Sports Quote of the Day:
"Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it." ~ George Halas, Chicago Bears Owner, Coach and Founding Member of the NFL
NFL-National Football League roundup.
Reuters; Editing by Gene Cherry
The Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson has lofty goals, but none is loftier than Emmitt Smith's NFL career rushing record. The reigning league most valuable player said he would pass Smith during the 2017 season, and even has a date in mind, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Peterson, 28, rushed for 2,097 yards last season, eight yards fewer than Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105. His goal for this season is to reach 2,500 yards.
Peterson currently has 8,849 yards. By his estimate, he would need to average 120.3 yards per game over a 79-game span to collect the 9,507 yards needed.
"Whoo. That's pushing it, huh? But hey, pushing it is the only way to do it. You know it," he told the Star-Tribune.
- - - -
With 215 receptions and 25 touchdowns in his first three seasons, New Orleans Saints fourth-year tight end Jimmy Graham has clearly out-performed the rookie contract he signed in 2010 and will likely become the highest-paid tight end either this fall or next spring.
But while some players in his situation would have at least been tempted to hold out and skip training camp to get a contract extension to ensure his long-term financial security, Graham reported on time last week.
Graham is scheduled to earn $1.323 million in base salary this season after making $540,000 a year ago.
- - - -
"Ninety-nine percent of Tebow's activity during his time with the Patriots has been spent learning to play quarterback in the team's system," writes the Globe's Ben Volin.
He sat out Sunday's practice because of that injury, and on Monday, he left training camp to have the foot examined.
Trey Dolezal, the attorney for former NFL quarterback Vince Young, said a Houston judge could rule to uphold a restraining order filed to prevent further assessment of Young's assets.
"Judge Matthews has the ball," Dolezal told The Sports Xchange by phone Tuesday, referring to Harris County District Court Judge Sylvia Matthews in Houston. "There has been no order for an auction or collection of assets."
Dolezal is familiar with Matthews, who is also handling the complaint against Young's former financial advisor, Ron Peoples. Young filed a civil complaint claiming he lost more than $5 million while Peoples Financial Service was managing his assets along with former agent Major Adams when Young signed a five-year, $54 million rookie contract.
Constables were sent to his Houston estate to assess his assets, but Dolezal denied that action is precursor to auction.
He also said Young is not at or near bankruptcy, nor is he being forced to liquidate assets to meet the $1.7 million judgment that exists due to what Dolezal insists was a "conspiracy" high-risk loan hatched by New York-based Pro Player Funding in 2011.
The short-term loan was for $1.695 million with a 20 percent interest rate adjustable to 30 percent if any payments were missed.
He said Tuesday that Young was taken into a room to sign three documents for a financial matter, not knowing he'd agreed to a loan that, Dolezal said, wasn't created on paper for another three weeks after the date Young signed.
Dolezal said Young has no intention to repay any part of the loan.
"We're still in controversy; there is no judgment," he said. "You don't get to collect -- in statuatory and case law -- while in controversy."
Pro Player said it obtained a judgment in July 2012.
The binding document in the conflict is a signature page known as an affidavit of collection of judgment. In New York, the document eliminates the legalities of the collections process. The single page entered into court can essentially be the starting blocks and finish line for collectors.
Young's legal team countered with a petition to vacate, and Pro Player followed with a "motion to compel" or hold Young to the documents he claims he was duped into signing.
The domestication judgment in Texas might not be the last word in the matter.
Dolezal said the case against Pro Player would be in appellate court if Matthews decides to side with "the loan sharks."
"She could rule against Vince -- to view this is final until a judge in New York says it isn't," Dolezal said. "We immediately appeal in that scenario."
Given media interest and Young's profile, a decision could come this week.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? NHL teams, players avoid arbitration hearings in 2013.
The Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson has lofty goals, but none is loftier than Emmitt Smith's NFL career rushing record. The reigning league most valuable player said he would pass Smith during the 2017 season, and even has a date in mind, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Peterson, 28, rushed for 2,097 yards last season, eight yards fewer than Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105. His goal for this season is to reach 2,500 yards.
As for Smith's mark of 18,355 yards, Peterson told the paper that he can get there by Week 16 of the 2017 season, well ahead of his current pace of Week Four of 2019.
Peterson currently has 8,849 yards. By his estimate, he would need to average 120.3 yards per game over a 79-game span to collect the 9,507 yards needed.
"Whoo. That's pushing it, huh? But hey, pushing it is the only way to do it. You know it," he told the Star-Tribune.
- - - -
With 215 receptions and 25 touchdowns in his first three seasons, New Orleans Saints fourth-year tight end Jimmy Graham has clearly out-performed the rookie contract he signed in 2010 and will likely become the highest-paid tight end either this fall or next spring.
But while some players in his situation would have at least been tempted to hold out and skip training camp to get a contract extension to ensure his long-term financial security, Graham reported on time last week.
Graham is scheduled to earn $1.323 million in base salary this season after making $540,000 a year ago.
- - - -
While New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick continues to dance around how he will employ Tim Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner appears to be settling in at quarterback, according to a Boston Globe report.
"Ninety-nine percent of Tebow's activity during his time with the Patriots has been spent learning to play quarterback in the team's system," writes the Globe's Ben Volin.
"He has only spent time in the quarterback meeting room, he wears a red non-contact jersey on the field and he runs the third-team offense during team drills."
- - - -
The injured foot of Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams seems to be a growing concern.
He sat out Sunday's practice because of that injury, and on Monday, he left training camp to have the foot examined.
"He's going to be evaluated by our doctors, so he's off campus being evaluated," head coach Doug Marrone said, according to The Buffalo News. "I have not heard any report yet.
Williams is entering the second year of his $96 million contract. He had 10.5 sacks for the Bills last season.
- - - -Trey Dolezal, the attorney for former NFL quarterback Vince Young, said a Houston judge could rule to uphold a restraining order filed to prevent further assessment of Young's assets.
"Judge Matthews has the ball," Dolezal told The Sports Xchange by phone Tuesday, referring to Harris County District Court Judge Sylvia Matthews in Houston. "There has been no order for an auction or collection of assets."
Dolezal is familiar with Matthews, who is also handling the complaint against Young's former financial advisor, Ron Peoples. Young filed a civil complaint claiming he lost more than $5 million while Peoples Financial Service was managing his assets along with former agent Major Adams when Young signed a five-year, $54 million rookie contract.
Constables were sent to his Houston estate to assess his assets, but Dolezal denied that action is precursor to auction.
He also said Young is not at or near bankruptcy, nor is he being forced to liquidate assets to meet the $1.7 million judgment that exists due to what Dolezal insists was a "conspiracy" high-risk loan hatched by New York-based Pro Player Funding in 2011.
The short-term loan was for $1.695 million with a 20 percent interest rate adjustable to 30 percent if any payments were missed.
He said Tuesday that Young was taken into a room to sign three documents for a financial matter, not knowing he'd agreed to a loan that, Dolezal said, wasn't created on paper for another three weeks after the date Young signed.
Dolezal said Young has no intention to repay any part of the loan.
"We're still in controversy; there is no judgment," he said. "You don't get to collect -- in statuatory and case law -- while in controversy."
Pro Player said it obtained a judgment in July 2012.
The binding document in the conflict is a signature page known as an affidavit of collection of judgment. In New York, the document eliminates the legalities of the collections process. The single page entered into court can essentially be the starting blocks and finish line for collectors.
Young's legal team countered with a petition to vacate, and Pro Player followed with a "motion to compel" or hold Young to the documents he claims he was duped into signing.
The domestication judgment in Texas might not be the last word in the matter.
Dolezal said the case against Pro Player would be in appellate court if Matthews decides to side with "the loan sharks."
"She could rule against Vince -- to view this is final until a judge in New York says it isn't," Dolezal said. "We immediately appeal in that scenario."
Given media interest and Young's profile, a decision could come this week.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? NHL teams, players avoid arbitration hearings in 2013.
By Matt Brigidi
All 21 players who filed for arbitration hearings settled prior to a hearing even taking place.
Prior to the 2013 NHL season, arbitrators had plenty of work trying to bridge the gap between the NHL and NHL Players' Association. Unfortunately (for the arbitrators), work will be much harder to come by this summer.
The New York Rangers and restricted free agent forward Mats Zuccarello came to terms on a one-year contract extension on Tuesday morning. Initially, 21 players filed for arbitration. Seven of those players agreed to deals with their clubs prior to receiving a hearing date, and the remaining 14 came to terms prior to the start of their hearing. Zuccarello was the final player to do so.
Hockey's first African-American Superstar?
Prior to the 2013 NHL season, arbitrators had plenty of work trying to bridge the gap between the NHL and NHL Players' Association. Unfortunately (for the arbitrators), work will be much harder to come by this summer.
The New York Rangers and restricted free agent forward Mats Zuccarello came to terms on a one-year contract extension on Tuesday morning. Initially, 21 players filed for arbitration. Seven of those players agreed to deals with their clubs prior to receiving a hearing date, and the remaining 14 came to terms prior to the start of their hearing. Zuccarello was the final player to do so.
Hockey's first African-American Superstar?
By Tom Sullivan
After being drafted No. 4 overall, Nashville defenseman Seth Jones takes to the ice to potentially become hockey's first African-American superstar.
The media horde gained in strength and size by the minute, a collection of anxious reporters armed with iPhones, notebooks, cameras and microphones, all eager to get something, anything, out of an 18-year-old kid wearing a brand new Nashville Predators jersey, a matching yellow cap and an omnipresent smile.
One by one, Seth Jones answered each question — no matter how obvious — with a pride and passion beyond his years. While other NHL first-round draft picks around him fumbled for the right words and spoke in clichés, Jones, selected fourth at this hectic NHL Draft, sat some five feet away from the scrum and worked the crowd like a true pro. Under the bright lights, he never flinched. He rarely does.
And that’s a good thing, too. Because that attention is only going to grow. For while Jones, an African-American, wasn’t the first player chosen on this stormy, sultry June day in Newark, N.J., it’s clear that, given his upbringing, ethnicity, position and marketability — that he will likely be the most important.
"I’m not disappointed at all," he said with conviction and commitment. "When it comes down to it, once we all get going, it’s not going to really matter where you’re taken in the draft. I’m happy to be a Predator. It’s been a long road, I’m here now, and I’m ready to get going."
And all the while, a league, a sport, a continent will watch.
For several years, Jones has been something of a hockey prodigy in the United States, and as the fall — and a potential rookie season in Nashville — approaches, he is on the cusp of the sport’s grandest stage. While he’s not yet a household name, he certainly was the star of a seven-round draft that featured many players from foreign countries who likely won’t even make it to the NHL.
But why all the fuss? What makes him stand out? Why is he the one?
For starters, even though the NHL is more diverse now than ever before, Jones is still the only African-American ever selected within the top four picks. And he now shares the honor of highest drafted minority ever with African-Canadian Evander Kane, selected No. 4 in 2009.
Jones also hails from a family well entrenched in professional athletics, but it’s hardly a hockey-playing background. Seth’s father, Ronald Jones, better known around sports circles as "Popeye," orchestrated a workmanlike career as a forward in the NBA for a number of teams from 1993-2004, and was an assistant coach last season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Jones also plays a position — defense — unusual for high first-round draft picks. For several reasons, the need to sell tickets among them, teams at the top of Round One traditionally go after high-flying forwards, avoiding defensemen, who often take longer to develop, and won’t put up the gaudy scoring totals that centers and wings typically do. In fact, only 12 defensemen have ever been taken first overall. None — Gord Kluzak, Roman Hamrlik and Chris Phillips, among them — have stood out.
That explains the Colorado Avalanche passing over Jones with the No. 1 pick, instead selecting Canadian center Nathan MacKinnon. A few minutes later, the Florida Panthers, who chose Finnish center Aleksander Barkov, and Tampa Bay Lightning, who picked Canadian left wing Jonathan Drouin, made the same calculation. Jones, sitting in the front row of the Prudential Center with his mother, Amy, did not panic, but simply waited patiently for his time to come.
Finally, at No. 4, Nashville, a burgeoning franchise built on defense with a more skilled offensive core than the previous three teams, seized the opportunity. The Predators weren’t going to pass on this chance to add a premier player. Jones was their man.
Predators general manager David Poile seemed both delighted and amused at his club's good fortune. "We had him No. 1 all year long," he said. "I’m extremely happy. I can’t speak for the other teams, but this works out great for us. We couldn’t ask for a better situation. I think it’s going to be just a great fit."
But it won’t be without scrutiny, and with what Dad calls a "bull’s-eye on his back."
"There’s pressure on him no question, more than some others probably, and Seth knows that," Popeye said. "But he’s prepared for this, and he will embrace it."
The media horde gained in strength and size by the minute, a collection of anxious reporters armed with iPhones, notebooks, cameras and microphones, all eager to get something, anything, out of an 18-year-old kid wearing a brand new Nashville Predators jersey, a matching yellow cap and an omnipresent smile.
One by one, Seth Jones answered each question — no matter how obvious — with a pride and passion beyond his years. While other NHL first-round draft picks around him fumbled for the right words and spoke in clichés, Jones, selected fourth at this hectic NHL Draft, sat some five feet away from the scrum and worked the crowd like a true pro. Under the bright lights, he never flinched. He rarely does.
And that’s a good thing, too. Because that attention is only going to grow. For while Jones, an African-American, wasn’t the first player chosen on this stormy, sultry June day in Newark, N.J., it’s clear that, given his upbringing, ethnicity, position and marketability — that he will likely be the most important.
While Jones wasn’t the first player chosen, it's clear that he will likely be the most important.
And all the while, a league, a sport, a continent will watch.
For several years, Jones has been something of a hockey prodigy in the United States, and as the fall — and a potential rookie season in Nashville — approaches, he is on the cusp of the sport’s grandest stage. While he’s not yet a household name, he certainly was the star of a seven-round draft that featured many players from foreign countries who likely won’t even make it to the NHL.
But why all the fuss? What makes him stand out? Why is he the one?
For starters, even though the NHL is more diverse now than ever before, Jones is still the only African-American ever selected within the top four picks. And he now shares the honor of highest drafted minority ever with African-Canadian Evander Kane, selected No. 4 in 2009.
Jones also hails from a family well entrenched in professional athletics, but it’s hardly a hockey-playing background. Seth’s father, Ronald Jones, better known around sports circles as "Popeye," orchestrated a workmanlike career as a forward in the NBA for a number of teams from 1993-2004, and was an assistant coach last season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Jones also plays a position — defense — unusual for high first-round draft picks. For several reasons, the need to sell tickets among them, teams at the top of Round One traditionally go after high-flying forwards, avoiding defensemen, who often take longer to develop, and won’t put up the gaudy scoring totals that centers and wings typically do. In fact, only 12 defensemen have ever been taken first overall. None — Gord Kluzak, Roman Hamrlik and Chris Phillips, among them — have stood out.
That explains the Colorado Avalanche passing over Jones with the No. 1 pick, instead selecting Canadian center Nathan MacKinnon. A few minutes later, the Florida Panthers, who chose Finnish center Aleksander Barkov, and Tampa Bay Lightning, who picked Canadian left wing Jonathan Drouin, made the same calculation. Jones, sitting in the front row of the Prudential Center with his mother, Amy, did not panic, but simply waited patiently for his time to come.
Finally, at No. 4, Nashville, a burgeoning franchise built on defense with a more skilled offensive core than the previous three teams, seized the opportunity. The Predators weren’t going to pass on this chance to add a premier player. Jones was their man.
Predators general manager David Poile seemed both delighted and amused at his club's good fortune. "We had him No. 1 all year long," he said. "I’m extremely happy. I can’t speak for the other teams, but this works out great for us. We couldn’t ask for a better situation. I think it’s going to be just a great fit."
But it won’t be without scrutiny, and with what Dad calls a "bull’s-eye on his back."
"There’s pressure on him no question, more than some others probably, and Seth knows that," Popeye said. "But he’s prepared for this, and he will embrace it."
Looking ahead to Thibodeau's plan for Bulls.
By Aggrey Sam
As the dog days of the NBA offseason approach, there's little more to do than break down the league's upcoming release of its regular-season schedule.
Then again, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is assuredly plotting and scheming already, devising ways to use all of the tools at his disposal, in anticipation of a campaign viewed internally by the organization as potentially ending with a championship.
At this point, with presumed free-agent targets Marcus Camby and DeJuan Blair either off the board or close to it (Camby signed with Houston, where he has a home nearby, while Blair is reportedly "close" to reaching a deal with Dallas, according to ESPN.com), the Bulls' roster is virtually set in stone, with any potentially impactful big-man additions a more fleeting possibility.
A training-camp audition for a role behind both All-Star center Joakim Noah and re-signed veteran Nazr Mohammed — the narrative about the latter moving into more of an "emergency," fifth post player spot is now inaccurate until a proven, younger signee with a somewhat reliable and more productive recent track record enters the mix — seems likely, which wouldn't rule out the return of Malcolm Thomas, who was waived last week.
But no matter who becomes the 13th player under contract for the Bulls heading into their Oct. 29th season opener in Miami, first reported by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the team's current personnel lends itself to both the physical style and utilization of size that's defined Thibodeau's tenure in Chicago and the ability to throw in a few wrinkles that have been previously tinkered with and alluded to, but never fully capitalized upon, for various reasons. The Bulls can stay big or go small with equal aplomb, to paraphrase the coach himself, and barring injury, if they don't take advantage of those options whether due to inflexibility or other factors, it could be the missing ingredient come next spring.
Of course the Bulls shouldn't just follow trends for the sake of following the crowd in what's always been a copycat league. But this isn't 2010, when an essentially brand-new squad had to feel itself out before racing to the NBA's best regular-season mark.
Nor is it the lockout-shortened 2011 campaign, with an abbreviated training camp, a roster of mostly holdovers and legitimate championship hopes before that fateful April afternoon. And it's certainly not the almost comically injury-plagued, overachieving for the non-believing run of last season.
Derrick Rose's return alone makes the basketball world take the Bulls seriously again, but simply assuming that the former league MVP will eventually regain his previous form and the team will be a redux of previous editions is a bit facile, unless the general idea outsiders have of Thibodeau is to be taken literally. The man has his principles and can be stubborn, but never should it be assumed that he isn't constantly on the lookout for new trends in the game and as with any top-tier coach worth his salt, willing to incorporate (a euphemism for "steal," a rampant and accepted practice at all levels of basketball) concepts from others. Given his inaugural participation on the coaching staff of USA Basketball this month, complete with access to some of the league's emerging talents, it's only natural that whether through peer discussion or silent observation, he's gleaned some insight into how to diversify things upon return to his Berto Center lair.
That isn't to say the Bulls will go away from their basic tenets — Thibodeau's mantra of rebounding, defense, low turnovers, sharing the ball and inside-out offense will always reign supreme — but if anything, the adversity the team faced last season could force the coach to tap into his more creative side.
Rose will have the ball in his hands plenty, but perhaps conscious of throwing too much at him all at once, backup Kirk Hinrich will be used to move him off the ball at times, giving one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA less responsibility to distribute. And if the positives of Marquis Teague's mostly-successful summer-league stint (if there was a concern about the 20-year-old's performance, it was his turnovers) can carry over to the fall, winter and most importantly spring, an explosive, dual point-guard backcourt of the two speed merchants on occasion could give opposing defenses fits.
But the way free-agent acquisition Mike Dunleavy Jr. is deployed is even more significant. An underrated ballhandler and passer, the veteran brings some of what reserve predecessors Kyle Korver and Marco Belinelli each offered — Korver's marksmanship, Belinelli's ball skills — just with more size.
Starting wings Jimmy Butler (the best healthy shooting guard of the Thibodeau era) and All Star Luol Deng have great versatility already, so putting Dunleavy, who can function as an effective secondary ballhandler, on the floor with them gives the Bulls a litany of options. This should divert some defensive attention away from Rose and afford both post-up and spot-up shooting opportunities, as well as creating mismatches — for instance, Butler defended by a small guard or Deng defended by a slow power forward — and while none is a scoring sidekick in the mold of a Dwyane Wade or Russell Westbrook, it will make the Bulls far less predictable than in the past, despite some pundits' insistence that history will be repeated.
Now, it doesn't mean that the Bulls will go away from one of their strengths: size on the interior.
Noah will still be counted upon to be a defensive anchor, dominant rebounder, offensive facilitator and all-around energy guy, and hopefully an offseason of rest and duplicating the plantar fasciitis treatment that rejuvenated him prior to the playoffs will ensure he has better odds of staying healthy, with less of a scoring burden to boot. And though he still remains a polarizing figure, Carlos Boozer, the team's best post-up threat, most consistent mid-range shooter and an underappreciated passer, is vital to the Bulls' success. After a season of uneven play, Taj Gibson is likely motivated to have a bounce-back campaign, justifying his contract extension (praised as very reasonable upon signing but now criticized by some, probably in light of Omer Asik's double-double average debut year for the Rockets, who could look to deal him for a player more compatible with Dwight Howard with the aforementioned Camby in the fold) and resuming his status as an upper-echelon backup big man. Mohammed, even at this advanced stage of his career, showed that he's still capable of providing 10-15 quality minutes a night in relief of Noah, meaning that for a new addition to beat him out, that player had better be immediately adaptable to the system and productive in limited playing time.
With apologies to rookie Erik Murphy (and Tony Snell; it would be mildly shocking to see either draft pick crack the rotation on a regular basis unless the roster is decimated by injuries for the second straight season) and whomever is eventually added, that will be the Bulls' big-man platoon.
When pitted against the likes of Indiana and Brooklyn, the Bulls will remain traditionally big, which makes sense and jibes with Thibodeau's demand for owning the boards. But the option to befuddle those conventional lineups by spacing the floor — the dominant theme of the summer in, again, a copycat league — is available and matching up with small-ball teams like Miami and New York now goes beyond just trotting out the agile Noah and Gibson (their quickness is a huge factor on defense but doesn't always translate on the other end, where opponents can pack the paint) as a remedy.
For all the scuttlebutt about a management-coaching staff beef, it's understood that Thibodeau can figure out how to maximize the abilities of a given roster, and while the Bulls' front office didn't have a prolific offseason in terms of volume, not only was there not much room to make high-profile moves but the minor tweaks that did occur (it wasn't an actual transaction, but Rose's return should be included) over the summer were largely effective. Dunleavy wasn't billed as a savior and shouldn't be expected to be one, but his presence adds some lineup flexibility — as previously mentioned, the swingman's versatility can lessen some of Rose's workload, trickle over into the big men's usage and obviously give the Bulls a designated outside shooter, all without sacrificing size — and because he's a proven veteran, it gives Thibodeau the necessary impetus to utilize him.
Unless the Bulls are once again snakebitten, they should be able to keep up with the Joneses, while at least attempting to try something different to not only reduce wear and tear over the course of the regular season but also make the team more dangerous for the playoffs.
An old-school coach equipped with new-school knowledge, Thibodeau is universally regarded as one of the elite minds in the game, especially after his stewardship of last season's overachieving, injury-riddled bunch. Now he'll get the opportunity to fully flex his expertise, and while it won't be easy in a top-heavy Eastern Conference, the onus is on Thibodeau to make it work.
While never crediting himself for the team's success yet taking public blame for its failures, Thibodeau is undoubtedly aware of that fact. And Rose's comeback aside, without any obvious impediments, if the Bulls don't reach their ultimate goal, his coaching will be one of the first targets for scrutiny. As premature as this analysis might be, that's, as Thibodeau is fond of saying, "part of it" when it comes to a championship contender guided by an elite coach.
Even in July.
MLB tells union which players it plans to suspend.
Then again, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is assuredly plotting and scheming already, devising ways to use all of the tools at his disposal, in anticipation of a campaign viewed internally by the organization as potentially ending with a championship.
At this point, with presumed free-agent targets Marcus Camby and DeJuan Blair either off the board or close to it (Camby signed with Houston, where he has a home nearby, while Blair is reportedly "close" to reaching a deal with Dallas, according to ESPN.com), the Bulls' roster is virtually set in stone, with any potentially impactful big-man additions a more fleeting possibility.
A training-camp audition for a role behind both All-Star center Joakim Noah and re-signed veteran Nazr Mohammed — the narrative about the latter moving into more of an "emergency," fifth post player spot is now inaccurate until a proven, younger signee with a somewhat reliable and more productive recent track record enters the mix — seems likely, which wouldn't rule out the return of Malcolm Thomas, who was waived last week.
But no matter who becomes the 13th player under contract for the Bulls heading into their Oct. 29th season opener in Miami, first reported by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the team's current personnel lends itself to both the physical style and utilization of size that's defined Thibodeau's tenure in Chicago and the ability to throw in a few wrinkles that have been previously tinkered with and alluded to, but never fully capitalized upon, for various reasons. The Bulls can stay big or go small with equal aplomb, to paraphrase the coach himself, and barring injury, if they don't take advantage of those options whether due to inflexibility or other factors, it could be the missing ingredient come next spring.
Of course the Bulls shouldn't just follow trends for the sake of following the crowd in what's always been a copycat league. But this isn't 2010, when an essentially brand-new squad had to feel itself out before racing to the NBA's best regular-season mark.
Nor is it the lockout-shortened 2011 campaign, with an abbreviated training camp, a roster of mostly holdovers and legitimate championship hopes before that fateful April afternoon. And it's certainly not the almost comically injury-plagued, overachieving for the non-believing run of last season.
Derrick Rose's return alone makes the basketball world take the Bulls seriously again, but simply assuming that the former league MVP will eventually regain his previous form and the team will be a redux of previous editions is a bit facile, unless the general idea outsiders have of Thibodeau is to be taken literally. The man has his principles and can be stubborn, but never should it be assumed that he isn't constantly on the lookout for new trends in the game and as with any top-tier coach worth his salt, willing to incorporate (a euphemism for "steal," a rampant and accepted practice at all levels of basketball) concepts from others. Given his inaugural participation on the coaching staff of USA Basketball this month, complete with access to some of the league's emerging talents, it's only natural that whether through peer discussion or silent observation, he's gleaned some insight into how to diversify things upon return to his Berto Center lair.
That isn't to say the Bulls will go away from their basic tenets — Thibodeau's mantra of rebounding, defense, low turnovers, sharing the ball and inside-out offense will always reign supreme — but if anything, the adversity the team faced last season could force the coach to tap into his more creative side.
Rose will have the ball in his hands plenty, but perhaps conscious of throwing too much at him all at once, backup Kirk Hinrich will be used to move him off the ball at times, giving one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA less responsibility to distribute. And if the positives of Marquis Teague's mostly-successful summer-league stint (if there was a concern about the 20-year-old's performance, it was his turnovers) can carry over to the fall, winter and most importantly spring, an explosive, dual point-guard backcourt of the two speed merchants on occasion could give opposing defenses fits.
But the way free-agent acquisition Mike Dunleavy Jr. is deployed is even more significant. An underrated ballhandler and passer, the veteran brings some of what reserve predecessors Kyle Korver and Marco Belinelli each offered — Korver's marksmanship, Belinelli's ball skills — just with more size.
Starting wings Jimmy Butler (the best healthy shooting guard of the Thibodeau era) and All Star Luol Deng have great versatility already, so putting Dunleavy, who can function as an effective secondary ballhandler, on the floor with them gives the Bulls a litany of options. This should divert some defensive attention away from Rose and afford both post-up and spot-up shooting opportunities, as well as creating mismatches — for instance, Butler defended by a small guard or Deng defended by a slow power forward — and while none is a scoring sidekick in the mold of a Dwyane Wade or Russell Westbrook, it will make the Bulls far less predictable than in the past, despite some pundits' insistence that history will be repeated.
Now, it doesn't mean that the Bulls will go away from one of their strengths: size on the interior.
Noah will still be counted upon to be a defensive anchor, dominant rebounder, offensive facilitator and all-around energy guy, and hopefully an offseason of rest and duplicating the plantar fasciitis treatment that rejuvenated him prior to the playoffs will ensure he has better odds of staying healthy, with less of a scoring burden to boot. And though he still remains a polarizing figure, Carlos Boozer, the team's best post-up threat, most consistent mid-range shooter and an underappreciated passer, is vital to the Bulls' success. After a season of uneven play, Taj Gibson is likely motivated to have a bounce-back campaign, justifying his contract extension (praised as very reasonable upon signing but now criticized by some, probably in light of Omer Asik's double-double average debut year for the Rockets, who could look to deal him for a player more compatible with Dwight Howard with the aforementioned Camby in the fold) and resuming his status as an upper-echelon backup big man. Mohammed, even at this advanced stage of his career, showed that he's still capable of providing 10-15 quality minutes a night in relief of Noah, meaning that for a new addition to beat him out, that player had better be immediately adaptable to the system and productive in limited playing time.
With apologies to rookie Erik Murphy (and Tony Snell; it would be mildly shocking to see either draft pick crack the rotation on a regular basis unless the roster is decimated by injuries for the second straight season) and whomever is eventually added, that will be the Bulls' big-man platoon.
When pitted against the likes of Indiana and Brooklyn, the Bulls will remain traditionally big, which makes sense and jibes with Thibodeau's demand for owning the boards. But the option to befuddle those conventional lineups by spacing the floor — the dominant theme of the summer in, again, a copycat league — is available and matching up with small-ball teams like Miami and New York now goes beyond just trotting out the agile Noah and Gibson (their quickness is a huge factor on defense but doesn't always translate on the other end, where opponents can pack the paint) as a remedy.
For all the scuttlebutt about a management-coaching staff beef, it's understood that Thibodeau can figure out how to maximize the abilities of a given roster, and while the Bulls' front office didn't have a prolific offseason in terms of volume, not only was there not much room to make high-profile moves but the minor tweaks that did occur (it wasn't an actual transaction, but Rose's return should be included) over the summer were largely effective. Dunleavy wasn't billed as a savior and shouldn't be expected to be one, but his presence adds some lineup flexibility — as previously mentioned, the swingman's versatility can lessen some of Rose's workload, trickle over into the big men's usage and obviously give the Bulls a designated outside shooter, all without sacrificing size — and because he's a proven veteran, it gives Thibodeau the necessary impetus to utilize him.
Unless the Bulls are once again snakebitten, they should be able to keep up with the Joneses, while at least attempting to try something different to not only reduce wear and tear over the course of the regular season but also make the team more dangerous for the playoffs.
An old-school coach equipped with new-school knowledge, Thibodeau is universally regarded as one of the elite minds in the game, especially after his stewardship of last season's overachieving, injury-riddled bunch. Now he'll get the opportunity to fully flex his expertise, and while it won't be easy in a top-heavy Eastern Conference, the onus is on Thibodeau to make it work.
While never crediting himself for the team's success yet taking public blame for its failures, Thibodeau is undoubtedly aware of that fact. And Rose's comeback aside, without any obvious impediments, if the Bulls don't reach their ultimate goal, his coaching will be one of the first targets for scrutiny. As premature as this analysis might be, that's, as Thibodeau is fond of saying, "part of it" when it comes to a championship contender guided by an elite coach.
Even in July.
MLB tells union which players it plans to suspend.
By
Major League Baseball has told the union which players it intends to suspend in its drug investigation and which ones will receive lengthier penalties for their roles in the Biogenesis case, two people familiar with the talks told The Associated Press.
The sides are trying to reach as many agreements as possible that would avoid grievance hearings, and talks could push back an announcement until Friday.
The meeting between MLB and the union on Tuesday, first reported by the New York Daily News, signaled the final stretch of talks. MLB hopes to announce the penalties for all players involved at the same time, both people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcements were authorized.
Three-time MVP Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees stands to receive the longest suspension. The stiffer penalties for some players are tied to other alleged violations, including not being truthful to MLB investigators.
Three 2013 All-Stars could face bans: Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz, San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera and Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta.
Another 2013 All-Star, Oakland pitcher Bartolo Colon, was suspended last year following a positive testosterone test, as were Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera and San Diego catcher Yasmani Grandal. They won't receive additional discipline for that violation, the two people said. Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli and Seattle catcher Jesus Montero also have been linked in media reports to Biogenesis, a closed Florida anti-aging clinic that was accused by Miami New Times in January of distributing banned performing-enhancing drugs.
Players who don't reach agreements can ask the players' association to file grievances, which would lead to hearings before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.
Discipline for first offenders under the drug agreement usually is not announced until after the penalty is upheld, but there is an exception when the conduct leading to the discipline already has been made public.
Discipline for first offenders under the drug agreement usually is not announced until after the penalty is upheld, but there is an exception when the conduct leading to the discipline already has been made public.
In addition, MLB may try to suspend Rodriguez under its collective bargaining agreement instead of its drug rules, which would lead to the suspension starting before the appeal.
Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun was the first player to reach an agreement with MLB. The 2011 NL MVP accepted a season-ending 65-game suspension last week.
Braun tested positive for elevated testosterone in October 2011 but a 50-game suspension was overturned the following February by an arbitrator who ruled Braun's urine sample was handled improperly.
Rodriguez faces the harshest penalty. The Yankees expected him to be accused of recruiting other athletes for the clinic, attempting to obstruct MLB's investigation, and not being truthful with MLB in the past when he discussed his relationship with Dr. Anthony Galea, who pleaded guilty two years ago to a federal charge of bringing unapproved drugs into the United States from Canada.
''A-Rod was my teammate in New York. I'm glad he was my teammate,'' retired pitcher Roger Clemens said Tuesday in Boston, where he was at Fenway Park to mark the 25th anniversary of manager Joe Morgan's team that won the 1988 AL East title.
''I did things to make him feel comfortable. I did that for all of my teammates,'' Clemens said. ''I think I was a pretty solid teammate.''
The seven-time Cy Young Award winner was acquitted last year of federal charges he lied to Congress when he said he didn't take steroids or human growth hormone.
Clemens would not give his thoughts on MLB's Biogenesis investigation.
''I've got my own feelings on particular people in MLB, you know, how they approached my situation,'' he said. ''I don't know about it, and I don't care about it, to tell you the truth.''
Jack Nicklaus is blaming the golf ball for slow play.
By Shane Bacon
(Getty Images)
There are plenty of reasons for the slow play problems on professional tours. If it isn't guys backing off shots anytime a negative thought passes through their skull it is a caddie lining their players up perfectly on every shot or a guy looking at putts from 12 different angles.
One thing that never crossed my mind on why slow play is an issue in pro golf? The golf ball. Yes, the golf ball.
Jack Nicklaus thinks that is the exact reason why pros are taking upwards of six hours to play rounds of golf these days, telling Kathy Bissell of Bleacher Report that he finds the added technology to the golf ball the reason for the men and women we look up to on the golf course moving like snails between the ropes.
"The main culprit (in) slow play, to me, is the golf ball and the distance the golf ball goes," Nicklaus said. "Golf, it used to take three hours, three and a half hours, British Open, you used to play the last round in three hours or less. Today they take close to five hours."
Now before we dive into the strange thoughts of the 18-time major winner I think it's fair to point out that he isn't just saying it's the golf ball itself, but what the golf ball has done. The technology for these new golf balls has forced golf courses to lengthen, meaning the courses are longer, harder and take longer to walk.
But still, the golf ball? How about blaming the purses for the slow play? Back when Nicklaus won his final Masters, in 1986, he took in $144,000. That is less than the guy that finished 11th at Muirfield won, so yeah, maybe spending a few more minutes over putts is more important these days and guys don't want to rush it knowing a bad shot or two down the stretch could cost them a few millions bucks in both purse and sponsorship money.
Or how about blaming the PGA and LPGA Tours? We can come up with ideas like "while we're young" but if nothing happens because you're slow, it doesn't really change anything. Pros know that a slow play penalty is hard to come by, and if they get warned the just rush up to the next group only to slow down again.
Slow play is a huge issue in golf. I really believe that the two things golfers really care about when playing is the conditions of the greens and the pace of play, and most golfers when being brutally honest would rather play at their local muni with good greens and nobody on the course than a five hour round at the nicest country club in town.
I just don't really know if the Pro V is the reason for all this.
Power Rankings: Veterans surge as Chase looms.
By Pat DeCola
1. Jimmie Johnson 
Outlook: Johnson didn't get his record-tying fifth Brickyard victory, but with his second-place finish, it certainly didn't look like he was missing any sort of "edge" that he was supposedly looking to regain with the Gen-6 car.
Standings: 1st, 740 points
2. Matt Kenseth
Outlook: At this level, barring an accident or malfunction, most drivers can take a great car and get a great finish. And then there are drivers like Matt Kenseth.
Standings: 6th, 615 points
3. Clint Bowyer
Outlook: With his top-20 finish at Indy, Bowyer came nowhere close to earning his first victory of 2013, but he might not even need to. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver so consistently finishes in the top five, he's still in excellent position. Besides, at this point last year he only had one victory, so he's barely off his runner-up pace.
Standings: 2nd, 665 points
4. Kevin Harvick
Outlook: With Indianapolis being one of his better tracks, Harvick missed an opportunity to close in on Bowyer and Carl Edwards in the standings, especially with Bowyer's mediocre finish. Neither driver is spectacular at Pocono, so he could make up some ground there, however.
Standings: 4th, 648 points
5. Carl Edwards
Outlook: Chances are, Edwards probably won't remember the glory of his 13th-place finish at Indy, but trust me. He won't forget about this any time soon.
Standings: 3rd, 655 points
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Outlook: Give some credit to Earnhardt. The guy drove his tail off Sunday under some pretty tough circumstances.
Standings: 5th, 616 points
7. Kyle Busch
Outlook: Busch's two wins in three weeks feel like a distant memory. Probably because it's been 13 races since he's hit Victory Lane. Well, the Sprint Cup version, anyway.
Standings: 7th, 610 points
8. Kasey Kahne
Outlook: It was an overall 'great' weekend for Kahne. He finished third at Indy and he has a sponsor secured for at least 10 races per season through 2016. See what I did there?
Standings: 9th, 564 points
9. Tony Stewart
Outlook: After the crazy busy week that he had, Stewart could have struggled at Indy, despite it being one of his better tracks. Smoke extended his good times through Sunday, though, vaulting himself back into the top 10 in points and Power Rankings with a top-five finish.
Standings: 11th, 558 points
10. Jeff Gordon
Outlook: Ryan Newman's victory certainly makes the Chase picture for drivers like Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch a little cloudier, but at least out of the three, Gordon was able to position himself into the top 10 with a strong showing at Indy, just like he needed to do.
Standings: 10th, 559 points
11. Greg Biffle
Outlook: Yikes. Sorry, Greg Biffle, but a flop at one of your best tracks earned you a nod as this week's biggest fantasy bust. He doesn't exactly set the world on fire at Pocono, but he does have a win there so a rebound is possible.
Standings: 8th, 565 points
12. Martin Truex Jr.
Outlook: Truex's 11th-place finish at Indy dropped him a spot in the standings, but don't be mistaken. He's in excellent shape to make the Chase, despite currently holding onto the very last spot. Plus, he does awesome stuff with Ryan Seacrest.
Standings: 12th, 554 points
13. Kurt Busch
Outlook: Sure, Busch can dream about jumping in an IndyCar all he wants, but he should really focus on his current endeavors. You know, the ones that include trying to sneak into the Chase with six races before the cutoff.
Standings: 14th, 546 points
14. Brad Keselowski
Outlook: After an excellent New Hampshire race, things finally looked like they were about to turn the corner for Keselowski. And then they didn't. Now, he's got plenty of work to do with just a handful of races left. The champ may not get a chance to defend his title in the Chase, but hey. He's got a killer "SportsCenter" commercial.
Standings: 13th, 553 points
15. Ryan Newman
Outlook: What a day for the Indiana native, winning his first Brickyard 400. The fact that the victory only brought him up to 16th in the standings is telling of his season, though. It's going to take some effort for him to keep this up, but maybe it'll get the ball rolling.
Standings: 16th, 534 points
16. Joey Logano
Outlook: Don't close the book on Logano just yet. He brought at least his "B+" game to Indy, which resulted in a much-needed top-10 finish and could add another win to his Pocono resume this weekend.
Standings: 18th, 524 points
17. Jamie McMurray
Outlook: Currently in 15th place, McMurray has had a decent season, but with just one top-five through 20 races, it's hard to picture him breaking through at this point and getting over the hump into serious Chase contention.
Standings: 15th, 537 points
18. Aric Almirola
Outlook: (See McMurray, Jamie).
The only difference is that Almirola actually hovered around the top 10 for a good chunk of the season before significantly dropping off once the summer hit. There was a glimmer of hope with his top-five at New Hampshire, but it's pretty clear Almirola already hit his ceiling.
Standings: 17th, 529 points
19. Denny Hamlin
Outlook: Let's just say for a minute that Hamlin never got injured and didn't miss those four races. Let's also say he averaged 35 points per race over that span. That would put him at 528 total points, in 18th-place behind Aric Almirola. He's shown flashes of his old self at times, but if he remains adamant that the injury is no longer bothering him, he may have to start answering questions as to why he's been so mediocre if it isn't.
Standings: 25th, 388 points
20. Juan Pablo Montoya
Outlook: Johnson didn't get his record-tying fifth Brickyard victory, but with his second-place finish, it certainly didn't look like he was missing any sort of "edge" that he was supposedly looking to regain with the Gen-6 car.
Standings: 1st, 740 points
2. Matt Kenseth
Outlook: At this level, barring an accident or malfunction, most drivers can take a great car and get a great finish. And then there are drivers like Matt Kenseth.
Standings: 6th, 615 points
3. Clint Bowyer
Outlook: With his top-20 finish at Indy, Bowyer came nowhere close to earning his first victory of 2013, but he might not even need to. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver so consistently finishes in the top five, he's still in excellent position. Besides, at this point last year he only had one victory, so he's barely off his runner-up pace.
Standings: 2nd, 665 points
4. Kevin Harvick
Outlook: With Indianapolis being one of his better tracks, Harvick missed an opportunity to close in on Bowyer and Carl Edwards in the standings, especially with Bowyer's mediocre finish. Neither driver is spectacular at Pocono, so he could make up some ground there, however.
Standings: 4th, 648 points
5. Carl Edwards
Outlook: Chances are, Edwards probably won't remember the glory of his 13th-place finish at Indy, but trust me. He won't forget about this any time soon.
Standings: 3rd, 655 points
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Outlook: Give some credit to Earnhardt. The guy drove his tail off Sunday under some pretty tough circumstances.
Standings: 5th, 616 points
7. Kyle Busch
Outlook: Busch's two wins in three weeks feel like a distant memory. Probably because it's been 13 races since he's hit Victory Lane. Well, the Sprint Cup version, anyway.
Standings: 7th, 610 points
8. Kasey Kahne
Outlook: It was an overall 'great' weekend for Kahne. He finished third at Indy and he has a sponsor secured for at least 10 races per season through 2016. See what I did there?
Standings: 9th, 564 points
9. Tony Stewart
Outlook: After the crazy busy week that he had, Stewart could have struggled at Indy, despite it being one of his better tracks. Smoke extended his good times through Sunday, though, vaulting himself back into the top 10 in points and Power Rankings with a top-five finish.
Standings: 11th, 558 points
10. Jeff Gordon
Outlook: Ryan Newman's victory certainly makes the Chase picture for drivers like Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch a little cloudier, but at least out of the three, Gordon was able to position himself into the top 10 with a strong showing at Indy, just like he needed to do.
Standings: 10th, 559 points
11. Greg Biffle
Outlook: Yikes. Sorry, Greg Biffle, but a flop at one of your best tracks earned you a nod as this week's biggest fantasy bust. He doesn't exactly set the world on fire at Pocono, but he does have a win there so a rebound is possible.
Standings: 8th, 565 points
12. Martin Truex Jr.
Outlook: Truex's 11th-place finish at Indy dropped him a spot in the standings, but don't be mistaken. He's in excellent shape to make the Chase, despite currently holding onto the very last spot. Plus, he does awesome stuff with Ryan Seacrest.
Standings: 12th, 554 points
13. Kurt Busch
Outlook: Sure, Busch can dream about jumping in an IndyCar all he wants, but he should really focus on his current endeavors. You know, the ones that include trying to sneak into the Chase with six races before the cutoff.
Standings: 14th, 546 points
14. Brad Keselowski
Outlook: After an excellent New Hampshire race, things finally looked like they were about to turn the corner for Keselowski. And then they didn't. Now, he's got plenty of work to do with just a handful of races left. The champ may not get a chance to defend his title in the Chase, but hey. He's got a killer "SportsCenter" commercial.
Standings: 13th, 553 points
15. Ryan Newman
Outlook: What a day for the Indiana native, winning his first Brickyard 400. The fact that the victory only brought him up to 16th in the standings is telling of his season, though. It's going to take some effort for him to keep this up, but maybe it'll get the ball rolling.
Standings: 16th, 534 points
16. Joey Logano
Outlook: Don't close the book on Logano just yet. He brought at least his "B+" game to Indy, which resulted in a much-needed top-10 finish and could add another win to his Pocono resume this weekend.
Standings: 18th, 524 points
17. Jamie McMurray
Outlook: Currently in 15th place, McMurray has had a decent season, but with just one top-five through 20 races, it's hard to picture him breaking through at this point and getting over the hump into serious Chase contention.
Standings: 15th, 537 points
18. Aric Almirola
Outlook: (See McMurray, Jamie).
The only difference is that Almirola actually hovered around the top 10 for a good chunk of the season before significantly dropping off once the summer hit. There was a glimmer of hope with his top-five at New Hampshire, but it's pretty clear Almirola already hit his ceiling.
Standings: 17th, 529 points
19. Denny Hamlin
Outlook: Let's just say for a minute that Hamlin never got injured and didn't miss those four races. Let's also say he averaged 35 points per race over that span. That would put him at 528 total points, in 18th-place behind Aric Almirola. He's shown flashes of his old self at times, but if he remains adamant that the injury is no longer bothering him, he may have to start answering questions as to why he's been so mediocre if it isn't.
Standings: 25th, 388 points
20. Juan Pablo Montoya
Outlook: It was just about a foregone conclusion that the former Indy 500 winner Montoya, who always seems to do well at the Brickyard, would keep his success at the track going after he practiced so well. He didn't disappoint, earning his fourth top-10 finish of the year, but it'll take a win (probably at Watkins Glen) and a few top-fives to put his name back toward the ranks of contenders.
Standings: 23rd, 460 points
Standings: 23rd, 460 points
All-Star: After getting start in MLS, Roma's Michael Bradley believes "the quality continues to get better".
MLS
The last time Michael Bradley went up against 11 MLS players at once, he was a teenager with a full head of hair.
The AS Roma midfielder and US national team linchpin has grown up and gone slick since then. So has the league he left behind seven-and-a-half years ago, when he was sold from the then-MetroStars to Dutch side Heerenveen.
And now the two are set to meet again when Roma play in their first AT&T MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. (9 pm ET, ESPN2, Live chat on MLSsoccer.com).
“I think you look around the league and you see the stadiums being built and the teams that come into the league that have support and fans like they do in Seattle and Portland,” Bradley said at a news conference on Monday. “And I think that this is something that’s great for the league, great for our country and I think the quality continues to get better when you look at the run that the US team made in this Gold Cup.
“I think a lot of that is thanks to the MLS and the quality of the players that are playing here week in and week out,” he added. “And I think it’s a very positive thing with everybody, because at the end of the day we’re all trying to grow the game in this country, make the league better and make the national team better.”
Bradley was 16 when he turned pro and was drafted by MetroStars, who were coached at the time by his father, Bob. He didn't play as a rookie, because of a foot injury, but appeared in 30 matches the following season before becoming the youngest MLS player to be sold to an overseas club.
“I grew up with the MLS,” he said. “I was 9 years old when the league began and I remember watching the first game and the first final and I remember seeing so many of the great players in those early years play.”
All-Star and Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes, an MLS original who won MLS cup with the then-Wizards as a player in 2000, praised Bradley's development from teen prospect to a mainstay with club and country.
“He's very good defensively, incredible going on the counter,” Vermes said. “I think Michael Bradley is a huge, huge piece to them now. He's so good box-to-box and he can play on any part of the field. He can line up on the flanks, he can be in the middle, he can be defending, he can be in the box. He has a great way of connecting all the pieces together."
Bradley has had a solid summer with the US national team, quarterbacking them to a 3-0 record in June World Cup qualifiers and the top of the Hexagonal standings.
Now he'll look to show that same drive at Sporting Park come Wednesday night.
Now he'll look to show that same drive at Sporting Park come Wednesday night.
"I think that Michael is in incredible form,” Vermes said. “I thought that he was at another level than anyone else on the field when he played for the national team. He's in such form right now and has such confidence and presence about him on the field that it's fantastic to see."
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational odds are out with Tiger Woods coming in a heavy favorite.
By Shane Bacon
(Tiger Woods--Getty Images)
That's Tiger Woods this week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone. Woods, coming off a T-6 finish at the British Open, is a 4-to-1 favorite to add an eighth title at Firestone with Open champion Phil Mickelson coming in second by the oddsmakers at 12-to-1.
This week kicks off a great run on the PGA Tour, with Bridgestone happening this week and the PGA Championship happening the week after. It's also one of those rare times when Tiger plays the week before a major, hoping the momentum from a golf course that has produced some great Tiger moments in the past can propel him to a major slump buster.
Check out the rest of the odds after the jump and let us know who you like in some of those spots.WGC-BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL
FIRESTONE COUNTRY CLUB (SOUTH COURSE) - AKRON, OHIO
AUGUST 1-4, 2013
ODDS TO WIN:
TIGER WOODS 4/1
PHIL MICKELSON 12/1
ADAM SCOTT 15/1
JUSTIN ROSE 20/1
BRANDT SNEDEKER 20/1
MATT KUCHAR 20/1
RORY McILROY 25/1
LEE WESTWOOD 25/1
HUNTER MAHAN 25/1
DUSTIN JOHNSON 25/1
STEVE STRICKER 25/1
JASON DAY 30/1
KEEGAN BRADLEY 30/1
CHARL SCHWARTZEL 30/1
HENRIK STENSON 30/1
LUKE DONALD 40/1
SERGIO GARCIA 40/1
GRAEME McDOWELL 40/1
BUBBA WATSON 40/1
JASON DUFNER 40/1
IAN POULTER 50/1
ZACH JOHNSON 50/1
RICKIE FOWLER 50/1
JIM FURYK 50/1
WEBB SIMPSON 50/1
ERNIE ELS 50/1
BILL HAAS 50/1
ANGEL CABRERA 60/1
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 60/1
MARTIN KAYMER 80/1
NICOLAS COLSAERTS 80/1
RYAN MOORE 80/1
BO VAN PELT 80/1
BILLY HORSCHEL 80/1
PAUL CASEY 80/1
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 80/1
MARTIN LAIRD 80/1
BRANDEN GRACE 100/1
NICK WATNEY 100/1
HARRIS ENGLISH 100/1
MATTEO MANASSERO 125/1
RUSSELL HENLEY 125/1
MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 125/1
RICHARD STERNE 125/1
THORBJORN OLESEN 150/1
PETER HANSON 150/1
SCOTT PIERCY 150/1
JONAS BLIXT 150/1
SHANE LOWRY 150/1
FIELD (all others) 8/1
TOURNAMENT MATCHUPS:
PHIL MICKELSON +165
TIGER WOODS -185
JUSTIN ROSE +110PHIL MICKELSON +165
TIGER WOODS -185
ADAM SCOTT -130
DUSTIN JOHNSON +110
BRANDT SNEDEKER -130
MATT KUCHAR -120
STEVE STRICKER EVEN
CHARL SCHWARTZEL EVEN
LEE WESTWOOD -120
JASON DAY -110LEE WESTWOOD -120
SERGIO GARCIA -110
KEEGAN BRADLEY -120
JASON DUFNER EVEN
LUKE DONALD -120
GRAEME McDOWELL EVEN
BILL HAAS -110
ZACH JOHNSON -110
BRANDEN GRACE +105
MARTIN LAIRD -125
MARTIN LAIRD -125
***********************************************************
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