extra Point April 2012
Fear the Brow
EP
Now Go Out There and Take It No month in sports is quite like the period from early March till early April. Baseball is steadying for opening day, college football is getting its first look at returning players, and the NFL sees its potential members training for the draft. The NHL and NBA are firmly entrenched in the playoff hunt. Plus, college basketball puts on the NCAA Tournament, the pinnacle of . In all of these cases, there’s a certain finality to the event, a “Do good, or you’re career is over,” aspect hanging over every athlete involved. With some, it’s the end of a dream or opportunity to play the sport for a livelihood. With others, it is the literal end of a career with the organization, a final chance to don the uniform and play to the crowd before moving on to some other stage of their lives. Since so much is demanded of these athletes, it’s hard to remember that we follow young adults and men, people who take every loss harder than we ever could. Look no further than this university, which has expected two national championships in the last four seasons. Scoop Jardine couldn’t have manufactured those tears were it not for his dedication to Syracuse, his home and team for the past five seasons. Though they are emotional, the tears of defeat remind us of the harsh realities of sport. Not all teams can win. Take, for example, this NCAA Tournament. With 68 teams now vying for the title, 67 teams lost before a champion was crowned. Ah, but what if you’re a fan of the lucky one, Kentucky? Enjoy the rare moment where your team claims victory. Sure, multiple members of the team are leaving to pursue other endeavors, the team is in shambles for next season, and questions abound about the ethics of your coach. But, for the moment, none of it matters.
Hey EP Sports Staff-Who would you be for a day? Pete Gegick
Jarome Iginla. I could be the Canadian captain on a Canadian hockey team.
Alex Onushco
Creative Director
Calvin Johnson. Megatron is the perfect athlete
Sam Knehans
Senior Editor
David Freese. Obviously. He’s the hero of St. Louis.
Danielle Berman
Assistant Editor
Joe Flacco. The Ravens would win Super Bowl No. 2!
Charyse Watson
Like the other 67, they went out on the court. But the Wildcats are the only ones who took the trophy home.
Web Editor
Steven Jackson. What does it feel like to run over every defensive back in the NFL?
Bryan Rubin
Pete Gegick
Editor-In-Chief/Co-Founder
Social Media Director
Tim Tebow. He’s the greatest human being of all-time.
Advisor
Robert Lloyd
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Special Thanks to Ann Hettinger, Harriett Brown, Melissa Chessher, the Magazine Department of Newhouse, David Baer, Merideth Popolo, Jeff Laboon, Scott Simone , the cast of Family Ties, the 1994 Hartford Whalers, and Sarah McLachlan
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epsportsmag.com
(AP/Paul Sancya)
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The New Guys 32 Names Will Be called on April 26th. These are those Players. By Alex Onushco
(AP/John Bazemore)
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(AP/Rick Scuteri)
The New My Old Kentucky Home Guys
32 Names
Behind Five will be Underclassmen, the Wildcats win TitleCalled No. 8 By Kristina Callahan
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SEason in the Sun Extra Point covers all the bases for this MLB Season
(AP/Paul Sancya)
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By Jason Krakower
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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(AP/Mel Evans)
7
18
(AP/Lynne Sladkey)
Wait Till Next Year Bryce Harper
Antwon Bailey
How well Do you Know baseball’s phenom?
Simply The Best
By Sam Knehans
Why Sports Means So Much to So Many
By Charyse Watson
By Sam Knehans
EP 4/13/12
The former Syracuse back dishes on family, his stature, and future plans
NHL Teams on the Brink of the Postseason By Tyler Ruby
2
The
KickoFF
Kentucky just brought home the Men’s Basketball National Championshipm, the school’s first since 1998. The championship was also the first for Coach John Calipari, who has embraced the one-and-done culture that is taking over the top level of NCAA basketball. Because he consistently recruits the most highly touted prospects in each graduating class, Calipari is constantly rebuilding. He will be doing so again next season, as all five starters from the National Championship team are reportedly headed to the NBA Draft. The biggest loss will be Anthony Davis and his infamous unibrow; but Calipari landed a fine replacement on Wednesday night when Nerlens Noel chose to take his talents and his hi-top fade to Kentucky. Noel joins Alex Polythress, Archie Goodwin, and Willie Cauley, giving Kentucky one of the top five recruiting classes in the nation. Maybe embracing the one-and-done culture is the best thing for elite college basketball programs. Only time will tell.
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epsportsmag.com
The
K
Kickoff
Zone
Our strike-zone of the biggest hits and misses in the world of sports
Bobby Petrino
Crashed his motorcycle while riding with his 25-year-old mistress, a former Arkansas volleyball player. He was subsequently fired from his job as Arkansas’ head football coach.
