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Sports Quote of the Day:

"Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful." ~ Wayne Gretzky, Former NHL Hockey Player and Coach
 

Trending: Veteran Chicago Blackhawks vs. Young Tampa Bay Lightning in opening game of Stanley Cup Final tonight at 8:00 PM (EST).

Trending: Bulls announce Fred Hoiberg as new head coach. (See basketball section for details). 

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Stanley Cup Final feeling never gets old for Blackhawks. 

By Tracey Myers

   

 

Jonathan Toews is one of several Blackhawks making his third Stanley Cup Final appearance. He’s played in many postseason games.

Considering how many lengthy playoff runs the Blackhawks have had, the grind it takes to get here, the shine wears off a little, doesn’t it? Well, no, actually.

“I think last night for me was one of the toughest nights to get to sleep because of the excitement,” Toews said with a smile on his face. “I’m sure a lot of the guys share that same feeling.”

Indeed, they do.

There’s something about this time of the postseason, whether it’s your first time going to the Final or your third time: you’re like a kid, brimming with anticipation, excitement and perhaps some sleeplessness. The feelings never get old and the Blackhawks, who will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 on Wednesday night, are experiencing them again.

“Not that I can’t believe we’re here, but there [was] definitely excitement after the Game 7," Patrick Sharp said. "It was tough to kind of relax on the plane and get to sleep when I got home. I remember the first time in 2010; we were close to winning, and there wasn’t a whole lot of pregame naps going on. It wasn’t great sleep at nighttime. It was so much excitement. I think the more times you go through it, the more relaxed you can get. But having said that, the excitement and energy is still there.”

The Blackhawks enter this Final much like they did the other two: they have an idea of what the Lightning will bring but they’re not as familiar with Tampa as they are their usual Western Conference foes. It will be a challenge, for sure; some are comparing the current Lightning to the Blackhawks of a few years ago. And while the Blackhawks-Anaheim Ducks matchup was a physical series, this will certainly be a speedy series.

“They definitely have a lot of speed, you’re right on that; a lot of skill, too,” Duncan Keith said. “They have forwards who have real good hockey sense. They’re in the final for a reason. We’ve said it before: it’s going to be a tough challenge. They’re a young team that’s going to be excited. We’re excited to have the challenge as well.”

There’s just something special about the playoffs in general, but especially about the Stanley Cup Final. A big reason for that is it’s so hard to get to this point once, let alone three times. The Blackhawks aren’t talking about their potential place in history yet; there’s too much hockey left to be played and, as Patrick Kane said after Game 7, “we haven’t done anything yet.” The anticipation will be there, though. So, perhaps, will be a few sleepless moments.

“I love it. It’s what we dream about, what it’s all about, as a player or coach, is getting to this situation,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “The best part about winning a Cup is the road [you take] to try and win it. You get to this stage, we put ourselves in a good spot, let’s get excited.”

UPDATES

- Quenneville said Bryan Bickell and Marcus Kruger are fine and will play in Game 1 on Wednesday. Bickell didn’t play from the early second period on in the Blackhawks’ Game 7 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. Asked if Bickell was hurt or just not playing well, Quenneville said, “we’ll say it was my decision but we’ll say a little bit of both.”

- Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk will travel with the Blackhawks and is expected to practice with on Tuesday. Quenneville said the team will gauge where van Riemsdyk is following practice. He added that he’ll keep all options open regarding the fifth and sixth defensemen spots.

Blackhawks-Lightning: Who has edge in the Stanley Cup Final?

By Tracey Myers

Here we are again, folks, another Stanley Cup Final featuring the Blackhawks.

It’s getting to be a habit, with the Blackhawks making their third trip here in the past six seasons. Awaiting them is the young, fast and talented Tampa Bay Lightning, who came back from a 3-2 series deficit against the Detroit Red Wings in the first round and beat the New York Rangers on enemy ice in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Lightning will be a challenge. But you know this story well, it’s about who has the edges in particular categories. So with Game 1 quickly approaching, let’s look at those edges.

FORWARDS

Neither of these teams lacks firepower. The Blackhawks combined some of theirs in the later Western Conference games when Patrick Kane joined Jonathan Toews on the top line. Toews was stellar against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his final three games against them. Brandon Saad has also lifted his game as the playoffs continued; he has six goals this postseason and his speed and scoring potential were problematic for the Ducks.

As for the Lightning, Steven Stamkos obviously wasn’t hurting early in the postseason; he was just off to a slow start. He picked up in the Eastern Conference Final, during which he recorded four goals and three assists in seven games. Tyler Johnson has been the big surprise and he still leads the Lightning with 21 postseason points, including 12 goals. His line-mates Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat aren’t hurting, either, with nine and seven goals, respectively. Have fun with both these teams’ forwards, goaltenders. EDGE: Even

DEFENSEMEN

There were concerns of how the top four defensemen would handle the extra minutes in Michal Rozsival’s absence, as well as the hits they took from the Ducks. From all appearances, they held up just fine. Duncan Keith seems to get better despite the plethora of minutes and Brent Seabrook is once again a clutch playoff performer, scoring six goals to compliment his work on the other side of the puck.

Tampa’s top pair of Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman has been strong. Hedman has nine assists to go along with his steady defensive play. The Lightning used seven defensemen during the Eastern Conference Final with good results. Whether or not they take the same approach against the Blackhawks remains to be seen. Regardless, the visitor gets the nod. EDGE: Blackhawks

GOALTENDERS

This is an interesting category, mainly because both goaltenders have had their triumphant and forgettable moments. Corey Crawford had an awful start to the postseason before regaining the net against the Minnesota Wild. His best game was arguably Game 2 against the Ducks, when he stopped 60 shots in a triple-overtime thriller. Tampa’s Ben Bishop has had his ups and downs, too. He allowed the Rangers five goals in three separate games. On the flip side, he shut out the Rangers in Games 5 and 7 at Madison Square Garden, so he can buckle down when need be. EDGE: Even

POWER PLAY

This one is closer than you think. Despite the Blackhawks’ power play struggling at times (please see one shot on five chances in Game 3 vs. Anaheim) and being the subject of Twitter punch lines (“Can’t we decline the penalty?”) it has come up big at necessary times. The Blackhawks, who are converting 19.6 of their postseason opportunities, got two power-play goals in Game 7, with Brent Seabrook’s score being the dagger. The Lightning has six more power-play goals than the Blackhawks this postseason (16 to 10) but they’ve also been on the job a lot more often (72 opportunities to 51). Close, for sure, but the Bolts may still have a more advantageous advantage. EDGE: Lightning

PENALTY KILL

Remember when the Blackhawks took this category running away? Their kill was terrible against Nashville, giving up six goals to the Predators. We’ll give them credit for how they did against Anaheim. They held the Ducks’ power play, which clobbered Calgary for six goals, to just three, and one was on a 6-on-4 advantage at the end of Game 7. Tampa Bay’s penalty kill was great during the first two rounds of the playoffs, allowing just six goals to Detroit and Montreal combined. Then they allowed seven power-play goals to the Rangers. So hit and miss for both. EDGE: Even

EXPERIENCE

We trot this category out a lot but there is plenty to be said for having it at this time of year. Both teams are coming off great conference series showings, both needing a Game 7 to advance. Some have compared the Lightning to the Blackhawks of a few years ago, and you can certainly see that. Tampa is rebuilding nicely, with young, strong players as part of their core. Perhaps they handle the growing spotlight with ease; they’ve done well thus far. But on this stage ... EDGE: Blackhawks

Lightning ticket policy attempting to block Blackhawks fans out.

