Tables Are Set

Two sides have battled their way through the cream of the crop in Europe and will face each other in Madrid on May 22nd.

Bayern Munich defeated Lyon 4-0 on aggregate and they will face an Inter Milan side who dethroned last year's champion Barcelona today with a 3-2 aggregate.

Bayern Munich may have to deal with the suspension of their French superstar Frank Ribery, but are in the process of appealing the ban. This may be huge in the final, as well as Inter Milan's Thiago Motta's suspension.

It will be a definite clash of styles and a breath of fresh air in European competition. This marks the first time in five years that an English side hasn't made their way to the final, and the first time a German squad has since Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

The game takes place May 22nd at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

NFC Rookies to Watch

Now for the NFC

NFC East

Dez Bryant - WR Oklahoma State - Personal problems have never deterred Jerry Jones in his approach. Bryant is no exception, but he possesses an amazing skill set. Because Roy Williams hasn't panned out for the Cowboys, Bryant will likely get a bit of touches in his rookie season. With defenses likely to double breakout Miles Austin, look for Bryant to get some big plays down field.

Jason Pierre-Paul - DE South Florida - An absolute athlete, Pierre-Paul was considered a reach to many analysts due to his lack of productivity at South Florida. He's what many consider "a workout warrior." He impressed a lot of people at he combine, and will likely be remembered if for nothing else, the thirteen or so backflips he did in succession at his pro day. He'll be fun to watch, and has the veteran leadership of Umenyiora, Tuck, and Kiwanuka in front of him to help his development.

Trent Williams - OT Oklahoma - With the retirement of Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels, Williams will be thrown into the fire immediately. But that shouldn't be a deterrent for the Oklahoma product. He'll likely be given the task of protecting McNabb's blindside. I don't expect him to be John Runyan out of the gate, but he should shore up that line.

NFC North

Ndamukong Suh - DT Nebraska - I'm not so sure what I can say about Suh that hasn't already been said. He's a monster, and was easily the best player in this year's draft. The Lions finally addressed their needs rather than their wants. Suh will be an immediate impact player, and will without a doubt improve their defensive line.

Bryan Bulaga - OT Iowa - The Iowa product will likely be a good pass protector for Aaron Rodgers. But it will be interesting to see if he can shake the image that Robert Gallery cast on offensive tackles from Iowa.

Jahvid Best - RB California - Another Lion? Kevin Smith seemed unable to carry the load all by his lonesome the last two years, and will finally get some much needed help with the explosive Best. Injuries have been an issue with Best, but if healthy, he'll be an exciting player to watch, and a productive one at that.

NFC West

Sam Bradford - QB Oklahoma - All eyes are going to be on the number one over all pick. Will the fifteen or so extra pounds of muscle he put on be enough to sustain the barrage he'll incur behind the Swiss cheese offensive line of the Rams? He has an accurate arm, and definitely has big play capability, but with a team that has a lot of needs, will he be able to make a big impact from the get-go? He'll benefit from being able to hand the ball to Steven Jackson though.

Earl Thomas - S Texas - A lot of buzz was created when Pete Carroll decided to go with the more versatile defensive back in Earl Thomas rather than his former stud Taylor Mays. I say defensive back, because he comes in as a safety, but has the potential to play either corner spot as well. Earl Thomas is one of the most NFL ready players to enter the draft, and is poised for immediate impact. He'll look to improve upon the 30th ranked pass defense from a year ago. He's a very talented player and will be a lot of fun to watch.

Mike Iupati - G Idaho - Like I mentioned before, I didn't know much about this kid before the draft, but man am I sold. He's an absolute monster guard. He'll help relieve some of the pressure that Frank Gore has had to take over the past few years. This help may keep the injury prone ore on the field a little more than usual. He'll help improve a run game that was already in the top fifteen a year ago.

NFC South

Jimmy Clausen - QB Notre Dame - Jake Delhomme is gone, and though John Fox has said Moore is their guy after ending the season well last year, Jimmy Clausen has found himself in a good spot. He will likely compete for the starting job in the preseason, and at the slightest slip up by Moore, he'll probably find himself on the field. He has a great run game behind him as well as Steve Smith and now Brandon LaFell to throw to. It'll be interesting to see if he lives up to the billing.

Gerald McCoy - DT Oklahoma - A lot has been made of McCoy, and he's constantly being compared to Suh. Being a defensive tackle, and being taken third alone is enough to watch and see if he lives up to the hype, but going to a team that just cut one of their starting defensive tackles almost guarantees him a spot in the starting eleven. Tampa Bay seems to have a gem, and with a defensive minded coach like Raheem Morris, he'll be sure to flourish, or at least be a bright spot for a very young upcoming team.

Sean Weatherspoon - LB Missouri - Living in Atlanta, it's hard to turn on the radio the past few days without hearing about Weatherspoon. He's a very athletic guy, and he's sure to bring a lot of excitement to the Falcons. Some experts thought he was a reach, but it seems as if Atlanta had been targeting him all along. He possesses the athleticism as well as the versatility to play both inside and outside linebacker, which bodes well for him as far as play time is concerned.

There you have it, 24 rookie players I'll be paying close attention to this season.

Who do you look forward to watching?

All links are to ESPN's draft profiles.

AFC Rookies to Watch

After watching the draft, I saw a lot of talent I hadn't really paid too close of attention to when they were in college. Some of it has to do with the lack of national exposure, and others just didn't stand out to me initially. I think that's why the draft coverage on ESPN is so valuable. Everyone knows who Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh are, but who knew how good Mike Iupati was at Idaho?

I don't want to go into tired topics like Jimmy Clausen dropping, Sam Bradford's shoulder and potentially $50 million guaranteed. So I'm going to break it down by division and give you my top three rookies to watch for in the 2010-2011 season.

First up is the AFC.

AFC East

Kyle Wilson - CB Boise State - Seems like it's been a while since I've watched draft coverage where the Jets fans in the house didn't boo at some point. Kyle Wilson looks to be a stud cornerback, and won't be thrown into the fire. He'll benefit from playing mostly nickelback while having Revis and Cromartie to help him out. He won't have the luxury of Kerry Rhodes over the top though, but regardless he's in a great situation.

C.J. Spiller - HB Clemson - Not much I can really say about this kid that hasn't already been said. Explosive is an understatement when describing Spiller's game. Like Wilson, he'll benefit from having veterans in front of him. He'll spell Fred Jackson, who is coming off of a career season. He will also be vital in the special teams for the Bills

Brandon Spikes - LB Florida - The much maligned linebacker from Florida comes into a situation where he may start as a rookie. New England recently released Adalius Thomas, which may open up a spot for the rookie to compete for. It will be interesting to see how he handles the pressures of the NFL and playing for Bill Belichick.

AFC North

Jermaine Gresham - TE Oklahoma - The Bengals, given they'll have Carson Palmer for all sixteen games, look poised to take the AFC North. Their pass game got better in a matter of two days, mainly because of Palmer's new big target, Jermaine Gresham. He's a huge, yet fast, and gives them a good checkdown and safe option in the pass game, as well as a large body to block for Benson. With Ochocinco being doubled mostly, look for Gresham to get quite a few catches as a rookie.

Terrence Cody - NG/DT Alabama - The man affectionately known as "Mount Cody" due to his sheer size, seemed to be an absolute steal in the late second round for Baltimore. He'll be able to make an impact from the get-go. He will most likely spell Haloti Ngata, and be able to plug the middle for Ray Lewis to roam free. He seems to have a great work ethic, and possesses a perfect body to play nose guard.

Carlos Dunlap - DE Florida - The end from Florida possesses all the physical skills to be an elite pass rusher at the professional level. The Bengals, despite his personal problems, decided to give him a chance. If he stays out of trouble, he promises to get his fair share of sacks, even as a rookie.

AFC West

Tim Tebow - QB Florida - I said this was a list of rookies to watch this year, not exactly predicting immediate success. I think he's an interesting player to watch due to his play style, the critics he'll want to prove wrong, and Josh McDaniels' promise that he's a quarterback only. Look to see him in the wildcat(or wildhorse?) formation they experimented with some last year. He'll be entertaining if nothing else.

Eric Berry - S Tennessee - A lot of experts talk about how teams shouldn't draft a safety or a defensive back with such a high pick. It's hard to blame the Chiefs for picking Berry so high. He's an incredibly gifted player, and possesses all the skills to be an elite safety with the likes of Polamalu, Reed, Rhodes, and (a healthy) Bob Sanders. He'll make an immediate impact with the Chiefs.

Rolando McClain - ILB Alabama- It seems like every year there is a middle linebacker from the SEC that is taken high and immediately becomes elite. This year is no different, Rolando McClain will become an impact player from snap number one, and will rack up over one hundred tackles, shoring up a run defense in much need of help.

AFC South

Jerry Hughes - DE TCU - A dream come true for the Indianapolis Colts was Hughes dropping to them in the late first round. He fits the mold for their system, and will be able to spell and emulate both Freeney and Mathis. With the departure of Raheem Brock, Hughes fits right in.

Derrick Morgan - DE Georgia Tech - Much like Hughes dropping to the Colts, Derrick Morgan dropped right into Tennessee's lap. With the departure of Kyle Vanden Bosch, Morgan will be able to step right in. He's a slightly short defensive end like Hughes, but possessed both pass rushing and run stopping skills. Look for him to make an immediate impact.

Ben Tate - HB Auburn - Some would say that Tate never lived up to the hype at Auburn, but he'll look to prove himself by helping a team who finished with the 30th best rush offense in the league. He's a bruising back, that will help Steve Slaton carry the load.

All links are to ESPN's draft profiles.

Just Can't See It

I frequent a few websites every day, and the ESPN Soccernet page is one of the main ones. It's a great source for news in European soccer, and they do a great job of updating up to the minute scores from all over the world. If you haven't checked it out, I advise you do so, if for nothing else but to check out the World Cup 2010 bracket challenge.

Well I was checking it this morning, and there weren't any stories out of the ordinary. They are mostly gearing up for the second semi-final of the Champion's League between Inter Milan and Barcelona, as well as the daily changes of Gianfranco Zola's status as West Ham's manager, which if you ask me, is getting just as tiresome as the Tiger Woods and Brett Favre updates.

One thing that did catch my eye was the Soccernet Poll for the day. "(Steven)Gerrard this summer, should...a) Stay at Liverpool, b) Go elsewhere in the prem, c) Go abroad." I scratched my head for a second before voting. I hadn't heard any rumors in the least about the Liverpool skipper leaving for any reason. I'm not scrutinizing ESPN whatsoever, because I think, if even just as an absolutely hypothetical question, it spurred some interest.

For those who don't already know, I'll be candid in saying that I'm a Liverpool supporter. I know that I promote this blog as a nonpartisan column, but I think for the sake of argument I'll let you know that, because for me it's hard to imagine watching Liverpool, my favorite team, play without their longtime captain and stud midfielder. Steven Gerrard is the embodiment of Liverpool football, and makes the team go. He was born and raised in Merseyside, joined the Liverpool youth system at nine years old, and has played for them ever since, accumulating 364 appearances and 80 goals.

This makes me think how hard it would be to see other players leave their longtime teams in any sport. Let's forget about those years with the Wizards when he came back, and try to imagine MVP form Michael Jordan on another team other than the Bulls. Can you? I can't. Could you imagine Stockton and Malone(as a tandem) as Knicks, Spurs, or Rockets? I sure can't. What about Peyton Manning in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform? Can you see Frank Lampard in anything other than Chelsea blue, Wayne Rooney in anything other than red, or Carlos Puyol not with Unicef on his chest? Imagining those players in other uniforms seems as difficult for me to imagine and as foreign a concept as time travel outside a hot tub.

On the other hand, this summer you could see a few examples where some players throw on new jerseys. It's going to be hard to get used to Lebron James in another jersey if indeed he leaves Cleveland. But I guess I'll have to get used to it like when Gretzkey left the Kings for the Rangers, or for the generation before me, when he left the Oilers for the Kings. Or to stick with soccer, when Thierry Henry left Arsenal in his prime to join Barcelona. Or when David Beckham left Manchester United to join Real Madrid. They didn't really look right, but as a fan I adjusted.

Some uniforms just look better on certain players than others do. Or maybe it's just me.

Fire Sale

According to ESPN Soccernet, owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are trying to sell Liverpool FC.

This comes after a very disappointing season in the English Premier League, as well as European competition. The American owners have been under much scrutiny during their tenure with Liverpool. They have accrued a massive amount of debt which has subsequently hindered the team's chances to compete with the big spending likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal.

This is coming on the heels of fellow American owner Malcolm Glazer's refusal to sell Manchester United for less than £1.5 billion. He most recently refused an offer of £1 billion from a group of wealthy Red Devil supporters.

It seems as if the American venture into English football has become a failed one, as we watch two of the most successful clubs in England run their American owners out of town after only a few years.

Link to original story

A Real Second Season

I was watching the game between the Thunder and Grizzlies on Wednesday night, and I heard a player in an interview make a reference to the playoffs as their "second season."

Just struck me, because for the longest time, since maybe the mid to late nineties, I've felt that the NBA playoffs were entirely too long. It seems every year that David Stern is adding an extra day of rest in each playoff series. I don't get it. Why is it that the NHL can play the same 82 game season, finish around the same time, and start their playoffs days before the NBA?

When I was younger, and paid a lot closer attention to the NBA playoffs, they wouldn't rest nearly as much. During each series, they would play the two games, rest, travel, play three games, travel and play two games. There was no day of rest between every game, and it didn't seem like the playoffs went all the way into June.

The current format has made some series unappealing and takes some of the drama out of the playoffs. The rating seem to keep dropping every year, and who could blame viewers? When you have to wait days to see consecutive games from one series, where is the appeal?

Link to Playoff Schedule

Epitome

Epitome is defined as "The embodiment or encapsulation of; A representative example; The height; the best; A brief summary"

Tonight's game was the epitome of March Madness. This game was exactly why we watch the tournament. It was David vs. Goliath. It was Cinderella vs. one of the most beloved and hated teams in all of sport. It was...flat out thrilling!

I can't remember the last time I was this enthralled in a college basketball game that had didn't involve my favorite team. It may be my family's roots in Indiana, it may be the fact that I like to see the underdog show up for big games, or maybe it's just the love of the game. But regardless, I found my heart racing and my butt at the edge of the recliner in the closing minutes.

Tonight had everything you could ask for, except for maybe more whistles...but who wants the game to be slowed down that much? I don't really want to watch the Spurs play the Spurs in the college national championship. The refs, as I discussed with a friend, really let a lot of stuff go tonight, but at least they were consistent in their efforts. Both teams put up a scrappy effort, seriously when was the last time you saw so many jump balls? That takes absolute heart by both teams to get in the scrum and fight.

There were old school big men in Howard and Zoubek fighting it out, while hybrid swing-men like Hayward and Singler battled. Both teams led multiple times during the game, and neither by double digits. The defense the teams played was impeccable and most times, crucial.

But what really showed was that each one of those players showed a tremendous heart and love for the game. Heart is what keeps some fans watching college basketball and refusing to watch professional. These kids have everything to play for, and everything on the line. They aren't being paid massive amounts of money to show up. They're not playing for contracts and incentives. They're out there to show they're worth that scholarship and to bring a title home to their respective school.

Duke proved to be victorious, and for the first time since North Carolina and Illinois played a nail-biter back in the 2005 final, I feel that the best two teams in America were on the court playing for the trophy. And while one continues to cement its legacy among the "Mt. Rushmore" of college basketball, the other begins its steps toward national recognition and a perennial spot among America's favorites to succeed deep into March.

Both teams will be returning a lot of key players, given they don't go to the draft. We could in fact see both teams make a run deep into next years tournament, and one thing's for sure, I'll be watching to see what happens.

Game 2: Duke vs. West Virginia

So I said I'd give a breakdown of both games, and here I am... 7:46 left in the Butler Michigan State game. After that 7:46, assuming there is no overtime period(s), we will be watching Duke taking on West Virginia.

I keep hearing the soundbite from the Duke Baylor game, where the announcer says "In a tournament where nothing went according to plan, Duke did!" This surprised me. Given the caliber of the other three one seeds that fell, I personally felt Duke would have been the first of them. I was wrong, and here they are in Indianapolis ready to take on Bob Huggins' Big East Champions, the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Let's take a look at how these two teams got to this point. One word: defense. Both coaches, over their careers have been known for their gameplanning, which emphasizes, for the most part, defense. Both teams throughout this tournament have played outstanding defense, especially around the perimeter. Take their last two games they held high volume offenses in Kentucky and Baylor to low shooting percentages.

The game looks to be a defensive battle in the making. Both teams are going to have to hope for good showings from their roleplayers like Mazzulla and Zoubek respectively. At the same time they're going to need to have their starters continue to step up. The Blue Devils can't afford another poor shooting performance from Kyle Singler. The Mountaineers also can't afford to rely on three point baskets for a whole half, especially relying on mediocre three point shooters like Mazzulla and Butler to shoot a high percentage from the perimeter.

I don't see a real coaching edge for either team. Both are great motivators and will make sure their players stick to their roles.

Like I said look for a defensive struggle. I feel it's going to be a drag out, knock out type of game.

A Week to Remember and Forget

This week was quite memorable for some teams, both club and national. It's also a week that a lot of people want to forget.

As I covered earlier in the week, the Champion's League reset this week with first leg wins by Bayern Munich and Lyon. But the big story of the week isn't necessarily the results, but rather the aftermath.

I failed to mention in a previous post, that during the time Ivica Olic was scoring the winning goal against Manchester United on Tuesday, Wayne Rooney had a collision with Mario Gomez. He ended up twisting his ankle, and will now miss up to three weeks of action. This is crucial due to his superb form as of late. This could likely be a set back for both Manchester United and the English National Team alike.

The biggest story comes from the huge game on Wednesday between defending champions Barcelona and Arsenal. The first half saw Pep Guardiola's side rain down a barrage of shots on Manuel Almunia. The Spaniard was summoned to make superb save after superb save to deny the likes of Messi and Ibrahimovic. Arsenal mustered up a couple of chances, but really failed to move the ball out of their back third and failed to play simple balls.

The second half saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic score his first goal ever against English opposition in less than a minute. A long ball was played into the right side of the penalty area and the Swede chipped it over the head of Almunia. Thirteen minutes later, Ibrahimovic found himself with an opportunity in the box yet again and hammered one over the head of Almunia and into the goal from a difficult angle.

Arsenal seemed all but out of the game until a substitution saw youngster Theo Walcott brought in for Bacary Sagna to add some much needed attack on the wings. A minute or so after being brought in, Walcott dribbled his way into the box and slid one past Victor Valdes. Arsenal really started to battle back, putting the Barcelona back four on their heels. And in the 85th minute, a through ball saw Arsenal Captain, Cesc Fabregas into the box, where he collided with fellow Spaniard Carlos Puyol. The defender was sent off and Arsenal was awarded a penalty kick that Fabregas emphatically drove home.

What wasn't apparent after the foul, was surely noticed shortly after the celebration when Cesc came up limping. It's now been reported that he has a cracked fibula. He's been ruled out for the season and possibly relinquishes his spot on the Spanish roster for this year's World Cup. Fabregas joins Gallas, and possibly Andrei Arshavin, who are likely out for the remainder of the year with injuries.

Battling back to salvage some damage seems in vein now. Losing their best forward, best midfielder and best defender all in the same game is crucial, especially given the fact they are very close to the top of the standings in the English Premier League. Arsene Wenger will have to rally his troops and hope that some very young, and inexperienced players will step up in their absence.

Barcelona seem to have the tie in hand going back to Camp Nou next week. They showed absolute dominance in most of the game and secured two crucial away goals. It will be their game to lose on Tuesday.

The other fixture that took place Wednesday, wasn't as dramatic as the other, but was still big nonetheless. It featured perennial Italian champions Inter Milan and the surprising CSKA Moscow side who has stepped up in big games this tournament. The Azzuri(Inter Milan) bombarded the Russians with shot after shot, taking a total of twenty-five shots, putting nine on goal, all the while controlling 56% of the possession. CSKA only managed a total of ten shots, putting three on target, and proved to be the telling factor of the game. The constant pressure finally gave way to a goal in the 65th minute by Diego Milito. They gained a win without giving up that crucial away goal.

A day or two after reports surfaced about Jose Murinho's lack of satisfaction in Italy, he still managed to coach his team to a much needed victory against a very game Moscow side. It's clear that he really wants to return to England to manage, but is showing his great managing skills in the process.

The next set of games start on Tuesday. CSKA Moscow vs. Inter Milan and Barcelona vs. Arsenal.

Great matches so far, and I'm hoping for some more of the same in next week's games.

Game 1: Butler vs. Michigan State

I've been somewhat foolish calling Butler a Cinderella throughout the tournament, because in reality they're a five seed, and haven't lost a game since December. Over the past five or six years they've really shook their "mid-major" status, and are considered contenders every year. The way that they made it to the Final Four this year was quite hard, having to beat the number one and two seed in consecutive games. But what better motivation that a semi-final, and maybe championship game in your hometown?

With Tom Izzo at the helm, as always, Michigan State are a threat to any team in the nation, and always a favorite to go deep into the tournament. But when Kalin Lucas tore his Achilles tendon, a lot of air was sucked out of the room and doubts began to arise. Izzo didn't let that get to his team, and they showed just how deep their roster goes. Lucas' replacement, Korie Lucious, has been outstanding and has led the team along with the likes of Draymond Green, Raymar Morgan and Durrell Summers.

This game can be seen as a home game for Butler, but when it comes down to it, they probably won't have the same amount of Bulldog faithful as they would at Hinkle Fieldhouse, despite being only a few miles down the road. They likely won't have the same amount of tickets to hand out to students, and will have to put up with the contingency of Michigan State fans that will make the short four hour drive to get to Indianapolis.

Alright so to the game. The keys as I see them are quite similar for both teams. One of the main things that both teams have to focus is on is the foul trouble that Matt Howard is prone to get into. With the way that Michigan State attacks the baskets with the likes of Green, Morgan and Roe, they are quite likely to get Matt Howard into foul trouble.

Butler will have to pass the ball around like they did against Syracuse, and spread out the defense. I'm not exactly sure if there is a defender on the Spartans team that can handle Gordon Hayward, or at least he type of threat he brings to the game. On the same token, I don't know if Matt Howard will be able to handle the attack of Draymond Green. He attacks the basket very well and also is a great passing big man.

Both teams have shown great defensive prowess throughout the tournament, and the ability to hit shots, especially threes, when they really count. Both teams don't mind working out of half court sets, and this could make for a very interesting pace to the game. The crowd, at least I think so, will be divided in fan base for the two teams.

If Shelvin Mack can continue his form this tournament, and is able to involve Hayward and Howard, then Butler have a great shot at winning. And of course, they have to keep their center, Matt Howard out of foul trouble.

If Korie Lucious can continue to fill in the shoes of Kalin Lucas the way he has, and involve Summers, and Morgan along the perimeter as well as Draymond Green in the post, they have just as good of a shot in winning. And if there's one coach in all of college basketball that can motivate his kids to play under the big lights, it's Tom Izzo.

This game has all the makings of a real classic and I, for one, can't wait to watch it.

Game Time - 6:07pm EST