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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"I think you have regrets when you didn't give it everything you had, and I always felt like I did. Whether it was good enough or not, that has nothing to do with the fact that I tried my best to give my team a chance to win, year in and year out." ~ Vinny Testaverde, Retired NFL Quarterback, Played 21 Years In The NFL
Trending: Bears need early “turnaround” vs. Eagles. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Duncan Keith could miss start of Blackhawks' season. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).
Trending: Nicklaus: Winning isn't the point of the Ryder Cup. (See the golf section for Ryder Cup and PGA updates).
Trending: Harvard is trying to steal a 5-star recruit away from Duke. Can they do it? (See the college basketball section for NCAA basketball news and updates).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 94-55, Clinched 09/15/2016
White Sox 2016 Record: 72-77
White Sox 2016 Record: 72-77
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
NFL SCORES, Sunday 09/18/2016
New York Jets 37
Buffalo Bills 31
Cincinnati Bengals 16
Pittsburgh Steelers 24
Pittsburgh Steelers 24
Tennessee Titans 16
Detroit Lions 15
Baltimore Ravens 25
Cleveland Browns 20
Dallas Cowboys 27
Washington Redskins 23
New Orleans Saints 13
New York Giants 16
San Francisco 49ers 27
Carolina Panthers 46
Miami Dolphins 24
New England Patriots 31
Kansas City Chiefs 12
Houston Texans 19
Seattle Seahawks 3
Los Angeles Rams 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7
Arizona Cardinals 40
Jacksonville Jaguars 14
San Diego Chargers 38
Atlanta Falcons 35
Oakland Raiders 28
Indianapolis Colts 20
Denver Broncos 34
Green Bay Packers 14
Minnesota Vikings 17
Philadelphia Eagles Monday Night's Game,
Chicago Bears 09/19/2016
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears need early “turnaround” vs. Eagles.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
No game is insignificant in a sport where the season consists of only 16 of them, but some games take on added significance for a variety of reasons. And Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles is one of those games, for many of those reasons.
The obvious is to avoid an 0-2 start. The Bears have reached the playoffs after losing two of their first three games (1977, 1994, 2005) but never after losing their first two. And for a franchise still working to shake free of any vestiges of the losing culture of Marc Trestman, the need is there to avoid a second straight start under John Fox losing the first two (first three last year).
One of the ancillary things the Bears did this offseason was to bring in free agents from winning programs (Arizona, Denver, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New England). Ex-Bronco Danny Trevathan never lost a season opener before last weekend. Right tackle Bobby Massie lost only one in four years as a Cardinal. (Josh Sitton and the Packers did lose week one three of the last four years, but with Aaron Rodgers, all of those seasons ended in the playoffs).
“The first game by itself doesn’t matter,” Massie said. “All the games obviously count for the season but in our case, there’s no change, because it wasn’t like we got blown out 60-0 or something. We had opportunities but just couldn’t capitalize on them, and nobody’s down or approaching anything differently.”
The Bears are entering the stretch of their season that offers perhaps the greatest chance for upward movement. The Philadelphia game begins a run of five straight games against opponents without winning records in 2015. After that come the Packers and Vikings, and after the Bears were the only NFC North team not to win in week one, this weekend began with the Bears already looking up at a difficult division.
The mission statement is pretty simple: “We want to limit turnovers, we have to be more efficient on third down, we have to keep the chains moving,” said quarterback Jay Cutler. “We have to stay on the field.
“We got into a situation there in the second half [vs. Houston] where we got behind and we got in a little bit of a ‘throw’ situation with going against that front… Second down we have to improve on, I thought we were really good on first down, second down we have to get a little bit better in that area. We watched the film, there wasn't anything crazy on there that we have to change.”
Own the middle
With their signing of Sitton, the Bears field a tandem of Pro Bowl guards (Kyle Long) flanking a second-round draft choice. That is the strength of an offense that Fox envisions with a dominant running team.
The problem is that the middle also is a defensive strength of the Eagles, beginning with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and backed by veteran safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod (13 combined seasons). And running their defense is coordinator Jim Schwartz, a Bears nemesis while Detroit Lions head coach.
“The Eagles are strong up the middle,” said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. “’91’ [Cox] is a really good player. The ‘Mike’ linebacker [Jordan Hicks] is a good player and the safeties are both good.
“I worked with Jim Schwartz for multiple years in Tennessee. I know that that’s how he believes in building a football team. Those guys quarterback the defense. They’re smart and you have to make sure what they’re doing and where they’re lined up because they can be a big problem for you.”
Get the rook
The objective of the Bears defense is to be a big problem for Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, a rookie making his second start. Wentz benefited last week by his team getting up 10-0 on the Cleveland Browns, who didn’t score until mid-second quarter, and Wentz never played from behind on his way to 278 passing yards and two TD’s without an interception.
But the Bears called unflattering stereotypes of rookie quarterbacks “myths” and one member of the defense has seen Wentz up close.
“Cannon for an arm, not afraid to run it, so he’s not one-dimensional by any means,” said cornerback Deiondre’ Hall, who faced Wentz more than once while playing at Northern Iowa and Wentz was at North Dakota State. “A lot of his check-down passes to his tight ends was what he did a lot of NDSU. He wasn’t running it as much but we definitely know they have it in their system.”
And the winner is…
The Bears’ 1-7 record in Soldier Field was perhaps the biggest mystery of the 2015 season, with glaring late-game mistakes by veterans leading to losses to Minnesota, San Francisco and Washington. The defensive front-seven can take over this game by disrupting Wentz, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s creativity with blitzes in particular have the potential to control the game if the edge rushers can get home more than they did at Houston.
Bears 20, Eagles 13
How will Carson Wentz handle Vic Fangio's 'tricks' against Bears?
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Since Bears cornerback Deiondre Hall' had played fellow Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz twice in college when Northern Iowa would match up against North Dakota State, I asked Vic Fangio this week whether or not he would tap into a rookie's experience when it comes to game-planning for the No. 2 overall pick Monday night. The man who's in his 17th season as an NFL defensive coordinator and 30th as an assistant coach had a quick answer.
"Not."
Our John Mullin wrote earlier in the week about how the Bears don't pencil in an automatic win just because they're matching up against a first-year signal-caller. And Fangio himself was effusive in his praise for Wentz, not tamping down the enthusiasm coming out of Philadelphia after last week's successful debut against the Browns, or the hype from ESPN, which is airing the game.
The thing is, while Fangio can disguise pre-snap looks, like any defensive coordinator he prefers, and his defenses operate best, when they can effectively rush just four men to the quarterback. As the ingredients in his base 3-4 grow and improve, the question is whether he has that yet on this roster. Or whether they're ready to do that yet. They only sacked Brock Osweiler twice, and hit him just eight times last Sunday. That Texans offensive line was without two starters, and these Eagles blockers are better than the group they faced in Houston.
The Tribune's Rich Campbell wrote Friday that Fangio's defenses are 5-2 against rookie quarterbacks since he joined the 49ers in 2011, with a 57 percent completion rate and an 84.3 rating. For perspective, members of that 2011 defense included five Pro Bowlers that season (Justin Smith, NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Carlos Rogers and Dashon Goldson) along with Ahmad Brooks, and would add two more Pro Bowlers over the next two seasons in Aldon Smith and Eric Reid.
Here's a closer look at how those rookie quarterbacks fared individually in those seven games:
| YEAR | QB | CMP/ATT/YDS | TD/INT | SACKED | RATING | RESULT |
| 2011 | Andy Dalton (CIN) | 17-32 157 yards | 0/2 | 1 | 40.8 | SF, 13-8 |
| 2012 | Russell Wilson (SEA) | 9-23 122 yards | 0/1 | 2 | 38.7 | SF, 13-6 |
| 2012 | Ryan Tannehill (MIA) | 17-33 150 yards | 1/0 | 2 | 74.1 | SF, 27-13 |
| 2012 | Russell Wilson (SEA) | 15-21 171 yards | 4/1 | 1 | 115.3 | SEA, 42-13 |
| 2013 | Mike Glennon (TB) | 18-34 179 yards | 2/1 | 4 | 75.5 | SF, 33-14 |
| 2014 | Derek Carr (OAK) | 22-28 254 yards | 3/0 | 1 | 140.2 | OAK, 24-13 |
| 2015 | Jameis Winston (TB) | 15-29 295 yards | 2/1 | 1 | 96.2 | CHI, 26-21 |
Winston's performance last December is the only exhibit of Fangio's Bears defense against a rookie, and he posted the most passing yards in the seven examples, with a better deep threat in Mike Evans and more established running back in Doug Martin than the Eagles' tandem of Jordan Matthews and Ryan Mathews. It should also be noted that Houston's offensive playmakers are generally regarded as a better group than the Eagles group that comes to town, even moreso without injured tight end Zach Ertz.
The unexpected rise a year ago from 30th in overall defense to 14th was a pleasant surprise and a credit to the brain power and experience of Fangio and his defensive staff. We'll see Monday night if they can bring the Eagles and Wentz back to earth.
Bears have two-phase plan to upgrade Kevin White, pass offense.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
A featured part of the offensive shortcomings last Sunday against the Houston Texans was, unfortunately, Kevin White after the rookie wide receiver mis-ran a route, leading to an interception. White’s inexperience obviously can’t be overcome in one week but the Bears have some options for maximizing what they get out of their young wideout, and they involve more than White.
But they don’t come without a little risk and making some choices.
