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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be." ~ George Sheehan, Physician, Athlete and Author
Trending: The 2016 Rio Olympics are over. What a showing by the United States of America. 121 medals: 46 Gold, 37 Silver and 38 Bronze. American Pride: Together we can..... (See the Olympic section, (Last section on this blog) for Team USA and Olympic updates).
Trending: Defining what ‘football character’ means for John Fox’s Bears. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Fire get first road win since 2014 in rout of Montreal. (See the soccer section for Fire and worldwide soccer updates).
Trending: College Football Top 25 AP Poll Released. (See the college football section for 2016 NCAA football updates).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 78-45
Cubs 2016 Record: 78-45
White Sox 2016 Record: 59-64
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears Vs. Patriots: Notes, Scribbles, and Things Jotted Down.
By Steven Schweickert
(Photo/David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)
The Bears lost their second preseason game, but the preseason is about more than the record. We're going over our notes from last Thursday night's game.
You know, I don't think I was expecting last Thursday night's game to take the turns that it did take. I don't think I was expecting the Bears to take the early lead with the first two scores, and I don't think I was expecting the Connor Shaw-led third string to push as hard as they did to close the game to one point as time expired. The first team looked strong on the first two drives and then as the Patriots' second and third teams phased in, Brian Hoyer started looking a little better and Connor Shaw played some really strong football. If nothing else, last night's "heroics" may have earned a couple people some extra looks at some wide open backup spots.
- Nice to see that Jay Cutler is on the same page pretty much right away with Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. Jeffery still looked about as polished as possible, going up and getting a catch early and continuing to look good and elusive after the catch. White had one bad drop that he should have had, but displayed some good skills to get back to a ball slightly behind him. Let's see a little more of them next Saturday for the third game, but it could be a pretty strong unit as White comes along. Cutler did have a ball thrown a bit behind Deonte Thompson that was batted away, but up until Cutler was sacked on his last play, it was a pretty good outing from the Bears' starting quarterback.
- Jeremy Langford had what may be a standard home-run hitter game - lots of short carries into traffic, short yardage (The other 6 carries were a combined 16 yards), then a breakaway 34-yard run with a lot of daylight and a nifty 5-yard cutback on the next play for the first unit's first touchdown. He's got some skills, but he needed some help from the blocking units...
- ... and while their gelling efforts are taking a good time to get in gear, it's still a little off-looking as the penalties and protection breakdowns mount. Bobbie Massie struggled with Chris Long much of the night and Cody Whitehair had himself a pretty rough game. But there were some bright spots, especially behind Kyle Long, that indicated the line could come along a little. Interesting that while Whitehair is wearing some blame today along with Massie, Charles Leno's name was hardly mentioned. And aside from the one sack that "ended" Jay Cutler's night, the offensive line didn't allow another sack all game. Hoyer and Shaw both looked fairly elusive in the pocket and did a good job getting out, to be honest.
- Minor aside: I know people will say that the drive was only kept alive by a couple defensive holding penalties - which is fair. You can't rely on the other team being dumb and making dumb penalties. Rather, I look at it as they took advantage of the other team giving them yards and first downs and converted it into a touchdown. Plus, the team's first drive was good for 63 yards, even if they only got a field goal out of it. Early on, the Bears' offense was showing some solid signs of life, and that's encouraging, for a presesaon game.
- Zach Miller didn't play, but Tony Moeaki showed he may be up to the task at least as a second receiving tight end. Moeaki comes from the Miller class of "could play but was always broken," and with four catches in the first half, he displayed some good separation and ability to run a bit.
- Tracy Porter took over the role of Bryce Callahan this week, as two bad errors by Porter worked the Patriots down to the goal line; Porter came back and stripped a fumble, then pounced on it to save a possible touchdown.
- The Bears' defensive line held up on another goal line stand, as Will Sutton, Ego Ferguson, and Terry Williams combined to hold the Patriots to just a field goal for their first points of the game. A later goal line stand, not so much, as Jimmy Garoppolo completed a touchdown strike.
- I don't know how secure I'd feel about Brian Hoyer coming into a game. Just saying. Although first throw aside, Hoyer did make a couple decent throws, as his last three completions went for 82 yards total. (Although one would never call 4/14 and a 22.6 passer rating a sterling quarterback performance...) Meanwhile, Connor Shaw's 4/6, 42 yards and a touchdown to pair with 2 carries for 13 yards earned him a 126.4 passer rating. There's a reason he came into the game before/instead of David Fales, who was nowhere to be seen; Fales' performance last week appears to have dropped him a bit.
- Cameron Meredith got a holding penalty on his first play in the game. Not to be lost in this: He was playing with the ones on that play.
- Jonathan Anderson got into the game before John Timu did. Timu almost intercepted Garoppolo early in the third quarter, however. Garoppolo has some interesting skills and might be okay, but on that play, he stared down his receiver so hard I thought he was about to obliterate him with a laser - and unlike Cutler, Garoppolo doesn't have the arm to get away with it on occasion when he does.
- Can we buy Sam Rosen a ticket to a barge for the remainder of the preseason? Please and thank you.
- Rob Housler was the recipient of the Bears' first two-point conversion, but late in the game he took a pass just past the sticks from Hoyer, shed a would-be tackler, and sprinted down the field for 52 yards, the single longest play of the game. It could lead to a pretty interesting battle for the third tight end, as Housler showed moments at the tail end of last season.
- The Bears did take a couple extra opportunities to be aggressive on fourth down, including 4th and Goal at the two-yard line that Hoyer just missed Josh Bellamy on. Bellamy and Cameron Meredith both had drops - Bellamy had a touchdown slip through his fingers on that play (the ball was a touch high and would have been an incredible catch, to be fair), but Meredith got one in the chest and just let it through. The bottom of the receiver depth chart on projected 53-man rosters could be getting pretty interesting with two games left to go, as nobody's exactly grabbing a potential opportunity.
- The Bears were the lesser-penalized of the teams, but their penalties were largely responsible for making the first drive a field goal instead of a potential touchdown.
So next Saturday, we get the third preseason game against the Chiefs, the "dress rehearsal" as it were, where there's a little more actual gameplanning and the starters play a little deeper into the game. Maybe we'll see a little more mixing and matching in the running back by committee, for instance. We'll see what happens, but what are you looking for in that game? What did you notice in this one?
Defining what ‘football character’ means for John Fox’s Bears.
By Adam L. Jahns
Bears coach John Fox and QB Jay Cutler in Foxborough. (Photo/AP)
Tight end Martellus Bennett didn’t say a word but still managed to soak up the spotlight.
Two days in a row, he lingered longer than any player on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium, and the media waited. And waited.
And for two consecutive days, he walked past everyone with little acknowledgement. Make it three, if you count his exit from the Patriots’ locker room without comment late Thursday.
Questions were left unanswered. What was it like to face the Bears, who traded him and a sixth-round pick for a fourth-round selection in the offseason, this week in practice and a game?
Would he like to clarify his critical comments of Jay Cutler, who played a role in Bennett’s only Pro Bowl season in 2014?
What about Tom Brady? Why didn’t he hustle back to the line when doing extra side work with the star quarterback Tuesday?
And yet, his silence further answered the question of why the Bears didn’t see Bennett, who irked his Bears teammates and frustrated two coaching staffs, as a fit for their culture change under coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace.
John Fox said hello to Bennett and his family. But “Foxy” tends to get along with everyone. Fox, the football coach, wants players who have the “football character” he so often talks about.
Five players, who joined Fox’s Bears in different ways and are at different points of their respective careers, were asked to define what “football character” means.
The players weren’t asked specifically about Bennett, but their answers were revealing nonetheless.
CB Tracy Porter
The 30-year-old veteran signed a new three-year, $12 million contract after being the Bears’ best cover corner last season while playing on a one-year deal.
“[Fox] wants smart guys, but tough. Guys that are disciplined, that know when and where to be on the field, and that know how to handle themselves off the field without getting in any off-the-field trouble that hurts the team.
“Yeah, we need guys to produce on the field, but if you’re not taking care of what you’re supposed to do off the field, whether it’s your body, staying out of trouble, showing up to meetings on time, flat out being where you’re supposed to be off the field, that shows that the game, this team is not important to you.
“He wants guys who value those things off the field just as much as they do on the field. Everybody wants to play the game, but he wants those guys that want to do those things off the field to prepare them for the game because the game, that’s the fun part.”
TE Zach Miller
The 31-year-old broke out last year and essentially turned into Bennett’s replacement. He signed a new two-year, $5.5 million deal.
“Just being around coach Fox for two years now, having football character is smart, tough, relentless guys who don’t give up.
“You do what you can when you can do it, and you do it the right way. I think that’s the type of guys that he likes to have around, and you kind of build your team from within that way.”
Miller said he’s thankful that Fox and Pace believed in him enough to provide him with an opportunity last year even though he missed all of the 2014 season.
“[Fox] understood my history as a player and as a person,” said Miller, whose career was slowed by serious injuries. “They know it means the world to me.”
LT Charles Leno Jr.
A seventh-round pick in 2014 by former general manager Phil Emery, Leno is the unquestioned starter on the left side after winning over Fox’s coaching staff.
“[Football character is] doing the right thing at the right time when asked upon to do it in a pressure situation. That’s what [Fox] always brings up.
“I just try to be that guy. I don’t try to be a guy that likes to stand out. I just want to do my job every single play and make sure I’m doing my thing right.
“If my house is on fire, the whole building is burning down, you know?”
Fox, Pace, Cutler and offensive line coach Dave Magazu have praised Leno’s rise, going from a virtual unknown to a starter. Leno sees only one reason for it.
“That’s just my work ethic,” Leno said.
RB Jeremy Langford
The Bears are counting on the 2015 fourth-round pick to be their lead back in replacing former star Matt Forte.
“Football character, it’s just overall, how do you play football? It’s not just being a robot at times. It’s knowing football in general.”
To do that, Langford said there are intangibles.
“Those things take no talent. Working hard, doing the right thing all the time and really knowing what you have to do so you can do it fast. Those things right there, it really takes no talent to know what you’ve got to do and do it.”
LB Lamin Barrow
A leader on special teams, Barrow was added early last season after he was waived by the Broncos, who drafted him in 2014 when Fox was their coach.
“[Football character is] just somebody who is doing the right thing and who is in the right place at the right time. It’s somebody who gives it all for the teammates, for their brother next to them.
“Football, it’s a team game, but there is a lot of selfish things that you can do to try to make yourself stand out or try to make plays and all that. But everybody has to be on the same plan out there.
“That’s the kind of thing that we mean as far as the way we move and the way we practice. We come out every day, and we’ve got to have one focus, one mind. It’s one team.”
Bears may defer to younger cornerbacks instead of signing an outside veteran.
By Lorin Cox
Rookie cornerback Deiondre Hall made plays on the ball against the Denver Broncos (GIF via NFL Game Pass).
At this point, it’s completely up in the air whether Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller will play in his team’s season-opening matchup against the Houston Texans following his arthroscopic knee surgery this past week.
John Fox has called Fuller “week-to-week,” which gives no clear indication of when he’ll be ready to go. In the meantime, the Bears are down a starter at an already inexperienced position.
General manager Ryan Pace is exploring outside options, bringing veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie in for a visit, but it seems likely that the team will instead look to their younger cornerbacks already on the roster to fill the void.
Former undrafted free agent Jacoby Glenn got the start on Thursday night against the New England Patriots in place of Fuller, and he did a decent job considering he’s never played a regular season snap in his career. Glenn registered a few tackles through the two preseason games and hasn’t allowed much in coverage either.
Bryce Callahan likely would have started the game instead of Glenn had he been healthy, as he did in the first preseason game against the Denver Broncos in place of Tracy Porter, who had the night off. Callahan’s injury is overshadowed by Fuller’s but this defense desperately needs both cornerbacks back.
The Bears have also taken a long look at rookie fourth-round pick Deiondre’ Hall, who has played more snaps this preseason than any other cornerback on the roster. He made a couple of nice pass breakups on consecutive plays against the Broncos, and he should only improve as he gains more experience.
At this point, it’s completely up in the air whether Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller will play in his team’s season-opening matchup against the Houston Texans following his arthroscopic knee surgery this past week.
John Fox has called Fuller “week-to-week,” which gives no clear indication of when he’ll be ready to go. In the meantime, the Bears are down a starter at an already inexperienced position.
General manager Ryan Pace is exploring outside options, bringing veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie in for a visit, but it seems likely that the team will instead look to their younger cornerbacks already on the roster to fill the void.
Former undrafted free agent Jacoby Glenn got the start on Thursday night against the New England Patriots in place of Fuller, and he did a decent job considering he’s never played a regular season snap in his career. Glenn registered a few tackles through the two preseason games and hasn’t allowed much in coverage either.
Bryce Callahan likely would have started the game instead of Glenn had he been healthy, as he did in the first preseason game against the Denver Broncos in place of Tracy Porter, who had the night off. Callahan’s injury is overshadowed by Fuller’s but this defense desperately needs both cornerbacks back.
The Bears have also taken a long look at rookie fourth-round pick Deiondre’ Hall, who has played more snaps this preseason than any other cornerback on the roster. He made a couple of nice pass breakups on consecutive plays against the Broncos, and he should only improve as he gains more experience.
Undrafted rookie free agent Taveze Calhoun and second-year cornerback De’Vante Bausby have also shown a lot to like when they have been given the opportunity with the second and third teams.
The Bears don’t have a lack of depth. They have a lack of experience, and in the past, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and defensive backs coach Ed Donatell have opted to develop their own unheralded players rather than bring in outside veterans.
When they were together on the San Francisco 49ers, Fangio and Donatell started Tarell Brown, a former fifth-round pick, and used undrafted free agent Tramaine Brock in the slot to start the 2011 season before transitioning rookie third-round pick Chris Culliver into the nickel back role.
They stuck with the young players from an early stage, even adding undrafted rookie free agent Perrish Cox to the mix in 2012. That’s not to say that the two coaches didn’t make veteran additions, but when it came to depth, they went with youth and trusted their ability to develop cornerbacks.
That may be the plan in Chicago as well. Fangio and Donatell have young cornerbacks they like, all competing for a few roster spots and playing to the best of their abilities. These coaches haven’t been afraid to test the young players from the start.
“When you have a young group, it’s been kind of my philosophy to throw everything at ’em and see how they react,” Fangio told the Chicago Tribune back in May. “It’s hard during the season to put some new concepts in if they haven’t had the foundation in your offseason work and training camp. So we’ll treat ’em like we treat anybody and then if we need to adjust, we’ll adjust.”
Donatell was also confident in their ability to coach these guys up, when asked about it back in May too. They trust their ability to evaluate the talent they bring in and get the most out of the players that they have.
“We feel we are better than we have ever been training guys and there is a very good culture,” Donatell said. “It makes it easier to coach. Our intentions are for them to come through. These guys are fourth round, sixth round, whatever they are. We feel they are fully capable.”
It’s possible the Bears sign a veteran cornerback just for added depth on the bottom of the roster, but it seems unlikely that they will add anyone from the outside to step in and start in place of Fuller or Callahan while they’re injured.
This is a roster they are trying to grow from within, the same way Fangio and Donatell did it in San Francisco.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? After Jimmy Vesey signs with Rangers, what's next for Blackhawks?
By Charlie Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jimmy Vesey has made his decision, and the Blackhawks are not part of his plans despite going all-out in their recruiting efforts for the NCAA standout.
The reigning Hobey Baker Award winner officially chose to sign an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers on Friday, ending the #VeseyWatch saga.
So what's next for the Blackhawks?
General manager Stan Bowman said at the ninth annual Blackhawks Convention in July that he's fully prepared to enter the 2016-17 campaign with the roster as currently constructed, so adding Vesey would have been a mere bonus — albeit a nice one.
Both Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville stressed the importance of searching within the organization for help, which means there are opportunities for notable prospects like Ryan Hartman, Tyler Motte and Nick Schmaltz to step up in a large role.
However, there is still room for the Blackhawks to fill out the roster and add more forward depth via free agency if they choose to go that direction.
According to generalfanager.com, the Blackhawks have $70.6 million committed to 12 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. Counting cap overages from last season and retained money, that leaves them with $2.39 million in cap space to work with before the regular season kicks off.
The obvious option — and the one that makes the most sense — would be taking a flyer on Jiri Hudler, a versatile forward who compiled 16 goals and 30 assists in 72 games last season with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers. He's 32 years old, can play all three forward positions and is only a year removed from his career-high 76-point season, which indicates he still has some good hockey left in the tank.
Or maybe re-signing Tomas Fleischmann, who was acquired at the trade deadline last February, would want another chance in Chicago. It's unclear what his interest would be though after the 32-year-old forward gave the Blackhawks some early spark but fizzled out and found himself fighting for a roster spot during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Brandon Pirri, the Blackhawks' second-round pick in 2009, is still on the market and started to show progression in his game with Florida, but it took him a while to crack the roster during his first stint in Chicago and he likely wouldn't want a second one.
There are also veteran forwards such as Patrik Elias (40 years old), Dominic Moore (36) or Alex Tanguay (36) available who could be looking to latch on to a contender at a low cost in an effort to win one more Stanley Cup before hanging up the skates.
But the likeliest route at this point would be standing pat, and it wouldn't be the worst decision, either.
The Blackhawks know better than anyone else that cap flexibility, especially at the trade deadline, is crucial and they would have wiggle room in case of an injury later in the season if they're confident with the group they have now.
One thing we know for sure is, there has never been a more important training camp for the Blackhawks than the one this September, and that's when the roster will really begin to take shape.
Blackhawks' Artemi Panarin named best Russian player in 2015-16.
By Charlie Roumeliotis
The reigning Hobey Baker Award winner officially chose to sign an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers on Friday, ending the #VeseyWatch saga.
So what's next for the Blackhawks?
General manager Stan Bowman said at the ninth annual Blackhawks Convention in July that he's fully prepared to enter the 2016-17 campaign with the roster as currently constructed, so adding Vesey would have been a mere bonus — albeit a nice one.
Both Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville stressed the importance of searching within the organization for help, which means there are opportunities for notable prospects like Ryan Hartman, Tyler Motte and Nick Schmaltz to step up in a large role.
However, there is still room for the Blackhawks to fill out the roster and add more forward depth via free agency if they choose to go that direction.
According to generalfanager.com, the Blackhawks have $70.6 million committed to 12 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. Counting cap overages from last season and retained money, that leaves them with $2.39 million in cap space to work with before the regular season kicks off.
The obvious option — and the one that makes the most sense — would be taking a flyer on Jiri Hudler, a versatile forward who compiled 16 goals and 30 assists in 72 games last season with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers. He's 32 years old, can play all three forward positions and is only a year removed from his career-high 76-point season, which indicates he still has some good hockey left in the tank.
Or maybe re-signing Tomas Fleischmann, who was acquired at the trade deadline last February, would want another chance in Chicago. It's unclear what his interest would be though after the 32-year-old forward gave the Blackhawks some early spark but fizzled out and found himself fighting for a roster spot during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Brandon Pirri, the Blackhawks' second-round pick in 2009, is still on the market and started to show progression in his game with Florida, but it took him a while to crack the roster during his first stint in Chicago and he likely wouldn't want a second one.
There are also veteran forwards such as Patrik Elias (40 years old), Dominic Moore (36) or Alex Tanguay (36) available who could be looking to latch on to a contender at a low cost in an effort to win one more Stanley Cup before hanging up the skates.
But the likeliest route at this point would be standing pat, and it wouldn't be the worst decision, either.
The Blackhawks know better than anyone else that cap flexibility, especially at the trade deadline, is crucial and they would have wiggle room in case of an injury later in the season if they're confident with the group they have now.
One thing we know for sure is, there has never been a more important training camp for the Blackhawks than the one this September, and that's when the roster will really begin to take shape.
Blackhawks' Artemi Panarin named best Russian player in 2015-16.
By Charlie Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Artemi Panarin is bringing home some more hardware after his stellar rookie campaign with the Blackhawks.
The 24-year-old winger was named the 2015-16 Kharlamov Trophy winner, given annually to the best Russian hockey player in the Kontinental Hockey League and National Hockey League. Panarin led the way with 15 first-place votes and 43 total.
Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin came in second followed by Metallurg's Sergei Mozyakin, Washington's Alex Ovechkin (a seven-time winner of the award) and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.
Panarin ranked first among all NHL rookies in multiple categories last season, including goals (30), assists (47), points (77) and game-winning goals (7) in 80 regular-season games, which earned him the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.
He was presented the award over the weekend:
https://twitter.com/NHLPA/status/766682940466139136
The award is voted on by the committee of the Russian Hall of Fame, Russian hockey legends/veterans, a group of KHL general managers, members of the media and past winners.
Check out the full voting results here.
The 24-year-old winger was named the 2015-16 Kharlamov Trophy winner, given annually to the best Russian hockey player in the Kontinental Hockey League and National Hockey League. Panarin led the way with 15 first-place votes and 43 total.
Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin came in second followed by Metallurg's Sergei Mozyakin, Washington's Alex Ovechkin (a seven-time winner of the award) and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.
Panarin ranked first among all NHL rookies in multiple categories last season, including goals (30), assists (47), points (77) and game-winning goals (7) in 80 regular-season games, which earned him the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.
He was presented the award over the weekend:
https://twitter.com/NHLPA/status/766682940466139136
The award is voted on by the committee of the Russian Hall of Fame, Russian hockey legends/veterans, a group of KHL general managers, members of the media and past winners.
Check out the full voting results here.
CUBS: Jason Hammel yanked early as Rockies crush Cubs.
By Associated Press
A late-night session in the batting cage and a spirited discussion helped Nolan Arenado get his swing back.
Arenado broke out of a slump in a big way, hitting two homers and driving in six runs Sunday to boost the Colorado Rockies past the Chicago Cubs, 11-4.
The All-Star third baseman was 1 of 16 during the Rockies' homestand before getting four hits. He passed Cubs slugger Kris Bryant for the NL homer lead.
"I've been grinding, I haven't really felt like myself, so to be up there, it's a good feeling," Arenado said.
Arenado credited Sunday's results to his work with batting practice pitcher Garrett Carson late Saturday night. He said the two stayed after the loss to the Cubs to watch video and work in the cage.
"We almost got into an argument," Arenado said. "He would be like, 'I feel like there's not much off' and I'd be like, 'No, there is something off.'"
The two concluded Arenado was overstriding, and he went into Sunday's game with renewed confidence.
"After (Saturday) night I was able to sleep better after what I worked on," Arenado said. "I applied it today and it worked out."
Arenado hit a three-run homer during a seven-run burst in the first inning that included three Cubs errors, then added another three-run drive in the fourth.
Arenado leads the majors with 104 RBIs - he had a big league-high 130 last year - and tops the NL with 32 home runs.
Jorge De La Rosa (8-7) tossed eight innings, giving up two home runs to Addison Russell.
De La Rosa delivered a two-run single in the first as the Rockies quickly ended Jason Hammel's 22-inning scoreless streak.
De La Rosa scattered four hits and struck out six in matching his longest outing since last Sept. 16. Russell was the only batter to reach second base against the lefty, who outpitched his former teammate.
"Everything was working really good except those two pitches to Russell," De La Rosa said.
Hammel (13-6) had been 6-0 with an 0.95 ERA since the All-Star before getting roughed up. The Rockies scored 10 runs off him, six earned, in 3 1/3 innings.
Arenado's first homer hugged the left-field foul pole to start the early outburst. Tony Wolters had a two-run double and De La Rosa added his single.
Arenado singled in the second and drove Hammel's first-pitch fastball into the left-field seats to make it 10-0 in the fourth.
"A lot of foul balls today off my slider and two mistakes to Arenado," Hammel said. "That was pretty much the story."
DJ LeMahieu also homered for Colorado.
Russell hit solo homers in the fifth and seventh, and the Cubs scored two more off reliever Matt Carasiti in the ninth.
The Cubs' last run came when pinch-hitter Jorge Soler hit a foul popup between home and first and Anthony Rizzo ran in from third to an uncovered home plate.
By Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
A late-night session in the batting cage and a spirited discussion helped Nolan Arenado get his swing back.
Arenado broke out of a slump in a big way, hitting two homers and driving in six runs Sunday to boost the Colorado Rockies past the Chicago Cubs, 11-4.
The All-Star third baseman was 1 of 16 during the Rockies' homestand before getting four hits. He passed Cubs slugger Kris Bryant for the NL homer lead.
"I've been grinding, I haven't really felt like myself, so to be up there, it's a good feeling," Arenado said.
Arenado credited Sunday's results to his work with batting practice pitcher Garrett Carson late Saturday night. He said the two stayed after the loss to the Cubs to watch video and work in the cage.
"We almost got into an argument," Arenado said. "He would be like, 'I feel like there's not much off' and I'd be like, 'No, there is something off.'"
The two concluded Arenado was overstriding, and he went into Sunday's game with renewed confidence.
"After (Saturday) night I was able to sleep better after what I worked on," Arenado said. "I applied it today and it worked out."
Arenado hit a three-run homer during a seven-run burst in the first inning that included three Cubs errors, then added another three-run drive in the fourth.
Arenado leads the majors with 104 RBIs - he had a big league-high 130 last year - and tops the NL with 32 home runs.
Jorge De La Rosa (8-7) tossed eight innings, giving up two home runs to Addison Russell.
De La Rosa delivered a two-run single in the first as the Rockies quickly ended Jason Hammel's 22-inning scoreless streak.
De La Rosa scattered four hits and struck out six in matching his longest outing since last Sept. 16. Russell was the only batter to reach second base against the lefty, who outpitched his former teammate.
"Everything was working really good except those two pitches to Russell," De La Rosa said.
Hammel (13-6) had been 6-0 with an 0.95 ERA since the All-Star before getting roughed up. The Rockies scored 10 runs off him, six earned, in 3 1/3 innings.
Arenado's first homer hugged the left-field foul pole to start the early outburst. Tony Wolters had a two-run double and De La Rosa added his single.
Arenado singled in the second and drove Hammel's first-pitch fastball into the left-field seats to make it 10-0 in the fourth.
"A lot of foul balls today off my slider and two mistakes to Arenado," Hammel said. "That was pretty much the story."
DJ LeMahieu also homered for Colorado.
Russell hit solo homers in the fifth and seventh, and the Cubs scored two more off reliever Matt Carasiti in the ninth.
The Cubs' last run came when pinch-hitter Jorge Soler hit a foul popup between home and first and Anthony Rizzo ran in from third to an uncovered home plate.
Kris Bryant homers, drives in 4 as Cubs beat Rockies. (Saturday's game, 08/20/2016).
Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Mike Montgomery was on a strict pitch count but did all he could to stretch it in his starting debut for the Chicago Cubs.
Montgomery pitched four hitless inning before the low pitch count and a mistake ended his day two outs too soon, as the Cubs cruised to a 9-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
Kris Bryant launched a long homer and drove in four runs, and Ben Zobrist had three hits and also went deep for Chicago.
Montgomery was solid in his first start since coming over in a trade with Seattle on July 20 but didn't stick around long enough to earn the decision. Manager Joe Maddon was cautious with the young left-hander and took him out after giving up a one-out homer in the fourth, the first and only hit he allowed.
Montgomery threw just 60 pitches but had not started since July 17 with the Mariners. His first seven appearances with Chicago were out of the bullpen, so Maddon kept him on a strict pitch count.
"It's almost like spring training for him right now. Just stretching him out," Maddon said. "I thought he was outstanding. Would I have loved to have left him out there? Absolutely."
He walked two batters through four innings and got Ryan Raburn to start the fifth, but Nick Hundley got Colorado's first hit off the lefty with a solo blast to left that made it 7-1.
Maddon took him out after the homer and Trevor Cahill (3-3) pitched the final 4 2/3 innings for the win.
"As a competitor I wanted to stay in," Montgomery said. "I was a little pissed but I understand the situation and the pitch count. That's just how it goes. I felt good but I respect the decision."
Miguel Montero had three hits and drove in three for the Cubs, who spoiled the major league debut of Rockies starter Jeff Hoffman.
"I felt very comfortable here," Hoffman said. "I don't know why that was. I was really expecting to be nervous, to be jittery, all that stuff. For my first big league game, this was exactly what I was expecting."
Hoffman (0-1), a former first-round pick who was acquired a year ago as part of the deal that sent Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto, started off well but ran into trouble the second time through against the NL Central leaders.
Bryant made it 7-0 in the fifth with his 31st homer, a three-run drive that went an estimated 469 feet to dead center.
It was scoreless until the fourth, when Dexter Fowler led with a single, went to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Hoffman and came home on Bryant's single.
Anthony Rizzo followed with a single, Zobrist's double made it 2-0 and Montero beat the shift with a two-run single to right.
"The three-run homer hurt," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "The big one was that two-run single by Montero. We get an out there, we're in good shape."
Hoffman allowed seven runs - six earned - on seven hits in four-plus innings.
The Cubs added a run in the eighth and another on Zobrist's 14th homer in the ninth.
WHITE SOX: Jose Quintana earns career-high 10th win of season as White Sox top A's.
By Paul Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jose Quintana can finally get the number nine out of his head.
Quintana picked up his 10th win of the season, a career high, on Sunday after finishing with nine wins in each of the last three years.
The 27-year-old southpaw pitched seven innings and allowed two earned runs on eight hits while striking out six in the White Sox 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics at U.S. Cellular Field.
"This is really special for me," Quintana said. "This year, when the year started, that’s my first goal. I want to get more than 10 wins to help my team, but I’m really happy. I'll try to get more wins.
"All the guys, teammates, celebrated that with me. It was fun. It was really good. Every time I try to get better and better and finally I get my 10th win."
Todd Frazier, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, said Quintana was "yelling and screaming like a little kid" in the clubhouse after the game.
"He was excited. You should have seen him over there a little bit ago," Frazier said. "Just happy for him. He works his butt off. He comes in here every day and doesn’t say a boo about anything and just plays ball."
Quintana moved to 10-9 on the season and earned his 19th quality start of the season, tied for the most in the American League. He now owns a 1.91 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, and lowered his overall ERA to 2.84 as the White Sox improved to 59-64 on the season.
"Every time I think, I have more experience now and that’s special this year to make the All-Star team and get 10 wins and try to get more," Quintana said. "That’s really important for me and the best point here is to help my team."
The White Sox offense got off to a hot start for the second consecutive day. Justin Morneau got the scoring started in the first with an RBI double. One batter later, Frazier drove in two with a single to put the White Sox up 3-0.
Quintana picked up his 10th win of the season, a career high, on Sunday after finishing with nine wins in each of the last three years.
The 27-year-old southpaw pitched seven innings and allowed two earned runs on eight hits while striking out six in the White Sox 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics at U.S. Cellular Field.
"This is really special for me," Quintana said. "This year, when the year started, that’s my first goal. I want to get more than 10 wins to help my team, but I’m really happy. I'll try to get more wins.
"All the guys, teammates, celebrated that with me. It was fun. It was really good. Every time I try to get better and better and finally I get my 10th win."
Todd Frazier, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, said Quintana was "yelling and screaming like a little kid" in the clubhouse after the game.
"He was excited. You should have seen him over there a little bit ago," Frazier said. "Just happy for him. He works his butt off. He comes in here every day and doesn’t say a boo about anything and just plays ball."
Quintana moved to 10-9 on the season and earned his 19th quality start of the season, tied for the most in the American League. He now owns a 1.91 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, and lowered his overall ERA to 2.84 as the White Sox improved to 59-64 on the season.
"Every time I think, I have more experience now and that’s special this year to make the All-Star team and get 10 wins and try to get more," Quintana said. "That’s really important for me and the best point here is to help my team."
The White Sox offense got off to a hot start for the second consecutive day. Justin Morneau got the scoring started in the first with an RBI double. One batter later, Frazier drove in two with a single to put the White Sox up 3-0.
The A’s got on the board in the fourth with a two-run homer by Khris Davis, his 32nd of the year. But Jose Abreu responded in the bottom of the inning, smacking a homer of his own, a solo shot. It was his second straight day going deep and 16th home run of the season.
That was enough run support to help Quintana reach his milestone.
"I know the guys are happy about it that they're able to get one for him, that something didn't happen," Ventura said. "It wasn't a no-decision. He pitched well. He gave up the homer and it looked like they were starting to get a little momentum going, but he just has a way to toughen up and get after it.
"Everybody's happy for him. He deserves it and we did enough offensively to do it for him."
Nate Jones pitched one shutout inning in the eighth, while David Robertson closed out the game in the ninth, securing his 32nd save of the season.
The White Sox open their series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
Robin Ventura: White Sox OF Adam Eaton is 'probably the best right fielder in the game'.
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Robin Ventura is grateful to have Adam Eaton on his team.
The White Sox manager had high praise for his 27-year-old outfielder, moments after he made a potential game-saving catch in the White Sox 6-2 win over the Oakland A's on Saturday.
"He's a good outfielder. I know right now he's probably the best right fielder in the game," Ventura said. "For us, we asked him to kind of switch over every once in a while, to center field, depending on the matchups."
Eaton's .989 fielding percentage this season ranks fifth among American League right fielders and ninth among major league right fielders.
Since his arrival on the South Side in 2014, Eaton's defense has always been strong. Quietly, he's posted a 5.8 WAR per 162 games since joining the White Sox, according to High Heat Stats MLB.
Eaton credits bench coach Rick Renteria and first base coach Daryl Boston for helping him transition to right field while elevating his game.
"You can sit here and go over all these things that you need to be ready for a game and where we’re going to play guys and what to expect as far as how we’re pitching to him and what we think is going to happen," Ventura said. "When you get that, you have a little more confidence going out there.
"Really for me, the credit goes to (Eaton) for being able to accept going over to right and kind of go for himself and become good at it. And to be as good as he’s been, that’s been the biggest part."
When the White Sox signed center fielder Austin Jackson to a one-year, $5 million deal in the offseason, an adjustment was inevitable in the outfield.
In spring training, Ventura experimented by having Eaton move to right field, and it stuck when the regular season began.
For a guy who, entering the season, had only played four career games in right field, it's turned out quite nicely for Eaton and his club.
"Being in right I think he just gets better jumps. There’s something about being able to use your arms strength and things like that," Ventura said. "In right, I don’t know if it’s the fearlessness of going into a corner. Either going back on a wall or going over by the stands.
"He just seems to have a little bit more of that in right field where he can get to a ball, stop and be able to turn around. (Eaton) has better throws to home plate just angle wise. Sometimes that fits the eye a little bit better in center field. For me that’s been the biggest thing. He just gets really good jumps on those."
Chris Sale finally picks up 15th win as White Sox cruise past A’s. (Saturday's game, 08/20/2016).
By Paul Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
After being stuck on 14 wins since July 2, Chris Sale finally picked up his 15th victory of the season on Saturday, tossing a gem as the White Sox cruised past the Oakland Athletics 6-2 in front of 21,178 fans at U.S. Cellular Field.
Sale pitched eight shutout innings and allowed only three hits and three walks on 120 pitches, tying his season-high. The “K-Zone” was in full effect too as the White Sox ace struck out eight batters.
Sale became the league’s first starting pitcher to reach 14 wins on the season but struggled to pick up No. 15.
"It was kind of getting over the hump for me," Sale said. "My last few times out I haven’t been as good as I’ve wanted to be or as good as I’ve needed to be."
"Coming in and getting this one after a loss, we’ll fight for this series tomorrow, so it was important."
Sale barely needed any run support to pick up the win but his offense supplied it anyway 24 hours after being shut out 9-0.
Sale is now two wins away from tying his single-season record (17) set in 2012.
In Saturday's win, everything seemed to be clicking for the White Sox, even on offense, which scored at least one run in each of the first four innings.
Jose Abreu got his team on the board early in the first after hitting a solo homer to right field that clipped the glove of A’s outfielder Brett Eibner on its way out.
In the second, Carlos Sanchez and Tim Anderson hit back-to-back two-out RBI singles to give the White Sox a 3-0 lead.
Melky Cabrera (single) and Jason Coats (groundout) tacked on RBIs in the third, and Cabrera added another in the fourth with his second single of the night.
Sale admitted that adding those early runs helped alleviate a little bit of pressure.
"You see your guys fighting," Sale said. "I think it was the third inning, scored all with two outs. When stuff like that goes, you kinda feed off of that, and build momentum and try to execute some pitches."
The offense was quiet on both sides after that until the ninth inning when Nate Jones entered the game and allowed two runs – a solo homer to Danny Valencia and an RBI single by Eibner.
Jones recorded just one out before being relieved by David Robertson, who picked up the final two outs of the game for his 31st save of the season.
The White Sox are now 58-64 on the season and have 40 games left.
But even though the White Sox postseason hopes seem to be far out of reach, there's still a "no-quit" attitude in the clubhouse.
"Nobody in here has given up," Sale said. "We have too much pride in ourselves and what we do. When you look around this clubhouse, we have some pretty good guys, guys that compete.
"At the end of the day that’s all you can ask for. Anything that happens after that, you can live with it."
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Jimmy Butler a gold medalist as US men's basketball team tops Serbia.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jimmy Butler is a gold medalist.
The United States men's basketball team routed Serbia in Sunday's gold medal game, 96-66, winning the Olympic basketball tournament for the third consecutive time.
After a close first quarter, the U.S. sprinted away from Serbia with a 33-14 scoring edge in the second quarter and a 44-37 scoring advantage in the second half.
Kevin Durant was the team's leading scorer, dropping 30 points on 10-for-19 shooting with five made 3-pointers. DeMarcus Cousins and Klay Thompson also scored in double figures, with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Butler scored just two points, going 1-for-3 from the field and adding five rebounds in 14 minutes played. Since active NBA players started playing for Team USA in 1992, Butler is the third active Bulls player to win gold for the U.S., joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Carmelo Anthony became the first American man to ever win four Olympic medals in basketball and the first man to ever win three gold medals in basketball, earning his third gold medal Sunday after winning bronze in 2004, gold in 2008 and gold in 2012.
The U.S. has won 15 of the 19 gold medals handed out in men's basketball. After the team's stunning third-place finish during the Athens Games, U.S. head coach and Chicago native Mike Krzyzewski has led the Americans to three straight golds and has never lost a game in Olympic play.
Bulls teammates Jimmy Butler, Nikola Mirotic show off Olympic medals.
The United States men's basketball team routed Serbia in Sunday's gold medal game, 96-66, winning the Olympic basketball tournament for the third consecutive time.
After a close first quarter, the U.S. sprinted away from Serbia with a 33-14 scoring edge in the second quarter and a 44-37 scoring advantage in the second half.
Kevin Durant was the team's leading scorer, dropping 30 points on 10-for-19 shooting with five made 3-pointers. DeMarcus Cousins and Klay Thompson also scored in double figures, with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Butler scored just two points, going 1-for-3 from the field and adding five rebounds in 14 minutes played. Since active NBA players started playing for Team USA in 1992, Butler is the third active Bulls player to win gold for the U.S., joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Carmelo Anthony became the first American man to ever win four Olympic medals in basketball and the first man to ever win three gold medals in basketball, earning his third gold medal Sunday after winning bronze in 2004, gold in 2008 and gold in 2012.
The U.S. has won 15 of the 19 gold medals handed out in men's basketball. After the team's stunning third-place finish during the Athens Games, U.S. head coach and Chicago native Mike Krzyzewski has led the Americans to three straight golds and has never lost a game in Olympic play.
Bulls teammates Jimmy Butler, Nikola Mirotic show off Olympic medals.
By #BullsTalk
The pair of Bulls teammates took a photo showing off their medals Sunday:
The pair of Bulls teammates took a photo showing off their medals Sunday:
(Photo/Twitter)
"Yesterday we were opponents, today friends, tomorrow teammates in
Nikola Mirotic
@threekola
2:38 PM - 21 Aug 2016
***************************************
Butler got the best of Mirotic as Team USA went on to win the gold for the third straight Olympics after beating Serbia, 96-66, on Sunday while Mirotic came away with some hardware as well, helping Spain capture the bronze medal with an 89-88 win over Australia.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Kim wins maiden PGA Tour title at Wyndham Championship.
Omnisport
But that all changed for the 21-year-old - a star on the Web.com Tour and the second youngest winner in history on the developmental tour after Jason Day - after he closed out the tournament with a final-hole birdie, ahead of former world number one Luke Donald at 21 under.
Kim teed off with a four-stroke lead at Sedgefield Country Club and he extended that by a stroke via a final-round 67, following a delay in play late in the day which lasted almost one and a half hours due to inclement weather in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Donald, who hit a hole-in-one in the opening round, finished in sole possession of the runner-up position after carding a three-under-par 67.
Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Brandt Snedeker (67) closed out the tournament six shots off the pace.
A stroke further back were Brett Stegmaier (64), Johnson Wagner (67), Billy Horschel (68), Graeme McDowell (68) and Rafa Cabrera-Bello (70), who tied for fifth at the Olympic Games in Rio.
The top 10 was rounded out by Kevin Kisner (63), Bud Cauley (67), Kevin Na (70) and Jim Furyk (70).
South Korea's Park becomes first female Olympic golf champion in 116 years.
Fox News Latino
South Korea's Inbee Park became the first female Olympic golf champion in 116 years with her dominating victory at the Rio Olympics, while world No.1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand took silver and China's Feng Shanshan won bronze.
The 28-year-old Park, the world No.5 and seven-time major winner, took sole possession of first place at 10-under after the second round at the Olympic Golf Course and did not relinquish that lead the rest of the tournament.
Ko made a big push on "moving day," shooting a 6-under 65 in the third round to move to 9-under, just two shots behind the leader.
But the South Korean rose to the occasion on Saturday, firing a 5-under 66 in the final round with seven birdies and just two bogeys to finish the tournament 16-under, five shots ahead of the second-place Ko.
The New Zealand player finished strong on Saturday after a slow start to shoot 2-under and secured the silver medal with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Russian Maria Verchenova carded the best round of the tournament - a 9-under 62 - but her 4-under finish still left her six shots behind the bronze medal-winning Feng.
The International Olympic Committee voted in 2009 to reinstate golf as an Olympic sport.
Margaret Abbott of the United States won the only other gold medal in women's golf in 1900.
Ko made a big push on "moving day," shooting a 6-under 65 in the third round to move to 9-under, just two shots behind the leader.
But the South Korean rose to the occasion on Saturday, firing a 5-under 66 in the final round with seven birdies and just two bogeys to finish the tournament 16-under, five shots ahead of the second-place Ko.
The New Zealand player finished strong on Saturday after a slow start to shoot 2-under and secured the silver medal with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Russian Maria Verchenova carded the best round of the tournament - a 9-under 62 - but her 4-under finish still left her six shots behind the bronze medal-winning Feng.
The International Olympic Committee voted in 2009 to reinstate golf as an Olympic sport.
Margaret Abbott of the United States won the only other gold medal in women's golf in 1900.
NASCAR: Kevin Harvick earns second win of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway.
By Kelly Crandall
Kevin Harvick took control in the second half of the Bass Pro Shops / NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday night and drove to his second win of the season.
Kyle Busch dominated the race by leading a race-high 256 laps but finished 39th after crashing on Lap 358, seven laps after being passed for the lead by Harvick. Upon Busch’s exit, Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Beer Chevrolet remained a constant at the front, leading for a total 128 of 500 laps.
Harvick took the lead for the final time on Lap 430, passing Denny Hamlin before the race was red-flagged at Lap 434 for rain. The red flag lasted six minutes, 57 seconds before the race resumed and stayed green to the checkered flag.
The win was Harvick’s second of the season, his first since March at Phoenix International Raceway, and the 33rd of his career. It was also his second win at Bristol, the first coming in the spring of 2005.
“We should have won a lot of races this year, and we just had things not go our way, made mistakes or whatever the case may be, but to get back in victory lane here at Bristol feels really good,” Harvick told NBC Sports on CNBC in victory lane. “We’ve had some good cars here over the last few years and to have Busch Beer on the car – we’ve had some crap luck with these guys on the car. Just really happy for Busch and Jimmy John’s and really proud of these guys on the 4 team.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second, driving in honor of his late friend, Bryan Clauson. The No. 17 Fastenal Ford resembled the colors Clauson ran in 2008 when he was an Xfinity Series driver at Chip Ganassi Racing. It was Stenhouse’s best finish of the season.
Denny Hamlin finished third, Austin Dillon finished fourth, and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five. With his finish, Buescher propelled himself inside the top 30 in points, which makes him eligible for the Chase.
HOW HARVICK WON: Harvick led the final 71 laps after taking the lead from Denny Hamlin on Lap 430.
WHO ELSE HAD A GOOD DAY: Chris Buescher steadily improved throughout the day and finished fifth, which moved him into the top 30 in points. … Jeff Gordon put in his best performance with the No. 88 team and finished 11th. … Austin Dillon earned his fourth top-five finish of the season.
WHO HAD A BAD DAY: Tony Stewart spent time behind the wall with a right-rear wheel hub failure and finished 30th in his final Bristol start. … Kurt Busch got loose from the lead and crashed with Brad Keselowski, finishing 38th. … Kyle Busch led a race-high 256 laps but was hit by Justin Allgaier when he spun on Lap 358 and finished 39th.
NOTABLE: In his 135th career start, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second, which is his fourth top-six finish at Bristol in eight races. It was also a season-best finish and his fifth top 10 of the year.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The person that’s really the biggest moron is the spotter of the 46 and the driver of the 46 (Justin Allgaier). I’ve been wrecking for half a lap, and they just come on and clean us out. I don’t know. It’s a frustrating day. Let’s go home.” – Kyle Busch
WHAT’S NEXT: The Sprint Cup Series returns to Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 28 with the Pure Michigan 400 on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET.
SOCCER: Fire get first road win since 2014 in rout of Montreal.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Chicago Fire’s road winless streak is finally a thing of the past.
The Fire beat the Montreal Impact 3-0 on Saturday at Stade Saputo to end the club’s MLS-record 36-match road winless streak.
Luis Solignac scored his first goal since joining the Fire and David Accam had a goal and an assist in the win.
The Fire (5-11-7, 22 points) last won on the road on July 12, 2014. That was a 1-0 win in New England.
Luis Solignac scored his first goal since joining the Fire and David Accam had a goal and an assist in the win.
The Fire (5-11-7, 22 points) last won on the road on July 12, 2014. That was a 1-0 win in New England.
Saturday’s win in Quebec featured a lot of firsts for the Fire. The Fire had not led going into halftime on the road in 2016. It was the first time the Fire led by two goals in an MLS match, home or away, all season.
Solignac sparked the big victory by scoring on a counterattack in the 15th minute. Following a Montreal corner, Michael de Leeuw made a short pass from just outside the Fire’s box to David Accam. Accam went full speed to create a counter by himself before laying it off to Solignac on his left. Solignac cut inside on two defenders and curled the shot past Evan Bush.
It was one of the prettier Fire goals of the season and gave the Fire a lead on the road for just the second time this season.
“We tried to isolate them 1v1 and for me I think if I get 1v1 against anyone in this league I’m having a lot of joy,” Accam said during the halftime interview on CSN+.
The Fire got an insurance goal in the 73rd minute via Accam. De Leeuw slid a centering ball to Arturo Alvarez, who had just subbed into the match a minute before. Alvarez’s shot deflected in off Accam, slowly crawling over the line after the deflection wrong-footed Bush.
Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson emphasized the importance of getting that second goal instead of simply defending a 1-0 lead.
“I think so often we get up a goal and then we tuck in and we sit back,” Johnson said on CSN+ broadcast. “The message was we’re in a good spot, we’ve played well, we’ve been in this position before. We have to learn how go on and score again and again and close out games… We did that tonight.”
With Montreal (8-7-9, 33 points) still pushing numbers forward to get back into the match, the Fire had even more opportunities on the counter. Matt Polster put the finishing touches by scoring one of those counters in the 89th minute.
When the match ended, the Fire moved within five points of the playoffs, but remained last in the league due to Houston and Columbus also winning this weekend. The win should be a confidence booster, but if nothing else it is a relief to not have a negative record hanging over the players’ heads.
“This is massive,” Johnson said. “I think for everybody in the locker room it’s a weight off the shoulders.”
Neymar provides Brazil with dramatic Olympics gold medal win.
By Matt Reed
(Clive Mason/Getty Images)
It was only fitting that their captain and the country’s savior provided the winner.
Both sides struggled to find a winner in extra time, which left penalty kicks as the difference between the two teams. Neymar sealed the game for Brazil, winning the match 1-1 (5-4 on penalty kicks) over the Germans.
