eDraft Fantasy Sports News

2013 NBA Draft Preview - No 7 Sacramento Kings

Andrew Brand — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 GMT

The Sacramento Kings are a disaster. They finished off yet another dismal season by placing fourth in the Pacific Division with a 28-54 record. The shoddy performances weren’t restricted to the court for the Kings as the pending sale and potential move of the franchise was handled about as poorly as one could have imagined.

This season marks the seventh straight trip to the NBA lottery for the Kings. In those seven trips lets take a look at what assets they got; Thomas Robinson in 2012 (traded), Jimmer Fredette in 2011 (relegated to spot bench duties), DeMarcus Cousins in 2010 (combustible and wanting to be traded) and Tyreke Evans in 2009 (restricted free-agent). That sums up the last four years of lottery results.

A quick look at the Kings draft misfortunes shows that in 2009 they could have drafted Stephen Curry or Jrue Holiday. In 2010 the Kings left both Greg Monroe and Paul George on the board. 2011 was not much better as the Kings bought into Jimmermania and passed on Nikola Vucevic and Kawhi Leonard. After learning nothing from those three draft day disasters, the Kings seemed to make a smart choice in 2012 by going with Robinson. Well they gave up on the rookie after only four months and shipped him to Houston. This go round they passed on Damian Lillard, Harrison Barnes and Andre Drummond.

For a team that is desperate to rebuild and become relevant again they sure do a crappy job at evaluating talent come draft day. This year they had better do their homework and select a decent player because they have roster holes at every position.

Areas of Weakness:

Simply put, the Kings need help everywhere. Scoring, rebounding, team defense, team attitude and general professionalism are all areas of concern. Cousins is the only franchise-like player on the team and he led the league in technical fouls and was a volatile player to say the least. If we are to assume that the backcourt pairing of Evans and Isaiah Thomas will be reunited then the front-court is where the most help is needed. The Kings need a true center who can run the floor or a versatile wing-man who can score and defend.

Draft Projections:

Short of Alex Len or Otto Porter dropping into Sacramento’s lap, the Kings will need to look at Cody Zeller from Indiana as the serviceable big man who could play in the middle for them. Zeller was considered a top NBA draft pick as the season got underway; however, he failed to live up to much of the hype and others surpassed him by their contributions on the court. Zeller is nonetheless a legit 7’0” who possesses a fantastic leaping ability and a deft touch on his jumpshot. Zeller runs the floor well and an athletic high-motored individual. The addition of Zeller here is a fairly safe pick as he has no obvious character issues, doesn’t seem to run with an NBA ready posse and he might just be a good influence in the locker room for the dysfunctional Kings.

With the draft stock rise of Alex Len and that of Victor Oladipo the Kings could find themselves with a gem waiting for them at the seven spot. Speculation is that Phoenix will grab Oladipo and New Orleans could go with Trey Burke which could mean that UNLV’s Anthony Bennett might still be available for the Kings. Obviously this should be a no-brainer for the Kings. Bennett is a talented NBA-ready prospect. He measures a solid 6’7” with a 6’9” wingspan. He has amazing hops and is known for throwing down vicious dunks. Downside to Bennett is that he is injured right now and thusly has the reputation for being injury-prone. These injuries might just cause his draft day stock to fall just enough to make him available at the seven spot. if Bennett’s name is still on the board, Sacramento needs to abandon whatever draft day strategy they had and grab this guy.

Fantasy Football Debate: Skill vs Production

Vincent Frank — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Much like in the real world of football, there is always something that comes across the minds of fantasy owners.

How do you value skill level in this fast-growing industry? Is it as important as previous production? In order to fully answer this question, one must know what type of league you are playing.

In standard re-draft leagues, the assumption is that previous production holds more ground. After all, you are drafting a team that needs to produce for just one season.

In dynasty or keeper leagues, the answer is more clouded.

It all depends on how you are building your roster.

Are you attempting to compete for a championship in season one, at the cost of your long-term success? Somewhat like what we have seen in real life with the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles over that past few years. If so, just use the standard re-draft method.

If you are looking to find a happy medium, like most of us are, it's not so simple.

