Kentucky Held On, While Kansas Came From Behind

Kentucky 69 Louisville 61

The first Final Four matchup was the Battle of the Bluegrass between Kentucky and Louisville. Kentucky built the lead early behind great defensive prowess, especially that of Anthony Davis. Louisville looked like it had a chance when they pulled even on Peyton Siva's three-pointer with just over nine minutes to go in the game, but the Cardinals failed to score over the next six minutes. The Wildcats took over during that stretch, and the Cardinals could never recover. In the game, Davis showed why he is the best player in the country. He had 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. That in and of itself is impressive, but that doesn't even take into account the number of shots Davis altered or influenced. The Wildcats had the better talent on the floor, and it showed in the result.

Kansas 64 Ohio State 62

In the second Final Four game, Ohio State came out on fire. They built the lead to 26-13 and seemed to be in complete control. Kansas head coach Bill Self called a timeout and whatever he said turned things around for the Jayhawks. Over the next 12 minutes, Kansas went on a 25-12 run to tie the game up at 38. Ohio State regained the lead, but were never able to put away the Jayhawks. With 2:22 left in the game, Aaron Craft put the lead at 3 for the Buckeyes. From that point on, the Kansas defense took it up a notch. In the final seconds, Ohio State trailed by 3, so Kansas fouled Aaron Craft before he could get off a shot. He made the first free throw and missed the second on purpose. However, he was called for a lane violation trying to get the rebound. The Buckeye players were so busy yelling at the official that Kansas inbounded the ball and won the game. Everyone will talk about Kansas' Thomas Robinson's dominance on offense in the paint as the difference in the game, I would argue that it was the other Jayhawk big man, Jeff Withey, who was the biggest difference maker. Withey quietly had 8 rebounds and 7 blocks. He bothered Ohio State star Jared Sullinger all night and made every shot in the paint difficult for the Buckeyes. Kansas showed why once again why you can't count them out. Kentucky might be the big favorites on Monday, but don't count out the Jayhawks just yet.

Frozen Four: Predicting the Victor

Hello, Tampa. It's good to see you this time of year.

It is fascinating to look over the past season and see all the things that might have been. Crazy to see all the ups and downs every team had. Incredible to see all the injuries teams battled through.

And to realize that it all comes down to one weekend in the palms of Florida to crown a champion.

At this point, the games are set--Ferris State will play Union and Boston College gets Minnesota.

Let's break it down.

FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS

From the cold north of Michigan, Ferris State players probably don't mind the warm temperatures or the time off from college. Especially when there's hockey to be played.

This is Ferris State's first-ever Frozen Four appearance, and it couldn't come at a better time. Since the switch of the season into 2012, the Bulldogs are 4-1-1 against teams that made the NCAA tournament (including games played in-tournament). Since 2012, Ferris has gone 14-3-4, with two of those three coming in the CCHA playoffs. While that may cause Ferris to look unstoppable, losing in the playoffs is not a good thing--especially to a perennial-cellar team like Bowling Green. The Bulldogs looked quite vulnerable at that point, yet rebounded nicely in the tournament with 2-1 wins over Denver and Cornell. Ferris will be quite the task for Union to take down.

UNION COLLEGE DUTCHMEN

Union comes in with the least experience against this year's tournament teams during the regular season. Including the tournament, they only played the teams six times, going 3-1-2. That said, Union is solid. They have 17 wins in their last 21 games (17-2-2). The Dutchmen took down Michigan State 3-1 and UMass-Lowell 4-2. Though their top-twenty schedule is probably the least experienced of the four remaining teams, the Dutchmen have been unstoppable. They get the job done. Plain and simple, the Dutchmen will give the Bulldogs a run for their money...and could even win the whole thing.

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES
It helps that BC has yet to give up a goal in the NCAA tournament. Goaltender Parker Milner has only given up seven goals in the last ten games...with five shutouts for the Eagles. The current consecutive shutout minutes for the BC goalkeeper is currently at 149 minutes and 31 seconds. Boston College is easily the best team coming into the tournament, as they have won their last 17 games. It will be a daunting task for anyone (including Minnesota) to score on this team, much less beat them.

MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
Minnesota has an offense that has exploded during the NCAA tournament, scoring 12 goals in just two games (7-3 over Boston University and 5-2 over rival North Dakota).  Minnesota, however, is the only one of the Frozen Four teams that is not coming into the tournament smoking-hot. They haven't been bad...13-7 since 2012...but they also started the year at 10-1. And they have only been 7-5-1 against teams in this year's tournament (including NCAAs). One thing the Gophers do not lack though is offense and experience. They have five championship titles, with the last one in 2003. They are hungry enough to knock off BC, if they can score. Which they can.

There you have it...my breakdown of the teams. Now comes the hard part: deciding which team will emerge victorious. Here are my predictions.

Ferris State:           2     Union:           3
Boston College:     3      Minnesota:   4


Minnesota: 3
Union: 2  (OT)


NCAA Champion: University of Minnesota

Ageless Moyer Makes Rockies' Rotation

When Jaime Moyer missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, many thought that it would be the end of his incredible career. However, Moyer rehabbed and signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies to see if he could make their rotation. The 49 year-old found out that he did just that today. In fact, he gained the #2 spot in the rotation. This season Moyer will gain the opportunity to become the oldest pitcher to earn a victory in MLB history. He earned the rotation spot due in part to a great Spring Training, where he posted a 2.77 ERA.

Moyer will be entering his 25th major league season. He made his big league debut June 16, 1986 with the Chicago Cubs. Moyer has a career record of 267-204 with a 4.24 ERA. He was an All Star in 2003. Moyer will turn 50 in November. He is one of only 29 players to play in major league games in four decades. Moyer has been honored with numerous philanthropic and community service awards.

Moyer seems to be able to simply defy Father Time. He has never been a dominating pitcher, but he has been as consistent an inning-eater as there has been in major league history. On April 7, Moyer is scheduled to make his first start for the Colorado Rockies, a club that didn't even exist when he debuted in 1986. His crafty style still manages to deceive hitters, despite his fastball only being thrown in the 70s. Many might doubt Moyer will have success this season, but he has already overcome so much to make the rotation. I wouldn't be surprised by anything when it comes to Moyer at this point.

UNC Trio Headed to NBA Draft

This year's University of North Carolina men's basketball team was supposed be title contenders all along. However, they were never really healthy enough to have that opportunity. Now, the season is over for the Tar Heels and the offseason decisions were to be made. The team's three star underclassmen made their decisions today. They all chose to declare for the NBA Draft.

Harrison Barnes is an amazing player, but never fully lived up to expectations in Chapel Hill. As a freshman, he was known for his clutch game-winners and cool demeanor. As a sophomore, people expected him to take his game to the next level as he was voted a preseason All-American. That didn't really happen. He still had a great season averaging 17.1 points per game and becoming a first-team All-ACC selection. He struggled in NCAA tournament games, which helped lead to the failure of his team's success. As the #1 recruit in the nation, Barnes never achieved what was expected of him.

Fellow sophomore John Henson has decided to turn pro as well. Henson decided to return to UNC for his sophomore season because he wanted to repeat as ACC Defensive Player of the Year and also improve his all-around game. Unlike Barnes, Henson showed great improvement in his second season. He developed a nice jump shot and a quality hook shot. Despite finishing the season with a sprained wrist, Henson averaged 13.7 points per game, 9.9 rebounds per game, and 279 career blocks (2nd in UNC history).

Kendall Marshall was the man who made everything happen for UNC. When he got injured in the NCAA tournament, it was clear that the Tar Heels would never be the same. Marshall is commonly known as an assist machine. This season he set the ACC single-season record for assists in a season and averaged 7.96 assists per game (a UNC single-season record). In the games prior to the injury, Marshall showed he knew how to score as well. He will always be remembered though as an excellent passer, which is one of the main reasons he won the Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard.

These players will certainly be missed in Chapel Hill. Their early departures are not entirely unexpected. They have had great careers as Tar Heels. I wish them the best of luck in the NBA. ESPN currently has them all being drafted in the Top 20 overall. Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Kendall Marshall all play in very different ways. But there is no denying the talent they have. UNC will be forced to make do with what they still have, plus the core of new recruits. This should be no difficulty for the Tar Heels. They should easily remain among the top-tier of college basketball programs without any real difficulty.

Earvin Johnson Hopes to Bring Some Magic to the Dodgers

Former owner Frank McCourt has been forced to sell his baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team has been on the market for awhile, but McCourt finally agreed to an offer today. The agreed price of $2.15 billion shatters the previous sports franchise purchasing record. The purchasing group is largely funded by Guggenheim Capital chief executive officer Mark Walter and former NBA star Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The exorbitant price includes the Dodgers team, Dodgers stadium, and half of the parking lots surrounding the ballpark. The other half will remain under the control of McCourt.

The first thing that catch's viewers eyes is the money. To say it is a lot, would be like saying Michael Jordan was a good basketball player. It would be a gross understatement. For this amount of money, the new ownership group has to believe that they can make the Dodgers winners and sell tickets immediately.

When asked about what attracted him to making this purchase, Johnson emphasized a love for baseball and the heritage that comes with the Dodgers. He considers the Dodgers trademark to be one of the greatest and enough to make a considerable difference from the get go. Economists from around the country are harshly criticizing the price paid. One of the main reasons behind the price raise is the television deal for the team. Fox and Time Warner are currently in a bidding war. The Dodgers also have the option of starting their own network, like the New York Yankees have successfully done with the YES Network.

When looking at the deal from an overall standpoint, I think Magic will help revitalize the image of the team because of his deep connect with the fans of Los Angeles. However, there is really no way around the fact that the purchasing group overpaid. It does show that they are willing to spend money, which is good for the team. It is important that they turn around the team's play on the field as quickly as possible. This team needs to get back to playing Dodgers baseball the way it is supposed to be played.

2012 NHL Playoff Hunt

With the season drawing to a close, teams fight for a playoff berth. I breakdown the teams in the hunt for the last remaining spots.

Eastern Conference

Clinched Playoff Spot

New York Rangers (103 points)

Pittsburgh Penguins (100 points)

Philadelphia Flyers (96 points)

Should Be In

Boston Bruins (93 points)

Florida Panthers (89 points)

New Jersey Devils (92 points)

On the Bubble

Ottawa Senators (88 points)

• 5 games remaining
• 2 home, 3 away
• 3 vs. quality teams
• 5 vs. Eastern Conference opponents

Buffalo Sabres (86 points)

• 5 games remaining
• 2 home, 3 away
• 3 vs. quality teams
• 5 vs. Eastern Conference opponents

Washington Capitals ( 84 points)

• 5 games remaining
• 2 home, 3 away
• 4 vs. quality teams
• 5. vs. Eastern Conference opponents

Western Conference

Clinched Playoff Spot

St. Louis Blues (105 points)

Vancouver Canucks (101 points)

Detroit Red Wings (97 points)

Should Be In

Nashville Predators (96 points)

Chicago Blackhawks (93 points)

On the Bubble

San Jose Sharks (88 points)

• 6 games remaining
• 2 home, 4 away
• 5 vs. quality teams
• 6 vs. Western Conference opponents

Dallas Stars (87 points)

• 6 games remaining
• 2 home, 4 away
• 5 vs. quality teams
• 6 vs. Western Conference opponents

Phoenix Coyotes (87 points)

