Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been named in a group of 15 players who will participate in a two-day practice game ahead of West Indies' Test series against Pakistan

Former India batsman Dilip Vengsarkar will be contesting the Mumbai Cricket Association elections, to be held next month, for the post of president

Man Utd want Stekelenburg to replace Van der Sar, plus other news

Since Kobe Bryant became a regular starter for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1998–99, the Lakers have fallen behind 2–0 in five previous playoff series. The Lakers were 4–1 in the third game of those series while Bryant averaged 32.4 points per game. Friday it was a different story as the Lakers fell to the Dallas Mavericks marking the first time the Lakers have trailed 3-0 in a best-of-7 under Phil Jackson.

Dirk Nowitzki finished with 32 points on 12-for-19 shooting from the floor as he notched his 10th straight playoff game with 20 or more points. Nowitzki feasted on Pau Gasol offensively as 27 of his 32 points came while being guarded by Gasol. This is not a huge surprise as Nowitzki is 19-of-25 from the floor for 45 points against Gasol this series.

The Mavericks bench once again outscored the Lakers bench, this time 42-15, led by Jason Terry (23) and Peja Stojakovic (15). Stojakovic contributed 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Speaking of the fourth quarter, the Mavericks outscored the Lakers 20-7 in the final five minutes of the game. For the series, the Lakers have now been outscored by a combined 27 points in the fourth quarter.

As mentioned above Bryant has averaged over 32 points per game in Game 3 when trailing 2-0. Friday he had just 17 points, which is tied for his second-lowest output this postseason. Andrew Bynum was the lone bright spot as he led the Lakers with 21 points and 10 rebounds, but finished with just three points in the fourth quarter.

Phil Jackson and the Lakers not only find themselves in a huge hole, but also in very unfamiliar territory. The Elias Sports Bureau tells us that this is the first time in 65 playoff series as a head coach that Jackson has lost the first three games of a postseason series. Game 4 is Sunday in Dallas as the Lakers try to avoid becoming the sixth defending champion in NBA history to get swept in a best-of-7 series (2007 Miami Heat, 1996 Houston Rockets, 1991 Detroit Pistons, 1983 & 1989 Lakers). And in case you were wondering, no NBA team has ever won a series when trailing 3-0 (0-95).

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker warned on Friday that trillion-dollar deficits posed a threat to the stability of the U.S. economy and the dollar, and said he is frustrated by the gridlock in Washington.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony said on Saturday it had removed off the Internet the personal details of 2,500 people that had been stolen by hackers and posted on a website.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda has acknowledged that Osama bin Laden is dead, dispelling the doubts of some Muslims over whether the militant group's leader had really been killed by U.S. forces, and vowed to mount more attacks on the West.

Trials for the 2011 USA Women’s U19 World Championship Team are set for May 22-25 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Invitations to the trials were issued by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice president for Division I women’s basketball. Twenty-four USA Basketball medalists are among 35 of the nation’s top 19-and-under athletes who have accepted invitations to attend the trials. Jordan Adams (Mater Dei H.S. / Irvine, Calif.) Cierra Burdick (Butler H.S. / Matthews, N.C.) Briyona Canty (Trenton Catholic Academy / Willingboro, N.J.) Andraya Carter (Buford H.S. / Flowery Branch, Ga.) Diamond DeShields (Norcross H.S. / Norcross, Ga.) Stefanie Dolson (Connecticut / Port Jervis, N.Y.) Aaryn Ellenberg (Oklahoma / Las Vegas, Nev.) Chassidy Fussell (Texas / Troy, Tenn.) Karla Gilbert (Texas A&M; / College Station, Texas) Bashaara Graves (Clarksville H.S. / Clarksville, Tenn.) Bria Hartley (Connecticut / North Babylon, N.Y.) Justine Hartman (Brea Olinda H.S. / Brea, Calif.) Kaneisha Horn (Alabama / Birmingham, Ala.) Malina Howard(Twinsburg H.S. / Twinsburg, Ohio) Moriah Jefferson (Texas Home Educators Sports Association / Glenn Heights, Texas) Alexis Jones (Irving MacArthur H.S. / Irving, Texas) Betnijah Laney (Smyrna H.S. / Clayton, Del.) Allyson Malott (Madison H.S. / Middletown, Ohio) Tyaunna Marshall (Georgia Tech / Upper Marlboro, Md.) Ariel Massengale (Bolingbrook H.S. / Bolingbrook, Ill.) Khaalidah Miller (Georgia / Atlanta, Ga.) Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Mater Dei H.S. / Anaheim, Calif.) Cassie Peoples (Cy-Fair H.S. / Houston, Texas) Theresa Plaisance (LSU / Marrero, La.) Shoni Schimmel (Louisville / Mission, Ore.) Meighan Simmons (Tennessee / Cibolo, Texas) Odyssey Sims (Baylor / Irving, Texas Bria Smith (Christ the King H.S. / Massapequa, N.Y.) Imani Stafford (Winward H.S. / Los Angeles, Calif.) Breanna Stewart (Cicero-North Syracuse H.S. / North Syracuse, N.Y.) Kiah Stokes (Linn-Mar H.S. / Marion, Iowa) Alyssa Thomas(Maryland / Harrisburg, Pa.) Morgan Tuck (Bolingbrook H.S. / Bolingbrook, Ill.) Alexyz Vaioletama (Mater Dei H.S. / Fountain Valley, Calif.) Elizabeth Williams (Princess Anne H.S. / Virginia Beach, Va.). Thirty-Five Of Nation’s Top 19-And-Unders Set To Attend 2011 USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Championship Team Trials (usabasketball.com)

