Sports Quote of the Day:
"Discipline is not a dirty word." ~ Pat Riley, NBA Coach and Miami Heat General Manager
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Full offense still hasn't been unveiled.
By Michael C. Wright
"This is a hefty playbook. .... We have a lot of stuff saved for teams that play certain coverages or certain fronts," Matt Forte said. (AP Photo/Gregg Trott)
For a meticulous planner such as Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman, the slow manner in which the offense continues to evolve appears to be a function of design rather than circumstance. Running back Matt Forte indicated as much on Wednesday, revealing the offense hasn’t “really shown a whole, whole lot.” “I don’t expect us to two games into the season,” Forte said. “This is a hefty playbook. We’ve got a lot of games left. So we have a lot of stuff saved for teams that play certain coverages or certain fronts. We have a lot of stuff I would say left over that we ran in camp and gone over. We know the stuff. We just put it back on the shelf so that when it is the opportune time to call it, it’ll be called.”
Facing a winless Pittsburgh Steelers team, which operates out of a 3-4 front, Sunday on the road might present Chicago that opportunity to expand the playbook. In its first two outings, the club played similar zone-reliant 4-3 teams in the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings.
The opponent this week presents a radically different challenge offensively for the Bears, who will be tasked with unfamiliar blocking schemes in their attempt to neutralize Pittsburgh’s pressure.
“They’re different than what we’re used to facing. They’re coming from everywhere. They do it a lot of different ways. They come from different places,” Trestman said. “They’ve got size at their linebacker. The unusual aspect of having size at their linebacker positions where they’re pass-rushers, they represent matchup issues for our backs, particularly our backs. So we’ve got a formula for picking up blitzes, and things change a little bit with 3-4. But we’ve had a lot of work against it. I spent time on it in our OTAs, a little bit of time at training camp. We played against a 3-4 team in the preseason, which helped. Certainly there’s nothing like going against the Steeler 3-4. It’s very good conceptually. It’s structured.”
Forte generated 161 yards from scrimmage in Week 2 on 30 touches against Minnesota’s zone-heavy scheme, which focuses on taking away explosive plays while allowing for completions on underneath routes.
Pittsburgh plays a more aggressive scheme than Chicago’s first two opponents, and despite the Steelers’ two losses, it’s worth noting their defense ranks No. 10 in total yards allowed. Pittsburgh is one of just three teams (with Kansas City and Seattle) to allow only one touchdown through the air. The Steelers have also limited opposing passers to a completion percentage of 55.4, which ranks as sixth-lowest in the NFL, and they’ve given up just 18 first downs through the air.
So it’s highly likely the Bears unveil concepts this week that they haven’t shown thus far.
"That’s part of what Trestman does,” Forte said. “He’s a genius in this offense. We have a lot of different plays that isolate a lot of different people in this offense. But it depends on what the defense is running (on) when to call them. He’s doing a great job of calling them in the right situations so that we can make a play.”
Facing a winless Pittsburgh Steelers team, which operates out of a 3-4 front, Sunday on the road might present Chicago that opportunity to expand the playbook. In its first two outings, the club played similar zone-reliant 4-3 teams in the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings.
The opponent this week presents a radically different challenge offensively for the Bears, who will be tasked with unfamiliar blocking schemes in their attempt to neutralize Pittsburgh’s pressure.
“They’re different than what we’re used to facing. They’re coming from everywhere. They do it a lot of different ways. They come from different places,” Trestman said. “They’ve got size at their linebacker. The unusual aspect of having size at their linebacker positions where they’re pass-rushers, they represent matchup issues for our backs, particularly our backs. So we’ve got a formula for picking up blitzes, and things change a little bit with 3-4. But we’ve had a lot of work against it. I spent time on it in our OTAs, a little bit of time at training camp. We played against a 3-4 team in the preseason, which helped. Certainly there’s nothing like going against the Steeler 3-4. It’s very good conceptually. It’s structured.”
Forte generated 161 yards from scrimmage in Week 2 on 30 touches against Minnesota’s zone-heavy scheme, which focuses on taking away explosive plays while allowing for completions on underneath routes.
Pittsburgh plays a more aggressive scheme than Chicago’s first two opponents, and despite the Steelers’ two losses, it’s worth noting their defense ranks No. 10 in total yards allowed. Pittsburgh is one of just three teams (with Kansas City and Seattle) to allow only one touchdown through the air. The Steelers have also limited opposing passers to a completion percentage of 55.4, which ranks as sixth-lowest in the NFL, and they’ve given up just 18 first downs through the air.
So it’s highly likely the Bears unveil concepts this week that they haven’t shown thus far.
"That’s part of what Trestman does,” Forte said. “He’s a genius in this offense. We have a lot of different plays that isolate a lot of different people in this offense. But it depends on what the defense is running (on) when to call them. He’s doing a great job of calling them in the right situations so that we can make a play.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Bennett lifts Penguins past Blackhawks in shootout.
By Matt Carlson
Beau Bennett scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Pittsburgh Penguins rebounded after giving up a two-goal lead to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 Thursday night.
Beau Bennett scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Pittsburgh Penguins rebounded after giving up a two-goal lead to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 Thursday night.
Sidney Crosby, Derrick Pouliot and Joe Vitale scored in regulation for Pittsburgh (1-1-1).
Chicago's Brandon Bollig shoveled in a rebound from a scrum in front of the net with 6:53 left in the third to tie it at 3 and send it to overtime. Patrick Sharp and Ben Smith both scored for the second straight game for the Blackhawks (1-1-0).
Crosby, whose career has been punctuated by games lost to concussions, was struck by the stick of Chicago's Adam Clendening in the final minute of overtime and dropped to the ice. He got up slowly, then skated to the bench on his own.
Crosby was Pittsburgh's second shooter in the shootout and missed on a backhand attempt.
The Penguins' Tomas Vokoun and the Blackhawks' Nikolai Khabibulin played the entire game. Vokoun finished with 30 saves through overtime and Khabibulin, who rejoined the Blackhawks as a free agent in the offseason, had 27.
Sharp opened the scoring on a one-timer 5:19 in. Pouliot scored a screened power-play goal midway the first and Vitale connected late in the period to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead.
Crosby made it 3-1 at 4:19 of the second, then Smith cut it to 3-2 with short-handed goal midway through the period.
Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa has an upper-body injury and will not be available until the final game of the preseason at the earliest, coach Joel Quenneville said earlier on Thursday.
Five who have put themselves in good position for Hawks .
By Tracey Myers
Ben Smith felt a big weight go off his shoulders when he deflected a Jimmy Hayes shot for a goal in the Blackhawks’ preseason opener on Tuesday night.
“It’s a process,” Smith said. “I just want to build off that on Thursday if I’m playing.”
Chances are Smith will be playing. The Blackhawks have four preseason games in the next five days, and coach Joel Quenneville said “a very good portion” of Rockford players will be suited up for these games. It’s their chance to compete for the few spots the Blackhawks have available on the regular-season roster.
"We’re still looking for that niche in that spot in the penalty killing role. We’ll watch how that plays out,” Quenneville said. “But it could be the best players or more useful players. It’s a good problem to have. We’ll see how that sorts out.”
The true tests are about to begin. Yesterday, we talked about the emotions and pressures of competing for spots. Now let’s take a look at who’s already given themselves good chances to make the Blackhawks and who will need to show something over these next few games.
Jimmy Hayes
Quenneville was happy with Hayes’ work right off the bat this fall. The big forward said he spent the summer working on his overall fitness to improve his skating, and it’s evident. Hayes has moved well and played well in team scrimmages, and again in the preseason opener on Tuesday night.
With Bryan Bickell moving up to the top line right now, Hayes could certainly be the new Bickell on the checking line.
Ben Smith
Ask him or Quenneville how Smith’s camp is going, both said, “OK.” Not the greatest endorsement. But Smith played well against Detroit on Tuesday, getting right in front of the net on his goal – “that’s Benny’s bread and butter,” Quenneville said. And Smith will need to do more of that if he wants to crack this lineup.
Could Smith be that penalty killer Quenneville is looking for? Smith, who’s killed penalties in Rockford, is open to it.
“All the guys have said it: whatever we’re asked to do, we’ll do it,” he said. “I’ve worked on it the last three years in Rockford, and I’m definitely willing to give it a shot and earn a role here.”
Brandon Pirri
General manager Stan Bowman listed Pirri as one of the Rockford players who’s earned a chance to join the Blackhawks. And Pirri said he’s willing to play center on whatever line is available to make the team. Right now, however, Pirri’s out with an injury he sustained last weekend in Notre Dame. Quenneville said Pirri should get back on the ice the next few days, but how much of that will be game action? Will the injury down time cost Pirri? Will others pass him by?
Suddenly, there are a lot more questions than answers regarding Pirri’s potential of staying here. If he gets into games soon and plays well, he should make it.
Jeremy Morin
He’s had some solid moments at camp, albeit not as noticeable as a guy like Hayes has been. Morin has good instincts and is alert to teammates around him, as his drop-pass assist on Patrick Sharp’s goal against Detroit reminded us.
In 2010-11, Morin’s preseason nearly earned him a spot out of camp, and eventually did earn him nine games with the Blackhawks. He’s looking for something more long term now, but he’ll have to do more to get it.
Ryan Stanton
Stanton’s ability is there, and the coaches are happy with what he’s done in Rockford. He’s also having a nice camp. But what hurts Stanton has little to do with his game. It has to do with the numbers game. The Blackhawks are already loaded at defensemen: all seven from last season are back, and the team also signed Theo Peckham this offseason.
Quenneville has said Stanton will probably see games this season, but those games probably won’t come at the start of the season.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session... Can the Bulls reclaim the Central Division from the Pacers?
By Aggrey Sam
Insider’s Insight:
"Well, the thing about it is, it’s to your advantage if you can not only get home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs but try to stay away from Miami in the second round. So that means you have to beat out the Indiana Pacers, win your division, get home-court advantage and maybe get the second seed or, if Miami falters during the regular season, get the No. 1 seed.
I think it’s going to be really important in that regard, where you don’t have to play multiple great teams. I give the Bulls a really, really good chance of being there in the Eastern Conference Finals.
"I think their biggest competition is going to be the Indiana Pacers — I really like Indiana’s team, as well — besides Miami. They may not have what you call a superstar, but Paul George is as close to being a superstar without being a superstar as you can get. And you saw the damage that Roy Hibbert can show you in a playoff-type situation when he protects the rim.
He’s a great defender — he’s a lot like Asik used to be with the Bulls and now in Houston — where he doesn’t foul, he goes straight up vertically, he’s decent in screen-roll, he gives you a great weak-side presence defensively and on the ball defensively.
"So I think you’ve got rim protection, which you must have in the playoffs, to keep LeBron James, Derrick Rose, those guys from driving to the rim repeatedly. You saw the difference in the stats in the playoffs of points in the paint when Hibbert was on the floor compared to when he was off the floor. David West is their true leader in that locker room. They’ve got him back, signed as a free agent. With Paul George, I think they’re a really, really good team.
"They do remind me a little bit of the Pistons of yesteryear. But yet, Danny Granger, it remains to be seen how healthy he’s going to be. He didn’t play basically at all last year. Now, when you can bring a guy who’s been the best player on the team in the past, how will that affect their chemistry? That will have to iron itself out, but still, it gives them another talented player. So they’ve got talent. It’s just seeing the chemistry and if they can stay healthy.
"But they’ve got everything that they need because they’ve got shooting, they’ve got length on the perimeter, they’ve got good defenders. Paul George is as good as there is in the league defensively at that spot. Then, you’ve got Hibbert defensively. And they’ve got toughness and they’ve got experience, so they’re going to be right there with the Bulls and Miami, in my mind, along with Brooklyn. I think those are the top four teams in the conference."
Aggrey’s Analysis:
As the back-to-back defending champs, Miami obviously has the Bulls’ attention. And even after knocking Brooklyn out of the playoffs, the Bulls can’t ignore the upgrades the Nets made this summer. But the Pacers might be the team to be most concerned with.
Equipped with a much-improved bench (for a third straight season, C.J. Watson has the potential to be a postseason factor), Indiana has to be taken seriously as a title contender.
Quietly, it’s been building steadily for some time now, going back to the Pacers’ feisty first-round showing against the Bulls back in 2010, the surprising battle they gave the Heat last season and pushing Miami to the limit last spring.
As the source mentioned, All-Star swingman Paul George is now the face of the franchise, with Roy Hibbert being its anchor inside and blue-collar veteran David West embodying the team’s toughness. The Bulls match up with that trio fairly well — Luol Deng vs. George, Joakim Noah vs. Hibbert, Carlos Boozer vs. West — and even if you give Indiana a slight advantage at any of those spots, there’s no contest at point guard. Indianapolis native George Hill is solid and works for the Pacers’ style of play, but he’d have to be considered the starting lineup’s weakest link, especially when compared to Derrick.
Then, there’s the Danny Granger-Lance Stephenson conundrum. Granger was the team’s star before last season, which he basically entirely missed due to a knee injury. Who knows how he’ll play this season, but the younger Stephenson seems like a better fit as the starting shooting guard, giving the inside-oriented team more athleticism and a tougher defensive presence.
Although he has his flaws, he made major strides last season, and looking toward the future, he’s a favorite of team president Larry Bird, while this is the last year of Granger’s contract.
Personally, I’d go with Granger off the bench to keep the continuity built from last season, add more scoring to the second unit and keep George at his natural position of small forward, but regardless of who starts, I’m confident that the wing duo of Luol and Jimmy Butler will match up well with them.
That decision won’t be easy for Pacers head coach Frank Vogel, but he has to be pleased with his second-unit options. Either Granger or Stephenson will be the first player off the bench, and as previously alluded to, former Bull C.J. Watson is in Indy, backing up Hill at the point, which is a huge improvement from D.J. Augustin, who looked overmatched in the playoffs. Indiana’s late-summer trade with Phoenix for Luis Scola was one of the best moves of the offseason, as the veteran could probably still start for many teams in the league and similar to Watson, is a big boost compared to what they had before at the position, the irritant Tyler Hansbrough.
Chris Copeland, an older rookie for the Knicks last season (but not the oldest NBA newcomer in New York, as Pablo Prigioni took that title), was another solid pickup, as he gives the Pacers another shooter and can play on the wing or as a small-ball power forward, something they didn’t previously have, as West and now Scola aren’t exactly known for their foot speed. Ian Mahinmi was better than I expected last season, but backup center is still not Indiana’s strong suit, so Hibbert staying healthy is of the utmost importance.
If, as some observers suspect, the Pacers look to trade Granger once he proves he’s healthy, particular if the chemistry isn’t working out, I believe rookie swingman Solomon Hill could fill a limited-minutes reserve role effectively. Personally, I think Granger will stick around, like Luol in Chicago, as both teams have championship aspirations and would rather lose their longest-tenured players in free agency than potentially blow a title opportunity.
But to answer the question posed, yes, I do think the Bulls will take back the division, if only because Thibs pushes so hard in the regular season and Vogel might have to tinker with the Granger-Stephenson dynamic early on. Also, it should be noted that the one road game in the regular season that Derrick attended (and sat on the bench for) last season was in Indiana, for what it’s worth. Basically, the Bulls don’t like the Pacers (the feeling’s mutual) and even with Derrick out last season, wanted to hold on to their two-year Central reign. With all hands on deck, Derrick’s return should give the Bulls the edge, especially since that’s the lone definitively one-sided positional matchup. It doesn’t hurt that C.J. is on the other team, since whether or not his “Deron Williams is the best point guard I’ve played with” comments were misinterpreted or not, Derrick doesn’t forget much.
I think it’s going to be really important in that regard, where you don’t have to play multiple great teams. I give the Bulls a really, really good chance of being there in the Eastern Conference Finals.
"I think their biggest competition is going to be the Indiana Pacers — I really like Indiana’s team, as well — besides Miami. They may not have what you call a superstar, but Paul George is as close to being a superstar without being a superstar as you can get. And you saw the damage that Roy Hibbert can show you in a playoff-type situation when he protects the rim.
He’s a great defender — he’s a lot like Asik used to be with the Bulls and now in Houston — where he doesn’t foul, he goes straight up vertically, he’s decent in screen-roll, he gives you a great weak-side presence defensively and on the ball defensively.
"So I think you’ve got rim protection, which you must have in the playoffs, to keep LeBron James, Derrick Rose, those guys from driving to the rim repeatedly. You saw the difference in the stats in the playoffs of points in the paint when Hibbert was on the floor compared to when he was off the floor. David West is their true leader in that locker room. They’ve got him back, signed as a free agent. With Paul George, I think they’re a really, really good team.
"They do remind me a little bit of the Pistons of yesteryear. But yet, Danny Granger, it remains to be seen how healthy he’s going to be. He didn’t play basically at all last year. Now, when you can bring a guy who’s been the best player on the team in the past, how will that affect their chemistry? That will have to iron itself out, but still, it gives them another talented player. So they’ve got talent. It’s just seeing the chemistry and if they can stay healthy.
"But they’ve got everything that they need because they’ve got shooting, they’ve got length on the perimeter, they’ve got good defenders. Paul George is as good as there is in the league defensively at that spot. Then, you’ve got Hibbert defensively. And they’ve got toughness and they’ve got experience, so they’re going to be right there with the Bulls and Miami, in my mind, along with Brooklyn. I think those are the top four teams in the conference."
Aggrey’s Analysis:
As the back-to-back defending champs, Miami obviously has the Bulls’ attention. And even after knocking Brooklyn out of the playoffs, the Bulls can’t ignore the upgrades the Nets made this summer. But the Pacers might be the team to be most concerned with.
Equipped with a much-improved bench (for a third straight season, C.J. Watson has the potential to be a postseason factor), Indiana has to be taken seriously as a title contender.
Quietly, it’s been building steadily for some time now, going back to the Pacers’ feisty first-round showing against the Bulls back in 2010, the surprising battle they gave the Heat last season and pushing Miami to the limit last spring.
As the source mentioned, All-Star swingman Paul George is now the face of the franchise, with Roy Hibbert being its anchor inside and blue-collar veteran David West embodying the team’s toughness. The Bulls match up with that trio fairly well — Luol Deng vs. George, Joakim Noah vs. Hibbert, Carlos Boozer vs. West — and even if you give Indiana a slight advantage at any of those spots, there’s no contest at point guard. Indianapolis native George Hill is solid and works for the Pacers’ style of play, but he’d have to be considered the starting lineup’s weakest link, especially when compared to Derrick.
Then, there’s the Danny Granger-Lance Stephenson conundrum. Granger was the team’s star before last season, which he basically entirely missed due to a knee injury. Who knows how he’ll play this season, but the younger Stephenson seems like a better fit as the starting shooting guard, giving the inside-oriented team more athleticism and a tougher defensive presence.
Although he has his flaws, he made major strides last season, and looking toward the future, he’s a favorite of team president Larry Bird, while this is the last year of Granger’s contract.
Personally, I’d go with Granger off the bench to keep the continuity built from last season, add more scoring to the second unit and keep George at his natural position of small forward, but regardless of who starts, I’m confident that the wing duo of Luol and Jimmy Butler will match up well with them.
That decision won’t be easy for Pacers head coach Frank Vogel, but he has to be pleased with his second-unit options. Either Granger or Stephenson will be the first player off the bench, and as previously alluded to, former Bull C.J. Watson is in Indy, backing up Hill at the point, which is a huge improvement from D.J. Augustin, who looked overmatched in the playoffs. Indiana’s late-summer trade with Phoenix for Luis Scola was one of the best moves of the offseason, as the veteran could probably still start for many teams in the league and similar to Watson, is a big boost compared to what they had before at the position, the irritant Tyler Hansbrough.
Chris Copeland, an older rookie for the Knicks last season (but not the oldest NBA newcomer in New York, as Pablo Prigioni took that title), was another solid pickup, as he gives the Pacers another shooter and can play on the wing or as a small-ball power forward, something they didn’t previously have, as West and now Scola aren’t exactly known for their foot speed. Ian Mahinmi was better than I expected last season, but backup center is still not Indiana’s strong suit, so Hibbert staying healthy is of the utmost importance.
If, as some observers suspect, the Pacers look to trade Granger once he proves he’s healthy, particular if the chemistry isn’t working out, I believe rookie swingman Solomon Hill could fill a limited-minutes reserve role effectively. Personally, I think Granger will stick around, like Luol in Chicago, as both teams have championship aspirations and would rather lose their longest-tenured players in free agency than potentially blow a title opportunity.
But to answer the question posed, yes, I do think the Bulls will take back the division, if only because Thibs pushes so hard in the regular season and Vogel might have to tinker with the Granger-Stephenson dynamic early on. Also, it should be noted that the one road game in the regular season that Derrick attended (and sat on the bench for) last season was in Indiana, for what it’s worth. Basically, the Bulls don’t like the Pacers (the feeling’s mutual) and even with Derrick out last season, wanted to hold on to their two-year Central reign. With all hands on deck, Derrick’s return should give the Bulls the edge, especially since that’s the lone definitively one-sided positional matchup. It doesn’t hurt that C.J. is on the other team, since whether or not his “Deron Williams is the best point guard I’ve played with” comments were misinterpreted or not, Derrick doesn’t forget much.
Sizzling Stenson one ahead, Woods battles to a 73.
Reuters; By Mark Lamport-Stokes
Henrik Stenson of Sweden watches his shot from the third tee during the first round of the Tour Championship …
In-form Swede Henrik Stenson, boosted by a red-hot front nine, totally upstaged his playing partner Tiger Woods as he surged into a one-shot lead in Thursday's opening round of the elite Tour Championship.
In glorious sunshine with barely a breath of wind at East Lake Golf Club in the PGA Tour's season finale, Stenson piled up five birdies in six holes with a superb exhibition of pinpoint approach play on the way to a six-under-par 64.
Though he dropped his only shot of the day at the par-four 16th, where he found the right rough off the tee and missed the green with his approach, he signed off in style with a four-foot birdie putt at the last.
Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia, who reeled off six birdies in seven holes from the 10th, was alone in second after firing a 65, finishing a stroke in front of Americans Billy Horschel and Steve Stricker.
Another American, Roberto Castro, opened with a 67 at East Lake where FedExCup playoff honors and the eye-popping $10 million bonus are also on the line, offering huge added incentive to the 30-man field.
It was not a day to remember, though, for FedExCup points leader Woods who failed to register a single birdie while making three bogeys on the way to a 73, ending the round in 29th place with only PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner (74) below him.
It was the first time Woods had completed a round on the PGA Tour without a birdie since his opening round at the 2010 U.S. Open, and only the eighth time during his career on the U.S. circuit.
He also dropped shots at the 10th, where his tee shot sailed way right, and at the 14th, where he missed the fairway to the left and overshot the green with his second, to slide further down the leaderboard.
His playing partner Stenson, however, commanded the spotlight after his electrifying start, despite having come into this event with concern over tendinitis in his left wrist which developed during last week's BMW Championship in Chicago.
The Swede launched his birdie blitz by hitting his tee shot to six feet at the par-three second and knocking in the putt, then picked up another stroke at the fourth where his approach finished just eight inches from the cup.
Stenson, who won the Deutsche Bank Championship earlier this month, struck his second shot to four feet at the fifth, his tee shot to within two feet at the sixth and sank his longest birdie putt of the round at the seventh, a nine-footer.
"That stretch from (hole) one to seven is as good as I can hit it," Stenson told reporters after mixing seven birdies with a lone bogey on a long and tight East Lake layout.
Out in a sizzling five-under 30, Stenson also birdied the 15th before offsetting his bogey on 16 with a birdie at the last.
The Swede was ranked second in the FedExCup standings at the start of the week and, along with the other members of the top five - Woods, Scott, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar - would automatically secure the playoff trophy with victory on Sunday.
Premier League Preview: Manchester City Vs. Manchester United.
By Mike Prindiville
- Manchester City leads the Premier League in average possession at 58.39% per match
- Wayne Rooney has now either scored or assisted 40 goals in his last 44 Premier League games
- Six of the last seven meetings between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium have seen fewer than two goals scored
Ah, the Manchester Derby.
Arguably the most entertaining derby in all the land, the battle between blue and red in the city of Manchester returns to audiences this Sunday (11:00 am ET on NBCSN, watch live via NBC Sports Live Extra). Both sides enter the match with new managers at the helm in Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes, and even on record at 2-1-1 means a loss for either club could result in them slipping out of the Top 5.
For City, they enter the match not only looking to take points from their rival but also to set right an inconsistent start to the season. After a dominant 4-0 victory over Newcastle to start the season, City lost 3-2 to Cardiff before skipping past Hull City 2-0 in a hard fought match and drawing 0-0 with Stoke City.
Aside from last weekend’s lifeless offensive performance at the Britannia, City’s main problem has been in defense. With Vincent Kompany injured for the first four Premier League matches of the season, Pellegrini was forced to deploy center-back combinations of Joleon Lescott, Javi Garcia and Matija Natasic. The inconsistent performances and lack of leadership had supporters worried but with Kompany’s emphatic return in Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory Victoria Plzen, stability appears to have returned to the Etihad.
For United, Sunday’s match represents another chance for their new-look offense to gel. Last weekend saw Wayne Rooney recover from a head gash to go 90 minutes strong in the supporting striker role behind Robin van Persie. The Englishman scored a fantastic free-kick and his overall performance received rave reviews, prompting manager David Moyes to confirm that unlike last season, Rooney would not be used in the midfield.The Scot’s stroke of confidence in his temperamental striker appears to have paid off as Rooney joined United’s prestigious 200 goal club on Tuesday night after scoring twice in the 4-2 Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen. The victory also saw the full debut of Marouane Fellaini, whose harrowing presence and crunching tackles released pressure on Michael Carrick and provided Rooney with additional space in which to operate.
A head-to-head look at each club’s form and the history of the derby shows that Sunday’s match should be a hotly contested affair. City have won seven and lost one of their last eight home games in the Premier League while defeat to Liverpool in their last away game ended a run of 13 matches unbeaten for United. Of the last five Premier League derbies contested at the Etihad, City have only one a single match. But from the last four Premier League derbies overall, the Citizens have won three of those contests.
What They’re Saying
City goalkeeper Joe Hart: “The derby is one of the most anticipated and exciting games in world football. As players, we are all looking forward to Sunday, and we know that the fans will be too. The home support is so important for us, and I know they will be like an extra man for the team on the day.”
City manager Manuel Pellegrini: “We have the derby next Sunday so winning away in the Champions League and scoring three goals, having three or four more chances to score and keeping a clean sheet always gives you a lot of confidence.”
United midfielder Michael Carrick [on Rooney]: “It was probably Wayne’s best performance that I’ve seen for a while. It’s great to have him in that form – he can be untouchable when he’s like that.”
United defender Chris Smalling: “It is a game that we all relish. It is better going to their stadium, it is backs to the wall and we will come out fighting.”
Prediction
While the argument can be made for either side to win this match, the good part is that it’s unlikely to end in a draw as there has only been a single stalemate (the 0-0 result in 2010-11) in the last 15 Manchester derbies in the Premier League. Both clubs come in flying high after dominant mid-week performances in Europe but for me, United has hit its stride quicker than City. Rooney is on fire, Van Persie continues to terrorize, Fellaini has added bite to the midfield while the back four – despite the loss of Rafael – looks rock solid. Three points to the Red Devils in what promises to be another classic Manchester Derby.
Former heavyweight champion Ken Norton dies.
The Associated Press
(Associated Press Photo Image)
Former heavyweight champion Ken Norton, who beat Muhammad Ali and later lost a controversial decision to him in Yankee Stadium, died Wednesday at a local care facility. He was 70.
Ken Norton Jr., a coach with the Seattle Seahawks, confirmed the death to The Associated Press before handing the phone to his wife, too distraught to talk.
Norton, the only heavyweight champion never to win the title in the ring, had been in poor health for the last several years after suffering a series of strokes, a friend of the fighter said.
"He's been fighting the battle for two years," said Gene Kilroy, Ali's former business manager. "I'm sure he's in heaven now with all the great fighters. I'd like to hear that conversation."
Norton broke Ali's jaw in their first bout, beating him by split decision in 1973 in a non-title fight in San Diego. They fought six months later, and Ali won a split decision.
They met for a third time on Sept. 28, 1976, at Yankee Stadium and Ali narrowly won to keep his heavyweight title.
Norton would come back the next year to win a heavyweight title eliminator and was declared champion by the World Boxing Council. But on June 9, 1978, he lost a bruising 15-round fight to Larry Holmes in what many regard as one of boxing's epic heavyweight bouts and would never be champion again.
"Kenny was a good, good fighter. He beat a lot of guys," said Ed Schuyler Jr., who covered many of Norton's fights for The Associated Press. "He gave Ali fits because Ali let him fight coming forward instead of making him back up."
Norton finished with a record of 42-7-1 and 33 knockouts. He would later embark on an acting career, appearing in several movies, and was a commentator at fights.
"So saddened by the passing of Ken Norton Sr. and sending condolences to the Norton family," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tweeted. "This hits close to home for all of us here."
Ken Norton Jr. was a linebacker for 13 years in the NFL, playing for Dallas and San Francisco and is currently a linebackers coach with the Seahawks. He and his father were estranged for a time in the 1990s before finally reconciling.
"It's been noted that my father and I are on speaking terms and everything's back together now," Norton Jr. said in 1995. "It's part of what I do. No matter what I do, I can't get away from boxing."
Norton started boxing when he was in the Marines, and began his pro career after his release from duty in 1967. He lost only once in his early fights but had fought few fighters of any note when he was selected to meet Ali. At the time, Ali was campaigning to try to win back the heavyweight crown he lost to Joe Frazier in 1973.
Few gave Norton, who possessed a muscular, sculpted body, much of a chance against Ali in the fight, held at the Sports Arena in San Diego, where Norton lived. But his awkward style and close-in pressing tactics confused his opponent, and Norton broke Ali's jaw on the way to the decision that put him in the top echelon of heavyweight fighters.
"Ali thought it would be an easy fight," Kilroy said. "But Norton was unorthodox. Instead of jabbing from above like most fighters he would put his hand down and jab up at Ali."
Kilroy said after the fight Norton visited Ali at the hospital where he was getting his broken jaw wired. Ali, he said, told him he was a great fighter and he never wanted to fight him again.
Instead, they would meet two more times, including the final fight at Yankee Stadium on a night when police were on strike and many in the crowd feared for their safety. The fight went 15 rounds and Ali won a decision.
Norton would come back the next year to win an eliminator against Jimmy Young and was declared champion by the WBC when Leon Spinks was stripped of the title after deciding to fight Ali in a rematch instead of defending his new title against the mandatory challenger.
His fight against Holmes in 1978 at Caesars Palace was his last big hurrah, with the two heavyweights going back and forth, trading huge blows inside a steamy pavilion in the hotel's back lot. The fight was still up for grabs in the 15th round and both fighters reached inside themselves to deliver one of the more memorable final rounds in heavyweight history.
When the decision was announced, two ringside judges favored Holmes by one point while the third favored Norton by a point.
Norton was badly injured in a near fatal car accident in 1986. He recovered but never regained his full physical mobility.
"The doctors said I would never walk or talk," Norton said at an autograph session in 2011 in Las Vegas, lifting his trademark fedora to show long surgical scars on his bald head.
Kilroy said Norton was visited at the veteran's hospital in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson by former fighters, including Mike Tyson, Earnie Shavers and Thomas Hearns.
Norton fought only five more times after losing his title to Holmes. His final fight came Nov. 5, 1981, when he was knocked out in the first round by Gerry Cooney at Madison Square Garden.
Ken Norton Jr., a coach with the Seattle Seahawks, confirmed the death to The Associated Press before handing the phone to his wife, too distraught to talk.
Norton, the only heavyweight champion never to win the title in the ring, had been in poor health for the last several years after suffering a series of strokes, a friend of the fighter said.
"He's been fighting the battle for two years," said Gene Kilroy, Ali's former business manager. "I'm sure he's in heaven now with all the great fighters. I'd like to hear that conversation."
Norton broke Ali's jaw in their first bout, beating him by split decision in 1973 in a non-title fight in San Diego. They fought six months later, and Ali won a split decision.
They met for a third time on Sept. 28, 1976, at Yankee Stadium and Ali narrowly won to keep his heavyweight title.
Norton would come back the next year to win a heavyweight title eliminator and was declared champion by the World Boxing Council. But on June 9, 1978, he lost a bruising 15-round fight to Larry Holmes in what many regard as one of boxing's epic heavyweight bouts and would never be champion again.
"Kenny was a good, good fighter. He beat a lot of guys," said Ed Schuyler Jr., who covered many of Norton's fights for The Associated Press. "He gave Ali fits because Ali let him fight coming forward instead of making him back up."
Norton finished with a record of 42-7-1 and 33 knockouts. He would later embark on an acting career, appearing in several movies, and was a commentator at fights.
"So saddened by the passing of Ken Norton Sr. and sending condolences to the Norton family," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tweeted. "This hits close to home for all of us here."
Ken Norton Jr. was a linebacker for 13 years in the NFL, playing for Dallas and San Francisco and is currently a linebackers coach with the Seahawks. He and his father were estranged for a time in the 1990s before finally reconciling.
"It's been noted that my father and I are on speaking terms and everything's back together now," Norton Jr. said in 1995. "It's part of what I do. No matter what I do, I can't get away from boxing."
Norton started boxing when he was in the Marines, and began his pro career after his release from duty in 1967. He lost only once in his early fights but had fought few fighters of any note when he was selected to meet Ali. At the time, Ali was campaigning to try to win back the heavyweight crown he lost to Joe Frazier in 1973.
Few gave Norton, who possessed a muscular, sculpted body, much of a chance against Ali in the fight, held at the Sports Arena in San Diego, where Norton lived. But his awkward style and close-in pressing tactics confused his opponent, and Norton broke Ali's jaw on the way to the decision that put him in the top echelon of heavyweight fighters.
"Ali thought it would be an easy fight," Kilroy said. "But Norton was unorthodox. Instead of jabbing from above like most fighters he would put his hand down and jab up at Ali."
Kilroy said after the fight Norton visited Ali at the hospital where he was getting his broken jaw wired. Ali, he said, told him he was a great fighter and he never wanted to fight him again.
Instead, they would meet two more times, including the final fight at Yankee Stadium on a night when police were on strike and many in the crowd feared for their safety. The fight went 15 rounds and Ali won a decision.
Norton would come back the next year to win an eliminator against Jimmy Young and was declared champion by the WBC when Leon Spinks was stripped of the title after deciding to fight Ali in a rematch instead of defending his new title against the mandatory challenger.
His fight against Holmes in 1978 at Caesars Palace was his last big hurrah, with the two heavyweights going back and forth, trading huge blows inside a steamy pavilion in the hotel's back lot. The fight was still up for grabs in the 15th round and both fighters reached inside themselves to deliver one of the more memorable final rounds in heavyweight history.
When the decision was announced, two ringside judges favored Holmes by one point while the third favored Norton by a point.
Norton was badly injured in a near fatal car accident in 1986. He recovered but never regained his full physical mobility.
"The doctors said I would never walk or talk," Norton said at an autograph session in 2011 in Las Vegas, lifting his trademark fedora to show long surgical scars on his bald head.
Kilroy said Norton was visited at the veteran's hospital in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson by former fighters, including Mike Tyson, Earnie Shavers and Thomas Hearns.
Norton fought only five more times after losing his title to Holmes. His final fight came Nov. 5, 1981, when he was knocked out in the first round by Gerry Cooney at Madison Square Garden.
NFL Waging Secret Legal War Over M.I.A's Middle Finger at Super Bowl (Exclusive). What's your take?
By Eriq Gardner
On February 5, 2012, nearly 167 million TV viewers tuned into Super Bowl XLVI to watch a matchup between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.
Besides the football action, what had people talking that day was a halftime performance by M.I.A. and, specifically, how she extended her middle finger during a performance of "Give Me All Your Luvin'" while mouthing, "I don't give a shit."
But the NFL did care. One month after the performance, the league initiated legal proceedings against the English-Sri Lankan rapper-singer. In a March 13, 2012 filing at the American Arbitration Association, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, the league demanded $1.5 million from M.I.A. for allegedly breaching her performance contract and tarnishing its goodwill and reputation.
In the 18 months since, the 38-year-old M.I.A. (born Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam) has been waging a secret legal war with the NFL over what happened at Super Bowl XLVI. Last week, league lawyers continued their push to have her deemed liable for her actions on summary judgment before moving to a trial for damages.
This is not going over too well with M.I.A, best known for her catchy agitpop music including the hit song "Paper Planes," which includes the repeated sound of gunfire.
She's also used her fame to spotlight human rights abuses in her war-torn South Asia homeland. Now her lawyer Howard King tells THR that his client plans to launch a public war on the mega-powerful football league.
"She is going to go public with an explanation of how ridiculous it was for the NFL and its fans to devote such furor to this incident, while ignoring the genocide occurring in her home country and several other countries, topics she frequently speaks to," King says.
King adds that she had hoped to settle the case privately once it became clear that neither NBC nor the FCC were ever going to make a stink over what the NFL says in legal papers was an "offensive gesture... in flagrant disregard for the values that form the cornerstone of the NFL brand and the Super Bowl."
But M.I.A. is ending her silence towards the league, which just agreed to pay $765 million to settle head injury claims by some 4,500 NFL ex-players.
"Of course, the NFL's claimed reputation for wholesomeness is hilarious," King tells THR, "in light of the weekly felonies committed by its stars, the bounties placed by coaches on opposing players, the homophobic and racist comments uttered by its players, the complete disregard for the health of players and the premature deaths that have resulted from same, and the raping of public entities ready to sacrifice public funds to attract teams."
An NFL spokesman didn't have immediate comment on the legal dispute or King's comments beyond saying that "any monetary damages for her actions would have been donated to charity."
In its arbitration complaint, the NFL — likely hypersensitive after the infamous Janet Jackson breast-flash incident at the 2004 Super Bowl — presents M.I.A.'s middle-finger gesture as being more than an unplanned, spur-of-the-moment act. The singer wasn't paid for her performance. Typically, the exposure that halftime performers get is seen as compensation enough. Nevertheless, the league says in arbitration that "this dispute concerns a blatant, intentional and calculated attempt by M.I.A., a musical artist, to garner worldwide publicity and attention for herself by making an offensive gesture to the cameras during the Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show performance."
The league and M.I.A's holding company entered into an agreement on January 30, 2012, a week before the big game that year. The contract stated that she "acknowledge the great value of the goodwill associated with the NFL and the tremendous public respect and reputation for wholesomeness enjoyed by the NFL" and that she "ensure that all elements of [her] Performance, including without limitation [her] wardrobe, shall be consistent with such goodwill and reputation."
The NFL makes the argument that she intentionally breached the agreement with her gesture and says that if there's any doubts about her obligations under the contract, "M.I.A., as a member of the public and a noted member of the music entertainment industry, was unquestionably aware of the adverse consequences sustained by the NFL, and the public outcry provoked, by the Janet Jackson 'wardrobe malfunction' during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVIII."
King argues that the NFL's damage claim is ludicrous and that the FCC and the network that aired the gesture haven't cried foul.
"The statute of limitations has run on the FCC and NBC," he says. "[They] will never assert a claim. Not only does NBC do hundreds of millions of dollars of business with the NFL, but NBC had a seven second delay for the halftime show; either the operator fell asleep or the gesture was so fleeting he never saw it. In fact, no one would have seen it but for the advent of DVR's and the ability to freeze frame."
In the week after the spectacle, NBC was caught off guard with the NFL's immediate characterization of the gesture as "obscene." Such a statement might have been used as ammunition for an FCC indecency claim. The NFL soon took out the language in press statements. And sources close to M.I.A. blamed what happened on nerves and adrenaline, saying she "got caught up in the moment."
The furor died down, and most probably assumed it was over. It's not. The NFL, which just tapped Bruno Mars to perform at next year's Super Bowl halftime, isn't letting it go.
According to a letter submitted nine days ago to the International Centre for Dispute Resolution by Charles Ortner, an attorney at Proskauer representing NFL Enterprises LLC, "NFLE has an interest in expediting a resolution of the liability issue in this matter."
Ortner faults M.I.A for not acting in "good faith" since the 2012 Super Bowl. Her alleged acts include challenging the arbitration clause in the agreement, failing to pay her share of the costs of arbitration, failing to attend mediation, failing to consummate a settlement-in-principle achieved, using video clips of her Super Bowl performance to promote her business endeavors, and "refusing to take responsibility or apologize for her actions which were broadcast worldwide."
"No settlement was implemented, and the NFL has resumed active pursuit of a trial through the Proskauer firm," responds King. "Until now, we had reluctantly remained quiet in the hopes of not becoming subject to the whims of 28 rich NFL owners who wanted to crush this brown, outspoken young lady, especially since they are making her life miserable for the cost of a thirty second spot in one of this weekend's secondary games. But ultimately, we could not be forced into the type of public apology demanded by the NFL."
With the story now out, M.I.A. has big plans. There's always been an undercurrent of political and social outrage in her songs like "Born Free," "Jimmy" and "Sunshowers." And she's never been shy about speaking up, even though she remained silent about this dispute for so long.
"Sometimes I repeat my story again and again because it’s interesting to see how many times it gets edited, and how much the right to tell your story doesn’t exist," she once told UK magazine Clash. "People reckon that I need a political degree in order to go, ‘My school got bombed and I remember it cos I was ten-years-old.'"
Now, M.I.A.'s legal team is planning an all-out assault on the NFL's claims of being a brand devoted to high morals.
King adds, "We encourage people to submit their examples of how the actions of the NFL, its stars, coaches, advertisers, broadcasters, team doctors, and owners have damaged or destroyed any vestiges of any reputation for wholesomeness ever enjoyed by the NFL. These submissions, which we plan to use to bolster M.I.A's defense, will help balance the playing field, as they very well could eliminate the burden of undertaking a formal survey of the history of unwholesome behavior, can be made to the M.I.A defense team by email to NFL@khpblaw.com."
After reading this article, we'd love to know, what do you really think? What do you think about the Super Bowl halftime shows? Do they enhance the game or the NFL's reputation? Tell us, what's your take?
NCAA will keep Final Fours in football stadiums through at least 2020.
By Jeff Eisenberg
Final Fours will be in domes like the SuperDome through 2020 (Getty Images)
It shouldn't surprise anyone which choice NCAA leaders made after weighing the merits of holding the Final Four at an intimate basketball arena rather than a cavernous football stadium.
They decided bigger was better.
The NCAA announced Thursday it will only accept applications to host Final Fours from 2017 to 2020 from venues that hold 60,000 fans or more. That excludes basketball arenas such as Madison Square Garden, where the sight lines for fans and shooting backdrop for players would have been superior to a domed stadium but the available seating and ticket revenue amassed would have been drastically less.
When it was first reported last September that the NCAA was considering a more intimate environment for the Final Four, Yahoo Sports asked four players with experience playing on college basketball's grandest stage whether they'd prefer arenas or domes. Their answers were split down the middle.
Former Butler center Andrew Smith favored football stadiums because the experience of playing in front of 70,000 fans is something he'll cherish the rest of his life.
"We all play in similar arenas to NBA arenas all the time," Smith said. "The Final Four you get that special feeling being in front of 70,000 people at a huge football stadium. It's a pretty amazing thing to walk out of the tunnel and see 70,000 people or even see 20,000 people there to watch shoot-a-round. I personally would hate to give that up."
Former VCU guard Joey Rodriguez took the opposite stance, noting he'd much rather have played his team's 2011 semifinal against Butler in a NBA-sized arena because the shooting backdrop in Houston was so difficult.
"It was so much easier playing in an arena than it was in that dome," Rodriguez said.
"We scored pretty well in the semifinal, but not as well as we did the rest of the tournament. Then you watch the national championship game (between Butler and UConn). Seeing guys shoot as badly as they did in that game, that's evidence to me it needs to be moved because all those guys can shoot the ball."
Final Fours have been held in football stadiums every year since 1996 when Kentucky won its first of two championships in three years at the 19,000-seat Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey. The NCAA was already locked into at least three more years of domes before this decision since the 2014 Men’s Final Four will be played at Cowboys Stadium, followed by Indianapolis in 2015 and Houston in 2016.
If the Final Four has to remain in domes, let's hope the NCAA at least chooses the host cities wisely when it announces the winning bids for 2017-2020 in Nov. 2014. At least one in New Orleans and Indianapolis should be a must. It would be great to see San Antonio get back in the rotation as well.
Baseball Results, Thursday, September 19, 2013.
Reuters
(Home team in CAPS)
PITTSBURGH 10 San Diego 1
DETROIT 5 Seattle 4
San Francisco 2 NY METS 1
Chicago Cubs 5 MILWAUKEE 1
COLORADO 7 St. Louis 6 (15 innings)
LA Dodgers 7 ARIZONA 6
TORONTO 6 NY Yankees 2
BOSTON 3 Baltimore 1
Texas 8 TAMPA BAY 2
OAKLAND 8 Minnesota 6
PITTSBURGH 10 San Diego 1
DETROIT 5 Seattle 4
San Francisco 2 NY METS 1
Chicago Cubs 5 MILWAUKEE 1
COLORADO 7 St. Louis 6 (15 innings)
LA Dodgers 7 ARIZONA 6
CLEVELAND 2 Houston 1 (11 innings)
WASHINGTON 3 Miami 2 TORONTO 6 NY Yankees 2
BOSTON 3 Baltimore 1
Texas 8 TAMPA BAY 2
OAKLAND 8 Minnesota 6
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