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Philadelphia Eagles 2015 NFL Draft & Offseason Recap

Chris Maurice
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Philadelphia Eagles 2015 NFL Draft & Offseason Recap

philadelphia eagles 2015 draft recap images

The Philadelphia Eagles had an active offseason to say the least. There was a point in time where the football watching world though head coach Chip Kelly had gone absolutely insane, beginning with sending franchise running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso.

lesean mccoy trade for kiko alonso eagles nfl 2015

After that transaction, crazy stuff was coming out of Philly left and right. Next up was the most shocking trade: quarterback Nick Foles, a fourth-round draft pick, and a future second-round pick bought the Eagles perpetually-injured Sam Bradford and a fifth-round selection. Well Foles slipped a little bit in 2014 before his injury, Bradford didn’t have a 2014 at all. He only played seven games in 2013 as well. Oh, and his contract calls for a nearly $13 million cap hit in 2015.

nick foles eagles trade 2015

Moving on. Things got much better for Kelly and the Eagles as free agency progressed. The Eagles signed Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell, San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Matthews, and Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, addressing two big needs the team had from 2014.

demarco murray eagles

With LeSean McCoy gone, Murray was the best possible replacement. Kelly was also able to add some depth by bringing in Matthews. And then of course Maxwell is an immediate improvement to the secondary, and defensive help is something the Eagles need a lot of this season, especially at corner.

chip kelly with marcus mariota eagles 2015

The 2015 NFL Draft was just as odd in Philly. Kelly spent most of the time building up to the draft trying to trade for Oregon quarterback and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota who he coached back in his days with the Ducks. It was amazing what this man was willing to offer for a quarterback who could very well fizzle out after a year or two in the pros. Two first-round picks and a couple of defensive starters? That’s absolutely ridiculous.

Well, after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers called on Jameis Winston, the Tennessee Titans were on the clock at No. 2 overall. They ended up passing on the Eagles offer, which just means that they will look even more foolish than Kelly if Mariota doesn’t work out.

Nelson Agholor signed with eagles chip kelly 2015

With the trade falling through, Kelly and team ended up using their 20th overall pick to draft wide receiver Nelson Agholor out of USC. This selection really doesn’t make sense for Chip’s high-powered, fast-pace offense. Agholor isn’t the most athletic receiver in the draft, and he could very likely have trouble adjusting; but he is a well-rounded receiver who Kelly will find a use for somewhere. Still can’t help but feel that Kelly could have done better by scouting a little more outside of the Pac-12.

eric rowe smart draft by eagles chip kelly 2015

Eric Rowe was a much better pick by the Eagles. The team traded their two fifth-rounders to move up to 47th overall and grab the safety out of Utah. Rowe is a versatile player who can play both cornerback and safety. Whatever the team decides to do with him, Rowe can definitely help out a bad secondary in Philadelphia.

tim tebow signed by eagles 2015

Chip Kelly’s addition of quarterback Tim Tebow right before the draft should also be mentioned. Tebow has been out of the league for a couple of years now, so what exactly the plan for him is remains unclear. Maybe Kelly wants to be known as the man who saved and revitalized Tebow’s football career?

Overall, the Eagles offseason can best be described as odd. Kelly drove a bunch of the team’s star players out the door, but he did bring in other big names to replace them. The offensive mastermind is entering his 3rd season in the NFL, and after finishing 10-6 in his first two years, expectations are high. After all the questionable moves this offseason, another playoff miss could mean Kelly’s job.

Top 10 Worst Bundesliga Soccer Player Signings 2015

Luka Alario
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Top 10 Worst Bundesliga Soccer Player Signings 2015

2015 worst bundesliga soccer signings images

Every sport loves to hype up who’ve they’ve signed as everything is built up on promises and a gut feeling. This season of the Bundesliga was no different as we take a look at 10 of the worst signings in Germany.

Shinji Kagawa worst bundesliga soccer signing 2015

Shinji Kagawa

After a nightmare two years at Manchester United, Kagawa returned to the club where he made a name for himself.

Still just 26-years-old and bought for £6.3 million, while he has chipped in with some crucial goals, Kagawa couldn’t return to his old form and help Dortmund avoid a horrendous season.

However, because Dortmund actually made a profit of £11 million selling and buying Kagawa back, he isn’t that much of a flop, given his relatively small price tag and he could always push on in his second season.

julian schieber worst bundesliga soccer signing 2015

Julian Schieber

With Hertha’s Adrian Ramos departing to Borussia Dortmund, Dortmund’s Schieber was brought in to replace the Colombian.

However, he hasn’t emulated the same form of Ramos which was understandable given that he’s been warming the bench for Dortmund for two seasons previously for a reason. He’s been injured since February but his respectable goal return of eight in 17 games doesn’t keep him off this list.

Matthias Ginter worst bundesliga soccer signings 2015

Matthias Ginter

One of Germany’s biggest prospects and included in the World Cup squad, defender Ginter was signed by Dortmund for a fee of €10 million.

However, the 21-year-old has struggled to consolidate his place in the team and has had some shaky performances. Fortunately, he’s still young so there’s time for him to improve.

aaron hunt worst bundesliga soccer signings 2015

Aaron Hunt

Bought in an area which Wolfsburg didn’t need strengthening especially with the likes of Ivan Perisic and Kevin de Bruyne, Hunt hasn’t exactly been an inspired signing for Die Wölfe.

