Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Joe Montana has the perfect response for Bo, Flutie and Herschel


MontanOWNED.


I guess this is empirical evidence that the Super Bowl > the Heisman. I mean, you get paid for winning the Super Bowl. That seems nice.






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The undisputed best things that happened on the Sports Internet in 2014


We sure had fun online in 2014. Here's the proof.


Slide in your DMs like


If you are Sliding Into Someone's DMs, you are (A) Direct messaging them to flirt or (B) sending a dumb joke tweet. Sports helps with either, tbh.


(1) The Winter Classic


(2) Lance Stephenson


(3) Shaq It Off


(4) LeBron


(5) The Rock



Animal of the Year


Never forget that Nature was the original sports.


(1) DMX Llama


(2) Hank the Dog



(3) Hero Cat


(4) Hero Dog


(5) Treadmill Teddy Bear Dog


Best of the Random Deep Sea of Sports(-ish) Vines


Vine is the best thing that happened to Sports in 2014.


(1) Crack Kid


(2) Marlins Kid


(3) Little kid getting crossed up


(4) Magic Pool Dive


Sports Person Tweet of the Year


N E V E R T W E E T


(1) Joel Embiid





(2) Arian Foster



(3) John Calipari



(4) Jon Ryan



(5) The Queen photobomb



The best of Gronk


The 5 Times Gronk Gronk'd Harder Than Anyone in 2014.


(1) Gronk with kittens!



(2) Gronk supports his lineman


(3) Gronk needs a big sausage


(4) Gronk wearing No. 69



(5) Merry Christmas from "Roberto Gronkowski"


Butt of the Year


2014 was a big year for butts. Sports was no different.


Buttgoal!


Buttslide!


Butttweet



Buttbowl



Buttfumble, explained.



#YearofthePony


In 2014, "Pony" became the official anthem of SB Nation. Thank god.


(1) Bartolo Colon-y


(2) Evan Longoria riding a pony, set to Pony.


(3) Peyton Manning dancing to Pony.


(4) Lance Stephenson, set to Pony.


(5) Evgeni Plushenko, set to Pony


Resolution for 2015: Let's have even more fun online! Together!





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Ravens vs. Steelers: Odds, spread and wild card betting preview


Baltimore and Pittsburgh's latest rivalry game comes in the postseason this Saturday night.


The Baltimore Ravens are just 1-4 ATS and 2-3 SU in their last five games against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens will try to top the Steelers this Saturday night in a Wild Card Weekend betting matchup at 8:15pm ET at Heinz Field.



Baltimore is a 3-point road underdog on Saturday according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com . Pittsburgh's home field advantage of late makes the Steelers look like the play in what should be a close game.



OddsShark Computer Prediction : Baltimore 28.8, Pittsburgh 33.1



Despite failing to cover the spread in each of their last three games, the Baltimore Ravens went 2-1 SU to earn the final AFC Wild Card spot into the postseason. Offseason acquisitions of running back Justin Forsett and wideout Steve Smith helped Baltimore's offense immensely this season as the two led the team in rushing and receiving respectively this year. The Ravens will try to break out of a 1-6 SU and ATS slump in their last seven road games against AFC North opponents.



With a 4-0 SU and ATS record over their last four games including two wins over Cincinnati and wins over Atlanta and Kansas City, the Pittsburgh Steelers locked up the AFC North with an 11-5 SU and 9-7 ATS record. Pittsburgh's offense was outstanding all around this season but it received a big scare last week against Cincinnati as Le'Veon Bell left the game with an injury. Bell didn't suffer any ligament damage, but he is not expected to be at 100% this week against Baltimore. The Steelers are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games against divisional opponents according to the OddsShark NFL Database .



The OVER is 11-0 in Pittsburgh's last 11 playoff home games and 4-0 in Baltimore's last four divisional road games. The total is set at 46.5 points at the sportsbooks.



Each of the previous five games in this rivalry were decided by a field goal or less before this season, which was split 1-1 as the home team won by 20 in both of their two meetings. Both of these teams are 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five playoff games. These two teams are always tough to predict, but at home, Pittsburgh should be able to win and cover.






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Bengals vs. Colts: Odds, spread, wild card betting, preview, prediction


Cincinnati looking for a rare playoff win on the road this Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.


The Cincinnati Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1990, going 0-6 SU and ATS in their last six postseason games since then. The Bengals hope to turn things around this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis against the Colts in a 1:05pm ET kickoff.



Cincinnati is a 4-point road underdog against Indianapolis according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com . Indianapolis has already blown Cincinnati out once at home this year and should be able to pick up another win and cover this Sunday at home, even though the computer thinks it will be a tight game.



OddsShark Computer Prediction : Cincinnati 26.1, Indianapolis 27



The Bengals finished the season off with a respectable 10-5-1 SU and 8-7-1 ATS record to lock up their Wild Card spot. A 37-28 home win over Denver put Cincinnati in a position to win the AFC North with a win over Pittsburgh in Week 17, but a 27-17 loss sent the Bengals to the playoffs as a Wild Card team instead. The loss marked another tough day for Andy Dalton, who has thrown just 19 touchdown passes this season with 17 interceptions. Cincinnati is 2-8 SU and 4-6 ATS in its last 10 games against the Colts.



After starting the season off 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS, the Colts finished the year on an 11-3 SU and 9-4-1 ATS run to lock up the AFC South and the fourth seed in the AFC. Andrew Luck was the only quarterback in the NFL to hit 40 touchdown passes this season and finished third in passing yards with 4,761. Indianapolis is 8-2 SU and ATS over its last 10 home games against AFC North opponents according to the OddsShark NFL Database and will try to break out of a 1-4 SU and ATS playoff slump this week.



The UNDER is 6-0 in Cincinnati's last six road games and 13-2 in Indianapolis' last 15 home games against AFC North teams. Sunday's total is set at 49 points for this Bengals vs. Colts betting matchup .



Indianapolis has the clear edge at quarterback in Andrew Luck over Andy Dalton and the Colts also have home field advantage in this one. The Colts beat Cincinnati 27-0 last time around and should get another win and cover as a 4-point favorite on Sunday.






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Washington GM Bruce Allen assures fans 'we're winning off the field'


You'd never guess Washington finished 4-12 after listening to the general manager's Wednesday morning assessment.


Washington general manager Bruce Allen delivered his year-end press conference on Wednesday morning. Good news, beleaguered fans of the 4-12 team, everything's coming up roses.


Every year-end press conference from every NFL coach and GM is stuffed with sunny optimism, but Allen's crossed the line from the typical spin to delusional fun. Let's assess.




Offseason champs!




That was never more clear than the RG3 benching saga.








That's the spirit!




Probably as soon as next year, which give Washington back-to-back-to-back losing seasons ... something they've done before.


And how did people react?






Washington did at least make one sensible move since the season ended, firing defensive coordinator Jim Haslett after FIVE YEARS of terrible defense. But the team is bringing back Allen and forcing head coach Jay Gruden and social media maven RG3 to try and get along next year.


2015 is going to be a great year for the Washington NFL team.






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United States vs. Canada, World Junior Hockey Championships 2015: Time, TV schedule and live stream


It's time for one of the most anticipated hockey events of the year: the United States vs. Canada at the World Juniors on New Years Eve.


It's time for a New Year's Eve tradition. No, not lots of champagne or a kiss at midnight. Not watching the ball drop in Times Square. It's the United States vs. Canada, on the ice, head-to-head at the World Junior Hockey Championship.


As is so often the case, the two teams -- comprised of each nation's best under-20 hockey talent -- enter the battle undefeated so far in group play at this year's WJC. Canada has a slight one-point edge in the standings over the Americans, having won all three of their games in regulation, while the USA needed a shootout to beat Finland on the first day of the tournament. But since the winner of Wednesday's matchup will earn three points, the first-place spot in Group A and thus a better position once the knockout round begins is on the line when these two rivals face off.


The hype around this game is a little higher than usual, though. It's more than just two great hockey nations facing off on a big stage this time. It has NHL implications, and it will be the first time that Canada's Connor McDavid and USA's Jack Eichel, expected to go one-two in the 2015 NHL Draft, face off against one another. Each roster is loaded with draft-eligible talent, and that talent has made noise all tournament long on both teams, but let's not kid ourselves: Eichel and McDavid are the reasons to watch.


Canada's the all-time leader in World Junior gold medals, winning 15 since the tournament began in 1977. Neither the United States or Canada medaled a year ago in Sweden, but the Americans have had the better of Canada in recent years, winning gold twice (2013 and 2010) since Canada's last title (2009).


Attendance has been weak at Bell Centre in Montreal for many of the games so far this tournament, but that's not expected to be the case on New Years Eve for the most-anticipated battle of the event.


Eric Comrie will start in goal for Canada. Thatcher Demko will start for the United States.


United States vs. Canada


Group A | 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship

4 p.m. ET | Bell Centre, Montreal


Watch in the USA on NHL Network, NHL.com

Watch in Canada on TSN, TSN.ca


Canada lineup


16 Max Domi - 23 Sam Reinhart - 10 Anthony Duclair

21 Nick Ritchie - 17 Connor McDavid - 26 Curtis Lazar

20 Nick Paul - 19 Nic Petan - 29 Robby Fabbri

28 Lawson Crouse - 22 Frederik Gauthier - 18 Jake Virtanen

9 Brayden Point


25 Darnell Nurse - 6 Shea Theodore

7 Josh Morrissey - 4 Madison Bowey

5 Samuel Morin - 2 Joe Hicketts

3 Dylan Heatherington


1 Eric Comrie - 31 Zachary Fucale


USA lineup


14 Tyler Motte - 9 Jack Eichel - 17 Alex Tuch

11 Miles Wood - 34 Auston Matthews - 8 Nick Schmaltz

13 Sonny Milano - 21 Dylan Larkin - 22 Hudson Fasching

10 Anthony Louis - 7 J.T. Compher - 15 John Hayden

18 Chase De Leo


4 Will Butcher - 26 Brandon Carlo

2 Noah Hanifin - 3 Ian McCoshen

23 Zach Werenski - 24 Anthony DeAngelo

6 Ryan Collins


30 Thatcher Demko - 29 Brandon Halverson






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Bill Belichick's new half-pants are incredible


First Bill Belichick smiled. Now this:




It's a real banner year for Belichick podium weirdness. We hope it continues into the new year. Also, please wear your rad capris on the sidelines during the postseason, Bill. Let your freak flag fly.






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Quin Snyder stared at his players for an entire timeout




That's it. Forget all the Knute Rockne speeches and anything Gregg Popovich does. We just discovered the scariest thing a coach can do to his players. Imagine THIS face staring at you.


snyder


(Via @cjzero)


I DO NOT want to disappoint that face.






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Wednesday's big bowl schedule and key Peach, Fiesta, and Orange Bowl matchups


Stage 3 of bowl season begins today, as five top-12 teams and six top-20 teams take the field. Here are the key battles to watch as we count down to the new year with the Peach, Fiesta, and Orange Bowls.


The New Year's Six bowls begin on Wednesday, completing the slow, steady ramping up of bowl season. After Stage 1 of bowl season (pre-Christmas, mid-major battles) came a fun Stage 2 (post-Christmas games between mostly 7-5 and 8-4 power teams). Now it's time for the two-day, Stage 3 main event.


Here are the most important matchups for Wednesday's bowls.


Bo Wallace vs. the TCU secondary


Peach Bowl (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, WatchESPN)

No. 6 TCU Horned Frogs (11-1) vs. No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels (9-3)


It backfires when you speak with certainty about college football. This sport has a way of pantsing you every time you start to think you know what's going on. Still ... I don't see Ole Miss running the ball very well against TCU. At all.


Jaylen Walton's 91-yard romp against Mississippi State raised his 2014 per-carry average from 5.1 to 5.9, and fellow backs Jordan Wilkins (73-yarder), I'Tavius Mathers (56), and Mark Dodson (65) have seen their averages bumped up by singularly explosive runs. Efficiency isn't a Rebel strong suit, however. Even with the big plays, Ole Miss' offense ranks 37th in Rushing S&P+; TCU's defense: sixth.


Ole Miss' running game ranks an abysmal 120th in Stuff Rate, with 25.2 percent of its runs getting stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage. TCU's defense ranks eighth.


In turn, this game might come down to Bo Wallace on passing downs. He's been good at them this year, all things considered. Ole Miss ranks 123rd in passing downs run rate, and Wallace is passing 80 percent of the time when the Rebels fall behind schedule. And despite the loss of star receiver Laquon Treadwell, he has managed to hit the trio of Vince Sanders, Cody Core, and tight end Evan Engram frequently. If he has time to find an open receiver (which is likely against an average TCU pass rush), he'll find one.


If Ole Miss can't stay ahead of schedule or catch back up, TCU might leverage the Rebels into failure. The Horned Frogs are second in the country in field position margin; their average starting field position is 9.6 yards better than their opponents'. They render you inefficient, they hit you with high tempo on offense, and even if you stop that offense a few times, you won't all game.


Ole Miss isn't much of a field position team (48th in field position margin), but it hasn't cost the Rebels because of big offensive plays and a dominant Land Shark defense that combines big-play prevention (first in defensive IsoPPP) with chaos (10th in Havoc Rate). They will give you yards if you remain patient (TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin is pretty patient), but the Horned Frogs will need the field position boost to put points on the board. They might get it, unless Wallace finds success against Sam Carter, Chris Hackett, and the speedy TCU secondary.


Wildcats vs. Broncos vs. fast starts


Fiesta Bowl (4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN, WatchESPN)

No. 10 Arizona Wildcats (10-3) vs. No. 20 Boise State Broncos (11-2)


Arizona has outscored opponents, 106-58, in the first quarter. Boise State has outscored opponents, 132-94. The Broncos have been better in the second quarter, and the Wildcats have been better in the fourth, but the way this game begins will have a significant impact for three reasons.


First, this is a first-time big game for most of the participants. Arizona hasn't played in what we now consider a major bowl game since Dick Tomey's Wildcats throttled Miami in the 1994 Fiesta. And while this is Boise State's third Fiesta in nine seasons, it's the Broncos' first since 2009, when fifth-year seniors were getting ready to sign their letters of intent. This isn't a Playoff game, but jitters could play a role, and whoever manages them better could carve out a lasting advantage. If either offense quickly goes three-and-out, that could have a similar effect.


Second, both Boise State and Arizona utilize fast tempo. If one offense is in a better groove, it could have a cumulative effect on the opposing defense.


Third, both of these offenses are better on standard downs and don't handle must-pass situations (like the ones early deficits create) well. Boise State ranks seventh in the country in Standard Downs S&P+ but 33rd on passing downs. Quarterback Grant Hedrick has completed 74 percent of his passes on first and second down, with 17 touchdowns to eight interceptions; on third downs, he's at 61 percent with a 5-to-5 TD-to-INT ratio. Hedrick has one of the best standard downs weapons in the country in junior Shane Williams-Rhodes, who has caught an incredible 47 of 48 passes for 406 yards on such downs. But if Hedrick has to look downfield, he has sophomore Thomas Sperbeck (63 percent catch rate, 10.2 yards per target on PDs).


And of course, there's the matter of accounting for Scooby Wright III, Arizona's leading tackler and a pass rush dynamo. He and his 28 tackles for loss (and 14 sacks) are the primary reasons why the Wildcats have the second-best passing downs sack rate in the country at 14.4 percent.


Boise State's defense has similar advantages. The Broncos rank 14th in Passing Downs S&P+, while Arizona's offense ranks 80th. Sophomore defensive end Kamalei Correa erupted for 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss, impressive totals for a non-Scooby mortal.


Arizona's Anu Solomon had an incredible campaign for a freshman quarterback, but his passer rating falls from the 130s to the 110s on third down, and on third-and-7 or more, he's just 34-for-67 with three touchdowns and two interceptions. This Arizona offense can wear you down if it stays ahead of schedule, but if Boise State is able to cut down on first-down ground gains, the Broncos could seize the advantage.


Dak Prescott vs. disaster


Orange Bowl (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN, WatchESPN)

No. 7 Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-2) vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (10-3)


Georgia Tech had an incredible resurgence in Paul Johnson's seventh year. After going 7-7 and 7-6 in the past two seasons, the Ramblin' Wreck rebounded to 10-3 and came within three points of taking down Florida State and winning the ACC. His option offense, led by quarterback Justin Thomas (965 rushing yards, 1,594 passing yards) and fullbacks Synjyn Days and Zach Laskey (combined: 1,541 rushing yards and 15 scores), has been as good as ever. Actually, it's been better. Tech ranks first in the country in Off. F/+. You know what the Yellow Jackets are going to do, but damned if you can stop it.


Tech's defense has not made similar gains. Despite coordinator changes, it has been the wrong kind of consistent, ranking 58th in Def. F/+ in 2012, 57th in 2013, and 58th in 2014. In losses to North Carolina (48-43) and Florida State (37-35), Tech allowed 42.5 points per game and 7.1 yards per play. They also won while allowing 8.8 yards per play to Georgia Southern, 8.0 to Miami, and 8.0 to Pitt, but none of those teams has Mississippi State's defense.


Allow the MSU offense to go wild, and Tech's own offense will likely falter, especially if having extra prep time helps the Bulldogs' D.


Mississippi State is the favorite because, simply, it plays well on both sides of the ball. The offense slipped down the stretch in losses (against great defenses), and the defense didn't hold up its end of the bargain in allowing 532 yards to Ole Miss. But the Bulldogs still rank 14th in Off. F/+, ninth in Def. F/+, and sixth overall.


This game will probably be defined by the two to three plays in which Dak Prescott goes off-script. The junior from Haughton, La., has thrown for 2,996 yards and rushed for 1,048 pre-sack yards and has been responsible for 37 touchdowns. When he's in a zone, he's incredible; he made himself a Heisman candidate over the first half of the season with dominant performances against LSU (15-for-24 for 268 yards, 22 carries for 105) and Texas A&M (20-for-26 for 268 yards, three rushing touchdowns).


But a few times each game, Prescott will lose his mind. Sometimes that's a good thing, as evidenced by a wonderful, improvised touchdown against LSU. And sometimes that's not good. He threw three interceptions against Alabama, all inside the Bama 25. He has all the confidence in the world, but if Tech can turn that confidence into turnovers, the Yellow Jackets could control the ball. But if those improvised moments turn into big plays, Tech's done.






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Mark Richt's excellent response to weird retirement rumors


Every year this comes up, and every year the coach shoots it down.


When your ranked team stomps another ranked team in a bowl game, as a head coach you usually start fielding questions about high expectations for next season. When you're Georgia's Mark Richt, people ask you about if you're retiring.


The Bulldogs beat Louisville 37-14 in the Belk Bowl Tuesday, led by 233 yards from true freshman running back Nick Chubb. Richt had some fun with the curious rumors, even bringing in his star running back into the conversation.



Richt, 54, has posted a 136-48 record in 14 season with the Bulldogs, with two conference championships and six division titles. Georgia just missed out on another division title this season, but will likely be the SEC East favorite next preseason.






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NHL schedule 2014: Ducks, Sharks headlines NYE schedule


The NHL has 11 games slated for New Year's Eve, highlighted out west by the Ducks and Sharks doing battle at the Honda Center in Anaheim.


The Anaheim Ducks host the San Jose Sharks in a Pacific Division showdown on Wednesday evening, highlighting an 11-game NHL schedule on New Year's Eve.


The Ducks (24-8-6) lead the NHL with 54 points, and hold an 11-point division lead over the Sharks (19-12-5), who lost at home to Vancouver on Tuesday night. Both the Ducks and Sharks are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Anaheim is 12-3-3 at home this season.


San Jose has won two of its three meetings with the Ducks this season, with the only loss coming in overtime in Anaheim on Dec. 22.


Elsewhere on Wednesday's slate, the New York Islanders (24-11-1), tied for first place in the Metropolitan Division with Pittsburgh, head north to face the Winnipeg Jets (19-11-7), and the Boston Bruins (19-15-3) host the Toronto Maple Leafs (20-14-3) in an Atlantic Division showdown.


Here is the full Wednesday schedule (all times Eastern).

























































































Matchup Time Visitor TV Home TV National TV
NY Islanders at Winnipeg5 p.m.MSG+
Tampa Bay at Buffalo6 p.m.Sun SportsMSG-B
NY Rangers at Florida6 p.m.MSG 2FS Florida
Toronto at Boston7 p.m. NESN
Carolina at Pittsburgh7 p.m.FS CarolinaROOT
Minnesota at Columbus7 p.m.FS NorthFS Ohio
New Jersey at Detroit7:30 p.m.MSG+FS Detroit
San Jose at Anaheim8 p.m.CSN CAFS West
Arizona at Dallas8 p.m.FS Arizona+FS Southwest
Philadelphia at Colorado9 p.m.CSN PhillyAlt
Edmonton at Calgary9:30 p.m.





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Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech Orange Bowl betting odds guide and prediction


Georgia Tech looks for another upset over an SEC team, facing Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl.


The Mississippi State Bulldogs are 6-3 straight up and against the spread in nine bowl appearances since 1995. The Bulldogs will look to add another bowl win against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Orange Bowl at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday (ESPN) at Sun Life Stadium.



Mississippi State is a 6.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com . Georgia Tech's excellent play down the stretch of its season and Mississippi State's potential letdown factor in this game point to Georgia Tech as a good value at +6.5 points – even if the computer thinks the matchup might be a blowout.



OddsShark Computer Prediction : Georgia Tech 21, Mississippi State 39.7



A 9-0 SU and 5-4 ATS start to the season in the SEC West separated Mississippi State from the pack and catapulted the Bulldogs up to No. 1 in all of the polls. But with two losses over their last three games, the Bulldogs went from No. 1 in the country to outside of the playoffs in just 15 days. Will this big drop have an effect on Mississippi State's ability to get motivated for the Orange Bowl on Wednesday, or will the team still bring its best effort? The Bulldogs were just 2-4 ATS over their last six games.



The Yellow Jackets shook off back-to-back losses to Duke and North Carolina back in October to put together an excellent run of football down the stretch. Georgia Tech went 5-1 SU and 6-0 ATS over its final six games, pulling off impressive upsets over Pittsburgh, Clemson and Georgia and falling just short of upsetting Florida State in the ACC Championship Game. With only two wins in their last 10 bowl appearances, the Yellow Jackets would love to earn a bowl win on New Year's Eve.



Wednesday's total is set at 61.5 points on the college football betting lines at the sportsbooks. The UNDER is 3-0 over Mississippi State's last three games and 6-2 in the past eight Orange Bowl matchups.



Considering how well Georgia Tech has played over the last two months, it seems probable that the Yellow Jackets could at least keep this one close as 6.5-point underdogs. It feels even more probable when Mississippi State might come in flat after coming so close to making the playoffs.






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David Blatt has little public support within Cavaliers


A lack of support in the locker room for Blatt could sink the coach's time in Cleveland.


With the losses and injuries piling up at an unexpected rate in Cleveland, the Cavaliers' David Blatt is a coach in need of some public support. However, the team has left Blatt "a man on an island" with a group that doesn't seem to be connecting with the coach, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.


"If David Blatt has any chance of succeeding in Cleveland, somebody has to have the guy’s back," Lloyd wrote. "And right now it feels like no one does. While rumors swirl about his future, the organization has remained silent."


Coming off a 109-101 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday -- the team's third in four games -- there's been spreading concern that Blatt and his players aren't on the same page. On Monday, ESPN reported that the Cavaliers were worried about the coach's "ability to reach the team," and two days later, the situation hasn't brightened up.


Star point guard Kyrie Irving appears to be the only player publicly supporting Blatt with any effort at this point, coming to the coach's defense several times in recent days. In the ESPN report, Irving said the team was in "a really good place." After the loss to Atlanta, Blatt lavished praise on the point guard.



"I just thought Kyrie played his heart out. I can’t say enough about that kid," Blatt said. "He’s just a wonderful, wonderful young man who understands what this is about and is doing everything he can to impact it in a positive way. I just think the world of that kid."



However, Irving ultimately isn't the driving force behind the Cavaliers, LeBron James is. And while reporters wait for the four-time MVP to make a strong statement supporting his coach, Lloyd says that Blatt "continues to lavish James with praise while his star continues to assault him with a million little paper cuts."


One of those "little paper cuts" likely came a couple days ago, when James responded to a question about Blatt's bond with the players by saying, "What other coach do we have?"


While LeBron did qualify that comment and make it clear he wasn't trying to undermine his coach, it was a telling moment for the relationship between the two. Instead of making a powerful endorsement of Blatt, the Cavs' franchise player said something much less confident.


So now that's two major reports in three days detailing the issues between Blatt and the Cavaliers, with more than half of the season remaining for Cleveland. That mean there's still a good deal of time for all sides to figure things out, but it also means the time to make a change before the final stretch is running out.


The Cavaliers entered this season with a talented roster, and the need for a coach who could parse through all that and put together a winning gameplan. Blatt may still be that man, but right now, it's getting awfully quiet in Cleveland when the coach could use a positive voice or two.






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Lions vs. Cowboys: Odds, spread, and wild card betting preview


The Lions are 7-point underdogs at the Cowboys for Sunday's NFC wild card game.


The Detroit Lions are just 3-7 SU and 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games away from home. The Lions will try to earn a road win this Sunday on Wild Card Weekend as they take on the Dallas Cowboys at 4:40pm ET at AT&T Stadium.



Detroit is the biggest underdog on the board this weekend at +7 according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com . With Ndamukong Suh out and the Lions reeling on offense, Dallas should be able to get the win and cover at home.



OddsShark Computer Prediction : Detroit 23.8, Dallas 30.9



The Lions had one of the best defenses in the NFL this season ranking second behind only Seattle in scoring defense and yardage allowed. But Detroit struggled on offense scoring only 20.1 points per game, leading to plenty of wins at 11-5 SU but not as many covers at 7-9 ATS. Ndamukong Suh got himself suspended from this week's game (barring a successful appeal) for an illegal stomp on Aaron Rodgers last week, taking away one of the most important elements of this defense. The Lions are 0-7 SU and 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven postseason games.



The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up a perfect 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS road record last week with a 44-17 blowout win over Washington. The Cowboys became just the 11th team in NFL history with an undefeated road record of 7-0 or better, and eight of those 10 teams have gone on to play in the Super Bowl or NFL Championship Game. Dallas entered the playoffs on a 4-0 SU and ATS run in which the offense averaged 41.3 points per game. The Cowboys are just 1-7 SU and 2-6 ATS in their last eight playoff games.



Sunday's total is set at 48 points at the sportsbooks. The OVER is 7-1 in the last eight meetings between these two teams according to the OddsShark NFL Database and 11-3 in Detroit's last 14 road games against NFC East opponents.



Both of these teams have struggled in the postseason in recent years, but one of them will break out of that slump this week. With the way Dallas is playing lately and with Detroit not at 100% on defense with Suh out, look for the Cowboys to win and cover as a 7-point home favorite.






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Why Jim Harbaugh left the NFL


The NFL media struggled to accept the idea of Jim Harbaugh leaving professional football to coach at Michigan. They overlooked what really drove his decision.


"The coaches keep the pressure on me, to be better than the last time, to get the best out of me. But see, I realize that. There is nothing older than yesterday's success.''


-- Jim Harbaugh on October 9, 1986 as Michigan's senior quarterback


Jim Harbaugh told me that 28 years ago in a one-on-one interview at Bicycle Jim's Restaurant in Ann Arbor. He was at Michigan, I was covering him and his team for the Detroit Free Press and we both fell under the allure and awe of then Michigan coach Bo Schembechler.


It wasn't any other way with Bo. Whether you played for him or wrote about him, his direct, blunt, candid and yet wisdom-filled sincerity took hold. As a player, Harbaugh disagreed with him. As a writer, I disagreed with him. But his persistence and integrity could not be denied. He made you think. He made you take a second look - and sometimes a third.


This is the essence of Jim Harbaugh, the blueprint he followed for his 14-year NFL playing career and for each of his head coaching stops at the University of San Diego, Stanford and with the San Francisco 49ers. His parents, Jack and Jackie, laid that foundation. Schembechler and Mike Ditka were coaches who helped cement it.


Harbaugh has returned to those roots. He called it a "homecoming.''


Becoming the 20th head coach at Michigan is something he said he had dreamed about. Now, he said, it is time to live it.


It is time, in part, because his relationships with 49ers management became so frosty and fractured that a split was in order. It appears it reached a pinnacle during contract talks before last season where the 49ers made him feel relatively worthless. If you make Jim Harbaugh feel unappreciated, unwanted, not worth it, he is not the type to hang around. It is time, in part, because there is a need at Michigan football and a call to answer. An open door, a wide-open embrace, appreciation and that feel of being wanted was a blanket tossed all over him by Michigan leadership. Michigan's need and approach captivated him.


"This is a decision I made from the heart,'' Harbaugh said.


Several pundits insisted that he would never leave NFL coaching. They did not understand the lingering pull of Bo or Harbaugh's love and loyalty to Michigan. His need to feel wanted. Appreciated. Comfortable. The need for his ego to be stroked and his heart to be touched.


He used to share with me at Michigan stories about how as a youth he kept individual statistics on his batting average in baseball, scoring average in basketball and touchdowns in football. He memorized them. Few peers wanted to play with the pre-teen Harbaugh because of his overwhelming competitiveness and ego. It was at Michigan that Harbaugh learned the soul of Schembechler's chief mantra: THE TEAM, THE TEAM, THE TEAM.


But that competitive fire lives. He just channels it better now.


His father first coached at Michigan under Schembechler in 1973. Harbaugh signed with Michigan as a student-athlete in 1982. And now this. A homecoming. A new challenge. In many ways, an inevitable one.


He said in his introductory news conference about recruiting that he will be selling something that he "believes in to the core.'' Selling something that he knows as well as "you know your name.'' That will not be a hard job, he said. He talked about relationships. Especially renewing spirited and meaningful ones at Michigan and in Ann Arbor.


And what he didn't say spoke volumes: That he left the 49ers with those kinds of relationships in tatters, broken, too ripped to mend.


He will not rest on what he has done in coaching. That's yesterday's success. He will push it all forward. He will push hard.


Jim Harbaugh came back to Michigan to fix, to heal what is broken. To re-emphasize what really matters to him. To find peace. To stand on the shoulders of so many men and to a place he respects. To rebuild what Schembechler built. To repay. To honor. To create happiness over hurt.


In Michigan. And in himself.






Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/12/31/7471193/why-jim-harbaugh-left-nfl-michigan
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The absolute worst shanks, chunks, duffs and golf shots of 2014

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Good morning. Here's the best NBA writing of 2014.


We finish the year with a special edition. Subscribe to get Good Morning It's Basketball in your inbox every weekday.


Good morning. In lieu of your normal roundup of daily links and idle thoughts, since it is the end of 2014, we wanted to share with you what we feel is the best basketball writing of the year (listed in no particular order). This will not be comprehensive because nothing can be. So if your awesome piece was left off, consider it more an oversight than snub. Also note that I included just two SB Nation pieces in the interest of some flavor of impartiality.


Thanks to Mike Prada and Paul Flannery for helping me round up the links. Enjoy!


"Ryan Anderson Tries to Move Forward" by Chris Ballard, Sports Illustrated. One of the most heartrending stories of the year, basketball or not. Ballard balanced the horror of depression and suicide with the hope for healing deftly.


"The sad last chapter of Donald Sterling's Life" by Ramona Shelburne, ESPN The Magazine. Shelburne was a major driver of the Sterling story all spring, and this tick-tock on the end of the saga was glorious both in its news value and 10,000-foot perspective.


"Why Isn't Delonte West in the NBA?" by David Haglund, Slate. More than a story specifically about West's virtual blacklisting from the NBA -- which the story is at its heart -- Haglund's piece looks at how mental illness can destroy relationships, careers and lives. A harrowing tale if you know anyone with serious mental illness (which is likely).


"All the Kings' Men" by Jonathan Abrams, Grantland. This was Abrams' oral history of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, which means I needed a glass of whiskey and four days to finish it. But it's so well-crafted that even someone who derives pain from that series can love it. Outside the oral history genre, Abrams' Eddie Griffin feature is worth noting. Abrams is so ridiculously good, and NBA fans are blessed he writes about our sport.


"How Kawhi Leonard revived the Spurs' fading dynasty" by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The NBA's best reporter always nails the Spurs, and this Finals feature on Kawhi -- published the same day as the next piece on this list, during the NBA Finals -- is no exception.


"The Reinvention of Chris Bosh" by Tom Haberstroh, ESPN.com. A wonderful look into the oft-criticized big man and how he learned to deal with the people who hated him. Also, it opens with a scene featuring a chihuahua in a pink dress, so ...


"Adam Silver is His Own Man" by Lee Jenkins, Sports Illustrated. As with Abrams, you could link multiple stories and no one would blink an eye. His timely Silver feature -- coming a few months after the commission took over, and in the midst of the Sterling crisis -- stands out even among his impossibly good oeuvre. An honorable mention for Jenkins' piece on Erik Spoelstra from this fall.


"Warriors, Mark Jackson and the Question of Race" by Marcus Thompson III, San Jose Mercury News. This is an excellent example of how powerful a column can be. MT3 deftly brings up a controversial thesis, diffuses kneejerk naysayers and critically analyzes a serious, impactful question.


"Death to Ringz" by Zach Lowe, Grantland. Lowe's Tuesday column is usually the best thing you'll read that day, so narrowing this down was difficult. His piece on legacies and championships in the key of Chris Paul was particularly good, though.


"Dirk Nowitzki's Legendary Journey" by Tim MacMahon, ESPNDallas.com. The oral history of Dirk. Speaks for itself. Marc Stein's companion piece is required reading, as well.


"Career Arc: Russell Westbrook" by Brian Phillips, Grantland. One of the best sportswriters in the nation, my favorite NBA personality. Match made in heaven.


"Doc's L.A. Story" by Paul Flannery, SBNation.com. Flannery went to Los Angeles to check in on Doc Rivers and the Clippers, and it was glorious.


"The New Sheriff in Town" by Sarak Kogod, SBNation.com. Kogod's profile of new players' union chief Michele Roberts hit every proper note and rounded out a character we'd gotten to know through soundbites. Oh, there are still soundbites, too.


See you Thursday, though in all likelihood a bit later than usual. Taylor Swift is hosting a New Year's Eve special, after all.



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Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/12/31/7472955/best-nba-writing-2014-gmib
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NFL playoff picks: Cowboys, Steelers favorites to win Wild Card games


The Wild Card round has arrived and our experts are here to tell you who's going on and who's going home.


At long last, the NFL playoffs are here. The first round will begin this weekend with four Wild Card matchups. The top two seeds from each conference will have to wait a week before their chance on the field. That means the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers will all be sitting at home resting this weekend. That doesn't, however, mean it won't be an entertaining weekend in the NFL. The four Wild Card games offer some intriguing matchups.


It will begin with the Arizona Cardinals at the Carolina Panthers Saturday afternoon. Carolina slipped into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed despite a 7-8-1 record thanks to a win on the road in Atlanta last week to clinch the NFC South. The Panthers host a Cardinals team that, after losing their top two quarterbacks to injury, faded down the stretch and got overtaken by the Seahawks for the NFC West title. Arizona signal caller Ryan Lindley, who lost in both of his starts after taking over for Drew Stanton, is expected to start over rookie Logan Thomas.


Next up is an AFC North showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field Saturday night. The Steelers clinched the division last week with a win over Cincinnati, while Baltimore clawed their way into the playoffs after the San Diego Chargers lost and relinquished the final Wild Card spot. The Ravens and Steelers split their season series, but the Week 9 game in Pittsburgh was a 43-23 win by the home team.


With home field out the window after the loss to the Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals now have to head on the road to Indianapolis, where they were shut out, 27-0, back in Week 7. Andy Dalton, who is still looking for his first playoff win, went 18-of-38 in that game for just 126 yards and Cincy rushed for just 32 yards.


The final game is the late Sunday afternoon showdown between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. Riding record-breaking performances from DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant, Dallas clinched the NFC East and a 12-4 record. Detroit lost out on the NFC North title after a rocky outing in Green Bay last week, but still comes in with an 11-5 mark. Dallas ranks No. 7 in total offense, while the Lions rank second in total defense, which should make for an intriguing game.


As a reminder, these are picks to win the game (not against the spread), so choose wisely and do your research before making your own predictions this week:






































































Week 17Ryan Van BibberStephen WhiteJoel ThormanDavid FucilloDanny KellyPFT CommenterMatt UffordOddsShark Computer
ARI @ CARCARCARARICARCARCARCARARI
BAL @ PITPITPITPITPITPITBALPITPIT
CIN @ INDCINCININDINDCINCINCININD
DET @ DALDALDALDALDALDALDETDALDAL

Our panel consists of: David Fucillo, SB Nation's fantasy guru; Danny Kelly, SB Nation NFL contributor; PFT Commenter, SB Nation's hot takes expert; Joel Thorman, SB Nation NFL blogs manager; Matt Ufford, editorial producer, SB Nation studios; Ryan Van Bibber, SB Nation's NFL editor; and Stephen White, retired NFL defensive end and SB Nation NFL contributor.






Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/12/31/7460047/nfl-playoff-picks-first-round-cowboys-lions-ravens-steelers-colts-bengals
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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

2014 Foster Farms Bowl final score: Stanford dominates Maryland, 45-21


The Stanford Cardinal were in complete control of the 13th annual Foster Farms Bowl, riding a powerful running attack and a strong defense to a 45-21 win over the Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.


Kevin Hogan threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns, completing 14 of 20 passes, and ran for 50 more yards on seven carries, leading the Cardinal attack. Stanford (8-5) failed to top 17 points in any of its five losses in 2014, but surpassed that by midway through the second quarter, taking a commanding 28-7 lead into halftime.


Hogan improved to 24-8 as a starter in his college career, and coupled with his victory in the 2013 Rose Bowl is the first Stanford quarterback with two bowl wins.


Stanford ran for 206 yards on the night, including three touchdowns and 49 yards for senior tailback Remound Wright.


Maryland (7-6) could only muster 222 total yards, including just eight yards on the ground against the Cardinal, which came into the game ranked second in the nation in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and fourth in total yards allowed per game (287).


Stefon Diggs caught 10 passes for 139 yards in a losing effort for Maryland.


One of the Terrapins' two touchdowns came on a 100-yard kickoff return by sophomore William Likely, though that only cut Stanford's lead to 28 points in the fourth quarter.


The Pac-12 is 6-2 all-time in the Foster Farms Bowl, which began in 2002 as the San Francisco Bowl. Stanford's win pushes the Pac-12 to 4-0 in 2014-2015 bowl games, with four bowl games remaining for the conference.






Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/12/31/7472505/stanford-maryland-game-results-foster-farms-bowl-2014
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Wind is wreaking havoc at the the Maryland-Stanford game


OH THE HUMANITY!


It's really windy in Santa Clara for Tuesday night's Foster Farms Bowl between Maryland and Stanford.



That's Maryland's kicker struggling during pre-game warm-ups.



The band, ball boy and a flag guy had problems too.


Let's watch the flag guy again...







Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/12/30/7472237/maryland-stanford-wind-fosters-farm-bowl-video
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