WWE WrestleMania 32 Preview: Full Match Card & Predictions for this Sunday in Dallas

There's a lot on the line this weekend in Dallas; and we've got the rundown of all the matches on the card here for you.

Will we see a new United States, Intercontinental, or Divas Champion crowned?

What stars might make a shocking return...or debut?

Can Shane conquer The Deadman in his own yard to seize control of his destiny - Monday Night Raw?

And finally, Will Roman Reigns walk, crawl, or be carried out WWE World Heavyweight Champion? And how will the fans react!?

This year's 'Mania may be too big for even Texas to contain.

                                                                                                                                                 

Stay up-to-date with all of my sports and other mindless banter on Twitter.

Masters Power Rankings 3.0

By: Jack Nutting

Writer’s Note: This is a weekly report on the players most likely to win the Green Jacket in April. It is not necessarily a ranking of the best players in the world, but simply if the Masters were being held tomorrow, who would be most likely to win the event.
Editor’s Note: Due to travel, midterms, and other dumb things, this is the first time we have published The Power Rankings in three tournaments.

1. Jason Day- Since we last wrote on the state of the Masters, Day had yet to win in 2016 on the PGA TOUR. But, while many players were in the middle of the West Coast Swing or the Swing through the Middle East, A.K.A. the money swing, Day was resting quietly in Ohio. So far, his 2016 results are the following: T-10, cut, T-11, T-23, win, win. The two wins have each come the last two weeks, last week being at the solid field of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and this past weekend at the WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin, which featured 62 of the top 64 ranked players in the world. Right now, he is clearly the best golfer in the world. His long game is longer than anybody in the world, including Rory Mcilroy. His short game is having NBC Golf announcers induce on air nostalgia over Tiger Woods short game from the early 2000s. In the most simple of terms, if you have the longest and most powerful game off the tee, and can avoid all danger around the greens due to superior short game skills, it’s really hard to see how he can lose a tournament right now.      

2. Rory Mcilroy- The number two spot for most people is likely much more up in the air than the number one spot right now. But, I have a really hard time placing anybody in front of Mcilroy other than Day in these rankings. People really enjoy shitting on Rory for a variety of reasons, from his social life to his decision to switch clubs to his on course decision making and overall play inside the ropes. But really, it’s all noise with him. Since coming onto the scene, critics have always tried to put Rory in the Tiger mode, where every little thing matters and impacts him. Everyone is always in constant chatter about how tournament A will effect tournament B for the guy. Momentum is a classic one people like to bring up with him. My view is more that Rory just does Rory and doesn’t really care what others think. He BLEW UP in the 2011 Masters and then won, in a hurricane fashion, the US Open two months later. Between winning the Honda in late February of 2012, and the PGA Championship in August of the same year, Mcilroy racked up four missed cuts, lost his number one ranking, and then wins the PGA by eight strokes, no big deal. He has peaks and valleys for sure, but I think he is on an upward slope right now. Look for him to be contending on Sunday.

3. Jordan Spieth- I have written about this before, but Spieth’s Masters results since turning pro are the following: T-2, win. He has a great track record at Augusta, and he has really done anything to dispel with that notion yet this season. He already has a win from the Hyundai and probably played a little too much taking cash grabs in the Middle East and Asia, but he appeared more rested and ready to roll this past weekend, advancing through the group stage of the Match Play. For Spieth, the more concerning thing is probably the two horses in front him. Spieth is long by every notion of being a professional golfer, but Day and Mcilroy are otherworldly long off the tee. In few scenarios can he hang with them with the big sticks come out of the bag. Now, of course this doesn’t really matter because the guy won TWO MAJORs last year! But, the strain that the two in front of him can put on a course is brutal, and a potential roadblock moving forward Jordan Spieth. (Again, though, he is long, it’s just that Day was hitting 9 iron into 570 yard par 5s this weekend!)

4. Adam Scott- Scotty won the Cadillac since the last rankings, netting him two wins on tour this year. He is primed for the Masters this year. If he can keep the flat stick hot, or at least warm, his dominate iron game sets him up to be in contention again this year, looking for another win at Augusta.

200. Tiger Woods- There are literally 199 players more likely to win this thing than Big Cat. Please, just get healthy, take the year off, learn how to play golf again and come back next year. (Side note- I really, really, miss the guy. Just look at this- he won that US Open by 15 strokes -how can you not get amped for this?)

Dispatches from the PGA TOUR

1. Tony Finau won the Puerto Rico Open in the opposite field event today. This guy is long off the tee, and look for him to keep making some noise in the months and years to come.

2. Tim Finchem, the PGA TOUR Commissioner, signed a contract extension that takes him through next spring, but he is still expected to step down at the end of the year.   

3. Next week is the first major on the LPGA TOUR calendar, the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, CA.

4. Bill Simmons and his group have launched a new golf centered podcast called ShackHouse. I recommend checking it out.

5. The new match play site is very good. It’s a great course for match play and the players seemed to enjoy playing on the track. The city of Austin appeared to really embrace the TOUR swinging through town. The date could be better, but it’s not horrible. But, my goodness, the format still needs a lot of work. I am not going to go into the detail here, but consider these articles in shaping your viewpoint. I certainly believe a world exists where we can have a really good format for this event.  

Masters Power Rankings 2.0

By: Jack Nutting 

This is the second of a series of power rankings of the golfers most likely to win the Green Jacket in April. This series will act as if the Masters were being played next week, with consideration to how players are playing in the now, not necessarily how they will play in April. Prior editions of the Masters Power Rankings can be found here.

1 Adam Scott- Boom! One week into the rankings, there is already a large shift at the top. Due to nothing that Jordan Spieth did wrong, Adam Scott has soared to the top of the rankings for the Masters. After a T-2 at the Northern Trust Open last weekend, in which he briefly held the clubhouse lead on Sunday, Scott won the Honda Classic this past weekend over Sergio Garcia. PGA National played similar to a US Open course these past few days, with many players finishing well over par and only 13 players finishing under par. Scott for the week, and especially on the weekend, displayed superb ball striking tee to green and even his putting held on down the stretch. Scott already won the Masters in 2013, and his game is rounding into shape heading into the first major of 2016. For Scott, it will all be decided with the flat stick. When you can swing like this, his long game should always be in his bag and ready on command. On the season, Scott is 25th on Tour in total putting and 50th in Strokes gained putting, compared to 170th and 158th respectively last season on Tour. His ball striking will be there, and if his solid putting on the season can continue at this point of the year, Scott should be considered the favorite.  

2 Jordan Spieth- As mentioned, Spieth dropping one spot is more due to the excellent play of Adam Scott than the poor play of Jordan Spieth. That said, Spieth low key has not had a great tournament in a few weeks. After winning the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in early January, Spieth has recorded a T-21 and a missed cut on the PGA TOUR since. For any regular Tour pro, this is a fine run of tournaments. But, after lighting courses on fire last summer, just missing a cut is a bit surprising for Spieth. Ultimately, though, Spieth still has a high ranking here due to his past Masters experiences. Since turning pro in 2013, Spieth has only been defeated in the Masters by one other player (Bubba Watson), going for a very chill T-2 and a win in that period. No reason, right now, to see why Spieth could finish outside the top 5 in April.

3   Sergio Garcia- Ball striking. Driving. Tee to Green. Butterflies. Nerves. Shaky putting. These are just some of the words used to describe Garcia’s game, some of which fit into Augusta’s course and some not. Garcia’s struggles closing out tournaments are well-documented, as he again had an opportunity to win the Honda this past weekend before succumbing to Scott. Perhaps he does get nervous or his swing breaks down, but in the end Scott was one stroke better than Sergio over the course of 72 holes and over 250 golf shots. A few things break differently for him and he wins this weekend and the narrative becomes, has he overcome his nerves and is Garcia primed for Augusta now? Garcia hopefully will be in contention this year.

4 Rory Mcilroy- Rory missed the cut this weekend. If there is any player in the world in which making cuts probably doesn’t matter, it’s Mcilroy. That being said, the solid play of others around the world and mediocre play of Rory right now has pushed him down the rankings for this week. There isn’t too much new information about Mcilroy to write about this week. When Rory is at peak Rory, no one on the Earth can hit the driver with his combination of power and accuracy and his ability to hit irons as high he can. I would expect a solid showing this weekend at Doral and a steady incline toward the Masters.

5 Jason Day- Day hasn’t played in a while, which is surprising considering how often he usually plays. He should be fine between now and The Masters, as he is slated to play numerous times before the tournament starts. Day might be the only player in the world who can hang with Mcilroy when he is at his peak. Augusta should fit his game well again this year.

Dispatches from the PGA TOUR

1. This week’s tournament is the WGC-Cadillac Championship. It’s a strong field being played at the newly renovated and highly hated course of the Blue Monster at Doral. Stay tuned to the player’s comments this week on the playing conditions.
2. Doral is of course owned by Donald Trump, and he is expected to appear this weekend in Miami.             
3. It looks like Tiger Woods, aka Big Cat, might actually still be alive. He tweeted a video of himself casually hitting an iron shot in his swing simulator. Narratives aside, let’s hope this is nothing else but a good sign and that one day he can get back on the course.
4. The potential Ryder Cup team got together at Jack's House last week before the start of the Honda. The golf world making a point of this event shows the long struggle of our Ryder Cup Team.  
5. Louis Oosthuizen won on the European Tour this weekend. Louie and his swing are quietly lurking.   

Masters Power Rankings

By: Jack Nutting

This is the first of a series of power rankings of the golfers most likely to win the Green Jacket in April. This series will act as if the Masters were being played next week, with consideration to how players are playing in the now, not necessarily how they will play in April.

1 Jordan Spieth- The twenty-two year old won the event last year and is a total stud. Flat out gamer with balloon sized balls. Still ranked number one in the world, despite a missed cut in the Northern Trust, Spieth is still the singul man at the top of the golf world until Rory Mcilroy goes on his inevitable two month blaze and leaves golf courses in ruins. But, until Rory can get his game in midseason form, Spieth still has to be considered the favorite.

2 Rory Mcilroy- This is my personal pick to win the Masters in April. I know, I know, Spieth is number one the list, because, until he does something to actually relinquish his status between now and the Masters, he has to be considered the favorite. With that said, I think Rory wins it this year. He clearly has the game, winning four majors already at age twenty-six, and he is low-key pissed off, it appears, going after golf analysts on Twitter and pumping some serious iron in the workout room. But, the ultimate reason why I think Rory wins over Spieth is Mcilroy can do things, when he is at peak Rory, that even Spieth cannot do. Rory can do things to a golf course with his power off the tee and iron game from the fairway that will leave even a course like Augusta National defenseless.

3 Bubba Watson- Watson to the non-golf fan is probably popular. He talks in the third person, he is the longest hitter in the world, he’s strange, and a million other things. But, the guy is such an asshole, it is too hard to even write about the guy. Everything he does just sucks. But, he has won two Masters, just won the Northern Trust, and probably has a great shot in April. Or he could finish behind Sandy Lyle. Anything is possible with Bubba.

4 Jason Day is literally a sleeping giant. The dude is just the best. His wife gets RUN over by LeBron James and it is no big deal to him. He could win this thing by seven and it would not be surprising in the least. His power off the tee is matched only by Mcilroy; he won last August’s PGA Championship, and won five times on the PGA TOUR total last year. Says something about the power of Spieth and Mcilroy (and Bubba) that he is fourth on this list.

5 Tiger Woods- Just a joke, chill out.

How WWE Should Book WrestleMania 32

I know, we're not even a day removed from WWE Fastlane, which was atrocious by the way - stay tuned for that video.  However, a day removed from Fastlane means a day into the home stretch to WWE WrestleMania 32.  And what better way to start the last mile of the Road to WrestleMania than sharing how I would like to see the biggest event of the year booked? *wink*

Disclaimer: This was recorded before Fastlane, and thank goodness it was because I don't know what I would have done with the dumpster fire they lit last night.

Part 1: We get a look at my first four matches on the card which includes: a Tag Team Championship match, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, a high-flying ladder match for the U.S. title, and the Beast Incarnate BROCK LESNAR! (Imagine that in your best Paul Heyman voice.)

Part 2: Next, I dive into the next two matches on my WrestleMania card - a Divas title match and a hellacious Fatal Four Way for the Intercontinental Championship.

Part 3: Finally, we get our main event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (which will have massive implications on the future of the company) and of course, the wild card of the card this year - The Undertaker.

Well, there you have it.  I did my best to make some logical rivalries, build a WrestleMania-worthy card, and set up some fun match-ups going into the rest of the year.  

Think you can do better? I'm sure you can, and I'd love to hear it.  Feel free to sound off in the comments or even make your own response vids - I'd be happy to watch, thumbs up, comment etc.  

I will say this to the WWE: DO. IT. BETTER.

Lastly, *cough* shameless plug *cough* SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL HERE for more WWE and sports-related content!

WWE Fastlane 2016 - Recap and Reaction

By: Nick Del Bene (justcallmejunior)

So Fastlane was.....uneventful.  The matches were good, but the storytelling was as bland as a gluten-free diet.  This one might have set the Road to WrestleMania 32 on a collision course.  Watch to see my full Recap, Reaction, and Review of WWE Fastlane:

So, what did YOU think of Fastlane? Drop a comment here or on the video or make a response video if you're so inclined - I'll be sure to watch.

Lastly, *cough* shameless plug *cough* SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL HERE for more WWE and sports-related content!

The Stars Are Aligning For A Stanley Cup Run

By: Sal Pellone

     Move over Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban, there's a new championship contender this season in your town. Dallas, a city not known for its hockey, but more for its Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers, and bbq food, have a new friend with high hopes this year. 

Early Kentucky Derby Favorites

American Pharoah: 2015 Triple Crown winner

Super Bowl Sunday officially began the three month countdown until the Kentucky Derby.  We are now under 90 days until the eyes of millions descend on Churchill Downs for two minutes.  Last year, American Pharaoh succeeded in winning the Triple Crown, becoming only the twelfth horse to do so and the first since Affirmed in 1978.  Although this year’s race is still far off, the field and more importantly the favorites are beginning to shape up. 

In order to run in the Kentucky Derby, a horse has to be three years old.  A great horse only has one chance to compete in the race, which is why you never hear of a horse winning the Kentucky Derby in back to back years.  Prospective horses compete in selected graded stakes races across the United States.  The top four finishers in each race are awarded points based on their finish.  Thus far, the winners of each race have been awarded only 10 points, with one race awarding the winner with 20 points.  There are then eight 50 point races and seven 100 point races running from the end of February through mid-April.  Now that you know a little more about how the Kentucky Derby field is formed, let’s talk about some of the early favorites.

Mohaymen:

-       Mohaymen is already surrounded by a palpable buzz.  He has collected 20 points over two wins along with two other wins in his four races thus far.  He has won at Belmont, Aqueduct, and Gulfstream Park.  Mohaymen was purchased in September for $2.2 million by Shadwell Farms and is being trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.  He is the son of renowned sire, Tapit, and has been ridden by Junior Alvarado.  On betting sites Mohaymen is already the favorite for the Kentucky Derby.  He ran an impressive 1:42:07 in 1 1/16 miles in his victory at Gulfstream.  It is still early in Kentucky Derby prep season but Mohaymen currently stands as the best bet.

Mor Spirit:

-       Mor Spirit is currently just a step below Mohaymen on the hype meter.  He has collected 24 points, which puts him second behind Nyquist.  Mor Spirit is trained by Bob Baffert whose reputation is at an all-time high after leading American Pharaoh to the Triple Crown last year.  Baffert is training a handful of good horses this year but so far Mor Spirit has shown the most promise.  The horse is owned by jewelry mogul Michael Lund Petersen and is being ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.  Mor Spirit won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita this past Saturday with his sights set on the Santa Anita Derby and then the Kentucky Derby a month later.

Nyquist:

-       Nyquist is leading the pack with 30 points collected already over two races.  He first won the FrontRunner at Santa Anita in late September and 35 days later he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  He has won all five races he has run in thus far with Swipe placing second in four out of those five races.  Nyquist is owned by Reddam Racing and is trained by Doug O’Neill.  He is the son of Uncle Mo who has a growing reputation as a sire.  Keep an eye on this horse.

Other notable horses:

-        Flexibility with 15 points including a win in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct in New York.

-        Swipe with 12 points including second place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

-        Greenpointcrusader with 14 points including a victory at Belmont in early October.

-        Exaggerator with 16 points including a win at Delta Downs.  He is also the son of Curlin.

-        Sunny Ridge with 18 points including a win 10 days ago in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.