HP Byron Nelson Championship

After the big event last week (The Players Championship), we're keeping it light this week for the Byron Nelson Championship. For our Pick 5 Challenge, each of us simply listed the first five guys that popped into our head. Here are our picks:

Greg's Picks

Louis Oosthuizen
Jason Dufner
Matt Kuchar
Brian Harman
Michael Bradley

Andrew's Picks

Jason Day
Jason Dufner
Keegan Bradley
Jeff Overton
Ted Potter Jr.

PS: Andrew continues to lead for the year.

By: The Sports Guys

The Wiggins Effect

Andrew Wiggins, the #1 basketball recruit in the country, committed to Kansas today. What does that mean? First, let's look at what it means for the other finalists who didn't get him.

Florida State

FSU was the sentimental favorite. His parents went there and the Seminoles were very seriously in the running. Their main problem is that they weren't good last year and they lost their only elite player (Michael Snaer). They haven't had many lottery picks in recent memory so that hurt their chances with Andrew.

As a team, even with Wiggins they were likely still sitting outside the Top 25 and only a potential bubble team. Without him they are headed towards another disappointing season like last year. Wiggins was a huge loss for them in recruiting.

North Carolina

UNC was where I thought would be the best landing spot for Wiggins. With him, they would have potentially unseated Kentucky from the top spot in the rankings. Williams knows how to churn out top picks as well so it made sense.

As a team without Wiggins, they are still among the nation's best. They return most from a fairly successful team, and add in some great recruits as it is. They will be a Top 15 or even Top 10 team come the regular season and will be right there with Duke and Syracuse fighting for the ACC title. Wiggins was a big loss for them, but there is hope still and excitement for the season (unlike Florida State).

Kentucky

To put it simply, they will be just fine. Kentucky's recruiting class is still regarded as potentially the best of all-time. Those freshmen and the key players returning make up a team that most consider the best in the country (preseason of course). Losing Wiggins to Kansas doesn't change that at all. In fact, they could be better off for it because the pressure won't be near as high on them as it would have been with Wiggins. Coach Cal is still pumped about this coming season.

Kansas

So what does this mean for the Jayhawks, the team that gets "the best prospect since Lebron"? It means they will be very good. It means that they go from a team ranked around 20 to a team inside the Top 10 or even Top 5. It puts them ahead of Oklahoma State as the Big 12 favorites once again. It gives them a legit shot at the Final Four or even National Championship. It gives them one of the best starting lineups in college basketball (Tharpe, Seldon, Wiggins, Ellis, Embiid).

BUT, they now have enormous pressure on them again. PLUS, Wiggins will have tremendous pressure on him to be "the guy" and that can be hard. We saw players recently like Harrison Barnes and Shabazz Muhammed melt under the pressure of being #1 and that highly regarded.

College Basketball (as a whole)

I loved last season. It was exciting and fun watching all the parity everywhere. Any team could be any other. But this year could be even better. There are more "top" teams and it's a pretty even spread. Think about these races:

ACC - Duke, UNC, Syracuse (newly added)...
Big 12 - Kansas (Wiggins) vs. Oklahoma State (Smart)
Big Ten - Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State...
SEC - Kentucky (freshmen) vs. Florida (vets)

The new Big East will be filled with good games, along with the new American Conference. Plus, if Alford can coach well at UCLA, they may seriously challenge Arizona who looks great on paper. So if you weren't looking forward to next season yet, you better start!

By: The Sports Guys

MLB Power Rankings

Haven’t done MLB Power Rankings in a month, but we know so much more about teams at this point. Some have picked up their play; others have left us wanting more. One thing we know for sure is that these rankings will change continuously.

MLB Power Rankings – May 13, 2013

NOTE: Previous Power Ranking in parenthesis.

1. (4) Texas Rangers (24-13) – Best record in baseball and riding a four game winning streak. I love their balance of pitching and hitting. It’s amazing how they experience roster turnover yearly yet always seem to be around the top of these standings.

2. (7) St. Louis Cardinals (23-13) – They own the second best run differential in baseball and are 8-2 in their last ten games. The most impressive part about them is their excellence on the road… 14-7.

3. (15) New York Yankees (23-13) – Winners of five straight games, the Yankees are finally hitting their stride. They should continue to improve as they get healthier throughout the season.

4. (13) Detroit Tigers (20-15) – Detroit can score and pitch with anyone, hence their league best +53 differential. They do struggle a little on the road, which is the biggest area they can improve.

5. (11) San Francisco Giants (23-15) – Wasn’t a believer until this weekend when they beat the Braves in three straight games. That was impressive.

6. (10) Cincinnati Reds (22-16) – The Reds have improved continuously throughout the year. But while they are 16-6 at home, they are only 6-10 on the road.

7. (14) Baltimore Orioles (23-15) – Clearly in the hunt for the AL East division crown. But in a loaded division, can they keep this up? They lead the majors in runs scored (190) so that will help.

8. (25) Cleveland Indians (20-15) – Their tremendous rise has to do with the past couple of weeks. They are 8-2 in their last ten games and their pitching has been great recently.

9. (1) Atlanta Braves (21-16) – The Braves started hot, but have cooled off in recent weeks. They hit home runs well enough, but struggle hitting for average, which keeps them from scoring consistently. Pitching is fairly consistent though.

10. (5) Boston Red Sox (22-16) – The Red Sox also started hot, but have also cooled considerably. They are 2-8 in their last ten, one of the worst marks over that period.

11. (2) Washington Nationals (20-17) – They are only ranked this high because of talent, not on play. They are -12 in run differential and have severely struggled with run production.

12. (16) Colorado Rockies (20-17) – As you could guess from a team in Colorado, they hit it well and are inconsistent with their pitching. Same year in and year out.

13. (9) Arizona Diamondbacks (21-17) – One month ago I stated I didn’t know how long these guys could stay afloat. Yet they have remained an above average team. Kudos to them and the coaching staff.

14. (27) Pittsburgh Pirates (21-16) – Anchored by solid pitching, the Pirates have started the year strong. But unless their hitting improves a bit more, I don’t know if they can sustain this pace.

15. (18) Tampa Bay Rays (19-18) – Tampa Bay has gotten better since Longoria’s return. They have now won five in a row and are inching closer to the AL East lead.

16. (8) Kansas City Royals (18-16) – Unlike Tampa Bay, this team wins in low scoring games. That speaks highly of them in terms of pitching, but poorly in terms of offense.

17. (3) Oakland Athletics (19-20) – Oakland started hot but is falling away. They are the third highest scoring team however.

18. (22) Minnesota Twins (17-17) – The epitome of an average team.

19. (19) Philadelphia Phillies (18-21) – This team has the feel of the oldest team in baseball… because they basically are.

20. (23) Seattle Mariners (18-20) – I remember the days when Oakland was exciting… Randy Johnson, A-Rod, even Ichiro in his prime. Now they are one of the most boring teams in baseball.

21. (6) Los Angeles Dodgers (15-21) – Both of the LA teams have been disappointing. At least the Dodgers have won two games in a row.

22. (17) Chicago White Sox (15-20) – They can boast about much at this point in the season, but they are a game up on their crosstown rival… the Cubs.

23. (20) Chicago Cubs (15-22) – Rizzo got his big contract. That’s the most newsworthy thing about them.

24. (28) Milwaukee Brewers (15-20) – League worst 1-9 in their last ten. They were playing well before that.

25. (29) San Diego Padres (16-21) – The good news is that the have a winning record at home at 10-8.

26. (12) New York Mets (14-20) – If you live in New York, all your attention is on the Yankees now.

27. (21) Toronto Blue Jays (15-24) – So confused they their disappointing start to the year. They had real potential.

28. (24) Los Angeles Angels (14-23) – The most disappointing team in baseball. Is it bad to say that I’m happy about that?

29. (30) Miami Marlins (11-27) – They moved up a spot!

30. (26) Houston Astros (10-28) – Worst record in the Majors and by far the worst run differential (-81).

By: The Sports Guys

The Players Championship

The Players Championship

The Masters brought us April excitement, but May is all about the Players. Before we get into previewing the event, let's recap 2013 on the PGA Tour:

1. Tiger Woods has re-emerged as the best player in the world. He regained that #1 ranking by winning three tournaments already this year. He finished T4 at the Masters, in large part due to a controversial 2-stroke penalty that has been in the news a lot this week.

2. The person who won actually won the Masters is Adam Scott. It was his first major of his career, and he enters this week as one of the big favorites.

3. Americans have dominated on tour this year. We started by winning the first 15 events and have won 17 of 20 overall. This included last week’s winner Derek Ernst, who is a tour rookie.

4. Matt Kuchar is the defending champion here at the Players, and he’s won a tournament already this year (Match Play Championship). That makes him a dangerous golfer this week.

5. One hasn’t heard much from the guy who started the year at #1 – Rory McIlory. He has started terribly this season, but with a couple good results in the past one and a half months, he might be turning it around.

So all of that helps sets the stage for one of the biggest non-major events of the year. The Players Championship is always one of my favorites, in large part because of the course it is played on: TPC Sawgrass. It was designed by Pete Dye, my favorite in the profession. He first drew this gem on the backs of napkins.

For those of you not familiar with the golf course, you better start getting familiar with it. This course is the ultimate stadium, and the best the world has to offer for golf in that regard. Here are some of the key holes:

#1 – In classic Pete Dye style, this hole features a weird angled tee shot. Because of that, this hole is the second hardest driving hole on the entire course. Not exactly a great way to start a round. But since it plays around 420 yards, those in the fairway will have a short iron in hand on their approach. Those folks can start with a birdie.

#7/#15 – These great par 4’s play right in the middle of each nine. Once again, challenging tee shots begin each hole, but equally tough second shots wait. The greens contain little bumps and nuances, which can make them play fierce depending on where players are. These holes make up the meat of the course.

#16 – This par 5 is the ultimate risk/reward hole. It’s not that long so it brings eagles into play. But there is sand, trees, turns, and water, which brings double bogeys into play also. In order to win the tournament, you better play this hole well, especially on Sunday.

#17 – This is the most famous hole in golf and this tournament. This island hole is the centerpiece of one of the best finishes on tour. It’s not a long hole, but with any wind, pressure from the tourney, and thousands of screaming fans surrounding the lake, this hole can make or break you.

Now let's break down the field:

Pick 5 Challenge

We'll begin with our picks in our weekly "Pick 5 Challenge". For those who are not familiar, for each PGA Tour event we pick 5 players in different categories that we think will do well. Andrew leads the competition so far this year 994 to 910. Just like at the Masters, this week our categories are based on age. We must pick one player in each of these age ranges: 20-25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40, and the last guy can be your choice (Any Age). Here are our picks:

Greg's Picks

20-25: Rory McIlroy

26-30: Billy Horschel

31-35: Brandt Snedeker

36-40: Lee Westwood

Any Age: Thorbjorn Oleson

Andrew's Picks

20-25: Jason Day

25-30: Billy Horschel

30-35: Sergio Garcia

35-40: Tiger Woods

Any Age: Luke Donald

Player We Want to Watch

Greg – Keep an eye on David Toms. He’s a past winner who always seems to bring his “A” game to this tournament. He’s also an older guy, and an American, so it would be nice for the crowd to have someone like him there on Sunday.

Andrew – I want to see what happens this week with two players… Tiger Woods and Adam Scott. Adam is of course coming off his first major victory (Masters), and that comes with a lot of new pressure. He hasn’t played on tour since so I have no clue what’s in store. Tiger Woods is another player who hasn’t played since the Masters. The focus early this week was still on his penalty strokes, but I’m more interesting in his game, which is a mystery entering this event.

Americans vs. Foreigners

Greg – This one is easy… we’ll have an American winner. Only three tournaments this year on tour has been won by non-Americans.

Andrew – I’m with Greg on this one. Americans have dominated this year and have won most every tournament, including the big WCG events. BUT, a non-American did win the year’s only major. There are a handful of players on both sides that have a great chance, but I think a player from home takes it.

Intriguing Pairings

Greg – Derek Ernst/Louis Oosthuizen/Angel Cabrera: Ernst won last week, Cabrera lost the Masters in a playoff, and Oosthuizen is the best player in this grouping. There should be some great shot-making here on this shot-making course.

Graeme McDowell/Keegan Bradley/Bubba Watson: This could be the most exciting pairing to watch over the next couple of days. Bradley has been consistently good throughout the year and is a major threat for a good finish. McDowell is one of the three non-Americans to win on tour this season; so winning again here wouldn’t be surprise. Of course, Bubba is Bubba, enough said.

Tiger Woods/Matt Kuchar/Brandt Snedeker: I love this pairing. Tiger is the best player on the planet. Kuchar won this tourney last year, along with the WGC Match Play a few months ago. And Snedeker was the hottest player on tour to start the year before his injury. What more could you want?

Andrew – Rickie Fowler/Hunter Mahan/Jim Furyk: If you’re looking for three sleepers, look no further than this group. On top of that, Fowler is always fun to watch.

Adam Scott/Rory McIlory/Steve Stricker: As mentioned, Scott is coming off his major win. Rory is still the second most famous golfer on the planet, and the most dangerous rival to Tiger. And Stricker is a threat to win any given week.

Ian Poulter/Nick Watney/Lee Westwood: These guys are talented, successful, and extremely competitive. Due to that, they all have a chance to win this thing come Sunday afternoon.

Three others to Watch: Phil Mickelson/Webb Simpson/Justin Rose… Sergio Garcia/Luke Donald/KJ Choi… Billy Horschel/Dustin Johnson/Ernie Els.

Like always, let us know your thoughts. Feel free to pick five guys yourself and compete against us. Let us know what you are looking forward to always. And don't miss the action, particularly on Sunday afternoon. Enjoy!

By: The Sports Guys

NBA Playoffs - Second Round

The second round of the NBA playoffs is upon us. We predicted round 1 decently, Greg did a better job than Andrew, but not we're ready for more. We made our predictions yesterday morning before any of the games took place. We've been busy and didn't get to post until now. So here you go:

1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 5 Memphis Grizzlies

Oklahoma City cruised early in the first round before struggling a little late in the series after the Westbrook injury. They are functioning differently as a team without him, but they have coped pretty well. I guess having Kevin Durant makes it easier. But Kevin Martin needs to step up too. Memphis got hot and won four in a row to overtake the Clippers last week. An injury to Blake Griffin helped, but they played solid ball on both ends of the court. It will take play like that again to beat the Thunder.

The keys for the Thunder will be for Durant to take over games like Lebron does. That means scoring and setting up teammates. I think Kevin Martin and Serge Ibaka have to play great also. The Grizzlies need to make life difficult for the Thunder by playing hard-nosed defense. The big boys down low (Gasol and Randolph) must dominate.

Andrew - Memphis Wins in 6

Greg - Memphis Wins in 6

2 San Antonio Spurs vs. 6 Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have been one of the best stories in the playoffs so far. Steph Curry has been the postseason MVP in my opinion, and a lot of credit should be given to Mark Jackson. It would be nice if David Lee could return and give some good minutes, because the Spurs looked dominate in the first round. In fact, they may have been the most impressive team overall in the NBA.

Keys for the Warriors will be to up the tempo early and often. They need to control the glass and knock down their triples. San Antonio needs to contain Curry, maintain their balance, and play to win (as opposed to "not to lose"). I think they can only beat themselves.

Andrew - Spurs Win in 5

Greg - Spurs Win in 6

1 Miami Heat vs. 5 Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have been beat up all year, and the playoffs has beat them up even further. But they have found ways to win and now find themselves underdogs once more. They played the Heat well this season, but in the playoffs Miami is a different animal. Lebron was just recently named the MVP, and he's played like it so far this month. Does Chicago even have a chance?

The keys for Chicago will be to beat Miami up inside. That is a weakness that can be exposed. They must shoot the basketball well also. For the Heat, I think they need to score in transition and rebound well. If they do that, they can't lose.

Andrew - Miami Wins in 5

Greg - Miami Wins in 6

2 New York Knicks vs. 3 Indiana Pacers

This is by far the most even matchup in my opinion, and it's a classic playoff rivalry. They played similar first round series (both winning in six games), but they way the get it done is vastly different. The Knicks are all about star power and isolation. Carmelo is their go-to guy and they simply let him have free reign. Indiana is a defensive based team, and their offense is all about the team. Paul George is their star, but they typically run stuff through the post. Both teams have very different strengths.

The Knicks must take advantage of the Carmelo matchup on offense. Since he plays the PF spot, he will be much quicker and can take the Pacers big (typically a true 4-man) outside. They also must match Indiana's intensity. On the flip side, the Pacers must throw it inside and make Carmelo play defense. He can easily get in foul trouble if that happens which will open up a huge advantage.

Andrew - NYK Wins in 7

Greg - Indiana Wins in 7

By: The Sports Guys

The Gay Athlete

There are two discussions to have about a gay athlete...

1. The sports side of it. This includes how teammates react, potential locker room issues, and fair treatment. We'll leave that up to the teams.

2. The "life" of "personal" aspect of it. We'll discuss that here:

I've struggled with this topic for the last year or so as the LGBT movement has really gained momentum nationally. The announcement by Jason Collins on Monday that he is a homosexual was significant in that it affirmed one of the founding principles of this nation: Everyone has a right to be whoever they want to be in this country without fear of persecution. That is an important right, and one that, based on religious freedom, this country was primarily founded upon. That foundation is important not only for those who agree with Jason Collins' lifestyle, but for those who disagree as well.

I am a Christian, meaning that I believe that Jesus Christ came to earth, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified as a payment for all mankind's sin, and then rose again on the third day. I believe that with every fiber of my being. I have a constitutional right to believe those things, and my presuppositions for the beliefs that I hold are based in Biblical truths.

The coming out of a professional athlete, or any person for that matter, is a right protected by the Constitution of the United States. However, disagreeing with that belief, while Constitutionally protected as well, has become unpopular. It is an important thing for both the LGBT community and the Christian community as a whole to remember that while we all do not agree with one another's lifestyles or views, Christians especially are called to RESPECTFULLY disagree with other lifestyles and follow the example of Jesus Christ in how we disagree with this lifestyle. Make no mistake, this lifestyle is wrong. It is contrary to the Bible's teachings, and is a sin. That is an offensive stance to take, but it is one that is factual and based in truth. It does not mean that a Christian cannot still love a person who is openly gay, or openly a murderer, or openly an adulterer. Those are all sins as well, and no one sin is worse than another.

A point worth making is the one that Chris Broussard made this past week: any person living in open sin (or open rebellion against God) cannot be a Christian. As a person who has lived in open sin against God by intentionally choosing to commit sins I knew were wrong (which most people do everyday), I have a tendency to agree with Chris. I commend him for having the courage to stand up for what he believes in publicly, which so few people who have unpopular beliefs do. I also commend ESPN for not reprimanding him, and allowing him to express his opinion, even if it is an unpopular one, without reprisal (something that this country was founded on, as I mentioned in my first paragraph). I also disagree with Chris slightly because each of us choose to sin everyday, and yet Christ died for us anyway (while we were still sinners). It is something that is very difficult to know for sure, but what IS important is that Chris, and other Christians and/or those who disagree with the homosexual lifestyle, are able to live and function in a society where this lifestyle is prevalent. Both can live and function together while in disagreement without hurling insults at one another.

As we move forward on this issue we will see more and more gay athletes as that lifestyle becomes more prevalent in our society. The entire popluation does not agree with this, but it is something that will continue to be seen, and there is nothing short of tearing the US Constitution in half that will prevent it. It is important that disagreements that are had on this issue are allowed to be presented and believed on both sides without fear of persecution. It is an issue that is not going away, but what I fear may go away is an American's right to openly disagree with it. This is truly what we need to fight to preserve.

However, if it becomes increasingly unpopular to disagree with this lifestyle (which it will) and any other lifestyle contrary to Biblical teachings, I am prepared to still disagree with it, respectfully but firmly. Insults will be hurled at those of us who believe this way, and we must be ready to withstand it, because it is the truth. I hope, for our country's sake, we never extinguish constructive debate and disagreement on topics or the ability for an individual's beliefs to shape how they live life. That freedom is what makes this country great, and equally important for both those who agree with Jason Collins' lifestyle, and those who disagree with it.

Feel free to give us feedback...

By: The Sports Guys

Wells Fargo Championship

The Wells Fargo Championship has become very popular in recent years. First, it is held at Quail Hollow which is a great course. Second, recent champs, Rory McIlory and Rickie Fowler, won in exciting ways to claim their first PGA victories. It's become a coming out party (no pun intended to the recent gay announcement). Anyways, this weekend's event has a great field and it should be fun. We are inching closer to the Player's Championship...

In terms of our weekly Pick 5 Challenge, Andrew leads 903 to 868 after last weekend. The categories this weekend are: 1 USA Player, 1 European Player, 1 Foreign Non-Euro Player, 1 Rookie, and 1 Player over 40 Years of Age. Here are our picks:

Greg's Picks

Rickie Fowler
Martin Kaymer
Rory Sabbatini
Russell Henley
Dicky Pride

Andrew's Picks

Webb Simpson
Rory McIlroy
Angel Cabrera
Russell Henley
Phil Mickelson

By: The Sports Guys