Now, the story is about us.  And it will never be about Jason Collins again.

First and foremost, I congratulate Collins on his coming out and I’m actually jealous at the way he articulated his point.  At this point in my very young career, Collins is tremendously better than me at writing.  For those that haven’t read his article, you really need to do so here before trying to determine why he came out.

A lot has been said on his motivation for coming out now.  Many skeptics point to his career nearly ending (which I call bullshit by the way) as a reason.  Again, read what he wrote.  Never in my mind did I seriously think that Collins’ coming out was a marketable ploy.

There is, however, a point to make in that Collins isn’t exactly a superstar in the NBA.  As courageous as his article is, I don’t want to overreact and imagine the sports world is dramatically going to change this instant.  Collins is now a free agent and I’m under the impression that he will sign with a team this year.  His career isn’t over.

But the impact of an openly gay athlete would be greater if the athlete was a bigger superstar.  Imagine if someone with LeBron James stardom came out.  The ignorant idea that homosexuals can’t succeed in the sports world would be shattered.

Nonetheless, this is still a great moment in sports history and if it gives other closeted athletes (not just professionals) some courage to speak out, than Collins has truly done a great thing.

One thing that has bothered me so much about homosexuality in sports is the idea that those same people who are gay need to explain to the straight community why they are who they are.  For instance, Mike Wallace tweeted out “I’m not bashing anybody don’t have anything against anyone I just don’t understand it.”  Later he says, “All these beautiful women in the world and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH…”

Why do people like Mike Wallace feel entitled to get these answers?  I don’t care at all on whether or not Wallace or anyone else doesn’t understand Collins and his “reasons” for being gay.  Why does that matter?

Bomani Jones said this in a tweet about this privilege heterosexuals have.  “The point is that privilege makes people think others need to explain themselves to you.  Heterosexuals and whites are privileged classes.”

So for those who think Collins or any other homosexual needs to explain themselves, I say shut it.  We don’t need an explanation.  Hell, it doesn’t seem that complex to me at all.  Jason Collins is attracted to guys, why is that so difficult to understand?’

You see how this story is going away from Collins and how important it is that an active male player came out.  Now it’s more along the lines of how everyone else is reacting to homosexuality.

There is one thing I do want to caution everyone of.  Without a doubt in my mind do I believe that some media members will now stick their microphones or recorders in the faces of every athlete, asking for their opinion on Jason Collins and gay athletes coming out in general.  There will be a lot of positive feedback that includes general answers of support.

That will not be the story.  No, the story will be about that one guy out there who says something really ignorant and then gets killed for it.

I’m not defending these people at all.  But instead of killing these guys, how about we as consumers of media focus on those who are doing great things.  Too many people know the names of Chris Culliver when they should know the name of Chris Kluwe.  The mention of Tim Hardaway brings negative thoughts.  I’m sure you remember his comment about homosexuals that exposed his homophobia.

“Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known.  I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people.  I am homophobic.  I don’t like it.  It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States.”

This was in 2007 when Hardaway made comments in response to the coming out of former NBA player John Amaechi.  Years later, Hardaway has been praised for his tremendous work with The Trevor Project, an American non-profit organization founded in 1998 that focuses on suicide prevention for the LGBT youth.

How many people know that last tidbit about Hardaway?  I’m sure less than the ones who remember the homophobic comments he made back in 2007.  My point isn’t to simply ignore the ignorance.  It’s to praise those that deserve it and not waste too much time on the negatives that will come.

Social media has given idiots a seemingly anonymous way to voice their opinions.  Let’s not have their loud bigotry ruin this moment.  To hell with anyone who believes otherwise, Jason Collins is definitely a hero.  By outing himself, Collins has given hope to confused teenage athletes who do not have role models to look up to.  I truly believe his article will save the lives of multiple teens who are thinking of suicide because of their homosexuality.  That to me is a hero.

So instead of focusing on the bad, let us focus on the good in this story about Jason Collins.  The story is now about us and our reactions to an evolving society.  Instead of putting the bigots front and center, we should praise those who do tremendous work for the LGBT community.  No more questioning, let’s make April 29 a truly special day.

Now that we’re a few weeks in the season, I’m going to review the play of five players that either have exceeded achievements or underachieved. There will be a few shockers, so buckle up and get ready.

John Buck- Let’s be honest: Nobody saw this coming! After having an abysmal season with the Miami Marlins, Buck has nine home runs and 27 RBIs in his first month as a New York Met. You have to wonder if this is a reincarnation of Rod Barajas’ 2010 start or legit.

Knowing Buck’s 32 and is in the declining phase of his career, you’re better off trading him. The catcher’s only broke a .250 average once in his career, but looks good against breaking balls this season, showing patience we’ve never seen from him before. His 2010 season is just an outlier.

The Mets acquired Buck to mentor their highly-touted prospect Travis d’Arnaud, and that’s it. They’re only riding Buck while he’s hot before his normal numbers start to kick in. I mean recently we’ve seen a drop in batting average, so trade while you can.

B.J. Upton- Upton’s known to be a streaky hitter, whether it’d be for the better or worse. While his consistency can be an issue, stolen bases are a guarantee.

Unfortunately, I don’t see him getting any better. In the past week and a half, he’s batting 4-for-40 with just one home run. His brother Justin, who’s on the same team, is batting .299 with 12 home runs so far this year. It’s like a tale of two cities, but B.J. facing “the worst of times.”

I never liked B.J. that much in the first place. You can make cases for people who are guarantees at certain categories, but are they worth the risk of diminishing the overall value on your team? The same cause goes for a player like Danny Espinosa, where you might get 20 home runs and stolen bases, but in the end, that’s all they can do. Sell now.

Martin Prado- The man of many positions and high average had a very shaky April. Playing in one of the most hitter-friendly parks, you wouldn’t expect a consistent hitter like Prado to bat .225 in these conditions.

Which is why I’m saying you should try and buy low right now. The first sign as to positive things to come is Kirk Gibson’s willingness to move Prado around the lineup instead of benching him. Confidence from a manager is always key. Along with that, people who are consistent .300 hitters eventually hit their stride.

