, John Jenkins, Jamaal Franklin

Small forward: DeShawn Stevenson, Richard Jefferson

Power forward: Al Horford, Elton Brand

Center: Dwight Howard, Gorgui Dieng

How Good is This Team?

We've learned from the Lakers not to judge the superteams too early. But what the heck, let's do it anyway.

The big question is: Can this squad beat the Miami Heat?

And while the answer isn't by any means a definite one, this team absolutely has the ability to take down the defending champions—and current title favorites—in a seven-game series. There's plenty of star power and a whole bunch of quality role players.

A Dwight Howard-Chris Paul pick-and-roll combo would be absolutely devastating, especially when joined by Al Horford, who would essentially play the Chris Bosh role for the Atlanta Hawks.

Remember, Paul is the best point guard in the NBA, although Tony Parker is giving him a serious run for his money during the postseason. Behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant, he's the third-best player in professional basketball.

And this might be even harder to remember, but Dwight is still the best center in the league when healthy. Marc Gasol and Tim Duncan outperformed him during the 2012-13 campaign, but a functioning back would allow Howard to reclaim his spot at the top of his position. He's also another top-five player if every part of his body is working properly.

Joining CP3 and D12 (CPD15?) is a whole bevy of three-point shooters: Chauncey Billups, Daniel Gibson, John Jenkins and Richard Jefferson.

There's also a lockdown perimeter defender (DeShawn Stevenson) and two big men who could form one hell of a defensive frontcourt (Elton Brand and Gorgui Dieng).

What more could you want?

While discussing this potential offseason plan with a good friend of mine, one who happens to be an Atlanta Hawks fan, I had the pleasure of reading the following quote: "I would convert to Ferryism as my official religion if he pulls of Paul and Howard."

Can you imagine what his reaction would be if all the veteran role players signed on as well?

The scary thing is that there's actually a chance.

It's a long shot, but every player involved has a reason to make the decision I've made for them in this article, and Ferry has enough money at his disposal to convert the hypothetical into a reality.

We're in the era of superteams now. Could this be the next one?

San Francisco 49ers: 5 2012 Draftees Who Face Most Pressure from 2013 Class

Joe Levitt — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:48:58 -0400

Even from a surface level vantage point, it’s readily apparent that the San Francisco 49ers 2013 draft class is abundantly more talented than its 2012 counterpart.

It legitimately contained starting-caliber prospects through the first four rounds. Last year’s class simply did not.

Bashing one 49ers prospect group while elevating another, however, is an irrelevant exercise when discussing the here and now.

The pertinent idea is how their most recent draftees will exert pressure on the ones who arrived a mere 12 months ago. The NFL is a brutal bottom-line business where one year’s lauded class can turn into relative trash in the face of superior talent.

We’re not saying that San Francisco’s 2012 prospects are worthless by any means—they certainly provide depth at key positions.

It’s merely a case of these latest NFL entries being just that good. A conflict-free environment really wouldn’t be reasonable.

With that in mind, here are five 49ers from the last year’s draft who will face the most pressure from this latest 2013 class.

Note: We include undrafted free agents from 2012 in this list.

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8 MLB-Ready Prospects Turning Veterans into Trade Bait

Jason Martinez — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:35:51 -0400

It's getting close to that time where MLB teams start discussing internal moves within the organization that could make their big league roster better. Down on the farm, certain prospects are forcing the issue and doing what I call "knocking down the door" to the big leagues.

In some cases, getting through that door is as simple as playing well over a period of a few weeks while the major league roster gets limited production out of that position.

Kevin Gausman, who made his big league debut Thursday for the Orioles, didn't force a good pitcher out of the rotation. He had terrific numbers in Double-A (3.11 ERA, 46.1 IP, 5 BB, 49 K), but the O's simply had a huge need to fill and made the easy call to go with one of the best pitching prospects in the game.

Then there are the prospects doing everything they can to kick the door down, but there's a veteran player—often established in the majors and with a guaranteed salary—standing in their way.

Instead of gambling on an unproven player and pushing a veteran to the bench or off the roster, it could make more sense to open up a spot with a trade.

The Braves opened a spot for pitching prospect Julio Teheran in their rotation by trading Tommy Hanson before the season. The Diamondbacks traded away two outfielders, Justin Upton and Chris Young, ensuring that center field prospect Adam Eaton would have regular playing time.

Here are eight prospects who could be forcing a trade of the veteran currently blocking their path to the majors.

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Why Nathan Ake Was Chelsea's Breakthrough Star of 2012-13

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:27:23 -0400

18-year-old Nathan Ake made his full debut for Chelsea's first team in the FA Cup tie away at Middlesbrough. Rafa Benitez's post-match bite-back at the fans overshadowed what had been a composed, confident performance by the youngster, but it was not Ake's only chance to shine.

His inclusion in the squad to face Rubin Kazan raised eyebrows, but his six tackles and seven interceptions were vital to Chelsea's 5-4 aggregate win. With injuries and fatigue pressuring the squad, Ake found himself playing in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final and sitting on the bench for the Europa League final in the same week that he made his full Premier League debut in the final game of the season.

Again he impressed, with an 84 percent passing accuracy complimenting his three tackles and four accurate long balls. When you consider the fact that he is significantly younger than even Eden Hazard and Oscar, the impact that Ake has made in the centre of midfield is nothing short of remarkable.

Ake was brought to Chelsea from Feyenoord in 2011 and spent a year in the youth and reserve teams before his promotion to the senior squad. One of many promising young talents currently employed by Chelsea, Ake looked likely to be spending a season watching from the sidelines instead of gaining valuable experience out in loan.

Instead, he has patiently awaited his opportunity, and when it presented itself he seized it with both hands. Whilst he would have had significantly more minutes on the pitch if he had departed West London, the experience that he has gained from regularly training with the first-team squad will be invaluable to his, hopefully long, future at Chelsea.

Dennis Bermudez Isn't Gunning for a Post-Fight Bonus, but Keeps Racking Them Up

Damon Martin — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:22:25 -0400

It's next to impossible to top a classic fight.

For UFC 160 fighter Dennis Bermudez, his next bout on paper will be an attempt to pick up his fourth straight win inside the Octagon. In reality, however, fans will undoubtedly look at his bout against Max Holloway as a chance to produce another epic battle with fists meeting flesh in a 15-minute slugfest.

In Bermudez's last trip to the cage, he and opponent Matt Grice put on a Fight of the Year-worthy performance while attacking and countering each other for the better part of three full rounds. The two featherweights were applauded loudly by the crowd in Anaheim, Calif. as part of UFC 157's undercard and were rewarded with a Fight of the Night bonus by UFC President Dana White.

As spectacular a moment as it was for Bermudez, he admits as he comes back for his next fight there's probably no way to try and top that performance, so it's not worth pursuing that kind of perfection again.

"I mean ultimately the goal is to go in and get the win as fast as possible. I do feel like that was such an epic battle that it would be super hard to beat. It's almost like I’m playing horse if you will against myself," Bermudez explained when speaking to Bleacher Report ahead of UFC 160. "I make an amazing shot and then I'm up again and I have to make another amazing shot again."

The expectations to go out and put on another action-filled fight could weigh on the minds of many fighters, but not Bermudez. With a new baby at home that he's had to spend weeks away from to concentrate on preparing for this bout, Bermudez knows there are bigger things on the line now than ever before.

His goal is to go out and put on the best fight possible that earns him the win. If it happens to be a knock-down, drag out classic, then that's what it is. But Bermudez isn't gunning for another fight like he had against Grice.

"I feel like a lot of my fights are exciting. I'm not too worried about it. I feel like if I go in there and do what I do, everything will turn out alright," Bermudez said. "There's no secret. I go out into every single fight with the same mindset, the same mentality, with the same game plan. To get in the guy's face, put constant pressure on him and just make it so he can't breathe. He'll be so tired he'll either quit or he gets knocked out or just gives me a submission. Ultimately, just grinding guys out until they are nothing."

Bermudez may not like to talk about surpassing his last performance because of how that fight will be remembered, but he's capable of topping it even if it's not the foremost thought on his mind. Through four fights thus far in his UFC career, Bermudez has taken home three post-fight bonuses—an impressive feat for any fighter in the promotion.

The bonuses he's won have allowed him to become a full-time fighter, provide for his new baby and allow him the financial breathing room to only think about the next opponent in his way.

Still, as great as the monetary compensation has been, Bermudez only wants to acknowledge one factor that plays the biggest role in his fight career—get the victory at any cost necessary.

"It's exciting to think about, and it's great to have," Bermudez said about the UFC bonuses he's earned. "It's made it so I didn't have to work a second job and if I head to the healthy store I don't have to think about the price. I don't go crazy and buy fancy cars or anything like that.

"Going into the fight I don't think 'oh I have to put on a show to get a bonus.' It's go out there and win—win ugly if I have to."

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

Florida Football: Discipline Will Be Key for the Gators in 2013

Tyler Piccotti — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:11:46 -0400

If the Florida Gators want to have a season as successful as their 2012 campaign, they will have to improve in a variety of areas.

Jeff Driskel's performance at quarterback, a lack of depth at wide receiver, a brutal SEC schedule and key losses on defense are all being looked at as possible trouble spots. The Gators will have to overcome these obstacles in order to remain competitive.

However, there is another obvious problem that has been getting worse and needs to finally be addressed.

I am, of course, talking about Florida's tendency to be penalized. A lot.

You can certainly pin some of the blame on Will Muschamp and his staff for the Gators' offensive woes throughout the season and poor performance in the Sugar Bowl. However, they have repeatedly been forced to deal with an avalanche of costly penalties on both sides of the ball.

That needs to stop.

Since the 2009 season, the Gators' average of penalty yards per game has risen every calendar year. Last season's average of 68.8 yards marked a 9.3-yard jump from that of 2011.

Such behavior has turned Florida into the most penalized team in the SEC in recent years.

This makes their 2012 BCS run seem all the more remarkable. Their defensive unit had to repeatedly follow up stalled offensive drives with momentum-shifting series in order to turn tight games in their favor. Without this effectiveness, they could have easily lost three or more games during the regular season.

That brings us to this season. With so many departures from the defensive side of the ball, the Gators will have to score more points in 2013 to continually remain competitive. This cannot happen if holding violations and false starts repeatedly put Driskel and the offense in a bind.

Likewise, Florida cannot afford to give away extra points to opponents on the heels of silly personal fouls and other defensive violations.

Therefore, limiting the damage done through penalties will be crucial to the Gators' success.

Last year, we saw the Gators at their best when the flow of the game was relatively quick. They would get in a rhythm, and one big play would follow another.

This did not happen against Louisville and Georgia, and it proved costly on both occasions.

Driskel is certainly under enough pressure already. He doesn't need to deal with 3rd-and-longs that resulted from undisciplined penalties. Furthermore, his receivers should not have to feel like they need to make a huge downfield play just to move the chains.

Finally, Muschamp and Brent Pease need to believe that the entire playbook is always available for use. They cannot afford to protect Driskel with safe passes and hand-offs on third down.

The Gators simply will not win with that formula.

Yes, they need to play better football and make more plays. However, they also need to stop inflicting wounds upon themselves.

When they prove that they can do this, more and more people will begin to recognize them as a legitimate national contender.