CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, April 8, 2013

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica

Today is the start of a terrific sports week; The Masters in Augusta start Thursday and tonight, we crown the "2013 NCAA Men's Collegiate Basketball Champions." Enjoy the ride........

 

Sports Quote of the Day:

 

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." ~ Michael Jordan, Professional Basketball Player and NBA Team Owner

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks 5, Predators 3, cold steel on ice just keeps rolling along, Blackhawks clinch playoff spot with win over Preds.

 

By The Sports Xchange

 

 

Chicago Blackhawks' Andrew Shaw gets congratulations from the bench after scoring in the first period against the Nashville Predators in an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Sunday, April 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

The Chicago Blackhawks became the first NHL team to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs on Sunday with a come-from-behind 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators.

Jonathan Toews scored the game-winner on a blast from the high slot with 9:28 remaining in the third period, 55 seconds after linemate Brandon Saad had scored on Pekka Rinne from the doorstep to tie the game. Patrick Kane had warded off a pair of Predators behind the net before feeding Toews the puck.

The Hawks (29-5-4) opened the season by scoring at least one point in their first 24 games, setting an NHL record for the start of a campaign. But they had gone 6-5-1 in their next dozen games, and dropped a shootout loss to St. Louis at the United Center on Thursday night.

Saturday's 1-0 victory at Nashville was won the way the Hawks played in the season's first half, and Sunday's win saw the Hawks come from down 3-2 in the final 13 minutes.

David Legwand scored from 10 feet in front of Chicago goaltender Ray Emery 6:54 into the third period, giving Nashville, which had tied the game twice, a 3-2 lead. He rebounded home Matt Halischuk's stuff attempt at the side of the net.

The Hawks, which dominated the first period, had opened the scoring with Andrew Shaw's slot tip of a Michal Frolik slapshot 6:34 into the game. Nashville tied it when Nick Spaling beat Emery on a rebound of Sergei Kostitsyn's drive after Chicago defenseman Johnny Oduya lost the puck.

From that point the game was more even. Brian Bickell's wrist shot beat Rinne and gave the Hawks a 2-1 advantage 2:09 into the second, but Sean Weber replied for the Predators just under four minutes later, snapping a shot by Emery from 30 feet after Spaling beat Frolik cleanly on a faceoff.

Saad scored after fanning on his first shot and watching pinching defenseman Duncan Keith miss his shot as well. Saad's second try beat Rinne between the legs.

Kane added an empty-net goal for Chicago with 31.1 seconds to play.

Emery made 19 saves, the best a glove grab of a wicked drive from Kostitsyn with 4:02 left in the second period. Rinne made 35 saves.

The Predators (15-17-8) entered the game desperate for a win and two points. Twelfth in the Western Conference, they have only eight games remaining and trail eighth-place Detroit, the last playoff team at the moment, by five points with four teams to climb past.

NOTES: Spaling's multiple-point game broke an eight-game pointless streak and was only his second such game of the year (one goal, one assist vs. Minnesota on Jan. 22). ... Nashville's left wing Gabriel Bourque and center Paul Gaustad missed the game with upper-body injuries. Bourque was out for the fourth straight game since being crunched by the Blackhawks' Dan Carcillo on Monday. Gaustad missed his second game. Predators' center Colin Wilson, on injured reserve, was out for the 15th game in a row. The injuries prompted the emergency recall of forward Austin Watson from Milwaukee. He made his NHL debut in the first period. ... Nashville starts a four-game home stand against St. Louis on Tuesday, and plays five of its last eight games at home. ... Chicago's Dave Bolland was scratched with a lower-body injury for the second straight game. Patrick Sharp (right shoulder) missed his 14th straight contest, but is expected back this week, the first time the Hawks have put a timetable on his return. ... Chicago visits Minnesota on Tuesday, its last 10 games split equally between the United Center and the road.

2013 NCAA Basketball Finals, Championship Game, Michigan-Louisville Preview, 04/08/2013.
 

By PAUL NEWBERRY (AP National Writer)

The hoops teams at Louisville and Michigan are used to being overlooked.

The Cardinals may be a national powerhouse, but they're still considered second fiddle in their own state. The Kentucky Wildcats are the blue bloods of the bluegrass, while Louisville settles for being viewed as more of a blue-collar school.

The Michigan basketball team knows what that's like. Football rules on the Wolverines' campus - rightly so, said Tim Hardaway Jr., given that program's long, storied history.

''We still have a ways to go,'' said Hardaway, Michigan's junior guard. ''Football has a lot more national championships than we do.''

Well, it's kind of hard to overlook either team now.

Louisville and Michigan will meet Monday night in the NCAA championship game.
The Cardinals (34-5) have lived up to their billing as the tournament's top overall seed, blowing through their first four opponents before rallying from a dozen points down in the second half to beat surprising Wichita State 72-68 in the national semifinals.

It's been quite a run for the Louisville athletic program, in general. The women's basketball team also reached the Final Four, while the football team won a Big East title and stunned Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

All the while, they're battling with Kentucky for the state's affections.

''We're not a who's who like Harvard and Yale in the alumni world,'' coach Rick Pitino said Sunday. ''We're a blue-collar school that supports each other. One of the coolest places I've ever worked.''

Pitino should know. He also worked at Kentucky, leading the Wildcats to a national title in 1996.

Now, he's got a chance to become the first coach to win championships at two schools.

''I haven't thought about it for one second,'' insisted Pitino, already the first coach to guide three schools to the Final Four. ''We have built a brand on Louisville first.

Everything we do is about the team, about the family. I'd be a total hypocrite if I said (winning another title is) really important. It really is not important. I want to win because I'm part of this team. That's it.''

Football may come first at Michigan (31-7), but the Wolverines haven't exactly been pushovers on the hardwood.

They won a national title in 1989, beating Seton Hall in overtime, and they've lost three other times in the championship. The school is best known for the Fab Five, that group of five stellar recruits who led Michigan to back-to-back final appearances in 1992 and '93.

This team is cut from the same mold, with three freshmen starters and two other first-year players who made big contributions in a semifinal victory over Syracuse.

''The Fab Five was a great team. I mean, a really great team,'' said freshman guard Caris LeVert, who came off the bench to score eight points against the Orange. ''They did some great things for our school.''

But these guys can do something the Fab Five never did - win it all.

''Just making it to the Final Four, we are going to hang up a banner in the Crisler Center,'' said another freshman, Glenn Robinson III. ''But we aren't done. Having the chance to hang another one up for a national championship ... is all kind of surreal to us.''

Both teams got to this point with crucial assists from the backups.

LeVert and Spike Albrecht - yep, another freshman - both hit a pair of 3-pointers in Michigan's semifinal win, points that were desperately needed with player of the year Trey Burke struggling through a brutal night. The sophomore guard made only 1-of-8 shots and finished with seven points, just the second time this season he's been held in single digits.

Burke said he'll gladly hand off the scoring duties to someone else again Monday if the Cardinals take a similar approach to Syracuse.

''Pretty much every time I got the ball, I had two people in my face,'' he said. ''I tried not to force anything, but I probably forced two or three shots. That 3 I hit (from way out and his only basket of the game) wasn't a good shot. But I try not to force things and just look for different ways to find the open man.''

Louisville, inspired by the gruesome injury to Kevin Ware but needing others to step up while he's down, got an even bigger contribution off the bench than Michigan.

Luke Hancock scored 20 points. Walk-on Tim Henderson, moving up in the rotation because of Ware's broken leg, knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers that turned the momentum when it looked as though Wichita State might pull off another shocker.

There's always a chance for the more obscure players to step up on the biggest stages.

''Those guys, not that you don't pay attention to them, but your strategy is not toward them.'' Pitino said. ''We're all trying to stop the great players defensively, choreograph our defensive plan to stop the great players.''

But there's no doubt that Michigan needs Burke to have a much better game, especially against Louisville fearsome press, just as the Cardinals will be counting on Russ Smith to lead the way. He scored 21 points in the semifinals despite a woeful night at the foul line.