• 5 games remaining
• 3 home, 2 away
• 2 vs. quality teams
• 5 vs. Western Conference opponents

Los Angeles Kings (86 points)

• 6 games remaining
• 2 home, 4 away
• 3 vs. quality teams
• 6 vs. Western Conference opponents

Colorado Avalanche (86 points)

• 4 games remaining
• 2 home, 2 away
• 3 quality teams
• 4 vs. Western Conference opponents

Calgary Flames (85 points)

• 5 games remaining
• 4 home, 1 away
• 4 vs. quality teams
• 5 vs. Western Conference opponents

U.S. Men's Soccer Lets 2012 Olympic Berth Slip Through Their Fingers

The U.S. Men's U-23 team had the talent to make a big impact in the 2012 Olympics in London. Things looked promising after a 6-0 demolition of Cuba. But their next game against Canada showcased something different. The U.S. was outplayed in every aspect of the game in a 2-0 loss to the Canadians. The Americans looked inept offensively and had huge holes defensively. The Canadians' win over the U.S. was their first since 1992.

The U.S. loss meant they had to beat El Salvador to avoid elimination from Olympic qualifying. The Americans began well when Brek Shea's cross found Terrence Boyd for the cross range volley to get the U.S. off the schneid. However, things took a turn for the worse when American goalkeeper Bill Hamid tweaked his left ankle. Either Hamid refused to come off or coach Caleb Porter didn't think it was serious enough to require a subbing, but either way the U.S. paid the price. Within six minutes, El Salvador scored twice to take the lead. Porter then subbed in backup Sean Johnson for the injured Hamid. The U.S. though found the equalizer and took the lead 3-2 when Joe Corona found the net in the 68th minute.

The U.S. held off El Salvador through to the end of the regular time. The game was rough on both sides, so as a result, there was 4 minutes of stoppage time added. The Americans continued to do well holding the lead and even had a few opportunities to score of their own. As the seconds ticked away, El Salvador rushed the ball up field to get one last chance. El Salvadorian Jamie Alas took a deep, low shot that hit U.S. keeper Sean Johnson in the hands. However, he played the ball wrong, and it flipped over his body and into the net.

The final whistle blew, and the score was tied. El Salvador's last second heroics ended the U.S. Olympic dreams. Johnson played well as a backup, but he will be remembered by the fumble that cost the U.S. the game. It really isn't his fault at all though. This team had the talent, but didn't show it consistently. The loss to Canada is inexcusable and so is the overall lack of urgency at the end of the El Salvador game. The Americans will have to watch from across the pond as other teams compete for a gold medal that could have been theirs. The U.S. will be missing the Olympics for only the second time since 1976. Today has certainly been a disappointing day for U.S. soccer and this team.

Tiger is Back on the Prowl

Tiger Woods has been through some pretty dark and dreary days. Woods went through an ugly public scandal, 26 tour events, and 923 days since winning a PGA Tour event. All of that is now history. Today, Woods finished the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill with a 2-under 70 final round. He won easily by five shots of Graeme McDowell. Woods could hardly contain his excitement during his tap in for par on the 18th. After it rolled in, he yelled, "Yeah!" and did the famous fist pump.

Woods would be the first to tell you this just a simple tour win. He said afterwards, "It's not like winning a major championship or anything, but it certainly feels really good." He also described the win as "pure joy." Woods is correct that it is just a tour event win, but it was a dominant win. A win reminiscent of the vintage Tiger we all loved. The question becomes whether or not the new Tiger can regain the some of the convincing success of the old.

The win returns Woods to the top 10 of the PGA rankings at #6. Golfers at Bay Hill were well aware of Woods' outstanding performance. Ian Poulter stated afterwards about Woods that, "He is going to be a force at Augusta." We will just have to see if that is the case. Woods stated his case for it in this tour event. The win not only ended the drought, but reminded viewers of the olden days. Tiger Woods appears to be back. And folks, that is a story worth following.