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. 

European Champions League of Soccer, Volleyball, and More

UEFA Champions League (Soccer)

Cristiano Ronaldo
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The Round of 16 for the UEFA Champs League has ended with three teams from La Liga (Spain), two from the Bundesliga (Germany), and one team from Serie A (Italy), Ligue 1 (France), and Super Lig (Turkey) making the quarters. No teams from England have made the quarterfinals, a first since the 1995-96 Champs League. The premier teams in the final eight are Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid. Borussia Dortmond, Juventes, and Paris Saint-Germain. Galatasaray is a good team that will be undervalued. Malaga is a few steps below the other seven. They have the smallest chance of making it to the semi-finals. The quarterfinals games will be played on in early April, with the first leg on the second and third and the second leg on the ninth and tenth.

The draw for the quarterfinals were on Friday. The match-ups are Barcelona-PSG, Bayern Munich-Juventus, Borussia Dortmond-Malaga, and Galatasaray-Real Madrid. Of all the games, Boruissa Dortmond has the easiest road against Malaga. Every other game will be close. Barcelona vs. PSG will be closer then you would think at first glance. Bayern Munich is better then Juventes, but after being blown out by Arsenal in the second leg of their Round of 16 series, Munich may be vulnerable. The German club will need to put that behind them to win. The final match-up is between Real Madrid and Galatasaray. The winner of this match-up will be the team does performs it's best on the road. This, and Barca-PSG, are my favorite games. 

Euroleague (Basketball)

Jordan Farmer
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The Euroleague is also in it's Round of 16. Unlike other sports, the basketball league's round of 16 has two groups of eight teams.  Each team will play fourteen games against the the other seven teams in their group. All the teams have just finished eleven games. Group E features Alba Berlin, 
Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Brose Baskets, CSKA Moscow, Panathinaikos Athens, Real Madrid, Unicaja Malaga, and Zalgiris Kaunas. In the first Group E game of week eleven, Anadolu Efes won a close game against Brose Baskets. Anadolu Efes, led by former NBA player Jordan Farmer, enhanced their record to 9-2, while Brose dropped to 0-11. Next up was Zalgiris Kaunas at CSKA Moscow. CSKA Moscow improved to 8-3 with the 70-61. Zalgiris record is now 4-7. After that, Liga ACB members Unicaja Malaga and Real Madrid went at it in Madrid. Malaga pulled off the upset away from home, winning 77-74. Real Madrid, who with the loss slid to 9-2, were without 3 time MVP of Week Rudy Fernandez. Malaga enhanced their record to 6-5. The last game of the week for Group E teams was a blowout. Panathinaikos beat Alba Berlin 82-58. With the win, Panathinakos record became 7-4, while Alba Berlin dropped to 1-10.

BC Khimki MR, Besiktas JK, Caja Laboral Vitoria, FC Barcelona Regal, Fenerbahce Ulker, Maccabi Electra, Montepaschi Siena, and Olympiacos Piraeus are the teams of Group F. The first game of the week for Group F was between BC Khimki MR and Maccabi Electra. In a game that went down to the wire, Maccabi Electra won 80-79. The win boosted Maccabi Electra's record to 6-5 and BC Khimki MR slid to 6-5. The next game was also a nail-bitter between Olympiacos and Montepaschi. With Olympiacos up by one, Montepaschi's star player Bobby Brown drove and then kicked it out. However, they could not get a shot off in time, and Olympiacos got the win away from home, 68-67. After the game, both teams had a record of 7-4. Caja Laboral then went up against Fenerbahce. At home, Caja Laboral destroyed Fenerbahce by a score of 87-67. Caja Laboral, who improved to 6-5, had five players who scored in double figures. Fenerbahce dropped to 2-9. The final game was also a blowout. FC Barcelona, in front of their home crowd, defeated Besiktas by 25, 88-61.