Smith is on the verge of completing quite a journey, considering it looked for a while like he might not even finish his career with the Cardinals. Unhappy with his playing time and constantly sparring with Pitino, the now-junior guard considered transferring after his freshman season.

Boy, he's sure glad he stayed.

''I was leaving, but I talked to my dad and decided to come back,'' Smith remembered.

''I decided to work hard and try to earn some minutes.''

He still gets into it with Pitino from time to time - remember, the coach dubbed him ''Russdiculous'' for some of the shots he puts up - but it's hard to envision where this team might be without him.

''I just try to make winning plays,'' Smith said. ''I don't look at myself as a point guard or a shooting guard. I look at myself as a winning player.''

Pitino has tried to stress to his players the importance of winning one more game. They may hang a banner for making it to the Final Four at Louisville, too, but the best way to ensure you don't get overlooked is to win it all.

To drive that point home, he showed his team the recent documentary on North Carolina State's improbable title in 1983, the one that left coach Jim Valvano running around the court looking desperately for someone to hug, the one that his players still get together to reminisce about - on and off camera.

''We were the No. 1 seeds. We weren't Cinderellas like N.C. State,'' Pitino said. ''But I wanted them to understand that because (the Wolfpack) won a championship, for the rest of their lives they will sit around that table. Every year, they will get together - for the rest of their lives.''

Griner open to NBA tryout after Mavs owner's offer.

By DOUG FEINBERG (AP Basketball Writer)

Brittney Griner is ready to take Mark Cuban up on his offer to draft her. The Baylor star says she's open to an NBA tryout after the WNBA season ends.

''When are tryouts?'' Griner asked Saturday at the Final Four. ''The WNBA is where I'm at. That's where I'm going. After that, if I get a shot, why turn down something like that? That's big, even if you don't make it. Hey, at least you tried. Somebody pushed the envelope.''

The two-time AP player of the year said she first heard of Cuban's comments from friends. She jumped on Twitter to start reading up on what the Mavericks owner said.

''I was like, 'Wow, Mark Cuban. He tweeted me?''' Griner said. ''It definitely made me feel good, feel special. I tweeted him back, 'When is tryouts?' I can hold my own. I'll try, too. I'm not going to back down from a challenge.''

Besides drafting her, Cuban mentioned Griner playing in the NBA summer league. Griner shot that idea down, saying she was totally focused on playing in the WNBA.
She's expected to be the first overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA draft April 15.

The NBA wouldn't have a problem with Cuban's offer as other women have tried before. Nancy Lieberman got a summer league shot from both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz in the early 1980s and went on to play two seasons with men in the United States Basketball League.

Ann Meyers signed with the Indiana Pacers in 1979, but failed to make it past tryouts.
Griner is well aware of the challenges of competing against NBA players.

''They are strong, definitely bigger than me,'' she said. ''I would have to as you say, man-up. But I've never backed down from a challenge and I never will. If I get an elbow to the chest from one of those big guys, hey, at least I can say I was there and tried it.''

While Griner was open to the idea, college coaches were against it, viewing Cuban's offer more as a publicity stunt.

''His genius would take a huge hit if he drafted Brittney Griner,'' Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said. ''I think it would be a sham. The fact that a woman could actually play right now in the NBA and compete successfully against the level of play that they have is absolutely ludicrous.''

Griner is looking forward to the WNBA and not getting triple-teamed anymore. She also says she's open to playing overseas and at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

She was expected to be the 12th player on the London Olympic team which won a gold medal, but declined the offer citing a family illness and her summer school schedule.

''That's in my line of sight if I get picked to try out again,'' Griner said. ''It was hard watching (London) but me and my family just felt it would be better if I stayed here. I feel good about my decision.''

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Honus Wagner’s rare T206 card sells for record $2.1 million at auction.

 

By Mark Townsend

According to Dan Good of the New York Post, Honus Wagner's rare T206 baseball card. (AP)

According to Dan Good of the the New York Post, Honus Wagner's rare T206 baseball card sold for $2.1 million at an auction Saturday morning to an unknown buyer.

That's a new record price tag for a card at a public sale, besting the $1.6 million for the same card back in 2008. The same year, Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick bought the Wagner card for $2.8 million from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky at a private sale.

Indeed, that's a lot greenbacks for a baseball card, but as our own Kevin Kaduk said when the card sold for a relative bargain $1.2 million last April, it's the "Holy Grail" of baseball cards. Perhaps the rarest you'll find. And each time one hits the market the demand seems to only get higher.

Here's Good explaining the card's significance a little further in his report:

The card's story contributes to its legacy. T206 series cards were featured in cigarette packs, a precursor to bubble gum cards and today's high-gloss, high-end releases. 

For some reason, Wagner's cards were pulled from packaging. Legend persists that Wagner railed against his card being included with cigarettes (he didn't want to encourage children to smoke) - but he may have also been miffed over his compensation from card manufacturer American Tobacco Company. 

Good specifies that he believes only 50 to 100 copies of the card exist in different variations. The one sold on Saturday is considered a "Jumbo" because the edges are 1/16 inches larger than standard cards. That likely makes the card a little more rare, though it's not said how many of each variation are believed to exist.

Regardless, the T206 was the main event of the items up for sale at Goldin Auctions' Saturday morning sale. You can check out some of the other items, including a baseball signed by Honus Wagner, by visiting their website.

NFL: No violation in combine questions.

The Associated Press

The NFL found no ''specific violations'' in questions teams asked college players at February's scouting combine.

Colorado tight end Nick Kasa and other players said they were asked about their sexual orientation, but did not identify by which teams or what questions they asked. The NFL's investigation found no such improper questioning.

''Our review has not established any specific violations,'' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Thursday, ''but we have made it clear to our clubs what is acceptable when interviewing potential players and other job candidates.''

The issue was discussed at last month's owners meetings and Commissioner Roger Goodell said that if such questions were asked, ''that's unacceptable.''

''We will do things the right way,'' Goodell said then. ''We will give them that education and that training. I hope that that will solve the problem.''

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson and Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell also said they were asked about their sexual orientation during an informal period at the combine when the players met with most of the 32 clubs.

Although no teams were found to have broken from league policies, the NFL would take action if it receives new information establishing a violation was committed.

Last month, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman urged the league to investigate the alleged questioning, which he said would be illegal in New York.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal in New York and in at least 23 other states where the NFL's 32 teams are based.

Blocking theories like opinions - everyone has 1.

By HANK KURZ Jr. (AP Sports Writer)

Tony Stewart says never. Joey Logano says late in the race. Jimmie Johnson says to protect a victory in the final laps, except, perhaps, if Stewart is behind him because of the potential consequences.

Theories on blocking and when it is acceptable vary widely in the NASCAR garage.

The topic has become a hot one since the last race two weeks ago in California, where an infuriated Stewart confronted Logano's crew and accused the young driver of blocking him late in the race.

''I don't like blocking. I never have, I never will,'' Stewart said at Martinsville Speedway. ''It's our jobs as drivers to go out there and try to pass people. That is what racing is about. We didn't have blocking 10 years ago. I don't know where all of a sudden it became a common deal or some people think it's alright to do now and think it's common practice. I don't believe it should be common practice.''

Others disagree, especially when trying to hang on for a victory.

''Those are decisions we all make on the track and when you are in the sport long enough, you realize what those decisions could lead to and, honestly, who you throw a block on,'' Johnson said.

''They could come back and haunt you, so as we are trying to win a race, win for our team, win for our sponsors, there are these other elements that you may not consciously think of, but there is this quick snapshot that flashes through your mind when you throw a block,'' he continued, adding that if you see Stewart approaching in your rear view mirror, ''you probably expect something is going to happen.''

Blocking can be keeping a car in front of you by continually positioning your car in front of theirs, or taking away their preferred line around the track by adopting it for yourself, even if it's not your preferred line. The thinking is if a driver is gaining on you, taking away his line can slow that.

At Martinsville, where the Sprint Cup Series will race 500 laps on Sunday, cars typically swing wide heading into the turns at each end of the track, then hug the inside curb. A blocking maneuver by a leader might cut down that wide swing, forcing a challenger to drive higher up in the turn away from the curb.

It helps to know a fellow competitor's views, and tendencies, he said.

''He has made that known over the years, so there are guys that you probably don't want to do that to,'' Johnson said of Stewart. ''But then again, at the end of the race I feel like things go to the next level and they change and to defend for a win, you have to take some extreme measures at times.''

Logano feels like he was taking those measures at Fontana, but wound up getting tangled up with Denny Hamlin, sending Hamlin into the wall, and Kyle Busch passed them both and claimed the victory.

Presented with the same circumstances in Sunday's Sprint Cup race, Logano would take into account where in the 500 laps they are, but at the end, said he'd race the same, and thinks Stewart would, too.

''Late in the race, I would probably do the same thing if it's the right move at the time, but like I said, early in the race I wouldn't,'' Logano said. ''This is one of the toughest race tracks to get around and passing cars is hard, so patience runs low here. It's a give-and-take race, for sure.''

That position, Jeff Burton said, is valuable information, as is a driver's history.

''You've got to do what you think is best. I think at the end of the day, you have to remember what you do to somebody, you have to expect it's going to be done back to you,'' the veteran driver said. ''If you feel like what you are doing is okay and it would be OK if it was being done to you, then you do it.''

It's essentially about drivers policing themselves, he said, which can get complicated with a victory hanging in the balance.

''The problem we have in our sport is we have a lot of drivers that will complain when it happens to them, but when they do it to you they look at you like, 'What's wrong?''' he said.

''Because this is a self-serving sport and we tend to become selfish people in these race cars. You've got to be open-minded and understand what's good for you has to be good for the next guy.''   

Palmer still sets example of legible autographs.

By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)

Arnold Palmer reached for a black pen and a blank piece of paper, and for a moment, he went back in time to the first grade.
 
''My first year in grade school, my teacher was a lady by the name of Rita Taylor,'' Palmer said. ''The blackboard around the room had 'The Palmer Method of Writing,' and that was the system with which we were taught to write.''

The King didn't invent the popular method of teaching cursive. Among athletes, he perfected it.

Pen in hand, his right arm moved in a slow, circular motion for several seconds, as if rehearsing. Then, he started writing what has become one of the most famous autographs in sports. Even at 83, Palmer makes sure every fan can read his name.
 
And like so many other aspects of his golfing career, his influence spans generations.

''I've always heard you need to make it legible, and I try to do that,'' Tim Clark said as he signed for fans behind the railing at Doral this spring. He used lower case for his entire name, and it was as clear as can be.

Where did he hear this advice? ''Arnold Palmer,'' he said.

Tiger Woods has a distinctive style with his autograph, perhaps not as legible as Palmer's, but easily recognizable. He signs his name with the same penmanship he would use to write a letter, and if you pay close attention, there is this idiosyncrasy in the way he does it - he always dots the ''i'' in his name.

''I do it every time,'' Woods said. ''Sometimes I'll hit the 'W' and sometimes I hit the 'T' because of the speed I'm being pushed along or people moving around.''

The Masters isn't the best place for fans to collect autographs. Augusta National has a strict policy of limiting requests to a designated area near the practice range and during the Par 3 Tournament. There are no autographs allowed on the golf course. A prized possession, however, is a yellow Masters flag signed by players.

The question, as with any other golf memorabilia, is whether anyone can read the names. The example set by the likes of Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and so many others has not carried over to this generation.

Look at any flag filled with player autographs and try to figure out who they are. Some players sign. Most just scribble.

''I've never enjoyed trying to figure out who's who,'' Phil Mickelson said. ''When you play on a Ryder Cup team and a name is missing, and I can't figure out any of them that are actually on the flag, there's no way to find out who's missing. That's always frustrating. It's just showing respect, whether it's for fans or whoever you're signing for.''

Padraig Harrington and Honda Classic winner Michael Thompson figured this out.
For more than a decade, Harrington's signature looked like it belonged on a doctor's prescription. To say it was illegible would be a compliment. The ''P'' and the ''H'' could barely be detected. Otherwise, it looked like the ink stamp from a chicken claw.
And then he won the British Open at Carnoustie.

''Up to that, I always signed my name as I would sign a check,'' Harrington said. ''My caddie gave me a lecture after I won the Open. He said if he was a little kid and asked me for my autograph, and that's what he got, he'd be very disappointed.''

The Irishman took that to heart. He now signs his full name, a style similar to Palmer.

''If you're going to sign it, you'd be better off signing less and signing it properly,'' Harrington said. ''I do notice the others (that can't be recognized). And I think it says a lot about the person.''

Zach Johnson signs with a ''Z'' and a line through it. He won't win a penmanship contest, but there is no question whose name is on the flag. He is happy with his effort and believes it is legible. And then he saw another name on the flag.

''Not as legible as that - oh, wow,'' he said.

Above where he signed was the name of Michael Thompson, nearly all 15 letters in the name as clear as can be. Much like Harrington, Thompson took the advice of his caddie, Matt Bednarski, about a month after they began working together in 2011.

Previously, it looked like an EKG reading - a mostly flat line except for two spikes (the ''M'' and the ''T'') and a short drop for the ''p.''

''I give credit to Matt. He told me to make it legible,'' Thompson said. ''I changed it to write every letter, to emulate Arnold Palmer. He has probably the greatest signature in history. You can't read 70 percent of the names on a flag. Every now and then you can kind of make out who they are if you know the players. Mine sticks out like a sore thumb. I've gotten more compliments on my autographs from fans, kids and parents than I ever would have imagined.''

Rory McIlroy still has a lot room for improvement.

His signature is a series of loops that are as curly as his hair. It is difficult to decipher the ''R'' or the ''M'' or even what language it is. A young girl with an oversized foam golf ball at the Houston Open proudly showed her autographs. There was Steve Stricker, Justin Leonard, Mickelson. And then she gleefully said McIlroy had signed it.

Where?

She pointed to a bunch of loops. ''I think he signed it upside down,'' she said.
Mickelson is a master of autographs, signing for up to an hour after his round, though he has started to cut back as he gets older and has other obligations.

''I've got so many letters that it's hard to make every one meticulous,'' Mickelson said.

''I do the best I can to make sure you know whose it is, but I still have to make it somewhat quick, too. But look at Palmer, Hogan, Nelson, Nicklaus. They always felt like if it was worth the time to do it, then do it right. Make it legible.''

Ian Poulter, of course, wanted some style. He finishes writing his name with a big loop that becomes a circle, and then he draws a hole and a flagstick in the middle of the loop.

''If you look at people's signatures through the years, some you can read, and most you can't,'' Poulter said. ''And if you make something a little different, identifiable with the name, everybody knows what signature it is. Everyone knows my autograph.''

It wasn't always that way, of course. He started his career signing his full name - Ian James Poulter - until he won his first European Tour event.

''When you've just won the Italian Open and you're asked to sign a couple of hundred things, we need to think this out,'' Poulter said with a grin. ''That winter I changed it to 'IJ Poulter' with the green. But I don't think everybody sees signing the same way.

Some guys see it as a pain. ... Some guys quite enjoy it. I quite enjoy doing it.''

And then there's John Daly, who has three autographs - one for kids, another if he detects the fan wants to sell it, and third for personal items.

''It's totally different on legal stuff,'' he said. ''I'll do 'John P. Daly.' For autographs I know they're going to sell, I scribble. It's the ugliest signature you'll ever see, and they can't sell those.

''But for kids,'' Daly said, stopping to sign for a young boy at Innisbrook, ''that was a beautiful signature.''

Harrington said it can get annoying to see the fans looking to make money from an autograph, especially when they're pushing kids out of the way to get it. But as he finished walking 100 yards along the fence, signing items and saying, ''You're welcome'' to everyone who thanked him, he still saw it as a privilege.

''It's all worthwhile when there's one kid who genuinely wants your autograph,'' he said. ''He's not there to get 10 autographs, 20 autographs. And when you sign that one, you say, 'I signed a thousand autographs just to get to that one, where he's actually going to go home and keep that autograph.' It's not going to be, 'Look, I got 20 autographs.' It's going to be, 'I got Padraig Harrington's autograph.'

''Then it's worth it,'' he said. ''That's the pleasure you get.''

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