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"It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen." ~ Muhammad Ali, Three Times World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? The Fab Four: It's an NHL dream scenario as conference finals feature past four champions. Let's go Hawks; We will get this done!!!
By Nicholas J. Cotsonika
For the first time since 1945, when there were only six teams in the NHL and Gordie Howe was still a kid in Saskatchewan, we have a tournament of champions.
Each of the final four teams in the playoffs won the Stanley Cup in the past four years. It’s down to Pittsburgh (2009), Chicago (2010), Boston (2011) and Los Angeles (2012). It’s down to the best.
In our humble estimation, these were the top four teams in the NHL entering the playoffs. They were the top four teams in our Round 1 power rankings. Pittsburgh and Boston were the top two teams in the East and Chicago and Los Angeles were the top two teams in the West in our Round 2 power rankings.
Only two teams have won the Cup twice since 1999: the Detroit Red Wings (2002, 2008) and New Jersey Devils (2000, 2003). No one has won the Cup twice since the salary cap was introduced in 2005-06. That’s about to change, and the Kings have a
chance to become the first repeat champions since the Wings in 1997 and ’98.
Is this a blow to the league’s beloved parity? No. It’s a testament to these organizations that they have put themselves in this position despite the league’s beloved parity.
The Penguins, Blackhawks, Bruins and Kings have something else in common: All four survived scares in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Three faced elimination, and two came perilously close to going home.
These teams have smart coaches and deep, talented rosters glittering with Cup rings. All four were good enough to be champions once, all four are good enough to be champions again, and all four have had the hallmarks of championship runs – overcoming adversity against worthy adversaries, thanks to clutch play and a little luck.
Whoever wins this final four will be the best of the best – and the closest thing to a dynasty in today’s NHL.
How good are the Penguins? The Bruins, who won the Cup more recently than they did, can play the underdog card with a straight face. Milan Lucic compared the Penguins to the Miami Heat. Not only do the Pens have as star-studded a group as you’ll find in the salary-cap era, they have it because guys wanted to play together.
Jarome Iginla took his talents to Steel City to play with Sidney Crosby a little like LeBron James took his talents to South Beach to play with Dwyane Wade. Iginla didn’t sign as a free agent, but he made a “Decision.” He waived his no-trade clause for Pittsburgh when the Calgary Flames had worked out a deal with another team – and, of course, that other team was Boston, one of the subplots in a series full of them.
Jarome Iginla took his talents to Steel City to play with Sidney Crosby a little like LeBron James took his talents to South Beach to play with Dwyane Wade. Iginla didn’t sign as a free agent, but he made a “Decision.” He waived his no-trade clause for Pittsburgh when the Calgary Flames had worked out a deal with another team – and, of course, that other team was Boston, one of the subplots in a series full of them.
The Penguins should be the favorites. They have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and so on, and Crosby has recovered from his broken jaw to the point where he doesn’t need that plastic protective shield anymore.
They are averaging 4.27 goals per game – more than a goal more than the next-best team, the Bruins (3.17). They just ripped through the Ottawa Senators in five games, and the Sens were a better defensive team than the Bruins were in the regular season, giving up 2.08 goals per game, second in the league, while the Bruins gave up 2.21 goals per game, third in the league.
They have handled the Bruins well. They have won the past six regular-games between the teams and the past six in Boston, too. Note that the Bruins did not have to face the Penguins on their way to the Cup in 2011, when Crosby and Malkin were injured and the Pens lost in the first round.
Pittsburgh has faced the least adversity of the final four. The Pens haven’t trailed in a series yet. The Blackhawks and Kings each have faced two-game deficits, and the
Bruins have faced a three-goal deficit in the third period of a Game 7.
Bruins have faced a three-goal deficit in the third period of a Game 7.
That said, the eighth-seeded New York Islanders came back twice to tie their first-round series with the Penguins and had a chance to do it again before falling in overtime of Game 6. Even though Tomas Vokoun has calmed the crease since replacing Marc-Andre Fleury, there is still a chance that leaky defense and goaltending could put the heat on the NHL’s Heat.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks cruised through the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. They started a record 24 games without a regulation loss, half the lockout-shortened 48-game schedule. They won the Presidents’ Trophy for leading the league with 77 points. Then they whipped the Minnesota Wild in five games.
In short, they looked like a Cup contender for the first time since they shipped out half their 2010 Cup team in a salary-cap purge. The core has been supplemented by a strong supporting cast again, including top-notch goaltending.
But that 2010 Cup team didn’t cruise through the playoffs, falling behind in two series and coming back, battling through a tough final against the Philadelphia Flyers, and this team wasn’t tested until the second round against the Detroit Red Wings.
The ’Hawks hadn’t lost three in a row all year; they lost three in a row to the Wings.
They hadn’t been shut out all year; they were shut out in Game 4. Suddenly they faced a 3-1 deficit.
They hadn’t been shut out all year; they were shut out in Game 4. Suddenly they faced a 3-1 deficit.
But they came back with a dominating victory in Game 5. They came back from a one-goal deficit in the third period of Game 6. They came back when the apparent winning goal was wiped out by a penalty call in the final moments of regulation in Game 7, and they won the series in overtime.
Jonathan Toews still has to score more. One goal is not enough, no matter how much he contributes in other areas. The power play remains brutal. How a team with Toews and Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook cannot score more often with more players on the ice is one of hockey’s great mysteries.
But this is a team with mojo now. While Jimmy Howard was outstanding for Detroit, Corey Crawford was outstanding for Chicago. When he did allow a soft goal, he shook it off. While Toews wasn’t noticeable at times, guys like Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw seemed all over the place. After struggling badly and seeing his ice time dwindle, Seabrook recovered later in the Detroit series, played well and ended up the OT hero.
3. Los Angeles Kings
3. Los Angeles Kings
They knew this time it would be different. They knew they would not take 3-0 leads in each series, would not waltz through without facing elimination, would not finish an astonishing 16-4 like they did in last year’s playoffs.
And boy, has it been different. The Kings fell into a 2-0 hole in their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. They got into a seesaw second-round series with the San Jose Sharks. In the first two rounds last year, they played only nine games. In the first two rounds this year, they played 13 games. Another way to look at it: They have played only one less game in two rounds than they played in three last year.
But after falling into that 2-0 hole against the Blues, they won four straight, and at the end of that seesaw series with the Sharks, they finished on the upswing in Game 7.
They became the first defending champion to make a conference final since the Wings did it in 2009.
And through it all, there was one striking similarity to last year – the performance of goaltender Jonathan Quick, the reigning winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player.
Quick started slowly in the regular season thanks to off-season back surgery and the lockout. But he is in top form now – aggressive, athletic, confident, competitive. He has allowed 20 goals in those 13 games – and just 14 of them at even strength. He leads the playoffs in goals-against average (1.50), save percentage (.948) and shutouts (three).
If the Kings win the Cup again, Quick likely will have to win the Conn Smythe again. They’re averaging only two goals per game – less than half the Penguins’ production, less than two-thirds the Bruins’ production, three-quarters of a goal less than the Blackhawks. They are 1-5 on the road, after winning their first 10 road games last year, and they will not have home-ice advantage from here on out.
The Blackhawks have just as much depth as the Kings. They have a mobile, puck-moving defense that can diffuse the Kings’ forecheck. But the ’Hawks had trouble in the second round when the Wings outworked them and got great goaltending, and the Kings, with their size and grit and Quick, are even more capable of doing the same.
4. Boston Bruins
4. Boston Bruins
In 2011, the Bruins fell behind in their first-round series with the Montreal Canadiens, 2-0. Had they lost, it likely would have meant the end of coach Claude Julien and maybe others. They ended up winning the series in overtime of Game 7, then swept the Flyers in the second round on their way to the Cup.
This year, the Bruins pulled ahead in their first-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1. But they lost the next two and faced a 4-1 deficit in the third period of Game 7. Had they lost, it likely would have meant the end of Julien and maybe others.
They ended up scoring three goals – two in the final two minutes – to tie the game.
This is virtually the same deep, balanced, experienced team that won the Cup two years ago. Tim Thomas isn’t in goal anymore. But Tuukka Rask is up to the task – and has Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron in front of him – and the Bruins have found a little bit of that magic. They suffered injuries to three veteran defensemen: Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Wade Redden. Yet youngsters Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski and Dougie Hamilton stepped right in against the Rangers.
Krug has four goals and five points in five games. Let’s repeat that. Let’s let that sink in. Krug, a 5-foot-9, 22-year-old rookie defenseman, a guy who was never drafted and has only three games of regular-season experience, has four goals and five points in five playoff games. It is an amazing story.
Problem is, it’s not sustainable, and it’s not good that Krug has more goals than Jaromir Jagr (zero), Tyler Seguin (one) and Brad Marchand (two) combined.
In 2011, the Bruins battled through two seven-game series in the final two rounds. They might have to do the same again to win the Cup again. But do you think they’re afraid of that when they’ve done it before? Do you think big, bad Milan Lucic is intimidated? If the Indiana Pacers can play with the NBA’s Heat – that Eastern Conference final is tied, 2-2 – don’t you think the Bruins can play with the NHL’s?
Don’t you think that in this tournament of champions it’s anyone’s Cup?
Wood's slam leads Cubs to win over White Sox!!!
By The Sports Xchange
The Chicago Cubs starting pitchers have been strong on the mound all season. In May, they've been delivering at the plate as well.
Travis Wood gave up two runs in six innings and hit a grand slam to lead the Cubs to their fourth straight victory over the Chicago White Sox, 8-3, on Thursday.
Wood (5-3) allowed five hits while striking out six and walking two, but it was his work at the plate that had everyone buzzing.
"Our whole staff's been hitting," Wood said. "We take pride in our hitting, just being able to help ourselves out. Just being able to handle the bat, that way we're not just a dead out. We can go out there and eventually help ourselves out and hopefully get something going for the team."
The Cubs pitchers have four home runs and 19 RBIs in May. According to ELIAS, that's the most RBIs by a team's pitchers in a calendar month since the 1940 Tigers (20 in August).
The Cubs blew the game open against White Sox starter Jake Peavy in a wild fourth inning.
A strong wind played tricks with Welington Castillo's infield popup and it fell to the third base side of the mound for a leadoff single. Luis Valbuena followed with a single and Darwin Barney was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wood then lined Peavy's 2-1 pitch into the left-field bleachers for a wind-aided grand slam, extending the Cubs' lead to 6-1.
Peavy said he didn't take Wood lightly in that situation.
"I've seen every at-bat (Wood) had all year long," Peavy said. "I watched him his last start. Homer Bailey struck him out but he almost hit a ball out of the ballpark against Homer Bailey. He hit one on Waveland. I've seen every at-bat. We knew exactly what kind of athlete he was going in. We would never be caught unprepared like that. I just didn't make pitches."
It was Wood's second home run of the season and his first career grand slam. The last Cubs pitcher to hit a grand slam at Wrigley Field was Burt Hooten on Sept. 16, 1972, against the New York Mets.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo tripled on the day, but like the rest of the position players, stood in Wood's shadow.
"I don't like it, to be honest, they're embarrassing all of us," Rizzo said with a smile. "It's great, it's unbelievable. They're loose and they're having fun and they're keeping everyone else loose."
Cubs manager Dale Sveum was thrilled to get more offense from a pitcher, but said he didn't have any plans to move them up in the order or allow them to hit in American League parks.
With the wind blowing out at a brisk 24 mph, Sveum was also impressed by Wood's work on the mound.
"To hold a team down to two runs in six innings with the wind blowing as hard as it was out. You're doing something right," Sveum said. "He did another great job. With the wind blowing out that's like pitching a shutout."
Peavy (6-3), on the other hand, struggled, lasting only four innings while giving up six runs and eight hits. It was Peavy's shortest start since he went four innings against the Detroit Tigers on June 5, 2011.
Entering the day, Peavy had average nearly 109 pitches per outing and had tossed 117 pitches in each of his previous two outings. Manager Robin Ventura was asked if he believed his high pitch count had anything to do with Peavy's struggles Thursday.
"I don't think so," Ventura said. "It's a tough day as far the wind and a place to pitch. I don't think it has anything to do with his pitch count."
After Peavy exited, the Cubs continued to add to their lead as Nate Schierholtz hit solo home run in the fifth off Nate Jones to make it 7-1. Valbuena delivered a solo shot off Brian Omogrosso in the eighth to cap off the scoring for the Cubs.
Valbuena, Barney and Wood, the Cubs' 7-8-9 hitters, combined to reach base seven times, scoring in six runs and driving in six. Barney and David DeJesus had run-scoring singles in the second to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Paul Konerko went 2-for-4 with a double and knocked in two runs for the White Sox. Alejandro De Aza was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
The victory pushes the Cubs to 3-0 against the White Sox this season and ensures that they'll win the season series for the first time since 2007.
"We just got beat in all facets of the game," Konerko said. "That's all you can say. We were just beaten soundly. You tip your hat to them and there's not much more to say than that. They were better in every area of the game."
The teams will face each other one more time this season when they make up Tuesday night's rainout at U.S. Cellular Field.
The four-game winning streak is the Cubs' longest of the season and comes on the heels of a six-game losing streak.
"It's the crazy game of baseball," Rizzo said. "Just the way it is, you gotta keep rolling with it. We gotta keep coming together as a team. We're having a lot of fun and it shows out there."
NOTES: The Cubs optioned reliever Alex Burnett to Triple-A Iowa and selected the contract of reliever Zach Putnam from Iowa. Putnam had a 3.26 ERA with 22 strikeouts and six walks in 19 1/3 innings. ... Reliever Kyuji Fujikawa, who will have Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Putnam on the 40-man roster. ... Rizzo's fourth-inning triple tied him with Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez for most extra-base hits in the National League at 28. ... Wood had his string of nine consecutive quality starts to start the season snapped in his last outing. ... The Cubs and White Sox are tied with Kansas City for second-most one-run games played this season at 19. ... The Cubs entered the game tied for third in the NL with 3.90 pitches seen per plate appearance, yet are last in baseball with a 6.2 percent walk rate. ... Peavy entered the game with seven quality starts for the season, including six of his last seven.
Travis Wood gave up two runs in six innings and hit a grand slam to lead the Cubs to their fourth straight victory over the Chicago White Sox, 8-3, on Thursday.
Wood (5-3) allowed five hits while striking out six and walking two, but it was his work at the plate that had everyone buzzing.
"Our whole staff's been hitting," Wood said. "We take pride in our hitting, just being able to help ourselves out. Just being able to handle the bat, that way we're not just a dead out. We can go out there and eventually help ourselves out and hopefully get something going for the team."
The Cubs pitchers have four home runs and 19 RBIs in May. According to ELIAS, that's the most RBIs by a team's pitchers in a calendar month since the 1940 Tigers (20 in August).
The Cubs blew the game open against White Sox starter Jake Peavy in a wild fourth inning.
A strong wind played tricks with Welington Castillo's infield popup and it fell to the third base side of the mound for a leadoff single. Luis Valbuena followed with a single and Darwin Barney was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wood then lined Peavy's 2-1 pitch into the left-field bleachers for a wind-aided grand slam, extending the Cubs' lead to 6-1.
Peavy said he didn't take Wood lightly in that situation.
"I've seen every at-bat (Wood) had all year long," Peavy said. "I watched him his last start. Homer Bailey struck him out but he almost hit a ball out of the ballpark against Homer Bailey. He hit one on Waveland. I've seen every at-bat. We knew exactly what kind of athlete he was going in. We would never be caught unprepared like that. I just didn't make pitches."
It was Wood's second home run of the season and his first career grand slam. The last Cubs pitcher to hit a grand slam at Wrigley Field was Burt Hooten on Sept. 16, 1972, against the New York Mets.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo tripled on the day, but like the rest of the position players, stood in Wood's shadow.
"I don't like it, to be honest, they're embarrassing all of us," Rizzo said with a smile. "It's great, it's unbelievable. They're loose and they're having fun and they're keeping everyone else loose."
Cubs manager Dale Sveum was thrilled to get more offense from a pitcher, but said he didn't have any plans to move them up in the order or allow them to hit in American League parks.
With the wind blowing out at a brisk 24 mph, Sveum was also impressed by Wood's work on the mound.
"To hold a team down to two runs in six innings with the wind blowing as hard as it was out. You're doing something right," Sveum said. "He did another great job. With the wind blowing out that's like pitching a shutout."
Peavy (6-3), on the other hand, struggled, lasting only four innings while giving up six runs and eight hits. It was Peavy's shortest start since he went four innings against the Detroit Tigers on June 5, 2011.
Entering the day, Peavy had average nearly 109 pitches per outing and had tossed 117 pitches in each of his previous two outings. Manager Robin Ventura was asked if he believed his high pitch count had anything to do with Peavy's struggles Thursday.
"I don't think so," Ventura said. "It's a tough day as far the wind and a place to pitch. I don't think it has anything to do with his pitch count."
After Peavy exited, the Cubs continued to add to their lead as Nate Schierholtz hit solo home run in the fifth off Nate Jones to make it 7-1. Valbuena delivered a solo shot off Brian Omogrosso in the eighth to cap off the scoring for the Cubs.
Valbuena, Barney and Wood, the Cubs' 7-8-9 hitters, combined to reach base seven times, scoring in six runs and driving in six. Barney and David DeJesus had run-scoring singles in the second to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Paul Konerko went 2-for-4 with a double and knocked in two runs for the White Sox. Alejandro De Aza was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
The victory pushes the Cubs to 3-0 against the White Sox this season and ensures that they'll win the season series for the first time since 2007.
"We just got beat in all facets of the game," Konerko said. "That's all you can say. We were just beaten soundly. You tip your hat to them and there's not much more to say than that. They were better in every area of the game."
The teams will face each other one more time this season when they make up Tuesday night's rainout at U.S. Cellular Field.
The four-game winning streak is the Cubs' longest of the season and comes on the heels of a six-game losing streak.
"It's the crazy game of baseball," Rizzo said. "Just the way it is, you gotta keep rolling with it. We gotta keep coming together as a team. We're having a lot of fun and it shows out there."
NOTES: The Cubs optioned reliever Alex Burnett to Triple-A Iowa and selected the contract of reliever Zach Putnam from Iowa. Putnam had a 3.26 ERA with 22 strikeouts and six walks in 19 1/3 innings. ... Reliever Kyuji Fujikawa, who will have Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Putnam on the 40-man roster. ... Rizzo's fourth-inning triple tied him with Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez for most extra-base hits in the National League at 28. ... Wood had his string of nine consecutive quality starts to start the season snapped in his last outing. ... The Cubs and White Sox are tied with Kansas City for second-most one-run games played this season at 19. ... The Cubs entered the game tied for third in the NL with 3.90 pitches seen per plate appearance, yet are last in baseball with a 6.2 percent walk rate. ... Peavy entered the game with seven quality starts for the season, including six of his last seven.
James scores 30, Heat take Game 5, 90-79.
By
The game was very much in doubt. A sold-out arena was basically silent. The chance of getting back to the NBA Finals for a third straight year could have slipped away.
Cue LeBron James.
A third quarter for the ages by the four-time MVP turned the game, and perhaps the entire Eastern Conference finals, around. James scored 16 of his 30 points in the quarter, fueling what was a 20-point turnaround at one point, and the Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 90-79 in Game 5 on Thursday night.
The Heat lead the series 3-2, with a chance to finish it off in Indiana on Saturday night and move on to a finals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.
''That's what I came here for, to be able to compete for a championship each and every year,'' James said. ''I'm one step away from doing it once again. It's not promised. It's not promised at all. I made a tough decision. Obviously, I think we all know the story. I envisioned something that was bigger as far as a team ... and we've got an opportunity as a team, once again, for the third year straight to make a trip to the NBA Finals.''
Indiana was up 46-40 early in the third, surely sensing a chance to grab total control of the series. Over the next 11 minutes, the Heat outscored the Pacers 30-10, with James either scoring or accounting for 25 Miami points. He shot 7 for 10 in the third quarter; the Pacers shot 3 for 14. He had four rebounds in the quarter; the Pacers, as a team, grabbed six. He had four assists in the quarter; the Pacers had one.
''That's LeBron showing his greatness and making it look easy,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''What we talked about was doing whatever it takes and competing for each other without leaving anything out there. His engine in that third quarter was incredible. He was tireless, he was making plays on both ends of the court, rebounding, covering so much ground defensively and then making virtually every play for us offensively. It's really remarkable.''
James added eight rebounds and six assists, and Udonis Haslem made his last eight shots on the way to a 16-point night. Mario Chalmers scored 12 and Dwyane Wade added 10 for the Heat, who ousted the Pacers in six games in a second-round matchup last season and will look to do the same this time around, albeit one round deeper.
Paul George had 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who got 22 points from Roy Hibbert and 17 from David West. The Pacers led by as many as seven at one point, but had no answer for the Heat in the third and now have to win back-to-back games - against a team that hasn't lost consecutive games since early January.
''I don't really know,'' Pacers coach Frank Vogel said, when asked if there's anything a team can do when James gets on a roll like the one he had in the third quarter. ''He was pretty special tonight. There's no question about it. This whole team is special.
It's one of the best teams that this league's ever seen and we're enjoying competing against them. We know we can beat them, but we've got to play better than we did tonight.''
Haslem said Juwan Howard threw a few things in the locker room and had a few choice words for teammates at halftime - ''a lot of bleeps and stuff like that,'' Haslem said - and that James echoed the same remarks just before the start of the third.
''We had 24 minutes to play for our livelihoods,'' Haslem said. ''And that's how we played in the second half.''
Haslem's first shot of the night was a complete brick, bouncing off the top of the backboard. He was perfect the rest of the way, including going 5 for 5 in the third.
For the second time in the series, Haslem - who has struggled with his shot for the better part of two years - finished 8 for 9.
''That burned us,'' Vogel said.
Haslem got past Hibbert easily and into the lane for a dunk that put Miami up 47-46, the first Heat lead since 4-2. The Pacers were back on top by a point with 6:58 left in the third when fighting words reappeared, on a play where George Hill was called for an offensive foul after getting caught pushing off on a drive. West angrily approached Chalmers after the play and both of those players, along with Haslem, got technicals when it was all said and done.
It clearly fired up Miami.
James and Haslem combined to score 18 of their team's 21 points in the final 6:04 of the third. Everything came on jump shots, including a 3-pointer from Chalmers, three jumpers averaging 20 feet from Haslem, and five more from James, including a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in the quarter that put Miami up 70-56 and had him yelling at no one in particular as the arena roared.
''We didn't have enough fight,'' West said. ''We stalled.''
George didn't sound overly impressed even after James' third-quarter numbers.
''He just came out and make some shots,'' George said. ''You take away that third, and we're in the ballgame.''
As if this one needed any more buildup, there was plenty of news long before tipoff.
The NBA announced Thursday morning that it fined James, West and Lance Stephenson $5,000 each for flopping in Game 4, plus upgraded a foul that West committed against Wade in the fourth quarter of that game to a flagrant-1. Then Hibbert and West, speaking after Indiana's morning practice, said they have to protect their knees when Shane Battier is in the game for Miami, though neither flatly accused the Heat forward of dirty play.
And all that happened more than eight hours prior to game time.
Things didn't exactly calm down once the ball went into the air.
Indiana was blown out in Game 5 of a tied-up series at Miami last season, never holding the lead and losing by 32 points. This one took a much different tone from the outset, with the Pacers running out to a 15-9 lead that could have been worse for Miami given that West and Hibbert combined to miss three easy layups in the opening minutes.
''There's no question, we blew some opportunities in the first quarter,'' Vogel said.
George and Hibbert combined for all of Indiana's 23 points in the first quarter.
Indiana's lead was four after the period, and when the second began, the reminders that these teams simply do not like each other started coming fast and furious.
Chris Andersen and Tyler Hansbrough needed to be separated early in the second, and both got technicals after Andersen appeared to hit Hansbrough twice, first with a shoulder and then with a two-hand shove. Andersen also picked up a flagrant-1 for his efforts, things cooled off a bit for the rest of the half, and Indiana went into the break up 44-40.
The Pacers then scored the first basket of the third.
After that, all Heat. Or more specifically, all James and Haslem, who put together a burst that the defending champions desperately needed.
''It's the playoffs,'' Wade said.'' Shane Battier said this is when you feel alive, when your back's against the wall.... You've got to go out there and play. This is what we prepared for all season.''
A year ago, the Heat lost Game 5 of the East finals to Boston, and needed a 45-point game from James in Game 6 just to extend their season.
Not this time.
The finals are now one win away.
''We were able to respond,'' James said.
NOTES: The last time Haslem had a 10-point third quarter was also against Indiana - but in March 2009. ... David Beckham was courtside near the Heat bench, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was courtside near the Pacers' bench. ... Hansbrough left in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle after falling over Battier, who was down on the court after going for a rebound. ... Both teams seemed a tad nervous in the opening moments. Wade had two airballs in the first quarter, Haslem had a jumper bounce off the top of the backboard, and Hill tossed an alley-oop that missed everybody and bounced off the backboard like a fastball.
Cue LeBron James.
A third quarter for the ages by the four-time MVP turned the game, and perhaps the entire Eastern Conference finals, around. James scored 16 of his 30 points in the quarter, fueling what was a 20-point turnaround at one point, and the Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 90-79 in Game 5 on Thursday night.
The Heat lead the series 3-2, with a chance to finish it off in Indiana on Saturday night and move on to a finals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.
''That's what I came here for, to be able to compete for a championship each and every year,'' James said. ''I'm one step away from doing it once again. It's not promised. It's not promised at all. I made a tough decision. Obviously, I think we all know the story. I envisioned something that was bigger as far as a team ... and we've got an opportunity as a team, once again, for the third year straight to make a trip to the NBA Finals.''
Indiana was up 46-40 early in the third, surely sensing a chance to grab total control of the series. Over the next 11 minutes, the Heat outscored the Pacers 30-10, with James either scoring or accounting for 25 Miami points. He shot 7 for 10 in the third quarter; the Pacers shot 3 for 14. He had four rebounds in the quarter; the Pacers, as a team, grabbed six. He had four assists in the quarter; the Pacers had one.
''That's LeBron showing his greatness and making it look easy,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''What we talked about was doing whatever it takes and competing for each other without leaving anything out there. His engine in that third quarter was incredible. He was tireless, he was making plays on both ends of the court, rebounding, covering so much ground defensively and then making virtually every play for us offensively. It's really remarkable.''
James added eight rebounds and six assists, and Udonis Haslem made his last eight shots on the way to a 16-point night. Mario Chalmers scored 12 and Dwyane Wade added 10 for the Heat, who ousted the Pacers in six games in a second-round matchup last season and will look to do the same this time around, albeit one round deeper.
Paul George had 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who got 22 points from Roy Hibbert and 17 from David West. The Pacers led by as many as seven at one point, but had no answer for the Heat in the third and now have to win back-to-back games - against a team that hasn't lost consecutive games since early January.
''I don't really know,'' Pacers coach Frank Vogel said, when asked if there's anything a team can do when James gets on a roll like the one he had in the third quarter. ''He was pretty special tonight. There's no question about it. This whole team is special.
It's one of the best teams that this league's ever seen and we're enjoying competing against them. We know we can beat them, but we've got to play better than we did tonight.''
Haslem said Juwan Howard threw a few things in the locker room and had a few choice words for teammates at halftime - ''a lot of bleeps and stuff like that,'' Haslem said - and that James echoed the same remarks just before the start of the third.
''We had 24 minutes to play for our livelihoods,'' Haslem said. ''And that's how we played in the second half.''
Haslem's first shot of the night was a complete brick, bouncing off the top of the backboard. He was perfect the rest of the way, including going 5 for 5 in the third.
For the second time in the series, Haslem - who has struggled with his shot for the better part of two years - finished 8 for 9.
''That burned us,'' Vogel said.
Haslem got past Hibbert easily and into the lane for a dunk that put Miami up 47-46, the first Heat lead since 4-2. The Pacers were back on top by a point with 6:58 left in the third when fighting words reappeared, on a play where George Hill was called for an offensive foul after getting caught pushing off on a drive. West angrily approached Chalmers after the play and both of those players, along with Haslem, got technicals when it was all said and done.
It clearly fired up Miami.
James and Haslem combined to score 18 of their team's 21 points in the final 6:04 of the third. Everything came on jump shots, including a 3-pointer from Chalmers, three jumpers averaging 20 feet from Haslem, and five more from James, including a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in the quarter that put Miami up 70-56 and had him yelling at no one in particular as the arena roared.
''We didn't have enough fight,'' West said. ''We stalled.''
George didn't sound overly impressed even after James' third-quarter numbers.
''He just came out and make some shots,'' George said. ''You take away that third, and we're in the ballgame.''
As if this one needed any more buildup, there was plenty of news long before tipoff.
The NBA announced Thursday morning that it fined James, West and Lance Stephenson $5,000 each for flopping in Game 4, plus upgraded a foul that West committed against Wade in the fourth quarter of that game to a flagrant-1. Then Hibbert and West, speaking after Indiana's morning practice, said they have to protect their knees when Shane Battier is in the game for Miami, though neither flatly accused the Heat forward of dirty play.
And all that happened more than eight hours prior to game time.
Things didn't exactly calm down once the ball went into the air.
Indiana was blown out in Game 5 of a tied-up series at Miami last season, never holding the lead and losing by 32 points. This one took a much different tone from the outset, with the Pacers running out to a 15-9 lead that could have been worse for Miami given that West and Hibbert combined to miss three easy layups in the opening minutes.
''There's no question, we blew some opportunities in the first quarter,'' Vogel said.
George and Hibbert combined for all of Indiana's 23 points in the first quarter.
Indiana's lead was four after the period, and when the second began, the reminders that these teams simply do not like each other started coming fast and furious.
Chris Andersen and Tyler Hansbrough needed to be separated early in the second, and both got technicals after Andersen appeared to hit Hansbrough twice, first with a shoulder and then with a two-hand shove. Andersen also picked up a flagrant-1 for his efforts, things cooled off a bit for the rest of the half, and Indiana went into the break up 44-40.
The Pacers then scored the first basket of the third.
After that, all Heat. Or more specifically, all James and Haslem, who put together a burst that the defending champions desperately needed.
''It's the playoffs,'' Wade said.'' Shane Battier said this is when you feel alive, when your back's against the wall.... You've got to go out there and play. This is what we prepared for all season.''
A year ago, the Heat lost Game 5 of the East finals to Boston, and needed a 45-point game from James in Game 6 just to extend their season.
Not this time.
The finals are now one win away.
''We were able to respond,'' James said.
NOTES: The last time Haslem had a 10-point third quarter was also against Indiana - but in March 2009. ... David Beckham was courtside near the Heat bench, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was courtside near the Pacers' bench. ... Hansbrough left in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle after falling over Battier, who was down on the court after going for a rebound. ... Both teams seemed a tad nervous in the opening moments. Wade had two airballs in the first quarter, Haslem had a jumper bounce off the top of the backboard, and Hill tossed an alley-oop that missed everybody and bounced off the backboard like a fastball.
The NFL: A Running Back-Driven League?
These days in the National Football League, there's so much emphasis placed on the performance of the quarterback that you wonder if he's the only player on the field.
Someone has to run the football and someone certainly has to catch it. If the quarterback doesn't want to spend the afternoon or evening on the turf, it's safe to say someone has to block for him as well.
There's also the defense getting that other team off the field, as well as the special teams doing their best to improve field position.
Someone has to run the football and someone certainly has to catch it. If the quarterback doesn't want to spend the afternoon or evening on the turf, it's safe to say someone has to block for him as well.
There's also the defense getting that other team off the field, as well as the special teams doing their best to improve field position.
So here's the first of many looks at the other positions on the field and their importance. A one-man show is great in tennis, bowling and handball. It doesn't work when it comes to football.
First up it's the running backs. Which teams value one of the other guys in the backfield more than most? Here's a small sampling:
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: The 2012 National Football League's Most Valuable Player has been the workhorse in the Minnesota backfield for a half-dozen seasons. And a year after being limited to 12 games and injuring his knee in December, Peterson responded with 2,097 yards (second most in a season in NFL history) and was a big part of the team's stunning trip to the playoffs. He's still-developing quarterback Christian Ponder's best friend.
Arian Foster, Houston Texans: The former undrafted free agent has been an absolute beast the last three seasons, making life miserable for opponents and easier for Texans quarterbacks, be it veteran Matt Schaub or T.J. Yates during his rookie campaign in 2011. In 45 regular-season games since 2010, Foster has run for 4,264 yards and 41 scores, plus caught 159 passes for 1,438 yards and six touchdowns.
And we haven't even mentioned his sensational play in the postseason.
And we haven't even mentioned his sensational play in the postseason.
Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens: Since entering the league in 2008 (the same year both quarterback Joe Flacco and head coach John Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore), only Peterson (8,766) and Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (8,546) has amassed more yards from scrimmage than Rice (8,233). And while Flacco has certainly dealt with his share of critics, the only negative usually associated with Rice is that he doesn't get the ball enough.
Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers: The Niners' all-time leading rusher can't be any steadier than he has the last two seasons, rushing for 1,211 yards in 2011, 1,214 yards in 2012 and eight touchdowns apiece. Quarterbacks Alex Smith and now Colin Kaepernick have benefitted greatly from Gore, head coach Jim Harbaugh's philosophy and one of the best offensive lines in the league.
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars: Yes, the Jaguars all-time leader in touchdowns scored missed the final 10 games of the 2012 season. But astoundingly, the seven-year pro still led Jacksonville with 414 yards rushing a year ago. He could be in the running (pun intended) for NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2013. Be it Blaine Gabbert and/or Chad Henne behind center, it's essential that Jones stays healthy.
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks: The team that allowed the fewest points in the league last season did get a great performance from quarterback Russell Wilson in 2012, whose 26 touchdown passes tied the NFL rookie record for a season (co-owned by then Colts quarterback Peyton Manning). But many don't realize Lynch ran for 1,590 yards last season, 178 more in two playoff games and totaled 100-plus yards rushing in 11-of-18 overall outings last year.
So where would many of the league's quarterbacks be without their backfield mates?
And who else deserves a mention in this regard? In any case, this is a team game that requires many components to win a championship.
Schwartzel takes lead at Memorial after the first day.
By
Charl Schwartzel made sure one hole didn't ruin an entire round Thursday in the Memorial.
Schwartzel hit the ball so consistently well at Muirfield Village that the former Masters champion twice had stretches of four straight birdies. And when he made a double bogey with an 8-iron in hand and his ball on a tee toward the end of the round, he got rid of that bad taste with one last birdie for a 7-under 65.
Schwartzel had a one-shot lead over Scott Piercy, who went from smashing it to playing it safe, and he was six shots clear of five-time winner Tiger Woods.
Woods hit the ball well enough to be much closer, though he missed too many birdie chances and didn't make up any ground on the par 5s.
''That's probably the highest score I could have shot,'' Woods said after his 1-under 71.
Woods was one shot worse than 53-year-old Fred Couples, the Presidents Cup captain at Muirfield Village this fall, and one shot better than 14-year-old Guan Tianlang, who has played more PGA Tour events than Woods over the last two months.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, might be headed for another short week at the tournament Jack Nicklaus built. After opening with a birdie, McIlroy didn't putt nearly well enough to atone for some loose shots.
McIlroy four-putted the par-3 12th for a double bogey, had a three-putt bogey on No. 7 and ended his round by missing a 4-foot birdie putt. That gave him a 78.
''I don't really have many explanations for this,'' McIlroy said.
Schwartzel played in the morning, when the slick greens were still smooth, and he made 10 birdies in his round. Most of them were in the 10-foot range, though he picked up a bonus with a 25-foot putt down a slight ridge on the 16th. As well as he played, he thought a great round might turn into just a good one with one swing.
His 8-iron on the par-3 eighth hole drifted right and caught the downward slope of a bunker. The South African tried to put a little more spin on the difficult shot and wound up sending it over the green. He chipped past the hole to about 8 feet and missed that to take double bogey.
What saved him was a 12-foot birdie putt down the hill on his final hole, allowing him to leave the course with a smile. That's not to suggest that if he had made par on the last hole he would have been ready to retire from the game.
''It would still be OK,'' Schwartzel said. ''It's really when you've played that well and you're thinking you get these few rounds a year where you really strike it well and you're making lots of birdies and you walk off with your 8, 9 under. And today was one of those where I really did flush it. And you're think maybe another birdie, and then get knocked back with a little 8-iron making double.''
Woods, trying to win five times before the U.S. Open for the first time in his PGA Tour career, looked as though he might get much closer to the lead despite having to lay up on both par 5s on the front nine and failing to make birdie.
He hit 5-wood into about 25 feet for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 11th, and then spent the last few hours giving away shots. He made bogey from the back bunker on the par-3 12th, missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 13th, and chopped up the par-5 15th despite getting a break off the tee when his ball hit a tree and went back into the fairway. He still had to lay up, but a simple wedge went some 40 feet long to the back collar, and Woods had to make a 5-foot putt just to save bogey.
''Didn't capitalize on a few opportunities I had,'' Woods said. ''Short irons, I didn't hit them close enough. All in all, it was a pretty high score.''
It wasn't nearly as high as what Nick Watney (82) and Nicolas Colsaerts (80) had on their cards. Woods plays in the morning for the second round and should be able to at least get closer to the top going into the weekend.
Bill Haas and Matt Kuchar each had a 68, the best score of the afternoon.
Piercy is one of the longer hitters on tour, so it would seem his game would be a good fit for the Memorial. He hasn't had much luck, so he decided to scale back off the tee and used 3-wood where he typically would hit driver to take it over the bunkers. Piercy had a 66, his best score in 10 rounds at Muirfield Village.
Josh Teater, Russell Henley and Kyle Stanley were at 67, while Charlie Wi, Matt Jones and Michael Thompson shot 69.
Piercy hit one of the longest drives on the 18th hole last year, leaving him a flip wedge to the green. Muirfield Village is a big golf course, with some of the widest fairways on tour and thick rough - it should be thick for fairways that generous. But hitting driver never really worked for Piercy, so he decided to go with 3-wood, and he stuck with his plan. He still had relatively short irons into the green, and he knew he was onto something when he ran off five straight birdies on the front nine.
''I thought I'd hit a lot of 3-woods today and open up the fairways and allow me to get at some pins and knock them on the greens and make some putts,'' he said. ''Maybe I'm getting older.''
His 3-wood still goes plenty far. Piercy cut off a quarter-inch from the shaft, and found he was hitting it about 290 yards.
Couples, meanwhile, was pleasantly surprised by his round of 70, mainly because he had a great round on the greens, taking 25 putts and making a couple of 8- to 10-foot par putts look easy. Then again, Couples plays with such a silky rhythm that he rarely looks stressed.
He enjoys playing with Woods, and the bonus was having former PGA champion Keegan Bradley in the group. He had never played with Bradley and had no idea he hit the ball with such power. Bradley hit consecutive tee shots on the 10th and 11th holes close to 350 yards, leaving him a 6-iron into the par-5 11th.
''Most guys lay up with a 6-iron,'' Couples said.
Even so, Bradley could do no better than 71, not a bad start for an afternoon round.
Time to start thinking about golfing in Chicago; a true hidden gem of diverse courses.
Chicago Sports & Travel/AllsportsAmerica wants you. Golf season is upon us and for you diehard golfers that want to try something different, come golf in Chicago. Our group at CS&T/AA, Golf Options Illinois Forever, is ready to accommodate you with some of the most diverse golf courses in one location. Regardless of your golfing ability, we have a group of courses for you to play. We arrange your transportation, lodging, tee times and any miscellaneous request that you might have. There is so much to see and do when you’re not on the golf course. Chicago has wonderful architecture, excellent museums, very good ethnic food, a great night life, remarkable professional sports teams, a diverse population with unlimited potential that has earned it several nicknames such as, “The city that works”, The city of big shoulders”, “The windy city”, “The second city” and “A true world class city.” It all works for us and we want to share it with you. Come golf in Chicago. Email us at chicagosportsandtravel@yahoo.com and let us see what we can do for you. We guarantee you that all of our packages are very rare but priced super fair. Try us, we’re sure you’ll like us. We sincerely look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, “Have a great sports day!!!!!"
Chicago Sports & Travel/AllsportsAmerica wants you. Golf season is upon us and for you diehard golfers that want to try something different, come golf in Chicago. Our group at CS&T/AA, Golf Options Illinois Forever, is ready to accommodate you with some of the most diverse golf courses in one location. Regardless of your golfing ability, we have a group of courses for you to play. We arrange your transportation, lodging, tee times and any miscellaneous request that you might have. There is so much to see and do when you’re not on the golf course. Chicago has wonderful architecture, excellent museums, very good ethnic food, a great night life, remarkable professional sports teams, a diverse population with unlimited potential that has earned it several nicknames such as, “The city that works”, The city of big shoulders”, “The windy city”, “The second city” and “A true world class city.” It all works for us and we want to share it with you. Come golf in Chicago. Email us at chicagosportsandtravel@yahoo.com and let us see what we can do for you. We guarantee you that all of our packages are very rare but priced super fair. Try us, we’re sure you’ll like us. We sincerely look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, “Have a great sports day!!!!!"
FORTUNE 500 increases investment in NASCAR.
By Official News Release | NASCAR.com
Findings from a study commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna prior to the start of the 2013 season show that approximately one out of four NASCAR fans strongly agree that they support NASCAR sponsors more than sponsors of other sports.
"The current sponsorship landscape is as competitive as it has ever been," said Michael Waltrip, founder and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing. "Our partners continue to choose to use our team to drive their brands because we have had success demonstrating value in their investment, proven by our recent partnership renewals with NAPA AUTO PARTS and other major corporations."
"Regardless of a company's entry point into the sport, the demand for a quantifiable return on investment expands across all levels of sponsorship," said Joie Chitwood III, president of Daytona International Speedway. "We take pride in delivering a best-in-class experience and valuable branding opportunities to a number of powerful companies on an annual basis."
To be eligible for the FORTUNE 500, a company must be based in the U.S. and publicly traded. Though many companies on the FORTUNE 500 utilize NASCAR as part of their business-building strategy to develop their customer base, strengthen market share, and increase value for their shareholders, only industry partners, media partners, and licensees involved in the sport were counted in the analysis. Companies invested in the sport solely as advertisers were not counted.
Although being a FORTUNE 500 company is the gold standard of success for publicly-traded companies in the United States, there are several global corporations currently involved in NASCAR that were not included in the analysis because they do not meet FORTUNE's criteria. A number of those blue-chip brands not qualifying, but are involved significantly in the sport, include MillerCoors, Mars, Toyota and McLaren.
By Official News Release | NASCAR.com
Nearly one-in-four (117) FORTUNE 500 companies use NASCAR as part of their marketing mix, according to an analysis of sponsors currently in the sport when compared to the magazine's annual list released this month. For the second consecutive year, the number of FORTUNE 500 companies involved in NASCAR increased; and is an eight percent improvement over 2008. The analysis encompassed companies currently involved as a sponsor of NASCAR's sanctioning body, teams, tracks and/or as media partners.
"There's a reason the number of FORTUNE 500 companies invested in NASCAR remains higher than any other sport," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer. "Our fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports. Some of the world's biggest, most recognizable and profitable brands utilize NASCAR as a critical and powerful part of their marketing mix because it works for their business."
"There's a reason the number of FORTUNE 500 companies invested in NASCAR remains higher than any other sport," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer. "Our fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports. Some of the world's biggest, most recognizable and profitable brands utilize NASCAR as a critical and powerful part of their marketing mix because it works for their business."
Findings from a study commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna prior to the start of the 2013 season show that approximately one out of four NASCAR fans strongly agree that they support NASCAR sponsors more than sponsors of other sports.
"The current sponsorship landscape is as competitive as it has ever been," said Michael Waltrip, founder and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing. "Our partners continue to choose to use our team to drive their brands because we have had success demonstrating value in their investment, proven by our recent partnership renewals with NAPA AUTO PARTS and other major corporations."
"Regardless of a company's entry point into the sport, the demand for a quantifiable return on investment expands across all levels of sponsorship," said Joie Chitwood III, president of Daytona International Speedway. "We take pride in delivering a best-in-class experience and valuable branding opportunities to a number of powerful companies on an annual basis."
To be eligible for the FORTUNE 500, a company must be based in the U.S. and publicly traded. Though many companies on the FORTUNE 500 utilize NASCAR as part of their business-building strategy to develop their customer base, strengthen market share, and increase value for their shareholders, only industry partners, media partners, and licensees involved in the sport were counted in the analysis. Companies invested in the sport solely as advertisers were not counted.
Although being a FORTUNE 500 company is the gold standard of success for publicly-traded companies in the United States, there are several global corporations currently involved in NASCAR that were not included in the analysis because they do not meet FORTUNE's criteria. A number of those blue-chip brands not qualifying, but are involved significantly in the sport, include MillerCoors, Mars, Toyota and McLaren.
Paterno family vs. NCAA lawsuit illustrates that Happy Valley divide is still very real. Please read this article and let us know, what's your take?
By Dan Wetzel
The lawyer for the family of the late Joe Paterno announced Wednesday that he plans on suing the NCAA, its president Mark Emmert and its executive committee chairman, Ed Ray.
The decision is no surprise – it's been anticipated long before it was announced on Wednesday's edition of "Costas Tonight."
The suit's goal is "to redress the NCAA's 100-percent adoption of the Freeh report and the imposition of a binding-consent decree," Wick Sollers, the Paterno family attorney, said on the NBC Sports Network show.
In layman's terms, the Paternos aren't pleased that Penn State hired former FBI head Louis Freeh to investigate the school's involvement in the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal. They also aren't pleased that the school fully accepted Freeh's evidence and conclusion, which painted some administrators and Paterno in a negative light.
And they are especially not pleased that the NCAA took Penn State's admission as the basis for levying significant sanctions on the school, including a $60-million fine, four years of scholarship reductions, a four-year postseason ban and, notably, the vacating of many of Joe Paterno's victories.
Since Paterno v. Penn State might be too eye-popping, this may end up Paterno v. NCAA. At its heart though, this is an internal fight, the Paternos (and their supporters) against the university he worked at for over six decades.
And they are especially not pleased that the NCAA took Penn State's admission as the basis for levying significant sanctions on the school, including a $60-million fine, four years of scholarship reductions, a four-year postseason ban and, notably, the vacating of many of Joe Paterno's victories.
Since Paterno v. Penn State might be too eye-popping, this may end up Paterno v. NCAA. At its heart though, this is an internal fight, the Paternos (and their supporters) against the university he worked at for over six decades.
Sollers said the school was forced into accepting the punishment due to the NCAA's "coercion and threats behind the scenes" – i.e. possibly shutting the program down completely for a season or two. As such, "there was no ability for any of the parties filing the lawsuit to get any remediation to the grave, grave damage that has occurred from this consent decree."
Since the lawsuit has yet to be filed – and perhaps even written – it would be folly to judge the merits of its argument or the NCAA's response.
At the very least it appears to have a bit stronger base than a similar suit filed by current Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, which is calling for the NCAA sanctions to be overturned based on economic harm to the local community due to the potential diminished stature of Nittany Lion football program.
That one makes little sense (other than as a political move by a politician). How can you tell the few thousand people who stopped attending games last fall did so because of the NCAA sanctions? Maybe they were protesting the school's firing of Paterno? Or maybe they were frustrated that Sandusky was able to maintain access to school facilities long after suspicions rose? And are these fans from in-state? If so, wouldn't their discretionary spending not used on Penn State tickets just get used at another Pennsylvania business?
Whatever. The civil courts can decide who wins or loses here.
What's worth noting is who isn't involved in either suit – Penn State itself. Officially, the school hasn't changed its position of compliance after accepting the NCAA punishment last summer.
"The university is not a party to any lawsuit against the NCAA that may be filed by the Paterno family," the school said in a statement. "Penn State remains committed to full compliance with the consent decree and the athletics integrity agreement. We look forward to continuing to work with Sen. George Mitchell and recognize the important role that intercollegiate athletics provides for our student athletes and the wider university community."
If anything, the school would love to attempt to negotiate some leniency from the NCAA, perhaps the relaxing of some of the sanctions. The lawsuits, however, bind the NCAA's hands. They can only dig in at this point. So that possibility is closed.
So a little over 18 months after the Sandusky scandal broke, 16 months since Paterno's death, 11 months since Sandusky's convictions, ten months since Paterno's statue came down and six months since new coach Bill O'Brien delivered a rousing 8-4 season, a lot of people are still pulling in different directions.
One side wants to move forward. The other that wants to stay and fight to the last battle, no matter how many years it takes.
The Paternos want what they believe is justice for Joe. They believe the lawsuit could produce evidence that exonerates him and restores his reputation. They have plenty of money and even more energy.
So they continue on with their own self-published investigations and now, perhaps, a big lawsuit.
At the very least it appears to have a bit stronger base than a similar suit filed by current Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, which is calling for the NCAA sanctions to be overturned based on economic harm to the local community due to the potential diminished stature of Nittany Lion football program.
That one makes little sense (other than as a political move by a politician). How can you tell the few thousand people who stopped attending games last fall did so because of the NCAA sanctions? Maybe they were protesting the school's firing of Paterno? Or maybe they were frustrated that Sandusky was able to maintain access to school facilities long after suspicions rose? And are these fans from in-state? If so, wouldn't their discretionary spending not used on Penn State tickets just get used at another Pennsylvania business?
Whatever. The civil courts can decide who wins or loses here.
What's worth noting is who isn't involved in either suit – Penn State itself. Officially, the school hasn't changed its position of compliance after accepting the NCAA punishment last summer.
"The university is not a party to any lawsuit against the NCAA that may be filed by the Paterno family," the school said in a statement. "Penn State remains committed to full compliance with the consent decree and the athletics integrity agreement. We look forward to continuing to work with Sen. George Mitchell and recognize the important role that intercollegiate athletics provides for our student athletes and the wider university community."
If anything, the school would love to attempt to negotiate some leniency from the NCAA, perhaps the relaxing of some of the sanctions. The lawsuits, however, bind the NCAA's hands. They can only dig in at this point. So that possibility is closed.
So a little over 18 months after the Sandusky scandal broke, 16 months since Paterno's death, 11 months since Sandusky's convictions, ten months since Paterno's statue came down and six months since new coach Bill O'Brien delivered a rousing 8-4 season, a lot of people are still pulling in different directions.
One side wants to move forward. The other that wants to stay and fight to the last battle, no matter how many years it takes.
The Paternos want what they believe is justice for Joe. They believe the lawsuit could produce evidence that exonerates him and restores his reputation. They have plenty of money and even more energy.
So they continue on with their own self-published investigations and now, perhaps, a big lawsuit.
It's a free country. This is their father, husband, friend. They can do as they see fit, even if much of America is done listening.
For the immediate success of Penn State football, however, these lawsuits are unwanted, and that's the other side of this.
O'Brien is trying to focus on the immediate and not so distant future – upcoming seasons and getting through the NCAA sanctions as quickly as possible so he can get the program back up to full speed. He's trying to paint the picture of a team emerging from parting clouds, not dealing with new ones that keep getting stirred up.
Programs that deal with NCAA investigations and then ensuing sanctions all crave the same thing – certainty on what's to come and when it ends. Then, and only then, can they start the process of rebuilding. The not knowing, the delays, the speculation, the rumors, that's what hurts the most.
Coaches want control. Control over obstacles and control over the message.
These lawsuits do the opposite.
While O'Brien has been able to surprise many with his recruiting success, just imagine what he can do if the job didn't keep getting more difficult.
"I think the NCAA is going to fight tooth and nail to prevent this lawsuit from going forward," Sollers told Bob Costas. "It will play out over a long period of time."
If you know anything about the cutthroat world of recruiting, you know that this specific quote – even if it's just a speculative comment from an attorney unaffiliated with the school – will be used against Penn State. An ambitious assistant coach at a rival school will easily spin it to a 16-year-old prospect as Joe Paterno's own attorney saying the NCAA case could go on for years and years, including the prospect's playing years. What, you want your career at the mercy of a slow-moving civil court system? And just wait until they get a hold of the entire lawsuit.
O'Brien is trying to focus on the immediate and not so distant future – upcoming seasons and getting through the NCAA sanctions as quickly as possible so he can get the program back up to full speed. He's trying to paint the picture of a team emerging from parting clouds, not dealing with new ones that keep getting stirred up.
Programs that deal with NCAA investigations and then ensuing sanctions all crave the same thing – certainty on what's to come and when it ends. Then, and only then, can they start the process of rebuilding. The not knowing, the delays, the speculation, the rumors, that's what hurts the most.
Coaches want control. Control over obstacles and control over the message.
These lawsuits do the opposite.
While O'Brien has been able to surprise many with his recruiting success, just imagine what he can do if the job didn't keep getting more difficult.
"I think the NCAA is going to fight tooth and nail to prevent this lawsuit from going forward," Sollers told Bob Costas. "It will play out over a long period of time."
If you know anything about the cutthroat world of recruiting, you know that this specific quote – even if it's just a speculative comment from an attorney unaffiliated with the school – will be used against Penn State. An ambitious assistant coach at a rival school will easily spin it to a 16-year-old prospect as Joe Paterno's own attorney saying the NCAA case could go on for years and years, including the prospect's playing years. What, you want your career at the mercy of a slow-moving civil court system? And just wait until they get a hold of the entire lawsuit.
O'Brien wants to point to the bowl ban coming to an end soon, the 65-scholarship player limit ending soon, the hobbled program getting back to full strength soon. The worst days are behind him, he wants to argue.
Fair or not, stuff like this makes it a tougher sell. While many believe they can support both sides, it just isn't how the reality of college football works.
To the Paterno defenders, that's a problem worth dealing with. Their devotion to JoePa is so deep that the search for every strand of a defense is worth taking to the bitter end.
They can no more understand the "move-on" faction than the move-on faction gets them.
What Sollers calls "draconian penalties" however are to some just temporary hurdles.
There is still a team. There are still games. There are still players getting full rides.
There is still the joy of fall tailgates in a beautiful setting. There is still the fight song and the stadium. This is a world class-university, after all, not just a football team.
This is Penn State, not Paterno State.
Besides, it's not the Nittany Lions' birthright to be 12-0, and there is plenty to cheer for in a team that may not win as often. Last year's 8-4 team was beloved, after all. It was still fun.
And, most importantly, there is a faint light, growing at the end of the tunnel. If they can just get to it.
These are the dueling interests in State College, all these months later, very little resolved.
For Penn State, whether these lawsuits and the accompanying public-relation campaigns turn out to be help or hindrance probably depends less on what some judge eventually rules and more on where you currently exist within this still splintered community. Now that you've read this, who's right and who's wrong? What's your take?
USA lose to better team: The facts of Belgium’s 4-2 friendly win.To the Paterno defenders, that's a problem worth dealing with. Their devotion to JoePa is so deep that the search for every strand of a defense is worth taking to the bitter end.
They can no more understand the "move-on" faction than the move-on faction gets them.
What Sollers calls "draconian penalties" however are to some just temporary hurdles.
There is still a team. There are still games. There are still players getting full rides.
There is still the joy of fall tailgates in a beautiful setting. There is still the fight song and the stadium. This is a world class-university, after all, not just a football team.
This is Penn State, not Paterno State.
Besides, it's not the Nittany Lions' birthright to be 12-0, and there is plenty to cheer for in a team that may not win as often. Last year's 8-4 team was beloved, after all. It was still fun.
And, most importantly, there is a faint light, growing at the end of the tunnel. If they can just get to it.
These are the dueling interests in State College, all these months later, very little resolved.
For Penn State, whether these lawsuits and the accompanying public-relation campaigns turn out to be help or hindrance probably depends less on what some judge eventually rules and more on where you currently exist within this still splintered community. Now that you've read this, who's right and who's wrong? What's your take?
By Brooks Peck
Belgium beat the USA 4-2 in a friendly to counterbalance whatever confidence boost the Americans took from beating Costa Rica in a blizzard and earning a 0-0 draw in Mexico in their last two World Cup qualifiers. The USA played something of an experimental starting XI without the likes of Michael Bradley (or Landon Donovan) and made plenty of mistakes that the Belgians capitalized on with ease. Here are the facts of the night:
-It was only a friendly.
-Belgium are good. Even without Eden Hazard, they still put out a formidable starting XI filled with a startling amount of talent (even at half speed).
-Belgium have only allowed one goal in World Cup qualifying and only the Netherlands have more points out of all the teams in the UEFA group stage. So the Americans scored twice as many goals in one match against them as Croatia, Serbia, Wales, Macedonia and Scotland have in six matches. That's...something.
-Romelu Lukaku, who scored 17 Premier League goals this season at the age of 20, and Christian Benteke, who scored 19 goals in the Premier League this season at the age of 22, both have an unfair combination of size and skill.
-Jozy Altidore, who scored 31 goals in 39 matches across all competitions for AZ Alkmaar this season, still hasn't scored for the USA since 2011. Then again, he also still isn't being provided with many chances. He was substituted at halftime.
-It was only a friendly.
-Jurgen Klinsmann fiddling around with a backline filled with inexperience, a lack of chemistry and guys playing out of position results in a bad time for everyone. Except opposing strikers.
-Seriously, Belgium have so much young talent that FIFA should investigate to see if they have some kind of footballer X-Men growth lab.
-Even the referee, who was Costa Rican and thus had every reason not to be kind to the USA, awarded them a dubious penalty in the 80th minute for a handball that was far less clear than the one he didn't call on DeMarcus Beasley in the first half. Captain Clint Dempsey made the most of the decision and made it 4-2.
-It was only a friendly.
-The lone bright spot for the USA: Stuart Holden played the final 10 minutes of the match — his first international appearance in more than two years due to a string of knee injuries. Whether he can contribute and fulfill the dusty promise he showed before the universe conspired against him remains to be seen, but he's worked very hard. For him and everyone who has supported him, it was a great moment.
-Assuming Belgium qualify for next year's World Cup, everyone who thinks they're really, really clever will ramble on and on about the whole time.
-Germany, even without a full-strength squad, could be a next level beatdown for the USA. But Jamaica and Panama, their next opponents in World Cup qualifying, aren't at that level.
-It was only a friendly.
-Belgium are good. Even without Eden Hazard, they still put out a formidable starting XI filled with a startling amount of talent (even at half speed).
-Belgium have only allowed one goal in World Cup qualifying and only the Netherlands have more points out of all the teams in the UEFA group stage. So the Americans scored twice as many goals in one match against them as Croatia, Serbia, Wales, Macedonia and Scotland have in six matches. That's...something.
-Romelu Lukaku, who scored 17 Premier League goals this season at the age of 20, and Christian Benteke, who scored 19 goals in the Premier League this season at the age of 22, both have an unfair combination of size and skill.
-Jozy Altidore, who scored 31 goals in 39 matches across all competitions for AZ Alkmaar this season, still hasn't scored for the USA since 2011. Then again, he also still isn't being provided with many chances. He was substituted at halftime.
-It was only a friendly.
-Jurgen Klinsmann fiddling around with a backline filled with inexperience, a lack of chemistry and guys playing out of position results in a bad time for everyone. Except opposing strikers.
-Seriously, Belgium have so much young talent that FIFA should investigate to see if they have some kind of footballer X-Men growth lab.
-Even the referee, who was Costa Rican and thus had every reason not to be kind to the USA, awarded them a dubious penalty in the 80th minute for a handball that was far less clear than the one he didn't call on DeMarcus Beasley in the first half. Captain Clint Dempsey made the most of the decision and made it 4-2.
-It was only a friendly.
-The lone bright spot for the USA: Stuart Holden played the final 10 minutes of the match — his first international appearance in more than two years due to a string of knee injuries. Whether he can contribute and fulfill the dusty promise he showed before the universe conspired against him remains to be seen, but he's worked very hard. For him and everyone who has supported him, it was a great moment.
-Assuming Belgium qualify for next year's World Cup, everyone who thinks they're really, really clever will ramble on and on about the whole time.
-Germany, even without a full-strength squad, could be a next level beatdown for the USA. But Jamaica and Panama, their next opponents in World Cup qualifying, aren't at that level.
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