Excitement Brewing in Toronto

Bautista's wrist injury proved detrimental to the Jays' 2012 season

Toronto has had quite the excitement in both basketball and baseball these past few weeks. The Raptors made some noise when they successfully added Rudy Gay to the roster and the Blue Jays did everything they could to acquire a dominant lineup and pitching rotation throughout the offseason. With Jose Bautista missing the second half of the season with a wrist injury last year, the Blue Jays ended with an unimpressive record of 73-89. However, before Bautista went down, the Jays were second in runs scored which clearly showed their ability to produce despite having a record of 44-45 with Bautista in the lineup. But now, as Spring Training is in full swing and the season is looming, Joey Bats is back and the Blue Jays just might make a run into October.

There is no doubt that the expectations are high in Toronto, but as other professional teams have proven, maybe high expectations only lead to laughable disappointments. Two teams immediately come to mind when talking about not performing as well as people believed they could and that would be the Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Marlins. The Eagles, whom Vince Young referred to as a "Dream Team" in the summer of 2011, finished with an 8-8 record. Not exactly a record that could give someone bragging rights much less respect after such a bold, and somewhat stupid, comment. I can respect that Vince Young set the bar high, but that put a target on the chest of the Eagles as soon as those words were made public. The Eagles had the talent to possibly be a dominant team, but they fell short.

The Marlins on the other hand, did not run their mouths. Well, never mind, Ozzie Guillen was their manager, so of course he ran his mouth at some point. However, going off the lineup the Marlins had on paper, there simply was no reason the Marlins should not have been playing playoff baseball. They had great additions with Guillen as the new skipper, All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes joining Hanley Ramirez in the infield, and Mark Buerhle joining the starting rotation. Not to mention Giancarlo Stanton was a rising star. The Marlins had it in them, but suddenly became dysfunctional and embarrassing. They finished their season at the bottom of the NL East with a shameful record of 69-93.

Jose Reyes' signing should provide fireworks in Toronto

So this brings up the Blue Jays who now look to be a serious threat to the stacked AL East. The Orioles, Yankees, Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays all have recent playoff experience and Toronto just may steal the show. With the addition of R.A. Dickey, Mark Buerhle, and Josh Johnson to aid the rotation, the Blue Jays have a chance to be pretty nasty night in and night out. Their lineup got even tougher with Jose Bautista's full health coinciding with the signing of Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera. The Jays are faced with what will presumably be the toughest division in the MLB but they have the talent and veteran leadership to possibly bring the city of Toronto a World Series trophy. For now though, it's only a possibility. Only time will tell just how serious of a contender this Blue Jays team can be. Because as we've seen before, having multiple stars isn't always guaranteed to work out.

Irving Belongs in Elite Group of Point Guards

Kyrie Irving has one of the more difficult jobs in the NBA. Being the face of a franchise is a burdened bestowed on few men in the league, but being the face of the franchise for the Cleveland Cavaliers comes with extra burdens and pressures. Irving happened to come along just one year after Cleveland's favorite son, LeBron James, took his talents to South Beach. With the poor aftertaste of rejection still fresh for all Cavs fans, Irving has done more than enough to help Cleveland move on. Now in his second season, and first full NBA season, the 20-year-old has stepped up his game and has become one of the top point guards in the league.

Cleveland is currently 17-37, which is good for last place in the Central Division, and it is certainly nothing to brag about. However, with Irving they have their centerpiece and due to good drafts, have pieces around him that could develop. Through the first 54 games Irving is averaging 23.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He has raised his points per game by five from last season and is also averaging more assists and steals while shooting a higher percentage from the field and from long range.

Irving owned All-Star weekend in Houston, winning the three-point contest, putting on a show at the Rising Stars Game and then held his own in the All-Star Game. Consider it his coming out party to the world because now the world knows that Kyrie Irving is the real deal. He has finally stepped out and is no longer a mystery. His college career, if you could call it that, was gone in the blink of an eye. He played just 10 games at Duke, but it was obvious that he was something special. Despite the foot injury that sidelined him for much of the season, Cleveland drafted him number one in 2011 and now he has been given the task of leading the Cavs back to the top of the Central Division.

He is the perfect man for the job due to the fact that he has such a complete game. He is and incredible ball-handler (just ask Brandon Knight) and can get to the rim at will. However, sag off of him to defend the drive and he will rise up and shoot the jumper. He shoots 42 percent from three and is a solid free throw shooter. If defenses try and stop Irving from scoring then they allow him to pass the ball, which he is equally good at. He rebounds well for a point guard and averages just shy of two steals per game.

Irving's numbers rank right up there with some of the best point guards in the league as well. He averages more points than any other point guard and is sixth overall in the NBA. He averages more rebounds than Chris Paul or Deron Williams and averages more steals than Williams and Rajon Rondo.

