CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 04/15/2015.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

"It's often been said that you learn more from losing than you do from winning. I think, if you're wise, you learn from both. You learn a lot from a loss. You learn what is it that we're not doing to get to where we want to go. It really gets your attention and it really motivates the work ethic of your team when you're not doing well." ~ Morgan Wootten, Former High School Basketball Coach 

Trending: New analysis says one in six NFL players go bankrupt within 12 years of retiring. 

By Kirstie Chiappelli 

Big paydays don't always pay off for NFL players.

Nearly one in six file for bankruptcy within 12 years of hanging up their helmets, according to new analysis by the National Bureau of Economic Research.  

Four researchers from the California Institute of Technology, the University of Washington and George Washington University studied approximately 2,000 players drafted from 1996 to 2003 to determine when and how bankruptcies occur.

“Players with median-length careers earn about $3.2 million in a few years. If they are forward-looking and patient, they should save a large fraction of their income to provide for when they retire from the NFL,” Kyle Carlson, Joshua Kim, Annamaria Lusardi and Colin F. Camerer wrote in a working paper, via the Wall Street Journal.

The researchers discovered that almost 16 percent of players file for bankruptcy within 12 years of retiring from the league.

“Having played for a long time and having been a successful and well-paid player does not provide much protection against the risk of going bankrupt,” the authors wrote.

A previous report from Sports Illustrated in 2009 found that “78 percent of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce” just two years following retirement.  

“Our findings are different from what the life-cycle model predicts,” the authors of the latest study concluded.                           

Trending: Predators will still perform anthem despite cheers from Hawks fans.

By Nina Falcone

Weeks before the Nashville Predators' opening-round opponent in the Stanley Cup Playoffs was even known, the organization was already beginning its campaign to — once again — "keep the red out" of their arena.

Team president Sean Henry told the Tennesseean back in March that he was looking for ways for Bridgestone Arena to not turn into a sea of red by putting restrictions in place when playoff tickets first went on sale to keep Blackhawks fans away from their arena.

After going 0-1 on their first attempt at keeping the Chicago crowd away back in 2013, the Predators decided to take the exact same approach they did back then by only selling tickets to fans within the team's TV market.

We still have yet to see just how effective that'll be this time around. But now that we know the Blackhawks and Predators will face off beginning Wednesday, Nashville is also letting fans know that they'll still be playing the national anthem — not "God Bless America" — prior to home games despite the fact that Chicago fans in attendance cheer and clap loudly during it.

According to the Tennessean, Nashville fans consider Chicago's tradition to be disrespectful. In one of the Blackhawks' two visits to Nashville this season, the Predators chose to play "God Bless America" rather than the national anthem hoping it would quiet the Chicagoans down.

"It would almost be against God, country and apple pie to shout and cheer through the person next to you singing the anthem of the United States of America, wouldn't it?" Henry told the Tennessean.

So Blackhawks fans, there you have it. The Predators are sort-of-but-not-really afraid of all the cheering you may do...if you can get into the arena.

Looks like we'll have to see how it all shakes out during Game 1 on Wednesday night.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Stanley Cup playoffs preview: As expected, Patrick Kane ready to go for Blackhawks in Game 1.

By Tracey Myers

(à lire ici)

The clearance came on Monday afternoon. The foregone conclusion came on Tuesday. Patrick Kane is good to go for Game 1.

Kane will play on Wednesday night when the Blackhawks face the Nashville Predators in the opener of their first-round series. It wasn’t a big surprise to get the confirmation, given everything Kane was doing in Monday’s practice. He was doing the same things on Tuesday, skating with Kris Versteeg and Brad Richards and working on the power play.

“It’s exciting,” said Kane, who missed seven weeks with a fractured left clavicle. “It’s been a long 50 days here, so it’s a credit to a lot of hard work from obviously the doctors and the trainers and just listening to them and trying to heal as fast as possible.”

Kane was originally expected to miss nearly two months, maybe even more, with his injury.

“It wasn’t in the cards knowing we had to get through a round or two before he could even be considered,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “This is a very positive situation for us, knowing what he brings to the table. He was having an MVP-type of season. Getting him back just makes you have so many more options. His versatility in all areas certainly enhances our team.”

 

The Blackhawks head into this series just about completely healthy. Kane was the Blackhawks’ most consistent scorer when he was injured – his 64 points led the NHL at the time. Puck possession should improve again, too. Jonathan Toews said the Blackhawks fared pretty well without him but obviously get a boost with his return.

“Aside from the losses that we went into the end of the season with, I think we were playing good hockey,” Toews said. “We’re confident as a group. We made it this far, played a number of games without our best player and our top scorer. To get him back I think is only going to help us.”

As for the physical game, which is always that much more intense in the postseason, Kane said he’s ready for it. He’ll have to be; there’s no doubt the Predators will be trying to stop Kane with big hits. Kane said he’s as ready as he’ll ever be to absorb the punishment.

“We tested it out a few times, a few different things where guys run into me, guys checking me. I just kind of feel confidence there,” Kane said. “That’s another thing there for my peace of mind, just being confident with where I’m at right now and I’m not thinking about it too much on the ice, because it is in good shape and it is ready to be out there competing.”

Still, there’s no way one of his teammates is going to hit him like an opponent would.

“I think that’s what starts everyone, that first shift, getting hit, getting pushed around. Handling that is something of an adjustment here but you can’t formulate that type of a hit until you go out and get hits,” Quenneville said. “It’s something he’ll deal with, adapt and play accordingly.”

Kane has the full green light. He’ll be tested as soon as he comes back by the Predators but he’s confident that he’s healthy and ready to go.

“We’re at the point right now where it’s pretty safe to go out there and try and compete and play. I think that’s important, too, not only for me but for the team, as well. Because I want to feel like I can contribute and produce when I am back in the lineup,” Kane said. “By no means is it anything that we rushed back. I think you see different players go through this injury. Jason Zucker, I think he came back around the same timetable as I am. I think Brian Campbell in 2010 came back at around five or six weeks. So it’s an injury that can be healed and some people are a little bit more different than others. It’s just kind of my timetable, when I was ready to play.”

Blackhawks-Predators Round 1: Who has the edge?

By Tracey Myers

 

The matchup is set and on Wednesday night, it begins when the Blackhawks face the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their first-round series.

So who has the edge? No, we don’t do overall predictions, but we will break down the various categories and see who’s got the advantage in them. Let’s proceed.

Forwards

Patrick Kane was cleared on Monday, and with that the Blackhawks’ forward depth gets a tremendous boost. If he is back beginning with Game 1 – we still think that may be a bit too soon, but not our call – the Blackhawks’ puck-possession and scoring games should automatically get better. Kane had 64 points when he suffered his injury on Feb. 24. Only Jonathan Toews has more than that now (66). For all the forward talent the Blackhawks have, they've struggled to score and that hurt them down the stretch.

Note: As stated in the above article, Patrick Kane is cleared and will be playing in game 1.

The Predators bolstered their lineup over the summer, adding scoring weapons like James Neal and Mike Ribeiro. Filip Forsberg had put together a nice rookie season, recording a team-high 63 points (Ribeiro is next with 62).

We’d give the Blackhawks the automatic edge here normally, even with the Predators’ additions. But since that scoring has gone by the wayside… EDGE: Even.

Defense

Between Nick Leddy’s trade in September and Trevor van Riemsdyk’s injury in November, the Blackhawks defense took some hits. The changes and injuries had coach Joel Quenneville splitting up Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, as well as Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya. Michal Rozsival has struggled, as had David Rundblad. Kimmo Timonen was acquired at the deadline. But between coming off a 10-month recovery off blood clots and missing the last three games with an upper-body injury, he has yet to make an impact.

When you think Nashville you think Shea Weber and that howitzer of a shot he has from the blue line. Opponents who have gotten in its way have the bruises to prove it. Roman Josi has been tremendous, recording 55 points and a plus-15 rating this season. Here’s another toss-up category. EDGE: Even. 

Goaltending

Corey Crawford is having arguably his best season with the Blackhawks. Other than the rough spot he had after his off-ice ankle injury, Crawford’s been strong. He was especially key down the stretch, when he led the Blackhawks to victories despite a lack of offense. Pekka Rinne wasn’t at his best as the regular season ended but he was still damn good this season, finishing with an NHL third-best 2.18 goals-against average and an eighth-best .923 goals-against average. Why do we sense a few 2-1 games and maybe a shutout or two coming in this series? EDGE: Even.

Power play

We were all set to give this category to the Predators but their power play is actually ranked lower than the Blackhawks’ advantage (25^th in the league compared to 20^th). Who knew? But the Predators did score three power-play goals over their last five regular season games. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, haven’t scored a power-play goal since March 30. EDGE: Predators.  

Penalty kill

The Blackhawks took a hit in this department toward the end of the season but there could have been a few reasons for that. Joakim Nordstrom, a good killer, was injured for several games. Then Jonathan Toews was pulled off it to lessen his minutes down the stretch. They finished the regular season 10^th best on the kill. The Predators weren’t faring much better and were 18^th in the NHL on it this season. The kill has been a strong suit for the Blackhawks the past few years. It probably will be again this postseason. EDGE: Blackhawks.

Intangibles

Full marks to Nashville: they got a new coach (Peter Laviolette), a new system and a new attitude. The Predators got off to a fantastic start this season before a few hiccups at the end, but they sat atop the Central for quite some time before St. Louis usurped them. The Blackhawks have a wealth of experience at this time of year. They know how to deal with the ups and downs, know how to enjoy the victory for a short time and forget about the crushing overtime loss immediately. And that experience may prove to be the difference. EDGE: Blackhawks. 

PREDICTION:

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Prediction: (Excerpt taken from Bulls-Predators series playoff comparison by Josh Cooper).

The series will be close, but ultimately, Chicago is too strong down the middle with Toews. Ribeiro will get exposed on the road, unless Laviolette can get him away from tougher match ups. He’s not a No 1 center and Nashville made no moves to address this issue around the trading deadline. Laviolette has done a good job of this during the season, getting Ribeiro’s offensive zone starts at 68.1 percent according to Behind the Net. Getting him in those spots should limit the impact of his woeful 43.2 percent face off percentage.

BLACKHAWKS IN SIX.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session…

AP

The Chicago Bulls have wrapped up home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, though they still have some things they'd like to accomplish on the final day of the season.

Derrick Rose looks to keep nearing full strength as the host Bulls continue their push for the third seed Wednesday night against the East-best Atlanta Hawks, who hope to avoid their second three-game skid all season.

After going 10-10 with Rose sidelined due to a torn meniscus, Chicago improved to 32-18 with him in the lineup by winning the last three of a four-game stretch since he returned.

The former MVP finished with 13 points and seven assists before sitting out the fourth quarter in Monday's 113-86 win at Brooklyn that clinched at least the fourth-best record in the conference.

Rose has averaged 14.0 points while playing limited minutes in his return, and he's still struggling with his shot. He's hit 32.2 percent of his attempts over his last seven games, including 6 for 31 from 3-point range.

Despite his shooting woes, the Bulls (49-32) are feeling confident as their playmaker continues to make positive strides.

"With Derrick back (there are) much more options and we can see we are getting ready for the playoffs and are playing really good basketball right now," forward Nikola Mirotic told the team's official website after scoring 26 on Monday.

Joakim Noah could be sidelined due to left knee tendinitis as Chicago seeks its first four-game run since Feb. 7-12.

The Bulls will need to finish one game ahead of Toronto in the race for the third seed because the Raptors own the tiebreaker as Atlantic Division champions. Toronto hosts Charlotte on Wednesday.

Finishing third could benefit Chicago since it went 3-1 against sixth-place Milwaukee and 2-2 versus fifth-place Washington, which knocked the Bulls from the playoffs last season.

Having long ago clinched the top seed in the East, Atlanta (60-21) rested its starters in Sunday's 108-99 loss at Washington before sitting Paul Millsap in Monday's 112-108 home loss to conference-worst New York.

Millsap, one of the team's four All-Stars, is expected to miss his sixth straight game with a shoulder injury. Reserves Dennis Schroder (rest) and Pero Antic (illness) could be back after they didn't play against the Knicks.

Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver had 19 points apiece and Al Horford scored 18, but the Hawks allowed the offensively challenged Knicks to shoot a season-high 55.8 percent - including 13 for 25 from beyond the arc.

''It's nothing to panic over," said Teague, who missed a potential tying shot with nine seconds left. "Just one of those games.''

Although coach Mike Budenholzer - who was visibly upset Monday - could opt to rest some regulars, Atlanta doesn't want to head into the playoffs riding its worst skid since dropping three in a row March 18-22.

If he suits up, Horford could play a big role after having 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 93-86 home win in the first meeting Dec. 15. The All-Star center added 22 points, nine boards and four assists in the last matchup, a 107-99 victory at Chicago on Jan. 17.

Atlanta hasn't swept the season series since going 3-0 in 2008-09.

Rose has averaged 27.6 points over his last nine home games against Atlanta, including the 2011 playoffs. He had 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in January as the Hawks ended a seven-game skid in Chicago, including those playoffs.

Mirotic responds to chiding from teammates in Bulls rout.

By Vincent Goodwill

Being a brainless player can be a compliment or put-down depending on its context, considering it keeps some players glued to the bench when coaches can’t trust their instincts.

For Nikola Mirotic, he’s being urged to turn the brain off and just play, receiving some extra prodding from the man who’ll likely benefit from his mere presence on the floor, Derrick Rose.

“I hate when he hesitates. Hate when he hesitates,” Rose repeated for emphasis after the Bulls’ blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets, where they clinched home court advantage for the first-round series that starts this weekend.

Mirotic found himself open on a few occasions and didn’t feel comfortable letting loose early. Perhaps the thought of being unselfish was in his head but when the decision was made to flip the switch to “off”, that’s when Mirotic got off and earned the admiration of a 50-50 crowd at Barclays Center Monday night.

“In the first half, they (teammates) were telling me, ‘Niko, don’t think, just shoot the ball. You’re wide open. Don’t pump fake’,” Mirotic said.

He was. The Nets defense couldn’t keep up with the Bulls’ ball movement and while trying to keep a handle on the Bulls’ guard penetration, left a gaping hole on the perimeter in the form of Mirotic.

“Gotta shoot. Gotta shoot,” Rose said. “That’s the way the offense is, If you’re open three times, if the game is telling you to shoot, we’re not gonna get mad. Shoot the ball.”

The game dictated that shots were given to Mirotic and finally, he accepted the challenge in the third quarter, hitting three straight to finish the period—only missing a corner triple at the buzzer.

“They’re right. I just need to shoot because when I think, I miss the shot,” Mirotic said. “So when I don’t think, I make the shot. I made the first one, the second one and there you go, keep shooting.”

Mirotic led the Bulls with 26 on the evening, hitting six of his eight field goals from long range. Considering he came from overseas with such a well-earned reputation as a shooter, hitting 31 percent from three seems a little puzzling on its face.

But he had the ability to create more overseas, and now he’s just getting used to recognizing when he’s open on the catch, and just letting it fly. Chances are, he’s heard you yelling at your screen when he hesitates in such matters.

“The shots were more handoffs, and like catch and shoot,” Mirotic said. “The movement sometimes being gone, so they’re not easy shots. But when you start making shots I’m making, they start learning me, start to play better defense on me. It’s not easy.”

After having the freedom to create when Rose was out with injury, he’ll have fewer of those opportunities en masse—but with Rose on the floor, they open things up for each other. Rose found driving lanes that hadn’t been available in the past two games, which he’s attributed to playing more with Mirotic.

“I want to play with him a little bit more,” Rose said. “But the people I’ve been playing with, Taj (Gibson) Pau (Gasol), (Joakim Noah), I think we’ve done a great job. With Niko on the floor it’s another dimension, the way he spaces the floor. “

And now as the league has started to zero in on what Mirotic likes to do, he’ll have to ramp up the intensity for the upcoming postseason—while turning down the volume in his head.

“It’s normal, a really big adjustment. A lot of ups and downs,” said Mirotic of his fluctuating confidence. “I’m working hard the last part of the season. I’m working hard to prepare myself for the playoffs. Sometimes I play more, sometimes I play less. The chance is here so you have to play your part.”

Bulls clinch home-court in first round with win over Nets 113-86. (Monday night's game, 04/13/2015).

By Vincent Goodwill 

                              

                        (Photo/Kathy Kmonicek/AP)                                                           (Photo/Kathy Kmonicek/AP)     

 

 It was all coming together for the Bulls, the timing, cohesiveness and muscle memory that comes when a group plays together for a long time during a season.

Except they hadn’t played together except for a few tantalizing stretches and even on this evening against the desperate Brooklyn Nets, they were without Joakim Noah who sat out with tendinitis.

But portions of what makes this team potentially great were on full display in their 113-86 win at the Barclays Center, if you could follow the zipping ball that moved around the floor all night on the way to the Bulls clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which start Saturday.

Leaping touch passes from Jimmy Butler to Nikola Mirotic, when Butler cut to the middle of the floor but had his eyes on the sweet-shooting rookie in the corner the entire time, who obliged the unselfish play with a swish.

Or Derrick Rose looking ahead to find a streaking Pau Gasol ahead of the defense—while returning the favor to Butler for a layup when his backcourt mate galloped down court as Rose blazed his way through transition defense that looked like driving cones.

The piece that brings it all together lifts everyone and it appears the Bulls are nearing peak efficiency.

“Getting Derrick back is the big thing,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “When you look at what Pau has brought to our team, it's an entirely different dimension, then add it Jimmy and what’s he’s doing, then all the other parts fit well.”

Rose had more moments where he looked like himself from an explosive standpoint, getting to the basket with ease, but his control of the game from the point guard spot was probably just as encouraging, as he had another efficient night with seven assists and just two turnovers to go with his 13 points in 23 minutes.

“I think the real function of the point guard is how the team plays,” Thibodeau said. “I thought he had a good pace, good tempo. He got the ball movement for us. I thought he gave us rhythm into our threes.”

Rose’s vision was again a valuable part of his game, as his “point guard IQ” has risen in his various absences.

“I’m seeing the floor better,” Rose admitted. “They’re playing me different almost every game. Tonight they’re forcing me into the big. So Pau was open almost the majority of the pick and rolls.”

It was like that all night for the Bulls, who shot 50 percent from the field and took the life out of a road building yet again—like they did so casually in Miami. Mirotic, who was somewhat a favorite to the crowd that had a lot of red in the seats, nailed three straight triples to end the third quarter, to give the Bulls a 22-point lead.

The rookie scored 26 on six triples in just 24 minutes, while Gasol scored 22 with 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Butler scored 17 and Taj Gibson, starting in Noah’s place, scored 15 with nine rebounds and four blocks.

“You miss people because of injuries,” Rose said. “People getting sick, missing games here and there so we need everybody to be healthy to make this run. Jo sat out tonight getting his knee together. We’re gonna need everybody to make this huge push.”

Mirotic was the beneficiary of great ball movement, as were most of the Bulls who registered field goals, with an impressive 26-8 assist to turnover ratio on the evening.

As their offense got crisper, the defense got tightened up, even with Noah. The Nets came into the game looking to make amends for a puzzling road loss in Milwaukee Sunday night, attempting to regain the magic that brought them to the thick of playoff contention, but needing some help in the final games to earn a berth.

The Bulls had nothing to offer but advice, taking a 25-point lead after back-to-back feeds from Aaron Brooks to Gasol for dunks a few minutes into the fourth quarter, as Gasol passed the 18,000 point mark for his Hall-of-Fame bound career.

After trading baskets for the second quarter, the Bulls had enough of that, holding the Nets to 15 points in the third, running away with the ballgame and heading into the season finale playing with the type of rhythm that could make springtime in Chicago a long one.

Bulls, Derrick Rose dominate NBA merchandise sales.

By Sarah Langs

Make the playoffs for seven straight seasons and 10 of the last 11, and basketball fans will want to wear your logo. The Bulls finished atop the NBA in merchandise sales for the 2014-15 season on NBAStore.com.

 

A big boost to that league-leading total came in the form of Derrick Rose jerseys. Rose’s jersey was the fifth-best selling on the NBA site, despite his spending a portion of the season injured.

 

Rose has been within the Top 5 in jersey sales for each of the last six seasons. The Bulls finished third last year in merchandise sales.

 

In team sales, the Bulls were followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder. In individual players, Rose was preceded by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears start offseason workout program.

By Larry Mayer

Chicago Bears players returned to Halas Hall Monday to begin the team's voluntary offseason workout program. (Photo/Chicago Bears)

Excited about the Bears’ voluntary offseason program kicking off Monday morning at Halas Hall, guard Kyle Long experienced some insomnia Sunday night.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Long said. “I was up at one, two, three, four a.m. [wondering], ‘Is it time yet? Is it time to go in?’ And that’s kind of the vibe. Everybody’s pumped. It’s a fresh start, a clean slate.”

The clean slate comes in conjunction with the arrival of first-year coach John Fox and a new staff that’s determined to help the Bears rebound from last year’s disappointing 5-11 season.

“It’s been a long offseason,” said safety Ryan Mundy. “We’ve had an opportunity to get away and do things outside of football. But now it’s time to go back to work. We have new teammates, we have a new coaching staff, we have new faces in the building, and it’s a positive vibe and I’m really excited to get to know everyone and get back to work.”

Splitting into offense and defense Monday, Bears players worked on strength and conditioning in the weight room and met with coaches in classrooms.

“Everybody was excited to see what Day 1 was going to be like and it went pretty smoothly,” Long said. “I think there are going to be a lot of things that are going to be different around here in terms of our offense. What that is I don’t know yet. We haven’t gotten into that. I just know I’m trying to get better. All the guys around me are trying to get better and that’s a good thing.”

Bears players brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to Monday’s workout.

“It’s almost like the first day of school,” Mundy said. “You haven’t seen your friends, your buddies, in a long time. You had a long summer break. But now it’s time to get back to work so everybody’s really excited.”

“Everybody’s been in different spots,” said linebacker Christian Jones. “You don’t get to be around everybody since the season ended, so it’s exciting just to talk to the guys again and see the new staff. I know a lot of us are just ready to get everything started.”

Fox conducted a brief meeting with players Monday, and his message was simple.
“Be ready to win championships,” Mundy said. “If you’re not all in to win a championship, then you don’t belong here, and I think everybody’s on board with that. We can’t settle for less. I think as we continue to build and move through this offseason, we will be progressing and working very hard to bring a championship back to Chicago.”

Bears players are excited to work with Fox, who led the Broncos to AFC West titles each of the past four seasons.

“We want to be better than we’ve been,” Long said. “The past is the past. And this is the new Chicago Bears. He’s got a certain way of going about things and I think a lot of guys are going to respond well to it.”

During the first two weeks of the offseason program, activities are limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehab. During the third week, the Bears will conduct a voluntary minicamp at Halas Hall April 28-30 leading into the NFL Draft.

Introductions were necessary Monday given the number of new players in the locker room. Since the start of free agency March 10, the Bears have added 12 players from other teams.

Newcomers include outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (Ravens), safety Antrel Rolle (Giants), receiver Eddie Royal (Chargers), guard Vladimir Ducasse (Vikings), long-snapper Thomas Gafford (Chiefs), defensive end Ray McDonald (49ers), defensive end Jarvis Jenkins (Redskins), linebacker Mason Foster (Buccaneers), cornerback Alan Ball (Jaguars), running back Jacquizz Rodgers (Falcons), linebacker Sam Acho (Cardinals) and center Will Montgomery (Broncos).“The vibe’s good right now,” Jones said. “Everybody seems well rested. Everybody seems excited and ready to go. We’re all looking forward to what’s going to happen.”

NFL analyst thinks Bears will go 10-6. Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica thoughts: (Voluntary off-season workout programs are just starting and one analyst is already picking the Bears to go 10-6. Speculation and prognostication are fun, however, anything better than last year's 5-11 record would be a great improvement.) 

By Larry Mayer

NFL Network analyst Shaun O’Hara seemingly is a big fan of the Bears’ new regime.

Asked which of the NFL’s seven first-year head coaches will improve their team by the most number of wins in 2015, O’Hara said: “The guy that jumps out at me on that list is John Fox.”

Fox takes over the Bears after they went 5-11 last season under Marc Trestman. The NFL’s other first-year head coaches are Todd Bowles with the Jets (4-12 last year), Jack Del Rio with the Raiders (3-13), Gary Kubiak with the Broncos (12-4), Dan Quinn with the Falcons (6-10), Rex Ryan with the Bills (4-12) and Jim Tomsula with the 49ers (8-8).

O’Hara, a center who played 11 NFL seasons with the Browns (2000-03) and Giants (2004-10), predicted that the Bears will double their win total from five to 10. He lauded not only the hiring of Fox but the additions of offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

“I think Adam Gase is going to help Jay Cutler out so much,” O’Hara said. “This is going to be a completely different offense.

“I think John Fox is going to bring a little bit more accountability to that team, an attitude to that defense and I think Adam Gase is going to bring some creativity to a star-studded offense.”

 Forte tells Bears fans to 'relax' after skipping voluntary workout.

By Paul Roumeliotis

The Bears were without a familiar face on Monday at the team's first offseason voluntary workouts at Halas Hall. Matt Forte was a no-show, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Forte, whose entering his final year under contract with the Bears, went on Twitter to send a message to fans: R-E-L-A-X.

Instead of being at the team's facility, Forte was in South Florida having his own workout, according to his Instagram post.

It's no secret the Bears running back is looking for a new contract with the team.

Forte signed a four-year, $30.4 million deal with the Bears in 2012. He's scheduled to make $8.2 million total with compensation in 2015, which includes a $100,000 workout bonus.

Forte, 29, ranks second on the Bears all-time leading rushers list.

Emmitt Smith Perfectly Summarizes What Scares So Many Parents About Football.

By Maxwell Strachan

 

Former Dallas Cowboys running back, Emmitt Smith, looks towards to the score board after a short celebration on the field honoring his earning the NFL all time rushing record in the game against the Seattle Seahawks, Oct. 27, 2002, at Texas Stadium in Irving. Smith announced Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 that he would be released by the Cowboys. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) 

Emmitt Smith, one of the best running backs in NFL history, spoke last week at the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health's annual "Family, Football & Fame" luncheon in San Angelo, Texas.

During the talk, Smith applauded recent efforts by the NFL to improve the protocol surrounding brain-related injuries suffered on the field. But he also perfectly (and perhaps accidentally) encapsulated what it is about the football that worries so many people, regardless of those recent efforts.

Asked why players play through pain, he said:

You do it for the sake of the game. You do it for the sake of your teammates. You do it because it’s your team. Should you be out there? The answer’s probably not. Would I do it again? Yes, I would. But that’s football. That’s the way I was raised. If you can’t play with pain, you can’t play the game.

This is the culture of football that so many people fear leads to problems inherent to the game. It’s what many so many people fear accounts for the underreporting of concussions that leads players to endure six extra concussive hits for every one that gets officially diagnosed, according to one study. It’s what leads almost half of top-tier college football trainers to say they feel pressure from coaches to get concussed players back on the field before medically advisable, according to another. And it’s at least part of what’s causing as many as half of the parents in the nation to reconsider whether they want their child suiting up for the country’s most popular sport.

Football associations at all levels -- from Pop Warner to the NFL -- have made strides in improving safety measures. Pop Warner has reduced contact during practice, high schools are sending more concussed athletes to the hospital and NCAA football and the NFL have both experienced drops in the number of concussions in recent years.

But when it comes to the culture of football that Smith described, there is still much work to be done. Football leagues of every level need to get to a point where players need not worry they will be deemed unfit for football if they don’t want to play through pain.

That requires education. But according to studies published as recently as last October, we’ve still got a long way to go. That makes sense. After all, we're pushing back against the way we were raised.

Cubs' rally comes up short in loss to Reds3-2. 

Associated Press

Anthony DeSclafani threw seven scoreless innings, Joey Votto had two hits and drove in a run, and the Cincinnati Reds held on to beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Tuesday night.

DeSclafani gave up two hits while striking out five for the Reds, who evened the three-game series after dropping the opener 7-6 in 10 innings Monday night. Acquired this offseason as part of the trade that sent former ace Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins, DeSclafani (1-0) earned his first victory for Cincinnati.

 

DeSclafani was replaced in the eighth by former Cubs closer Kevin Gregg, who walked Matt Szczur before allowing pinch-hitter Welington Castillo's two-run home run. Gregg was replaced by Tony Cingrani, who allowed a two-out single to Anthony Rizzo and a walk to Jorge Soler before striking out Chris Coghlan to end the threat.

 

In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman gave up a Starlin Castro leadoff single and a one-out walk to Szczur but struck out David Ross and Mike Olt to convert his third save in three tries and snap Cincinnati's three-game losing streak.

 

DeSclafani and the Reds got the win thanks in part to an offense that scored three runs in the fourth against Jake Arrieta (1-1), who dominated Cincinnati last season. Arrieta, who was coming off seven scoreless innings in his first start of the year against St. Louis, took no-hitters into the seventh inning twice against the Reds in 2014 but didn't match that Tuesday. He went 6 2-3 innings and allowed three runs and seven hits while striking out five and allowed an earned run for the first time since Sept. 9.

 

That wasn't enough to help the Cubs win their fourth straight one night after moving two games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2009 season.

 

Billy Hamilton, back in the lineup after missing Monday's game due to general soreness, led off the Reds' three-run fourth with a single, stole second and scored on Votto's single. Cincinnati doubled its lead on a bizarre play that started with Jay Bruce singling to left to drive in Todd Frazier, but saw Castro race to try to cover third and fall on Brandon Phillips before getting up and picking off Bruce who had strayed too far off first.

 

The Reds capped the fourth-inning scoring when Marlon Byrd drove in Phillips.

 

Jose Quintana, bullpen lead White Sox to third straight win 4-1.

 

By Dan Hayes

 

 

The off-speed stuff wasn’t there and his pitch count soared but Jose Quintana had run support and a hot bullpen at his manager’s disposal.

 

The starting pitcher and catcher Tyler Flowers quickly changed strategies and did enough to pass the baton as the White Sox downed the Cleveland Indians 4-1 at Progressive Field on Tuesday night. Jose Abreu homered and the trio of Dan Jennings, Zach Duke and David Robertson struck out eight in three innings as the White Sox earned their third straight victory.

“Q was erratic,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It wasn’t really the control that you’d like to see. But he battled.

“He’s a strong kid, he battles and at least gets you to the point where you can get the bullpen in there. He bobbed and weaved as well as he could.”

Quintana said the cool, crisp air gave him trouble as he couldn’t grip the ball how he would have liked. More than a handful of times, Quintana appeared to lick his left hand to get a better feel.

While he had no trouble throwing his fastball, Quintana struggled to locate his curve, only throwing it for eight strikes in 24 tries.

“I feel uncomfortable with my hands,” Quintana said. “I try to fight every inning and keep the game close and get the win.

“A little bit dry. I feel a little bit dry, but this is the first month of the year. It’s a little bit cold. No matter what happens you try to do your job good.”

Poor offspeed command — he went to seven three-ball counts in 23 batters — and a Conor Gillaspie error didn’t help matters. Gillaspie’s third-inning miscue meant Quintana needed to throw 11 extra pitches to get out of the frame. Quintana had thrown 63 pitches through three innings.

That’s when he and Flowers switched plans and went with a more aggressive fastball-based approach. Following a two-out RBI double by Ryan Raburn in the fourth inning that cut the White Sox lead to 3-1, Quintana retired seven straight. He needed only eight pitches to retire the side in order in the fifth inning and set down Cleveland’s 3-4-5 hitters in the sixth.

Of the 104 pitches thrown by Quintana — who allowed an unearned run and three hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings — 70 were fastballs.

“Really nice job with not all his weapons,” Flowers said. “That’s a sign of a very good pitcher and he’s always been more of a command guy, but he’s been a command guy with all of his pitches. When that happens you expect six, seven out of him and a run or less. Saying that, today was even more impressive just really relying on fastball command and the occasional wrinkle in there.”

Quintana had plenty of help.

As Duke noted, the bullpen is “on a good roll.”

Jennings pitched around a two-out walk and an Alexei Ramirez two-base error to keep the lead at three runs in the seventh. Duke struck out the Indians’ 2-3-4 hitters in order in the eighth and Robertson did the same in the ninth.

The offense gave Quintana some early wiggle room with which to work.

Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera opened the game with consecutive singles off Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco, who was knocked out of the contest when he was struck by a liner off the latter’s bat. Cabrera’s line drive glanced off Carrasco’s glove and struck the pitcher on the jaw sending him to the ground immediately.

Carrasco didn’t move for several minutes before he was carted off the field. The Cleveland pitcher went to a local hospital where X-rays were negative and he showed no symptoms of a concussion or head injury and was being treated for a jaw contusion.

The White Sox took advantage of the situation as Adam LaRoche had an RBI groundout to make it 1-0 and Avisail Garcia’s two-out single off Zach McAllister gave them a two-run advantage.

Flowers made it 3-0 in the fourth with a two-out RBI single, one of two hits and Abreu regained the three-run lead with a 387-foot homer off Nick Hagadone in the fifth.

“I’m happy with this outing, and tomorrow I will prepare for my next start,” Quintana said. “I feel this is a new start for us.”

Golf: I got a club for that: Jordan Spieth's Masters win is worth much more than just prize money.

By Robby Kalland

Jordan Spieth's Masters win will make him a lot of money off the course. (Getty Images)

Winning the Masters earned Jordan Spieth $1.8 million in prize money, but it will be worth so much more when it comes to potential off the course earnings.

Golf Digest's Ron Sirak spoke with a number of analysts and agents who project Spieth's off course earnings to more than triple after winning the green jacket. Spieth made about $6 million in endorsement deals in 2014. That number figures to go way up after winning the Masters, and many anticipate him to make $25 million in combined endorsement deals and tournament winnings.

Most Masters winners see an increase in off-course earnings, but Spieth has a lot of factors that make him extremely enticing to sponsors, which Sirak listed.

• "First is believability. No one thinks this was a fluke." This is important, because Spieth isn't some surprise winner who came out of nowhere to win the green jacket. Spieth is ranked No. 2 in the world and is widely regarded as one of the world's best players. He's going to contend in majors consistently and has the game to win a lot of major titles.

• "Second is longevity." Spieth is just 21-years old, and if you buy into the first point, then you can expect him to be great for at least another 15 years, probably longer. Spieth's agent's phone will be ringing constantly with companies that want to wrap up a sponsorship with Spieth so he can endorse their products and equipment for a long time (shoutout to Under Armour for finding a cash cow in this kid right as they launch golf equipment).

• "Third is likeability. Spieth is a nice guy with no off the course baggage." Spieth isn't Captain Charisma, but he's the next best thing for a company looking for someone to endorse them. He's an extremely nice guy that can be easily sold as a role model and with his age he can help target younger consumers. He's polite and seems totally genuine, which is probably the next best thing to having a gregarious personality.

• "Fourth, he won the right major in the Masters." The Masters is golf's marquee event and is the one that the most casual sports fans will have knowledge of. This makes his impact much bigger than say a PGA Championship winner, because the average sports fan -- not just golf fan -- will have an idea who he is.

The other thing that Sirak doesn't mention in his list of reasons why Spieth will make a ton of money in sponsorships: He's the new face of American golf.

Rory McIlroy is the No. 1 player in the world, but Spieth is prepared to take the title of best American golfer over. That makes a difference in the eyes of sponsors here in the States, and Spieth will be able to cash in on that.

NASCAR Power Rankings: The Texas top 2 is reversed.

By Nick Bromberg

1. Kevin Harvick (LW: 1): Why wasn't Harvick's wall-brush as he was chasing Jimmie Johnson a caution? Yes, we ask that with tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek, but with every sarcastic remark there's a grain of truth, right? Matt Kenseth was apparent cause of two cautions, one after he slid (and saved his car), producing tire smoke, and another caution came after he brushed the wall. If you wanted to use the Kenseth basis to advocate for a late yellow, well, crazier cases have been made for things in NASCAR. Anyway, Harvick finished second. Ho-hum.

2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 10): For as good as Harvick has been on 1.5 mile tracks (and overall), it's nice that he's got a stout intermediate track competitor in the No. 48 team. And yes, we just said it was glad that the 48 had emerged as competition for another driver. Someone check our temperature. Johnson has now won three of the last five races at 1.5 mile tracks. Harvick has won the other two. There's clearly a Hendrick secret here that's being fully utilized by two cars. Can others in and outside of Hendrick equipment find it?

3. Joey Logano (LW: 2): Anyone else incredibly happy that a mountain wasn't made out of a molehill in the episode between Logano and Harvick? Logano knew he had to stay ahead of Harvick and Harvick moved Logano out of the way without being dirty about it. As Logano said after the race, it was simply racing, and it was nothing to have an overly dramatic pit road scene about. And Logano's move may also open up an interesting debate about blocking in the Cup Series. While it's not an accepted practice throughout the entirety of a race, given the difficulty of passing near the front of the field, at what point does it become acceptable, or at least tolerated, at the end of a race?

4. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 3): Another top 10 for Truex, who has finished there in every Sprint Cup race this season. It's a hell of an accomplishment, especially for a team that was so far off last season. But it's also put into 2015 perspective when you look at the standings. Truex is already 40 points out of the lead, meaning if the Texas results repeated themselves at Bristol, he'd be more than a full race out of the top spot. With eight top 10s in eight races. Crazy.

5. Brad Keselowski (LW: 5): Keselowski had a better recovery than his teammate. While Logano moved from eighth to fourth in the waning laps after he was moved out of the way by Harvick (and incredibly saved his car), Keselowski had a tire vibration, lost a lap and also committed coneslaughter. The sentencing for the coneslaughter put Keselowski at the tail end of the field for the next restart but he ended up finishing fifth, one spot behind his teammate.

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 9): That secret we talked about in the Johnson paragraph? Maybe the No. 88 team found it. While they weren't too fast at all in qualifying, the team was exceptionally quick in race trim and Junior was near the front pretty quickly. He didn't lead any laps but spent most of the race in the top 10 and was within spitting distance of the lead as he battled with Kevin Harvick for the rights to finish second to Johnson.

7. Kasey Kahne (LW: 8): If we're going to give Keselowski and Logano props for their comebacks, we need to mention Kahne's as well. Kahne had an exceptionally fast car all weekend and an unscheduled stop put him a lap down for a potential loose wheel. He got a fortuitously-timed caution after green flag pit stops to cycle back towards the lead lap and stayed near the front of the field the rest of the way. He finished 8th.

8. Denny Hamlin (LW: 7): Denny Hamlin finished 11th? Denny Hamlin finished 11th. The No. 11 was flat out to lunch early in the race but they kept working on the car and got back near the top 10. Good points racing for that bunch despite the fact they don't have to points race any longer because Hamlin won at Martinsville to essentially qualify for the Chase. What? You mean teams want to do as best as they can even on bad days? We'll be damned.

9. Jeff Gordon (LW: 12): Gordon finished sixth and after his horrible start to the season is 13th in the standings. That's what happens when you counter three bad races with four consecutive top 10s. And while the results have gotten better for Gordon, his fastest non-Martinsville car has been his Atlanta car. As you know, that race ended in a crash against a bare concrete wall. Gordon will win a race, and probably soon. We're going to go with a Kansas repeat.

10. Kurt Busch (LW: 4): Yes, this seems awfully harsh for Busch, it's just that we couldn't justify keeping him above the drivers who finished ahead of him. Busch was incredibly fast at the beginning of the race but the handling disappeared on his car as the race went on and he scrapped towards a 14th place finish. Through four of seven races in 2014, Busch is now just 17 points outside the top 20.

11. Ryan Newman (LW: 11): For the second week after his team was found to have been poking holes in tires, Newman finished outside the top 10. Though we'll clarify and say it wasn't nearly as bad as his Martinsville debacle, where he fell like an anchor through the field after starting second. Rather he finished 12th, which was pretty typical in his 2014 season. We're anxiously awaiting what emerges from the No. 31 team's appeal on Thursday.

12. Aric Almirola (LW: NR): All hail the wonders of the NASCAR points system. Almirola is 10th in the standings despite not having any top-10 finishes in 2015. He's done it by finishing 11th (twice) and not finishing any lower than 26th. Six of his seven finishes are between 11th and 19th. Is it a run that's going to get him in the Chase again? Probably not. But it's a lesser imitation of Ryan Newman's 2014 so far and we saw how well that worked out last year.

Lucky Dog: The dude who got hit by Francesco Dracone's car on pit road in the IndyCar race and didn't have major injuries.

Dropped Out: Matt Kenseth

The DNF: HScott Motorsports teammates Justin Allagaier and Michael Annett both had apparent tire issues that led to crashes.

USMNT vs. Mexico Preview: Weakened rosters won't weaken atmosphere.

By Kyle Bonn

• The United States is 12-5-5 vs. Mexico since 2000
• Mexico has not held the United States scoreless on American soil since 2003
• The US and Mexico have never matched up in San Antonio

The United States takes a domestic-heavy roster into a likely hostile environment when they take on Mexico in the Alamodome in San Antonio on Wednesday at 8:30pm ET.

The Alamodome has shipped in a sod turf which it laid down just three days before the match, and reports are surfacing that the Mexican delegation is extremely unhappy with the field conditions, putting the match in jeopardy.

Should the match proceed as planned, the US will get yet another look at its available squad as Jurgen Klinsmann preps for a full few years of competitive play. He’s tinkered plenty so far, and there’s no indication that will end in San Antonio.

The match will have a different feel to it, with a heavy Mexican contingent expected in the Alamodome. It will no doubt test the players’ resolve in a truly hostile environment. While they played a few road European friendlies not long ago, those were somewhat poorly attended and had an atmosphere fitting for a friendly. This game proves to be different.

One storyline to watch is the goalkeeping situation. Nick Rimando has been tested by William Yarbrough, and it will be interesting to see who gets how much time and how that individual performs. Yarbrough is also one of many Mexican-Americans on the roster, an intriguing side story to watch unfold. Besides the goalkeeper, there’s Ventura Alvarado, Miguel Ibarra, Joe Corona, and Greg Garza. Jozy Altidore is not on the roster, serving a one-game suspension for his second yellow against Switzerland.

Unlike the United States, a country that has struggled mightily since the conclusion of last summer’s World Cup, Mexico has thrived on its success. Miguel Herrera has mixed experimentation and consistency very well, and as a result Mexico has won four of their last five matches. For this game, he’s gone incredibly young on his roster.

ROSTERS:

United States

GK: Bill Hamid, Nick Rimando, William Yarbrough

DEF: Ventura Alvarado, Matt Besler, Brad Evans, Greg Garza, Omar Gonzalez, Brek Shea, DeAndre Yedlin

MF: Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, Miguel Ibarra, Perry Kitchen, Lee Nguyen

FW: Juan Agudelo, Julian Green, Jordan Morris, Chris Wondolowski, Gyasi Zardes

Mexico

GK: Cirilo Saucedo, Jonathan Orozco

DEF: Francisco Rodriguez, Julio Cesar Dominguez, Osvaldo Alanis, Adrian Aldrete, George Corral, Gerardo Flores, Hiram Mier, Efrain Velarde, Carlos Salcedo

MF: Luis Montes, Antonio Rios, Jurgen Damm, Luis Rodriguez, Mario Osuna

FW: Oribe Peralta, Erick “Cubo” Torres, Eduardo Herrera

USWNT names final 23-woman World Cup roster.

By Kyle Lynch

(Photo/AP)

The United States opens up the Women’s World Cup on June 8th in Winnipeg, Canada, and manager Jill Ellis has named the players who will represent our country.

Hope Solo will be in net for the USWNT, despite all the off the field issues that have transpired over the past year.

Christie Rampone will travel to her fifth World Cup at the young age of 39, while Shannon Boxx makes her fourth World Cup roster at 37.

The midfield has five players with over 100 caps for the USWNT, including Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd.

Up top the U.S. will rely on the tandem of Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan, with Sydney Leroux making her World Cup debut in her birth nation of Canada.

Full Roster

Goalkeepers: Hope Solo, Ashlyn Harris, Alyssa Naeher

Defenders: Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghan Klingenberg, Ali Krieger, Julie Johnston, Lori Chalupny, Whitney Engen, Kelley O’Hara

Midfielders: Lauren Holiday, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Shannon Boxx, Morgan Brian, Tobin Heath, Heather O’Reilly

Forwards: Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Christen Press, Amy Rodriguez

Coaching change may cost VCU its entire recruiting class.

By Jeff Eisenberg

New VCU college basketball coach Will Wade smiles at a news conference Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Mark Gormus)

When Shaka Smart left for Texas earlier this month, VCU may have lost more than just the most successful coach in program history.
 

The Rams also could have to say goodbye to all three members of Smart's final recruiting class.

Tevin Mack, Rivals.com's No. 78 recruit in the class of 2015, has received a release from his letter of intent, ESPN.com reported Tuesday. The 6-foot-6 small forward originally chose VCU in November over UConn, South Carolina and Georgia.
 

Mack's decision comes less than a week after fellow Rivals 150 prospects Kenny Williams and Jordan Murphy also received releases from their letters of intent to VCU. Williams, a sweet-shooting 6-foot-2 guard from Virginia, initially chose the Rams over North Carolina. Murphy, a 6-foot-7 small forward from Texas, had previously considered UNLV.
 

It's unclear at this point whether new VCU Will Wade will be able to persuade any of the three to reconsider and stick with the Rams. Wade, a former assistant under Smart who spent the past couple years coaching Chattanooga, will likely run a similar trapping, up-tempo system to his predecessor's. 
 

The potential loss of a strong recruiting class is a blow to a VCU program that also must replace departed seniors Treveon Graham and Briante Weber. VCU will build around the likes of highly touted wings Terry Larrier and Melvin Johnson and frontcourt standout Mo Alie-Cox next season.

Bowl payouts top $500 million for first time, up $200 million from last year.

By Graham Watson

Ohio State, right, and Oregon play during the first half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game in Arlington, Texas. According to an NCAA report to be released Tuesday, April 14, 2015, the 39 postseason FBS games distributed $505.9 million to the participating conferences and schools. The schools spent $100.2 million to take part in bowl games. The increase in payouts is due mostly to the increased value of media deals with the seven games, six bowls and a national championship game, that are part of the College Football Playoff. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
 

The playoff era is already proving to be somewhat of a financial boon for college football programs and conferences across the board.

According to a report by the Associated Press, bowl games paid out more than a half billion to college football conferences and schools, the most ever and an increase of more than $200 million compared to last season.

The AP cites an NCAA report released Tuesday, which shows the 39 postseason FBS games distributed $505.9 million to participating conferences and schools. Schools spent $100.2 million to participate in bowl games.

During the 2013-14 season, the final season of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), 35 postseason games paid out $309.9 million while participating schools spent $97.8 million on bowl expenses.

The AP notes that the reason for the uptick in revenue is because of the multi-million dollar media deal to broadcast the College Football Playoff games and the four other top-level bowl games.

ESPN signed an agreement in 2012 that shelled out about $470 million per year for the media rights to broadcast the three College Football Playoff games and the four of the other major bowl games through 2025. 

  

MLB's new security measures are 'laughable' says expert.

By Israel Fehr

(AP Photo)

Every ballpark across Major League Baseball introduced mandatory metal detector screening over the last week in an effort to increase security inside the stadium.

The roll-out for the heightened screening process hasn't been perfect, as many fans at Coors Field missed the first pitch of the Rockies' home opener Friday because they were stuck in line waiting to be cleared for entrance into the park. At least the people attending games will be safer though, right?

 

Maybe not. American security expert Bruce Schneier writes in the Washington Post that MLB's changes are not only meaningless, but also misguided. Schneier, an author and the CTO at Resilient Systems, writes:

Touted as a counterterrorism measure, they’re nothing of the sort. They’re pure security theater: They look good without doing anything to make us safer. We’re stuck with them because of a combination of buck passing, CYA thinking and fear.

As a security measure, the new devices are laughable. The ballpark metal detectors are much more lax than the ones at an airport checkpoint. They aren’t very sensitive — people with phones and keys in their pockets are sailing through — and there are no X-ray machines. Bags get the same cursory search they’ve gotten for years. And fans wanting to avoid the detectors can opt for a “light pat-down search” instead.

It's certainly an interesting opinion coming from someone who is eminently qualified to speak out on the matter and add context to what is a much larger discussion than simply applying advanced security at professional baseball games.

And while it appears the metal detectors are here to stay, the short-term hope is that getting fans through the gates as efficiently as possible gets easier as the season goes on.
 

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, April 15, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1947 - Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Previously he had only appeared in exhibition games.

1972 - The major league baseball season began following a players strike.

1976 - Yankee Stadium II opened.

1989 - In Sheffield, England, 96 people died at Hillsborough stadium during a semifinal soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Most of the victims were crushed when a barrier collapsed on an overcrowded pen behind one of the goals.

2000 - Cal Ripken Jr. (Baltimore Orioles) became the 24th major league player to reach 3,000 hits.

2002 - HSN began airing "The NHL Show" featuring Phil Esposito.
 

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