The 28-year-old attacking midfielder has only featured 19 times this season, mostly as a sub with four goals to his name.

adrian ramos worst bundesliga soccer signings 2015

Adrian Ramos

Dortmund’s new 29-year-old summer signing might find it harsh to be on this list despite it being his first season with Die Borussen and mostly reserved to substitute appearances but the Colombian has failed to make an impression with whatever minutes he’s gotten.

Six goals in 28 games is a decent return as a substitute but he must perform better if he wants a starting spot.

Kevin Kampl worst bundesliga soccers signings 2015

Kevin Kampl

Bought in the January window from Red Bull Salzburg, while Dortmund’s upturn in form has coincided with the Slovenian’s arrival, he really has done nothing to contribute to it.

With just two assists in 13 games in all competitions, many expected better from a player who was extremely hyped up.

Adam Szalai worst bundesliga soccer signings 2015

Adam Szalai

Signed from Schalke for a fee of €6 million, Hoffenheim fans expected more from the Hungarian striker who made a name for himself by scoring goals for Mainz.

However, his return is just a measly 5 goals in 25 games in all competitions and just like that, one of the bright sparks of the Bundesliga is quickly drowning into obscurity.

Nicklas Bendtner worst bundesliga soccer signings 2015

Nicklas Bendtner

While Wolfsburg set out what they aimed to do before the season which was finishing in a Champions League spot, it’s not because of their forward signing in Nicklas Bendtner.

Wolfsburg were linked with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alvaro Morata before settling for the unsettled Arsenal striker.

While he’s never been a starter and has chipped in with a few goals, although he was a free signing, his wages are a different story and Dortmund certainly could have done better with just 5 goals in 28 games for the Danish international.

Lewis Holtby worst bundesliga soccers signings 2015

Lewis Holtby

Holtby was one of Germany’s biggest prospects until a move to Tottenham saw his career go downhill, culminating in a loan move to Fulham who he couldn’t prevent from getting relegated.

Joining Hamburg on loan, Holtby hasn’t revived his career whatsoever with just the one assist in 19 league games as his team just about may survive the possibility of relegation this season.

Ciro Immobile worst bundesliga soccer signings 2015

Ciro Immobile

When you’re brought in to replace Robert Lewandowski – one of the best strikers in world football – you expect to perform somewhat to his level. But Immobile has failed to do that.

With 22 goals in 33 league games for Torino in the 2013/2014 season, interest in the 25-year-old was huge and Dortmund looked like they got a real bargain for the Italian with a reported fee of £15.5m.

However, Immobile has scored just nine goals in 28 games for Die Borussen and even if it’s his debut season, many expected him to do better especially for his price tag.

2015 National League MLB Week 7: Tampa Bay Rays On Top

Peter Tebin
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2015 National League MLB Week 7: Tampa Bay Rays On Top

american league week 7 mbl 2015 images

The Monday morning blues might have set in for some but for most of us today is a chance to celebrate the men and woman who have served our country for us to enjoy baseball on Memorial Day. As another week of the season wraps up we continue to see a few surprises around the American League.

tampa bay rays winner for american league week 7 2015

The latest surprise is the Tampa Bay Rays who sit atop the American League East division above the teams many experts predicted to win the division. Many of those experts also predicted the Rays to finish as one of the bottom two teams in the division. The other surprise we can say at this point might not be a surprise anymore and that is the Houston Astros.

While we have seen surprises we have also seen some disappointment early on including the Baltimore Orioles who lost two of three this weekend to the Miami Marlins while falling to 19-22 on the season. The other major disappointment has been the Oakland A’s. The A’s have the worst record in baseball at 16-30 despite winning back to back games over the weekend.

Now we will take a look at each of the divisions and how they played around the American League.

East Division: Despite the struggles at the bottom of the division this race is as close as any in all of baseball. The Rays currently lead the division with a 24-21 record but the last place teams the Toronto Blue Jays only trail them by 4.5 games. The question many have asked themselves is how the Rays doing what they are doing with an offense that is in the bottom of the American League.

The answer is how well they have pitched through their first 45 games allowing just 158 runs only allowing more than the Kansas City Royals in the American League. Following the Rays are the New York Yankees who had sat atop of the East but after a rough stretch losing six straight games and nine of their past 10 they have fallen.

Wedged in between is the Boston Red Sox who are 21-23 but the team still has a ton of concerns on the mound. Through their first 44 games, the Red Sox pitching staff have allowed the most runs in the American League and have been outscored by 32 runs to this point.

Central Division: Moving over to the Central Division the Royals still sit atop the division but the Minnesota Twins have made a move to the second spot. After a 7-3 stretch over their past 10 games including winning their past two games the Twins moved up above the Detroit Tigers.

This week the Twins won both of their series taking both games of a two game series over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Twins followed up that performance taking two of three over the White Sox. In the three game series the Twins pitching staff allowed just seven runs to a very good White Sox lineup.

The team to beat in the division last week was the Cleveland Indians. The same Indians team that many had as a favorite to win the division picked up six straight wins after a loss last Monday. In that seven game stretch, the pitching staff allowed just 15 runs led by Corey Kluber.

Meanwhile the Tigers played to just a 3-4 record after losing back to back games to start the week against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Tigers would bounce back winning three straight including two in a row over the first place Houston Astros but would lose the final two games of the four game series.

West Division: Moving out west it continues to be the Houston Astros that have dominated the division as they hold a 6.5 game lead over the Los Angeles Angels. Rounding out the division is the Texas Rangers at 21-23, the Seattle Mariners at 20-23 and the Oakland A’s at 16-30.

As this past week played out we saw the Mariners fall back to the fourth spot as the Rangers have played better ball going 6-4 over their past ten games. That includes the teams current five game winning streak after opening the week with a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox. The Rangers would rebound winning the next two over the Red Sox before taking all three games against the New York Yankees.

In that Yankees series the Rangers bats came alive in the first two games scoring 25 runs while outscoring the Yankees by 12. The Rangers recent hot streak has brought the team closer to the Astros the team still trails them by eight games. Following the Rangers is the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s. Two teams that many had as the front runners for the division. The problem for the Mariners has been their offense while the A’s struggles has been with their pitching staff that has allowed the second most runs in the American League.

Now that we have taken a look at each of the divisions around Major League Baseball we can take a look at a few individuals. Here is our list of top individual performers over the seventh week of the season in the American League.

corey kluber not good for cleveland indians american league 2015 mlb

Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians: The Indians ace and reigning Cy Young winner has been brilliant over his last few outings including both last week despite only picking up one win. In two outings, Kluber worked 17 innings allowing just wo earned runs while striking out 19 hitters.

trevor bauer hot top man for indians american league mlb 2015

Trevor Bauer, Cleveland Indians: Joining his teammate on the list is Trevor Bauer who also was brilliant over the past week. The Indians right hander picked up two wins while working 15 innings allowing just two earned runs and striking out 11 hitters.

Bryce Harper & Nationals Still Hot For 2015 National League MLB Week 7

Peter Tebin
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Bryce Harper & Nationals Still Hot For 2015 National League MLB Week 7

national league week 7 bryce harper images 2015

The 2015 Major League Baseball season continues to cruise along as three familiar teams sit atop their respective divisions. These three clubs include the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The main difference between these three clubs is that only one of them have been playing well of late.

bryce harper and national red hot top men winner for mlb league 2015

That club is the Nationals who have stormed back in the National League East division to top the New York Mets. Much of the team’s success has been the play of outfielder Bryce Harper who has been red hot. The same Bryce Harper that many had written off and some had called a bust.

Entering this week 8 of the 2015 Major League Baseball season, Harper is third in the National League in batting average, first in home runs and first in runs batted in. The team has gotten some strong pitching of late including three games last week allowing two or fewer runs.

Now we will take a look at each of the divisions and how they played around the National League.

East Division: The National League East is all about the Nationals after their early season struggles. The team put together a 4-1 record this past week taking both games they faced off against the New York Yankees. The team followed up that performance taking two of three against the Philadelphia Phillies.

jordan zimmerman improving for nationals mlb league 2015

In that five game stretch, Jordan Zimmerman, Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez all improved their records have at least four wins. In those three games the Nationals pitching staff combined to allow just five earned runs. This was what many imagined going into the season after the team secured the top free agent pitcher on the market.

The division also saw the Atlanta Braves make a push in the standings after a solid week of play. The Braves put together a 4-2 record this week splitting a two games series with the Tampa Bay Rays before taking three of four against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Braves success of late has come with their starting pitching.

In the teams four wins last week the pitching staff allowed two or fewer runs. In those same four games the Braves offense managed to score just two runs in two of those contests and three in another. In their last 10 games the Braves are 7-3 with six of those wins coming in contests the team allowed three or fewer runs.

Rounding out the bottom of the division is the Philadelphia Phillies and the Miami Marlins. The Marlins ended a long losing streak by taking two of three over the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend.

Central Division: The St. Louis Cardinals still sit atop the division but the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates are both within striking distance. The Cubs are currently 24-19 winning six of their past ten games while the Cardinals have only won four of their past ten games.

As we compare these three teams the Cardinals have some of the best pitching in all of baseball allowing the fewest runs in all of baseball with just 134 over their first 44 games. In the team’s three wins last week the team allowed just three earned runs compared to the 14 runs in four losses. The team’s struggles has been scoring losing games 2-1, 5-0, 5-0 and 3-2.

The Cubs on the other hand have scored the second most runs in the division but has had some struggles allowing 181 runs over 43 games. Last week the Cubs posted a 3-3 record taking two of three from the San Diego Padres before losing two of three to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Then you have the Pirates who have the second fewest runs allowed in the National League at 149 over their first 43 games. This success showed up last week as the team won three of five contests including a three game sweep over the Mets in which the rotation allowed just four runs.

At the bottom of the division sit the Cincinnati Reds who have lost eight straight games followed the Brewers how have the worst record in the National League at 16-29.

West Division: Out west the Los Angeles Dodgers still sit atop the divivison but the San Francisco Giants have made a move. The Giants are 8-2 over their last eight games to move within two games of the first place dodgers. Following the Giants are the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Giants splash this past week came to open the week sweeping the Dodgers at home not allowing them to score a single run. In the three game series the Giants put together 2-0, 4-0 and 4-0 wins. The team finished out the week splitting a four game series with Colorado Rockies who sit at the bottom of the division.

The surprise in the division this week has been the Diamondbacks who moved ahead of the Padres in the standings. After opening the week with a three game sweep of the Miami Marlins, the Diamondbacks would take two of three over the Chicago Cubs.

Following the Padres are the Colorado Rockies at the bottom of the West Division.

Now that we have taken a look at each of the divisions around Major League Baseball we can take a look at a few individuals. Here is our list of top individual performers over the seventh week of the season in the National League.

Madison Bumgarner hot top man for giants national league mlb 2015

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants: The Giants ace made only one start last week but made it count. In that start the Giants would defeat the Dodgers 4-0 as the lefty would go six and a third innings allowing zero earned runs while striking out six. Bumgarner would also put together a nice day at the plate taking the NL MVP Clayton Kershaw deep.

Andrew McCutchen pirate top man national league mlb 2015

Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates: After a somewhat slow start, McCutchen’s bat has started to pick up. In five games last week, the Pirates picked up eight hits in 15 at bats including two doubles, three home runs, five runs batted in and five runs scored.

Blackhawks Beat Ducks Tying Everything Up: 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Adam Mcenroe
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Blackhawks Beat Ducks Tying Everything Up: 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

chicago blackhawks beat anaheim ducks stanley cup playoffs 2015

Odds are high that the Anaheim Ducks will be taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Chicago Blackhawks proved that they’re going to go down fighting before allowing that to happen. This game was incredible and what hockey’s all about!

The Chicago Blackhawks earned a dramatic double-overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks Saturday night from the United Center 5-4 to tie the NHL’s Western Conference Final series at 2-2.

Brandon Saad scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway with less than a minute left in the first period to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead going into intermission.

A goal by Anaheim’s Kyle Palmieri late in the second period evened the score 1-1.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews broke the tie early in the third period. Toews wristed a shot past Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen after patiently waiting for Andersen to make the first move. After Andersen went low, Toews shot it above his glove to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

Brent Seabrook followed with a goal of his own a few minutes later, making the score 3-1.

anaheim ducks vs chicago blackhawks 2015 stanley cup playoffs

Seabrook’s goal at first felt like all the insurance Chicago would need. But Anaheim came storming back, first on a goal by Ryan Kesler to narrow the score to 3-2 Blackhawks midway through the third period. Seconds later Matt Beleskey scored for the Ducks, tying the score 3-3 and stunning the United Center crowd.

But the Ducks weren’t done there. Seconds after Beleskey tied it, Corey Perry scored to give Anaheim a 4-3 lead. It was the third goal in 37 seconds for the Ducks, the second-fastest three goals in NHL playoff history.

A few minutes later, the Blackhawks got a power play with 7:37 remaining in the third, and Patrick Kane scored within seconds of the man advantage to tie the game 4-4 and ignite the Chicago crowd with a little more than seven minutes remaining.

Both teams exchanged great chances in the first overtime, including a breakaway by the Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp, but neither could bury it past the opponent’s goalie.

But the winner finally came in the second overtime, when Antoine Vermette scored for the Blackhawks to give Chicago the 5-4 double-overtime victory.

Game 5 from Anaheim will begin Monday at 8 p.m. central.

New York Rangers Zapped Again By Tampa Bay Lightning: Stanley Cup Playoffs

Adam Mcenroe
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New York Rangers Zapped Again By Tampa Bay Lightning: Stanley Cup Playoffs

tampa bay lightning zap new york rangers again stanley cup playoffs 2015

Once again, the New York Rangers got zapped by the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-0, in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs finals on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. The Lightning lead the series by 3-2 and they play again on Tuesday in Tampa Bay.

After allowing 10 goals over the previous two games, Ben Bishop bounced back with a stellar performance in net to back Tampa Bay’s defensive revival during Sunday’s all-important Game 5.

Bishop made 26 saves for his second career playoff shutout and Steven Stamkos continued to display his renewed scoring touch to guide the Lightning to a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Stamkos tied a franchise postseason record by scoring in a fourth straight game and also assisted on Valtteri Filppula‘s goal for the Lightning, who took a 3-2 series lead by killing off all four penalties and blocking 24 shots.

“We weren’t happy with the last couple games with the amount of scoring chances we were giving up,” said Bishop. “We looked at it and we talked about it. I thought we did a better job tonight. Guys (were) coming up huge with blocked shots at the end there.”

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 20 shots for the Rangers, who were unable to build upon their 5-1 thrashing of the Lightning on Friday.

The Lightning can book their first Stanley Cup final appearance since 2004 with a win in Game 6 at home on Tuesday.

After another strong penalty kill, Filppula opened the scoring with 6:31 left in the second period.

Stamkos took a lead pass from Anton Stralman through the neutral zone and skated up the right-wing boards. Filppula received a pass from Stamkos and beat Lundqvist’s blocker with a far-side wrister from the right circle.

“They gradually became more aggressive,” Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. “The last couple games we’ve been able to make that play, anticipate our next play and kind of break that pressure. Tonight we didn’t get as many of those looks, as many of those opportunities.”

Tampa Bay continued its strong special teams play with a power-play tally. Nikita Kucherov faked a shot at the left circle and hit a streaking Ondrej Palat with a cross-ice pass. Stamkos finished off the tic-tac-toe play by tapping in Palat’s feed from atop the crease for a 2-0 lead with 1:38 to play in the middle frame.

Bishop made 10 more saves in the third to seal the win, including a shoulder stop on a dangerous Derek Stepan snap shot and a denial of Dominic Moore’s 2- on-1 endeavor.

Lundqvist vacated the net in favor of an extra attacker with just over three minutes left in regulation. He headed to the bench again with a minute to play following offsetting penalties, but his team was unable to light the lamp.

The Rangers controlled the pace of play during a scoreless first period, aggressively hemming the visitors in their own zone and holding a 6-4 shot advantage. The visitors held their ground, however, blocking six New York offerings and killing off two penalties to enter the first intermission unscathed.

“I thought that was the whole key of the game,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of his team’s strong short-handed effort. “It kind of sucked away the momentum from them. We got stronger after that.”

