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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"In the sports arena I would say there is nothing like training and preparation. You have to train your mind as much as your body." ~ Venus Williams, Women's Professional Tennis Player
Trending: Blackhawks set franchise record with 12th straight win. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Blackhawks set franchise record with 12th straight win. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: NCAA Top 25 Basketball Poll, January 18, 2016. (There will be big changes in next week's Poll). Too much parity!!! (See the college basketball section for updates).
Trending: If Antwaan Randle El could go back, he wouldn't play football. (See the college football section for details).
By Tracey Myers
The mood in the Blackhawks’ locker room didn’t seem any more euphoric than it’s been in any of their previous victories.
Still, there’s no doubt this team realizes it’s doing something pretty special right now – like franchise-record special.
Still, there’s no doubt this team realizes it’s doing something pretty special right now – like franchise-record special.
Corey Crawford stopped 38 of 39 shots and the Blackhawks won their 12th consecutive victory when they beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Tuesday night. It was a record night for some individuals as well as the team. Crawford won his career-best ninth consecutive start and Patrick Kane scored his 30th goal, tying a career high – in game No. 49 – he set during the 2009-10 season.
The Blackhawks’ winning streak is a franchise best, eclipsing their previous mark of 11 first set during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. It’s been a heck of a ride, one that has the Blackhawks sitting atop the Central Division with 68 points.
“It’s a great run,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We’ve been starting quick and today we had to weather a good start by them. I thought we were patient with our team game, scoring first and had a couple nice plays on our goals. We defend well in the third, had the lead a lot in this stretch here, which really helped our team game.”
Crawford was stellar once again on Tuesday. The Blackhawks had a 3-1 lead in the third but the Predators pushed and fired 16 shots, all of which Crawford stopped.
“Yeah he’s been amazing. It seems like he has a whole new focus in the net,” Kane said of Crawford this season. “Some nights he looks unbeatable; it’s pretty fun to watch. He’s very underrated as goalies go but we feel we have the best-kept secret with him.”
Not so secret is what the Blackhawks’ second line has done all season and continued to do on Tuesday. Artem Anisimov gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead with 21.2 seconds remaining in the first period. And just one minute after the Predators’ Ryan Ellis cut the Blackhawks’ lead to 2-1 in the second, Kane took a Panarin pass for a backhand breakaway and a 3-1 edge.
“I think maybe he saw me before he got the puck there, I was just taking off after the defenseman shot it and he put it right on my stick,” Kane said. “I had to make the move on the breakaway and it was a nice pass by him.”
The second line has been clicking since the start of this season. The Blackhawks as a whole have been doing so since the end of December. It’s led to some special marks, for individual players and the team.
“You can see the chemistry through all the lines, all the [defensive] pairings. We’re just playing the game right, playing with speed and skill and not making too many mistakes, not taking too many penalties,” Crawford said. “I just think everything about our game is working right now.”
Five Things from Blackhawks-Preds: Crawford wins ninth in a row.
By Tracey Myers
So before we head to a warmer climate – eventually – let’s look at Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ victory over the Predators.
1. Corey Crawford wins his ninth in a row. There have been a few impressive streaks this season and Crawford is in the midst of one, setting a new career best for consecutive victories. He had to earn this one on Tuesday, stopping 38 of 39 shots. Seriously, how many games in which a team leads 3-1 entering the third period still feel like a goalie victory? This one did, and Crawford continues to be the guy the Blackhawks need to shut things down late.
2. Patrick Kane ties his career-best mark in goals (already). The Blackhawks played their 49th game of the season on Tuesday. Kane got his 30th goal of the season on Tuesday, tying his career mark set in the 2009-10 season. As Kane said, he probably would’ve hit that mark in previous seasons if not for injuries – he was on his way to doing so last year before breaking his collarbone. Kane was more focused on the Blackhawks’ winning streak but what he’s done thus far – and what he could still do – is impressive nonetheless.
3. Richard Panik is fitting in well. One item missing from the Blackhawks’ fourth line earlier in this streak was someone to help generate some offense. Enter Panik, who scored his second goal in as many games. Sure, that fourth line, no matter what the personnel, had to accumulate more offensive zone time regardless. But now that it is, it’s taking shots and throwing a few points into the mix. It’s been a small sample size but so far, Panik has been a good pickup.
4. The second-line mind readers. There’s no doubt Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov and Kane are on a different wavelength, but it’s one they have with each other. They seem to know where each other is at all times – see that Panarin pass to Kane to set up the latter’s breakaway. It’s been great chemistry, and why that line continues to be a big part of the Blackhawks’ offense.
5. Teuvo Teravainen records a team-high five shots on goal. There were times on Tuesday when Teravainen looked like he was just off. But he was still shooting, which is what he needs to keep doing. He and his third-line mates did have a nice night, creating some opportunities. They were also on the ice late, with Teravainen getting the secondary assist on Andrew Desjardins’ empty-net goal.
Patrick Kane named NHL's first star of the week.
By C. Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
For the second time this season, Patrick Kane has been named the NHL's first star of the week after recording seven points (four goals and three assists), pacing the Blackhawks to four straight wins (11 straight overall) and taking over first place in the Central Division.
The Blackhawks star winger kicked off the week by tallying an assist in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Jan. 12.
He went pointless during a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 14, but followed that up by recording his first career regular-season hat trick and adding an assist in a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 15.
Kane wrapped up the week by registering his 19th multipoint game, which leads the league, with a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Canadiens on Jan. 17.
The Buffalo native ranks No. 1 in the NHL in goals (29), assists (40) and points (69).
Calgary's Sam Bennett and Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar were named the NHL's second and third star for the week ending Jan. 17, respectively.
The Blackhawks star winger kicked off the week by tallying an assist in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Jan. 12.
He went pointless during a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 14, but followed that up by recording his first career regular-season hat trick and adding an assist in a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 15.
Kane wrapped up the week by registering his 19th multipoint game, which leads the league, with a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Canadiens on Jan. 17.
The Buffalo native ranks No. 1 in the NHL in goals (29), assists (40) and points (69).
Calgary's Sam Bennett and Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar were named the NHL's second and third star for the week ending Jan. 17, respectively.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears S Adrian Amos, NT Eddie Goldman named to PFWA All-Rookie team.
By John Mullin
Eddie Goldman (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Adrian Amos (Photo/Chicago Bears)
The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams on a daily basis.
Goldman was the Bears’ second-round selection last spring, played in 15 games, starting 12 and was credited in team stats with 39 tackles and 4½ sacks. Amos, a fifth-round pick, started all 16 games at safety, and was credited with 108 tackles, four passes broken up and one sack.
St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley was rookie of the year and offensive rookie of the year. Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters was defensive rookie of the year.
The complete all-rookie rosters:
Offense
QB – Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RB – Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams; Thomas Rawls, Seattle Seahawks
WR – Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders; Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
TE – Will Tye, New York Giants
C – Mitch Morse, Kansas City Chiefs
G – Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins
T – Rob Havenstein, St. Louis Rams; Donovan Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Defense
DL – Malcom Brown, New England Patriots; Eddie Goldman, Chicago Bears; Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings; Leonard Williams, New York Jets
LB – Kwon Alexander, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Stephone Anthony, New Orleans Saints; Eric Kendricks, Minnesota Vikings
CB – Ronald Darby, Buffalo Bills; Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs
S – Adrian Amos, Chicago Bears; Landon Collins, New York Giants
Special Teams
PK – Josh Lambo, San Diego Chargers
P – Matt Darr, Miami Dolphins
KR – Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
PR – Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
ST – Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Moon: Final thoughts on NFL divisional round playoff games.
By John Mullin
But neither sweep should be surprising, however, particularly in the wild-card round.
Home teams in that first brace of games include two teams who are home simply because they were division winners. The road teams were wild cards solely by virtue of records, with the result that the better team was unquestionably the superior team: Kansas City at 11-5 or AFC South winner Houston at 9-7? The 30-0 Chiefs win was zero surprise.
Washington won the NFC Least at 9-7. In come the Green Bay Packers off a 10-6 season. Winner: Green Bay.
In the two other road games – Seattle (10-6) at Minnesota (11-5), Pittsburgh (10-6) at Cincinnati (12-4) – the home team was better based on win total. But both lost because of jaw-dropping mistakes, the Vikings missing a chip-shot field goal to win and the Bengals handing a game to the Steelers with a fumble and then egregious penalties to set up Pittsburgh’s winning field goal.
In the divisional round, the four home teams – Arizona (13), Carolina (15), Denver (12) and New England (12) – had an average of 2.75 victories in 2015 than the teams they defeated – Green Bay (10), Seattle (10), Pittsburgh (2) and Kansas City (1).
Of course those home teams won. They were simply better based on entire season as body of work.
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Perhaps more just an isolated anomaly, but three of the four starting quarterbacks in the NFL conference championships were No. 1-overall picks in their drafts: Peyton Manning, 1998; Carson Palmer, 2003; and Cam Newton, 2011. Hold off on any conclusions about No. 1-overall’s, however. Manning and Palmer aren’t here with their original teams, which didn’t hold onto either quarterback. And Palmer only reached the playoffs twice in his career before this season.
It’s also the first time two Heisman Trophy winners (Newton, Palmer) will face each other, although that’s an award that really ought to go to marketing departments of winning universities. The trophy is something you’re awarded by vote, not something you actually win.
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The Green Bay Packers were done in when their defense failed to stop the Arizona Cardinals’ offense on the first (and only) possession of Saturday’s overtime. That shouldn’t be a total surprise.
Teams receiving the kickoff to begin overtime win 53.8 percent of the time, according to research by ESPN late last month. That’s seemingly not a huge advantage over kicking off, but one overlooked reality is that the NFL has tilted rules in favor of offense, admittedly or not, meaning that all things being equal, all things really aren’t being equal.
If there’s an amusing backstory here, it’s that the Bears had proposed changing the overtime rule in way that would allow each team a possession, this after the Packers had lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 postseason by failing to stop a Seattle TD drive on the first possession.
Ironically, the Packers weren’t in favor of the change, which in fact didn’t pass. “George [McCaskey, Bears chairman] told me, ‘I don’t think it’s right. I think each team should have a possession,’” Packers president Mark Murphy told CSNChicago.com at last year’s league meetings. Then he laughed. “I said, ‘I just hope we can make it retroactive.’”
Murphy, a former Pro Bowl safety, did not think the rule change would pass then, in part because the current format has not been in place that long. Teams and people want to see things operate for a time before making a change.
“And we did have a chance to stop [the Seahawks] or hold them to a field goal and just didn’t do it,” said Murphy, himself a former Pro Bowl safety, adding a thought on player safety. “If you each had to have one possession, that would add a number of plays, and it could become a safety issue.”
Teams receiving the kickoff to begin overtime win 53.8 percent of the time, according to research by ESPN late last month. That’s seemingly not a huge advantage over kicking off, but one overlooked reality is that the NFL has tilted rules in favor of offense, admittedly or not, meaning that all things being equal, all things really aren’t being equal.
If there’s an amusing backstory here, it’s that the Bears had proposed changing the overtime rule in way that would allow each team a possession, this after the Packers had lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 postseason by failing to stop a Seattle TD drive on the first possession.
Ironically, the Packers weren’t in favor of the change, which in fact didn’t pass. “George [McCaskey, Bears chairman] told me, ‘I don’t think it’s right. I think each team should have a possession,’” Packers president Mark Murphy told CSNChicago.com at last year’s league meetings. Then he laughed. “I said, ‘I just hope we can make it retroactive.’”
Murphy, a former Pro Bowl safety, did not think the rule change would pass then, in part because the current format has not been in place that long. Teams and people want to see things operate for a time before making a change.
“And we did have a chance to stop [the Seahawks] or hold them to a field goal and just didn’t do it,” said Murphy, himself a former Pro Bowl safety, adding a thought on player safety. “If you each had to have one possession, that would add a number of plays, and it could become a safety issue.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Golden State Warriors-Chicago Bulls Preview.
By KEVIN MASSOTH
The Warriors look to avoid their third loss in a week Wednesday night when they face the Chicago Bulls, who just started life without Joakim Noah.
Golden State (38-4) dropped two of three last week for the first time since the NBA Finals, concluding with an uncharacteristically poor offensive showing in Saturday's 113-95 loss to Detroit to open this trip.
The Warriors avoided consecutive losses for the first time this season in resounding fashion, though, pounding East-leading Cleveland 132-98 on Monday. The NBA's highest-scoring team followed a season-low 36.2-percent shooting performance by making 54.1 percent overall and 19 of 40 3-pointers. They held a 30-point advantage in the first half and led by as many as 43.
The starters sat out the final quarter, but Stephen Curry still scored 35 points and Draymond Green added 16, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help Golden State snap its two-game road skid.
"The first three quarters, that's who we know we can be," interim coach Luke Walton said. "They were absolutely phenomenal. We can't really ask to play much better than that."
Losses in three of five games hasn't happened for the Warriors in the regular season since December 2014, but they close their trip at a place where they haven't won much in the last 14 years.
Though Golden State has taken three of the last five overall matchups, Chicago has won 11 of 13 at the United Center dating to February 2002.
The Warriors took the first meeting this season 106-94 on Nov. 20 behind 27 points from Curry. The Bulls were paced by Jimmy Butler's 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, but Derrick Rose, backup point guard Aaron Brooks and Bobby Portis didn't play.
Chicago (24-16) dropped three straight from Jan. 9-12 but has since won two of three after a 111-101 victory at Detroit on Monday.
The Bulls are looking for their first winning streak since rattling off six in a row Dec. 28-Jan. 7, a stretch that seemed to return them to their status as a top contender in the East. But after allowing opponents to average 98.2 points during that run, Chicago has surrendered 105.8 in six games - and its defense suffered a hit when Noah left Friday's 83-77 loss to Dallas with a dislocated shoulder.
The center will miss four to six months after surgery, likely costing him the rest of the season. Chicago, though, is 9-2 without the former Defensive Player of the Year.
"I'm not going to say that we're over him or we don't need him. We need him for sure," Rose said. "But we're professionals. We know that once someone goes out, somebody has to step in and do that job, and we believe in everybody on this team."
The Bulls were outrebounded 50-38 by the Pistons for their first disadvantage on the boards in 12 games. Chicago leads the league with 48.8 rebounds per game while Golden State is close behind at 46.5. Noah was averaging 8.8 boards.
Gasol, Bulls respond in Detroit for important road win. (Martin Luther King Day Game, 01/18/2016).
By Vincent Goodwill
The last time the Pistons and Bulls met up, 68 minutes of scintillating, exhausting basketball took place at the United Center, as the Pistons took the second meeting between the two rivals.
And as exhausting as that game was for Pau Gasol, it promised to be just as taxing defending Andre Drummond without the help and assistance of Joakim Noah.
But mammoth challenges presents opportunity, and Gasol showed his value to the Bulls and the league at large with a 31-point, 12-rebound performance, leading the Bulls to a 111-101 win at the Palace Monday afternoon, their first win in three tries.
Derrick Rose’s two drives to the basket on consecutive plays, the last a fading, hooking floater, put seemed to end the Pistons’ threat and send the fans to the exits, giving him 20 with four assists on nine of 17 shooting in just 27 minutes.
“Pau was unbelievable all night long and I thought our guys did a great job of finding him and setting screens on Drummond,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Derrick made a couple nice takes to the basket late.”
Gasol’s triple with the shot clock expiring gave the Bulls a 98-88 lead with a little under six minutes to go, and combined with the ejection of perimeter stopper Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, things became more and more likely to roll in the Bulls’ favor.
And without Noah, the Bulls will need more and more performances like this from Gasol, probably just to stay afloat.
“It’s gonna be different on different nights,” Hoiberg said. “He had it going. And plus he does a good job from a size standpoint against Drummond. We’ll look at the schedule and see if there’s opportunity to rest him.”
Without Noah, the dependence will be greater but Rose believes it presents more of an opportunity for others to step forward—and he’s not buying the Bulls being better without Noah, despite the Bulls’ 9-2 record without him.
“I’m not going to say we’re over him or don’t need him. We need him for sure,” Rose said. “We’re professionals, we know that once someone goes down somebody has to step in and do their job. We’re going to see how far this can go.”
Aaron Brooks came off the bench to tally 10 assists, with Butler having nine of his own as the Bulls dished out 28 helpers to just 10 turnovers, reversing what had been an alarming trend, particularly on the road.
“I thought our bench turned around the game for us and they got us back into it,” said Hoiberg, remarking about the second quarter where the Bulls gained control thanks to Brooks’ driving and dishing to the likes of Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic for 3-pointers, as the Pistons defense was slow to recover and allowed guard penetration all game.
"I thought our guys made the right plays, we made simple plays," Hoiberg said.
Drummond had another double-double, but the Bulls, and Gasol, limited his above-the-rim plays and even drew a semi-controversial 3-point shooting foul with 0.3 seconds on the shot clock when the Pistons were making a slight run.
Drummond finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Reggie Jackson scored 19 with six assists—but without the blistering effect he had in their last meeting when he torched the Bulls for 40-plus.
With a tough week ahead, Monday was the start, and the Bulls finally played with the requisite focus, as the Pistons beat the Golden State Warriors Saturday night on their home floor.
It didn’t start out that way, as the Bulls seemed to be in a lethargy that’s usually reserved for games against the Pistons, a team that has turned things around matchup-wise over the last two years or so.
Gasol shooting six for seven from the field kept the Bulls afloat when they didn’t seem interested in competing with the Pistons on the interior. The Pistons took a 13-point lead and it seemed to be on the way to running the Bulls out of the building.
But the Bulls actually played with a little poise, and wouldn’t you know it, held it together long enough for an impressive road win against an above. 500 team.
Johnny Bach, former Bulls assistant during Jordan era, dies at 91.
And as exhausting as that game was for Pau Gasol, it promised to be just as taxing defending Andre Drummond without the help and assistance of Joakim Noah.
But mammoth challenges presents opportunity, and Gasol showed his value to the Bulls and the league at large with a 31-point, 12-rebound performance, leading the Bulls to a 111-101 win at the Palace Monday afternoon, their first win in three tries.
Derrick Rose’s two drives to the basket on consecutive plays, the last a fading, hooking floater, put seemed to end the Pistons’ threat and send the fans to the exits, giving him 20 with four assists on nine of 17 shooting in just 27 minutes.
“Pau was unbelievable all night long and I thought our guys did a great job of finding him and setting screens on Drummond,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Derrick made a couple nice takes to the basket late.”
Gasol’s triple with the shot clock expiring gave the Bulls a 98-88 lead with a little under six minutes to go, and combined with the ejection of perimeter stopper Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, things became more and more likely to roll in the Bulls’ favor.
And without Noah, the Bulls will need more and more performances like this from Gasol, probably just to stay afloat.
“It’s gonna be different on different nights,” Hoiberg said. “He had it going. And plus he does a good job from a size standpoint against Drummond. We’ll look at the schedule and see if there’s opportunity to rest him.”
Without Noah, the dependence will be greater but Rose believes it presents more of an opportunity for others to step forward—and he’s not buying the Bulls being better without Noah, despite the Bulls’ 9-2 record without him.
“I’m not going to say we’re over him or don’t need him. We need him for sure,” Rose said. “We’re professionals, we know that once someone goes down somebody has to step in and do their job. We’re going to see how far this can go.”
Aaron Brooks came off the bench to tally 10 assists, with Butler having nine of his own as the Bulls dished out 28 helpers to just 10 turnovers, reversing what had been an alarming trend, particularly on the road.
“I thought our bench turned around the game for us and they got us back into it,” said Hoiberg, remarking about the second quarter where the Bulls gained control thanks to Brooks’ driving and dishing to the likes of Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic for 3-pointers, as the Pistons defense was slow to recover and allowed guard penetration all game.
"I thought our guys made the right plays, we made simple plays," Hoiberg said.
Drummond had another double-double, but the Bulls, and Gasol, limited his above-the-rim plays and even drew a semi-controversial 3-point shooting foul with 0.3 seconds on the shot clock when the Pistons were making a slight run.
Drummond finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Reggie Jackson scored 19 with six assists—but without the blistering effect he had in their last meeting when he torched the Bulls for 40-plus.
With a tough week ahead, Monday was the start, and the Bulls finally played with the requisite focus, as the Pistons beat the Golden State Warriors Saturday night on their home floor.
It didn’t start out that way, as the Bulls seemed to be in a lethargy that’s usually reserved for games against the Pistons, a team that has turned things around matchup-wise over the last two years or so.
Gasol shooting six for seven from the field kept the Bulls afloat when they didn’t seem interested in competing with the Pistons on the interior. The Pistons took a 13-point lead and it seemed to be on the way to running the Bulls out of the building.
But the Bulls actually played with a little poise, and wouldn’t you know it, held it together long enough for an impressive road win against an above. 500 team.
Johnny Bach, former Bulls assistant during Jordan era, dies at 91.
By Ananth Pandian
Johnny Bach, gone at 91. (Photo/Getty Images)
Johnny Bach, an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls under Phil Jackson during the team's first three-peat with Michael Jordan, died Monday of complications from a stroke. He was 91.
The Bulls issued a statement about Bach's passing:
Johnny Bach, a prominent coaching figure in Chicago Bulls history, passed away today at age 91. A 56-year coaching veteran, Bach joined the Bulls as an assistant in 1986, and his highly effective "Doberman" style defense played a pivotal role in the Bulls' three championship titles from 1991 to 1993. The following is a statement from John Paxson, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations:
"Johnny was a true treasure in the world of basketball. He was the classic 'old school' coach who came to work each and every day with energy and enthusiasm for the game he loved. His zest for life and basketball were unparalleled. He will be greatly missed by everyone in the Bulls family as well as everyone he connected with during his long tenure in both college and professional basketball."
Bach also coached on the college level at Fordham and Penn State. Besides coaching with the Bulls, Bach coached with the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. He retired in 2006 while still working with the Bulls.
The Bulls issued a statement about Bach's passing:
Johnny Bach, a prominent coaching figure in Chicago Bulls history, passed away today at age 91. A 56-year coaching veteran, Bach joined the Bulls as an assistant in 1986, and his highly effective "Doberman" style defense played a pivotal role in the Bulls' three championship titles from 1991 to 1993. The following is a statement from John Paxson, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations:
"Johnny was a true treasure in the world of basketball. He was the classic 'old school' coach who came to work each and every day with energy and enthusiasm for the game he loved. His zest for life and basketball were unparalleled. He will be greatly missed by everyone in the Bulls family as well as everyone he connected with during his long tenure in both college and professional basketball."
Bach also coached on the college level at Fordham and Penn State. Besides coaching with the Bulls, Bach coached with the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. He retired in 2006 while still working with the Bulls.
Team USA Announces 30 Finalist for 2016 Olympic Roster.
By Dan Feldman
(Photo/Getty Images)
Team USA started with 34 mini-campers vying for a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Add Andre Iguodala. Don’t add Kobe Bryant.
That left 35 players in the pool.
USA Basketball trimmed the list to 30 today:
That they’re such easy cuts speaks to the Americans’ depth.
The more difficult selections will come later. Team USA will pick a final roster in late June. It’s unclear whether the pool will be reduced again before that, but it’s already getting difficult to find names to drop.
It’s going to be unbearably difficult for USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo to make his final decisions for the 12-man team.
Cubs called their shot with Jason Heyward signing.
As part of the elaborate presentation during Jon Lester’s recruiting visit to Wrigleyville, the Cubs unveiled a diamond diagram projecting their 2016 lineup – with Jason Heyward playing center field.
At that point, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber hadn’t made their big-league debuts yet. Jake Arrieta hadn’t developed into a Cy Young Award winner. And Joe Maddon hadn’t managed a game in a Cubs uniform.
Lester would have to take a leap of faith with Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer – who watched him grow up in the Boston Red Sox organization – to believe in a team that had finished in fifth place for five straight seasons and hadn’t won a World Series since the Theodore Roosevelt administration.
This was November 2014 – the same month the Atlanta Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals – and 13 months before he would sign the biggest contract in franchise history.
“They kind of broke down their ultimate plan,” Lester said. “(Heyward) was kind of their big guy they pitched to me.”
Lester signing the richest contract in franchise history – at least until Heyward’s decision last month – marked a significant turning point in the rebuild. For $155 million guaranteed across six years, the Cubs would get an All-Star lefty to front their rotation, account for 200-plus innings and help a young team play meaningful baseball in September and maybe win around 84 games.
The Cubs smashed all external expectations and internal projections for last season by winning 97 games and advancing to the National League Championship Series.
“Really, this year was their plan,” Lester said. “We weren’t supposed to do what we did last year. (But) I think it put that (sense of) urgency into this year.
“That’s what their ultimate plan was in 2016 – they were going to go all-in for this year. And they definitely have.”
Heyward became an obvious target because of his age-26 potential, left-handed contact skills, .353 career on-base percentage and Gold Glove defense. That made the Cubs so much more comfortable with this eight-year, $184 million investment – and he wouldn’t have to be “The Man” in Chicago.
“The biggest move we made this winter,” Epstein said, “didn’t feel like signing a free agent. He’s a day younger than Anthony Rizzo. It felt like adding another huge piece to our core of young players.
“It fits our identity. That’s really what defines us right now – a group of young position players that we really, really believe in, on the field and off the field. He adds to that mix.”
In the same way that Lester declined an offer from the San Francisco Giants in the range of seven years and $168 million, Heyward turned down a reported $200 million guarantee to return to Cardinals Nation, where at least one fan posted to Twitter an image of his red No. 22 jersey on fire.
The Cubs also used 1908 to help convince two other big-name free agents – pitcher John Lackey and super-utility guy Ben Zobrist – who had bigger offers out there. Pitching coach Chris Bosio even said Trevor Cahill passed on a two-year offer to start for the Pittsburgh Pirates before accepting a one-year, $4.25 million deal to be a swingman for the Cubs.
“There’s something special about what’s happening,” chairman Tom Ricketts said. “All these guys that came in this year – and some of the ones that came in last year – had more money somewhere else. But they all want to be part of this team. So having a good, young nucleus and a great manager makes it easier for Theo and Jed to recruit.
“I had lunch with Jason Heyward the day he signed. I’m like: ‘Jason, so tell me, what about Chicago brought you in?’ And he’s like: ‘Well, I want to be part of a winning culture.’ And I’m like: ‘Wow, no one’s ever said that to me before.’”
Epstein thinks of it as confidence when Lester calls him arrogant. Whatever. The Cubs aren’t all talk anymore.
“I like that,” Lester said. “You come in and you stand up tall. You stick your chest out and you go: ‘This is what we see. This is what we believe in. These are our guys.’ That blew me away.
“It’s not, ‘Well, if this guy does this…’ No, everything was: ‘When this guy comes up, he’s going to do this.’ They couldn’t have been more right.”
That left 35 players in the pool.
USA Basketball trimmed the list to 30 today:
- LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)
- LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs)
- Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors)
- Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
- Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls)
- Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
- DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)
- Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
- Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
- DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors)
- Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)
- Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets)
- Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings)
- Paul George (Indiana Pacers)
- Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
- Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
- James Harden (Houston Rockets)
- Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz)
- Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets)
- Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors)
- Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers)
- Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs)
- Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)
- Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)
- John Wall (Washington Wizards)
- Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Michael Carter-Williams (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Tobias Harris (Orlando Magic)
- Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic)
- Chandler Parsons (Dallas Mavericks)
- Mason Plumlee (Portland Trail Blazers)
That they’re such easy cuts speaks to the Americans’ depth.
The more difficult selections will come later. Team USA will pick a final roster in late June. It’s unclear whether the pool will be reduced again before that, but it’s already getting difficult to find names to drop.
It’s going to be unbearably difficult for USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo to make his final decisions for the 12-man team.
Cubs called their shot with Jason Heyward signing.
(Photo/ESPN.com)
As part of the elaborate presentation during Jon Lester’s recruiting visit to Wrigleyville, the Cubs unveiled a diamond diagram projecting their 2016 lineup – with Jason Heyward playing center field.
At that point, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber hadn’t made their big-league debuts yet. Jake Arrieta hadn’t developed into a Cy Young Award winner. And Joe Maddon hadn’t managed a game in a Cubs uniform.
Lester would have to take a leap of faith with Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer – who watched him grow up in the Boston Red Sox organization – to believe in a team that had finished in fifth place for five straight seasons and hadn’t won a World Series since the Theodore Roosevelt administration.
This was November 2014 – the same month the Atlanta Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals – and 13 months before he would sign the biggest contract in franchise history.
“They kind of broke down their ultimate plan,” Lester said. “(Heyward) was kind of their big guy they pitched to me.”
Lester signing the richest contract in franchise history – at least until Heyward’s decision last month – marked a significant turning point in the rebuild. For $155 million guaranteed across six years, the Cubs would get an All-Star lefty to front their rotation, account for 200-plus innings and help a young team play meaningful baseball in September and maybe win around 84 games.
The Cubs smashed all external expectations and internal projections for last season by winning 97 games and advancing to the National League Championship Series.
“Really, this year was their plan,” Lester said. “We weren’t supposed to do what we did last year. (But) I think it put that (sense of) urgency into this year.
“That’s what their ultimate plan was in 2016 – they were going to go all-in for this year. And they definitely have.”
Heyward became an obvious target because of his age-26 potential, left-handed contact skills, .353 career on-base percentage and Gold Glove defense. That made the Cubs so much more comfortable with this eight-year, $184 million investment – and he wouldn’t have to be “The Man” in Chicago.
“The biggest move we made this winter,” Epstein said, “didn’t feel like signing a free agent. He’s a day younger than Anthony Rizzo. It felt like adding another huge piece to our core of young players.
“It fits our identity. That’s really what defines us right now – a group of young position players that we really, really believe in, on the field and off the field. He adds to that mix.”
In the same way that Lester declined an offer from the San Francisco Giants in the range of seven years and $168 million, Heyward turned down a reported $200 million guarantee to return to Cardinals Nation, where at least one fan posted to Twitter an image of his red No. 22 jersey on fire.
The Cubs also used 1908 to help convince two other big-name free agents – pitcher John Lackey and super-utility guy Ben Zobrist – who had bigger offers out there. Pitching coach Chris Bosio even said Trevor Cahill passed on a two-year offer to start for the Pittsburgh Pirates before accepting a one-year, $4.25 million deal to be a swingman for the Cubs.
“There’s something special about what’s happening,” chairman Tom Ricketts said. “All these guys that came in this year – and some of the ones that came in last year – had more money somewhere else. But they all want to be part of this team. So having a good, young nucleus and a great manager makes it easier for Theo and Jed to recruit.
“I had lunch with Jason Heyward the day he signed. I’m like: ‘Jason, so tell me, what about Chicago brought you in?’ And he’s like: ‘Well, I want to be part of a winning culture.’ And I’m like: ‘Wow, no one’s ever said that to me before.’”
Epstein thinks of it as confidence when Lester calls him arrogant. Whatever. The Cubs aren’t all talk anymore.
“I like that,” Lester said. “You come in and you stand up tall. You stick your chest out and you go: ‘This is what we see. This is what we believe in. These are our guys.’ That blew me away.
“It’s not, ‘Well, if this guy does this…’ No, everything was: ‘When this guy comes up, he’s going to do this.’ They couldn’t have been more right.”
Do Cubs still see catching as part of Kyle Schwarber’s future?
By Patrick Mooney
Chicago Cubs catcher Kyle Schwarber (Photo/Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
The Kyle Schwarber question doesn’t have a simple, yes-or-no answer.
Can he catch in the big leagues? Sure, maybe, probably not.
It all depends on a team with World Series expectations, a learning curve that’s incredibly demanding and a player who didn’t have a single professional at-bat above the Class-A level at this time last year.
The Cubs have always been more bullish on Schwarber than the industry consensus, getting the last laugh after draft experts wondered why they reached for a designated hitter with the fourth overall pick in 2014.
Schwarber made his big-league debut the following June, slugging 16 home runs in 69 games last season and then hitting five more bombs in the playoffs, including the ball that landed on a Wrigley Field video board (which turned into a goofy story for the Chicago media).
The Cubs still owe Miguel Montero $28 million across the next two years, David Ross is about to begin his farewell tour and Willson Contreras has emerged as a frontline catching prospect. A strong season at Triple-A Iowa could have Contreras ready for Chicago by 2017. The Cubs can’t afford to let Schwarber work on the art of catching in Des Moines.
“As far as I’m concerned, he’s a catcher,” catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello said. “I’m not letting that go until Joe (Maddon) or Theo (Epstein) says he’s not a catcher.
That’s where I see Kyle Schwarber being the most impactful on this team – behind the plate at some point. I think he’s capable of it. I think he wants to do it. And his baseball IQ is off the charts.”
Maddon’s coaching staff and Epstein’s front office love Schwarber for his energy, enthusiasm and blue-collar attitude. He’s spent most of the offseason working out in Tampa, Fla., doing yoga to increase his flexibility and agility drills to create more explosiveness.
Yes, there were times where Schwarber looked awkward trying to play left field during a National League Championship Series the New York Mets never trailed in and swept by a 21-8 aggregate score.
But it also takes unbelievable rhythm, timing and hand-eye coordination to bash like Schwarber, who had been a second-team All-Ohio linebacker in high school before going to Indiana University.
“It’s no secret, the kid can hit,” said bench coach Dave Martinez, who works with the team’s outfielders. “We love putting him in the lineup, there’s no question about that. What you guys don’t know is this kid is unbelievably athletic.
“He wants to steal bases. He comes up to me all the time and says: ‘Hey, let me steal, let me steal, let me steal.’ Relax, baby steps. But this guy is a team player. He’ll do anything we ask him to do. Of course, he wants to do both. He thinks he can catch and play the outfield.”
During last week’s Cubs Convention events, Martinez noticed how Schwarber shadowed the three-time Gold Glove outfielder with the new $184 million contract.
“I watched Schwarber hang with Jason Heyward and pick his brain about playing the outfield,” Martinez said. “(Schwarber) knows he’s got a lot of work to do. He’s willing to put in the time, both in catching and the outfield.”
Is there enough time for on-the-job training with a team that FanGraphs projects will finish with the best record in baseball?
Borzello worked on Joe Torre’s New York Yankees teams that won four World Series titles between 1996 and 2000. Jorge Posada, a premier offensive catcher in The Bronx, didn’t really begin to contribute until his age-25 season in 1997, when Joe Girardi still caught 111 games. It took three more years before Posada blossomed into an All-Star who would get 600-plus plate appearances and play more than 112 games.
“Yeah, I think he catch,” Borzello said of Schwarber, who will turn 23 during spring training. “He just needs the reps. And it’s up to Theo and (general manager) Jed (Hoyer) to decide what they want to do as far as the wear and tear from that position, and (how) they think that will effect the long-term offense.
“Can he do it? Yeah, he can certainly do it cerebrally. And physically, we would have to find out.”
This is an interesting big-picture question. But the reality is no one will care about Schwarber’s UZR or pitch-framing finesse when he’s crushing the ball out toward the Allegheny River, the way he did during that unforgettable wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
“I love the work, man,” Schwarber said. “Whatever the team wants me to do – that’s going to be what it comes down to. I feel like (I) have to get better at those positions to continue on and help this team win. So whatever it is – whatever they want me to do – I’m all-in and all for it.”
Can he catch in the big leagues? Sure, maybe, probably not.
It all depends on a team with World Series expectations, a learning curve that’s incredibly demanding and a player who didn’t have a single professional at-bat above the Class-A level at this time last year.
The Cubs have always been more bullish on Schwarber than the industry consensus, getting the last laugh after draft experts wondered why they reached for a designated hitter with the fourth overall pick in 2014.
Schwarber made his big-league debut the following June, slugging 16 home runs in 69 games last season and then hitting five more bombs in the playoffs, including the ball that landed on a Wrigley Field video board (which turned into a goofy story for the Chicago media).
The Cubs still owe Miguel Montero $28 million across the next two years, David Ross is about to begin his farewell tour and Willson Contreras has emerged as a frontline catching prospect. A strong season at Triple-A Iowa could have Contreras ready for Chicago by 2017. The Cubs can’t afford to let Schwarber work on the art of catching in Des Moines.
“As far as I’m concerned, he’s a catcher,” catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello said. “I’m not letting that go until Joe (Maddon) or Theo (Epstein) says he’s not a catcher.
That’s where I see Kyle Schwarber being the most impactful on this team – behind the plate at some point. I think he’s capable of it. I think he wants to do it. And his baseball IQ is off the charts.”
Maddon’s coaching staff and Epstein’s front office love Schwarber for his energy, enthusiasm and blue-collar attitude. He’s spent most of the offseason working out in Tampa, Fla., doing yoga to increase his flexibility and agility drills to create more explosiveness.
Yes, there were times where Schwarber looked awkward trying to play left field during a National League Championship Series the New York Mets never trailed in and swept by a 21-8 aggregate score.
But it also takes unbelievable rhythm, timing and hand-eye coordination to bash like Schwarber, who had been a second-team All-Ohio linebacker in high school before going to Indiana University.
“It’s no secret, the kid can hit,” said bench coach Dave Martinez, who works with the team’s outfielders. “We love putting him in the lineup, there’s no question about that. What you guys don’t know is this kid is unbelievably athletic.
“He wants to steal bases. He comes up to me all the time and says: ‘Hey, let me steal, let me steal, let me steal.’ Relax, baby steps. But this guy is a team player. He’ll do anything we ask him to do. Of course, he wants to do both. He thinks he can catch and play the outfield.”
During last week’s Cubs Convention events, Martinez noticed how Schwarber shadowed the three-time Gold Glove outfielder with the new $184 million contract.
“I watched Schwarber hang with Jason Heyward and pick his brain about playing the outfield,” Martinez said. “(Schwarber) knows he’s got a lot of work to do. He’s willing to put in the time, both in catching and the outfield.”
Is there enough time for on-the-job training with a team that FanGraphs projects will finish with the best record in baseball?
Borzello worked on Joe Torre’s New York Yankees teams that won four World Series titles between 1996 and 2000. Jorge Posada, a premier offensive catcher in The Bronx, didn’t really begin to contribute until his age-25 season in 1997, when Joe Girardi still caught 111 games. It took three more years before Posada blossomed into an All-Star who would get 600-plus plate appearances and play more than 112 games.
“Yeah, I think he catch,” Borzello said of Schwarber, who will turn 23 during spring training. “He just needs the reps. And it’s up to Theo and (general manager) Jed (Hoyer) to decide what they want to do as far as the wear and tear from that position, and (how) they think that will effect the long-term offense.
“Can he do it? Yeah, he can certainly do it cerebrally. And physically, we would have to find out.”
This is an interesting big-picture question. But the reality is no one will care about Schwarber’s UZR or pitch-framing finesse when he’s crushing the ball out toward the Allegheny River, the way he did during that unforgettable wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
“I love the work, man,” Schwarber said. “Whatever the team wants me to do – that’s going to be what it comes down to. I feel like (I) have to get better at those positions to continue on and help this team win. So whatever it is – whatever they want me to do – I’m all-in and all for it.”
White Sox add Willie Harris as minor league coach.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/allposters.com)
Aaron Rowand has company in the coaching ranks as the White Sox have hired former 2005 teammate Willie Harris to be a hitting coach.
Harris, who played for the White Sox from 2002-05, will begin his coaching career at Advanced Rookie Great Falls. Earlier this offseason, the White Sox announced that Rowand would assume the role of minor-league outfield and base running coordinator.
The franchise also announced that five of its minor-league managers are set to return this season.
Julio Vinas has been named manager at Triple-A Charlotte after spending the previous three season at Double-A Birmingham. Joel Skinner is headed to Single-A Winston-Salem after four seasons in Charlotte. Last season’s Great Falls manager Cole Armstrong is headed to Single-A Kannapolis. And Tommy Thompson takes over at Great Falls after he managed at Kannapolis last year.
Mike Gellinger also returns as the manager of the Arizona Rookie League club.
An assistant coach at Charlotte the past two seasons, Ryan Newman takes over at Birmingham.
A pitcher in the system from 2004-14, Matt Zaleski has been named pitching coach at Great Falls.
Harris appeared in 313 games for the White Sox. He hit .246/.314/.302 and stole 49 bases in 938 plate appearances. Harris scored the winning run in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series.
Harris, who played for the White Sox from 2002-05, will begin his coaching career at Advanced Rookie Great Falls. Earlier this offseason, the White Sox announced that Rowand would assume the role of minor-league outfield and base running coordinator.
The franchise also announced that five of its minor-league managers are set to return this season.
Julio Vinas has been named manager at Triple-A Charlotte after spending the previous three season at Double-A Birmingham. Joel Skinner is headed to Single-A Winston-Salem after four seasons in Charlotte. Last season’s Great Falls manager Cole Armstrong is headed to Single-A Kannapolis. And Tommy Thompson takes over at Great Falls after he managed at Kannapolis last year.
Mike Gellinger also returns as the manager of the Arizona Rookie League club.
An assistant coach at Charlotte the past two seasons, Ryan Newman takes over at Birmingham.
A pitcher in the system from 2004-14, Matt Zaleski has been named pitching coach at Great Falls.
Harris appeared in 313 games for the White Sox. He hit .246/.314/.302 and stole 49 bases in 938 plate appearances. Harris scored the winning run in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series.
Golf: I got a club for that..... 7 predictions for the new golf season.
By Karim Zidan
Following a fascinating 2015 season that saw 22-year-old Jordan Spieth rise to world No. 1, Jason Day triumphantly win his long overdue first major, and arguably the worst season of Tiger Woods' historic career, it's easy to get excited about the months ahead.
Following a fascinating 2015 season that saw 22-year-old Jordan Spieth rise to world No. 1, Jason Day triumphantly win his long overdue first major, and arguably the worst season of Tiger Woods' historic career, it's easy to get excited about the months ahead.
Can Spieth follow up on his incredible run? Can Jason Day thrust himself into the spotlight again? Who from the PGA TOUR's group of exciting young newcomers will break out in 2016? To answer some of these questions, here are seven predictions for the upcoming season.
(PGA TOUR LIVE's exclusive coverage returns for the CareerBuilder Challenge. Be sure to check out live streaming coverage of this week's event starting Thursday at 11:30 a.m. ET. Featured groups are listed below; go to pgatourlive.com for more details.)
1. Spieth will shine on
We may have already seen some foreshadowing on the golf course this year, as Spieth got off to a roaring start at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions Jan. 7-10. Spieth began his year the same way he spent much of the previous one: with a win against a star-studded field. He finished at 30-under 262, which put him alongside Ernie Els as the only players in PGA TOUR history to finish a 72-hole event at 30 under or lower.
Those who believe Spieth could complete the career Grand Slam this year couldn't have asked for a better start to his 2016.
To add to Spieth's list of achievements, the victory was his seventh title on the PGA TOUR, which means he is the only player not named Tiger Woods to compile that many professional titles by age 22 -- and he accomplished that without facing a serious challenge on the course in his latest triumph. He held a lead heading into the final round and extended it during the last day of play. Spieth will have time to rest before he resumes his year on the TOUR -- one that he is likely to dominate.
2. Woods will not return in 2016
Following a dreadful season, Woods showed a glimpse of his former self during the last tournament ahead of the FedExCup. Woods' participation at the Wyndham Championship brought with it scores of fans rarely seen at the tournament. For the first three days, he delighted and dazzled them with impressive performances and a surprisingly high spot on the leaderboard. Tied for second place heading into the final day, Woods collapsed. A timid start allowed others to overtake him, and he eventually tumbled back down to -9. Woods had turned back the clock, but not long enough to finish on top.
Despite his shortcomings at Wyndham, Woods' positive performance breathed new life into his discouraged fans, and many believed he could partially regain his old form in 2016. However, in September, Woods had surgery for a herniated disk, which kept him out of competition indefinitely. He had a follow-up surgery in October to relieve pain. A timetable for his return has not been announced.
Woods later revealed in an interview with TIME magazine that he did not plan to return to golf competition until he was 100 percent healthy. Given the state of his back, and the extensive training and practice he would have to undergo to regain comfort in his game, it seems unlikely that Woods will return in 2016.
3. Day will finish in the top 10 at every major
For years, many believed Day was the best player never to win a major title. He choked during big moments and was simply never able to cross the finish line. By the end of last season, he finally won his first major at the PGA Championship with a record-breaking performance, was in contention for Player of the Year honors and muscled his way into a three-man battle for the world No. 1 spot. He held that ranking briefly during his run at the FedExCup, but Spieth eventually snatched it back in the final playoff event to close out the year.
Given his newfound confidence, it is not difficult to imagine Day among the top 10 at every major this season. He may even win one of them. He won the PGA Championship with a two-shot lead over Spieth and a historic 20-under score. Prior to that, he finished tied for 28th at the Masters, tied for ninth at the U.S. Open and tied for fourth at the Open Championship. Since Day had already finished in the top 10 at three of the four Majors in 2015, this is hardly a bold prediction.
4. Rory McIlroy will win another major (likely the Masters)
McIlroy's 2015 season was a particularly turbulent one. He began the year with victories on the European Tour, as well as the World Golf Championship, which made him just the third player in history behind Jack Nicklaus and Woods to win 10 PGA TOUR events and four majors by the age of 25. However, ahead of The Open Championship, McIlroy injured his anterior cruciate ligament, which forced him to the sidelines. He returned at the PGA Championship, but hadn't recovered his form.
When McIlroy is playing high-level, injury-free golf, he is easily one of the best players on the TOUR. With little stopping him in 2016, he will likely be in contention at several of the majors, including the Masters at Augusta National.
Even Spieth is concerned.
"I'm sure there are very few players who have been working harder than he is to make this season his best season yet -- and that is scary," Spieth told The Telegraph recently. "Hopefully I can prevent that to an extent."
5. The return of Olympic golf will be a train wreck
Following a 112-year absence, golf will finally return to the Olympic Games, but not without its fair share of controversy and concern. While the format of the event will be similar to the golf we are used to (72 holes), that has been a sore spot for fans and pundits alike, as it fails to distinguish itself from the dozens of other golf tournaments played annually. The field will also be a lot smaller than usual (about 60 players) and the field will be sliced in half following each of the first three days of play.
The tournament will also be after all four majors. In fact, the U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship and Olympics will be played in a two-month span, which is horrendously challenging for those involved.
6. A new player will break through
Given the rise of youngsters on the PGA TOUR, it would not be a surprise to see more players emerge among golf's elite. Some of the names that come to mind include Danny Lee, Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger, Tony Finau, Robert Sterb and Brooks Koepka. Many of these players have already made important cuts in tournaments and some, like Koepka and Lee, have even had top-25 finishes.
7. Rickie Fowler will finally win a major
In 2015, Sports Illustrated conducted an anonymous poll of golfing pros, which determined that Fowler was one of the two most overrated golfers on the PGA TOUR. A few months later, Fowler won his first title in three years in dramatic fashion at the Players Championship. He trailed the leader by five shots late, but played the final six holes 6-under and birdied the final two holes to snatch victory from the hands of defeat. He followed up in July with a win on the European Tour before he claimed the second FedExCup Playoffs event, the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Fowler has finished tied for fifth or better at all four majors before and is more than capable of taking that one step further in 2016. Given his past success at the Open Championship, Fowler could very well earn his first major title in Scotland.
Even the world's best golfers envy parts of others' game.
By DOUG FERGUSON
Brandt Snedeker makes a putt on the first green during the final round of the Sony Open golf tournament, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Jimmy Walker does not like to talk about another player's game when they are in the same group except for when ''Good shot'' is warranted. So he had to hold his tongue last summer while playing with Justin Rose.
''He drove it so good, on a rope. I was like ... wow,'' Walker said. ''I waited two days and I said, 'Justin, I don't give out compliments very often, but I've never seen anyone drive the golf ball as good as you did the last two days.'''
Rose appreciated the kind words, but it was his response - ''I wish I could putt like you'' - that got Walker to thinking.
''We all have something out here that somebody else wants,'' Walker said. ''You watch somebody and think, 'I wish I could do that.' You admire things about people out here. And there are people out here that I'm sure admire things about my game.''
A small sampling showed there might be some truth to that.
No one has everything, and if he does, then not for very long. And no one is ever satisfied with any aspect of his game. But do the world's best at least recognize what they do well, and that someone else might want it?
''They definitely don't want my short putter,'' Adam Scott said with a laugh.
The long putter is not what made him the first Australian to win a green jacket. It's not why he rose to No. 1 in the world a year later.
''I think I'm a good driver of the golf ball,'' Scott said. ''Someone must want to take my driver.''
Scott has seen some good golf in his 15 years as a pro. He played a practice round with Tiger Woods before the 2000 U.S. Open that made Scott wonder if he should remain an amateur. He was paired with Ernie Els when the Big Easy shot 60 at Royal Melbourne in 2004, which Scott still considers the greatest round he ever saw.
But when asked if he could have something from another player, he went with Phil Mickelson's short game.
''There are a few guys that have outstanding areas of their games, but Phil's short game over all the years I've been out here stands out unbelievably,'' he said.
Players do pay attention.
Luke Donald and Steve Stricker were in the same group Friday at the Sony Open. Both shot 65.
Donald, a former world No. 1, figured that someone would like to have his short game and bunker play. What he wants is what he can't have, much as he has tried. Donald would love to hit the ball 320 yards. He chased distance once in his career and it led to a wrist injury that ultimately kept him out of the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Stricker, meanwhile, has long been regarded as one of the best putters in golf, so it would seem obvious what another player would want from him. Think back to Doral in 2013, when Woods sought his help for 45 minutes on the putting green on Wednesday and then won by two shots over Stricker.
Or maybe not.
''I'll say my wedge game,'' Stricker said.
Not putting? He paused.
''Or my putting,'' he added with a smile. ''I've been putting so badly the last year that I haven't given myself enough credit for it.''
As for what he would want from someone else, Stricker leaned on fresh memories.
''You know, I was watching Luke Donald today and I was thinking, 'Man, is he good out of the bunker.' And he's a good wedge player,'' Stricker said.
Brandt Snedeker also felt that most of his peers wouldn't mind having his putting. The way he sees it, he hits more putts that have a chance to go in, or he has fewer putts that don't have a chance. So if he goes a round or two without making many, he's doesn't let it bother him because ''I know they're going to eventually go in.''
Here's what will drive some players crazy - Snedeker really doesn't practice it all that much.
''Why would I practice something I'm great at?'' he said with a grin. ''I practice what I'm terrible at, which is hitting it off the tee and my iron play.''
Kevin Kisner, who always had a good short game and finally figured out how to hit the ball on the club face, was one of the few players who believes he has something that doesn't involve a club in his hand. ''My head,'' he said. ''I've always been a confident guy. I know when I'm doing the things I can do that I can play with anybody.''
It would seem there is one thing on which everyone can agree: No one has everything.
Or do they?
Scott was asked what he would take from Woods during that practice round in Las Vegas before Woods went to Pebble Beach and won the U.S. Open by 15 shots.
''Everything,'' he said. ''It's still the best I've ever seen in one package. Every aspect of the game, he did better than anyone.''
Woods, meanwhile, undoubtedly would love to take something from Scott and dozens of other players.
Their health.
NASCAR: Xfinity Series moves to Chase format to determine championship.
Jimmy Walker does not like to talk about another player's game when they are in the same group except for when ''Good shot'' is warranted. So he had to hold his tongue last summer while playing with Justin Rose.
''He drove it so good, on a rope. I was like ... wow,'' Walker said. ''I waited two days and I said, 'Justin, I don't give out compliments very often, but I've never seen anyone drive the golf ball as good as you did the last two days.'''
Rose appreciated the kind words, but it was his response - ''I wish I could putt like you'' - that got Walker to thinking.
''We all have something out here that somebody else wants,'' Walker said. ''You watch somebody and think, 'I wish I could do that.' You admire things about people out here. And there are people out here that I'm sure admire things about my game.''
A small sampling showed there might be some truth to that.
No one has everything, and if he does, then not for very long. And no one is ever satisfied with any aspect of his game. But do the world's best at least recognize what they do well, and that someone else might want it?
''They definitely don't want my short putter,'' Adam Scott said with a laugh.
The long putter is not what made him the first Australian to win a green jacket. It's not why he rose to No. 1 in the world a year later.
''I think I'm a good driver of the golf ball,'' Scott said. ''Someone must want to take my driver.''
Scott has seen some good golf in his 15 years as a pro. He played a practice round with Tiger Woods before the 2000 U.S. Open that made Scott wonder if he should remain an amateur. He was paired with Ernie Els when the Big Easy shot 60 at Royal Melbourne in 2004, which Scott still considers the greatest round he ever saw.
But when asked if he could have something from another player, he went with Phil Mickelson's short game.
''There are a few guys that have outstanding areas of their games, but Phil's short game over all the years I've been out here stands out unbelievably,'' he said.
Players do pay attention.
Luke Donald and Steve Stricker were in the same group Friday at the Sony Open. Both shot 65.
Donald, a former world No. 1, figured that someone would like to have his short game and bunker play. What he wants is what he can't have, much as he has tried. Donald would love to hit the ball 320 yards. He chased distance once in his career and it led to a wrist injury that ultimately kept him out of the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Stricker, meanwhile, has long been regarded as one of the best putters in golf, so it would seem obvious what another player would want from him. Think back to Doral in 2013, when Woods sought his help for 45 minutes on the putting green on Wednesday and then won by two shots over Stricker.
Or maybe not.
''I'll say my wedge game,'' Stricker said.
Not putting? He paused.
''Or my putting,'' he added with a smile. ''I've been putting so badly the last year that I haven't given myself enough credit for it.''
As for what he would want from someone else, Stricker leaned on fresh memories.
''You know, I was watching Luke Donald today and I was thinking, 'Man, is he good out of the bunker.' And he's a good wedge player,'' Stricker said.
Brandt Snedeker also felt that most of his peers wouldn't mind having his putting. The way he sees it, he hits more putts that have a chance to go in, or he has fewer putts that don't have a chance. So if he goes a round or two without making many, he's doesn't let it bother him because ''I know they're going to eventually go in.''
Here's what will drive some players crazy - Snedeker really doesn't practice it all that much.
''Why would I practice something I'm great at?'' he said with a grin. ''I practice what I'm terrible at, which is hitting it off the tee and my iron play.''
Kevin Kisner, who always had a good short game and finally figured out how to hit the ball on the club face, was one of the few players who believes he has something that doesn't involve a club in his hand. ''My head,'' he said. ''I've always been a confident guy. I know when I'm doing the things I can do that I can play with anybody.''
It would seem there is one thing on which everyone can agree: No one has everything.
Or do they?
Scott was asked what he would take from Woods during that practice round in Las Vegas before Woods went to Pebble Beach and won the U.S. Open by 15 shots.
''Everything,'' he said. ''It's still the best I've ever seen in one package. Every aspect of the game, he did better than anyone.''
Woods, meanwhile, undoubtedly would love to take something from Scott and dozens of other players.
Their health.
NASCAR: Xfinity Series moves to Chase format to determine championship.
By Dustin Long
The Xfinity Series will determine its champion with a Chase format that will conclude with a four-driver shootout in Miami, NASCAR announced Tuesday morning.
The Xfinity Chase will feature 12 drivers racing for the title in the season’s final seven races.
The Xfinity Chase will feature 12 drivers racing for the title in the season’s final seven races.
A driver who wins a race or has two or more Dash for Cash wins (finishing the highest among the Dash 4 Cash drivers in each race) will be all but guaranteed a spot in the Chase provided the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Any remaining spots in the 12-driver field will be based on points.
The 12 Chase drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000 at the beginning with three bonus points added for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the opening round, they advance to the next round. The remaining spots advance by points.
Drivers who make the second round will have their points set at 3,000. Drivers who win a race in that round advance to the championship event. The four drivers who advance to the championship race will have their points set at 4,000. The highest-finishing driver among those four will be crowned the series champion.
The first round will feature races at Kentucky (Sept. 24), Dover (Oct. 1) and Charlotte (Oct. 7) before the field is cut to eight drivers. The second round will feature races at Kansas (Oct. 15), Texas (Nov. 5) and Phoenix (Nov. 12). The field will be cut to four for the season finale at Miami.
NASCAR also announced that the 16 Sprint Cup drivers who qualified for last year’s Chase will not be eligible to compete in the Xfinity season finale at Miami. That means drivers such as Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth, among others, will not be able to compete in the Xfinity finale only.
The Xfinity series had determined its champion based on points earned throughout the entire season since its debut in 1982.
While there have been close title races through the years, it hasn’t been so the past two seasons.
Chris Buescher, who won last year’s Xfinity title, held a large enough lead that he needed to finish only 13th or better to clinch the title in Miami. In 2014, Chase Elliott clinched the title with one race left.
NASCAR Chairman Brian France praised the Chase format in the Sprint Cup Series on Tuesday and said using it in the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series will teach the sport’s young drivers the challenges of winning a championship at the Sprint Cup level and better prepare them for what they’ll face.
“I think it’s important that they understand how difficult it’s going to be when they get to the next level,” France said of making the move. “Certainly, it makes it more exciting for our fans. Fans love elimination style and emphasis on wins. I think for the drivers, I think its important to get conditioned to what it’s going to take … to handle the next level.”
This format ensures that the Xfinity title won’t be decided until the season finale each year.
NASCAR introducing 20 minute ‘caution clock’ into Truck Series.
By Daniel McFadin
The “competition caution” will take on a new meaning in the Camping World Truck Series with NASCAR introducing the “caution clock” in all but one race in 2016.
With the exception of Eldora Speedway, the clock will begin every time the green flag drops on a race. The clock will run down from 20 minutes. At the end of that window, if a caution has not occurred, the caution flag will wave with there being no beneficiary.
A caution occurring before the 20 minutes expires resets the clock with the following green flag and the first truck a lap down will be the beneficiary.
The caution clock will be turned off with 20 laps to go, except at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Pocono Raceway, where it will be turned off with 10 laps to go.
“We think it’s going to add to the strategy during the race,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer at the NASCAR Media Tour. “If you look at the Camping World Truck Series, that is an area where some of our younger drivers, younger teams, newer teams really can use the competition caution to be able to adjust on the truck.”
“It’s something we believe fits perfectly for that series,” O’Donnell said, emphasizing the caution clock was only being introduced for the Truck Series. “Sure, we’ll always look at it and see how it works and talk to the industry about it. This is an idea that actually came from the industry.”
O’Donnell said the clock will also impact tire allotments for teams.
The executive also said NASCAR had visited the idea of having lap segments instead of a timer.
“Obviously our fans know laps, but when we looked at it with all the different venues that we had, we wanted to try and be as consistent as possible if we could,” O’Donnell explained. “The clock seemed to be something that fans are used to from all sports and looking at it, it enabled us to just put a time versus trying to think of what lap it would be at each individual race track.”
The caution clock will be introduced with the Truck Series’ season opener on Feb. 19, the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
Jeff Gordon: This a ‘crucial’ year for Danica Patrick in her development in Sprint Cup Series.
By Dustin Long
Jeff Gordon with Danica Patrick before qualifying for last year’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
Four-time champion Jeff Gordon calls this a “crucial” year in Danica Patrick’s development as a driver and says he would like to see her be more active on the track.
Four-time champion Jeff Gordon calls this a “crucial” year in Danica Patrick’s development as a driver and says he would like to see her be more active on the track.
Patrick heads into her fourth season at Stewart-Haas Racing. The former IndyCar driver has 118 career Sprint Cup starts with no wins, six top-10 finishes and has led 27 laps.
She has job security after signing a multiyear extension in August, but Gordon said Tuesday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour that’s not what he’s looking at with her.
“I think this is a crucial year for Danica,’’ said Gordon, who joins the Fox Sports broadcast booth this season. “I love having her in the sport. I think she’s great for the sport. But it’s either she is going to be in a position where this is where she fits in and this is sort of status quo — you’re goal is to get from 23rd to 20th? Or this is the year where it’s, ‘Hey, we’re breaking in top 10s and really starting to see some great progress.’ ’’
Statistics underscore a lack of improvement over the past two seasons.
Her average starting spot last year was 22.4 – it was 22.3 in 2014.
Her average finish last year was 23.5 – it was 23.7 in 2014.
She ran in the top 15 in 9.9 percent of the laps last year – she ran in the top 15 in 14.4 percent of the laps in 2014.
Her driver rating last year was 63.2. It was 63.0 in 2014.
Patrick will start this season with her third crew chief in the past three years. Billy Scott joins the team from Michael Waltrip Racing, replacing Daniel Knost. Patrick is enthused with Scott.
But Gordon said he wants to see more progress from Patrick on the track.
“We talk about racers,’’ Gordon said. “When I think of racers, and I think about people that have a lot of different types of experience in different cars, I think of somebody that when they’re following another car, they’re searching, they’re thinking about their next move. How can I past this car? How can I maybe ease up a little bit getting into the corner, turn down and get underneath them? If I get underneath somebody, how do I complete this pass?
“I’ve seen Danica drive very fast, run some great laps and do a great job qualifying. In the race, I’d like to see her search around a little bit more and take that experience that she has now had the last few years in learning the tracks and the competitors and start to utilize that to show what a racer she is.’’
SOCCER: Man United’s Van Gaal believes they can win Premier League title.
By Joe Prince-Wright
Louis Van Gaal has never lost the faith.
Following Manchester United’s 1-0 win over bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday the Dutch manager was, as always, firm in his belief that he will lead his team to success.
Following Manchester United’s 1-0 win over bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday the Dutch manager was, as always, firm in his belief that he will lead his team to success.
Despite going on a eight-game winless run in all competitions through November and December and plenty of fans, pundits and former players calling for his head, LVG’s United are now five games unbeaten in all competitions and are just two points off the top four of the Premier League.
However, the 64-year-old is thinking bigger than just UEFA Champions League qualification. He wants the title.
“We have a lot of matches still to go,” Van Gaal said. “We have to continue, which is not so easy. But we can do it because we show every week we can do it… The gap is seven points. We can overcome that so that’s what I’m thinking about. “
With United being outplayed for the opening 65 minutes on Sunday they had a combination of poor finishing from Liverpool and great goalkeeping from David De Gea to thanks for the scores being level.
Wayne Rooney pounced, his fifth goal in his last four games, to net the winner and Van Gaal clearly believes the likes of Leicester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City can all be caught.
In this crazy 2015-16 Premier League season, who are we to doubt him? Our studio analysts in the video above think otherwise and there’s certainly plenty to be said for the opinion that United will struggled to get in the top four, let alone win the title.
Yet, it does seem like United are slowly but surely getting the balance right with their lackluster offense firing occasionally and issues at the back ironed out somewhat against Liverpool following their 3-3 draw at Newcastle United.
There’s no doubt that there’s plenty of room for improvement but with only seven points separating United in fifth place and the joint-leaders Arsenal and Leicester, this really is a wide-open title race.
LVG believes they can win it. Do you?
However, the 64-year-old is thinking bigger than just UEFA Champions League qualification. He wants the title.
“We have a lot of matches still to go,” Van Gaal said. “We have to continue, which is not so easy. But we can do it because we show every week we can do it… The gap is seven points. We can overcome that so that’s what I’m thinking about. “
With United being outplayed for the opening 65 minutes on Sunday they had a combination of poor finishing from Liverpool and great goalkeeping from David De Gea to thanks for the scores being level.
Wayne Rooney pounced, his fifth goal in his last four games, to net the winner and Van Gaal clearly believes the likes of Leicester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City can all be caught.
In this crazy 2015-16 Premier League season, who are we to doubt him? Our studio analysts in the video above think otherwise and there’s certainly plenty to be said for the opinion that United will struggled to get in the top four, let alone win the title.
Yet, it does seem like United are slowly but surely getting the balance right with their lackluster offense firing occasionally and issues at the back ironed out somewhat against Liverpool following their 3-3 draw at Newcastle United.
There’s no doubt that there’s plenty of room for improvement but with only seven points separating United in fifth place and the joint-leaders Arsenal and Leicester, this really is a wide-open title race.
LVG believes they can win it. Do you?
Ronaldo drops hint that MLS could be in his future.
(Photo/Getty Images)
Cristiano Ronaldo would be open to a move to Major League Soccer in his future.
Based on his recent quotes from an interview with GQ, the Real Madrid superstar is impressed with the growth of soccer in America, and is taking note of how many players want to move to MLS.
Based on his recent quotes from an interview with GQ, the Real Madrid superstar is impressed with the growth of soccer in America, and is taking note of how many players want to move to MLS.
Ronaldo has previously stated that he didn’t see himself moving to America, but his view seems to have taken a turn.
Speaking for the magazine’s upcoming February issue, Ronaldo hinted that his career could make a stop in the United States.
What’s happening there [MLS] is great, it’s fantastic. Maybe in the future will be a good chance for me to play there. You never know, but it’s something interesting.
I consider it, of course, because, as I’ve said, soccer there has become better and better, so why not? I think that this is maybe going to be possible.
I know that many players move there. I think it’s becoming better and better.
It’s growing, I think it’s good. It’s good for me and young players that maybe one day we want to move there. So it’s good that football – ‘soccer’ – grows there.
At 30-years-old, Ronaldo still has time left in his career, and should he leave Real Madrid when his contract expires in 2018, it would be one of the biggest moves in football.
Ronaldo will likely stay in Europe for one more contract, but by the age of 35 or 36, it seems he is open to an MLS move similar to Steven Gerrard or Andrea Pirlo. With the league growing and new clubs set to begin play in both Los Angeles and Miami, a massive American paycheck could have Ronaldo’s name on it.
Report: Four Chelsea stars ready to quit.
By Joe Prince-Wright
According to a report, Chelsea officials are fighting to stop a mass exodus from Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Sun newspaper in the UK claims that four star names want out with Chelsea set for a mid-table finish at best this season and no European soccer next season.
Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Oscar all want out as the Blues are just four points off the relegation zone following a terrible season for the defending Premier League champs.
The report says that Chelsea “are scared poor results, a fractured dressing room and no Champions League football next term will cost them this summer.”
With Jose Mourinho gone and Guus Hiddink steadying the ship for now, the long-term direction of the club is supposedly being questioned by the big names.
Where would they all go? Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with a summer move for Eden Hazard, while PSG have also been rumored to want Costa and Juventus have been long-term admirers of Oscar. As for Courtois, maybe he will head back to Atletico Madrid?
This mass clear out certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility as a new permanent manager will arrive in the summer and will likely be given a huge transfer kitty to freshen up the squad. Selling on under-performing stars could be an easy way for owner Roman Abramovich to fill up the coffers and there are likely to be plenty of suitors for the aforementioned quartet if they do leave west London.
Watch this space, as a fire sale of epic proportions could take place at Chelsea with the aim being to cash in on stars while they can — and before another bad season diminishes their value even further — and use the cash to build a brand new team.
NCAABKB: NCAA Top 25 Basketball Poll, January 18, 2016. (There will be big changes in next week's Poll). Too much parity!!!
Associated Press
Dropped out: Pittsburgh 20, Gonzaga 25.
Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh 184, Clemson 53, Wichita St 38, Valparaiso 30, Notre Dame 14, Dayton 9, Saint Mary's 8, Gonzaga 5, Utah 3, Hawaii 3, Arkansas-Little Rock 1, Monmouth 1, Navy 1, Oregon 1.
RANK
|
SCHOOL
|
RECORD
|
POINTS
|
PREVIOUS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma (65) | 15-1 | 125 | 2 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 17-2 | 1515 | 5 |
| 3 | Kansas | 15-2 | 1499 | 1 |
| 4 | Villanova | 16-2 | 1403 | 6 |
| 5 | Xavier | 16-1 | 1321 | 7 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 15-2 | 1278 | 11 |
| 7 | Maryland | 16-2 | 1259 | 3 |
| 8 | SMU | 17-0 | 1179 | 10 |
| 9 | Iowa | 14-3 | 1167 | 16 |
| 10 | Texas A&M | 15-2 | 994 | 15 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 16-3 | 950 | 4 |
| 12 | Arizona | 15-3 | 801 | 18 |
| 13 | Virginia | 13-4 | 649 | 13 |
| 13 | Baylor | 14-3 | 649 | 22 |
| 15 | Miami (Fla.) | 13-3 | 645 | 8 |
| 16 | Providence | 15-3 | 609 | 12 |
| 17 | Louisville | 14-3 | 608 | 21 |
| 18 | Butler | 13-4 | 439 | 23 |
| 19 | Iowa State | 13-4 | 411 | 17 |
| 20 | Duke | 14-4 | 375 | 9 |
| 21 | USC | 15-3 | 338 | NR |
| 22 | Purdue | 15-3 | 322 | 24 |
| 23 | Kentucky | 13-5 | 276 | 14 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 16-1 | 252 | 19 |
| 25 | Indiana | 15-3 | 210 | NR |
Dropped out: Pittsburgh 20, Gonzaga 25.
Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh 184, Clemson 53, Wichita St 38, Valparaiso 30, Notre Dame 14, Dayton 9, Saint Mary's 8, Gonzaga 5, Utah 3, Hawaii 3, Arkansas-Little Rock 1, Monmouth 1, Navy 1, Oregon 1.
No. 19 Iowa State lands a critical upset over No. 1 Oklahoma.
By Rob Dauster
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
For the fifth time this season and the for the third time in the state of Iowa, the No. 1 team in the country lost.
This time it was Oklahoma, who was the latest victim of Hilton Magic, falling to No. 19 Iowa State in Ames, 82-77, on Monday night. Georges Niang led the way for the Cyclones with 22 points, but it was Monté Morris burying a jumper with 20 seconds left to break a 75-all and give the Cyclones a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. On the ensuing possession, Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield missed a contested layup and Isaiah Cousins bricked a decent look at a three after the rebound bounced into his hands.
The Cyclones would hit the free throws they needed to ice what is a critically important win.
Iowa State entered the night having lost three of their first five games in Big 12 play, including allowing Baylor to run up in Hilton Coliseum and get a win. In a conference that is as strong as the Big 12 is this season, losing home games is the kind of thing that will not only end your chances of winning the league’s regular season title but could end up falling out of the top four.
Think about it like this: Entering Monday, there was a four-way tie for first place in the Big 12 between Kansas, Oklahoma, Baylor and West Virginia. Had the Cyclones lost this game, they would have fallen three games off that pace having already lost twice in what is supposed to be one of the best home court environments in the country.
But this was about more than just their spot in the standings.
‘Fred Hoiberg never would’ve started the Big 12 season 2-4. If Steve Prohm can’t win with these guys, how will he ever win here?’ Throw in a couple of cuss words, and it’s not hard to imagine that very conversation happening in every sports bar in Ames. It’s never easy being the guy tasked with replacing “The Guy”, so this win undoubtedly took a whole lot of pressure off of this team and their coach, at least for the time being.
“This was huge for us,” Niang said. “A lot of people doubted us and we just wanted to show everybody we were real. We did that today.”
If there is a concern here for the Cyclones, it’s that they essentially played the entire game without a bench. Deonte Burton played a few minutes and Jordan Ashton saw some time, but for the most part, Prohm rode his starters hard.
And they rewarded him.
“Everyone of them made big plays all night,” Prohm said. “Our guys are battle tested and had a lot of adversity the last week or two. I’m really proud of them.”
So yes, this was a big win for Iowa State.
And while it’s another close road loss against a top five team in the league, it’s not all negative for the Sooners. Buddy Hield did Buddy Hield things — he finished with 27 points and had a flurry of second half threes that twice erased big Iowa State leads — but the good news was that Isaiah Cousins finally woke up. Over his last six games, Cousins had been shooting 25.0 percent from the floor and 20.0 percent from three while averaging just 8.8 points. On Monday, he scored 24 points and shot 10-for-15 from the floor, only missing one of his five threes, although that one came with Oklahoma down two points and just 10 seconds left on the clock.
Hot-shooting Oklahoma State knocks off No. 3 Kansas.
By Scott Phillips
(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma State used hot shooting from the perimeter and a mediocre night from Kansas on both ends as the Cowboys pulled off the 86-67 upset of the No. 3 Jayhawks for a Big 12 win.
Entering Tuesday night’s game shooting 33 percent from 3-point range on the season, perimeter shooting was not a strength for Oklahoma State but they went 11-for-21 (52 percent) from 3-point territory in the win over Kansas. The Jayhawks didn’t close out particularly hard on a few occasions and their sloppy defense led to a handful of Cowboy dunks. It was ugly defense from Kansas at times during the second half.
Freshman point guard Jawun Evans led the Cowboys with 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds as his attacking style of play helped drive the Oklahoma State offense. Evans had help from Jeff Newberry (13 points) and Jeffery Carroll (11 points) as Oklahoma State shot 50 percent from the field.
The Cowboys (10-8, 2-4) were dealing with a four-game losing streak entering this win, but their only home game in that stretch was a two-point loss to Oklahoma. So, it looks like the Cowboys are going to be tough on everyone at home this season despite not being one of the Big 12’s contenders.
Kansas (15-3, 4-2) should be disappointed with their effort in this one. Oklahoma State really hadn’t defeated a major opponent this season and Kansas was simply outplayed in all facets. The Jayhawk offense took bad shots and didn’t do a great job of moving the ball. Perry Ellis (13 points) and Frank Mason III (14 points) led the Jayhawks in scoring, but they combined to shoot 7-for-22 from the field. For the night, Kansas shot 6-for-22 (27 percent) from 3-point range and 42 percent (24-for-57) from the field.
Overall, an ugly loss to a team that Kansas needs to be beating on the road. The Jayhawks have now lost two consecutive games on the road and losing to a team of Oklahoma State’s caliber is a wake-up call that Kansas has to get better quickly if they want to win another Big 12 title.
No. 25 Indiana routs Illinois 103-69 on Ferrell’s big night.
Associated Press
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
It was a milestone night for Ferrell. The senior guard broke Michael Lewis’ career record for assists (545. He has 553. Ferrell moved within 13 points of passing Eric Anderson for No. 10 on the Hoosiers’ career scoring list.
All that came on a night that the Hoosiers (16-3, 6-0 Big Ten) extending their winning streak to 11 and set a school record with 19 3-pointers.
Illinois (9-10, 1-5) was led by Malcolm Hill with 20 points and Kendrick Nunn with 10.
But this one got away in a hurry.
Indiana closed out the first half on a 20-4 run to take a 42-25 lead and opened the second half by making five of its first six shots to seal it.
Ferrell’s big night came with all the trimmings.
The crowd roared when he threw a nifty pass into the post, which set up Max Bielfeldt’s layup with 11:18 left in the first half and gave the Hoosiers a 19-11 lead.
His teammates took the cue when he started knocking down 3s.
Coach Tom Crean even raised Ferrell’s hand when he came out for the final time, with 4:25 to play.
But this took more than just one man.
After Illinois used a 10-0 spurt to trim an 11-point deficit to 22-21, the Hoosiers’ defense buckled down and allowed just one basket in the final 7:38 of the first half.
Meanwhile, the Hoosiers’ 3-point barrage continued.
The combination never gave the Illini a chance to get back into the game.
Indiana wound up 19 of 36 from beyond the arc, breaking a game record that was set against Minnesota in 2015.
Illinois has lost eight straight road games since a victory at Michigan State last February.
THE STREAK
The 11-game winning streak is the second-longest of Crean’s tenure. Indiana started 2011-12 by going 12-0. The Hoosiers’ longest winning streak since 2000 is 13, in 2007-08. If Indiana sweeps its final three games this month – two at home and a trip to Wisconsin – it would be the Hoosiers’ first perfect January since the 1991-92 Final Four team went 7-0.
TIP-INS
Illinois: Are 1-3 against ranked teams this season. … Freshman Jalen Coleman-Lands finished with six points in his first trip home. Coleman-Lands is the first Indiana recruit to play at Illinois in 30 years. … Illinois was averaging 9.3 3s over the last 12 games and had a league-best average of 9.7 turnovers this season but wound up 7 of 18 on 3s and had 15 turnovers Tuesday.
Indiana: Remain atop the Big Ten standings as one of two unbeaten teams in league play. … Indiana has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 23 of its last 52 games and has shot 40 percent or better from beyond the arc 31 times during that span – the most in the nation.
UP NEXT
Illinois visits Minnesota on Saturday.
Indiana hosts Northwestern on Saturday.
NCAAFB: Antwaan Randle El's remarks not helping Roger Goodell's case against early draft entry.
By Dan Wetzel
Antwaan Randle-El spent nine years in the NFL. (Photo/Getty)
"I think what we've learned from experience is that very few individuals are ready, whether emotionally, physically or from a maturity level to [jump early to the NFL]," Goodell said at the time. "We don't benefit by having them come out early.”
Goodell implemented a rookie salary scale that he believed would protect franchises from sizeable and risky (for them) contracts to unproven draft picks, and motivate players to return to school.
Goodell was completely wrong. Predictably football players followed the same pattern that basketball players did a decade before when the NBA tried the same strategy. With no big money payday looming, they chose to turn pro as soon as possible to get the clock ticking toward a lucrative second contract.
Number of underclassmen who declared for the NFL in 2010: 53.
Number of underclassmen who declared for the NFL this year: 103.
The 103 (at least) will break the record for the fourth time in the past five years.
Both college football and the NFL want to reverse this trend. The colleges want the best players who excite the most fans to play at that level as long as possible. The NFL wants the most mature and prepared prospects it can get. This is especially true at the critical quarterback position, where the league is concerned about development.
The challenge is that this is no longer as easy as just reworking or eliminating the salary scale and financially incentivizing it so players will return for one more year – and thus try to improve from projected fifth-rounder to third-rounder, or projected third-rounder to first-rounder, or projected late first-rounder to top 10 pick.
Right now the money isn't good enough to delay entry, which is why even players who may not get drafted (but are likely getting picked up and play as undrafted free agents) are turning pro.
"The team that drafts you [in the first round] can keep you locked up for five years," agent C.J. LaBoy of Relativity Sports told Yahoo Sports last year. "Then you're 27 or 28 and you're literally near the tail end of you career by the time you get to your second contract. If you get to a second contract."
It's better to get into the league and get that clock ticking as soon as possible.
The bigger hurdle now, however, can be found in the mentality of football players who have become acutely aware of not just the short-term dangers of their sport, such as blowing a knee as a college senior and harming earning power. They also see the long-term and the idea that they may have only so many snaps in them. They might as well get paid for as many as possible.
Former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver and Indiana University quarterback Antwaan Randle El said in Tuesday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that at age 36 he struggles to get up and down stairs, suffers from memory loss and despite his love of the game wishes he never played it.
"If I could go back, I wouldn't [play football],” said Randle El, who was also a professional baseball prospect.
It comes at a time when Calvin Johnson, the star receiver for the Detroit Lions, is contemplating early retirement despite, at age 30, being in his prime. Johnson just recorded his sixth consecutive season with at least 1,000 receiving yards. Future health concerns are believed to be the major reason he might walk away.
While some like to rant that there is a "war on football” in this country, especially in the media, the biggest blows aren't coming from the New York Times or even a Hollywood movie, but firsthand words and actions from guys such as Randle El and Johnson.
That's what young people are seeing.
Additionally, this is an era of exploding revenue in college sports. Also on Tuesday, the Southeastern Conference announced its in-house cable television network and share of playoff revenue, totaled $527.4 million for the 2014-15 academic year. Neither existed just a few years ago.
Football players can declare for the NFL draft three years after they graduate from high school though there are innumerable reasons for someone to return and exhaust eligibility, most notably to earn a degree.
Yet many big, emotional factors are working against the concept. There are short and long-term financial interests, short and long-term health concerns and even the sense that they are being used by a billion-dollar industry – tuition and stipend notwithstanding.
How does anyone combat that?
Of late the plan has been for the NFL to limit the number of underclassmen on each team who can receive feedback from the league on their projected draft status, but less information is rarely a winning strategy.
Finding a way to present a financial carrot to players to stay and move up in the draft is about the only way to make them consider returning though. Right now the system does the opposite.
Meanwhile college football could adopt the so-called Olympic model that allows players to profit off their own likeness and fame. It would allow a star, say Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry of Alabama, to appear in commercials, paid autograph sessions or local appearances. It might close the gap between college stipend and pro salary and ease the realization of how those half-billion dollar revenue streams are made to at least make it more palpable to at least consider another year in school.
This would be a sea change however for college administrators who have shown no interest in sharing additional revenue with players unless under federal court order.
Even still, the awareness of players that football is a great, but dangerous game, is difficult to combat. College sports could do more to mandate free time for players, as has been recently proposed, but its difficult to keep a great, hungry player from putting in extra work.
It would be more effective to limit contact in practice, not to mention the endless conditioning, spring practice and preseason camps. College players endure more full contact sessions than NFL players who have been able to curb those down to once a week in season via their union. And the days of two-a-days, in-pad training camps are long gone.
Control-freak college coaches have been loath to follow that path, preferring the old-school system.
But old school may mean no school for the best upperclassmen. At the start of the decade, 53 players declaring early was considered an epidemic. It's already nearly doubled.
There is no finger-snap solutions anymore, but if this is something football on both levels really wants to address, the old system has to be changed somehow, in some way.
Ronda Rousey Finally Has Some Good News About The Holly Holm Rematch.
By mrothstein914
Ronda Rousey Finally Has Some Good News About The Holly Holm Rematch. (Photo/Getty Images)
It’s been a strange 2016 for Ronda Rousey so far. Even as her name continues to pop up in rumored Hollywood projects, her lengthy recovery from the beat down she suffered at the hands of Holly Holm has frustrated those who wish to see a rematch as soon as possible. But we finally have some good news on that front: Rousey herself says the rematch will happen in 2016.
Many figured that it would take place at UFC 200 in July, but that was ruled out. Rousey, in an interview with TMZ, said, “They haven’t told me an exact date or location. It’s a decision we’re all going to make together. I’m kind of waiting to hear from them on what options they’re going to give me.”
By “them,” Rousey probably means the promotional team at UFC, who normally don’t give their fighters many options at all. It’s a subtle-yet-powerful reminder of the special kind of star Rousey is that she can pick and choose when to fight. Then again, we’ll have to see just how many options UFC boss Dana White gives her.
Many figured that it would take place at UFC 200 in July, but that was ruled out. Rousey, in an interview with TMZ, said, “They haven’t told me an exact date or location. It’s a decision we’re all going to make together. I’m kind of waiting to hear from them on what options they’re going to give me.”
By “them,” Rousey probably means the promotional team at UFC, who normally don’t give their fighters many options at all. It’s a subtle-yet-powerful reminder of the special kind of star Rousey is that she can pick and choose when to fight. Then again, we’ll have to see just how many options UFC boss Dana White gives her.
Holm isn’t going to wait around for Ronda, as her first defense of the featherweight title will take place on March 5 against Miesha Tate.
On
emoriesofhistory.com
1892 - The first official basketball game was played by students at the Springfield, MA, YMCA Training School.
1937 - Nels Stewart (New York Americans) became the NHL's career leading scorer when he scored his 270th NHL goal.
1949 - Free substitution was adopted for one year in the NFL.
1952 - Patricia McCormick debuted as the first professional woman bullfighter.
1968 - Houston ended UCLA's 47-game winning streak with a 71-69 victory at the Astrodome before 52,693 fans. The game also set a NCAA attendance record.
1985 - The most-watched Super Bowl game in history was seen by an estimated 115.9 million people. The San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins, 38-16. Super Bowl XIX marked the first time that TV commercials sold for a million dollars a minute. Joe Montana was awarded his third MVP award.
1995 - The NHL season opened with the teams playing a 48-game schedule instead of the usual 84. The season had been shortened due to a players strike.
1999 - ESPN announced the creation of the Great Outdoor Games to be held in Lake Placid, NY, in 2000.
1999 - The NBA lockout officially ended after 204 days.
2002 - Joe Nieuwendyk (Dallas Stars) played in his 1,000th career NHL game.
2003 - Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche) became the first NHL goalie to play in 1,000 games.
1937 - Nels Stewart (New York Americans) became the NHL's career leading scorer when he scored his 270th NHL goal.
1949 - Free substitution was adopted for one year in the NFL.
1952 - Patricia McCormick debuted as the first professional woman bullfighter.
1968 - Houston ended UCLA's 47-game winning streak with a 71-69 victory at the Astrodome before 52,693 fans. The game also set a NCAA attendance record.
1985 - The most-watched Super Bowl game in history was seen by an estimated 115.9 million people. The San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins, 38-16. Super Bowl XIX marked the first time that TV commercials sold for a million dollars a minute. Joe Montana was awarded his third MVP award.
1995 - The NHL season opened with the teams playing a 48-game schedule instead of the usual 84. The season had been shortened due to a players strike.
1999 - ESPN announced the creation of the Great Outdoor Games to be held in Lake Placid, NY, in 2000.
1999 - The NBA lockout officially ended after 204 days.
2002 - Joe Nieuwendyk (Dallas Stars) played in his 1,000th career NHL game.
2003 - Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche) became the first NHL goalie to play in 1,000 games.
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