The first is to make full use of No. 3 wideout Eddie Royal. But the Bears started just three games last year with nickel personnel, and their preferred personnel packages favor running the football. Eight times they opened with two or three tight ends last season, and against Houston, fullback Paul Lasike started.
That said, Royal played 36 snaps (White played 55 of the Bears’ 56, and Alshon Jeffery 53), and it was Royal catching a 19-yard pass just before halftime for the Bears’ second touchdown.
“It was good to have Eddie out there,” said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. “He definitely gives us a reliable veteran presence at wide receiver. He made some big plays for us. He played really smart in the two-minute drill at the end of the half, which was important to us to go down and put points on the board.”
Royal also is a familiar comfort blanket for Jay Cutler, extending back to the two playing together with the Denver Broncos. And while White is still mastering route-running, Royal is among the NFL’s best at that art.
“Eddie can play outside, he can play inside,” Cutler said. “He’s a savvy vet. I’m comfortable with him. I think he is one of the best route runners on the outside in the league and he’s a smart football player. He’s kind of that catch all, comfortable guy, you put him in ‘12’ [personnel: one back, two tight ends, two receivers], you put him in ‘11’ [personnel: one back, one tight end, three receivers] and you can kind of move him around and he’s gonna get the job done.”
The second option for getting greater impact out of White is simplifying elements of his job.
White had just two years at West Virginia and the reality is that he was not required to run a wide range of routes from both sides of the field. Necessarily, he’s playing some catchup, against NFL competition.
The result has been that he is thinking and not playing as fast as his 4.35 speed suggests. The burden is on White to learn the offense — all of it — but coaches routinely tailor plans to the skillsets of their players, and dialing down White’s playbook should not be ruled out.
“Just making sure that when we’re putting in route concepts that we ‘put the birds in the right place’ is what we say,” Loggains said. Coaches will be charged with “just making sure that we do stuff that Kevin is able to practice and he gets the looks that he’s able to see and just making sure that he feels really comfortable with the things he’s done. His route tree may be limited, but it’s going to continue to grow weekly in the things as he grows as a player.”
NFL 2016 Week 2 Projections Roundup: Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears.
By James Keane
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(Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
Last week’s Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Cleveland Browns was a thing of beauty. Largely, the statistical forecasts were in agreement and ended up being correct. Monday night’s road matchup against the Chicago Bears (0-1) presents a new test for Carson Wentz, and the forecasts aren’t quite sure what to make of it.
On to this week:
VEGAS (Bears -3, 59.8% win probability)
Last week: Eagles -4, 70% win probability
Vegas is giving the Eagles three points this week. Historically, three point underdogs have a 40.2% chance of winning. Chicago’s home field advantage is worth about 3 points (compared to the Eagles’ 1.7 point home advantage last week), making this game more of a push if it were to be held on a neutral field.
Last week: Eagles, 71% win probability
Last week’s victory moved the Eagles up a few Elo spots to 14 (Elo = 1504) from the 16th position. Chicago, on the other hand, is currently ranked 29th (Elo = 1430). The difference in Elo scores isn’t so great, but favors the Eagles, hence the slight 2% edge on the road. 538’s forecasts are based on 100,000 simulations, the result here is a virtual coin toss.
ESPN FPI (Bears, 59% win probability)
Last week: Eagles, 69% win probability
Last week’s forecast for the Eagles was nice, this week’s not so much. ESPN’s FPI is more in line with Vegas, giving the Bears a 59% chance of victory. This week’s “Matchup Quality” index is low (35 out of 100), so doesn’t expect to be an exciting, well-played affair (mathematically), but it’s better than Dallas at WASTEAM (28). This week’s highest quality matchup is Packers/Vikings (80).
Last week’s forecast for the Eagles was nice, this week’s not so much. ESPN’s FPI is more in line with Vegas, giving the Bears a 59% chance of victory. This week’s “Matchup Quality” index is low (35 out of 100), so doesn’t expect to be an exciting, well-played affair (mathematically), but it’s better than Dallas at WASTEAM (28). This week’s highest quality matchup is Packers/Vikings (80).
Football Outsiders DVOA
This early in the season, Football Outsiders’ DVOA projection take into account preseason performance until there is enough regular season data to discount it. Otherwise, the Eagles would be the second ranked team in the league based on regular season alone, behind San Francisco. More realistically, the Eagles are currently ranked 19th in the league, and the Bears are 29th. Any forecast produced by FO would be in favor of the Eagles.
Here are some other notable win probabilities:
This week’s statistical forecasts are all over the place. Football Outsiders and 538 favor the Eagles while Vegas and ESPN don’t. Let’s call the modeling disagreement, “The Carson Wentz Effect.” And let’s assume the effect continues in Chicago.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Duncan Keith could miss start of Blackhawks' season.
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(Photo/Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
The 33-year-old defenseman may not be ready despite missing the World Cup to rehab his right knee.
Duncan Keith won't be participating in the World Cup of Hockey for Team Canada because of a lingering right knee injury, and Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman says he may not be ready for the start of the regular season.
"I try not to put any expectations on it," said Bowman during World Cup media day Thursday at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, according to the Chicago Tribune. "I guess we'll just see. He'll be ready when he's ready. It's nothing to be alarmed about but right now we're not trying to put time frames on it. We'll have a better feel once we get into exhibition games and if he's ready to play, he'll play."
The 33-year-old defenseman was named to Team Canada for the World Cup, but pulled out of the competition Aug. 24 to give him extra time to rehab his knee. Keith had surgery Oct. 20 last year to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee that he suffered during the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Blackhawks play their first preseason game Sept. 28 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and open the regular season Oct. 12 at home against the St. Louis Blues.
Keith, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, had nine goals and 34 assists in 67 games last season. He added three goals and two assists in six playoff games.
CUBS: Cubs offense sputters in another loss to Brewers.
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
If the Cubs are going to accomplish all their postseason goals, they're going to have to improve at manufacturing runs.
After two days off, the Cubs regulars struggled Sunday against Wily Peralta and the Brewers, leaving 11 men on base in a 3-1 loss in front of 41,286 fans at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, the third such performance of the season.
"We hit the ball well, I thought," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We really did. This is one of those days of the culmination of the wind blowing in and their defense playing well.
"I thought we had good at-bats. ... It's just one of those days that it didn't play in our favor. But overall, you only score one run, but actually there was a lot more action offensively from us. We just could not get it to fall in the right spots."
The Cubs had a runner in scoring position with less than two outs in the second, third and fifth innings and failed to cash in.
They also put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth before Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo struck out.
"The most important thing is that we're able to hit in situations better to move the baseball," Maddon said. "That's it. Play the same game we've been playing - pitching-wise, defense-wise. Overall at-bats: really good. Base-running: outstanding.
"Against better pitching, we just have to be able to eliminate or cut down on the strikeouts where the ball needs to be moved. That's the best way I could describe it."
The Cubs didn't have any issues getting guys on base against Peralta, with nine hits - including two from pitcher Kyle Hendricks - and a walk, but the Brewers starter limited the damage.
The sole Cubs tally came when Tommy La Stella's two-out double scooted under Domingo Santana's glove in center field, scoring Javy Baez from first.
Hendricks, meanwhile, allowed four hits in the second inning, including a two-out RBI single to Peralta.
"A couple fastballs that just weren't there in that inning," Hendricks said. "I gave up a couple base hits. That was really it."
That was all the Cubs' Cy Young candidate surrendered on the day - two earned runs on six hits in six innings while striking out nine without a walk.
Chris Carter homered off Cubs reliever Felix Pena in the eighth inning to close out the scoring on the day.
The Cubs wound up winning just one game against the Brewers in a four-game series and that sole victory required a ninth-inning comeback and then a 10th-inning walkoff blast from Miguel Montero.
The Cubs have lost five of their last six games against the Brewers.
"They've been playing good baseball at least the last month-plus," Hendricks said of the Brewers. "It's good for you, though, 'cause every team that comes in here, they're gonna be coming for us. It's just always a test and we know that."
The Brewers are now 11-6 in September, playing the role of spoiler down the stretch for postseason-bound teams.
"People would be talking about the Brewers right now and a push to make the playoffs if it was the first half with the way they've played recently, so you gotta give them credit," Jason Heyward said.
"Sometimes, there's less pressure on teams and they play better when they know they're not playing with anything to lose. And that's no offense to them. Just saying: Sometimes it's easier to play that way."
Maddon updates status of Montgomery and Soler as Cubs sharpen focus on playoff roster.
By Tony Andracki
After two days off, the Cubs regulars struggled Sunday against Wily Peralta and the Brewers, leaving 11 men on base in a 3-1 loss in front of 41,286 fans at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, the third such performance of the season.
"We hit the ball well, I thought," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We really did. This is one of those days of the culmination of the wind blowing in and their defense playing well.
"I thought we had good at-bats. ... It's just one of those days that it didn't play in our favor. But overall, you only score one run, but actually there was a lot more action offensively from us. We just could not get it to fall in the right spots."
The Cubs had a runner in scoring position with less than two outs in the second, third and fifth innings and failed to cash in.
They also put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth before Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo struck out.
"The most important thing is that we're able to hit in situations better to move the baseball," Maddon said. "That's it. Play the same game we've been playing - pitching-wise, defense-wise. Overall at-bats: really good. Base-running: outstanding.
"Against better pitching, we just have to be able to eliminate or cut down on the strikeouts where the ball needs to be moved. That's the best way I could describe it."
The Cubs didn't have any issues getting guys on base against Peralta, with nine hits - including two from pitcher Kyle Hendricks - and a walk, but the Brewers starter limited the damage.
The sole Cubs tally came when Tommy La Stella's two-out double scooted under Domingo Santana's glove in center field, scoring Javy Baez from first.
Hendricks, meanwhile, allowed four hits in the second inning, including a two-out RBI single to Peralta.
"A couple fastballs that just weren't there in that inning," Hendricks said. "I gave up a couple base hits. That was really it."
That was all the Cubs' Cy Young candidate surrendered on the day - two earned runs on six hits in six innings while striking out nine without a walk.
Chris Carter homered off Cubs reliever Felix Pena in the eighth inning to close out the scoring on the day.
The Cubs wound up winning just one game against the Brewers in a four-game series and that sole victory required a ninth-inning comeback and then a 10th-inning walkoff blast from Miguel Montero.
The Cubs have lost five of their last six games against the Brewers.
"They've been playing good baseball at least the last month-plus," Hendricks said of the Brewers. "It's good for you, though, 'cause every team that comes in here, they're gonna be coming for us. It's just always a test and we know that."
The Brewers are now 11-6 in September, playing the role of spoiler down the stretch for postseason-bound teams.
"People would be talking about the Brewers right now and a push to make the playoffs if it was the first half with the way they've played recently, so you gotta give them credit," Jason Heyward said.
"Sometimes, there's less pressure on teams and they play better when they know they're not playing with anything to lose. And that's no offense to them. Just saying: Sometimes it's easier to play that way."
Maddon updates status of Montgomery and Soler as Cubs sharpen focus on playoff roster.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Joe Maddon maintained he hasn't yet met with the Cubs' front office to discuss the playoff roster, as of Sunday morning.
However, the Cubs manager did admit there could still be one or two spots up for grabs in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Of course, it also boils down to the Cubs' opponent in the first round - for example, they may want another left-handed pitcher in the bullpen to face lefty-heavy lineups like the Dodgers or Giants.
In that same line of thinking, Maddon also confirmed Sunday southpaw Mike Montgomery would be leaving the starting rotation and moving back to the bullpen, effective Monday.
Maddon had already suggested that move Friday, as Montgomery's chances to make the postseason roster rest solely on a spot in the bullpen barring a couple of injuries.
The Cubs initially inserted Montgomery into the rotation to help provide some extra rest for the normal five starters, but with Thursday's off-day, a bullpen day planned for next week in Pittsburgh (which Montgomery will be a part of, Maddon said) and four days off before the playoff game, the starters shouldn't be overworked.
"There's going to be plenty of time for rest for a lot of these guys," Maddon said. "So I think as it's played out to this point, we felt comfortable with getting some guys back on normal rest knowing that the off day's gonna kick it and also that the [bullpen] day in Pittsburgh will be relevant."
Maddon and the Cubs also wanted to make sure Montgomery got back into the swing of working as a reliever instead of a starter, should he emerge as one of the final bullpen arms on the NLDS roster.
As for Jorge Soler, the Cubs are still taking it easy with the outfielder who left Friday's game with right side tightness.
An MRI showed nothing amiss with Soler and Maddon hopes to have the 24-year-old slugger back within a couple days.
"We're gonna treat it kinda like it was a day-to-day situation," Maddon said. "Hopefully he'll be back and [Monday] or the next day, be able to play.
"We have to go through the medical stuff in there and have him do his swings and stuff in the cages and then we'll know for sure."
Soler has slowed down of late (.207 AVG, .737 OPS in 12 September games), but he mashed in August (.306 AVG, .984 OPS, 5 HR, 14 RBI).
Of course, Soler was also a monster in the playoffs last season, posting a 1.705 OPS in seven games.
Five breakthroughs that pushed Cubs toward NL Central title.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs dreaded the idea of watching another coin flip and seeing an entire season come crashing down in a wild-card game, the way it did for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, when Jake Arrieta strutted around as the hottest pitcher on the planet and the blackout crowd at PNC Park fell silent.
So the Cubs went all-in after winning 97 games and two playoff rounds, with the Ricketts family and Theo Epstein’s front office betting almost $290 million on free agents and star manager Joe Maddon designing the bull’s-eye for 2016: “Embrace The Target.”
The Cubs projected: a Big Three at the front of their rotation (Arrieta, Jon Lester, John Lackey); an MVP candidate in the middle of their lineup (Anthony Rizzo); a multiplying effect on their lineup and defense (Ben Zobrist); a Gold Glove presence in right field (Jason Heyward); young talent bubbling up from the farm system (Willson Contreras, Albert Almora Jr., Carl Edwards Jr.); and enough financial flexibility to make a trade-deadline splash (Aroldis Chapman).
But to clinch the National League Central by Sept. 15 — a division that featured the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals and the 98-win Pirates last season — the Cubs needed these five breakthroughs:
• Maybe we should have seen this coming, because since 2013 Kris Bryant has gone from the national college player of the year to the Arizona Fall League MVP to the consensus minor league player of the year to last season’s NL Rookie of the Year to now the NL MVP frontrunner.
As Rizzo said: “He’s won an award the last 15 years.”
But Bryant also led the NL with 199 strikeouts last season, looking at times worn down, a little shaky at third base and like he had a few holes in his swing that could be exploited. The Cubs now have a superstar who is only 24 years old, on pace for 41 homers and 100-plus RBIs and an impact defender all over the field.
“When you really look at how young players perform, I know you guys probably roll your eyes when we said it wasn’t linear a million times,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “But you kind of talk about that in (terms of) ups and downs.
“These guys have made sort of a quantum leap from a year ago — Kris, most notably, by cutting his strikeout rate as much as he did. Obviously, he’s having an incredible season. But Addison (Russell), Kyle (Hendricks), Javy (Baez) — I’d like to think some of that is contagious.
“These guys see the progress other guys are making and it kind of pushes them along. But I also think it’s sort of the nature of really good young players that sometimes they can potentially make jumps that people didn’t expect.”
So the Cubs went all-in after winning 97 games and two playoff rounds, with the Ricketts family and Theo Epstein’s front office betting almost $290 million on free agents and star manager Joe Maddon designing the bull’s-eye for 2016: “Embrace The Target.”
The Cubs projected: a Big Three at the front of their rotation (Arrieta, Jon Lester, John Lackey); an MVP candidate in the middle of their lineup (Anthony Rizzo); a multiplying effect on their lineup and defense (Ben Zobrist); a Gold Glove presence in right field (Jason Heyward); young talent bubbling up from the farm system (Willson Contreras, Albert Almora Jr., Carl Edwards Jr.); and enough financial flexibility to make a trade-deadline splash (Aroldis Chapman).
But to clinch the National League Central by Sept. 15 — a division that featured the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals and the 98-win Pirates last season — the Cubs needed these five breakthroughs:
• Maybe we should have seen this coming, because since 2013 Kris Bryant has gone from the national college player of the year to the Arizona Fall League MVP to the consensus minor league player of the year to last season’s NL Rookie of the Year to now the NL MVP frontrunner.
As Rizzo said: “He’s won an award the last 15 years.”
But Bryant also led the NL with 199 strikeouts last season, looking at times worn down, a little shaky at third base and like he had a few holes in his swing that could be exploited. The Cubs now have a superstar who is only 24 years old, on pace for 41 homers and 100-plus RBIs and an impact defender all over the field.
“When you really look at how young players perform, I know you guys probably roll your eyes when we said it wasn’t linear a million times,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “But you kind of talk about that in (terms of) ups and downs.
“These guys have made sort of a quantum leap from a year ago — Kris, most notably, by cutting his strikeout rate as much as he did. Obviously, he’s having an incredible season. But Addison (Russell), Kyle (Hendricks), Javy (Baez) — I’d like to think some of that is contagious.
“These guys see the progress other guys are making and it kind of pushes them along. But I also think it’s sort of the nature of really good young players that sometimes they can potentially make jumps that people didn’t expect.”
• Pushing Starlin Castro to second base and installing Russell at shortstop last August changed this team’s defensive identity and helped catapult the Cubs into late October. The Cubs now lead the majors in defensive efficiency, with Russell making highlight-reel plays look routine and diving and leaping his way into the Gold Glove conversation.
But becoming the first Cubs shortstop to reach 91 RBIs since Ernie Banks in 1960? And launching 20 homers during his age-22 season?
“I’m developing, man,” Russell said. “I’m just trying to stay the course. I talk about the progression of the day-to-day grind and trying to get better. Well, we’re starting to see some of the results of the progression.”
• When pitchers and catchers reported to spring training, a reasonable expectation for Hendricks would be the Dartmouth College graduate maxing out as a fifth starter on a playoff contender, carving out a long, productive career in the big leagues and transitioning into a khakis-and-polo-shirt job in a front office somewhere.
But Hendricks is stronger — mentally and physically – and way more athletic than he’s given credit for, putting up a Cy Young Award-type-of-season (15-7, major-league-leading 2.03 ERA) that even he never saw coming this year.
“It’s just how well he executes a game plan,” Lester said. “His recall is unbelievable. It’s fun to watch, just because he’s so different than anybody else. You don’t worry about the radar gun or anything like that. He really has a good idea of how to set guys up and finish them.”
• After Arrieta, Lester, Hendricks and Jason Hammel each made at least 31 starts last year, the Cubs took out all these insurance policies with swingmen and Triple-A depth guys, convinced they wouldn’t stay so healthy and be that lucky again.
Well, those four starters — plus Lackey — have all made between 26 and 29 starts already and can now save some bullets for the Big Boy Games. The Cubs lead the majors with a 2.89 rotation ERA, another tribute to the organization’s pitching infrastructure and coaches like Chris Bosio, Mike Borzello and Lester Strode, as well as Maddon’s Geek Department.
• The Cubs have 93 wins and a 17-game lead over the Cardinals with Kyle Schwarber getting four at-bats before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. Heyward (.618 OPS) is having the worst offensive year of his career — and one of the worst offensive seasons in the majors in 2016. Jorge Soler has essentially played a half-season, showing off his natural power (12 homers) without ripping off the injury-prone label.
The outfield mix would have looked so much different if the qualifying offer didn’t have such a chilling effect on Dexter Fowler’s market, leaving the leadoff guy still unsigned in spring training. A shocking one-year, $13 million deal came together in late February, with Fowler (.385 on-base percentage) returning to be an offensive catalyst, play center and earn his first All-Star selection.
“It was very fortuitous,” Maddon said. “I cannot even imagine us being in this position right now without him.”
WHITE SOX: Royals rock Jose Quintana, White Sox.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Robin Ventura was being facetious when he noted that Jose Quintana has performances similar to Sunday afternoon’s once every couple of years.
While the White Sox manager may have stretched the truth a little, his point about Quintana’s consistency is correct. To see Quintana struggle as he did in Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals in front of 34,982 at Kauffman Stadium is very rare. Not only was Quintana off the mark, the Royals managed to hit him hard to the tune of 10 hits and six earned runs in four innings.
“He just wasn’t his normal self, the stuff you would expect from him,” Ventura said. “They hit him pretty hard, too. You start looking at that, he had a couple of walks in there. He just wasn’t locating the way he usually does. It was just an off day for him.
“But just a rare one for Q.
“You never really expect one of these coming out of him.”
Alex Avila threw a runner out, which might have prevented the contest from getting out of hand in the first inning. But already ahead 1-0, Kansas City continued to attack in the second inning. Alex Gordon led off the frame with a solo homer and Quintana allowed two more singles sandwiched around a walk to fall behind 3-0. Eric Hosmer’s fielder’s choice drove in another run to put Kansas City ahead by four.
Todd Frazier’s two-run homer in the fourth inning off Danny Duffy got the White Sox back within 4-2. But Quintana gave the two runs right back in the bottom of the fourth as Hosmer singled in a run and Kendrys Morales, who later homered off Chris Beck, doubled in a run.
While the White Sox manager may have stretched the truth a little, his point about Quintana’s consistency is correct. To see Quintana struggle as he did in Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals in front of 34,982 at Kauffman Stadium is very rare. Not only was Quintana off the mark, the Royals managed to hit him hard to the tune of 10 hits and six earned runs in four innings.
“He just wasn’t his normal self, the stuff you would expect from him,” Ventura said. “They hit him pretty hard, too. You start looking at that, he had a couple of walks in there. He just wasn’t locating the way he usually does. It was just an off day for him.
“But just a rare one for Q.
“You never really expect one of these coming out of him.”
Alex Avila threw a runner out, which might have prevented the contest from getting out of hand in the first inning. But already ahead 1-0, Kansas City continued to attack in the second inning. Alex Gordon led off the frame with a solo homer and Quintana allowed two more singles sandwiched around a walk to fall behind 3-0. Eric Hosmer’s fielder’s choice drove in another run to put Kansas City ahead by four.
Todd Frazier’s two-run homer in the fourth inning off Danny Duffy got the White Sox back within 4-2. But Quintana gave the two runs right back in the bottom of the fourth as Hosmer singled in a run and Kendrys Morales, who later homered off Chris Beck, doubled in a run.
“It was a bad day for me,” Quintana said. “I think I was fighting too much with my delivery, especially the first couple innings and I was behind the counts. This happens sometimes. Tried to comeback but it was a little late.
“Ran too much to the middle, especially the fastball. A couple high counts. It was just a bad day.”
It was the second-most runs allowed this season by Quintana, who saw his earned-run average climb from 3.05 to 3.26.
Duffy allowed three earned runs and eight hits in seven-plus innings pitched.
Avisail Garcia also singled in a run in the losing effort.
Frazier finished with three hits in four trips.
“Guys were just getting on the ball,” Frazier said of Quintana. “That’s like the first time I’ve ever seen him do that in a year and that’s unbelievable, to be honest with you.”
Quintana said he feels strong even though he knew early he wasn’t quite himself. But similar to how he’s able to move on from tough losses or no decisions, Quintana intends to turn his attention toward his next start at Cleveland next weekend. He wants to make the most of his final two starts, surpass 200 innings yet again and perhaps even log a complete game.
“Turn the page and focus on the next one,” Quintana said. “That’s what happens sometimes and try to finish strong.
“I want to finish strong.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... How Rondo sets up others, or himself.
By Vijay Vemu
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(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Projecting the Chicago Bulls offense this year is tricky. With the new signings of Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo, the Bulls have put themselves in a tough spot. On the positive, you have two guards in Jimmy Butler and Wade that are great isolation players and can get into the lane. Both can also play off the ball and slash to the hoop with ease. They also have a solid post player in Robin Lopez, who can play off the pick and roll. Rajon Rondo averaged 11.7 assists last year. Those all look great.
But the negatives stand out as well, and have been commented on all offseason. Butler, Wade, and Rondo are all not quality three-point shooters with the latter having a career three-point shooting average of 28.9%.
Chris Pickard over at Nylon Calculus looked at how Rondo can help the Bulls in key areas offensively. Specifically when it comes to the Bulls actual shooters: Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic. Pickard did a great job of explaining of how we view Rondo as a playmaker by explaining the likelihood of an assist by made shot.
Chris Pickard over at Nylon Calculus looked at how Rondo can help the Bulls in key areas offensively. Specifically when it comes to the Bulls actual shooters: Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic. Pickard did a great job of explaining of how we view Rondo as a playmaker by explaining the likelihood of an assist by made shot.
With visual context, it’s clear that although Rondo is an assist machine, his impact doesn’t necessarily match up perfectly with McDermott and Mirotic, which is specifically noticeable in either corner three; two regions where McDermott and Mirotic shoot often. This is to say that McDermott and Mirotic makes from these regions will not have an increased likelihood of being assisted — corresponding to a more effective shot — while Rondo is on the court
So it make sense why the Bulls went out and got a guy who averages double-digit assists in Rondo (with Derrick Rose, the Bulls didn't get much ball movement), but the problem being he doesn't do it efficiently. The idea that he won't exactly help out the two guys on the Bulls who can actually shoot threes is concerning.
Amidst all of this gloom, there may be some hope for the Bulls in terms of fixing their spacing issues. In terms of his own three-point shooting, Rajon Rondo has improved these past couple of years. After shooting a dismal 24% during the 2012-13 season, Rondo's three-point average has risen all the way to 36.5% last year. Although we still have more to see from Rondo in terms of shooting, things are looking upward for him. This sentiment was also reiterated by The Athletic’s (and former BaB contributor) Will Gottlieb
If Rondo somehow becomes a consistent three-point shooter then it will add a much-needed dimension to the Chicago Bulls offense. But as of right now, there are a lot of questions surrounding this signing. How he will fit in the locker room and how he will mesh with Fred Hoiberg are going to be things to look for as well. This Rajon Rondo deal is a gamble by the Bulls and the numbers suggest that.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Nicklaus: Winning isn't the point of the Ryder Cup.
By Ryan Ballengee
“To me the competition is incidental,” Nicklaus said Thursday at the Creighton Farms Invitational in Aldie, Va., according to USA Today.
“Who wins bragging rights — and I know everyone wants to win — but that’s not the important thing. The important thing is the game of golf and people having good relations and goodwill.”
Nicklaus has an outstanding Ryder Cup record, going 17-8-3 overall in six appearances, including a 4-0 effort in 1981. He was also the winning captain in 1983.
However, the U.S. has struggled in the last two decades, losing eight of the last 10 matches to the European side, including the last three in a row. Dating back to 1995, the U.S. has only won in 1999 at Brookline (Mass.) Country Club and in 2008 at the Nicklaus-designed Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
Ultimately, Nicklaus thinks everyone gets a little too riled up about the matches.
“It’s a great format; it’s a great competition,” he said. “There’s a lot of nice things about it, but I wish we wouldn’t make such a war out of it. I love the Ryder Cup, I loved playing in it, I love being a part of it.”
Nicklaus, who wasn’t a fan of the Ryder Cup task force created after the 2014 U.S. loss at Gleneagles in Scotland, may have the perspective he does because he won 73 times on the PGA Tour, including 18 majors. In other words, he achieved so much individual glory that defined his legacy that the Ryder Cup has never factored into how people view his career.
“I enjoyed playing the Ryder Cup, but I couldn’t tell you who I played or who I lost to, what my record was or anything else, I have no clue,” he said. “I can tell you what it is in the Masters or the U.S. Open, that’s sort of the way I looked at it. And I think most of the guys who are there are that way. It’s a tough event for the top players to get up for. The guys who are just below the top tier, they get so excited because all of a sudden there are brought forth into the spotlight. But the guys who are the 1, 2, 3, 4 players in the world they’re always playing for the major situation. It’s a little harder for them to get excited about it.”
Chun wins Evian, sets scoring marks.
By Golf Channel Digital
Chun wins Evian, sets scoring marks.
By Golf Channel Digital
(Photo/Golf Channel)
In Gee Chun shot a final-round 69 and captured her second major championship in wire-to-wire fashion at the LPGA's fifth and final major of the season. Oh, and she broke a record or two along the way. Here’s what went down on Sunday in Evian-Les-Bains, France:
Leaderboard: Chun (-21), So Yeon Ryu (-17), Sung Hyun Park (-17), Shanshan Feng (-15), Sei Young Kim (-14), In-Kyung Kim (-12)
What it means: Chun’s four-round total of 21 under par established a major scoring record in relation to par for both women and men. The 72-hole record for men is 20 under and the record for women was 19 under. With this victory, Chun also joined Se Ri Pak as the only players to make their first two wins major titles (Chun won las year’s U.S. Women’s Open). Chun’s only bogey of the day came on the par-3 14th when she failed to get up-and-down from the bunker. She was 1-for-3 in sand saves for the week and the dropped shot at the 14th on Sunday was the only dropped shot she had on the back nine all week. Chun is just 22 years old and was No. 7 in the world entering the week. The win is projected to move her as high as No. 3.
Round of the day: Sei Young Kim shot a 6-under 65 on Sunday that vaulted her up the leaderboard and into fifth place. The 65 included two bogeys, six birdies and an eagle at the par-5 13th when she reached the green in two.
Biggest disappointment: Defending champion and Rolex world No. 1 Lydia Ko was never a factor all week. She shot 73 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 43rd.
Shot of the day: After laying up from the left rough on 18, Chun needed to get up and down from 95 yards in the fairway to post 21 under and break the men's and women's major scoring records. She knocked it to about 8 feet and sank it for the win and the scoring record.
Quote of the day: "I just cannot believe I won the Evian Championship. I made 21 under par. I’m not dreaming, right?" - Chun
Sorenstam has 'fair play' in mind ahead of 2017 Solheim Cup.
AP
Golfing great Annika Sorenstam has a clear idea of what she expects from her players at next year's Solheim Cup in the United States.
Although the 10-time Grand Slam winner demonstrated a huge competitive streak during her career, Sorenstam wants to avoid a repeat of the tension in last year's tournament in Germany, when Norwegian Suzann Pettersen infuriated American fans.
"Number one on our list is that it's all about sportsmanship and fair play. The last thing we want is a controversy of any kind," Sorenstam told a small group of reporters during this week's Evian Championship. "This is the biggest tournament in women's golf; we don't want to leave it the way it was in Germany. Unfortunately people talk more about the incident than how good the golf was."
Sorenstam will captain Europe against Team USA for the first time at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa next August. The fervent home crowd might well give Pettersen a rough time after what happened last September.
Pettersen angered the Americans by insisting that Alison Lee be penalized for picking up her ball when she thought her short second putt had been conceded in a fourballs match. The U.S. went on to stage the biggest comeback in event history, winning 8 1/2 points in the 12 singles matches to take the cup.
The controversy arose after Lee's birdie putt stopped less than two feet from the hole and she thought Europe conceded when Pettersen's partner Charley Hull started walking away. Hull said she had not been walking off, but rather had gone to consult with Pettersen whether to concede or not. But Lee had already scooped up the ball.
"People say, 'What do you want to be remembered as?' and I say 'Somebody who enjoyed the game and somebody who had sportsmanship,'" the 45-year-old Sorenstam said in Evian. "This is the highest platform for women's golf. We need to be role models."
Sorenstam helped Europe win in 2000 and 2003, and was an assistant captain in three events. She won 72 times on the LPGA Tour and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. She's second in Solheim Cup history with 24 points, a point behind Laura Davies.
Sorenstam is curious as to what reception the 35-year-old Pettersen will receive, and how any eventual hostility may affect her.
"It will be interesting to see the response. If there is an indication of that we will have a conversation," Sorenstam said. "Number one thing I've learned is that you have to address things. The sooner you address things, I hope, the less of a pain it becomes."
Pettersen apologized for making the controversial call which helped move Europe up 10-6 — yet is seen as inspiring the American rally to win 14 ½ to 13 ½.
"I'm so over the incident. It wasn't something we tried to do (deliberately)," Pettersen, a two-time major winner, said after her final round in Evian on Sunday. "I don't know if it got taken out of proportion, but it obviously blew up a lot bigger than anything thought."
Pettersen sees it as an isolated incident and does not "really care" if she does get a bad reception.
"It's like Ali (Alison Nicholas) said when she walked down the 18th winning the U.S. Open (in 1997)," Pettersen said. "She couldn't hear a thing, she'd silenced the crowds and that's how you do it. Play better. Make putts. They'll go quiet."
Sorenstam, meanwhile, is heading to the Ryder Cup at the end of this month to get a feel for the atmosphere her own Team Europe players are going to face.
She says Europe's Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has been a huge help, as has Paul McGinley, the winning captain two years ago.
"They were both generous with their time and their information. Darren has invited me to be in the team room and on the first tee," Sorenstam said. "Darren is an extreme planner. He told me when I met him in March to write the speech for the gala dinner.
"I said 'I've got 18 months' and he said 'Better get ready now.'"
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston Secures PGA Tour Card for 2016-17 Season.
By Josh Berhow
(Photo/Golf/Yahoosports.com)
Mustard Minute: Beers with Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston Professional golfer Andrew 'Beef' Johnston talks about being asked to do the Truffle Shuffle at the PGA Championship, his piñata costume from his Spanish Open party, how he introduces himself and more. Beef is coming to the PGA Tour, officially.
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston locked up his PGA Tour card for the 2016-17 season on Sunday with a fourth-place finish at the Albertsons Boise Open, the second of four Web.com Tour Finals events.
The top 25 on the Web.com Tour Finals money list earn PGA Tour cards, and by earning $54,910 through his first two events (sixth on the list) Beef has already earned enough to play on Tour full time. Beef started hot with opening rounds of 66 and 63, and he closed with a Sunday 68 to finish 17 under for the tournament. Michael Thomson won to regain his PGA Tour card.
Afterward, Beef was asked how he planned on celebrating. The man who once said he was going to "get hammered" after winning a European tour event, went a different direction. Sort of.
"A few sodas!" he said, laughing. "Yeah, I think there will be a Coke or a Fanta or something like that. Nah, there's going to be a few beers, man!"
Welcome to the Tour, Beef.
NASCAR: Martin Truex Jr. wins Chase opener at Chicagoland in overtime.
Martin Truex Jr. needed less than a lap in overtime in order to take the lead and win the Chase opening Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Truex had to pass Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Ryan Blaney to get to the lead, which he took going into Turn 3.
“Darlington all over again, right?” Truex said to NBC Sports in victory lane. “The racing gods don’t want us leading too much, they got to make it difficult on us.”
This is the second time in three races Truex has won after leading less than 35 laps. He won the Southern 500 after leading just 28.
Truex started fifth after Kevin Harvick went to the back of the field for an unapproved adjustment. After leading 30 laps from Laps 22-51, the racing gods forced the No. 78 to pit road for a shredded tire.
“It was a long way to go at that point,” Truex said. “I was like, ‘On the one hand, here’s the bad luck that’s going to bite us again and on the other we’ve got a long time to pick it up. We’re lucky it happened early.”
By Lap 80, Truex had passed Harvick to get the free pass spot. Truex returned to the lead lap on Lap 121 after a caution for a spin by Brian Scott, but the struggles weren’t completely over.
“In the middle of the race we weren’t that good and we got back in traffic,” said Truex, who was in 15th by the halfway point on Lap 134 and then seventh by Lap 201. “Harvick ran into us and bent our fender I think on purpose and had to come back from that.”
He was in second when a caution came out for Michael McDowell losing a tire with four laps left, sending the race to overtime. Truex then beat Chase Elliott off pit road and restarted fourth.
The win is Truex’s third of the season, the sixth of his career and his first ever in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Truex is now qualified for the second round of the Chase.
“We have more races to win and we can win some,” Truex said.
Following Truex were Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski.
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Chase Elliott led a career-high 75 laps and finished third for his eighth top five … Ryan Blaney finished fourth as the highest finishing non-Chase driver … Alex Bowman led for the third time in his Sprint Cup career and finished 10th for his first career top 10 … Matt Kenseth received a speeding penalty and recovered to finish ninth.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Jimmie Johnson led a race-high 118 laps, but was caught speeding on pit road during green flag stops with 30 to go after pitting from second. Johnson finished 12th … Richard Petty Motorsports caused the first two cautions. A loose tire from Aric Almirola’s pit caused the first on Lap 49 … Brian Scott spun exiting Turn 4 on Lap 121 … Kyle Busch ran in the top five all day until he was caught speeding during green flag stops on Lap 173. Busch finished eighth … After starting from the rear, Kyle Larson slowly made his way into the top five. His day ended in 18th, a lap down after having to pit late for tire problem.
NOTABLE: Truex is only the second driver to win at Chicagoland after starting in the top five … Jimmie Johnson led more than 100 laps for the first time since the April 2015 race at Texas Motor Speedway … Hendrick Motorsports had only led 122 laps in the previous 12 races … Hendrick has now gone 22 races since its last win, matching its third-longest streak in team history.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I need to go run my head through a wall, maybe I’ll feel better.” – Jimmie Johnson after finishing 12th following a late pit road speeding penalty
WHAT’S NEXT: New England 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Martin Truex Jr. takes point lead after Chicagoland.
By Kelly Crandall
Martin Truex Jr. is the new Sprint Cup Series point leader after winning the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Truex entered Sunday as the sixth seed in the Chase. He leads Brad Keselowski, who finished fifth, by one point. Thirteen of the 16 Chase drivers changed positions on Sunday.
Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, and Chris Buescher are the four drivers sitting outside of a Chase transfer spot.
Speed wasted: Pit call, lack of cautions conspire against Kevin Harvick.
By Dustin Long
(Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
Why should it be easy?
It wasn’t Sunday for Kevin Harvick, crew chief Rodney Childers and the rest of their team after a pit decision failed and was compounded when Harvick could not get his lap back because there were so few cautions.
The result was a 20th-place finish.
Harvick heads to New Hampshire tied for 12th — the final transfer spot for the second round — with Austin Dillon. With Jimmie Johnson likely facing a 10-point penalty, that would make it a three-way tie for 12th.
Of course, last year, Harvick wrecked when his tire went down after contact with Johnson in this race and then ran out of fuel as he was on the way to winning at New Hampshire. That forced him to win at Dover to advance. He did and made it all the way to the championship round for a second consecutive year.
The situation isn’t quite that dire this time, but the team can’t afford to have many issues or mistakes next week.
At least nothing like what happened Sunday.
Problems started early for Harvick and his team.
NASCAR ruled the team made a body modification before the race, sending Harvick, who was to have started fourth, to the rear of the field.
He was 10th by the 20th lap and moved his way to eighth before pitting on Lap 48.
With Harvick on pit road, the caution came out for a tire that rolled across pit road into the infield grass. In the middle of a four-tire stop, the team changed only two tires before sending Harvick off in hopes of beating leader Martin Truex Jr., who was on the track, across the start/finish line. Harvick’s pit stall was the stall behind the extended start/finish line.
Harvick failed to beat Truex to the line by a couple of feet and was trapped a lap down.
However, had Harvick changed four tires and fallen a lap down, he could have regained the lap by using the wave around when the rest of the field that had yet to stop pitted. That’s what Chase contenders Austin Dillon, Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth did – all would finish ahead of Harvick.
Harvick came back in during that caution to change the other two tires and remained a lap down.
In a race that has averaged about six cautions the past four years, there were four cautions Sunday. Although Harvick ran much of the race as the first car a lap down, each time the yellow flag waved, Harvick found himself out of that spot despite having one of the faster cars.
The few cautions and needing to get tires each time all but forced Harvick to pit with the field and not take the wave around to get his lap back. The one time the team had that option came when the caution waved on Lap 193. Childers and Harvick discussed their options with Harvick having run only 17 laps on his tires.
“I have no clue,’’ Harvick said on the radio about what to do.
Childers called for Harvick to pit for new tires.
After the race, Childers radioed Harvick: “Guess I should have pitted one lap later and we’d been all right. All day you were fast.’’
But that speed was wasted when they couldn’t get back on the lead lap.
Harvick did not answer questions from reporters after the race. Childers could not be reached after the race, but Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition at Stewart-Haas Racing and a former champion crew chief, said the team must look ahead.
“It was kind of an unusual day with the way the cautions fell, we usually have more,’’ Zipadelli said. “We go on to Loudon and work harder this week.
“We’ve had good cars all year, we’ve had fast cars all year, so there’s no reason to panic.’’
SOCCER: Stoppage time goal denies Fire a win in home draw with D.C.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Chicago Fire were so close to getting back on track with a home win, but were denied by a 92nd minute goal from D.C. United's Bobby Boswell.
After falling behind in the 19th minute, the Fire led for most of the match only to settle for a 2-2 draw when Boswell scored following a flurry of three shots in one sequence for D.C.
D.C. had 59 percent of the possession and 12 shots in the second half after the Fire had a slight edge in both categories in the first half. Fire coach Veljko Paunovic didn't think his team took too defensive of an approach with the lead.
After falling behind in the 19th minute, the Fire led for most of the match only to settle for a 2-2 draw when Boswell scored following a flurry of three shots in one sequence for D.C.
D.C. had 59 percent of the possession and 12 shots in the second half after the Fire had a slight edge in both categories in the first half. Fire coach Veljko Paunovic didn't think his team took too defensive of an approach with the lead.
“We never give excuses," Paunovic said. "There is no reason to fail even when you have the result like today. It’s tough for us, but small defeats lead to great victories. That’s how we look at this game. It’s something we learn from because that’s something that will make us better in the future if we have that approach."
D.C. piled the pressure on late and was able to find the equalizer. Luciano Acosta started the chaotic sequence by drilling a shot off the crossbar. Sean Johnson made an acrobatic diving save on Patrick Nyarko's rebound, but Boswell converted on the third attempt.
Failing to keep a lead late in a match at home is nothing new for the Fire. The New York Red Bulls scored in the 90th minute to force a 2-2 draw at Toyota Park on July 31. The last time D.C. played in Bridgeview on April 30, Nyarko scored in the second half of a 1-1 draw after the Fire took a lead into halftime. On the other side, it is the third straight match D.C. has scored in stoppage time to equalize.
“They can smell that they can score and they can feel that," Fire defender Johan Kappelhof said. "They had the ball all the time so we were defending and losing our energy without the ball. That’s a thing we have to do better next time even if you’re one goal ahead. You have to keep playing football. Now we are losing too much energy without the ball and you can see at the end that they had more energy to press us. That’s something we have to do better next time.”
Things got off to a rocky start for the Fire (6-13-9, 27 points) when D.C. (7-9-13, 34 points) was given an indirect free kick on the edge of the 6-yard box. Sean Johnson punched away a ball that was judged to be an intentional back pass. The ensuing indirect kick saw all of the Fire players standing on the goal line, but none could stop Rob Vincent’s hammered shot, which was roofed into the top netting.
The Fire had a quick answer three minutes later when Razvan Cocis headed in a corner kick. His flick header came from inside the near post. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid was able to get a touch on it, but couldn’t keep it out of the goal.
“There’s things we practice of course and it’s one of those," Cocis said of the goal. "It's my spot. It’s my best spot where I can be and it’s either a flick or a shot to score the goal. Today it was a goal."
Arturo Alvarez picked up his team-leading sixth assist by delivering the corner.
David Accam gave the Fire the lead just before the half hour mark with one of his familiar quick, weaving runs through the defense. Accam took on multiple defenders and drilled a low shot that gave the Fire the lead. It was Accam’s team-leading eighth goal of the season.
“I thought we were not as tuned in in the first half as they were,” D.C. United coach Ben Olsen said. “Accam’s special. He’s going to make his plays.”
David Arshakyan made his first start for the Fire. He was credited with four shots, one on target, before being subbed off in the 70th minute. Khaly Thiam replaced him to make his first appearance since being red carded in the match at D.C. on Aug. 27.
Michael de Leeuw, who had scored in each of the past three matches, was out with an ankle injury and John Goossens missed the game with a back injury.
The Fire finished the three-game homestand with a 1-1-1 record. Next up is a three-game road trip, beginning next Friday at New York City FC.
Watford 3-1 Manchester United: Super-Sub Zuniga downs poor United.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Manchester United continues to struggle putting the parts together as a whole, and they were downed by a true team effort.
Marcus Rashford appeared to have rescued a point for the visitors, but Juan Zuniga scored 50 seconds after coming on in the 83rd minute, and Watford earned a dramatic and deserved victory at Vicarage Road.
Watford took the game to Manchester United throughout the first 45 minutes. The home fans shouted for a penalty in the early going as they took a long throw into the box as Marouane Fellaini found himself with a fistful of Troy Deeney‘s shirt, but no call was made. Moments later, they had a big chance of the early going as a free-kick from Jose Holebas found Sebastian Proedl at the far post who headed across the face to an unmarked Deeney but it was just out of his reach.
With the home side still roaring forward, Odion Igahlo had a glaring miss, failing to capitalize on a rare miss by David De Gea. The Manchester United goalkeeper came out to claim a long-ball for no one in particular, but miscommunication saw him barrel into Chris Smalling and they both spilled to the turf while the ball bounded free. Igahlo had a wide-open net, but his hit on the volley sailed harmlessly over the net. Yet another Watford chance before 20 minutes required De Gea to make a spectacular save as a header from Deeney tested the Spaniard.
Finally the visitors had a chance as a deflected cross came to Zlatan Ibrahimovic streaking at the far post but he struck the side-netting with a powerful shot. Paul Pogba nearly stunned the Vicarage Road crowd past the half-hour mark with an absolute thunderbolt from a good 25 yards out that smashed the crossbar so powerfully that it rebounded back out above the box.
Finally, for all their earlier chances, Watford bagged a deserved opener. Anthony Martial was dispossessed deep on the right flank, and Darryl Janmaat found Etienne Capoue unmarked near the penalty spot to smash home the opener, his fourth goal of the season already. The moment was not without controversy, as Miguel Britos won the ball off Martial but also cleaned him out in the process, and referee Michael Oliver let it go. United was forced to substitute Martial off after the goal, clearly foggy from an earlier clash of heads.
The second half was cagey past the hour mark until Manchester United took their moment to equalize. Ibrahimovic burst down the left on the break and lofted in the ball to Rashford in front of net. His first headed effort was weak and stopped by the wall of defenders, but the rebound fell to his feet and he recovered to poke home from point-blank range.
Watford appeared to be tiring, and United nearly won all three points with 11 minutes left. A beautiful ball in from Fellaini met the head of Ibrahimovic, who powered a header on net only kept out by a full-stretch save by Heurelho Gomez. Manager Walter Mazzarri brought on Zuniga for Capoue, and he became an instant hero when he buried Roberto Pereyra‘s cutback, producing a winner not unlike the opener.
Manchester United could do nothing but get in their own way, and their urgency only served to win Watford a penalty deep into stoppage time. Troy Deeney thumped the penalty home, sealing the win.
United brought on Memphis Depay in desperation after falling behind, but it did no good. United’s loss leaves them a full six points behind leaders Manchester City, a significant gap so early in the season. Watford, meanwhile, earn their second win of the season to push them into the top half of the table, and they send Jose Mourinho to his third straight defeat in one season, something that hasn’t happened in 14 years.
Crystal Palace 4-1 Stoke City: Potters embarrassed by fluid Palace.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Crystal Palace appeared on the front foot immediately behind the vocal home fans, and they were rewarded immediately. James Tomkins opened the scoring on his full debut in the 9th minute, beating Jonathan Walters to a long free-kick at the back post and touching home.
Scott Dann then picked up the second just two minutes later as Jason Puncheon rifled a blistering cross in from the right edge, and the 29-year-old defender rose high above his mark to power home the header for a stunning 2-0 lead.
The visitors didn’t look to be buoyed by their adversity, instead pushing forward only in small spurts. The game ground to a halt as the first half wore on, and the halftime break came without any more danger on either side. Dann continued to cause problems after the break, seeing yet another powerful header cleared off the line on 52 minutes, very nearly handing Palace a third.
Again Palace should have had a third moments later, but again they were somehow denied at the line. Andros Townsend’s cross sailed over the head of Christian Benteke and right to the feet of Wilfried Zaha, but with the ball bouncing around in front of net, both attackers failed to get a final touch, and the ball was eventually cleared.
Palace finally sealed the game on a free-kick with 18 minutes to go. The ball comes to James McArthur at the top corner of the box, and his shot took a massive deflection off Geoff Cameron and nestled into the back of the net, officially an own-goal with the original effort likely off target.
Townsend put a cherry on top with a quality solo goal, dribbling through the attacking half, touching brilliantly onto his right foot, and passing a curler into the bottom corner for Palace’s fourth. The goal sealed the embarrassing 4-0 scoreline for Stoke City, who still remain on just a single point through five matches.
With the game already out of reach, Stoke struggled to put together a consolation as Wilfried Bony had the goal gaping on 83 minutes following a mistake by Mathieu Flamini, but he overran the ball and saw the chance evaporate. Walters had a chance himself in the final minute, but he fired wide after sending Martin Kelly flying by. They would get one finally at the death as Marko Arnautovic delivered a curler into the top corner.
Meanwhile, the Eagles closer to the top half with their second win of the season, advancing to seven points which pushes them level with four other clubs but ahead of them all on goal difference.
Southampton 1-0 Swansea: Austin bails out baffling Saints misses.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Yet again, it looked as if the soccer gods were against Southampton as chance after chance mysteriously evaporated without producing a goal. Finally, Charlie Austin scored and earned the first three points of the season for the Saints.
The two teams looked to feel each other out early, with Swansea owning the game’s first shot on target as Kyle Naughton had his effort saved by Fraser Forster.
The biggest early talking points arrived just before halftime as Southampton pushed for an opener. First, Shane Long was felled by Federico Fernandez at the edge of the penalty area, and while the home fans howled for what would be a cheaply conceded penalty, instead the referee chose to card Long for a dive.
Just minutes later as time ticked down towards the break, Saints should have gone ahead, but Nathan Redmond missed horribly. On the break with just three defenders streaking back, Dusan Tadic sprung Redmond through the middle with a great cutting ball, and while Redmond’s first touch was fantastic to free him from the last man, he wildly lashed the ball well over the bar with the whole goal to shoot at.
Following the break, Southampton looked incisive. Long was sprung down the left just minutes into the second half, and his cross near the end line nearly reached Tadic but Kyle Naughton defended strongly to just touch it away.
Southampton had a big moment nearly finding the opener, but were wrongly denied. Some great team movement sprung Redmond making a great run through the offside trap. The linesman’s flag went up as the home side put the ball in the back of the net, but replays showed that Oriol Romeu had timed Redmond’s run perfectly and the flag had gone up in err.
Again, the Saints should have had the game’s first goal past the hour mark but physics this time denied the home side. Redmond on the break cut the ball across to a free Charlie Austin, but somehow his sliding finish cannoned back off the crossbar, down off the back of Lukaz Fabianski’s head, and free from danger.
Finally, they would get a deserved lead. Redmond again got space to put in the cross, and while Jordi Amat got a touch, the ball fell right to Austin’s feet, and he volleyed home to put Southampton 1-0 up in the 64th minute.
Late on, Southampton needed one big save from Forster with five minutes left to seal the three points. Angel Rangel delivered a cutting pass up to Fernando Llorente, who fed Gylfi Sigurdsson one-on-one with Jose Fonte. The Icelandic captain produced a turn-and-shoot effort that forced Forster into a diving stop to push the effort away.
The three points move Southampton out of the bottom three and up towards the top half of the table with five points. Swansea showed promise late but couldn’t find the equalizer, and left still stuck on just four points, without a win since the opening match of the year.
Tottenham 1-0 Sunderland: Kane provides breakthrough against bunkered Black Cats.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Tottenham Hotspur took their time breaking down Sunderland’s defense, but a mistake by Papy Djilobodji let them through, and Harry Kane capitalized for a 1-0 lead at White Hart Lane.
Spurs started on the front foot and came close just four minutes in, with Moussa Sissoko rifling just wide from the top corner of the box. They pushed forward again but Jordan Pickford stood tall to Kane in the 9th minute with the England international looking to touch home Heung-Min Son‘s cross.
The home side continued to make a case for the opener, but Toby Alderweireld directed his open header directly at Pickford after 15 minutes. The wastefulness continued as Victor Wanyama fired wide in the 25th minute after a number of blocked shots.
Sunderland began to sit deeper and deeper, content to wall off Spurs from Pickford’s goal. As a result, the game slowed to a crawl as neither side threatened. Spurs unlocked the bunkered defense in the 38th minute, cutting inside and firing towards the near post, but it agonizingly skittered wide. That sparked another spell of heavy Spurs pressure, with Sissoko heading just over off a corner.
19 Tottenham shots were on most viewers’ minds as the game reached halftime, but Sunderland very nearly went ahead just before the break, cutting through the lazy Spurs defense. Adnan Januzaj rounded Toby Alderweireld and picked out Steven Pienaar at point-blank range, but while the former Everton man evaded Hugo Lloris, he could not get the ball past Kyle Walker who cleared off the line.
In the second half, Spurs were on top but not until the 55th minute did they find a cutting edge. Son continued to prove dangerous, sliding a cross right along the face of goal, but Kane wasn’t within range.
Kane was there, however, to provide the eventual breakthrough. A cross from Kyle Walker dropped in front of goal, and Sunderland defender Djilobodji whiffed on the clear, leaving Kane all alone to poke home easily for a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute.
Spurs continued their pressure looking for a second, and nearly had it nine minutes from time. Kane won the ball back just atop the box, and substitute Erik Lamela had his effort deflected just wide. Lamela had another go a few minutes later, a curling effort that just sailed wide as Pickford impressively got his fingertips to it. As Sunderland gave it a go with the game ticking down and significant , Januzaj earned his second yellow card and was sent off in the 89th minute.
The win for Spurs moves them into third place with eight points, although it didn’t come without a price as Kane went down in the final few minutes after landing awkwardly on his ankle. Sunderland remains on just a single point through five league matches.
NCAAFB: 2016 NCAA Associated Press Football Rankings, 09/18/2016.
| RANK | SCHOOL | POINTS | RECORD | PREVIOUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama (50) | 1510 | 3-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Ohio State (4) | 1442 | 3-0 | 3 |
| 3 | Louisville (6) | 1406 | 3-0 | 10 |
| 4 | Michigan (1) | 1277 | 3-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Clemson | 1258 | 3-0 | 5 |
| 6 | Houston | 1245 | 3-0 | 6 |
| 7 | Stanford | 1195 | 2-0 | 7 |
| 8 | Michigan State | 1084 | 2-0 | 12 |
| 9 | Washington | 1040 | 3-0 | 8 |
| 10 | Texas A&M | 890 | 3-0 | 17 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 828 | 3-0 | 9 |
| 12 | Georgia | 726 | 3-0 | 16 |
| 13 | Florida State | 722 | 2-1 | 2 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 707 | 3-0 | 15 |
| 15 | Miami (Fla.) | 565 | 3-0 | 25 |
| 16 | Baylor | 529 | 3-0 | 21 |
| 17 | Arkansas | 528 | 3-0 | 24 |
| 18 | LSU | 517 | 2-1 | 20 |
| 19 | Florida | 479 | 3-0 | 23 |
| 20 | Nebraska | 420 | 3-0 | NR |
| 21 | Texas | 196 | 2-1 | 11 |
| 22 | San Diego State | 183 | 3-0 | NR |
| 23 | Ole Miss | 172 | 1-2 | 19 |
| 24 | Utah | 154 | 3-0 | NR |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 39 | 1-2 | 14 |
Others receiving votes: TCU 132, UCLA 74, North Dakota State 74, Boise State 69, Iowa 47, California 44, Oklahoma State 42, Notre Dame 32, Oregon 23, North Carolina 17, Georgia Tech 17, Central Michigan 16, South Florida 7, Western Michigan 6, Toledo 6, Maryland 3, Arizona State 3, Virginia Tech 1.
Poll numbers confirm a nightmarish start for the Big 12.
By Zach Barnett
(Photo/Getty Images)
There was a never-before-seen oddity in today’s AP poll, though you are forgiven if it slipped by you unnoticed.
Just three Big 12 teams dotted the poll: No. 16 Baylor, No. 21 Texas and No. 25 Oklahoma. Which means, for the first time in the league’s 21-year history, not a single Big 12 team qualified for the AP’s top 15.
