Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica
One month until the start of the “2013 March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament”.
The “2013 NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament” starts with the First Four Play-in Games March 19, 2013. Second/Third Rounds March 21-24, 2013. Regionals March 28-31, 2013, and Final Four April 6-8, 2013.
It’s one of the most tremendously watched and significantly wagered on sporting events of the year. Everyone has a favorite college team and believes that they will win it all. This year will be a little different. The competition is tenacious and there is no absolute favorite. The championship is up for grabs. For the last few years, It has become customary for a lower seeded team, (7th to 11th seed), to knock off a higher seeded team, (1st, 2nd or 3rd seed). It will take 50% skill and 50% luck to pick this year’s winner.
CSAT/AllsportsAmerica is sponsoring it’s first “CSAT/AA 2013 NCAA March Madness Office Pool”. You can’t win if you aren’t in. For more information, email us at chicagosportsandtravel@yahoo.com and put March Madness Info in the subject line. It’s going to be a great tournament. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!!!
The “2013 NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament” starts with the First Four Play-in Games March 19, 2013. Second/Third Rounds March 21-24, 2013. Regionals March 28-31, 2013, and Final Four April 6-8, 2013.
It’s one of the most tremendously watched and significantly wagered on sporting events of the year. Everyone has a favorite college team and believes that they will win it all. This year will be a little different. The competition is tenacious and there is no absolute favorite. The championship is up for grabs. For the last few years, It has become customary for a lower seeded team, (7th to 11th seed), to knock off a higher seeded team, (1st, 2nd or 3rd seed). It will take 50% skill and 50% luck to pick this year’s winner.
CSAT/AllsportsAmerica is sponsoring it’s first “CSAT/AA 2013 NCAA March Madness Office Pool”. You can’t win if you aren’t in. For more information, email us at chicagosportsandtravel@yahoo.com and put March Madness Info in the subject line. It’s going to be a great tournament. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!!!
Danica Patrick grabs Daytona 500 pole, Patrick's pole run generating Daytona buzz.
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service, Distributed by The Sports Xchange
It wasn't necessarily a surprise. Patrick posted the fastest speed of
Saturday's two qualifying practices and ran slightly faster during her second
qualifying lap on Sunday, knocking owner and teammate Tony Stewart from the
provisional pole. She's the first woman to win a pole position in Sprint Cup
Series history.
Patrick, who went out 8th of 45 drivers, had to withstand challenges from her
other teammate, Ryan Newman, and Jeff
Gordon, who will start alongside her on the front row. Patrick's speed was
33 thousandths of a second faster than Gordon's.
Perhaps most importantly, Patrick's qualifying run means she doesn't have to
worry about qualifying for the Daytona 500 in Thursday's qualifying races.
Patrick, who is running full-time in the Sprint Cup Series for the first time in
2013, was potentially at risk of missing the race with a poor performance on
Thursday. While the odds of missing the race were slim – 45 cars are attempting
to capture one of the 43 available starting positions – Patrick's performance
Thursday has no bearing on her appearance in the 500.
Those two Budweiser Duel races set the field for the rest of the starting lineup for next Sunday's 500 mile race, with the first race setting odd-numbered positions 3-31 and the second race marking who will start in the even-numbered positions 4-32. The rest of the field will be filled out via qualifying speeds from Sunday's single car runs and provisionals.
Those two Budweiser Duel races set the field for the rest of the starting lineup for next Sunday's 500 mile race, with the first race setting odd-numbered positions 3-31 and the second race marking who will start in the even-numbered positions 4-32. The rest of the field will be filled out via qualifying speeds from Sunday's single car runs and provisionals.
Last year, Patrick officially started 29th, but was forced to start in the
back of the field after crashing during her qualifying race and was caught up in
a crash on lap three of the 500 after Elliott Sadler and Jimmie Johnson made
contact. (If Patrick crashes again in Thursday's race and is forced to go to a
backup car, she'll once again have to start in the back of the pack.) Patrick
also started on the pole in last year's season opening Nationwide Series race,
but crashed after contact with then-teammate Cole Whitt.
While some fans tire of all-things Danica Patrick, given her motorsports ubiquity, her qualifying effort guarantees to keep her in the spotlight for the next seven days leading up to the most famous race of the NASCAR season. However, as Patrick has garnered a lot of media attention in the recent weeks for her relationship with fellow driver and Rookie of the Year contender Ricky Stenhouse, this time, the attention will be because of her success on the track. And no matter your opinion of her, that's a good thing.
While some fans tire of all-things Danica Patrick, given her motorsports ubiquity, her qualifying effort guarantees to keep her in the spotlight for the next seven days leading up to the most famous race of the NASCAR season. However, as Patrick has garnered a lot of media attention in the recent weeks for her relationship with fellow driver and Rookie of the Year contender Ricky Stenhouse, this time, the attention will be because of her success on the track. And no matter your opinion of her, that's a good thing.
With CP3, Durant leading the way, West wins tight NBA All-Star Game.
By Kurt Helin
You know it’s an All-Star Game and all the seriousness that entails when Dwight Howard is launching and hitting threes, Howard and Blake Griffin are pretending to do acrobatics between quarters and the understated Tim Duncan is wearing some bright green Adidas Crazy Fast shoes.
“I think that’ll be the only time you see those crazy shoes (on Duncan),” Tony Parker said.
But when the game was close in the final five minutes things did get serious. You don’t become an All-Star without being incredibly competitive. Guys started defending. Kevin Durant was bodying up LeBron James and Kobe Bryant swatted one of LeBron’s shots — the West was not going to just let him take over.
In the end it was Chris Paul knocking down key threes and Durant throwing down dunks on his way to 30 points and the West held off the East 143-138. The West led pretty much the entire way but never by much more than 11.
Paul was your MVP with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting plus 15 assists. His old-school game worked well in the high-flying All-Star world He was the guy showing energy from the start — three minutes into the game he knocked down a three, raced back to steal a long-pass intended for Carmelo Anthony, pushed the ball up the court and went between his own legs for a pass to pick up an assist. Later he’d dribble between Chris Bosh’s legs on a drive, and although he didn’t pick up an assist on that he sure made Bosh look bad.
Bosh had a rough go of it in the first half, with some rough defensive stretches and a couple of airballs that had a few fans booing him.
“You know, I don’t care,” Bosh said laughing about it. “I’m gonna shoot the next one. Everyone was like, ‘shoot it.’ You don’t have to tell me to shoot, I’m gonna shoot the next one. It was just hesitation man.”
The All-Star Game is less basketball purist and much more entertainment, and there was plenty of that. Blake Griffin was throwing down dunks on his way to 19 points. LeBron had some early dunks. Westbrook had a couple. Even Jrue Holiday had one that got the East bench up and cheering.
But from early on the West took and maintained a lead that fluctuated between 10 and two points, but never went away. The East couldn’t get over the hump, and when it looked like they would Durant or James Harden (15 points off the bench) would make a play and keep the East at bay.
The East hung in thanks to 26 from Carmelo Anthony, 21 from Dwyane Wade, 19 from LeBron and 17 from Paul George off the bench.
It got fun when it was still tight late. We started to see Kobe Bryant and LeBron go at it. But that is when Chis Paul earned his MVP. He made a few plays but the key was one where he dragged out the clock, got a switch to have Joakim Noah on him, then hit a little stop-back three over the best perimeter defending big man in the league with just over a minute to go.
“Part of me wanted to try some moves to get by him,” Paul said. “I love his defense, his energy and stuff like that… He just baked up, so I figured I’d shoot it. Don’t waste any time.”
That may not have been the dagger, but Griffin’s highlight off-the-backboard to himself dunk with 47 seconds left was.
The West had just a little more energy all night, pushed by Paul and Durant.
But mostly, the game was just entertaining. And what else do you want from a basketball exhibition?
By Kurt Helin
You know it’s an All-Star Game and all the seriousness that entails when Dwight Howard is launching and hitting threes, Howard and Blake Griffin are pretending to do acrobatics between quarters and the understated Tim Duncan is wearing some bright green Adidas Crazy Fast shoes.
“I think that’ll be the only time you see those crazy shoes (on Duncan),” Tony Parker said.
But when the game was close in the final five minutes things did get serious. You don’t become an All-Star without being incredibly competitive. Guys started defending. Kevin Durant was bodying up LeBron James and Kobe Bryant swatted one of LeBron’s shots — the West was not going to just let him take over.
In the end it was Chris Paul knocking down key threes and Durant throwing down dunks on his way to 30 points and the West held off the East 143-138. The West led pretty much the entire way but never by much more than 11.
Paul was your MVP with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting plus 15 assists. His old-school game worked well in the high-flying All-Star world He was the guy showing energy from the start — three minutes into the game he knocked down a three, raced back to steal a long-pass intended for Carmelo Anthony, pushed the ball up the court and went between his own legs for a pass to pick up an assist. Later he’d dribble between Chris Bosh’s legs on a drive, and although he didn’t pick up an assist on that he sure made Bosh look bad.
Bosh had a rough go of it in the first half, with some rough defensive stretches and a couple of airballs that had a few fans booing him.
“You know, I don’t care,” Bosh said laughing about it. “I’m gonna shoot the next one. Everyone was like, ‘shoot it.’ You don’t have to tell me to shoot, I’m gonna shoot the next one. It was just hesitation man.”
The All-Star Game is less basketball purist and much more entertainment, and there was plenty of that. Blake Griffin was throwing down dunks on his way to 19 points. LeBron had some early dunks. Westbrook had a couple. Even Jrue Holiday had one that got the East bench up and cheering.
But from early on the West took and maintained a lead that fluctuated between 10 and two points, but never went away. The East couldn’t get over the hump, and when it looked like they would Durant or James Harden (15 points off the bench) would make a play and keep the East at bay.
The East hung in thanks to 26 from Carmelo Anthony, 21 from Dwyane Wade, 19 from LeBron and 17 from Paul George off the bench.
It got fun when it was still tight late. We started to see Kobe Bryant and LeBron go at it. But that is when Chis Paul earned his MVP. He made a few plays but the key was one where he dragged out the clock, got a switch to have Joakim Noah on him, then hit a little stop-back three over the best perimeter defending big man in the league with just over a minute to go.
“Part of me wanted to try some moves to get by him,” Paul said. “I love his defense, his energy and stuff like that… He just baked up, so I figured I’d shoot it. Don’t waste any time.”
That may not have been the dagger, but Griffin’s highlight off-the-backboard to himself dunk with 47 seconds left was.
The West had just a little more energy all night, pushed by Paul and Durant.
But mostly, the game was just entertaining. And what else do you want from a basketball exhibition?
Baseball card maker, in apparent statement, omits Pete Rose's name from set.
Sporting News
Pete Rose officially is baseball's hit king despite his lifetime ban for betting on baseball. The Topps Company Inc., longtime maker of baseball cards, doesn't feel bound by the sport's decisions.
Topps omitted Rose's name from this year's set, even though the company notes on individual cards how many hits a player needs to reach Rose's record of 4,256. Other record-holders are named; ChicagoSideSports.com showed on one card that Jesse Orosco is acknowledged as the leader in games pitched.
ChicagoSideSports.com quoted a spokesman for Topps, Clay Luraschi, as saying the omission was “a simple decision” and that it was "plain and simple" that Rose should not be acknowledged. Luraschi did not elaborate, the site reported.
MLB has not moved to strike Rose's record even though former commissioner Bart Giamatti banned Rose and declared him permanently ineligible for the Hall of Fame in 1989. Rose, 71, later admitted that he bet on baseball while manager of the Cincinnati Reds in the mid-1980s, but insisted that he always bet on the Reds to win.
Marion P. Jelks, CS&T/AA blog editor's take: Pete "Charlie Hustle" Rose was a terrific on field talent. He gave the game his all and played it with reckless abandon. He has been barred from the "Baseball Hall of Fame" for life. Current players statistics are still compared to his in the record books. Now Topps Baseball Cards have omitted him from this year's card set. Granted, he did break the rules by betting, a big no-no and he's paying dearly for that. However, should they make him disappear as if he never existed? I don't think so!!! Give him the credit he deserves for his on field performance and explain why he's paying a such a severe price for what he did wrong. He'll always be a very intricate part of the game's history. What's your take, I'd love to know!!!
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks?
They may play on cold ice, but the Chicago Blackhawks just keep burning up the NHL. Overall Record. 12-0-3. Still undefeated in three period regulation play!!! What a weekend, four points, Yeah B-A-B-Y. The Blackhawks' start to the season is beginning to reach historical proportions in more ways than one. Jonathan Toews, Chicago's captain, says the Blackhawks aren't getting ahead of themselves. ''We're 15 games into the season'', ''What's important to us is getting home ice advantage, making the playoffs. Those are our goals. Once you get there, the real season starts. Our Hawks, never giving up, never giving out and most of all, never giving in. Their best is just going to get better. As CS&T/AA has said, We have a great feeling about this team. This is our year, remember, you heard it here first!!!!! Go Hawks!!!
MLB set to have no arbitration hearings this year.
The Associated Press
Baseball is set to finish its first arbitration shutout.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey and San Diego Padres left-hander Clayton Richard agreed to one-year contracts Saturday, making it all but certain there will be no salary arbitration hearings this year for the first time since the process began in 1974 - arbitration was suspended for 1976 and 1977 while free agency was put in place.
No cases have been argued before three-person panels after 133 players filed for arbitration last month. Only one remains scheduled for a hearing next week - and those sides already have a deal in place.
Relief pitcher Darren O'Day and the Baltimore Orioles have an agreement on a $5.8 million, two-year contract that is pending a physical. As long as that deal is completed, arbitration season is over.
Baseball's previous record low was three hearings, set in 2005 and matched in 2009 and 2011. The high was 35 in 1986, but teams and players have shied away from squaring off lately in part because the arguments often grew contentious.
Owners hold a 291-214 lead since arbitration began.
Bailey and the Reds agreed to a $5.35 million contract Saturday, while Richard and the Padres settled at $5.24 million.
Blackhawks skate with wounded veterans of USA Warriors at Soldier Field.
By Cam Tucker
‘Going to war’ or ‘going to battle’ are popular phrases in the hockey vernacular.
However, the magnitude of even the fiercest hockey games pale in comparison to the sacrifices made by men and women in the Armed Forces.
On Saturday, the Chicago Blackhawks skated at Soldier Field with members of the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program.
The program is designed to offer wounded veterans a “recreational, therapeutic experience” through the game of hockey.
“These guys are our heroes,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told NHL.com.
“It’s an inspiration to see these guys want to come out here and play and do anything they can to have some fun, stay in shape and play something they love. Getting to share it with some pro athletes is special for them, but I think it’s more special for us when we get a chance to show some of our appreciation for what they’ve done for us.”
Added Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews to the Chicago Tribune: “We look up to them. We appreciate everything they’ve done for us and to us they’re the real heroes. To share the ice and have them out for practice with us is a pretty huge honor for the guys.”
Baseball’s future bright in Chicago.
By Tom English
The hockey season, because of three-plus months of millionaires’ bickering, is just getting in full swing.
And this past week, we got to hear four of the sweetest words: Pitchers and catchers report.
It’s that time again, time for some baseball.
Now, I realize this is Cardinals’ country. I’m going to leave the Cardinals’ talk to Les Winkeler and Jeff Wilson.
This one’s for the Chicago fans.
And let me say this, guys: There’s plenty of room for excitement on both sides of town this year.
On the North Side, the Cubs will be better. But, hey, they can’t be much worse.
Coming off a 101-loss season, the Cubs have added some much-needed pitching in Edwin Jackson, Scott Feldman and Scott Baker to go along with Jeff Samardzija and Matt Garza.
That’s not a bad rotation.
But, remember, folks, the Cubs are still rebuilding. Dreams of capturing a World Series title are still a ways off.
Luckily, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have a plan. And that plan seems to include a bright future of prospects and plenty of wins.
Be patient, Cubs fans, your time will come. This year, a .500 record looks like the goal, and probably the reality.
Now, it’s a little different story on the South Side.
Last season, the White Sox had a three-game lead with two weeks left in the season, but ran out of gas.
They probably overachieved a little bit, but they were competitive.
In the offseason, Kenny Williams moved up the front-office chain and left the general manager duties to Rick Hahn.
And, Hahn hasn’t done much with the roster. He added infielder Jeff Keppinger and reliever Matt Lindstrom.
He lost A.J. Pierzynski to the Rangers, leaving the catching reigns to Tyler Flowers.
The core of the roster is aging, and the Sox don’t have a whole lot in the minors.
But, the pitching staff is solid, starters and relievers. Plus, John Danks returns from shoulder issues.
The Sox will be competitive, but it’s hard to believe they can beat the powerful Tigers. But, then again, that’s what they said last year.
Is a World Series title coming to Chicago in October? Probably not, but it will still be a fun year on both sides of town.
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