The 2013 Games of the Small States of Europe

Logo of the 15th Games of the Small States of Europe
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Of the many multi-sports competitions, the Games of the Small States of Europe  is one of the more unique concepts. It is for the smaller countries in Europe. All members have a population of less than a million people, hence the use of Small in the games' name (Cyprus, however, is over a million including Northern Cyprus). Of the fifty internationally recognized states in Europe, nine of them compete in the Games. They are Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, and San Marino. The 2013 Games was held in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg from May 27-June 1. This was the fifteenth ever Games of the Small States of Europe and the second ever held in Luxembourg. There were nine sports Olympic played during the five days of competition. They are athletics, basketball, cycling, gymnastics, judo, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball. 

In the men's 100 meters, Cyprus took home the top two medals, with Christos Charziangelidis taking gold with a time of 10.77 seconds and Michail Charalampous taking silver. The bronze medalist was Iceland's Kolbeinn Hodur Gunnarsson. In the women's 100 meters, Cyprus again took home gold with Anna Ramona Papaioannou winning with a time of 11.57. Tiffany Tshilumba of Luxembourg took home silver and Iceland's Hafdis Sigurdardottir got bronze.

The men's 400 meters was won by Malta's Kevin Arthur Moore with a time of 47.53. The silver  went to Iceland's Ivar Kristinn Jasonarson. Gunnarsson won his second bronze of the Games with a time of 48.21. The women's 400 was won by Anita Hinriksdottir of Iceland. Her time was 54.29. Luxembourg's Charline Mathias won silver and Cyprus' Kalliopi Kountouri received bronze.

Jean-Francios Schneiders
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Swimming was headlined by two stars, Jean-Francois Schneiders of Luxembourg and Anton Sveinn McKee of Iceland. Schneiders won seven gold medals in his seven events. The individual events he won were the 100 meter freestyle, 200 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, and 200 meter backstroke. He won the following team events; the 4 x 100 meter medley relay, 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay, and 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. He broke the men's record in the 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke and helped Luxembourg break the record in the 4 x 100 meter medley relay. To cap it all off, he was the flag bearer at the closing ceremonies for Luxembourg. McKee won the 200 meter medley, 400 meter medley, 400 meter freestyle, 1500 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, and 200 meter backstroke. He came in second in the 200 meter freestyle, 4 x 100 meter medley relay, and 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. He won bronze in the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.

Volleyball was dominated by Cyprus, winning gold medals in three of the four events. In men's indoor volleyball, Cyprus had no competition. The won all four of their matches and did not lose any of their twelve sets. Men's beach volleyball, is the only volleyball event that Cyprus did not win gold. They won the silver. Liechtenstein took home the gold by winning all five of their games.

In women's volleyball, Cyprus won every game with ease. They went 3-0 and only lost one set. Women's beach volleyball had the most teams competing and the only one that had a group stage and a knockout round. There were two pools. In Pool A, Cyprus and Malta advanced with a 2-0 and 1-1 record respectively. Monaco was eliminated. In Pool B, Luxembourg went 3-0 and Liechtenstein went 2-1. Both teams advanced, while Andorra and Iceland did not. In the fifth place game, Monaco beat Andorra 2-0. In the semi's, Cyprus beat Liechtenstein and Luxembourg defeated Malta. In the bronze medal match, Liechtenstein won against Malta to take the bronze medal. In the gold medal match, Cyprus defeated the hosts, 2-0 to win gold.

In men's basketball, Cyprus and Luxembourg dominated. Five teams competed, Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Luxembourg, San Marino, each team played each other once. Cyprus won their first three games and so did Luxembourg. The final game of the tournament was between the two. The winner would get gold, while the loser gets silver. In front of a crowd of 3145, Cyprus won 79-67. Antony Lamar King led Cyprus with 23 points on 9/15 shooting. He also had help from Iakovos Panteli, who had eleven of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

The Games' torch lit
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At the end of the games, Luxembourg led the metal count. The host's had 36 gold medals, 39 silver medals, and 31 bronze medals for a total of 106. The runner-up in total medals is Iceland, with 28 gold, 29 silver, and 30 bronze medals for 84 total medals. After Iceland, comes Cyprus with 28, 17, and 24 gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively. Liechtenstein won eleven gold, 16 silver, and eight bronze medals. Montenegro won a total of eleven  medals, made up of nine gold and two bronze medals. That may not seem like a lot, but they only sent twelve athletes to the games. Monaco had seven gold, eight silver, and fifteen bronze medals. Malta's two gold, eleven silver, and thirteen bronze medals put them at 26 in total. Last in gold medals is San Marino with only one gold medal, four silver, and seven bronze medals. The last in total medals is Andorra with two gold, one silver, and three bronze. 

Could LeBron James be an NFL Quarterback?

LeBron James basketball career is at it's peak. He just won his fourth MVP in five years.  This year the vote was one vote away from being unanimous.  He made his seventh All-NBA First Team and fifth All-NBA Defensive Team. Last season he also won MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and an Olympic Gold Medal. His Miami Heat team may have lost last night, but still are in prime position to make and win the finals.

Joe Theismann in his playing days
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But not all the publicity is about his basketball skills. Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Theismann said the LeBron James could be an NFL quarterback. He has commented on this twice in the last few days. On Saturday, he told Fox Sports Florida that: "I would love to work him out and also serve as his agent. I'll go wherever he wants this summer. He could play another four years in the NBA before seriously trying the NFL." and "There are not a lot of 38 or 39-year-old basketball players, but there are 38 and 39-year-old quarterbacks, there is still time for him." He later said that the agent comment was "tongue-in-cheek". On the NFL Network on Tuesday, he added that: "He could, I think, do anything he wanted."

Theismann is not the only one to comment on James' potential on the gridiron. Two-time BCS Championship winning coach and current Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said he could have been a "first-round draft pick" and "a Hall-of-Famer".

James played football for three seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School. He played quarterback during his freshman season and wide receiver during his sophomore and junior years. In his sophomore season, he caught 42 balls for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. His junior year was much better. He had 1245 receiving yards with 16 touchdowns. Both seasons, he was selected to the All-State team. 

When looking at LeBron's potential as a quarterback, you must start with his built and his intangibles. He is incredibly strong at 6'8'' and 250 pounds. As a comparison, Carolina Panthers' quarterback Cam Newton is 6'5'' and 245 pounds. He is also very durable. In his ten pro seasons, the lowest amount of games he has played in a non-lockout shorten season was 75.  I am confident that he could hold his own physically in the NFL.

LeBron James as a football star?
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Now, we will look at some of the positives. His work ethic is tremendous. If he were to make the switch from basketball to football, I know he would study very diligently and would do all he can to make himself the best. He would become a football nerd. His mental toughness may be a question to many, but not to Joe Theismann. He said that, "He's as mentally as tough a guy you are going to find." His previous experience also will be a help.

Not everything about the possibilities are on the brighter side. We have no idea how well he could play the quarterback position. Would he be comfortable under center? How well can he consistently throw a football? Could he perfect a three-step, five-step, and seven-step drop? Can he throw on the run? These are just some of the questions that would surround LeBron if he moved to football. With enough work, the answer might be yes to these questions. However, it can takes years to answer these questions. I would believe that James doesn't have that much time. 

All in all, LeBron is not going to the NFL any time soon. Why would he leave the game he loves at his peak to play in the NFL? He has been battling comparisons to Michael Jordan all his life. Why would he pull the same move as MJ did?  If he did end up playing football, it might be one game for an Arena team or semi-pro team, and the probability of either of these is slim to none. All these words are just words. For right now, LeBron playing football  and most likely forever, will be a fantasy.

NCAA Lacrosse Championships

The NCAA Division I Lacrosse Championships is looking to be excellent this year. All four teams not only have outstanding players, but all have a formidable chance of winning. The number one seed, Syracuse, is in. So is the four seed Denver and the seventh seeded North Carolina. Rounding out the final four is the unseeded Cornell. The semifinals will take place on May 25th, and the national championship on the 27th. On the 26th, the Division II Championship between Mercyhurst and Le Moyne and the Division III Championship featuring Rochester Institute and Stevenson. The Division I semi's are Syracuse-Denver and Cornell-Duke.

Rob Pannell
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Cornell is my favorite to win it all. They have a lot of things going for them. Even though they were unranked in the tournament, they went 12-3 in the regular season. That did, however,  include a loss to fellow semi-finalist Syracuse. In the tournament, there has been no one better. In the first round against a good Maryland team, they won easily by the score of 16-8. Then, in the quarters, they destroyed the number three seeded Ohio State, 16-6. This should not be a surprise. Cornell has arguably the best player in the nation in Rob Pannell. Pannell, an attack, was an All-American in 2010 and 2011. He on track to return to the list in 2012, but had a season-ending injury in the second game of the season. This season, he has come back in a big way. Pannell's 42 goals, 53 assists, 95 points, and 5.59 points per game place him. His partner is fellow attacer Steve Mock. Mock has 59 goals on the season to lead the nation. In the game vs. Ohio State, the Big Red showed their power. Pannell has two goals and six assists, while Mock had seven goals. The Big Red have the most offensive firepower in the tournament and will lead them to victory. 

Syracuse may be the number one team in the tournament, but I would not be so confident about them winning the championship. Of the four teams left standing, their team offense is the only one outside of the top five. Their team defense is the best of the four, but not by much. They have had many close calls this season, and a few tough losses. They needed to dominate more to gain my confidence. They may be a good team, but they will have a very tough time in the semi's and, possibly the championship game.

Denver is a good team that always play very hard. Five of their games in the regular season went into overtime. In those games they are 3-2. Their offense is led by Attacker Eric Law and Midfielder Wesley Berg. Law has 40 goals and 25 assists on a .526 shooting percentage. Berg was the team's leading goal scorer and second leading scorer in the nation with 56 goals.  Denver played very tough competition in the first two rounds so far. They beat a very good offensive team in Albany, 19-14, and an always good North Carolina squad, 12-11. Their schedule will have them mentally prepared to take on Syracuse.

