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Although I hate admitting this, the wrong person won the WWE title the other night at the Royal Rumble.

While in my mind CM Punk is a better champion than an up-and-coming Dolph Zigger (right now), the fact Punk still has the gold around his waste (or shoulder) was a mistake that WWE brass got wrong. Having Ziggler win the title is a more compelling reason for Punk to be as ornery as ever, especially in the wake of an attack by Chris Jericho on Raw Monday night.

Let's back up a bit and I will explain my reasoning.

Punk needs to have the belt around his waste if Jericho is going to take it from him at Elimination Chamber, which I suspect can happen in 19 days. Then we can see a great feud between two of the most charismatic wrestlers in the business.

But let's be honest here; an angry Punk is a better Punk. Better on the mic. Better in the ring. Better at delivering a solid promo, a solid shot to the body and a solid match in general. Like in any "sport" being the chaser is better than being chased.

It has also been my opinion that in wrestling the person chasing the champion is better in the angle than the one who has to hold on to the title.

Punk's famous shoot interview was done while he was chasing John Cena. His improved ring work occurred when Alberto Del Rio won the title at Summer Slam when he cashed in his MITB ticket. Punk effectively went on the war path, chasing Del Rio and Kevin Nash at the same time.

Having Ziggler as champion does a few things the creative team did not cash in on. First, it would have put Punk in the Royal Rumble with a chance to still be in the main event at WrestleMania XXVIII. It also meant Vickie Guerrero would have had both the WWE champion and the United States champion in the same stable, which could lead to dysfunction.

There are so many ways this match could have gone and we haven't scratched the surface of John Laurinaitis and the two referee three-count.

That is for another article. But for now, Punk is the champion. Until it is decided it is time Jericho needs a solid run.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1045753-wwe-royal-rumble-2012-results-why-cm-punk-should-not-have-won

Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals

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Source: http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/1/31/2761845/game-49-discussion-thread-winnipeg-jets-at-philadelphia-flyers

Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera Kerry Wood Francisco Cervelli Chad Moeller

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Here's what Chad Ochocinco told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News today when Mehta asked him what's the biggest lesson he's learned this year in New England: "I can actually shut the f*** up."

He also disappointed the reporters and fans who were there to see the outspoken, nutty Ochocinco we saw in Cincinnati, saying, "You’re looking for the crazy Chad. He hasn’t been here all year."

chad ochocinco quote at nfl media day

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/V2t70peQLHk/chad-ochocinco-media-day-2012-1

Bruno Gervais Dustin Kohn Andrew McDonald Matt Martin Frans Nielsen Dwayne Roloson

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The New York Giants and New England Patriots clash at Super Bowl 42 was one of the greatest games in Super Bowl history, and fans are hoping the sequel this Sunday will be just as good.

In 2007, the Patriots were on the verge of making history and becoming the greatest team of all-time with a 19-0 record, but the Giants had something to say about that.

The Giants pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sports history when they defeated the Patriots, 17-14, and it couldn't have been written any better. Eli Manning evaded tacklers inside the pocket just to get rid of the football, only to fall between David Tyree's hand and helmet, was dramatic to say the least.

Super Bowl 42 was indeed an instant classic, but where does it stack up among the best Super Bowls in the past decade?

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1047295-super-bowl-46-top-super-bowl-games-in-the-past-decade

New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays

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The Yankees had a very good season in 2011, despite their patchwork rotation and down years from their usually consistent stars.

With a 97-65 record, they finished tops in the American League, but were still unable to defeat the strong pitching of the Detroit Tigers in the division series. In the end, the problem turned out to be a lack of clutch hitting, rather than the weak pitching that many thought would be their downfall.

The Yankees, on paper, have improved heading into the 2012 season. The trade that sent Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi to Seattle for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos will be good for the rotation in both the short and long term. The signing of Hiroki Kuroda acts as the perfect cushion so Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances can get a bit more seasoning in the minors.

The only hole left unfilled is the designated hitter slot. Having Andruw Jones and Jorge Vazquez DH may be a possibility, but don't be surprised if the Yankees go out and sign someone on the cheap, i.e. Johnny Damon, Raul Ibanez or Hideki Matsui.

Even with the new rotation upgrades, the Yankees need improvement from some of their current stars. Many Yankees experienced tough times last season and the only shot at winning the World Series in 2012 is if they can bring it together and play up to their full potential.

Begin Slideshow

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1047263-seeing-improvement-a-rod-and-6-other-yankees-who-must-play-better-in-2012

Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw

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joe weisenthal, business insider, dng

Business Insider still has a few paid internship spots open this Spring -- specifically for our main page and SAI -- starting now.

Don't be fooled by the term "intern." At Business Insider, there's no getting coffee or making copies.

Our interns spend their time doing meaningful work: researching, writing, pitching and producing features -- even breaking news if the timing's right.

Interns are encouraged to work full-time if their schedule allows. (Other perks? We have lots of free snacks and a ping-pong table, where interns have been known to give editors a run for their money.)

When it comes to qualifications, a journalism background always helps, as do copy-editing skills and light HTML and Photoshop experience. Knowledge of social media and previous writing experience a plus.

Please send your resume and three clips to jliebman@businessinsider.com. Please describe which BI vertical(s) interest you most and why. (Don't know what our verticals are? Check out the nav bar on the home page.) And, please note: this internship requires that you work in our Manhattan office.

Interested in a journalism internship but have never heard of Business Insider? Here's some reading on our company and where we're headed. Here's another article on our latest round of financing.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/pDkPO-FUqjk/writers-wanted-jump-start-your-career-by-interning-at-business-insider-2012-1

Boston Bruins Buffalo Sabres Montreal Canadiens Ottawa Senators Toronto Maple Leafs Atlanta Trashers

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madrid-olympics-logo-2020

On Monday, Madrid unveiled its bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2020 with this logo, The Telegraph reports.

However, we're a little confused. 20020?

While the original design, created by a graphic arts student, apparently said 'M20', Spain's Olympic Committee saw fit to chop off the bottom and replace the original colors of the Olympics (they've swapped out black for pink).

The result makes it look like Spain is planning the event 18,000 years in advance.

While it is competing with Tokyo, Rome, Istanbul, Doha, and Baku, Azerbaijan, this is Spain's fourth attempt to secure the honor of hosting the games.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/2JsAU3EBOH0/madrid-2020-logo-2012-1

Matt Martin Frans Nielsen Dwayne Roloson Jon Sim Jason Arnott David Clarkson

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The inconsistency the Knicks' point guards have brought to the table is beyond any fan's belief. The stars don't get the ball without having to play one-on-one isolation against another defender.

The Knicks made two crucial signings to get rid of two top point guards. Everyone continues to debate that the Carmelo Anthony deal was good for the Knicks, and that the signing of Tyson Chandler was better then keeping Chauncey Billups.

But looking back, was it really worth it?

Back track to the beginning of last year when Amar'e Stoudemire joined the New York Knicks in an attempt to bring the Knicks back. They were back and Amar'e was going strong with his team and the other quality players on the Knicks. The chemistry was flowing and Stoudemire was playing his best anyone had ever seen—even better then when he was with Nash.

At that time, he had Raymond Felton dishing out the assists with Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari maturing into solid players. In addition, Landry Fields was playing like the gem of his 2010 draft class.

The Knicks were doing everything right until the Carmelo Anthony deal.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say that bringing Carmelo Anthony to New York was a bad move, because he has won the Knicks many close games and is really a solid superstar. Losing Felton hurt Amar'e.

Moreover, Carmelo hurt Amar'e.

Pick and rolls are no where to be found with the Knicks, and that was Stoudemire's game. If if the pick and roll suddenly didn't work, Felton would be able to find Stoudemire for a jump shot every time. It's safe to say their chemistry was fantastic.

But having Chauncey Billups wasn't the end of the world for the Knicks when the deal actually took place. However, Billups is probably more of a shoot-first player, like the rest of the Knicks guards that are healthy right now.

He was a veteran point guard that knew how to get the ball in his star's hands if he needed to, but wasn't near as good as Felton actually was in his half-season with the Knicks.

However, when the Knicks decided that they wanted Tyson Chandler to join the Knicks, they waived Billups. The Knicks decided to rely on Toney Douglas, who it has turned out was not ready to walk into Billups' shoe.

The Knicks were left with a Big Three of two dominant forwards and a massive big man to go along with it. But they had no solid guards that have a pass-first instinct.

And when you have no legitimate point guard to get the ball in the hands of your stars, those stars will not matter. Anthony and Stoudemire are just as good offensively as Kris Humphries when the Knicks don't give their stars the ball without isolation.

In the end, these deals didn't work out in the Knicks favor (for now); instead, it has worked out for the Nuggets and Clippers, as both of those teams are over .500 and most definitely will make the playoffs.

It is quite obvious that James Dolan, owner of the Knicks, pushed for these acquisitions and not Mike D'Antoni, the coach.

The signing of Baron Davis was smart, but when is he going to come back?

Baron Davis can definitely help the Knicks, but the Knicks knew better then to sign Mike Bibby for the time that Davis was going to be out. There were other veteran pass first guards available over Mike Bibby, who has been beyond ineffective. Earl Watson would have been the better choice there.

Even I was fooled that the Knicks were a legitimate contender at the start of the season. I think all teams finally realize how important it is to have a pass-first point guard on their team.

Reports are saying the Knicks are looking to bring in Kenyon Martin after his stint in China. Another power forward? If it means trade, then trade for a point guard that can actually make the Big Three successful and turn this season around. We need a point guard Knicks!!

So, what is a great deal without a great point guard?

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1046709-new-york-knicks-what-is-a-great-deal-without-a-great-point-guard

Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte

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From Hazel Mae to Heidi Watney to Jenny Dell, NESN hiring eye candy sports reporters is exactly like Denver Broncos tailbacks. It doesn’t matter who leaves, they’ll find another and just keep plugging ‘em in, and the results will always be there. Apparently this one has ESPN chops on her resume or something. One thing [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/sidelineprincesses/nesns-new-token-hottie-reporter-former-umass-cheerleader-jenny-dells-photos/

Montreal Canadiens Ottawa Senators Toronto Maple Leafs Atlanta Trashers Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers

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Source: http://www.milehighhockey.com/2012/1/30/2757272/how-the-avalanche-can-win-the-west-or-at-least-make-the-playoffs

Toronto Maple Leafs Atlanta Trashers Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning Washington Capitals

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While twitter can be an excellent way to quickly get information out, it must always be read carefully and fully. One tweet in particular caused a bit of a stir today:
Ales Hemsky-Andy Sutton to Det.for Tomas Jurco and 1st round pick. Hemsky and pick to Nash.for Jonathan Blum and 1st round pick #justrumors

That came from Gene Principe, and there were at least a few of us who didn?t get to the hashtag part before reacting. The Hemsky trade part is nothing new, but should a trade for the winger go through this season it will still come as a shock.

The question that the other half of the tweet raised was of course, just what is the story with this Jurco kid?

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/patch/comments/more_trade_rumours_hemsky_and_jurco/

Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning Washington Capitals Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs

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USA Today?s Kevin Allen offers a slightly different spin on Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter?s decision to not re-sign with his team before the trade deadline:

I talked to Suter Saturday night, and he wanted to make it clear that he is not ruling out re-signing with the Predators. He felt as if his words were misinterpreted Friday when he said he wouldn?t re-sign by the trade deadline. He said he decided to announce he wouldn?t sign by then to prevent it from becoming a distraction for the hottest team in the league. The Predators have won 12 out of the last 14 games

The Predators certainly were hoping to get Suter re-signed soon, but his announcement probably doesn?t change much for them. Given how well the team is playing, it seems unlikely that GM David Poile would trade Suter. How could he face fans in Nashville if he traded a 27-minute defenseman when they have a shot at winning the Stanley Cup?

That?s right. You read right. The Predators have a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Continued

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/more_ryan_suter_talk/

Jason Arnott David Clarkson Patrick Davis Tyler Eckford Mark Fraser Andy Greene

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Nobody from the organization is saying so, but all the signs point towards Peyton Manning not being a member of the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.

The bigger question should be whether Manning is going to even be playing in 2012.

According to a report from Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, Manning's ongoing health woes are worse than we know. Manning missed the entire 2011 season recovering from a series of neck surgeries and both he and the Colts have insisted he is recovering, but Cole's sources tell him Manning's progress is not encouraging.

The problem is in Manning's arm. Cole says the nerves in the quarterback's arm are not healing "as quickly as hoped" and, in fact, "don’t appear to be progressing at enough of a rate to indicate that he will play again."

Manning has started throwing again, but the velocity isn't there, and according to Cole's "two sources with knowledge of Manning’s rehabilitation," it may never be.

The reality of the situation is that more time is needed. As for how much more time is needed, Cole spoke to two doctors who said Manning is going to need a full year to recover.

“Right now, Peyton is at about six months. He should have a much better idea by July or August just how far he’s going to get … even then, that’s only a part of it," said one doctor.

In the meantime, the clock is ticking ever closer to March 8. That's the deadline for the Colts to decide whether or not to pay Manning's $28 million option bonus. If they don't, Manning becomes free agent.

Given the ominous tones in the Yahoo! Sports report, it's unlikely that the Colts will decide to pay Manning (though Mike Florio does bring attention to the fact the "Colts and Manning can renegotiate the contract to change the period to exercise the option payment" on Pro Football Talk). And it's just as unlikely that he will be able to play at all in 2012.

It was just a matter of time before such a report came out. Manning has put on a brave face in recent months, but it's only become increasingly apparent that the series of surgeries he had on his neck were no joke, and that he's not going to magically recover overnight. His recovery already was taking a long time, and now Cole is telling us that it's not close to being finished.

I'm going to assume that none of this is news to the Colts. In fact, Jason La Canfora's NFL.com report that the Colts decided weeks ago to cut Manning loose sounds even more legit now, despite Jim Irsay's comments on Twitter. The Colts have to know that Manning is not going to be healthy enough to warrant a $28 million bonus by the time March rolls around.

If the Colts choose not to pay Manning, thus making him a free agent, the question will be if any team will be willing to take a gamble on one of the all-time greats. If Cole's sources are right about Manning, why would anybody pay him?

The longer Manning goes unsigned, the more reasonable retirement would become.

You hope that this doesn't end up being the case, but the writing is on the wall.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1046316-peyton-manning-ominous-health-report-signals-end-is-near-for-colts-legend

Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo

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Now with the All-Star Weekend festivities done and over with, Leafs representatives Dion Phaneuf, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul will be getting down to business for the remaining 33 games of the regular season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently holding on to the ninth place spot in the Eastern Conference; tied in points with the seventh place Florida Panthers and the eighth place New Jersey.

So far during the 2011-12 campaign, the Leafs have been able to post a 25-19-5 record, which is an amazing achievement due to their placement this time last year.

For the past two seasons, the Leafs have been able to post up incredible numbers in the second half. If trends continue into this season, the Buds should be able to make the playoffs.

However, the Toronto squad cannot rely on trends to get them into the postseason. The Leafs need to continue improving their overall play as a team.

In the meantime, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have their fair share of challenges throughout the remainder of the 2011-12 regular season.

The Leafs still have three tough games against the Philadelphia Flyers, two games versus the dominating Boston Bruins and also single games against the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks.

However these teams will not be the Leafs biggest competitors in the second half of this NHL season.

It will be the teams around them in the standings, a couple of those teams being the Leafs' biggest rivals.

The Battle of Ontario has reached a newly-formed meaning this season, as both teams have improved their play from last season.

Yes, the Ottawa Senators will most likely be the Leafs' biggest competitor for the remainder of the regular season, and they are currently placed sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 27-19-6.

With the Leafs having three games in hand on the Ottawa Senators, they will be looking to gain as much ground as possible on their provincial rivals.

So far this season, the Leafs have posted a 1-3-0 record against the Sens in four games. This will have to change during the second half if they want to gain any ground in the standings with two games left on the schedule.

However, the Leafs have only been outscored 12-16 in those four games. The biggest factor the Leafs need to improve on in the remaining two games vs the Sens is their penalty kill.

With a 69 percent penalty killing rate vs the Ontario rivals this season, the Leafs will be turning to the new-look PK for the rest of the season. The Leafs have yet to allow a power-play goal in the year 2012.

Both remaining games will be played in Ottawa on February 4th and March 17th. The Leafs will be sure to mark those dates on their calendars.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have only played the surging Pittsburgh Penguins once so far this season; winning that game on October 29th by a score of 4-3.

The Pittsburgh squad is currently sitting on fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 28-17-4 for a total of 60 points. The Pens are also currently on a seven game hot streak.

Their recent streak can be directed towards the elevated play of forward Evgeni Malkin, who has recorded 12 points in the last six games.

This means that the Leafs will have to give 110 percent on the ice, as they still have three remaining games versus the Pens.

Starting tomorrow, the Leafs will be visiting the city of Pittsburgh in a two game, home and home series with the Crosby-less Penguins. On Wednesday, the Leafs will be hosting the Pens, where they will be looking to get all the points they can off the Pittsburgh squad.

Consider these two games versus the surging Pens as some of their tougher games for the second half of the NHL season.

The final game against the Pittsburgh Penguins will be played on March 7th in Pittsburgh.

The long historic rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens will continue for three more games this season.

The Habs have had a significant drop off from last years' season, and are currently placed 11th in the Eastern Conference posting a record of 19-21-9 for a total of 47 points.

So far during the 2011-12 campaign, the Leafs have posted a 2-1-0 record against the Habs; only outscoring them 8-7.

This means that the Leafs will need to put up more goals in the remaining three games versus the Canadiens to ensure the Leafs a solid two points in each of their contests.

The Leafs and Canadiens rivalry continues on February 11th at home, while the remaining two games will be played in Montreal on March 3rd and on April 7th; the Leafs' last game of the regular season.

The seventh place Florida Panthers have posted a record of 22-15-11 for a total of 55 points and have given the Buds their troubles in their two meetings so far this season.

The Leafs are 0-2-0 against the Panthers, who have outscored them 4-10. The Leafs will be looking for a much-needed improvement in the remaining two games against the Panthers, as they are tied in points in the Eastern Conference standings.

Most of the improvement will be needed in the crease, as they allowed 10 goals in two games versus the Cats.

In the past 20 games, the Panthers have dropped 14 of those contests, so the Leafs will be looking to take advantage of their recent woes on the ice.

The Leafs will be hosting the Florida squad at home of February 28th. Their final meeting will be played in Florida on March 13th.

The Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils are also tied with the Leafs in points with 55 on the season.

The Winnipeg Jets are just below the Leafs in the Eastern Conference, placed 10th with a total of 50 points on the season. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a game in hand on the Manitoba squad, which the Leafs will use to their advantage heading into the second half.

The Leafs' record combined against the Capitals, Devils and Jets is 4-2-1 with five combined games remaining against the three Eastern teams.

Expect the Leafs to improve on their overall record against some of their lower-end competitors.

Most importantly, the Toronto Maple Leafs' biggest competitors for the second half will be themselves, as their players are well aware of the task at hand.

The Leafs players will have to remain mentally tough as trade rumours are circling around the NHL, as the February 27th deadline rapidly approaches.

General Manger Brian Burke will also be facing the heat of the media, as the Leafs continue to make the push for their first playoff appearance since the NHL lockout during the 2004-05 season.

The media will be sure to remind the players and coaches of the importance of their remaining 33 games, as well as the Leafs organization as a whole.

If all goes well, expect the Leafs to have a successful 2011-12 NHL season.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1046069-nhl-playoff-push-leafs-biggest-competitors-going-into-the-second-half

Petr Kalus Colton Gilies Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan Bryan Allen

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Yesterday, approximately 300 fans gathered in front of Nationwide Arena, the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets.� They gathered to express both their love for the team and their disdain for the announcement that, in spite of easily holding the NHL?s worst record at 13-30-6 despite also possessing the NHL?s 9th highest team payroll, that [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/hockey/occupy-nationwide-a-resounding-success/

San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman

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Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/1/30/2758229/after-general-manager-sandy-alderson-revealed-the-organization-lost

New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays

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Source: http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/1/27/2752961/two-oclock-number-hartnell-is-carrying-giroux

Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Florida Marlins Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers

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Source: http://www.bcinterruption.com/2012/1/30/2757946/boston-college-hockey-recruiting-casey-fitzgerald

Washington Nationals Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes

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We all know the race in the West is tight. There are four teams out of the Top 8 but within four points of making the playoffs.

Who?s in, who is out in the West?

The full Western Conference standings are below, and you tell me, what teams are in, or what teams are out.

I say the Top 7 as it stands right now will make the playoffs and Minnesota will not make it but Dallas will.

I will do the Eastern Conference tomorrow.

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/western_conference_-_the_race_to_the_playoffs/

Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte

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Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/1/28/2755454/durrett-on-financial-benefits-rangers-reap-from-signing-darvish

Kerry Wood Francisco Cervelli Chad Moeller Jorge Posada Lance Berkman Reegie Corona

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New kids on the Block, Super Bowl

Back in the early days of the Super Bowl, the halftime show resembled that of most college football games, a marching band. Super Bowl I featured the marching bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University. And for the first 20 years, that is all the halftime show was.

And then, in 1987, for Super Bowl XXI, George Burns and some Disney Characters were added to the mix and the halftime show became more of a show.

But it wasn't until Super Bowl XXV in 1991 that the halftime show became an event. That was when New Kids on the Block performed. Yes, the New Kids. And the Super Bowl halftime show has never been the same.

On the next few pages, we will take a walk through the evolution of the halftime show with a look at the more notable moments...

Super Bowl III (1969) - Florida A&M University Marching Band

Super Bowl VII (1973) - University of Michigan Marching Band

Super Bowl IX (1975) - Grambling State University Marching Band

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/PC80qrC7YQc/evolution-super-bowl-halftime-show-2012-1

Anibal Sanchez John Baker Brad Davis Logan Morrison Mike Stanton Josh Bailey

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With the Royal Rumble in the rear-view mirror, it is time to look towards the fallout of tonight's Raw.

Kicking things off is the much-advertised job evaluation of John Laurinaitis. He tried to play nice at the Royal Rumble, but not only will that not help against Triple H in the long run, it also hurts the WWE championship match.

As always, Punk and Ziggler were great in the ring. But with all of the back and forth between Punk and Johnny Ace, we were expecting something more to go down.

But it did not. The match fell short of our expectations—the theme of the entire PPV.

The best part of the night came in the closing segment with Sheamus and Jericho. It was surprising to see the Celtic Warrior go over Y2J, but he definitely has the ability to put on a great WrestleMania contest. It just would have been better to see him feuding with guys other than Jinder Mahal beforehand—with whom he had no interaction.

On Raw tonight, we should expect the tease of Sheamus to begin. He will deliberate on which title he wants to challenge for, and in the end—he will probably feast his eyes on the World Heavyweight Championship.

At WrestleMania, the title will most likely be held by either Daniel Bryan or Randy Orton. Both matches would be good, although Orton vs. Sheamus has been done quite often. A heel Bryan vs. Sheamus looks to be the best direction for that title.

We should also keep an eye out for Chris Jericho tonight. After promising something huge and not delivering at all—will the boos finally start to outweigh the cheers?

I would expect him to cut a promo on the show. Then maybe we will see some interaction between him and the WWE Champion, CM Punk.

As for Punk, he will either be defending his title in an Elimination Chamber in three weeks or facing Johnny Ace once and for all. With only three weeks of building, we should have a clearer picture on that direction on Raw.

Other things to look out for:

After a great performance in the Royal Rumble by the Miz, will his feud with R-Truth continue or will he also set his eyes on the WWE Championship?
What type of impact will Triple H have on the show? Will it be the beginning of his WrestleMania feud?
The Funkasaurus continues to roll, but when is he going to run into someone that can actually put up a fight?
What's next for Kane and John Cena? It looks like creative does not want to let go of this feud just yet.
If Johnny Ace gets fired, will a new general manager be named?

All of these questions will hopefully be answered on Raw, along with more definition on the path to the Elimination Chamber and the Road to WrestleMania.

Check out CM Punk's 10 Greatest Tweets at this link.

Follow @RobMani25

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1043773-wwe-royal-rumble-2012-results-what-can-we-expect-on-raw-tonight

St Louis Blues Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers Minnesota Wild Vancouver Canucks

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First let me say that this group is like being the shortest Plumlee brother. Or the Plumlee brother that’s worst at basketball. The list of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks is indeed rarified air. These guys are just nowhere near the elite group of Joe Montana, Steve Young, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, John Elway [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/nfl/five-worst-super-bowl-winning-quarterbacks-of-all-time/

Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning Washington Capitals Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs

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After calling out Los Angeles Lakers brass for more of touches in the offense, Pau Gasol scored 28 points—a season-high—in a win versus the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night.

While the Lakers have been making a conscious effort to get their bigs the ball the last three games after forcing the offense through Kobe Bryant for the majority of the season, it still hasn't been enough.

Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum need to be averaging a combined 35 shot attempts per game.

If the Lakers are going to have any success moving forward, they need to run the majority of their offense through their bigs—namely Pau Gasol.

Let's hit the chalkboard and look at five ways Mike Brown can run the offense through the seven-foot Spaniard.

Begin Slideshow

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1044506-pau-gasol-5-ways-to-run-the-offense-through-the-los-angeles-lakers-forward

San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett

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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post, For despite the perception that adoption of the hard cap has created a league-wide utopia of parity, the reality is there have been as many, if not more, chronic ne?er-do-wells in seven years under this system as existed in the NHL?s uncapped world.

Ten of the league?s 30 teams have not so much as won a playoff round in six years of cap tournaments, an increase of three teams when compared to the six seasons immediately leading into the lockout.

What?s more, over the last four playoffs, seven teams have accounted for 78 percent of the playoff series victories as opposed to the final four tournaments preceding the cancelled season during which 11 teams accounted for 76 percent of series victories.

The cap lowered the bar, there is no doubt about that, though organizations such as the Bruins, Red Wings, Canucks, Penguins and Flyers ? all of which have gone about it slightly differently ? have managed to attain a consistent level of excellence even allowing for the obstacles presented by the collective bargaining agreement.

read on

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/does_a_hard_salary_cap_really_matter/

Colton Gilies Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan Bryan Allen Mark Cullen

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This article is going to take the guesswork out of National Signing Day.

There are still a ton of uncommitted talented players whose future home is a question mark, but have left enough clues for us to deduce where they will be headed.

Let's dive into those clues and deduce where the top three uncommitted players are headed (player ranking according to ESPN).

WR Dorial Green-Beckham

Overall Rank: 3

Green-Beckham has had colleges drooling over him for a year. He is a talented wide receiver with skills in a 6'6", 220-pound frame.

He has not released a list of finalists, but the main competition seems to be between Texas, Arkansas and Missouri.

Ultimately, he is going to choose Arkansas. They have a great system to fit his skills, and if he was going to stay in-state and sign with Missouri, he would have already made that announcement.

Projected School: Arkansas

ATH Davonte Neal

Overall Rank: 8

Neal is an explosive player who excelled as a corner and a receiver in high school. He will likely end up as a corner in college due to his 5'10" stature, but no matter which side of the ball he ends up on, he is going to be an exciting return man.

Neal is from Arizona, and that is where he is going to stay. Arkansas appeared to be the early favorite here, but that all changed when the Wildcats hired Rich Rodriguez.

Rich Rod has been going hard after Neal, who scheduled an official visit to Arizona for February 11th. Not long after that visit he will announce that is where he is going to play.

Projected School: Arizona

OT Andrus Peat

Overall Rank: 9

This massive offensive lineman has his choice of schools, most notably by Pac-12 schools and Nebraska.

Peat's brother plays for Nebraska, which has led many to peg the Cornhuskers as the favorites. However, they are not going to win this battle. That honor is going to Stanford—even if Peat doesn't realize it yet.

Peat will not turn down the prestige of going to Stanford or the ability to be a part of what has turned into one of the best schools in the nation at producing NFL linemen.

Projected School: Stanford

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1044233-national-signing-day-predictions-projected-destinations-for-uncommitted-players

Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning Washington Capitals Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs

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Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/1/28/2755227/rangers-sign-kyle-hudson

Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals Jonathan Albaladejo

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Source: http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2011/9/8/2412785/ahl-all-star-game-2012-atlantic-city

Brad Davis Logan Morrison Mike Stanton Josh Bailey Mark Eaton Trent Hunter

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Every year at the NFL draft, there is that awkward moment when one player drops way below where he was expected to be taken and is constantly shown by ESPN's cameras.

I always feel bad for that player.

I can't predict which players that will be this year, but I can guess at which elite talents will drop further down the draft than their abilities would suggest they should.

Let's take a look.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

I still believe the Colts and Browns or Redskins might be trade partners before all is said and done. But with Peyton Manning's future remaining uncertain, I'm keeping the Colts at this slot for now.

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor*

There is no way the Redskins are going to miss out on one of the top two quarterbacks in this draft. They desperately need a young talent at the position to excite the fanbase, and they'll do what they have to in a trade to make sure they land him.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Vikings would be wise to select Kalil as protection for last year's first-round pick, quarterback Christian Ponder.

4. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Colt McCoy may not be the long-term solution at quarterback, but it's hard to fairly judge him without first giving him some weapons.

Enter Justin Blackmon. You're welcome, Mr. McCoy.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Bucs will be thrilled to upgrade the cornerback position with the best defensive player in this draft, Morris Claiborne.

6. St. Louis Rams: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

The Rams get a much-needed weapon for quarterback Sam Bradford.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

After just missing out on the top two receivers, the Jags will be happy to solidify a position wracked by injuries last season with the NFL-ready Gilmore.

8. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The Panthers will find their replacement for Julius Peppers in the defensive end from North Carolina—who has the ability to both make an impact rushing the passer like rookie Aldon Smith did for San Francisco—and play every down and stop the run, something Smith didn't do.

Paired with defensive end Charles Johnson, Coples would give the Panthers a scary pass rushing combo for years to come.

9. Miami Dolphins: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Dolphins need a solid right tackle. Reiff fills a big need.

10. Buffalo Bills: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Bills need a pass rusher and are likely to play more four-man fronts under new defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt. Ingram is the perfect fit.

11. Seattle Seahawks: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

The Seahawks could use another edge rusher to pair with Chris Clemons. They get that player in Mercilus, who is merciless to opposing quarterbacks.

12. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Chiefs will be thrilled to pair Richardson with electric playmaker Jamaal Charles, and will be even more thrilled that an elite talent like Richardson falls to them with the 12th pick. Though Richardson has top-five talent, teams have shied away from selecting running backs so early in the first round.

Kansas City is a team that is set up to win the AFC West next year. They get Charles, Matt Cassel, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki back from injuries. They played inspired football down the stretch under new coach Romeo Crennel.

Sometimes, you have to just take the best player on the board. Kansas City will be happy they did with Richardson.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Cardinals need a better left tackle to protect Kevin Kolb or John Skelton than Levi Brown. You're up, Jonathan Martin.

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Back-to-back Stanford picks—how exciting.

The Cowboys will be in the market for a guard, and they'll reach a bit to draft the top guard on the board.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Dont'a Hightower, MLB, Alabama

At some point, Andy Reid and the Eagles are going to recognize that they desperately need a solid player at linebacker.

I say they finally wake up this year and draft Hightower, who will instantly upgrade one of the worst linebacker groups is the NFL.

16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, USC

Upshaw will instantly upgrade the Jets pass rush and provide stability to the outside linebacker position.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama**

The Bengals will be thrilled to find a replacement for last season's free-agent defector, Jonathan Joseph.

Paring with Leon Hall, Kirkpatrick gives the Bengals one of the best young cornerback duos in the NFL and makes their defense truly scary heading into next season.

Kirkpatrick was a top-10 prospect before being arrested for possession of marijuana and will lose some serious money because of the incident.

After Jerome Simpson's offseason, the Bengals should probably be wary of a player like Kirkpatrick. But his talent level at this draft slot' and at a position of need, makes him too appealing to pass up.

18. San Diego Chargers: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

I fully expect Vincent Jackson to leave the Chargers this offseason. They'll quickly replace him with Floyd.

19. Chicago Bears: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

Jay Cutler will be quite pleased with this selection.

20. Tennessee Titans: Nick Perry, DE, USC

The Titans need to upgrade their pass rush. Perry is a high-ceiling selection who should help them do just that.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

The speedy and shifty Miller is the perfect complement to the tough running of Cedric Benson, and he will carry a much-needed share of the load next season and provide the Bengals with another fun weapon along with wide receiver A.J. Green.

22. Cleveland Browns: Chris Polk, RB, Washington

I don't expect Peyton Hillis to return and Montario Hardesty is injury prone.

Cleveland will be happy to add Polk, and Colt McCoy and Browns fans everywhere will be thrilled that the team finally added some talent to the skill positions in this draft.

23. Detroit Lions: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

Detroit fills a need with this pick. It isn't sexy, but it's smart.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

Anywhere else and I'd say Burfict would be a risky pick. He has crazy athletic ability and would probably be a top-10 pick if he also wasn't, well, a little bit crazy.

But with the Steelers, it's almost a guarantee he becomes a star, isn't it? If he drops to them, it seems highly likely he'll become another star in the NFL.

Burfict may not like that his character issues drop him down the draft board, but he'll end up in the best possible situation if Pittsburgh drafts him.

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

John Fox will be happy to further improve an up-and-coming defense with this selection.

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The speedy Wright is the perfect complement to all-world receiver Andre Johnson.

27. New England Patriots: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

The Patriots secondary was brutal this year. Belichick will take his chances with Jenkins' character issues and land one of the steals in this draft.

Jenkins is another player with elite talent who has seen his stock drop in a major way after being dismissed from the University of Florida in April.

The Patriots, desperate for an upgrade at corner, will select the highly talented Jenkins and provide him with an environment he'll flourish in.

28. Green Bay Packers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Another steal this late, Brockers will replace the loss of Cullen Jenkins from last offseason, a player the Packers desperately missed this year.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

Baltimore knows their bread and butter is defense. They draft accordingly.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

The 49ers receivers don't scare many people. Sanu is an instant upgrade to an up-and-coming NFC power.

31. New York Giants: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Giants know you can never have enough good cornerbacks in today's NFL, and they use a first-round pick on a cornerback for a second straight season.

32. New England Patriots: Wilson Chandler, OLB, Syracuse

No, they probably won't keep this pick. But some help at linebacker wouldn't hurt if they do stay here.

* The Redskins, worried the Browns might take Robert Griffin III at No. 4, trade the sixth pick in the first round, along with their second and fourth-round pick this year and second-round pick next year for St. Louis' second overall pick.

** From Oakland in the Carson Palmer trade.

*** From New Orleans in last year's Mark Ingram trade.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets are chicken soup for the Internet soul.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1043862-2012-nfl-mock-draft-trent-richardson-and-top-talents-that-will-drop-in-draft

St Louis Blues Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers Minnesota Wild Vancouver Canucks

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Over the years I have often written about how much better the West Conference is than the East Conference. When we look at the head-to-head record, the West Conference has had a much better record. So far this season the West Conference has had a better inter-conference record. They have a 92-89 record with 26 regulation tie points. This makes the conferences much closer than they had been in the past.

In the past, I explained the difference as being due to the difference in travel between the conferences. The West Conference has significantly more travel over a season than the East Conference does as the West has teams in four different time zones and the East is entirely in the eastern time zone. This makes East Conference records better than they otherwise would be and it makes West Conference records worse. This makes West Conference teams better able to get early draft picks and thus draft better players. East players tend to put up better numbers as they have life easier. This leads to them getting bigger contracts and in a salary capped NHL this limits your team?s spending ability.

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/east_conference_catching_up/

New York Rangers Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins Boston Bruins Buffalo Sabres Montreal Canadiens

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When walking onto press row for Illini versus Michigan State last night, out of the corner of my eye I noticed what I thought was Erin Andrews and thought to myself “well, I guess EA dyed her hair.” Turns out it wasn’t EA at all, but a ESPN newbie who’s taking a lot of the [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/college-bball/espns-jill-montgomery-the-new-erin-andrews-possibly/

Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays chicago blackhawks columbus blue jackets detroit red wings

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Source: http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/1/26/2735558/thursday-morning-fly-by-its-not-quantity-its-quality

Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw

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I was startled to discover a hard fact for New York Knicks' fans to swallow and that is that they and the New Jersey Nets are both sporting the same record, 7-13.

When the season began, there was no doubt in anybody's mind which team was better between the two. While it seemed one team had all its ducks in a row, the other was (and still is) desperate to make a huge trade for the best center in the NBA.

About one-third of the way into the season, the Knicks have been an utter disaster. They've sported a losing record since acquiring Carmelo Anthony last year and have been pitiful offensively so far this season. By far, they are the biggest disappointment in the NBA this year.

Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire can't seem to co-exist and head coach Mike D'Antoni is feeling his seat getting hotter by the day. The Knicks find themselves being booed off the Madison Square Garden floor on a nightly basis.

On the other hand, the New Jersey Nets have been a pretty pleasant surprise so far. Sure their record doesn't look so great, but it's still the same as New York's. And they might not have the level of talent the Knicks do, but the effort on both sides of the ball is showing that Avery Johnson can get the most out of a bad team.

Johnson has also done a good job getting his team's mind off the distractions and keeping it on basketball. All the Deron Williams trade rumors are enough to throw a team off, but add Kris Humphries' daily media circus and you have a reason for concern.

Yet, not only have both Williams and Humphries played well through the mess created by either themselves or the media, the team as a whole has played through the distractions quite well. Even rookie MarShon Brooks has shown flashes of brilliance on the floor and is proving to be the steal of the 2012 draft class.

New Jersey's playoff hopes stand a fighting chance if they can continue to play at this pace through the All-Star break. They have a real shot to land Dwight Howard and will do so at all costs.

A major difference between these two teams exists that can't be overlooked.

While the Nets' lackluster play at 7-13 isn't great, it's still a good start for a team that has zero expectations this year. And because of the lack of expectations put on this New Jersey roster, positives can still be found with a poor record.

Meanwhile, the Knicks' 7-13 record has a much different outlook. It's a huge disappointment for a team that was instantly slated to be a top-five team in the Eastern Conference. Now, New York will be lucky to make the playoffs.

It just goes to show you that expectations mean nothing and record means everything. If we had just skipped the regular season and based the playoffs on what team's looked like on paper, the Knicks would be in and the Nets would be out.

But at this point say what you want about each team's starting five and what they look like on paper, on January 29th, one is no better than the other. After two straight wins for the Nets, it's New Jersey moving in a positive direction while the Knicks are moving in a negative one.

One thing's for certain: the Knicks' horrid start to this season is helping the Nets look better than your average 7-13 team and I'm sure New Jersey doesn't mind that one bit.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1043558-new-jersey-nets-and-new-york-knicks-have-same-record-different-outlook

Nick Spaling Pikka Rinne Mathieu Carle Lars Eller Hal Gill John Madden