Don't Overlook The West Coast Of College Basketball

The struggles of the Pac-12 have been very well documented this year and the conference has been historically bad. Currently, no Pac-12 team is ranked and no Pac-12 team has even received a vote in the AP poll since week 11 when Stanford was 15-3 before the Cardinals lost 5 of their next 6 conference games. In fact, California was the last ranked team inside the top 25 for the Pac-12 all the way back in week 4 of the polls and no Pac-12 team has been ranked inside the top 15 all season. Even when it appeared that the Washington Huskies, the most talented team in the Pac-12, had turned the corner after their disappointing 5-5 start to the season, they went to Eugene and lost to the Oregon Ducks by 25 points and were 2 of 16 from three point land.

The Pac-12 is in serious danger of just receiving two bids to the NCAA tournament, which they also did in 2010 when just California and Washington made it into the big dance.

With the Pac-12 way down this year, the perception around the country is that the entire west coast is struggling. However, just because the major conference out west is not playing high level basketball, doesn't mean that the west is struggling as a whole and the west coast shouldn't be overlooked, as numerous teams are having very impressive seasons from the Mountain West and the West Coast Conference.

The Mountain West, just like it has been for the past few years, is incredibly strong this season, as the conference will definitely get at least 3 teams into the tournament and could very possibly receive 5 invitations to the big dance. The conference has received multiple bids to the tourney every year since 2001 and they are looking for their most teams in the big dance since they got 4 teams into the NCAA's in 2010. UNLV and San Diego St. are also representing the Mountain West in the AP top 25 poll and the MWC has two teams in the top 14 of the polls, which is just as many as the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Only the Big 12 has more teams in the top 14 of the AP poll than the MWC.

While UCLA is having a horribly disappointing season, as the Bruins are 14-10 including just 7-5 in the weak Pac-12 after being ranked inside the top 20 of both preseason polls, two UCLA transfers, Mike Moser and Chace Stanback, have led UNLV to an incredibly impressive 21-4 start. Under first year head coach, Dave Rice, after Lon Kruger left the Rebels to take the job at Oklahoma during the summer, UNLV has returned to the days of Jerry Tarkanian with a high flying offense. The Rebels are averaging 80 points a game, which is 9th in the country, and they are 3rd in the nation at 18.3 assists per game. 

Mike Moser is a double-double machine down in the blocks for the Rebels, as he has 13 in 25 games. The forward is averaging 14.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, as the big man is dominate on the glass, despite being undersized at just 6-8. Chace Stanback is also so difficult to defend for the Rebels because of the threat that he poses from beyond the arc. The senior compliments Moser very nicely from the perimeter, as he is averaging slightly less than 14 points per game and is able to knock down the three ball, as he is shooting it at a 45 percent clip from deep. 

The Rebels are sitting in line for a 3 or 4 seed, as they have built a very impressive resume with victories over North Carolina at the Las Vegas Classic, Illinois on the road by 16, Pac-12 leader Cal at home by 17, WAC leader Nevada, as well as home conference wins over New Mexico and Colorado St. UNLV is looking for their highest seed since they were a 1 seed back in 1991 when they made it all the way to the Final Four for the second straight year before losing their undefeated season in the National Semifinals to eventual champion Duke by 2 points.

San Diego St. is keeping the Mountain West extremely interesting, as they have been way better than expected and are challenging the Rebels for the regular season conference crown. Steve Fischer should get some serious National Coach of the Year consideration for the job he has done with the Aztecs. After San Diego St. went 34-3 last season and made it to their first sweet 16 in school history, little was expected from the team this year. The Aztecs were losing a majority of their core including star forward and second-team All-American Kawhi Leonard, first-team All-Mountain West guard D.J. Gay, second-team All-Mountain West forward Malcolm Thomas, and honorable mention All-Mountain West forward Billy White. Those four guys were the team's leading scorers and combined for 67 percent of the team's points.

However, Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley have stepped up big time for the Aztecs and have carried the team to a very surprising 20-3 start. Franklin, who is also averaging 7.2 rebounds per game, is a big 6-5 guard-forward, who causes a lot of matchup problems because of his size and is averaging 18 points in the team's 7 conference games. He leads the conference in scoring. Tapley is a lethal three-point shooter and is hitting 43 percent of his jumpers from behind the arc. Tapley was 8 for 10 from three in a very close loss to the Baylor Bears on the road earlier in the season.

Like the Rebels, San Diego St. is in line to receive a 3 or 4 seed for the tournament. The Aztecs beat Arizona on the road, New Mexico on the road in the pit, Cal at home, as well as UNLV at home after Jamaal Franklin beat the buzzer with a game winning layup. The Aztecs square up with the Rebels once again on Saturday at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas in a rematch of two of the best teams not just on the west coast, but in the entire country.

The Mountain West should also gain a lot of respect because they are much more than a two team league.

New Mexico is one of the most overlooked teams in college basketball and, as of now, they are firmly in the tournament as anywhere from an 8 seed to a 10 seed. The Lobos are 19-4 and have solid wins over Arizona St., Washington St., Boston College, USC, Oklahoma St., St. Louis, Wyoming, and Colorado St.

Also, Wyoming and Colorado St. are both on the bubble and they are each at 4-3 in the conference.

The Wyoming Cowboys are 18-5 and have victories over Colorado, Colorado St., and got the signature win they so desperately needed when they shocked the UNLV Rebels by 2 points at home last week.

The Colorado St. Rams are 15-7 and need to notch some more victories in conference play to get one of those last four spots in the tourney. The Rams do have some quality wins under their belt however, as they have victories over Colorado, Denver, and like Wyoming, got a signature win, when they beat San Diego St. by 17 points at home. 

The West Coat Conference is also having an incredibly strong year. The WCC has been dominated by Gonzaga since Mark Few took over the program in 1999. The Zags have been the regular season conference champion 11 straight years dating back to 2001 and have won the conference tournament 10 times in 13 tries since 1999.

However, the WCC is much more than a one conference league this season, as Saint Mary's and BYU are two very solid teams, especially the Gaels, who have more than enough talent to make a run into the second week of the tourney. The WCC is looking to get 3 teams into the NCAA's for the first time since 2008 when the Zags, Saint Mary's, and San Diego all made the big dance from the conference.

Despite losing their leading scorer, Mickey McConnell, the Gaels are currently ranked inside the top 15 and have just three losses all season with an overall record of 22-3 including an 11-1 mark in conference play. Saint Mary's will likely receive a 4 or 5 seed, as they swept their season series with BYU, beat Gonzaga at home, and still have an opportunity to get a quality victory over 23-1 Murray St. on the road in Kentucky in BracketBusters later this month. The Gaels are going to get their best seed since they were an 8 seed in the 1989 NCAA tournament.

The Gaels are led by the two-headed monster of point guard Matthew Dellavedoa as well as forward Rob Jones. Dellavedoa is averaging just under 16 points per game and more than 6 assists per game, while shooting 46 percent from the field, 84 percent from the free-throw line, and nearly 40 percent from three. Dellavedoa is an all-around star and can do it all for the Gaels. He dished out the dimes in the Gaels' 98-82 victory over BYU, as he had 12 assists, but he can also score the basketball when he needs to, like he did against Gonzaga, when he was 5 of 10 from three and had 26 points in the team's 83-62 victory at the McKeon Pavilion.

Jones, much like Mike Moser, is an undersized forward, as he is just 6-6, but he is relentless on the boards and is an absolute beast on the glass. Jones is averaging 14.6 points to go along with his 10.6 rebounds per game. Jones has had at least 10 rebounds in 18 of the Gaels 25 games and has had 14 double-doubles including a 24 point, 15 rebound performance against BYU earlier in the season.

The Zags, for once, and the Cougars are both chasing the Gaels for the regular season conference title but they are both solidly into the NCAA tournament. Gonzaga will likely be a 5 or 6 seed, while BYU could be anywhere from a 9 seed to a 11 seed.

The Bulldogs played an incredibly tough non-conference schedule but it benefited them because they got quality victories over tournament teams such as Notre Dame, Arizona, and Xavier. The Zags also got a big conference win at home over Saint Mary's this week in a highly contested and very well played game.

The Cougars have been a very nice surprise. They have victories over WAC leader Nevada, Pac-12 teams such as Oregon and Utah and played Baylor very tough, despite eventually falling by 3 points at home. The Cougars are going to receive a nice seed because they have beaten all the teams that they should have beaten. However, they don't have any eye-popping victories as of yet, as they lost to Saint Mary's twice and Wisconsin as well. However, they still play Gonzaga once more and have the WCC conference tournament coming up in March.

Gonzaga could be the perfect model of consistency in all of college basketball. They have made the tournament every year since 1999 and have won at least one game in the big dance in 10 of their 13 trips to the tourney since then. This year is no different from the typical Gonzaga squad, as they are a hard-working team that plays very well together. Forwards Elias Harris and 7 foot Robert Sacre control the paint and both average over 6.5 rebounds per game and 11.5 points per game.

BYU is also a very intriguing team. Following the loss of National Player of the Year, Jimmer Fredette, who averaged nearly 29 points per game for the Cougars last year, very little was expected of the team. However, they have far exceeded expectations under Dave Rose, and are 20-6 including 8-3 in conference. Forward Noah Hartsock has taken a much larger role on the team this season and has increased his point total from 8.6 to 17.6. The senior is shooting just under 57 percent from the field. Hartsock and Brandon Davies, who was suspended last season for breaking the school's honor code policy, form a formidable duo down in the blocks. Davies is averaging 14.4 points and 8 rebounds per game.

Although the Pac-12 is having a horrible year, the Mountain West and the West Coast Conference have a number of teams that are going to get into the NCAA tournament and a group of teams, such as UNLV, San Diego St., Saint Mary's, and Gonzaga, who could make a deep run in the tournament. West coast basketball is not down as much as it might seem at first glance.

Dark Horse Teams That Could Make A Surprise Run In The NCAA Tournament

Looking back at recent NCAA tournaments, history has shown that being a number 1 seed is a far cry from being set to reach a Final Four and that surprise teams are always making runs to get into the National Semifinals.

In 2 of the last 6 years, all four number 1 seeds have failed to make the Final Four. In 2006, #2 UCLA knocked off #1 Memphis in the Oakland Regional, #3 Florida defeated #1 Villanova in the Minneapolis Regional, #4 LSU beat #1 Duke in the Atlanta Regional, and #11 George Mason knocked off #1 Connecticut in the Washington D.C. Regional. Just last year the four number 1 seeds (Ohio St., Duke, Kansas, and Pittsburgh) failed to make the Final Four, as 4th seeded Kentucky, 3rd seeded Connecticut, 11th seeded VCU, and 8th seeded Butler were the four teams to appear in the National Semifinals.

In fact, only once since seeding began in 1979 have all four number 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four. Lastly, only once since 2001 has a team entered the tournament as the number 1 ranked team in one of the major polls and won the National Championship, which was in 2009 when North Carolina did it.

These numbers show that despite the fact that the number 1 seeds may have been the best teams during the regular season and have had the best resumes going into the Big Dance, there are always sleeper teams that make a run to the Final Four.

In the last decade, there have been a far share of surprise teams to make a run in the tourney.

In 2000, both North Carolina and Wisconsin made the Final Four as 8 seeds. In 2002, Missouri barely made the NCAA tournament after finishing 6th in the Big 12 with a 9-7 conference record and a 25-11 mark overall. However, the 12th seeded Tigers were able to make a run to the Elite Eight.

Recently, cinderella has swept across the college basketball landscape and has shown that any team that gets into the Big Dance can make a run in the tourney. In 2006, George Mason shocked the world by reaching the Final Four after knocking off the favorite to win the National Championship, the Connecticut Huskies, in a thrilling overtime game 86-84 in the regional finals. The Butler Bulldogs followed in George Mason's footsteps by reaching the National Championship game in 2009 as a 5 seed after many people picked them to loss in the first round in an upset to #12 UTEP. Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that the Bulldogs reached the National Championship Game the next year once again after being seeded 8th and losing their best player Gordon Hayward to the NBA draft. Also last year, VCU, after most people thought the Rams shouldn't even have been in the tournament in the first place, were able to shock the world and reach the Final Four as an 11 seed.

This being said, you should always be on a look out for teams that could surprise everybody and make a  run deep into the tourney. Even if it isn't an absolute stunner like George Mason of 2006 or VCU of 2011 but rather a dark horse team that nobody expects to reach the National Semifinals like the 2010 Michigan St. team that was seeded 5th, or the 2006 LSU team that was seeded on the 4 line, or the Indiana Hoosiers, who made a surprise run to the title game as a 5 seed in 2002.

Here are some dark horse teams that could make a run in this year's NCAA tournament:

Iona Gales:

The Iona Gaels are going to be a very dangerous team when March comes around and will be a threat for any higher seed who they play in the first round and beyond. The Gaels have terrific guard play and will put a lot of pressure on opposing teams backcourts.

Scott Machado is arguably the best pure point guard in the country. Machado is a terrific passer and one of the smartest players in the country, as he leads a Gaels offense that is third in the nation in points per game at 83.3 and 1st in assists at 19.5. The 6-1 point guard is averaging 10 assists per game, which also leads the nation and has had 13 double-digit assists games this season including 6 in the team's first 7 non-conference games. He can also put the ball in the basket when he needs to, as he is averaging 13.6 points per game. However, the Gaels don't relay on Machado to score, but rather to spread the ball around the offense.

Lamont "Momo" Jones is one of the Gaels go to threats on the outside. The Arizona transfer, who didn't have to sit out for a year because he was granted a hardship waiver because his grandmother was ill, is putting up huge numbers in the Gaels offensive system. He is averaging over 16 points per game and is shooting just about 46 percent from the field. Momo had an offensive expulsion against Canisius on February 2nd when he had 43 points on 16 of 23 shooting from the field and 7 of 12 shooting from three. Momo's 43 points were a school home record, as he surpassed the previous record of 40 points set by Steve Burtt, which Burtt did against Holy Cross in 1984.

Sometimes lost by the great play of Iona's backcourt is the consistency of Michael Glover. Glover could be the Gales most important player, as he provides some size for the MAAC club. Glover leads the team in scoring at 18.5 points per game and rebounding at 9 per game. Glover has 11 double-doubles this season including 5 in the team's last 7 games and he had a 34 point and 15 rebound performance against Saint Joseph's in a 104-99 victory. Glover will be a key if the Gaels face a team that has some size and depth in their frontcourt.

Wichita St. Shockers: 

If it weren't for Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott leading the Creighton Bluejays to an unbelievable 21-3 start, the Wichita St. Shockers would be the talk of the Missouri Valley Conference. Since starting the season 2-2, the Shockers are 18-2 with an impressive 11-2 record in conference play.

A huge positive for the Shockers is that that don't lack size, as Garrett Stutz is a commanding presence inside. The 7 foot senior center is an absolute beast in the paint, as he is averaging 8 rebounds and over 1 block per game. The big man can also put the ball in the basket and he has looked much more comfortable underneath as of late. In the team's last 10 conference games, the center is averaging just under 20 points per game. Stutz is very also a very effective foul shooter and is shooting it at over 82 percent from the line, which is a huge boast for the Shockers because he gets to the line so often. The key for Stutz is his ability to stay on the floor and not get into foul trouble. The center is playing just over 25 minutes per game and in two of the team's four losses, Stutz has played less than 20 minutes.

If guards Joe Ragland and Toure' Murray, who are both averaging over 12 points per game, can provide some consistent scoring and three point shooting, the Shockers will be very dangerous because they have enough size to compete with almost every team down low in the country.

Lastly, another benefit for the Shockers will be the fact that they will get a favorable seed when March comes around if they continue to play good basketball. Wichita St. already has victories over a good Colorado team on a neutral court, a ranked UNLV team by 19 points, and they will get another crack at the Creighton Bluejays on February 11th.

Iowa St. Cyclones: 

Iowa St., also known as transfer university because they are lead by a bunch of transfers from various schools, have a very dangerous team and are beginning to show it in Big 12 play. Since the Cyclones have grown accustomed to playing with each other, they are 12-3 in their last 15 games including 7-3 in Big 12 play. Royce White, a transfer from Minnesota, Chris Allen, a transfer from Michigan St., and Chris Babb, a transfer from Penn St., are playing together for the first season and have shown significant sings of improvement since they began the season 5-3 with losses to Drake and Northern Iowa.

Royce White is an all-around superstar forward, as he leads the team in scoring at 13.5 per game, rebounding at 9.3 per game, assists at 4.6 per game, steals at 1.2 per game, and blocks at 1.2 per game. The 6-8 sophomore forward is a solid presence inside and is complimented very well by great three point shooters like Chris Allen and Chris Babb from the outside.

Despite the fact that Allen has struggled a little bit from deep and is shooting just 36 percent from three, he continues to shoot with confidence and he has begun to find his form. Allen is shooting just under 45 percent from three in Big 12 play, which is up 7 percent from non-conference games.

The Cyclones have knocked off Kansas and Kansas St. at home and have their best team since they were 25-6 and 13-3 in the Big 12 back in 2001. They will likely be in the tournament for the first time since 2005 and could make a run in the Big Dance, especially if Allen and Babb are hot from three because White is a consistent threat in the post.

Washington Huskies:

The struggles of the Pac-12 have been very well documented this year. Currently, no Pac-12 team is ranked and no Pac-12 team even received a vote in last week's AP top 25 poll. In fact, California was the last ranked team inside the top 25 all the way back in week 4 of the polls and no Pac-12 team has been ranked inside the top 15 all season. Despite the fact that the Pac-12 is down this year and may only get 2 or 3 teams into the tournament, the Washington Huskies have enough talent and athleticism to cause a lot of teams trouble when March comes around.

Since starting out the season 5-5 with losses to St. Louis, Nevada, and South Dakota St. by 19 points at home, the Huskies have regrouped and have gone 11-2 including 9-2 in conference play, which is atop the Pac-12 standings. Washington has really improved on the defense end of the floor. In their first 10 games of the season, their opponents were averaging over 76 points per game. In their last 13 games, their opponents have been averaging just over 64 points per game, which is a significant decrease of about 12 points per game. The Huskies are lead defensively by their 7 foot center Aziz N'Diaye. Despite the fact the Diaye plays just over 23 minutes per game, he is a dominant down low and averages more than a block per game. 

The Huskies are full of highly touted recruits including Tony Wroten Jr., who was the #17 overall incoming freshman for this year's class according to the ESPNU 100, Terrence Ross, who was the #30 overall recurit for the 2010 freshman class according to the ESPNU 100, and Abdual Gaddy, who was the #14 overall recruit for the 2009 freshman class according to the ESPNU 100. The Huskies' core has finally been able to piece things together and they are a dangerous team in the tournament because of their immense talent.

The Huskies cause matchup problems with many of their opponents because their backcourt of Tony Wroten Jr., Terrence Ross, and C.J. Wilcox, has extreme size and quickness, as all three of the guards are at least 6-5. Despite the fact that Tony Wroten Jr. is more of a scoring point guard than a distributor, he has played very well at the point position. Wroten is averaging just under 17 points per game but he isn't forcing any bad shots, as he is shooting about 48 percent from the field. Although Wroten isn't a great three point shooter, he is furious when he is attacking the basket and gets to the foul line more than 7 times per game. Terrence Ross is also a very reliable scoring threat. The sophomore is averaging more than 15 points per game and provides the Huskies with a three point shooting option, as he hits about 2 per game.

Novak Djokovic Will One Day Be In The Discussion Of The Greatest Tennis Players Ever

Following 5 hours and 53 minutes of unbelievably high level tennis, Novak Djokovic was finally able to knock off his rival Rafael Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5.

In an epic final in Melbourne, Djokovic and Nadal fought it out in the longest Grand Slam final of all-time surpassing the previous longest match in major final history of 4 hours and 27 minutes when Mats Wilander beat Pat Cash in the 1988 Australian Open championship. It was also the longest match ever in Australian Open history breaking the previous longest match in the tournament's history when Rafael Nadal knocked off Fernando Verdasco in the 2009 semifinals in a 5 hour and 14 minute match. Only John Isner and Nicolas Mahut's 11 hour and 5 minute match in the first round of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships and Arnaud Clements and Fabrice Santoro's 6 hour and 33 minute match in the first round of the 2004 French Open were longer Grand Slam matches than Djokovic and Nadal's final.

The top two ranked players in the world put on an incredible display of tennis for nearly 6 hours. Just when you thought that one of them was down and out, they would fight back and keep the match alive.

In the fourth set, it appeared that Djokovic would run away with the match. The world number 1 had gone up on Nadal 2 sets to 1 after dominating the Spaniard in the third set 6-2. Although Djokovic was all over Nadal's serve in the fourth set, he was unable to convert a break point, as he was 0 for 3 in the set. Despite not having a sniff of a break point on Djokvoic's serve, Nadal was able to scrap and fight and win the set in a tiebreak 7-5.

After pulling out the fourth set much to the dismay of Djokvoic, Nadal looked like he was going to take the decisive fifth set. At 3-2, Nadal broke Djokovic for the first time on his first break point opportunity since the second set and was up 4-2. However, much like how Nadal refused to quit in the fourth set, Djokovic was able to fight back and break Nadal in the next game to bring the match back on serve. With the Djokovic and Nadal tied at 5 in the fifth, Djokovic was able to convert his second break point opportunity of the game and served out the match to win the Australian Open title.

The Djokovic and Nadal final is now in the discussion with the Nadal and Federer 2008 Wimbledon final and the Borg and McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon final as the greatest Grand Slam final matches of all-time.

Novak Djokovic also proved that he will be at the top of the men's game for a very long time and his incredible season last year wasn't a one year fluke. Djokovic looks like he will one day be in the discussion of the greatest tennis players of all-time. Djokovic's 2011 season is up there with

Nole's 2011 year will go down in history as one of the greatest single seasons in men's tennis history.
His overall record was an astounding 70-6 and before Djokovic lost some matches at the end of the year because he was slowed down by injuries, his record was an unprecedented 64-1. Djokovic's 2011 season is up there with Rod Laver's 1969 year when he won all four grand slams, Roger Federer's 2006 season when he was 92-5, and John McEnroe's 1984 year when he was 82-3 as the greaest single seasons of all-time.

The Joker began the 2011 season sizzling hot, as he won his first seven tournaments including the year's first major at the Australian Open. Djokovic's first loss didn't come until the semifinals of the French Open when he fell to Roger Federer in a very tight match 6-7 (5-7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7).

His 41-match win streak to begin 2011 was just one win shy of John McEnroe's record of 42 straight victories to begin a season, which he did in 1984 before losing to Ivan Lendl in the 1984 French Open finals. Djokovic's 43 straight match victories dating back to 2010 were just 3 shy of Guillermo Villas's record of 46 straight victories, which he did in 1977 before losing to Ilie Nastase in the final of the Aix-en-Provence final. Djokovic also was just one tournament victory shy of joining Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe as the only players to ever win 8 singles titles in a row. Nole's loss to Federer was his first loss against a top 10 player since he lost to Federer in the 2010 ATP World Tour semifinals. His 13 match win streak against top 10 players was the third longest in ATP history only trailing Federer's 17 match win streak against top ten players from 2006 to 2007 and Federer's 26 match win streak against top ten players from 2003 to 2005.

Djokovic's 5 ATP Masters series titles were the most ever in a single season and he had a 35-match hard court win streak before he fell to Andy Murray in the finals of Cincinnati. His 35 straight victories on a hard court were the third most of all-time only trailing Federer's 36 hard court match streak from 2006 to 2007 and Federer's 56 match win streak from 2005 to 2006.

The most impressive part of Djokovic's season was his performances at the Grand Slams, where he had an incredible record of 25-1 and won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open. Djokovic joined Rod Laver (1969), Jimmy Connors (1974), Mats Wilander (1988), Roger Federer (2004, 2006, 2007) and Rafael Nadal (2010) as the only players to win at least three Grand Slams in a single season since the open era began in 1968. Djokovic also joined Ivan Lendl (1987), Roger Federer (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), Rafael Nadal (2008), and Andy Murray (2011) as the only players to reach all four Grand Slam semifinals in a single season since 1972.

Djokovic's overall prize money for the 2011 season was over 12 million dollars, which is the most by a player in one season.

With his victory at the Australian Open this year, Djokovic is already amongst the all-time greats. He has won 5 Grand Slams thus far, which to put that in perspective, is just one shy of greats like Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker and two behind John McEnroe and Mats Wilander.

Djokovic now has won three Australian Opens, which is tied with Mats Wilander for the third most all-time in the open era and is only behind Roger Federer and Andre Agassi's 4 Australian Open titles.

Nole has also won a Wimbledon title and a U.S. Open title, and just needs to win the French Open to complete the career Grand Slam. If he is able to win the French Open, he would join Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal as the only players to win the career Grand Slam.

The future is encouraging as well for the Serbian, as he has a lot of years of tennis left to play. Djokovic is just 24 years old and is just in his 8th year on the ATP tour.

Also, Nole is very solid and can play on every surface. Although he has never won the French Open, he has made the semifinals of the major three times and he also had two quarterfinal appearances since 2006.

Also, Djokovic's rivals can't figure out how to beat him. Dating back to last year in their last 7 matches, Nadal is 0-7 against Djokovic and all of their match-ups have been in finals including at three major finals. Although Federer has been on the brink of cracking the Joker, he is just 1-4 against him in their last 5 matches including losses at the Australian Open last year as well as the U.S. Open when he had 2 match points in the fifth set but failed to convert either one. Djokovic is also 3-1 against Andy Murray.

The future is very bright for the Serbian star and Djokovic may one day be atop the list of the men's all-time great tennis players.

Murderers' Row Continues In The Big Ten This Week

The Big East has by far been the best conference from top to bottom in college basketball for years, especially since 2005 when Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, and South Florida all joined the conference from Conference-USA, which significantly improved the league as a whole. The Big East has dominated in terms of number of bids to the tournament as well, while other conferences, such as the Big Ten, have struggled in recent years to get a lot of teams into the big dance.

The last time the Big Ten received more bids to the tourney than any other conference was back in 2001. In the last four NCAA tournaments, the Big Ten has had 24 bids into the tourney, while the Big East has sent 34 teams to the big dance. Since 1990, just one NCAA champion has come from the Big Ten, which was Michigan St. in 2000. This is an extremely low number considering the ACC has had 8 champions, the SEC has had 5 champions, and the Big East has had 4 champions since 1990.

However, the tides have turned this season, as the Big Ten is far and away the best conference in all of college basketball. 5 Big Ten teams are ranked inside the top 25, which is more than any other conference and it looks like at least 8 Big Ten teams (Ohio St, Michigan St., Wisconsin, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota) will make the tourney.

This week continues the excitement of the highly competitive league, as there are a great slate of games.

On Tuesday, #9 Michigan St. (17-4, 6-2) travels to play Illinois (15-6, 4-4) in Champagne at Assembly Hall. Sparty, who have won 17 of their last 19 games after starting out 0-2 with two early losses to North Carolina and Duke, will attempt to knock off the Illini in a hostile atmosphere. Illinois has already knocked off Big Ten favorite Ohio St. at home this year but they have lost three tight games in a row by a combined 11 points including an overtime lose to Minnesota in their last outing.

The following day, the Spartans arch rival, #22 Michigan (18-6, 6-3), is playing host to #17 Indiana (17-5, 5-5). Like Illinois, Michigan has been very difficult to beat at home, as they have wins over Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan St. at the Crisler Center. However, Michigan has struggled of late due largely to the fact that they are settling for so many three point shots. The Wolverines took 25 threes against Ohio St. in their 64-49 loss on Sunday and 28 threes in their 66-64 road loss to Arkansas last week. Although Indiana has extremely impressive home wins over Kentucky, Ohio St., and Michigan in Bloomington, they have severely struggled the road in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers are 1-4 away from Assembly Hall including 0-3 against ranked opponents. Indiana, led by freshman forward Cody Zeller, who had a career high 26 points in the Hoosiers 103-89 victory over Iowa on Sunday, will have a chance to get a big road win on Wednesday when they travel to take on the Wolverines.

Ohio St. (19-3, 7-2) may be the most complete team in college basketball. The Buckeyes have arguably the best defensive point guard in the country with Aaron Craft, the best big man in the country with Jared Sullinger, who is averaging 17.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, and one of the best seniors in the country with William Buford. All three of these stars will be looking for revenge on Saturday when the #3 Buckeyes travel to Madison to play #25 Wisconsin (17-5, 6-3), who knocked off Ohio St. last season at home when the Buckeyes were undefeated at 24-0. Preseason 1st team All-American point guard Jordan Taylor, who has struggled this year shooting the ball, will try to have a repeat performance of his game last year when he had 27 points, which led to the Badgers huge upset. Taylor has played much better since Big Ten play began, as he is averaging over 16 points in Wisconsin's 9 league games.

The great week of Big Ten basketball concludes with two great in-state rivalry games on Saturday and Sunday.

#17 Indiana continues their difficult week on the road, as they take on Purdue (15-7, 5-4). Purude has been on the short end of several close games this season. They fell to Xavier on the road by 3, to Butler on a neutral court by 2, as well as two Big Ten home losses by 5 points to Wisconsin and 2 points to Michigan. The Boilermakers are led by forward Robbie Hummel, who is one of the most versatile players in the country.

On Sunday, #22 Michigan and #11 Michigan St. rekindle their growingly intense rivalry when the Wolverines travel to East Lansing to take on Sparty. Fuel has been added to this in-state rivalry since Michigan has greatly improved as a program under the leadership of John Beilein and since Tom Izzo said, "Do i respect Michigan? Tremendously. Do I like 'em? Not one bit." Michigan beat Michigan St. in Ann Arbor in a great game earlier this year by 1 point after both Keith Appling and Draymond Green missed shots for the Spartans in the final 11 seconds of the game.

To illustrate how difficult the Big Ten has been this year, just look at the stretches of games some teams in the conference have had to play or are going to have to play. Penn St. is currently in a 6 game stretch where they have had to play Illinois at home, #17 Indiana and #3 Ohio St. on the road, #25 Wisconsin at home, before returning on the road to play Iowa and #9 Michigan St. Iowa had a four game stretch where they had to play #3 Ohio St. at home, #9 Michigan St. in East Lansing, #22 Michigan at home, before going on the road again to play Purdue in West Lafayette.

Kevin Love Is Trying To Build Something With The Minnesota Timberwolves

Nobody in their right mind would consider the Minnesota Timberwolves the model NBA franchise. In fact, the T-Wolves could be the farthest thing in the entire NBA from the perfect organization.

Since the Timberwolves entered the league as an expansion team in 1989, they have struggled to find a core group of players who can help them be a consistent playoff contender in the West. In the T-Wolves 21 year history, they have had a total of 11 coaches and aside from Flip Saunders, who coached the team for 10 years from 1996 to 2005, they haven't had the same coach for more than 3 seasons.

The Timberwolves have not made a playoff appearance in the last 7 postseasons and their record of 187-387, which is 200 games under .500, shows how dreadful they have been since they made the Western conference finals for the first time in franchise history back in 2004. In fact, Minnesota has lost at least 50 games for the past 5 seasons including a 67 loss season two years ago and a dreadful 65 loss campaign last year.

Since 2006, the Timberwolves have had one of the first seven picks in the NBA draft every year. It's safe to say that Minnesota has struggled pretty mightily, especially since Kevin Garnett was traded in 2007 and Al Jefferson, the huge talent that Minnesota received in return for the all-star, never panned out and is now a member of the Utah Jazz.

It would have been easy for rising NBA all-star and 2011 most improved player Kevin Love to bolt on the Timberwolves and his teammates and enter free agency after this season. Nobody would have blamed him outside of Minnesota for wanting to be surrounded by a superstar team and a club that is going to compete for an NBA championship right now.

LeBron left the Cleveland Cavaliers after he had enough of playing along side mediocre talent, as he came to the realization that the Cavs didn't have enough pieces around him to win multiple NBA championships.

It would have been nothing against Kevin Love's fantastic talent or ability as a player to leave the team that drafted him and had built around him to go to a perennial playoff team.

However, Kevin Love has chosen a different route than LeBron and so many other NBA superstars who have wanted to leave their small market clubs in order to go to a bigger market like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwight Howard (who has still not been traded despite the fact that he has requested Magic GM Otis Smith to leave Orlando). Love has signed a four year contract extension to stay in Minnesota worth 62 million dollars, as he is trying to build a playoff caliber team in the Twin Cities.

A big factor in Love's decision to stay with the T-Wolves is that although they were 17-65 last year, they have an immense amount of talent and youth on their squad and they are only going to improve with experience and playing with each other as time goes on.

Of the 12 guys who have played for the T-Wovles this season, only guards J.J. Barea and Luke Ridnour are older than 26. The combined age of Minnesota's starting lineup against the Dallas Mavericks of Ricky Rubio, 21, Wayne Ellington, 24, Derrick Williams, 20, Kevin Love, 23, and Darko Milicic, 26, was just 114. In comparison, the Mavericks starting five in that game of Jason Kidd, 38, Delonte West, 28, Shawn Marion, 33, Lamar Odom, 32, and Brendan Haywood 32, was 163.

Apart of that youth for the T-Wolves is point guard sensation from Spain, Ricky Rubio, and the number 2 overall pick in last year's NBA draft, Derrick Williams. Both rookies make the future outlook for the Timberwolves very positive and Love is ecstatic to have the opportunity to grow with that core.

Rubio is any players dream to play along side of, as the 21 year old is an incredible passer. The pass first point guard is always looking for his teammates and is very unselfish. Rubio is averaging 8.7 assists per game and he has posted 8 double-digit assist games thus far.

There is no doubt that Kevin Love has become a superstar in the NBA and that is why the Timberwolves are so excited that he is staying in Minnesota.

Love is putting up ridiculous numbers this season, as he is averaging 25.3 points per game, which is 4th in the league, and is second in the league in rebounding with 13.7 per game. Love became the first player this year to start a season with 13 straight double-doubles since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1992. Love has become a double-double machine, as he has 17 double doubles in 18 T-Wolves games.

The big man even has some range and can step outside the arc and knock down the three. Love is hitting over 2 threes per game and is shooting it at a 40.9 percent clip from deep.

The Timberwolves are one of the most exciting teams to watch, but Kevin Love is trying to be the center of a team that is going to be more than just exciting but a team that is going to compete for a playoff spot for many years to come.

Reaction From Joe Paterno's Death

Coaching legend at Penn St., Joe Paterno passed away at the age of 85 on Sunday morning. 

Paterno lead the Nittany Lions to five undefeated and untied seasons in 1968, 1969, 1973, 1986, and 1994, as well as two National Championships in 1982 and 1986. Joe Pa is the all-time winningest coach in FBS history with 409 victories and his 24 bowl wins are more than any other coach. Paterno had 21 seasons where his Nittany Lions won 10 game or more and he lead Penn St. to 22 top 10 finishes in the AP poll.

Paterno will be remembered just as much around Penn St. for what he did to help the university grow as an institution. His "Grand Experiment" in helping athletics and academics coexist as well as his honorable donations to the university greatly improved academic life at State College, Pennsylvania. Paterno and his wife raised over 13.75 million dollars for a new library at the university and the library now bares the Paterno name.

However, Joe Pa's legacy will forever be tarnished because of the sexual abuse scandal involving his long-time defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky that occurred while he was the head coach and ultimately forced him to be fired. Although after learning about the abuse, Paterno reported the incident to his supervisor, he came under criticism for not following up on the report and making sure that it got to the police. Pennsylvania state police Commissioner Frank Noonan said, "somebody has to question about what I would consider the moral requirements for a human being that knows of sexual things that are taking place with a child. I think you have the moral responsibility, anyone. Not whether you're a football coach or a university president or the guy sweeping the building. I think you have a moral responsibility to call us [the police]."

Reaction from Paterno's death has been widespread. It has come from a wide range of people including former and current Penn St. players, opposing players and coaches, and even a former President. Here is some reaction from Paterno's death.

Current and Former Penn St. players and coaches on Joe Paterno's death:

Current Penn St. Head Coach Bill O’Brien: "It is with great sadness that I am compelled to deliver this message of condolence and tribute to a great man, husband, father and someone who is more than just a coach, Joe Paterno. First, on behalf of Penn State Football, we offer our sincerest condolences to the Paterno family for their loss. We also offer our condolences to the Penn State community and, in particular, to those who wore the Penn State colors, our Nittany Lion football players and alumni. Today they lost a great man, coach, mentor and, in many cases, a father figure, and we extend our deepest sympathies. The Penn State Football program is one of college football's iconic programs because it was led by an icon in the coaching profession in Joe Paterno. There are no words to express my respect for him as a man and as a coach. To be following in his footsteps at Penn State is an honor. Our families, our football program, our university and all of college football have suffered a great loss, and we will be eternally grateful for Coach Paterno's immeasurable contributions."

Former Penn St. defensive coordinator Tom Bradley from 2000 to 2011: “Words seem to pale in a moment such as this. The terms "icon" and "legend" have often been used to describe Joe Paterno. Certainly, he was both within the world of college athletics. But to those of us who played for him, to those of us who coached with him and to those of us who had the privilege to call him a friend, Joe Paterno was much more. To me, he was my mentor for 37 years, and the lessons that I learned from him as a player, coach and friend will live on with me forever. It was Coach Paterno who saw what I could be and helped me to realize that potential. He was a tremendous teacher not because he knew all of the answers but because he challenged us to find the answers for ourselves. He made us better men than we believed we could be -- both on and off the field. And when we lost our way or became unsure of ourselves, it was Coach Paterno who was there to encourage us, guide us and remind us that we must always strive to succeed with honor. Coach Paterno never believed his role as "coach" ended after practice, or when the fourth quarter wound down or when a student-athlete graduated. He was a coach for life. I am deeply grateful to have had Coach Paterno in my life. He was the epitome of class and his spirit will live on in all of us who had the great honor of knowing him and running out of the tunnel with him on so many autumn Saturdays. My thoughts and prayers are with Coach Paterno's devoted wife, Sue, his son Jay, with whom I coached so many years, and with the entire Paterno family during this sad and difficult time.

Former Penn St. linebacker Paul Posluszny from 2003 to 2006: "It’s hard to put into words what Coach Paterno means to me… My four years in State College playing under him were more than I could ever imagine and helped shaped me not only as a player but as a person. I stand in awe of what he was able to accomplish at Penn State not only on the playing field but his graduation rates and how he put so much money back into the school. He truly loved the university. Coach Paterno was not only one of the greatest coaches in any sport but he was a great man who did things the right way… Coach Paterno should be remembered and revered for his 61 years of service to the Penn State community, the many games and championships he won, and the positive influence he was in so many lives. He was one of a kind and his legacy will be lasting."

Former Penn St. safety Bryan Scott from 2000 to 2002: "It's really difficult to find words that encompass what Coach Paterno will forever mean to me. He reinforced that a man's character, morals, values and fundamentals were the main ingredient for success. Succeeding in the classroom, succeeding at your job, succeeding at home, should all be placed before success on the football field. He brought great perspective to my life, and I will always and forever take those lessons, live by them, and pass them forward."

Former Penn St. linebacker LaVar Arrington from 1998 to 1999: "I love my school, I love my teammates, I love my coaches, I love everything about the institution I was a part of… What he's [Paterno] done for me, it's amazing how I live my life, and I know, in large part, it's basically due to how much that man challenged me. He was able to get the big picture on guys. Either you were going to rise up to the challenge, or you were gonna succumb to it… I'm not going to say Joe was perfect in the way he handled it [the sexual abuse scandal]. But he certainly wasn't inadequate in the way he handled that situation. And not in a way where everything that man handled in his life is null and void. Not at all."

Former Penn St. running back Mike Guman from 1976 to 1979: “You could have become a good football player at many places but you wouldn’t have become the man you are if you didn’t go to Penn State.”

Former Penn St. linebacker Matt Millen from 1976 to 1977: "I am numb. Forget the football aspect. We just lost a great contributor to our society. He was way more than a football coach. There are many living positive testimonies walking around because of Joe Paterno. He straightened out many lives. He was rare. This was a real guy — he was not a fake. Was he infallible? Absolutely not. He had his flaws; he made mistakes. But he was as close to being what you are supposed to be as anyone I ever have been around. He was a teacher who affected thousands [with] life lessons... My impression was that he was very heavy-hearted about the scandal. Certainly, the cancer will be listed as the cause of death. But I can't help but think that a broken heart pushed him over the edge.'' 

Former Penn St. tight end Mickey Shuler from 1975 to 1977: “It’s just sad because I think he died from other things than lung cancer. I don’t think that the Penn State that he helped us to become and all the principles and values and things that he taught were carried out in the handling of his situation.”

Former Penn St. running back Lydell Mitchell from 1970 to 1971: “We came to Penn State as young kids and when we left there we were men and the reason for that was Joe Paterno.”

Former Penn St. practice player Joe Yermal in 1963: "It's heartbreaking. They will miss him, I will miss him. Joe was never, what would the expression be, a warm and fuzzy guy. That wasn't him. He'd bark and growl and what have you, and at the same time, after he'd done that, he'd check and make sure things were okay with your family. This problem that he encountered regarding the Sandusky allegations and what have you are obviously going to be a part of it, but it's not going to be the main chapter. I think it will be a footnote. I think over the years people will look back and recognize how much the guy gave to the university, how important the success of the school was to him. I will look back, as I do with my Dad, at him and I won't cry when I think about him, but I will smile.”

Current and Former Opposing Players and Coaches on Joe Paterno's death:

Current South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier: "I have the utmost respect and admiration for Joe Paterno. I've coached around 300 college games and only once when I've met the other coach at midfield prior to the game have I asked a photographer to take a picture of me with the other coach. That happened in the Citrus Bowl after the '97 season when we were playing Penn State. I had one of our university photographers take the picture with me and Coach Paterno, and I still have that photo in the den at my house. That's the admiration I have for Joe Paterno. It was sad how it ended, but he was a great person and coach.”

Current Alabama head coach Nick Saban: "Joe Paterno gave his life to college football. He gave his life to the players and college football. Not just at Penn State, but when I was the head coach at Michigan State, we had a player who could get a sixth year because of an injury, and Joe was the head of the committee. He got it done for the player, and that player actually ran a touchdown against them that could have cost them the game later that season. But never I never doubted with him that he was going to do what was best for college football, and the players that played it, and I think that should be his legacy… Probably as much as anything what we all try to get as coaches, a well-disciplined team that gives tremendous effort, plays physical, has the ability to execute down-in and down-out and play winning football. And when you played Joe's teams, that's exactly what you were playing against. They always had real good athletes, but to me it was the level they performed at that was indicative of the kind of program that he ran, the kind of influence that he had on the players... It's just too bad for everyone that someone who had done so much for college football, his legacy would really end. Maybe the message that everyone out there could learn from this is that assistant coaches, players, everybody involved in programs have a responsibility and obligation to do the right things for the institutions, because people remember Joe Paterno as part of this more than they do anyone else. That may be the shame of it all. Maybe he made a mistake in how he managed it, but really wasn't the guy who did the wrongdoing. But all of us need to understand that whatever profession we're in, sometimes the people in charge can really suffer just as much as the people who made the wrong choices and decisions.”

Current Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer: “We have lost someone with great and special talents. He had great and special talent as far as being a leader, which is very obvious by his winning record. And, he had a great and special talent in how he treated people. In my experience with him, he was always charming, gracious and thoughtful. I think he was a great fighter, and I know he fought this illness to the very end. College football will miss Joe Paterno.”

Current Ohio St. head coach Urban Meyer: "He was a man who I have deep respect for as a human being, as a husband and father, as a leader and as a football coach. I was very fortunate to have been able to develop a personal relationship with him, especially over the course of the last several years, and it is something that I will always cherish. We have lost a remarkable person and someone who affected the lives of so many people in so many positive ways. His presence will be dearly missed. His legacy as a coach, as a winner and as a champion will carry on forever."

Current Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald: "The legacy of Joe Paterno will be long lasting -- not only as a football coach and mentor, but as a family man. For 62 years, Coach Paterno poured his heart and soul into a football program and university, helping countless young men reach their dreams and goals on the football field before moving on to successful careers and lives as adults. It's hard to fathom the impact that Coach Paterno has had on college football and at Penn State. His insight and wisdom will be missed. We at Northwestern send our condolences to Sue and the Paterno family."

Current Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill: “I got home last night from recruiting and my oldest daughter said she had just heard. Fifteen minutes later, my youngest daughter at Murray State called. That's two girls from a coach's family reacting to it. That really sums up his impact. It hits home. He coached for 60 years with more than 100 players per year. Think about how many lives he touched, how many good things he has done. From my family to the Paterno family, our prayers go out to them. It's a sad day for football, but a good day for the man upstairs. I would tell people not to forget what that guy has done. To coach for 60 years in one place, that just won't ever happen again. I didn't get to coach against him. But I got to coach in the Big Ten, sit next to him at a meeting and have my picture taken with him. That's something I will never forget.”

Current Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini: "My condolences go out to Coach Paterno’s family and the Penn State community. I have so much respect for what Coach Paterno accomplished at Penn State both on and off the field. He wasn’t just a legendary coach, but a class individual and his record speaks for itself. I had the honor of getting a few chances to spend time with him since we joined the Big Ten, and those were special opportunities for me as a relatively young head coach in this profession."

Former Florida St. head coach Bobby Bowden from 1976 to 2009: "It’s going to be very hard to imagine college football without Joe in this world… I've known Joe forever. I've known him personally since 1966. The first time I met him was 1962. We've always been very close. We're close to the same age. He's just one of the best coaches ever. I felt like he would go down as probably the best ever, but after this little thing it kind of tainted it. But I'm sorry it happened. I hate it happened. I hate to see something happen to Joe… It is really sad. The guy had the most illustrious career in the history of college football, probably all of football. To put the years together and have the success he had and then have it all end like this, it’s just tragic. I’m just going to remember the good things because he did so many good things at Penn State. … It’s amazing. You can do so many good things in your life and then have one mistake. You can’t ignore the great years he had at Penn State and the great things he did for Penn State. That university is known for Joe Paterno and [his wife] Sue. It’s just a great tragedy… Just remember the good things. I don't remember the bad things. He didn't have many bad things. I would only remember the good things. He and I spent a lot of time together. We played him 10 times at West Virginia and played him twice when I was at Florida State in bowls. I never beat him in Pennsylvania. He had too many good players.”

Former Georgia coach Vince Dooley from 1964 to 1968: "Barbara and I are saddened by the sudden and untimely loss of our long time dear friend Joe Paterno. His wife Sue was a special friend and our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. Joe was a great role model and represented all that was good about college football. It was tragic that such a person had to endure the heartbreaks of his last months on earth. God Bless Joe and Sue."

A Former President on Joe Paterno's death:

Former President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993: "I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Joe Paterno. He was an outstanding American who was respected not only on the field of play but in life generally - and he was, without a doubt, a true icon in the world of sports. I was proud that he was a friend of mine. Barbara and I send our condolences to his devoted wife Suzanne and to his wonderful family."

However, the reaction was not all positive towards Paterno much like how his legacy is not going to be remembered as only positive. 

Writer and producer Justin Stangel tweeted, "Will there be a moment of silence for Joe Paterno, to honor his silence when he discovered children were being attacked." 

Gregg "Opie" Hughes of The Opie and Anthony Show twetted, "What an insult! Penn State having a MOMENT OF SILENCE for Joe Paterno. That's what got him in trouble in the first place!... So strange how many people are sticking up for Joe Paterno seeing how Joe didn't stick up for innocent children. #Get Help... Maybe the heater are right saying it's too soon for Joe Paternojokes. I gusess I'll be like Joe Pa and wai 10 year. #ZingZangZoom

"Twitter queen" and comedian Kelly Oxford tweeted, "Joe Paterno's doctors also said they wish they could have done more."

New England Patriots - Baltimore Ravens First Half Reaction

Half-time Score: New England Patriots 13 - Baltimore Ravens 10

The Ravens Early Offensive Struggles: In their first three drives, the Ravens went three and out all three times and were struggling to get anything going offensively. They had -6 yards of total offense and the pocket was collapsing time after time on Flacco, as he had been sacked twice and forced to run once on 6 dropbacks.

Lardarius Webb's Interception: The play that changed the first half was Lardarius Webb's interception on a poorly thrown ball from Tom Brady that was intended for Julian Edelman. It changed the momentum of the game and gave the Ravens the kick start that they definitely needed to get going. With the Patriots in Baltimore territory after just marching down the field 50 yards for a 29 yard field goal, Webb interception gave Baltimore confidence and allowed Flacco and the offense to settle down.

The Ravens and the Patriots Moving The Ball: After the interception, the Raven's offense looked like a completely different unit. Flacco hooked up with Torrey Smith on a 42 yard pass, which set up a 20 yard Billy Cundiff field goal. On their following possession, the Ravens went 80 yards down the field for a touchdown. However, Tom Brady was Tom Brady and he used his variety of receivers and tight ends to lead the Patriots up and down the field.

Missed Opportunities From Both Quarterbacks: Both Brady and Flacco missed opportunities for big plays in the first half. Brady missed a wide open Rob Gronkowski down the seam, which would have been an easy 22 yard touchdown because Ed Reed fell for the run fake. However, Brady overthrew Gronk and the Pats had to settle for a field goal. Flacco also missed a chance after he failed to connect with Torrey Smith, who had created separation down the field and would have had a 69 yard touchdown if he as able to track down the pass from Flacco. Flacco threw the ball as high as he could but Smith was unable to locate the ball earlier enough to make the catch.

Australian Open Week 1 Storylines

Australian Fire Power: There has been a tremendous amount of pressure on the top Australian players, Bernard Tomic and Lleyton Hewitt, as they are playing in their home country for this year's first major tournament. The fans expect a strong showing from their hometown players and expect them to perform well on the biggest stage and in front of the home crowd. Mark Edmondson remains the last Australian to win the Australian Open when he beat fellow Aussie John Newcombe in the 1976 final 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1. An Australian hasn't won the Aussie Open in the last 36 years and Australians Bernard Tomic and Lleyton Hewitt are looking to end that drought this year. Both Tomic and Hewitt have advanced to the round of 16 and of their 6 wins, 4 of them have been against seeded opponents. The 19-year-old Tomic has captured the Australian crowd through his tough and competitive victories. Tomic beat Fernando Verdasco and Alexandr Dolgopolov in two long and grueling five set matches. He has been feeding off of the crowd's enthusiasm and all their energy and support. The big 6 foot, 5 inch Aussie said after his victory over Dolgopolov, "Tonight was a really good match and a match that I need to win... I think the crowd made me win so thank you for coming out and supporting me." Lleyton Hewitt has been a home town hero in Australia since his first appearance in the grand slam all the way back in 1997, as he continues to wow the crowd to this day. As always, Hewitt has played very consistently and has limited his unforced errors. In his four set victory over #23 Milos Raonic in the third round, Hewitt had just 32 unforced errors compared to Raonic's 54.

The Dominance Of The Top Four: The women's tennis game has been pretty wide open since 2009. Since the 2009 French Open, 7 different women have won a grand slam. However, the men's game has been dominated by the top four players (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal Roger Federer, and Andy Murray). Since the 2005 French Open, Juan Martin Del Potro's U.S. Open championship in 2009 is the only time a player aside from Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer has won a grand slam and this year looks no different from any other. The top four players have been dominate thus far and look on a collision course to all meet in the semifinals just like they did at the French Open and the U.S. Open last year. Djokovic has lost a total of 10 games in 3 matches and he has faced just 8 break points in three matches. The four time grand slam winner has hit 80 winners and just 42 unforced errors. Like Djokovic, Nadal and Federer haven't dropped a set thus far and Murray has lost just one set. Nadal and Federer have both won over 80 percent of their first serve points. However, Djokvoic and Federer won't have a lot of fan suport in their next match as the Joker plays Lleyton Hewitt and Fed plays Bernard Tomic. Looking down the road, the biggest threats to stop the top four meeting in the semi-finals are likely Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Martin Del Potro, who have Andy Murray and Roger Federer in their quarters respectively.

Marcos Baghdatis's Meltdown: With the top players all having little trouble through the first week and a lack of upsets, as only four of the 16 remaining players are unseeded, one of the highlights of the tournament was Marcos Bagdatis's meltdown. Marcos Baghdatis has been loved in Australia since he made his incredible run to the finals of the major back in 2006. Also, Baghdatis has received huge fanfare and support in Melbourne because of the large Greek-Australian population there. The Cyprus born star has a great following at the tournament. However, in this year's Australian Open in a night match on Margaret Court Arena in the second round, Baghdatis didn't fare as well. While he was down 2 sets to love and a break to #21 Stanislas Wawrinka, Baghdatis had an eruption and an emotional breakdown. To take out his frustration and anger, Baghdatis smashed four of his rackets during a change-over. It was quite a meltdown to witness. Serena Williams said, "I've done that. That's impressive. Wow." 1992 and 1993 Australian Open Champion Jim Courier said, "I hope he gets a share of the YouTube clips. It was such a raw moment."

Bernard Tomic Has The Weight Of A Nation On His Shoulders

During every grand slam there is a tremendous amount of pressure on the players who are playing in their home country. The fans expect a strong showing from their hometown players and expect them to perform well on the biggest stage and in front of the home crowd. However, players have not fared well in their home country in recent major history.

The last time a French player won the French Open was in 1983 when Yannick Noah beat Matts Wilander in the final 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3). A French player has not even reached the finals at the French Open since Noah won the title that year and no French player has won the French Open beside Noah since Frenchman Marcel Bernard won all the way back in 1946, which was 66 years ago.

Anybody who has watched Wimbledon the past few years knows the almost unreal amount of pressure on Andy Murray to win the tournament, as the British fans are dying to see a champion from the United Kingdom. A British player has not played in a Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin when he lost to Don Budgein the 1938 final 6-1, 6-0, 6-3. Fred Perry is still the last British player to win Wimbledon, as he beat Gottfried von Cramm of Germany in the 1936 final 6-1 6-1, 6-0.

Of all the majors, the U.S. Open has had the most success with players from their home country. However, an American has not won the U.S. Open in 8 years since back in 2003 when Andy Roddick beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final to win his first and only major 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. This is America's longest drought without a U.S. Open champion from the United States since an American didn't win the title from 1956 to 1967, which is over 45 years ago. In fact, an American hasn't appeared in a U.S. Open final for the past 5 years since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer in the 2006 final 2-6, 6-4, 5-7, 1-6. This is America's longest drought ever without having a player appear in a U.S. Open final.

The Australian players have also struggled at their own national tournament in their home country. Mark Edmondson is the last Australian to win the Australian Open when he beat fellow Aussie John Newcombe in the 1976 final 36 years ago 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1. The Australian fans have been teased since 1976 with tons of high quality players who have come so close to winning their national title but have fallen just short. Since 1976, five times an Australian player has won a major. However, none of those grand slam victories have come at the Australian Open.

When Pat Cash was playing Davis Cup matches at the age of 18 for Australia, he was destined to be the next great Aussie. Although Cash won Wimbledon in 1987, he failed to ever win the Australian Open. In the 1987 final, Cash lost to Stefan Edberg after crawling back from 2 sets to love down in a tough five set battle 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6. The following year he appeared in the final once again but he lost a heartbreaking four hours and a half match to Mats Wilander 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 1-6, 6-8.

Despite winning the U.S. Open in 1997 and 1998 and reaching the finals of Wimledon in 2000 and 2001, Patrick Rafter was never able to make an Australian Open final. In 2001, he lost a thrilling match to eventual champion Andre Agassi in five tight sets 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 3-6 in the Australian Open semifinals.

Mark Philippoussis of Australia reached the U.S. Open final in 1998 and the Wimbledon final in 2003 but he was never able to make it past the 4th round of the Australian Open, as he lost in that round of the tournament in 1996, 1999, 2000, and 2004. In his 1999 round of 16 match, Philippoussis had the Aussie fans going crazy and wild, as he won the third and fourth sets after dropping the first two but he fell in the fifth set to Thomas Enqvist after bringing the match the distance.

Former world number 1 Lleyton Hewitt won the U.S. Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002 but he lost in the Australian Open final in 2005 to Marat Safin. Once again the Aussie fans were so close to having a champion from their home country, as Hewitt took the first set pretty convincingly over Safin 6-1. However, Safin fought back to win the next three sets much to the disappointment of the fans 3-6, 4-6, 4-6.

Australian tennis fans are dying for an Australian player to make a run in this year's tournament and with Lleyton Hewitt well past his prime and struggling with all of his injury woes, the fate of Australian tennis has fallen on the shoulders of Bernard Tomic.

Tomic, who is just 19 years old, has been touted as the next great Australian tennis player since he cracked the pro scene back in 2009 at the age of 17. However, he is rather inexperienced and at such a young age it is very difficult to deal with all the the pressure and hype. Tomic has even admitted that he is feeling the pressure of playing in front of his home fans. He said, "It's a bit different now. Last year I was a bit younger. I could play a little bit freer. Now people expect a lot from me."

The other players on the tour can also feel all the attention surrounding Tomic. Sam Querrey said that there is definitely a buzz surrounding the big 6 foot 5 inch Aussie. If that buzz was felt before the tournament, it it is being heard now like a 10.0 earthquake on the richter scale now, as the Aussie fans are exuberant with Tomic's early success in the tournament with his three victories over #22 Fernando Verdasco, Sam Querrey, and #13 Alexandr Dolgopolov.

It appeared as if Tomic was going to make an early exit from this year's first major, as he lost the first two sets to the Spanish lefty Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-7 (3-7). However, as Tomic began to climb his way back into the match and cut down on his unforced errors, he was able to use the crowd enthusiasm to get back into the match. Tomic was able to win the next two sets decisively before pulling out a tight fifth set 7-5 with an electric atmosphere on Rod Laver arena. The four hour and 11 minute struggle was an incredible victory for the young Aussie and just the second five set victory of his career.

Tomic got off to a rocky start in his first ever night match at the Australian Open against Sam Querrey. He dropped the first set to the big hitting American 3-6. However, Tomic rallied to win the new three sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Tomic was able to limit his unforced errors, as Querrey struggled to find his consistency. Querrey had 50 unforced errors in the four set match, while Tomic had just 29.

Just when you thought that Tomic mania couldn't get any bigger down under, it has after his incredible 3 hour and 49 minute marathon match with Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine. In a match that had a combined 35 aces and 121 winners, Tomic was able to eek out the tight victory in five sets 4-6, 7-6 (7-0), 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 6-3. The excitement from the crowd was a sight to see, as Tomic was able to once again win a night match on Rod Laver Arena.

But all good stories have to come to an end sometime, right? Tomic's next opponent is none other than 17 time Grand Slam winner and 4-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer. There will certainty not be a lack of star power or fan enthusiasm for that one.

Darron Thomas's Decision To Go To The NFL Makes No Sense

In a statement released by the Oregon athletic department, Ducks junior quarterback Darron Thomas said, "I came to this decision on behalf of myself and my family. I have a dream of playing in the NFL and I'm going to pursue those dreams. I would like to thank everyone in Oregon for all their support and I would thank the coaches for all their help, especially Coach [Chip] Kelly. I love my teammates and wish them the best of luck, and am confident they will continue the winning tradition that has been established. Last but not least, I thank all the Oregon fans for their help and support."

Thomas later said, "I am ready to go... I feel like I'm leaving my brothers but I leave them in good hands. I loved all my times there... [I can] offer leadership, winning attitude, hard work, and I can make big plays. I saw what Cam Newton did this year. He took his raw talent and made a spark. I can do those things, too."

The decision by Thomas to forgo his senior season and turn pro is a shocker and a very questionable decision by the Houston native. The head scratching decision has left Duck nation pretty stunned, as there is widespread opinion that Thomas made the wrong decision by not returning to Eugene for one more year.

The only possible explanation for Thomas not to return would be the thinking that his draft stock is higher this year than it will be next year because quarterbacks such as Matt Barkley of USC, Landry Jones of Oklahoma, and Tyler Wilson of Arkansas are all bypassing the 2012 NFL draft, and coming back for their senior seasons.

However, every year there are always a group of quarterbacks that decide not to enter the NFL draft and return to school. Of the 12 quarterbacks taken in last year's NFL draft, 10 of them decided to return to school in 2010 and not enter the NFL draft including Jake Locker of Washington, Christian Ponder of Florida St., Andy Dalton of TCU, Colin Kaepernick of Nevada, Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, Ricky Stanzi of Iowa, T.J. Yates of North Carolina, Nathan Enderle of Idaho, Tyrod Taylor of Virginia Tech, and Greg McElroy of Alabama.

Despite the fact that some of the high-profile quarterbacks are not coming out this season, Thomas's draft position is not going to rise that significantly because he is not an NFL ready quarterback.

Thomas played in a spread system at Oregon and he predominately took snaps from the shotgun and not from under center. Also, he greatly benefited from a dynamic running game lead by LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, and De'Anthony Thomas, which ran for 4,189 yards, a school record, and lead the country in rushing yards, was 4th in rushing yard per attempt, and was 3rd in rushing touchdowns.

Thomas doesn't have a very strong arm and he isn't accurate enough to make up for his lack of arm strength. His completion percentage was just 62.2, which was 48th in the FBS. Thomas also doesn't have enough athletic ability to make up for the other faults in his game. Despite being apart of a system where the quarterback is expected to be a runner, Thomas struggled to run the ball, especially after his left leg injury. He had just 2 games all season, where he ran for more than 35 yards.

Thomas is walking away from a Duck team that is going to have very high expectations in 2012 and that is going to be in the National Championship picture. Not only does Oregon have a favorable schedule, as they don't play a highly ranked non-conference opponent for just the second time since 2008, but they also have a lot of starters coming back for another season on both sides of the ball.

Although the Ducks are losing running back LaMichael James, who decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft, Kenjon Barner is coming back for his senior season. Only three running backs in the FBS, who had 155 carries or less like Barner, had more yards than the Oregon back. Also, Oregon's dynamic and extremely quick playmaker De'Anthony Thomas is retuning for his sophomore year. Thomas had 155 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns in the Ducks 45-38 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Oregon also has 3 offensive linemen who are underclassmen and 6 defensive players who are underclassmen including first-team All-Pac 12 defensive end Dion Jordan and second-team All Pac-12 defensive backs John Boyett and Jordan Poyer.

Finally, Thomas had a chance to cement his place in Eugene if he returned for one more season and become an Oregon Duck legend. Thomas is already the school's record holder in career touchdown passes with 66 and he had a chance to break the program's career passing yards record and total offense record, which are both held by Bill Musgrave.

Thomas also could have become just the third quarterback since Oregon and Oregon St. joined the conference in 1964 to lead his team to three straight Pac-12 (or Pac-10) championships since Pat Hayden led USC to three straight from 1972 to 1975 and Matt Leinart led the Trojans to three Pac-10 titles in a row from 2003 to 2005.