CS&T/Allsports America Wednesday Sports News Update, 05/08/2013.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica

Sports Quote of the Day:

“No man is ever whipped until he quits in his own mind.” ~ Napoleon Hill

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks 3, Wild 0.

By Jess Myers, The Sports Xchange

Patrick Sharp scored a pair of goals, and Corey Crawford had 25 saves as the Chicago Blackhawks blanked the Minnesota Wild 3-0 Tuesday and took a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series.

Minnesota, which had breathed some life into the series with an overtime win on Sunday, dominated long stretches of the game Tuesday but could not solve Crawford. In contrast to the consistency in the Chicago goal, there was chaos in Minnesota's crease.

Wild starting goalie Josh Harding played the first 20 minutes, stopping five of the six shots he faced. But he was slow to get up after a first-period collision with Jonathan Toews, who cut to the net and collided with the goalie in the crease. Harding finished the period, but backup Darcy Kuemper started the second period.

The first playoff shot Kuemper ever faced is one he would like to forget. After a Wild turnover in the neutral zone just a minute into the middle period, Sharp corralled the puck and sent a harmless-looking shot on net that Kuemper missed, giving the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead.

Sharp also scored the first goal of the game, tipping a shot in front after Marian Hossa had intercepted Mikko Koivu's breakout pass. Sharp converted the turnover into an early Chicago lead.

The Wild had numerous chances to get back into the game via the power play, as the Blackhawks were whistled for six penalties. But Minnesota's man-advantage unit remained stymied, going 0-for-6 on the power play Tuesday and falling to 0-for-15 in the series.

Bryan Bickell added a goal -- his third of the series -- late in the third period for Chicago.

Game 5 of the series is Thursday night at United Center in Chicago.

NOTES: Niklas Backstrom, who started 41 of 48 regular season games for the Wild but was injured in warmups before the first playoff game, joined the team on the bench in uniform in the third period as an emergency replacement for Harding, but he did not play. ... Both teams got positive news in the NHL Awards category between Game 3 and Game 4. On Monday, Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad was named one of the three finalists for the Calder Trophy, given to the league's top rookie. Saad had 27 points in 47 games this season, and he started Tuesday's game on the team's top line. Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Wild defenseman Ryan Suter was named a Norris Trophy finalist, for the award given to the league's top defenseman. Suter, who came to Minnesota as a free agent last summer, led the league in playing time this season, averaging better than 27 minutes per game on the ice. ... Left wing Daniel Carcillo made his playoff debut for the Blackhawks after being a healthy scratch in the first three games of the series. Renowned as an agitator, Carcillo was called upon after the Wild played a much more physical style in winning Game 3. True to his reputation, Carcillo was whistled for an interference penalty in the opening period on Tuesday. ... The news about Suter's Norris candidacy softened the blow for Wild fans just a little bit after they were stung Monday when rookie defenseman Jonas Brodin was not named a finalist for the Calder. At 19, Brodin was the youngest defenseman in the NHL this season, and he led all rookies in takeaways and time on the ice.

How 'bout them Chicago Bulls? Heat, Bulls both looking for Game 2 improvements.

By TIM REYNOLDS

The Miami Heat have been in this less-than-ideal spot before.

They trailed Indiana in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, needed to win a pair of elimination games against Boston in the East finals and then dropped Game 1 of the NBA Finals to Oklahoma City. And when it was all said and done, the Heat walked away with the title.

So that might explain why there was no sense of panic in Heat land on Tuesday, and not even much of a sense of anger. Dropping Game 1 of the East semifinals to the Chicago Bulls on Monday night was hardly what the Heat wanted, though could end up serving as a wake-up call for a team that made it through a 66-win regular season without many rough patches.

''We haven't lost in a while, so it was very different to come in here and deal with a loss and to deal with it in the playoffs at home,'' Heat guard Dwyane Wade said after a video-and-practice session. ''It was different from the standpoint of what we've been used to lately, but not anything different from what we've been used to as a team. We've been in tough moments. We've lost games before.''

Chicago's 93-86 win in the series opener was filled with statistical anomalies, such as Miami shooting just under 40 percent (its second-worst showing in 87 games overall this season) and the Bulls scoring 35 points in the fourth quarter - matching the most the Heat allowed in the final 12 minutes of regulation all season.

