Sports Quote of the Day:
Walter (Sweetness) Payton going airborne for the score.
"I want to be remembered as the guy who gave his all whenever he was on the field." ~ Walter Payton, Chicago Bears Running Back and NFL Hall of Fame Member.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! The Bears are going through nagging injuries early in training camp, let's get in shape, heal and prepare for the regular season. We think that they're going to be a pleasant surprise!!! Emery draft choices squarely center-stage for Bears 'right now'.
By John Mullin
By John Mullin
Phil Emery was brought in to replace Jerry Angelo in large part because of failed draft choices, particularly early round ones. One week into training camp and a week before the first preseason “exam,” the core players of Emery’s first two Bears drafts have given early cause for lofty expectations.
Of the top three picks of the past two drafts, one has won a starting job, two are currently starting because of injuries and competing to hold those jobs and one is second-string going into the first preseason game but could be the Day One starter.
They form a crucial part of the franchise core and are their own group of “players to watch” for 2013.
Shea McClellin DE - 2012 No. 1
McClellin had a decidedly pedestrian first year, not bad, just not really good, either. The expectations have soared in this camp, with some justification.
Thursday he executed a high-speed spin move without breaking stride and went cleanly past left tackle Eben Britton for a simulated sack. It is not the first time that McClellin has used the move effectively, an indication of developing pass rush ability that was only fleeting too often last season.
McClellin is the No. 1 left end in the nickel package and now assumes a bigger role in the No. 1 base defense depending on the condition of Corey Wootton’s hip injury.
“I don’t want to put him in a position where I’m putting out expectations for him than are higher than what he has for himself,” said defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.
“That’s not possible. He has high expectations for himself, and that’s not enough.”
Alshon Jeffery WR - 2012 No. 2
Jeffery was emerging last year, winning a starting job by week three before having two separate injury setbacks (knee, hand). He spent the offseason working on speed and conditioning with Brandon Marshall and has locked up the wideout position opposite Marshall.
He spends extra time after practices working one-on-one with Charles Tillman, having the Pro Bowl cornerback help him with his release off the line of scrimmage.
More important, he is establishing a connection with quarterback Jay Cutler. “He's got a different edge to him [this year],” Cutler said. “I think he got a little bit stronger in the off-season. He understands football. He's not a rookie anymore. He wants to make plays for us. He knows that he's going to get some opportunities opposite ‘B’ [Marshall] and with Martellus [Bennett] in there. He's going to get some single coverage. I thought he's had a great minicamp and OTA and training camp so far.”
Brandon Hardin S - 2012 No. 3
Hardin is a complete work in progress, being out of football the last two seasons because of injuries, including a neck injury last preseason that ended his playing.
Hardin was a former cornerback at Oregon State and with the lost time and learning a new position, his challenge will be making the roster and proving worth being active on game days this season.
Kyle Long G - 2013 No. 1
The No. 1 job at right guard still belongs to James Brown while Long has rotated in with the No. 1 offense and shown flashes, he also has shown lapses. He can be physically dominant but technique and the interior game at the NFL level are still on his to-do list.Significantly, he knows it, the first requirement for rising to that next level.
“When you go against the best guys, you’re kind of forced to rise to the occasion,” Long said. “And if you don’t, which happens sometimes, you take your lumps and move on and you have to forget about it.
“I remember when I was a pitcher [drafted out of high school by the White Sox]. I used to have to develop short-term amnesia. You give up a home run, you get the next guy up. That’s kind of what taking these snaps and reps are like with the first team.”
Long, 315 pounds, provided an unlikely highlight Thursday, chasing Hardin, 217 pounds, 90 yards after the latter had scooped up an Armando Allen fumble and headed the other way.
“I just kind of put my head down and started running,” Long said. “I saw which direction he was going and I tried to get a good angle on it. Just trying to save a touchdown. You don’t want turnovers to turn into touchdowns. That’s something that they preach here.
We’re going to show some speed here.”
Jonathan Bostic LB - 2013 No. 2
With D.J. Williams “week to week,” per coach Marc Trestman, with a calf injury, Bostic is the presumptive starter at middle linebacker next Friday against the Carolina Panthers.
Bostic took over relaying the signals to the defensive huddle with Lance Briggs given the day off. It marked the first time a rookie MLB has called signals since Brian Urlacher inherited the position when Barry Minter was injured early in the 2000 season – 13 years ago.
“He did well,” said defensive end Julius Peppers. “We’re going to need him. We hope Lance doesn’t go down but he could. All of us could go down.
“So whenever somebody goes down, the next player has to be up. So we’ve got to get him ready because we might need him one of these games.” If Bostic acquits himself well in preseason and performs close to Williams’ level, best guess is that never relinquishes the job to Williams. He is a No. 2 draft choice with demonstrable upside.
As Steve McMichael once said about speed receiver Willie Gault, “If he’s even, he’s leavin’.”
If Williams and Bostic are even, Bostic is leavin’.
Khaseem Greene LB - 2013 No. 4
The Bears didn’t have a third-round pick and chose Greene, a converted safety and Big East defensive player of the year at weakside linebacker, with their fourth-round pick.
Briggs’ day off gave Greene more opportunities but his future is post-Briggs.
“Mentally I feel real good,” Greene said. “Lance is in front of me, who knows everything, and he’s pushing me to be my best.”
Goodell finds Hernandez case 'troubling'.
By The Sports Xchange
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged Thursday that the murder charges against Aaron Hernandez do not reflect well on the league.
"It's a black eye," Goodell told NFL Network. "You never want to see your players involved with anything off the field or criminal in any nature, and this is deeply troubling ... to see this kind of behavior. It is something we are not proud of."
Hernandez faces first-degree murder and other charges in connection with the June shooting death of 27-year-old acquaintance Odin Lloyd, whose body less than a mile from Hernandez's North Attleborough, Mass. home. The Patriots released the tight end after his arrest.
"The Patriots obviously reacted very quickly and decisively, and now it's up to Aaron ... and he's going to be facing the criminal process," Goodell said. "In the meantime, what we have to do is do everything we can to help our young people make the right decisions and evaluate our people when they're coming into the league. And make sure to do everything to avoid these kind of situations."
Hernandez is in the Bristol County House of Corrections in Massachusetts awaiting the next steps in the legal process.
The 23-year-old Hernandez joined the Patriots after being drafted out of the University of Florida in 2010 and had received a five-year contract extension last year.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? One Minute Remaining: Challenging schedule for the champions.
Of the top three picks of the past two drafts, one has won a starting job, two are currently starting because of injuries and competing to hold those jobs and one is second-string going into the first preseason game but could be the Day One starter.
They form a crucial part of the franchise core and are their own group of “players to watch” for 2013.
Shea McClellin DE - 2012 No. 1
McClellin had a decidedly pedestrian first year, not bad, just not really good, either. The expectations have soared in this camp, with some justification.
Thursday he executed a high-speed spin move without breaking stride and went cleanly past left tackle Eben Britton for a simulated sack. It is not the first time that McClellin has used the move effectively, an indication of developing pass rush ability that was only fleeting too often last season.
McClellin is the No. 1 left end in the nickel package and now assumes a bigger role in the No. 1 base defense depending on the condition of Corey Wootton’s hip injury.
“I don’t want to put him in a position where I’m putting out expectations for him than are higher than what he has for himself,” said defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.
“That’s not possible. He has high expectations for himself, and that’s not enough.”
Alshon Jeffery WR - 2012 No. 2
Jeffery was emerging last year, winning a starting job by week three before having two separate injury setbacks (knee, hand). He spent the offseason working on speed and conditioning with Brandon Marshall and has locked up the wideout position opposite Marshall.
He spends extra time after practices working one-on-one with Charles Tillman, having the Pro Bowl cornerback help him with his release off the line of scrimmage.
More important, he is establishing a connection with quarterback Jay Cutler. “He's got a different edge to him [this year],” Cutler said. “I think he got a little bit stronger in the off-season. He understands football. He's not a rookie anymore. He wants to make plays for us. He knows that he's going to get some opportunities opposite ‘B’ [Marshall] and with Martellus [Bennett] in there. He's going to get some single coverage. I thought he's had a great minicamp and OTA and training camp so far.”
Brandon Hardin S - 2012 No. 3
Hardin is a complete work in progress, being out of football the last two seasons because of injuries, including a neck injury last preseason that ended his playing.
Hardin was a former cornerback at Oregon State and with the lost time and learning a new position, his challenge will be making the roster and proving worth being active on game days this season.
Kyle Long G - 2013 No. 1
The No. 1 job at right guard still belongs to James Brown while Long has rotated in with the No. 1 offense and shown flashes, he also has shown lapses. He can be physically dominant but technique and the interior game at the NFL level are still on his to-do list.Significantly, he knows it, the first requirement for rising to that next level.
“When you go against the best guys, you’re kind of forced to rise to the occasion,” Long said. “And if you don’t, which happens sometimes, you take your lumps and move on and you have to forget about it.
“I remember when I was a pitcher [drafted out of high school by the White Sox]. I used to have to develop short-term amnesia. You give up a home run, you get the next guy up. That’s kind of what taking these snaps and reps are like with the first team.”
Long, 315 pounds, provided an unlikely highlight Thursday, chasing Hardin, 217 pounds, 90 yards after the latter had scooped up an Armando Allen fumble and headed the other way.
“I just kind of put my head down and started running,” Long said. “I saw which direction he was going and I tried to get a good angle on it. Just trying to save a touchdown. You don’t want turnovers to turn into touchdowns. That’s something that they preach here.
We’re going to show some speed here.”
Jonathan Bostic LB - 2013 No. 2
With D.J. Williams “week to week,” per coach Marc Trestman, with a calf injury, Bostic is the presumptive starter at middle linebacker next Friday against the Carolina Panthers.
Bostic took over relaying the signals to the defensive huddle with Lance Briggs given the day off. It marked the first time a rookie MLB has called signals since Brian Urlacher inherited the position when Barry Minter was injured early in the 2000 season – 13 years ago.
“He did well,” said defensive end Julius Peppers. “We’re going to need him. We hope Lance doesn’t go down but he could. All of us could go down.
“So whenever somebody goes down, the next player has to be up. So we’ve got to get him ready because we might need him one of these games.” If Bostic acquits himself well in preseason and performs close to Williams’ level, best guess is that never relinquishes the job to Williams. He is a No. 2 draft choice with demonstrable upside.
As Steve McMichael once said about speed receiver Willie Gault, “If he’s even, he’s leavin’.”
If Williams and Bostic are even, Bostic is leavin’.
Khaseem Greene LB - 2013 No. 4
The Bears didn’t have a third-round pick and chose Greene, a converted safety and Big East defensive player of the year at weakside linebacker, with their fourth-round pick.
Briggs’ day off gave Greene more opportunities but his future is post-Briggs.
“Mentally I feel real good,” Greene said. “Lance is in front of me, who knows everything, and he’s pushing me to be my best.”
Goodell finds Hernandez case 'troubling'.
By The Sports Xchange
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged Thursday that the murder charges against Aaron Hernandez do not reflect well on the league.
"It's a black eye," Goodell told NFL Network. "You never want to see your players involved with anything off the field or criminal in any nature, and this is deeply troubling ... to see this kind of behavior. It is something we are not proud of."
Hernandez faces first-degree murder and other charges in connection with the June shooting death of 27-year-old acquaintance Odin Lloyd, whose body less than a mile from Hernandez's North Attleborough, Mass. home. The Patriots released the tight end after his arrest.
"The Patriots obviously reacted very quickly and decisively, and now it's up to Aaron ... and he's going to be facing the criminal process," Goodell said. "In the meantime, what we have to do is do everything we can to help our young people make the right decisions and evaluate our people when they're coming into the league. And make sure to do everything to avoid these kind of situations."
Hernandez is in the Bristol County House of Corrections in Massachusetts awaiting the next steps in the legal process.
The 23-year-old Hernandez joined the Patriots after being drafted out of the University of Florida in 2010 and had received a five-year contract extension last year.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? One Minute Remaining: Challenging schedule for the champions.
Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks will begin the tough task of defending their 2013 Cup title on Oct. 1, when they raise their championship banner before taking on the Washington Capitals.
With every team targeting the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Blackhawks will try to become the first NHL team to repeat since 1998, when Detroit accomplished that feat (coached by Scotty Bowman, current Blackhawks Senior Advisor to Hockey Operations).
Chicago became the first squad to capture both the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best regular-season record and the Stanley Cup since Detroit turned the trick in 2008. And by becoming the first team to win a second title since the hard salary cap went into effect and setting a new record by starting the season with a 24-game point streak, the players know their opponents will use every contest as a measuring stick against them.
They'll open the campaign in defense of their championship on Oct. 1 against Washington, marking only the second time that the two teams have faced off in a season opener, with the other occurring on Oct. 5, 1996, in Washington. The Blackhawks prevailed 5-2 in that game.
In the 2010 Cup year, Washington compiled 121 points to capture the Presidents' Trophy, but were upset in seven games in the opening series by the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadien—similar to the route that Los Angeles took in capturing their first franchise title in 2012, when they overcame the top three seeds in the Western Conference en route to the Final.
This year's schedule has 17 back-to-back games, the same as the 2009-10 campaign, when the Blackhawks registered 20 wins, eight regulation losses and six overtime or shootout losses. Last season's shortened schedule saw the team pick up 16 wins, two defeats and two overtime and shootout losses in their 10 back-to-backs.
The Hawks will have 22 home contests in a first half of the season that features the usual long seven-game November road trip; in the second half they'll embark on another six-game stretch before the Olympic break in February.
The "One Goal" remains to win another Cup, and Head Coach Joel Quenneville knows that his players won't want to rest on their laurels and are eager to drink from Lord Stanley again to delight their great Chicago fans!
Bulls' Rose could suit up Oct. 5 at Indiana.
With every team targeting the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Blackhawks will try to become the first NHL team to repeat since 1998, when Detroit accomplished that feat (coached by Scotty Bowman, current Blackhawks Senior Advisor to Hockey Operations).
Chicago became the first squad to capture both the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best regular-season record and the Stanley Cup since Detroit turned the trick in 2008. And by becoming the first team to win a second title since the hard salary cap went into effect and setting a new record by starting the season with a 24-game point streak, the players know their opponents will use every contest as a measuring stick against them.
They'll open the campaign in defense of their championship on Oct. 1 against Washington, marking only the second time that the two teams have faced off in a season opener, with the other occurring on Oct. 5, 1996, in Washington. The Blackhawks prevailed 5-2 in that game.
In the 2010 Cup year, Washington compiled 121 points to capture the Presidents' Trophy, but were upset in seven games in the opening series by the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadien—similar to the route that Los Angeles took in capturing their first franchise title in 2012, when they overcame the top three seeds in the Western Conference en route to the Final.
This year's schedule has 17 back-to-back games, the same as the 2009-10 campaign, when the Blackhawks registered 20 wins, eight regulation losses and six overtime or shootout losses. Last season's shortened schedule saw the team pick up 16 wins, two defeats and two overtime and shootout losses in their 10 back-to-backs.
The Hawks will have 22 home contests in a first half of the season that features the usual long seven-game November road trip; in the second half they'll embark on another six-game stretch before the Olympic break in February.
The "One Goal" remains to win another Cup, and Head Coach Joel Quenneville knows that his players won't want to rest on their laurels and are eager to drink from Lord Stanley again to delight their great Chicago fans!
Bulls' Rose could suit up Oct. 5 at Indiana.
Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose could suit up for the first time in more than a year when the Chicago Bulls visit the Indiana Pacers for the preseason opener on Oct. 5.
The preseason schedule released Thursday also has the Bulls playing Washington in Rio de Janeiro on Oct. 12 and hosting Detroit on Oct. 16. The regular-season schedule comes out Tuesday.
Rose is expected to be ready after sitting out last season while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. His status became an ongoing soap opera, with neither he nor the team publicly ruling out a return.
Without him, the Bulls won 45 games and bowed to Miami in the second round of the playoffs.
NBA schedule to be released Tuesday.
The NBA regular-season schedule will be released Tuesday.
The schedule will be unveiled during an NBA TV special program at 6 p.m. EDT that will highlight opening-week matchups and other games of interest.
It also will be posted along with the show on NBA.com.
Some teams have already begun releasing their preseason schedules.
Report: Alex Rodriguez plans to fight suspension through appeal process.
ESPN’s T.J. Quinn reported yesterday that Alex Rodriguez‘s representatives were negotiating a possible settlement with MLB in regard to a suspension for his ties to Biogenesis. However, it appears that talks have broken down.
Told tonight that plan by A-Rod camp is not to settle, but rather to fight any MLB suspension through appeal process. #Yankees
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Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1
Told tonight that plan by A-Rod camp is not to settle, but rather to fight any MLB suspension through appeal process. #Yankees
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Russia will enforce anti-gay law during Olympics. What's your take?
By
Russia will enforce a new law cracking down on gay rights activism when it hosts international athletes and fans during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, the country's sports minister said Thursday, appearing to contradict assurances to the contrary from the International Olympic Committee.
Russia's contentious law was signed by President Vladimir Putin in late June, imposing fines on individuals accused of spreading ''propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations'' to minors, and even proposing penalties for those who express these views online or in the news media. Gay pride rallies also are banned.
''An athlete of nontraditional sexual orientation isn't banned from coming to Sochi,'' Vitaly Mutko said in an interview with R-Sport, the sports newswire of state news agency RIA Novosti. ''But if he goes out into the streets and starts to propagandize, then of course he will be held accountable.''
Mutko emphasized that the law wasn't designed to punish anyone for being gay or lesbian. But like the Russian lawmakers who authored the bill, Mutko said athletes would be punished only for propaganda, a word that remains ambiguous under the new law.
''The corresponding law doesn't forbid non-traditional orientation, but other things: propaganda, involvement of minors and young people.''
The law specifies punishment for foreign citizens, to include fines of up to 100,000 rubles ($3,000), time in prison for up to 15 days, deportation and denial of reentry into Russia. Four Dutch citizens working on a documentary film about gay rights in the northern Russian town of Murmansk were the first foreigners to be detained under the new law, although their case did not make it to court, according to RIA Novosti.
While activists and organizations supportive of gay rights have called for a ban on Russian-made products like Stolichnaya vodka in bars across North America, they have yet to find a unified response to the Sochi Games.
Instead of a boycott of the Olympics, athletes have made individual gestures and called for protests, such as a pride parade, to be held during the games.
The IOC said last week that it had received assurances ''from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the games.'' It pledged to ensure there would be no discrimination against athletes, officials, spectators and the media in Sochi.IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Thursday the committee continues to accept past assurances from the Russian government that the law will not affect athletes, officials or spectators during the games.
Gerhard Heiberg, a senior IOC member from Norway, also said Thursday that in winning the games, Russia and the city of Sochi had committed to preventing discrimination of any sort. But he issued a word of caution to the athletes.
''At the same time we always say to our athletes, 'We do not want any demonstrations in one or the other direction. Please, you are there to compete and behave. Please don't go out on the Net or in the streets,'" Heiberg said. ''I think it was very clear for London in 2012 and it will be very clear in 2014.
Demonstrations in one way or another, no, but discrimination, absolutely not.''
After reading this article, we'd love to know, what's your take on this issue?
Demonstrations in one way or another, no, but discrimination, absolutely not.''
After reading this article, we'd love to know, what's your take on this issue?
By
So much for course knowledge.
Webb Simpson, playing his first competitive round at Firestone Country Club, shot a 6-under 64 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the Bridgestone Invitational.
It all came down to trust.
''Well, I knew it all through my caddie (Paul Tesori), who's been here so many years,'' Simpson said. ''I just kind of had to listen to him.''
Tesori has caddied for years on tour, for Vijay Singh and Jerry Kelly, in addition to being a pro himself.
''It's hard for us players to listen to our caddies, but he basically showed me where to go yesterday and told me where to hit it, where the lines were, what clubs to hit,'' said Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champion. ''I didn't feel like it was my first time because he has so much experience here.''
Seven-time Bridgestone winner Tiger Woods did not have to rely so much on the man on his bag, Joe LaCava, while shooting a 66. Woods has 11 top-10 finishes in his 13 starts at the course, so he clearly knows where to go.
Still, he needed his counsel from time to time.
''I hit a lot of good shots. I had a really good feel for the distance today, and Joey and I really read the wind right today,'' Woods said after his best opening round at the course since another 66 spurred him to a one-shot victory in 2005. ''We changed a lot of shots out there, and we both had a really good handle on what we were doing feel-wise with the wind.''
Henrik Stenson was alone in second with a 65. Defending champion Keegan Bradley, Ryan Moore and Chris Wood, another first-time entrant, matched Woods at 66.
Simpson had six birdies in an eight-hole span.
There was only one glitch.
''I wish I didn't bogey the last hole,'' he said after missing the green on the par 4 and failing to get up and down. ''It's one area I've got to get better at. When I'm between clubs, hitting more club and swinging easy is where I've been struggling.
''You know, there's always something to work on.''
Simpson hasn't won this season. He called his year ''encouraging and frustrating.''
''I feel like I've let a couple of tournaments go that maybe I should have closed out,'' he said.
Stenson started out birdie, eagle - hitting his second shot 243 yards on the par-5 hole to inside 4 feet. He slowed down from there, parring every hole except for birdies at the 11th and 12th holes.
He had more problems with his outfit than the course. He was breaking in a new pair of shoes and felt a blister coming on at the turn, so had to switch to an older pair that didn't necessarily fit with his ensemble.
''They might not match the outfit perfectly, but it felt like I had socks on compared to the other ones,'' he said, grinning.
Woods would have a nice career if only World Golf Championship events, such as the Bridgestone, counted. He won three in a row (1999-2001) at Firestone, then had three top-five finishes before reeling off victories in his next four appearances (2005-2009), and missing the 2008 tournament while recovering from knee surgery.
In 41 WGC starts, he has 32 top-10 finishes.
There's something about Firestone that brings out the best in him.
''Luckily, over the years I've taken advantage of it,'' he said. ''I have played well and I've scored well, and I've won my share of tournaments here.''
Bradley won the Bridgestone a year ago when he shot a closing 64, and Jim Furyk, who had led all week, double-bogeyed the closing hole.
Bradley put together a workmanlike, efficient 66 that didn't include a bogey.
The 2011 PGA Championship winner doesn't want to stress out on defending his title.
''No, it's business as usual,'' he said. ''I just want to not put too much pressure on myself to do anything crazy. I know this golf course fits me, so to let the course come to me is big here.''
Another shot back at 67 in the star-studded field were Furyk, Jason Dufner, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Bill Haas and Luke Donald.
Fowler was speaking for a lot of players when he said that there are a lot of similarities between Firestone and Oak Hill, the site of the PGA Championship next week.''If the course stays dry and it starts to firm up through the weekend, it's very comparable as far as you've got to drive the ball well and position yourself off the tee,'' said Fowler, who practiced at Oak Hill on Monday. ''It's a great warm-up here, but obviously this is one of our bigger weeks of the year, too. Two great weeks, back-to-back, and two great golf courses.''
While the world's top-ranked player, Woods, was in prime position, that wasn't necessarily the case for Nos. 2 and 3.
Phil Mickelson, coming off his dramatic victory at the British Open two weeks ago, struggled with his concentration and came in with a 72.
''Tonight I'll get a little bit more rest and try not to do too much and see if I can come out tomorrow a little bit more focused,'' he said.
He missed two par putts inside 3 feet on consecutive holes early in his round.
Rory McIlroy shot a 70. The defending PGA champion is winless this year.
''I just threw a few shots away around the greens,'' he said. ''You know, you start to save shots there and all of a sudden you're 3- , 4- or 5-under par.''
Phil Mickelson, coming off his dramatic victory at the British Open two weeks ago, struggled with his concentration and came in with a 72.
''Tonight I'll get a little bit more rest and try not to do too much and see if I can come out tomorrow a little bit more focused,'' he said.
He missed two par putts inside 3 feet on consecutive holes early in his round.
Rory McIlroy shot a 70. The defending PGA champion is winless this year.
''I just threw a few shots away around the greens,'' he said. ''You know, you start to save shots there and all of a sudden you're 3- , 4- or 5-under par.''
Fatty NASCAR Schedule Needs to Be Put on a Diet.
By L.A. Crum
COMMENTARY | Listen up, NASCAR: It's time to shape up.
Like much of the rest of the country, the No. 1 motorsports brand in America has become overweight and lazy with too many boring, cookie-cutter races and a schedule that is entirely too long.
Year after year NASCAR begins with a bang in February, starts to fizzle around August, and is left gasping for air come November. I have always looked at the Brickyard 400 weekend as the last real shot of life to the series before I begin peeking in during commercial breaks the rest of the year. And even Indy has become a bit of a snooze.
Now don't' get me wrong, there are still good races to be had after Indy -- Richmond, Talladega, Bristol and Watkins Glen, come to mind -- but, for the most part, the series loses much of its steam coming out of the summer months. They say you can never have too much of a good thing, but, in this case, I beg to differ.
The thing that makes other sports, specifically the NFL, so darn appealing is that it isn't around all year. It is a commodity that only comes around for a few months out of the year and then it is gone. That brevity makes fans crave it even more.
For NASCAR fans, it is the exactly the opposite. There is never time to truly "miss" the sport.
It's not that I don't care who wins or appreciate the great battles going on for the championship, it is that, come November, I am ready for a break. Like a clingy girlfriend, sometimes you just need a little space. F1 gets this right with its 20-race schedule and just enough time between races to truly look forward to the next event.
In NASCAR, when the racing ends in November, there is usually a month of true silence before the engines roar back to life. Then it is a month of testing at Daytona leading up to the start of another nine-month marathon season.
The schedule needs to be cut down by at least half a dozen races and some tracks need to lose their two-race status. Once a year at Phoenix, Dover, Pocono, New Hampshire and Texas is fine by me.
The schedule also needs to take on some variety. Another road course or two needs to be added -- with one most definitely a part of the Chase -- and before too long, with the NASCAR truck series experiment such an overwhelming success, the big boys need to return to the dirt.
Imagine a world where NASCAR actually has breaks between races, three or four road courses and a dirt track or two is added to the schedule, and the cookie-cutter races are cut in half. Maybe then by November I won't look forward to the end of the season so much.
That is the NASCAR world I want to live in.
MLS plans to add four more teams.
By The Sports Xchange
Twenty isn't plenty when it comes to Major League Soccer.
Commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday that MLS plans to expand by four teams to 24 by the 2020 season. Garber made the announcement at halftime of the MLS All-Star Game, which the league's top players lost to AS Roma 3-1 at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.
MLS has 19 teams this season, and New York City FC will join as the 20th team in 2015.
"The strength, passion and vision of the MLS ownership group is the foundation behind the success of our league," Garber said in a statement. "We look forward to adding new partners with the same commitment to the sport and love of the game.
"As MLS enters a period of accelerated growth, the addition of new teams will allow us to expand our geographic coverage, grow our fan base and help us achieve our vision of being among the best leagues in the world by 2022."
According to the league's website, potential expansion sites could include Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Detroit and Sacramento.
English soccer star David Beckham, who spent recent seasons playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy before retiring this year, holds the option to buy an MLS expansion club for $25 million, and rumors have had him looking at Miami as a possible site.
The most recent MLS expansion additions were Montreal (2012), Portland and Vancouver (2011), Philadelphia (2010) and Seattle (2009).
New York City FC will be jointly owned by English Premier League team Manchester City and the New York Yankees, who together will pay $100 million for the right to start the new franchise.
List of Live Soccer Games on US TV for August 2 to August 4.
By Zac Wassink
It's August, and that means European soccer leagues are beginning their seasons! Multiple international competitions will be featured on US TV during the first weekend of the month, as will some Major League Soccer action.
Remember to check the ESPN3/Watch ESPN schedule. That service is offering games on Saturday and Sunday.
Remember to check the ESPN3/Watch ESPN schedule. That service is offering games on Saturday and Sunday.
All times listed below are ET.
Live soccer games on US TV for August 2
FOX Soccer Plus: Don't forget about FSP just yet. The station will show Partick Thistle vs. Dundee United at 2:40 pm.
beIN Sport/beIN Sport en Español: Both of these channels will show Barcelona vs. Santos at 3:00 pm.
GolTV: Ajax will play against Roda at 2:00 pm.
Live soccer games on US TV for August 3
FOX Soccer: One late-night International Champions Cup match will air at 10:30 pm.
The opponents of LA Galaxy were not yet known as of the posting of this piece. ESPN Deportes will also show this game live.
FOX Soccer Plus: Celtic will host Ross County at 12:10 pm.
beIN Sport: Queens Park Rangers vs. Sheffield Wednesday will kick off at 9:55 am.
Tottenham Hotspur will play against Monaco in a friendly at 12:25 pm. The Trophee des Champions, PSG vs. Bordeaux, will begin at 2:40 pm. The final two matches listed here will also air live on beIN Sport en Español, and the Trophee des Champions will also be shown on Univision Deportes.
ESPN Deportes: Back-to-back Emirates Cup games will air in the morning.Tottenham Hotspur will play against Monaco in a friendly at 12:25 pm. The Trophee des Champions, PSG vs. Bordeaux, will begin at 2:40 pm. The final two matches listed here will also air live on beIN Sport en Español, and the Trophee des Champions will also be shown on Univision Deportes.
Galatasaray vs. Porto begins at 8:55 am. Arsenal will host Napoli at 11:00 am. An ICC game will begin at 7:55 pm (teams TBD).
NBC Sports Network: Sporting Kansas City host New York Red Bulls in a battle of two top MLS East clubs that will start at 6:30 pm.
NBC Sports Network: Sporting Kansas City host New York Red Bulls in a battle of two top MLS East clubs that will start at 6:30 pm.
UniMas: Monterrey will play against Toluca at 8:00 pm. San Jose Earthquakes host Chivas USA at 10:00 pm. That MLS game will also air live on Univision Deportes.
Univision Deportes: Veracruz will play against Cruz Azul at 6:00 pm. Pachuca vs. León follows at 8:00 pm.
FOX Soccer: Back-to-back ICC games will be shown at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm (teams TBD).
ESPN Deportes will also show those games live. Portland Thorns will play against FC Kansas City at 8:30 pm.
ESPN Deportes will also show those games live. Portland Thorns will play against FC Kansas City at 8:30 pm.
FOX Soccer Plus: Hibernian will take on Motherwell at 8:10 am.
GolTV: Flamengo will play against Atletico MG at 3:00 pm. Gimnasia y Esgr. vs. River Plate follows at 5:10 pm.
ESPN Deportes: Napoli vs. Porto begins the morning at 8:55 am.
Arsenal vs. Galatasaray follows at 11:00 am.
Monarcas de Morelia vs. Xolos de Tijuana will begin at 2:00 pm.
Monarcas de Morelia vs. Xolos de Tijuana will begin at 2:00 pm.
UniMas: This channel will have Guadalajara vs. Atlante at 6:00 pm.
Univision Deportes: UNAM will play against Tigres at 1:00 pm.
New England Revolution vs. Toronto FC will air at 7:30 pm.
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