R.G.'s Two Pennies: James Harden must be 'LeBron'-like vs Warriors in Game 7

Perennial All-Star and All-NBA First Team shooting guard James Harden led the Houston Rockets squadron to an amazingly successful 65-win regular season in 2017-18, scoring a little over 30 points and almost nine assists per game in 72 contests, and is the frontrunner for the league's Most Valuable Player award. But with the dramatic loss of veteran point guard and co-leader Chris Paul late in Game 5 due to a badly sprained hamstring, it's an urgent 'must' that Harden goes full-throttle in Game 7 against Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and the defending world champion Golden State Warriors in the friendly confines of their Toyota Center home court.

I think J.Hard must be at least 'LeBron James'-like in his approach to this pivotal seventh game of the Western Conference finals. That means playing 40+ minutes, producing a strong 'Triple Double' stat line and playing maniacal defense - along with of course the much-needed help from his Rocket teammates in order to have a chance to dethrone the mighty Bay Area b-ballers. If James Harden desires to put his stamp on his incredible individual season and solidify his MVP status, he MUST be in 'monsta-mode' and led the Houston Rockets to their first West Finals crown since winning it all in 1995 and face 'King' LeBron James and the defending four-time Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

Gang Green Still Alive: Jets stun struggling Chiefs to remain in playoff hunt

After falling into a gaping 14-0 hole early in the first quarter by way of two touchdown grabs by All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, the New York Jets responded strongly with just enough defense, sloppy play by the opposition and a solid effort by their veteran starting quarterback Josh McCown the rest of the way to eek out a huge 38-31 victory over the free-falling Kansas City Chiefs in front of an energetically raucous 77,562 fans at MetLife Stadium. The Jets (5-7) remain alive for an improbable AFC wildcard playoff spot with four crucial games remaining on their schedule. McCown put forth a very much-needed efficient game under center, completing 26 of 36 pass attempts for 331 yards and a TD toss to running back Matt Forte, and also entered the end zone himself on two 1-yard sneaks. Also, big kudos to place-kicker Chandler Cantanzaro on his three big field goal makes in the 'W' over KC, who fell to the .500 mark at 6-6 after kicking off the season with a 5-0 start. Next up for head coach Todd Bowles and Team Gang Green are the equally struggling and underachieving Denver Broncos (3-9) on the road come Sunday, December 10.  

The managerial hiring of Aaron Boone an interestingly bold move by the New York Yankees

Since the Bronx Bomber's positively surprising 2017 regular season and postseason run to the A.L. Championship Series ended with release of manager Joe Girardi, there was oh so much speculation as to who would be the guy to replace him. Names such as former major leaguers David Cone, Carlos Beltran, and even Alex Rodriguez were all in the conversation for the highly coveted position of Yankees manager. So when GM Brian Cashman and the higher-ups decided that former pinstriper and ESPN baseball analyst Aaron Boone, 44, would be the successor to Giradi and the 35th field manager in franchise history - despite having 'zero' prior experience either coaching or managing on any level, I think it's a refreshingly exciting move. I think Boone will step into the dugout and do a reasonably good job with his coaching staff. Plus, I think he'll not only relate well with the players on the roster come Spring of 2018, but will be very accommodating to the New York media, most importantly. Boone is already a legend and fan favorite from his days as a player in the Bronx - most notably, of course, for his dramatic, ALCS-clinching walk-off home run off of Boston Red Sox reliever Tim Wakefield back in the Fall of 2003. Plus, it helps being part of the legendary Boone family legacy in Major League Baseball. With talented young building blocks such as reigning A.L. Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up Aaron Judge, A.L. Cy Young third-place finisher Luis Severino, backstop Gary Sanchez and first baseman Greg Bird, a successful future is definitely in the cards for the new manager and the New York Yankees - with hopefully more World Series titles in mind.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/27 - Sun 11/1/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: For the first time in exactly three decades, the Kansas City Royals won the 111th edition of the World Series by outlasting the New York Mets in five exciting, action-packed games. Catcher Salvador Perez was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Fall Classic - becoming the first backstop since Pat Borders of the 1992 champion Toronto Blue Jays took home the trophy....New managerial hires - Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins; Andy Green, San Diego Padres

NFL: Through Week 8 and the halfway point of the 2K15 regular season, the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos are your teams still without a blemish in the 'loss' column with 7-0 marks. The Carolina Panthers will also try to improve to 7-0 on the year when they face the struggling Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, November 2 at home...Game of the Week - New Orleans Saints 52, New York Giants 49. Both starting QBs Eli Manning (6) and Drew Brees (7) combined to throw a league-record 13 TD passes in the game.

NBA: The 2K15-16 regular season got underway, and as of Sunday, November 1, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors led by interim head coach Luke Walton are off to a perfect 3-0 start early on. Head coach Steve Kerr is still recuperating from off-season back surgery and will return to the bench once he's fully healed-up.....Indiana Pacers legend and Hall-of-Famer Mel Daniels passed away at the age of 71.

College Football: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Clemson. 4. LSU. 5. Texas Christian. 6. Michigan State. 7. Alabama. 8. Notre Dame. 9. Stanford. 10. Iowa

Distance Running: 33-year-old Mary Keitany of Kenya won the women's pro division of the TSC New York City Marathon for the second year in a row with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds. In the men's pro, 29-year-old Kenyan Stanley Biwott emerged victorious with a 2:10:34 mark.

Misc: The 2K15 World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House, and all-time goal-scoring great Abby Wambach announced her retirement.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/20 - Sun 10/25/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: The Kansas City Royals repeated as American League champs after taking out the offensively potent Toronto Blue Jays in six games of the ALCS. KC looks to win their first World Series title in exactly three decades when they face sizzling-hot slugging second baseman Daniel Murphy and the New York Mets, who swept a young, talented, on-the-rise Chicago Cubs squad to win their first National League pennant since 2000. The Amazin's seek to win their first world championship since their historic, magical run back in 1986. My prediction - KC will suffer disappointment in the Fall Classic for a second-straight season, falling to the Mets' young, talented arms in six games max....After five seasons, 446 wins and postseason disappointment, Don Mattingly decided to wrap up his tenure as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers...Great news for the Boston Red Sox organization and their loyal fan base going into the 2K16 campaign: Manager John Farrell looks like he'll return to the dugout as his non-Hodgkins lymphoma is currently in remission from the treatment he's received since he took medical leave back in August....The underachieving Seattle Mariners hired 48-year-old Scott Servais as their new manager for 2K16.

NFL: The New England Patriots remain without a loss at 6-0 after edging out the New York Jets 30-23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Also remaining impressively unbeaten are the 6-0 Carolina Panthers after their latest win over the Philadelphia Eagles at home 27-16.

Men's College Basketball: The infamous sex scandal involving the Louisville Cardinals basketball program - in particular by way of former staff member Andre McGee paying escorts to engage in very intimate and explicit activity with players and recruits in a dorm on campus is getting serious burn. Hall-of-Fame head coach Rick Pitino alleges that he had absolutely 'zero' knowledge of what supposedly took place between 2K10 and 2K14. Former escort Katrina Powell is the source that has initially ignite the firestorm by writing a book on what allegedly took place. A messy situation for sure, and I hope that Pitino is being truthful about the matter coming into a season where they're not expected to be amongst the top 25 teams in the nation.

NHL: As of Sunday, October 25, the Montreal Canadiens are still the league's lone unbeaten at a perfect 9-0 thus far. (18 points).....Notable head coach firing - Todd Richards, Columbus Blue Jackets

NBA: In very sad news, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach/President of Basketball Ops/part-owner Flip Saunders passed away from cancer (Hodgkin lymphoma) at just 60-years-young. Saunders coached 17 seasons with the T-Wolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, winning 654 career games...After holding out the entire preseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers inked rebounding power forward Tristan Thompson to a five-year, $82 million extension.

College Football: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Clemson. 4. LSU. 5. Texas Christian. 6. Michigan State. 7. Alabama. 8. Stanford. 9. Notre Dame. 10. Iowa....No. 1 Ohio State behind new starting QB J.T. Barrett breezed through the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 49-7 to remain unbeaten at 8-0 on the season thus far. Barrett was efficient in completing 14 of 18 passes for 223 yards, ran for an additional 101 yards and was responsible for five touchdowns scored for the Buckeyes... After getting totally embarrassed 58-0 on their home field by the then sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers, the Miami (FL) Hurricanes fired head coach Al Golden.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/13 - Sun 10/18/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

WNBA: For the third time in the past five years, head coach Cheryl Reeve and her Minnesota Lynx team were crowned league champions after defeating a tough, determined and gritty Indiana Fever squad in five games. Lynx veteran center Sylvia Fowles was voted the Finals' Most Valuable Player. All-Star forward/guard Maya Moore in her first five years has won three titles, Rookie of the Year and MVP. Simply incredible!

MLB: The American League Championship Series got underway, and as of Sunday, October 18, the Kansas City Royals hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven over the Toronto Blue Jays and are just two more 'W's away from making a return trip to the Fall Classic. In the matchup for the 2K15 National League pennant, the New York Mets are up two-nil over the wild-card Chicago Cubs - who eliminated the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals in the division round.

NFL: As of Sunday, October 18, the teams that have yet to lose a game thus far through six contests are the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (5-0), Green Bay Packers (6-0), Denver Broncos (6-0), Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) and Carolina Panthers (5-0). The Detroit Lions finally broke through victoriously with a 37-34 overtime win over the Chicago Bears at home...My top individual performance for Week 6 goes to San Diego Chargers All-Pro QB Philip Rivers, who in a 27-20 loss to the unbeaten Packers at Lambeau Field completed 43 passes on 65 attempts for 503 yards and two TDs.

College Football: A.P. Top 10 (Week 8) - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Utah. 4. Texas Christian. 5. LSU. 6. Clemson. 7. Michigan State. 8. Alabama. 9. Florida State. 10. Stanford.....Notable head coach firing - Steve Sarkisian, USC Trojans.....Steve Spurrier, 70, decided to retire immediately after 23 total seasons directing on the sidelines for the Florida Gators and for the last 11 seasons at the University of South Carolina.

Men's College Basketball: USA TODAY Preseason Top 10 Poll - 1. North Carolina. 1. Kentucky. 3. Maryland. 4. Duke. 5. Kansas. 6. Virginia. 7. Iowa State. 8. Oklahoma. 9. Villanova. 10. Arizona

NHL: As of Sunday, October 18, the red-hot Montreal Canadiens (6-0; 12 points) are the lone undefeated team in the league early on thus far.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports Recap (Tues 10/6 - Sun 10/11/2K15)

My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:

 

MLB: The playoffs got underway, and as of Sunday 10/11 in the National League, the favorite St. Louis Cardinals and the wild-card Chicago Cubs are knotted-up at one apiece in their division series, as well as the matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley - pending an appeal - will be suspended for Games 3 and 4 at Citi Field for illegally sliding directly into Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada which resulted in him breaking his right leg in Game 2, which L.A. ending up winning 5-2. In the American League, the wild-card Houston Astros are up 2-1 in their series against the defending league champion Kansas City Royals, while in the other matchup in the A.L. bracket, the Texas Rangers hold a 2-1 series advantage over the offensively powerful Toronto Blue Jays....35-year-old New York Yankees lefty starter CC Sabathia will enter rehab for a month to battle his addiction to the booze. Get well soon, brother CC.....Notable managerial firings - Matt Williams, Washington Nationals (2K14 N.L. Manager of the Year); Lloyd McClendon, Seattle Mariners

