ESPN

In the hours before starts, most major league pitchers are silent and stone-faced. They forgo interviews and avoid teammates.

A.J. Griffin is not most major league pitchers. Before four of his first nine starts this year (4-3, 3.59 ERA), the Oakland Athletics' No. 3 starter strummed and serenaded teammates minutes before taking the mound.

"You don't really see that with starting pitchers very often, but I'm kind of a weird, quirky guy," the 25-year-old right-hander says. "I just like to have fun and enjoy life and not take anything too seriously. We’re playing a game, so we might as well have a good time and enjoy it."

His guitar "routine is not a set routine" and therefore supersedes superstition. He can do one well without the other, he says. “I just play it by ear.” Proof: He won 11 of his first 15 MLB decisions while compiling a 3.28 ERA in 24 outings.

How did this all get started?
In the minors, I was without my guitar a lot because I moved from team to team so much. So before games, I would just put on some crazy dance music and jump around and get pumped up and try to have some fun, try to make a couple guys laugh before we go out and play a game. It has kind of evolved since then.

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Editor’s note: Drummer Stefan Marolachakis is traveling the country in a black van with tinted windows, touring for his band Caveman’s eponymous second album. Every week, Marolachakis will hunt the nation to gather musicians and athletes to discuss the link between the two clans. This week, our caveman reflects on his grief for his beloved Knicks and offers some tracks for respite.

Sometimes it feels like being a Knicks fan is simply the most painful thing a sports fan could be asked to endure, unless you live on the wrong side of Chicago or anywhere in Cleveland.

This Knicks season was, at many points, glorious to behold: they beat the Heat three out of four times; the defense was mugging; Carmelo was an offensive genius, and J.R. Smith was his wild-eyed wing man in the clutch. But the run is over, and I’m left to sit in shock, parsing out what exactly happened.

Sadly appropriate, when the Knicks ultimately fell to the Pacers in the second round, I was in a hotel room in Mississippi, mere miles away from the Delta, the cradle of the blues. And since all know that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to their record collection, I have been using music to cure my NBA-PTSD and creating a soundtrack of new music (and one very old song) as I climb through the classic Five Stages of Grief.

1. Denial

During this stage I blamed the refs, almost exclusively. My dad pointed out to me after the Game 6 that in the final six minutes of play, there were a total of nine fouls called, eight of which were called on the Knicks. Eight! Yes, I realize that the Pacers were too big, they killed the Knicks under the boards, etc. But eight fouls to one? And 46 free throw attempts versus 18 for the Knicks on the game? For shame! It felt like the Knicks had no chance of moving forward in the playoffs with a crew of whistle-happy refs.

Soundtrack: Tame Impala, “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.”

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Rockers Jimmy Eat World, set to release their seventh album, "Damage," on June 11, kicked off a world tour Friday on the West Coast before heading to Europe.

"Touring is the best part of it all," said the band's drummer, Zach Lind. "Playing live is kind of extension of the musical process but one of the things we’ve always lived for.”

Jimmy Eat World played their first show of the 2013 tour at House of Blues in San Diego and are set to hit the Netherlands, England and Luxembourg before coming back to the States and Canada next month.

Along with the kick that Lind and his bandmates -- guitarist/vocalist Jim Adkins, guitarist Tom Linton and bass player Rick Burch -- get from the live experience, there are other experiences that helped Lind learn his craft.

"Basically I grew up in baseball,” Lind said. "I feel like my background in baseball has helped me as a drummer."

Lind notes that the time he spent playing on the baseball diamond and in batting cages affected his drive and technique as a musician.

"Not only hitting a drum, but hitting it a certain way. There's the timing and the leverage in the swing. It's hard to pinpoint, but it's like there's a consistency as a drummer that's like looking for the right pop in [swinging] the bat."

Interestingly enough, for Lind, baseball was in the blood. His father, Jack Lind, played for the Arizona State Sun Devils team that won the 1967 World Series, crushing Houston 11-2. Jack Lind also went on later to play a few years as an infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers before retiring and spending time as a scout for the Houston Astros, then was a minor league baseball coach for more than a decade.

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Music has been part of the sports experience for more than 100 years, with marching bands and ballpark organists and blaring rock filling the air during breaks in the action. But the latest incarnation blends the human element and the latest in tech in a new way as DJs take their skills from the clubs to the stadiums.

One of the leaders of this new movement is Brooklyn Nets music supervisor J. Period, a mixtape DJ who has worked with The Roots and Common. The team hired him for more than your standard playlist of jock-jam favorites; they wanted him to create a soundtrack for games at the Barclays Center.

For his first season, J. Period created more than 150 remixes and edits of classic and new hits, each tailored to very specific game situations. A remix of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" captures the feeling of anticipation before the players take the floor. A fresh combination of Carmina Burana with Nas' "Hate Me Now" stirs up feelings of battle, so it's well suited to bring the crowd back into the game after halftime. And an edit of Jay-Z's "U Don't Know" in the fourth quarter of a close game never fails to rouse the Brooklyn fans.

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It's probably too strong a statement to say that without exercise, Chris Cornell -- lead singer of 1990s grunge band Soundgarden -- wouldn't be around anymore.

But it's pretty close.

"For years, I wasn't feeling good about myself," said Cornell, who formed the Seattle band in 1984. "My head wasn't clear. I was doing nothing productive."

When Soundgarden hit it big with the 1994 album "Superunknown," Cornell lived the typical rock star lifestyle: drugs, alcohol and no sleep. That was no different from other Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam.

Then, as with other bands, internal strife torpedoed Soundgarden in 1997.

"I decided I needed to work on my brain and not just my body," said the 48-year-old Cornell. "I figured if I focused on my brain, that everything else would fall into place."

It wasn't an easy road as Cornell struggled to give up drugs and alcohol and focused on solo work and creating Audioslave (2001-2007). He then went solo again and reunited with Soundgarden in 2010.

These days, the band is touring off its sixth studio album, "King Animal." Tuesday night, Soundgarden is performing in New Jersey.

Cornell, who rarely gives interviews, talked exclusively with Playbook about exercise, music today and life on the road.

What does being physically fit mean to you?

"It means I can do whatever I want without having to worry about it."

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Peyton Manning might be a four-time NFL MVP, but a country singer? Not so much.

Just a few weeks ago, Manning joined country star Luke Bryan on stage at Manning's Children's Hospital gala in Indianapolis to sing a few songs, including Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."

"I think he did pretty good considering he's a pretty awesome quarterback," said Bryan, who recently was named ACM's Entertainer of the Year. "Well, maybe he didn't sing that great. But his heart is in the right place."

Manning invited Bryan to his yearly charity event, and Bryan said, "I took about 1 second to say yes."

There was some good-natured college ribbing going on. Manning graduated from the University of Tennessee, and Bryan went to Georgia Southern but is also a huge Georgia Bulldogs fan.

"We had a great couple of days. We played golf. We hung out," Bryan said. "I had never met him before that weekend. I was always a huge fan. He's such a driven athlete."

Now Bryan, who is equally driven, is set to hit the road for his Dirt Road Diaries Tour and is finishing up his next album.

"Life has never been better. I'm getting these amazing opportunities," Bryan said. "It's time now to get back on stage where I love being. I'm having a blast up there, and I want to give the fans a great experience."

The Professional Bull Riders and legendary rock band KISS on Tuesday morning will announce a partnership to create an 8-Second KISS Kam, a twist on the tradition in which couples are shown on overhead video screens and encouraged to kiss.

This version is different, as the participants must kiss for 8 seconds -- the length of successful bull ride. Band members Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer, Eric Singer and Gene Simmons cheer fans on during the video.

“Some see this as an unlikely pairing, but it’s quite the opposite," Stanley said in a statement. "PBR fans have a passion that we relate to and want to be a part of. They span cultures, stereotypes and countries. They are our kind of people. The 8-Second KISS Kam is a great way for fans to show their passion for both.”

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Here's a list of songs from performers featured on ESPN’s X Games Barcelona programming, links to the artists’ websites, and links for you to download and buy the songs and/or albums:

Music for X Games Barcelona Programming

0SM

"W1th0ut" from the “Nylon” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

"The Biggest Lizard" from the “Nylon” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

Here's a list of songs from performers featured on ESPN’s "SportsNation" and "Nacion" programming, links to the artist’s websites and links for you to download and buy the songs and/or albums:

May Music on "SportsNation" and "Nacion" programming

Ana Tijoux

“Shock" from the “La Bala” album (iTunes | Amazon)

Ritmo Machine

“This Day" from the “Welcome to the Ritmo Machine” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

Here's a list of songs from performers featured on ESPN’s "First Take" programming, links to the artist’s websites and links for you to download and buy the songs and/or albums:

May Music for "First Take" programming

Bad Rabbits

"Get Up and Go" from the “American Love” album.
(iTunes | Amazon)

Little Hurricane

"Hold Me Back" from the “Homewrecker” album.
(iTunes | Amazon)

Willy Moon

“Get Up" single not available for sale

Warm Soda

"Only In Your Mind" from the “Someone For You” album.
(iTunes | Amazon)

Here's a list of songs from performers featured on ESPN’s programming, links to the artist’s websites and links for you to download and buy the songs and/or albums:

May Music on ESPN programming

Fitz and The Tantrums

"Out of My League" from the “More Than Just A Dream” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

Fitz and The Tantrums

"Get Away" from the “More Than Just A Dream” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

Fitz and The Tantrums

"Tell Me What Ya Here For" from the “More Than Just A Dream” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

DJ Raff

"Latino & Proud" from the “Latino & Proud” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

DJ Raff

"Paseo Con Audifonos" from the “Latino & Proud” album
(iTunes | Amazon)

Here's a list of songs from performers featured on ESPN’s "Unite" programming, links to the artist’s websites and links for you to download and buy the songs and/or albums:

May Music for "Unite" programming

Coe 24K

"On Tha Come Up" not available for sale

The perks of living in the city where the LA Kings practice. #goodtalk vine.co/v/bxuuilT9XI2

— Jonathan Vigil (@JonathanVigil) April 26, 2013

Lead singer Jonathan Vigil of The Ghost Inside will have to rely on his computer for results of the NHL playoffs, which begin this week.

See, Vigil is a big fan of the Los Angeles Kings. And the hard-core band from Los Angeles is in Asia for the next three weeks.

"I'm obsessed," said Vigil, who helped form the band in 2004. "I'll be able to watch the games from my phone backstage at the shows. I love when kids yell out the score to me during the set. Having the Kings win on days of our shows is awesome."

Vigil didn't start out loving hockey. Like many kids growing up in Southern California, his first love was baseball. But eight years ago, a friend had some extra hockey equipment and asked Vigil to play a recreational game. And he was hooked.
Playbook had a few minutes with Vigil to talk hockey and music.

Was it really love at first sight with you and hockey?

"Yep. I skated that first time and fell in love. It's all I think about. It's so awesome."

And it seems fans and the Kings notice your love.

"I'm not sure who runs the Kings' Twitter feed, but they sent me a message one time talking about our new record. That was pretty awesome to see that. This one time on Twitter at the Philly show, I said I'd kiss the fans if the Kings won. As I got off stage, fans told me the Kings had won! I didn't think people were checking Twitter during a show. I did kiss a few -- on the cheek."

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To say Joakim Noah is multi-cultural is a bit of an understatement. The Bulls center's diverse background has been well documented: his French-African father earned his fame as a tennis star, his mother once reigned as Miss Sweden and his father's father was a soccer player in Cameroon. Arts and sports have long held equal sway in the Noah family.

But it’s reggae, and the roots of the Rastafari movement, that have inspired Noah to broaden his horizons. He was first exposed to the music of Bob Marley as a child. In fact, his parents, Yannick and Cecilia, shared a love of the Jamaican artist. “My house always had Bob Marley music playing in the background," Noah says.

As he grew older, Noah began to appreciate the lyrics of Marley’s songs as much as the melodies, and was motivated to research their meaning. In doing so, he stumbled across the origins of the reggae movement and Rastafarian culture. “A lot of people think of reggae as laid-back and chill, but the words in reggae are very powerful," he says.

Despite his fascination with the Rastafari movement, the soft-spoken, 6’11’ Noah – who holds American, Swedish and French citizenship -- doesn’t consider himself a follower of any one religion. “I’m not a religious person, but I’m a spiritual person," say Noah, whose family members practiced both Islam and Christianity. "I believe in God, but I don’t believe in one specific god. I like to take pieces from everywhere and incorporate them into my life."

“I’m not a Rastafari, but a lot of their philosophy and beliefs make sense to me: being in tune with nature, knowing about your roots, knowing about your heritage, not getting caught up in materialism.” He adds, “I think Rasta teaches you humility.”

It also helps him connect with his roots. Noah’s favorite Marley song is "Africa Unite" and, even though he's never been to Ethiopia or Marley's homeland of Jamaica, he wears an Ethiopian cross adorned with Tibetan beads around his neck to represent Rasta.

"I feel like your jewelry is a big part of you,” Noah says. “I don’t wear diamonds or anything like that, but I wear this every day. This is my peace. When I die, I want to have it on.”

Noah, who is averaging a double-double that includes career highs in points (12.0) and rebounds (11.5) per game this season, also finds peace before games by listening to reggae. "It gives me strength when I play,” says Noah, who also jams to Barrington Levy, Capleton and Sizzla -- and his dad. Now a pop singer in France, Yannick Noah released a Marley tribute album, “Hommage,” last year.

For now, his son is sticking with his day job. Noah says there's no chance of him following in the footsteps of his athlete-turned-singer father. “I can’t sing like that,” he says. “Only in the shower.”

With the NBA playoffs set to begin this weekend, Ohio native and Maybach Music Group member Stalley will be rooting on hometown friend LeBron James closely.

See, Stalley knows that James is an Ohio guy and will someday return to resurrect the franchise -- Cleveland Cavaliers -- he left.

"I think soon he'll honestly go back and give them a ring and do as he promised," said Stalley, who was quite critical of James during the "Decision" of 2010. "When that happens, everyone will erase the past, and he'll be king again here. He'll enjoy his life back home."

Ohio is and will always be home for Stalley, born Kyle Myricks. He started out making mixtapes and started working with big-time producers and he signed with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group and will release his debut album this summer.

In fact, growing up in Massillon, Ohio, Stalley played James in high school basketball. Stalley was a 6-2 player also with NBA aspirations.

"I tip my hat to LeBron. I knew he was going to be something special. I saw him up close a lot. He was an animal," Stalley said. "I'm still such a big fan of his. He is my motivation. Seeing him do what he does, why can't I get Grammys? Why can't I sell platinum records? It makes me work harder."

Playbook had a few minutes with Stalley to talk LeBron, music and his love of cars.

You played basketball as a teen. Think you could have gone pro?

"I don't see why I couldn't. I always had that dream. I could see myself playing overseas or even the NBA. I'm not a person who lives out of my means so I know the road wouldn't have been easy. I think music is very similar. You have to put in the work."

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