#1 Falls Again, and the 900 Club Grows

#1 Down Again

• The Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 77-73, which should ensure that the Hoosiers lose their 3-week hold on the #1 spot. The Gonzaga Bulldogs should take the spot for #1 for the first time in the history of the small religious school in Spokane Washington.
• Trevor Mbakwe scored 21 and had 12 rebounds for Minnesota, leading them to a 47-point second half to overcome a 4 point halftime deficit. This game is a surprise as Minnesota entered the game ranked 7^th in the Big 10.
• Gonzaga will have a lot of competition from the blue-bloods (traditional powerhouses) of Duke, Kansas and Florida. Duke will face a very tough test this weekend from Miami, who defeated Duke soundly earlier this season in Miami. All this turnover at the top of the polls should lead to a very fantastic NCAA tournament, which tips off in 3 weeks.

900 Club Grows

• Rutgers women’s basketball coach C Vivian Stringer defeated South Florida to become 4^th female’s coach to reach the illustrious matchup. She is the 2^nd women’s coach, and the 3^rd coach this season to reach the platform.
• This game was the 5^th time Stringer (who is 900-330 in her career) tried for her 900^th win. She was finally able reach the milestone on the backs of Erica Wheeler (24 points) and Betnijah Laney (20 points).
• Stringer joined UNC Women’s coach Sylvia Hatchell and Syracuse Men’s coach Jim Boeheim who also won their 900^th game this season. Prior to this season women’s coaches  Pat Summitt, Jody Conrad and men’s coaches Mike Krzyewski and Bob Knight had reached the milestone.

Massive NASCAR Crash, and the First Female MMA

Massive Crash Mars Daytona

• On the weekend that kicks off NASCAR’s schedule, the biggest story should have been Jimmy Johnson winning his second Daytona 500. However, the biggest race of the NASCAR season was overshadowed by its undercard. In Saturday’s Nationwide race, on the final lap of the race, a massive wreck put a damper on the festivities.
• Regan Smith, who was leading the race, tried to block Brad Keselowski, who was making a move trying to take the lead. In the process, Kyle Larson’s car went flying into the wall, in the process cutting the front of his car scattering the track with metal. This would have been shocking enough, but Larson’s engine went flying through the safety barrier and landed well into the stands. In addition to the engine, a tire flew into the stands as well as a large amount of metal that was at one point Larson’s car. 28 fans were taken to the hospital after the game including 3 who were in critical condition.
• The safety barrier was repaired in time for the main event, but there will be repercussions. Both the raceway’s chief, and NASCAR’s chief executive defended the safety in place at Daytona (and other race tracks).

First Female MMA Fight

• Dana White, the President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) famously said that women would never fight in the UFC. He had to eat his words this weekend at UFC 157. In the first fight between two women Ronda Rousey defeated Liz Carmouche
• Rousey, who is known for a particularly devastating arm bar, forced Carmouche to submit (or “tapout”) in the first round of their fight. This move, which forces the person being submitted to the hold to tap out or have their arm broken, is a particularly devastating, if not exciting, move.

Woods Out, Small Trades

Woods and McIlroy Out in Arizona

• Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy (the #2 and #1 players in the world) were ousted in the first round of the Match Play Championship. Only the second time in the history of this tournament neither of the world’s top two players made it into the second round. The tournament, was delayed earlier this week by snow in Arizona (take some time to mull that sentence over).
• Charles Howell III defeated Woods by a skinny margin of 2-1. It was the first time the two players have faced each other in a match play tournament since 1997 when both were amateurs.
• McIlroy was defeated by countryman Shane Lowry, who came back in the back-9. McIlroy, who is still the #1 player in the world, has only played 54 holes of golf so far this season after missing the cut earlier this season, and now losing in the first round of this tournament.

Most Incredible Half-Court Shot

• We don’t do this often, but check out this video.

NBA Trade Deadline Passes Quietly

• The deadline for NBA teams to make a trade during the 2012-13 season passed yesterday afternoon with relatively little action. A few contenders made minor moves, like the Boston Celtics acquiring shooting guard Jordan Crawford from the Washington Wizards and the Thunder receiving Ronnie Brewer from the New York Knicks.
• The two biggest moves were perhaps by the Milwaukee Bucks acquiring JJ Redick from the Orlando Magic (in addition to two other players) for a package of players that will help the Magic with their salary cap. This gives the Bucks a perimeter shooter and defender they desperately need.
• The biggest move was probably the Houston Rockets acquiring a package of players, headlined by #5 pick in the 2012 NBA draft Thomas Robinson from the Sacramento Kings for a package of role players, headlined by Patrick Patterson. Patterson is going to be reunited with Kentucky teammate DeMarcus Cousins, who is the biggest star in Sacramento. The Kings hope the presence of Patterson will help to calm the mercurial Cousins. The Rockets get the 5^th player in the most recent draft, and a good young interior player to help their team continue to improve.

Hoosiers win, NFL combine begins

Indiana holds of Michigan State

- In one of the best college basketball matchups of this season, #1 Indiana held off #4 Michigan State 72-68 behind a gutsy effort from Victor Oladipo, who was playing only days after spraining his ankle.  The junior shooting guard had 19 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 crucial points in the final minute to preserve the win for Indiana and break a tie atop the Big Ten standings.
- Additionally, it broke a shocking streak of 17 consecutive losses for the once proud Hoosiers at Michigan State, a streak that dated back to 1991, which as Indiana's coach Tom Crean pointed out, was before many of his players were alive.
- This one could have ended differently though.  With 3 seconds left and down by 3, Michigan State's Gary Harris was fouled on a 3 point attempt.  But after missing the first shot, he attempted to miss the third to give him team a chance for a rebound and putback.  Oladipo pulled down the rebound for Indiana and made free throws to clinch the game for Indiana.
- The victory means that for the first time in 2013, the #1 team will not lose in that given week.


NFL Scouting Combine This Weekend

- The NFL’s annual version of a meat market kicks off this week in Indianapolis. The 5-day event will be a proving ground for many of the college game’s biggest stars attempting to secure a high draft slot in the upcoming NFL Draft as well as a chance for lesser known players to make a name for themselves in front of the who's who among the NFL world.
- The combine covers the basics (height, weight etc) the slightly more complicated, (a cone drill, a shuttle drill) and the downright mysterious (the Wonderlic test – the test for intelligence). Additionally, some players will actually showcase football skills such as throwing and catching. Some players will take part in all part all facets of the combine, and some will only take part in parts they (or their agents) have selected. Many players like Matt Barkley, will be measured at the combine, but will wait for his school’s “pro day” to throw.
In addition to these measurable performances, many players will be interviewed by the teams. This could be very important for players who have been in the news for the wrong reasons like Manti Te'o (for his infamous girlfriend hoax/issue) and Alec Ogletree (who was just arrested again for a DUI).

Buss passes away, Danica, NBA All-Stars make news

Jerry Buss (1933-2013)

- Long time Lakers owner Jerry Buss died this morning after losing a battle with cancer.  The 80 year old was in relatively poor health but was not reported to be in terrible shape so the news comes as somewhat of a surprise to the sporting world.
- The Lakers enjoyed unprecedented success under Buss, as the Lakers won a total of ten NBA titles during his tenure (in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010). He managed to do so with a combination of superstar players and great coaches, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant among the all-time great players and Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, arguably the games two greatest coaches ever.
- From a financial standpoint, what Buss did may be even more impressive because when he bought the Lakers (along with the Los Angeles Kings, the Forum/Staples Center and real estate in central California in 1979 he only paid $67.5 million). Forbes magazine now estimates the Lakers alone at more than $1 billion.


Danica wins Daytona Pole

- Danica Patrick won the pole position for this year’s Daytona 500 giving her the prime starting spot in NASCAR’s first race of the year. Patrick is the first woman to win the pole in any NASCAR race, and did it in what is basically the Super Bowl of Nascar, even though is comes at the beginning of the season. Her 196.4 MPH was unmatched by any of the other 37 drivers who will be racing on Sunday.
- Patrick is additionally the first woman to lead a lap in the Indianapolis 500, and the only woman to win an Indycar race. This pole victory marks the next step in Patrick’s rise to prominence and to prove gender equality in stock car racing.
- Patrick has also been a focus of news off the track. She got divorced from her husband, and has started a relationship with fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. She was also the third wheel in a very popular Super Bowl commercial.


CP3 leads West to All-Star win

- Chris Paul led a strong showing from Los Angeles's All-Stars, leading the West to a 143-138 win behind a monstrous stat line of 20 points, 15 assists and 4 steals.  Kevin Durant had a huge game as well, scoring 30 points and in so doing set records as the only player to score 30+ in three straight games and for the most points scored in a player's first four All-Star games combined. 
- The city of Los Angeles also got solid production out of fellow starters Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin and Kobe Bryant, although Bryant's biggest impact came in negating reigning MVP Lebron James.  Lebron only scored 19 points on 7-18 shooting which is particularly bad in a defense-free game like the All-Star game. 
- Some think that Kobe was motivated because it was Michael Jordan's 50th birthday and MJ had specifically mentioned that he thought Kobe was better than Lebron.  Two incredible blocks late in the 4th quarter against the taller, younger and more athletic James may have cemented that view in many minds.  Additionally, Bryant has won five NBA championships to James's one.
- It was the culmination of a busy weekend in the news for Bryant who also may have gotten in hot water with the NBA when he tweeted a caption with a picture of his daughter and Chris Paul's daughter playing on the court together over the weekend. "At least lil @CP3 and baby Mamba can play together NBA can't veto this one Ha!"  The NBA vetoed a deal last season that would have landed Paul in Lakerland, which given his production over the past two seasons and on Sunday, may have Kobe closer to equaling Jordan with six NBA Titles.

Olympian Murderer and Star College Player to Sit Out?

Pistorius Charged with Murder

• South African London 2012 Olympic hero Oscar Pistorius was charged with murder early Thursday morning. Pistorius, who had both of his legs amputated at 11 months old, was a hero in the disabled community where, after winning multiple Paralympic medals in sprinting, he challenged the International Olympic Committee in court. Pistorius, who runs with two microfiber blades instead of legs, wanted to run in the summer Olympics with the rest of the able-bodied athletes. Pistorius was awarded the right to run in the Olympics and lost in the semifinals of individual 400 meter race, and made it to the finals of the 4X400 meter race.
• Pistorius’ girlfriend, model and activist Reeva Steenkamp,  was reported shot multiple times early Thursday morning at Pistorius’ residence. There were early reports that Pistorius mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and shot her in self-defense, but the police in South Africa have not corroborated that story.
• An ex-girlfriend of Pistorius came to his defense saying that in 5-years of on-and-off dating he never raised a finger to her. However, the police have hinted at previous domestic violence disturbances reported at his house. This story is in very early stages, stay tuned to Sportico for updates.

Clowney to sit season?

• South Carolina DE star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has already done all he needs to do in college. This past year he had 13 1/2 sacks, a monster hit on the big stage of the Outback Bowl against Michigan and a freakish size/athleticism combination that has some comparing him to a football playing version of Lebron James.
• However, since Clowney only left high school two years ago, he is not eligible to enter the NFL Draft this season and will instead have to wait until the 2014 Draft. Some columnists have speculated that with his draft position already at or near the top, he will sit out this season to protect against injury or other circumstances that would cause a drop. Just this past year, Clowney's teammate Marcus Lattimore suffered a devastating leg injury that will keep him out for more than a year and Southern Cal QB Matt Barkley went from a likely top 5 pick to possibly dropping out of the first round due to a poor year statistically for the underachieving Trojans.
• South Carolina coach was interviewed at a SC basketball game and said that Clowney will absolutely return, loves the program and wants another year to improve, and while that may all be true, I wouldn't be too sure of Clowney's true intentions until you see him in uniform, on the field.

Lebron up, Noel down

LeBron on Fire

- Lebron James on Tuesday night did something nobody in the history of the NBA has ever done; he scored at least 30 points while shooting at least 60% from the field in 6 straight games. This streak has coincided with a 6-game winning streak that has put the Heat 3.5 games ahead of the New York Knicks for first place in the Eastern Conference. This included a game last week where James took 13 shots and only missed one.
James’s output is most impressive when taking into account the efficiency he is doing it with. Many of his points have been coming near the basket, where he is shooting over 80% during this stretch. James will have only one more game before this weekend’s All-Star game, where he will be the leader of the Eastern Conference squad.
At Sportico we know when to respect greatness.  Until recently we thought Kevin Durant was probably the front runner for MVP this season but James’ game has hit another level, a level that is unparalleled in recent history. Not since Michael Jordan has one player had this level of dominance over the NBA. It is truly an honor to be able to watch James during this stretch.


Noel injures ACL

- While we won't compare him to the other player listed in today's post, Kentucky's Nerlens Noel is one of the best athletes in college basketball today and is expected to be one of the top (if not the #1 overall) picks in the 2013 NBA Draft. 
- Equally famous for his shot-blocking prowess (two weeks ago he blocked 12 shots in a game against Ole Miss) and high-top fade haircut, Noel is already considered one of the best defensive big men in the NCAA. 
- However, he suffered what looked like a major knee injury on Tuesday night against Florida and after initially reporting that it was a hyperextension, Kentucky has announced today that it is in fact, the dreaded ACL tear, which will end his season and affect his ability to participate in NBA Draft drills and possibly even the preseason of the 2013-2014 NBA season. 
- Odds are it won't affect his draft stock much, but injuries like this can't be understated and it's a horrible ending to what will probably be Noel's only season playing college basketball.
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All overtime all the time!

Overflowing with Overtime (NCAA version)

- Saturday night’s Louisville v Notre Dame game provided the fans in attendance something extra, in this case it was an extra 25 minutes of basketball. #25 Notre Dame defeated #11 Louisville in quintuple overtime 104 – 101. The extra periods marked an extra 63% of basketball. Eric Atkins, Notre Dame’s junior guard, played 60 minutes, which is the same as a game and a half. This game set the record for longest regulation game in the history of the Big East (only passed by Syracuse’s 6 overtime victory over UConn in the 2009 Big East tournament).
- Louisville had many opportunities to win the game, including shots at the end of many of the overtime periods which they could not capitalized. With the game tied at 100 in the 5th overtime Atkins scored on a layup, and then made a free throw to give Notre Dame a 103-100 lead, one they would not relinquish.
Chane Behanan of Louisville led all scorers with 30. While three Cardinals scored 20 or more points, none of Notre Dame’s players broke that barrier. However, 6 Irish players scored double figures and created enough offense for the exhausting statement victory.

Overflowing with Overtime (NBA version)

- Not to be outdone, the NBA had their own neverending game, this one the nationally televised contest the day after Notre Dame's win between the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets.  Boston had a massive triple double from Paul Pierce who had 27 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, 20 points and 18 rebounds from Kevin Garnett and also 26 points off the bench from Jason Terry in 118-114 win.  It was a fitting end given that neither team had lost in quite some time.  Denver came into the game riding a nine game streak and a streak of 10 straight games with 100+ points. 
- The Nuggets led at the end of OT #2 by 3 but Pierce made a game tying 3 pointer and could not contain Boston in the 3rd OT.
- Boston has now won 7 in a row, which is amazing given that they've all been after superstar PG Rajon Rondo went down for the season with an ACL injury.
- Denver is 22-3 at home but only 11-16 on the road yet nearly defeated the Celtics in Boston.
 - Despite Garnett's 18 rebounds, Denver, the #1 rebounding team in the NBA, beat Boston on the boards 65-51. 
- Both Notre Dame and Boston's logos are related to Irish culture.

Indiana loses, Hernandez gets paid

#1 Falls Again

- For the fifth straight week, the #1 basketball team in the country has lost. It started when #1 Duke lost to NC State. The next week, new #1 Louisville lost to Syracuse. Duke returned to the #1 spot only to get embarrassed by Miami (who is quietly the only major conference team who's undefeated in conference play). In all three cases, #1 lost to a top 25 team in their own right.
- Last weekend, the new #1 Michigan (#1 for the first time since 1993) took on #3 Indiana. The Hoosiers knew, that because #2 Kansas had lost earlier in the day, if they defeated Michigan they would be #1 in the land. Indiana got out to a big lead early and although Michigan was able to mount a comeback, they never made it all the way back and Indiana, lead by guard Victor Oladipo, was able to defeat the Wolverines.
- Last night, DJ Richardson led Illinois to a shocking victory over Indiana. Illinois, previously unranked, hit a last second layup to take a 74-72 lead that Indiana was unable to recover from. For the 6th straight week, there will be a new #1in college basketball. #2 in the country Florida lost to Arkansas on Tuesday, so #1 may go back to Michigan who defeated Ohio State on Tuesday, but had to go to overtime.


King Felix earns expensive crown

- "King" Felix Hernandez is now the highest paid pitcher in baseball history.  The 26 year old Mariners ace, who threw a perfect game last year and was widely rumored to be traded by the struggling team, signed a massive 5 year, $135.5 million extension Thursday night. 
- It was initially reported to be a new 7 year, $175 million deal, but it's instead an extension that will begin in 2015.  Hernandez will be paid an average salary of over 27 million, the highest for any pitcher besides Roger Clemens 1 year, pro-rated deal in 2007.
- In 2012, Hernandez went 13-9 (but would have done better if not for the Mariners abysmal offense) with 223 strikeouts and a 3.06 ERA.  He also threw an incredible 5 complete game shutouts including a perfect game against the Rays which was even more impressive when you consider that the Rays were in a stretch of winning 12 out of 14 games.
- The deal is great news for other soon-to-be free agent aces like David Price, Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw, all of whom may attempt to garner north of $200 million in their next contracts.