THE BLEACHER BRIEFINGS

The B/B Podcast - NBA Conference Finals, the Sad State of Baseball in the City of Los Angeles and the Best Players Still Available in NFL Free Agency

2013-05-21T00:16:00.001-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher & Tim Swift

In this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast, we dissect the conference finals in the NBA playoffs, break down the sad state of Major League Baseball in the city of Los Angeles, and discuss the best players still on the market in NFL free agency!

Photo by: Brandon Wade

- NBA's Final Four Set: The hunt for the Larry O'Brien Trophy is down to four teams, with the Spurs, Grizzlies, Pacers and Heat still in contention for professional basketball's ultimate prize. Can Memphis repeat previous playoff success against San Antonio? Does Indiana have any chance at knocking off the defending champs? We answer these questions and more in our NBA postseason chat.

- Down and Out in Beverly Hills: Baseball is currently in a bad way in the city of Los Angeles, with both the Angels and Dodgers playing horribly a quarter of the way into the season. What's the deal with Josh Hamilton? Are Albert Pujols' best days behind him? Can Matt Kemp get back on track? Is Josh Beckett done? Can either club rebound and salvage some form of respectability out of this year? Hear our take.

- Best Left on the NFL Open Market: With Dwight Freeney now heading to San Diego, the list of quality free agents still available is beginning to dwindle. However, there are several guys on the market that could have a big impact on a team if they're put in the right type of situation. We'll tell you who.

Plus:

We discuss coach Frank Vogel's comments in regards to the upcoming series between his Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat, and share our thoughts as to why Miguel Cabrera doesn't get the type of attention he deserves from the media and fans of Major League Baseball!

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MLB Quarter-Season Power Rankings

2013-05-20T13:51:00.000-05:00

By - David Dysart

Now that the Major League Baseball season is a quarter of the way in, what better time to give our first power rankings of the year?

Photo from: mlb.com

There's little point in ranking teams early on, because you don't know how new veterans will react, who will go through the dreaded sophomore slump, and what rookies will tear the cover off of the ball. Had we done this a month ago, the list would have looked entirely different.

Let's get started.

1. St. Louis Cardinals (28-15) - The Cardinals have been paced by stellar pitching from their starting rotation. They are No. 1 in baseball with a 3.19 ERA. St. Louis leads the league in shutouts with 7, and they have found their closer in Edward Mujica. He already has 12 saves and has yet to blow one. Shelby Miller is a front-runner for NL ROY and NL Cy Young, posting a 5-2 record and a 1.40 ERA. When it counts, the hitting is there; best in the game with RISP. Specifically, Matt Holliday is batting .588 in that category. If the Redbirds continue to get timely hitting and great starting pitching, they will be tough to beat in the National league.

2. Texas Rangers (29-15) - They lost Josh Hamilton to the Angels. Neftali Feliz is out. Alexi Ogando is out. Matt Harrison is out. Yet they currently have the best winning percentage in baseball. Needless to say, that's pretty impressive. They are top-10 in nearly every major offensive category, and have done it against some pretty damn good pitching. They just let Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez have it this weekend, shelling them to the tune of 13 earned runs and giving Verlander the earliest exit of his career in the process. Mitch Moreland started slow but has come on of late, hitting .289 with 10 homers and 22 RBI. The Rangers just keep winning, and will continue to do so the rest of the year.

3. Arizona Diamondbacks (25-19) - One name: Paul Goldschmidt. If you don't know who he is, you will by the end of the season. In my book, he's the leading candidate for NL MVP, hitting .333 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI. Another NL ROY candidate comes in the form of crafty left-hander Patrick Corbin. He is 6-0 with a 1.52 ERA. These are two of the main reasons why Arizona is in first place in the National League West. They lost their closer, but they still have a proven one in Heath Bell. Kirk Gibson has the boys in the desert playing some great baseball. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.

4. Cleveland Indians (25-17) - Yes, Cleveland has found their way into the top-5 of our power rankings. The Indians, who on Sunday improved to 17-4 since April 28th, are 7-1 this year against former Cy Young winners. They've knocked off Felix Hernandez, R.A. Dickey, David Price, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Bartolo Colon and Justin Verlander. Simply put, the Tribe has went through the best pitchers the American League has to offer and, continue to smash the ball around the yard. I don't think it's that big of a surprise that they are hitting the ball well with the additions of Mark Reynolds, Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher to the lineup. However, what is surprising is the type of starts that they are getting from the pitching staff. Masterson, Jimenez and McAllister are all putting together nice seasons. The bats are not going to cool off that much, so as long as they continue to pitch well, the Indians should keep rolling.

5. New York Yankees (27-16) - With half of their payroll on the shelf, New York is leading the AL East. Guys like Lyle Overbay, Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells are thriving in pinstripes. Curtis Granderson just came off of the DL, and is looking to get his season going. Is there a level of expectation, or feeling of producing, if you will, that makes guys turn it around when they wear pinstripes? It certainly seems that way. Doesn't hurt that Robinson Cano has been in the zone as well. One of the AL MVP favorites, Cano is hitting .295 with 12 home runs and 31 RBI. That is a pace for 45 and 117 through 162 games. With Tex coming back soon and old man Pettitte, the Yankees should be able to stay atop the division. A lot of talent in the East, though, so we'll see.

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Much Respect For Ronde Barber

2013-05-16T13:04:00.000-05:00

By - Tim Swift

Last week, after a stellar 17-year run, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star cornerback Ronde Barber decided to hang up his cleats.

After being selected in the third round of the 1997 draft, the University of Virginia product went on to be a model of consistency in the NFL, starting in 232 out of a possible 241 games. He was also a 5-time Pro Bowler and a 3-time All-Pro.

Photo by: Getty Images

Many scouts saw potential in Barber back in the day, but believed his 5'10, 185-pound frame wouldn't be able to stand up to the new order of physical 6'3 wide receivers entering the league. Amazingly, 15 defensive backs were taken ahead of him in the '97 draft, including names such as Torrian Gray and Michael Booker.

Detractors of Barber will say that he was a "system corner" and could not have thrived outside of the Tampa-2 scheme. But while that variation did hide some of his flaws (not being able to cover some receivers deep), it also highlighted many strengths, like his ability to get pressure on the quarterback and play physical at the line of scrimmage.

Barber's breakout year came in 2001 when he had 10 interceptions, 24 passes defended and 69 tackles, and he walks away from the game with a total of 42 picks, 28 sacks and 1,231 tackles to his credit. He is also the only cornerback in league history to accumulate over 40 interceptions and 25 sacks in a career. But perhaps the most impressive statistic attached to Barber is the fact that he did not miss a game over his final 15 years.

The moment that fans will probably remember most about Barber was his interception to seal the 2002 NFC Championship Game. At the time, the Buccaneers led 20-10 and were trying to hold off the Eagles, who were in the red zone with under 4 minutes remaining in the game. Barber picked off Donovan McNabb and returned it 92-yards for a touchdown, in what is possibly the most iconic play in Tampa Bay history.

The Bucs embarrassed the Oakland Raiders a week later for the franchise's only Super Bowl title.

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Second Round Predictions For the NHL Playoffs

2013-05-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

By - Brad Heerschop

It's been a theme for me lately. Making predictions as though I have some idea what I'm talking about. They have been of the NBA variety of late, but this time, I will test the waters of a game I have been indoctrinated into my entire life.

Photo by: Getty Images

If you called the 2-seeds in both conferences going down in the opening round, I hope you bet on it. You now look like some sort of hockey savant.

The NHL is never easy to predict. Sometimes a couple bad bounces can propel a team that has been outplayed all night long into the winner's circle. Nevertheless, I will hazard some guesses.

- #1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #7 Ottawa Senators

The Penguins won a shootout of a series against an impressive New York Islanders squad in 6 games. While they didn't look sharp on their own end of the ice, the Stanley Cup favorites managed to light the lamp often enough to earn their place in the second round.

In a series between two teams separated by just over 100 miles, Ottawa looked extremely formidable against the Montreal Canadiens. It took Canada's capital city all of 5 games to eliminate the NHL's all-time most successful franchise. The Senators are Canada's only remaining hope at the first Cup north of the border in 20 years.

The Penguins showed in the opening round that they are not too good to lose to a team like Ottawa. Pittsburgh needs to play better defense and their goaltending needs to step up in a big way. If the move from Marc-Andre Fleury to Tomas Vokoun needs to be made, so be it. If the right decisions are made at the right times, the Pens will come out of this more or less unscathed.

Pittsburgh: 4, Ottawa: 1

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The B/B Podcast - Tiger Woods Rolls, Conference Semi-Finals in the NBA Postseason and the Bruins Pull a Miracle at the Garden

2013-05-14T15:22:00.001-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher & Tim Swift

In this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast, we break down Tiger's impressive victory at the Players Championship on Sunday, the conference semi-finals in the NBA playoffs, and the improbable win by the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of their series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs!

Photo by: Greg M. Cooper

- Woods Captures Golf's Fifth Major: Tiger Woods capped off Mother's Day weekend with an impressive win at the Players Championship, taking home the trophy for only the second time in his illustrious career. What were the keys to victory, and what can we expect to see out of Tiger the remainder of the year? Hear our take.

- NBA Conference Semis: Can the Knicks bounce back against the Pacers? Are the Bulls done? Will the upstart Warriors shock the Spurs? Are the Grizzlies the team to beat in the West? We answer these questions and more in our NBA conference semi-finals chat.

- Bruins Win Miracle on Ice 2: On Monday, in Game 7 of their opening round series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins overcame a 3-goal deficit in the final 11 minutes of regulation to force overtime, where they eventually won on a game-winner by Patrice Bergeron. How did Boston pull off this monumental rally, and what could Toronto have done differently to ensure the win? We'll tell you.

Plus:

We discuss the bad blood between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods, and give our picks for the biggest surprises at the quarter mark of the Major League Baseball season!

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Intense Bulls-Heat Series Reaches Fever Pitch

2013-05-12T13:24:00.002-05:00

By - Lauren Dundee

While other matchups have had their fair share of drama, by far the most intense series of the NBA playoffs has been that of the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat.

Photo by: Getty Images

Chicago took the opener by a final score of 93-86, in a game that saw little Nate Robinson score 27 points; even after receiving 10 stitches in his lip following a collision with LeBron James.

Miami jumped all over the Bulls in Game 2, at one point leading by nearly 50. While Chicago managed to hold LeBron to only 19 points (all of which came in the first half), five other Heat players reached double-digits. As a team, Miami shot 60% from the floor and scored 28 points off of turnovers.

An already heated game turned even hotter in the fourth quarter when both Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson were ejected for arguing with officials. The Bulls managed to score some junk points late, but still got throttled, 115-78.

As the series shifted to Chicago for Game 3, both teams were fired up and emotions were flaring. The first half alone saw three technical fouls and an ejection. The first came when Joakim Noah pushed Chris Anderson. The remainder occurred during a scuffle between Nazr Mohammed and LeBron James. Mohammed shoved LBJ to the floor and got tossed, which proved to be costly, considering the Bulls were depleted to begin with.

Chicago managed to keep it close, but Heat guard Norris Cole had one of the best games of his career, scoring 18 points in a 104-94 Miami win.

That brings us to Game 4, with the Heat holding a 2-1 series advantage. Obviously there is a lot of basketball left to be played, but with the loss of so many and tempers running wild, can the Bulls still pull the upset?

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"Golden Boys" Taking the NBA Playoffs By Storm

2013-05-11T23:37:00.001-05:00

By - Jaquan Murphy

They weren't supposed to advance past the first round. Once they did, most expected them to get blown away in the conference semi-finals. Yet here they are, standing toe-to-toe with a former 4-time champion.

For those who do not follow them religiously, this has been a coming-out party of sorts for the Warriors. Just call the "Golden Boys" from Golden State this year's Cinderella team of the NBA playoffs.

Photo by: Robert Galbraith

The Warriors finished the regular season in second place in the Pacific Division and sixth overall in the Western Conference. They proved to have a high-octane offense, finishing seventh in the league in scoring at 101.2 ppg. As a team, one of their biggest strengths has been their ability to control the boards. They averaged 45 rebounds per game this year, third-best in the NBA.

Throughout the season and into the playoffs, Golden State has shown that they are a tough, gritty bunch that can outshoot the opposition on any given night. They average 10 3-pointers per game and shoot close to 50% from the field as a collective unit.

The "Golden Boys" are led by emerging star Steph Curry, who averaged 23 points and 7 assists per game during the regular season. The sharpshooter from Davidson University has been even more impressive in the postseason, averaging 25 points and 9 dimes per contest.

Curry's partner-in-crime in the backcourt is 6'7 guard Klay Thompson. The former Washington State Cougar averaged 17 ppg during the regular season and is putting up 18 per in the playoffs, including an electrifying 34-point performance in Game 2 of their current series versus San Antonio.

Another vital part of Golden State's success has been their frontcourt, where the combination of David Lee and Andrew Bogut has been a fairly formidable matchup for any duo looking to control the paint against the Warriors. Combined, the two averaged 19 rebounds per game during the regular season. With Lee injured in the playoffs, Bogut has stepped his game up, averaging 8 points, 11 boards and 2 blocks.

Is the Big Pop That is Back in Big Papi's Bat Legit?

2013-05-10T02:10:00.002-05:00

By - Keith Smith

Ever since returning to the Boston Red Sox lineup in mid-April following an Achilles injury, David Ortiz has been red-hot.

Entering Thursday's game, Big Papi was hitting .381, with 4 home runs and 17 RBI in 16 games. His 27-game hitting streak just came to an end Wednesday with an 0-for-5 performance that dipped his average below .400 for the first time this season.

Photo by: Kim Klement

By the way, Ortiz is 37-years-old.

All these factors were weighed by Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy, and the conclusion he came to is simple; Big Papi is on steroids.

Now, I can't tell you if Ortiz is or isn't juicing. Quite frankly, neither answer would surprise me. I do, however, think it's pretty bold of Shaughnessy to make this type of accusation about one of the more beloved hometown players without some sort of compelling facts.

This, however, is the post-PED world we live in. Any player who is putting up big numbers will automatically be questioned, especially one who is seen as aging and might be willing to take some short cuts to hang on a few more years. Or one that is coming off an injury that has been linked to many steroid users (Achilles is a common ailment for users), and might be taking them to speed up the healing process. Or one that has been accused of using in the past (in 2009 the New York Times reported that Ortiz popped positive during the 2003 season). Or one from a country that has seen a high percentage of its players use.

You get the picture.

Fair or not, this is the collateral damage of all those years of rampant steroid use. Players as a whole will always be looked at with an accusatory eye when something about their stats looks askew.

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Animosity Makes the NBA and NHL Playoffs Great

2013-05-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

By - Tim Swift

Animosity: Bitter hostility or open enmity; active hatred.

The NBA and NHL playoffs are built on this very word.

Some of the best playoff series in the history of the two sports are forged by a healthy amount of strong dislike between the squads involved. Anytime you have a 6 or 7-game series, it's going to bring out the best, and worst, in both teams. When you are guarding the same guy or getting checked by the same dude for up to two-straight weeks, tempers are bound to flare.

Photo by: Getty Images

Personally, this is one of the things that I love about the playoffs. Teams generate a strong dislike for one another that can carry on for years and lay the foundation for historic rivalries.

At times, the first round series between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers resembled something right out of the WWE, especially the multiple altercations that took place between Zach Randolph and Blake Griffin. In each of the first three games, the two were involved in double fouls, and at one point in Game 6, they wrestled to the floor, culminating with Randolph's hand wrapped around Griffin's neck. You even had Chris Paul take a cheap shot on Marc Gasol in the final minutes of that game with a forearm to the stomach. The fact that the Spaniard has been dealing with an abdominal tear made it even uglier.

When you have contrasting styles like the Grizzlies and Clippers, you tend to get that type of hate for each other. Los Angeles is YouTube's favorite team; Lob City, with huge dunks from Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, and killer crossovers from Chris Paul. Memphis, on the other hand, is a physical defensive team, led by Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and the man who coined the phrase "grit and grind," defensive specialist Tony Allen.

The Grizzlies and Clippers have faced off in the postseason a total of 13 times over the last 2 years, making this a budding rivalry that should be fun to watch for many years to come.

The animosity has already ramped up in the NHL playoffs, especially between the Canadians and Senators.

In Game 1, Eric Gryba unleashed a brutal (but some say legal) hit on Lars Eller, that left Eller motionless and bloodied on the ice. Then in Game 3, full-blown brawls between entire lines resulted in 239 penalty minutes. A few of the highlights (or lowlights) in that one included a Rene Bourque cheap elbow on Cory Conacher, and Josh Gorges shooting the puck intentionally at Kyle Turris in the final seconds. There were a total of 14 fighting majors, but despite all of the madness, no one was suspended for Game 4. (Really, Brendan Shanahan?)

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NHL Playoffs: The Best Postseason in Sports

2013-05-08T13:33:00.001-05:00

By - Brad Heerschop

The NHL postseason. A time for sports fans unlike any other.

There is something about the Stanley Cup Playoffs that is undeniably amazing. 82 games behind us (or 48 as it were), and only 16 teams remaining. Nearly two months of the best hockey you can watch, each and every year.

Where I come from, if you're not glued to your television for the next 8 weeks, many think something is wrong with you. I would have to agree, because to me, the NHL playoffs are the greatest postseason in all of sports.

Photo by: Harry How

This year's tourney has not disappointed, as Gary Bettman and company's valiant effort to ruin the greatest game on ice has once again come up short.

You will have to forgive me if my writing comes across as obtuse. I don't get a lot of sleep these days. If I sleep, I might miss out on something great. If I miss that overtime goal or that amazing save, what will I have to talk about around the water cooler the following morning?

Every series this postseason has its share of emotion and a great back story. When two teams square off for 4 to 7-consecutive games against one another in such a violent and physical sport, rivalries are bound to surface. Often times new rivalries are formed, while at others old ones are renewed.

The San Jose Sharks completed their first postseason sweep in franchise history on Tuesday night, downing the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in overtime. The Canucks are the first team eliminated from this year's festivities.

Ottawa and Montreal have played a gritty series full of physical play and a plethora of drama. Bad blood and a genuine dislike for each other has fueled one of the better matchups so far. The Senators currently lead the Habs 3 games to 1.

I could cover every single series, but instead will focus my attention on the one series in particular that I can't get enough of. The surprising upstart 8th seeded New York Islanders are tied 2-2 with the team many consider to be the NHL's best, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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The B/B Podcast - NHL Playoffs, NBA Postseason Plot Thickens and Mayweather Remains Unbeaten

2013-05-07T01:04:00.001-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher & Tim Swift

In this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast, we break down the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, preview the conference semi-finals in the NBA postseason, and discuss how Floyd "Money" Mayweather made it look oh so easy in his welterweight title fight against Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero!

Photo by: Fred Chartrand

- Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin: Only 16 teams remain alive in the quest for Lord Stanley's Cup, headlined by the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins as the top seeds in this year's tournament. What separates the men from the boys come playoff time in the NHL, and which teams have a shot to make a deep postseason run? Hear our take.

- Conference Semi-Finals Preview: The NBA's playoff field has been cut in half, with just 8 teams still in the hunt for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Can the Chicago Bulls continue to surprise? Are the Memphis Grizzlies legit title contenders? Will Carmelo Anthony take his game to another level? We tackle these questions and more in our NBA postseason chat.

- Easy Money For Mayweather: On Saturday night, Floyd Mayweather reminded the world why he is the best pound-for-pound fighter of this generation in a lopsided unanimous decision win over Robert Guerrero. How did Floyd manage to make it look so easy, and who is best suited to take on "Money" later this year? We'll tell you.

Plus:

We discuss the controversy surrounding the Most Valuable Player Award in the NBA, and the surprisingly good starts of both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees early on in the Major League Baseball season!

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Second Round Predictions For the NBA Playoffs

2013-05-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

By - Brad Heerschop

The first round of the NBA playoffs went down without a hitch, and we are left with 8 teams competing for the glory of winning a championship.

Photo by: Getty Images

Not a lot of upsets or surprises thus far, but this round may see some of the big dogs go down. I wasn't perfect with my opening round predictions (6-2), but it could have been a lot worse. For the semi-finals, I'm going out on more of a limb.

- Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls

Miami rolled through the Milwaukee Bucks with ease. I was hoping for a better series, but what ensued was far from surprising. The Heat pulled a sweep, winning every game by double-digits and an average margin of victory of 14.8 points per. They appear to be unbeatable.

The injury-riddled Bulls did not have such an easy first round. However, even without star point guard Derrick Rose, they upset the Brooklyn Nets in 7 games. Joakim Noah and Nate Robinson were both great in the only series of the first round that went the distance.

The Heat and Bulls split the season series this year, winning 2 games apiece. Chicago was one of only three teams this season that took at least 2 from Miami. They were also the bunch that ended the Heat's impressive 27-game winning streak back in March. The back story makes for an interesting series outlook, because the Bulls seem to matchup fairly well with the Heat. Taking all that into consideration, I still don't think Miami will stumble. I could actually see this team going 16-0 in the postseason. They're that good.

Miami: 4, Chicago: 0

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Still Money: Mayweather Silences Critics

2013-05-05T22:38:00.000-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher

As my oldest son and I sat watching the undercard of Saturday night's "May Day" pay-per-view in anticipation of the main event, the inevitable question was finally asked; "Who do you think is going to win, daddy?"

In hindsight, my response was absolutely ridiculous.

"Mayweather has lost a step," I said without hesitation. "Father Time catches up to everyone, son. Guerrero has some pop, and I think this will be the night Floyd finally makes a mistake and ends up on the mat."

Needless to say, I'm still waiting for said mistake.

With a near-flawless performance, Mayweather (44-0) not only reiterated that he is the greatest boxer of this generation, but showed that reports of his supposed decline have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, he was as sharp as ever, winning easily in a unanimous decision (scored 117-111 by all three judges), despite injuring his right hand in the middle rounds.

Photo by: Isaac Brekken

"What else can I say?" Mayweather said afterwards. "We did it again."

Ahhhh yes. Rub it in, Floyd. However, in my defense, all signs leading up to the fight seemed to be pointing towards an upset.

Like the fact that Mayweather turned 36 in February, a number in boxing that has proved more unlucky than 13. Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Larry Holmes all lost unexpectedly at around the same age. And in recent bouts, Shane Mosley had buckled "Money," and Miguel Cotto had battered him. All of these variables factored in when I uttered my now infamous prediction.

Luckily, I'm smart enough to know where I went wrong in my thought process.

Simply put, I lost sight of who I was picking against. You see, Mayweather has mastered his craft, perhaps better than any fighter in the history of the sport. Not just the physical aspect, but the mental part as well. He wants his opponents all riled up and overaggressive. Then he turns that aggression into weakness.

His uncanny foot speed and dazzling punching precision are just the final nails in the coffin.

Ask Robert Guerrero.

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Five-Ring Circus Comes to NYC

2013-05-04T16:19:00.001-05:00

By - Jaquan Murphy

Ever since Rex Ryan was hired by the Jets back in 2009, every summer has been a media frenzy in New York. This year will certainly be no different, as Ryan has already proclaimed a five-way competition for the starting quarterback position.

Photo by: Getty Images

Incumbent starter Mark Sanchez has vowed to win the job.

"It's going to bring out the very best in me," Sanchez told reporters in his first public appearance since the April draft. "There's a challenge for something I hold very dear to my heart. When somebody challenges you that way, it really brings out your best."

Sanchez's challengers? Greg McElroy, Matt Simms, free agent veteran David Garrard and second-round draft pick Geno Smith.

Of the group, the two least likely to win the job are Simms and McElroy. Simms was signed last season as an undrafted free agent and has no NFL experience. McElroy actually has reps under his belt in New York, but not enough to make him a serious contender for the spot.

Free agent acquisition David Garrard is the one that looks like the most immediate threat to Sanchez. Garrard was signed prior to the draft to add a veteran presence to the position. Now that he knows he has a chance to be the starter, the former long-time Jacksonville Jaguar can use his veteran savvy to win over fans and coaches alike in New York.

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ESPN and the Southeastern Conference: A Match Made in Heaven

2013-05-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

By - Keith Smith

After seven-consecutive NCAA football national championships, many people said the only thing that could stop the SEC is itself.

Well, it may have taken a small step in that direction with Thursday's announcement of a 20-year agreement with ESPN to form the SEC Network.

Photo by: John Amis

Don't get me wrong, as a fan of college football, I'm not necessarily opposed to a network dedicated to 24/7 coverage of the best conference in America. But I can't help but wonder at what price?

Even though this hasn't been announced, it would seem almost a given that at some point in the next 20 years (and probably sooner rather than later, given ESPN's history), the SEC will be forced to move to a 9-game conference schedule. It's hard enough to navigate through the current 8-game gauntlet that coaches face. In fact, if they had their way, current coaches would cut the total to 6 (or less). Having to play 9 could mean career suicide for more than half of them.

The other major concern I might have if I were the conference administrators would be the potential of over-saturating an already drenched market. There are times during the college football season that you can see a game every night of the week, sometimes for a week or two at a time. You are hard-pressed not to already see half of the conference on Thursday or Saturday. Will SEC fans eventually burn out from watching not only so much football, but 24/7 of only their conference in every sport?

A conference developing its own network is nothing new. The Big Ten Network started way back in 2007, and the Pac-12 Network came online almost a year ago. Even the Western Athletic Conference has its own network, as does the University of Texas with its Longhorn Network. All have had their fair share of growing pains, so perhaps the SEC was wise not to jump in as an early adopter.

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Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero Preview

2013-05-02T00:39:00.001-05:00

By - Tim Swift

This Saturday night, the biggest star in boxing returns to the ring after a year-long absence when Floyd "Money" Mayweather takes on Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero in Las Vegas for the WBC welterweight title.

Guerrero earned his shot by beating Michael Katsidis for the WBA and WBO lightweight titles back in April of 2011, then moving up in weight last November and utterly punishing Andre Berto for the WBC welterweight belt. Now Guerrero takes on his biggest challenge to date in Mayweather, a future Hall of Famer.

Photo by: Getty Images

Let's break down some of the biggest moments from each fighter's career, and decide whether or not Guerrero really has a shot at pulling the monumental upset.

Biggest Mayweather Win: Round 10 TKO over Diego Corrales - January 20th, 2001

On the night of the fight, Corrales (who always had problems with his weight), weighed in at 10 pounds more than Mayweather, and experts were split on the contrasting styles of the two fighters; Corrales, with his big punching power, and Mayweather, with his slick counter-punching style. To a lot of people's surprise, "Money" dominated the bout, winning every round and knocking Corrales down a total of five times. Mayweather started the fight with his usually shoulder roll defensive style, but once he realized that he could not be hurt by Corrales, he stalked him and beat him senseless until Corrales' father threw in the towel towards the end of the 10th round.

Biggest Guerrero Win: Unanimous decision over Andre Berto - November 24th, 2012

The main reason Guerrero gets his shot at Mayweather this Saturday is because he dominated Andre Berto last November. "Ghost" smothered Berto, neutralizing his hand and foot speed, with much of the action taking place with Berto backing up. Some critics did not like the fact that Guerrero did a lot of holding with his hitting, but this aggressive, physical style frustrated Berto, as he ended up on the canvas in each of the first two rounds. Berto was constantly pushed against the ropes, and though he hit Guerrero with some solid counter-punches, he could not keep up with the pressure. Guerrero's game plan worked, in that he didn't mind taking some shots to continue pushing Berto against the ropes.

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Bleacher Babe of the Month: May, 2013

2013-05-01T03:20:00.002-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher

I suppose I could start things off by raving about how successful this series has been since it first launched back in September, and how the majority of feedback we've received has been extremely positive. But at this stage of the game, why delay the main event any longer than we have to?

Many of you already know the routine, which is why you're here in the first place. For those of you that don't, it's pretty simple: The 1st of each month means a new Bleacher Babe.

So with that, meet Stacey Marie Strait!

Photo by: Robert Brown

Hi everyone! I'm Stacey, and I'm really excited to be the Bleacher Babe for the month of May!

Let me start by saying that I'm big on all kinds of sports, but first things first. My very favorite pastime is cheering for my son James at all of his games, and trust me when I say he plays a lot of them! Basketball, baseball, football and rugby, just to name a few.

And yes, I'm "that" mom, coaching from the stands. I've even been known to get in their huddle at times. :)

I pull for the Washington Huskies in college football, and in the NFL my team is the San Francisco 49ers. Even though they came up just a little bit short in this year's Super Bowl, it was great to see them make it that far and nearly pull off the comeback win. I still have faith that my man Patrick Willis will lead the Niners to a title soon!

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The B/B Podcast - NBA Playoff Storylines and NFL Draft Recap

2013-04-30T12:46:00.001-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher & Tim Swift

In this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast, we discuss major storylines from the NBA postseason, and recap the 2013 NFL Draft!

Photo by: Ezra Shaw

- Drama Happens Here: The first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs have already seen the top-seed in the West lose their second-best player in Russell Westbrook, the Lakers' train-wreck of a season mercifully come to an end, and the coming-out party of scintillatingly smooth point guard Steph Curry. We discuss these storylines and more in our NBA playoff chat.

- NFL Draft Recap: The annual NFL Draft concluded on Saturday, and as usual, it did not disappoint. We recap this year's gala event, and give our biggest winners and losers from the 3-day stay at Radio City Music Hall.

- NBA Player Comes Out: On Monday, NBA center Jason Collins announced that he's gay in a story for Sports Illustrated, making him the first active player in one of the four major American professional team sports to openly come out. We share our thoughts on this monumental revelation.

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2013 NFL Draft: Biggest Winners and Losers

2013-04-29T14:29:00.000-05:00

By - David Dysart

I've never been a huge fan of handing out draft grades early on. These young men have not even seen the field yet for their respective teams, yet armchair quarterbacks the world over have already started in with the over-the-top constructive criticism.

Photo by: Jason DeCrow

In recent years, I have seen plenty of "average" grades turn out to be golden. For example; back in 2010, ESPN draft "expert" Mel Kiper, Jr. gave the New England Patriots a final grade of C+ when they selected the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Devin McCourty.

Nice call, Mel.

So if people are going to hand them out this early, what makes the grades? Is it based solely off the ratings of the prospects? Is it the best available pick theory, or is it drafting by need, regardless if you don't think all that highly of the player available?

There's probably no universally correct answer, but hopefully these final marks will turn out to be a little more accurate than the aforementioned example.

With that, here are my biggest winners and losers from the 2013 NFL Draft.

The Winners:

1. Minnesota Vikings

They started this year's draft with two first round picks and finished it with three, trading second, third, fourth and seventh-round selections to the Patriots for the 29th overall pick, which they used to take Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver out of Tennessee. The other two players they took in the opening round also fill big needs in Shariff Floyd and Xavier Rhodes, both of whom were top 15 talents on every mock draft I saw. While other people may not think as highly of Minnesota's draft as I do, if the criteria is need or even best player available, the Vikings hit it out of the park in both cases. So much so, that the other guys they selected with their remaining picks need not even be mentioned.

Final Grade: A+

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Injuries Defining the 2013 NBA Playoffs

2013-04-28T15:02:00.002-05:00

By - Lauren Dundee

The 2013 NBA playoffs are now in full swing, with opening round games well underway in both conferences.

However, many teams in this year's postseason have been absolutely devastated by injuries, and some of these clubs could very easily see their championship hopes crumble because of it.

Photo by: Getty Images

The most noted team that has been ravaged by injuries is the Los Angeles Lakers, who are currently down 3-0 to the San Antonio Spurs. The loss of Kobe Bryant to a torn Achilles has been huge, but the Black Mamba isn't the only major blow the Lakers have been dealt.

Steve Nash, who has been plagued by various ailments all season, is out with a bad back. Metta World Peace is a scratch for Game 4 with a knee problem. Jodie Meeks and Steve Blake, who average about 7 points per game, are also out. All of these injuries hinder the Purple & Gold in a major way, and at this point, it will be a miracle if they somehow manage to avoid a sweep.

Another team suffering through the injury bug is the Chicago Bulls. However, unlike the Lakers, Chicago has managed to persevere and jump out to a 3-1 series lead over the Brooklyn Nets.

Most notable is the loss of Derrick Rose, who was injured in the first round of the 2012 playoffs with a torn ACL and has yet to return. Joakim Noah has also been struggling with a foot injury. His minutes have been limited as of late, but he's managing to play through the pain. Noah scored 15 points with 13 boards and 4 blocks in Chicago's triple-OT win in Game 4.

The Houston Rockets are trying to pull off a David vs. Goliath-like upset over the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in their first round matchup, but the odds look slim.

Jeremy Lin left Game 2 with a right chest contusion, and was a game-time decision for Saturday's Game 3. While he ended up starting, Lin was visibly wincing every time he took a shot, so he probably won't be much of a factor the remainder of the series. Greg Smith, who contributes 6 points and 4 rebounds per game, has also missed playing time due to a stomach virus.

Can the Thunder Still Come Out of the West Minus Russell Westbrook?

2013-04-27T14:59:00.000-05:00

By - Jaquan Murphy

The Thunder's rumble may not be as loud the remainder of the playoffs.

On Thursday, Oklahoma City was informed that they have potentially lost All-Star guard Russell Westbrook for the entire postseason with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee.

Photo by: Sue Ogrocki

The injury occurred in a collision between Westbrook and guard Patrick Beverly during the second quarter of Game 2 in OKC's playoff series with the Houston Rockets. The Thunder front office is hoping that all doctors have to do is trim the tear, which would sideline their star guard for up to 4 to 6 weeks. If they have to stitch the meniscus back together, Westbrook will be inactive for up to two months.

Westbrook's injury means OKC is no longer the clear-cut favorite to come out of the Western Conference. The Thunder shouldn't have much trouble finishing off Houston even with Westbrook on the sideline, but the injury will make the series a little bit closer than it would have been otherwise.

Once OKC gets out of the first round, however, things will get interesting.

If they face the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round, they would have a much better matchup than if they have to take on the Los Angeles Clippers. Mike Conley is not the type of point guard that strikes fear into the hearts of the Thunder. He is more of a facilitator and isn't a real threat to take over games. Granted, he's not to be taken lightly, but moderate defense can hold Conley at bay.

The brunt of the Grizzlies' attack is from their frontcourt, where Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are the two major threats to take over games. But Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka are more than capable of holding their own against the Memphis bigs. After Durant, the rest of the Thunder should be able to piece together enough points to get past the Grizzlies and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

On the other hand, if OKC faces the Clippers, the matchup will be a much more daunting task for the Thunder. Westbrook is the only guard on the Oklahoma City roster who has a chance at neutralizing superstar Chris Paul. Without Westbrook, Paul would likely do as he pleases all series long.

While Traditions May Change, the Memories Will Never Fade Away

2013-04-26T13:06:00.000-05:00

By - Keith Smith

Traditions are what separate college football from every other sport and make it what it is -- fun.

From Texas A&M's Midnight Yell, to Colorado's running of Ralphie the Buffalo, to Wisconsin's "Jump Around," the traditions of college football were implemented for the fans to enjoy.

That's why it was sad and more than a little disturbing to watch one of the more unique traditions come to an end, at least temporarily, earlier this week at Auburn University.

The famous Toomer's Oaks, at the corner of College Street and Magnolia Avenue, were rolled for the last time after Auburn's spring football game on Saturday. Then early Tuesday morning, chainsaws were taken to the trees, dismantling them to be hauled away to their final resting place.

Photo by: Getty Images

The trees will be temporarily replaced this fall by fake metal trees so that some semblance of the tradition can continue. Eventually, when the soil quality returns (experts say it could take several years for the level of poison to dissipate), new oaks will be planted and the tradition will live on.

This feels eerily similar to my childhood, when one year my dad brought home a silver artificial aluminum tree for Christmas. We celebrated the holiday, and there was still love in the house, but it just felt different.

By now you've surely heard the story of what led to all of this. After Auburn's unbelievable comeback victory over arch-rival Alabama in the 2010 Iron Bowl, a disgruntled Tide fan, Harvey Updyke, Jr., took it upon himself to try and end the act that for decades had symbolized victory for Tiger fans. He drove deadly poison spikes into the soil surrounding the oaks, effectively sealing the tree's fate.

While he succeeded at killing the trees, Updyke failed at his ultimate goal.

I can't believe simply stopping Auburn fans from that method of celebration was his only mission as he lurked around in the shadows in the middle of the night. I think he was hoping to kill more than trees. He was hoping to kill Auburn fan's spirit as well.

But if you saw the images from Saturday's final rolling, you know that he did just the opposite.

The 83,401 people who were in attendance at the game joined several of their closest friends (including my wife and daughter) afterwards to throw Lord-only-knows how many rolls of toilet paper into the sickly skeletons that were left of those once-beautiful trees.

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NFL Head Coaches Who Need a Great 2013 Draft

2013-04-25T13:23:00.000-05:00

By - Tim Swift

The 2013 NFL Draft is upon us, and certain teams already know that it will likely be the deciding factor between making the playoffs or another season of underachievement.

Here are some head coaches who are in dire need of a successful draft this year, or face the possibility of being in the unemployment line by season's end.

- Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys

Photo by: Ronald Martinez

The new Tony Romo deal and the lack of movement in free agency because of cap penalties make the 2013 draft Jason Garrett's last stand. The Cowboys have six picks, and additions will need to be made on the offensive line, with the struggles they had in the run game last year, as well as the defensive line, with the change back to the 4-3 scheme under new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Dallas knocked on the postseason door in each of the last two seasons, but in both cases lost Week 17 showdowns which cost them a playoff spot. If Tony Romo does not get better in clutch situations, and the lines on both sides of the ball do not improve, the Cowboys will once again be on the outside looking in come playoff time, which will probably mean the end for Garrett.

- Rex Ryan, New York Jets

When a new GM comes in and the coach stays, the pressure is on the coach to win now. Rex Ryan must know that after the Darrelle Revis trade, that pressure has been ramped up even more, and it starts Thursday night. The two guys that the Jets bring in with the 9th and 13th overall picks must be instant contributors, and one of them might even have to be a Pro Bowler for New York to have any chance to be successful in 2013. Obviously the quarterback position is a huge question mark, with Mark Sanchez regressing over the last few years. Overall the offense is in complete shambles, and there may not be enough playmakers in this draft for the Jets to get back into the playoff mix this season.

- Mike Munchak, Tennessee Titans

Owner Bud Adams has made it clear that he's not getting any younger (he's 90), and with over 20 million in cap room when free agency started, he wants to win right now. Munchak, who had to fire several assistants last year, now realizes it's playoffs or bust for the 2013 season. The Titans have four picks in the first three rounds and nine overall, and will need to hit on most of them to get back to the postseason. Tennessee has had some success of late with first round picks as well as later round selections. If they are to be successful this year, the middle rounds will be the key for Munchak to keep his job.

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The NFL Catches Up to Modern Times

2013-04-24T12:23:00.002-05:00

By - Brad Heerschop

This year's free agent frenzy in the NFL has not been without its share of drama.

In case you missed it, the Denver Broncos encountered a hiccough during their negotiations with Pro Bowl linebacker, Elvis Dumervil. After weeks of talk, the two sides reached an agreement to reduce his pay from $12 million per season to $8 million per. Dumervil was to fax (that's right, fax) his new contract to the team by 3:59 PM EST on March 15th.

Photo by: Getty Images

The fax was sent by his agent, Marty Magid, but was not received by the Broncos until 4:06 PM EST, a mere 7 minutes past the designated deadline.

Regardless of how close it was, the mishap forced the Broncos to release one of their premier players. If not, the original contract would have superseded the new one, and they would have owed Dumervil his base salary of $12 million. This would have set the team up for a $13.6 million cap hit this season.

Needless to say, Dumervil sent Magid packing the very next day, but it gets better. On March 24th, the former Louisville Cardinal standout signed with the Baltimore Ravens, the same team that eliminated Denver from the postseason.

All of this because of a fax.

It absolutely amazes me that a prestigious league such as the NFL has any use whatsoever for an antiquated piece of technology. Undoubtedly the first thought children around the world had upon hearing this story was, "What is a fax machine?"

So why am I bringing up the "Great Colorado Fax Debacle" more than a month after the fact? On Tuesday, the National Football League Players Association agreed to a deal with DocuSign, an electronic-signature company, which will give players the ability to sign a contract by simply pressing a few buttons on their mobile phones.

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The B/B Podcast - Relocation For Revis Island, NBA Playoff Talk and Alvarez Remains Unbeaten

2013-04-23T09:59:00.000-05:00

By - Kris Fletcher & Tim Swift

In this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast, we discuss the trade that sent cornerback Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and the much-anticipated unification bout for the WBC and WBA light-middleweight titles between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Austin "No Doubt" Trout!

Photo by: Eric Gay

- Revis Island Relocates: On Sunday, the Jets shipped star cornerback Darrelle Revis to Tampa Bay for the 13th overall pick in this year's draft and a conditional selection in 2014. Was this the right decision for New York, and which team got the better end of the deal? Hear our take.

- NBA Playoff Chat: The quest for the Larry O'Brien Trophy tipped off Saturday, as only 16 teams remain in the chase for professional basketball's ultimate prize. Can the Celtics, Warriors and Hawks bounce back from Game 1 losses? Do the Bucks, Lakers or Rockets have any chance of pulling off an upset? We answer these questions and more in our opening round playoff talk.

- Alvarez-Trout Recap: On Saturday night, Saul Alvarez defeated Austin Trout by unanimous decision to unify the WBC and WBA light-middleweight titles. We break down the bout and discuss the questionable manner in which the judges scored it.

Plus:

We share our thoughts in regards to athletes using social media networks, and decide which quarterback was the bigger bust between Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell!

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