CEV Champions League (Volleyball)- 16th-17th

This weekend was the Final Four weekend for the CEV Champions League. The four teams that reached the semi's were Bre Baanc Lannutti of Italy, Lokomotiv Novosibrsk and Zenit Kazan of Russia, and Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle of Poland. The first game of the semi's was between the two Russian teams, Lokomotiv Novosibrsk and Zenit Kazan. Novosibrsk, playing in front of the home crowd, lost the first set 25-19. Novosibrsk then rebounded in the second set, winning 25-20. The next set was close, but Zenit Kazan pulled it out with a score of 25-22. The fourth set was all Novosibrsk, winning 25-16. In the fifth and deciding set, the home team won 15-12 to advance to the final. In the other semi, Bre Baanc and Kedzierzyn-Kozle also went to the fifth set. Kedzierzyn-Kozle took the first and fourth set, while Bre Baanc won the second and third set. In the fifth set, Bre Baanc got out to the the early led and never looked back. They won the final set 15-10 and won the game, setting up a Lokomotiv Novosibrsk vs. Bre Baanc Lannutti.

Lokomotiv Novosibrsk celebrating their championship
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Before the championship game, they had a third place game between Zenit Kazan and Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle. The two teams split the first two sets with Kazan taking the first one and Kedzierztn-Kozle taking the second. The next two sets went to Kazan as they took the match 3-1. The championship game went all the way to the wire. Bre Baanc Lannutti took the first set 25-22 against Lokomotiv Novosibrsk. Novosibrsk, playing at home, then took a really close set 26-24. They then took the next set too, 25-23. The fourth set went to Bre Baanc 25-20, setting up a winner-take-all fifth set. Novosibrsk took the early lead, but by the third partial they were only up by one. In the end, Novosibrsk won the match 16-14, and the match, three games to two. This is Novosibrsk's first ever CEV Champions League championship.

EHF Champions League (Handball)- 14th-17th and 21st-24th

The EHF Champions League finished up their first leg of the Round of 16. In the first game of the week, HC Dinamo Minsk and HC Metalerg faced off in Dinamo, Belarus. HC Metalerg won the match 26-23. Chekhovskie Medvedi upset the defending champions THW Kiel in a shootout, 36-34. Celje Pivovarna Lasko went up against HSV Hamburg. Even though Celje's Borut Mackovesk had thirteen goals, Hamburg still won easily 29-38. Pick Szeged and KS Vivie Targi Kielce went down to the wire. Pick Szeged had the one point led at half. They kept the lead and won 26-25. 

MKB Veszprem KC beat Reale Ademar Leon away from home, 23-20. FC Barcelona Intersport beat Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 32-26. FC Barcelona had four players, Enterrios Rodriguez, Gurbindo Martinez, Jesper Brian Noddesbo, and Siarhei Rutenka, who scored five goals and two players who scored four goals. Athletico Madrid and Fuchse Berlin played to a 29-29 tie. The last game of the first leg of the Round of 16 featured Gorenge Velenje and SG Flensburg-Handewitt. SG Flensburg-Handewitt won 28-25.

LEN Champions League (Water Polo)

The LEN Champions League is currently in it's round of 16, called the Eight Finals. The first leg of this round was played on the ninth and tenth of March, with the second and final leg being played on the twentieth. In the first leg, there were nail-bitters and blowouts. The blowouts included Jug CO Dubrovnik 19-1 demolition of Schuurmanea BZC and CN Atletic Barceloneta annihilation of CSM DiGi Oradea 15-5. These two matches have almost, but guaranteed the two winners will make the next round. Crvena Zvevda also helped their chances tremendously with their 13-6 defeat of ZF Eger.

The other five games are still up for grabs. The closest of these match-ups is Olympiakos and Spartak Volograd. Their first leg ended in a 9-8 victory for Olympiakos. This grouping could go either way. Another good match-up is between Galatasaray and Sintez Kazan. Galatasaray won the first game 9-6. The second game looks to be a nail-bitter. In a high-scoring affair, Vouliagmeni NC beat CN Marseille 16-12, setting up an interesting second leg. The last game of Final Eight is between Partizan Raiffeissen Belgrade and AN Brescia. After winning the first game, Partizan is looking to win the second game to confirm their advancing. 

CERH European League (Roller Hockey)

Group Play for the CERH European League just finished up. There were four groups of four teams that play each other twice over six weeks. The top two teams in each group make the quarterfinals. Group A was set before the sixth game. FC Barcelona and Igualada clinched were the top two teams, while HC Dinan Quevert and Candelria SC were the bottom two. These games were just for placement. Barcelona's 4-1 victory over Quevert made them the group winner, while Candelria beat Igualada. In Group B, Porto had clinched their spot in the next round. However, the second spot was still up for grabs between Noia and Amatori Lodi. Noia won their match, 4-2 against Porto. Amatori Lodi also won, 10-3 over SCRA St. Omar. Noia sealed their spot in the quarters due to having more points then Amatori Lodi.

Group C had their top two teams set with Benfica and Reus Deportiu. Benfica defeat the winless Cronenberg, 12-3. Reus Deportiu lost to CGC Viareggio, 8-3. That was their only loss in Group Play. In Group D, Lieco, the defending champ and Valdagno went head-to-head to see who would be the group winner. To win the group, Lieco needed to win and have a better goal differential. Valdagno beat Lieco 7-3 to win the group. In the other game, UD Oliverense beat Geneve RHC, 11-2. The loss dropped Geneve to 0-6 in group play. The quarterfinals start on April 6th with the first leg and the April 20th is the second leg. The four match-ups are FC Barcelona vs. Lieco, Benfica vs. CE Noia, Igualada vs. Valdagno, and Porto vs. Reus Deportiu.

The End of the Big East

The Big East Conference is splitting up
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Today was the last day of the Big East's regular season. This is significant because it was the last time that Big East will have regular season games. For years, the Big East was known as the best basketball conference and the worst football conference. Now, the conference is on it's last ride. After the spring sports season, the conference will be splitting up, with  members going in all different directions. Some will not be leaving for a few years, but by 2014, all but three members of current members will be playing somewhere else (and who knows if those three will stay). They already lost West Virginia before this season. The Big East is going to be missed. Here are some final thoughts on the conference. 

The Big Impact of the Big East

When the Big East began play for the 1979-80 season, there were seven teams (Boston College, UCONN, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, St. Johns, and Syracuse), a six-game conference season, and only three teams made the NCAA tournament. Now, there are fifteen teams, with  last season's eighteen-game conference schedule.  In 2012, nine teams made the NCAA tournament. In the 34 year history of the conference, the Big East has become the best basketball conference in the nation.

Since the founding of the Big East, conference members have won six national championships. Members have also had eighteen final four appearances. During the last 34 seasons, the Big East teams have had more then 7750 wins, compared to less then 7200 wins for the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC teams. They have also have 114 teams in the final AP Poll. Their members have always play well in the tournament. Since 1980, UCONN, Syracuse, and Georgetown all have 44+ victories in the tournament. 

What We'll Miss

Scoreboard of the 6 OT Game between 'Cuse and UCONN
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There will be a lot to miss.  Every year, more the half of the teams had a chance to win the conference and/or make a NCAA tournament run. The annual Big East Men's Basketball Tournament will be remembered as one of the better conference tournament/title games in all sports. Since 1983, Madison Square Garden, arguably the most famous arena in the world, hosted the tournament. There was no better setting. Many tournaments held multiple remarkable games that are remembered for years. One of the most memorable of games was the 6 Overtime Game between Syracuse and UCONN in the 2009 tourney. Whenever a college game heads into overtime and especially double overtime, the game will be referenced. This game has become the new "standard" of overtime games. Match ups like this will be missed.

The Big East has had many notable rivalries that have made the conference great. None are bigger then the Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry. These Big East founding members have two of three best winning percentages of teams during their Big East history. When this rivalry is remembered, Syracuse coach Jim Boehiem and Georgetown's former head John Thompson Jr and the current head coach, his son, John Thompson III will always be mentioned. These teams will definitely play again, but it will not be the same.

What will happen to UCONN, Cincinnati, and USF?

UCONN celebrating their 2011 NCAA championship,
possibly the last win by a Big East team
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There are the three teams that are currently staying in the current Big East Conference. If I am UCONN and Cincinnati, I am looking for a way to  quickly get out of the  conference.  The best fit may be leaving with the "Catholic Seven" for the new Big East. Both teams have more National Championships by themselves then any of the "Catholic Seven".  UCONN and Cincy have nine and seven NCAA appearances since 2000-01 respectively. Only three of the other seven teams are in that range of appearances since 2000-01 (Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova). They are all high profile programs that will draw fans and attention to the new conference. The problem with joining the "Big East" is that the new conference will not sponsor a football program. That may be a deal breaker. If they want a place to play where they can do both, the ACC will have an odd amount of teams (fifteen) when Maryland leaves (this includes Notre Dame, who will join the ACC in all sports except football). The conference may want to even out the number of teams to sixteen.

There is never going to be a conference like the Big East again. It changed college basketball multiple times with the performance of the teams, the innovations, the competition and the consistency of high caliber of play. The Big East will be missed by many and remembered forever.

2013 World Baseball Classic Preview

San Francisco is hosting the finals of the 2013 WBC
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The World Baseball Classic is back. After four qualifying rounds in last September and November, the tournament is ready to start. For the third time ever, the best baseball players in the world will be representing their home countries to see who will bring home the WBC trophy. This will be a competitive and intense tournament. It will be remembered for years to come. Every team has a different backstory and each team will have a different result.  Japan is looking to build on its past successes. While others, like Spain, are looking to get experience and start to become a world contender. No matter what, I would have high expectations for this year's WBC. Here are previews of each team by Pool.

Pool A

Shinnosuke Abe
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The Fukuota Yahoo! Japan Dome in Fukuota, Japan is hosting Pool A from March 2nd-6th. Brazil, China, Cuba, and Japan will be vying for the opportunity to make it the next stage. This group is locked up by Japan and Cuba.  They are much better teams. Baseball in China is still a work in progress. Brazil is an up-and-coming team, but is years away from contending. Japan is the two-time defending champ.  But unlike past tournaments, Japan has no players who currently play in the MLB.  All their players play in the NPB. This will not affect the quality of the team. Catcher Shinnosuke Abe is a slugger. He hit and 104 RBIs last season. The infield will feature Hayato Sakamoto and Kazuo Matsui. Sakamoto is an outstanding player. The Yomiuri Giants shortstop hit 35 doubles, 173 hits, 14 round-trippers, and a .311 batting average. Matsui is the only player on the roster with MLB experience, meaning he will be a big leader. The ace of the staff will be Tadashi Settsu. The 2012 Sawamura Award winner went 17-5 with an ERA of 1.71 and a WHIP of 1.045. Japan, as always, has fielded a solid team.

Cuba has many good players in the MLB. None of the them are playing on the team because they defected from the country. This does not mean Cuba won't be a title contender. They will  feature little known players. Frederick Cepeda was a member of the 2009 All-WBC Team. Cepeda had 12 hits, three home runs, a 500 average and a 1.497 OPS. Infielder Yulieski Gourriel is back again after batting .333 in the 2009 Classic. Ismel Jimenez was clutch coming out of the bullpen in 2009, pitching in four game and picking up a win. 

China has been in all the tournaments so far, but have won onlyone game in six games. China has the potential to be a contender, but it will take years to happen. Ray Chang is the only member of China in the MiLN or MLB. Last season he played Triple-A ball for the Rochester Red Wings. In the 2009 WBC, he hit .455 with an .818 slugging percentage. He should play well in the tournament. Jiangang Yu won the only game China won in 2009. He should be the ace of the staff. 

Barry Larkin
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Brazil are the feel-good team of the tournament. They pulled off an unexpected upset in their qualifier against Panama. It is unlikely they will advance to the next round, but if anyone can upset Japan or Cuba, Brazil can. They have no real notworthy players, but the manager is Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. He should make the team even more interesting to watch. If you want to look out for some player, Leonardo Reginatto had a .583 batting average and 1.282 OPS in the qualifier last November. Brazil will definitely be fun to watch, but not a team to pick to make it far. Give them a few years and soon they may be a contender. 

Pool B

Hyun-Soo Kim
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Pool B is occurring in Taichung, Taiwan at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium from March 2nd-5th. This pool's four teams are Australia, Chinese Taipei, Netherlands, and South Korea. This is South Korea's grouping to lose. Even thought they have not won the WBC, South Korea has the best winning percentage of any team. They won silver in 2009 and bronze in 2006. They had the best record of any team in 2006. They will be led by power-hitting first baseman Lee Dae-Ho and Outfielder Hyun-Soo Kim. Dae-Ho had 24 homers, 91 RBIs, and a .286 batting average in the Nippon Professional Baseball last year while winning a Pacific League Best Nine Award for first base. Hyun-Soo was on the 2009 All-WBC team. South Korea tends to fly the radar and this year is no exception. They are the sleeper team.

The Netherlands were a surprise team four years ago, upsetting the Dominican Republic twice in group play to make the quarterfinals. They have ten-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones and Roger Bernadina in the outfield. The player that might make the biggest difference is shortstop Xander Bogaerts. The twenty year old is the number eight prospect in the MLB according to Baseball America. He has a chance to make a name for himself at this years tournament. Loek van Mill is a 7'1'' pitcher that will intimidate many hitters.

Chien-Ming Wang
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Chinese Taipei may be the fifth ranked team in the world, but that has not translated to WBC success. They have not made it passed the group stage in the two WBC's. They even had to go through a qualifier to make it to the tournament. The qualifier was not much of a challenge for Chinese Taipei, winning every game by more then nine runs. They have a good combination of young and experienced players. Chien-Ming Wang will be an important starter on the team. Patrolling the outfield will be Che-Hsuan Lin. Che-Hsuan was the MVP of the 2008 MLB All-Star Futures Game and played in his first MLB game last season for the Boston Red Sox. 

Australia is not a team that is likely to make a run and win a few games. However, they can pull of an upset. In 2009, they beat Mexico 17-7 in group play (Mexico did beat them 16-1 later in another group play game). This year's team is not the same as the '09 team. This team is not as good. One of their pitchers, Ryan Rowland-Smith, pitched four years for the Mariners and is the first ever player to play in the majors with a hyphened last name. Stefan Welch is a first baseman in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He is an excellent fielding first baseman with the ability to hit for power.

Pool C

Jose Reyes
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The home of Pool C is Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico from March 7th-10th. The four teams in the pool are Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Venezuela. Pool C is a tough pool to be in. Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela all have great players on their rosters and have a history of success. One team will be going home disappointed. The Dominican Republic were shocked four years ago when they were defeated twice and eliminated by the Netherlands. Having a first round exit again would be devastating. This year's team has a nice blend of power and contact hitters. Their infield looks to be great with Edwin Encarnacion, Robinson Cano, Jose Reyes, and Hanley Ramirez. Their outfield is not as great and is definitely a weak spot on the team. Their lower-profile outfielders need to play very well for a successful championship run.

Venezuela is a sneaky team. You know they are good and sometimes they are better then you except. This year's team will be no different. They are loaded with talent. Led by 2012 AL MVP Miguel Cabrera. This offense can score runs. Carlos Gonzalez has put up two quiet yet productive seasons. Asdurbal Cabrera's good offensive game is overshadowed by his stellar defense. The pitching isn't elite, but can still bring home a win. Venezuela will be a good team to watch.

Carlos Beltran
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Puerto Rico has a history of success in the tournament with fifth place finishes in 2006 and 2009. This time around, I don't expect the same success. This year's team doesn't have the same talent past teams. On the offensive side, Carlos Beltran is the best player on the team and the most productive at the plate. Others have one or two of those qualities but, not all. He does have his Cardinals teammate, catcher Yadier Molina, who is coming off a great season. Molina had 22 homers, 159 hits, and 6.7 WAR (according to baseball-reference.com, 6.5 WAR on fangraphs.com). The pitching, like the offense, is not as good as hoped. They will need everyone to over perform and  to make it to the next round.

Spain is a team that is going to have a tough time making the next round. Not only are they inexperienced, the Spaniards are in a tough group. That doesn't mean they do not have players to look out for. Outfielder Engel Beltre had a breakout year for the Frisco RoughtRiders, a Double A team in the Texas League. He had 17 doubles, 17 triples, 13 home runs, 36 stolen bases, and .707 OPS. Pitcher Yoanner Negrin could make the majors this year with the lowly Cubs if things get bad quickly. In four more years, Spain may have a better team, but this year, they are not good. 

Pool D

David Wright
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Pool D takes place at both Salt Rivers Field at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona and Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona from March 7th-10th. The four teams in this pool are Canada, Italy, Mexico, and the United States. The favorite is the United States. The US has a big chip on their shoulder. Always a favorite in international tournaments, the US has underperformed in both in the previous tournaments. In 2006, they placed in eighth with a record of 3-3 and in 2009 they came in fourth, but had a 4-4 record. This year might be their year might be their year to bring home their first title. Their line-up has speed (Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins), power (Giancarlo Stanton, Ryan Braun), pure hitters (Joe Mauer, David Wright), and great fielders (Adam Jones, Brandon Phillips, Mark Texteria). The one problem with their line-up is that they have only one lefty, Mauer. That may limit their options. Their pitching is not full of stars, but is solid. Their rotation features 2012 All-Stars Gio Gonzalez and R.A. Dickey. The bullpen has Craig Kimbrel, Chris Perez, and Heath Bell. I would look out for this year's US team.

Mexico has made quarterfinals in 2006 and 2009, but has never made it past sixth place. Their line-up will be led by Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez will be a defensive stalwart and an offensive juggernaut. They will need to have good pitching to advance. They will have Yovani Gallardo to lead the rotation and Sergio Romo to close out games.

Justin Morneau
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Canada has struggled even more then the US. They went 2-1 in the group stage in 2006, but missed the quarterfinals due to a tiebreaker and in 2009 didn't win a game. They easily won their qualifier, but it was against inferior competition. This year's team has a chance of finally making it past the first round. They have good hitters to build their line-up around in Joey Votto, Justin Morneau, Brett Lawrie, and Taylor Green. The one problem is, Votto and Morneau are first baseman and Lawrie and Green are third baseman. That lead to some issues. Votto and Morneau will probably switch off as first baseman and as the DH. Lawrie is has played only one game at a position other then third base in his career. That means Green will probably be a pinch hitter. Also in the line-up will be Russell Martin. Martin, who plays almost exclusively catcher, is going to play shortstop. 

The final team and only team outside of North America in Pool D is Italy. Italy is a long shot to make it to the next round. The team does have two players to look out for. They are Anthony Rizzo and Alex Liddi. Both are power-hitting corner infielders and play for inferior teams (Rizzo plays first base for the Cubs and Liddi plays third for the Mariners). This might be their only chance to play for something all year, which might light a spark in them. One of their pitchers Pat Venditte, can pitch lefty and righty, which might create some intrigue when he is on the mound.