Sports Quote of the Day:
"Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period." ~ Lou Holtz, NFL and NCAA Football Coach
Bears practice in full pads for first time.
By Larry Mayer
With an enthusiastic crowd of about 9,000 looking on, the Bears practiced in pads for the first time on an unseasonably cool Sunday morning at training camp.
"Guys really appreciate when people come out and watch us practice," coach Marc Trestman said in his opening remarks to the media. "It gets them going and gets them excited."
With players getting accustomed to wearing pads for the first time since last season, the pace of Sunday's practice wasn't as up-tempo as previous non-contact workouts Friday and Saturday.
In addition to shoulder pads, Bears players also began complying with a new NFL rule that requires them to wear knee and hip pads this season, something many haven't done in the past.
In the trenches Sunday, the defensive line appeared to outplay their offensive counterparts.
"I thought the defense had the jump start on us, and there were defensive players who had edges," Trestman said. "We have to clean up some of the things inside, and we'll do that. That's pretty normal for the first time; usually the defense has the jump and it usually evens out in the end."
After throwing three interceptions in the first two practices, Jay Cutler was not picked off Sunday. The only interception of the day came when cornerbackIsaiah Frey ripped a Matt Blanchard pass away from rookie Marquess Wilson over the middle.
"I was really pleased with the quarterbacks; they took care of the football," Trestman said. "Jay was on in terms of finishing his progressions and getting to second and third receivers. We spread the ball around a lot today again. That's happened for three straight days, and that's a good sign."
Cutler was particularly sharp in a red-zone drill late in practice, hitting receiverBrandon Marshall and tight ends Martellus Bennett and Fendi Onobun with 15-yard touchdown strikes. While Marshall stands 6-4, Bennett and Onubun are both 6-6, and second-year receiver Alshon Jeffery is 6-3.
"We've got some tall guys with some girth on them," Trestman said. "It's certainly easier to see them with what's going on up front. It's always a good thing to have guys who can run like that and have strong hands and make plays. We're lucky to have them and excited about working with them each and every day."
For the first time in training camp, the Bears conducted one-on-one drills pitting receivers against defensive backs.Joe Anderson ran a nifty route to beat Kelvin Hayden , while Wilson outleaped cornerback Demontre Hurst to snag an underthrown jump ball.
"It was a good catch," Trestman said. "This is a game of one-on-one and contested throwing battles. We talk about it every day and we look at it hard: who won the contested throwing battle? Usually that's a point of emphasis on game days. It's turnovers, it's explosive plays, and usually a contested throw on either side of the ball is an explosive play. It's going to be a turnover or a catch that's going to get you big yards. That was evident that [Wilson] has the ability to make those plays. It was good coverage; two guys going up for the ball and one guy coming up with it."
Also for the first time in camp, Bears offensive and defensive linemen battled in a one-on-one pass rush drill. Players who stood out included rookie guardKyle Long and defensive tackle Henry Melton .
"Iron sharpens iron and in my opinion this is one of the best defensive lines in the league," said guardMatt Slauson . "So it's great for us as an O-line to compete against them every day."
Defensively,Charles Tillman victimized Bennett with his patented "Peanut Punch," but the tight end recovered the loose ball. Craig Steltz later forced and recovered an Anderson fumble, returning it down the left sideline.
HGH users could be loading up for population study.
Bears practice in full pads for first time.
By Larry Mayer
With an enthusiastic crowd of about 9,000 looking on, the Bears practiced in pads for the first time on an unseasonably cool Sunday morning at training camp.
"Guys really appreciate when people come out and watch us practice," coach Marc Trestman said in his opening remarks to the media. "It gets them going and gets them excited."
With players getting accustomed to wearing pads for the first time since last season, the pace of Sunday's practice wasn't as up-tempo as previous non-contact workouts Friday and Saturday.
In addition to shoulder pads, Bears players also began complying with a new NFL rule that requires them to wear knee and hip pads this season, something many haven't done in the past.
In the trenches Sunday, the defensive line appeared to outplay their offensive counterparts.
"I thought the defense had the jump start on us, and there were defensive players who had edges," Trestman said. "We have to clean up some of the things inside, and we'll do that. That's pretty normal for the first time; usually the defense has the jump and it usually evens out in the end."
After throwing three interceptions in the first two practices, Jay Cutler was not picked off Sunday. The only interception of the day came when cornerback
"I was really pleased with the quarterbacks; they took care of the football," Trestman said. "Jay was on in terms of finishing his progressions and getting to second and third receivers. We spread the ball around a lot today again. That's happened for three straight days, and that's a good sign."
Cutler was particularly sharp in a red-zone drill late in practice, hitting receiver
"We've got some tall guys with some girth on them," Trestman said. "It's certainly easier to see them with what's going on up front. It's always a good thing to have guys who can run like that and have strong hands and make plays. We're lucky to have them and excited about working with them each and every day."
For the first time in training camp, the Bears conducted one-on-one drills pitting receivers against defensive backs.
"It was a good catch," Trestman said. "This is a game of one-on-one and contested throwing battles. We talk about it every day and we look at it hard: who won the contested throwing battle? Usually that's a point of emphasis on game days. It's turnovers, it's explosive plays, and usually a contested throw on either side of the ball is an explosive play. It's going to be a turnover or a catch that's going to get you big yards. That was evident that [Wilson] has the ability to make those plays. It was good coverage; two guys going up for the ball and one guy coming up with it."
Also for the first time in camp, Bears offensive and defensive linemen battled in a one-on-one pass rush drill. Players who stood out included rookie guard
"Iron sharpens iron and in my opinion this is one of the best defensive lines in the league," said guard
Defensively,
HGH users could be loading up for population study.
By Mike Florio
With the NFL and NFLPA finally agreeing to conduct a population study regarding the levels of HGH naturally occurring in pro football players, the players who use HGH fully realize that implications.
If they don’t, they’ll likely hear it from their non-HGH using teammates.
Per a league source, training camps currently are abuzz with players talking about the practical realities of a population study. By loading up with HGH, players will skew the results higher, creating a potential HGH buffer zone for future players.
The amount that the level artificially increases depends on how many players already use HGH and, in turn, how many of them use it heavily in advance of the population study.
The only potential downside comes from the possibility that the sample of blood given for the population study will be split, with a portion of it maintained for later testing on a retroactive basis. Still, we’re told the NFLPA “never” will agree to impose discipline on players due to the HGH in the blood given for the population study.
Thus, any player who is willing to risk a future suspension on the possibility that never doesn’t really mean never now falls in to the “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” category.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks fans get another chance to celebrate.
If they don’t, they’ll likely hear it from their non-HGH using teammates.
Per a league source, training camps currently are abuzz with players talking about the practical realities of a population study. By loading up with HGH, players will skew the results higher, creating a potential HGH buffer zone for future players.
The amount that the level artificially increases depends on how many players already use HGH and, in turn, how many of them use it heavily in advance of the population study.
The only potential downside comes from the possibility that the sample of blood given for the population study will be split, with a portion of it maintained for later testing on a retroactive basis. Still, we’re told the NFLPA “never” will agree to impose discipline on players due to the HGH in the blood given for the population study.
Thus, any player who is willing to risk a future suspension on the possibility that never doesn’t really mean never now falls in to the “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” category.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks fans get another chance to celebrate.
While general manager Stan Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville are already looking ahead to next season, Chicago Blackhawks fans got another chance to celebrate the team's Stanley Cup title.
During the second day of the annual Blackhawks Fans Convention on Saturday, one of the most popular sessions was a recap of last season's record-breaking start that had close to 1,000 fans and featured Quenneville, forward Bryan Bickell and Conn Smythe winner Patrick Kane.
The Blackhawks set an NHL record for best start to a season without a loss in regulation, going 21-0-3 before their first loss in the 25th game of the 48-game lockout-shortened regular season.
''I don't think anyone envisioned we'd have a streak like that starting the season,'' Kane said. ''People started talked about us and it kind of got the team jacked up and fired up to actually do something special and create history.''
Added Bickell: ''It was an epic start and we were just happy to be part of it.''
The Blackhawks started with 10 of their first 12 games on the road.
The Blackhawks started with 10 of their first 12 games on the road.
''We knew it was important to start off hot,'' Kane said. ''As the streak went on, we just tried to embrace every game. We wanted to enjoy it and keep winning. That's what we said before every game, to try to keep this thing going and extend it more and more games. ... Throughout those 24 games, it was a hell of a ride.''
The tone for the championship season was set in the season opener at Los Angeles, when the Kings lifted the banner for winning the Stanley Cup in the previous season.
''It certainly was a great way to begin any season,'' Quenneville said of spoiling the Kings' ceremonies with a 5-2 win. ''Getting off on that first road trip on a real positive note put us in a great way.
''When you look back over the beginning of the season, every guy was playing well. As a coach, you couldn't ask for a better set of circumstances. Everything seemed to work.''
The Hawks lost their first game in regulation in Game 25, falling 6-2 at Colorado.
''After that first loss at Colorado, I told the guys it was amazing and remarkable what we did in the first half of the season, we should be proud of what we accomplished and move forward,'' Quenneville said.
On a personal note, Bickell was asked about his pending marriage next week.
''Planning a wedding in Europe (he played overseas during the NHL lockout and couldn't help his fiancee with wedding plans) was tough, we didn't have phones, we only used emails,'' he said. ''Even during the playoff crunch, she'd be like, 'Hey, can you help me?' I said, 'No, I've got to concentrate.'
''Right after hockey was over, she was right there waiting for me to say, 'OK, let's go into wedding mode.' I've got a week left so I'm going to fight through it.''
During another session, Bowman said keeping Kane and team captain Jonathan Toews is ''priority No. 1. If you look back, those are the two guys that put us back on the map. They're incredible players ... are still young and, believe it or not, really haven't hit the prime of their career yet. We're going to make sure they're Blackhawks for a long, long time.''
The three-day convention ended Sunday.
Rankings: The top 30 starting goalies in the NHL.
By Sam McCaig
There’s nothing like a good goalie debate. And this is a debate about 30 good goalies, the 30 starting goalies in the NHL.
But first, a clarification. This is a ranking of the 30 No. 1 goalies in the NHL. Every team is represented once, no more and no less. Which means that there’s a few masked men who are not on this list who would certainly make the grade if it was a straight-up ranking of the NHL’s top 30 goalies. But it isn’t. It’s a ranking of the NHL’s top 30 starting goalies.
For example, perhaps you’ll notice that a certain all-time winningest NHL goalie isn’t listed. That’s right, we believe Cory Schneider will take over as New Jersey’s No. 1, supplanting 41-year-old legend Martin Brodeur. Of course, Martin being Martin, he’ll probably prove us wrong by winning 50 games and signing a new three-year contract. But unless he’s got a Dorian Gray portrait hidden in Lou Lamoriello’s office, Brodeur has to slow down sometime. Right…?
There are other notable omissions and difficult choices. We went with Brian Elliott over Jaroslav Halak (and up-and-coming puckstopper Jake Allen) in St. Louis. Despite his playoff implosion, we’re sticking with Marc-Andre Fleury over Tomas Vokun in Pittsburgh (although Fleury has tumbled down the rankings). Ben Bishop or Anders Lindback in Tampa Bay? (We picked Bishop.) Steve Mason or Ray Emery in Philadelphia? (Mason. Yes, Mason.) Is Jakob Markstrom ready in Florida? (Yes.)
And then there’s Miikka Kiprusoff. He hasn’t officially retired, but all signs indicate the longtime Flames netminder is calling it a career. So, we went with Karri Ramo as Calgary’s starter and the 27-year-old Finnish fill-in comes in at No. 30 on this list.
Hey, somebody had to. Remember, it doesn’t mean he’s a bad goalie. Not for a minute. After all, Martin Brodeur, one of the very best goalies in the history of the game, didn’t even make the list.
And here we go, the NHL's top 30 starting goalies:
1. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles
It’s always a debate, but the Kings goalie has been the NHL’s best puckstopper over the past few seasons.
2. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Also a ‘King,’ he’s won the Rangers’ team MVP award seven straight seasons and is the standard by which other NHL goalies are measured (taking over from a certain Devils goalie who, we say again, does not appear on this list).
3. Pekka Rinne, Nashville
What’s that? You think the Predators netminder is the league’s best? Well, there’s a very good chance you’re absolutely right.
4. Tuuka Rask, Boston
4. Tuuka Rask, Boston
The Bruins haven’t missed a beat since 2010 playoff MVP Tim Thomas packed up his mask and headed for the hills.Well, OK, perhaps Rask has one Final challenge left to match Thomas...
5. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus
5. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus
A big surprise as the Blue Jackets goalie keyed Columbus’ rise to respectability and claimed the Vezina Trophy. Now, to do it all over again and prove it wasn't freak occurrence.
6. Mike Smith, Phoenix
6. Mike Smith, Phoenix
The Coyotes haven’t had too many good-news stories in the past few years, but Smith’s emergence as an elite stopper is definitely one of them.
7. Carey Price, Montreal
7. Carey Price, Montreal
Just when it looks like the Canadiens netminder has elevated his game and is ready to push for “best goalie” honors, he takes a step backwards like he did down the stretch and in the playoffs last season.
8. Antii Niemi, San Jose
Not overly flashy, just a quietly consistent winner who might deserve to be even higher on this list.
9. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver
9. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver
Don’t forget to tune into the NHL’s most entertaining soap opera since Dallas (The Sean Avery Season.)
10. Cam Ward, Carolina
10. Cam Ward, Carolina
How valuable is the Hurricanes stopper? He was playoff MVP when they won the Cup in 2006, and Carolina went off the rails when Ward went down with injury last season.
11. Corey Crawford, Chicago
Blackhawks goalie receives the Rodney Dangerfield – that means he’s getting no respect, for you kids out there – after stellar season and leading Chicago to Stanley Cup. If he can perform at a similar level in 2013-14, Crawford will force his way into the top 10 and maybe higher.
Blackhawks goalie receives the Rodney Dangerfield – that means he’s getting no respect, for you kids out there – after stellar season and leading Chicago to Stanley Cup. If he can perform at a similar level in 2013-14, Crawford will force his way into the top 10 and maybe higher.
12. Craig Anderson, Ottawa
The Senators goalie might have been the leading Vezina candidate when a sprained ankle derailed his season. Nevertheless, he had a 1.69 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in 24 games. If you’re into stats, those are outstanding numbers.
13. Cory Schneider, New Jersey
13. Cory Schneider, New Jersey
Talk about a guard-changer. Schneider took over as No. 1 from Luongo in Vancouver last season, and now he’s unseating Brodeur in New Jersey. What’s next, chasing Patrick Roy out of Colorado and going behind the bench?
14. Jonas Hiller, Anaheim
Like Niemi, Hiller loses out because he plays in California and doesn’t get the exposure. But he’s another guy who deserves to be in the top 10 conversation.
15. Kari Lehtonen, Dallas
A top prospect who took his time arriving as a full-fledged NHLer, Lehtonen has bloomed like a Texas rose (simile!) in the past couple of seasons with the Stars.
16. Ryan Miller, Buffalo
What to do with a problem like Miller? He was in the conversation for best goalie in the world less than two years ago, then got run over by Milan Lucic and hasn’t been the same since. To be fair, the Sabres haven’t given him a lot of support. It’s an Olympic year. Look for Miller to rebound in a big way.14. Jonas Hiller, Anaheim
Like Niemi, Hiller loses out because he plays in California and doesn’t get the exposure. But he’s another guy who deserves to be in the top 10 conversation.
15. Kari Lehtonen, Dallas
A top prospect who took his time arriving as a full-fledged NHLer, Lehtonen has bloomed like a Texas rose (simile!) in the past couple of seasons with the Stars.
16. Ryan Miller, Buffalo
17. Jimmy Howard, Detroit
He didn’t get much credit when the Red Wings were stacked, but Howard’s value has become more and more visible as the stars – especially Nicklas Lidstrom – have left Detroit.
18. Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota
The Wild folded in the playoffs when Backstrom was lost to injury in Game 1 warmups. He’s 35 and has logged a lot of games over the past seven seasons, but he remains as integral to Minnesota’s success as Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
19. Brian Elliott, St. Louis
It’s been a platoon with Halak the past couple of seasons, with youngster Allen getting into the mix when injuries and poor play plagued the Blues’ top two goalies last year. But Elliott started in the playoffs and was solid despite six-game ouster against Kings in Round 1.
He didn’t get much credit when the Red Wings were stacked, but Howard’s value has become more and more visible as the stars – especially Nicklas Lidstrom – have left Detroit.
18. Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota
The Wild folded in the playoffs when Backstrom was lost to injury in Game 1 warmups. He’s 35 and has logged a lot of games over the past seven seasons, but he remains as integral to Minnesota’s success as Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
19. Brian Elliott, St. Louis
It’s been a platoon with Halak the past couple of seasons, with youngster Allen getting into the mix when injuries and poor play plagued the Blues’ top two goalies last year. But Elliott started in the playoffs and was solid despite six-game ouster against Kings in Round 1.
20. Braden Holtby, Washington
Capitals netminder is moving on up, he just needs a bigger sample size to establish his crease credentials.
21. James Reimer, Toronto
Jonathan Bernier might be in the Leafs net by the end of 2013-14, but Reimer is the team’s starter heading into the season after a solid bounce-back effort coming back from concussion and neck issues two years ago.21. James Reimer, Toronto
22. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh
How the mighty have fallen. Fleury, who has flashed hot and cold throughout his career, completely unravelled in the playoffs (again) and ceded the starting job to Vokoun. No choice but to sink him in the rankings until the still-talented Penguins goalie rediscovers his game.23. Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg
Like Fleury, Pavelec has struggled with consistency. When he’s on, he’s almost unbeatable. When he’s off, you want to cover your eyes. He turns 26 at the end of August; he’s still young and improving and should be in a higher position a year from now.
24. Devan Dubnyk, Edmonton
It hasn’t been easy to be an Oilers goalie for a number of years, and it’s even tougher when you’re thrown in and had to learn on-the-job. Dubnyk appeared to take a big step forward last season and – with a much better defense corps on a generally improving team – he has a chance to really establish his credentials in 2013-14.
25. Evgeni Nabokov, NY Islanders
A key to the Isles’ breakthrough return to the playoffs last season, Nabokov faltered a bit in the first round, allowing too many soft goals. All in all, he had a solid year, but at age 38 he’s got a lot of mileage and will be asked to play a lot of games. Can he keep up the pace?
26. Semyon Varlamov, Colorado
The Avs struggled and ended up in the West basement, dragging down Varlamov with them. Or was he part of the problem? Like several goalies on the bottom half of this list, the talent is there but it’s all about consistency.
27. Jakob Markstrom, Florida
28. Steve Mason, Philadelphia
No doubt, Mason would be No. 30 on a lot of lists. A goalie who has struggled with confidence – and performance – enters the cross-hairs that is Philadelphia’s crease? No chance, right? Yet…call us crazy, but we have an inkling this might work out. Emery, who went 17-1-0 with Chicago last season, is also very much in the mix.
29. Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay
Biggie-sized stopper might be the goalie the Lighting have been waiting on. He’ll get a shot at No. 1 job, with last year’s hope Lindback also vying for the starting position. At the very least, the Bolts have about 13 feet of promising netminding talent in Bishop and Lindback.
30. Karri Ramo, Calgary
It looks like the Kiprusoff era is over in Calgary. Ramo is the leading candidate to take over. He’s had a few cups of coffee in the NHL over the years, ultimately ending up back in Europe. The Flames are desperately hoping he figures it out this time.
It looks like the Kiprusoff era is over in Calgary. Ramo is the leading candidate to take over. He’s had a few cups of coffee in the NHL over the years, ultimately ending up back in Europe. The Flames are desperately hoping he figures it out this time.
NBA-National Basketball Association roundup.
Reuters; Editing by Gene Cherry
The Indiana Pacers strengthened their frontcourt by acquiring Phoenix Suns power forward Luis Scola on Saturday.
The Pacers will send center Miles Plumlee, forward Gerald Green and a lottery-protected 2014 first-round pick to the Suns for the 33-year-old Scola.
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Scola joins Roy Hibbert and David West on the Pacers frontline.
"I'm very, very excited to play for the Pacers," Scola said. "They are one of the top three teams in the NBA with a good shot to win a championship. I think it's a great team and this is a great opportunity. I can't wait."
Scola averaged 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season for the Suns. He has two years and $9 million left on his contract. He has career averages of 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Plumlee, a 6-foot-11, 255-pound center was selected by the Pacers with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. He played in only 14 games last year with the Pacers.
Green is a six-year veteran, who was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 18th pick in 2005.- - - -
Two-time Olympian Chris Paul has changed his mind and now is leaning toward playing in the 2016 Olympics.
The Los Angeles Clippers point guard was instrumental in leading gold-medal winning American squads in 2008 and 2012. He had seriously considered passing the torch to younger point guards like Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving until Duke's Mike Krzyzewski announced he was returning to coach the team.
"If it had been another coach than Coach K, I was prepared to be done," Paul told ESPN.com.
- - - -
- - - -
The Milwaukee Bucks are closing in on a deal with free agent shooting guard Gary Neal.
Neal's agent, David Bauman, is no longer negotiating with the Atlanta Hawks, who emerged with the Bucks as the top contenders to land Neal.
Neal became an unrestricted free agent when San Antonio withdrew its qualifying offer earlier this month. Undrafted out of Towson, he has averaged just under 10 points per game for his career.
- - - -
Four-year NBA veteran and restricted free agent Gerald Henderson has decided to stay with Charlotte.- - - -
- - - -
The Los Angeles Lakers signed former Gonzaga forward Elias Harris, who impressed the team with his play at Summer League in Las Vegas.
Harris, who went undrafted in June, agreed to a two-year, minimum-salary contract, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In five games in Las Vegas, Harris averaged 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
- - - -
The Denver Nuggets re-signed center Timofey Mozgov to a multiyear contract.
Mozgov, 7-foot-1, 250 pounds, averaged 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8.9 minutes in 41 games for the Nuggets last season. In 130 career games, including 50 starts, with Denver and the New York Knicks, he has averaged 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 12.1 minutes.
MLB roundup: Pujols' season may be over.
The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Angels first baseman and designated hitter Albert Pujols was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday with a partial plantar fascia tear in his left foot, the team announced.
It is not known how long Pujols might be out, but the problem could be season ending. The perennial All-Star said earlier this month that surgery might be required to repair the injury, which has bothered him throughout the season and was reinjured on Friday night while he was running to first base on a single.
The move was retroactive to Saturday.
The 33-year-old Pujols, who joined the Angels as a free agent in December 2011 after signing a 10-year, $250 million contract, is batting .258 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs in 99 games this season.
The Angele recalled Kole Calhoun from Triple-A Salt Lake City to fill Pujols' spot ont he 25-man roster.
---Major League Baseball could announce suspensions in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing substances case this week that would include a ban for the remainder of the 2013 season and all of 2014 for New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the New York Post reported.
The Post indicated that Major League Baseball wants to announce at one time the suspensions of all players allegedly involved before there are fewer than 50 games remaining in the regular season.
Even if he were suspended, the 38-year-old Rodriguez would still collect a $21 million salary for the 2015 season, $20 million in 2016 and $20 million in 2017.
---Florida Marlins hitting coach Tino Martinez resigned after being accused of grabbing a player by his neck and neck chain.
At first, team owner Jeffrey Loria nixed the idea of Martinez resigning, but later his resignation was accepted.
The agent for rookie second baseman Derek Dietrich contacted Marlins officials about the alleged incident, which supposedly occurred a few months ago, according to the Miami Herald. Dietrich was demoted to the minors last week.
Martinez is accused of being verbally abusive to players dating to the start of spring training. Some players have complained to manager Mike Redmond.
Baseball results, Sunday, July 28, 2013.
It is not known how long Pujols might be out, but the problem could be season ending. The perennial All-Star said earlier this month that surgery might be required to repair the injury, which has bothered him throughout the season and was reinjured on Friday night while he was running to first base on a single.
The move was retroactive to Saturday.
The 33-year-old Pujols, who joined the Angels as a free agent in December 2011 after signing a 10-year, $250 million contract, is batting .258 with 17 home runs and 64 RBIs in 99 games this season.
The Angele recalled Kole Calhoun from Triple-A Salt Lake City to fill Pujols' spot ont he 25-man roster.
---Major League Baseball could announce suspensions in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing substances case this week that would include a ban for the remainder of the 2013 season and all of 2014 for New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the New York Post reported.
The Post indicated that Major League Baseball wants to announce at one time the suspensions of all players allegedly involved before there are fewer than 50 games remaining in the regular season.
Even if he were suspended, the 38-year-old Rodriguez would still collect a $21 million salary for the 2015 season, $20 million in 2016 and $20 million in 2017.
---Florida Marlins hitting coach Tino Martinez resigned after being accused of grabbing a player by his neck and neck chain.
At first, team owner Jeffrey Loria nixed the idea of Martinez resigning, but later his resignation was accepted.
The agent for rookie second baseman Derek Dietrich contacted Marlins officials about the alleged incident, which supposedly occurred a few months ago, according to the Miami Herald. Dietrich was demoted to the minors last week.
Martinez is accused of being verbally abusive to players dating to the start of spring training. Some players have complained to manager Mike Redmond.
Baseball results, Sunday, July 28, 2013.
Reuters
Results from the MLB games on Sunday (home team in CAPS)
CLEVELAND 6 Texas 0 NY YANKEES 6 Tampa Bay 5
TORONTO 2 Houston 1
It seems like good things happen to guys like that. Put positive energy into the universe, maybe some positive energy comes back your way.
By Brooks Peck
Now if Jurgen Klinsmann can just magically heal Stu Holden's knee, he might truly be a wizard.
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you!!!!!
DETROIT 12 Philadelphia 4
MIAMI 3 Pittsburgh 2
WASHINGTON 14 NY Mets 1
Boston 5 BALTIMORE 0
Kansas City 4 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2 (12 innings)
Chicago Cubs 2 SAN FRANCISCO 1
OAKLAND 10 LA Angels 6
SEATTLE 6 Minnesota 4
LA DODGERS 1 Cincinnati 0 (11 innings)
MIAMI 3 Pittsburgh 2
WASHINGTON 14 NY Mets 1
Boston 5 BALTIMORE 0
Kansas City 4 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2 (12 innings)
Chicago Cubs 2 SAN FRANCISCO 1
OAKLAND 10 LA Angels 6
SEATTLE 6 Minnesota 4
LA DODGERS 1 Cincinnati 0 (11 innings)
COLORADO 6 Milwaukee 5
San Diego 1 ARIZONA 0
ATLANTA 5 St. Louis 2
Lateral Hazard: Hunter Mahan's $1 million decision opens door for Brandt Snedeker win.
By Brian Murphy
Brandt Snedeker attacks a golf course like a man having fun. He walks briskly, he takes no longer than 10 seconds to hit crisp golf shot after crisp golf shot, and he’s more than likely to roll in that putt, thank you very much, and darn near skip to the next tee box.
It seems like good things happen to guys like that. Put positive energy into the universe, maybe some positive energy comes back your way.
And so it was that Saturday afternoon outside of Toronto, at Glen Abbey Golf Course, at the Canadian Open, Snedeker was blistering his way to a third-round 63 when he glanced at the leaderboard and noticed something was missing.
Namely, the leader.
Namely, the leader.
By now, surely you know that Hunter Mahan, owner of a healthy 36-hole lead in Canada, 13-under entering Saturday, two up on John Merrick, four up on Bubba Watson, eight up on Snedeker and playing great golf just a week after playing in the final twosome at the British Open, left Canada moments before his third-round tee time when he got word his wife was in labor with their first child.
Imagine Snedeker’s feeling when he glanced at that leaderboard and picked up on the fact that Mahan was not only not in the lead anymore, he wasn’t even in the country.
Snedeker had to see this as an open invitation to go ahead and win the gosh darn Canadian Open, right? I mean, when the guy you trailed by eight strokes vanishes from the premises and you’re carving a tight little 63 on Moving Day, you’ve got to start thinking it’s your weekend.
Imagine Snedeker’s feeling when he glanced at that leaderboard and picked up on the fact that Mahan was not only not in the lead anymore, he wasn’t even in the country.
Snedeker had to see this as an open invitation to go ahead and win the gosh darn Canadian Open, right? I mean, when the guy you trailed by eight strokes vanishes from the premises and you’re carving a tight little 63 on Moving Day, you’ve got to start thinking it’s your weekend.
For ‘Sneds’, this had to be the golf equivalent of cruising through the players’ lounge, seeing a giant piece of peanut butter-chocolate cake sitting, untouched, in front of Mahan, and seeing Mahan excuse himself from the table. In that situation, you have no choice but to eye the cake, stop Mahan on his way out and ask, almost incredulous: “Dude … you gonna eat that?” When Mahan answers in the negative, if you’re Snedeker, well, then, dive right in. Cake, ahoy. Tuck in the napkin. Eat up.
Next thing you know, Snedeker’s Sunday 70 was enough to hold off a charging Dustin Johnson – who went right into the ditch with a triple-bogey on the 71st hole – and the kid outta Vanderbilt with the country club name, Tom Watson’s swing and a growing résumé had his second win of the year, a nice companion piece to go with February’s AT&T triumph at Pebble Beach.
Moreover, his five wins since the start of 2011 trails only Tiger Woods’ seven on Tour. He and Tiger have something else in common, too: they’re both major-less in that time. Granted, Tiger has a 14-spot of majors to fall back on, while Snedeker, at 32, has yet to win one.
But the PGA Championship starts a week from Thursday at Oak Hill, and you’d of course be silly to overlook the seventh-ranked player in the world who, statistically, is about as overall solid as they come – third in birdies, 17th in putting, 26th in greens in regulation. And he’s been knocking on the major doors for a while now, including a tie-6th at the Masters, a tie-17th at the U.S. Open and a tie-11th at the British Open just this year.
If Snedeker sticks to his game plan – fairways, greens and having leaders vanish on weekends – I don’t see any way he keeps being denied.
SCORECARD OF THE WEEK
67-64 – W/D – Hunter Mahan, 13-under, 36-hole leader, Canadian Open, Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
And a hearty congratulations and mazel tov and all that to Kandi and Hunter Mahan, proud parents of baby girl Zoe Olivia, born Sunday at 3:26 a.m. Central time in the Mahan’s hometown of Dallas. Daddy made it to the hospital in time, experienced the miracle of child birth, and now, like all new parents, has to be asking himself the questions we all ask: How amazing was that? How much more can I love my wife for being so tough and brave? How beautiful is our little daughter? When will she stop crying? Do I really have to change diapers for the next three or four years? What have I gotten myself into?
Rimshot! Just kidding, Hunter. It just gets better and better and you are a lucky man.
Next thing you know, Snedeker’s Sunday 70 was enough to hold off a charging Dustin Johnson – who went right into the ditch with a triple-bogey on the 71st hole – and the kid outta Vanderbilt with the country club name, Tom Watson’s swing and a growing résumé had his second win of the year, a nice companion piece to go with February’s AT&T triumph at Pebble Beach.
Moreover, his five wins since the start of 2011 trails only Tiger Woods’ seven on Tour. He and Tiger have something else in common, too: they’re both major-less in that time. Granted, Tiger has a 14-spot of majors to fall back on, while Snedeker, at 32, has yet to win one.
But the PGA Championship starts a week from Thursday at Oak Hill, and you’d of course be silly to overlook the seventh-ranked player in the world who, statistically, is about as overall solid as they come – third in birdies, 17th in putting, 26th in greens in regulation. And he’s been knocking on the major doors for a while now, including a tie-6th at the Masters, a tie-17th at the U.S. Open and a tie-11th at the British Open just this year.
If Snedeker sticks to his game plan – fairways, greens and having leaders vanish on weekends – I don’t see any way he keeps being denied.
SCORECARD OF THE WEEK
67-64 – W/D – Hunter Mahan, 13-under, 36-hole leader, Canadian Open, Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
And a hearty congratulations and mazel tov and all that to Kandi and Hunter Mahan, proud parents of baby girl Zoe Olivia, born Sunday at 3:26 a.m. Central time in the Mahan’s hometown of Dallas. Daddy made it to the hospital in time, experienced the miracle of child birth, and now, like all new parents, has to be asking himself the questions we all ask: How amazing was that? How much more can I love my wife for being so tough and brave? How beautiful is our little daughter? When will she stop crying? Do I really have to change diapers for the next three or four years? What have I gotten myself into?
Rimshot! Just kidding, Hunter. It just gets better and better and you are a lucky man.
Now, the question: Will Zoe always realize that Daddy passed on a possible $1.008 million payday for her sake, and will she keep that in mind when, as a teenager, she slams her bedroom door because Daddy won’t let her use the car?
Deservedly, Mahan received plaudits from around the golf world for putting family first. Times have changed, though. Just 30 years ago, players in all sports routinely missed births. In baseball, San Francisco Giants pitcher Mike Krukow once learned of his wife’s successful birth of their child by reading it on the Candlestick Park scoreboard – while he was on the mound.
Some wondered aloud if Mahan would have had the same paternal instincts were he leading the Masters, or U.S. Open. I’d think he would. There will always be another major. There won’t always be another Zoe.
Phil Mickelson set the precedent back in 1999 when he carried a beeper (so late ‘90s!) at Pinehurst to alert him if his wife, Amy, were to go into labor – while he played in the final twosome with Payne Stewart on Sunday at the U.S. Open. Lee Westwood skipped the 2001 Masters for the birth of a child. So, it has happened. What made Mahan’s more notable is that he was halfway home to a big payday and a nice win.
But via the miracle of social media, we all saw Mahan’s maternity ward photo of his wife and he and Zoe, surrounded by loving family, smiles all around. It was clearly the right call, and with $2.3 million in the bank already in 2013 for Mahan in 19 starts, I’m presuming the Mahans can afford a nanny while he takes aim at a PGA Championship in August.
BROADCAST MOMENT OF THE WEEK
“I can’t see it” – Mark Wiebe, teeing off in the dark, replayed on The Golf Channel, in Senior British Open playoff with Bernhard Langer at Royal Birkdale.
If you’re reading this column, you’re more than likely a golf junkie. And if you’re a golf junkie, you’ve more than likely tried to squeeze in that last hole well after sunset, when you have no chance of finding your tee ball. So what you do is, you hit, you hope to find it in the fairway with your night-vision goggles, and if you don’t you drop another one and keep hitting, emptying your bag of all those scuffed Pinnacles you’ve kept in your bag for just this special moment.
But for Wiebe and playoff foe Langer, there was no “Hey, I can’t find this, let’s just drop one, hit and go get dinner” moment. This was the Senior British Open! In a playoff! In the dark!
And for anyone who’s been in the United Kingdom in the summer, you know it stays light quite late, so Langher and Wiebe were bumping up against 10 p.m., which is sort of late on a Sunday to be playing major championship golf.
A couple of key notes here: One, Wiebe found his ball, because he striped it, center cut. New slogan: These Guys Are Good, Even in the Frickin’ Dark. And two, the only reason they were in a playoff was because Langer pulled one of the biggest meltdowns of the year, making double bogey on the par-4 72nd hole at Birkdale to blow a two-shot lead and allow Wiebe into a playoff.
TV cameras caught Wiebe’s face as Langer made a mess of the 18th – misplayed second shot from the fairway into a greenside bunker short; a bunker shot off the face; a missed 6-footer for bogey – and even he seemed to be thinking: “Man, what a mess. Now I have to go play nocturnal golf?”
Of course, as Wiebe and Langher are members of the 50-and-over crowd, you could make plenty of jokes about strained eyesight, driving in the dark, you name it. It ended with no resolution, either. They played two playoff holes with essentially no daylight, and both made pars, even without coal-miner’s helmets.
MULLIGAN OF THE WEEK
I can’t mathematically prove this, because it would take re-reading all of my columns over the last four or five years, and Lord knows nobody wants do to that, least of all me. But, I’m pretty sure Dustin Johnson is my all-time leader in Mullys o’ the Week.
Some wondered aloud if Mahan would have had the same paternal instincts were he leading the Masters, or U.S. Open. I’d think he would. There will always be another major. There won’t always be another Zoe.
Phil Mickelson set the precedent back in 1999 when he carried a beeper (so late ‘90s!) at Pinehurst to alert him if his wife, Amy, were to go into labor – while he played in the final twosome with Payne Stewart on Sunday at the U.S. Open. Lee Westwood skipped the 2001 Masters for the birth of a child. So, it has happened. What made Mahan’s more notable is that he was halfway home to a big payday and a nice win.
But via the miracle of social media, we all saw Mahan’s maternity ward photo of his wife and he and Zoe, surrounded by loving family, smiles all around. It was clearly the right call, and with $2.3 million in the bank already in 2013 for Mahan in 19 starts, I’m presuming the Mahans can afford a nanny while he takes aim at a PGA Championship in August.
BROADCAST MOMENT OF THE WEEK
“I can’t see it” – Mark Wiebe, teeing off in the dark, replayed on The Golf Channel, in Senior British Open playoff with Bernhard Langer at Royal Birkdale.
If you’re reading this column, you’re more than likely a golf junkie. And if you’re a golf junkie, you’ve more than likely tried to squeeze in that last hole well after sunset, when you have no chance of finding your tee ball. So what you do is, you hit, you hope to find it in the fairway with your night-vision goggles, and if you don’t you drop another one and keep hitting, emptying your bag of all those scuffed Pinnacles you’ve kept in your bag for just this special moment.
But for Wiebe and playoff foe Langer, there was no “Hey, I can’t find this, let’s just drop one, hit and go get dinner” moment. This was the Senior British Open! In a playoff! In the dark!
And for anyone who’s been in the United Kingdom in the summer, you know it stays light quite late, so Langher and Wiebe were bumping up against 10 p.m., which is sort of late on a Sunday to be playing major championship golf.
A couple of key notes here: One, Wiebe found his ball, because he striped it, center cut. New slogan: These Guys Are Good, Even in the Frickin’ Dark. And two, the only reason they were in a playoff was because Langer pulled one of the biggest meltdowns of the year, making double bogey on the par-4 72nd hole at Birkdale to blow a two-shot lead and allow Wiebe into a playoff.
TV cameras caught Wiebe’s face as Langer made a mess of the 18th – misplayed second shot from the fairway into a greenside bunker short; a bunker shot off the face; a missed 6-footer for bogey – and even he seemed to be thinking: “Man, what a mess. Now I have to go play nocturnal golf?”
Of course, as Wiebe and Langher are members of the 50-and-over crowd, you could make plenty of jokes about strained eyesight, driving in the dark, you name it. It ended with no resolution, either. They played two playoff holes with essentially no daylight, and both made pars, even without coal-miner’s helmets.
MULLIGAN OF THE WEEK
I can’t mathematically prove this, because it would take re-reading all of my columns over the last four or five years, and Lord knows nobody wants do to that, least of all me. But, I’m pretty sure Dustin Johnson is my all-time leader in Mullys o’ the Week.
There’s something so alluringly tragic about Johnson’s game. He’s got monstrous amounts of talent, mixed with heaping helpings of mental breakdowns. We were all introduced to this in the summer of 2010, when his third-round U.S. Open lead at Pebble Beach was immolated Sunday in startlingly quick fashion; and we doubled down on this when he decided to not read the local rules at Whistling Straits at the 2010 PGA Championship, and couldn’t tell a bunker from a patch of dirt.
Since then, we’ve gotten to know Dustin Johnson, in all his glory. He can win, and even did so just weeks after Whistling Straits in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He won a FedEx playoff event in 2011, too. He won at Memphis in 2012, and won at Maui earlier this year to keep his six-year win streak alive. He also keeps company with the beautiful and glamorous Paulina Gretzky, and keeps the world informed of their 20-something whirlwind trip through their hormones with Instagram after Instagram.
Put simply, Johnson can win anytime he tees it up. Or, he can implode.
Fast-forward to the Canadian Open, final round. Here came Johnson, off a Saturday 63, making his move on Sunday. He birdied Nos. 2, 5, 13 and 16 and was four-under coming to the 17th hole, tied with Snedeker for the lead. With the par-5 18th looming, and with Johnson as one of the biggest bombers on Tour, he was sniffing victory, big.
And then Dustin Johnson added a chapter to his lore. He used driver on the par-4 17th when driver wasn’t entirely necessary, and he hit what he called “by far” his worst drive of the week. It went right, way right. Way, way right. O.B. right. He made triple-bogey on the hole, and that was that.
Afterward, Johnson told The Golf Channel he’d hit driver again. Then, in that South Carolina drawl of his, he said in a sort of charming way to Scott Walker of The Golf Channel: “I guess it went into y’all’s compound, didn’t it?” Yes, the golf ball was so O.B., it did land near the TV compound. That Johnson pointed that out is all part of the Dustin Johnson persona. You wonder if he’s devastated by these events, or mildly amused, or nonplussed, or all of the above.
So, let’s head back out to 17 tee, remind Johnson that he’s good enough to win anytime, anywhere, that we’d love to see him head to the 72nd hole with a chance to win, maybe suggest holstering the driver and . . . give that man a mulligan!
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
It’s big boy time at Akron.
The World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational, at a golf course where Tiger has won seven times but not since 2009, is a mighty thing. All of the top 50 players in the world, save for the injured Louis Oosthuizen, will play. That means we get to see British Open champ Phil (Everybody’s Hero) Mickelson, and maybe he’ll replicate his Claret Jug-toting visit to Callaway and play in flip flops. Tiger will be hungry, of course.
And Rory McIlroy will be there, a week after Gary Player told a British radio station some of Rory’s decisions to de-emphasize golf and over-emphasize his love life have “perturbed” him. Listen up, Rors. When the 77-year-old guy who’s good enough and fit enough to go starkers on the cover of ESPN’s The Body Issue talks, you’d better listen.
Ryan Newman capitalizes on slow Jimmie Johnson pit stop to win Brickyard 400.Put simply, Johnson can win anytime he tees it up. Or, he can implode.
Fast-forward to the Canadian Open, final round. Here came Johnson, off a Saturday 63, making his move on Sunday. He birdied Nos. 2, 5, 13 and 16 and was four-under coming to the 17th hole, tied with Snedeker for the lead. With the par-5 18th looming, and with Johnson as one of the biggest bombers on Tour, he was sniffing victory, big.
And then Dustin Johnson added a chapter to his lore. He used driver on the par-4 17th when driver wasn’t entirely necessary, and he hit what he called “by far” his worst drive of the week. It went right, way right. Way, way right. O.B. right. He made triple-bogey on the hole, and that was that.
Afterward, Johnson told The Golf Channel he’d hit driver again. Then, in that South Carolina drawl of his, he said in a sort of charming way to Scott Walker of The Golf Channel: “I guess it went into y’all’s compound, didn’t it?” Yes, the golf ball was so O.B., it did land near the TV compound. That Johnson pointed that out is all part of the Dustin Johnson persona. You wonder if he’s devastated by these events, or mildly amused, or nonplussed, or all of the above.
So, let’s head back out to 17 tee, remind Johnson that he’s good enough to win anytime, anywhere, that we’d love to see him head to the 72nd hole with a chance to win, maybe suggest holstering the driver and . . . give that man a mulligan!
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
It’s big boy time at Akron.
The World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational, at a golf course where Tiger has won seven times but not since 2009, is a mighty thing. All of the top 50 players in the world, save for the injured Louis Oosthuizen, will play. That means we get to see British Open champ Phil (Everybody’s Hero) Mickelson, and maybe he’ll replicate his Claret Jug-toting visit to Callaway and play in flip flops. Tiger will be hungry, of course.
And Rory McIlroy will be there, a week after Gary Player told a British radio station some of Rory’s decisions to de-emphasize golf and over-emphasize his love life have “perturbed” him. Listen up, Rors. When the 77-year-old guy who’s good enough and fit enough to go starkers on the cover of ESPN’s The Body Issue talks, you’d better listen.
By Nick Bromberg
On Saturday in qualifying for the Brickyard 400, Ryan Newman was the only driver that was able to beat Jimmie Johnson. That carried over to the race too.
Newman seized the lead after the final round of pit stops with 30 laps to go and held on to win at Indianapolis by three seconds over Johnson, who lost the lead on pit road because of a slow stop.
On pit road, Johnson and team elected to take four tires and had issues with the right-rear tire on the stop, which ended up taking over 17 seconds to complete.
Newman hit pit road after Johnson did, and after seeing the struggles that Johnson's team had, crew chief Matt Borland elected to change two tires on Newman's car. That stop took six seconds and change.
"(Crew chief) Matt Borland made an awesome call," Newman said. "I've won more races on old tires and out of gas than I have with four tires and the best car."
When both drivers were back on track and at full speed, Newman had a seven second gap on the No. 48. That was more than enough to maintain despite Johnson's tire advantage.
There’s definitely disappointment there, but that’s racing and stuff happens," Johnson said. "I’ve given away a couple late in the race myself this year. We win as a team we lose as a team, that’s just how it is. I wouldn’t take another race team out there."
But don't let Newman's statement make you think this was a win solely predicated on tire strategy after Johnson's pit crew's hiccup. Yes, Johnson would likely have won had the pit stop gone smoothly, given how much he gained on Newman on the race's final stint. But if there was a team that was going to beat the No. 48 straight up on Sunday, it was Newman's.
(Random note: It's the first race since June of 2011 at New Hampshire that the drivers that started 1st and 2nd finished in that order. The winner of that race? Newman. Tony Stewart was second.)
Until the final stop, four tires had been the preferred pit strategy of choice for Newman's team every time he hit pit road. But while that put him in traffic at times because of the different pit sequences that played out throughout the race, Newman was consistently able to work his way to the front -- where Johnson usually was. Johnson led 73 laps, while Newman led 45.
Newman seized the lead after the final round of pit stops with 30 laps to go and held on to win at Indianapolis by three seconds over Johnson, who lost the lead on pit road because of a slow stop.
On pit road, Johnson and team elected to take four tires and had issues with the right-rear tire on the stop, which ended up taking over 17 seconds to complete.
Newman hit pit road after Johnson did, and after seeing the struggles that Johnson's team had, crew chief Matt Borland elected to change two tires on Newman's car. That stop took six seconds and change.
"(Crew chief) Matt Borland made an awesome call," Newman said. "I've won more races on old tires and out of gas than I have with four tires and the best car."
When both drivers were back on track and at full speed, Newman had a seven second gap on the No. 48. That was more than enough to maintain despite Johnson's tire advantage.
There’s definitely disappointment there, but that’s racing and stuff happens," Johnson said. "I’ve given away a couple late in the race myself this year. We win as a team we lose as a team, that’s just how it is. I wouldn’t take another race team out there."
But don't let Newman's statement make you think this was a win solely predicated on tire strategy after Johnson's pit crew's hiccup. Yes, Johnson would likely have won had the pit stop gone smoothly, given how much he gained on Newman on the race's final stint. But if there was a team that was going to beat the No. 48 straight up on Sunday, it was Newman's.
(Random note: It's the first race since June of 2011 at New Hampshire that the drivers that started 1st and 2nd finished in that order. The winner of that race? Newman. Tony Stewart was second.)
Until the final stop, four tires had been the preferred pit strategy of choice for Newman's team every time he hit pit road. But while that put him in traffic at times because of the different pit sequences that played out throughout the race, Newman was consistently able to work his way to the front -- where Johnson usually was. Johnson led 73 laps, while Newman led 45.
Kasey Kahne was third and Tony Stewart was fourth, capping off an incredible week for the Stewart-Haas Racing owner after hosting the Camping World Truck Series at Eldora on Wednesday and getting his first win at Indianapolis as a car owner with Newman on Sunday.
U.S. beat Panama to win Gold Cup title even without manager Jurgen Klinsmann.By Brooks Peck
Team U.S. celebrates their win over Panama in the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer final in Chicago, Illinois, July 28, 2013. REUTERS/Jim Young
The United States beat Panama 1-0 to win their fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup title, giving them their first trophy under manager Jurgen Klinsmann. Even though he was forced to watch from the executive suite as he served a touchline ban during the final. With usual rivals Mexico getting knocked out in the semifinals, the USA rolled through the tournament without much trouble — extending a team record 11-match winning streak in the process.
As perfunctory as it may have seemed for the USA, it feels like the start of a positive new era for the team. Since they last won the Gold Cup in 2007, they suffered excruciating losses in three straight cup finals: succumbing to Brazil in the 2009 Confederations Cup final after taking a two-goal lead, then losing the 2009 Gold Cup final 5-0 to Mexico and the 2011 Gold Cup final again to Mexico, that by a slightly better score of 4-2.
Though Mexico's inner turmoil kept them from giving the U.S. a chance at another rematch, Panama proved to be a worthy adversary. They kept the match scoreless until Brek Shea tapped in his second career international goal (and second of the tournament) in the 68th minute and that proved to be the difference as the home side failed to finish any of their other chances.
As joyous as overcoming their cup final demons in spite of CONCACAF's controversial decision to ban Klinsmann was for the USA, the day was not without a sad note. In the 23rd minute, eminently likable midfielder and wellspring of positivity Stu Holden, who just returned to the team before the tournament after three knee surgeries that have eaten up the majority of the last two years of his burgeoning career, sprained his other knee and had to be subbed out. When he sat on the bench before heading back to the dressing room to get examined, his show of crushing disappointment was instantly shared by all of the team's fans.
One of the most encouraging aspects of this tournament for the U.S. has been the depth they've displayed, though. Even on a roster without many of the team's top players, the fringe guys and young prospects proved they can come through when called upon. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando had an outstanding tournament, Eddie Johnson and Chris Wondolowski scored goals (which, not too long ago, was a rarity for any of the team's strikers), Alejandro Bedoya and Holden's replacement, Mix Diskerud played well in the midfield. And, of course, Landon Donovan tied it all together by coming off of his sabbatical from the sport and playing perhaps better than ever before in his career.
Yes, it's only the Gold Cup — CONCACAF's off-brand equivalent to UEFA's European Championship and CONMEBOL's Copa America — and there's still a year's worth of work to be done, filled with ever changing, overscrutinized peaks and valleys in form, before the World Cup. But for once it's hard to complain about the state of the U.S. national team. And that's just about the highest praise a fan of any team can offer.
Now if Jurgen Klinsmann can just magically heal Stu Holden's knee, he might truly be a wizard.
***********************************************************
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment