The climate of college football is without a doubt changing. From the potential four-team playoff to rampant realignment, the college football landscape looks much differently than it did just four or five years ago. The faces patrolling the sidelines have changed over the past few years too and many at major programs. But for many head coaches, it is the third year at the school that the program really begins to mirror the head man's shape and vision for it. In his third year at Alabama, Nick Saban had the Crimson Tide hoisting the Sears Trophy for the first time since 1992. The same can be said for Saban's successor at LSU, Les Miles. For a number of coaches, year number three is right around the corner and for some, the pressure to perform is now. Here is a look at five head coaches in their third year at major programs that will be looking to put their stamps on their respective programs in 2012:

I can only assume that those who create the National Hockey League’s awards have a significantly deeper understanding of the game than I, a humble writer, radio host and fan of the game.

Every Sunday of the NFL season, millions of devout NFL fans invite CBS’ The NFL Today crew into their homes. James Brown (JB), Dan, Shannon, Coach and Boomer are there for us every Sunday, giving off the air of friends sitting around talking about the game, just like we, as fans, do. But unlike us, the crew puts in days of prep work for each show and particular responsibilities fall to the host, JB.

Throughout his childhood, Jerome Williams often found himself playing basketball on a narrow slab of concrete near his home in Germantown, Maryland. Whether he was practicing his shot or competing hard against his older brother and father, Jerome had one thing on his mind: don’t let the ball hit the grass.

Much as Hannibal of Carthage employed a litany of insightful moves and counter-feints in his assault on Rome’s place atop the Mediterranean Western Division of Major League Imperialism, so too must Jim Leyland align his Tigers in a manner best suited to vanquish the legions of their American League opponents.

The question facing the venerable Mr. Leyland, indeed a question previously faced by every General or Commander of yore, is:  How do I most effectively deploy my assets to be the last man standing at the end of this campaign?

As conference realignment has run rampant throughout collegiate sports, the football conference that has produced the last six national champions has expanded as well. In 2012, former Big XII schools, Missouri and Texas A&M will join the Southeastern Conference. Missouri finished its final season in the Big XII with an 8-5 record and a victory over North Carolina in the Independence Bowl. Texas A&M, began 2012 ranked 8th in the country, but finished just 7-6.

(1) Vancouver Canucks vs (8) Los Angeles Kings

Last year’s Western Conference champions will square off against the Los Angeles Kings in this season’s opening round. After wrapping up their second consecutive President’s Trophy as the NHL’s top regular season team, the Canucks seem to be firing on all cylinders heading into the post-season. Canucks leading scorer Daniel Sedin appears ready to rejoin the team after suffering a concussion on March 21 and goaltender Roberto Luongo has apparently returned to form after struggling early in the season.

On Tuesday, the Miami Marlins suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for comments he made to Time magazine concerning Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. "I love Fidel Castro", Guillen said. The reasoning behind Guillen's statement was that so many have wanted to kill Castro over the years and yet, the Cuban dictator has managed to stay in power for more than half a century.