Sports News of the Day (6/29)

Tennis: The Ladies' final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships is set after the semi-finals were played at the All-England Club today in London England.
Match Results: Maria Sharapova (5) defeats Sabine Lisicki (6-4, 6-3), Petra Kvitova (8) defeats Victoria Azarenka (4) (6-1, 3-6, 6-2)
Men's semi final action will be played tomorrow.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) vs Novak Djokovic (2)
Rafael Nadal (1) vs Andy Murray (4)
MLB News:  The New York Yankees shut-out the Milwaukee Brewers; 5-0.
Mark Teixeira (1-4) hit his 25th home-run of the year.
CC Sabathia (11-4) took the win; pitching 7.2 innings, giving up six hits, while striking out 13.
    The Detroit Tigers took a win against the New York Mets; 5-2.
    Even though the Mets' Carlos Beltran (1-4, 12) and Daniel Murphy (2-4, 5) both homered, and Jose Reyes (2-3) doubled; Tigers' pitcher Justin Verlander (11-3) was able to earn the win. He pitched 7 innings, giving up one run off seven hits, while striking out six.
   The Cincinnati Reds (42-40) begin its last inter-league series of the year hosting the Cleveland Indians (42-37) in a three game series starting at 7:10 PM Friday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
  The pitching matchup is expected to be Bronson Arroyo (7-6, CIN) vs Justin Masterson (5-6, CLE).
   NBA News: Starting at midnight, the NBA Lockout officially beings as the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and players will expire. No one knows when they will come to terms on the CBA and its been rumored that the disagreements between the two sides are so bad that 1. Only a 50 game season could be played next year or 2. A season might not even happen. Lets hope neither does, because I need my full 82 game season of NBA Basketball next year!
  MMA News: Strikeforce has offically released heavyweight fighter Brett Rogers (MMA 11-3, SF 2-3). Rogers was arrested on Wednesday for alleged assault of his wife. A great stand-up fighter will killer knock-out power, Rogers is most known for being knocked out by Fedor Emelianenko in November of 2009 on CBS.
  

Top 5 players in the MLB (Part 3)

Today's ranking of the Major League Baseball's best will probably be just as difficult as yesterday's, if not harder. The first base position of baseball is stacked with talent and there are many possible candidates for this list.

5. Paul Konerko (Chicago White Sox)/Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds)- Deciding between these two players was like debating to eat either a red or pink Starburst; it was just too tough to pick one of these players because both are great and deserve this recognition.

Konerko

   Konerko is on pace to have another stellar season. Currently, he has 94 hits, 61 RBIs, with an outstanding batting average of .322. If he continues to bat the way he has, Kornerko would have his highest batting average he has had in his career. He also has 21 home runs this year, and if he could at least match that total in the second part of the season, he would beat his 2004 best when he hit 41 homers.  I also like the fact that he has only struck out 47 times this season along with 35 walks. This shows he is a very disciplined hitter. Konerko is also having a nice year defensively with 608 putouts, 37 assists, and has a fielding percentage of .995. Konerko has been a monster in both aspects of the game which makes it too hard not to put him on this list.

Votto

  Votto is having a respectable season following his 2010 NL MVP season. He has 95 hits (18 of those being doubles and even two triples) with a batting average of .319. Other positives of his offensive season has been that he has stolen six bases, which is the second best for an MLB first baseman this season, along with 62 walks, which leads all first basemen. The fact that Votto can get on base whether its via a hit or a walk makes him extremely deadly. However, some of his offensive numbers have been disappointing. Last year, Votto hit 37 home runs with 113 RBIs, this year Votto only has 11 home runs with 50 RBIs. Votto has to get that home run total up and his strikeout total down (65) for the Reds to be more of a threat in the NL Central and he has to bring in more runs because Cincinnati is depending on it. Defensively, Votto has been a stud. He has 759 put-outs, along with 85 assists (leads all first basemen) and a fielding percentage of .997. Votto is a great all-around first basemen, but if he improves his numbers, he could be in the top three of this list at the end of the year.

Teixeira

4. Mark Teixeira (New York Yankees)-Hopefully the "anonymous" (he's not really anonymous) Yankee commenter enjoys this one. Teixeira has had a great offensive season and if it continues, it could be his best. He has 70 hits, 62 RBIs, and a so-so batting average of .243. It would be nice if Teixeira could improve his average or at least get it to above .250. However, he has been hammering the ball with 25 home runs and leads all of the MLB in that category. This certainly makes up for that somewhat low batting average. I also like that he has walked 42 times, which is in the top-half for first basemen. Teixeira is like Votto when it comes to defense, he is very good. He has 645 put-outs, 37 assists, and a fielding percentage of .997. Teixeira is playing great, and if continues to do so, the Yankees have a chance to win the AL East.

Pujols

3. Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals) Based on his entire career, he still can be considered the best player in baseball, but for this season he is not even the best first basemen. Pujols did not have a very strong start in the beginning of the season, but it picked it up tremendously until he sprained wrist on June 19 which has put him on the DL for four to six weeks. He currently has 78 hits, 17 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a batting average of .279. Pujols' home run number and RBI number are respectable, but not "Pujols" worthy numbers. If he had a better start to the season, I am sure his numbers would be great, but at the time, at least to me, they're just average. Pujols has solid defensive numbers with 622 put-outs, 82 assists, and a fielding percentage of .992, but due to his slow start in the beginning of the season, and being injury prone this year, I cannot put him any higher on this list.

Fielder

2. Prince Fielder (Miluakee Brewers)- Fielder is having a monster year offensively. He has 86 hits (19 of those doubles), 21 home runs, and 69 RBIs. If those numbers stay consitient throughout the year, Fielder will definitely have the best season of his career. Another number of his that I like is that he has more walks (52) than strikeouts (44). Who would not rather have some get on base with a walk than strike-out? that just means that Fielder is well disciplined and an electrifying offensive threat. He has 680 put-outs, 36 assists, with a fielding percentage of .994. If Fielder stays healthy (which he has done for his whole career) he will easily be a candidate for the NL MVP, and have a good chance to lead the Brewers to NL Central Championship.

Gonzalez

1. Adrian Gonzalez-(Boston Red Sox) Gonzalez has been on a terror this season. Moving to Boston was the best decision he ever could have made. He currently has 115 hits, 71 RBIs and 16 home runs which are the best offensive numbers of any first baseman If these numbers stay consitient throughout the rest of the year, this will easily be Gozalez's best season in his career. The fact that he has struck out 55 times but still has a whopping batting average of .356 is insane. This easily beats his career best .304 in 2006. Defensivly, Gonzalez has also played great; with 617 put-outs, 61 assists, and a fielding percentage of .997. Gonzalez is the best-allround first baseman in the MLB and my prediction is that he will the Red Sox to an AL East Championship. He is also my early pick to win the AL MVP Award.

Video of the Day (6/30)

And you think Ray Lewis is a bad ass linebacker...

Sports News of the Day (6/29)

Gentlemen's Quarterfinal action of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships was today at the All-England Club in London, England. Gentlemen's semi-finals will take place on Friday.
 Match Results: Andy Murrary (4) defeats Feliciano Lopez (6-3, 6-4, 6-4), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) defeats Roger Federer (3) (3-6, 6-7(3-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4), Rafael Nadal (1) defeats Mardy Fish (6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4), Novak Djokovic (2) defeats Bernard Tomic (6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5)
Ladies' semi-final matches take place tomorrow.
Victoria Azarenka (4) vs Petra Kvitova (8)
Maria Sharapova (5) vs Sabine Lisicki
MLB News: The Cincinnati Reds win the series against the Tampa Bay Rays by winning the final game in the series this afternoon 4-3 at Tropicana Field in Tampa.
   Catcher Ryan Hanigan (third HR of the year; 2-3)) hit a three-run homerun in the fourth which gave the Reds a early 3-0 lead. Evan Longoria (1-4) hit a two- run double to put the Rays back in the game; 3-2; Cincy's Fred Lewis (1-4) hit an RBI single in the seventh to put the Reds up 4-2, but the deficit was put back at one when B.J. Upton (Twelfth HR of the year, 1-3) hit a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh to make score 4-3.
  The Reds' Joey Votto finished the series strong; going 2-4 and is now at 93 hits for the year.
   The Ray's designated hitter, Johnny Damon, tied Ted Williams for 71st all time in hits today, with his 1-4 performance.
   Edinson Volquez (5-3) took the win for Cincinnati; pitching 6.1 innings, giving up three runs off four hits, while striking out seven. Closer Francisco Cordero recorded his 16th save of the season.
   James Shields (8-5) took the loss, even after a solid performance for Tampa; pitching seven innings, giving up four runs off four hits, while striking out ten.
   Cincinnati (42-40) has the day off tomorrow before going back to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati for a three game date against the interstate rival; the Cleveland Indians. The series starts on Friday night at 7:10 PM
  Tampa Bay (45-36) also has tomorrow off before hosting a three game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The series also starts on Friday at 7:10 PM

Top 5 Players in the MLB (Part 2)

For part two of ranking the five best players in the MLB for each position (nine positions in total), it is time to rank what I think will be the toughest spot; the catcher.

Wieters

    5. Matt Wieters (Baltimore Orioles)- Wieters is one of the best all-around catchers in the game. He has respectable batting stats, with an average of .262, 62 hits, 33 RBIs and seven home runs. I like that he has only struck out 43 times in 237 at bats, which makes him fairly disciplined as a hitter. I also love the fact that he is a switch-hitter who can be successful on both sides of the plate. Wieters is one of the best defensive catchers in the game. He is tied for having the best fielding percentage for a catcher (.998) and has a solid catcher's earned run average of 3.99. Two statistics of Wieters' defense stick out to me. 1. Just 28 runners have stole a base on Wieters, he has thrown 20. Therefore, Wieters has a caught stealing percentage of 42 percent, which is outstanding and the best in the league. 2. Wieters has not allowed a ball to go past him, therefore it is extremely hard to advance a base on Wieters, this stat is just extraordinary and makes him one of the best there is.

Pierzynski

   4. A.J. Pierzynski (Chicago White Sox)- Pierzynski is having another solid season in his great career. He currently has the second highest amount of hits for a catcher (73) and is batting a decent .290. Pierzynski has 13 doubles and 25 RBIs. He has only struck out 16 times which makes him a really difficult batter to face. The only unattractive number about his batting stats is his three homers, but he has never been a power-hitter. Increasing that number however, could make him a lot more of a batting threat. Pierzynski may not have the best defensive numbers, but they are still good. He has only allowed three passed balls and has a fielding percentage of .996. I like his CERA as well which is 3.72, but there is one number of his that I do not like. 56 runners have stole a base on him, and he has only thrown out 13 runners which gives him a .188 percentage of throwing a runner out. If he increases his home run total and works on throwing runners out, Pierzysnki could be in the top three easily in this list.

Mauer

    3. Joe Mauer (Minnestoa Twins) For many, I am sure only having Mauer third on this list is a huge surprise. The 2009 AL MVP could be higher on this list if he could be more healthy. Knee surgery after the 2010 season caused Mauer to b on the DL within weeks of the beginning of the 2011 season in April, and to not come back to the Twins until June 17. In his short season (20 games), Mauer has 15 hits, 7 RBIs and a batting average of .208. Do not let these stats fool you, Mauer is still one of the best pure hitters in the game with his unbelievable swing. He has great defensive numbers as well, allowing no passed balls, with a fielding percentage of .992. We have to remember though that those stats are only through 20 games. He has allowed 14 runners to steal a base, while catching two, which gives him a percentage of 13 percent when it comes to catching a runner stealing. If Mauer was completely healthy this season, he would easily be number 1 on this list.
 

McCann

 2. Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves)- The five time all-star just keeps getting better and better by the season. McCann is on pace to have the best season of career from a hitting perspective; currently having 83 hits, 14 doubles, 14 home runs, and 47 RBIs. He is currently batting an outstanding .314 with a nice on base percentage of .388 as well. The only number I do not like of McCann's is his 42 strikeouts. In my opinion, right now, McCann is the best hitting catcher in the game (Mauer still has not played like Mauer). McCann is also tough behind the plate. He has 46 assists, a fielding percentage of .993 and a CERA of 3.29 so far into the season. If McCann could improve his 21 percent success rare of throwing out a runner, McCann could be even better. He is like Wieters when it comes to being an all-around catcher, but better which makes him number two on my list.

Posey

1. Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants)- This pick is going to draw some complaints, I just know it, but the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year is the best catcher in baseball. Even though Posey is done for the 2011 season, from a collision by the Florida Marlins' Scott Cousins that resulted in Posey breaking his fibula, he still deserves this recognition. He is the best all-around catcher in the MLB. In his 45 games of the 2011 season, Posey had 46 hits, meaning he averaged a little more than a hit a game, had 4 home runs, 21 RBIs along with a .284 batting average. These are solid numbers for a 45 game span. Yes, he did have 30 strikeouts, which shows some lack of discipline as a hitter, but he is still a threat for any pitcher. I though Posey was great defensively as well. In 41 starts as a catcher, he had 333 put-outs, 24 assists, and a fielding percentage of .991. 27 runners advanced a base on him, but he threw out 15 as well, which gives him a 36 percent rate of throwing a runner out. These numbers are outstanding and if he did not get hurt, they would most likely be better. Posey is a superstar behind the plate or in the batter's box, which gives him an unlimited amount of opportunities for the 24 year old who in my opinion, is the best catcher in the game.

Video of the Day (6/29)

With the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup underway, thought a soccer commercial at some point was necessary, hopefully this just does not happen at a game.

Sports News of the Day (6/28)

   Ladies' Quarterfinal action of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship took place today at the All-England Club in London, England.
Match Results: Maria Sharapova (5) defeats Dominika Cibulkova (24) (6-1, 6-1), Sabine Lisicki defeats Marion Bartoli (9) (6-4, 6-7 (7-4), 6-1), Victoria Azarenka (4) defeats Tamira Paszek (6-3, 6-1), Petra Kvitova (8) defeats Tsvetana Pironkova (32) (6-3, 6-7(7-5), 6-2)
 The ladies' tournament contuines on Thursday with semi-final action.
   Gentlemen's Quarterfinal Match-ups for Tomorrow:
    Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) vs Roger Federer (3)
    Andy Murrary (4) vs Feliciano Lopez
    Bernard Tomic vs Novak Djokovic (2)
    Mardy Fish (10) vs Rafael Nadal (1)
MLB News: The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-0 at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday night.
          Not only did fans get two see two of the best teams in the MLB play, but also were entertained by an exciting pitching match-up; Cliff Lee (Philly) vs Josh Beckett (BOS).
   Lee (9-5) took the win with a typical Cliff Lee performance; throwing a complete game which resulted in a shut-out, giving up just two hits, and striking out five. Lee has given up just one run in his last 42 innings pitched. He has looked unstoppable and does not look to stop anytime soon.
   Beckett (6-3) took the loss and looked like the complete opposite of Lee. He gave up five runs in six innings, striking out one. His ERA going into the game was 1.86, and after this start is now is 2.20.
   The Cincinnati Reds had a game slip out of its hands late against the Tampa Bay Rays losing 4-3 at Tropicana Field in Tampa.
   Evan Longoria (1-4) hit his tenth homerun of the year in the bottom of the ninth off Logan Ondrusek to win the game.
   The Rays took an early lead in the fourth inning when Johnny Damon (2-4) hit his ninth homerun of the year to put Tampa up 1-0.
   Cincinnati took the lead 2-1 in the top of the eighth when Drew Stubbs (2-4) tripled, and was brought in on an Edgar Renteria (1-4) single. Joey Votto (1-3) then doubled to bring in Renteria.
   Damon then doubled for the Rays in the bottom of the inning to bring in two RBIs and put Tampa back on top 3-2.
   Jay Bruce (1-4) tied the game in the top of the ninth with a solo shot to make the game tied at three.
   Kyle Farnsworth (3-1) took the win for Tampa, while Ondrusek (3-3) was charged with the loss.
  Starting pitching for both teams looked solid.
   Cincy's Johnny Cueto pitched 7.2 innings; giving up three runs off four hits, while striking out six.
   David Price pitched 7.2 innings for Tampa; giving up two runs off six hits; while striking out 12.
  The final game of this series will take place tomorrow at 12:10 PM at Tropicana Field with the pitching match-up slated to be Edinson Volquez (4-3, CIN) vs James Shields (8-4, TB)
UFC News: A welterweight bout between Jake Shields (MMA 26-5-1, UFC 1-1) and Jake Ellenberger (MMA 25-5, UFC 4-1) will take place at UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou on September 17, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
   Shields is coming off a loss to Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 129 in April, while Ellenberger is currently riding a four fight win streak.
   Expect this fight to be on the main card of this even as the main event or co-main event.
  
