Zurich Classic of New Orleans POTW: David Toms vs. Justin Rose

Welcome to our Picks of the Week game! Rules are simple: Each week Bernardo and I will select one golfer entered in the current tournament. Whichever golfer finishes highest earns one of us a point. Exceptions: 3 points if our golfer wins the whole thing, Major Championships are doubled (so that's a possibility of 6 points), and tied finishes result in 0 points. Oh, and once we use a golfer, we can't use him for the rest of year. We're doing this until the TOUR Championship. Bernardo has won this 2 times in a row, so let's see if he can go for the three peat! 

 VS

JJ: As we head to Louisiana, I decided to go with a guy who will be having his "homecoming" tournament this week: David Toms. David is making his 20th appearance in a tournament he very much enjoys. Not only did he grow up in Louisiana, he also attended LSU. So it's pretty clear that, in addition to his good play here (winner in 2001), he also will have a lot of crowd support. Good luck David!

Bernardo: This week I'm going with Justin Rose. He's definitely one of my favorite golfers and its about time he gets another win in the states.

JJ's used: Brandt Snedeker, Jason Dufner, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel, Retief Goosen, Jason Day, Charles Howell III, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose

Bernardo's used: Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, Aaron Baddeley, Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker, Brian Davis, Adam Scott

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Barclay's Premier League: Manchester United x 20

Earlier today, Manchester United won the English Premier League title for a record 20th time. To put that in perspective, that's as many times as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City COMBINED. A ridiculous stat from such a dominant team.

Since the inception of the "Premier League" in 1992, Man United have won the title 13 times, finished 2nd 5 times, and finished 3rd 3 times. No matter how you look at that, that's an amazing feat. To always be in contention for over 20 years is fantastic. FC Barcelona can't even match that. United are in  a dominant spell right now and have no signs of slowing down.

The event that really clinched the title for them was the signing of Dutch striker Robin Van Persie. To get him from Arsenal for a mere ₤24 million could go down as one of Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest accomplishments. RVP is leading the league in goals right now, and has saved Man U from many games in which they could have lost. Playing him up top as to compliment Wayne Rooney has worked fairly well, if I do say so myself.

Although United can't win any other trophy this season, you can easily say that they coveted this one the most after the heartbreak they endured last season. Next year, their eyes will most likely be set on defending their league title and winning the Champions League. And with them wrapping up the league with 4 games to go, you can already count on some stiffer competition from their rivals next season.

Congratulations, Manchester United. Even though I'm a Chelsea supporter, my hat is off to you for your great accomplishment this season. And even though I'm still bitter over how you beat CFC earlier in the EPL season, I can't wait to see my team give you a better challenge next season. You were clearly the best team in the premiership this season, and this title coming early only validates that. Good luck next year!

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RBC Heritage: G-Mac Attack

Even though the RBC Heritage is often played the week after Augusta, it almost never fails to disappoint us, and usually gives us great drama. This year was no exception. Much like last week's craziness at The Masters, Hilton Head brought us some pressure at the end of Sunday. Players like Luke Donald, Kevin Streelman, Webb Simpson, and Graeme McDowell were fighting for the plaid jacket all the way until the finish.

In the end, Graeme McDowell came away victorious, beating Webb Simpson in a playoff hole with a par. The conditions were pretty rough on Sunday, with 54 hole leader Charley Hoffman shooting an unfortunate 77 to knock him out of contention. In fact, Graeme had one of the lower rounds on the day, and he only shot a 2-under 69. That just shows you how tough it was.

The playoff hole was rough as well. Although both Graeme and Webb hit the fairway, Graeme was the only one who capitalized, by hitting his approach shot to 15 ft to force Webb to make a par. Webb, didn't and Graeme grabbed a victory.

With this win, Graeme moved from 50th to 6th in the FedEx Cup standings, and gave him some much needed confidence after a having a very forgetful Masters tournament.

Congrats, Graeme!

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HTWD Spotlight: KICKTV

So instead of writing about a sporting event/team/person, today I wanted to write a blog about a group that I've been a big fan of for the past few months. That group is KICKTV. If you don't know who they are, don't be alarmed. Read below to find out more about this awesome channel.

KICKTV is a YouTube channel that focuses on soccer, soccer, and more soccer. They launched a little over a year ago, and have been getting more and more popular by the month. As of April 19, 2013, they're at 430,000+ subscribers and have over 46,000,000 views on their channel. I first discovered this awesome channel with their series called "No Holden Back", which followed USMNT midfielder Stu Holden and his road to recovery from his knee injuries. I was quickly hooked, and subscribed almost immediately.

From that point on, KICKTV has gone on to create a variety of shows and series to entertain virtually any soccer fanatic. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Forza Roma: One of KICKTV's newer shows, Forza Roma gives us some insight on what the players  are like. Hosted by Roberta Mastomichele, this new series comes out weekly and has currently gone through 3 episodes. Click here to watch the latest Forza Roma video.

The Rumor Mill: Hosted by Layla Anna-Lee, this weekly show gives us the latest information on the rumors that are going on in world soccer. Every and any big soccer rumor is covered by TRM, and it allows you to stay up to date. Click here to watch the latest TRM video.

The Whip: Want to see the latest trending soccer videos? Say no more. Hosted by Rachel Bonnetta, this weekly video clip show brings you the funniest and most informative videos that are on the web. So, if you ever make a viral soccer video, then you can definitely expect it to be featured here. Click here to watch the latest video of The Whip.

The Gear Show: Out of all the shows KICKTV has to offer, this is probably my favorite. Hosted by Ben Hooper and Bryan Byrne, this show focuses on the latest and greatest soccer items on the market. Ben and Bryan test and review things such as balls, boots, and jerseys. Each review has good insight and humor, and I'm always looking forward to what they'll review next. Click here to watch the latest Gear Show video.

The Mixer: Possibly KICKTV's most frequent show, The Mixer comes out a few times a week to help keep us up to date with the latest scores/news in world soccer. Usually hosted by Ryan Bailey, this show covers every major soccer league and the latest news/opinions on each. Plus, Ryan has a cool accent and is a very soccer-savvy guy, so you'll definitely be entertained. Click here to watch the latest Mixer video.

Jimmy Conrad's American Soccer Spectacular: As you can see by the title, this great show is hosted by the great Jimmy Conrad himself. Jimmy (and his fantastic hair) talk to various American soccer related people (Megan Rapinoe, Jozy Altidore) about American soccer related stuff. In other words, if you're a big USMNT fan like me, you're gonna love these videos. Click here to watch the latest video.

In order to not make this post longer than it already is, I'm gonna have to stop there. There are many more cool videos that KICTV put out daily, and I recommend you go check them all out. And who knows, if you become a big enough fan, you might even be able to get some free gear and become one of their #KICKTVULTRAS. Check them out first, though. They are my favorite channel on YouTube and are awesome at what they do.

KICKTV Links:

YouTube: youtube.com/KICKTV
Facebook: fb.com/kick
Twitter: twitter.com/KICKTV
Instagram: instagram.com/KICKTV
Tumblr: kicktv.tumblr.com

To see what you get for being in the #KICKTVULTRAS, check out my instagram (@jj_sanchez)

Follow us on twtter: twitter.com/HTWDSports - @HTWDSports

The Masters: Adam At Augusta

Whew. 

What a tournament. What a Masters. What a week.

After 4 incredible days of golf, Adam Scott has finally grabbed a major championship that he rightfully deserved. It didn't come easy, and it almost didn't come at all. 

Scott started the day 1 shot off of the leaders, Angel Cabrera and Brandt Snedeker. Adam started off slowly, making a sloppy bogey on the first hole and being forced to scramble on the 2nd hole for a par. But on the back 9, that's where Adam (and the tournament) really took off. After getting a lucky break on 13, he went on to make 3 birdies coming in to post -9. Hole 18 was where his shining moment came: making a 20+ footer which put him in the lead. It looked like he was going to put on the green jacket soon. Until...

Angel Cabrera, who was hanging around the lead for most of the day, hits the shot of his life and sticks his approach shot on 18 to 2 feet and makes birdie to tie Adam. And with that, we were off to a playoff.

You would think that, with major championship pressure along with playing in the pouring rain, the quality of the playoff would be a disappointment. Well, that was certainly not the case. Both Cabrera and Scott pipe their drives on the 18th, and, although they both missed the green, they both hit nice chips to save their pars. Then, they both smoke their drives on #10, the 2nd playoff hole (Angel did this with an iron, which was ridiculous). Angel then hit a nice shot to the middle of the green. Adam followed suit with a 15 footer, pin high. 

Then came the putts.

Cabrera's burns the edge! Almost forced Adam to make his, but instead makes par and left Adam with a chance to win The Masters outright. 

And with that, Adam took his putt and BURIED IT. 

Gone are the days of Australians hoping to win The Masters. Gone are the days of Adam Scott being one of the "best players without a major". Gone are the shots to be played of this years Masters.

After heartbreak for Adam in 2012 at the Open, many of us were glad to see him finally break through. His potential that was seen at THE PLAYERS a decade ago was finally realized at the greatest golf tournament in the world. Hopefully, this just opens the door for him. At only 32, he still has a lot of time to capture more titles and become the Hall of Fame golfer that I know he can be.

Congratulations, Adam!

NOTE: Before I leave, let me say a few things about The Masters. If you weren't a golf fan before today and just watched today's round, then you should totally pick up the sport. It's not as easy as they made it look, and trust me, you'll be as hooked as many of us are when you play golf. Also, I'd like to say that the back 9 on Masters Sunday is arguably one of the greatest sporting times in the world. There was so much drama, chaos, and action going on that it was almost impossible to keep up. Thank you, Augusta National, for always bringing us a fantastic tournament year in and year out, and we can't wait to see you soon.

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The Masters POTW: Justin Rose vs. Adam Scott

Welcome to our Picks of the Week game! Rules are simple: Each week Bernardo and I will select one golfer entered in the current tournament. Whichever golfer finishes highest earns one of us a point. Exceptions: 3 points if our golfer wins the whole thing, Major Championships are doubled (so that's a possibility of 6 points), and tied finishes result in 0 points. Oh, and once we use a golfer, we can't use him for the rest of year. We're doing this until the TOUR Championship. Bernardo has won this 2 times in a row, so let's see if he can go for the three peat! 

 VS    

JJ: We're finally at Masters week, folks! The most anticipated golf week of the year is upon us, and I can't wait for coverage to start tomorrow. With that said, let me get right down to my pick. For the first major of the year (worth double the points!), I'm going with Justin Rose. The dude from England is 7 for 7 in cuts made here, and has finished in the top-25 the past 3 years. So he's obviously comfortable here. If his putter can heat up, then look out. We all know he's one of the more consistent ball strikers in the game right now, so if he can start sinking putts, then I wouldn't be surprised to see the 32 year old putting on the green jacket with Bubba's help on Sunday. Good luck Justin!

Bernardo: The Masters is finally upon, including the media hype that comes with this week. For this major I’m going with Adam Scott. I feel he is ready to leave his mark and why not here. Winning the first Green Jacket for his country will be a great incentive for the Aussie. He’s finished in the top 10 in his past two appearances here. He definitely has the game and composure to post four solid rounds.  Best of luck mate!

JJ's used: Brandt Snedeker, Jason Dufner, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel, Retief Goosen, Jason Day, Charles Howell III, Ian Poulter

Bernardo's used: Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, Aaron Baddeley, Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker, Brian Davis

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Valero Texas Open: Laird's Last Minute Invite

Folks, we are now officially at Masters week! Arguably the greatest week in golf is upon us, and we fortunately got one more invite for the party. That invite goes to Martin Laird.

Martin shot a final round 63 (!) to win the Valero Texas Open by 2 strokes, claiming the trophy over a hard charging Rory McIlroy, and punched the final ticket to Augusta National.

Starting well back to start the day, it was hard to see Laird making a run, with Billy Horschel and Rory McIlroy commanding most of the spotlight for the week. But, that's what the Scot did, tying the course record and ending the American PGA Tour winning streak of 14 to come to an end.

Winning for the first time since 2011, this could be a sign of good things to come for Laird. He's peaking at the right time for Augusta, and with a very wide open field this week, he might just have a chance at the first major of the year. His putting is solid enough that he may be putting a green jacket on a week from now. You just never know.

Congrats Martin! 

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Valero Texas Open POTW: Ian Poulter vs. Brian Davis

Welcome to our Picks of the Week game! Rules are simple: Each week Bernardo and I will select one golfer entered in the current tournament. Whichever golfer finishes highest earns one of us a point. Exceptions: 3 points if our golfer wins the whole thing, Major Championships are doubled (so that's a possibility of 6 points), and tied finishes result in 0 points. Oh, and once we use a golfer, we can't use him for the rest of year. We're doing this until the TOUR Championship. Bernardo has won this 2 times in a row, so let's see if he can go for the three peat! 

JJ: We're now 1 week away from The Masters, which means this is the last possible chance for players to get competitive rounds under their belt. And although the Valero Texas Open doesn't boast an "Augusta-like" course like the Shell Houston Open did, it's still a very good tournament and set up. So, for this week, I'm taking Ian Poulter. Even though he added this course at the last minute, his game has been decent enough that I think he'll be able to contend this week and get himself ready for Augusta.

Bernardo: This week I'm going with Brian Davis. Its been a rough season so far for Davis but he played well at the Shell Houston Open last week, hopefully he will exhibit similar results this week. Good luck chap! 

Last week recap: Charles Howell III (JJ’s pick) narrowly beat out Steve Stricker (Bernardo’s choice) to earn JJ a point.

JJ's used: Brandt Snedeker, Jason Dufner, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel, Retief Goosen, Jason Day, Charles Howell III

Bernardo's used: Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, Aaron Baddeley, Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker

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UEFA Champions League: Today's Fixtures

After a week long international break, players have returned to their clubs to fight for league points and domestic competition trophies. Well, in addition to that, we also have the biggest club competition of them all returning today: the UEFA Champions league. With the final 8 set to showdown for the next month, European soccer is reaching it's peak point of the season. Just in case you haven't heard, the teams (and their opponents) are as follows: PSG vs. Barcelona, Juventus vs. Bayern Munich, Galatasaray vs. Real Madrid and Malaga vs. Borussia Dortmund.

Today's fixtures are the juicer ones of the bunch: PSG-Barca and Juventus-Bayern. Keep reading to get our preview of how these matches will go down.

Match 1: Paris Saint Germain (Home) vs. FC Barcelona - 11:45 AM PST

The French giants face off against the Spanish stars in this game of epic proportions. Stars will not be lacking in this match, as Leo Messi & Zlatan Ibrahimovic are set to lead each of their respective teams to victory. Let's see how they match up head to head:

GOALKEEPING: Barcelona = PSG. Both keepers (Valdes for Barca and Sirigu for PSG) are 3rd on the depth chart for the respective teams, and aren't exactly world beaters all the time. Whoever has the better individual game may decide the result of this match.

DEFENSE: PSG > Barcelona. I am a fan of Pique, Alves, and Alba, but they've been exposed a few times this season, and with them playing away from the Camp Nou, I think they could struggle in a game where the counter for PSG could be crucial.

MIDFIELD: Barcelona > PSG. This is a no-brainer here. FCB possess the best midfield in the world, and it will be fight for PSG to win possession in this part of the field.

OFFENSE: Barcelona > PSG. Also another easy choice. I know that Ibrahimovic has had a fantastic season, but Messi has been spectacular like always. And when you have him, it's hard to bet against him.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2. Barca with 2 big away goals by Messi to head into the Camp Nou confident.

Match 2: FC Bayern Munich  (Home) vs. Juventus  - 11:45 AM PST

The German league champions go up against the Italians in another huge game. With some already hailing this as the best quarterfinal matchup, let's see how they stack up against each other:

GOALKEEPING: Juventus > Bayern. Neuer's good, but come on, Buffon is legendary. Unless Buffon has a bad game of sorts, Juve's nets should be in good hands.


DEFENSE: Bayern > Juventus. Juve boasts a strong defense, but Bayern's back 4 combined with their home fans will be tough to handle.

MIDFIELD: Juventus > Bayern. One word: Pirlo.

OFFENSE: Bayern > Juventus. When you smash a decent team like Hamburg 9-2 (!!!), I'll definitely give you the edge offense wise. That obviously means you're doing something right.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1 Bayern. Their home crowd and offense will be too much for La Vecchia Signora, who will look to even the score back in Italy.

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So there's our predictions for tonight. What do you think will happen? Let us know in the comments!

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MLB: Opening Day

Today is April Fools day. A day I despise and could really do without. There's nothing that could really every get me excited about today, unless...

it's Opening Day for the MLB, like it is this year! Since these two events are going down on the same day, I have reason to be excited, and many of you baseball fans should be too. Since we have 12 games  (click link here to see them all) going on today, there isn't an excuse to not watch some baseball alllll dayyy longgg.

Personally, I'm a Yankees fan, so I'll be watching them (hopefully) take down the Red Sox in about 90 minutes to start off the season 1-0. My Yankees have a lot of problems right now and didn't make the normal moves in Free Agency like we're used to seeing, so it will be interesting to see how this line up and pitching rotation holds up. It will also be weird to not see Derek Jeter starting on Opening Day because of his ankle. Nonetheless, I'm still very pumped to get things going today.

What baseball team do you support? Who do you think is going to win it all this year? If I'm being unbiased, I think the Angels will take it all this year. Lets us know your opinion in the comments!

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