Breaking down this year's Final Four

By Trent Warren 

Unlike last year’s Final Four, every team this year is a four seed or higher. Not to mention, all four of these teams (Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas, and Ohio State) have something special about them. Here is a little breakdown on what to expect, along with my picks for this year’s Final Four.

Movie review: The Hunger Games

By Shona Blumeneau

Most people try to compare The Hunger Games to the Twilight films. In my mind, this just cannot be done. One features a strong female lead who sacrifices herself for her sister and district, eventually overcoming all obstacles and defies the oppressive government that controls her life, while the other follows a girl who is torn between a sparkly vampire and a werewolf who lost his shirt. Now it’s time for me to stop writing about a trashy tween movie, and write about a cinematic masterpiece, otherwise known as The Hunger Games.

Do you remember the midnight premier of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two? I sure do. All the anticipation and excitement, with crazy people dressed as wizards and normal people waving wands at each other…dressed as wizards. That same energy has now been transfused into The Hunger Games, or the “Harry Potter Rebound” as I like to call it. But why this film? Why not, say, Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill? This film has gained such a following because of a girl: Katniss Everdeen. Audiences have finally been given a character that they respect, admire, and thoroughly enjoy rooting for throughout the entirety of the film. Unlike Bella (I’m sorry for all the Twilight comparisons, but it just has to be done), the protagonist is a strong, independent girl not searching for love or anyone to protect her. Her courage is repeatedly shown time and time again without fault, and it is her family that she cares for first and foremost, not a boy.

Mile-high Manning: Why Peyton chose Denver and what it means to the NFL

By Bart Batey

When Peyton Manning made the decision to sign with the Denver Broncos, he ended the pursuit of the biggest free agent in the history of the NFL. His new deal, 5 years for $96 million, reflects the massive amount of hype that now surrounds the new Broncos quarterback. The Decision (without the jersey burnings and ESPN special) sent shockwaves throughout the league and some repercussions have yet to surface.

The Broncos obviously put together an impressive sales pitch to Manning. They offered more than $40 million in cap room, allowing them to sign more free agents than just Manning, but this result was based on more than just money. Manning, who has spent his entire career with the Colts, was looking for a certain level of comfort. The fact that the leader of the Broncos’ push for Manning, John Elway, is a Hall of Fame quarterback can’t hurt. John Lynch and Brandon Stokley, two friends of Manning also reside in Denver and Manning’s backup quarterback at Tennessee is currently the starting first-baseman for the Colorado Rockies, Todd Helton. The Broncos’ offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy, has also shown that he is flexible with his scheme and willing to fit the offense to the quarterback’s strengths. These factors combined to make Denver a very attractive destination for Manning.

Devils and Rangers in best hockey fight in a while

By Joey McMurry 

And now for something completely different...

Maybe the best hockey fight I've seen in a long time simply because it started before the puck even dropped.

Continue on to watch the fight between the Rangers and Devils.

Warriors fans should be ashamed of booing at Mullin jersey retirement ceremony

By Joey McMurry

Best fans in the NBA? No way in hell, Golden State.

During what was supposed to be a spectacular ceremony to honor one of the greatest Warriors of all time, Chis Mullin, the so-called "best fans in the NBA" booed Warriors owner Joe Lacob to the point where he couldn't be heard inside Oracle Arena despite his use of a microphone.

Wow.

Regardless of how everyone feels about Joe Lacob right now, Chris Mullin deserves far better than that. This was supposed to be his night, his honor. Players only get to retire their jersey once, and only a handful of players get to see their jersey retired at all. Mullin is a classy guy and a damn good player. He deserves better from the so-called "best fans in the NBA" as Warrior greats like Alvin Attles and Mitch Richmond called Golden State fans. Instead of the evening belonging to Chris Mullin, the evening will now forever be remembered as the night Warriors fans acted like complete disrespectful idiots.

3 Ducks in a Row, Ep. 5 - Sweet 16 Preview

The first weekend of the Madness is over, and we're breaking down the round of 32 and previewing the Sweet 16. Ducks in the NIT talk as well.

Ronnie Grenier sitting in for Trent Warren who, as we all should be, is studying for finals.

Kris Boyd is the Timber's missing link

By Zan Schindler

Friday night, the Portland Timbers kicked off their first away game of the season against FC Dallas. Last season, Dallas shut them out 4-0, but this season they went into the match with expectations of a better result. Portland managed to squeak out a 1-1 draw.

The Portland Timbers need to improve on the road this year if they expect to be viable playoff contenders in the hunt of winning an MLS Cup, which they have the talent and coaching to do.

The key component to the Timbers’ success on the road this year is a calm sense of urgency during the first 25 minutes of the match. The Timbers need to attack and be aggressive, firing off shots and counter-attacking like crazy. Opposing teams will not be given the opportunity to establish their game plan, which will only benefit the visiting Timbers. To accomplish this, Portland needs to target newly acquired striker Kris Boyd.

The best fans in college basketball: Oregon's Pit Crew

By Joey McMurry

Talk about an exciting basketball game.

The Oregon Ducks defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 108-97 in the highest scoring Division-I regulation basketball game this season. Needless to say, defense wasn't a factor. But that doesn't matter. Offense is what excites fans anyway. Just ask the Pit Crew.

The Oregon Ducks' student section, the "Pit Crew" didn't quiet down throughout the entirety of this game or the first-round NIT game against LSU.

Actually, I lied. The Pit Crew did quiet down once: when Olu Ashalou smacked his head on a court side railing after hustling for a ball going out of bounds. Matthew Knight Arena fell silent. At most venues, the shock of silence is not as apparent. Yes, when a star player goes down, the crowd reacts. But at Matthew Knight Arena, the difference is astounding. It's strange to hear the broadcasters speaking at normal levels at a home Oregon basketball game, and it's equally as strange to not hear some sort of loud, sometimes obnoxious (but lovable) banter in the background.

That's how loud this section is. That's how intense they are about their team.

Blazers begin rebuilding with strong trade deadline

Gerald Wallace's days are done in Portland.

By Matt Scotton

The NBA trade deadline is one of those days that every NBA fan circles on their calendar.  People sit and wait to see if their teams made that deal everyone has been talking about; or if one comes out of no where and catches everyone off guard.  Many Trail Blazer fans felt a great array of emotions on Thursday, March 15, 2012.

Leading up to the deadline all you heard about the Blazers was there was a ton of interest in Jamal Crawford or that the Blazers were trying to find a new home for Raymond Felton.  When 3 P.M. ET rolled around, Crawford and Felton were still wearing Blazer uniforms and it was Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby who had been traded.  Gerald Wallace was traded to the Nets for a protected first round pick, Mehmet Okur, and Shawne Williams.  Marcus Camby was traded to the Rockets for Jonny Flynn and Hasheem Thabeet.  The Blazers also cut Greg Oden and Chris Johnson.

3 Ducks in a Row, Ep. 4 - March Madness 1st & 2nd Round Breakdown/Round of 32 Preview

In the 4th edition of 3 Ducks in a Row, we're breaking down the first two rounds of this year's March Madness and previewing the round of 32.

Episode 5 will be coming at you Sunday to preview the Sweet Sixteen.

Movie review: Jeff, Who Lives at Home

By Hunter Moore

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Written and directed by Jay & Mark Duplass

Starring Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer, Susan Sarandon, Rae Dawn Chong

Release date: 16 March 2012

To call Jason Segel’s wonderful Jeff naïve or lazy would be ignorant. Yes, he’s a jobless 30-year-old who spends his days smoking pot in his mom’s basement with M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs on repeat. Yes, some would unapologetically call him a “loser.” But could he be wise and prophetic in his own slacker-y, Dude-meets-Lenny-like way? It’s possible. Is he sweet, charming, and innocent? Absolutely.

“Jeff, Who Lives at Home” is the latest amiable dramedy from the brothers Duplass, who arrived on the scene in 2005 with their mumblecore gem “The Puffy Chair” and made a big splash in 2010 with the John C. Reilly-Jonah Hill vehicle “Cyrus.” They have a distinct, focused style, but they only take themselves too seriously when it’s appropriate. Their writing is crisp and realistic and their dialogue is fun to listen to. The writer-directors are smart about keeping things moving along both within the story and within the character arcs: The audience feels for Jeff as he processes everything around him and decides what to do next. Oddly, they employ a distracting, maybe endearing cinematographic flourish wherein their camera quickly zooms in and zooms out multiple times, usually on characters’ faces and usually within the same shot. Grammatically, this doesn’t make sense. Hopefully they’ll grow out of it.

Warriors complete trade deadline with flip of Jackson; thanks be to Jesus

Richard Jefferson will play the rest of the season -
and beyond - as a Golden State Warrior.

By Joey McMurry

The Warriors trading for Stephen Jackson was a bit shocking.

As Dallas mentioned in his piece, Jackson burned almost every bridge on his way out of Oakland, so it's no wonder they flipped him quickly after acquiring him.

Jackson will be playing in San Antonio for the time-being and Richard Jefferson will be joining Golden State. Additionally, the Warriors receive the Spurs' first-round pick in this year's draft and T.J. Ford.

Ford is the weird piece to the deal. There's been some talk of him retring due to a neck injury, but the Warriors are mum on the subject except for the fact that San Antonio requested he be part of the deal. Either way, Warriors fans should not worry about Ford too much - he's not the important piece of the deal.

Euro 2012 Preview: Group A - co-host Poland at disadvantage, Greece on the rise

By Ry Basham Mintz

June 8, 2012. A date fútbol lovers have been looking forward to since the conclusion of the biggest event in the fútbol world, the World Cup. Hosted in Poland and Ukraine, the UEFA Euro 2012 will see millions of fans flock to the various host stadiums to see their national team clash with some of the world’s greatest. The stage is set for what will surely be some of the best matches of the decade, with power houses like England, France, and Italy looking for redemption after embarrassing performances at the 2010 World Cup. However, dark horses Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland, and Ukraine will be looking to stop these premier squads in their own quest for glory.

Qualifying rounds for the tournament began in September of 2010, seeing 51 teams separate into 9 groups. Each team played a grand total of 10 matches, and the leader of the group along with the second place squad qualified for the contest. The 16 teams that qualified are all fairly familiar faces to the Euro landscape, besides Ukraine who is making its first appearance in the European championship contest. The teams that qualified are listed as follows: Czech Republic, Greece, Russia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Croatia, Italy, Ireland, Spain, England, France, and Sweden. Poland and Ukraine automatically qualified being the host countries, and therefore did not participate in the qualifying round.

Album review: Port of Morrow by The Shins

By Hunter Moore

Port of Morrow
by The Shins
Release date: 20 March 2012

After a five-year break and one or two intriguing side projects, indie pop hero James Mercer returns to power this spring with his Portland-based band The Shins and their fourth LP, optimistically titled Port of Morrow (assumedly a reference to Oregon’s own port authority). The boys (or, rather, the men, seeing as they’re all about 40 years old) sound sanitary, polished, and even futuristic on Port; the arrangements are simple but the vocals are squeaky-clean, and the guitars and drums stay loud and busy for a good two-thirds of the record. On more than a few tracks, the band gets some assistance from relatively new member Jessica Dobson. She provides guitar and backing vocals, even going so far as to release a shrill, endearing falsetto on the title track.

The production on this thing is affable if not exactly enjoyable. More than half the tracks here have in their possession a certain flatness that cannot be helped. Award-winning pop aficionado/producer Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Sia) adds little to the mix, making for a fairly straightforward pop-rock album. It should also be noted that this is the band’s first outing without Sub Pop Records (who made The Shins a household name in the indie community back in 2002), instead opting for distribution through Columbia Records and release through Mercer’s own label, Aural Apothecary.

Sting now, pay off later: the Warriors' Monta Ellis trade

Monta Ellis will dawn a new uniform for the
first time in his career this season.

By Dallas McMurry

Well, it finally happened. After a few years of trade talks before the deadline, the Warriors finally dealt explosive high scoring guard Monta Ellis.  To go along with Ellis, the Warriors are also parting ways with the 6^th overall pick in the 2010 draft Ekpe Udoh. While this trade is hardly a shocker for any Warriors fan, this trade seems to sting a bit more than fans had anticipated.

First off, let’s talk about what the Warriors are getting in this deal. Andrew Bogut is a top five center in the league when he is healthy, emphasis on when. Currently, he’s expected to miss the remainder of the year with a broken ankle, so there’s no way this trade will help the W’s this year. However, if Bogut can return to his 2009-2010 form, the Warriors will finally have the post presence that they have been desperately lacking for years. With this, the Warriors will look to build toward the 2012-2013 season with a healthy Bogut and Curry.

Duck notes: NIT victory, softball loss, and national champions

By Joey McMurry

A quick roundup of recent Duck sports...

The Ducks demolished LSU 96-76 in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament. Oregon will host their second round game of the NIT this Sunday at 2 p.m. against Iowa. Erik Gundersen wrote about the game for KWVA Sports here.

No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 14 Oregon in the Ducks' home opener at Howe Field Tuesday night. Check out my write-up for KWVA Sports here.

Finally, the Women's Indoor Track team won their third straight national title. Brianna Theisen took home the national championship in the Pentathlon and English Gardner sped her way to an NCAA championship in the 60M.

Congratulations to the entire team.

The NCAA Champion Women's Indoor Track team was honored Tuesday, March 14 at the Duck's first-round NIT game.
Photo credit to Matt Scotton.

Yoenis Céspedes and Manny Ramirez: not your typical "Moneyballers"

Céspedes hit his first HR with the A's in his
first spring training at bat.

By Zan Schindler

This past year, the Oakland Athletics Baseball Organization was put in the spotlight with the premiere of Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt. This film follows A’s general manager Billy Beane through the 2002 season as he tries to put together a baseball team using a computer-generated analysis program. The idea of buying hits, on base percentages, and other statistics is seemingly non-existent with the signings of Manny Ramirez and Yoenis Céspedes.

Manny Ramirez, a player who has been all over the place in the past few years, recently signed with the A’s after dodging an illegal substance suspension by simply retiring last season. He was also suspended in the 2009 season for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy.

For the upcoming season, Ramirez has finagled his 100 game suspension down to 50 games. Before his retirement from the Rays, Manny played 5 games registering 17 at bats and 1 hit. His batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage were all .059.

A good day one of free agency for the 49ers: Moss, Cox, and Rogers

By Joey McMurry

The San Francisco 49ers have been a busy team in free agency so far.

As of 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13 (the first day of NFL free agency), the 49ers' free agency looks like this:

Why the Timbers Army is the best fan section in sports

By Zan Schindler

The Portland Timbers may have the best fans in all American Sports. Yes, that’s right – the best. Topping the die-hard Yankee and Red Sox fans of the MLB and the crazies of college football, the so-called “Timbers Army” rivals none. The passion and love they have for the Portland Timbers Soccer team is the best I’ve ever seen. Growing up as a soccer fan, I’ve seen grown men do unspeakable things in the name of their soccer teams. In the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final featuring France vs. Italy, one Frenchman smuggled in a live chicken for “luck.”

Soccer is an emerging sport in the United States, with the 2012 season carrying high expectations in game attendance and TV ratings.

On Monday March 12, 2012, the Portland Timbers opened up their season against the Philadelphia Union, and the Timbers Army was already in full force. Even with storm-like weather conditions, the standing only section was sold out, as it usually is.

Crawford, Felton, and what Portland should do at the deadline

Jamal Crawford may be Portland's biggest trade chip.

By Matt Scotton

Well, it is that time of the year again - the NBA trade deadline approaches and trade rumors are everywhere.  Teams contending for a championship are trying to find that last piece to put them over the edge, while other teams are trying to rebuild.  The Blazers are not one trade away from being a contender; however, they do need to make some moves because the current set of personal is not working out how they hoped.  Everyone on this team, except Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge, is tradable.

The Blazers will probably entertain offers for Batum because of his expiring contract, but Raymond Felton will be the one wearing a different jersey come March 15.  There have been rumors that the Lakers want to swap Raymond Felton for Steve Blake.  This trade does not make sense for the Blazers because they had Blake before he lost the starting job to Andre Miller, and Felton then replaced Miller.  This trade is not helping the Blazers move forward, it moves them backward.  Blake is a good point guard, but Portland should not be trading for him.

3 Ducks in a Row, Ep. 3 - March Madness Preview

We're breaking down the newly released 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in this episode of 3 Ducks in a Row and Oregon's trip to the NIT.

Ronnie Grenier making his 3 Ducks in a Row debut sitting in for Trent Warren.

Ducks go 2-2 in Nike Showcase, defeat Connecticut 4-0

By Joey McMurry

Brando Tessar threw a complete game shutout to give the Ducks their twelfth win of the season.

Mitch Earnshaw wrote about the game for KWVA Sports here.

PAC-12 has something to prove after rough selection Sunday

By Joey McMurry

For the first time in collegiate basketball, the regular season winner of a major conference will not be going to the Big Dance.

The Washington Huskies, after winning the PAC-12 in the regular season going 21-10 overall and 14-4 in the conference, will not be in March Madness.

After blowing it against Oregon State in a PAC-12 tournament quarterfinals game, the Huskies lost their opportunity to solidify themselves as the true PAC-12 champions. Instead, Colorado went on to win the PAC-12 championship by defeating Arizona.

California, the regular season number two team, also lost in the PAC-12 tournament, but in the semifinals. Cal went 24-9 and 13-5 in the PAC-12. Those conference numbers are worse than the Huskies, yet the Golden Bears got into the tournament with the potential of being a No. 12 seed if they are victorious in one of the "First Four" games.

No. 17 Oregon falls to No. 22 Oklahoma in 3-2 thriller

By Joey McMurry

The No. 17 Oregon Ducks are now 1-2 in the Nike College Showcase after they dropped a 3-2 thriller to the No. 22 Oklahoma Sooners.

Travis Teich wrote about the game for KWVA Sports. Check his article out here.

Ducks start new winning streak, pound WVU 12-0

By Joey McMurry

The Oregon Ducks baseball team pounded out 15 hits and scored 12 runs against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Check out my article for KWVA Sports here.

Ducks' winning streak snapped at 10, fall to Illinois 2-1

By Joey McMurry

The Ducks' winning streak ended at 10 tonight after a 2-1 loss in the opening game of the Nike Showcase taking place this weekend in Eugene and Corvallis.

Check out my write-up for KWVA Sports here.

3 Ducks in a Row, Ep. 2 - Manning, the Saints, and NFL FA's

In the second episode of 3 Ducks in a Row, we're talking Peyton Manning, the Saints' bounty program, and this season's NFL free agents.

Be sure to subscribe in iTunes here!

LaMichael James should hope the Broncos take him in the 2nd round

By Bart Batey

LaMichael James is lookingfor a new team after ending his prolific career in the Oregon Ducks’ backfield.The Denver Broncos are looking for a new running back, with Willis McGaheebeing 30 and Knowshon Moreno coming off a torn ACL and a DUI arrest. Jamescould offer great value when the Broncos pick 25^th in the secondround, assuming he lasts until then.

James’s draft stock shot up after he ran a4.45 second 40-yard dash at the combine, tying him for second among runningbacks. Speed like that could help turn Denver’s offense, which led the NFL in three-and-outs in 2011, become more explosive.

James is a back who can instantly be a threat on third down. He would provide explosiveness, which the Broncos have lacked in the backfield since Tatum Bell,who last played extensively for Denver in 2006.

History, narratives, and video games: Assassin's Creed III needs to be careful how it changes history

By Joey McMurry

Role-playing games are becoming more and more popular every year.

As technology expands, developers are able to create much larger and complex environments for players to immerse themselves in. The Assassin's Creed series is one such game that has set the tone for this ever-evolving branch of the video game industry.

In this iteration of the series, players will not be thrown into the typical medieval setting they are used to. Instead, they will take part in perhaps the most important conflict in American history - the American Revolution.

Games that integrate history are always interesting and often fun to play. Players identify with the stories if they are involved in their own history.

Bochy had a right to chase Angels scout away

By Joey McMurry

During spring training workouts today, Giants manager Bruce Bochy had security ask Jeff Schugel, an Angels scout, to leave.

Andrew Baggarly reported the incident for CSN Bay Area and wrote that Schugel was in disbelief when asked to leave.

The way I see it, if a team is having workouts and a manager once them to be closed, they should be closed. Bochy was in the right asking a scout to leave. It's his team, and he should be allowed to coach them without another team's observer watching.

3 Ducks in a Row now available on iTunes!

Our sports-talk podcast, 3 Ducks in a Row, is now available on iTunes!

Find it in the iTunes store here.

Subscribe in iTunes and leave us a comment and a rating!

American Eagle's sponsorship of the Big East Basketball Championship

By Joey McMurry

As I was spending my morning watching basketball, I noticed something peculiar.

Clothing outfitter American Eagle is the sponsor of the Big East Basketball Championships for both men and women.

Huh. When I think basketball, I definitely think clothes like this.

Needless to say, that sponsorship doesn't fit.

So, the question is, why did the two sides make the sponsorship agreement?

3 Ducks in a Row, Ep. 1 - Tra Carson and Josh Huff

In the premier edition of 3 Ducks in a Row, we're talking Oregon football - particularly Tra Carson's transferring and Josh Huff's misdemeanor-ing

Please comment and let us know what you think!

Oregon basketball fans: don't get too excited

By Chris Nicholas

With the PAC-12 Tournament coming up, many Oregon fans are exuberant at the thought that the Oregon Ducks might actually make the NCAA tournament, something they haven’t done since the 2007-08 season. At the beginning of the season, many fans and even coach Dana Altman thought that making the NIT would suffice this season.

Bounty hunters, the Saints, and safety in the NFL

Roman Harper's big hit on Bret Favre

By Joey McMurry

It's no secret that most fans are not particularly happy with all the new rules in the NFL.

I, for one, respect what the league is trying to do - player safety is obviously important. However, removing aspects of the game to do so is the wrong way. I simply don't agree with that.

Risk is part of the job when you put on an NFL uniform, and I think most of the players understand and accept that. In fact, most players seem to believe in that idea. I can't recall one instance where an NFL player has really taken the league's side on this one. Granted, the media covers the opposition more (take James Harrison, for example), but still. There is a general feeling that no one necessarily likes these rule changes that are said to keep players safer. However, the intentions of the changes are good, even if the rule changes are not appealing.

That brings me to the New Orleans Saints and their "bounty hunter defense."

Ducks sweep Long Beach State, move to 10-1

By Joey McMurry

Get your brooms out, Duck fans.

The Oregon Ducks swept the Long Beach State Dirtbags out of Eugene today after Aaron Jones came through in the bottom on the ninth to break a 7-7 tie with a walk-off single.

The hit was the Ducks' third walk-off hit in each of the three games in the series. Not a bad way to start the 2012 season at PK Park.

Now 10-1 and on a ten game win streak, the Ducks face stiff competition next week in the Nike Showcase Tournament held in Eugene and up highway 5 in Corvallis.

Chris Nicholas wrote about the game for KWVA Sports. His write up can be found here.

Average Joes playing at Autzen Stadium

By Joey McMurry

Props go out to the University of Oregon's intramural program. They successfully pulled off an all-day flag football tournament in Autzen Stadium complete with obnoxious students, horrible calls, and illicit substances (in this case, Gatorade was not allowed on the field. Go figure).

Seriously though, well done. It's not every day you get an opportunity to play on the same field as the likes of Dennis Dixon, TJ Ward, LaMichael James, and all the other greats who cleated up for action at Autzen. That's a pretty cool experience.

Ducks win opener in the ninth

By Joey McMurry

The Oregon Ducks Baseball team moved to 8-1 on the season after a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Long Beach State Dirtbags Friday night at PK Park.

The game was the first home game for Oregon in 2012.

See my full write-up for KWVA Sports here

49ers, Raiders franchise tag safties Goldson, Branch: good choice

By Joey McMurry

Both Bay Area team's elected to use their franchise tag on a safety.

DaShon Goldson will be coming back to the 49ers and Tyvon Branch will be dawning the silver and black for at least another year.

Both safties will receive about $6.2M per the franchise tag value. That number is actually a bit lower this year thanks to the new collective-bargaining agreement that now averages the top 5 salaries at each position to determine the value of each position's franchise tag. This gives another reason for players to dislike the franchise tag, but that's another story.

Goldson easily had his best year in the NFL last year amassing 67 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 6 interceptions while making the Pro Bowl.

Tim Lincecum is finally on Twitter

By Joey McMurry

I'll admit, it took me quite some time to get on the Twitter bandwagon (as evidenced by my lack of tweets @JoeyMcM93). Lately, however, I've been reading Twitter much, much more. When Chip Kelly was possibly leaving for the NFL, I was checking Twitter by the minute. And, truth be told, it was Twitter than informed me that Chip was in fact staying at Oregon.

Seven years ago, Twitter was nothing. Now, everyone seems to use Twitter (I'm shocked I lasted as long as I did without one). It offers a unique way to get news and connect with people at the same time. Plus, it provides an avenue for some of the funniest (and sometimes offensive) comments on the internet.

Tim Lincecum finally getting on Twitter doesn't mean he will blow Twitter up, but it surprises me that a guy like Tim Lincecum took this long to get a Twitter.

Giants stealing some runs in 2012

By Joey McMurry

My first article just went live over on Bay Area Sports Guy!

In the piece, I discuss the Giants' new additions and their new focus on baserunning.

Check it out here.

Hines Ward and his possible influence on the 49ers

By Joey McMurry

Hines Ward will soon be released by the Steelers.

He's a hall of famer. No doubt. The question is, though, would the 49ers benefit from having him on their roster?