The list ? rather, a laundry list to befit NASCAR’s use of Tide to save the end of the race ? of reasons why NASCAR’s foray into unknown territory Monday night ? when, for the first time, it held a race in prime time ? is almost as long as the red flag caused by the exploding jet dryer.

It could include things like the lack of promotion about the rescheduled time for the Daytona 500, a TV network pre-empting popular shows, competition from other prime time slots and general unawareness that the race ? NASCAR’s most-watched by the general public ? was going green on a non-NASCAR night after a Sunday full of dashed hopes and disappointment.

[Related: 2003 champion Matt Kenseth claims second Daytona 500 victory, holds off Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

But instead, the Sunday rain showers that created a first in Daytona 500 history by delaying the race until Monday also presented NASCAR with its first great opportunity to try what many have long hypothesized: racing on a weeknight.

And did it ever. The numbers exploded like ?and no doubt assisted by ? the raging Turn 3 inferno Juan Pablo Montoya’s car inadvertently caused by destroying a jet engine used for track cleaning and drying purposes.

In the United States, 36.5 million people saw some portion of the 54th Daytona 500 during it’s six-hour broadcast window, making it the most-watched NASCAR broadcast ever for Fox and the second-most watched Daytona 500 in history. Only the 2006 race on NBC was seen by a half-million more people. The Great American Race averaged a whopping 13.7 million viewers during its entirety.

The total audience represented a 22 percent jump from the 2011 race that went off without a hitch and saw young Trevor Bayne take the checkered flag. And, most importantly, Fox led the prime time pack in the Adults 18-49 category and likely influenced a 10 percent drop in last week’s Monday winner “The Voice.”

[Dan Wetzel: Danica Patrick's Daytona 500 dream turns into nightmare]

The weeknight race even worked at the speedway. NASCAR estimated a healthy 140,000 people came back after sitting through the deluge of rain Sunday and early Monday despite the logistics of air travel, hotel rooms, rental cars and work schedules being a bona fide mess. Sure, that’s not a capacity crowd and it’s probably an inflated number, but it’s still larger than any Super Bowl crowd ever.

These numbers are important for NASCAR because they show that the marquee events can still remain marquee events even away from the traditional Saturday night or Sunday slots. And those numbers are a direct result of less than 12 hours of promotion, as NASCAR announced at 10:15 a.m. ET Monday that it would race at 7 p.m. Monday night. That fact alone says volumes about NASCAR’s embrace of social media that all but sent the news of a Monday night NASCAR race virally across the Internet.

But logistically, NASCAR moving to a format that showcases even one or two races per season on a weeknight is a tough flower to blossom.

The largest obstacle, late in NASCAR’s season when interest would ideally grow the largest, is the behemoth that is the NFL. Any attempts for NASCAR to rival that with a Monday night race ? and even a Thursday night race ? would be feeble, at best. This sport needs substantial and sustained growth before that conversation would ever be realistic.

[Related: Juan Pablo Montoya sets Daytona track ablaze after hitting jet dryer]

That leaves us with early and mid-season races at tracks that can handle four important things: race at night, draw a near-capacity crowd, provide consistently exciting action and influence a new audience of NASCAR fans to take note. Simply racing on a weeknight to race on a weeknight is not a smart business idea; growing the level of interest and total audience is.

To me, that leaves a few possible ideas for race locations that would include Daytona, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Texas, Richmond, Atlanta, Bristol and Darlington. My most ideal candidate would be Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, despite the current lack of lights at that facility. Change that obstacle and racing at the venue on a weeknight makes a ton of sense.

There’d be sure-fire close racing, certain raised tempers and most likely a dramatic finish. Plus, it’s a close venue for teams and has a relatively small seating capacity ? making a one-day show for the Sprint Cup Series easier to fill for appearance purposes.

Save for repeating the Daytona 500 on a Monday night ? if a rain-delayed edition can be wildly popular, then a scheduled one has the chance to be even more epic ? racing on Thursday nights may be best. It would afford opportunities for fans to stay in the event of a rain postponement, and may work well as a way to lead off a weekend where the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series could take center stage at the venue.

[Related: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has another second-place finish at Daytona, winless streak continues]

Thursdays, however, are notoriously popular television nights for most networks, and following a Monday night scheme already laid down by the NFL might be just as smart. Capitalize on a weekend of support series action and feature an improved qualifying system for Sprint Cup teams to generate interest, and then light the candle for a 300- to 400-mile race Monday night that tucks nicely in a three-hour window.

Two days ago, the idea of weeknight racing seemed more far-fetched than the idea of one car beating two in a tandem to win the Daytona 500. Now that we’ve crossed that bridge ? and more importantly ? seen how well NASCAR’s biggest event can do with shoestring promotion, it’s time for NASCAR to explore the options.

The sport has a chance to grow on a special weeknight format. There’s no better time to try it.

Did you like seeing the Daytona 500 in Monday night prime time? Let me know below. But before, here’s my musings of the best, worst and just OK from the weekend that literally scorched into our memories.

HOT: 200 gallons of jet fuel exploded and later burned in the form of 20-foot flames at the top of a steep bank of pavement Monday night in Daytona Beach. Not a soul was seriously injured, millions focused their attention to the incident in a lighthearted fashion good for the sport and the race was able to carry on. That those facts can be put together is a true testament to some incredible work by the safety officials on scene for the Juan Pablo Montoya vs. track jet dryer incident.

[Dan Wetzel: The 2012 edition of the Great American Race was anything but ordinary]

That said, it’s apparent NASCAR is going to need a stronger contingency plan for jet fuel fires. I have no doubt they will, and today remain grateful for the collected effort and intelligent snap decisions of those charged with resolving the situation. That was cool to see.

HOT: Realize that Monday’s race could very well be this generation’s “And there’s a fight!” moment, just as the 1979 Daytona 500 engaged viewers who had never given NASCAR more than a passing thought. It wasn’t perfect, but no race is. Monday was damn memorable, and I know I won’t be forgetting it. I’m glad to have ridden the roller coaster that this last week was in Daytona.

NOT: Dale Earnhardt Jr. insisted after the race that “NASCAR can’t catch a break,” and listed the rain delays, the 2010 pothole and the The Great American Jet Fuel Burning incident as sorrowful incidents.

I’ll cede him the rain and maybe the pothole, but Monday night’s fire ? after it was resolved with minimal injury and continued great racing ? was the best thing to happen to NASCAR during its smartly done Monday night experiment. Millions tuned to the race to see what the hubbub was about, and a chunk of those hung around until the end. Millions more saw it across television networks and web content, while still others made it their first point of conversation at work Tuesday.

Turn 3 exploded at the Daytona 500 on live television. Everyone lived. They saved the day with Tide, a standard garden spreader, leaf blowers and later another jet dryer.

What’s more engaging to red-blooded Americans than that? Let it ride, June Bug.

HOT: Joining the track safety workers in the “deserving a steak dinner” category is the entire Roush Fenway engine department. In the era of identical NASCAR race cars, they captured the entire Daytona 500 front row, won a Gatorade Duel qualifying race and held serve for most of the Daytona 500 before easily strutting to victory lane.

That’s all about strong, reliable motors. Kudos.

NOT: Two people were hurt by parts flying off Joey Coulter’s fence-ripping crash in the Friday night Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona, primarily because they were located so close to a pack of heavy machines streaking by at 185 miles per hour.

I get that liability in those scenarios tends to fall on the race fan who agreed to sit there knowing the risks, but NASCAR should insist fans sit much farther away from the track surface. The image liability of having fans dying from a nasty crash is not worth it.

HOT: Speaking of fans, how impressive was the attendance Monday night? I’d be willing to bet fewer people will purchase tickets to July’s Sprint Cup race at Daytona than returned for a rained-delayed show. The loyalty was just awesome.

NEUTRAL: I personally thought the hybrid racing NASCAR created by limiting tandem drafting in the Sprint Cup Series was a much better show than last year’s event. That said, passing seemed to be a premium objective that was hard to accomplish.

[Jeff Passan: Passan: Brad Keselowski triples his Twitter followers during long Daytona delay]

As the Daytona track surface ages, handling going away from drivers during a run will help alleviate that issue. Until then, NASCAR might need to make another round of slight adjustments to increase passing opportunities.

NOT: It’s a good thing Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran second in the Daytona 500, because otherwise many would have forgotten Hendrick Motorsports even showed up. The team didn’t earn a front row spot, didn’t win the Budweiser Shootout, didn’t win a qualifying race and failed to finish three of its four Sprint Cup teams. Daytona Speedeeks can be seriously crazy.

HOT: Brad Keselowski tweeting during the red flag and immediately after he crashed was amazing cool, and NASCAR did the right thing in not leveling obscure penalties on the sport’s best user of social media. As long as he and other drivers are smart about their in-car social media transactions, NASCAR could make some big strides on other sports on athlete connectivity.

NOT: The #DaytonaHostageCrisis Twitter hashtag used by drivers and media alike was shortsighted. Fans who paid hefty sums of money weren’t able to enjoy this once-a-year event thanks to circumstances out of their control. It doesn’t reflect well when the people who are paid to be there act like waiting for the race to start is a horrible thing, even in jest.

Grin, and bear it. Or just go home.

HOT/LAST: This is was first time to work directly alongside my Yahoo! colleagues, including the talented list of Nick Bromberg, Jay Busbee, Jay Hart, Jeff Passan and Dan Wetzel. Every minute was a joy, and I learned a lot about how they have been so successful in this fun world, mainly by being able to identify the most interesting part of any story for fans and not getting lost in the minutiae. Those guys work really hard to produce great and engaging content, and I was honored to work alongside them during my fourth trip to NASCAR’s iconic race.

That said, this post figures to be my final for this great section of the blogosphere we call From the Marbles. It’s a fact of life in this industry, and I’m still holding out hope that something new can be worked out that allows me to rejoin this great team. In the meantime, thanks for all of the fun live chats, comment sections and Twitter back-and-forths. I’ve enjoyed writing for you, and I hope you’ve been able to handle me hanging around. Enjoy the excitement of a new racing season!

Follow Geoffrey Miller on Twitter (@GeoffreyMiller).

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Forde Minutes: College basketball’s five remaining big questions
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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/hot-not-monday-night-nascar-works-36-million-232927232.html

Derrick Rose Dirk Nowitzki Dorell Wright Dwight Howard Dwyane Wade

Smith had impressed fans and staff alike earlier this season when he filled in for Ian White, who was suffering from a broken jaw after blocking a shot.

After playing in just three games in November, Smith had two points, but he was inevitably sent back down the the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

When Detroit traded for Kyle Quincey two weeks later, Smith’s outlook on seeing ice time in Detroit this season got even worse.

And then in the course of one day, everything changed for Smith. On the day of the trade deadline, extra defender Mike Commodore was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, while Nicklas Lidstrom and Kyle Quincey were listed as day-to-day.

Just before that, Jonathan Ericsson had broken his wrist in a game against the Colorado Avalanche, opening yet another spot.

Smith was immediately called up and has played in three more games with the Red Wings. Just when it seemed like his services would no longer be needed, Jakub Kindl came down with an injury in Sunday’s game against Chicago, opening the door for Smith’s opportunity.

The talented young prospect has already proved plenty in the few games that he’s been back with the Red Wings. He’s been solid defensively for Detroit and scored his first NHL goal in Detroit’s home game against the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

And then, of course, there’s the video above. Smith didn’t take much of a liking to Chicago prospect Andrew Shaw hacking at Joey MacDonald, and after two quick punches from Shaw, Smith quickly went on the attack.

The fight means a lot for Smith as he’s up in Detroit. While he’s not billed as an enforcer or a fighter, he’s proved that he’s willing to stand up for his teammates. When you connect that with his solid defensive play and impressive offensive numbers this season, he’s certainly making himself indispensable for Detroit.

Ericsson is still projected to be out of action for another month, but when he gets back, he and Kindl could find themselves fighting with Smith for a roster spot.

Certainly Smith is going to be a good NHL player; he’s projected to be a top-line defender and a frequent All-Star game participant. The question is just whether or not he’s ready to play at the NHL level over players such as Kindl and Ericsson.

He’s certainly making his case. 

Jordan Matthews is a Featured Columnist for the Detroit Red Wings and the NHL. For more coverage, you can read his articles here:

Brendan Smith and Detroit’s Top Five Most Well-Kept Secrets

Down to Biznasty: Paul Bissonnette’s Top 20 Tweets; February Edition

You can also follow Jordan on Twitter @JordanMatthew11

Read more Detroit Red Wings news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1092377-fight-video-brendan-smith-drops-the-mitts-with-andrew-shaw

Cole Hamels Dallas Braden David Price Felix Hernandez Francisco Liriano

The solution? Why, hire a 36-year-old goalie as an insurance policy!

Marty Turco, last seen in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks last season, has been signed by the Bruins on a one-year contract. From the Bruins:

Turco will be placed on waivers and if he clears waivers, he will join the Bruins on Wednesday, March 7. Please also note that if he does clear waivers, he will not be eligible to play in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs should the Bruins qualify, as he is joining the club after the Trade Deadline.

The 36-year-old Turco is a 10-year NHL veteran who has played in 538 regular season games with the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks. The 36-year-old Turco is a 10-year NHL veteran who has played in 538 regular season games with the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks. During the 2010-11 NHL season as a member of the Blackhawks, Turco went 11-11-3 with a 3.02 GAA and .897 Save Percentage. Turco most recently played for EC Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian First Division this year, where he made four regular season appearances and recorded a 2.64 Goals Against Average and .934 Save Percentage. He also played in six postseason games for Red Bull Salzburg and registered a 3.16 GAA And .911 Save Percentage.

Turco signed with EC Salzburg and their spiffy Red Bull sweaters for the European Trophy Finals and then signed on for the rest of the season.

Can he effectively spot-start down the stretch to give Thomas a rest, with Rask on the shelf? It’s a good place for Turco to land, given the defensive prowess in front of him ? the Bruins are sixth in the NHL in team GAA.

But as long as Thomas is healthy, one expects Turco to spend the majority of his time on the Bruins bench. Which means fans sitting near the glass better be ready to ante up.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/tuukka-rask-4-6-weeks-boston-bruins-turn-022413514.html

Paul Konerko Rajai Davis Robinson Cano Shin-Soo Choo Torii Hunter

One impressively making it to the top of the heap. The other signaling he’s still more than a face in the crowd but seeing his old crown placed on a younger head despite his best efforts.

Tiger’s furious finish wasn’t enough to steal Rory’s thunder, but it did wonders for the tournament’s attendance and TV ratings.

That’s what Tiger Woods’ presence has meant to golf since he turned pro in 1996. He’s still the biggest star in the game and will probably earn more money than any other golfer for years to come even if he never wins another tournament.

Just look at the logo on his hat. Who can top that?

But following Tiger now is different from what it was before his personal life blew up for all the world to see. The so carefully managed public image was revealed to be a mirage.

Tiger inside the ropes was a golfing assassin with a killer smile. Tiger inside the house was apparently, a louse at least to his wife. 

So, now he’s trying to come back. He seems recovered from physical injury but the damage to his reputation is still a bleeding wound.

Tiger may be able to change his swing but it doesn’t appear that he’s capable of changing himself. Many of us aren’t.

Woods still lets the press get to him and sulks in a way Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer never did when things weren’t going their way on the golf course.

The great golfers have had big egos but most have been more gracious than Tiger Woods. We’ve learned he’s human and not all that likable. Ask his ex-caddy. Ask the other pros. 

Are we still rooting for him or are we now just like an audience at a Shakespeare play enthralled in the plot, waiting to see what happens next?

I for one think that there are so many new young players with great potential that Tiger’s time left on center stage is not going to be all that long.

If he wins again, we’ll admire that achievement respectfully but not adoringly. Those days aren’t numbered, they’re over.

If Palmer put golf on television and made it a legitimate American spectator sport, Tiger Woods took it to the next level and made himself and many of his competitors rich.

He is owed a lot for that—but does professional golf still need him to be able to thrive going forward?

No, those days are over, too.

Read more Golf news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1092350-does-golf-need-tiger-woods-anymore

David Garrard Jon Kitna Kyle Orton Jay Cutler Eli Manning

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. ? After three years, one winning season and a singular postseason appearance under Rich Rodriguez, it would seem that Michigan head coach Brady Hoke is on the right path. The Wolverines were 11-2 last year, their best record since 2006, and they finished the year with a Sugar Bowl win over Virginia Tech.

But for Hoke, his first year was just the foundation for what he hopes will be the rebuilding of the once proud tradition in the wake of the spread offense debacle under Rodriguez.

“We got a lot of work to do, team No. 133 is now coming together, every team is different, every season is different,” Hoke told Yahoo! Sports. “A lot of preparation lays ahead of us.

“We’ll continue to move in the direction that we want to be. Our goal and expectation this year is to win the Big Ten championship and we didn’t do that last year? we failed in that regard. We need to get guys who want that goal, guys that will meet that expectation.”

It wasn’t an easy job for Hoke to come into a program that had undergone NCAA sanctions under Rodriguez and struggled mightily to win games. His ability to turn Michigan around was recognized this weekend by the Maxwell Football Club as he was named the 2011 College Coach of the Year, helping to restore the program’s luster.

He also made strides on the recruiting trail.

The past three years, Ann Arbor had not been the destination for top players as it had been in the past, but after a successful 2011, Hoke pulled in the seventh-best recruiting class in the nation according to Rivals.com. Hoke said it was the type of class that can bring the Wolverines conference titles and into BCS bowl games.

“When you look at the group of linemen offensively and the defensive linemen that we’ve brought in ? that is where the game starts,” Hoke said.

“We filled some needs at wide receiver, a little bit at running back and at linebacker too. I’m happy with this class.”

The season included a win over Ohio State in what is arguably the deepest college football rivalry north of the Mason-Dixon Line.  Now, with Urban Meyer as head coach of the Buckeyes, Hoke has serious competition in the Big Ten as the coach with the most swagger. Meyer made a big splash on Signing Day as he hauled in a bevy of national recruits, including the highly touted Noah Spence out of Pennsylvania.

However, Hoke is embracing the big-name coach on the Buckeyes sidelines as the next chapter of this storied rivalry unfolds. He even went as far as calling the school down south by its proper name.

“It’s never about a coach in this rivalry, it is about two great universities,” Hoke said.

“We have a lot of respect for that school, for Ohio State, and I like to think they feel the same way about us.”

- – -
“Like” Dr. Saturday on Facebook for football conversations and stuff you won’t see on the blog. And follow Dr. Saturday at its new home on Twitter: @YahooDrSaturday

Follow Kristian R. Dyer on Twitter: @KristianRDyer

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/brady-hoke-readies-repeat-success-two-020650007.html

Hakeem Nicks Miles Austin Marques Colston Brandon Marshall Jason Witten

As if having his team’s NCAA tournament hopes jeopardized by Monday’s crushing loss to VCU weren’t bad enough for Drexel’s Daryl McCoy, the junior forward also had to endure a memorable wardrobe malfunction.

TV cameras caught McCoy with his pants down with about seven minutes left in the first half of VCU’s 59-56 win in the CAA title game. When VCU freshman Treveon Graham lost his balance after being fouled on the way to the rim, he steadied himself on McCoy and somehow tugged his shorts down to his ankles in the process.

“Mr. McCoy has a wardrobe malfunction,” ESPN play-by-play announcer Carter Blackburn joked. “Cover your eyes, kids.”

[NCAA tournament tracker: VCU, the 2011 darling, is back dancing]

It’s tempting to say that Drexel was also exposed Monday night, but that could not be further from the truth. The Dragons, winners of 19 straight prior to Monday, took VCU to the wire in a venue that might as well have been the Rams’ home court, battling back from a 14-point deficit only to fall when Frantz Massenat’s attempt at a game-tying three just before the buzzer missed the mark.

Drexel’s fate is now in the hands of the selection committee, never a spot you want to be in.

Will the Dragons’ gaudy 27-6 record and outright CAA title outweigh its meager strength of schedule and lack of quality wins outside its league? It won’t be until Selection Sunday that we know for sure.

Rivals.com: Coach of the year

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger-college-basketball-blog/drexel-forward-gets-pantsed-national-tv-143014357.html

Nick Swisher Orlando Hudson Paul Konerko Rajai Davis Robinson Cano

Those whispers became vocal conversations when Smith was called up to the Red Wings AHL affiliate team, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the 2010-11 season.

He had spent the previous three years playing for the University of Wisconsin, where he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist, an award granted to the top men’s ice hockey player in the NCAA.

While there will never be another Nicklas Lidstrom, Smith was and is being looked at as the cornerstone piece in preparation of filling the gap Lidstrom will leave in his retirement whenever (or if ever) that may be.

Smith is 23 years of age, stands 6’1’ weighs 199 pounds and was born in Ontario. Canada. He amassed 32 points in 63 games with the Griffins and made his NHL debut on Nov. 17, 2011.

He has since had four more appearances wearing the winged wheel where he has put up three points in limited ice time.

One of those points came by way of his first goal on March 2, 2012 where he helped the Wings in gathering a 6-0 win in front of his parents, who were present at the game.

A game where Smith got his start by way of both Lidstrom and Jonathan Ericsson being injured and, Mike Commodore being recently traded away.

All eyes should be on Smith not only to take a glimpse into the future of the Red Wing blue line. Not only to see what role he could play in the ever-present (but hopefully never realized) threat of a Lidstrom retirement.  Not only to watch an up-and-coming star.

But to understand who he is. How he plays. And what his future will bring.

Right now, his future is looking bright. The organization seems to value and like him a lot. As does Coach Mike Babcock, his Red Wing teammates including recent linemate Jakub Kindl, and the Red Wings fans.  

The Red Wings may be known for the talent found past the fifth round of the draft; however, this first-round pick shows great promise.

Read more Detroit Red Wings news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1090044-detroit-red-wings-all-eyes-on-brendan-smith

Hakeem Nicks Miles Austin Marques Colston Brandon Marshall Jason Witten

Squarely in that spotlight: The Jets’ GST Line of Tanner Glass, Jim Slater and Chris Thorburn, which is one of the best energy lines in the NHL. Not only because of their grittiness, but because of their surprising skill ? like this ridiculous dangle by Thorburn against Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. Holy smokes, who knew he had those hands?

After three wins, an OT loss and two shutouts on this road trip ? earning him player of the week honors ? it was a frustrating Monday night for Miller. His team lost a chance to match the Jets in points for the No. 8 seed, losing at Winnipeg 3-1.

(UPDATE: Ryan Miller says no dangle. “He drove the net hard and kinda bailed on the play, put it in my pads. He got a nice bounce back to him. So it looked like a sick toe-drag ? he dumped it off my pad when he thought he was going to cut off and ? poof ? it’s straight back on his tape. I’ll give him credit for driving the net and making a pretty goal, but I don’t want him to get too cocky, that greasy kid. I don’t want him talking about how he toe-dragged everyone.” Via Illegal Curve.)

But he was also summarily mocked by the Jets fans, who gave him Bronx cheers when he stopped routine pucks, chanted “Millll-er!” and really upped the taunting ante with this singsong in the third period:

That’s right: Winnipeg Jets fans were chanting “Silver Medal!” at the U.S. Olympic goalie who came up one win short in 2010. Damn, yo.

The Jets now have 72 points, three ahead of the Washington Capitals. Would the Rangers or Bruins want to play three playoff games in Winnipeg this April?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/watch-chris-thorburn-dangle-ryan-miller-goal-jets-034756644.html

Ahmad Bradshaw Ray Rice Peyton Hillis Darren McFadden Cedric Benson

Four weeks later, the Vols are somehow on the cusp of NCAA tournament contention in a supposed rebuilding year.

Tennessee has elevated itself from anonymity into the at-large picture by reeling off eight wins in its final nine games culminating in Saturday’s 68-61 victory over rival Vanderbilt. The Vols almost certainly wouldn’t be in the field if the season ended today, but they’ve given themselves an opportunity to make a realistic case if they can continue their torrid play in the SEC tournament and reach the title game.

At 18-13 overall and 10-6 in the SEC, Tennessee boasts a sweep of Florida, a victory over Vanderbilt and a non-league win against UConn. The Vols’ RPI is still in the mid 70s as a result of non-league losses against the likes of Oakland, Austin Peay and Charleston, but they can point to a 9-5 record since freshman forward Jarnell Stokes joined the team in mid-January.

What will give Tennessee a great chance of improving its profile next week in New Orleans is a potentially favorable SEC tournament draw.

Assuming Kentucky beats Florida in today’s SEC regular season finale, Tennessee would be the No. 2 seed in the tournament. That would mean the Vols would get a very winnable quarterfinal against either Ole Miss or Auburn and avoid the top-seeded Wildcats until a potential title game.

How has Tennessee overcome the departure of coach Bruce Pearl and last year’s stars Tobias Harris and Scottie Hopson? By adopting new coach Cuonzo Martin’s defense-first philosophy.

Once a run-and-gun up-tempo program under Pearl, the Vols have allowed the third-fewest points per possession in SEC play (.95) and have allowed teams to shoot just 39.3 percent against them. High-powered Vanderbilt shot just 39 percent from the field on Saturday with its star trio of John Jenkins, Jeff Taylor and Festus Ezeli combining to miss 25 of 37 shots.

After the Vanderbilt game, reporters asked Martin during his news conference whether the Vols belong in the field of 68.

“Are we an NCAA tournament team? Yes,” Martin said confidently. “Is there work to be done? I don’t know. I’m not on the committee. We’ve got to continue to win ball games. But if you’re talking about is this an NCAA tournament team? There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Martin’s either lobbying or being a tad over-optimistic there, but that shouldn’t discount what his team has accomplished. That Tennessee is even on the fringes of the at-large discussion is one of the college basketball season’s pleasant surprises.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger-college-basketball-blog/stunning-surge-tennessee-contention-ncaa-bid-140012457.html

Michael Bush Jahvid Best Danny Woodhead Justin Forsett Brandon Lloyd

With the best fighters in mixed martial arts currently manning the promotion’s eight divisions, along with the TV shows, month-to-month PPV events and broadcast deals with FOX and FX, the UFC has the world at its fingertips. 

But while the company seeks profits at every corner, does its unmatchable desire to do so deflate the entertainment value as a whole?

It depends.  And that’s exactly what’s up for debate.

There’s no disputing that the UFC has more than made up for lost time in mainstream America over the past couple of years.  They’ve transformed a crippled company into one of the most popular franchises worldwide, due in part to president Dana White‘s promotional sensibility. 

However, the UFC has arguably grown itself thin.  With dozens of new fighters, new events, higher expectations, injury-riddled champions and increased viewing prices for even the oldest of fans, the company has become somewhat one-dimensional. 

For the UFC, the main issue is to create a reputable brand revolving around recognition and creativity, and using that popularity to earn profits.

That’s all well and good—it’s a business at heart.  But even though the company has been the forefront for MMA within American sports over the past decade, the action inside the cage and the efforts to preserve the sport’s greatest asset (the fights themselves) may be deemed unsatisfactory in the eyes of its detrimental fanbase.

Sure, some fights have been monumental over the past few years in securing the prestige of worthwhile entertainment for each and every viewer, but as previously mentioned, the more events, fighters, promotions and media facets that the company produces, the thinner it becomes. 

However, there’s a flip side to this notion, being that in order to promote the sport and keep it growing in comparison to major entities already in place, you have to write a new page in the book at every turn. 

But when you dismantle the entertainment machine that’s responsible for the popularity of the sport itself, aren’t you sabotaging the essence of competition?

This may seem generic, whining about the entertainment value of seeing two fighters try to knock each other out, but it’s important to understand where your money is going. 

Fans don’t pay to see lackluster fights.  Fans don’t spend their hard-earned cash to see a pay-per-view event end after 25 minutes of championship jabbing.  Fans aren’t spending their valuable time following the UFC to see their favorite fighters compete only twice a calender year, mostly due in part to the company’s efforts to expand divisions, create new ones and offer content directed toward “potentially new” fans.

Don’t get me wrong—the more MMA fights in mainstream sports, the better.  But at some point, mixing the fights fans want to see with the ones that the UFC is putting forth to fill event slots, PPV under cards, PPV main cards and broadcast freebees, takes away from the overall entertainment value.  A good portion of these bouts prove unworthy, whether they cost $44.99 or not.

The point to this whole thing is that somehow, the UFC—the company that has branded itself as being the fastest-growing sport in the world—may in fact be growing, but within the completely wrong capacity.

And even though the company has done everything imaginable to create the best fights in the world, sometimes it is better off to slow things down, diagnose what you have and what works best and let the entertainment speak for itself.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1094074-is-the-ufcs-entertainment-value-declining

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