Marcedes Lewis has enough talent to cripple opposing defensive backs, but a myriad issues has held back his production of late. Despite a high level of talent, Lewis is considered nowhere near a TE1 option. After all, he has just 1,000 total receiving yards and four touchdowns over the past two seasons.

On the other hand, someone like Brandon Myers is considered a much better fantasy option. Myers came to the NFL without much fanfare, undrafted. But, he's become a solid target. His move to the New York Giants in free agency this offseason will assuredly impact his fantasy stock.

According to My Fantasy Leagues, Myers' ADP is 25th among tight ends in dynasty drafts, about 135.4 overall. That makes him one of the last players owners select before turning their attention to the all-important kicker position. For his part, Myers is two years younger than Lewis and has put up better fantasy numbers over the past two seasons. Despite this, I have seen many drafts where Lewis has gone higher than Myers.

See, the answer here is rather complex.

What about Alex Smith compared to Jay Cutler? On the surface, the answer here seems to be rather simple.

Cutler has thrown for over 4,000 yards with over 20 touchdowns multiple times in his career. Smith has yet to accomplish either feat in eight seasons. That should be telling.

What those basic stats don't take into a account is that Cutler turns the ball over in a higher volume and is playing behind a pretty bad offensive line.

Smith comes to Kansas City after eight up-and-down seasons with San Francisco. He has, however, tallied over two times more touchdowns than interceptions over the last two seasons and possesses a quarterback rating that ranks him in the top seven of the NFL during that span.

Smith's value is also there. His ADP in re-draft leagues (183.9) is much lower than Cutler's (146.9), which means you can look to another position early in the draft while waiting for a bottom-tier QB1 option or top-tier QB2 option later.

In this case, production matters much more than basic talent. After all, Smith was a higher-ranked fantasy option than Cutler in his last full season as San Francisco's starter. Smith ranked 10th among quarterbacks in fantasy points that season compared to Cutler's No. 25 ranking.

When looking at dynasty leagues, it's important to look for upside over production when it comes to filling out your bench and taxi squad. In this case, someone like Marcus Lattimore might be a better mid-round option than Fred Jackson. One has produced in the past and will likely provide something this season. The other, in this case Lattimore, hasn't produced at a NFL level in the past and will likely sit out a majority, if not all of his rookie season.

My suggestion is that you find a happy medium in dynasty leagues. Go with the proven talent early while saving the rest of the roster for high-upside players.

That's my take...

2013 NBA Draft Preview - No. 8 Detroit Pistons

Andrew Brand — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Detroit Pistons slugged their way to a 29-53 record on the year which was good for a fourth place finish in the Central Division. The Pistons struggled all season long and were just terrible for prolonged stretches during the season.

The pairing of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond in the Motor City certainly seems to be paying off as Drummond fits nicely into the center spot which allows for Monroe to play in a more comfortable power forward role. This duo is the cornerstone of the franchise and all building and successive pieces must be brought in to complement these guys.

The Brandon Knight point guard experiment is over in Detroit as new head coach Maurice Cheeks envisions Knight more so as a combo-guard who will primarily play out of the two spot. With Knight as the shooting guard the Pistons are in need of a point guard. Jose Calderon might be the answer here; however, he is a free agent and the Pistons will need to make a decision on what they believe Calderon is worth.

Areas of Weakness

The Pistons need some backcourt help as well as a versatile wing man who can knock down jumpers and play solid perimeter defense. If they deem Calderon expendable then the point guard spot becomes an immediate priority. Should the Pistons resign Calderon then a wing player would take precedence here over a backup point guard.

Draft Projections

General Manager Joe Dumars has been touting Indiana’s Cody Zeller of late. Dumars seems to be enthralled with the big man’s skills and mobility and while this may all be true I just can’t imagine drafting a big when Monroe and Drummond are established on the front-line already. I think the Zeller talk is probably a smoke screen as Dumars should be draft day shopping for a guard.

If he is still on the board, the best fit for the Pistons would be another Hoosier in Victor Oladipo. This versatile 6’4” guard is known for his tough defense and high energy. He measures well with a 6’9” wingspan to complement his 42” vertical jump. Oladipo is a tough-nosed on ball defender who demonstrated shutdown capability in the collegiate ranks. This guy is coveted among the teams holding draft picks in the middle of the draft and he might be off the board come the eighth pick.

If Oladipo is off the board then Dumars will likely be left with C.J. McCollum who would still be a nice fit. This point guard from Lehigh University has generated quite a bit of draft buzz as teams hunt for that next Damian Lillard-like small college gem. McCollum isn’t a true point guard as he looks to create his shot and is content to pull up for jumpers. He is adept at penetrating the lane and scoring inside and out; what his college game lacked was any complementary offensive weapons and thusly his assist totals are unimpressive. The pro ranks will be quite a jump for McCollum, but if he can be brought along slowly for a year under the tutelage of Dumars and veteran point guard Calderon then McCollum could blossom into a very productive player.

Dallas Cowboys 2013 Fantasy Preview

Rachel Wold — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:00:00 GMT

When it comes to the popular Dallas Cowboys, there are those fans who are absolutely in love with their “boys”, and those rivals who want to see “America’s Team” suffer annihilation every week. Even though the Cowboys haven’t been to the playoffs since 2009, or graced the Super Bowl with their presence since 1996, for which they won, the team still scores big on the field and even better than that, scores respectable fantasy points for their owners.

Dallas is a pass-heavy team and when Quarterback Tony Romo starts throwing that football to his various receivers and to his best tight end, that equals fantasy points for us. Over the past couple of seasons if you owned one of the Cowboys on your fantasy team, he probably kept a permanent spot in your lineup each week, that is unless an injury occurred.

Tony Romo, Quarterback

Even if you do not follow football, I think everyone has heard of the highly publicized and often criticized Tony Romo. Romo, who has been with the Dallas Cowboys since 2003, is one of those guys much like the Cowboys themselves, where you either love him or hate him. Last year the Cowboys ended their season 8-8 and they have not touched the playoffs since 2009. Real Cowboy fans find these stats frustrating, but for fantasy owners, Romo still produces a worthy amount of fantasy points even when they lost.

Last year he threw for 4,903 yards and 28 touchdowns and finished 13th in fantasy points for quarterbacks, but an impressive seventh in passing yards. If he could get those pesky interceptions under control, which should improve this year because of his new combined coaching role, we will even see more fantasy points from him. I say have faith in Romo in 2013 for your fantasy quarterback. He just began clicking quite nicely with Wide Receiver Dez Bryant towards the last part of the season in 2012 and this alone should improve his fantasy stats for next year.

2013 Projected Statistics: 5,446 Passing Yards, 33 Touchdowns, 13 Interceptions

Dez Bryant, Wide Receiver

Dez Bryant, who has been with the Cowboys since they drafted him in 2010, has showed modest, gradual improvement from 2010-2011 and into the beginning of 2012. At the start of the 2012 season he endured a short period of time where he was losing ball control, and costing fantasy owners some deductions in fantasy points due to the fumbles. If you did not let this bother you too much and held on to Bryant and continued to play him each week, you reaped the benefits starting around week 11 where Bryant suddenly began to explode.

Who cares if the Cowboys didn’t win, as long as Romo was passing that ball to Dez, you were swimming in fantasy points from him. Bryant ended up finishing 2012 ninth in wide receiver fantasy points, catching for an awesome 1,421 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns. The chemistry that Bryant found with Romo last year will only improve in 2013. Most wide receiver rankings have Dez seated among the top five and you should look to grab him as the first wide receiver you draft with the exception of Lions’ beastly Wide Receiver, Calvin Johnson. Those who draft Bryant in 2013, will be in possession of a number one, quality wide receiver for their fantasy team.

2013 Projected Statistics: 1,638 Receiving Yards, 120 Receptions, 13 Touchdowns

DeMarco Murray, Running Back

While Dallas will continue with its pass-heavy play strategy, the running game is still critical for the Cowboys. Murray, who was drafted by the Cowboys in 2011, was their third string running back for the first part of the season until he was called to duty after fellow running back Felix Jones suffered an ankle injury. Murray made quite the debut that year as he continued to fill in for Jones and in one game had an amazing 25 carries and rushed for 253 yards, which broke the single game rushing record held by the legendary Emmitt Smith. Fantasy owners holding high waiver priority after that week were salivating at the idea of snatching Murray up off the waiver wires. I was one of those lucky ones, by the way. Murray continued to impress his new fantasy owners with quality production until he suffered a fractured ankle combined with a sprain in week 14 of 2011, finishing him off for the season.

Knowing that Murray had earned the Cowboys’ starting running back role for 2012, fantasy owners confidently drafted him. What they ended up getting instead with Murray, present company included, was a “back to reality” version of a less-than-average running back. Mixed in with decent weeks were sluggish ones and Murray was once again injured and missed a number of games in 2012. He finished at a disappointing 30th place for running backs, had 701 rush yards and only four touchdowns. Overall, he was a big letdown for fantasy owners who drafted him hoping for 2011 results.

For the 2013 season, I would draft him with caution and would consider him a flex option at best until he proves otherwise. Murray fans can remain hopeful that perhaps he was just experiencing a sophomore slump, and the energy and talent we watched in 2011 will resurface this year.

2013 Projected Statistics: 880 Rushing Yards and 6 Touchdowns

Jason Witten, Tight End

If you are a Cowboys’ fan, you are likely a big fan of Dallas' tight end Witten, the one receiving competitive threat to Bryant you should be concerned about. The eight-time pro-bowler consistently brings in reputable fantasy points each season, as he finished eighth for tight ends last year and seventh in 2011. Unfortunately last year, he scored a measly three touchdowns, but made up for it excelling in receiving yards with 1,045 which was second highest for tight ends in 2012. Romo and Witten have both been with the Cowboys since 2003 and they share a powerful connection which should continue to thrive in 2013. Fantasy owners who have Witten on their team next year should remain confident that this tight end will earn consistent, decent fantasy points on a weekly basis.

2013 Projected Statistics: 878 Receiving Yards, 92 Receptions and 7 Touchdowns

NBA Trade Buzz - Los Angeles Clippers

Andrew Brand — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The Los Angeles Clippers are doing their best to steal the NBA spotlight from their conference rivals San Antonio Spurs. The media has been buzzing with the multitude of potential deals involving the Clippers. It seems that each new day brings a new potential deal and while they are entertaining to speculate about, that is all they are is speculations.

The most popular rumour floating around has the Clippers striking a deal with the Boston Celtics that would net the Clips Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and coach Doc Rivers and in return the Clippers would surrender DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe. This trade is flawed in many areas, the least of which is that Boston would basically be pressing the reset button on the franchise and would be relegating themselves to the depths of the NBA lottery for the foreseeable future.

Let’s assume for a minute that Danny Ainge is willing to blow up the team and alienate the entire city and fanbase for a few years. A major hurdle to overcome is the simple fact that the salary numbers don’t match up here. In addition to Jordan and Bledsoe the Clippers would have to throw in Caron Butler and a wad of cash to even get the NBA to seriously look at this deal.

This trade could potentially go down still if it were broken down into two separate ones; if this was the case then the salaries would be close enough to warrant league consideration. This of course still leaves the matter of coach Doc Rivers. The Clippers would have to assume Rivers $7 million annual salary and provide compensation to the Celtics in the form of cash and draft picks.

In summary, the Clippers give up at least three players, a minimum of $5 million cash, assume $25 million-plus in salary, plus a $7 million a year coach and they surrender a couple draft picks all for two aging veterans who at best have two years left in them. Even with Pierce and Garnett in the fold it might still not be enough to knock off a healthy Oklahoma City Thunder squad or the San Antonio Spurs.

Another rumour to gain some momentum is the Clippers potential acquisition of Danny Granger from the Indiana Pacers. Again it is Bledsoe who is rumoured to be the expendable one, but again the salaries don’t match up. Bledsoe and Granger are over $12 million apart in terms of salary so even with the addition of Butler and his $8 million the deal still can’t get done without cash considerations and league approval.

