Stanley Cup Bracket Prediction

The Series for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are as follows:

Western Conference-

St. Louis Blue v. Minnesota Wild

Nashville Predators v. Chicago Blackhawks

Anaheim Duks v. Winnipeg Jets

Vancouver Canucks v. Calgary Flames

Eastern Conference- 

Montreal Canadiens v. Ottawa Senators

Tampa Bay Lightning v. Detroit Red Wings

New York Rangers v. Pittsburgh Penguins

Washington Capitals v. New York Islanders

My Predictions for advancement are:

Western Conference- 

Minnesota Wild v. Chicago Blackhawks

Anaheim Ducks v. Calgary Flames

Eastern Conference-

Montreal Canadiens v. Detroit Red Wings

New York Rangers v. New York Islanders

My Conference Championship Predictions are:

Western Conference-

Anaheim Ducks v. Minnesota Wild

Eastern Conference- 

Montreal Canadiens v. New York Rangers

My Stanley Cup Final Prediction is:

Stanley Cup Final-

Anaheim Ducks v. Montreal Canadiens 

I Select the:

Tim Tebow to Sign with the Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have made a lot of surprising offseason moves, and continue to keep making them.  The Eagles and Tim Tebow have made an agreement to sign the former Heisman Trophy winner.  About a month ago the Eagles said they were only going to sign Tebow if they could trade Matt Barkley.  Unable to trade Barkley, the Eagles looked to sign Tebow anyways.  Tebow is still looking to follow his dream as being a quarterback in the NFL.

I am not sure what to think of this trade.  I think Matt Barkley is better quarterback then Tebow, but I think their will be a battle for a roster spot between them.  I think what happened with Tebow and the New England Patriots will happen again with Tebow being cut and not making the regular season roster.  I think the Eagles could be doing this for publicity and possible increase in ticket sales for preseason games.  I could be wrong, maybe Chip Kelly sees some use of Tebow in his offense schemes.  I think Tebow could also be a tight end or another position other than quarterback.  It seems Tim Tebows name is always coming and he always seems to find his name in the headlines.  Maybe we will all see if it is finally "Tebow Time".

To read more go to: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2400184-tim-tebow-to-sign-with-eagles-latest-contract-details-comments-and-reaction

The Padres and Braves Make a Huge Blockbuster Trade

The San Diego Padres traded Cameron Maybin, Carlos Quentin, Matt Wisler, Jordan Paroubeck and the 41st pick in June’s draft to the Atlanta Braves for Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton (formally B.J Upton).  The traded happened just a few hours before the Cubs and Cardinals opening night game.  This was an attempt for the Braves to lower their payroll and start to rebuild and develop their young prospects.  Atlanta will save $53.35M in this trade with the Padres.

I think this was a great move by both teams.  The Braves were able to free up a lot of salary, and the Padres have added one of the best closers in baseball.  It was a huge surprise that the Braves would trade Kimbrel, who is one of the best closers the MLB.  It was obvious the Padres wanted Kimbrel the most, and the Braves threw in Upton to try to lower their payroll.  I think the Padres have made great moves in the offseason, and I think they have a chance to make playoffs and go far in playoffs.

To read more go to http://nypost.com/2015/04/05/braves-padres-double-down-with-shocking-kimbrel-blockbuster/

Patrick Beverley to Miss the Remainder of the Season

Houston Rockets' guard Patrick Beverley will miss the remainder of the 2015 season and playoffs.  Beverley had injured his wrist, and was going to find out if he could play through it or not.  Beverley learned that he needed surgery.  He has completed his surgery and will have to wear a cast for 10 weeks.

This is a huge loss for the Rockets while they go into playoffs.  Beverley was having a good year and was a key part of the team.  With Dwight Howard returning, and James Harden having an MVP caliber year, I think the Rockets can still make late run in playoffs without Beverley.  It is always sad to an athlete get injured for the remainder of the season.  I think Beverley will come back and be just as productive before the injury.

To read more go to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2407067-patrick-beverley-injury-updates-on-rockets-guards-wrist-and-return

Texas Fires Head Coach Rick Barnes

After 17 years the University of Texas has decided to fire their head coach, Rick Barnes, after a disappointing 2014-2015 season.  Texas went 20-14 and lost the first round of the tournament to Butler.  Barnes' contract goes until 2019, but includes a $1.7M buyout if he is fired this spring.  In his time with Texas, he has taken Texas to the NCAA tournament 16 times, but has never made it past the third round.

I think it is always sad to see a good coach get fired.  I believe Rick Barnes will find a new destination, and it will help to improve that teams' program.  I think the the departure between Texas and Barnes, will help to bring a new fresh start for both.  Coach Barnes will be missed by Texas and athletes like Kevin Durant and TJ Ford highly praised their former coach.

To read more go to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2403963-rick-barnes-fired-by-texas-latest-details-comments-and-reaction

Bloomsburg Baseball Player Kicked Off Team for Tweet About Mo'ne Davis

Bloomsburg University's baseball team has kicked off one of their players for putting up a vulgar tweet about Mo'ne Davis.  This players name was Joey Casselberry, and he was a sophomore first baseman.  He was also second on the team in hitting last season with .389 average over six games.  Bloomsburg University was extremely saddened by this tweet and did not want to be represented as a University like that, so they thought it was the best decision to dismiss him.

I think the Bloomsburg baseball team and University made the right choice.  Athletes are constantly being watched and they are representing not only them-self, but the team and University.  Social media is a big problem with athletes and has costed them scholarships and getting kicked off the team.  The Bloomsburg player should not have tweeted about Mo'ne Davis with that much disrespect. Bloomsburg made the right choice and hopefully other athletes will use this as a wake up call when they ever think about tweeting a vulgar tweet.

To read more go to: http://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/03/21/bloomsburg-university-baseball-mone-davis-offensive-tweet

Christian Yelich Signs New Contract with Marlins

The Miami Marlins have recently signed outfielder Christian Yelich to a 7 year deal with $49.7M.  The contract also has an eighth year club option worth $15M with a $1.25M buyout.  The max value of the contract is $63.32M.  This is very interesting to see because the Marlins have signed Giancarlo Stanton to a huge deal as well.  It is obvious the Marlins are looking into the future by signing young stars to big deals.

I think the Marlins have the potential to be one of the best teams in the upcoming years.  With great young talent, they have the chance to develop around each other in the years to come.  I think this was a great move by the Marlins, and Christian Yelich has the potential to be an elite player.

To read more go to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2401491-christian-yelich-to-sign-with-marlins-latest-details-reaction

Mets' Zach Wheeler Tears UCL

New York Mets' pitcher Zack Wheeler, was one of the most promising players coming into the 2015 season.  It has been announced Wheeler has torn his UCL in his right elbow.  It is likely Wheeler will need season ending surgery.  Most cases the answer to this surgery is Tommy John surgery.  Zack Wheeler will head to New York to meet with Mets' team doctor and will likely get a second opinion as well.  Wheeler had 13 starts with over 110 pitches last season, which is the most of any player 24 or younger.

Today this injury seems to becoming more and more common for pitchers.  The constant movement creates a lot of stress on the players and arm and often leads to the need of Tommy John surgery.  Wheeler is still young and is sad to see a young promising player to go through with this before the 2015 season has even started.  Hopefully Wheeler will have a speedy recovery and it will come back just as good, if not better.

To read more go to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2398426-zack-wheeler-injury-updates-on-mets-stars-elbow-and-recovery

Al Rosen Dies at Age 91

Al Rosen, who is a former MLB MVP and Executive, passed away at 91 on Friday, March 13th.  Rosen played his entire career with the Cleveland Indians.  He was a four time All-star and won the MVP award in 1953.  He fell .001 short of winning the triple crown in 1953 while hitting .336 to Mickey Vernon's .337 average.  After his playing career he was apart of the New York Yankees. Houston Astros, and the San Francisco Giants' front office.  Rosen is the only person to win the MVP and the Executive of the Year Award.

Al Rosen was an inspiration for a player who could succeed in baseball while playing, then succeed after in baseball while being apart of an organization.  It is always sad to a sports legend pass away today, but he will always be remembered for his accomplishments and how he touched the lives of his teammates, coaches, family, friends, and fans.  He will be greatly missed and will remain as a hero in the organizations for the Cleveland Indians and the San Francisco Giants.

To read more information go to http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2397290-al-rosen-former-mlb-mvp-and-executive-dies-at-age-91

Eagles Trade Mccoy to the Bills for Alonso

The Philadelphia Eagles have traded running back Lesean Mccoy for Buffalo Bills' linebacker Kiko Alonso.  By doing this the Eagles will free up the $11.95 million in cap room.  Chip Kelly will be reunited with Alonso, who was a former Oregon player for Kelly.  Many Eagles' fans and players were extremely upset over this move.  Lesean Mccoy is rated as a top running back, and by trading him it will hurt the Eagles' offensive production.

Unlike most, I think this is a good move for the Eagles.  It frees up a lot of cap space, and I think Chip Kelly's offense does not need to have a dominate running back like Mccoy.  Having running back like Mccoy is irreplaceable, but the way Darren Sproles fit into the offense shows they do not need to have a player like Mccoy.  Brining in a young linebacker like Alonso, will help to improve the defense.  Overall I think this is a good move for the Eagles, but they still need to find a good offensive weapon in free agency or the draft to have a good offense.

Former NBA Player Earl Lloyd Dies at Age 86

Earl Lloyd, who was the first black player in the NBA died at age 86 on Thursday.  Lloyd played in the NBA for 9 years and won a NBA title with the Syracuse Nationals in the 1954-55 season.  Once he finished playing, he became the first black assistant coach when he was hired by the Detroit Pistons in 1968.

