Tyler Lockett makes amazing catch and gets #1 play on Sportscenter

After a spectacular sophomore season last year, (44 receptions for 687 yards and four touchdowns) Tyler Lockett can add a another play to his highlight reel. An amazing acrobatic, juggling catch for a touchdown in Kansas State's spring game this past weekend. The new team captain was the #1 play on Sportscenter which is not an easy task to the least. So let's give it up for this Booker T. Washington alum and Tulsa native, for his huge accomplishments on and off the field.

Top 10 plays of the 2012-13 NBA season

In honor of the NBA season winding down there is no better way to reflect back on a season then watching crossovers, buzzer beaters and people getting dunked on. Looking at this video got me thinking that Kevin Durant will probably have his own top 10 just of him against the Rockets but that remains to be seen. Until then, happy NBA playoffs everybody, enjoy!

NBA Center Jason Collins comes out

                                     

In an in-depth interview with Sports Illustrated, NBA Center Jason Collins announced that he is gay. He is the first active male player in a major sports team to make this announcement. Click here for the full story on sportsillustrated.com.

M-E-S-S MESS MESS MESS!

This morning it was announced that the Jets released quarterback Tim Tebow. So now the Jets go from six QB's to five. Why they still even have five still amazes me and proves how big of a train wreck this organization is right now. Let's take a look at the five left on the roster. Also please enjoy the highlight reel at the top of the page.

David Garrard: At 35 years old he is the oldest QB on the roster. He had several somewhat successful years at Jacksonville including a big playoff win at Pittsburgh. He did not play a snap last year so as to why he has not been cut yet still confuses me. Maybe they want him to mentor the younger players I have no idea.

Greg McElroy: He had a very good college career at Alabama and now in his third season had a chance in week 16 last season to prove himself but lost to San Diego. He is a smart guy and I think a good backup to have but definitely not capable of being a starter yet. And unless injuries happen he will not get that chance in New York.

Mark Sanchez: When I think of Sanchez I think of the infamous butt fumble. But I also think about how he lead the Jets to two straight AFC championship games. He STRUGGLED mightily last season but keep in mind that he had no one to throw to and he was psyched by the arrival of Tebow. He can win you some ball games especially in the playoffs. This is going to be his make or break year for him so we should all stay tuned.

Matt Simms: He should probably get cut.

Geno Smith: We are several days after the draft and I am still flabbergasted as to why the Jets drafted him. I feel really sorry for him because he is a really good quarterback and this organization is in a little mess at the moment. I imagine he will become the second string quarterback thus we will have some potential to see him in action this year which is exciting because he is an electrifying player.

Sports Illustrated reviews NFL draft coverage

Courtesy: ESPN

Check out this great column written by Richard Deitsch about the draft coverage done by ESPN and NFL Network. This is a can't miss read.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130429/nfl-draft-coverage-in-review-media-circus/

Durant posterizes Houston Rockets (twice)

Man, I have never seen Kevin Durant play with so much fire and passion last night as he scored 41 against the Rockets in Game 3. Clearly upset about the Westbrook injury, he decided to take out his anger on seven footer Omar Ashik and 6'9 Terrence Jones. Looking at the dunk over Ashik, we notice the incredible elevation by KD. After looking at back board dimensions  the ball was 12 feet in the air. WOW. Also for those of you who missed it click here to see the subliminal message KD sent to the Rockets when Jeremy Lin was calling a timeout.

Frank Caliendo mocks Mel Kiper Jr.

In honor of the draft wrapping up today here is a great video of comedian Frank Caliendo impersonating ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. Funny video that is actually is rather spot on and unveils another side to the expert that I am sure we were all unaware of, so check it out.

Is this the play Russell Westbrook got injured on?

Today Thunder fans received one of the worst possible news to date. Russell Westbrook is going to have surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee and will be out indefinitely according to ESPN.com. Above is the play that most believe is when he got injured even though he finished playing the game at a very high level. This play is so unfortunate because all Russ was doing was going to call a timeout and Patrick Beverley runs into him completely unnecessary and could cost OKC a title shot. It is so unfortunate that such a small play can have a big impact. Call it how you see it: intentional, flagrant, dirty, or even an accident. The diagnosis for this is typically 6-8 weeks but Metta World Peace did comeback within 13 days. So until we hear a timetable let's all keep our fingers crossed.

Adrian Peterson shows of new Vikings uniforms

       

If Adrian Peterson couldn't look anymore beast, the Minnesota Vikings unveiled their new Nike uniforms on Thursday and yeah he is now beast(lier). Clearly and surprisingly  the most notable change is the font of the numbers on the front. They are more pointy and seem to interlock with each other which is really neat. Again this design is more simple then what they have been wearing previous years eliminating some of the trim on the sides and collar area. Also, the helmet now has a matte finish and a black face mask compared the shiny purple they worn in previous years. The whole goal of Nike was to incorporate Viking ship "features" within the uniforms and I think they have a done a great job with this. For a full analysis and pictures of Peterson being a beast click here.

Miami Dolphins unveil new uniforms

As expected, on Thursday the Miami Dolphins showcased their new Nike uniforms for the upcoming season. I can say that I a big of these. After updating their logo earlier this month, the Dolphins decided to take care of the unis. They look quite similar to the old ones but have a much more simple design to it. Believe it or not, simpler is often the best. Two notable differences is that the orange trim has toned down quite a bit on the helmets, jerseys and pants. My favorite feature however is the teal face mask is now white. This was much needed and makes the whole uniform 10 times better. Overall, the folks in South Beach should be thrilled and should go well their revamped roster. For more details about the uniforms click here.

Rick Pitino gets some fresh ink

As much as I wish that this was not true, it is. Pitino who led the Louisville Cardinals to a national championship promised his players that he would get a tattoo if they won. Well he was not lying and now sports a red "L" on his back. As to whether he did this to inspire his players or because he didn't think they would actually win is beyond me. Jason Terry did something similar except he got a tattoo before the season and then went on to win the championship with the Mavericks that season. Tattoos and championships seem to go hand in hand these days, we will see if Coach K is next.

UNC quarterback pranked by whole team

Spring football can only mean one thing: pranks. This is one of the better ones I have seen from UNC. The whole team falls to the ground after the ball is snapped. Classic. This actually happened in the fall according to yahoo.com but it is clear that the poor QB Bryn Renner was not at all happy about this refusing to high five teammates after running off the field. Props to new coach Larry Fedora for this one though.

Unicorn spotted at Anaheim Angels game last night

No I am not lying, there was actually a unicorn in the front row of the Angels game last night. As to why the unicorn was there I have no idea, but what I do know is that the commentators do a great job with this making the most out of this unusual sighting.

What ever happened to JaMarcus Russell?

                   

Do you guys remember that stud quarterback from LSU that was hailed as the savior of the Oakland Raiders? Do you remember the guy who was so strong he could throw a football 70 yards from his knees? I do, and his name is JaMarcus Russell, probably THE biggest bust in NFL history along with Ryan Leaf. It was this week in 2007 that he was drafted #1 overall by Al Davis and company. After a tumultuous three seasons in the league filled with interceptions, sacks, fumbles, sacks, fumbles, interceptions more interceptions and poor decisions, he was cut and has yet to play a down in any league. In honor of the draft tonight, (and seeing some memes about him, and watching Stephen A. Smith rants) I went searching for an update on this fascinating character. Well I found a very compelling piece done ESPN this week about the downfall and his attempt to make a comeback to football which is posted above. Check it out and do not forget to tune into the draft tonight live on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. from New York City. Also do not forget to do this week's poll!

Has the era of German dominance begun?

     

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2013/matches/round=2000350/match=2009608/postmatch/report/index.html?autoplay=true

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2013/matches/round=2000350/match=2009609/postmatch/report/index.html#bayern+overrun+barcelona

^Highlights and reaction from the two Champions League Games

Let's be honest, did anyone even think these Champions League semi-final scores were even possible? I mean we had the giants of Spain (Barcelona and Madrid) against two very good but underrated German teams (Munich and Dortmund).
Honestly, let's think about it for a second. Barcelona, lead by the three time player of the year Lionel Messi and a cast of superstars could not even score one goal against Bayern Munich?? That is crazy 4-0 which is the worst Champions League defeat in Barcelona history. The Bayern roster is also stacked from top to bottom including the likes of Robben, Muller, and Gomez. I think they have been overshadowed/flying under the radar due to Barcelona thus it was good to see them make a statement and say that they CAN defeat "Goliath". Bayern Munich don't forget has been the runner up twice in the last three years, in 2010 and 2012 losing to Inter and Chelsea.Do not forget it was Bayern last year that eliminated Real from Champions League last year.  Just another fun fact of why this team should be taken seriously is that they are currently 20 points ahead of Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

Now I didn't forget about you Real Madrid. After seeing what happened to your La Liga counterpart yesterday you get absolutely blasted by Robert Lewandowski and company 4-1. Real is even lucky they scored a goal as it was due to an error by the usually flawless Mats Hummels. Lewandowski had four goals against a very sloppy and inefficient Real defense I mean it was unbelievable. Though Madrid was in possession of the ball 56% of the time they failed to capitalize on anything whatsoever. They were clearly overwhelmed and under prepared from the first minute of the match.

So what does this all mean? Spanish football has delivered consistently in club and international competitions therefore it was no surprise that Barcelona and Mardid were the heavy favorites to meet in the final (combined 13 UCL titles). I think the Spanish clubs underestimated how good Bayern and Dortmund really are. If any of you watched the game it was clear who was in control of the game. Yes, there is one more game to play for each but I think it is clear that the Germans have caught up to the Spanish. Dortmund is a young team with a lot of potential and can continue to grow and learn making them even more dangerous in years to come depending on if they can keep all of their talent. Bayern on the hand is a skillful team that can beat you in many different ways. When was the last time we saw Barcelona get dominated like that? Age possibly has something to do with this but I also believe that the talent level of the German clubs of predominantly German players has caught up.This is potentially the first step in German dominance over European football on both the club and international level. Here is one more scary thought. Pep Guardiola will become the Bayern coach next year after guiding Barcelona to dozens of trophies and the average age of the Dortmund team is 24. If Dortmund can somehow keep their stars being lured by other major clubs then they will be competing for the next several years. That being said mark your calendars folks here are the times for the away matches.

Tuesday April 30th: Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund 1:45 p.m.
Wednesday May 1st: Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich 1:45 p.m.

KD on the cover of Sports Illustrated

Man, when I first saw this cover, it gave me goose bumps. Kevin Durant shooting a jump shot with a quote of him in the background about how he is tired of being second. How perfect. This cover is a very accurate representation of how Durant feels and his aspirations of becoming an NBA champion. Not only is the front of this issue (which should be an instant classic) and going to be one of the memorable ones especially for Thunder fans great, but it is what we find out about KD on the inside that shows you his devotion to winning. Did you know he hired an analytic expert to help him improve his shot selection and increase his shooting percentage? Go ahead read for yourself because if there is one thing to take away, is that no one is hungrier to become #1 then number 35.

http://nba.si.com/2013/04/23/kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder-sports-illustrated-cover/

Jacksonville unveils new jerseys

Today the Jaguars and Nike unveiled new jerseys for the upcoming 2013-14 football season. After a logo change was announced earlier this year, the team has now also changed the uniform. There are some very interested features to this new design, including the helmet being two colors half and half. Do not fear it is not as bad as the dreaded Maryland helmets. Paul Lukas, the ESPN residential sports fashion expert breaks down the jerseys into further detail. The Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings are also expected to reveal new jerseys this week. As for the Jags, lets just hope the their record this year will be better then their new unis.

http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/21215/uni-watch-analysis-new-jaguars-uniforms