This deal for the Pacers makes little sense. They don’t need the payroll flexibility as they have plenty of room to sign David West and they pushed the Miami Heat to a seven game series without the versatile Granger being available. So long as the Pacers are confident that Granger will return healthy next season and be the explosive scorer that he was, why wouldn’t they keep the pieces intact and make another run at a conference title?

A most ridiculous rumour floating around has the Clippers and the crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers doing a Dwight Howard sign and trade deal for Jordan and Blake Griffin. There is absolutely zero chance of this happening as the Lakers would rather see Howard go to Houston or Dallas for nothing in return but the salary cap break than watch Howard play for another team in the Staple Center. We should put this rumour to bed now as it is absolutely preposterous to contemplate any further.

A potential deal that could make sense is Bledsoe to the Orlando Magic for Arron Afflalo. The Magic are in need of a point guard and they probably don’t like the available options via the draft. Plus the Magic have the second-overall selection in the draft and they could very well have their pick of whoever is left between Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore and Otto Porter. If the Magic are counting on McLemore being available to them then they could potentially move Afflalo in order to make room at the shooting guard spot. The Clippers would again have to salary match to make this deal work, but this is one scenario that could actually benefit both teams.

Final Storylines From the 2013 U.S. Open

Fred Altvater — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:45:00 GMT

The 113th U.S. Open did not disappoint golf fans. It offered Phil Mickelson trying to win his first U.S. Open, as well as, Luke Donald, Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker trying to win their first major.

It had high drama in the final round with Jason Dufner posting a three-under par 67, one of the low rounds of the week. Jason Day had another top-10 finish in a major and nearly got his first major victory.

One of the biggest stories of the week began when Phil Mickelson flew home on Tuesday to attend his daughter’s eighth-grade graduation in San Diego. He flew back Wednesday night in time to make his 7:30 AM tee time on Thursday morning.

Even though he had quite a commute, Mickelson went on to shoot a three-under par 67 in the first round and hold the first round lead.

Steve Stricker tried to add a major title to his outstanding career stats, but again missed a golden opportunity to get the win at Merion. He began the final round on Sunday at even par, just one shot back of the leader Mickelson.

His hopes were dashed with a triple-bogey, eight at the par-5 second hole when he shanked his second shot out of bounds. He hit a spectator in the head, who appeared to be all right, but the shot unnerved him and the damage to his round and psyche was done. Stricker shot a final round 76 and fell into a tie for eighth position.

Luke Donald made one of his best attempts ever at winning a major title, but he too fell just short of the prize. With his world-class short game he was on the short list of potential winners at Merion Golf Club.

Donald collected five bogeys and a double-bogey for good measure on the front nine on Sunday. He posted a very disappointing 42 on the front side in route to a final round 75.

The U.S. Open can create a case of the jitters even in hardened veteran golfers.

Phil Mickelson created the most drama, however, on Sunday. As one of the most popular golfers ever to play the game, his huge fan base was pulling for him to erase the five runners-up finishes in U.S. Open competitions and finally get a win.

He began the day with a one-shot lead over Hunter Mahan, Charl Schwartzel and Steve Stricker. Even with a birdie at the par-5 fourth hole sandwiched between two double-bogeys at Nos. 3 and 5, they proved too much to overcome with a limited number of holes left to play.

He did add some excitement with an eagle from the rough on the short par-4 tenth hole. His lay up shot from the tee found the right rough. With just 86 yards remaining to the hole, Mickelson did what he does best. He hit a short iron shot that landed perfectly on the green and rolled into the cup for a deuce on the par-4 hole.

That put him back to even-par and tied for the lead, but three more bogeys on the back nine left him two shots short of Justin Rose.

This was his record setting sixth runner-up finish at the U.S. Open and you could visibly see the disappointment in Mickelson during his post round interview.

At 43 years old, he knows his days of winning major championships are growing shorter and this was a very good opportunity to add to his career numbers.

Justin Rose has earned his spot in the winners circle. He first burst onto the golf scene with a T-4 in the 1998 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale as a mere 18-year-old amateur.

After turning professional, he promptly missed 21 consecutive cuts. It was a long hard road to keep plugging and find a game that would withstand the rigors of professional golf.

Rose did not begin to become a solid performer until 2001 when he collected two runner-up finishes and a win at the Dunhill Championship. He finished inside the top-40 on the European Tour that year and has not looked back.

With the help of his golf coach, Sean Foley, he has developed one of the best swings on the PGA Tour. Rose has been steadily growing and improving over the past five years and his win in the 2013 U.S. Open is the culmination of his hard work.

The biggest story of the week has to be the performance of the golf course itself. Merion Golf Club once again proved why it is a national treasure.

It was deluged with over five inches of rain on Monday and the maintenance staff was able to groom her for play starting on Thursday. More rain on Thursday halted play, but thick rough, narrow fairways, deep bunkers and the difficult greens kept scores in check.

Rose’s winning total was one-over par and there were precious few rounds turned in under-par during the week.

Merion Golf Club can add another notch to her illustrious history. Jones, Hogan, Graham and Trevino will need to make room for Justin Rose and the disappointment of Phil Mickelson in the latest chapter of the U.S. Open from Merion Golf Club.

Biggest NHL Trade Rumors for the 2013 Offseason

Adam Rickert — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:00 GMT

With the Stanley Cup Final in full swing and the season winding down to its finish, the NHL Entry Draft and free agency will soon be upon us. Nothing is guaranteed, but what would an offseason be without trade rumors? Here's a look at some of the biggest rumors for this upcoming summer.

Roberto Luongo - Vancouver Canucks

It was widely speculated that Luongo was set to be traded last offseason after losing the starting goaltending role to Cory Schneider, but the Canucks retained their infamous keeper throughout the regular season since Schneider has been inconsistent. A trade seems imminent for this offseason, as Luongo was once again yanked in favor of Schneider in this year's playoffs. After Vancouver was swept by the San Jose Sharks, Luongo went on to state that his contract "sucked".

It was once thought that the Toronto Maple Leafs were high on Luongo, but James Reimer's stellar play in the playoffs may have made fans believe that the Leafs are set at the goalie position. If/when Luongo gets traded, expect the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders, both teams that Luongo has played for earlier in his career, to be the frontrunners.

Kris Letang - Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin's name was thrown around a bit in trade rumors, but Penguins General Manager Ray Shero put an end to those whispers as he signed Malkin through 2021-22. It came at a high price, however, as the Russian superstar will make $9.5 million a year.

With captain Sidney Crosby already locked up and many of the team's core players in need of new contracts, Pittsburgh will not have very much money to spend on improvements to a team that got swept by the Boston Bruins in the Conference Final.

Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis, Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Matt Cooke, and Douglas Murray are all unrestricted free agents as of July 2nd, and the Penguins will try to get as many back as they can while still leaving room for new players that could push the team one step further - if they can afford it.

Trading defenseman Kris Letang could be a viable option for the Penguins. 2013-14 is the last year on his contract, which comes at a hit of $3.5 million a year. Trading a top blueliner like Letang could not only open up cap space, but also warrant a big return for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek - Buffalo Sabres

After two extremely disappointing years, it appears as if the Buffalo Sabres are beginning a rebuilding process. The team traded away cornerstone forward Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild and defenseman Jordan Leopold to the St. Louis Blues.

Miller's name swirled around before last year's trade deadline, but the American goalie remained in Buffalo for at least a few more months. He would be an excellent addition to any team in need of a goalie and the Sabres could get a pretty decent return for his services.

The Colorado Avalanche would be a good fit for Miller, as it is a young team with a ton of potential already as well as the number one overall draft pick this year. The Avalanche are expected to take Colorado-raised Seth Jones in the draft in order to shore up their blue line a bit, and they have two great young forwards in Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog. If the Avs can make a move and add a quality goaltender like Miller, they could make a push for the playoffs sooner than most expect.

Another Sabre whose name has been thrown around in rumors is Thomas Vanek: the team's best forward. Vanek would surely get a huge return in terms of prospects and young talent, which is exactly what the Sabres are looking for. Many contenders looking for a little more scoring could use Vanek's services, such as the Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, and New Jersey Devils.

The Sabres may not want to trade Vanek to a division rival like Detroit, but the Red Wings have a plethora of young prospects that could work wonders for the Sabres. San Jose would benefit big-time by adding another scorer like Vanek to play alongside Logan Couture or Joe Pavelski.

New Jersey could probably use Vanek the most out of anyone. After losing Zach Parise, the team had to lean on Ilya Kovalchuk for a gigantic percentage of its offensive production. When Kovalchuk was injured, the offense couldn't get the job done and the team floundered. Adding Thomas Vanek would provide much-needed offensive depth for a defense-based team.

Josh Burkman on Jon Fitch Win: ‘I Knew When I Went to the Ground I Had the Choke’

John Heinis — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:00:00 GMT

While his victory over Jon Fitch at World Series of Fighting 3 this past weekend, Josh Burkman is clearly back and better than ever.

“The People’s Warrior” put Fitch to sleep in just 41 seconds with a masterful guillotine choke, an incredible feat considering Fitch’s grappling pedigree.

The win marked his fifth in a row, with four stoppages, and has also had his hand raised in eight of his past nine bouts.

Unfortunately for Burkman, the victory has been overshadowed by the fact that referee Steve Mazzagatti was late to stop the fight, earning him a public call out from UFC President Dana White.

Appearing on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour Monday afternoon, The Pit Elevated Fight Team competitor said he felt White’s criticism of Mazzagatti, calling him “dangerous” and asking for the Nevada State Athletic Commission to stop giving him high-profile venues, was a bit much.

"I think it’s a little harsh," he said. "I think that part of it is justified. I think he could have been down there in a better position, but I think Mazzagatti maybe felt the flow of the energy in the fight. He knew I was going to take care of it, lay him down nicely and get out of the way."

Burkman was able to put Fitch unconscious when he had the guillotine locked up from his half guard, a task most fighters consider borderline impossible. He then rolled Fitch over and let go of the hold, completing a very rare walk-off submission.

He explained the unique situation from his perspective and why he doesn’t think Mazzagatti did much wrong.

"I think I probably surprised Mazzagatti," he said. "I knew when I went to the ground that I had the choke. And I knew it was really tight. So when we went down to the ground, I knew Fitch went out.”

“I tightened it real fast just to make sure. I've got a lot of respect for Jon Fitch and just who he is. I didn't feel like there was any need in holding that choke or trying to prove anything else. I knew the fight was over.”

The headlining bout between the two was actually a rematch from 2006, where Fitch submitted Burkman with a rear-naked choke. The bout took place under the UFC banner.

While many are calling for Burkman to return to the Octagon based on his current streak, he told Helwani he signed a four-fight extension with WSOF prior to the Fitch rematch and he plans to honor the contract.

Is Burkman’s defense of Mazzagatti reasonable or was the bad judgment call by the often-criticized referee simply inexcusable here?

Should the Atlanta Braves be Concerned About Their Recent Road Struggles?

Andrew Forthuber — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Most teams across most professional sports enjoy a profound advantage when playing at their own venue in front of their own fans. With that being said, the opposite is true as well. Playing on the road usually presents a problem for teams, especially in baseball. Most coaches would consider it a successful road trip to come home with an even record. The Atlanta Braves are just on the cusp of accomplishing that goal so far. The team comes into play this week with an 18-20 split away from Turner Field.

However, the Braves struggled immensely on their most recent West Coast road trip, returning with a 2-5 mark which included a series split with the Los Angeles Dodgers and a series sweep by the surging San Diego Padres. So, should the Braves be concerned about their struggles on the road?

I don’t think so. Their 18-20 road record, although below .500, is still the best mark in the National League East; a division which the Braves lead by 6.5 games. The road trip they just returned from might cause concern for some fans, but looking beyond the wins and losses, the Braves were only outscored 24 to 22 over those seven games. Obviously the Braves would like to have a road record like the St. Louis Cardinals (25-13), but they take comfort in knowing that after every road trip, there comes a home stand.

Turner Field is where the Braves excel. The team boasts a 23-8 record in Atlanta, which ranks best in baseball by percentage. If they could play every game at home, the Braves would be golden; but since they can’t, they definitely need to improve on the road if they want to remain in first place in the NL East for the rest of the season.

Aside from their struggles on the road, the Braves need to start finding ways to score runs in ways other than by home runs. They are tied for the National League lead in home runs with 91 (Colorado Rockies), and lead all major league teams with a home run every 25.3 at-bats. However, they also lead the National League in strikeouts with 615, which is a staggering 41 more whiffs than the next closest club (Pittsburgh Pirates). Living and dying by the home run may be working in the first half of the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see many pitchers tighten up in the second half of the season and make the Braves play more sound, fundamental offensive baseball.

In my opinion, the Atlanta Braves shouldn’t be worried about their last ten games. Yes, they are 4-6 over that span, but they are 9-6 in their last 15 games. They are playing well enough to stay comfortably ahead of the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies, both of whom are struggling as much, if not more than the Braves.

NHL Stanley Cup Final: Battle of the Beards

Rob Kirk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMT

One of the coolest playoff traditions in playoff hockey (besides the endless overtime) is the playoff beard. I suppose the facial neglect is designed to reflect the intense focus on the hockey to be played, but the origin of the playoff beard is based on team unity from the New York Islanders of the early 1980’s.

Obviously the tradition continues today as a team though there are a few players who remain clean-shaven. There are also the humorous attempts by the players who seem to be “follicularly” challenged in the playoff beard department.

This year the final four teams represented the Stanley Cup winners from the past four years. Ironically, of the four winners, only Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins provided a traditional “full-coverage” beard. In fact, Chara’s beard is/was so robust, that he could have trimmed a dozen pounds off of it to complete the bare patches on the mugs of the other winning captains.

Let’s be clear, a fantastic beard does not win a Stanley Cup, but it can’t hurt your chances. One of my favorite captains, Steve Yzerman, had the facial hair of a middle school kid, so I can’t bust chops on too many other guys. Wait, yes I can!

The first three games of the Stanley Cup Final have been tightly contested. Two of three have reached overtime, with each team looking for an edge, let’s see how the two squads match up in the beard department.

Goaltender: Tuukka Rask vs. Corey Crawford

In the beard department Crawford has it all over Rask. Sure the Boston backstop had a Game 3 shutout to push the Bruins ahead 2-1 in the series, but it wasn’t because of a manly adornment of facial lettuce. Crawford’s beard is a B+ while Rask only has traces of stray cat hair dusted haphazardly about his grill. Advantage Chicago

Defense: Zdeno Chara vs. the entire Chicago defensive corps

I can’t deduct points for Torey Krug because I don’t think his testicles have descended yet and he literally has as much hair on his face as coach Claude Julien has on his head. However, the ringer in this matchup is Chara who provides much of Eastern Europe with wool for the winter when he shaves at the end of the season. Chicago has some quality with Johnny Oduya, Michal Rozsival and Duncan Keith but the nod goes to Boston and their grizzly on the blue line. Advantage Boston.

Forwards: Boston’s best( Patrice Bergeron, Jaromir Jagr and Brad Marchand) vs. Chicago’s Best(Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp)

From a skill standpoint, I would have to say that the Chicago trio matches up against anyone in the NHL. From a bearded point of view there is much to be desired. Of the three from the windy city, only Patrick Sharp has a beard worth coveting. Toews can at least finally connect the odd looking muttonchops that have slid down the side of his melon. As “Puck Daddy” Greg Wyshynski himself proclaimed on Twitter, Patrick Kane’s face “looks like he sneezed into a half empty bag of Cheetos.” Ouch.

Boston’s answer to Chicago’s best leads off with a solid effort from Bergeron. Nothing spectacular, but a solid, full effort, just shy of Patrick Sharp’s. Marchand follows with a grimy looking effort that seems to suit his style of play. The showcase of the Bruin trio is Jagr, who refused to accept nature’s course and chemically enhanced his gray and shaved his chin. I t looks as though he may be auditioning for a Wolverine-type super hero role or planning a post-retirement foray into the adult entertainment industry. Advantage Boston.

So there you have it. The strength (literally) of Chara and Jagr’s superfluous testosterone propels Boston into the winner’s circle. The Bruins still have two more games before they can carve themselves into the Stanley Cup again. Until then, they can take great pride knowing that they are my winners in the Battle of the Beards!