Maybe playing for a new team has him getting first month jitters. Or a swinging adjustment is in order. Bottom-line is don’t worry about Prado. He’ll be just fine. But now’s a great time to acquire him.

Chase Utley- When Utley’s healthy, he’s one of the best second baseman in the game. The 34-year-old  Phillie is batting .282 with five home runs and 20 RBIs. He seems to be healthy for the first time in years.

But there’s a problem with this: He’s never healthy. While I’m happy Utley’s been able to stay on the diamond, history just shows me this won’t last for long. He hasn’t played more than 115 games in a season the last three seasons, and has a low line drive rate this season.

He’s playing lucky to this point, and luck rarely lasts 162 games. If he was younger, there’d be a better chance he’d survive. But Utley’s 34, and his best and healthy days are long behind him.

Tony Cingrani- Not bad for a Johnny Cueto replacement, eh? In his first three starts, Cingrani has only allowed three earned runs on 12 hits in 18 innings. Not to forget that he’s also struck out 28 batters as well.

While this leaves Dusty Baker with a tough decision when Cueto comes back, I can see them giving Cingrani Mike Leake’s rotation spot. I know he’s pitched against some pretty mediocre offenses, but the six inning shutout against the Washington Nationals should silence any of that talk. He might not have any dominant pitches, yet the location of them have been key to his early success.

If he hasn’t been picked up in free agency or waivers, claim him immediately. He’s young, wise, and has the command to be a solid pitcher for years to come. His success isn’t a fluke.

If you have any questions or players you want me to evaluate like I did here, ask me through email, message me on Facebook, or tweet at me via Twitter.

The race’s start was overshadowed by penalties and the teams that fell victim of them. Fans were well aware of the penalties handed out two weeks ago to Penske Racing for improper rear ends, but Joe Gibbs Racing would be the next to fall victim. Matt Kenseth (#20 Dollar General Toyota) was set to be penalized for an oversized pipe on his engine, costing him dearly in the championship. However, the team is appealing the penalty, in hopes of a smaller penalty.

Now what is the best way to bounce back from a penalty? How about winning the pole in the following race in quick fashion? That’s what Kenseth did, as he and his teammate Brian Vickers (#11 FedEx Toyota), who continued to sub for injured Denny Hamlin, made up the front row at the start of the race.

The first half of the race was dominated by the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers of Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch (#18 M&M’s Toyota). Kenseth and Busch would frequently exchange the lead until Busch would get caught back in traffic on a set of pit stops. This would spell trouble for Busch, as he would later be caught up in a wreck when Jimmie Johnson (#48 Lowe’s Chevy) spun out of turn 2 off of Tony Stewart (#14 Rush Truck Centers Chevrolet). Both Johnson and Busch would sustain damage and would be eliminated from contention in the race.

As the race made it beyond halfway, Kurt Busch (#78 Furniture Row Chevrolet) and Martin Truex Jr (#56 NAPA Toyota) became contenders at the front of the field, that is, until Truex blocked Busch one two many times, forcing Busch to employ the bump and run on Truex.

As the race wore to its close, the contenders at the front included many drivers that were looking to break long winless streaks. Juan Pablo Montoya (#42 Depend Chevrolet) dominated the second half of the race, while Kurt Busch looked for his first win since being with Penske in 2011, and Kevin Harvick (#29 Bell Helicopter Chevrolet) looked for a lame-duck win with Richard Childress Racing. However, a late set of pit stops after a wreck by Brian Vickers would shuffle the field, putting Harvick’s teammate Jeff Burton (#31 Airgas Chevrolet) at the front, with Jamie McMurray (#1 McDonald’s Chevrolet) second, and AJ Allmendinger (#51 Chevrolet) third.

On the green-white-checkered restart, the front three who stayed out on old tires lost track position quickly, while Kevin Harvick made quick moves to the front, taking the lead and the win for the first time in 2013.

Here is the results of the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond:

1. 29 Kevin Harvick

2. 15 Clint Bowyer

3. 22 Joey Logano

4. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya

5. 31 Jeff Burton

6. 99 Carl Edwards

7. 20 Matt Kenseth

8. 43 Aric Almirola

9. 78 Kurt Busch

10. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr

11. 24 Jeff Gordon

12. 48 Jimmie Johnson

13. 27 Paul Menard

14. 51 AJ Allmendinger

15. 39 Ryan Newman

16. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr (Rookie)

17. 56 Martin Truex Jr

18. 14 Tony Stewart

19. 47 Bobby Labonte

20. 34 David Ragan

21. 5 Kasey Kahne

22. 83 David Reutimann

23. 7 Dave Blaney

24. 18 Kyle Busch

25. 33 Landon Cassill

26. 1 Jamie McMurray

27. 38 David Gilliland -1 Lap

28. 35 Josh Wise -2 Laps

29. 10 Danica Patrick (Rookie) -4 Laps

30. 13 Casey Mears -4 Laps

31. 30 David Stremme -4 Laps

32. 36 JJ Yeley -5 Laps

33. 2 Brad Keselowski -8 Laps

34. 32 Timmy Hill (Rookie) -9 Laps

35. 11 Brian Vickers DNF

36. 16 Greg Biffle -15 Laps

37. 93 Travis Kvapil DNF

38. 55 Mark Martin DNF

39. 87 Joe Nemechek S&P (Start and Park)

40. 52 Brian Keselowski S&P

41. 98 Michael McDowell S&P

42. 9 Marcos Ambrose DNF

43. 19 Mike Bliss S&P

Jimmie Johnson continues to hold a commanding points lead, with almost a full race in points (43) over second in points Kasey Kahne (#5 Farmers Chevrolet). Next week the Sprint Cup Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the Aaron’s 499. Coverage can be seen Sunday afternoon on your local FOX affiliate.

Jon Alba, NFL mock draft expert Jordan Katz and colleague Mike Reynolds host the SportsFullCircle 2013 NFL Draft chat! Click here or the link below to access the chat room!

http://us10.chatzy.com/11425695683922

Follow Jon Alba on Twitter!

Well, the time has come for my final NFL Mock Draft. Now on this one, there’s no analysis. Many of you know how I feel about certain players. Rather, this is a three-round mock with just players. Now you can’t actually predict trades in a mock draft, but for those of you interested, here’s a short list of teams I expect to attempt to trade up and trade down in round one.

Philadelphia (4th)- trade down

Cleveland (6th)- trade down

New York Jets (9th and/or 13th)- trade down

Carolina (14th)- trade down

Minnesota- trade up

San Francisco- trade up

Baltimore- trade up

New England- no one knows

Any questions or comments before draft day, feel free to comment before the draft and I will gladly answer them.

ROUND ONE

1) Kansas City Chiefs- Eric Fisher, OT Central Michigan

2) Jacksonville Jaguars- Luke Joeckel, OT Texas A&M

3) Oakland Raiders- Sharrif Floyd, DT Florida

4) Philadelphia Eagles- Dee Milliner, CB Alabama

5) Detroit Lions- Dion Jordan, DE/OLB Oregon

6) Cleveland Browns- Geno Smith, QB West Virginia

7) Arizona Cardinals- Lane Johnson, OT Oklahoma

8 ) Buffalo Bills- Ryan Nassib, QB Syracuse

9) New York Jets- Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah, DE/OLB BYU

10) Tennessee Titans- Chance Warmack, OG Alabama

11) San Diego Chargers- Star Lotulelei, DT Utah

12) Miami Dolphins- Xavier Rhodes, CB Florida State

13) New York Jets via Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kenny Vaccaro, S Texas

14) Carolina Panthers- Tavon Austin, WR California

15) New Orleans Saints- Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB LSU

16) St Louis Rams- Sheldon Richardson, DT Missouri

17) Pittsburgh Steelers- Jarvis Jones, OLB Georgia

18) Dallas Cowboys- Jonathan Cooper, OG North Carolina

19) New York Giants- Alec Ogletree, ILB Georgia

20) Chicago Bears- DJ Fluker, OT Albama

21) Cincinnati Bengals- Desmond Trufant, CB Washington

22) St Louis Rams via Washington Redskins- Matt Elam, S Florida

23) Minnesota Vikings- Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE Florida State

24) Indianapolis Colts- Jamar Taylor, CB Boise State

25) Minnesota Vikings via Seattle Seahawks- Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Tennessee

26) Green Bay Packers- Justin Pugh, OG/OT Syracuse

27) Houston Texans- Justin Hunter, WR Tennessee

28) Denver Broncos- Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame

29) New England Patriots- DJ Hayden, CB Houston

30) Atlanta Falcons- Bjoern Werner, DE Florida State

31) San Francisco 49ers- Jonathan Cyprien, S Florida International

32) Baltimore Ravens- Kevin Minter, ILB LSU

ROUND TWO

33) Jacksonville Jaguars- Matt Barkley, QB USC

34) San Francisco via Kansas City Chiefs- Sylvester Williams, DT North Carolina

35) Philadelphia Eagles- EJ Manuel, QB Florida State

36) Detroit Lions- Menelik Watson, OT Florida State

37) Cincinnati Bengals via Oakland Raiders- Eric Reid, S LSU

38) Arizona Cardinals- Sio Moore, OLB Connecticut

(Cleveland Used Pick in Supplemental Draft)

39) New York Jets- Terron Armstead, OT Arkansas Pine-Bluff

40) Tennessee Titans- Kawann Short, DT Purdue

41) Buffalo Bills- Manti Te’o, ILB Notre Dame

42) Miami Dolphins- Kyle Long, OG Oregon

43) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Datone Jones, DE UCLA

44) Carolina Panthers- DJ Swearinger, S South Carolina

(New Orleans Forfeits Pick Due To Bounty Scandal)

45) San Diego Chargers- Brian Winters, OG Kent State

46) St Louis Rams- Keenan Allen, WR California

47) Dallas Cowboys- Jonathan Jenkins, DT Georgia

48) Pittsburgh Steelers- DeAndre Hopkins, WR Clemson

49) New York Giants- Zach Ertz, TE Stanford

50) Chicago Bears- Arthur Brown, OLB/ILB Kansas State

51) Washington Redskins- Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB Connecticut

52) Minnesota Vikings- Jonthan Banks, CB Mississippi St

53) Cincinnati Bengals- Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama

54) Miami Dolphins via Indianapolis Colts- Sam Montgomery, DE LSU

55) Green Bay Packers- Shamarko Thomas, S Syracuse

56) Seattle Seahawks- Jonathan Hankins, DT Ohio State

57) Houston Texans- Jesse Williams, DT Alabama

58) Denver Broncos- Alex Okafor, DE/OLB Texas

59) New England Patriots- Robert Woods, WR USC

60) Atlanta Falcons- Gavin Escobar, TE San Diego State

61) San Francisco 49ers- Darius Slay, CB Mississippi St.

62) Baltimore Ravens- Quinton Patton, WR Louisiana Tech

ROUND THREE

63) Kansas City Chiefs- Mike Glennon, QB NC State

64) Jacksonville Jaguars- Bennie Logan, DT LSU

65) Detroit Lions- Damontre Moore, DE Texas A&M

66) Oakland Raiders- Stedman Bailey, WR West Virginia

67) Philadelphia Eagles- Kiko Alonso, ILB Oregon

68) Cleveland Browns- Jamie Collins, DE/OLB Southern Miss

69) Arizona Cardinals- Tyler Wilson, QB Arkansas

70) Tennessee Titans- Jordan Reed, TE Florida

71) Buffalo Bills- Khaseem Greene, OLB Rutgers

72) New York Jets- Montee Ball, RB Wisconsin

73) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Larry Warford, OG Kentucky

74) San Francisco 49ers via Carolina Panthers- Terrance Williams, WR Baylor

75) New Orleans Saints- Robert Alford, CB Southeastern Louisiana

76) San Diego Chargers-Brennan Williams, OT North Carolina

77) Miami Dolphins- Brandon Williams, DT Missouri Southern State

78) St Louis Rams- Travis Frederick, C Wisconsin

79) Pittsburgh Steelers- Brandon Jenkins, OLB Florida State

80) Dallas Cowboys- Le’veon Bell, RB Michigan State

81) New York Giants- Barrett Jones, C/OG/OT Alabama

82) Miami Dolphins via Chicago Bears- Markus Wheaton, WR Oregon State

83) Minnesota Vikings- Kevin Riddick, ILB North Carolina

84) Cincinnati Bengals- David Bahkitari, OT Colorado

85) Washington Redskins- Travis Kelce, TE Cincinnati

86) Indianapolis Colts- John Simon, DE/OLB Ohio State

87) Seattle Seahawks- Logan Ryan, CB Rutgers

88) Green Bay Packers- Dallas Thomas, OT/OG Tennessee

89) Houston Texans- Xavier Nixon, OT Florida

90) Denver Broncos- Shawn Williams, S Georgia

91) New England Patriots- Akeem Spence, DT Illinois

92) Atlanta Falcons- B.W Webb, CB William & Mary

93) San Francisco 49ers- Tyrann Matheiu, CB LSU

94) Baltimore Ravens- Baccari Rambo, S Georgia

95) Houston Texans (compensatory)- William Gholdson, DE Michigan State

96) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory)- Vance McDonald, TE Rice

97) Tennessee Titans (compensatory)- TJ McDonald, S USC

The race would quickly become about pit stop strategy, as after a spin and crash by Kyle Busch (#18 M&M’s Toyota) that collected Joey Logano (#22 AAA Ford), some drivers elected to pit, while others stayed out. The lead would be handed off between Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr (#56 NAPA Toyota) , and Jimmie Johnson (#48 Lowe’s Chevrolet), but Kenseth would continue to dominate from pole.

Turn two posed an interesting challenge for drivers throughout the day. There were nearly half a dozen drivers who either spun or wrecked out of turn two and onto the backstretch. Among the bigger incidents was the spin by Marcos Ambrose (#9 Stanley DeWalt Ford) that collected Sam Hornish Jr (#12 SKF Ford) and Casey Mears (#13 Geico Ford).

The feel good story of the race came from Michael Waltrip Racing, where the team had replaced their normal number style with those mirroring the numbers worn by those in the Boston Marathon, in honor of the victims of the bombings there the past week. Many other cars from Hendrick Motorsports and Roush-Fenway Racing also had decals in remembrance of the attacks.

In the end, the battle for the race lead would come down to Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne (#5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet), a repeat of the battle for the race win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year. In the end, the result would be the same, with Kenseth taking his second win of 2013.

Here are the results for the STP 400 at Kansas:

1. 20 Matt Kenseth

2. 5 Kasey Kahne

3. 48 Jimmie Johnson

4. 56 Martin Truex Jr

5. 15 Clint Bowyer

6. 2 Brad Keselowski

7. 1 Jamie McMurray

8. 43 Aric Almirola

9. 55 Mark Martin

10. 27 Paul Menard

11. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr (Rookie)

12. 29 Kevin Harvick

13. 24 Jeff Gordon

14. 39 Ryan Newman

15. 78 Kurt Busch

16. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr

17. 99 Carl Edwards

18. 31 Jeff Burton

19. 16 Greg Biffle

20. 9 Marcos Ambrose

21. 14 Tony Stewart -1 Lap

22. 51 Regan Smith -1 Lap

23. 38 David Gilliland -1 Lap

24. 47 Bobby Labonte -1 Lap

25. 10 Danica Patrick (Rookie) -2 Laps

26. 35 Josh Wise (Rookie) -2 Laps

27. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya -3 Laps

28. 83 David Reutimann -4 Laps

29. 33 Landon Cassill -4 Laps

30. 34 David Ragan -5 Laps

31. 11 Brian Vickers -10 Laps

32. 30 David Stremme -11 Laps

33. 32 Timmy Hill -25 Laps

34. 13 Casey Mears DNF

35. 36 JJ Yeley DNF

36. 93 Travis Kvapil DNF

37. 12 Sam Hornish Jr DNF

38. 18 Kyle Busch DNF

39. 22 Joey Logano DNF

40. 81 Elliott Sadler DNF

41. 19 Mike Bliss (Start and Park)

42. 98 Michael McDowell (Start and Park)

43. 7 Dave Blaney DNF

Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the Sprint Cup point standings, with Kasey Kahne a distant second, 37 points behind.

The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond. Coverage can be seen on your local FOX affiliate.

Even before the race began though, drama ensued surrounding the Penske Racing teammates of Joey Logano (#22 Shell Pennzoil Ford) and Brad Keselowski (#2 Miller Lite Ford). The two cars both failed pre-race inspection when their rear end housings were found to be out of alignment with NASCAR regulations. Both had to replace them and go back through inspection, with Logano just getting through after the command to start engines was issued. Logano would start at the tail end of the field for not being present on the grid. Penalties will likely be issued for the team in the coming week.

On the other end of the field, Kyle Busch (#18 Interstate Batteries Toyota) won the pole with a record shattering lap, and would be joined on the front row by his older brother Kurt Busch (#78 Furniture Row Chevrolet). Kyle Busch would start the race with a solid lead, lapping cars by lap 20. A debris caution though would end Busch’s building lead, now with Martin Truex Jr (#56 NAPA Toyota) in second.

After pit stops and a restart, trouble ensued on the backstretch when Ricky Stenhouse Jr (#17 Best Buy Ford) lost control of his car and spun, then hitting fellow rookie Austin Dillon (#51 Realtree Chevrolet). Both cars would have substantial damage, and Stenhouse would head to the garage.

Meanwhile, a story was developing surrounding Bobby Labonte (#47 Bush’s Baked Beans Toyota) and Mike Bliss (#19 Toyota). Bobby Labonte had been battling a stomach flu all weekend and asked Bliss to be on standby to relieve him. This would be fully dependent on Bliss starting and parking the 19 car, though. When Labonte questioned if he would be able to continue around lap 40 of the race, Bliss had not parked. By lap 50, Labonte parked his car in the garage. Meanwhile, Bliss was in 33rd running on the lead lap. Michael McDowell (#98 Ford) would hop in to replace Labonte at lap 81.

After the caution was over, Martin Truex Jr took over as the race leader, and pulled away from Kyle Busch and third place Jimmie Johnson (#48 Lowe’s Chevrolet). His lead was short-lived though as Busch would pass him back for the lead. Busch continued to expand his lead until Ricky Stenhouse Jr brought back out the caution for smoke, when he returned to the track after repairs and had a smoking tire.

On the ensuing pit stops, Matt Kenseth (#20 Dollar General Toyota) had a fuel issue in his pit box. The issue? His pit box was set on fire from the fuel overflow from his car. NASCAR officials quickly extinguished the flames. After pit stops, Kyle Busch checked out once again on the field, while battles continued throughout the field for positions.

Issues then ensued on the first green flag pit stops of the night. Tony Stewart (#14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet) spun on pit road into his pit box, blocking Kyle Busch from his pit stall. Meanwhile, David Ragan (#34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford) missed pit road on his first attempt to pit. Brad Keselowski also had to make an extra stop for tire issues. After the stops, Kyle Busch would emerge with the race lead over new second place driver Jeff Gordon (#24 Cromax Pro Chevrolet).

One of the stronger cars of the night, Kurt Busch, hit trouble around lap 180 as he pulled into the garage with a fuel injection issue. Meanwhile Michael McDowell, in relief of Bobby Labonte, dropped a valve and saw his night come to an end.

Meanwhile, Kyle Busch’s lead vanished as Jeff Gordon took over as race leader near lap 190, while Dale Earnhardt Jr (#88 National Guard Chevrolet) pulled onto pit road to change his battery, after running as high as third. Gordon continued to lead through green flag pit stops, until Martin Truex Jr passed him on pit road for the lead.

As the race would work to a close, the battle would emerge for the lead between Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. Truex was looking to snap one of the longest active winless streaks in NASCAR, while Busch was looking for the weekend sweep. In the end, Busch would take advantage on a late restart, handing him the checkered flag for the first time in the Cup series at Texas.

Here are the results of the NRA 500 at Texas:

1. 18 Kyle Busch

2. 56 Martin Truex Jr.

3. 99 Carl Edwards

4. 16 Greg Biffle

5. 22 Joey Logano

6. 48 Jimmie Johnson

7. 43 Aric Almirola

8. 11 Brian Vickers (subbing for Denny Hamlin)

9. 2 Brad Keselowski

10. 39 Ryan Newman

11. 5 Kasey Kahne

12. 20 Matt Kenseth

13. 29 Kevin Harvick

14. 55 Mark Martin

15. 15 Clint Bowyer

16. 1 Jamie McMurray

17. 27 Paul Menard

18. 21 Trevor Bayne

19. 9 Marcos Ambrose -1 Lap

20. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya -1 Lap

21. 14 Tony Stewart -1 Lap

22. 93 Travis Kvapil -2 Laps

23. 31 Jeff Burton -2 Laps

24. 83 David Reutimann -2 Laps

25. 7 Dave Blaney -2 Laps

26. 34 David Ragan -3 Laps

27. 30 David Stremme -3 Laps

28. 10 Danica Patrick -3 Laps

29. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr -4 Laps

30. 35 Josh Wise (Rookie) -4 Laps

31. 13 Casey Mears -4 Laps

32. 38 David Gilliland -5 Laps

33. 51 Austin Dillon (Rookie) -8 Laps

34. 33 Landon Cassill -8 Laps

35. 87 Joe Nemechek -10 Laps

36. 32 Timmy Hill (Rookie) -12 Laps

37. 78 Kurt Busch -18 Laps

38. 24 Jeff Gordon DNF

39. 36 JJ Yeley DNF

40. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr (Rookie) DNF

41. 19 Mike Bliss DNF

42. 47 Bobby Labonte/Michael McDowell DNF

43. 98 Michael McDowell DNF

The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. Race coverage can be seen on your local FOX affiliate.

This is the second of my April blitz of mock drafts and a lot has changed since my previous one. In fact I have 30 of the 62 picks as different players, and I’m sure more will change from now until draft day.

ROUND 1

1) Kansas City Chiefs- Luke Joeckel, OT Texas A&M (no change)

Same as last week. Joeckel appears to be coming closer and closer to a lock here.

2) Jacksonville Jaguars- Dion Jordan, DE/OLB Oregon (no change)

Again, I still think Eric Fisher is a better pick here, but the Jags desperately need a pass rusher. Jordan, Ziggy Ansah and Barkevious Mingo appear to be the best pass rushing options on the board, so this could be one of those three. I’m taking Jordan.

3) Oakland Raiders- Star Lotulelei, DT Utah (previous pick: Sharrif Floyd)

Star Lotulelei’s heart tests came up fine, so he becomes the best player on the board for most once again. The Raiders desperately need a defensive tackle, and while Floyd was here last week I think Lotulelei has become a top five overall pick again.

4) Philadelphia Eagles- Eric Fisher, OT Central Michigan (previous pick: Dee Milliner)

I had mentioned in my last mock that the Eagles were getting Jason Peters and Todd Herremans back from injury, so they didn’t need to go offensive line. However, recent reports have shown that they may go offensive line anyway. I think Fisher is actually the best tackle in the draft, so his athleticism will work perfectly for new head coach Chip Kelly’s up tempo style.

5) Detroit Lions- Dee Milliner, CB Alabama (previous pick: Eric Fisher)

The Lions do still need offensive line help, but Milliner is very high on their draft board from everything I can gather. The Lions have had a poor secondary for a long time and Milliner would be a step in the right direction. He’s a physical corner with good instincts, and has shown spurts of lockdown corner ability. Whether he can be a shutdown corner at the next level however, remains to be seen.

6) Cleveland Browns- Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah, DE BYU (previous pick: Tavon Austin)

I had Austin here because I thought it was a nice reach pick for a team that desperately needs playmaking wide receivers. However, the recent buzz around Ansah has led me to believe there’s no way Cleveland passes on him. As I’ve stated, Ansah is a Jason Pierre-Paul clone. He has terrific pass rushing ability and despite the fact he is raw, I think he will be a great pro.

7) Arizona Cardinals- Lane Johnson, OT Oklahoma (no change)

The Cardinals trade for Carson Palmer furthers my belief that the rumors of them not taking a quarterback in the first round are true. The trade also furthers my belief that Lane Johnson is their man at the seven because the Cardinals will have to do a better job of protecting Palmer than they did their previous quarterbacks. If they don’t he might not last the season.

8 ) Buffalo Bills- Geno Smith, QB West Virginia (no change)

This pick is very close to changing because there is a lot of talk that besides Geno Smith the quarterbacks in this class are going to fall. Because of that, Geno Smith could fall into the backend of the first round where a team like Buffalo or Arizona or even Philadelphia trades back into the first round to get him. There is no reason to overdraft a quarterback in this draft and because of this, Geno Smith could fall. I’ll keep him here for now, but this could change soon.

9) New York Jets- Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB LSU (previous pick: Ziggy Ansah)

Most have had this pick penciled in here for months, but I’m just not sold on Mingo, so I’ve tried to avoid him going to my favorite team. However, this pick just makes too much sense. Mingo is a good pass rusher and he does have an array of moves. The Jets need a pure pass rusher, so Mingo would make sense.

10) Tennessee Titans- Chance Warmack, OG Alabama (no change)

Many may have a defensive tackle here, but let me explain something. The Titans offensive is still atrocious. Nothing has changed from my last mock draft.

11) San Diego Chargers- Sharrif Floyd, DT Florida (previous pick: Jonathan Cooper)

If Star Lotulelei was totally healthy at the time of my previous mock draft, then he would have gone in the top five and Floyd would have gone to the Chargers. Well, Lotulelei is healthy now, so this scenario is playing out. Floyd is one of the many very talented defensive tackles in this draft so he will help the Chargers defense next season.

12) Miami Dolphins- DJ Fluker, OT Alabama (no change)

The Dolphins top need is still left tackle after they lost Jake Long to the Rams a few weeks ago. Again Fluker isn’t high on my list of players I like, but he is the best offensive tackle on the board, and that’s what the Dolphins are looking for.

13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Xavier Rhodes, CB Florida State (no change)

This pick will be the Jets by draft day; I truly believe that. I think that the Bucs will ultimately cave on this pick and trade it to get the best corner in the league (sorry Richard Sherman). If they don’t, Xavier Rhodes is a lock here, in my opinion. However, I would be surprised if the Jets aren’t picking here by as early as the end of next week.

14) Carolina Panthers- Tavon Austin, WR California (previous pick: Star Lotulelei)

First off, I’m convinced from things that I’ve seen and heard that the Panthers are going wide receiver with this pick. Second, Austin is a Steve Smith clone, at least that’s his ceiling. He’s a small reveicer with big play ability and good route running. So why not send him to Carolina to learn from… Steve Smith?

15) New Orleans Saints- Jarvis Jones, OLB Georgia (previous pick: Barkevious Mingo)

I still like the idea of the Saints taking an outside linebacker because of their switch to a 3-4 defense. Jones could actually thrive in this system as well. He would have to do nothing but pass rush, which is the only thing he can do anyway. This might actually work out for the former Georgia star who has fell on mock drafts across the country since December.

16) St Louis Rams- Sheldon Richardson, DT Missouri (no change)

Richardson would still be a perfect fit for the Rams, if he fell to this pick. He’s phenomenal against the run and is a prototypical 4-3 defensive tackle. He’s also a terrific tackler for his position. Not all defensive tackles make big time tackles and plays in the backfield, but Richardson does. I’m still not entirely sure he makes it here, but if he does the Rams would get a steal of a pick.

17) Pittsburgh Steelers- Alec Ogletree, ILB Georgia (previous pick: Jarvis Jones)

Despite the apparent loss of Emmanuel Sanders (even though the Steelers have until Monday to match the Patriots offer, that doesn’t seem likely), I still think the Steelers need to get younger on defense, specifically their linebacking core. Ogletree is a versatile linebacker. He has explosive sideline to sideline speed and is great against the run. This will be a good fit for Pittsburgh.

18) Dallas Cowboys- Jonathan Cooper, OG North Carolina (previous pick: Justin Pugh)

Now Cooper wasn’t available here in my last mock, so that’s why this pick was Justin Pugh. If Cooper is here, this is a no brainer. Personally, I think Cooper is better than Chance Warmack and I’ve made that known. He would really improve the offensive line of the Cowboys.

19) New York Giants- Manti Te’o, ILB Notre Dame (previous pick: Alec Ogletree)

The Giants have to go linebacker here. Te’o is back to a top 20 pick and he will command the middle of that defense well. However, I have one concern that might make the Giants look elsewhere with this pick. If there was concern over Te’o’s ability to control his emotions in locker rooms with the Lennay Kekua issue, imagine the New York media and the pressure they will put on him.

20) Chicago Bears- Justin Pugh, OT/OG Syracuse (previous pick: Manti Te’o)

Chicago needs linebackers, but there’s none worth over drafting here. There next need is offensive line. Pugh is a very solid offensive lineman. He is probably a guard at the next level because of his small wing span, but he’s a good pass blocker at tackle, which should make him an excellent pass blocker at guard.

21) Cincinnati Bengals- Desmond Trufant, CB Washington (no change)

Trufant was on my radar as a first round pick back in October when no one knew he would be picked in the first two days, let alone the first round. He’s got a ton of skill in coverage and has good ball skills. Most importantly, he’s athletically gifted and has great balance for a corner. The Bengals need a corner opposite Leon Hall and Trufant is a big upgrade to their secondary.

22) St Louis Rams via Washington Redskins- Kenny Vaccaro, S Texas (no change)

I mentioned last week how the Rams have no safeties whatsoever, so this pick still doesn’t change.

23) Minnesota Vikings- Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE Florida State (no change)

The Vikings still need a defensive end opposite Jared Allen and Carradine is the best all around defensive end left on the board, in my opinion.

24) Indianapolis Colts- Bjoern Werner, DE Florida State (no change)

The Colts have always looked for faster defensive ends that primarily rush the passer, and that is Werner in a nutshell. If your looking for a dark horse here, Jamar Taylor could be your guy if the Colts decide to go secondary.

25) Minnesota Vikings via Seattle Seahawks- Sylvester Williams, DT North Carolina (no change)

Continuing with the theme of getting younger and more depth on the defensive line, Williams is a solid defensive tackle and in a 4-3 defense could be a weapon. I could see a wide receiver here, but I like the fit of Williams.

26) Green Bay Packers- Menelik Watson, OT Florida State (no change)

The Packers biggest need here, even with the departure of Jennings and their horrendous defense, is still offensive line because as long as Aaron Rodgers is upright during games, the Packers can beat anybody. Watson is flying up boards so he makes sense here.

27) Houston Texans- Cordarelle Patterson, WR Tennessee (no change)

If you didn’t read my last mock draft here’s the deal with Patterson. Personally I think he is better than Austin. He has good size (6’1), he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands, and one on one there are not many that can stop him. He’s fast and jumps out of the stadium. Any 50/50 ball will most likely be Patterson’s.

The issue for him is the transition to the next level. Patterson has only one year of experience in college and doesn’t run great routes. He’s very much like Stephen Hill from last year’s draft class in that regard. However, just as I felt Hill would be a great pro, and I still do, I think Patterson will be as well.

28) Denver Broncos- Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame (no change)

I still believe the Broncos will meet their need to replace Dumervil in free agency. Eifert is a beast in the passing game and it was obvious that Jacob Tamme wasn’t a true number one tight end if you watched the Broncos last season. Eifert is a great route runner, he has great size and speed for a tight end, good hands, and can stretch the field vertically. He would make the Broncos offense literally unstoppable in the passing game.

29) New England Patriots- Jamar Taylor, CB Boise State (previous pick: Justin Hunter)

Despite the Steelers matching Emmanuel Sanders’ offer sheet, I still believe the Patriots are going secondary here. Taylor is flying up draft boards for his ability to play press coverage and his ball hawking skills. He has supposedly been on the Patriots radar for a while and would help a horrendous secondary (sorry Pats fans, not buying Kyle Arrington, Devin McCourtey or Aquib Talib).

30) Atlanta Falcons- Zach Ertz, TE Stanford (no change)

I don’t care that Tony Gonzalez is coming back, he can’t last forever. Ertz is going to be one of the better tight end prospects that the Falcons will ever have the chance to draft. Must draft here.

31) San Francisco 49ers- Margus Hunt, DE SMU (previous pick: Blidi Wreh-Wilson)

After winning the second “Asomugha sweepstakes,” the 49ers can now address their next need… if they had any. This may be the most complete team since I’ve started covering the NFL Draft. There’s no reason why this pick in that case shouldn’t be defensive line. It’s the strongest position in the draft, and Justin Smith is getting up there in age.

Hunt is a beast and would be a top 15 pick if he actually played decent competition, in my opinion. He’s massive for a true defensive end with great speed up field, a quick first step off the line, and he very strong. He will be a clone of Justin Smith in two years if he got to learn behind Smith.

32) Baltimore Ravens- Justin Hunter, WR Tennessee (previous pick: DeAndre Hopkins)

The defending champions lost a lot from last year to this year, especially on defense. However, I think the top need is getting Joe Flacco a replacement for Anquan Boldin, who was his favorite target in a tight spot. Hunter is very similar to Cordarelle Patterson. He’s not as explosive or as good in the air, but he is a much better route runner and more consistent. He will be a good fit here for the Ravens

ROUND TWO

33) Jacksonville Jaguars- Matt Barkley, QB USC (no change)

34) San Francisco via Kansas City Chiefs- Jonathan Cyprien, S Florida International (no change)

35) Philadelphia Eagles- EJ Manuel, QB Florida State (no change)

36) Detroit Lions- Terron Armstead, OT Arkansas Pine-Bluff (previous pick: Damontre Moore)

37) Cincinnati Bengals via Oakland Raiders- Matt Elam, S Florida

38) Arizona Cardinals- Jonathan Hankins, DT Ohio State (previous pick: Mike Glennon)

(Cleveland Used Pick in Supplemental Draft)

39) New York Jets- Johnathan Jenkins, DT Georgia (no change)

40) Tennessee Titans- Damontre Moore, DE Texas A&M (previous pick: Margus Hunt)

41) Buffalo Bills- Keenan Allen, WR California (no change)

42) Miami Dolphins- Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB Connecticut (previous pick: Jonthan Banks)

43) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kawann Short, DT Purdue (no change)

44) Carolina Panthers- Eric Reid, S LSU (previous pick: Jamar Taylor)

(New Orleans Forfeits Pick Due To Bounty Scandal)

45) San Diego Chargers- Arthur Brown, ILB Kansas State

46) St Louis Rams- DeAndre Hopkins, WR Clemson (previous pick: Robert Woods)

47) Dallas Cowboys- Bennie Logan, DT LSU (previous pick: Jonathan Hankins)

48) Pittsburgh Steelers- Robert Woods, WR USC (previous pick: Quinton Patton)

49) New York Giants- Kyle Long, OG Oregon (previous pick: Terron Armstead)

50) Chicago Bears- Kevin Minter, ILB LSU (previous pick: Kyle Long)

51) Washington Redskins- Jordan Reed, TE Florida (no change)

52) Minnesota Vikings- Jonthan Banks, CB Mississippi St (previous pick: Kevin Minter)

53) Cincinnati Bengals- Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama (no change)

54) Miami Dolphins via Indianapolis Colts- Sam Montgomery, DE LSU (no change)

55) Green Bay Packers- DJ Swearinger, S South Carolina (previous pick: Eric Reid)

56) Seattle Seahawks- Jesse Williams, DT Alabama

57) Houston Texans- Brandon Williams, DT Missouri Southern

58) Denver Broncos- Jamie Collins, DE/OLB Southern Mississippi

59) New England Patriots- Alex Okafor, DE/OLB Texas (previous pick: Darius Slay)

60) Atlanta Falcons- Robert Alford, CB Southeastern Louisiana

61) San Francisco 49ers- Darius Slay, CB Mississippi St. (previous pick: Alex Okafor)

62) Baltimore Ravens-Shamarko Thomas, S Syracuse (previous pick: DJ Swearinger)

Now that the baseball season is officially weeks in, I’m going to write this week’s blog on people who have either impressed me or concern me so far. Keep in mind the season is young, so there’s time for these athletes to improve their game or regress to the level they’re best at. Let’s get started.

Roy Halladay- The Phillies say he’s healthy, but this is not the Roy Halladay I grew up watching. Doc’s 35-years-old and has looked like it in his first two starts where he got shellacked against the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

What could be the problem if he isn’t injured? I’ll point to his velocity and age. Halladay’s fastball seems to have no life to it, which forces him to throw the cutter that doesn’t even cut sharp anymore. Let’s not forget most pitchers who hit this age (minus Andy Pettitte and Tim Hudson) tend to decline sharply.

We can all agree Doc isn’t a fantasy ace anymore. It’s just not going to happen. But what I can guarantee is he’ll get it together as the season progresses and be a solid end of the rotation guy. Buy low now.

Chris Davis- We have our first buy high player of 2013! Chris Davis is on some type of roll to start off the season, as he has more RBIs (17) than the Miami Marlins have runs (16). I don’t see why you should even pitch to him at the moment.

I recommend you find someone who wants to trade for him right away. Sure, he’s having a very hot start to the season. The two problems here are his health (played 139 games last season) and the high amount of strikeouts. With this, you’ll never see a high batting average. Plus he’s very streaky too.

Sell high with Davis. There’s a very slim chance he keeps up the pace. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a solid player. Regression is around the corner though, and you can get value now before he sizzles.

Justin Upton- Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need. Justin Upton is the perfect example of that. Now with his brother and another young stud in Jason Heyward, he has six home runs in the first eight games of the season. Six home runs!

Unlike Davis, I don’t see Upton slowing down the pace. One of the reasons is because we’ve seen this production from him before as an Arizona Diamondback. Throw last year in my face, but the second half of 2012 wasn’t that bad. He’s also part of this Braves lineup that’s stacked to the core.

The 25-year-old stud will continue to grow and impress in Atlanta. He’s also going to be very expensive in the fantasy markets, so if you want him, better open up those wallets.

Matt Harvey- It’s unfortunate for Harvey that whenever he’s on the mound or hear his name, I think of the scene in Batman (“WHERE’S HARVEY?!?!”). Regardless, he’s been very impressive to start off 2013, including an 0.64 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 14 innings.

Harvey’s potential is showing big-time, and I don’t think he’ll slow down either. He had a 2.73 ERA from 10 starts last season, and his fastball is averaging near 95 mph. We’ll expect hitters to finally adjust to him, but even with that adjustment, pitching at Citi Field will always benefit him.

The bottom-line is that Harvey’s ceiling, added with how he’s pitching now, makes me optimistic regression won’t come around anytime soon. Mets fans should be really happy, as apparently Zack Wheeler can even better than Harvey is. Digressing from that whole different discussion, don’t sell Harvey.

John Axford- The past few years, Axford has been the go-to guy for the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning. As of lately, his control will tell you otherwise. In four appearances, he has a 24.30 ERA while giving up four home runs. Ouch.

I’m going to make this one as simple as possible; drop him. He’s not worth a roster spot (Axford cost me a win in one of my leagues this week), especially if you won’t be able to guarantee his fastball can be controlled. For this situation, I recommend picking up Jim Henderson since he’s been lights out so far this season.

If you have any questions or players you want me to evaluate like I did here, ask me through email, message me on Facebook, or tweet at me via Twitter.

The Firestone Indy Lights series is likened to the Nationwide Series in NASCAR. However, though the two series hold the same title of second-tier series, the Nationwide Series has much more sponsor backing, and many more entrants. Just to put it into perspective, at the Nationwide Series race at California, the field was set at 40 cars. For the last Indy Lights race at Barber Motorsports Park, there were only nine entrants. While we know that IndyCar and NASCAR have vastly different numbers of teams, nine entrants in any level of professional racing is embarrassing.

There is also a lack of team and sponsor support in the Indy Lights. Sam Schmidt Motorsports has carried the series on its back for the past few years, entering the most cars on a consistent basis. Andretti Autosport also continues to enter at least one car. Beyond those two teams, there is little to no support from the other IndyCar Series teams. Furthermore, little to no big name sponsors have stepped up to aid the drivers in the series. If there is one good thing going for the series though, they have television coverage via the NBC Sports Network.

The Firestone Indy Lights are desparate for a fix, and with that in mind, here are three areas I would look for IndyCar to help fix the series:

1. Encourage driver development from IndyCar teams:  Without support from bigger teams like Chip Ganassi Racing, Penske Racing, and KV Racing Technology, Indy Lights cannot be fixed. Support from Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Andretti Autosport has been great, but having other teams from the IndyCar Series will help with driver development going forward.

2. Treat IndyCar and Indy Lights like Sprint Cup and Nationwide:  NASCAR has a great model that IndyCar can use here. Though IndyCar has already torched the plans for a new Lights car in 2014, distinct cars in each series can help. Also, try to run many races in conjunction with the IndyCar Series, but also run more than just the current one-off standalone race at Trois-Rivieres. Furthermore, maybe encourage rookies in the IndyCar Series to run a Lights race or two to have more track time and more practice for tracks they have never seen before.

3. Make the series marketable:  Without marketability of the series as a feeder series to IndyCar and for the drivers as the “next generation of IndyCar champions”, this series is set on its continued course for failure. By making the series and its drivers more marketable, more sponsors will be likely to sign on with the series.

If you put all three of these ideas together, you get a solid plan going forward for how the Indy Lights can be saved from their current state. Without a change in course from their current direction, though, Indy Lights may not be around as a second-tier series for much longer.