Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica
"America's Finest Sports Fan Travel Club, May We Plan An Event Or Sports Travel For You?"
"America's Finest Sports Fan Travel Club, May We Plan An Event Or Sports Travel For You?"
Sports Quote of the Day:
"Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt and fear." ~ Dan Millman, Author and Lecturer in the Self Help Field.
Germany beats Argentina on Goetze's goal to win World Cup. (Complete Game Day Coverage below).
For almost two hours, it seemed that Germany and Argentina would have to settle the World Cup final with penalty kicks.
But then, almost out of nowhere, backup forward Mario Goetze settled a cross and beat Sergio Romero far post -- the first goal allowed by Argentina in some seven hours of game time -- to lift Germany to its fourth World Cup title.
The match was even throughout, with Argentina earning some golden opportunites in the first half, but they were unable to convert.
Gonzalo Higuain had the two best chances for Argentina. His first, brought on by a gaffe in the German defense, left him one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot was well wide. Later he buried a goal into the net, but he was needlessly offside.
The teams continued the scoreless play throughout the second half and for the majority of extra time. It was pretty flat, to be honest, until Goetze's goal, which came from a good ball across sent in. Frankly, it seemed no different than any of the other balls sent in the box Sunday. Goetze's finish was just better, and that was the difference.
It was another flat effort from international superstar Lionel Messi, who had a few moments of brilliance but failed to find goal for the fourth straight game after scoring four times in the group stage. It was difficult, of course, especially with German defenders surrounding him at all times. He had little help up front -- even though Higuain had chances -- and the absence of Angel Di Maria certainly didn't help.
So in the end, Messi couldn't do it all for Argentina, and Germany had just enough.
FINAL: Argentina 0 - Germany 1 (Goetze 113')
120'+ -- No good. Messi's shot well high. That should do it.
120' -- Messi fouled. Perhaps one last chance for Argentina, Messi.
118' -- Furious pace at this point. Messi tries a header from the top of the box that goes just over the crossbar.
113' -- Hey, whoa, THERE IT IS. Mario Gotze, a sub, finishes a one-touch off his chest to win the World Cup. (Probably.)
109' -- Schweinsteiger gets smacked in the face on a header and he's bleeding from just below his eye.
109' -- This is pretty boring.
108' -- Chance for Germany on a free kick, but it's blocked.
105' -- End of the first period. Early chances, but little else.
103' -- Everyone seems really tired. The game is sloppy, with fouls picking up and bad touches abound.
97' -- Palacio has a great chance, but his chip carries over Neuer but goes well wide. Bad first touch by Palacio, who had space.
92' -- Messi tries one but it slides across in front of goal. Not too dangerous.
91' -- Back at it. Terrific chance out of hand for Germany, but a great save by Romero keeps it scoreless.
Full time: So there it is. No score, and we're headed to two fifteen minute halves to decide the World Cup. If we're still tied we'll move to PKs.
90'+ -- Couple late, exciting chances, but nothing going near goal. We're heading to extra time, folks.
88' -- Klose, the all-time leading World Cup goal-scorer, coming off for Germany for the last time.
82' -- Great chance for Kroos, but the shot is well wide. Germany really starting to pile up chances.
80' -- Several chances for Germany, but they can't get anything on goal and the cross sails out of bounds.
78' -- Higuain off. He should have two goals.
75' -- Messi works out some clever moves and gets a shot off his left foot, but not enough bend to find the goal.
71' -- Oh, great chance for Germany, but they make a mess of it and it rolls to Romero.
70' -- A lot of sloppy play both ways. For instance, Benedikt Howedes just sent a cross to no one.
64' -- Argentina loses it, and Mascherano whacks Klose, earning a yellow card.
62' -- Play has flattened out considerably. A few chances for Germany, but nothing too dangerous.
57' -- That was an...odd call. Higuain and Neuer collide, Higuain called for a foul as Neuer punches it clear. That was not a call.
53' -- It has been kind of slow. Here's Christ the Redeemer.
47' -- Argentina just keeps missing. This time it's Messi who sees his shot roll wide.
46' -- Sergio Aguera on for Argentina as the second half is underway.
Halftime: Quite an exciting half, as both sides have had numerous chances. Pretty even, so far, too. But Higuain may be kicking himself after two golden scoring opportunities were wasted.
45'+ -- Oh wow. Germany's header rings the post, somehow staying out of net just before half.
43' -- Germany gets a good chance, but the shot has little pace.
40' -- Boy another great chance for Argentina as Messi finds his way in front of net, but Boateng saves the day by clearing it off the line seconds before it was knocked into goal.
37' -- Schurrle gets a chance, but Romero makes a nice save.
36' -- Messi nearly threads a perfect ball through that would have been a sure goal, but it's cleared for a corner. Argentina has really been in control after a strong German start.
31' -- Kramer now being helped off the field. He does not look...there. That looks really bad. Schurrle comes on.
30' -- Poor, poor, poor Higuain. He puts this one away, but he was offsides, somewhat pointlessly. Good call.
28' -- Good save from Romero, even though Mueller was offside.
21' -- Oh. Oh no. Higuain literally all alone after a terrible Germany turnover, but his shot is not close. What a great chance, wasted.
18' -- Oh dear. Kramer just got mashed in the face with a shoulder. He's down receiving attention -- seems a bit woozy.
13' -- Good cross in by Germany, but Klose just can't get his head to it.
10' -- Another good chance for Argentina, but the ground cross can't find a foot. But the Argentine side is starting to assert itself.
9' -- Messi finally gets a touch and takes it deep into Germany territory, but his cut-back pass in the box is cleared.
7' -- Lots of early possession for Germany -- they seem, at least for now, to be the side that will have the majority of chances.
4' -- Klose's free kick is stuffed and Argentina counters well. Higuain's shot goes wide, but it was fairly close and beat Neuer.
3' -- Couple early chances for Germany, and Mueller earns an early free kick above the box.
1' -- Okay, here we go. IT'S HAPPENING.
Pregame
2:59 p.m. ET: Oh, hey, lineup change. Khedira out, Christoph Kramer in. That could prove significant.
2:55 p.m. ET: Players now coming onto the field. Anthems, and we'll be underway.
2:45 p.m. ET: Okay, good news for either Germany or Argentina, as Spain has given the trophy back to be awarded to Sunday's winner. That was nice of them.
2:35 p.m. ET: Here's some past soccer royalty. Well, David Beckham and Pele, at least. I don't know that Kaka is necessarily royalty, but he's in the picture, too.
2:30 p.m. ET: We're about 30 minutes from kickoff, which gives you plenty of time to read my esteemed colleague Jeff Borzello's tactical preview. Lots of good stuff in there.
2:15 p.m. ET: Here's a bit of history for ya: If Germany beats Argentina, it will be the third straight time Germany has eliminated Argentina. That has not happened before. The U.S. dodged this same fate when it beat Ghana, who had consecutively eliminated the Americans in '06 and 2010, in its opener.
Moreover, Argentina hasn't lost a World Cup game at all to any other nation since 2002.
2:05 p.m. ET: Here's the purported distinguished guest list for the game that you've seen circulating on Twitter. All the big names are on it: LeBron, Gisele Bundchen, Wyclef Jean.
2 p.m. ET: And the elder statesman, Miroslov Klose, will again start for the Germans. He has 16 career World Cup goals. That's the most by any one player in history.
For Argentina, Angel Di Maria will again start on the bench, just as he did in Wednesday's semifinal.
Here are both lineups in full.
Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Perez, Higuain, Messi, Mascherano, Demichelis, Rojo, Lavezzi
Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Klose, Muller, Lahm, Kroos, Boateng
1:50 p.m. ET: Well we're almost there, folks. See, Germany has arrived for the World Cup final.
Match Preview: For the casual observer, it really could not have worked out any better. The World Cup final Sunday in Brazil will pit the tournament's best team against the world's best player.
Germany, led by a potent offensive attack that has proven to be dominant and even devastating at times, will face off against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
But while all eyes will be on Messi, Argentina also boasts two talented forwards in Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero. The latter two have picked up the scoring slack in the knockout stage where Messi has been shut out after four group stage goals. Besides that, the Argentina defense has been surprisingly dominant, as they haven't allowed a goal since the group stage.
It will be a tall order, however, to keep the Germans out of the net. They scored seven times against Brazil and looked completely capable of putting up video game numbers against any side in the tournament. Thomas Muller and the ageless Miroslav Klose -- who now holds the record for most World Cup goals in history -- have been difficult to contain.
For Klose, Sunday will be a time for he and his countrymen to finally hoist the cup after some near-misses. Klose has been on the German side for the past three tournaments, which include to third place finishes and a runner-up finish in 2002.
There's also a historical subtext regarding these two nations, who twice played for a World Cup title. First, in 1986, Diego Maradona and Argentina defeated West Germany. But four years later the result was reversed. Germany has won the last two matchups in World Cup play between the two sides, most recently a 4-0 beating in the 2010 quarterfinals.
But none of the historical aspects really come into play, of course. A new chapter will be written tomorrow; but to whom will it belong?
Brazil booed as Netherlands claim third.
AFP
Brazil's miserable World Cup campaign ended in a chorus of boos on Saturday as the hosts slumped to a 3-0 defeat against the Netherlands in the third place playoff match.
A penalty from Robin van Persie and a Daley Blind strike saw the Dutch take a 2-0 lead after only 17 minutes as Brazil endured more woe after their humiliating 7-1 semi-final rout by Germany.
Once again Brazil's defence was hopelessly exposed, with the first Dutch goal coming when van Persie sent Arjen Robben racing in behind them.
Thiago Silva tugged the Bayern Munich star over and although the foul began outside the penalty area, Algerian referee Djamel Haimoudi pointed to the spot. Silva meanwhile was lucky to escape with only a yellow card.
Brazil's defense was scattered once more in the 17th minute.
Daryl Janmaat crossed from the right and David Luiz's poor headed clearance fell to Blind who finished for his first international goal.
Georginio Wijnaldum added a late third for the Dutch to trigger more jeers and catcalls for the hosts.
The defeat marks the first time since 1974 that Brazil have lost consecutive World Cup matches.
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, whose contract was to be reviewed at the end of the World Cup, refused to discuss his future.
"It is up to the president (of the Brazilian Football Confederation) to decide. We will hand in a final report and then leave it to him to analyze what needs to be done," said Scolari.
"I'm not going to discuss (my future) with you. Winning or losing, that is what we would have done."
The defeat comes with Brazilian fans already dreading the nightmare scenario of Argentina lifting the World Cup in Sunday's final against Germany at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Germany will go into Sunday's match as favorites after their 7-1 triumph against Brazil. But Argentine captain Lionel Messi, four time world player of the year, will be looking for his first World Cup title.
"Tomorrow, we will play the most important match of our lives for our country," Messi wrote on his official Facebook page on Saturday.
"My dreams and my hopes are being fulfilled due to the hard work and sacrifice of a team that has given everything from match one."
Germany and Argentina have already played each other in two World Cup finals. Argentina, with Diego Maradona, beat West Germany 3-2 in 1986 in Mexico. West Germany took revenge with a 1-0 victory in the 1990 final in Italy.
A European country has never won the World Cup tournament held in the Americas.
Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger said Saturday his side will be under "no pressure" on Sunday despite being favorites for the game.
"We're looking forward to it. There's huge anticipation and joy. We have no pressure," Schweinsteiger said.
Striker Miroslav Klose is the only survivor in the Germany squad from the team beaten 2-0 by Brazil in the 2002 final, but Schweinsteiger says that his team-mates have sufficient experience of major games.
"We have lots of players among the 23 who've played in important finals and we know how to handle that," he said.
Brazilian authorities are preparing their biggest ever security operation for the final with nearly 25,800 police, soldiers and private security guards on duty in the city and at the stadium.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, whose country will host the 2018 World Cup finals, will join Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff at the Germany-Argentina match. Ukraine leader Petro Poroshenko had also planned to attend before withdrawing early Sunday saying it would be "impossible."
About 100,000 Argentine fans are expected to invade the city, even though most do not have tickets.
"We have from today the biggest security operation that the city, the country, has ever seen," said Rio state security secretary Jose Mariano Beltrame.
In a bid to avoid violence, bars around the Maracana stadium will be ordered to stop selling alcohol two hours before Sunday's match. Police blockades around the stadium were being put in place on Saturday night.
Rousseff basked in the glow of what has been a largely trouble-free tournament.
"We were able to do the Cup even though they said it would be chaos," Rousseff told foreign correspondents at the presidential residence Friday night.
"They said it would be horrific."
FIFA World Cup Scores. July 12 & July 13, 2014.
ESPN.com
Sunday, July 13, 2014 (Championship Game )
Germany 1
Argentina 0
Saturday, July 12, 2014 (3rd Place Game)
Brazil 0
Netherlands 3
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Forte looks to build on his success.
By Larry Mayer
Matt Forte tallied 1,339 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013.
Matt Forte will head to training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais looking to build on one of the best seasons by a running back in Bears history.
Last year the former Tulane star ranked second in the NFL in rushing with 1,339 yards and third in yards from scrimmage with 1,933 yards. Both are career highs and the most by any Bears player other than Hall of Famer Walter Payton.
Forte rushed for nine touchdowns in 2013, the most by a Bears player since Thomas Jones had nine in 2005. Forte also caught 74 passes for 594 yards and three TDs. The 74 receptions are the most ever by a Bears running back, breaking his own record of 63 set in 2008.
Forte rushed for over 100 yards in four of the last five games of the season, giving him 20 100-yard outings in his career, tying Gale Sayers for the second most in franchise history.
Voted to the second Pro Bowl of his career, Forte became the first player in Bears history to top 1,000 yards as a rusher and 500 yards as a receiver in multiple seasons. He ranks second on the franchise's all-time rushing list with 6,666 yards, trailing only Payton (16,726).
Much like the quarterback position with
Asked to name the favorite for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, coach Marc Trestman said: "I don't know that there is right now. We've got a really good competition."
The Bears selected Carey in the fourth round of this year's draft. He was very productive in three seasons at Arizona, where he became the school's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,239), rushing touchdowns (48) and all-purpose yards (5,483).
The 5-9, 207-pounder was a consensus All-America selection each of his final two years. He rushed for at least 100 yards in each of his final 16 games at Arizona dating back to 2012, the longest streak in Pac-12 history.
In his first full season as a starter in 2012, Carey led the FBS in rushing with a school-record 1,929 yards and 23 touchdowns on 303 carries while also catching 36 passes for 303 yards and 1 TD. He set a Pac-12 record with 366 yards while scoring five TDs against Colorado.
"We got ourselves a heck of a football player," Trestman said. "He loves football. He's passionate about it. He's tough. He's been extremely productive. He's all-purpose. We view him as a three-down back who can play in any situation and run routes out of the backfield and certainly run inside and outside, so we're excited about him."
A star quarterback at Northern Illinois, Lynch is battling for a job at running back with the Bears. Lynch passed for 3,138 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2012 and 2,892 yards and 24 TDs when he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting and was named the MAC offensive player of the year.
Carrying the ball is nothing new for Lynch, however. At NIU, he rushed for 1,815 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2012 and 1,920 yards and 23 TDs in 2013. Last season Lynch broke his own FBS record for quarterbacks by rushing for 321 yards in a win over Western Michigan.
"We have a logjam from 2 to 5 and Jordan is in that logjam," Trestman said. "A lot of that is going to be balanced out with special teams and other aspects of it. I'm looking forward to seeing him in pads and seeing these younger guys play in the games and competing both at the running back position and at the special teams side of it."
Troubled players need support, not exile from organizations, peers.
By Justin Forsett
Numerous reports of athletes receiving suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy have surfaced recently. In some cases, the players are repeat offenders, garnering longer suspensions. All these situations are very unfortunate.
Allow me to address these incidents, most of which involve a history of drug abuse.
At this point in players' careers, the controlled substances they may have taken recreationally in the past have now totally taken control of them as people — the desire for whichever drug has transformed into a need. The question: What can organizations and teammates do for people who struggle with these issues?
The first thing we all must do is realize the problem is bigger than football — a person’s life is in need of serious guidance. What was once a fun or relaxing habit is now an addiction. Be it alcohol, marijuana or whatever, addictions put careers in jeopardy and, in some cases, get players in trouble with the law. There also can be huge health risks involved when these guys make decisions while under the influence.
So what do we do?
As for the organization, I believe if it stands with a player through success it must also stand with him through failures. If an organization has a troubled player on its team, I think it’s only right that it makes every resource available to him in order to help him overcome the struggle. The organization must be willing to be transparent, personal and accessible.
Throwing a guy in a treatment program and hoping he returns a better person will not always work. I believe if a team is willing to walk through the issue with its player as opposed to watching him walk through it alone, it can send a powerful message. And we may see better results.
The fact that an organization would take the time and effort to care for me — the person, not the football player — would speak volumes. Maybe this could be a step in the right direction because right now, in many instances, we simply try to alleviate symptoms without attempting to cure the disease a person is dealing with.
You can fine a player, suspend him and give him extra testing, but that won't get to the root of the problem.
I understand the NFL is a business, and if a player consistently fails to abide by the rules, it may be time to apply tough love and let him go. But dumping a troubled player doesn’t mean dumping him as a person. Teams can still provide resources and assistance to try to ensure that, eventually, he can land on his feet.
As teammates and friends of people who deal with these problems, we should be constant encouragers. When personal struggles are made known to the world through the media, a player can go into isolation. So I think it’s important he knows that he has people in his corner rooting for him to succeed.
There is a passage in Galatians that reads, “Brethren, even if [a]anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”
As a Christian athlete, I view situations like these as opportunities, not challenges. I’m called to walk in such a way that if I see a brother/teammate struggling, I am to take on that challenge as if it were my own. This requires me to invest time physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Should I see a teammate struggling with these issues, I would make myself available and constantly encourage him with love and truth, knowing in my mind that I personally can’t change him but can plant seeds that will hopefully bear fruit down the road ... when he is ready.
Of course, while I think players and organizations can do a better job handling these players, the players themselves must take ownership. We can invest time and put together support systems, but eventually the player has to want the change. The old saying “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink “ applies here. We can’t force another person to want better for himself — he must decide that.
If speaking directly to a player having these types of issues, I would tell him this:
You were created for much more than the game of football. God has blessed you with many talents and gifts — football is just one. I believe you were created for impact, and the struggles you face now don’t have to define you. You have an amazing opportunity with this game to better your life and the people around you. Please, don’t waste it.
You have the ability to reach the lives of millions with the platform that is pro football. Why not maximize it to uplift those who fight the same battles? If you decide right now that you want to turn your mess into message, you can inspire many. And you have what it takes to do so; it’s inside you. Just reach down deep to tap into it. Lastly, brother, I’m here for you — whatever you need. The book of Proverbs reads, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Let’s walk this out — side by side — and make each other the best men we can possibly be.
NFL teams split $6 billion in revenue.
By The Sports Xchange
It was another very lucrative year for NFL teams.
The 32 franchises divvied up more than $6 billion in revenue for the first time, according to financial figures released by the Green Bay Packers on Thursday afternoon and reported by ESPN.
The Packers announced that their national revenue was $187.7 million. Most of that money came from the NFL's television deal.
The league's revenue climbed 4.3 percent from the previous season because of agreements with the NFL Network and Nike, according to Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy.
The Packers are the NFL's only public held team with shareholders and is required to disclose financial figures. Local revenue was $136.3 million and the team had a $25.5 million profit, which dropped almost 53 percent because of player contracts totaling $171 million.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? NHL fighting and a common sense reduction of it.
By Greg Wyshynski
The American Hockey League dipped its toes into the muddy waters of the fighting debate with a new rule beginning in the 2014-15 season:
“An automatic game misconduct will be applied to any player who has been assessed two major penalties for fighting or three major penalties for any infraction in the same game.”
This rule was likely inspired by the nasty injury George Parros suffered against Colton Orr in Oct. 2013, getting stretchered off the ice after taking a fall in their second fight of the night.
The notion that there needed to be a second fight is the issue. The first time they scrapped, it was for entertainment purposes: Amplifying the electricity of the Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry in their season opening game. The second fight came after Orr was yapping at P.K. Subban, as Parros played the role of enforcer.
The notion that there needed to be a second fight is the issue. The first time they scrapped, it was for entertainment purposes: Amplifying the electricity of the Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry in their season opening game. The second fight came after Orr was yapping at P.K. Subban, as Parros played the role of enforcer.
The AHL’s rules changes are usually a harbinger of what might come in the NHL, and this type of change would seem to fit with the senior league’s approach to fighting: Targeting the repeat offenders rather than the random pugilists, and overall attempting to reduce the number of fights.
Since the AHL has a rule in which three game misconducts equals a one-game suspension and a suspension that increases by one game for every game misconduct after that, the new fighting rule gets a little more aggressive in its targeting of repeat offenders.
The only tricky part about this rule is the idea that a fourth-line pest might engage a top line player who already has one fight in the game, hoping to get him kicked out after a second bout. Think about Milan Lucic in the NHL, for example: How many sticks and punches and overall chicanery would he suffer for the next 40 minutes after a first-period fight?
Obviously, the referees’ willingness to whistle an instigator will be key here, to ensure that doesn't play out.
I still don't think there's middle ground in the fighting debate if the argument is about player safety: A punch to the brain is a punch to the brain whether it's a spontaneous or a staged fight. You're either all in or all out.
That said, both sides might agree on common sense reduction in fights that shouldn't necessarily happen. Kudos to the AHL for taking that step.
This AHL rule is just common sense. Even as a fighting advocate, I’m not a fan of “second fights” in a game. It’s usually some goon looking for comeuppance after getting embarrassed in Round 1, or part of some late-game sideshow in a blowout as the resident puncher gets punchy in an act of humiliation. The NHL should see how this plays in the AHL, and then act accordingly.
The NHL doesn’t have the type of fighting problem that minor leagues do. Once again, fighting declined in the League in 2013-14, to 469 fights from 546 fights in the last 82-game season. It’s declined every full season since 2009. Is it a hot-button issue? Sure, when we have incidents like the George Parros injury and John Scott’s menacing of Phil Kessel. But it’s not top of the mind for the NHL in general.
So it’ll be interesting to see if the NHL ever tightens its rules against frequent fighters, whether it’s with something like the AHL rule or something more targeted like the OHL’s rules that cap the number of fights a player can have in a season.
Teuvo Teravainen: 'I'm ready this season, I can't wait'.
By Tracey Myers
Teuvo Teravainen isn’t that concerned about pressure.
The Finnish forward said that when he first joined the Blackhawks last spring, which gave him a brief glimpse into the NHL world. And as he looks toward this fall, whether he’s with Rockford or Chicago, whether he’s one of the top centers or learning while Brad Richards takes that No. 2 role, Teravainen will roll with the punches.
Teravainen is one of 60-plus players participating in the Blackhawks’ development camp, which began Sunday at Johnny’s Icehouse West. He said he’s added a few pounds — make that a few kilos, anyway — and has gotten some rest. Now refreshed, he’s ready to see what the 2014-15 season brings.
What he’s not worried about is, well, worrying about how much pressure there is or isn’t on him to develop into the Blackhawks’ No. 2 center. The team acquired Richards on July 1 to bolster their depth at center and to allow Teravainen to develop at his own pace.
“I don’t think those things too much. I just focus on myself and try to practice hard,” Teravainen said following Sunday’s morning session. “I play where they put me and just try to (have) a good time here and work hard.”
Teravainen got thrown into the NHL fire last spring, when the Blackhawks brought him over after his Finnish team, Jokerit, wrapped up its postseason. He played in three games before being reassigned to Rockford. It was great learning but it was a long season for the forward, who participated in Blackhawks’ training camp, then played for Jokerit and in World Juniors before heading this way.
“It was a good experience but I had a really long season,” he said. “I played with five or six different teams. It was a hard season for me but it was good, too. I got a lot of experience when I came here, and I’m more ready because of that.”
Now, Teravainen, who is staying in Chicago the rest of the summer, is focused on getting stronger; he’ll work with team strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman to get there. Otherwise, Teravainen is here to learn, to develop and to see what he can do in the fall, whether it’s in Chicago or Rockford.
“I feel good but it’s been (a long) time without hockey so I think my body needs hockey,” he said. “I’m ready this season. I can’t wait.”
Stephen Johns eyeing every opportunity with Blackhawks.
By Tracey Myers
Stephen Johns sidled over to the media area, ready to talk hockey and his fifth — yes, fifth— time at the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect camp.
“I’m a veteran now, I guess,” Johns said with a smile. “But it’s a great experience coming here every summer. Getting a little competitive in the summer isn’t a bad thing. Everyone’s itching to get back and start playing in the fall, but this is a little gear toward that.”
The defenseman doesn’t mind participating in the extra camps and taking the extra time to hone his game. It’s a big reason why he returned to Notre Dame last fall — well, that and to get his degree. Now graduated and a strong collegiate hockey career complete, Johns is ready to see what this fall may bring.
“It was a great experience, going back for my senior year and having the ability to be a captain and take on more of a leadership role. It was such an important season in my career and the program’s career,” he said. “I felt like I had a strong year and ended the year in Rockford, so I got some pro experience under my belt. Those guys took me in; it was an awesome experience. I’m just looking forward to this year.”
Johns had eight goals and 12 assists in 40 games with the Fighting Irish last season. He said his offense “took a big step,” as those chances he seemed to have plenty of finally started going in the net. As for the defensive side of his game, the four years of hockey helped Johns develop from a way-too-aggressive player to a smart one. “My freshman year, I was really excited, trying to run around and kill anyone. I got myself in a lot of problems in the penalty box. Some of my teammates weren’t too happy with me, the coaches. They told me to rein it back, let the play and hits come to me and not go looking for it,” Johns said. “I really progressed in that area this year, and in Rockford even more.”
Johns didn’t spend a great deal of time in Rockford; again, just eight games. But the experience proved invaluable.
“It’s a lot different than college. It’s a job now. But as much as (it’s) a job, you still have to have fun with that. That’s what I learned from the veteran and some young guys there,” he said. “There’s a unique mix of guys. it was kind of a college team but you had the older guys like (Wade) Brookbank and (Jared) Nightingale helping you out, showing you the way and teaching you the little things. Those eight games were a great experience, and it’s only going to help me coming into this year.”
Johns would obviously love to find a spot on the Blackhawks’ roster this season, though it’s not going to be easy. General manager Stan Bowman loves to load up on defensemen — the Blackhawks have carried eight on the roster for most of the past two seasons — and there’s still plenty of depth there. Still, the Blackhawks are in a financial crunch entering the 2014-15 season, still more than $2 million over the $69 million salary cap; they have to get under the latter number by the start of the regular season. If a defenseman is moved, there could be a chance. And Johns would be happy to take advantage of it.
“Anyone would be lying to you and if they said they didn’t look at it and hope for an opportunity,” he said. “But you have to be opportunistic with every situation. When you have a chance you have to make the most of it. Hopefully that day comes but, until then, you have to keep working.”
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Addition of Gasol can impact the Bulls in different ways.
By Aggrey Sam
Now that it’s a foregone conclusion that Pau Gasol joins the Bulls — though nothing has been officially announced, Gasol himself tweeted Saturday — an examination of how the veteran big man will fit in Chicago is warranted.
Gasol is best known for his blend of an upper-echelon low-post game and uncanny ball skills for a man of his size, as he’s been regarded as one of the NBA’s best passing big men throughout his career. That trait in particular makes his potential pairing with Joakim Noah especially intriguing, as the Bulls’ All-Star center is arguably the league’s best playmaker at his position, with Gasol’s younger brother Marc of the Grizzlies a close second.
While Gasol is also capable of stepping out to the perimeter and knocking down mid-range jumpers and even deeper shots, his offensive preference is playing on the block, something that wasn’t always the strategy of ex-Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni and caused them to butt heads. Again, when paired with Noah, who isn’t known to excel as a back-to-the-basket scorer, Gasol’s game would prove complementary and when on the court with Sixth Man of the Year award runner-up Taj Gibson, who made major strides in his post-up game last season, his versatility would allow him to operate in the high post.
Speaking of Gibson, Gasol’s presence likely means a move back to the bench, something he experienced back in 2010, upon Carlos Boozer’s arrival — after Boozer returned from a training-camp injury — following a surprising rookie campaign in which he took over Tyrus Thomas’ starting spot at power forward. It’s safe to say that the selfless Gibson, 29, expected to continue expanding his role next season, though he’s earned a well-deserved reputation for being willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team.
Besides, even as a reserve, Gibson has typically finished games for the Bulls as a defensive upgrade to Boozer, a trend that would probably continue with Gasol. Gasol is more of a shot-blocking threat than Boozer but also has serious defensive issues that have become more pronounced as the 34-year-old’s career has progressed.
The Bulls have until July 16 to use the amnesty provision on Boozer, and while it has become an open secret around the league that they prefer to trade him and the nearly $17 million on the final year of his contract, it can be assumed they haven’t found any takers yet. Still, with Gasol’s looming acquisition, it’s a near-guarantee that Boozer won’t be playing in Chicago next season.
Gasol’s countryman, Spanish forward Nikola Mirotic, is another likely addition to the Bulls roster for next season, and though the 2011 first-round draft pick’s game differs from Noah, Gibson and Gasol, the 6-foot-10 23-year-old is another player who will be in the mix for minutes in the team’s big-man rotation. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t known for playing rookies heavy minutes, but Mirotic’s talent and professional experience is worthy of playing time, so Gasol could see a reduction in minutes to help him maintain his effectiveness as he ages, while Noah’s health will also be benefited by the additional depth.
Gasol is no longer the No. 1 option he was in Memphis or even the second scorer he was with the Lakers, but he’s an established low-post threat capable of drawing a double team down low — one could argue that Gibson did that toward the end of last season — and has a championship pedigree. The Bulls have long coveted his services, and though this offseason won’t make the desired big splash of a Carmelo Anthony, the value of bringing in Gasol won’t be known until the playoffs in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
The Bulls still need to settle on a backup point guard (likely Kirk Hinrich) and could shore up the wing position with a free-agent veteran, but during a summer dominated by Anthony and LeBron James, getting an impact player like Gasol can’t be disregarded.
Kirk Hinrich re-signs with Bulls.
CSN Staff
Kirk Hinrich has spent nine of his 12 NBA seasons in Chicago. And now, it appears he'll be sticking around a little longer.
Only Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Jerry Sloan have played more games in a Bulls uniform than Hinrich's 647. The point guard also ranks in the top five in numerous other all-time statistical categories for the franchise including 3-pointers, assists and steals.
Hinrich averaged 9.1 points and 3.9 assists per game last season, the second of his second stint with the Bulls. Despite the occasional injury, he appeared in 73 games, the most in a single season since 2009-10.
Earlier Saturday, Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that despite an attempt by the Hornets to lure Hinrich to Charlotte, Hinrich opted to stay in Chicago.
It's an interesting development considering the Bulls will be needing to do some salary-cap magic after the signing of Pau Gasol on Saturday.
Bulls summer-league notes: Boozer decision next major move?
By Aggrey Sam
Now that the Carmelo Anthony free-agency saga is officially over — the Knicks small forward announced Sunday morning that he’s returning to New York — and veteran big man Pau Gasol has announced that he will be playing his home games in Chicago next season, the next major move for the Bulls is likely making a decision on Carlos Boozer.
The organization has until Wednesday to exercise the amnesty provision on the power forward, who has nearly $17 million remaining on the final year of his contract. It’s known throughout the league that the Bulls would prefer to trade Boozer, but it’s believed that they’re having a hard time finding a willing taker.
When asked whether he’s been in contact with Boozer about his future before Saturday night’s summer-league opening win over the Clippers, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said, “No, I haven’t.”
Smith to be traded to Dallas
Backup big man Greg Smith, acquired toward the end of last season after being waived by Houston, is headed for Dallas. Actually, Smith, who has been rehabilitating a knee injury suffered with the Rockets since arriving in Chicago, traveled with the Bulls to Las Vegas and told CSNChicago.com that he will play Monday, a day that the Bulls are not scheduled to play, but the Mavericks are. The Bulls will receive cap space in return for Smith’s nearly $1-million salary for next season.
McDermott raves about Rose
Bulls’ first-round draft pick Doug McDermott echoed the positive praise Thibodeau and other observers had for former league MVP Derrick Rose’s play in summer-league practices at the Berto Center prior to the Las Vegas trip.
“He looked great. You can tell he’s trying to get into better shape, but he looked real healthy to me. He was doing stuff he normally does, so that was great to see. He finds people so fast. He makes those quick decisions when he gets around the basket, so it’s great to have a guy like that,” McDermott said.
“The Berto Center, I was playing most of the time with Derrick. He was playing on our team, so it was a little bit more realistic. So I think that was great, being able to play with him and playing with some of those other guys,” the rookie added. “In college, I was asked to move a lot and get a lot of them on my own. I had a great point guard, but no one’s going to draw more attention than Derrick Rose, so that’s awesome.”
Chicago native Jones excited for opportunity
The Bulls’ starting point guard Saturday was Rose’s fellow Simeon Career Academy product Lazeric Jones, who scored nine points in the 86-70 win. Jones, who played collegiately at UCLA and in Europe last season, takes playing for his hometown team very seriously.
“I was just in practice looking at Michael Jordan, all the banners and everything,” he told CSNChicago.com. “It’s great. I know I’m representing something big.”
As for Rose, who Jones is more familiar with than others on the team, Jones believes the point guard is in store for a big season.
“He looked great. He still looked explosive, fast. I think he’s ready for a real big comeback,” Jones said. “His playmaking ability, to me, off the pick-and-roll, looked so much better. He really did a great job.”
Veteran Snell encouraged by rookies’ play
Tony Snell, as a second-year NBA player, has taken more of a leadership role this summer and thus, felt confident assessing the play of Bulls’ draft picks McDermott and Cameron Bairstow, having been in the same position a year ago.
“They were really amazing. Doug picked it up real early. He knows the plays, being in the right spots defensively,” Snell gushed. “Cameron Bairstow, he’s a beast down there in that paint. Gets rebounds, screen-and-roll, pick-and-pop.”
Elaborating on Bairstow, his former New Mexico teammate, Snell said, “He seems a lot better than as a college player. He’s got a nice mid-range game, he’s a lot stronger and he’s more confident.”
Young Bulls welcome Gasol
After learning that Gasol would be coming to Chicago, both Snell and McDermott were excited about playing with the veteran big man.
“When I found out, I was like, ‘That’s crazy.’ I didn’t expect that. But welcome to the Bulls, Pau,” Snell said. “He’s got a nice game. I like his game. He’s got a nice mid-range game and I can learn some stuff from him, too.
“Him and Joakim Noah are going to be two good post players down there.”
McDermott added: “It’s different. I’m not used to this situation. All my buddies texted me like, ‘I heard Pau’s your teammate now.’ I was like, ‘I didn’t know that yet.’ So it’s pretty cool, though.
They’re doing a great job with free agents and I’m excited to be a part of it.
“I think it’s huge for everyone. I think he’s so unselfish and seven feet, can really pass the ball. So it can only help a guy like me, where he’ll be able to find me.”
Thibodeau positive about LeBron’s decision
Asked about LeBron James’ decision to return to Cleveland, Thibodeau praised his soon-to-be Central Division foe.
“It’s good. That’s what he felt is best. The one thing about LeBron is he always has stayed true to himself. It’s good,” the coach said. “I didn’t really think about it, to be honest with you. He’s a great player. He’s been great for the league. It’s a great story.”
Can the MLB All-Star Game be saved?
By Richard Deitsch
Fox Sports president Eric Shanks knows the question is coming because it comes every year. And there is good reason for the question.
Viewership for the All-Star Game is hemorrhaging and in more unpleasant news for Fox Sports, the All-Star Game viewers are also getting older. A brief snapshot of the downward trend: The game drew 28.2 million viewers in 1985. Twelve years later, the first time Fox aired the game, viewership dropped to 16.7 million viewers. The audience fell to 12.3 million in 2005 and last year the game drew 11.0 million viewers, up slightly (10.9 million) from 2013. Last year’s viewership increase stopped a three-year decline in viewership but the game concluded as the third-least watched MLB All-Star Game in history.
Perhaps most disturbing: Sports Business Daily reported the average age for last year's All-Star telecast was 53, the highest mark yet for the game. Given the 18-to-49 adult demo is the money demo for sports broadcasting, this is not a good trend.
So Shanks gets this question every year and he got it again last week. How confident is Fox Sports management, in the middle of a long-term agreement with MLB, that the All-Star Game still has growth potential as a property?
“Long story short – high confidence,” said Shanks, who gets paid a lot of Rupert Murdoch’s money to project such optimism.
“We look at the context of the television landscape, entertainment landscape and sports landscape and put events into context. It’s a year by year thing but the thing that has not changed is the All-Star Game throughout the summer is -- and will continue to be -- one of the highlights of the summer, if not the leading sporting event of the summer consistently. It does have its ebbs and flows depending on stories and geography but there is no doubt people love the All-Star Game.”
That’s an optimistic take, and understandably so from a network executive. But the numbers say something different. Plenty of columns have offered solutions for baseball to stem the viewership bleeding, and frankly, I don’t have many solutions. I think viewership will keep dropping unless baseball fundamentally shifts its marketing to individual players rather than teams. But that’s a hard sell regionally because baseball at its core is a regional game. Most importantly, the uniqueness of the All-Star Game has taken a huge hit given interleague play. There is nothing distinct about the best of the A.L. playing the best of the N.L. because it happens every year during the regular season. The home field advantage angle is also long played out. Maybe they should place all the selected players in a hat and mix the sides so you can have teammates facing teammates. I’d suggest that would raise the viewership at least one year. Moving the game to Sunday night would also increase viewership but that would require a massive schedule shift.
Against other All-Star games, baseball loses to the Pro Bowl (11.7 million viewers in 2013) in viewers and beats the also-in-season NBA All-Star Game (7.5 million viewers on TNT in 2014). But the 2014 NBA All Star Game out-rated MLB last year among adults 18-49 and the NBA game has not dropped viewership nearly at the rate of MLB.
The one suggestion I have for Fox is to add tonnage to its auxiliary programming around the game. They need to approach the MLB All-Star Game the way ESPN does its mega-events. The network is on the right track this year with 20-plus hours of programming around the game on Fox Sports 1 as well as what is essentially a three hour pregame (4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.) under the banner of FS1"s America's Pregame Show. The Monday night edition of Fox Sports Live will have a live panel from Minneapolis' Target Field and Fox Sports Live will also have a presence at Target Field after the All Star Game. Unlike the self-absorbed trap SportsCenter has too often fallen into, hopefully FS1 will go heavy on the players talking as opposed to bludgeoning the audience with hot takes from 15 different analysts. Of course, Fox Sports 1 doesn't have a lot of viewers but you have to start somewhere.
Fox will be helped this year by streaming the game for the first time on Fox Sports GO. The app will feature two separate live streams of the All-Star Game: the Fox telecast in English and the Fox Deportes telecast in Spanish.
Rose wins Scottish Open for back-to-back titles.
By STEVE DOUGLAS (AP Sports Writer)
Justin Rose won the Scottish Open by two shots after a final round 6-under 65 on Sunday, sealing back-to-back victories either side of the Atlantic and bolstering his confidence ahead of next week's British Open.
The 2013 U.S. Open champion turned the last day into a procession, rolling in six birdies and going bogey-free on a windless Royal Aberdeen links course that was there for the taking on a day of low scoring. Unheralded Swede Kristoffer Broberg finished second on 14 under after a 66. That earned him one of the three qualifying places for the British Open at Hoylake, along with other top-10 finishers Tyrrell Hatton and Scott Jamieson.
''It feels unbelievable to be back in the winner's circle so quickly,'' said Rose, who has banked almost $2 million in prize money for his impressive fortnight's work.
There were birdies aplenty on Sunday because of the ideal conditions, with Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and Chile's Felipe Aguilar breaking the course record with 8-under 63s and deposed champion Phil Mickelson saving his best round for last with a 65. If players wanted one last tough test before Hoylake, it wasn't going to come as Royal Aberdeen was laid bare with a lack of wind off the North Sea, soft greens and easy pin positions.
Likely up to No. 3 in the world from No. 6 with this 15th professional victory worldwide, Rose is in prime form heading to his home major. And there was no stopping him here.
The Englishman was nerveless in making birdies at Nos. 2 and 3 - from a combined 40 feet - to power into a two-shot lead over Warren, who was looking to avenge a final-round meltdown at the Scottish Open two years ago.
Rose added three more birdies in the front nine and another at No. 12, before paring his way home. He had the luxury of being able to soak up the applause as he ambled down the 18th hole, having planted his drive straight down the fairway and his approach onto the center of the green.
His iron play has been imperious this week, reviving memories of the form he produced during his first - and only - major win 13 months ago.
''I was pretty calm out there as I got off to a good start,'' Rose said. ''I never felt in a lot of trouble.''
Rose is making a habit of winning on tough courses, with Royal Aberdeen joining a list that includes Merion, Doral, Valderrama and most recently Congressional.
Mickelson was tied for 11th while Rory McIlroy tied for 14th after a 67. Both world stars seemed satisfied with the state of their games ahead of the British Open, however.
''I feel a lot sharper and I feel like I have direction in my ball-striking and direction in my short game and putting,'' said Mickelson, who will be defending the claret jug.
It was more Scottish Open heartbreak for Warren (70), who wasn't within two shots of playing partner Rose from the second hole. In 2012, Warren blew a three-shot lead with four to play but it was a different story here.
''Not a lot I could have done about that,'' Warren said. ''Once he gets out in front, he's very tough to catch. The whole day he was very clinical.
''I don't like being on the end of it but it was a pleasure to watch.''
Mo Martin, with eagle on 18, wins Women's British.
By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)
Mo Martin knew she hit her 3-wood exactly how she wanted on the 18th hole at Royal Birkdale.
With the ball slightly below her feet, just under 240 yards away and a strong wind at her back, she let it rip and watched the ball track toward the flag. Martin thought it was short. Then she thought it might be too long. Moments later, she realized just how good it was.
''I could hear it hit the pin from the fairway,'' Martin said. ''That was a pretty fun feeling.''
The ball rolled into the center of the flagstick and settled 6 feet away for an eagle, and when no one could catch her, the 31-year-old American became a major champion Sunday at the Ricoh Women's British Open.
''I think I still need to be pinched,'' Martin said after closing with an even-par 72 for a one-shot victory over Shanshan Feng of China and Suzann Pettersen of Norway.
It was Martin's first eagle of the year - one of the shortest hitters in the game, she doesn't get many opportunities. She had not won on the LPGA Tour in 63 previous tries. And on a wind-swept Sunday when no one broke par, she was never closer than two shots of the leaders the entire final round.
The best shot of her life changed everything.
''An absolutely perfect 3-wood,'' she said. ''When it was in the air, I said, 'Sit.' And then I said, 'Stop.' And then when it was going toward the hole, I said, 'OK, I don't have anything more to say to that ball.' I actually heard it hit the pin. It's definitely one to remember.''
She turned and did a little jig in the fairway.
An hour later, it turned out to be the winning shot when Feng and Inbee Park of South Korea couldn't stay under par.
Both needed one birdie over the two par-5 closing holes at Royal Birkdale. Feng missed birdie putts of 15 and 10 feet and shot 75. Park missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th, and then put her tee shot in the right rough on the easy 18th hole and wound up with a bogey for a 77.
It seemed like a fairy tale for Martin. Growing up with modest means, her father built a cage in their driveway for her to practice hitting balls. She walked on at UCLA. She needed financial help to keep her dream alive, including the six years it took just to reach the LPGA Tour. Martin said she would keep trying if she woke up happy, felt she was still contributing something to women's golf and could pay her bills.
And here she is - Mighty Mo, never happier.
When she returned from the range, players gathered around her cart to celebrate with a champagne shower.
''It's still soaking in, along with champagne in my jacket,'' Martin said. ''This is just unbelievable. It's literally a dream come true.''
It was a disappointment for Park, trying to become the seventh woman to capture four of the LPGA's major. She had a two-shot lead at the turn until the high grass grabbed the bottom of her wedge on the 10th, sending her to a double bogey. She fell out of the lead by going long on the 14th for bogey, and never caught up.
''Made a lot of mistakes that I really didn't need to make,'' Park said. ''Obviously the last hole drive was really disappointing.''
Pettersen finished birdie-birdie that allowed her to share second place, but not enough to atone for a pair of double bogeys earlier in the round.
Martin earned $474,575 - she had $599,760 in career money when she arrived in England.
Americans now have won the first three majors of the LPGA Tour season for the first time since 1999, with Martin following Lexi Thompson at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and Michelle Wie at the U.S. Women's Open.
A more likely candidate to extend that streak at Royal Birkdale would have been Stacy Lewis, the defending champion, who also started only three shots behind. Lewis didn't make a birdie until the 18th hole and closed with a 78. Wie missed the cut, and Thompson finished 15 shots out of the lead.
Martin had a three-shot lead going into the weekend, building her strategy of keeping the ball in the fairway. But she had a 77 in the third round, and that figured to be the end of her chances. After two bogeys in five holes to start the final round, she was solid the rest of the way. And then she was simply spectacular at the end.
''Safe to say it's the best week of my life,'' she said.
Harman wins first PGA title to reach British Open.
AFP
Unheralded American Brian Harman won his first PGA title on Sunday, capturing the John Deere Classic to claim a spot in next week's British Open.
Montgomerie wins U.S. Senior Open in playoff.
Reuters; Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina.; Editing by Gene Cherry and Ian Ransom
Colin Montgomerie won the $3.5 million U.S. Senior Open when he edged American Gene Sauers in a three-hole aggregate playoff in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Sunday.
The burly Scot sank a 13-foot par putt to claim victory in the U.S. Golf Assocation's (USGA) flagship over-50s event.
But the man who won the European Tour Order of Merit eight times had to dodge a bullet at the final hole on Sunday when Sauers hit a superb four-iron to six-feet at the final hole of regulation.
Among the rewards for Montgomerie's victory is a spot in next year's U.S. Open.
Brad Keselowski dominant again in win at New Hampshire. Sunday, (Weekend Sweep).
By Jeff Owens
A few weeks ago, Brad Keselowski was complaining about Chevrolet and rival Hendrick Motorsports team having a horsepower advantage.
He has nothing to complain about anymore.
For the second time in three weeks, Keselowski dominated the Sprint Cup race. He paced the field most of the day and held off Kyle Busch on a green-white-checkered restart to win the Camping World RV 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was his third win of the season, matching six-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
Keselowski, who led a race-high 136 laps, also dominated the race at Kentucky Speedway two weeks ago before being involved in a wreck in the crash-marred race at Daytona last week.
"This Ford was hauling today," Keselowski said. "It’s a privilege to have a car like this and a team that is just clicking. You could say we are red hot."
Busch finished second followed by rookie Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 10th to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Keselowski and Johnson, who battled for the 2012 championship, now lead the series with three wins each as drivers battle for wins to make the 16-driver Chase. Earnhardt, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick have two wins apiece, while five drivers have one each. Such big names as Kenseth, Stewart, Newman and Bowyer have yet to win this season.
Gordon had a shot at his second win of the season, taking the lead by staying on the track during the next-to-last caution period on Lap 250 of the scheduled 301. He held off Keselowski for a while before fading to third, and then running out of fuel during the final caution period. He finished 26th. Kevin Harvick (30th) and others also ran out during the final laps.
Gordon still leads the points standings, holding a 12-point advantage over Earnhardt. Keselowski climbed to third, followed by Kenseth and Johnson.
Pole-sitter Kyle Busch was strong early, leading the first 62 laps. But Keselowski charged by him on Lap 74 and took control of the race.
Keselowski was thoroughly dominant. While the leaders took just two tires for track position during most caution flags, Keselowski repeatedly took four and wasted no time running down the leaders.
He was ninth on the final restart on Lap 254, with Gordon and Denny Hamlin leading. It took him just 16 laps to drive through traffic and run down Gordon for the lead.
He was leading when Justin Allgaier spun with three laps remaining. His only worry was the final restart, when Busch had fresher tires.
"Kyle had four and he was going to give me all he had. Thankfully I only had two laps to hold him off," Keselowski said. "Just a great race, hard-fought and Kyle made me earn it there at the end. It was a lot of fun driving through all the traffic."
Keselowski, who completed a weekend sweep after winning Saturday's Nationwide race, was strong from the start, allowing him to take four new tires on almost every pit stop while the rest of the leaders gambled on two. The strategy worked as Keselowski was able to drive through traffic after each restart.
“All the teams in the garage work hard, but it’s not only about working hard it’s about being smart and working smart," crew chief Paul Wolfe said. "Obviously we’re doing a good job of that right now, but we want to keep pushing hard and keep the pressure on and be ready to go when the Chase starts."
For to win his fourth win of the season — and fourth at New Hampshire — didn't last long. He pitted with a flat tire on Lap 7, and then, seven laps later, he crashed when his tire failed. He fell out of the race and finished 42nd.
Joey Logano also had a tough day. He was running second late in the race and chasing teammate Keselowski when 72-year-old Morgan Shepherd spun into him, causing both drivers to crash. Shepherd was running 40th, 15 laps down at the time.
Logano questioned whether Shepherd, a 44-year veteran with four career victories, should have been on the track.
"I felt like we could have had a Penske 1-2 finish again, and to get taken out by the slowest car on the track ... " Logano said. "I feel like there should be a drivers test before you can get out there in a Cup car to make sure you know how to drive one, but I guess there isn't."
Keselowski wins Sta-Green 200 at New Hampshire. Saturday, (Weekend Sweep).Harman wins first PGA title to reach British Open.
AFP
Unheralded American Brian Harman won his first PGA title on Sunday, capturing the John Deere Classic to claim a spot in next week's British Open.
Harman became the 20th player to win his first US tour crown at the $4.7 million event, firing a final-round 66, five-under par, to finish 72 holes on 22-under 262.
Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion and a home-area hero who won the event in 2012, settled for his third runner-up showing in the event on 263.
Harman, who matched his best prior US PGA finish with a third-place effort at Riviera in February, had missed the cut the past two weeks but took home the top prize of $846,000 at Deere Run.
The victory qualified Harman for the British Open at Royal Liverpool, which starts Thursday in Hoylake, England.
"I brought my passport and a couple of jackets," Harman said. "I can't wait to get on that plane."
Harman eagled the par-5 second after putting his approach four feet from the cup, took a bogey at the fifth but responded with a 30-foot birdie putt at the ninth and added a 16-foot birdie putt at the par-5 10th.
Johnson kept the pressure on Harman with a bogey-free round of 64 that included birdies at 13, 14 and 17 to stay on the leader's heels.
But Harman answered the challenge with three birdies in a row starting with an eight-foot birdie putt at the 14th followed by a 15-foot birdie putt at 15 and a six-footer at the par-3 16th.
That allowed Harman to par the 17th and bogey 18 for the victory.
Montgomerie wins U.S. Senior Open in playoff.
Reuters; Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina.; Editing by Gene Cherry and Ian Ransom
Colin Montgomerie won the $3.5 million U.S. Senior Open when he edged American Gene Sauers in a three-hole aggregate playoff in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Sunday.
The burly Scot sank a 13-foot par putt to claim victory in the U.S. Golf Assocation's (USGA) flagship over-50s event.
It was particularly sweet for Montgomerie, who endured three close runner-up finishes at the U.S. Open but has never won a regular tour major.
"It's great to finally win a USGA event," he told reporters after coming from four strokes behind, shooting 69 to tie Sauers (73) at five-under 279, four strokes clear of South African David Frost and American Woody Austin at Oak Tree National.
"I've lost in a playoff (1994) and been one shot behind a couple of times (1997 and 2006) and you have to wait to 50 to finally win one."
It was Montgomerie's second major title of the year on the Champions Tour, after he won the Senior PGA Championship in May.
But the man who won the European Tour Order of Merit eight times had to dodge a bullet at the final hole on Sunday when Sauers hit a superb four-iron to six-feet at the final hole of regulation.
"Bloody hell," Montgomerie, who was in the scoring trailer, said as he watched Sauer's ball trickle up close to the hole.
Sauers, however, could not convert what would have been the winning putt, his ball catching the right edge of the hole but lipping out.
That sent the championship to a three-hole aggregate score playoff, where Montgomerie finally prevailed, but only barely, playing the holes in one-over.
"My playoff record is pretty weak, to be honest," Montgomerie said. "I think I've been in 10 (worldwide) and won one of them up till today.
"You talk about the Ryder Cup and one-on-one I'm usually quite good. A playoff in a golf tournament is like a penalty shoot-out in the World Cup. You don't know what's going to happen."
It was not to be a fairytale comeback for Sauers, who three years ago suffered an excruciatingly painful and potentially deadly skin affliction.
"I don't take life for granted anymore. I'm not going to take golf for granted," said the 51-year-old, who won three times on the PGA Tour.
"I would like to take home that trophy. One day I will.
Among the rewards for Montgomerie's victory is a spot in next year's U.S. Open.
The major dream is still alive.
Brad Keselowski dominant again in win at New Hampshire. Sunday, (Weekend Sweep).
By Jeff Owens
A few weeks ago, Brad Keselowski was complaining about Chevrolet and rival Hendrick Motorsports team having a horsepower advantage.
He has nothing to complain about anymore.
For the second time in three weeks, Keselowski dominated the Sprint Cup race. He paced the field most of the day and held off Kyle Busch on a green-white-checkered restart to win the Camping World RV 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was his third win of the season, matching six-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
Keselowski, who led a race-high 136 laps, also dominated the race at Kentucky Speedway two weeks ago before being involved in a wreck in the crash-marred race at Daytona last week.
"This Ford was hauling today," Keselowski said. "It’s a privilege to have a car like this and a team that is just clicking. You could say we are red hot."
Busch finished second followed by rookie Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 10th to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Keselowski and Johnson, who battled for the 2012 championship, now lead the series with three wins each as drivers battle for wins to make the 16-driver Chase. Earnhardt, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick have two wins apiece, while five drivers have one each. Such big names as Kenseth, Stewart, Newman and Bowyer have yet to win this season.
Gordon had a shot at his second win of the season, taking the lead by staying on the track during the next-to-last caution period on Lap 250 of the scheduled 301. He held off Keselowski for a while before fading to third, and then running out of fuel during the final caution period. He finished 26th. Kevin Harvick (30th) and others also ran out during the final laps.
Gordon still leads the points standings, holding a 12-point advantage over Earnhardt. Keselowski climbed to third, followed by Kenseth and Johnson.
Pole-sitter Kyle Busch was strong early, leading the first 62 laps. But Keselowski charged by him on Lap 74 and took control of the race.
Keselowski was thoroughly dominant. While the leaders took just two tires for track position during most caution flags, Keselowski repeatedly took four and wasted no time running down the leaders.
He was ninth on the final restart on Lap 254, with Gordon and Denny Hamlin leading. It took him just 16 laps to drive through traffic and run down Gordon for the lead.
He was leading when Justin Allgaier spun with three laps remaining. His only worry was the final restart, when Busch had fresher tires.
"Kyle had four and he was going to give me all he had. Thankfully I only had two laps to hold him off," Keselowski said. "Just a great race, hard-fought and Kyle made me earn it there at the end. It was a lot of fun driving through all the traffic."
Keselowski, who completed a weekend sweep after winning Saturday's Nationwide race, was strong from the start, allowing him to take four new tires on almost every pit stop while the rest of the leaders gambled on two. The strategy worked as Keselowski was able to drive through traffic after each restart.
“All the teams in the garage work hard, but it’s not only about working hard it’s about being smart and working smart," crew chief Paul Wolfe said. "Obviously we’re doing a good job of that right now, but we want to keep pushing hard and keep the pressure on and be ready to go when the Chase starts."
For to win his fourth win of the season — and fourth at New Hampshire — didn't last long. He pitted with a flat tire on Lap 7, and then, seven laps later, he crashed when his tire failed. He fell out of the race and finished 42nd.
Joey Logano also had a tough day. He was running second late in the race and chasing teammate Keselowski when 72-year-old Morgan Shepherd spun into him, causing both drivers to crash. Shepherd was running 40th, 15 laps down at the time.
Logano questioned whether Shepherd, a 44-year veteran with four career victories, should have been on the track.
"I felt like we could have had a Penske 1-2 finish again, and to get taken out by the slowest car on the track ... " Logano said. "I feel like there should be a drivers test before you can get out there in a Cup car to make sure you know how to drive one, but I guess there isn't."
By Seth Livingstone, NASCAR Wire Service
Taking a deep breath at the winner's podium, Brad Keselowski took a second to savor his dominant Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Keselowski captured the pole, then led 152 of 200 laps to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sta-Green 200. In addition, he posted the fastest times in both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice sessions in preparation for Sunday's Camping World RV Sales 301.
"One helluva Saturday," said Keselowski, who recorded a perfect driver rating for the sixth time in his Nationwide career and has finished no worse than third in any of his six Nationwide Series starts this season. "Sometimes on these really busy days you get so caught up in the action that you really can't appreciate all that's transpired.
"We have so much to be proud of there and, obviously, we're looking forward to tomorrow and the opportunity we have. Our Cup car was fast this morning. Our Nationwide car in qualifying had a lot of adversity but we fought through that and got the pole. In the Nationwide race the car was really fast."
In addition, Keselowski's No. 22 Hertz Mustang became the first Nationwide Series car to win from the pole position in 17 races this season. He also won the March 8 race at Las Vegas and now has 29 victories in 211 Nationwide races.
Kyle Busch, the pole-sitter for Sunday's Sprint Cup race, was Keselowski's primary competition and finished second ahead of Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson and rookie Chris Buescher.
"It was a bit of a dogfight ? one of the most challenging races I've ever ran, knowing that you have Kyle Busch behind you and he's just a tiny bit faster," said Keselowski, whose only mistake was accidentally dropping the American flag during his victory lap. "You have to fight through a line of cars and it seemed like there was always something coming at us."
Busch pulled to within a car length of Keselowski's rear bumper with 29 laps to go, but got loose on Lap 173, slid up the track and dropped nearly a second off the pace with 25 laps left. Taking advantage of lap traffic in the final 20 laps, Keselowski's eventual winning margin was 1.8 seconds.
"It was actually very hard-fought there at the end," Keselowski said. "He (Busch) was really good at making adjustments. I didn't think I was going to be able to hold him off."
Busch led the first 34 laps but never led again in falling just short of his fifth win in nine Nationwide Series starts at New Hampshire.
"We got what we could out of our Monster Energy Camry," Busch said. "We had the best run there at the end but just not quite enough. We had to fight hard to get by a few guys, got to second but didn't have quite enough to chase (Keselowski) down.
"If it was clean and green all the way to the end I don't know if I could have got to him. I was hoping for a couple opportunities there in traffic."
Keselowski asserted his car as the one to beat, leading 66 of the first 100 laps. By Lap 66, only Busch (2.88) and Kenseth (9.25) were within 10 seconds of Keselowski's yellow No. 22 Mustang.
True to its name, the Sta-Green 200 stayed caution-free for 76 laps prior to a yellow flag for debris on Lap 93 that tightened the field.
Busch struggled after the restart while Larson seized the opportunity and tucked in second behind Keselowski. And he wasn't second for long.
When Brian Scott got into the back of third-place Elliott Sadler, it touched off a spin that involved seven cars, enabling Larson to seize the lead.
Larson led the race twice for 11 laps. But when things settled down after the race's fourth caution, Keselowski regained the top spot and went on to dominate the final 56 laps.
Series points leader Regan Smith didn't have a top-five car but was the big bonus winner, capturing the $100,000 payoff in the first of four Dash 4 Cash races courtesy of Nationwide Insurance. Smith finished ahead of championship-eligible Nationwide Series drivers Ryan Reed (11th), Ryan Sieg (18th) and Jeremy Clements (20th), each of whom qualified for the Dash last week at Daytona International Speedway.
Smith was in control of the Dash for most of the race but had trouble during a four-tire change in the pits with 55 laps left. Although Reed restarted in seventh and Smith ninth, Smith regained command on his fresh rubber and maintained his advantage the rest of the way.
"The race was difficult for us," Smith said. "We didn't have the speed I thought we were going to have. The last pit stop we decided to go for four (tires), had a little hiccup, and it cost us some positions. At that point, you kind of know the situation for the day and it's 'OK, let's take the silver lining and get out of here with the money. This means a lot to our team."
Smith, Buescher, Sadler and Scott emerged as qualifiers for the second of four Dash 4 Cash races next Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. Smith also became the only driver eligible for a $600,000 bonus ? which will translate to $1 million in total prize money should he win the Dash 4 Cash at Chicagoland and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26), then win the Aug. 2 race at Iowa Speedway outright.
Smith retained the series points lead by eight points over Sadler, who finished sixth, and 13 over Chase Elliott, who finished eighth.
Tale of 2 Tonys at Tour de France 9th stage.
By JAMEY KEATEN (Associated Press)
On a day local Roman Catholics were celebrating the feast of Saint Anthony, two other Tonys had their own reason to celebrate in the Tour de France.
Germany's Tony Martin took the stage win Sunday, and France's Tony Gallopin took the yellow jersey during an up-and-down Stage 9 in the eastern Vosges mountains.
Martin, a three-time world champion known more for time-trial dominance, showed that he could climb too; Italy's Vincenzo Nibali, who has been wearing the leader's yellow jersey, didn't lay a hard enough chase of Gallopin to keep it.
French media - delighted to see the country's first yellow jersey holder since Thomas Voeckler wore it in 2010 - reveled in the fact that Gallopin will lead France's most beloved race on the Bastille Day holiday Monday.
The 29-year-old German, meanwhile, said his stage victory might have been an ''omen'' for Germany's World Cup ambitions against Argentina - which it turned out to be.
Gallopin, of the Lotto Belisol team, said he'd been plotting a move for the yellow jersey since Stage 5 - when he positioned himself for a challenge because Nibali was unlikely to want to hold it all the way to Paris on July 27, when the race ends.
It's a lot of pressure to try to carry the leader's shirt so long, through the Alps and Pyrenees ahead.
But Nibali knows that Gallopin is unlikely to make it up the big climbs ahead, and the Italian didn't lose any time against his biggest rivals - highest among them, two-time Tour champion Alberto Contador.
Gallopin, by finishing about 5 minutes ahead of Nibali, easily erased his deficit to the Italian and now leads him by 1:34. Portuguese rider Tiago Machado is third overall, 4:08 back. But, like Gallopin, he is not considered a Tour contender.
''It's with great pride that I will ride on the national holiday day in the yellow jersey,'' said 26-year-old Gallopin, adding that he feared he may not keep it after an uphill finish at the super-steep Planche des Belles Filles on Monday. ''It's a little bit scary, but I will enjoy the day.''
''It was always a dream of wearing the yellow jersey,'' said Gallopin, who finished 2:45 back of solo breakaway leader Martin.
Contador finished safely in the main pack along with Nibali and is 4:08 back in ninth place overall.
They will resume their contest in the toughest stage so far - Monday's 161.5-kilometer (100-mile) trek from Mulhouse to the famed La Planche des Belles Filles, featuring four steep Category 1 climbs. The pack takes its first rest day on Tuesday.
''It was a tough day,'' Contador said, looking ahead to Monday. ''We'll have to decide whether or not we try to attack or ride defensively.''
The Tour paid tribute to those who died in the First World War - 1914-18 - by riding along the battlefields where millions died.
Sunday's route took the peloton past a landmark remembering the Battle du Linge in 1915, where some 17,000 French and German soldiers fell in three ferocious months of fighting. The groves and thickets in Le Linge's mountainous pass helped mask lethal sections of barbed wire protecting tight German defensive lines.
Shortly before the day's most difficult climb - a Category 1 ascent of 10.8 kilometers (6.7 miles) up Le Markstein - Martin broke away, and Gallopin's chasing group was about two minutes behind with Nibali more than six minutes adrift.
Martin, some 18.5 minutes back, was no threat to Nibali's yellow jersey.
Nibali lost more and more ground, and urged his Astana teammates to step up the pace as they reached the last of the climbs - a short, sharp ascent up Grand Ballon. But they left themselves with far too much to do.
Martin, who narrowly beat Tour champion Chris Froome in a time trial last year, continued to surge ahead, with tail winds making for a quick descent down to the finish. The departure of Froome in Stage 5 due to injury has blown the race wide open.
NCAA, QBs shift among topics at SEC media days.
By JOHN ZENOR (AP Sports Writer)
There's plenty of issues to discuss in the Southeastern Conference.
The league opens its annual media days - four days instead of three now - on Monday in Hoover, Alabama with radical change in the college athletic model appearing imminent and the SEC Network soon to take the airwaves.
Football will also be on the agenda, of course; Florida State ended the SEC's seven-year run of national titles by beating Auburn. Six SEC teams will be led by new starting quarterbacks after an exodus that included big names like Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, Alabama's AJ McCarron and Georgia's Aaron Murray.
SEC Commissioner Mike Slive opens with his annual address. Auburn's Gus Malzahn, whose Tigers matched the biggest one-season turnaround in college football during his debut, will be the first coach to address the media. The SEC issued about 1,100 credentials for the event in suburban Birmingham.
Here are 5 things to watch at SEC media days:
SLIVE SPEAKS: The five wealthiest conferences will likely be granted more decision-making powers after an August vote by the NCAA board of directors, including more money for athletes. Slive has been an outspoken advocate of the need for change and figures to talk about that prospect and the SEC Network again. The SEC Network goes on the air in August, with negotiations continuing with some cable and satellite providers.
TENSION IN THE AIR? Alabama's Nick Saban and Arkansas' Bret Bielema were part of a behind-the-scenes offseason push for a new pre-snap 10-second rule to slow down all these fast-paced offenses. Auburn's Gus Malzahn, Mississippi's Hugh Freeze and others were outspoken critics of the rule, which didn't pass. The tempo debate led to one of the more memorable moments at the 2013 media days. When Bielema was told Malzahn initially thought concerns about no-huddle offenses leading to more defensive injuries was a joke, the Arkansas coach wasn't laughing. He's no comedian, he shot back. The subject of speed vs. safety might just come up again.
STAR POWER: Jadeveon Clowney and Johnny Manziel were the headliners at last year's SEC media days, drawing swarms of reporters and getting shadowed by cameras. No disrespect to the current group, but none of the 42 players coming to Hoover have been under quite the same spotlight. Georgia tailback Todd Gurley might come the closest.
QUARTERBACKS: Six quarterbacks were initially scheduled to speak at media days but Auburn replaced Nick Marshall with tight end C.J. Uzomah. The Tigers' quarterback was cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana during a traffic stop Friday in Reynolds, Georgia. The remaining group includes Mississippi's Bo Wallace and Mississippi State's Dak Prescott and first-year starters Dylan Thompson (South Carolina), Maty Mauk (Missouri) and Hutson Mason (Georgia). Other jobs won't be settled until preseason camp with the most prominent spot up for grabs coming at Alabama, where Florida State transfer Jacob Coker enters the mix.
PREDICTIONS: As usual, the media will vote on All-SEC teams and predicted finishes. The track record - four correct picks in 22 tries - would get most coaches fired. Nevertheless, the favorite in the Western Division figures to be either Auburn or Alabama with Georgia and South Carolina the presumed front-runners in the East.
College presidents say no to unions for athletes.
AP News; Updated: Fri Jul. 11, 2014
A national organization representing college and university presidents is disputing a federal ruling that students who receive college athletic scholarships are essentially employees of their schools and thus entitled to join unions and exercise collective-bargaining rights.
Student-athletes participate for their own benefit; they do not render services for compensation, said the 1,800 member American Council on Education.
Ahead of a midnight deadline, the council filed a 30-page friend-of-the court brief taking strong issue with the ruling earlier this year by a National Labor Relations Board regional director that allows college athletes at Northwestern University to unionize.
The full labor board is weighing the case.
In its own brief, the fledgling College Athletes Players Association argues that Northwestern football is a commercial enterprise from which the university derives substantial financial benefits.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 14, 2014.
MemoriesofHistory.com
1951 - The first sports event to be shown in color, on CBS-TV, was the Molly Pitcher Handicap at Oceanport, NJ.
1967 - Eddie Mathews (Houston Astros) hit his 500th career home run.
1968 - Hank Aaron (Atlanta Braves) hit his 500th career home run.
1969 - U.S. President Nixon signed a baseball from the baseball Hall of Fame that had the signatures of nine other U.S. Presidents.
1970 - U.S. President Nixon threw out the first ball at the major league baseball All-Star Game.
1981 - The All-Star Game was postponed because of a 33-day-old baseball players strike. The game was held on August 9.
1981 - U.S. President Reagan met with Willie Stargell (Pittsburgh Pirates) to discuss sickle cell anemia and funding for the National Institute of Health.
*************************************************************
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment