Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica
Sports Quote of the Day:
"Victory belongs to the most persevering." ~
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks beat Red Wings 4-3, force a Game 7. Don't stop now boys, don't stop!!!
By
Michael Frolik seal the deal with his game-winning penalty shot in the third period.
Corey Crawford watched a fluttering puck get past his glove - a soft goal if there ever was one - and the Chicago Blackhawks looked as if they were in trouble against the Detroit Red Wings.
''I pretty much told myself it can't get any worse,'' Crawford said.
It did - for Detroit.
The Blackhawks picked up their crestfallen goalie by scoring three times in the first half of the third period to beat the Red Wings 4-3 on Monday night and force a Game 7 in the second-round playoff series between longtime rivals.
''We've got that momentum,'' Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. ''We want to keep it.''
The Blackhawks got it when Bryan Bickell netted the go-ahead score early in the third, helping the NHL's top-seeded team earn a shot to advance to the Western Conference finals after Detroit once led 3-1 in the series. The Red Wings also began the third period of Game 6 with one-goal lead.
They just couldn't hold on.
Michal Handzus tied it in the opening minute of the final period. Bickell scored about 5 minutes later. Michael Frolik's backhander on a penalty shot at the 9:43 mark put the Blackhawks ahead 4-2 and silenced the once-raucous crowd.
Chicago needed that cushion because Damien Brunner scored with 52 seconds left to pull Detroit within one. The seventh-seeded Red Wings pulled their goaltender, but they were unable to score with the extra skater.
Now the series between Original Six teams shifts to Chicago for Game 7 on Wednesday night.
''If I would've told Detroit and Michigan we would play in Chicago in Game 7, I think everybody would be excited about that,'' Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. ''I love Game 7s."
''We've got a chance to push them out of the playoffs. It should be a lot of fun.''
Detroit advanced to the second round after winning Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road against second-seeded Anaheim.
''I think it's nice that we've been through it this year in the first series and I think that helped our team,'' Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. ''It will be easier for us to come in there and play loose and just focus on what we're going to do.''
Frolik became first player in league history to score two goals on penalty shots in the playoffs. He also did it two years ago against Vancouver.
''I was kind of surprised that I was the first one in history,'' he said. ''It's a little bit special.''
Crawford made 35 saves and Jimmy Howard stopped 24 shots for the Red Wings.
The Blackhawks sent the series back to Detroit with a 4-1 victory in Game 5 on
Saturday night, and then jumped in front on Marian Hossa's goal in the first. But Patrick Eaves tied the game later in the period and Joakim Andersson put the Red Wings up 2-1 with a long wrister 10:11 into the second period.
Chicago coach Joel Quenneville made the first tactical move by starting Toews and taking him off the ice soon after the puck dropped to get him away from Zetterberg.
When the Blackhawks went ahead 1-0 on a power play, both captains were on the ice.
Toews won the first faceoff against Zetterberg after the penalty was called, and ended up with an assist on Hossa's goalmouth scramble 3:53 into the game.
Eaves, who revived his career during the lockout-delayed season after having a concussion, scored for the first time this postseason off a rebound 18:51 into the first.
The Red Wings went ahead for the first time when Anderson had the puck, which was on edge above the left circle, and flicked a wrist shot that Crawford couldn't handle.
''It was a knuckle-puck,'' Andersson said. ''It's hard for the goalie to see those sometimes.''
Saturday night, and then jumped in front on Marian Hossa's goal in the first. But Patrick Eaves tied the game later in the period and Joakim Andersson put the Red Wings up 2-1 with a long wrister 10:11 into the second period.
Chicago coach Joel Quenneville made the first tactical move by starting Toews and taking him off the ice soon after the puck dropped to get him away from Zetterberg.
When the Blackhawks went ahead 1-0 on a power play, both captains were on the ice.
Toews won the first faceoff against Zetterberg after the penalty was called, and ended up with an assist on Hossa's goalmouth scramble 3:53 into the game.
Eaves, who revived his career during the lockout-delayed season after having a concussion, scored for the first time this postseason off a rebound 18:51 into the first.
The Red Wings went ahead for the first time when Anderson had the puck, which was on edge above the left circle, and flicked a wrist shot that Crawford couldn't handle.
''It was a knuckle-puck,'' Andersson said. ''It's hard for the goalie to see those sometimes.''
Chicago got to the front of the net in the third period and it paid off.
Handzus was basically by himself when he scored 51 seconds into the third against a helpless Howard. Bickell wouldn't let Detroit defenseman Brendan Smith move him away from Howard before he scored the winning goal, leading to Howard taking Smith's stick and throwing it into the corner.
Frolik got a penalty try when he had a breakaway after blocking Carlo Colaiacovo's shot and was hacked by him from behind. He took advantage by scoring easily on Howard's glove side.
''I've got nothing to say about that,'' Howard said when asked about the call that gave Chicago a penalty shot.
Howard had a lot to say did during the game about it, screaming at an official while the Blackhawks celebrated their comeback that was made possible by supporting players.
''There's not a lot of room out there for top guys,'' Quenneville said. ''We don't care who scores. We're all about being a team and contributing any way you can.''
NOTES: Quenneville earned his 79th playoff win to break a tie with Babcock for the most by an active coach and move past Pat Burns and into 8th place on the league's all-time list. ... The Blackhawks are 5-0 when they score on a power play this postseason and Detroit is 2-6 when it allows a power-play goal. ... Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Brandon Inge attended the game after playing against his former team, the Tigers, at nearby Comerica Park and was wearing a Jordin Tootoo Red Wings jersey.
Sale, Sox seek redemption against Cubs. Unfortunately Tuesday's game was rained out in the third inning; And the Cubs were leading by a score of 2-0. Oh No!!!!!!!!
Handzus was basically by himself when he scored 51 seconds into the third against a helpless Howard. Bickell wouldn't let Detroit defenseman Brendan Smith move him away from Howard before he scored the winning goal, leading to Howard taking Smith's stick and throwing it into the corner.
Frolik got a penalty try when he had a breakaway after blocking Carlo Colaiacovo's shot and was hacked by him from behind. He took advantage by scoring easily on Howard's glove side.
''I've got nothing to say about that,'' Howard said when asked about the call that gave Chicago a penalty shot.
Howard had a lot to say did during the game about it, screaming at an official while the Blackhawks celebrated their comeback that was made possible by supporting players.
''There's not a lot of room out there for top guys,'' Quenneville said. ''We don't care who scores. We're all about being a team and contributing any way you can.''
NOTES: Quenneville earned his 79th playoff win to break a tie with Babcock for the most by an active coach and move past Pat Burns and into 8th place on the league's all-time list. ... The Blackhawks are 5-0 when they score on a power play this postseason and Detroit is 2-6 when it allows a power-play goal. ... Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Brandon Inge attended the game after playing against his former team, the Tigers, at nearby Comerica Park and was wearing a Jordin Tootoo Red Wings jersey.
Sale, Sox seek redemption against Cubs. Unfortunately Tuesday's game was rained out in the third inning; And the Cubs were leading by a score of 2-0. Oh No!!!!!!!!
By JJ Stankevitz
The White Sox entered Monday on a decent run, winning nine of their last 12 games. During that stretch, they played clean baseball -- but on Monday, they reverted back to "those White Sox," as Dan Hayes put it in his game recap, playing sloppy baseball and collecting just two hits in a 7-0 loss to the Cubs.
The flip side of the story is the Cubs played a great game Monday, with Jeff Samardzija leading the charge. The right-hander threw a two-hit shutout, while Julio Borbon homered and the rest of the lineup capitalized on the Sox miscues.
"Sometimes you got to tip your cap -- a guy is throwing mid-upper 90s with off-speed stuff like he’s throwing," White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie said of Samardzija. "It wasn’t like he was bouncing it. He was throwing it for strikes. For me, personally, I’m tipping my cap. It’s the way it goes sometimes."
For the White Sox, the storyline for Tuesday will focus on whether Monday's game was a one-night anomaly, or if the team's sloppy play has made a longer return. For the Cubs, how Jackson throws will be watched closely, as the pitcher who signed a $52 million contract in the offseason has yet to live up to that deal.
The last word
Samardzija threw the first shutout a Cubs pitcher has ever recorded against the White Sox Monday night, and it was the fourth complete game by a Cubs pitcher in Crosstown history. The other three pitchers who have gone the distance against the Sox: Matt Garza (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 7 K on July 2, 2011), Mark Prior (9 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 7 K on May 22, 2005) and Jon Lieber (9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 12 K on July 8, 2000).
Before Samardzija, only two Cubs pitchers had thrown at least eight shutout innings against the White Sox: Ted Lilly (June 13, 2010) and Glendon Rusch (July 4, 2004), with Lilly taking a no-hitter into the ninth before allowing a leadoff single to Juan Pierre.
Only one White Sox starter has thrown a shutout against the Cubs -- that being Wilson Alvarez on June 18, 1997.
