Conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament are approaching quickly which means that we've had a significant sample size to analyze potential NBA draft picks. While much can change between now and the end of the season, most of these players have already established themselves as potentially productive players on the next level.

Many prospects have received a deserved amount of hype and have lived up to their billing as future lottery picks. John Wall, Evan Turner, DeMarcus Cousins, Al-Farouq Aminu, Derrick Favors, Cole Aldrich, Wes Johnson, and Greg Monroe appear to be likely lottery picks but these players aren't the only players that will have successful NBA careers. Here's a look at several players that might not be early selections in the draft but might provide a great deal of help to their respective teams next year.

Sherron Collins

Collins was the Jayhawks' best bench player as a freshman when he helped Kansas to their first title under Bill Self. He was Mario Chalmers' backup but provided Kansas with a dynamic playmaker. Chalmers has been a starter for the Heat due to his steady play and strong long-range shooting but he's simply a better version of a player such as Chris Duhon, which certainly isn't a ringing endorsement. Collins is a far better one-on-one player than Chalmers and his ability to create his own shot and absorb contact... Full Story

Tiger Woods' apology for his "irresponsible and selfish behavior" was a productive and necessary step as he tries to put repair the damage from his numerous infidelities.

For the most part, Woods came across as contrite and sincerely apologetic for his regretful actions. He took ownership of his personal mistakes and acknowledged that he convinced himself that normal rules didn't apply to a person of his status.

While Tiger spoke of his desire to live a life of integrity in the future, it was equally refreshing that he acknowledged that he plans on respecting the game more from within the ropes. Tiger's incredible talent is nearly overshadowed by his poor sportsmanship on the course. His propensity to curse and throw clubs was needless and embarrassed the sport.

For someone that has placed a great deal of emphasis upon living a private life, such admissions in this type of forum perturbed Woods. The only issue I have with his apology was the tone in which he addressed the privacy and safety of his family. If anything, Tiger has been his worst enemy by inadvertently fueling the media's feeding frenzy by being silent that led to the paparazzi's overzealous coverage of his family. However justified Woods is in his condemnation of the media, he's hardly in a position to do so as a person that's reaped enormous benefits... Full Story

George Carlin once famously said “Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!” and while I’m not entirely sure what elicited such an insight, he certainly could have been talking about the voting process for NBA All-Stars. The system is obviously flawed and fans will never vote for the players that are most deserving since fans turn the process into a popularity contest. Nevertheless, with the starters already selected by fans, let’s take a look at each conference’s reserves.

Western Conference

Despite their best interests, China wasn’t able to vote Tracy McGrady into the All-Star Game. The starters in the West are Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, and Steve Nash, all of which are deserving.

The absolute locks are Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant. All three of these players are potential MVP candidates and were legitimate candidates to start this game. Brandon Roy has carried the injury-riddled Blazers and he’s the main reason that they’re still contending for a playoff berth.

After these four players, you could make any argument for several players for the remaining three spots. Pau Gasol would undoubtedly be an all-star if he hadn’t missed so many games but with such strong competition, his prolonged absence makes him the first deserving player to be cut. The Houston Rockets have... Full Story

The conclusion of MTV’s smash hit “Jersey Shore” necessitates a thorough review of each character. Dr. Seuss once famously said “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” I believe Dr. Seuss had the first season of “Jersey Shore” in mind when he said this. Without further ado, here are the power rankings from the first season of the show, subject to change through updates given to us by TMZ

or any reputable guido gossip source.

1. Pauly D – Many people might have assumed that I would give this honor to “The Situation,” who has certainly attracted more attention with his unrivaled pomposity and delusions of self-grandeur. Pauly D holds down the number one spot for several reasons. For starters, he’s a DJ that appears to be well-regarded in his industry, meaning that Pauly D is actually proficient at a tangible skill that doesn’t involve tanning or lifting weights which distinguishes himself from the entire house and possibly the entire state of New Jersey. Pauly D is surprisingly levelheaded and poised for someone that sports one of the most intense blowouts of the modern era, meaning that Pauly D is capable of interacting with normal people. Generally, a person that wears a blowout is prone to volatile behavior that generally results in a bar fight or dozen but Pauly D has demonstrated that he isn’t... Full Story

There have been several prominent storylines to date this year in college basketball. The electrifying play of John Wall and the undefeated Wildcats have garnered a great deal of attention while Kansas and Texas appear to be two of the best teams in the country that will slug it out for a Big 12 Championship before competing for a national title.

Everyone is justifiably enamored with John Wall. His incredible athleticism coupled with his selflessness and great talent makes him an absolute lock for the number one pick in the NBA Draft. Fellow freshman Derrick Favors has been touted as a favorite for the number two pick but his production hasn’t matched the hype.

Nevertheless, a national player of the year candidate is averaging close to a triple-double per game and somehow underappreciated.

Despite a scary back injury, Ohio State’s Evan Turner is a tantalizing pro prospect that’s highly skilled at every component of the game. He’s one of the best passers in college basketball and is able to set up his teammates with ease.

Turner’s offensive repertoire is extremely polished and he’s capable of finishing with either hand. He doesn’t have the type of jaw-dropping athleticism that a player such as Rudy Gay possesses but he finishes well at the rim and has a solid enough build to absorb contact and still finish shots.... Full Story

The world could use more people like Tim Tebow.

Dear Tim Tebow,

Your career as a Florida Gator is over. In an era where recruits are generally overhyped, you managed to exceed lofty expectations while doing so with class and grace, while being one of the most intense competitors and best leaders in all of sports.

And that's why I'm here to apologize.

You've somehow become a polarizing figure despite never doing anything to sully your reputation, both on and off the field.

Today's sports' landscape is littered with various figures that either compromised their integrity on the field or managed to remove any doubt that they're worthy of being a role model due to living a life that wasn't true to the image that they sought to portray for commercial and financial gain.

In the last year alone, we had Alex Rodriguez, once the unblemished savior for baseball's steroid era, admit that he was a part of the same tainted culture that he emphatically claimed to be separate from. The man that could have been baseball's hero was just another sad reminder of the lack of respect for the integrity of America's pastime.

Next, we were fortunate enough to be privileged to the charming faults of Manny Ramirez. In the past, "Manny being Manny" was synonymous with torrid heating and comically poor fielding. Then we learned that "Manny being Manny" was more appropriately... Full Story

Welcome to the first annual Takeover Awards. It has been a wild year in sports and Brian and I are here to award the best and brightest of the year that was.

The Lark Tattoo Award For Lasting Image

Jared Says: This was a tough one, but I think that Serena Williams’ US Open performance has to be the winner. But it wasn’t just what happened during her five second meltdown that made this moment special. It was her immediate return t\o reality and denial of the whole event that made it even more amazing. After being called for a foot fault, Williams turned to a line judge (about half her size) and happily proclaimed that she would “take this f****** ball and shove it down your f****** throat.” Hilariously, when the line judge went to the official and explained what happened, Serena actually replied “I absolutely did not do that.”

I consider this the image of the year literally because there is not another athlete that intimidated me as much as Serena did in this picture.

Brian Says: The image that I will remember the most from this season involved Greg Oden. After his most recent injury, Oden will have played just 82 total games in three seasons. As he was in great pain on the... Full Story