News & Neuigkeiten » Tigers, Smebs legacy (if he

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma and Kansas State want to move past last years game for much different reasons.Kansas State would like to erase the memory of a 55-0 loss at home. That day, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield threw five touchdown passes in the first half, with the Sooners rolling to a 35-0 lead. The Sooners eventually outgained the Wildcats 568 yards to 110.We just didnt show up for the ball game, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. Every game is a different ball game. Im not focused on last year, and I dont think our players are focused on last year. It all has to do with our preparation this year.Oklahomas players have said repeatedly that Kansas State is much better now. The 19th-ranked Sooners (3-2, 2-0 Big 12) went out of their way to downplay last years result.We practiced really well, Oklahoma linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo said of last years preparation. We respect coach Snyder. Hes a really good coach, so we tried to be very detailed in our practice. It was a good win for us, but theyre a good team.A repeat of that lopsided score is unlikely. For one, Kansas State (3-2, 1-1) leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense. For another, Oklahomas defense has struggled a bit. In its two Big 12 victories, the Sooners have given up 46 points to TCU and 40 to Texas.Some things to watch Saturday:WILLIS WAY: Kansas State DE Jordan Willis leads the Big 12 with 6.0 sacks.Jordan Willis comes to mind as having been a pretty decent pass rusher, Snyder said. He has made improvement in that area and has been responsible for a couple of turnovers. He just reacted quicker to certain things that have allowed his pass rush to become better.THE OTHER WESTBROOK: Russell Westbrook isnt the only big-time playmaker in Oklahoma with that last name. Dede Westbrook has caught 17 passes for 390 yards and five touchdowns the past two games for the Sooners. All five scores have covered at least 40 yards.HES BACK: Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine got off to a slow start this season, but the 235-pound bruiser is back to doing his usual damage. He ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns last week against Texas.Perine had a few dings early in the season that prevented him from being his best, but hes fine now.Hes special, and hes going to keep getting touches, Mayfield said. Hes stronger, and it looks like hes fully healthy. He has that mentality that hell run you over. Thats good to see.SHAKE AND BAKE: Mayfield has found his rhythm again after a few subpar games in September by his standards. He lit Texas up for 390 yards and three touchdowns. The junior, who entered the season high on many Heisman watch lists, is starting to play at that level again. He ranks second in the Big 12 in passing efficiency.Hes also doing more damage on the ground lately. After rushing for four yards and no touchdowns through the first three games, he rushed for a combined 75 yards and three touchdowns in wins over TCU and Texas.IN A RUT: Kansas State, despite scoring 44 points against Texas Tech last week, ranks seventh in the Big 12 in scoring offense and last in total offense and passing offense. Oklahomas primary defensive weakness is its young secondary, and Kansas State might not have the tools to exploit it.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP .Golden State Warriors Gear . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Golden State Warriors Pro Shop . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. https://www.cheapwarriors.com/ . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. Stitched Warriors Jerseys . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Golden State Warriors Store . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide.Welcome to the Esports Equivalent, where we take one of the biggest traditional sports stories currently going on in the world and try to find a what-if comparison in the competitive gaming scene.If youre not a fan of basketball, or were just too busy on the 4th of July to notice, one of the biggest free-agent signings in traditional sports history occurred. Former NBA MVP Kevin Durant left his longtime team, Oklahoma City Thunder, to sign with the Golden State Warriors. Anytime one of the top players in their field moves to a different team is a big deal, but the Independence Day signing is even greater in scope.Why?The Warriors last season accomplished something no squad has ever done in an 82-game season: win 73 of those contests. Steph Curry and his teammates secured the record for the best regular season in NBA history. Golden State were only one win from repeating as champions in the finals, and it took a herculean effort from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers to stop it from happening.Now, one of the best teams the NBA has ever seen has added Kevin Durant to its already potent shooting lineup. The signing has formed two warring opinions: Warriors fans who are happy to have what looks to be the best starting five in NBA history, and everyone else wondering how in the world this is considered fair.To find the esports equivalent to the Kevin Durant signing, we head over to the so-called Mecca of esports, South Korea. In League of Legends, there is no other king than the one housed at the SK Telecom T1 headquarters. The team has won two of the past three Summoners Cups, are the reigning Intel Extreme Masters world champions, and have a Mid-Season Invitational crown in Shanghai. Its also working on an unprecedented four-peat in its domestic league in South Korea, the most competitive region in the world. Led by the best player of all time, Lee Faker Sang-hyeok, T1 has accrued one of the best statistical years. A fourth straight League of Legends Champions Korea championship and a third Summoners Cup in four years would solidify T1 as possibly the best organization in all of esports history.But what if SKT T1 wanted to stack the deck even more? For Durant and the Warriors, chemistry on the court (or the Rift) is far more important than how pretty a lineup appears on paper. Looking at all the esports scenarios that could run parallel to Durants move to the Bay Area, one player stood out for me from T1s main rival.Enter: Song Smeb Kyung-hoSince the organization formed in late 2014, Smebs Tigers have played a very similar role to OKC. One of the best regular season teams weve seen in the past two years, the Tigers have continually failed to win a title on the grand stage, similar to how Durant and Russell Westbrooks Thunder have repeatedly missed capturing the Larry OBrien Championship Trophy. The Tigers faced off versus SKT T1 in three major finals during the past two years and lost all three in disappointing fashion, despite often being the favoritee in the matchup.dddddddddddd. Anytime it felt like the league or tournament would turn out differently for Smeb & Co., Faker would be waiting for them at the finish line, and all the hard work up to that point would be all for naught.In 2016, Smeb received offers to play on various teams around the world for reportedly more money than the Tigers could offer. But he decided to stay in order to take down Fakers T1 once and for all.But what if Smeb went the Durant route? A former MVP himself in the LCK, Smeb has been considered one of, if not the best top laner in the world since the formation of the team. The leader of his team and the player that has come closest to grabbing away the title of best in the world, he still lacks the thing that will decide his legacy the most: a championship ring. Hes made two LCK finals and lost both times to SK Telecom T1. When the Tigers made an inspired run to the finals of last years World Championships thanks to Smebs carrying talents in the top lane juggernaut meta, it was SK Telecom T1 that took home the Summoners Cup.Smeb joining SKT T1 would be interesting. While a majority of fans would consider it an upgrade position-wise, its important to note T1 already has one of the elites at the top lane role with Lee Duke Ho-Seong. A former MVP from his days on the hapless NaJin e-mFire, Duke is the type of player who is quieter and less flashy than Smeb, but puts up close numbers in his role. The addition of Smeb would be a slight boost when it comes to offensive stats; however, the real benefit is his communication and shot calling.Unless Duke joined ROX in a trade, the signing of Smeb would also weaken T1s greatest competitor, the Tigers, for a third Summoners Cup. Just like the Warriors did by chopping the head off of the team that took them to seven games during this years Western Conference final, a Tigers team without Smeb just wouldnt be the Tigers anymore. Smebs evolution from a subpar player to being the second-best player in the world has made the Tigers what it is today.Heres how Smebs MVP standing has looked during the past four splits in Korea:Spring 2015: Third Summer 2015: Fourth Spring 2016: First Summer 2016: First (Halfway through season)Sadly for Smeb and the Tigers, Smebs legacy (if he retired today) would be the most bittersweet. Hes one of the best top laners of all time, but not the best because of his lack of a title. Smeb needs that championship to establish himself as one of the greats.If T1 did sign Smeb, that would majorly damage its closest competitor and bring on a player that has been top four in MVP voting and is an upgrade when it comes to communication. With Faker, Smeb and Bae Bang Jun-sik, the reigning champions of all major international competitions would possess three of the best five or six players on the entire planet.OK, lets end this before we give SK Telecom any ideas. ' ' '