DoApp Sports

NFL, Microsoft announce landmark partnership

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:28:23 -0500

New York, NY (Sports Network) - The NFL and Microsoft have announced a multiyear, landmark partnership that will deliver truly unique interactive NFL television experiences for the next-generation Xbox One.

The NFL on Xbox will provide fans with an all-new viewing experience through innovations around Skype and Xbox SmartGlass; an all-new, innovative fantasy football solution allowing fans to view players and live competition side by side on a single TV screen; and a personalized NFL destination featuring information about the players, teams and games fans care about most.

"When we started working with Roger Goodell and the team at the NFL we knew that we could create great new experiences that fans would love," said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "This partnership will redefine NFL experiences through exclusive and interactive content that you will find only on Xbox. For fans, the NFL on Xbox will provide the most complete way to enjoy live football by bringing the first fully-integrated fantasy football experience to the TV, exclusively through Xbox."

The deal will also change the game for NFL teams. Coaches and players will soon have access to a variety of cutting-edge Microsoft solutions, including Surface tablets to enhance on-field communications, photo viewing and play calling.

"From the use of instant replay to the yellow first-down line that has become an important element of the at-home television viewing experience, the NFL is committed to leveraging technology to improve our game for coaches, players and fans," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "We're thrilled to be teaming with a true innovator like Microsoft to shape the future of the NFL game experience, both on-field and in the living room."

San Francisco, Houston awarded Super Bowls

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:59:06 -0500

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The hosts for Super Bowl L and LI were announced Tuesday at the NFL Spring Meeting in Boston.

As expected, San Francisco and Houston were named the host cities for Super Bowl 50 in February 2016 and Super Bowl 51 in February 2017, respectively.

The Super Bowl will return to the Bay Area thanks to the 49ers' future Santa Clara home, recently named Levi's Stadium. The new $1.2 billion stadium is set to open in 2014.

"Even before breaking ground in April of 2012, the vision for Levi's Stadium has always been to build a venue that showcases all that is special about the Bay Area," 49ers CEO Jed York said on the team's website. "Innovation, sustainability and fan experience are the pillars of which we designed and constructed this facility.

"We look forward to NFL fans from around the globe enjoying our region and our stadium, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world."

Candlestick Park, which opened for baseball's San Francisco Giants in 1960, has been the 49ers' home since 1971. It is scheduled for demolition in early 2014 after one final season.

The Bay Area hosted one previous Super Bowl. In 1985, Stanford Stadium was the site of the big game between San Francisco and Miami. The 49ers and Joe Montana pulled out a 38-16 victory over Dan Marino's Dolphins.

Reliant Stadium will be the site of a Super Bowl for the second time. The stadium served as the host facility for Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.

"I can't tell you how excited I am for Houston in being selected as the site for the 2017 Super Bowl," Texans owner Bob McNair said in a statement. "This is a worldwide stage that will be constructed in Houston and the world will be watching. It's an opportunity to showcase our wonderful city, the NFL and the Super Bowl all at the same time."

Miami, which is tied with New Orleans for most times as Super Bowl host at 10, placed bids on both games, but a lack of public funding for proposed renovations to Sun Life Stadium most likely prevented the big game from returning to South Florida.

"Congratulations to San Francisco and Houston on Super Bowl L and LI," Dolphins owner Steve Ross said in statement. "However, we don't think there's a better place in the country to host Super Bowl than right here in South Florida. I am grateful for the hard work and creative energy that the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee showed in their bid. Today's decision doesn't dampen our enthusiasm to pursue Super Bowls in the future, since we are steadfast in our belief that those games are good for the South Florida community."

NFL approves $200 million loan for Falcons' new stadium

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:04:47 -0500

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - NFL owners have approved a $200 million loan for the construction of a new multi-purpose building in Atlanta to become the home for the Falcons.

News of a stadium agreement between the Falcons and the city of Atlanta came in March. The team has played in the Georgia Dome since 1992.

"The NFL has supported new stadium construction through various means for decades," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank in a statement Tuesday. "Our club owners understand that investments such as G-4 financing are important to the long-term strength of the league, and we thank them for their support.

"We are pleased with the outcome of today's vote, and we look forward to continued progress in designing and constructing the new multi-purpose stadium over the next four years. We, along with our City of Atlanta and State of Georgia partners, are excited to participate in a project that will benefit the city and state for many years to come."

The Falcons are hoping to play in a new building for the start of the 2017 season.

Extra Points: No lazy days for veterans on the bubble

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:57 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Nat King Cole first sang about those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer back in the 1960s, but America has always been enamored with beach season.

Whether they're loading the kids into the minivan for a trip down the Jersey shore, fishing in the Florida Keys or driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down, people all across the country see the summertime as a chance to recharge the batteries.

Football is generally off people's radar as the summer months approach. Baseball is just heating up, the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 are Memorial Day traditions and the NBA Finals own June.

Behind the scenes, however, America's real passion -- professional football -- is still churning along, engrossed in preparation for the 2013 NFL season.

And dozens of veteran players don't have the time to enjoy a lazy day here and there. It's rise and grind every single day for the bubble player.

The Sports Network caught up with one them at Eagles OTAs on Monday in South Philadelphia.

To most, the writing is on the wall and the die is cast for Eagles tight end Clay Harbor, a serviceable if nondescript backup to Brent Celek since arriving in the City of Brotherly Love as a fourth-round draft pick out of Missouri State in 2010.

Harbor was never the type of player Andy Reid was going to build around and he has spent nearly every summer fighting for his NFL life. Three years into his career, the 6-foot-3, 255-pounder has amassed 46 receptions for 421 yards and four touchdowns -- not exactly Tony Gonzalez-like numbers.

That said, despite his inconsistencies as a player, Harbor always had a leg up when it came to a roster spot when Reid called the NovaCare Complex home. Whether it's fair or not, all NFL coaches have "their guys," and "their guys" are generally the draft choices taken on their watch.

After all, personnel people are like anyone else, they want to be successful and they want to think their choices are the right ones. It's all human nature.

Chip Kelly and his staff blew into Philadelphia with no allegiance to Harbor or anyone else, save the guys they have brought in since arriving, two of which happen to be high-profile tight ends.

First the Eagles signed a movement-type H-back in free agency in former Houston Texans stalwart James Casey, a player who really fits what Kelly wants to do offensively as far as disguising formations and creating mismatches. Then the selection of Stanford All-American Zach Ertz in the second round of the 2013 draft virtually sealed Harbor's fate.

Or did it?

It's always interesting to watch how football players react to a numbers game which seems insurmountable toward them. Some are so competitive they develop tunnel vision and stay focused on their own business, letting the chips fall where they may. Others give up when they can no longer see the carrot of a roster spot dangling in front of them.

Harbor has taken the positive approach, developing a do-anything mentality that has to be desirous to any coach whether the mentor has a history with the Illinois native or not. The fourth-year pro spent most of his day at OTAs on Monday at tight end and on special teams as usual, but created whispers when it was revealed he also has been lining up as a rush linebacker in Billy Davis' hybrid 3-4 scheme.

In fact, Harbor confirmed he recently spent an entire day practicing as an outside linebacker, a position in which the Eagles are painfully thin.

"I haven't played much defense since high school, when I was a safety, but as an offensive player, we think we have to know more and be a little smarter than those D-lineman," Harbor joked before explaining tight end is still his main job description.

"I'm still a tight end," Harbor continued. "I'm not switching to linebacker. In certain situations -- emergency-style situations -- if something happens, you need to learn that ability to play some defense."

A glass is half empty-type might point out that veteran players who switch sides of the ball often do so because they are not in the team's plans at their current position.

"I'm not looking at it like that," Harbor explained. "I know there is a lot of good tight ends and there is a good chance that I could end up going somewhere else. I'm just going to go out there and compete."

Perhaps Harbor's key to making this team is becoming the NFL's version of a utilityman who can help it in multiple spots depending on what it might need in a particular week. Troy Brown did it in New England for years and these days you'll see Julian Edelman occasionally flip sides for the Patriots.

"There isn't many 6-3, 250-some guys that can run well is their thinking, and they're athletic," Harbor said. "There are 45 guys that dress every Sunday. If something happens, someone gets nicked, if I know the defense, I can help out there."

The odds remain stacked against Harbor in Philadelphia, but if the curtain is indeed closing on his time with the Eagles, there are still 31 other teams in the NFL.

And some of them may want a versatile tight end willing to do anything to help his team win.

"I want to make myself more diverse as a player. Do more things, line up in more situations. If defense helps me out there, I'm going to learn some defense."

Romo to miss workouts after back surgery

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:20:35 -0500

Irving, TX (Sports Network) - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is expected to miss the team's offseason training activities as he continues to recover from back surgery performed last month.

According to the Cowboys' website, Romo had a cyst removed from his back last month. The team expects him to be ready for training camp in July.

The Cowboys are set to start OTAs on Tuesday and will also have a three-day minicamp in June.

Romo inked a six-year contract extension in late March, a deal reported to be worth $108 million with $55 million guaranteed.

The 33-year-old veteran is coming off a 2012 season that included a career- high 4,903 passing yards to go along with 28 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. However, his passer rating of 90.5 was the lowest of his career.

Romo joined Dallas in 2003 and became the starting quarterback in 2006. He has thrown for 25,737 yards with 177 touchdowns and 91 interceptions in 121 career games.

Report: Pats TE Gronkowski has fourth arm surgery

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:58:06 -0500

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski reportedly underwent a fourth surgery to repair a broken left forearm.

The Boston Globe cited a league source saying Gronkowski had the procedure done on the forearm that he broke twice in the 2012 season. The Globe said the surgery, which was meant to replace the plate in the forearm, took place Monday afternoon at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Gronkowski has been battling an infection due to multiple surgeries performed to correct a fracture which was originally suffered back in mid-November.

According to the paper, a source said the infection appears to have completely cleared. That means Gronkowski can start an 8- to 10-week rehab to recover, but he may miss the start of training camp.

The 24-year-old Arizona product finished the 2012 campaign with 55 receptions for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 11 games.

Former Dolphins WR Chad Johnson spends time in jail

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:53:53 -0500

Fort Lauderdale, FL (Sports Network) - Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson turned himself in to authorities on Monday for allegedly violating several terms of his probation and served time in Broward County jail before being released on $1,000 bail.

Johnson, while a member of the Miami Dolphins, was arrested last August on a misdemeanor after allegedly head-butting his then-wife Evelyn Lozada during an argument.

According to a police report, Johnson and Lozada were arguing in a vehicle. The argument apparently started when Lozada found a receipt for condoms in the car.

Johnson, who had never been arrested during his NFL career, was released by the Dolphins soon after the incident. He was given a probation sentence, but an arrest warrant was issued last week after Johnson failed to check in with his probation officer.

The next court date for Johnson is reportedly June 3.

The 34-year-old veteran played his first 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and spent the 2011 campaign with New England. He has 766 career catches for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns.

Bills ink 2nd-round pick Woods

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:21:14 -0500

Pittsford, NY (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Bills signed former USC receiver and second-round pick Robert Woods on Monday.

Woods set a school record by catching 252 passes for 2,930 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Woods is the seventh of the eight Buffalo selections to sign with the team.

Bears terminate Fluellen's contract

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:54:17 -0500

Lake Forest, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Bears have terminated the contract of defensive tackle Andre Fluellen.

The Bears had signed Fluellen on April 9. He split last season with Miami and Detroit, notching six tackles in a combined five games.

Fluellen spent his first four NFL seasons with the Lions, who released him just before the start of the 2012 campaign. He has 52 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks in 56 career NFL games, including six starts.

Freeney headed to San Diego

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:33:33 -0500

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - The San Diego Chargers have added veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Freeney's deal is for two years.

Freeney spent his first 11 NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and has 107 1/2 career sacks in 163 games. He's reached double figures seven times and last year, after switching from defensive end to outside linebacker in Indianapolis' new 3-4 scheme, posted five sacks in 14 games.

The Chargers' need for an outside linebacker became more urgent on Tuesday when Melvin Ingram tore his left ACL during offseason training activities. The 18th overall pick of the 2012 draft could miss the entire 2013 season.

Freeney visited the Chargers soon after Ingram's injury, meeting with new GM Tom Telesco, who had been part of the Indianapolis front office for 15 years before taking the San Diego job in January.

The 33-year-old Syracuse product was a member of the Colts' Super Bowl championship team after the 2006 season and is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

Del Negro out as Clippers coach

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:20:48 -0500

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly decided to part ways with head coach Vinny Del Negro after three seasons.

Del Negro's contract expired at the conclusion of the season and the Los Angeles Times is among those reporting that he will not return.

The Clippers were 56-26 this past season and won the Pacific Division for the first time in franchise history, then were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Del Negro's teams improved during each of his three seasons at the helm. They were 32-50 in his first year and 40-26 during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign. Los Angeles reached the second round of the playoffs last spring, beating Memphis in the first round before a sweep at the hands of San Antonio.

Overall, Del Negro posted a mark of 128-102 with the Clippers.

Del Negro, who played 14 NBA seasons from 1988-2002, holds a 210-184 overall mark in five years as a head coach. He also coached the Bulls for two seasons.

Nothin' but Net: Making sense of the lottery

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:55:46 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The future of 14 teams hang in the balance Tuesday night when the Draft Lottery takes place.

Generally, winning the lottery is a good thing.

That is not the case Tuesday night.

The lottery was created to help the poor get rich, or at least respectable. It was the Robin Hood of competitive sports drafting systems. That is, except for the years when commissioner David Stern rigged it for the New York Knicks to take Patrick Ewing and last year when the NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) won the sweepstakes for Anthony Davis.

And make no mistake, winning last year's lottery was a jackpot. Davis finished second in the rookie of the year race and is a franchise cornerstone.

The Orlando Magic are the winners (aka losers) this year. They finished with the worst record in the NBA and have the most ping-pong balls in play. They have a 25 percent chance of snatching that coveted No. 1 pick.

Whoever that shall be.

The 2013 NBA Draft is being labeled one of the worst in recent memory. It's reminding people of the 2000 NBA Draft. Fifty-eight players went that night about 12 years and 11 months ago. Three made an All-Star appearance - No. 1 Kenyon Martin, No. 19 Jamaal Magloire and No. 43 Michael Redd.

(Martin went first, but can you name the picks 2-4?)

(Stromile Swift, Darius Miles and Marcus Fizer. Ouch.)

So this year's draft is being compared to that group of dreck.

The Magic, as well as maybe 8-10 of the lottery-bound teams, would likely peg Nerlens Noel, the 7-foot center from Kentucky, with the first pick. He came out after his freshman year in Lexington and is by no means the slam dunk Davis was in the same spot 12 months prior.

Noel is a defensive force, much like Davis. Noel blocked shots in college, he rebounded in college and his offense began to improve a bit while in college.

Of course, Noel's anterior cruciate ligament also snapped in college. He didn't work out for any teams and won't because he's nowhere near ready for any basketball activities.

So, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft can barely walk. The injury is not the only red flag with Noel. He weighs less than most point guards do and in fact weighs less than most college kids' backpacks. Noel could've used the "freshman 15."

But that is the best of the best.

Another name you'll hear for the No. 1 pick is Ben McLemore, the shooting guard from Kansas. He's an above-average shooter and athlete, but won't transform your franchise. Remember, that kind of makeover is theoretically possible - Kevin Durant went second in the draft.

Georgetown's Otto Porter or Michigan's Trey Burke could sneak into the top spot under the right circumstances. Or the wrong ones.

This draft has some great potential eighth men in rotations, but not much more. Noel could emerge into a defensive specialist. McLemore can definitely shoot, and that's something in short supply in the NBA.

A guy like Victor Oladipo of Indiana is someone who could carve out a niche in the league as a maximum-effort player. His offense has improved over his time in Indiana, but he's not a building block for the future (sadly, after Noel, I like him the most).

There's no major impact guy in this draft. The players will probably amount to more than Swift or Miles or Fizer, but that's not the largest compliment one can pay an NBA player.

We will still watch both the lottery on Tuesday, then the draft on June 27. We always do. As fans, there still gleams the ray of optimism. "Our team won the lottery!" You believe your team, which generally stinks if it's in the lottery, can turn it around with this new member of the team.

Just warning you, that probably won't happen. Not in this draft.

Raptors revamp front office, strip Colangelo of GM duties

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:34:01 -0500

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors have decided to make changes in the front office and will create a new position of general manager while Bryan Colangelo will concentrate on his duties as club president.

Colangelo had held the dual roles, but will instead work with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Tim Leiweke on the business side of the franchise while continuing to advise on basketball-related matters.

Leiweke said a new GM is expected to be in place within the next 30 days.

"After thorough evaluation and considering all the options, we have concluded that these changes will be in the best interest of the organization," said Leiweke on Tuesday. "By splitting the roles and having both men report directly to me, we are adding depth to the basketball operations group and giving the Toronto Raptors the best chance of competing for championships in the future."

Colangelo has been with the Raptors since March 1, 2006 and was named the NBA's top executive for the 2006-07 season when the team won the Atlantic Division. Toronto hasn't made the playoffs since the 2007-08 campaign and this season finished 34-48 for its fifth straight losing record.

"The new GM will inherit a great situation in Toronto, as all of my due diligence around the league indicates that we have a fine, young core and a few key moves will make us a playoff contender next season," Leiweke added.

Colangelo had his contract as team president extended. Terms were not disclosed.

"The future of this team and this organization excites me more than ever, and I am looking forward to being part of our future success," said Colangelo. "I will add whatever is necessary to help improve our basketball team while also expanding my efforts to increase brand awareness and influence growth of the game across this great country."

Numerous reports have indicated that the Raptors are interested in Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri, who was the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year and whose contract with Denver is set to expire this summer.

Bobcats to become Hornets

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:21:31 -0500

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - The Charlotte Bobcats will reportedly change their team nickname to Hornets.

The Charlotte Observer reports team owner Michael Jordan will detail a timetable for the name change at a news conference Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. The name change could come as soon as the 2014-15 season.

The Hornets nickname became available when New Orleans vacated it and officially became the Pelicans following the conclusion of the 2012-13 regular season.

The original Hornets played in Charlotte from 1988-2002 before moving to New Orleans. The Bobcats started play in the 2004-05 season.

Pacers' Hill to play in Game 6

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:42 -0500

Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill has been cleared to participate in Saturday's pivotal Game 6 of the team's Eastern Conference semifinal series with the New York Knicks.

Hill sat out Thursday's 85-75 loss to the Knicks with a concussion he sustained while colliding with New York center Tyson Chandler during the first half of Tuesday's Game 4. The Indianapolis native finished that game with a team-best 26 points to lead the Pacers to a 93-82 triumph.

The 27-year-old was questionable heading into Saturday's matchup, but the Pacers announced he has since passed the NBA's mandatory protocol for players returning from concussions.

"Over the last two days under the care of the Indiana Pacers' medical staff, George Hill has participated in each step of the NBA's Return-to-Participation Exertion Protocol as part of the NBA's Concussion Policy," the Pacers said in a statement. "During the process, George remained symptom-free after each step including his workouts earlier today. After consultation with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, the NBA's Director of Concussion Management, the Pacers' team physicians have cleared George to play in tonight's game."

The Pacers, who have won each of their five home tilts in this year's playoffs by 11 or more points, can clinch a spot in the East finals against Miami with a victory on Saturday.

Johnson: Kings sale signed

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:55:41 -0500

Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson held a press conference Friday to announce the deal to keep the Kings in the city has been completed.

The Maloof family has sold the franchise to an investment group headed by Vivek Ranadive for a reported $347 million. There was a competing bid from a group that would have moved the club to Seattle, but NBA owners earlier this week voted to keep the team in Sacramento.

A new stadium deal, something the Maloof family worked unsuccessfully to complete, is part of the overall package.

"It's about jobs and it's about revitalizing downtown," said Johnson in front of a large group of fans that packed at City Hall on Friday. "It's about civic pride. It's about not letting somebody take something that isn't theirs."

Johnson, a former NBA player, worked tirelessly to keep the Kings in Sacramento after repeated efforts for a new stadium plan with the Maloof family continually fell apart.

The Maloof family had agreed in January to sell a 65 percent share of the team to a group led by hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who would have moved the Kings to Seattle.

On March 27, the Sacramento City Council approved a public-private deal to build a new 18,500-seat arena and retail center downtown, leading to the purchase bid from Ranadive's group.

The league heard proposals from both groups in April and decided Wednesday, by a 22-8 vote, to keep the team in Sacramento. The actual sale agreement must still be approved by the NBA's Board of Governors.

Ranadive, a partial owner of the Golden State Warriors, will have to divest his interest in the franchise.

The Maloof family had controlling ownership of the Kings since 1999.

Seattle has been without an NBA team since the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City following the 2007-08 campaign. The Sonics were an expansion franchise in 1967-68.

The Kings, meanwhile, have been in numerous cities since their inception in 1948-49. They began as the Rochester Royals until 1956-57, then stopped in Cincinnati through 1971-72 before moving to the Midwest. They changed their name to the KC-Omaha Kings before becoming the Kansas City Kings in 1975-76, then moved to Sacramento for the start of the 1985-86 season.

Stretching the Field: Grizzlies are in uncharted woods

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:44:45 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - When the Memphis Grizzlies continue their unheralded postseason journey in the Western Conference Finals, they'll be facing a bear of a task in the San Antonio Spurs.

The Grizzlies, though, will be ready to make their case as legitimate title contenders.

But take a minute to remember the Grizzlies' NBA inception in the late 1990s as a franchise based in Vancouver. As if people in the mainland of British Columbia cared about professional basketball, which began in the 1995-96 season. Bill Clinton was the U.S. president then and the Dallas Cowboys won their fifth and most recent Super Bowl.

"Apollo 13" and "Toy Story" took over the box offices, stamps were 32 cents and gasoline was under two dollars ($1.35).

It was also a few years before the powers that be wisely decided to move the Grizzlies to the states and take up residence in Memphis, Tenn., a city which embraces hoops a bit more than hockey-laden Vancouver. It was a rough couple of seasons in the Volunteer State for the Grizzlies, but they started to turn heads with three straight playoff appearances from 2003-04 to 2005-06.

The Grizzlies endured another playoff-less stretch over the next four seasons until finally becoming a household name among NBA enthusiasts. In the 2010-11 Western Conference quarterfinals, the Grizzlies disposed of their upcoming playoff opponent, the Spurs, in six games and bowed out in seven games to Oklahoma City in the semifinals.

That series left an impression on the Grizzlies. They wanted to prove they were worthy of being mentioned as an elite Western squad because, as all NBA fans know, that conference has the more talented teams. Unfortunately, their run to the postseason a year ago was cut short by the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening round, losing in seven games.

As a fifth seed in the 2012-13 playoffs, the Grizzlies gritted their teeth and exacted revenge on the Clippers by taking them out in six games. They shocked many in the semis by eliminating the favored Thunder, who didn't have Russell Westbrook, which made it slightly easier for the athletic Grizzlies to move on in five games. The Grizz did a good job of preventing Kevin Durant from making it a one-man show, too, and are in the conference finals for the first time.

"I just like the fact that my teammates, my bigs, Tay (Tayshaun Prince), just keeping fresh bodies on him (Durant). Everybody had their antenna's up on him," Grizzlies defensive stalwart Tony Allen said. "We knew he had to carry a big load without Westbrook. It shows what Westbrook's worth is. Without him, I just thought they were like a wounded dog and we had to kick him while he was down. The more we stay together and play together, the sky's the limit."

Memphis is a mean bunch.

The Grizzlies play tough, physical defense, have big, long bodies and a point guard who is finding his niche at the right time. Mike Conley averaged 17.3 points per game against the Clippers, then posted an 18-point average in the Oklahoma City series. Conley has at least five assists in 10 of the 11 playoff games and distributes the ball evenly. Having bigs in Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Prince has to make his job that much easier.

Prince has won a championship before with Detroit and his veteran leadership and experience were needed when the Grizzlies acquired him in a deal that saw fan favorite and leading scorer Rudy Gay head to Toronto in a three-team deal.

After Wednesday's series-clinching win over the Thunder, Conley talked about the winding road the Grizzlies have traveled to this point.

"We were winning 20 games a year just four of five seasons ago," Conley said. "Management did a great job getting guys in; got Zach here, got Tony here. Now we have Tayshaun, we got a new group. We've worked every day, kinda floated under the radar and now we're here (West Finals)."

It's like the verse from hip hop star Drake's hit "Started from the Bottom":

"Started from the bottom now we're here"

"Started from the bottom now my whole team here"

Here, of course, is the postseason. Prince reflected back to his days with the Pistons and how nobody cared who got the glory because winning was most important. The Pistons, who won the title in 2004, had Prince, Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace and played unselfish basketball. It was all about moving on to the next one for that team, and Prince sees similar traits with Memphis.

Can Memphis' solidarity overtake a Spurs team that is compared to a wise old owl? The Spurs are long in the tooth with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but age hasn't been an issue. Not even a little bit. San Antonio still has gas left in the tank and will make this series tough on Memphis.

The Spurs are almost unstoppable at home, which is why this series will go at least six games. Memphis may have trouble taking it to a seventh game, so it will have do the impossible by stealing one in the Alamo City.

Memphis and San Antonio will ram horns Sunday in Game 1. That's when the Grizzlies can prove they're ready to take it to the next level.

Stretching the Field: Grizzlies are in unchartered woods

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:03:54 -0500

The Grizzlies, though, will be ready to make their case as legitimate title contenders.

"Apollo 13" and "Toy Story" took over the box offices, stamps were 32 cents and gasoline was under two dollars ($1.35).

Memphis is a mean bunch.

After Wednesday's series-clinching win over the Thunder, Conley talked about the winding road the Grizzlies have traveled to this point.

It's like the verse from hip hop star Drake's hit "Started from the Bottom":

"Started from the bottom now we're here"

"Started from the bottom now my whole team here"

Memphis and San Antonio will ram horns Sunday in Game 1. That's when the Grizzlies can prove they're ready to take it to the next level.

Report: Maloofs, Sacramento group agree

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:30:13 -0500

Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - The Maloof family has reportedly reached an agreement to sell the Kings one day after it was announced the franchise will stay in Sacramento.

The Sacramento Bee announced Thursday the Maloofs completed the sale to the investment grouped headed by Vivek Ranadive for a record $535 million. An official announcement is expected Friday, and the deal needs to be approved by the NBA's Board of Governors.

Team owners voted Wednesday to keep the Kings in Sacramento and rejected Chris Hansen's planned relocation of the franchise to Seattle.

The Maloof family had agreed in January to sell a 65 percent share of the team to a group led by hedge fund manager Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who were looking to move the Kings to Seattle and rename it the SuperSonics. The Board of Governors followed an April committee recommendation to stop the Kings from relocating.

On March 27, the Sacramento City Council approved a public-private deal to build a new 18,500-seat arena and retail center downtown.

The Kings went 28-54 this past season and missed the playoffs from the seventh consecutive year.

Pacers PG Hill to miss Game 5 with concussion

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:53:42 -0500

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill will miss Thursday's Game 5 Eastern Conference semifinal matchup against the New York Knicks due to a concussion.

Hill suffered the concussion after a collision with Knicks center Tyson Chandler in the first half of Tuesday's 93-82 Game 4 win. He finished with a team-high 26 points.

The 27-year-old has been Indiana's second leading scorer during the series, averaging 17.3 points along with 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest.

Indiana holds a 3-1 series lead and can advance to the Eastern Conference final with a win on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

Top Shelf: Surprising Wings deserve lead over Blackhawks

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:37:34 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Just because the Detroit Red Wings were the beneficiaries of a controversial no-goal call late in Game 3, it doesn't mean the seventh-seeded club isn't making its own breaks.

When they drew the mighty Chicago Blackhawks in the second round, the Red Wings were given little hope of winning the Western Conference semifinal matchup. After all, the Blackhawks have been pegged as the favorites out West for months, but as recently as a few weeks ago, Detroit was happy just to be included in the playoffs.

Despite all the hype surrounding the top-seeded Blackhawks, the upstart Red Wings are the ones holding a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

While it's still a big hill to climb to win two more games for the series upset, the Red Wings already have blown past the lowly expectations set out for them when this postseason began. Detroit was a trendy pick to beat second- seeded Anaheim in the conference quarterfinals, but pulling off an upset against the Presidents' Trophy winners in Round 2 would be nothing short of shocking.

This is Detroit's 22nd straight trip to the postseason, but it wasn't expected to be a memorable playoff run, especially considering how high the bar has been set in the Motor City over the last two decades. During the current playoff streak, the Red Wings have appeared in six Stanley Cup Finals and won four championships. The franchise's last title came as recently as 2008, but over the past few years Detroit seemed closer to a rebuilding phase than another deep playoff run.

The Red Wings appeared to be in a slow decline since losing to Pittsburgh in the 2009 playoffs. The club fell in the second round in both 2010 and '11 before getting bounced out by Nashville in the first round of last spring's postseason. This year, Detroit barely qualified for the playoffs with the seventh seed, the club's lowest standing in the conference since it last missed the postseason after the 1989-90 campaign.

It seemed like the end of an era when longtime captain and star defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement after last season's disappointing playoff run. Although the news came a month after Lidstrom's 42nd birthday, the loss of the seven-time Norris Trophy winner figured to loom large on this season. While Niklas Kronwall has done an admirable job of replacing Lidstrom as the big-minute guy on Detroit's blue line, the real difference maker for the Red Wings this season is their ever-improving goaltender Jimmy Howard.

Drafted by Detroit in the second round of the 2003 draft, Howard didn't become the Red Wings' starting goaltender until the 2009-10 campaign, but presently the long development process appears to be paying major dividends for the 29- year-old.

Howard has faced more rubber than any other goaltender during this postseason and is leading the league with 300 saves on 325 shots (.923 save percentage). It's a tremendous turnaround from last year's playoffs when Howard posted a poor .888 save percentage in five games against the Predators.

Although his team has had trouble getting the puck out of its own zone against the Blackhawks in this series, Howard has been able to bail out his club with timely saves. He started slowly in the series, allowing three goals on 41 shots in a 4-1 loss in Game 1, but Howard has since turned aside 58-of-60 shots to lead Detroit to wins in the next two meetings.

His 39-save effort was key in getting the Red Wings their first lead of this series on Monday, but Detroit also had some help from the officials.

Trailing 2-0 after 40 minutes of play, Chicago cut the deficit to one on Patrick Kane's goal less than five minutes into the third period. While officials may have missed a potential boarding call that would have negated Kane's goal, the bigger blunder came about a minute later when Chicago had a game-tying score waved off due to a phantom goaltender interference penalty.

Chicago's Viktor Stalberg fired a shot on net from the right side that found its way into the net, but Andrew Shaw was ruled to have interfered with Howard. The only problem was several replay angles failed to show Shaw ever making contact with Howard.

Sure enough, the Red Wings took advantage of the fortunate decision and grabbed a 3-1 edge when Pavel Datsyuk scored on a terrific rising wrist shot that sailed over Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford and into the net.

"Our hard work has been paying off," Howard said after the game. "Guys have been taking the body and blocking shots. We're playing with a lot of heart right now and we have to keep it going."

The Blackhawks have a right to be frustrated after having such a big goal waved off, but Chicago can't afford to wallow in self pity. With two full days off in between Games 3 and 4 in Detroit, the Blackhawks need to find a way to put the events of Monday night in the past. That means acknowledging they've been outplayed in this series and are not down 2-1 because of bad officiating.

Chicago also needs better efforts from Crawford and captain Jonathan Toews if it wants to stay alive in the playoffs. After giving up seven goals on 60 shots over the last two games, Crawford has to find a way to match Howard's performance at the other end of the ice.

Toews, the Conn Smythe winner when Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2010, has yet to score a goal in eight postseason games. He did register seven shots on goal in Game 3 for his highest shot total of the playoffs. That could be a sign he's ready to bust out of the goal-scoring slump and Chicago could certainly use the production after solving Howard for just two goals over the last two games.

Detroit's play early in this series is a testament to the unpredictability of the NHL playoffs. The Blackhawks seemed so far above the Red Wings heading into the postseason, but Chicago is learning how little being a heavy favorite means this time of the year.

Over the last two games, Chicago appeared to be the team waiting for an opportunity while the Red Wings are the ones making their own breaks. If that trend continues, we could have the first major upset of this postseason, one that few people saw coming.

Report: Patrick Roy to be next Avalanche head coach

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:34:13 -0500

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Patrick Roy is in line to become the next head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

On Tuesday, Roy's younger brother Stephane confirmed to the Post that the Hall of Fame goaltender will eventually be tabbed to take the reins of the club which he helped lead to a pair of Stanley Cup titles after his arrival in a blockbuster trade with Montreal in December of 1995.

He will fill the vacancy left when the club fired Joe Sacco upon the end of the regular season on April 28.

After retiring following a first-round playoff exit in 2003, Roy became the coach of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2005. He is also the club's general manager and co-owner. The team won the Memorial Cup title in 2006.

The Avalanche acquired Roy and forward Mike Keane in exchange for Andrei Kovalenko, Martin Rucinsky and Jocelyn Thibault, then went on to win their first Stanley Cup in the spring of '96. Colorado added a second title in 2001, when he was also named the Conn Smythe winner as playoff MVP for a third time. His first two Conn Smythe wins came with the Habs.

Roy finished his brilliant career with a record of 551-315-160 with 66 shutouts and a 2.54 goals-against average. He was a three-time Vezina Trophy winner -- all with Montreal -- and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Joe Sakic, a 2012 Hall of Fame inductee and the captain of the Avalanche championship teams, is the current Colorado executive vice president of hockey operations.

Habs D Emelin has knee surgery

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:20:02 -0500

Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin underwent reconstructive surgery on Tuesday to repair damage to both the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee

Emelin was lost for the year in early April with what was originally deemed a torn ligament in the knee.

The 27-year-old rearguard was injured during the first period of an April 6 2-1 win over Boston when he collided with Bruins forward Milan Lucic. Emelin appeared to line himself up to initiate contact against the burly Boston forward, but got the worst of the exchange and fell awkwardly to the ice.

In 38 games this season, the second-year blueliner posted three goals and nine assists. Emelin's recovery time is expected to be six months.

Ducks' Beauchemin has knee surgery

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:53:54 -0500

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin has undergone reconstructive surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee.

The team announced that Beauchemin, who underwent the procedure last Thursday, is expected to return in time for the start of the 2013-14 season.

Beauchemin led all Ducks defensemen in assists (18) and points (24) while playing all 48 games during the shortened season. He added two goals and four helpers in seven playoff games against the Detroit Red Wings, who eliminated the Pacific Division champs in the first round.

Alfredsson, Brown, Toews named finalists for Messier Award

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:56:42 -0500

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson, Los Angeles' Dustin Brown and Chicago's Jonathan Toews have been selected as the 2013 finalists for the Mark Messier Award.

The award recognizes an individual as a superior leader in hockey and as a contributing member of society. It honors an individual who leads by positive example through on-ice performance, motivation of team members and a dedication to community activities and charitable causes.

Alfredsson, the NHL's longest-serving captain, is the Senators' all-time leader in numerous categories, including goals, assists, points and games. Off the ice, he has supported the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa for the past 10 seasons, purchasing tickets and suites for club members to attend Senators games and serving as title sponsor of Ringside for Youth, the club's primary fundraising event during the season. He has also worked with the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health and the Sens Foundation.

Brown has spent his entire career with the Kings and has been the club's captain for the past five years. Considered among the league leader in hits, Brown donates $50 for each hit he delivers. Some of the charities that benefit include the Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and KABOOM!, a relationship that has raised $60,000 and culminated with a special playground built in Carson, Calif., in September 2010.

Toews became the fourth-youngest captain in NHL history when he was given the title for the Blackhawks in 2008 at the age of 20. He helps grant wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and visits with patients at the local children's hospital and the Misericordia Home in Chicago. Last fall, he returned home to join the Winnipeg Patrolmen Hockey Club and other NHL players for the "Goals for Dreams Hockey Challenge," which helped raise $80,000 for the Children's Hospital Foundation and the Dream Factory, a charity that grants dreams for critically and chronically ill children.

Messier compiles the list of finalists from suggestions obtained through club and league personnel, then chooses the winner.

Previous winners have included Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla and Zdeno Chara.

Sabres extend Scott

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:07:25 -0500

Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward John Scott to a one-year contract extension.

Scott joined the Sabres as a free agent last July and did not register a point in 34 games while accumulating 69 penalty minutes.

The 30-year-old Edmonton native has 305 minutes in penalties to go along with a goal and four assists in 180 NHL games over five seasons with the Sabres, Rangers, Blackhawks and Wild.

Swedes take gold, U.S. bronze at world hockey championships

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:13:17 -0500

Stockholm, Sweden (Sports Network) - Sweden scored three unanswered goals in the third period to break open a close contest and record a 5-1 victory in the gold-medal game of the 2013 World Hockey Championship.

Simon Hjalmarsson, Loui Eriksson and Henrik Sedin all tallied during the final frame to ensure the host Swedes their first world title since 2006. Sweden fell to Finland in the finals in 2011 and claimed bronze medals in each of the two years prior to that result.

Sedin's second of two goals came shorthanded, with the Vancouver Canucks star also scoring on the power play 11:38 in the first period to snap a 1-1 tie. He added an assist on Eriksson's marker as well.

Erik Gustafsson also had a goal in the triumph, with Jhonas Enroth stopping 26-of-27 shots to help Sweden to its ninth all-time gold medal in the event.

Roman Josi accounted for the lone score for surprising Switzerland, which last reached the world finals in 1935 and earned its first medal since taking bronze in the 1953 tournament.

The United States also did not leave Stockholm empty-handed, thanks to 19- year-olds Alex Galchenyuk and John Gibson.

Galchenyuk scored the tying and winning goals in the shootout, lifting Team USA to a 3-2 win over Finland in the bronze-medal game.

Gibson stopped 36 shots through regulation and overtime, then made three more saves in the shootout, helping the United States claim their first medal at this tournament since finishing third in 2004.

The Americans took a 2-0 lead into the third period, but Lauri Korpikoski struck twice to draw Finland even. Finland had the edge in the shootout when Janne Pesonen scored to close out the second round.

Needing a goal to keep the medal hopes of Team USA alive, Galchenyuk elevated the puck over goalie Antti Raanta. Korpikoski had a chance to win it for Finland, but he fired wide of the net.

The Finns opted to go first in the fourth round and Mikael Granlund went with flash on his attempt, but the toe drag move failed. Galchenyuk then beat Raanta with a similar move to his left to seal the win.

Craig Smith and captain Paul Stastny scored in the first period for the Americans.

USA earns bronze medal with shootout win

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:19:44 -0500

Stockholm, Sweden (Sports Network) - The Americans are not leaving Stockholm empty-handed thanks to 19-year-olds Alex Galchenyuk and John Gibson.

Galchenyuk scored the tying and winning goals in the shootout, lifting Team USA to a 3-2 win over Finland in the bronze-medal game at the 2013 World Hockey Championship.

Needing a goal to keep the medal hopes of Team USA alive, Galchenyuk elevated the puck over goalie Antti Raanta. Korpikoski had a chance to win it for Finland, but he fired wide of the net.

Craig Smith and captain Paul Stastny scored in the first period for the Americans.

Sunday's gold-medal game pits Sweden against Switzerland.

NHL fines Sharks $100,000 for Wilson comments

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:12:10 -0500

New York, NY (Sports Network) - The National Hockey League on Saturday issued a $100,000 fine to the San Jose Sharks organization for comments made by general manager Doug Wilson regarding the suspension levied to Raffi Torres earlier in the week.

The fine was issued for violation of league rules which prohibit statements to the media during the 48-hour period following a disciplinary decision. In addition to an automatic penalty of $25,000, the Sharks were fined an additional $75,000 under Article 6 of the League's Constitution due to the inappropriate nature of the comments.

League discipline czar Brendan Shanahan passed down the suspension on Thursday to Torres, who was banned for the remainder of the Sharks' second-round series against Los Angeles for an illegal hit to the head of forward Jarret Stoll during the second period of the Kings' 2-0 Game 1 win on Tuesday.

On Friday, Wilson revealed his thoughts about the suspension in a lengthy statement, whose sentiments included the following:

"The Sharks organization fully supports the NHL in its efforts to remove illegal and dangerous hits from the game but we strongly disagree with the NHL's decision to suspend Raffi Torres.

"Upon review of the incident, it is abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit. As noted by the NHL, Raffi's initial point of contact was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on an opponent who was playing the puck. He did not leave his feet or elevate, he kept his shoulder tucked and elbow down at his side, and he was gliding -- not skating or charging.

"As evidenced in the video, just prior to Torres making contact with the opposing player, that player altered his posture to play a bouncing puck with his hand, placing himself in a vulnerable position.

"Comparing the facts of this incident against the actual wording of Rule 48.1, it appears that the NHL has not only made an inappropriate application of this rule but is trying to make an example out of a player who is being judged on past events, one who has changed his game dramatically this season and taken only six minor penalties in 39 games."

The Sharks trail the best-of-seven series 2-0 with game 3 in San Jose on Saturday night.

Switzerland, Sweden post shutouts to reach final at Worlds

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:45:21 -0500

Stockholm, Sweden (Sports Network) - Reto Berra stopped 29 shots and Nino Niederreiter scored the game winner in the second period as Switzerland took a 3-0 victory over the United States in the semifinals of the 2013 World Hockey Championship.

In the earlier semifinal game, Loui Eriksson scored twice on the power play and Jhonas Enroth made 30 saves to lead Sweden in a 3-0 victory over Finland.

The Swiss, who are in the final for the first time since losing to Canada in 1935, will take on Sweden in the gold medal game on Sunday, while the Americans face off against Finland in the bronze medal game tomorrow.

Julian Walker added an insurance goal halfway through the third period while Reto Suri's empty-netter sealed the win for the Swiss, who last appeared in a semifinal in 1998 and remain undefeated in this tournamnet with nine wins.

John Gibson stopped 28-of-30 shots for the Americans, who advanced to the semifinals thanks to an 8-3 rout of Russia on Thursday.

The Swiss got the only goal they needed midway through regulation as Martin Pluss fed the puck from the left to the right on a rush and Niederreiter wristed it in.

Walker beat Gibson with a big slap shot over the glove with 9:49 left in regulation, while Suri put the puck in the empty net with 19 seconds to play.

Sweden reached the final for the second time in the last three years. The Swedes were beaten by Finland in the final two years ago and haven't won World Championship gold since 2006.

The Swedes will try to become the first host country to win it all since the Soviet Union won in Moscow in 1986.

The Swedes were unable to cash in a power play early in the contest, but converted their second of the first period at the 10:33 mark when Sedin's shot from the right circle hit Eriksson and went past goaltender Antti Raanta.

Finland failed on two power-play chances late in the first and the Swedes again found the net with the man-advantage late in the second. Eriksson snuck into the slot, took Sedin's centering feed from behind the net and snapped a shot into the top left corner for a 2-0 edge with 3:47 to play in the stanza.

Enroth turned aside 19 shots through the first 40 minutes, then stopped all 11 he faced in the third before Sedin found the empty net in the final minute.

Raanta made 28 saves in defeat for Finland.

Orioles Gonzalez reinstated from DL

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:02:32 -0500

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - The Baltimore Orioles reinstated pitcher Miguel Gonzalez from the 15-day disabled list.

Gonzalez, who had been on the DL since May 9 (retro May 4) with a blister on his right thumb, will start Tuesday night against the New York Yankees. The 28-year old righty was 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in six starts before his trip to the disabled list.

Pitcher Jair Jurrjens has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for Gonzalez.

Cubs claim Eduardo Sanchez off waivers

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:09:58 -0500

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs have claimed pitcher Eduardo Sanchez off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sanchez has appeared in nine games for Triple-A Memphis this season, posting a 3.72 ERA and one save.

The right-hander, who made his major league debut in 2011 with St. Louis, will be assigned to Triple-A Iowa. Sanchez is 3-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 43 career games with the Cardinals.

Giants place Vogelsong, Casilla on DL

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:59:57 -0500

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - As expected, the San Francisco Giants placed right-hander Ryan Vogelsong on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday.

Vogelsong fractured two bones and sustained a dislocated joint in the pinkie finger of his right hand while swinging at a pitch in the Giants' 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday.

The 35-year-old veteran was unable to finish the at-bat, as pinch-hitter Nick Noonan replaced him and grounded out to end the fifth inning. He was scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

Vogelsong is 2-4 with a 7.19 ERA in nine starts this season.

The club also placed right-hander Santiago Casilla on the DL due to a painful cyst in his right knee, which has limited him to just two appearances since May 8.

Casilla is 3-2 with one save and a 1.89 ERA in 21 games this season.

To fill the roster spots, the Giants recalled pitcher Sandy Rosario and first baseman Brett Pill from Triple-A Fresno.

Rosario was 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 16 relief appearances for Fresno this year. The right-hander threw just three pitches in a game for San Francisco on April 30, picking up his first big league victory in the process.

Pill played in three games last week for the Giants, going 2-for-6 with an RBI. He was hitting .365 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 35 contests for Fresno this season.

Rangers activate Pierzynski

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:48:15 -0500

Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers have activated catcher A.J. Pierzynski from the 15-day disabled list.

Pierzynski had been sidelined with a strained right oblique, just his second trip to the DL in his 15-year career.

The 36-year old was hitting .263 with four homers and 11 RBI in 26 games this season. He is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday when Texas plays Oakland.

To make room on the active roster, Texas optioned catcher Robinson Chirinos and pitcher Josh Lindblom to Triple-A Round Rock.

Stretching the Field: Displeasure settling in for Hamels

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:47:22 -0500

(Sports Network) - The run support, or lack there of, has reached its boiling point for Philadelphia Phillies "ace" Cole Hamels.

Victimized once again by an ineffective offense, Hamels had zero patience for anyone, including the media, following Monday's 5-1 road loss against the Miami Marlins.

Hamels, who was pegged to be a National League Cy Young Award candidate in spring training, darted from the visiting clubhouse and avoided any contact with those interested in knowing what was on the left-hander's mind after he dropped to 1-7.

You read that correctly. Seven losses. Hamels lost six times (17-6) all of last season and earned himself a six-year, $144 million contract extension last July. Does Hamels fall into the category of wasted money? Heck no, but he may just need to ventilate with the veteran hitters.

Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee tried pin-pointing the problem.

"I think it's a lot of tight ballgames, his contract," Dubee said. "He's an accountable guy just like Doc (Roy Halladay). He's probably one of the bigger faces of the Phillies, and he wants to be accountable for that, and not winning probably weighs on him, and I think losing Doc weighs on him. We're down one of our aces and I think that's weighed on him. Again, this is an accountable guy who wants to win."

To Hamels' credit, if there is any, Ryan Howard missed Monday's game with a balky knee. Would that have made a difference? Probably not, because he has two RBI over his last nine games. You read that right, too: two RBI.

Hamels and Cliff Lee are the remaining aces Dubee was alluding to. Kyle Kendrick is having a promising season and there's not much to build a winner after him. Young arms Jonathan Pettibone and Tyler Cloyd are the spackle to a rotation that has more holes than the Phillies' bats when Hamels gets the nod.

The left-handed Hamels hasn't pitched with a lead in 44 days and Philadelphia is 1-9 when he takes the hill. As far as Hamels' frustration is concerned, it has to be draining to pitch six innings and allow only two runs and no walks with a season-high 10 strikeouts and not win. That was his line against a Marlins team that is one of the worst in the major leagues. Hamels entered the night with 13 walks in his previous four outings.

The Phillies have scored one run or none five times with Hamels starting and in games when the offense produces three or more, the southpaw is 1-4.

"He needs some runs," Phils manager Charlie Manuel said. "He needs to pitch with a lead sometime and have room to breathe and room if he makes a mistake. Yeah, that's a concern of mine, but I don't know what we're going to do about it."

Would replacing Steve Henderson and Wally Joyner as hitting coaches make a difference? A change in that department doesn't mean the bats will all of a sudden come alive. Howard will still be Howard, striking out often and missing on several breaking balls. The other big bats of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Michael Young and Domonic Brown won't turn the Phillies' offensive woes into a cavalcade of runs if someone else is instructing ways to hit.

"We have Jimmy Rollins. Brown is improving. We have some spots where if we get going we might be able to muster some offense. Hopefully that's what will happen," Manuel said. "We're so inconsistent. When your team is hitting .245, you're inconsistent. That's inconsistent. That's the bottom line."

The only solution for Hamels' misfortunes is to keep pitching the way he has been: hitting the corners, keeping walks down and strikeouts high and not to lose his cool. Think back to when a younger Hamels used to display his frustration on the mound for the whole stadium and televised audience to see. He hasn't behaved like that in years and, hopefully, it remains that way.

It's obvious Hamels is not very thrilled right now and just wants to win. You can't slight him for that.

Philadelphia is slated to send Hamels out again Sunday against the Washington Nationals, a team he has dominated in the past. In 24 career starts against the NL East-rival Nationals, Hamels is 13-5 with a 2.57 ERA over 157 1/3 innings.

The Phillies have yet to play the Nationals this season and averaged almost five runs (4.75) per game in Hamels' four starts against them last season. The chances of repeating that effort seem bleak since the Phillies are 23rd in the majors with a .244 batting average, 24th in homers (38), 27th with 157 runs scored and 28th in RBI (147).

Taking advice from Brown could alter the plan and get Hamels smiling again.

"It's May. It's time to get going," Brown said.

First-quarter observations from the MLB season

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:24:50 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - A little over 25 percent of the Major League Baseball season is already in the books.

Several teams have established themselves as unexpected contenders. Numerous players have exceeded personal expectations, and numerous others have underperformed.

Let's take a look at some of the league's first-quarter trends:

THE DEMISE OF THE YANKEES AND RED SOX WAS GREATLY EXAGGERATED

Boston was coming off a miserable and tumultuous 69-93 season. New York entered this year with injuries to stars Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson.

It looked like a changing of the guard was going to happen in the American League East. After all, Tampa Bay has been a contender for the past half-dozen years and Baltimore made a playoff appearance in 2012. Toronto engineered a number of major acquisitions that made a worst-to-first charge look quite possible.

Yet, a glance at the standings shows that things are back to normal, with the Yankees and Red Sox setting the AL East pace. As New York gets healthier, it could establish itself as the favorite again. If Boston can solidify an injury- riddled bullpen, it could prove to be the Yankees' chief divisional threat.

It's going to be a tough race all season, because Tampa Bay and Baltimore are solid teams, too. Still, don't be surprised if New York and Boston once again duke it out in late September.

THE NATIONALS HAVE A CY YOUNG CONTENDER NOT NAMED STRASBURG OR GONZALEZ

Remember last year, when Washington shut down ace Stephen Strasburg in September? The thought was that with a full season and no limitations, Strasburg would be a top National League Cy Young candidate in 2013.

Then there was Gio Gonzalez, who finished third in last year's NL Cy Young voting. Between those two pitchers, the Nationals figured to have a top contender for this year's award.

They do, but it's actually Jordan Zimmermann. He's 7-2 with a 1.64 ERA.

As for those other two Washington pitchers, things haven't gone as well as expected. Strasburg is just 2-5 despite a fine 2.83 ERA. Gonzalez is 3-2, but his ERA is just 4.01.

IT'S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR IN LOS ANGELES (AND ANAHEIM)

More than a few people came into this season with visions of an all-Los Angeles World Series. The Angels added Josh Hamilton to an already star-studded lineup. The Dodgers put together a roster that had the highest payroll in the sport, adding former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke to an already deep pitching staff.

A quarter a way through the season, the all-L.A. World Series is merely a pipe- dream. The Dodgers have struggled mightily at times, in large part because of multiple pitching injuries, as well as a pair of injuries that have limited star shortstop Hanley Ramirez to just four games.

As for the Angels, Hamilton and fellow slugger Albert Pujols have been slow coming out of the gate. The bigger problem has been a struggling pitching staff that has featured offseason acquisition Joe Blanton, who has an unsightly 0-7 record and 6.62 ERA.

It's possible the biggest competition between the Dodgers and Angels this year will be the race to see which manager - the Dodgers' Don Mattingly or the Angels' Mike Scioscia - gets his walking papers first.

THE CARDINALS JUST KNOW HOW TO WIN

Let's see. The Cardinals lost pitching ace Chris Carpenter, starting shortstop Rafael Furcal and closer Jason Motte to injury before the season began.

The initial replacement for Motte, Mitchell Boggs, struggled so badly when thrust into the closer role that he was sent to the minor leagues.

Even before those key preseason injuries occurred, the Cardinals realistically lagged behind the Cincinnati Reds on paper in the NL Central pecking order. Nevertheless, look who's leading the division.

The Cardinals have had winning records in 12 of the past 13 years, capturing the division six times, qualifying for the postseason nine times and winning the World Series twice during that span.

Basically, the Cardinals are almost always good. It's because someone usually steps up whenever there's adversity.

Shelby Miller, who earned a spot in the rotation when Carpenter was lost, is 5-3 with a 1.74 ERA. Pete Kozma, the replacement for Furcal at shortstop, has batted a respectable .264 and, more importantly, committed just one error in 185 total chances.

As for the closer role, Edward Mujica, who had four total saves in seven major- league seasons prior to this year, is 13-for-13 in save opportunities, with 18 strikeouts, one walk and a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings pitched. It's as if putting on the Cardinals uniform has turned him into Superman.

Such a development should be a surprise, but this is the Cardinals, and they just always manage to find a winning formula.

DON'T SLEEP ON ARIZONA IN THE NL WEST

The San Francisco Giants are the defending World Series champions, so they have to be considered the favorites to win the NL West title. There wasn't any preseason hype surrounding the Arizona Diamondbacks, but it would be unwise to dismiss them from the division title chase.

Yes, Arizona finished just 81-81 and in third place last season, but the Diamondbacks won the NL West as recently as 2011. This version is arguably better than that team, thanks mostly to the full-season presence of Paul Goldschmidt, who is establishing himself as an NL Most Valuable Player candidate.

If Arizona can straighten out its pitching - aside from Patrick Corbin (who is 7-0 already) - this could be an exceptional team. Brandon McCarthy, who was signed in the offseason as a free agent, is 1-3 with a 4.74 ERA. He's bound to improve. So, too, is Ian Kennedy, a former 21-game winner who has struggled to a 4.88 ERA.

An injury to closer J.J. Putz is going to make things more difficult, but the Diamondbacks should hang around awhile in this race. If Arizona's struggling starting pitchers come around before San Francisco's, the Diamondbacks could sneak in and steal this race.

HOME RUNS ARE IN ABUNDANCE - BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE

There's a chance that a record number of strikeouts will occur this year in Major League Baseball. Mostly, it's because hitters are often swinging for the fences.

Plenty of them are connecting. Yet, some hitters who figured to belt 30 home runs or so are experiencing noteworthy power outages.

For instance, the Dodgers' Matt Kemp has two home runs in 165 at-bats. The Cardinals' Allen Craig has two in 161 at-bats, the New York Mets' Ike Davis has four in 138 at-bats and the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman has three in 111 at-bats.

In the AL, the Minnesota Twins' Justin Morneau has two homers in 161 at- bats. The Red Sox's Jacoby Ellsbury has one in 191 at-bats, and the Detroit Tigers' Torii Hunter has one in 171 at-bats.

What does it all mean? Probably nothing much, but it simply shows that hitters with power are prone to be streaky. Several of the seven hitters mentioned above will probably end up with 20-something home runs. They're just making their managers - and their fantasy owners - sweat a little bit.

WATCH OUT FOR CLEVELAND AND KANSAS CITY IN A WIDE-OPEN AL CENTRAL

Defending AL champion Detroit was the clear favorite to win the Central Division. The Tigers already had an impressive roster, but they added Hunter through free agency and welcomed the return of Victor Martinez, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

Surprisingly, the AL Central has been, from top to bottom, the most competitive division in baseball. Detroit is in second place, 2 1/2 games out, but only seven games separate the five clubs. Last-place Minnesota is just seven games off the lead.

Detroit is still the odds-on favorite, but upstarts Cleveland and Kansas City, who won just 68 and 72 games last year, respectively, should not be taken lightly.

Pitching was the biggest question mark for the Indians, but they've been in the middle of the pack in league ERA. That's been good enough to be successful because the Indians have had no trouble scoring runs.

Kansas City's offseason acquisitions of James Shields and Ervin Santana have helped the team post one of the best team ERAs in the AL. The offense has yet to follow suit, but the potential is there.

ARE ALL THOSE POSTSEASON INNINGS CATCHING UP WITH THE GIANTS' PITCHERS?

Giants starting pitchers Matt Cain (3-2, 5.43 ERA) and Ryan Vogelsong (2-4, 7.19) have struggled quite a bit in the early going, and now Vogelsong is sidelined six weeks with a fractured right hand.

Even though their teammate, Tim Lincecum (3-3, 4.70), has been better than he was last year, he's still a shell of the guy who won a pair of NL Cy Young Awards early in his career.

Those pitchers wouldn't trade in their 2010 and 2012 World Series championships for anything, but one has to wonder whether their heavy workloads built up through long postseason runs have had a negative effect.

In 2010, Cain pitched 223 1/3 regular-season innings, then 21 1/3 more during the postseason. Last year, he tossed 219 1/3 regular-season innings, then 30 more during the postseason.

Vogelsong wasn't on the 2010 Giants, but he threw a career-high 189 2/3 regular-season innings in 2012, then 24 2/3 more in the postseason.

Last regular season, Lincecum was 10-15 with a 5.18 ERA. His postseason workload wasn't that big because he pitched primarily out of the bullpen. Maybe the decrease in innings has helped him this year.

In 2010, for instance, Lincecum threw 212 1/3 regular-season innings, then a whopping 37 more in the postseason. It could easily have taken its toll, especially on a pitcher with such a slight build.

Phils put Ruiz on DL

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:55:39 -0500

Miami, FL (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies officially placed catcher Carlos Ruiz on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday due to a grade 2 right hamstring strain.

Ruiz injured himself rounding second base in the second inning of Sunday's win against the Cincinnati Reds. The 34-year old veteran had hit .235 with two doubles and two RBI in 16 games after missing the first 25 games of the year due to a suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

He is expected to miss three to four weeks.

Right-hander Tyler Cloyd, who struck out four in 6 1/3 innings in his only start with the Phillies earlier this season, took Ruiz's spot on the roster. He was scheduled to start Tuesday night against the Marlins.

Nats P Mattheus has broken right hand

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:13:35 -0500

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Washington Nationals reliever Ryan Mattheus sustained a broken right hand after striking a locker following a rough outing Sunday.

The right-handed reliever gave up five runs on four hits and two walks in an inning of work during the Nats' 13-4 setback Sunday against the San Diego Padres.

Mattheus informed Nationals manager Davey Johnson of the injury just prior to Monday's 8-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

"(Sunday) night after the game, he came in and was in the locker room and banged his glove against his locker with his hand in it," Johnson said of Mattheus. "He didn't say anything to anybody, but when he went out to throw (Monday) his hand swelled up and he couldn't throw the ball."

Over 14 relief appearances this season, Mattheus has posted a 4.96 earned run average with 12 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings.

Giants' Vogelsong fractures right hand

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:45:12 -0500

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was in the midst of his best start of the season Monday, but sustained a fractured right hand in the bottom of the fifth inning after taking a fastball off his throwing hand while swinging at a pitch.

Vogelsong scattered three hits and a walk over five scoreless frames against the Washington Nationals before swinging at an inside fastball that caught him flush on his pitching hand in the home half of the fifth.

Vogelsong was unable to finish the at-bat, as pinch-hitter Nick Noonan replaced him and grounded out to end the inning.

The 35-year-old veteran earned the victory for his effort, as the bullpen finished off the Giants' 8-0 shutout, but the news was all bad for Vogelsong after the game.

"He's got two breaks in the right hand there." Giants manager Bruce Bochy confirmed after the game. "He's going to go in tomorrow and have surgery. More than likely you're looking at four-to-six weeks."

Vogelsong entered Monday's start with a 1-4 record and an 8.06 earned run average over eight starts.

Giants' Vogelsong exits early

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:15:56 -0500

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was in the midst of his best start of the season Monday, but was forced to leave in the bottom of the fifth inning after taking a pitch off his throwing hand while at the plate.

Vogelsong scattered three hits and a walk over five scoreless frames against the Washington Nationals before swinging at an inside fastball that caught him flush on his pitching hand.

Vogelsong was unable to finish the at-bat, as Nick Noonan replaced him and grounded out to end the inning.

Javier Lopez took over on the mound for the Giants in the sixth.

Vogelsong entered Monday's start with a 1-4 record and an 8.06 earned run average over eight starts.

Tarik Black going from Memphis to Kansas

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:31:33 -0500

Lawrence, KS (Sports Network) - Memphis power forward Tarik Black will transfer to Kansas and will be eligible to play for the Jayhawks for the 2013-14 season.

Black, who graduated from Memphis with a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership, will have one year of eligibility to play at Kansas.

The 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward started five of 32 games played for Memphis last season and averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. His 58.9 field goal percentage was second-best on the team. He had 20 blocked shots and 22 steals on a team that went 31-5 overall last season, including 16-0 in Conference USA play.

"Tarik has played in a ton of big games and certainly has had good experience at Memphis," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "He's used to winning and can help us in both of our big positions. He can play the four and the five and we look forward to moving him around. He'll be an impact player that certainly changes the outlook of our team and makes us more versatile."

Over his college career, Black has averaged 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds while starting 60 of the 102 games played at Memphis.

Smith transfers to Minnesota

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:09:20 -0500

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Malik Smith is following his head coach to Minnesota.

The former Florida International guard, Smith, signed his tender to transfer and play with the Golden Gophers on Monday.

"It was a pleasure to coach Malik last season at FIU and I am excited that he has decided to join the Golden Gopher program," Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino said. "His knowledge of our program on and off the court will be invaluable as we start to integrate our system here at Minnesota."

The junior, who averaged 14.1 points per game last year, will be eligible to play right away pending an NCAA waiver based on a possible APR induced postseason ban at FIU.

New Mexico gets some payback

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:57:33 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Congratulations Steve Alford, you and your New Mexico Lobos just lost to underdog Harvard in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, please accept your parting gift of a seven-year, $18.2 million contract with UCLA.

Granted, this didn't take place in recent days, it was a deal struck at the end of March, but Alford is back in the news even before leading the Bruins onto the floor to tip off the 2013-14 campaign in Los Angeles.

Over the weekend, Alford's former employer in Albuquerque announced that it had come to an agreement in principle about the coach's buyout and even though the amount is in the six-figure range, in some minds it is not nearly enough to counter the manner in which Alford handled his transition from UNM to UCLA.

Initially, New Mexico had asked Alford to write a check for $1 million, but the coach balked. The coach was willing to hand over $200,000 instead, but that simply wasn't in the same ballpark. For the most part, the sides have agreed on a figure of $625,000, with some finer details still to be hammered out.

Perhaps the divorce between the two sides would not have been so contentious were it not for the manner in which it played out over a span of barely two weeks during that maddening month of college hoops.

Alford, a high school phenom who was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" before choosing to play for Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers, has certainly paid his dues when it comes to steadily climbing up the college coaching ladder. After a brief professional career in the NBA, Alford began his ascent by taking over tiny Manchester College in Indiana, a Division III program, back in 1991.

At Manchester, Alford built a highly successful program that reached its pinnacle with an appearance in the D-III championship game in 1995, the squad finishing second in the nation with a record of 31-1. He finished with a record of 78-29 during his tenure there.

Onto Southwest Missouri State where Alford guided that group to a 78-48 mark and a spot in the NCAA Tournament where the Bears bowed to Duke in the round of 16 in 1999.

Iowa then came calling on the rising star and although the Hawkeyes had a tough time competing in the Big Ten Conference (61-67), Alford still led the program to six postseason appearances and a record of 152-106 overall.

Over in the Mountain West Conference with New Mexico between 2007-2013, Alford raised his visibility considerably. In each of his six campaigns with the Lobos the team won at least 22 games and finished in at least a tie for first in the league standings four times. Nationally ranked this past season, the Lobos again won the MWC Tournament in Las Vegas with victories over Wyoming, San Diego State and host UNLV, but there was still more to accomplish.

An automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament was the reward for the entire team for their efforts in Sin City, but Alford had his sights set on a much bigger prize, one that would fit neatly into his bank account, and the university was more than happy to accommodate.

Just days after taking out the Runnin' Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center, New Mexico Vice President of Athletics Paul Krebs announced a new 10-year agreement with Steve Alford to remain as the head basketball coach of the Lobos.

"I have said from our first game in The Pit that this was a special place and that it was a tremendous honor to be the head basketball coach at the University of New Mexico. Now six years in, we have built a Top-25 program on and off the court," said Alford of the agreement.

Sounds promising, right?

"There is no other place I would rather coach than at UNM, representing the best fans in the country ... I'm very excited about what we have accomplished in our first six years, and I look forward to building on those successes in the future."

Apparently Alford, who made those statements on March 20, has a different idea of what the "future" is compared to the rest of us.

One day later, the Lobos hit the hardwood in Salt Lake City, UT against the Crimson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament (actually, the first game of the event for UNM) and promptly dropped a 68-62 decision and headed home.

Sure, the end came far too soon for New Mexico in 2013, but the promise of Alford continuing to lead this squad for another decade was still an exciting prospect. The coach has one of the better winning percentages, .663 (463-235), in the game and was clearly the right man for the job in the Land of Enchantment.

That is, before the coaching carousel kicked into high gear as the bulk of more than 40 job openings at the Division I level went up for grabs.

Just days after expressing his love for his team, the school, and the Albuquerque community, Alford had a change of heart. That change was precipitated by the firing of Ben Howland at UCLA, after he failed to live up to the lofty expectations that come with a program that has won 11 national titles.

Under the radar, through back channels, on the down low, however you want to describe the secretive talks, Alford went from being beloved at UNM to someone they would want to throw into The Pit and torn to shreds by actual wolves.

"I don't want anything but success for this program," Alford said of UNM on his way out the door. "Players (UNM), they should be upset, they should be frustrated. I'm upset, I'm frustrated even though I'm very excited and it's a happy day for me and my family, there's some sadness to it too."

Those statements sounded rather hollow however. Disingenuous comments made by a man trying to get out of town without causing civil unrest and remaining in one piece.

Fast-forward to April 2 and Pauley Pavilion where Alford was back with more spin control during his introduction as the newest head coach of the Bruins.

"As I started looking into this opportunity, and it was a very difficult decision, it was a leap of faith, it was a family decision ... I just saw a place that could really help better everything about our family."

I suppose what he is trying to say is that there are new opportunities opening up for his family in a new locale, and not so much that his brood had outgrown New Mexico, but still it came off rather elitist in nature nonetheless. Nothing like pretending to care so much about the people you deserted, and hope that they can look beyond your insincerity.

How can you even begin to trust someone like Alford who claimed to embody all the University of New Mexico stood for, made a significant commitment to the Lobos only days earlier, and then scurried away when he was presented with another opportunity? How do players and fans stay loyal to a coach when the values are not reciprocated?

Congratulations New Mexico for being treated like the ugly step-child in all of this, but at least you've proven that you are the bigger man.

Alexander leaves Stetson to take Lipscomb job

Sat, 18 May 2013 19:12:15 -0500

Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Casey Alexander resigned after two seasons as head coach of the Stetson University men's basketball team to take a similar job with Lipscomb, another Atlantic Sun Conference squad.

Alexander, a native of Nashville, made his decision to return home to take the reins of his former school's rival.

In his two seasons leading the Hatters program, Alexander posted a 24-36 overall record, including a 17-19 record in A-Sun play.

"I'm making this move with mixed emotions because there are so many people at Stetson I hate to disappoint, most notably our returning players and signees, because they are the face of the program," Alexander said.

He takes over at Lipscomb for Scott Sanderson, who stepped down as the school's coach after 14 years at the helm. Sanderson guided the team to a 222-201 record during his tenure, and this past season Lipscomb went 12-18, but beat Sweet 16 surprise team Florida Gulf Coast twice during the regular season.

"Lipscomb University is a perfect fit for my family and me," Alexander said. "We couldn't be more excited about this opportunity. The philosophy of the Lipscomb program is a great alignment with what we stand for."

Prior to taking his first head coaching role at Stetson, Alexander spent 16 years at Belmont under head coach Rick Byrd.

WCC extends contract of Zaninovich

Sat, 18 May 2013 01:32:18 -0500

San Bruno, CA (Sports Network) - The West Coast Conference extended the contract of commissioner Jamie Zaninovich on Friday.

Zaninovich, who is in his sixth year after being named the league's second commissioner on March 9, 2008, has been extended until May 31, 2017.

"The West Coast Conference Presidents' Council and Executive Council are pleased with the progress that continues in the WCC under the leadership of commissioner Jamie Zaninovich," WCC presidents' council chair Ronald Gallagher said. "We have seen success with conference realignment, the addition of competitors such as BYU and growth in media opportunities and exposure. We look forward to a even more robust and competitive schedule going forward with the addition of the University of the Pacific as the WCC's 10th member this summer."

Former Tulane standout joins San Diego State

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:42:26 -0500

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Josh Davis, formerly of Tulane, was added to the San Diego State roster after the school granted him an Athletic Offer of Aid.

The 6-foot-8 forward, who graduated from Tulane this spring, will be a fifth- year graduate student at San Diego State with one year of eligibility remaining. He will be available to play right away for the Aztecs.

"We are very excited that we will have Josh Davis coming to San Diego State as a fifth-year graduate student, who can play immediately," head coach Steve Fisher said.

Davis was one of just 14 players in the country to average a double-double last season (17.6 ppg, 10.7 rpg) and was a First-Team All-Conference USA selection. In 2011 Davis, who transferred from NC State to Tulane, was named to the All-Conference USA Third-Team after nearly averaging a double-double (11.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg) for the campaign.

"He will bring great experience and athletic versatility that we have been very successful with in the past. He will provide an immediate impact," Fisher said.

Davis will join a San Diego State squad that has made the NCAA Tournament in a school record four consecutive seasons.

Penn State's Marshall to forgo senior season

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:07:56 -0500

University Park, PA (Sports Network) - Penn State junior guard Jermaine Marshall announced on Wednesday that he will forgo his senior season to pursue a professional basketball career.

Marshall was Penn State's second-leading scorer this past season with 15.3 points per game and led the team with 59 made 3-pointers and 45 steals.

"Jermaine and I have had several discussions recently regarding his plans for the future and he feels strongly that graduating and entering the professional world at the conclusion of the summer is in the best interest of his son and his family," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. "We thank Jermaine for his contributions to our program and wish him the best of luck."

The 6-foot-4 Marshall registered 880 points and made 108 shots from behind the arc over 90 games (47 starts) with the Nittany Lions.

Full-Court Press: Kansas wins the lottery

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:30:15 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Although the Kansas Jayhawks lost all five starters from their impressive 2012-13 squad, they seem to be the heavy favorite to collect a 10th consecutive Big 12 Conference championship next season after Tuesday's signing of prep phenom Andrew Wiggins.

Wiggins had narrowed his list of possible college destinations to Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida State over the course of a lengthy recruiting process before delivering news that he is headed to Lawrence. The 18-year-old Canadian forward will be the featured piece for the Jayhawks, who have been instantly thrust into the national title contender discussion.

Coach Bill Self's second national championship was within his reach this past season. Kansas earned one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament and surpassed the 30-win mark for the fourth consecutive season.

The Jayhawks had a strong inside-outside game with senior Jeff Withey's sensational defensive ability pairing nicely with the high-scoring and explosive nature of freshman guard Ben McLemore. After Kansas had its season end with a heartbreaking overtime loss to Michigan in the Sweet 16, it appeared the program would have trouble continuing its dominance of the Big 12.

Kansas seemed to be a long shot to land Wiggins as his recruitment process neared its end. He played his hand very closely, which consistently kept fans guessing. The fact that both of his parents went to Florida State had many thinking he would be sporting a Seminoles jersey.

Wiggins would have given Kentucky the best recruiting class in the history of college basketball had he chosen to play for John Calipari in Lexington. The prospect of Wiggins next to North Carolina's James Michael McAdoo in Carolina blue had Chapel Hill tuned in on Tuesday as well.

It does not take long to figure out why Wiggins is considered the best high school prospect since LeBron James graduated from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Ohio in 2003.

"We think he's as good a prospect as we've ever had," Self said. "We're excited about it. He brings some athleticism, length, scoring ability and he's also an assassin, an alpha dog and you definitely need that when you have a whole bunch of young kids. I think he's going to be not a good player, but has a chance to be a great one."

Wiggins comes from an excellent pedigree, being the son of former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins and Canadian Olympic track and field sprinter Marita Payne- Wiggins. It is clear he inherited a great deal from his parents as he frequently sent crowds into a frenzy with gravity-defying slam dunks during his senior season at Huntington Prep in West Virginia.

Wiggins is not just an athlete, though, he is a complete basketball player. He has a great feel for the game and the versatility to play multiple positions right away. His jump shot is accurate enough to keep opponents honest and he executes the euro-step to finish off drives so well you would think he served an apprenticeship under Manu Ginobili.

The Jayhawks already had a very strong class of incoming talent before Wiggins officially joined the fold. Joel Embiid, the top-rated center in the class, and swingman Wayne Selden gave Self a pair of All-Americans to begin his rebuilding process.

Self also bolstered his backcourt with Conner Frankamp and Brannen Greene. Frankamp's touch from 3-point range and overall basketball savvy made him the best high school guard in the state of Kansas, while Greene built his own reputation as a marksman from beyond the arc.

Frank Mason also joined the class to add depth at point guard.

The addition of Wiggins will only enhance what the group of incoming freshman is able to do. He will be the focal point of the opposition's defensive game plan each game, which should free up Frankamp and Greene for plenty of open shots. Selden's team-first approach to the game can stay the same as he will have less pressure to put up big numbers right away.

The combination of Wiggins and Embiid is a dream pairing for Self's high-low motion offense. The rookie duo will create mismatch problems for opposing forwards.

There will be a lot of pressure on Wiggins to succeed due to the mountains of hype that have been constructed over the past few years, but it is very unlikely he will leave too many disappointed.

Wiggins delivered a solid performance on the grand stage in the McDonald's All- American game in early April when he paced the East squad with 19 points in 24 minutes. He has already become a celebrity at a very young age despite his preference to shy away from the spotlight.

Wiggins became a fan favorite during his days in Huntington. Mayor Steve Williams even proclaimed it was Andrew Wiggins Day in the city on March 28 when he was acknowledged as an All-American.

He hasn't let the enormous amount of attention go to his head, either. Instead of a big press conference to announce his intent to become a Jayhawk, he elected for a low-key, private ceremony at St. Joseph Central Catholic School in front of a small group of classmates, family and close friends with very limited members of the media invited.

Although it would have been fun to see Wiggins participate in the ACC or join Calipari's recruiting class, he made a very wise decision. Self's system plays to his strengths, and while Wiggins will be the go-to-guy, he will still have plenty of help around him.

While no one can be sure as to exactly how successful Wiggins will be at the next level, it is an absolute certainty that Allen Fieldhouse will be buzzing on a nightly basis.

Highly-touted recruit Wiggins settles on Kansas

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:50:42 -0500

Lawrence, KS (Sports Network) - Top high school recruit Andrew Wiggins finally selected a school on Tuesday when he announced his intention to play for the Kansas Jayhawks next season.

Wiggins' announcement was held in the gym of Huntington Prep School in West Virginia.

Originally from Toronto, Wiggins had narrowed his options to four schools before Tuesday, and selected the Jayhawks over Florida State, Kentucky and North Carolina.

"This was a pleasant surprise because we never had an idea which way he was leading," said Kansas coach Bill Self in a statement Tuesday. "Andrew did this the exact way he said he was going to. He played his cards very close to his vest as did his mother and father. I knew we were one of four. The competition was very stiff and we were fortunate that we were able to ink him today. He's a tremendous talent and a terrific kid. Probably an even better kid than he is a talent. We think he has a chance to be about as good a prospect as we've ever had."

The 6-foot-8 forward was the Naismith Prep Player of the year this past season and is the No. 1 ranked prospect in the class of 2013 according to Scout.com. He averaged 23.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.5 assists last season for Huntington Prep, leading his team to a 30-3 record.

"I think he's going to be not just a good player, but have the chance to be a great one," Self added. "I know the people that support our program are going to be pleasantly surprised when they see him run and play the very first time he gets the opportunity."

Wiggins, whose father Mitchell played in the NBA, will follow in the footsteps of Ben McLemore, who declared for the 2013 NBA Draft after a stellar freshman season with Kansas this past year. Last season, Kansas finished 31-6 overall and earned a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Does it get any WACkier than this?

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:08:23 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Davidson is heading to the Atlantic 10 Conference, joining the league in time for the 2014-15 basketball campaign.

The Wildcats made that announcement just last week, the latest program to get in on the mad dash to find grass that is supposedly greener than what it has at its current locale.

The shifting and reshaping of conference landscapes in college sports is becoming an exhaustive exercise in trying to remain current and relative, perhaps that's nowhere more evident than over in the Western Athletic Conference which has become the road-side rest stop for a multitude of under- the-radar schools.

For a league established more than 50 years ago, by the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, it should come as no surprise that not a single one of those institutions still flies the WAC flag. However, what is rather startling is the radical state of flux that has flung open a revolving door to several schools that have their heads spinning as they try to figure out if they are coming or going.

A little over a decade ago, a huge chunk of the WAC splintered off to create the Mountain West Conference, a league that not only remains today, but is thriving in both football and men's basketball. That jolt brought in a new recruitment of schools, from Rice and SMU, to San Jose State, and later Nevada and Boise State.

In 2005, the WAC waved goodbye to three schools and at the same time welcomed in Utah State, Idaho and New Mexico State. In the last couple of years the league has watched Boise, Nevada and Fresno State take their basketball squads over to the MWC, while Hawaii split up athletic endeavors between the MWC and the Big West, depending on the sport.

Dizzy yet?

With just five teams ready to suit up for the 2012-13 season, the WAC began handing out league invitations as if it were hosting a Sweet 16 party and was hoping to bring in plenty of presents. However, what the conference ended up with was a handful of freeloaders who came in empty-handed and ate all of the food on their way to a quick exit. The WAC pulled in Texas-San Antonio, Texas State and Texas Arlington, all three from the Southland Conference, while the Sun Belt's University of Denver and former Independent, Seattle University, also came along for the ride.

The inclusion of the Texas-based schools served to give the league a substantial presence in the Lone Star State, albeit far less obvious than that of the Big 12. The potential to successfully recruit, as well as extend a networking immediacy within the Texas border was now a reasonable expectation. Unfortunately, that bridge was constructed on shaky ground because all three of those schools are heading elsewhere after just one season.

UTSA has accepted the challenge to compete in Conference USA, while both Texas State and UTA make the move to the Sun Belt. Another one-and-done participant is Denver, one of the top basketball teams in the WAC in 2012-13, now heading to the Summit League.

"The current climate within collegiate athletics has made it imperative that the University (of Denver) find a stable home for the majority of our sport programs," said DU Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation Peg Bradley- Doppes, as the Pioneers accepted an invitation just weeks into the 2012-13 campaign.

"The Summit League is an excellent alliance for our teams, with many institutions within the conference already familiar to residents of the Rocky Mountain region. Our student-athletes will be able to jump in and compete for NCAA postseason play right away, which is the goal for all of our athletic programs."

In other words, Denver is looking out for itself and it is again time to hand out a few more invitations ...

There are plenty of other schools that are jumping at the chance to join the WAC. In fact, six new additions to the WAC basketball plan for 2013-14 are again extending the reach of the league. This time to the Midwest and the Windy City is represented with the inclusion of Chicago State, back down into Texas with UT-Pan American, and over to the west coast with Cal State Bakersfield. Occupying parts in between are UMKC, Utah Valley and Grand Canyon University, the latter making the transition to Division I status.

With student enrollment hovering in the 44,000 range, the Antelopes of Grand Canyon may have some untapped resources at their disposal, a few diamonds in the rough if you will. The team plays in a gym that holds just 2,000 and that might work against them as they make the move from Division II and the Pacific West Conference, particularly with former NBA star Dan Majerle accepting his first-ever head coaching position with the program in March.

Majerle, an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns until recently, has been a key figure in the community since being drafted by the Suns out of Central Michigan, and subsequently a popular choice for the 'Lopes.

"I know I can coach," said Majerle at his introduction. "I haven't recruited (players), but I'll surround myself with a staff that's like-minded as far as work ethic and knowing what needs to get done. I have to do a good job of hiring guys who know the ropes."

In addition to his enthusiasm, Majerle also brought along a key message for his new devotees: a 20 percent discount that day at any of his four namesake restaurants in metro Phoenix.

Maybe if the other head coaches also brought something to the proverbial table as tasty as the Sir Charles Chicken Sandwich or the Three Point Burger, this new batch of league members would cause more of a stir.

Pony up some deep dish pizza Chicago State, throw another rack of ribs on the grill UMKC, you two are just the latest flavors of the month for the WAC. But check back in November because the Western Athletic Conference reserves the right to change the menu without prior notice.

Southern Conference could expand soon

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:22:28 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Southern Conference may be close to expansion as it tries to replace schools that are leaving for other conferences.

The Roanoke (Va.) Times reported Tuesday that VMI men's basketball Duggar Baucom told a Roanoke Valley Sports Club meeting of about 100 people Monday night that his school re-entering the Southern Conference is almost a done deal.

VMI was a SoCon member from 1924-2002 before departing for the Big South Conference.

SoCon officials recently visited the campuses of VMI and Atlantic Sun members East Tennessee State and Mercer, and signs point toward the three schools being accepted into the conference at its spring meeting May 28-31 in Hilton Head, S.C.

SoCon commissioner John Imarino has recommended the addition of the three schools to his conference's presidents. The SoCon is losing the College of Charleston to the Colonial Athletic Association later this year; Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, both FCS powers, to the Sun Belt Conference next year; and Davidson to the Atlantic 10 next year as well.

In the FCS Huddle: From safety to sideline

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:55:50 -0500

(Sports Network) - Chris Beranger could still be that football player.

The tough one who never fails to go full-throttle, never backs away from an opponent, a challenge, an injury. The one who wants to win no matter what it takes.

Even if it means risking further damage from a concussion.

You might say that player can be described in another way: uninformed.

Fortunately, that type of player is becoming a part of football's past.

Beranger isn't that way.

He could be preparing today for another season on the University of New Hampshire football team. But instead of being a three-year starter at free safety, he is a three-time victim of concussions. His career is over.

Ultimately, it was his decision to call it quits, and he resisted the initial urge to get right back on the playing field. To Beranger, making the tough decisions - better yet, the informed ones - regarding sports-related concussions, are so much easier for an athlete who surrounds himself with the right people.

Beranger recognizes his own limitations. Too many athletes don't.

"It's something that you really have to take care of," the 22-year-old said. "Like I give advice to anyone that's going through the same problem, take your time and don't stress out over things that you can't control. If I could control it, if this was any other injury - leg, arm - I've be back on that field already.

"But this is the rest of your life. I've looked into it and I don't want to be one of those guys that you see on the TV that has those problems with post- concussion syndrome. Because I do have those symptoms. And if I don't let it heal correctly, I'll be in the same spot."

Beranger knows the thrill of success in a UNH uniform. As a sophomore in 2011, he collected 142 tackles for the fourth-highest single-season total in program history.

He also knows the other side of the memorable game last Sept. 22 in Norfolk, Va., when Old Dominion edged New Hampshire, 64-61, behind quarterback Taylor Heinicke's record-setting performance - 730 passing yards and 791 total yards, both Division I single-game highs.

The 5-foot-11, 194-pound junior from Winthrop, Mass., was out of the game by the time Heinicke's final pass set up the game-winning field goal. On a third- quarter play, Beranger and UNH strong safety Manny Asam converged on a ball carrier, the runner slipped below his tacklers and the two defenders collided helmet-to-helmet.

It turned out to be the final play of Beranger's career.

"I thought I was going to be all right, I really did," said Beranger, who wanted to go back into the game. UNH's trainers, who evaluated Beranger on the sideline, realized there was no chance of it happening.

"I thought it was going to be a few weeks and then I would be back on the field. And then it just kept bothering me and bothering me."

Beranger suffered his first concussion as a redshirt freshman in 2011. He was back on the field less than two weeks later.

He suffered another one in preseason camp last August. He improved, but he found it hard to shake off all the effects as easily as the first concussion. He was vulnerable for more damage.

After getting hurt against Old Dominion, the severity of his symptoms worsened. Beranger didn't have his usual energy or bounce in his step. In fact, he struggled just to get out of bed in the morning. Dizziness became a part of the daily routine.

He was so slow in recovering that not only did the concussion end his season, but he had to take off the remainder of the academic semester while he rested and went through occupational therapy.

It was during this latest recovery that Beranger absorbed all the information around him, from the concussion-related lawsuits by more than 4,000 former NFL players against the league, to talks with his family, his coaches - his position coach, Terrance Klein, a 2010 UNH graduate, had played through a concussion in his career - his teammates - one of his former teammates, tight end Chris Jeannot, had his career end by concussion in the same season that Beranger suffered his first one - and his doctors.

He also listened to himself.

"He and his parents and our trainers and the doctors thought it would be in the best interest of him not to play anymore," UNH head coach Sean McDonnell said. "And I'm sure if it was 10 years ago, 15 years ago or when I was playing, this kid would be playing or would be doing things possibly to put himself in a bad situation. The education part of all this and the training room part of all this has been very important with these types of injuries for kids to realize what could happen - not just a year down the road but five, 10, 15 years down the road."

Football is the most common sport with concussion risk for males, with the NCAA reporting 2.5 concussions per 1,000 game-related exposures during the 2011 season. No two concussed players are exactly alike. What used to be described as a player getting his "bell rung" is a serious injury, and always has been.

Now it's being taken more seriously.

"Coming from an athlete playing for 10 years in a row, having my career cut short, this has been the hardest year of my life," Beranger said in his thick New England accent.

"I want to come back, but I know that if I take one more hit, it could be life-threatening effects."

Beranger says he feels about 95 percent recovered from the third concussion. When he plays basketball or works out, he might feel light-headed afterward, but it's nothing like he felt last fall, or could feel again if he continued his football career.

He will return to the Wildcats team as a student coach, working with the secondary under Klein and defensive coordinator John Lyons.

He is 20 credits shy of graduating with a sociology degree and is scheduled to finish up next spring while still on scholarship. Coming from a family in law enforcement, Beranger wants to be a policeman.

He's amazed simply how people's sense of awareness has risen since his first concussion. He laments the end to his career, but he considers it the right decision.

"It's just sad to see the effects that the game of football can have on you later on," Beranger said.

"It's the people around you that make it easy to make a right decision. Because if it was totally up to me, I would have been back on the field in the Old Dominion game."

Buffs hoping to stampede way back to respectability

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:56:20 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - It's been more than two decades since the football team at the University of Colorado hoisted its one and only national championship trophy, and the program has struggled to remain relevant ever since.

Under the watchful eye of Bill McCartney, the winningest coach in school history and a recent inductee (class of 2013) into the College Football Hall of Fame, the Buffaloes were kings of the college football world, or at least co-kings, back in 1990 when they shared the crown with Georgia Tech.

Despite a few years of fleeting success since, they've had a difficult time keeping pace with the competition in what most can agree are some of the toughest conferences in NCAA history (Big Eight, Big 12, Pac-12).

McCartney led CU to 10 consecutive winning seasons, three straight Big Eight titles (1989-91) and nine bowl games, but the team has enjoyed sporadic success under four different head coaches since his reign ended back in 1994. Rick Neuheisel followed McCartney to great fanfare, and although he won more than twice as many games as he lost during his four-year run, he couldn't get the team over the proverbial hump and was subsequently replaced by former Northwestern mentor Gary Barnett.

With the Big Eight's morph into the Big 12 a couple of years old at that point, Barnett, a former assistant under McCartney, led the Buffs to three Big 12 Championship Game appearances, winning the title in 2001, but any success he achieved on the field wasn't enough to keep him in charge as allegations of improper behavior resulted in a suspension, and his eventual exit in December of 2005.

Boise State head man Dan Hawkins was arguably the hottest coaching commodity at the time, so he was brought in to restore some semblance of stability, but it wasn't meant to be as Colorado lost significantly more games than it won during his tumultuous five-year tenure.

Jon Embree, a Colorado alum and well-respected former NFL and CU assistant, was entrusted with the task of ushering the Buffs into yet another new era, as the school, along with Utah, joined the former Pac-10, now Pac-12, in time for the 2011 campaign. To say that his two years at the helm were a disaster would be an understatement, as the team went just 4-21, including a program-worst 1-11 in 2012.

Enter Mike MacIntyre, the former head coach at San Jose State who amassed a record of 16-21 in his three years there. While naysayers will say that he appears to be yet another in what has become a frustrating line of ineffective leaders, a closer look shows a guy who took a beleaguered program to unprecedented heights in a relatively short amount of time. The Spartans went 1-12 in 2010, 5-7 in 2011, and an eye-popping 11-2 last season, which included a Military Bowl win over Bowling Green, earning the squad a final BCS ranking of No. 24.

Colorado hasn't posted a winning record since going 7-5 in Barnett's last year (2005), and the team has been to just one bowl game (2007 Independence Bowl) in the last seven seasons. MacIntyre hopes to change all that through a steady diet of relentless recruiting, disciplined play, and character-building, all of which he and CU's countless supporters hope leads to success beyond their wildest expectations.

Having inspired his players to perform at a high level in the past, MacIntyre knows the path to greatness isn't going to be easy.

"We will work tirelessly, we will work correctly, and we will work with passion," he said as his introductory press conference.

Despite the tough road ahead, he also realizes the honeymoon will be short- lived as Buffalo backers everywhere are frothing at the mouth for a winner.

"There is always a sense of urgency. You develop; the word I use instead of patience is perseverance. I think there is a big difference. Perseverance, you're working continuously every day."

While fostering an environment of open competition when it comes to the majority of position battles, MacIntyre had hoped to have senior quarterback Jordan Webb serve as a stabilizing force should the situation call for it, but the veteran signal-caller suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during a practice back in April and is expected to miss the entire 2013 season.

With his system firmly in place, and his first spring game in Boulder now in the books, MacIntyre knows it's important to keep the energy level up as he tries to make his team forget the dismal time it endured last fall.

"We're on the way, but not where we want to be," he said. "Every scrimmage and every practice from the first on, they've had more fun playing, congratulated each other, applauded each other, enjoyed coming out and doing the work. If you enjoy your work, you get better. If you don't enjoy it, you don't ... as you enjoy the process you get better."

Competing in the Pac-12 isn't only about winning the war between the lines, but also out on the recruiting trail, something the Buffs have failed miserably at in recent years. MacIntyre hopes to change all that as he focuses on quality over quantity when eyeing prospective student-athletes.

"It will be first do they want to be at Colorado, and second of all we will start talking football and show them what we can do, what I can do for them and go from there. And we want the right fit now, I can't say that enough, evaluating a person and talent is the key to being successful."

Delaware State player seriously injured in car crash

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:51:07 -0500

Middletown, DE (Sports Network) - A Delaware State University football player was hospitalized in serious condition Thursday after his car was hit twice in an early morning accident.

Officials said Jadira Green, of Fort Washington, Md., was stopped completely in his 1998 Buick Century on Delaware Route 1 northbound without its lights on when hit by a box truck at 4:09 a.m.

Green's vehicle was pushed into another lane and struck again on the passenger side by a tour bus.

Green, who police said was not wearing a seat belt, was transported by ambulance to Christiana Hospital Trauma Center.

A 6-foot-4, 300-pound offensive lineman at Delaware State, Green is scheduled to be a fifth-year senior in the 2013 season.

On Campus: Head of the class

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:49:07 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - They get all the attention and for good reason. A playmaker under center can be the difference in reaching a BCS bowl game. With that in mind, here is a list of the top signal callers in the FBS in 2013.

TEDDY BRIDGEWATER (Louisville): After being tabbed the Big East Rookie of the Year in 2011, the 6-3, 220-pound Bridgewater took his game to another level as a sophomore, passing for 3,718 yards and 27 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. Bridgewater completed a hefty 68.5 percent of his passes, as he went on to earn Big East Offensive Player of the Year, as well as garnering some All-American accolades. He capped off a stellar season by leading the Cardinals to a 33-23 victory over Florida in the Sugar Bowl, where he passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns. If Bridgewater continues to develop on the same learning curve, the Cardinals will post double-digit wins for the second straight season, while Heisman chatter could reach a fevered pitch.

JOHNNY MANZIEL (Texas A&M): "Johnny Football" has earned legendary status in College Station. The only freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Manziel shattered the SEC record for total offense, amassing 3,706 yards passing, while adding another 1,410 rushing in 2012. He also accounted for an astounding 47 total touchdowns, en route to earning All-American status. His gritty performance in Tuscaloosa against a ravenous Alabama defense will go down as one of the best performances by a quarterback in some time. While his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame may not be ideally suited for the NFL, Manziel is without a doubt larger than life in the college ranks. Matching last year's eye-popping numbers isn't likely, but it will certainly be fun to watch him try.

TAJH BOYD (Clemson): After bursting on the scene early in 2011 before fading down the stretch, the 6-1, 225-pound Boyd started and finished strong for the Tigers in 2012, as Clemson went 11-2 on the year. Boyd completed an impressive 67.2 percent of his passes, for 3,896 yards and 36 touchdowns. Like most of the top QBs on the list, Boyd is also a dual threat, as evidenced by his 514 yards rushing and 10 more TDs. Boyd is a dynamic playmaker that should continue to put up big numbers, as Clemson will once again be in the mix for an ACC crown and perhaps more. A Heisman worthy campaign certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility in Death Valley this year.

MARCUS MARIOTA (Oregon): The list of defections in Eugene is long. Not only have several All-American caliber players moved on to the NFL, but so has former head coach Chip Kelly. It remains to be seen if Mark Helfrich will maintain the status quo at Oregon, but he definitely has a real asset under center in Mariota. As a freshman last year, the 6-4, 215-pounder completed 68.5 percent of his throws, for 2,677 yards and 32 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He also managed to find time to rush for 752 yards and five more scores, leading the lethal Ducks' offense. A natural leader under center, whose talents seem to be in line with the trending NFL, Mariota may not stay in Eugene past this season if he continues to thrive.

BRAXTON MILLER (Ohio State): Urban Meyer's spread offense was tailor-made for a player like Miller and vise versa. The 6-2, 210-pounder isn't the most polished passer on this list, but he is serviceable in that regard, especially with his threat of tucking the ball in and running with it. Miller completed 58.3 percent of his passes in 2012, an increase from 2011, while throwing for 2,039 yards and 15 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,271 yards and 13 TDs, almost doubling his ground stats from 2011. He also happened to lead the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 campaign last year. Another season with Meyer working the strings and Miller could take the next step in his evolution.

AJ MCCARRON (Alabama): The only quarterback on this list with two national titles to his credit (Alabama also won the national title in 2009, but McCarron took a redshirt that season), he is the most seasoned signal-caller in the country. While a great deal of the credit for Alabama's success goes to Nick Saban and a dominant defense year-in and year-out, some has to go to the 6-4, 215-pound McCarron. He has done everything asked of him in Tuscaloosa, earning Third-Team All-American honors in 2012 as a junior, while leading the nation in passing efficiency (173.08). McCarron completed 67.2 percent his throws last year, for 2,933 yards and 30 touchdowns, against just three interceptions. He is one of only seven quarterbacks to win consecutive national titles and the first since Tommie Frazier (Nebraska - 1994, 1995) to win back-to-back consensus crowns. A third straight title is certainly attainable, especially with McCarron handling the Alabama offense.

DEREK CARR (Fresno State): Although there may be some lingering doubts regarding Fresno State's talented signal-caller due to older brother David Carr's struggles in the NFL, there should be very few negative criticisms of Derek Carr following a stellar junior season in 2012. The 6-3, 210-pound Carr was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, setting the MWC single-season record with 4,104 yards passing. Carr also threw 37 touchdown passes against just seven interceptions. The scary thing for opponents is that it was just the first season in the new offensive scheme for Carr.

BRETT HUNDLEY (UCLA): The 6-3, 227-pound Hundley redshirted in 2011, but the time spent soaking in the atmosphere and the playbook paid off huge in 2012, as he stared all 14 games a year ago for UCLA as a redshirt freshman, setting single-season school records for passing yards, completions and total offense. The Bruins' signal-caller completed 66.5 percent his passes in 2012, for 3,740 yards and 29 touchdowns, while adding an additional nine scores on the ground.

DAVID FALES (San Jose State): Perhaps the most productive quarterback with the least amount of hype in the country, Fales put together an All-American campaign in 2012. The 6-3, 220-pounder had a huge junior season last year, leading the nation in completion percentage (.725), throwing for 4,193 yards and 33 touchdowns. A one-year starter at San Jose State after transferring in from the juco ranks, Fales rewrote the school record books a year ago and finished up ranked third in the nation in passing efficiency, sixth in passing yards and eighth in touchdown passes.

JORDAN LYNCH (Northern Illinois): The nation's ultimate dual may have resided in DeKalb last season in the form of the dynamic Lynch. The 6-1, 210-pounder passed for 3,138 yards and 25 touchdowns, while rumbling for 1,815 yards and another 19 touchdowns. While the MAC isn't exactly a hot-bed of Heisman-worthy performances, Lynch could make some noise in that regard with another big season with the Huskies. To do so however, Lynch will have to get some distance from an ugly performance in last year's Orange Bowl. Florida State's defense was too much for Lynch to handle, as he managed to rush for just 44 yards, while completing an ugly 15-of-41 passing, for just 176 yards.

HONORABLE MENTION: Aaron Murray (Georgia), Taylor Martinez (Nebraska), Everett Golson (Notre Dame), Kevin Hogan (Stanford), Devin Gardner (Michigan).

With sanctions lifted, Buckeyes eye BCS

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:48:17 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Over the past few seasons, the Ohio State Buckeyes have endured plenty of turmoil and turnover.

However, against the odds, the program has more than just rebounded, emerging from the ashes of their 2010 improper benefits scandal to become one of the top contenders for the BCS national title in 2013.

The fallout from the incident forced the Buckeyes to forgo several scholarships and cost them bowl eligibility in 2012. It also left the team in a state of flux after the resignation of Jim Tressel, who won more than 80 percent of his games at the helm for Ohio State from 2001 to 2010.

Luckily, the school found its savior during the dark period in head coach Urban Meyer.

Following a lackluster 6-7 campaign in 2011 under interim head coach Luke Fickell, the Buckeyes shocked the college football landscape by bringing Meyer aboard last season. Meyer's track record was nearly impeccable prior to arriving in Columbus. After dominating lower levels of competition at Bowling Green and Utah from 2001-2004 (39-8), he went on to win five bowl games in six seasons at Florida while being crowned BCS national champions in 2006 and 2008. Still, even with his standing as one of college football's most brilliant minds, many wondered how long it would take Meyer to bring Ohio State back to national prominence.

It's safe to say Meyer silenced any doubters in his first season. Despite being ineligible to play for the Big Ten title or in a bowl game, the Buckeyes were outstanding in 2012, finishing a perfect 12-0, setting up strongly for a similar run in 2013.

The key to Meyer's success last season was his ability to quickly implement his offensive scheme, and the results were fantastic, as the unit amassed over 423 yards per game while scoring a lofty 37.2 points per game. There's no reason to think that the offense can't put up even better numbers in 2013, as nine of 11 starters return to the fold, including quarterback Braxton Miller.

Miller emerged as one of the nation's most dynamic playmakers during his sophomore season, showing prowess in the passing game (.583 completion percentage, 2,039 yards, 15 TDs, six INTs) while displaying elite ability to make plays with his legs as well (1,271 rushing yards, 13 TDs).

Miller's confidence under center has improved with each season on campus, and he has high hopes that even more growth is on the horizon.

"I know the plays better, how they'll develop and where the guys are going to be," Miller said of his evolution as a quarterback. "It allows me to move around the pocket more confidently."

The Heisman Trophy-hopeful signal-caller will have plenty of talent to help him out in 2013, headlined by senior tailback Carlos Hyde, who, despite missing two games a season ago, racked up 970 yards (5.2 ypc), while ranking second in the Big Ten with 16 rushing touchdowns. Hyde and Miller will both benefit from the return of offensive line staples Jack Mewhort and Andrew Norwell, both of whom earned All-Conference honors in 2012.

In addition to having the Big Ten's top rushing attack fully intact, Ohio State's top receiving threats Corey Brown (60 rec, 669 yards, three TDs) and Deven Smith (30 rec, 618 yards, six TDs) are also back to help Miller improve vertically.

Meyer knows he has a lot of talent to work with, and he isn't bashful about his expectations for the offense.

"I would be disappointed if we're not the best offense in the Big Ten," Meyer said following his team's spring game.

Things are less certain on the defensive side of the ball for the Buckeyes, as they were solid yet unspectacular a season ago in allowing opponents to put up 22.8 points per game. Things are even less certain going into this year, as only four starters return.

The good news is that Second Team All-Big Ten linebacker Ryan Shazier is back for his junior season looking to improve upon a team-leading 115 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles while also adding five sacks and an interception in 2012. Ohio State should be one of the top teams in the conference against the pass as well, as Christian Bryant (71 tackles, INT), Bradley Roby (63 tackles, two INTs, 19 PDs) and C.J. Barnett (56 tackles, two INTs) make up a very experienced secondary.

"I think we made great strides this spring," senior safety Barnett said. "There were a lot of questions coming into this season, especially on defense with guys like John Simon (14.5 TFL, nine sacks) graduating. It's important to see guys like Adolphus Washington step up and make some plays."

The way the offense is built, it would surprise no one if the Buckeyes run through the Big Ten once again in 2013. Now that Meyer has already shown his ability to dominate the regular season, the next big question is whether or not his team can end the SEC's reign of terror over the FBS landscape. It's been eight seasons since another conference has hoisted the national championship trophy, but Meyer has held that crystal football twice before, and he just may have what it takes to bring it back to Columbus at season's end.

Strong building something special with Cardinals

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:23:11 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - There weren't many people, perhaps not any, that gave Louisville much of a chance in the Sugar Bowl a year ago.

Though the Cardinals were ranked No. 22 in the country, sported a 10-2 record and had dominated their league schedule, it was just unthinkable that a team from the diluted Big East could hang with a squad from the mighty Southeastern Conference.

However that is exactly what happened. In fact not only did Louisville hang with then No. 4 Florida, the Cardinals dominated en route to a 33-23 victory. It may not have been on the same level as Boise State's upset of Oklahoma in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, but it certainly made a statement.

That statement being that Louisville isn't just a team that can compete for Big East titles but possibly national crowns.

Many of the powerhouse teams are led by strong and recognizable coaches. Last year was certainly a coming out party for Charlie Strong whose no nonsense approach and dedication to the defensive side of the ball was key for Louisville.

In his first two seasons at the helm, Strong built a solid foundation by guiding Louisville to back-to-back 7-6 seasons and bowl appearances. However in 2012 the groundwork laid down in those first two seasons really began to pay off as Strong earned the Big East Co-Coach of the Year award.

One of the most important developments in 2012 was the rise of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year. In just his sophomore season Bridgewater, who is one of the players on the squad from Strong's first recruiting class, was unbelievably productive. Bridgewater threw for 3,718 yards and 27 touchdowns, completing an impressive 68.5 percent of his pass attempts. Each of those numbers were the best since 2007 when Brian Brohm was under center for the Cardinals.

Bridgewater is a microcosm for the squad as a whole. Last season he was expected to play well but obviously exceeded expectations. Now he enters this season on a short list of Heisman candidates and a player many think could be taken in the first round of next year's NFL Draft.

It's not just at quarterback that Louisville returns on the offensive side of the ball. Strong has said that he believes his receiving corps this year to be the strength of the football team.

With a host of dynamic playmakers like Devante Parker (40 receptions, 744 yards, 10 TDs), Eli Rogers (46 receptions, 505 yards, 4 TDs) and Damian Copeland (50 receptions, 628 yards, 2 TDs), Strong's opinion is far from unfounded.

"That is every quarterback's dream, ball fetchers," Bridgewater said of the litany of weapons he will be throwing to on Saturdays. "Those guys bring excitement to the offense."

While the offense certainly has plenty returning, the other side of the field also shares in an embarrassment of returning riches. Of the 19 starters returning for Louisville, 10 come on the defensive side of the ball.

That type of experience back on the field is a monumental advantage for a team that already excelled in slowing teams down last season. Louisville was ranked No. 23 in the country in total defense (340.3 ypg) in 2012 and could be even better in 2013.

Last season's lead tackler Preston Brown (109 tackles) will be the anchor for the unit as Strong indicates his hopes for the senior linebacker to take on a more vocal leadership role.

"We expect a lot out of Preston Brown," Strong said. "Preston is a starter and has been a starter for three years and I just expect him to now become the leader of the defense."

That's saying quite a lot for a team that has a long list of players that could very well be considered the 'leader' of the defense.

Case in point is safety Calvin Pryor, who also got to the century mark in tackles last season (100).

Then there's cornerback Hakeem Smith, who is fresh off a Second-Team All-Big East selection, the third time he has received all-conference honors.

Finally there is leading pass rusher Lorenzo Mauldin. The 6-foot-4 defensive end is a bit undersized for the position at 242 pounds, but still managed a team-high 4.5 sacks. The lack of bulk for Mauldin isn't an issue for Strong, who has been impressed with Mauldin's work ethic.

"I don't know if there is a player on our team that goes harder than him. You can tell (him) to slow down (but) he doesn't know what slow means," Strong said.

Even with proven commodities all over the field there will still be detractors of Louisville.

During a sensational 2012 season, Louisville didn't play the same type of schedule that national title contenders like Alabama and Oregon did. The Cardinals were 73rd out of 124 teams at the FBS level in strength of schedule (-1.96) according to sports-reference.com and did not face a ranked program until the Sugar Bowl.

The schedule isn't exactly laced with a ton of major challenges again this season with the Cardinals' biggest non-conference contest on the road against intrastate rival Kentucky.

Strong isn't giving credence to any of the doubts against his team though. After a strong start to the 2013 calendar year, not just for the football program but Louisville athletics in general, Strong sees this year as one that will be painted red.

"There are a lot of people who believe 13 is an unlucky number. This year, 2013, has proven to be very lucky for the Cardinals," Strong said. "(We) have proven that '13 is just the right number for the Cardinals."

When asked by a reporter during his pre-spring game press conference if the Cardinals were going for 13 wins in '13, Strong let out a laugh. However he also said "If we stay humble and stay hungry there is no telling where this team can go."

Perhaps how far they will travel is uncertain but 13 wins would definitely be the extreme, a national championship level extreme.

Monmouth LB Sullivan ineligible for 2013

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:47:59 -0500

West Long Branch, NJ (Sports Network) - Monmouth University has declared senior middle linebacker Dan Sullivan ineligible for the 2013 season due to an undisclosed violation of team policy.

In announcing the suspension on Wednesday, Monmouth said Sullivan will continue to practice and can participate in all organized team activities.

The Hawks are joining the Big South Conference for football only this year. Last year, the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Sullivan was named to the Northeast Conference first team.

The two-year starter, a local product out of Manasquan, has 137 career tackles. He was in on a team-high 64 stops, including nine tackles for loss and five sacks, with one interception and one forced fumble last season.

Sam Houston State hires DC from McNeese State

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:50:18 -0500

Huntsville, TX (Sports Network) - Sam Houston State has run a defense with some of the same structure as McNeese State, so the Bearkats expect a smooth transition in hiring defensive coordinator Mike Collins away from the Cowboys.

Sam Houston State announced the hiring on Wednesday as its new defensive coordinator switched Southland Conference programs. His new team has won two straight conference titles and reached the FCS championship game in each of the past two seasons.

Collins coached 12 seasons over two stints at McNeese State, including since 2008. He also was the Cowboys' assistant head coach and secondary coach.

The 2009 Cowboys were Southland co-champions.

"This is a great opportunity. I'm excited to be a Bearkat," Collins said. "What interested me most about the position was the outstanding job coach (Willie) Fritz has done here at Sam Houston. I appreciate the way the team has played with such discipline. I've also seen the support the university administration has given the program. Sam Houston obviously is committed to success in athletics. I am thankful for the opportunity they have given me."

Previously, Collins was the defensive coordinator and later the head coach at his alma mater, Louisiana-Monroe, the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State, and he spent the 2003 season as an intern on Nick Saban's national championship staff at LSU, then was the linebackers coach a year later.

Collins replaced Steve Stoker, who left Sam Houston State last month to become the defensive coordinator at UTEP. Stoker served in that position with the Bearkats the last four seasons.

In the FCS Huddle: Running backs carry heavy load

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:49:28 -0500

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - This could be the year of the crooked number among FCS running backs.

Some of the best ones have already provided a preview of what could be in store.

Towson's Terrance West rushed for 29 touchdowns as a freshman two years ago.

Indiana State's Shakir Bell pounded Drake for 349 yards - a Missouri Valley Football Conference record - in a game last season.

South Dakota State's Zach Zenner hit 2K last year with a 2,044-yard season.

While plenty of top FCS running backs departed after last season, including another 2,000-yard rusher in Wofford's Eric Breitenstein, it's the high quality of returnees that stands out for the upcoming season.

Add in some of the other staples from the Walter Payton Award Watch List and there will be some NFL opportunities down the line with this year's running backs crop.

Bell, Zenner, West and Sam Houston State's Timothy Flanders make selecting two backs for a preseason All-America team both a no-win and no-loss situation. All four deserve to be there, so there are no right or wrong answers, just great backs to pick from.

Flanders is the compiler in this year's group. He leads all returning backs in career rushing yards (4,234) and touchdowns (55). Bell's 115 yards per game is highest among the returnees.

Northern Arizona's Zach Bauman has the chance to go over 1,000 yards for the fourth straight season, and only injuries last year have kept Delaware's Andrew Pierce from having the same opportunity this year.

Villanova's Kevin Monangai, Stony Brook's Marcus Coker, Northern Iowa's David Johnson, Georgia Southern's Dominique Swope, The Citadel's Darien Robinson, Wagner's Dominique Williams and Fordham's Carlton Koonce are among the other most skilled backs.

The list runs deep, too, with 23 possible returning 1,000-yard rushers (three are quarterbacks) as well as the return of 2011 century club runners like Saint Francis' Kyle Harbridge (injured last season), Montana State's Cody Kirk and James Madison's Dae'Quan Scott.

The balls will still fly often in this age of passing offenses, but that may make the FCS's top returning running backs stand out even more this year.

Catch them if you can.