http://www.sportsnipe.com Sports news headlines from all sources http://www.sportsnipe.com/images/logo.gif http://www.sportsnipe.com Sports news headlines from all sources http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177743/senators-take-down-penguins-in-2ot-to-steal-game-3.html Ottawa has new life thanks to Colin Greening. The left winger broke a deadlock with a goal in 2OT to lift the Senators to a 2-1 win over the Penguins and cut their deficit to 2-1. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177742/greenings-goal-in-2-ot-leads-sens-by-pens.html Colin Greening scored 7:39 into double overtime, and the Ottawa Senators rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins that cut their series deficit to 2-1 on Sunday night. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177741/baseball-sooners-end-regular-season-on-high-note.html (by OU Media Relations) Oklahoma's youth grew large on the final day of the regular season, tuning the Sooners to a high note entering the Big 12 Championship with a much needed win Sunday.Freshmen Kolbey Carpenter and Anthony Hermelyn combined for four RBIs as Oklahoma...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177740/lon-kruger-talks-2013-oklahoma-sooners-basketball-season.html (by Sean S. Lealos) A lot of articles have flowed out of Oklahoma Sooners football coach Bob Stoops’ comments on the OU caravan tour. However, Lon Kruger was on the tour as well as had a lot to say about his 2013 Oklahoma Sooners basketball team. First up, he...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177739/ou-baseball-limps-their-way-into-big-12-tournament-no-4-seed.html (by Jordan Esco) After a disappointing series this weekend in Manhattan, the Oklahoma baseball team limps into postseason play facing the very real possibility of having to win the Big 12 Tournament for a shot at an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. As a...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177738/oklahoma-defeats-arkansas-141-advances-on-to-super-regionals.html (by Jordan Esco) Oklahoma came into Sunday's game with the luxury knowing they had two games if they needed it, but as they've done all year long this team wasn't taking anything for granted. The Sooners quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning before...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177737/softball-ou-runrules-arkansas-141-claiming-regional-title.html (by Joe Mussatto) The No. 1 OU softball team claimed its fourth regional title in a row by run-ruling Arkansas, 14-1, this afternoon at Marita Hynes Field. The Sooners (50-4) swept through the Norman, Okla. regional by winning all three of their games, outscoring...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177736/oklahoma-softball-sooners-rout-arkansas-to-win-regional.html (by Stephanie Kuzydym) NORMAN -- When Lauren Chamberlain heard her name chanted by the Oklahoma fans, she wondered how to react. 'I was like, 'Wait, what? This is softball,' Chamberlain said of the chants that roared to her to make a curtain call appearance after knocking...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177735/softball-sooners-roll-to-regional-championship.html (by Clay Horning) NORMAN -- Oklahoma's top-ranked softball team was expected to cruise through its Norman Regional before returning to Marita Hynes Field for super regional play. Still, nobody could have known the Sooners would do it so emphatically. Lauren Chamberlain...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177734/advantage-ou-141-win-sends-team-to-supers.html (by OU Media Relations) The top-seeded Oklahoma softball team punched its ticket to the Super Regionals with a 14-1, five-inning win over Arkansas on Sunday afternoon in the Norman Regional. It's the fourth season in a row and the sixth time in the last seven years that...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177733/oklahoma-softball-notebook-ous-brittney-williams-on-hot-streak.html (by Stephanie Kuzydym) NORMAN -- Brittany Williams was on Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso's MVP list. The Sooners' typical No. 6 hitter was bumped to the No. 5 hole on Sunday for Oklahoma's 14-1 win against Arkansas. Williams stayed patient in her first two at-bats, drawing a walk in...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177732/lauren-chamberlain-powers-ou-into-softball-super-regional.html (by Guerin Emig) NORMAN - "LAUR-EN!" "LAUR-EN!" "LAUR-EN!" The chant went up in the middle of Oklahoma's 14-1 NCAA regional-clinching rout of Arkansas Sunday. Sooner fans figured Lauren Chamberlain should take a bow for her third-inning, game-busting three-run homer...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177731/oklahoma-football-jay-norvell-working-on-luring-tall-group-wide-receivers-to-norman.html (by Jason Kersey) NORMAN -- Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell seems intent on luring another strong group of wide receivers to Norman in the 2014 recruiting class. Four-star prospect Dallis Todd, from La Mirada, Calif., committed last...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177730/oklahoma-football-look-at-ous-2014-wide-receiver-targets.html (by Jason Kersey) NORMAN -- Oklahoma is chasing lots of top wide receiver prospects for next year's recruiting class. Four-star wideout Dallis Todd, from La Mirada, California, is currently the Sooners' only 2014 commitment at the position. Here's a look at five other 2014 wide...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177729/that-time-this-weekend-ou-softballs-brittany-williams-tried-to-slide-into-home-plate.html (by Stephanie Kuzydym) On Friday, against Marist, junior Brittany Williams went to slide home ... except she missed the base. Then she crawled her way back. Now, her teammate Lauren Chamberlain posted the clip on Vine where it will live as a six-second...Read more... Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177728/gallardo-takes-mound-as-brewers-return-home.html The Brewers and the Dodgers face off on Monday in a battle of aces at Miller Park. Clayton Kershaw starts against Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo in the series opener. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177727/wandy-goes-for-fourth-straight-quality-start.html Right-hander Matt Garza, who last toed a Major League rubber 10 months ago, gets the start in Tuesday's series opener at PNC Park against Pirates left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177726/angels-looking-to-repeat-history-against-mariners.html Seattle has won only nine of its last 33 games in Anaheim, where the Angels will send Jerome Williams to the mound Tuesday night against Mariners right-hander Aaron Harang. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177725/angels-take-patient-approach-to-back-vargas.html Jason Vargas tossed seven scoreless innings as all facets were working for the Angels Sunday in a 6-2 victory at Angel Stadium. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177724/garza-eager-nervous-about-first-start-2013.html Right-hander Matt Garza, who last toed a Major League rubber 10 months ago, gets the start in Tuesday's series opener at PNC Park against Pirates left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177723/brooks-reed-100-percent-for-houston-texans-otas.html Brooks Reed says he's "100 percent" ahead of the Houston Texans' organized team activities, which begin Monday. The linebacker underwent groin surgery in the offseason. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177722/raiders-nation-charles-woodson-come-to-oakland.html Charles Woodson is scheduled to meet with the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport reported. Oakland's faithful fan base doesn't plan to let the Pro Bowl defensive back get away. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177721/preakness-2013-orb-will-rebound-from-poor-showing-at-pimlico-belmont-stakes.html Orb didn't get out to a fast start in the 2013 Preakness Stakes, which ultimately cost him the Triple Crown's second leg.Never getting above the third position as the race progressed, the shorter and quicker track proved to work against Orb. Fortunately, he still has an opportunity to finish strong at the Belmont Stakes on June 8.The Belmont, at one-and-a-half miles, is similar to the mile-and-a-quarter Kentucky Derby; both are longer than the Preakness at a mile-and-three-sixteenths. Not to mention there won't be exceedingly high expectations going in. After taking the sloppy conditions at Churchill Downs on May 4, Orb had won five straight races.Mesh that added pressure with a track not built to his favor, and the Preakness' result was not surprising.Now there's no pressure to win the final leg, and jockey Joel Rosario can orchestrate with ease. Factor in more time to make a comeback move before the stretch, and Orb's talent will shine.Plus, there will be added incentive to win should Oxbow—the winner of the Preakness Stakes—also compete. In an article by Richard Rosenblatt of the Associated Press via Yahoo! News, each horse looks to be on par for Belmont: Both trainers are giving every indication their classic-winning colts will run in the Belmont on June 8. "You know me," Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. "I like to rack them up in the big events. So, I'll probably go." Trainer Shug McGaughey says he'd like to run Orb in the Belmont as long as the colt is doing well. "The Belmont Stakes is on our radar screen," McGaughey said. And now with the chances of the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 out the door, horse racing can still remain marketable for its third big race. Orb and Oxbow has evolved into a mini-rivalry, and Belmont is an appealing tiebreaker setting.Bob Baffert also gave some optimism according to Tim Wilkin of the Albany Times Union:Obviously the edge goes to Orb here, though, as evidenced by each race before Pimlico.Belmont is also 12 furlongs in length, which is greater than Churchill Downs. Therefore, anticipate a slower tempo out of the gates; as it picks up, Orb's approach will then take advantage.Considering the disappointing result from the Preakness, instantly responding in the next big race just offers closure—because taking two of three Triple Crown races is still quite impressive. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177720/indiana-pacers-vs-miami-heat-eastern-conference-finals-preview.html Paul George and the Indiana Pacers are out for vengeance against LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. In last season's conference semifinals, the eventual champs dispatched the inexperienced Pacers in a tidy six games.If things are to be different for the Pacers this time around, they'll have to rely on the NBA's best defense and the emergence of George and Roy Hibbert as a formidable pair of two-way stars. The Pacers will be confident when they tangle with Miami, fresh off a statement series win over the New York Knicks and armed with the knowledge that they've already proved they can play with this year's version of the Heat.Indy logged a surprising 2-1 record against Miami during the regular season. Still rolling along after a 4-1 series victory over the Chicago Bulls, the Heat, however, look as unbeatable as ever. Aside from the persistent questions surrounding Dwyane Wade's cranky knee, Miami lacks an obvious weakness. Indiana is a much-improved team this year, but the Heat have enjoyed some growth of their own.Season Series: Pacers 2, Heat 1Playoff Seeds: Pacers No. 3; Heat No. 1Playoff Records: Pacers 8-4; Heat 8-1Playoff Schedule: Game 1: Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Game 2: Friday, May 24, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Game 3: Sunday, May 26, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Game 4: Tuesday, May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT) Games 5-7: TBD  What Everybody's Talking About: Indiana's Improvements The Pacers managed to take a pair of games from the Heat in last season's playoff clash, but in looking back, that was a very different (and definitely worse) Indiana squad than the one we'll see this time around.George was just the fifth-leading scorer for the Pacers in that series, and Lance Stephenson played a grand total of seven minutes. In just under a year since then, George has blossomed into a legitimate star, having recently won the league's Most Improved Player award after taking over a leading role in the absence of the injured Danny Granger.And Stephenson, whose only headlines in last year's series came when he made a choking motion toward James after a missed free throw, just finished pounding the Knicks for 25 points and 10 rebounds in Game 6 Saturday night.George and Stephenson are now filling much bigger roles, and the Pacers are better for it.Plus, Indy's defense has taken a leap. With elite wing defenders in George, Stephenson and George Hill, the Pacers have been denying three-point looks and sending all of the action toward Hibbert at the rim. The result has been a defensive rating that has improved from 100.4 points allowed per 100 possessions in 2011-12 to a league-best 96.6 this season. Indiana is now officially a dominant defensive outfit, capable of doing the dirty work as a team and even producing some world-class individual stops.These Pacers are older, wiser and just plain better than they were a year ago. What Nobody's Talking About: the Bosh EffectChris Bosh played less than one half of one game in last year's second-round matchup. A strained abdominal in the second quarter of Game 1 forced the Heat to go even smaller than they otherwise would have against Indiana's burly front line. Despite the loss of their third star, the Heat prevailed.All the talk of Indiana's improvement is valid. But it's foolish to overlook the fact that Miami will essentially be adding an All-Star to the team that was still good enough to beat the Pacers last year. For evidence of just how critical Bosh is to the Heat's attack against Indiana, just watch the clip in which he hurt himself last May. That, my friends, is called a "blow-by."Hibbert can't stay with Bosh on the perimeter, and that's where Miami's "center" lives. His ability to pull Indiana's shot-blocking interior presence away from his beloved paint is extremely important in this series. We've already spent time discussing how Hibbert is the hub of the Pacers' excellent defense, but he can't fill that role if he's out of position.If No. 55 isn't in the middle because he's being forced to challenge Bosh in the mid-range area, Indiana is going to have to recalibrate its defensive scheme.The obvious solution would be to cross-match Hibbert onto a power forward, but the Heat's best five-man units feature some guy who has won four MVP awards at that spot. So, if Hibbert's on the court, chances are he's going to have to deal with Bosh.That's a big offensive advantage for Miami. Key Matchup: LeBron James vs. Paul GeorgeGeorge's offensive game has a long way to go, but as a wing defender, he might already be among the NBA's very best. Just ask the King, himself:No single player can hope to shut James down, but George probably comes closest. And after averaging 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists against the Knicks in the second round, George has proved that James won't be able to take much of a break on the other end, either.During the regular season, George held James to averages of 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists on 51.7 percent shooting. That might not sound like much of an achievement, but each of those figures is lower than James' season averagesPart of what has made James so dominant all season has been his ability to be wildly productive without seeming to put forth much effort. LBJ is going to get his numbers against the Pacers; George's job is to make sure he at least has to work for them. Don't Forget: Wade's KneeOne of the enduring images from the Pacers' series-clinching win over the Knicks was Stephenson barreling into the lane like a wrecking ball on steroids. His speed, physicality and general disregard for the safety of those around him make Indiana's shooting guard a rough matchup for anyone.But for Wade, whose creaky knee has severely limited his athleticism (save for a brief three-minute spurt at the end of Game 5 against the Bulls), Stephenson is kind of a nightmare. You can bet that the ultra-aggressive guard will be riding high after his terrific performance against New York, so Wade is going to have to be ready to mix it up.If his knee can't hold up to the physical pounding it'll have to take against Stephenson, not only will he have to suffer the embarrassment of losing a matchup to a guy who wasn't even in the rotation a year ago, he'll also be putting his team at a massive disadvantage.The Heat can't coast on offense against the Pacers' vaunted D. That means Wade is going to have to prove he can function as the secondary scorer he was in last year's postseason. In other words, Wade's current playoff averages of 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 45 percent shooting simply aren't going to cut it.If Stephenson's constant motion and physical defense wears the hobbled Wade down—or worse, knocks him out—Miami could suddenly find itself in trouble. Prediction: Heat in 6 GamesFor all of the laudable improvements the Pacers have made, this is still a Miami team that boasts the best player on the planet and a couple of new additions who have helped it get better in its own right. With Ray Allen spacing the floor and Chris Andersen finally serving as the backup big man the Heat have lacked since the Big Three came together, Miami is deeper and more balanced than ever.The Pacers, on the other hand, essentially have no bench. When James, Wade and Bosh inevitably create foul trouble for Indiana's terrific starting lineup, Frank Vogel is going to find the cupboard bare when he looks for serviceable reserves to eat up a few minutes in relief of his first unit.It's funny—the Pacers are easily the team with the best chance to make the Heat sweat for the first time this postseason...but it's almost impossible to create a logical case for them actually beating Miami. James is too good, the Heat offense too synced up, and the Pacers simply can't afford a single injury or instance of foul trouble.As boring as it seems, we're still in the same place we were when this season (and these playoffs) began: The Heat are a cut above the rest. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177719/will-miami-heatindiana-pacers-be-another-bitter-grudge-match.html After a heated matchup with the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals, it seems as if the Miami Heat could be in for exactly the same thing with the Indiana Pacers, which are coming Wednesday to kick off the Eastern Conference Finals.If you recall, the Pacers gave the Heat a mild scare in the conference semifinals a season ago, taking two of the first three games and starting the talk about the Heat potentially getting eliminated before ever getting a chance to vindicate themselves for the 2011 NBA Finals loss.Miami won the next three games decidedly, and it went on to play the Boston Celtics in the conference finals (where the same basic story played out) and eventually won the title.We've already watched as the Heat burned through the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round (much as they did against the New York Knicks last season) and got an early scare from the Bulls before dispatching them in five games.Now it seems as if we're on track for a similar scene to the one that played out against the Celtics last season.Indiana and Miami have a history of not liking each other, and the Pacers play the same defense-centric game that the Celtics played in 2012. Boston even claimed the top-ranked defense last season as Indiana does now.As far as the Pacers and Heat go, there's more than just a hard-fought series and a few scrums to talk about between the two over the past year.During a Game 3 beatdown at the hands of the Pacers, LeBron James was shooting a technical free throw on Indiana's side of the floor. In an attempt to throw him off and give a bit of a call-back to the Reggie Miller days, then-benchwarmer Lance Stephenson threw up the choke sign as LeBron clanked the freebie off the rim.Juwan Howard gave Stephenson a bit of a knock later on in the game and had a word with the young fellow before the following game.Stephenson apologized for the immaturity of the gesture afterwards (although it wasn't really an apology to James), and James had his own thoughts when asked: "Lance Stephenson? You want a quote about Lance Stephenson? I'm not even going to give him the time. Knock it off."As if that weren't enough, Dexter Pittman took it upon himself to get a bit more revenge for the Heat, delivering a heinous elbow to Stephenson's throat in the waning seconds of Game 5.Well, Stephenson is no longer the benchwarmer that he was a season ago. In fact, it was his 25-point outburst that gave Indiana its deciding win over the Knicks Saturday night, and his defense is very much a part of Indiana's biggest advantage over Miami.To put the icing on the cake before this series tips off, Frank Vogel's generic coach-speak may have upset James just a bit as well.Vogel talked about the prospect of playing the Heat, dismissively saying (as any normal NBA coach would), "They're the next team that's in our way and that's how we're approaching it."James' response Sunday afternoon seemed to show that he was a bit irked by what Vogel said, according to Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida):He said we’re just another team in their way. We’re not just another team. We’re a great team. We’re very confident. We’ll be ready for them. But if we’re just another team, you really don’t prepare for just another team. We’re not just another team. You got to be prepared for us.While there's definitely a bit of history between these two teams, there's nowhere near the level of contempt between the two that the Bulls and Heat displayed in the second round.The Bulls went out with a chip resting on each player's shoulder, just as they approached every game in the playoffs.Chicago's point of attack was to keep Miami from getting comfortable on the court and take the Heat out of their element every step of the way by out-hustling and generally being more physical.That's not necessarily the same style of defense that Indiana plays.While there is an obvious amount of physicality, especially from David West in the post and Stephenson a bit around the perimeter, the Pacers play defense through schemes and outrageous strength and athleticism.It seems reasonable to expect a certain level of animosity between the two teams, possibly with a bit of Stephenson trying to prove a point. However, teams generally don't have to find a reason to get amped for the conference finals.Will there be incidents between the two where things overheat and become physical? Most definitely.It's the last step before the NBA Finals. If things didn't get physical, then something would just seem wrong. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177718/baltimore-ravens-what-to-watch-for-at-otas.html Forget about championships: The Baltimore Ravens of 2013 are a whole new squad, and the world will get its first look at them when full-team OTAs start on May 22. With a new season comes new players, new schemes and ultimately new questions.What should we expect from these Ravens at OTAs? What can we learn? Without pads, information will be hard to come by, but we fans and analysts can glean enough information to answer a few questions.With this in mind, let's take a look at the questions that are hot on Ravens fans' minds as their team opens OTAs.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177717/winners-losers-2013-hp-byron-nelson-championship.html Sang-Moon Bae was not overwhelmed.He had never won a PGA tournament before, and when Keegan Bradley put in a claim for the Byron Nelson Championship by coming out guns blazing and seizing command in the first round, Bae did not simply roll over and say he was fighting for second place.Instead, Bae played stellar golf for four rounds and chipped away at the lead each day. By the conclusion of Sunday's round, Bae was the one holding the trophy with Lord Byron's image on it and not Bradley.Bae certainly had a glorious weekend, but he was not the only big winner. Here's a look at the winners and losers at the Byron Nelson Championship played in Irving, Texas.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177716/wwe-extreme-rules-2013-results-dean-ambrose-beats-kofi-kingston-what-means.html At Sunday night's Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Dean Ambrose defeated Kofi Kingston with the Headlock DDT to win the United States Championship, marking the wrestler's first WWE title victory.The match itself?Eh, it was a perfectly fine undercard bout. Nothing too bad, but it wasn't great either. It certainly couldn't compare to Ambrose's previous bouts this year, or Kingston's fantastic main event match May 1 with Antonio Cesaro.The two wrestlers may have also been hampered by a lack of time (the match went slightly under seven minutes).Let's start out by saying, this result isn't really a surprise.Going in, it seemed obvious Ambrose would emerge victorious.As the standout member of the renegade group The Shield, his career has been on a roll over the past six months. It made perfect sense for him to win a respected (well, sort of) secondary title as he continued his fast climb up the career ladder.Besides, jobbing him out to the career midcarder Kingston would have been a colossal failure. Like it or not, Kingston has been stuck in the same position for years and isn't going anywhere in WWE; Ambrose is.The Shield member winning clean was the only logical result.  For all its booking missteps recently, even WWE's booking team knew this.Will the two continue to feud as Kingston aims to get his belt back? Well, let's hope not. It remains to be seen how Ambrose, a rising star, can really be aided by a prolonged feud with the former champion.Let's face it: Once you've fought The Undertaker on SmackDown and come out looking very credible, as Ambrose did on the April 26 SmackDown, feuding with Kingston is a major step down.Oh, it's not that Kingston is bad. Indeed, as the Cesaro match showed, he can be spectacular on occasion. But his bland one-dimensional personality means that he is slotted in a certain place, and Ambrose should really be mingling with main eventers right now.Additionally, the United States title and its tarnished image can be helped by its association with the former EVOLVE star. When Cesaro, and later, Kingston carried it, it was usually treated as an after thought and defended on main event.When was the last time the belt was making regular appearances on Raw, anyway?So what does Sunday night mean?Well, Ambrose's career remains (thankfully) on track, and the United States title may very well be about to return to prominence, at long last. It's hard to argue with the result here. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177715/former-5star-recruits-set-to-finally-live-up-hype.html Not all 5-star recruits walk in and dominate at the college level. What many forget is that in reality, once a recruit signs with a school he is no longer a 5-star prospect, but merely just a freshman football player.Some freshmen make bigger impacts than others, but if a 5-star guy doesn't amaze early on do not be alarmed. This read will look at 12 former 5-star prospects who appear ready to live up to their hype.From a WR at Missouri to a pass-rusher at Georgia to a RB at Texas and a DT at LSU, there are hungry former 5-star recruits everywhere. Here are 12 who have the makings of a break out season.Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177714/wwe-extreme-rules-2013-results-alberto-del-rio-defeats-jack-swagger.html Alberto Del Rio outlasted Jack Swagger in an I Quit match at Extreme Rules to become the No. 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.The victory didn't come without controversy, though, as instant replay was used to restart the match after Zeb Colter tricked the referee into thinking Ricardo Rodriguez threw in the white towel for Del Rio.As ESPN's Robert Flores expressed on Twitter, the replay system is still better than MLB's:The superstars were originally scheduled to battle alongside current champion Dolph Ziggler in a Triple Threat Ladder match. It was cancelled after Ziggler suffered a concussion on SmackDown two weeks before the pay-per-view, causing the change of plans.It was a tough break for Ziggler, who finally got his chance to shine after holding the Money in the Bank briefcase for months. The decision to keep him as champion despite the injury should be a good sign for his title reign over the long haul, though. In the meantime Del Rio, who dropped the title to Ziggler on Raw the night after WrestleMania, becomes the top contender. It was a feud that seemed likely even before the injury, so it was just a different way to get there.Aside from the face turn, very little has changed for Del Rio over the past few years. He continues to get consistent main event opportunities but struggles to get fans involved. Without that, it's tough to consider him one of the top guys.For example, his introduction by Rodriguez gets more of a crowd reaction than anything he does in terms of promos or in-ring work. He must figure out a way to change that moving forward, but it's clear the WWE isn't giving up on him.His upcoming storyline with Ziggler should include a lot of terrific in-ring work as both guys excel in that area. Finding a way to sap some of the support away the current champ, who's supposed to be a heel, is getting will be Del Rio's toughest task during the feud.As for Swagger, his future is less predictable after the loss. He's done a nice job since his return with the new gimmick alongside Zeb Colter but never got a title reign out of it.There are two possible options. The WWE could decide to move forward with the triple threat plans that were in place before the injury, but that would make Del Rio's win at Extreme Rules seem meaningless. Swagger could also fade into the midcard mix for awhile.Although the second option isn't preferable because the midcard scene is already overcrowded, the directions are limited for Swagger. Having a strong mouthpiece like Colter working with him has helped so far and should help him avoid slipping into oblivion.It's something Del Rio doesn't need to worry about, at least in the short term, after his win at Extreme Rules. He's been handed another chance at a main event feud. For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW.) Listen to internet radio with RingRustRadio on Blog Talk Radio Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177713/world-hockey-championships-2013-final-sweden-vs-switzerland-results.html Henrik Sedin fired two goals and an assist to help lead Sweden to a massive 5-1 win over Switzerland on Sunday to capture the World Hockey Championship.While the score wound up lopsided, for the majority of this contest, the game felt close. In fact, it looked like it might be Switzerland who ran away with this one as Switzerland's Roman Josi opened up the scoring in just the fifth minute when he launched a backhand past keeper Jhonas Enroth. However, Sweden battled back with two goals before the first period was to end the second with a 2-1 lead. TSN's Nabil Karim tweeted this pic of the second goal. Still, it was the Swiss side which was more aggressive in the first period. They outshot their counterparts 10-7 in the first. Sweden flipped the script in the second period as they began to take control and they outshot Switzerland 10-7 in the second. Neither team received anything to show for their efforts, though, as the second passed in scoreless fashion. This sent the match into a decisive third period with Sweden leading 2-1. This is when Sweden really took over as they took advantage of an overaggressive Switzerland team that had won all nine of their previous games in this tournament and netted three more goals. Along with Sedin, Simon Hjalmarrson, Erik Gustafsson and Loui Eriksson also scored for Sweden as the host team pleased the home fans and ended a serious drought in the process. TSN's Marc Crawford explains:Henrik Sedin was the main spark for Sweden in this game, and he was since his arrival with the team. He played just four games after he finished his season with the Canucks, but he earned nine points in those four games. Sedin's performance can't completely overshadow the performance of Jhonas Enroth. The Buffalo Sabres goalie made 26 saves in the championship game, and he was lights out after allowing the goal in the fifth minute. In all, it was thoroughly dominant performance by Sweden as they peaked at the right time, and they've got the championship to show for it.  Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177712/tennessee-titans-promise-to-have-new-look-offense-in-2013.html With my recent opinion article on Jake Locker's growth and development being key to the Titans' success in 2013, I'm now taking this opportunity to review what the offensive schemes might look like for Locker and company going forward into this season.The changes around Baptist Sports Park have been obvious since last year. Gone is the status-quo feeling of the Titans' offseason and free-agency routine. The Titans previously known for getting a few offensive or defensive role players that could contribute on special teams in the latter weeks of free agency are history. The Titans' front office stepped up early this year in improving their offensive line to assist in Jake Locker's protection and Chris Johnson's running game. In a video interview on TitansOnline.com, Johnson even spoke of the high-impact moves. They took it a step further with going offense in the majority of their draft picks, including in Rounds 1 and 2 with picking up G Justin Warmack and WR Justin Hunter, respectively.Early in the offseason, talk came out from offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains about opening up the offense for Locker with more read-option looks. This pistol-style offense could prove very beneficial for a mobile and athletic quarterback like Jake Locker, especially when disguising the option plays with more screens to Chris Johnson. Getting CJ2K and new Titans RB Shonn Greene touches will be a sticking point for Loggains as he looks to get Locker settled in early with an established running game. Controlling the clock on the offensive side of the ball should also pay dividends for defensive scheming, as the Titans often played from behind both a worn-down defense, and in scoring output against their opponents. In regards to the running game, the Titans are almost assuredly going back to a two-back tandem between Johnson and Greene, much like the days where Johnson and former Titans RB LenDale White had become known as "Smash and Dash" in the 2008-2009 season. This double-threat in the backfield should help give Locker more options both in pass-blocking by Greene and screen plays to Johnson. With Loggains taking a similar offensive style to that of former OC Mike Heimerdinger, they will look to build confidence in Locker's play early on, and the running game will be substantial in achieving that goal. Loggains has publicly stated that he plans to simplify the play-calling language, a move that should help expedite things in the huddle for Locker, while making the system a quick transition for rookies as well.The coaching staff will also look to quickly integrate new playmakers on offense such as TE Delanie Walker, who was picked up in free agency from San Francisco, and Justin Hunter from the rookie draft class. Hunter will look to extend the field with his big play ability and speed, most likely playing opposite Kenny Britt. Kenny Britt, finally a full season removed from his ACL injury more than a season ago, should be full speed and wanting to make a huge impact in his contract year. Walker, on the other hand, is regarded as a playmaking tight end who is considered the best blocking TE in the NFL, though didn't receive high accolades playing behind star TE Vernon Davis in San Fran.Last but certainly not least, look for the Titans to really make a concerted effort to control the line of scrimmage and win the battles in the trenches in both the running and passing games. With the addition of Chance Warmack in the draft, Andy Levitre in free agency and fourth-round steal in C Brian Schwenke, the TItans promise to bring some nastiness back to an offensive line that was decimated with injuries in 2012.While nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, it looks like the Titans offense is taking strides to be far better than the product they put on the field in 2012. The Titans went from barely missing the playoffs in Munchak's first year in 2011 to underachieving after having high expectations in 2012. With the Titans not on any national media radars this year, they can take on the underdog role as they have in the past and may very well have a chance to surprise opponents and fans this season. Playing behind what could be considered one of the best offensive lines in football, a premier backfield and a multitude of hot-bed talent in their wide receiving corp, the time is now for the Titans and their offense to finally meet and exceed the expectations of their fanbase. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177711/undertheradar-2013-nba-free-agent-bargains-la-lakers-must-consider.html The Los Angeles Lakers have virtually no cap room heading into the summer of 2013. Although they possess a number of expiring contracts, the only one significant enough to create cap flexibility is Dwight Howard's.However, there are financial considerations that make returning to the City of Angels (via ESPN.com) for the long term in Howard's best interests.Should Howard re-sign, the Lakers will find themselves with decisions to make regarding Earl Clark (unrestricted free agent), Antawn Jamison (unrestricted free agent) and Jodie Meeks (team option for 2013-14).With a bench in need of a makeover, here are a few under-the-radar options the Lakers would be wise to pursue with their limited cap room this summer. Note: All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference and all salary numbers courtesy of HoopsHype unless noted otherwise. Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177710/indy-500-qualifying-2013-analyzing-standout-performances-in-field.html The field is set for the 2013 Indy 500 after a frantic day of racing on Bump Day saw Michel Jourdain, Jr. bounced from contention ahead of the illustrious event.It might have all seen fairly uneventful on the day, but there were still several top performances to be found throughout qualifying—especially after watching Ed Carpenter dominate Team Penske and Andretti Autosport in the Fast Nine Shootout.Which drivers delivered standout performances in qualifying this year?Read on and find out. 1. Ed CarpenterWithout the greatest form-line coming into this one or record at the Indy 500, Ed Carpenter stole the show in qualifying with a tremendous pole-position performance.He finished fifth in qualifying but was able to knock off several other competitors in the Fast Nine Shootout to take the top spot. As the only driver in the shootout who was connected with Andretti Autosport or Team Penske, the win was no doubt even more satisfying for the Indianapolis-born star.The statistics show that his pole time was done in blistering pace, and he therefore deserves his chance to lead the field in the prestigious race.Whether he'll be able to lead until the final lap still remains to be seen, and given the talent behind him, it does seem unlikely. However, that shouldn't minimize just how strong his performance in qualifying was here and how much he deserves the top spot. 2. Carlos MunozMaking just his first appearance in the league, Carlos Munoz showed no signs of nerves during qualifying here and chalked up a very impressive front-row finish. The rookie was very quick at times and was ecstatic after finding out he'd finished on the front row, posting via his Twitter account:As Dave Lewandowski notes, the rookie picked up an additional $50,000 for making the front row, which he also posted a photo of via his Twitter.A very strong day out for the Colombian indeed. 22. Townsend BellFinishing down in 22nd position might not seem like a laudable achievement, but given the problems that Townsend Bell was experiencing, to finish inside the top 24 was still a very strong drive.He finished in 20th position on his first attempt but then scrapped that and finished outside of the top 24 on his second attempt. That would no doubt have rattled many drivers, but Bell was able to keep his composure despite there being next to no time remaining in qualifying and was able to piece together a time that put him back inside the starting 24 and into 22nd position.It won't get recognized, but it was a great bit of composure from Bell, who stated afterwards via his Twitter account that he wasn't sure why pace was such an issue.If it's all figured out by May 26, Bell could be a big player from the back of the field and could be one of the big movers to watch for in the prestigious event. 2013 Indy Car Qualifying: Full Results for Entire Field* Note: All positions and averages via IndyCar.com Pos. Driver Four-Lap Average 1 Ed Carpenter 228.762 2 Carlos Munoz 228.342 3 Marco Andretti 228.261 4 EJ Viso 228.150 5 AJ Allmendinger 228.099 6 Will Power 228.087 7 Ryan Hunter-Reay 227.904 8 Helio Castroneves 227.762 9 James Hinchcliffe  227.070 10 J.R. Hildebrand 227.441 11 Alex Tagliani 227.386 12 Tony Kanaan 226.949 13 Oriol Servia 226.814 14 Justin Wilson 226.370 15 Sebastien Bourdais 226.196 16 Scott Dixon 226.158 17 Dario Franchitti 226.069 18 Takuma Sato 225.892 19 Charlie Kimball 225.880 20 James Jakes 225.809 21 Simon Pagenaud 225.674 22 Townsend Bell 225.643 23 Ryan Briscoe 225.265 24 Simona de Silvestro 225.226 25 Josef Newgarden 225.731 26 Graham Rahal 225.007 27 Sebastian Saavedra 224.929 28 Tristan Vautier 224.873 29 Ana Beatriz 224.184 30 Pippa Mann 224.005 31 Conor Daly 223.582 32 Buddy Lazier 223.442 33 Katherine Legge 223.176  Hit me up on Twitter for more sports goodness:  Follow @dantalintyre Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177709/bill-obriens-3-biggest-challenges-for-penn-state-in-2013.html The Penn State Nittany Lions enter 2013 with high expectations after finishing 8-4 last season despite difficult circumstances. While the new season brings high hopes, there will be challenges for head coach Bill O'Brien to face. Though the media firestorm has died down a bit, there are still issues such as negative feelings toward the school and the NCAA sanctions. This season brings high hopes, as experienced veterans will mix with talented youngsters on both sides of the ball. The Nittany Lions return several key pieces from last year's team. Guys like Allen Robinson, Zach Zwinak, Deion Barnes and Adrian Amos will be looked to as leaders. There are also some talented freshmen who were given a redshirt a year ago to go with a solid 2013 recruiting class. Despite all the positives surrounding the Nittany Lions heading into 2013, there are several issues that could make things tough on O'Brien and the rest of the coaching staff.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177708/5-biggest-storylines-to-follow-during-tampa-bay-lightnings-offseason.html The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the 2012 NHL offseason with some interesting storylines. Almost a year later, they remain the same, but another year of struggle makes this year’s stories even bigger.  The Bolts are going on three years removed from their trip to the Eastern Conference Finals (2010-11). Unfortunately, that playoff success was an exception to the general rule of playoff misses.  The Lightning will look to turn things around in 2013-14 and get back to the success of the early 2000s. Here are the biggest storylines to follow during the Tampa Bay offseason.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177707/norwich-city-what-canaries-must-do-in-summer-transfer-window.html There is no doubt that this season has been rather touch-and-go for Norwich City fans.Obviously, the last two results against West Brom and Man City have put a slightly different spin on things. They have certainly been encouraging with the performances showing the quality in the squad, but also the bravery to play attacking football. However, it’s important to remember that the club has had a relatively poor second half of the season, and it’s important we analyse the reasons why that happened. I think we all know that a chronic lack of goals has been the main problem, and Norwich City will be looking to add quality to ensure the club aren’t involved in a relegation fight next season. Manager Chris Hughton has already addressed the goalscoring issue to a certain extent by securing the signing of Ricky van Wolfswinkel. It has also been confirmed that on-loan defender Javier Garrido will be joining the club on a permanent basis; both of these deals have been confirmed via the official club website (canaries.co.uk). Hughton suggested after the Man City win that they would try to strengthen the squad, but it’s very difficult. Clearly, this was simply a ploy to control the expectations of fans. The signing of van Wolfswinkel has shown that the Canaries are clearly playing a bit of a different ball game than they have previously been in. No one really knows what kind of transfer budget we are working with this summer, and I wouldn’t want to even try to speculate on that. But we do know that’s it’s the biggest transfer budget that any Norwich manager has had, and we are now able to pay the sort of wages that will attract top talent to Carrow Road. However, there is a 25-man Premier League squad issue to fit into this, so the number of players that come in is largely a matter of how many go out. Therefore, it’s unlikely we will be seeing a dozen or so new arrivals in the summer. Realistically, we are probably looking at four of five new players with the focus on quality rather than quantity.The Norwich boss has pointed out that he is very happy with the quality of the squad that he currently has available to him. But at the same time, he will know that there are a number of players on the fringes of things that will go out if the right replacements can be acquired. I think we all know that a few more players of the quality of Sebastien Bassong, Robert Snodgrass and van Wolfswinkel would make an amazing difference to this team and should mean that the Canaries can aim for European football rather than fighting relegation. But it’s important to remember that there is another side to this, and that’s maintaining the squad that we already have here. I think we all know that Ruddy’s injury was a big blow to the season, and his presence has been important in the last two wins. Holding on to the England goalkeeper is arguably going to be Hughton’s biggest job during the summer.It’s also fair to say that Anthony Pilkington has his admirers, and plenty of people would have been impressed with what they have seen from Bassong and Snodgrass this season. Therefore, the Canaries have a busy summer ahead in those two main tasks. But if we start the 2013-14 season with the squad we have now plus a few quality additions, then I will be delighted. If that means that a few fringe players get more regular first-team football elsewhere, then that will probably benefit them as well. Obviously, this has also been a very successful season for the youth team, after they won the Youth Cup this season. Some fans will be wondering if any of those players will be drafted into the first-team picture for next season. The youth system here is something that is being invested into, and there is the hope of unearthing the odd gem here and there. If members of this season’s youth team are involved in the first team next season, then that is a great situation for the club. However, I do just worry that we will try to fill gaps in the first-team squad with untried teenage starlets. There is no doubt that we need to invest in the team and then see if our young stars can force their way in or not. I want to see young players involved in the team because they have earned that right on merit, not because the injuries have hit and we don’t have anyone else. I think most of us are fairly happy with the defensive options that are available, and we have seen an improvement on both goals conceded and clean sheets this season. Ryan Bennett in particular has shown his ability over the last few weeks, and we all know about the exploits of Bassong and Michael Turner. But I think one more central defender would be good, especially if Leon Barnett makes an expected summer exit. It’s further forward in the midfield area that Hughton is likely to focus his attention. A midfielder who can keep calm possession of the football is likely to be wanted; I would have also added a goalscoring midfielder into the mix, but Jonny Howson is showing signs that he could solve that problem. It will be interesting to see if it’s decided to add something in the wide positions. It is likely that Andrew Surman will be another player out of the door, so Hughton will want to bring a replacement in at the very least. It’s also important that we have enough options in the striking area; I think we can agree that Grant Holt and van Wolfswinkel are two players who are likely to score. But can the same sort of faith be put in the likes of Wesley Hoolahan, Simeon Jackson and Luciano Becchio? That much is unclear, but throw another striker into the mix and things could get interesting. Either way, it should be a good and entertaining summer to be a Norwich City fan. I maintain that if the club can do the sort of business they want to and keep the current squad together, then a top-half finish with possible European qualification should be the target for next season. It’s fair to say that it’s that level of ambition that will attract those potential summer signings in the first place. On a final note, I think the majority of the business will be done in the foreign marketplace. Some top quality international players will take the club to the next level. However, I would expect that the focus will be in Europe rather than a total worldwide search.Nevertheless, don’t necessarily think that it’s about finding a bargain. The signing of that Dutch striker proves that the club is possibly starting to flex its financial muscles.    James Kent works for BSports, a big Norwich City fan and a freelance writer. You can follow @bsportsfootball via Twitter and James via Twitter and Facebook.  Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177706/rafael-nadal-proves-hes-still-best-in-world-rome-masters-victory.html In the final of the 2013 Rome Masters, Rafael Nadal continued his clay-court dominance by decimating Roger Federer in straight sets. With the 6-1, 6-3 win, Nadal moves to 37-2 since returning from a seven-month injury layoff and earns his fifth tournament win in seven tries.Most importantly, Nadal proves that he's still the best in the world.As Nadal has battled injuries and thus missed an extended period of time, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have risen to the top of the tennis world. Since Nadal has returned, however, the balance of power has returned to it's proper place.With Nadal on top.To truly reclaim that No. 1 ranking, it's imperative that Nadal maintains this dominance throughout the course of the season. It's of equal importance that he manages to take down Djokovic in head-to-head clashes as he regains he strength. As for why, those same folks that said Federer was better than Nadal as the Spaniard dominated their head-to-head battles will call Djokovic's win a sign of superiority—the hypocrisy of biased analysis.Fortunately for Nadal, he's in prime position to solidify his status as the greatest clay-court performer to ever live. That next test will come at the 2013 French Open, which is an event Nadal has dominated.Dominance that appears replicable in 2013. Prepping for the French OpenRafael Nadal has won three consecutive tournaments, dominating the Barcelona Open, Madrid Open and the Rome Masters. In that time, he has defeated the likes of Roger Federer, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych and Stanislas Wawrinka.All of this success sets the stage for continued dominance of the French Open.Nadal has won seven of the past eight French Open events, including the 2012 event on battered legs. During the 2012 event, he lost just one set and proved to be the greatest French Open champion in the history of the sport.A win in 2013 would tie the all-time record of eight held by Max Decugis, who played when it was a French-only event.With the rust officially shaken off, Nadal is in prime position to continue his dominance and win his 12th career grand slam event. With 11 titles to his name—including four not at the French Open—Nadal is more decorated than any active player not named Federer.By comparison, Djokovic—just one year younger than Nadal—has six Grand Slam titles. All About SuccessWhen it comes to the elite players of the world, the group is limited to four players. That, of course, is Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, in whichever order you'd like to rank them.Due to the tight nature of their greatness, it all comes down to two factors—who is the most accomplished and which player is the hottest?The latter means of evaluation may seem lackluster, but it's the only way to truly determine who the best is. Abilities will always shine through, but success is the only way to measure which player is above their competition.With Murray still having something to prove and Federer past his prime, it now comes down to Nadal and Djokovic.Djokovic owns the head-to-head victory against Nadal this season, but has seen early exits in consecutive tournaments. He also lost to Tommy Haas in the fourth round of the Sony Open, which suggests one of two things:Either the world has figured out how to play Djokovic, or he's hit a dry spell.Nadal, meanwhile, is picking up where he left off, winning as many titles in 2013—five—as Djokovic and Murray have won combined. It certainly doesn't hurt that Nadal and Federer own the career Grand Slam, while Murray and Djokovic are still in pursuit.When it comes right down to it, the only player that's even close to as successful as Nadal is the more decorated Federer—the aging legend.When it comes right down to it, Djokovic is beginning his tenure of dominance, while Nadal is picking up where he left off on his road to legendary status. With Nadal dominating every tournament he plays in, one thing is perfectly clear.Nadal is still the best in the world, and he couldn't have come back soon enough. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177705/arizona-cardinals-what-to-watch-for-at-otas.html The first week of voluntary organized team activities has come and gone at Arizona Cardinals camp, and already there have been players to impress head coach Bruce Arians. He ended OTAs last week with a passionate speech in which he urged his players to “build a résumé” by showing up and working hard at the practices. He also called upon them via AZCardinals.com to “state your case to be a Cardinal.” Players young and old have stood out early on, and more should begin to shine over the next couple weeks. Here is what to watch for as the Cardinals continue OTA practices, which run May 21-23 and June 3-6.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177704/jacksonville-jaguars-what-to-watch-for-at-otas.html With the craziness of free agency and the draft growing distant in the rearview mirror, the Jacksonville Jaguars can get their offseason workouts underway.Although the team has already held several organized team activities, the majority of the workouts still lie ahead. Jacksonville has offseason workouts in two of the next three weeks, per ESPN's Paul Kuharsky. OTAs will play a vital role for the Jaguars this season. Not only will veterans shake off rust while rookies get acclimated to life in the NFL, but the players also have to get accustomed to the new culture instilled by new head coach Gus Bradley.The players will also get their first chances to impress the coaching staff. With Bradley preaching competition, per Alfie Crow of Big Cat Country, positive first impressions could help players make the final roster. Here is what to watch for during the Jaguars OTAs.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177703/frank-beamers-4-biggest-challenges-for-hokies-in-2013.html The Virginia Tech Hokies are coming off an embarrassing 2012. The Hokies finished their worst season in 20 years with a 7-6 record. The Hokies' biggest issue last season was an offense which finished No. 81 in total offense. As a result, Hokies head coach Frank Beamer reassigned former coordinator Bryan Stinespring and hired Scot Loeffler, who spent last season at Auburn, as the team's new leader on offense.   The Hokies have failed to solve Clemson recently, losing the last three meetings, and in order for them to compete with the Tigers and Florida State, Beamer knew he had put more points on the board. Virginia Tech fans hope Loeffler is the guy to take the Hokies to the next level. Since entering the ACC in 2004, the Hokies have won the league four times and competed in the conference championship on two other occasions. However, in order to get there in 2013, the Hokies must improve. Here are four areas that should concern Beamer the most as we stand just over three months away from the season opener against Alabama.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177702/nhl-playoffs-2013-predicting-final-outcomes-conference-semifinals-series.html Eight teams are still in the running for the Stanley Cup in the 2013 NHL playoffs, and while a couple of the conference semifinals series seem to be one-sided, there is still ample time for the underdogs to make a rally.Meanwhile, two of the other clashes have been more competitive to date and are anyone's for the taking. The defending champion Los Angeles Kings are still alive, and as a No. 8 seed last season, fortified the notion that any club could capture hockey's ultimate prize if it got hot at the right time.The second and third seeds from each conference were knocked out in Round 1, making the Cup even more up for grabs thanks to the play of the upstart underdogs that defeated them.Below is a breakdown of the current matchups in the postseason, including predictions as to what their final outcomes will be.Note: All statistics, information and video, unless otherwise indicated, are courtesy of NHL.com. (1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa SenatorsSunday evening's game holds a lot of weight in the series, and as of the second intermission, the Penguins have a 1-0 lead.It's a battle of strengths—Pittsburgh's high-octane offense against the Senators' stout defense, which gave up the second-fewest goals in the regular season and also sported the league's top penalty killing unit at 88 percent.Thus far, the Penguins have notched four goals in the first two contests, deeming it rather meaningless whether the struggling Marc-Andre Fleury or veteran fill-in Tomas Vokoun is minding the net.Sidney Crosby's hat trick in Game 2 confirmed his brilliance and return to form after suffering yet another injury setback during the season when he took a puck to the face.SportsCenter tweeted the significance of Crosby's prolific display, which happened within the first 22 minutes of the game:There is simply too much firepower in Pittsburgh for the Sens to handle. Unless Ottawa gets far more production out of their beloved captain Daniel Alfredsson—who was brilliant in the five-game disposal of Montreal—this series will be over in short order.Retirement may be in the cards for Alfredsson, so expect him to rise to the occasion. However, it's hard to envision the Senators nabbing more than one game from the red-hot Pens.Prediction: Penguins in five games. (5) Los Angeles Kings vs. (6) San Jose SharksThis series is destined to go the full seven games because it features the two teams with the worst road records in the league remaining in the playoffs.In that context, everything has gone according to plan—even if it took the Kings two goals in 22 seconds to steal Game 2 in the Staples Center:The two home wins preceded a crushing 2-1 overtime loss on Saturday. It was a missed opportunity to take optimal control and wasted a marvelous effort from reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick, who denied 38 of 40 Sharks shots.As resilient as this Kings' nucleus was in winning it all last year, San Jose showed its own mettle by pulling out a gutsy win in the face of a basically insurmountable 0-3 deficit.Logan Couture scored the game-winning power-play goal in the extra period, despite being hobbled by a left leg injury early in the second period, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.As LeBrun documents, veteran defenseman Brad Stuart went as far to call the 24-year-old Couture the leader of the team:In my opinion, [Couture]’s probably the leader of this team. Throughout the season, he’s kind of taken that role, I think, especially on the ice. So to have him come back was huge. It’s just a boost to the guys mentally, if nothing else.It's the type of grit that Couture displayed that can inspire a team to turn things around—especially with the season hanging in the balance. That's precisely what should happen in this instance.The hosts will win every game of this California semifinals showdown. As a result, Los Angeles scraps its way to within four wins of representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals once again.Prediction: Kings in seven games. (4) Boston Bruins vs. (6) New York RangersHenrik Lundqvist is one of the premier goaltenders in the NHL, which made his allowance of five goals on 32 shots in Sunday's 5-2 loss in Boston rather shocking.Cause for alarm in that regard is illogical, considering how brilliant Lundqvist typically is, and how he stopped 45 shots in the team's 3-2 overtime loss in Game 1.On the other hand, the NHL's Twitter page highlighted the most disturbing trend of the postseason for the Rangers thus far—Rick Nash's lack of production:Nash was the leading goal scorer for New York during the regular campaign. This is only his second trip to the postseason, and after toiling away on horrible Columbus Blue Jackets teams for years, it's not going so well.There needs to be more support for Lundqvist if the Rangers are meant to dig themselves out of this 2-0 hole, but that's easier said than done in some respects.The Bruins are riding a wave of momentum after a stirring comeback in Game 7 of the quarterfinals to stun the Toronto Maple Leafs, and simply haven't looked back since. Assuming Nash gets his act together, the Rangers are capable of pulling off two wins in Madison Square Garden.Claude Julien's club, though, seems destined to make a significant run and is playing with such emotion that it's hard to dismiss the Bruins, especially with this big of an advantage.New York is a putrid 2-of-36 on the power play during these playoffs, and unless that substantially changes, it's simply not good enough to continue playing this late in the season.Prediction: Bruins in seven games. (1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Detroit Red WingsThe word underdog and the Red Wings' franchise aren't typically associated with each other. However, this isn't a Detroit team with the status of a perpetual Stanley Cup contender, as it was in the prior two decades.It was impressive nevertheless that Mike Babcock's bunch rallied to win the final two games against the Anaheim Ducks just to get to this stage.After looking over-matched in the opener, the Red Wings delivered a statement victory, beating the President's Trophy-winning Blackhawks by the same 4-1 margin they were pummeled by in Game 1.Babcock commented on the leadership of his veteran stars in Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk—while also praising Chicago captain Jonathan Toews—and how it's been crucial to the Wings' success thus far, per Nina Falcone of CSNChicago.com:That's what makes (Blackhawks captain Jonathan) Toews, Datsyuk and Zetterberg different. Those guys, that's what they do...They just compete. When it doesn't go their way, they dig down and find a way to go harder and that's why you want them around. That's a great example for the rest of your team.With such a strong, star-studded team across the board, it's hard to believe Chicago is in this precarious of a position entering the hostile environment of Hockeytown.Toews and Patrick Kane possess the championship experience to get it done, though, along with veteran Marian Hossa. The magnificent play of Patrick Sharp is also significantly helping the cause.Combine that with a rock-solid defense keyed by two-way threat Duncan Keith and the wonderful play of Corey Crawford, and this team has all the pieces for a second hoisting of Lord Stanley's Cup in four years.The Red Wings are proving to be a formidable foe, but the Blackhawks should steal one of the next two in Joe Louis Arena. In fact, considering their 18-4-2 record away from home in the lockout-shortened season, they should close it out on the road thereafter in Game 6.Prediction: Blackhawks in six games. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177701/will-dwight-howard-spurn-logic-lakers-for-houston-or-dallas.html The money, power and attention Dwight Howard so desperately wants are all there for the taking if he re-signs with the Los Angeles Lakers. So why isn't he shouting from the rooftops that L.A., and not Houston or Dallas, is where he longs to be?According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, Howard is in no rush to commit to a Lakers return, and in fact, he's apparently giving some serious thought to a few other teams, particularly the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.Though Howard is adamant his free agency not be marred by the circus-like environment that surrounded his departure from Orlando last summer, word already has spread to multiple levels of his support staff that Howard re-signing with the Lakers is far from a done deal.Howard can talk about avoiding a circus all he wants, but if we've learned anything from the way he's handled virtually every public decision of his basketball life over the past couple of years, it's that he craves the attention that comes with situations like this one.If we step back and look at the situation logically, it seems like Howard can't possibly be serious about leaving Los Angeles, can he?For starters, Howard can make about $118 million on a five-year deal if he re-signs with his current team. Moving to another team as a free agent or as part of a sign-and-trade deal would limit Howard to "just" $88 million on a deal that could only span four years.The NBA set up its collective bargaining agreement to encourage star players to remain with their teams, and by looking at Howard's situation as an example, it's pretty clear that there are some serious financial incentives to staying put.And in theory, Howard's Los Angeles income wouldn't just be limited to his salary. Everyone knows that the endorsement dollars are bigger where the market is more robust, and L.A. gives D12 the opportunity to make a mint away from the basketball court.In addition, Howard loves the bright lights and attention in Los Angeles. A place like Houston hardly provides the media exposure Howard seems to prize so highly.Finally, we learned during the year that Howard and Kobe Bryant clashed more than once over the alpha-dog issue in L.A. The two of them never got along because both believed they were the Lakers' best player. Well, that was one issue. The other one had to do with Howard's apparent inability to conduct himself like an adult.With Bryant recovering from a ruptured Achilles, Howard should be free to take control of the team. (God help them.)The dollars and the attention are in Los Angeles. That's beyond doubt.But there are a couple of positives about leaving L.A. that we've got to mention for the sake of objectivity. For one thing, there's a case to be made that wins might not be so easy to come by if Howard sticks around in Los Angeles.With a high profile, a championship legacy and an apparent willingness to laugh as the luxury-tax threshold recedes in the rear view, the Lakers have the ability to turn things around in a hurry. But Mike D'Antoni certainly hasn't proved that he's capable of leading a winner, and based on some of his recent personnel decisions, GM Mitch Kupchak may have lost his touch.The problem with that line of thinking, though, is that we've never seen any evidence to support the notion that Howard actually cares about winning. Sure, there were a few crocodile tears after L.A. bowed out of the playoffs, but we've seen far too much selfish behavior from D12 to believe that he was really all that distraught over being eliminated.The case for the Rockets is pretty simple: They've got more young talent, lots of cap flexibility and a home state whose tax situation would ease the blow of the $30 million Howard would leave on the table by abandoning L.A. And for what it's worth, it seems as though at least one current member of the Rockets is interested in the idea of luring the big man to the Lone Star state.Dallas has Dirk Nowitzki and the same tax break, but Howard has already tried his hand at joining up with an aging star in L.A., and that turned out to be an unqualified disaster.Logically, it's difficult to imagine what Howard could want that the Lakers couldn't provide. But maybe, what Howard really wants—attention—is at the heart of this latest report.So if you're sickened by the idea of dealing with yet another offseason in which D12 is a daily news item, you're going to need something to distract you. Well, either that, or you could take more drastic measures.Look, Howard hasn't handled a single public relations move or career decision well since leaving Orlando. So it shouldn't be a shock that he's already mucking this one up. If reason prevails, Howard will be back in a Lakers uniform next season.I guess the only problem with that thinking is that Howard hasn't done much lately to prove that he's a reasonable guy. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177700/stock-up-down-for-cincinnati-reds-top-10-prospects-week-may-13.html Just over six weeks into the 2013 Major League Baseball season have gone by, and Cincinnati Reds prospects like Tony Cingrani have been able to prove what they are worth early on.Cingrani is the only one of the top prospects to make it to the majors so far in 2013, but some of the other prospects aren't far behind.It's still extremely early on, so prospects are still adjusting to the challenges of playing at higher levels than they are used to. As they begin to adjust to their surroundings, the team will be able to evaluate how soon they may be ready to get the call.All eyes are on Billy Hamilton, but the rest of these prospects could be making an impact in the big leagues soon.Here are how the top prospects in the Reds organization are doing. *All stats are courtesy of MiLB.com unless otherwise notedBegin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177699/final-days-randy-macho-man-savage.html From the driver’s seat of his 2009 Jeep Wrangler, just before the turn off Florida State Road 694 into the Seminole Mall, Randy “Macho Man” Savage stared through the windshield at the sun-washed commercial strip, and sensed that something bad was about to occur. “I think I’m going to pass to pass out,” he muttered to his wife, Lynn, in the characteristic rasp wrestling fans knew from his promos, building up matches with Hulk Hogan, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Earlier that morning, the two-time World Wrestling Federation (currently World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE) champion had mentioned that he wasn’t feeling well. To his wife, this was nothing new. Randy seemed older than his 58 years; his body ached constantly, from decades of crashing into the mat while delivering his finisher, the flying elbow, from the top rope, among other physical stresses. Perhaps, Lynn suggested, he just needed to eat. So the two went to a Perkins Family Restaurant, where Randy ordered his usual, an egg white vegetable omelet. Still, Lynn wasn’t convinced that he was better. “Why don’t I drive?” she offered. Randy shook his head. After decades of piloting a colorful but controversial career, and a lifestyle that shielded him from suspicious sycophants and unwanted intrusions, he didn’t give up the wheel. And so, they returned to their previous positions in the jeep. At around 9:25 a.m., they were just west of 113th Street North in the city of Seminole, on a four-lane road, passing the traffic light by Regions Bank, when Randy suddenly lost consciousness. With his foot clamped down on the accelerator, the jeep crossed the raised concrete median into eastbound traffic. Lynn frantically looked at Randy, then out the front window at the motorcycle and bus moving in their direction. Reaching over her husband’s limbs with her long arms, the woman who first met the Macho Man when he was a catcher with the Gulf Coast League’s Sarasota Cardinals swerved to avoid the other vehicles, deliberately slamming the jeep into a tree, across from a Publix Super Market and animal hospital. The impact was so slight that the airbags didn’t activate. Lynn, 56, sustained minor injuries. Randy was pronounced dead at Largo Medical Center. Since that day, two years ago on May 20, 2011, the real-life Randy Mario Poffo has been depicted as a recluse at the end of his life, a former celebrity who let his beard grow white, kept a registered gun in his glove compartment, and sequestered himself in a home surrounded by security fences and patrolled by guard dogs. But his family says that he was always accessible to them, and spent his final months contemplating his legacy–personally, professionally and financially–and making up for time lost to fame. “When Ang left the business,” says Randy’s 86-year-old mother, Judy of her husband, Angelo Poffo, a wrestler who once worked under a yellow mask with a dollar sign as The Miser, “he’d never developed any hobbies, except going to the gym twice a day and watching the stock market. There was all this energy and no place to put it. Randy was different. He worked on his house, he was busy with his animals, he married again, and he took us to our doctor’s appointments–things he missed all those years when he was wrestling.”Randy lived near his mother’s development in Largo, FL, down a bumpy, palm-shaded, dirt road. Within the perimeter of the non-climbable fence, two dogs patrolled the acre-and-a-half surrounding his dark wooden home, built in a style more representative of the Old West than the modern Gulf Coast. On the brick pillars on each side of the front gate, cameras surveilled possible visitors. “You needed an engraved invitation to get in there,” notes Judy. “Tired of people, I guess.” “Randy used to own a condo on the beach,” points out his brother, Lanny, another wrestler who worked, alternatively, as “Leaping” Lanny Poffo and The Genius. “But he couldn’t go out on the balcony without 1,000 people screaming, ‘Macho Man.’ He needed quiet.”Ten days before his death, the family gathered on Randy’s property for Mother’s Day. Before their arrival, Randy called his mother with an unusual request: the ashes of his dog, Hercules, a German shepherd from a litter owned by the late wrestler, Hercules Hernandez. Judy brought the ashes to Randy’s home in an urn. The Macho Man marched the family to a designated spot, and asked his brother to pour the animal’s remains. “Why should I do it?” Lanny protested. “It’s not my dog.” “I want you to do it. If anything happens, I want you to do the same thing with my ashes, the same way, the same place. If it’s good enough for Hercules, it’s good enough for me.” In another family, a 58-year-old, retired athlete might be beseeched not to speak in such morose terms. But Randy talked like this often. “I didn’t think too much of it because he always spoke fatalistically,” says Lanny. “He spoke fatalistically since our dad died.” The Miser More than wrestling, more than baseball, more than the women he romanced on and off camera, Randy loved his father. While the wrestling icon inherited his mother’s facial structure and penetrating blue eyes, he lived by the guideposts Angelo set, taking the older man’s codes of honor and loyalty to sometimes militant lengths, and accepting nothing less than perfection from physical challenges.In 1945, while serving in the US Navy, Angelo broke the world sit-up record. The story about him taxing himself to the point that his tailbone protruded from his skin is an exaggeration. But Angelo did develop some form of friction burn, and bled on the mat. His clenched fingers were swollen, and temporarily sealed together. Then, he played baseball that night.Officially, Angelo completed 6,000 sit-ups in just over four hours. He followed up with another 33–for every year he believed that Jesus lived.That last detail became a complication in his marriage to Judy, a swimmer and diver who’d received a scholarship to the American College of Physical Education in Chicago. In 1946, the school was absorbed by DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the nation. Not long afterwards, she met Angelo, home from the Navy, a catcher on the school’s baseball team and competitive chess player.When the couple wed in 1949, neither family was pleased. “What have you done?” Angelo’s mother pronounced after the ceremony in her native tongue. Although she didn’t speak Italian, Judy–the descendent of Jews from Lithuania and Belarus–knew exactly what her mother-in-law meant. Exhibiting the defiance that became the essence of Randy “Macho Man” Savage, Angelo stayed married to Judy for 61 years. Randy would do anything for Angelo, sending his parents on trips to Japan and Europe and Israel until they told him they were too tired to travel. On Angelo’s 70th birthday, Randy paid $50,000 to buy his father a yellow, high-finned Cadillac–the same car the elder Poffo had purchased in 1959 and drove around the wrestling circuit for 200,000 miles. The former World Wrestling Federation champion restocked and refurbished the weight room at Admiral Farragut Academy, a St. Petersburg prep school, on the condition that the facility was named for his father. Later, when Angelo was sick, Randy installed an invalid toilet and walk-in bathtub in his parents’ home. Angelo had a mantra he impressed on his son’s “S.Y.M.”–Save Your Money. Randy was thrifty, too. Although never to his face, Randy’s detractors occasionally attributed the trait to his mother’s ethnicity. Clarifies Judy, “The whole family’s like that.” Despite Angelo’s career choice, Randy’s initial goal wasn’t wrestling, but baseball, a vocation his father encouraged, building a winterized batting cage and pitching machine next to the family’s home in Downer’s Grove, IL. Naturally a righty, Randy taught himself how to throw with his left hand in the event of an injury. As a high school senior, he hit .525 for the Downer’s Grove Trojans. When no team picked him up in the 1971 amateur draft, Angelo drove his son five hours to an open tryout at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Randy went home with a minor league contract. In four seasons in the Cardinals, Reds and White Sox organizations, Randy hit .254 with 16 home runs, playing catcher, outfield and first base.It was during this period that Randy met his future, wife, Barbara Lynn Payne, while walking on Lido Beach in Sarasota. Starting in 1972, they dated for three years before veering in separate directions. “She never knew him as the Macho Man,” says Lanny. “She never knew him as a wrestler. She only knew him as a failed baseball player.” His final attempt to play in the Major Leagues ended when the White Sox organization cut him in 1975, before the end of spring training. “When Randy got released, he broke all his bats and got rid of all his equipment,” Judy remembers. “It was horrible. But The Sheik saved him.” The Sheik was Ed Farhat, a Lebanese-American US Army vet whose wrestling gimmick included bloodying rivals with a hidden pencil, throwing fire and jabbering incomprehensible phrases fans took to be Arabic. He was also the promoter in Detroit, where Angelo and Lanny were wrestling at the time. “It was Christmas,” Judy says, “and they brought Randy along. Randy wrestled The Sheik, and he got over real good.” It was The Sheik who taught Randy a concept he’d later impart to younger wrestlers: “Be the main event, even if you’re on first.” Randy admired the Sheik with the zealousness he usually reserved for Angelo. “He even cooked for The Sheik,” Judy says. “He made him cabbage soup.” Family Business When Angelo was wrestling in Hawaii in 1967, his sons were exposed to King Curtis Iaukea and Pampero Firpo, performers Lanny calls “the two best promos in the business.” Iaukea began his interviews in a near whisper, slowly building intrigue and his decibel level until his voice was piercing the speakers. Firpo ended his interviews with a signature, “Ooooh, yyyyeah.” Randy brazenly stole from both. The other touches–the head tics, sucking in his bottom lip, twirling his fingers above his head–were all his. Observing Randy’s feral ring style, Georgia promoter Ole Anderson changed the wrestler’s surname to “Savage.” As his character developed, Randy phoned his mother and asked her to mail a compilation of nicknames. “I saw the term ‘Macho Man’ in a magazine, and just put it on the list,” she recounts. “A few days later, Randy called me from Macon, Georgia, and said, ‘What’s a Macho Man?’ I said, ‘I have no idea.’” Not long afterwards, Angelo opened his own promotion, International Championship Wrestling (ICW), based in Lexington, KY, using his sons as talent, along with a rotating cast that included Rugged Ronnie Garvin, Bob Orton, Jr.–father of current WWE star Randy Orton–Ox Baker, Bob Roop and Crusher Broomfield, later known as the One Man Gang. While other promoters attempted peaceful coexistence with established territories, the Poffos–even Judy was involved with the group, as a bookkeeper, and Randy’s future wife, Elizabeth, would work under her maiden name, Liz Hulette, as an on-camera host—ran an “outlaw” league that competed with the entrenched organizations. Angelo promoted his wrestlers as legitimate tough guys, as opposed to showmen, offering to bet $20,000 of his own cash at one point—against a donut—that Randy and his partner, Rip Rogers, could defeat a tag team from the rival Southeastern group in an actual fight.It wasn’t as funny as it seemed. Randy and other ICW performers began showing up at opposition shows, threatening to disrupt matches and frightening their adversaries to the point that some began arming themselves. During a confrontation outside a diner, Memphis Wrestling’s Superstar Bill Dundee pulled a gun on the Macho Man. Savage grappled it away and pistol-whipped him. “I hated that stuff,” Lanny says. Manager Jimmy “The Mouth of the South” Hart was a staple in Memphis, but would monitor the ICW shows on Channel 24. “I couldn’t tell anybody I was watching it,” he says. “That’s how tense it was. But I’d never seen anybody wrestle like Randy, the way he’d come down off the top rope. And he was colorful.” Eventually, Hart helped persuade current WWE announcer, Jerry “The King” Lawler, the star and partial owner of Memphis Wrestling, to reconcile with his enemies, and a talent exchange was brokered. Feeding off the legitimate animosity, the Poffos began appearing on the Memphis promotion’s cards, with Savage in the main events. In wrestling circles, the Macho Man suddenly had national exposure. “Randy was destined to be the greatest wrestler no one ever heard of, if Jimmy Hart hadn’t extended the olive branch,” Lanny says.Although ICW folded in 1984, the Poffos’ renegade efforts were fondly remembered not only by fans, but Randy himself. In 2009, the family gathered at an Olive Garden to celebrate Angelo’s final birthday. Angelo had dementia by this point, and his functions were failing quickly. As Randy watched Judy tend to his father, the Macho Man declared that the entire clan belonged in the WWE Hall of Fame. “How about that? The Von Erichs all get in,” he sneered, referring to the Von Erich family’s recent induction. “Even Chris.” Like the Poffos, the Von Erichs were a multi-generational wrestling family. Father Fritz began his career playing a Nazi heel, but later, as a promoter in Dallas, depicted himself as a tough, devout Texan, while building storylines around his sons. Of these, David, Kevin and Kerry were exceptional athletes, and bona fide stars. Mike was apparently forced into the game, and performed accordingly. Chris loved the business, but he was small, sickly and injury prone.The Von Erichs were also professional wrestling’s most tragic family. David was 25 when he died during a Japanese tour. While some suspected an overdose, the family contended that David suffered a heart attack caused by ruptured intestines linked to enteritis. Kerry, Mike and Chris all committed suicide. “It isn’t fair,” Randy continued. “If they ever want me in the Hall of Fame, we’re all going in together, as the Poffo family.”Macho Madness In 1984, as Vince McMahon was cherry picking the best talent in the industry, Jimmy Hart was hired by the World Wrestling Federation. Not long afterwards, he was told that the group was also interested in Randy, and wanted Jimmy to facilitate the introduction. “I couldn’t just call down to Memphis and say, ‘Hey, Vince wants to hire Randy,’” Jimmy recollects. “Everybody down there hated Vince because he was taking all the good wrestlers, and putting the territories out of business.” As Jimmy strategized, he remembered that the Poffo brothers generated extra income by selling Herbalife products. “So I called Mr. Coffee”–Guy Coffee, a backstage figure on the Memphis circuit–“and told him that I had a guy who wanted to buy $500 worth of Herbalife,” Hart says. “Randy calls back and says, ‘What’s this about Herbalife?’ And I said, ‘This isn’t about Herbalife.’” The next Saturday morning, Hart met Randy and his wife, Elizabeth, outside a Memphis gym. “Randy pats me down, as if I’m wearing a wire,” Jimmy says. “He was paranoid. Then, he says, ‘My car. Not your car.’ “When I laid everything out for him, he had one question. ‘Will you take Lanny?’” Almost immediately, Randy propelled himself to stardom. An early storyline involved the various managers in the World Wrestling Federation competing for his services. After several weeks, he revealed that he was choosing to go with the unknown Miss Elizabeth–his real-life wife–instead.“What’s wrong with Lou Albano?” Roddy Piper asked the Macho Man on a segment of “Piper’s Pit.” “Lou Albano doesn’t have the same pizzazz,” a twitching Randy replied, drawing out the final word.Elizabeth was unlike any female wrestling personality before or since. A demure, soft-spoken brunette with a subtle southern accent, she exuded a vulnerability that added to her beauty. Although Randy seemed to control and sometimes bully her, he also appeared co-dependent, which led to some interesting scenarios: George “The Animal” Steele “rescuing” Elizabeth and taking her into “protective custody,” a bloody Ric Flair forcibly kissing Elizabeth after losing to Savage, Randy breaking up his tag team, the Mega-Powers, with Hulk Hogan after accusing the Hulkster of having improper intentions.“Yeah, and I see a shark,” Savage told announcer Mean Gene Okerlund, “a shark with teeth, a shark with lust and lust and lust for Elizabeth.” Although they’d actually been married for seven years, the pair “wed” in the ring in Madison Square Garden at the SummerSlam pay-per-view in 1991. At a “reception” later shown on television, Elizabeth opened a box to discover a deadly cobra, compliments of Jake “The Snake” Roberts. A feud with Roberts quickly followed. “We were driving to Indianapolis, and I was in the backseat, pretending to be asleep, when Randy and Elizabeth started fighting,” Lanny says. “Elizabeth didn’t want Randy to get bitten by a King Cobra that night at the Market Square Arena. And Randy said the snake was de-venomized–Jake had told him so–and he was going to let the snake bite him because it was good business.”The next day, Randy had a 103-degree fever. He blamed the snake bite.Macho Man and Ricky SteamboatRandy’s finest moment with the company occurred at WrestleMania III, where he had a match with Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat that was considered the best encounter ever seen on a World Wrestling Federation pay-per-view. Randy obsessed over the match, charting it move for move with Steamboat beforehand. Even for fans who knew that the action was predetermined, it was easy to suspend disbelief. There was a backstory involving Randy crushing Steamboat’s neck with the ring bell. In the ring, the two traded a series of thrilling near-falls–with the referee counting to two before one combatant dramatically raised his shoulder–before the official was knocked down and Randy snatched the bell to aggravate the injury. From ringside, George “The Animal” Steele pulled the weapon away. Randy turned to inflict more damage. But as he scooped Steamboat up for a bodyslam, The Dragon grabbed Savage’s left leg, rolling him to the canvas and pinning him with a small package.As Randy and Elizabeth were transported back to the dressing room in a cart designed like a small ring, the Macho Man appeared to be crying.“Randy was a real pro, one of the closest brothers I had in wrestling,” says fellow second generation wrestler, and five-time World Wrestling Federation champion, Bret “Hit Man” Hart. “Great timing. Great athlete. He was always very safe. He’d never do anything careless that would hurt you. I’d let Randy do anything to me in the ring.” He was also a dynamic entertainer, a valuable asset as McMahon began making deals with licensees and advertisers. One iconic commercial featured the Macho Man asking, “Need a little excitement?” then, raising his voice like King Curtis Iaukea: “Snap into a Slim Jim!”But Randy could also harbor a grudge, particularly when the slight was directed at his father. In 1987, the World Wrestling Federation booked an oldtimers’ battle royal at New Jersey’s Meadowlands. Angelo was still in good shape at the time, and wanted to participate. Randy lobbied for his father. But when Lou Thesz, Nick Bockwinkle, Bobo Brazil, Ray Stevens and the other retired wrestlers entered the building, they learned that Angelo had never been invited. “Randy really loved Vince until the battle royal,” Lanny says. “He felt really bad when Al Costello, who was one of Dad’s best friends in wrestling, said, ‘Where’s your father? He should be here.’ Randy never forgot about the battle royal. He felt guilty, like he should have done more. He’d belabor the point.” Nacho Man Still, Randy stayed with the company and, by 1994, was appearing less in the ring and more at the announcer’s table. “What frustrated Randy was he felt he never had a match as good as the Steamboat match,” Lanny says. “He was bored with announcing, and thought Shawn Michaels could have that kind of match with him. Randy wanted to do a two-year program building up to a match with Shawn at WrestleMania. Randy would lose, retire and go back to the announcer’s table.” Randy was just short of 42 when he presented his proposal, but still felt capable of using his physicality to enrapture a crowd. But, his brother claims, the Macho Man was informed that the World Wrestling Federation was in the midst of a “youth movement.” “So he said, ‘I think I’ll get a second opinion,’” Lanny says. “He went to WCW (World Championship Wrestling, the company’s primary rival at the time), and he took Slim Jim with him.” Subsidized by Ted Turner, WCW had become as aggressive as the World Wrestling Federation a decade earlier, recruiting not only Randy, but Hogan, Flair, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Lex Luger and other top names. The World Wrestling Federation fought back with vignettes depicting Savage as “Nacho Man,” a geriatric has-been.“He didn’t find any humor in his bald spot or his divorce from Elizabeth,” Lanny says. “He saw those as deliberate attempts to tarnish his brand.” Randy held the WCW championship four times, and–despite his 1992 split with Elizabeth–brought his ex-wife in as his valet.  As part of the storyline, she turned on him, and boasted about taking his money in their divorce settlement.  In real life, Elizabeth eventually moved in with Luger.  In 2003, her fans were shocked to learn that she’d been found dead in the Marietta, GA home they shared. Cause of death: a toxic mixture of painkillers and vodka. By then, WCW was defunct, having been purchased and absorbed into WWE in 2001. With the exception of a brief series of appearances with TNA (Total Nonstop Action)—the closest American rival to WWE today—in 2005, Randy was finished with the wrestling business. Injured on the Spider-Man set Interestingly, the ailment that distressed Randy the most in retirement was incurred not in a wrestling ring, but a movie set. He’d insisted on doing his own stunts while playing Bonesaw McGraw, a wrestler who battles protagonist Peter Parker, in the 2002 movie, Spider-Man. Toward the end of the cinematic match, Randy’s character was monkey-flipped on his head. According to Lanny, the stunt took numerous takes. “He needed a lot of physical therapy,” Lanny says. “But he was never the same. Instead of turning his neck to see you, he turned his torso.”Randy could have maintained his ties with the wrestling community by attending autograph signings and fan conventions. But he preferred limiting his interactions. Bret Hart attempted to contact Randy several times, but Lanny wasn’t allowed to give out his brother’s phone number. “Even if I had it,” Bret says, “I knew he wouldn’t call me back. “He chose to isolate himself. And I understand that because I went through it myself. When you leave the business, all your friends are scattered all over the world. Some are wrestling. Some aren’t. On the road, you love them as brothers. But when you walk away from the business, it’s not the same kind of friendship. You’re used to seeing these guys every day. Then, you never see them at all.” One day, Randy walked into his parents’ house and noticed that Lanny was wearing a suit. “Where are you going?” Randy asked. “Jack Brisco’s funeral.” Brisco, the first Native American to win an NCAA national wrestling championship, was a two-time National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) titlist and a WWE Hall of Famer. “Want to go with me?” Randy nodded. “Maybe I would.” “Well, come on. Let’s go.” Randy’s eyes sparkled and a grin crept across his face. “Just kidding.” Explains Lanny, “Randy didn’t like funerals. He didn’t even want anyone to attend his funeral.” Although Angelo had appeared on many of the same cards as Brisco in the early 1970s, the elder Poffo’s dementia had progressed to the point that he was unaware of the latest fatality in the wrestling fraternity. Randy monitored his father’s disintegration, shuttling Angelo to virtually every doctor’s appointment.On March 4, 2010, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, the family was told that Angelo had a heartbeat, but no pulse. “I don’t want my dad to have a heartbeat with no pulse,” Randy said. “Let him go.” “Randy prayed for Ang to die because he suffered so much,” Judy says. “But when he did die, Randy went home and punched holes in the walls. His wife’s still fixing up those holes. He was pretty good with his temper.” Despite the sorrow, Lanny tried to find something positive to which the family could cling. “Dad lived a good life,” Lanny told his brother. “I hope I get to live to be one month shy of 85.” “I don’t,” Randy shot back. “Do you think he enjoyed the last years of his life?” Much of the hair above Randy’s ears had fallen out, but he’d been careful to hide it. When he walked into St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Downer’s Grove for Angelo’s funeral, though, Lanny noticed that his brother wasn’t wearing a hat. “After that,” Lanny says, “he started accepting his hair loss.” Judy realized that Randy had also stopped coloring his beard: “What used to happen was he’d dye it and, a few hours later, the white would be coming out. It was hard to keep the beard dark.” There was one other benefit to exposing his aging process. “He thought no one would recognize him with the white beard,” Judy says. “But they did.” Tired of Being Angry With Angelo gone, Randy made it a point to take Judy to breakfast four mornings a week, and openly discussed the way his body hurt each day. “If you could do it again,” she asked, “would you still pick wrestling?” Randy didn’t hesitate when he responded, “I have no regrets.” One of the bright parts of his life was his marriage to Lynn. He’d been in the gym about a decade earlier when a stranger approached and mentioned that she knew his girlfriend from his minor league days. Randy and Lynn quickly rekindled their romance, and moved in together. On May 10, 2010, the couple finally married–on the same spot of beach they’d first met in 1972.Yet, even this decision was colored by Randy’s premonition that he wasn’t going to live long. “He was afraid that, when he died, we’d get everything, and Lynn wouldn’t even have a home,” Judy says. “He wanted to protect her financially.” Notes Lanny, “He was getting closure for everything.” For several years, Randy had not spoken to Hulk Hogan. “It was a series of misunderstandings,” Jimmy Hart says, “mountains being made out of molehills.” Hogan had mocked Randy on the radio. Following Angelo’s ICW tradition, Randy challenged Hogan to an actual fight.The tension showed no sign of dissipating when Randy took his mother for an electrocardiogram exam one day, and a nurse informed him that Hogan was also in the office. Randy rushed out of the room. “He came up and grabbed Hulk from behind,” Judy says. “Hulk turned around and he was so happy. Randy wasn’t angry anymore.” Adds Lanny, “He was tired of being mad all the time.” In fact, Randy was planning a rare public appearance. In 1989, he’d been a guest announcer on a Cincinnati Reds radio broadcast, and remembered the experience fondly–especially the moment when he stood up and did a muscle shot for the crowd, and center fielder Eric Davis stepped out of the dugout and gave the Macho Man the same pose. When Lanny met Reds first baseman Joey Votto at a charity event, the incident came up, and the 2010 National League MVP invited Randy to a June, 2011 game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Among the incentives: VIP batting practice privileges. Randy agreed to go. But he died five weeks before the game. Never Yielding The night before he died, Randy invited his brother over the house. Randy wanted beer– Miller Lite–and Lanny stopped at a Publix along the route. The store was out of Miller Lite, so Lanny settled for Miller Genuine Draft. At the house, Randy grabbed the beer and examined the label. “Son of a bitch,” he grumbled. “I send you for Miller Lite, and you can’t even get that right. Jesus Christ.” He looked at his brother and smiled. Observes Lanny, “If he didn’t screw with you, he didn’t love you.”Randy hadn’t talked about Angelo’s exclusion from the 1987 battle royal for several years. But recently, the subject had come up again. In Randy’s fantasy, he’d taken a hard stand on behalf of his father. Now, as he sipped on his beer, Randy told Lanny, “I handled it like Martin Luther King, and I should have handled it like Malcom X. By any means necessary.” Lanny could anticipate the next topic of conversation: the WWE Hall of Fame. He’d never go in by himself, Randy reiterated. It was the Poffo family, or nobody at all. Since Randy spoke about his mortality so often, Lanny took this to mean that it would be his responsibility to reject the overture, if he managed to outlive the Macho Man. “You understand what I’m talking about?” Randy emphasized. Lanny all but rolled his eyes. “Got it the first time.” Two years later, Lanny admits the possibility of a Hall of Fame offer causes him stress: “On the one hand, I’m so appreciative of Vince McMahon for everything he did for me. I mean, when I was The Genius, managing Mr. Perfect, I was in main events and on the Regis show–me, a career jabroni. That’s because of Vince. And the fans deserve to see Randy in the Hall of Fame. But I have to support my brother. I just think it’s absolutely insane that I’m stuck in the middle. This is the quandary I’m in. “So here’s the way I feel about WWE. If you think the Von Erichs were better than the Poffos, that’s your prerogative. If you want Randy in against his wishes, you have my permission to do it without my permission. But don’t invite me because I won’t attend. I don’t need the 30 pieces of silver.” Behind the security walls of Randy’s property, a feeling of melancholy pervaded the room. Randy grew pensive, but appreciative of the people with whom he’d chosen to surround himself over the last several months. “The best thing about you, Lanny,” he said, “was you always took care of Mom, and I know you always will.”He contemplated his brother, and the irony that Lanny–who spent much of his time in the World Wrestling Federation staring up at the arena lights–seemed to have maintained his health: “I can’t believe how you survived the business and I didn’t. Every inch of me aches.” According to the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner’s office, Randy “Macho Man” Savage died of heart disease—an enlarged heart with severe atherosclerosis of his coronary arteries—rather than the car accident at State Road 694 and 113th Street North. He was simply unfortunate to be driving when he suffered some type of arrhythmia that caused his heart to stop beating. To find the site where his car came to a halt, one can park on the grounds of the Bay Pines Evangelical Lutheran Church and cut across a sun-bleached patch of grass, toward 113th Street North. A stucco home overlooks a battered, aging tree, lined with cloth flowers and affixed with plastic wrapped signs. The lettering is starting to fade, but the messages are consistent. “Dear Poffo Family,” one notice reads. “Your Randy will be missed and remembered always.”Lanny is asked if it feels strange to visit. “Not really,” he replies, as a crane lounges on the grass nearby. “Elvis died on the toilet.” After his death, the family placed Randy in an open casket at a local funeral home. The only guests were Lynn and her two daughters, along with Lanny and Judy. “That’s the way Randy wanted it,” his brother says. After the Macho Man’s cremation, the same group converged on his property, and Lanny poured the ashes on the spot Randy had specified some two weeks before. Because Randy only sustained mild abrasions in the accident, the family’s final memory of the Macho Man soothes rather than haunts. “He had a look,” Lanny says. “Even in the casket, he had that look. He looked like he was just resting until he could get up and kick your ass. “I’ll tell you what. He had his life. And he did not yield.”Keith Elliot Greenberg, a New York Times bestselling author and television producer, wrote for WWE’s publications for more than 20 years. Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177698/wwe-extreme-rules-2013-results-john-cena-vs-ryback-ends-in-draw.html John Cena retained his WWE Championship after his Last Man Standing match with Ryback at Extreme Rules was halted when both men went through the stage wall and were deemed unfit to continue by the referee.The wild finish was the most memorable part of the brutal match, but both men put on a solid show throughout this bout and proved their worth as two of the top dogs in the company.Due to Cena's Achilles injury, kayfabe or not, there was some thought that Ryback would be able to capitalize and win the Last Man Standing match.That didn't happen, so Ryback has failed to win at each and every pay-per-view since Hell in a Cell.The creative team put itself in an interesting conundrum heading into Extreme Rules. Ryback needed a pay-per-view win, but at the same time it wouldn't have made much sense to end Cena's run with the belt after he just beat The Rock for it at WrestleMania XXIX less than two months ago.Cena was searching for redemption for an entire year, and he got it when he defeated The Rock. Having him lose the title so quickly would have undermined that victory to some degree, so keeping the strap on Cena for now was probably the right decision.It will be interesting to see where Ryback goes at this point. A rematch against Cena is certainly possible and almost likely since there aren't exactly any other challengers lining up to take a shot at Cena's title.  Ryback is reaching the point where fans are having a hard time taking him seriously as a main-event contender, though.Ryback is dominant in between pay-per-views, but he always manages to come up short on the big stage. It all started when the WWE gave him too much too soon and had him face CM Punk for the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules. Ryback lost that match due to interference from Brad Maddox and was never the same.The writers even booked Ryback to lose to Mark Henry at WrestleMania, which is a perplexing decision to this day. It can be said that the loss aided his heel turn, but he turned because Cena didn't save him from attacks by The Shield. It had absolutely nothing to do with losing to Henry, so Ryback should have won that match in order to gain some measure of legitimacy.It seems like Extreme Rules was simply used as a vehicle to keep the status quo intact when it comes to the WWE Championship scene. The WWE is likely loading up for SummerSlam in August, so it will be interesting to see what happens at Payback and Money in the Bank over the next couple months.Cena is still the champion for now out of necessity, as there isn't really anyone else worthy of wearing the title at the moment. That may change moving forward with Punk returning and others emerging, but the belt is where it belongs right now regardless of how the fans feel about it.It's tough to say exactly how long Cena's championship reign will last, but he was able to preserve it in his first defense against Ryback. Next time it's possible that Cena won't be so lucky. Follow @MikeChiari on TwitterFor more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW.) Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177697/nhl-playoffs-2013-which-superstars-havent-met-expectations-during-postseason.html As the NHL has moved past its first round and is in the middle of its conference semifinals, many of the league's superstars are doing exactly what they're known for: scoring lots of goals and having a big impact.But, there are a few superstars that, to date, have been anything but super. For whatever reason, they've struggled unmercifully in both rounds.Let's take a look at six of those less-than-super stars that have not met expectations thus far during the postseason.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177696/will-muschamps-5-biggest-challenges-for-florida-in-2013.html In his second year as head coach of the Florida Gators, Will Muschamp was already on the hot seat in the eyes of Gators fans. The main reason was a 7-6 campaign in 2011 that was full of struggles.Although many of those struggles carried over into 2012, Muschamp was able to work his magic and lead the Gators to the Sugar Bowl.Now that expectations are through the roof in Gainesville, Muschamp is entering this season with more pressure on him than ever before. With a returning quarterback and a loaded recruiting class, he and his staff are expected to compete for the SEC title.If he wants to do that, however, there are still issues he needs to resolve.Here are the five biggest challenges on Will Muschamp's agenda. Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177695/pittsburgh-penguins-5-most-impressive-players-during-2013-playoffs.html After a surviving a hard-fought series against the New York Islanders, the Pittsburgh Penguins advanced to face the Ottawa Senators in the second round. While some Penguin players have disappointed with their performance, most notably goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, others have risen to the occasion and been instrumental in the Penguins' success thus far. While there is still a lot of hockey left to be played and plenty of time for new heroes to emerge, here is a countdown of the five most impressive Penguins players during the playoffs so far.Begin Slideshow Sport Snipe - Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2177694/mosley-vs-cano-sugar-shane-should-head-back-to-retirement-after-unanimous-win.html After announcing his retirement from the sport almost 12 months ago, "Sugar Shane" Mosley stepped back into the ring this weekend and emerged with a unanimous points decision over Pablo Cano.Now, the 41-year-old Mosley needs to step back out and into retirement once more.He's ended his four-year losing streak and seemingly justified himself once more as a boxing winner. And should he head back into retirement now, he can bow out a winner—which is probably what the legendary boxer wanted from the moment he first stepped into the ring 19 years ago.A former champion in three divisions, Sugar Shane made quick work of the 23-year-old. Cano controlled the opening few rounds of the fight, but with his experience and strengths kicking in, Mosley started to up the tempo and pull away from his opponent in the final few rounds of the fight.All three judges scored the fight 115-113 for Mosley.The win marked the first time that Mosley had won a fight since defeating Antonio Margarito in 2009, with heavy losses to Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Saul Alvarez in recent years crippling his status in boxing's elite and eventually bringing him to the point of retirement.After all, he is 41 years old.It's definitely understandable that he wants to come back and end that losing streak and finish his career on a positive note given all the success he's had before. However, it's time for Mosley to give it up for good.His best years are well behind him, and as Sports Illustrated's Bryan Armen Graham highlights, that's shown most clearly in the demise of his professional record.Sugar Shane's reflexes aren't the same, and his skills have slipped also.His mentality might be the same and his durability still strong, but there comes a point when Father Time starts to catch up with every boxer, and that time has seemingly come for Mosley.He is but a shadow of what he once was, and in order to protect the great legacy that he built for himself over the years, he needs to give it all up now.After all, what would he rather be remembered for?Would he rather his reputation remained as one of the most talented lightweights of all time and a superstar who won multiple world titles in three weight classes?Or would he rather be remembered as they guy who couldn't let go?It's for Sugar Shane to make that call. Hit me up on Twitter for more sports goodness: Follow @dantalintyre Sport Snipe - Sports News