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Sports Quote of the Day:
"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek. ." ~ Mario Andretti, Professional Race Car Driver
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Chicago Bears' Win Over Rival Green Bay Packers was Season-Altering: Optimist vs. Pessimist Edition.
By Brian Davis
COMMENTARY | Even though the win came primarily because the Green Bay Packers lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Chicago Bears scored a potentially season-saving win over their rivals.
Even though this was a big win, how big was it? An Optimist and Pessimist debate:
This was a season-saving win for the Chicago Bears.
Optimist
A loss would have put the Bears at 4-4, the Packers at 6-2, and the Detroit Lions at 5-3. Additionally, the Bears would have been behind in the head-to-head with both teams, as well as a worse divisional record. With an impending game against the Lions next week, this win, regardless of how it transpired, completely changes the landscape of the NFC North. And with the Lions, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers streaking, there is quite the crowd for those two wild card spots.
Pessimist
The Bears are just delaying the inevitable. The defense was once again gouged in the running game (199 yards), and Josh McCown, despite his effectiveness, isn't the quarterback Matthew Stafford or Aaron Rodgers is. With two of the most high-powered offenses in the division, the Bears will be in big trouble if they continue to scuffle on defense, no matter if their offense continues to be successful.
The Bears only won this game because Aaron Rodgers was out.
Optimist
Rodgers being out undeniably helped, but it wasn't like the Bears had all of their personnel going either. Eddie Lacy presumably runs for similar numbers if Rodgers is in the game and the Bears' offensive efficiency had little to do with Rodgers' injury. The defensive line was finally able to get pressure on the quarterback, Matt Forte had almost 200 all-purpose yards (124 rushing), and the Bears didn't turn the ball over.
That is a formula to beat almost any team.
Pessimist
You're darn right they only won because Rodgers was out. You can't replace Aaron Rodgers, especially with Seneca Wallace. Rodgers being in the game would have created a trickle-down effect on the game: Rodgers is more efficient, the offense is on the field longer (along with the Bears' defense), Rodgers puts up more points, which makes the Bears play from behind and forces mistakes from McCown. Bears lose 34-17.
The Bears can win the NFC North.
Optimist
There is a lot of work left to do, but the win over the Packers at least gives the Bears a chance to win the division. Without this win, the Bears would have been behind the eight ball in the division as well as the wild card race. With Randall Cobb out (and possibly Aaron Rodgers for a while), the Bears sport the best receiving corps in the division and among the best in the league -- Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett, Matt Forte -- regardless if they're starting Jay Cutler or Josh McCown. The defensive line showed life and Lance Briggs will eventually be back.
Pessimist
Only if Rodgers is out for a lengthy amount of time. Sure, the Bears defense can shut down Seneca Wallace. But can they shut down Rodgers or Stafford? Or what about Russell Wilson? The numbers suggest they cannot. These are quarterbacks who have put up solid-to-stellar numbers against the Bears when the Bears could stop the run, which for now they can't. With one of the wild card almost assuredly going to the Seattle Seahawks or 49ers, the Bears will be lucky to snag a wild card spot, much less the division.
Union monitoring probe of Dolphins harassment.
By Steven Wine
The NFL Players Association said Tuesday that it will insist on a fair investigation for all involved in the Miami Dolphins harassment case.
The league is investigating the troubled relationship between Dolphins offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. Martin left the team last week because of emotional issues, and Incognito was suspended indefinitely Sunday by coach Joe Philbin for his treatment of Martin.
"We expect that the NFL and its clubs create a safe and professional workplace for all players, and that owners, executives, coaches and players should set the best standards and examples," the union said in a statement. "It is the duty of this union to hold the clubs ... accountable for safety and professionalism in the workplace. ... We will continue to remain in contact with the impacted players, their representatives and player leadership."
Incognito's harassment of Martin included text messages that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation said. The 319-pound Incognito, a ninth-year pro, is white. The 312-pound Martin, who is in his second NFL season, is biracial.
It's unclear whether Dolphins coaches or management knew of any harassment between the players before Martin left the team. Recent talk of dissension in the Dolphins locker room has included complaints by young players that they're pressured to pay more than their share when team members socialize together.Editor's note: CS&T/AA will have more comments on this issue in our Friday Sports News Update.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Jets-Blackhawks Preview.
By ALAN FERGUSON (STATS Writer)
The Chicago Blackhawks easily dispatched the Winnipeg Jets in captain Jonathan Toews' return to his hometown this past weekend.
After visiting the White House earlier this week, the Blackhawks will try for another dominant performance against the Jets in Wednesday night's rematch at the United Center.
Chicago (9-2-4) scored five unanswered goals Saturday in a 5-1 win in Winnipeg, matching its most lopsided victory of the season. The Blackhawks, however, couldn't build on their third straight win the following night as they fell 3-2 in overtime to visiting Calgary.
Marian Hossa scored the tying goal with 4:19 left in regulation but Chicago couldn't get another shot past Reto Berra in his NHL debut. The Blackhawks outshot the Flames 44-30.
"We did put pucks at him, but we didn't get enough rebounds and we didn't get enough traffic," coach Joel Quenneville said.
The Blackhawks left for the nation's capital after that game and were honored Monday for their second Stanley Cup title in four seasons. They'll get back to work by trying to earn a sixth straight win over the Jets franchise, which relocated from Atlanta after the 2010-11 season.
In its first road game after that move, Winnipeg lost 4-3 to Chicago on Oct. 13, 2011, in the teams' last matchup at the United Center.
The Jets have gone 1-3-1 in their last five on the road, but they ended their third three-game losing streak of the season Monday, following up the defeat to Chicago by beating visiting Detroit 4-2.
The Jets (6-8-2) scored three unanswered goals in the final 22:56 with former Blackhawks forward Michael Frolik tallying the first of those, which was his first in 15 games. Another former Chicago player, Andrew Ladd, capped the scoring with his first goal in 10 contests.
"We will build on the positives and make sure we keep things in perspective and move forward and try to focus on playing the right way," coach Claude Noel said. "I thought we played the right way tonight, and I thought we played it for 60 minutes. It was good to see."
It's uncertain if Monday's winner Al Montoya or top goaltender Ondrej Pavelec will be in net in Chicago. Pavelec was pulled against the Blackhawks on Saturday after giving up four goals on 14 shots. Montoya stopped 10 of 11.
"We'll look at it and assess it," Noel said. "We'll consider (going back to Montoya)."
Pavelec, 4-7-2 with a 3.09 goals-against average this season, has gone 0-2-2 with a 4.49 GAA in four all-time matchups with Chicago. Montoya, 2-1-0 with a 1.69 GAA, has gone 0-0-2 with a 2.99 GAA in three career appearances versus the Blackhawks.
The Jets have killed off 15 of 16 penalties in the last five games while the Blackhawks have scored a power-play goal in seven of eight, going 7 for 28 with the man advantage over that stretch.
Winnipeg has gone 1 for 37 on the power play in the past 11 contests.
Blackhawks musings: So far, so good for Pirri on second line.
By Tracey Myers
The Chicago Blackhawks began their Stanley Cup defense just over a month ago. As their November schedule begins, they’re not doing so shabby: 9-2-4 and sitting fifth in the Western Conference.
Back to the full 82-game schedule, the Blackhawks don’t have to go into sprint mode this season. They’ve gotten off to the solid start they wanted, they’ve stayed somewhat healthy — somewhat — and they’re right in the thick of things. So as this week’s games loom — and because a game last Sunday denied us the chance to write this theme — let’s have some random musings, shall we?
1. Brandon Pirri at second-line center. So far, so good for the 22-year-old, who’s played a majority of his time with Brandon Saad and Patrick Kane. He hasn’t been overwhelming, but he hasn’t made glaring errors, either. Coach Joel Quenneville isn’t worried about production from that line. As he’s said a few times, that line is going to be judged with how they do on the defensive side of the puck. Pirri’s shown he has good hands and good offensive instincts. The Blackhawks hope the other side of his game gets strong as well.
2. Corey Crawford is best when he’s busy. Crawford’s off to a pretty nice start this season, and his standout games have been the ones where he’s gotten a steady stream of work. Goalies probably hate being inundated with pucks in a game, but at the same time, they likely prefer seeing a regular amount of shots. Think of some of those games when the Blackhawks were barely allowing shots in their first periods, compared to recent games in Winnipeg, Minnesota and his off-the-bench performance against Ottawa. Crawford’s been quick and big in those games, and the results have been positive.
3. Off-Blackhawks topic here for a second, but best wishes to former Blackhawks center Dave Bolland in recovering from surgery to repair a lacerated tendon — he’s out indefinitely. Bolland’s checking game and ability to irritate opposing stars were noticeable in his days with the Blackhawks. Unfortunately, something else has been synonymous with him in recent years: injuries. The guy can’t catch a break in this department, be it a bad groin, bad back, concussions or his current malady. Here’s to him finding health in the near future and maintaining it.
4. We’ll stop picking on the Blackhawks’ penalty kill since it’s gotten better in recent games. The team’s killers are getting more comfortable with each other, but there’s something else: The Blackhawks are staying out of the box. They’ve taken just three penalties in their last three games, and one of those resulted in a penalty shot that wasn’t on goal. The Blackhawks can keep working on it in practice; they’ll never have a problem avoiding it in a game.
5. Everyone has the right to turn down the invitation, but good on all the Blackhawks players who attended the White House to celebrate their Cup yesterday. Plenty of days in D.C. are about politics. This visit isn’t. It’s about being commended for a job well done, nothing more. Good on them for realizing that.
6. Speaking of that, do yourself a favor and watch President Barack Obama’s address during the Blackhawks’ visit, for no other reason than his amusing jab at Corey Crawford.
7. Jonathan Toews was kept off the score sheet when the Blackhawks went to his hometown of Winnipeg on Saturday. Seeing the Jets again here on Wednesday night, we’re guessing he’ll be more relaxed, certainly not as inundated with requests, and his on-ice game will reflect that.
8. If the Blackhawks have a great game Wednesday night vs. Winnipeg, don’t be surprised if Quenneville backs off the practices à la the lockout-shortened season. Their busy schedule is coming up fast, including that circus trip in about two weeks. Again, this season is a marathon, not a sprint.
9. There’s a reason I put Marian Hossa on my Selke Trophy ballot last season: The guy is tremendous at the defensive game. We’ve seen that again in recent games, where his pursuit and capture of the puck has been strong. His offensive ability has been well documented, but he’s right up there with the best defensive forwards — the award is for best defensive forward, not necessarily center — in the league.
10. Speaking of Hossa, there were obvious concerns with him right out of training camp regarding the back injury he suffered in the Stanley Cup Final. So far, so good. Hossa’s played in several back to backs and has looked strong and healthy in them. The Blackhawks will keep an eye on him, but it’s encouraging that the Hossa health questions have been minimal.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session... NBA Power Rankings Week 1: Chicago Bulls Given Mixed Reviews to Start the Season.
By Jeremy Sickel
COMMENTARY | The Chicago Bulls are off to a shaky 1-2 start, and Derrick Rose is proving that 18 months away from the court has done a number on his execution of some of the basic skills of basketball: making shots and protecting the ball.
Luckily, for the Bulls, the NBA season is a grueling 82-game gauntlet. And, fortunately for Rose, he seems to be fully recovered from an ACL injury that took away a large chunk of his career.
Here is a look at where the Bulls fare in some of this week's NBA power rankings:
*Yahoo -- Marc J. Spears -- No. 11 (Last week: No. 4)What? Preseason hype is proving to mean absolutely nothing during the regular season.
*ESPN.com -- Marc Stein -- No. 9 (Last week: No. 4)
*NBA.com -- John Schuhmann -- No. 9 (Last week: No. 5)
"OK, so Derrick Rose -- 15-for-52 with more turnovers (17) than assists (14) and only 10 trips to the line -- isn't quite back to MVP form just yet. But Carlos Boozer has looked terrific and with only three games in a 12-day stretch that began Sunday, there's plenty of practice time to get things right. Of course, any offensive breakthrough will have to wait until after Wednesday's big game in Indiana."
Apparently the preseason did not allow enough time for Chicago to gel in advance of the regular season?
*Sports Illustrated (CNN.com) -- Matt Dollinger -- No. 15 (Last week: No. 5)
"It's been an inauspicious start for Derrick Rose, who looks exactly like an NBA player who hasn't played a game in a year. He's second in the league in turnovers (5.7 per game) and shooting a ghastly 28.8 percent. Rose has plenty of time to knock off the rust and shape the Bulls into contenders, but he needs to play better for Chicago to re-establish itself as an elite team. Don't worry, Bulls fans, this will just make Rose's eventual rise that much more compelling."
Rose may be struggling now, but most still see him as the elite leader of one of the league's best teams.
*CBSSports.com -- Matt Moore -- No. 16 (Last week: No. 2)
"Well, when Derrick Rose gets back ... wait, what?"
Until the Bulls start winning consistently, this statement will apply.
With so many games during the week, expect the Bulls to continue to jump around the power rankings until they settle in a bit more with Rose back on the court.
Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen among finalists for baseball’s postseason awards.
By Mike Oz
The finalists for MLB's biggest postseason awards were announced Tuesday — so now the MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year awards are narrowed down to three contenders in each league.
Among the names in the conversation: Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Jose Fernandez, Wil Myers, John Farrell and Clint Hurdle.
There weren't any huge surprises. The biggest: Hisashi Iwakuma of the Seattle Mariners and Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins being named Cy Young finalists.
They're both deserving. It just wasn't clear who would get the third nod in each category.
Winners, as voted by the Baseball Writers Association of America, will be announced over four days beginning Monday, Nov.11. Here are the top three finalists in each category.
AL MVP finalists
• Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers)
• Chris Davis (Baltimore Orioles)
• Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels)
Prediction: Miggy over Trout again, without as much outrage this time around.
Top snub: A's third baseman Josh Donaldson, whose WAR, according to Fangraphs, was higher than both Cabrera and Davis.
NL MVP finalists
• Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona Diamondbacks)• Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates)
• Yadier Molina (St. Louis Cardinals)
Prediction: The man who brought the Pirates back to the playoffs for the first time in 21 years, McCutchen.
Top snub(s): Freddie Freeman, the Atlanta Braves' huggable first baseman and Joey Votto, the Cincinnati Red's walkable first baseman.
AL Cy Young finalists:
• Yu Darvish (Texas Rangers)
• Hisashi Iwakuma (Seattle Mariners)
• Max Scherzer (Detroit Tigers)
Prediction: Scherzer, who led AL pitchers in both wins and WAR, a happy medium for statheads and old-school types.
Top snub(s): Anibal Sanchez, but he and Scherzer weren't both going to get nominated. Sanchez had a better ERA, but not as many wins. Also: Bartolo Colon.
NL Cy Young finalists:
• Jose Fernandez (Miami Marlins)
• Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals)
Prediction: Clayton Kershaw. That's not even really a prediction. It's happening.
Top snub(s): Matt Harvey, whose season ended early to injury, or else his 2.27 ERA might have made an appearance. Also: Craig Kimbrel was pretty darn good in the Braves bullpen this season.
AL Rookie of the Year finalists:
• Chris Archer (Tampa Bay Rays)
• Jose Iglesias (Detroit Tigers/Boston Red Sox)
• Wil Myers (Tampa Bay Rays)
Prediction: Wil Myers, not just because of the hair, but we definitely look forward to seeing it again.
Top snub: Eh. That's about it.
NL Rookie of the Year finalists:
• Jose Fernandez (Miami Marlins)
• Shelby Miller (St. Louis Cardinals)
• Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Prediction: Jose Fernandez because when you also get a Cy Young nod, your candidacy looks better.
Top snub(s): Two more rookie pitchers could have taken Miller's spot in the top three: Hyun-Jin Ryu and Julio Teheran
AL Manager of the Year finalists:
• John Farrell (Boston Red Sox)
• Terry Francona (Cleveland Indians)
• Bob Melvin (Oakland Athletics)
Prediction: The voting doesn't include the postseason, but Farrell still has the strongest case.
Top snub: Joe Girardi, who kept a battered Yankees club relevant despite a plethora of injuries and A-Rod theatrics.
NL Manager of the Year finalists:
• Fredi Gonzalez (Atlanta Braves)
• Clint Hurdle (Pittsburgh Pirates)
• Don Mattingly (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Prediction: Hurdle for guiding the Pirates back to the postseason.
Top snub: This is a good group. But Kirk Gibson, who steered the Arizona Diamondbacks to a better-than-expected season, would be next on our list.
Award schedule:
• Nov. 11: Rookie of the year winners announced
• Nov. 12: Manager of the year winners announced
• Nov. 13: Cy Young winners announced
• Nov. 14: MVP winners announced
** Winners announced on MLB Network, 6 p.m. ET
Farmers Insurance renews Torrey Pines sponsorship.
By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)
Farmers Insurance stepped in at the last minute in 2010 when the PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines risked going without a sponsor.
Now the company is in for the long haul.
Farmers Insurance and the Century Club of San Diego, which runs the tournament, announced Tuesday that it will extend its title sponsorship for five more years through 2019. The new agreement starts after next year's tournament in January.
That will give Farmers a 10-year run at Torrey Pines, which previously had Buick as a title sponsor for 18 years until the downturn in the auto industry.
Tiger Woods is the defending champion, winning last year for the seventh time. He also won a U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in 2008, the last of his 14 majors.
Along with typically attracting the game's two biggest stars - Woods and Phil Mickelson - the tournament has one of the larger fields on the West Coast swing because it uses the North and South courses at Torrey Pines.
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RACE TO DUBAI: Ernie Els was among those irritated by the European Tour policy that forces its members to play in at least two of three ''Final Series'' events leading to the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Els has decided not even to bother with Dubai.
''We used to play seven events and you could keep your card in Europe,'' he said.
''Now you have to play more than in America, which is the direction they're going in. I just think it's the wrong one. I've just got to reassess what's going to happen. In my view, it's an absolute joke. I've been a member of the tour for 20 years and they're making it impossible to keep playing.''
Els could have skipped an appearance fee in Macau, though it still puts a burden on players to play a global schedule.
The European Tour already was stung by the mandatory starts when Joost Luiten hit one tee shot in the BMW Masters to give himself a chance to be eligible, though it kept Justin Walters out of the tournament.
Els said the European Tour didn't care when asked how it responded to his criticism.
That might not be true. The tour is said to be reviewing the policy for next year, especially in light of players with families in America and a worldwide schedule.
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WGC SWEEP: The United States captured a Grand Slam of sorts in the World Golf Championships by winning all four of them this year.
Matt Kuchar won the Accenture Match Play Championship. Tiger Woods won the Cadillac Championship and Bridgestone Invitational. Dustin Johnson made it a clean sweep by winning the HSBC Champions.
It's the first time Americans have swept the WGCs since 2005 (David Toms won Match Play, Woods won the other two). The other sweeps were in 2001 (Woods and Steve Stricker - the other was cancelled by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks) and in 1999 when they began (Jeff Maggert at Match Play, Woods the other two).
As for the real slam?
The Americans last won all four majors in the same season in 1982 - Craig Stadler (Masters), Tom Watson (both Opens) and Raymond Floyd (PGA).
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COMING TO AMERICA: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano is not just bringing his game to the United States. Like other Europeans who are taking up PGA Tour membership, he's bringing the whole family. He is moving Dec. 4 from Madrid to Miami with his wife and three young children.
The 33-year-old Spaniard chose Miami mainly because his swing coach, Mariano Bartolome, lives there and works out of Doral. But what makes Fernandez-Castano stand out from other Europeans moving to Florida is that golf was not at the top of his priority list.
''It's a very Spanish place and a city I like a lot,'' Fernandez-Castano said. ''There's a lot of Spanish people. It's a city I've always enjoyed, and also you've got a lot of direct flights to Madrid. So it will easy for my family, my in-laws, anyone who wants to come visit.''
He has found a school near their new home in Key Biscayne. Still to be determined is a golf course to practice. He has heard about Crandon Park, not far from where he will live, though he has yet to see it.
''I have to say, when I chose Miami, I wasn't thinking so much about the golf itself. I was thinking more about the family,'' he said. ''In Florida, there are golf courses everywhere. There are a lot of choices. But I wasn't thinking about the golf.''
He said his family - children 4, 3 and 1 - are excited about the move.
''The only time they have been to the U.S. was last year after Bay Hill,'' he said. ''They came and we went to Disney World. They believe they're going to be living with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and Pluto.''
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DIVOTS: Phil Mickelson had his old Ping Eye-2 lob wedge in his bag at the HSBC Champions. It's the same wedge he used in 2010 with square grooves no longer approved by the USGA. An exception is made for this wedge because it was made before April 1, 1990. ... Jim ''Bones'' Mackay was awarded ''Caddie of the Year'' during the HSBC Champions caddie night. His boss, Phil Mickelson, won three times this year, including the British Open ... The Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa is raising its purse to $4 million, making it even more attractive for European players in a Ryder Cup year. It's the first European Tour event of 2014. ... The LPGA Tour has signed a four-year extension that keeps the popular Kingsmill Championship on the schedule through 2017. It will feature a $1.3 million purse when it is played May 15-18. ... Graham DeLaet and Jonas Blixt have been added to the field of the Franklin Templeton Shootout next month in Naples, Fla. Chad Campbell also will be playing as the replacement for Stewart Cink, who withdrew. ... Jason Day, Billy Horschel and Boo Weekley will represent the PGA Tour in the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge to be played Nov. 12 at Rio Secco in Las Vegas. ... Rory McIlroy won the match. When it comes to an auction, however, Tiger Woods is no match. A driver signed by Woods went for $45,600 after their duel at Mission Hills. McIlroy's driver that he signed went for $13,100.
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STAT OF THE WEEK: Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell are the only players from Europe's winning Ryder Cup team at Medinah who have won tournaments this year.
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FINAL WORD: ''It's always a tricky thing when you're a young guy. You might think you're good and you find out you're not that good. Or they find out they're better than they think they are.'' - Thomas Bjorn.
NASCAR power rankings: You know who ascends to No. 1.
By Jordan Bianchi
This week’s rankings sees an all too familiar face again residing in the No. 1 position.
They say everything is bigger in Texas and apparently this is applicable whenever the Sprint Cup Series visits the Lone Star State. As Jimmie Johnson's 4.3 seconds margin of victory Sunday was the largest this season in an oval track race. (Martin Truex Jr. won at the Sonoma road course by over eight seconds.)
That Johnson put the whip to the field was no surprise, and neither is the fact that he moves back to No. 1 spot in this week's NASCAR power rankings:
1. Jimmie Johnson (Last week: 2)
How was your weekend? Because no matter how good it may have been, it likely didn't match Johnson's, who was in the lead for 76 percent of the race, visited Victory Lane and took control of the championship. In a career filled with them, this was another sublime performance for the five-time champ. At no point Sunday was the 48 car seriously challenged, and the one time Johnson was mired in traffic due to a slow pit stop, he drove from sixth to the lead within 15 laps.
2. Matt Kenseth (LW: 1)
The speeding penalty didn't help, but Kenseth himself admitted he had nothing for Johnson. And in a testament to just how dialed in a team has to be to win the title, all Kenseth did Sunday was have an average running position of fifth and finish fourth. And yet he lost ground to his counterpart, and heads to Phoenix seven points in the hole.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 5)
In the previous six years NASCAR's most popular driver hasn't ended a year better than seventh in the standings. Now, though, after his fifth runner-up finish in six weeks, Earnhardt Jr. is fifth overall and has a realistic chance of climbing to fourth.
4. Kevin Harvick (LW: 4)
The goal of winning a championship in his final season with Richard Childress Racing isn't going to happen. That said, with three wins and sitting third in points, Harvick has a lot to be proud of; putting aside that whole unseemliness at Martinsville, of course.
5. Kyle Busch (LW: 6)
The damage inflicted from hitting the wall Busch was able to overcome, as he clawed his way back to second. However, the late speeding penalty proved to be too much and he left Texas with a 13th-place finish that should have been better.
6. Jeff Gordon (LW: 3)
From the euphoria of winning at Martinsville to the devastation of crashing at Texas, it was a week of extreme emotions for Gordon. And while it was always a pipe dream to think he could catch and pass Johnson and Kenseth, it's now a certainty that Gordon's championship drought will extend to 12 years and counting.
7. Clint Bowyer (LW: 7)
A few weeks ago no driver looked more ready for the season to be over than Bowyer, as the events of Richmond had obviously taken its toll. But a 10th at Texas was his fourth consecutive finish of 11th or better, and he seems to have found his missing form. And wouldn't it be ironic if his first win of the season came at Phoenix, where Bowyer was involved in a near riot a year ago.
8. Brad Keselowski (LW: 10)
Best in class, as Keselowski (sixth) was the top non-Chaser at Texas. The defending series champion has now recorded three top-10s in his last four starts, seemingly building a case that this year was an aberration and nothing more.
9. Joey Logano (LW: 13)
The consistency may not be there, but when the No. 22 team is on its game they're formidable. As Logano's third-place run was his third top-five finish in the Chase, which is just one less than Edwards, Kurt Busch and Bowyer have accumulated combined.
10. Greg Biffle (LW: 11)
Between tire issues and an engine that may not have been 100-percent effective, that Biffle mustered a 12th should be seen as a positive. In the bigger picture, however, it's symbolic of his Chase, where he's been good, but not great, with some variable always keeping him from getting to the next level.
11. Carl Edwards (LW: 8)
Started on the pole where he's won a track-best four times, Edwards' day came unraveled when his Ford power plant expired. And a Chase that has been almost nothing but disappointing, adds yet another chapter.
12. Ryan Newman (LW: 14)
Like many others, Newman battled an extremely loose car, though in his case he hung in there and netted a ninth-place finish.
13. Jamie McMurray (LW: 9)
The momentum from his win at Talladega followed by a 10th at Martinsville came to a screeching halt this past weekend. A slow car that was far too loose for McMurray's liking resulted in him finishing 31st, five laps down. That's not just bad, that's downright ugly.
14. Kurt Busch (LW: 12)
No longer qualifying or finishing well, the sand continues to slide away in Busch's attempt to get Furniture Row Racing to Victory Lane.
15. Kasey Kahne (LW: 15)
How do you know you're having a bad Chase? When you finish fifth and you're still 13th in the standings, 15 points behind the next closest driver.
Switzerland's interest in Jurgen Klinsmann more flattering than threatening to U.S.
By Martin Rogers
The United States could be faced with a fight to hold onto head coach Jurgen Klinsmann after next year's World Cup. Switzerland is already searching for a replacement for legendary coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who will retire after Brazil 2014, and it has Klinsmann in its sights, according to Swiss newspaper Blick.
Switzerland's interest should by no means instill panic among U.S. fans. Having admirers is one thing, but a series of events would have to happen before Klinsmann and the national team parted ways. None of them are particularly likely.
First of all, there is the reality that, for Klinsmann, the U.S. is home. He is married to an American, former model Debbie Chin, and has made California his primary base for more than a decade. Also, his son Jonathan is a promising goalkeeper who has been part of U.S. national junior squads. Unlike some coaches who accept foreign positions, Klinsmann has no great hankering to return to his home continent.
Finances, as always, could come into play and, in that regard, U.S. Soccer is able to hold its own. Klinsmann is already well-rewarded, raking in around $2.5 million per year, which is a good salary considering national team coaches typically earn less than club managers due to the lesser time demands.
If the Americans were to meet expectations at the World Cup or surpass them, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati would surely be comfortably persuaded to dig a little deeper into the coffers to secure a contract extension. And if a run to the knockout stage or even quarterfinals in Brazil was enough to double Klinsmann's pay to $5 million, that pay raise would be enough to match anything Switzerland has to offer.
The Swiss are a wealthy confederation but they are not foolish with their money. Besides, another possible candidate, former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo, would settle for considerably less and be willing to base himself in Switzerland full-time.
When Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in 2011, he demanded a strong say in the overall structure of the national team program and that policy has reaped rewards. In leading the U.S. to the top of CONCACAF's final qualifying group and a world ranking of 13, he appears to have built a squad that has the technical ability and tactical nous to at least hold its own amongst the world's best.
U.S. fans should accept that such attention over Klinsmann is a by-product of that success. Managers with losing records rarely get looked at by prospective employers and Klinsmann's name is in the frame because his team is winning – and doing so with a style of soccer that has gained plenty of plaudits.
And in the unlikely scenario that Klinsmann did leave, the program would be in fine shape for whoever took over, possibly a homegrown coach such as Jason Kreis, Dominic Kinnear or Caleb Porter.
Aside from the California sunshine and the money, the biggest reason why Klinsmann will probably still be the U.S. national team coach heading into the next World Cup cycle is that – compared to the Switzerland position – his current job is better.
Nick Saban can expect more 'special pressure' at Alabama after latest report involving Texas.
By Pat Forde
For a guy who is obsessed about keeping his world buttoned-down and clutter-free, it's been an unusually messy season for Nick Saban.
Distractions are the devil to the Alabama football coach, and yet they keep intruding on his monomaniacal focus. He hammers them down with irritable force, but like a whack-a-mole game, they keep popping back up.
On Sept. 11, three days before the Crimson Tide played Texas A&M in what was billed as the Game of the Year (at least) in college football, Yahoo Sports broke the exclusive story about former Crimson Tide star D.J. Fluker and other Southeastern Conference stars allegedly receiving impermissible benefits from a runner for various agents and financial advisers. If the NCAA found that Fluker violated NCAA rules, Alabama's 2012 national title could be vacated.
Saban appeared at his weekly Wednesday press conference shortly after that story broke, made a statement, angrily answered a couple of questions and walked out of the room.
"Appreciate your interest in the game," Saban snapped sarcastically, glaring at reporters on his way out.
It was a situation and a story he couldn't dictate, and Coach Control likes those about as much as he likes linemen jumping offside.
Eight days after the Fluker bombshell came a story out of Texas: high rollers confirmed that they had a phone conversation with Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton, last January about possibly succeeding Mack Brown as coach of the Longhorns.
Here was another issue barging in from outside the Football Bubble, demanding his attention. Saban did his best to dismiss it, stating that he's "too damn old to start over somewhere else."
Two weeks after the Texas tornado blew there, here came another NCAA issue. Star safety Haha Clinton-Dix was suspended in early October for accepting a cash loan from assistant strength-and-conditioning coach Corey Harris. Clinton-Dix would sit out two games before being reinstated. Saban has always talked a strong game about educating his players on NCAA rules, but here was a second problem to pop up in less than a month.
And it produced more non-football questions for Saban to deal with.
Now comes the Texas Two-Step – once again on the week of a huge game. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that it obtained an email through a freedom of information request in which former Texas regent and heavy hitter Tom Hicks shed more light (and heat) on that conversation last winter with Sexton.
"Sexton confirmed that UT is the only job Nick would possibly consider leaving Alabama for, and that his success there created special pressure for him," Hicks wrote.
And with that email now out in the open, we do indeed have some additional "special pressure" on Saban. If you thought that press conference was tense when the Fluker news broke in September, tomorrow's scheduled confab in Tuscaloosa should be a doozy.
(I suppose if you want to add a fifth storyline to the Things That Annoy Nick File, there was the breathless report a couple of weeks back that Saban's wife, Terry, was in Austin to look at real estate. But go with that one at your own risk.)
For someone as meticulous as Saban and as clandestine as Sexton to end up in this public pickle is surprising. And it could conceivably be a deal-breaker at Texas if they have to deal with regents and boosters who divulge the contents of very sensitive conversations in emails that can be obtained by the media. Coaches are by nature secretive, and they don't like to be surrounded by people who keep secrets about as well as teenage girls.
Or maybe this was the buildup to an elaborate bidding war designed to make Saban the richest coach in college sports history. Like most elite agents, Sexton is not above using a zealous and arrogant suitor school like Texas as leverage. Nor is he above scaring a hopelessly devoted school like Alabama into shoving every dime it can collect into the Keep The Coach Fund.
That's how the game is played in College Sports, Inc.
But the "special pressure" phrase deserves some attention. There certainly is plenty of pressure at Texas – but the Alabama job has a suffocating, all-consuming element unlike any other. Probably the only similar job in college coaching is Kentucky basketball.
The investment by the fan base elevates the program – they demand success, to the point of willing it to happen. But what's good for a program can also be bad for the man at the center of the intensity.
The Alabama football coach must be a tireless genius, an approachable dictator, and willing to devote nearly every waking moment to the cause of further gridiron glory.
Because how many titles are ever enough? That's the expectation, and for it you get paid like a sultan and worshiped like a religious leader.
But it has to be exhausting to be Nick Saban.
And at his age, maybe the idea of a place with even two percent more breathing room – two percent less "special pressure" – has its appeal. Austin is much bigger and more diverse than Tuscaloosa, with more to do.
No matter how this story unfolds, this much we know: it is another distraction from the football mission for Nick Saban. And with the margin for error slim when chasing perfection, you never know how many annoying messes it takes to reach a critical mass and screw up a season.
Coaches fear controversial new rule changes may result in the year of the whistle.
By Jeff Eisenberg
In the middle of his team's foul-plagued exhibition victory over St. Catharine (Ky.) on Saturday night, Morehead State coach Sean Woods glanced at the video board and cringed.
There had been so many stoppages that 10 minutes of real time had somehow passed without a full minute coming off the game clock.
The barrage of whistles exemplifies why many coaches are concerned about the impact of rule changes meant to increase scoring in college basketball by limiting defensive contact and allowing greater freedom of movement.
Morehead State and St. Catharine combined to commit 66 personal fouls, a higher total than every non-overtime Division I game but one last season. The 97 free throws attempted by the two teams caused an exhibition game not delayed by TV commercials to drag on for nearly 2 1/2 hours.
"I get that they're trying to make the game better and increase scoring, but I don't think the way they're going about it is good," Woods said. "I just hope it doesn't get to the point where it's hurting our game because it slows it down so much. You can imagine the pace of a game with that many fouls called and that many free throws."
It's too soon to accurately assess how many more whistles and clock stoppages there will be this season than years past, but early evidence suggests Woods has a right to be worried. Fifty-foul games have been unusually common in exhibition play the past two weeks as defenders struggle to adapt to rules designed to wean them off hand-checking or arm-barring and to force them to play defense with their feet.
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins joked that all the whistle-induced dead time this season will "help beer sales tremendously" after his team won an exhibition game featuring 63 fouls and 82 free throws on Monday night. Rhode Island coach Danny Hurley admitted he doesn't know what a foul is anymore after an exhibition victory that included 56 fouls and 71 free throws last week. Neither Huggins nor Hurley will get any sympathy from Dayton coach Archie Miller, who endured an astonishing 70 fouls and 96 free throws in his team's exhibition victory Saturday night.
"Early on, the refs will be the game, not the players," Miller said. "Refs will be operating as the evaluated people. To be honest, it's going to backfire and refs will be attacked not by coaches but by fans and TV [commentators]. They will become the bad guys."
All the grousing among coaches raises the question whether the long-term benefit of the new rules outweighs the short-term damage to the game. Is reversing college basketball's recent downturn in scoring worth potentially turning a season defined by star power nationwide into the year of the whistle?
Proponents of the rule changes say yes because they believe college basketball requires an overhaul.
The speed and artistry that once defined the sport has waned in recent years as freedom of movement has diminished and physicality has increased. Louisville coach Rick Pitino compared some games last season to "semi-football, semi-rugby,"
lamenting that dribblers were often impeded by forearms and cutters were bumped and bodied like receivers jammed by cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage.
The proliferation of rough, bruising defense is likely one of the culprits for scoring in Division I plunging to 67.5 points per game last season, the lowest in 31 years or the entirety of the 3-point era. That's an alarming trend for university officials and NCAA administrators because of the potential impact on gate receipts, merchandise sales and television ratings.
Out of the need to halt the decline in scoring came a proposal by the NCAA Basketball Rules Committee in May to crackdown on hand checking. St. Peter's coach John Dunne said momentum had gradually built in favor of the proposed changes during his four years on the rules committee until the 12-person group decided last spring that the time was right.
"Obviously right now it uglies up the game, but that was expected," Dunne said. "The players have to adjust and the referees have to fall into a rhythm of what they're going to call and not call. Overall down the road, I think it will make for a better flowing, more enjoyable game."
The new rules were adopted by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel in June, a decision that has since been hailed as one of the most dramatic changes to the sport since the addition of the 3-point line. The panel also approved the rules committee's proposal to make block-charge calls easier for referees by mandating that a charge be called only if a defender is in legal guarding position when the offensive player begins his upward motion to pass or shoot.
Bobby Dibler, coordinator of officials in the Pac-12 and Mountain West, said he believes the rules changes will improve the sport in the long-term even if an adjustment period is required this season. Dibler said that simply touching a dribbler will not result in a foul, but obstructing a ball handler with two hands, jabbing at him with a forearm or impeding his path to the rim with an arm bar will.
"What we're looking for is for defenders to back to using their feet rather than their arms and their hands," Dibler said. "I want my referees to have a feel for the game, but at the same time I want them to enforce the rules as they're written. The onus is not on the official to keep from blowing the whistle. It's clearly the defenders guarding the ball who have to adjust. I'm one who believes that if we do our jobs consistently, players are going to adjust because they don't want to be sitting on the bench in foul trouble."
One of the most challenging aspects of the rules changes for coaches is many remain unsure how much they'll have to alter their methods to adapt.
Some have reluctantly implemented more zone in an effort to close off driving lanes and keep their stars out of foul trouble. Others have instructed their guards to attack off the dribble whenever possible this season because the chances of getting to the foul line are higher than ever. And the majority have run players through more drills emphasizing defending with quick footwork instead of jabs and hand checks.
"We've brought out the old towel drill on defense where you hold a towel over your head and can't use your hands," Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. "The other coaches kind of laughed at me, but we used to do that a long time ago with [Gene] Keady at Purdue. We've also worked on more zone this year than we have in my last 20 years. You might have to go to it if you're in major foul trouble or a team is a dribble-drive team and you can't do anything about it."
Perhaps Woods might want to borrow the towel drill from Keady. His team was already the most foul-prone in the nation last season, and the new rules will only exacerbate that.
Woods says he'll continue to work with his players to move their feet better defensively and to slide into position to draw charges earlier, but he's also hopeful referees will ease up a bit too as the season goes along.
"I don't think there's a coach in the country who's not paying attention to how the game is called and trying to adjust how they teach from a defensive standpoint," Woods said. "It's going to take some time to get used to, and hopefully we can find a happy medium. Ninety-seven free throws in a basketball game, I don't think fans want to see that."
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