“I made it!” Miura said, according to the Associated Press. “I never imagined I could make it to the top of Mount Everest at age 80. This is the world’s best feeling, although I’m totally exhausted. Even at 80, I can still do quite well.

“And if the limit of age 80 is at the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest place on earth, one can never be happier.”

Miura has gone through a lot to get to where he is today.

According to his daughter, Miura had four heart operations since 2007. He also had a skiing accident in 2009 where he suffered a fractured his pelvis and left thigh bone. But throughout all of that, Miura stayed positive and kept his sights set on making history.

Miura should be an inspiration to everyone. If you put your mind to something, you can reach your goal. Miura could have given up, but instead he accomplished what he set out to do at 80-years-old.

Next week, 81-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan will try to set a new mark.

May 19, 2012; Munich, GERMANY; Bayern Munich midfielder Thomas Muller (25) celebrates after scoring a goal against Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League final at Allianz Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Gunn-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 Champions League final will be played this Saturday, May 25th (2:45 EST),  at Wembley Stadium in London, England, but it will feature two German juggernauts. Borussia Dortmund (BVB) is the 2012 Bundesliga Champion and they’ll be playing the 2013 Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich (FCB).

This is the 4th time in 14 years that teams have played in the finals from the same country, and the first time two German teams have made the finals. The fist time it happened was in 1999-00 when Real Madrid defeated Valencia.

First place Bayern Munich finished so far ahead of second place Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga that they’re just a blip on the horizon. Bayern Munich finished the season with 91 points, a record of 29-4-1. That means throughout their 34 game season Munich lost just once…. ALL season.

Borussia Dortmund finished with a record of 19-9-6 and 66 points, meaning Munich finished 25 points ahead of Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

White both were offensively dominant in the recent Bundesliga season  (FCB scored 98 goals, BVB scored 81), one team was more dominant in the defensive third. While Dortmund allowed 42 goals, Munich only conceded 18 goals all season. That gives Munich a goal differential of +80, more than double Dortmund’s goal differential.

It doesn’t hurt that Bayern Munich was able to bench a goal scoring machine in Mario Gómez in favor of the equally and arguably more dominant Mario Mandžukić.

These teams have squared off 92 times and Bayern Munich holds the edge 41 wins to 23 and there have been 28 draws. This favors Munich greatly. But in all their meetings going back to the 11-12 season the record favors Dortmund. Dortmund has won 3 out of 7 contests. Munich has won 2 contests and 2 were draws.

More importantly, one of those Dortmund wins came in Munich.

But in what makes the one team favored over the other it really comes down to defense. Dortmund and Munich both have capable goal scorers in Robert Lewandoski and Mandžukić. Munich has a great midfield in Ribéry and Robben on the wings and Schweinsteiger (FYI, great German name) and Kroos in the middle. Dortmund’s midfield isn’t quite as strong, yet still quality. Their most promising midfielder Mario Götze has already agreed to transfer to Munich this summer.

And back to the defensive third. Dortmund’s strongest defender, Mats Hummels, is battling an injury. Munich has a strong defensive rotation of Dante, Lahm, Badstuber, Van Buyten, and Boateng.

This game comes down to defense, and Bayern Munich stops Dortmund more often and controls possession. Munich also has lost 2 of the last 3 Champions League finals. That experience helps them finally win this year.

Bayern Munich wins in my opinion.

“They see a black man with a white woman/At the top floor they gone come to kill King Kong” – Kanye West in “Black Skinhead”

Even by his standards, Kanye West had a crazy past week.

First, he played at a super secret Adult Swim party, where he went on an epic rant about SNL. Then he did a really awkward Saturday Night Live promo with host Ben Affleck and departing cast member Fred Armison. Next, he debuted a track called “New Slaves”off his upcoming album by simultaneously projecting it on 66 buildings worldwide in cities like Berlin, Chicago and Paris. After that, he rocked the SNL finale with performances of “New Slaves” and another new track entitled “Black Skinheads.” He even got some Twitter love from Michael Moore for taking a shot at the CCA. If all that wasn’t controversial enough, yesterday a Kanye-Kim-iTunes ménage à trois let it slip that his next album would be called Yeezus — as in Yeezy + Jesus — and will drop June 18.

Eddie Strait and Ramon Ramirez, our two resident Ye experts from FanSided partner Bro Jackson, join me, FanSided Co-Founder/Yeezy apologist Adam Best, as we try to make some sense out of Kanye’s latest takeover.

His rant at the Adult Swim shindig was similar to Charles Barkley once famously saying, “I’m not a role model.” Except it was way more ranty and, well, Kanye-ish. He stated that he’s not a celebrity, or running for office, or kissing babies, and that he’s only going to make music — don’t ask anything else of him. And don’t under any circumstance try to humanize him. With a lot of MFs tossed in there. When has being an asshole ever been this good for business? Was this a calculated move or more of Kanye just being Kanye?

Eddie: I think this is just Kanye being Kanye. The more famous he gets, the more brash and unrelenting his personality becomes. In a world where the majority of people in the spotlight micromanage their image and do whatever they can to not offend people, I still find Ye’s bluntness refreshing. I always wonder when I’ll reach my breaking point and stop defending him, but honestly, as long as the music is great and interesting, I don’t really care. Everyone wants to judge him, and he makes it really easy to do so, but that’s a fruitless exercise. Unless I ever come to meet him or know him personally, all I really care about is the music.

I saw a really funny tweet recently that addressed the question of whether Kanye was always this way or if fame changed him. The tweeter said that Kanye was basically like Walter White. There were seeds on College Dropout that hinted at what he would become and we’ve witnessed the transformation over his discography. Kanye, like Walt, has become the villain in his own story. But he’s such a compelling and divisive figure that people can’t look away. One thing people agree on with Ye is the quality of his music. That will always keep him relevant and the ridiculous behavior will keep people talking about him.

Adam: Are we sure that all people agree on the quality of Kanye’s musical catalog? His discography is as flawless as perhaps any discography ever (through five albums), but during my time as an unabashed Yeezy supporter I’ve encountered some less favorable opinions. Half this country still doesn’t take rap seriously. And with rappers like French Montana and Kanye cohort 2 Chainz running around, who can blame them. That said, from PE to ATCQ to Dre to Wu to Kast to Jigga to Shady to Ye to Weezy to K.Dot, rap/hip-hop has been the dominant musical genre of the past 25 years. Hands down. Yet it’s still treated like it’s a second-class citizen.

The Taylor Swift interruption thingy is still a big problem. It’s the Jennifer Aniston Effect. In America, we act like we know celebrities. We try to know their personal lives. We takes sides. Eff that. They are entertainers not friends or family. Besides, how much do we really know? Sure, in the case of someone like, say, O.J. Simpson, you have to get off the fence and say this is a bad person. Otherwise, they are entertainers and should be respected or not based on the quality of the entertainment they produce. Taylor Swift is a joke of an artist; Kanye West is perhaps our most artistic star. That’s why I think Kanye is frustrated. He’s likely the artist of the new millennium so far, yet to half of the country he’s “Kim Kardashian’s black boyfriend” or that guy Obama called a “jackass.” Many people aren’t even aware that he was a prolific producer before blowing up as a rapper.

At this point, I’m frustrated.

Perhaps Kanye should be most frustrated with himself. On one hand, you always have to be bigger, bolder and, yes, sometimes ridiculous to keep trending in a world full of tweets, status updates and short attention spans. On the other hand, he’s a very serious artist, but it’s hard to take a guy serious when he’s throwing tantrums on live TV and romantically involved with a Kardashian. Overall, I think this is both him being frustrated and a calculated move to stay relevant. He knows speaking his mind, and doing so in somewhat dramatic fashion, is part of his brand. So now it’s become part of his ritual.

Ramon: I think it’s important to remember the context of where Kanye is today. A buddy of mine wrote this post about 2010′s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on our defunct hip-hop blog (#RIP, #MomentOfSilence) that strikes a nerve:

“All Falls Down,” “Heard ‘Em Say,” “Touch the Sky,” “Stronger,” “Good Life” — You wouldn’t think it to look at his public image, but time and time again Kanye has been known for these good-hearted, Annie-esque, motivational pop songs. It’s really been his M.O.: Up until the psychic catharsis of 808s and Heartbreak, his albums are largely filled with these anthemic neo-spirituals… But what has all that got him? The ugly truth is that large swaths of the public hate his guts. He’s been seen alternately as a laughing stock, a vapid egotist, and a bigot.

And yeah, that hasn’t changed. If you read Pitchfork’s analysis of the Adult Swim rant — I won’t front and act like I came across the post organically–they write it like he’s threatening to drop your baby. In reality, he’s making a clear point that doesn’t want to hold your baby, make a mistake, and then get sued for millions.

His goodwill is completely exhausted and there’s no point in trying to please anyone else. In another concert rant from years ago about his Taylor Swift moment, he very clearly made the point that he was (1) sorry about it; (2) apologized publicly to Swift; (3) she had every opportunity to publicly accept his apology and did not; and that (4) he really felt in his heart it was the right thing to do (“Am I the only one here that’s not crazy?”) And yeah, it was the right thing to do and I’m grateful he made a scene over art–no matter how pointless and arbitrary a Moon Man statue was by 2009.

West seems rejuvenated. His last summer solo release–2007′s Graduation–basically made everything fun and was a defining soundtrack to cookouts and beach volleyball. The two new tracks are darker and abrasive, but I’m fairly certain Yeezus will run most of 2013 because that’s what his albums do.

What I don’t understand is folks that dislike Kanye and then appreciate his music: very few artists pour more of themselves into their music than ‘Ye.

May 20, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) drives the ball around Indiana Pacers shooting guard Paul George (24) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-USA TODAY Sports

The Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs features the same old story: a defending conference champions and heavy favorite fighting a scrappy underdog challenger. In this case, the Miami Heat are four games away from defending their title in back-to-back-to-back trip to the NBA Finals while the Indiana Pacers are hoping that after two years of playoff failure, this is finally the season everything comes together.

And before you crown Miami, the Pacers actually have a great chance to pull off the upset or at the very least make the series entertaining. Paul George’s matchups with LeBron James will be closely watched by all, as George is a budding star and there’s no greater way to rise to the top than to shutdown LeBron James on the biggest stage of your career.

But the Heat seem to be unstoppable and Pacers head coach Frank Vogel has already stoked the coals with inadvertent trash talk. This series could either go a full seven or be over before we know it — only Game 1 will be able to tell use which one will happen.

What time do the Heat and Pacers tip off? We’ve got all of the information you will need to know to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action.

Start time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Miami, FL
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena
Series Score: Series tied, 0-0
TV Info: TNT
Live Stream: TNT Overtime

Here is the full schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals:

All games at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT

• Game 1 in Miami: Wednesday, May 22,
• Game 2 in Miami: Friday, May 24
• Game 3 in Indianapolis: Sunday, May 25
• Game 4 in Indianapolis: Tuesday, May 28
• *Game 5 in Miami: Thursday, May 30
• *Game 6 in Indianapolis: Saturday, June 1
• *Game 7 in Miami: Monday, June 3

*If Necessary

We hope that you enjoy tonight’s action and check back in with FanSided.com throughout the day and duration of the playoffs as we keep you up to date with the latest news and rumors.

At first glance, this is a bit of a startling move. However, if the Lions can get a positive deal to use Ford Field (and I assume that they can), they could potentially produce a profitable enterprise out of the college bowl ranks. The Lions are already in negotiations with the Big Ten conference about an annual tie-in with the game, and they would replace the “Big 10 vs. MAC” format of the Little Caesars Bowl by bringing in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) to produce the opponent.

There is always red tape in the bowl selection process (order of selections, conference tie-ins, etc.), but if Detroit can pull this off, it could be a win for the organization. There are some possible conflicts of interest within this (i.e. what if a team has a potential 1st-round draft pick there during the game?), but it’s a gamble that the Lions organization appears willing to take.

As the current proprietors of the Little Caesars Bowl can attest, the “bowl business” isn’t always a successful one. However, if the Lions can make this unique partnership work, it would not be a surprise to see more of the 32 NFL franchises following suit in the coming years.

Apr 10, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of an NBA basketball during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. The Suns defeated the Mavericks 102-91. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 NBA Draft Lottery takes place tonight and there are a number of ways that you can watch the NBA Draft order sort out. Of course, you can watch the lottery live on ESPN, but that is not your only option.

For those who are unable to get to a television set for tonight’s lottery, have no fear. You can watch all of the results on ESPN 3 and keep up with the the NBA’s game of chance. 

Here is the information you will need to watch the NBA Draft Lottery live and online tonight:

When: Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Disney/ABC’s Times Square Studios, New York City, New York
TV: ESPN
Live Stream:  ESPN 3/Watch ESPN (May be blacked out in some areas)

How do the odds stack up for tonight’s lottery?

1. Orlando Magic, 25 percent
2. Charlotte Bobcats, 19.9 percent
3. Cleveland Cavaliers, 15.6 percent
4. Phoenix Suns, 11.9 percent
5. New Orleans Pelicans, 8.8 percent
6. Sacramento Kings, 6.3 percent
7. Detroit Pistons, 4.3 percent
8. Washington Wizards, 2.8 percent
9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 1.7 percent
10. Portland Trail Blazers, 1.1 percent (Belongs to CHA of outside of top-12)
11. Philadelphia 76ers, 0.8 percent
12. Toronto Raptors, 0.7 percent (Belongs to OKC if outside of top-3)
13. Dallas Mavericks, 0.6 percent
14. Utah Jazz, 0.5 percent

May 19, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) and Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) react after a play during the third quarter in game one of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at AT

The San Antonio Spurs stormed past the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals and the team will be looking to keep the momentum rolling in Game 2. Memphis’ roll came to a screeching halt when they ran in to the veteran Spurs team, but they can only hope their young legs can bounce back and change the direction this series is heading.

What time do the Grizzlies and Spurs tip off? We’ve got all of the information you will need to know to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action.

Start time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Venue: AT&T Center
Series Score: San Antonio leads series, 1-0
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: ESPN 3/Watch ESPN (may be blacked out in your area)

Here is the full schedule for the Western Conference Finals:

All games at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN except Game 1

• Game 1 in San Antonio: Sunday, May 19, 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 2 in San Antonio: Tuesday, May 21
• Game 3 in Memphis: Saturday, May 25
• Game 4 in Memphis: Monday, May 27
• Game 5 in San Antonio: Wednesday, May 29
• Game 6 in Memphis: Friday, May 31
• Game 7 in San Antonio: Sunday, June 2

We hope that you enjoy tonight’s action and check back in with FanSided.com throughout the day and duration of the playoffs as we keep you up to date with the latest news and rumors.

Oct. 31, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers mascot Blaze waves the team

This post was written by David MacKay of FanSided’s Portland Trail Blazers website Rip City Project. 

The 2013 NBA Draft Lottery is upon us, signaling the approach of the NBA Draft, and the Portland Trail Blazers are ready. With a 33-49 record, the Blazers are anticipated to receive the 10th overall pick. There have been rumblings rising that Portland may look to trade up in order to draft Indiana shooting guard, Victor Oladipo, but if that doesn’t happen, here are 3 possibilities that should:

With the 10th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select…

Shabazz Muhammad – UCLA (SF): After receiving criticisms for one-dimensionality in the draft combine, Muhammad’s stock is falling; perhaps just enough for Portland to swoop in and scoop him up. The Blazers have the worst scoring bench in the league and it would be not at all surprising for them to pursue a pure scorer like Muhammad as a remedy.

Alex Len – Maryland (C): I would love for this to be Cody Zeller, but realistically he’s unlikely to drop to 10. Len, however, has a stress fracture in his foot (worrisome I know) that will prevent him from impressing during workouts. If the Blazers can bury their Oden angst, the 7’1” shot blocker could balance out Meyers Leonard’s shortcomings on defense.

Jamaal Franklin – San Diego State (SF): Although not a proven scorer, Franklin is hyper-athletic. At 6’5”, his wingspan measures 6’11”. Combined with his explosive leaping ability, Franklin can grab an unprecedented quantity of rebounds for a small forward. There is a question of attitude, but it is by no means a Cousins-esque hindrance. Portland should give Franklin a long look as they hope to add depth to a depleted bench.

Of course, there is always the possibility that the Blazers bundle their picks for a veteran center. General Manager, Neil Olshey, has made it clear that if the right deal comes along, Portland won’t hesitate. In the event that said deal remains undone, however, Portland would do well to draft Muhammad, Len, or Franklin with the 10th overall pick.

Nov 30, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Charlotte Bobcats mascot Rufus performs on the court during a timeout in the second half during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Time Warner Cable Arena. The 76ers defeated the Bobcats 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

This post was written by Edward Shuler of FanSided’s Charlotte Bobcats website Roberto Gato. 

The lack of a franchise prospect creates a larger margin of error for the team selecting first overall.

Kentucky center Nerlens Noel, Kansas guard Ben McLemore and Michigan point guard Trey Burke have the best chances of going first in the 2013 NBA Draft. All could have long NBA careers and even make an all-star game or two. But nether of the trio presents the sure-fire certainty that comes with a franchise draft pick.

With the Bobcats luck it would be fitting if they won the draft lottery this year, rather than 2014 when Canadian sensation Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the grand prize. That’s without mentioning names like Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon and Julius Randle, in a draft that could be one of the best since 2003.

Despite the quality of this draft, it’s important for the Bobcats to strike gold in this draft to advance their rebuilding efforts.

The draft lottery is two days away. For the first time in a while, there’s a feeling that general managers won’t be upset if their team doesn’t land the first pick overall.

November 15, 2012; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) works out before the press conference.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Lakers’ big man Dwight Howard is in the news again. Howard, the unrestricted free agent, has reportedly said he would be exploring options before finally announcing his decision whether or not to leave Hollywood or venture off to a new team. While the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks seem like suitable destinations for Howard, other teams may try to get into the mix. The Los Angeles Clippers however won’t get a chance.

You can cross Clippers off list of Dwight suitors, btw. Not happening for multiple reasons, according to sources

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) May 20, 2013

The Clippers actually never wanted to go after Howard. There’s many reasons why. First, the Clippers want to re-sign Chris Paul. That’s their top priority, and if they were to sign Howard, who would demand the max contract, they’ll have no chance of bring back Paul. They could have both Howard and Paul, but that would result in several complicated deals and trades for that to happen. The Lakers could obtain DeAndre Jordan in a sign-and-trade deal, but the Lakers are already over the luxury tax threshold.

Another suggestion for the Clippers would be letting go of numerous players on their roster, then signing Howard and Paul to their “Bird Rights” under a max deal, but the Clippers would then have three players under a maximum contract, which would result in Donald Sterling, to pay a whole lot of more in the luxury tax.

Howard also wants to be the centrepiece of the franchise.With an aging Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, Howard could be in the spotlight in due time, however on the young Clippers squad, Howard would have to share that spotlight with Paul and Blake Griffin. I’m sure he would absolutely hate that.

Howard going to the Clippers would never happen. Not in the slightest. Not now, and perhaps not ever. No question about it and anybody else who thinks he would be a fool.

There’s also rumours  about Chris Paul going to the New York Knicks. Such rumours are as, if not more unlikely than Howard going to the Clippers.

(H/T: NBA.com)

The NBA Draft Lottery is tonight, and fan bases across the NBA will be holding their breath to see if their beloved team hits the jackpot.

This year the top pick isn’t as distinct as it has been in years past. Usually the draft lottery is a drawing for a player already determined as last year it was known that Anthony Davis would be taken first overall and the lottery was essentially to see who would draft him. This year Nerlens Noel seems to be leading the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick but guys like Trey Burke are giving him a run for his money.

So when is the NBA Draft Lottery and where can you watch? We’ve got all the information you need right here:

When: Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Disney/ABC’s Times Square Studios, New York City, New York
TV: ESPN
Live Stream:  Watch ESPN (May be blacked out in some areas)

Here’s a look at the NBA Draft Lottery Odds:

1. Orlando Magic, 25 percent

2. Charlotte Bobcats, 19.9 percent

3. Cleveland Cavaliers, 15.6 percent

4. Phoenix Suns, 11.9 percent

5. New Orleans Pelicans, 8.8 percent

6. Sacramento Kings, 6.3 percent

7. Detroit Pistons, 4.3 percent

8. Washington Wizards, 2.8 percent

9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 1.7 percent

10. Portland Trail Blazers, 1.1 percent (Belongs to CHA of outside of top-12)

11. Philadelphia 76ers, 0.8 percent

12. Toronto Raptors, 0.7 percent (Belongs to OKC if outside of top-3)

13. Dallas Mavericks, 0.6 percent

14. Utah Jazz, 0.5 percent

Stay tuned to FanSided all summer to get the latest up-to-date news and rumors about the 2013 NBA Draft.

Apr 28, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) during the game against the San Antonio Spurs in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

According to Ken Berger of CBS, Dwight Howard will not give in to the wishes of the Los Angeles Lakers. While the Lakers would like a swift decision on whether or not their superstar center plans on returning to the team or not next season, Howard would like to take the opportunity to explore other options via free agency.

A summer removed from “Dwightmare”, let the sequel now begin.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, Howard is worth all of the attention from around the NBA and media. When healthy, Howard is easily the most dominant center in the league, capable of taking over a game single-handedly.

In a year plagued with injuries and drama surrounding the relationship between Kobe and Dwight, he still managed to post impressive numbers of 17.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks on almost 58% shooting from the floor.

At just 27 years of age, Howard is unquestionably worth the maximum number salary wise for any NBA team. Luckily for the Lakers, if money is what the free-agent-to-be desires, they hold the upper hand. Thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement, they can offer him a substantial amount more over the entirety of a contract.

Teams that were involved in trade talks involving Howard last year such as the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Atlanta Hawks are likely to try to sway the superstar away from Los Angeles.

With all that said, expect news involving Dwight Howard starting July 1, the day he becomes a free agent officially.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers sent Hairston to a doctor in Arizona yesterday to have his left knee checked out, as the 36-year-old veteran is now feeling some soreness there. This setback leaves Hairston’s time table unclear, and we’ll see if the Dodgers utility man is still suffering from the effects of the groin stain, in addition to his new ailment.

Hairston will most likely be set for a rehab assignment once his knee gets better, and it’s good to hear that Mattingly is terming this as a minor setback. In 20 games and 51 at-bats this season, Hairston has hit just .255 with only three extra-base hits and five RBIs to show for the low batting average. It would be a surprise if the Dodgers activated Hairston from the DL before playing in a couple of rehab games, but I would still expect Hairston to return to the Dodgers before the end of the month.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees weren’t initially concerned about Pettitte’s injury, and it will be interesting to see if Pettitte ends up undergoing an MRI in the near future. Pettitte’s injury is one to monitor, and it sounds like an inexact science; it might just depend on the confidence the Yankees have in pulling Pettitte or just how Pettitte seems to be feeling at any given moment. I also feel like Pettitte will continue to have back issues, and that’s not uncommon for a pitcher of his age and with his mileage. He’s been pretty good this season all told with a 3.83 ERA, so let’s hope that the Yankees won’t lose a couple of quality starts out of his left arm. However, this injury could have been worse, so the Yankees will likely play it safe and place him on the DL. Yeah, the injuries keep coming for the Yanks.

Catcher Chris Stewart also left yesterday’s game against the Mariners with an injury, as he injured his left groin sliding into third base and needed an MRI on it. Luckily for the 31-year-old, the results from the MRI came back “clean”, per McCullough, and McCullough described the injury as “a bullet dodged”. We’ll see how much time Stewart misses, but it will likely end up being just a game or two thanks to the surprisingly (given the Yankees bad luck this year) clean results of Stewart’s MRI.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Bogut told Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle that he expects to be 100% healthy next season, and he joked that is the case unless, “”I go out and get hit by a car or something.” As a follower promptly replied to Simmons in reference to Bogut’s joke, “Don’t jinx it!”

His surgically repaired left ankle gave him plenty of trouble this season, and he even needed painkiller injections in the postseason. It’s clear that his left ankle was a huge impairment, as a fully healthy Bogut would have averaged more than six points per game and even more than 7.7 boards per context. I have my doubts that Bogut will be 100% healthy next season, but hopefully he will (and can) be significantly healthier than he was this season. The 28-year-old 7-footer has recently downplayed the health concerns regarding his left ankle, and we can only hope that Bogut is right going forward. There are current NBA players with worse injury histories than Bogut, but that’s a list that you can definitely count on just one hand.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

First, let’s get to Heyward. The 23-year-old went hitless in his first two rehab games, so the Braves decided to give Heyward some more time to shake off the rust before being activated from the DL. He could have been activated as early as Monday, but the Braves later targeted Friday as the day to take Heyward off the DL, and that’s where we are right now. That also has to do with some of the soreness Heyward felt, but he should be good to go after getting some extra rest, and appendectomy is a thing of the past for Heyward right now. Hopefully, he can bounce back from a poor start to the season and get things going coming off the disabled list, because Heyward had an OBP of just .261 through his first 58 at-bats.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t seem like Walden is suffering from an injury, but that’s largely because the Braves just suddenly placed him on the DL with what is described as right shoulder inflammation. Walden, however, did allow five runs in his last three games, and he didn’t even get an out against the Cincinnati Reds. It hasn’t been a good spell for Walden recently, so the 25-year-old right-hander could indeed be suffering from an issue. The added time off to relax both mentally and physically will surely help Walden, who has struggled in his first season with the Braves with a very poor 4.85 ERA. Hopefully for the Braves, Walden can get back to the All-Star talent he showed while a closer with the Los Angeles Angels.

We’ll see how severe this right shoulder inflammation is, and there is little doubt that something was up with Walden. At least Braves fans can relish in the good news that Jason Heyward is back, and hopefully he can treat baseball fans to some great play and some better hitting than his first 17 games showed; I’m sure that will be the case.

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Star defenseman Duncan Keith did not practice today, and neither did veteran center Michal Handzus, according to Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago. However, neither of them will miss tomorrow’s game, according to Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, who said that Handzus is “fine”.

Keith played in the most minutes of any Blackhawks player in their huge 4-1 victory over Detroit in Game 1, and the star defenseman will continue to be a force for Chicago. Even though there is a small possibility that Keith has a very minor injury, he almost certainly missed today’s practice as a day of rest.

Handzus’s status is more interesting, because he has missed three practices this postseason, per CSN Chicago. Either Quenneville wants to give the 36-year-old as much rest as possible, or Handzus is dealing with an ailment. Either way, both players should be good to go tomorrow, and it would be an absolute shock to see Keith miss the game despite missing practice. Quenneville is one of the best coaches in hockey, as evidenced by his Jack Adams finalist nomination and incredible success of the Blackhawks, so he definitely knows how to manage days off for players like Keith and Handzus.

Apr 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Mr. Met gives a thumbs-up during the seventh inning of a MLB opening day game between the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Liebman is a writer for FanSided partner BroJackson.com. For more great content, head on over to Bro Jackson and check out Ben’s work.

Times are tough, so gainful employment of any kind, is something to celebrate. I’m sure there’s a nation of young men in Spain that would jump at the chance to move to Miami and operate a t-shirt cannon.

Still, the glamour of sports attracts the starry eyed and that means those that will do anything for a foot in the door. The following is a list of the most unpleasant, pointless, and tedious work in the sports industry.

10. JR Smith’s Accountant

Any CPA that works under the Smith estate deserves some sort special accreditation. Working for the streaky Knicks guard involves not only knowing distinctions between Chinese and American tax law, but also being available for those late night 3am phone calls. Who do you think he is going to call when he wants to see if buying a Zebra skin blazer can be claimed as a business expense? Next time you notice that Smith has gotten a tattoo of a Van Gogh’s Starry Night on his shoulder remember there’s an overworked accountant out there trying to deduct it.

9. Guy responsible for the giant jar of Jerry Jones’ skin

The owner of America’s Team is obviously no stranger to cosmetic surgery. In recent years his face has taken on an almost inhuman glossy quality that you would normally associate with hard wood floors and the produce department. It’s like his whole head has been dipped in wax to preserve it for posterity. When you are as rich as he is though, you aren’t going to just let them throw away the yards of skin they have sliced off your face. I imagine Jerry visits the jar of skin every once and a while for advice and predictions, and that jar would need to be maintained. Keeping the jar clean of fingerprints and dust seems easy enough, but slip up once and you are done for. Jerry will fire you, and not show any emotion. The skin jar, however, will miss you.

8. Miami Marlins T-Shirt Cannon Operator

I wonder if any young aspiring T-Shirt cannon operators dream of one day shooting clothing around Marlins Field. I’d imagine they mostly dream about places like Wrigley or Fenway because using a cannon with a governor can’t be seen as sexy. At Marlins Field the cannons are limited to only two rows deep. Other than the emasculation of the cannon they are also going to expect you to lead the 40 to 60 people there in Marlins cheers. I expect that you would find more excitement and laughs by shooting T-Shirts at the local Dade county hospice than you could during Giancarlo Stanton’s at bat.

7. Chael Sonnen’s PR Agent

It can’t be easy when you have to explain to Chael that ‘fortitudeness” isn’t a real word. Besides frequently dealing with his syntax troubles, you have to keep tabs on who Sonnen is beefing with. He seems to shift his anger to a new target every few hours. Enjoy explaining to the media that Chael only meant that he hates British cigarettes and not a specific minority group.

6. Starting QB for the Jacksonville Jaguars

If a quarterback throws a pass in Jacksonville, does it make a sound? This is one of those questions that even the most learned philosophers have found difficult to answer. Sure you get to be a part of a small 32-member club, but don’t expect anyone to recognize you without your jersey and helmet. Jaguars quarterback could be the perfect spot for an athletic felon in need of the witness protection program.

5. Mr. Met

Having to sit through 82 games at Citi Field seems rough enough, but Mr. Met is forced to do it with a shit-eating grin plastered to his face. It’s a cruel, “Clockwork Orange” life.

4. Any NBA Player who gets to play with the President

Does anyone enjoy being forced to take a dive? The lucky few NBA players who get the opportunity to play pick up basketball with the President must be a tortured group of superstars. How many times do you have to congratulate the President on a jump shot that you could easily swat into the third row? It might be an exclusive group that gets to shoot hoops at the White House, but only those of us unafraid of the IRS would dare try to break the President’s ankles.

3. Wayne Rooney’s Dermatologist

Rooney suffers from a severe case of Victorian aged skin, and being responsible for maintaining that can’t be easy. Basically he’s got the same skin as Queen Elizabeth. He’s one of those guys who burn but never tan. Good luck then to the poor doctor who has to distinguish between a mole and a trademark Rooney freckle.

2. Program salesman

Getting the opportunity to see someone selling official event programs is very similar to seeing a crocodile. Both look exactly the same as they did during the time of the dinosaurs. The program was once an essential tool, but do I need to spend 30 bucks to find out the starting lineup? My sporting experience will not change just because I find out what the official airline of the home team is. Also most of us have these things called smart phones. Someone tell the program guys that they have video, but do it gently. You know how technology scares that generation.

1. Member of any white NBA player’s entourage

There are going to be some great perks when you roll in a NBA entourage, but we can’t just pretend that all entourages are created equal. Traveling with JJ Redick would be cool if you are looking to try the new Big Buck Hunter before it hits the bars or if your favorite restaurant serves some sort of fried onion dish. In a few years Blake Griffin’s entourage could have the biggest reality show on TV. Meanwhile Taylor Hansbrough’s guys are at the local Cracker Barrel trying to figure out who ordered the chicken friend steak.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

With the lack of information coming from the Pacers, basically everything is left up to speculation at this juncture. The Knicks were able to cut the Pacers lead to 3-2 without Hill, who was the main reason why the Pacers were able to go up 3-1 in the series. Needless to say, the Knicks are in a very good position to take Game 6 if the Pacers will indeed be without their starting point guard.

Hill averaged 14 points per game, roughly five assists per game, and around four rebounds per game in the regular season for the Pacers. He had no symptoms on Tuesday but had headaches yesterday and failed a concussion test, so we’ll see how much progress the day-to-day PG makes until tomorrow’s home game against the Knicks.

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Dyson was having a good week, and the Royals received a brief period of improved production from Dyson over Jeff Francoeur. He was, of course, expected to hit the DL, and we’ll see how severe the sprain is. There is no word on the severity of the injury, and the only thing for certain is that Dyson won’t be back until June.

When he returns, hopefully the Royals can continue to get some improved performance from him. While the 28-year-old’s .286 OBP on the season is nothing to write home about, he has a .561 slugging percentage and has been better than Francoeur. Hopefully Dyson can quickly recover from the injury and continue to be at least a solid fourth outfielder for the Royals, and it was great to see him capture plenty of at-bats from Francoeur and deliver on them in spots.

David Lough was the expected replacement for Dyson on the roster, and the Royals have indeed called up the versatile fourth outfielder from Triple-A Omaha. The 27-year-old looked great in spring training and in Omaha, so it is a little surprising to see that the Royals did not call Lough up sooner. This is his first time in the MLB this season, so we’ll see if Lough can take this opportunity following Dyson’s injury and continue to hit for a high average.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Hopefully Gryba does not have a concussion, and the fact that he will not play today is no indication that he did suffer a concussion. It does heighten the possibility, but Gryba was not expected to play against the Pens today in a nutshell. We will have to wait for confirmation on Gryba’s exact injury, as his collision with huge, star Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik was not a pretty one. Then again, collisions are rarely pretty, but that’s especially true when they involve a guy like Orpik.

Benoit will be the biggest beneficiary of Gryba’s absence today, and it sounds like the Senators are prepared to give him the lion’s share of the lost playing time over Mike Lundin. Gryba isn’t a big loss with just six points in 33 regular season games, but any depth loss on defense hurts even more when going up against a team as good as the Penguins.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Detwiler is suffering from lower back spasms, and Nationals manager Davey Johnson did not sound confident regarding Detwiler’s chances of making his next start. We’ll see if the second MRI reveals anything tangible regarding Detwiler’s injury, and hopefully Detwiler is able to avoid the disabled list. While I don’t think he will end up on the disabled list, it’s always a possibility. At this point in time, the most likely outcome for Detwiler is him missing his next scheduled start.

Either Craig Stammen or Zach Duke would replace Detwiler in that event, and it’s more likely that Stammen ends up getting the nod. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo stated, ”It’s going to be a broader MRI than this narrow one.”

Rizzo also added that he expects Detwiler to miss at least his next start, and he didn’t rule out a trip to the 15-day DL either. Detwiler has been excellent in 45.2 innings of work to start the season with a 2.76 ERA.

Dec 9 2012, Indianapolis, USA; Indianapolis Colts linebacker Dwight Freeney (93) waits to be introduced during player introductions before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney visited the San Diego Chargers over the past two days and everything seemed to be going well, but he ended up leaving town without a contract for now. The 33-year-old has been looking for a new home since parting ways with the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the offseason and it looks like his pursuit of a new gig will last a little longer.

There is still a chance that the Chargers could come back to Freeney with a suitable contract offer closer to the start of the season.

According to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego, the Chargers signed outside linebacker Thomas Keiser yesterday, but that is now expected to affect the team’s interest in Freeney.

San Diego became interested in Freeney whenever starting outside linebacker Melvin Ingram went down during OTAs with a torn ACL. The team desperately needs to add a talent at the position and Freeney is as good as it gets on the free agent market.

We will all probably hear about Freeney and the Chargers again at a later date.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA Draft is fast approaching, and with it comes questions about a guy who was once — and still may be– the top prospect in the draft class. Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel suffered a brutal ACL injury which cut his season short, but it’s not expected to have a Derrick Rose effect on the start of his NBA career. According to Detroit Pistons beat writer Keith Langlois, Noel is expected to be ready to begin his NBA career by Christmas.

Nerlens Noel says hopes ready to go by Christmas. Says injury a blessing, working on other aspects. Will be a bettter player for it, he says

— Keith Langlois (@Keith_Langlois) May 16, 2013

This bit of news could both help and hurt Noel’s draft status, as at the moment he’s being projected as Chad Ford’s No. 1 prospect and first-overall pick in the draft, but things could change if his knee starts to scare people off as we near the draft. The Orlando Magic are projected to win the draft lottery at the moment, and taking Noel would mean they may have a replacement for Dwight Howard after a year without him.

But that knee problem and the fact that we know for certain he’s not going to be ready on opening night may make a team go in the direction of a Trey Burke or Victor Oladipo to give them that star point guard rather than a forward and center with a bum knee.

Noel is a talent, there’s no denying that but Sam Bowie keeps coming to mind when Noel is being discussed and we can only hope medical science is advanced enough that we don’t see Noel fall into the tragic path of another former Wildcat who’s promising career was upended by bad knees.

May 8, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) and Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half in-game two of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 115-78. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Heat small forward, Lebron James, made $56.5 million last year. Even still, he is only the second highest paid athlete in America trailing only to Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

According to Sports Illustrated‘s report of its annual top 50 earners, James trailed to Mayweather who tops the list making $90 million. James made $17.5 million in salary (he took less than the maximum) and  made $39 million in endorsements. Among the deals are a Samsung endorsements, a deal from Baskin Robbins and a deal with Nike.

While James is the highest earner in the NBA, there are some notable players. Los Angeles Lakers guard, Kobe Bryant, came fourth on the list as he made $46.8 million this year. He made $27.8 million this season and $19 million from endorsements. He’s expected to make $30 million just in salary next season. He also has a deal with Nike and deals with Smart Car and Lenovo.

Seventh on the list is none other than Derrick Rose. Rose racked in $33 million in total. $16 million from salary and $17 million from endorsements. He has a life time deal with Adidas, and deals from Wilson, Powerade, Skullcandy and Giordano’s Pizza in Chicago.

The following is a list of the rest of NBA players who also made it on the SI top 50 earners.

• 11. Dwyane Wade: $28.7 million
• 12. Kevin Durant: $27.7 million
• 16. Carmelo Anthony: $25.3 million
• 24. Amar’e Stoudemire: $23.5 million
• 31. Dwight Howard: $21.9 million
• 33. Chris Paul: $21.6 million
• 35. Dirk Nowitzki: $21.3 million
• 37. Pau Gasol: $21.1 million
• 43. Joe Johnson: $19.95 million
• 47. Chris Bosh: $18.5 million

The list compiled by SI contains 25 baseball players and eight football players.

What do you think of the list? Is Lebron James overpaid or underpaid? Are any of these NBA superstars overpaid or underpaid as well? Tell me what you think in the comments below.