Past performance is no guarantee of future success, but scouts are becoming increasingly adept at predicting how new talent will fare in the NFL. Here are five players that all the experts expect to make a big impact immediately and for a long time in the NFL.

Andrew Luck

If his name says anything at all, he is destined for some kind of greatness. He was the first overall pick, drafted by the Colts to replace legend Peyton Manning. Experts consider his two best assets as his strong and surprisingly accurate throwing arm, and his ability to read the defense. If he can combine those two qualities throughout the season, he could take the team that picks him to the playoffs.

Robert Griffin III

This Baylor QB has super throwing strength and a quality passing form. Combine that with his speed, and you may have a superstar on your hands. The Redskins gave up a lot to land Griffin, and Coach Shanahan is looking to utilize his versatility to lead the team to a much improved season, a la Cam Newton and the Panthers last year. 

No sports fan wants to miss out on the latest scores and stats from their favorite teams and players. Thanks to the many apps available for both iPhone and Android, you can always be connected to your favorite sports and stay up to date with the latest happenings. Here are some of the “must-haves” for any true sports fan.

ESPN ScoreCenter

There is a version for both iPhone and Android, and this should be on every sports lover’s list. It provides you the latest scores, news, and standings from over 500 sports leagues. You can request text updates anytime your favorite team makes the news. You can know what’s going on in major sporting events like MLB, NFL, and college basketball, as well as other sports like cricket and rugby.

Watch ESPN

This is another great app for fans. You can turn your mobile device into a portable TV and watch any game that is currently being aired on ESPN or one of its affiliates. Now, never miss your favorite game, no matter where you are. You can watch regular season basketball and the playoffs, college football and basketball, the Grand Slam tennis events, and thousands of other programs. Best of all, it is free if you have a TV subscription with one of the networks.

Spring training is just around the corner, which means anticipation for the 2012 Major League Baseball (MLB) season is at an all-time high. The MLB power rankings are based on the rankings of experts and fans, with experts’ opinions carrying three times more weightage. Moving from the bottom to the top, here are the top ten MLB teams and experts’ expectations going into the 2012 season. 

10. The Boston Red Sox are going to do whatever it takes to stay top contenders. For the first time in years, the new General Manager, Ben Cherington, has shaken up the club’s standard Opening Day roster. Some of the missing persons are Jonathan Papelbon, J.D. Drew, Tim Wakefield, and Jason Varitek. To fill the vacuum left by Papelbon, the club picked up former Oakland A’s closer Andrew Bailey. Despite lineup changes, experts are sure this team will fight for league titles.

9. In 2011 the Arizona Diamondbacks finished first place in the National League (NL) West Division. Even though they had an above average offense, they suffered with a poor batting average, struggling to hit over .250. You’d think that the Diamondbacks would be closer to the top with a winning record of 94-68 and a starting rotation that reached career-best seasons in 2011. However, the question of players’ individual careers prior to 2011 keeps experts doubting the Diamondbacks’ ability to stay at the forefront in 2012. 

Basketball fans from everywhere look forward to the Slam Dunk contest during the NBA All-Star Saturday Night. It can be exciting to watch players compete for the title. Here is a list of some of the best slam dunks in the history of the competition.

Gerald Green

Back in 2007, Green put on a Boston Brown jersey and landed a slam dunk over the head of Nate Robinson. Green was also a runner up in the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk contest. He won McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk Contest in 2005. He plays for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the NBA Development League.

Dwight Howard

Ousting Green for the 2008 title was the center for Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard. He has been a six-time All-Star and has helped his team win three division titles and a conference title. He has been named the Defensive Player of the Year three times.

The best TV theme songs tell a story and introduce what the show is all about. Here are the top ten theme songs that are instantly recognizable, set the tone for the whole TV show, and will be in your head for the rest of the day.

Cheers

The sweet and poignant theme song opened with the title, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” Indeed, over the course of the show, people came to know all the characters and followed their lives inside the bar. Gary Portnoy, who created the iconic song, also created the song “Every Time You Turn Around” for the TV show Punky Brewster.

MASH

The theme song for this show perfectly reflects the black comedy of the show. Even the title of the song by Johnny Mandel is haunting: “Suicide is Painless.” The song was originally used in the Robert Altman movie that inspired the TV series. The show used an instrumental version without the lyrics, which just added to the melancholy feel of the song. 

If you want to make plans to attend some awesome concerts in 2012, you’d better start saving your money. This year promises some performances that you won’t want to miss. You never know when it may be your last chance to see living legends, so get in line for some amazing tickets.

The Rolling Stones

This is the fiftieth anniversary of the legendary band, making it a must-see tour for their long-time fans. Nothing is written in stone yet, but it is expected that there will be shows sometime this year.

The Beach Boys

This one is definitely going to happen. The band is scheduled to begin their tour in April in New Orleans. It is also their fiftieth anniversary, and will include an album with the tour. Their first hit, Surfin,’ debuted on February 17, 1962, but only stayed on the charts for six weeks and peaked at seventy-five.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! Today, we celebrate the courage and vision of one of our nation's greatest leaders. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us as Americans that our democracy is a constant work in progress, and that we all have the opportunity and obligation to deliver the American Dream to future generations. 

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day website encourages citizens to make their day off a day of service. You probably know that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, but you may not know these ten little-known facts about the famous civil rights leader.

1. His name was originally recorded as Michael King on his birth certificate. The mistake was discovered by his family in 1934. His name was officially changed to Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. King sang with his church choir in Atlanta at the gala premiere of Gone With the Wind in 1939.

3. He entered Morehouse College at the age of 15. He skipped the 9^th and 12^th grade, which allowed him to enter college early. He went on to earn Bachelor’s degrees in sociology and theology. He also earned a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University in 1955.

Some might say that a new calendar year is nothing to celebrate. We commemorate no victories, no fallen heroes, or historic events. We simply celebrate the coming and going of another year—an event as unremarkable as it is inevitable. And yet, there is something in us that yearns to have clear dividing lines in our lives, clear milestones within our individual and collective journeys. Since the beginning of recorded time, the beginning of a new year has offered a milestone on which to gaze back at the year before and reflect on what is truly important. Perhaps more importantly, it has always signaled a chance for a new beginning, a chance to make right what went wrong, and a chance to cherish what went right. 

As I reflect on what went right in 2011 and what I wish to cherish in 2012, the relationships in my life come immediately to mind. If you are reading this right now, it’s because you are, at least in some small way, and perhaps in very big and meaningful ways, a part of my life. As we celebrate the new year, I would like to thank you for your business, your friendship, and your love. Best wishes for a year full of love and laughter. Happy New Year!

If you aren’t quite in the holiday spirit yet, here are the top ten Christmas movies of all time that will put you in a great mood.  

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

This one is at the very top of the list for being the most loved and most watched movie according to the national media. If you’ve watched it, you know why it’s such a winner; if you haven’t, prepare to be enchanted from the beginning to the heart-warming end. Fans of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed count on this Christmas classic as a treasured and integral part of their holiday experience.

2. Miracle on 34^th Street

This movie is a time honored treasure on Thanksgiving Day; it opens with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and follows the journey to Christmas. It stars Maureen O’Hara as a divorced mom with a young daughter, Natalie Wood, the mysteriously wonderful Kris Kringle, and a supporting cast of helpful co-workers and friends.

In any other season, the most logical place to find your favorite NBA stars would be on a basketball court making big plays. However this season, you will have to look harder to find them. The NBA lockout is in its fourth month now, and isn’t showing any signs of abating. Over the summer, this didn’t matter too much. But now that people are gearing up to see their teams in action and the regular season is creeping in, it is starting to matter. The NBA has canceled the pre-season, and said that they would cancel the first two weeks of the regular season if an agreement isn’t reached soon.

Everyone involved with the NBA is trying to resolve the big issues related to the lockout, but negotiations don’t seem to be going very far. Owners and players keep battling it out, pointing fingers at who they think is the problem, and who is making more money. Big name players have started showing up for negotiations, which shows that they are ready to play. A ratified agreement is needed on the issues of Basketball Related Income (BRI) and salary cap structure before players can take their place on the court again. Until this happens, everybody in the NBA is looking for new opportunities.

New NBA rookies may be in the tightest spot when it comes to the lockout. If they have already signed with the NBA out of college, they are no longer eligible to play with their college team. But, they are not able to play in the NBA, or make the big salaries that can sustain them through rough patches like these. Andrew Goudelock who signed with the Lakers is one such player. Now he is continuing his coursework towards a sociology degree at the College of Charleston. Darius Morris is a Lakers rookie making a slightly higher salary than he’s done in the past. He is close to signing a sponsorship deal with Nike. 

If you love to laugh, here are a few comedians that you should keep your eye on:

Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari started his career doing five-minute stand-up routines.  He then went on to co-write and co-star on MTV’s Human Giant which was a sketch show.  He left that in order to do Parks and Recreation.  He stars as a celebrity wannabe living in Pawnee Indiana and working as a parks department employee.  The show, which stars Amy Poehler and a unique cast of characters, centers around the trials and tribulations of a small town parks department.  It airs on NBC’s Friday.  If you want to hear more from Ansari, but it isn’t a Thursday night, you can follow his hilarious tweets on Twitter.

Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy stole the show this summer as a tough but fair bridesmaid in the popular movie Bridesmaids. You may also recognize Melissa McCarthy from Gilmore Girls, Mike & Molly, and dozens of other small roles.  Her role in Bridesmaids was the first time her comedic genius really stepped to the forefront of a show.  The producer of Bridesmaids, Judd Apatow, has already cast her in a new movie and has even said, “I definitely do not know anyone funnier.”  So be on the lookout for Melissa McCarthy as we hopefully see much more of her in future roles.

The start of the NFL season is just hours away. If you only watch five games this weekend, here are the five you want to see. 

New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers

When the last two Super Bowl champions square off on opening weekend, you know it’s going to be a good one. When those two teams are led by Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees respectively, you know you could be in for a legendary game, characterized by some of the most complete quarterback play in the league. 

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens

If you love smashmouth football, this is the game for you. No two teams are more physical than the Steelers and Ravens. These teams have a bitter rivalry extending over a decade, and this year’s matchup looks particularly explosive. After a lockout, and a shortened preseason, these teams are anxious to lay down some big hits and set the tone for the 2011-12 season. 

It’s that time of year when students are heading back to school.  That means that college football players will be hitting the field soon. Whether you are a fan of the Big 12 or the PAC-10, there is something for everyone this college football season.  Grab a bowl of chips, and be sure to catch these highly anticipated games:

1.  Notre Dame at Michigan, Saturday, September 10^th 2011 at 7:00pm Central Time on NBC

Notre Dame and Michigan have two of the most well established college football teams.  Every year, each team is a force to be reckoned with. There are some new comers to each team this year who will be battling to show their skills. This is the first season for Michigan’s new head coach, Brady Hoke, and the second season for sophomore quarterback Tommy Rees. With the decision of who should be the first string Notre Dame quarterback still up in the air, it will be interesting to see who will take the field.

This game will be interesting for another reason too. This will be the first night game in Michigan’s football stadium, nicknamed the Big House. For the first time, the lights will be needed to light up the field for 100,000 fans in the stadium. Viewers may tune in to NBC just to see what the Big House looks like at night.

The 2011-2012 NFL season has been saved with a last-minute deal between owners and players to remake the NFL as a more safe and profitable venture. Here are the highlights of the deal. 

More revenues for owners

For the owners, most of this debate was about increasing their share of the rapidly growing NFL revenues. This was the owners' intractable point, and they got what they wanted. 

Less practice for players

The amount of practices an organization can conduct have been dramatically reduced. For instance, there are no more "two-a-days." Additionally, the intensity of practices has been reduced--less contact is allowable. And, coaches who violate these new rules will be on the hook for huge fines. Players argue that this will reduce injuries and extend careers. 

Netflix doesn't just send movies to your house through the mail. It also has a ‘Watch Instantly’ feature that allows users to watch streaming movies via their computer, phone, or Netflix-enabled device (Sony PS3, AppleTV, Nintendo Wii, etc.). Not all the movies available through DVD are available to watch instantly, so finding great movies can take some searching. To complicate things further, Netflix is always changing the movies that are available to watch instantly. Here are some of the best movies available right now. 

Iron Man 2

Get your summer blockbuster fix from the comfort of your living room. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark/Iron Man in this action-packed sequel. Mickey Rourke co-stars as the evil Russian villain. 

Let Me In

A vampire movie unlike any you've seen before, Let Me In tells the story of a little girl who is fated to live the rest of her life feasting on the blood of innocent mortals. It's a tender, thought provoking movie that is a welcome antidote to the plethora of vampire films, designed for mass consumption by teenage girls. 

Any music lover, young or old, has fantasized about attending Woodstock--the musical festival that defined a generation and set a new standard for what was possible at musical festivals. And, while there may never be another Woodstock, the festivals of today are every bit as fascinating and exciting for different reasons. Here are three epic festivals that proudly carry on the Woodstock tradition, and have the notable advantage of being festivals you can actually attend. 

Bonaroo

Bonaroo is a yearly musical festival that takes place in Manchester, Tennessee, in June. It's a four-day festival that features a huge variety of musical acts. Past acts include Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Jay Z, Kanye West, Tom Petty, The White Stripes, and Bruce Springsteen--to name a few. Bonaroo is more than a festival; it's a strange, quirky community that is known as much for its "activity tents" as for the great music. Activity tents feature unique parties, events, and environments. For instance, "The Slient Disco" tent is a tent where everyone is handed a set of headphones that is sync’d to the main DJ's sound system. Even though everyone dances like in a normal dance club, to an outside observer it would appear as though there were no music at all. Rolling Stone Magazine described Bonaroo as one of the "50 moments that changed rock & roll."

Most experts believe the NFL lockout will end prior to the start of the regular season. However, it could have a huge impact on the fantasy football season. With the right moves, you can use the lockout to dominate your league this year. Here are several fantasy football strategies that make sense in a lockout year. 

Draft disciplined players

Some NFL players work out harder in the off-season than they do during the season. Others view the off-season as a vacation, and let themselves get fatter, slower, and weaker until the mandatory training camp rolls around. This year, normal training regimens are being disrupted, and the less-disciplined players may not get into game shape until several weeks into the season, while off-season overachievers will have a huge advantage.