Still, the Heat know some things still need to change, and in a hurry, or else the reigning champions could be in a gigantic amount of trouble.

''Playoffs are all about revealing who you are,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''It's either a win or a loss, and so we lost the first game. We have to figure it out, somehow, some way, to win the next game. And that's all it is.

''We have to fight for our playoff lives right now, to play a much harder and much more committed game together tomorrow night.''

Oddly, the same sentiments were being uttered a few miles south of where Spoelstra was standing, with the Bulls saying many of the same things after reviewing tape at their hotel.

Chicago's lineup isn't expected to change for Game 2. Luol Deng, who needed a spinal tap to rule out meningitis last week, still is not with the team, and coach Tom Thibodeau said a decision about flying him to Miami likely wouldn't be made until Wednesday morning - so, barring a seismic change in thinking, there is no way he would play Wednesday night. And guard Kirk Hinrich was limping when the team exited the conference room it used for meetings, suggesting that the calf injury he's dealing with could keep him out of a fifth straight game.

Then again, the Bulls showed on Monday - again - that even their depleted crew is more than good enough to win. Nate Robinson scored 27 points in the opener, even after needing 10 stitches during the game to close a nasty cut on his chin. He came into Monday averaging 9.6 points in 25 previous appearances against Miami.

That's how good it's going for Chicago right now.

''We're not satisfied,'' Bulls center Joakim Noah said. ''We've been getting some big victories the last couple games, but we're not satisfied. We're going to stay hungry, make our adjustments and try to play even better.''

The Bulls haven't won three straight road games since mid-January. They have a chance to pull that off Wednesday, coming off a Game 7 win in Brooklyn on Saturday and then stunning Miami in Game 1 two nights later.

If this keeps up, Chicago might struggle to keep the underdog status that it somehow converts into fuel.

''The outside shouldn't matter. It really shouldn't,'' Thibodeau said. ''The only thing that matters, really, is what we think. So whether it's praise or criticism from the outside, that's not important. It's what we think on the inside. So we know if we do the right things that go into winning, we're going to have a chance to win and that's all we want to focus in on. All the other stuff, I think, just gets you distracted.''

Noah said he was planning to sit in the sunshine on Tuesday, sip water, maybe squeeze a nap or a massage into his afternoon agenda. In other words, he was basically going to have a mini-vacation.

Make no mistake, though. The Bulls are taking this opportunity super-seriously. That's why the theme of their meetings on Tuesday was about ways to get better.

''Everything,'' guard Jimmy Butler - who has played all 48 minutes in three straight games - said when asked about which areas where Chicago needs to see improvement in Game 2. ''We made a lot of mistakes in our offense, our defense.

They missed a lot of open shots and we made some shots. I feel that we can execute better, and we will.''

There's no arguing Miami can execute better. Or at least, shoot better.

The tape confirmed what the stat sheet, their eyes, and the eyes of everyone else who watched Game 1 said: Miami missed tons of open shots on Monday night. So while there will be adjustments to make, the simplest way for the Heat to get back on track is just make more shots, easy as that sounds.

''It ain't about Xs and Os in this series,'' Heat forward and four-time NBA MVP LeBron James said.
 
''It's about will and determination to win the series, for both teams. ... We want our shooters to shoot and they will continue to shoot because we will continue to find them. We've got the utmost confidence in them.''

Knicks use huge run to even series with Pacers.

By BRIAN MAHONEY (AP Basketball Writer)

Carmelo Anthony's shooting woes vanished as quickly as Indiana's lead.

Once the NBA's scoring leader got in a rhythm, not even one of the league's best defenses could knock him out of it.

Anthony scored 32 points, 16 during a 30-2 New York onslaught in the second half, and the Knicks beat the Pacers 105-79 on Tuesday night to even the Eastern Conference semifinals at one game apiece.

Mired in a 35-for-110 slump over the previous four games, Anthony made six of his last eight Tuesday, including both 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

''He is just a beast of an offensive player and a competitor on the defensive end. He was great tonight,'' Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. Iman Shumpert added 15 points, including a sensational follow dunk in the first half, and Raymond Felton scored 14 as the Knicks turned a close game into a blowout over the final 15 minutes.

Paul George scored 20 points for the Pacers, who had a two-point lead and momentum when Vogel called timeout with a little more than 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

By the time the Pacers got on the board in the final period, the Knicks had opened a 26-point advantage.

''The fourth quarter, we just defensively, we picked up,'' Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. ''We kept getting stop after stop and then we would rebound the ball and get it up and our offense began to flow like old times. It was kind of nice to see.''
Game 3 is Saturday at Indianapolis.

It was the first time the Knicks scored 100 points in a playoff game since June 9, 1999, when they beat the Pacers 101-94. It was New York's largest margin of victory in the postseason since a 109-75 rout of Detroit on April 24, 1992, according to information provided to the Knicks by ESPN Stats and Info.

''I think for the most part from the start of the game and throughout the whole game, I think we played with a sense of urgency today,'' Anthony said. ''We played the way we've been playing as far as competing at the highest level.''

David West scored 13 points for the Pacers, who committed 21 turnovers that led to 32 points, negating their height advantage that loomed so large in their Game 1 victory.

Indiana had trailed most of the night before taking a 64-62 lead on George Hill's 3-pointer with 3:28 left in the third quarter that capped a 10-4 run, seemingly giving the Pacers the momentum.

Vogel then called timeout with a little more than 3 minutes left and subbed out center Roy Hibbert.

Seeing the middle open, Anthony came back attacking, first with a drive and then a dunk while drawing a foul that knocked over Hibbert's replacement, Jeff Pendergraph, and the game was never the same.

''It was our timeout,'' Vogel said. ''I usually use that situation to put something in while we have the ball.''

New York closed the period on a 10-2 run, Pablo Prigioni opened the fourth with a 3-pointer and a jumper in the lane, drawing chants of ''Pablo! Pablo!'' and then Anthony put it away.

He hit a jumper and a 3-pointer, and after Tyson Chandler's follow dunk, the NBA's scoring leader converted a three-point play and drilled another 3-pointer before another basket by Chandler made it 92-66, extending the run to 30-2.

''Melo just caught fire,'' George said.

Tyler Hansbrough got the Pacers on the board with two free throws with 4:48 left, and the Pacers finally made a field goal when reserve Orlando Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 3:07 to go after Vogel had started emptying his bench.

Prigioni and Kenyon Martin finished with 10 points apiece as the Knicks endured another dreadful game from Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith, who was 3 of 15 for eight points.

Anthony finished 13 of 26 and added nine rebounds as the Knicks, pummeled on the boards in Indiana's 102-95 victory in Game 1, finished with a 37-35 advantage.

Indiana had a 44-30 advantage on the boards Saturday. The Game 1 winner won all six of the series these teams played from 1993-2000, but the Knicks refused to panic, with Woodson not considering a change to a bigger lineup to match the Pacers' size.

It wasn't needed.

''I think we just made a point to team rebound,'' Chandler said.

The Knicks scored seven straight points midway through the first quarter and led 29-20 at the end of the period. But unlike in Game 1, they extended the lead for much of the second.

They got the lead to 11 a couple of times early in the period, once emphatically when Shumpert darted into the lane when Chris Copeland shot a 3-pointer from the other side of the floor, went unchecked toward the rim and grabbed the rebound with one hand and threw it down powerfully, a play that had the Madison Square Garden crowd still buzzing a few minutes later.

''I think I was trying to make a statement,'' said Shumpert, who didn't even play until midseason after tearing his ACL in last year's playoff opener. ''I just wanted to win this game real bad. We needed this game.''

Shumpert's jumper late in the quarter capped an 8-0 run and extended the Knicks' lead to 47-34 with 3:46 remaining, but West made a basket before George scored the final six points, his 3-pointer cutting it to 47-42 with 1:16 left, and neither team scored the rest of the way.

Indiana committed 12 turnovers that led to 20 points in the half.

NOTES: The Pacers' only previous Game 1 win in New York had been exactly 18 years earlier, when Reggie Miller scored eight points in the closing seconds to stun the Knicks in a 107-105 victory. Miller worked this game as an analyst for TNT, talking to Knicks fan Spike Lee before the game. ... Woodson said Amare Stoudemire had no setbacks Tuesday after playing in 3-on-3 scrimmages Monday, and the hope is still for him to return from right knee surgery on Saturday. ... Indiana has a 19-18 lead in total games won in the playoff rivalry. 

 NBA-Highlights of Monday's NBA playoff games.  

Reuters

Spurs 129, Warriors 127 (2OT)

Manu Ginobili buried a three-pointer from the left wing with 1.2 seconds left in the second overtime as San Antonio came from behind to stun visiting Golden State in Game One of the Western Conference semi-finals.

The Spurs trailed by as many as 18 points at one stage and were 16 behind with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter before a furious rally forced overtime.

Tony Parker led the way with 28 points, eight assists and eight rebounds and Danny Green knocked down six three-pointers en route to 22 points as San Antonio won its fifth straight game to begin the playoffs.

Stephen Curry played all 58 minutes and collected 44 points and 11 assists, including the pass that led to Kent Bazemore's go-ahead layup with 3.9 seconds left in the second overtime that gave the Warriors a brief lead.

Harrison Barnes added 19 points and 12 rebounds and Klay Thompson scored 19 before fouling out during the Spurs' rally at the end of the fourth.

The Warriors led 104-88 late in the fourth when Parker scored six straight points and scooped in a transition layup to highlight a 15-0 run that cut the deficit to a single point with 59 seconds to play.
- - - -

Bulls 93, Heat 86

Nate Robinson had 27 points and nine assists and hit the go-ahead shot with 1:18 remaining as visiting Chicago stunned top-seeded Miami in the opening contest of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Jimmy Butler had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Joakim Noah had 13 points and 11 boards for fifth-seeded Chicago. The Bulls had a dominating 46-32 rebounding edge and again played without forward Luol Deng (illness) and point guard Kirk Hinrich (calf).

LeBron James scored 15 of his 24 points in the final quarter and Dwyane Wade added 14 points for the Heat, who shot 39.7 percent from the field. Game Two is in Miami on Wednesday.

The Heat had a 76-69 lead with 6:30 remaining after back-to-back three-point plays by James.

Miami's advantage was down to three, however, before Marco Belinelli hit a tying three-pointer with 1:59 left to start a game-ending 10-0 run that featured Robinson scoring the game's final seven points.

(Editing by John O'Brien)

MVP voter explains why he didn't choose LeBron.

The Associated Press 

The writer who did not choose LeBron James of the Miami Heat as the NBA's Most Valuable Player believes Carmelo Anthony ''meant more to his team'' this season.

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe says Anthony made the New York Knicks relevant again by leading them to their first division title in nearly two decades. Washburn's explanation was published Monday, one day after James won his fourth MVP award.

Washburn says the Knicks would not have made the playoffs without Anthony, while the Heat have plenty of other talent besides James. Washburn also says that he believes James will eventually become the league's first seven-time MVP and that his vote was ''no LeBron conspiracy.''

James collected 120 of 121 first-place votes. The NBA has never had a unanimous MVP selection.

NFL Teams on the Rebound in the NFC.

By Russell S. Baxter

Given the strength of the conference, it was hard to believe that the Super Bowl champion didn't come from the NFC in 2012.

A year ago, eight of the 16 teams sported winning records, meaning the Chicago Bears (10-6) and New York Giants (9-7) were on the outside looking in come playoff time. Ironic if you were the Giants, who were also 9-7 in 2011 and went on to win Super Bowl XLVI.

You also saw teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins rebound from last-place finishes the previous season to capture postseason berths.

Still, there were seven teams in the NFC that finished below .500 a season ago. Are any of them capable of a few more wins en route to securing a playoff appearance in 2013?

Let's take a look at the field:

Detroit Lions (4-12): A year after reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the Lions plummeted to the bottom of the NFC North and will open the new season with an eight-game losing streak. Can new running back Reggie Bush help the ground attack?

Philadelphia Eagles (4-12): After 14 years under head coach Andy Reid, the Eagles will get a Chip on the new block in Chip Kelly, late of the Oregon Ducks. But he inherits a club that has committed a whopping 75 turnovers over the last two seasons.

Arizona Cardinals (5-11): It's been a rough three years after this team won back-to-back NFC West titles in 2008 (reaching Super Bowl XLIII) and 2009. New head coach Bruce Arians and quarterback Carson Palmer hope to bring some stability to the offense.

Carolina Panthers (7-9): Ron Rivera's team closed 2012 with a four-game winning streak. But the Panthers also opened last season as they did in 2011, losing eight of their first 10 games. Will the third time be the charm for talented quarterback Cam Newton?

New Orleans Saints (7-9): The team welcomes back head coach Sean Payton and welcomes new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who takes over a unit that gave up the most yards in a season in NFL history. How's that for nowhere to go but up?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9): Greg Schiano's team was 6-4 last season before collapsing in the final six games. Running back Doug Martin was a star during his rookie season, but the defense was the worst in the NFL versus the pass in 2012.

St. Louis Rams (7-8-1): Some forget that the Rams were the other team (other than the Indianapolis Colts) in the NFL to finish 2-14 in 2011. But Jeff Fisher pulled seven wins out of a new-look club and forged the best divisional mark (4-1-1) in the NFC West last season. Can you say Tavon Austin?

There you have it. Will one of these seven be magnificent in 2013? And will 10 wins actually be enough to make the playoffs in the NFC this upcoming season? You decide…

NFL Teams On the Rebound in the AFC.

By Russell S. Baxter

Last season, if you were a team in the AFC and you managed to produce a winning record, you were in the playoffs.
 
That's the good and bad news. Because if you do the math, that means only six of the 16 teams finished above the .500 mark.

It also means that nine clubs sported losing records (the Pittsburgh Steelers were the lone 8-8 team in the conference).

The Steelers were the only 2011 playoff team in the AFC not to return to the postseason in 2012 as the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos all repeated as division champions, the Cincinnati Bengals were once again a wild card and the surprising Indianapolis Colts (2-14 in 2011) wound up 11-5 and reaching the postseason.

But what about those nine teams that lost more games than they won? Could any of those clubs be the Colts of 2013? Let's take a closer look:

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14): The team comes off the worst finish in the history of the franchise and defensive minded Gus Bradley takes over as head coach. Can a healthy Maurice Jones-Drew ensure more wins?

Kansas City Chiefs (2-14): In 2010, this was a 10-win team and AFC West champions. New head coach Andy Reid comes off a miserable final season in Philadelphia, but this is a talented team with a new quarterback in Alex Smith.

Oakland Raiders (4-12): It's been sad and bleak for the Silver and Black, who are 49-111 since their last winning season in 2002. Second-year head coach Dennis Allen will have a defense assembled via free agency and quarterback Matt Flynn at the controls (we think).

Cleveland Browns (5-11): Another new head coach (Rob Chudzinski) for the only team in the AFC North to sport a losing record each of the last two seasons. But keep an eye on Ray Horton's potential fearsome defensive unit.

Buffalo Bills (6-10): No team has waited longer to get back to the playoffs than the Bills, who have finished last in the AFC East five straight years. New head coach Doug Marrone has his work cut out for him.

New York Jets (6-10): Rex Ryan begins his fifth year with the Green and White but he's been seeing red after two straight non-winning seasons. Gone are veterans such as Darrelle Revis, Bart Scott, Shonn Greene and Dustin Keller. And who will be the quarterback?
 
Tennessee Titans (6-10): The Titans fell hard after a promising 9-7 showing the previous year and would allow the most points in a season (471) in the franchise's 53-year history in 2012. But this was a busy team during free agency and the draft.

Miami Dolphins (7-9): Arguably the league's most aggressive franchise this offseason, the team brought in wide receiver Mike Wallace and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and moved up in the draft to take defensive end Dion Jordan. The 'Fins really bear watching.

San Diego Chargers (7-9): After four straight AFC West titles the Chargers have missed the playoffs three straight years. Mike McCoy is the new head coach. But can quarterback Philip Rivers shake the turnover bug that has bitten him two straight years?

There you have it. Odds are one or more of these teams will make a big-time turnaround. Who or whom will it be? You decide…

Baseball results, 05/07/2013.
 
Reuters

Results from the MLB games on Tuesday (home team in CAPS)
 
BALTIMORE 4 Kansas City 3
            
CLEVELAND 1 Oakland 0
            
PITTSBURGH 4 Seattle 1
            
Minnesota 6 BOSTON 1
            
CINCINNATI 5 Atlanta 4
  
 NY METS 1 Chicago White Sox 0 (10 innings)
 
Toronto 6 TAMPA BAY 4
            
CHICAGO CUBS 2 St. Louis 1
            
MILWAUKEE 6 Texas 3
            
HOUSTON 7 LA Angels 6
            
COLORADO 2 NY Yankees 0
            
Arizona 5 LA DODGERS 3
            
SAN DIEGO 5 Miami 1
            
Philadelphia 6 SAN FRANCISCO 2

Ten Days of Giving: Countdown to 10th NASCAR Day.

By Staff report | NASCAR.com

The NASCAR Foundation and many throughout the NASCAR industry will come together on Friday, May 17 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to celebrate the 10th Annual NASCAR Day. 

 "This exciting Ten Days of Giving tour reflects an overall expansion of the NASCAR Day initiative, which is perfectly aligned with our original ambition for The NASCAR Foundation," said Betty Jane France, chairwoman of The NASCAR Foundation. "Through the years, the growth of NASCAR Day has paralleled the growth of the foundation. That has increasingly enabled us to do more to help communities throughout the U.S."

This special day is a celebration of drivers, corporate partners, media and the sport's millions of fans uniting with The NASCAR Foundation to support a range of charitable causes relevant and meaningful to those within the NASCAR family.

For the first time, The NASCAR Foundation launches a "Ten Days of Giving" tour that includes philanthropic activities in several markets across the country. At each stop on the tour, beginning May 8 in Atlanta, Ga., and culminating on NASCAR Day in Charlotte, N.C., the foundation will partner with various organizations to deliver surprise acts of kindness.

Wednesday, May 8: Atlanta, Ga. Thursday, May 9: Winston-Salem, N.C. Friday, May 10: Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, May 11: Darlington, S.C. Sunday, May 12: Kansas City, Kan. Monday, May 13: New York, N.Y. Tuesday, May 14: Brooklyn, Mich. Wednesday, May 15: Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalists cities Thursday, May 16: Charlotte, N.C. Friday, May 17: Concord N.C.

Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar paired together at the Players Championship.

By Shane Bacon

Brandt Snedeker, Tiger Woods — Getty Images

Tee times are out for the 2013 Players Championship, and be prepared to see some of the biggest names in the game all playing together.

Tiger Woods will be paired with Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker, but that might not even be the most marquee threesome that plans to take on TPC Sawgrass come Thursday morning.

Phil Mickelson is paired with Justin Rose and Webb Simpson, while Rory McIlroy will go out with Adam Scott and Steve Stricker.

The pairings just keep getting better with the likes of Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley and Bubba Watson going out together and Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan and Jim Furyk highlighting a very American threesome.

The rest of the groupings and tee times are after the jump, so check out which group looks the most appealing for golf's fifth major.

Round 1 No. 1 tee/Round 2 No. 10 tee (all times Eastern)

7:15 a.m./12:15 p.m.: Troy Matteson, Josh Teater, Jason Kokrak

7:26/12:36: Jeff Maggert, William McGirt, Brian Harman

7:36/12:46: Jason Day, Chad Campbell, Casey Wittenberg

7:47/12:57: Mark Wilson, Bryce Molder, David Toms

8:08/1:18: D.A. Points, Kevin Streelman, Tim Clark

8:18/1:28: Derek Ernst, Louis Oosthuizen, Angel Cabrera

8:29/1:39: Brian Gay, Russell Henley, Henrik Stenson

8:39/1:49: John Merrick, Zach Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy

8:50/2:00: Charlie Beljan, Sean O’Hair, Bo Van Pelt

Round 1 No. 10 tee/Round 2 No. 1 tee

7:15 a.m./12:25 p.m.: Ken Duke, Luke Guthrie, Branden Grace

7:26/12:36: Francesco Molinari, Cameron Tringale, Peter Hanson

7:36/12:46: Jason Bohn, Jimmy Walker, Roberto Castro

7:47/12:57: Ben Crane, Aaron Baddeley, Jerry Kelly

8:08/1:18: Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Jim Furyk

8:18/1:28: Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson

8:29/1:39: Billy Horschel, Dustin Johnson, Ernie Els

8:50/2:00: Tommy Gainey, John Huh, Robert Allenby

9:00/2:10: Boo Weekley, Andres Romero, David Lingmerth

9:11/2:21: Matt Jones, Brian Davis, Nicholas Thompson

Round 1 No. 1 tee/Round 2 No. 10 tee

12:25 p.m./7:15 a.m.: David Mathis, Joe Daley

12:36/7:26: Kevin Chappell, Daniel Summerhays

12:46/7:36: Charlie Wi, Matt Every, Colt Knost

12:57/7:47: Jonathan Byrd, Y.E. Yang, Stewart Cink

1:07/7:57: Ted Potter Jr., Rory Sabbatini, Padraig Harrington

1:18/8:08: Ian Poulter, Nick Watney, Lee Westwood

1:28/8:18: Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson, Justin Rose

1:39/8:29: Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, K.J. Choi

1:49/8:39: Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker

2:00/8:50: J.J. Henry, Robert Garrigus, Vijay Singh

2:10/9:00: Sang-Moon Bae, Brian Stuard, Graham DeLaet

2:21/9:11: Bob Estes, Tom Gillis, Harris English

2:31/9:21: Jeff Overton, Bud Cauley, Brendon De Jonge

Round 1 No. 10 tee/Round 2 No. 1 tee

12:25 p.m./7:15 a.m.: Charles Howell III, James Driscoll, Greg Chalmers

12:36/7:26: Thorbjorn Olesen, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Martin Flores

12:46/7:36: Charley Hoffman, Ryan Palmer, Seung-yul Noh

12:57/7:47: Jonas Blixt, Marc Leishman, Johnson Wagner

1:07/7:57: Ben Curtis, Retief Goosen, Davis Love III

1:18/8:08: Bill Haas, Martin Kaymer, Freddie Jacobson

1:28/8:18: Ryan Moore, Carl Pettersson, Jason Dufner

1:39/8:29: Michael Thompson, Chris Kirk, Charl Schwartzel

1:49/8:39: Martin Laird, Scott Brown, Scott Piercy

2:00/8:50: Tim Herron, Pat Perez, James Hahn

2:10/9:00: Greg Owen, David Hearn, Will Claxton

2:21/9:11: Chris Stroud, David Lynn, Kevin Stadler

The Curse of Winning the Players Championship.

By Ryan Ballengee

 

COMMENTARY | Winning The Players Championship affords a champion a lot of perks: the game's largest first-place check at $1.71 million, five-year exemptions on the PGA Tour and into The Players and, now, a three-year invitation to the Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship.

What it hasn't afforded its winners in the last five years, however, is a slew of follow-up PGA Tour wins.

Since The Players moved to May in 2007, and Phil MIckelson captured the crown, the next five winners of the proverbial "fifth major" have won a combined two times on the PGA Tour.

Sergio Garcia won in 2008 in a playoff over Paul Goydos. He slipped so low that he eventually took a few months away from professional golf in 2010 before winning in consecutive weeks in Spain almost a year later on the European Tour and finally taking the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship last season.

A year after Sergio kissed his putter after victory, the Europeans kept on rolling with Henrik Stenson taking the Players crown. The powerful Swede seemed destined for more than faux-major glory. So far, he has not been. In fact, he sunk as low as No. 230 in the Official World Golf Ranking in 2012 before beginning the long climb back now inside the top 40. His only win since The Players was the South African Open a year ago.

Then there's Tim Clark who, unfortunately, was plagued by injury. An elbow problem sidelined him for the second two-thirds of 2011, but Clark has been close to another PGA Tour win. He was solo second earlier this season at the Sony Open in Hawaii, won by rookie Russell Henley and is 29th in FedEx Cup points.

K.J. Choi outlasted David Toms in 2011 to win The Players in a playoff, making a par on the first hole of sudden-death to capture the most significant of his eight on the PGA Tour. Again, however, the Korean who was rallied by Choi's Bois that week at the Stadium Course has been unable to notch a ninth Tour title. At nearly 43 years old, maybe that's expecting a bit much. Matt Kuchar may, in fact, be the exception to this trend of precipitous Players drops. T he year as reigning champion has barely ended for Kuchar, who was outstanding amid the torrent of greats challenging for The Players last year to earn the trophy.

In blustery conditions in Arizona back in February, Kuchar captured the WGC-Accenture Match Play title. He has three other top-10 finishes this season, including a T-8 effort at the Masters as a follow on his T-3 from the year prior at Augusta National. Kooch is nowhere near a downturn. He's a slumpbuster.

Kuchar's brilliance this season doesn't portend a successful defense of his title this week. No one has ever won consecutive Players titles. However, if one player could manage to end that anomaly, it would be the Georgia Tech product.

For whatever reason, the Stadium Course does seem to identify the best player that week, but does not seem to always identify the most talented among the field.

By comparison, it seems Augusta National does allow the best of the best -- not just for those four days in April -- to contend for a green jacket.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have enjoyed tremendous success amid the blooming azaleas. Lee Westwood and Ernie Els, whose games do have flaws, have been able to get painstakingly close by flexing their strengths as much as the Jones-Mackenzie test will allow. Rory McIlroy seems to love the home of the Masters and feel the antithesis for Pete Dye's Stadium Course.

It is that dichotomy that perhaps makes Fred Couples such an interesting case. Couples is one of four to win multiple Players crowns (1984 and '96) at TPC Sawgrass and, even at 53, can still manage to contend on seemingly an annual basis at the Masters more than two decades after his lone major breakthrough.

What is it about the now-Hall-of-Famer's game, then, that has crossover appeal to two very starkly contrasting courses? At his best, Couples putted well enough, but the strongest facets of his game were effortless power and ballstriking, as well as the knowledge of when to step on the gas and when to throttle back a bit.

Greg Norman had the two pegged as well, with Norman winning a couples of Players titles. He also had three runner-up finishes at Augusta, including the painful '96 meltdown clearing the way for a third Nick Faldo title.

How about Hal Sutton and Davis Love III, the other multiple-time winners at Sawgrass? They could have been so much more, too, each only winning a PGA Championship in their careers.

So maybe it's not in the best interest of a player to have truly figured out TPC Sawgrass. For the ones that did, they arguably never reached their true potential. For the likes of Woods and Mickelson, just one win was enough -- they had more major business to handle.

 
Soccer-Ferguson steps down as Manchester United manager.  

 Reuters; By Martyn Herman

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson will retire at the end of the season after more than 26 years in charge, bringing to a close the most glittering managerial career in British soccer.

The Premier League champions confirmed on Wednesday that Ferguson, 71, would step aside following United's home game against West Bromwich Albion on May 19.

"The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly. It is the right time," Ferguson, who was in charge of 1,498 matches for the club, said on United's website (www.manutd.com).

Everton manager David Moyes, a fellow Scot, and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho are the favourites to succeed Ferguson.

United said Ferguson, who took over from Ron Atkinson in 1986 and has won 13 league titles, five FA Cups and two Champions Leagues, would remain at the club as a director.

"It was important to me to leave an organisation in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so," added Glasgow-born Ferguson who was going to retire after the 2001-02 season but changed his mind.

"The quality of this league-winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains bright.

"Our training facilities are amongst the finest in global sport and our home Old Trafford is rightfully regarded as one of the leading venues in the world.

"Going forward, I am delighted to take on the roles of both director and ambassador for the club. With these activities, along with my many other interests, I am looking forward to the future."

When Ferguson began his Old Trafford reign the club was languishing in the shadow of north-west rivals Liverpool but after a slow start he won his first English title in 1992-93 and turned the club into the dominant force in England.

He also launched the careers of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes as well as attracting players of the calibre of Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to Old Trafford.

"As for my players and staff, past and present, I would like to thank them all for a staggering level of professional conduct and dedication that has helped to deliver so many memorable triumphs," Ferguson said.

"Without their contribution the history of this great club would not be as rich."

Ferguson, Britain's longest-serving manager, oversaw the club as it moved into American ownership under the Glazer family in 2005 - an unpopular move among the fans.

"Alex has proven time and time again what a fantastic manager he is but he's also a wonderful person," Joel Glazer, son of owner Malcolm, said in the club statement.

"His determination to succeed and dedication to the club have been truly remarkable.

"I will always cherish the wonderful memories he has given us, like that magical night in Moscow," he added, referring to the 2008 Champions League final victory over Chelsea on penalties.

Ferguson had dropped no hints that he was thinking about retiring and in programme notes ahead of last Sunday's game against Chelsea appeared to suggest he would continue his reign as the club's most successful manager for the foreseeable future.

"Whether I will be here to oversee another decade of success remains to be seen but I certainly don't have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special and worth being around to see," he wrote.

Ferguson, who is due to have hip surgery after the season, will be an almost impossible act to follow and suitable candidates for arguably the biggest job in world soccer are thin on the ground.

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