The crazy thing about it all though is that Irving is in just his second season and he is not even 21 years old yet. He's made great strides from his rookie season and as the Cavs continue to rebuild, Irving will improve. That's scary news for the rest of the league because he has already proven he can just about beat any team by himself on a good night. On Wednesday night he dropped 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter to defeat the New Orleans Hornets and its something we may need to get used to. Kyrie Irving himself is somebody we better get used to as well because he has proven that he is the future of the point guard position.

Catcher, Goaltender, and Keeper: Toughest Positions to Play?

As athletes continue to get bigger, faster, and stronger, each sport has also picked up the speed. Reaction time and agility are two essentials for athletes and it is clear to me that catchers in baseball and softball along with goaltenders (or keepers) in hockey and soccer are the players that must have more quickness and agility than any other player on the field or court. In today's world, it seems as if these positions rarely receive the recognition they deserve. Take a no-hitter or perfect game for instance, the catcher calls the pitches, picks the location, and is responsible for nearly every move the pitcher makes other than the actual pitch. Half the battle is knowing what pitch to throw and where to put it when facing a minimum of 27 hitters. Yet the catcher rarely receives any sort of credit for the history-making feat. With this in mind, here is a closer look into just how tough playing these positions is and which of these positions is the toughest to play.

Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals

Catcher: For the majority of my baseball career I played catcher and was able to catch quite a few good pitchers. Being in the mindset of a catcher also made me appreciate pitchers even when I was hitting. You start to figure out different pitch calls and spots that the opposing catcher may be calling. It truly is an art and something that takes alot of work and attention to detail.

With that being said, the fastest pitcher I ever faced in high school was clocked at 91 mph. When seeing a 90 mph fastball, the pitch generally hits the glove in .21 seconds. It takes about .1 seconds to blink, so if you blink while that pitch is coming you might as well give up and move out of the way. Let's go over this now: you have .21 seconds till that ball hits your glove if you're a catcher. What if that fastball is low and away and in the dirt? You have .21 seconds to slide over, drop to your knees, get your glove in between your legs, and hunch your shoulders forward. That's four things you have to do in .21 seconds before you can even think about stopping the actual pitch from hitting the backstop.

That is where foot work comes in. Catchers have to be quick and on their toes because if you're sitting back on your heels while you're in a squat you're a sitting duck. Not to mention the flexibility that goes into a catcher's hip-flexors that enables them to slide over in that .21 seconds. Guys like Yadier Molina make catching look so easy, but given these numbers it can really make any fan appreciate how hard he has worked to be, what I believe, the best catcher in the MLB.

Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils

Goaltender (Hockey): Hockey is a sport that I have never played and have only recently gotten into watching. After noticing the speed that is behind a puck off a player's stick, I have quite an appreciation for a goaltender's reaction time.

With a goal that is only four feet tall and six feet wide, one might think being a goaltender is not as hard as people think simply because of these three sports we are referring to, hockey goaltenders have the smallest amount of space to defend. A hockey puck and baseball differ in diameter by merely fractions of an inch (a puck is 3" and a baseball is 2.9"), so the argument is already somewhat similar. Throw in the fact that most hockey shots are clocked between 90 mph and 100 mph and the goaltenders have alot in common with catchers.

The key factor in this debate, however, is where the puck or ball is coming from. In baseball, it's just the catcher and the hitter with only a hitter in between on one side of the plate. In hockey, bodies are flying and the shot is coming from the ground. A pitch in baseball is coming from 60.6 feet away and the reaction time is .21 seconds as I discussed earlier. Now imagine that a hockey puck traveling at the exact same speed is coming from the same distance of, generously, 60 feet. The reaction time from when the puck leaves the stick to when it reaches the goal line is up from .21 seconds to about 1.17 seconds. Believe it or not, that is a huge difference in time. Yet when you throw in that you probably have three or four bodies between you and the player ripping the shot, your vision is nothing short of limited. Yes you have more time, but picking up on that puck is going to be a crazy task. And, much like baseball, the flexibility needed to make the jaw-dropping saves is something to behold. Being on skates and trying to move as quickly as required is an art of it's own.

Tim Howard of Team USA

Keeper (Soccer): Being a collegiate-level goalie (or keeper, whatever suits you), I have had the privelage and blessing to play with, and face, numerous talented players. I have seen some of the craziest shots that, to the credit of whoever took the shot, are virtually unstoppable. Just like baseball and hockey, as you grow older the speed and placement of shots continues to improve.

 A soccer goal stands 8 feet tall and 24 feet wide which is quite a large amount of space compared to soccer or hockey. There isn't a specific reaction time that can be referred to due to the fact that a shot in soccer could come for numerous spots on the field with different spin on the ball and at different angles. Alot goes into defending a shot and perhaps the toughest situation, other than a penalty kick of course, is a free kick from just outside the box. If the ball is placed in the middle at the top of the box, most goalies would place five defenders in the wall. Those five cover, say, the right side of your goal and it is your responsibility to cover, or at least position yourself, on the left side of your goal. The shot is coming from about twenty yards out and could reach a maximum of about 60 mph.

So once again, you have 60 feet of space in front of you but a considerably slower pace behind the ball. Factor in that you have 24 feet of total width to cover in that small window of time, not to mention that you have to read the shot as it comes over the wall, and you have alot of work to do in very little time. Being a goalie is tough, but in a different sense than being a catcher or goaltender in hockey.

These three sports are the three biggest sports in the world and they have presented us with phenomenal athletes from multiple countries. These sports will never fail to be appreciated but today I wanted to shed light on what I believe are the toughest positions to play in these three sports. While I grew up playing baseball and soccer, after reading thinking about being a goaltender in hockey I believe that it would have to be the toughest of the three. The game is the fastest-paced of the three and your focus as a goaltender is at a higher demand than a catcher or goalie. It's a tough call to make, but ultimately I believe that hockey presents the hardest job.

The ACC is Experiencing a Hurricane

The craziness of this NCAA basketball season continues with upsets every weekend. Joe Lunardi's bracketology changes daily and at this point in the season there are no clean-cut number one seeds. No team is safe! In the midst of this irregular yet exciting season stands the question that is quickly being asked nation-wide: What has gotten in to the Miami Hurricanes?

It seems darn near impossible for a 19-12 team with a mediocre 9-7 conference record to suddenly turn it around in just one season? The Hurricanes were a middle of the road bottom dweller in the ACC before Jim Larranaga took the reins in 2011. Larranaga, who led George Mason on that magical run to the Final Four back in 2006, has wasted no time in bringing the Hurricanes into the national spotlight. In just two years he has the nation speechless as his squad boasts a 13-0 conference record with an overall record of 22-3. His team has embarrassed, not just beat, perennial powerhouses Duke and North Carolina by 20+ points and have a 3-1 record against ranked teams.

How? How could a university that has ALWAYS been a football school suddenly have a better basketball program than they do a football program? The Canes have only made the Sweet 16 once in all the years of the NCAA tournament. They have only appeared in the tournament a total of six times. Six. Such a small number for a member of a Power Six conference. This all explains why no one would ever even think to give Miami basketball a second thought. Why would you when their football program has racked up five national championships?

Yet here we are, with March breathing down our necks and Miami sitting pretty at number two in the nation. What Miami has that is going to help this season continue in the right direction is depth and heart. Watching this team play is, in a word, fun. The players know their roles, they embrace the spotlight, and play for each other. The Hurricanes have very balanced scoring with three players (Shane Larkin, Kenny Kadji, and Durand Scott) averaging thirteen points while Reggie Johnson and Trey McKinney Jones each pitch in nine a game. This team has at least eight players averaging five points or more. Indiana can't say that, Duke can't say that, and Michigan State can't say that. That's quite an impressive stat and one that is going to help the Hurricanes in a bad way in March. With foul trouble and injury always being a possibility teams need players who can come off the bench and produce. Miami certainly has that.

Miami has also been very disciplined this year under a very down-to-earth coach. Their offense is fluid and they pass up good looks for great looks. Their big men can step out and hit threes and they spread defenses well. Miami has what it takes to break any team down. And the thing about this Miami team that makes it even worse for opposing teams is they can do this all while smiling in your face. Take the North Carolina game for instance, by the end of the game the Hurricanes were laughing at the Tar Heels. From off the backboard alley-oops to flashy dribble moves, Miami enjoyed every minute of embarrassing the Tar Heels.

This team is definitely one to keep an eye on. The Hurricanes are to a point now where this season could almost be considered a failure if they don't make the Sweet 16 at least. In reality, with the way they are playing, they could be dancing all the way to the Final Four. The Canes are in the midst of what should be a fairly easy stretch of conference play but have been the victors in some serious nail-biters. You can say that they are playing down to their competition, but with all the upsets this season has seen, outlasting a disrespected team is a tribute to the heart of this team. The grand finale of the conference season will be the ultimate test to see just how real this Miami team is: a trip to the dreaded Cameron Indoor. It has been a fun season to watch and the Hurricanes have provided more than enough excitement, but anything can happen after Selection Sunday.

KU-Mizzou Rivalry Missing from College Hoops

Missouri defeated Kansas in the final Big 12 matchup in Columbia...

College basketball's Rivalry Week has come and gone and it just seems like there was something missing. Sure, Indiana and Illinois played a thriller of a game and the Illini upset the Hoosiers at the buzzer. Yes, Duke brought out the best in a struggling North Carolina and the young Tar Heels nearly knocked off the Dukies in Cameron Indoor. Of course, Syracuse and Connecticut gave us another great Big East game, but still, something wasn't right. Maybe it's the fact that two of the biggest rivals won't be playing this season for the first time since 1907.

Kansas and Missouri have had one of the fiercest rivalries since the time Dr. James Naismith first got the idea to hang up the peach baskets and play the game of basketball. Naismith himself was KU's coach when the teams first met over 100 years ago when Missouri jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the series. After the newest installments of the Border War in 2012 Kansas leads the all-time series record 172-95, but the last two games were arguably the best in the rivalry and the teams each won a game.

The absence of the rivalry this season is the new stone-cold reality of college sports hitting us in the face. There is no more Kansas-Missouri. There is no more Oklahoma-Nebraska. Soon there will be no more Syracuse-UConn or Maryland-Duke. Those rivalries no longer exist, and for what? For money. That's it.

The conference realignment seems to be a fad these days. One team moved and everyone else followed suit, but does it really need to happen? The landscape of college sports is changing, but is it for the better? During a college basketball season like the one we are in the midst of now, a Kansas and Missouri game would be the icing on the cake. There have been an excess of great games and surprise upsets and both teams are having solid seasons.

...but KU answered with a huge comeback victory later in March

Kansas, minus an unusual three-game skid a few weeks ago, has looked like a Final Four team. Missouri, despite injuries and controversy surrounding coach Frank Haith, have been in the Top 25 all year and have the potential to play deep into March. There's no doubt that it would be a great game this season, but the only way it happens is if it's in the NCAA Tournament.

There are plenty of rivalries that have ended due to conference realignment and it's sad. Whether you are a fan of the teams or not, it's bad for college sports. Kansas and Missouri need each other, but more importantly, the game of college basketball need them to play each other. Unfortunately, no one has figured this out yet and so instead, fans are supposed to get excited about a bland matchup such as Missouri-Ole Miss or Kansas-TCU.

No matter how long Missouri and Kansas remain absent from each others' schedules, fans of both teams will still consider the other their greatest rival. It's something that was built over the span of 100+ years and it will take much longer to tear it down. The same can be said for several other rivalries that have seen the same fate. The sad part about it all though, is that the schools, conferences and the NCAA have taken the first step to tearing down the very thing that make the collegiate sports special.

Yet that's the power of money and the power of greed. In the end, the dollar trumps all and it's taken away some of the best things sports had to offer.

5 Things to Watch Before March Madness

The Madness came long before the calendar even thought about turning to March this year. College basketball has been a roller coaster ride this season with the unexpected happening more often than the expected. Top teams have fallen weekly and the polls are littered with so-called "mid-majors." There is still plenty of time before the actual March Madness starts, but here are five things to keep an eye on as the regular season winds down.

1. Which Big Ten team will be hot at the end of the season?

The Big Ten is hands down the best conference in the nation and it's not really close. They have four teams that could qualify for the Final Four and three more that have the potential to make the Sweet 16. As of now, Indiana and Michigan State are tied atop the standings at 10-2, but Wisconsin (8-3), Michigan (8-4) and Ohio State (7-4) are all in striking distance. The reality is that any team could win the regular season or the conference tournament. They are that even this year. Consider that two weeks ago Michigan was the #1 team in the nation, but Tuesday night they were absolutely dismantled by Michigan State. Indiana has looked great most of the year, but they are vulnerable and it showed in their loss to Illinois. Speaking of the Illini, they are the biggest mystery in college basketball. They have arguably the best set of wins in the country, but they have terrible losses as well. With a conference that is so tough the team that is hot at the end of the year will be the one that wins the tournament and advances to the Final Four.

2. Miami is the real deal...so far
The Hurricanes have reached number three in the polls and are a perfect 11-0 in the ACC. They have defeated Michigan State, Duke and they swept the season series against North Carolina. Looking at the rest of their schedule, there is only one test remaining. That test, however, is a major one. On March 2 the Canes will travel into Cameron Indoor and try to knock off the Dukies for the second time this season. The strange thing about Miami is that they do not rank higher than fifth in any major statistical category among ACC teams besides steals (3rd) and blocks (2nd). However, they have a steady point guard in Shane Larkin and a coach who knows how to win in Jim Larranaga. Up to this point the Canes have given us no reason to not believe in them.

3. Don't sleep on the Florida Gators
With all the talk surrounding the Big Ten, the usual hype about Duke and the lovable mid-majors such as Butler and Gonzaga steamrolling the competition, it is easy to forget about the Florida Gators. The SEC is down this year with Kentucky not living up to expectations and Missouri playing inconsistent basketball, but Florida has been great all year long and may wind up in Atlanta. In their four wins against ranked opponents the Gators have won by an average of 20 points per game. They reeled off ten straight wins from December 29-February 2 and are undefeated at home. Need a reason for the success? Take note of the 49 percent team field goal percentage which is good for seventh in the nation. They have four players that average double figures and shoot the ball well from long range. One other note to consider while picking your bracket this year: only five coaches have taken one program to the Elite 8 five times since 2000. Billy Donovan is one of them.

4. Will Ryan Kelly be healthy for Duke's tournament run?
Let's be honest. The Duke Blue Devils are a good team with or without Ryan Kelly, but obviously Coach K would benefit from having him back in the lineup. Duke was 15-0 before Kelly injured his foot and since then they have compiled a 7-2 record. Kelly is a versatile forward with the ability to go inside or out. He is averaging a career-high for points with 13.4 and is shooting a staggering 52 percent from three point land. He also averages five boards and shoots nearly 80 percent from the free throw line. Duke is a good team without Kelly, but they are a great team with him. He is expected to return soon, and if he can get healthy before the tournament then the Blue Devils should play deep into March.

5. Is Arizona as good as their #9 ranking indicates?
The Wildcats are 20-3 this season and have an impressive non-conference resume. They defeated Florida, Miami and San Diego State before entering Pac-12 play, but that's where things have gotten a bit murky. The Pac-12 is not a strong conference this season, but 'Zona has gone 8-3 in league play. Sean Miller's crew started the New Year off on the wrong foot by narrowly beating mediocre Colorado in a controversial finish, nearly losing to lowly Utah and then losing their first game of the season to Oregon. There's no doubt that Arizona is a good team and their 20-3 record clearly illustrates that, but they have not always been impressive. They have fared well against non-conference foes, but will they be able to make a run in March against stiff competition?

There is plenty else to watch as this wild season progresses, but these are five story lines worth mentioning. In a season where there is so much uncertainty it is difficult to predict a winner, but the hot team usually wins. In 2011 Connecticut looked awful during the regular season, but got hot at the right time and wound up winning it all. There could be a team with a similar run this season. The Madness is already upon us, but when March hits we can expect things to get even crazier. Buckle up.

Dodgers Hoping New Stars Produce Wins

LA spent a combined $208 million to acquire Ryu and Greinke

Contrary to yesterday's post about the American League signing almost all of the big name players on the market, the National League's Los Angeles Dodgers have done just fine for themselves in the last calendar year when it comes to signing big talent. Near the end of last season they traded for the Boston Red Sox failures and this winter they signed Zack Greinke away from their crosstown rival in Anaheim.

New owner Magic Johnson has shown he isn't afraid to throw some cash around and it's obvious when looking down the roster. Josh Beckett ($17 mil), Clayton Kershaw ($7.75 mil), Ted Lilly ($11.6 mil) and Zack Greinke ($13.5 mil) are an expensive starting rotation and that doesn't guarantee they will be reliable. The Dodgers can be confident about Kershaw. The 24-year-old ace has been named to the All-Star team the past two seasons and also finished in the top two for the Cy Young. He has led the NL in ERA both years as well.

LA can also be confident in what they are getting with Greinke. The right hander split time between Milwaukee and Anaheim last season and finished 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA. He has a Cy Young on his resume and has averaged 14 victories per season since 2009. He is money well spent and will provide a dependable arm at the top of the rotation.

After Kershaw and Greinke the rotation gets a bit murky. Coupled with Beckett and Hyun-Jin Ryu, it looks like the best rotation in baseball, but there are reasons to be hesitant. Beckett is coming off a disappointing season and didn't leave Boston on good terms. In seven starts with LA he went 2-3 with an ERA below three. If he can pitch like the 2011 Josh Beckett rather than the 2012 version then the Dodgers may have something special. Ryu was not a cheap signing by any means and he comes over to LA from South Korea. Obviously there is plenty of hype around Ryu, but will his success translate over to the American game?

The good news for the Dodgers is that even if half of the rotation doesn't pitch to their potential, the lineup should cover the slack. Again, Magic has spent an awful lot on his lineup, but doubts surround some of the brightest stars. Adrian Gonzalez ($22 mil), Andre Ethier ($10.95 mil), Matt Kemp ($10.25 mil), Carl Crawford ($20 mil) and Hanley Ramirez ($15 mil) are a formidable bunch, but they come with a large price tag and even larger question marks.

Gonzalez and Crawford, like Beckett, left Boston on bad terms. Both were enormous free agent signings for the Sox, but neither performed as was expected of them and they became the focal points of the Red Sox demise. Crawford spent much of the year injured and never played a game for the Dodgers. Gonzalez got off to a slow start, but he recovered to have a decent year batting .297 with 18 home runs and 108 RBI. His home run total was his lowest since he became a regular player in the lineup.

Ramirez joined the Dodgers midseason and, like the trio from Boston, became the focal point of a team's failure. The Miami Marlins floundered through 2012 and Ramirez was shipped to LA after 93 games. When motivated, Ramirez is one of the best in the game, but he hasn't always been the most coachable player. His attitude will play a large part in this Dodgers' team success.

Kemp and Ethier are the foundation of the lineup and LA can only hope Kemp puts together another spectacular season like he did in 2011 when he led the league in home runs and RBI while batting .324 and stealing 40 bases.

On paper this is the best team in the National League and perhaps in the MLB, but will it translate to the field? Magic Johnson has spent plenty of money and Don Mattingly is a solid manager, but we have seen plans that looked like they couldn't fail fall hard. LA hopes to avoid being part of that category because, not only would a season without the playoffs be an embarrassment, it would also be a costly mistake.

Influx of Talent Headed to American League

Jose Reyes will make his American League debut with the Blue Jays in 2013

The rich get richer, or so the saying goes, and it's never rang truer than this winter's MLB signings. The American League, long considered superior to the National League, has acquired some of the top talent in the game for the second straight summer and taken several high profile players from the NL. While it doesn't necessarily matter in the long run, it's easy to see that if fans want to see stars then an American League game is the route they will want to take.

Michael Bourn, a Gold Glove winner and two-time winner, inked a four-year, $48 million deal with the Cleveland Indians and he became the latest NL star to switch leagues. Bourn batted .274 with nine homers, 57 RBIs and 42 steals last season for the Atlanta Braves. The speedy outfielder joins Nick Swisher, Brett Myers (also from the NL's Phillies) and manager Terry Francona on a revamped Tribe roster that promises to be more of a contender this fall.

The Indians' move is the latest in a string of trades and free agent signings that have sent stars across leagues. The Toronto Blue Jays made splashy moves earlier this winter when they acquired the reigning NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey and the 2012 All-Star Game MVP Melky Cabrera. Despite being 38-years-old, Dickey baffled opposing hitters with a knuckleball that danced, rolled, fluttered and moved in abnormal ways and he finished 2012 with a 20-6 record for the New York Mets. Cabrera batted .354 for the World Series-winning San Francisco Giants, but his season was cut short due to a failed drug test. His name was also mentioned in reports for PED use at a South Florida clinic. Regardless of his faults, Cabrera is a great pickup for the Jays in the loaded AL East.

Along with the two free agent signings, Toronto also required Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes from the Miami Marlins in a trade that defined the failures of the Miami "rebirth." Buehrle has a perfect game and 174 wins on his resume while Johnson is a 29-year-old fireballer and 2-time All-Star. Reyes, the most recognizable of the trio, has often been injured, but when healthy he is one of the best in the game. He led the NL in stolen bases three times and batted .337 in 2011.

None of these signings are as big as last summer's signings of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, but it's obvious that the American League has lured some of the game's best players away from National League. On top of that, other stars that have left their AL ballclubs are staying in the league, rather than signing with a National League team. Josh Hamilton, Kevin Youkilis and Mike Napoli all moved within the league and it begs the question: why aren't NL teams signing the big names players?

If these signings are supposed to show in the statistics then something is wrong. Since 2003 the American League has won six of nine All-Star Games, but the NL has won the last three. The NL has also won six of the World Series since 2003, including the last three. Those statistics don't reflect the exodus of stars from the NL, but time will tell if this year is different.

As pitchers and catchers report to spring training, the American League looks to be the stronger league. They have some of the game's top managers, pitchers and hitters. However, if recent history tells us anything, it's that the big signings don't always correlate with winning the big games.

MJ Still in a League of His Own as 50th Birthday Approaches

Few men have left an imprint on the game like Michael Jordan did. His Airness, now the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, turns 50 this Sunday and it's a reminder of how much the basketball world still reveres MJ. The six-time world champion for the Chicago Bulls will be celebrated throughout the week on ESPN and, if you're tired of seeing his Slam Dunk Contest highlights from the 80's then keep the television off because those will be run constantly as the 2013 edition of the Dunk Contest approaches. Jordan retired at the conclusion of the 2002-03 season, but he is still a prominent figure in the game today.

Today, we are blessed to watch the jaw-dropping ability of superstars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. The three can score at will and attack the hoop with reckless abandon. Their numbers are incredible and they have challenged records since they set foot on the floor. However, there is a shadow that hovers over them and it's a shadow that won't disappear any time soon. It's the shadow of Jordan, who is widely-accepted as the greatest player of all-time, and who somehow remains relevant years after retiring.

Take today for example. James is in the midst of one of the most dominant and productive stretches ever after scoring 30 points and shooting 60 percent from the field for the fifth straight game. Despite his feat, sports talk shows have deemed his achievements secondary to Jordan's streak of 10 straight triple-doubles in 1989. Over the years it has been made clear that a player can't revel in his own accomplishments without them being compared to something Jordan did.

Michael Jordan is the barometer by which all superstars are judged on. Kobe Bryant scored 40 points, but did he do as efficiently as MJ once did? James has scored 50 points in nine games in his career, but Jordan did it 34 times during his time. Durant has averaged 28 points per game in his first 43 playoff games, but that's not close to Jordan's 35.4 in the same span. The reality for superstars today is that they can't escape Jordan. He is there at every historic performance and every record with one that matches or trumps all.

It's not just his numbers though. People still care about Michael Jordan as a man and nothing illustrates that better then when he made front page news for wearing cargo shorts on a golf course about a month ago. I'm sure many golfers have made that mistake, but Jordan was a hot topic on ESPN for that small miscue. As recently as this week he was in the news because current Lakers' forward Antawn Jamison stated to the media he believes MJ could still contribute for a team and score double figures despite turning 50 on Sunday. That's respect if I've ever heard it.

Jordan still graces our televisions on multiple Hanes advertisements and it would be a tight contest to see who is shown more during Bobcats' highlights -- him or the actual team. His influence is great, but it begs the question: how has he stayed so relevant?

It's not as if Jordan is always talking to the media or creating headlines for himself. That's not the way he operates and, in fact, he would rather keep to himself. Obviously, he wants us all to know he is still alive and still considered the greatest player ever, but he is not always visible. Magic Johnson is very visible. He is always on television and we see him every week. There was a period of time where Isiah Thomas and Larry Bird were very visible as they worked with their respective NBA teams. Charles Barkley ignites laughter in every household on NBA Thursdays on TNT. In that regard, those players have never been mysteries. We knew where they were and what they were thinking. But not Jordan. Although the ownership of the Bobcats has made him more visible, it still seems that he is in a different world, almost as if he is above everybody else.

Jordan has his flaws, and by now, people have formed their opinion of him as both a player and a man. Whatever you think about him, he is not going away. As fans we will continue to see his name and, more importantly, players such as Bryant, James and Durant will continue to be compared to him. Their successes will be judged on the Jordan standard and it will be decades until MJ is an afterthought.

Gatorade may not have known it would stick at the time, but their 1991 commercial still rings true today. Everybody just wants to Be Like Mike.

Illinois Continues to Toy with the Hearts of Fans

What a night it was in Champaign, Illinois on February 7th, 2013. The Fighting Illini welcomed the top-ranked Hoosiers into the Assembly Hall for what would prove to be another remarkable game in this bizarre season. The number one ranked team had fallen each of the last four weeks before last night and, quite frankly, college basketball fans have to wonder if there is a "great" team this year. Sure, there are definitely "good" teams, but none that stand above the rest and are clear-cut title favorites. Last year we were blessed to watch teams like Kentucky, North Carolina, and Kansas enjoy success night in and night out and cement themselves as potential champions. This year however, there doesn't seem to be a team that wants to be ranked number one. Heck, at this point, I wouldn't want to be ranked number one either! No team is safe.

So four straight weeks have resulted in four straight losses for the top-ranked team. This brings us to Thursday night when the Fighting Illini and the Hoosiers faced off for the first and only time this season. Illinois presented a disappointing 2-7 conference record while the Hoosiers were alone at the top, boasting an 8-1 record in the B1G. After taking down the Michigan Wolverines at home last Saturday, the Hoosiers wasted no time in taking control of the game last night. With a twelve point halftime lead and, at one point, a fourteen point lead in the second half, it looked as if the number team was for once going to remain the top dog for more than a week.
                                                                                           
And that's when the House of 'Paign began to erupt in cheers possession after possession, all behind the remarkable performance of DJ Richardson. The senior went on an 8-0 run by himself en route to a 23-point finish. Yet it wasn't just his offense that kept Illinois in the game; with the clock winding down, Victor Oladipo drove to his right and, by some miracle, the potential Player of the Year lost control of the ball. Who was there to record the steal? DJ Richardson. Now, in a perfect world, Richardson goes down and lays the ball in as time expires. Yet Oladipo, as only Oladipo could do, trailed the play and recovered in time to swat Richardson's lay up into the stands on the baseline with .9 left. A play that only a true leader and competitor can make. With that .9 left, the Hoosiers somehow miscommunicated on defense, leaving Tyler Griffey wide open under the basket for the winning bucket. The students stormed the court and Illinois pulled off the upset. What a game to be remembered.

But when you step back and look at this game, should it have really been an unranked Illinois team playing the top-ranked Hoosiers? Illinois had the hype and performance of a true Final Four contender early in the year when they shot Butler straight out of Maui then proceeded to do the impossible by beating Gonzaga on the road. Illinois reached as high as number ten in the rankings before dropping completely out of the top 25 in a heartbeat.

Inconsistency has been a reoccuring theme for Illinois the past few years. They grab big wins in the beginning then just peter out once conference play starts. It's sad, because the past two years have presented above-average teams. Sure Illinois beats Indiana last night, but they lost to a young and inexperienced Purdue team earlier in the year. The Fighting Illini also embarrassed Ohio State by over twenty points in January, but cancelled out that big win with a fourteen point loss to Northwestern at home. The question that has to be asked now is can Illinois really compete should they make the tournament?

I firmly believe they can; I can picture them making an impressive and memorable run. Now the negative of that is I can also see them falling in the first round and going out without putting up a fight. It depends on what Illinois team decides to show up. Will we get the Illinois team from last night where the three seniors (Richardson, Griffey, and Brandon Paul) combine for 58 points? Or will we get the Illinois team that shoots 2-14 from three like they did in their first loss to Wisconsin? This Illinois team is talented without a doubt. They have all the leadership a new coach like John Groce could ask for and they have an offense that, when shots are falling, is darn near impossible to stop. They face possibly the toughest road test yet on Sunday when they will head to Minnesota to visit the Golden Gophers in The Barn. This could prove that Illinois is back, or it could prove that the Indiana game was only a glimmer of hope.

Last year Christian Watford drilled a three to beat the number one team. His shot signified the revival of a program. This year Tyler Griffey laid the ball in to beat the number one team. Could his shot signify the revival of a season?

Northwestern and Wrigley to Join Forces

The Chicago Cubs have announced that they will establish a partnership with Northwestern University in order to host numerous sporting events for the Wildcats. Many will remember just a few years back in 2010 when Illinois and Northwestern played a football game in the Friendly Confines. It was the first football game played in Wrigley since 1970 and it was quite a sight to see for baseball and football fans alike. Though it may take some serious reconfiguring, I believe this move will greatly benefit Northwestern in the long run.

Think about it, Northwestern is now an above average football team; they have played in a bowl game each of the last five years. What Pat Fitzgerald has done with the Wildcats is exciting and the fact that he will now be coaching in Wrigley Field can only enhance Northwestern's image. Think of the possibilities not only for football but for the university. People may not necessarily be Northwestern fans but the chance to see a football game in one of the most historic ball parks ever presents quite an opportunity. With a likelihood that ticket sales will go up, money for the university will also rise. Obviously the money will be split between the Cubs' organization and the Wildcats but, be that as it may, Northwestern will benefit because they will also have the cost in appliances cut in half as I'm sure the Cubs will meet them half way when it comes to the expenses of concessions and lighting.

However, football is not the only Northwestern team that will call Wrigley Field home as the soccer and softball programs will also play their games inside the ball park. For soccer, Wrigley hosted a friendly this past summer but it was the first soccer game played in the park since the early '80s. This will only cause more consumer attraction not only because of the park and the layout but because the B1G boasts some of the best talent in the nation including reigning national champion Indiana.

All in all, if you throw in the fact that Wrigley Field will be undergoing a $300 million renovation over the next five years and it's safe to say that the North Side could be a pretty exciting spot in the forseeable future. I like the move that has been made by both the Cubs and Northwestern. I think it will ultimately benefit both parties and I'm anxious to see how this works out. One thing is forsure, this will make the underdog Wildcats even more fun to watch.

Tradition is Gone, Nike and Adidas Are In

Every athlete, and even non-athletes for that matter, can admit that at some point in time he or she has been a fanatic over the newest Nike or Adidas gear. Whether it be training gear, basketball gear, rugby gear, you name it and the world's powerhouse corporations have it and provide any color you could ever imagine. I myself even found my Christmas list loaded with new Adidas training gear and, quite frankly, I love the ClimaLite and ProCombat clothing lines.

Nike and Adidas have gained such an influence on sports today that you would be hard pressed to find a team that still has their traditional uniforms and that really bothers me. Traditional programs with absolutely classic uniforms such as UCLA and Indiana are among the few basketball programs that have not yet been taken over by Nike and Adidas' newest "fashions". There are few uniforms better than the classic baby blue and gold or the sharp-looking red and white. They look good, they're simple, and they have been around for generations. They represent programs that have history and have shaped college basketball into what it is today. UCLA and Indiana have not come out with ugly uniforms or ridiculous color schemes to try to make a statement, so why are other teams?

For instance, why does it seem that every team seems to be wearing either black uniforms or grey uniforms, regardless of whether or not it's an actual school color? In my mind, Georgetown and Ohio State are the only teams that should be wearing grey. Travel back to the 70's and 80's and you'll find the Hoyas and Buckeyes donning the grey uniforms. Now Nike wants to give teams like Arizona, Syracuse, Duke, and North Carolina grey uniforms? Why!!! Talk about four traditonal programs that should stick with the uniforms they have, especially Duke and UNC. It's not right that teams have to come out every other week with new uniforms.

That brings me to the newest campaign for Nike and Adidas which, for Nike, means putting the logo on the front above the number while putting the school nickname on the back where the players' names would go. On the other hand, Adidas has gone to either the bright fusha uniforms or the uniforms that are the same color all over (i.e. the NBA's Christmas Day uniforms). I will say this, Nike's idea made a much better impression than Adidas' but both are still stupid. Like Zach said in his blog about players wearing too many sleeves and accessories, the players are there to play ball, not see who can stand out the most. Take Gonzaga for instance, they show up to Hinkle Fieldhouse on the first day Butler has ever hosted College Gameday and break out the new Nike uniforms. The game ended with Butler hitting a buzzer-beater and the students storming the court. But don't worry, Gonzaga looked real good in those new uniforms!

I'm not a fan of all the unnecessary change going on in college basketball; it's pointless. Let the team's keep their uniforms for a few years or just leave the uniforms alone entirely. I think it's stupid that Nike and Adidas feel the need to take away from the game of basketball with all the new uniform schemes. I like the old school feel and that's because I was raised in an old school home. My grandpa is a Hall of Fame basketball coach that always told Zach and I the less fancy you look and play the better. Keep it simple. That is exactly how Nike and Adidas need to treat college basketball uniforms. Just keep them simple!