Sports Quote of the Day:
"In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept destructive criticism. Without 100 percent dedication, you won't be able to do this." ~ Willie Mays, Legendary San Francisco Giants Outfielder
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? What We Learned: The KHL isn’t going to steal all your Russians, NHL.
By Ryan Lambert
There was some talk in the immediate aftermath of Ilya Kovalchuk's “retirement” announcement on Friday about what this would all mean for the ever-dwindling number of Russian players in the league.
Would other KHL teams throw massive amounts of money at them as well? Probably.
Or at least they'd make noise about doing so. Would this prompt any of those players to leave the NHL? Well, that answer is less certain, for obvious reasons, but logic seems to dictate that the answer is "no."
The thing is that the KHL had all these Russian players already; so many went over to play there during the lockout, and were promised tons of money — like Kovalchuk was this week — to stay even after the lockout ended. This obviously would have put them in breach of their NHL contracts, something the Russian league has always seemed to care about very little anyway, and, like Kovalchuk, all but denied them the ability to ever return to North America to play professional hockey.
However noble Kovalchuk's reasons for jumping ship may have been–whether it boiled down to family or not wanting to be so far from his homeland any more or being paid $20 million a season–it must be said that, as Steve Whyno pointed out earlier this weekend, the circumstances are unique. New Jersey was obviously not happy to lose a player of that quality, but they had to be the ones to let him go, which they did because of the financial burden his contract created.
This was a team, struggling financially, that signed the player to a ludicrous, elephantine contract that made it far more difficult for anyone to swoop in and buy the team. The likelihood that we ever again see a player of this quality being allowed to duck out of an NHL contract with even a few years left before it ends seems extraordinarily low.
This was a team, struggling financially, that signed the player to a ludicrous, elephantine contract that made it far more difficult for anyone to swoop in and buy the team. The likelihood that we ever again see a player of this quality being allowed to duck out of an NHL contract with even a few years left before it ends seems extraordinarily low.
For players of any real quality, the first choice is almost always going to be playing in the NHL. Think about the players that jumped to the KHL this year alone: Derek Meech, Alexander Burmistrov, Ilya Kovalchuk.
What do you think the disparity in skill level is there? The KHL, for all the talk that it's trying to challenge the NHL in some kind of real way, remains a bit of a joke in terms of who actually plays there; it's the equivalent of baseball's AAA-quality players. Not quite good enough to hack it in the bigs, a little too good to be bussing it in the AHL.
The pay's good, too, but not as good as you'd think based on what Kovalchuk is going to get. Only 10 of the league's 26 teams spent more than $1 million on bringing over NHLers during the lockout. Not surprisingly, Kovalchuk's CSKA was way out in front with more than $10.1 million in that half-season. That club has deep pockets, as do a few others, but for the most part, these are small-time teams, and the league's newly instituted hard salary cap reflects it.
How much can you spend to put together a team there? Just $36 million, with the option to get one cap-exempt player under contract through an appeal to the league itself. Kovalchuk is just such a player, given that he meets the league's criteria as having played his previous season in the NHL and being eligible for the Russian national team.
The simple fact is that most KHL teams lose money. Estimates show only about four or five come up even every year. This is a league that just doesn't have the resources to throw anything resembling Kovalchuk money at the Evgeni Malkins and Alex Ovechkins of the world.
(Though one wonders just how willing the Capitals would be to have a Kovalchuk-like opt-out move come along for their captain in a few years if his play plummets and his paychecks stay the same).
Just look who's over there. The old joke about the complete lack of actual competition in the KHL has always been that NHL washout Kevin Dallman, he of 154 career games on three teams in as many seasons, has been the best defenseman in the league for years, with an almost Nick Lidstrom-like hold on the league's equivalent of the Norris. Look it up now and hey, there's Dallman, second in the league among KHL defensemen last season and first in goals, trailed by a bunch of 30-year-old Russians you've never heard of. Interestingly, Malkin finished third in points with 65, despite playing just 37 games to everyone else's 50ish.
Nobody alive is going to ever mistake the KHL for a credible threat to the NHL, despite its aggressive expansion and constant targeting — or perhaps more accurately, rumored interest — in every Russian-born player playing in the US or Canada. They'll lure away the kids who are discontented with sleeping in Motels 6, and they'll lure away guys who aren't getting money or opportunities they feel they deserve in the Western Hemisphere. They'll even lure away homesick superstars as long as they can guarantee him an essentially tax-free $20 million every season.
Kovalchuk is going to carve up the KHL next year, and you can take that to the same bank where he's putting his insane amount of rubles. But no one in North America, where we actually have the best hockey league on the planet and always will, is really going to notice. No one here is going to care. And no one here is going to follow.
What We Learned
Anaheim Ducks: What other Ducks besides Teemu Selanne will one day end up in the Hall of Fame? I don't want to talk out of school here but for me the discussion begins and ends with Niclas Havelid.
Boston Bruins: Alleged Boston mob boss Whitey Bulger was in Vancouver to watch the Bruins win the Stanley Cup, so now we have someone besides the anarchists to blame for everything.
Buffalo Sabres: Look at all these goalies the Sabres have. If only there was some way to have just one less. What could it even be?
Calgary Flames: Flames fans looking to not go crazy next winter need to just keep repeating a very simple mantra: “Sven Baertschi will be good soon. Sven Baertschi will be good soon.”
Carolina Hurricanes: The Hurricanes want to sign a “big name,” probably on defense. Two possibilities: Ryan Whitney and Ron Hainsey. I don't get it either.
Chicago Blackhawks: Boston College senior-to-be Kevin Hayes is one of the best prospects in the Chicago system, and during the Cup Final a few weeks ago, his mom wanted to fly a Blackhawks flag outside his house. “She was kind of nervous about getting egged, so we didn’t do that,” he explained. This was a good call.
Colorado Avalanche: The Avs' home rink is going to get a new, giant scoreboard in the near future, with 8.5 million pixels altogether. It will apparently be the “largest of its kind in the world,” which seems like it would be impossible.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Here's Blue Jackets prospect Kerby Rychel with some great advice for all you kids out there: “If you grow up loving hockey, I’d say having a dad who’s an NHL player is the way to go.” Something to aspire to, I guess.
Dallas Stars: With the Ilya Kovalchuk situation being what it is, should the Stars be worried about losing Valeri Nichushkin in the same way? They say no. Logic says maybe.
Detroit Red Wings: It appears as though the Red Wings are going to enter the season with as many as 17 forwards on some sort of NHL contract which if you ask me is about three too many.
Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers might be targeting Dion Phaneuf in a trade, which you'd have to think would cost them an insane amount. But hey, who wouldn't want to move from Toronto back to Alberta, right?
Florida Panthers: Jacob Markstrom will be signing his new contract very soon. Here's a real thing Dale Tallon said about the team's situation between the pipes: “We have Markstrom; we’re going to get signed here shortly. We got [Scott Clemmensen] and [Michael] Houser. You could never have enough good goaltending.” Or, it would appear, even some.
Los Angeles Kings: I don't know about you guys but I really like this Jake Muzzin deal. Very low-cost.
Minnesota Wild: Here's a real interesting question: Did the Wild get better this offseason? Well, they certainly got cheaper. So that's something, right?
Montreal Canadiens: No, the Habs aren't going to sign Jaromir Jagr or Brenden Morrow. Just as well, really. The wall Jagr hits every year now that renders him completely unproductive is showing up earlier and earlier, and Morrow is going to want too much to do what he does, which at this point is relatively little. So I guess let's not make a big deal of it.
Nashville Predators: Pekka Rinne says his rehab after hip surgery is going really well and he's on track to be 100 percent literally two days before training camp starts. How fun.
New Jersey Devils: Patrik Elias says he doesn't think the knowledge that Ilya Kovalchuk would quit the NHL would have affected his decision to re-sign with New Jersey. “For me the decision was bigger than one guy,” he said, probably crying.
New York Islanders: The Islanders organization recently added former Boston College netminder Parker Milner, bringing the number of underwhelming goalies in the organization to, “All of them.”
New York Rangers: Mats Zuccarello isn't far from a new deal with the Rangers. The current sticking point is the team wants to give him $1.5 million a season, and he wants $2 million. I think I know how to bridge this gap.
Ottawa Senators: The Senators have been trying for years to build something that's not directly related to the hockey team near their rink so people spend more than eight seconds immediately before and after the game there. The latest attempt is a possible casino but honestly who even knows?
Philadelphia Flyers: Ray Emery says he's fine splitting time with Steve Mason for some awful reason. The Flyers, however, should not be.
Phoenix Coyotes: Mike Ribeiro is the No. 1 center the Coyotes have been looking for, or at least he would be if he were a No. 1 center, which he is not.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Raise your hand if you remembered the Penguins acquired Harry Zolnierczyk. Okay well they re-signed him on Friday. I don't know why either of these events took place.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Raise your hand if you remembered the Penguins acquired Harry Zolnierczyk. Okay well they re-signed him on Friday. I don't know why either of these events took place.
San Jose Sharks: The Sharks drew 700 people for a rookie development camp scrimmage on a Thursday, so that's pretty impressive.
St. Louis Blues: The Blues recently hired Ty Conklin as the team's goaltending development coach but all his advice will probably be, “Listen, it's really important to be on a team that's in the Winter Classic every year,” which isn't as helpful as you might think.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Five of the Lightning's preseason games next year will be played in Florida, and if that doesn't get everyone excited to see them finish seventh in the Flortheast, nothing will.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Nazem Kadri thinks the Leafs improved in this offseason so looks like we have to start screaming at him about corsi now too.
Vancouver Canucks: Joacim Eriksson really wants to be Vancouver's backup next season by elbowing his way ahead of Eddie Lack, but if a certain you-know-who gets you-know-whatted he might not even have to win the job.
Washington Capitals: The Capitals are feeling good about their $3.9 million in cap space for next season, and that's what happens when you make no effort at all to improve your team at all.
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets signed Matt Halischuk, and in doing so took the league's annual award for who-caresiest player transaction.
Breaking Down What’s Wrong With the MLB All-Star Game.
By Andrew Liustro
COMMENTARY | It's that time of year again that many MLB fans pretend to love: All-Star week. And with the game on Tuesday comes the inevitable conversation that always devolves into a heated argument: Should the winning league be awarded home-field advantage in the World Series?
Since 2003, the rule has been in place and the AL has benefited seven times to the NL's three. This has translated into a 7-3 record for the league with home-field advantage -- a noticeable edge.
Since 2003, the rule has been in place and the AL has benefited seven times to the NL's three. This has translated into a 7-3 record for the league with home-field advantage -- a noticeable edge.
Why, then, are we allowing the rosters to be selected the way they are? Why does the team with the most wins in baseball, the Boston Red Sox, have so few representatives?
Beginning with the managers, the selection process for the game is completely out of whack. Rather than select the managers of each league's best team at the break -- the Red Sox's John Farrell and the St. Louis Cardinals' Mike Matheny -- the two in charge of the previous season's World Series clubs help determine the rosters for the All-Star game. This year, that responsibility falls to the San Francisco Giants' Bruce Bochy and the Detroit Tigers' Jim Leyland. While the Tigers are a solid team in contention for their division, the Giants have struggled.
And what about a year where a "Cinderella" team makes the World Series, such as in 2007 with the Colorado Rockies? At the break in 2008, the Rockies were a woeful 39-57, yet manager Clint Hurdle was tasked with assembling a squad who would fight for the World Series advantage.
He ended up being let go early the following season.
But let's excuse the managerial factor, because it's not hard to pick a team. Theoretically.
All-Star selection kicks off with a fan vote to elect the starters. That's right, a popularity contest. The biggest fan-bases are rewarded, not necessarily the game's best players. Michael Cuddyer is toiling away in Colorado with his .330 average, 16 home runs and 55 RBIs yet didn't even make the top 15 in voting among NL All-Stars.
Some players aren't even on the ballot. Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava is having a strong year, yet short of a massive write-in campaign, had no chance to be voted in.
In fact, the Red Sox placed only three players on the team -- and Clay Buchholz won't be playing due to injury -- despite being the AL's best team for most of the season. They've set a franchise record for wins before the All-Star break and have already nearly tied last year's total series wins of 20, falling one short with a half to go. They are a legitimate threat to represent the AL in the World Series and only David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia will be battling for home-field advantage.
Plus, every team must have at least one All-Star representative. Even the lowly Houston Astros get a player to decide the important game. Jason Castro is a good player, but not great, with numbers comparable to Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Perhaps the most egregious offense has been the phenomenon known as the Final Vote. The NL's should have been simple, but it wasn't. Yasiel Puig nearly stole the slot away from the Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman despite playing only 38 games -- about 40 percent of his team's schedule so far. The Braves have the biggest division lead in MLB and look to be cruising into the playoffs -- for real this time -- while the Los Angeles Dodgers are stuck in neutral.
Luckily, America got it right, but it wasn't for lack of trying. The support and campaigning for Puig was far-reaching. He's an exciting player, sure, and he'll get his chance, but there were better choices this year.
In the AL, Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehera lost out to the fifth-place Toronto Blue Jays' Steve Delabar. Another missed opportunity to reward the AL's best team.
With the massive emphasis on voting and inclusion of someone from every team, it seems that MLB wants to make the All-Star game about the fans. And there's nothing wrong with that. But to have such an advantage -- 58.8 percent since the current 2-3-2 format started in 1924 -- determined by such a flawed method is asinine. That the Red Sox are aiming to secure home-field with only two players and the most wins in baseball is equally absurd.
MLB must make up its mind -- the fans or the advantage. It can't have it both ways.
NL batters no match for AL's heat.
By
One by one they came out of the bullpen, hard throwers on a mission to shut down many of baseball's top hitters.
Max Scherzer and Chris Sale. Felix Hernandez and Matt Moore.
Heat and more heat.
Even with its own studs such as Matt Harvey and Clayton Kershaw, the National League couldn't match up. The AL's 3-0 victory at Citi Field on Tuesday night was an arms showcase.
''We all came tonight and we brought it,'' Scherzer said. ''You got guys who just can absolutely light up a radar gun, but not only that, throw multiple offspeed pitches for strikes.''
It was just the third shutout for the AL, following 1946 at Boston's Fenway Park and 1990 at Chicago's Wrigley Field.
Scherzer, throwing at up to 99 mph, pitched a 1-2-3 first. Sale followed with a pair of perfect innings, reaching 96 mph.
Six up. Six down.
Against baseball's best.
''I don't think I've been a part of a baseball experience like that in my entire life,'' Sale said.
The rest weren't shabby either, with Greg Holland topping out at 97 and Grant Balfour at 95. Matt Moore, Steve Delabar and Joe Nathan all reached 94, Brett Cecil 93 and Felix Hernandez 92, throwing sinkers on nine of 13 pitches.
Mariano Rivera threw 16 pitches, all cutters ranging from 89-91, in a perfect eighth remembered for his introduction, when the other All-Stars left the field to him alone during a 1 1-2 minute ovation.
The NL managed three hits and one walk for four baserunners in all. And these weren't just any batters, but All-Star sluggers with shining colored spikes and enough honors to fill two dozen trophy dens.
Carlos Beltran's one-out single to left-center in the fourth against King Felix gave the NL its first baserunner, and pinch runner Andrew McCutchen was stranded on third base when Wright grounded out.
Hernandez isn't used to warming up in the middle of a game.
''It was pretty weird. I don't feel that comfortable that way,'' he said.
''That's a good lineup we threw out there, a lot of great hitters,'' NL manager Bruce Bochy said. ''They shut us down.''
Max Scherzer and Chris Sale. Felix Hernandez and Matt Moore.
Heat and more heat.
Even with its own studs such as Matt Harvey and Clayton Kershaw, the National League couldn't match up. The AL's 3-0 victory at Citi Field on Tuesday night was an arms showcase.
''We all came tonight and we brought it,'' Scherzer said. ''You got guys who just can absolutely light up a radar gun, but not only that, throw multiple offspeed pitches for strikes.''
It was just the third shutout for the AL, following 1946 at Boston's Fenway Park and 1990 at Chicago's Wrigley Field.
Scherzer, throwing at up to 99 mph, pitched a 1-2-3 first. Sale followed with a pair of perfect innings, reaching 96 mph.
Six up. Six down.
Against baseball's best.
''I don't think I've been a part of a baseball experience like that in my entire life,'' Sale said.
The rest weren't shabby either, with Greg Holland topping out at 97 and Grant Balfour at 95. Matt Moore, Steve Delabar and Joe Nathan all reached 94, Brett Cecil 93 and Felix Hernandez 92, throwing sinkers on nine of 13 pitches.
Mariano Rivera threw 16 pitches, all cutters ranging from 89-91, in a perfect eighth remembered for his introduction, when the other All-Stars left the field to him alone during a 1 1-2 minute ovation.
The NL managed three hits and one walk for four baserunners in all. And these weren't just any batters, but All-Star sluggers with shining colored spikes and enough honors to fill two dozen trophy dens.
''It's not fun,'' said David Wright of the host New York Mets. ''You think of the broad spectrum of being an All-Star and it gets you excited. And then when you get down to the nitty-gritty and you look in there and you've got to face those pitchers, it's like, 'OK, maybe this isn't as fun as I thought it was going to be.' Every guy comes in throwing high 90s with good secondary pitches. And this is difficult.''
Carlos Beltran's one-out single to left-center in the fourth against King Felix gave the NL its first baserunner, and pinch runner Andrew McCutchen was stranded on third base when Wright grounded out.
Hernandez isn't used to warming up in the middle of a game.
''It was pretty weird. I don't feel that comfortable that way,'' he said.
Michael Cuddyer reached on a leadoff walk against Balfour in the sixth, Wright singled softly to center against Greg Holland in the seventh and Paul Goldschmidt doubled to deep right off Nathan in the ninth.
''That's a good lineup we threw out there, a lot of great hitters,'' NL manager Bruce Bochy said. ''They shut us down.''
British Open 2013 schedule: 142nd Open Championship begins Thursday.
By Mark Sandritter
(Ross Kinnaird)
When the first round of the British Open begins on Thursday, it will mark the 16th time Muirfield Golf Links has hosted the Open Championship. Live previous events, this year's Open figures to test the field of 156 of the best players in the world. While the tournament doesn't begin until Thursday, the golf world has already arrived at the legendary course.
Players began playing practice rounds on Sunday, and will continue to do so through Wednesday. Practice rounds are a way for players to get a feel for the course and how it's playing, but they can also lead to some entertaining moments. During his practice round on Monday, Phil Mickelson practiced a backwards flop shot.
Mickelson will be back on the course on Tuesday, playing a practice round with Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson. They won't be the only notable players on the course as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson are among the players scheduled to play. In addition to practice rounds, players will also go through pre-tournament press conferences.
The first round begins on Thursday morning in Scotland which means players will begin teeing off in the early hours of Thursday morning on the East coast. Players will hit the course starting at 1:32 a.m. ET with tee times continuing until 11:13 a.m. Phil Mickelson will tee off in a group with Rory McIlroy at 4:44 a.m., while Tiger Woods will play with Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen at 9:45 a.m.
Players will remain in the same groups on Friday with the field then being cut down for the weekend. Assuming weather holds out and there are no other issues, the 142nd British Open champion will be crowned in the late afternoon on Sunday.
ESPN and Golf Channel will handle the early round television coverage with ESPN carrying live coverage. When the tournament heads to the weekend, ABC will handle the bulk of the live coverage with ESPN and Golf Channel also part of the coverage.
142nd Open Championship schedule When: July 18-21
Where: Muirfield Golf Links, Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland.
Who: 156 of the best players in the world
Where: Muirfield Golf Links, Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland.
Who: 156 of the best players in the world
The British Open 2013: Pairings, Groups and Tee Times Announced for Day 1 and Day 2.
| Players | Tee Time (ET) | Tee Time (UK) |
| Peter Senior, Lloyd Saltman, Oliver Fisher | 1:32 a.m. | 6:32 a.m. |
| Robert Karlsson, Todd Hamilton, Ben Stow | 1:43 a.m. | 6:43 a.m. |
| Thomas Aiken, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Bud Cauley | 1:54 a.m. | 6:54 a.m. |
| Mikko Ilonen, Brooks Koepka, Ashun Wu | 2:05 a.m. | 7:05 a.m. |
| David Duval, Bernd Wiesberger, Chris Wood | 2:16 a.m. | 7:16 a.m. |
| Scott Stallings, Stewart Cink, Richard McEvoy | 2:27 a.m. | 7:27 a.m. |
| K.J. Choi, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jimmy Walker | 2:38 a.m. | 7:38 a.m. |
| Ben Curtis, Shane Lowry, Rafael Cabrera-Bello | 2:49 a.m. | 7:49 a.m. |
| Jonas Blixt, Brian Davis, Graham Delaet | 3 a.m. | 8 a.m. |
| Robert Garrigus, John Senden, Marc Warren | 3:11 a.m. | 8:11 a.m. |
| Martin Kaymer, Garrick Porteous, Jason Day | 3:22 a.m. | 8:22 a.m. |
| Carl Pettersson, Jason Dufner, David Lynn | 3:33 a.m. | 8:33 a.m. |
| Bubba Watson, Nicolas Colsaerts, Dustin Johnson | 3:44 a.m. | 8:44 a.m. |
| Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, Fred Couples | 4 a.m. | 9 a.m. |
| Justin Rose, Ernie Els, Brandt Snedeker | 4:11 a.m. | 9:11 a.m. |
| Ian Poulter, Keegan Bradley, Billy Horschel | 4:22 a.m. | 9:22 a.m. |
| Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Richard Sterne, Nick Watney | 4:33 a.m. | 9:33 a.m. |
| Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Phil Mickelson | 4:44 a.m. | 9:44 a.m. |
| Scott Piercy, Tim Clark, Kevin Streelman | 4:55 a.m. | 9:55 a.m. |
| Zach Johnson, Shingo Katayama, Thomas Bjorn | 5:06 a.m. | 10:06 a.m. |
| Angel Cabrera, Camilo Villegas, Tano Goya | 5:17 a.m. | 10:17 a.m. |
| George Coetzee, Ken Duke, Mark Calcavecchia | 5:28 a.m. | 10:28 a.m. |
| John Huh, Brendan Jones, Hyung-Sung Kim | 5:39 a.m. | 10:39 a.m. |
| Josh Teater, Steven Tiley, Jimmy Mullen | 5:50 a.m. | 10:50 a.m. |
| K.T. Kim, Steven Jeffress, Luke Guthrie | 6:01 a.m. | 11:01 a.m. |
| John Wade, Gareth Wright, Makoto Inoue | 6:12 a.m. | 11:12 a.m. |
| Danny Willett, Y.E. Yang, Johnson Wagner | 6:33 a.m. | 11:33 a.m. |
| Thaworn Wiratchant, Lucas Glover, Oscar Floren | 6:44 a.m. | 11:44 a.m. |
| Boo Weekley, Sandy Lyle, Niclas Fasth | 6:55 a.m. | 11:55 a.m. |
| Marcus Fraser, Grant Forrest, Mark O'Meara | 7:06 a.m. | 12:06 p.m. |
| Tom Lehman, Thongchai Jaidee, Fredrik Jacobson | 7:17 a.m. | 12:17 p.m. |
| Justin Leonard, Rhys Pugh, Marc Leishman | 7:28 a.m. | 12:28 p.m. |
| Alvaro Quiros, Kyle Stanley, Alexander Noren | 7:39 a.m. | 12:39 p.m. |
| Russell Henley, Jordan Spieth, Matthew Fitzpatrick | 7:50 a.m. | 12:50 p.m. |
| Padraig Harrington, Michael Thompson, Richie Ramsay | 8:01 a.m. | 1:01 p.m. |
| Vijay Singh, Darren Clarke, Martin Laird | 8:12 a.m. | 1:12 p.m. |
| Ryan Moore, Henrik Stenson, Steven Fox | 8:23 a.m. | 1:23 p.m. |
| Thorbjorn Olesen, Jim Furyk, Paul Lawrie | 8:34 a.m. | 1:34 p.m. |
| Geoff Ogilvy, Harris English, Stephen Gallacher | 8:45 a.m. | 1:45 p.m. |
| Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia | 9:01 a.m. | 2:01 p.m. |
| Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald | 9:12 a.m. | 2:12 p.m. |
| Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, Hunter Mahan | 9:23 a.m. | 2:23 p.m. |
| Peter Hanson, Hiroyuki Fujita, Bill Haas | 9:34 a.m. | 2:34 p.m. |
| Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen | 9:45 a.m. | 2:45 p.m. |
| Webb Simpson, Branden Grace, Jamie Donaldson | 9:56 a.m. | 2:56 p.m. |
| Francesco Molinari, Toru Taniguchi, Bo Van Pelt | 10:07 a.m. | 3:07 p.m. |
| D.A. Points, Brett Rumford, Marcel Siem | 10:18 a.m. | 3:18 p.m. |
| George Murray, Mark Brown, Justin Harding | 10:29 a.m. | 3:29 p.m. |
| Gregory Bourdy, Scott Jamieson, Shiv Kapur | 10:40 a.m. | 3:40 p.m. |
| Scott Brown, Satoshi Kodaira, Gareth Maybin | 10:51 a.m. | 3:51 p.m. |
| Tyrrell Hatton, Eduardo de la Riva, Kenichi Kuboya | 11:02 a.m. | 4:02 p.m. |
| Stephen Dartnall, Darryn Lloyd, Daisuke Maruyama | 11:13 a.m. | 4:13 p.m. |
Majority of NFL clubs holding training camp at home in 2013.
By Mike Wilkening
Here’s an interesting tidbit courtesy of the NFL: Just 13-of-32 teams will go away for training camp in 2013.
By contrast, 26-of-31 teams traveled for camp in 2000, per league data.
There are obvious advantages to staying at home and hitting the road. Some of the “home” advantages are more tangible. The most obvious plus is teams don’t have to spend time, energy and money taking their operations on the road.
The big advantage of traveling, of course, is the potential removal of the distractions of home, though whether that’s completely possible in the 21st century is another issue altogether.
For the record, the teams traveling for camp this summer are the Bears, Bills, Cardinals, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, Steelers and Vikings. The Cardinals, while holding camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, have their practice facilities in Tempe.
NFL arrest problem more about perceptions than statistics.
By Mike Florio
In his first column back from vacation (which included no arrests — that we know of), Peter King of SI.com points out the statistical realities of arrests in pro football.
The 1.9-percent arrest rate among pro football players comes in far lower than the 2010 arrest rate for all Americans, at 4.9 percent.
Writes King, “[I]t’s not so easy to simply say, ‘Too many players are getting arrested.’ Compared to what, exactly?”
His question was rhetorical, but for these purposes I’ll treat it as literal.
Compared to baseball, basketball, and hockey, for starters. Though I don’t know what the arrest rates are for the other major-league American sports, there’s a loose sense that arrests are a far bigger issue for the NFL than for the NBA, the NHL, and MLB. It would be a surprise if the rate for other sports matches or exceeds the NFL’s.
Compared to the other industries that play out in the public eye, like entertainment and politics. Again, the arrest rates for musicians and actors and elected officials haven’t been compiled and calculated, but generally speaking the perception is that the NFL stands at the top (or, more accurately, bottom) of the heap.
Finally, compared to our perceptions, expectations, and experiences. Regardless of how the numbers compare to the overall societal arrest rate for all persons, most arrests don’t make headlines or spark debates And we expect men with more to lose and greater resources to avoid losing it to behave better than folks who are churning through the jails and courts and probation offices, skewing the total rate via multiple and repeated arrests and re-arrests and re-re-arrests.
In this regard, the NFL is a victim of its own success. Because the game is so popular, anything and everything that happens to anyone who plays the game or who is involved in playing the game gets extra attention and scrutiny. Though the goal should be zero arrests, the periodic bad publicity is a small price to pay for the NFL’s ever-growing profile and profits.
Especially since there’s still no reason to think that the “problem” has in any way affected the league’s popularity.
NBA-National Basketball Association roundup.
By contrast, 26-of-31 teams traveled for camp in 2000, per league data.
There are obvious advantages to staying at home and hitting the road. Some of the “home” advantages are more tangible. The most obvious plus is teams don’t have to spend time, energy and money taking their operations on the road.
The big advantage of traveling, of course, is the potential removal of the distractions of home, though whether that’s completely possible in the 21st century is another issue altogether.
For the record, the teams traveling for camp this summer are the Bears, Bills, Cardinals, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, Steelers and Vikings. The Cardinals, while holding camp at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, have their practice facilities in Tempe.
NFL arrest problem more about perceptions than statistics.
By Mike Florio
(Getty Images)
The 1.9-percent arrest rate among pro football players comes in far lower than the 2010 arrest rate for all Americans, at 4.9 percent.
Writes King, “[I]t’s not so easy to simply say, ‘Too many players are getting arrested.’ Compared to what, exactly?”
His question was rhetorical, but for these purposes I’ll treat it as literal.
Compared to baseball, basketball, and hockey, for starters. Though I don’t know what the arrest rates are for the other major-league American sports, there’s a loose sense that arrests are a far bigger issue for the NFL than for the NBA, the NHL, and MLB. It would be a surprise if the rate for other sports matches or exceeds the NFL’s.
Compared to the other industries that play out in the public eye, like entertainment and politics. Again, the arrest rates for musicians and actors and elected officials haven’t been compiled and calculated, but generally speaking the perception is that the NFL stands at the top (or, more accurately, bottom) of the heap.
Finally, compared to our perceptions, expectations, and experiences. Regardless of how the numbers compare to the overall societal arrest rate for all persons, most arrests don’t make headlines or spark debates And we expect men with more to lose and greater resources to avoid losing it to behave better than folks who are churning through the jails and courts and probation offices, skewing the total rate via multiple and repeated arrests and re-arrests and re-re-arrests.
In this regard, the NFL is a victim of its own success. Because the game is so popular, anything and everything that happens to anyone who plays the game or who is involved in playing the game gets extra attention and scrutiny. Though the goal should be zero arrests, the periodic bad publicity is a small price to pay for the NFL’s ever-growing profile and profits.
Especially since there’s still no reason to think that the “problem” has in any way affected the league’s popularity.
NBA-National Basketball Association roundup.
Reuters; Editing by Frank Pingue
Metta World Peace has agreed to a two-year contract with the New York Knicks, multiple media outlets reported Monday.
Olajuwon is the Rockets' all-time leading scorer. The 50-year-old will not likely be with the team on a daily basis, general manager Daryl Morey said.
- -
Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose said that he is 100 percent healthy and will play the first game of this season, according to Hoops Hype.
Rose, who had ACL surgery after injuring his knee in the 2012 playoffs, was medically cleared in February but said he would not play until he feels ready.
- -
The Atlanta Hawks signed forward/center Elton Brand, the team announced.
Oden was scheduled to meet with the Mavericks on Monday. The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are considered the favorites to land Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were also interested in Oden but are no longer considering him after signing Andrew Bynum last week.
- -
The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed guard Tony Allen and forward Jon Leuer to multi-year contracts, the team announced.
- -
Bynum averaged 9.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.7 steals in a career-high 65 games last season.
Datome, 25, has played professionally in Italy since 2003.
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NASCAR to automate rulebook, codify penalties.
World Peace, who cleared waivers Sunday after being amnestied by the Los Angeles Lakers, confirmed the deal himself in an interview with MSG Network.
ESPNNewYork.com reported that the first year of the deal is guaranteed and is worth about $1.6 million per season. It includes a player option for the second year.
Last season for the Lakers, World Peace, 33, averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 75 games, including 66 starts.
- -
Hakeem Olajuwon has been hired to work closely with Dwight Howard and the rest of the Houston Rockets' big men this season.
Olajuwon is the Rockets' all-time leading scorer. The 50-year-old will not likely be with the team on a daily basis, general manager Daryl Morey said.
- -
The Rockets signed second-round draft pick Isaiah Canaan and agreed to terms with rookie free agents Robert Covington and B.J. Young, the team announced.
- -Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose said that he is 100 percent healthy and will play the first game of this season, according to Hoops Hype.
Rose, who had ACL surgery after injuring his knee in the 2012 playoffs, was medically cleared in February but said he would not play until he feels ready.
- -
The Atlanta Hawks signed forward/center Elton Brand, the team announced.
Terms were not disclosed by the Hawks, but ESPN reported that it is a one-year contract.
Brand, 34, averaged 7.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assists in 21.2 minutes in 72 games last season with the Dallas Mavericks.
- -
- -
The Sacramento Kings announced that they signed free agent forward Carl Landry to a multi-year contract.
Landry returns to Sacramento after playing for the Golden State Warriors last season. He averaged 10.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 81 games as a backup power forward.
- -
- -
Free-agent center Greg Oden is meeting with the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas this week, according to ESPN.
Oden was scheduled to meet with the Mavericks on Monday. The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are considered the favorites to land Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were also interested in Oden but are no longer considering him after signing Andrew Bynum last week.
- -
The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed guard Tony Allen and forward Jon Leuer to multi-year contracts, the team announced.
- -
The Detroit Pistons announced they re-signed guard Will Bynum and signed free agent forward Luigi Datome to multi-year contracts.
Bynum averaged 9.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.7 steals in a career-high 65 games last season.
Datome, 25, has played professionally in Italy since 2003.
- -
The Lakers signed free agent forward Wesley Johnson, the team announced. The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that it is a one-year deal.
Last season, Johnson averaged 8.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.1 minutes over 50 games for the Phoenix Suns.
By
NASCAR plans to automate its rule book and revamp its appeals process in a wide-ranging effort to bring more clarity to race teams and fans.
The governing body outlined several initiatives Monday it expects to implement in its three major series before the start of the 2015 racing season. The effort started eight months ago and will be an ongoing process to keep up with technology and fan interests, said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.
''I think it's a change in how we do business moving forward,'' O'Donnell said.
That includes converting its rule book from a word document to computer automated-design drawings that can be easily accessed by race shops to see what's allowed and what isn't. Penalties will be specifically spelled out for each type of infraction. When a rule is broken and a team appeals, NASCAR wants more experts on the panel instead of some who might not have as strong a background regarding the infraction.
''I think we put some people in somewhat tough positions'' at hearing appeals, O'Donnell acknowledged. ''We owe it to the industry to have experts sit in on that and make proper rulings.''
O'Donnell also discussed innovations geared to the racing fans. He said NASCAR wanted to keep in synch with what people drive on the streets so their experience can match somewhat with their favorite Sprint Cup driver on the track.
The Sprint Cup and the truck series are off this week with the Nationwide Series in action at the STP 300 in Joliet, Ill.
Another area was shifting more inspection responsibility to NASCAR's Research & Development operation away from the track, freeing up more time for race teams to practice instead of waiting to have their cars looked at. NASCAR inspectors, who are assigned to individual series, in the future would be trained to handle all events, either in Sprint Cup, Nationwide or Camping World trucks.
There might also be locked-in times for on-track inspections, meaning fans would know when their favorite cars are getting put under the microscope and be on hand to watch.
O'Donnell said NASCAR would also improve information fans can access about pit stops, although he wasn't yet sure if it would be limited to online access, a component at each track for fans at the stands, or both.
O'Donnell said the effort has the full backing of NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France, who understood the significant investment it would take to make these changes. ''It's a big spend on our part. We're aware of that,'' O'Donnell said. ''We want to position NASCAR for the future.''
A big part of that will certainly be altering the rule book, which NASCAR vice president for innovation and racing development Gene Stefanyshyn said would likely include a line-by-line review of current guidelines. ''We need to take the text and turn it into drawings,'' he said. ''It's a fairly significant undertaking.''
Once in place, though, it should give race teams the most-up-to-date schematics about the cars they build and keep them NASCAR compliant. Guidelines call for a more transparent approval process on acceptable parts, as well.
O'Donnell said standardizing penalties would take away some of the gray areas teams argue are part of the current rule book. NASCAR won't give race shops more leeway, he said, and the most significant infractions will still merit harsh penalties.
''You mess with tires, you mess with engines, those are the big ones,'' he said.
''I think although it's a bit of a culture change for NASCAR, when you look at the emergence of the Gen-6 car, we view that as a big success,'' O'Donnell said.
''We think we've got a really solid plan,'' O'Donnell says, ''but it would be unfair for us to say we are adamantly putting these in place without having all those conversations at this point.''
Shea's late goal lifts US past Costa Rica, 1-0.
The governing body outlined several initiatives Monday it expects to implement in its three major series before the start of the 2015 racing season. The effort started eight months ago and will be an ongoing process to keep up with technology and fan interests, said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.
''I think it's a change in how we do business moving forward,'' O'Donnell said.
That includes converting its rule book from a word document to computer automated-design drawings that can be easily accessed by race shops to see what's allowed and what isn't. Penalties will be specifically spelled out for each type of infraction. When a rule is broken and a team appeals, NASCAR wants more experts on the panel instead of some who might not have as strong a background regarding the infraction.
''I think we put some people in somewhat tough positions'' at hearing appeals, O'Donnell acknowledged. ''We owe it to the industry to have experts sit in on that and make proper rulings.''
O'Donnell also discussed innovations geared to the racing fans. He said NASCAR wanted to keep in synch with what people drive on the streets so their experience can match somewhat with their favorite Sprint Cup driver on the track.
The Sprint Cup and the truck series are off this week with the Nationwide Series in action at the STP 300 in Joliet, Ill.
Another area was shifting more inspection responsibility to NASCAR's Research & Development operation away from the track, freeing up more time for race teams to practice instead of waiting to have their cars looked at. NASCAR inspectors, who are assigned to individual series, in the future would be trained to handle all events, either in Sprint Cup, Nationwide or Camping World trucks.
There might also be locked-in times for on-track inspections, meaning fans would know when their favorite cars are getting put under the microscope and be on hand to watch.
O'Donnell said NASCAR would also improve information fans can access about pit stops, although he wasn't yet sure if it would be limited to online access, a component at each track for fans at the stands, or both.
O'Donnell said the effort has the full backing of NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France, who understood the significant investment it would take to make these changes. ''It's a big spend on our part. We're aware of that,'' O'Donnell said. ''We want to position NASCAR for the future.''
A big part of that will certainly be altering the rule book, which NASCAR vice president for innovation and racing development Gene Stefanyshyn said would likely include a line-by-line review of current guidelines. ''We need to take the text and turn it into drawings,'' he said. ''It's a fairly significant undertaking.''
Once in place, though, it should give race teams the most-up-to-date schematics about the cars they build and keep them NASCAR compliant. Guidelines call for a more transparent approval process on acceptable parts, as well.
O'Donnell said standardizing penalties would take away some of the gray areas teams argue are part of the current rule book. NASCAR won't give race shops more leeway, he said, and the most significant infractions will still merit harsh penalties.
''You mess with tires, you mess with engines, those are the big ones,'' he said.
O'Donnell said NASCAR worked successfully with race teams and manufacturers on the current Gen-6 car. He said these changes take another step at keeping the sport moving forward.
''I think although it's a bit of a culture change for NASCAR, when you look at the emergence of the Gen-6 car, we view that as a big success,'' O'Donnell said.
NASCAR hopes to build on that with its newest efforts, and is continuing to talk with industry leaders and race teams about these initiatives.
''We think we've got a really solid plan,'' O'Donnell says, ''but it would be unfair for us to say we are adamantly putting these in place without having all those conversations at this point.''
Shea's late goal lifts US past Costa Rica, 1-0.
By
Brek Shea didn't expect to get off the bench Tuesday night. When he did, he grabbed the role of hero for the United States.
Shea, who struggled in an earlier Gold Cup appearance, scored his first international goal off a feed from Landon Donovan in the 82nd minute, giving the United States a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica and the top spot in its group.
Seconds after Sean Johnson made a brilliant save off a corner kick, Joe Corona cleared the ball, setting up the winning sequence. The veteran Donovan, trying to work his way back into a starring role on the national team after a self-imposed hiatus, took the ball on the right side. He quickly spotted Shea, who came on just five minutes earlier, streaking down the middle.
Donovan's pass hit Shea in stride, and the Stoke City player sent a left-footed shot from 15 yards off goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton for the winner, the Americans' eighth straight victory, a team record.
''It's good,'' Shea said, downplaying his massive contribution after struggling earlier in the tournament. ''First U.S. goal, only goal of the game, it wins the group. Really good.
''I still prepare the same way, but honestly, no,'' he added when asked if he thought coach Jurgen Klinsmann would use him.
Klinsmann did call on Shea, showing faith in a player who has had his ups and downs in the national program.
''We have a lot of young players coming through the ranks,'' Klinsmann said. ''All these players, we need to carefully build them and support them when things go wrong. Eventually, it will pay off.''
The Americans will play El Salvador in the quarterfinals Sunday in Baltimore, while Costa Rica meets Honduras in the knockout round.
Shea's goal broke a 785-minute string without being scored upon for Costa Rica. It followed Johnson, considered a fourth-stringer at best in the net for the United States, making a clutch stop on Carlos Johnson.
''Once I made the save, we just tried to get it out of there,'' Sean Johnson said. ''Then I saw it cleared and we're breaking the other way. It created an opportunity and we finished it.''
The match was played in slightly different conditions than the last time the nations met. That was in a blizzard in Denver, with the United States edging Costa Rica 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier. Tuesday night, there was plenty of moisture on the pitch just before kickoff, but it came from sprinklers trying to keep the turf in shape during a northeastern heat wave.
With both sides already having clinched moving on in the CONCACAF championship, not much happened offensively until late in the match in front of 25,432.
Early in the second half, Costa Rica captain Pemberton came out of his net, collided with a teammate outside the area and then had the ball hit him squarely in the hands.
He was given only a yellow card, however, then immediately made saves on Jose Torres' curling free kick and Donovan's shot off a rebound.
That sequence opened up play for a while, but then it deteriorated into sloppiness and some roughness in midfield between teams with no love lost.
U.S. captain DaMarcus Beasley took a nasty spill and was run over by Rodney Wallace early in the match. A woozy Beasley sat out three minutes before returning - and almost immediately stripped the ball from Wallace.
His teammates struggled to link up, showing their lack of familiarity with each other, through the first 20 minutes. Klinsmann's charge is to find the right combinations to get the Americans into the World Cup - they lead CONCACAF qualifying through six games with 13 points, while Costa Rica is next with 11 - and then perform well in Brazil. He's using the Gold Cup to test as many players as possible, while giving most of the national team regulars who have done so well in qualifying a breather.
''It's good giving them a taste of these kind of battles,'' Klinsmann said of using multiple lineups. ''We'll keep on building this and giving them opportunities whenever possible.''
Costa Rica played a tightly packed defensive style for much of the match, but coach Jorge Luis Pinto felt his players handled themselves well.
''The only thing we lacked was getting the goal,'' Pinto said. ''The United States got the goal, we didn't.''
Notes: The other quarterfinals have Mexico vs. Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba vs. Panama on Saturday in Atlanta. ... Costa Rica had won eight straight internationals. ... The shutout was the first against the Ticos in 12 Gold Cup matches. ... The United States is 13-12-6 all-time against Costa Rica.
Rui Costa wins 16th stage of Tour de France.
By
Shea, who struggled in an earlier Gold Cup appearance, scored his first international goal off a feed from Landon Donovan in the 82nd minute, giving the United States a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica and the top spot in its group.
Seconds after Sean Johnson made a brilliant save off a corner kick, Joe Corona cleared the ball, setting up the winning sequence. The veteran Donovan, trying to work his way back into a starring role on the national team after a self-imposed hiatus, took the ball on the right side. He quickly spotted Shea, who came on just five minutes earlier, streaking down the middle.
Donovan's pass hit Shea in stride, and the Stoke City player sent a left-footed shot from 15 yards off goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton for the winner, the Americans' eighth straight victory, a team record.
''It's good,'' Shea said, downplaying his massive contribution after struggling earlier in the tournament. ''First U.S. goal, only goal of the game, it wins the group. Really good.
''I still prepare the same way, but honestly, no,'' he added when asked if he thought coach Jurgen Klinsmann would use him.
Klinsmann did call on Shea, showing faith in a player who has had his ups and downs in the national program.
''We have a lot of young players coming through the ranks,'' Klinsmann said. ''All these players, we need to carefully build them and support them when things go wrong. Eventually, it will pay off.''
The Americans will play El Salvador in the quarterfinals Sunday in Baltimore, while Costa Rica meets Honduras in the knockout round.
Shea's goal broke a 785-minute string without being scored upon for Costa Rica. It followed Johnson, considered a fourth-stringer at best in the net for the United States, making a clutch stop on Carlos Johnson.
''Once I made the save, we just tried to get it out of there,'' Sean Johnson said. ''Then I saw it cleared and we're breaking the other way. It created an opportunity and we finished it.''
The match was played in slightly different conditions than the last time the nations met. That was in a blizzard in Denver, with the United States edging Costa Rica 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier. Tuesday night, there was plenty of moisture on the pitch just before kickoff, but it came from sprinklers trying to keep the turf in shape during a northeastern heat wave.
With both sides already having clinched moving on in the CONCACAF championship, not much happened offensively until late in the match in front of 25,432.
Early in the second half, Costa Rica captain Pemberton came out of his net, collided with a teammate outside the area and then had the ball hit him squarely in the hands.
He was given only a yellow card, however, then immediately made saves on Jose Torres' curling free kick and Donovan's shot off a rebound.
That sequence opened up play for a while, but then it deteriorated into sloppiness and some roughness in midfield between teams with no love lost.
U.S. captain DaMarcus Beasley took a nasty spill and was run over by Rodney Wallace early in the match. A woozy Beasley sat out three minutes before returning - and almost immediately stripped the ball from Wallace.
His teammates struggled to link up, showing their lack of familiarity with each other, through the first 20 minutes. Klinsmann's charge is to find the right combinations to get the Americans into the World Cup - they lead CONCACAF qualifying through six games with 13 points, while Costa Rica is next with 11 - and then perform well in Brazil. He's using the Gold Cup to test as many players as possible, while giving most of the national team regulars who have done so well in qualifying a breather.
''It's good giving them a taste of these kind of battles,'' Klinsmann said of using multiple lineups. ''We'll keep on building this and giving them opportunities whenever possible.''
Neither goalkeeper was particularly threatened until U.S. defender Clarence Goodson got free on the left side of the box late in the first half. His left-footed drive was deflected out of bounds by the defense.
Costa Rica played a tightly packed defensive style for much of the match, but coach Jorge Luis Pinto felt his players handled themselves well.
''The only thing we lacked was getting the goal,'' Pinto said. ''The United States got the goal, we didn't.''
Notes: The other quarterfinals have Mexico vs. Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba vs. Panama on Saturday in Atlanta. ... Costa Rica had won eight straight internationals. ... The shutout was the first against the Ticos in 12 Gold Cup matches. ... The United States is 13-12-6 all-time against Costa Rica.
Rui Costa wins 16th stage of Tour de France.
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