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“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” ~ Robert Kiyoaski, Businessman, Investor, Self Help Author, Motivational Speaker and Financial Literacy Activist
Trending: EmBearassing, The Bears lose to the Cardinals 48-23 to start the season 0-2. (See the football section for details).
Trending: Jason Day takes over world No. 1 with six-shot BMW Championship win.
NFL Scores Sunday, September 20, 2015
Seattle Seahawks 17 @ Green Bay Packers 27
Dallas Cowboys 20 @ Philadelphia Eagles 10
Baltimore Ravens 33 @ Oakland Raiders 37
Miami Dolphins20 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 23
Arizona Cardinals 48 @ Chicago Bears 23
Atlanta Falcons 24 @ New York Giants 20
Detroit Lions 16 @ Minnesota Vikings 26
Houston Texans 17 @ Carolina Panthers 24
New England Patriots 40 @ Buffalo bills 32
San Diego Chargers 19 @ Cincinnati Bengals 24
San Francisco 49ers 18 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 43
St. Louis Rams 10 @ Washington Redskins 24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26 @ New Orleans Saints 19
Tennessee Titans 14 @ Cleveland Browns 28
Denver Broncos 31 @ Kansas City Chiefs 24
Note: Winners highlighted in yellow
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears steamrolled by Cardinals, lose Jay Cutler in the process.
NFL Scores Sunday, September 20, 2015
Seattle Seahawks 17 @ Green Bay Packers 27
Dallas Cowboys 20 @ Philadelphia Eagles 10
Baltimore Ravens 33 @ Oakland Raiders 37
Miami Dolphins20 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 23
Arizona Cardinals 48 @ Chicago Bears 23
Atlanta Falcons 24 @ New York Giants 20
Detroit Lions 16 @ Minnesota Vikings 26
Houston Texans 17 @ Carolina Panthers 24
New England Patriots 40 @ Buffalo bills 32
San Diego Chargers 19 @ Cincinnati Bengals 24
San Francisco 49ers 18 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 43
St. Louis Rams 10 @ Washington Redskins 24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26 @ New Orleans Saints 19
Tennessee Titans 14 @ Cleveland Browns 28
Denver Broncos 31 @ Kansas City Chiefs 24
Note: Winners highlighted in yellow
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears steamrolled by Cardinals, lose Jay Cutler in the process.
By Scott Krinch
Jeremy Langford celebrates his touchdown against the Cardinals during the first half. (Photo/Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune)
It's not how you start, it's how you finish.
However, the Bears didn't follow that old adage as they followed up their inauspicious start with a duplicate finish as they were annihilated by the Arizona Cardinals, 48-23, at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon.
And to make matters worse, the blemish on their now 0-2 record isn't the only thing they suffered in defeat: Bears starting quarterback Jay Cutler (8-for-9, 120 yards) could be out for the foreseeable future after suffering a hamstring injury in the first half.
Late in the second quarter with the Bears trailing the Cardinals, 21-14, Cutler threw a pass that was intended for tight end Martellus Bennett (four receptions, 48 yards), who appeared to have stopped his route, and Arizona defensive back Tony Jefferson stepped in to make an easy interception and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. While trying to make the tackle, Cutler appeared to have landed awkwardly on his shoulder. He immediately went into the locker room with the team training staff and the Bears ruled him out for the remainder of the game with a hamstring injury.
The Cutler injury was just the cherry on the top to a brutal day that seemed destined for failure from the start.
Cardinals rookie running back David Johnson returned the opening kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown to put the Bears in a 7-0 hole before they even got their hands on the ball.
Before the injury Cutler managed to keep the Bears in the game with a near perfect start. Late in the first quarter, Cutler connected with Josh Bellamy (one reception, 48 yards) who was wide open down the left sidelines for his first career NFL reception resulting in a 48-yard touchdown to even the game.
The Cardinals (2-0) quick-strike offense answered the Bellamy touchdown just over two minutes later when Carson Palmer (17-of-24, 185 yards, four touchdowns) connected with wide receiver Jaron Brown for a six-yard score. The play was set up in the red zone when Michael Floyd drew a pass interference penalty inside the 10-yard line on Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller.
A seesaw battle for nearly 25 minutes was knotted up for the second and final time when Bears rookie running back Jeremy Langford (six carries, 21 yards) scampered into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter.
That would be the closest the Bears came as the Cardinals outscored the hosts, 34-9, over the final 34 minutes of the contest, highlighted by a resurgence from Cardinals veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald who had eight receptions for 112 yards and three touchdowns.
Backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen struggled in relief of Cutler, finishing the game 14-of-23 for 121 yards and an interception.
The Bears tied a franchise record for penalty yards in a single game (170) as they compiled 14 penalties for 170 yards.
Chicago will look to earn its first victory of the John Fox era when they travel to Seattle take on the defending NFC champion Seahawks in Week 3.
John Fox message after Bears’ loss: 'We’ll find guys who want to do it'.
By John Mullin
Tipping points come unexpectedly. The overriding sense in the wake of the Bears’ 48-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, beyond specifics of the game, is that coach John Fox and staff will be riveted on what they see in their players after the kind of loss that produced unravelings last season that are a large part of why Fox and not Marc Trestman is head coach of the Chicago Bears.
The 2014 team crumbled in the wake of maulings like Sunday’s. Any repeat of anything smelling vaguely of that will be the end of someone’s time in Chicago, one coach told CSNChicago.com.
And Fox did not sound like he was universally sold on what he had on this roster.
“Almost everybody in [the locker room] is classified as a professional,” Fox said after the game. “And that’s what professional do: They don’t worry about morale. We get paid to win.”
"Almost everybody?"
As the 2014 Bears demonstrated, losing doesn’t build character; it reveals it.
“If anyone does have a loss of confidence, they better change their mind right now,” said linebacker Shea McClellin. “No matter the score, we keep grinding. It’s way different than last year. And I think everyone’s mind is that way.”
Fox will not be reticent about jettisoning players perceived as being part of the slump rather than just suffering one.
“If we don’t believe it, then we might as well go and wrap it up. We HAVE to do it. We HAVE to do it. This is what we get paid to do. We’ve got to find ways to get wins. We let our team down and our fans down.”
Best guess is that Fox will not indulge too many letdowns. If any. Losing a starting quarterback, if that is what has happened to Jay Cutler, doesn’t matter.
Best guess is that Fox will not indulge too many letdowns. If any. Losing a starting quarterback, if that is what has happened to Jay Cutler, doesn’t matter.
“It’s all a challenge,” Fox said. “Been there, done that. We were a [Denver] team that started 0-4 and then won 11 of our next 12. This isn’t a prediction [regarding the 2015 Bears].
“[But] we’ll find guys that want to do it and can do it, and we’ll move forward.”
Jay Cutler's 'competitiveness' leads to hamstring injury.
By Scott Krinch
It all started out so well for Jay Cutler during Sunday's 48-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The much-maligned Bears quarterback was executing new offensive coordinator Adam Gase's offense to perfection against a Top 10 Cardinals defense with multiple Pro Bowlers.
Each time Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer put points on the scoreboard, Cutler would answer right back.
Cutler was a perfect 8-for-8 with 120 yards and a touchdown, including his best impression of Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson with three carries for 24 yards running the zone-read option for the first time in his Bears career.
After Palmer put the Cardinals back up in front midway through the second quarter, Cutler looked poised to continue his scorching hot start in front of the home crowd at Soldier Field.
Then disaster struck in a big way.
Late in the first half Cutler threw his first incomplete pass of the game which landed in the hands of Cardinals defensive back Tony Jefferson, who returned the pass 26 yards for a touchdown. It appeared that Cutler had tight end Martellus Bennett open on the play, but what Bears head coach John Fox called a "sight adjustment" resulted in Cutler's second costly turnover in as many games.
"I may feel something that Jay sees different on a play," Bennett said. "So I felt a guy coming outside. It's a jerk route so when I sit down, I could give a double move and usually I clap when I'm ready for the ball, but it's a jerk route so it could go either way. Those are plays that we need to make and we make all the time. We've run those routes so many times so we just have to make sure we make those plays."
The result of the interception pales in comparison to the long-term effect it may have on the 0-2 Bears.
While trying to make the tackle, Cutler appeared to have landed awkwardly and injure himself.
"I was right behind it and Jay sold out trying to get him out of bounds," Bears offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod said. "My hat's off to him. He gave his body up trying to give our defense a chance at holding them to three [points]. But that's what you've got to love about the guy. He puts his all into it and for him to go out when he's having a pretty good game, it's tough."
Fox shared that same sentiment.
"You know, they're competitors," Fox said. "Guys do that — I don't care what position it is. You prefer they don't pull a hamstring or get injured. But, by no means will I tell a guy not to compete."
Cutler immediately went into the locker room with the training staff and the Bears deemed the injury significant enough to rule him out for the remainder of the game, calling it a "pulled hamstring."
The Bears wouldn't discuss the severity of Cutler's injury after the game, nor have they ruled him out for Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks.
"Like I mentioned, it takes a while to run tests," Fox said. "Our medical people will inform me, and then I will inform you."
This isn't the first time in his career that Cutler has gotten injured after throwing an interception. Back in 2011 while flourishing under then-offensive coordinator Mike Martz, after throwing an interception Cutler attempted to make a tackle on San Diego Chargers defensive back Antoine Cason, suffering a broken thumb in the process.
Cutler missed the final six games of that season and the Bears finished with a 1-5 record, missing out on the postseason.
"You know, they're competitors," Fox said. "Guys do that — I don't care what position it is. You prefer they don't pull a hamstring or get injured. But, by no means will I tell a guy not to compete."
Cutler immediately went into the locker room with the training staff and the Bears deemed the injury significant enough to rule him out for the remainder of the game, calling it a "pulled hamstring."
The Bears wouldn't discuss the severity of Cutler's injury after the game, nor have they ruled him out for Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks.
"Like I mentioned, it takes a while to run tests," Fox said. "Our medical people will inform me, and then I will inform you."
This isn't the first time in his career that Cutler has gotten injured after throwing an interception. Back in 2011 while flourishing under then-offensive coordinator Mike Martz, after throwing an interception Cutler attempted to make a tackle on San Diego Chargers defensive back Antoine Cason, suffering a broken thumb in the process.
Cutler missed the final six games of that season and the Bears finished with a 1-5 record, missing out on the postseason.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Patrick Kane reflects on Blackhawks training camp.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/Twitter, @88PKane)
Patrick Kane talked Sunday of his weekend spent with teammates as the Blackhawks wrapped up their opening training camp trip to the University of Notre Dame.
“I feel like I got better every day, and I feel like I’m trying some things out there to try and get back to where I feel comfortable. But overall, I thought it was a fun weekend,” Kane said. “It was a great event put on by Notre Dame. It’s always fun coming down here. I feel like it was good time spent here.”
Kane has been under investigation since early August, when a young woman accused him of raping her in his Hamburg, N.Y. home. Kane has not been charged with anything. Kane said he tried to focus on hockey during his time in South Bend.
“It’s nice to be around my teammates and playing hockey,” he said. “When I’m on the ice, just trying to focus on that. It definitely takes your mind off things.”
But the investigation continues.
On Saturday night the Buffalo News reported, citing four sources, that DNA evidence does not confirm the young woman’s allegations that Kane raped her. Asked on Sunday if he knew when the situation may be resolved, Kane said, “I don’t know anything about that. I don’t think it’s… That would all be speculation, so…”
Kane hadn’t skated much entering this weekend but said he’s feeling like he’s close to where he wants to be.
“I think I’ve gotten better this weekend, but I still want to keep improving,” he said. “I wouldn’t necessarily (say I’m) happy where I am right now, but I feel like I’m confident, improving every day and trying to get to where I need to be by Oct. 7.”
Teuvo Teravainen looking to bring stronger game.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America)
Teuvo Teravainen couldn’t score on Corey Crawford in 3-on-3 on Sunday, despite having some prime chances.
“I just wanted to make him look good,” Teravainen said of Crawford.
The personality Teravainen started to show last year was on full display this weekend as the Blackhawks opened camp at the University of Notre Dame. So was his game.
Teravainen, who’s added some weight and strength to his frame, had a good starting weekend. He played more at center, a position he played a few years ago but is comfortable returning to if necessary, and usually teamed with Russians Viktor Tikhonov and Artemi Panarin.
He’s also teaching Panarin some English. This is from the Finn who barely spoke any himself when he arrived here two years ago. It’s just one more example of how confident Teravainen is in his North American life.
He gained confidence in his game last spring, thanks to great performances during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and wants to build off that this fall.
“It was big, of course. I got a lot of confidence, some experience,” Teravainen said of the postseason. “It’s easier to go into the season, for sure. But at the same time I have a lot more to prove and I want to be better. It’s going to be a big year for me.”
It could be. To aid in that improvement, Teravainen’s been trying to bulk up to get more strength in his game. He said he’s feeling the difference already and is trying to use that strength to power up ice. Coach Joel Quenneville said Teravainen added just enough size.
“You've got to be careful of getting too big, too quick and lose that friendliness with the puck and that quickness. But I think he put [the weight] on in the right areas, and it was almost like you didn't notice it that much,” Quenneville said. “But you could see, it looks like he's a little taller, bigger and stronger. But certainly… he's at that stage where you'd like to see him keep getting better. We like what we've seen.”
Teravainen started to blossom last spring. He should continue to get more ice time and a bigger role this season, although he’s not just assuming that will happen.
“Of course, a little bit. But at the same time I don’t feel like I’m on the team,” he said. “I have to be good every day here and prove I’m going to be on the team. Of course that’s my goal. We’ll see how it goes.”
The personality Teravainen started to show last year was on full display this weekend as the Blackhawks opened camp at the University of Notre Dame. So was his game.
Teravainen, who’s added some weight and strength to his frame, had a good starting weekend. He played more at center, a position he played a few years ago but is comfortable returning to if necessary, and usually teamed with Russians Viktor Tikhonov and Artemi Panarin.
He’s also teaching Panarin some English. This is from the Finn who barely spoke any himself when he arrived here two years ago. It’s just one more example of how confident Teravainen is in his North American life.
He gained confidence in his game last spring, thanks to great performances during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and wants to build off that this fall.
“It was big, of course. I got a lot of confidence, some experience,” Teravainen said of the postseason. “It’s easier to go into the season, for sure. But at the same time I have a lot more to prove and I want to be better. It’s going to be a big year for me.”
It could be. To aid in that improvement, Teravainen’s been trying to bulk up to get more strength in his game. He said he’s feeling the difference already and is trying to use that strength to power up ice. Coach Joel Quenneville said Teravainen added just enough size.
“You've got to be careful of getting too big, too quick and lose that friendliness with the puck and that quickness. But I think he put [the weight] on in the right areas, and it was almost like you didn't notice it that much,” Quenneville said. “But you could see, it looks like he's a little taller, bigger and stronger. But certainly… he's at that stage where you'd like to see him keep getting better. We like what we've seen.”
Teravainen started to blossom last spring. He should continue to get more ice time and a bigger role this season, although he’s not just assuming that will happen.
“Of course, a little bit. But at the same time I don’t feel like I’m on the team,” he said. “I have to be good every day here and prove I’m going to be on the team. Of course that’s my goal. We’ll see how it goes.”
BRIEFLY
- Marcus Kruger is due to join the Blackhawks this week. Quenneville wasn’t sure which day Kruger would return, but, “I’m hopeful we’ll see him tomorrow.”
- Andrew Shaw and Garret Ross got into a tussle in the final scrimmage at Notre Dame. And it was a lengthy one, too. Quenneville didn’t mind the fight but said he would have preferred it ending earlier. “I’d rather I was on the ice breaking it up,” he said.
Trevor van Riemsdyk ready for bigger role with Blackhawks.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/Bill Smith, Getty Images)
This past summer was an important one for Trevor van Riemsdyk.
“I wanted to get strong, get back to where I was coming into last year’s training camp. You don’t want anything nagging you, nothing hurting, [you want] everything feeling fresh, especially at this time of the year,” van Riemsdyk said. “It’s a long year and hopefully I stay a little more healthy this year.”
If van Riemsdyk could have said that last sentence knocking on the wood of his locker with a horseshoe, he probably would have. The defenseman’s promising rookie season was derailed when he suffered a fractured patella last November. Just as he was coming back from that injury/surgery, he suffered a wrist injury that also needed surgery.
Nevertheless, van Riemsdyk was able to return during the Stanley Cup Final and hoist his first Cup in June.
Not a bad ending, really, especially considering the two injuries.
“I was definitely good enough to play, maybe a little rusty because I hadn’t played a lot,” he said of last June. “I was thrilled to be out there and excited to be a really, really small part of us winning.”
This year, van Riemsdyk would like to be a really, really big part of the Blackhawks’ winning. He had a good start again in this training camp at the University of Notre Dame, where he played some with Duncan Keith.
“I really like playing with him,” Keith said. “He’s such a poised guy out there, always makes the smart play and is easy to play with. I think we could be good together.”
Coach Joel Quenneville would like to see van Riemsdyk play an expanded role in the Blackhawks’ defense this season.
“He’s heady defenseman,” Quenneville said. “Sees plays, kills plays defensively. He’s got a nice stick. Play recognition with the puck, as well, is good. He’s one of those guys where we used him in a lot of situations last year prior to [injuries] and threw him in the final. We have confidence in him and he has confidence in the game, the way he plays with that poise.
“I was definitely good enough to play, maybe a little rusty because I hadn’t played a lot,” he said of last June. “I was thrilled to be out there and excited to be a really, really small part of us winning.”
This year, van Riemsdyk would like to be a really, really big part of the Blackhawks’ winning. He had a good start again in this training camp at the University of Notre Dame, where he played some with Duncan Keith.
“I really like playing with him,” Keith said. “He’s such a poised guy out there, always makes the smart play and is easy to play with. I think we could be good together.”
Coach Joel Quenneville would like to see van Riemsdyk play an expanded role in the Blackhawks’ defense this season.
“He’s heady defenseman,” Quenneville said. “Sees plays, kills plays defensively. He’s got a nice stick. Play recognition with the puck, as well, is good. He’s one of those guys where we used him in a lot of situations last year prior to [injuries] and threw him in the final. We have confidence in him and he has confidence in the game, the way he plays with that poise.
"I think he can help us out on the back end and we’re going to need him to be a part of it.”
Van Riemsdyk has a great opportunity this season but knows he won’t get it just because he’s here. He wants to show he deserves a chance. He wants to be a bigger part of the Blackhawks. And he wants – and needs – his health to cooperate.
“It’s kind of the same thing [as last year]: you have to prove your worth. They’re not just going to hand you a role. I have to show I can handle any sort of work load they want to give me,” van Riemsdyk said. “I’m excited for the year coming up and to hopefully stay healthy the whole year.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Spain beats Lithuania 80-63 to regain Eurobasket title; Pau Gasol scores 25 points.
By NESHA STARCEVIC
(Photo/AP)
Tournament MVP Pau Gasol, (NBA Chicago Bulls Player), had a double-double as Spain cruised past Lithuania 80-63 Sunday to regain the European basketball championship title.
Spain earned its third title in the last four tournaments after having to settle for bronze two years ago. For Lithuania, it was a second straight runner-up finish after losing the final against France in 2013.
"It was an incredible championship," Gasol said. "We went through struggles early on but the team responded well and with our backs to the wall we understood that we had to play better defense."
Earlier, France pulled away in the third quarter to beat Serbia 81-68 for the bronze medal.
With Spain's King Felipe VI and tennis star Rafael Nadal watching on, the final was a one-sided affair as the Spaniards opened a 13-point lead in the first quarter and were never really threatened. The king presented the medals to the Spanish players, who celebrated with their fans in the stands after the ceremony.
Gasol finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots, one steal and no turnovers to earn the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
"It's of special significance to play this well at this stage of my career after all I've accomplished," said Gasol, the 35-year-old Chicago Bulls center who has two NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers. "It is something I will remember until the end of my life."
The victory completed a turnaround for Spain, which came to the tournament without Mark Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Juan Carlos Navarro and Ricky Rubio and lost two of its first three games.
But with Gasol dominating, Spain raised its game when it mattered and looked impressive throughout the knockout stage. Gasol put his stamp on the final early, scoring eight straight points for Spain to lead 19-6.
That helped the team overcome the loss of influential guard Rudy Fernandez halfway into the third quarter when he was fouled by Robertas Javtokas. Fernandez fell to the ground and was helped off the floor while holding his left hip, and did not return.
Matas Kalneitas and Renaldas Seibutis scored 13 points each for Lithuania. Star Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and nine rebounds.
"They were just much better than us," Kalneitas said.
Spain and Lithuania booked direct slots at next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Spain won the silver medal in the last two Olympics and Gasol said he'd be around once again if his body holds.
Valanciunas joined Gasol, Spain guard Sergio Rodriguez, Lithuania forward Jonas Maciulis and France guard Nando De Colo in the tournament's all-star team.
In the third-place game, the host team outscored Serbia 21-12 in the third quarter following a 10-0 run and led by as many as 16 points.
De Colo led France with 20 points, while center Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 14 rebounds. Evan Fournier added 15 points, including five straight in the fourth that dispelled any hopes of a Serbian comeback as France took a 12-point lead.
"This is not what we came here for but it's always good to finish with a win," de Colo said.
Both Serbia and France clinched spots in qualifying tournaments for the Olympics.
France coach Vincent Collet said all French stars, including Tony Parker, who had 13 points on 3-for-12 shooting from the field, would return.
"We all agreed that that the main goal is to win an Olympic medal, this is the last chance for this generation to win an Olympic medal, but it won't be easy to qualify," Collet said.
Serbia's star guard Milos Teodosic went 0-for-9 from the field and his only points were three free throws. Bogdan Bogdanovic led Serbia with 14 points. France pulled down 14 more rebounds.
Serbia's coach Sasha Djordjevic said his team would be back "with more heart and more desire."
"We want to go to the Olympics," said Djordjevic, who guided his team to the World Cup silver medal last year.
Getting over the hump: Cubs now believe they can beat Cardinals.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs have already proved to the rest of the baseball world that they're legitimate contenders.
Now they've proved it to the Cardinals, as well.
The Cubs couldn't complete the sweep against St. Louis Sunday afternoon at Wrigley, but the 4-3 loss doesn't change the fact that they now have the belief they can stand toe-to-toe with - and beat - the best team in baseball.
"I could not be more proud of our guys," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It's obvious that we're playing on the same level as they are right now. I'm really proud of our guys for that.
"How far we've come in one season to get to this particular game today. Give them credit. They are very good, also.
"But I think now, we know we can beat them and they know we can beat them, too. And that's a good thing."
Before the Cubs went down to St. Louis for a three-game series with the Cardinals earlier this month, Maddon preached the importance of beating the NL Central leaders on their home field and closing out games when they have the lead.
Now, after the three-game series at Wrigley Field, the Cubs have proved their worth by winning four of the six games against the Cardinals and coming up just short on the two losses.
"We're up. Gotta look at the positives," Jon Lester said. "Obviously we would have liked to win all six games - we had an opportunity to. But at the end of the day, that's a good team across the way and they don't give outs up.
"We're playing good baseball the last six games against them. Maybe proving to ourselves a little bit that we can compete with these guys and can even beat 'em."
The Cardinals took a page out of the Cubs' book and jumped all over Lester in the first inning of Sunday's game, scoring three runs on a pair of homers from rookies Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty.
St. Louis right fielder Jason Heyward erased a Cubs threat in the eighth when he gunned down Anthony Rizzo at the plate on Addison Russell's fly ball. In the ninth, the Cardinals halted another Cubs rally when pinch-runner Quintin Berry was thrown out trying to steal second base, his first caught-stealing of his major-league career (he had been 25-for-25 prior to Sunday).
Any illusions the Cubs had about winning the division were essentially dashed with Sunday's loss. Instead of being four games back with a sweep, the Cubs are now six games behind the Cardinals with only 13 left to play.
Which means the Cubs and Pirates are still on a collision course to square off in the wild-card game ... but will that winner-take-all contest take place in Pittsburgh or on Chicago's North side?
The winner will move on to play the Cardinals in a best-of-five series.
"I think these last six games [against the Cardinals] have really helped guys as far as confidence and just trying to get over that hump of beating these guys," Lester said.
"If we get fortunate enough to face these guys [in the NLDS], we'll be right there with 'em."
White Sox fall behind early, lose to Indians.
By Dan Hayes
A long, rough week for the White Sox ended in similar fashion on Sunday afternoon.
The Cleveland Indians scored three times apiece against John Danks and Zach Putnam to send the White Sox to a 6-3 defeat and clinch a series victory at Progressive Field. Lonnie Chisenhall had a two-run homer and the Indians scored three in the second against Danks, who has lost 13 of 20 decisions. Jose Abreu singled in two runs for the White Sox, who lost for the fifth time in eight tries and open a four-game series with a doubleheader in Detroit on Monday.
The Cleveland Indians scored three times apiece against John Danks and Zach Putnam to send the White Sox to a 6-3 defeat and clinch a series victory at Progressive Field. Lonnie Chisenhall had a two-run homer and the Indians scored three in the second against Danks, who has lost 13 of 20 decisions. Jose Abreu singled in two runs for the White Sox, who lost for the fifth time in eight tries and open a four-game series with a doubleheader in Detroit on Monday.
“They made (Danks) work,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He gave us an opportunity. He just ran out of innings and pitches.”
Cleveland didn’t get to Danks in the first inning, but he still required 29 pitches to work around a single and a walk.
Danks wasn’t as fortunate in the second inning as Yan Gomes singled ahead of Chisenhall’s two-run blast to right. Abraham Almonte followed with a double and later scored on an RBI single by Francisco Lindor.
Danks threw 56 pitches through his first two innings and needed 110 pitches to complete five innings. With Monday’s doubleheader looming, the White Sox hoped Danks --- who allowed three earned runs and seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts --- could go deeper into the start.
“They weren’t as aggressive early in the at-bat as they had been the last couple of days and I wasn’t able to force them to start swinging,” Danks said.
“You’ve got to tip your hat, they did a good job of fouling off some good pitches and waiting me out and before you know it the pitch count is up there and we’re in the bullpen,” he added. “I needed to go a lot deeper than this.”
Cleveland gave itself an extra cushion with three doubles in the sixth inning off Putnam. Chisenhall doubled in a run, Lindor had a sac fly and Michael Brantley doubled in another to make it 6-0.
“We tried to climb back into it and then let it slip away a bit,” Ventura said.
The contest ended what has been one of the team’s worst weeks of the season.
They were routed twice, losing by 11 runs on both Tuesday and Friday night. They won on Monday but only after they blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning and topped Oakland in 14.
The White Sox lost Thursday’s game in heartbreaking fashion when David Robertson gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning. And even Saturday’s victory included another near-blown save by Robertson, who picked off the tying run to end it.
Still, the White Sox made a game of it after Indians starter Josh Tomlin departed. Abreu’s blooper to shallow right off Zach McAllister scored two in the seventh inning. Alexei Ramirez had an RBI ground out off Bryan Shaw in the eighth to score Trayce Thompson, who had earlier doubled.
The White Sox had earlier chances but never broke through against Tomlin, who also beat them on Sept. 9. Unlike that contest, where the White Sox knocked Tomlin out with a three-run rally in the sixth inning, they didn’t get the big hit on Sunday. Tomlin hit and walked a batter in the second inning but got Tyler Flowers to fly out. He worked around a double and a walk in the fifth as he struck out the side.
“He has been very effective in locating the pitches where he wants to put it,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “For me that’s been the key for him. He’s been very accurate, throwing his pitches in the right spot and where he wants to put it.”
Monday's doubleheader to determine when Chris Sale pitches next.
By Dan Hayes
The White Sox would like to get Chris Sale an extra day between starts this week.
Whether or not they attain their goal rests on the shoulders of John Danks, Jeff Samardzija and Erik Johnson. After they previously listed Sale as Wednesday’s starter in Detroit, the White Sox changed the designation on Sunday to ‘TBA.’ The hope is that Sale could start Thursday in New York but that depends upon how many innings the team’s starters can eat the next few days.
“We’re going to get through that doubleheader first before we figure out when he’s pitching again,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “If we can get through that unscathed of people pitching, you might have a chance to push him back a day. Whether we do or not, I don’t know, but we’ve got to get through tomorrow first.”
Monday is the big test as the White Sox play a split doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. The challenge of getting through those 18 innings has been made more difficult by the inconsistent efforts of Samardzija, who only completed three innings on Tuesday and hasn’t gotten out of the fifth in three of his last nine starts.
While Johnson has had better results than Samardzija, he hasn’t pitched beyond the sixth inning in any of his three starts.
The White Sox have long men in Scott Carroll and Frankie Montas in the bullpen but may want to use one of them Wednesday in order to push Sale back a day.
Sale threw 116 pitches on Friday night in a seven-inning start. Hypothetically, Sale could still make three more starts this season, including two on the final home stand.
“We want to be able to get through (Monday),” Ventura said. “We might be able to push him back a bit, but with Scotty and Frankie being here, depending on how we get through it, we’ll go from there.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Jason Day takes over world No. 1 with six-shot BMW Championship win.
By Ryan Ballengee
Jason Day, of Australia, poses with the Western Golf Association J.K. Wadley Trophy, left, and the BMW Championship Trophy after winning the BMW Championship golf tournament at Conway Farms Golf Club, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, in Lake Forest, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
On Sunday, Day wrapped up his fourth win in his last half-dozen tournaments, dominating the BMW Championship at Conway Farms near Chicago to the tune of a six-shot win. The 27-year-old entered the final round leading by six, and, with a 2-under 69 in the final round, he maintained that edge over Daniel Berger with a 22-under 262 total.
The win propels Day to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time. It's his second six-shot win in the FedEx Cup playoffs, which began with Day dominating at The Barclays. Looking exhausted after winning three times in four starts, Day wound up T-12 at the Deutsche Bank Championship. With a week off to rest, Day was again in an echelon above his peers, opening with 10-under 61 and never looking back.
Behind Berger, Scott Piercy finished alone in third at 15 under par. Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy and J.B. Holmes tied for fourth place at 14 under.
Jordan Spieth finished tied for 13th, 11 behind Day.
With their finishes, Berger, Piercy, Kevin Na and Harris English all played their way into next week's Tour Championship in Atlanta, the FedEx Cup playoff finale reserved for the top 30 players in the standings after the BMW Championship.
Day will be the top-seeded player heading into the Tour Championship. Despite outclassing the playoff field, losing to just 11 of 292 other players in three events, however, Day is not a lock to win the season-long points race and its $10 million first-place prize. The points are reset for the 30 players who qualify for the season finale in Atlanta next week, giving each at least a mathematical chance of winning the cup. The top five players in the standings can win the FedEx Cup outright if they win the Tour Championship, meaning Day's virtuoso march through the playoffs does not give him complete control over his FedEx Cup finish. Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and Bubba Watson can all take the FedEx Cup from Day with a victory at East Lake.
However, if Day wins again, there's a case to make that he could be the PGA Tour player of the year. He'll have won three of four playoff events as part six titles on the year including a major championship and the FedEx Cup. While Jordan Spieth has two majors, Day's late-season flurry may convince his peers that his year was better.
Europeans defend controversial call in Solheim Cup defeat.
By CIARAN FAHEY
United States Alison Lee kisses the trophy during the award ceremony at the Solheim Cup golf tournament in St. Leon-Rot, southern Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015. USA won the competition. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
Despite making the call that ultimately proved the turning point for the Americans' memorable victory in the Solheim Cup, Suzann Pettersen feels she did the right thing.
It was the Norwegian who demanded American rookie Alison Lee be penalized at the 17th hole of their morning fourball match for picking the ball up when she thought the putt had been conceded. The Americans were furious, and used that anger to engineer the biggest comeback in Solheim history, coming from four points down in the singles to clinch the victory.
Pettersen, though, said she was simply playing by the rules and doing her best for her team. She would ''totally'' do it again.
''It was very clear from Charley (Hull) and me that we wanted to see the putt at the time of play,'' the Norwegian said. ''I mean, we are all trying to win, to play golf. I totally respect the Americans. We totally respect the game.''
The controversy came after Lee's birdie putt had stopped less than two feet from the hole, and the Americans thought the European team conceded when Hull started walking away. However, Hull said she had not been walking off the green as Lee thought but had gone over to consult with Pettersen.
''I was walking over to Suzann to discuss whether or not to give the putt, and then I turn around and she picks it up,'' Hull said. ''And, you know, it went by and that's what happened. And everyone - a few people are saying that I was walking off the green. If they watch it again, I was walking to Suzann.''
Had the putt been conceded, the hole would have been halved and left the match all-square with one hole to play. Instead, Europe was awarded the hole, and went on to win the match.
''To me it looked good. I mean, it was a really short putt, easy putt,'' Lee said. ''And at the same time Charley was walking off the green and Suzann was already off the green so there was no doubt in my mind that that putt was good. ... I didn't even think twice about it. So I just picked it up.''
The incident left both Lee and Hull in tears afterward.
''She picked it up and I felt really bad because of what happened,'' the 19-year-old Hull said. ''It was spur of the moment and I was just upset. I felt sorry for her. But at the end of the day, rules are rules.''
The point helped put Europe up 10-6 going into the singles, but the Americans stormed back to win 14 1/2 to 13 1/2. As far as Julie Inkster was concerned, the controversy over Lee's putt was what sparked the American comeback.
''I don't know if my team needed to be fired up anymore, but they were real fired up,'' Inkster said.
Lee, who recovered with a 3 and 1 win over Gwladys Nocera of France, also said the team rallied together after the incident.
''Definitely after everything that happened, it definitely fired us all up to go and pretty much kill it, kill it this afternoon,'' Lee said.
NASCAR: Hamlin rallies to earn victory in opening round of playoffs.
By Jenna Fryer
Denny Hamlin prepares to eat a Chicago style hot dog in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Chicagoland Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, in Joliet, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Denny Hamlin vowed to make it to the championship round of NASCAR's playoffs, and nothing so far is getting in his way.
Not a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered playing basketball just days before the regular-season finale.
Not a horrible day of practice that resulted in an awful starting position for the opening round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Not a spin Sunday two laps into the race that dropped him to last in the field at Chicagoland Speedway and one lap down from the leaders.
Hamlin stepped up and once again showed his resilience by rallying for a surprise victory in the first race of the 10-race Chase. The win for Joe Gibbs Racing - a heavy favorite to win the championship - earned Hamlin an automatic berth into the second round of the playoffs.
''Go have some fun the next two weeks, that's for sure. Takes some pressure off of us,'' Hamlin said about his strategy for the next two weeks.
''Go have some fun the next two weeks, that's for sure. Takes some pressure off of us,'' Hamlin said about his strategy for the next two weeks.
It was a decidedly different mood for reigning champion Kevin Harvick, who vowed four days ago not to be intimidated by JGR's recent muscle and said ''we're going to pound them into the ground'' during the Chase.
Instead, contact with Jimmie Johnson on a restart caused a tire rub on Harvick's car. He thought the issue had fixed itself, but his left rear tire blew two laps later and he was in the wall.
Instead, contact with Jimmie Johnson on a restart caused a tire rub on Harvick's car. He thought the issue had fixed itself, but his left rear tire blew two laps later and he was in the wall.
Harvick drove the car to the garage for repairs, and his anger toward Johnson was evident as headed back on the track - his finger pointed out his window at Johnson's crew - 57 laps off the pace and second-to-last in the field.
Johnson went to Harvick's motorhome after the race to speak to Harvick, but Harvick walked out of the bus and shoved Johnson in the chest with a closed fist.
Harvick was separated from the six-time champion, and Johnson pointed at Harvick as he was restrained from getting at Johnson a second time. Harvick's wife, DeLana, exited a waiting car to walk over to the bickering drivers and Harvick eventually retreated to the backseat of the car as Johnson walked away.
Harvick is last in the 16-driver field, and four drivers will be cut from the Chase in two weeks. Asked what he needs to do to stay in contention, he was blunt: ''we've just got to go win one of these next two races.''
Harvick is last in the 16-driver field, and four drivers will be cut from the Chase in two weeks. Asked what he needs to do to stay in contention, he was blunt: ''we've just got to go win one of these next two races.''
He felt that Johnson had no regard for his position on the race track during the restart when Harvick was third and Johnson was fourth.
''I just held my ground and he just slammed into my door like I wasn't even there,'' Harvick said.
Johnson's version was that he got a push from behind from Joey Logano that sent him down to the apron. As he tried to get back on the track, he made contact with Harvick.
''I assumed he would try to find it as my fault. I just simply needed a lane to get back on the racetrack,'' said Johnson. ''He was trying to pin me down and I've got to get back up or else there would be a hell of a mess in Turn 1.''
Harvick crew chief Rodney Childers initially said on the team radio he felt Johnson deliberately hit Harvick. After the race, though, the disappointment seemed to be focused on the relationship Stewart-Haas Racing has with Hendrick Motorsports.
The two Chevrolet teams are pseudo teammates, and Johnson and Harvick have a lengthy relationship dating to their early racing days in California.
''As much as we work together and share information, and I feel like we've helped them a lot this year trying to get their cars better, it's just disappointing,'' Childers said.
The trouble for Harvick was as surprising as the victory for Hamlin.
His rough day Friday in practice meant he had to start 29th in the race when qualifying was rained out. Hamlin said his toughest task was going to be showing patience in the early laps of the race as he tried to move a fast Toyota through traffic, but he spun trying to pick his way toward the front on the second lap.
Now last and a lap down, it seemed he had no shot at the win.
But his JGR team didn't panic, and crew chief Dave Rogers used a gutsy call not to pit during the final caution to give Hamlin a shot at the victory.
Hamlin slid to the bottom of the track to make it three-wide as he jumped from third to first on the restart with five laps remaining. Once past Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch, he easily cruised to JGR's ninth win in the last 12 races.
JGR has won three consecutive Sprint Cup races, and celebrated an Xfinity Series victory on Saturday with Kyle Busch.
Carl Edwards rallied from a speeding penalty to finish second and give JGR and Toyota a 1-2 finish.
Kurt Busch, who was headed for the win until the final caution was called with 10 laps remaining, was third and disappointed at the timing of the caution.
''It was the difference maker today,'' Kurt Busch said. ''My Chevy was fast, fast enough to win.''
Ryan Newman, who used consistency to race his way into the championship round last year, was fourth and Kenseth was fifth to give JGR three drivers in the top-five.
Johnson finished 11th and Gordon, second on the final restart, faded to 14th over the final five laps.
Headed into New Hampshire, the four drivers needing to make a big move off the elimination bubble are Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer and Harvick.
SOCCER: Fire punished by late goal from Orlando in 'frustrating' loss.
By Danny Michallik
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
On a night when playoff hopefuls New York City FC and Montreal Impact each posted three goals in victories over the San Jose Earthquakes and New England Revolution, the onus was very much on the Chicago Fire to usurp Orlando City SC on Saturday night.
Results around the Eastern Conference have helped the Fire on many occasions, but the Men in Red - playing the Lions for the fourth time in all competitions - failed to produce a similar result, and saw their playoff hopes all but fade away.
After a giveaway by Razvan Cocis in the defensive third, Brek Shea strode past Joevin Jones with ease en route to delivering a ball across the box to Darwin Cerén. Bryan Rochez took the ball off his foot and finished past Jon Busch in the 86th minute, which proved to be the difference on the night as the Fire (7-16-6, 27 points) slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Orlando City (9-13-8, 35 points) in front of an announced crowd of 20,280 at Toyota Park.
"They hit the crossbar, had the goal; we had some near misses," Fire coach Frank Yallop said. "The final pass wasn't there for us. That's the story of the game."
The loss - the Fire's 16th of 2015 - leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table and nine points adrift of sixth-placed Montreal. After snapping a six-match winless streak with a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City last week, Orlando City’s second win on the trot inches them closer toward breaking into the top six.
Yallop made just two changes from the side that fell on the road to the New York Red Bulls last time out. Busch replaced Sean Johnson in goal for his first start (all competitions) since the Fire's 3-1 victory over Orlando City in the U.S. Open Cup on July 22. Cocis made his return and deputized for the suspended Matt Polster in central midfield.
Both sides struggled to develop a rhythm in the early going, and exchanged half chances until Orlando City midfielder Carlos Rivas clanged a side-footed effort off the crossbar in the 18th minute. Cyle Larin bullied Fire right back Daneil Cyrus off the ball, and squared to Rivas, who was unlucky not to punish the Trinidadian for his error.
Kennedy Igboananike and Harry Shipp were at the heart of the Fire's two most dangerous chances, forcing diving saves from Orlando City goalkeeper Tally Hall in the 34th and 38th minutes.Following a tame opening 45, the second stanza provided much of the same back-and-forth. The visitors did well to keep the hosts out as Cocis was on the receiving end of an Igboananike cross in the 61st minute, seeing his ensuing header batted away by Hall.
As the half wore on, Adrian Heath's unit stood firm against the Men in Red's persistence while attempting to break on the counter attack. In the 67th minute, Larin was released into space and freed himself in the box, but sent a harmless effort toward goal. Rivas supplied Larin a minute later, but the rookie's one-time effort trickled past Busch's left post.
Four minutes from time, Orlando City broke the deadlock. Shea, Cerén and Rochez - all second-half substitutes - exploited the Fire back four, with Rochez finishing from close range to help Orlando City snatch all three points.
"It's just frustrating," Yallop added. "I feel really bad for the guys. We work hard, we do the things that, I feel and we feel as a group, are good enough to get more points in the table than we're getting. It's very frustrating right now. We seem to find every sort of opportunity to give goals up."
Next up for the Fire is a midweek clash against the Montreal Impact on Sept. 23, the third and final meeting between the two teams.
Chicago Fire Starting XI (subs)
(4-4-2) - Jon Busch; Daneil Cyrus, Ty Harden, Jeff Larentowicz (C), Joevin Jones; Patrick Nyarko (Mike Magee, 85'), Razvan Cocis, Michael Stephens (Jason Johnson, 85'), Harry Shipp (Gilberto, 71'); David Accam, Kennedy Igboananike.
NOTE:
- Two players were ruled unavailable prior to kickoff: Eric Gehrig (heel) and Sean Johnson (shoulder pain) will both have MRIs next week to determine the extent of their injuries.
Frank Yallop dismissed as Fire head coach.
Results around the Eastern Conference have helped the Fire on many occasions, but the Men in Red - playing the Lions for the fourth time in all competitions - failed to produce a similar result, and saw their playoff hopes all but fade away.
After a giveaway by Razvan Cocis in the defensive third, Brek Shea strode past Joevin Jones with ease en route to delivering a ball across the box to Darwin Cerén. Bryan Rochez took the ball off his foot and finished past Jon Busch in the 86th minute, which proved to be the difference on the night as the Fire (7-16-6, 27 points) slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Orlando City (9-13-8, 35 points) in front of an announced crowd of 20,280 at Toyota Park.
"They hit the crossbar, had the goal; we had some near misses," Fire coach Frank Yallop said. "The final pass wasn't there for us. That's the story of the game."
The loss - the Fire's 16th of 2015 - leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table and nine points adrift of sixth-placed Montreal. After snapping a six-match winless streak with a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City last week, Orlando City’s second win on the trot inches them closer toward breaking into the top six.
Yallop made just two changes from the side that fell on the road to the New York Red Bulls last time out. Busch replaced Sean Johnson in goal for his first start (all competitions) since the Fire's 3-1 victory over Orlando City in the U.S. Open Cup on July 22. Cocis made his return and deputized for the suspended Matt Polster in central midfield.
Both sides struggled to develop a rhythm in the early going, and exchanged half chances until Orlando City midfielder Carlos Rivas clanged a side-footed effort off the crossbar in the 18th minute. Cyle Larin bullied Fire right back Daneil Cyrus off the ball, and squared to Rivas, who was unlucky not to punish the Trinidadian for his error.
Kennedy Igboananike and Harry Shipp were at the heart of the Fire's two most dangerous chances, forcing diving saves from Orlando City goalkeeper Tally Hall in the 34th and 38th minutes.Following a tame opening 45, the second stanza provided much of the same back-and-forth. The visitors did well to keep the hosts out as Cocis was on the receiving end of an Igboananike cross in the 61st minute, seeing his ensuing header batted away by Hall.
As the half wore on, Adrian Heath's unit stood firm against the Men in Red's persistence while attempting to break on the counter attack. In the 67th minute, Larin was released into space and freed himself in the box, but sent a harmless effort toward goal. Rivas supplied Larin a minute later, but the rookie's one-time effort trickled past Busch's left post.
Four minutes from time, Orlando City broke the deadlock. Shea, Cerén and Rochez - all second-half substitutes - exploited the Fire back four, with Rochez finishing from close range to help Orlando City snatch all three points.
"It's just frustrating," Yallop added. "I feel really bad for the guys. We work hard, we do the things that, I feel and we feel as a group, are good enough to get more points in the table than we're getting. It's very frustrating right now. We seem to find every sort of opportunity to give goals up."
Next up for the Fire is a midweek clash against the Montreal Impact on Sept. 23, the third and final meeting between the two teams.
Chicago Fire Starting XI (subs)
(4-4-2) - Jon Busch; Daneil Cyrus, Ty Harden, Jeff Larentowicz (C), Joevin Jones; Patrick Nyarko (Mike Magee, 85'), Razvan Cocis, Michael Stephens (Jason Johnson, 85'), Harry Shipp (Gilberto, 71'); David Accam, Kennedy Igboananike.
NOTE:
- Two players were ruled unavailable prior to kickoff: Eric Gehrig (heel) and Sean Johnson (shoulder pain) will both have MRIs next week to determine the extent of their injuries.
Frank Yallop dismissed as Fire head coach.
By Danny Michallik
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
In what was seemingly a foregone conclusion, the Fire announced the firing of head coach Frank Yallop on Sunday afternoon after less than two seasons in Chicago, among a slew of changes to the technical staff.
The club also appointed Nelson Rodríguez as general manager, and parted ways with assistant coaches Marc Bircham and Clint Mathis. Technical Director Brian Bliss, who will remain in his position, will serve as the head coach on an interim basis with former Fire captain Logan Pause joining him on the sideline as the assistant coach. Rodríguez will join the Fire on Oct. 19, all other changes are effective immediately. Goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde will stay on to work with Bliss and Pause.
Yallop, who took over from Frank Klopas on Oct. 31, 2013, was dismissed a day after the Men in Red's narrow 1-0 defeat to conference rival Orlando City SC - a league-high 16th of 2015. It brought to an end a tumultuous tenure during which the two-time MLS Coach of the Year amounted a 13-26-24 record in his time in Chicago.
Saturday night's loss was the last straw for California-based owner Andrew Hauptman.
"I share our fans' frustration and, while we've enjoyed success off the pitch, I'm obviously not happy with the results on it. I felt the need to make changes now in order to better position ourselves for the off-season and beyond," Hauptman said in a statement. "I have tremendous confidence about the future of this club in Nelson's hands and am beyond thrilled to bring him to Chicago.
The club also appointed Nelson Rodríguez as general manager, and parted ways with assistant coaches Marc Bircham and Clint Mathis. Technical Director Brian Bliss, who will remain in his position, will serve as the head coach on an interim basis with former Fire captain Logan Pause joining him on the sideline as the assistant coach. Rodríguez will join the Fire on Oct. 19, all other changes are effective immediately. Goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde will stay on to work with Bliss and Pause.
Yallop, who took over from Frank Klopas on Oct. 31, 2013, was dismissed a day after the Men in Red's narrow 1-0 defeat to conference rival Orlando City SC - a league-high 16th of 2015. It brought to an end a tumultuous tenure during which the two-time MLS Coach of the Year amounted a 13-26-24 record in his time in Chicago.
Saturday night's loss was the last straw for California-based owner Andrew Hauptman.
"I share our fans' frustration and, while we've enjoyed success off the pitch, I'm obviously not happy with the results on it. I felt the need to make changes now in order to better position ourselves for the off-season and beyond," Hauptman said in a statement. "I have tremendous confidence about the future of this club in Nelson's hands and am beyond thrilled to bring him to Chicago.
"Nelson is a proven leader with a stellar national reputation, an exceptionally skilled soccer mind and has extensive experience working alongside players and coaches. He is uniquely qualified to build and manage our technical team and lead our club, while more closely aligning our on field efforts with the activities of our dynamic front office led by COO Atul Khosla."
Said Rodriguez: "It is with great pride and excitement that I am joining the Chicago Fire. I have tremendous respect for Andrew and his vision for the future of this club and thank him for this opportunity. I have always enjoyed Chicago and admired its great sports fans. I consider leading the Fire to be more than just a responsibility, but also a privilege. I will work hard to uphold the club's tradition, protect its honor and help raise more championship banners. I look forward to working alongside the great club staff assembled at Toyota Park. I also wish to thank U.S. Soccer for the privilege I had to serve with them and in particular Sunil Gulati, Dan Flynn and Jurgen Klinsmann."
After adopting Klopas' roster for much of the 2014 campaign, this season presented an opportunity for Yallop, who was in the second year of a three-year contract, to make a playoff push following a substantial player turnover in the offseason.
But after a series of losses and having been glued to the bottom of the Eastern Conference table for much of the year, the inconsistency ran its course.
NCAAFB: AP Top 25 Ranking
| Rank | Team | Record | Pts | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ohio St. (42) | 3-0 | 1490 | 1 |
| 2. | Michigan St. (7) | 3-0 | 1415 | 4 |
| 3. | Mississippi (11) | 3-0 | 1345 | 15 |
| 3. | TCU | 3-0 | 1345 | 3 |
| 5. | Baylor | 2-0 | 1213 | 5 |
| 6. | Notre Dame | 3-0 | 1183 | 8 |
| 7. | Georgia | 3-0 | 1162 | 7 |
| 8. | LSU (1) | 2-0 | 1088 | 13 |
| 9. | UCLA | 3-0 | 981 | 10 |
| 10. | Florida St. | 3-0 | 953 | 9 |
| 11. | Clemson | 3-0 | 903 | 11 |
| 12. | Alabama | 2-1 | 882 | 2 |
| 13. | Oregon | 2-1 | 855 | 12 |
| 14. | Texas A&M | 3-0 | 798 | 17 |
| 15. | Oklahoma | 3-0 | 782 | 16 |
| 16. | Arizona | 3-0 | 488 | 20 |
| 17. | Northwestern | 3-0 | 469 | 23 |
| 18. | Utah | 3-0 | 439 | 21 |
| 19. | USC | 2-1 | 367 | 6 |
| 20. | Georgia Tech | 2-1 | 352 | 14 |
| 21. | Stanford | 2-1 | 288 | NR |
| 22. | BYU | 2-1 | 174 | 19 |
| 22. | Wisconsin | 2-1 | 174 | 24 |
| 24. | Oklahoma St. | 3-0 | 149 | 25 |
| 25. | Missouri | 3-0 | 135 | 22 |
Others Receiving Votes:
- Mississippi St. 52,
- West Virginia 48,
- Tennessee 45,
- California 38,
- Toledo 36,
- Arizona St. 25,
- Houston 22,
- Temple 20,
- Auburn 20,
- Texas Tech 20,
- Boise St. 17,
- Miami (FL) 13,
- Iowa 10,
- Kansas St. 8,
- Florida 7,
- N.C. State 5,
- Virginia Tech 4,
- Minnesota 4,
- Memphis 1
By DAVID BRANDT
Mississippi is on the rise again after knocking off Alabama in a game full of turnovers and lucky bounces.
The Rebels ran off to a big lead and then held on for a 43-37 win in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night that made a huge impression in the college football rankings.
The victory saw Ole Miss (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) jump 12 spots to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll Sunday.
It's the second straight season the Rebels look capable of making a serious run in the SEC West. Last year's surprising hot start, though, fizzled late in the season after close losses and key injuries.
The Rebels say they're ready to be one of the nation's elite after their first win in Tuscaloosa since 1988.
''It feels so comfortable, the team's so comfortable with each other, and we're not worried about anybody else or even the West rankings,'' Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche said. ''We're just worried about being in this moment and savoring it. Everybody's believing it.''
It's easy to understand why Ole Miss feels so confident.
The offense has scored at least 43 points in three straight games for the first time. Transfer quarterback Chad Kelly was superb in his first big game, throwing for 341 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Laquon Treadwell leads a deep group of receivers that includes Cody Core, Quincy Adeboyejo and Damore'ea Stringfellow. Treadwell made his first big play since breaking a leg last year, catching a 24-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that gave the Rebels a 43-24 lead.
There's also the defense. It gave up some points and yards to Alabama, but also forced five turnovers. Tony Bridges had a crucial interception in the fourth quarter to end one Tide drive in the fourth quarter. The Rebels played solid team defense in the final minute, forcing Alabama's Jake Coker into four straight incompletions to seal the victory.
And then, of course, there was a little luck.
Adeboyejo's 66-yard touchdown catch was on a ball Kelly probably shouldn't have thrown. He flung the ball into the air as he was about to be sacked and the ball was tipped before Adeboyejo came down with it and outran everyone to the end zone.
''I grabbed it, and everything from there, I just had to go score,'' Adeboyejo said.
Now Ole Miss is among the early favorites to win the West.
The Rebels have a fairly manageable schedule over the next month, though road games against Florida and Memphis could be tricky.
''Our schedule's still really tough,'' Ole Miss running back Jordan Wilkins said. ''We've got to keep rolling. We're all excited, but this definitely showed what we're capable of doing.''
Athlon Sports' most interesting stats from Week 3.
The Rebels ran off to a big lead and then held on for a 43-37 win in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night that made a huge impression in the college football rankings.
The victory saw Ole Miss (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) jump 12 spots to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll Sunday.
It's the second straight season the Rebels look capable of making a serious run in the SEC West. Last year's surprising hot start, though, fizzled late in the season after close losses and key injuries.
The Rebels say they're ready to be one of the nation's elite after their first win in Tuscaloosa since 1988.
''It feels so comfortable, the team's so comfortable with each other, and we're not worried about anybody else or even the West rankings,'' Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche said. ''We're just worried about being in this moment and savoring it. Everybody's believing it.''
It's easy to understand why Ole Miss feels so confident.
The offense has scored at least 43 points in three straight games for the first time. Transfer quarterback Chad Kelly was superb in his first big game, throwing for 341 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Laquon Treadwell leads a deep group of receivers that includes Cody Core, Quincy Adeboyejo and Damore'ea Stringfellow. Treadwell made his first big play since breaking a leg last year, catching a 24-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that gave the Rebels a 43-24 lead.
There's also the defense. It gave up some points and yards to Alabama, but also forced five turnovers. Tony Bridges had a crucial interception in the fourth quarter to end one Tide drive in the fourth quarter. The Rebels played solid team defense in the final minute, forcing Alabama's Jake Coker into four straight incompletions to seal the victory.
And then, of course, there was a little luck.
Adeboyejo's 66-yard touchdown catch was on a ball Kelly probably shouldn't have thrown. He flung the ball into the air as he was about to be sacked and the ball was tipped before Adeboyejo came down with it and outran everyone to the end zone.
''I grabbed it, and everything from there, I just had to go score,'' Adeboyejo said.
Now Ole Miss is among the early favorites to win the West.
The Rebels have a fairly manageable schedule over the next month, though road games against Florida and Memphis could be tricky.
''Our schedule's still really tough,'' Ole Miss running back Jordan Wilkins said. ''We've got to keep rolling. We're all excited, but this definitely showed what we're capable of doing.''
Athlon Sports' most interesting stats from Week 3.
By Steven Lassan
Numbers and statistics are a huge part of college football. Every Sunday, reading updated box scores and stats is like Christmas for fans and media members. Some stats like total offense and total defense are overrated, but each help paint a picture for a team or particular game.
Whether the stats are historic, advanced or just an observation from a box score, Athlon Sports brings the most intriguing, important, historic and bizarre stats from around the weekend of college football action:
12.0: LSU RB Leonard Fournette’s School Record YPC Against Auburn
12.0: LSU RB Leonard Fournette’s School Record YPC Against Auburn
Fournette was simply unstoppable in Saturday’s 45-21 victory over Auburn. The sophomore gashed the Tigers for 228 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 19 attempts. Fournette showcased his big-play ability on his 19 carries, averaging a new LSU single-game record of 12 yards per carry. Additionally, Fournette’s 387 rushing yards are the most by any LSU player through the first two games in a season.
96.0%: Georgia QB Greyson Lambert Sets NCAA Record
Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert took a huge step forward on Saturday night, setting a NCAA record by completing 96 percent (24 of 25) passes in the win over South Carolina. The 96 percent completion mark is a new NCAA record (minimum of 20 completions), which broke the previous mark held by Tee Martin and Geno Smith (95.8). In addition to setting a new NCAA record, Lambert threw for 330 yards and three scores in Georgia’s 52-20 rout over South Carolina.
3: Wins Over Power 5 Opponents by Notre Dame in 2015
Behind a strong defensive effort and an efficient game from new quarterback DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame defeated Georgia Tech 30-22 on Saturday. The victory over the Yellow Jackets secured three wins by the Fighting Irish over Power 5 opponents to open the 2015 season. Notre Dame is the first program since 2012 to accomplish that feat.
1: Touchdown Allowed by Northwestern So Far in 2015
While Northwestern hasn’t faced a gauntlet of offenses (Stanford, Eastern Illinois and Duke) so far, the Wildcats have been stellar on defense. Through three games, Northwestern has allowed only one touchdown – the fewest in college football – and is limiting opponents to just 3.8 yards per play. Additionally, the Wildcats have forced seven turnovers and have yet to allow a play of 40 yards or more. Tougher games and better offenses are ahead, but Northwestern could be a dark horse contender in the Big Ten West Division if this defense continues to perform as it has through the first three weeks.
-5 and 43: Alabama’s Turnovers, Points Allowed Against Ole Miss
-5 and 43: Alabama’s Turnovers, Points Allowed Against Ole Miss
Despite outgaining Ole Miss 503 to 433 and holding a 100 to 65 edge in plays, Alabama lost 43-37 in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. Two stats sum up why the Crimson Tide lost: -5 in turnover margin and 43 points allowed. The Crimson Tide’s defense was placed into a couple of bad situations as a result of five turnovers by the offense, but this is the second consecutive SEC game where the Crimson Tide allowed at least 40 points. Alabama has to do a better job of taking care of the ball and settle on a quarterback, but the pass defense shouldn’t be overlooked after giving up an average of 18.9 yards per completion against the Rebels.
3: Interceptions by Ohio State QBs J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones in Week 3
3: Interceptions by Ohio State QBs J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones in Week 3
Ohio State was supposed to have the best quarterback situation in college football this season. However, through three weeks of the season, coach Urban Meyer is still trying to sort out the J.T. Barrett versus Cardale Jones quarterback battle. Both signal-callers have struggled at times, including Saturday’s sluggish 20-13 win over Northern Illinois. Barrett completed 11 of 19 attempts for only 97 yards, while Jones threw for 36 yards on four completions. The two quarterbacks combined for three interceptions, which tied the most for the Buckeyes in a game since the Sept. 6, 2014 loss to Virginia Tech.
527: Texas QB Jerrod Heard’s Total Yards Against California
Texas has found its quarterback. While the Longhorns came up short to California on the scoreboard on Saturday night, Heard’s huge performance should answer any lingering questions about the quarterback position. The redshirt freshman accumulated 527 total yards against the Golden Bears, which set a new single-game record at Texas. Heard rushed for 163 yards and three scores and completed 20 of 31 passes for 364 yards. While the Longhorns aren’t happy with a loss, Heard is an exciting and talented piece to build around for the rest of 2015.
4: TCU Defensive Starters Lost for the Season Due to Injury
TCU coach Gary Patterson is one of the top defensive minds in college football, and his ability to adapt and develop personnel is going to be tested in a big way in 2015. The Horned Frogs lost cornerback Ranthony Texada for the season to a knee injury against SMU, which adds to the growing list of ailments for this defense. In addition to Texada’s injury, three other starters – linebacker Sammy Douglas, end James McFarland and safety Kenny Iloka – are missing for the rest of 2015. Starting linebacker Mike Freeze is taking a leave of absence, and defensive linemen Davion Pierson, Mike Tuaua and Terrell Lathan have missed action due to various ailments. While TCU still has one of the nation’s top offenses, the losses on defense are starting to add up and could cost the Horned Frogs a shot at the College Football Playoff.
3: Losses by USC Under Steve Sarkisian to Unranked Teams
Steve Sarkisian is 11-5 as USC’s coach, but three of those losses were against unranked teams. The Trojans were a double-digit favorite against Stanford but lost 41-31 on Saturday night, largely due to their inability to stop the Cardinal offense. The loss to the Cardinal won't help Sarkisian, as the second-year coach was already facing criticism after an underwhelming 9-4 debut and an incident at the program’s kickoff event in August. The loss to Stanford doesn’t end USC’s playoff hopes, but three defeats to unranked teams is not a good trend for Sarkisian.
35-24: Kliff Kingsbury’s Revenge over Bret Bielema
Texas Tech waited over a year to get revenge against Arkansas, but the Red Raiders scored a payback win on Saturday night. After watching the Razorbacks gash the Texas Tech defense for 438 rushing yards last season, the Red Raiders used a strong effort from quarterback Patrick Mahomes (three scores and 301 total yards) to upset Arkansas in Fayetteville. While the game itself was entertaining, it wasn’t as interesting as the post-game comments by Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury about Arkansas coach Bret Bielema.
NCAABKB: North Carolina leads our list of the top states of college basketball.
By Sam Vecenie
This week, we've already discussed the programs we think will be most successful in college hoops over the next five years and the programs we think will be most successful in each state over the next five years.
Today, we're looking at the bigger picture. Which states will carry the torch for the college basketball over the course of the next five years? This is really a rather open-ended question that could be taken a multitude of different ways. First, you have to judge the programs at hand in each state, and rate them. Is there a stable coaching environment? Is there a monetary budget that can breed success? How has their recruiting been trending recently? Who is there already?
But then there's an additional step, as you have to then recognize the schools within each state, and then balance the top-end power of the premier schools with the overall depth of talent that each state has. Do you vote for a state like Kentucky that has two of the top-seven programs in the country? Or would you rather vote for a state like California, which has 24 Division-I schools, a good deal of whom have potential to make NCAA Tournaments in the near future.
It's tricky, but my colleagues (Matt Norlander, Gary Parrish and Chip Patterson) and I did our best to determine which states will play the most integral role in college hoops going forward.
The Top-10 States for college hoops in the next five years
1. North Carolina
Top program: Duke
Outlook: This was our unanimous No. 1 choice, and it's pretty easy to see why. The state has the reigning national champion in Duke, plus two other teams that featured in our top-15 programs over the next five years in North Carolina and North Carolina State. Wake Forest also seems to be on the upswing with Danny Manning in charge there. But even below the ACC level, Davidson won the Atlantic-10 last year and North Carolina Central is 53-14 in its last two seasons. Simply put, North Carolina has the best mix of top-end talent and depth of schools right now in the country.
2. California
Top program: UCLA
Outlook: As I mentioned above, California has terrific depth that few states can match. At the top, UCLA, California, Stanford and San Diego State each have built strong programs that look sustainable moving forward. Saint Mary's, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State have also all built strong mid-major programs within the last five years, and there's always enough talent within the state (or in Saint Mary's case, Australia) to go around. The key to this one might be getting USC back on track, as the Trojans could really give the state the boost it needs.
3. Kentucky
Top program: Kentucky
Outlook: This one is all about what's at the top. The basketball-crazed state mostly rounds itself off into two groups. Kentucky fans and Louisville fans. And can you blame them? Over the previous five years, these programs are arguably the two most successful teams in the entire nation. Where Kentucky gets docked points is in its depth. Murray State is really the only other consistently above average program in the state, as Western Kentucky has lost at least 12 games in each of its last six seasons. Still though, the top-two programs are strong enough to power the state into the top-three.
4. Indiana
Top program: Indiana
Outlook: This one state that has traditionally been up near the top of a ranking like this. Like North Carolina, there is not only a sense of top-end prestige, but there is also a depth here that few can match with Butler, Indiana, Notre Dame and Purdue to go with other solid mid-majors like Valparaiso, among others. The schools that seem to be holding back the state right now are Indiana and Purdue, two traditional powers that have been just average recently. Both have a chance to rectify that this season, but it's also possible that each coach could also be out of a job if things go poorly. That uncertainty knocks it back just a few pegs to the No. 4 spot.
5. Ohio
Top program: Ohio State
Outlook: Simply put, this is a state that is living up to its full potential as a basketball power. Ohio State is state's flag bearer, winning 76 percent of its games under Thad Matta and reaching two Final Fours. But beyond them, there's been a lot of success at Xavier, Cincinnati and Dayton, and even some solid mid-major performances by MAC schools Akron and Ohio. We see very little reason why that type of success won't continue, which is why Ohio comes in at No. 5.
6. Texas
Top program: Texas
Outlook: It's just a massive state with a litany of high-potential programs. We think Texas will recapture its previous success under Shaka Smart, and become the leader of the pack. But it's impossible to neglect what Baylor has done under Scott Drew, or what Billy Kennedy has done in rebuilding Texas A&M into a potential contender behind Kentucky in the SEC. Beyond them, Houston is trending in the right direction with Kelvin Sampson in charge, Stephen F. Austin has been terrific under Brad Underwood, and both UTEP and Sam Houston State have won at least 22 games each of the last two years. Not the most high-end programs, but a solid base of depth.
7. Kansas
Top program: Kansas
Outlook: The roost is ruled here by the Kansas Jayhawks, a powerhouse that will be strong until the end of time. They're not going away any time soon. Beyond them, we also put Wichita State into our top-15 programs for the next five years, as we think Gregg Marshall will keep them strong for as long as he stays there. But there's only one more school in Kansas, and that's Kansas State, which seems to be struggling right now under Bruce Weber and could undergo a regime change in 2016.
8. Michigan
Top program: Michigan State
Outlook: Michigan State has been a perennial contender under Tom Izzo, and that will continue as long as he's there. To a lesser extent, the same could be said for Michigan under John Beilein, a terrific offensive coach that has taken the program to heights it hadn't seen since the Steve Fisher/Fab Five era. Not a real deep state after those two though, with Ray McCallum's Detroit and Greg Kampe's Oakland providing solid if unspectacular results year after year.
9. Pennsylvania
Top program: Villanova
Outlook: Villanova made our top-15, as Jay Wright is working toward a potential Hall of Fame career and the Wildcats will be in good hands with him. Behind him, Pittsburgh had a rough year in 2014-15 then saw a lot of defections, so the jury is out on them. Temple has been hit or miss under Fran Dunphy the last two years after making six straight NCAA Tournaments. St. Joe's hasn't hit the heights that it did with Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, and Penn State may be looking at another coaching change if things go poorly this season. There's a lot of potential in this state, but the middle class programs need to step up.
10. New York
Top program: Syracuse
Outlook: There are a ton of questions marks in this state, but it also has a ton of upside. Can Syracuse keep itself going strong under Mike Hopkins? Can Chris Mullin get St. John's rolling again? Is it possible for Fordham to get back to the postseason? Will Stony Brook ever win the America East Tournament to get into the Dance? The two programs with the best chance of making the NCAA Tournament this season arguably might be Columbia and Iona, which speaks to the depth of this state. However, the questions at the top need to be answered before New York moves back to the top of this chart.
The rest:
11. Florida
12. Tennessee
13. Virginia
14. Oklahoma
15. Iowa
16. Washington
17. Utah
18. Wisconsin
19. Illinois
20. Arizona
21. District of Columbia
22. Georgia
23. Alabama
24. Massachusetts
25. Oregon
26. Rhode Island
27. Maryland
28. Connecticut
29. Mississippi
30. New Jersey
31. Louisiana
32. Nebraska
33. South Carolina
34. Colorado
35. Arkansas
36. Nevada37. New Mexico
38. Missouri
39. West Virginia
40. Minnesota
41. Idaho
42. Wyoming
43. North Dakota
44. South Dakota45. Montana
Today, we're looking at the bigger picture. Which states will carry the torch for the college basketball over the course of the next five years? This is really a rather open-ended question that could be taken a multitude of different ways. First, you have to judge the programs at hand in each state, and rate them. Is there a stable coaching environment? Is there a monetary budget that can breed success? How has their recruiting been trending recently? Who is there already?
But then there's an additional step, as you have to then recognize the schools within each state, and then balance the top-end power of the premier schools with the overall depth of talent that each state has. Do you vote for a state like Kentucky that has two of the top-seven programs in the country? Or would you rather vote for a state like California, which has 24 Division-I schools, a good deal of whom have potential to make NCAA Tournaments in the near future.
It's tricky, but my colleagues (Matt Norlander, Gary Parrish and Chip Patterson) and I did our best to determine which states will play the most integral role in college hoops going forward.
The Top-10 States for college hoops in the next five years
1. North Carolina
Top program: Duke
Outlook: This was our unanimous No. 1 choice, and it's pretty easy to see why. The state has the reigning national champion in Duke, plus two other teams that featured in our top-15 programs over the next five years in North Carolina and North Carolina State. Wake Forest also seems to be on the upswing with Danny Manning in charge there. But even below the ACC level, Davidson won the Atlantic-10 last year and North Carolina Central is 53-14 in its last two seasons. Simply put, North Carolina has the best mix of top-end talent and depth of schools right now in the country.
2. California
Top program: UCLA
Outlook: As I mentioned above, California has terrific depth that few states can match. At the top, UCLA, California, Stanford and San Diego State each have built strong programs that look sustainable moving forward. Saint Mary's, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State have also all built strong mid-major programs within the last five years, and there's always enough talent within the state (or in Saint Mary's case, Australia) to go around. The key to this one might be getting USC back on track, as the Trojans could really give the state the boost it needs.
3. Kentucky
Top program: Kentucky
Outlook: This one is all about what's at the top. The basketball-crazed state mostly rounds itself off into two groups. Kentucky fans and Louisville fans. And can you blame them? Over the previous five years, these programs are arguably the two most successful teams in the entire nation. Where Kentucky gets docked points is in its depth. Murray State is really the only other consistently above average program in the state, as Western Kentucky has lost at least 12 games in each of its last six seasons. Still though, the top-two programs are strong enough to power the state into the top-three.
4. Indiana
Top program: Indiana
Outlook: This one state that has traditionally been up near the top of a ranking like this. Like North Carolina, there is not only a sense of top-end prestige, but there is also a depth here that few can match with Butler, Indiana, Notre Dame and Purdue to go with other solid mid-majors like Valparaiso, among others. The schools that seem to be holding back the state right now are Indiana and Purdue, two traditional powers that have been just average recently. Both have a chance to rectify that this season, but it's also possible that each coach could also be out of a job if things go poorly. That uncertainty knocks it back just a few pegs to the No. 4 spot.
5. Ohio
Top program: Ohio State
Outlook: Simply put, this is a state that is living up to its full potential as a basketball power. Ohio State is state's flag bearer, winning 76 percent of its games under Thad Matta and reaching two Final Fours. But beyond them, there's been a lot of success at Xavier, Cincinnati and Dayton, and even some solid mid-major performances by MAC schools Akron and Ohio. We see very little reason why that type of success won't continue, which is why Ohio comes in at No. 5.
6. Texas
Top program: Texas
Outlook: It's just a massive state with a litany of high-potential programs. We think Texas will recapture its previous success under Shaka Smart, and become the leader of the pack. But it's impossible to neglect what Baylor has done under Scott Drew, or what Billy Kennedy has done in rebuilding Texas A&M into a potential contender behind Kentucky in the SEC. Beyond them, Houston is trending in the right direction with Kelvin Sampson in charge, Stephen F. Austin has been terrific under Brad Underwood, and both UTEP and Sam Houston State have won at least 22 games each of the last two years. Not the most high-end programs, but a solid base of depth.
7. Kansas
Top program: Kansas
Outlook: The roost is ruled here by the Kansas Jayhawks, a powerhouse that will be strong until the end of time. They're not going away any time soon. Beyond them, we also put Wichita State into our top-15 programs for the next five years, as we think Gregg Marshall will keep them strong for as long as he stays there. But there's only one more school in Kansas, and that's Kansas State, which seems to be struggling right now under Bruce Weber and could undergo a regime change in 2016.
8. Michigan
Top program: Michigan State
Outlook: Michigan State has been a perennial contender under Tom Izzo, and that will continue as long as he's there. To a lesser extent, the same could be said for Michigan under John Beilein, a terrific offensive coach that has taken the program to heights it hadn't seen since the Steve Fisher/Fab Five era. Not a real deep state after those two though, with Ray McCallum's Detroit and Greg Kampe's Oakland providing solid if unspectacular results year after year.
9. Pennsylvania
Top program: Villanova
Outlook: Villanova made our top-15, as Jay Wright is working toward a potential Hall of Fame career and the Wildcats will be in good hands with him. Behind him, Pittsburgh had a rough year in 2014-15 then saw a lot of defections, so the jury is out on them. Temple has been hit or miss under Fran Dunphy the last two years after making six straight NCAA Tournaments. St. Joe's hasn't hit the heights that it did with Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, and Penn State may be looking at another coaching change if things go poorly this season. There's a lot of potential in this state, but the middle class programs need to step up.
10. New York
Top program: Syracuse
Outlook: There are a ton of questions marks in this state, but it also has a ton of upside. Can Syracuse keep itself going strong under Mike Hopkins? Can Chris Mullin get St. John's rolling again? Is it possible for Fordham to get back to the postseason? Will Stony Brook ever win the America East Tournament to get into the Dance? The two programs with the best chance of making the NCAA Tournament this season arguably might be Columbia and Iona, which speaks to the depth of this state. However, the questions at the top need to be answered before New York moves back to the top of this chart.
The rest:
11. Florida
12. Tennessee
13. Virginia
14. Oklahoma
15. Iowa
16. Washington
17. Utah
18. Wisconsin
19. Illinois
20. Arizona
21. District of Columbia
22. Georgia
23. Alabama
24. Massachusetts
25. Oregon
26. Rhode Island
27. Maryland
28. Connecticut
29. Mississippi
30. New Jersey
31. Louisiana
32. Nebraska
33. South Carolina
34. Colorado
35. Arkansas
36. Nevada37. New Mexico
38. Missouri
39. West Virginia
40. Minnesota
41. Idaho
42. Wyoming
43. North Dakota
44. South Dakota45. Montana
46. Vermont
47. Maine
48. Delaware
49. New Hampshire
50. Hawaii
51. Alaska
Carli Lloyd hat trick extends USWNT's home unbeaten streak to 100 matches.
By Roger Gonzalez
Morgan and the US rolled again. (USATSI)
Carli Lloyd has this hat trick thing down. After scoring a hat trick in the World Cup final this summer, Lloyd did it again three days ago against Haiti.
The US played Haiti again on Sunday, and can you guess what she did?
You got it.
Lloyd had a hat trick and the US beat Haiti 8-0 in Birmingham, stretching its home unbeaten streak to 100 matches.
Julie Johnston started the scoring less than a minute in, and Lloyd had her hat trick by minute 39, which included a penalty kick. The US led 5-0 at the half, and Amy Rodriguez, Alex Morgan and Heather O'Reilly all scored after the break.
The US out-shot Haiti 40-0 in last week's meeting, and on Sunday the American out-shot Haiti 39-0.
The world's best national team continues to roll.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1970 - "NFL Monday Night Football" made its debut on ABC-TV. The game was between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets. The Browns won 31-21.
1971 - The American League approved the move of the Washington Senators to Arlington, TX.
1982 - National Football League (NFL) players began a 57-day strike. It was their first regular-season walkout.
2008 - The New York Yankees played their last game at Yankee Stadium. The new Yankee Stadium opened across the street in 2009.
1971 - The American League approved the move of the Washington Senators to Arlington, TX.
1982 - National Football League (NFL) players began a 57-day strike. It was their first regular-season walkout.
2008 - The New York Yankees played their last game at Yankee Stadium. The new Yankee Stadium opened across the street in 2009.
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