Sports Quote of the Day:
"I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win." ~ Arnold Palmer, PGA Legendary Golfer
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks Tidbits.
Blackhawks' 1961 Stanley Cup banner sells for $38K.
Associated Press
A 52-year-old original Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship banner has sold at an auction for $37,500.
The auction house says the 12-foot-long banner is in good shape, with only a few stains.
Blackhawks reach agreement with Beach.
By The Sports Xchange
The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to terms with forward Kyle Beach on a one-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.
Last season with Rockford in the American Hockey League, Beach, 23, had 16 goals and 10 assists and led the team in penalty minutes with 204. In 162 career games with the IceHogs, he has 37 goals and 35 assists.
Beach was the No. 11 overall pick by the Blackhawks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Blackhawks sign Stanton.
By The Sports Xchange
The Chicago Blackhawks signed defenseman Ryan Stanton to a one-year contract.
The 23-year-old made his NHL debut with April 27 at St. Louis. He recorded a career-high 22 assists and 25 points in 73 regular-season games with the American Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs in 2012-13.
A native of St. Albert, Alberta, Stanton has totalled 60 points in 224 career games with the IceHogs from 2009-13 and has skated in two career Calder Cup Playoff games.
Blackhawks re-sign F Kruger to 2-year contract.
The Associated Press
The Chicago Blackhawks have re-signed forward Marcus Kruger to a two-year contract.
A 52-year-old original Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship banner has sold at an auction for $37,500.
The Southtown Star reports (http://bit.ly/12JHB8w ) the 12-foot-long banner fetched more than expected during Tuesday night's five-minute-long auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers of Chicago.
The banner from 1961 once hung from the rafters at the old Chicago Stadium, before the owner of a suburban Chicago sports bar bought it an auction in 1994 for $15,000. It's been in hanging in the bar ever since.
The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 1961, beating the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. The team was led by Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita. Today a replica of the banner hangs in the United Center.
The auction house says the 12-foot-long banner is in good shape, with only a few stains.
Blackhawks reach agreement with Beach.
By The Sports Xchange
The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to terms with forward Kyle Beach on a one-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.
Last season with Rockford in the American Hockey League, Beach, 23, had 16 goals and 10 assists and led the team in penalty minutes with 204. In 162 career games with the IceHogs, he has 37 goals and 35 assists.
Beach was the No. 11 overall pick by the Blackhawks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Blackhawks sign Stanton.
By The Sports Xchange
The Chicago Blackhawks signed defenseman Ryan Stanton to a one-year contract.
The 23-year-old made his NHL debut with April 27 at St. Louis. He recorded a career-high 22 assists and 25 points in 73 regular-season games with the American Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs in 2012-13.
A native of St. Albert, Alberta, Stanton has totalled 60 points in 224 career games with the IceHogs from 2009-13 and has skated in two career Calder Cup Playoff games.
Blackhawks re-sign F Kruger to 2-year contract.
The Associated Press
The Chicago Blackhawks have re-signed forward Marcus Kruger to a two-year contract.
The 23-year-old Kruger had four goals and nine assists in 47 games this season, helping Chicago win the Stanley Cup. He had three goals and two assists in the playoffs.
The Blackhawks announced the deal on Friday. Kruger was a restricted free agent.
Kruger has 13 goals and 26 assists in 125 career regular-season games over three seasons, all with the Blackhawks. He was selected by Chicago in the fifth round of the 2009 NHL draft.
NFC North Power Rankings: Where Does Reggie Bush Rank Among RBs?
By Nick Kostora
COMMENTARY | Reggie Bush has proven himself to be a versatile weapon that can fit into virtually any offensive scheme. He did a little bit of everything with the New Orleans Saints, but was asked to be an every-down runner once he moved to the Miami Dolphins.
Now that he is a member of the Detroit Lions, Bush will likely be asked to balance out his skills and mix what he did with New Orleans and Miami. So, where does he fit in among rushers in the NFC North?
This division has arguably the best player in all of football lined up in the backfield for the Minnesota Vikings, Matt Forte is an underrated star for the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers are finally showing a commitment to developing their own rushing prowess.
Here we will dissect and rank each starter in the NFC North, while also highlighting the best backup that the division has to offer.
Honorable Mention: Michael Bush, Chicago Bears
Here we will dissect and rank each starter in the NFC North, while also highlighting the best backup that the division has to offer.
Honorable Mention: Michael Bush, Chicago Bears
The structure of these rankings dictates that Michael Bush be given the honorable mention award, but the truth is that this Chicago Bears backup is better than any rusher that the Green Bay Packers have to offer. Both Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin are exciting, young talents, but neither has played in an NFL game.
Bush, meanwhile, is someone who has always quietly been able to get the job done. He spent four years with the Oakland Raiders and was rarely asked to be the starter (except when Darren McFadden was hurt,) but Bush has averaged 4.1 yards per carry over the course of his career and has scored 27 touchdowns in that time.
He is a bruising back that is not afraid to put his 6'1", 245-pound frame to good use and will fight for tough yards between the tackles. Bush is the perfect complement to Matt Forte's perimeter rushing style and gives the Bears a dynamic backfield. It would be helpful if Chicago's offensive line could block, but that does not take away from the skill Bush possesses.
4. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers
He is a bruising back that is not afraid to put his 6'1", 245-pound frame to good use and will fight for tough yards between the tackles. Bush is the perfect complement to Matt Forte's perimeter rushing style and gives the Bears a dynamic backfield. It would be helpful if Chicago's offensive line could block, but that does not take away from the skill Bush possesses.
4. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers
Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin are going to have a long preseason battle over the starting position in the Green Bay Packers backfield, but the truth is that both players are going to get a fair number of carries this season and a chance to truly earn the top spot on the depth chart.
For now, Lacy seems like the more "pro ready" player and the one who can have the greatest impact. His numbers at Alabama may have been slightly skewed because he was playing behind an offensive line that could start in the NFL, but Lacy still averaged 6.8 yards per carry in his three years with the Crimson Tide.
His 1,322 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns in his junior season proved that Lacy can shoulder the brunt of an offensive burden and come out stronger on the other side. If Lacy and Franklin are going to be a "thunder and lightning" type duo, then Lacy will most certainly be the thunder.
Green Bay has yearned for a consistent rushing attack for several years and Lacy has the type of talent that can stabilize the backfield.
3. Reggie Bush, Detroit Lions
Much like in the NFC North QB rankings that I recently wrote, it is the battle for spots No. 2 and No. 3 that is the toughest to call. In that battle, Jay Cutler narrowly edged out Matthew Stafford for higher billing and I believe it is the Bears player who once again squeaks out a victory.
However, there is no denying the massive upgrade that Bush brings to the Detroit Lions backfield. He has rushed for more than 2,000 yards over the past two seasons and has 15 total touchdowns in that time.
Bush is someone that Detroit can plug in at slot receiver if needed, or at H-back. He can be sent in motion or take a tough carry through the teeth of the defense. Basically, Bush is everything that the Lions hoped Jahvid Best could become.
Opposing defenses will now be forced to respect the Lions rushing attack because the offense is just as likely to rush on second down as it is to throw the ball downfield to Calvin Johnson. Having Bush in the lineup will also take some pressure off Mikel LeShoure and allow him to truly develop into the downhill runner the Lions need him to be.
2. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
So, what gives Matt Forte the edge over Reggie Bush? His age, track record and proven consistency. Forte is only 27 years old and yet already has 5,327 rushing yards in five NFL seasons.
This is a player just hitting his physical prime and he is a complete running back in every sense of the title. Forte has 2,325 career receiving yards and 35 career touchdowns. He has missed just five games in his career and has only one season with more than 260 rushing attempts.
In other words, the wear and tear on Forte's body is not that great and he has the added bonus of having Michael Bush in the backfield alongside him to handle any short-yardage carries. Forte is a home-run hitter that has averaged 4.2 yards per carry over the course of his career even while opposing defenses have been able to key in on only him for a large portion of that time.
Now, with a year of Bush and elite receiver Brandon Marshall in tow, the Bears offense can begin to define itself and allow Forte to have one of the best season of his career.
1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
As anti-climactic as it may be, the only choice for the No. 1 spot has to be Adrian Peterson. The Minnesota Vikings running back is undoubtedly the best at his position and may be the best overall player in the game.
Peterson's stats almost seem too good to be true, In six NFL seasons he has 8,849 rushing yards and 80 total touchdowns. Only once has he failed to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season and that was because a knee injury forced him out of the last four games of 2011 (he still had 970 rushing yards.)
Last season, coming off that gruesome ACL tear, Peterson gained 2,097 yards on the ground en route to an NFL MVP award. It was a fitting honor for a player who asserted his dominance all year.
Peterson is 28 years old and has 1,754 rushing attempts already, but after seeing how quickly he healed from the ACL tear, one has to wonder if he can be an elite running back well past the age of 30 years old.
Regardless, Peterson has a sizable lead over Forte and Bush in this race, and Lacy has a lot of work to do before even entering the discussion.
Day 1 of the British Open belongs to the old guys.
By Pat Forde
Unlike so many other sports, wrinkles and gray hair do not signal that your playing days are over. Folks in their 70s and 80s can occasionally shoot their age, or at least still enjoy a quality round well into their golden years.
Nobody was seriously expecting Clarke or Els to win the last two Opens. Nobody was expecting Norman or Watson to seriously compete again in the Open. Yet those things happened, the years suddenly falling off their swings for a romantic, nostalgic four days.
That's why the old guys love links play – because it breeds hope that this year, it will be their turn. And rarely, if ever, have they loved it more than at Muirfield Thursday.
After the opening round of this year's tournament, they might as well rename it the AARP Invitational. Among those who are within three shots of the lead, held by Zach Johnson (-5):
• Mark O'Meara, age 56. Score: 67, one shot back. He won the Open in 1998, which is the only reason they let him in the field. But a guy who hasn't finished better than 60th here since 2004 cranked back the clock to the Clinton Administration days.
"One for the old farts," O'Meara said.
Actually, there were several other blows struck for the old farts.
• Tom Lehman, age 54. Score: 68, two back. His victory in this event came even longer ago than O'Meara's, in 1996. Since then Lehman has played in every Open, with one top-10 finish to show for it (in 2000). Last year, he missed the cut. Last time the Open came to Muirfield, he missed the cut. But Thursday, Lehman birdied the last two holes to finish 3-under.
• Miguel Angel Jimenez, age 49. Score: 68, two back. The stylish Spaniard has been a pretty consistent competitor in the 21st century, both on the European Tour and in the American majors. But 2013 has been a washout after breaking his leg skiing last December, and at 49 many thought the potbellied, pony-tailed Mechanic was more into cigars and wine than trying to win a major. Yet he roared out of the gate Thursday morning, getting to 5-under par on the front nine and leading the tournament for a while.
"One-under par is good," Jimenez said. "More under par, more good.”
Hard to argue with that. Just playing felt good after the long rehab to return to playing.
"I never think if my career is finished or not," Jimenez added. "I feel pissed off. How at 49 years old, you're going to break your leg? If you're going to break your leg at 30 years old, you could say, 'OK, I'm going to have a sabbatic year.' But at 49 you don't want to spend any sabbatic day."
• Phil Mickelson, age 43. Score: 69, three back. It's easy to forget how old Lefty is because he's been so consistently competitive even into his 40s. But he turned pro 21 years ago. Mickelson pronounced himself a legit contender on Tuesday for his first-ever Open title, and did nothing Thursday to diminish his chances.
"Links golf is a little bit different than playing in the Masters," O'Meara said. "It's a little bit different than playing in the U.S. Open. It's a little different than the PGA. … I think experience plays a big factor in how guys play, and links golf is not just about power, where a lot of the game today is about bombs away, and hit the ball a long way and play it up in the air. Links golf is about creativity, shot process, thinking about where you need to land the ball.
"It's motivating to watch what Tom Watson did at Turnberry (in 2009). It's motivating to see what Greg Norman certainly did at Birkdale (in '08). Do I think I can? When I play like I did today, yeah, I think I can. I didn't feel like I was 56 years old out there; I felt like I was 32.”
Even on the PGA Tour, the old guys can occasionally beat the young guys.
But nowhere is youth less important than the ancient birthplace of golf. In recent years the British Open has become a Gray Panther rally: five years ago, Greg Norman led after three rounds at age 53; four years ago, Tom Watson lost in a playoff at 59; Darren Clarke and Ernie Els won the last two titles at age 42.Nobody was seriously expecting Clarke or Els to win the last two Opens. Nobody was expecting Norman or Watson to seriously compete again in the Open. Yet those things happened, the years suddenly falling off their swings for a romantic, nostalgic four days.
That's why the old guys love links play – because it breeds hope that this year, it will be their turn. And rarely, if ever, have they loved it more than at Muirfield Thursday.
After the opening round of this year's tournament, they might as well rename it the AARP Invitational. Among those who are within three shots of the lead, held by Zach Johnson (-5):
• Mark O'Meara, age 56. Score: 67, one shot back. He won the Open in 1998, which is the only reason they let him in the field. But a guy who hasn't finished better than 60th here since 2004 cranked back the clock to the Clinton Administration days.
"One for the old farts," O'Meara said.
Actually, there were several other blows struck for the old farts.
• Tom Lehman, age 54. Score: 68, two back. His victory in this event came even longer ago than O'Meara's, in 1996. Since then Lehman has played in every Open, with one top-10 finish to show for it (in 2000). Last year, he missed the cut. Last time the Open came to Muirfield, he missed the cut. But Thursday, Lehman birdied the last two holes to finish 3-under.
• Miguel Angel Jimenez, age 49. Score: 68, two back. The stylish Spaniard has been a pretty consistent competitor in the 21st century, both on the European Tour and in the American majors. But 2013 has been a washout after breaking his leg skiing last December, and at 49 many thought the potbellied, pony-tailed Mechanic was more into cigars and wine than trying to win a major. Yet he roared out of the gate Thursday morning, getting to 5-under par on the front nine and leading the tournament for a while.
"One-under par is good," Jimenez said. "More under par, more good.”
Hard to argue with that. Just playing felt good after the long rehab to return to playing.
"I never think if my career is finished or not," Jimenez added. "I feel pissed off. How at 49 years old, you're going to break your leg? If you're going to break your leg at 30 years old, you could say, 'OK, I'm going to have a sabbatic year.' But at 49 you don't want to spend any sabbatic day."
• Todd Hamilton, age 47. Score: 69, three back. He appeared out of obscurity to win the Open in 2004, then promptly returned whence he came. Hamilton has been little more than a rumor in the last nine years, winning zero PGA Tour events. His record in the last 14 majors: nine DNPs, four missed cuts, and a tie for 60th in the 2011 U.S. Open. This year he's missed the cut in the only two PGA Tour events he's played.
"You can watch a guy in the NBA go 10-for-11, next night he's 1-for-15,” Hamilton said.
"So I've had a lot of 1-for-15s the last few years."
Thursday was one of those exceedingly rare 10-for-11 days for Hamilton."So I've had a lot of 1-for-15s the last few years."
• Phil Mickelson, age 43. Score: 69, three back. It's easy to forget how old Lefty is because he's been so consistently competitive even into his 40s. But he turned pro 21 years ago. Mickelson pronounced himself a legit contender on Tuesday for his first-ever Open title, and did nothing Thursday to diminish his chances.
• Angel Cabrera, age 43. Score: 69, three back. "El Pato" waddles off radar for most of the year, then routinely reappears in contention at the majors. The Open has not been kind to Cabrera in recent years, missing the cut three years in a row and four of the last five, but he put himself into the fray with a tough-minded opening round.
The Old Guys Open has become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The courses are user-friendly for experienced, veteran players – and when they watch their fellow geezers go low, the confidence can be contagious."Links golf is a little bit different than playing in the Masters," O'Meara said. "It's a little bit different than playing in the U.S. Open. It's a little different than the PGA. … I think experience plays a big factor in how guys play, and links golf is not just about power, where a lot of the game today is about bombs away, and hit the ball a long way and play it up in the air. Links golf is about creativity, shot process, thinking about where you need to land the ball.
"It's motivating to watch what Tom Watson did at Turnberry (in 2009). It's motivating to see what Greg Norman certainly did at Birkdale (in '08). Do I think I can? When I play like I did today, yeah, I think I can. I didn't feel like I was 56 years old out there; I felt like I was 32.”
There isn't a drop of water on the Muirfield course. But danged if Mark O'Meara and a bunch of other guys didn't find the Fountain of Youth out there somewhere Thursday.
And for a sport that is overly dependent upon Tiger Woods to provide its entertainment value, a Gray Panther rally was a compelling substitute for Tiger dominance.
NBA star Amare Stoudemire gets Israel invite.
The Associated Press
U.S. NBA's New York Knicks basketball player Amare Stoudemire stands with Israel's President Shimon Peres during their meeting at the president's residence in Jerusalem, Thursday, July 18, 2013.
The president of Israel has invited New York Knicks star Amare Stoudemire to play for the country's national basketball team because of his ties to Judaism.
Shimon Peres met with Stoudemire on Thursday to discuss the player's charity efforts. Stoudemire, who says he has ''Hebrew roots,'' has traveled to Israel before and Peres urged him to help the national team.
The six-time NBA All-Star already has significant ties to Israeli basketball. Last month, he joined a group looking to buy Hapoel Jerusalem, a team in Israel's top league. Stoudemire is in Israel to coach the Canadian basketball team at the Maccabiah Games, a competition for Jewish athletes.
Stoudemire won a bronze medal with the United States at the 2004 Olympics but has not played for the national team since 2007.
Baseball-Big finish could help dispel dark doping club over MLB.
Reuters; By Larry Fine
The second half of the season begins on Friday after a four-day All-Star break, though actually only about 40 percent of the gruelling 162-game campaign remains.
On-field action will resume with full force Friday with all 30 teams scheduled to play, competition heating up and power hitters Cabrera and Davis getting back in the swing of things.
The Yankees have been getting great pitching but have been anemic at the plate, while they await the 2013 debuts of shortstop Derek Jeter (broken ankle) and slugging third baseman Rodriguez (hip surgery), who are both expected back soon.
Nearly as tight is the NL West with four teams within 6-1/2 games, although the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks (50-45) would trail all four AL East top contenders.
Revived by the sensational splash made by Cuban rookie Yasiel Puig, the big-spending Los Angeles Dodgers have climbed within 2-1/2 games of Arizona, with Colorado following two games ahead of World Series champions San Francisco Giants.
They are 23-15 in games played by Puig since he arrived in early June, including six-game and five-game winning streaks.
Last weekend's no-hitter by Tim Lincecum could be a sign that the Giants are waking up, though the pitching-rich team needs a revival by Matt Cain and Barry Zito.
BAD MONEY
The top of the AL West looks to be a battleground for the Oakland A's and Texas Rangers, who trail by two games but could soon be getting Colby Lewis back into the rotation.
Most comfortably in a division lead are the Atlanta Braves, who rule the NL East by six games over the talented Washington Nationals with the dangerous Philadelphia Phillies another half-game back.
Among the season surprises, the Pittsburgh Pirates (56-37) have a chance to end their 20-year run of losing baseball with a bang, as they trail the St. Louis Cardinals by just one game in the competitive National League Central.
The Cleveland Indians (51-44), meanwhile, have become a factor in the American League Central just 1-1/2 games behind the defending league champion Detroit Tigers.
Detroit's Miguel Cabrera is threatening to produce an unprecedented back-to-back Triple Crown season, one that could be blocked by record-chasing home run hitter Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles.
There is much to look forward to in the campaign, though the clock is rapidly ticking down on the resolution of a probe into the alleged procurement of performance-enhancing drugs that could involve some 20 major league players.
While the prospects of players being expelled during this season appears to be slim, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and Players Association chief Michael Weiner gave clear indications that the Biogenesis doping investigation was coming to a head.
Hearings, appeals and arbitration were expected to delay possible action on big names like Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz and Bartolo Colon, who have all been implicated in the probe, unless settlements are agreed to by players found to have violated the game's anti-doping rules.
BIG FINISHOn-field action will resume with full force Friday with all 30 teams scheduled to play, competition heating up and power hitters Cabrera and Davis getting back in the swing of things.
Last year Cabrera became the first player in 45 years to win the Triple Crown by sweeping the home run, runs batted in and batting average crowns. The Tigers third baseman is on an even faster pace with 30 homers, 95 RBIs and a .365 batting average.
But he trails Davis, 27, by seven home runs as the Orioles first baseman tries to stay on track for an assault on the American League record of 61 home runs by Roger Maris in 1961.
Supremacy of all six divisions could come down to the last games of September with the AL East and NL West looking like the hardest races to handicap.
The Boston Red Sox (58-39), who lost 93 games last year, lead the AL East by 2-1/2 games over the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Baltimore Orioles a further two games back and the injury-hit New York Yankees just six off the pace.The Yankees have been getting great pitching but have been anemic at the plate, while they await the 2013 debuts of shortstop Derek Jeter (broken ankle) and slugging third baseman Rodriguez (hip surgery), who are both expected back soon.
Nearly as tight is the NL West with four teams within 6-1/2 games, although the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks (50-45) would trail all four AL East top contenders.
Revived by the sensational splash made by Cuban rookie Yasiel Puig, the big-spending Los Angeles Dodgers have climbed within 2-1/2 games of Arizona, with Colorado following two games ahead of World Series champions San Francisco Giants.
They are 23-15 in games played by Puig since he arrived in early June, including six-game and five-game winning streaks.
Last weekend's no-hitter by Tim Lincecum could be a sign that the Giants are waking up, though the pitching-rich team needs a revival by Matt Cain and Barry Zito.
BAD MONEY
The top of the AL West looks to be a battleground for the Oakland A's and Texas Rangers, who trail by two games but could soon be getting Colby Lewis back into the rotation.
Most comfortably in a division lead are the Atlanta Braves, who rule the NL East by six games over the talented Washington Nationals with the dangerous Philadelphia Phillies another half-game back.
Two teams that poured money into their dreams of a pennant chase have thus far been sorely disappointed as the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels have not gotten the return on investment they counted on.
Toronto added about $200 million in salaries through a mega-trade with the rebuilding Miami Marlins and the additions of Melky Cabrera and 2012 NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey but they have the only losing record in the AL East at 45-49.
The Angels made a big splash in adding Josh Hamilton to a $125 million contract one year after signing Albert Pujols to a $254 million long-term deal but they languish 11 games behind the A's in the AL West. NASCAR Drivers Finding Success With New Teams.
When the announcement that Matt Kenseth would be leaving longtime team Roush Fenway Racing to take Joey Logano's spot at Joe Gibbs Racing, it came as a shock to a great deal of people and raised many questions.
Many wondered whether it was a good move by Kenseth to leave what had become a very established partnership for what could be seen as a relative unknown situation with a completely new organization. So far, though, it has worked out great for both Kenseth and Logano as they have seen relative success with their new teams.
Kenseth has gone on to win four races and would be behind only five-time champion Jimmie Johnson in points should the Chase be starting today. Compared to final years he spent in the 17, this is a completely new and welcome sight. He had begun to become just another driver in the Roush stable that had seemed to be holding him back.
Since moving to JGR, Kenseth has had an opportunity to have a great deal of pressure to return to his old self and become more of the leader that he needs to be.
It is hard to argue that much of the attention at Roush had shifted toward Carl Edwards and new driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. This left little room for a driver like Kenseth to compete and be successful within the team.
With the move of Kenseth to Gibbs, that pushed Logano out and into his new capacity at Penske Racing. This greatly reduced the amount of pressure on him as well due to him no longer being the hot-shot driver tasked with replacing the leaving Tony Stewart in 2009.
With the vacancy left by AJ Allmendinger's suspension, it made Logano's hiring have a far smaller amount of pressure and expectations behind it. This gave Logano a chance to just simply be another driver on a successful team and not have the high expectations put on him with the hype that preceded him to JGR. He also does not have nearly as big of shoes to fill with the rocky history that the 22 had between Allmendinger and Busch before him.
Since he was now just another driver within the Penske stable, it gave Logano much more opportunity to go out and drive each week. This has led to him having a very competitive year up until the last few weeks when he has run into a small streak of bad luck. It has gotten to the point that it is only a manner of time before he finally hits his sweet spot and begins to put together a good string of finishes.
The benefits of finding a new home have shown in more than just the large teams, though. The most evident example of this is Kurt Busch and his new ride with Furniture Row Racing. Busch is obviously in a rebuilding portion of his career after two not-so-happy partings with both Roush and Penske.
He has had a great opportunity to redeem himself and show that he can be the driver without all the baggage that was beginning to become so prevalent recently. He has also shown that smaller teams can be competitive and show a great deal of opportunity if they are given the outlet to prove themselves along with the big boys.
If this season is any indication of how beneficial a new team or driver can be, next year is going to interesting to watch with Harvick and Newman both moving on to different teams.
6 current football players join suit against NCAA. What's your take?
By
Six current college football players were added as plaintiffs Thursday to a high-profile anti-trust lawsuit that claims the NCAA owes billions of dollars to former players for allowing their likenesses to be used without compensation.
The players are: Vanderbilt linebacker Chase Garnham; Clemson cornerback Darius Robinson; linebacker Jake Fischer and kicker Jake Smith from Arizona; and tight end Moses Alipate and wide receiver Victor Keise of Minnesota.
''These athletes are incredibly brave. They are well-aware of the risks of standing up to the NCAA, and yet they felt that this was the right thing to do,'' Michael Hausfeld, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement.
Former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon is the lead plaintiff among 16 former college athletes in the long-running legal battle that could fundamentally alter how the NCAA operates. Basketball Hall of Famers Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson previously joined the lawsuit that also names video-game maker EA and the Collegiate Licensing Company.
A federal judge in Oakland, Calif., on July 5 allowed the attorneys to update their lawsuit to fix legal technicalities, including adding at least one active player to the lawsuit.
Garnham and Fischer are the most prominent players among the six new plaintiffs, all of whom are seniors.
Fischer is one of the Pac-12's top linebackers. He led Arizona with 119 tackles last year.
Garnham led Vanderbilt with seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Robinson has started six games in each of the last two seasons for the Tigers, though his season was cut short last year by an ankle injury in October.
Smith is a walk-on who missed last season with a knee injury and is competing for a starting job this season.
Alipate has not played at Minnesota in four seasons, including a redshirt year. Keise played 14 games over three seasons for the Gophers.
NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the NCAA would reserve comment until it has had time to read the amended complaint filed Thursday.
The judge is still mulling whether to turn the lawsuit into a class action, representing thousands of current and former athletes. Such a ruling would be a significant legal victory for the players, exposing the NCAA and its member schools to billions of dollars in damage. The plaintiffs now demand the NCAA find a way to give players a cut of the billions of dollars earned from live broadcasts and memorabilia sales, along with video games.
The players are: Vanderbilt linebacker Chase Garnham; Clemson cornerback Darius Robinson; linebacker Jake Fischer and kicker Jake Smith from Arizona; and tight end Moses Alipate and wide receiver Victor Keise of Minnesota.
''These athletes are incredibly brave. They are well-aware of the risks of standing up to the NCAA, and yet they felt that this was the right thing to do,'' Michael Hausfeld, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement.
Former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon is the lead plaintiff among 16 former college athletes in the long-running legal battle that could fundamentally alter how the NCAA operates. Basketball Hall of Famers Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson previously joined the lawsuit that also names video-game maker EA and the Collegiate Licensing Company.
A federal judge in Oakland, Calif., on July 5 allowed the attorneys to update their lawsuit to fix legal technicalities, including adding at least one active player to the lawsuit.
Garnham and Fischer are the most prominent players among the six new plaintiffs, all of whom are seniors.
Fischer is one of the Pac-12's top linebackers. He led Arizona with 119 tackles last year.
Garnham led Vanderbilt with seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Robinson has started six games in each of the last two seasons for the Tigers, though his season was cut short last year by an ankle injury in October.
Smith is a walk-on who missed last season with a knee injury and is competing for a starting job this season.
Alipate has not played at Minnesota in four seasons, including a redshirt year. Keise played 14 games over three seasons for the Gophers.
NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the NCAA would reserve comment until it has had time to read the amended complaint filed Thursday.
The judge is still mulling whether to turn the lawsuit into a class action, representing thousands of current and former athletes. Such a ruling would be a significant legal victory for the players, exposing the NCAA and its member schools to billions of dollars in damage. The plaintiffs now demand the NCAA find a way to give players a cut of the billions of dollars earned from live broadcasts and memorabilia sales, along with video games.
The move to add current student-athletes to the suit comes a day after the NCAA announced that it would no longer allow EA to use its name and logo in video games.
Hausfeld called the NCAA's decision to break ties with EA ''petty and arrogant''
''It's admission of a practice that goes to the heart of the contention that the NCAA believes it is above the law,'' he said late Wednesday.
Osburn responded in a statement that the NCAA's business relationship with EA only pertained to the logo and name.
''Student-athletes were never a part of this relationship and plaintiffs' attorneys know it. Further, the $545,000 paid annually to the NCAA for the use of the logo and name goes right back to support student-athletes across all three divisions,'' she said.
After reading this article, we'd love to know what's your take? Should the college athletes be paid?
''It's admission of a practice that goes to the heart of the contention that the NCAA believes it is above the law,'' he said late Wednesday.
Osburn responded in a statement that the NCAA's business relationship with EA only pertained to the logo and name.
''Student-athletes were never a part of this relationship and plaintiffs' attorneys know it. Further, the $545,000 paid annually to the NCAA for the use of the logo and name goes right back to support student-athletes across all three divisions,'' she said.
After reading this article, we'd love to know what's your take? Should the college athletes be paid?
List of Live Soccer Games on US TV for July 19 to July 21.
By Zac Wassink
It's a very busy weekend for soccer fans living in the United States. The US Men will be in action, and other Gold Cup matches will also take place. Multiple channels will feature the return of Liga MX, and several big-name clubs will be participating in friendlies. The ESPN3/Watch ESPN service will also join in on the fun, showing live games every day this weekend.
All times listed below are ET
Live soccer games on US TV July 19
beIN Sport: Two live games will begin this station's weekend. Dinamo Moscow will play against Anzhi Makhachkala at 11:55 am. Werder Bremen vs. Ajax will begin at 2:15 pm. That second match will also be available live on beIN Sport en Español.
GolTV: Leones Negros will play against Estudiantes Tecos at 9:30 pm.
ESPN2/ESPN Deportes: Both stations will show Querétaro vs Monarcas de Morelia at 8:25 pm.
ESPN Deportes: Xolos de Tijuana vs Club Atlas de Guadalajara is scheduled to kick off at 10:25 pm.
Live soccer games on US TV for July 20
FOX Soccer: Who needs sleep on the weekend? Manchester United will play against the A-League All-Stars at 5:25 am. Two Gold Cup games will be featured later on in the day. Panama vs. Cuba will kick off at 3:30 pm. Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago will follow at 6:30 pm. Those Gold Cup games will also air on Univision. Panama vs. Cuba will also be shown on Univision Deportes.
beIN Sport: It's a day of friendlies on beIN Sport. Indonesia vs. Liverpool will begin at 9:25 am. Hamburg will take on Bayern Munich at 12:25 pm. Lechia Gdansk vs. Barcelona will begin at 2:30 pm. Those last two games will also air live on beIN Sport en Español.
beIN Sport en Español: This station will show FC Augsbourg vs. AS Monaco at 9:55 am.
GolTV: Ballenas de Galeana vs. Cruz Azul Hidalgo is scheduled to start at 5:00 pm.
UniMas: Cruz Azul vs. Monterrey will take place at 6:00 pm. Univision Deportes will also show this match live.
Univision Deportes: Chiapas FC vs. Veracruz will kick off at 7:55 pm.
Telemundo: Club Leon will play against Atlante at 9:00 pm.
Live soccer games on US TV for July 21
FOX: US Soccer returns to national TV on Sunday. The United States will play against El Salvador at 3:30 pm. Univision and Univision Deportes will also show this match live.
FOX Soccer: Tune into this station at 1:30 pm for a NWSL match. Western NY Flash will play against Sky Blue FC at 1:30 pm. Later that evening, Honduras will play against Costa Rica at 7:00 pm. That Gold Cup game will also air live on Univision and Univision Deportes.
beIN Sport/beIN Sport en Español: Both channels will show Telekom Cup games at 10:40 am and 12:25 pm. The teams involved in those matches were not yet known as of the posting of this piece.
GolTV: Four live games will air on GolTV on Sunday. The Malaysia All-Stars will play against Chelsea at 9:45 am. Galatasaray vs. Malaga will begin at 1:30 pm. Atletico PR will take on Corinthians at 3:30 pm. Fluminense vs. Vasco finishes the channel's day at 5:30 pm.
ESPN Deportes: Puebla will play against Pumas UNAM at 12:50 pm.
Univision Deportes: Coverage of Pachuca vs. Toluca will begin at 12:55 pm.
As always, remember to check your local listings for channel availability and also to learn about games airing via tape-delay and replay on all of the channels mentioned in this piece.
Struggling Froome extends Tour lead on French day.
All times listed below are ET
Live soccer games on US TV July 19
beIN Sport: Two live games will begin this station's weekend. Dinamo Moscow will play against Anzhi Makhachkala at 11:55 am. Werder Bremen vs. Ajax will begin at 2:15 pm. That second match will also be available live on beIN Sport en Español.
GolTV: Leones Negros will play against Estudiantes Tecos at 9:30 pm.
ESPN2/ESPN Deportes: Both stations will show Querétaro vs Monarcas de Morelia at 8:25 pm.
ESPN Deportes: Xolos de Tijuana vs Club Atlas de Guadalajara is scheduled to kick off at 10:25 pm.
Live soccer games on US TV for July 20
FOX Soccer: Who needs sleep on the weekend? Manchester United will play against the A-League All-Stars at 5:25 am. Two Gold Cup games will be featured later on in the day. Panama vs. Cuba will kick off at 3:30 pm. Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago will follow at 6:30 pm. Those Gold Cup games will also air on Univision. Panama vs. Cuba will also be shown on Univision Deportes.
beIN Sport: It's a day of friendlies on beIN Sport. Indonesia vs. Liverpool will begin at 9:25 am. Hamburg will take on Bayern Munich at 12:25 pm. Lechia Gdansk vs. Barcelona will begin at 2:30 pm. Those last two games will also air live on beIN Sport en Español.
beIN Sport en Español: This station will show FC Augsbourg vs. AS Monaco at 9:55 am.
GolTV: Ballenas de Galeana vs. Cruz Azul Hidalgo is scheduled to start at 5:00 pm.
UniMas: Cruz Azul vs. Monterrey will take place at 6:00 pm. Univision Deportes will also show this match live.
Univision Deportes: Chiapas FC vs. Veracruz will kick off at 7:55 pm.
Telemundo: Club Leon will play against Atlante at 9:00 pm.
Live soccer games on US TV for July 21
FOX: US Soccer returns to national TV on Sunday. The United States will play against El Salvador at 3:30 pm. Univision and Univision Deportes will also show this match live.
FOX Soccer: Tune into this station at 1:30 pm for a NWSL match. Western NY Flash will play against Sky Blue FC at 1:30 pm. Later that evening, Honduras will play against Costa Rica at 7:00 pm. That Gold Cup game will also air live on Univision and Univision Deportes.
beIN Sport/beIN Sport en Español: Both channels will show Telekom Cup games at 10:40 am and 12:25 pm. The teams involved in those matches were not yet known as of the posting of this piece.
GolTV: Four live games will air on GolTV on Sunday. The Malaysia All-Stars will play against Chelsea at 9:45 am. Galatasaray vs. Malaga will begin at 1:30 pm. Atletico PR will take on Corinthians at 3:30 pm. Fluminense vs. Vasco finishes the channel's day at 5:30 pm.
ESPN Deportes: Puebla will play against Pumas UNAM at 12:50 pm.
Univision Deportes: Coverage of Pachuca vs. Toluca will begin at 12:55 pm.
As always, remember to check your local listings for channel availability and also to learn about games airing via tape-delay and replay on all of the channels mentioned in this piece.
Struggling Froome extends Tour lead on French day.
By Julien Pretot
Chris Froome showed rare signs of weakness on Thursday despite extending his overall lead on the Tour de France in the 18th stage, won after two epic ascents of l'Alpe d'Huez by France's Christophe Riblon.
The Briton cracked with less than five kilometres to go on the second trip up the mountain's 21 hairpin bends but sent team mate Richie Porte to fetch some food and the Australian nursed Froome to the finish 3:18 behind Riblon, who became the first Frenchman to win a stage in this year's race.
"I was running low on sugars," Froome told reporters.
"I am thankful to have Richie with me he did a super, super job."
Froome and Porte were each given a 20-second penalty for illegal feeding as organizers said the riders were not allowed to take food or liquid from the team car during the final six km of the stage.
However, Froome still leads Alberto Contador by 5:11, after the Spaniard struggled to keep the pace in the final ascent following a bold but brief attack on the treacherous descent from the Col de Sarenne.
"I was not well. It was very hot and humid. It was a bad day," Contador, Tour winner in 2007 and 2009, told reporters. "But I managed to limit the damage."
PODIUM FINISH
Contador, who was 11th on the stage, 57 seconds behind Froome, heads Colombian Nairo Quintana by 21 seconds overall after the Movistar climber, targeting a podium finish in Paris, took fourth place.
"I've never been as happy as I am today - I've gone from sixth to third overall, I've taken one minute out of Froome's lead... I didn't realize that he had some problems but my timing was ideal. I had a bit of luck," Quintana told reporters.
"Tomorrow and the next day are very hard stages so have to recover quickly and get ready for the challenges that lie ahead... but I accept that winning this Tour is no longer an obtainable objective - the gap to Froome is too big."
Predictably, Contador attacked in the descent from the Col de Sarenne along with team mate Roman Kreuziger, only for the pair to sit up after opening a gap of just 20 seconds over Froome and co.
Quintana's Movistar team drilled it at the front of the favorites' group as Contador changed bike because of a minor technical problem.
The Spaniard was left once again with no answer to Froome's acceleration but the British rider also struggled by the end as Joaquim Rodriguez and Quintana sped away.
DEMANDING STAGES
"Throughout the entire race we've said that we wanted the overall win and we were not afraid of risking it all to get it and so we did today," Contador's Team Saxo Tinkoff sports director Fabrizio Guidi said.
"But the legs just weren't good enough to finish it off. We can be disappointed and everyone's a lot wiser after the stage but if you never try, you never win.
"We're still competing for the top positions and there are still two demanding stages to go. Now, it's time to keep focused, remain calm, recover and try again tomorrow," Guidi added.
Riblon, part of the early breakaway, caught American Tejay van Garderen with just over one kilometer left and, after fighting his way through waves of delirious fans overflowing on to the road, finished 58 seconds ahead as AG2R found something to cheer about a day after their leader Jean-Christophe Peraud crashed out of the race.
It was a second career Tour win for Riblon and came three years to the day after he claimed the Ax-3-Domaines stage.
"It's l'Alpe d'Huez, I was watching this climb on TV when I was not even 10," Riblon told reporters.
"Two years ago I was in the break with Pierre Rolland when he won and I told myself I had let a huge opportunity slip."
It was a second career Tour win for Riblon and came three years to the day after he claimed the Ax-3-Domaines stage.
"It's l'Alpe d'Huez, I was watching this climb on TV when I was not even 10," Riblon told reporters.
"Two years ago I was in the break with Pierre Rolland when he won and I told myself I had let a huge opportunity slip."
When I saw Van Garderen with three kilometres left, I told myself it was a fantastic chance so when I caught him I left him no hope that he could contest the win.
"Friday's 19th stage takes the peloton over 204 kilometres with four demanding climbs on the menu between Bourg d'Oisans and Le Grand Bornand."
"Tomorrow is possibly the toughest day of the Tour de France," said Froome.
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