Ed Note: This article first appeared at Bloguin's national NBA blog Crossover Chronicles.

One of the biggest stars in music today is aggravated with a certain NBA playoff team choosing to play his music to pump up their home fans.  Seattle based rapper Macklemore was informed by a Twitter follower that the Oklahoma City Thunder was playing his latest hit, "Can't Hold Us", to excite the home fans in the arena.  Macklemore's response was less than enthusiastic...

Continuing in their recent tradition of announcing contract renewals with talent, ESPN has announced the re-signing of college basketball reporter Andy Katz to a deal that will keep him in Bristol for another six years...

All Times Eastern

College Baseball
Louisville at Ohio State -- Big Ten Network, 6:30 p.m.

College Football
College Football Live -- ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

Cycling
Giro d'Italia
Stage 10: Cordenons to Altopiano del Montasio -- beIN Sport, 9:30 a.m.

Tour of California
Stage 3: Palmdale to Santa Clara -- NBC Sports Network, 5 p.m.

English Premier League
Arsenal vs. Wigan Athletic -- Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.
Reading vs. Manchester City -- Fox Soccer Plus, 2:53 p.m.

The thrill of victory is great, but the agony of defeat always makes for better and juicier headlines.  Take the Toronto Sun for instance and their reaction to the hometown Maple Leafs blowing a 4-1 3rd Period lead in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, losing 5-4 in overtime.  "The Choke's On Us" might be a little harsh considering Toronto did fight back from a 3-1 series deficit to force the Game 7... but with the Leafs' recent run of futility, Toronto is going to embrace this collapse like they are the hockey embodiment of Sergio Garcia.

On the bright side, it's Blue Jays season or something. 

H/T Toucher and Rich

Monday, May 13

G4: Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls (TNT 7PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
G4: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies (TNT 9:30PM) Dick Stockton, Chris Webber

Tuesday, May 14

G4: New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers (TNT 7PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller
G5: Golden State Warriors @ San Antonio Spurs (TNT 9:30PM) Matt Devlin, Mike Fratello

Wednesday, May 15

G5: Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat (TNT 7PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
G5: Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT 9:30PM) Dick Stockton, Chris Webber

Thursday, May 16

G5: Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks (TNT 8PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller
G6* San Antonio Spurs @ Golden State Warriors (ESPN 10:30PM)

Friday, May 17

G6* Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls (ESPN 7PM)
G6* Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies (ESPN 9:30PM)

Saturday, May 18

G6* New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers (ESPN 8PM)

Sunday, May 19

G7* Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat (TNT TBA) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
G7* Golden State Warriors @ San Antonio Spurs (TBA)
G7* Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TBA)

Monday, May 20

G7* Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks (TNT 7PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller

*If Necessary

H/T Sammy!

Remember when ESPN appeared to be like The Brain of the old WB animated series, Pinky and the Brain, on a mission to take over the world? Well unlike the Brain, ESPN seemed to be on its way with networks in Asia, Africa, Europe as well as Central and South America.

You could travel to the UK and watch ESPN for the English Premier League, the FA Cup as well as some of ESPN's USA programming. ESPN Star Sports in India gave viewers cricket, soccer, tennis and the Olympics. It seemed where there was a TV set and a pay provider, ESPN would find its way there.

But over the last half-year, ESPN has been quietly selling some of its international channels. Months after losing the UK rights to the English Premier League to BT Sport, the Worldwide Leader decided to sell its channels in England and Ireland to BT for an undisclosed amount of cash. ESPN will still have an online presence in the UK, but its broadcast rights to various events will revert to BT. The moves have already influenced some of the on-air talent as Rebecca Lowe, a host for ESPN UK will move to NBC in June to host English Premier League games here and the beloved Ian Darke will call EPL games for BT in the UK.

There once was a man named Reilly,
His work used to be regarded highly.
He once was quick as a pistol,
Then got hired by Bristol.

He was a good writer,
He once could be proud.
But now he writes jokes,
that make me curse aloud.

Money became his muse,
So recycled columns he did use
And he'll continue to collect his paycheck wryly.

He fell off the wagon,
Although he keeps braggin,
Even when he keeps writing quite dryly.

He bloviates poetically,
Though he does poorly phonetically,
Inventing words to fit his awful rhyme,
Reilly wasticated all of our time.

They put him on shows,
Now his work blows,
And God only knows,
How much lower he goes.

Rick Reilly has spent
Many years at the top
Which is rather amazing
When he produces such slop.

Never call him a quitter,
Because he breaks news on Twitter.

Appearing in order: daytonadan, ph_problems, ArchStanton52, Weldibeast, HawgPride5, TStads20, JoeMcCann3, danlevythinks, normalguyguide

On Thursday, Youtube launched the first wave of paid subscriptions to a variety of channels. Of the 54 paid channels that are currently active, some are sports related, including channels for Fitness, the PGA Digital Golf Academy, TNA Wrestling, and the UFC.

But honestly, when it comes to the major sports leagues, I'm not sure if they have much of a future charging or subscriptions to Youtube channels. The NBA's Youtube channel is a behemoth, with over 3.4 million subscribers and 1.4 billion video views. The NHL is getting somewhere on Youtube despite over three million fewer subscribers than the NBA. Even MLB is getting in on the act, but their main goal is still driving people to MLB.com and their media empire.

Tiger Woods won The Players yesterday for his 4th win of the season and 78th of his career in his 300th start.  He was aided by Sergio Garcia dropping two balls in the water on the famed island green 17th when he was tied for the lead with Woods.  In fairness to Sergio, a small flock of geese were flying overhead and distracted him.  Sergio's unfortunate turn of events let Tiger off the hook somewhat.  Woods temporarily blew a 3 shot lead, aided by his own drive into the water on the Par 4 14th.

Woods would bogey the hole, but not before NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller tried to stir up another national controversy with Woods' drop.  Of course, Tiger Woods held the nation captive earlier this year with a drop on the 15th at Augusta in the 2nd Round that resulted in a 2 stroke penalty and not disqualification.  Miller speculated that Woods had again improperly dropped by placing his ball much further up the fairway than where his ball must have crossed the hazard.  Miller delivered this overly dramatic line on the broadcast and was immediately shot down by on-course reporter Mark Rolfing.

If you've paid close attention to this site over the years, you'll know my affinity for Aussie Rules football.  It's seriously the most entertaining game in the world and I probably watch more AFL football during a week than 99% of Americans have seen in a lifetime.  (Two words: Majak Daw!!)

This AFL clip comes to us from the lead-up to Sunday's game between Melbourne and the Gold Coast Suns.  The Suns are one of the AFL's two recent expansion teams (the other being Greater Western Sydney) while Melbourne is currently in a stretch that is the Aussie version of Matt Millen's Detroit Lions.  In other words, it was going to be a dog of a game.  Maybe that's why analyst Gerard Healy's mind was elsewhere as he was previewing the game and called the Suns the "Gold C**ts."  Let your mind run wild with that Freudian slip!

For what it's worth, Gold Coast blasted Melbourne 114-54 for their first win at the MCG.

H/T TBL