NFL: The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals are all without an 'L' through five games thus far. The New England Patriots (4-0) are also perfect early on after crushing the Dallas Cowboys 30-6 on the road coming off a bye-week....The surprisingly hapless Detroit Lions are the lone squad without a victory five contests in, but on a historic note, All-Pro wideout Calvin Johnson became the franchise's all-time leader in passes caught, surpassing the great Herman Moore on the list.....Top individual performance - QB Eli Manning, New York Giants (personal and franchise-best 41 completions on 54 attempts for 441 yards and three TDs in a huge, come-from-behind 30-27 home victory over the struggling San Francisco 49ers).....Notable player injury - RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (Torn ACL in right knee; out for the season)....Notable head coach firing - Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins

NHL: The 2K15-16 regular season got underway for all 30 clubs, and as of Sunday 10/11, the New York Rangers are a perfect 3-0 early on. The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are 2-1 to start their run at yet another title....As a result of a brutal illegal check he administered to the head of Anaheim Ducks right winger Jakob Silfverberg during a preseason matchup, San Jose Sharks goon forward Raffi Torres was handed a record-41-game suspension by the league.

NBA: Despite the  off-court distraction of second-year head coach Derek Fisher's love life involving his current squeeze Gloria Govan and her ex-husband/baby daddy - current Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes, the new-look New York Knicks with a healthy Carmelo Anthony are focused and playing well thus far through two preseason wins so far.

Men's College Basketball: Rookie St. John's head coach Chris Mullin hired former Golden State Warriors teammate and NBA All-Star Mitch Richmond to be part of his staff as a special assistant coach.

WNBA: As of Sunday 10/11 in the league Finals, the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever are tied 2-2 in their epic best-of-five series. A do-or-die,championship-deciding Game 5 will take place Wednesday night 10/14 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Men's Pro Golf: For the sixth consecutive year, the Americans hoisted the Presidents Cup after narrowly edging out the international squadron 15.5 to 14.5 in South Korea.

Mo'Ne Davis blossoms at The Garden in NYC during NBA All-Star Weekend 2K15

By Ross 'R.G. Major' Guity

 

Yes - superstar comedian, actor and pretty good baller Kevin Hart took home yet another MVP trophy (his fourth) for his 15-point performance in the Sprint All-Star Celebrity Game at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple of New York City despite his East team losing to the West 59-51 in front of a packed house, but for me, THE brightest star of the game was without question the very athletically-talented, internally awesome and gorgeous young Miss Mo'Ne Davis. Why do I say this? First off, the huge amount of love she received from the fans inside the World's Most Famous Arena was incredible - most notably for her memorable, historic work on the pitcher's mound in the Little League World Series competition during the summer of 2K14.....Secondly, she's only 13-years-young competing in a game with the likes of Hall-of-Famer Chris Mullin, former New York Knicks great Allan Houston and WNBA All-Stars Tina Charles, Skylar Diggins and Shoni Schimmel, who led all scorers with 17 points....Lastly, despite only contributing four points in the game for the West, Mo'Ne made those points count in a LOUD way - especially the electrifying spin move she put on her Philly brethren K. Hart to score a bucket, which sent The Garden, the 'Net and social media ablaze! She is truly a mega-superstar on the rise and has a solid foundation with her loving, amazing family - most notably her beautiful mom LaKeisha, which only bodes immensely well for her obviously promising future. Friday the 13th of 2K15 was definitely a night to remember at MSG for all the right reasons. MO'NE - ALL DAY!

www.instagram.com/Monee_011
www.twitter.com/MoneDavis11

Mo'Ne is Money On The Mound

 

I tuned into ESPN on Monday afternoon, August 11, 2K14 at home in the Bronx, New York City USA to check out the latest happenings in the wide world of the sports landscape, and what definitely caught my immediate attention was the groundbreaking exploits of African-American female 13-year-old Taney Dragons right-handed pitching phenom Mo'Ne Davis of Philadelphia, PA. Not only is she very pretty in the face and extremely bright-minded, she is 'real-deal' talented and supremely confident in her abilities - throwing intimidating heat at 70 MPH top-speed, along with a nice curveball and a split-fingered fastball, all the while leading her team into the Little League World Series as the ONLY girl on the Taney squad. During her interview with ESPN, she even challenged current Los Angeles Dodgers Cy Young award-winning lefty Clayton Kershaw to a pitch-off. Now how's THAT for confidence! Well, her amazingness has caught on fire around the country and has quickly become the newest inspiration to young girls and even grown women as well!

On Friday, August 14, 2K14, 'Magic' Mo'Ne, who stands at 5'4 and weighs around 110 pounds, displayed more her dominance on the mound, throwing 70 pitches in six innings of work, giving up no runs and just two hits, no walks and eight strikeouts in a 4-0 victory for Pennsylvania over Nashville, Tennessee in the first game of the Little League World Series and made history by becoming the first African-American girl to partake in the annual classic and to also pitch a shutout as a female. Mo'Ne is just the 18th girl to ever play in the Little League World Series in it's 68-year history. I am rooting for this athletically mega-talented and beautiful young lady to go all the way, and Heaven's definitely the limit in regards to her bright future with whatever she sets her mind to do. Basketball is Mo'Ne's other love as she mentioned in her recent interview with ESPN and has dreams of playing in the WNBA in the future. Could she be the first-ever female Major League pitcher someday? With her immense talent and pending that she doesn't hurt her gifted right arm, it CAN be possible!

www.twitter.com/MoNeDavis11

With King James Back In A Cavs Uni, They Return As NBA Contenders In The East

 

It was widely speculated even during this past NBA Finals that the remote possibility that LeBron James returning for a second go-round with the Cleveland Cavaliers could happen after four straight Eastern Division titles and back-to-back world championships with the Miami Heat. Well my friends - it has now come to fruition and in my opinion has drastically switched the landscape of what's to come in the 2K14-15 campaign. The Cleveland Cavaliers are immediately contenders again in the Eastern Conference with a more seasoned, matured man and leader in King James with the great success he experienced down in South Beach with the Heat the past four years, and that bodes extremely well for the likes of the young core in place - All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, who recently signed a five-year, $90M extension, talented young forward Tristan Thompson, explosive two-guard Dion Waiters and talented, exciting young forward Andrew Wiggins, their recent No. 1 overall draft pick out of Kansas. The wisdom James will impart to these players as far as being professionals and having a championship-winning mentality will only ascend his greatness and hopefully help in winning the franchise's first-ever NBA title, which will be INSANE for the great city of Cleveland, Ohio! On the other end with the Miami Heat, unfortunately with LeBron making the shocking decision to return home quickly shifts them from being the annual contenders they were to now being being borderline pretenders. OK - veteran All-Star forward Chris Bosh resigns with the club for five-years and $118M, but fellow All-Star Dwyane Wade's uncertain future with the franchise is a concern with the various injuries that have taken a toll on his body over the past few seasons has them looking to rebuild again for the future. I mean, the Heat I believe will compete this upcoming season IF Wade does return and is physically able to get through it unscathed and be the amazing, future Hall-of-Fame player that he is, but the impact of LeBron leaving will be immensely felt by the franchise. We shall see how it all plays out, but to James and his family - WELCOME HOME and GOOD LUCK!

www.LeBronJames.com
www.twitter.com/KingJames

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 3/1 - Friday 3/7

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from the sports world this past week:

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 2/24 - Sunday 3/2)....Eastern Conference - G John Wall, Washington Wizards; Western Conference - G/F James Harden, Houston Rockets...Players of the Month (February 2K14): East - F LeBron James, Miami Heat; West - F Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers...Rookies of the Month (February 2K14): East - G Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic; West - G Nick Calathes, Memphis Grizzlies...Coaches of the Month (February 2K14): East - Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat; West - Kevin McHale, Houston Rockets....Miami Heat All-Star forward LeBron James scored a career-high and franchise record-setting 61 points in a 127-107 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at home....The Indiana Pacers (46-16) are the first team to officially punch their ticket into the upcoming postseason....The Los Angeles Clippers crushed their in-city rival and injury-depleted Lakers as a 'road' team at the STAPLES Center 142-94 - the Purple and Gold's worst loss in history. It's safe to say that since leaving the Phoenix Suns, head coach Mike D'Antoni has had a rough go of it with the Lakers and the New York Knicks prior to coming to L.A...The #3 jersey of future Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson was retired by the Philadelphia 76ers organization....Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver's record of 127 consecutive games with at least a converted three-point field goal was snapped in the team's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on the road.

Men's College Basketball (Div. I): Associated Press Top 10 (Final week of regular season before conference tournament play) - 1. Florida  2. Wichita State  3. Arizona  4. Duke  5. Virginia  6. Villanova  7. Syracuse  8. Kansas  9. Wisconsin  10. San Diego State....The #2 Wichita State Shockers became the first team since St. Joseph's back in 2K4 to finish the regular season undefeated. (31-0)

Women's College Basketball (Div. 1): Associated Press Top 10 - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Louisville  4. Stanford  5. South Carolina  6. Tennessee  7. West Virginia  8. Maryland  9. Baylor  10. Duke

NHL: 42-year-old New Jersey Devil Jaromir Jagr became the seventh player in league history to tally 700 career goals in the team's 6-1 win over the New York Islanders.

NFL: The Pittsburgh Steelers re-sign both All-Pro safety Troy Polumalu and veteran tight end Heath Miller to three-year extensions....The Philadelphia Eagles released QB Michael Vick....The New Orleans Saints released RB/KR Darren Sproles.

Pro Tennis: Roger Federer defeated third-ranked Tomas Berdych to capture his sixth Dubai Championship (a new record) and the 78th singles title of his career.

Women's Pro Golf: American Paula Creamer outlasted Azahara Munoz in playoff round to win the HSBC Women's Champions tournament in dramatic fashion in Singapore - her first LPGA Tour title since capturing the U.S. Women's Open in 2K10.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 2/22 - Friday 2/28

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from this past week in the sports world:

 

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 2/18 - Sunday 2/23)....Eastern Conference - G Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats; Western Conference - F Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves....35-year-old veteran center Jason Collins signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets, and became the first-ever openly gay male athlete to compete in a pro game amongst the four major sports here in the States against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday 2/23. The Nets will keep Collins for the remainder of the season, and his #98 jersey was the top-selling NBA jersey this past week....New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday will miss the rest of the season after having surgery for a stress fracture in his right tibia....Veteran forward Danny Granger was bought out by the Philadelphia 76ers after being traded by the Indiana Pacers, and is widely expected to sign on with the contending Los Angeles Clippers once he clears waivers.

MLB: Spring training exhibition games got underway for all teams....22-year-old All-Star Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout signed a one-year, $1M deal - the largest ever for a pre-arbitration player....The New York Yankees re-sign outfielder Brett Gardner to a four-year, $52M extension.

**The 2K14 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia came to a close with the host country winning 33 total medals (13 gold) - the most tallied by any nation. Team USA had a nice showing in Sochi, finishing runner-up in the medal count with 28. (9 gold)

Auto Racing: Dale Ernhardt, Jr. won the Daytona 500 championship for the second time of his career.

 

Pro Tennis: 29th-ranked Venus Williams defeated Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in straight sets to win the Dubai Championships - her first title in two years and the 45th singles championship of her illustrious career.

NFL: The Scouting Combine for the top draft prospects took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana....The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed three of their key cogs on offense - wide receiver Riley Cooper (five-years, $25M; $10M guaranteed), offensive tackle Jason Peters (four-years, $41.3M) and center Jason Kelce. (six-years, $37.5M; $13M guaranteed)

Men's College Basketball: (Associated Press top 10) - 1. Florida  2. Wichita State  3. Arizona  4. Syracuse  5. Kansas  6. Duke  7. Louisville  8. Villanova  9. Creighton  10. Saint Louis....Second-ranked Wichita State made history by becoming the first Divison I men's program to start a season 30-0 when they defeated Bradley 69-49.

Women's College Basketball: (Associated Press Top 10) - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Louisville  4. South Carolina  5. Stanford  6. Baylor  7. Duke  8. Penn State  9. Maryland  10. Tennessee

NHL: The regular season resumed after 2 1/2-week Winter Olympic break. As of Friday 2/28, the Anaheim Ducks continue to pace atop the West standings with 89 points, while in the East, the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the pack with 84 total points.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 2/8 - Friday 2/14

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from the sports world this past week:

 

Winter Olympics: The 2K14 Sochi Games got underway in Russia, and as of Friday 2/14, both Norway and the United States of America lead the total medal count with 13 a piece (4 Gold; 3 Silver; 6 Bronze each)....23-year-old Jamie Anderson won the gold medal in the inaugural olympic event of Women's Slopestyle Snowboarding....Erin Hamlin took home the bronze medal in Women's Singles Luge, becoming the first American ever - man or woman - to medal in the event.

Pro Football: Talented defensive end Michael Sam out of Missouri revealed to the world that he is homosexual, and will become the first such player ever to be drafted by an NFL team this coming May in New York City.

MLB: Future first-ballot Hall-of-Fame shortshop Derek Jeter announced that the 2K14 season - his 20th - will be the final one of his legendary career with the New York Yankees.....The Chicago White Sox signed talented offensive first baseman Jose Abreu of Cuba to a six-year, $68M contract...Former major league player and manager Jim Fergosi passed away at the age of 71 from stroke complications.

 

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 2/3 - Sunday 2/9)....Eastern Conference - F Jared Sullinger, Boston Celtics; Western Conference - F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder....The All-Star break in New Orleans, Louisiana got underway, with the Oklahoma City Thunder owning the overall best record in the league at 43-12. The Indiana Pacers at 40-12 are the top team in the East, with the two-time defending champion Miami Heat right at their heels at 37-14. Thunder All-Star forward Kevin Durant is the league's top scorer, averaging 31 points per contest thus far.....The Detroit Pistons fired head coach Maurice Cheeks. Nate McMillan takes over on an interim basis.

Men's College Basketball (A.P. Top 10): 1. Syracuse  2. Arizona  3. Florida  4. Wichita State  5. San Diego State  6. Villanova  7. Kansas  8. Duke  9. Michigan State  10. Cincinnati

Women's College Basketball (A.P. Top 10): 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Duke  4. Louisville  5. South Carolina  6. Stanford  7. Baylor  8. Tennessee  9. Maryland  10. North Carolina State

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 2/1 - Friday 2/7

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from the sports world this past week:

 

NFL: The Seattle Seahawks won their first-ever Super Bowl championship in dominating fashion, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Linebacker Malcolm Smith, who intercepted an errant throw by Peyton Manning and returned it 69 yards for a big touchdown that made it 22-0 in the second quarter and also recovered a fumble by Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, was voted the game's Most Valuable Player. 111.5 million viewers tuned in to The Big Game - becoming the most-watched televised event ever....Postseason Awards: NFL MVP and A.P. Offensive Player of the Year - QB Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos; Defensive Player of the Year - LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers; Coach of the Year - Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; Offensive Rookie of the Year - RB Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; Defensive Rookie of the Year - DT Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets; Comeback Player of the Year - QB Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers....Michael Strahan, Derrick Brooks, Aeneas Williams, Andre Reed and Walter Jones were introduced as the 2K14 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also newly inducted via the Veterans Committee were former defensive end Claude Humphrey and Ray Guy, who became the first punter ever to be so honored as a Hall-of-Famer.

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 1/27 - Sunday 2/2)....Eastern Conference - G Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors; Western Conference - G Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns....Players of the Month (January 2K14): East - F Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks; West - F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder...Rookies of the Month (January 2K14): East - G Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers; West - G Trey Burke, Utah Jazz...Coaches of the Month (January 2K14): East - Jason Kidd, Brooklyn Nets; West - David Joerger, Memphis Grizzlies....The Indiana Pacers signed talented and oft-injured center Andrew Bynum for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. Bynum will be the backup for All-Star Roy Hibbert....40-year-old veteran point guard Steve Nash returned to game action after being sidelined on the IR list since 11/10/2K13....Talented young power forward Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans was chosen to replace the injured Kobe Bryant on the West All-Star roster.

MLB: First phase of Spring Traning (pitchers and catchers) began this week....Legendary New York Mets broadcaster and Hall-Of-Fame player Ralph Kiner passed away at the age of 91....The Atlanta Braves re-signed star players - 1B Freedie Freeman (8-years, $125M) and CF Jason Heyward (2-years, $13.3M) to contract extensions....Notable Free-Agent Signings: SP Bronson Arroyo, Arizona Diamondbacks (2-years, $23.5M); 1B Mark Trumbo, Arizona Diamondbacks (1-year, $4.8M); RP Fernando Rodney, Seattle Mariners (2-years, $14M)....47-year-old former three-time World Series champion pitcher Curt Schilling was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer....New York Yankees embattled 3B Alex Rodriguez will officially serve his historic season-long suspension for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs after dropping lawsuits he filed against the league.

*The 2K14 Winter Olympics got underway in Sochi, Russia for all of the competing athletes from around the world.

Men's College Basketball: (A.P. Top Ten) - 1. Syracuse  2. Arizona  3. Florida  4. Wichita State  5. San Diego State  6. Villanova  7. Cincinnati  8. Kansas  9. Michigan State  10. Michigan

Women's College Basketball: (A.P. Top Ten) - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Stanford  4. Louisville  5. Duke  6. South Carolina  7. Baylor  8. Tennessee  9. Penn State  10. Maryland

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 1/25 - Friday 1/31

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from the sports world this past week:

 

Pro Tennis (Australian Open): Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland won his first major championship, defeating top-ranked Rafael Nadal, who dealt with back issues during the finals matchup. On the women's side, 31-year-old Li Na of China finally broke through in Melbourne with her first Aussie singles title over upstart Dominika Cibulkova - becoming the oldest woman to win the tournament.

NBA: The reserves for the upcoming All-Star Game were announced: Eastern Conference - F Chris Bosh, Miami Heat; G DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors; C Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers; G Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets; F Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks; G John Wall, Washington Wizards; C Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls. *Notable snub: G Lance Stephenson, Indiana Pacers....Western Conference - F LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers; C Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets; G James Harden, Houston Rockets; G Damien Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers; F Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks; G Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs; G Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers. *Notable snub: G Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns. The All-Star Game will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday 2/16....Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant had his 12-game streak of scoring 30+ points snapped in his team's 120-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets on the road. The feat was the third-longest in the league over the last three decades. (Kobe Bryant - 16; Tracy McGrady - 14)....Veteran Denver Nuggets reserve guard Nate Robinson will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair torn ACL in his left knee....As of Friday 1/31, the Indiana Pacers continue to pace the East at 35-10, while out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, despite the loss of their All-Star guard Russell Westbrook and the insane play of Kevin Durant, are leading the pack with their 38-10 mark.

Men's College Basketball: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Arizona  2. Syracuse  3. Florida  4. Wichita State  5. San Diego State  6. Kansas  7. Michigan State  8. Oklahoma State  9. Villanova  10. Michigan....Kansas Jayhawks phenom freshman swingman Andrew Wiggins scored a season-high 29 points in a 92-81 victory over Iowa State....Duke Blue Devils forward Jabari Parker set the team record by scoring 20+ points in his 12th game as a freshman by scoring 21 points in a 80-65 win over Pitt.

Women's College Basketball: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Duke  4. Stanford  5. Lousiville  6. U.N.C.  7. South Carolina  8. Maryland  9. Baylor  10. Tennessee

NHL: The New York Rangers beat both of their local rivals - the New Jersey Devils (7-3) - and the New York Islanders (2-1) - to sweep the two-game outdoors series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York City. Both games - despite the frigid temperatures - drew over 50,000 fans....As of Friday 1/31, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the East with 78 points (38-14-2 OT losses), and the Anaheim Ducks continue to roll strong out West with 85 points in the standings. (40-11-5 OT losses)

NFL: Festivities for Super Bowl 48 got underway in full swing in both New York City and parts of New Jersey....After a successful 2K13 regular season and playoff appearance in the NFC division round, the Carolina Panthers rewarded head coach Ron Rivera with a three-year contract extension.

MLB: 2K5 A.L. batting champion and seven-time All-Star infielder Michael Young announced his retirement. Young spent the majority of his career and enjoyed great success with the Texas Rangers.

Sochi Winter Games: Minnesota Wild veteran winger Zach Parise was named captain of the USA men's hockey squad.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 1/18 - Friday 1/24

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from the sports world this past week:

 

NFL: In an epic battle, the Seattle Seahawks edged out the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 to win the NFC championship and advance to Super Bowl 48 and play the Denver Broncos, who captured the AFC crown by defeating the New England Patriots 26-16. This year's league championship game will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday 2/2 between the No. 1 offense (Broncos) and No. 1 defense. (Seahawks)....Veteran offensive lineman David Diehl announced his retirement after 11 seasons and two Super Bowl championships with the New York Giants.

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 1/13 - Sunday 1/19)....Eastern Conference - F Paul George, Indiana Pacers; Western Conference - F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder....New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony set a single-game franchise record by scoring 62 points in the team's 125-96 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at Madison Square Garden. Anthony's feat was also the most points ever scored by one player at the World's Most Famous Arena, and is the season-high thus far for any player in the league thus far....The starting lineups for this year's All-Star Game in New Orleans, Louisiana were announced and were voted on by the fans: EAST - G Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers; G Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat; F LeBron James, Miami Heat; F Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks; F Paul George, Indiana Pacers.....WEST - G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors; G Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers; F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder; F Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers; F Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves.

MLB: The New York Yankees signed talented 25-year-old Japanese pitcher Masashiro Tanaka to a seven-year, $155M contract.....The Tampa Bay Rays re-sign first baseman James Loney to a three-year, $21M extension, and signed free-agent closer Grant Balfour to a two-year, $12M deal....The Chicago White Sox extended the contract of manager Robin Ventura.

Pro Tennis (Australian Open): In the men's bracket, eight-seeded upstart Stanislas Wawrinka of Switerland upset Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals en route to advancing to the final on Sunday 1/26 against top-seed Rafael Nadal of Spain.....On the women's side, both top-seeded Serena Williams and defending Aussie Open champ Victoria Azarenka were eliminated. No. 20-seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia will play fourth-seeded Li Na of China for the singles title on Saturday 1/25.

Men's College Basketball (Division I): Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Arizona  2. Syracuse  3. Michigan State  4. Villanova  5. Wichita State  6. Florida  7. San Diego State  8. Kansas  9. Wisconsin  10. Iowa

Women's College Basketball (Division I): Associated Press Top 10 - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Duke  4. Villanova  5. Louisville  6. Maryland  7. U.N.C.  8. Oklahoma State  9. Kentucky  10. South Carolina

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 1/11 - Friday 1/17

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from this past week in Sports Land:

 

NFL: In the NFC division round of the playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 23-10 on the road to advance to their third consecutive NFC championship game. They will try and make a return trip to the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks, who outlasted the New Orleans Saints 23-15 at home. On the AFC side, the Denver Broncos edged out a resilient San Diego Chargers squad 24-17 on their home field to move on and play the New England Patriots, who dominated the Indianapolis Colts 43-22 behind a potent ground game led by RB LeGarette Blount. Both conference championship matchups will take place on Sunday 1/19 for the right to play in Super Bowl 48 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday 2/2.....New head coach hires - Ken Whisenhunt, Tennessee Titans; Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings; Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions.

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 1/6 - Sunday 1/12)....Eastern Conference - F Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks; Westerm Conference - C DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings....Miami Heat center and 2K7 No. 1-overall draft pick Greg Oden played in his first game since 2K9 in the team's 114-97 loss to the Washington Wizards on the road. Oden scored 6 points and grabbed two rebounds in eight minutes of action, as he continues to work his way back from the various knee ailments that have curtailed his once-promising career. In other Heat news, the organization was honored this past week at the White Hose by President Barack Obama for the second straight year for winning the championship....The contending Golden State Warriors acquired much-needed backcourt help in guards Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks from the Boston Celtics in a three-team trade that also included the aforementioned Miami Heat, who sent veteran forward/center Joel Anthony to Boston.

MLB: The league suspended New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for the entire 2K14 regular season and playoffs for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs - the longest punishment in history. Rodriguez continues to deny that he did no wrong, and will fight the case in Federal Court. So the saga continues....Also making history, the league announced that an expansion of instant reply will be implemented this upcoming season. The new change was voted on unanimously by the team owners....Notable re-signings: LHP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (7-years, $215M; highest ever for a pitcher; highest per-season salary by any position player in history - $30,714,286); LHP David Price, Tampa Bay Rays. (1-year, $14M)

Men's College Baskball (Division I): Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Arizona  2. Syracuse  3. Wisconsin  4. Michigan State  5. Wichita State  6. Villanova  7. Florida  8. Iowa State  9. Oklahoma State  10. San Diego State

Women's College Basketball (Division I): Associated Press Top 10 - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Duke  4. Stanford  5. Louisville  6. Maryland  7. Baylor  8. South Carolina  9. UNC  10. Kentucky

Pro Tennis: The sport's first major of the calendar year - the Australian Open - got underway in Melbourne, where temperatures have soared to triple-digit figures this past week during play. Novak Djokovic (Men's) and Serena Williams (Women's) both enter the tournament as the No. 1 seeds.

NHL: As of Friday 1/18, the Anaheim Ducks own the leagues top overall record at 36-9-5. (19-0-2 at home; 77 points).....The Pittsburgh Penguins lead the pack in the Eastern Conference at 34-12-2. (70 points)

Pro Soccer: With 69 goals scored for both Real Madrid and Portugal in 2K13, Christiano Ronaldo dethroned Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi's four-year reign as the top player by capturing the FIFA Ballon d'Or award.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 1/4 - Friday 1/10

My 'notable' happenings and keynotes of the sports world this past week:

 

College Football: The #1 Florida State Seminoles closed out their unbeaten season in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion with a 34-31 victory over the #2-ranked Auburn Tigers in the Vizio BCS National Championship Game - their first title in 15 years. 'Noles QB Jameis Winston (20-23, 237 yards, 3 TDs) made history by becoming the first freshman signal-caller to win both the Heisman Trophy and the national title in the same season....New head coach hires - Charlie Strong, Texas Longhorns; James Franklin, Penn State; Bobby Petrino, Louisville Cardinals....2K12 Heisman Trophy winning QB Johnny Manziel forgoes his Junior season and will enter this year's NFL Draft.

MLB: Pitching greats Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, along with former two-time AL MVP Frank Thomas, are the new inductees into the 2K14 Baseball Hall of Fame. Former Houston Astros great Craig Biggio nearly became a fourth member of this year's class - falling short by just two votes.(74.8% of the required 75% needed for induction)....The Los Angeles Dodgers extend manager Don Mattingly to a new three-year contract extension.

NFL: The postseason began with the Wild Card round, as both the San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts advanced to the division round in the AFC, while in the NFC, the defending conference champion San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints successfully moved on to the second round....Head coach hiring: Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins.

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 12/30/2K13 - Sunday 1/5/2K14)....Eastern Conference - F Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers; Western Conference - F David Lee, Golden State Warriors....Players of the Month (December 2K13): East - F LeBron James, Miami Heat; West - F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder....Rookies of the Month (December 2K13): East - G Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic; West - G Trey Burke, Utah Jazz....Coaches of the Month (December 2K13): East - Dwane Casey, Toronto Raptors; West - Jeff Hornacek, Phoenix Suns....The Cleveland Cavaliers traded talented yet disgruntled and oft-injured center Andrew Bynum to the Chicago Bulls for All-Star forward Luol Deng and future draft picks.

Men's College Basketball (Division I): Associated Press Top 10 - 1.  Arizona  2. Syracuse  3. Ohio State  4. Wisconsin  5. Michigan State  6. Wichita State  7. Baylor  8. Villanova  9. Iowa State  10. Florida

Women's College Basketball (Division I): Associated Press Top 10 - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Duke  4. Stanford  5. Lousiville  6. Maryland  7. Baylor  8. Tennessee  9. Kentucky  10. South Carolina....*Standout Performance: Baylor All-American G Odyssey Sims scored 48 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the team's victory over West Virginia.

Winter Sports: 29-year-old Olympic gold medal-winning skiier Lindsey Vonn will not complete at the upcoming Winter Games in Sochi, Russia due to her injured knee that will require surgery.

Soccer: Legendary Potugese player Eusebio passed away in his hometown of Lisbon, Portugal at the age of 71 due to heart failure.

R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 12/28/2K13 - Friday 1/3/2K14

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2K14!.....My 'notable' happenings and keynotes from this past week in the sports world:

 

NFL: The regular season concluded with both the AFC Denver Broncos (13-3) and the NFC Seattle Seahawks (13-3) finishing with the top record in the league and earning No. 1-seeds plus home-field advantage in the upcoming playoffs....Wild-Card Round: Saturday 1/4, 4:35pm EST - Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at Indianapolis Colts (11-5); 8:10pm EST - New Orleans Saints (11-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)....Sunday 1/5, 1:05pm EST - San Diego Chargers (9-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (11-5); 4:40pm EST - San Francisco 49ers (12-4) at Green Bay Packers (8-7-1). The New England Patriots (12-4) and the Carolina Panthers (12-4) also wrapped up bye-weeks and will play in the Division round. The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens finished 8-8 and missed making the postseason. The Houston Texans (2-14) with the worst record this season will have the overall number-one pick of the upcoming draft in May....Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning added to his certain Hall-of-Fame resume' by setting a new league record for most passing yards in a season - 5,477 - in a 34-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders on the road. Manning also finished the season with 55 touchdown passes - a new record as well....Head coach firings: Rob Chudzinski, Cleveland Browns; Greg Schiano, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins; Jim Schwartz, Detroit Lions; Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings. Head coach hiring: Lovie Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans....The Chicago Bears re-sign QB Jay Cutler to a seven-year, $126M contract extension. ($50M guaranteed)....31-year-old veteran running back Brandon Jacobs announced his retirement after nine years in the league and two Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants.

NBA: Players of the Week (Monday 12/23/2K13 - Sunday 12/29/2K13)....Easterm Conference - F Chris Bosh, Miami Heat; Western Conference - F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder....Notable player injuries: PG Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers (Separated right shoulder; out 3-5 weeks); F/C Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks (Torn pectoral muscle; out for the season)....As of Friday 1/3/2K14, the Indiana Pacers continue to own the league's best record at 25-6, with the Portland Trail Blazers (26-7) right behind them.

College Football: The Oklahoma Sooners upset the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide 45-31 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl....Louisville Cardinals QB Teddy Bridgewater will bypass his senior season and enter the 2K14 NFL Draft, and is projected to be the first signal-caller selected this coming May in New York City.

NHL: The 2K14 Winter Classic outdoor matchup between the home team Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs played to the largest crowd ever to see a pro hockey game - 105, 591 - at Michigan Stadium (home of the Wolverines college football program) in Ann Arbor. The Maple Leafs won the game 3-2 in a shootout amidst the snowy, arctic elements of the weather on New Year's Day....In other Maple Leafs news, the organization re-signed 28-year-old defenseman/team captain Dion Phaneuf to a seven-year, $49M contract extension.

Men's College Basketball: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Arizona  2. Syracuse  3. Ohio State  4. Wisconsin  5. Michigan State  6. Oklahoma State  7. Duke  8. Wichita State  9. Baylor  10. Oregon

Women's College Basketball: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. U.Conn  2. Notre Dame  3. Duke  4. Stanford  5. Tennessee  6. Kentucky  7. Louisville  8. Maryland  9. Baylor  10. UNC....The No. 3 jersey once worn by former All-American Candace Parker was retired by the Tennessee Lady Vols organization.

LockerRoomz Q.and.A: Pro Boxer PETER 'Kid Chocolate' QUILLIN

 

The Date: Wednesday 7/31/2K13
The Locale: Outside of HENRI BENDEL boutique, West 57th Street and Firfth Avenue, New York City
The Event: Angela Simmons' E-Commerce launch for IAmAngela.com

RG: What is your brand of pugilistic artistry?

PQ: Well, you know, I already know how to be a street fighter. I went in, and learned how to actually box. A lot of guys go in the gym and learn how to defend themselves, and that's what makes me different. Between my amateur and pro records, I only gotten 45 bouts in so far, and the experts are comparing me to guys that's boxed in 200-300 amateur events, with a handful of pro fights mixed in. So it's just letting me know that when you come from the bottom, you are chosen by GOD, and I feel like I have a special gift not only with the people, but with what GOD is doing with me, and working inside of me, and I know that it's only big plans that He has in store for me.

RG: Where are you based at?

PQ: I'm now based here in Brooklyn, New York. I've been in New York since I was 18. I'm 30 now, and it's been life and trial, man. I've made a lot of errors, but we learn from a lot of those things and applied them to what I know now, and now I have WISDOM.

RG: If you had to compare your style to two notable boxers, past or present, who would they be?

PQ: I would say that I'm a combination of both Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard. Those are my idols and who I looked up to. I also got the swag and personality like Muhammad Ali. Just altogether, I look up those guys that stepped forth the footsteps for me to follow in, and through them, I am now trying to create my own footprints.

*As of Saturday 12/28/2K13, Quillin is currently the WBO World Middleweight champion.

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