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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination." ~ Ralph Marston, Former NFL Football Player
"You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination." ~ Ralph Marston, Former NFL Football Player
(Photo/10TV.com, CBS News)
Trending: Blackhawks blast Avalanche for seventh straight win. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Spieth polishes off eight-shot win at Hyundai Tournament of Champions. (See the golf section for updates).
NFL Playoff Scores
Kansas City Chiefs 30
Houston Texans 0
Pittsburgh Steelers 18
Cincinnati Bengals 16
Seattle Seahawks 10
Minnesota Vikings 9
Green Bay Packers 35
Washington Redskins 18
Red denotes winning team
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! With Adam Gase to Miami, Bears attention turns to finding OC successor.
By John Mullin
That the Bears could be without Adam Gase as offensive coordinator after the annual hiring blitz of NFL coaches has been anticipated for some time, as far back as the time of his hiring in Chicago. Gase had been on multiple NFL interview cards before following John Fox to Chicago. The assumption here has always been that either Gase or Jay Cutler would be elsewhere after the 2015 season. (good = Gase gone; bad=Cutler gone).
The bigger story surrounding the Bears, however, is not where Gase would end up — it became Miami on Saturday — but rather who would succeed him. That carries extreme weight because of the progress made by Cutler — the best statistical season of his career — despite a receiver corps that changed weekly, sometimes daily given the number of nicks suffered in practices.
It has been a volatile position since Cutler’s arrival: Ron Turner (2009), Mike Martz (2010-11, Mike Tice (2012), Aaron Kromer (2013-14) and Gase (2015).
ESPN’s Adam Schefter, citing sources, said that current quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains is the front-runner to succeed Gase.
Looking ahead, first, at the general philosophy of the offense, and then several of the top possibilities for Bears offensive coordinator:
Overview
For all of the focus on Cutler, the Bears were going to be a running football team under Fox, and Gase was an architect of game plans consistent with that philosophy. The fact that the Bears were without Martellus Bennett, Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal for about a half-season each, and Kevin White for the entire year were additional factors tilting the Bears away from heavy reliance on the pass.
But the Bears under Gase ran the ball consistently, with or without their top receivers. In games with Jeffery close to full health (seven), for example, the Bears ran the ball 45.7 percent of the time. The expectation is that Fox, not the coordinator, will set the overall base course of the offense.
“Let me make this clear,” Fox declared in the Bears’ year-end press conference with Fox and GM Ryan Pace. “Our systems are our systems. They’re not any individual’s systems; they are our systems. Our systems aren’t changing, offense, defense or special teams.
“You tweak and you grow and you adjust. You have to do that in this league because it’s a fluid league, there are trends and things that happen, and things that you have to react to regardless of what they are. That’s all part of coaching. One of the hard things about being a new staff is introducing those systems and they won’t change.”
Pace noted that Fox’s experience and time as an NFL coach has given him a wide spectrum of contacts. Two stand out in particular.
Top prospects
Ken Whisenhunt: was reportedly at the top of Fox’s candidate list to succeed Mike McCoy as Denver Broncos offensive coordinator, but Broncos football czar John Elway wanted Gase in the job, which is what happened.
Whisenhunt was fired in-season by the Tennessee Titans after a 1-6 start with rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota and 3-20 record over his tenure with the Titans.
But Whisenhunt also was the Pittsburgh offensive coordinator when the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Pittsburgh reached the AFC Championship game with Roethlisberger as a rookie and won the Super Bowl the next year with a run-based offense around him.
Whisenhunt went from Pittsburgh to the Arizona Cardinals, which he took to 8-8 in his first season (after 5-11 the year before) and to the Super Bowl in 2008 with Kurt Warner. After his run with Arizona, Whisenhunt was hired as San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator in 2013 by new coach McCoy.
Loggains: was intimately involved in the Cutler process as well as the offense, and has had experience as an offensive coordinator, serving in that capacity for the Titans in 2012-13. One potential problem here: If Fox should choose Whisenhunt, Loggains’ future with the Bears could be in question: Whisenhunt took over the Titans and Loggains was not retained.
Whether a Whisenhunt hire would automatically foreshadow a Loggains exit isn’t a given. But Cutler liked working with Loggains, frequently cited Loggains for credit in his successes. Whether that would be an issue with Cutler, who was not involved in the hiring decisions for Fox’s staff the way he once was when Martz was hired, remains to be seen.
Loggains is even closer in age (35) to Cutler (33 in April) than Gase (37) was when hired. And he actually has slightly more experience as an offensive coordinator (32) than Gase did (16) when the latter was hired in Chicago as OC.
Others such as Pat Shurmur from the Philadelphia Eagles will surface in discussions. But Loggains and Whisenhunt are the two most prominent names in what will be a critical hire for at least the near-term future of the organization.
Background: Adam Gase leaves Bears to become Miami Dolphins head coach.
By Scott Krinch
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jay Cutler will have a new offensive coordinator in 2016.
Adam Gase has been named the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Before being hired by the Dolphins, Gase interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Cleveland Browns over the past week.
Gase was brought in for a second interview with the Dolphins Saturday morning, and as expected, he didn't leave the building without becoming Miami's head coach. At 37-years-old, Gase becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL.
Gase was hired by the Bears last January, following John Fox from the Denver Broncos to Chicago. Despite dealing with a plethora of injuries to skill position players (Kevin White, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Eddie Royal), the Bears finished 21st in offense and 23rd in total points per game under Gase's watch. Cutler had the highest quarterback rating (92.3) of his career under Gase's tutelage.
“I couldn’t be happier for Adam and his family,” Cutler told ChicagoBears.com. “He has worked extremely hard his entire career and is very deserving of this opportunity. I wish he could stay with us in Chicago, but everyone has a journey and this is the next part of his.
“His work with quarterbacks is well documented and I know firsthand how good he is. He will now continue to have success in this league as a head coach. I thank him for all his hard work and look forward to following this next step in his career.”
With Gase's departure, Cutler will have his sixth different offensive coordinator in eight seasons with the Bears.
Adam Gase has been named the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Before being hired by the Dolphins, Gase interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Cleveland Browns over the past week.
Gase was brought in for a second interview with the Dolphins Saturday morning, and as expected, he didn't leave the building without becoming Miami's head coach. At 37-years-old, Gase becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL.
Gase was hired by the Bears last January, following John Fox from the Denver Broncos to Chicago. Despite dealing with a plethora of injuries to skill position players (Kevin White, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Eddie Royal), the Bears finished 21st in offense and 23rd in total points per game under Gase's watch. Cutler had the highest quarterback rating (92.3) of his career under Gase's tutelage.
“I couldn’t be happier for Adam and his family,” Cutler told ChicagoBears.com. “He has worked extremely hard his entire career and is very deserving of this opportunity. I wish he could stay with us in Chicago, but everyone has a journey and this is the next part of his.
“His work with quarterbacks is well documented and I know firsthand how good he is. He will now continue to have success in this league as a head coach. I thank him for all his hard work and look forward to following this next step in his career.”
With Gase's departure, Cutler will have his sixth different offensive coordinator in eight seasons with the Bears.
Bears offensive needs not as great, but free agent pieces available.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
We wrote here Friday night about the numerous options available on the defensive side for Ryan Pace to address in free agency, if he so desires. The Bears GM has stressed all along the real roster-building must come through the draft, but with roughly $58 million in salary cap space to spend, he'll pick and choose where to use those financial resources. That space puts Pace in the Top 3 in the NFL in cap room.
Some perspective after zeroing in on some defensive names from three teams in particular: We looked closely at the Broncos and Jets for front-seven help. Denver right now has about $23 million to spend, while New York has only about $17.5. If looking for secondary help, we noted a couple of Chiefs. Kansas City is in a more comfortable position, currently sitting roughly $36-38 million below the projected salary cap of $151 to $153 million. As a side note, Gase has a lot of pieces to work with in Miami, but their roster is already at that projected cap for 2016.
As we did on the defensive side, all these players are 30-years-old or younger, with nearly all from the 2012 draft class entering their all-important second contracts. We'll zero in on the two potential primary areas of need: offensive line and, if the Bears want to move on from Martellus Bennett, tight end. But if things should happen to hit a snag with Jeffery, we'll start at his position.
| WIDE RECEIVER | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Jermaine Kearse | Seahawks | 2.35 |
| Mohamed Sanu | Bengals | 1.7 |
| Rueben Randle | Giants | 1.0 |
| Travis Benjamin | Browns | .780 |
| Marvin Jones | Bengals | .585 |
Like the aforementioned Chiefs, the Bengals also have about $35-37 million available, and they'll probably focus on Jones (65 receptions, 618 yards, four touchdowns, opposite A.J. Green and with Tyler Eifert). Benjamin emerged this season amidst all the chaos in Cleveland (68 receptions, 966 yards, five touchdowns) but is strictly a slot receiver, if the Bears wanted to move away from Eddie Royal. The 6-foot-3 Randle has been frustrated playing in the shadow of another LSU alum, Odell Beckham, Jr., but still had 57 catches for 797 yards. If the Giants are allowed to make a play for Jeffery, Randle is a potential trade-off.
| TIGHT END | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Dwayne Allen | Colts | 1.7 |
| Coby Fleener | Colts | 1.7 |
| Ladarius Green | Chargers | .772 |
| Garrett Celek | 49ers | .710 |
| Larry Donnell | Giants | .585 |
Bennett is Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener wrapped up in one, and at least a more accomplished receiver than Joliet Catholic product Fleener. If the Bears wind up parting ways with Bennett and keeping Zach Miller, they'll have we to decide how high Khari Lee's upside is before shopping elsewhere. Green (37 receptions, 429 yards) was finally shut down after a mid-season ankle injury in that beaten-up San Diego receiving corps. Donnell is a restricted free agent and caught 29 passes before a Nov. 1 neck injury.
| OFFENSIVE LINE | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Russell Okung (LT) | Seahawks | 7.3 |
| Andre Smith (RT) | Bengals | 6.4 |
| Alex Boone (G) | 49ers | 3.7 |
| Ramon Foster (G) | Steelers | 2.1 |
| J.R. Sweeney (G) | Seahawks | 1.6 |
| Mitchell Schwartz (RT) | Browns | 1.6 |
| Cordy Glenn (LT) | Bills | 1.5 |
| Jeff Allen (G) | Chiefs | 1.5 |
| Kelechi Osemele (LT) | Ravens | 1.1 |
Kyle Long said he's been told he's a tackle next season. And Pace sure sounded pleased with Charles Leno Jr.'s development at left tackle. So maybe we should simply focus on the guards. Boone is among the best, and was solid at guard after starting his career as a tackle, where he could be used as a safety net for Leno Jr. (though Boone was a tackle on the right side). Allen, out of King High School and the University of Illinois, started the last two years but missed a chunk of games this season in Kansas City. He returned down the stretch and was praised by his position coach, former Bears tackle Andy Heck.
Bears defensive free agent options include familiarity with John Fox.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
If you caught our final Sunday of Bears Pre- and Postgame Live on Comcast SportsNet, you may have seen the graphics that included some of the potential free agents hitting the open market this off-season. Dan Jiggetts, Jim Miller, Lance Briggs and I didn't get a chance to dive into those options too deeply, so if you missed it, here's a list of some of the defensive players we showed. We'll do a separate post later this weekend for offensive players. We narrowed these lists of players to those 30 years old or younger, with the linemen and linebackers having played on teams using a 3-4 base.
| DEFENSIVE ENDS | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Muhammad Wilkerson | Jets | 7.0 |
| Letroy Guion | Packers | 2.5 |
| Cedric Thornton | Eagles | 2.4 |
| Andre Branch | Jaguars | 1.6 |
| Jared Crick | Texans | 1.6 |
| Malik Jackson | Broncos | 1.6 |
| Derek Wolfe | Broncos | 1.4 |
Wolfe and Jackson are second- and fifth-round picks from Fox's 2012 draft class in Denver, collecting 5.5 and 5.0 sacks, respectively this season, showing they can get to the quarterback on top of their assignments to free things up in the trenches for their linebackers to make plays (more on that below). Wilkerson had another monstrous 12-sack season, but broke his leg in the season finale. Branch (4.0 sacks this season) is a former Clemson teammate of Jarvis Jenkins.
| DEFENSIVE/NOSE TACKLES | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Terrance Knighton | Redskins | 4.0 |
| Damon Harrison | Jets | 2.4 |
| Ian Williams | 49ers | 1.5 |
| Jaye Howard | Chiefs | 0.66 |
Knighton played for Fox in Denver, as well, before signing a one-year deal in Washington. His impact should never be diminished, but he's 29 going on 30. The Jets (who drafted Leonard Williams last April) have to choose either Wilkerson or Harrison, whose stats don't do justice to how the 6'4, 350-lb. undrafted free agent shuts down the run. Ex-Notre Damer Williams has a history with Vic Fangio, but has struggled with injuries, while Hroniss Grasu can tell you all about Howard, who had 5.5 sacks. Eddie Goldman is almost certain to be the future at this position, but should the Bears feel he's capable of moving to end to make room for one of the above, these are outstanding options.
| OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Von Miller | Broncos | 9.7 |
| Mike Neal | Packers | 4.25 |
| Nick Perry | Packers | 2.4 |
| Courtney Upshaw | Ravens | 1.7 |
Pretty slim pickings here, since Miller's almost certain to get at least franchise-tagged, while Neal and Perry have never lived up to hopes and expectations in Green Bay. Upshaw's not the type to keep heads of opposing quarterbacks on a swivel (2.0 sacks this season). If Willie Young and Lamarr Houston aren't seen as long-term options, this might have to be addressed through the draft, or pursue 32-year-old Tamba Hali of the Chiefs on a shorter-term deal, as Kansas City hopes to make room for Dee Ford while dealing with money issues on this side of the ball (further below).
| INSIDE LINEBACKERS |
TEAM
| 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Sean Witherspoon | Cardinals | 3.9 |
| Demario Davis | Jets | 1.7 |
| Danny Trevathan | Broncos | 1.6 |
| Keenan Robinson | Redskins | 0.765 |
| Michael Wilhoite | 49ers | 0.660 |
| Brandon Marshall | Broncos | 0.585 |
Fox's two inside `backers in Denver led the Broncos with 109 and 102 tackles. Trevathan added two interceptions and six passes defensed. Marshall is a restricted free agent. Both guys do exactly what the Bears desperately need at the position. The Jets also must decide how rich to make Davis amidst all their other decisions, and Fangio threw Wilhoite into the fire in 2014 and he responded as the Niners linebackers were ravaged by injuries.
| SAFETIES | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Eric Weddle | Chargers | 10.0 |
| Eric Berry | Chiefs | 8.4 |
| Tashaun Gipson | Browns | 2.4 |
| Rashad Johnson | Cardinals | 2.1 |
| George Iloka | Bengals | 1.6 |
| Ricardo Allen | Falcons | 0.435 |
Weddle and Berry provide the track record, albeit with concerns. Weddle is 30 but is a leader and will have a huge chip on his shoulder to prove San Diego erred in not even trying to negotiate with him. Berry's amazing return from Hodgkin's lymphoma this season to return to Pro Bowl status has been unfortunately somewhat overlooked. Gipson combined for 11 interceptions in 2013 and `14, but slipped to just two this season. Johnson really emerged in Arizona, highlighted by five picks.
| CORNERBACKS | TEAM | 2015 SALARY (MILLION $) |
| Sean Smith | Chiefs | 7.0 |
| Prince Amukamara | Giants | 6.9 |
| Jerraud Powers | Cardinals | 5.4 |
| Trumaine Johnson | Rams | 1.7 |
| William Gay | Steelers | 1.7 |
| Josh Norman | Panthers | 1.6 |
| Janoris Jenkins | Rams | 1.6 |
| Jeremy Lane | Seahawks | 0.700 |
Norman? No. A big payday looms either via a long-term deal with Carolina, or a franchise tag. The 6'3 Smith was instrumental in rookie Marcus Peters' outstanding rookie season at the opposite corner. The 6'2 Johnson has the size and has been a playmaker: seven interceptions this year, and 15 in his four years. He came into the league in the same Rams draft as the smaller Jenkins, who has ten career picks, three in 2015.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks blast Avalanche for seventh straight win.
By Tracey Myers
Patrick Kane is congratulated after scoring a goal during the first period. (Photo/Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)
The Blackhawks have long had a tough time against Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov, a combination of his play and the lack of net-front presence hurting the Blackhawks.
But on Sunday the Blackhawks beat him often and the Avs soundly.
Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa each scored twice as the Blackhawks beat the Avalanche 6-3 at the United Center. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Blackhawks, who remain in second in the Central Division with 58 points. They’re now just four points behind first-place Dallas, which is idle until Friday. Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists. Corey Crawford stopped 34 of 37 shots in the victory.
Outside of their New Year’s Eve overtime victory against the Avs, the Blackhawks have struggled against Varlamov more often than not. On Sunday they had better quality of shots and, more important, bodies at the net. Brandon Mashinter, planted in front of the net, scored his second goal of the season. Kane’s first came when Artem Anisimov was screening Varlamov and Hossa’s first came when he was deep in the slot.
“I don’t remember pucks going in against him ever. It’s the first time we were able to get some goals on him,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Nice night on the offensive side of things and we got the nice lead. That team, though, is still dangerous because they’ll press with six.”
Indeed, the Avalanche made it interesting early in the second. Matt Duchene, who always plays well against the Blackhawks, scored twice to cut the Blackhawks’ lead to 3-2. He would later add an assist. Then Kane’s second of the night, a power-play goal, gave the Blackhawks a 4-2 edge, and that was it for Varlamov.
“Yeah, you try not to think about it. Just go out and play the game, do the right things, no matter who’s in net,” Kane said. “But you could see a lot of our goals were right around the net, through traffic, screens, different things like that.”
Toews greeted Pickard with his 16th goal of the season for a 5-2 lead. Then Hossa scored his second of the night to make it 6-2. For Hossa, whose two goals were his first since Dec. 6 against Winnipeg, scoring on Sunday was a relief as much as it was a joy.
“Definitely. You could tell it’s been such a long time and definitely it felt good,” Hossa said. “I tried to work to get opportunities and the puck doesn’t go in, I try to stay positive. I’m glad tonight it went in.”
The Blackhawks had been putting up good offensive numbers lately but doing that against Varlamov has been tricky the past few seasons. On Sunday, they finally got the necessary quality and traffic to best him.
“He’s definitely had our number over these years,” Hossa said. “We’re glad we broke that streak and got a couple of wins and a few goals.”
Phillip Danault's game-winner lifts Blackhawks to sixth straight win. (Friday night's game, 01/08/2016).
By Tracey Myers
Lately, Phillip Danault felt like he was close to scoring his first career NHL goal.
He’d had his chances, his close calls. It was only a matter of time. And on Friday, his timing couldn’t have been better.
Danault’s first goal proved to be the game-winner, as the Blackhawks beat the Buffalo Sabres, 3-1, on Friday night. It was a strong end for the Blackhawks, who have won a season-high six consecutive games. They remain in second place in the Central Division.
Niklas Hjalmarsson had a goal — his second of the season — and an assist. Corey Crawford stopped 28 of 29 shots for the victory. Jonathan Toews added an empty-net goal with 24.5 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Blackhawks and Sabres were tied, 1-1, with about five minutes remaining in regulation when Danault slipped past a Sabres player and beat Chad Johnson top shelf. For Danault, whose first game this season was against the Sabres in Buffalo on Dec. 19, that first goal couldn’t have been any better — or bigger.
“Yeah, honestly the last three to four games I felt like it was coming,” Danault said. “It ended up going in today, and it feels great.”
Danault was frustrated for another reason a few minutes prior to that. He and line mates Andrew Desjardins and Teuvo Teravainen were on the ice when Ryan O’Reilly tied the game at 11:37 of the third. But coach Joel Quenneville threw that line back out there fewer than four minutes later, leading to Danault’s goal.
“I was trying to remember the last time (that line) gave up a goal. Things can happen. But I liked the response,” Quenneville said. “You get a goal like that it really can lift your team and the timing of it. He made a nice play earlier on a comparable play when he went off the rush, but great move on the individual rush off the defense, made a quick shot short side. The timing was great. It turned out to be a huge win for us, as well, and congrats to him.”
Hjalmarsson gave the Blackhawks the early lead off a pass from another young guy who’s played very well: Erik Gustafsson.
“That’s the one thing that stands out with him is the confidence he plays with. It’s really impressive,” Hjalmarsson said. “The pass he made to me, I never thought I was going to get the puck actually. I was very surprised. He’s another guy who’s been playing really well for us.”
The Blackhawks are playing with that confidence throughout the lineup right now. Things are coming together. They’re playing well defensively and getting just enough offense. The start of the season had its rough moments, but the Blackhawks are finding their way. And a couple of young guys are adding big contributions.
“It’s a big achievement,” Danault said of his first goal. “I’ve been working hard a lot, and it happened today.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Washington Wizards-Chicago Bulls Preview.
AP - Sports
The Chicago Bulls are having some trouble defending in the paint and hope to have a key player back who could help in that department.
Joakim Noah may return from a nine-game absence due to a shoulder injury Monday night when the Bulls seek a sixth straight home win as they meet the Washington Wizards.
Chicago (22-13) went 7-2 in this stretch without Noah, who suffered a left shoulder sprain in a 105-102 loss to lowly Brooklyn on Dec. 21. He took part in Sunday's practice and said he is ready to return.
"I'm confident in my shoulder being all right and I'm excited to get back onto the court," said Noah, who lost his starting job this season and is averaging a career-low 4.5 points.
The Bulls went 5-0 at home without him for their longest win streak there.
They are enduring some woes preventing interior baskets, conceding 66 points in the paint in Saturday's 120-105 defeat at Atlanta that ended a six-game overall run.
Those were the most allowed by Chicago in a regulation game. It also gave up 54 two games earlier to Milwaukee to match the second-most by an opponent in a 48-minute contest.
"Defensively, again I think we have slipped a little bit," coach Fred Hoiberg said.
"We've got to get those principles back that made us a really good defensive team early in the season."
"We've got to get those principles back that made us a really good defensive team early in the season."
It's not clear if the defensive-minded Noah can alleviate the situation. His average plus-minus is at minus-1.0 for the club's second-worst mark to Taj Gibson's minus-1.2.
"I don't know about being able to make the difference," Noah said. "I'm just trying to help the team the best way I can, just staying focused."
Washington (16-19) may not provide much of a test since its average of 39.0 points in the paint is one of the league's lower figures.
The Bulls will have to worry about Marcin Gortat, who averages a league-high 8.1 paint touches and 13.4 points per game.
Of foremost concern probably is how they match up with John Wall, who averages an NBA-high 98.4 touches and 8.2 drives.Wall had 24 points and 10 assists in Saturday's 105-99 victory at Orlando that ended a three-game slide. He's averaging 21.7 points in his last three games, but the major issue is that he has seven turnovers in each of them.
''I think I'm making the right reads but sometimes (teammates) drop 'em,'' Wall said. ''Some of them are my fault, but give credit to the defense. I try to make the right play if it's there. Sometimes I make it and sometimes we lose the ball and sometimes it's a bad pass by me."
Chicago only forces 12.4 turnovers per game for one of the league's worst marks.
Washington has played the last 15 games without injured leading scorer Bradley Beal, who averages 19.8 points. Gortat has been effective in that span at plus-58 for the club's best mark.Chicago's Jimmy Butler is averaging 28.5 points in his last six games. In 13 career regular-season contests against the Wizards, he averages 7.7 points - his lowest against any opponent.
These teams split four 2014-15 meetings. The Wizards have won five of their last six in Chicago, including the postseason.
Bulls 'humbled' by loss to Hawks as six-game winning streak ends. (Saturday Afternoon's game, 01/09/2016).
By Vincent Goodwill
It was evident from the jump, the Bulls didn’t have the same energy and fervor as the Atlanta Hawks.
And it was just as evident their six-game winning streak would go up in smoke, as it did Saturday afternoon with a early-fourth quarter Hawks surge putting the Bulls away at Philips Arena, 120-105.
After falling behind by 19 early, the Bulls made a rousing comeback to put a scare into the team sitting a couple spots below them in the Eastern Conference, as this could very well be a second-round playoff matchup come May.
“Like Fred (Hoiberg) said, we have the bullseye on our backs now. People are starting to see us come around,” Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. “We got outhustled. It’s good for us. That team really had their eye on us. We got humbled.”
It showed as the first minute of the fourth erased a lot of the Bulls’ hard work as turnovers, a game-long bugaboo, doomed them, leading to fast break dunks for the Hawks when they were reeling and possibly on the verge of collapse.
It was 22 giveaways that led to 25 Hawks points, as if they needed any more easy buckets, as the highest-scoring team in the East lived up to its reputation.
Al Horford dominated the afternoon with 33, 10 rebounds and six assists, giving Pau Gasol fits and leaving them to wonder if they had showed up in the first several minutes of the game if there would’ve been a different outcome.
“Turnovers got their confidence up, our pick and roll coverage was not good, to say the least,” Hoiberg said. “They were getting whatever they wanted out there. (Horford) was phenomenal.”
They rebounded from a slow start against Boston, but they got burned with that fire on the road. The Hawks got to every loose ball, and kept the Bulls on their heels for the majority of the game.
Paul Millsap scored 18 with eight rebounds, two steals and six blocked shots, emphasizing the difference in energy between the two clubs.
The Bulls gave up nearly 50 points in the first 18 minutes, as they allowed the Hawks to execute their offense to its ball-moving and backdoor-cutting best. And with the Bulls not about to find an early rhythm, it was almost a laugher.
“I think we did a bad job of communicating while we were out there,” Rose said. “They executed, they knew who were going down to on the inside. They played hard.”
There weren’t enough timeouts Hoiberg could have at his disposal to stem the tide and for the first time in awhile, Pau Gasol wasn’t available for the easy safety-valve jumpers for Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler.
It contributed to Rose having six turnovers and Butler three, but the Hawks simply made life difficult for the Bulls even through the Chicago runs.
“I think tonight, he got himself off his feet a couple times. A couple times we didn’t give him an outlet, that’s not on him,” said Hoiberg on Rose’s turnovers. “But a lot of careless ones, too many unforced.”
The Hawks’ bevy of bigs, including Horford and Tiago Splitter, were quick enough to jump out on Gasol while helping on drives to prevent the open looks. It was one reason it threw the Bulls all out of their rhythm, along with the Bulls’ overall sluggishness and inconsistent energy.
“We were trying to play catch-up the entire game,” Rose said. “We got within two, a call on the other end, a 3-point play, I don’t know that I touched him or whatever. But tonight we didn’t have that energy on the defensive side of the ball.”
Gasol, who had been on a tear averaging 19.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.5 blocks in his last four games, couldn’t muster a similar showing when it was clearly needed.
He turned it over four times, often leading to fast breaks and wayward looks to the officials.
Then for a quarter and a half, the Bulls woke up, a chief reason why they scored more than 100 for the ninth straight game.
They came in waves, finally corralling the Hawks’ efficient offense and shut down the easy lanes to the basket and easier looks. Rose and Butler paced the comeback, along with the resurgent Nikola Mirotic, as the lead was slicked to two with a couple minutes remaining in the third.
Mirotic scored 24 with 10 rebounds while Butler led the Bulls with 27 and eight rebounds. Rose scored 17 with five assists in 35 minutes.
Butler picked up his fourth foul with over four minutes remaining but prodded Hoiberg into staying on the floor and went without picking up his fifth for the rest of the game, along with Rose playing the entire third, breaking usual Hoiberg trends.
The Hawks’ often-frenetic style took advantage of nearly every Bull mishap, especially with former Bull Kyle Korver stalking the perimeter for one of his three triples, although he didn’t have to do much once the Bulls decided to give the game away early in the fourth.
Youth movement will pay off for Cubs in 2016.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/Chicago Tribune)
The Hall of Fame shutout for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens — and the Baseball Writers’ Association of America shunning Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire — reinforces the idea this is a young man’s game again.
Professional athletes aren’t supposed to be record-shattering peak performers through their mid-30s and still playing at an MVP/Cy Young level around their 40th birthday.
It would be naïve and foolish to think the game is completely clean, that every trace of ego, greed and insecurity has been scrubbed away now or that Major League Baseball is somehow on top of all the cutting-edge chemistry.
But at a time of tougher testing for performance-enhancing drugs — when players should in theory break down faster, come back from injuries slower and might not be getting the same pick-me-ups to combat the brutal travel/day-night schedule — it pays to be young, deep and flexible.
That’s what the Cubs are now, making them a World Series favorite, the champions of the offseason, a team that will be playing with a target on its back from the moment pitchers and catchers report to Arizona in February.
This lineup is built around young power hitters: Anthony Rizzo (26), Kris Bryant (24), Jorge Soler (24 in February), Kyle Schwarber (23 in March). Addison Russell — who stabilized the team’s defense once he took over at shortstop — will turn 22 this month. Jason Heyward — the Gold Glove outfielder with $184 million guaranteed — is actually a day younger than Rizzo.
Besides primary second baseman Ben Zobrist — who perfected the super-utility role on Joe Maddon’s Tampa Bay Rays teams — this roster also features other versatile players who can handle multiple positions: Bryant, Javier Baez, Chris Coghlan.
Maddon can get creative, play matchups and keep everyone fresh with four swingmen who can pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen: Adam Warren, Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard.
The experience of winning 97 games and advancing to the National League Championship Series will also pay dividends. Jon Lester — the $155 million lefty who won two World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox — talked about that amid the celebration at Wrigley Field after the Cubs eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lester — who once tipped his cap to Derek Jeter in that farewell Nike commercial — used the New York Yankees and their homegrown core as his reference point.
“They taught the young guys,” Lester said. “They taught the other guys how to win — and how to be a Yankee. So these guys in the future will be able to teach the young guys how to be a Cub — and how to do it the right way — and how to win at the same time. That just sets us up for success for a long time.
“That’s one of the reasons why I really wanted to come here. I wanted to be a part of this and be a part of that group. Even though I’m a little bit — well — a lot older than them. Because I believe in having that core.”
The Cubs Way still has a lot to prove, but catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello sees some of those parallels after working on the Yankee teams that won four World Series titles between 1996 and 2000.
“They’re not in awe at all,” Borzello said. “I feel like the whole game’s changed now where the young players come right in and seem to have no problem adjusting to being a big-league player.
“Twenty years ago, there were very few Derek Jeters that belonged right from Day 1. Most of them had to come up — and go down — and kind of fail and understand it all first. Here, I feel like they all show up and they’re ready to go. Almost like: ‘What took you so long to call me up here?’
“That’s what’s impressed me — not only just about our team — but all of baseball, (how) these young players come up and are ready to jump right in and take the responsibility on.
“With this team in particular, to have so many at one time is incredible. You’re having all these 22-year-olds and 23-year-olds thrown not (just) onto the team, but right into the starting lineup. They’re your core players right from Day 1.
“To be able to handle the hype — and also produce right when you get here — is astounding.”
Not that Maddon has trouble getting his players’ attention, but after hearing how great the Cubs were in 2015, the manager will point to the breakdowns during that four-game sweep against the New York Mets, so that veteran catcher Miguel Montero stays prepared, Baez keeps himself focused and Schwarber and Soler better understand the subtleties of playing a corner-outfield spot.
“You’re always, always looking to get better,” Maddon said. “So when you want to preach something about maybe the little things in spring training — and then point out what occurred last October — it actually helps a lot. Because the guys that have never been through it before — we’ve talked about the minutiae and how important it is — (but) it doesn’t really resonate with them sometimes.
“Now, having gone through this — putting the bunt down, hitting the cutoff man, being in the right position or whatever — it’s an easier sell.”
Cubs release list of attendees for 31st annual Convention.
By Tony Andracki
Professional athletes aren’t supposed to be record-shattering peak performers through their mid-30s and still playing at an MVP/Cy Young level around their 40th birthday.
It would be naïve and foolish to think the game is completely clean, that every trace of ego, greed and insecurity has been scrubbed away now or that Major League Baseball is somehow on top of all the cutting-edge chemistry.
But at a time of tougher testing for performance-enhancing drugs — when players should in theory break down faster, come back from injuries slower and might not be getting the same pick-me-ups to combat the brutal travel/day-night schedule — it pays to be young, deep and flexible.
That’s what the Cubs are now, making them a World Series favorite, the champions of the offseason, a team that will be playing with a target on its back from the moment pitchers and catchers report to Arizona in February.
This lineup is built around young power hitters: Anthony Rizzo (26), Kris Bryant (24), Jorge Soler (24 in February), Kyle Schwarber (23 in March). Addison Russell — who stabilized the team’s defense once he took over at shortstop — will turn 22 this month. Jason Heyward — the Gold Glove outfielder with $184 million guaranteed — is actually a day younger than Rizzo.
Besides primary second baseman Ben Zobrist — who perfected the super-utility role on Joe Maddon’s Tampa Bay Rays teams — this roster also features other versatile players who can handle multiple positions: Bryant, Javier Baez, Chris Coghlan.
Maddon can get creative, play matchups and keep everyone fresh with four swingmen who can pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen: Adam Warren, Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard.
The experience of winning 97 games and advancing to the National League Championship Series will also pay dividends. Jon Lester — the $155 million lefty who won two World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox — talked about that amid the celebration at Wrigley Field after the Cubs eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lester — who once tipped his cap to Derek Jeter in that farewell Nike commercial — used the New York Yankees and their homegrown core as his reference point.
“They taught the young guys,” Lester said. “They taught the other guys how to win — and how to be a Yankee. So these guys in the future will be able to teach the young guys how to be a Cub — and how to do it the right way — and how to win at the same time. That just sets us up for success for a long time.
“That’s one of the reasons why I really wanted to come here. I wanted to be a part of this and be a part of that group. Even though I’m a little bit — well — a lot older than them. Because I believe in having that core.”
The Cubs Way still has a lot to prove, but catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello sees some of those parallels after working on the Yankee teams that won four World Series titles between 1996 and 2000.
“They’re not in awe at all,” Borzello said. “I feel like the whole game’s changed now where the young players come right in and seem to have no problem adjusting to being a big-league player.
“Twenty years ago, there were very few Derek Jeters that belonged right from Day 1. Most of them had to come up — and go down — and kind of fail and understand it all first. Here, I feel like they all show up and they’re ready to go. Almost like: ‘What took you so long to call me up here?’
“That’s what’s impressed me — not only just about our team — but all of baseball, (how) these young players come up and are ready to jump right in and take the responsibility on.
“With this team in particular, to have so many at one time is incredible. You’re having all these 22-year-olds and 23-year-olds thrown not (just) onto the team, but right into the starting lineup. They’re your core players right from Day 1.
“To be able to handle the hype — and also produce right when you get here — is astounding.”
Not that Maddon has trouble getting his players’ attention, but after hearing how great the Cubs were in 2015, the manager will point to the breakdowns during that four-game sweep against the New York Mets, so that veteran catcher Miguel Montero stays prepared, Baez keeps himself focused and Schwarber and Soler better understand the subtleties of playing a corner-outfield spot.
“You’re always, always looking to get better,” Maddon said. “So when you want to preach something about maybe the little things in spring training — and then point out what occurred last October — it actually helps a lot. Because the guys that have never been through it before — we’ve talked about the minutiae and how important it is — (but) it doesn’t really resonate with them sometimes.
“Now, having gone through this — putting the bunt down, hitting the cutoff man, being in the right position or whatever — it’s an easier sell.”
Cubs release list of attendees for 31st annual Convention.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs released a list of attendees for the 31st annual Convention Friday afternoon.
The 2016 Cubs Convention runs from Friday Jan. 15 through Sunday, Jan. 17 and should feature plenty of buzz coming off the team's 97-win season and trip to the National League Championship Series.
Newcomers Jason Heyward, John Lackey, Ben Zobrist and Adam Warren are all confirmed guests.
Only five players on the Cubs' current 40-man roster are not planning to attend the Convention - pitcher Spencer Patton, catcher Willson Contreras, infielders Tommy La Stella and Christian Villanueva and outfielder Chris Coghlan.
Ryne Sandberg headlines the list of Cubs alumni attending the Convention.
The entire list of the attendees is as follows:
White Sox confident in less-hyped position player prospects.
The 2016 Cubs Convention runs from Friday Jan. 15 through Sunday, Jan. 17 and should feature plenty of buzz coming off the team's 97-win season and trip to the National League Championship Series.
Newcomers Jason Heyward, John Lackey, Ben Zobrist and Adam Warren are all confirmed guests.
Only five players on the Cubs' current 40-man roster are not planning to attend the Convention - pitcher Spencer Patton, catcher Willson Contreras, infielders Tommy La Stella and Christian Villanueva and outfielder Chris Coghlan.
Ryne Sandberg headlines the list of Cubs alumni attending the Convention.
The entire list of the attendees is as follows:
White Sox confident in less-hyped position player prospects.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
All eyes will be on Tim Anderson this summer, with the White Sox top prospect in position to make a move toward locking down the team’s starting shortstop job at some point.
The White Sox haven’t drafted/signed and developed a consistently productive position player since the early 2000s, when Aaron Rowand and Joe Crede both emerged as everyday guys and key cogs in 2005’s World Series title run. But beyond Anderson, there are some players in the farm system that those in the White Sox front office believe have the right traits to become solid major league players down the road.
Baseball America’s recently-released list of the White Sox top 10 prospects features six position players: Anderson (No. 1), 3B Trey Michalczewski (No. 4), OF Jacob May (No. 5), OF Adam Engel (No. 7), OF Courtney Hawkins (No. 9) and 1B Corey Zangari (No. 10).
Engel, while he’s a 24-year-old who hasn’t played above advanced Class-A Winston-Salem, put himself on the team’s radar with an impressive 2015 in which he hit .251/.335/.369 with 65 stolen bases. He followed the regular season by winning the Arizona Fall League’s MVP honors, hitting .403 with a 1.165 OPS.
What those in the White Sox organization have seen from Engel recently is an improved offensive approach, which he’s married with his excellent athleticism to become a player to keep an eye on in 2016.
"I don’t know if we’ve got a better athlete in our system than Adam Engel,” White Sox amateur scouting director Nick Hostetler said. “He’s as athletic a runner as anybody we have. He’s a plus, plus defender, he can go get the ball from gap to gap, he’s a pitcher’s dream.
“He’s been a guy that all of his career, even back to college, he struggled with consistency at the plate. It’s more for him as far as consistency where he’s not taking the same approach up each time. And that’s something that he’s worked extremely hard on with our (player development) guys and he has looked terrific in the fall league, he looked good the last couple days out here, he’s really buying into a repetitive approach at the plate and I think we’re going to see next year, Double-A, the guy that can blossom and just become the real deal.”
Engel was a 19th-round pick out of the University of Louisville in 2013 -- hardly a position in which many players are able to push into the major leagues. The last White Sox 19th-round pick to reach the majors was third baseman Chris Heintz, who was drafted in 1996 and played in 34 games for the Minnesota Twins from 2005-2007. But Engel’s dedication has put him on the map as a guy who could have a chance to break through someday.
“Great mentality,” White Sox director of player development Nick Capra said. “The kid’s a dirt dog, he works his tail off. He’s one of our best workers. … He really listens, he applies what he learns, just an outstanding kid. I can’t say enough about his work ethic.”
Michalczewski, on the other hand, just completed a full season at Winston-Salem as a 20-year-old -- about two and a half years younger than the league average player. While he only hit seven home runs with a .395 slugging percentage, he did hit 35 doubles, and the organization is optimistic those doubles will begin turning into home runs once his 6-foot-3 frame fills out.
“He’s still growing into his man body,” Hostetler said. “He’s still a young kid. … He’s getting stronger, getting bigger. Once that man strength comes in the next year or so there’s going to be an uptick in home runs.”
Zangari was an intriguing inclusion on Baseball America’s list, given the 18-year-old 2015 sixth-round pick only played in 54 rookie ball games last summer. But the 6-foot-4, 240-pound first baseman hit six home runs with a .316/.358/.481 slash line and has as much raw power as anyone in the White Sox farm system.
But beyond his hitting ability, both Hostetler and Capra pointed to Zangari’s intangibles as a reason to be intrigued by the Oklahoma City native.
“Really good kid,” Capra said. “He’s a goofy kid in a good way. Very personable, smart kid.”
“He’s an absolutely terrific makeup kid,” Hostetler said. “Infectious personality, teammates love being around him, he controls locker rooms. He’s just one of those guys that he just has that natural-born leadership about him.”
Zangari’s offensive approach is advanced for a teenager, too, in the way he understands the strike zone.
“He’s got a pretty good idea of the strike zone for being an 18-year-old kid,” Capra said. “He’s got some strikeouts in there, but he doesn’t offer at a lot of bad pitches, pitcher’s pitches. That’s where he’ll continue to get better at that. He hasn’t seen a lot of really good breaking balls maybe in high school, maybe he’s seeing a tick better now when he lays off some of those tough pitches. He’s got some discipline at the plate.”
The White Sox haven’t drafted/signed and developed a consistently productive position player since the early 2000s, when Aaron Rowand and Joe Crede both emerged as everyday guys and key cogs in 2005’s World Series title run. But beyond Anderson, there are some players in the farm system that those in the White Sox front office believe have the right traits to become solid major league players down the road.
Baseball America’s recently-released list of the White Sox top 10 prospects features six position players: Anderson (No. 1), 3B Trey Michalczewski (No. 4), OF Jacob May (No. 5), OF Adam Engel (No. 7), OF Courtney Hawkins (No. 9) and 1B Corey Zangari (No. 10).
Engel, while he’s a 24-year-old who hasn’t played above advanced Class-A Winston-Salem, put himself on the team’s radar with an impressive 2015 in which he hit .251/.335/.369 with 65 stolen bases. He followed the regular season by winning the Arizona Fall League’s MVP honors, hitting .403 with a 1.165 OPS.
What those in the White Sox organization have seen from Engel recently is an improved offensive approach, which he’s married with his excellent athleticism to become a player to keep an eye on in 2016.
"I don’t know if we’ve got a better athlete in our system than Adam Engel,” White Sox amateur scouting director Nick Hostetler said. “He’s as athletic a runner as anybody we have. He’s a plus, plus defender, he can go get the ball from gap to gap, he’s a pitcher’s dream.
“He’s been a guy that all of his career, even back to college, he struggled with consistency at the plate. It’s more for him as far as consistency where he’s not taking the same approach up each time. And that’s something that he’s worked extremely hard on with our (player development) guys and he has looked terrific in the fall league, he looked good the last couple days out here, he’s really buying into a repetitive approach at the plate and I think we’re going to see next year, Double-A, the guy that can blossom and just become the real deal.”
Engel was a 19th-round pick out of the University of Louisville in 2013 -- hardly a position in which many players are able to push into the major leagues. The last White Sox 19th-round pick to reach the majors was third baseman Chris Heintz, who was drafted in 1996 and played in 34 games for the Minnesota Twins from 2005-2007. But Engel’s dedication has put him on the map as a guy who could have a chance to break through someday.
“Great mentality,” White Sox director of player development Nick Capra said. “The kid’s a dirt dog, he works his tail off. He’s one of our best workers. … He really listens, he applies what he learns, just an outstanding kid. I can’t say enough about his work ethic.”
Michalczewski, on the other hand, just completed a full season at Winston-Salem as a 20-year-old -- about two and a half years younger than the league average player. While he only hit seven home runs with a .395 slugging percentage, he did hit 35 doubles, and the organization is optimistic those doubles will begin turning into home runs once his 6-foot-3 frame fills out.
“He’s still growing into his man body,” Hostetler said. “He’s still a young kid. … He’s getting stronger, getting bigger. Once that man strength comes in the next year or so there’s going to be an uptick in home runs.”
Zangari was an intriguing inclusion on Baseball America’s list, given the 18-year-old 2015 sixth-round pick only played in 54 rookie ball games last summer. But the 6-foot-4, 240-pound first baseman hit six home runs with a .316/.358/.481 slash line and has as much raw power as anyone in the White Sox farm system.
But beyond his hitting ability, both Hostetler and Capra pointed to Zangari’s intangibles as a reason to be intrigued by the Oklahoma City native.
“Really good kid,” Capra said. “He’s a goofy kid in a good way. Very personable, smart kid.”
“He’s an absolutely terrific makeup kid,” Hostetler said. “Infectious personality, teammates love being around him, he controls locker rooms. He’s just one of those guys that he just has that natural-born leadership about him.”
Zangari’s offensive approach is advanced for a teenager, too, in the way he understands the strike zone.
“He’s got a pretty good idea of the strike zone for being an 18-year-old kid,” Capra said. “He’s got some strikeouts in there, but he doesn’t offer at a lot of bad pitches, pitcher’s pitches. That’s where he’ll continue to get better at that. He hasn’t seen a lot of really good breaking balls maybe in high school, maybe he’s seeing a tick better now when he lays off some of those tough pitches. He’s got some discipline at the plate.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Spieth polishes off eight-shot win at Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
By Ryan Ballengee
The final-round 6-under 67 at Kapalua Resort's Plantation Course on Maui gave Spieth a 30-under total for the 72-hole event, becoming just the second player in PGA Tour history to finish a four-round event that low. Only Ernie Els, at this tournament on this course in 2003, has gone deeper, shooting 31 under par to win this winners-only event. Only David Duval has won on this course by a larger margin, taking the first Tournament of Champions at Kapalua by nine shots in 1999.
Spieth made just two bogeys on the week, both coming on the par-3 eighth in the third and final rounds. For the week, he played the four par 5s on the course in 16 under par.
Brooks Koepka, who was Spieth's closest pursuer and playing partner on Sunday, finished tied for third at 21 under par along with Brandt Snedeker.
Brooks Koepka, who was Spieth's closest pursuer and playing partner on Sunday, finished tied for third at 21 under par along with Brandt Snedeker.
Rickie Fowler rounded out the top five of the 32-player event alone in fifth at 20 under par.
For Spieth, he suddenly finds himself in the company of Tiger Woods, becoming just the second player in the history of the modern PGA Tour (since 1960) to win seven times before turning 23. Spieth's birthday isn't until July.
For Spieth, he suddenly finds himself in the company of Tiger Woods, becoming just the second player in the history of the modern PGA Tour (since 1960) to win seven times before turning 23. Spieth's birthday isn't until July.
Spieth will take off two weeks before heading over to the United Arab Emirates to compete in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, the true start to the 2016 European Tour schedule.
Donald considered quitting golf after confidence crisis.
Reporting by Rob Hodgetts, Editing by Pritha Sarkar
Luke Donald (Photo/Action Images/Alex Morton)
The 38-year-old Englishman topped the rankings in August 2012 but missed out on the 2014 European Ryder Cup team amid a downward slide which coincided with a change of coach.
"My confidence had taken a big knock and I asked myself if I wanted to continue doing this," Donald, who last won on a major tour in 2012, told the Sunday Telegraph.
"I wasn't enjoying it, finding it so very hard and could not see much light at the end of the tunnel. But then I told myself not to be a baby, to grow up and realize how lucky I was. I was still playing golf for a living."
In his pomp, the four-times Ryder Cup winner was known for his almost laser-guided iron play and a superb short game, but after an unsuccessful year-long stint with coach Chuck Cook, he rekindled his relationship with long-time mentor Pat Goss in late 2014.
Donald also sought the help of sports psychologist Michael Gervais, who helped Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner become the first human to break the sound barrier without mechanical help when he plunged from a helium balloon 24 miles (38.62 km) up in the stratosphere.
"He just reminded me that it's up to me what mood or mindset I'm in," added Donald, who was "sacked" by long-time caddie John McLaren in October.
"When you're in a slump it's easy to forget you're still the one who is in control."
Donald, who has won more than 35 million pounds ($50.81 million) in his career, is now ranked at 78th in the world and needs to get back into the top 50 or win on the PGA Tour to qualify for a 12th consecutive U.S. Masters at Augusta in April.
"I think I have a little way to go, but I'm feeling confident that I can get back to at least close to a level I was a few years ago," he added.
NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day set for Jan. 23 at Hall of Fame.
NASCAR fans will be able to enter the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, for free on Jan. 23.
That is the date for the third Fan Appreciation Day in as many years. The day is highlighted by seven autograph sessions, each with drivers representing NASCAR’s three national series.
While admission to the Hall of Fame is free, fans must have a voucher for the autograph sessions. Vouchers will be available for free on NASCARHall.com starting at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 16. Each fan can claim up to two autograph session vouchers.
Here are the drivers attending each session:
Session One (9 a.m.): A.J. Allmendinger, Brandon Jones, Ben Rhodes.
Session Two (10 a.m.): Dale Earnhardt Jr., Erik Jones, Timothy Peters.
Session Three (11 a.m.): Kasey Kahne, Daniel Suárez, Ben Kennedy.
Session Four (12 p.m.): Brian Scott, Ryan Reed, Daniel Hemric.
Session Five (1:30 p.m.): Aric Almirola, Ty Dillon, Tyler Reddick.
Session Six (2:30 p.m.): Martin Truex Jr., Justin Allgaier, Christopher Bell.
Session Seven (3:30 p.m.): Chase Elliott, TBD NASCAR Xfinity Series driver, Matt Crafton.
There also will be autograph sessions and Q&A sessions with the current NASCAR Next class and the incoming class of Hall of Fame inductees Jerry Cook, Terry Labonte and Bruton Smith. A voucher is not needed for these sessions.
Fans will be among the first to see new exhibits and facility upgrades. Artifacts from all five Class of 2016 inductees will be on display in the Hall of Honor, which opens on Jan. 22.
The Rock is back: Report says racing to return to Rockingham in 2016.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
While it may not be NASCAR events, racing is coming back to The Rock.
Rockingham Speedway will once again have race cars competing on its 1.017-mile surface in 2016, according to a story by the Rockingham (N.C.) Daily Journal.
James Martin, owner of Level 1 Motorsports, a race team based in Union County, N.C., told the Daily Journal that he has formed a new racing series called the “X-Cup Series” that he hopes to have up and operational by April.
Martin, who has 15 drivers already committed to the new venture (he hopes to eventually build that to a full field of 32 cars per race by mid-season), expects to have 10 races at The Rock during 2016, with eight on the racing oval and two others on the infield road course.
The racing will be family-friendly and affordable, Martin told the Daily Journal.
“Basically, a person can bring their family out for not a lot of money for a full day of racing,” Martin said.
The Rock will also host at least one race of the Super Cup Stock Car Series during the 2016 season.
And the National Auto Sports Association will race at Rockingham with the Firecracker Run, slated for July 2-3, according to the Daily Journal.
Revamped Daytona gets rave reviews from Ganassi and drivers.
By Jerry Bonkowski
While most other NASCAR drivers and teams won’t see the finished Daytona Rising project for another few weeks when they come down to Florida for Speedweeks, several of those competing in the Jan. 29-30 Rolex 24 got a sneak preview of the “new” Daytona International Speedway this week.
Not surprisingly, the reactions were all positive.
“It’s definitely taller and bigger for sure,’ ” driver Kyle Larson said Friday during a Rolex 24 media session. “When we come back in a couple weeks, and I have some time to spend in a day, I’d like to go up into the stands and see the breezeway and stuff like that.
“I’ve heard that’s really, really spectacular. Once I get on the other side of the racetrack other than being in the infield, I’ll see all the changes and how cool they are.’ ”
Larson and Sprint Cup teammate Jamie McMurray will team with 2015 IndyCar champ Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan in the No. 02 Ford for owner Chip Ganassi, which won last year’s Rolex 24.
McMurray was quite effusive at what he saw when he pulled into the DIS infield.
“When I was driving in, you can see how big the grandstands are,” McMurray told reporters. “I didn’t quite get how big that was going to be from (a photo he previously had seen of the completed project).
“Also, from just being here in July, the stands weren’t up yet. First thing you notice is there are no backstretch stands; which is odd. But when you look at how big the frontstretch is, it’s pretty cool.”
DIS President Joie Chitwood III has referred to the $400 million renovation — the biggest change in the track’s history since it first opened in 1959 — as creating the world’s first “motorsports stadium,” something McMurray concurs with.
“To go outside the track and look in, it doesn’t look like a racetrack, it looks like a stadium,” he said. “It’s really cool. They did an awesome job on that.”
Ganassi has seen quite a bit in his 30-plus years as a racer and team owner. It takes a lot to impress him. But suffice to say he’s definitely impressed with the new Daytona.
“When you first hear they spent $400 million, your initial reaction as a racer is, ‘Oh my goodness, surely they didn’t spend 400 million dollars,’ ” Ganassi said. “And then you see the work that’s been done, you’re looking at the grandstands and if you have a chance to see what’s behind the grandstand and what’s underneath it — it looks like they spent $800 million.
“It’s really something, really first-class, really, really done right. I think it’s going to take our sport to a new level in terms of amenities and what the fans can expect. It’s going to put pressure on the other tracks.
“This is going to be the Ritz-Carlton of race tracks in terms of amenities. It’s what you see at the finest NFL stadiums and NHL arenas. And it’s money spent for the fans. I couldn’t be happier for what it’s going to do for our fans and for our sport. People are going to be talking about their experience as a fan at Daytona.”
SOCCER: La Liga & Serie A roundup: New leaders as Atleti, Napoli go top.
By Kyle Lynch
Rockingham Speedway will once again have race cars competing on its 1.017-mile surface in 2016, according to a story by the Rockingham (N.C.) Daily Journal.
James Martin, owner of Level 1 Motorsports, a race team based in Union County, N.C., told the Daily Journal that he has formed a new racing series called the “X-Cup Series” that he hopes to have up and operational by April.
Martin, who has 15 drivers already committed to the new venture (he hopes to eventually build that to a full field of 32 cars per race by mid-season), expects to have 10 races at The Rock during 2016, with eight on the racing oval and two others on the infield road course.
The racing will be family-friendly and affordable, Martin told the Daily Journal.
“Basically, a person can bring their family out for not a lot of money for a full day of racing,” Martin said.
The Rock will also host at least one race of the Super Cup Stock Car Series during the 2016 season.
And the National Auto Sports Association will race at Rockingham with the Firecracker Run, slated for July 2-3, according to the Daily Journal.
Revamped Daytona gets rave reviews from Ganassi and drivers.
By Jerry Bonkowski
While most other NASCAR drivers and teams won’t see the finished Daytona Rising project for another few weeks when they come down to Florida for Speedweeks, several of those competing in the Jan. 29-30 Rolex 24 got a sneak preview of the “new” Daytona International Speedway this week.
Not surprisingly, the reactions were all positive.
“It’s definitely taller and bigger for sure,’ ” driver Kyle Larson said Friday during a Rolex 24 media session. “When we come back in a couple weeks, and I have some time to spend in a day, I’d like to go up into the stands and see the breezeway and stuff like that.
“I’ve heard that’s really, really spectacular. Once I get on the other side of the racetrack other than being in the infield, I’ll see all the changes and how cool they are.’ ”
Larson and Sprint Cup teammate Jamie McMurray will team with 2015 IndyCar champ Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan in the No. 02 Ford for owner Chip Ganassi, which won last year’s Rolex 24.
McMurray was quite effusive at what he saw when he pulled into the DIS infield.
“When I was driving in, you can see how big the grandstands are,” McMurray told reporters. “I didn’t quite get how big that was going to be from (a photo he previously had seen of the completed project).
“Also, from just being here in July, the stands weren’t up yet. First thing you notice is there are no backstretch stands; which is odd. But when you look at how big the frontstretch is, it’s pretty cool.”
DIS President Joie Chitwood III has referred to the $400 million renovation — the biggest change in the track’s history since it first opened in 1959 — as creating the world’s first “motorsports stadium,” something McMurray concurs with.
“To go outside the track and look in, it doesn’t look like a racetrack, it looks like a stadium,” he said. “It’s really cool. They did an awesome job on that.”
Ganassi has seen quite a bit in his 30-plus years as a racer and team owner. It takes a lot to impress him. But suffice to say he’s definitely impressed with the new Daytona.
“When you first hear they spent $400 million, your initial reaction as a racer is, ‘Oh my goodness, surely they didn’t spend 400 million dollars,’ ” Ganassi said. “And then you see the work that’s been done, you’re looking at the grandstands and if you have a chance to see what’s behind the grandstand and what’s underneath it — it looks like they spent $800 million.
“It’s really something, really first-class, really, really done right. I think it’s going to take our sport to a new level in terms of amenities and what the fans can expect. It’s going to put pressure on the other tracks.
“This is going to be the Ritz-Carlton of race tracks in terms of amenities. It’s what you see at the finest NFL stadiums and NHL arenas. And it’s money spent for the fans. I couldn’t be happier for what it’s going to do for our fans and for our sport. People are going to be talking about their experience as a fan at Daytona.”
SOCCER: La Liga & Serie A roundup: New leaders as Atleti, Napoli go top.
By Kyle Lynch
(Photo/Getty Images)
Catch up on all of this weekend’s action in Spain and Italy’s top flights, as both leagues have a new name at the top of the table.
Celta Vigo 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Barcelona had temporarily gone first in La Liga with a win on Saturday, but Atletico quickly regained the top spot with a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday. Goals from Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco gave Atleti their eighth win in nine La Liga matches, a run in which Diego Simeone’s men have conceded just twice.
Villarreal 2-0 Sporting Gijon
A brace from Cedric Bakambu gave Villarreal their six straight league win, as the east coast club sits fourth in La Liga. Both goals were assisted by former Tottenham man Roberto Soldado, whose seven assists on the season are tops in the league. Villarreal is now just a point behind Real Madrid and eight points clear of Celta Vigo on the table.
Real Sociedad 2-0 Valencia
Gary Neville continues to struggle, as the former Manchester United defender is now winless in five La Liga matches in charge at Valencia. Jonathas struck twice in three minutes late in the match to give Real Sociedad the win, as Valencia falls to 11th on the table.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Eibar 2-1 Espanyol
Las Palmas 1-1 Malaga
Las Palmas 1-1 Malaga
Inter Milan 0-1 Sassuolo
Inter Milan were crushed by a 95th minute penalty kick from Domenico Berardi, as visitors Sassuolo left the San Siro with a late win. Andrea Consigli made six saves for Sassuolo, as the goalkeeper had a huge day in a match that Inter dominated. With the loss, Inter drops from first to third on the Serie A table.
Frosinone 1-5 Napoli
Napoli took advantage of Inter’s loss and smashed five past Frosinone, as Maurizio Sarri’s men move atop the Serie A table. Gonzalo Higuain scored twice to bring his tally up to 18 goals in 19 matches, already matching his total from last season. The Argentine striker has been lighting it up this year, as he leads the league in scoring with seven more goals than any other player.
Sampdoria 1-2 Juventus
Juventus won their ninth straight Serie A match, moving up to second on the table. Goals from Paul Pogba and Sami Khedira wrapped up the victory for Juve, as the defending champs have recovered from a horrendous start to the season. After earning one win from their opening six matches, Max Allegri’s men have now won 11 of 13 and sit just two points off leaders Napoli.
Elsewhere in Serie A
Fiorentina 1-3 Lazio
Roma 1-1 AC Milan
Carpi 2-1 Udinese
Bologna 0-1 Chievo
Atalanta 0-2 Genoa
Torino 0-1 Empoli
Verona 0-1 Palermo
Roma 1-1 AC Milan
Carpi 2-1 Udinese
Bologna 0-1 Chievo
Atalanta 0-2 Genoa
Torino 0-1 Empoli
Verona 0-1 Palermo
FA Cup Roundup: Swansea shocked, Kane penalty gives Spurs and Leicester a replay.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/Getty Images)
The third round of the FA Cup wrapped up today -- replays aside -- and the day featured both a shocking upset and a marquee matchup.
Swansea City was the most recent victim of the magic of the cup as they were stunned 3-2 by fourth-tier side Oxford United. The League Two club scored three goals in 14 minutes on either side of halftime, and that was too much for the Swans to overcome, who featured a monstrous 10 changes to their lineup from last weekend’s loss to Manchester United.
Leicester City looked on its way past Tottenham Hotspur thanks to a goal straight after halftime from substitute Shinji Okazaki, but Nathan Dyer was controversially penalized for a handball in the box, and Harry Kane buried the chance from the spot to level things at 2-2. The two sides will need another match to determine who moves on, the last thing either top-5 Premier League side wants at this stage of the season. It will be an interesting matchup given they are also scheduled to play Wednesday in league play.
Chelsea eased by Scunthorpe United 2-0 behind a strong lineup from manager Guus Hiddink. Diego Costa scored the opener and 19-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek got his first goal for Chelsea to finish things off at Stamford Bridge. Scunthorpe had what appeared to be a legitimate penalty shout turned away in the 53rd minute that could have made things interesting with the score 1-0 at the time.
A pair of League Two sides in Carlisle United and Yeovil Town will need a replay after finishing 2-2 at Brunton Park. Carlisle went up 2-1 on a 76th minute goal from Mark Ellis, but Shaun Jeffers saved the Glovers with a goal three minutes into stoppage time to secure another match.
The last match to be played is Cardiff City and Shrewsbury Town, while have a late kick at 1:00 p.m. ET from Cardiff City Stadium.
FA Cup recap: Arsenal, Man City cruise; Four PL clubs bounced; Almost for Eastleigh.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
There were scares a-plenty for Premier League clubs in Saturday’s third round of the FA Cup, though all actual ousters came at the hands of fellow top-flight clubs.
After Exeter City and Wycombe Wanderers set the stage for the 10 a.m. ET matches by drawing Liverpool and Aston Villa, a wild slate of 22 matches kicked off.
West Bromwich Albion were seconds away from being upset by Bristol City, but James Morrison scored in the fourth minute of stoppage to make it 2-2 and force a replay.
Manchester United needed every single minute at Old Trafford to knock off a game Sheffield United side, as Memphis Depay won a late PK and Wayne Rooney converted it to push a sad-looking Red Devils side past the Blades.
West Ham United also scored late, with Nikica Jelavic finishing a chance in the 85th minute to push the Irons past Wolverhampton.
Stoke City got an early scare from hosts Doncaster Rovers, but won 2-1. Bournemouth had a similar situation before topping Birmingham City 2-1.
Arsenal’s quest to threepeat improved as they beat Sunderland 3-1, with USMNT back DeAndre Yedlin playing right back for the Black Cats in a game that was 1-1 at the break. Everton handled Dagenham & Redbridge 2-0.
Wasteful Newcastle gave precious few chances to Watford, but allowed one past Rob Elliot, as Troy Deeney boosted the Hornets into the fourth round with a 1-0 home win.
In another All-PL tie, Crystal Palace overcame blowing a lead to beat Southampton 2-1 at St. Mary’s.
Manchester City cruised past Norwich City, with Sergio Aguero netting off a fun dribble well inside the 18 and Kelechi Iheanacho making it 2-0 before halftime. Kevin De Bruyne rounded out the scoring at 3-0.
The only non-league side, Eastleigh United, came within a whisper of the fourth round after an own goal from Bolton’s Dorian Dervite. The horrific home pitch didn’t help either side, but the visitors found a late equalizer from Darren Pratley off a scrum in the box to force a replay.
Full schedule
Exeter City 2-2 Liverpool
Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Aston Villa
Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland
Birmingham City 1-2 Bournemouth
Brentford 0-1 Walsall
Bury 0-0 BradfordColchester United 2-1 Charlton Athletic
Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Stoke City
Eastleigh 1-1 BoltonEverton 2-0 Dagenham & Redbridge
Hartlepool United 1-2 Derby County
Huddersfield Town 2-2 ReadingHull City 1-0 Brighton and Hove AlbionLeeds United 2-0 Rotherham United
Middlesbrough 1-2 Burnley
Newport – Blackburn — Postponed (waterlogged pitch)
Northampton 2-2 MK Dons
Norwich City 0-3 Manchester City
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Queens Park RangersPeterborough 2-0 Preston North EndSheffield Wednesday 2-1 Fulham
Southampton 1-2 Crystal Palace
Watford 1-0 Newcastle United
West Ham United 0-0 WolverhamptonManchester United 1-0 Sheffield United
NCAAFB: Alabama-Clemson Preview
AP - Sports
We're down to two.
And, boy, they both look impressive.
Top-ranked Clemson and No. 2 Alabama will face off in the desert for the national championship after dominating wins in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Tigers romped in the second half for a 37-17 win over No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, followed by an even more dominating performance in which the Crimson Tide thumped No. 3 Michigan State 38-0 in the Cotton Bowl.
Monday night's title game in Glendale, Arizona, matches a high-scoring Clemson offense led by quarterback Deshaun Watson against Nick Saban's latest dominating defense at Alabama, which limited the Spartans to 239 yards.
There's another storyline to the title game. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is an Alabama alumnus who played on the Tide's 1992 national championship team.
Now, he's going against the greatest coach of this generation. Saban has won three national titles in the last six years at Alabama to go along with a BCS title at LSU.
Clemson (14-0) and Alabama (13-1) will be playing for the first time since 2008, when Alabama won 34-10 in a game that signaled the Tide's return to national prominence under Saban.
That was also a pivotal year for the Tigers. Embattled coach Tommy Bowden resigned after six games, and Swinney - who was in charge of receivers - took over as head coach. Serving at first on an interim basis, he got the job permanently after leading Clemson to bowl eligibility.
Now, he's got the Tigers within one win of their first national title since 1981.
''I knew that we would be here,'' Swinney said. ''It was just a matter of when.''
Alabama is playing for another title after being upset by Ohio State last season in the semifinals of the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Saban said his team came into this playoff with a different attitude.
''Last year we sort of just participated in the game,'' he said. ''This year, we really wanted to make a statement and do something special.''
These teams have been on a collision course since Clemson and Alabama were ranked 1-2 in the second CFP rankings. They've held the top two spots since.
With Alabama favored by seven points, Clemson is the underdog for a second straight game. Oklahoma was favored in the Orange Bowl by four points.
A team once known for such inexplicable stumbles that a derisive term was coined for it - Clemsoning - blew out the Sooners over the final two quarters after trailing 17-16 at halftime.
Watson turned in another stellar all-around performance, beating Oklahoma with his arm and his legs. The defense did the rest, shutting down Baker Mayfield and a Sooners offense that was averaging 52 points over its previous seven games.
Clemson showed the sort of balance it will need to cope with Alabama's stifling defense, rushing for 312 yards and passing for 218. Watson, who was named the game's offensive MVP, passed for one touchdown and ran for another. Wayne Gallman rushed for 150 yards and a pair of TDs.
''As a unit,'' Watson said, ''it's tough to beat us when we're all on the same page and have each other's back.''
The defense was even more impressive, especially since star end Shaq Lawson was knocked out of the game in the opening minutes with a knee injury. The Sooners matched their lowest-scoring game of the season as Mayfield was sacked five times and intercepted twice, finally getting knocked out of the game when he took a blow to the head trying to make a tackle after his second pick.
The Tigers didn't just beat the Sooners.
They beat them up.
Lawson, who intends to turn pro after this season, has gone through workouts with the team and said Saturday he expects to play despite some lingering soreness. Lawson leads the Tigers with 10 1/2 sacks and is tops in the country with 23 1/2 tackles for loss.
Alabama looked like a team with no weaknesses against Michigan State.
Senior Jake Coker was nearly perfect, going 25 for 30 for a career-best 286 yards. Freshman Calvin Ridley was brilliant, streaking by defenders on deep throws and outfighting them on jump balls while catching eight passes for 138 yards and two TDs.
Jonathan Allen and the ferocious Tide defensive front sacked Connor Cook four times and allowed the Spartans only one trip into the red zone - which ended with Cyrus Jones intercepting a pass at the goal line.
Jones added a high-stepping 57-yard punt return touchdown for the Tide, who hardly had to use Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry. The big tailback was just a role player against a Spartans defense stacked to stop the run. He finished with 75 yards but did score two touchdowns.
Now, the Tide will try to prevent Clemson from becoming the first team in FBS history to finish 15-0.
''Clemson is a great team, undefeated, a great program,'' Saban said. ''I'm sure our guys will be motivated, trying to do the best they can to play the best they can in the game. It's a great opportunity for them. I'm proud as hell of them to get where they are.''
Only a handful of teams have even had the chance to play 15 games, with longer regular seasons, conference title games and now a four-team playoff stretching schedules out more than ever before.
''August 3rd, when we started the season, I gave them shirts that said 'Dream the Dream,''' Swinney said. ''And I said '15 for 15,' with the message being let's make them print 15 tickets this year, somehow, some way.
''My gosh, they've got to print a 15th ticket to see the Tigers now,'' Swinney added. ''It's been a great 2015.''
NDSU leaves no doubt with fifth straight FCS title.
By CRAIG HALEY
That record number of FCS championships now fills an entire hand with celebratory rings.
What better way for North Dakota State's dynasty to conk an opponent over the head.
The Bison became the first team in NCAA history to win five straight national titles Saturday as they overwhelmed top-seeded Jacksonville State 37-10 before 21,836 at Toyota Stadium.
There was little rust in senior quarterback Carson Wentz's game as he returned from a midseason wrist injury, and that played right into North Dakota State's well-oiled machine. The Bison (13-2) improved to an amazing 71-5 since the start of the 2011 season - the first of the championship run - and separated from Augustana's Division III champions of 1983-86 for the most consecutive titles in NCAA history.
"It's remarkable, the five titles. I can't put it into words," second-year coach Chris Klieman said.
But he basically did later.
"It's the culture," he said.
The Missouri Valley Conference power, seeded third in the playoffs, built a 24-0 halftime lead against a Jacksonville State squad that had been No. 1 for most of the season. The Ohio Valley Conference's Gamecocks (13-2) had their 12-game winning streak snapped.
There were countless factors for the romp, perhaps none bigger than:
- Wentz, the 6-foot-6 NFL prospect, played more like he had been out for 12 days instead of 12 weeks. He rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another one with 276 yards of total offense (197 passing, 79 rushing) while being named the title game's Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year. He completed 16 of 29 passes but had two interceptions.
"I felt good for the last couple weeks now, and I think that kind of showed a little today," Wentz said. "The rust, people might have wanted to talk about it. I didn't think I showed that. But we had a lot of receivers making plays on the ball, and that was big for me."
- NDSU's defense left no doubt as Jacksonville State managed only 204 offensive yards - 325 below its average. Eli Jenkins, the STATS All-America first-team quarterback, was harassed into four turnovers with a mere 57 passing yards on 20 attempts, and 1,700-yard rusher Troymaine Pope had only 31 yards on nine carries. Incredibly, all four Bison opponents in the postseason were held to a season low in yards.
"That's as good a defensive effort as I've seen from a four-game stretch in the playoffs," Klieman said. "Hat's off to Coach (Matt) Entz and the defensive staff, as well as all these defensive players, because I think we have the best defense in all of FCS football this year without question."
- The Bison controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock (40 minutes, 51 seconds), running 82 plays to Jacksonville State's 51.
"They kept the ball away from us pretty much the whole game," Gamecocks coach John Grass lamented.
North Dakota State scored on its first four possessions to take command by halftime. The first two went for a combined 27 plays as Cam Pedersen ended a game-opening 15-play drive with a 29-yard field goal and a 12-play drive stretched into the second quarter before Wentz connected on an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Andrew Bonnet.
NDSU linebacker Nick DeLuca intercepted Jenkins at his team's 28-yard line on the first play of the ensuing drive. It led to Wentz beating cornerback Jermaine Hough 1-on-1 on a keeper and diving into the end zone for an 11-yard TD and a 17-0 lead at the 11:13 mark.
Jenkins then fumbled the ball away to Bison linebacker M.J. Stumpf at the Jacksonville State 48. That turnover led to King Frazier's 1-yard touchdown run, which made it 24-0 with 6:12 left in the first half.
"The first half especially we didn't get off the field on third downs and we didn't give our offense the ball enough," Jacksonville State defensive end Chris Landrum said, "Credit North Dakota State, they have a great offense."
"The more you can wear a defense down, the better it is for your offense," Klieman said, "but the better it is for your defense because you're always staying fresh."
Jacksonville State cut into its deficit to 24-10 in the third quarter. Jenkins broke loose for a 46-yard run to set up a 6-yard scoring keeper, and Brandon Bender intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 54 yards to the Bison 13, which set up Connor Rouleau's 27-yard field goal with 3:41 left.
But North Dakota State answered with a Pedersen 31-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in the third quarter and then won going away.
In fact, the fourth quarter was a complete nightmare for Jenkins. DeLuca (nine tackles) dislodged the ball on a scramble and Jenkins fumbled the ball away to defensive end Greg Menard. Although NDSU quarterback Easton Stick, who was 8-0 as a starter while Wentz was sidelined, immediately gave the ball back by throwing an interception in the Jacksonville State end zone, Bison cornerback Jordan Champion picked off Jenkins to mark the third straight play with a turnover.
Wentz was more than happy to convert that one into a 1-yard touchdown on NDSU's next drive, making it 34-10. And the Bison were even happier to have their offensive leader back in the saddle for another win.
Their "Drive for Five" is complete.
Maybe they'll be back for more next year.
NCAABKB: No. 1 Kansas beats Texas Tech 69-59 for 13th straight win.
By BETSY BLANEY
Top-ranked Kansas often struggles when it plays at Texas Tech.
Three times in the past 11 years, the Red Raiders - all before Tubby Smith came to coach Texas Tech - have beaten Kansas in Lubbock when the Jayhawks were ranked in the Top 10.
On Saturday night, the top-ranked Jayhawks held off the Red Raiders 69-59.
''It's never a pretty game from my vantage point when we play here,'' Kansas coach Bill Self said. ''But fortunately, we've been able to eke out some wins. I think the way Tubby coaches and the way that his team tries, the way they've improved, I think that they make it hard to beat them here.''
Frank Mason scored 17 points, and Perry Ellis had 15 in the Jayhawks' 13th straight victory.
Mason and Ellis each had 10 rebounds.
The Jayhawks (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) built a 10-point lead early in the second half, but let the Red Raiders (11-3, 2-1) back in it with about 10 minutes remaining.
Two 3-pointers by Mason and another by Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk gave the Jayhawks a 57-50 lead with about 5 minutes remaining.
Norense Odiase scored two straight baskets to pull the Red Raiders to 58-54, but a 3-pointer by Wayne Selden Jr., a dunk by Ellis, and a basket and two free throws by Devonte' Graham sealed the win for the Jayhawks. The Jayhawks outrebounded Texas Tech 42-26.
Ellis said his team didn't have a great shooting night. The Jayhawks made about 42 percent of their shots.
''When that happens, the key is defense,'' he said. ''And we started getting a lot of stops. And that's what got us over the hump.''
Odiase scored all his 14 points in the second half for the Red Raiders.
Wayne Selden's 3-pointer late in the game came right as the shot clock expired and seemed to take the wind out of the Red Raiders.
Kansas got the ball inside more to start the second half, getting 10 points in the paint in the first 5 minutes to take a 39-29 lead.
But Texas Tech kept close off back-to-back field goals - a 3 and a 2-point basket - by Toddrick Gotcher. His field goal started a 9-0 run, during a more than 4-minute drought by the Jayhawks, that tied it at 44 with 10:21 remaining.
Smith said several things were the Red Raiders' undoing.
''A lot of things did us in tonight,'' he said. ''We didn't rebound the ball. We didn't defend in the second half like we should. And you put that together with free throw shooting, that's a remedy for a loss.''
Both teams got the ball inside, each getting 26 points in the paint but the Red Raiders, despite being outrebounded, had 11 second-chance points to seven for Kansas.
The Red Raiders got only 11 points off of the Jayhawks' 15 turnovers.
Ellis was 7 of 16 from the field, one of those a 3-pointer.
The Jayhawks' 69 points were a season low and about 20 points shy of their season average.
Kansas led 29-27 at halftime. Both teams shot poorly from the field. The Red Raiders were cold from the free throw line, going 7 of 14. The Jayhawks made seven of their eight attempts.
Wayne Selden's 3-pointer late in the game came right as the shot clock expired and seemed to take the wind out of the Red Raiders.
Kansas got the ball inside more to start the second half, getting 10 points in the paint in the first 5 minutes to take a 39-29 lead.
But Texas Tech kept close off back-to-back field goals - a 3 and a 2-point basket - by Toddrick Gotcher. His field goal started a 9-0 run, during a more than 4-minute drought by the Jayhawks, that tied it at 44 with 10:21 remaining.
Smith said several things were the Red Raiders' undoing.
''A lot of things did us in tonight,'' he said. ''We didn't rebound the ball. We didn't defend in the second half like we should. And you put that together with free throw shooting, that's a remedy for a loss.''
Both teams got the ball inside, each getting 26 points in the paint but the Red Raiders, despite being outrebounded, had 11 second-chance points to seven for Kansas.
The Red Raiders got only 11 points off of the Jayhawks' 15 turnovers.
Ellis was 7 of 16 from the field, one of those a 3-pointer.
The Jayhawks' 69 points were a season low and about 20 points shy of their season average.
Kansas led 29-27 at halftime. Both teams shot poorly from the field. The Red Raiders were cold from the free throw line, going 7 of 14. The Jayhawks made seven of their eight attempts.
Smith faced Kansas five times when he coached Kentucky, winning twice. Two of those meetings came in the NCAA Tournament: the second round in both 1999 and 2007.
DOMINANT BLUE
Kansas leads the series with Texas Tech 30-4 and has won 13 straight.
TIP-INS:
Kansas: The Jayhawks' only loss came to Michigan State.
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders won 10 games in a row, including winning all eight games of a recent homestand. ... Texas Tech beat Kansas in Lubbock in 2005, 2007 and 2009.
UP NEXT:
Kansas: at West Virginia on Tuesday night.
Texas Tech: at Kansas State on Tuesday night.
Short-handed No. 15 SMU still undefeated, beats UCF 88-73.
Associated Press
(Photo/Associated Press)
Ben Moore had a career-high 23 points, Nic Moore added 20 and short-handed No. 15 SMU is still undefeated midway through its season after an 88-73 victory over UCF on Sunday.
SMU (15-0, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) took control with an early 15-0 run that included a 57-second span with three 3-pointers. The first of those 3s was an alley-oop that actually went through the hoop, though the Mustangs did have five dunks by halftime – and three more after that.
Justin McBride had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead UCF (8-6, 2-1), while Matt Williams has 12 points and A.J. Davis 10.
No. 22 South Carolina (15-0) and SMU are the only undefeated Division I teams. But the Mustangs know they will only play 30 games this season, because of a postseason ban as part of NCAA sanctions handed down last fall that included Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown missing the team’s first nine games.
The Mustangs have won all six games since Brown came back after their Dec. 17 home win over Hampton. But the 75-year-old coach wasn’t on the bench after halftime Sunday because he wasn’t feeling well. Brown experienced some symptoms of vertigo, which he has dealt with at times in the past.
Jordan Tolbert had 19 points and Sterling Brown 13 for the Mustangs, who maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game after scoring their 15 consecutive points in just over 2 1/2 minutes. The final points in that run were those three consecutive 3s.
Brown was attempting an alley-oop pass to Tolbert, who was in the air but got his hands out of the way and grabbing the rim only after the ball went through for a 3-pointer instead with 15:26 left in the first half. Brown then made a more conventional 3 before Nic Moore’s shot from long range put the Mustangs up 22-8 with 14:29 left in the first half.
SMU again had only seven scholarship players dressed again Sunday, along with two walk-ons who were both in the game in the final minute.
Junior guard Keith Frazier missed his third game in a row because of personal issues, and his future with the team is still uncertain. Online course work for Frazier prior to his enrollment at SMU was part of the NCAA investigation that led to sanctions. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in his 10 games this season.
TIP-INS
UCF: The Knights missed 11 consecutive shots over more than 6 minutes in the first half, which included the span of SMU’s big run. … UCF has lost its last five games against the Mustangs.
SMU: The best previous season start for the Mustangs had been in 1997-98, when they won their first 10 games. … Overall, the only longer winning streak is the 20 in a row during 1955-56. … SMU is 69-17 since the start of the 2013-14 season.
UP NEXT
UCF: hosts East Carolina on Saturday.
SMU: at East Carolina on Wednesday night.
SMU (15-0, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) took control with an early 15-0 run that included a 57-second span with three 3-pointers. The first of those 3s was an alley-oop that actually went through the hoop, though the Mustangs did have five dunks by halftime – and three more after that.
Justin McBride had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead UCF (8-6, 2-1), while Matt Williams has 12 points and A.J. Davis 10.
No. 22 South Carolina (15-0) and SMU are the only undefeated Division I teams. But the Mustangs know they will only play 30 games this season, because of a postseason ban as part of NCAA sanctions handed down last fall that included Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown missing the team’s first nine games.
The Mustangs have won all six games since Brown came back after their Dec. 17 home win over Hampton. But the 75-year-old coach wasn’t on the bench after halftime Sunday because he wasn’t feeling well. Brown experienced some symptoms of vertigo, which he has dealt with at times in the past.
Jordan Tolbert had 19 points and Sterling Brown 13 for the Mustangs, who maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game after scoring their 15 consecutive points in just over 2 1/2 minutes. The final points in that run were those three consecutive 3s.
Brown was attempting an alley-oop pass to Tolbert, who was in the air but got his hands out of the way and grabbing the rim only after the ball went through for a 3-pointer instead with 15:26 left in the first half. Brown then made a more conventional 3 before Nic Moore’s shot from long range put the Mustangs up 22-8 with 14:29 left in the first half.
SMU again had only seven scholarship players dressed again Sunday, along with two walk-ons who were both in the game in the final minute.
Junior guard Keith Frazier missed his third game in a row because of personal issues, and his future with the team is still uncertain. Online course work for Frazier prior to his enrollment at SMU was part of the NCAA investigation that led to sanctions. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in his 10 games this season.
TIP-INS
UCF: The Knights missed 11 consecutive shots over more than 6 minutes in the first half, which included the span of SMU’s big run. … UCF has lost its last five games against the Mustangs.
SMU: The best previous season start for the Mustangs had been in 1997-98, when they won their first 10 games. … Overall, the only longer winning streak is the 20 in a row during 1955-56. … SMU is 69-17 since the start of the 2013-14 season.
UP NEXT
UCF: hosts East Carolina on Saturday.
SMU: at East Carolina on Wednesday night.
Ryan brothers unite! Rex hires brother Rob to join him in Buffalo.
By Frank Schwab
Rob Ryan (Photo/AP)
One Ryan brother wasn't enough to get the Buffalo Bills into the playoffs. Maybe two Ryan brothers will do the trick.
Rex and Rob Ryan will be reunited in Buffalo. The Bills announced that they have hired Rob Ryan to the position of assistant head coach/defense. He'll be working alongside his brother Rex, who will be going into his second season as the Bills head coach. The Bills finished 8-8 last season.
Rex and Rob Ryan will be reunited in Buffalo. The Bills announced that they have hired Rob Ryan to the position of assistant head coach/defense. He'll be working alongside his brother Rex, who will be going into his second season as the Bills head coach. The Bills finished 8-8 last season.
Rob Ryan is coming off a couple tough years. He was the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator until he was fired late in the 2015 season. After a pretty good year in 2013, Ryan's Saints defenses had poor seasons in 2014 and 2015.
Rob Ryan hung around at Bills practice a few times after he was fired by the Saints, and that apparently planted the seeds for him to be hired to coach under Rex.
“I'm excited to have Rob join our staff and I think he will be a great asset for our defense. He has a tremendous working knowledge of our schemes and I look forward to his input,” Rex Ryan said, according to the team's site. “On a personal note, it's been a number of years since we have worked together and so we are both really looking forward to this opportunity.”
The twin brothers are known for being boisterous and having aggressive defenses in the mold of their father, Buddy Ryan. The last time the brothers worked together was 1994-95 with the Arizona Cardinals, on Buddy Ryan's staff.
Even if the Ryan brothers working together again doesn't lead to a playoff berth in Buffalo, things should be interesting with both of them around.
On
Memoriesofhistory.com
1953 - J. Edgar Hoover declined a six-figure offer to be the president of the International Boxing Club.
1970 - Billy Casper became the second golfer in history to top the $1-million mark in career earnings when he won the Los Angeles Open golf tournament.
1973 - Owners of American League baseball teams voted to adopt the designated-hitter rule on a trial basis.
1976 - Dorothy Hamill won her third consecutive national figure skating championship.
1976 - The Soviet Olympic team walked off the ice in protest to the rough tactics of the Philadelphia Flyers.
1995 - NHL owners and Players ended a 103 day lockout. It was announced that the regular season would be reduced to 48 games and would start January 20.
2002 - Muhammad Ali received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2007 - It was announced that David Beckham had signed a five-year $250 million contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
2010 - Mark McGwire admitted that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade. The timeframe including the 1998 season when he broke the then single-season home run record.
2014 - Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz reduced Alex Rodriguez's (New York Yankees) drug suspension from 211 to 162 games.
1970 - Billy Casper became the second golfer in history to top the $1-million mark in career earnings when he won the Los Angeles Open golf tournament.
1973 - Owners of American League baseball teams voted to adopt the designated-hitter rule on a trial basis.
1976 - Dorothy Hamill won her third consecutive national figure skating championship.
1976 - The Soviet Olympic team walked off the ice in protest to the rough tactics of the Philadelphia Flyers.
1995 - NHL owners and Players ended a 103 day lockout. It was announced that the regular season would be reduced to 48 games and would start January 20.
2002 - Muhammad Ali received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2007 - It was announced that David Beckham had signed a five-year $250 million contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
2010 - Mark McGwire admitted that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade. The timeframe including the 1998 season when he broke the then single-season home run record.
2014 - Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz reduced Alex Rodriguez's (New York Yankees) drug suspension from 211 to 162 games.
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