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Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Team Report - Chicago Bears.
The SportsXchange
INSIDE SLANT
There could be shuffling in Bears secondary.
The season-ending foot injury suffered by Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller against Philadelphia Thursday proved to be another in a string of health-related disappointments dotting his career.
The injury carrying more significance to the team at this point, however, is the ankle injury suffered by rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller. It's an injury that can impact two positions in a secondary already in question due to the team's problems at safety.
Fuller had been playing with starters at left cornerback in the nickel defense, and Tim Jennings moved from starting left corner to nickel back. So losing Fuller for any length of time not only deprives the rookie of valuable developmental time, but Jennings will be doing double duty while still trying to learn a new spot on the interior of the defense.
Coach Marc Trestman sees Jennings as capable of doing both jobs, and saw him as an ideal candidate to play nickel even if he lacks experience there.
"I mean his leverage, his understanding of how to play inside was excellent through the camp and the time that he played," Trestman said.
Jennings, though, has missed more than half of training camp practices with his own injury problem -- a quad strain.
"He was highly competitive covering our receivers inside during camp before he got hurt," Trestman said. "So I think that transition is something that he's going to be able to handle easily."
Fuller is viewed as a rookie capable of handling obstacles like several missed practices, although the Bears hadn't said how serious the ankle sprain was. Fuller was able to walk off to the locker room during the game to have the ankle examined.
"He has a very good mental disposition towards competing at that position," defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. "He's a guy that doesn't get too high and he doesn't get too low and those are good traits to have at corner."
Miller had a concussion at the end of the 2010 season followed by knee, foot and shoulder injuries in 2011 and a torn peck in 2012. But he had begun to look like an ideal tight end to put on the field with Martellus Bennett when the offense went to a two-tight end set. Tight end Dante Rosario is more of an H-back type and Miller, who caught six passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns, figured to be more of a tight end in a classical sense.
"You guys saw him out at practice," Trestman told the media. "He had an excellent camp. Things transitioned from the practice field to the games over the last couple weeks. That was clear."
Backup quarterback Jordan Palmer saw Miller's abilities and injuries first hand in Jacksonville in 2012 and said he tried to get Arizona to sign him when he was playing with the Cardinals. He thinks the Bears haven't seen the last of Miller though he was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
"It's just a total bad-luck injury," Palmer said. "The way he's handled this in the past, I know he's going to make the most of this. He's going to heal quickly, rehab, do everything they ask him to do.
He's going to contribute somewhere. If it's here, hopefully he comes back."
He's going to contribute somewhere. If it's here, hopefully he comes back."
Without the budding third tight end, the Bears' other option appears to be former Jet-Ram-Patriot Matthew Mulligan, who is weighing in close to 280 after playing around 20 pounds lighter earlier in his career. He views himself as more of a blocking tight end, but did show an ability to go vertically down the field. His agility in the open field is not close to Miller's though.
"He's shown good hands and good speed, besides his ability to block at his point of attack, so we're excited about it," Trestman said. "He's got great experience. He's been in good programs and he's a good add by (general manager) Phil (Emery) and his personnel department."
NOTES, QUOTES
--The Bears' safety shuffle continues, but now Chris Conte is getting closer to entering the contest. Last year's starter missed the second preseason game and the preseason opener, and it's possible he'll get on the field for the first time against Seattle after rehabbing from shoulder surgery.
So far, the only safety to make any type of statement is Ryan Mundy, who has been on the field most since the start of OTAs. Still, Trestman isn't naming Mundy one of the starters.
"I don't want to say that right now," Trestman said. "He's playing well. He's making the calls. He has been in the right place. He's certainly deep in this competition to be one of the top two safeties on our team. And I think he has gone out there the last two weeks and he has been out there with the ones consistently, and he has practiced well. I think he is in a good position."
There has been no regular first and second team while coaches have taken a look at the position. Danny McCray, Adrian Wilson, Mundy and rookie Brock Vereen have seen the most time working with the first team.
"What we've done with the safeties is we have worked different combinations, moved guys around and we've stated to those guys that we're going to continue to do that, and at the end of the day we'll have a starting group and we'll have a rotation," Tucker said.
It will be a doctor's call whether Conte is playing against Seattle Friday. He'd have two weeks of practices since returning.
"We want to get him in there, we certainly want to give him a chance to compete," Trestman said. "We'll see where he is as we come into this week. If the trainers give him the go-ahead to start working with the focus to play on Friday night, but we'll see this week."
--Officials made a big emphasis on throwing flags for about anything close to an infraction in the second preseason game, and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Jaguars' Jeremy Harris led directly to the Bears driving for a big touchdown late in the game. It also led Jared Allen to offer this blunt assessment of the call:
"Granted, I'm glad they called the roughing-the-passer for us, but I'm looking at that replay and in my opinion that's not a roughing-the-passer call. If it is, I'm (in trouble) because I'm going to get about 20 of those this year."
--The Bears are playing the backup quarterback battle conservatively, not revealing anything about how they'll use the quarterbacks after Jay Cutler in Friday's "dress rehearsal" third preseason game against Seattle.
"We're going to talk about how we're going to work this game," Trestman said. "I expect Jay and the first group to play longer. How long I can't say. We're not going to put up a timetable on it. But once we decide that we're going to decide how we're going to work both Jordan (Palmer) and Jimmy (Clausen), not only this week but next week as well."
--Brandon Marshall's hiring by Showtime's Inside the NFL as an analyst didn't bother Trestman, even if the Bears have shied away in the past from cable shows like HBO's Hard Knocks.
"I trust Brandon," Trestman said. "He asked me about it. I trust him to make a decision that was in the best interest of the team first. I know Brandon. I know he'll do that. I have complete faith that the team has always come first, football has always come first to him. I believe he'll work it out to where it won't distract him from doing his job."
BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Backup offensive tackle. The continuing foot injury problem to right tackle Jordan Mills, and Eben Britton's hamstring injury has given Michael Ola plenty of playing time and the former CFL player has held his own with the starters. That's especially true in pass blocking, and not necessarily to be expected because he doesn't have the height, arm reach or base that most right tackles in the NFL have. He's built more like a guard at about 6-foot-3, 312. His run blocking hasn't been as effective. With rookie Charles Leno Jr., James Brown, Brian de la Puente, Britton and Ola all among backups and possessing the ability to play at least two positions each, it's going to make for a difficult final decision on the offensive line backup spots for coaches.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES
--WR Santonio Holmes was signed by the Bears Saturday (Aug. 16). The Super Bowl XLIII MVP has hauled in 381 receptions for 5,963 yards (15.7 average) and 36 touchdowns over eight NFL seasons with the Steelers (2006-09) and Jets (2010-13) after being selected by Pittsburgh in the first round (25th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has added 66 punt returns for 536 yards and a touchdown, 18 kickoff returns for 436 yards and 16 carries for 89 yards.
In the postseason, the 5-11, 192-pound Holmes has started five of seven games played hauling in 25 receptions for 402 yards and five touchdowns.
--WR Eric Weems had his contract terminated by the Bears Saturday (Aug. 16). Weems appeared in 87 games with seven starts at wide receiver over seven NFL seasons with Atlanta (2007-11) and Chicago (2012-13).
--G/C Brian de la Puente remains out with a knee bruise and missed Thursday's game with Jacksonville.
--CB Isaiah Frey has missed two weeks with a hamstring pull.
--WR Chris Williams remains out with a hamstring injury suffered against Philadelphia in the preseason opener.
--T Jordan Mills remains sidelined with a foot injury, but at Thursday's game his foot was out of the walking boot he had it in previously.
--WR Kofi Hughes was signed by the Bears Friday (Aug. 15). The 6-0, 215-pound Hughes entered the NFL in 2014 as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Redskins out of Indiana University. He also spent time with the Houston Texans this offseason after being acquired from waivers.
--TE Zach Miller (foot) was placed on reserve/injured by the Bears Friday (Aug. 15). Miller has played in 33 games with five starts during his NFL career, recording 45 receptions for 470 yards (10.4 average) and four touchdowns with Jacksonville (2009-11). Miller signed a future's contract with the Bears in December and had six receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears first 2014 preseason game against Philadelphia before injuring his foot Thursday night against the Jaguars.
Bears agree to terms with Santonio Holmes.
By Chris Boden
The Bears agreed to terms with a former Super Bowl MVP wide receiver Saturday morning. But all this actually is, is a two-week, potentially career-deciding tryout for Santonio Holmes, and a roll-of-the-dice for general manager Phil Emery.
With a couple of training camp (and potential 53-man roster spot) receiving options lost to injury through the first two preseason games in wide receiver Chris Williams (hamstring) and tight end Zach Miller (season-ending foot), the Bears have decided to take a flyer on the 30-year-old they've tried out over the past couple of weeks, as first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Bears have not given a timetable on a return for their projected number-three wide receiver, Marquess Wilson, who underwent surgery for a fractured clavicle nearly two weeks ago. With the exception of a slight uptick from veteran Josh Morgan's performance (three catches for 41 yards Thursday night versus Jacksonville), none of the other candidates to step in for Wilson have particularly stepped-up.
Not only must Holmes show he's a viable option physically, but he'll have to show he can mesh into the Marc Trestman "culture." Holmes has admitted to selling drugs during his youth in Florida, and been arrested twice on disorderly conduct and domestic violence and assault charges. He's also served a four-game suspension for a marijuana possession charge. On top of that, he's pulled the "someone hacked my Twitter account" excuse for comments following another incident for which he wasn't charged. He enters, for now, a wide receiver room at Halas Hall led by Brandon Marshall — a dynamic that should not be ignored.
From a health and production standpoint, Holmes has played in just 15 games over the past two years with the Jets, due to a Lisfranc fracture in 2012. He caught 23 passes for 456 yards and a touchdown in 11 games last year in New York.
Holmes was named Super Bowl XLIII MVP after catching the winning touchdown pass in the final minute of Pittsburgh's 27-23 victory over Arizona. He caught four passes from Ben Roethlisberger on that drive, and nine for 131 yards overall.
Bears quarterback coach Matt Cavanaugh was on the Jets' staff from 2010 through 2012 when Holmes was with the team.
The Bears will officially announce the move once they make a corresponding roster move.
Professional football headed to China.
By The Sports Xchange
China will get a taste of American-style professional football when the China-American Football League kicks off in 2015.
After years of negotiating with the Chinese government, plans for the new CAFL were announced Thursday.
Teams will be made up of a combination of American and Chinese players and franchises will be located in major cities. Games will be played indoors. Team owners will invest a minimum of $10 million and television licensing rights will be shared.
The CAFL is the brainchild of Marty Judge, who sponsored the first American football game ever played in China in 2013. In addition, Judge is co-owner of the American Football League Philadelphia Soul.
Along with Judge, former Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski are involved with the league. Vermeil guided the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XXXIV, a 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans.
Plans are underway for a championship game plus an All-Star Game to be held in Macau. Eventually, Judge hopes to see the league grow to 30 teams throughout Asia.
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How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Hawks 2010 first-round pick Kevin Hayes becomes free agent.
BY MARK LAZERUS
As expected, Kevin Hayes, the Blackhawks’ first-round draft pick (No. 24 overall) in 2010, didn’t sign with the team Friday, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Hawks will receive the 54th pick in the 2015 NHL draft as compensation.
“We offered Kevin what we believed was a generous and fair contract,” general manager Stan Bowman said in a release. “Unfortunately, he felt it was in his best interests to become a free agent. We are looking forward to the compensatory draft pick we are receiving.”
Hayes, a 6-3, 210-pound power forward, had 27 goals and 38 assists as a senior at Boston College last season, playing on the best line in college hockey with Johnny Gaudreau and Bill Arnold, both of whom were signed by the Flames. Neither he nor his agent, Bob Murray, has explicitly said why Hayes didn’t want to sign with the Hawks, but there are several possible reasons.
The most obvious is that Hayes is a right winger, and with Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Ben Smith and Kris Versteeg, among others, in his way, there’s no clear path to the NHL for Hayes, who, at 22, is considered NHL-ready.
Another possibility is he wants to follow Gaudreau and Arnold to Calgary or his brother, Jimmy, to Florida. There has been speculation that Hayes is angry with the Hawks for the way they handled Jimmy Hayes before dealing him to the Panthers, but a source said that’s not an issue.
Patrick Kane named MVP of men's league title game.
By Chris Peters
For the second consecutive year, Patrick Kane has received postseason MVP honors. Of course, we're not talking about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Los Angeles Kings and Justin Williams took home the title and MVP, respectively, but Kane did earn some additional hardware this summer.
That's right, the 2013 Conn Smythe Award winner has been crowned most valuable player of the championship game for the Fattey Hockey League, a high-level men's league in Kane's native Buffalo.
The Blackhawks star led the Milli Vanilli (awesome) to the win over the Pet Shop Boys (all the team names are bands) on Tuesday, sweeping the best of three series. Here's the victors via photographer Dan Hickling:
Kane had 14 goals in FHL play over the season.
The league also includes NHLers such as Zemgus Girgensons of the Buffalo Sabres and recent New York Islanders signee Cory Conacher, both of whom were on Kane's Milli Vanilli squad.
You may recall that Kane recently participated in another men's league game over in the Performax Hockey League. In that game he had 10 points. He also played in two other games in that league, though the stat line was a little less eye-popping. It turns out, the guy just likes playing hockey.
You may also recall that one of Kane's teammates in the Performax league was the Vinny Scarsella. His claim to fame was that he scored more goals than Kane in that 10-point game. Kane had five goals, while Scarsella scored seven. Guess what? Start the myth-maker machine. Scarsella was a member of Kane's Milli Vanilli team and was the Fattey Hockey League's leading scorer, too, with 25 tallies. Scarsella spent last season with the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL, but his agent should start sending his men's league highlights to NHL clubs right now.
We like having a little fun with the fact that Kane is filling his summer with men's league hockey, but in actuality, a lot of NHL players skate with local men's leagues or go to their local drop in hockey games in the offseason. Most of them don't tend to keep stats and hand out postseason awards though.
Considering that years ago Kane's offseason antics tended to be a bit of the racier variety, Blackhawks fans should be relieved to see a more PG activity. Playing in these higher-level leagues, where they typically don't check, allows players to stay in shape and stay focused for the season ahead without much worry about injury. So there are certainly benefits beyond the fun factor.
And Kane sure does look like he had fun.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Derrick Rose thrills crowd in return to United Center. Team USA wins exhibition game over Brazil, 95-78.
By Aggrey Sam
Besides a few spectacular moments—a beautiful crossover and driving left-handed layup, going end to end with 4.6 seconds left in the second quarter to beat the halftime buzzer—Derrick Rose’s first game at the United Center since November of 2013, a 95-78 Team USA exhibition-game win over Brazil, was fairly pedestrian. But forget the seven-point outing and his fair share of miscues, including a missed wide-open breakaway dunk: Rose back on the court in Chicago, giving his hometown crowd a reason to celebrate was a victory in itself.
“Oh yeah, I think everybody was excited. It was cool, but at the same time, I can’t get big-headed about it or anything like that. I’ve just got to keep poised,” explained Rose, who finished with seven points on 2-for-5 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, three turnovers and a steal and blocked shot apiece. “When I was out there, they wanted me to shoot every ball. But I’m playing the way that I normally play in the tryouts—push the ball, play defense and get guys shots. When a shot is available, take the shot. I think that’s what I did tonight. I had one or two turnovers but that can be easily changed.
“You know here in Chicago, it’s kind of like basketball is everything. You know you go down South, football is everything. But here, you can go to a high school game and won’t be able to get in because it’s so packed. So for this event to be here, you saw Jabari [Parker], young players, Tim Hardaway Jr. [the New York Knicks guard and son of the Chicago native by the same name], all the players that were in town, they made an appearance to come up here and show their face. They love the game,” he went on to say. “Man, it’s the whole entire night. I probably won’t get any sleep tonight. I’m exited, man, for the city. This is huge for us. We haven’t had an event like this in a long time—or this is the first event like this here in Chicago, basketball-wise—and I know everybody’s excited, everybody’s happy that we came here and played, and we won. So I think tonight was a positive.”
Rose also addressed the crowd before the game and as the Englewood product and Simeon Career Academy graduate has frequently done as of late, discussed the violence occurring in Chicago.
“That was huge, man. I was surprised I didn’t get nervous up there,” he said. “Just being up there, actually just being in Chicago and bringing some life and some positivity to the city is huge.
“It means a lot. I know that it’s basketball but what’s going on here is bigger than basketball and bigger than one person trying to do something. It’s kind of messed up because it’s kind of like a system. But the only way we can change it is if all of us change it and people change their mindsets and try to keep busy. They’ve got too much time on their hands.”
As far as his actual game, Rose said he continued his trend of not trying to force the issue in his playmaking-oriented role.
“I felt good. I wasn’t trying to rush anything. I was playing basketball like I’ve been playing these past couple of weeks during tryouts. Playing hard on defense and just taking shots when I have shots and letting the game come to me,” Rose observed. “For me individually, it’s playing under control and shooting the right shots. It’s no need for me to force any shots with all the offensive threats that we have on our team. I don’t have to shoot not one shot. But just being prepared to shoot those shots whenever I have the opportunity.”
Conditioning has been an issue Rose has harped upon since Team USA’s training camp began in Las Vegas in late July, but the point guard believes his stamina is improving, despite the increasing grueling schedule.
“It’s piling up, but I’m used to it by now. I think I’m a pro, professional now. I’m learning how to take care of my body a little bit more, preparing myself, like I’ve been preparing for this a couple of weeks ago, and just trying to really eat right and get rest, get off of my feet because in New York, we have two important games. And when we’re overseas, we have like three games or five games in some crazy nights. I don’t know the number of nights, but we’re playing three games back-to-back, so just got to make sure we’re prepared for it as a team,” the former league MVP said. “I’ve been preparing for this for a long time. If this was a couple of weeks ago, I probably would’ve been emotional. But right now, it feels great. We won the game. That’s the only thing I could be happy about. If we would’ve lost, my whole attitude would’ve been different. Just take this win, go to New York tomorrow and try to keep this going.
“That’s a process. I’m building it every day. Of course it’s the last thing I’m waiting on. Playing against players like we just played against will help me get my wind back even quicker. Just keep going hard in practice and pushing myself every day so it comes a little bit faster,” continued Rose, who played the entire third quarter, though he apparently wasn’t aware of the fact until informed by the media. “Oh, I did? I didn’t notice that. But it felt good. I was, of course, winded when you reach probably four or five minutes. But just playing through it every day, going to practice, playing hard, doing little things like conditioning your legs on the bike at home, just trying to do anything to get better as an athlete.”
But all of those details had no impact on the reception he received from the United Center crowd, which cheered him simply for stepping onto the floor for pre-game warm-ups and chanted, “We Want Rose,” in the fourth quarter, coincidentally just before the 25-year-old was reinserted into the contest with 5:20 remaining in the game. “I thought I was done until Coach K came over and told me I had to go back in. It was fun. I wanted to go back out there,” said Rose, who suffered a minor facial cut in the first half, but didn’t need stitches. “The group that was out there already did a great job of pushing the ball and getting the lead and playing defense. We got a bunch of steals in a row and that changed the game. When I came back in, I just tried to stay the same. Keep poised and play hard.”
For his part, USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski insisted the fans didn’t prompt his decision.
“Yeah, I didn’t react to the fans. I would never do that. I wanted to see if he could play beyond,” the Chicago native said. “You know one of the things about bringing a guy back is that if you keep on his minutes you keep a lid on him and he has to learn to play tired, and again we wanted to see that. He did pretty good.’’
Krzyzewski added: “Tom [Thibodeau, his Team USA assistant coach] can talk about his progress, he coaches him. I wish I coached him. [Thibodeau’s] a lucky guy. He coaches in Chicago, coaches Derrick Rose, lives downtown, I don’t know how it could be any better. Derrick has been magnificent since we started training camp and really one of the greatest guys in the whole world. I’m ecstatic for him. I mean his [basket] at the end of the half really gave us some momentum, and we started the second half that way, too, and I think it was a result of that play."
Of the coast-to-coast drive, Rose said, “Coach K—the first play, it was actually four seconds left—I thought he was just going to sit me out, but he called me in and just told me just to play. Just take the ball and see how far I could go with it. I thought James [Harden] was actually going to have a shot on it from someone helping, but no one helped, so I had a clear lane for a floater.”
Rose also elaborated on his crossover-and-layup sequence: “I just read how he was defending me when I came off the pick. It looked like he was confused and I saw that his feet were kind of—he didn’t have control of his feet a little bit. I look at all of those things as an offensive player and the big was kind of all the way on the other side of the lane. So when I came off, it’s kind of like I had the whole lane to myself.”
"It was just a play. I guess people want me to do it every time. I just saw an opening and went for it. How I felt? I’m used to people cheering so I didn’t let it get to me or anything like that. It was just me playing the way that I normally play."
Thibodeau, also the Bulls head coach, was satisfied with his star player’s performance.
“For Derrick it’s a step-by-step process. He’s steadily getting better and I think this experience, this is the perfect setting for him. I thought his first experience in 2010 was really the springboard to his MVP season, and it was really positive for him. I know how important it is to him. All summer long I think he’s gotten more comfortable. I think he went through the comeback last year and I think he learned a lot from it. I love the way he’s playing. He’s finding the rhythm of his game, and he’s playing to his strengths. He’s recognizing who’s on the floor with him and what their strengths are. He made several good plays, particularly against the zone in the fourth quarter. He showed great patience. He’s still shaking some rust off. His explosiveness is back, he’s playing well on both sides of the ball. I think he’s in a really good place. I think he’s prepared himself extremely well. It’s unfortunate what he’s gone through, but that adversity has made him a lot stronger, and I see a growth for him. I love where he is mentally and physically right now,” the coach said.
“I think for him these are all positives. When he was deciding to play, it was something he really wanted to do and it’s a chance for him to measure where he is. I think the quality of depth on the team is very beneficial to him. He’s not carrying the burden of the entire team, and the one thing I say about all our guys is I think they’ve embraced their roles. That’s something that’s a big part of the tradition of this team. We’re asking some guys to come off the bench that have been starters their whole careers. Some guys that have been big scorers to sacrifice their shots. And for Derrick, I just think there are so many positives for this. He shakes the rust off, he has a tremendous amount of pride, it’s something he wants to do, and he believes that he should so. So it’s all good. And I think it will be great preparation for the season. We know we’ve got a baseline and we know there’s a long way up, but I think his attitude and approach are terrific. I think that’s going to serve him well for where he is right now.”
MLB Scores, Sunday, August 17, 2014.
ESPN.com
Baltimore 4, at Cleveland 1
Seattle 8, at Detroit 1
Chicago Cubs 2, at NY Mets 1
at Miami 10, Arizona 3
Houston 8, at Boston 1
NY Yankees 4, at Tampa Bay 2
at Chicago White Sox 7, Toronto 5
Kansas City 12, at Minnesota 6
at St. Louis 7, San Diego 6
at Texas 3, LA Angels 2
at San Francisco 5, Philadelphia 2
Milwaukee 7, at LA Dodgers 2
at Colorado 10, Cincinnati 9
at Washington 6, Pittsburgh 5
at Atlanta 4, Oakland 3
at Colorado 10, Cincinnati 5
Golf: I got a club for that… Villegas ends drought with Greensboro win.
AFP
Colombia's Camilo Villegas fired a seven-under par 63 on Sunday to win the Wyndham Championship, claiming his fourth US PGA Tour title and first since 2010.
Villegas posted his second seven-under round of the week at Sedgefield Country Club for a 17-under par total of 263.
He finished one stroke in front of Sweden's Freddie Jacobson and Bill Haas. Haas grabbed his share of second with a six-under 64 while Jacobson closed with a 66 for 264.
It was Villegas' first US tour victory since the Honda Classic in March of 2010 and he admitted the long drought has weighed on him.
"I always work hard, I always grind and I love the game, but it starts getting on you and I feel a little lighter right now," Villegas said. "What a great week. I'm happy to be here."
Villegas, who had held the first-round lead after a 63 on Thursday, had fallen back after the second and third rounds and teed of almost an hour before the leaders.
He endured a nervous wait to see if any of those chasing him could at least force a playoff but they all stumbled.
Heath Slocum lost a share of the lead with a bogey at 17, then bogeyed 18 to complete a 67 that left him alone in fourth on 265.
The late hiccup in the US tour's last regular-season event dropped Slocum out of the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings who advance to the playoff series that starts on Thursday with the Barclays.
Jacobson had a share of the lead at the 18th tee, but also bogeyed the last.
Overnight leader Nick Watney needed a birdie at 18, but was out of bounds off the tee en route to a double-bogey.
He closed with a 70 for 266, sharing fifth place with former champions Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson, who both shot 67.
Villegas had four birdies and an eagle on the front nine and added a birdie on the par-five 15th.
That gave him a share of the lead, and he was alone atop the leaderboard after Watney posted a three-putt bogey at the 14th.
"I had a few looks coming in and I thought I needed one more," Villegas said when asked if he thought his score would be enough to win. "Even though that 18th hole is a tough hole, it just happened to work out my way."
In the week's other main storyline -- the race to qualify for the FedEx Cup, England's Paul Casey, who was 125th in the standings coming into the week tied for 18th to safely secure his Barclays berth.
South Korea's Bae Sang-Moon was the only player to move from outside the top 125 to inside on Sunday, finishing in a tie for 14th to move from 126 to 120 and keep his season going.
FedEx Cup Playoffs: Top 125 for The Barclays.
By Brentley Romine
The field is set for the 2014 FedEx Cup Playoffs opener, The Barclays.
The top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings qualified for the Aug. 21-24 event at The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.
Sang-Moon Bae was the only player to play his way into the playoffs at the Wyndham Championship while Nicholas Thompson fell from No. 123 to No. 126, a single point out of the final playoff spot.
After The Barclays, the top 100 players qualify for the Deutsche Bank Championship, the top 75 qualify for the BMW Championship and the top 30 qualify for the playoff-final, The Tour Championship.
Here's the final 2014 FedEx Cup regular-season standings:
Rank (Previous) Player . . . Points
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Rank (Previous) Player . . . Points
FedEx Cup Playoffs: Top 125 for The Barclays.
By Brentley Romine
The field is set for the 2014 FedEx Cup Playoffs opener, The Barclays.
The top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings qualified for the Aug. 21-24 event at The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.
Sang-Moon Bae was the only player to play his way into the playoffs at the Wyndham Championship while Nicholas Thompson fell from No. 123 to No. 126, a single point out of the final playoff spot.
After The Barclays, the top 100 players qualify for the Deutsche Bank Championship, the top 75 qualify for the BMW Championship and the top 30 qualify for the playoff-final, The Tour Championship.
Here's the final 2014 FedEx Cup regular-season standings:
Rank (Previous) Player . . . Points
- 1 (1). Rory McIlroy . . . 2,582
- 2 (2). Jimmy Walker . . . 2,493
- 3 (3). Bubba Watson . . . 2,173
- 4 (4). Matt Kuchar . . . 1,921
- 5 (5). Jim Furyk . . . 1,851
- 6 (6). Dustin Johnson . . . 1,769
- 7 (7). Sergio Garcia . . . 1,700
- 8 (8). Jordan Spieth . . . 1,692
- 9 (9). Patrick Reed . . . 1,666
- 10 (10). Chris Kirk . . . 1,571
- 11 (11). Zach Johnson . . . 1,552
- 12 (12). Brendon Todd . . . 1,542
- 13 (18). Webb Simpson . . . 1,536
- 14 (13). Martin Kaymer . . . 1,525
- 15 (14). Adam Scott . . . 1,479
- 16 (15). Rickie Fowler . . . 1,471
- 17 (16). Harris English . . . 1,469
- 18 (17). Justin Rose . . . 1,447
- 19 (19). Ryan Moore . . . 1,429
- 20 (20). Kevin Na . . . 1,413
- 21 (21). Brian Harman . . . 1,349
- 22 (22). Hideki Matsuyama . . . 1,287
- 23 (23). Keegan Bradley . . . 1,278
- 24 (35). Bill Haas . . . 1,268
- 25 (24). Matt Every . . . 1,250
- 26 (25). John Senden . . . 1,157
- 27 (26). Marc Leishman . . . 1,137
- 28 (27). Graham DeLaet . . . 1,113
- 29 (29). Tim Clark . . . 1,111
- 30 (28). Ryan Palmer . . . 1,068
- 31 (30). Kevin Stadler . . . 1,067
- 32 (31). Gary Woodland . . . 1,059
- 33 (32). Charles Howell III . . . 1,042
- 34 (33). Jason Day . . . 1,028
- 35 (34). Charley Hoffman . . . 1,026
- 36 (36). J.B. Holmes . . . 1,007
- 37 (105). Camilo Villegas . . . 1,002
- 38 (64). Freddie Jacobson . . . 987
- 39 (37). Kevin Streelman . . . 972
- 40 (38). Matt Jones . . . 970
- 41 (39). George McNeill . . . 962
- 42 (40). Seung-Yul Noh . . . 950
- 43 (41). Graeme McDowell . . . 948
- 44 (44). Justin Hicks . . . 923
- 45 (42). Phil Mickelson . . . 921
- 46 (43). Will MacKenzie . . . 920
- 47 (48). Brian Stuard . . . 891
- 48 (45). Russell Knox . . . 885
- 49 (46). Daniel Summerhays . . . 869
- 50 (47). Russell Henley . . . 864
- 51 (49). Chris Stroud . . . 834
- 52 (50). Steven Bowditch . . . 828
- 53 (51). Scott Brown . . . 816
- 54 (52). K.J. Choi . . . 814
- 55 (69). Brandt Snedeker . . . 812
- 56 (53). Angel Cabrera . . . 807
- 57 (54). Jason Dufner . . . 798
- 58 (55). Ben Martin . . . 789
- 59 (56). Jason Bohn . . . 784
- 60 (57). Charl Schwartzel . . . 783
- 61 (58). Cameron Tringale . . . 781
- 62 (59). Hunter Mahan . . . 776
- 63 (60). Ben Crane . . . 774
- 64 (61). Jerry Kelly . . . 765
- 65 (62). Erik Compton . . . 745
- 66 (63). Luke Donald . . . 743
- 67 (65). Brendan Steele . . . 729
- 68 (66). Kevin Chappell . . . 723
- 69 (71). Billy Horschel . . . 722
- 70 (67). Henrik Stenson . . . 720
- 71 (68). Brendon de Jonge . . . 717
- 72 (70). Chesson Hadley . . . 705
- 73 (81). Scott Langley . . . 686
- 74 (72). Pat Perez . . . 682
- 75 (73). Ryo Ishikawa . . . 681
- 76 (76). Robert Garrigus . . . 678
- 77 (74). Scott Stallings . . . 668
- 78 (75). Ian Poulter . . . 657
- 79 (87). Carl Pettersson . . . 650
- 80 (86). Andrew Svoboda . . . 647
- 81 (91). William McGirt . . . 646
- 82 (77). David Hearn . . . 645
- 83 (82). Shawn Stefani . . . 640
- 84 (90). Robert Streb . . . 635
- 85 (78). Jason Kokrak . . . 632
- 86 (89). Jeff Overton . . . 631
- 87 (79). Billy Hurley III . . . 630
- 88 (80). Vijay Singh . . . 625
- 89 (84). Michael Putnam . . . 618
- 90 (83). Geoff Ogilvy . . . 611
- 91 (85). Ernie Els . . . 610
- 92 (88). Jonas Blixt . . . 599
- 93 (101). Kevin Kisner . . . 587
- 94 (110). Nick Watney . . . 584
- 95 (95). Luke Guthrie . . . 575
- 96 (93). Retief Goosen . . . 569
- 97 (92). Rory Sabbatini . . . 567
- 98 (98). Stuart Appleby . . . 554
- 99 (94). John Huh . . . 544
- 100 (103). Brian Davis . . . 534
- 101 (96). Martin Flores . . . 530
- 102 (97). Aaron Baddeley . . . 528
- 103 (99). Steve Stricker . . . 519
- 104 (114). Bo Van Pelt . . . 518
- 105 (112). Ricky Barnes . . . 518
- 106 (102). Michael Thompson . . . 515
- 107 (100). Lee Westwood . . . 514
- 108 (124). Jhonattan Vegas . . . 505
- 109 (104). Stewart Cink . . . 504
- 110 (119). Andres Romero . . . 503
- 111 (111). Troy Merritt . . . 499
- 112 (120). David Toms . . . 498
- 113 (106). Boo Weekley . . . 496
- 114 (107). Tim Wilkinson . . . 494
- 115 (108). Justin Leonard . . . 491
- 116 (109). Danny Lee . . . 490
- 117 (117). Brice Garnett . . . 488
- 118 (125). Paul Casey . . . 471
- 119 (113). Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano . . . 470
- 120 (126). Sang-Moon Bae . . . 466
- 121 (121). James Hahn . . . 456
- 122 (115). Bryce Molder . . . 455
- 123 (116). Louis Oosthuizen . . . 453
- 124 (118). Morgan Hoffmann . . . 448
- 125 (122). Robert Allenby . . . 438
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Rank (Previous) Player . . . Points
- 126 (123). Nicholas Thompson . . . 437
- 127 (136). Martin Laird . . . 425
- 128 (130). J.J. Henry . . . 425
- 129 (158). Heath Slocum . . . 419
- 130 (127). Charlie Beljan . . . 409
- 131 (131). Ben Curtis . . . 406
- 132 (128). Greg Chalmers . . . 402
- 133 (138). John Merrick . . . 399
- 134 (129). David Lingmerth . . . 391
- 135 (144). Roberto Castro . . . 387
- 136 (132). Jonathan Byrd . . . 383
- 137 (145). Andrew Loupe . . . 380
- 138 (133). Richard Lee . . . 376
- 139 (134). Mike Weir . . . 375
- 140 (135). Brian Gay . . . 375
- 141 (137). Briny Baird . . . 366
- 142 (146). Will Wilcox . . . 362
- 143 (139). Bud Cauley . . . 357
- 144 (140). Tyrone Van Aswegen . . . 355
- 145 (141). Trevor Immelman . . . 354
- 146 (142). Hudson Swafford . . . 351
- 147 (143). Jim Renner . . . 346
- 148 (153). Josh Teater . . . 334
- 149 (148). Charlie Wi . . . 329
- 150 (157). Johnson Wagner . . . 323
PGA President is behind new 'Relaxed Rules of Golf' for casual players.
By NBC Sports
Golf Channel debuted a series Friday on “Morning Drive” designed to help make golf more fun. Charlie Rymer and Matt Ginella are the leading voices of the new Relaxed Rules series that boils golf down to just seven common sense rules.
In preparation, Golf Channel commissioned a research study that showed 85 percent of golfers, both avid and lapsed, are in favor of relaxed rules for recreational play.
“When there’s nothing on the line but fun, recreational golf should be an enjoyable experience,” Rymer said. “Trying to remember and decipher the official rules can get in the way of a good time.”
Said Ginella: “We’re not suggesting that golfers ignore the official rules. They should continue to be used for any type of competitive play. But when it’s a match among friends, relaxed rules can make the game easier, faster and more fun. These simply are common sense practices for avid amateurs, and it’s how the majority of the game is being played anyway.”
Here are the seven rules:
1. MAXIMUM SCORE: Double par (i.e. 6 on par 3s, 8 on par 4s….)
2. PENALTIES: All are one stroke, including out of bounds, water and lateral hazards, lost ball and unplayable lie. Drop a ball near where the original was lost and play on.
3. SEARCH TIME: Two minutes to look for your ball. If lost, proceed under Rule 2.
4. UNFORTUNATE LIES: With your playing partners’ consent, balls may be dropped out of divots or footprints, away from tree roots and any other dangerous lies.
5. CONCEDED PUTTS: Putts may be conceded with your playing partners’ consent.
6. EQUIPMENT: No restrictions, including number of clubs.
7. COMMON SENSE: When in doubt, use common sense and fairness.
The relaxed rules are being supported by Golf Channel on air, online and through social media, featuring the #GolfIsFun hashtag and GolfChannel.com’s “Golf is Fun” page.
Jeff Gordon passes Joey Logano on late restart to win at Michigan.
By Nick Bromberg
Jeff Gordon passes Joey Logano on late restart to win at Michigan.
By Nick Bromberg
There are hardly any downsides to being in first place in an auto race. But at Michigan on Sunday, getting to first place as soon as possible after the final restart was of the utmost importance.
Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano both knew that whoever won the battle that ensued off the race's last restart was going to win the race. Logano got the jump immediately after the green flag waved with X laps to go, but Gordon pulled to the inside and pulled away for the win.
"That last restart was it," Gordon said. "We had the car to win, our car was amazing, but whoever got out front had such a huge advantage so I got a good restart and [third-place Kevin Harvick] for some reason wasn't getting good restarts – Joey was out there by himself and I was able to get to his [quarterpanel], once I got to his quarter I drug him back and I was able to shoot to the bottom and get by."
Before Gordon was able to pull away too much, Logano had one last chance to get him. He wasn't able to complete the pass and his car got loose underneath Gordon's.
"We were battling on these restarts really hard and used basically every trick in the book that I had," Logano said. I knew the 24 was also, he was laying back really hard. So every game that could be played was being played on the restarts. I had a really good one the last one and I had a run and then I was clear I guess and I should have pulled down in front of him and gotten the draft from him. Instead he had enough momentum to get up to my quarterpanel and pull me back and had position on me going into the corner and was able to carry that momentum into the lead."
"Then I gave it one more final shot there and tried to get underneath him off of two there and almost had him and once again pulled me back."
The final 28 laps of the race featured three restarts. Logano had been able to take the lead into turn one on the first two, but not the third. Gordon had a restart similar to his exceptional one at Indianapolis to take the win.
Of course, the dash to get to the front as soon as possible after a restart is not unique in the Cup Series. It was the same situation at Indianapolis where Gordon won in July and at most other tracks over a mile in the series. It's a pattern that meant Logano and Gordon knew exactly what the stakes were when they were battling for the lead.
It's Gordon's first win at Michigan since 2001 and his third win of the season, tying him for the series lead with Brad Keselowski and Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Harvick finished second at Michigan, the fourth straight time he's finished second at the track.
No decision made on Stewart's status for Bristol, Chase is of 'lowest priority'.
By Nick Bromberg
Stewart-Haas Racing reiterated Friday that Jeff Burton's appearance in the No. 14 car for Tony Stewart is currently a one-race arrangement.
Burton is driving for Stewart at Michigan as Stewart misses his second-straight race after striking and killing Kevin Ward at a dirt track in upstate New York.
"This decision was Tony's," Stewart-Haas vice president Brett Frood said. "It's an emotional week for him. He's grieving. He made the decision he's not ready to get in the race car and we'll take it week by week. It's going to be up to Tony when he's ready to get back in the car."
The investigation into the incident by the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department is currently ongoing and could take two weeks. No criminal charges are currently pending in the matter.
Burton said Stewart-Haas reached out to him Wednesday morning to see if he would be available to drive the car this weekend. The team announced Burton as Stewart's replacement Thursday afternoon. Burton has driven in two races for Michael Waltrip Racing this season. He'll be an analyst for NBC In 2015.
"My role here is to hopefully provide a little stability," Burton said. "Give that team the chance to have the most success it can have in a very difficult situation and hopefully me being here in some kind of way can help, I don't know how, but hopefully I can find a way to help a healing process start. I don't know how that is but that would be my ultimate goal for everybody."
Frood also said that the team was not concerning itself with Stewart's Chase chances. Since he is not present at Michigan he would need a NASCAR waiver to be eligible for the 2014 Chase. However, to qualify for the Chase he would have to win a race before the Chase begins. Following Michigan there are only three more races before the Chase. Any Chase discussion is much ado about low probabilities.
"I'll be honest, the Chase is of the lowest priority as it relates to Tony right now," Frood said. "As far as the Chase, the only care I have this weekend is to get Danica in the Chase. Right now it's about getting Tony in a better place than he is right now."
NASCAR bans drivers from walking onto track, approaching other cars after accidents.
By Bob Pockrass
NASCAR, in reaction to three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart striking and killing Kevin Ward Jr. in a non-NASCAR sprint-car race last Saturday night, will prohibit drivers from walking onto the track and approaching other cars following accidents in a new rule issued Friday.
Ward, 20, had gotten out of his car, walked onto the track and approached Stewart’s car when he was struck and killed during an Empire Super Sprints race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park. The Ontario County Sherriff's department is still investigating the accident and Stewart so far does not face any criminal charges.
The new rule will require drivers to stay in their vehicles if stopped on the track until told to exit by a NASCAR official. They will be required to go to the ambulance as directed by safety personnel.
NASCAR did not announce any penalties for violating the rule, calling it a “behavioral infraction,” meaning it will handle each on a case-by-case basis.
“Really we're formalizing rules that have been there,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Friday at Michigan International Speedway. “It's reminders that take place during drivers meetings with drivers about on‑track incidents.
“We're just formalizing this and it's something that we worked on this week.”
Pemberton said the tragedy Saturday night was a reminder of what can happen.
“Through time you have to recognize when you get a reminder or tap on the shoulder, something that may need to be addressed,” Pemberton said. “This is one of those times where we look outside our sport and we look at other things, and we feel like it was time to address this.
“It was one of those that was obviously something that everybody paid attention to. And it is on the heels of that."
Several short tracks announced similar rules this week after the death of Ward, who was buried on Thursday.
The new rule makes official what has typically been NASCAR policy.
“At no time should a driver or crew member(s) approach any portion of the racing surface or apron (and) at no time should a driver or crew member(s) approach another moving vehicle,” the rule states.
Cars still moving on the track “should not weave or otherwise stray from the line in the vicinity of the incident.”
NASCAR had recently given drivers carte blanche on getting out of the cars and pointing fingers or even throwing helmets at other drivers during an emotional reaction to an on-track incident. Tony Stewart threw a helmet at Matt Kenseth's car at Bristol in 2012 and was not even fined.
In fact, such actions have been celebrated in advertising for the sport. Tracks even have set up booths in fan areas and at various NASCAR events where fans can toss helmets.
“This rule is really put in place for the safety of all of our competitors,” Pemberton said. “It's safety first right now.”
“I think safety overrides entertainment,” said veteran Jeff Burton, who is replacing Stewart this weekend. “Even if it does, it doesn't matter.”
Driver Brad Keselowski, earlier this week, wondered how NASCAR would enforce the rule.
“Whether it's racing or society, I'm not aware of any rule or law that works without the ability to enforce it,” Keselowski said Tuesday when talk of a possible rule change surfaced. “I don't know how you can enforce a rule like that unless you had a robot on the track to grab the person and put them back in the car.
“The only way you can enforce it is with a penalty system afterwards. Really at that point it's not effective. It's a difficult rule to try to make work.”
The NASCAR rule does say that drivers can get out of their cars immediately in emergency situations, such as a fire or smoke in the cockpit.
Premier League: Man U loss highlights challenges ahead for van Gaal.
By Peter Staunton, Goal.com
It's difficult to ascertain just exactly where Manchester United goes from here. The club's first six matches in the Premier League all appeared to be games the team would have expected to take three points from, but it is necessary to reassess that now. It was a positive preseason, but van Gaal now has a true sense of the battle he faces at Old Trafford after this 2-1 defeat to Swansea.
"When you have preparation time and you win everything and your first match you lose, it cannot be worse," said van Gaal. "It is not good because we have built up a lot of confidence and then it shall be smashed down because of this result."
For all the talk of a new start following the departure of David Moyes, it remains a worryingly familiar tale. Possession not penetration and opponents no longer overawed by the occasion or simply making up the numbers.
Same old United, Ander Herrera notwithstanding. The signing from Athletic Blibao was busy in the midfield without standing out in the manner he did on the American tour. It was hard to see where the inspiration was going to come from. Wayne Rooney toiled for his half-chances and flattered to deceive aside from his goal. Chicharito was eager but ineffective. The early promise of Jesse Lingard burned out with an injury. Adnan Januzaj tormented his left back but there was little end product.
"I have seen a lot of players very nervous, making the wrong choices and that's a pity," said van Gaal. "These players have to get used to that expectation because that is Manchester United. You have to cope with that pressure."
For all the possession, there was never the suggestion that United would get the requisite goals for the win. While injuries don't help — United is without nine first-team players — that is as much to do with fatigue after a long preseason trip as it is to do with luck. It's difficult to isolate events on the field from what's been going on, or not, in the transfer market and United's troubles in that department, for the second successive summer, are telling. To be so light on numbers, so early in a season, is alarming. Even more so when the potential replacements keep slipping through Ed Woodward's fingers.
"I know in what positions we need a better player," van Gaal said. "But you have to buy only when the player can fulfill the way of playing that I ask. We have to wait and see."
Van Gaal, who worked well with unheralded players at the World Cup with the Netherlands, was supposed to be the man to coach United's fringe men back to health. Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez were both given reprieves here as they started on the opening day of the season. That however, may speak as much of the current problems faced by United in the injury department as it does for van Gaal's desire to allow his squad players to prove themselves.
"To my players I cannot say that you didn't do your utmost," van Gaal said after. "Unbelievable work and fantastic mentality, they have shown. But reaching the level is different — not only running but also using your brains. Then you can play like a team. But that we have failed today."
Either way, picking Young proved an exercise in futility. He was neither left back nor left winger in the first half as Swansea aimed the majority of its attacking passes down his flank. He had Tyler Blackett for company on that side but neither had the measure of Nathan Dyer. He reverted to a more orthodox left back role in the second half and it was from his sector that the winner came. Van Gaal cannot count on Luke Shaw and has not yet gotten Marco Rojo to select and so Young became an unlikely candidate for United's left back. He lost Wayne Routledge, who shunted the ball into the path of Gylfi Sigurdsson for the winner.
Newcastle United vs. Manchester City: Final score 0-2, City survive a tough test from the Magpies.
By Zach Woosley
Manchester City earned a season opening victory over Newcastle United thanks to a first half goal from David Silva and a late second goal from Sergio Agüero. The defending Premier League champions didn't look their best at times, but after their struggles on the road last season, a win away to start the year is a definite positive.
The opening ten minutes was like a boiling pot of water as Manchester City started calm, but slowly built up their intensity as they took control of the match. Samir Nasri created the first really good chance of the match in the 11th minute after a quick switch moved the ball onto his foot as he raced towards goal. Rather than dribbling closer, Nasri uncorked a hard shot from 25-years out that forced a good save from Tim Krul.
Newcastle held firm as the half progressed, helped in part of City's poor passing and general wastefulness on the attack.
At last though in the 38th minute, City finally connected their final pass and took the lead. Yaya Toure's lifted a wonderful long ball from midfield that floated over the defense and fell right on the foot of Eden Džeko. As two defenders collapsed on the striker, he found David Silva with a clever back heel pass as he made a run into the space created by the defenders over shifting to the left. Krul tried to close down Silva's angle but as he went to ground, the Spaniard fired the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Newcastle nearly got back in the match early in the second half after a chaotic moment in the Manchester City penalty area nearly led to the equalizer. After several attempts to clear the danger, the ball popped loose in front of Joe Hart, giving Remy Cabella a chance to close down. Thanks to a desperation tackle by a City defender, Cabella couldn't get a clean shot away, and the ball sailed well wide of the goal.
City came close a couple times to doubling their lead, but couldn't get their chances on target. Džeko failed to keep a close ranger header in the center of the box down in the 65th minute, pushing the ball just over he crossbar. Touré just missed with a free kick in the 73rd minute, sending just a bit too high.
Ayoze Pérez came within a whisker of pulling Newcastle even in the 84th minute after he got free behind the City back line on the break. After cutting back to avoid the first defender, Pérez's shot was deflected by a sliding Fernando, changing the flight of the ball just enough to send it wide of the post.
Sergio Agüero ended any hope for Newcastle in second half stoppage time, putting the match out of reach. After Krul blocked the striker's first shot, Agüero took advantage of the rebound coming right back to him as he fired the ball in to make it 2-0.
Considering that City's passing wasn't great at times, and their fitness looked even worse, one suspects Manuel Pellegrini will be happy with the result. Newcastle can walk away feeling good that they played the defending champions tough, but they'll certainly lament several missed chances to at least grab a point from the match.
Newcastle United: Krul, Dummett, Coloccini, Williamson, Janmaat, Anita (Obertan 63'), Colback, Gouffran (Aarons 74'), Cabella, Sissoho, Riviere (Pérez 84')
Goals: None
Manchester City: Hart, Kolarov, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernando, Touré, Silva, Jovetic (Fernandinho 73'), Nasri (Milner 78'), Dzeko (Agüero 82')
Goals: Silva (38'), Agüero (92')
Notre Dame different/ Latest problems tarnish Golden Dome.By Bill Bender
Does this mean Notre Dame is like everybody else?
That's the question after the university announced receiver DaVaris Daniels, defensive back KeiVarae Russell, defensive lineman Ishaq Williams and linebacker Kendall Moore will be held out of practice and games while school officials determine whether they were involved in academic fraud.
The answer will be a resounding "yes" according to anybody not associated with the Golden Dome. Not so much because of the violations, which likely won't bring the NCAA to town. Not so much about the players or the possibility that the school will voluntarily vacate victories if wrongdoings are found.
It's about Notre Dame, the school that is supposed to be different than everybody else. The football program has been placed on NCAA probation one time in school history, a two-year penalty imposed in 1999 as the result of violation committed by former bookkeeper Kimberly Dunbar. That stemmed from incidents that stretched from 1991-98.
The latest blow isn't on that level — yet. Credit the administrators for taking care of the latest problem in house, but hold the applause: This is the second example of academic trouble in two seasons.
At first glance, it's unlikely the Irish will face any severe punishment. Their alleged missteps aren't on the level of the two-time postseason ban club, which includes Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, Southern Cal, SMU, Texas A&M and Miami (Fla.).
Yet this is one more reason for all of those schools — frequent targets of persecution from a sometimes holier-than-thou Irish fan base — to holler, "See! You're just like us."
In four years, coach Brian Kelly has dealt with four embarrassing incidents of varying degrees that won't attract a full-on NCAA investigation but continue to serve as the accelerant for the anti-Irish establishments across the college football landscape.
In 2011, wide receiver Michael Floyd, the school's all-time leader in receptions, yards and TDs, was suspended in the offseason after being cited for drunken driving. Floyd did not miss any games.
In 2012, Deadspin unleashed a report that standout linebacker Manti Te'o, the leader of a defense that carried Notre Dame to the BCS championship game, was part of a scam in which he believed a girlfriend he never met died — even though that girlfriend never existed.
In 2013, starting quarterback Everett Golson was suspended for the season as a result of an academic violation. Golson returned to the team and was named the starter last week. All seemed forgiven and forgot.
Until now. School president the Rev. John Jenkins said neither Kelly nor his staff had any knowledge about the alleged cheating, but this remains a sore spot two weeks away from the opener against Rice.
Friday's press conference did little to dispel the notion that Notre Dame is toeing the same line those SEC schools found a way to tap dance around with impunity. Kelly's greatest asset is an ability to bring in blue-chip talent, which continues to show with each cycle. Now it's on the school to improve the way it handles those stars or more incidents — perhaps one that finally gets the NCAA's attention — will happen.
That's something those twice-banned schools learned how to do, for better or worse. The NCAA investigated Auburn, Alabama, Miami and USC the BCS era, all schools that won national titles. Alabama forfeited wins. USC received a bowl ban. Notre Dame fans were quick to point a finger.
Now, those four fingers — or in this case, four players — are pointing back at the Irish. Now, Jenkins, Kelly and everybody else better ask a question behind closed doors and think hard before coming up with an answer.
Are we going to be like everybody else?
Florida State gets all but three first-place votes in preseason AP poll.
By Nick Bromberg
Just like the Coaches Poll, Florida State is the overwhelming preseason No. 1 in the AP Poll.
The Seminoles got 57 of a possible 60 first place votes in the preseason poll released Sunday afternoon. The only other teams receiving votes were No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Oregon and No. 4 Oklahoma, who each received a vote apiece. Ohio State was No. 5.
Auburn was No. 5 in the Coaches Poll. The Tigers are No. 6 in the AP Poll. The AP Poll top 10 ended with UCLA, Michigan State, South Carolina and Baylor. The same teams were in the top 10 in each poll. The only team in the AP Poll who isn't in the Coaches Poll is Missouri. The Tigers are 24th in the AP Poll, the same spot that Texas occupies in the Coaches Poll. The Longhorns are not ranked in the AP Poll.
Overall, there are very few discrepancies of more than a place or two in the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, though I think we can all agree that they both simply serve as talking points at the beginning of the season rather than an accurate indication of teams' real strength. Below is the complete poll with the team's Coaches Poll rank in parentheses.
(Votes for the AP Poll were due before Notre Dame's announcement of an investigation into academic fraud.)
1. Florida State (57 1st place votes) (1st in Coaches Poll)
2. Alabama (1) (2)
3. Oregon (1) (4)
4. Oklahoma (1) (3)
5. Ohio State (6)
6. Auburn (5)
7. UCLA (7)
8. Michigan State (8)
9. South Carolina (9)
10. Baylor (10)
11. Stanford (11)
12. Georgia (12)
13. LSU (13)
14. Wisconsin (14)
15. USC (15)
16. Clemson (16)
17. Notre Dame (17)
18. Ole Miss (19)
19. Arizona State (18)
20. Kansas State (21)
21. Texas A&M (20)
22. Nebraska (22)
23. North Carolina (23)
24. Missouri (NR, first not receiving votes)
25. Washington (25)
Candid Coaches: Will Power 5 in college hoops leave the NCAA?
Is a move for Power 5 conferences leaving the NCAA inevitable in hoops? (USATSI)
2: Will a woman be a head coach of a D-I men's program in the next 25 years?
3: Which model best combines the interest for college basketball and the NBA?
4: Should the NCAA remove marijuana from its list of banned substances?
5: Which current high school prospect has the best chance at being an NBA superstar?
Of all the questions we asked for this year's Candid Coaches series, I think this one prompted the most opinion and elongated answers. No matter the level, college hoops coaches are very invested in this topic. And why shouldn't they be? We're talking about their jobs, and how coveted or money-making a lot them could become by 2018, 2022 or 2025. A lot of these guys are curious, some are worried, and a handful think we're never going back to the glory days of what the sport used to be.
The recent autonomy vote that allows the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, ACC and Big Ten to essentially govern themselves under different guidelines from the rest of Division I conferences.
For transparency's sake, know that this question was asked to some coaches well before the vote was passed, and some were asked within the past week.
Do you believe the Power 5 will splinter off from the rest of the pack within the next 10 years, creating a Division 4-type structure?
- Yes: 69 percent
- No: 31 percent
QUOTES THAT STOOD OUT
“I think the split is coming sooner than people think.”
“I honestly don't see how the non-Big Five will coexist with the new structure. You're already labeling them below the power five now. Let's be honest, Connecticut, Cincinnati, etc. are scrambling to get out of their current conference for a reason. They have to see the writing on the wall. Recruiting high-major kids will be very difficult for those teams that remain outside of power five.”
“They're bluffing. They don't want to break away, especially presidents.”
"Every decision the schools make is made with money in mind. So if they decide they can make more money by breaking away, they'll breakaway. And they can probably make more money by breaking away."
“I believe that's what they want. I think this is just the first step toward full autonomy to do what they want. I think there have been enough issues lately with the NCAA, that those schools could break off and the money (ESPN, FOX, etc.) would follow. Why wouldn't it? The only issue is how do you legitimize the schools that are going and the ones that don't? I mean, as it stands now, there are schools on the outside looking in right now, that technically should belong in that top 65 or whatever it is. You've got some good schools in some conferences that are ‘power' players, so how do you pick and choose who gets to go? The ones hurt by this obviously are the AAC, MWC and Big East -- three very solid conferences who just can't, on a consistent basis, carry the load when it comes to money. It's going to be interesting, because it's going to shift everything that we currently know.”
“I believe that the biggest schools, especially with the new legistlation, will have to do something different. I think that will allow a few mid-major conferences to align with the majors, such as the Missouri Valley, etc. The mids and low-majors will then have their own division, so to speak. It will be similar to FBS and FCS, in my opinion.”
“I hate it, but I'm really scared is going to happen. My issue is the elites of the elites, the Izzos, Ks, Williams, getting together to make a rule to balance out something to help them, instead of what's best for the game sometimes.”
“I believe that power conferences will break away, and no one without football will be able to compete with what they are providing their student athletes, they will need 20 basketball schools to have a tournament, so WCC, A10, Big East will survive and be included. Only three or four sports will survive. Football, men's basketball, women's basketball, and maybe volleyball. Everyone else will disappear.”
“I think the entertainment value that is created will cause University's to be more greedy year after year. I could see some of the bigger schools breaking away and creating their own platform for athletic performance that will always bring in the crowds to watch elite talent compete against each other. NCAA should be feeling this pressure."
"You've heard how all of the Big East coaches are nervous about the new Big East? This is why. This is their fear."
“I think about it from a basketball perspective and think, Well, the tournament would so much luster if it didn't have smaller schools involved. Then I remember football runs everything and there are only 50 schools that matter for that."
THE TAKEAWAY (BY MATT NORLANDER)
How about those quotes, huh? And I left out another five or six really good ones as well. A lot of coaches had some powerful things to say on this. Does the 69-percent yes vote surprise you? It did me. I expected this to be closer to 50/50.
One thing I have to note. There were plenty of coaches we talked to who think the split is coming, but it's only going to be for football. I'd say at least a quarter of the coaches we talked to think college hoops cares so much about the NCAA Tournament that it's going to remain as is. So "change" is coming, and by proxy it's going to have some side effects for hoops, but in terms of strict legislation and/or Power 5 leagues in college basketball distinctly separating themselves from NCAA governance, they don't think that's the case at all.
I think that's fair, and probably right. There are nuances to this discussion, and so it's hard to envelop everything under one idea. The NCAA and major-conference college basketball could be headed for some change, but it's probably not going to be as drastic as football, and with the kind of money the NCAA Tournament brings in now, do the powers-that-be really want to mess with that?
Consider the record-breaking contract the NCAA Tournament and CBS/Turner are in right now. Ratings have been solid-to-improving over the past five years. Schools are making a lot of money of college basketball in that regard now, and the bigger schools are still filling up their pockets by way of football revenue.
Would creating a different -- and smaller -- kind of NCAA Tournament (which would no longer be called the NCAA Tournament) bring more money and interest? I'm not sure, and coaches at small- mid- and high-major levels also have some doubt to that.
There are plenty of imbalances -- some natural, and that's OK -- within the Division I college basketball structure now. Despite that, the sport and its coaches are fairly happy and content with how things have evolved to be. (I said fairly.) Change is going to come, but I'm skeptical (and perhaps willingly callow-minded in this regard) that D-I hoops as we know it will drastically change so much to the point where Auburn or Colorado or Maryland basketball is playing in a different solar system than Belmont or San Diego State or Florida Gulf Coast.
How about those quotes, huh? And I left out another five or six really good ones as well. A lot of coaches had some powerful things to say on this. Does the 69-percent yes vote surprise you? It did me. I expected this to be closer to 50/50.
One thing I have to note. There were plenty of coaches we talked to who think the split is coming, but it's only going to be for football. I'd say at least a quarter of the coaches we talked to think college hoops cares so much about the NCAA Tournament that it's going to remain as is. So "change" is coming, and by proxy it's going to have some side effects for hoops, but in terms of strict legislation and/or Power 5 leagues in college basketball distinctly separating themselves from NCAA governance, they don't think that's the case at all.
I think that's fair, and probably right. There are nuances to this discussion, and so it's hard to envelop everything under one idea. The NCAA and major-conference college basketball could be headed for some change, but it's probably not going to be as drastic as football, and with the kind of money the NCAA Tournament brings in now, do the powers-that-be really want to mess with that?
Consider the record-breaking contract the NCAA Tournament and CBS/Turner are in right now. Ratings have been solid-to-improving over the past five years. Schools are making a lot of money of college basketball in that regard now, and the bigger schools are still filling up their pockets by way of football revenue.
Would creating a different -- and smaller -- kind of NCAA Tournament (which would no longer be called the NCAA Tournament) bring more money and interest? I'm not sure, and coaches at small- mid- and high-major levels also have some doubt to that.
There are plenty of imbalances -- some natural, and that's OK -- within the Division I college basketball structure now. Despite that, the sport and its coaches are fairly happy and content with how things have evolved to be. (I said fairly.) Change is going to come, but I'm skeptical (and perhaps willingly callow-minded in this regard) that D-I hoops as we know it will drastically change so much to the point where Auburn or Colorado or Maryland basketball is playing in a different solar system than Belmont or San Diego State or Florida Gulf Coast.
Hardest Core upsets at Arlington.
By Claire Novak | Bloodhorse.com
Few knew the story of Hardest Core, who scratched from the $400,000 American St. Leger at Arlington International Racecourse to run in the Arlington Million.
Fewer still knew the story of his owners, the Bentley family, residents of Unionville, Pa. who own a two-horse stable and purchased the runner as a 30th birthday gift for their son, Andrew, who was born with Down Syndrome.
But after the Million, everyone was talking about the modest shipper who came in from victory in a $50,000 ungraded stakes at Delaware Park to win the purse of $1 million over some of the finest turf runners in the world.
Hardest Core, a 4-year-old Hard Spun gelding ridden by Eriluis Vaz for Andrew Bentley Stables, upset Arlington's biggest day at odds of 11-1 to secure his first graded stakes score, let alone grade I victory. Closing outside from third off the turn with tremendous strides, he gobbled up ground to run down dueling rivals Magician, winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf, and Side Glance, a grade I winner in Australia.
It was the first time his trainer had entered a runner in a graded stakes event. Graham, 43, has four steeplechase horses in training and two on the flat -- Hardest Core and the other member of the Bentley's 2-horse stable, the 3-year-old filly Giant Shadow.
Prior to the Million, Graham's career earnings as a trainer were $634,675. Including the Million, he has won five of six starts this year. Hardest Core, purchased for $210,000 by Gregory Bentley from the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale when consigned by Adena Springs as a racing or stallion prospect, was initially intended as a potential steeplechaser before his connections decided he might have something left to give on the flat.
"We jumped him a couple times, he's a pure, natural jumper, but we just messed with him, always intentions of flat racing because he was doing so well," Graham said.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Ghostzapper Racing prior to his sale at Keeneland, Hardest Core was gelded after the November sale and almost lost his life.
"He had a hernia up high and when they cut it, his intestines came out," said Graham. "We had to cut 15-18 feet [of his intestines], we didn't think he was going to make it. We finally got him up to New Bolton and two days later, he was in his feed tub again. He's tough."
Hardest Core then won a June 28 allowance event going 1 1/16 miles on the Parx Racing turf for his new connections before winning the Cape Henlopen Stakes at 1 ½ miles on the Delaware lawn. The Million was his third start of 2014.
Magician, favored to win the Million for trainer Aidan O'Brien at 1.80-1 in a field of seven, pressed a pace set by Side Glance throughout the 1 ¼-mile turf test. Early fractions went in :25, :49.45, and 1:13.67 as those two were tracked by Hardest Core.
Swinging into contention coming off the far turn as mile went in 1:37.72, the eventual winner lost ground slightly while drifting out to the six path, but he found his best stride late and rallied to victory by a length.
Final time was 2:01.51 on a firm course. Hardest Core returned $25, $10.40, and $6 while Magician paid $4.20 and $3 with Side Glance bringing $5. Up With the Birds, Finnegans Wake, Smoking Sun, and Real Solution, ajudged winner of the 2013 Arlington Million, completed the order of finish.
"I thought a shorter field would be better, and the horse was training so well," said Graham. "He doesn't know what he's going against, and he showed it today."
Bred in Kentucky by Mueller Farms out of the Housebuster mare Lillybuster, Hardest Core improved his record to six wins and two seconds from 11 starts for earnings of $842,580. He sold to Adena Springs as an $87,000 yearling in 2011 at the Fasig-Tipton October sale after failing to meet his reserve for the Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services consignment at the Keeneland January and Keeneland September sales.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, August 18, 2014.
MemoriesofHistory.com
1915 - Braves Field was inaugurated with Boston defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1.
1956 - The Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Braves combined for a National League record of 10 home runs. The Reds won 13-4. Bob Thurman (Cincinnati Reds) hit three of the home runs.
1960 - Lew Burdette threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. The final score was 1-0.
1973 - Hank Aaron set a major league record with his 1,378th extra base.
1980 - George Brett of the Kansas City Royals had his batting average reach the .400 mark.
1981 - Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia took out an insurance policy with Lloyd’s of London. The all-American was insured for one million dollars.
1982 - The longest baseball game played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL, went 21 innings before the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cubs 2-1.
1987 - Earl Campbell announced his retirement from the National Football League (NFL).
1992 - Larry Bird, after 13 years with the Boston Celtics, announced his retirement.
1995 - Tom Henke (St. Louis) became only the seventh major league player to record 300 saves.
1996 - Frank Thomas (Chicago White Sox) became the fourth player to reach 100 RBIs in each of his first six seasons.
1996 - Wade Boggs became the 41st major league player to get 2,000 career singles.
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