Sports Quote of the Day:
"Sweat plus sacrifice equals success." ~ Charlie Finley, MLB Team Owner (Oakland Athletics)
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks re-sign F Kruger to 2-year contract.
The Chicago Blackhawks have re-signed forward Marcus Kruger to a two-year contract.
Mike Ditka praises Aaron Rodgers.
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.
Bears have already made a decision on Cutler.
By John Mullin
The contract extension signed by Matthew Stafford with the Detroit Lions – paying him $76.5 million over the next five seasons – immediately occasioned discussion surrounding Jay Cutler – the money, the respective talents, potential, all the things that go into player – and player – evaluations.
Getting to the Cutler conclusion first
It is increasingly difficult to avoid reasoning that the Bears already have made their decision on Jay Cutler as their quarterback for 2014 and possibly beyond.
All that remains is settling on price. That’s what 2013 will be about. The franchise tag is the obvious fall-back, and if Cutler plays his way into something longer term, he and the Bears make out.
Consider the indicators
The Bears haven’t been building a team of weapons to surround Cutler. They’re building one to win a Super Bowl, whether it’s with Cutler or not. That’s as it should be. If Cutler goes down in-season, the best guess is that Josh McCown, in fact, can keep an offense with Bennett Brothers Earl and Martellus, Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, plus a made-over offensive line on track to a postseason. Arguably, had the Bears gone to McCown instead of Caleb Hanie when Cutler was lost in 2011, the Bears are in the playoffs, not 8-8.
One domino in the Cutler scenario came when the Bears did not secure a quarterback for development in this year’s draft. GM Phil Emery didn’t have unlimited options because of limited draft choices, particularly no third-rounder, as he himself said.
Actually this might be construed as some leverage for Cutler. But had coaches Marc Trestman, Aaron Kromer and Matt Cavanaugh on offense - three individuals who know some things about quarterbacks - concluded that a QB was a need, Emery would have found a way to get one.
As it is, the Bears will go to training camp with only three quarterbacks, meaning the No. 2 for the foreseeable future is Josh McCown and the project is Matt Blanchard. A big part of the reason is that coaches do not want to be parceling reps out to a backup when the investment is in – and will be – in Cutler mastering this offense and teammates.
The bigger-picture Cutler math for the Bears
Cutler has proved he can win 10-11 games with a very good defense (the usual excuse for his not winning into the playoffs in Denver). That’s usually enough to reach the playoffs, Emery’s minimum acceptable standard based on the reasoning for firing Lovie Smith.
To that extent, Cutler already has consistently met the franchise’s minimum seasonal requirement.
Settling on price
And this is where Stafford and his deal come in. Sort of. Because in the end, it is always about the money.
Stafford has directed the Lions to the playoffs in one of his first four seasons. Well, three actually, since he only played three games in one year and 10 in another.
And he was drafted (No. 1 overall in 2009) onto a team that was 0-16 the year before, so “weapons” other than Calvin Johnson were hardly what the Lions had for him. Not insignificantly for Stafford’s case, Johnson’s production has spiked since Stafford’s arrival, from 67 catches to 77 to 96 to 122.
Stafford’s $76.5 million over the next five seasons place him right where he belongs, in the second tier of quarterbacks below Brady, Brees, Flacco and the Mannings. The reason they rate above Stafford and the likes of Matt Ryan is what Stafford himself said after his deal was announced:
“A Super Bowl ring. That’s what those guys have. League MVP, Super Bowl rings, years of experience it. All of that.”
Like it or not, salary slotting happens with more than draft choices. Stafford acknowledges he’s not at the elite level based on the wins that matter, and Cutler is not at Stafford’s level, with the same number of playoff appearances at age 30 that Stafford has at 25.
The “slot” for second-tier quarterbacks has been roughly set by Stafford. The Bears can play out the 2013 season with Cutler playing to show if he is at that level or still in the third-echelon.
Bears have already made a decision on Cutler.
By John Mullin
The contract extension signed by Matthew Stafford with the Detroit Lions – paying him $76.5 million over the next five seasons – immediately occasioned discussion surrounding Jay Cutler – the money, the respective talents, potential, all the things that go into player – and player – evaluations.
Getting to the Cutler conclusion first
It is increasingly difficult to avoid reasoning that the Bears already have made their decision on Jay Cutler as their quarterback for 2014 and possibly beyond.
All that remains is settling on price. That’s what 2013 will be about. The franchise tag is the obvious fall-back, and if Cutler plays his way into something longer term, he and the Bears make out.
Consider the indicators
The Bears haven’t been building a team of weapons to surround Cutler. They’re building one to win a Super Bowl, whether it’s with Cutler or not. That’s as it should be. If Cutler goes down in-season, the best guess is that Josh McCown, in fact, can keep an offense with Bennett Brothers Earl and Martellus, Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, plus a made-over offensive line on track to a postseason. Arguably, had the Bears gone to McCown instead of Caleb Hanie when Cutler was lost in 2011, the Bears are in the playoffs, not 8-8.
One domino in the Cutler scenario came when the Bears did not secure a quarterback for development in this year’s draft. GM Phil Emery didn’t have unlimited options because of limited draft choices, particularly no third-rounder, as he himself said.
Actually this might be construed as some leverage for Cutler. But had coaches Marc Trestman, Aaron Kromer and Matt Cavanaugh on offense - three individuals who know some things about quarterbacks - concluded that a QB was a need, Emery would have found a way to get one.
As it is, the Bears will go to training camp with only three quarterbacks, meaning the No. 2 for the foreseeable future is Josh McCown and the project is Matt Blanchard. A big part of the reason is that coaches do not want to be parceling reps out to a backup when the investment is in – and will be – in Cutler mastering this offense and teammates.
The bigger-picture Cutler math for the Bears
Cutler has proved he can win 10-11 games with a very good defense (the usual excuse for his not winning into the playoffs in Denver). That’s usually enough to reach the playoffs, Emery’s minimum acceptable standard based on the reasoning for firing Lovie Smith.
To that extent, Cutler already has consistently met the franchise’s minimum seasonal requirement.
Settling on price
And this is where Stafford and his deal come in. Sort of. Because in the end, it is always about the money.
Stafford has directed the Lions to the playoffs in one of his first four seasons. Well, three actually, since he only played three games in one year and 10 in another.
And he was drafted (No. 1 overall in 2009) onto a team that was 0-16 the year before, so “weapons” other than Calvin Johnson were hardly what the Lions had for him. Not insignificantly for Stafford’s case, Johnson’s production has spiked since Stafford’s arrival, from 67 catches to 77 to 96 to 122.
Stafford’s $76.5 million over the next five seasons place him right where he belongs, in the second tier of quarterbacks below Brady, Brees, Flacco and the Mannings. The reason they rate above Stafford and the likes of Matt Ryan is what Stafford himself said after his deal was announced:
“A Super Bowl ring. That’s what those guys have. League MVP, Super Bowl rings, years of experience it. All of that.”
Like it or not, salary slotting happens with more than draft choices. Stafford acknowledges he’s not at the elite level based on the wins that matter, and Cutler is not at Stafford’s level, with the same number of playoff appearances at age 30 that Stafford has at 25.
The “slot” for second-tier quarterbacks has been roughly set by Stafford. The Bears can play out the 2013 season with Cutler playing to show if he is at that level or still in the third-echelon.
By Michael David Smith
(Getty Images)
Ditka, the Hall of Fame Bears tight end and Super Bowl-winning Bears head coach, was asked by the Chicago Sun-Times which quarterback he would have most liked to play with, and after mentioning several possibilities, he settled on Rodgers.
“The guy up in Green Bay, I think is the best in football,” Ditka said of Rodgers. “But that’s my opinion. I like what he does, and I like his leadership qualities. And I think that’s the other thing you have to look at. He has to be the guy in charge. And the team has to know it.
Ditka also said that of all the quarterbacks in NFL history, Rodgers is the one he would have most liked to coach.
“How could I say that I wouldn’t want to coach [Johnny] Unitas or Bart Starr? There’s been so many great ones,” Ditka said. “But if I had to coach one guy in my career, maybe it’d be Aaron Rodgers.”
That’s not a bad choice, even if it’s a tough pill for Bears fans to swallow.
Teenager Spieth is youngest PGA winner in 82 years.
By
Jordan Spieth can say that he's accomplished something that Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy never did.
Spieth won a PGA Tour event as a teenager - and now he's joining all those stars at next week's British Open.
The 19-year-old outlasted David Hearn and Zach Johnson on the fifth hole of a playoff Sunday to win the John Deere Classic, becoming the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in 82 years.
Spieth, a Dallas native who doesn't turn 20 for another two weeks, hit a short par putt to earn a spot in the field at Muirfield.
He is the first teenager to win since Ralph Guldahl took the Santa Monica Open in 1931.
''I didn't think it would happen this early,'' said Spieth, who turned pro in December after an All-American season as a freshman at the University of Texas. ''I had a plan. I guess the plan got exceeded.''
Spieth started the day six shots behind third-round leader Daniel Summerhays. A bogey on the first hole left him seven back with 17 to play.
But Spieth forced his way into the playoff with three straight birdies. The last came when he holed out of the bunker from 44 feet, delighting a crowd that had expected to see Johnson, the hometown favorite, defend his title.
Spieth caught a break when that 44-footer took a pair of fortuitous bounces. But he also put himself in that position with a brilliant final round.
''The shot on 18 was the luckiest shot I ever hit in my life,'' Spieth said. ''The fact that it bounced right and hit the pin and dropped down to the cup, it's just extremely fortunate.''
Spieth, Hearn and Johnson all made par on the first four playoff holes. Spieth simply made one more to stave off Johnson and Hearn on the fifth.
Johnson seized control from Summerhays midway through the final round of regulation and looked to be on his way to another win at Deere Run. But Johnson simply couldn't get enough birdies to put the field away, and his uncharacteristic bogey on No. 18 set up a three-man playoff.
All three players had their chances to make a winning shot before the final hole - with Johnson narrowly missing from the back of the green on a shot that clipped the cup on the first playoff hole.
Johnson hit the ground in disbelief. It would turn out to be the closest he would get to victory.
''I had my chances on the back side in regulation. I mean, I hit some really good shots and just didn't make anything,'' Johnson said.
Hearn also had a shot at the win, which would have been his first on the PGA Tour, as well. But he missed a makeable putt on the fourth playoff hole.
''Congrats to Jordan. He's going to have an amazing career, obviously. He's an incredible talent to come on Tour at his age and have as much success as quickly as he has. So hat's off to him,'' Hearn said.
Spieth, Hearn and Johnson all went right on their final tee shot. Spieth scrambled out of the rough, though, finding the back of the green to save par and win his first PGA event.
Woods, Mickelson and McIlroy were all 20 when they picked up their first victories, but none of them could match Spieth, who is now the fourth-youngest winner in Tour history.
''Just got so lucky. That's what it is. But right now I'm extremely pleased, and a little worried about only having short sleeves going to Scotland,'' Spieth said.
Report: Alex Rodriguez and others connected to Biogenesis may consider plea deal.
(USA Today)
According to their report filed Saturday night, New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and his legal representation may be considering a plea deal offered by MLB during their meeting in Tampa on Friday. It‘s believed similar offers have been made to other players that MLB has talked to during their investigation, and an agreement could significantly reduce the looming suspensions, which according to the report may be set at a historic length for A-Rod.
Here's more from the Daily News:
According to the sources, a 150-game suspension might be the best that could be expected for Rodriguez, who is rehabbing from hip surgery with high Single-A Tampa and was chastised by the Yankees Saturday for failing to report to the team’s complex for Friday night’s game following a four-and-a-half hour meeting with MLB officials who outlined their case against him.
MLB's Joint Drug Agreement states that players are to be suspended 50 games for a first violation, 100 games for a second, and receive a lifetime ban for a third. 150 games would definitely be a first under the agreement, but it's not known if that's the exact deal on the table for every player or if they're framing their punishments based on a players involvement with the clinic.
With that in mind, the Daily News adds the following:
As The News has reported, MLB is believed to have extensive evidence, including Bosch’s own testimony, that Rodriguez committed multiple violations of the joint drug agreement, including acquiring performance-enhancing drugs from Bosch for several years. The self-described “biochemist” has been cooperating with MLB for several weeks in exchange for being dropped from baseball’s lawsuit against him for tortious interference with its player contracts, indemnifying him for legal expenses and putting in a good word for him with law enforcement, and he is believed to have provided proof of his dealings with Rodriguez.
“I can see a scenario where if they’ve got multiple offenses (against A-Rod) that rather than going for his career with an arbitrator, baseball might settle on something like 150 games,” said one of the sources.
That explains why A-Rod would be very interested in that plea deal if it's on the table.
Obviously, we'll be keeping an eye on the developments as they continue to unfold, but it does feel like we might — I stress, might — be getting close to a resolution. I think that's something we've all been bargaining to have happen for several months now.
Tim Lincecum throws no-hitter, reminds MLB of his greatness.
By Jeff Passan
The giant middle finger Tim Lincecum extended Saturday night was to a baseball world that forgot who he was, who he can be. It was to the scouts who sneer at a fastball that's 4 mph off its peak, to the media that bemoaned his ERA ranking among the bottom quarter of starters, to the fans who believed his days of Cy Young glory were long past.
Remember, in the afterglow of his 148-pitch no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night, who Tim Lincecum is: a 5-foot-10, 100-nothing-pound bundle of impossibility who for the entirety of his career has used skepticism and outright doubt as fuel for his greatness. This performance – 96 strikes, 52 balls, 13 strikeouts, four walks and, most important, no hits – was always in him. He just never lucked into it.
That, after all, is what a no-hitter comes down to: the amalgamation of the immense talent inherent in every big leaguer and the fortune that smiles on him on a particular night. Without Pablo Sandoval hauling his formidable frame down the third-base line and gunning out Jesus Guzman in the seventh inning, history does not exist. Without Hunter Pence robbing Alexi Amarista in the eighth inning on a pea struck to right field, Lincecum does not join the record books as the 281st no-hitter in major league history and the 15th for the San Francisco Giants.
No, Lincecum is not who he was. This is evident by the radar gun, the ERA that's 4.27 even after Saturday, the fact that All-Stars will gather in New York this week and he was not even close to being considered among them. Even two years ago such a thought would've been heresy.
In his second and third seasons, Lincecum won the National League Cy Young, and his career path mirrored that of all-time greats. His fastball and his split-change and his slider were miracles of this catawampus motion his father dreamed up and implemented, one to which Lincecum took. He was Todd Marinovich gone right, an experiment with a hypothesis – throw like this and you will succeed in spite of physical limitations – and a conclusion that bore it out.
Then came 2012. Lincecum didn't just struggle. He cratered. Whereas in past years the Giants could count on him to start Game 1 and send the opposition into fetal position, come the 2012 postseason he couldn't even crack their rotation. Though he excelled in a bullpen role, it was emasculating nevertheless. Tim Lincecum wasn't a damn reliever. No matter how good he looked in short bursts, he had spent too much time atop the mountain to descend it only to turn into Sisyphus, never getting that boulder back to the top.
Lincecum is a free agent after this season, and while Saturday's effort may single-handedly ensure interested teams he is a starter – only a handful of pitchers would even dare exceed 130 pitches, let alone sniff 150 – it reinforces the notion that he will not spend 2014 beginning his outings in the fifth or sixth or seventh innings. Even if Lincecum could thrive as a super-reliever, the sort of fireman utilized to great effect in the past, the game does not work that way. Tim Lincecum is a starter, all right? A starter who throws freaking no-hitters.
Perhaps it is easy to fall back on peripheral numbers as an indicator of who a pitcher should be, as opposed to who he is, but look at the 2011 version of Lincecum vs. 2013 Lincecum going into the no-hitter, and they're not all that different, save for one number on which most people fixate.
K/9 BB/9 HR/9 ERA
2011 9.12 3.57 0.62 2.74
2013 9.39 3.69 0.84 4.61
Fundamentally, in the vacuum that sabermetrics want to fill, Lincecum is about the same pitcher this year as he was in his last successful season. He is giving up home runs at a slightly elevated rate, and his batting average on balls in play is 46 points higher, both of which in theory account for the difference between a top-of-the-league pitcher and the incarnation who coming into Saturday looked more primed for a blow-up than a no-no.
This Giants season is a disaster, and in no small part because of Lincecum. Coming into Saturday, he was 4-9 with that ugly ERA. As much as he had tried to rid himself of last season, cutting his hair and declaring it a new year and doing everything he could to recapture a past that even though he's only 29 seemed too long ago, Lincecum never could find himself, or at least the self that threw up zeroes like he was a broken binary code.
It lurked inside of him, like it did in high school in the Seattle area where they pegged him to be an anomaly and in college at Washington where he was nothing more than a breakdown candidate and even with Giants where he wouldn't last. Lincecum has spent his career representing baseball's small counterculture, and to behold it has been glorious.
Perhaps it is easy to fall back on peripheral numbers as an indicator of who a pitcher should be, as opposed to who he is, but look at the 2011 version of Lincecum vs. 2013 Lincecum going into the no-hitter, and they're not all that different, save for one number on which most people fixate.
K/9 BB/9 HR/9 ERA
2011 9.12 3.57 0.62 2.74
2013 9.39 3.69 0.84 4.61
Fundamentally, in the vacuum that sabermetrics want to fill, Lincecum is about the same pitcher this year as he was in his last successful season. He is giving up home runs at a slightly elevated rate, and his batting average on balls in play is 46 points higher, both of which in theory account for the difference between a top-of-the-league pitcher and the incarnation who coming into Saturday looked more primed for a blow-up than a no-no.
This Giants season is a disaster, and in no small part because of Lincecum. Coming into Saturday, he was 4-9 with that ugly ERA. As much as he had tried to rid himself of last season, cutting his hair and declaring it a new year and doing everything he could to recapture a past that even though he's only 29 seemed too long ago, Lincecum never could find himself, or at least the self that threw up zeroes like he was a broken binary code.
It lurked inside of him, like it did in high school in the Seattle area where they pegged him to be an anomaly and in college at Washington where he was nothing more than a breakdown candidate and even with Giants where he wouldn't last. Lincecum has spent his career representing baseball's small counterculture, and to behold it has been glorious.
When Giants catcher Buster Posey assaulted him from behind after his 84-mph split-change induced Yonder Alonso to fly out to left field for the final out, it was a reminder of how beloved Lincecum is among his teammates. They took his struggles personally, and they still do. They remember who he was, and that's easy to dwell on because when you bear witness to true greatness – and make no mistake, Lincecum in his prime was indeed that – coming to terms with a lesser version often takes too much time for baseball people to recognize.
It's why extrapolating this with what Lincecum will be is a mistake. The scouts are right: His 90-mph fastball is a liability. And the media is right: No matter how predictive peripherals prove a player whose velocity drops like Lincecum's has necessitates a change in approach, and Lincecum has shown no signs of wanting to do so. The fans are right, too: Another Cy Young for Lincecum is unlikely.
Moments such as Saturday do offer hope, and that can be plenty. For one game at least, the Tim Lincecum everyone wants to remember returned. Gregor Blanco, the left fielder who caught the final out, handed Lincecum the final ball, and it was a kind gesture that was followed by dozens more. Everybody hugged Lincecum. Blanco. Posey. His manager, Bruce Bochy. His coaches. The clubhouse manager. Everyone was happy for Lincecum. They all should've been.
On perhaps his most brilliant night yet, they all wrapped their arms around him, thankful he reminded himself that he could indeed conjure the old Lincecum. They squeezed him tight to show their affection, and in all their arms he looked so small.
Which was funny. For on Saturday, when Tim Lincecum threw his first no-hitter, never had he been bigger.
Which was funny. For on Saturday, when Tim Lincecum threw his first no-hitter, never had he been bigger.
Brian Vickers a surprise winner at New Hampshire.
By
Brian Vickers pulled into the lead late and took off on the green-white-checkered finish to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The surprise winner snapped a 75-race losing streak in the series with his third career Sprint Cup victory. Vickers drives a part-time schedule for Michael Waltrip Racing and competed in just his eighth race of the season.
Vickers made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in 2009, only to be sidelined most of the next season with blood clots. He returned to drive a full schedule in 2011 but made only eight Cup starts last season.
Kyle Busch was second and Jeff Burton third. Pole winner Brad Keselowski was fourth and Aric Almirola fifth.
Jimmie Johnson brushed off his 43rd-place start to finish sixth. Tony Stewart was running inside the top 10 at the final caution until he ran out of fuel and plummeted to 26th.
''It wasn't until the end when we started running down the 18 (Busch) and the 14 (Stewart) that I felt we had a car capable of winning,'' Vickers said. ''Then I was hungry.''
Vickers hadn't won since the August 2009 race at Michigan. He won his first career Cup race in August 2006 at Talladega Superspeedway.
MWR fields cars for Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer. But the No. 55 has been shared this season among Vickers, Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip.
Vickers' win may have put him in position for a full-time ride at MWR in 2014.
''Nothing is a guarantee in life. I learned the hard way,'' he said. ''Even when you think it's done, it's not done. But it definitely goes a long way.''
''Nothing is a guarantee in life. I learned the hard way,'' he said. ''Even when you think it's done, it's not done. But it definitely goes a long way.''
Busch and Vickers finished 1-2 in Saturday's Nationwide Series race. Both drivers had to stretch their fuel and Vickers ran out just as he crossed the finish line.
He was in a similar spot again down the stretch a race later. He had just enough to zip past Stewart with 13 laps left and didn't run out until it was time for the celebratory burnout.
Stewart wasn't so lucky a week after he finished second at Daytona.
Johnson, who won at Daytona, was mired in last place for the first time in his career after his car flunked post-qualifying inspection. For the five-time Cup champ, that was no big deal. The points leader made quick work through the back of the field and worked his way up to the front for most of the race.
He easily breezed past 71-year-old Morgan Shepherd, the oldest driver to start a race in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series.
Kurt Busch led a race-high 102 laps before he connected with Ryan Newman to end his shot at his first victory of the season. Off the restart, Danica Patrick was involved in a three-car wreck that included boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
''We're all bunched up on those restarts,'' Patrick said. ''I'm not sure if I misjudged the breaking zone or they stopped really quick in front of me.''
Vickers survived it all to win for the third time in 271 Sprint Cup races.
Driving for Red Bull Racing, his career was seriously derailed in 2010 because of clots in his leg and lungs. He had two procedures to close a hole in his heart and insert a stent into a vein in his left leg.
After Red Bull shut down after the 2011 season, Vickers hooked on with MWR. He's been driving full-time this season in the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Vickers thanked the MWR team for ''believing in me and giving me a second chance.''
Dwight Howard, from Superman to Rocket Man.
By
Dwight Howard has a new team and catchy new nickname.
''He's not Superman anymore. He's Rocket Man now,'' longtime Rockets broadcaster Bill Worrell said Saturday as he introduced the team's major free agent acquisition.
As Howard took the stage and greeted several Houston officials including owner Leslie Alexander and coach Kevin McHale, a couple of his new teammates playfully repeated his new moniker - 'Rocket Man, Rocket Man' - and were met with a huge, toothy smile from Howard.
''It means a lot to me just to have a fresh start and have an opportunity to write my own story,'' Howard said. ''I don't think people understood the fact that I got traded to L.A., and now I had a chance to really choose my own destiny, and this is the place where I chose and I'm happy about it.''
The Rockets gave him a four-year deal worth about $88 million, a year less and far below the $118 million the Lakers could have offered.
The center was formally introduced in Houston on Saturday after spurning the Lakers to sign with the Rockets. He was greeted by some of the brightest stars in team history.
Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming were among those on hand to celebrate Howard's signing. Also joining the party were Ralph Sampson, Clyde Drexler and Elvin Hayes.
He will be the latest in a storied line of centers to play for the Rockets. He has long worked with Olajuwon to improve his game, and ''The Dream'' was among the contingent that flew to Los Angeles to woo him into joining the Rockets.
Olajuwon didn't shy away from raving about his student.
''He is the missing piece where he can really bring the team to a championship contender,'' he said.
Howard joins a team starring James Harden that reached the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and battled back from a 3-0 deficit before being eliminated by the
Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6.
General manager Daryl Morey, who led the effort to land Howard, is excited about upgrading his team and knows this puts the Rockets among the preseason favorites to contend for a championship.
''I think it absolutely gives us a chance,'' he said. ''What you do this job for is to have a chance. The reality is five to seven teams have a chance any given year. The way it is in this league, you've got to have multiple All-Stars, you generally have to have dominant top players and we have two guys that we think are in the top 10 in the league in James and Dwight.''
Howard was traded from Orlando to the Lakers in a four-team trade that also included Philadelphia and Denver last year. He recovered from back surgery last season and averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds.
His one season in Los Angeles was filled with unrest, including an admission that there were times that he wasn't having fun and what many believed to be a less than positive relationship with Kobe Bryant.
The Rockets believe that will change in Houston.
''If you can be a great player and can't be happy, what difference does it make? He'll be very happy here,'' Alexander said. ''Dwight recognizes that his boyhood dreams will come true as a Rocket.''
Yao made a call to Howard to help recruit the 27-year-old player to Houston. As the most recent star center to play for the Rockets, Yao is eager to see Howard take the team to ''the next level.''
''I feel so happy that he chose the Rockets and I feel the Rockets will be the best fitting team for him because we have such a great, rich history of big men,'' Yao said.
Howard is perfectly happy dealing with lofty expectations from outsiders because he believes he should control the game every time he sets foot on the court.
''That's what I've always expected out of myself,'' he said. ''Before I got injured, that's what I did every night - I dominated the game on both ends of the floor. It's not about putting up big numbers, none of that; the biggest thing is just going out there and having fun and dominating and that's what I'm going to do.''
Of all the people the Rockets enlisted to help lure Howard to Houston, the star admitted that his new teammate Chandler Parsons made the biggest impact.
''Chandler is probably the guy you should really thank,'' Howard said. ''He's been blowing my phone up every day. He's been great.''
Howard couldn't pinpoint one thing Parsons said that helped sway his decision, but noted that they had numerous conversations about Houston's great team chemistry and the feeling of family.
Parsons, a second-round pick in 2011 who has developed into a solid starter, said he tried to sell Howard on the idea of winning.
''I just told him: 'We're going to be really good without you, we're going to win games without you. Come make us great,''' he said.
The Rockets also got a push in a rather random way.
Howard was in Aspen, Colo., while mulling his options and prayed for a sign of what he should do.
''I believe in signs ... and when I was in Aspen it seemed like everybody I met was from Houston,'' he said. ''I just had a good feeling in my soul about everything, the direction of the team, and just had a great feeling about what they were trying to accomplish.''
Though his nickname got switched on Saturday, the Rockets unveiled a Superman-inspired marketing campaign this week that features a man's torso with hands ripping back a suit to reveal a red shirt that says 'Rockets,' above their slogan 'A New Age.'
That picture along with several other shots flashed on a video screen above the stage during Saturday's introduction.
After he was done speaking with reporters, Howard and the other Rockets' stars made their way outside where the street in front of the Toyota Center was blocked off for a rally to allow fans to welcome him to Houston.
Manziel leaves Manning camp with apparent illness.
By The Sports Xchange
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was excused from the 2013 Manning Passing Academy because of an apparent illness, ESPN reported Sunday.
Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner, was serving the camp as a college coach/counselor. He missed assigned meetings and practice sessions because of the illness, camp officials said.
Some earlier internet reports stated that Manziel was sent home by Archie Manning because of "partying" but camp officials said those reports were not accurate.
The camp was at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La.
"Johnny Manziel did participate in some activities in the 2013 Manning Passing Academy as a college counselor/coach," camp officials said in a statement said.
"After missing and being late for practice assignments, Johnny explained that he had been feeling ill. Consequently, we agreed that it was in everyone's best interest for him to go home a day early."
Manziel also attended the academy twice while he was in high school.
"I enjoyed meeting Johnny," Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said. "I can remember a 20-year-old Eli (Manning) missing a meeting and catching some flak. We always have counselors who leave early. Johnny was great with the campers for the time he was here. He had to leave early. I wish him the best and I want him to come back as a counselor next year."
ESPN could not reach Manziel for comment. He reportedly apologized to camp officials for not being able to complete his obligation.
The camp, in its 18th year, began Thursday and finished Sunday morning. Manziel was sent home Saturday afternoon after he missed the morning session.
Gold Cup standings, scores and schedule.
By Yahoo! Sports Staff
MATCH SCHEDULE
Group stage
Sunday, July 7
(Rose Bowl; Pasadena, Calif.)
Martinique 1, Canada 0
Panama 2, Mexico 1
Monday, July 8
(Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.)
El Salvador 2, Trinidad and Tobago 2
Honduras 2, Haiti 0
Tuesday, July 9
(JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore.)
Costa Rica 3, Cuba 0
United States 6, Belize 1
Thursday, July 11
(Century Link Field; Seattle, Wash.)
Panama 1, Martinique 0
Mexico 2, Canada 0
Friday, July 12
(Sun Life Stadium; Miami, Fla.)
Haiti 2, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Honduras 1, El Salvador 0
Saturday, July 13
(Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah)
United States 4, Cuba 1
Costa Rica 1, Belize 0
Sunday, July 14
(Sports Authority Field at Mile High; Denver, Colo.)
Panama 0, Canada 0
Mexico 3, Martinique 1
Monday, July 15
(BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, Texas)
El Salvador vs. Haiti, 7 p.m. ET
Honduras vs. Trinidad and Tobago, 9:30 p.m. ET
(Rose Bowl; Pasadena, Calif.)
Martinique 1, Canada 0
Panama 2, Mexico 1
Monday, July 8
(Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.)
El Salvador 2, Trinidad and Tobago 2
Honduras 2, Haiti 0
Tuesday, July 9
(JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore.)
Costa Rica 3, Cuba 0
United States 6, Belize 1
Thursday, July 11
(Century Link Field; Seattle, Wash.)
Panama 1, Martinique 0
Mexico 2, Canada 0
Friday, July 12
(Sun Life Stadium; Miami, Fla.)
Haiti 2, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Honduras 1, El Salvador 0
Saturday, July 13
(Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah)
United States 4, Cuba 1
Costa Rica 1, Belize 0
Sunday, July 14
(Sports Authority Field at Mile High; Denver, Colo.)
Panama 0, Canada 0
Mexico 3, Martinique 1
Monday, July 15
(BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, Texas)
El Salvador vs. Haiti, 7 p.m. ET
Honduras vs. Trinidad and Tobago, 9:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, July 16
(Rentschler Field; East Hartford, Conn.)
Cuba vs. Belize, 5:30 p.m. ET
United States vs. Costa Rica, 8 p.m. ET
(Rentschler Field; East Hartford, Conn.)
Cuba vs. Belize, 5:30 p.m. ET
United States vs. Costa Rica, 8 p.m. ET
Quarterfinals
Saturday, July 20
(Georgia Dome; Atlanta, Ga.)
Mexico vs. Group B 2nd place, 3 p.m. ET
Panama vs. Group B or C 3rd place, 6 p.m. ET
Note: Order of matches subject to change
Sunday, July 21
(M&T Bank Field; Baltimore, Md.)
Group B winner vs. Group C 2nd place, 4 p.m. ET
Group C winner vs. Group A or B 3rd place, 7 p.m. ET
Note: Order of matches subject to change
Semifinals
Wednesday, July 24
(Cowboys Stadium; Arlington, Texas)
C1 or A3/B3 vs. B1/C2, 7 p.m. ET
A1 or B3/C3 vs. A2/B2, 10 p.m. ET
Note: Order of matches subject to change
Final
Sunday, July 28
(Soldier Field; Chicago, Ill.)
TBD vs. TBD, 4 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 20
(Georgia Dome; Atlanta, Ga.)
Mexico vs. Group B 2nd place, 3 p.m. ET
Panama vs. Group B or C 3rd place, 6 p.m. ET
Note: Order of matches subject to change
Sunday, July 21
(M&T Bank Field; Baltimore, Md.)
Group B winner vs. Group C 2nd place, 4 p.m. ET
Group C winner vs. Group A or B 3rd place, 7 p.m. ET
Note: Order of matches subject to change
Semifinals
Wednesday, July 24
(Cowboys Stadium; Arlington, Texas)
C1 or A3/B3 vs. B1/C2, 7 p.m. ET
A1 or B3/C3 vs. A2/B2, 10 p.m. ET
Note: Order of matches subject to change
Final
Sunday, July 28
(Soldier Field; Chicago, Ill.)
TBD vs. TBD, 4 p.m. ET
GROUP STANDINGS
("x" denotes group winner, "y" denotes knockout stage qualifier)
| GROUP A | |||||||
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| x-Panama | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| y-Mexico | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Martinique | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| Canada | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 1 |
| GROUP B | |||||||
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| y-Honduras | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Haiti | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| El Salvador | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 1 |
| GROUP C | |||||||
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| y-United States | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| y-Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Cuba | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
| Belize | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
Mexico advances to CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals.
Marco Fabian and Luis Montes scored goals 13 minutes apart in the first half and Mexico defeated Martinique 3-1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday.
Miguel Ponce scored for Mexico in the 90th minute to secure the win.
Mexico, the two-time defending tournament champions, moved to the quarterfinals after losing its first game of pool play to Panama.
Mexico (2-1-0, Pool A) beat Canada 2-0 on Thursday and clinched second place behind Panama and secured a berth in the next round with Sunday's win.
''There's a lot of things we have to correct, and a lot of times victory covers those errors,'' Mexico coach Jose Manuel De La Torre said. ''Winning is great, but after the victory we'll make an analysis of what we did right and wrong.''
Kevin Parsemain scored for Martinique, which lost its final two games of the tournament after opening with a 1-0 win over Canada on Saturday. Martinique finished pool play 1-2-0 and now has to wait to find out if it is one of two third-place teams to advance to the quarterfinals.
''It's very simple. Our destiny is not in our hands anymore,'' Martinique coach Patrick Cavelan said. ''We would have preferred to get our qualifications by ourselves but this is the game.''
Mexico carried the play for most of the first half Sunday and had several good scoring chances before breaking through in the 20th minute. Rafael Marquez put a hard shot on net that Martinique goalie Kevin Olimpa deflected to the top of the penalty box. Fabian, trailing the play, chopped the rebound over Olimpa to make it 1-0.
It was Fabian's third goal of the Gold Cup.
Montes gave Mexico a 2-0 lead when he sent a low shot into the left side of the net in the 33rd minute.
Martinique made it a one-goal game late in the first half when Parsemain, taken down in the box by Alejandro Flores, scored on a penalty kick in the 43rd minute.
Both teams had chances in the second half, but couldn't capitalize until late when Mexico scored. Miguel Layun carried the ball down the right side and sent a crossing pass to Ponce, who kicked it into the open net to clinch the win for Mexico.
''This was important,'' Flores said. ''We have to go one step at a time, but I think this was a very important game for us. We still have a lot of things to improve, in the midfield and on defense.''
Mexico's third goal could impact Martinique's chances of making it to the quarterfinals because goal differential is a factor.
''In the second half we were able to adjust, but we lost focus and allowed the last goal,'' Cavelan said. ''That could be bad for our qualification.''
This was the first meeting between the countries since the 1993 Gold Cup. Mexico won that game 9-0 on the way to its first of six Gold Cup crowns.
A seventh title is still possible for the defending champions.
''The objective is to go for the title and that's the commitment to keep working, to get to the final and to get the Gold Cup,'' De La Torre said. ''Pressure or no pressure, that's the way it is, that's the way we work. It's part of our job.''
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