Less than two minutes into the second, Stamkos gathered a Keith Yandle turnover at the left circle and wristed a shot on net, but Lundqvist robbed him with a slick glove save from the top of the crease.

Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers: 2015 NBA Finals

Shane Lambert
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Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers: 2015 NBA Finals

golden state warriors vs cleveland cavaliers 2015 nba finals

The 2015 NBA Finals have almost taken shape following the two basketball games in the association that were played this weekend. Barring a miracle, the championship series should be between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Golden State, playing on Saturday evening, extended their series lead over the Houston Rockets to 3-0. The importance of the game three win for the Warriors was that, for the first time in the series, they were playing as a road team. Had Houston defended their home court, it may have created a long-series situation for GS, something that they have now likely avoided.

golden state warriors beat houston rockets 2015 nba finals

Houston may have come back from 1-3 in the second round but coming back from 0-3, against a better team than the one they faced last round, should prove too large of a hill to climb. That is especially true given that the Rockets would have to win two games on the road if they were to advance to the NBA Finals this season. Most will be looking for the Warriors to wrap up their series against Houston in four or five games now, with game four coming from Texas on Monday night.

Sunday night’s NBA game featured the Cleveland Cavaliers playing their first game of the Eastern Conference Finals on home court. The Cavs took two road-wins into game three with Lebron James doing a whole lot of scoring down in Atlanta.

In game three the Cavaliers dodged a loss that could have changed the complexion of the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals. Atlanta had chances to win game three however a missed buzzer beater at the end of regulation kept the Cavs’ hopes alive. Atlanta, after falling behind Cleveland in overtime, had to attempt two more late shots to tie but both of those missed as well.

It’s fair to say that the Hawks, although they played their best game of the series, weren’t exactly clutch in game three. Consequently, they are all but done in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals as the Cavs are now ahead 3-0.

Returning from such a deficit is not something that happens that much in any sport. It has happened in NHL Hockey recently and it has happened in Major League Baseball in the not-too-distant past. However in NBA basketball, the feat is still without precedent.

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible but, with Atlanta and Houston both now priced at 250 to 1 to win the title (William Hill), a Golden State vs. Cleveland match-up in the NBA Finals is all but official.

Kei Nishikori vs Thomaz Bellucci Or Marinko Matosevic: 2015 French Open

Jackie Warner
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Kei Nishikori vs Thomaz Bellucci Or Marinko Matosevic: 2015 French Open

kei nishikori beats paul henri mathieu french open 2015

Japan’s powerhouse tennis player Kei Nishikori moved on to the second round of the 2015 French Open on Sunday, beating French wildcard Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3, 7-5, 6-1. It took him over two hours to win, but he was able to avoid a second straight first round departure at Roland Garros.

Nishikori hs improved to 11-2 on the clay courts this year, having successfully defended his Barcelona crown, followed by a semi-final run at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Madrid and quarter-final finish in Rome. He will next face the winner of Monday’s clash between recent Geneva Open champion Thomaz Bellucci andMarinko Matosevic.

[pdf-embedder url=”http://movietvtechgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2015-french-open-day-2-draw-schedule.pdf”]

Winning 79 percent of points on his first serve and hammering down seven aces, Nishikori converted seven of his 15 break points and took 2 hours, 10 minutes to brush the former big hope of French tennis off Court Suzanne Lenglen at Roland Garros.

paul henri mathieu loses to kei nishikori french open 2015

“I think it was solid match,” Nishikori said. “I think it’s not easy to play three straight sets easy. So, you know, there are some ups and downs, and I think I fought through pretty well.”

The 25-year-old Nishikori, a U.S. Open finalist last year, is among the big outsiders at the French Open after defending his Barcelona title and making it to the semifinals in Madrid and the quarterfinals in Rome, where he lost to the top-ranked Novak Djokovic.

Last year, Nishikori was upset by Martin Klizan in the Roland Garros first round, a year after becoming the first Japanese man to reach the Round of 16 since 1938.

kie nishikori returns to paul henri mathieu french open 2015

The fifth seed is one of five Japanese men to appear in the main draw this fortnight – the most at Roland Garros since 1967, when there were six. This is also the first time as many as five Japanese men have played in the men’s main draw at a major since 1973 Wimbledon, when there were also five.

Nishikori, who moved to the United States when he was 14 and has been coached by former French Open winner Michael Chang since last year, is the highest-ranked Japanese player ever. Japan started with five men in the French main draw — the most since 1967 when there were six — and the most at any major since Wimbledon in 1973, when there were also five.

Go Soeda’s 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 first-round loss to Philipp Kohlschreiber quickly reduced their ranks to four, but Nishikori is enthusiastic about the future of tennis in his country.

“It’s great to see many Japanese players here, and I think men’s tennis got much better right now in Japan,” said Nishikori, who used to be nicknamed “Project 45” when his goal was to reach the No. 45 rank so as to be one spot higher than the best ranking achieved by any Japanese man.

The other Japanese players involved in the men’s draw this year are qualifiers Taro Daniel and Yeshihito Nishioka, as well as 108th-ranked Tatsuma Ito.

“Those two young guys, Taro and Yeshi, are playing great tennis,” Nishikori said. “They qualified for the US Open too. Now they qualified here, so it’s great to see for Japanese tennis.”

Last year at Roland Garros, Nishikori lost in the first round after fighting back problems.

In other action, Ernests Gulbis began his quest to return to the Roland Garros semi-finals following a 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3) victory over Igor Sijsling. Gulbis, who upset Roger Federer in five sets in last year’s fourth round, won his third tour-level match of the season.

“The last couple of matches on clay, it has been getting better and better,” Gulbis said about his current form. “I had some close losses against Goffin and Vesely in Rome and Madrid. As well as against Paire in Barcelona. But in Barcelona I didn’t play well yet. In Rome and Madrid I played decent and these are guys ranked in the Top 30 in the world. I lost to Goffin 7-5 in the third, and next week he played the quarter-finals. So it seems like I’ve been losing a lot of matches, but I lost to decent people… It’s now or never for the clay season.”

The Latvian will face French wild card Nicolas Mahut in the second round. Mahut spoiled qualifier Kimmer Coppejans Grand Slam debut 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4). It will be their third FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting and third on French soil after Gulbis prevailed at the 2012 Orleans Challenger and again at the Marseille quarter-finals last year.

Roger Federer 2015 French Open Surprise: Lack of Security

Jackie Warner
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Roger Federer 2015 French Open Surprise: Lack of Security

roger federer selfie fan french open 2015

Roger Federer knows that if it weren’t for his fans, he’s be nothing, and he’s always gone out of his way for them, but on Sunday at the 2015 French Open, a line was most definitely crossed. A young teen was able to run out on the court after Federer defated Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 without any security on his tail. No one tried to stop him as he made it to Federer and took selfies with him while the Swiss Maestro held his composure but this incident obviously shook him up no doubt. And this was quite a long delay before any security came out.

Anybody would be furious at the horrendous default in security, especially in a city where just months ago terrorists killed eleven people in offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo. If this kid had meant to harm Federer it was open season and no one would have been able to stop him until it was too late.

french open 2015 selfie fan hits up roger federer

It was the latest in a series of security breaches at Roland Garros through the years, and Federer was quite rightly not amused.

“Obviously, not one second I’m happy about it,” he said, calling for immediate action from the French Open organizers. “Normally I only speak on behalf of myself, but in this situation, I think I can speak on behalf of all the players, that that’s where you do your job. That’s where you want to feel safe. And so clearly I’m not happy about it. But nothing happened. So I’m relieved, but clearly it wasn’t a nice situation to be in.”

roger federer furious after french open 2015 selfie hit

Gilbert Ysern, the French Open tournament director, apologized to Federer in the locker room after the match and later attributed the incident to “a lack of judgment” on the part of the security guards rather than a lack of proper security structure.

“What happened today does not show that the risk level is high,” Ysern said. “We’re talking about an error in judgment. The guards are well prepared. If a guy went running on the court with an aggressive attitude, he would not have made it to the player.”

At times on Sunday, Ysern seemed to play down the incident. “Of course, we should not make too big a case of that,” he said. “But it’s embarrassing, of course, for Roland Garros when something like that happens.”

[pdf-embedder url=”http://movietvtechgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2015-french-open-day-2-draw-schedule.pdf”]

At times he also seemed more concerned about underscoring the importance of the willingness of players from this generation to interact with youth than with focusing on the essential: player security.

But on balance, Ysern made it clear that Sunday’s incident, as innocuous as it turned out, was unacceptable. He said the young fan, who French news outlets reported is 14, had been barred from the remainder of the tournament.

“The court is sacred,” Ysern said. “It’s forbidden at any moment for any reason in any possible context to put so much as a toe on the court. All the spectators should know it.”

Above all, all the security guards should know it. Tennis history should be a constant reminder that such situations can turn out as anything but a joke.

It has been 22 years since Monica Seles, then the No. 1 women’s player in the world and the reigning French Open champion, was stabbed in the back on April 30, 1993, on a changeover in Hamburg, Germany, by a deranged German fan of Seles’s archrival, Steffi Graf.

The psychological damage proved greater than the physical damage, and though Seles did eventually return to the circuit and win the 1996 Australian Open, she was never the same irresistible force after the stabbing.

Adrian Peterson Already Skipping Out On Minnesota Vikings

Jackie Warner
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Adrian Peterson Already Skipping Out On Minnesota Vikings

adrian peterson skipping out on vikings 2015

The Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson is still acting up even though the draft has come and gone and there’s not a realistic window for him moving anywhere even though many Minnesotans wish he was gone. Coach Mike Zimmer claimed to have an ‘idea’ of when running back Peterson will be showing up for work, but he’s already skipping out on three important days of team work.

With all the controversy and problems surrounding Peterson, this would have been a smart time to just suck it up and get out on the field with his teammates as he’s not going anywhere no matter how much of a brat he wants to be.

The star running back has told coach Mike Zimmer that he will not attend the three days of team work that begin Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told the media on Sunday night. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

Peterson did attend the optional workouts last summer while Zimmer was orienting himself in his first months on the job, but has skipped them in the past. This time, however, could cost him a $250,000 workout bonus and comes in the context of his expressed unhappiness with the organization.

Peterson has made it clear through his representatives this offseason that he would like to play elsewhere next season because he does not believe the Vikings showed enough support of him while he was dealing with child abuse charges last season. Peterson missed all but one game last year while addressing the charges.

adrian peterson not wanting to play with vikings 2015

The Vikings have steadfastly maintained that they would not trade Peterson, who is still under contract for three more seasons and is set to make $12.75 million next season. Once the team made it through the draft without moving him, team officials hoped some normalcy would be restored and both sides could start moving forward while repairing any frayed ends on the relationship.

He was reinstated from his suspension by Commissioner Roger Goodell last month and Zimmer said last week that he wasn’t concerned about the drama surrounding Peterson lingering into the summer. But the decision to skip this week’s workouts, which was first reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, ensures that the issue will remain front and center leading into the team’s mandatory minicamp June 16-18. The Vikings also have optional practices June 2-4 and 8-11.

If Peterson skipped the mandatory minicamp, he would be subject to hefty fines from the team.

The Vikings are counting on the 30-year-old Peterson’s return to make things easier for second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and give offensive coordinator Norv Turner the kind of game-breaker in the backfield that the team lacked in his absence last year.

We get it Adrian, you’re not happy being in Minnesota and Minnesota is not happy having you here either. But as any good Minnesotan knows, you suck it up, smile and just wait for the ignorant ones like you to mess up again. Where else could you make an easy $13 million and still be a big bitch? Of course, the NFL where that behavior is coddled.

Game of Thrones Season 5 Halftime Report

Shane Mclendon
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Game of Thrones Season 5 Halftime Report

game of thrones season 5 hafltime 2015 images

Bad news. Season five of Game of Thrones is halfway finished. The good news is the best is probably yet to come in the final few episodes of the year. This show flies by faster than any other on TV. It’s so good, but so hard to watch. Character after hopeful character gets killed or otherwise abused. Best not get too attached to one hero lest you be pissed at the show runners as they torment both your most beloved character and you.

The first half of this year’s installment of GOT has been setting the table for a great deal of action toward the end….hopefully. Here are the first half highlights. It will get better as the season wraps up…or worse depending on how well you prepare yourself for the inevitable shock and dismay we all feel as bad things happen to good people.
game of thrones tommen paper king recap 201510. We all knew Tommen was a paper king. He is just a boy after all. I didn’t see him being downright unwilling to do anything at all though. He won’t even give an order when his queen is directly threatened. Tommen is not long for the throne and has made a huge mistake not protecting his hot wife. He wouldn’t have been king long anyway, but he could have spent many more nights with Margaery had he been just a little assertive.
game of thrones sansa turns down brienne 20159. Sansa refuses Brienne‘s help at the inn while she is still with Littlefinger. Sansa Stark surely regrets that move now that she is in the company of the Boltons because of Petyr’s plans. The plan may work out long term, but marrying Ramsay Bolton may be too much to bear.
tyrion kidnapped by jorah game of thrones 20158. Tyrion has a bad habit of drinking too much. He also seems to get kidnapped a great deal. Jorah got him this time and is taking the dwarf to Daenerys to prove Jorah’s loyalty. The two have a hell of time getting to the Mother of Dragons however.
mancy rayder burned alive on game of thrones with john snow 20157. Stannis, being the serious man he is, decides to burn Mance Rayder alive since the Wildlings’ leader won’t bend the knee. Jon Snow couldn’t convince Mance it was better to bow, so I don’t blame Stannis for this awful act. A man has to know when he has been conquered. Jon did mercifully kill Mance before he suffered too long. Snow continues to do the moral thing….and that usually gets you whacked in this universe.
arya stark arrives at braavos game of thrones 20156. Arya arrives in Braavos and an epic entry into the city it was indeed. The scenery was truly awesome. They are dragging out her assassin training a bit though, and it’s not as entertaining as her adventures with the “Hound”.
cersei makes deal with sparrows game of thrones 20155. Cersei is embarrassed by Margaery, who is very cocky with her new role as queen. Tommen’s mom uses the nuclear option as she empowers the Sparrows cult to use force to punish sinners. This results in Margaery’s brother Loras being jailed for homosexuality. Cersei has released a force that won’t be controlled by her for long and could backfire badly as the Sparrows gain more and more power.
game of thrones jorah infected with greyscale 20154. Jorah is infected with greyscale when he and Tyrion are attacked by the stone men as they sail toward Meereen. He conceals this from Tyrion and none of us viewers know how long he has before he turns into a stone man himself. He best get a doctor referral from Stannis who had his own daughter saved from the affliction.
3. Daenerys tries to be all law and order so she has a former slave executed. He took the law into his own hands instead of letting the justice system take care of a murderous Harpy member. Daenerys is hissed at by the crowd of former slaves and the luster is off the “Breaker of Chains.”
sons of the harpy rising on game of thrones 20152. The Sons of the Harpy pull off a major attack on the Unsullied. The whores of Meereen help set up Dany’s warriors and it’s basically a slaughter. Grey Worm is nearly killed, and Ser Barristan dies after killing a stack of the Harpy crew. The Unsullied should be smarter than get ambushed the way they did and I would rather have seen the old knight remain alive than Grey Worm.
jon snow lord commander of castle black game of thrones 20151. Jon Snow is the new Lord Commander at Castle Black. He is finally getting some credit! Not everyone is happy about it so he has to show the doubters who is in charge. After refusing a direct order from Snow, the bald coward Janus is dragged out to be executed. I feared Jon would back out at the last minute as Janus begged for his worthless life. I underestimated the new leader at the Wall. He chopped the dissenter’s head right off, making it clear his orders were to be followed by the onlookers. “How high,” should be the response to Jon’s orders to jump.

GAME OF THRONES Ep 506: Sansa & Ramsay With Reek Is One Twisted Wedding Night

Shane Mclendon
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0
GAME OF THRONES Ep 506: Sansa & Ramsay With Reek Is One Twisted Wedding Night

 

If you were looking for some silver linings from Game of Thrones this week, best look toward next week. Although it may get worse before it gets better, as we have learned all too well over the past four and a half seasons. “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” was a mashup of misery for some characters who ended up at the mercy of Cersei and also Ramsay Bolton. Arya did manage to move forward in her training even though she endured some pretty tough abuse at the hands of her mentor. I don’t remember Mr. Miyagi slapping Danielson around like that.

Arya is tired of cleaning the dead bodies and wants to get to the real training. Once again she gets the spiel about becoming “no one.” Later on she gets to the next level as she performs a mercy killing on a sick little girl. That earns her a trip to the Hall of Faces, which apparently is the “changing room” for all the faces available to Jaqen H’ghar. The bodies are prepared properly in the House of Black and White for later use by the assassin. I’m sure they will go deeper into this premise as Arya continues her training.

iain glen peter dinklage game of thrones 506 unbowed recaap 2015
Tyrion and Jorah are still slowly making their way toward Daenerys and Tyrion keeps wearing on Jorah’s nerves with all the chatter. He also inadvertently mentions the death of Mormont’s father, who was killed in a mutiny. Jorah is shaken by the news of course, then later tells Tyrion why he is intent on helping Daenerys find her way to the Iron Throne. The story of her living through the fire and the dragons hatching from the flames has shaped his destiny. Tyrion is still not convinced she is ready to rule.
tyrion game of thrones ep 506 recap 2015Tyrion and Jorah later get caught by some slavers and luckily survived the encounter…for now. The quick witted little man saved his own skin by convincing the slavers that his dwarf cock would not be valuable unless the “cock merchant” witnessed the dwarf that possessed the cock. Pretty sure this is the first time “cock merchant” has ever been mentioned on television and certainly the first time I have typed the phrase out! Tyrion also told the slavers that Jorah would make a great fighter for the newly opened fighting pits. So they remain alive for the time being, but can’t seem to stay out of danger. First the stone men and now captured by slave peddlers.
game of thrones 506 recap images 2015deobia opareiLittlefinger returned to King’s Landing to find the place crawling with the Faith Militant. He has his meeting with Cersei and they agree to some shady dealings that would leave Petyr as Ward of the North. This plan is so twisted and reliant upon everything falling just right that it hardly seems plausible. He is counting on Stannis and Roose Bolton battering each other, then the Lannisters swooping in to finish off the victor from that battle. The Wildlings are a wildcard that even Littlefinger isn’t counting on though.
game of thrones 506 keisha castle hughes
Jaime and Bronn didn’t fare very well after they found  Myrcella. She was planning on marrying the prince the next day and dear old dad has swooped in and fucked that all up. Weddings are not all they are cracked up to be on this show, so the young lady may be better off! The Sand Snakes were planning on snatching Myrcella themselves and they end up tangling with Jaime and Bronn. On first watch I was not very impressed with this fight scene, a rarity for GOT. This scene looked more West Side Story than a real fight. It was all too synchronized and there was very little bloodshed. The end result was the royal guard surrounding the Snakes as well as the duo of Bronn and Jaime.

Olenna Tyrell has made her way to King’s Landing to save the day and get her grandson Loras freed from the dungeon. She is not very effective in this quest as things got much worse. Cersei is intent on acting as if she has no control over the fate of Loras. Pretty soon she will realize she has no control over the Faith Militant at all. A mock hearing is set up and Loras denies his gayness, and even Queen Margaery is forced to testify for her brother. Both are deemed liars as a former lover tells of intimate details with Loras. So not only is Loras back in the clink, but the queen herself along with him! The royal guard was ready to pounce as the Faith Militant hauled off their queen, but once again King Tommen fails to protect his new bride. He is apparently not as fond of having her in his bed as he first professed. Each time the royal guard keeps their swords sheathed, this militarized cult becomes stronger and more dangerous. A smirking Cersei Lannister was pretty pleased as all this unfolded. Margaery really underestimated her.
game of thrones wedding rap ep 506 unbowed 2015On to the real bad news of this episode. Being thrown in jail is nothing compared to the fate of Sansa. If you had to live the life of one character, hers would have to be the worst of any. Sansa Stark did put that hateful bitch Myranda in her place as she tried to scare Sansa before her wedding night. She mocks Myranda’s love for Ramsay and announces, “I am Sansa Stark of Winterfell. This is my home and you can’t frighten me.” Sansa also refuses to let Theon take her arm as he gives her away, telling him that she cares not if he is punished for not doing as he is told.
sansa stark rape by ramsay game of thrones 2015 ep 56I loved Sansa standing up for herself, but she had no chance to do the same against Ramsay. I had prepared myself for the fact that she would lose her virginity to this monster on their wedding night. What happened was worse than I had envisioned. Theon is made to watch as Sansa starts to undress. Keep in mind he watched her raised from childhood as he was part of the Stark family.

reek watches ramsay rape sansa game of thrones ep 506 unbent

Ramsay speeds up the process as he rips the dress off Sansa’s back then basically raped her. She had prepared herself mentally for this horrific wedding night, but having Theon be there in the same room was just some next level sinister shit that no one would expect. Ramsay Bolton may be worse than Joffrey when it’s all said and done. Kid is clearly insane.
game of thrones unbowed unbend unbroken recap diana rigg 2015Theon has to have a breaking point where he will take revenge on Ramsay. His manhood has been ripped, literally and figuratively, so maybe all he can muster is lighting that distress signal for Sansa. Anything from Greyjoy would be welcome at this point. Light the candle and let Brienne do the heavy lifting! Let us not forget that it was Littlefinger who put Sansa in this position. No matter the big picture plan, he left Sansa in the hands of a sociopathic rapist and woman hunter.

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