 

Top 5 players in the MLB (Part 1)

 For the next series, I think it would be fun to rate the best five players for each position in Major League Baseball.

  Remember this is just my opinion, so feel free to comment to discuss your favorites as well.
   So for the first part of the series, I'll rate the position that matters most; the pitcher.

Lee

5. Cliff Lee-Philadelphia Phillies (8-5, 2.87 ERA 114 Strikeouts) Lee is obviously the best number two pitcher in the game, and would be the ace for any other team in the MLB. The 2008 AL Cy Young Winner struck out 16 against the Braves in May and has looked dominant all season. I love his arsenal of pitches that include three types of fastballs, a circle changeup and a knuckle-curve. Lee is one of the few starting pitchers in the league who has more strikeouts than innings pitched (113).

Weaver

4. Jered Weaver-Los Angeles Angles (9-4, 1.97 ERA, 106 Strikeouts) Weaver has had a phenomenal season; only giving up 27 runs 123.1 innings. He also has only walked 28 batters and has given up 87 hits. Weaver was the first pitcher in the MLB this season to have a record of 6-0 (April 25) and had an ERA of 0.99 during that span. Weaver also had his career strikeouts in a game this season, striking out 15 against the Jays in April. He has a variety of pitches such as a two-seam and four-seam fastball, a changeup, a curveball, and a slider. Expect Weaver to finish better in the AL Cy Young Voting than his fifth place last year.

Halladay

3. Roy Halladay-Philielphia Phillies (10-3, 2.40 ERA, 123 Strikeouts) So far into the season, "Doc" has continued the success he has had in previous years. Halladay has walked just 16 batters this year, which is the fewest in the MLB, and just 35 runs in 127.1 innings. Halladay would be higher in this list if it was not for the 115 hits he has given up, which is  extremely high for a pitching star. In April against the Padres, Halladay struck out 14. Halladay has once again showcased his unique bag of pitches this season, with his two-seam, four-seam and cutter fastball, his knuckle-curve, and changeup. Halladay is my early pick for the 2011 NL Cy Young. (Won the award in '10 as well)

Beckett

2. Josh Beckett-Boston Red Sox (6-2, 1.86 ERA, 79 Strikeouts) It was really hard not to put Beckett at one on this list. The former World Series MVP ('03) is having an amazing season. He leads the MLB in ERA has given up the fewest amount of hits this season for a starting pitcher (55).  Beckett also has three types of fastballs, a change-up, and a curveball which has allowed him walk only 30 batters and only to give up 19 runs in 92 innings. Beckett is not one on this list, simply because he is not a strike-out pitcher, who has the second lowest strikeout number in the top of five of ESPN's pitching league leaders. If Beckett struck out a few more batters, he would certainly be number one because he deserves it. Could easily be the 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner.

Verlander

1. Justin Verlander-Detriot Tigers-(10-3, 2.38 ERA, 124 Strikeouts) Verlander has had his best season so far to date. He has only walked 27 batters, and has given up 81 hits. What has made Verlander look so good is that fact that he is a no-hitter machine. He threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays in May and in his next start against the Royals, he had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning. On June 14, Verlander had a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians through 7.2 innings and last Sunday, Verlander struck out 14 against Arizona. Verlander has been the most exciting and consistent pitcher to watch this season and his numbers certainly show this. He has a simple pitching arsenal of a fastball, a curveball, a change-up, and a slider, and is my early pick for the 2011 AL Cy Young award.





Video of the Day (6/28)

Ali thinks he is the greatest? He has not seen the wrath of Butterbean!

Sports News of the Day (6/27)

Round of 16 action was today at the All-England Club in London, England, for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
   Match Results:
   Gentlemen's Singles: Andy Murrary (4) defeats Richard Gasquet (7-6(7-3), 6-3, 6-2),  Bernard Tomic defeats Xavier Malisse (6-1, 7-5, 6-4), Feliciano Lopez defeats Lukas Kubot (3-6, 6-7(7-5), 7-6(9-7), 7-5, 7-5), Novak Djokovic (2) defeats Michael Llodra (19) (6-3, 6-3, 6-3), Mardy Fish (10) defeats Thomas Berdych (6) (7-6(7-5), 6-4, 6-4), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) defeats David Ferrer (7) (6-3, 6-4, 7-6(7-1), Rafael Nadal (1) defeats Juan Martin del Porto (24) (7-6(8-6), 3-6, 7-6(7-4), 6-4), Roger Federer (3) defeats Mikhail Youzhny (18) (6-7(7-5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3)
    Ladies' Singles: Maria Sharapova (5) defeats Shaui Peng (20) (6-4, 6-2), Tamira Paszek defeats Ksenia Pervak (6-2, 2-6, 6-3), Victoria Azarenka (4) defeats Nadia Petrova (6-2, 6-2), Sabine Lisicki defeats Petra Cetkovska (7-6(7-3), 6-1), Marion Bartoli (9) defeats Serena Williams (7) (6-3, 7-6(8-6), Dominika Cibulkova (24) defeats Caroline Wozniacki (1) (1-6, 7-6(7-5), 7-5), Petra Kvitova (8) defeats Yanina Wickmayer (19) (6-0, 6-2), Tsvetana Pironkova (32) defeats Venus Williams (23) (6-2, 6-3)
   Tomorrow's Ladies' Quarterfinal Match-Ups
    Sabine Lisicki vs Marion Bartoli (9)
    Dominika Cibulkova (24) vs Maria Sharapova (5)
    Petra Kvitova (8) vs Tsvetana Pironkova (32)
    Tamira Paszek vs Victoria Azarenka (4)
    Note: Gentlemen's Quarterfinals are on Wednesday
College Basketball: John Calipari has signed a contract with the University of Kentucky to coach the Wildcats through 2019. The extension is worth 36.5 million dollars. Calipari has a record of 64-12 for the two years he has been at UK and led the team to the Final Four last season. Before he went to Kentucky, Calipari coached at Memphis where he led the Tigers to the NCAA National Championship only to lose to the Kansas Jayhawks.
NFL: It was released that Cincinnati Bengals wide-receiver, Terrell Owens, recently shattered his ACL and is expected to return to football in mid-November. Owens has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times, and has 1,078 receptions, 15, 934 receiving yards, and 152 receiving touchdowns. He played eight years at San Francisco (1996-2003), two years at Philadelphia ('04-'05), three years at Dallas ('06-'08), one at Buffalo ('09), and was scheduled to play at Cincinnati for his second year during the 2011-2012 season.
MLB: The Cincinnati Reds took the first game of three against the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0 at Tropicana Field in Tampa, Florida.
   Cincinnati scored two in the first, two in the fourth, and one in the seventh.
   Jonny Gomes hit his eleventh home run of the year for the Reds, Fred Lewis went 2-4, and Brandon Phillips went 4-5 with two RBIs of his own.
   Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto went 1-5 and Jay Bruce went 1-4 with an RBI.
   For Tampa, both Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist went 2-4.
   Third-baseman Evan Longoria,  center-fielder B.J. Upton, and designated hitter Johnny Damon went a combined 0-11.
   Mike Leake (7-4) earned the win for Cincinnati; pitching six innings, giving up four hits, while striking out three.
   Jeremy Hellickson (7-7) took the loss for the Rays; pitching six innings, giving up three runs off eight hits, while striking out nine.
   Game two of this series will be at 7:10 tomorrow night at Tropicana Field with the pitching match-up expected to be Johnny Cueto (5-2, CIN) against David Price (8-6, TB)
   

UFC Live: Kongo vs Barry; What Happens Now?

    UFC Live: Kongo vs Barry took place last night at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The card featured many exciting fights including an amazing come-back victory from Cheick Kongo against Pat Barry that ended when Kongo pulled out a thrilling uppercut that put Barry on the floor. The question now, is what happens next to these fighters?

Kongo

   Cheick Kongo (MMA 16-6-2, UFC 9-4-1): Even with a solid victory like this, Kongo is still not a first-tier heavy-weight fighter in my opinion. He would have no chance against the likes of Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez (already lost to him), Junior Dos Santos, or Frank Mir (also lost to him). The best thing for him to do would be to continue to fight opponents like Barry and get a solid winning streak going, before fighting a first-class heavy-weight again. I would love to see Kongo have a rematch against Travis Browne, which ended in a draw at UFC 120, or fight against Roy Nelson or Matt Mitrione.

Barry

   Pat Barry (MMA 6-3, UFC 3-3): Even after a disappointing defeat, Barry still shows a lot of promise. He too, is certainly not a first-class heavy-weight, but would still put up a good fight against anyone. Barry's kickboxing was phenomenal and I still am extremely surprised that the fight against Kongo was not stopped in his favor. Barry is still young and can still improve, which makes his stock high. I would love to see him fight Stefan Struve or friend, Matt Mitrione.
  

Stevenson

   Joe Stevenson (MMA 31-14, UFC 8-8): After a defeat via decision against Javier Vasquez in his debut in the feather-weight division, Stevenson now has a four fight losing streak. I hate to say it because Stevenson is such a talented fighter, but his days are becoming numbered in the UFC. Do not be shocked if he were to be cut by the UFC sometime this week. I do not know how likely this is, but I think the best choice for Stevenson is to go back to light-weight and see if he can go to Strikeforce to compete in its' lightweight division until he can earn a spot back into the UFC.
 

Griffin

    Tyson Griffin (MMA 15-5, UFC 8-5): Defeating Manvel Gamburyan via decision snaps a three fight losing streak for Griffin. This fight marked his debut in the feather-weight division. Griffin needs to remain in the feather-weight division because he is one of the bigger fighters in the weight class, has excellent wrestling skills, and could find a lot of success in that weight class. Griffin may not be in the same class as Jose Aldo or Kenny Florian yet, but I would love to see him take on Mark Hominick, who just recently lost to Aldo in April, to see where he sizes up in the feather-weight division.

Mitrione

   Matt Mitrione (MMA 5-0, UFC 5-0): Knocking out Christian Morecraft in round two, now puts Mitrione on a five fight win streak in the UFC. Mitrione still can improve tremendously and I feel he too, like Kongo, is not a first-class heavy-weight. This would mean a fight between Mitrione and Kongo would be perfect and win against Kongo could mean much better competition for him later on. I would also love to see him fight his good friend Pat Barry, and this could happen. I met Mitrione in March at Arnold Fest in Columbus, Ohio, and asked him if he would ever fight Barry, and he said although they have trained together in the past, if the money was there he would do it. I would love to see them fight and see how Mitrione does with a kick-boxer like Barry.

Video of the Day (6/27)

Have to give props to Cheick Kongo for an unbelievable come-from behind victory against Pat Barry at UFC Live last night. So here is a tribute to Kongo for that killer victory.

UFC Live: Kongo vs Barry Results

UFC Live: Kongo vs Barry took place took place tonight in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the Consol Energy Center.
Notable Results:
Lightweight bout: Joe Lauzon defeats Curt Warburton via submission (Kimura) in Rd 1
Featherweight bout: Javier Vasquez defeats Joe Stevenson via decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Featherweight bout: Tyson Griffin defeats Manvel Gamburyan via decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione defeats Christian Morecraft via KO in Rd 2.
Heavyweight bout: Cheick Kongo defeats Pat Barry via KO in Rd 1.
Full analysis of these fights will be posted tomorrow.

Sports News of the Day (6/26)

 Action at the All-England Club in London, England, for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships took a break on today. Round of sixteen action starts tomorrow
Matches for tomorrow:
Gentlemen's Singles:
Andy Murrary (4) vs Richard Gasquet (17)
Rafael Nadal (1) vs Juan Martin Del Potro (24)
Michael Llodra (19) vs Novak Djokovic (2)
Mikhail Youzhny (18) vs Roger Federer (3)
Mardy Fish (10) vs Tomas Berdych (6)
Lukasz Kubot vs Feliciano Lopez
David Ferrer (7) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12)
Bernard Tomic vs Xavier Malisse
Ladies' Singles
Venus Williams (23) vs Tsvetana Pironkova (32)
Marion Bartoli (9) vs Serena Williams (7)
Shuai Peng (20) vs Maria Sharapova (5)
Caroline Wozniacki (1) vs Dominika Cibulkova (24)
Nadia Petrova vs Victoria Azarenka (4)
Sabine Lisicki vs Petra Cetkovska
Petra Kvitova (8) vs Yanina Wickmayer (19)
Tamira Paszek vs Kesenia Pervak
MLB News: The Washington Nationals have announced that Davey Johnson, who has been a senior advisor for the Nationals since 2009, will be manager of the team for the rest of the season after the surprise resignation of Jim Riggleman on Thursday.
  Roy Halladay, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, continued his terror on hitters this season with a 3-1 victory Sunday against the Oakland A's. Halladay pitched a complete game, giving up one run off eight hits while striking out four. He now has an ERA of 2.40 and a stellar record of 10-3.
   The Cincinnati Reds lost the final game of the three game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore; 7-5.
   The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the third only to make it 5-0 after the fourth. Cincinnati scored one run in the fifth and three in the six to make it 5-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth, however another run by Baltimore made 6-4. Another run in the seventh made it 7-4, and a useless run in the ninth by Cincinnati made the score 7-5.
 The Reds had home runs by both Brandon Phillips and Ramon Hernandez and  other RBIs from Chris Heisey, Fred Lewis, and Jonny Gomes.
   Baltimore had three home runs by Derek Lee, Mark Reynolds, and Luke Scott.
   Both teams left 14 on base.
   Jeremy Guthrie (3-9) took the win for Baltimore; pitching 5.2 innings, giving up four runs off six hits, while striking out five. Kevin Gregg recorded his 14th save of the year.
   Homer Bailey (3-2), who made his first start for the Reds since coming off the DL and pitching in the minors, took the loss; pitching five innings, giving up five runs off nine hits, while striking out five.
   Aroldis Chapman gave up his first home run in his MLB career against Scott.
   Cincinnati (40-39) now heads to Tampa Bay for three game series against the Rays, while the Orioles (35-40) head to St. Louis for a three game series against the Cardinals.
  

Votto's Slugfest Leads the Reds

Votto

 Joey Votto showed the Baltimore Orioles just why he is the reigning NL MVP at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Saturday night.
   Votto went 3-4 with two home runs and five RBIs to lead Cincinnati to victory; 10-5.
   Votto's two home runs (11 for the year) were just two of the five home runs that the Reds had. Scott Rolen, Jonny Gomes, and Drew Stubbs all also went yard for Cincinnati.
   Brandon Phillips also had an impressive performance for the team going 3-5 along with an RBI.
   Baltimore might have lost, but also had its share of home runs as the Orioles had four.
   J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Matt Wieters all hit one out.
   Bronson Arroyo (7-6) took the win; pitching 6.1 innings, giving up five runs off nine hits while striking out six.
   Brian Matusz (1-3) took the loss; pitching 4.2 innings, giving up six runs off nine hits while striking out five.
   The most impressive pitching out came from reliever Aroldis Chapman, who has not been with the team since May 15. Chapman pitched the final inning for the Reds and struck out all three batters he faced while only throwing 12 pitches.
   The final game of this series is this afternoon in Baltimore at 1:35PM with the pitching match-up slated to be Homer Bailey (3-1, CIN) against Jeremy Guthrie (2-9, BAL)

Sports News of the Day (6/25)

Third round action at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships continued yesterday at the All-England Club in London, England.
   Notable Matches:
Gentlemen's Singles: Roger Federer (3) defeats David Nalbandian (6-4, 6-2, 6-4),  Novak Djokovic (2) defeats Marcos Baghdatis (32) (6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4), Rafael Nadal (1) defeats Gilles Muller (7-6(8-6), 7-6(7-5), 6-0), Bernard Tomic defeats Robin Soderling (5) (6-1, 6-4, 7-5), Lukasz Kubot defeats Gael Monfils (9) (6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3), David Ferrer (7) defeats Karol Beck (6-4, 6-3, 6-3)
Ladies' Singles: Caroline Wozniacki (1) defeats Jarmila Gajdosova (27) (6-3, 6-2),  Serena Williams (7) defeats Maria Kirilenko (26) (6-3, 6-2), Maria Sharapova (5) defeats Klara Zakopalova (6-2, 6-3), Petra Cetkovska defeats Ana Ivanovic (18) (6-2, 7-6(7-0)
Soccer: For the first 29 minutes of the CONCACF Gold Cup Final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the United States looked dominant against boarder rival Mexico. Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan both scored to put the Americans up 2-0.
   However, a goal in the 29th minute by Pablo Barrera was the first of four straight by Mexico to defeat the United States in CONCACF Gold Cup Final; 4-2. Andres Guardado ('36), Barrera ('50) and Giovani Dos Santos ('76) also scored for Mexico.
   Tim Howard had five saves for the United States.
 

Video of the Day (6/26)

I still am in awe of this video.

UFC Live Preview



Barry



Kongo

   UFC Live: Kongo vs Barry takes place tomorrow night at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The main event is in the heavy-weight division between Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo.
   The original main event was slated to be Rick Story vs Nate Marquardt in the welter-weight division, until Marquardt pulled out of the fight earlier today, and was surprisingly released from the organization.
   This card features many entertaining fighters in various divisions such as: Joe Stevenson, Joe Lauzon, Tyson Griffin, John Howard, and Matt Mitrione, but only one fight really appeals to me on this card which is the main event.
   Cheick Kongo (MMA 15-6-2, UFC 8-4-1) is a talented kick-boxer from France. He has notable wins over Mirko Cro Cop and Antoni Hardonk. Kongo is extremely experienced with a great stand-up game with an unpredictable mix of kicks and punches, however Kongo has a very weak ground/wrestling game which has been exposed by the likes of Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir.
   Pat Barry (MMA 6-2, UFC 3-2) is a rising talent in the heavy-weight division with respectable wins over Joey Beltran and Hardonk. Barry is also an experienced kick-boxer, with deadly leg-kicks that definitely affect the mobility of his opponents.
   This Barry-Kongo Match-up is the type of fight I love. Nothing in the world of MMA is better than a stand-up war which is certainly expected in this fight. Expect lots of leg-kicks from Barry, and a variety of combos and kicks from Kongo, including some killer head-kicks.
   Stand-up battles such as this test the heart of fighter, which I feel both of these combatants have. One knockdown or one good punch/kick will not end this fight, because both of these warriors are so determined to succeed. Looking for this fight to be "Fight of the Night" along with a great knock-out ending.
Verdict? Pat Barry wins via TKO in the 3rd- Leg kicks are too deadly to handle and will wear Kongo to the point where he will just want to end up on the ground.

A Little Break

Hey everyone, just so you all know, I will not be able to write another post until tomorrow night as I'm at college orientation, really sorry about that. I just wanna say thanks though for reading my blog, I forgot how much fun it was. I really appreciate it.


Thanks!
Andy

Sports News of the Day (6/23)

Second round action at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships continued at the All-England Club in London, England today.
Notable Matches
Gentlemen's Singles: Roger Federer (3) defeats Adrian Mannarino (6-2,6-3,6-2), Robin Soderling (5) defeats Lleyton Hewitt (6-7 (5-7), 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4), Novak Djokovic (2) defeats Kevin Anderson (6-3, 6-4, 6-2), Juan Martin Del Porto (24) defeats Olivier Rochus (6-7(7-9), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4), Marcos Baghdatis (32) defeats Andreas Seppi (6-4, 7-6(7-4), 7-5)
Ladies' Singles: Sabine Lisicki defeats Na Li (3) (3-6, 6-4, 8-6), Serena Williams (7) defeats Simona Halep (3-6, 6-2, 6-1), Francesca Schiavone (6) defeats Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (7-5, 6-3), Ana Ivanovic (18) defeats Eleni Daniilidou (6-3, 6-0)
NBA Draft (1st Round)
#1-Kyrie Irving-Cleveland
#2-Derrick Williams-Minnesota
#3-Enes Kanter-Utah
#4-Tristan Thompson-Cleveland
#5-Jonas Valanciunas-Toronto
#6-Jan Vesely-Washington
#7-Bismark Biyombo-Sacramento
#8-Brandon Knight-Detroit
#9-Kemba Walker-Charlotte
#10-Jimmer Fredette-Milwaukee
#11-Klay Thompson-Golden State
#12-Alec Burks-Utah
#13-Markieff Morris-Phoenix
#14-Marcus Morris-Houston
#15-Kawhi Leonard-Indiana
#16-Nikola Vucevic-Philadelphia
#17-Iman Shumpert-New York
#18-Chris Singleton-Washington
#19-Tobias Harris-Charlotte
#20-Dontas Motiejunas-Minnesota
#21-Nolan Smith-Portland
#22-Kennith Faried-Denver
#23-Nikola Mirotic-Houston
#24-Reggie Jackson-Oklahoma City
#25-MarShon Brooks-Boston
#26-Jordan Hamilton-Dallas
#27-JaJuan Johnson-New Jersey
#28-Norris Cole-Chicago
#29-Cory Joseph-San Antonio
#30-Jimmy Butler-Chicago
MLB News:
The Cincinnati Reds start a three game series against the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore at Camden Yards starting tomorrow night at 7:05 PM.
   Edinson Volquez (4-3, CIN) vs Chris Jakubauskas (2-0, BAL) is projected as the pitching match-up.

NBA Draft Predictions

Finally it is time for the 2011 NBA Draft and here is my lottery predictions and a quick sentence on why.
#1 Cleveland Cavaliers- Kyrie Irving (Duke)- The best way to change a NBA Franchise is to start with the facilitator of the offense, the point guard. Irving is such a deadly weapon offensively with his jump-shot and passing ability. The Cavs have to take him
#2- Minnesota Timberwolves- Derrick Williams (Arizona)-Whether the T-Wolves keep him or not, I do not know, but the team should not pass up on who many think is the best player in this draft and who is such an explosive scorer.
#3 Utah Jazz- Enes Kanter (Turkey)- The best player in this draft in my opinion. Not only is he so deadly inside the paint, but the fact that he is a great outside shooter makes almost Dirk Nowitzki like. The Jazz needs a solid center, and what could be better than having a center that can shoot?
#4- Cleveland-Tristan Thompson (Texas)- Very surprising pick I know, but if Kanter is gone at #3, the Cavs should take him. Thompson is a great big man, who is so effective in the low post, and is an electrifying shot blocker.
#5- Toronto Raptors-Brandon Knight (Kentucky)- Second best point guard in this class. Extremely productive in late-game situations, great scorer with a quick attack, and jump-shot. The Raptors lack a true point guard, which makes Knight a must.
#6-Washington Wizards-Klay Thompson- (Washington State)- Great shooter, who finds ways to score. The Wizards do not really have a true shooting guard, and having a pure shooter like Thompson would be nice to have.
#7-Sacramento Kings-Kemba Walker (Connecticut)-Third best point guard in this class, but one of the best scorers in this draft in general. One of the best all-around players as well in that he can shoot, attack, and pass on the offensive side, but the fact that he can get rebounds for his 6'1 height, and has great pick-pocket ability, which makes him too good of a player for the Kings to pass up since it lacks a point guard.
#8-Detroit Pistons-Kawhi Leonard (San Diego State)-Does not give up offensively, has a great drive, Ben Gordon and Rip Hamilton would love to have a player like Leonard on their team who can also improve the depth in the forward position.
#9-Charlotte Bobcats-Jan Vesely(Czech Republic)-Great defender who is also effective offensively who can play inside and out. Very fun to watch, catches the ball very well. The Bobcats need a forward, and getting Vesely at #9 would be a steal.
#10-Milwaukee Bucks-Marcus Morris (Kansas)- Another one of those big men who can not only play well down-low with many moves to get to the basket, but also a great shooter. Does not give up on the defensive side, solid rebounder. Would definitely help the Bucks improve in the front-court.
#11-Golden State Warriors-Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania)-Great rebounder, who is able to create shots for teammates with his rebounding ability. Love that he plays terrific help-side defense. Has many moves to attack the basket, would love to see him play a pick and roll game with Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry.
#12-Jazz- Jimmer Fredette (BYU)-Best shooter in this class, great scorer, true gym-rat, Utah would love to have him, need I say more?
#13-Phoenix Suns-Alec Burks (Colorado)-Great ball-handler who loves to attack, can play both shooting guard and point guard. Could be even better if he learned under future hall of famer, Steve Nash.
 Note: These are just my predictions, because the NBA Draft is so undpredictable who knows what will happen.
  Thanks for reading my NBA Draft preview series, it was so much fun to write!

Video of the Day (6/23)

Dwight Howard= Next American Idol

Sports News of the Day (6/22)

Second Round action of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship started today at the All-England Club in London, England.
Notable Matches:
Gentlemen's Singles: Rafael Nadal (1) defeats Ryan Sweeting (6-3, 6-2, 6-4),  Andy Roddick (8) defeats Victor Hanescu (6-4, 6-3, 6-4), Andy Murrary (4) defeats Tobias Kamke (6-3, 6-3, 7-5), Mardy Fish (10) defeats Denis Istomin (7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-4),  Gael Monfils (9) defeats Grega Zemlja (4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7)
Ladies' Singles: Venus Williams (23) defeats Kimiko Date-Krumm (6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 8-6), Vera Zvonareva (2) defeats Elena Vesnina (6-1, 7-6(7-5), Victoria Azarenka (4) defeats Iveta Benesova (6-0, 6-3)
MLB News: The Cincinnati Reds split a double header with the New York Yankees this afternoon/evening at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
 Game one was won by the Yankees 4-2. The Yankees took a 2-0 lead early in the third, only for it to be tied up in the fifth 2-2. In the sixth, Jorge Posada hit a two run shot to give the Yankees the win.
   Nick Swisher went 1-4 with an RBI and Robinson Cano went 2-4 with an RBI for the Yankees.
  For Cincinnati, Brandon Phillips went 2-4, Jay Bruce 1-4, and Joey Votto 0-3.
   Freddy Garcia (NYY, 6-6) pitched seven innings, gave up two unearned runs while striking out four to take the win. Mariano Rivera recorded his 19th save of the year.
   Mike Leake (CIN, 6-4) took the loss; pitching six innings, giving up four runs while striking out four.
   Game two was won by the Reds; 10-2.
   Cincinnati took the lead in the first 1-0, only for the game to be tied 2-2 in the second inning. The Reds scored two more runs in the fifth, then three more runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.
   For New York, Alex Rodriguez went 2-4 with an RBI, and Nick Swisher went 1-3 with a solo home run.
   Cincinnati's Chris Heisey had an outstanding day going 3-5 with three homeruns and five RBIs. Jonny Gomes went 2-4 including a solo homerun. Ramon Hernandez and Paul Janish both went 2-4.
    Brian Gordon (NYY, 0-1) pitched five innings, giving up four runs, striking out one to take the loss.
    Johnny Cueto (CIN, 5-2) takes the win, pitching seven innings, giving up two hits and one run, while striking out six.
   The Yankees (43-30) go back to New York to host a three game series against the Colorado Rockies starting Friday.
   Cincinnati (39-37) goes to Baltimore on Friday for a three game series against the Orioles.
   NBA Trade Talk: The Suns have officially announced that the team will not be trading point guard Steve Nash.
   The Minnesota Timberwolves offered the #2 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft along with forward Michael Beasley to the LA Lakers for Center Andrew Bynum. I was really surprised that the Timberwolves would be willing to go for Bynum who always seems to be hurt and inconsistent even though he does show promise.
   The Philadelphia 76ers are willing to shop Andre Iguodala. The LA Lakers have offered Lamar Odom for AI. If the Lakers would end up getting Iguodala, I would love to see him along side Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. The Timberwolves have also made an offer involving that #2 pick. I would love to see Minnesota acquire AI and put him along side Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love, and Jonny Flynn.

NBA Draft Preview (Part 8)

   With the 2011 NBA Draft only one day away, it is time to do the last part of my player analysis feature. For the second day in a row, we will be looking at a player from the Big 12; in this part it is Tristan Thompson.

   Thompson is a 6'9, 227lb power forward from Brampton, Ontario, Canada. He played at the University of Texas (UT) for one year before entering this draft and averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds last season. Projected as one of the best forwards in this class, Thompson was named while at UT by the Associated Press as an All American Honorable Mention. He was also part of the All-Big 12 Second Team, the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

   Strengths: Great offensive post-player. He is extremely effective inside the paint with his variety of hook-shots, drop-steps, and fade-a-ways, defenders do not know what to expect when guarding him. Like Marcus Morris, when he catches the ball facing the basket, that first quick step he has allows him to beat defenders and attack the basket with ease. Thompson catches the ball very well which makes him more dangerous. Can be described as a "Human Highlight Reel" with his monster slams and killer finishes to alley-oops. Fights for position down-low and also is very good at not only getting offensive rebounds, but putting them up very quickly to avoid blocks. Runs the floor very well for a forward and gets easy buckets that way. On defense, Thompson is an electrifying shot blocker, and with one big block he can completely change a game.

 Weakness: Cannot shoot outside the paint, needs to work on his jumper. Would be much more of a threat if he had a mid-range jumper. His free throw shooting is terrible, does not even shot 50 percent. Very inconsistent from game to game, could show up one game, and not show up the next, needs to be more dependable and consistent in his performances.

Overall Conclusion: Thompson is a solid low-post player who would be a great addition for many teams. Has a variety ways to score, and can even attack the basket. Never gives up on the boards, which increases his productivity. Great shot-blocker. Thompson is a "flashy like" player and would be a lot of fun to watch. I could see him in top five of this class if he had a fluent mid-range jump- shot and was a better free throw shooter.

 Tristan Thompson will go??? Thompson would be a great fit for the Charlotte Bobcats at #9. The team has one solid forward, Tyrus Thomas, so adding Thompson would definitely increase the depth at the forward position. The Bobcats also lack flash and because of the way Thompson plays, he would take care of that with ease.

  Be sure to read tomorrow for my projection on lottery picks (#1-#13) for the 2011 NBA Draft!

Video of the Day (6/22)

Not as great as the LeBron Wrestling Series, but still extremely funny.

Sports News of the Day (6/21)

First round action at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships contiunied today at the All England Club in London, England.
 Notable Matches
  Gentlemen's Singles: Roger Federer (3) defeats Mikhail Kukushkin (7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-2), Novak Djokovic (2) defeats Jermey Chardy (6-4,6-1, 6-1), Andy Roddick (8) defeats Andreas Beck (6-4, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3), Robin Soderling (5) defeats Philipp Petzschner (6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5)), David Ferrer (7) defeats Benoit Paire (6-4, 6-4, 6-4), John Isner defeats Nicolas Mahut (7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)), Lleyton Hewitt defeats Kei Nishikori (6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-9), 6-3), Juan Martin Del Porto (24) defeats Flavio Cipolla (6-1, 6-4, 6-3), Marcos Baghdatis (32) defeats James Blake (6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 6-4)
  Ladies' Singles: Maria Sharapova (5) defeats Anna Chakvetadze (6-2, 6-1), Serena Williams (7) defeats Aravane Rezai (6-3, 3-6, 6-1), Caroline Wozniacki (1) defeats Arantxa Parra Santonja (6-2, 6-1), Na Li (3) defeats Alla Kudryavtseva (6-3, 6-3), Victoria Azarenka (4) defeats Magdalena Rybarikova (6-4, 3-2 (retired)), Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez defeats Jelana Jankovic (15) (5-7, 6-4, 6-3), Ana Ivanovic (18) defeats Melanie Oudin (6-0, 6-1)
MLB News: The game between the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati was postponed due to rain. To finish the three game series on time tomorrow, a double header will be played. The first game starts at 12:35 PM with the pitching match-up being Freddy Garcia (NYY) vs Mike Leake (CIN). The second game starts at 7:10 PM with the pitching match-up being Brian Gordon (NYY) vs Johnny Cueto (CIN).
NBA News: As the NBA Draft approaches so does the possible trade rumors. Yesterday was the possibility of the biggest one sided trade ever; Kevin Love and the #2 pick the 2011 NBA Draft (Most likely Derrick Williams) to the LA Lakers sending Pau Gasol to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and today's rumors were just as heated. Talks about Steve Nash being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the New York Knicks for Chauncey Billups have been mentioned. I do not see this trade happening but it would really be interesting to see Nash play along side Carmelo Anthony and once again Amar'e Stoudemire. It would also be exciting to see Nash play under one of the best offensive minded coaches I have seen Mike D'Antoni again. That trade would put the Knicks as a true front runner in the Eastern Conference.
   The Atlanta Hawks are also rumored to be shopping Josh Smith.  Smith averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds last year. Smith would love to land in Boston. New Jersey, Orlando, or Houston. He would be a great fit and addition for all of those teams.
 MMA News: The lightweight fight between Takanori Gomi (MMA 32-7, UFC 1-2) and Nate Diaz (MMA 13-7, UFC 8-5) is officially scheduled for UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado on September 24. Diaz has notable wins over Marcus Davis, Josh Neer, and Melvin Guillard. Gomi, considered to be one of the greatest lightweights of all time, has wins over Tyson Griffin and Jens Pulver. The UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fight between champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will headline the event.

NBA Draft Preview (Part 7)

   We are finally only two days away from the 2011 NBA Draft. Being a die-hard Kansas Jayhawk fan, I have to preview at least one of the three former Jayhawks who entered this year's draft, so it is time to preview Marcus Morris.
   Morris is a 6'8, 230lb forward from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played at Kansas for three years and was apart of the 2007-2008 team that won the NCAA Championship over Memphis. Morris was named the 2010-2011 Big 12 Player of the Year and was voted as a Second Team All-American by both the Associated Press and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds. Morris is said to be one of the best forwards in this draft class.
   Strengths: Morris is a big man with an all-around game. Not only is he a great post player who uses many moves to get to the basket, Morris is a solid perimeter player who has a nice jumper. He also has a good low post fade-a-way. What makes Morris more deadly is that when he does catch the ball outside of the paint, he has an explosive first step which allows him to beat defenders and attack the whole, that is really nice to have for a big man. He can pop a three if needed with his consistent long-range jumper. He works very hard for rebounds and does not give up. Morris also puts a lot of effort into his defensive game and is a very tough low post defender. Morris is an extremely hard worker when it comes to the game.
  Weakness: Very inconsistent free throw shooter, the player you want to foul late in the game to put on the line because it is highly unlikely that he will make two free throws in a row. Considered to be a player who cannot get much better or improve his game.
Overall Conclusion: Morris is an offensive threat both in the paint and as an outside shooter. What makes him more appealing to NBA teams is that he has a quick first step when facing the basket which allows him to drive for dunks and layups. However, needs to improve his free throw shooting to make him a complete offensive weapon.
Marcus Morris Will go?? I think Marcus Morris would be a great fit for the Milwaukee Bucks at #8. The Bucks lack depth at the forward position, so adding a player who can contribute inside the paint and as an outside shooter would be a big help for team that depends on the performances of Brandon Jennings.

Video of the Day (6/21)

 Sadly, this is the last of the Heat wrestling videos. So funny and entertaining, hope you enjoyed them as much as I do!

Sports News of the Day (6/20)

Today kicked off the first round of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
First round notable matches
 Gentlemen's singles- Rafael Nadal (1) defeats Michael Russel (6-4, 6-2, 6-2), Andy Murrary (4) defeats Daniel Gimeno-Traver (4-6, 6-3,6-0,6-0), Gael Monfils (9) defeats Matthias Bachinger (6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3), Mardy Fish (10) defeats Marcel Granollers (7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4)
Ladies' singles- Vera Zvonareva (2) defeats Alison Riske (6-0, 3-6, 6-3), Francesca Schiavone (6) defeats Jelena Dokic (6-4, 1-6, 6-3),Venus Williams (23) defeats Akgul Amanmuradova (6-3, 6-1)
NBA News: Ricky Rubio officially arrives in Minnesota, the Spanish point guard will have his introductory press conference on Tuesday. Rubio expects to bring immediate impact for the Timberwolves and is a true point guard like player that the T-Wolves will love to have. In other news involving the T-Wolves, trade rumors are that Minnesota might trade Kevin Love and its first pick in the 2011 NBA Draft (#2-most likely Derrick Williams) to the Los Angels Lakers for power forward Paul Gasol. This trade better not happen because the Timberwolves would be getting a huge rip-off. Love is a great player, who is only getting better, and put up solid numbers last year. If Minnesota wants to lose its All Star forward for someone who cannot perform in the playoffs, be my guest, but it is so not worth it.
 The Cincinnati Reds lose against the New York Yankees in the first of its three game home-stand at Great American Ball Park; 5-3.
  A four run first inning for the Yankees killed the chances for the Reds and put the game out of its control. Cincinnati tried to have a late comeback in the ninth inning, but it died after two runs.
   For the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano both went 2-4 with an RBI.
   Cincinnati had a two hit performance by Brandon Phillips. Jay Bruce and Joey Votto went a combined 0-7.
   Ivan Nova (7-4) took the win for New York; pitching eight innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out seven. Mariano Rivera picked up his eighteenth save of the year.
   Travis Wood (5-5) took the loss for Cincinnati, he was suppose to pitch in tomorrow's game, but moved up a day when Johnny Cueto was scratched due to neck stiffness. Wood pitched seven innings giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out six.
   The Reds (38-36) play the Yankees (42-29) at 7:10PM tomorrow at GABP with the pitching match-up slated to be Brian Gordon (NYY) vs Johnny Cueto (CIN).

NBA Draft Preview (Part 6)

 Three days until Thursday's 2011 NBA Draft in New York City, New York.  With only three parts of my preview left, it is time to dedicate one part to the big man, Enes Kanter.
   Kanter is a 6'11, 259lb center from Istanbul, Turkey. Kanter is projected as the best center in the draft class, and signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Kentucky during the 2010-2011 season, but was ruled ineligible for playing professional ball in Turkey for Fenerbache Ulker. Kanter was voted MVP at 2009 FIBA Europe Under 18 championship while playing for Turkey. He played at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit and really made a name for himself scoring 34 points and getting 13 rebounds for the International Team against the USA Basketball Men's Junior Select Team.
   Strengths: The first thing I love about Kanter is that he is a big man who understands the big man role. Kanter uses his size in the paint to draw fouls and score with ease and his footwork inside the paint is great. He has a great drop-step which allows him to slam the ball in the whole, but he also has a great low-post fade-away. As deadly as Kanter is in the paint, he can be just as effective as an outsider shooter. For being 6'11, Kanter is a great shooter who can nail three point shots, reminds me of Dirk Nowitzki in that way. My favorite aspect of Kanter is that he can catch the ball. Before he makes any move, the first thing is does is make sure the ball is in his hands and I love that he has that fundamental down. He will catch anything even if he does not expect it and it makes him such a deadly weapon. Kanter also runs the fast break well, especially for a big man, and gets quick buckets that way. Kanter is a great rebounder, but what I really like is that once he gets a rebound, he passes it right away for a quick offensive transition Also a great shot blocker. This guy is an amazing all-around player.
Weakness: His post moves are not always as quick as they could be, which might cause trouble against an NBA low-post defender. When he did play professionally at Turkey, he rarely played, and since he did not play at Kentucky, he might lack some experience.
Overall Conclusion: Kanter reminds me of Nowitzki. He is a great shooter for a big man, but what I love is that he can play inside the paint as well with good footwork. He is a true offensive threat. The fact that he can catch the ball makes him even more special. Kanter is a great rebounder and defensive weapon as well. If he can speed up his footwork a little bit, this guy will be amazing. I think he could be the best player to come out of this draft.
Enes Kanter will go to??? Kanter will go fourth to Cleveland. It is a no question for the Cavaliers. What could be a better way to completely change a franchise  than to bring in point guard Kyrie Irving and a big man like Kanter? That would be a great two-man game, which could possibly tear up some NBA defensive schemes.

The Negative of Winning the US Open

  This weekend, Rory McIlroy dominated the field at the 2011 US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Finishing the tournament at -16, the 22 year old was eight strokes ahead of second place finisher Jason Day.
  We have seen Rory at his best (2011 US Open, tied for third at three different majors before the US Open win) and we also have seen him at his worst (fourth round of 2011 Masters). However, I think his Masters meltdown was the greatest thing that could happen to him coming into Bethesda.
   Rory was flying high going into that final round at Augusta with a four stroke lead, until he finished the round with a whopping score of an 80. McIlroy was blasted by ESPN and the golf world not only after the chaotic round, but going into the US Open where they doubted whether he can stay calm when it matters. So from having to deal with day after day, I think McIlroy had a different mindset going into this major; he was pissed off.
   Because he was pissed off McIlroy would not stop his terror at Congressional by getting a birdie after birdie and even sometimes an eagle. He put on one of the best performances in major history, and it was not solely due to my alleged mindset he had, but with an attitude like that, with a great golfer like McIlroy, it is a winning combination.
   Winning the US Open takes the stress off of McIlroy, and puts him as the one of the elite in the game which he rightfully he deserves. You may not realize it though, but winning this major puts him in a bad position, now he has to face the comparisons.....to Tiger Woods.
   I feel bad for McIlory for that reason. Just because he tore up Congressional and the competition he has to face the comparisons with Woods.
  We have to remember Woods has 14 majors, McIlroy one. Woods is still the Sun of golf, McIlory is just a rising star. Why should McIlroy have to face these comparisons when he is a completely different golfer from Woods and in an entirely different situation from him? Analysts have to realize that McIlroy is still really just a kid who is winning golf tournaments, although he will be great for years to come, he does not need to face these topics after one major win. I know golf needs a "savior" and McIlroy could definitely be just that when his performances like this continue, but he does not need to be drawn into that role just yet.
   Rory McIlroy played amazing this weekend, and he deserves all the recognition he has gotten this weekend, but the comparisons to Tiger just because he dominated a major are unnecessary, and is a sad perk of winning the US Open.

Video of the Day (6/20)

The sad thing is there is only one more video out there like this!

Sports News of the Day (6/19)

 Rory McIlroy might have said he was a little nervous going into the final round of the US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
    He had an eight stroke lead going into Sunday, but because of his Masters meltdown, you can never know what to expect from McIlroy. However, McIlroy got the job done and is now the 2011 US Open Champion. He shot a 69 (-2) for the day, and ended the tournament at -16, eight strokes ahead of Jason Day. This is the 22 year old's first major, but performances like this could lead to the first of many.
   Other notable performances-Lee Westwood (70, -6), YE Yang (71, -6)-tied for 3rd, Sergio Garcia (70, -5)-tied for 7th, Louis Oosthuizen (67, -4)-tied for 9th, Steve Stricker (70, -1)-tied for 19th, Retief Goosen (68, +1), Dustin Johnson (70, +1)- tied for 23rd, Rory Sabbatini (71, +2) Zach Johnson (74, +2)-tied for 30th,  Anthony Kim (70, +7), Phil Mickelson (71, +7)- tied for 54th
   The Cincinnati Reds avoid a sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays today, winning 2-1 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
   The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning, when Aaron Hill hit a solo home run. The Reds responded right back in the sixth with a two run homer by Miguel Cairo to take a 2-1 lead.
   Bronson Arroyo (6-6) takes the win; pitching eight innings, giving up one run, while striking out five. Francisco Cordero earned the save, his 15th of the year.
   Carlos Villanueva (4-1) takes the loss; pitching seven innings, giving up two runs, while striking out three.
   For the Reds, Joey Votto went 3-4, Jay Bruce had two hits as well as Fred Lewis. For Toronto, Yunel Escobar and Jose Bautista both had a hit.
   Cincinnati (38-35) now plays a three-game home-stand against the New York Yankees, while Toronto (36-36) plays a three game series at Atlanta.

NBA Draft Preview (Part 5)

Four days until the 2011 NBA Draft, which means it is time to preview another potential lottery pick.  So it is time to look at the game of the 2011 Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, Kemba Walker.
  Kemba Walker is a 6'1, 184lb point guard from New York City, New York. He is considered to be the third best point guard in this draft class and played at Connecticut (Uconn) for three years before entering the draft. Walker led UConn to the 2011 NCAA National Championship by defeating Kentcuky in the championship and was a 2011 First Team All-American by United States Basketball Writers Association and was awarded both the Bob Cousy and Lute Olsen awards. This year, Walker averaged 23 points, four assists, and five rebounds a game.
 Strengths: Walker is an amazing scorer. Not only is he a respectable shooter who has a comfortable long and mid range jumper, but Walker knows how to attack the basketball with explosion and authority. He is also able to use both that explosion and his quickness to get past defenders and create high percentage shots with ease. He is also able to draw fouls easily with his attack, which is essential for NBA caliber scorer. Walker creates open shots for his teammates and knows how to control and lead a complicated offense (did so for three years under Jim Calhoun). For only being 6'1, Walker is a great rebounder. On the defensive side of the ball, Walker has an amazing quick step which is a good reason why averaged almost two steals a game this season. He rarely sits out in games and he has an endless drive when it comes to basketball. Walker is extremely dependable with the ball when the game is on the line. You want him with the ball because he can find a way to win the game.
Weakness: He is short for an NBA point guard, he is most likely shorter than his listed 6'1. Needs to bulk up as well if he wants to be able to handle himself in the league. Walker needs to stay in tune with the game from whistle to whistle and not get too emotionally involved which could cause him to put up unnecessary shots.
Overall Conclusion: Kemba Walker is a terrific scorer who reminds me of a Kobe Bryant like style. He is an offensive monster, who does more than just score. He has a strong will and will do whatever it takes to win, we need more players like this in the NBA. Although he is short, and might have too much passion at times, Walker is the kind of slasher scorer any team would love to have.
Kemba Walker will go?? I think Walker would be a perfect fit at the seventh pick to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings need a point guard, and more importantly a change in the franchise, so what better way to do that than draft Walker and put him along side Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins?