It would have certainly surprised me more if Couples would have had another average round today. He shot rounds of 70 in the first two rounds, but found his groove today and got hot on the front nine. He picked up four birdies on the front, and was able to maintain that good start with a solid back nine, which equaled the excellent round of 65. He wasn’t great with the driver, but made the putts that he needed to make in order to continue moving up the leaderboard.

Heading into this tournament, we knew that this one would be a little different, since Couples has been looking forward to this one all year. The environment is now set up perfectly for a fantastic finish tomorrow, as it looks like it’ll be Couples vs. Langer in a made-for-TV Sunday showdown.

I mean, look at the scenario. You’ve got the hometown favorite in Couples vs. the winner of the last Champions tour major a week ago in Langer. There’s no doubt that Langer is one of the more likable figures on the senior circuit, and there’s probably a nice little contingent out there that roots for him in a lot of tournaments. But it’s going to be tough to find many people rooting for him tomorrow, as a Couples’ win would be the storybook ending to this tournament.

While both Tom Kite and Chien Soon Lu are five shots back at even par for the tournament, it’s hard to imagine Couples or Langer allowing anyone else to enter the picture in terms of being in contention in the final round.

If you don’t normally watch Champions tour events, do yourself a favor. Watch the final round tomorrow. It’s got all the ingredients to be one very exciting finish.

So, who ya got? Couples or Langer?

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Tseng has been the model of consistency this week and has managed to stay atop the leaderboard for the entire tournament. She once again picked up an eagle on the Par 5 18th for the second time this week, which helped her up her lead on the field. She’s been very effective on the back nine, and if we see that once again tomorrow, she should have no problem locking up this tournament.

And while Hull had one of the lowest scores on the course today, shooting a 66, she’s still gonna have some work to do tomorrow in order to make a run at the top. It would help if she could birdie the final five holes like she did today, as that should really give her loads of confidence heading into the final round of play.

Of course, it would also help her if Tseng would struggle tomorrow, but again, with the consistent play of Tseng this week, that’s gonna be asking a lot. Especially in the final round of a major championship. But we’ve seen a person lead all three rounds before only to falter in the final round. It could happen again, but I can’t see Tseng completely collapsing and losing this championship. It will take someone having a spectacular round to win this thing.

Speaking of spectacular rounds, the low score of the day went to Morgan Pressel, who just went nuts out there, and went on to shoot a 65 on the round. Pressel knocked home eight birdies on the round, and an eagle on 17 to get herself somewhat back into the mix at 3-under for the tournament. After starting off the week with a 77, this is certainly the direction she wants to be heading in, and if she can somehow repeat today’s performance in the final round, she’ll give herself a chance to contend for the championship. Though she couldn’t close the deal at the Evian Masters, it’s good to see her bounce back with a round like this in a big-time tournament like the British Open.

But right now, players in the field not named Yani Tseng or Katherine Hull are going to have play very well tomorrow to have a shot at the LPGA’s final major of the season. In-Kyung Kim is six shots back at 6-under and Brittany Lincicome is at 5-under, and one of those might be able to make things interesting if Tseng struggles. But other than, I can’t really see anyone else being much of a factor in terms of competing for the win.

Which of course means that someone will probably come out of nowhere to win the tournament. That’s usually how it works when I make those kinds of statements.

But be sure to head over to LPGA.com to check out all the scores from the third round of action at Royal Birkdale.

Who do you think gets the win tomorrow? Will it be Tseng? Or will someone like Hull find a way to overtake her?

Golf fans, if you aren’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter for more thoughts on all the action from the world of professional golf!

Free College Fantasy Football

6-1 225lbs Senior

Stats:

2006- 4 catches, 24 yards (played in one game vs Arizona and broke his leg, red-shirted rest of season)

2007- 21 rushes, 134 yards, 2 TDs; 34 catches, 248 yards, 5 TDs

2008 – 13 rushes, 71 yards; 24 catches, 324 yards, 3 TDs

2009 – 21 rushes, 138 yards; 22 catches, 298 yards, 2 TDs

Pros:

Havili is a dynamic player and unsung out of the many talented backs on the USC roster.  The past few years have seen the Trojans use multiple backs in their running attack, but Havili has always been the constant and consistently makes plays out of the back field. Has the speed to break away from linebackers and can catch the ball out of the backfield like no other back out there. Has no trouble taking on any defenders in the run game as a runner and a blocker and shows enough shiftiness to win one on one in the open field.

Cons:

He is a jack of all trades, but a master of only one (catching the ball). Is very undersized for a full time fullback. Is quick to his top speed, but he won’t break many long runs as the sole ball carrier. Needs to work more on his blocking from the upback position.

Thoughts:

Stanley Havili will make a great addition to any backfield due to his versatility, where he could use one roster spot to be the fullback/3rd down back/change of pace back and be productive in all those roles. Would like to see him gain ten pounds and keep his speed which will add to his ability to play at the fullback position. He has shown he can be a play maker with the ball in his hands, but it would be nice to see that same ability as a blocker.

Projected Round:

He isn’t the top back, but his versatility will make him valuable in the 3rd to 5th rounds in 2011. Could even see him going in the second if he really breaks out in his senior year.

Now you might be thinking that this is just an ordinary story of two golfers sitting on top of the leaderboard after the first round. It is not.

See, Erik Compton is playing this week on a sponsor’s exemption. Oh, and he’s a double heart transplant recipient. And now he’s leading after the first round of a PGA tour event. While making great shots and missing key putts may be the focus of most golf tournaments, this story will be one that completely overshadows all of that if Compton continues to stay at the top of this tournament.

We all knew that scores were going to be low at this event, since a lot of the talk heading into the week was about how short the course would play. And luckily, Compton took advantage of that to get off to a fast start, and hopefully provide us with one of the best stories that we’ve seen in professional golf in a while if he can go coast to coast and get the win.

As for the man joining him at the top right now, Every had a very solid round that was capped off in style on the back nine. Every birdied 10, 16, 17, and 18, while adding an eagle on the par 5 12th, and did what most players like to do in a tournament: finish a round with confidence. He did just that on the last three holes, and will look to build off today’s finish in the second round tomorrow.

The trio of George McNeill, Pat Perez, and Jeff Overton are all one shot back at 6-under, with five players two shots back of the lead.

A few other notables from the first round:

- Dean Wilson is only three shots back after shooting 66 on the round, is looking to bounce back after the tough finish last week at the Canadian Open.

- Ben Crane, Stuart Appleby, and Paul Goydos are all at 4-under as well.

- Jim Furyk couldn’t get a whole lot going, and is currently at 2-under after round one. As is Sergio Garcia and Davis Love III.

- My pick for the week, Matt Kuchar shot a 1-under 69 and is six shots back. C’mon Matt, you gotta make me look good.

You can check out the rest of the first round scores at PGATour.com and see where everyone else finished up after the first day at the Greenbrier.

What are your thoughts on round one of the Greenbrier Classic?

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I think the Tebow deal was an interesting one because of the perception of Tebow around the league.  Many scouts and NFL executives feel that Tebow is a long shot to develop into a productive starter so its conceivable that this was Tebow’s one shot at scoring a major deal.  In my opinion it would have been wise for him to make sure he squeezed every penny he could.  Only time will tell what will become of him but if this is his lone NFL contract he might have sold himself short.

For golf fans that haven’t watched the British Open in the past (men’s or women’s), you’ll probably immediately notice the scoring. 4-under par is actually pretty low for a round at the British Open, since the weather usually plays a large factor in keeping scores high for most of the tournament.

Luckily for the ladies today though, the weather wasn’t much of an issue, as we didn’t really see constant high winds or anything like that which would have made it tough to see a lot of under par scores. Instead, we saw 15 players shoot under par in the first round, which will certainly make things a lot more interesting for those who had to settle for over par scores. It sounds like the weather could be tricky for the rest of the tournament, with rain in the forecast for the area the next few days.

Tseng and Hull took advantage of this early weather surprise, and both played very well down the stretch. Tseng birdied 17 and then made an eagle on 18 to put her into the lead by herself for a while. Then Hull decided to have a little fun on final hole herself, as she also managed to pick up an eagle on the par 5, thus leaving these two at the top heading into the second round tomorrow.

Anne-Lise Caudal, Amy Yang, Brittany Lincicome, and Sun Young Yoo are the four that are one-shot behind after they all fired rounds of 69 for the day.

Michelle Wie is also in the mix after shooting 70 to sit at 2-under for the tournament, as she finished her day out like Tseng, with birdie on 17 and eagle on 18. It’s certainly good to see Wie in the mix early on, as I think this start will allow her to play with more confidence tomorrow, and if she can handle the conditions, she’ll likely be in contention heading into the weekend.

Jiyai Shin, who won at Evian last week, isn’t too far behind either, as she is 1-under through the first round. Hall-of-Famer Juli Inkster also shot a 71 on the day.

And as for where my pick for the week stands right now, well, Na Yeon Choi couldn’t really take advantage of the conditions and struggled to a 2-over 74 on the day. She just didn’t play well early and picked up four bogeys through the first six holes, and could never make up much ground after that. So that Sunday showdown that I predicted between her and Paula Creamer (also at +2) isn’t looking too good right now.

Those are just a few of the notables, but you can check out the full leaderboard over at LPGA.com to see all the scores for the first round of action.

What are your thoughts on the first round action at Royal Birkdale?

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Top 5 Safeties

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Thoughts:

The 2011 Safety class has a wide variety of talents.  Some of the players have the ability to stop the run at a high level, while others are ball-hawks.  The number one player on this list can do both, DeAndre McDaniel.  DeAndre is a very unique prospect as he has tremendous ball skills and has the ability to make a jarring hit as well.  Definitely the top Safety prospect this year.  Deunta Williams comes in at number two because he has some of the same skills as McDaniel, just not at that level.  Rahim Moore is the definition of a ball-hawking Safety, he will out work most WR in the air and come down with the ball.  Mark Barron has a ton of ability and already showed he is a capable run stopper and effective on the blitz. Ahmad Black rounds out the group at 5.  He is a very well rounded Safety that should climb this list over the course of the season.

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Scouting Reports: DeAndre McDaniel

Here’s the TV schedules for this week’s events:

U.S. Senior Open

Thursday and Friday

5-9 PM ET on ESPN2

Saturday and Sunday

4-7 PM ET on NBC

Women’s British Open

Thursday and Friday

9 AM-12 PM ET on ESPN

Saturday and Sunday

10 AM-1 PM ET on ESPN

Greenbrier Classic

Thursday and Friday

3-6 PM ET on Golf Channel

Saturday and Sunday

1-2:30 PM ET on Golf Channel
3-6 PM ET on CBS

And there you have it. Don’t forget to check out my predictions for the ladies, as well as the men, and let me know who you think will be taking home the trophy at each of this week’s events.

It should be another excellent week of golf!

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U.S. Senior Open

Here’s my top three favorites for the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee:

Fred Couples

You’ve gotta start with the favorite, and I do think Couples is THE favorite to win this event. It’s being played in his hometown of Seattle, so it’s easy to see who the majority of the crowd will be rooting for when he tees off tomorrow morning. When Couples has that kind of backing from the fans, he usually delivers with a great performance. He’s already won three times this year on the Champions tour, and picking against him when everything is stacked in his favor may be the wrong thing to do.

Fred Funk

Funk has yet to pick up a win so far this season on tour, but I tend to believe that he’s the one with the best chance to beat Couples. He won this event last year, and will be looking to repeat an outstanding performance from a year ago. He’s a confident putter, which means that if he’s accurate with the bigger clubs, he’s going to be a major factor this week.

Bernhard Langer

I don’t care where the event, what time the event is being played, or what the weather conditions are…..you simply can never count out Bernhard Langer. He won the Senior British Open last week, and will be looking to build on that here. It was a confident win for him last week, and that’s something to look out for this week. He might be in the best position to win here, despite all the hype for Couples.

And the winner is…..

You didn’t seriously think that I would pick against Couples, did you? It’s going to be great to watch the crowds this week, as Freddie-mania will certainly be in full effect.

Greenbrier Classic

And here are my three favorites for the inaugural Greenbrier Classic (which happen to be the top three in the eyes of most oddsmakers as well:

Jim Furyk

Furyk seems to be the consensus favorite heading into this tournament, as before missing the cut at St. Andrews, he had been quite while as of late. There’s no doubt that he’s the most recognizable figure playing this event, and that his experience should win out in the end, especially if he’s in contention on the weekend. It doesn’t always work out that way though in golf, but I think it’s safe to say that Furyk will be a factor in this tournament considering his solid putting and accuracy.

Matt Kuchar

This guy has been one of the most consistent players on tour this season, with a whopping twelve Top 25 finishes in 18 events so far in 2010. However, he’s yet to pick up a win, which means that this could be the week that he finally cashes in and finishes atop the leaderboard. He played pretty well at the British Open (T27), and had three Top 10s in the three weeks before that. So as you can see, it definitely makes sense that he’s one of the favorites this week at the Greenbrier.

Nick Watney

Close followers of the site know that Nick Watney is one of my favorite players on tour, and more often than not, I tend to make him my sleeper pick for major championships. This week though, Watney is considered one of the favorites and rightfully so. He’s finished tied for seventh in his last two events played, and seems to be playing some very confident golf right now. If he can get the putter going early, then watch out. He can hit the ball a mile and if he gets off to a fast start in the first round, he’s going to be in contention when the weekend rolls around.

And the winner is…..

You all know where I want to go here. But I’m not. I feel like Kuchar will be the winner this week. Every single time I pick Watney to play well, he usually struggles. So I’m going reverse psychology this time around. Which means he’ll probably win by eight strokes. Honestly though, it’s hard to go against Kuchar’s consistency, and I expect him to get his first win of the season.

UPDATE: As reader Mike pointed out below, the whole reverse psychology idea didn’t exactly go as planned. Watney has withdrew from the event.

Now it’s time to make your picks. Who wins this week at the Greenbrier and U.S. Senior Open?

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Here’s my top five favorites heading into this event:

Jiyai Shin

You pretty much have to start with who is playing the best right now, and that’s the new number one in women’s golf. Shin picked up the thrilling victory at Evian last week with the clutch putt on 18 that gave her the one-stroke win over a charging trio of great players. She’s simply at the top of her game right now putting-wise, which will be very important this week. If the iron play can be somewhat solid in unpredictable weather, then she’s gonna be in contention all week long.

Paula Creamer

Creamer finished tied for 37th last week in France, but still seemed to be playing some pretty decent golf. She’s already won the Women’s U.S. Open this season, and would love nothing more than to add another major to her 2010 resume. She’s one of the more accurate drivers on tour, which will be important, especially if wind becomes a factor during this event. Oh, and she’s also finished in the Top 10 at this event three years straight, and is coming off of tie for third last year. As you can see, Creamer has a lot going in her favor heading into this tournament.

Ai Miyazato

The previous world’s number one will be looking to get back to her winning ways this week, and pick up her fifth win on tour this season. She was never really a factor last week (T19), which surprised me since she was the defending champion of the event. However, after losing the number one ranking to Shin, I would expect her to bounce back with a very good week at Royal Birkdale. She seems to always be in the mix at the Women’s British and that should be no different this year.

Na Yeon Choi

What I like the most about Choi’s game is her putting. And as we all know, putting is what wins you a major championship. She was probably a putt or two away from either winning or forcing a playoff last week, and seems to be a lock to be in contention this week. She got a win earlier this month, and will be looking to cap off the month with yet another win. After the type of finish she had at Evian, I think she’s put herself in great position to win here and pick up her first major championship.

Suzann Pettersen

Pettersen is coming off of a red hot final round at the Evian Masters, where she shot a 66 to finish in fifth place, so that should bode well for her confidence this week. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s finished in the Top 10 in eight of eleven starts this year on tour. She’s never really played great at this tournament, but with the kind of year that she’s had, I think her luck will change this time around, and she’ll be a serious contender heading into the weekend. After a lot of great opportunities so far in the 2010 season, she’s due to get a big win sooner rather than later.

And the winner is…..

I’m going with Choi. I’ve just got a gut feeling that she is going to win this week, and that it is going to come down to her and Creamer in a showdown on Sunday. Given Creamer’s past success in this event, it was hard not to pick her, but I just feel like Choi is going to bring her best and get the win.

Now it’s your turn! Who do you think wins this week at Royal Birkdale?

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Here at NFL Mocks we have been closely monitoring Jimmy Clausen as he worked his way to draft day.  Prior to the draft we had Clausen ranked high on our BUST-O-Meter, mainly because we didn’t feel he was worth a top 10 pick.  Well as we all know he fell to the 2^nd round where he brings a lot more value, either way it should be an interesting story to follow throughout the rest of the summer training camps and preseason.

Jimmy Clausen BUST-O-METER

Top 5 Cornerbacks

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Thoughts:

The 2011 Cornerback prospects are a very unique bunch.  I cannot remember a group that possessed such great size and athletic ability.  All of the players in our top 5 are over 6 feet and all have good strength and mass.  This is going to be an important year for NFL defenses as they try to defend bigger and stronger wide receivers.  I completely expect to see all five of our top 5 taken in the first round.  Patrick Peterson tops our list and I am very high on this guy.  He is a true shut down cornerback and when he is drafted should be within the top 10 in the league.  Just ask the Jets how much of an impact a shut down corner has on a defense.  After Peterson there is a small drop off in talent, as where Peterson can go in the top 5 the next guys are more in the 12-25 pick range.  Ras-I Dowling is our #2 rated corner and he is a big physical player that boasts a lot of physical ability.  The next two players both come from the Univeristy of Texas in Curtis Brown and Aaron Williams.  It will be interesting to watch both of these players this year as they try to adjust to life without the leadership of Earl Thomas.  Lastly we have Prince Amukamara and he could easily end the season #2 on our list.  Amukamara may not be as athletic as the others but he has better instincts.

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Scouting Reports: Patrick Peterson, Ras-I Dowling, Curtis Brown,  Prince Amukamara

As a huge Anthony Kim fan, I’m glad to see him coming back to the tour, as he certainly left a few months back on a high note. While he knew that he needed to get surgery on his thumb, it couldn’t have been easy for him to make the decision at the time that he did.

And here’s why that decision had to be so tough. Here’s a look at his finishes at his five previous PGA events before he took time off for the injury:

Quail Hollow Championship – T7
The Masters – 3
Shell Houston Open – Win
WGC-CA Championship – T22
Honda Classic – 2

So most would have probably suggested that Kim let him thumb fall off before choosing to get the thumb surgery when he did. But again, it was a problem that had to be fixed sooner rather than later, so it was clearly something that had to be done, even though there wasn’t exactly a great time to do it.

Hopefully Kim can pick up where he left off, and be a contender next week at Firestone. I would probably expect a little rust though, so we probably shouldn’t predict a victory or anything like that.

But with some nice play next week, he’ll start to enter the equation in talking about favorites to win the upcoming PGA Championship in a few weeks.

Glad to have you back, AK!

Golf fans, if you aren’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter for more thoughts on all the action in the world of professional golf!

A few things you need to know before you send your sample:

- This is an unpaid position, but offers plenty of exposure since FanSided is one of the fastest growing sports blogging networks on the web.

- A solid grasp of the English language is required. Entries with poor grammar and spelling errors will be disregarded.

- While we may eventually venture into some golf instruction-type writing, this site mainly focuses on the PGA and LPGA tours. So make either of those the topic of your sample.

- This contributing position will be fun. If you don’t want to have fun writing about the great game of golf, then this isn’t the site for you.

If you like what you see above, and feel that you can write with correct spelling and grammar, then send an email to theblakelovell@gmail.com along with a short writing sample and a mini-bio about yourself. Please put “PGN Position” in the subject line of your email.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks,

Jon Dove

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5-10 199 lbs. Junior

Stats:

2008 – 142 rushes, 715 yards, 5.0 ypc, 4 TD, 27 rec, 221 yards, 1 TD

2009 – 183 rushes, 952 yards, 5.2 ypc, 12TD, 25 rec, 244 yards, 2 TD

Pros:

He is a very thickly built running back. Runs with a low center of gravity and above average balance. Has good speed, if the defender doesn’t take the proper angle Shane Vereen will beat them to the corner every time. He plants and gets through the hole, but will wait for the blocks to set up as well. Is a capable receiver out of the backfield. Handles the kick return duties for the Cal Bears. Has ran the wildcat a few times. Has a certain confidence about him.

Cons:

Shane Vereen doesn’t break enough tackles in college to make me think he will be that kind of back in the NFL. He needs to use his speed to his advantage as the first tackler usually brings him down. Needs to use his hands to to fight off tacklers more often, the stiff arm would help him out tremendously. I can’t comment on his blocking skills because the tape I saw didn’t include any attempts.

Thoughts:

He reminds me of a poor man’s Ronnie Brown. Very thickly built, can run the wildcat, and has decent speed. He is a candidate to break out this year with Jahvid Best in to the NFL.

Projected Round:

Shane Vereen should be a 3rd to 4th round draft pick, it all depends on how well he handles the role of the number one back and if he decides to forego his Senior season.

-jcmadson also works for Integrity Sports Broadcasting Network out of Kansas City, MO.  Listen Live at www.ISBNteam.com, also follow him on twitter @isbnJMAD

In a quote from The Sun:

“She played nine holes and loved it, she had a natural swing. Amy wants to learn how to play properly now.”

Of all the celebrities in the world that I thought would possibly be in the news today for taking up golf, Winehouse probably wasn’t in the top 20,000 or so. I mean seriously, did you wake up this morning and say to yourself, I really hope that Amy Winehouse decides to play golf some day? If you did, well, then I guess you’re one happy person right now.

But hey, if she thinks that golf will keep her away from alcohol and drugs, more power to her. I just hope her opinion of the game doesn’t change after the inevitable four-putt from 12 feet.

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Shin overtakes Ai Miyazato as the new number one, as the juggling act continues at the top of the rankings. Last week, it was Miyazato who was at the top. Then for three weeks before that, it was Cristie Kerr who was at the top. No one has been safe as the number one ranked women’s player in the world, but Shin has a good chance to hang on to that ranking for a little while.

She’s been here before, as she had a seven week stretch from May 3 to June 14 as number one in the world. Despite being overtaken by Miyazato and Kerr, Shin seems to be more consistent as of late, and should be able to garner enough points to stay ahead of the rest of the pack for quite a few weeks. But then again, someone could get hot, and we might have a new number one sooner rather than later. Who knows. That’s what makes the game exciting.

As for the rest of the rankings, last week’s top three (Miyazato, Kerr, and Suzann Pettersen) all dropped a spot, while Yani Tseng stayed at fifth in the world. There were no other changes from 5th to 14th, while Morgan Pressel moved up two spots into the 15 spot.

Here’s the Top 15, as of July 26, 2010:

1. Jiyai Shin
2. Ai Miyazato
3. Cristie Kerr
4. Suzann Pettersen
5. Yani Tseng
6. Na Yeon Choi
7. Paula Creamer
8. Anna Nordqvist
9. Song-Hee Kim
10. Karrie Webb
11. In Kyung Kim
12. Michelle Wie
13. Angela Stanford
14. Inbee Park
15. Morgan Pressel

For more details concerning the new batch of rankings, head over to the Rolex website to check out the points breakdown for the week.

Do you think Shin will have a solid grip on this number one ranking for a while? Or do you see Miyazato taking back the number one spot in the near future?

Golf fans, if you aren’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter for more thoughts on all the action from the world of professional golf!

AFC South

Houston Texans

1. Defensive End
2. Defensive Tackle
3. Corner back

Thoughts:

The Texans have a lot of young talent all over their roster, but they have put a lot of focus on offense and should focus next year on defense. A pass rusher to play opposite Mario Williams will help out the young cornerbacks on the roster. Antonio Smith is a good, versatile player, but the priority of every defense in the AFC South is to put pressure on Peyton Manning. Like many, I think there is still hope for improvement from DT Amobi Okoye, but an overall talent upgrade should be in order. 2010 3rd round pick Earl Mitchell is a start, but Shaun Cody would be better as a role player and back-up. 2010 1st round pick Kareem Jackson should get plenty of work this season and I wouldn’t be surprised if they take another talented corner early in 2011, much like the strategy Cincinnati used to upgrade their corner back position with Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph.

Indianapolis Colts

1. Offensive Tackle
2. Safety
3. Defensive End

Thoughts:

Its always tough to pin point glaring holes for a team that has been as consistent a winner as the Colts have been, but that isn’t going to stop us from trying. C Jeff Saturday has been one of the best, but at 35 he will only be playing for a few more years. Having a interior of Mike Pollock, Tony Ugoh (off season rumors have him moving inside), and Charlie Johnson (who is a better fit at LG than LT) would be good, but RT Ryan Diem is on the wrong side of 30 and having a franchise type tackle to protect Manning over the life of his next contract would be ideal. S Bob Sanders has been a linchpin of the Colt defense, but his age and injury history should worry the front office enough to look at the top safety prospects. They definitely like Antonie Bethea with his recent contract signing, but he will need a partner long term. DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are one of the best combos and having Jerry Hughes learn while they are still there is a boon, but both are over 30 and more pass rushers will keep the defense as dangerous as the offense.

Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Interior Offensive Line
2. Corner Back
3. Safety

Thoughts:

The Jaguars could use some top end talent at a lot of positions, but they are getting oldest at the guard and center position. Brad Meester and Vince Manuwai are decent, but they are both over 30 and there isn’t much developing behind them. CB Rashean Mathis has been one of the better corners in the league over his career, but he will be 30 this season and again, there isn’t much talent behind him. Brian Cox grabbed 4 INTs opposite Mathis last year, but still has a ways to go. Play from the safety position became a problem last season with former 1st round pick Reggie Nelson having a bad year and everyone else better off as backups. A talent upgrade across the secondary would get the Jaguars competing with the Colts again.

Tennessee Titans

1. Offensive Guard
2. Corner back
3. Quarterback

Thoughts:

The Titans have one of the best run blocking lines in the NFL, but it could be better. Leroy Harris and Eugene Amano are swing-men on the interior line and upgrading the guard spot makes Harris a valuable backup as Amano held down the center spot quite well last year. Cortland Finnegan continues to be one of the top cornerbacks in the league, but Tye Hill isn’t a player who should be starting and 2010 3rd round pick Alterraun Verner would be better suited as a nickel back. The Titans have been consistently strong defensively and a top corner talent opposite Finnegan would help them shut down the South offenses out of Houston and Indy. This will probably be a make or break year for Vince Young as the offense will only go as far as he can take it. If they can’t make the playoffs, coupled with his most recent off-field problems, the Titans brass may look to see what chance they have at some of the top talent at quarterback in 2011.

Although he started off the week with 71 in the first round (which was high considering the other scores out there), the 60 that Pettersson shot in round three undoubtedly gave him the opportunity that he needed to pick up this victory. And after starting off the final round with 2 bogeys through the first seven holes, he answered back with six birdies in the next eight holes to get back atop the leaderboard, and secure his spot as the winner of this tournament.

Of course, it also helped that the four-shot leader entering the round didn’t have such a great day. Wilson couldn’t find the birdies that he needed today, and the bogeys on 12 and 14 hurt his chances to overtake Pettersson and win. This one will certainly sting for a while for Wilson, as he was playing on a sponsor’s exemption and has only won once in his PGA Tour career. He certainly put himself in a great position to win, but just couldn’t make the shots today.

He had the four-stoke advantage entering the final 18, but it simply just wasn’t to be. Some might say that he gave away the tournament. I would argue though that Pettersson’s play on the back nine was the difference, as he made some key shots down the stretch.

For Pettersson, it’s his fourth PGA tour win in his career, and definitely a well-deserved one. After the round that he had yesterday, it was nice to see him back it up with yet another solid round today. Had he not won the event, we would have all probably forgot about that 60 that he shot. But now, it will be a huge part of this memorable win for him.

Congrats to Pettersson on the victory!

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- Again, it’s hard to understate just how good of a finish that this was. If you check out the post that I highlighted above from earlier, you’ll see all the big birdies on the back nine from the key players in this tournament. But obviously, the biggest of all was by Shin on the 18th hole. And trust me, the putt wasn’t all that easy either. It had a little left to right to it, but Shin hit a nice stroke to knock it in. Clutch putt. That’s about all you can say.

- Speaking of clutch, 15-year-old Alexis Thompson’s putt on 18 was just that as well. She knocked down a lengthy birdie putt that put her in a tie for the lead, until Shin hit her putt to win it. But it was mentioned on the broadcast, and it seemed evident that this girl has nerves of steel. Almost every single time an opportunity presented itself today, she took advantage, which is why she fared so well. While it was good to see Shin hit the big putt to take home the victory, I would have been OK had she missed it too, because I would have loved to see Thompson’s play in the playoff.

- You really have to feel bad for Morgan Pressel, as she just couldn’t get a whole lot going in today’s round. And then to top it all off, she had her putt just rattle out on the 18th, which would have put her in a playoff with Shin. While both putts were of similar length, Pressel’s was certainly more difficult, since it was going more downhill. Still though, she should be proud of a great effort this week, and if she keeps playing like this, she’ll get a win this season.

- It may seem like Na Yeon Choi was the odd person out, but she really wasn’t. Even though all the attention was on the Shin-Pressel grouping, and the excellent finish by Thompson, Choi shot a final round 66 which gave her the tie with Pressel and Thompson in second place. She went on a nice little birdie streak on 14, 15, 16, and 17, before having to settle for par on the final hole. While she may be disappointed that she couldn’t force a playoff, she’s already won once this year, and will probably do so again. It simply wasn’t a case of she losing the tournament today, because she definitely made her run. It was just a matter of Shin winning the tournament by making key putts.

- Someone else that may get less respect than they deserve for a great final round is Suzann Pettersen, who was a few putts away from putting herself in the mix as well. She only finished one shot behind the 13-under trio, and her final round 66 could have been even lower with a putt here or there. She started off hot with five birdies on the front nine, but could only manage one on the back nine while the players in front of her were reeling off big shots on the final nine holes. Still though, it was a very good performance by her that shouldn’t be overlooked.

- Defending champion Ai Miyazato bounced back from a third round 74 to shoot 68 in the final round, but it was still nowhere near enough to put her in contention. She finished nine shots off the lead at 5-under for the tournament, and lost her number-one ranking in the world in the process. Shin will now be atop the women’s golf rankings, but with the way that Miyazato has played this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her back at the top during this season.

- And there’s one more little intriguing tidbit from the final round that shows just the precision of the game of golf. If you check out Shin’s approach shot on the 18th hole, you’ll see just what I’m talking about. Her approach hits the back of the green, and the tiniest bit of front spin on the ball would have sent it into the rough, and a whole lot of pressure would have been taken off of Pressel. But Shin got a fantastic bounce, which sent the ball going back towards the hole, where it gave her the shot to win the tournament. But hey, that’s golf. A bounce here or there can change an entire tournament.

Now I want to hear your thoughts. What did you think of the final round of the Evian Masters?

Golf fans, if you aren’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter for more thoughts on all the action from the world of professional golf!

It was just a matter of time before Shin picked up her first win of the season, and she did it in impressive fashion. After hovering around the top of the leaderboard for the first few days, she made her run today, with a bogey-free round and five birdies. And most importantly, the birdied on the 18th which gave her the win over the trio that finished tied for second.

That trio consisted of Pressel, Na Yeon Choi and 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, who all had solid final rounds. In looking at the scorecards for each player, it’s just fascinating to see just how tight this event was down the stretch.

Choi had birdies on 14, 15, 16, and 17. Thompson had birdies on 17 and 18, to bring her round total to seven. Shin birdied 13 and 18. But unfortunately for third-round leader Pressel, she was the only one that went birdie-less on the back nine. She still had her chance though with the attempt on 18, but it was to no avail.

It sounds like this was one of the best finishes of the year on the LPGA tour, and you can catch the tape-delay coverage on Golf Channel at 1 PM ET today. Even though we already know who wins, this sounds like must-see TV for a golf fan.

I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts on this event after watching the final round, but for now, congrats to Jiyai Shin on the big win!

UPDATE: I’ve got more thoughts on the Evian Masters here.

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After picking up an early bogey on the second hole, Pettersson then picked up seven birdies and two eagles on the round, to give him a great shot at shooting in the 50s. Of course, right now he’s probably kicking himself about that birdie on number two. But he could probably say that about a lot of different shots in his round. A few made putts here or there, and he could have picked up another birdie or two, and broke 60. That’s golf though.

As you would expect, Pettersson’s brilliant round has put him at the top of the leaderboard as third round play continues. Tim Clark is also at the top of the leaderboard along with him, but Clark is only through six holes on the day thus far.

There are still plenty of golfers on the course, who knows where Pettersson will be once the round is complete, but I would guess that he’ll still be right up there. We probably shouldn’t expect anyone else to shoot a 60 today, so it’s safe to say that Pettersson will be in contention in the final round tomorrow.

Let’s take a quick look at the deal that was struck.  Bryant will receive a 5 year deal for about $11 million dollars and roughly $8 of that guaranteed.  In comparison last year’s 24^th overall pick Peria Jerry signed a contract for 5 years and $13 million with $7.5 guaranteed.  It has been reported that the contract also includes playing time and other bonuses.  So overall the deal looks pretty solid but not much of a difference from last season slotted value.  To me this is a little surprising especially with the track record of Bryant’s agent Eugene Parker who represented Michael Crabtree last year.

I expect the dominos to start falling now that Bryant has inked a deal.  Later we hope to have an article projected some of the other salaries of the first round selections.  I would fully expect #22 overall and fellow wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to quickly follow this signing.

Top 5 Linebackers

Thoughts:

This group of linebackers maybe be a little on the shaky side.  Right now we have Travis Lewis sitting on top because of his athletic ability, versatility, and excellent production.  However, he doesn’t have ideal size and that could end up hurting him come draft day.  At number two we have underachiever Bruce Carter.  I say underachiever lightly because he has put up good numbers but he is such an athletic freak you would expect more dominance.  The next two on our list are great leaders and have shown great production during their college carriers.  Both Mark Herzlich and Greg Jones have the potential to rise on this list.  The last player might end up being the first selected out of this bunch.  Von Miller is an extremely talented pass rushing and will be the target of all the 3-4 defensive teams searching for an edge rusher.

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Scouting Reports: Travis Lewis, Mark Herzlich, Greg Jones, Von Miller

Here’s the schedule for the week:

Senior British Open

Thursday and Friday

12-2 PM ET on ESPN2

Saturday

2-3:30 PM ET on ESPN

Sunday

1-3 PM ET on ESPN2

Evian Masters

Thursday and Friday

6:30-8:30 PM ET on Golf Channel

Saturday and Sunday

1-4 PM ET on Golf Channel

RBC Canadian Open

Thursday and Friday

3-6 PM ET on Golf Channel

Saturday and Sunday

3-6 PM ET on CBS

Well there you have it. In case you haven’t already, go check out my predictions for the week, and let me know who you think will take home the victory in each of these tournaments.

It should be a great week of golf!

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

1. Center
2. Guard
3. Cornerback

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Thoughts:

The Ravens are one of many teams that feel they are very close to a Super Bowl berth.  The team continues to improve and many feel that the offense has finally caught up to the defense.  However we feel that the top two needs for the Ravens come on the offensive side of the ball at the interior of their offensive line.  The Ravens have vet Matt Birk starting at center and while he is a good player he is starting to show signs of his age (33).  Last offseason the Ravens were not able to hang onto center Jason Brown and in the long run that could prove costly.  Next we slide over to guard where starter Marshal Yanda doesn’t posse the needed strength to be the long term solution at the position.  Both of these spots need to be solidified if the Ravens want to remain in playoff contention year in and year out.  We all know that a hard nosed running game will always be a staple of the Ravens offense.  The Ravens could also use to upgrade their cornerback position.  With the attacking style of defense Baltimore employs they need corners capable of shutting down receivers one on one.

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Cincinnati Bengals

1. Safety
2. Running Back
3. Guard

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Thoughts:

The Bengals are coming off of a great season and they hope to continue to build towards the future and remain atop the AFC North.  To do so they need to continue to add talent to a couple of key positions.  This year they should put a lot of their focus on upgrading the Safety position.  The Cincinnati defense would greatly benefit from adding a ball-hawking safety to the mix.  Both Roy Williams and Chris Crocker just don’t strike enough fear into offensive coordinators.  The NFL is continuing its push towards a two back league and right now the Bengals do not have an adequate backup for starter Cedric Benson.  This past season the Bengals quickly realized how important a consistent running game is and loosing Benson would likely mean a major drop in production from the running game.  Closely related to the running game is the play of the interior linemen.  The Bengals would be wise to add depth and youth to the guard position where top starter Bobby Williams is 33 years old.

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Cleveland Browns

1. Safety
2. Defensive End
3. Outside Linebacker

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Thoughts:

The Cleveland Browns used two of their 2010 draft picks to select safety’s TJ Ward and Larry Asante.  However, many are skeptical of both picks and I feel that the rest of the Safety unit is rather weak.  Abram Elam is a decent player but not one player in the unit really demands attention and for that reason the Browns should closely monitor the progress of the rookies and maybe consider adding some more pieces to this puzzle.  The defensive ends for the Cleveland Browns are rapidly aging and under-performing. Finding replacements for both Kenyon Coleman and Robaire Smith have to high on the list of things to do.  Lastly the Browns need to add a player capable of creating pressure on the quarterback.  Matt Roth is currently slated to start at one of the outside linebacker positions and while he is a respectable player he is not able to create the pressure this defense needs.

Pittsburgh Steelers

1. Tackle
2. Wide Receiver
3. Nose Tackle

Thoughts:

This has been a rough offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which saw a lot of controversy.  If the Steelers want to get back to Super Bowl contention they will need to address a few specific areas.  The offseason injury to Willie Colon only magnified the Steelers lack of talent at the tackle position.  For years the Steelers flourished with a power running attack and if they want to continue with that style they will need to solidify to both tackle positions.  One of the changes this offseason included the trade of Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes to the Jets.  The trade of Holmes and the injury and lack of development of Limas Sweed makes the receiver position a must watch area.  Second year pro Mike Wallace will see increased responsibilities as will vet Hines Ward.  Another staple of the Pittsburgh Steelers is good defense and the Pittsburgh defense has enjoyed the Pro Bowl play of Casey Hampton.  However, Hampton is aging and if the Steelers wish to continue to boast a top defense they need to worry about a long term replacement for Hampton.

It turns out that Tiger has lost somewhere around $22 million in endorsement money since this whole scandal started wrecking his life. While that may seem like a big deal on the surface, if we take a look at the numbers, you’ll know that Tiger is still doing quite fine in the financial department.

In 2009, his endorsements were estimated at around $128 million, but now we know that the number has gone down to over $90 million. But although he’s lost several million, the man is still racking in some cash when it comes to sponsors. I think he’ll be just fine.

Still though, it’s clear that the transgressions are taking a toll on him financially in a lot of different areas. Whether it be the video game industry, sponsors, or his wife asking for $750 million in the couple’s divorce, Tiger’s financial situation simply isn’t what it was before that post-Thanksgiving car accident.

And it probably never will be.

Let’s get straight to predictions for these tournaments!

Senior British Open

On the senior circuit, the Senior British Open will take place at Carnoustie, where anyone could take home the victory. It’s a loaded field as usual for this event, and we’ve got the likes of Tom Watson, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin, and defending champion Loren Roberts all taking part in this awesome event.

The Champions tour tournaments are usually the hardest to predict, as well, you don’t make it to the Champions tour by just being an average golfer. All of these players are capable of picking up the victory, and a playoff finish may be likely here for the second year in a row.

While there are a lot of good candidates, I’m going with the obvious here. Lehman is my choice to pick up the victory, as he’s already got one Champions tour major this year. And he played pretty well at St. Andrews last week, so I look for him to ride some momentum into this week and capture another big win on the season.

Evian Masters

For the ladies, it’s the Evian Masters, in which defending champion Ai Miyazato will be the clear front-runner to win this event. She’ll have plenty of competition from U.S. Open winner Cristie Kerr though, as both women are playing some excellent golf as of late, and are clearly the top two on tour right now.

Since Miyazato won this event last year, and considering that she’s already won four times on tour this year, it’s hard to pick against her this week. I loved what Kerr did at the U.S. Open, where she completely dominated the field and won by 12 strokes, but I think Miyazato is on a mission to prove herself as the best in the world at what she does.

The two ladies are neck and neck in the world rankings, and both want to be number one. I think Miyazato wins this week, and stays in the top spot.

RBC Canadian Open

Most PGA tour events after majors are a letdown to some, but the RBC Canadian Open usually offers golf fans a lot of excitement. We had an exciting finish last year that saw Nathan Green pick his first-ever PGA tour win, and I’m sure we’ll have another great story this year.

In picking the first two tournaments, I went with the player that was presumably the favorite heading into the event. I’d say that the favorite for this tournament is Paul Casey, who is coming off of a good week at St. Andrews, although he’s still probably kicking himself for a final round 75 that hurt any chance he had of catching Louis Oosthuizen.

However, I’m not gonna go with Casey this week, as I’ve got someone better in mind. He was my sleeper for the British Open, but he’s my winner this week. I’ll take Ricky Barnes to win, as he’s playing some excellent golf these days. Sure, he had a final round 77 at St. Andrews, but he played extremely well the first three days, and I think he’s due for a win.

He’s got nine Top 10’s on the year, and I believe this is the best spot for him to grab his first win of the season.

What are your predictions for this week’s events?

5-7 192 lbs. Junior

Stats:                       

2008- 259 rushes, 1253 yards, 4.8 ypc, 11 TDs, 29 rec, 247 yards, 1 TD

2009- 273 rushes, 1440 yards, 5.3 ypc,  21 TDs, 78 rec, 522 yards, 1 TD

Pros:

Quizz Rodgers is a homerun hitter.  He hits the hole with a burst.  Runs with power between the tackles and at the goal line. Extremely quick feet, his agility is outstanding, he will make the first guy miss quite often.  He stops on a dime. You won’t bring him down with an arm tackle.  Has experience in the WildBeaver(Oregon States version of the Wildcat) he even threw a TD pass out of it last year.  Above average receiver out of the backfield.  Does not turn the ball over. Very high character individual.

Cons:   

Jacquizz Rodgers has one definite flaw, his size.  Being only 5-7 192 lbs could hurt his draft stock.  He is a dominant force in the Pac 10, but that isn’t saying much lately.  In the games I watched, he had the tendency to get outside with the potential for a long run, but somebody would catch him from behind.  That is about it for the Cons.

Thoughts:

I am a huge Quizz Rodgers fan.  He has an electricity about him every time he touches the ball.  While I was watching his film I had many different comparisons.  First I thought Leon Washington of the Seattle Seahawks, then I would see Darren Sproles of the San Diego Chargers and when he was running through tacklers I thought of Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  He is a complete package,  I could see a move to the slot WR position as well. I just hope scouts don’t make the mistake of paying too much attention to his small stature.  He is on my short list of Heisman candidates.

Projected Round:

He will be picked no later than the middle of round 2.

-jcmadson also works for Integrity Sports Broadcasting Network out of Kansas City, MO.  Listen Live at www.ISBNteam.com, also follow him on twitter @isbnJMAD

At the Senior British Open at Sunningdale, you had a tightly contested affair that came down to a playoff between Loren Roberts, Fred Funk, and Mark McNulty, which saw Roberts pull out the major championship on the third playoff hole. Greg Norman was the leader after day three, but missed birdie attempt after birdie attempt that would have locked up the championship for him.

So at the 2009 Senior British Open, we had plenty of drama that led to a playoff finish.

At the Evian Masters in France, one player officially declared herself a superstar. That player was Ai Miyazato, who battled off Sophie Gustafson on the first playoff hole to pick up the LPGA major. What has Ai Miyazato done since? Oh not much, except ya know, capture the number one ranking in the world in women’s golf.

So at the 2009 Evian Masters, we saw a superstar in the making pick up a win…..in a playoff.

And at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, we saw Nathan Green pick up his first ever PGA tour victory, by winning in a dramatic playoff finish over Retief Goosen. Goosen had what looked like an easy putt to win, but missed it, and allowed Green back in the race for the win. Though rain pushed back the finish of this event until Monday, it was still an exciting tournament that was filled with plenty of suspense.

So at the 2009 RBC Canadian Open, we saw a Monday finish that ended in, you guessed it, a playoff.

With the 2010 editions of these tournaments getting underway on Thursday, we can only hope that we’ll have the same amount of excitement that last year’s versions brought us.

Because if we do, we’re in for a fantastic week of professional golf.

I’ll admit it up front. I’m a huge Brandel Chamblee fan. While Golf Channel does have a nice cast of analysts, Chamblee is my favorite without a doubt. You may not agree with everything that he says, his knowledge of the game is unmatched, and his decision to turn to television after his days on the course were over was an excellent choice. However, Golf Channel viewers noticed a Chamblee-less panel this past week during their coverage of the British Open.

Turns out that Chamblee has been battling kidney stones (quadruple OUCH) as of late, which was the reason why he was nowhere to be found on TV this weekend. The network may have said something about this during their coverage, but if they did, I just missed it. I was quite curious what was going on, as it’s always great to hear his thoughts on the action, especially major championship action.

You may not feel the same about Chamblee’s analysis, because he’s probably one of those guys that you’re either going to love or going to hate. He’s not afraid to tell it like it is most of the time, and isn’t worried about hurting someone’s feelings or holding anything back. He gives his honest opinion. And that’s what I like to see in a sports analyst.

Be sure to check out his blog entry on thegolfchannel.com for his thoughts on Louis Oosthuizen’s big victory at St. Andrews.

I wish Mr. Chamblee a speedy recovery, and hopefully we’ll see him back on TV soon.

These are some nice selections from Montgomerie, as the Europeans look to take back the trophy from the U.S. side, after they picked up the win in 2008 at Valhalla. You can compare Monty’s selections to Pavin’s vice captain selections for the U.S. side, which were Davis Love III, Paul Goydos, Tom Lehman, and Jeff Sluman. The biggest similarity I see is that all of these guys know how to play some great golf. So that should bode well for both sides.

As of right now, I’d say that the European team is probably in prime position to take back the trophy, as they will probably have a more impressive lineup from top to bottom. But we’ve still got a ways to go, and there’s no doubt that the teams will be shuffled up quite a bit before the selections are made by both captains.

The 2010 edition of the cup will be held at Celtic Manor, and will get started on October 1.

Top 5 Defensive Tackles

Thoughts:

The 2011 Draft is starting to look like a good time to pick up versatile interior defensive linemen. Marvin Austin is tops to start and looks to have another great year with the Tarheels. Has the size and athleticism to cause O-lines headaches. Bailey is a size/speed combo that would prove dangerous as a 3-4 DE or 3-tech. Crick is another size/speed guy who would play well at the 5 tech in a 3-4 or 3 tech in a 4-3. The next two on the list are interesting in that they are both listed at 6′1” which there aren’t a lot of defensive tackles that short in the NFL. 6′3”-4” would be much closer to average. However, both offer versatility on the line. Casey is a speedy pass rusher who looks much bigger than his listed 295, but plays as fast as some linebackers. Will over exert himself and can get washed in the run game, but could play all across the 3-4 front as a pass rusher from the DE spot on early downs and move inside on nickel situations. Stephen Paea could rise the most out of all the players on this list. His height may be on the low side, but he is going to break the record for the bench press at the combine and is a tireless worker inside. Could play about any spot on the line in any defense other than 4-3 DE as long as his bench strength is functionally game strength.

Scouting Reports: Marvin Austin, Allen Bailey, Jared Crick

I would say that this should come as no surprise, but I won’t. Because 68% is a HUGE drop off. Sure, I would say that most expected there to be some type of slump for the series after Tiger’s transgressions, but I don’t think anyone would have expected this big of a difference from Tiger 10.

Now when it comes to a golf video game, it seems like there would be only so much that you could change from year to year. So perhaps last year’s version of the game was so good that people didn’t feel the need to go out and purchase this year’s title. That’s one way of looking at it. And with the current state of the economy, there’s probably a lot of people that didn’t feel the need to dish out $65 for a new game. That’s another theory that makes sense.

But the number that stands out in the article above is the over 272,000 games sold in June of last year, as compared to the 38,000 or so sold in June of this year. I don’t think Tiger 10 was so perfect that it would cause this much of a drop in total sales.

I know that the sales of his video game are probably the least of Tiger’s worries right now, but luckily, he probably won’t have to worry about that after this year. I’m not in the know when it comes to the inner workings of the video game industry, but it just seems like basic common sense that if you see your game’s total sales drop nearly three-fourths from the previous year, you’re probably gonna need to make some changes. And while I don’t think Tiger’s actions alone are the entire reason for this drop, there’s no doubt that it has played a nice little part in the decline of sales for the game.

So I guess we should start thinking about who we want to see on the cover of next year’s game.

I propose that we put Miguel Angel Jimenez on the cover. More specifically, Miguel Angel Jimenez shooting this shot.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the video that shows that sometimes the best way to to the green is to use your surroundings to your advantage: