By: Phil Shore, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
The New England Patriots were dealt a huge blow Tuesday as cornerback Leigh Bodden was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
Bodden played 15 games last season as a starting defensive back. He was the Patriots’ most productive player on the weakest unit of a defense that struggled.
He registered 55 tackles and a team-high five interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. New England rewarded him this past offseason with a four year, $22 million contract.
Bodden had missed most of training camp with a knee injury. He had returned to practice last week and played in Thursday’s preseason game against the Saint Louis Rams.
Without Bodden, a seven-year NFL veteran, the Patriots’ already thin defensive backs unit will rely on several young corners that have yet to prove themselves.
The injury means that the starting positions will be handed to Darius Butler, projected to start alongside Bodden, and first-round draft pick Devin McCourty.
The second-year Butler played in 14 games last season, five as a starter, and picked off three passes, one for a touchdown. The Patriots felt confident in Butler as a prospect and were ready to let him, although inexperienced, earn a starting [...]

By: Dave Cheng, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
Throw out the glass slipper.  After an NCAA tournament filled with surprises and upsets, the Final Four is set with Duke, West Virginia, Michigan State and Butler.  None of which are by any means considered Cinderella stories.
Many claimed Duke was given a nearly free ride with the weakest region in the tournament.  Second seeded Villanova was done by the second round, and Duke’s opening game was against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, winner of the 65 versus 64 play in game.  Their only real challenge came in the Elite Eight against third seeded Baylor, where Duke had the upper hand with their height and used it to their advantage by out-rebounding Baylor 41-35. This included 17 offensive boards in the second half alone.  Their final four opponent will be Bob Huggins and his West Virginia Moutaineers.
WVU also had a near cake walk into the final four.  Other than Kentucky, the top seed in the eastern region of the bracket, the team has faced tenth seeded Missouri and 11th seeded Washington beating them by a combined score of 22 points.  Then Daryl Bryant went down with a broken bone in his right foot, and people began doubting how far [...]