Sports Quote of the Day:
"The Six W's: Work will win when wishing won't." Todd Blackledge, NFL & NCAA Football Quarterback
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks near extension with coach Joel Quenneville. Update: It's done!!!
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks near extension with coach Joel Quenneville. Update: It's done!!!
By Rodger Sherman
(Getty Images)
The Chicago Blackhawks will keep Joel Quenneville, as they've extended the mustachioed coach who became the first coach in franchise history to win two Stanley Cups this June.
The Chicago Blackhawks will make sure the man who has led their team to two Stanley Cups in four years will remain at the helm: They've apparently reached an extension with Joel Quenneville, with a press conference scheduled for Friday.
Coach Q has seen unprecedented success with the Hawks: After missing the playoffs in nine of 10 years before he took over and failing to get out of the first round for 13 seasons, the Blackhawks won their first title since 1961 in Quenneville's second year on the job in 2010. After a pair of first-round exits in 2011 and 2012, the Blackhawks didn't lose any of their first 30 games and ended up winning the Cup again, earning Quenneville an extension.
Quenneville is the current leader in games won (660) and playoff wins (81) among active coaches. Before Chicago, he'd coached eight years with the St. Louis Blues and three with the Colorado Avalanche, and although he made the conference finals with each squad, he never got further. He is 222-97-44 in his time in Chicago and is the only coach in franchise history to win two Stanley Cups. He had one year remaining on his contract, but the terms of his new deal are unknown.
Blackhawks agree to 1-year deal with Winchester.
The Associated Press
The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a one-year contract with forward Brad Winchester.
Winchester has 37 goals and 31 assists over 390 NHL games with Edmonton, Dallas, St. Louis, Anaheim and San Jose. He had nine goals and 18 assists last season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League, a Nashville Predators affiliate.
The Blackhawks announced the move Wednesday.
With deals up, stakes soaring for Cutler.
By
Jay Cutler is aware quarterbacks are cashing in around the NFL. He also realizes he'll have to wait for his big payday.
Chicago general manager Phil Emery all but ruled out extensions this season for players with expiring contracts, and Cutler insists he's OK with that.
The same goes for kicker Robbie Gould and cornerback Tim Jennings, who are part of a long list of Bears whose deals are up at the end of the year.
In more ways than one, the stakes are soaring. The Bears have a new coach in Marc Trestman to go with a GM in his second season, and a big chunk of the locker room could be gone if they miss the playoffs again.
''Yeah. I mean, new coaches, there's a lot of things happening,'' Cutler said Thursday. ''There's a lot of change. It doesn't really matter what year you are in your contract I don't think, you've got to still go out and prove yourself. You've got to play each and every week. You've got to be consistent and you've got to sustain that the whole season. Nothing's really changed on that part.''
One thing that could change, though, is his future as the franchise's quarterback. That appears to be up in the air at the moment.
A big season could lead to a big financial windfall from the Bears - or another team. If he struggles, Chicago could make a clean split.
Where it gets murky is if Cutler continues to produce the way he has since he arrived from Denver in 2009 and delivers another middle-of-the-road season. Then the Bears would have a decision to make: Do they throw big money at a talented quarterback who hasn't lived up to expectations or do they let him walk?
And they'll have to make it against a backdrop that includes some big deals for QBs.
Baltimore's Joe Flacco played through an expiring contract last season and led the Ravens to the championship, winning the Super Bowl MVP. His reward? A $120.1 million contract that was, at the time, the richest in NFL history. Matthew Stafford got a $53 million, three-year extension from Detroit. Atlanta's Matt Ryan just signed a five-year extension for $103.75 million, with $59 million guaranteed.
''There's some big contracts going around so I mean if you win and produce, you're going to get paid,'' Cutler said.
It's not just him, though.
Gould, Jennings, Charles Tillman, Devin Hester, Henry Melton, Major Wright, Corey Wootton and Roberto Garza are among the regulars with expiring deals.
Gould, the fourth-most accurate kicker in league history, seemed upset by the no-extensions edict when he told Chicago's WMVP-AM on Wednesday night, ''If they wanted a guy, they're going to find a way to sign him if it meant that much to them. ...
I'm not too worried about if they will re-sign me or not because I have all the leverage. If they don't want to re-sign me now, it's going to cost them double at the end of the year.''
Gould, coming off a season-ending calf injury, insisted Thursday that he is not angry with Emery. He said his agent approached the Bears about two weeks ago about a possible extension but was told the team was not in position to negotiate because of limited cap space.
''I want to be a Bear the rest of my life,'' Gould said. ''If they don't want to do that then when the timing is right, I am going to have to move on. It is just part of football. I am not going to be here forever. I get that. I understand that. I'd love to be here. I want to be a Bear. I can't reiterate that enough.''
Jennings, coming off a Pro Bowl season, said the fact that his contract is up gives him a little extra motivation. He also said he wasn't disappointed by Emery's comment.
''Hopefully, everything plays out for itself with guys here and we make the Super Bowl run and they're going to have to start talking to a lot of guys - and hopefully keep the right guys in the right places for years to come,'' he said. ''They've got their plan in place and we've got to see how it goes.''
That seems to be the approach the Bears are taking at the moment. They'll wait and see and then decide who they'll try to bring back.
''We'll play it out, and however it's supposed to go, it's going to work out,'' Cutler said.
NFL-National Football League roundup.
Reuters; (Editing by Frank Pingue)
The contract tacked onto his final year of his rookie deal in 2013 keeps him under contract through the 2018 season.
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Percy Harvin has a "slight tear" in the labrum of his hip that could result in the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver requiring surgery.
Harvin opened the team's training camp on the physically unable to perform list and the tear was discovered during an MRI Thursday, according to multiple reports.
The oft-injured Harvin was acquired by the Seahawks over the offseason and signed a six-year, $67 million contract with $25.5 million in guarantees.
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First-round pick Datone Jones signed a four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers.
Cowboys Stadium will be renamed AT&T Stadium, after a naming rights sponsorship deal with the telecommunications giant was reached.
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The Minnesota Vikings signed their three first-round picks on the day players were due to report to their Mankato, Minn., training camp.
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Tom Brady was guarded in his initial public comments on former teammate Aaron Hernandez, who faces murder charges and stood before a judge for a preliminary hearing on the day many of Brady's teammates traveled to report to training camp.
"I think everyone had a certain range of emotions, whatever they might have been, but those were very personal, and I dealt with them," Brady said.- -
Percy Harvin has a "slight tear" in the labrum of his hip that could result in the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver requiring surgery.
Harvin opened the team's training camp on the physically unable to perform list and the tear was discovered during an MRI Thursday, according to multiple reports.
The oft-injured Harvin was acquired by the Seahawks over the offseason and signed a six-year, $67 million contract with $25.5 million in guarantees.
- -
First-round pick Datone Jones signed a four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers.
The versatile Jones played defensive end and defensive tackle for UCLA last season.
The 26th overall pick in the draft is projected as a starting defensive end this season.
- -The 26th overall pick in the draft is projected as a starting defensive end this season.
Cowboys Stadium will be renamed AT&T Stadium, after a naming rights sponsorship deal with the telecommunications giant was reached.
- -
The Minnesota Vikings signed their three first-round picks on the day players were due to report to their Mankato, Minn., training camp.
Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson will join the team on the field Friday.
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Veteran defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis is expected to retire after failing to report to his first training camp with the Chicago Bears.
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Start the holdout clock, Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd has no plans to report to training camp this weekend at St. John Fisher College.
Byrd is in a contract standoff with the Bills, who used the franchise tag to retain the talented defensive back. The one-year salary of $6.916 million guaranteed the Bills would retain Byrd, but the two sides remain far apart on his value.- -
Defensive tackle Sylvester Williams signed a four-year, $7.6 million rookie contract with the Denver Broncos.
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Defensive end John Abraham, the NFL's active leader in sacks, signed a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
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Outside linebacker Daniel Adongo signed with the Indianapolis Colts, who waived tight end Weslye Saunders.
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Cornerback D.J. Hayden signed with the Oakland Raiders, completing the contracts for the team's 10-player draft class. Terms of the deal for the 12th overall pick in April were not disclosed.
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Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green left Thursday's practice with a knee injury. Coach Marvin Lewis said he thought Green would be fine, but Green was sent for further medical evaluation.
A-Rod wants to be activated; Yankees refuse.
By
Alex Rodriguez's already strained relationship with the New York Yankees hit another low when he pushed to be activated from the disabled list Friday, the team refused and he had a lawyer join the discussion of his injury rehabilitation.
Already a target of Major League Baseball's drug investigation, the third baseman angered the Yankees when he obtained a second medical opinion on his strained left quadriceps this week without informing the team in writing, a step required by the sport's collective bargaining agreement. The Yankees intend to discipline him, most likely with a fine.
''Do you trust the Yankees?'' Rodriguez was asked during an interview on WFAN radio.
A-Rod's answer was telling.
''Um. You know, I'd rather not get into that,'' he responded. '''I'm just frustrated that I'm not on the field tomorrow.''
Sidelined since hip surgery in January, Rodriguez issued a statement early Thursday saying he wanted to be activated for Friday's homestand opener against Tampa Bay. But that wasn't in the Yankees plans.
''We agreed that a protocol would be followed that is necessary when you return somebody from a quad injury,'' general manager Brian Cashman said during a conference call with the team's beat writers. ''That protocol will include further treatment, which he'll continue tomorrow with some light conditioning, and then expand to more functional work from the 27th through the 31st. Our hope, as well as Alex's hope, without any setbacks or new complaints, that would put him in a situation to have either a simulated game or a rehab game on Aug. 1.''
A-Rod was miffed.
''Obviously I'm very, very disappointed,'' he said. ''I know I can help my team. Obviously, I'm frustrated but I agreed to this five-day plan, and on we go.''
He repeatedly said he told the Yankees he was ready to return.
''Tomorrow night would be the perfect night to come back and get in the lineup,'' he said.
Whether he gets back on a big league field any time soon or ever plays for the Yankees again remains to be seen.
MLB has been investigating Rodriguez as part of its probe of the closed Biogenesis clinic in Florida , accused in media reports of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. A suspension appears likely, but Rodriguez could ask the players' association to contest a drug penalty - making it possible he might not have to serve any time until next year.
He is among the dozen or so players under investigation by MLB; he has said in the past that he used PEDs from 2001-03 while with Texas but maintained he has not used them since.
The Yankees intend to discipline A-Rod for seeking a second medical opinion without their permission, a person familiar with the team's deliberations said.
The exact penalty had not been determined, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because no statements were authorized. A fine appeared to be the most likely option.
Meantime, Rodriguez's return from hip surgery has created more drama than most players experience in their entire careers.
Seemingly days away from rejoining the Yankees, Rodriguez injured a leg last weekend and was sent to New York for an MRI on Sunday. Team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad diagnosed a grade 1 strain, the least severe level.
Dr. Michael Gross, the orthopedic director of The Sports Medicine Institute at Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center, was retained by Rodriguez and said on WFAN on Wednesday that he examined an MRI and could not detect an injury. Gross, who never examined Rodriguez personally, was reprimanded this year by New Jersey's board of medical examiners over steroid prescriptions, fined $30,000 and ordered to pay $10,000 in costs.
Rodriguez was re-examined Thursday by Dr. Daniel Murphy, the Yankees' orthopedic surgeon in Tampa, Fla., who confirmed Ahmad's diagnosis. Cashman said Murphy determined there was ''clearly some improvement.''
Yankees President Randy Levine and Cashman got on a 15-minute conference call with Tim Lentych, the head athletic trainer at the player development complex in Tampa; Rodriguez; and Jordan Siev, co-head of the U.S. commercial litigation group at Reed Smith, a law firm used by A-Rod pal Jay-Z.
A-Rod is baseball's highest-paid player with a $28 million salary this year and is owed $86 million more in the next four seasons. He sounded like a man who anticipated having to fight for his money.
''Just want to make sure that everything is documented properly,'' he said.
Siev did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Siev did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Earlier Thursday, Rodriguez issued a statement provocative to a team that already has told him it determines his return schedule, not him.
''I think the Yanks and I crossed signals,'' the three-time AL MVP said in the statement issued by spokesman Ron Berkowitz. ''I don't want any more mixups. I'm excited and ready to play and help this team win a championship. I feel great and I'm ready and want to be in the lineup Friday night. Enough doctors, let's play.''
Rodriguez, who turns 38 Saturday, earns $153,005 each day during the season, and while he remains on the disabled list much of the money is covered by insurance.
Rodriguez has hit .250 (8 for 40) with two homers and eight RBIs in 13 minor league games. About a week before he began the injury rehab assignment on July 2, Rodriguez tweeted that the surgeon who operated on his hip ''gave me the best news - the green light to play games again!''
Cashman memorably responded: ''Alex should just shut the ... up.''
If Rodriguez is healthy, New York could use his bat. Yankees third basemen began Thursday hitting .217, ahead of only Cleveland, according to STATS. Their four homers are more than only Miami and their 29 RBIs are 28th in the majors.
Seeking offense, the Yankees are closing in on a trade to acquire former New York star Alfonso Soriano from the Chicago Cubs.
Rodriguez said he's like to rehab with the major league team, as captain
Derek Jeter as he comes back from a quadriceps injury.
But the Yankees seem to regard A-Rod as toxic.
''Obviously, I'm an employee,'' he said. ''I have to follow my bosses.''
Rose believes he's still NBA's best.
By The Sports Xchange
Derrick Rose hasn't played in an NBA game in more than a year as he continues to recover from a torn ACL in his knee, but that hasn't sapped the confidence of the former MVP.
When asked by CNN's Pedro Pinto during a rapid-fire Q&A segment who the best player in the NBA is currently, the Chicago Bulls guard said, "Derrick Rose."
And he didn't flinch when Pinto chuckled and asked him, "Yeah?"
"Yeah," said Rose, who admitted the knee injury was the low point of his career so far.
Rose received some criticism for not returning toward the end of last season or in the playoffs despite being cleared by team doctors, but the Bulls' front office has said the 24-year-old is feeling great and will be ready for the start of the 2013-14 season.
Coach Thom Thibodeau went so far as to tell ESPNChicago.com last week that he expects Rose to play starter's minutes during the preseason.
"There will be an adjustment period, but I'm not anticipating there being any problems," Thibodeau told the website while at the Las Vegas Summer League last week. "His overall strength is terrific. He's put a lot of work into his body. I know he's anxious to get out there and play. He's played some pickup but not a lot, but he feels great, and that's the most important thing."
While stating he's the best player in the NBA, Rose did acknowledge the Miami Heat's LeBron James is likely the most difficult player to defend.
"I would have to say LeBron," Rose told CNN. "A 6-8 guy that's 250 (pounds). What do you think?"
Rose rubbed some Bulls fans the wrong way by not returning last season, but he told Pinto that Chicago remains his favorite city in the world.
"Chicago I think is one of those places where if you're not from there but you visit, I think you've got to always keep in touch with it," said Rose. "You can just feel like the energy, the love that the fans or the fans have for each other or the city."
Brendan Steele leads Canadian Open.
When asked by CNN's Pedro Pinto during a rapid-fire Q&A segment who the best player in the NBA is currently, the Chicago Bulls guard said, "Derrick Rose."
And he didn't flinch when Pinto chuckled and asked him, "Yeah?"
"Yeah," said Rose, who admitted the knee injury was the low point of his career so far.
Rose received some criticism for not returning toward the end of last season or in the playoffs despite being cleared by team doctors, but the Bulls' front office has said the 24-year-old is feeling great and will be ready for the start of the 2013-14 season.
Coach Thom Thibodeau went so far as to tell ESPNChicago.com last week that he expects Rose to play starter's minutes during the preseason.
"There will be an adjustment period, but I'm not anticipating there being any problems," Thibodeau told the website while at the Las Vegas Summer League last week. "His overall strength is terrific. He's put a lot of work into his body. I know he's anxious to get out there and play. He's played some pickup but not a lot, but he feels great, and that's the most important thing."
While stating he's the best player in the NBA, Rose did acknowledge the Miami Heat's LeBron James is likely the most difficult player to defend.
"I would have to say LeBron," Rose told CNN. "A 6-8 guy that's 250 (pounds). What do you think?"
Rose rubbed some Bulls fans the wrong way by not returning last season, but he told Pinto that Chicago remains his favorite city in the world.
"Chicago I think is one of those places where if you're not from there but you visit, I think you've got to always keep in touch with it," said Rose. "You can just feel like the energy, the love that the fans or the fans have for each other or the city."
Brendan Steele leads Canadian Open.
The Associated Press
Brendan Steele topped the Canadian Open leaderboard Thursday at 7-under 65, birdieing five of the first seven holes on his back nine at Glen Abbey.
''I love being up here,'' Steele said. ''I played in '06 and '07 on PGA Tour Canada now.
And really, got me ready to play the Nationwide Tour, which I played in '08, '09 and '10. It was a great progression in my life. I had a great time up here. Made a lot of friends and spent two summers traveling the country.''
The 30-year-old American had eight birdies and a bogey, dropping a shot on his final hole - the par-4 ninth. He won the 2011 Texas Open for his long PGA Tour title.
''Really, just an overall good day,'' Steele said. ''Hit a lot of good shots and was able to hole some putts. When you have a good round like that and you play that well, you kind of have everything going. But today was probably the most complete round that I've had all year, so that was kind of nice. Didn't miss many greens, didn't hit many shots off line, and I was able to roll a few putts in.''
Matt Kuchar, a two-time winner this year, was a stroke back along with Scott Gardiner and Scott Brown. Kuchar eagled the par-5 18th hole, his ninth hole of the day.
''It was fun to be out here. It was perfect conditions,'' Kuchar said. ''I feel like last week, conditions were so challenging and so difficult at the British Open, to come here and to play golf that is more friendly and more what we're used to the PGA Tour was great.
''The conditions are spectacular. The course is in great shape. We had very little wind, good temperature, so it was a great opportunity. The par 5s are all attainable and birdieable.''
Gardiner was tied for the lead after eagleing the par-3 15th hole, but he bogeyed on the next hole.
''Actually, didn't hit that bad a drive on 16, and went left and got stuck behind a tree and had to lay up,'' Gardiner said. ''And then I hit a pretty good. I missed a 4-foot putt.''
Hunter Mahan and David Lingmerth shot 67, and Chez Reavie, the 2008 winner at Glen Abbey, was another stroke back in a group that included Bubba Watson and Trevor Immelman.
''Gave myself a lot of good looks and the greens were rolling true,'' Mahan said. ''It's in great shape right now. In the morning, we'll have perfect conditions.''
Brandt Snedeker opened with a 70, and Ernie Els and defending champion Scott Piercy followed at 71. Piercy won last year at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
Luke Donald, Charl Schwartzel and Canadian Mike Weir shot 73, Dustin Johnson struggled to a 75, and Graeme McDowell had a 76.
Brad Fritsch was the top Canadian at 69. David Hearn, a playoff loser this month in the John Deere Classic, followed at 70.
Pat Fletcher, born in England, was the last Canadian winner, taking the 1954 event at Point Grey in Vancouver. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914. Albert Murray, a Canadian also born in England, won in 1908 and 1913.
Fritsch birdied his final three holes.
''I think I hit less than 50 percent of the fairways, but I think that's just the nature of this golf course,'' Fritsch said. ''I looked like I got some horrendous bounces. When I was expecting one way, it went the other, and that led to a little bit of frustration. But I stayed patient.''
Forget the Brickyard 400 -- Thrilling Truck Series Race on the Dirt at Eldora an Instant Classic.
''I love being up here,'' Steele said. ''I played in '06 and '07 on PGA Tour Canada now.
And really, got me ready to play the Nationwide Tour, which I played in '08, '09 and '10. It was a great progression in my life. I had a great time up here. Made a lot of friends and spent two summers traveling the country.''
The 30-year-old American had eight birdies and a bogey, dropping a shot on his final hole - the par-4 ninth. He won the 2011 Texas Open for his long PGA Tour title.
''Really, just an overall good day,'' Steele said. ''Hit a lot of good shots and was able to hole some putts. When you have a good round like that and you play that well, you kind of have everything going. But today was probably the most complete round that I've had all year, so that was kind of nice. Didn't miss many greens, didn't hit many shots off line, and I was able to roll a few putts in.''
Matt Kuchar, a two-time winner this year, was a stroke back along with Scott Gardiner and Scott Brown. Kuchar eagled the par-5 18th hole, his ninth hole of the day.
''It was fun to be out here. It was perfect conditions,'' Kuchar said. ''I feel like last week, conditions were so challenging and so difficult at the British Open, to come here and to play golf that is more friendly and more what we're used to the PGA Tour was great.
''The conditions are spectacular. The course is in great shape. We had very little wind, good temperature, so it was a great opportunity. The par 5s are all attainable and birdieable.''
Gardiner was tied for the lead after eagleing the par-3 15th hole, but he bogeyed on the next hole.
''Actually, didn't hit that bad a drive on 16, and went left and got stuck behind a tree and had to lay up,'' Gardiner said. ''And then I hit a pretty good. I missed a 4-foot putt.''
Hunter Mahan and David Lingmerth shot 67, and Chez Reavie, the 2008 winner at Glen Abbey, was another stroke back in a group that included Bubba Watson and Trevor Immelman.
''Gave myself a lot of good looks and the greens were rolling true,'' Mahan said. ''It's in great shape right now. In the morning, we'll have perfect conditions.''
Brandt Snedeker opened with a 70, and Ernie Els and defending champion Scott Piercy followed at 71. Piercy won last year at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
Luke Donald, Charl Schwartzel and Canadian Mike Weir shot 73, Dustin Johnson struggled to a 75, and Graeme McDowell had a 76.
Brad Fritsch was the top Canadian at 69. David Hearn, a playoff loser this month in the John Deere Classic, followed at 70.
Pat Fletcher, born in England, was the last Canadian winner, taking the 1954 event at Point Grey in Vancouver. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914. Albert Murray, a Canadian also born in England, won in 1908 and 1913.
Fritsch birdied his final three holes.
''I think I hit less than 50 percent of the fairways, but I think that's just the nature of this golf course,'' Fritsch said. ''I looked like I got some horrendous bounces. When I was expecting one way, it went the other, and that led to a little bit of frustration. But I stayed patient.''
Forget the Brickyard 400 -- Thrilling Truck Series Race on the Dirt at Eldora an Instant Classic.
By Matt Myftiu
It Will Be Hard for Sunday's Marquee Race at Indy to Live Up to the Excitement We Saw Wednesday at Eldora.
Wednesday night's Truck Series race at Eldora was what I would call a perfect storm of awesomeness.
- The Truck Series races feature some of the best, most competitive racing you'll see, week in and week out.
- Night racing is almost always more exciting than day racing. There's just something about the lights.
- Dirt racing on a short track is some of the most exciting racing you'll find in the world, and Eldora is one of the best of these type of tracks you'll find anywhere.
Put it all together, and what do you get? The highlight of this week in racing, or dare I say, the highlight of the entire 2013 racing season.
The entire setup was great -- from the heat races to the main feature and it's three segments, and the race more than lived up to fans' expectations.
Tony Stewart deserves a lot of credit for making sure the track's surface was in the proper condition, and you can bet he's still smiling after the show we got to see Wednesday night.
I loved seeing Ken Schrader win the pole. This is definitely his type of race (Schrader will basically race anything with wheels) so it wasn't really a shocker that he got the pole, but he did make some history by becoming the oldest pole winner in NASCAR history.
Then the racing all night was fast and furious. Some guys stuck with the high line, while others were diving down low -- making the racing four-wide at times. You never knew who was going to come out in front until all the trucks finished the turn; there were spirited battles throughout the field all race long. I'm betting the 20,000 fans in attendance didn't sit down all race other than the intermissions.
Just like I believe road courses help expose who are the best and most well-rounded drivers in NASCAR, dirt-track success is also a sign of a quality driver. Seeing how guys like Newman, Blaney and Larson raced Wednesday shows they have tremendous racing talent, even if they might sometimes be in less competitive cars in Cup and can't compete with the usual suspects (as is currently the case with Blaney).
"This is real racing right here," Austin Dillon said in Victory Lane at Eldora.
I couldn't agree more.
Brickyard boredom?
The very first track to include the word "Speedway" over a century ago is no doubt one of motorsports' biggest treasures, and I recommend every fan go there at least once -- whether it's for NASCAR or Indycar -- just to experience what it is like. You'll have a great time, and it's really a great city to visit in general.
I distinctly remember the weekend in 1998 I went to watch a weekend of racing in Indianapolis -- a truck race and a Busch race at IRP, and then the Brickyard on Sunday. I can say with 100-percent certainty that the racing was a ton better Friday and Saturday nights at the short track than it was on Sunday. And that fact remains true today.
NASCAR needs more short-track races, dirt races.
So what's the solution here?
Well, I understand the importance of the Brickyard. It's a historic place and NASCAR wants its name attached to those places. Many drivers say it's the race they want to win the most, other than the Daytona 500, and I have no problem letting them go for that glory. It gives me a good chance to catch up on an often-needed nap one Sunday in late-July.
But I say that the biggest lesson of this juxtaposition of the guaranteed Eldora excitement and the likely Brickyard boredom is that NASCAR should reconsider its overall strategy of where it places races. There are far too many cookie-cutter tracks on NASCAR's Cup schedule, and many of the tracks with two races don't deserve them. I would like to see a return to more short tracks (adding an Iowa race to Cup schedule would be a nice start, as it produces some of the best racing in the sport), because short tracks are what people want to see more of -- not the same old 1.5-mile tracks we see most weeks.
Now excuse me, I feel like going to play in the dirt.
COMMENTARY | Now that was fun!
Wednesday night's Truck Series race at Eldora was what I would call a perfect storm of awesomeness.
- The Truck Series races feature some of the best, most competitive racing you'll see, week in and week out.
- Night racing is almost always more exciting than day racing. There's just something about the lights.
- Dirt racing on a short track is some of the most exciting racing you'll find in the world, and Eldora is one of the best of these type of tracks you'll find anywhere.
Put it all together, and what do you get? The highlight of this week in racing, or dare I say, the highlight of the entire 2013 racing season.
When I first heard NASCAR would have the trucks racing at Eldora, I was excited but had one minor concern -- that it would become a crash-fest due to some drivers' inexperience on this type of racing surface. But, thankfully, the folks who didn't know what they were doing on dirt stayed away and we got to watch dirt-track standouts like Dave Blaney, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman and many others do their thing.
The entire setup was great -- from the heat races to the main feature and it's three segments, and the race more than lived up to fans' expectations.
Tony Stewart deserves a lot of credit for making sure the track's surface was in the proper condition, and you can bet he's still smiling after the show we got to see Wednesday night.
I loved seeing Ken Schrader win the pole. This is definitely his type of race (Schrader will basically race anything with wheels) so it wasn't really a shocker that he got the pole, but he did make some history by becoming the oldest pole winner in NASCAR history.
Then the racing all night was fast and furious. Some guys stuck with the high line, while others were diving down low -- making the racing four-wide at times. You never knew who was going to come out in front until all the trucks finished the turn; there were spirited battles throughout the field all race long. I'm betting the 20,000 fans in attendance didn't sit down all race other than the intermissions.
My highlight of the night was just watching Kyle Larson race. Sure, Austin Dillon took home the trophy and ran a great race and deserves kudos, but the highlights were heavily centered around young phenom Larson, who had a lot of previous Eldora experience and showed it off Wednesday night. His battles with Ryan Newman in the closing laps of the race were among the kind you see often at the end of races in the Truck Series, but were even more exciting due to the fact this was a dirt track and they seemed impossibly sideways as they battled.
Just like I believe road courses help expose who are the best and most well-rounded drivers in NASCAR, dirt-track success is also a sign of a quality driver. Seeing how guys like Newman, Blaney and Larson raced Wednesday shows they have tremendous racing talent, even if they might sometimes be in less competitive cars in Cup and can't compete with the usual suspects (as is currently the case with Blaney).
"This is real racing right here," Austin Dillon said in Victory Lane at Eldora.
I couldn't agree more.
Brickyard boredom?
In just a few days, we'll be watching the Cup cars fly around the Brickyard, the hallowed ground of auto racing that NASCAR has now been competing at for 20 years.
The very first track to include the word "Speedway" over a century ago is no doubt one of motorsports' biggest treasures, and I recommend every fan go there at least once -- whether it's for NASCAR or Indycar -- just to experience what it is like. You'll have a great time, and it's really a great city to visit in general.
But let's not sugarcoat the reality of racing at Indy when it comes to NASCAR -- it's not always that great. Compared to what we saw on Wednesday at half-mile Eldora, chances are Sunday's race at the 2.5-mile track will be a bit of a snoozer. The cars get very spread out, there is little actual racing most of the day, and it's usually pretty clear who is going to win. Think hard, race fans: Can you name even a handful of truly exciting Brickyard 400 races off the top of your head? I'm going to guess no. And we even had that horrific one in 2008 where tires were lasting 10 laps or less, which was basically unwatchable.
Even worse, NASCAR recently moved the Nationwide race from the short track at O'Reilly Raceway Park (formerly Indianapolis Raceway Park) over to the big stage of the Brickyard. It was great for publicity and the drivers now have a more prestigious location where they can claim a victory (like Brad Keselowski did in 2012), but for fans that's a terrible move. A short track like ORP offers much better racing than the Brickyard, but, sadly, that's not what is important anymore.
I distinctly remember the weekend in 1998 I went to watch a weekend of racing in Indianapolis -- a truck race and a Busch race at IRP, and then the Brickyard on Sunday. I can say with 100-percent certainty that the racing was a ton better Friday and Saturday nights at the short track than it was on Sunday. And that fact remains true today.
Years from now, this inaugural Eldora truck show will almost assuredly be remembered as a classic, while Saturday and Sunday's races at the Brickyard will likely be quickly forgotten by everyone other than the winning drivers.
NASCAR needs more short-track races, dirt races.
So what's the solution here?
Well, I understand the importance of the Brickyard. It's a historic place and NASCAR wants its name attached to those places. Many drivers say it's the race they want to win the most, other than the Daytona 500, and I have no problem letting them go for that glory. It gives me a good chance to catch up on an often-needed nap one Sunday in late-July.
But I say that the biggest lesson of this juxtaposition of the guaranteed Eldora excitement and the likely Brickyard boredom is that NASCAR should reconsider its overall strategy of where it places races. There are far too many cookie-cutter tracks on NASCAR's Cup schedule, and many of the tracks with two races don't deserve them. I would like to see a return to more short tracks (adding an Iowa race to Cup schedule would be a nice start, as it produces some of the best racing in the sport), because short tracks are what people want to see more of -- not the same old 1.5-mile tracks we see most weeks.
As far as dirt racing, you probably want to keep the Eldora event unique, so I would continue the Eldora every year for the trucks, but not necessarily add more dirt races to the Truck Series schedule (though I wouldn't be upset if they did, as that was some great racing).
The next step I see is getting the Nationwide series to do a dirt event at Eldora or elsewhere, and possibly even a Cup dirt race at some point. Considering how many people got excited about this Eldora truck race, can you imagine how cool it would be to have a Cup race on the dirt? It would garner huge attention, sellout attendance and huge ratings -- all things NASCAR wants.
Now excuse me, I feel like going to play in the dirt.
Allen Ramsey: Strength in depth has the USA primed for a Gold Cup final win.
By Allen Ramsey
Allen Ramsey: Strength in depth has the USA primed for a Gold Cup final win.
On Sunday, the U.S. national team will have the chance to win its first Gold Cup title since 2007.
Losses to Mexico in both 2009 and 2011 left El Tri as the clear top dog in CONCACAF. But 2013 has a different feeling than those two tournaments did, largely because of the depth U.S. boss Jurgen Klinsmann has developed in what is largely considered his second-choice team.
In the semifinals against Honduras on Wednesday night - a 3-1 victory - the deep roster came through once again, with Klinsmann opting to give Eddie Johnson a start up front and going with Alejandro Bedoya on right wing. Those two moves bolstered the team's speed and gave it a different look from the side that faced El Salvador in the quarterfinals last weekend.
"We talked about [how] they were going to press high at the start, and we had Eddie out there and he was able to stretch them a little bit and Alejandro got in behind them a few times so that was a good outlet for us to have, especially in the first half," midfielder Stuart Holden said after the match. "It stretched the game a little bit and allowed us to play still and connect some passes in the middle."
Johnson scored the USA's opener, and good work from Bedoya led to both of Landon Donovan's goals, making Klinsmann's decision to include the two from the outset seem brilliant.
In truth, it was.
Honduras' high back line opened up space for Johnson to peal off of the central defenders and run in behind, which he did to great effect throughout the first half, winning more than a few foot races with Honduran defender Osman Chavez and turning the ball back to his onrushing teammates.
Johnson came into the team for the knockout rounds, with Klinsmann using a new rule for the 2013 tournament that allowed him to bring in four new players after the group stage. The move has paid off in a big way, with Johnson scoring twice in two games and putting a strong 90-minute showing against Honduras.
For Johnson, it's the continuation of his rebirth with the national team, but he knows that each time he's with the team he has to show his value.
"This roster is deep," he said. "This team has a great pool of guys.
"For me it’s important to come into these camps and do well. I’m not a young player anymore. I’m a veteran player, and the older you get, the more camps you come in and if you don’t produce, they start to overlook you."
Johnson could get overlooked on Sunday when Klinsmann makes out his lineup for the final, and the German manager would have a solid argument for doing so even with his goals in the last two games. After all, Wondolowski has five goals in the competition and probably feels as though he should be given the chance to start in the final.
But that's the point here. Depth and competition for places are a good thing, and Klinsmann has done a masterful job throughout the tournament of creating chances for players to state their cases for starting spots.
As Jose Torres said after the match: "We’ve been doing good, the forwards that have been starting for us, they’ve been on point, their mind was on goal. Today, changing the lineup a little bit, Eddie is a strong player, he holds the ball up very well like Wondo, so I think every player that goes in does a great job."
Torres has a point.
The battle for a starting spot in the midfield between Holden, Kyle Beckerman and Mix Diskerud is far from settled, and Klinsmann will have a choice to make on the right wing once again - with both Bedoya and Joe Corona having played well enough to deserve consideration - but it's the type of problem that any manager likes to have.
The semifinal against Honduras was another sign that times may be changing, and that Klinsmann's vision for a deep and diverse team may very well be seen sooner rather than later.
The final looms as the last step for this group.
No matter how it plays out, there will be plenty of positives for the USA to take away from this Gold Cup - and there is every reason to believe that many of these players are fighting for a possible spot on the plane to Brazil next summer and have stated their cases rather well - but the reality is that Sunday's match is a chance for the USA to put in a claim as the deepest, and arguably the best, team in CONCACAF.
"I was a part of the team in 2009 and we got all the way to the final and lost and it was a terrible feeling," Holden said. "I want to make sure that I do anything in my power, and all the guys want to win, and we’ll be going into that game with level heads and really making sure that we get the job done from the first minute."
Losses to Mexico in both 2009 and 2011 left El Tri as the clear top dog in CONCACAF. But 2013 has a different feeling than those two tournaments did, largely because of the depth U.S. boss Jurgen Klinsmann has developed in what is largely considered his second-choice team.
In the semifinals against Honduras on Wednesday night - a 3-1 victory - the deep roster came through once again, with Klinsmann opting to give Eddie Johnson a start up front and going with Alejandro Bedoya on right wing. Those two moves bolstered the team's speed and gave it a different look from the side that faced El Salvador in the quarterfinals last weekend.
"We talked about [how] they were going to press high at the start, and we had Eddie out there and he was able to stretch them a little bit and Alejandro got in behind them a few times so that was a good outlet for us to have, especially in the first half," midfielder Stuart Holden said after the match. "It stretched the game a little bit and allowed us to play still and connect some passes in the middle."
Johnson scored the USA's opener, and good work from Bedoya led to both of Landon Donovan's goals, making Klinsmann's decision to include the two from the outset seem brilliant.
In truth, it was.
Honduras' high back line opened up space for Johnson to peal off of the central defenders and run in behind, which he did to great effect throughout the first half, winning more than a few foot races with Honduran defender Osman Chavez and turning the ball back to his onrushing teammates.
Johnson came into the team for the knockout rounds, with Klinsmann using a new rule for the 2013 tournament that allowed him to bring in four new players after the group stage. The move has paid off in a big way, with Johnson scoring twice in two games and putting a strong 90-minute showing against Honduras.
For Johnson, it's the continuation of his rebirth with the national team, but he knows that each time he's with the team he has to show his value.
"This roster is deep," he said. "This team has a great pool of guys.
"For me it’s important to come into these camps and do well. I’m not a young player anymore. I’m a veteran player, and the older you get, the more camps you come in and if you don’t produce, they start to overlook you."
Johnson could get overlooked on Sunday when Klinsmann makes out his lineup for the final, and the German manager would have a solid argument for doing so even with his goals in the last two games. After all, Wondolowski has five goals in the competition and probably feels as though he should be given the chance to start in the final.
But that's the point here. Depth and competition for places are a good thing, and Klinsmann has done a masterful job throughout the tournament of creating chances for players to state their cases for starting spots.
As Jose Torres said after the match: "We’ve been doing good, the forwards that have been starting for us, they’ve been on point, their mind was on goal. Today, changing the lineup a little bit, Eddie is a strong player, he holds the ball up very well like Wondo, so I think every player that goes in does a great job."
Torres has a point.
The battle for a starting spot in the midfield between Holden, Kyle Beckerman and Mix Diskerud is far from settled, and Klinsmann will have a choice to make on the right wing once again - with both Bedoya and Joe Corona having played well enough to deserve consideration - but it's the type of problem that any manager likes to have.
The semifinal against Honduras was another sign that times may be changing, and that Klinsmann's vision for a deep and diverse team may very well be seen sooner rather than later.
The final looms as the last step for this group.
No matter how it plays out, there will be plenty of positives for the USA to take away from this Gold Cup - and there is every reason to believe that many of these players are fighting for a possible spot on the plane to Brazil next summer and have stated their cases rather well - but the reality is that Sunday's match is a chance for the USA to put in a claim as the deepest, and arguably the best, team in CONCACAF.
"I was a part of the team in 2009 and we got all the way to the final and lost and it was a terrible feeling," Holden said. "I want to make sure that I do anything in my power, and all the guys want to win, and we’ll be going into that game with level heads and really making sure that we get the job done from the first minute."
Emery playing dangerous but sensible $$ game. What's your take?
By John Mullin
The declaration by GM Phil Emery that the Bears would not be entertaining contract extensions before the end of the 2013 season was something of a surprise if only because of the double-digit number of players on one-year deals or in the last year of their existing contracts.
It was not going to be well received by everyone, and wasn’t. Kicker Robbie Gould was vocal in his feelings Wednesday night on WMVP-AM, that veterans will be grumbling, and that’s understandable.
But the Bears are at a franchise tipping point with more than just Jay Cutler and veterans on all sides of the football. With that backdrop, the organization’s decision as expressed by Emery is likely to be emulated elsewhere in the NFL whether there are explicit statements about it or not.
Veterans like Gould, Charles Tillman and others want new paper because it brings with it guaranteed money up front and that’s the only sure thing in NFL contracts. Gould missed the last three games last year with what was a season-ending leg injury and that is every player’s worst-case scenario contract-wise, particularly at age 31.
The Bears could end up with a good year and players costing more because of it. As Emery said regarding Cutler specifically, that’s a problem he wouldn’t mind having.
Because the ultimate reality is that the market, not the players or the Bears on their own, will determine what Cutler, Gould, Tillman, Roberto Garza, Tim Jennings, J’Marcus Webb and others are “worth.” No player likes the no-confidence “vote” that a lack of an extension can be construed as, particularly if you’ve given a big part of your professional life to an organization like the Bears.
But if the Bears do Gould (which they opted not to), does Tillman become more irritated with a “why-not-me?” reaction? Probably at some level.
Ironically, Emery declaring that there would be none effectively puts everyone from Cutler to Major Wright in exactly the same pool. He didn’t play favorites or turn down selectively; he folded his arms for everyone. Give him credit for consistency at least.
One reason why so many veterans were forced to do one-year pacts this offseason was that the salary cap has stopped going up, but teams like the Bears have players under contracts that pay significant and frequently increasing sums over this year and the next few. Julius Peppers, for instance. That shrinks available cap flexibility unless those players take cuts, which brings in a whole other issue.
The one-year-deal pattern will go on past this season. So will the Bears. So will veterans who can play.
The market will tell all.
After reading this article, we'd love to know, what's your take? Should the salaries be frozen until after the season?
Are you ready for some football?
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