Sam Stosur currently ranks in my top three of athlete crushes.And so her success this past year has made me happy not just for her but for me--because I get to see her more when she is winning. She obviously gets more press as well.Including this article* by Malcolm Knox, which appeared in an Australian publication. It's a lengthy piece that chronicles her career, her sidelining illness, her resurgence, as well as a one-on-one interview with Stosur herself.Knox relates his encounter with her:When she stopped to speak to me, what was most remarkable was Stosur's stillness and clarity. She looked you in the eye. Neither as muscular nor as deep-voiced as she appears on television, she was strikingly normal, if that makes any sense.READ: She doesn't seem like as much of a lesbian (I was going to use the d-word but I'm holding back) as I thought she would.Criminy.Stosur's muscles are amazing. Her shoulders make strong and broad-shouldered like myself a little less self-conscious about our not-so-petite frames. I find them very attractive.But more than that--they are practical. She needs them given her current profession. One might even say they are an asset.And as for the deep voice comment. Just ridiculous.Sam Stosur has got it going on. Malcolm Knox doesn't need to make apologies for how she looks or speaks.* which I found via a link from Diane's Women Who Serve blog.

Where I live, it is crazy windy. I thought it was windy when I lived in the city of Chicago, but there you at least have buildings to block the wind. Out here "in the country," (I live in Geneva, an hour outside of Chicago) as my city friends like to call it, there are no big buildings and in my neighborhood, there aren't even any mature trees. So, when it's windy, it's really windy and there's no way to escape it. In addition, it seems to be windy so often that my neighbors and I point out with surprise the days that aren't windy. This does not bode well for me because I love to run outdoors, but I do not like to run in the wind. The wind makes me feel so slow and I can't stand that! My issues with the wind came into play last year when I was training for the Danskin Triathlon. I was going to do one more hard, fast run a couple days before the race. I wanted to end my training on a high, with a good, strong run so I could take that momentum with me into the race. But, wouldn't you know it; it was a very windy day. If I recall correctly, winds were 18-20mph. Ugh.   Now don't get me wrong, there are good things about training in wind.  The wind can be a helpful partner in making a run more challenging and can even simulate hills here in the flat Midwest, but I wasn't looking for that kind of workout at this stage in my training.   So, I began to prep for my last run. Wind or no wind I was still going for a run. I studied the flag out on the golf course behind our house to get a sense of the wind - which direction was it coming from, was it swirling, was it steady wind or gusts? I wanted to strategically plan my course.   My goal was to run as little as possible into the wind. I did not want to do an out and back route, which would consist of 50% with the wind and 50% into the wind. I wasn't even in the mood for a loop course which would mean all sorts of crosswinds and periods of headwinds. Nope. All I wanted was to do the entire run going with the wind, because, for me a huge component of the training is mental. I wanted to get my mind into the state that says – you are an athlete, a fantastically, wonderfully made TRIathlete. I wanted no negativity in my brain going into my triathlon. The only problem with my plan of running with the wind was that I was going six miles in one direction, and meant I would have to walk home, or figure out another alternative. That's when I talked to my husband and he agreed to humor my need to “run like the wind.” So, I started out on my run and ran with the wind the whole time. It was wonderful. I felt fresh and fast. Just what I needed. And when I got to the last stretch, nearly 6 miles from home, I heard two sweet little voices cheering, "Great job Mommy!" and saw my husband smiling as he drove up alongside me. I ran with the wind and had my husband and boys pick me up at the finish!  A little crazy?  Perhaps.   But sometimes you just need to feel the wind at your back. Brooke

  Yes you bastards, this post is for the city of not so brotherly love...After watching the Boston Bruins sweep the Flyers, all I could do is smile, and think about how you and your revolving door of shitty goalies just suck ass...

Hey Boston's own Bill Burr, give it to these fuckers again!




"I said suck a dick!"




Way to go Bruins...Fuck the Flyers!

Later, The Beeze.
 

Willie Mays turned 80 today, which is most probably not an event of major significance to most of my readers, but to all the baby boomers like me, it is certainly a monumental event.  It is not merely the fact of Willie’s advancing age, but the fact that our own ages are also advancing that is so shocking.  I grew up loving baseball and having the opportunity to watch Willie, Mickey Mantle, and Duke Snider all play centerfield at the same time.  Only Willie survives of this glorious threesome, Mickey left us nearly 16 years ago and the Duke departed about 2 months ago.   It was a golden era of baseball, with the more recent popularity of other sports such as football, basketball, and hockey, perhaps it is a golden era of baseball that is lost forever in the past.  It was an era that I feel fortunate to have witnessed.

It certainly appears that we are witnessing a changing of the guard in the NBA this playoff season, and this is very refreshing to me.  San Antonio, the #1 seed in the Western Conference, has already bit the dust at the hands of the upstart Memphis Grizzlies, and the defending Champion Los Angeles Lakers are currently trailing the Dallas Mavericks 0-3 in the second round.  The Boston Celtics are down 0-2 to the Miami Heat and they appear to be in dire straits without a big man in the middle.  I personally would love to see the Chicago Bulls winning the Eastern Conference and either Memphis or Oklahoma City advancing in the Western Conference. “New blood, you gotta love it” would make a great NBA advertising.  Speaking of Dire Straits:

The Kentucky Derby is this afternoon, and it is amazing to realize that it has been 33 years since the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed in 1978.  Even more unbelievable is that is has been 44 years since baseball had a Triple Crown winner, Carl Yastrzemski for the Boston Red Sox in 1967.  Baseball’s National League has not had a Triple Crown Winner for 74 seasons, Joe Medwick for the Saint Louis Cardinals in 1937.  Here’s hoping that both Horse Racing and Baseball end these streaks soon.  Both sports could use the notoriety. 

It is nearing the time that the 2011 NFL season is going to be put in permanent jeopardy.  Last week’s NFL Player Draft was just a temporary appeasement and It appears that absolutely NOTHING is being done to settle the lock-out.   I, for one, am completely fed up with the whole sordid affair.  It is time for us fans to boycott the NFL and to turn our attention to the upcoming NCAA Football season.

It would be hard to fault the Orioles lineup for succumbing so easily to Tampa Bay Rays pitcher James Shields if Friday night's offensive shutdown was some kind of isolated incident, but it was another in a string of weak...

To their credit, the Orioles are not making any excuses about their inability to mount a consistent offensive attack. They were beaten by a very hot pitcher on Friday night, but they also have made some not-so-hot pitchers look pretty...

While many people think that M races are hard to handicap, I have a steady little income that would argue with that. It does take some digging and some time and effort, but I think it’s worth it. Here’s a … Continue reading →

. Andre Ethier owners can breathe a little easier as the slugger returned to action tonight. He had missed Wednesday’s game with elbow inflammation. Ethier extended his hitting streak to 30 games, collecting three hits in five at bats to raise his average to .379.

Jaime Garcia comes out for the eighth inning with a perfect game intact. He struck out eight through the first seven innings, and he’s thrown 51 of 75 pitches for strikes. He’s scheduled to face Prince Fielder, Casey McGehee and Yuniesky Betancourt. The Cardinals lead 6-0. Update: Fielder grounds out to Pujols unassisted for the [...]

It’s not clear where receiver Randy Moss will play in 2011.  It is clear that he won’t be playing for the team with which he finished the season in 2010. Titans G.M. Mike Reinfeldt, in a conference call with season-ticket holders, said Friday that the Titans do not plan to bring Moss back. “I honestly…

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

Please read the full story on TSN.ca for the latest details

QCSS contracts with largest global manufacturer and supplier of juke boxes internationally.

(PRWeb May 06, 2011)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8386992.htm

The gourmet Mexican restaurant with locations in Oakland’s Jack London Square and in Emeryville has planned authentic Mexican cuisine with a modern twist for families to enjoy this Mother’s Day.

(PRWeb May 06, 2011)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/Jack_London_Square/Restaurant_Oakland/prweb8396194.htm

Maas Global Solutions today announced the addition of First Data North or Cardnet platform to their extensive list of Paymentsite Global Payment Gateway processor integrations.

(PRWeb May 06, 2011)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8396417.htm

Dahn Yoga & Health Centers, Inc., continues its 2 Minute Tips video series with exercises for healthy feet. Encouraging viewers to put a spring in the step with Dahn Yoga holistic health tips, this video is simple and easy to follow.

(PRWeb May 06, 2011)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/dahn_yoga_video/2minute_tips_2/prweb8396455.htm

Roman Abramovich may fail to persuade Guus Hiddink to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Chelsea manager in the summer.

Arsenal and Liverpool managers voice their concerns over possible burnout of some of their best young players.

Geoff Thompson has publicly endorsed Sepp Blatter's campaign to retain the Fifa presidency.

Welcome to El Climactico, the deciding game of the season, as Sir Alex Ferguson chases a record 19th league title.

For Carlo Ancelotti, there is no point going to "war" with other managers.

Select committee to look at worries over match-fixing as sports minister calls for 'draconian' punishments

When it comes to fashion in sport, World Football truly delivers, with kits that range from the beautiful, to the plain ridiculous. But with away jerseys, its a whole different story.

Away jerseys provide the opportunity for designers to throw off the shackles of the traditional club strip and go wild, to delight some and disappoint others. 

Today, I bring you the Top Five Liverpool FC Away Shirts and Euro Kits Of All Time: 

And please take note, I'm no fashion guru, so don't expect a stunning in-depth description of each shirt!

Begin Slideshow

By Troy Sparks

Both Kobe Bryant and Shane Mosley better have their game faces on this weekend.  This first week in May will tell who will come out on top.

The L.A. Lakers are down two games to none to the Dallas Mavericks.  Can you believe that the two-time defending champions were beaten at the Staples Center—twice?

That isn't the kind of basketball fans are used to seeing from the Lakers.  The Mavericks can either close it out on their court with a 4-0 sweep, or the purple and gold will rise from the dead and go back to L.A. with the series tied at 2-2.

So is it time for Bryant to step up to the plate and take control?  Maybe Father Time is about to pass him by.  You have to remember that he came into the league out of high school at 18 years old.

I certainly think that Father Time has passed Mosley by.  If his fight against Manny Pacquiao goes more than six rounds, then he may have a chance to pull off the upset.  However, if Manny gets to him earlier in a slugfest, then it's lights out for Mosley.

Mosley was good for two rounds in his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. last May.  After that, Mayweather picked him apart.  If Mosley listens to his trainer, Nazir Richardson, then I can see him getting the advantage.  But if Pacquiao loses, I can see his camp demanding a rematch because the pound-for-pound champ can't go out like a sucker.

As for Bryant, crunch time is now.  If the Lakers set aside their egos and show some guts, they can overcome their deficit and win the series.  Maybe some of their players were looking past the Mavericks.  Dallas is showing that they're not a bunch of punks.

Either way, Bryant or Mosley could have good weekends.  One of them may have a bad weekend or both may go down in defeat.

Pop quiz... Who was the last defensive power house to win a Super Bowl?

Chances are you had to think about that question and you still aren't even sure of the answer. 

You might be thinking of the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers or the 2007 New York Giants. Or, depending on your definition, you might be thinking of the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the 2000 Ravens. 

But if the question was "Who was the last elite quarterback to win the Super Bowl?," then your brain would have to think back to no further than last January, when Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers won the Packers their first Super Bowl since 1996.

Who are some elite quarterbacks, who are currently active, that have not won a Super Bowl yet?

The most obvious answer is Phillip River in San Diego. Atlanta's Matt Ryan is another answer, but does he really count? He's only been truly lighting it up since last season.

Carson Palmer is another, but his injury stricken career has kept him from entering an elite level.

What about Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb? They are star quarterbacks, but they are not elite passers. They have above average passing stats, but they depend on their legs just as much as their arms.

Here are some of the supreme passers in this league that have won Super Bowls: Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady; also Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger (unless you want to be picky).

Here's another tidbit of info relating to my point. This is a list of the past 15 Super Bowl champions and the quarterbacks that led them.

2010 Green Bay Packers- Aaron Rodgers

2009 New Orleans Saints- Drew Brees

2008 Pittsburgh Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger

2007 New York Giants- Eli Manning

2006 Indianapolis Colts- Peyton Manning

2005 Pittsburgh Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger

2004 New England Patriots- Tom Brady

2003 New England Patriots- Tom Brady

*2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Brad Johnson

2001 New England Patriots- Tom Brady

*2000 Baltimore Ravens- Trent Dilfer

1999 St. Louis Rams- Kurt Warner

1998 Denver Broncos- John Elway

1997 Denver Broncos- John Elway

1996 Green Bay Packers- Brett Favre

* Indicates a team that won the Super Bowl without a suitable quarterback, mainly due to having one of the best defensive units in the history of the game.

The key point of that list? If you don't have an awesome quarterback, then you better have one of the best defenses that the league has seen in years, or else you're not winning a Super Bowl.

"Defense Wins Championships" is an overused cliché. This is a quarterback driven era and you're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

Don't get me wrong. Defense is very important and it's vital towards winning a Championship. All 15 teams on that list had solid defensive units. But it's just not realistic to expect a Super Bowl victory out of a team that does not have a franchise passer.   

So, considering that Sam Bradford had the best pro day since Troy Aikman, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt, and was considered by many to be the best quarterback prospect since Carson Palmer, what does that mean for St. Louis fans?

What does it mean to St. Louis fans that Bradford threw for over 3,000 yards as a rookie? He was only the third quarterback to ever accomplish that; Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan are the other two.

It means that Bradford has an extremely high ceiling. He has the physical tools, as well as intangibles that are out of this world. Barring injury, or a total implosion within the organization (not likely, considering the direction the team has taken), it is very likely he will become an elite passer in this league, and that is what it takes to win a Super Bowl in the NFL. 

The NFL is not a world of guarantees, so excuse the title. But if the "sure thing" does not exist in football, then Sam Bradford is certainly the next best thing.  

AC Milan has not celebrated winning the Italian Serie A since 2004.

Since then, their hated rivals, Inter Milan, have won five Scudettos—all coming in the last five seasons. As a diehard Milanista, its getting really annoying watching the only team I hate as much as the Montreal Canadiens celebrating all the time.

Inter's reign of terror at the top is set to end in the coming weeks, or hours.

The Scudetto is prepared to cross the Stadio Guiseppe Meazza back to the Curva Sud from the evil Curva Nord part of the stadium. Milan lead their city and stadium rivals by eight points with only three matches to play.

When Milan travel to the capital to play AS Roma on Saturday, a draw will do. Two chances remain after Saturday with a home match against Cagliari followed by a challenging away fixture at Udinese.

Its been an exciting season for the Diavoli. It started in the summer when in the span of four days, Milan welcomed to the club two of the world's premier goal scorers in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho.

After dropping five points from their first three matches, Milan turned on the style, currently boasting 23 wins, eight draws, and four losses in the league. They have only lost once since the winter recess, that loss coming in April against Palermo.

Most notable for Milan is the domination over their city rivals. In November, Milan got their hardest fought victory. In the first Milan Derby of the season, the Rossoneri led 1-0 from an Ibrahimovic spot kick in the fourth minute, but were reduced to 10 men in the 60th when Abate got into a heated row with Goran Pandev, picking up a second yellow.

Milan threw the entire team behind the ball and defended valiantly for a 1-0 victory, the first over Inter since 2008. In the second match in April, the Rossoneri dominated from the start, scoring through Pato 45 seconds in and ending Inter's pain at 3-0.

Milan have rarely faltered in the league this year. They find goals at the opportune moment through all of their elite goal scorers.

Most important has been Milan's defense. Led by standout defenders Thiago Silva and Ignazio Abate, as well as the incredible goalkeeping of Christian Abbiati, Milan have allowed only 23 goals in 35 matches, a mark that is 10 goals better than fourth place Lazio who have given up second fewest. Combined with the attack's second-best 61 goals (one behind Inter), Milan have a +38 goal difference, which is most closely rivaled by Inter at +23.

Few had faith that Milan could win under new manager Massimiliano Allegri, who joined after being let go from his post at Cagliari. In just his third season as a manager in Serie A, the 43-year old manager has certainly earned himself a nice bonus for the work he has done.

Many critics worried how Allegri would not only implement each of his star strikers, but how he would deal with the many egos of the club. Its well known that Milan have many characters on their team, but Allegri has handled the likes of Pato, Ibrahimovic, Robinho, Antonio Cassano and Gennaro Gattuso among others brilliantly.

While all the talk now is around Milan's imminent title victory, they also remain in Coppa Italia. They are in the Semifinals, deadlocked at 2-2 with Palermo for a spot in the Final. Palermo hold the edge with their two away goals, but Milan will be hungry in the return leg on Tuesday. Excitingly, there is a potential Derby Final awaiting. Inter lead Roma 1-0 after one leg with the second on Wednesday.

The only negative is the early (by Milan standards) exit from the Champions League, where Milan were knocked out by Tottenham 1-0 on aggregate in the Last 16. It was the third time in four years (the only three years Milan have been in the UCL in that time) that Milan were knocked out in the Last 16 by an English side, losing to Arsenal in 08, Manchester United last season, and now Spurs.

Milan fans are anticipating next season, as CEO Adriano Galliani has promised to build a Champions League winning squad in the summer. Milan are looking to win the famed tournament for the first time since 2007 and a second-best eighth time overall.

Win, lose, or draw on Saturday, it appears imminent that Milan will lift the Scudetto this season. Time to put that champagne on ice Milanista!

When college football’s various preseason polls come out this summer, you would have to expect that most will feature teams such as Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU and Stanford near the top of the rankings.

As we’ve seen in recent years though, preseason polls are about as useful as Derek Jeter, batting with men in scoring position.

Sure, we all know that Oklahoma is stacked this year but we’ve also learned that having to carry the weight of being the country’s top target week in and week out can take a tremendous toll on a team.

Alabama couldn’t handle it last year, Florida wasn’t equipped to do the job in 2009 and many other so-called preseason favorites have stumbled in recently.

In 2010, we watched both Auburn and Oregon, two teams that were ranked outside the top ten to begin the year, work their way up the ladder, all the way to the national game.

It has to make you wonder if there is an off-the-radar kind of team that is capable of making a similar unforeseen move this season.

One team that looks like it could fit the mold is North Carolina.

The Tar Heels have been forced to deal with plenty of stressful drama this past year with suspensions, firings and numerous allegations running though the program like a wildfire since last September.

The team appeared to be ready to challenge for the ACC crown last season but devastating suspensions to key players such as DE Robert Quinn and DT Marvin Austin weakened their resolve and they ended up finishing with a modest 8-5 overall record.

Last year’s trials and tribulations very well could have strengthened North Carolina for the future, as many role players were given the chance to develop in the wake of all the suspensions to key starters.

Considering three out of four of North Carolina’s top 2011 draft picks didn’t even play a down last season, it doesn’t seem like their loss will be all that impactful.

When looking at this Tar Heel team, it’s easy to spot some of the emerging stars such as DE Quinton Coples, a future first round draft pick, WR Dwight Jones, who made his presence felt in place of Greg Little, and LB Kevin Reddick, who led the team in tackles.  

The real story, however, is at the quarterback position where Bryn Renner, a highly talented former four star recruit, takes over for the departed T.J. Yates.

Renner may not have much game experience under his belt but he’s got the tools and the skills to develop into an elite starting signal caller this season.

The 6’3’’ 195 lb. redshirt sophomore created a lot of buzz with his performance this spring and he could be a player that will be ready break out once September rolls around.

Renner will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, as he’ll have one of the best receiving corps in the country to throw to.

Arkansas is the only other team in America that has a receiving trio that could match what North Carolina is going to put out on the field this year.

Dwight Jones, Erik Highsmith and Jheranie Boyd, who combined for over 100 catches least season, look like an unstoppable combination that will put some massive pressure on opposing secondaries this year.

After the departures of Johnny White and Shaun Draughn,  the running back situation will need to be figured out. But whoever ends up lining up in the backfield should have some nice holes to run through courtesy of All-ACC caliber linemen, Jonathan Cooper and James Hurst.

The offense should produce enough points but it’s the defense that’s really going to be the story of this team.

There’s NFL talent sprinkled all over the unit and North Carolina is set to have one of the strongest defensive front sevens in the country.

Defensive Linemen Quinton Coples, Tydreke Powell and Donte Paige-Moss are all future high round draft picks and linebackers Zach Brown and Kevin Reddick will be pros one day as well.

With so much premier talent throughout the depth chart, you have to believe that North Carolina is going to be a factor in the ACC championship race.  And you can’t count them out of the national title hunt, regardless of where they’re ranked when the season begins.

Coach Butch Davis has done a great job of bringing in top talent these past few years and if Davis can keep his team focused, the Tar Heels have a shot to really make some noise on the national scene.

With only five road games on the docket, the schedule isn’t exactly overbearing,

The key to the team’s success will be Renner, who is absolutely oozing with potential.

We know the Tar Heel defense is going to be lights out but it’s going to be up to Renner to find his talented targets on a consistent basis.

If the offense can put up the points, North Carolina is going to be one of the most dangerous teams in America this season and they have a chance to make a big run up the rankings. 

Hello, fellow Bleachers. I've decided to devote a weekly column to what stood out for me as the five best moments and three worst moments coming from WWE programming over this past week.

From seeing a decent PPV out of Extreme Rules to a shocking and somewhat controversial World Heavyweight Title change on Smackdown, I present to you my first look into the highs and lows of the WWE for the week of May 1, 2011.

Begin Slideshow

It was the bottom of the eighth inning.  

Xavier Paul drew a four pitch walk to lead off the inning, bringing up Andrew McCutchen who represented the go ahead run.  McCutchen digs in, awaits the first pitch of the at bat, then.......attempts to sacrifice Paul over to second.  

What?

Surely it had to be a missed sign. Why would Pirates manager Clint Hurdle use his best offensive player to give up an out just to move a runner over?  McCutchen would no doubt be swinging away from this point on.  

Right?  Nope.

In a bizarre move, Hurdle decided it was in the Pirates best interest to let their best offensive player give up his at bat for a sacrifice bunt.

The Pirates have improved, but they still can't be compared to the 1979 World Series championship team. The Pirates best chance to tie or win the game may have very well rested on the shoulders of their best player, McCutchen.  Clint Hurdle obviously felt the better bet was to give up McCutchen's at bat and hope a one or two out single would tie the game.  

The strategy failed.  After a ground out that moved Paul to third, Garrett Jones was left to face a left-hander.  Jones is batting a dismal .130 against left-handed pitching this year.  Hurdle's gamble failed miserably as Jones struck out looking.  The Pirates went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the next inning.

Final score: Astros 3 Pirates 2.

If Pirates fans are to believe this talented group of players are for real, you can not be using their best player in a sacrifice bunt role.  If you are promoting Andrew McCutchen as your best player, you MUST give him the chance to win the game or at least let him have a say in the outcome.  

When McCutchen put down the bunt, in essence, Hurdle short changed the fans and his team as well.  The Pirates need to let players who they have anointed as the future, prove that they deserve that label.  A sacrifice bunt doesn't cut it.

All in all, Hurdle has done a great job.  The Pirates have been an entertaining watch thus far under the manager's guidance.  It just leaves you with a bad feeling, especially after the team was just six outs away from .500.  The good news....it's only May.  

Hopefully Hurdle won't make the same decision if and when the same situation occurs.

It only took four minutes for the expansion team from Women's Professional Soccer's smallest market to score on the defensively strong former league champions Sky Blue FC from New Jersey.

Swedish international Caroline Seger tallied her second goal of the season, fed by rookie sensation, Alex Morgan. Later in the half, it was Morgan who would score on a pass by Brazilian superstar, Marta. Late in the second half, the same combination would reverse roles and Morgan got the goal, taking the Western New York Flash into half time with a 2-0 lead.

In fact, the Marta Morgan combination has become very effective in the past two-and-a-half games they've played together. On Sunday, at the Flash home opener, Morgan scored her first WPS goal assisted by Marta.

The two make an interesting tandem in that 25-year-old Marta is well established as the world’s best woman ever to play the game, while Morgan is just beginning to look like she could be the next Marta, or at least the next Mia Hamm, as the best U.S. player to come along since Hamm dominated the world and the women’s game.

The visitors made the game interesting for a few minutes by closing to within one goal after substitute Adriana scored on a spectacular high arching shot within a minute of entering the pitch. But it wasn't long before the M & M attack returned the game to a safe lead for the home team. 

So after two and a half games, Marta stands with three goals and four assists. Caroline Seger has scored twice, Morgan twice, Gemma Davison once and WPS Player of the Week (last week) Christine Sinclair has two.

Speaking of Sinclair, the 3-1 drubbing of defensive Sky Blue is even more impressive when Sinclair's absence is factored in. The most prolific scorer in Canadian national team history was in Montreal with her national side and thus unable to join the Flash for this match. 

Attendance was noticeably less than the home opener on Sunday. This might be a concern to the Flash front office since several of their home games are Friday evening contests. Fortunately, team owner Joe  Sahlen doesn't need the team to pay for itself. He has costed it out as part of the marketing budget for his company, Sahlen Packing Company.

Still, it seems to be a well-kept secret in Western and Central New York that the world's best women's soccer Still, it seems to be a well-kept secret in Western and Central New York that the world's best women's soccer team is within a 90 minute drive or less of any place in the region it claims to represent.

They put on an impressive and entertaining show, not only in terms of individual soccer skills on display, but also a well-coached team effort that seems to do what many coaches in all major sports fail to do more often than not: get their numerous stars to coordinate their efforts and play unselfishly.

Hundreds of thousands of fans descend upon Louisville, Kentucky for the Derby at Churchill Downs each May. A unique subset of the annual visitors are given the opportunity to mingle with the insiders; the fortunate few who watch the festivities from Millionaire’s Row.

Overlooking the grandstand, far removed from the hedonistic infield, Millionaire’s Row acts as a refuge to the craziness of Derby weekend. Thanks to the generous people at Ram, I was invited into the exclusive circle on the fourth floor to experience The Kentucky Oaks, the historic race day and festivities before the Derby.

Think Gone With the Wind meets The Real Housewives.

The dress code is immaculate. Magnificent sundresses have been sewn from every pattern and colored fabric imaginable. The outlandish Derby hats somehow work—they’re like nothing you’ve seen on television; they radiate. Four-inch heels are the norm and a large handbag is preferred (easy enough to sneak in a pair of flats for the painful strut back to the limo). 

The men are confident. Pink shirts, bright bow ties, and seersucker suits are everywhere—it’s like going to a frat party only everyone is polite, the food is outstanding, and frosty Mint Juleps have replaced the cheep beer. There’s an unspoken camaraderie on Millionaire’s Row, which often results in a casual head nod and nothing more.

Millionaire’s Row has a long-standing tradition of hosting "the rich and famous" come Derby time. Recent celebrity appearances have included The Queen of England and Prince Phillip, Michael Jordan, Kim Kardashian, Terrell Owens, supermodel Marisa Miller, Eli Manning, and many more.

Some come to people-watch, but most come for the real action. To truly hang on Millionaire’s Row, you need to bet on the ponies. It can get confusing at times but the key is coolness. Always remember this simple horse-betting protocol and you’ll be in the clear:

1. Start by announcing the race you’ll be betting on.

2. Tell the cashier how much money you wish to wager, on which horse, and what place they will finish.

3. Win is to win, to place is to finish first or second, and to show is to finish in the top three.

When the races are a few minutes from start time, there’s a mad rush to place last-minute wagers. The bigwigs toss out trifectas, superfectas, and exactas, but the simple way to curb inexperience is a Julep. If you lose, take it in stride and do like the millionaires… “It’s just another contribution to the Race Gods.”

 

My unforgettable experience was only possible thanks to the generous people at Ram and their ongoing involvement with the Kentucky Derby.

After a two game sweep of their division rivals and in the midst of a three game win streak,  Twins fans can start cautiously emerging from the woodwork.  Bandwagoners..maybe hang out a little longer.

Things are starting to come together for this baseball club, minor league players are pitching in and the bats are starting to connect as the Twins begin to pull up out of their annual early season bugs.  Three main things need to fall into place if the team wants to continue a successful May.

Pitchers need to keep improving.  All five members of the starting rotation are tied with a whopping two wins apiece.  Brian Duensing has the prettiest ERA at 2.91 and Liriano pulls in last with a 6.61.  However, the pitching staff has begun to prove why there was competition between them in spring training. 

For the purposes of a positive outlook, the last three games have been strong starts.  In Chicago the Twins were able to hold onto one run leads, which is something this writer would have laughed at two weeks ago.  If the starters can continue to improve the only problem area becomes the bullpen, which will soon be bolstered by a healthy Kevin Slowey and a more confident Joe Nathan.

Bats need to keep going.  Before tonight's 9-2 shellacking of the Red Sox there was yet to be an offensive masterpiece this season.  With big bats like Delmon Young, Jim Thome and Joe Mauer getting healthy off the field, this isn't a major surprise. 

Look for more games like tonight's when they return to form.  Players need to step up and the lone soul this season has been Jason Kubel.  Unfortunately for minor league callups, some of this lies on them, but is also an opportunity to gain notice.

Players need to get healthy and (fingers crossed) stay that way.  While it is clear there's no specific timetable for Delmon Young, Joe Mauer or Tsuyoshi Nishioka's return, it may be a small blessing in disguise. 

If the team can get their bats rolling and then slowly integrate these key players back into the lineup with little pressure, the Twins offense will slip into its regular form and no one needs to get overworked.

May sees the team facing many AL West opponents, dabbled with interleague play.  The Twins usually bode well in these match-ups, so hopefully Twins Territory is in for a turnaround.

Derrick Rose scored a career-high 44 points (regular season or postseason) to help the Chicago Bulls take a 2-1 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks. He's one of four players in Bulls history with a 40-point playoff game, joining Michael Jordan, Ben Gordon and Flynn Robinson.

Rose was the only Bulls starter in double figures, but Taj Gibson and Kyle Korver each reached double digits off the bench. Chicago's reserves outscored Atlanta's 34-14.

Korver continues to be hot from behind the arc. After making 3-for-4 from three-point range Friday, Korver is 17-for-30 from behind the three-point line this postseason. Of players with a minimum of 30 attempts, Korver's 56.7 three-point FG percentage would be the fifth-highest by a player in a single postseason in NBA history.

Rose struggled in Game 1 when guarded by Jeff Teague, but had no such problem Friday night. Rose scored 17 points in the first quarter, tying a career high, 11 of them while guarded by Teague.

In the Bulls’ Game 1 loss, Rose was 5-for-13 when Teague was defending him.

One of the more impressive aspects of Rose's performance was that he was scoring from everywhere. He scored 12 points in the paint, 12 from three-point range, and 12 from mid-range, adding eight points at the free throw line.

Even more good news for Bulls fans: when an NBA best-of-seven series is tied at 1-1, the Game 3 winner goes on to win the series 76.4 percent of the time (136-42).

The first quarter was all about Dirk Nowitzki for the Dallas Mavericks, but in the second Jason Terry stepped up to the plate. The two combined to provide almost all of the Mavs offense, but the Los Angeles Lakers came crawling back into the game to take a four-point lead into the half, 51-47.

It's been a tale of the big men for the Lakers, with Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom leading the way in the first half. Bynum had 14 points in the first half, a team-high, while Odom had 10. Kobe Bryant is just on the outside of double-figures thus far with nine points.

Nowitzi cooled off a bit after scoring 11 points in the first quarter, adding seven in the second to finish the half with 18. Terry came on strong in the second, finishing the half with 12 points. The two combined for 30 of the Mavs 47 points, with the other 17 points spread spread-out. No other Dallas player had more than five first-half points.

Be sure to check out our Lakers vs. Mavericks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Mavericks, visit Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.