Even though Earl Lloyd was not as famous as Jackie Robinson, he still is a pioneer for black athletes in the NBA and all professional sports.  Adam Silver commented on the death of Earl Lloyd by saying, "The NBA family has lost one of its patriarchs."  Earl Lloyd will be greatly missed and it will be viewed as a hero to all black athletes, not just athletes in the NBA.

Rajon Rondo Suspended

The Dallas Mavericks have suspended point guard Rajon Rondo for one game.  The reason the team has suspended him is for detrimental conduct against the team.  Rondo and Mavericks' head coach, Rick Carlisle got into a heated argument during Wednesday game against the Atlanta Hawks.  Rondo will be back in the starting lineup on Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets.  This has been a major issue for Rondo and he continues to get in these situations with coaches.

I think this is a good move by the Dallas Mavericks by benching him for a game.  As a player of his caliber and experience, he needs to be a leader for his team.  He needs to learn to control his temper and understand that his coach is his authority.  Coach Carlisle views Rondo has an important part of the team, so Rondo needs to be on the same page in order for the Mavericks to be successful.

Sports Media Outlets Expanding to Snapchat

Snapchat has recently added a new feature to the app called "Discover".  Discover has more of an online magazine feel instead of a social media platform.  Snapchat has chosen 11 major corporations to be featured on Discover.  ESPN is one of the featured corporations and on there you can watch SportsCenter top 10 highlights, news, and coverage of all sports.  Through this a user can read up and look at different videos that are going on the sports' world during that day.

I think this great idea for ESPN to be apart of Snapchat because it makes it easier for fans to keep updated on what is happening.  Also it gives good exposure to users that are not sports fans, and may possibly start to interest them.  With social media growing, it is always important for sports to be a major part of it.

To read more go to http://www.sporttechie.com/2015/02/23/how-sports-media-outlets-will-use-snapchats-new-discover-feature-to-grow-reach/

Zebra Tracking Tech on it's way to the NFL Combine

Zebra Technology looks to start at the combine in the next year.  It is used as simulator that can test a player's ability to react in a simulation.  The Air Force currently uses this technology to train their pilots, so Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints thinks this a way to train quarterbacks.  Zebra can be more helpful when looking at something like the 40 yard dash because it can track acceleration speed at certain points of the dash.  This technology will be able to give coaches and scouts a better way to see the physical performances in athletes.  Zebra also looks to expand past the combine and into all NFL stadiums and major broadcasters of the NFL.

I believe this new technology will be the next biggest thing in tracking and testing players.  It will give scouts more information on certain players and will be able to use these tests to determine how athletes will react in different situations.

To read more go to http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/02/16/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Zebra-NFL.aspx

Virtual Reality Coming to the NBA

The NBA is currently in the process of experimenting with virtual reality for fans.  The NBA showed this at the 16th NBA All-Star Technology Summit and called the showroom "NBA Virtual Backcourt".  During this showcase they showed highlights from the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers' game that was played in Brazil.  Jeff Marsilio, the NBA Vice President of Global Media Distribution, thinks this is a new way to engage more fans.  This will be available to fans in the near future and will be free as long as the fans have the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition (shown above) and a Samsung Galaxy Note 4.  Because court-side tickets are expensive, this product would offer a cheaper alternative to experience the baseline in virtual reality.

I think this could be something that is extremely prevalent in the future because it offers the experience of being court-side from your own home and a low price.  I still believe that it will not be nearly the same experience of being there, but it will be close to it.

To read more go to http://www.sporttechie.com/2015/02/16/the-nba-experimented-with-virtual-reality-during-all-star-weekend/

NBPA Launches Player-Specific App

The National Basketball Player Association has unveiled a player specific app, which is the first of its kind.  This was designed to keep players up to date on what it happening in regards to the NBPA.  The app was developed by Sportsblog.com for players to watch video messages from union leaders, take part in polls, contact union leaders, and keep them updated on what is happening.  About 100 players have downloaded the app and more will come in the future.  NBPA Chief marketing officer Jordan Schlachter stated, "... this app is the perfect platform for us to communicate directly with all our members and keep them up to date with all the going-on within the organization."  The app will only be able to be used by the players and is secured and password protected.

In my personal opinion I think the other three major professional leagues (NFL, MLB, and NHL) will soon follow this trend.  I think it is a great idea and allows an easier form of communication between union leaders and players.

To read more information go to http://www.sporttechie.com/2015/02/11/national-basketball-players-association-launches-player-specific-app/ 

J Flex Golf Putter

The J-Flex Golf Putter was invented by a company called Luke Ice Putters.  The J-Flex was developed to improve accuracy of mis-hit putts.  The J-Flex has a small cavity between the club-face and the rest of the club-head.  The club-face flexes slightly on impact unlike normal putters.  The  J-Flex aims to prove mis-hits by up to 20%.  In testing a normal putter missed a target on average by 3.2 inches, while the J-Flex only missed on average by 2.5 inches.  This putter can be used by any golfer who is looking to help improve their putting.