By C. Roumeliotis

Here we go again, Blackhawks fans.

We've seen it in places like St. Louis and Nashville, and now the Tampa Bay Lightning are doing everything they can to prevent Chicago fans from flooding Amalie Arena during the Stanley Cup Final.  Here's what happens for out-of-area Blackhawks fans looking to purchase tickets on the Lightning's Ticketmaster site for Games 1 and 2 (and assuming Games 5 and 7, if necessary):

Please note. Amalie Arena is located in Tampa, FL. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of Florida. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside the selected area will be canceled without notice and refunds given.

But wait, there's more.

If you're a fan residing in the state of Florida and plan to attend the game sporting Blackhawks attire, good luck making it through the whole game without being noticed. The Lightning are looking to keep the red out, figuratively and literally.

Chase Club and Lexus Lounge ticket holders: Please note that for all 2015 NHL Playoff Games at Amalie Arena, only Tampa Bay Lightning apparel (or neutral) will be permitted in these club and adjoining seating areas. Fans wearing visiting team apparel will be asked to remove them while in these areas.

Oh, and if you refuse to obey those rules, you will be removed from the area and onto an available seat outside the club level. And you won't get an apology from the Lightning.

“We’re not going to apologize for the policy,” Team vice president Bill Wickett told the New York Times. “We want to create as much of a hometown environment for the Lightning players and our season-ticket holders as we can.”

The Predators used this same strategy to block Blackhawks fans from entering Bridgestone Arena in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they were somewhat successful. But it didn't translate to a desired outcome in the series.

Will it work for Tampa Bay?   

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls announce Fred Hoiberg as new head coach.  

CSN Staff

 

The Mayor is officially in Chicago.

The Bulls announced Fred Hoiberg as the 19th head coach in franchise history Tuesday afternoon.

Hoiberg helped put Iowa State basketball back on the map, culminating in 53 wins over the last two seasons and a pair of berths in the NCAA Tournament (including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2014.

The Bulls believe the 42-year-old coach is ready for the next step and he seems excited to get started.

"I love this roster. I absolutely love this roster," Hoiberg said at his introductory press conference.

Hoiberg also made sure to give credit to Tom Thibodeau, calling Thibs an "excellent basketball coach" and saying he wanted to build on what Thibodeau has instilled in the franchise over the last five seasons.

Hoiberg has history in Chicago and with this front office. He and his wife gave birth to twin boys in Chicago during his playing days with the Bulls.

"Every time I come back to Chicago, I think of the twins," Hoiberg said. "In a way, they're coming home now."

UPDATE: Who is Fred Hoiberg? A timeline of The Mayor's career.

By Mark Strotman

Fred Hoiberg was announced Tuesday afternoon as the 19th head coach of the Bulls.

Here's a timeline of Hoiberg's basketball career, from a high school star in Ames, Iowa, to the NBA to the front office and back to Ames before finally arriving in the Windy City.

1991: Hoiberg, who would later be honored as Mr. Basketball in Iowa, leads Ames High School to a 1991 state championship, averaging 38.1 points per game in six tournament games. He was also named the Gatorade State Player of the Year in football, playing quarterback for the Little Cyclones. He received a football scholarship offer from Nebraska, but wound up turning it down to play basketball at hometown Iowa State. He also had basketball scholarship offers from Arizona and Stanford, among others. Hoiberg's family had moved to Ames when Fred was 2 years old, and he spent time with the Iowa State basketball team as the ball boy in grade school, falling in love with the town and program he would one day play for and coach.

1992-1995: Hoiberg finishes his Iowa State basketball career with 1,993 points, third most in program history. He was named the 1992 Big Eight Freshman of the Year, earned second team All-Big Eight honors as a junior and first team All-Big Eight honors as a senior. He was also a third team All-American in his final season with the Cyclones, when he averaged 19.9 points (third best in the conference). Hoiberg was so popular in the town, school and basketball program that his teammates nicknamed him "The Mayor." He even received a few write-in votes in the 1993 mayoral election in Ames. His senior season he played for head coach Tim Floyd and assistant Gar Forman, who 15 years later would become the Bulls' general manager.

1995-1999: Hoiberg is selected No. 52 overall by the Indiana Pacers. In 139 games, he averages 3.9 points in 11.6 minutes per game.

1999-2003: Hoiberg signs as a free agent with the Bulls, then coached by Floyd. In his first season with the Bulls he averaged 9.0 points, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game in a career-high 27.3 minutes per game. He followed that up with his best year as a professional in 2000-01, averaging 9.1 points, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.4 minutes per game. Floyd resigned early in the 2001 season, and Hoiberg fell out of the rotation in his final two seasons with the Bulls under Bill Cartwright, averaging just 3.4 points in 15.4 minutes per game.

2003-05: Hoiberg finds a resurgence in his final two seasons with the Timberwolves, averaging 6.2 points on better than 46 percent shooting from beyond the arc in 155 games. In his final NBA season, he led the league in 3-point shooting (48.3 percent) and shot a career-best 48.9 percent from the field. In 10 NBA seasons, he averaged 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 541 games, including 61 starts. During his time in the league, he played under some of the best coaches in the game, including Larry Brown, Larry Bid and Kevin McHale.

2005: A health screening uncovers an enlarged aortic root in his heart, requiring open-heart surgery and a pacemaker. After a summer of recovery, Hoiberg considers returning to the NBA with the run-n-gun Phoenix Suns under Mike D'Antoni. And though doctors told him there was little to no risk in returning to the NBA while using a pacemaker, Hoiberg - a father of two with his high school sweetheart, Carol - ultimately turns down the offer.

2006: With his playing days behind him, Hoiberg accepts a front office job with the Timberwolves as an assistant general manager. In his four seasons with Minnesota - he was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in 2009 - the Timberwolves acquired Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio through the draft.

2010: Hoiberg returns home, accepting a position as head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones. He takes over a program that hadn't had a winning season in-conference since 2005, and hadn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2001. He goes 16-16 in his first season, followed by 46 wins the next two seasons. In 2013-14, the Cyclones went 28-8, earning an NCAA Tournament berth (and an eventual Sweet 16 appearance) and a Big 12 Conference Tournament championship. The Cyclones repeat the following season, this past year, going 25-8 and earning another NCAA Tournament appearance and Big 12 Conference Tournament championship. They're stunned in the NCAA Tournament, falling to 15th-seeded UAB in what would be Hoiberg's final game with the Cyclones.

2015: Hoiberg is officially hired as the 22nd head coach in Bulls franchise history.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Matt Forte could be set for big year with coordinator Adam Gase.

 By Adam Jahns

(Photo/Getty Images) 

Matt Forte’s first impression of new Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase and Gase’s plans for him was a same-old feel.  ‘‘We talked about that type of stuff when he first got hired — same as I always [have] been utilized in the running game and the passing game,’’ Forte said during team activities this past week at Halas Hall.

If that’s the case, then Forte is looking at plenty of opportunities to produce in what will be contract year for him, barring unforeseen developments.

But it’s May, and Gase’s offense is in its infancy. Since coach John Fox was hired, he often has expressed his preference for having a ‘‘wave’’ of backs.

‘‘[Forte’s] role will define itself as we get going,’’ Gase said earlier this month. ‘‘We’re still evolving right now.’’

But Gase knows Forte is unique. In his two years in charge of the Denver Broncos’ offense, he didn’t have a running back with Forte’s productivity, durability or stamina. Forte’s success has transcended Bears coordinators; he has reached 1,400 yards from scrimmage in all seven of his seasons.

Forte is a modern-day bell-cow running back. He won’t pound opponents through 30 carries, but he’ll attack you via 30 touches. Former Bears coach Marc Trestman recognized that ability and spoke glowingly about it. Consequently, Forte rarely left the field — for better or worse — in Trestman’s two-year run, and his production has increased with age. He was on for more than 92 percent of the Bears’ offensive plays last season. In the last two years, Forte has accounted for an astounding 731 touches. That’s more than DeMarco Murray (719), LeSean McCoy (706) and Marshawn Lynch (654).
 

‘‘This is an unusual situation just because Matt has been in such great shape and has been so dynamic as far as staying on the field,’’ Gase said. ‘‘We’ve just got to see how it plays out. In Denver, [running back] C.J. [Anderson] would hate me for saying this, but he got tired and was a little chubby sometimes. I mean, he got worn down quick, and then we had to rotate backs in last year. Matt’s an unusual situation in that position because he’s able to play every play, or has.’’

Fox’s teams always seem to be looking for more in the backfield. In Carolina, Fox had DeShaun Foster and Stephen Davis and later paired Jonathan Stewart with DeAngelo Williams. In Denver, he drafted Montee Ball in the second round despite having Knowshon Moreno.

The Bears did the same this offseason. They signed free agent Jacquizz Rodgers to a one-year deal and drafted Jeremy Langford in the fourth round to go with Forte, Ka’Deem Carey and Senorise Perry.

‘‘We’ve always been believers in kind of a 1-2 punch,’’ Fox said earlier this month. ‘‘But as I tell guys, they pick the team [through] how they perform, and it will be no different at running back, who that guy is and how dependable he is and if he earns that number of reps to get in. We’re early in the process, and hopefully somebody kind of sets themselves out.’’

It has happened before in standout fashion under Fox. His teams have produced six 1,000-yard rushers in his 13 previous seasons as a head coach. Williams had the best campaign in 2008, running for 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Panthers. In 2009, Williams and Stewart each surpassed 1,000 rushing yards.

Still, it’s Gase’s offense. He’s the rising star — the guru considered head-coach material. Fox may have his preferences, but Gase has the headset and play sheet. He’s eager to work with quarterback Jay Cutler and also Forte. Even Fox has referred to Forte’s ability to handle workloads as a positive.

‘‘[I’ll play] as long as God allows me to play football and I keep my body healthy,” said Forte, who turns 30 in December. ‘‘I’m out here at OTAs and I don’t have any injuries — I’m not nursing anything like that. I’m pretty much healthy. I feel like I can continue to play as long as I want to.’’

He may not have the contract he wants at the moment, but he seems to still like his situation.

‘‘Love Adam Gase,’’ he said. ‘‘First impression is he’s got a lot of energy. He’s going to be good not only for this offense, but being able to coach Jay as well.’’

Bears going to all-morning training camp under John Fox.

By John Mullin

Maybe it’s just a sensible adjustment for Bears training camp.

Last year the Bears’ schedule included five primetime games. The Bears had their usual night practice at Soldier Field during training camp, plus a sprinkling of 3 p.m. starts to practices in Bourbonnais.

This year the Bears have just two night games (plus one mid-afternoon game in Seattle). Not surprisingly perhaps, coach John Fox has zero night practices planned for Bears camp, which opens on Thursday, July 30, in Bourbonnais and runs through Sunday, Aug. 16, before the Bears return to Halas Hall.

Players report on July 29 and have non-padded practices on July 30 and July 31 before donning pads for the first time on Saturday, Aug. 1. The traditional Family Fest Soldier Field practice this year will be at 11:35 a.m. on Aug. 8. The Bears are scheduled to have 13 practices in Bourbonnais, the 14th year for the Bears to hold camp there on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University. All of the practices — with the exception of the Soldier Field practice — are at 9:35 a.m. or 11:15 a.m.

All practice dates and times are tentative and subject to change without notice. Fans and media can go to ChicagoBears.com for more information on the camp and on prices, parking and other details on Family Fest.

Finding the Fits: Bears' gamble on rookie Eddie Goldman will pay off.

By Bob Rang
 

The Bears are counting on beefy DT Eddie Goldman to do a lot of heavy lifting quickly. (USATSI)

Chicago's best fit: DT Eddie Goldman, No. 39 overall

Entering the 2015 NFL Draft, it was pretty clear that the Chicago Bears had two priorities: Find a difference-maker for the front seven and a replacement at wide receiver for Brandon Marshall, who was jettisoned to New York.

From a numbers perspective, it seemed logical that the Bears might opt to take the defender first. Wide receiver was talented at the top but also arguably the deepest and most gifted position in the 2015 draft. If the Bears elected to pass on a pass-catcher early, there would be plenty of options later. Conversely, scouts felt there was a steep drop off in talent at nose guard after Washington's Danny Shelton and Goldman.

By selecting West Virginia wide out Kevin White with the No. 7 overall pick, first-year general manager Ryan Pace and new head coach John Fox gambled that the huge hole in the middle of the Bears' new 3-4 defense could be filled later. The duo looked brilliant when Goldman -- a projected first-rounder -- slipped to the seventh pick of the second round.

Before Fox joined the team (and brought longtime San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio with him), the Bears were running a four-man front. Frankly, few of the defensive linemen currently on the roster fit with the two-gap responsibilities the Bears will be asking them to take on.

That's among the reasons why the broad-shouldered, 6-foot-4, 336-pound Goldman (the biggest player currently on the Bears' defense) is potentially such an ideal match. Goldman isn't just massive, however, he's also quick, powerful and smart, showing enough burst to split double-teams and the use of leverage to hold up at the point of attack. These attributes make him perfectly suited to stuffing the middle in much the same way that 6-3, 331-pound Terrance Knighton did under Fox in Denver.

However, unlike the man affectionately known as "Pot Roast," Goldman isn't "just" a nose guard. As a sophomore at Florida State, he emerged as a starter for eventual national champion Seminoles at defensive end -- a role very similar to the one he now may be asked to play in Chicago since the team released anticipated starter Ray McDonald last week.

Other thoughts on the Bears' 2015 draft class

While Goldman looks prepared to make an immediate impact, make no mistake White is the rookie in Chicago expected to make the splashiest debut. Due to his own extraordinary talent, as well as the aggression of quarterback Jay Cutler and offensive coordinator Adam Gase, White should contend for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Like Marshall -- the man he'll essentially be replacing in Chicago's offense -- the 6-3, 215-pound White wins by using his height, strength and body control to effectively box out opponents. While not as explosive on the field as the 4.3s he ran at the combine, White does have the burst to gain yardage in chunks -- traits that could make him a favorite of Cutler early and often.

Given Chicago's struggles in protecting Cutler and the rapid rise to stardom of former Oregon offensive lineman Kyle Long, the Bears' selection of All-American center Hroniss Grasu wasn't a surprise. A durable, reliable performer with excellent balance, quickness and instincts, he has the look of a long-time starter for the Bears, though veteran Will Montgomery (well-versed in Gase's system after signing from Denver), could be Chicago's opening day center this year.

Given the presence of Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte and the selection of Ka'Deem Carey a year ago, the addition of Jeremy Langford in the fourth round was a bit of a surprise. The 6-foot, 208 pound Langford offers a nice combination of agility, speed and underrated power but is likely more of a complementary back at this point rather than a true challenger to Forte.

Conversely, safety Adrian Amos and tackle Tayo Fabuluje join the Bears at positions of relative concern. Each flashes NFL talent, with Amos standing out due to his exciting combination of size (6-feet, 218 pounds) and speed (4.39) and Fabuluje a legitimate earth-mover at 6-6, 353 pounds. Amos saw time at corner and safety for Penn State and comes with a reputation as a selfless and savvy defender due in part to the fact that he played under three different defensive coordinators with the Nittany Lions. While alert and athletic in coverage, he didn't make as many big plays or lay the wood as a run defender as his size would indicate. Similarly, Fabuluje can physically dominate opponents, at times, showing impressive balance and agility for a man of his size but he struggled with his weight at TCU.

Chicago's 2015 draft class

• 1st Round, No. 7 overall: WR Kevin White, West Virginia
• 2nd Round, No. 39 overall: DT Eddie Goldman, Florida State
• 3rd Round, No. 71 C Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
• 4th Round, No. 106 overall: RB Jeremy Langford, Michigan State
• 5th Round, No. 142 overall: S Adrian Amos, Penn State
• 6th Round, No. 183 overall: OL Tayo Fabuluje, TCU

Key undrafted free agents signed

• CB Bryce Callahan, Rice
• QB Shane Carden, East Carolina
• WR Levi Norwood, Baylor
• LB John Timu, Washington
• DT Terry Williams, East Carolina

Bears release training camp schedule.

By Larry Mayer

The Bears will conduct training camp from July 29 through Aug. 16 at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, where fans will be able to watch practice and park free of charge.

The Bears will hold training camp at ONU for the 14th straight summer. The campus is located 60 miles south of Chicago and boasts four practice fields, air-conditioned locker rooms and dining facilities, a weight room, meeting rooms, and dorms for players and staff.

After reporting July 29, the Bears will practice for the first time at 9:35 a.m. Thursday, July 30. They will practice in pads for the first time at 9:35 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1. Their final workout open to the public in Bourbonnais is scheduled for 9:35 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 16.

Of the 13 training camp practices, six will begin at 9:35 a.m. and six will start at 11:15 a.m. The Bears will conduct their Family Fest practice at 11:35 a.m. at Soldier Field on Saturday, Aug. 8. Family Fest tickets cost $8-12 and will be available via Ticketmaster beginning June 12.

For 9:35 a.m. practices, gates will open at 8:35 a.m. with warm-ups beginning at 8:50 a.m. and practice concluding at 11:30 a.m. For 11:15 a.m. practices, gates will open at 10 a.m. with warm-ups starting at 10:30 a.m. and practice ending at 1:10 p.m.

The training camp site on the Olivet Nazarene campus includes a kids’ interactive area, a pro shop, and a promotional area with games and prizes. In addition, the Bears will host special family-friendly events and theme days throughout their stay in Bourbonnais.

Kyle Hendricks, Cubs fall to Marlins.

Associated Press

Brad Hand pitched six innings to earn his fifth victory in 33 career starts, and the Miami Marlins beat the Cubs, 5-2, on Tuesday.

Hand (1-1) improved his career record as a starter to 5-18. Even with the victory, his winning percentage as a starter (.217) is the lowest in the majors among active pitchers with at least 20 decisions, according to STATS.
 

Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo homer, his 16th. He has seven of Miami's 14 homers at Marlins Park this year.

 

Rookie Addison Russell's base running blunder helped A.J. Ramos earn his fifth save in seven chances. The Cubs had runners at first and second with one out when Chris Coghlan singled to right, but Stanton fielded the ball and threw out Russell taking too big a turn at second.

 

Miguel Montero then struck out to end the game.

 

Marcell Ozuna hit a two-out, three-run double off Kyle Hendricks (1-2) that put Miami ahead to stay in the fifth.

 

Samardzija, White Sox rocked by Rangers in Gallo's debut.

 

By JJ Stankevitz

 

 

Jeff Samardzija’s streak of strong starts was no match for Rangers uber-prospect Joey Gallo.

Samardzija was rocked for nine runs in five innings as the White Sox lost, 15-2, to Texas on Tuesday night at Globe Life Park. With the White Sox trying to build on the momentum of winning a weekend series in Houston over the first-place Astros, it was the 21-year-old Gallo who stole the headlines in his major league debut.

Gallo connected for a two-run single in the first (though it easily could’ve been ruled an error on first baseman Adam LaRoche), smashed a 418-foot two-run homer in the third and doubled off the right field wall in the fifth. All three of those hits came off Samardzija, who coughed up those nine runs on 12 hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Over his previous three starts, Samardzija allowed five earned runs on 19 hits, 19 strikeouts, five walks and one home run in 23 innings. The Notre Dame right-hander’s season nadir came April 29 against Baltimore (five innings, 10 hits, seven earned runs) prior to Tuesday night.

Gallo’s two-run single opened the scoring, and center fielder Leonys Martin added a second two-run single in the first to give Rangers starter Colby Lewis an early cushion. The White Sox cut the deficit in half on Adam Eaton’s two-run home run in the third, but Gallo countered with his mammoth home run and Texas didn’t look back.

Shin-Soo Choo added a solo home run off Samardzija in the fourth, and the Rangers plated four more runs in the sixth off Samardzija and left-hander Dan Jennings. Elvis Andrus added an RBI triple  and Carlos Corporan blasted a three-run homer in the eighth off Hector Noesi.

Golf: I got a club for that: Power rankings: the Memorial Tournament.

By Ryan Ballengee

The PGA Tour is in Jack Nicklaus' home state of Ohio this week for the annual Memorial Tournament. 

Muirfield Village will play host to many of the PGA Tour's best, including defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and Jordan Spieth. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, looking to get ready for the U.S. Open in two weeks, are in the field as well.

With an Augusta National-inspired layout, length matters somewhat, but par-5 scoring is absolutely crucial to success.

Here are our top five for this week:

1. Jordan Spieth -- Spieth was in the top 20 here last year, in his second Memorial appearance. He kind of soaked it all in last week -- the praise, not rain -- in his hometown event at the Nelson, but still did OK.

2. Hideki Matsuyama -- Behind Spieth, the defending champion is the standard for consistency on Tour this season. He's missed one cut all year, has a slew of top 10s and has been in the top 20 in his last four PGA Tour starts.

3. Matt Kuchar -- Have to love Kuchar at this course. He's not only a former Memorial winner, but he's also been in the top 15 here in his last seven starts. A modest T-39 at the Nelson is good enough to show that he has some form.

4. Kevin Na -- Na has been a mark of modest consistency all season. He had himself in a playoff here last year before finishing runner-up to Matsuyama.

5. Bill Haas -- Haas has made seven of nine career cuts at Jack's place, including top-eight efforts the last two years. Followed a T-4 at The Players by barely cashing a check at Quail Hollow.

The Memorial Tournament Thursday Tee Times.

thegolfnewsnet.com

The 2015 Memorial Tournament round 1 and round 2 tee times and player pairings. All tee times are displayed local time (EST). Groups starting from the 1st hole are listed first, followed by groups starting from the 10th hole.

Tee Times	Players	Players	Players

Round 1, Thursday 

No. 1

7:20 a.m. — Will MacKenzie, David Hearn, Daniel Berger
7:31 a.m. — Carl Pettersson, Chris Stroud, Francesco Molinari
7:42 a.m. — Brendon de Jonge, Justin Thomas, Zac Blair
7:53 a.m. — Matt Every, James Hahn, Ken Duke
8:04 a.m. — Brooks Koepka, Nick Taylor, Scott Brown
8:15 a.m. — Ryan Moore, Camilo Villegas, Brendon Todd
8:26 a.m. — Matt Jones, Martin Laird, Keegan Bradley
8:37 a.m. — Harris English, Nick Watney, Retief Goosen
8:48 a.m. — John Huh, Kevin Chappell, Ryo Ishikawa
8:59 a.m. — Richard Sterne, Patrick Rodgers, Bradley Neil
12:10 p.m. — Marc Leishman, Brendan Steele, Andres Gonzales
12:21 p.m. — Morgan Hoffmann, Daniel Summerhays, Hudson Swafford
12:32 p.m. — Sean O’Hair, Bo Van Pelt, Michael Putnam
12:43 p.m. — Robert Streb, K.J. Choi, Rory Sabbatini
12:54 p.m. — Steven Bowditch, Kevin Streelman, Vijay Singh
1:05 p.m. — Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Steve Stricker
1:16 p.m. — Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Phil Mickelson
1:27 p.m. — Jim Furyk, Jason Dufner, Kevin Na
1:38 p.m. — Jonathan Byrd, Scott Langley, Carlos Ortiz
1:49 p.m. — Jim Herman, Andy Sullivan, Gunn Yang

No. 10

7:20 a.m. — Ben Curtis, Jason Gore, Brian Stuard
7:31 a.m. — Pat Perez, Jeff Overton, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano
7:42 a.m. — Cameron Tringale, Greg Chalmers, Shawn Stefani
7:53 a.m. — John Senden, Chesson Hadley, Justin Leonard
8:04 a.m. — Seung-Yul Noh, Russell Henley, Scott Stallings
8:15 a.m. — Jason Day, Patrick Reed, Tiger Woods
8:26 a.m. — Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Bill Haas
8:37 a.m. — Billy Horschel, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry
8:48 a.m. — Danny Lee, Andrew Svoboda, Tommy Fleetwood
8:59 a.m. — Sam Saunders, Cameron Smith, Thomas Aiken
12:10 p.m. — Kevin Kisner, David Lingmerth, John Peterson
12:21 p.m. — Jason Bohn, Jason Kokrak, Colt Knost
12:32 p.m. — Graham DeLaet, Tony Finau, Kyle Reifers
12:43 p.m. — Sangmoon Bae, Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel
12:54 p.m. — Chris Kirk, Scott Piercy, George McNeill
1:05 p.m. — Alex Cejka, Gary Woodland, Charles Howell III
1:16 p.m. — Ben Martin, D.A. Points, Lucas Glover
1:27 p.m. — William McGirt, Erik Compton, Adam Hadwin
1:38 p.m. — Russell Knox, Troy Merritt, Steve Wheatcroft
1:49 p.m. — Andrew Putnam, George Coetzee, Timothy Crouch

Round 2, Friday 

No. 1

7:20 a.m. — Kevin Kisner, David Lingmerth, John Peterson
7:31 a.m. — Jason Bohn, Jason Kokrak, Colt Knost
7:42 a.m. — Graham DeLaet, Tony Finau, Kyle Reifers
7:53 a.m. — Sangmoon Bae, Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel
8:04 a.m. — Chris Kirk, Scott Piercy, George McNeill
8:15 a.m. — Alex Cejka, Gary Woodland, Charles Howell III
8:26 a.m. — Ben Martin, D.A. Points, Lucas Glover
8:37 a.m. — William McGirt, Erik Compton, Adam Hadwin
8:48 a.m. — Russell Knox, Troy Merritt, Steve Wheatcroft
8:59 a.m. — Andrew Putnam, George Coetzee, Timothy Crouch
12:10 p.m. — Ben Curtis, Jason Gore, Brian Stuard
12:21 p.m. — Pat Perez, Jeff Overton, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano
12:32 p.m. — Cameron Tringale, Greg Chalmers, Shawn Stefani
12:43 p.m. — John Senden, Chesson Hadley, Justin Leonard
12:54 p.m. — Seung-Yul Noh, Russell Henley, Scott Stallings
1:05 p.m. — Jason Day, Patrick Reed, Tiger Woods
1:16 p.m. — Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Bill Haas
1:27 p.m. — Billy Horschel, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry
1:38 p.m. — Danny Lee, Andrew Svoboda, Tommy Fleetwood
1:49 p.m. — Sam Saunders, Cameron Smith, Thomas Aiken

No. 10

7:20 a.m. — Marc Leishman, Brendan Steele, Andres Gonzales
7:31 a.m. — Morgan Hoffmann, Daniel Summerhays, Hudson Swafford
7:42 a.m. — Sean O’Hair, Bo Van Pelt, Michael Putnam
7:53 a.m. — Robert Streb, K.J. Choi, Rory Sabbatini
8:04 a.m. — Steven Bowditch, Kevin Streelman, Vijay Singh
8:15 a.m. — Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Steve Stricker
8:26 a.m. — Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Phil Mickelson
8:37 a.m. — Jim Furyk, Jason Dufner, Kevin Na
8:48 a.m. — Jonathan Byrd, Scott Langley, Carlos Ortiz
8:59 a.m. — Jim Herman, Andy Sullivan, Gunn Yang
12:10 p.m. — Will MacKenzie, David Hearn, Daniel Berger
12:21 p.m. — Carl Pettersson, Chris Stroud, Francesco Molinari
12:32 p.m. — Brendon de Jonge, Justin Thomas, Zac Blair
12:43 p.m. — Matt Every, James Hahn, Ken Duke
12:54 p.m. — Brooks Koepka, Nick Taylor, Scott Brown
1:05 p.m. — Ryan Moore, Camilo Villegas, Brendon Todd
1:16 p.m. — Matt Jones, Martin Laird, Keegan Bradley
1:27 p.m. — Harris English, Nick Watney, Retief Goosen
1:38 p.m. — John Huh, Kevin Chappell, Ryo Ishikawa
1:49 p.m. — Richard Sterne, Patrick Rodgers, Bradley Neil

NASCAR: Power Rankings: Once again, the top 2 finished 1-2.

By Nick Bromberg

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 2): Hey, look who's back at the top spot? How fun would it have been if Johnson got the lead on pit road in the late laps given the team's appeal of the pit stall choice penalty it got for its sideskirt manipulation warnings? Instead, Johnson won the race because crew chief Chad Knaus kept him out on track. While the No. 48 bunch may think they're behind the No. 4 in terms of pure speed, they're proving to be the best at playing the clean air game.

2. Kevin Harvick (LW: 1): Harvick had a broken track bar adjuster preventing him from giving Johnson more of a challenge at the end of the race? Could Harvick had given Johnson a run for the win with a working adjuster? It's up for debate. Harvick's car was much better on the longer runs throughout the race. As the race went green with 17 laps to go following the crash between Brian Scott and Kyle Busch, Harvick was taking an 800-meter car and asking it to race in the 100-meter dash.

3. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 3): Truex had a run on the final restart and had a chance to dive inside Kasey Kahne entering turn one. Kahne blocked and Truex said that the felt he had to let off the gas or wreck the entire field. He chose the former. The handling on his car wasn't great back in traffic and he never got a chance to challenge for the top three again. He finished sixth, though he ran much higher than that for most of the day. Truex is going to win a race soon. It may happen at Michigan. Or Sonoma, where he won two years ago.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 4): It was a day of survival. Junior started the race at the end of the grid because his team changed a rear gear. He started moving his way to the front and got inside the top 10. However, he sped on pit road and the penalty came under green. He dropped two laps down thanks to the penalty and was once again playing from behind. Thanks to the late-race incidents, he finished 14th. More importantly, Junior was a member of a group of drivers who met with NASCAR before Sunday's race. Hopefully those drivers are advocating for big changes to the cars too.

5. Joey Logano (LW: 8): Here comes the messiness. Logano leaps three spots by finishing 11th. You want to argue with that? Go for it. Because you're not going to make a much more convincing case for anyone else below him to occupy this spot. After playing the fuel strategy game with his teammate, Logano ended up as the last car on the lead lap. Yes, that means Sunday's race had the fewest number of cars on the lead lap so far in 2015.

6. Kurt Busch (LW: 5): Busch was heading for a top-10 finish until he couldn't avoid the spinning car of Denny Hamlin. After Hamlin got turned on the backstretch, he clipped the front of Busch's car and Busch ended up in the wall. While we understand Busch's team's desire to get him back out on the track as soon as possible, as he pulled back on the track he was spewing debris down the backstretch. He ended up nine laps down in 31st.

7. Brad Keselowski (LW: 10): Keselowski didn't have one of the race's fastest cars so he played the strategy game at the end, hoping for a yellow flag as he stayed out. Keselowski tried to run his tank dry while leading after everyone else had pitted. It didn't work, and he was forced to pit under green. He finished a spot behind Logano and the first car one lap down.

8. Kasey Kahne (LW: 11): A two-tire pit stop got Kahne some track position and put him within spitting distance of the lead. On the next-to-last restart he was able to at least briefly stay with Jimmie Johnson, though his protective move against Truex on the final restart ended his hopes for a win. Kahne is eighth in the points standings (almost three whole races behind Harvick) and it was just his second top-five finish of the season.

9. Matt Kenseth (LW: 6): Kenseth ended up 39th after a front suspension failure ended his day. The team pitted him for fresh tires before he retired, hoping it'd fix the issue. Nope. So Kenseth was forced to give up the ghost. Like Busch, his finish doesn't reflect the quality of his run. Kenseth wasn't a factor for the win, but was near the front of the field for most of the day.

10. Carl Edwards (LW: 7): A week after sneaking a win thanks to fuel mileage, Edwards was, well, pretty average. Average in the sense that he finished 19th, right in the middle of the pack. And average in the sense that his average finish this year is 18.8. What would be an average-sized sub at Subway? 9 inches? Is the six-inch sub more popular than the footlong, so it is shorter than that? What is the average order? Why are we asking all of these questions about, well, average-tasting sandwiches?

11. Jamie McMurray (LW: 12): McMurray finished seventh, a year after he was bitten by the Dover concrete. We won't call it Miles because we'd be insinuating that Miles falls apart. And we don't think Miles falls apart. This year, the concrete-splitting monster hit Tony Stewart's pit, as it looked like an earthquake fault. Hey, Dover, are you going to repave the track soon? It may not be a bad idea.

12. Ryan Newman (LW: 8): Newman's 18th-place finish is his lowest without crew chief Luke Lambert. And as ESPN's Bob Pockrass notes, the more Newman runs well, the more we wonder just how much the tire manipulation the team was penalized for had to do with his success. Like Bob said in the audio linked above (56:30 mark), NASCAR needs to let everyone know what Newman's team was exactly penalized for. Sure, we have a decent idea of what bleeding tires does, but fans need to know the specifics of what happened.

Lucky Dog: Kyle Larson. Larson ended up third, his highest finish of the season.

The DNF: Kyle Busch. Busch is 40th in the points standings through two races after his crash.

Dropped Out: N/A

SOCCER: Sepp Blatter will resign as FIFA president after 17 years in charge.

By Joe Prince-Wright

Sepp Blatter will no longer be the president of FIFA.

After 17 years in charge of world soccer’s governing body, the Swiss born official held an impromptu press conference in Zurich on Tuesday where he announced that he will resign from the position he has held since 1998.

Blatter, 79, has been the figurehead of FIFA for nearly two decades but after 14 individuals, including nine FIFA officials, were indicted by the the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI on allegations of corruption and bribery last week, his tenure and the senior leadership of FIFA has come under increased scrutiny.

Now, despite only being re-elected for a fifth-term as FIFA president last Friday, Blatter has announced that he will step down when a successor is found following an extraordinary general meeting which he has called to occur as soon as possible.

World soccer’s governing body is left in ruins.

Here is Blatter’s announcement:

“I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the 40 years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football. I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That election is over but FIFA challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul. 

“While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA. Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as Fifa President until that election. The next ordinary FIFA Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity.”

As well as announcing his resignation, Blatter also called for the size of FIFA’s Executive Committee to be reduced and term limits put in place for its members.

This may not be the last we hear of FIFA’s long-term leader though.

A report from ABC News claims that Blatter is under investigation by the FBI, giving some reasoning to his shocking and sudden decision to step down as the leader of world soccer’s governing body.

Soccer-Medical chief threatens to quit unless FIFA reforms.

Reuters; Writing by Ian Chadband; editing by Justin Palmer

Michel D'Hooghe, the longest-serving member of FIFA's Executive Committee, has threatened to quit unless soccer's governing body is substantially reformed.

Belgian D'Hooghe, FIFA's chief medical officer, speaking to the VRT television network in his home country, offered a damning verdict on an organization where he has been a key official for more than a quarter of a century.

D'Hooghe, 69, who has been a member of the Executive Committee since 1988, said: "I cannot reconcile myself with an institution where I work, where I have carried the medical responsibility for 27 years and about which I now learn that there is a lot of corruption.

"My conclusion is very clear: I will no longer continue to participate (in FIFA) under such conditions. So, it is high time for change to come and we will see over the coming days what may happen.

"Let's be clear, if this atmosphere prevails at FIFA, I have no place there.

"If you are faced with an abscess, simple medication does not suffice. You have to cut it open."

In February D'Hooghe was cleared by FIFA's ethics committee of wrongdoing in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests.

FIFA's own medical conference was completely eclipsed last week by the dramas in Zurich which saw seven FIFA officials arrested in a dawn raid before Sepp Blatter was re-elected as president on Friday.

Chicago Fire: Igboananike named to Team of the Week; Shipp up for Goal of the Week

By Danny Michallik

Kennedy Igboananike's goal and assist in the Fire's 3-0 dismantling of the Montreal Impact merited a place in Major League Soccer's Team of the Week on Monday, while Harry Shipp's 13th-minute bullet is in the running for Goal of the Week.

On the heels of their sixth home game of the Major League Soccer regular season, the Fire procured their fourth win on Saturday thanks to the Nigerian's Man of the Match performance and the Homegrown midfielder's opener, his first goal since March 22 vs. San Jose.

Since collecting two assists in the Fire's 3-2 win over Toronto FC eight weeks ago, Shipp's productivity in the goals and assists columns has fallen flat in recent matches. But the Lake Forest native's star-studded outing corroborated head coach Frank Yallop's overt predilection for entrusting the 23-year-old with free rein in the middle of the park.

"The last couple games, I got kind of caught in the routine of being outside and just being aware of defensive responsibilities, and kind of blindly running up and down the right side," Shipp said after the match. "This week, I really wanted to focus on going back to getting all over the field. 

"I think you saw that in the first half: when the ball was in the left side, I came across and got the ball in the middle, because I'd much rather have the ball in the middle of the field near the goal than on the outside. So I think I did a better job of just finding little spaces to receive the ball."

Meanwhile, Igboananike translated his industrious play from setting up the 2014 Rookie of the Year finalist to converting a strike of his own - a composed finish in the 72nd minute and his first for the Men in Red - which aided in pacifying some of the scrutiny directed at the forwards' impotence in front of goal of late. 

"His best thing he did today was probably pressure and work hard," Shipp added. "You saw that on the goal I scored: he won the ball off Baky [Soumare] and played it in. He's an unselfish guy, and I'm happy to see him get a goal; it was long overdue and well deserved.

"I think we were playing all right without him, but having him is another weapon going forward. I think if you can get him and David [Accam] and myself and Shaun [Maloney] clicking on the same page, we'll hopefully be pretty hard for a front four to stop." 

That front four has accounted for six of the Fire's 14 goals, on par with the six scored by three defenders: Jeff Larentowicz (4), Joevin Jones (1) and Adailton (1). Despite stomaching a rocky start to his Fire career under Yallop's watchful gaze after joining from Swedish outfit AIK Stockholm last December, Igboananike hinted his second half goal might've just been the springboard for what lies ahead in his ongoing transition to life in Chicago and MLS.  
 
"I never played my best game yet," he said. "I think more is about to come, so just starting to get used to the players and getting used to everything around me so I think I’m getting better and better every day.”

NCAAFB: UAB reinstates its football program.

By Graham Watson

UAB president Ray Watts claimed the school would not decide on cutting football until a 'data driven' study was complete, but PR documents show plans were in place well ahead of time.

The University of Alabama-Birmingham announced Monday evening that it was reinstating a football program it disbanded just six months ago.

University president Dr. Ray Watts said he has been working with the NCAA and Conference USA to keep the program's conference and FBS standing. Women's rifle and bowling also will be reinstated.

"Given the broad base of support never before seen, as of today, we are taking steps to reinstate the football, rifle and bowling programs," Watts said. "I am forwarding documents to Conference USA and the NCAA notifying them that UAB plans to remain an FBS program and a full member of C-USA."

Watts said through private fundraising and city contributions, $17.2 million in outside funds has been raised that will be used in addition to the $20 million the university has set aside for athletics. The goal is to ultimately make UAB a profitable model within the next five years. Watts said the university would not pledge any more money toward the program than what has already been allotted.

"To do otherwise would require us to take additional funds from our academic and health care missions, which we will not do," Watts said.

That being said, Watts said the university does not have the funds upgrade UAB's facilities or subsidize a new stadium. Those funds will have to come through donations and the aid of City of Birmingham.

Watts said no deadlines have been set as to when private money needs to start rolling in to get the program up and functioning again, but said those dates would be ironed out soon.

While today might have been a banner day for those who pushed vehemently to get UAB football back, the timeline as to when UAB will actually take the field is unclear. Watts did say Bill Clark would return as head coach and athletic director Mark Ingram noted the school wanted to get a team on the field "to play as soon as possible, which may be 2016.”

There will be several NCAA hoops to jump through, including how many players the Blazers will be able to sign to try and make a 2016 debut. Moreover, Clark's ability to recruit players to a school that was pretty eager to pull the rug out from under the football program will be a challenge as well.

In December, Watts announced that it was no longer financially feasible for the university to support football — an independent study said it would cost UAB an additional $49 million over the next five years to field a football program — and UAB became the first FBS program to drop football in nearly two decades.

The move was met with protests and since that time, former UAB players, boosters and other supporters have been scrambling to raise enough funds to reinstate the program.

In January, the school created of task force that hired College Sports Solutions, an independent firm, to study the decision. The school also created a fundraising subcommittee led by Justin Craft, a former UAB player and the head of the UAB Football Foundation, who said the group has raised more than $15 million through private donations.

The new study said the school would face an annual deficit of $3.2 million if it reinstated football as well as women's rifle and women's bowling, two other sports cut in December.

"We are very pleased with the decision to bring back the football program at UAB," Conference USA said in a statement. "As a conference we are committed to football, and we welcome the good news that the UAB football program has been given another chance. From all indications, this program will now be able to count on a very strong foundation of community support upon which it will begin the rebuilding that will position it well for success into the future."

NCAABKB: Tom Izzo on NCAA transfers: 'If  we don't do something, we're stupid.' 

By Rob Dauster

Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo (Photo/AP)

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has never been a fan of the amount of transfers in college basketball, and he doubled-down on that sentiment when talking to the press at a charity event over the weekend.

“If we don’t do something in the NCAA, we’re stupid, to use a bad word,” Izzo said, according to the Detroit Free-Press. “That’s how, I think if you ask any one of these guys, I don’t know who would say it publicly, but it’s just getting to be a shame. Are we teaching kids anything to fight through? But because of that, you’re always recruiting. And we may fill the spot, we may not.”

Izzo has had some success with transfers in recent years. Next year’s roster will include a pair of transfers — Eron Harris from West Virginia and Bryn Forbes, who was on the roster last season — and he is also looking to add another piece this season. With five-star big man Caleb Swanigan decommitting earlier this spring, Michigan State is looking at potentially adding another front court piece as well.

USA Basketball releases 24-man roster for U19 training camp.

By Scott Phillips

USA Basketball announced the 24 players that will compete for roster spots for the U19 FIBA World Championships being held in Greece this summer. Training camp begins on June 13 and finalists are expected to be announced on June 15. The final roster will be selected before the team embarks on the trip to Greece. The World Championships are held June 27-July 5.

Arizona head coach Sean Miller will coach the squad while he has Providence coach Ed Cooley and Dayton coach Archie Miller as his assistants. The 24-man training camp roster includes 10 players who played college basketball last season, six incoming freshman to college basketball and eight players who are members of the Class of 2016 high school class.

Here is the list of 24 participants for the training camp, which includes 10 players who have won gold medals before with USA Basketball:

Tyus Battle, G, Class of 2016 Michigan commit/Edison, NJ
Justin Bibbs, G, Virginia Tech/Dayton, OH
Isaiah Briscoe, G, Kentucky/Union, NJ
Jalen Brunson, G, Villanova/Lincolnshire, IL
Brekkott Chapman, F, Utah/Roy, UT
Vince Edwards, F, Purdue/Middletown, OH
Jawun Evans, G, Oklahoma State/Dallas, Texas
Terrance Ferguson, G, Class of 2016/Flower Mound, TX
Harry Giles, F, Class of 2016/Winston-Salem, NC
Josh Jackson, F, Class of 2016/Southfield, MI
Riley LaChance, G, Vanderbilt/Brookfield, WI
T.J. Leaf, F, Class of 2016 Arizona commit/Lakeside, CA
Silas Melson, G, Gonzaga/Portland, OR
Malik Monk, G, Class of 2016/Lepanto, AR
Chinanu Onauku, F, Louisville/Lanham, MD
Eric Paschall, G, Villanova/Dobbs Ferry, NY
L.J. Peak, F, Georgetown/Gaffney, SC
Malik Pope, F, San Diego State/Sacramento, CA
Diamond Stone, C, Maryland/Milwaukee, WI
Caleb Swanigan, C, Purdue/Fort Wayne, IN
Jayson Tatum, G/F, Class of 2016/St. Louis, MO
Allonzo Trier, G, Arizona/Seattle, WA
Thomas Welsh, C, UCLA/Redondo Beach, CA
Seventh Woods, G, Class of 2016/Columbia, SC

Belmont Stakes 2015 Betting Odds: Frosted's Chances Of Beating Triple Crown Threat American Pharoah.

By Greg Price

 

Frosted holds steady has American Pharoah's biggest threat at the 147th Belmont Stakes on Saturday.  (Photo/Reuters)         

Frosted, the three-year-old colt who nearly placed at the Kentucky Derby after charging all the way back from 14th, holds steady as American Pharoah’s top competition ahead of Saturday’s 147th Belmont Stakes in New York.

Ever since the first batch of odds came out following American Pharoah’s muddy seven-length victory at the Preakness Stakes nearly three weeks ago, trainer Bob Baffert’s Triple Crown contender stood as the heavy favorite to claim perhaps the most elusive feat in all of sports. American Pharoah’s odds opened at 2/3 via Sportsbook.ag, and Bovada’s listed him at 5/6 for some time now.

For as long as American Pharoah’s held the distinction as the prohibitive favorite, Frosted’s stared down his back. With connections like 2006 Belmont winner and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, Frosted’s odds shifted from 6/1 to 11/2 recently, according to Bovada.

Frosted’s incredible late sprint over the final three-quarters of a mile at Churchill Downs, one that earned him a fourth-place finish just a head behind Dortmund, is a big reason why he could play the role of spoiler to American Pharoah.

"We ran our race, but we didn't win," McLaughlin said to Newsday last week. "We were second best but we finished fourth. We ran a huge race on all figures. We ran farther than anyone except the winner."

Frosted’s pedigree can’t be ignored either. His sire, Tapit, one of the most sought after and expensive stallions in the country, was named Champion Sire last year with his progeny earning $16.8 million. Another of Tapit’s progeny, Tonalist, also foiled California Chrome’s Triple Crown bid.

Rest, and the fact that Frosted and fellow top contenders Materiality and Carpe Diem skipped the Preakness, could also squash Baffert and American Pharoah’s hopes. The Belmont is a quarter-mile longer than the first two legs of the Triple Crown at 1 1/2- miles, though Baffert reportedly worked American Pharoah out over that same length during training Sunday.

"He looks very healthy and he's happy, he looks like he's getting ready to work," Baffert said to New York Daily News. "He knows that he's getting close to a work so it's getting pretty tough on him. When he hit the quarter pole, he [exercise rider JorgeAlvarez] said he wanted to take off so he'll breeze (Monday) at 8:30 during the break. We'll probably leave at the half-mile pole sort of like we did last week, and that should be it for him."

While Baffert’s strategy revolves around keeping Americah Pharoah fresh with a calm temperament, the plan for Frosted is to play more to his strengths, specifically keeping up with the lead pack rather than falling behind early and relying on a late surge.

"I think we'll be a lot closer [to the pace] than in the Derby," McLaughlin said. "And hopefully not so wide, and we work out a better trip."

The full list of the latest odds are below.

Odds to Win the Belmont Stakes:

American Pharoah 5/6

Frosted 11/2

Materiality 13/2

Carpe Diem 12/1 Withdrew 06/01/2015

Madefromlucky 16/1

Mubtaahij 16/1

Tale of Verve 22/1

Keen Ice 28/1

Frammento 40/1

The Truth or Else 50/1+ Withdrew 06/01/2015

Federer falls to Wawrinka in French Open.

Associated Press

Stumbling on his way to the net, Roger Federer dropped his racket and fell to his knees on the red clay. Hardly the sort of grace and precision the world has come to expect from the 17-time Grand Slam champion.

There were other unusual sights in Federer's 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (4) loss in the French Open quarterfinals Tuesday against his pal and Swiss Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka.

"I made 30-something errors today. He, maybe, made one," said Federer, exaggerating a bit.

Rarely injured and appearing in a 62nd consecutive major, Federer received treatment on his right hand from a trainer. For years and years a dominant and confident force in tennis, Federer slumped in his changeover chair, head bowed, after falling behind two sets to none. And, according to the ATP, this was the first time since a fourth-round loss at the 2002 U.S. Open - back before he'd won a major trophy - that Federer failed to break an opponent's serve once in a Grand Slam match.

"I know that when I play good tennis, when I play my best tennis, I can play so heavy from both sides that it's really tough for the opponent to play," said the eighth-seeded Wawrinka, who will play 14th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the semifinals Friday. "That's why Roger was struggling today. It's because I was playing so well."

So long superior to the younger Wawrinka, Federer was defeated for only the third time in their 19 head-to-head matches, and for the first time in five meetings at Grand Slam tournaments.

"I tried many things," Federer said. "Obviously I was not going to leave the French Open without having tried everything out there."

During the eight French Opens from 2005 to 2012, Federer reached at least the semifinals seven times, including winning the 2009 championship to complete a career Grand Slam. But this is the third year in a row he exits Roland Garros in the quarterfinals or earlier.

Give Wawrinka credit. Powering the ball from the baseline in Court Suzanne Lenglen on a windy day, he produced groundstrokes that cut through gusts topping 30 mph (50 kph).

"I'm a little bit surprised to win that match in three sets and the way I did," Wawrinka said, "but it's a great feeling."

Over at Court Philippe Chatrier, Tsonga's 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 victory over No. 5 Kei Nishikori was interrupted for about 40 minutes when one person was injured after a 9-foot-long (3-meter-long) piece of metal paneling was blown off a giant TV screen and fell onto packed rows of spectators below.

French Open organizers originally said three people were hurt, but tournament director Gilbert Ysern later said two were fine after being checked at an infirmary. One went to the hospital for an injured wrist.

When he finally defeated Nishikori, who was trying to become the first Japanese man to reach the French semifinals in 82 years, Tsonga knelt on the court, then rose and used the sole of his right shoe to write "Roland, je t'aime" - "I love you, Roland" - in the clay.

Tsonga then got down on his back, with arms and legs spread apart, as 15,000 or so of his closest friends stood and roared their approval for their man's second trip to the semifinals in Paris.

"You're going to be praised when you reach semis at Roland Garros, as if you had already won the tournament," Tsonga said. "Whereas, in fact, well, to me it's not over yet."

He's a burly guy who can rip the ball as hard as just about anyone on tour, and he and Wawrinka have split six career meetings.

As well as Wawrinka played Tuesday, he probably would have been just fine without the point conceded by Federer after a disputed call in the tiebreaker.

"I played my best match in a Grand Slam tournament," said Wawrinka, quite a statement considering he won the 2014 Australian Open, "and my best match on clay."

The other men's quarterfinals are Wednesday: No. 1 Novak Djokovic against nine-time champion Rafael Nadal, and No. 3 Andy Murray against No. 7 David Ferrer.

One women's semifinal was set Tuesday: No. 7 Ana Ivanovic against No. 13 Lucie Safarova.

Safarova, who eliminated defending champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, beat Garbine Muguruza 7-6 (3), 6-3 to reach the second major semifinal of her career. Ivanovic reached her first Grand Slam semifinal since winning the 2008 French Open by defeating Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-3, 6-2.

"I don't know if I should feel very old," said Ivanovic, 27, "or very happy."

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, June 3, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1851 - The New York Knickerbockers became the first baseball team to wear uniforms. They wore straw hats, white shirts and blue trousers.

1932 - Lou Gehrig became the first American League player to hit four home runs in one game.

1980 - ESPN began televising college world series games.

1987 - The Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros combined for three grand slams in one game.

1989 - The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4. The game lasted 22 innings and took over seven hours to play.

2003 - Sammy Sosa (Chicago Cubs) broke a bat when he grounded out against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The bat he was using was a corked bat.
 

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