CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 08/28/2013.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica

 

Sports Quote of the Day:

 

"Football is an honest game. It's true to life. It's a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life." ~ Joe Namath, NFL Quarterback and Hall of Famer 

 

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Bears aiming for higher mark under Trestman.

 

ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer)

 

The Chicago Bears weren't afraid to think outside the box when they hired coach Marc Trestman.

They stretched boundaries. They hopped the border.

They lured him back to the NFL from Canada with the hope that he could connect with quarterback Jay Cutler and inject some life into a stagnant offense while leading the Bears to the playoffs after they missed out for the fifth time in six seasons despite 10 wins.

It's no small task, particularly for someone with no head coaching experience in the league. Then again, he had success in the CFL the past five years, leading the Montreal Alouettes to back-to-back championships, and he has a history of success with quarterbacks.

A defense that consistently ranked among the best the past few years will largely remain untouched under new coordinator Mel Tucker. But on the other side, it's a different story.

The Bears are running the West Coast offense, and so far, new tight end Martellus Bennett likes what he sees from his coach.

''I think the best thing about him is he's feeling it out himself and looking for changes that he can make that makes him a better coach,'' Bennett said. ''He's always trying to do the things he can do to become better.''

One thing that impresses him is Trestman seeks input.

''He asks us all the time, 'What would you think about this?' Just like we ask him if we're doing a good job, he asks us if he's doing a good job,'' Bennett said.

Time will be the ultimate indicator. With that in mind, here are five things to know about the Bears:

NEW LEADER, BETTER QB?: The Bears are hoping for something along those lines. The Bears couldn't get the most out of Cutler under former coach Lovie Smith and past offensive coordinators Ron Turner, Mike Martz and Mike Tice. Some of that had to do with the play-calling. A porous offensive line played a big role, too, and the lack of a go-to receiver before the Bears acquired Brandon Marshall last season didn't help, either. Cutler's demeanor and decision-making were contributing factors. Now, he has an expiring contract and something to prove. To many, he's out of excuses. The Bears rebuilt their offensive line, added a versatile tight end in Bennett and brought in a coach who's had success working with Rich Gannon, Bernie Kosar and Steve Young.

THE DEPARTED: The Bears parted ways with linebacker Brian Urlacher, for years the face of the franchise. Now, it's Lance Briggs leading the linebackers from the weak side, with the middle spot up in the air. Veteran D.J. Williams suffered a calf injury at the beginning of training camp. That created an opening for second-round draft pick Jonathan Bostic, and he opened some eyes in the preseason.

''I think he is getting better,'' Trestman said. ''He is fitting in and if he happens to be the guy who is that guy on Game 1 or Game 2 or whatever it is I think he can grow into the position and be a more than sufficient middle linebacker in this league.''
 
The Bears also have a new strong side linebacker, with James Anderson replacing the departed Nick Roach.

LINE 'EM UP: The Bears made big changes to their offensive line, hoping to upgrade a unit that ranked among the worst the past few years. They filled a huge hole at left tackle, signing Jermon Bushrod to a deal that guarantees $17.7 million and could be worth about $36 million. With newcomer Matt Slauson at guard, the left side appears to be solid. The right side could be another issue with a pair of rookies possibly starting, with first-round pick Kyle Long at guard and fifth-rounder Jordan Mills at tackle. They did show promise in the preseason, though. Even if it's still a question mark, the blocking can only be better than it was the past few years, right?

SPREAD THE WEALTH: Marshall had a record year last season, setting Bears marks with 118 catches and 1,508 yards, so what was the problem? This was. Matt Forte was second on the Bears with 44 receptions, and Earl Bennett was second among receivers with 29. Cutler's tunnel vision for Marshall was understandable in some ways, but he needs to get other receivers involved, which was why it was alarming to some to see all five of the quarterback's passes in the second preseason game go to Marshall. There was more balance the following week at Oakland in the starters' final dress rehearsal for the season opener, with Cutler spreading the ball around and Alshon Jeffery catching seven passes for 77 yards.

SPECIAL ON RETURNS AGAIN?: That's the question for Devin Hester. Can he be that havoc-wreaking force on returns now that the receiver experiment is a thing of the past? The league's all-time record-holder with 17 kick return touchdowns, he did not run back a kickoff or punt last season. He emerged from a drought in the past, returning a combined six punts and kickoffs for TDs over the 2010 and 2011 seasons after going two seasons without one.

''When you eliminate 50 or 60 snaps on offense my legs are a lot fresher, I can feel it coming out of camp,'' Hester said.

Bears trying for better balance in offense.

AP Sports

The balance sought all training camp by the Chicago Bears offense came against Oakland in the third preseason game.

Yet quarterback Jay Cutler believes it can be even better.

So does wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

Marshall said on Tuesday his play is helping to hold the offense back and the Pro Bowl receiver believes he isn't physically where he needs to be after offseason hip surgery.

''It's one of those things where I'm just trying to get healthy for Week 1,'' Marshall said. ''So you've got to have a game plan coming off surgery, a third hip surgery."

Chicago Bears running back Michael Bush (29) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15).

''So yeah, I'm not where I want to be right now. It's a little frustrating but we'll see.''

Marshall received rest throughout training camp and in practices leading up to the preseason games.

''It's one of those things where you may be rushed a little bit and some people might think I need to be farther on than where I am,'' he said. ''So it's a little frustrating not being where I want to be right now and maybe being pushed a little.''

If Marshall is getting pressure, it doesn't seem to be coming from coach Marc Trestman.

''I know this: Brandon is working his tail off to try to get himself ready,'' Trestman said, adding, ''He feels a sense of urgency because the season is 10 days away. ... I know he's doing everything he can to try and get himself ready.''

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) celebrates a touchdown run by running back Michael Bush.

Cutler suggested Marshall may have simply been feeling down for dropping a few passes in the most recent preseason game.

The Bears' offense looked efficient with Alshon Jeffery making seven catches against Oakland.

''It's B,'' Cutler said. ''He's going to take it hard for a couple of days and then he'll snap out of it and he'll be the guy we need next week.

Cutler and Marshall have to wait again until the regular-season opener because the Bears plan to play few, if any, starters against Cleveland on Thursday.

While Cutler does think Marshall was down a bit over his dropped passes, the hip does seem to have caused a problem.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) escapes the grasp of an Oakland Raiders tackler.

''You can see it,'' Cutler said. ''Conditioning-wise, he's a little behind. he knows where to be. It's just a matter of him getting out there and pushing his hip through things when it gets tight a little bit.''

Knowing the offense and fitting into it hasn't been a problem for Marshall, although he suggested some of his missed reps may have hurt the offense's timing.

''I know where I'm supposed to line up,'' he said. ''Now it's just getting a feel for it and having more experience in the offense.''

Marshall caught a team-record 118 passes for 1,508 yards last year. The goal is to vary the attack now.

A concussion suffered by wide receiver Earl Bennett has also contributed to early problems in the passing attack. Bennett would be on the field in three- or four-receiver sets.

Oakland Raiders cornerback Mike Jenkins (21) pulls on the jersey of Chicago Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery (17).

Bennett has been out since Aug. 2 and ran some at Tuesday's practice without actually taking part in the practice.

''Hopefully we get him back soon,'' Trestman said. ''Concussions get a little scary. There's a lot of attention on those. We've just got to take it day by day.

''When he comes back, he'll be an immediate playmaker for us.''

Notes: The Bears reached an injury settlement with quarterback Matt Blanchard, who suffered a fractured left hand. He was then waived. It's possible Blanchard could return to the practice squad. ... Trestman said tackle Jonathan Scott has started to run again after a knee injury. ... Defensive tackle Henry Melton (concussion) and linebacker D.J. Williams (calf) are still day to day and both have been running but not participating in scrimmages.
 

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? USA hockey team expects to be a favorite in Sochi.

 

LARRY LAGE (AP Hockey Writer)

The U.S. hockey team has flipped the script since the last Winter Olympics.

The Americans expect to be a favorite to win gold in six months at the Sochi Games after saying they were underdogs in 2010, when they won silver and were a goal away from knocking off the host Canadians.

''The only people that thought we had a chance were probably the guys in the locker room, or our coaches and management of USA Hockey,'' Chicago Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane said Monday. ''This time, it's different.''

USA Hockey invited 48 of its top prospects - including 16 players from its 2010 team - for off-ice workouts and meetings at the Washington Capitals' training facility.

''Even though we invited 48 guys, I got calls from a few agents, 'Why not my guy?' I get that,'' said general manager David Poile, whose day job is running the Nashville Predators. ''We put some guys on the board that aren't at this camp that we should be looking at. We're totally open-minded.

''We have to take the 25 guys that give us the best chance to win.''

The players will get picked to play based on their body of work and how well they perform early in the NHL season. The final roster is expected to be announced on Jan. 1 after Detroit and Toronto play in the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium.

Brian Burke, the team's general manager in 2010, set up an advisory group to assemble the roster. Poile plans to follow the model over the next four months.

NHL general managers Stan Bowman, Dean Lombardi, Dale Tallon and Paul Holmgren along with scout Don Waddell will assist Poile, Ray Shero, the team's associate GM, Burke, the team's director of player personnel and USA Hockey executive Jim Johannson.

''We'll have much harder decisions to make, picking this team than we had 2010,'' Burke said. ''That's what you want.''

The advisory group met for five hours on Sunday, spending some of that time on talking about a possible roster and some tough decisions it will have to make.

''We have 16 returning Olympians that have a chance to make the team,'' Poile said. ''We've got way more depth, and way more quality than we had in 2010.''

Six goaltenders were invited to the camp, and three will make the trip to Sochi.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller was named MVP of the ice hockey tournament at the Vancouver Games, but he's not a lock to keep his job because Los Angeles Kings star Jonathan Quick has been perhaps the world's best at stopping shots the past two seasons. NHL goalies Jimmy Howard, Cory Schneider, Craig Anderson, along with 20-year-old prospect Josh Gibson, also are in the mix.

Miller, despite his performance in 2010, was not named to the team's leadership group that includes defenseman Ryan Suter and forwards David Backes, Dustin Brown, Ryan Callahan and Zach Parise.

While it would be a big surprise if any of those leaders didn't end up representing the U.S. in Russia, they don't have any guarantees.

''Nobody has been given a position,'' Poile insisted.

Twenty-four forwards and 18 defensemen are attending the pre-Olympic camp, some of whom, such as 18-year-old Seth Jones, are there simply to experience what it is like to be around the country's best hockey players.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who succeeds Ron Wilson, said his job is to pass along some information and messages to the players over the course of a few days to get them ready for a quick turnaround at the Sochi Games. The NHL has some games scheduled on Feb. 8, and the Americans - along with the other players in the league from other countries - won't have much time to prepare for their first game.

''We won't see these guys for another six months,'' Bylsma said. ''That's not comfortable for a coach.''

Bylsma, though, seems at ease with Team USA publicly liking its chances to win gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice victory over the Soviet Union in 1980.

''It's a different expectation and different mindset,'' he said. ''Four years ago, we were under the radar and it certainly was a younger team and didn't have those expectations. This is a team that largely was in Vancouver and was in the gold-medal game and was a shot away from winning a gold medal.

''Now, the expectation is much different. We're going over to Sochi, Russia, with the mindset of winning a gold medal.''

Just another Chicago BullsSession... Murphy looking to stretch the floor for Chicago.

By Adam Fluck

 

In his first public remarks about Erik Murphy on the night of the 2013 NBA Draft, Bulls General Manager Gar Forman wasted little time in using a label that could stick with the team’s second round pick throughout his career: stretch four.

Murphy’s size and ability to score from the perimeter are what made him an enticing option for the Bulls, who added two other shooters this offseason with the first round selection of Tony Snell and the signing of free agent forward Mike Dunleavy, Jr. later in the summer.

 

 

"As a rookie, you never know what your role is going to be until the season comes," said Murphy. "I’ll accept any role I get. That’s part of the deal." (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images) 

In the case of Murphy, though, it helps to better understand what an NBA stretch four is supposed to do. So who better to ask than Murphy himself?
 

“It’s a big guy who can stretch the floor and spread out the defense,” Murphy explained following a workout at the Berto Center last week. “You have to be capable of shooting the ball and making plays away from the basket.

“Obviously, Derrick is a great point guard and he will use all the space he can get,” Murphy continued. “So if you have a big guy who can spread the floor and space out the defense, it’s a big plus for a player like him.”

At 6-10, 230-pounds, Murphy has the size – especially as he adds weight and strength – to play in the post like a traditional power forward. If and when he makes his mark on the game, however, it will likely be on the perimeter with his distinguishing ability to hit the three-pointer.

Typically opposing team’s power forwards will defend Murphy, thus if he’s a threat from the outside, it forces his defender towards the three-point line and away from the basket, opening up the lane to enhance what a creative playmaker like Rose can do. An effective stretch four may also benefit someone like Bulls center Joakim Noah, providing more room to operate and giving him a greater chance to be offensively effective.

Dirk Nowitzki at 7-0, 245-pounds is the epitome of the stretch four in today’s game, while Ryan Anderson at 6-10, 240-pounds likely offers a better comparison to Murphy. Just as both of those players can shoot, they also have to be able to hold their own in the low post, a fact not lost on Murphy.

 

 

"In high school, I shot from the perimeter a little bit just because I could," said Murphy. "But I’ve always been comfortable playing down low as well." (Tom Pennington/Getty Images Sport)

“I’ve always been comfortable playing down low as well,” said Murphy. “I may not be the strongest or biggest guy physically, but I’m not afraid from playing in the post. I embrace it and feel I’ve got some good skills playing down there. And that comes into play being a stretch four too, being a player that’s not one-dimensional. You’ve got to be a big guy who other teams are forced to respect around the basket, but he can also stretch the floor.

“I understand how to play and pick up things pretty quickly,” added Murphy, who will get his chance to prove it when the Bulls open training camp at the end of September.

This offseason has been a busy one for the Rhode Island native, who took his first break after NBA Summer League (Murphy averaged 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 26.2 minutes as Chicago went 4-1) in Las Vegas concluded on July 19 by going back to Gainesville to catch up with his old teammates and coaches at the University of Florida.

After that, Murphy returned to Chicago to resume workouts at the Berto Center, a place he’s visited with great regularity aside from a few days in New York for the league’s rookie transition program.

Murphy’s sessions usually start by 10 or 11 in the morning and begin on the court, where he’ll work with one of the Bulls assistant coaches. His primary focus, of course, remains on his outside shot. But he mixes in a host of other drills – shot fakes followed by one dribble and pull up jumpers, mid-post work, face up looks in the post, shots on the move coming off screens, and pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop techniques – before moving into the weight room.

And though he’s made a lot of progress over the years, Murphy admits there is no way he would be at this level had he simply relied on his height and natural ability.

“When I was really young, I was awful,” remarked Murphy. “I stated playing AAU at the age of 13 with a local Rhode Island team and I was the last guy off the bench. I never played. It was around that age that I started working hard and taking the game seriously.”

Along with fellow draftee Tony Snell, Erik Murphy has spent the bulk of his summer at the Berto Center preparing for the 2013-14 NBA season. (Nick Laham/Getty Images Sport)

 
Murphy's father, Jay, who starred at Boston College and played for the Clippers and Bullets in the 1980s, as well as overseas in France and Italy, played a huge role in his son’s development.

“My Dad helped instill a good work ethic in me, though he never put any pressure on me,” said Murphy, whose younger brother Alex is a sophomore for the Duke Blue Devils. “He showed me what hard work is all about, but he never made me play basketball. It was all me.”

As Murphy continues to put his time in at the gym and gets acclimated to new surroundings, training camp will present another set of new challenges.

“I know it’s going to be hard, but I’m excited for when that time comes,” said Murphy.

 
“Summer league gives you a small taste of what to expect, but obviously it’s not the same level. A lot of the guys out there are capable of playing in this league, so you play against some good competition and everyone is playing hard because they want to make a team.

“As a rookie, you never know what your role is going to be until the season comes,” added Murphy. “I’ll accept any role I get. That’s part of the deal. But just coming in and doing what I can for the team to win, whether that’s cheering loudest on the bench or being ready if my name is called, is OK by me.”

Are you ready for some football? No seriously, are you ready for some football?  

If you are, please read the link below!!!

 

Link: http://allsportsamerica.blogspot.com/2013/07/are-you-ready-for-some-football-no.html

Remember, (1) Competition breeds excellence, (2) You can't win ($$$) if you aren't in and (3) The odds are better than the Lottery!!!

Teeing Off: Who is the 2013 Player of the Year?

 

By Shane Bacon

 

 Adam Scott, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson — Getty Images

 

Welcome to Teeing Off, where Devil Ball editor Shane Bacon and national columnist Jay Busbee take a day's topic and smack it all over the course. Today we discuss who we think is the 2013 Player of the Year.

 

Busbee: It's that time again! No, not football time, you. It's time to start kicking around who should be the player of the year. We've got three candidates: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Adam Scott. One has won more tournaments this year than anybody on earth; the other two have won majors. Which way do we vote here, huh?

Bacon: I almost dedicated an entire column to this because there are so many ways you can go, but first I would like to throw out the "I bet Tiger would take (include Scott or Mickelson's) year." That isn't how this is figured out. Adam Scott even said BEFORE he won this weekend that "I'd rather have mine" when comparing seasons to Tiger, but this is a look at the entire season, not just the difference in PGA Tour wins and majors.

Despite the win by Scott at the Barclays, I still have to go with Tiger considering he has five wins and, as long as he's healthy, will probably snag another one before the playoffs end. Tiger himself may be judged on major wins, but his season, and this award, are not, and five wins is a lot more than two, even if one of those is a major.

Busbee: It's not like there's not precedent for that. Woods won Player of the Year in 2003, a year in which he didn't capture a single major but did have -- wait for it -- five wins. So that puts Woods in the lead. What could Scott or Mickelson do to swing that pendulum in their direction? Do you think another win or two would do it? Would a FedEx Cup win (and commensurate money list victory) be enough?

Bacon: I definitely think that both Mickelson and Scott have a chance to take hold of this tight race with a win as these playoffs continue on. Mickelson's near-59 followed by a run at the U.S. Open only to be followed up by that British Open win would look very, very nice with a win at say, the Tour Championship. Scott has now put himself in a position like Rory McIlroy a year ago, making a late run in the season to snag his first POTY honor (Rory won consecutive playoff events last year to go along with his PGA Championship trophy).

My question remains, does the FedEx Cup trophy play into voter's minds? It isn't really a win, and it definitely isn't a major, but the fact that it comes at the end of the season, and means so much financially, has to sway voters doesn't it?

Busbee: The cumulative nature (cumulativity? cumulo-numbus?) nature of the FedEx Cup gives it a bit more cachet than your average Anonymous Midwestern Insurance Company Classic, because it requires sustained excellence. So, yeah, it should absolutely have some sway. Then again, Woods is right there in the midst of that. I'm thinking that if Scott or Mickelson is going to do this, they'll have to win something big late. Otherwise, it's Woods' to lose.

So, you think Woods does it? Or can Scott catch him?

Bacon: The only way Scott or Mickelson can catch him (and I have Scott at 2a and Mickelson at 2b) is I think at least one more win and the FedEx Cup title. If they can do that, especially if that other win comes at the Tour Championship, I could see voters getting bored of picking Tiger and trying to go another way.

Oh, and crazy stat of the day - Mickelson has NEVER won PGA Tour Player of the Year. That just seems wrong.

Busbee: Or completely, totally right.

Bacon: A Mickelson thumbs-up is in order.
 
Golf rankings, player capsules.

 

Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

 

1. Tiger Woods, United States -- Battling back spasms that brought him to his knees on one shot, Woods struggled to a tie for second in the Barclays, finishing one stroke behind Adam Scott when his 24-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the final hole stopped inches short. He posted four rounds in the 60s at Liberty National, and despite not winning, retained his lead in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the second event of the playoffs. ... If he can make it to the first tee on Thursday, Tiger will be playing in the Deutsche Bank for the ninth time. He took home the title in 2006, a year before the PGA Tour playoffs were introduced. He came from behind in the final round with an 8-under-par 63, sinking eagle putts of 10 feet on the second hole and 15 feet after driving the green on the par-4 third, before holing a 25-foot birdie putt two holes later en route to beating Vijay Singh by two strokes. That gave him victories in five consecutive PGA Tour events. He has had great success at TPC Boston, also tying for second in 2004 and again in 2007, en route to winning the inaugural FedEx Cup, finishing solo third last year and tying for seventh in 2004. ... Woods missed a 12-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead on the 12th hole in the final round of the Barclays, but on the next hole dropped to his knees in pain after hitting his second shot, which went into the water and led to a bogey 6. He added another bogey at No. 15 but got back into the picture with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17. He started with a 4-under-par 67 and then put up three consecutive 69s in a bid for his sixth victory of the season.

2. Adam Scott, Australia -- When Scott missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the Barclays, he thought the best he could do was a playoff after his second 5-under-par 66 of the tournament. But when Justin Rose, Gary Woodland and Tiger Woods were unable to equal his score of 11-under-par 273, he had his first victory since the Masters and climbed nine spots to second in the FedEx Cup standings behind Woods. He claimed his 10th victory on the PGA Tour and 22nd of his career around the globe. ... This will be Scotty's ninth appearance in the Deutsche Bank Championship. He won the tournament in 2003, four years before the PGA Tour playoffs were introduced. He posted four rounds in the 60s at TPC Boston that year, highlighted by a 9-under-par 62, on his way to a four-stroke victory over Rocco Mediate. Scott tied for second in his title defense, closing with a 65 that left him three shots behind Vijay Singh. The Aussie also has finished in the top 10 in the second event of the playoffs in each of the last three years, tying for fifth in 2010, tying for eighth in 2011 and tying for seventh last year. He was tied for the lead after opening with 69-63 two years ago, but he played the weekend in 71-71. ... Scott, who put himself into the PGA Tour Player of the Year conversation by winning the Barclays, struggled at Liberty National only when he shot 72 in the third round, the worst coming when he drove into a fairway bunker on the 10th hole and then three-putted from 69 feet for a double-bogey 6. He started with rounds of 69-66 and came from six strokes behind in the final round with his bogey-free 66.

3. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Saving his best for last in the Barclays, Mickelson posted seven birdies in a stretch of eight holes through No. 15 in the final round on his way to a 6-under-par 65. However, he missed a couple other chances and carded his only bogey of the day on the final hole to finish in a tie for sixth, two strokes behind winner Adam Scott. He moved up one spot to third in the FedEx Cup standings and is very much in the hunt if he can continue to play the way he did Sunday. ... Lefty claimed one of his two playoff victories in the 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship en route to finishing second in the FedEx Cup standings, and this week he will be playing for the seventh consecutive year at TPC Boston. After starting with a 1-under-par 70 six years ago, he reeled off scores of 64-68-66 to win by two strokes over Brett Wetterich, Arron Oberholser and Tiger Woods. Mickelson carded four birdies on the front nine to take the lead and held on with two more, on the 16th and 18th holes. He has two other top-10 finishes in the tournament, tying for 10th two years ago on the strength of a 63 in round three, and posting four scores in the 60s last year to tie for fourth. ... Mickelson was on the edge of contention last week at Liberty National after rounds of 71-69-70, starting the final round in a tie for 30th, before making his move after starting with five consecutive pars. He hit his first shot of the tournament into the water and made bogey to start a 71, but his biggest hiccup was hitting his tee shot into a greenside bunker on the par-3 11th hole in round three and three-putting from six feet for a double-bogey 5 in a round of 70.

4. Justin Rose, England -- Rose had a 25-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the Barclays last week, but he blew it five feet past the hole and missed the comebacker that would have put him in a playoff with his buddy, Adam Scott. The U.S. Open champion closed out his third score of 3-under-par 68 with his only bogey of the day and tied for second to climb two spots to fifth in the FedEx Cup standings. ... Rose has missed the cut in three of his five appearances in the Deutsche Bank Championship since it became part of the PGA Tour playoffs in 2007, including last year, when he posted a score of 75-70--145 to miss by one stroke. He also missed the weekend in 2007 at 71-76--147 and in 2010 at 70-73--143. His best finishes at TPC Boston came before the playoff system was initiated in 2007. Rose finished solo third in 2003, talking the lead with an 8-under-par 63 in the first round but shooting 71 in round two before playing the weekend in 68-67 to finish five shots behind winner Adam Scott. He also tied for fourth in 2006, ranking with the leaders by posting three scores in the 60s before closing with a 72 to wind up nine strokes behind champion Tiger Woods, who closed with a 63. ... Rose probably regrets several other miscues last week in the Barclays. He did not make a bogey in his opening 68 at Liberty National, but he hit his approach shot on No. 13 into the water and took a double-bogey 6. The next day, he had his only bogeys on two of the last four holes in another 68, and in round three he had three bogeys on the back nine to shoot 70.

5. Matt Kuchar, United States -- Looking for his third victory of the season, Kooch was tied for the lead heading to the final round of the Barclays, but he closed with an ugly 7-over-par 78 and plummeted to a tie for 19th. That dropped him two spots to fourth in the FedEx Cup standings, but he remains very much in the running with three events left in the playoffs, thanks to his fine play all year. ... Kuchar will tee it up in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the 10th time this week, but has never finished in the top 10 at TPC Boston. His best result in the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs was a tie for 11th three years ago, when he was among the leaders after opening with 66-65 but slid down the leaderboard by playing the weekend in 72-71. Matt also tied for 15th in 2009, when he posted three scores in the 60s, but an even-par 71 in the second round kept him from a top-10 finish. Last year, he played the weekend in 68-68, but that followed a 74 in the second round, and he tied for 35th. ... Kuchar posted rounds of 66-65-70 and was tied with Gary Woodland entering the final round last week at Liberty National, where he didn't make his only birdie on Sunday until sinking a 21-foot putt on the final hole. He was hanging in with seven consecutive pars after making a bogey on the first hole, but he hit his tee shot into the water on the ninth hole, needed five strokes to reach the green and took a triple-bogey 7 that virtually knocked him out of contention. He had only six bogeys in the first three rounds, but he had five on Sunday, plus the triple.

6. Brandt Snedeker, United States -- Playing alongside Tiger Woods in the first two rounds, Snedeker also was hit with back problems, but he could not nurse himself into the weekend, shooting 72-71--143 to miss the cut by one stroke. It was his second consecutive missed cut, as he also fell short at the Wyndham Championship. He has missed six cuts this season, with two of them coming after he was out for six weeks because of an intercostal strain early in the year. ... Sneds, who slid three positions to sixth in the FedEx Cup standings, will be playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the seventh time, and he seems to have figured out TPC Boston by finishing in the top 10 in each of the last three years. After failing to crack the top 25 in any of his first three appearances, he tied for fifth in 2010, tied for third the following year and finished solo third last year. Three years ago, he was in second place, one stroke behind leader Jason Day after posting scores of 66-64-67, but he fell back with an even-par 71 in the final round. In 2011, he shot 64 in round two and closed with a 66, but he wound up two strokes out of the playoff in which Webb Simpson beat Chez Reavie. ... Snedeker rallied with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes when round two continued on Saturday morning in the rain-delayed Barclays, but he needed one more. He hit his approach shot on the final hole into a greenside bunker, and even though he holed his six-foot putt, it was only good for a par. Sneds hit only 18 of 36 greens. He saved his first round by taking only 25 putts, but he needed 30 in round two.

7. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- McIlroy played his best golf only when he posted a 6-under-par 65 in the second round en route to a tie for 19th last week in the Barclays. Still, that lifted him from 49th to 36th in the FedEx Cup standings, and he needs at least one more good finish in the next two events to climb into the top 30 and qualify for the Tour Championship. ... Rory will defend the first of his titles in the PGA Tour playoffs this week at the Deutsche Bank Championship, where he led much of the way by posting rounds of 65-66-67-67, finishing one stroke ahead of Louis Oosthuizen. He took command by carding five birdies in the first eight holes in the final round at TPC Boston and then held on by holing a five-foot putt for par on the 17th hole before making a routine par at No. 18. In his only other appearance in the tournament, McIlroy opened with a 7-under-par 64 in 2010 but followed with a 76 the next day and eventually tied for 37th. He also will defend his title in two weeks at the BMW Championship. ... The Irishman's 65, which equaled his best score on the PGA Tour this season, way back in the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March, included eight birdies and a pair of bogeys. He turned in an interesting scorecard in round one, carding four birdies, an eagle and no bogeys, but he had three double bogeys to finish at 71. McIlroy had a chance to finish with another round in the 60s on Sunday, but he hit his tee shot into the water on the 16th hole and recorded his fourth double bogey of the tournament while closing with a 72.

8. Jason Dufner, United States -- Playing for the first time as a major champion, Dufner failed to break 70 in any of his four rounds and wound up in a tie for 37th in the Barclays. He dropped from 15th to 19th in the FedEx Cup standings and only needs to remain solid in the next two events to guarantee his spot in the 30-man field at the Tour Championship. ... Duf is making his sixth start in the Deutsche Bank Championship this week, and he posted his best finish in the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs when he tied for second in 2009. He carded four rounds in the 60s, including a 5-under-par 65 in the final round, only to finish one stroke behind Steve Stricker. Dufner and Scott Verplank held the clubhouse lead after making birdies on the 18th hole, but Stricker leap-frogged them by carding birdies on the last two holes. Last year, Dufner was right with the leaders after opening with 67-66, but he played the weekend in 70-74 and skidded to a tie for 18th, equaling his second-best finish at TPC Boston, achieved in 2010. ... The PGA champion saved some of his best golf for the final round at Liberty National, when he carded three birdies in a five-hole stretch through No. 16 and was on the verge of breaking 70 for the first time all week. Then he made bogeys on the last two holes and had to settle for his second even-par 70. Duf seemed to be on his way to a low score in round two when he birdied three consecutive holes through No. 7 and added three more on the back nine, but he three-putted for a double-bogey 6 on the 15th hole and also finished at 70.

9. Dustin Johnson, United States -- Hoping for a good start in the PGA Tour playoffs to move into the top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings, Johnson instead shot 71-72--143 and missed the cut by one stroke in the Barclays. It was his fourth missed cut of the season in 18 stroke-play events on the circuit, and he slipped six spots to 22nd in the point standings. It was the first time he missed the weekend in the playoff opener since 2008 at Ridgewood Country Club, where he was making his debut in the postseason event. ... DJ had his best chance to win the Deutsche Bank Championship in four appearances last year, when he opened with rounds of 67-68-65 and was in third place, but he finished with a 1-under-par 70 and slipped to a tie for fourth. That equaled his best previous finish at TPC Boston, achieved in 2009, when he posted three rounds in the 60s and a 70 in the third round while finishing two strokes behind winner Steve Stricker. He had a chance for another top-10 finish in 2011 but closed with a 75 and wound up in a tie for 42nd. ... Johnson came to his last hole of the second round at Liberty National needing a birdie to make the cut and hit the green with his approach, but he didn't give himself much of a chance. He ran his 42-foot putt past the hole, settled for par and was gone. DJ rallied with three birdies in four holes through No. 16 after starting on the back nine to put himself right on the cut line. However, he could not record another birdie, and he missed an 11-foot putt for par on the third hole before finishing with six consecutive pars.

10. Luke Donald, England -- Continuing his run of sub-par play, Donald opened with a 4-under-par 67 in the first round of the Barclays, but he could not break par the rest of the way and finished in a tie for 41st. It was better than the three missed cuts in his previous four outings, including the Open Championship and the PGA Championship, but he actually gained one spot to 54th in the FedEx Cup standings. He needs something special in the next two events to make the 30-man field at the Tour Championship. ... Luke will be making his seventh start in the Deutsche Bank Championship this week, and he challenged for the title at TPC Boston in 2010 and 2011. Three years ago, he posted four scores in the 60s and tied for second, five strokes behind Charley Hoffman, who ran away from the field by shooting 9-under-par 62 in the final round. In 2011, Donald recorded three rounds in the 60s but shot 70 in the second round and finished two shots out of the playoff in which Webb Simpson defeated Chez Reavie. Last year, he started with a 67 but could not break 70 the rest of the way and wound up in a tie for 26th. ... Donald was at even par through 11 holes of the first round at Liberty National, but then he reeled off four birdies in the next five holes to shoot his 67. However, he finished with three consecutive 71s, making only one birdie in the second round, carding bogeys on the last two holes in round three and recording three bogeys on the back nine on Sunday after a promising start in which he birdied the first two holes.

11. Bill Haas, United States -- Haas was at his best last week only when he shot a brilliant, bogey-free 5-under-par 66 in the second round of the Barclays. He wound up in a tie for 25th in the playoff opener. However, he has played so well this season after missing the Tour Championship a year ago that he slid only from fifth to eighth in the FedEx Cup standings heading to round two of the postseason schedule. ... The 2011 FedEx Cup champion will be making his eighth appearance in the Deutsche Bank Championship, and his only top-10 finish was a tie for ninth in 2004, three years before the playoff system was installed. He was second, two strokes behind eventual champion Vijay Singh, after starting with 69-64, but he played the weekend in 71-73. His best finish at TPC Boston during the playoffs was a tie for 15th in 2009, when he shot 5-under-par 66 in the second and final rounds but cost himself a top-10 result by posting a 72 in the third round. In his Cup-winning year, he could not break 70 and tied for 61st. Last year, he rallied after a slow start to shoot 68-69 on the weekend, but all it got him was a tie for 35th. ... Haas needed a sub-70 score in round two to make the cut last week at Liberty National after opening with a 73, and he reeled off three birdies in five holes through No. 17 after starting on the back nine before adding two on the front to make sure. However, he played the weekend in 71-70, spoiling his third round with his only bogeys of the day on Nos. 15 and 16. He made only two birdies on Sunday.

12. Webb Simpson, United States -- After a promising start of 66-67 that put him among the leaders in the Barclays, Simpson fell back with a 3-over-par 74 in the third round and eventually finished in a tie for 15th. He slipped one spot to 18th in the FedEx Cup standings, and he needs to play solid golf in the next two events of the playoffs in order to climb into the top 10 and give himself a chance to win the whole thing at the Tour Championship. ... Webb is playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the fifth time, and he claimed his only victory in the playoffs there in 2011 en route to finishing second to Bill Haas in the FedEx Cup standings. He got better every day, recording scores of 69-68-67-65, and then sank a 15-foot birdie putt to stay alive on the first hole of a playoff against Chez Reavie before winning with an eight-foot birdie putt on the next hole. It was his second victory on the PGA Tour and came two weeks after he broke through at the Wyndham Championship. Last year, the best he could do was shoot 5-under-par 66 in the third round on the way to a tie for 18th in his title defense at TPC Boston. ... Simpson recorded only three bogeys in the first 36 holes last week at Liberty National, but he put up a total of nine on the weekend, including five in his final round of 71. He got off to a promising start in round three by holing a six-foot birdie putt on the first hole, but that was the only one he would get all day. Simpson made only one bogey in the first round, at No. 15, but his best stretch of the week came when he reeled off six birdies in the first eight holes of the front nine in round two.

13. Steve Stricker, United States -- By staying at home in Wisconsin and missing an event in the PGA Tour playoffs for the first time since they started in 2007, Stricker slid eight positions to 28th in the FedEx Cup standings. More important, since he has said that he is playing in the postseason series only to improve his chance to make the Presidents Cup team on his own merit, he is 11th in those standings and at this point would have to rely on a captain's pick from Fred Couples to make the United States team for the matches in October at Muirfield Village. ... Stricker is playing this week in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the 11th time, and he claimed one of his two victories during the playoffs in 2009 at TPC Boston. He took the lead by shooting 8-under-par 63 in round one and played the weekend in 65-67 to hold off Scott Verplank and Jason Dufner by one stroke. Stricker actually was one stroke back when Verplank and Dufner made birdies ahead of him on the 18th hole, but he sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th and then chipped to within tap-in range for a winning birdie on the final hole. Strick also tied for seventh at TPC Boston in 2006, tied for ninth in 2007 and finished solo ninth in 2009. ... Despite cutting back his schedule to 10 events so far this season, Stricker has played well, making every cut and finishing in the top 25 in eight of those tournaments, including five finishes in the top 10. He came in second in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and the WGC-Cadillac Championship, but he needs a victory in order to extend his streak of winning in each of the last four seasons.

14. Lee Westwood, England -- Hoping to move into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings with a big performance at the Barclays, Westwood was inconsistent in the playoff opener but basically didn't lose much ground by closing with his 3-under-par 68 to tie for 25th. He slipped four spots to 35th in the standings and has two more events in which to guarantee his spot in the field at the Tour Championship. ... Westy is making only his second appearance in the PGA Tour playoffs. Last year in his initial outing in the Deutsche Bank Championship, he finished in a tie for 13th. He recorded three rounds in the 60s at TPC Boston, including bookend 3-under-par 68s, but a 71 in the second round kept him from breaking into the top 10. Still, it was part of a strong postseason run, as Westwood tied for fifth in the Barclays and tied for second in the BMW Championship. He would like to add this Deutsche Bank title to the two he claimed in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open-TPC of Europe in 1998 and 2002 at Gut Kaden Country Club in Alveslohe, Germany. ... Westwood was playing catch-up last week at Liberty National after he opened with a 2-over-par 73 that included a miserable start, with double-bogey 6s on the third and fifth holes while he played the front nine in 5-over 41. However, he carded three birdies in a span of five holes through No. 17 to save his round and his week. His 68s in the second and final rounds were very similar, as he carded six birdies and three bogeys each day, finishing strong with birdies on the 16th and 18th holes on Sunday.

15. Keegan Bradley, United States -- Bradley set a course record of 8-under-par 63, which lasted only one day at Liberty National before Kevin Chappell broke it by one stroke, but Keegan could not even equal par in any of his other three rounds in the Barclays. He finished in a tie for 33rd, and he slipped from 10th to 11th in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs. ... For the second consecutive week, the New England native and graduate of St. John's in New York will be a gallery favorite as he plays in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the third time. After shooting 68-76--144 to miss the cut by one stroke in 2011, the first event he played at TPC Boston, he bounced back to finish in a tie for 13th last year. After starting with 71-73 to make the cut right on the number, Bradley climbed the leaderboard by playing the weekend in 63-69. He carded seven birdies and an eagle in the third round, and he finished strong with three birdies on the last five holes in the final round. That was a far cry from the first two rounds, as he recorded five bogeys in seven holes through No. 7 the first day, and he made double-bogey 6s in the 13th and 15th holes the next day. ... Bradley sprinkled eight birdies across his scorecard in a bogey-free second round in the Barclays, but he had a total of only nine in the other three rounds. He needed a par on the 18th hole in the first round to shoot 70, but he hit his tee shot into an unplayable lie and took a penalty stroke. It took him five shots to reach the green, and he had to sink a five-foot putt for a double-bogey 6 to finish at 72.

16. Hunter Mahan, United States -- After a promising start with 69-68 in the first two rounds of the Barclays, Mahan played the weekend in 72-71 and wound up in a tie for 25th. He was hoping to solidify his spot in the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings and guarantee his spot in the Tour Championship, but he remained 21st in the point standings and must play well in the next two playoff events. ... Hunter will be playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the 11th consecutive year, but he has only one top-10 finish to show for it, a tie for eighth two years ago. He posted three rounds in the 60s, but an even-par 71 in the second round left him five strokes out of the playoff in which Webb Simpson beat Chez Reavie. Mahan opened with a 64 in 2010, but he could not break 70 the rest of the way and finished in a tie for 33rd. He posted another 64 in the second round in 2008, and he closed with a 69 to wind up in a tie for 15th, his second-best finish at TPC Boston. ... Mahan carded only three bogeys in the first two rounds last week at Liberty National, but he posted seven more and a double bogey while falling back on the weekend. After a slow start with bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes in round three, he seemed to get back on track when he birdied three consecutive holes through No. 8. Then he hit his tee shot on the next hole into an unplayable lie, had to take a penalty stroke and needed five shots to reach the green en route to a double-bogey 6.

17. Ernie Els, South Africa -- Needing to make a move at the start of the PGA Tour playoffs to guarantee his spot in the first three events, Els instead shot 73-74--147 and missed the cut by five strokes in the Barclays. He missed the weekend for the fourth time this season on the PGA Tour, the second time in his last three outings, and he slid nine positions to 91st in the FedEx Cup standings. The top 100 will play this week in the Deutsche Bank Championship, but Els needs a strong performance to climb into the top 70 to make the field for the BMW Championship. ... This will be the Big Easy's sixth start in the Deutsche Bank Championship, or every one since the start of the PGA Tour playoffs in 2007, and he has been unable to match the tie for third he recorded at TPC Boston in that first year. In 2007, he reeled off rounds of 66-65-69 at TPC Boston before closing with a 1-under-par 69 and finished eight strokes behind runaway winner Vijay Singh. Els shot 65 in the second round two years ago, but he could not break 70 in any of this other three rounds and finished in a tie for 15th. After opening with 69-69 a year ago to sit in a tie for 19th with a chance to make a run up the leaderboard on the weekend, he instead played the last two rounds in 71-70 to tie for 26th. ... Els got to the back nine on Friday at Liberty National needing a rally to make the cut, but he hit his approach at No. 10 into a miserable spot in a greenside bunker and needed three shots to escape while carding a triple-bogey 7. He carded three birdies down the stretch, but it was too late.

18. Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland -- G-Mac's strange season continued when he shot 71-72--143 and missed the cut in the Barclays by one stroke. He has claimed three victories around the world since April, but he also has failed to make it to the weekend six times on both major tours during that stretch. He fell from 28th to 44th in the FedEx Cup standings and needs good performance in the next two rounds of the playoffs to regain a spot in the top 30 in order to reach the Tour Championship. ... McDowell has played in the Deutsche Bank Championship, and the PGA Tour playoffs, only in the last two years and has yet to figure out TPC Boston. The only time he broke 70 in the tournament came when he shot 3-under-par 68 in 2011 on his way to a tie for 37th that left him out of the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings, so he missed the last two playoff tournaments. Last year, he started with 74-70 to make the cut right on the number in the second event of the playoffs, but it got worse on the weekend, which he played in 75-72 and wound up in a tie for 74th. ... G-Mac came to his final hole in the second round, No. 9, needing a birdie to play on the weekend, and gave himself a chance, but he missed a 10-foot putt and had to settle for par. He was one stroke inside the cut line before hitting his drive into the water on No. 6 and missing a 10-foot putt for par. But his biggest problem came at No. 18, where he hit two bunkers, needed four shots to reach the green and missed a nine-foot putt to card a double-bogey 6.

19. Zach Johnson, United States -- While skipping the Barclays, opener of the PGA Tour playoffs, to be the best man at his brother's wedding, Johnson slid seven spots to 25th in the FedEx Cup standings. If he can pick up where he left off at the end of the regular season, when he posted five consecutive finishes in the top 10, he should be able to make up that ground quickly, perhaps this week in the Deutsche Bank Championship. ... Zach will be making his eighth start at TPC Boston, and his best result was a tie for 13th in 2004, three years before the advent of the playoffs, when he posted bookend 3-under-pat 68s. He has two other top-20 finishes in the Deutsche Bank, a tie for 16th in 2011 and a tie for 19th in 2009, recording three rounds in the 60s each time. In 2010, he opened with a 9-under-par 63 to tie for the lead but could not break par the rest of the way and wound up in a tie for 30th. ... Coming off a season in which he won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and the John Deere Classic, Johnson did not have a top-10 finish until he was solo third in his title defense at Colonial, in his 13th start. However, in his last five starts, he lost to rookie Jordan Spieth in his title defense at the John Deere, tied for sixth in the Open Championship, tied for fourth in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, tied for eighth in the PGA Championship and tied for fifth in the Wyndham Championship. The way he is playing, his 10th PGA Tour victory might not be far away.

20. Bubba Watson, United States -- Playing some of best golf of the season until faltering on the final holes, Watson finished in a tie for 13th in the Barclays, when it appeared he would surpass his previous best finish in the event, a tie for 10th last year. He climbed 11 spots in the FedEx Cup standings to 27th, and with solid performances in the next two events, he would remain in the top 30 and qualify for the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta. ... Bubba will tee it up this week in the Deutsche Bank Championship for the eighth consecutive year, and he has yet to crack the top 10 at TPC Boston. His best result was a tie for 12th in 2006, in his first appearance in the tournament and the year before the PGA Tour went to its playoff format. Two years ago, Bubba held a one-stroke lead through 54 holes after putting up scores of 68-64-70, but he struggled home with a 2-over-par 74 and wound up in a tie for 16th. Last year, he posted a score of 75-72--147 and missed the cut for the second time at TPC Boston by three strokes. His other missed cut came in 2007, when his score of 78-69--147 fell four shots short. ... Watson posted scores of 3-under-par 68 in the first and third rounds last week at Liberty National and appeared to be on his way to equaling or surpassing that when he was 3 under through 14 holes on Sunday. Then he carded a bogey on the 15th hole and drove into an unplayable lie on the final hole en route to a double-bogey 6 to finish off a 71 that dropped him out of the top 10.

Others receiving consideration: Ian Poulter, England; Jordan Spieth, United States; Henrik Stenson, Sweden; Patrick Reed, United States; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa; Sergio Garcia, Spain; Jason Day, Australia; Charles Howell III, United States; Martin Laird, Scotland; Angel Cabrera, Argentina; Kevin Streelman, United States; D.A. Points, United States; Billy Horschel, United States; John Merrick, United States; Russell Henley, United States; David Lingmerth, Sweden; Sang-Moon Bae, South Korea; Boo Weekley, United States; Harris English, United States; Jonas Blixt, Sweden.
 

Power Rankings: Welcome to first place Matt Kenseth.

 

By Nick Bromberg

 

Matt Kenseth celebrates another win in the night race at Bristol.

It's time for Power Rankings! After every race, we'll opine about who we think is at the top of the Sprint Cup heap and how and why they got there. Remember, this isn't scientific, as our formula is the perfect blend of analytics and bias against your favorite driver. So let's get on with it now, shall we?

1. Matt Kenseth (LW: 7): We have ourselves a new Chase points leader. OK, we have ourselves a driver in sole command of the Chase points standings. Just a couple weeks after it looked like Kyle Busch could be Joe Gibbs Racing's strongest Chase contender, Flatline strikes and reminds us all that he was still set to be tied with Jimmie Johnson when the Chase began. And now he's ahead of him.

2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 1): Johnson's claim to the top spot isn't too much weaker than it was previously, especially given that the incidents that have plagued him the last two weeks were out of his control. That said, the reason Johnson was caught up in David Reutimann's spin Saturday night was because the No. 48 wasn't near the front of the field. And now, Johnson's looking up at the guy ahead of him, both in the Power Rankings and when the Chase begins.

3. Clint Bowyer (LW: 9): Bowyer's impressive drive at Bristol isn't reflected in the box score, which simply shows a 14th place finish. That's because he ran out of gas on the final lap. Before that, he was back in the top 10 and had a contending car. We say "back" because Bowyer was at one point leading the race when he got Kvapiled and had to work his way through the field. Plus, he's now just 18 points behind Johnson.

4. Kasey Kahne (LW: 4): Who wanted Kahne to wreck Kenseth after his comments following Watkins Glen? After the race, Kahne said that he simply doesn't wreck people, and while crashing Kenseth would have been the highlight of the season, it's an honorable thing for Kahne to say. And how strongly can you argue with a guy who says he's committed to racing cleanly like that?

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 8): Junior's race changed when Martin Truex Jr. was in that vicious accident. Instead of racing for the win, Junior's night became more about hedging his bets. While he had a car that was capable enough of a top 5 finish had he not pitted again, the choice was understandable, especially given that Bowyer ran out on the last lap.

6. Joey Logano (LW: 10): Hell of a comeback by Logano and the No. 22 team to bounce back from the significant damage sustained in the incident with Busch to finish fifth. And now, all of the sudden, Joey Logano is in position to make the three points from winning at Michigan count. This is one hell of a run.

7. Kevin Harvick (LW: 3): So how many of you thought for a split second that Harvick and Denny Hamlin's discussion was going to be something that would be played on Bristol commercials for the rest of eternity? It wasn't, which was probably a good thing ultimately. What really could have happened with one driver strapped in his car with his helmet on and a bevy of crew and officials nearby?

8. Kyle Busch (LW: 5): Does the contact with Joey Logano keep Busch's trouble or top 10 streak alive? Or since it only indirectly caused a caution flag and Busch didn't lose track position because of the incident, it doesn't count? If it indeed doesn't count, Busch didn't miss by much. He finished 11th.

9. Carl Edwards (LW: 6): Edwards had perhaps the strongest car of the evening before a valve spring went bad. Despite the parts failure, it was a good opportunity to show that Edwards can compete for wins rather than consistently finish well. Yeah, that may not make sense, but if anyone knows that wins > good finishes, it's Edwards.

10. Kurt Busch (LW: 2): Sorry for the precipitous drop, Kurt, but someone had to fall. And you rocketed up last week anyway. We know this going into Atlanta: Busch will have a fast car, and something won't go right. What that something is, however, is the big question. It could be very minor and Busch will get back into the top 10. It could be major and his Chase hopes will disappear.

11. Greg Biffle (LW: NR): Yes, Greg Biffle is still in the Sprint Cup Series -- not sure if you've seen him on TV over the past few weeks -- and he's going to make the Chase. You may end up asking yourself "who's that guy?" when he takes the lead at Atlanta Sunday night, so go ahead and look up his career stats now just in case.

12. Jeff Gordon (LW: NR): Welcome back to the top 12 Mr. Gordon. You're here over Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman simply because you're back in a position to pounce. If Gordon is within single digits of the top 10 going into Richmond, you don't count him out based on last year.

Lucky Dog: Brad Keselowski: Things could have been much worse for Kes after he was caught up in that crash. Instead he's just four points outside of the top 10. That's not going to be a big deal, is it?

The DNF: Oh man, Joe Nemechek is our DNF this week. For a team that has started and parked but also tried to run the distance in some races, blowing an engine on lap one is absolutely brutal. Both for the team and the Yahoo! live chat.

Dropped out: Keselowski, Ryan Newman.

 

Arsenal 2-0 Fenerbahce (agg 5-0): Ramsey double confirms qualification for Gunners.

 

By Peter Hanson

 

Arsenal qualified for the Champions League group stage for the 16th straight year with a 2-0 win over Fenerbahce on Tuesday.

Aaron Ramsey stole the show at the Emirates Stadium by grabbing both goals, wrapping up a comfortable 5-0 aggregate triumph, although he limped off with an injury that will be of concern to manager Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal dominated possession in the first half and Ramsey was on hand to tap home from six yards in the 25th minute. Theo Walcott then hit the crossbar from a free kick before the Welshman's volley made it 2-0.

MATCH VIEW

By Liam Twomey at the Emirates Stadium "In the end it was just as easy as everyone assumed that it would be. Arsenal is into the Champions League group stages for the 16th successive season and in some style, albeit against uninspired Turkish opposition. "Aaron Ramsey was once again the star of the show, breaking from midfield to score twice and add a layer of gloss to a victory which was achieved a week ago in Istanbul. "Fenerbahce was poor, certainly, but Arsene Wenger's men have now won four in a row. Now if they can just get that 'buying people' thing right..."

Wenger made two changes to the side that beat Fulham 3-1 on Saturday, with Jack Wilshere and Nacho Monreal replacing Tomas Rosicky and Kieran Gibbs. Fenerbahce, meanwhile, included former Liverpool players Raul Meireles and Dirk Kuyt.

Arsenal dominated the early possession but almost conceded a goal in unusual circumstances. A scramble in the box led to Bacary Sagna clearing his effort straight against Meireles, with the ricochet drawing a smart save from Wojciech Szczesny.

The home side then fashioned its first chance with a swift counterattack. Santi Cazorla burst through two challenges and laid the ball to Wilshere, whose pass found Olivier Giroud, but the Frenchman curled his effort wide from 20 yards.

The Gunners continued to probe and their pressure finally yielded a breakthrough in the 25th minute. Gokhan Gonul tried to prevent Lukas Podolski's through ball from finding Walcott but his sliding challenge went straight to Ramsey, who swept the ball home.

Giroud then came close to doubling the advantage seven minutes later when his shot from a narrow angle forced Volkan Demirel into a smart save with his legs.

Fenerbahce almost caught Arsenal out when Emmanuel Emenike broke free on the left and unleashed a fierce drive that Szczesny pushed against the post before Giroud found himself in space, only to fire over from six yards after an excellent low cross from Cazorla.

Podolski was withdrawn from the action a minute into the second half when he pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury. His removal temporarily stunted Arsenal's momentum, and Egemen Korkmaz linked well with Emenike for the visitors before crashing an effort off the crossbar, although he would have been denied by the offside flag.

Cazorla almost grabbed the second for Arsenal in the 63rd minute before Walcott dipped a free kick against the crossbar.

But, with 18 minutes left, the Gunners wrapped up the win when Gibbs broke free before crossing for Ramsey to volley into the corner.

Arsenal was given a late scare when Wilshere went down holding his ankle after a robust challenge from Meireles, but he recovered to finish the game. Ramsey, however limped off with an apparent groin injury, putting a damper on his outing.

 Umpire ejects White Sox coach Mark Parent during lineup card exchange.

 

By David Brown

 

When you see a headline that goes "Parent tossed before game," and it pertains to the Chicago White Sox, it makes you wonder if Paul Konerko's dad was visiting, got a little too excited and forgot that this ain't Little League anymore. But no. It was "Parent" as in Mark Parent, the bench coach for manager Robin Ventura. He was ejected by umpires Sunday afternoon before the White Sox game against the Texas Rangers even had started — during the lineup card exchange at home plate.

If that seems like an odd time for an ejection, it is, except for this: Ballplayers, umpires and coaches can have long memories that go all of the way back to the previous game. No matter what it is, it doesn't have to happen that day to stick in someone's craw.

And Parent dislodged whatever it was by arguing with the umps, including crew chief Jerry Layne, who gave him the ol' heave ho right in front White Sox catcher Josh Phegley, a coach from the Rangers, a TV cameraman and a stunned lady.

Parent wasn't around after the game (won 5-2 by the White Sox) to explain what happened, and Adam Dunn made a joke about exchanging Christmas cards, but Ventura said the argument stemmed from a disagreement Saturday night.
 

(Getty)

 

"Yeah, it was just something from last night," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Parent. "It's over, and [you] play."

That "something" was not specified. But the White Sox had a couple of controversial calls go against them during the first two games of this weekend set.

On Friday, Ian Kinsler raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer when his line drive down the left-field line got wedged underneath some padding on the wall. Third-base umpire Greg Gibson ruled that left fielder Dayan Viciedo could see the baseball and did not call a ground-rule double.

It was Hunter Wendelstedt who called Alexei Ramirez out at the plate on a Paul Konerko single to left in Saturday's victory. The play was close, but on replay, it looked as if catcher A.J. Pierzynski had blocked Ramirez from scoring.

Layne's only other noticeable role during the series was as peacemaker during the Chris Sale meltdown. You also might remember Layne from Mike Scioscia's "silent ejection."

Presumably because Parent thought the White Sox collectively hadn't gotten their point across already, he took it up with the umpires and sacrificed himself for the common good. OK. His actions also raise another point unintentionally.

It's hard to say what a bench coach does. They didn't used to have them in Major League Baseball. Now, every team has one. They only get noticed a couple of different ways: One, when taking out the lineup card before the game. Two, when the manager gets thrown out of the game by the umpires. Usually, then, the bench coach takes over. It used to be the third-base coach, or maybe the pitching coach. With a bench coach hanging around, those guys don't have to worry about shirking their usual duties if they have to manage in a pinch.

So, thanks, Mark Parent. Now we know what a bench coach does.

Update: Phegley, a rookie who seems to be very funny, said this about the exchange via the Chicago Tribune:

"I went out there and there was a lady out there helping him take the lineup card out," Phegley said. "She was kind of standing back from the group. That was interesting. So I started talking to her and I asked Alan Porter, the home plate umpire: 'Did (Parent) get ran right there?' And (Porter) was like, 'Yeah, he did.'

"So I said, 'Well, we're getting along already.' "

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