College Football Week 5 Recap

The last weekend of September wasn't a great one for college football, especially compared to last week's surprisingly exciting week. There was only one upset, and that wasn't even a major one. We'll cover all of the big stories in this recap, including big games next week, great performances, and a Heisman watch. Let's get started.

Notable Games:

As mentioned before, there was only one upset. That was unranked Missouri handing #13 South Carolina their second loss of the season. This one came down to the wire, as the Gamecocks had a chance to take the lead on their final drive, but QB Dylan Thompson threw four incomplete passes to snuff SC's chances of winning. The loss dropped SC off the rankings and pushed Missouri (the leader of the SEC East) up to #24.

The other team that dropped off the rankings was Arizona State, who got blown out by the Bruins of UCLA. ASU also dropped to fourth in their division (the Pac-12 South) while UCLA took Notre Dame's spot at #8 in the rankings. Bruins QB Brett Hundley reinserted himself into the Heisman race after accounting for five touchdowns and more than 400 yards of total offense.

Notre Dame dropped down to #9 after a not-so-perfect win over Syracuse. The Irish did win 31-15. but they did commit five turnovers, while the Orange had only one. Nonetheless, the Irish are still undefeated and very much in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Florida State is still ranked at #1 even though they struggled mightily against the unranked North Carolina State Wolfpack. The 'Noles ended up winning 56-41 to keep their national title hopes alive. A loss would certainly have sent them tumbling down the rankings.

Michigan's woes meanwhile, continued. The Wolverines lost to Minnesota, dropping them to 2-3. This is the first time in Michigan's storied history that the team has lost three games before October. The loss prompted even more "Fire Hoke" cries, something that will probably happen before the season ends.

Notable Performances:

Jared Goff of Cal isn't probably the first name you think of when naming top quarterbacks in the game right now. Even so, he sure played like one on Saturday. The Bear threw for 458 yards and 7 touchdowns while leading his team to a win against Colorado. Goff won't be considered a Heisman contender anytime soon, but this was a great performance.

J.T. Barrett is another QB that also isn't getting any Heisman love right now, but that could change. Barrett threw for 330 yards, rushed for 79 yards, and threw four touchdown passes to lead the Buckeyes of Ohio State to a spot in the top 20.

Let's continue the QB love and give some to Logan Woodside of Toledo. He didn't have an amazing game, but he did throw for 339 yards and account for three touchdowns. His performance helped Toledo win and keep their lead in the MAC West.

Let's move on from quarterbacks now, Tyler Varga, the senior running back from Yale, rushed for 185 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to an overtime win against the Army Black Knights.

Duke Thomas of Texas picked off Kansas's Montell Cozart twice and had one tackle to help Texas pick up the win in their first conference win of the season. Cozart was picked off four time by the Longhorns, who combined for 25 interception return yards.

Heisman Watch:

1. Marcus Mariota, Oregon- He didn't play on Saturday, but has a big game against Arizona next week.

2. Todd Gurley, Georgia- The running back accounted for 238 yards and two touchdowns as #12 Georgia picked up the win against Tennessee,

3. Kenny Hill, Texas A&M- Hill has 17 TD passes (four more than Mariota) and the Aggies are off to a great 5-0 start.

4. Amari Cooper, Alabama- Arguably the best receiver in the college game right now, Cooper has five touchdown catches for undefeated 'Bama.

5. Everett Golson, Notre Dame- Despite throwing two interceptions, Golson completed 25 straight passes (a new school record) and led the Irish to a 31-15 win over Syracuse.

6. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska- The Cornhusker has 10 total touchdowns this season for his undefeated team.

7. Jameis Winston, Florida State- The defending Heisman Trophy winner threw four touchdowns in a win against NC State.

8. Brett Hundley, UCLA- Hundley looked very impressive in a rout against Arizona State on Thursday, sending the Bruins into the top 10.

9. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin- One of the best RBs in the game, Gordon has more than 600 rushing yards this season for the #17 Badgers.

10. Taysom Hill, BYU- Hill has 13 total touchdowns this season for the #17 Cougars, who are undefeated.

Games to Look Forward to Next Week:

#2 Oregon vs. Arizona- The Ducks look to keep their spot atop the Pac-12 North, but will have to beat a team that beat them 42-16 last year.

#3 Alabama vs. #11 Ole Miss- Championship dreams could possibly end for the loser of this clash between two undefeated SEC teams.

#9 Notre Dame vs. #14 Stanford- The Irish face their toughest test of the season so far as they continue their bid for their second undefeated regular season in three years.

#10 Michigan State vs. #19 Nebraska- The best Big Ten matchup of the week should be a good one. It will be interesting to see Ameer Abdullah try and run against the stout Spartan defense.

#5 Auburn vs. #15 LSU- Not only should this be a great match, but it will have big consequences for the SEC West.

Thanks for reading this recap. Be sure to check back next week for the next one.

10 Stars of the World Cup

The 2014 World Cup ended yesterday with Germany, widely regarded as the best team in the tournament, defeated Argentina to win its first World Cup since 1990. Overall, it was a great tournament that drew the attention of people all over the world. There were plenty of storylines throughout the tournament, including the U.S.'s surprising run, Ghana's players demanding payment, poor officiating, possible corruption by FIFA, and Brazil's surprisingly poor performances in its last two games. In this article however, we'll be looking at individual efforts, ten of them to be specific. They may not have had the best stats during the tournament, but they made their presence felt nonetheless. All ten of these players can definitely be considered stars of the World Cup.

1. Miroslav Klose- With his two goals in this Cup, Klose now has scored 16 World Cup goals, an all-time record. He may not have been a big name at the start of this tournament, but he is certainly a notable name now.

2. Tim Howard- The U.S.'s goalkeeper was easily the team's biggest star. While he gave good performances in the group stage, his performance against Belgium in the knockout round was simply amazing. Even though he let in two goals and the Americans lost, Howard had sixteen saves, tying the all-time American World Cup record.

3. Arjen Robben- The Dutch winger was an integral part of his team earning third place. Not only did he record two goals against Spain in the first match (arguably the best individual performance of the tournament), he was a huge part of the Dutch offense. He's easily one of the biggest stars on the international stage.

4. Lionel Messi- The Barcelona star led his team to the finals, but couldn't win the big one. It would have been a big boost to his legacy had he won, but he still had a great tournament. Not only did he win the Golden Ball, he recorded four goals in the group stage.

5. James Rodriguez- One of the biggest surprising stars of the tournament, Rodriguez led Colombia to the quarterfinals. He won the Golden Boot award  as the best scorer in the tournament by recording six goals. He also had two assists. He may not have been popular before, but he's now very popular with fans. Look for him to be a big star on the world stage next Cup.

6. Robin van Persie- The forward was an integral part of the Dutch campaign. He scored the first goal against Brzail and recorded three in the group stage. He also scored in the penalty kick round against Costa Rica.

7. Tim Krul- On the surface, it looks like he had a very unordinary World Cup. After all, he only played in one game, and that wasn't even during normal game time. But that one appearance was in penalty kicks against Costa Rica in the second round, and that was a great appearance. He saved two shots to seal the deal for the Dutch.

8. Sergio Romero- One of the finalists for the Golden Glove, the Argentinian goalie let in only four goals throughout the entire tournament. His best performance came against the Dutch in the semi-finals, where he had a shut-out (in fact, he had a shut-out in the first and second rounds as well) and was named Man of the Match.

9.Guillermo Ochoa- One of the best goalies in the tournament, Ochoa became a big fan favorite. His best performance came against Brazil in the group stage, where he had five saves and let in zero goals. He let in only one goal in the group round and two in the first round against the Netherlands.

10. Manuel Neuer- The German Neuer was the best goalie of the tournament. Not only did he win the Golden Glove, but he let in only four goals and posted four shut-outs, including one in the finals against Argentina.

Of course, there are plenty of other stars, including Paul Pogba, Neymar, and Clint Dempsey, but I couldn't everyone in this article. Please comment and tell me who your favorite players of the World Cup were.

10 Things to Watch For in the NBA Off-Season

Don't get me wrong, the NBA season is great, as is the post-season. But the off-season is where things get really interesting. So many things can happen. Retirements, firings, hirings, cuts, trades, the draft, promotions, demotions, fines, suspensions, injuries, etc. There are always exciting storylines to look out for, and in this article, we'll look at ten of them. These aren't necessarily the biggest stories, but they are interesting ones you should keep an eye on. Since the NBA draft happened last Thursday, we won't focus on stories about the draft or rookies. However, expect an article on it in the near future.

1. The Big Three

Come on, you know what Big Three I'm talking about. That would be LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat. On the surface, they look they're in a good place. In the four years they've been in Miami together, James has won two regular season MVPs and the team has won two titles in four trips to the Finals.

However, things are not all right. The Heat lost badly to the San Antonio Spurs in last year's championship, causing the three stars to rethink their future. Wade has been plagued by injuries and can only play sparingly, while there is not much depth on the bench. This led to all three stars (and power forward Udonis Haslem) opting out of their contracts. While they may go play for another team (teams that James could go to include the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls), they may just resign Miami. One thing's for sure: ESPN will be paying very close attention to this story.

2. The Lakers' Next Coach

The Lakers coaching saga has been going on since April, when head coach Mike D'Antoni resigned after a season in which the team finished 14th in the Western Conference. Not only is he the only coach in Lakers history to not get a playoff win in his first two seasons, but he amassed the worst win percentage by any coach in franchise history. That's bad.

Since then, the coaching search has been crazy. The team showed a lot of interest in college coaches Kevin Ollie and John Calipari, but both of them opted to stay with their current teams. They also showed interest in Stan Van Gundy, but he became head coach and president of basketball operations of the Detroit Pistons. Some of the candidates now being discussed are Karl, Jeff Van Gundy, and Byron Scott (who won three titles for the Lakers as a player). If I was Mitch Kupchak (the GM of the Lakers), I would hire Karl. He has experience working with top players (especially Carmelo Anthony) and has an excellent track record.

3. Carmelo Anthony

The one-time scoring champion and seven-time All Star is one of the best free agents on the market. According to Frank Isola, he is expected to resign with the New York Knicks and get close to a max deal. However, Anthony is being courted by the Chicago Bulls, especially by Joakim Noah, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Some reports say that Anthony is interested in winning a championship, others say he'll be satisfied with a lucrative contract. Anthony has also said that he would like to stay in New York because of his son's schooling.

4. Potential Trades

Trades that go down in the off-season always have the potential to shake things up the next season. We've already seen a few, including ones that sent Omer Asik to the New Orleans Pelicans, Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks, Arron Afflalo to the Denver Nuggets, and Jose Calderon to the New York Knicks.

There are plenty of trade rumors floating around right now, but it's hard to know which will actually happen. Some of the rumors are Jeremy Lin to the Golden State Warriors, Chandler Parsons to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Josh Smith to the Sacramento Kings, James Harden to the New York Knicks, and Ricky Rubio to the Houston Rockets.

5. The Nets' Next Coach

Yesterday, the hiring of Jason Kidd as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks became official. This will be Kidd's second year as a head coach, his first came last year with the Brooklyn Nets. The team went 44-38 and made it to the second round of the playoffs. According to Andrew Gruman of Fox Sports Wisconsin, Kidd apparently tried to get more involved with the basketball operation side of things, which led to his falling out of favor with the owners.

As reported on ESPN, Lionel Hollins (who coached the Memphis Grizzlies for two stints) met with Nets management today. He is reported to be one of the top candidates for the job, as is former Coach of the Year George Karl. If the Nets want to make the playoffs next season, they'll have to find the right guy for the job. Personally, I like Hollins. He took an underdog Grizzlies team to the 2013 Western Conference Finals and can probably bring the best out of an aging but talented roster.

6. Kevin Love

Contrary to what you might think, Kevin Love is not a free agent. Actually, his contract expires in 2015. However, Love has stated that he would like to play for a contender and has been courted by other teams, including the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Minnesota head coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders isn't happy about Love wanting out, but he is still reportedly discussing potential trades. After all, it does make sense for him to trade Love now. If Love leaves after his contract expires next year, the Timberwolves won't get anything.

7. Donald Sterling

Yes, Donald Sterling is still relevant. The former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers is not going quietly. The octogenarian has reportedly hired a private detective to dig up dirt on other owners. That can only lead to trouble.

The actual sale of the Clippers is also reportedly under examination. Next week, there will be a trial to determine whether Shelly Sterling (the estranged wife of Donald) had the authority to sell the team to Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO. It has been determined that Donald Sterling's mental competency will no longer be an issue in the trial.

8. Returns From Injury

Specifically, we're talking about Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose, both of whom have won regular season MVPs. The two of them played for some time last year (Rose's return was especially publicized), but both were re-injured and ended up missing most of the season.

Both players are expected to be active at the beginning of next season. However, all eyes will still be on them to see if they are actually going to return and how healthy they will be. After all, it wouldn't surprise most people if they hurt themselves again.

9. Greg Monroe

You may not think this is a big story, but you'd be wrong. Monroe is one of the hottest free agents on the market. New Detroit head coach SVG has said that resigning him is a top priority, but it hasn't happened yet. The New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers are said to be interested in the restricted free agent.

The Pistons are hoping to make the playoffs this year after a disappoint season last year. Resigning Monroe would definitely help reach that level. Last season, he ranked third on the team in points per game, second in rebounds per game, and is second in field goal percentage.

10. Lance Stephenson

Stephenson is one of the top free agents this year and definitely one of the most entertaining. Larry Bird, president of basketball operations, announced weeks earlier that the Indiana Pacers wanted to resign him, and made him an offer today. However, the offer of five years, $44 million just wasn't good enough for Stephenson, who is reportedly now talking with other teams.

One source says that Stephenson is interested in going to a contender or up-and-coming team. According to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports, Indiana should be able to offer Stephenson more than $57 million if they waive Luis Scola.

It will be interesting to see how all of these stories play out over the course over the summer. Keep checking back to The Sports Examiner to get updates on these stories and more.

10 Future Basketball Hall of Famers

In sports (and many other professions), the best of the best, are immortalized in the Hall of Fame. It's a tremendous honor and usually reserved for those who truly deserve it. For the NBA, the Hall of Fame is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. They have five categories in the Hall: players (like Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller), coaches (such as Larry Brown and Phil Jackson), teams (like the 1992 United States Olympic Team and the Harlem Globetrotters), referees (like Earl Strom and Marvin Rudolph), and contributors (such as Jerry Buss and Hubie Brown).

Whenever it comes time to pick the class for each year, we look at future Hall of Famers. Out of the current players, coaches, etc., who has the best chance of making it to the Hall? In this article, I'll name ten current players who will definitely be inducted one day. They are listed in no particular order.

1. Kobe Bryant- Of all the players on the list, this is one of the most obvious ones. After all, Bryant's an obvious Hall of Famer. He's won five titles, two Finals MVPs, a regular season MVP, and four All-Star Game MVPs. He may never get the sixth ring he craves so much, but it won't matter when his candidacy is being determined.

2. LeBron James- King James definitely is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Many people feel that a Hall of Famer must be one of the top players during their career. James fits that category all right, he's the best player in the league. In his ten full seasons, he's won eight MVP awards, including two Finals MVPs. Not only will James make the Hall, if he wins a few more titles he'll be considered one of the greatest players of all-time.

3. Tim Duncan- He may not be the flashiest player in the NBA, but he's one of the best big men of this century. The fact that he's won four NBA Championships, three Finals MVPs, and two regular season MVPs is a testament to that. Remarkably, he's been on the same team his entire career, something that should get him some extra points with the committee.

4. Dirk Nowitzki- Even without his championship in 2011, Nowitzki would still be a Hall of Famer. Considered one of the best big men shooters and international players ever, the Maverick ranks in the top 25 all-time for career defensive rebounds, free throws, and total points. His 2007 regular season MVP seals the deal.

5. Dwyane Wade- He may only be the second-best player on his team, but D-Wade is definitely a Hall of Famer. He was the face of the Miami Heat when they won the championship in 2006. He's also a ten time All-Star, All-Star MVP, and a one-time scoring champion. On top of that, he's the Heat's all-time scorer. Being the top of a franchise definitely gets points with the committee.

6. Paul Pierce- The Truth was the face of the Boston Celtics for a good chunk of the last decade. He's in the twilight part of his career now, but his prime was pretty great. That included 11 All-Star appearances, a championship in 2008, and a Finals MVP. He also ranks in the top ten in all-time three-point field-goals and top twenty in free throws.

7. Ray Allen- One of the greatest shooters of all-time, this veteran is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. He may not be one of the Big Three on the Miami Heat, but he's a 10-time All-Star and won two NBA titles. But the stat that gets him the most consideration: he's the all-time leader in both treys made and attempted. All-time leaders always get bonus points.

8. Chauncey Billups- This one may surprise you, but it shouldn't. The 3rd pick in '97, Billups has played for seven teams, with his run in Detroit being the most successful. As a Piston, Mr. Big Shot went to six straight Eastern Conference Finals, two NBA Finals, and won the Finals MVP in 2004. He may not have amazing stats, but he's still a future Hall of Famer.

9. Steve Nash- The Canadian player may never have won a title, but he's one of 12 players to ever win multiple regular season MVP awards. Nine of those players are in the Hall of Fame, James and Duncan are on their way, and so is Nash. He ranks in the top ten in free-throw percentage, assists, and three-point field goals made. Say what you want about him, but he deserves to make the Hall.

10. Kevin Garnett- The Brooklyn Net made it to the Finals twice when he was with the Boston Celtics. Even without those two appearances, he would still be a worthy candidate. He's a fifteen time All-Star, made the All-Defensive First Team nine times, and made the All-NBA First Team four times. Furthermore, he's Minnesota's all-time leading scorer. Like with Wade, that should give him some extra consideration.

Know another player who should also make the Hall of Fame? Comment and let me know. 

The Donald Sterling Story Continues

It seems that Donald Sterling, the octogenarian owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, is always in the headlines these days. Recently, it was for his interview with Anderson Cooper of CNN. This was his first interview since the controversy over his racist comment started about two weeks ago. In the recording, Sterling is talking to his girlfriend, V. Stiviano. He scolds her for bringing African-Americans to Clippers games as well as posting pictures of herself with African-Americans on Instagram. No one knows hows the recording was obtained, though some of have said Sterling had started recording his conversations, as he was planning on writing a memoir.

In the interview with Cooper, denied allegations that he was a racist. Instead, he said that he had been "baited" into making those remarks by Stiviano, even though he believes she is a "good person". Her friends however, say that she wanted fame. Sterling also denied that he had an intimate relationship with Stiviano, who is almost 50 years younger than him. His estranged wife however, believes that the relationship is intimate. Shelly Sterling is currently suing Stiviano to get back more than $2 million in gifts that Donald Sterling gave her. 

Shelly Sterling is also involved in a battle for ownership of the Clippers. Donald Sterling still owns the franchise, but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is working with other NBA owners to force Sterling out of the league. Silver also issued Sterling a $2.5 million fine (the maximum amount that can be fined) and issued a lifetime ban on him, which means that Sterling will no longer be allowed to associate with the Clippers or the NBA. Shelly Sterling meanwhile, has said that she would like ownership of the team, even though many people, including NBA analyst Charles Barkeley, has stated that no player would play for the Clippers if any member of the Sterling family owned the team next year.

One man who is reportedly interested in buying the Clippers is Magic Johnson, one of the owners of the MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers and WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. Sterling did mention Johnson many times in his interview, even saying that Johnson told him to keep quiet. Johnson responded on Twitter by saying that he no longer wanted to talk about Sterling. Sterling also slammed Johnson for having HIV and for not helping African-Americans.

Many people have come to the defense of Magic Johnson, who is also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Silver issued an apology to Johnson, saying that he was sorry that Johnson kept being "dragged into the situation". Filmmaker Spike Lee also has defended Johnson, saying that he is "loved by everybody around the world".

As this story continues to unfold, it's hard to predict what will happen. One thing is for sure though: there will be a complex, legal battle that could get very messy.