Jordan Wolf
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Duke is looking to redeem it's self after loosing in the final four last season to Maryland. They have one of the best player in the nation in Attacker Jordan Wolf. The junior has led the third best offensive team in the nation with 49 goals and 25 assists. He also averages 2.58 goals per game. It is not just Wolf on the offense. Josh Dionne, David Lawson, Case Matheis, Josh Offit, and Jake Tripecka all have 40+ points on the year. The Blue Devils ride to the semi's has not been easy. They faced defending champion Loyola (MD) and beat them 12-11 in double overtime. Then, they faced the number two seed Notre Dame and won 12-11. 

The Heineken Cup Final

Heineken Cup logo
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The Heineken Cup wrapped up yesterday in Dublin with it's title game. After starting in October with 24 teams, one team was left standing after yesterday's title game. The two teams in the final were from the Top 14 (top rugby union league in French). They were Clermont and Toulon. Neither team had won the title before, which added even more intrigue to the game. The game ended up being a great match that will go down as an all-time classic. 

Both teams had a few bumps on the road to the final. Clermont was the top team in Pool 5 by a mile.  They were 6-0 with a +149 point differential. That is an outstanding accomplishment. Only once did a team lose by less then five. That gave them the second seed in the knockout round. Toulon was also a top team in their pool, Pool 6. They had five wins and a loss with a +109 point differential. They were the fourth seed in the knock round. The knockout round started in the quarterfinals with Clermont facing fellow Top 14 team Montpellier and Toulon against Leicester. Clermont destroyed Montepellier 36-14, while Toulon  defeated Leicester 21-15. In the semi's, Clermont beat Munster 16-10 and Toulon won against Saracens. That set up the all-French final. 

Morgan Parra
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Clermont got the scoring started quickly into the game. Four minutes in, Scrum Half Morgan Parra had a kick at goal from behind the ten-meter line. That gave Clermont the early 3-0 lead. Parra ended up being the leader in the tournament in points with 115. He got these points from 24 kicks at goal, one try, and 19 conversions. Ten minutes later, Jonny Wilkinson tied the game at 3. Wilkinson was second to Parra in the points race with 108, 30 of kicks at goal and nine as a result of conversions. After that, no one could score for the rest of the half. After 40 minutes of play, the score was 3-3. 

Two minutes into the second half, Clermont's Left Wing Napolioni Nalaga gets a pass and runs down the sideline and just gets into the In-Goal for the try. However, due to the location of the try, Parra's conversion attempt was taken from about a foot off of a left sideline. He missed the attempt. This would come back to haunt Clermont.

Just four minutes later, in the 46th minute, Jonny Wilkinson hits a kick at goal to make the score 8-6.  Just two minutes later, Clermont extended their lead when Brock James got a try and Parra converted the conversion. 

Armitage and Wilkinson celebrate the title
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With 60 minutes done, Clermont were in control. Then, Jonny Wilkinson converted a kick at goal for three points. This brought the score to be with in six. Then in the 64th minute, Nalaga turned the ball over to Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, who the passed the ball to Delon Armitage. Armitage had an open field ahead of him and ran it into the In-Goal for the the try. Jonny Wilkinson then converted the try. Toulon took the lead 16-15.


When the final whistle blew, Clermont won the possession game (68% to 32%), line-outs (14-10), and rucks won (119-42). They were the better team, but, they lost the match, 16-15. The Man of the Match was Outside Centre Mathieu Bastaraud. After the win, Wilkinson won the ERC European Player of the Year. This is Toulon's first ever Heineken Cup championship. This  victory comes after being second in the 2010 and 2012 European Challenge Cup Finals. 

2013 IIHF World Championship Quarterfinals Preview

The NHL playoffs is not the only major hockey tournament occurring at the moment. Over in Finland and Sweden, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is holding their annual world championships. This year, sixteen teams started the competition and now only eight remain. The eight teams competing in the quarterfinals are Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States. The match-ups are Finland vs. Slovakia, Canada vs. Sweden, Switzerland vs. Czech Republic and Russia vs. USA.

Finland-Slovakia

Joni Ortio
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Finland may not be led by many stars, but they are number two in the World Rankings. Petri Kontiola of the KHL's Traktor Chelyabinsk is leading the offense with six goals and six assists. He also has a shooting percentage of 28.57. Both of their goalkeepers, Joni Ortio and Antti Raanta, have been good. Both have three wins each and a GAA under two. Slovakia just got into the quarters and I do not expect them to stay long. Their top goalie, Rastislav Stana, has a GAA of 2.22. They will need to keep the scoring low, as only two players have more then five points and their goal differential is +1. I expect a 3-1 victory for Finalnd.

Switzerland-Czech Republic

Switzerland was the best team in the group play. Their record was the best 6-1-0-0 and their goal differential was tops with +19. Their success was a result of excellent play, excellent net and a spread out attack. Goalkeepers Reto Berra and Martin Gerber have been outstanding. Berra has a GAA of 1.33, a save percentage of 95.7%, and is 3-0. Gerber is also 3-0 and his goal differential and save percentage is slightly worse, at 1.47 and 92.77% respectively. Six players have six or more points. Nashville Predators' defender Roman Josi has five assists and two goals. The Czech Republic has some good players, but struggled in the first round. Only a two players have five plus points. They are not the highest scoring team, but that is why they need great goal tending. Ondrej Pavelic was great in the preliminary round with a 1.26 GAA and a 93.75% save percentage. He will need to keep up his stellar play for a Czech Republic win. However, I think the Swiss get it done with a 3-1 victory.

Canada-Sweden
Coming into the match, Canada is looking very good .  In preliminary round, they did not lose in regulation in the . Steven Stamkos, who was on fire for the Tampa Bay Lightning this year, has kept the flame lit. He has six goals, five assists and a +/- of +5. Devan Dubnyk has played very well in net so far. He has a 1.48 GAA and a record of 4-0. Sweden does have a good chance to pull an upset. Led by the Sedin brothers, Sweden went 5-0-0-2 (Win-OT Win-OT Loss-Loss) in group play. Netminder Jhonsd Enroth has a GAA of 1.30, has a save percentage of 94.12%, had a shutout, and was 3-1. Sweden will need to be on the attack to win. They have the least amount of goals scored of the team still left, and when your against a high-powered team like Canada, you need to score. I like this game to be close with Canada pulling it out in the end with a 3-2 win.

Russia-USA

Josh Gibson
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This is the best match-up of all the quarterfinal games. Both teams have a history of great hockey teams, but Russia has 26 more medals then the US. The US also does not have a medal since 2004 and only four since 1960. This year's Russian team has a lot of fire power, led by Ilya Kovelchuk and Alexander Ovechken. Kovelchuk is the tournament's top player so far. He was twice the Best Player of the Game for Russia, is the leader in points with thirteen, goals with eight, and +/- rating with +8. Ovechken's first game for Russia will be the quarterfinals. He did not play in the first round because he was playing for the Washington Capitals in the NHL playoffs. The US has a tough decision to make about who should start in goal, Ben Bishop or Josh Gibson. Bishop went 3-2 in his starts in goal and was the number one goalie coming in. Gibson may be only 19 years old, but he already has key international experience. Earlier in the year, he participated in the U20 World Championships. Not only did the US win gold, Gibson was tournament MVP, was Directorate Best Goalie, and was on the all-star team. In his two games so far, he shutout Germany and beat Finland 4-1. I believe Gibson should start. He is the better player. If Bishop starts, I like Russia 3-1. If Gibson starts, the game will go into overtime, where Russia finally gets one last into the period and win 2-1. 

Minor League Baseball's Best Hitting Team Through One Month

Logo of the Buffalo Bisons
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We are about one month into baseball season and teams are starting to get comfortable. Contenders are starting to move away from the bad teams that had hot starts. In the minors, one team is playing very well. The Buffalo Bisons of the International league are currently number one the north division with a (19-9). Through this first month, Buffalo has been my most interesting team in all levels of baseball because of their success hitting.

As a team, they are tops in the International League in many categories. They lead the league in the four big average/percentage statistics, batting average (.305), on-base percentage (.381), slugging percentage (.475), and OPS (.856). They have 279 hits, 31 home runs, and 435 total bases, which are league-leaders in that stat. The Bisons are tied for first in triples with nine. Buffalo is in second place in runs and RBIs, with 158 (one behind Durham for first) and 150 (three behind Pawtucket for first). The most impressive part of them leading in all of these statistical categories is that they are second-to-last in at-bats. 

Jim Negrych
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Jim Negrych is a 28 year-old second base and has never made it to the big show. However, his performance this season is putting him on the cusp of making the Blue Jays. He is currently batting .416, with a .467 on-base percentage, a .667 slugging percentage, and a 1.133 OPS. He is number one in the International League in all four categories. He also has 34 hits, 9 doubles, and 3 round-trippers. His biggest hitting accomplishment in a game so far was when he hit for the cycle in one game. Negrych is right now the best player in the International League and with Toronto not having the strongest second baseman, Negrych may earn his way to the majors. 

First baseman/Designated Hitter Luis Jimenez is also putting together his best season. Jimenez got his first crack at the big leagues last season for Seattle. However, he struggled, getting only one hit in 17 at-bats. His start so far may get him back to the majors to prove that was a fluke. He is the league leader in RBIs with 27 and is in the top five in batting average with .360, slugging percentage with .618, and OPS with 1.036. He also has five round-trippers, six doubles, and 32 hits. 

Josh Thole is hitting the ball really well. After spending most of the past two seasons in the pros, he is trying to make his way back. He is currently hitting .361 with a slugging percentage of .558 and a .995 OPS. Ryan Langerhans is the oldest position player on the team, but that does not mean he is not producing. He is the team leader in homers with 6 and has 18 RBIs and a .583 slugging percentage. Moises Sierra is my favorite prospect on this team. His performance for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic established him as a potentially good outfielder for a big league club. He is batting .354 with 29 hits. 

Luis Jimenez
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The Bison are having an outstanding season. What is really interesting is that of the fifteen current position players on the roster, only four are under the age of 28. That means many of these players are not prospects trying to make it to the show for the first time, they are looking to make it back to the bigs. Their success may be attributed to the fact that they may believe that is their last chance to return to the majors. The biggest example of their excellence at the plate was their 27-9 demolition of the Syracuse Chiefs on April 18. This outing was highlighted by a ten run seventh inning. Buffalo had 29 hits including six doubles, two triples, and five home runs. Sierra had six hits, Jimenez had five and eight ribbies. While their parent club across the border has been struggling, the Bisons are establishing themselves as the best team in not only the International League or Triple-A, but in all of minor league baseball.

Four Teams To Watch Out For In The NHL Postseason

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin
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The Alexander Ovechkin led Capitals are known for their postseason struggles and falling short of expectations. This years team is looking to loose that label. Ovechkin, who struggled in the last few seasons, has been on fire of late. He is the regular season league-leader in goals with 32, goals created with 23, and was third in points with 56. In April, Ovechkin had fourteen goals and eighth assists while the Caps went 11-1-1. Their March and April hot streak clinched the division and the three spot in the playoffs. Niklas Backstrom may have not scored many goals, but he had 40 assists on the season. One of their best qualities is their success on the power play. They are first in the league in power-play goals and power play percentage with 44 and 26.8% respectively. 

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa has been great on D this season. The Senators are outstanding on the penalty kill. Their penalty kill percentage is 88.5%, which is number one in the league. Netminder Craig Anderson is number one in the league in Goals Against Average with 1.69 and a save percentage of .941. He has been great this year. While the goaltending and defense has been great, the offense has struggled. They only average 2.3 goals per game, which was 27th in the league. They will need to get more goals to try to upset the powerful.

Los Angeles Kings

The defending champs are back in the playoffs and are ready to bring the cup back to Hollywood. Like last year, they are a lower seed in the first round.  This time, they are a five seed against the fourth seed St. Louis Blues. The King's offense is led by center Anze Kopitar, who had 32 assists and ten goals on the season. Jeff Carter led the team in goals with 26. Goalie Jonathan Quick has been good, but not great. They need him to be great to advance in the playoffs. They have done a very good job on the penalty kill, which was a success in their playoff run last season. The key will be the production of their top front line and if Quick can be the star he was last season.

Antti Niemi
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San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are a good team that has the potential to go far in the playoffs. Captain Joe Thornton led the Sharks in points with 40, 33 of them assists. Center Logan Couture had 21 goals and 16 assists. Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski both had 31 points on the season. Goalie Antti Neimi has been excellent this season. He has a record of 24-12-6 with a 2.16 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Neimi also had four shutouts. Their special teams are also good. San Jose is 20.1% on the power play and 85% on the penalty kill. The Sharks have a tough first round match-up against Vancouver, but they have a good chance of making a good run. 

2013 NFL Draft Player Previews

Jarvis Jones-OLB-Georgia-6'2''-245 lbs

Jarvis Jones
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In my mind, Jarvis Jones was the best linebacker in college football last season. Playing in the rough SEC, the two-time consensus All-American led the nation in tackles for loss with 24.5 and sacks with 14.5. He was a monster for the Georgia defense. In a conference with other great defenders like Dee Milner, Alec Ogletree, and Barkevious Mingo, Jones won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award. He is being underrated coming into the draft due to a bad 40 yard dash time and his spinal stenosis. A team in the middle part of the draft is definitely going to get a steal with Jones. He will probably go between the 13th and 16th pick. He would be an upgrade at Outside Linebacker for all of the teams in that range. I would like to see him in Carolina, where he, Luke Kuechly, and Jon Beason would be a great linebacking core.

Tavon Austin-WR/KR-West Virginia-5'8''-174 lbs

Tavon Austin is an electrifying player, on offense and on kick returns. He was the Johnny Rodgers Award winner (top kick returner). He ran a 4.34 40 yard dash at the NFL combine, second at wide receiver and overall, only behind Marquis Goodwin, and for the twenty yard shuffle, he was second at wide out with a 4.01 to TJ Moe. Austin may have been playing in a quick-tempo, high powered West Virginia offense, but that doesn't mean he did not earn all his yards. He is a great football player. Austin will have to play slot in the NFL because most of the time he will be too short to play out wide. However, he will be a great slot receiver. His kick/punt returning and ability to also take handoffs at the running back spot are big strengths. Like Jones, Austin will be drafted around the 13th-16th pick. The Jets at 13 would be a good fit because they need some offensive firepower. Austin would be that guy. I would also like to see him in New Orleans as Drew Brees' slot guy.

Barrett Jones-OL-Alabama-6'5-

Barrett Jones
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Barrett Jones is being very underrated that it is almost disrespectful. He is type of player every team wants. Jones was a four year starter for Alabama. Three of those four years, Alabama were national champions. He is versatile and one of the most versatile offensive lineman there is. He player right guard, left tackle, and center for the Crimson Tide at a very high level. In 2011, he won the Outland Trophy for best interior lineman, his first year at left tackle and then in 2012, won the Rimington Trophy for best center, his first year at center. He was also a consensus All-American in 2011 and 2012. Not only that he won the 2011 Wuerffel Award for community service and athletic and academic excellence and 2012 Capital One Academic All-American of the Year for D-1 football. I do not know what else you want from a prospect. He is smart, versatile, an individual award winner, and a winner. Jones will be a steal for anyone who picks him up. In a few years, he will be one of the best offensive lineman in the game, no matter where on the line he is playing.

Andre Ellington-RB-Clemson-5'9''-199 lbs

There are a lot of interesting running backs in this years draft class with Montee Ball and Marcus Lattimore, among others. Andre Ellington is a running back that is really intriguing. He was a good player at Clemson, but was up and down. In his first game last year, he ran for 228 yards for an average of 9.1 yards per attempt against Auburn. Many games, he was not given a lot of carries, which did not give him impressive stats. However, he averaged over five yards per carry for the last three season and had two 1000 yard seasons. If he is drafted by a team that needs a second or third string running back and will let him develop, Ellington can become a good backup running back.

Eric Reid-FS-LSU-6'1-213 lbs

Eric Reid is a very good player who will be underrated coming into the draft. The consensus All-American had 91 tackles and two interceptions. The high riser kept many opposing offenses from throwing deep and into his area. He can become a great safety one day. At the combine, Reid showed his speed and his leaping ability. He ran a 4.53 40 yard dash that put him in the top five. His vertical jump of 40.5 inches was tied for first and his 11'2'' broad jump was also tied for first. Reid will go in the second round and will be a big pick up for a team that needs a safety.

Denard Robinson-WR-Michigan-5'10''-

Denard Robinson
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Early in the 2010 season, Denard Robinson swept the nation as a duel-threat quarterback and was a Heisman threat. More then two years later, he is going to be drafted, but not as a QB. Last season, Robinson had a elbow injury that forced him to play wide receiver and running back. Converting to another position from quarterback is nothing new for many players. Many notable players and even Pro Bowlers switched to other positions when they entered the NFL. Robinson can be one of those players. He is very athletic and has good speed. He is being labled as a wide rfeciever, but I could also see him playing cornerback. However, he would adapt much quicker to playing wide out. Robinson will not be taken on day one, but I like him as early as the late second round and as late as the fourth round. He has a very high potential to become a good role player one day.

2013 NBA D-League Playoffs

While NBA playoffs have not started yet, the NBA D-League's playoffs are in full swing. After an intense first round, four teams are left standing. They are the Austin Torors, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Santa Cruz Warriors, and the Tulsa 66ers. The first round games were #1 Bakersfield Jam vs. #6 Austin Toros, #2 Rio Grande Valley Vipers vs. #8 Maine Red Claws, #3 Santa Cruz Warriors vs. #5 Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and #4 Canton Charge vs. #7 Tulsa 66ers. The reason that the games were not the classic 1 vs. 8 was because the D-League let the higher seeds pick their opponents. Here is a preview of the second round games.

#3 seed Santa Cruz Warriors vs. #6 seed Austin Toros

Jeremy Tyler
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The Santa Cruz Warriors beat the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the first round. Their best player was F Jeremy Tyler. Coming off the bench, he dropped 34 points in game one and 25 in game two. He also had 11 rebounds in game two. Not only is he scoring, he is score efficiently. He's shooting percentage is 74.1%. That is incredible. G Stefhon Hannah and C Hilton Armstrong are also shooting the ball well. The Warriors have a real good core of players that have a high production rate.

The Toros upset the number one team, the Bakersfield Jam, in round one. The Toros also have a player who is on fire. G Lester Hudson was a rebound shy of a triple-double in their first game (He had 20 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds). In the second game of the first round series, he had 28 points and 12 rebounds. He is shooting 58.1% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. F Rick Jackson had a double-double in both games, with a high of 17 bounds in the first game. The Toros have a lot of players who can put the ball in the basket. That is a key to their success.

This match-up looks to be close. Both teams have hot players who are scoring at will. I think the Warriors will win the the best-of-three series in three because their team has more threats offensively and defensively. 

#2 seed Rio Grande Valley Vipers vs. #7 seed Tulsa 66ers

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers swept the Red Claws, winning both games by a combined three points. In both games, G Glen Rice Jr. scored 27 points and DJ Kennedy had a double-double. C Chris Daniels also scored 28 points in the first game. The Vipers need to ride off of Rice Jr. and Daniels. The team lost their best player, Andrew Goudelock, because the Lakers signed him after the Kobe Bryant injury. They will need Rice Jr. to fill the role of Goudelock if the Vipers want to win. 

Rasual Butler
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The 66ers were the only team that went to a decisive third game in the first round. They defeated the Charge 100-98 in a thrilling third game. However, the team has been depleted as Oklahoma City recalled Perry Jones, Jeremy Lamb, and DeAndre Liggins. Lamb was their biggest scoring threat, Jones was an x-factor, and Liggins was playing well. Rasaul Butler has been clutch and needs to continue to be. He came off the bench in the first two games and played well. When they started him in game three, he went off and scored 24 points. Tony Taylor will try to pick off where the three recalled players left off. However, I do not think he can make it up. 

This series looks to be weak. Before the promotion of the Jones, Lamb, and Liggins, I liked the 66ers to win. Now, I think the Vipers will win easily. It's hard to recover when three starters will not be playing. 

2013 World Men's Curling Championships

2013 World Men's Curling Championship Logo
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The World Men's Curling Championship returned to Victoria, British Colombia, Canada for the 2013 championships. The games started on March 30th and finished yesterday, with a champion being declared. This is the 55th ever World Men's Curling Championship and the twenty-first time it is being hosted in Canada. There are two rounds to the tournament, a round-robin first round and then a playoff round. 

The round-robin had every team facing each other. Since there were twelve teams, every team played eleven games. The twelve teams were Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, USA. The top team in the round robin was Scotland with an 8-3 record, followed by Sweden, Denmark, and Canada (all 7-4) to round out the top four. At 6-5 were Norway, China, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. The USA had a 5-6 record, Russia and Japan were 3-8, and Finland was last with two wins and nine losses.

The playoffs for the curling championships featured the top four teams in a page playoff system. The page playoff system features the number one team vs. the number two team and the number three team vs. the number four team. The winner of the one vs. two automatically makes the championship game, while the loser goes to a semi final game where they face the winner of the three vs. four game. The winner goes to the finals, while the loser goes to the bronze medal game. 

In the first game, the number one seed Scotland went up against the number two Sweden. Scotland scored first with one in the first frame, but Sweden quickly countered with two in the second frame. Through five frames, Sweden had the 3-2 advantage. Heading into the tenth and final frame, the two teams were tied at five. Then, Sweden's skipper Niklas Edin, down to his last stone, placed it perfectly for a point and the win.

The next game between third seeded Denmark and fourth seeded Canada also went down to the final frame. Like the first game, Denmark score one in the first end, followed by two for Canada in the second. After seven ends, the score was tied at 4-4. In the eighth, Canada score two followed by two for Denmark. That made the score 6-6 heading into the tenth. In the tenth, Canada got three stones closest to the middle. Denmark could only knock away one as Canada won 8-6.

The semifinal between Scotland and Canada was the same match-up of the last two gold medal games. The game was low-scoring through five with both teams tied at two. In the sixth end, the game was broken wide open when Canada had three of their stones closest to the button. That got them three points. After that, Canada did not look back as they won the match 6-3 to advance to the gold medal match. 

In the bronze medal match, Scotland went up against Denmark. Scotland started off strong with two points in the first end. After three scoreless frames, Denmark score two points in the fifth to make the score 2-2. Scotland got two points in the sixth followed by two for Denmark in the seventh. Then, in the eight end, Scotland got a key three points to take the lead. Denmark would not give up though, getting two points in the ninth end. However, it would prove to not be enough as Scotland gets the bronze medals.

Sweden celebrating their title
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The gold medal game meant a lot to both teams. Canada was looking to continue their gold medal streak, while Sweden was looking to become the first team to win the 2012 European Curling Championship and the world championship. Canada had already extended its medaling streak by making it into the game. The European champs started off strong by taking a 4-1 lead after three ends. They kept it going as they were up 6-3 after six ends. Canada tried coming back, but could not, suceedig . Sweden won the tournament with an 8-6 win. This is Sweden's sixth ever gold medal (nineteenth overall) and first by a team skipped by Edin. This is also their third straight year medaling in the tournament.

2013 MLB Preview: Teams and Prospects

Chicago While Sox, Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City Royals

Dayan Viciedo
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These three teams above will be fighting for the second spot in the AL Central. All three teams have the potential to make a surprise playoff run. The team that will get the second spot will need a good balance on offense and have solid pitching. For Chicago to take the spot, they will need three major things to happen. Adam Dunn will need to have another season like 2012 with 17+ wins from Chris Sale and 12+ from two the starters (most likely Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd), and a big season from Dayan Viciedo. Viciedo, a Cuban defector, hit 25 homers and drove in 78 ribbies in 2012, his first full season. I believe he will have even better numbers this year. For the Indians to succeed, they will need to play well in the second half of the season. They were 47-42 and 44-41 before the All-Star Break in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Then, they dropped off and finished the season at 80-82 in 2011 and 68-94 in 2012. This year, they have the team to do it. They have a nice blend of contact and power hitters. The additions of Michael Bourn, Mark Reynolds, and Nick Swisher will help the team tremendously. The rotation is sketchy and will hurt them in the long run. The Royals are an intriguing team. The last few years always seemed to mark the return of the Royals. This year, the key to make this their "return" year will depend if the young hitters have improved and the pitchers can throw strikes. It seems simple, but it never is.


Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have high expectations. Their lineup is stacked and their pitching rotation is strong. In the past few years, they have been one of the best power hitting teams. This year, they will also have many contact hitters. Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion will be two of the leaders in homers in the MLB, while Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera will set them up. I would also expect very good seasons from Brett Lawrie and J.P. Arencibia. All five starting pitchers are very good front of the rotation pitchers. I wouldn't be surprised if all five have 13+ win seasons. The only question I have is their bullpen. They don't have a true closer or top notch set-up men.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The last few seasons the Pirates have come very close to going over .500.  Something they have not achieved in over twenty years. This year may be the year they get over the hump and have a winning record. The team is led by MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen. Looking to improve on an impressive 2012 season is 3B Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez, the second pick in the 2008 MLB Draft, hit 30 homers and 25 doubles last season. However, he needs to improve his batting average and cut down on his strikeouts. McCutchen, Alvarez, and Garrett Jones will need some other players to contribute for a successful season. 

Texas Rangers

Jurickson Profar asnd Elvis Andrus
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The Rangers lost some of their most important players in the off-season. However, it was time for them to move on from the club. Even with the losses, the Rangers are still a playoff team. With that said, there will be a lot of drama down in Arlington. The reason for the problems will be because of a limited amount of spots in the line-up. Their infield of Mitch Moreland (1B), Ian Kinsler (2B), Elvis Andrus (SS), and Adrian Beltre (3B) is very good. But, they have two top prospects on the cusp of the majors. Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt are two of the best young players in baseball. However, their natural positions are short for Profar and the hot corner for Olt. Up until last season, those two positions are the only one they had played in the minors. Olt will end up moving to first base if he wants to play. Beltre is an All-Star and Gold Glover at third. The middle infield situation is much more complicated then the third base dilemma. Luckly, the dilemma won't begin at the start of the season due to Profar being sent down to Triple-A. They have put Profar at second, but Kinsler is an All-Star at the position. Andrus is also and All-Star at short. Profar is a can't miss prospect who is MLB ready now. It is unlikely they have any of them DH because Lance Berkman is slotted to DH and is being payed ten million. You can't put ten million on the bench. I see no good result coming from the situation

This is like the Michael Young situation they had for the last few years. Young first moved from second base to shortstop for Alfonso Soriano at the start of the 2004 season, then from short to third for Andrus in 2009, followed by a move to DH/Utility Infield in 2011 for Beltre. The result of all these moves, he became unhappy and was traded before the season. He had every right to be unhappy.  He was an All-Star and was treated like a bench player. Like Michael Young, someone will be dealt away, and I expect this to happen sooner rather then later.

Prospects

Last year, the league was swept up with excitement by highly anticipated rookie All-Stars Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. Not only did they make a big impact, other rookies such as Yoneis Cespedies and Wade Miley also made names for themselves. This year, there are many impressive prospects, including the aforementioned Jurickson Profar, OF Oscar Taveras, P Dylan Bundy, P Gerrit Cole, and OF Wil Myers. These players, among many others, can make a big impact this year, whether they are on the Opening Day roster or come in June.

NCAA Tournament, NIT, and CBI Teams to Look Out For

NCAA Tournament

New Mexico

Tony Snell and Kendall Williams
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New Mexico was a surprise number three seed to many. However, that doesn't mean anything, they earned and deserve that ranking. I believe the Lobos will make the final four. They are second in the RPI (Ratings Performance Index) and ninth in the BPI (Basketball Power Index). There out of conference schedule was tough, which is always good for preparation of the the tournament. The team is led by C Alex Kirk, G Tony Snell, and G Kendall Williams. The seven-footer Kirk averages 11.9 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game. Snell is averages 12.6 ppg and when he is hot, he is hard to stop. Williams averages 13.5 ppg and 5 assists per game. They have a great team this year and will make a name for themselves in the tournament. 

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State have fallen under the radar, even as a five seed. The team is led by Big 12 Player of the Year, G Marcus Smart. Smart is the team leader in points (15.4 ppg), assists (4.2 apg), and steals (2.3 steals per game). He is also in the top three in rebounds with 5.7 per game. His sidekicks are Markel Brown with 15.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg and Le'Bryan Nash with 14.3 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Oklahoma State will surprise many people. I believe they will upset Louisville and make an appearance in the elite eight.

Bucknell

Mike Muscala
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Bucknell, the regular season and postseason champions of the Patriot League, is a good team. They are tied for the third least amount of losses with five of teams in the tournament. The Bison got an excellent draw for the tournament. They face a very beatable Butler team in the second round. Then, they will face either Marquette or Davidson. Marquette is the worst of the four three seeds. Davidson is a good team but will have a tough time with the Bison. Their team is centered around their big man, 6'11" senior Mike Muscala. He averages a double-double with 19.0 ppg and 11.2 rpg. He definitely is going to a breakout player of the tournament. Every year, there is a lower ranked seed that makes a run during the tournament. Bucknell has the skill and the schedule to be that team this year.


National Invitational Tournament

Baylor

The Bears are a really good team. They underperformed this season, going 9-9 in conference play and 17-14 overall. What really killed them was their record against teams in the top 50 of the RPI, which was 2-11. Given them a few of those wins and they are in the NCAA Tournament. Baylor is led by their three stars, F/C Isaiah Austin, G Pierre Jackson, and F Cory Jefferson. The 7'1" Austin averages 13.2 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Jefferson shoots a very high percentage from the field, .586%, and can rebound (8.3 rpg). Jackson, a senior, is the team leader in points and assists with 19.8 and 6.5 respectively. For the team to go, they need Jackson to play his best. What really gives me even more confidence the I did before is their dominating win over Long Beach State in the first round of the NIT yesterday. They won 112-66 with seven of their players scoring double digits.

College Basketball Invitational 

TaShawn Thomas
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Houston

The Houston Cougars upset the Texas Longhorns yesterday, 73-72. After the win, I have gained a lot of confidence in the team from Conference USA. Even though they are not highly ranked in the RPI or BPI, they have a good chance to make a run in the tournament. The are led by two very good scorers in Joseph Young and TaShawn Thomas. They have 17.9 and 16.7 ppg respectively. Thomas is also a great rebounder, averaging 9.5 rpg. What they will need to improve on is passing the ball. No one has more then 2.9 apt on the team. Houston may not be the best team in the CBI, but I really like the way they are playing now.