Euro 2012 Final: Preview & Prediction

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and his Spanish counterpart Iker Casillas could both be pivotal in deciding the Euro 2012 Final. (Reuters)

When Spain and Italy played to a 1-1 draw in the group stage match, I doubt very many people thought it would be a preview of the final. As it turns out, the two sides survived to reach the final, but in very different manners.

Spain was always among the favorites to win Euro 2012. After all, the Spaniards are looking to win a historic third consecutive major tournament. With seven points in Group C, Spain advanced as the group winner to play France in the quarterfinals. Xabi Alonso scored twice to lead the Spanish to a 2-0 victory. In the semifinals, they met Portugal in an Iberian showdown. A physical display by both sides led to a still scoreless line following 120+ minutes of play. In the penalties, it was the Spaniards who were the stronger and proved to be the victors.

Many thought Italy was simply hoping for a nice run at Euro 2102 to put its somewhat bleak recent history to rest. We have come to discover that the Italians had greater plans than that. They managed to advance from the group stage by the narrowest of margins over Croatia. Like the Spaniards, the Italians had to endure the drama of penalty kicks. Theirs came in the quarterfinals against England. A clutch goal by Andrea Pirlo and a crucial save by Gianluigi Buffon helped Italy to advance over England. In the semifinals, the Italians came in big underdogs to Germany. However, some great team play by the Azzurri led to two beautiful first half goals by Mario Balotelli. The Germans tried to recover, but the Italians held on to win 2-1.

There are many great players in this final, but there a few that I would recommend you keep an eye on more than the rest. Few players play the game as beautifully and seemingly effortlessly as Andrea Pirlo. His dribbling skill, ability to control the flow of the match, and capability to be a lethal scorer are just some of the aspects of his wonderful game. Spain's offense hasn't been as dominant as it can be, but one of the main man who is creating opportunities for himself and his teammates is David Silva. Silva's maneuverability could be a crucial aspect of the Spanish attack. For Mario Balotelli, Euro 2012 has been a microcosm of his career. There's been the highs, lows, and amazing goals. If he has any more of the latter, the Italians could be in very good shape.

Then, of course, there are the two goalkeepers. Italy's Gianluigi Buffon and Spain's Iker Casillas are two of the best in the world. Buffon's keen instincts and reactions are unparalleled in Europe. He wears his passion for the game and love for his country on his sleeves for all to see. Casillas uses his speed and excellent positioning to his advantage. His calm demeanor anchors the Spanish defense. Both men are their respective country's captains and mean so much to the success of their sides.

Deciding a winner among these two sides is a difficult task, but I believe I have come to my decision. The Italians are thriving coming off their shocking upset of Germany. They have improved drastically as the tournament has worn on. The Spanish have of course played very well, but have at times looked complacent and tired. I expect a hard fought 90+ minutes will result in a level 1-1 scoreline. In the extra time, I believe Pirlo will find a little extra magic left and will put home a beautiful strike from distance. The Italians will hold on to win 2-1 in extra time. That's my prediction. Now, we just have to wait and see what happens. The start of the match is only a little over 12 hours away. I can hardly wait.

Hill Hits His Second Cycle in 12 Days

Aaron Hill became the fourth player in MLB history to hit for a cycle twice in the same season. (Benny Sleu)

When I blogged about Aaron Hill hitting for a cycle 12 days ago, I thought it would of the few chances I would get to blog about someone hitting for a cycle all season long. As it turned out, Hill enjoyed his first cycle so much that he decided to do it again tonight. In doing so, he became just the fourth player in MLB history to hit for a cycle twice in the same season.

Tonight, Hill got started with a ground rule double in the first inning. In the third inning, he singled to center. Hill got a pitch he could crush from Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Randy Wolf in the fourth inning. It went out for a two-run home run to left. In the sixth inning, Hill knew what he needed. He hit the ball to deep right center and hustled around to third to complete the cycle.

While a repeat of a feat such is this is completely unexpected, it's not that crazy when you consider how well Hill has been playing as of late. In his last ten games, he has hit for a .465 average with four home runs, 11 RBI, and a .953 slugging percentage. In fact, of Hill's twenty hits during the stretch, eleven of them have been extra base hits.

No player has ever hit for three cycles in the same season. If Hill keeps playing like this, he will certainly have a shot at accomplishing it. The Diamondbacks have 86 games left in which he would be able to do it. Aaron Hill's hitting for a cycle was definitely blogworthy. His doing it for the second time in 12 days left with me with no choice but to honor him once again.

2012 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

Harrison Barnes could be the potential star of what is a solid draft class for the Golden State Warriors. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Draft Winners


1. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors couldn't have been happier to have Harrison Barnes fall in their lap. Many experts love to bash him for his struggles in the NCAA tournament after point guard Kendall Marshall got hurt. However, I believe his rare athleticism, pure shooting, and solid defending make him a potential All-Star. He fits a need for the Warriors and will slide in their starting lineup at small forward alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut. Then, later on the Warriors got Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green. Ezeli is a big man full of raw talent. He will slot in well behind Bogut. Green provides good awareness and athleticism at either forward position. With the move to San Francisco under way, the Warriors are a franchise headed in a promising direction.

2. Houston Rockets
Everyone knows about the Rockets attempts to land Dwight Howard. They might not have been able to pull it off on draft night, however, I believe they did very well with the draft picks they used. With the 12th overall pick, they got Jeremy Lamb, who wasn't expected to fall out of the top ten. Lamb is a great shooter and has solid athleticism. While he doesn't have that killer instinct, he has the talent to become an excellent role player. At #16, the Rockets picked one of the most interesting talents in the draft, Royce White. While he doesn't really have a true position, his offensive awareness and hard working attitude make him a special talent. With 18th overall pick, the Rockets added Terrence Jones. While most Kentucky draftees are overrated in my opinion, Jones might be the exception. His ability to shoot and attack the basket make for a great value pick. The Rockets are stock loaded with talent. They definitely now have the depth to trade for Dwight Howard or another star player who's available.

3. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were another beneficiary of a player falling in their lap. Their man is seven-footer Andre Drummond. Drummond didn't have as good of a freshman year as many expected, but all of the talent is still there. I believe he can learn a lot from Greg Monroe, who has developed into a double-double machine for the Pistons in the post. If Drummond and Monroe click well together, the NBA better watch out. In the second round, the Pistons added two athletic wings in Khris Middleton and Kim English. Middleton's draft stock took a drop this past season due to decreased production. If he is able to regain his form, he has the ability to be a solid complimentary player. English is a great defender and pure shooter. Both Middleton and English should slot well beside Brandon Knight in a rebuilding Pistons team.

Draft Losers


1. Cleveland Cavaliers
After failing to trade up to the #2 overall spot in the draft, the Cavaliers shocked everyone with their selection at #4 overall spot. They selected Dion Waiters to be the backcourt partner to Kyrie Irving. From a logistical standpoint that makes sense, but Waiters had many question marks in the eyes of draft experts. His lack of size and defensive ineptness were two of the biggest concerns. Even if the Cavaliers believed Waiters was their man, they should have traded down to take him later and acquire draft picks in addition. The Cavaliers then traded their three other picks to the Dallas Mavericks for Tyler Zeller. Zeller certainly has potential, but he better develop into a special player, if you are going to give up three picks for him. The Cavaliers' draft day moves were puzzling from top to bottom.

2. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were looking for a guard and selected Terrence Ross at #8 overall. With the likes of Jeremy Lamb, Austin Rivers, and others still on the board, the pick was rather surprising. While Ross does have excellent athleticism and potential, perhaps the wiser move would have been to try and trade down to get Ross later and additional picks. The Raptors added Quincy Acy and Tomislav Zubcic in the second round. Both guys are athletic and have definite potential. Not a terrible draft for the Raptors, I just don't think Ross should have been a top ten pick.

3. Boston Celtics
One of the biggest lessons we learned about the Celtics from this past postseason is that they don't have the athleticism and seed to compete with the NBA's best young teams. With the 21st and 22nd overall picks in the draft, the Celtics were in a position to dismiss that need. Unfortunately, I believe they missed the boat entirely. First, the Celtics picked Jared Sullinger. Sullinger is undersized and his back problems were a red flag everyone knew about. Second, they took Fab Melo. With a history of off the court issues and a lack of athleticism, Melo does not seem like a good fit for the Celtics. Neither player supplies the real need of the Celtics, and both players have been considered among the most likely draft busts. This draft appears to be a missed opportunity for the Celtics.

