Final Four Preview: Can Anyone Stop Kentucky

The NCAA Tournament concludes this weekend with the Final Four as No. 1 seed Kentucky plays state rival No. 4 Louisville and No. 1 Kansas faces off against No. 2 Ohio State. 

Ohio State (31-7) has been one of the top teams in the country since the start of the season lead by Sophomore F Deshaun Thomas and player of the year candidate Jared Sullinger. That veteran leadership will serve them well in their matchup against Kansas in a game that figures to be physical from start to finish. The Buckeyes entered the tournament with a chip on their shoulder after receiving a No. 2 seed following their loss to Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship game and have barely been threatened during their first four tourney contests. However they have yet face a team with the pedigree of Kansas as the No. 1 seeded Syracuse team they knocked off in the Elite 8 was playing without their best player in C Fab Melo.

Kansas (31-6) has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the NCAA over the past decade under head coach Bill Self. They enter the Final Four as one of the hottest teams in the country winning 13 of the past 14 contests, a period in which they faced 4 Top 10 teams. They boast the leading candidate for player of the year in Junior F Thomas Robison who, at 6' 10" has averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds a game this year and has been a dominating force on the inside while also featuring a solid game from the perimeter. Along with the Senior leadership of G Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas may sport the only lineup that can matchup with the talent of Kentucky.

Louisville (30-9) began the season ranked in the Top-5 in the country but a disappointing 2-4 stretch in the middle of the season dropped them from the AP Poll altogether. However the Cardinals have gotten hot when it matters, winning their last 8 contests en route to the Big East Championship and an appearance in the Final Four. As the lowest remaining seed in the tournament it may seem easy to cross them off the list for title contention but this team is lead by veteran coach Rick Pitino and knocked No. 1 seed Michigan State in impressive fashion in the Sweet 16. They will not be an easy out.

The Kentucky Wildcats (36-2) are the best basketball team in the country. Period. Under superstar coach John Calipari they entered the season ranked No. 2 in the country, never fell lower than No. 3 and have been the No. 1 team in the Nation since January, winning 28 of their last 29 contests (dropping only their second game of the season in the SEC Title game to Vanderbilt) and were named the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Thomas Robinson may win the Naismith College Player of the Year but the best player in the NCAA and likely top overall pick in the next NBA draft is Freshman F Anthony Davis (14.3 pts, 10 rbs and 4.6 blocks per game this year). What's most impressive about Davis is that at barely 19 years old he seems to get better with every game right before our eyes. Kentucky's talent goes far beyond Davis however as they also feature the 3rd best player in the country in F. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as well as two other potential first-round picks in Freshman G Maquis Teague and Sophomore Doron Lamb.

On paper at least it looks like nobody can beat Kentucky given the way they've played this year. It's not just their immense talent but also the unselfish, cohesive way they play the game as a unit. Calipari, much like he did at Memphis, has turned the Wildcats into a professional program highlighted by one-and-done stud freshman players like Derek Rose and John Wall. Since arriving at Kentucky his teams have never lost a home game (in over 50 contests) and this may be the best collection of basketball talent and athleticism he's ever fielded, which is saying something. However Calipari has never cut down the nets at the end of March as his teams have suffered from their inexperience (such as Memphis' 2008 loss in the title game to Kansas when they choked away free throws late and lost in overtime). Calipari has drawn many critics because of his "Pro Factory" style, all of whom point to his failure to win the big one. His Kentucky teams have drawn the kind of ire that the Miami Heat have during the past two years. However I think all of that is about to change this year when Calipari avenges his 2008 loss to Kansas and Kentucky wins the National Championship, a win that may have a lasting impact of the future of college basketball.

Predictions:
National Semifinals: Kentucky 77 - Louisville 64; Kansas 70 - Ohio St. 67
National Championship: Kentucky 81 - Kansas 76

Larry Jones To Retire After 2012 Season

Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. announced earlier this week that he will retire following the conclusion of the 2012 MLB season. Upon his retirement Chipper will have spent his entire career, spanning more than 19 Major League season, with the Atlanta Braves franchise. Precluding anything he accomplishes this upcoming year, Chipper will retire as at least a 7-time All Star, 2-time Silver Slugger and the 1999 NL MVP, leading the Braves to 12 postseason appearances during his career including 11 in a row from 1995 to 2005. In 1995 he won the NL Rookie of the Year and was an integral part of the a Braves team that won the World Series. The moniker "Met Killer" was invented because of Chipper Jones and he will go down as one of the greatest 3rd Basemen and Switch-Hitters in MLB History.

Chipper could not play a single game in 2012 and would still be a sure-fire Hall of Famer sporting a career .304 batting average with 454 HRs and 1,561 RBIs. Among switch-hitters Jones in 2nd all time in RBI and 3rd in HRs behind only Eddie Murray and Mickey Mantle (esteemed company to say the least). However I believe Chipper's legacy goes far beyond the stellar number he's accrued over the course of his career. Grantland.com senior writer Rembert Browne perhaps best described what made Chipper so beloved in Atlanta when he said, "When I see Chipper Jones and I hear him talk, I can't help but smile, because without the jersey, he could easily be a pretty large guy who works in the rifle section at Walmart." Jones is the kind of guy who people love because they see no difference between themselves and him, beyond his terrific athletic ability. Chipper was never concerned with the glitz and glamour of fame but rather treated the game of baseball like a job, going to work day in and day out to serve the fans who came out to see him play.

In that way Chipper reminds me of my favorite baseball player ever, Cal Ripken Jr.. Both guys were just that, guys, who went out every day to work their hardest and earn the respect of every fan who came to see them play each and every time they stepped out on the baseball diamond. I can heap no higher praise upon an athlete than to equate him with Cal and as a Mets fan, I find myself somewhat stunned by that realization. In his career against New York, Chipper maintained a .329 average with 39 HRs and 123 RBI during regular season play but those gaudy numbers don't even begin to tell the story. Every single run that Chipper drove in against the Mets seemed to be the kind of back-breaking hit that makes you want to give up on rooting for your team all together. Right now I can think of at least half a dozen specific instances where Chipper turned on a fat inside fastball during a crucial juncture of the game to rip our hearts out for the upteenth time. Why then am I writing a eulogy about his career?

I can hardly nail down a specific instance where it happened, but at some point we Mets fans found ourselves expecting Chipper Jones to deliver a killing-strike every time he stepped up to the plate. It got so bad that we had to resort to petty name-calling by chanting "LARRR-RY" every time he came up because disaster became commonplace for us. Looking back now on how much of an impact Chipper has had on my team I can only tip my cap in admiration of his success. I have nothing but respect for Chipper (except for the fact that he named his youngest son Shea in honor of his success at the Mets old ballpark, Shea Stadium) and expect to find myself rooting for him during the farewell tour that will be the 2012 season. In my opinion the man is the 2nd best switch-hitter in MLB history behind Mantle and is the best Atlanta Brave I've ever seen (apart from that Hank Aaron guy, who of course spent most of his career as a member of the Milwaukee Braves). I wish him the best (albeit begrudgingly) in his final year and hope the torn meniscus injury he suffered during Spring Training (which occurred while he was stretching no less) does not hamper what should be a well deserved victory lap around Major League Baseball.

Jets Bring Tebowmania To New York

Since the dawn of the Rex Ryan era, the New York Jets have been the kings of back-page headlines with their brash and brazen nature lead by Ryan first and foremost. Not willing to relinquish that position the Jets acquired QB Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos on Wednesday in exchange for 4th and 6th round picks. The deal was announced earlier in the day however it was put on hold shortly thereafter when it came to light that there was something called a recapture clause in Tebow's contract in case of a trade on the order of $5 Million. This basically means that when Tebow was drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 draft it was written into his contract that if the Broncos traded him than he would be owed $5 Million. Apparently either the Jets failed to read that part of Tebow's contract or the Broncos didn't bring it to light.

The issue of the recapture clause is what killed a possibly Tebow trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars. When news broke that the Jets deal would be put on hold the Jags stepped back in and offered to pay $3 Million of the $5 Million owed. However the Broncos front office decided to stay with the Jets because they believed the picks they would receive back from New York were more valuable than what they would get from Jacksonville. In the end the Jets agreed to pay $2.53 Million and the trade was finalized Wednesday night.

So what does the Tebow trade mean for the Jets. It's fairly obvious that this trade is mostly a PR move. After their woeful finish to 2011 that was fraught with locker room unrest resulting from the team's accumulation of talented players that came cheap because of their character flaws. Tebow has cultivated a baby-faced image, as manufactured as it may be, over the past year and is expected to be a positive influence in the Jets locker room. He has also shown the kind of fire and leadership that Jets fans have been starving to see from incumbent QB Mark Sanchez. I think Tebow's biggest contribution to the team will be the fact that he will be competing with Sanchez and I think the Jets are hoping to lit a fire him before they fully give up on him. Make no mistake, the Jets do not expect Tebow to be their starter. Instead look for him to be put in during goal line situations and perhaps as a change-of-pace with his own package from time to time.

NFL Brings The Hammer Down On The Saints For Bountygate

The NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell handed out one of the most severe punishments in NFL history on Wednesday in response to the Bountygate scandal involving the New Orleans Saints and former Defensive Coordinator Gary Williams. Allegations surfaced earlier this month over a widespread bounty system that had been employed by Williams during his tenure in New Orleans. Harsh penalties were expected as Goodell has made improving league safety paramount during his reign. However I'm not sure many people could have predicted how hard he would come down.

Williams has been suspended from the league indefinitely and may seriously never coach in the NFL again. The Saints were fined $500,000 and will surrender their 2nd round picks in both 2012 and 2013. The NFL did not stop there however, suspending Saints Head Coach Sean Payton for the entire 2012 season without pay, which will cost him the entirety of his nearly $7.5 Million salary. They also suspended team GM Mickey Loomis for 8 games and assistant coach Joe Vitt for 6.

The Payton suspension was perhaps the most shocking punishment we've seen in decades. The NFL contended that Payton ignored instructions to prevent the placement of bounties and accused Payton for electing to "falsely deny that the program existed" as well as "attempting to encourage the false denials by instructing assistants to 'make sure our ducks are in a row.'" The Saints are now forced to find an interim replacement for Payton for this upcoming season and may be profoundly impacted by his suspension. I don't think I've ever quite seen something like this in my lifetime. I don't even know what else to say about the situation and it will be incredibly interesting to see how this affects the Saints organization and the league as a whole. Payton and the Saints had been seen as the darlings of the NFL ever since New Orleans was decimated by Hurricane Katrina. How will their legacy be viewed in the future?

Eagles Address Linebacking Woes, Acquire DeMeco Ryans From Texans

Of the many problems that plagued the Philadelphia Eagles during their disappointing 8-8 2011 season, the weakness of the middle of their defense was one of the more prominent. They employed an aggressive Wide-9 front with their defensive line under first-year D Coordinator Juan Castillo and new D-Line coach Jim Washburn. The scheme is designed to attack the Quarterback from the outside but also leaves large holes between the tackles and ends. The Eagles went with young, inexperienced linebackers to start the season and they suffered the consequences of that decision immediately as they allowed a 47-yd TD run to Rams' RB Steven Jackson on their first defensive snap of the season.

The defense and linebacking corps improved as the season went on but adding a veteran leader to the middle of their D was of paramount importance this offseason. The Eagles were not major players in Free Agency early in this offseason, opting instead to lockup their own free agents including DeSean Jackson and Evan Mathis. However they made their first splash on Tuesday by pulling off a trade for 2-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Rookie of the Year DeMeco Ryans from the Houston Texans. Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman continued his savvy business acumen by surrendering only a 4th-round pick in April's Draft and as well as swapping 3rd-rounders.

Ryans became expendable in Houston after he suffered a ruptured achilles in 2010. Ryans returned in 2011 but saw his playing time diminished as he battled back from the injury and the Texans' switch to a 3-4 scheme under DC Wade Phillips as Ryans is a pure MLB best suited to a 4-3 scheme. The Texans also felt that had a suitable and much cheaper replacement for Ryans in Darryl Sharpton which made it difficult for them to justify his $6 Million salary. Ryans is only 28 years old and will be another year removed from his injury so seeing a return to his Pro Bowl form seems a likely outcome. Regardless of whether Ryans can be the Pro Bowl talent he was or not, he only cost the team one of their 2 first-round picks and even at 80% of his former self should still be an improvement over what they already have. Can't wait to see what he can do.

Peyton Manning Officially A Bronco

The Denver Broncos officially introduced Peyton Manning as their new starting QB yesterday after finalizing a 5-year deal worth $96 Million earlier this week. Prior to the signing, the question of the future of the QB position in Denver had been in serious doubt following Tim Tebow's miraculous run to the Divisional Round of the playoffs last year. It has been well documented that despite his winning percentage, many people both, within and without the Broncos organization, seriously doubted his ability to been a full-time QB in the NFL because of his inferior skill-set as a passer. With that in mind it was far from surprising to see their interest in acquiring Manning when he was released by Indianapolis. Manning felt particularly comfortable with Denver, especially with team President John Elway. With Peyton at the helm it appears evident that Denver will look to trade Tebow as soon as they can.

I was initially surprised to see Manning command such a high salary figure considering he will be 37 by the time the season begins and concerns about his health and atrophied arm-strength after he missed the entirety of the 2011 season following multiple neck surgeries. However it seems that Manning was able to demonstrate to teams that his arm is close to being back to the level that saw him throw for more than 50,000 yards and nearly 400 TDs while appearing in 11 Pro-Bowls while in a Colts uniform. During yesterday's press conference Elway said he was confident that Manning had a lot of good football left in him and he should know better than anyone as he lead the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl titles after he turned 37. Since Elway's retirement following his Super Bowl MVP performance over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, the Broncos have seen 11 different Quarterbacks under center, none of which have come close to serving as a suitable replacement. They may have found that answer in Manning, even if only for a short time.

The fallout of this story will be the future of Tim Tebow as a number of possible suitors for his services have surfaced, most notably the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars. Both Florida teams have uncertainty at QB following disappointing 2011 season's and acquiring Tebow would be an immediately, even if ultimately short-lived, boost for their respective fan bases in light of Tebow's historic career at the helm of the University of Florida. Most agree that it is highly unlikely that Tebow will ever be a full-time starting QB, however his terrific running ability will make him attractive to many teams in search of a change-of-pace.

What To Make Of Tiger Woods

It's been nearly 2 and a half years since the downfall of Tiger Woods began in November of 2009. There's no real point in rehashing that debacle other to point out that Tiger Woods hasn't won a PGA tour event since and has struggled mightily to regain the form which had vaulted him into the pantheon on the greatest golfers in history (oh and also resulted in this dope track from Maino). We have seen some flashes of the old Tiger from time to time but the question remains: Will he be able to win the 5 Major Championships he needs to surpass Jack Nicklaus? A feat everyone thought would be just a formality not so long ago.

I know a lot of people really dislike Tiger, whether it's because he was a cheating man-whore, has a penchant for arrogant and testy interviews when in a bad mood or simply because he curses and demonstratively shows his emotions on the golf course. Those are all legit and understandable reasons but I for one have really never had anything against the man. The biggest reason for that is because I love nothing more than seeing greatness happen in sports and like it or not, there is no one better at playing great golf than Tiger Woods, period. Tiger reminded the sports world of that on Sunday at the Honda Classic. Tiger barely made the cut after two rounds thanks to a birdie-birdie finish on Friday to get to 1-under and made little noise on Saturday finishing at 2-under. Tiger then came out roaring on Sunday shooting an impressive 8-under 62 (the best final round score of his career) that featured 4 birdies and a pair of eagles on the back nine and entered the clubhouse just 1 shot off the lead at 10-under. Tiger's rally came up just short as Rory McIlroy was able to hold for the win (and the world's #1 ranking) but showed that Eldrick can still bring the ruckus.

This weekend was yet another example of the inconsistent play we have seen from Tiger since his return to the PGA last year and he has yet to put 4 great rounds of golf together. A few weeks ago Tiger was among the leaders after three rounds at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am but failed to show that final round killer instinct that had won him 71 PGA Tour events in his career, shooting a disappointing 75 and finishing the tournament in 15th place.

While his play has been up and down it is clear to me that Tiger has been getting better, despite the results. When he first came back to the tour he could barely land a drive on the fairway and was slicing shots all over the course. Tiger has mightily improved his accuracy off the tee and also with his approach shots (just check out the two eagles from Sunday). In the early goings of this season it has been the putter than has failed him. The fact that Tiger has been able to tighten his game up so much over the past year is really encouraging and after seeing how lethal he was on the greens on Sunday I think we may be getting to a point where it's only a matter of time before Tiger is back challenging for his old Number 1 ranking. I want to see this guy tear up the golf course like he used to because there really is nothing like it.

MLB Players Are Pissed About Ryan Braun

The decision by MLB arbitrators last week to repeal reigning-MVP Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs last season. The reason for the ire, which is very well deserved, is that not once did Braun actually contend that he did test positive but rather contested a technicality in the testing process. Braun's appeal was successful because the positive sample was taken on a Friday afternoon and stored in the testing agent's office over the weekend before being sent to the lab on a Monday. Braun's case was predicated on the sample being rendered invalid by being left an office for two days. This proved to be enough and Braun's suspension was repealed by a 2-1 vote. Braun then decided to be a dick claim that he was a victim or something like that.

ESPN's Buster Olney has reported that a majority of big league players he has interviewed about Braun have shown serious animosity toward the slugger and the precedent he is leaving on baseball. I absolutely understand where they are coming from. It is clear that Ryan Braun used steroids last season and that fueled his MVP season and the Brewers' run to a NL Central division crown. Players are angry that Braun cheated and got caught and yet managed to get away with it. Interesting the agent who performed the test issued a lengthly statement claiming that he followed protocol exactly, that his office was sufficiently air conditional to maintain the sample while it was there and that none of his other 600 test samples have ever been questioned.

I can't believe there is anyone in the world who can legitimately side with Braun on this issue. I'm convinced that his suspension was repealed because the MLB felt it would have a much larger problem if they had to suspend a reigning MVP. The media would be clamoring for them to take away his trophy (a la Reggie Bush's Heisman) and they would be forced to set a new precedent. Instead they were let off the hook by a technicality and given the opportunity to sweep this issue under the rug. Braun should take a cue from his employers and never speak of this issue again if he doesn't have to. His legacy is already tarnished, perhaps even more so in this day and age were testing is enforced and seriously frowned upon by the public.

Steeler's WR Mike Wallace Will Be A Restricted Free Agent

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced today that they will not place the franchise tag on 3rd year WR Mike Wallace thus allowing him to become a restricted free agent. The Steelers are expected to put a first-round tender on Wallace meaning another team can try to the Pro-Bowler to an offer sheet. The Steelers will have the right to match any offer made by another team and if they do not they will be awarded a first round pick from the team that signs him.

Steelers' GM Kevin Colbert has reiterated that the team plans to do everything in their power to retain Wallace but are handicapped because of their lack of salary cap space. The team has already been forced to release 14-year veteran WR Hines Ward, their all-time leader in every major receiving category (far outstripping Hall of Famers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth), because they simply could not afford to pay him. Currently the team is only about $3 Million under the cap for next season and matching the highest qualifying offer would take up nearly all that space. Ideally the Steelers would like to franchise Wallace but the $9.5 Million cap figure that would come along with the tag is far too rich for their blood.

Wallace was drafted in the third round in 2009 out of Mississippi after posting a 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine. He busted on to the scene in his second season in 2010 hauling in 60 balls for more than 1,200 yard and 10 TDs while leading the AFC in yards per reception. He posted similar numbers in 2011 while making the Pro Bowl and at 25 years old is certainly considered to be one of the top receiving talents in the NFL for the next 4 or 5 years. Right now I'd say there is a 90% chance he stays in Pittsburgh but that other 10% leaves a lot of room for something to happen, especially with all the teams that will be salivating at the possibility of acquiring his services.