With tears already running down his face as he ran up to the final attempt in the shootout, Neymar temporarily halted his emotions and blasted home the winner in the fifth round to give the Selecao the victory.
Max Mayer gave the Germans life after the halftime whistle, when he slotted a Jeremy Toljan cross into the bottom left corner.
All seemed quiet from the Brazilians during the early portion of the first half, but Neymar quickly changed the narrative for the hosts after blasting home a free kick just before the hour mark.
The Barcelona playmaker stepped up to the ball in the 27th minute, before powering the set piece beyond goalkeeper Timo Horn.
Neymar’s corner kick four minutes earlier nearly caused a major scare for Germany when the Brazilian’s set piece connected with Renato Augusto. The 28-year-old’s shot trickled just wide of goal though, keeping the scoreline level at 0-0.
The Germans nearly took the lead after just 11 minutes when Julian Brandt’s effort struck woodwork following a pass from Arsenal playmaker Serge Gnarby.
Premier League roundup: Chelsea, Spurs win late; Man City, Hull stay perfect.
By Andy Edwards
(Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
A roundup of all of Saturday’s action in the Premier League…
Chelsea went a goal down just before the hour mark, but responded brilliantly to snatch all three points at Vicarage Road. Michy Batshuayi equalized seven minutes after Antonio Conte subbed him on, and Diego Costa — caught up in another round of controversy — scored the winner three minutes before the end of regular time.
Who said Pep Guardiola couldn’t do it on a wet, windy trip to the Britannia Stadium? Sergio Aguero and Nolito bagged a brace apiece, each in quick succession in the first and second halves, respectively, and the Citizens are off to a perfect two-for-two start under Guardiola. Raheem Sterling continued his strong start to the season after drawing praise from his new manager this week, notching the assist on Nolito’s second, late into second-half stoppage time.
Burnley 2-0 Liverpool — FULL RECAP
Sam Vokes put Burnley ahead with less than two full minutes on the clock, and the Clarets would never relinquish their lead. Andre Gray tacked on a second in the 37th minute. Over the 90 minutes, Burnley attempted just three shots, and put just two on target. There’s being efficient, and there’s what Burnley did on Saturday. Liverpool, meanwhile, welcomed Daniel Sturridge back into the starting lineup, to no avail.
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace — FULL RECAP
Spurs picked up their first win of the season, with thanks to Victor Wanyama‘s first goal for the club. It was a late winner from the Kenyan, and a fully deserved result for Mauricio Pochettino‘s side. Wayne Hennessey did everything he could to keep Palace in it, particularly in the first half, but the chances kept coming and eventually the breakthrough arrived.
Swansea City 0-2 Hull City — FULL RECAP
Hull City have joined Man City, Manchester United and Chelsea as the only sides to begin the season with six out of six points. Not bad, considering interim manager Mike Phelan had just two senior players on his bench to start Saturday’s victory over Swansea. It was the only sub that Phelan used, Shaun Maloney, who proved the difference-maker for the Tigers. The former Chicago Fire midfielder scored the opener and set up Abel Hernandez’s late clincher.
West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Everton — FULL RECAP
Gareth McAuley put West Brom in front inside the first 10 minutes, but goals scored by Kevin Mirallas and Gareth Barry either side of halftime were enough to hand the visitors their first victory of the season. Following the game, Ronald Koeman delivered the bit of news Everton fans have been waiting for all summer…
Leicester City 0-0 Arsenal — FULL RECAP
The game of the weekend turned out to be the snoozer of the weekend, as the defending champions played Arsenal to a scoreless draw at home. Scoring chances were few and far between, but the Foxes were denied on a pair of penalty shouts, most notably in the 89th minute, that could have swung the result in their favor.
La Liga roundup: Suarez, Messi shine for Barcelona, Sevilla outlasts Espanyol.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
A roundup of the weekend’s action in Spain’s top flight…
Barcelona 6-2 Real Betis
While Neymar was off capturing an Olympic gold medal for Brazil, it was business as usual for Barcelona as they opened their latest La Liga account with a convincing victory. Luis Suarez netted a hat-trick to begin 2016/17, while Lionel Messi added a pair of finishes of his own to give the Blaugrana a boost after an inconsistent preseason. Arda Turan, whose future at the club was uncertain prior to the season, got things going for Barca, scoring after just six minutes.
Sevilla 6-4 Espanyol
A strong second half effort from Sevilla gave the reigning Europa League champions an impressive comeback win on Saturday in the weekend’s most entertaining match. After Espanyol got out to a 3-2 lead on the stroke of halftime, Luciano Vietto’s second goal of the day gave Sevilla a fresh slate as the two sides headed into the break at 3-2. From there, Sevilla added three more goals in the second stanza, while Gerard Moreno’s late tally served as a mere consolation for the visitors.
Real Madrid 3-0 Real Sociedad
Even without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo for the opener, Los Blancos cruised at the Santiago Bernabeu to open La Liga play. A pair of first-half tallies were the difference for Zinedine Zidane’s side, with Gareth Bale getting the show started after just two minutes. Marco Asensio’s chip finish on the stroke of halftime gave Real a comfortable lead after limited Sociedad to zero shots on target throughout the match. Bale tapped home his second of the night after a quick break in the final seconds.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Granada 1-1 Villareal
Malaga 1-1 Osasuna
Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 Eibar
Sporting Gijon 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Alaves
NCAAFB: College Football Top 25 AP Poll Released.
By Jason Marcum
The 2016 college football season is closing in fast.
We'll actually see games this coming week when Cal and Hawaii face off, but we're still two weeks away from every team playing their first game. In the meantime, we've got the first edition of the 2016-17 Associated Press Poll having been released.
The poll was released Sunday, and to no surprise, the Alabama Crimson Tide took home the top spot. They're part of four SEC teams to make the top 11 and six to make the Top 25.
Speaking of, the Kentucky Wildcats will face five top-25 teams this year after the Tennessee Volunteers (9), Georgia Bulldogs (18), Louisville Cardinals (19), Florida Gators (25) joined Alabama in this poll.
Speaking of, the Kentucky Wildcats will face five top-25 teams this year after the Tennessee Volunteers (9), Georgia Bulldogs (18), Louisville Cardinals (19), Florida Gators (25) joined Alabama in this poll.
Rounding out the top five were the Clemson Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Florida State Seminoles, and LSU Tigers.
Here is a look at the first full edition of the AP Top 25 Poll:
| RANK | SCHOOL | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama (33) | 1469 |
| 2 | Clemson (16) | 1443 |
| 3 | Oklahoma (4) | 1352 |
| 4 | Florida State (4) | 1325 |
| 5 | LSU (1) | 1269 |
| 6 | Ohio State (1) | 1224 |
| 7 | Michigan (1) | 1147 |
| 8 | Stanford | 1029 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 1021 |
| 10 | Notre Dame | 1006 |
| 11 | Ole Miss | 718 |
| 12 | Michigan State | 710 |
| 13 | TCU | 707 |
| 14 | Washington | 651 |
| 15 | Houston | 644 |
| 16 | UCLA | 496 |
| 17 | Iowa | 484 |
| 18 | Georgia | 448 |
| 19 | Louisville | 447 |
| 20 | USC | 344 |
| 21 | Oklahoma State | 316 |
| 22 | North Carolina | 283 |
| 23 | Baylor | 280 |
| 24 | Oregon | 218 |
| 25 | Florida | 180 |
Others receiving votes: Miami 159, Texas A&M 81, Utah 74, Washington St. 68, Boise St. 49, San Diego St. 46, Wisconsin 42, Auburn 22, Pittsburgh 15, Arkansas 14, Texas 12, Nebraska 11, Navy 8, Northwestern 5, W. Kentucky 4, South Florida 2, Toledo 2
Ohio State football: Noah Brown raring to go after long layoff.
By Bill Rabinowitz
Noah Brown, left, talking with teammate Jalin Marshall during the 2015 season, suffered a broken leg during training camp last summer. (Photo/Chris Russell/Dispatch)
The consensus pick to be Ohio State’s No. 1 wide receiver this season has one career catch and missed the 2015 season because of a devastating compound leg fracture.
For most players with that resume, sentences about them would end with question marks, not exclamation points.
Not so for Noah Brown. With the New Jersey native, there’s a sense that the redshirt sophomore is ready for a breakout season at a position unit that’s itching to prove what it can do.
Ohio State worked in secrecy last week as the Buckeyes crammed nine practices into the last six days, culminating with a closed scrimmaged Saturday. But when coach Urban Meyer spoke last Sunday, he said he expects Brown to be rounding into complete form about now.
“He’s coming,” Meyer said. “He’s probably not back to full Noah Brown (yet), but I would say in another week, he’ll be there.”
Brown broke both the tibia and fibula in a fluke non-contact injury during the final week of training camp last year. After dropping about 15 pounds from his freshman season, Brown created a buzz with his progress in the spring and summer of 2015.
Even with the plethora of offensive talent the Buckeyes had in 2015, they believed that Brown’s loss left a void they never really filled.
“Last year was definitely a rough time for me, but my teammates really helped me push through it,” Brown said last Sunday at media day.
Sitting out only added to his determination to come back better than ever.
“Oh yeah, I’m hungry,” Brown said. “I can’t wait to get back out there. Every day, I work on getting better, better and better, so when the season comes around I can do what I can do.”
He worked diligently in rehab. During the spring, he was able to run full speed but his protocol didn’t permit him to attempt cuts. Now, he said, his leg is 100 percent healed.
But the physical aspect is only one part of it.
“It’s just getting the feel back for the game, like routes, that’s a little bit behind,” Brown said.
At 6 feet 2 and 218 pounds, Brown has the frame to outleap and overpower pass defenders. He has good speed and such superb hands that quarterback J.T. Barrett describes them as suction cups. He said that in summer workouts, Brown became his favorite target because Barrett had faith he’d make that catch if the ball was anywhere in his vicinity.
“That’s something I feel was given to me by God,” Brown said. “I’ve always had pretty good hands. But I work constantly at it — Juggs machine, catching tennis balls, things like that.”
Brown is as confident about the potential of his fellow receivers as he is about himself. Michael Thomas, Braxton Miller and Jalin Marshall are in the NFL, and those now remaining have been waiting for their chance to emerge.
Freshman Austin Mack has dazzled since his arrival as an early enrollee. Corey Smith, who had a leg fracture similar to Brown’s, is intent on taking advantage of the sixth year of eligibility the NCAA granted him. Johnnie Dixon looks healthy for the first time as a Buckeye, and Brown raved about Terry McLaurin’s camp. Several others could break through.
Last year, however, none of the young Buckeye receivers did, whether because of injury or a simple inability to seize the opportunity. They are determined to make this season different.
“We’ve got the potential to probably be the best wide receivers that’s ever come through Ohio State,” Brown said. “We have a lot of speed and a lot of guys who can do different things but experience is a challenge for us.
“I feel once we get a game under our belt, we’ll be all right. We’ll surprise a lot of people.”
Ohio State football: Noah Brown raring to go after long layoff.
By Bill Rabinowitz
The consensus pick to be Ohio State’s No. 1 wide receiver this season has one career catch and missed the 2015 season because of a devastating compound leg fracture.
For most players with that resume, sentences about them would end with question marks, not exclamation points.
Not so for Noah Brown. With the New Jersey native, there’s a sense that the redshirt sophomore is ready for a breakout season at a position unit that’s itching to prove what it can do.
Ohio State worked in secrecy last week as the Buckeyes crammed nine practices into the last six days, culminating with a closed scrimmaged Saturday. But when coach Urban Meyer spoke last Sunday, he said he expects Brown to be rounding into complete form about now.
“He’s coming,” Meyer said. “He’s probably not back to full Noah Brown (yet), but I would say in another week, he’ll be there.”
Brown broke both the tibia and fibula in a fluke non-contact injury during the final week of training camp last year. After dropping about 15 pounds from his freshman season, Brown created a buzz with his progress in the spring and summer of 2015.
Even with the plethora of offensive talent the Buckeyes had in 2015, they believed that Brown’s loss left a void they never really filled.
“Last year was definitely a rough time for me, but my teammates really helped me push through it,” Brown said last Sunday at media day.
Sitting out only added to his determination to come back better than ever.
“Oh yeah, I’m hungry,” Brown said. “I can’t wait to get back out there. Every day, I work on getting better, better and better, so when the season comes around I can do what I can do.”
He worked diligently in rehab. During the spring, he was able to run full speed but his protocol didn’t permit him to attempt cuts. Now, he said, his leg is 100 percent healed.
But the physical aspect is only one part of it.
“It’s just getting the feel back for the game, like routes, that’s a little bit behind,” Brown said.
At 6 feet 2 and 218 pounds, Brown has the frame to outleap and overpower pass defenders. He has good speed and such superb hands that quarterback J.T. Barrett describes them as suction cups. He said that in summer workouts, Brown became his favorite target because Barrett had faith he’d make that catch if the ball was anywhere in his vicinity.
“That’s something I feel was given to me by God,” Brown said. “I’ve always had pretty good hands. But I work constantly at it — Juggs machine, catching tennis balls, things like that.”
Brown is as confident about the potential of his fellow receivers as he is about himself. Michael Thomas, Braxton Miller and Jalin Marshall are in the NFL, and those now remaining have been waiting for their chance to emerge.
Freshman Austin Mack has dazzled since his arrival as an early enrollee. Corey Smith, who had a leg fracture similar to Brown’s, is intent on taking advantage of the sixth year of eligibility the NCAA granted him. Johnnie Dixon looks healthy for the first time as a Buckeye, and Brown raved about Terry McLaurin’s camp. Several others could break through.
Last year, however, none of the young Buckeye receivers did, whether because of injury or a simple inability to seize the opportunity. They are determined to make this season different.
“We’ve got the potential to probably be the best wide receivers that’s ever come through Ohio State,” Brown said. “We have a lot of speed and a lot of guys who can do different things but experience is a challenge for us.
“I feel once we get a game under our belt, we’ll be all right. We’ll surprise a lot of people.”
NCAABKB: Louisville AD: School is waiting on NCAA investigation.
Associated Press
(Photo/nbcsports.com/Associated Press)
Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich says his department has to “just wait” while the NCAA investigates an escort’s book allegations that former Cardinals men’s basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties with players and recruits.
In a radio interview Wednesday with Louisville station WKRD 790-AM, Jurich said he doesn’t know any more about the NCAA’s investigation of Katina Powell’s allegations in “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.” Several investigations are ongoing, but the school last winter self-imposed sanctions including a postseason ban after its investigation determined that a violation occurred.
Jurich says whatever the NCAA decides and when, “We’re going to deal with it up front like we always have. We’ll take our punishment, we’ll move on and we’ll get better from it.”
Horse Racing: Songbird is a perfect 10 after romp at Saratoga.
By Tom Pedulla
For the first start since he climbed aboard Songbird 10 races ago, jockey Mike Smith was worried as the 136th Alabama Stakes unfolded on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
His 3-year-old filly possesses such high cruising speed that she is accustomed to taking the early lead. But Luis Saez had gunned Go Maggie Go from the starting gate, intent on making Songbird chase him in a bold attempt to take her out of her game.
Smith knew Go Maggie Go was carving out fast fractions. He fretted they might be too swift as he kept his eager mount on hold in her first test at a mile and a quarter. Would she withstand such heavy pressure and have something left for what loomed as a demanding stretch run?
No worries. Songbird made the lead entering the final turn and separated herself from the rest of the seven-horse field with every efficient stride, finishing with a seven-length margin. Remarkably, her 10 victories have come by a combined 54 ¾ lengths.
“She’s got the ‘it’ factor,” Smith said. “Not only can she run, she is extremely intelligent, her mechanics are incredible and her balance is impeccable. You feel like you are lying on a big king-sized bed. That’s how smooth she is.”
Songbird’s last two victories have come at Saratoga, and each presented a different challenge. In the 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24, Carina Mia ranged up beside her and threatened to go by at the top of the stretch. Front-running Songbird would have none of it, shaking off the challenge when roused by Smith and drawing off by 5 ¼ lengths.
In the Alabama, Go Maggie Go ultimately embarked on a suicide mission, blazing through the opening quarter of a mile in 23.76 seconds and a half-mile in 47.77 seconds. She was still pouring it on as the first three-quarters of a mile went in 1:11.13.
It may be some time before another filly tries that. Go Maggie Go wilted to sixth while Going for Broke closed to be a non-threatening second, a length and three-quarters ahead of Family Tree.
“They can come at her early, come at her late and, so far, she has shown she can put them all away,” Smith said.
Songbird completed the classic distance in 2:03. She was sent off as an overwhelming favorite by the crowd of 40,329, many of them holding posters of the unbeaten filly distributed at the gate. She returned $2.40 to win, $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering.
Owner Rick Porter was not present to watch the latest display of dominance by the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro. He was hospitalized with an undisclosed ailment.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Porter, who is from Pennsylvania, asked him to prepare Songbird for the Cotillion Stakes on Sept. 24 at Parx Racing, just outside of Philadelphia. It will be interesting to see who challenges the filly that is a perfect 10.
OLYMPICS: Medals Count (08/21/2016).
| Rank | NOC | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States (USA) | 46 | 37 | 38 | 121 |
| 2 |  Great Britain (GBR) | 27 | 23 | 17 | 67 |
| 3 |  China (CHN) | 26 | 18 | 26 | 70 |
| 4 |  Russia (RUS) | 19 | 18 | 19 | 56 |
| 5 |  Germany (GER) | 17 | 10 | 15 | 42 |
| 6 |  Japan (JPN) | 12 | 8 | 21 | 41 |
| 7 |  France (FRA) | 10 | 18 | 14 | 42 |
| 8 |  South Korea (KOR) | 9 | 3 | 9 | 21 |
| 9 |  Italy (ITA) | 8 | 12 | 8 | 28 |
| 10 |  Australia (AUS) | 8 | 11 | 10 | 29 |
| 11 |  Netherlands (NED) | 8 | 7 | 4 | 19 |
| 12 |  Hungary (HUN) | 8 | 3 | 4 | 15 |
| 13 |  Brazil (BRA)* | 7 | 6 | 6 | 19 |
| 14 |  Spain (ESP) | 7 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
| 15 |  Kenya (KEN) | 6 | 6 | 1 | 13 |
| 16 |  Jamaica (JAM) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 17 |  Croatia (CRO) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 18 |  Cuba (CUB) | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 19 |  New Zealand (NZL) | 4 | 9 | 5 | 18 |
| 20 |  Canada (CAN) | 4 | 3 | 15 | 22 |
| 21 |  Uzbekistan (UZB) | 4 | 2 | 7 | 13 |
| 22 |  Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 3 | 5 | 9 | 17 |
| 23 |  Colombia (COL) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 24 |  Switzerland (SUI) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 25 |  Iran (IRI) | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 26 |  Greece (GRE) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 27 |  Argentina (ARG) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 28 |  Denmark (DEN) | 2 | 6 | 7 | 15 |
| 29 |  Sweden (SWE) | 2 | 6 | 3 | 11 |
| 30 |  South Africa (RSA) | 2 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| 31 |  Ukraine (UKR) | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| 32 |  Serbia (SRB) | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 33 |  Poland (POL) | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11 |
| 34 |  North Korea (PRK) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 35 |  Belgium (BEL) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
 Thailand (THA) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |
| 37 |  Slovakia (SVK) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 38 |  Georgia (GEO) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 39 |  Azerbaijan (AZE) | 1 | 7 | 10 | 18 |
| 40 |  Belarus (BLR) | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 41 |  Turkey (TUR) | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 42 |  Armenia (ARM) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 43 |  Czech Republic (CZE) | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 |
| 44 |  Ethiopia (ETH) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 45 |  Slovenia (SLO) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 46 |  Indonesia (INA) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 47 |  Romania (ROU) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 48 |  Bahrain (BRN) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 Vietnam (VIE) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 50 |  Chinese Taipei (TPE) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 51 |  Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
 Ivory Coast (CIV) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
 Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 54 |  Fiji (FIJ) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Jordan (JOR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Kosovo (KOS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Puerto Rico (PUR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Singapore (SIN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Tajikistan (TJK) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 60 |  Malaysia (MAS) | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 61 |  Mexico (MEX) | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 62 |  Algeria (ALG) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
 Ireland (IRL) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 64 |  Lithuania (LTU) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 65 |  Bulgaria (BUL) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Venezuela (VEN) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 67 |  India (IND) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Mongolia (MGL) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 69 |  Burundi (BDI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Grenada (GRN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Niger (NIG) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Philippines (PHI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Qatar (QAT) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 74 |  Norway (NOR) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 75 |  Egypt (EGY) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
 Tunisia (TUN) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| 77 |  Israel (ISR) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 78 |  Austria (AUT) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Dominican Republic (DOM) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Estonia (EST) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Finland (FIN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Morocco (MAR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Moldova (MDA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Nigeria (NGR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Portugal (POR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total (87 NOCs) | 307 | 307 | 361 | 975 | |
Rupp gets bronze, but silver medalist gets all the attention in marathon.
By Lisa Dillman
The beginning of Galen Rupp’s Olympic marathon career — opening with a bronze-medal performance — collided with the conclusion of Meb Keflezighi’s on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Rupp, competing in just his second marathon, took third behind Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya and Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia. Rupp ran a personal-best 2 hours 10 minutes 5 seconds, finishing 1 minute 21 seconds behind Kipchoge and 11 seconds back of Lilesa.
American Jared Ward was sixth in 2:11.30, a personal best, and Keflezighi, who said he had to stop seven times along the way due to discomfort, placed 33rd in 2:16.46.
It was how Keflezighi finished that will be remembered. The 41-year-old slipped in a puddle near the finish line. Rather than immediately getting up, he did three pushups and then crossed the line at Sambodromo.
Sunday was Rupp’s second event at these Games. He finished fifth in the 10,000-meter final.
“I feel like I let people down when I didn’t run well there,” Rupp said. “That was the hardest thing, I think. At some point you have to get over it. You can’t dwell on things.”
His coach, Alberto Salazar, told him he needed to turn the page. Salazar knew it would be a gamble to go for both events and even Rupp questioned the decision.
“Getting a bronze bailed me out,” Salazar said.
Said Rupp: “Alberto told me if you’re with Kipchoge, you’ll get a medal regardless. I really was just trying to sit back and relax and cover every move. I knew it was going to be hot out, deceptively so because it was raining beforehand. I knew the heat was going to take its toll. I kept telling myself, ‘Drink, drink, drink.’ Even still, I was definitely locking up the last couple of miles.”
For Keflezighi, there was a sense of pride in finishing after all his issues during the race, starting about halfway through.
“It’s tough because you run around the world four times in terms of mileage and this is the first victory lap. It was somebody [from] Tanzania … [who said,] ‘My country did not send me here to not finish,’” he said referencing John Stephen Akhwari’s words from the 1968 Olympics.
If there was humor in his pushups at the finish, there was drama when Lilesa crossed his wrists above his head as he approached the finish line. Lilesa explained the gesture was to express solidarity with the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group. He said he stood with protestors, and that the government was “killing our people.”
Later, it was mentioned that the International Olympic Committee discourages political protests.
Said Lilesa: “They can’t do anything. It’s my feeling.”
Henok Gabisa, an Ethiopian lawyer, echoed Lilesa’s thoughts about the danger in returning home. Gabisa said he is also concerned about the marathoner’s wife and two children in Ethiopia.
“Given that he is from Oromo, the most targeted and marginalized group of people in Ethiopia in economic and political realm, he is likely to be taken by government security force at the Addis Ababa airport upon arrival,” Gabisa, a visiting academic fellow at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., said in an email to The Times.
“The fact that [he] showed solidarity with his people in the ongoing Oromo Protest, where according to New York-based human Rights Watch, over 500 Oromo people were killed over nine months for protesting against land policy of the Ethiopian government, his life could be in danger.”
OLYMPICS: USA men's basketball claims gold with dominating win over Serbia.
By Jay Busbee
The members of the USA men's basketball team celebrate with their gold medals (AFP Photo/Emmanuel Dunand)
The men’s basketball gold medal game closed out the Rio Olympic Games with all the star power of an Avengers movie … and all the drama of the Avengers hanging out in a food court.
The men’s basketball gold medal game closed out the Rio Olympic Games with all the star power of an Avengers movie … and all the drama of the Avengers hanging out in a food court.
The United States dominated Serbia from every conceivable angle, winning 96-66 with a shutdown-defense, waterfall-offense performance that hearkened all the way back to the 1992 Dream Team. All the ragged play, all the narrow victories, all the not-yet-flirting-with-disaster-but-close games over the course of the Olympics that had led up to this moment: all forgotten in a flurry of breakaways, dunks, and Kevin Durant brilliance.
Earlier in the tournament, Serbia lost to the United States by just three points after a substantial late run. Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski appeared determined not to let Serbia even have a glimmer of hope, and Team USA began its inevitable pythonesque squeeze about halfway through the first quarter.
By halftime, the United States was up 52-29 thanks to a 40-15 run and a both-ends domination reminiscent of a kid playing his dad in NBA Live. Team USA spent the first half notching 17 fast break points (against 2 for Serbia) and 13 points off turnovers, along with a plus-15 rebound total.
That was about the point statistics stopped mattering. The medals don’t get any more golden if you win by 50 rather than 5. Krzyzewski cleared the bench, giving everyone right down to little-used Harrison Barnes some playing time, and allowed Carmelo Anthony to return to the game to set an Olympic record for rebounds.
Durant’s transformation from pool play to medal play was emblematic of the USA as a whole. Against Serbia in pool play, Durant had scored just 12 points on two-of-four shooting from the field. This time around, he drained 30 points, including an eight-point solo second-quarter stretch that keyed the decisive American run.
Krzyzewski, who has won three gold medals leading the American team, now hands the reins of Team USA over to San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich, another coaching legend. All doubts about the strength of Team USA are now swept away.
By CSN Staff
First-time Olympian Elena Delle Donne got her first taste of gold as the United States women's basketball team won gold for the sixth straight Olympics.
The Americans defeated Spain, 101-72, in the gold-medal game Saturday in Rio, claiming gold for the eighth time in 11 Olympic women's basketball tournaments. The U.S. went undefeated in the tournament, averaging a stunning 102.1 points in eight victories.
Saturday, Diana Taurasi and Lindsay Whalen each dropped a team-high 17 points, Taurasi hitting five 3-pointers. Maya Moore had 14 points, and Breanna Stewart scored 11 points.
Delle Donne, the Chicago Sky star and reigning WNBA MVP, scored 10 points in 16 minutes.
Delle Donne was one of three players on the team — along with Brittney Griner and Stewart — playing in her first Olympics. The other nine players on the roster were at least all members of the 2012 gold medal-winning team in London.
Three players — Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Taurasi — matched American Olympic records by winning four gold medals and four consecutive gold medals. They are three of five American players to win four medals in women's basketball and three of seven female players overall. Only Teresa Edwards has more medals in women's basketball with five (four golds, one bronze). Only two men's basketball players have won four Olympic medals. Carmelo Anthony will become the third (and first American) regardless of the result of Sunday's men's gold-medal game between the U.S. and Serbia.
The Americans have won the gold medal in every women's Olympic tournament but one since 1984.
U.S. boxer Claressa Shields makes history, wins second Olympic gold.
By Tanner Walters
U.S. boxer Claressa Shields makes history, wins second Olympic gold medal. Claressa Shield celebrates with her two gold medals from London and Rio. (Photo/AFP)
If Claressa Shields was anything coming into the 2016 Olympics, it was confident.
“I definitely feel like I’m the best fighter here, male or female,” the 21-year-old American boxer said midway through the Rio Games.
If Claressa Shields was anything coming into the 2016 Olympics, it was confident.
“I definitely feel like I’m the best fighter here, male or female,” the 21-year-old American boxer said midway through the Rio Games.
Shields delivered in the gold medal match Sunday, taking down middleweight Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands to repeat as Olympic champion. Once again, it was a completely dominant performance from the No. 1 overall seed – a third straight unanimous decision. She already had defeated Fontijn this year, in the world championship finals three months ago.
On Sunday, as she sang the national anthem atop the medal podium, she sported both her Rio gold and her London gold from four years ago.
Shields has gone undefeated over the past four years and ramped up her training to include matches against some of the U.S. men to prepare for Rio. It paid dividends over the course of the tournament, as her confidence and skill was on full display.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, August 22, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1950 - Althea Gibson became the first black tennis player to be accepted into a national competition.
1951 - 75,052 people watched the Harlem Globetrotters perform. It was the largest crowd to see a basketball game.
1972 - Due to its racial policies, Rhodesia was asked to withdraw from the 20th Olympic Summer Games.
1989 - Nolan Ryan became the first major league pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters.
2001 - Brett Hull signed a 2 year deal for $9 million with the Detroit Redwings.
2003 - Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals) went 0-5 to end a 30-game hitting streak.
1951 - 75,052 people watched the Harlem Globetrotters perform. It was the largest crowd to see a basketball game.
1972 - Due to its racial policies, Rhodesia was asked to withdraw from the 20th Olympic Summer Games.
1989 - Nolan Ryan became the first major league pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters.
2001 - Brett Hull signed a 2 year deal for $9 million with the Detroit Redwings.
2003 - Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals) went 0-5 to end a 30-game hitting streak.
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