When Green entered the league (drafted 18th overall, in 2005) he was heralded as a big time dunker who could score, unfortunately for Green inconsistency eventually took his playing career out of the league.

Between 2009 and 2011, Green played all across the world, including Russia and China. A few weeks after being released by Chinese pro team Foshan, Green signed with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, of the NBA developmental league and that is where his game finally regained some stability. In 23 games with the D-Fenders, Green averaged over 19.0 points per game, along with 4.6 rebounds and a staggering 45% behind the arc, eventually becoming a D-League all-star.

In desperate need of a two guard, the Nets signed Green to a 10 day contract on February 27th, 2012, and he hasn’t disappointed. Green is currently averaging 8.9 points per game, and 2.7 rebounds per game off the bench, picking up the slack for defensive specialist DeShawn Stevenson, who is currently averaging less than 3.0 points per game and shooting an inefficient 26% from the floor. More recently Green had a monstrous game against the Rockets where he piled in 26 points off the bench, along with a mind-blowing windmill dunk.

New Jersey has an asset in Green, and should sign him to a guaranteed contract, he’s only twenty-six, and is still improving.

Being raised in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second biggest city, Winnipeg Jets forward Carl Klingberg always had aspirations of following in Forslund’s footsteps to play hockey in the NHL.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the NHL. The NHL is and always has been the best league in the entire world.”

As a child the 20-year-old Klingberg always idolized former Toronto Maple Leaf forward and fellow Swede Mats Sundin. His brother John, who was drafted by the Dallas Stars, also idolized a Swedish great, Peter Forsberg. The influence of great Swedish NHL players, made Carl want to play in the NHL almost immediately.

After Klingberg played two years of junior hockey in Sweden with Frölunda HC, he moved up to the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second tier league, directly below the Swedish Elite League, Sweden’s top league. After only eight games with the HA’s Borås HC, Klingberg moved up to Frölunda HC’s tier-1 team. Klingberg was not only quickly moving up the Swedish league rankings, but also the NHL Draft rankings.

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Klingberg as the 7^th best European skater available in a draft that included a strong Swedish core group of players. Klingberg was eventually drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers 34^th overall in the second round.

“I was very happy when Atlanta picked me,” Klingberg recalled.

Klingberg’s journey to the NHL didn’t start immediately, however. Over the next two seasons, Klingberg played with two SEL teams, before transitioning over to the North American game; a transition that Klingberg says his game was better accustomed to.

“North America is a more speedy game, and there is much more North-South hockey instead of a wide rink with a lot of sideways play. I like to go straight to the net, so I think that North America hockey fits me better. I feel that my type of game is more effective in North America. I feel like a better fit here.”

“I think that it’s harder to go back to [play in] Sweden than to go to North America.”

Klingberg got a a minor taste his first pro season in North America. He played in eight AHL games with the Chicago Wolves and played one game in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers.

However, after the season ended, the team that drafted him, the Thrashers, folded and moved to Winnipeg. The move didn’t surprise or faze the young Swede. When he heard that the team was going to be moved to Winnipeg, he became excited with the opportunity that he could get with a new team.

“It [the move to Winnipeg] was going on for a while, so I wasn’t surprised when I heard the deal was completed. I think that it’s awesome to be playing for a Canadian hockey team. There are so much more people who like the game.”

Klingberg said Winnipeg reminds him of his hometown.

“It’s a small town with a lot of energy for hockey, almost like my hometown of Gothenburg, so it was nothing but positive thoughts.”

His hopes are high for the season. Klingberg had trained all summer to be in the best possible shape to make an impact when training camp opened.

“I’ve done everything that a player is supposed to do. I’ve worked hard at the gym; I’ve done some work making my feet faster and have done some explosive training to pump my lungs up. Of course, I’ve also been on the ice as much as possible.”

Klingberg has the confidence, but knows that sticking it in the NHL likely won’t happen overnight, and he will have to work to stay there, just like his idols have done in the past.

While Klingberg didn’t start the season with the Jets, he performed well enough with the St. John’s IceCaps to earn a six game stint with the Jets. His dream of becoming an everyday NHK player is almost a reality, but he knows that there will be hard-knocks along the way.

“I want to play in the NHL for sure, but almost everyone has played in the minors before playing regularly in the NHL. So playing there wouldn’t be the end of the world. I want to develop my game as much as possible. Ultimately though, my goal is to play for the Jets from the start if possible, and doing a hell of a lot for the team so that we can make the playoffs.

The time has finally come. World Wrestling Entertainment kicks off its 2012 pay-per-view schedule with the highly anticipated Royal Rumble. The card for tonight features only four matches, but all appear to be worth the money spent to watch. We are treated to two world title matches, a grudge match, and the Rumble itself.

World Heavyweight Championship Match (Steel Cage): (c) Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry

In what is the first steel cage match to ever grace the Royal Rumble, we see our defending champion Daniel Bryan face two monsters in Big Show and Mark Henry. The odds seem stacked against Bryan because of the sheer size difference, but from watching wrestling for so long, I know different. It makes logical sense for Bryan to keep the title, simple as that. He is a young champion with excellent in-ring ability, and I feel WWE will have him as champion going into WrestleMania. Big Show is just too old to be considered a credible champion, and with Mark Henry supposedly being injured during this Friday’s taping of Smackdown, it makes sense to leave the belt on Bryan.

Prediction: Daniel Bryan retains World Heavyweight Championship via escaping the cage

WWE Championship Match: (c) CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler w/ John Laurinaitis as special guest referee

Here we have another typical title match in which the champion has everything going against him, but somehow manages to pull out the miraculous victory. CM Punk has been in a heated feud with Interim Raw GM John Laurinaitis for several months now, and it comes down to this match. Laurinaitis has openly stated he is going to screw Punk out of the title, but I see it differently. WWE has a habit of making things a tad too obvious, and I believe there is no exception here. Laurinaitis will probably be knocked out at some point during the match, allowing Punk to hit the GTS on Ziggler and retain the title, thus allowing Ziggler entry into the Rumble, but more on that later.

Prediction: CM Punk retains WWE Championship via pinfall

John Cena vs. Kane

This is the most anticipated singles match on the card due to one looming reason: A possible John Cena heel turn. Cena has been the biggest face in the company since 2005, literally carrying WWE on his shoulders. Last year Cena reportedly made WWE $106 Million on his own, and those figures are what makes me question the turn. For the past month Kane has been torturing Cena, telling him to “embrace the hate” that the WWE fans have thrust upon him. Recent actions suggest that Cena may indeed turn heel, but I think WWE is just trolling the viewers. With kids 10 and under buying so much Cena merchandise and making their parents pay outrageous ticket prices to see “Super Cena” make another comeback, I can’t see Vince McMahon letting Cena turn his back on the kids that allow him to live the life he does. With all of that being said, I feel Cena will continue to show heel tendencies and bring an edge to his character, and tonight he goes over that edge. He will take a beating for a while, and then snap. He will go crazy and beat the living snot out of Kane, using illegal weapons to aid him. Cena will “embrace the hate” but I don’t feel it will lead to a full-fledged heel turn.

Prediction: Kane defeats John Cena via disqualification

Royal Rumble

This match is one of the most coveted matches that the WWE offers every year. 30 superstars will enter the ring, and the only way to be eliminated is to be thrown over the top rope and have both feet hit the ground. This is the hardest of all matches the WWE offers because of the sheer number of entrants, but I have my mind set on who I think will win the right to face a world champion in the main event at WrestleMania. Firstly I think we will see the return of a couple surprise entrants in Goldust, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, and Road Dogg. Now then, ever since Chris Jericho returned to Raw early in the New Year, I knew WWE had something special planned for him. He has hardly spoken a word since his return, nor has he competed. His statement on Raw this past week about how at the Royal Rumble it would be the “end of the world as we know it” tells me that he is going to win the Rumble. Now, I could be wrong because WWE has been also known to fool us with making something painstakingly obvious, only to make a last minute change and throw us a curveball. With that being said I feel Jericho enters as number 30 and makes the final four along with Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Wade Barrett. Jericho will then eliminate Randy Orton in the final two to secure his first ever Royal Rumble Victory.

Prediction: Chris Jericho wins the Royal Rumble

There you have it folks, this is how I feel the Rumble with unfold tonight. It will be interesting to see just how WWE allows it to play out. Stick around to see just how close my predictions were in my next article.  Thanks for Reading.

The team had come off beating Orlando in six games in the first round; and the impressive series against the Bulls looked promising for a team that was a heavy underdog; and the success has carried throughout into the next season.

Early into the NBA season, without center Al Horford and point guard Kirk Hinrich, the Hawks have been off to an impressive start.

The Hawks currently have a 13-5 record, with an 8-1 record at home.

They are getting valuable contributions from unlikely candidates, like Ivan Johnson, Willie Green and Tracy McGrady (who has surprisingly accepted his role coming off the bench).

Via LatestSports.Blogspot.Com

The Hawks have won games that they should win, and have lost games to Miami, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Indiana, none of which are bad teams.

Young point guard Jeff Teague has stepped up his game with Hinrich’s absence, averaging 12.6 points per game and 5.7 assists.

Zaza Pachulia has stepped up, replacing Horford.

Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are both putting up (for the most part) consistent points.

The team has bought what coach Larry Drew is selling, and playing unselfish basketball. They are currently fourth in assists per game in the NBA.

So my question for today’s article, are the Atlanta Hawks for real? Can they keep up the impressive record for the entire shortened season?

1. Blue Jays trade pitching prospect Nestor Molina to the Chicago White Sox for Sergio Santos

- The Jays did something surprising with this trade, trading a young fireball pitcher for something they actually needed, a closer. Santos racked up 30 saves, had impressive strikeout numbers and had a WHIP just over 1.10. The Blue Jays bullpen of Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch blew too many games; acquiring Santos was a much needed move, but it did come at a cost with a stud prospect in Molina.

Grade: B+ Giving up Molina hurts, but Santos is what they needed.

2. Blue Jays trade Brad Mills to the Los Angeles Angels for Jeff Mathis

- With Jose Molina gone too the Rays, the team needed a strong defensive backup catcher to work with the young and wild pitching staff. Mills wasn’t likely to be in the Jays future plans, so giving him up did not hurt the team.

Grade: B Not a flashy move, but certainly not a bad one.

3. Blue Jays sign Kelly Johnson to a 1 year 6.35 million dollar contract.

- Johnson had a sub-par season with the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays. This is more of a stopgap signing until prospects in the minors are ready. Johnson can hit 20 home runs but he also can be an easy out. This signing gives the Jays a second baseman but the cost is high.

Grade: B- A needed move, but high cost and potential risk for regression.

4. Blue Jays trade for Jason Frasor from the White Sox, sign Darren Oliver (2 yr/$7 million) and sign Aaron Laffey.

- These moves were all made to improve a bullpen which severely struggled after the trade that acquired Colby Rasmus. Frasor, who is the Blue Jays all time leader in appearances, is a solid seventh/eighth inning guy who can fill at the closer spot barring injury. Oliver had been solid for the last five years, and works generally as a specialist. Laffey had an up and down year but has the potential to start or pitch in relief.

Grade: B+ Much needed signings to improve the bullpen.

5. Blue Jays lose bid to Yu Darvish, don’t sign big name free agent

- The Blue Jays had a flashy start to the off-season, and became the favourites to sign super free agent Yu Darvish. That plan didn’t work and the organization received a lot of criticism for not bigging in a big named free agent. Prince Fielder, who is still a free agent, will likely not join the Blue Jays due to his contract length demand. The Blue Jays roster, with some tweaks, is pretty similar to last years 81-81 team; It seems unlikely that they will improve with the moves that the Yankees made and the strength of the Rays and Red Sox pitcing staffs.

Grade: F If you don’t spend money you aren’t going to make much of it.

Thanks for reading,

Liam

Here is official explanation: http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=148390

It was a very special moment for him and the fans who were there to share it with Alfredsson. All of Alfredsson’s 400 goals have come with Ottawa which makes this milestone even more special.

Congratulations to Daniel on his very special night.