WWE News: Bella Twins Have Been Fired

In a surprising turn, the WWE has just announced that former Divas champions Nikki and Brie Bella have been fired after their Divas title match with Layla, who won the title last night from Nikki Bella at the Extreme Rules PPV.

As stated on WWE.com:

WWE.com has learned that The Bella Twins have been fired from WWE.

The news comes just one day after Layla defeated Nikki Bella to capture the Divas Championship at Extreme Rules.

Stay with WWE.com tonight for more details as they become available.

Now, while it was being reported that the Bellas weren't going to renew their contracts, the usage of the word "fired" rather than released really makes one think that there may be more to this story, since the WWE didn't use the usual "future endeavors" announcement.

Hopefully more news comes out of this within the next couple of days to see if there was something going on behind the scenes or if this is a part of an angle.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Feuerstein?s Fire Podcast #99

Spokane Spiders

Witness awkward ceasefire for Panthers COO Michael Yormark, Devils fan who humbled him on Twitter

The New Jersey Devils eliminated the Florida Panthers in double overtime of Game 7 on Thursday, closing the book on one of the NHL's best stories of the 2011-12 season. Meanwhile, in a luxury suite at BankAtlantic Center, another story reached completion: The surreal feud between the president of the Panthers Michael Yormark and a 26-year-old Devils fan on Twitter.

As a refresher: Yormark was trolling Devils fans on Twitter after accusing them of throwing plastic rats during Game 5 in order to get the home team whistled for delay of game. Lauren Rubino, 26, trolled right back, saying that Yormark was "making an ass of himself and his organization." Yormark's retort: "You have 70 followers. No one cares what you think."

That sparked a backlash that saw Rubino's Twitter follower count balloon to over 4,500 in 48 hours, as fans rallied to her defense. So did the Devils, putting her up in a luxury box ? right above Yormark ? for the Devils' Game 6 win in overtime in Newark.

On Thursday, Yormark reached out to Rubino over the phone to reconcile (and likely attempt to change his karma), offering to fly her to Game 7 in Sunrise and watch the game from his suite. She and her father accepted, and that's where the ceasefire took place. Wrote Rubino after the Devils' game:

"Time to pass out ? a HUGE thank you to @panthersyormark and the panthers for being so kind and inviting me. Amazing time. so impressed with the fans. They were loud and into it...and they were very nice. PS. How awkward is that you tube video from the Miami Herald?! So embarrassing!!!"

And with that, the oddest feud of the 2012 playoffs is over.

Listen to Thursday's "Marek Vs. Wyshynski" podcast for an interview with Rubino (about 40 minutes in).

New York Islanders

Chelsea, Barcelona video from UEFA Champions League semifinals

Read the match report from Chelsea?s 2-2 draw at Barcelona, which sent the Blues to the UEFA Champions League final May 19 in Munich. The other slot will be settled Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. ET, when Real Madrid, trailing 2-1 on aggregate, hosts Bayern Munich. FX and foxsoccer2go.com will carry live coverage. Fox Soccer will show a replay at 5 p.m.

Read full article >>

Calgary Flames

Expansion and the MLS Meta

- Jason Davis

In 2011, after Seattle and Philly and Portland and Vancouver and Montreal and the wave that came before them (yes, San Jose counts) and all of the talk of candidates and fees and ownership groups and stadium plans and color schemes and whether names should be "historical" (since 1975!) or "euro" or plain old American city-and-nickname, I'm tired of expansion. Or, rather, I'm not tired of expansion, I'm over it as a major part of Major League Soccer's future, which means I'm over writing about it. Actually, I'm almost certain that my attention has shifted because there are now enough teams and enough stability that MLS has hardened around the edges and has the consistency of a "real" league.

But the expansion talk continues, whether I remain actively engaged or not (my interest, surprisingly, has no bearing on the rolling expansion train or the discussion surrounding it...who knew). The country is big, MLS will continue to be in the growth phase - in one area or fifty - forever, and there is STILL no team in the Southeast. Oh, and MLSHQ continues to publicly covet another franchise in New York, either because they themselves are sick of having to trek over to Jersey to see a game, or...no, that's probably it. I hear the PATH trains are a disaster.

The latest development in the expansion story is that MLS has no immediate plans to grow beyond the 20 clubs the league will have once Montreal joins in 2012 and someone in New York who was lucky enough to have never met Bernie Madoff finds $100 million to invest. This has come as a shock to some because stopping at 20 only makes sense if MLS is A. retaining the balanced schedule (they're not) B. tired of expansion fees (doubtful) or C. convinced that there are no more cities ready for professional soccer (maybe, but unlikely). Suddenly everything we know about MLS 2.0 is threatened by public statements of conservatism. If MLS isn't expanding, what does that mean exactly?

Richard Whittall, the newly minted editor at The Score's Footy Blog and a top bloke, lays it out pretty simply in a manner I might have had I thought to tackle the story first and wasn't tied up doing other things:

First, no more rotating conversation about viable American (or Canadian) soccer markets, so that MLS can deal with working with its existing markets, and shoring up some of the weaker ones. It gives a sense of fixed identity to the league?this is it, for better or for worse. A little familiarity goes a long way, and as Lorne Michaels apparently said once: ?the longer you?re here, the longer you?re here.? Halting expansion seals off MLS and gives the league a sense of permanence.

Richard's point about too much of the coverage of MLS being "meta" is a good one, and although it cuts me personally as this blog was launched to tackle many of the very meta issues he identifies, pushing topics like "who's next" to the periphery is crucial to the graduation of MLS from novelty level to full and tenured member of major professional sports leagues. The sooner MLS can be just about the games, the players, and the coaches (with the occasional distraction of the latest best-small-soccer-stadium-in-the-world opening), the better. Permanence isn't awarded after a certain number of years or teams or even fans is reached; it's an entirely subjective characteristic that only takes hold as a widespread feeling at some indeterminable point when the greater culture finally takes the league's existence for granted. That might require an older generation of sportswriters/editors/talking heads to recede into their retirements where they can't influence an easily manipulated public, or it might just be something that comes when MLS pauses to tidy up the house already built instead of worrying about the next new addition.

Which, judging by the attendance issues in Columbus and Dallas and the (still) unresolved stadium situation in DC (among other things), MLS should do. The NBC TV contract represents an opportunity to buckle down and generate genuine interest in the sport beyond the hardcore locals it has already attracted. Expansion should and must be commensurate with the ability of teams to find and pay for decent talent. That probably means stopping at 20 teams, at least for now.

One less meta issue to bat around and speculate on means less fodder American soccer blogs that can't help themselves. And that's a good thing. MLS still, and probably will for the foreseeable future, feels like more of a counterculture movement than a actual part of the fabric of sport in the United States and Canada. That might give us a greater feeling of solidarity and uniqueness as fans, but it remains a barrier to MLS becoming the legitimate and accepted league it hopes to be.

As long as we're talking about the way the league is run, where it might pop up next, how to pay expensive names to play here, etc., etc. more than we talk about the narratives playing out on the field, MLS won't just be niche, it will feel ephemeral.

--

C.D. Chivas USA

Seattle Seahawks Draft Picks 2012: Breaking Down Seattle's Surprising Selections

The Seattle Seahawks abided by the fans' wishes and didn't come away with Ryan Tannehill in the first round, which is a plus. But instead, the front office left fans scratching their heads with their somewhat bizarre selections over the first three rounds.

Though their moves weren't expected, the under-the-radar players have the fortitude it takes to end up being the good kinds of surprises.

In most mock drafts, the Seahawks were expected to take a defensive end in the first round—maybe Chandler Jones or Melvin Ingram—but they went in a completely different direction and selected Bruce Irvin with their No. 15 pick, a guy who wasn't expected to go in the first round at all.

Irvin, a West Virginia outside linebacker and defensive end, was ranked as the third-best linebacker and the 56th best overall player. Though he has good speed and the right frame for an NFL player, he's below average in terms of bulk (6'3", 245 pounds). That, however, isn't the primary reason that he's a risk: There are an abundance character concerns stemming from his history over the last several years.

Irvin was arrested in March after his pro day workout for disorderly conduct and destruction of property after he allegedly broke a sign at a Jimmy John's shop in Morgantown, and in high school, he dropped out, lived on the streets and spent time in a juvenile detention center, according to ESPN.com. 

He earned his GED in 2007, tried to walk on to the football team at one community college but didn't make it, then tried his hand at Mt. San Antonio Community College. After a couple of years there, he de-committed from both Tennessee and Arizona State before ultimately choosing to continue his career at West Virginia.

Though they chose the riskiest possible player, the Seahawks seem confident in Irvin's abilities, especially head coach Pete Carroll, who told the Washington Post's Cindy Boren that while he was the head coach at USC, he recruited Irvin out of junior college and is ecstatic with the pick. He said: 

We recruited him and we knew him very well. We had a very close relationship through the recruiting process. I’ve known this guy for a long time. I know what he brings to a football team, the excitement that he generates. The speed that he brings is so unique and so rare. 

Fans are still scratching their heads as to why the Seahawks seem fixated on a prospect who is a colossal risk and, though good, isn't better than the other defensive ends and linebackers still on the board when they made their selection. Hopefully, the organization's close relationship with Irvin will prove to pay off and keep him focused—and on the field.

In the second round, the Seahawks chose Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner, who was recruited by only one school out of high school. He didn't begin playing football until his junior year of high school but has above-average instincts and is an excellent tackler. The Seahawks seem impressed by his motivation despite doubts throughout his entire career, and he's a durable, hard-working prospect with the toughness to succeed if he maintains the same effort levels.

The Seahawks' third-round selection, Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson, is also an overcoming-the-odds type who was told that, at 5'11", he was too short to play in the NFL. According to the Bellingham Herald's Steve Kelley, Wilson began his college career at NC State, abandoned football for a while to play in the minor leagues for the Colorado Rockies, then returned to Wisconsin for one more season.

Rated as the eighth-best quarterback on the board, Wilson has excellent pocket mobility and good arm strength, and though his size remains a substantial concern, his production—3,175 yards, 33 touchdowns and just four interceptions last season—belies those worries.

All of the Seahawks' draft picks, in their own ways, are risks, but if nothing else, they all share one common quality: the motivation to do whatever it takes to shed that label.

Heartland Division

Satellite TV's New Ad: Don't End Up in a Roadside Ditch

When your cable goes out, you can't study game film. When you can't study game film, you lose to Alabama. When you lose to Alabama, you get depressed. When you get depressed, you buy a Harley. When you buy a...

Houston Dynamo

Why judging a fan base based on the racists makes you no better than them

The look of shock on the kid's face behind Ward is priceless.

Because I am a person of color, I often find myself in conversation with people who feel the need to insist to me that they aren't racist�(despite the fact that I rarely, if ever, ask). More than once,�the explanation for why these individuals don't hold a prejudice against persons of color has gone a little something like this:

"I don't see why anyone could ever have a problem with black people. Every one I've ever met has been nothing but kind to me."

My thinking is always the same: If you're basing your non-prejudice on the fact that you've never met a black guy (or a gay guy, or a religious person, or a hockey fan, or a member of any other group) that's also happened to be a total asshat, you're likely to become prejudiced before long.

I couldn't help but think of this as the hockey world recoiled Wednesday night at the barrage of racism directed towards Washington Capitals forward Joel Ward in the wake of his overtime goal, which eliminated Tim Thomas and the defending champion Boston Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Ward, who grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, is of Barbadian descent, so you can probably surmise just what sort of stuff was said about him.�No doubt there was a great, totally harmless joke to be made about the irony of Tim Thomas snubbing a black man in Washington, only to be eliminated by another black man in Washington four months later, and many attempted to make it.�Others, however, just spewed heinous,�racist vitriol at Ward for having the nerve to eliminate the Bruins while also being black.

(Someone was kind enough to preserve the outpouring of this sludge�on Chirpstory, although�if you have any knowledge of the sorts of things racists say to black people, there's nothing new to be found by wading into it.)

You have to feel for Ward, who was already headed to the interview circuit after scoring the winning goal, but will now find his clutch tally bumped down the priorities list in favor of a string of inquiries about whether or not he thinks racism is despicable. You could sense Ward's tacit resignation over this inevitability in agent Peter Cooney's comments to the Globe & Mail:

"It's appalling," he said. "Where we are in North America now, it's hard to believe we still have that prejudice. It's disturbing. It's really disgraceful."

Cooney added that Ward is doing his best to ignore the comments.

"He's put it in his back pocket so to speak," Cooney said. "He knows he's going to have interviews and people talking about it. He's heard about it, but he said 'Peter, don't worry - that stuff never bothered me.' "

I recall Wayne Simmonds having a similar reaction to the banana-throwing incident. I contacted his agent for comment the next day, only to be told they had decided to answer any questions people had about the issue until 1 p.m. ET. And then they would be done. That's just sort of how you have to deal with this: be a good sport, run out the circuit, and establish an exit strategy so people don't keep talking about it in perpetuity and you can at some point get back to hockey.

(Ironically and unsurprisingly, Simmonds was also asked about this most recent controversy.)

Anyway. Suffice it to say, this controversy doesn't reflect the Bruins or their fans in a positive light, but since none of these tweets came from within the Bruins organization, they released a brief statement Thursday afternoon denouncing the people who sent them. Easy as pie.

For Boston fans, however, it's not as easy as releasing a statement. The morons behind those racist tweets do represent them, like that black guy I can only hope never meets the easily prejudiced before I do.

Here's the cold, hard fact: If you are a fan of a hockey team -- or heck, any team in any sport -- then it's pretty much a given that you share the fandom with some vile, racist, ignorant people.

Shortly after the Vancouver riot, the municipality and the Canucks organization rushed to differentiate between the rioters (anarchists, the lot of them!) and the "true Canuck fans." It was hogwash. Sure, some people went downtown just to light things on fire, but many of the rioters bleed -- and were wearing -- blue and green.

Shortly after those Flyers fans beat up the New York police officer at the Winter Classic, many attempted to establish that they weren't "true Flyers fans." But of course they were. Are we supposed to believe the one guy bought a Claude Giroux Winter Classic jersey just to commit a felony in it? What's the sense in that? In many cases, after you commit a felony, the government gives you orange clothing for free.

And anyone who would attempt to say these Bruins fans aren't "true Bruins fans" is talking the same nonsense, although we should note that, at some point, racist fans of other teams couldn't resist the temptation to join in, which just underscores the point that there are unconscionable dumbasses�like this in every fan base.

Many of these people are Boston fans.�They're also scumbags. The two groups are not and will never be mutually exclusive, and the same is the case for pretty much every race, sexual orientation, religion and fan base on the planet. The truth is that some but not�all�Bruins fans are racist and some but not�all�Canucks fans will riot if they get half a chance.

Flip "Canucks" and "Bruins" in that sentence and it remains true.

This is why allowing your opinion of any social group to be shaped by the members of that group that you encounter is a one-way ticket to bigotville.�Much of prejudice is the result of broad, unthinking generalizations.

People need to be judged on an individual basis, not based on what minority or special interest group they belong to, and if you can't do that, you're really no better than the people about whom Joel Ward is now forced to answer questions for the rest of the day.

Minnesota Wild

Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks

(Ed. Note: As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, we're bound to lose some friends along the journey. We've asked for these losers, gone but not forgotten, to be eulogized by the people who knew the teams best: The fans who hated them the most. Here are the good folks at the Detroit Red Wings blog The Production Line, fondly recalling the 2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks. Again, this was not written by us ... OK, by all of us. Also: This is a roast and you will be offended by it, so don't take it so seriously.)

Written by The Production Line
(Chris Hollis, Michael Petrella, and Rob Discher. Illustrations by Stevie Roxelle.)

As we gather here today to mourn the passing of the 2011-2012 Chicago Blackhawks, allow us to first turn on this looped recording of the Star Spangled Banner so that all the Chicago fans reading this have to put down their rhinestone-encased iPhones for just a minute to stand and applaud, as we, Detroit fans, roast their beloved Blackhawks.

That's better.

It's so good to see so many familiar faces in this room today, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention a few of those who couldn't be with us. Tomas Kopecky, Kris Versteeg, Jack Skille, Brian Campbell and Brian Campbell's contract all send their deepest sympathies, as they gear up to try and win Game 7 and get to the second round -- something the Blackhawks haven't done in two years.

So too does John Madden, this time with his shirt off on a beach instead of in a limo with some bimbos and Patrick Kane.

Dale Tallon wishes he could be here as well ? we think. We reached out to Brother Tallon yesterday to see if he was available and the only reply we got was a stack of qualifying offers on our fax machine.

Is this thing broken? Did Dale just fax us a shot of his Johnson? Hard to tell on this machine lately. Toner looks like it's low.

At any rate, this isn't about the folks who couldn't be here. No, this is a time to reflect on the efforts of those laid out in front of us ? literally, in Marian Hossa's case ? and to recount another lost season for the Windy City.

And as we dive into this discussion, let us just level set for a minute. Before anyone starts with the "how was it writing this from the golf course?" thread, let us just say, we get it. We lost. In the first round. To the Predators. We had a marvelous run this year, shattering the home wins record and then sputtering worse than a John Denver plane over the Rockies.

Save your keystrokes, hearty Hawks fans ? both of you. No not you. Yeah, you, in the back, with the brand new Campbell jersey you got on closeout. Smart purchase. Bit tight for our tastes, and we probably would have kept the sleeves attached. Actually, we take that back. No we wouldn't. Suns out, guns out, right? Summertime hockey. We digress?

We concede the point that you won a second playoff game and we didn't, and this entitles us to a certain rhetorical tea-bagging. Even if it was against the "Pacific Division Champ" that everyone this side of sanity was hoping to play in the first round. Even if you got into that series having narrowly beat out Columbus for "second to last" in the division.

As we look at the season that was, or wasn't, let's start on a positive note. Four straight years in the playoffs? That's pretty amazing, Chicago. Not "two chicks at the same time" amazing or "two decades worth of playoffs amazing" but more "the bartender forgot to charge me for that fourth appletini" kinda sweet.

At least slightly more than 30% of the United Center is now aware that Chicago had a hockey team prior to 2007. That's a massive accomplishment for a city rumored to be canning the team in favor of a Disney on Ice marathon at the Madhouse. Onward to greatness!

Seriously though, we're stoked you're still around and on the verge of consistent relevancy. Being from Detroit, it was only two years ago that there was plenty of hope and anticipation that the lowly little brothers on the lago (that's you) would finally rise to the challenge and be the rival we'd longed for ever since Colorado fell of the cliff.

The moment Jonathan Toews lifted that Stanley Cup off the table, the renewed rivalry was sealed, destined to be a monumental showcase of talent between two regional powerhouses that would have every eye in the Midwest glued to a TV 15 times a year as divisional rivals. It was bliss. It was perfect.

Then Stan Bowman happened, validating that old chestnut that just as not every Italian-made 4-wheeler is a Ferrari, not every Bowman can be a Scotty.

Seriously, raise your hand if you love the job Bowman is doing right now.

It's taken him two years, but he's done everything in his power to erase the Blackhawks championship team, save for taking down the banner in the United Center. Meanwhile, down in Florida, Dale Tallon has scooped up the jettisoned pieces of the championship squad from two years ago, and flipped the Panthers into a division champion and potential second round playoff squad.

But look on the bright side Hawks fans: At least Bowman's been successful in keeping Chelsea Dagger around.

And really, who could have seen this coming, this meteoric rise to greatness and highly enjoyable crash back to relevancy and blacked out televised games? Where were the red flags? Was it the flirtation with Marty Turco as goalie of the future? Was it the Hossa contract? Hard to tell.

It's not all bad though: As long as Stan successfully lets Cristobal Huet's contract run out this summer, he'll likely get to keep his job for another year.

Speaking of which, bang up job re-upping Ray Emery before he gets to the open market. That could have been embarrassing, getting into a bidding war with? oh, I dunno? a Johnny's IceHouse beer league team. Frankly, we're insulted we didn't get the call. Not even a sniff? An exploratory discussion for our services before you landed on Emery? Was our phone turned off that day? Was it something we did? Was it something we said? Boo Mike Smith all you like (not that he can hear you now), but that's what it looks like when a goaltender keeps the puck out of the net.

Do you think Eddie Olczyk will take any solace in the fact that his Winnipeg Jets finally won a series? even if it's at the expense of his beloved Chicago Blackhawks?

Once upon a time, Pierre McGuire was the worst part about listening to a nationally televised game? but he's been surpassed by the horribly distracting slurping noises that Eddie O makes whenever someone brings up a Kane or Toews or Sharp.

Speaking of Sharp, I guess he's going to have to wait until a Fourth of July family picnic to spear someone in the balls now.

And Joel Quenneville will have to jump around like a jackass after winning a game of horseshoes instead of acting like he's never been there before for an overtime victory. Anyone else catch that reaction when the Hawks netted the game-winner? Looked like someone threw on The Fratellis at a lame-ass Wrigleyville party.

Coach Q said that the turning point of the series was when Raffi Torres destroyed Marian Hossa. Fair point, but it's worth pointing out that if the "turning point" is losing a guy who was tearing up the box score at a exactly zero points per game, perhaps there are larger issues afoot.

We absolutely wish Hossa well, but speaking as Red Wings fans, we're shocked ? SHOCKED, I SAY ? that he was a no-show in the playoffs prior to that hit. So unlike him to disappear in any game that matters even a little bit.

To be clear though, that hit was absolutely disgusting and despicable. There's no defending it (and, to be clear, I'm sure we hate the Coyotes more than you do). Your outrage was justified and we fully support your call for a more gentle, sportsmanlike league patterned after such luminary class acts as Andrew Shaw (Game Misconduct/3-Game Suspension, Game 2), Brandon Bollig (Misconduct, Game 3), Niklas Hjalmarsson (Misconduct, Game 3), Jimmy Hayes (Game Misconduct, Game 6), Patrick Kane (Misconduct, Game 6), and notable all-around great guy Dan Carcillo.

? ? ?

And so we close the book on another season of Blackhawks hockey, dear friends. Let us not be sad, however, as the real fun is just beginning. Sure, they may not be on the ice anymore, but between Patrick Sharp's photo shoots, Patrick Kane's sauced-up antics and Stan Bowman inevitably signing a gaggle of washed-up third liners, our pals in the Windy City won't leave us wanting this summer.

We do ask that you all get home safely tonight, which also includes the cab driver who takes you to your final destination, right Kaner? For those looking to hang on to the past just a little bit longer, we encourage you to head to the dock for a special night of drinking and entertainment on Dustin Byfuglien's boat.

Puerto Rico Islanders

Roberto Luongo would waive no-trade clause if Canucks choose Cory Schneider

So was this Roberto Luongo playing the good employee, saying he'll do whatever management asks of him? Or was this Roberto Luongo laying the groundwork for his departure from the Vancouver Canucks?

From The Province:

"Even though I have a no-trade, it's not my decsion," Luongo said. "It's a very unique circumstance I think that we are in where we have an elite guy, a young guy who is up and coming, who is probably going to dominate the league for many years. ? I'm not sure what I would do if I was GM."

Pumpin' tires ? Luongo continued:

"I don't want to be one of those guys who is going to stand in the way of anything," he said. "I always want to put the team ahead of me first. I don't want to be one of those selfish guys.

"There hasn't been any decisions made. But over the course of the next little while, we'll talk with (Mike Gillis) and make a decision."

Earlier in the day ? in between giving coach Alain Vigneault an endorsement and trashing the legacy of Cody Hodgson ? GM Mike Gillis addressed both goaltenders, via Canucks Hockey Blog:

Gillis: "We have confidence in both of our goalies, and I know a lot of teams are envious of our situation."

Gillis on Luongo: "If you take a look at his body of work, you'll see that he's an elite-level goaltender. We've got a ton of confidence in Roberto."

Gillis on Cory Schneider: "It wasn't by accident he was played in big games. We wanted to see if he was as good as we thought. He is. The emergence of Cory as such an outstanding young goalie has changed the landscape."

Luongo is 33 and has a $5.33 million cap hit and a contract that expires in 2022. Schneider is 26 and is an RFA.

Where could Luongo go? The Vancouver Sun handicapped the field as the Florida Panthers (who could afford him), Tampa By Lightning (who can't at the moment), Toronto Maple Leafs (who'd have to kiss Mike Gillis' posterior mightily) and New Jersey Devils, because the last time Luongo replaced Brodeur he finally won something of consequence.

What do you think? Does Lou stay or go? And if go, where?

West Michigan Edge

EA Sports NHL 13 cover vote down to Round of 16

The EA Sports NHL 13 cover tournament has dwindled from a list of 60 NHL players to 32 to now the Sweet 16. After over 13 million votes between the two rounds, here are the matchups for the Round of 16:

Cool that some matchups tie-in with the current NHL playoffs with the Anze Kopitar/David Perron pairing and potentially Scott Hartnell versus Tyler Seguin depending on how the first round finishes up in the Eastern Conference. And, of course, voting kicks off a day before Henrik Lundqvist and Erik Karlsson battle in a Game 7.

Since he has a few days before he begins play in Round 2, we hope Hartnell is hard at work on more campaign material:

Beginning today and ending May 2, fans can vote for the Bracket A (left side) matchups. From May 3 to May 10 voting will be opened for the Bracket B (right side) pairings. The quarterfinalists will be announced on May 11, semifinalists on May 24 and final round voting will begin May 29.

Voting will take place at�NHL.com/CoverVote and fans can do so an unlimited number of times. A Twitter hashtag,�#NHL13Cover, will also track the cover athlete tournament discussion. Updates and other content will also show up on the�EA SPORTS NHL Facebook page.

Taking a look at the bracket, who do you see getting through to the final?

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at�@Sean_Leahy

Chicago Storm

EA Sports NHL 13 cover vote down to Round of 16

The EA Sports NHL 13 cover tournament has dwindled from a list of 60 NHL players to 32 to now the Sweet 16. After over 13 million votes between the two rounds, here are the matchups for the Round of 16:

Cool that some matchups tie-in with the current NHL playoffs with the Anze Kopitar/David Perron pairing and potentially Scott Hartnell versus Tyler Seguin depending on how the first round finishes up in the Eastern Conference. And, of course, voting kicks off a day before Henrik Lundqvist and Erik Karlsson battle in a Game 7.

Since he has a few days before he begins play in Round 2, we hope Hartnell is hard at work on more campaign material:

Beginning today and ending May 2, fans can vote for the Bracket A (left side) matchups. From May 3 to May 10 voting will be opened for the Bracket B (right side) pairings. The quarterfinalists will be announced on May 11, semifinalists on May 24 and final round voting will begin May 29.

Voting will take place at�NHL.com/CoverVote and fans can do so an unlimited number of times. A Twitter hashtag,�#NHL13Cover, will also track the cover athlete tournament discussion. Updates and other content will also show up on the�EA SPORTS NHL Facebook page.

Taking a look at the bracket, who do you see getting through to the final?

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at�@Sean_Leahy

Southampton

the making of pelada

the filmmaker on a global journey and the fight to make sure you see it
—-
You’ve probably heard of the soccer documentary Pelada, and probably wished it had been you who made it. If not the travel alone, than how about the film? To have that document for the future–stories for the grandkids–and [...]

Leeds United

Q&A with D.C. United Coach Ben Olsen

Warning to readers: Today?s interview session with D.C. United Coach Ben Olsen after the squad?s close practice session at RFK Stadium was largely a tongue-in-cheek affair. It shouldn?t be taken too seriously. Except, of course, for the parts that were, in fact, serious.

Read full article >>

El Paso Patriots

Pesky Quakes Earn Away Draw Against Red Bulls

Los Angels Kings

Soccer Outsider: United-Impact match diary

EDITOR?S NOTE:�The opinions below are those of Soccer Outsider Jeff Maurer and not Soccer Insider Steven Goff.

This should be our Marlo Stanfield game. Just like Marlo ended the Wire (spoiler alert if you haven?t seen the Wire. And the spoiler alert is this: you?ve been watching the wrong shows for the last several years) beating down a small-time pusher just to show he still can, D.C. United should put the smack-down on Montreal tonight just to prove we still have it. We really should take this opportunity ? the ?still? in that last sentence goes back to 2009. What?s the statute of limitations on the word ?still??

Read full article >>

Montreal Canadians

Uh-Oh: Landon's Getting Older

-Ben McCormick

One of the most common questions any US Soccer fan asks is who is going to replace Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey when they retire. They have held the attack together for the past few years and fast approaching is a time when the US will have to rely on someone other than ?Deuce? or ??Cakes? for a goal when they need it.

The scary thought is this process might be happening a bit faster than we all thought. Dempsey is still performing at the highest levels and he shows no signs of slowing down, but Donovan on the other hand, is a different story.

Sure, his MLS scoring record this season has been stellar, but I would expect that from a player of his caliber playing on a MLS team that may go down as one of the best in MLS history. Where it has been noticeable his speed may be slowing a half step, though, is in his performances for the USMNT this year.

I know this feels like heresy, but hear me out. He was benched at the Gold Cup, and honestly, the team didn?t perform all that poorly without him. He just wasn?t the young, inventive player we have come to know and love over the years, and the two US matches he has featured in under Juergen Klinsmann have been similarly tough. Donovan was inconsistent against Mexico and the first twenty minutes against Costa Rica were more or less solid before he completely disappeared.

This was to be expected, though. A player like Donovan relies on his speed more than any other athletic skill. As we all know, with athletes, speed tends to begin the deterioration process around age 30, which Donovan, 29, is fast approaching. This isn?t to say he?s not still a quality player capable of magic like we?ve seen against Algeria and Slovenia. All I?m saying is the time we?re going to need to move onto someone else is drawing closer and closer.

Klinsmann has said Donovan will be his creative presence in the middle of the park which, if his speed is in fact deteriorating, is a smart move rather than putting him on the wings where Klinsmann will rely on speed. Remember, by the time 2014 hits Donovan will be 32 and certainly need to rely on his vision and touch more than sheer pace.

Say Donovan takes a serious turn for the worse before the next World Cup. Who might be ready to step in and play that attacking central midfield role? In my mind, there are six known players capable of filling that void.

1. Stu Holden - Stu is the obvious choice. He isn?t a young hot shot prospect anymore, but he earned POY at Bolton despite being injured for a significant portion of the season. He will be back on an EPL pitch very soon, and if he regains his form, he?ll give the US another effective midfield weapon. US fans shouldn?t worry too much if Donovan becomes obsolete and in-form Stu is there to fill the void. His hair is also incredibly cool.

2. Mikkel Diskerud - The young ?Mix? has been making the grade at the highest level in Norway for three years now with large clubs reportedly hot on his trail. He showed in his January cap his inventiveness and smoothness on the ball. While Stu is already in his prime, Mix could easily start at the 2022 World Cup for the US at age 31. His hair, too, is magnificent.

3. Freddy Adu - This should be expected. Adu played one of the best games I?ve seen in a US uniform in the Gold Cup final and has fixed his well documented club issues by biting the bullet and coming home to MLS. He?s still very young and has time to develop and make the jump back across the pond. His touch and vision are nearly unrivaled amongst his US counterparts. If Adu?s career continues its upswing, he might not just replace but improve upon Donovan.

4. Luis Gil - From Adu on down, the readiness takes a dive. Gil is Real Salt Lake?s 17 year old playmaker. After signing with MLS last year, Jason Kreis and company have brought Gil along slowly and it has been paying off. Gil, who figures to feature prominently for the US U-20 squad this cycle, was coveted by Arsenal before he signed with MLS. If he continues his current run of form, scoring two goals while starting the last six league matches, we may see him in a full national team jersey sooner than later.

5. Sebastian Lletget - Further away still from Gil is Sebastian Lletget, the young American central midfielder at West Ham. He was a class above in his matches with the US U-20s and played in some West Ham first team friendlies this summer. He?s probably still a year away from official first team minutes at West Ham, but we could see him loaned out this winter to get some minutes instead of just playing for the reserves. He has very high potential, but remains a largely unknown quantity.

6. Charles Renken - Renken was poised to be Agudelo 2.0 before knee injuries derailed his meteoric rise through the US youth systems. The creative midfielder, just 17 years old, is now at Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga. He plays for the U-19 side, but remains very highly rated. Renken may have the most potential out of any of these prospects, but remains the furthest away from first team action. Renken and Gil will make up one of the most exciting midfields the US U-20 team has seen in quite some time.

Donovan is still a top notch player and deserves to be the man the US attack runs through. He may be in the process of losing a bit of his trademark pace, but that process may be slow, taking a few years. It won?t happen all at once. That being said, it never hurts to be prepared.

Chelsea

Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings

(Ed. Note: As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, we're bound to lose some friends along the journey. We've asked for these losers, gone but not forgotten, to be eulogized by the people who knew the teams best: The fans who hated them the most. Here are Brad Lee and Sean Gallagher from St. Louis Game Time, fondly recalling the 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings. Again, this was not written by us ... OK, by all of us. Also: This is a roast and you will be offended by it, so don't take it so seriously.)

By Brad Lee and Sean Gallagher, St. Louis Game Time

Gary Bettman walks into a somber room inside Joe Louis Arena, decorated with dozens of red helium balloons. Several boxes of Little Caesar's Pizza are on a table along one wall behind a small gathering of people affiliated with the organization. Kid Rock is passed out in the corner. Bettman goes to the microphone.

Hello everyone! Welcome to the retirement party for Nicklas Lidstrom, which is also doubling this year as a celebration of the 2011-12 season for your Detroit Red Wings!

Waits for applause. There is no applause.

I'll take silence over boos any day of the week. It's such a pleasure to be your host today. While most of you will probably want to forget this season, we could not let this occasion go without a celebration of one of the best defensemen to ever play in the National Hockey League. We've got some special guests today, some surprises and hopefully a lot of great memories. Just not of this year.

This season Nick, you played your 1,500th career game. While many of your fans believe the Red Wings started in 1996, the team was actually one of our original six franchises in the league. You've played the fourth most regular season games in team history. The man who is first on that list with an amazing 1,687 career games is Gordie Howe. And as soon as he remembers where Joe Louis Arena is located, I'm sure he'll be here to congratulate you on your career. Or wish you happy birthday.

Let's move on.

Over the years, you've played with some great, great players. And I'm not just talking about Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty. Thanks for coming fellas. Both of you are a testament to dirty play being a fine substitute for skill in making surprisingly long, undistinguished hockey careers. Sergei Federov could also not be here. Most of the fans of the Winged Wheel still think he plays on the team.

Most of them, coincidentally, have never actually lived in Detroit.

On defense, Little Caesars Pizza has paid for some tremendous talent to skate with you over the years. From Brad Stuart to Brett Lebda to Andreas Lilja to Danny Markov to Jason Woolley ? all fine players who saw significant time on defense with the Red Wings the last 10 years. Geez, Mr. Ilitch. We all thought Lidstrom carried the defense for the Wings for a long time. I didn't realize it was so literal! I'm just kidding. Besides, he's at the Tigers game tonight. Something about wanting to watch his team that's getting better, not his team on the decline.

Did you know that this year's edition of the Wings had no 30-goal scorers? Only four men of Motown topped 20 goals this season. Still, the team finished the season with 239 goals ? ironically, that's seven more goals than Nashville scored. We asked the Predators to be here tonight since they seemed so at home the last week here at Joe Louis Arena, but they are busy getting ready for the second round of the playoffs.

Speaking of your home arena, Nick. We've got some gifts. The first is your own seat from the fifth row of Section 105, Seat 5. We just pulled it out of the seating area this morning. They had to dust it off, which I thought was odd since the team says it has sold out 71 consecutive games, but whatever. It's shiny and looks almost never used. I'm sure it will look tremendous in your Detroit home.

You are staying here in the Detroit metro area, right? I think you can stay as long as you find a job. Otherwise, you're just adding to the unemployment numbers for the city.

Don't become a statistic, Nick.

You were a fifth round pick out of Sweden way back in 1989. Sidney Crosby was 2 years old. I'm sure you all join me in praying for the Penguins to save the playoffs now that you've been eliminated. Our ratings are going to be lower than Jimmy Howard's save percentage if both our marquee teams miss the second round. And as you know, that's pretty darn low. And I'm sure that with all the low draft picks Ken Holland has had to work with the last 10 years, more superstars of your caliber are only a few years away to take your place.

Or, I could rig an arbitrator's decision to award you one of the best defensemen in the league. It's happened before. I'm sure many of your fans think Ryan Suter and Zach Parise are ending up here over the summer.

Of course, the last major free agent to choose Detroit was Marian Hossa and his one-year deal.

I have to hand it to you, Ken and coach Mike Babcock, for what you did with the roster this year. You turned a cheap shot artist like Todd Bertuzzi into a shootout specialist. You've put third-liners Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm into position to replace Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. I'm sure that will work out splendidly.

And without Lidstrom in the lineup this year with a few injuries, the Wings were still a force, fighting for second in the Central Division but falling a bit short.

I'm sure when you're gone, Nick, all the loyal Wings fans across the country won't jump on the bandwagon of a successful team like they did when they became Detroit fans.

Nick, we've got another surprise. A lot of your teammates have already left the area. Apparently they didn't want to spend any more minutes in Hockeytown than they had to. My private plane's engines started before I came up here, so I can relate. But up next is one of your mentors with the Red Wings.

No, it's not Steve Yzerman. Your team alienated the best player in franchise history ? the guy who taught you to be a winner ? and drove him to one of our true hockey hotbeds, the greater Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

Our next guest is Vladimir Konstantinov! Roll your old bones up here, Vladimir, and say a few words?

Great Lakes Division

Kyle Turris wins Game 4 with nasty snipe past Rangers? goalie Henrik Lundqvist (VIDEO)

No Daniel Alfredsson, facing the best team in the Eastern Conference and trailing 2-1 in the quarterfinal series, the Ottawa Senators needed Game 4.

Forward Kyle Turris gave it them with one of the nastiest, clutch shots of the postseason thus far, beating Henrik Lundqvist:

The first word that came to mind after the Senators' 3-2 victory: Vindication.

It was vindication for Turris, who toiled with the Phoenix Coyotes for years, never meeting the expectations of being the third overall pick in 2007. He had 29 points in 49 games after being traded to Ottawa, which showed promise. Beating the best goalie in the world in a playoff overtime with a perfectly placed shot furthered that promise.

He also provided a screen for Sergei Gonchar's game-tying goal, moments after Jason Spezza took this nasty hit from Mark Staal (Spezza would return):

It was vindication for Craig Anderson, who had this best game of the series in stopping 31 shots, including 14 in the third period and overtime combined.

More than anything, it was vindication for the Senators, who showed they can hang with this Rangers team and can solve Lundqvist.

It's a best-of-three series now ? who pulls it out?

Major Indoor Soccer League

Calder Trophy Finalists: Nugent-Hopkins vs. Landeskog vs. Henrique

The 2011-12 NHL Calder Trophy Finalists were announced on Friday, with center Adam Henrique of the New Jersey Devils, left wing Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche and center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers named as the final three for the award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition."

The Professional Hockey Writers Association had an easy call for two of the slots, as the Nuge and Landeskog went No. 1 and No. 2 at the draft and were the two best rookies in the regular season.

But did they get that third slot right?

Philadelphia Flyers fans and media, we think, have a legit beef in seeing Matt Read get snubbed in favor of Adam Henrique of the Devils. Read led all rookies with 24 goals in 79 games, and did more with limited ice time (and less accomplished linemates) than did Henrique.

Alas, Read's on the outside looking in; so who wins the Calder this season?

Why Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Deserves the Calder

From the NHL:

A spectacular start to his NHL career quickly ended speculation where Nugent-Hopkins, the first overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, would spend the 2011-12 season. He notched the game-tying goal in the season opener against Pittsburgh, tallied a hat trick in his third career game and became the first 18-year-old in League history to tally five assists in one game, against Chicago on Nov. 19. Nugent-Hopkins went on to finish in a tie for first place among rookies in points with 52 (18 goals, 34 assists) despite missing 20 games due to injury. His point-per-game average of .84 was the best among rookies.

If it comes down to points-per-game average, RNH wins this thing in a walk. There's no question that he was the most impressive rookie offensively in the NHL this season. Question is whether that's enough.

Nugent-Hopkins scored 23 of his 52 points on the power play. He played a total of 2 minutes shorthanded this season, while his fellow finalists logged significant ice time on the penalty kill. And one facet of his game was a bust this season: Faceoffs, where he was a liability at 37.5 percent (Henrique, meanwhile, was at 48.8 percent.)

That said, neither Henrique nor Landeskog were the rock star RNH was earlier this season, when he quieted conversations about the Oilers keeping him in the NHL with 27 points in his first 25 games. Jeff Skinner won as a rock star last season, too.

Why Gabriel Landeskog Deserves the Calder

From the NHL:

Selected second overall at the 2011 NHL Draft, Landeskog assumed a leading role on an Avalanche club that improved by 20 points over its 2010-11 total. Landeskog posted 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 82 games, capturing the rookie scoring title in a tie-breaker over Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18-34--52) on the basis of more goals. Landeskog ranked second among rookies in goals and third in assists, making him the only rookie among the top three in all three categories. The 19-year-old left wing led all rookies and set a Colorado franchise record with 270 shots on goal and was the only rookie to lead his club in goals.

Landeskog played against tougher competition than either Nugent-Hopkins and Henrique this season according to Behind the Net, yet shared the rookie scoring lead. He was also a huge factor down the stretch in Colorado's push for the postseason, maturing as a leader and scoring a memorable game-winning goal against the Ducks. He led all rookies with 38 even-strength points, and was better on the road (29 points) than at home. He was a physical force (219 hits to lead all rookie forwards) and a presence in both ends.

Why Adam Henrique Deserves the Calder

From the NHL:

A third-round pick by the Devils in 2008 and winner of back-to-back Memorial Cups with the OHL Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010, Henrique filled a crucial void in the Devils lineup following an Achilles injury to No. 1 center Travis Zajac, who missed all but 15 games this season. Henrique made the most of his opportunity by tallying 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 74 games, mostly centering wings Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk. He led all rookies in assists and shorthanded goals (four), ranked third in rookie scoring and posted the NHL's longest point streak among freshmen (seven games, Nov. 25 to Dec. 8).

As was stated, the Devils could have been toast were it not for Henrique stepping up to fill the void left by Zajac, as he was nearly a point-per-game player in November and December. Henrique contributed to the League's best penalty kill and played in every situation. Did he benefit from playing on a line with Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise? Of course. But let's not pretend that Nugent-Hopkins didn't have offensive talent to work with on the power play or that Landeskog wasn't rolling with Ryan O'Reilly. The knock on Henrique? A late-season swoon: 10 points in 20 games and a minus-1 as Zajac returned.

Who wins the Calder?

Landeskog. Had he lost the scoring race, maybe it's a different story. I have a feeling the voters are going to opt for the more complete player, and he had the late season heat during the balloting. But it's going to be a razor-thin margin.

Our Ballot

1. Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
2. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
3. Matt Read, Philadelphia Flyers
4. Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils
5. Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes

Again, Read deserved the third slot over Henrique. He simply had the better season, and the notion that the rookie goals leader isn't among the top three is tough to swallow. But for all the reasons stated above, it's Landeskog over the Nuge.

El Paso Patriots

Penguins rout Flyers 10-3 to avoid elimination; anomaly or miracle rally?

The Pittsburgh Penguins' 10-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals ? avoiding elimination, chasing Ilya Brzygalov and generally looking like the juggernaut many believed they would be in the playoffs ? could go one of two ways.

It could be the Flyers' May 8, 2010, victory over the Boston Bruins ? an overtime win over the Boston Bruins, and the first of four straight wins to become only the third team in NHL history to rally from a 3-0 series hole.

Or it could be the Red Wings' May 7, 2010, victory over the San Jose Sharks ? a 7-1 blowout that saw Johan Franzen tally six points and Detroit humble the Sharks ? only to have San Jose close out the series in five games.

Reasons to believe in the former: That the Penguins finally got Evgeni Malkin (2G, 1A) and Sidney Crosby (1G, 2A) going, while Jordan Staal (3G) remained hot; that they won this game without James Neal, Paul Martin and Craig Adams, who should all be back for Game 5; and because Marc-Andre Fleury exhibited a minimal amount of competence after a shaky first period, while Bryzgalov was an absolute sieve.

Reasons to believe in the latter: That it was an awkwardly paced penalty fest, with the Flyers taking 12 minors and 64 PIMs overall ? an overcompensation for the chaos in Sunday's Game 3 and the multiple Shanabans this week; unless they simultaneously hit the wall, Matt Read, Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn won't go scoreless for the next three games; and the Flyers aren't going to give up four power play goals every game.

Plus, Philly just need one more 'W' thanks to the hole the Penguins dug for themselves in the first three.

I lean toward anomaly, but I also think we've learned that the moment you think you have the Penguins/Flyers series figured out oh look Byrzgalov just gave up another goal ?

What do you think: Momentary lapse for the Flyers, or the start of something special for the Penguins?

Fredericksburg Gunners

UEFA Champions League video: Bayern Munich notches late goal to defeat Real Madrid in first leg of semifinal

Bayern Munich took the first step toward the UEFA Champions League final in its own stadium with a 2-1 victory over visiting Real Madrid in the first leg of their semifinal Tuesday. The second leg is next Wednesday at Bernabeu in Spain.

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Portsmouth