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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning." ~ Denis Waitley, Motivational Speaker, Writer and Consultant
Trending: Can the Bears win with Brian Hoyer? (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Can the Bears win with Brian Hoyer? (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Trending: Patrick Kane uncertain when he’ll start at Blackhawks camp. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).
Trending: Despite detractors, Finchem leaves Golf Tour better off. (See the golf section for Ryder Cup and PGA updates).
Trending: Bears fans seeing light at end of current tunnel that might not be oncoming train. What's Your Take? (See the last article on this blog for details).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 97-55, Clinched 09/15/2016
White Sox 2016 Record: 72-80
White Sox 2016 Record: 72-80
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears in-foe: Dak, Dez, Zeke and the best line in football.
By Chris Boden
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bears can only hope the key injuries they suffered Monday night aren't a foreshadowing of the health hammer this week's opponent felt a year ago.
After a 12-4 record in 2014, the Dallas Cowboys' win-loss numbers flip-flopped last season when quarterback Tony Romo, wide receiver Dez Bryant and top defensive back Orlando Scandrick missed a combined 35 games.
But like the Cowboys' NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, a rookie quarterback's provided optimism after Romo's latest back injury in the preseason, so the Bears will face a similar narrative Sunday night to what they faced Monday night.
Fourth-round pick Dak Prescott had to step in with veteran backup Kellen Moore previously lost for the season in training camp. And while he didn't win his debut in the season-opener like Carson Wentz did before coming in and beating the Bears in primetime, Prescott & Co. bounced back from their Week 1 20-19 home loss to the New York Giants by winning Sunday at Washington, 27-23.
The rookie from Mississippi State had a great Senior Bowl but saw his stock suffer with a DUI between the combine and the draft. His 75 pass attempts without an interception through his first two games is an NFL rookie record (three better than Wentz). And while he has yet to throw for a touchdown, his 62.7-percent completion percentage is slightly better than the kid quarterback the Bears just saw. He ran for a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter Sunday, then went 4-for-5 for 55 yards on the game-winning drive in the fourth. The Cowboys' three reserve quarterbacks went 1-11 without Romo last year, but some people already can't seem to show the 36-year-old the door despite an expected return at some point. Sunday was just their second win in the last 16 Romo has missed, both taking place in Washington. But Cowboy Nation feels like it has its post-Romo savior, one the Bears passed by with each of its three fourth-round picks. With Jay Cutler likely sidelined a while with his sprained thumb and no heir apparent on the roster, it's another storyline to watch if Prescott continues to be effective, albeit surrounded by a much better offensive cast.
Prescott's actually stolen the Cowboys' rookie spotlight from much-hyped fourth overall pick Ezekiel Elliott out of Ohio State, who's run for a touchdown in each game but fumbled twice Sunday (losing one) and has averaged just 3.3 yards a carry thus far. He leap-frogged free agent signee Alfred Morris, who ran for more than 1,000 yards in three of his first four seasons in D.C.
But it should be only a matter of time before Elliott starts looking more like the Buckeye version with the line he gets to run behind. Tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and guard Zack Martin live up to their first-round billings. Projected 2015 first-round pick La'el Collins wound up becoming an undrafted free agent teams were afraid to select because of an off-the-field issue from which he was eventually cleared. Tenth-year tackle Doug Free out of NIU continues to hang on to a starting role on the right side.
And oh yeah, there's Bryant and Jason Witten, the 34-year-old tight end who's been Mr. Durability and came into the season 10th all-time in receptions and 32nd in receiving yards. After playing in just nine games a year ago after breaking his foot in the opener, Bryant was targeted just five times (with one reception for eight yards) against the Giants. He, or someone, probably made Prescott aware. Dez had five targets in the first quarter alone Sunday (12 in all) and finished with seven catches for 102 yards. But Cole Beasley has emerged as an effective slot threat (13 catches, 140 yards).
Oh, and while the Bears improved defensively on third-down Monday night (coming up with 12 stops in 15 situations), Prescott and the Cowboys are 16-for-29 so far. That includes 4-for-7 on Sunday when they needed seven or more yards.
Bears in-foe: A patchwork D awaits Bears in Big D.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Bears fans are familiar enough with Rod Marinelli from his four years here as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. When he left abruptly over the hiring of Marc Trestman after Lovie Smith's firing, he joined a Dallas Cowboys staff that needed to work miracles with a sorry defense. First year: last in total defense (the Bears were 30th). 2014: 19th in total defense (the Bears were 30th again). 2015: 17th (while fellow longtime defensive guru Vic Fangio came here and lifted the Bears to 14th).
He did this all behind a pile of injuries and, more recently, substance-abuse suspensions and his boss' desire to sign slimeball Greg Hardy last year. Even Jerry Jones figured out Hardy was a cancer after contributing six of the defense's 31 sacks. Marinelli's group collected just 11 takeaways, tying the 16-game NFL-record low (while the Bears had just 14). Yet through two games this season, they've scratched and clawed, allowing 43 points. The Bears defense has allowed 52 so far.
This comes despite last year's second-round pick Randy Gregory (in a typical Jones gamble) now being suspended the first 14 games this season. 2014 second-rounder DeMarcus Lawrence has two more games to serve for his own suspension after the defensive end collected seven sacks over the final eight games a year ago. And troubled veteran linebacker Rolando McClain (80 tackles in 11 games last season), is serving a 10-game suspension. Top defensive back Orlando Scandrick, who missed all of last season with two right knee tears, has been used in sub-packages only so far while nursing a sore hamstring. Oh, and it sure was a feel-good story for Notre Dame star Jaylon Smith to be chosen in the second round, but he won't help at all this season because of his severe knee injuries in the Fiesta Bowl.
Former Pro Bowl middle linebacker Sean Lee has never played 16 games in a season (and played in only 31 the last three seasons), but Marinelli's moved him to the weak side and Lee has 20 tackles thus far. Andrew Gachkar and Anthony Hitchens join Lee in the second tier right now.
Rod's front four? A mish-mash of Jack Crawford, Tyrone Crawford, Terrell McClain, Benson Mayowa, Cedric Thornton, Charles Tapper and third-round rookie Maliek Collins. Scouting reports? Anyone? Not quite "Too Tall" Jones, Harvey Martin, Randy White and Jethro Pugh. This defense (like the Bears') has four sacks through two games.
The Bears and their 3.6-yard rushing average will be going up against a Marinelli defense allowing 4.75 yards per attempt so far.
The Cowboys have two interceptions. Corner Brandon Carr has one of them — his first in three seasons. Former sixth overall pick Morris Claiboirne has never lived up to that lofty status but is holding things down on the other side until Scandrick gets healthy. The safety tandem might be the strongest in the starting lineup with 2015 first-rounder Byron Jones and Barry Church, whose pick Sunday turned into the game-winning 80-yard drive by the offense.
Special teams
Dan Bailey is the most accurate kicker in NFL history and is 6-for-6 so far in 2016. Chris Jones is 10th in gross punting average, 14th in net. Lucky Whitehead has yet to be a threat this season on punt and kick returns.
He did this all behind a pile of injuries and, more recently, substance-abuse suspensions and his boss' desire to sign slimeball Greg Hardy last year. Even Jerry Jones figured out Hardy was a cancer after contributing six of the defense's 31 sacks. Marinelli's group collected just 11 takeaways, tying the 16-game NFL-record low (while the Bears had just 14). Yet through two games this season, they've scratched and clawed, allowing 43 points. The Bears defense has allowed 52 so far.
This comes despite last year's second-round pick Randy Gregory (in a typical Jones gamble) now being suspended the first 14 games this season. 2014 second-rounder DeMarcus Lawrence has two more games to serve for his own suspension after the defensive end collected seven sacks over the final eight games a year ago. And troubled veteran linebacker Rolando McClain (80 tackles in 11 games last season), is serving a 10-game suspension. Top defensive back Orlando Scandrick, who missed all of last season with two right knee tears, has been used in sub-packages only so far while nursing a sore hamstring. Oh, and it sure was a feel-good story for Notre Dame star Jaylon Smith to be chosen in the second round, but he won't help at all this season because of his severe knee injuries in the Fiesta Bowl.
Former Pro Bowl middle linebacker Sean Lee has never played 16 games in a season (and played in only 31 the last three seasons), but Marinelli's moved him to the weak side and Lee has 20 tackles thus far. Andrew Gachkar and Anthony Hitchens join Lee in the second tier right now.
Rod's front four? A mish-mash of Jack Crawford, Tyrone Crawford, Terrell McClain, Benson Mayowa, Cedric Thornton, Charles Tapper and third-round rookie Maliek Collins. Scouting reports? Anyone? Not quite "Too Tall" Jones, Harvey Martin, Randy White and Jethro Pugh. This defense (like the Bears') has four sacks through two games.
The Bears and their 3.6-yard rushing average will be going up against a Marinelli defense allowing 4.75 yards per attempt so far.
The Cowboys have two interceptions. Corner Brandon Carr has one of them — his first in three seasons. Former sixth overall pick Morris Claiboirne has never lived up to that lofty status but is holding things down on the other side until Scandrick gets healthy. The safety tandem might be the strongest in the starting lineup with 2015 first-rounder Byron Jones and Barry Church, whose pick Sunday turned into the game-winning 80-yard drive by the offense.
Special teams
Dan Bailey is the most accurate kicker in NFL history and is 6-for-6 so far in 2016. Chris Jones is 10th in gross punting average, 14th in net. Lucky Whitehead has yet to be a threat this season on punt and kick returns.
Bears losing free yards, looking at changes in kick return mindsets
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Suppose the NFL gave the Bears’ offense an extra nine plays and guaranteed them more than 5 yards for those plays. The Bears in fact have had the opportunities for those “free” yards and haven’t taken them.
The yards are some of the “hidden” yards, in this case 46 yards that the Bears deprived themselves just by failing to return kickoffs as far as the 25-yard line – which the NFL gives teams as part of the touchback rule – through their first two games.
Bears special teams have opted to return nine kickoffs in the two games this season. Of those, only one has been brought out as far as the Chicago 25, the spot that the NFL gives free just for taking a knee in the end zone. The result was the offense starting twice at the 17, once at the 22 and once at the 10 in the Houston game, for example, the last of those made worse by an illegal-block penalty. Against Philadelphia, none of the four kickoffs were returned as far as the 25.
Had those returns simply been taken as touchbacks, the offense would have been set up a rough total of 46 yards farther out. The upshot is that the Bears are admittedly taking a long look at which kicks they return and which they just take a knee and the 25.
“I feel like we can score every time we bring it out,” returner Deonte Thompson said. “But sometimes it depends on a lot of factors. Do we want to take a risk of being hit at the 15 and put the offense in bad position? Definitely not.
“The extra five yards means a lot. It changes how we think.”
Through two game weekends, only six returners are average as much as 25 yards on kickoff runbacks. Adding a spot of insult to injury, the current No. 2 and No. 3 returners are Bears castoffs: Devin Hester (29.3 yards), now with Baltimore; and Eric Weems (28.3), back with Atlanta.
Thompson stands 12th at 20.7 yards per return.
Notably perhaps, no NFL kickoffs have been returned for touchdowns yet this season, making the risk-reward situation favor taking the yards rather than gambling for the big runback.
“I think that if they’re going to give you the ball at the 25 instead of the 20, there’s more times that you’re going to take a knee now than you would have done before,” acknowledged Jeff Rodgers, Bears special teams coordinator. “That return in the past, let’s say the ball is 3 [yards] deep and you return to the 22. Well, up until this year you’re getting 2 yards where you would’ve on a touchback, now you’re 3 yards less than you would’ve on a touchback. So it certainly factors in the equation.”
For wobbling Bears, Brian Hoyer brings different kinds of experience.
By John Mullin
The fate of the Bears with backup quarterbacks stepping has been, well, mixed. With a record of 0-2 after two weeks of wobbling on offense, the 2016 Bears need more than “mixed.”
It was with that in mind when the Bears chose to sign Brian Hoyer as Jay Cutler’s understudy and not cast their fortunes into the hands of an unknown quarterback prospect as a replacement for Cutler.
The Hoyer the Bears are getting now is not the same one that filled in with the New England Patriots (2009, 2010 and 2011), the Arizona Cardinals (2012), Cleveland Browns (2013) and Houston Texans last year, when he was in and out as the starter for a team that opened 0-2, fell to 1-4 and then recovered to make the playoffs.
