This is your daily link roundup of our favorite sports posts on the web for May 18.
• Sorry for running late today. I was out day trading my new Facebook shares [12].
• If the Pacers beat the Heat, would Pat Riley blow up the Big Three [13]?
• There is a new agreement where the champions of the SEC and Big 12 would play in the postseason [14] if neither is in the proposed four-team model to determine the national champion. The SEC champ not in the title game?!
• I’m not one for planning an interesting death, but many around the office think this is a good way to go [15]. Personally, I just can’t see the last three people I talk to being Cinnamon, Jade and Destiny.
• It’s so nice to have Mike Leach — relationship advice, bear hunting, pirate gear, etc. [16] —back in college football.
• The Cardinals lost 7-5 in San Francisco yesterday and made three errors. I think the issue for the World Champions may have been “Bad Tuxedo Day. [17]” Check out these pics.
• Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee says that Steve Spurrier’s plan to award SEC division titles based only on division record will not happen [18].
• The Cubs' Kerry Wood will retire [19] today. It seems like ages (actually, 1998) since his 20-strikeout performance against the Astros.
• The NFL Combine has well over 300 players looking to be drafted somewhere in the 250+ selections. However here are 37 players who were not invited to the Combine but were drafted [20], including four in the top 100 picks.
• CBS has the latest on the suspension of MLB umpire Bob Davidson [21].
• With the Champions League final this weekend, we thought it was time to throw soccer fans a rare bone. And when you combine Hank Williams Jr. and European soccer, it means things are getting pretty silly here on a Friday. Here’s our Video of the Day…
--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com
---By Patrick Snow (@AthlonSnowman [22])
May 17
• The Saints offseason has been tumultuous enough. The last thing New Orleans needs is an issue with re-signing quarterback Drew Brees [23].
• Want your own Super Bowl ring? You can join the auction for New York Giants’ legend Lawrence Taylor’s XXV ring [24] right here.
• Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com details the Top 10 players in the league under the age of 25 [25].
• In Chicago, apparently Metta World Peace is known as “Lakers Idiot [26].”
• ESPN Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller looks at the league’s breakout players during spring ball [27].
• Delvon Roe’s promising Michigan State basketball career was cut short with knee issues, but now the former Spartan has a new passion [28] — making a romantic drama feature film.
• The Texas Rangers are looking brilliant so far with their high-dollar acquisition of pitcher Yu Darvish [29], who just keeps winning.
• The Missouri legislature made an SEC-level move by only allowing Show-Me-State schools to be featured on state license plates [30]. For all of the University of Kansas fans in the K.C. area, the rivalry continues.
• Bleacher Report has a slideshow of NFL veterans who could be cut before the season [31].
• ACC Commissioner John Swofford believes in his league’s stability and says he’s not been affected by the Florida State defection rumors [32].
• Boston fans are a passionate lot, and it’s nice to see a little daughter watching the Celtics game with her father. The salty language is a tad scary, but she’s precious enough to get away with it. Here’s our Video of the Day…
--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com
---By Patrick Snow (@AthlonSnowman [22])
May 16
• Did a former NBA assistant plagiarize his ESPN Insider analysis of the Spurs-Clippers series [33] from a message board? Deadspin has the latest.
• The Angels fired hitting coach Mickey Hatcher [34]with the offense — especially Albert Pujols — struggling. Hatcher had been on Mike Scioscia’s staff since 2000.
• FARK.com led us to this “Drunken Saylor” in Florida [35]. There’s not much more fun around the neighborhood than a 43-year-old, exposed woman with a .194 BAL.
• With the current Florida State rumors not going away, ESPN Big 12 blogger David Ubben details how the Seminoles have fared against current league schools [36].
• Will the Jets offense have more discipline [37] under new coordinator Tony Sparano?
• With the Knicks out of the playoffs, Amar’e Stoudemire is now attending college [38] — at the University of Miami.
• Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at the possibility of the Bulls not having Derrick Rose next season [39].
• Fellas, you may have eyeballed those Skechers commercials with Brooke Burke and Kim Kardashian [40] but hopefully you didn’t buy your significant other any “Shape-Ups.”
• New Penn State coach Bill O’Brien does not want a constant quarterback battle [41] during August.
• Can Colt McCoy still win the Browns starting quarterback job [42] after the team drafted Brandon Weeden?
• In case you missed it, Brett Lawrie of the Blue Jays had an unfortunate reaction to some bad umpiring last night. Here’s our Video of the Day…
--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com
---By Patrick Snow (@AthlonSnowman [22])
May 15
• Congratulations to this year’s inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame [43].
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler may have some new weapons in Brandon Marshall and rookie Alshon Jeffery, but he’s still concerned about the Chicago offensive line [44].
• Is Ohio State’s only focus on Michigan this season [45], especially with no postseason for the Buckeyes?
• If you’re heading out on a Bachelor party weekend [46] soon, Mandatory.com has some no-no’s for your trip. Don’t be that guy.
• Can Connecticut Governor Daniel Malloy rekindle the UConn-Boston College rivalry [47] after all of the conference realignment politics? Big East Coast Bias has the latest.
• ESPN’s Ryan McGee has sits down with NASCAR owner Rick Hendrick after his organization’s 200th victory [48]. I want to go to “Redneck Disney World."
• Nationals phenom Bryce Harper hit his first career home run Monday night, and he wasted no time getting around the bases [49].
• SB Nation breaks down the Thunder’s blowout of the Lakers [50] in Game 1 of their playoff series.
• Bleacher Report’s Michael Walsh believes the Orioles can stay atop the AL East standings [51].
• Gizmodo cannot believe these phones are still for sale [52] in 2012.
• With record-breaking BYU quarterback Ty Detmer going into the Hall of Fame, we look back at the day he probably won the Heisman — the Cougars’ 28-21 win over No. 1 Miami in 1990. Here’s our Video of the Day…
--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com
---By Patrick Snow (@AthlonSnowman [22])
May 14
• Florida State to the Big 12 is the rumor that will just not go away. Tulsa World columnist John Hoover looks at the league's future [53], while Ingram Smith of 
ChuckOliver.net and Bud Elliott of TomahawkNation.com discuss the Seminoles’ future [54].
• Adam Kramer has a humorous look at the Big 12 footprint if Florida State joined [55] the Texas-controlled league.
• Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee speculates on further SEC expansion [56] — Virginia Tech and NC State — if the ACC loses current members.
• Do people really still have MySpace accounts [57]? We offer help.
• Would the Phillies trade Cole Hamels [58]?
• Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz calls out the Pacers for blaming referees [59] after a 95-86, Game 1 loss to the Heat.
• So Jersey Shore tool “Pauly D” is coming out with a new alcoholic beverage [60]. Does anyone over the age of 21 care?
• Texas A&M’s move to the SEC is already producing wins (as long as Erin Andrews shows up). The Aggies edged out Nebraska [61] to have ESPN’s “College GameDay" shoot a commercial on the A&M campus.
• CBS’ Jon Heyman thinks the Astros roster will be the focus of MLB buyers [62] over the summer.
• Can the Ravens play elite defense without edge rusher Terrell Suggs [63]?
• Matt Kuchar’s two-stroke victory at The Players Championship is impressive on its own. But the fact that he did it playing with the insufferable pre-shot routine of Kevin Na on the final day is remarkable. Here’s our Video of the Day…
--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com
---By Patrick Snow (@AthlonSnowman [22])
