CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 09/16/2016.

Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica

"America's Finest Sports Fan Travel Club, May We Plan An Event Or Sports travel For You?"

We offer: Select opportunities, For your convenience, At "Very Rare but Super Fair" pricing

Because it's all about you!!!

"Sports Quote of the Day"

"I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together." ~ Queen Elizabeth ll, Queen of the United Kingdom

Trending: Game Preview: Bears-Eagles Week 2. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).

Trending: Cubs clinch NL Central title in near-record time. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

Trending: Blackhawks, Penguins open as co-favorites to win 2017 Stanley Cup. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).

Trending: What's wrong with Northwestern? Long list of answers to that question. (See the college football section for Northwestern updates and NCAA football news).

Trending: Understanding HB2: North Carolina’s newest law solidifies state’s role in defining discrimination. What's Your Take? (Please read the last article on this blog and go to the comment section at the bottom and share your thoughts and position with us. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration).

Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".   

   

                                             Cubs 2016 Record: 93-53, Clinched 09/15/2016
  
                                             White Sox 2016 Record: 71-75

                 (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).  

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Game Preview: Bears-Eagles Week 2.

By Sam Householder

The Bears have an extra day to stew on their week one loss to the Texans but now return to Chicago for their home opener.

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming to town, fresh off of a 29-10 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The Bears definitely don’t want to start 0-2 on a shortened week so let’s break down the Eagles.

Philadelphia Eagles

Record: 1-0, tied for first in the NFC East

Bears all-time record vs.: 29-10-1

Last match up: 54-11 drubbing by the Eagles in week 16 of the 2013 season. The first sign the wheels were coming off the Trestman bus.

Historical match ups: The Bears have won four of the last six games against the Eagles going back to 2007. The teams have met three times in the playoffs, a 27-17 Eagles win in 1979, a 33-19 Eagles win in the final game in old Soldier Field following the miracle 2001 season and of course, the Fog Bowl, a 20-12 Bears win on New Years Eve in 1988.

Key injuries: CB Leodis McKelvin left last week’s game with a hamstring injury and is doubtful for Monday night. Zach Ertz injured his shoulder and is also doubtful to play.

Offense: The Eagles have a lot of new faces on their team with first-year coach Doug Pederson coming over from the Andy Reid coaching tree (think Philly regrets jettisoning him?) and brings with him rookie quarterback and second overall pick Carson Wentz. Last week the Eagles put up 403 total yards of offense, good enough to rank seventh in the league after one week of games. The 29 points they put up have them ranked eighth. Jordan Matthews led the Eagles in receiving with seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown while second-year wideout Nelson Agholor added four receptions, 57 yards and a TD of his own. Tight end Zach Ertz added six catches and 58 yards of his own to round out the bulk of their passing attack.

On the ground, Ryan Mathews had 22 carries for 77 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and a TD while Kenjon Barner and Darren Sproles added a combined nine carries and 54 yards for a total of 131 yards (4.1 YPC). Pederson’s attack was balanced (37 pass/32 run). Wentz had two rush attempts in the box score but I do not know if they were designed QB runs so those are left out of the run count. Wentz was sacked only twice by the Browns.

Defense: On account of allowing only 10 points to the Browns, the Eagles come to Chicago boasting the third-ranked defense in points allowed and fifth-ranked in yards allowed. Philly notched three sacks of Robert Griffin III last week, one each by Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox. Vinny Curry is also lurking but did not appear in the box score last week. Safeties Malcom Jenkins and Rodney McLeod anchor the secondary behind CBs Leodis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll. With McKelvn shelved, Ron Brooks will likely be the next man up for the Eagles’ secondary. Rookie Jalen Mills will also see some action. McLeod picked off RGIII in week one.

Key match ups: This is once again a dangerous defensive line. While not necessarily the Texans as far as pure speed and firepower, Barwin, Graham, Curry and Cox combined for 26.5 sacks last season and had a nice start last week. The defensive coordinator is Jim Schwartz, no stranger to Bears fans from his time as the Lions head coach whose teams had a tendency to play a little dirty. Schwartz is an adept coordinator who uses a variety of fronts to bring pressure and get after QBs. He is known to deploy a “Wide 9” front often but that is about as ubiquitous with his defense as the Cover 2 was in Chicago under Lovie Smith. It’s there, but not all the time.

Schwartz didn’t choose to blitz Robert Griffin III very often, according to ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, bringing extra rushers only five times. That could change against Chicago for a number of reasons, starting with the fact that the Bears’ OL didn’t fare so well a week ago and has a still-learning interior. However, the Eagles’ line has no trouble getting after QBs without the extra helps.

It’s going to be about the Bears getting their WRs in favorable match ups. Without McKelvin, the Eagles will have a back-up CB on the outside but Alshon Jeffery will likely see a lot of Nolan Carroll. Kevin White will get a chance to line up against a back up CB and Eddie Royal should have a good shot working against rookie Jalen Mills.

On defense the Bears are going to want to bring pressure. Carson Wentz played well against last week (more on that in a minute) but the Bears struggled to get pressure last week and it’s the best way to test a rookie QB. Ertz being injured helps the Bears, as one of Wentz’s favorite targets is shelved but Agholor and Matthews are both dangerous receivers. Look for Vic Fangio to try and bring pressure up the middle to force Wentz outside. Fangio is going to want to throw a variety of looks and fronts at the rookie and see how the rookie handles it. Expect a lot of blitz looks that turn into drops and delayed blitzes, etc. Fangio is no slouch in game planning.

What to watch for: The Bears need to get off to a strong start at home, having had very bad home slates for the last two seasons. The Bears are going to stick to their plan every week; run the ball, work in play action and some downfield plays. They are going to look to win time of possession.

On defense they are going to want to try to get after Wentz and force him into mistakes. He looked the part last week, but was playing against a bad Cleveland team. The Eagles have some good weapons in the passing game, while their rushing game is hardly imposing. Ideally the Bears would shut down Ryan Mathews and force the Eagles to throw and get away from their balanced approach.

The Bears got off to a nice start last week before fading, they will need to play all 60 minutes this week and keep their foot down. The offense looked bad last week, particularly along the line and things might not get easier this week but there will be chances to attack the secondary of the Eagles.

Key stats: According to ESPN Stats and Information, Wentz was 8-for-8 against the blitz last week. For the Bears, Jay Cutler’s record against Jim Schwartz defenses is 7-4 with 17 TDs and only 7 INTs.

Prove it: Bears need Jay Cutler to take next step vs. Eagles.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

There were plenty of questions following the Bears' season-opening loss to the Houston Texans.

Can Kevin White play? And can he play with Jay Cutler?

Can Cody Whitehair be an NFL center and do silent counts with Josh Sitton?

Why didn’t John Fox challenge one Houston third-down conversion?

After matching its second-worst conversion-allowed rate (60 percent) from last year, can the defense get off the field on third downs?

But the performance that will bear most heavily on the Bears’ 2016 season — and beyond — lay with the player who threw the ball that White failed to get in the way of, the one who didn’t get Whitehair’s snap on the failed first-quarter quarterback sneak: Cutler.

Consider that White, Whitehair, Sitton — even Fox — aren’t going anywhere after this season. The Bears don’t want to be moving on from Cutler, either, but that’s kind of up to Cutler.

And teammates don’t want to see Cutler going anywhere but down the field. He was elected one of the co-captains on offense, and his stock in the locker room is solid, even given his turnover history.

“I’d rather have a gunslinger who’s going to try to make a play, rather than a guy who’s just going to stand back there, pat the ball and take sacks,” linebacker Jerrell Freeman told CSNChicago.com. “I like a guy who’s willing to try to make plays.”

So do the Bears. But more even than 2015, the 2016 season is Cutler’s prove-it year.

This is the last season in which the Bears have any guaranteed money tied up in Cutler. With the Bears debating a roster decision last March that committed $10 million this year, chairman George McCaskey said last year that money would not dictate decisions. But interestingly perhaps, Cutler’s money situation now could swing from burden to bargain.

The Bears looked at options in the 2015 offseason and draft, if not actively shopping Cutler, but their ideal situation would be for his level of play to take another tick upward, given that the Bears have him under contract at a very favorable $15 million for 2017 and $16 million for 2018.

Adam Gase was a driving force behind staying the Cutler course last year after he made exhaustive inquiries with numerous previous Cutler coaches. Gase came to understand from those phone calls that Cutler’s issues were never his talents but rather his decision-making, which Gase and then-quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains hammered in on.

Gase is now the head coach in Miami, and the next-stage handling of Cutler falls to Loggains and current quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone. Early indications are that the lessons of 2015 were not false-positives. Cutler followed his interception-free preseason with the one interception at Houston, which he took responsibility for but was not his mistake. He threw the one White-induced pick, getting sacked five times (13 total hits). Once upon a time (in a 2009 game at San Francisco), Cutler threw five interceptions and wasn't sacked at all, hit a total of three times.

Cutler’s first half vs. Houston was exemplary: 10-of-13 passing for 156 yards, a touchdowns and a 141.8 passer rating. The offense had at least one first down on four of its five possessions.

The second half? Not so good: 6-of-16 passing, zero touchdowns, the one interception and a 22.9 rating, with either a sack of Cutler or an offensive penalty on five of the Bears’ six possessions.

Some of the hits on Cutler came when he held the ball, which happens when quarterbacks don’t completely trust their receivers, or got happy feet, which happens when quarterbacks don’t trust their protection. Not to absolve Cutler of all responsibility, but this was a situation where it is unlikely that even channeling his inner Tom Brady, Cutler could have taken the team on his back and carried it to victory.

That said, those times will come, even as early as next Monday night at Soldier Field. Cutler, who once appeared to struggle more in night games, is now a career 10-5 on Mondays. With his team in extreme need of a win to right the season, this is Cutler’s chance to begin proving it.

Jay Hilgenberg and Olin Kreutz nominated for the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.

  

        Jay Hilgenberg (Photo/SBNation.com)          

 
  Olin Kreutz (Photo/SBNation.com)

When ever I try to decide of a player deserves to be in the Hall Of Fame, in any sport, I always ask my self if he was one of the best at his position when he played. As a time-frame ballpark, I usually check to see if he was one of the best for a decade. Sure there are instances where a truly great player can’t stay on top for 10 years, but for the most part, I think longevity matters when talking greatness.

With that being said, I’m befuddled as to how former Chicago Bears center Jay Hilgenberg isn’t already in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

He played from 1981 to 1993 for three teams after being an undrafted free agent for the Bears out of Iowa. He was in Chicago for 11 years, then with the Browns in 1992 and the Saints in 1993.

He played in 188 games in his career, with 152 starts. He was elected to the Pro Bowl seven straight years, named First Team All Pro twice, and considering his numerous honors coupled with his longevity, I see no reason why he’ snot already in the Hall.

This isn’t the first time Hilgenberg has been nominated, which only means the voters have had multiple times to get it wrong.

Jay Hilgenberg deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

Olin Kreutz had just about as good a career as did Hilgenberg. After being a 3rd round pick of the Bears in the 1998 NFL Draft, Kreutz played 13 years with the Bears before finishing up with the Saints in 2011. He played in 191 games for the Bears, starting 183, then he had 4 more starts in New Orleans before deciding to retire.

Kreutz made six straight Pro Bowls, with 1 First Team All Pro nod, but he was clearly one of the best centers of his time. He’s a first time nominee, and I get the game voters like to play, making guys wait before getting into the Hall, with many left to the veterans committee for consideration. But I think Olin should be in the Hall as well.

Hilgenberg and Kreutz aren’t the only “Bears” to make the nomination list for the Hall, current Chicago coach Kevin Mawae is also up for the 2017 class.

Mawae played from 1994 to 2009 with three different teams (the Seahawks, the Jets and the Titans), making the Pro Bowl seven times, with three First Team All Pros.

He and Kreutz were the two best centers of their time, and I think both should end up in Canton.

Ninety-four players and coaches are among the list of Modern-Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2017. This list will be chopped down to 25 in November, then down to 15 in January. Those 15 finalists will be joined by senior finalist Kenny Easley and contributor finalists Jerry Jones and Paul Tagliabue.

The Selection Committee will meet the night before the Super Bowl, February 4, 2017, and elect 4-8 new members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bears sign defensive lineman Jimmy Staten to practice squad.

By Scott Krinch

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Bears announced on Wednesday they have signed defensive lineman Jimmy Staten to the practice squad.

Staten, 25, was originally selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Middle Tennessee.

Staten has spent parts of three NFL seasons with the Seahawks (2014-15), New England Patriots (2015), New York Giants (2015) and Kansas City Chiefs (2015-16). Staten has yet to appear in an NFL game.

The Bears' 10-man practice squad is now full.

Bears sign Raheem Mostert to practice squad.

By #BEARSTALK

 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Bears made a series of moves to shuffle up their practice squad on Tuesday.

The Bears signed running back Raheem Mostert and terminated the contracts of offensive lineman Laurence Gibson and running back Senorise Perry.

Mostert, 24, entered the NFL as undrafted free agent out of Purdue in 2015. He appeared in 11 games for the Cleveland Browns (2015), Baltimore Ravens (2015) and Miami Dolphins (2015), returning 19 kickoffs for 530 yards (27.9 average). Mostert spent the 2016 preseason with the Browns before he was waived and signed to the New York Jets practice squad ahead of Week 1.

The 25-year-old Gibson originally signed to the Bears' practice squad on Sept. 7. Gibson has yet to appear in an NFL game after being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Perry, 24, was waived by the Bears following the 2016 preseason and later signed to the practice squad. Perry appeared in all 16 games with the Bears during the 2014 season, and notched 17 special teams tackles and 2 forced fumbles.

The Bears' 10-man practice squad now has one open spot.

Note: The last spot on the practice squad was filled on Wednesday per the article above.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks, Penguins open as co-favorites to win 2017 Stanley Cup.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The World Cup of Hockey is officially set to begin Saturday, but training camp for the upcoming NHL season is right around the corner which means it's time to get an early look at each team's championship odds.

The Blackhawks and Penguins, winners of the past two Stanley Cups, have opened as co-favorites to win it all in 2017 with 9/1 odds, according to Bovada.

While the Blackhawks lost a few key pieces over the offseason, such as Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen, a shored up defense with Brian Campbell and overseas addition Michal Kempny has propelled them back to the top as the favorite to come out of the Western Conference.

The Penguins will enter the season with virtually the same roster that won the Stanley Cup in June and will look to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98 to repeat as champions.

Check out the full list below:

Chicago Blackhawks: 9/1

Pittsburgh Penguins: 9/1

Tampa Bay Lightning: 10/1

Washington Capitals: 10/1

Dallas Stars: 12/1

St. Louis Blues: 14/1

San Jose Sharks: 14/1

Anaheim Ducks: 16/1

Florida Panthers: 16/1

Los Angeles Kings: 16/1

Nashville Predators: 16/1

Boston Bruins: 25/1

Detroit Red Wings: 25/1

Minnesota Wild: 25/1

Montreal Canadiens: 25/1

New York Islanders: 25/1

New York Rangers: 25/1

Edmonton Oilers: 33/1

Philadelphia Flyers: 33/1

Buffalo Sabres: 50/1

Calgary Flames: 50/1

Colorado Avalanche: 50/1

New Jersey Devils: 50/1

Ottawa Senators: 50/1

Toronto Maple Leafs: 50/1

Winnipeg Jets: 50/1

Arizona Coyotes: 66/1

Carolina Hurricanes: 66/1

Columbus Blue Jackets: 66/1

Vancouver Canucks: 66/1

CUBS: Cubs clinch NL Central title in near-record time.

Big League Stew

The Chicago Cubs are just counting down the days until October. (Photo/AP)

Win or lose, there will be a celebration at Wrigley Field on Friday. And the Chicago Cubs are hoping it will just be the first of many celebrations this season.

Despite losing to the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Thursday night, the Cubs clinched the National League Central title as the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the San Francisco Giants 6-2.

The Cubs are the first team to secure their postseason spot this year and it’s the first time they’ve topped the division since 2008 after making the playoffs last year as one of the wild card teams and ultimately reaching the NLCS.

Oozing with young talent and bolstered by the addition of some key veterans in the offseason, it was no big shock that Chicago was the preseason World Series favorite.

It didn’t take long to see why, either. The Cubs roared out of the gate, going 17-5 in April, and kept up a terrific pace through the first half, but a less-than-stellar July really hurt their chances of challenging the 2001 Seattle Mariners’ record of 116 regular-seasons wins.

The Cubs will come short of that, though they should still break the 100-win mark, and they’ve also got this to say for their dominance this season: only four teams have clinched in fewer games during the division era, according to ESPN.com.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo power the offense. Addison Russell and Dexter Fowler are difference-makers at the plate and in the field. Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks have been terrific in the rotation while John Lackey, Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward have fit right in after signing as free agents. Aroldis Chapman was brought in from the Yankees before the non-waiver traded deadline to fortify the back-end of their bullpen.

They’ve got over two weeks now to ensure all their players get as much rest as they need and they’ll have no problem setting up their pitching. The Cubs head into October as the team to beat and are in a great position to win the franchise’s first World Series since 1908.

Full speed ahead: Joe Maddon doesn't worry about post-clinch hangover for Cubs.  

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Cubs held over-the-top celebrations after beating last-place teams in April, so you can imagine the champagne-and-beer-fueled blowout at Wrigley Field once they wrap up the National League Central title.

The Cubs also shrug off losses to playoff contenders, not searching for big-picture meaning or dwelling on what could have been, all part of Joe Maddon’s 30-minute rule for flushing each game.

A naturally optimistic manager — who already tries to keep every player on the roster involved and looks for breaks in a brutal schedule — won’t stress about a post-clinch hangover or worry about the best team in baseball losing its edge.

Just look at how the Cubs responded to Wednesday’s 12:46 p.m. first pitch and 84-degree heat at the end of a 10-day road trip — with a 7-0 thumping of a St. Louis Cardinals team desperate to gain traction in the wild-card race. This win at Busch Stadium dropped the magic number to one, clinching at least a first-place tie in the division.

“I really believe it’s in the approach,” Maddon said. “You could have all these different plans mapped out, whatever, but it’s up to the individual guys.

“A lot of it’s conversational. Observationally, you got to watch what they’re doing and then talk to them: ‘How are you feeling?’ And then you look and see: Well, maybe, it’s not matching up. I’m not seeing what they’re talking about. Maybe they need more work, less work. They’re saying they’re fine. But, no, they look fatigued, tired. Get them off their feet.

“I don’t know the solid answer to that. What I do know is that once we do get to the point where we have clinched, we will settle into a routine that I would want to believe is going to keep them sharp and rested at the same time.

“What does it look like? What does it feel like? And then try to either put the gas pedal down or hit the brakes a little bit.”

The Cardinals, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants won’t have that luxury, engaged in what appears to be a three-team battle for two wild-card spots. FanGraphs ran the playoff probabilities heading into Wednesday’s games and created this forecast: St. Louis at 52.9 percent; New York at 74.2 percent; and San Francisco at 64.7 percent with a remote chance to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

The Cardinals will begin a four-game showdown on Thursday night in San Francisco, the start of what could be a season-defining three-city road trip that ends at Wrigley Field next weekend.

Whoever emerges and survives the wild-card game will either be physically and emotionally drained — or already acclimated to the pressure and intensity, locked into a playoff mindset that will pay dividends in October.

“There’s something to be said for the competitive component that they’re going for it,” Maddon said. “But then there’s also fatigue. I’ve been on both sides, man. Coming from behind, coming from behind, eventually you get there and it’s wonderful. But it’s hard to sustain that for a long period of time.

“By fighting to get there, you always think there’s some kind of an edge to be gained there. But if you really have to push guys too hard, it can catch up to you also. Classic Catch-22 situation.”

Highlights from 2017 Cubs schedule: Opening Day in St. Louis, Fenway Park trip, Yankees at Wrigley Field.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Cubs will either be defending a World Series title – or recovering from an epic October disappointment – when they open the 2017 season on April 3 at Busch Stadium against the rival St. Louis Cardinals.

One week later, the Cubs will face another National League power in their home opener at Wrigley Field, where it could be a rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers after this year’s playoffs.

The franchise’s 142nd season will feature matchups against the American League East, including a third trip to Fenway Park since the 2011 season. April 28-30 will become a homecoming for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and the other Cubs employees who won World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox.

The New York Yankees will come to Wrigley Field for another marquee series (May 5-7) that will attract huge weekend crowds and the national TV networks.

Manager Joe Maddon will also face the small-market team he once helped transform into a perennial contender, with the Cubs hosting the Rays (July 4-5) and traveling to Tampa Bay (Sept. 19-20).

The AL East tour will also include a trip to Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, where the Cubs will restart after the All-Star break (July 14-16). The Toronto Blue Jays, another team with postseason ambitions, will get a trip to Wrigleyville (Aug. 18-20).

The crosstown rivalry will again be packed into four consecutive games against the White Sox, with two at Wrigley Field (July 24-25) and two on the South Side (July 26-27).

Here is the full 2017 schedule (home games in bold):

Apr. 3-6: at St. Louis

Apr. 7-9: at Milwaukee

Apr. 10-13: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Apr. 14-16: vs. Pittsburgh

Apr. 17-19: vs. Milwaukee

Apr. 21-23: at Cincinnati

Apr. 24-26: at Pittsburgh

Apr. 28-30: at Boston

May 1-4: vs. Philadelphia

May 5-7: vs. New York Yankees

May 8-10: at Colorado

May 12-14: at St. Louis

May 16-18: vs. Cincinnati

May 19-21: vs. Milwaukee

May 22-25: vs. San Francisco

May 26-28: at Los Angeles Dodgers

May 29-31: at San Diego

June 2-4: vs. St. Louis

June 5-7: vs. Miami

June 8-11: vs. Colorado

June 12-14: at New York Mets

June 16-18: at Pittsburgh

June 19-21: vs. San Diego

June 22-25: at Miami

June 26-29: at Washington

June 30-July 2: at Cincinnati

July 4-5: vs. Tampa Bay

July 7-9: vs. Pittsburgh

July 14-16: at Baltimore

July 17-19: at Atlanta

July 21-23: vs. St. Louis

July 24-25: vs. Chicago White Sox

July 26-27: at Chicago White Sox

July 28-30: at Milwaukee

Aug. 1-3: vs. Arizona

Aug. 4-6: vs. Washington

Aug. 7-9: at San Francisco

Aug. 11-13: at Arizona

Aug. 14-17: vs. Cincinnati

Aug. 18-20: vs. Toronto

Aug. 22-24: at Cincinnati

Aug. 25-27: at Philadelphia

Aug. 28-30: vs. Pittsburgh

Aug. 31-Sept. 3: vs. Atlanta

Sept. 4-7: at Pittsburgh

Sept. 8-10: vs. Milwaukee

Sept. 12-14: vs. New York Mets

Sept. 15-17: vs. St. Louis

Sept. 19-20: at Tampa Bay

Sept. 21-24: at Milwaukee

Sept. 25-28: at St. Louis

Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Cincinnati

WHITE SOX: White Sox, James Shields 'all hoping' for strong finish to 2016.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

James Shields featured his best curveball of the season on Thursday afternoon and it seemed to have the Cleveland Indians off balance.

Shields struck out eight over six innings of one-run ball and the White Sox beat the Indians 2-1 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Shields’ third quality start in his last four turns gives the White Sox hope he can rebound from a difficult season. Acquired for two minor leaguers from the San Diego Padres, Shields is 3-10 with a 6.94 ERA in 19 starts for the White Sox.

“We’re all hoping for that right now,” Shields said. “It’s been a rough year, but I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity in my career. This isn’t something that’s going to get me down. Hopefully I can finish strong and do a lot with these last few starts here.”

After a quick start Thursday, Shields ran into trouble in the third inning as he loaded the bases and allowed a Jose Ramirez sac fly to fall behind 1-0. With two outs, Shields hit Mike Napoli to re-load the bases. But he managed to escape the jam without further damage and retired nine in a row into the sixth inning. Shields then put a pair of runners on base but struck out Abraham Almonte to end the inning. The eight strikeouts are the most Shields has had since the White Sox acquired him.

“There was some depth to (the curveball),” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It was sharp. He was able to use it a couple times to get out of some binds. A good job by him to get us to that point and the bullpen guys did a nice job of just continuing.

“I know it hasn't gone as well as he would want. But when you're running into the end of it you want to finish with something that's strong and you feel positive about, and that's what he's doing.”

White Sox unveil 2017 schedule.

By #WHITESOXTALKS

The White Sox revealed their 2017 regular-season schedule on Wednesday.

For the first time since 1958, the White Sox will host the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day on Monday, April 3.

The White Sox open up the season by playing 28 of their first 34 games against AL Central opponents. After a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins from April 7-9, the White Sox hit the road for a nine-game trip against the Cleveland Indians (April 11-13), Twins (April 14-16) and New York Yankees (April 17-19).

The White Sox begin interleague play with a series at Guaranteed Rate Field against the San Diego Padres (May 12-14). Other interleague series include home matchups against the Los Angeles Dodgers (July 18-19), Cubs (July 26-27) and San Francisco Giants (Sept. 8-10), and road matchups against the Arizona Diamondbacks (May 22-24), Colorado Rockies (July 7-9), Cubs (July 24-25) and Dodgers (Aug. 15-16). 

The White Sox host the Boston Red Sox for a three-game series, beginning on Memorial Day, May 29 — the third time since 2006 the White Sox will host an opponent on Memorial Day.

The White Sox have three, three-team home-stands and five, three-city trips (most since 2013) on their 2017 schedule.

The 2017 schedule is subject to change and a complete broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.

Check out the full schedule below:

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... 2016-17 Bulls player preview: Nikola Mirotic.   

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Player: Nikola Mirotic

Position: Power Forward

Experience: 3rd season

2015-16 Stats: 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds

2016-17 Outlook: Mirotic’s natural second-year development was halted by a case of acute appendicitis that was discovered right before the All-Star break, and held him out of action for five weeks.

Before the break, his play was inconsistent as he struggled to find his way in Fred Hoiberg’s system, shooting around 38 percent as he started alongside Pau Gasol as a floor-spreading shooter.

After he returned from his appendectomy and another procedure he had to undergo a week later, he showed signs as he got a clean bill of health, playing more consistently and efficiently, especially with his 3-point shooting (44.5 percent in the last 22 games).

It’s easy and convenient to say had Mirotic been healthy the entire season, he would’ve remained on the upward trajectory many expected, especially given more responsibility and a starting spot.

But considering his tendency to want to play with the ball more, which quite honestly led to him winning rookie of the month in March 2015 when the Bulls spent it without Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose, it’s likely he would’ve had an up-and-down year two—just without the variances being so wide.

He improved the catch-and-shoot efficiency (35 percent to 41 percent, shooting 47 after the All-Star break), and that’s the majority of looks he’ll likely get with Butler, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade likely dominating the ball.

He’s an adequate rebounder, although he struggles moving his feet defensively, and will have competition for minutes with Bobby Portis coming along and Taj Gibson being a constant.

But as a pure scorer, he’s the only one who can create his own shot from a variety of ways and may find himself in the starting lineup or at least as a valuable piece off the bench.

2016-17 Bulls player preview: Denzel Valentine.   

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Player: Denzel Valentine

Position: Shooting guard/Small forward

Experience: Rookie

2015-16 Stats (At Michigan State): 19.2 points, 7.8 assists, 7.5 rebounds

2016-17 Outlook: When the Bulls selected Valentine in the first round of the NBA draft, it was thought he could plug a lot of holes and earn some valuable playing time despite not having one true position.

Then with the Bulls signing Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade in addition to trading from Jerian Grant right before the draft, Valentine’s role got a little more murky, and one wonders if he’ll have a place in the rotation — almost similar to the plight of Bobby Portis last season, a victim of the numbers game.

This season will probably be a learning one as opposed to one where he gets lots of minutes due to the depth on the roster — and with the fact the Bulls are aiming to return to the playoffs, relying heavily on a rookie when their overall margin for error will be slim is unlikely.

But, Valentine is still a skill player in a skill league playing for a coach who values that more than anything. At his size, he’ll be able to spot the open man or at least, make the next pass over if he’s on the floor with Rondo or Jimmy Butler.

Defensively, he may struggle in a one-on-one setting but being a good team defender is far more important in this scheme, especially with Butler on the floor.

His passing is probably his best skill being a rookie, with the size and court vision to be more than competent, and he could even play up to four positions if the Bulls go super small.

Counting on him to be the shot-maker he was at Summer League is unrealistic, because he won’t have the responsibility or the opportunity to do that if all things are equal.

But being a floor spreader is a value he’ll have, as he can hit shots when teams lag off Butler or Wade, assuming he takes some minutes at backup point guard over Grant or Spencer Dinwiddie or Isaiah Canaan.

Golf: I got a club for that..... 2016 Ryder Cup captain's picks: Davis Love III has a Bubba Watson conundrum.

By Kyle Porter

For someone as conservative as United States Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, not choosing the No. 7 player in the world, Bubba Watson, as a captain's pick this week was basically like going shots fired starboard side across the PGA Tour.

Watson finished roughly $150,000 in earnings on the season outside of making the team automatically, but Love chose the three golfers directly behind him in the Ryder Cup standings instead.

The problem now for Love is that his options beyond Watson are not great. You could take Justin Thomas or Daniel Berger or even Jim Furyk, but it would be pretty odd to leave off a two-time Masters winner who doubles as a top 10 player in the world at the moment.

So why did Love preclude Watson in the first round of captain's picks (the last pick will be made next Sunday after the Tour Championship)?

"You hear Davis talk about chemistry and how players are going to be in a team setting, so when he leaves out someone ranked so highly it does seem like it's because the captain can't see where he fits in, with regard to pairings and stuff like that," European Ryder Cup golfer Lee Westwood told the Daily Mail.

There is certainly a case to be made when it comes to "pairings and stuff like that." Watson is not necessarily the most popular player on the PGA Tour, and he does not have the best Ryder Cup resume (3-8-0 lifetime record), but he is still the extremely heavy favorite to be Love's final pick. Why? Well he's the No. 7 player in the world for starters!

Statistically, Watson does not stand out. He's not in the top 150 in the world in putting, and he doesn't have a top-10 at a PGA Tour event since March. Still, he's in the Tour Championship and could theoretically play his way onto the team (if Bubba wins or contends at the Tour Championship, it's hard to imagine him being left home). Are you really going to take Kevin Na or Daniel Berger to fight the Europeans over a two-time Masters champ?

"What would happen if Bubba Watson won at East Lake? Is that what he has to do to get the pick?" Golf Channel analyst Frank Nobilo told Reuters.

Watson thinks he might be left home, and there's not much he can do about it.

Although he desperately wants to be at Hazeltine.

"I want to play on the Ryder Cup," said Watson at the BMW Championship last week. "My whole goal this year was the Ryder Cup and the Olympics. That's all I cared about the whole year was making those two events. I didn't care how I did it, as long as I made those events. And I got in the Olympics, so I got one more to go, I guess."

There is the matter of team chemistry, too. Love has been big on it.

"I'm going to talk to these 11 guys now that we have 11," said Love this week of his eight automatic qualifiers and three captain's picks. "We've got a game plan, a strategy, and we're going to work on that the next two weeks and announce our pick next Sunday night based on what fits best for our team. Not really who shoots the lowest scores in the last tournament.

"These [captain's picks] added a lot statistically, emotionally, leadership, for a lot of reasons. The next guy is going to have to step up and fill a role, as well. I haven't really been able to talk to these three guys a whole lot about it."

The subtext there is that Love doesn't think Watson fills the role statistically, emotionally or when it comes to leadership -- or he would have already picked him. But if nobody stands out at the final event of the season, Love's hand might be forced. Love definitely has a Bubba problem, though, and no great solution in sight.

FedEx Cup Playoffs have come a long way in 10 years.

By Rex Hoggard

(Photo/Golf Channel)

As 10-year-olds go, the FedEx Cup is surprisingly mature, particularly when you consider the relative animosity players held for the season-long race when it was launched in 2007.

Or maybe ambiguity is a better way to characterize how players viewed the FedEx Cup when it was created a decade ago.

“I was quite critical of it 10 years ago when it first came out. I think that was fair because the points weren’t right,” Adam Scott said. “It's taken a while to get it right.”

Well, time and a healthy dollop of tinkering by the PGA Tour’s mathematicians have helped move the FedEx Cup along, but it’s difficult to argue with Scott’s assessment that the postseason has come of age.

In every way, the FedEx Cup was always a work in progress going back to that first season in ’07 when Tiger Woods won the big paycheck after skipping the first postseason stop.

That wouldn’t do.

The next year, Vijay Singh won the FedEx Cup needing only to remain upright for four days at the Tour Championship thanks to a dominate playoff performance that included victories at The Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship.

That wouldn’t work, either.

In 2014, Billy Horschel won the title after starting the playoffs 69^th on the points list, which prompted a new system with less volatility beginning in 2015.

Whether the point permutations are now perfect is matter of perspective and it seems likely the tinkering will continue as long as the Tour has calculators. What’s not up for debate is how the FedEx Cup has evolved from a curiosity with largely lukewarm support from the players to a prominent seat at an increasingly crowded table.

“I think it's really achieved what it set out to do, and that's have better fields at the back end of a season,” Scott said. “That's what it set out to do and it’s done that.”

Meaningful golf with strong fields during a time of year when the Tour normally takes a backseat to football was the implied mission of the FedEx Cup, and with a few exceptions that’s what golf’s faux playoffs have accomplished.

Nothing proves that more than the participation numbers for this year’s playoffs.

Masters champion Danny Willett and Shane Lowry passed on this year’s postseason, but that was to defend a title on the European Tour (Willett at the European Masters) and make a final Ryder Cup push (Lowry); and Henrik Stenson skipped last week’s BMW Championship, but that was to nurse an injured knee.

Otherwise, the players have spoken with their feet when it comes to the FedEx Cup.
“Not many guys skip tournaments in the FedEx Cup, one or two here or there, so they're getting great fields every week and that's what we needed,” Scott said.

And the benefits of the increasingly improved postseason go well beyond four weeks in the fall. Across the schedule, players have added events with an eye toward East Lake and the season finale, where a start assures an idyllic schedule at the biggest events the following year.

Players like Kevin Kisner and Kevin Na virtually assured themselves a start at the Tour Championship thanks to a hot start last fall, and each year those post-East Lake events are seeing stronger and stronger fields.

“When we get into the fall series, guys are putting priority on those first events of the year,” David Hearn said. “Maybe in the past guys sort of eased their way into the year. If you're having a good season, you might take it easy. But with this FedEx Cup format now, I think it makes each and every week so important out here.”

The postseason is not perfect. There are some who say four playoff events are one too many, and during Ryder Cup years, like this year, the top players are compelled to make tough schedule decisions that often don’t lead to their best golf.

Nor has the FedEx Cup replaced the Jack Nicklaus Trophy for deciding the year’s top player. The FedEx Cup champion has also won the Tour’s Player of the year award just four times since 2007.

“It determines who's the best player for these four weeks. But that's what playoffs do as well in any other sport,” Scott said. “Just because you've topped the division or whatever you call it doesn't mean you're just going to be given the top spot at the end of the year. Playoffs have volatility and that's what this does.”

There is room for more changes, and if history is any indication, the Tour won’t stop tinkering with the FedEx Cup anytime soon, but just like any other 10-year-old, the players and Tour should all marvel at just how fast the postseason experiment has grown up.

NASCAR: Pondering the Chase: Five questions about the playoffs.

By NBCSports.com

(Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)

Trust us, NBC Sports’ Nate Ryan and Dustin Long get along even though they don’t always see eye-to-eye about the upcoming Chase for the Sprint Cup.

With the playoffs set to begin Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway on NBCSN, Ryan and Long tackle some of the key issues and project what they think will happen.

Here’s how they see the Chase unfolding:

Which driver are you going to watch closely in this Chase?

NATE: Jimmie Johnson. Last season, the six-time series champion entered as the top seed. This year, some are picking him to exit in the first round for the second consecutive season. Johnson hasn’t seemed comfortable in the first two years of the revamped elimination playoffs, but reaching the championship round for the first time would signify more than just a sense of acclimation. It also might quell the speculation of whether he and crew chief Chad Knaus still can build a championship-caliber team as effortlessly as it annually seemed for the No. 48 from 2006-13.

DUSTIN: Kurt Busch. He started the season strong, scoring 14 top-10 finishes in the first 16 races. In the last 10 races, though, he’s had only three top-10 finishes. So which Busch will we see in the Chase? Will it be the one who was consistent and strong early in the season, or will it be the one that has struggled lately? 

First driver confrontation among Chase competitors will be between …

NATE: Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth. If Kenseth is several laps down, the odds are nil that he will wreck another Team Penske driver from the lead. But battles for position are fair game, and Kenseth has the bitter memory of the bump by Joey Logano at Kansas Speedway last year. Keselowski antagonized Kenseth at Richmond, the latest skirmish in a long-running feud that seems primed to flare again at Chicagoland, New Hampshire or Dover – all tracks where both drivers have wins.

DUSTIN: Nobody had Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson last year at Chicagoland Speedway. Who would have guessed in 2014 that Matt Kenseth would have gone after Brad Keselowski at Charlotte? The point is friction develops between drivers running near the front or battling for the lead.

Harvick and Carl Edwards rank third and fourth respectively in laps led. They have a history (recall that shoving incident in 2008 at Charlotte). They’ve both gone to at least the third round in each of the past two Chases. Harvick made it to the championship round each time; Edwards did not. I’d watch these two because they’ll likely be around each other throughout the Chase.

Can Kevin Harvick win with his pit crew?

NATE: Yes. The Richmond race was a small sample size, yet there was marked improvement. This team has been off its game at some inopportune times this season, but Harvick has been the best driver on the circuit in more than two seasons at Stewart-Haas Racing. If crew chief Rodney Childers continues to prepare top-notch cars, Harvick can overcome any pit crew woes through sheer force of will at least once per round.

DUSTIN: Yes. Jimmie Johnson won the 2010 title after crew chief Chad Knaus changed the entire pit crew in the middle of a race. The pressure will be on Harvick’s crew, just as it has in the past. The challenge is keeping up with the Joe Gibbs Racing crews, who have been fast all season and not had many mistakes. This pit crew needs to focus on consistency. If it can do that, Harvick should have a fast enough car to stay near the front and that’s what one needs to advance in this format.

Who wins the championship?

NATE: Denny Hamlin. No other driver is more acutely aware of the many ways in which a championship can be lost. Hamlin, who has raced for a title in Miami three times since his rookie season a decade ago, is over the sting of 2010’s collapse. The lessons still remain fresh, though, and it’s been evident in his calm this season. He has been locked into the playoffs since his Daytona 500 victory, but there were many chances to panic when the No. 11 team got off to a slow start under new crew chief Mike Wheeler. Hamlin stayed steady as Wheeler found his footing, and that composure is indicative of why a battle-tested veteran finally will become a champion in his 11^th season.

DUSTIN: Kevin Harvick. Even with questions about his pit crew, this team has consistently been the only one to challenge the Toyotas all season. Harvick also has been through the battles of the Chase — from needing to win at Dover to advance last year to fighting through to win the 2014 crown. Experience can’t keep a car part from breaking but it can help a driver in tough situations. Experience will lead Harvick to the final round for the third consecutive year.

Who is your dark horse to win the title?

NATE: Kyle Larson. After getting over the hump with the victory at Michigan, he motored through Darlington (third) and Richmond (second) with renewed vigor and a swagger that was striking for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Larson relishes his team being the underdog, but it won’t be if he reaches the title round. Homestead-Miami Speedway is his favorite track for good reason, and a championship would be a real possibility if he can scrape through the first three rounds.

DUSTIN: Tony Stewart. Look, no one figured Stewart had a chance to win the 2011 title and he did. Certainly, this is a different time and the five years since have aged Stewart, but he’s wise enough and shrewd enough not to give a darn about any of that. In his final 10 races, he’ll just go race. This team will have to pick up its performance, but what a ride it could be for Stewart.

Chase Analytics: Kevin Harvick enters the playoffs as favorite.

By Eric Chemi

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Kevin Harvick starts the Chase with a 34 percent probability of being the 2016 champion. 

Just like last year, with the help of Andrew Maness from the racing analytics firm Pit Rho, we ran the numbers to show every driver’s shot of moving through each round of the Chase. As usual, the mathematical model was designed by both Maness and myself, taking into account past driver performance to predict future results. By running 100,000 simulations of how the rest of the season might play out, we can see what the most likely outcomes are.

Technically speaking, every one of the 16 drivers has a chance of winning the title. Even that 0.0 for Chris Buescher is actually 0.016 percent. That means if he ran his 10 best races, while everybody else ran less than their 10 best, he could pull off the upset.

At the top of the list, you see the usual culprits, like Harvick, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin. Remember that the Chase sets up weird incentives: You need to win or at least run consistently to move through the rounds. And making it through the rounds isn’t the same as winning the title.

Notice the difference between Kyle Busch and Jamie McMurray. They have very similar chances of advancing to the second round (Busch at 81 percent and McMurray at 78 percent). But Busch has a real solid shot at winning the title (6.8 percent) while McMurray’s is much closer to zero.

That’s because we know Busch can win races, but he also could blow up at any time. We can’t trust Busch to guarantee a second round spot, but if he does make it, then all of a sudden he could get hot and win it all. Busch only has the ninth-best chance of making it past round one, yet he has the fifth-best chance of winning the title. That's the uncertainty I’m talking about.

Martin Truex Jr. is the opposite. He has a 90 percent chance of making it past the first round, but only a five percent title chance. He’s a consistent driver in the top 10 but has trouble sealing the deal on winning races. Notice his 90 percent chance to make the second round is almost the same as Denny Hamlin’s chance, but they have significant differences in their title shots.

This year’s loss of Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. from the Chase has opened the door for fresher names to make it in, like Chip Ganassi’s Kyle Larson.

“If you had asked me in April, there’s no way that I would have predicted that both Ganassi cars would be running so well at this point in the season,” said Dr. Josh Browne, a former NASCAR race engineer and now co-founder at Pit Rho. “It’s a remarkable turnaround in such a short period of time. The model seems to capture this, and we give both cars a good chance of making it to the next round.”

Of course, you have to remember that these numbers are good for this week and this week only. As soon as the next race is completed, new performance results will change the data. As we know, 15 drivers are eventually going to see their title hopes dwindle away to zero by November.

NASCAR’s weekend schedule for Chicagoland Speedway.

By Daniel McFadin

(Photo/Getty Images)

It’s time to finally run for the championship in the Sprint Cup Series with the start of the Chase this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 is the first of 10 races that will decide the 2016 champion.

Meanwhile, both the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series will hold their regular-season finales and establish their Chase fields.

Here’s the full weekend schedule at Chicagoland Speedway.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, Sept. 16

9:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Xfinity garage open

10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Cup garage open

10:30 a.m.  – Truck garage opens

12:30 – 1:25 p.m. – Xfinity practice (NBCSN)

1:30 – 2:55 p.m. – Sprint Cup practice (No TV, NBC Sports App, Motor Racing Network)

3 – 4:25 p.m. – Final Xfinity practice (No TV, NBC Sports App)

4:30 p.m. – Truck qualifying; single car/two rounds (Fox Sports 1)

6:30 p.m. – Truck driver-crew/chief meeting

6:45 p.m. – Sprint Cup qualifying; multi-car/three rounds (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

8 p.m. – Truck driver introductions

8:30 p.m. – American Ethanol E15 225; 150 laps/225 miles (Fox Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Saturday, Sept. 17

8:30 a.m. – Xfinity garage open

8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Cup garage open

10:30 – 11:25 a.m.  – Cup practice (CNBC, MRN)

11:45 a.m. – Xfinity qualifying; multi-car/three rounds (NBCSN)

1:15 p.m. – Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting

1:30 – 2:25 p.m. Final Cup practice (NBCSN, MRN)

2:30 p.m. – Xfinity driver introductions

3 p.m. – Drive for Safety 300; 200 laps, 300 miles (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Sept. 18

8:30 a.m. – Cup garage opens

12:30 p.m. – Driver/crew chief meeting

2 p.m. – Driver introductions

2:30 p.m. – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400; 267 laps, 400.5 miles (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

SOCCER: Premier League Power Rankings: A favorite emerges; Foxes, Hammers plummet.

By Andy Edwards

(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

A clear-cut favorite to win the Premier League title has emerged — you can probably guess who it is — while places 2-6 remain as murky and muddled as ever.

This early in the season, many sides still get the benefit of the doubt that brighter days ahead, but you can’t like what you’ve seen thus far from Leicester City and West Ham United.

Volume II of PST’s 2016-17 Premier League Power Rankings…

Group I — Still in the starting blocks

20. Stoke City — Three straight defeats, by a combined score of 9-1, after an opening day draw earned the Potters their only point of the season so far.

19. Sunderland — Only ahead of Stoke on account of having picked up their one point more recently. Black Cats, say hello to another relegation dogfight.

18. Southampton — If you’re one of just three winless sides, I’m sorry, but you’ve got to be in the bottom three. Dropping points to Sunderland, at home, looks worse this week than it did two weeks ago.

17. West Bromwich Albion — Taking just one point off of presumed fellow relegation fighters — Middlesbrough and Bournemouth, in back-to-back games — hints at another long season.

16. West Ham — Report coming out of the Olympic stadium: Watford just scored again. Can anyone confirm?

15. Burnley — Worrying defensive record for a side that will struggle to score goals all season.

14. Swansea City — Diego Costa should have been sent off (again) before he scored the equalizer (again). What a massive three points those would have been.

13. Leicester — As it turns out, N'Golo Kante was really important to last year’s title-winning side.

Group II: In the middle of the ride

12. Middlesbrough — Done well with a cushy opening schedule — five points from four games — but will it be enough, considering what lies ahead?

11. Bournemouth — Lost two games to the “big boys,” drew and won one apiece against opposition “their size.” Right where they should be.

10. Hull City — Still just a stoppage-time winner by Marcus Rashford away from taking something from all four games.

9. Watford — After an unbelievably (and unsustainably) strong start to 2015-16, 2016-17 began with Southampton, Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham. What did the Hornets do to deserve that? All things considered, four points is a great start.

8. Crystal Palace — Just as predicted, Christian Benteke has breathed new life into the Eagles. Tussles with Stoke (no. 20, at home) and Sunderland (no. 19, away) are up next.

Group III: Chasing challengers

7. Liverpool — Still no clean sheets on the season, but we’ll take a systematic dismantling of the defending champions as a sign of real intent any day of the week.

6. Arsenal — Back-to-back wins after taking one point from their first two games. Setting themselves up perfectly to get hot during the festive period onward, and finish fourth.

5. Tottenham Hotspur — Only edging out the above two on account of an unbeaten start (two wins, two draws) to the season. Hardly out of first gear yet, and already right there for the top four.

4. Everton — If you keep on winning (and do so in blowout fashion), you’re going to fall in the power rankings (or the real-life table). Ronald Koeman is off to a(nother) strong start.

Group IV: No longer perfect

3. Manchester United — Simply overrun and outclassed in the opening half-hour of the Manchester derby, but could have easily snatched a point in the second half. That defense is extremely worrying, however.

2. Chelsea — A head of Man United on account of: 1) still unbeaten; 2) a belief that Antonio Conte has the necessary pieces to build a title-contending defense.

Group V: A class of their own

1. Manchester City — Still perfect, 4-for-4, at the expense of their biggest rivals. The Pep Guardiola revolution is well ahead schedule at this point, though the first bump in the road is always just around the corner.

Top 5 Premier League storylines: Blues-Reds, and the European hangovers.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)

After three days of European competition, the Premier League roars back Friday with two stories clubs facing off in London.

Chelsea and Liverpool is just one of 10 PL matches this weekend, with five others on Saturday and four more on Sunday.

What storylines are we looking at? Read on…

Conte vs. Klopp, Round 1

Chelsea vs. Liverpool — 3 p.m. ET Friday

Two managers who expect to have their teams in Europe next season meet on Friday at Stamford Bridge.

And what a way to start the weekend! Can Liverpool’s defense handle Diego Costa and Eden Hazard? Will Daniel Sturridge play as the target forward, or be relegated to the wing again?

All these questions will be aided by the tactics of two of the best managers in the match. We’ll have our popcorn and beverages ready for the Reds and the Blues at the Bridge.

How much will the European competitors of the Premier League struggle with the short turnaround?

Hull vs. Arsenal — 10 a.m. ET Saturday
Leicester vs. Burnley — 10 a.m. ET Saturday
Man City vs. Bournemouth — 10 a.m. ET Saturday
Watford vs. Man Utd — 7 a.m. ET Sunday
Southampton vs. Swansea  — 9:15 a.m. ET Sunday
Spurs vs. Sunderland — 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday

That’s probably the biggest question outside of Chelsea-Liverpool this weekend in the PL, considering every English team in the Champions and Europa Leagues faces a well-rested club back home.

Three of the five teams play Saturday, and all five have winnable matches. Southampton faces the stiffest test of the bunch, with a visit from Swansea.

Is Ronald Koeman‘s Everton for real?

Everton vs. Middlesbrough — 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday

The Boro gets prime time treatment with the late match on Saturday, and as its reward gets an Everton team that’s looked as good as any PL team not named Man City.

Ronald Koeman has been buoyed by electric additions Yannick Bolasie and Idrissa Gueye, who both test Boro in its weakest spots. If the Toffees are who we think they are, they’ll manage this one (perhaps with style).

West Ham, West Ham, wherefore art thou, West Ham?

West Brom vs. West Ham — 10 a.m. ET Saturday

Remember when Slaven Bilic, Dimitri Payet, and Cheikhou Kouyate were poised to take the next step in England, and instead took a step back?

Already eliminated from the Europa League, the Irons have three points through four matches. It’s not that the schedule hasn’t been a challenge, but the come-from-ahead 4-2 loss to Watford was simply unacceptable for a team of West Ham’s caliber.

Be better. Starting Saturday, right? This is an absolute match-up problem for Tony Pulis‘ Baggies.

Litmus test at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace vs. Stoke City — 9:15 a.m. ET Sunday

Not every litmus test is about whether a team is great. In this case, it’s about whether we’ve absolutely overrated the progress of Mark Hughes‘ Potters.

It was less than a year ago that we were discussing whether Stoke was a contender to rise into the next category of Premier League sides, but 2016 has been a bust for the Potters.

It seems giving up bunches of goals is a bit too regular of an occurrence at the Britannia, and Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha will hope to grow their chemistry against a Potters’ side with one point through four matches.

FIFA rankings: Brazil, England, USA on the rise; Argentina still runaway leaders.

By Associated Press

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Brazil’s victories in World Cup qualifying this month lifted it from ninth to No. 4 in the FIFA rankings, which Argentina still lead.

Brazil beat Ecuador and Colombia, which is tied for fourth place, to make the biggest move in the top 20 after global rounds of World Cup qualifiers.

Belgium stays at No. 2, edging No. 3 Germany which climbs one place.

European Championship semifinalist Wales returns to the top 10, ahead of Spain, England and Italy at Nos. 11-13.

Mexico leads CONCACAF teams at No. 15, Costa Rica is No. 18 and the United States rises four to No. 22.

Ivory Coast is Africa’s highest team at No. 34. Iran leads Asian nations at No. 37.

Kosovo’s 1-1 draw at Finland lifts FIFA’s newest member to No. 168.

NCAAFB: What's wrong with Northwestern? Long list of answers to that question.

By Vinnie Duber

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

What’s wrong with Northwestern?

An 0-2 start to the season has plenty of people asking that question, particularly because the losses have come against Western Michigan and Illinois State.

The thing is, that question has a long list of answers, and those problems must be recognized before they're addressed, meaning there are way more unknowns than certainties as the Wildcats head into their biggest non-conference game of the season against Duke.

What will that game be like? Well, considering how haphazard the Cats’ play has been on both sides of the ball through two defeats, there’s really no way of knowing. So don’t even bother guessing.

“Where we’re at right now, I think predicting and projecting is a waste of my time,” Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said Monday during his weekly press conference, “because obviously I couldn’t have predicted that our O-line would have played the way that they did on Saturday. If I would’ve, I would’ve played some of the (No.) 2s the whole day.

“Tomorrow’s a really important practice for this year’s team. The attitude which they demonstrate and the way that we go out and execute fundamentally — that was the biggest thing. You look at some things that we drill and we work, and then you get out in the moment and it doesn’t happen, you just sit there and you scratch your head as a coach and you look at the guys and ask them why and keep grinding at it and influx competition. That’s where we’re at.”

It’s not a great place to be, not sure of what your players are going to give on a given Saturday.

Fitzgerald saw struggles on the defensive side during the Week 1 loss to Western Michigan, and despite a big day from Justin Jackson running the ball, a lack of big plays on offense equaled a one-point loss. In Week 2, the offense shouldered the blame, with Fitzgerald particularly lamenting the performance of an offensive line that played so poorly the team mustered just 86 rushing yards.

“You should win all those games when you hold a team under two touchdowns,” he said of the 9-7 defeat at the hands of an FCS opponent, the first one of those since Northwestern fell to New Hampshire in 2006.

Mustering just seven points against an FCS defense was alarming, and the Cats didn’t even score until there were about six minutes gone in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Clayton Thorson completed just 41.5 percent of his passes, the rushing attack managed a mere 86 yards as Jackson’s day ended early due to injury, and the team committed 70 yards’ worth of penalties.

“We’re across the 50(-yard line) a bunch, and we just beat ourselves rep after rep after rep after rep,” Fitzgerald said. “And you’re setting yourself back. You get across the 50, and all of a sudden it’s third and 12, it’s third and eight, it’s third and nine. Right now, we’re just not making enough of those plays to be able to overcome that.

“From the standpoint of Justin’s ability to run the ball and our backs, I thought we didn’t have a whole lot to work with on Saturday. And then we were pretty darn one-dimensional having to throw the ball. And throwing the ball less than 50 percent, you’re not winning a whole lot of football games when that happens. It’s part on Clayton, it’s part on getting hit, getting drops.

“There’s plenty of thumbs to be pointed. It’s not one thing, I wish it was. If it was, we’d just go practice that today and be good to go. We’ve just got to get much more consistent.”

Offense was an issue last season, too, when the Cats won 10 games. The problem now is that the defense isn’t exactly on point, either. Though the Northwestern defense improved from a week prior, Illinois State won the time-of-possession battle 34:18 to 25:42 and out-gained the Cats 372-277, rendering Northwestern’s plus-two turnover ratio moot.

Last season, that game against Duke was a huge day for the defense. After shutting down Stanford two games earlier, the Northwestern defense limited Duke to just 10 points on 327 yards, forcing a trio of turnovers.

Capturing that again could go a long way toward righting a ship that’s way off course to start 2016.

“We played like our hair was on fire,” Northwestern safety Godwin Igwebuike said of last year’s Duke game. “It was really cool to see, really cool to watch. That was one of the games that personified our defense. A lot of those same guys are back, and I feel we can continue to do the same things.

“This is a big game for us. Just playing relentless, we were playing all out. I know we’re capable of that, and we’ve shown that more and more as we’ve progressed. I think it’s a huge game for us to prove ourselves.”

And that’s all without mentioning a missed field goal against Illinois State, a play that loomed large in a game decided by two points.

So, like Fitzgerald mentioned, there’s plenty of blame to go around. But in football, with a new challenge every weekend, there’s not too much time to get things figured out. There’ll be plenty of season left after the non-conference portion of the schedule concludes, but Northwestern is staring at road trips to Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State in three of its first five conference games. Those opponents in those venues don’t leave much in the way of margin for error.

So the time to get things fixed is right now.

“It starts with shutting out the noise coming from the outside. There’s a lot of negative things that are always being said when you lose, a lot of negative things being said when one side of the ball doesn’t do well, a player doesn’t do well,” Thorson said. “So it starts with trusting in each other and believing in each other, and we do.

“There’s a sense of urgency, of course. There’s a sense of urgency every week, though. So this is nothing new. This has happened to our program in the past, and we’ve just got to respond from it.”

Week 3 Big Ten previews: Buckeyes-Sooners, Spartans-Irish, Huskers-Ducks ... oh my!

By Vinnie Duber

After a less-than-thrilling Week 2, Week 3 is a blockbuster in the Big Ten.

Ohio State travels to play Oklahoma, Michigan State visits Notre Dame, Nebraska plays host to Oregon, and Michigan welcomes in Colorado for an appetizing slate of Power Five-vs.-Power Five action (the same can be said for the less headline-worthy but still big Northwestern-Duke matchup).

So here’s a rundown of all this week’s action in the conference. All games will be played on Saturday, Sept. 17, and as always, all times are Central.

New Mexico at Rutgers, 11 a.m., ESPNEWS

The Knights are coming off the first win of the Chris Ash Era, showing some explosiveness with 52 unanswered point in a win over FCS opponent Howard. Janarion Grant is obviously the real deal when it comes to big plays — he had three total touchdowns last week — and much like every week we’ll be watching to see what else he can do.

Temple at Penn State, 11 a.m., Big Ten Network

A rematch of a game Penn State lost last year, the Nittany Lions are now in big need of a victory after last week’s 42-39 defeat at the hands of another in-state rival in Pitt. Penn State’s defense was shredded on the ground in that game. Temple beat Stony Brook, 38-0, last week but still mustered just 300 yards of offense.

North Dakota State at No. 13 Iowa, 11 a.m., ESPN 2

Any uninformed look at this game would result in "top-15 team vs. an FCS foe equals blowout win" for the Hawkeyes. But the Bison are the five-time defending FCS national champs, and saying they’re no pushover would be putting it mildly. North Dakota State has an 8-3 record all-time (since 2006) against FBS schools, including five straight wins.

Georgia State at No. 9 Wisconsin, 11 a.m., Big Ten Network

The Badgers continue their small respite between the opener against LSU and a brutal start to Big Ten play. Last week Wisconsin scored some style points with a blowout win over Akron, and this week provides a similar opportunity. A win here and the Badgers are all but assured to go into conference play as a top-10 team.

Colorado at No. 4 Michigan, 2:30 p.m., Big Ten Network

Jim Harbaugh isn’t laughing at Colorado’s parody depth chart, and the Buffaloes shouldn’t be laughing at the real thing. Michigan has mopped the floor with its two season-opening opponents, Hawaii and Central Florida. The Wolverines will face a step up in competition, as the Buffs have already accumulated 100 points and almost 1,200 yards of offense in two weeks.

No. 22 Oregon at Nebraska, 2:30 p.m., ABC

The Ducks maybe aren’t what they used to be, but they can still fly high, dropping 97 points in their first two games. But that defense has also allowed 54 points through two weeks — and that was to UC-Davis and Virginia. It provides quite the opportunity for a Nebraska team that has plenty of offensive firepower of its own. Plus the Huskers’ defense is tied for the national lead with seven interceptions.

Western Michigan at Illinois, 3 p.m., ESPNEWS

The Illini could really use a breather after that 25-point thumping against North Carolina (a game that didn’t get out of hand till the fourth quarter). Well, Western Michigan won’t provide that. The reigning MAC champs have already knocked off one Big Ten team on the road, and Illinois better get its offense jumpstarted after a poor showing last week if it doesn’t want to be the second.

Maryland at Central Florida, 6 p.m., CBS Sports Network

DJ Durkin hasn’t faced much in the way of obstacles to his first two wins as the Maryland head coach. For the second straight week, the Terps will be on the road in the Sunshine State, but the Golden Knights shouldn’t be too tricky, either, 0-for their last 13 games against FBS competition.

No. 12 Michigan State at No. 18 Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m., NBC

There’s a lot of mystery still surrounding the Spartans considering they’ve played just one game, a 15-point season-opening win over Furman. Tyler O’Connor looked good in that one, so too did the Michigan State defense, but how will they all fare against real good competition in Notre Dame? DeShone Kizer is one of the country’s top quarterbacks, but Michigan State always seems to get up for these colossal showdowns.

No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Oklahoma, 6:30 p.m., FOX

The Buckeyes have looked pretty flawless in their first two games of the season. Yes, the offense started slow against Tulsa, but a pair of pick sixes (Ohio State’s defense has seven picks and three pick sixes this season) jolted the team awake, the offense scoring four touchdowns after halftime. J.T. Barrett and Mike Weber vs. Baker Mayfield and Semaje Perine is the kind of offensive matchup college football fans dream about — but will the Ohio State defense stop a shootout before it starts?

Duke at Northwestern, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network

The Wildcats brutally need a win to avoid going 0-3 in non-conference play. Back-to-back heartbreakers have featured losses thanks to a goal-line fumble and a walk-off field goal, and those were against a team from the MAC and an FCS squad. Duke provides a step up in competition. The Cats needed an incredible defensive performance to win 19-10 a season ago. There's been little evidence to suggest they can put together a similar outing this season.

NCAABKB: Schedule for 24-Hour Tip-Off Marathon announced.

By Scott Phillips

(Photo/AP)

The schedule for the annual 24-Hour Tip-Off Marathon was announced on Thursday as the 24 hours of basketball features a lot of intriguing battles, headlined by the Champions Classic to end things.

Kentucky plays Michigan State and Duke battles Kansas in a doubleheader at Madison Square Garden while Oregon at Baylor (3:30 p.m.) and Dayton goes to Alabama in a rematch of an afternoon game last year. A couple of West Coast Conference teams open the proceedings as BYU hosts Princeton (10 p.m. Monday) and San Diego State heads to Gonzaga (12 a.m. Tuesday)

In the mid-major ranks, Longwood heads to Stephen F. Austin (11 a.m.), Winthrop goes to Manhattan (8:45 a.m.) while Hartford hosts Niagara (6:30 a.m.). The overnight games include Green Bay at Pacific (2 a.m.) and Florida Atlantic at Hawaii (4:15 a.m.)

A pair of really good women’s games starts the action as UConn heads to Florida State (6 pm. Monday) while Stanford will host Texas (8 p.m.).

Duke closes practices to NBA scouts, schedule two pro days.

By Travis Durkee

(Photo/Sporting News)

Duke is taking another step toward being more like Kentucky. First it was the influx on one-and-done players, now it’s the instituting of pro days to showcase the program's top talent.

The Blue Devils have closed all practices to NBA scouts this season and will instead have pro days on Oct. 19 and 25 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, The Vertical reported. All NBA scouts and executives are invited to attend. 

NBA prospects Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles, both freshman forwards, and junior Grayson Allen will attract the most attention on those days. 

Kentucky coach John Calipari, who started the pro-day format in 2014, is holding his annual showcases Oct. 9 and 10.

Louisville coach Rick Pitino says 'Pass the Pepto-Bismol' due to 'unfair' ACC schedule.

By Chip Patterson

While scrambling to keep up with the twists and turns of the college football season's first month, ACC fans are always keeping an eye out on the upcoming college basketball season. After the way the league finished last season, with a record six teams in the Sweet 16 and two teams in the Final Four, the ACC will demand the sport's attention early.

The full 2016-17 conference schedule got released on Monday. The conference matchups and non-conference schedules were set, but this finalizes everything. Everyone seems to be excited and pleased across the ACC, everyone except Louisville coach Rick Pitino.

Pitino called Louisville's schedule "one of the toughest any team could encounter" and called out three short turnarounds in the Cards' ACC draw that with travel concerns are "a bit unfair." Louisville was already taking a huge bite this season with an aggressive non-conference schedule, and now the specifics of the conference slate have Pitino dealing with indigestion, apparently.

"Our schedule as planned is one of the toughest any team could encounter," Pitino said. "The league travel is a bit unfair with a 9 p.m. home game on Thursday [Jan. 19 vs. Clemson], followed by a 2 p.m. game at Florida State on Saturday [Jan. 21]. There's also a road game on Saturday afternoon [Feb. 4] at Boston College, then next up traveling to Virginia on Monday [Feb. 6]."

But Pitino wasn't done.

"That's not mentioning our league opening game at home against Virginia [Dec. 28] sandwiched between Kentucky [Dec. 21] and Indiana [Dec. 31], all followed with a game at Notre Dame [Jan. 4]. But that's the ACC. The Battle 4 Atlantis [Nov. 23 vs. Old Dominion], Purdue [Nov. 30] and at Grand Canyon [Dec. 3] -- pass the Pepto Bismol."

"Our saving grace is the attitude and work ethic of this team," Pitino concluded. "We may be unproven and a bit inexperienced, but this group is talented and tenacious. It should be a fun season!"

What made the enthusiasm of the statement even better was its all-caps presentation.

UofL Coach Rick Pitino likes the talent and tenacity of his team that will face a very challenging schedule #L1C4 

Kenny Klein

@KKcards

12:07 PM - 12 Sep 2016

Understanding HB2: North Carolina’s newest law solidifies state’s role in defining discrimination. What's Your Take?

By Michael Gordon, Mark S. Price and Katie Peralta

In a one-day specially convened session on March 23, North Carolina’s legislature passed a sweeping law that reverses a Charlotte ordinance that had extended some rights to people who are gay or transgender.

The law passed by the General Assembly and signed that same night by Gov. Pat McCrory goes further than a narrow elimination of Charlotte’s ordinance, which had generated the most controversy by a change that protected transgender people who use public restrooms based on their gender identity. The new law also nullified local ordinances around the state that would have expanded protections for the LGBT community.

The state has long had laws regulating workplace discrimination, use of public accommodations, minimum wage standards and other business issues. The new law – known as HB2, the Charlotte bathroom bill or, more officially, as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act – makes it illegal for cities to expand upon those state laws, as more than a dozen cities had done, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham.

North Carolina’s new law sets a statewide definition of classes of people who are protected against discrimination: race, religion, color, national origin, age, handicap or biological sex as designated on a person’s birth certificate. Sexual orientation – people who are gay – was never explicitly protected under state law and is not now, despite recent court decisions that legalized same-sex marriage.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article68401147.html#storylink=cpy

Transgender people who have not taken surgical and legal steps to change the gender noted on their birth certificates have no legal right under state law to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Cities and counties no longer can establish a different standard. Critics of the Charlotte ordinance cite privacy concerns and say it was “social engineering” to allow people born as biological males to enter women’s restrooms.

McCrory’s office says businesses aren’t limited by the bill, and that private companies and private universities can adopt new or keep existing nondiscrimination policies. Private businesses can establish their own practices concerning LGBT employees and customers.

The pushback has been intense. On July 21, the National Basketball Association announced it will move its All-Star Game from Charlotte in 2017, which will cost the city an estimated $100 million. That decision follows cancellations of business expansions and entertainment events by companies and performers protesting HB2.

In September, the reprisals against the state have intensified. On Sept. 12, the NCAA removed seven championships scheduled to be held in North Carolina during the 2016-17 academic year, including two rounds on the wildly popular men’s basketball tournament -- all because of HB2.

Forty-eight hours later the Atlantic Coast Conference followed suit. It announced it was moving the conference’s football championship game in December from Charlotte, again in protest to the law.

HB2 supporters from McCrory on down dug in, setting the stage for November elections in which the law will play a potentially decisive role, even as the courts continue the process of deciding whether HB2 discriminates.  

Here are additional questions and answers about the new law:

Does HB2 affect rights of people who aren’t gay or transgender?

Yes. The law changes the way people pursue claims of discrimination because of race, religion, color, national origin, biological sex or handicap in state courts. While the legislature amended HB2 to restore the rights of residents to sue on these grounds in state courts, it shortened the window for filing complaints from three years to one.

The law also means a city or county cannot set a minimum wage standard for private employers.

Are other states taking the same approach?

Yes. Some states and local governments are considering or even passed new laws aimed at blocking specific LGBT rights. The national headquarters of the ACLU describes North Carolina’s HB2 as the “most extreme anti-LGBT measure in the country.” Some legal experts say the N.C. bill combines elements of laws in other states that make it more comprehensive. South Dakota’s legislature passed a bill focused specifically on public schools; that bill was vetoed by the governor, the ACLU said. States that recently have proposed similar measures include Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, experts say.

None has the sweep of HB2, UNC Chapel Hill law professor Maxine Eichner said in May. "Nobody has passed a law like this."

How big a court fight will this be?

At least five lawsuits have been filed against or in support of the law. On one side: The ACLU, Equality North Carolina and other groups sued within days of HB2 becoming law. The U.S. Justice Department followed on May 9 after first warning the state that the law jeopardizes billions of federal dollars the state receives each year in money for schools, colleges and other issues.

Also in early May, McCrory and Republican legislative leaders Phil Berger and Tim Moore filed their own complaints, accusing the federal government of distorting discrimination law to include LGBT protections and asking the federal courts to deem HB2 nondiscriminatory.

The cases have been filed in two separate federal courts and have been assigned to three different judges.

The ACLU and the U.S. Justice Department has asked a judge to suspend HB2 while its lawsuit is being decided, arguing that damage is done to the LGBT community every day the law is in place.

On Aug. 26, 2016, U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder gave the HB2 critics a partial victory when he banned the University of North Carolina from enforcing HB2 against the transgender plaintiffs in the lawsuit pending his ruling in the trial.

Federal documents indicate the trial on the ACLU's lawsuit could take place as early as October or November. It would not be unreasonable to expect Schroeder's ruling by the summer of 2017, perhaps before. The losing side would almost certainly appeal to a higher court.

Meanwhile, 21 states have joined North Carolina in opposing the federal mandate that transgender individuals be allowed to use the public bathrooms that matches their sexual identity or lose federal money.

On Aug. 22, 2016, a federal judge in Texas issued a nationwide order blocking the Obama administration order that would give transgender students in public schools access to bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, who is hearing the lawsuit by the 21 states, dealt a setback to the government’s argument that Title IX anti-discrimination protections apply to transgender students. It also moves the battle over transgender rights one procedural step closer to a showdown in the Supreme Court.

What federal protections exist for workplace discrimination for LGBT employees?

There is no federal law that specifically prohibits discrimination against LGBT citizens in their jobs. The Employment Nondiscrimination Act that would do so has been proposed for many years, but has not passed.

Can someone be fired in North Carolina for being gay or transgender?

Yes. North Carolina is an “at will” employment state and offers limited protection for all workers. State law has never included protections for workers who are LGBT. The language in HB2 makes it more clear that the state does not intend to create a new class of protections based on sexual orientation or identity, and also will not allow cities and counties to create such a protected class.

How does HB2 affect schools?

Under HB2, North Carolina now requires students to use public school restrooms and locker rooms based on the gender on their birth certificates. The federal government says that violates Title IX of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination in all school programs. The federal government includes sexual identity and orientation under the broader category of sex discrimination.

McCrory and other HB2 supporters accuse the Justice Department, the U.S. Department of Education and other federal officials of "radically reinterpreting" discrimination law to include LGBT individuals. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has precedence in North Carolina, ruled in a recent Virginia transgender bathroom case that the federal agencies acted within their rights to include LGBT protections.

That leaves the state's public colleges, universities and local school districts caught in the middle of a bitter court fight, with potentially billions of federal education dollars at stake.

North Carolina's school superintendent said in May that school districts across the state were not complying with HB2. That appeared to be the case in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the state's second largest district. The Rowan-Salisbury schools did say it would follow state law while respecting the privacy of all of its students.

The University of North Carolina System announced in May it will not enforce HB2.

Where is public opinion in North Carolina on LGBT rights?

In 2012, a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage passed with more than 60 percent of the vote. A June 2015 poll from the Democrat-leading Public Policy Polling of Raleigh showed that 44 percent of state residents supported same-sex marriage, with 46 percent opposed. Last April, an Elon University poll found that 63 percent of the state’s registered voters disagreed with the state’s magistrate law. The same poll showed that 51 percent of Republicans supported a business’ right to deny service to customers based on religious objections.

On HB2, an Elon poll in late April showed that 49 percent of state residents polled supported the bathroom provisions of the law.

What are some of the political factors driving this?

Conservative religious groups within North Carolina are taking some credit for getting HB2 passed into law, and pro-LGBT rights advocates note there is financial support from national groups with similar interests. Many also believe gay and transgender issues are being used by politicians to motivate voters in a presidential and gubernatorial election year. In North Carolina, both Republicans and Democrats are using HB2 as a rallying point for supporters, with each side believing that the law can win them votes.

Nowhere are the battle lines more clearly drawn than in the governor's race between McCrory, an HB2 defender, and Attorney General Roy Cooper, a Democrat who believes the law should be repealed.

Predictably, both came out on different sides on the NBA decision to move the All-Star game, using powerful statements to attack each other.

Southern Evangelical Seminary president Richard Land says the situation may indicate a growing anger in the country on both the left and right. “I don’t like the form the revolution is taking,” he said. “Donald Trump is coarse and crude and frankly, dangerous, but I understand what is behind it. ...The establishment in Washington shows signs of existing more for its own benefit than for the people they were elected to serve.”

How did Democrats vote on HB2?

The vote in the N.C. House was 84-25 after three hours of debate, with all Republicans voting for it and 11 Democrats breaking ranks with their party to support the bill. In the Senate, the vote was 32-0 after the Democrats walked out in protest, saying they had not been allowed to participate in the process. McCrory, a Republican, then signed it into law.

Could this hurt economic development and tourism in North Carolina?

It already has. The loss of the sporting events will cost the economy millions, a loss that will trickle down through the hotel and restaurant sectors.

After the law passed, PayPal canceled a much-ballyhooed expansion in Charlotte that would have included 400 jobs.

In the Triangle, Braeburn Pharmaceuticals said it was reconsidering a research and manufacturing facility in Durham that included 52 jobs and a $20 million investment.

Now the NBA decision eliminates an estimated $100 million windfall for the Charlotte area.

Major employers in North Carolina – American Airlines, Lowe’s, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, to name a few – all have said they’re disappointed with the measure, though they haven’t threatened to pull out from the state.

On the entertainment front, headline acts from Bruce Springsteen to Itzhak Perlman and Pearl Jam have canceled shows in Charlotte, Greensboro and other N.C. venues. On Friday, May 20, Maroon 5 joined the list.

On tourism and economic-development fronts, some business leaders say the new law is feeding a perception that North Carolina isn’t inclusive.

The British government went so far as to issue a travel advisory to its LGBT citizens who planned to travel to the state.

The N.C. Justice Center says that if federal money for education, job training and public safety is withheld -- which most believe is unlikely -- the state could lose 53,000 jobs or $2.4 billion in wages. Conservatives say those numbers are wildly high and being used as a scare tactic.

If boycotts happen, do they work?

South Carolina was the subject of many boycotts for flying the Confederate flag at the state capitol. The NAACP announced a national boycott of the state in 2000. Tourism officials estimated the state lost $7 million in the first month as groups from the NCAA to the American Bar Association joined the protest. The loss of sporting events alone cost Columbia, Charleston and Greenville-Spartanburg millions of dollars every year, reports say. The flag was removed last year not because of boycotts, but after the mass killings at a Charleston church that appear to have been racially motivated.

Haven’t cities other than Charlotte expanded nondiscrimination ordinances?

Charlotte’s ordinance was the first of its kind in North Carolina. Three South Carolina cities have similar ordinances: Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach. They’re written differently, but “conceptually are identical” to what Charlotte did, city attorney Bob Hagemann has said. Those South Carolina cities and more than 200 other cities around the nation where similar ordinances exist have not reported problems with transgender bathroom use.

Note: This story was updated on Sept. 14, 2016

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: This is one of the two major issues affecting the sports world right now. NC HB2 and Colin Kaepernick's protest during the playing of the national anthem before the start of a sporting event. We're going to address NC HB2 today. We've printed the law and some additional questions and answers to help clarify any inquiries you might have. We would like for our readers to take a moment, read this article and share your thoughts with us, pro or con.

This issue is having a severe effect on college athletics in North Carolina causing the state to lose huge financially. How do you feel about this law and what's your take? Please go to the comments section at the bottom of this blog and share your feelings with us. We value our readers positions. Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts with us.

Marion P. Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Director

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article68401147.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article68401147.html#storylink=cpy

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, September 16, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1924 - Jim Bottomley knocked in 12 runs in a single game setting a major league baseball record.

1953 - The St. Louis Browns of the American League were given permission to move to Baltimore, MD, where they became the Baltimore Orioles.

1988 - Tom Browning pitched the 12th perfect game in major league baseball.

2004 - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman imposed a lockout due to an impasse in contract negotiations. The players union and NHL officials did not meet again until December 9.

**********************************************************************

Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you.