2013 NBA Mock Draft 3.0

1. Cleveland - Nerlens Noel  C/Kentucky

2. Orlando - Ben McLemore  SG/Kansas

3. Washington - Otto Porter  SF/Georgetown

4. Charlotte - Anthony Bennett  PF/UNLV

5. Phoenix - Victor Oladipo  SG/Indiana

6. New Orleans - Trey Burke  PG/Michigan

7. Sacramento - Alex Len  C/Maryland

8. Detroit - CJ McCollum  SG/Lehigh

9. Minnesota - Shabazz Muhammad  SF/UCLA

10. Portland - Cody Zeller  C/Indiana

11. Philadelphia - Kelly Olynyk  C/Gonzaga

12. Oklahoma City - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope  SG/Georgia

13. Dallas - Michael Carter-Williams  PG/Syracuse

14. Utah - Shane Larkin  PG/Miami

15. Milwaukee - Dario Saric  PF/Croatia

16. Boston - Steven Adams  C/Pittsburgh

17. Atlanta - Mason Plumlee  PF/Duke

18. Atlanta - Tim Hardaway Jr.  SG/Michigan

19. Cleveland - Sergey Karasev  SF/Russia

20. Chicago - Allan Crabbe  SG/Cal

21. Utah - Tony Mitchell  PF/North Texas

22. Brooklyn - Jamaal Franklin  SF/San Diego St.

23. Indiana - Archie Goodwin  SG/Kentucky

24. New York - Glen Rice Jr.  SG/Georgia Tech

25. LA Clippers - Giannis Abetokunbo  SF/Greece

26. Minnesota - Rudy Gobert  C/France

27. Denver - Gorgui Dieng  C/Louisville

28. San Antonio - Jeff Withey  C/Kansas

29. Oklahoma City - Lucas Nogueira  C/Brazil

30. Phoenix - Reggie Bullock  SF/North Carolina

2013 US Open (Golf)

The world's best golf players tee off in our national championship Thursday morning. Merion Golf Club in suburban Philadelphia will play host to the US Open for the fifth time. This will be the first time since 1981. I'm sure everyone is shocked to learn that Tiger Woods has been pegged the oddsmakers favorite at 4 to 1. This is a familiar spot for Woods. He has not delivered on the big stage in recent years, despite seemingly coming in as the favorite all the time. He did not play well his last time out, and that was at a course he owns. Tiger is the only player with better than 20 to 1 odds. Those coming in at 20 to 1 are Phil Mickleson, Graeme McDowell, and Matt Kuchar. Here are my top ten bets to take home the US Open title.

1. Tiger Woods - USA (4 to 1)

World Golf Ranking: 1st

Best US Open Finish: Champion (2000, 2002, 2008)

Average 2013 Score: 69.86

2. Matt Kuchar - USA (20 to 1)

World Golf Ranking: 4th

Best US Open Finish: T6 (2010)

Average 2013 Score: 69.84

3. Brandt Snedeker - USA (25 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 7th

Best US Open Finish: T8 (2010)

Average 2013 Score: 69.97

4. Sergio Garcia - Spain (50 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 15th

Best US Open Finish: T3 (2005)

Average 2013 Score: 70.26

5. Lee Westwood - England (25 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 11th

Best US Open Finish: T3 (2008, 2011)

Average 2013 Score: 70.81

6. Rory McIlroy - Northern Ireland (25 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 2nd

Best US Open Finish: Champion (2011)

Average 2013 Score: 70.93

7. Ernie Els - South Africa (85 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 21st

Best US Open Finish: Champion (1994, 1997)

Average 2013 Score: 71.50

8. Graeme McDowell - Northern Ireland (20 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 8th

Best US Open Finish: Champion (2010)

Average 2013 Score: 70.77

9. Kevin Chappell - USA (80 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 103rd

Best US Open Finish: T3 (2011)

Average 2013 Score: 70.91

10. Phil Mickleson - USA (20 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 10th

Best US Open Finish: T2 (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009)

Average 2013 Score: 69.95

Prediction - Tiger Woods. For those of you who read my blog, it may seem like I pick Tiger to win every major. That is not the case, but he has certainly been my pick more than once over the last few years. He hasn't won a major since the 2008 US Open, which means every time I've picked him since then I've been wrong. I've got to be right one of these times. Tiger has been playing too well this season to get shutout from a major again. It's been five long years, but I think Tiger finally breaks through and wins his 15th major at Merion.

2013 Stanley Cup Finals

      
1 Chicago (-125) vs. 4 Boston (+145)

How they got here:

Chicago beat - Minnesota 4-1, Detroit 4-3, Los Angeles 4-1
Boston beat - Toronto 4-3, NY Rangers 4-1, Pittsburgh 4-0

The puck drops on the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night in the Windy City. I am still alive for a 3-peat. My preseason pick to hoist the Cup was the Chicago Blackhawks, I correctly picked the Kings to win it all before the 2012 season began and the Bruins in 2011. Chicago has made me look like I know what I'm talking about all season, as they have simply dominated the competition. Boston has not been too shabby either, especially in the postseason. It took a miracle for them to get past Toronto in the opening round, but they have been playing lights out ever since. After watching Boston completely dismantle the mighty Penguins, I have no doubt that we are left with the two best teams in hockey playing for the Stanley Cup.

Chicago is looking to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup for the fifth time in team history. It would be the second time in four seasons if they can get past Boston. Boston has won it even more recently. The Bruins won it in 2011, which was the team's sixth ever. Another one would give them two in three years. Both teams have obviously enjoyed a lot of success in recent years.

At the beginning of the year I thought the Blackhawks would win it all. They have not disappointed. They have had the best record in hockey from the very first day. They had a heck of a time versus Detroit in the West Semis, but they were able to get past Minnesota and LA rather easily to get to this point. This will be the best team they've seen in the postseason though. Boston made Pittsburgh look silly in the East Finals. They have been imposing their will on teams, and are peaking at the best time. That is not enough for me to go against my preseason pick though. Chicago will be sipping from the Cup when this series is all said and done.

Prediction - Chicago over Boston 4-2

2013 NBA Mock Draft 2.0

1. Cleveland - Nerlens Noel  C/Kentucky
2. Orlando - Ben McLemore  SG/Kansas
3. Washington - Otto Porter  SF/Georgetown
4. Charlotte - Alex Len  C/Maryland
5. Phoenix - Victor Oladipo  SG/Indiana
6. New Orleans - Anthony Bennett  PF/UNLV
7. Sacramento - Trey Burke  PG/Michigan
8. Detroit - CJ McCollum  SG/Lehigh
9. Minnesota - Shabazz Muhammad  SF/UCLA
10. Portland - Cody Zeller  C/Indiana
11. Philadelphia - Kelly Olynyk  C/Gonzaga
12. Oklahoma City - Rudy Gobert  C/France

13. Dallas - Michael Carter-Williams  PG/Syracuse

14. Utah - Dennis Schroeder  PG/Germany

15. Milwaukee - Dario Saric  PF/Croatia

16. Boston - Steven Adams  C/Pittsburgh

17. Atlanta - Mason Plumlee  PF/Duke

18. Atlanta - Giannis Abetokunbo  SF/Greece

19. Cleveland - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope  SG/Georgia

20. Chicago - Gorgui Dieng  C/Louisville

21. Utah - Tony Mitchell  PF/North Texas

22. Brooklyn - Sergey Karasev  SF/Russia

23. Indiana - Shane Larkin  PG/Miami

24. New York - Jamaal Franklin  SF/San Diego St.

25. LA Clippers - Allen Crabbe  SG/Cal

26. Minnesota - Lucas Nogueira  C/Brazil 

27.  Denver - Tony Snell  SF/New Mexico

28. San Antonio - Jeff Withey  C/Kansas

29. Oklahoma City - Reggie Bullock  SF/North Carolina

30. Phoenix - Tim Hardaway Jr.  SG/Michigan