Australian Open: Iron Stan

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Breakthrough.

That is what we witnessed during the Australian Open final that just ended a few hours ago. Many expected it to be a routine win for one of the all time greats, but what we got was something much more different than that.

Stan Wawrinka completed one of the more improbable grand slam runs in recent memory as he knocked off an ailing Rafa Nadal in 4 sets (6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4). Even before taking down Rafa, he had to go through 4-time champ Novak Djokovic, Tomas Berdych, and a rejuvenated Tommy Robredo just to get to the final. He did receive some help in his path to the championship match (1 retirement and a walkover), but it was not easy regardless.

Stan's been in the form of his life for the past year, and last night was no different. Although he served poorly in the 1st set (below 50%), his powerful groundstrokes helped him control the points. Even though his level slipped in the 3rd set, his improved mental toughness helped him close the match out in the 4th. And although his celebration was a bit subdued, you could tell this huge win meant a lot to him. With this win, he moves to #3 in the world (5 spots above Roger Federer) & is arguably the hottest player in the game right now, with 2 titles along with an undefeated record in 2014. This could be a big year for him. I feel like he's capable of making another deep run or two, possibly at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

As for Rafa, you can't help but wonder what could have been if he didn't tweak his back during the final. He said he tweaked it during warm ups, and it really got worse during the second set when he had to call a trainer. I honestly thought he was going to retire, but miraculously enough, he ended up winning a set, which shows the grit and toughness he has. This major hasn't been the kindest to him, and he knows that. Even though I'm a Federer fan at heart, I hope he gets to 100% before defending his French Open title.

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." This is a quote from Samuel Beckett that Stan has tattooed onto his left forearm, and considering all that he went through last year, it could not be more relevant.

Congrats, Stan!

Baseball News: Masahiro Tanaka Signs for Yankees

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It seems that the race to sign Masahiro Tanaka is over.

The Japanese pitching star was highly recruited by many MLB teams, until news broke today that he has decided to sign for the New York Yankees.

Tanaka fills a huge need for New York, as pitching has been their weakness the past few seasons. Many media reports are indicating that it's a 7 year, $155 million deal. He's not cheap, but if he lives up to the hype, then he will work out very nicely for the Bronx Bombers.

He was highly coveted due to his staggering record and ERA while pitching in the Japanese league last season. While some feel his transition to the big leagues will be more Daisuke than Darvish, I feel like he will be just fine in a rotation that previously had CC Sabathia as it's ace. Now he and CC will lead the staff, which should get the Yankees into playoff contention for this season.

What are your thoughts on this move? Let us know in the comments! 

Video via YES Network:

Video: Roger Federer & ESPN

After his easy 6-2 6-2 6-3 third round win last night at the Australian Open, Roger Federer stopped by the ESPN desk to talk with Brad Gilbert and Chris McKendry. Check out what he had to say in a little interview that ranged from his side of the draw to life with his new racquet.

Note: Roger plays Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in round 4.

NFL Conference Championships: Predictions

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As we get deeper into the NFL playoffs, we have come down to the final four: the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots. Only 2 will remain after Sunday night, and I am here to give my quick thoughts & predictions for these huge battles. Let's begin.

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST - New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos

Bovada line: NE +4

Bovada Over/Under: 56

Thoughts: Manning and Brady meet for again this season, this time with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Both teams will need to execute to perfection to win this game. New England cannot afford to go down 24-0 like they did in December vs. Denver, or else this one will be over. Normally I would lean with Brady in this game because of his head to head record vs. Peyton, but I have a feeling that M-V-Peyton will get it done this week.

Predicted Score: Denver 34, New England 24

Sunday 6:30 PM EST - San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Bovada line: SF +3

Bovada Over/Under: 39.5

Thoughts: This completely reminds me of a classic Ravens vs. Steelers battle. Physical defenses with quarterbacks who can make plays when need be. The only thing that worries me about San Francisco is the fact that they have been outscored 72-16 in their past 2 trips to Seattle. For whatever reason, Colin Kaepernick struggles there, and I'm not sure if his nightmares will end. I know that they'll ride Frank Gore most of the night, but I don't know if that will be enough. Seattle's "Legendary Secondary" shut down the 49ers receivers in the previous meeting this season, and I predict that to happen again. 

Predicted Score: Seattle 24, San Francisco 19

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Well there you have it. I have the home teams (Denver, Seattle) heading to NY for the Super Bowl. How do you see it? Let us know in the comments!

NFL Coaching Carousel: Updates

As the NFL playoffs continue, we are seeing the eliminated teams make some significant coaching changes. In the post below, I'll list a few of the head coaching changes that have occurred for some teams in the past week, and give my analysis. Let's begin.

Detroit Lions - Jim Caldwell: This news broke yesterday via ESPN, and to me, it makes a lot of sense. The Lions are a team of immense talent, but lack discipline. Caldwell brings Tony Dungy-esque leadership and discipline, which should bode well for Detroit. They should become immediate contenders for the NFC North title.

Minnesota Vikings - Mike Zimmer: This move happened earlier this morning, and seemed like a bit of a surprise. I didn't think Coach Zimmer was going to get a HC job this season, but I'm glad he did. As a Cowboys fan, I always enjoyed his defensive work when he coached the Cowboys defense, and I was a fan of what he did with Cincinnati. However, this team is need of a lot of pieces right now, so it will be interesting to see how he will handle it as a rookie head coach.

Tennessee Titans - Ken Whisenhunt: Arguably the most surprising HC move of the week. It seemed certain that Whiz was going to Detroit. But, in a shock movie, he chose the Titans. Of the 3 coaches that I've mentioned, he's the most successful (multiple playoff trips with ARI), so I will be curious to see how he will do with Tennessee team that can't get over the .500 mark. They are a few steps away from being a playoff team, so a lot of us will be watching carefully to see if he can get them to the postseason.

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Alright, well these are the latest and greatest NFL HC updates. Stay tuned for more coaching updates from us. But until then, stay tuned for a few more posts from us in the coming days. See you soon!