Bubba Watson
With his signature flow and quirky pink driver, Watson captured the Masters title at Augusta National last weekend.
Baylor Basketball
The women’s team, led by Player of the Year Brittney Griner, brought home the national title, but both the men’s and women’s teams now face three years of probation due to recruiting violations.
Kevin Love
Only NBA player ranked in the top five in both points per game and rebounds per game.
UConn Men’s Basketball The UConn Men’s Basketball program is barred from the 2013 NCAA postseason because of several years of below-standard Academic Progress Rate scores.
EP 4/13/12
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Kickoff
You Wanna Go?
A professional enforcer sh
So you’ve decided to become a hockey enforcer. A life of violence, gore, and team respect possibly awaits you. But how do you handle situations where another man wants to punch you in the face? How can you not only make it through the encounter but also successfully fight opponent after opponent, night after night? Players like Adam Huxley do just that. A 6-foot 200-pound left wing for the Las Vegas Wranglers, Huxley is now in his ninth season as a professional. He’s also fought 283 times since the 2000-2001 season, giving him tons of experience in the fighting department. Huxley gives tips for any budding enforcer.
1.
Make Yourself Marketable Sure, enforcers are looking at limited ice time, if they even see the ice. But improving your skills on the ice will let you earn trust from the coaching staff. This leads to more playing time, a gift every hockey player enjoys. Huxley says he spends most of his time on the ice working on the rest of his skill set, in the hopes of earning more trust from the coaching staff.
2.
But Treat Fighting Like a Job Time to face facts: You’ll be fighting. A lot. So treat the skill as if it’s the major part of your game, and make sure you understand the basics of fighting. “I’m in the gym every day, I spar against MMA fighters and pro boxers,“ says Huxley. “I even have my own style.”
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epsportsmag.com
By: Pete Gegick
hares his tips of the trade
3.
The Film Room is Your Friend Thank God for hockey fight fans. Now more than ever, it’s easier to access fights, thanks to websites like hockeyfights.com, Fried Chicken Hockey Fights, and dropyourgloves.com. Players like Huxley watch tape on their upcoming opponents, making mental notes of what each player likes to do when he’s fighting another human. When they’re matched-up, it’s an opportunity for an advantage. That being said...
4.
Throw the Game Plan Out the Window Usually there just isn’t enough time to execute a game plan against an opponent. Fights are often spontaneous and tend to last less than a minute. Don’t try to overthink things with your opponent, or it could be a quick night. “Sure, there are some set fights,” says Huxley. “But most times, it’s just pure instinct.”
5.
Never Stop Until It’s Over Even if you’re in a bad spot, don’t stop punching. One misstep on his part could change the complexion of the fight. If all else fails, you’ll still inflict extra damage before the referees step in to escort you to the penalty box. “Sometimes,” says Huxley, “you’ve just got to fight your way out.”
EP 4/13/12
6
Kickoff
On the Cusp By: Charyse Watson
EP catches up with former Syracuse
RB Antwon Bailey
as he prepares for the NFL Draft.
EP: Since you graduated a semester early, you’ve had some downtime between graduation and draft day, have you been dealing with patience issues? AB: Ya, I think that’s probably the hardest part of the process, having to wait, that wait until draft day. I’m trying to stay as busy as possible. Helping my grandmother in the house, catching up with old friends, things like that. EP: Heard you signed an agent. Who did you choose and how did you make your decision? AB: My agent is Tony Paige. I ended up choosing him. Once the season was over, I interviewed probably about six or seven different agents, and he was the one I felt most comfortable with as a person, combining experience and comfort-ability and just things that he’s done in his career – not only as an agent but he’s also on a short list of the agents who’ve actually played the game so it just felt like the right move. EP: So you think you’re ready for the big day? AB: I’m ready to get it over with honestly. I know that’s going to be a hectic little weekend, I’m just ready to get it all over with and figure out where I’m going to be headed. EP: So how have you been preparing, what steps have you been taking to make sure you get noticed? AB: I feel like I’ve done all that I can do, you know, as far as my part and trying to get noticed or trying to have a team take a liking to me. So now, at this point I’m just sharpening my tools on the field and staying conditioned, trying to get stronger and faster so that when my time does come to go up to one of the NFL camps, you know, I’m the best Antwon that I can be. EP: You’ve also been doing some other things like Pro Day and the NFLPA All-Star Game, did these contribute to your preparation? AB: I was down in Florida training for my Pro Day, so I was doing various workouts to work on my 40-yard dash, my bench press, things like that so I could be in the best shape for the Pro Day that I had. Also I had the NFLPA All-Star Game, out in Los Angeles, where scouts and coaches were allowed to see me perform one more time before the draft. I think I had a fairly good game, scored the game’s first touchdown, and gained some rushing yards so I put myself out there in a positive light. EP: What do you think you would bring to the NFL? What do you believe are your strongest characteristics as a player? AB: I think myself, I will bring a guy with character to a team. Somebody who will get along, who’ll fit right into a locker room. A guy who’s willing to do whatever it takes to succeed and to make the team be successful. So, on all levels, I think I will help the team rather than hurt it. EP: Even though your Orange family has faith that you will be drafted, if you’re not, what will be the next step for you? AB: It’s definitely a possibility that I won’t. I’m a guy who’s on the border. So, if I don’t get drafted, I’ll still get rights to a camp. I’ll get called directly after the draft is over by a team that’s trying to sign me – I’ve had teams who’ve already said if I don’t get drafted they would like to sign me. So that’s not a major issue if I don’t get drafted, you know, so I’m just working hard. Like I said, regardless if you get drafted or not you still got to make the team in camp so that’s really what I’m focusing on, is having myself prepared for camp.
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epsportsmag.com
the QUIZ
By: Sam Knehans
Bryce Harper is one of the most recognizable prospects in any sport after appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 16. Now, just three years later, he is playing in AAA, on the doorstep of Major League Baseball. This issue’s quiz pays homage to this teenage phenom.
2.
How many times have the Washington Nationals drafted pitcher Bryan Harper, Bryce’s older brother? a) Zero b) One c) Two d) Three
3.
When he entered the national limelight through Tom Verducci’s Sports Illustrated article, Harper was NOT compared to which sports star? a) Lebron James b) Tiger Woods c) Wayne Gretzky d) Michael Jordan
#34
4.
While in high school, Bryce hit the longest ever home run at Tropicana Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. How far did it travel? a) 458 feet b) 474 feet c) 502 feet d) 517 feet
5.
Bryce wears number 34 in honor of what former Major League Baseball great? a) Mickey Mantle b) Kirby Puckett c) Nolan Ryan d) Rollie Fingers Answer Key: 1. B, 2. C, 3. D, 4. C, 5. A
1.
When Bryce Harper was born, on October 16, 1992, what was the number one song on the Billboard charts? a) Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot b) End of the Road by Boyz II Men c) Black or White by Michael Jackson d) I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
EP 4/13/12
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(AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
Welcome
to the Show
By: Jason Krakower
Baseball fans rejoice: the 2012 MLB season is underway. Extra Point is here to outline what to watch as the season unfolds
O
ne thing was certain before Marlins ace Josh Johnson threw out the first pitch on Opening Day: the 2012 baseball season was going to be like nothing we have ever seen before. With the addition of one additional Wild Card spot for each league, teams in tightly contested divisions were given an extra chance to make a run for the playoffs. All-Stars, managers, and general managers shuffled around as if they were “dating” Derek Jeter. A team was sold, a flamboyant stadium was built and opened, and it’s finally time to kick back and get started with America’s national pastime. Let’s take a look at what to keep an eye on in 2012.
Teams to Watch Los Angeles Angels
Washington Nationals
Simply put, the Angels were the nicer version of the Yankees this offseason. They made one of the biggest moves of the past 10 years when they lured future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols away from the World Champion Cardinals, and they built on that by signing former Rangers ace C.J. Wilson. The Halos already had a solid core of players before those signings, combining young talent (Erick Aybar, Peter Bourjos, Mark Trumbo) with veteran leaders (Torii Hunter, Howard Kendrick, Vernon Wells). Plus, the rotation of Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana, Dan Haren (and now Wilson) is elite. If the new signings can mesh with the existing group, we could see another AL pennant on the 10th anniversary of the Angels only World Series championship.
The Nats have built up a steady and talented team through the draft and low-level trades (excluding of course the addition of Jayson “Give me $126 million and I’ll hit .232” Werth). With the unheralded swap for former A’s ace Gio Gonzalez, the rotation now has three potential All-Stars (phenom Stephen Strasburg and up-andcomer Jordan Zimmermann are the others). The bullpen is solid with young guns Drew Storen (43 saves last season) and Tyler Clippard (1.83 ERA), and now bipolar former Phillie Brad Lidge has been added to the mix. But the difference-maker may be the starting lineup, which was never a problem last year in the Nats’ 80-win season. A healthy Adam LaRoche mans first base. Michael Morse is coming off an unexpected 31 HR, 95 RBI season and Strasburg’s co-phenom, Bryce Harper, should be taking his talents to D.C. by midseason. These could be the Rays of the National League.
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Prospects to Watch Danny Hultzen Seattle Mariners Hultzen, who both pitched and played first base for Virginia before becoming the second pick in the 2011 draft, is one of the most polished and major-league ready lefties in the minor leagues right now. He’s playing with the Mariners’ double-A team to start the season, but expect to see him in Seattle sometime this year.
Trevor Bauer Arizona Diamondbacks Bauer went 13-2 with a 1.25 ERA last year with UCLA, setting a Pac12 record with 203 strikeouts. He is starting the season in double-A as well, and he could make the jump to the majors by season’s end.
Predictions
(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
AL MVP: Prince Fielder Detroit Tigers
Last season with the Brewers, Prince put up monster numbers with a .299 average, 38 home runs and 120 RBIs. This year, he might even have a better lineup to help him out with Miguel Cabrera and Delmon Young batting before and after him. Also, he ‘s a good fit for Detroit, right?
NL MVP: Troy Tulowitzki Colorado Rockies
Players to Watch
The Cal Ripken comparisons are scarily accurate with Tulo. He heads up the elite class of shortstops in the league, and has a lineup and home field to fuel his numbers. He hit .302 with 30 homers and 105 RBIs last year, and if the Rockies can win enough games, Tulo could avoid what happened to Matt Kemp with the Dodgers last year.
World Series Winner:
Eric Hosmer Kansas City Royals
Giancarlo Stanton Miami Marlins
If you didn’t take notice of Hosmer last season, the only reason is because he plays in Kansas City. It honestly might not be correct to say that the former top-three pick has the potential to be a perennial All-Star; potential implies that something could happen years from now. Hosmer could already be at that point in his career. After posting a .439 average in AAA in the first month of the season, he made his Major League debut last May and hit .290 with 19 home runs and 78 RBIs for the rest of the year. Since then, he has essentially morphed himself into the Royals’ franchise player. He’ll be in the heart of the Royals’ lineup for years to come.
Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton might not get recognized anywhere outside Miami, but the batter formerly known as Mike won’t have to worry about that for much longer. The Miami Marlins made a lot of headlines this offseason, but Stanton was one of the guys that didn’t garner much attention despite his mammoth swing and nearly unmatched power. While everyone will be watching Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez on the left side of the infield, Stanton will be hanging out in right field, quietly getting closer and closer to the NL home run crown. He crushed 34 dingers last season with 87 RBIs. Now, he’ll be hitting cleanup behind a few guys who know how to get on base.
Detroit Tigers There’s been a lot of talk about the Angels and their big moves (from me too), but one of the biggest offseason moves was the signing of Fielder to play first base for the Tigers. That lineup should be incredible this year and should be right up there with the Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers and Angels. The differencemaker could be the rotation with Verlander, Doug Fister, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, and the addition of big-time prospect Jacob Turner. The World Series champ should come out of the American League this year, and the Tigers could very well be that team.
EP 4/13/12
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(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Until Next Year
By: Kristina Callahan
We Are the Champions
F
or the first time in 14 years, a freshly
Extra Point takes a look at all things beautiful and no-so-beautiful that happened during this year’s March Madness
the high expectations placed on its back all season championship. With only six points against the long and managed to walk all over its opponents Jayhawks, Davis helped his team in other facets of (save for two losses) and pound them into the the game. He contributed 16 rebounds, five assists, ground.
six blocks, and three steals. His team simply didn’t
made banner will hang from the rafters
need him to score behind sophomore Doron Lamb’s
in Rupp Arena honoring the 2012
This Kentucky team showed during the season game-high 22 points and freshman Marquis Teague’s
national champions. The Kentucky
just how special it is. There are six potential 14, showcasing just how talented the Kentucky youth
Wildcats, a preseason top-five team and overall
players that, if they declare, could be drafted in is. John Calipari proved the doubters wrong and won
No. 1 seed in the tournament, were crowned the
the first round in the draft this June. Freshman with a team that was both talented and young. They
national champion of college basketball in a sea of
Anthony Davis was named the Most Outstanding are the first team led by freshmen to win a national
Blue Nation in New Orleans. The most talented
Player of the tournament and will likely be the championship in the one-and-done era. Greg Oden
team filled with future NBA pros came out on
first selection in the upcoming June draft. Davis and Mike Conley Jr. led Ohio St. to the national
top over the Kansas Jayhawks and dominated
took the monkey that’s been on John Calipari’s championship game in 2007 and John Wall and three
throughout the entire tournament to earn its
back since he came to Kentucky and swatted it off other one-and-doners were selected in the first round
eighth national championship. The Wildcats took
to give his coach and Big Blue Nation a national in 2010, but only reached the Elite Eight.
Size of the Fight in the Dog
E
very year, sports fans look forward to
from the legendary Coach K.
the NCAA tournament and the upsets “I’ve been in it for 37 years and it brings. There was LSU in 1986, it takes you to incredible highs,” George Mason in 2006, and VCU in Krzyzewski said. “And it also
2011. But this year, the Final Four didn’t feature takes you to incredible lows. And any double-digit seeds. Although Cinderella tonight’s one of those lows. But it didn’t make it to New Orleans, the drama that wasn’t just our doing, they played ensued during the journey to the Big Easy brought that well. They played that well. tears of joy, happiness, shock, and disbelief. The And again my hat’s off to them.” mid-major teams dream big and some are able to see their dreams become reality in a matter of 40 minutes.
Lehigh (15) vs. Duke (2)
Norfolk State (15) vs. Missouri (2)
In its first NCAA tournament
Part of the excitement of the NCAA tourney is appearance in school history, the the unpredicted upsets. The Mountain Hawks of Norfolk State Spartans shocked Lehigh shocked the nation by defeating Coach not only Missouri, but the entire K and the Duke Blue Devils to advance to the United States. Out of 6.5 million round of 32. This will be a game that people talk brackets on ESPN, only 838 people about for years to come, as the Mountain Hawks or 1.2% of brackets had Norfolk became only the sixth No. 15 seed to defeat a No. State gutting out the upset. For a 2 seed in the tournament. C.J McCollum became team that lost to a Division II team a household name overnight. The junior guard is (Elizabeth City State) earlier in the season, this a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year and team proved to the nation and themselves that with was the fifth leading scorer in the country. Still, confidence, the unlikely can be accomplished. nobody expected Lehigh to beat the talented and most-hated Blue Devils. McCollum and Senior Kyle O’Quinn saved his best game of his the Mountain Hawks didn’ just beat a higher career for the perfect opponent and biggest game in seed. They beat a team that has four national Norfolk State basketball history. O’Quinn dropped championship banners hanging in Cameron a double-double on the Tigers with 26 points and 14 Indoor Stadium. Lehigh may have been the only rebounds. He acknowledged that not only did the people in the country to believe they could beat Spartans screw up most of America’s brackets but this Duke team.
also his own.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Looking Forward
T
he
following
months
after
the
championship game are a bit of a lull for college basketball fans. After the thrill of the championship dies down,
fans begin to miss the upsets, the blowouts, and the drama of college basketball. All in all, even if the overall No. 1 seed, Kentucky, won the national championship, the tournament didn’t disappoint.
“We saw on the selection show we had Duke and “We messed up some brackets! We messed up some
Two No. 15 seeds upsetting No. 2 seeds, unknown
we thought we could match up very well against brackets!” he bellowed, before turning a corner and
players emerging into the national spotlight, and
them,” forward John Adams said. “We all believed seeing a pack of reporters. “We even messed up my
the last minute buckets in crunch time never
it and we showed it on the floor. Everybody bracket,” he said shyly.
seem to fail the amazement of March Madness.
bought into that idea that we could beat them. The
To college basketball fans everywhere, next March
rest is history.”
What he soon found out was that most of America
will be here before you know it. Until then, less
didn’t care. Sports fans love the underdog, especially
than 190 days last before practice begins again
While Lehigh did lose in the next round, they one that many haven’t heard of. After beating
and only a year until we meet again in Atlanta for
obtained something that most mid-major schools a potential Final Four contender, a majority of
another drama filled season in the books. Hold on
and double-digit seeds never quite receive: America, besides the state of Missouri, was talking
tight folks, nobody knows what’s in store for next
respect. Not every team gets a congratulations about the Spartans from Norfolk State.
season.
Extra Point’s
2012 NFL Mock Draft The 2012 NFL Draft is a mere two weeks away. In honor of that, the EP staff took a stab at breaking down the first round and how they think it will go down. #1 - Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford This is a no-brainer. Andrew Luck is perhaps the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning himself.
#2 - Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor The Redskins traded up with the Rams so that they could secure the second-best QB in the draft. #3 - Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California Kalil can step in and provide instant protection for quarterback Christan Ponder’s blindside. #4 - Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama The best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson, Ricardson will give a boost to an anemic offense. #5 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU With Ronde Barber getting old and Tanard Jackson recently cut, the Bucs need help in the secondary. #6 - St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State Sam Bradford needs some weapons in the passing game to help him progress as a quarterback. #7 - Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, OLB, South Carolina The Jaguars had one of the worst pass-rushing attacks in all of football last year. Ingram will help.
#9 - Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina Coples will step right in and start next to Charles Johnson on the defensive line. #10 - Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa Reiff will give quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick ample time to find his receivers down the field.
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(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
#8 - Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M A bit of a reach, but the Dolphins are desperate for a franchise quarterback after whiffing on Manning.
#11 - Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford #12 – Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College #13 – Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford #14 – Dallas Cowboys: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis #15 – Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame #16 – New York Jets: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State #17 – Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama #18 – San Diego Chargers: Courtney Upshaw, DE, Alabama #19 – Chicago Bears: Nick Perry, DE, Southern California #20 – Tennessee Titans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
(AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)
#21 – Cincinatti Bengals: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
#27 – New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, OLB, Illinois
#22 – Cleveland Browns: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
#28 – Green Bay Packers: Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia
#23 – Detroit Lions: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
#29 – Baltimore Ravens: Devon Still, DT, Penn State
#24 – Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
#30 – San Francisco 49ers: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
#25 – Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
#31 – New England Patriots: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
#26 – Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
#32 – New York Giants: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
EP 4/13/12
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seattletimes.nwsource.com
Punt and Grunt
Inside: NBA: Head Coaches You Don’t Hear About NHL: Teams to Watch Out for in 2012-13 Masters: Into the Light Olympics: Mount Sac Relays Preview OP ED: Why We Love Sports
NHL: Teams to Watch Out for in 2013 Teams that missed the cut for the playoffs in 2012, but won’t next year
anaheim ducks
Simply put, this team is just too talented to be missing the playoffs this year. They have Steven Stamkos, a budding superstar, as well as Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavlier. After losing to the Boston Bruins last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, they suffered a substantial drop off this year. It’s an only a matter of time before their goalie, Dwayne Roloson, retires. If they are able to get a better, younger goalie, this team could make a run next year.
buffalo sabres
The Ducks are another team that made the playoffs last year. They underwent a facelift this season after firing head coach Randy Carlyle and hiring Bruce Boudreau, the former Washington Capitals coach. Anaheim boasts Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, and the ageless Teemu Selanne. Each of these players has proven to be effective in the league, as Perry even won the Hart Trophy last year. If goalie Jonas Hiller can remain healthy, good things are in store for this team.
edmonton oilers
winnipeg jets
After pushing the Philadelphia Flyers to the brink last season in the playoffs, Buffalo had high expectations heading into the season. With their new owner, Terry Pegula, the Sabres signed a couple of impact players to contracts, including Christian Ehrhoff and Robyn Regehr. The Sabres faltered early on in the season, but made a late push for the playoffs before eventually being eliminated. If Buffalo can maintain that sort of passion and performance throughout the entire season next year, they could be looking at a division title.
Call us optimists, but all of this young talent the Oilers have accrued over the years has to progress and pay off sooner or later. Over the past couple years; the Oilers have drafted Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan NugentHopkins. All three of these players are 21 or younger. Not to mention that Sam Gagner, Shawn Horcoff, and Ryan Whitney have all proven to be quality players in this league. With this mix of veteran leadership and young talent, they could be poised to surprise the league next year. As is the theme for most of the teams that did not make the playoffs this year, the Oilers need a goalie. While Nikolai Khabibulin was a great goalie in his day, his performance simply did not cut it this year. With an upgrade in that position, good things could be in the works for the Oilers.
The Jets, with their rejuvenated fan base, contended for a playoff spot and flirted with the division lead for a bit during the season. After moving from Atlanta, Winnipeg still is in a rather weak division which bodes well for the upcoming years. Andrew Ladd, Evander Kane and Dustin Byfuglien seem poised to lead the Jets to the playoffs. Ladd and Byfuglien can provide Winnipeg with valuable experience as they have both hoisted the Stanley Cup. Ondrej Pavelec has proven to be a good goalie in the league and can even steal a game when it is needed. The Jets are looking to give their newly-formed fan base something to cheer about.
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs near, it’s time to look at the teams who did not make the cut this year. Is there a chance that one of these teams could surprise next year? We analyzed these teams to see if any of them could take a run at the Stanley Cup in 2013.
zimbio.com
blogs.bettor.com
freeteams.net
tampabay.com
Tampa Bay Lightning
by Tyler Ruby
NBA: Head Coaches You Don’t Hear About Compared to fellow coaches in the NFL, the NBA coaches stay in the background
sports.yahoo.com
by Braedan Ritter
Tom Thibodeau won last season’s NBA Coach of the Year award, but most people can’t even pronounce his name correctly, let alone spell it. Stan Van Gundy only makes headlines because his latest encounter with the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard was more awkward than my most recent date. Erik Spoelstra is well known because he coaches the most unpopular team since the Soviet Union hockey team lost in Lake Placid. Normally, the only time NBA coaches are talked about is when things are going wrong. People learned the names Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan not long before both were fired. Now it’s Vinny Del Negro and Stan Van Gundy that are getting attention because they are on the chopping block.
The easy answer would be that the NFL is more popular than the NBA, but this solution is way too simple. One problem is that basketball coaches aren’t making the same number of calls as their football counterparts. Football coaches make about 60 offensive play calls per game. There is a chance they are going to make a great one or screw up a big one—either way, the fans are going to know about it. But in basketball, coaches aren’t as heavily praised or scrutinized for their play calls, with the exception of a last second play. When an NBA coach draws up a great play and it works to perfection, the coach doesn’t get the credit. It’s the players who are talked about. Their “execution” was what made the play great, not the carefully constructed back screen. In football, when a great play is made, the analyst breaks every little detail down, from the great play-action fake, to the cut block, to the wide receiver’s route. Football has a built-in stoppage after every play while plays are called and lines are set. That’s not the case in basketball—in fact, it’s quite the opposite.
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In the NBA, a team only has 24 seconds to get a shot off. There is barely any time to praise the players for the play they just made before the other team is down the court, let alone give credit to a coach. Simply put, what NBA coaches are doing on the sideline isn’t as sexy as what NFL coaches do. In the NFL, coaches are sneaky, covering their mouths when calling plays. In the NBA, you can hear what they say on the broadcast, leaving no room for secrets. In football, it is about catching the opponent by surprise, while basketball is more focused on execution. The coaches control the surprise, while the players execute, taking all the credit when they do so. NBA head coaches are being over-shadowed by their own players and their NFL counterparts, simply because of the way the game is played.
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So why aren’t NBA head coaches more recognizable? They are shown during games just as much as their NFL counterparts—especially since basketball coaches are always noticeable in the background of NBA action. They often make just as much money and they have to make the same tough decisions. So how do they fly under the radar?
Masters Recap: Into the light Only one man has cried so much on the greens of Augusta. His name was Ben Crenshaw, and the year was 1995. Days after serving as a pallbearer for his teacher, Harvey Penick, Crenshaw nailed his final putt and began to openly weep on the green. A new man, however, has used his face to water the greens at the Masters. His name is Bubba Watson, and he’s this year’s recipient of the green jacket. This time, though, the winner dedicated the victory to an animated person, his one-month-old son, Caleb. The wins are polar opposites. The Masters win for Crenshaw celebrated the life of a friend and would be the final major victory of his career. The Masters win for Watson celebrates the newest member of his family and is the first major win of his career. Watson also helped to breathe life into a once-dead proposition: parity in golf. With the recent successes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, it appeared that this major would either be a coronation or a return to the king. But
neither player threatened the leaderboard on the final day. In fact, the only well-known name remaining on the leader-board was Phil Mickelson. Unfortunately, “Lefty” morphed into his former self, the golfer who found every way imaginable to throw away victories. The triple bogey at the fifth hole, including a tee shot finding the grandstand, simply became too much for Mickelson to overcome. At that moment, it came down to Watson and Louie Oosthuizen. Oosthuizen nailed the rarest of creatures, a double eagle on the second hole. He drilled a four iron onto the front of the green on the Par 5, before watching it roll into the hole. The move certainly had to excite his countryman, Charl Schwartzel, who won this tournament last year. However, it was no match for the play on the second hole of the playoff. Watson, who launched his second shot into the trees to the right of the green, somehow pounded an iron out of there, launching a hooking shot that
traced across the middle of the green. After Oosthuizen missed a chance for par from the fringe, Watson two-putted within eight feet for victory. Since Mickelson’s “Win for the Family,” in 2010, no man has laid claim to more than one Major. Go back another year, and only two of the last 13 Majors haven’t seen a first-timer claim the prize. It’s a nearly unprecedented run of golf, one which has seen the word parity turned into an expectation. Golf is now giving all of its competitors the chance to win the ultimate prizes. Be it death or life, any motivation can now lead to membership among golf ’s greatest legends.
Mount Sac Relays Preview Taking an early look at future track and field Olympians
compete on the relays team. For the men, Martyn Rooney of Great Britain will be competing in the 400M along with Jeremy Wariner of the USA. Rooney was a silver medalist in the 2009 Berlin World Championships while Wariner has notched four Olympic medals in the last decade (two gold in Athens and a gold and a silver in Beijing). Four international standouts will compete in the pole vault competition, including Giovanni Lanaro of Mexico, Steve Lewis of Great Britain, Tori Pena of Ireland, and Daichi Sawano of Japan. Featured in the high jump will be 2004 Athens competitor Jamie Nieto, one of the few world class jumpers who jumps off his right leg. Not only are Olympians and World
by Danielle Berman
Champions making an appearance but high school and college athletes will also be testing their skills. Syracuse University, Eastern Kentucky University, University of Arizona, and The College of William and Mary are just some of the nation’s colleges sending their athletes to compete with the best. The Redwood High School in Marin, California is sending their boys track team to compete as well. Visit http://www.mtsacrelays. com/schedules.html for the full schedule of events. Keep your eyes out for some of these names and teams in the next two weeks, since you may see some of these competitors in London this August.
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For the 54th year, the nation’s best young athletes are heading to Walnut, California to compete in the Mt. San Antonio College (SAC) Relays. The relays begin April 19th and will feature a handful of World Champions and Olympic hopefuls from around the world. On the women’s side, 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold medalist Allyson Felix will be competing in the 100M, along with 2011 World Championships gold medalist Carmelita Jeter. USA Track and Field member Alice Schmidt will compete in the 1500M and the 800 M. Schmidt was a standout at the University of North Carolina and a 2008 Olympic Trials runner-up. A 2004 Olympic Silver medalist, Lauryn Williams, will
by Pete Gegick telegraph.co.uk
quintevents.com
Bubba Watson’s victory proves that the PGA’s parity is here to stay
OP ED: Why we love sports The nature of the games and sport in our society
Why are sports important? I would argue that there are many reasons why sports have become an integral part of society today. Sports unite people, from the guy next door to people across the globe. There is a reason that Boston Red Sox fans have been dubbed the Red Sox Nation and Tampa Bay Rays fans are called the Republic. All of this comes down to comradery. Every four years, entire nations come together to cheer on their beloved athletes in the Olympic games. This year, nearly five billion people will tune in to watch the London Games. That number encompasses roughly 70 percent of Earth’s population; no other event can draw such worldwide attention. This unifying nature of sports can cause even enemy nations to put their hatred in the back of their minds in order to compete on the worldwide stage. While a war between Russia and Georgia was breaking out at home, Russian and Georgian athletes were able to coexist and compete together during the last summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Thus, in many instances, sports can be a politically correct way for countries to compete in a physical
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looked to sports as a way to remember what was good in this world. In the aftermath of disaster, Americans have used sports as a way to return to the normalcy they desperately craved.
realm and a way to bring many countries together in a common arena without guns or politicians. This type of ambassadorship is rarely seen in any other venue. Not only do sports unite people, they also have a positive impact on those involved. Sports promote teamwork and work ethic, two essential qualities for life, school, and the workplace. For this reason, many high schools have begun to consider requiring students to play a sport in order to graduate. Although this may seem extreme to some, I support this idea, as I believe the principles learned by participating in a high school sport are invaluable later in life. Though sports seem to have a unifying nature and teach valuable life lessons, they have a clear primary purpose—entertainment. Sports are a distraction. They take our minds off of the stresses of daily life, if only for a few hours. When stricken with tragedies such as September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, where did America look for diversion? America
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As Tom Benton, owner of the New Orleans Saints, stated just before the Saints returned to play in the Superdome, having the football team back in New Orleans was a way to “showcase to a national audience that the city of New Orleans was made up of resilient people and that they were ready to stand their city back up as quickly as possible, put the storm behind them and move on with their lives.” Sports have been a key to the recovery process of cities in the face of tragedy; they have been glue that has kept America together through difficult circumstances. Overall, sports are about entertainment; they are about the fans. The passion of being a fan of any team or sport at any level is about sharing in the glory when they have a big win, showing support for their hard efforts, and throwing them a crying towel when they lose. Professional sports leagues have taken a part of that passion away from many people by making sports the big business, entertainmenttype industry it is today. But that’s not going to stop me from sitting on my couch cheering on my team or throwing a cushion if they’re not doing well!
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Sports is life, the rest is just details. Many sports fans and athletes often utter this cliché. But what is the greater meaning or purpose behind sports?
by Sam Khenans
extra Point Greatest Sports Cities in the
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