Giants Complete Shutout Sweep of Dodgers

Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley is tagged out by Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum while trying to score on a wild pitch. (Jeff Chiu)

A month ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a season-high 7 1/2 game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West. However, the Dodgers came into this week's series in San Francisco scuttling quite a bit. They hoped to simply hold onto their dwindling divisional lead. The Giants had other plans. They hoped to use their momentum to show that this division was going to be a race to the end. The Giants certainly had their way when it came to this series.

In Monday's series opener, the Giants offense wasted little time as they exploded for seven runs in the first two innings (8 ER total) off Dodgers starting pitcher Nate Eovaldi. That was more than enough for Giants starter Barry Zito. Zito rebounded from a string of poor outings to throw seven scoreless innings of three hit ball against the Dodgers. The Giants finished off the beatdown of the Dodgers for an 8-0 win.

The Dodgers looked to get revenge in Tuesday's game with ace Clayton Kershaw. The Giants countered with a great, young pitcher in Ryan Vogelsong. This one turned out to be a good old classic pitcher's dual. Both pitchers were attacking the strike zone and getting outs. The Giants did finally get to Kershaw in the fourth. Melky Cabrera led off the inning with a solo shot to left. Angel Pagan hit into a fielder's choice and then stole second base. Pablo Sandoval singled home Pagan to give the Giants the 2-0 lead. That was it for the Giants offense, and it turned out that the Dodgers offense never did get going. Vogelsong completed seven scoreless innings. In the ninth inning, Santiago Casilla closed out the 2-0 win for his 21st save of the season.

The Dodgers hoped to avoid the sweep Wednesday afternoon. They sought to get back on track with starter Chad Billingsley on the mound. The Dodgers banked on another poor outing my Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum to help jump start their offense. However, it was the Giants offense who struck first. Cabrera had a RBI double in the third inning. Pagan also added a pair of RBIs. Meanwhile, Lincecum showcased some of his vintage form. Billingsley did manage a double off his counterpart. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. On another wild pitch by Lincecum, Billingsley tried to score, but was blocked and tagged out by Lincecum. Lincecum went seven scoreless innings and was rewarded with his first win in nearly two months. Sergio Romo sealed the sweep of the Dodgers with a four-out save of the 3-0 win.

The Giants sweep has propelled them into first place. Their pitching was dominant in the shutout sweep. Not only did the Dodgers not score a single run in the series, Billingsley was the only Dodgers player to reach third base. As if news couldn't get any worse for the Dodgers, Matt Kemp does not appear to be ready to return from the DL anytime soon. Additionally, fellow outfielder Andre Ethier injured his oblique and could be joining Kemp on the DL soon. With their two best hitters injured, things don't look any better for the Dodgers anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Giants are enjoying their hot play and look to use it to their full advantage.

NCAA Presidents Approve Four-Team College Football Playoff

The BCS Presidential Oversight Committee announced the new era in college football Tuesday night. (Alex Brandon)

June 26, 2012. A day that will be remembered for years to come in the annals of college football. For years and years, college football fans, experts, coaches, and players have cried out against the flaws and tyranny of the BCS. Many believed the answer to many of these problems would be a four-team playoff system. The BCS decided to explore that possibility this summer.

The first stage was for the 11 NCAA conference commissioners to meet and draw up a plan. They agreed upon a four-team playoff. The next stage was for Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick to pitch their proposed idea to the board of 12 college presidents who make up the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee. Less than three hours later, they agreed upon a radical change for college football.

The four-team playoff will begin in 2014 and continue through the 2025 season. The four teams will be chosen by a selection committee. The determining criteria that will be used will be win-loss record, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and whether a team is a conference champion. The semifinal games will be rotated between six different bowl game sites. The semifinals will either be played on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. The national championship game will rotate among neutral sites. The title game will be played on "Championship Monday," the first Monday in January that is at least six days following the final semifinal game.

I fully support the direction in which college football is headed with this four-team playoff. The BCS had many blatant flaws. Is a four-team playoff going to solve everything? Of course not. There's always going to be someone complaining that they got left out. What this does do is leave the valuable traditions of college football in place. You still have the great regular season rivalries. There's still the bowl games to enjoy. But now there is a better way in place to determine who will be the national champion. This is what we all have been waiting for. I am excited to see how it turns out in reality, beginning in 2014.

Ryan Lochte Beats Michael Phelps in 400 IM Trial

Ryan Lochte swims during the men's 400-meter individual medley at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. (Mark J. Terrill)

While all the hype seems to be building around Michael Phelps' return to the Olympics, Ryan Lochte is the one who keeps beating Phelps head-to-head. At last year's world championships, it was Lochte who won five gold medals and both head-to-head races against Phelps.

After setting the world record in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2008 Olympics, Phelps stated that he was done with the grueling event. Besides Phelps, no one knew whether he would stick to his word or try to win another medal in London. It turned out Phelps decided to give the race one last shot.

This set the stage for a showdown between Lochte, Phelps, and Tyler Clary. Clary had finished second behind Lochte in last year's world championship. The three men were battling for two spots in London in the race. Into the pool they went tonight with those very spots up for grabs. Phelps built the early lead on his best stroke, the butterfly leg. When they switched to breaststroke, Lochte took the lead and didn't look back. His lead held strong to the end, beating Phelps by about a half-body length. Clary finished a distant and disappointing third.

This means that we have at least one rematch between Lochte and Phelps in London to look forward to. Phelps is looking to add to his already record 14 gold medals. The very fact that he is even participating in this grueling race shows that he was regained motivation to finish his final Olympics strong. Lochte is looking to prove himself in London. He has shown himself to be dominant at the world championships, but this is the Olympics. Will Lochte be able to take the baton of dominance from Phelps and carry it on himself? We will find out in about one month's time.

Italy Advances Past England in Penalty Kicks

The Italians celebrate their much deserved victory over England. (Michael Sohn)

With the final semifinal spot on the line, England and Italy knew exactly what was expected of them. The two sides matched up well and often play very similar styles. Both are defensively minded with talent that can create offensive opportunities instantaneously.

The first fifteen minutes saw great action on both ends as the teams settled into the match. The Italians elected to make a slight tweak to their midfield alignment on the field. The result was really compete domination by the Azzurri (Italians).

Sure England had occasional opportunities off set pieces and nice runs, but they struggled to gain any sense of flow or rhythm for much of the game. The only thing that kept England in it was their goalkeeper, Joe Hart, and his helpful goal posts. Regulation ended with the first 0-0 scoreline of Euro 2012. But it definitely wasn't for a lack of opportunities. There continued to be quality chances in the extra half-hour of play, but nothing seemed to be able to find the net. Despite out shooting England 35-9, the Italians were forced to decide things with the English in a penalty shootout.

In the penalties, Mario Balotelli and Steven Gerrard both put home their sides' first attempt. The Italians second attempt by Riccardo Montolivo was shanked just wide of the post. Wayne Rooney calmly gave England the 2-1 advantage. Andrea Pirlo beautifully chipped in the equalizer for the Italians. With a chance to regain their edge, England's Ashley Cole saw his shot ricochet off the crossbar. Substitute Antonio Nocerino brought the advantage back to the Italians up 3-2. Ashley Cole tried to level things for England, but the quick instincts of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon allowed him to make the huge save. With a chance to win it for the Italians, Alessandro Diamanti made no mistake, sealing the 4-2 penalty shootout victory.

The Azzurri were the better side from start to finish. Fortunately for them, they came out on top in the always chancy penalty shootout. While there were many standout out players, the man of the match has to be Andrea Pirlo. His ability to create in the midfield lead to many of the Italians' finest scoring opportunities. Additionally, his goal in the shootout was the one that proved to be the game changer. For England, it is another disappointing exit. They have been knocked out of Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup, and now Euro 2012 in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals. Italy will have to rest up and prepare quickly for their semifinal Thursday against Germany.