“The one thing I have now that I didn’t those first years is playing experience,” Hoyer told CSNChicago.com before Cutler sustained the thumb injury that now puts Hoyer again in a starting lineup for a fourth NFL team since coming into the league as a Patriots undrafted free agent out of Michigan State in 2009.
“If I’d had to go in those first couple years, without having played before, I think I’d have been a little overwhelmed. Now I’ve been a starter for two different teams, played in a lot of games, and you just prepare the best you can and go out and play."
Hoyer has a 15-11 record as a starter, a better win-loss percentage than Jay Cutler. But since the Bears rallied to the 2005 playoffs when rookie Kyle Orton took over when Rex Grossman was injured, results have been generally poor when a second-stringer has had to step up.
The Bears are 10-15 in games started by No. 2 quarterbacks, and most of those with veteran backups, not developmental prospects:
Now comes Hoyer, who has worked to be a student of the offense and understands, “it’s about realizing your role,” Hoyer said. “When I was in Cleveland, Houston, that was my job to job, to be the starting quarterback. Here, Jay’s the starter and it’s up to me to be the best backup quarterback I can be and help him, and help our team win.”
Hoyer came off the bench to completed nine of 12 passes for 78 yards in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Now the lead role to turn around a slipping Bears season is all his. And he has forcefully made one point already:
“I was on a team that 0-2 last year, too,” Hoyer said, recalling the 2015 Houston Texans. “At one point, we were 2-5 and we made the playoffs. I think a lot is made early on, trying to get things together. But it’s a long season.
“That’s the biggest thing to stress. You know what, don’t panic, go out and have a great week of practice and go out there on Sunday night and improve and get better. I think that’s the main thing. Sure, the first two games didn’t go the way we wanted them too. But there’s 14 left. I think that’s the way you got to look at it.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Patrick Kane uncertain when he’ll start at Blackhawks camp.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The fate of the Bears with backup quarterbacks stepping has been, well, mixed. With a record of 0-2 after two weeks of wobbling on offense, the 2016 Bears need more than “mixed.”
It was with that in mind when the Bears chose to sign Brian Hoyer as Jay Cutler’s understudy and not cast their fortunes into the hands of an unknown quarterback prospect as a replacement for Cutler.
The Hoyer the Bears are getting now is not the same one that filled in with the New England Patriots (2009, 2010 and 2011), the Arizona Cardinals (2012), Cleveland Browns (2013) and Houston Texans last year, when he was in and out as the starter for a team that opened 0-2, fell to 1-4 and then recovered to make the playoffs.
“The one thing I have now that I didn’t those first years is playing experience,” Hoyer told CSNChicago.com before Cutler sustained the thumb injury that now puts Hoyer again in a starting lineup for a fourth NFL team since coming into the league as a Patriots undrafted free agent out of Michigan State in 2009.
“If I’d had to go in those first couple years, without having played before, I think I’d have been a little overwhelmed. Now I’ve been a starter for two different teams, played in a lot of games, and you just prepare the best you can and go out and play."
Hoyer has a 15-11 record as a starter, a better win-loss percentage than Jay Cutler. But since the Bears rallied to the 2005 playoffs when rookie Kyle Orton took over when Rex Grossman was injured, results have been generally poor when a second-stringer has had to step up.
The Bears are 10-15 in games started by No. 2 quarterbacks, and most of those with veteran backups, not developmental prospects:
| YEAR | QUARTERBACK | RECORD |
| 2007 | Brian Griese | 3-3 |
| 2007 | Kyle Orton | 2-1 |
| 2008 | Rex Grossman | 0-1 |
| 2010 | Todd Collins | 1-0 |
| 2011 | Caleb Hanie | 0-4 |
| 2011 | Josh McCown | 1-1 |
| 2012 | Jason Campbell | 0-1 |
| 2013 | Josh McCown | 3-2 |
| 2014 | Jimmy Clausen | 0-1 |
| 2015 | Jimmy Clausen | 0-1 |
Now comes Hoyer, who has worked to be a student of the offense and understands, “it’s about realizing your role,” Hoyer said. “When I was in Cleveland, Houston, that was my job to job, to be the starting quarterback. Here, Jay’s the starter and it’s up to me to be the best backup quarterback I can be and help him, and help our team win.”
Hoyer came off the bench to completed nine of 12 passes for 78 yards in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Now the lead role to turn around a slipping Bears season is all his. And he has forcefully made one point already:
“I was on a team that 0-2 last year, too,” Hoyer said, recalling the 2015 Houston Texans. “At one point, we were 2-5 and we made the playoffs. I think a lot is made early on, trying to get things together. But it’s a long season.
“That’s the biggest thing to stress. You know what, don’t panic, go out and have a great week of practice and go out there on Sunday night and improve and get better. I think that’s the main thing. Sure, the first two games didn’t go the way we wanted them too. But there’s 14 left. I think that’s the way you got to look at it.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Patrick Kane uncertain when he’ll start at Blackhawks camp.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Patrick Kane and his USA teammates will be wrapping up their portion of the World Cup of Hockey with tonight’s game against the Czech Republic. When Kane heads to Blackhawks training camp, however, remains uncertain.
“Yeah I’m not really sure what the plan is yet,” said Kane on Thursday morning. “A lot of guys, at least the American guys, anyway, have talked about taking a few days off and then joining their team. I’ll go back to Chicago, talk to Stan [Bowman] and Joel [Quenneville] and get a feel of what they want me to do and what’s best for me.”
Kane said Team USA needed to, “just win a game” on its final day in Toronto. While USA hockey is reeling from another disappointing international showing, the future should bode well. Watching some of the Americans on Team North America shows that.
“I think USA Hockey has a bright future ahead of it, not only USA Hockey but hockey in general,” Kane said. “You look at some of those younger guys, I know a few of them are American but there are some very good Canadian players as well. But yeah, you could argue that some of those guys on that team would have made our team, been in consideration for making the American team. USA Hockey’s in a good place, the future’s bright. Once we get by this, there’ll be a lot of excitement and expectations to do better in the Olympics.”
Kane was very emotional on Tuesday night, when Team Canada eliminated Team USA from the tournament. Jonathan Toews, speaking after Team Canada’s 4-1 victory over Team Europe on Thursday, said he hasn’t talked to Kane yet about Team USA’s disappointing ending.
“There’s no doubt when we get back to Chicago, no matter what happens the rest of the tournament, we’ll talk about it. But previous experience is not something you rub in anyone’s face,” Toews said. “Everyone wants to win and anything can happen. I think there’s a lot of talk about the US team falling short of their expectations but at the same time, we said the same thing. I guess we’re putting along the way we expected to, but anyone can win this tournament. We’re seeing that across the board, especially in the other pool. North America’s surprising teams. It’s not easy.”
Blackhawks: Artem Anisimov healed, ready to play at 'full force'.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Artem Anisimov scored a couple of goals last postseason following a very successful collaboration with Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane for most of the year.
But on face-offs, the Russian center was struggling late in the regular season and playoffs. Now, after having successful right wrist surgery in May, Anisimov is ready to begin this season healthy.
“Much better. I had surgery on the wrist and it’s healed up and I can play at my full force,” said Anisimov, who had an assist in Team Russia’s 4-3 victory over North America on Monday night. “I don’t have any pain in the wrist anymore, and it’s nice.”
Anisimov had three goals in the Blackhawks’ seven-game series against the St. Louis Blues last April. Face-offs, however, is where he struggled. Anisimov said his wrist was bothering him “a lot.”
“I’d take every faceoff and it’s, like, painful,” he said. “I decided to do the surgery after the playoffs and it’s better.”
Anisimov, Panarin and Kane made up the Blackhawks’ most successful and consistent line last season. As for what the three could accomplish this season, Anisimov said they can do more.
“We just need to elevate the game in all aspects,” he said. “Every team is going to know how we played last year and they’re going to be twice prepared for us. We just need to be better.”
But on face-offs, the Russian center was struggling late in the regular season and playoffs. Now, after having successful right wrist surgery in May, Anisimov is ready to begin this season healthy.
“Much better. I had surgery on the wrist and it’s healed up and I can play at my full force,” said Anisimov, who had an assist in Team Russia’s 4-3 victory over North America on Monday night. “I don’t have any pain in the wrist anymore, and it’s nice.”
Anisimov had three goals in the Blackhawks’ seven-game series against the St. Louis Blues last April. Face-offs, however, is where he struggled. Anisimov said his wrist was bothering him “a lot.”
“I’d take every faceoff and it’s, like, painful,” he said. “I decided to do the surgery after the playoffs and it’s better.”
Anisimov, Panarin and Kane made up the Blackhawks’ most successful and consistent line last season. As for what the three could accomplish this season, Anisimov said they can do more.
“We just need to elevate the game in all aspects,” he said. “Every team is going to know how we played last year and they’re going to be twice prepared for us. We just need to be better.”
Cubs won't let up against Cardinals in potential playoff preview.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs won’t put any Cactus League lineups out there against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend or script out every inning at Wrigley Field for their bullpen.
The Cubs will still have something to play for on Friday — the National League’s No. 1 seed — plus the adrenaline rush from 40,000 fans, the national-TV spotlight on Saturday afternoon (Fox) and Sunday night (ESPN) and the chance to help block their biggest rival from making the postseason.
“It has that kind of potential,” manager Joe Maddon admitted. “But from my perspective, it’s our responsibility to play those games straight up.”
Even with Wednesday afternoon’s ugly 11-1 loss at Coors Field, the Cardinals have so far survived the first two legs of what could be a make-or-break road trip, splitting four games against the San Francisco Giants and taking a series from the Colorado Rockies.
That left the Cardinals (80-72) tied with the New York Mets (80-72) in the second wild-card position, with the Giants a half-game up heading into Wednesday night’s game at Dodger Stadium and what should be a head-spinning finish to this three-team race.
“We haven’t let up at all,” said Jon Lester (18-4, 2.36 ERA), who will start opposite Carlos Martinez (15-8, 3.16 ERA) on “Sunday Night Baseball.” “I feel like every team has something to play for when they play us.
“Every team is trying to be little thorns in our side, make us work and make us grind for our wins. It’s always interesting when you add the Cardinals into the mix. They’re playing for their wild-card spot and a chance to get to the postseason, so I’m sure they’ll definitely bring their A-game.”
The Cubs will use next week to experiment with their late-inning formulas — Tuesday will be Bullpen Night at PNC Park — and rotate their position players against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds with the idea of keeping them fresh for October.
“With all respect to everybody, you got to play these next three games right,” Maddon said. “Not that I don’t trust our other guys, but industry-wide you just want to be able to do that. Plus, we have a day off (on Thursday that) permits us to feel better about the guys getting that rest.
“I’ve been on both sides of it. When you’re on that other side, you definitely want to make sure that the teams that are in contention are playing against the other teams’ (perceived) best.”
The Cubs will still have something to play for on Friday — the National League’s No. 1 seed — plus the adrenaline rush from 40,000 fans, the national-TV spotlight on Saturday afternoon (Fox) and Sunday night (ESPN) and the chance to help block their biggest rival from making the postseason.
“It has that kind of potential,” manager Joe Maddon admitted. “But from my perspective, it’s our responsibility to play those games straight up.”
Even with Wednesday afternoon’s ugly 11-1 loss at Coors Field, the Cardinals have so far survived the first two legs of what could be a make-or-break road trip, splitting four games against the San Francisco Giants and taking a series from the Colorado Rockies.
That left the Cardinals (80-72) tied with the New York Mets (80-72) in the second wild-card position, with the Giants a half-game up heading into Wednesday night’s game at Dodger Stadium and what should be a head-spinning finish to this three-team race.
“We haven’t let up at all,” said Jon Lester (18-4, 2.36 ERA), who will start opposite Carlos Martinez (15-8, 3.16 ERA) on “Sunday Night Baseball.” “I feel like every team has something to play for when they play us.
“Every team is trying to be little thorns in our side, make us work and make us grind for our wins. It’s always interesting when you add the Cardinals into the mix. They’re playing for their wild-card spot and a chance to get to the postseason, so I’m sure they’ll definitely bring their A-game.”
The Cubs will use next week to experiment with their late-inning formulas — Tuesday will be Bullpen Night at PNC Park — and rotate their position players against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds with the idea of keeping them fresh for October.
“With all respect to everybody, you got to play these next three games right,” Maddon said. “Not that I don’t trust our other guys, but industry-wide you just want to be able to do that. Plus, we have a day off (on Thursday that) permits us to feel better about the guys getting that rest.
“I’ve been on both sides of it. When you’re on that other side, you definitely want to make sure that the teams that are in contention are playing against the other teams’ (perceived) best.”
If the Cardinals can survive and advance without feeling the burnout, they could become a dangerous opponent in a best-of-five series.
St. Louis has a powerful lineup, setting an NL record with eight players with at least 15 home runs this season. Seung Hwan Oh (18 saves, 1.79 ERA) is the kind of lights-out closer the Giants desperately need.
Alex Reyes — Baseball America’s No. 7 overall prospect entering this season — is an X-factor. On Saturday, the Cubs will get another look at Reyes, who beat them last week at Busch Stadium by throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, giving up one hit and six walks, flashing his age-22 unpredictability.
“You can’t sleep on the Cardinals,” catcher Miguel Montero said. “You know they’re a good team. They got a lot of history in the playoffs.”
The Cardinals still have their issues. Adam Wainwright (12-9, 4.57 ERA) hasn’t pitched like an ace, and Mike Leake (9-10, 4.54 ERA) hasn’t lived up to his five-year, $80 million contract. Matt Holliday hasn’t played since Aug. 11, when Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery broke his right thumb with a 94-mph fastball. A franchise known for its fundamentals now ranks 25th in the majors in defensive efficiency.
But St. Louis has already split 16 games with the Cubs and would be playing with house money against the best team in baseball in October.
“To be honest, I haven’t (been paying attention to the wild-card standings),” Lester said. “We have a lot going on here. I try to stay in our own little corner, our own little world. Especially with where we’re at, we don’t have anybody at our heels or anything.
“The biggest thing for us is kind of focusing on us. Whoever our opponent is come first round, we’ll be ready to go and prepared. If it is the Cardinals, great, we’ve seen them a lot. We know what they have. If it’s somebody else, we’ll study and we’ll prepare.”
The Cubs could help shove the Cardinals into a long offseason — or give new life to a playoff-tested team that won’t be intimidated by the idea of coming back into Wrigleyville.
“The intensity will be there,” MVP candidate Kris Bryant said. “Any time we play them, it’s a fun series. We get a lot of the Cardinals fans down here. We want to play everybody tough. Certainly, they’re in a playoff hunt, too, so we’re going to do our best to do what we do — go out there and try to win every game.”
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs don’t believe in Billy Goat or black cats or Bartman or any of that other nonsense. But mention the remarkably good health of their starting pitchers and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein wants to tap the dugout railing at Wrigley Field: “Knock on wood.”
Epstein, once the Boston Red Sox curse-buster, is the architect of a team that has already won 97 games, slicing the magic number to clinch home-field advantage through the National League Championship Series down to two.
Sweeping the Cincinnati Reds with Wednesday night’s 9-2 victory won’t tell us much about the Cubs shaking off their post-clinch hangover and getting locked back in mentally and applying Joe Maddon’s hitting lessons. This week’s headline on FiveThirtyEight — Nate Silver’s numbers-driven website — summed it up: “The Reds’ Pitching Might Be The Worst Of All Time.”
Don’t focus so much on the gaudy run differential (plus-239) or the time-filling MVP/Cy Young Award debates or Maddon’s T-shirt gimmicks or David Ross’ clubhouse influence (which does have a real impact on this team). To understand this runaway season, know that the Cubs now have five pitchers who have accounted for at least 28 starts this season.
“That’s the lead story for me,” pitching coach Chris Bosio said, “because when you have that, you have success.”
John Lackey made it through another tune-up for the Big Boy Games, limiting the last-place Reds (63-89) to two runs across seven innings, giving the Cubs five starters with double-digit wins and ERAs between 2.06 and 3.56. There’s the NL’s defending Cy Young winner (Jake Arrieta) and two leading candidates for this year’s award (Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks). Jason Hammel is a 15-game winner who’s getting questions about auditioning for the playoffs.
“There’s more we don’t know about pitching health than we do know,” Epstein said. “So the things that we do know and that we can prove empirically — or that we have a strong intuition work — we try to put into practice from rookie ball up through the big leagues and hire the best trainers and best coaches and try to focus on a long-term perspective. The season is more important than any one inning or any one situation.
“So give a lot of credit to the guys in the trenches keeping our pitchers healthy. But, look, if we could replicate it every single year — that would be quite a trick. We’re going to try. But I think there’s some good fortune as well.
“Credit our pitchers, too, for doing their work. (We’re) trying to find guys with clean deliveries and good track records of health. We hope some of the things we do work. But we also know we certainly don’t have all the answers in that realm.”
That integrated-system ideal hasn’t produced any elite pitching prospects or homegrown starters yet. But the Cubs experienced their 97-win breakthrough last year when Arrieta, Lester, Hammel and Hendricks each made between 31 and 33 starts, something that you wouldn’t have bet on happening again in 2016 after an exhausting run to the NLCS.
“It’s one thing at the end of the day I hang my hat on,” Bosio said. “It’s something I’m extremely proud of in my five years here with our horses, our core guys, whether it’s (Jeff) Samardzija and Hammel. (Or Matt) Garza, (Ryan) Dempster, (Scott) Feldman, (Paul) Maholm, all those guys.
“That means a lot to me. That’s my job. That’s how I’m going to be judged at the end of the day — the performance of our starting pitchers and our health. The same thing then goes for our bullpen.”
Restoring and flipping those rotation assets helped build the best team in baseball. Consistent starting pitching means the relievers have thrown the fewest innings in the majors and shouldn’t feel beaten-up by October. It helps explains why the Cubs lead the majors in defensive efficiency and haven’t had a losing streak longer than two games since the All-Star break.
The Cubs can only make educated guesses about why their starters haven’t broken down (yet), but this snapshot of a full-strength rotation fuels their World Series ambitions.
“When you got good mechanics, you’re going to have good results,” Bosio said. “Our guys are pretty mechanically sound. We worked extremely hard on that, because if you can’t locate the ball as a pitcher, then you can’t really follow a scouting report. If you can’t follow a scouting report, then we can’t set up the defense. So all these things coincide. It’s a fine-tuned machine.”
John Lackey ready 'for when this gets real,' Kyle Hendricks looks like Game 2 starter.
Epstein, once the Boston Red Sox curse-buster, is the architect of a team that has already won 97 games, slicing the magic number to clinch home-field advantage through the National League Championship Series down to two.
Sweeping the Cincinnati Reds with Wednesday night’s 9-2 victory won’t tell us much about the Cubs shaking off their post-clinch hangover and getting locked back in mentally and applying Joe Maddon’s hitting lessons. This week’s headline on FiveThirtyEight — Nate Silver’s numbers-driven website — summed it up: “The Reds’ Pitching Might Be The Worst Of All Time.”
Don’t focus so much on the gaudy run differential (plus-239) or the time-filling MVP/Cy Young Award debates or Maddon’s T-shirt gimmicks or David Ross’ clubhouse influence (which does have a real impact on this team). To understand this runaway season, know that the Cubs now have five pitchers who have accounted for at least 28 starts this season.
“That’s the lead story for me,” pitching coach Chris Bosio said, “because when you have that, you have success.”
John Lackey made it through another tune-up for the Big Boy Games, limiting the last-place Reds (63-89) to two runs across seven innings, giving the Cubs five starters with double-digit wins and ERAs between 2.06 and 3.56. There’s the NL’s defending Cy Young winner (Jake Arrieta) and two leading candidates for this year’s award (Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks). Jason Hammel is a 15-game winner who’s getting questions about auditioning for the playoffs.
“There’s more we don’t know about pitching health than we do know,” Epstein said. “So the things that we do know and that we can prove empirically — or that we have a strong intuition work — we try to put into practice from rookie ball up through the big leagues and hire the best trainers and best coaches and try to focus on a long-term perspective. The season is more important than any one inning or any one situation.
“So give a lot of credit to the guys in the trenches keeping our pitchers healthy. But, look, if we could replicate it every single year — that would be quite a trick. We’re going to try. But I think there’s some good fortune as well.
“Credit our pitchers, too, for doing their work. (We’re) trying to find guys with clean deliveries and good track records of health. We hope some of the things we do work. But we also know we certainly don’t have all the answers in that realm.”
That integrated-system ideal hasn’t produced any elite pitching prospects or homegrown starters yet. But the Cubs experienced their 97-win breakthrough last year when Arrieta, Lester, Hammel and Hendricks each made between 31 and 33 starts, something that you wouldn’t have bet on happening again in 2016 after an exhausting run to the NLCS.
“It’s one thing at the end of the day I hang my hat on,” Bosio said. “It’s something I’m extremely proud of in my five years here with our horses, our core guys, whether it’s (Jeff) Samardzija and Hammel. (Or Matt) Garza, (Ryan) Dempster, (Scott) Feldman, (Paul) Maholm, all those guys.
“That means a lot to me. That’s my job. That’s how I’m going to be judged at the end of the day — the performance of our starting pitchers and our health. The same thing then goes for our bullpen.”
Restoring and flipping those rotation assets helped build the best team in baseball. Consistent starting pitching means the relievers have thrown the fewest innings in the majors and shouldn’t feel beaten-up by October. It helps explains why the Cubs lead the majors in defensive efficiency and haven’t had a losing streak longer than two games since the All-Star break.
The Cubs can only make educated guesses about why their starters haven’t broken down (yet), but this snapshot of a full-strength rotation fuels their World Series ambitions.
“When you got good mechanics, you’re going to have good results,” Bosio said. “Our guys are pretty mechanically sound. We worked extremely hard on that, because if you can’t locate the ball as a pitcher, then you can’t really follow a scouting report. If you can’t follow a scouting report, then we can’t set up the defense. So all these things coincide. It’s a fine-tuned machine.”
John Lackey ready 'for when this gets real,' Kyle Hendricks looks like Game 2 starter.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
With John Lackey just about ready to pitch in a Big Boy Game, the question for the Cubs becomes: When?
With Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks appearing to be at the front of a playoff rotation, that answer could be an if-necessary Game 4 on the road against whatever talented-but-flawed team emerges from the National League’s wild-card free-for-all.
“There’s definitely a plan in place,” Lackey said after Wednesday night’s 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.
Theo Epstein’s front office and Joe Maddon’s coaching staff discussed those options during a pregame conference that might have put the playoff rotation into sharper focus. The Cubs then announced Hendricks’ next start would be moved to Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, the night after Lester faces the St. Louis Cardinals, putting them on track for Oct. 7 and 8 at Wrigley Field.
“We had a primary meeting today,” Maddon said. “We talked about some things. By no means did we settle on anything, but we just laid the groundwork for the discussion among the group.
“There are a lot of really tough decisions there. In your bullpen, how many are you going to keep and who are they going to be? And then the guys coming off the bench — all that stuff is still up in the air a little bit.”
With Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks appearing to be at the front of a playoff rotation, that answer could be an if-necessary Game 4 on the road against whatever talented-but-flawed team emerges from the National League’s wild-card free-for-all.
“There’s definitely a plan in place,” Lackey said after Wednesday night’s 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.
Theo Epstein’s front office and Joe Maddon’s coaching staff discussed those options during a pregame conference that might have put the playoff rotation into sharper focus. The Cubs then announced Hendricks’ next start would be moved to Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, the night after Lester faces the St. Louis Cardinals, putting them on track for Oct. 7 and 8 at Wrigley Field.
“We had a primary meeting today,” Maddon said. “We talked about some things. By no means did we settle on anything, but we just laid the groundwork for the discussion among the group.
“There are a lot of really tough decisions there. In your bullpen, how many are you going to keep and who are they going to be? And then the guys coming off the bench — all that stuff is still up in the air a little bit.”
Lackey needed only 87 pitches to get through seven innings, limiting the Reds to two runs and showing no after-effects from the strained right shoulder that sidelined him from the middle of August until Labor Day weekend, a rare injury for what’s been an exceptionally sturdy rotation.
“I’m still building up a little bit,” Lackey said. “I felt like I got better tonight as far as arm strength and that sort of thing. I should be right on time for when this gets real.”
So far, Lackey (10-8, 3.39 ERA) has been exactly what the Cubs expected when they signed the two-time World Series champion to a two-year, $32 million deal over the winter.
“I definitely feel like I pitched better than my record shows, for sure,” Lackey said. “But there’s usually one guy on the staff that gets that. What are you going to do? Hopefully, I’ll win a couple games when it matters a little bit more.”
WHITE SOX: Bovada lists Chris Sale as current AL Cy Young favorite.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
There's less than two weeks left in the regular season and Chris Sale is currently the American League Cy Young favorite, according to Bovada.
Sale comes in at 8/5, just ahead of Corey Kluber and Rick Porcello, who are both 2/1.
Sale comes in at 8/5, just ahead of Corey Kluber and Rick Porcello, who are both 2/1.
"Most recent odds for AL Cy Young. Tonight's #WhiteSox starter, Chris Sale, is the favorite per @BovadaLV.
Dan Hayes ✔
@CSNHayes
Entering Wednesday's start, Sale has a 3.03 ERA with a 16-8 record and 215 strikeouts in 210 2/3 innings. Sale's ERA is currently second in the AL. Porcello leads the AL in wins (21) and in third in ERA (3.08). Kluber also has 215 strikeouts and is fourth in ERA (3.12). Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka leads the league in ERA at 2.97, but is not listed as an available bet by Bovada.
In the National League, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer is the heavy favorite according to Bovada with Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner also in the running.
In the National League, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer is the heavy favorite according to Bovada with Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner also in the running.
Chris Sale knocked out early as White Sox fall to Phillies. (Wednesday night's game, 09/21/2016. (We're sure this hurt his chances for the Cy Young award tremendously).
By Dan Hayes
Chris Sale’s Cy Young chances took a hit on Wednesday night.
“I don’t know where it started, but I just never got rolling tonight,” Sale said.
“Couldn’t find a groove.
“Bad night. Frustrating. Wish I could have been better. I wasn’t. It would have been nice to sneak out with a win, but I didn’t give them a chance from the first pitch.”
Courtesy of a fantastic 11-run start since the All-Star break, Sale was listed as the favorite among the AL Cy Young candidates at 8-to-5 when Bovada released odds on Wednesday. Sale, who had a 2.52 ERA in that span, held a slight edge over Cleveland’s Corey Kluber and Boston’s Rick Porcello, both of whom were listed at 2-to-1. Toronto’s J.A. Happ (10-to-1) and Detroit’s Justin Verlander (20-to-1) rounded out the candidates.
But even with an early 1-0 lead provided by an Adam Eaton solo home run to start the game, Sale didn’t look like much of a top nominee on Wednesday. The five-time All-Star allowed four of the first five batters he faced to reach base, including consecutive doubles to Tommy Joseph and Cameron Rupp to fall behind 3-1.
The damage continued against Sale, who entered Wednesday in the top five in Wins Above Replacement (5.2, first), ERA (second), Fielding Independent Pitching (3.32, third), wins (16, fourth), innings (210 2/3, second) and strikeouts (215, fourth).
Joseph tagged him again in the third inning, this time for a two-run homer and a 5-1 Phillies lead. Roman Quinn, one of three batters Sale hit on Wednesday, scored on Joseph’s homer. Cesar Hernandez also tripled in a run in the fourth inning as Sale fell behind 6-1.
“I don’t play for stuff like (the award),” Sale said. “I’m here to win games. Not to win any trophies or whatever else. I want to win games and I wanted to win tonight.”
Sale received an endorsement from manager Robin Ventura before the contest. Ventura doesn’t think his team’s 72-80 record should be a factor in the vote, which will be revealed in early November.
“He comes to mind,” Ventura said. “You start looking around the league, especially in our division, you can look at some guys in Cleveland. You can look at maybe somebody in Texas. There are enough guys that go around that have numbers. Porcello in Boston comes to mind.
“I’m partial (to Sale) because I see him all the time. I see what he does. I see how important he is. Regardless of where we’re at record-wise, I realize how important he is.”
Perhaps the most surprising part of Sale’s start on Wednesday was its brevity.
Sale, who has four top-six Cy Young finishes in his career, had pitched at least eight innings in his last six starts, the longest such streak by a White Sox pitcher since Jack McDowell did it seven straight games in 1994.
He leads the majors with six complete games this season.
While Wednesday’s effort is his shortest of the season since May 24, when he went 3 1/3 innings at home against the Cleveland Indians, Sale has already established a career high for innings pitched. Sale has thrown 214 2/3 innings this season, surpassing his previous high of 214 1/3 (2013).
“He’s better this year for me in a lot of ways than he has been in the past,” Ventura said.
As long as he feels up to it, Sale could receive two more starts before the season is done. Earlier this week, Ventura said he would let his pitchers make their turns as long as they physically felt up to the task. Sale’s next turn unofficially comes on Tuesday at home against the Tampa Bay Rays. He also could start on the final day of the season at home against the Minnesota Twins.
Kluber also started on Wednesday, allowing two earned runs and striking out nine in 6 1/3 innings.
“Whatever they got for me,” Sale said. “I go when my name is called. However many that is I’ll show up for them.”
Todd Frazier and Alex Avila also homered for the White Sox in the loss.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... 2016 Bulls player preview: Isaiah Canaan.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Player: Isaiah Canaan
Position: Point Guard/Shooting guard
Experience: 4th season
2015-16 stats: 11.0 points, 1.8 rebounds
2016-17 Outlook: It’ll be a game of musical chairs in the Bulls’ backcourt this season with the backup positions and Canaan will be in the mix for playing time at both positions, despite his small 6-foot-0 frame.
He’s more scorer than facilitator and looks for his offense, being aggressive in the pick and roll and in the open floor. It could be a change of pace from Rajon Rondo’s style, as Rondo can push the pace but will definitely be in control. If Canaan beats out Jerian Grant, Spencer Dinwiddie and Denzel Valentine for minutes, he’s going to play at a breakneck speed, looking to force the action and reacquainting himself with a familiar statistic: Field Goals Attempted.
Per 36 minutes last year, he took 13.2 shots and nearly nine of them came from the 3-point line, which accounts for his career shooting percentage being below 37, as he gets up a huge bulk from the long line.
Having spent the majority of his career with the then-tanking Philadelphia 76ers, Canaan’s value is hard to project and one wonders if he’s gotten accustomed to losing environments.
In Philly, though, he was able to get plenty of experience, playing 77 games last season in what was probably as eye-opening for him as anything he’s ever endured in the NBA.
With the depth, though, seeing the above-mentioned players likely being ahead of him in the rotation means the Bulls won’t be as dependent on him for wins — but during those dog days of the season, when the injuries can pile up and the excitement is low, one wonders if Fred Hoiberg can toss Canaan out there and his energy can help the Bulls to a win or two in February — which could come handy in April when all wins matter if you’re trying to compete for a playoff spot.
Position: Point Guard/Shooting guard
Experience: 4th season
2015-16 stats: 11.0 points, 1.8 rebounds
2016-17 Outlook: It’ll be a game of musical chairs in the Bulls’ backcourt this season with the backup positions and Canaan will be in the mix for playing time at both positions, despite his small 6-foot-0 frame.
He’s more scorer than facilitator and looks for his offense, being aggressive in the pick and roll and in the open floor. It could be a change of pace from Rajon Rondo’s style, as Rondo can push the pace but will definitely be in control. If Canaan beats out Jerian Grant, Spencer Dinwiddie and Denzel Valentine for minutes, he’s going to play at a breakneck speed, looking to force the action and reacquainting himself with a familiar statistic: Field Goals Attempted.
Per 36 minutes last year, he took 13.2 shots and nearly nine of them came from the 3-point line, which accounts for his career shooting percentage being below 37, as he gets up a huge bulk from the long line.
Having spent the majority of his career with the then-tanking Philadelphia 76ers, Canaan’s value is hard to project and one wonders if he’s gotten accustomed to losing environments.
In Philly, though, he was able to get plenty of experience, playing 77 games last season in what was probably as eye-opening for him as anything he’s ever endured in the NBA.
With the depth, though, seeing the above-mentioned players likely being ahead of him in the rotation means the Bulls won’t be as dependent on him for wins — but during those dog days of the season, when the injuries can pile up and the excitement is low, one wonders if Fred Hoiberg can toss Canaan out there and his energy can help the Bulls to a win or two in February — which could come handy in April when all wins matter if you’re trying to compete for a playoff spot.
By Will Gray
(Photo/The Golf Channel)
After a day of difficult scoring at East Lake, a pair of familiar names are near the top of the leaderboard. Here's how things stand after the first round of the Tour Championship, where Dustin Johnson shares the lead in search of his second straight win:
Leaderboard: Hideki Matsuyama (-4), Kevin Chappell (-4), Dustin Johnson (-4), Jason Day (-3), Si Woo Kim (-3), Jordan Spieth (-2), Rory McIlroy (-2)
What it means: Birdies were hard to come by for the 30-man field in the early going, but eventually some of the top players in the world got it into red figures. That group included Spieth and McIlroy, both of whom rebounded from difficult front nines, while Johnson showed that he didn't accumulate any rust in the bye week that followed his record-setting victory at the BMW Championship.
Round of the day: Johnson played in the anchor pairing alongside Patrick Reed, and he may have a similar tee time for the rest of the week after opening with a 4-under 66. Johnson birdied three of his first six holes to grab a spot on the early leaderboard, dropped his only shot of the day on No. 13 and grabbed a share of the lead with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 closing hole.
Best of the rest: Matsuyama defeated Rickie Fowler in a playoff this year in Phoenix, and his perpetually strong ball-striking was complemented by some strong putting during an opening-round 66. Matsuyama birdied four of his first six holes on the difficult outward half, made the turn in 4-under 31 and added two more birdies on the back nine without dropping a shot.
Biggest disappointment: Phil Mickelson shot himself out of the tournament with a 4-over 74, but the concerns for Lefty extend beyond this week. Mickelson missed his first 12 fairways in a row before finding his lone fairway of the day on No. 17. It was a surprising display of inaccuracy from the five-time major champ, who will need to get things back on track in a hurry before heading to Hazeltine for the Ryder Cup.
Main storyline heading into Friday: There is no shortage of star power within two shots of the early lead, but the player to watch remains Johnson. Already the leader for Player of the Year honors entering the week, he barely seemed to break a sweat during the opening round and could be on his way to duplicating-Billy Horschel's double-dip that yielded the FedEx Cup in 2014.
Shot of the day: Kim entered this week as the Tour leader in hole-outs, and he added to that total with a chip-in birdie on No. 18 to close out his round. A winner last month in Greensboro, Kim was recently re-classified as a rookie and could steal Rookie of the Year honors from Emiliano Grillo with a strong performance this week.
Quote of the day: "I was joking with my caddie that this sort of golf would be pretty good next week at the Ryder Cup. Make seven birdies, and you're going to do OK." -McIlroy, whose colorful scorecard included seven birdies, two doubles and a bogey.
Leaderboard: Hideki Matsuyama (-4), Kevin Chappell (-4), Dustin Johnson (-4), Jason Day (-3), Si Woo Kim (-3), Jordan Spieth (-2), Rory McIlroy (-2)
What it means: Birdies were hard to come by for the 30-man field in the early going, but eventually some of the top players in the world got it into red figures. That group included Spieth and McIlroy, both of whom rebounded from difficult front nines, while Johnson showed that he didn't accumulate any rust in the bye week that followed his record-setting victory at the BMW Championship.
Round of the day: Johnson played in the anchor pairing alongside Patrick Reed, and he may have a similar tee time for the rest of the week after opening with a 4-under 66. Johnson birdied three of his first six holes to grab a spot on the early leaderboard, dropped his only shot of the day on No. 13 and grabbed a share of the lead with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 closing hole.
Best of the rest: Matsuyama defeated Rickie Fowler in a playoff this year in Phoenix, and his perpetually strong ball-striking was complemented by some strong putting during an opening-round 66. Matsuyama birdied four of his first six holes on the difficult outward half, made the turn in 4-under 31 and added two more birdies on the back nine without dropping a shot.
Biggest disappointment: Phil Mickelson shot himself out of the tournament with a 4-over 74, but the concerns for Lefty extend beyond this week. Mickelson missed his first 12 fairways in a row before finding his lone fairway of the day on No. 17. It was a surprising display of inaccuracy from the five-time major champ, who will need to get things back on track in a hurry before heading to Hazeltine for the Ryder Cup.
Main storyline heading into Friday: There is no shortage of star power within two shots of the early lead, but the player to watch remains Johnson. Already the leader for Player of the Year honors entering the week, he barely seemed to break a sweat during the opening round and could be on his way to duplicating-Billy Horschel's double-dip that yielded the FedEx Cup in 2014.
Shot of the day: Kim entered this week as the Tour leader in hole-outs, and he added to that total with a chip-in birdie on No. 18 to close out his round. A winner last month in Greensboro, Kim was recently re-classified as a rookie and could steal Rookie of the Year honors from Emiliano Grillo with a strong performance this week.
Quote of the day: "I was joking with my caddie that this sort of golf would be pretty good next week at the Ryder Cup. Make seven birdies, and you're going to do OK." -McIlroy, whose colorful scorecard included seven birdies, two doubles and a bogey.
Despite detractors, Finchem leaves Tour better off.
By Rex Hoggard
(Photo/The Golf Channel)
The knock against Tim Finchem for the better part of two decades has been that he lacks a sense of humor. That assessment didn’t exactly change on Tuesday at East Lake, but it did improve, however slightly.
In what was billed as Finchem’s final “formal” news conference as PGA Tour commissioner, the 69-year-old attempted to alter his public persona by reading a series of pointed comments from various media, be it social or otherwise.
“Wake me when Tim Finchem is finished speaking, #InductionCeremony,” read one observation.
Another seemed to cut a little too close to home: “The more I study this Tim Finchem transcript on the anchoring issue, the more I like Bud Selig.”
“That one really hurts, actually,” Finchem frowned.
And finally, “Will Tim Finchem ever retire, or will he take Queen Elizabeth's method of ruling until death?”
“I used to threaten to do that, but then I realized, if I tried it, someone would probably kill me anyway,” Finchem laughed.
Actually, Finchem’s retirement has been looming for some time. In March, the Tour named Jay Monahan the circuit’s deputy commissioner and chief operating officer to solidify a succession plan, and Finchem was given a one-year extension to his current contract that expires next June to allow him to tie up some loose ends.
If the tone of Tuesday’s news conference was any indication, Finchem will be stepping down well before next summer. In fact, it seems likely that he’ll turn the keys to the kingdom over to Monahan at the end of this year, which at least partially explains his uncharacteristically comic approach at East Lake.
In his two decades running the show, Finchem has largely avoided levity of any kind. It must have been a lawyer thing, or maybe he’d just never taken the time to see the lighter side of the business.
Time, however, is about to become a commodity for Finchem.
“I'll try to reverse the ratio of practicing golf and playing golf, which I get a fair amount of practice in. I don't get to play very much,” Finchem said of his plan for his golden years.
He’ll also take some time to reflect on what has been an eventful tenure at the Tour. Until now, that kind of contemplation has been a luxury Finchem hasn’t had much interest in making.
Even on Tuesday, on the eve of his final turn as commissioner at an event he helped transition from a sleepy way to put a bow on the season to a cash grab that has made golf relevant during a time of year that is ruled by football, Finchem was still viewing things from 30,000 feet.
Asked what he considers his legacy, Finchem spoke of the Tour “team,” the impact the circuit has had on growing the game and deferred to his predecessor Deane Beman.
“Deane Beman is a legacy. When Deane Beman became commissioner in '74, the net worth of the PGA Tour was $150,000,” Finchem said.
Although Beman’s impact on the growth of the Tour is legendary, the facts suggest Finchem might be playing the modesty card. In 2014, the Tour reported $2.21 billion in total assets according to the circuit’s tax filings.
It’s no secret that the Tour’s meteoric rise dovetailed with Tiger Woods’ climb to stardom, and many mistakenly attribute the circuit’s growth entirely to the former world No. 1; but that ignores Finchem’s savvy ability to sidestep predictable growing pains.
“[Woods’] domination at a time when you're bringing more and more good players along, is incredible. It lifted all boats,” Finchem said. “By '98, Tiger was dominant. So the questions were, How do you manage to grow the Tour when your dominant player is playing 17 or 18 times and you have 46 events? How does that work?”
In the 20 years since Woods joined the Tour, the number of events has remained virtually unchanged, with the ’96 schedule featuring 48 official events compared to this year’s 46 tournaments.
The FedEx Cup, which entered its 10th season this year, is probably Finchem’s most high-profile addition to the Tour landscape, with the four-event postseason checking all the right boxes – meaningful golf that includes nearly all of the top players late into the fall.
Finchem also oversaw the introduction of the World Golf Championships, the growth of the Presidents Cup, The Players transition to May, the creation of the First Tee and golf’s return to the Olympics.
But it hasn’t always been unicorns and rainbows for Finchem in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
There have been missteps under his watch, perhaps the most glaring of those was the 2001 lawsuit filed by Casey Martin to use a golf cart in Tour events. Whatever the reason Finchem & Co. felt compelled to dig in against what has been a non-issue ever since, the circuit was left to look like bullies in the end.
Similarly, Vijay Singh’s ongoing lawsuit against the Tour over his run-in with the organization’s anti-doping program is starting to look similarly shortsighted; and there are those who contend the commissioner doesn’t look out for the rank-and-file players.
But even Finchem’s most vocal detractors concede that he’s been a savvy leader through some difficult times, like the economic crisis in 2008 that coincided with Woods’ competitive struggles.
Despite the worst financial environment since the Great Depression, Finchem’s Tour didn’t lose a single tournament or playing opportunity for its members.
Whatever Finchem’s legacy, he left the Tour better then it was when he took over, and in the ultimate nod to his leadership abilities he also realizes the need for new ideas.
Never much for jokes, Finchem wrapped up his final news conference with a similarly out-of-character smile, “It's time for the organization to continue to morph. That's more important.”
Spieth scouts Hazeltine with potential RC picks.
By Rex Hoggard
(Photo/The Golf Channel)
Jordan Spieth and several members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team spent Sunday and Monday at Hazeltine National preparing for next week’s matches.
They were joined by a few of the front-runners for the final captain’s pick, which will be announced following the final round of this week’s Tour Championship.
Spieth said he played on Sunday with Jimmy Walker and was joined by captain Davis Love III and vice captain Steve Stricker on the back nine.
On Monday, Spieth played with Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger and Bubba Watson, the three leading contenders for the final spot on the U.S. team. Brooks Koepka, one of the eight automatic qualifiers, also played with Spieth on Monday.
“We joked around that Davis was letting me and Brooks make the pick at the end of the round,” Spieth laughed. “You could see how badly each of them wanted to be there.”
Spieth said his five-some played a game of “wolf,” with Bubba Watson going solo on the final hole, a 432-yard par 4.
“I was the only one who wasn't inside [Watson’s] putt for birdie, the three other guys were. So he was at an extreme disadvantage, and he banged it in the back of the hole, won the hole. The next three missed, and he took home the money,” Spieth said. “He was screaming about it on the 18th green.”
Spieth also said that vice captain Tiger Woods called during a team dinner and spoke to the group on speakerphone.
“Tiger's all in. He is putting a lot of work into this too,” he said.
They were joined by a few of the front-runners for the final captain’s pick, which will be announced following the final round of this week’s Tour Championship.
Spieth said he played on Sunday with Jimmy Walker and was joined by captain Davis Love III and vice captain Steve Stricker on the back nine.
On Monday, Spieth played with Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger and Bubba Watson, the three leading contenders for the final spot on the U.S. team. Brooks Koepka, one of the eight automatic qualifiers, also played with Spieth on Monday.
“We joked around that Davis was letting me and Brooks make the pick at the end of the round,” Spieth laughed. “You could see how badly each of them wanted to be there.”
Spieth said his five-some played a game of “wolf,” with Bubba Watson going solo on the final hole, a 432-yard par 4.
“I was the only one who wasn't inside [Watson’s] putt for birdie, the three other guys were. So he was at an extreme disadvantage, and he banged it in the back of the hole, won the hole. The next three missed, and he took home the money,” Spieth said. “He was screaming about it on the 18th green.”
Spieth also said that vice captain Tiger Woods called during a team dinner and spoke to the group on speakerphone.
“Tiger's all in. He is putting a lot of work into this too,” he said.
NASCAR: Why NASCAR was hit with a $500 million racial discrimination lawsuit.
By Weston Williams
NASCAR has struggled for decades with minority inclusion. The sport, dominated largely by white, male drivers and owners, is immensely popular in the South. There have been only a small handful of consistent black racers in the organization since NASCAR was founded in 1948.
NASCAR has struggled for decades with minority inclusion. The sport, dominated largely by white, male drivers and owners, is immensely popular in the South. There have been only a small handful of consistent black racers in the organization since NASCAR was founded in 1948.
That lack of diversity was thrown into sharp relief last week when a $500 million lawsuit was filed against NASCAR for racial discrimination against a proposed racing team from Diversity Motorsports Racing, LLC. The suit highlights NASCAR's troubled racial history in one of America's least-diverse sports.
Terrance Cox, chief executive officer of Diversity Motorsports, filed the suit. His company identifies itself on its website as "an ownership team that reflects the diverse faces and backgrounds of America, coming together to blend their individual talents to create a fresh approach the motorsports industry has been seeking." The lawsuit alleges that NASCAR turned away Diversity Motorsports when they approached the association with a proposal to start a team called "Steve Harvey Races 4 Education."
African-American comedian Steve Harvey has distanced himself from the suit. Mr. Harvey said on "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" radio program that he had expressed his willingness to Mr. Cox to participate with a program to expose underprivileged children to the sport, but that the relationship with Cox had not gone any farther. Harvey said he wanted his name off the lawsuit, claiming it greatly over-represents his involvement with Diversity Motorsports.
"I have no problem with NASCAR," Harvey told listeners on his radio show. "Ain’t never had a problem."
NASCAR says the lawsuit has no merit.
"Diversity both on and off the track continues to be a top priority for NASCAR and its stakeholders," the organization said in a statement. "We stand behind our actions, and will not let a publicity-seeking legal action deter us from our mission."
NASCAR currently has no black racers in the Sprint Cup, its top racing series, and only one black driver in the lower Xfinity series.
"Motorsports remain the most racially segregated sport in the United States," says the lawsuit. "NASCAR and ISC [International Speedway Corporation] have been complicit in, and supportive of, the racially discriminatory environment that virtually excludes African-Americans from meaningful participation."
Records show that NASCAR has had few non-white participants. Wendall Scott was the first African-American to start a race on March 4th, 1961, but he did not finish due to engine troubles. After this rocky start, Mr. Scott went on to become a highly successful racer, participating in 495 races between 1961 and 1973 and even winning the Cup in NASCAR's top racing series in 1963. After that, NASCAR had no black racers in the top series at all in the periods between 1974 to 1985, 1987 to 2005, and 2005 to the present.
In 2004, NASCAR made an effort to reach out to women and minority drivers with the Drive for Diversity program, but the higher echelons of competitors are still almost exclusively white and male.
Early racing had its roots in the Depression before becoming formalized under organizations like NASCAR. In the impoverished South, cheap entertainment like racing was in high demand. NASCAR was founded in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Fla. The organization maintained a large Southern following in subsequent decades.
"Part of the reason that southerners identify with stock car racing is that it’s southern," Monte Dutton, the 2009 National Motorsports Press Association writer of the year told the Gainesville Times in an interview that same year. "The South is the first place where [stock car racing] became a spectacle."
Even after NASCAR's popularity grew in other parts of the country, say critics, Southern resistance to integration was built into the system, and the legacies of that resistance linger to this day.
"There’s nobody [of color] in the stands. There’s a few on the pit crews and in the office there are some," Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr., a black NASCAR driver in the Xfinity series, told The Charlotte Observer last year. "It’s not enough to finally say the sport is changing. It’s going in the right direction. You just have to keep getting after it."
But for Cox, change in NASCAR is coming too slowly. His lawsuit seeks $75 million in compensatory damages and $425 million in punitive damages, which would go to fund groups sponsored by Diversity Motorsports to promote the inclusion of minorities in racing. The suit also demands that NASCAR "fully integrate the African-American community" into its racing programs.
The lawsuit comes as professional athletes around the country protest mistreatment of African-Americans by kneeling during the national anthem.
Cayden Lapcevich defied the odds to become NASCAR’s youngest champion.
By Kelly Crandall
(Photo/Matthew Murnaghan/NASCAR)
It is the 16-year-old from Grimsby, Ontario, who is the youngest champion in NASCAR history. Lapcevich, at 16 years, 10 months, 16 days, was crowned the NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion last Sunday, breaking the record Joey Logano set in 2007 when he won the K&N East Series championship at 17 years, 3 months, 28 days.
“It’s pretty cool knowing that I was able to break a record that stood for a long time and it also being Joey Logano’s,” Lapcevich told NBC Sports. “He started in the same place I did, back in quarter midgets, so it gives me that hope that I’m headed in the right direction to make it to the Sprint Cup Series one day.”
Lapcevich, a third-generation driver, was passed the torch by his father. Jeff Lapcevich raced in the Pinty’s Series from 2007 until his retirement in 2015. There was never any question nor was it difficult, Jeff said, that Cayden was going to take over for him. He now serves as his son’s car owner and crew chief.
Cayden’s success, which includes the driver’s championship, owner’s championship, and Rookie of the Year honors, came despite long odds. Last fall, the family learned their sponsor of 25 years, Tim Horton’s, would not be returning. Their plans to run a full season suddenly became a week-by-week decision.
“That was a big shock to the heart,” Jeff Lapcevich told NBC Sports. “But my wife and I talked and said we would do what we could afford and at that point, we knew we could get to a couple of races. It was disheartening because we had a lot of faith in Cayden and knew that he could win races and be up front everywhere and be competitive. So I think it was emotionally hard on us because you want the best for your kids, especially when they want it so bad.”
Cayden said that even a couple of days before his first race his mother, Sherri, “was still questioning herself of whether we should go or not.”
Lapcevich ran so well that funding trickled in, leaving them to change decals on the car almost weekly. It was enough, however, to allow the No. 76 Fastline Motorsports Dodge to continue running. And Lapcevich knew he had to keep the car in one piece to help their efforts.
He took the points lead after a second-place finish in the season’s third race at Autodrome Chaudiere. But the team, consisting mostly of family and friends, still knew nothing was set in stone. Lapcevich’s first of three wins on the season came at Wyant Group Raceway, the seventh event of the year.
Over the course of the 12-race schedule, Lapcevich never finished worse than eighth.
“It was a funny season because we all went to the first bunch of races and we never imagined early in the spring that we were going to be able to do the Western swing,” Jeff Lapcevich said. “(Cayden) was still really in the thick of things heading to that swing, which we had no plans to do, we didn’t even have a truck. By the time we decided to go, which was literally about three days before we needed to be on the road, nobody on the team was able to make it.
“We went out there with only two of our regular guys, and we went to Edmonton and got some help from a local guy out there, and then we went to (Wyant Group Raceway) and recruited three more local racers to help us and actually got our first win there. So it was a big deal for us. Then we got back home and had the same group of guys, but we’re still a very small team.”
Lapcevich will celebrate with other touring and weekly champions at the annual awards ceremony in December. As for his plans for next season and beyond, Lapcevich has hopes of finding funding to race again in the Pinty’s Series or try his hand at K&N or Camping World Truck Series.
Why NASCAR changed the names of its playoff rounds in 2016 Chase? CMO explains.
By Nate Ryan
Two years ago, NASCAR moved toward streamlining its playoffs through a format more traditionally in line with other professional sports
In the third season of the revamped Chase for the Sprint Cup, the branding of the 10-race championship also has moved in a conventional direction with the dispensing of nicknames for its four rounds in favor of traditional labels.
Jill Gregory, who was named NASCAR’s chief marketing officer last month, said it’s about simplicity.
“At the end of the day, we need to make the sport accessible and easy to consume, and sports fans, whether motorsports, NASCAR, stick and ball, they’re familiar with a certain vernacular, and we wanted to keep it simple,” Gregory, the guest on this week’s NASCAR on NBC podcast, said in the Wednesday episode. “Sometimes, you can out-clever yourself.”
When the Chase for the Sprint Cup was reintroduced with elimination rounds and an expanded field in the 2014 season, the first three rounds were known as “Challenger,” “Contender” and “Eliminator.”
“At the time we instituted the new chase format with the elimination rounds, that was an important distinction to make to showcase what these rounds meant,” Gregory said. “But after more research and a lot of input from our partners, it’s, ‘How can we communicate this in the easiest way to the fans, both casually and avid, that they know what’s happening?’ ”
After using the branded rounds again last season, they were dropped this year. The number of title contenders in each segment is the determinant for the name (i.e., Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8 and Championship 4).
“It’s very easy to understand Round of 16, Round of 8, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for fans to engage with it,” Gregory said.
It’s indicative of an ongoing and subtle shift in how the title run has been promoted. When the Chase was introduced in a January 2004 news conference, NASCAR chairman Brian France said “we’re not going to call this a playoff.”
Gregory said the terminology has become more embraced with the evolution of the Chase.
“We did a lot of research on this, and our fans know what the Chase means,” she said.
“That’s our playoffs, but the playoff time period is a sports term that’s universal across any sort of sporting event, so I think the fact we’ve been able to make the Chase synonymous with playoffs and they can be used interchangeable, that’s great for us.
“The Chase has got a lot of equity for us, but we know we’re going to explain it to a variety of fans that we can use both terms and be comfortable with it.
Other topics discussed by Gregory on the podcast:
–How NASCAR is marketing the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup with drivers as action-movie heroes;
–The challenges of engaging fans and deciding which social media platforms are most effective;
–The tricky concept of introducing rising stars to fans before they’ve had success on the track.
To listen to the full podcast, you can listen below or download the episode by subscribing to it on iTunes by clicking here. The free subscription will provide automatic downloads of new episodes to your smartphone or tablet.
The podcast also is available on Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify and a host of other smartphone apps.
In the third season of the revamped Chase for the Sprint Cup, the branding of the 10-race championship also has moved in a conventional direction with the dispensing of nicknames for its four rounds in favor of traditional labels.
Jill Gregory, who was named NASCAR’s chief marketing officer last month, said it’s about simplicity.
“At the end of the day, we need to make the sport accessible and easy to consume, and sports fans, whether motorsports, NASCAR, stick and ball, they’re familiar with a certain vernacular, and we wanted to keep it simple,” Gregory, the guest on this week’s NASCAR on NBC podcast, said in the Wednesday episode. “Sometimes, you can out-clever yourself.”
When the Chase for the Sprint Cup was reintroduced with elimination rounds and an expanded field in the 2014 season, the first three rounds were known as “Challenger,” “Contender” and “Eliminator.”
“At the time we instituted the new chase format with the elimination rounds, that was an important distinction to make to showcase what these rounds meant,” Gregory said. “But after more research and a lot of input from our partners, it’s, ‘How can we communicate this in the easiest way to the fans, both casually and avid, that they know what’s happening?’ ”
After using the branded rounds again last season, they were dropped this year. The number of title contenders in each segment is the determinant for the name (i.e., Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8 and Championship 4).
“It’s very easy to understand Round of 16, Round of 8, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for fans to engage with it,” Gregory said.
It’s indicative of an ongoing and subtle shift in how the title run has been promoted. When the Chase was introduced in a January 2004 news conference, NASCAR chairman Brian France said “we’re not going to call this a playoff.”
Gregory said the terminology has become more embraced with the evolution of the Chase.
“We did a lot of research on this, and our fans know what the Chase means,” she said.
“That’s our playoffs, but the playoff time period is a sports term that’s universal across any sort of sporting event, so I think the fact we’ve been able to make the Chase synonymous with playoffs and they can be used interchangeable, that’s great for us.
“The Chase has got a lot of equity for us, but we know we’re going to explain it to a variety of fans that we can use both terms and be comfortable with it.
Other topics discussed by Gregory on the podcast:
–How NASCAR is marketing the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup with drivers as action-movie heroes;
–The challenges of engaging fans and deciding which social media platforms are most effective;
–The tricky concept of introducing rising stars to fans before they’ve had success on the track.
To listen to the full podcast, you can listen below or download the episode by subscribing to it on iTunes by clicking here. The free subscription will provide automatic downloads of new episodes to your smartphone or tablet.
The podcast also is available on Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify and a host of other smartphone apps.
SOCCER: What to watch for in the rest of the Fire's 2016 season.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The standings in Major League Soccer paint a clear picture for the Chicago Fire, and it’s not a pretty one.
The Fire sit all alone in last place in the league and time is running out to make the playoffs. The Fire have to make up a nine-point deficit with just six games remaining and pass four teams in the Eastern Conference along the way. There are four road games left on the Fire’s schedule and the team has won once away from Toyota Park all season so any furious closing rally seems unlikely.
Coach Veljko Paunovic will surely continue to talk about wanting his team to play hard in every game and playing to win each match as it comes. As for the players, they should remain motivated because most of them aren’t guaranteed for 2017.
The club confirmed that currently six players have guaranteed contracts for 2017: David Accam, Michael Harrington, Johan Kappelhof, John Goossens, Michael de Leeuw and David Arshakyan. Every other player has a 2017 club option, although some of those could become guaranteed before the end of the season by hitting triggers in their contracts.
So with that in mind, here’s a few things Fire fans can look for in the rest of 2016:
Can David Arshakyan settle in and provide the Fire a different dynamic up top?
Arshakyan made his first start with the Fire in Friday’s draw with D.C. He showed some glimpses of good touch and hold up play, but wasn’t a major factor. He is 22 and adjusting to a new league, country and club so patience is warranted.
He is under contract for 2017 so the rest of this season can provide him the settling in period so theoretically he can hit the ground running next season. If he can prove to be a threat in the air and give the Fire another reliable option up top, that could change how general manager Nelson Rodriguez approaches the forward position in the offseason.
Will more young players see more playing time?
The Fire’s USL affiliate, Saint Louis FC, has one game left in its season and is already eliminated from playoff contention. Patrick Doody, Collin Fernandez and Alex Morrell have been on loan with the club, but Morrell is recovering from a hamstring injury. None of those three has made a start with the Fire, but all three have had to overcome injuries throughout the season. Doody hasn’t appeared for the Fire all season after making seven appearances, six of which were starts, last season. Fernandez has made two substitute appearances with the Fire this season totaling eight minutes. Morrell has come off the bench four times for the Fire, but hasn’t appeared since June. Drew Conner began the season on loan in St. Louis, but hasn’t seen any action with the Fire since he was recalled in June.
Rodriguez and Paunovic have both said that the Fire will continue to put out the strongest lineup the rest of the way, but that could be tested if the team is officially eliminated from playoff contention.
“We don’t play guys because they’re young,” Rodriguez said on Aug. 30. “We don’t play guys because they have an option. We play guys that we think give us the best chance to win.”
Will on-loan players Khaly Thiam and Rodrigo Ramos make a positive impression?
There are two foreign players on loan with the Fire in Thiam and Ramos. Both have recently run into tough times with the club.
Ramos seemed like a revelation as a 21-year-old Brazilian right back earlier in the season, but hasn’t played in the past eight league matches and was not in the list of available substitutes for five of those matches. He has not played since being subbed off at halftime of the U.S. Open Cup semifinal at New England on Aug. 9, when he committed a foul in the box for a penalty kick.
Paunovic hasn’t said what changed, but clearly something has. Ramos played in 18 of the club’s first 20 matches and hasn’t played in any of the last eight. Unless something changes in the final six matches, it doesn’t look good for Ramos to be retained on a permanent basis.
As for Thiam, he had become a regular contributor in midfield since joining the Fire on loan in May. A red card in D.C. on Aug. 27 may have changed that. After serving the suspension for the red card, Thiam sat out the match against Toronto on Sept. 10 and came off the bench last Friday. It’s not yet long enough to know for sure if Thiam has damaged his status with the team, but he hasn’t started since the red card. If Thiam can play well down the stretch, it could make a case for the Fire to keep him for 2017. If not, he is likely headed back to Hungary.
Will the team finish with some positive momentum?
The Fire finished with 30 points and were dead last in MLS last season. Right now the Fire have 27 points and are dead last in MLS. The Fire already snapped the road winless streak this season. Improving upon last year’s point total and league position would be notable just to show some form of progress, even if it is only marginal. The roster is just over a year younger than it was at the close of the 2015 season (average age of 26.8 then vs. 25.5 now). If the Fire can improve on last year in a season when the club turned over the entire technical staff and got younger, that would be something positive the club can claim heading into 2017.
Fire open three-game road trip Friday in Yankee Stadium.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
In May the Chicago Fire faced a three-game road trip over the span of eight days involving flights to both coasts.
The Fire lost all three games. Losses at Vancouver (2-1), New England (2-0) and the New York Red Bulls (1-0) resulted in no points on the trip for Chicago.
Starting Friday at New York City FC (12-9-9, 45 points), the Fire (6-13-9, 27 points) begin a similar road trip. This time it will be three games in nine days with the opener being on a Friday in Yankee Stadium. A midweek trip to Seattle follows on Wednesday and the road trip closes at Columbus next Saturday.
The Fire had a more limited roster in May. That was before Michael de Leeuw, Luis Solignac or David Arshakyan arrived to add much-needed depth to the team’s attack. David Accam missed the Vancouver game due to injury and didn’t play 90 minutes for any of the three games while returning from a knee injury. Midfielder Khaly Thiam debuted in the second game of that road trip.
John Goossens missed that May road trip due to a knee injury. He will also miss Friday’s game due to a back injury.
This upcoming road trip will start against a team that the Fire have already played twice this season. New York won the season opener 4-3 at Toyota Park. Just over a month later the teams played to a scoreless draw in Yankee Stadium.
“Of course they are a very good team,” Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said. “They are in a very good spot in the league so it’s going to be tough. They have very important, very good players, experienced guys playing together a long time, for a couple of seasons. The momentum they are leaving is actually very good. Against all these adversities we have to work and prepare and then perform. I believe we will do that. I believe we can win the game."
NYCFC is two points behind Eastern Conference leader Toronto, but Toronto has a game in hand. Frank Lampard, who has 12 goals in 18 appearances this season, will be out with a calf injury. Lampard also missed the two previous meetings with the Fire.
“We know that everyone in this league so far we can see that everyone in this league is beatable," Paunovic said.
Premier League Power Rankings: So. Much. Movement.
By Joe Prince-Wright
With things starting to shake out following the opening five games of the season, now seems like a good time to dust off the Power Rankings machine and fire it up.
Below you will find the third set of Premier League PR’s for the 2016-17 season (their last ranking is in parenthesis) and a familiar team sits on top despite plenty of drastic movements up and down the list.
I’ve got a feeling this will be the case for most of the season. Just a hunch…
I’ve got a feeling this will be the case for most of the season. Just a hunch…
| TEAM | RANKING | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | 20 (20) | Stoke City: The Potters have lost 4 of their opening 5 and have now shipped four goals in each of their last two games. Mark Hughes‘ side struggling, big time, but have some favorable fixtures coming up. Geoff Cameorn is confident they’ll turn it around. | |
 | 19 (19) | Sunderland: Like Stoke, the Black Cats still haven’t won a game this season and David Moyes‘ side looked lackluster in attack at Tottenham. Need a win against Palace. | |
 | 18 (11) | Bournemouth: Cherries played off the park at Man City, no disgrace in that but they were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Preston. Big game against Everton this weekend. | |
 | 17 (16) | West Ham: Woes continue for the Hammers who lost 4-2 at West Brom and have just three points so far. Needed Payet’s late, late free kick to beat League Two Accrington in the EFL Cup. Saints at home next. | |
 | 16 (14) | Swansea City: No win since the opening day of the season and pressure is already building on Guidolin. Swans totally outplayed by Saints last time out and lost against Man City in EFL Cup. | |
 | 15 (15) | Burnley: Same old story for Dyche’s side who have gone to Chelsea and Leicester and lost 3-0. Their home form will keep them up. Monster clash vs. Watford this weekend. | |
 | 14 (10) | Hull City: Red card for Livermore changed their game against Arsenal but after a good start for Hull, we now see Phelan’s men will be in a relegation scrap and midtable at best. Tough trip to Liverpool this week. | |
 | 13 (12) | Middlesbrough: Two-straight defeats for Boro but they’re showing enough to suggest they’ll be just fine this season. Karanka’s side host Tottenham this weekend. | |
 | 12 (3) | Man United: A poor week for Jose Mourinho as he lost three on the spin, Rooney is struggling and so too are Pogba and Fellaini in midfield. Needs a big win against Leicester on Saturday to shut up the “Einsteins” out there. | |
 | 11 (2) | Chelsea: Not a great week for Chelsea who drew at Swansea and then lost at home to Liverpool in a poor display. Conte’s boys beat Leicester in the EFL Cup but plenty of work to do. Arsenal away next up. Huge challenge. | |
 | 10 (18) | Southampton: What a difference a week makes. Claude Puel’s side won three on the spin with victories in the Europa League, PL and EFL Cup and they kept three clean sheets. Charlie Austin is on fire as they head to West Ham. | |
 | 9 (17) | West Brom: Much-needed win for Tony Pulis‘ side against West Ham and Pulis will celebrate his 1000th game as a manager against Stoke. Baggies suddenly seem like scoring goals. | |
 | 8 (13) | Leicester City: Much better from Claudio Ranieri‘s side who beat Club Brugge in the Champions League and then beat Burnley comfortably in the PL. Slimani is the new hero at the KP. | |
 | 7 (8) | Crystal Palace: Two wins on the spin in the PL for Pardew’s side as their offensive masterplan is clicking into place. They’ll be confident heading to Sunderland this weekend. | |
 | 6 (9) | Watford: The Hornets will be confident too. Two wins on the spin and a first league win vs. Man United since 1986 has Mazzarri’s boys flying high. Tricky test at Burnley awaits. | |
 | 5 (5) | Tottenham: Pochettino’s side fluffed their lines at Wembley in the UCL but remain unbeaten in the PL as Alli, Eriksen & Rose signed new deals. Kane’s injury a real worry though. | |
 | 4 (6) | Arsenal: As Wenger celebrated 20 years at Arsenal, his side have clicked through the gears. Three wins in a row has the Gunners pushing in the right direction ahead of a big London derby vs. Chelsea. | |
 | 3 (4) | Everton: Ronald Koeman has sprinkled the magic dust over the Toffees who remain unbeaten and have 4 wins from 5 in their best-ever start to a PL season. Keeping Lukaku fit is key. | |
 | 2 (7) | Liverpool: Well, well, well, Jurgen Klopp’s side is rampant right now with Mane, Lallana, Henderson et al. flying. Big wins vs. Leicester and at Chelsea. Now, can they keep it up against Hull? | |
 | 1 (1) | Man City: These guys are legit. Despite his very public spat with Yaya Toure’s agent, Pep Guardiola has 8 wins from 8 as City’s boss. Top of the league and full of goals, De Bruyne is running the show. Hand them the title already…!? |
NCAAFB: Week 4 Big Ten previews: Spartans, Badgers clash as Big Ten play gets underway.
By Vinnie Duber
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The first week of Big Ten play is here, and it is opening with quite the bang.
No. 11 Wisconsin heads to East Lansing to take on No. 8 Michigan State, one heck of an opener to the conference season.
Both teams have stellar defenses and playmakers on the offensive side of the ball — and sights on a trip to Indy and perhaps a place in the College Football Playoff.
But first thing's first: this game in Week 4.
Here's a look at all the Big Ten football taking place on this fine September weekend. All games will be played on Saturday, Sept. 24, and all times are Central.
Colorado State at Minnesota, 11 a.m., ESPN U
The Gophers have found some success on the offensive side of the ball through their first two games, and that looks like something that could continue this weekend against the Rams. Minnesota’s scoring surge against Indiana State might have seemed due to the fact that Indiana State is an FCS team. But Colorado State didn’t exactly put up much of a fight in its other game against a Power Five opponent this season, falling in a 44-7 blowout loss to Colorado in Week 1. Good news for the Gophers?
Nevada at Purdue, 11 a.m., ESPNEWS
The Wolf Pack haven’t been terribly menacing on defense this season, one of only two FBS teams to still not have a sack as Week 4 dawns. That could be good news for David Blough, who despite having a horrendous five interceptions the last time he and the Boilermakers took the field has been putting up positive numbers, too, currently leading the Big Ten with 323 passing yards per game through just two contests. Will that be enough, though, to get Purdue a win? Darrell Hazell is 1-9 in non-conference games against FBS opponents.
Iowa at Rutgers, 11 a.m., ESPN 2
A date with Rutgers is just what the doctor ordered for Iowa following that upsetting loss to North Dakota State. While the Bison pack more of a punch than their FCS status would lead one to believe, that was still a game the Hawkeyes should’ve won. They were crushed on both sides of the running game in that one, yielding 239 yards and gaining just 34 yards on the ground. That can’t happen again, and fortunately for Iowa it probably won’t against Rutgers — but the Scarlet Knights do surprisingly rank third in the Big Ten with 229.3 rush yards per game.
Meanwhile, Rutgers needs to stop falling behind early in games if it wants to have any chance of winning some games during conference play in Chris Ash’s first season. While Janarion Grant is a weapon that can strike at any time, the kind of early deficits faced against Howard and New Mexico won’t be able to be erased against the likes of Iowa and the Big Ten’s other powers. Look no further than Rutgers’ Week 1 blowout loss to Washington for evidence of that.
No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 8 Michigan State, 11 a.m., Big Ten Network
The Badgers’ defense has been out of this world through three games, not a surprise after the way that unit has played in recent seasons. Wisconsin ranks first in the Big Ten and 13th nationally with just 261 yards allowed per game, and that includes a game that featured one of the country’s top running backs in LSU’s Leonard Fournette. But the questions for the Badgers come on offense, where a quarterback switch is in the works with Alex Hornibrook replacing Bart Houston as the starting quarterback. Plus, three of the team’s running backs were listed as questionable earlier this week, including star Corey Clement.
All that uncertainty for Wisconsin’s offense should provide an edge for the Michigan State defense, which showed what it could do against a more explosive offense when it shut down Notre Dame for eight straight drives last weekend. Will the Spartans be able to score 36 straight points like it did in that game this time around? That’s unlikely given the quality of the Badgers’ defense. But Tyler O’Connor is proving mighty capable at quarterback, and he has an emerging weapon in the passing game in freshman receiver Donnie Corley.
Penn State at No. 4 Michigan, 2:30 p.m., ABC
Remember when Penn State’s defense got thrashed against Pitt? Yeah, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that happen again this weekend against Michigan. The Wolverines might not have the rushing attack that the Panthers do, but they have been mighty effective in the passing game, with Wilton Speight using his arsenal of Jake Butt, Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson to his advantage. Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett is the only Big Ten quarterback with more touchdown passes than Speight. The Lions rank toward the bottom of the conference, allowing almost four touchdowns’ worth of points a game, while the Wolverines are at the top, averaging a whopping 53 points a game.
The combination of Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley have looked fine for Penn State on offense, but that side of the ball also belongs to Michigan, which has given up just 45 points on the season, or 15 points a game. Throw in Jabrill Peppers as a difference-maker in all phases — he was both the Co-Defensive Player of the Week and the Special Teams Player of the Week in the Big Ten — and Michigan seems to have a big edge in this one.
Wake Forest at Indiana, 2:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
One of the Power Five’s perennial punching bags, the Demon Deacons have flipped that script through three games, 3-0 with a conference win already over Duke. And while the competition hasn’t been amazing by any stretch, Wake has allowed just 38 points on the season, making it one of the top-12 scoring defenses in the country. Indiana’s defense has been surprisingly effective this season, too, in its two wins, only allowing 33 points in two games. The question is whether — or maybe just when — Richard Lagow can unlock the Hoosiers’ annually explosive offense. He had a couple home run balls in the win over Ball State.
No. 20 Nebraska at Northwestern, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
The Huskers are coming off that huge win over Oregon in which the offense looked as good as it did in the previous two games but the defense came up big for Nebraska, too. Tommy Armstrong is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, if not the country, and he proved it with four total touchdowns last weekend including that clutch 34-yard scamper for the game-winning score. It’s easy to envision him shredding the Northwestern defense, a unit that not only hasn’t played up to the at-times dominating standard it set a season ago but is dealing with injuries that have completely changed the shape of the secondary. But those young defensive backs haven’t shrunk from the challenge, either, playing well in last week’s win over Duke.
One would maybe initially doubt that Clayton Thorson could replicate the 320-yard, three-touchdown performance he had against Duke, and the Nebraska defense would be the main reason why. The Huskers have seven picks on the season, only three FBS teams have more, and Thorson still threw two interceptions last weekend during his big game. But don’t sleep on the Cats’ passing attack completely. Wide receiver Austin Carr leads the Big Ten with 18 catches and 283 yards after last weekend’s monster game in which he hauled in six catches for 135 yards and a touchdown. Finally a big-play receiver at Northwestern? That could change things dramatically, as running back Justin Jackson has been the target of opposing defenses, though he still has 260 rushing yards in three games, second most in the conference.
Strong defense and Deshuan Watson power Clemson to halftime lead over Georgia Tech.
By Bryan Fischer
(Photo/Getty Images)
For nearly a month, the college football world has been wondering when Clemson was going to look like, well… Clemson. You know, the Tigers that made it to the national championship game last year and ran the table during the regular season in 2015.
Well, the college football world can stop wondering after Thursday night.
Facing a pesky Georgia Tech team in their ACC opener, Clemson’s defense looked like one of the best in the country through the first half and quarterback Deshaun Watson finally showcased the skills that had many people labeling the Heisman Trophy favorite in 2016. The Tigers jumped out to a 23-0 lead going into the locker room at halftime but the score line didn’t quite indicate just how lopsided the game was up to that point.
After just two quarters, Watson and the Clemson offense had 347 yards. Georgia Tech? A whopping 22. The Tigers had more first downs than the Yellow Jackets had plays run and yards.
It was just that kind of half in Atlanta.
Freshman defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was particularly impressive for Brent Venables’ defense, blowing up a play in the backfield on the very first snap of the game and generally disrupting the Yellow Jackets’ triple option each drive.
Watson also finally returned to the form he displayed last year, throwing for 262 yards and two scores while adding 27 yards on the ground. Perhaps most encouraging for the Clemson offense was the big plays they got from Ray-Ray McCloud (seven catches, 90 yards) while the defense focused on Mike Williams.
Things were not completely perfect in the half for Watson even if he was bailed out by a bone-headed mistake. After a miscommunication with a receiver in the red zone, the signal-caller lofted a ball directly into the hands of defensive back Lance Austin.
Austin stepped out of the end zone however and then back in, before fumbling and then recovering the ball for what was a safety. Clemson promptly marched down for a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Going to be a long halftime speech filled with adjustments for Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson as a result.
Well, the college football world can stop wondering after Thursday night.
Facing a pesky Georgia Tech team in their ACC opener, Clemson’s defense looked like one of the best in the country through the first half and quarterback Deshaun Watson finally showcased the skills that had many people labeling the Heisman Trophy favorite in 2016. The Tigers jumped out to a 23-0 lead going into the locker room at halftime but the score line didn’t quite indicate just how lopsided the game was up to that point.
After just two quarters, Watson and the Clemson offense had 347 yards. Georgia Tech? A whopping 22. The Tigers had more first downs than the Yellow Jackets had plays run and yards.
It was just that kind of half in Atlanta.
Freshman defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was particularly impressive for Brent Venables’ defense, blowing up a play in the backfield on the very first snap of the game and generally disrupting the Yellow Jackets’ triple option each drive.
Watson also finally returned to the form he displayed last year, throwing for 262 yards and two scores while adding 27 yards on the ground. Perhaps most encouraging for the Clemson offense was the big plays they got from Ray-Ray McCloud (seven catches, 90 yards) while the defense focused on Mike Williams.
Things were not completely perfect in the half for Watson even if he was bailed out by a bone-headed mistake. After a miscommunication with a receiver in the red zone, the signal-caller lofted a ball directly into the hands of defensive back Lance Austin.
Austin stepped out of the end zone however and then back in, before fumbling and then recovering the ball for what was a safety. Clemson promptly marched down for a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Going to be a long halftime speech filled with adjustments for Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson as a result.
NCAABKB: Spartans, Buckeyes part of 16-team hoops mega-event honoring Phil Knight in 2017.
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
A 16-team, two-tournament event over Thanksgiving weekend featuring some of the biggest programs in hoops?
Yes, please.
The college basketball world got one heck of a gift Wednesday with the announcement of the PK80, the Phil Knight Invitational, a 16-team event set for Thanksgiving weekend 2017 in Portland, Ore., honoring the 80th birthday of Nike founder Phil Knight.
The reason it's such a big deal? The field, which features a pair of Big Ten teams plus a host of former national champions and powers from across the country.
Michigan State and Ohio State will represent the Big Ten. The other 14 teams are Arkansas, Butler, Connecticut, Duke, Florida, Georgetown, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Portland, Portland State, Stanford and Texas.
The setup is a little funky: two simultaneous eight-team tournaments played at the same venue in Portland. Games will be played on Thursday, Nov. 23, Friday, Nov. 24, and Sunday, Nov. 26, of next year, with the brackets to be announced at a later date.
But the loaded field makes for a veritable Sweet Sixteen a full four months before the NCAA tournament is played. Ten of the 16 teams have won a national championship, with those 10 combining for 23 national championships all time, and the field contains the winners of nine of the past 13 national titles.
Neither of the two Big Ten programs are strangers to these kinds of mega events. Michigan State plays in the Champion's Classic each season — not to mention its past game on an aircraft carrier — and Ohio State has been a consistent part of the CBS Sports Classic in recent seasons.
"We’ve been fortunate to play in some incredible preseason events, but we’ve never been a part of something this amazing — both in terms of quantity and quality of the teams," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said in an announcement. "This is sure to be an incredible experience for all the student-athletes. It’s only fitting to pay tribute to a one-of-a-kind man with a one-of-a-kind event. Phil Knight has revolutionized modern-day fitness while setting the gold standard for shoes and apparel, not just in basketball, but across all other sports and activities as well."
"We are thrilled to be part of the PK80 basketball tournament in Portland next season," Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said in an announcement. "The Nike brand has had an enormous impact on collegiate athletics. Being part of such a prestigious event that honors Mr. Knight was very important to The Ohio State University."
The NBA establishing academies abroad is a good thing for college basketball.
By Rob Dauster
(Photo/Getty Images)
An interesting report from The Vertical was published this afternoon, looking into the potential of NBA academies the league plans on setting up overseas.
For the most part, it’s a way to try and help parts of the world that are high on raw talent and low on new-age development and coaching methods produce better basketball players. Remember all that talk about how players are developed so much better overseas?
They aren’t, and these academies are proof of that.
So why am I writing about this on a college basketball website?
Because these academies will have an impact on the college game, one that is slowly adding more and more foreign players every year. From The Vertical’s Jonathan Givony:
Smart mid-majors will find a way to replicate that process, and we’ll likely see more potential first round picks from overseas play here for a year or two. And to be perfectly frank, that’s a good thing for the game. After all, better basketball players makes for a better basketball product.
What will be interesting is whether or not the next step of this will be to establish similar academies in the United States. At some point, you have to figure that NBA teams believe they can develop American youth talent better than the prep school programs and AAU team.
For the most part, it’s a way to try and help parts of the world that are high on raw talent and low on new-age development and coaching methods produce better basketball players. Remember all that talk about how players are developed so much better overseas?
They aren’t, and these academies are proof of that.
So why am I writing about this on a college basketball website?
Because these academies will have an impact on the college game, one that is slowly adding more and more foreign players every year. From The Vertical’s Jonathan Givony:
The global academies could significantly increase the pool of eligible athletes for college basketball. The NBA will identify potential prospects early, and place them into educational structures to prepare them to meet NCAA academic guidelines.
Elite prospects could feel less compelled to sign with professional agents and enter into contracts with professional basketball teams overseas, which is a common practice now. Under the new system, amateur statuses can be preserved.
Especially in Africa, the NBA academies promise to expand options for young players turning 18 years old. This could dramatically transform the landscape of college basketball.“Dramatically transform” seems a bit drastic, as the majority of the world’s best basketball players come from this country. That’s not going to change, but access to the talent pools abroad will continue to get easier. We’re already seeing the impact here, as just this season a pair of European freshmen — Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen, N.C. State’s Omer Yurtseven — have a chance to be one-and-done products. Then look at St. Mary’s, who has used an Australian pipeline to turn the program into a rival of Gonzaga in the WCC.
Smart mid-majors will find a way to replicate that process, and we’ll likely see more potential first round picks from overseas play here for a year or two. And to be perfectly frank, that’s a good thing for the game. After all, better basketball players makes for a better basketball product.
What will be interesting is whether or not the next step of this will be to establish similar academies in the United States. At some point, you have to figure that NBA teams believe they can develop American youth talent better than the prep school programs and AAU team.
Bears fans seeing light at end of current tunnel that might not be oncoming train. What's Your Take?
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Too often the light at the end of the tunnel turns out to be the headlight of an oncoming train. Bears fans to this point could be excused for thinking that a highballing freight has already flattened them and their season.
Not all of them do, however. And history says they have not taken complete leave of their senses thinking less than dark thoughts. With a nod to a couple of Twitterers:
Adam Musto @AdamMusto:1994 Bears made playoffs with no name players. What's different than this year? @CSNMoonMullin
Not all of them do, however. And history says they have not taken complete leave of their senses thinking less than dark thoughts. With a nod to a couple of Twitterers:
Adam Musto @AdamMusto:1994 Bears made playoffs with no name players. What's different than this year? @CSNMoonMullin
Adam wasn’t alone, with Nelson also choosing to defy Mike Ditka and, if not live in the past, at least enjoy it a little and step back from the abyss that the 2016 season has become for a whole lot of the fan base:
Nelson Criminal Law @NKMLaw: @CSNMoonMullin @AdamMusto since we're reminiscing they started 1-3 in Lovie's 2nd year. Defense got it started and off ran ball. #hope 11-5.
But wait…there’s more.
The 1994 Bears not only made the playoffs, as Adam correctly recalls. They won a road playoff game (at Minnesota).
The 2005 Bears made the playoffs and proceeded to be drummed out, at home, by the Carolina Panthers.
Want more? OK.
Both teams wobbled close to extinction at the outsets of those seasons – the ’94 Bears losing two of their first three, the ‘05’ers losing three of their first four.
Both teams were under the direction of head coaches – Dave Wannstedt, Lovie Smith – in their second seasons (which John Fox is).
Both also staged those season saves behind backup quarterbacks – Steve Walsh subbed in place of Erik Kramer in ’94, rookie Kyle Orton starting in ’05 after Rex Grossman was injured in preseason. The run to the playoffs ended when Grossman was reinstalled as the starter, which presumably happens when Jay Cutler is able to resume his duties and Brian Hoyer returns to No. 2. Presumably.
The 2005 team had one of the great defenses in Bears franchise history, as another interested observer noted:
House @House_423: @CSNMoonMullin @NKMLaw @AdamMusto that 05 defense was our best in recent memory. Won 8 straight. Hardly gave up more than 13.
The 2016 Bears rebounding in the fashion of those playoff teams is seriously problematic. But that mood prevailed in ’05, eloquently elucidated by safety Mike Brown with his locker room proclamation: "We suck, man. We suck."
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: As you know, we are diehard Chicago Bears fans. If you've seen the first two games of the season, I'm sure you're as disappointed as we are. We knew the Bears weren't going to the Super Bowl or even the playoffs, but we did just want to see some tremendous improvement over the last two years. We know we're in rebuilding mode and that the team is very young, but where are the signs of forward progress? The fans deserve more. We know that it's early in the season but after watching the first two game, we just wonder. We'll bear with our team for a little longer with the hope that things will get better. Hope does spring eternal. Above are some comments from other diehard Bears fans, Please read them and let us know what you think and what's your take?
Please go to the comments section at the bottom of this blog and share your thoughts with us. We want to know what's your take? And we love hearing from you because we truly respect your opinions.
As always, thanks in advance for your time and consideration.
Marion P. Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Director.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, September 23, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1845 - The Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York was formed by Alexander Joy Cartwright. It was the first baseball team in America.
2001 - Barry Bonds hit his 65th and 66th home run of the season to tie Sammy Sosa for the second most home runs in a season.
2001 - Barry Bonds hit his 65th and 66th home run of the season to tie Sammy Sosa for the second most home runs in a season.
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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.
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