On the mound: Edwin Jackson (6.11 ERA, 53 IP, 61 H, 52 K, 22 BB, 5 HR) vs. Chris Sale (2.53 ERA, 64 IP, 44 H, 61 K, 15 BB, 6 HR)
Sale hasn't had any setbacks since he was scratched from his last start with mild tendonitis in his left posterior shoulder, and said he's ready to go for the White Sox tonight.
"I threw a bullpen yesterday and actually feel better today than I have any other day leading up to now," Sale said Monday. "Treat it like any other start and go out there and leave it out there."
Sale's been outstanding in the month of May, posting a 0.87 ERA and holding opponents to a .112/.150/.188 slash line in 31 innings. In those four starts, he's struck out 31 and issued just five walks.
Jackson will return to the rubber at U.S. Cellular Field for the first time since he was traded away from the White Sox in the summer of 2011. While with the Sox, Jackson had a 3.66 ERA in 30 starts, and the right-hander credits pitching coach Don Cooper with helping him get his career on track.
But in 2013, Jackson has been knocked around while his walk rate has jumped to 3.74 per nine innings -- since joining the White Sox, it hasn't been above 2.88 in a season. In theory, Jackson's 3.68 FIP would be a cause for optimism, but he's yet to show any signs of consistent progress in his 10 starts this year.
Tuesday's Cubs Vs. Sox Game Update:
The game between the Chicago Cubs and White Sox was rained out Tuesday night.
It was stopped in the bottom of the third inning with the Cubs ahead 2-0 at U.S. Cellular Field.
As of this writing, no makeup date was announced.
Pacers 99, Heat 92. Series tied at 2-2. Back to Miami.
By The Sports Xchange
Don't print those Spurs-Heat programs for the NBA Finals just yet.
The Indiana Pacers aren't ready to concede the Eastern Conference title to Miami.
Staging an impressive rally in the final five minutes and the beneficiary of several key calls down the stretch, the Pacers beat the Heat 99-92 Tuesday to tie the Eastern Conference finals at two games apiece.
Game 5 is Thursday in Miami.
The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs await the East champ in the NBA Finals, which begin June 6.
The Pacers scored eight consecutive points, wiping out a three-point deficit, to take a 94-89 lead with 1:30 to play. The run concluded with back-to-back Roy Hibbert layups, the second leading to a three-point play.
LeBron James hit a 3-pointer to pull the Heat within two, but Lance Stephenson responded with a short jumper that pushed Indiana's advantage to 96-92.
With 56 seconds to go, James was whistled for an illegal screen, his sixth foul, ending his night. He finished with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Dwyane Wade was called for traveling with 26 seconds to go, and the Pacers made three of four free throws in the closing moments to seal the win.
Hibbert led the Pacers with 23 points and added 12 rebounds. Stephenson added 20 points, and George Hill had 19.
Mario Chalmers scored 20 points for Miami, and Wade had 16.
The Pacers held the Heat to 39 percent shooting. Indiana shot 50 percent from the floor.
It was only a matter of time before the Heat would take more than a one-point lead. That time came early in the third quarter.
The Heat opened the second half by scoring 13 of the first 19 points to take a 60-54 lead.
What made the run even more depressing for the Pacers is that it wasn't James, Wade or Bosh doing most of the damage. Chalmers had six of the 13 points.
Silence fell upon the Bankers Life Fieldhouse crowd.
The Pacers' season -- winning Game 5 in Miami would be a tough task -- was slipping away.
Indiana coach Frank Vogel called a timeout to try to keep his squad from completely falling apart.
The Pacers responded and went on a 7-0 run to take a 61-60 lead on a West jump shot with 5:36 left in the third quarter.
The Pacers didn't stop there.
Lance Stephenson made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pacers a 77-70 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
However, as occurred every time the Pacers went on a run, the Heat responded.
The Pacers were up nine when they got called for a questionable shot-clock violation that changed momentum.
The Heat went on a run that was capped off by a Wade three-point play to take an 86-83 lead midway through the quarter.
The Pacers scored the first 11 points of the game and had everybody on their feet and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra calling a timeout to calm his team down.
You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?
The Heat kept chipping away at the Pacers' advantage until they eventually took a 17-16 lead on a James drive and dish to Udonis Haslem for a dunk, regaining the momentum.
The Pacers managed to end the first quarter with a 26-22 lead.
Hill, who struggled shooting the ball in Game 3, had 10 points in the opening quarter, with half of those coming from the free-throw line.
Foul trouble impacted both teams in the second quarter.
Indiana's Paul George and Bosh both spent most of the period on the bench with three fouls each.
The Pacers managed to push their lead back up to as many as nine points, but the Heat, trying to get the series over with as quick as possible because the San Antonio Spurs have already clinched their spot in the NBA Finals, kept coming back.
Wade's three-point play got Miami to within 46-45, and then James broke Sam Young down off the dribble and scored with 0.7 seconds remaining to cut Indiana's lead to 48-47 at the half.
NOTES: Vogel has made it no secret that he's against flopping, something the Heat have a reputation from doing. James doesn't have anything against it. "You're just trying to get the advantage," James said. "Any way you can get the advantage over an opponent to help your team win, then so be it." ... Heat big man Chris "Birdman" Andersen went into Tuesday's game 13-for-13 from the field in the series. "As soon as he misses one shot, this whole series is going to change," Vogel joked. Andersen didn't attempt a shot Tuesday, playing 19 scoreless minutes.
A contentious year in golf.
The White Sox entered Monday on a decent run, winning nine of their last 12 games. During that stretch, they played clean baseball -- but on Monday, they reverted back to "those White Sox," as Dan Hayes put it in his game recap, playing sloppy baseball and collecting just two hits in a 7-0 loss to the Cubs.
The flip side of the story is the Cubs played a great game Monday, with Jeff Samardzija leading the charge. The right-hander threw a two-hit shutout, while Julio Borbon homered and the rest of the lineup capitalized on the Sox miscues.
"Sometimes you got to tip your cap -- a guy is throwing mid-upper 90s with off-speed stuff like he’s throwing," White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie said of Samardzija. "It wasn’t like he was bouncing it. He was throwing it for strikes. For me, personally, I’m tipping my cap. It’s the way it goes sometimes."
For the White Sox, the storyline for Tuesday will focus on whether Monday's game was a one-night anomaly, or if the team's sloppy play has made a longer return. For the Cubs, how Jackson throws will be watched closely, as the pitcher who signed a $52 million contract in the offseason has yet to live up to that deal.
The last word
Samardzija threw the first shutout a Cubs pitcher has ever recorded against the White Sox Monday night, and it was the fourth complete game by a Cubs pitcher in Crosstown history. The other three pitchers who have gone the distance against the Sox: Matt Garza (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 7 K on July 2, 2011), Mark Prior (9 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 7 K on May 22, 2005) and Jon Lieber (9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 12 K on July 8, 2000).
Before Samardzija, only two Cubs pitchers had thrown at least eight shutout innings against the White Sox: Ted Lilly (June 13, 2010) and Glendon Rusch (July 4, 2004), with Lilly taking a no-hitter into the ninth before allowing a leadoff single to Juan Pierre.
Only one White Sox starter has thrown a shutout against the Cubs -- that being Wilson Alvarez on June 18, 1997.
On the mound: Edwin Jackson (6.11 ERA, 53 IP, 61 H, 52 K, 22 BB, 5 HR) vs. Chris Sale (2.53 ERA, 64 IP, 44 H, 61 K, 15 BB, 6 HR)
Sale hasn't had any setbacks since he was scratched from his last start with mild tendonitis in his left posterior shoulder, and said he's ready to go for the White Sox tonight.
"I threw a bullpen yesterday and actually feel better today than I have any other day leading up to now," Sale said Monday. "Treat it like any other start and go out there and leave it out there."
Sale's been outstanding in the month of May, posting a 0.87 ERA and holding opponents to a .112/.150/.188 slash line in 31 innings. In those four starts, he's struck out 31 and issued just five walks.
Jackson will return to the rubber at U.S. Cellular Field for the first time since he was traded away from the White Sox in the summer of 2011. While with the Sox, Jackson had a 3.66 ERA in 30 starts, and the right-hander credits pitching coach Don Cooper with helping him get his career on track.
But in 2013, Jackson has been knocked around while his walk rate has jumped to 3.74 per nine innings -- since joining the White Sox, it hasn't been above 2.88 in a season. In theory, Jackson's 3.68 FIP would be a cause for optimism, but he's yet to show any signs of consistent progress in his 10 starts this year.
Tuesday's Cubs Vs. Sox Game Update:
The game between the Chicago Cubs and White Sox was rained out Tuesday night.
It was stopped in the bottom of the third inning with the Cubs ahead 2-0 at U.S. Cellular Field.
As of this writing, no makeup date was announced.
Pacers 99, Heat 92. Series tied at 2-2. Back to Miami.
By The Sports Xchange
Don't print those Spurs-Heat programs for the NBA Finals just yet.
The Indiana Pacers aren't ready to concede the Eastern Conference title to Miami.
Staging an impressive rally in the final five minutes and the beneficiary of several key calls down the stretch, the Pacers beat the Heat 99-92 Tuesday to tie the Eastern Conference finals at two games apiece.
Game 5 is Thursday in Miami.
The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs await the East champ in the NBA Finals, which begin June 6.
The Pacers scored eight consecutive points, wiping out a three-point deficit, to take a 94-89 lead with 1:30 to play. The run concluded with back-to-back Roy Hibbert layups, the second leading to a three-point play.
LeBron James hit a 3-pointer to pull the Heat within two, but Lance Stephenson responded with a short jumper that pushed Indiana's advantage to 96-92.
With 56 seconds to go, James was whistled for an illegal screen, his sixth foul, ending his night. He finished with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Dwyane Wade was called for traveling with 26 seconds to go, and the Pacers made three of four free throws in the closing moments to seal the win.
Hibbert led the Pacers with 23 points and added 12 rebounds. Stephenson added 20 points, and George Hill had 19.
Mario Chalmers scored 20 points for Miami, and Wade had 16.
The Pacers held the Heat to 39 percent shooting. Indiana shot 50 percent from the floor.
It was only a matter of time before the Heat would take more than a one-point lead. That time came early in the third quarter.
The Heat opened the second half by scoring 13 of the first 19 points to take a 60-54 lead.
What made the run even more depressing for the Pacers is that it wasn't James, Wade or Bosh doing most of the damage. Chalmers had six of the 13 points.
Silence fell upon the Bankers Life Fieldhouse crowd.
The Pacers' season -- winning Game 5 in Miami would be a tough task -- was slipping away.
Indiana coach Frank Vogel called a timeout to try to keep his squad from completely falling apart.
The Pacers responded and went on a 7-0 run to take a 61-60 lead on a West jump shot with 5:36 left in the third quarter.
The Pacers didn't stop there.
Lance Stephenson made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pacers a 77-70 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
However, as occurred every time the Pacers went on a run, the Heat responded.
The Pacers were up nine when they got called for a questionable shot-clock violation that changed momentum.
The Heat went on a run that was capped off by a Wade three-point play to take an 86-83 lead midway through the quarter.
The Pacers scored the first 11 points of the game and had everybody on their feet and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra calling a timeout to calm his team down.
You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?
The Heat kept chipping away at the Pacers' advantage until they eventually took a 17-16 lead on a James drive and dish to Udonis Haslem for a dunk, regaining the momentum.
The Pacers managed to end the first quarter with a 26-22 lead.
Hill, who struggled shooting the ball in Game 3, had 10 points in the opening quarter, with half of those coming from the free-throw line.
Foul trouble impacted both teams in the second quarter.
Indiana's Paul George and Bosh both spent most of the period on the bench with three fouls each.
The Pacers managed to push their lead back up to as many as nine points, but the Heat, trying to get the series over with as quick as possible because the San Antonio Spurs have already clinched their spot in the NBA Finals, kept coming back.
Wade's three-point play got Miami to within 46-45, and then James broke Sam Young down off the dribble and scored with 0.7 seconds remaining to cut Indiana's lead to 48-47 at the half.
NOTES: Vogel has made it no secret that he's against flopping, something the Heat have a reputation from doing. James doesn't have anything against it. "You're just trying to get the advantage," James said. "Any way you can get the advantage over an opponent to help your team win, then so be it." ... Heat big man Chris "Birdman" Andersen went into Tuesday's game 13-for-13 from the field in the series. "As soon as he misses one shot, this whole series is going to change," Vogel joked. Andersen didn't attempt a shot Tuesday, playing 19 scoreless minutes.
A contentious year in golf.
By
NFL News Round up.
By The Sports Xchange
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew was involved in an altercation at a St. Augustine, Fla., restaurant on Sunday night with a police report citing Jones-Drew for striking a security guard.
Initial reports said Jones-Drew was charged with misdemeanor battery stemming from the incident that took place at the Conch House Restaurant and Marina in St. Augustine, 40 miles south of Jacksonville. The report, filed by the St. Augustine police department, said "an altercation broke out on the dock. ... Conch House security got involved and during the altercation, Jones-Drew hit the security officer on the left side of the head, knocking him out."
However, Jones-Drew's agent, Adisa Bakari, questioned that report. In an email to the Florida Times-Union, Bakari said, "We have confirmed with the St. Augustine Police Department that no charges have been filed against Maurice Jones-Drew and that the matter remains under investigation. To be clear, Maurice was not involved in any verbal or physical altercation, whatsoever, and we are confident that in due time the facts will demonstrate as much."
---Houston Texans running back Arian Foster spent most of Tuesday's organized team activity practice in the training room after suffering what coach Gary Kubiak called a strained right calf muscle.
Kubiak said the injury wasn't serious and that Foster is day-to-day. He left the field on a cart with a bag of ice on his right leg.
Foster had a league-leading 351 rushing attempts for 1,424 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2012, when he started all 16 regular-season games for the first time in his four pro seasons.
---Running back Mike Goodson returned the New York Jets on Tuesday for their OTA practices, a source told ESPN, but still faces gun and drug charges after an arrest last week.
Goodson had skipped last week's voluntary sessions amid the fallout. His session Tuesday was closed to the media. Goodson was the passenger in an SUV that was stopped in New Jersey in the early morning of May 17. He was found to be "incoherent, slobbering and had vomited on himself," according to a police affidavit. He was also charged with unlawful possession of a handgun and marijuana.
---Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown is returning to the Cleveland Browns in a new role the team will announce at a press conference Wednesday.
Owner Jimmy Haslam is expected to introduce Brown, 77, formally, though specifics of the role with the franchise are unknown. Brown has worked for the team in several capacities since ending his nine-year career at age 29.
It's expected Brown will have a role similar to the executive advisor position he held under Randy Lerner.
---Expected changes to the 2014 NFL calendar include the start of the league year on March 11 and a later-than-ever draft date of May 8-10 at Radio City Music Hall.
In a press release Tuesday, the NFL said future dates and sites of the draft are under consideration.
The 2014 Scouting Combine will be held February 18-25, which follows the past schedule for the annual event in Indianapolis.
---The starting backfield of the Dallas Cowboys remains idle at Valley Ranch.
Running back DeMarco Murray won't practice with the team as the second week of organized team activities (OTAs) because of a lingering hamstring injury. Murray's injury is considered minor, but the 25-year-old missed seven weeks last season with an ankle sprain and has been injury-prone in two previous seasons.
Murray and quarterback Tony Romo, who had a cyst removed from his back and won't participate in OTAs, could work in a limited capacity in minicamp.
---Former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Jeff Backus may have retired, but he'll remain engaged as a part-time coaching staff intern this season. Backus will work with the linemen and assist offensive line coaches Jeremiah Washburn and first-year assistant Terry Heffernan.
---First-round pick D.J. Hayden underwent abdominal surgery to remove scar tissue, but the Oakland Raiders expect the rookie to make a full recovery before the start of training camp.
The 12th overall pick in April, Hayden is penciled in as an instant starter. He will miss the remainder of organized team activities (OTAs) to recover, but the surgery was considered minor and unrelated to the life-threatening injury Hayden overcame last November.
Kanaan earned nearly $2.4 million at Indy 500.
By
Hours later, Tony Kanaan still struggled to believe he had finally won the Indianapolis 500.
The Brazilian had come close many times in his previous 11 attempts before breaking through on Sunday. He couldn't sleep Sunday night, but not because he was excited.
''I was afraid I was going to go to sleep and I wake up in the morning and it would be race day again,'' the KV Racing driver said.
Kanaan can rest easy. His win was real, and so was the $2,353,500 he earned.
The winnings were announced at the Indianapolis 500 Victory Awards Celebration on Monday night at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Now, he has a place in history.
The image of his face will be on the Borg-Warner Trophy, and he'll forever be a part of the traditions at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
''When I got out of the car yesterday, I realized why every winner here feels so special,'' he said. ''It's not about the check, it's not about the ring - it's about becoming a legend.''
Kanaan said the accomplishment won't affect his personality.
''What will change is Tony Kanaan will be able to be invited back here as a race winner. It's never going to change who I am.''
Kanaan clinched his first Indy 500 win when the 2012 winner, Dario Franchitti, crashed late, allowing Kanaan to win under caution.
Franchitti dismissed conspiracy theorists who thought he might have crashed intentionally to preserve the victory for his good friend.
''I love T.K. like a brother, but I didn't do it on purpose. I can assure you if I did, it would have been a smaller crash. That one hurt yesterday.''
Franchitti, a three-time champion, finished 23rd and earned $277,805.
''Yesterday, we didn't get it right,'' Franchitti said. ''We didn't. We've done it a few times, got it right. We didn't yesterday and we saw the result of that.''
Then, he looked over at his friend.
''My man here, they got it right. You did a great job.''
It was a steep drop in earnings for the second-place finisher, but 21-year-old Colombian rookie Carlos Munoz wasn't complaining about $964,205.
''Whoa,'' he said. ''That's a lot of money.''
Munoz said he was surprised to perform so well.
''Being a rookie, I didn't expect to be that quick. It was an awesome car the whole race.''
Third-place finisher Ryan Hunter-Reay, the defending IndyCar champion, earned $583,005.
Marco Andretti, who took over the series points lead, was fourth with $469,755. He said Andretti Autosport was solid all day, but simply didn't have enough for Kanaan.
''A few of us on our team executed perfectly,'' Andretti said. ''We still got beat, so that tells you how good these guys were.''
Justin Wilson finished fifth and earned $337,805. Helio Castroneves, who finished sixth, earned $313,755.
The mood was celebratory throughout the evening.
''Drivers are usually unhappy when they don't win, but you made a lot of people happy,'' Oriol Servia told Kanaan.
Golf-World rankings.
Reuters (Editing by Ed Osmond)
World rankings on Monday (U.S. unless stated, last week's positions in brackets):
1. (1) Tiger Woods 13.40 average points
2. (2) Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 10.03
3. (3) Adam Scott (Australia) 7.62
4. (4) Justin Rose (England) 6.40
5. (5) Brandt Snedeker 6.35
6. (6) Luke Donald (England) 6.10
7. (7) Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) 5.82
8. (8) Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 5.56
9. (13) Matt Kuchar 5.52
10. (12) Lee Westwood (England) 5.18
11. (9) Phil Mickelson 5.17
12. (10) Steve Stricker 5.12
13. (11) Keegan Bradley 5.07
14. (14) Sergio Garcia (Spain) 4.91
15. (15) Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 4.81
16. (17) Ian Poulter (England) 4.59
17. (16) Webb Simpson 4.58
18. (18) Bubba Watson 4.56
19. (19) Dustin Johnson 4.32
20. (20) Jason Dufner 4.20
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!!!!!"
Nike drops partnership with Lance Armstrong-founded charity.
Reuters By Phil Wahba
Nike Inc. is dropping its partnership with Livestrong Foundation, the cancer charity founded by disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, the latest repercussion from the doping scandal that last year stripped him of his titles.
Nike said on Tuesday it would end production of its Livestrong gear and apparel after the holiday 2013 line, concluding a long-standing licensing agreement for footwear and apparel between the two that helped Livestrong raise a total of $100 million over the course of the partnership.
"We expected changes like this," Katherine McLane, a Livestrong spokeswoman, said in a conference call with reporters. "Could there be fallout? Of course," she said. "We remain enormously confident. ... We are in strong fiscal shape."
Nike also distributed Livestrong's ubiquitous yellow wrist-bands, of which 87 million were sold.
Armstrong founded Livestrong in 1997 after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. The group flourished during his cycling career, in which he won the Tour de France seven times.
The cyclist, who stepped down from Livestrong's board last October, admitted in January to systematic use of banned, performance-enhancing drugs after years of denials.
"This does show there are pros and cons of (a philanthropic foundation) being so closely associated with one person," said Patrick Rooney, associate dean of academic affairs and research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Still, Rooney predicted a large enough number of people would be able to separate Armstrong's misdeeds and the foundation's good works that it could survive.
Livestrong said its 2013 budget is $38.4 million, a 10.9 percent reduction from 2012, but that revenue projections were ahead by 2.5 percent.
Livestrong has similar licensing deals with sports eye wear maker Oakley, owned by Italy's Luxottica and others.
When Armstrong left Livestrong's board, Nike said it would still back the charity but no longer sponsor the man behind it. Nike did not explain why it changed its position.
The sports gear maker will benefit from distancing itself from the charity and from the scandal-tainted athlete, said Robert Boland, a professor of sport management at New York University's Tisch Center.
"Their relationship with Livestrong was so based on Lance Armstrong and his story that it's almost impossible to separate them from a branding standpoint," Boland said.
"The chief thing that is motivating Nike is they're looking to move on and put their years with Lance Armstrong behind them."
Race for the Chase takes a sharp turn at 600.
The Sports Xchange, By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
The return of crew chief Paul Wolfe can't come soon enough for Brad Keselowski, who finds himself in the danger zone after an unfortunate outing in Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It's not that Kevin Buskirk did a less-than-stellar job subbing for Wolfe, who saw a six-race suspension reduced to two races on appeal after NASCAR confiscated unapproved rear end housing assemblies from the Penske Racing teams April 13 at Texas.
It's simply that Keselowski and Wolfe have a special chemistry, one that carried them to the Cup championship last season. Keselowski is brash, intense, driven and supremely talented behind the wheel.
Wolfe, a master race strategist, exudes calm confidence. Together they reach a critical mass where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
And right now they need each other -- desperately.
The victim of a three-wide wreck late in Sunday's race at Charlotte, Keselowski suffered his first DNF (did not finish) since the 2012 Daytona 500. Worse, he dropped to 10th in the Cup standings, a precarious perch for a driver without a victory this year.
Only 20 points separate Keselowski from 16th place Ryan Newman, and with 14 races left before the Chase field is set, Keselowski needs to solidify his points position, or better still, to win a race or two as insurance against the sort of random accident that took him out at Charlotte.
Only one Cup champion has missed the Chase the year after winning the title -- Tony Stewart in 2006. Keselowski is loath to become the second.
That's why Wolfe's return this week at Dover couldn't come at a better time.
HARVICK RISING
If Keselowski's fortunes took a body blow on Sunday, the Chase chances of race winner Kevin Harvick made a meteoric move in the opposite direction. In fact, it's safe to say that Harvick punched his ticket to NASCAR's playoff with his second victory of the season.
In fact, Harvick's performance was so strong that, in the post-race news conference, one reporter questioned the wisdom of his announced plan to leave Richard Childress Racing for Stewart-Haas Racing next year, given that the overall performance of the Stewart-Haas cars hasn't been up to par this season.
"You look at what we're doing, and we're focused on this year," Harvick replied. "We go out and race week to week, do the things that we do to try to win races, win a championship. Whatever happens in the future, we'll work on some other time. Right now we're working on winning next week's race."
For his part, Childress believes that the team can win a championship, something his organization hasn't done since Dale Earnhardt claimed the last of his record-tying seven titles in 1994.
"I honestly think RCR is ready to contend for a championship," said Childress, who currently has two drivers in the top 10, with Harvick in seventh and Paul Menard in eighth.
It's a long shot to think that Harvick might be the one to deliver a title. Lame-duck drivers simply don't win championships, no matter how righteous the intentions of the soon-to-be-parted owner and driver might be.
On the other hand, Harvick just might be the exception that proves the rule. He has the grit and the talent to be that guy.
AMBROSE AWAKENING
Don't look now, but driver Marcos Ambrose and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer have found some much-needed speed.
How much speed? Enough to overcome the effects of a broken TV camera drive line that fell across the track Sunday and attacked the undercarriage of Ambrose's No. 9 Ford, severing a brake line.
Other cars were damaged by the freak incident, and NASCAR found an equitable solution in giving teams 15 minutes to effect repairs of damage that was extraneous to the competition on the track. NASCAR also reinstated the running order prior to the cable breaking.
Ambrose regained the four laps he had lost on pit road after the incident and parlayed the reprieve into a 10th-place result.
"It was like getting attacked by a giant squid," Ambrose said of his run-in with the cable. "It was just flapping, and I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was cords coming out of maybe one of the 55's (Mark Martin's) tires or something, but I could just hear it flapping.
"And then it got caught up in the rear end and I lost my brakes, so it was a nightmare, but we got through it. NASCAR did a great job of actually handling a crisis there, because we were hard-done-by, and they gave us our laps back, and we were able to stay in the race and duke it out."
The top 10 was Ambrose's second in what has been a miserable season so far. After Sunday's race, the affable Australian driver is 22nd in the standings, 22 points behind Tony Stewart in 20th.
But don't dismiss Ambrose's chances of making the Chase just yet. Two of the next 14 races will be contested on the road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen, where Ambrose is in his element. A win at either track -- or both -- would put him in the Wild Card conversation.
The introduction of NASCAR's Gen-6 car this year also plays in his favor. As was the case with its Gen-5 predecessor, victories in the early life of a new car tend to concentrate in the hands of a few organizations that have the resources to find the setup secrets more rapidly.
If Ambrose can win a race and crack the top 20, he has a legitimate shot at qualifying for his first Chase, provided the uptick in performance the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports team showed Sunday isn't just a one-night stand.
"We had a real good, hard look at ourselves, and we've come back with a better package and a stronger team because of it," Ambrose said after the race. "We're proud of our top 10. We're closer to getting back to the front, and it was a good night for us, a crazy night.
"We missed about three crashes, so I'm pleased. I enjoyed the night, and I'm looking forward to next week."
************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment