CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- Barring a total disaster, which isn't going to happen, North Carolina senior center Tyler Zeller sealed home the ACC's Player of the Year award with his stellar performance versus Maryland on Wednesday night.
Playing in his last game at the Dean Dome, Zeller scored 30 points, a career-high for an ACC game, grabbed eight rebounds, and played with the kind of spirit that trickles down to his teammates. The Tar Heels clobbered the Terrapins 88-64, and will enter Saturday's rematch with Duke feeling pretty darn good about themselves.
But it's Zeller whom they should feel best about.
The Indiana native has come a long way from when he arrived in Chapel Hill nearly four years ago. He actually scored 18 points in his debut, getting 23 minutes of playing time because Tyler Hansbrough missed the opener due to an injury. But Zeller broke his hand against Kentucky in the next game and came back for the final 16 games of the campaign, which included the postseason. He played about five minutes a game for the eventual national champions.
While Zeller is proud of that title and being a part of the team, he has often said he wants one of his own, one he's much more responsible for. And that's where the final leg of his drive this season comes from. And now, it just may result in being named the ACC's top player.
"It would be a fantastic honor to be able to win that," he said. "But at the same time, it's a team sport so I just go out and try to help my team in any way possible."
Zeller battled more injuries as a sophomore and averaged 9-3 points per game, and last season he was at 15.7 points and 7.2 rebounds. But after Wednesday's performance, Zeller will enter the Duke game averaging 16.2 points and 9.3 rebounds overall, but in ACC play his numbers are 18.5 points and 9.7 rebounds. His three blocked shots versus the Terrapins gives him 30 in 15 ACC games.
"Tyler does a great job of holding his post position," said UNC point guard Kendall Marshall, who became the single-season assists leader in school history Wednesday. "He also knows how to act; he gets a lot of other big men in a lot foul trouble. But when you have a guy showing you his (jersey) number, where he wants you to get him the ball, it's hard not to give it to him."
But Zeller is about more than numbers. He is a young man of faith, devoted to his family, the values they espouse and live by, and his dedication to academics.
Zeller was recently named the 2012 Capital One Academic All-American of the Year, which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. And that's another reason he deserves the ACC's top honor
"The most special is I believe he's the true epitome of a fantastic student-athlete," said UNC coach Roy Williams when asked what has been most special about coaching Zeller for four years. "I cannot think of a better representative of that term, I cannot think of a better representative of the University of North Carolina. Early entrance into our business school, going to have a degree
"He's enriched my life and made me a heck of a lot better coach. But more important it's made me a better person being around him."
The 7-footer is a throwback of sorts, a senior who went through the college experience like players used to, and he got better every year. College basketball is better off when players such as Zeller stick around and make the sport proud.
With respect to the other competitors Virginia's Mike Scott, Duke's Austin Rivers and maybe UNC teammate John Henson Zeller simply stands alone. And his performance Wednesday gave him enough separation from the others that pretty much regardless what transpires Saturday night in Cameron Indoor Stadium, Zeller will win this award.
He certainly has Marshall's vote.
"Without a doubt," he said. "If you're going off of team success and what that player means to the team I think he's head and shoulders ahead of the competition for that individual accolade."
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The first wreck of the 2012 NASCAR season involved? DANICA PATRICK
Poor Danica can?t seem to catch a break. She wrecked her car for the third time this weekend at Daytona. She was involved in a multi-car wreck on only the second lap of the Daytona 500. Another notable driver in the wreck was Jimmie Johnson, who has finished 27th place or worse in each Daytona 500 race since he last won it in 2006.
Brad Keselowski is Tweeting Photos From His Car at the Daytona 500
Brad Keselowski is already NASCAR's king of social media.
Source: http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/02/27/nascars-brad-keselowski-is-tweeting-photos-from-his-car/
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Are the Cowboys overpaying Doug Free?
News broke late last week - although we have all known it for quite a while "unofficially" - that the Cowboys were going to perform the inevitable decision of moving Tyron Smith to left tackle for what they hope will be the last move of his career. This move will require Doug Free to move one more time back to the other side of the offensive line and guard the right flank of Tony Romo for the foreseeable future.
It was inevitable because the Cowboys took Tyron Smith with the ninth pick in the draft last season even though he was just 20-years-old and you would have to go a long way back in the NFL draft to find a team targeting a right tackle-only type in the top 10 where the big dollars are paid. It is just not a great use of resources. If you liked him enough to give him a year to transition into the life of pro football and invest in his long term, you certainly owed it to the organization to examine whether this blue-chip prospect could be one of the top left tackles in the sport for years to come in Dallas.
The move was not met with universal approval from all local circles. For instance, my colleague and fellow football fanatic, TC Fleming had a well-done write-up about how Doug Free is now the single-highest paid right tackle in the league, given his hefty 4-year, 32 million dollar contract. That fact seems rather shocking and according to some, demonstrates that the Cowboys made yet another personnel department blunder when they inked him to that deal last July when the lockout ended.
And to some extent, it may speak to that, I will admit that I did not realize that his deal puts him in elite company for that spot. I also would argue the point he is now overpaid is irrelevant. The Cowboys offensive line needs help, but judging from the eyeball test of 2011, Doug Free underperformed and was still the second best offensive lineman at the worst.
Here is what I wrote about Free's performance as we evaluated the offensive lineman a month ago:
LT - Doug Free - 641 pass plays - 10 sacks: Free started the season very well coming off his new contract. In the first four weeks of the season, Free was not involved in hardly any situations that led to sacks. Andre Carter went around his edge in New England, as did James Hall of the Rams, and Trent Cole of the Eagles. There was one blitz awareness issue in the game at Washington that led to London Fletcher's sack, but otherwise a very strong month of November. But, in December, Free was just beaten over and over again (six of his 10 sacks in December). In fairness to Free, Jason Pierre Paul was dominating the rest of the league, too, but against the Giants and JPP, Free was eaten alive. Four sacks in two games just from the left tackle spot and Trent Cole got him again in Dallas. In all, I had Free as the primary blame in 10 sacks this season, but with two against Cole and three against Pierre-Paul (and one more against Chris Canty) meant that six of his 10 sacks allowed were against the Giants and Eagles. Free sees the toughest match-up nearly ever Sunday, so, I am not here to suggest he is doing a lousy job, but it does appear that he might be more of a right tackle in the long term.
So many things in life (and football) are about context. In Free's 32 starts since the Cowboys walked away from the Flozell Adams era, Free has managed left tackle pretty well. He obviously struggles against the elite of the elite at that right defensive end, but then again, they are elite for a reason. There is no shame in losing the occasional battle to Trent Cole, Jared Allen, Jason Pierre Paul, Mario Williams, or even DeMarcus Ware. They are awesome players and can beat "anyone", therefore, if Free is conceding the periodic sack but keeping up with the average to above average performance levels among left tackles, than the Cowboys have much bigger problems to worry about at other parts of their squad before we find his replacement.
But, why did he get paid? He got paid because he had the Cowboys over a barrel. They waited to pay him and therefore had the chance of a starting left tackle hitting the free market at the age of 27 years old. That almost never happens around the league and if the Cowboys messed around and tried to get him on a low-ball offer, the ship sailed because of the work stoppage and the Cowboys waiting until the CBA was resolved to not sign any big deals they might regret. They had no fall-back depth at tackle to work with (their own fault for not hitting on any of the young tackle prospects they have tried to develop since Free) and if they were serious about bidding Marc Colombo a farewell then they had to get Free done.
So, they could argue that he was not really their left tackle of the future, but Free's representation would have a good laugh with that and then start taking calls from around the league. He was going to get left tackle money and the question was how much and where. There are simply too many teams that desire a plug-and-play tackle who is not going to get beaten like a drum by the NFL elite. The Cowboys had hours to decide and pulled the trigger and now pay Free more than the going rate for a right tackle.
But, should it matter? The Cowboys were 17 million under the cap in 2011 and were paying their right tackle, Tyron Smith 4-years, 12.5 million to play the other tackle. Combine the two, and you have 44 million for four years tied up in your two starting tackles who are both going to be strong points of your offensive line. That averages 5.5 million a season for each of your starting tackles and honestly, that is not a very big concern for the front office to sweat. When Tyron demands elite money because he is an elite left tackle (Which the Cowboys desperately hope) in 2015 when it is time to pay him "big boy" money, then you will not be able to afford 8m at right tackle, too. But that is 2015.
Something else to consider: Free's contract is structured to favor the Cowboys, it seems. He had 17m in guaranteed money that is primarily paid out in 2011 and 2012. However, in 2013 and 2014, 15m of the 19m he is scheduled to be paid is not guaranteed and that means that if the Cowboys feel it is not working out, they can send him packing with a minimal cap hit on the bonus money. That means they can walk away in 2013 for just 4m in dead money and can do the same in 2014 for just 2m. It is structured in a way that the Cowboys could live with and that covers them from any sort of performance drop off that is unacceptable.
And we haven't even touched on the big item here; that the Cowboys have properly developed and grown Tyron Smith. There are no promises of elite-level performance from Smith, except for his enormous tools and upside. They did not rush him to left tackle, rather they took time and worked hard with him after practice to make sure they were not throwing too much at him. I think this will pay big dividends down the road. The alternate route would have been to refuse to pay Free the money, put Smith at left tackle in his first game as a pro, and toss him to the wolves. His confidence and development may have been stunted, but they managed him properly and now feel he is ready for the next vital step in his progress.
There is no question the Cowboys have a list of transgressions that are worth complaining about when it comes to roster management and development. But, I think the idea that they did this FreeSmith situation incorrectly is stretching the confines of an accurate depiction of their situation. I have no problem whatsoever with how they did it. Now, the three guys between Free and Smith on the line? That was a big problem and one for another day.
It was inevitable because the Cowboys took Tyron Smith with the ninth pick in the draft last season even though he was just 20-years-old and you would have to go a long way back in the NFL draft to find a team targeting a right tackle-only type in the top 10 where the big dollars are paid. It is just not a great use of resources. If you liked him enough to give him a year to transition into the life of pro football and invest in his long term, you certainly owed it to the organization to examine whether this blue-chip prospect could be one of the top left tackles in the sport for years to come in Dallas.
The move was not met with universal approval from all local circles. For instance, my colleague and fellow football fanatic, TC Fleming had a well-done write-up about how Doug Free is now the single-highest paid right tackle in the league, given his hefty 4-year, 32 million dollar contract. That fact seems rather shocking and according to some, demonstrates that the Cowboys made yet another personnel department blunder when they inked him to that deal last July when the lockout ended.
And to some extent, it may speak to that, I will admit that I did not realize that his deal puts him in elite company for that spot. I also would argue the point he is now overpaid is irrelevant. The Cowboys offensive line needs help, but judging from the eyeball test of 2011, Doug Free underperformed and was still the second best offensive lineman at the worst.
Here is what I wrote about Free's performance as we evaluated the offensive lineman a month ago:
LT - Doug Free - 641 pass plays - 10 sacks: Free started the season very well coming off his new contract. In the first four weeks of the season, Free was not involved in hardly any situations that led to sacks. Andre Carter went around his edge in New England, as did James Hall of the Rams, and Trent Cole of the Eagles. There was one blitz awareness issue in the game at Washington that led to London Fletcher's sack, but otherwise a very strong month of November. But, in December, Free was just beaten over and over again (six of his 10 sacks in December). In fairness to Free, Jason Pierre Paul was dominating the rest of the league, too, but against the Giants and JPP, Free was eaten alive. Four sacks in two games just from the left tackle spot and Trent Cole got him again in Dallas. In all, I had Free as the primary blame in 10 sacks this season, but with two against Cole and three against Pierre-Paul (and one more against Chris Canty) meant that six of his 10 sacks allowed were against the Giants and Eagles. Free sees the toughest match-up nearly ever Sunday, so, I am not here to suggest he is doing a lousy job, but it does appear that he might be more of a right tackle in the long term.
So many things in life (and football) are about context. In Free's 32 starts since the Cowboys walked away from the Flozell Adams era, Free has managed left tackle pretty well. He obviously struggles against the elite of the elite at that right defensive end, but then again, they are elite for a reason. There is no shame in losing the occasional battle to Trent Cole, Jared Allen, Jason Pierre Paul, Mario Williams, or even DeMarcus Ware. They are awesome players and can beat "anyone", therefore, if Free is conceding the periodic sack but keeping up with the average to above average performance levels among left tackles, than the Cowboys have much bigger problems to worry about at other parts of their squad before we find his replacement.
But, why did he get paid? He got paid because he had the Cowboys over a barrel. They waited to pay him and therefore had the chance of a starting left tackle hitting the free market at the age of 27 years old. That almost never happens around the league and if the Cowboys messed around and tried to get him on a low-ball offer, the ship sailed because of the work stoppage and the Cowboys waiting until the CBA was resolved to not sign any big deals they might regret. They had no fall-back depth at tackle to work with (their own fault for not hitting on any of the young tackle prospects they have tried to develop since Free) and if they were serious about bidding Marc Colombo a farewell then they had to get Free done.
So, they could argue that he was not really their left tackle of the future, but Free's representation would have a good laugh with that and then start taking calls from around the league. He was going to get left tackle money and the question was how much and where. There are simply too many teams that desire a plug-and-play tackle who is not going to get beaten like a drum by the NFL elite. The Cowboys had hours to decide and pulled the trigger and now pay Free more than the going rate for a right tackle.
But, should it matter? The Cowboys were 17 million under the cap in 2011 and were paying their right tackle, Tyron Smith 4-years, 12.5 million to play the other tackle. Combine the two, and you have 44 million for four years tied up in your two starting tackles who are both going to be strong points of your offensive line. That averages 5.5 million a season for each of your starting tackles and honestly, that is not a very big concern for the front office to sweat. When Tyron demands elite money because he is an elite left tackle (Which the Cowboys desperately hope) in 2015 when it is time to pay him "big boy" money, then you will not be able to afford 8m at right tackle, too. But that is 2015.
Something else to consider: Free's contract is structured to favor the Cowboys, it seems. He had 17m in guaranteed money that is primarily paid out in 2011 and 2012. However, in 2013 and 2014, 15m of the 19m he is scheduled to be paid is not guaranteed and that means that if the Cowboys feel it is not working out, they can send him packing with a minimal cap hit on the bonus money. That means they can walk away in 2013 for just 4m in dead money and can do the same in 2014 for just 2m. It is structured in a way that the Cowboys could live with and that covers them from any sort of performance drop off that is unacceptable.
And we haven't even touched on the big item here; that the Cowboys have properly developed and grown Tyron Smith. There are no promises of elite-level performance from Smith, except for his enormous tools and upside. They did not rush him to left tackle, rather they took time and worked hard with him after practice to make sure they were not throwing too much at him. I think this will pay big dividends down the road. The alternate route would have been to refuse to pay Free the money, put Smith at left tackle in his first game as a pro, and toss him to the wolves. His confidence and development may have been stunted, but they managed him properly and now feel he is ready for the next vital step in his progress.
There is no question the Cowboys have a list of transgressions that are worth complaining about when it comes to roster management and development. But, I think the idea that they did this FreeSmith situation incorrectly is stretching the confines of an accurate depiction of their situation. I have no problem whatsoever with how they did it. Now, the three guys between Free and Smith on the line? That was a big problem and one for another day.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/are_the_cowboys_overpaying_doug_free/10162183
2012 NBA All-Star: James Finds Wade
 | LeBron James runs the break and finds Dwyane Wade for the one-hand smash. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights. | From: NBA Views: 10613   78 ratings |
| Time: 00:16 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tv6JpPzTT0&feature=youtube_gdata
Miss. St. RB faceplants during 40-yard dash
Vick Ballard had a slight misstep on his first attempt at the 40-yard dash, to put it lightly. Imagine training every day for a few different items, such as the 40-yard dash and when the eyes of every NFL coach and scout are on you, the below happens. Vick did run the 40 again and ended up clocking a 4.63. We feel for you big fella.
via SB Nation
Article found on: Cosby Sweaters
via SB Nation
Article found on: Cosby Sweaters
Monday, February 27, 2012
Barnes, Scott must do better to win ACC MVP
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA --- With plenty of NBA scouts watching and many more ACC voters present, North Carolina's Harrison Barnes and Virginia's Mike Scott wobbled their way to performances Saturday that had both contingents scratching their heads and unimpressed.
With just one week left in the regular season, and to make a final impression on those that will decide who wins the conference's top individual honor, Barnes and Scott painted themselves into a corner. And they did this while UNC senior 7-footer Tyler Zeller was the best player on the court, scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds and blocking a shot in the Tar Heels' 54-51 victory at John Paul Jones Arena.
In fact, it was Zeller's drive and dunk that gave UNC enough separation to execute its final game plan of the afternoon, thus sealing the deal before a full house of Wahoo fans. But more on that later.
As for Barnes (3-for-15 overall, 0-5 from 3-point range, seven points) and Scott (3-13, 0-2, 22 minutes because of foul trouble), it just wasn't their day.
"Harrison took some bad shots," said UNC coach Roy Williams, who also noted the entire team didn't shoot the ball with great discretion much of the afternoon. But he was right, Barnes forced a lot of stuff.
Virginia coach Tony Bennett wasn't gushing about Scott's play, either.
"He was off and maybe he was settling a little on the outside," Bennett said.
Bennett also said that Scott picking up his third and fourth fouls in the second half also kept him from getting into any offensive rhythm. The fourth call drew one of the louder eruptions of disapproval from fans in this building in a long time. But the irony is that UVa was more efficient offensively in the first half and inside the final 10 minutes when Scott was on the bench.
So what do these performances do to the stars' ACC POY chances?
Barnes had made a huge recent push for the award by scoring at least 20 points in four of his previous five games, and he'd averaged just under 20 points a game in UNC's previous 10 contests. His rebounding numbers were up and remained so with the nine he grabbed Saturday which has been the ground-floor evidence that his assertiveness and focus had also substantially increased.
Scott was the early leader for the honor in the clubhouse back when league play began seven weeks ago. He went for 25 and 20 points in the two games before falling to UNC, but has only reached the 20-point mark in three ACC games. It should also be understood, however, that Virginia's more deliberate style keeps Scott from getting the kinds of looks Barnes gets playing for the high-octane Heels and with passer-extraordinaire Kendall Marshall.
But, unlike Barnes, Scott isn't going to lose votes to teammates, so he may not have hurt his standing much, if at all. It's probably Barnes, who along with Scott didn't draw rave reviews from some of the scouts in attendance, who may have suffered the greatest blow to his candidacy.
Zeller probably slid firmly into the leader's chair as the favorite with not just his overall performance, but a driving dunk with 14 seconds left for the game's final points.
UNC was in a delay mode, and after working down the shot clock and leading by a point, Marshall found himself on the right perimeter with three other Tar Heels bunched up nearby. The spacing was horrible. He made a move toward the center of the key and found Zeller, who released from his man, caught the ball, made a hesitation move before dribbling with his left hand to the rim and slamming one down.
The lousy spacing ended up helping Carolina because there was no weak side defense there to help out. Zeller recognized that and made UVa pay.
"I saw daylight, really, and I just went for the rim," he said.
The Tar Heels and Cavaliers each have two games left, so there's a lot that can still happen. But Barnes and Scott must do a lot to change the impressions left by this collective performance.
With just one week left in the regular season, and to make a final impression on those that will decide who wins the conference's top individual honor, Barnes and Scott painted themselves into a corner. And they did this while UNC senior 7-footer Tyler Zeller was the best player on the court, scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds and blocking a shot in the Tar Heels' 54-51 victory at John Paul Jones Arena.
In fact, it was Zeller's drive and dunk that gave UNC enough separation to execute its final game plan of the afternoon, thus sealing the deal before a full house of Wahoo fans. But more on that later.
As for Barnes (3-for-15 overall, 0-5 from 3-point range, seven points) and Scott (3-13, 0-2, 22 minutes because of foul trouble), it just wasn't their day.
"Harrison took some bad shots," said UNC coach Roy Williams, who also noted the entire team didn't shoot the ball with great discretion much of the afternoon. But he was right, Barnes forced a lot of stuff.
Virginia coach Tony Bennett wasn't gushing about Scott's play, either.
"He was off and maybe he was settling a little on the outside," Bennett said.
Bennett also said that Scott picking up his third and fourth fouls in the second half also kept him from getting into any offensive rhythm. The fourth call drew one of the louder eruptions of disapproval from fans in this building in a long time. But the irony is that UVa was more efficient offensively in the first half and inside the final 10 minutes when Scott was on the bench.
So what do these performances do to the stars' ACC POY chances?
Barnes had made a huge recent push for the award by scoring at least 20 points in four of his previous five games, and he'd averaged just under 20 points a game in UNC's previous 10 contests. His rebounding numbers were up and remained so with the nine he grabbed Saturday which has been the ground-floor evidence that his assertiveness and focus had also substantially increased.
Scott was the early leader for the honor in the clubhouse back when league play began seven weeks ago. He went for 25 and 20 points in the two games before falling to UNC, but has only reached the 20-point mark in three ACC games. It should also be understood, however, that Virginia's more deliberate style keeps Scott from getting the kinds of looks Barnes gets playing for the high-octane Heels and with passer-extraordinaire Kendall Marshall.
But, unlike Barnes, Scott isn't going to lose votes to teammates, so he may not have hurt his standing much, if at all. It's probably Barnes, who along with Scott didn't draw rave reviews from some of the scouts in attendance, who may have suffered the greatest blow to his candidacy.
Zeller probably slid firmly into the leader's chair as the favorite with not just his overall performance, but a driving dunk with 14 seconds left for the game's final points.
UNC was in a delay mode, and after working down the shot clock and leading by a point, Marshall found himself on the right perimeter with three other Tar Heels bunched up nearby. The spacing was horrible. He made a move toward the center of the key and found Zeller, who released from his man, caught the ball, made a hesitation move before dribbling with his left hand to the rim and slamming one down.
The lousy spacing ended up helping Carolina because there was no weak side defense there to help out. Zeller recognized that and made UVa pay.
"I saw daylight, really, and I just went for the rim," he said.
The Tar Heels and Cavaliers each have two games left, so there's a lot that can still happen. But Barnes and Scott must do a lot to change the impressions left by this collective performance.
2012 Scouting Combine: Wide Receiver Review
Brought to you by: Cincy Jungle
When wide receivers run at the NFL Scouting Combine, everybody watches. Every year there are surprises and disappointments. A receiver that can run fast quickly rise up boards while the slower receivers get scrutinized even more. Then comes, what I think is the best drill at the combine, the gauntlet. This drill shows what receivers can use their timed speed in game situations and still catch the ball. This is where you can see what players have actual functional speed, the ability to concentrate through traffic and show field awareness. I think the performances at the combine have an effect on the receiver position the most. Speed and the ability to gain separation is everything in the NFL and this was a very fast group. Here is who stood out to me.
When wide receivers run at the NFL Scouting Combine, everybody watches. Every year there are surprises and disappointments. A receiver that can run fast quickly rise up boards while the slower receivers get scrutinized even more. Then comes, what I think is the best drill at the combine, the gauntlet. This drill shows what receivers can use their timed speed in game situations and still catch the ball. This is where you can see what players have actual functional speed, the ability to concentrate through traffic and show field awareness. I think the performances at the combine have an effect on the receiver position the most. Speed and the ability to gain separation is everything in the NFL and this was a very fast group. Here is who stood out to me.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Oregon admits failure to monitor
They say in public relations and media classes in school that if you want to release some negative news the best time to release it is Friday afternoon. That may not be quite the case it once was with the Internet and social networking, but that's exactly what Oregon did Friday night. The University of Oregon admitted to a failure to properly monitor recruiting procedures and the use of recruiting services.
It has been a while since anyone has really mentioned the name Willie Lyles, but with Oregon admitting some wrongdoing we'll start hearing the name a lot more now. Copies of the NCAA's statement of proposed findings of violations was obtained by multiple media outlets Friday following a records request through the freedom of information act. Adam Jude reports (via Twitter) that the university paid $45,245 to "at least three" recruiting services between 2008 and 2011. These recruiting services "did not conform to NCAA legislation."
In addition Oregon is reported to have ...
It has been a while since anyone has really mentioned the name Willie Lyles, but with Oregon admitting some wrongdoing we'll start hearing the name a lot more now. Copies of the NCAA's statement of proposed findings of violations was obtained by multiple media outlets Friday following a records request through the freedom of information act. Adam Jude reports (via Twitter) that the university paid $45,245 to "at least three" recruiting services between 2008 and 2011. These recruiting services "did not conform to NCAA legislation."
In addition Oregon is reported to have ...
D-II team hits buzzer-beater with 0.6 secs left
On Friday night Division II conference rivals Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills met in the final game of the regular season, with playoff seeding on the line.� As you can tell from the picture the final score was 60-58 in double OT for Cal Poly, but how the two teams ended up there is simply amazing.
Down 57-55, Cal State?s Robert Willhite dropped a three-pointer to put the Toros up by one with only 0.6 seconds left on the game clock.� But that?s all the time that the Broncos needed, as junior guard Mitchel Anderson heaved up a prayer from beyond halfcourt as the buzzer sounded that found nothing but net.�
Jubilation for the home team, who ends up with the second seed entering the conference tournament, and utter and total devastation and heartbreak for the CSU Dominguez Hills Toros, who were 0.6 seconds from victory, only to see it snatched away by an incredible buzzer beater in double OT.
Skip to the 2:25 mark for the final sequence of events?
...
Down 57-55, Cal State?s Robert Willhite dropped a three-pointer to put the Toros up by one with only 0.6 seconds left on the game clock.� But that?s all the time that the Broncos needed, as junior guard Mitchel Anderson heaved up a prayer from beyond halfcourt as the buzzer sounded that found nothing but net.�
Jubilation for the home team, who ends up with the second seed entering the conference tournament, and utter and total devastation and heartbreak for the CSU Dominguez Hills Toros, who were 0.6 seconds from victory, only to see it snatched away by an incredible buzzer beater in double OT.
Skip to the 2:25 mark for the final sequence of events?
...
Saturday, February 25, 2012
2012 College Football Rule Changes: How Do These Affect the Big Ten?
Special teams plays will certainly look a lot different this autumn. Kickoffs are changing dramatically in the name of player safety.
The College Football Rules Committee meets every year to propose rules changes in college football. These rules are usually released a year in advance for response by NCAA officials and coaches and approved with a one-year grace period to allow coaches to teach players how to adjust to the new rules before they are implemented.
However, an exception exists for immediate implementation if the rule changes pertain to player safety. Considering that special teams plays appear to lead to some of the biggest collisions of any play, the rules committee is making immediate changes to kickoffs this season.
More particularly, teams will move forward five yards to the 35-yard line. The kicking team will line up no farther than the 30-yard line (five yards behind the ball) to limit the running start of possible tacklers on the kickoff. Finally, touchbacks on these free kicks will put the ball at the 25-yard line instead of the 20.
So how will these dramatic rule changes on kickoffs affect Big Ten teams in 2012 and beyond? Let's take a look into the crystal ball and see how these teams will react.
The legislative intent of these rules is obviously to limit player collisions and injuries by encouraging more touchbacks. Kicking teams without superstar speedy talent at the kick returner position will gladly take a consistent field position at the 25-yard line.
Last year, three Big Ten teams ranked in the top 15 nationally in yards per return: Purdue ranked first with 28.7, Nebraska ranked seventh with 25.5 and Ohio State ranked 13th with 24.6. On the flip side, three Big Ten teams ranked in the bottom 15 nationally in yards per return: Illinois ranked 120th with a miserable 15.7, Michigan ranked 117th with 18.4 and Indiana tied for 107th with 19.2.
With each of the young speed athletes back for Purdue (Raheem Mostert), Nebraska (Ameer Abdullah) and Ohio State (Jordan Hall, although he may be a starting running back and not on special teams much), the advantage these teams enjoyed in field position may be reduced in 2012.
Each of these teams also struggled at times to cover kickoffs, though, and so perhaps the field position disadvantage will be neutralized by not having to cover as many of their own kickoffs this season.
Teams with more talented kickers may change tactics though, and train those kickers to kick for more hang time and a landing within the 10-yard line rather than pounding the ball through the end zone every time.
This could expose the flaws of teams like Illinois, Indiana and Michigan more than ever before, as the coverage teams will have five more yards to make a tackle before losing yards compared to the touchback.
Thus, perhaps the most affected teams by this rule are those with specialist kickers who can take advantage of the rule against teams without elite kick returners.
The most accurate field goal kickers returning from last year are Drew Basil of Ohio State, Brett Maher of Nebraska and Anthony Fera of Penn State. Maher and Fera also excelled in kickoffs in 2011 according to cfbstats.com.
As a result, Nebraska and Penn State could benefit the most by adjusting kicks to force more returns in disadvantageous situations.
Another interesting aspect of the rule change is that onside kickoffs will now be much closer to midfield. The penalty for failing to recover an onside kick will be lessened significantly, so the wily coaches like Bret Bielema who like to surprise with an onside kick may be more encouraged than ever to try.
There will not be a sea of teams changing focus away from recruiting powerful kickers and speedy athletes, as these players have utility in the field goal kicking game and on offense and defense.
Plus, the percentage of touchbacks last year in the Big Ten was around 25 percent and will still barely move over 60 percent if at all, so the opportunities for an exciting return play will still be there.
Nevertheless, these rule changes on kickoffs should have a positive impact on Nebraska and Penn State as these teams try to improve on 2011 and reach the Big Ten Championship Game in 2012.
As for the other rules changes regarding jumping over blockers on punts and missing the next play for losing a helmet during a play, neither of these rules will have much of a substantive effect on Big Ten teams.
Big Ten team equipment managers will need to be at the ready to adjust chin straps and other portions of helmets to ensure that star players do not miss critical plays during the 2012 season.
As my colleague Eric Bowman wrote yesterday, these changes are good for player safety and good for college football. Hopefully the Big Ten coaches can adjust and continue to make kickoffs an exciting play in 2012 and beyond.
A look at the Yankees potential Opening Day roster
Yesterday was the first day that position players had to report to spring training, but the first day is really just them reporting to camp and taking physicals. So today is the real start of full blown spring training and we are just six days away from games.
On this first full day of spring training, let?s take a look at what the Yankees Opening Day roster is expected to look like. At first glace, it appears that there are 24 roster spots already locked down.
STARTING ROTATION: CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia/Phil Hughes.
BULLPEN: Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Rafael Soriano, Boone Logan, Cory Wade, Freddy Garcia/Phil Hughes.
STARTING LINEUP: Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez/Andruw Jones, Russell Martin, Brett Gardner.
BENCH: Eduardo Nunez, Francisco Cervelli, Raul Ibanez/Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez.
BULLPEN CANDIDATES FOR 25TH SPOT: Manny Delcarmen, LHP Cesar C...
On this first full day of spring training, let?s take a look at what the Yankees Opening Day roster is expected to look like. At first glace, it appears that there are 24 roster spots already locked down.
STARTING ROTATION: CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia/Phil Hughes.
BULLPEN: Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Rafael Soriano, Boone Logan, Cory Wade, Freddy Garcia/Phil Hughes.
STARTING LINEUP: Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez/Andruw Jones, Russell Martin, Brett Gardner.
BENCH: Eduardo Nunez, Francisco Cervelli, Raul Ibanez/Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez.
BULLPEN CANDIDATES FOR 25TH SPOT: Manny Delcarmen, LHP Cesar C...
Linsanity comes full circle with Rising Stars
ORLANDO, Fla. There was a moment during the firsthalf of Friday night's Rising Stars Challenge when Jeremy Lin's whirlwind Februarytruly came full circle.
His parents were featured on the Amway Center kiss cam.
A month ago, Lin, the Knicks phenom who has become the biggest story inbasketball seemingly overnight, had been demoted again to the D-League, andthe Harvard economics grad was giving serious thought to giving up onbasketball altogether and moving onto the next chapter of his life.His All-Star weekend plans were certainly the farthest thingfrom his mind.
But one golden opportunity, a tailor-made system, 12 games, 11 starts, ninewins and millions of new fans later, Lin had been added to the All-Star weekendlineup. An insatiable global thirst for his involvement wouldn't allow the NBAto keep him out of it. From the moment he landed in Orlando, there were throngsof fans and media hoping for a moment of his time.
At Friday afternoon's media session, reporters peppered the Eastern and WesternConference All-Stars with as many questions about Lin as they could fit intothe allotted time. Lin jerseys and shirts could be spotted all over ChurchStreet in downtown Orlando in the hours leading up to tipoff. There was anationally televised pregame interview and the palpable buzz that followed inthe arena as fans waited for the Rising Stars game to get going.
Then there they were, during a timeout with 7:24 left in the first half.Gie-Ming and Shirley Lin, staring at their cell phones on the league's largestvideo board while an overeager emcee urged them to smooch on screen apainfully awkward sign that Linsanity had truly reached a point of no return.
It's a story that not even Walt Disney could have dreamt up.
"I really didn't have a plan B, to be honest," Lin said of theuncertainty surrounding his future before he blossomed under Knicks head coachMike D'Antoni. "I wasn't sure. Obviously, I was thinking about three mainoptions: Overseas, D-League or to just take a break or give up basketball for awhile, and I just didn't know. I was just trying not to think about it.
"I just said, 'If I get cut by the Knicks, I'll take a look at all that,but until then, I want to make sure I try to stay focused and not think aboutnegativity.'"
But Lin doesn't need a plan B anymore, and it doesn't seem he'll ever need oneagain.The negativity? That's long gone. Since he checked into NewYork's Feb. 4 game against New Jersey and scored 25 points off the bench, Linhas averaged 22.6 points and 8.7 assists per game, leading New York to a 9-3record and solidifying his spot in the Knicks' starting lineup. Any past failureshad been absolved and long forgotten.
Lin played just nine minutes Friday night in the Rising Stars Challenge, andwas held to two points and just a single assist, an alley-oop lob from the topof the key to a cutting Blake Griffin, which drew one of the loudest cheers ofthe night. From a practical standpoint, however, it was probably best that Linhardly played. He had just come off of back-to-back games on Wednesday andThursday and neither performance was particularly inspiring.
Thursday's showing, just eight points on 1-of-11 shooting in a 102-88 loss atMiami, showed that Lin is human, and suggested that maybe the rigors of agrueling NBA schedule were getting to the undrafted second-year player who hasalready played 222 more minutes this season than he did in his entire rookieyear.
But even as Lin sat cheering from the bench, it was clear that Friday nightwasn't really about the game if you even want to call it a game which TeamChuck won 146-133.
Friday night wasn't about Kyrie Irving's 34 points on 8-of-8 shooting from3-point range and 12-of-13 shooting overall or his team-high nine assists."It's never occurred in my career," said Irving,referring to his perfect 3-point performance. "It's kind of unfortunate ithappened in the All-Star Game."Friday night wasnt about Blake Griffin, who spent more timein the air than he did on the ground as he made amends for not participating inthe Dunk Contest. It wasnt about Minnesotas Ricky Rubio, who showed againstlittle to no defense why he's the best passer in the game.
It wasn't about the nine players on Team Shaq who finished in double figures. Despite being the only player on Team Shaq not to score indouble figures, Friday night was about Lin and the fact that he was even inOrlando in the first place. During the start of the All-Star Weekend, the NBA hadto hold Lins news conference in a separate room because the number of mediamembers wanting to ask Lin questions was too large.
"(It's surreal) just (to have) any press conference of my own, let aloneAll-Star Weekend," Lin beamed before the game. "Just to be here andto see the company and all the players that are here is just it's beenunbelievable, and I'm trying to take it all in and embrace it and enjoy itevery step of the way."
Lin wasn't the most talented player in Friday night's game. He wasn't even thebest point guard on his own roster. Other stars from the game will go on tofind greater on-court success down the line.
But none will do what Lin has done. None of them will unexpectedly breathe lifeinto a city and a game and rejuvenate a middling fanbase the way Lin has injust 12 games.
"What I'm most impressed with Jeremy is when he got his opportunity, hedidn't just grab it he choked it by the neck," Team Shaq assistant coachSteve Kerr said. "He basically just took over that whole franchise, whichis stunning because it's New York and it's 'Melo and Amar'e. You've got stars,you've got the media capital of the world, and he just seized it and grabbed itand he's not letting it go."
Lin needed a physical breather, and he received one Friday night, but he did itthe way only Lin knows how with rabid, unwanted fanfare and while unselfishlyputting his team first.
"I'm definitely surprised that people are still talking about Linsanity orwhatever," Lin said. "I think hopefully as the season progresses, itwill go from that to New York Knicks.Hopefully the Knicks can win basketball games, we can makea good push after the All-Star break and people will start talking about theKnicks and not necessarily me."
But even though he'd rather it wasn't, Linsanity will continue to be the story,even when Lin's play isn't. People are hungry for Lin, and they'll takewhatever they can get even if it's just the sight of his parents on the kisscam.
His parents were featured on the Amway Center kiss cam.
A month ago, Lin, the Knicks phenom who has become the biggest story inbasketball seemingly overnight, had been demoted again to the D-League, andthe Harvard economics grad was giving serious thought to giving up onbasketball altogether and moving onto the next chapter of his life.His All-Star weekend plans were certainly the farthest thingfrom his mind.
But one golden opportunity, a tailor-made system, 12 games, 11 starts, ninewins and millions of new fans later, Lin had been added to the All-Star weekendlineup. An insatiable global thirst for his involvement wouldn't allow the NBAto keep him out of it. From the moment he landed in Orlando, there were throngsof fans and media hoping for a moment of his time.
At Friday afternoon's media session, reporters peppered the Eastern and WesternConference All-Stars with as many questions about Lin as they could fit intothe allotted time. Lin jerseys and shirts could be spotted all over ChurchStreet in downtown Orlando in the hours leading up to tipoff. There was anationally televised pregame interview and the palpable buzz that followed inthe arena as fans waited for the Rising Stars game to get going.
Then there they were, during a timeout with 7:24 left in the first half.Gie-Ming and Shirley Lin, staring at their cell phones on the league's largestvideo board while an overeager emcee urged them to smooch on screen apainfully awkward sign that Linsanity had truly reached a point of no return.
It's a story that not even Walt Disney could have dreamt up.
"I really didn't have a plan B, to be honest," Lin said of theuncertainty surrounding his future before he blossomed under Knicks head coachMike D'Antoni. "I wasn't sure. Obviously, I was thinking about three mainoptions: Overseas, D-League or to just take a break or give up basketball for awhile, and I just didn't know. I was just trying not to think about it.
"I just said, 'If I get cut by the Knicks, I'll take a look at all that,but until then, I want to make sure I try to stay focused and not think aboutnegativity.'"
But Lin doesn't need a plan B anymore, and it doesn't seem he'll ever need oneagain.The negativity? That's long gone. Since he checked into NewYork's Feb. 4 game against New Jersey and scored 25 points off the bench, Linhas averaged 22.6 points and 8.7 assists per game, leading New York to a 9-3record and solidifying his spot in the Knicks' starting lineup. Any past failureshad been absolved and long forgotten.
Lin played just nine minutes Friday night in the Rising Stars Challenge, andwas held to two points and just a single assist, an alley-oop lob from the topof the key to a cutting Blake Griffin, which drew one of the loudest cheers ofthe night. From a practical standpoint, however, it was probably best that Linhardly played. He had just come off of back-to-back games on Wednesday andThursday and neither performance was particularly inspiring.
Thursday's showing, just eight points on 1-of-11 shooting in a 102-88 loss atMiami, showed that Lin is human, and suggested that maybe the rigors of agrueling NBA schedule were getting to the undrafted second-year player who hasalready played 222 more minutes this season than he did in his entire rookieyear.
But even as Lin sat cheering from the bench, it was clear that Friday nightwasn't really about the game if you even want to call it a game which TeamChuck won 146-133.
Friday night wasn't about Kyrie Irving's 34 points on 8-of-8 shooting from3-point range and 12-of-13 shooting overall or his team-high nine assists."It's never occurred in my career," said Irving,referring to his perfect 3-point performance. "It's kind of unfortunate ithappened in the All-Star Game."Friday night wasnt about Blake Griffin, who spent more timein the air than he did on the ground as he made amends for not participating inthe Dunk Contest. It wasnt about Minnesotas Ricky Rubio, who showed againstlittle to no defense why he's the best passer in the game.
It wasn't about the nine players on Team Shaq who finished in double figures. Despite being the only player on Team Shaq not to score indouble figures, Friday night was about Lin and the fact that he was even inOrlando in the first place. During the start of the All-Star Weekend, the NBA hadto hold Lins news conference in a separate room because the number of mediamembers wanting to ask Lin questions was too large.
"(It's surreal) just (to have) any press conference of my own, let aloneAll-Star Weekend," Lin beamed before the game. "Just to be here andto see the company and all the players that are here is just it's beenunbelievable, and I'm trying to take it all in and embrace it and enjoy itevery step of the way."
Lin wasn't the most talented player in Friday night's game. He wasn't even thebest point guard on his own roster. Other stars from the game will go on tofind greater on-court success down the line.
But none will do what Lin has done. None of them will unexpectedly breathe lifeinto a city and a game and rejuvenate a middling fanbase the way Lin has injust 12 games.
"What I'm most impressed with Jeremy is when he got his opportunity, hedidn't just grab it he choked it by the neck," Team Shaq assistant coachSteve Kerr said. "He basically just took over that whole franchise, whichis stunning because it's New York and it's 'Melo and Amar'e. You've got stars,you've got the media capital of the world, and he just seized it and grabbed itand he's not letting it go."
Lin needed a physical breather, and he received one Friday night, but he did itthe way only Lin knows how with rabid, unwanted fanfare and while unselfishlyputting his team first.
"I'm definitely surprised that people are still talking about Linsanity orwhatever," Lin said. "I think hopefully as the season progresses, itwill go from that to New York Knicks.Hopefully the Knicks can win basketball games, we can makea good push after the All-Star break and people will start talking about theKnicks and not necessarily me."
But even though he'd rather it wasn't, Linsanity will continue to be the story,even when Lin's play isn't. People are hungry for Lin, and they'll takewhatever they can get even if it's just the sight of his parents on the kisscam.
NBA Rising Stars Challenge 2012: Video Highlights, Twitter Reaction and Grades
Team Chuck beat Team Shaq, 140-122, in the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night as NBA All-Star Weekend began in Orlando.
As expected, the game featured little defense, but some of basketball's brightest young stars did their part in giving the fans and those watching at home some amazing highlights.
The star of the game was Cleveland Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, who won the MVP award with a game-high 34 points.
Tweets of the Night
Rookie point guard Ricky Rubio was spectacular in the Rising Stars Challenge, and Dime Magazine made an interesting comparison.
Ricky Rubio is playing/passing like a 2000 Rookie Challenge version of Jason Williams out there
— Dime Magazine (@DimeMag) February 25, 2012
A fake Bill Walton account tweeted about Kenny Smith's "get buckets" phrase, which the TNT analyst did overuse a bit.
If Kenny Smith says "get buckets" one more time, I'm going to start praying he gets replaced...by Doris Burke.
— The Bill Walton Trip (@NotBillWalton) February 25, 2012
To no one's surprise, New York Knicks star point guard Jeremy Lin received the loudest ovation from the crowd in Orlando.
Jeremy Lin gets loudest ovation of anyone. Blake Griffin a close second
— Jason Lloyd (@JasonLloydABJ) February 25, 2012
I think many of us can agree with this tweet from Pro Basketball Talk's Kurt Helin.
There's better defense in my pickup games at the gym than there is in the Rising Stars game.
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) February 25, 2012
Must-See Highlight
Very few players in NBA history have had the athleticism to pull off a dunk like this, but Blake Griffin makes it look easy with his superhuman-like leaping ability.
Grades for Notable Team Chuck Players
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers: A+
The former Duke star is the likely Rookie of the Year candidate, and he showed why with 34 points to lead all scorers in the Rising Stars Challenge.
Kyrie Irving dominated the game with some exquisite passing and flashy offensive moves. He shot an amazing 12-of-13 from the field and hit all eight of his three-point attempts.
Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers: B+
Sophomore forward Evan Turner from the 76ers played very well for Team Chuck in this game and showed the all-around talent that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Turner finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. With his tremendous athleticism, Turner put on a great show for the fans with some explosive dunks and exciting fast-break basketball.
Paul George, Indiana Pacers: A-
The Pacers' sophomore forward was one of Team Chuck's best players in the Rising Stars game, with 21 points in 23 minutes. Fans were treated to a preview of the athleticism that George will use in Saturday's Slam Dunk Contest. George shot 9-of-16 from the field and was certainly an MVP candidate.
Grades for Notable Team Shaq Players
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers: A-
The Los Angeles Clippers' superstar power forward did not have the best stats on his team, but he gave the fans some amazing highlights, including some highlight-reel dunks. Griffin finished with 10 points, but he made the price of admission well worth it for every fan in the building Friday night. In a game like this, it's all about excitement, and Griffin provided plenty.
Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves: A
The Spanish point guard was phenomenal in the Rising Stars game and threw some perfect alley-oop passes to teammates such as Blake Griffin. Rubio also had some very impressive dribble moves and ball fakes that would have been effective in a real game against real defense. He finished with 12 points and seven assists.
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks: B-
To be fair to Jeremy Lin, he only played about nine minutes in this game, but he wasn't too impressive in his time on the court. He did have a fantastic pass to Blake Griffin for an alley-oop, but wasn't that much of a factor. The Knicks have played quite a few games recently, so I'm sure Lin didn't mind getting some nice rest. Lin finished with two points.
Deciding Factor: Team Chuck's Three-point and Free-Throw Shooting
Team Chuck beat Team Shaq in the Rising Stars game primarily because of their success from the three-point line and dominance at the foul line. Team Chuck shot 55 percent from beyond the arc, compared to Team Shaq's 27 percent.
Team Chuck made more free throws (15) than Team Shaq even attempted (six).
Game MVP: Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving won the Rising Stars Challenge MVP, and he's also my own pick for the award. He led all scorers with 34 points and added seven assists and two steals for Team Chuck in a 140-122 win. Irving was on fire from long range, hitting all eight three-point shot attempts. With his offensive outburst and impressive playmaking, there was no question that Irving would be the MVP.
What's Next?
NBA All-Star Weekend continues on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT with the Shooting Stars Competition, Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Shootout and Skills Challenge.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Video: Jeff Gordon's car flips in terrifying crash
Jeff Gordon is one of the most successful NASCAR drivers of all time. With 85 career wins, Gordon has had numerous races to remember during his distinguished career. Saturday's Budweiser Shootout was not one of them. Gordon was involved in a horrific crash at Daytona after colliding with Kurt Busch with two laps to go. After hitting Busch's car, Gordon found himself upside down, and he flipped several times in what was the worst crash of his career. Gordon was able to exit his car and walk away without any injury, but it was definitely one of the most terrifying...
Cruyff to join Chivas as advisor
Former Barcelona coach and Dutch star Johan Cruyff will be joining slumping Mexican club Guadalajara Chivas as an advisor.
Chivas said on its website that Cruyff would give a news conference on Saturday.
The club did not immediately say what role he would take, but he is certain to suggest changes on and off the pitch to arrest a sharp decline in results.
Guadalajara, Mexico's most successful team, is winless in 13 consecutive matches.
It was beaten 3-0 by Argentine club Velez Sarsfield in a Copa Libertadores match on Wednesday.
Chivas said on its website that Cruyff would give a news conference on Saturday.
The club did not immediately say what role he would take, but he is certain to suggest changes on and off the pitch to arrest a sharp decline in results.
Guadalajara, Mexico's most successful team, is winless in 13 consecutive matches.
It was beaten 3-0 by Argentine club Velez Sarsfield in a Copa Libertadores match on Wednesday.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/soccer/article_external/cruyff_to_join_chivas_as_advisor/10091107
Video: Pat Knight rips seniors during presser
I want a show of hands of who knew Pat Knight was the men's basketball coach at Lamar before reading the title. Knight, the son of legendary Indiana University coach and current ESPN analyst Bobby Knight, hasn't fallen far from the tree and I don't say that because he adores sweaters. He's a jerk. Don't get me wrong, father Bobby was one of the best coaches ever to walk a hardwood sideline. But, son Pat is nowhere close. After four-plus years at Texas Tech and 25 games this season at Lamar, he holds a 66-70 overal record as a head coach. That alone should give him no barring to spout off about his current seniors the way he did tonight after a loss to Stephen F. Austin.One of Knight’s players was addressing the media when Knight pulled the plug on the interview by telling the player, “Alright, let’s go. You don’t have a clue about what it takes to win. Let’s go.” And then he took over - ripping his seniors on everything f...
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Darvish drawing attention to other Rangers
SURPRISE, Ariz. Ryan Strausborger got to join a growing group of Texas Rangers gaining newfound fame Thursday afternoon.
Strausborger, who played in Class A in 2011, spoke to an overflow crowd of reporters after Thursday's workout of the Texas Rangers. His name will appear in papers in Japan and he'll likely be on highlight clips in two countries the United States and Japan.
The reason for his newfound fame? He was the first Texas hitter to face Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish. On the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers, Strausborger put one ball in play fair, hitting a weak grounder to shortstop off the end of his bat.
In the new world of media surrounding the Texas Rangers, Strausborger's day got him a press conference alongside superstar prospect Jurickson Profar, who also got into the cage against Darvish but didn't swing at a pitch. They joined a growing crowd of Texas personnel who have been swept up in Yu-mania.
"I was excited to hear I was facing him and the first one out there," said Strausborger, who hit .270 at Myrtle Beach in 2011. "It was definitely a pretty good experience seeing somebody who's coming over here. He's the big talk right now and it's good to see a good arm and somebody with all the movement he has."
Also drawing a press conference for their association with Darvish Thursday were pitching coach Mike Maddux, who took questions alongside Triple A pitching coach Terry Clark. Clark was on the field when Darvish threw batting practice.
Texas catcher Mike Napoli, who caught Darvish in his bullpen session and well as batting practice, also talked about the day. His press conference came with Derek Holland, who warmed up with Darvish. Both pitcher Justin Miller and catcher Luis Martinez have also been the subject of several interviews. Miller's claim to fame is he has a locker next to Darvish in the Texas clubhouse. Martinez caught Darvish in the bullpen Tuesday.
The attention the club has received in the wake of the Darvish signing was expected. The postseason runs the last two years have also helped the Rangers deal with the added spotlight.
"It's a little postseason pandemonium here in spring training," said Maddux. "The media attention that we're gathering, not only for us being a repeating championship team, but adding some high-caliber players. A lot of guys are well known but sometimes you run across a guy who's famous. That's what we're dealing with is somebody who's famous."
Texas has its share of stars already. Josh Hamilton is already one of the biggest names in baseball. Michael Young is a perennial All-Star. Team president Nolan Ryan, who had his Darvish-related presser Wednesday, is one of the greatest pitchers in the game.
Darvish said Thursday he's used to the paparazzi-like treatment from his playing days in Japan. The Rangers just want everyone who's watching the team now to know there are 58 other players in camp and 24 others who will be with Darvish when Texas plays the Chicago White Sox Opening Day.
"It seems like people forget about the rest of the team," said Holland, who jokingly acted like a photographer when he left the field alongside Darvish. "We've got a lot of other guys talented enough out there to be talked about as well. Yu is a good pitcher. Don't take that away from him but don't forget about the rest of the guys we've got on the squad."
Holland, who was one of the first Rangers to befriend Darvish, wasn't taking a shot at his new teammates. But he also knows that for most of the people in Surprise this week, the Rangers are also a one-man team.
But not everything in camp is Darvish related and the Rangers are the reason. Texas was already national news because of the success on the field before they ever signed him. Now they're international news and trying to take all of that in stride.
"I guess this comes with success," said Texas manager Ron Washington, whose normal pre-practice update was noticeably different because of the number of Japanese reporters outside the dugout. "People are interested in the Texas Rangers so I guess we've got to deal with it."
The good news for Washington is that he won't have to deal with it alone. Certainly not this spring.
Strausborger, who played in Class A in 2011, spoke to an overflow crowd of reporters after Thursday's workout of the Texas Rangers. His name will appear in papers in Japan and he'll likely be on highlight clips in two countries the United States and Japan.
The reason for his newfound fame? He was the first Texas hitter to face Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish. On the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers, Strausborger put one ball in play fair, hitting a weak grounder to shortstop off the end of his bat.
In the new world of media surrounding the Texas Rangers, Strausborger's day got him a press conference alongside superstar prospect Jurickson Profar, who also got into the cage against Darvish but didn't swing at a pitch. They joined a growing crowd of Texas personnel who have been swept up in Yu-mania.
"I was excited to hear I was facing him and the first one out there," said Strausborger, who hit .270 at Myrtle Beach in 2011. "It was definitely a pretty good experience seeing somebody who's coming over here. He's the big talk right now and it's good to see a good arm and somebody with all the movement he has."
Also drawing a press conference for their association with Darvish Thursday were pitching coach Mike Maddux, who took questions alongside Triple A pitching coach Terry Clark. Clark was on the field when Darvish threw batting practice.
Texas catcher Mike Napoli, who caught Darvish in his bullpen session and well as batting practice, also talked about the day. His press conference came with Derek Holland, who warmed up with Darvish. Both pitcher Justin Miller and catcher Luis Martinez have also been the subject of several interviews. Miller's claim to fame is he has a locker next to Darvish in the Texas clubhouse. Martinez caught Darvish in the bullpen Tuesday.
The attention the club has received in the wake of the Darvish signing was expected. The postseason runs the last two years have also helped the Rangers deal with the added spotlight.
"It's a little postseason pandemonium here in spring training," said Maddux. "The media attention that we're gathering, not only for us being a repeating championship team, but adding some high-caliber players. A lot of guys are well known but sometimes you run across a guy who's famous. That's what we're dealing with is somebody who's famous."
Texas has its share of stars already. Josh Hamilton is already one of the biggest names in baseball. Michael Young is a perennial All-Star. Team president Nolan Ryan, who had his Darvish-related presser Wednesday, is one of the greatest pitchers in the game.
Darvish said Thursday he's used to the paparazzi-like treatment from his playing days in Japan. The Rangers just want everyone who's watching the team now to know there are 58 other players in camp and 24 others who will be with Darvish when Texas plays the Chicago White Sox Opening Day.
"It seems like people forget about the rest of the team," said Holland, who jokingly acted like a photographer when he left the field alongside Darvish. "We've got a lot of other guys talented enough out there to be talked about as well. Yu is a good pitcher. Don't take that away from him but don't forget about the rest of the guys we've got on the squad."
Holland, who was one of the first Rangers to befriend Darvish, wasn't taking a shot at his new teammates. But he also knows that for most of the people in Surprise this week, the Rangers are also a one-man team.
But not everything in camp is Darvish related and the Rangers are the reason. Texas was already national news because of the success on the field before they ever signed him. Now they're international news and trying to take all of that in stride.
"I guess this comes with success," said Texas manager Ron Washington, whose normal pre-practice update was noticeably different because of the number of Japanese reporters outside the dugout. "People are interested in the Texas Rangers so I guess we've got to deal with it."
The good news for Washington is that he won't have to deal with it alone. Certainly not this spring.
Blake Griffin`s Top 10 Plays
 | Check out the top plays form western conference All-Star Blake Griffin. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights. | From: NBA Views: 18158  302 ratings |
| Time: 03:02 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY236fmzgIQ&feature=youtube_gdata
Auto Racing Package: Hamlin has 2011 behind him
(Eds: With AP Photos.) By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer Denny Hamlin is just fine, but thanks for asking.
Of course, nobody really believed that Hamlin was OK after losing the 2010 championship to Jimmie Johnson in the season finale. He moped for a good while, and, although he's quiet by nature, he seemed withdrawn. When his mood never really improved, and his results on the race track slipped significantly, people began to openly wonder about Hamlin's psyche.
As he starts a fresh season with a new crew chief, Hamlin is determined to show he's not a head case and can win a Sprint Cup title. Although he admitted late last season to working with noted sports psychologist Bob Rotella, Hamlin said he's got everything under control.
''People make a big deal out of this whole Bob Rotella thing. I saw him twice. Twice. In a two-hour period,'' Hamlin said. ''It's not like I'm seeing the guy weekly and I've got serious problems. But, basically, it was how excited am I supposed to be? Or, how am I not supposed to hang my head when we run like absolute (junk)?
''I'm embarrassed. I wanted to be invisible. I didn't want to be seen because I viewed myself as pathetic last year the way we ran.''
Indeed, 2011 was a steep drop-off from his near-championship run.
Hamlin won eight races in 2010 and took a 15-point lead over Johnson into the season finale. But he admits now he didn't have a shot at winning the title, largely because of a devastating result the week before at Phoenix.
Hamlin dominated in the desert and seemed headed to a victory that would have likely put the nail in Johnson's reign of four straight titles. Instead, a miscalculation on fuel forced him to make a late pit stop. He finished 12th, Johnson was fifth, and Hamlin never recovered.
He was a nervous wreck the entire weekend at Homestead - Johnson and fellow title contender Kevin Harvick openly mocked Hamlin's perceived fragility - and it showed in a poor qualifying effort, an early on-track incident, and a flat, 14th-place finish.
Hamlin ultimately lost the title by 39 points.
''In Homestead, for sure I knew that we were in trouble. Even with the point lead - people never get over that Game 6 where they lost,'' he said. ''I never felt it. You know you feel like, `OK, this is it, this is our day to win the championship?' Just something about it (race day morning) and I never felt it.''
That hangover carried into 2011. Hamlin won just one race and barely made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He finished ninth in the final series standings, and crew chief Mike Ford was replaced a few weeks later by Darian Grubb, who had just led Tony Stewart to the championship.
Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip likened Hamlin's plight to his 11-point loss to Richard Petty in the 1979 title race. Although Waltrip won five races the next year, he finished fifth in the standings and changed teams in 1981.
''Denny Hamlin had to get another crew chief. It is hard on you mentally, it really takes its toll when you invest everything you've got - energy, emotion - in trying to win the championship, and you come up short,'' Waltrip said. ''It drains you. And you don't always get over it in one winter. You don't get over it in 90 days. Sometimes to bounce back and be a factor the next year is one of the hardest things a driver ever has to do. A driver and a team.''
But Hamlin insists he's doing just fine now, and every indication is that he indeed has finally bounced back to his old self.
He spent seven weeks during the offseason in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he worked on his golf game - Hamlin said he was a 20 handicap a year ago, and has it down ''in the single digits now'' - and truly lived on his own for the first time in his life.
Hamlin doesn't want his time in Arizona to be characterized as a time for self-discovery or healing. Even so, he returned to Daytona International Speedway a different person. He's smiling again, his confidence is back, and after taking a big step back from Twitter, where he was one of NASCAR's most engaging drivers, he's conversing with fans again on the social media site.
''I think Scottsdale was good. I had daily chores that I had to do. I picked up after myself. You don't realize how messy you are until you don't have somebody walking right behind you picking up your clothes,'' he said. ''I thought about racing very little for like a month and a half. Then two weeks (ago) I was like, `Alright, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go back to work.'''
No matter his mind-set, Hamlin's success will depend largely this year on the strength of Joe Gibbs Racing and how quickly he can establish a strong line of communication with Grubb. Ford was the only crew chief Hamlin had, as the two were paired in Hamlin's 2006 rookie season. They won 17 races together and made the Chase every year.
But JGR as a whole was off last season. Although Kyle Busch won four races and went into the Chase as the top seed, he faltered out of the gate and never challenged for the title. Joey Logano also struggled, and Hamlin ultimately was the highest-finishing JGR driver in the final standings.
So he feels confident that he alone was not to blame for the performance of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota.
''If Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are out-running me every single week, then it's time I look in the mirror,'' Hamlin said. ''If they don't, then we need to figure out what about our cars we need to work on to get better because we have, in my opinion, some really good drivers that should be winning and leading a lot of laps.''
''But I feel like there's new hope this year. We have a new crew chief. I listen to the way he does things, listen to what he did to his cars versus what we do to our cars, and I'm like, `Yeah that sounds like a good direction.' I believe in that. I've got new optimism.''
Of course, nobody really believed that Hamlin was OK after losing the 2010 championship to Jimmie Johnson in the season finale. He moped for a good while, and, although he's quiet by nature, he seemed withdrawn. When his mood never really improved, and his results on the race track slipped significantly, people began to openly wonder about Hamlin's psyche.
As he starts a fresh season with a new crew chief, Hamlin is determined to show he's not a head case and can win a Sprint Cup title. Although he admitted late last season to working with noted sports psychologist Bob Rotella, Hamlin said he's got everything under control.
''People make a big deal out of this whole Bob Rotella thing. I saw him twice. Twice. In a two-hour period,'' Hamlin said. ''It's not like I'm seeing the guy weekly and I've got serious problems. But, basically, it was how excited am I supposed to be? Or, how am I not supposed to hang my head when we run like absolute (junk)?
''I'm embarrassed. I wanted to be invisible. I didn't want to be seen because I viewed myself as pathetic last year the way we ran.''
Indeed, 2011 was a steep drop-off from his near-championship run.
Hamlin won eight races in 2010 and took a 15-point lead over Johnson into the season finale. But he admits now he didn't have a shot at winning the title, largely because of a devastating result the week before at Phoenix.
Hamlin dominated in the desert and seemed headed to a victory that would have likely put the nail in Johnson's reign of four straight titles. Instead, a miscalculation on fuel forced him to make a late pit stop. He finished 12th, Johnson was fifth, and Hamlin never recovered.
He was a nervous wreck the entire weekend at Homestead - Johnson and fellow title contender Kevin Harvick openly mocked Hamlin's perceived fragility - and it showed in a poor qualifying effort, an early on-track incident, and a flat, 14th-place finish.
Hamlin ultimately lost the title by 39 points.
''In Homestead, for sure I knew that we were in trouble. Even with the point lead - people never get over that Game 6 where they lost,'' he said. ''I never felt it. You know you feel like, `OK, this is it, this is our day to win the championship?' Just something about it (race day morning) and I never felt it.''
That hangover carried into 2011. Hamlin won just one race and barely made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He finished ninth in the final series standings, and crew chief Mike Ford was replaced a few weeks later by Darian Grubb, who had just led Tony Stewart to the championship.
Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip likened Hamlin's plight to his 11-point loss to Richard Petty in the 1979 title race. Although Waltrip won five races the next year, he finished fifth in the standings and changed teams in 1981.
''Denny Hamlin had to get another crew chief. It is hard on you mentally, it really takes its toll when you invest everything you've got - energy, emotion - in trying to win the championship, and you come up short,'' Waltrip said. ''It drains you. And you don't always get over it in one winter. You don't get over it in 90 days. Sometimes to bounce back and be a factor the next year is one of the hardest things a driver ever has to do. A driver and a team.''
But Hamlin insists he's doing just fine now, and every indication is that he indeed has finally bounced back to his old self.
He spent seven weeks during the offseason in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he worked on his golf game - Hamlin said he was a 20 handicap a year ago, and has it down ''in the single digits now'' - and truly lived on his own for the first time in his life.
Hamlin doesn't want his time in Arizona to be characterized as a time for self-discovery or healing. Even so, he returned to Daytona International Speedway a different person. He's smiling again, his confidence is back, and after taking a big step back from Twitter, where he was one of NASCAR's most engaging drivers, he's conversing with fans again on the social media site.
''I think Scottsdale was good. I had daily chores that I had to do. I picked up after myself. You don't realize how messy you are until you don't have somebody walking right behind you picking up your clothes,'' he said. ''I thought about racing very little for like a month and a half. Then two weeks (ago) I was like, `Alright, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go back to work.'''
No matter his mind-set, Hamlin's success will depend largely this year on the strength of Joe Gibbs Racing and how quickly he can establish a strong line of communication with Grubb. Ford was the only crew chief Hamlin had, as the two were paired in Hamlin's 2006 rookie season. They won 17 races together and made the Chase every year.
But JGR as a whole was off last season. Although Kyle Busch won four races and went into the Chase as the top seed, he faltered out of the gate and never challenged for the title. Joey Logano also struggled, and Hamlin ultimately was the highest-finishing JGR driver in the final standings.
So he feels confident that he alone was not to blame for the performance of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota.
''If Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are out-running me every single week, then it's time I look in the mirror,'' Hamlin said. ''If they don't, then we need to figure out what about our cars we need to work on to get better because we have, in my opinion, some really good drivers that should be winning and leading a lot of laps.''
''But I feel like there's new hope this year. We have a new crew chief. I listen to the way he does things, listen to what he did to his cars versus what we do to our cars, and I'm like, `Yeah that sounds like a good direction.' I believe in that. I've got new optimism.''
Red Wings bring back Quincey
DETROIT -- Kyle Quincey is headed back to the Red Wings.
Detroit traded prospect Sebastien Piche and its 2012 first-round pick to Steve Yzerman's Tampa Bay Lightning for the 26-year-old defenseman Tuesday. The Lightning acquired Quincey from the Colorado Avalanche for Steve Downie earlier in the day.
Quincey had five goals and 18 assists in 54 games this season for the Avalanche.
The trade brings Quincey, a big-hitting defenseman, back to the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2003. After finishing his junior career, he spent most of three seasons in Grand Rapids, playing just 13 regular-season games with the Red Wings.
His most memorable stint with Detroit came in the 2007 playoffs. Even though he had only played six games in the regular season, injuries to Brett Lebda and Mathieu Schneider forced Quincey into the postseason lineup. He played 13 playoff games before the Red Wings were knocked out in the conference finals by San Jose.
That set him up for a shot at the 2007-08 roster, but he broke his hand in training camp and ended up back in Grand Rapids. He failed to stick on the roster again before the 2008-09 season and was claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings.
In his first full NHL season, Quincey had four goals and 34 assists in 72 games, but was traded during the offseason to Colorado. He had six goals and 23 assists for the Avalanche in 2009-10, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Piche, 24, had three assists in 24 games for Grand Rapids this season.
Detroit traded prospect Sebastien Piche and its 2012 first-round pick to Steve Yzerman's Tampa Bay Lightning for the 26-year-old defenseman Tuesday. The Lightning acquired Quincey from the Colorado Avalanche for Steve Downie earlier in the day.
Quincey had five goals and 18 assists in 54 games this season for the Avalanche.
The trade brings Quincey, a big-hitting defenseman, back to the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2003. After finishing his junior career, he spent most of three seasons in Grand Rapids, playing just 13 regular-season games with the Red Wings.
His most memorable stint with Detroit came in the 2007 playoffs. Even though he had only played six games in the regular season, injuries to Brett Lebda and Mathieu Schneider forced Quincey into the postseason lineup. He played 13 playoff games before the Red Wings were knocked out in the conference finals by San Jose.
That set him up for a shot at the 2007-08 roster, but he broke his hand in training camp and ended up back in Grand Rapids. He failed to stick on the roster again before the 2008-09 season and was claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings.
In his first full NHL season, Quincey had four goals and 34 assists in 72 games, but was traded during the offseason to Colorado. He had six goals and 23 assists for the Avalanche in 2009-10, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Piche, 24, had three assists in 24 games for Grand Rapids this season.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/red_wings_bring_back_quincey/10044301
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Woods gets Spaniard in 1st round
Defending champion Luke Donald faces Ernie Els in the first round of the Match Play Championship. Tiger Woods is to play Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.
The seeding for the first World Golf Championship of the year is based on the world ranking released Sunday.
Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westood and Martin Kaymer are the top four seeds. Woods, a three-time winner of the Match Play is the No. 19 seed, the first time he has played this event without being among the top three seeds.
The 64-man field begins Wednesday at Dove Mountain. Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey are not playing.
The Donald-Els match is the highest-profile for an opening round since Woods played Nick Faldo in the inaugural event in 1999.
The seeding for the first World Golf Championship of the year is based on the world ranking released Sunday.
Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westood and Martin Kaymer are the top four seeds. Woods, a three-time winner of the Match Play is the No. 19 seed, the first time he has played this event without being among the top three seeds.
The 64-man field begins Wednesday at Dove Mountain. Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey are not playing.
The Donald-Els match is the highest-profile for an opening round since Woods played Nick Faldo in the inaugural event in 1999.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/woods_gets_spaniard_in_1st_round/10010134
Novak Djokovic's body is worth $100 million dollars
Lloyd's of London Insurance Company is in the business of insuring body parts of celebrities. Mariah Carey famously had her legs insured by the company to the tune of $1 billion dollars (yes you read that correctly) and David Beckham also had his legs insured for $70 million dollars. Other weird interesting body parts that have been insured include singer Celine Dion's vocal cords, actress America Ferrera's smile, 'Girl's Next Door' Holly Madison's breasts, actress/singer Jennifer Lopez's bottom, and NFL star Troy Polamalu's locks.
So the question begged to be asked, "How much would the number 1 player in the world, Novak Djokovic's, body be worth?" and a Serbian website contacted Lloyd's to find out the answer.
So the question begged to be asked, "How much would the number 1 player in the world, Novak Djokovic's, body be worth?" and a Serbian website contacted Lloyd's to find out the answer.
Nearly Washed-Up Tracy McGrady is Complaining About Playing Time
Remember when Tracy McGrady was a huge deal in the early 00s?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Daytona 500 2012: Danica Patrick Will Struggle in First Full NASCAR Season
Danica Patrick has a lot on her shoulders as she begins her first full NASCAR season at the Daytona 500 on Sunday.
In addition to making a name for herself as a woman in a male-dominated sport, she will also be tasked with an entirely different style of racing.
Sure, Patrick has three top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, but she has yet to take on a NASCAR event as big as this.
It's only natural for a driver to struggle as a rookie at the Daytona 500. Asking anything else of Patrick headed into the big event is asking too much.
There is all kinds of electricity surrounding Patrick this year. As one of the most popular drivers in the IndyCar series throughout the years, she brings a lot of star power to NASCAR, even if some claim it's mostly off the track.
In my mind, Patrick will pull off some surprising finishes in 2012, but to say she's going to win a NASCAR race is a bit far-fetched. She'll be competing with the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and defending champion Tony Stewart. Those drivers overwhelm most competitors in NASCAR, let alone Patrick, who will have to adjust to the style and level of the circuit along the way.
Some believe Patrick has her best chance of winning in 2012 at the Daytona 500. I disagree. I believe she's going to hit plenty of speed bumps in the early-going, as so many have in their first full seasons at NASCAR.
Given the hype that accompanies Patrick, I get the feeling that some will deem her a failure if she doesn't win a race this season. I don't look at it like that. I think if she progresses, getting some top-10 finishes along the way, it should be deemed a success.
But she will struggle.
To say she won't is to not give credit to the level of competition she is facing.
Video: Insane high school alley-oop
This would be 6'1" guard Gabe York out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California. York has committed to the University of Arizona and when school starts in the fall, he'll be flying himself to campus.I'm not sure which is more impressive - the catch, the hang time or the finish. We'll take the easy way out and go with choice (d) all of the above.
Propers to The Hoop Scene
Propers to The Hoop Scene
Monday, February 20, 2012
Injury will hold out Koivu against Blues
ST. LOUIS -- The Minesota Wild will start a set of back-to-back games against the Blues on Saturday without captain Mikko Koivu, who did not make the trip to St. Louis.
Coach Mike Yeo said Saturday morning that Koivu is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Since returning Feb. 9 from a shoulder injury that held him out almost a month, Koivu has centered the top line with Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley. Koivu, who missed a chance to play in his first All-Star Game while recovering from his last injury, has one goal and three assists in the four games since his return.
Koivus comeback has helped ignite Setoguchi, who had been slumping but has four goals and two assists in the past four games. With Koivu out, Setoguchi will start Saturday afternoons game against the Blues on a line with Matt Cullen and Cal Clutterbuck. Heatley will be reunited with Kyle Brodziak and Nick Johnson.
Yeo said he might also experiment with Setoguchi playing with Heatley and Brodziak at some point.
Coach Mike Yeo said Saturday morning that Koivu is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Since returning Feb. 9 from a shoulder injury that held him out almost a month, Koivu has centered the top line with Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley. Koivu, who missed a chance to play in his first All-Star Game while recovering from his last injury, has one goal and three assists in the four games since his return.
Koivus comeback has helped ignite Setoguchi, who had been slumping but has four goals and two assists in the past four games. With Koivu out, Setoguchi will start Saturday afternoons game against the Blues on a line with Matt Cullen and Cal Clutterbuck. Heatley will be reunited with Kyle Brodziak and Nick Johnson.
Yeo said he might also experiment with Setoguchi playing with Heatley and Brodziak at some point.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/injury_will_hold_out_koivu_against_blues/9989236
Video: LeBron makes young fan cry after crashing into him
Two young kids who were sitting in courtside seats got more than they bargained for on Sunday when LeBron James missed a block and was sent flying directly at them. To say the youngsters were rattled would be an understatement as tears ended up coming from both of their eyes. In good form, LeBron did apologize to them.
?I just asked them if they were OK,? James said. ?They were smiling. They had two lollipops in their hands. That?s always the cure.?
�
image via @jose3030
Article found on: Cosby Sweaters
?I just asked them if they were OK,? James said. ?They were smiling. They had two lollipops in their hands. That?s always the cure.?
�
image via @jose3030
Article found on: Cosby Sweaters
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Daily Zap: February 18th
 | Check out this quick look around the NBA for highlights from all four games tonight! | From: NBA Views: 17405 202 ratings |
| Time: 01:33 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtrKWO8yhso&feature=youtube_gdata
Kvitova, Stepanek new doubles partners
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will team with countryman Radek Stepanek to play mixed doubles at the London Olympics.
Kvitova also considered Tomas Berdych as a partner before making her announcement Friday.
Stepanek won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open when he and Leander Paes of India took the doubles final.
Kvitova says, ''As an experienced doubles player, Radek will be the leader.''
Kvitova and Berdych played together in January to give the Czech Republic its second Hopman Cup title.
Berdych has already announced he will play doubles with Stepanek at the London Games.
Kvitova also considered Tomas Berdych as a partner before making her announcement Friday.
Stepanek won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open when he and Leander Paes of India took the doubles final.
Kvitova says, ''As an experienced doubles player, Radek will be the leader.''
Kvitova and Berdych played together in January to give the Czech Republic its second Hopman Cup title.
Berdych has already announced he will play doubles with Stepanek at the London Games.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/tennis/article_external/kvitova_stepanek_new_doubles_partners/9971806
'Bama sends recruit 105 letters in a day
As a junior in high school, Alvin Kamara of Norcross, Georgia is already being recruited by numerous big-name schools across the country after rushing for more than 1,500 yards during the 2011 season. While Kamara has received interest from schools such as Syracuse, Florida, Clemson, and Mississippi State, it appears Alabama may be the most interested in landing Kamara for the 2013 season?at least that?s what it seems like after they sent the junior running back 105 letters in the mail at once.
According to Keith Niebuhr of Rivals.com, Kamara recently found 105 letters from this year?s BCS Champions in the mail after coming home from school one day. Kamara obviously knows he?s one heck of a talented football player and he?s received plenty of letters over the years from numerous schools interested in bringing him on board, but even this many letters from one school came as a bit of a surprise for the running back.
From Niebuhr?s article:
?There were 105...
According to Keith Niebuhr of Rivals.com, Kamara recently found 105 letters from this year?s BCS Champions in the mail after coming home from school one day. Kamara obviously knows he?s one heck of a talented football player and he?s received plenty of letters over the years from numerous schools interested in bringing him on board, but even this many letters from one school came as a bit of a surprise for the running back.
From Niebuhr?s article:
?There were 105...
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Red Sox Pitcher Tim Wakefield Retires After 19 Seasons
At the risk of ?Joe Morgan-ing? this, Wakefield was consistently inconsistent.
Source: http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/02/17/red-sox-pitcher-tim-wakefield-retires-after-19-seasons/
Michael Ballack MLS Bound?
Goal.com has reported Michael Ballack is deep in negotiations with Major League soccer and could be the latest international star to head state-side to conclude his career.
Both MLS and Ballack?s representatives confirmed that MLS Executive VP Todd Durbin was the one who initiated the conversation to bring the former German national team captain, who also starred for Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea, to the MLS.
The Seattle Sounders, New York Red Bulls, Chicago Fire, Philadelphia Union, and expansion Montreal Impact have all shown interest in signing Ballack and apparently the interest is mutual.
One tough sell for whoever nabs him is Ballack?s current contract with Leverkusen runs through the end of June and he intends to honor it. He is rumored to be looking for somewhere in the $5-$7 million range.
As a diehard Sounders fan here is my sales pitch to you Mr. Ballack- Head to Seattle. You?ll enjoy the best fans in the league. You will also join the best existing cen...
Both MLS and Ballack?s representatives confirmed that MLS Executive VP Todd Durbin was the one who initiated the conversation to bring the former German national team captain, who also starred for Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea, to the MLS.
The Seattle Sounders, New York Red Bulls, Chicago Fire, Philadelphia Union, and expansion Montreal Impact have all shown interest in signing Ballack and apparently the interest is mutual.
One tough sell for whoever nabs him is Ballack?s current contract with Leverkusen runs through the end of June and he intends to honor it. He is rumored to be looking for somewhere in the $5-$7 million range.
As a diehard Sounders fan here is my sales pitch to you Mr. Ballack- Head to Seattle. You?ll enjoy the best fans in the league. You will also join the best existing cen...
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/soccer/article_external/michael_ballack_mls_bound/9974881
Friday, February 17, 2012
Sprite Slam Dunk Contestant: Derrick Williams
 | Check out why the Timberwolves' Derrick Williams is a contestant in the 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. | From: NBA Views: 74827 322 ratings |
| Time: 01:22 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugl2ChUjjYM&feature=youtube_gdata
FA Cup Preview: 4 Bold Predictions for 5th Round
With only 16 teams left in the FA Cup, things are heating up down on the pitch.
Some surprises of the tournament so far have been Crawley Town, Birmingham City and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The matches on Saturday and Sunday (in order of play) are as follows: Chelsea v Birmingham City, Everton v Blackpool, Norwich City v Leicester City, Millwall v Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland v Arsenal, Crawley Town v Stoke City, Stevenage v Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion.
Here are some notes about where the competition stands:
Crawley Town is the only team from England's fourth tier remaining, and this is their second year in a row as the lowest-ranked team in the fifth round.
Jermaine Beckford of Leicester City leads all players still in the competition with five goals.
Will Buckley from Brighton & Hove Albion won the Player of the Round Award for the fourth round after a fantastic performance against Newcastle United that helped his team to a 1-0 win.
Here are four predictions for this, the fifth round of the competition:
Crawley Town will continue their miraculous run
Stoke City has cooled off considerably, losing their last four matches and five of their last six. In fact, the last time they beat a Premier League team was on January 2nd.
However, this match is not against top-tier opposition, but a League Two team. That said, Crawley Town has only beaten Bury, Redbridge, Hull City and Bristol City and has not yet played a Premier League team in the competition. I do think that Stoke is vulnerable enough to go down in this one, though.
Anthony Pilkington scores a brace for Norwich City
Pilkington now has two goals in two games for the Canaries and is looking hungry for more. After the squad's 3-2 win at Swansea last weekend, Norwich is flying high and will put away Leicester with no problems.
Sunderland will take down Arsenal
Sunderland lost to Arsenal in the final minute last Saturday, 2-1 at home. I don't see it happening a second week in a row. Sunderland has too much pride to give up two home losses to the same team in one week, whether regardless of whether it's Arsenal or not.
Chelsea and Birmingham City will draw
Birmingham doesn't give up silly goals. They have only conceded 27 goals in league play this season. Chelsea, on the other hand, gives up goals that should not be scored on them. I see this game ending in a 1-1 draw and needing to be replayed.
The fifth round of the FA Cup should prove to be very exciting. The great thing about the competition is that crazy things happen all the time.
Maybe only four bold predictions is not enough but, in any case, this weekend should be quite entertaining for anyone tuning in to the matches that will narrow the field down to eight teams.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1069915-fa-cup-preview-4-bold-predictions-for-5th-round
Sorenstam rejects Solheim Cup captaincy
Former top-ranked women's golfer Annika Sorenstam says she has turned down the chance to captain Europe in the 2013 Solheim Cup against the United States.
The 41-year-old Swede says ''I simply cannot provide the necessary time that the European team, Solheim family and the entire event deserves.''
Sorenstam played in the Solheim Cup eight times, winning 24 points in 37 matches, before retiring in 2008.
Sorenstam told her personal website ''the Solheim Cup has been an important part of my career, and I hope to one day lead the European team.''
Europe will defend the title it won in County Meath last September when the U.S. hosts the biennial competition in Parker, Colorado in August next year.
The 41-year-old Swede says ''I simply cannot provide the necessary time that the European team, Solheim family and the entire event deserves.''
Sorenstam played in the Solheim Cup eight times, winning 24 points in 37 matches, before retiring in 2008.
Sorenstam told her personal website ''the Solheim Cup has been an important part of my career, and I hope to one day lead the European team.''
Europe will defend the title it won in County Meath last September when the U.S. hosts the biennial competition in Parker, Colorado in August next year.
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/golf/article_external/sorenstam_rejects_solheim_cup_captaincy/9958009
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