Just three Big 12 teams dotted the poll: No. 16 Baylor, No. 21 Texas and No. 25 Oklahoma. Which means, for the first time in the league’s 21-year history, not a single Big 12 team qualified for the AP’s top 15.
Saturday’s twin losses by Oklahoma (to Ohio State) and Texas (to Cal) likely doomed the Big 12 to its second CFP-free postseason in just the third year of the system.
Eliminating leagues entirely this early in the season is asking for trouble — recall what you thought of Ohio State’s title chances after that home loss to Virginia Tech in September of ’14 — but the Big 12’s seem safe considering the conference has accomplished next to nothing in non-conference play. Texas’s win over Notre Dame has aged like a forgotten cup of milk, and the league’s second-best win is… Oklahoma State over Pittsburgh? West Virginia over Missouri?
The most memorable moment of September has been Oklahoma State’s unjust loss to Central Michigan. (Which, oddly, has kept the Pokes out of the rankings even after Saturday’s win over Pittsburgh.)
Overall, the Big 12 is 3-10 against the Power 5, the American and the MAC and 16-12 against the rest of college football. That includes the FCS.
An empty non-conference season is bad enough, but it builds into the league’s inherent problem: its 9-game, round-robin schedule without a championship game was built for the bowl-and-poll era, not the Playoff. Heading into its sixth season of existence, no team has run through the 9-game gauntlet unbeaten.
With no title game to serve as a punctuator and no good non-conference wins to look back upon, the Big 12 champion — whoever it is — may have a tough time arguing for one of the final four spots.
North Dakota State narrowly misses becoming first ranked FCS team.
By Zach Barnett
(Photo/Getty Images)
North Dakota State is already in the midst of one record-breaking streak with five straight Football Championship Subdivision.
But the Bison narrowly missed making another type of history on Sunday, one that would have, arguably, topped their literal handful of national championships.
Following Saturday’s 23-21 upset of then-No. 13 Iowa, North Dakota State just missed the cut at joining Sunday’s AP poll, garnering 74 points, good enough for 28th place in a 25-team poll.
The Bison would’ve been the first team to join the poll had they received enough votes to make the cut. As it stands, their 74 points are the most ever for an FCS team. All told, ten FCS teams have earned votes in the AP poll, dating back to Appalachian State’s stunner of then-No. 5 Michigan on the opening Saturday of the 2007 season.
It’s unlikely North Dakota State will rise any higher than 28th from here on out. The Bison have no more FBS opponents left on their 2016 schedule.
While they won’t see a number next to their name at the FBS level, the Bison can take solace in this: they earned 42 more points in this week’s poll than Notre Dame.
Saturday’s College Football Scores, 09/17/2016.
WTOP.COM (Associated Press)
EAST
Albany (NY) 45, Holy Cross 28
Brown 35, Bryant 27
CCSU 44, Bowie St. 35
Colgate 55, Yale 13
Cornell 24, Bucknell 16
Dartmouth 22, New Hampshire 21
Duquesne 34, Dayton 20
Lehigh 49, Penn 28
Penn St. 34, Temple 27
Princeton 35, Lafayette 31
Rutgers 37, New Mexico 28
Sacred Heart 31, Marist 6
South Florida 45, Syracuse 20
St. Francis (Pa.) 13, Columbia 9
Stony Brook 42, Richmond 14
UConn 13, Virginia 10
UMass 21, FIU 13
Villanova 40, Towson 14
SOUTH
Akron 65, Marshall 38
Alabama 48, Mississippi 43
Chattanooga 21, Furman 14
Clemson 59, SC State 0
Davidson 38, Livingstone 12
E. Michigan 37, Charlotte 19
ETSU 34, W. Carolina 31
Elon 26, Fayetteville St. 3
Florida 32, North Texas 0
Florida A&M 17, Tuskegee 16
Georgia Southern 23, Louisiana-Monroe 21
Georgia Tech 38, Vanderbilt 7
Grambling St. 35, Jackson St. 14
Hampton 34, Howard 7
Jacksonville 41, Edward Waters 7
Jacksonville St. 27, Coastal Carolina 26
Kentucky 62, New Mexico St. 42
LSU 23, Mississippi St. 20
Louisiana-Lafayette 28, South Alabama 23
Louisville 63, Florida St. 20
Maryland 30, UCF 24, 2OT
Memphis 43, Kansas 7
Mercer 34, Tennessee Tech 27
Miami 45, Appalachian St. 10
Morehead St. 56, Lincoln (Pa.) 6
NC Central 65, St. Augustine’s 7
NC State 49, Old Dominion 22
Navy 21, Tulane 14
Nicholls 35, Incarnate Word 28
North Carolina 56, James Madison 28
Prairie View 41, Alabama A&M 20
Presbyterian 31, Campbell 14
South Carolina 20, East Carolina 15
Southern U. 64, Alabama St. 6
Stephen F. Austin 31, McNeese St. 28
Tennessee 28, Ohio 19
Tennessee St. 31, Bethune-Cookman 24
Texas A&M 29, Auburn 16
The Citadel 31, Gardner-Webb 24
Troy 37, Southern Miss. 31
UT Martin 84, Bacone 6
Virginia Tech 49, Boston College 0
Wake Forest 38, Delaware 21
William & Mary 35, Norfolk St. 10
Wofford 59, Johnson C. Smith 0
MIDWEST
Ball St. 41, E. Kentucky 14
Butler 27, Taylor 14
Cal Poly 38, S. Dakota St. 31
Cent. Michigan 44, UNLV 21
Drake 28, McKendree 16
E. Illinois 24, Illinois St. 21
Georgia 28, Missouri 27
Indiana St. 27, SE Missouri 24
Kansas St. 63, FAU 7
Kent St. 27, Monmouth (NJ) 7
Michigan 45, Colorado 28
Michigan St. 36, Notre Dame 28
Middle Tennessee 41, Bowling Green 21
N. Dakota St. 23, Iowa 21
Nebraska 35, Oregon 32
North Dakota 47, South Dakota 44, 2OT
Northwestern 24, Duke 13
S. Illinois 50, Murray St. 17
San Diego St. 42, N. Illinois 28
Toledo 52, Fresno St. 17
Valparaiso 49, Trinity (Ill.) 24
W. Kentucky 31, Miami (Ohio) 24
W. Michigan 34, Illinois 10
Wisconsin 23, Georgia St. 17
Youngstown St. 38, Robert Morris 0
SOUTHWEST
Arkansas 42, Texas St. 3
Army 66, UTEP 14
Cent. Arkansas 24, Northwestern St. 10
Houston Baptist 27, Abilene Christian 24, OT
Ohio St. 45, Oklahoma 24
Oklahoma St. 45, Pittsburgh 38
SMU 29, Liberty 14
Sam Houston St. 44, Lamar 31
TCU 41, Iowa St. 20
Texas Southern 31, MVSU 0
Texas Tech 59, Louisiana Tech 45
Tulsa 58, NC A&T 21
FAR WEST
Colorado St. 47, N. Colorado 21
E. Washington 34, N. Iowa 30
Montana St. 55, W. Oregon 0
N. Arizona 73, NM Highlands 3
Nevada 38, Buffalo 14
Oregon St. 37, Idaho St. 7
Stanford 27, Southern Cal 10
UCLA 17, BYU 14
Utah 34, San Jose St. 17
Washington 41, Portland St. 3
Washington St. 56, Idaho 6
Weber St. 14, Sacramento St. 7
Wyoming 45, UC Davis 22
NCAABKB: Harvard is trying to steal a 5-star recruit away from Duke. Can they do it?
By Ricky O'Donnell
/cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50879541/20160528_NIKEEYBL_SESSION4_JONLOPEZ_0869.0.jpg)
(Photo/Jon Lopez/Nike)
Wendell Carter isn't your typical superstar basketball prospect. This is a player who skipped the first weekend of AAU to act in a school play and a student who boasts a 3.8 GPA.
As the No. 3 senior in the country, Carter has rarely followed a conventional path. That's part of the reason why he has perhaps the most compelling recruitment in the class of 2017. This weekend, Carter will take his first official visit when he travels to Harvard. That's right, Harvard. It appears the Crimson have a real chance of landing him.
"That would really be a game changer," Carter said of a potential commitment to Harvard in May. "That would be doing something that most athletes don't normally do."
Duke has been considered the favorite for Carter from the start. The Blue Devils currently have 100 percent of the predictions in 247 Sports' Crystal Ball. It would be completely unprecedented for an expected one-and-done caliber recruit to chose an Ivy League school, but Carter just might be the type of person to break the mold.
As the No. 3 senior in the country, Carter has rarely followed a conventional path. That's part of the reason why he has perhaps the most compelling recruitment in the class of 2017. This weekend, Carter will take his first official visit when he travels to Harvard. That's right, Harvard. It appears the Crimson have a real chance of landing him.
"That would really be a game changer," Carter said of a potential commitment to Harvard in May. "That would be doing something that most athletes don't normally do."
Duke has been considered the favorite for Carter from the start. The Blue Devils currently have 100 percent of the predictions in 247 Sports' Crystal Ball. It would be completely unprecedented for an expected one-and-done caliber recruit to chose an Ivy League school, but Carter just might be the type of person to break the mold.
Tommy Amaker is already recruiting at a far higher level than anyone thought possible at a school like Harvard. The Crimson have the No. 24 recruiting class in the country for 2016, a seven-man group headlined by two top-100 players in point guard Bryce Aiken and power forward Chris Lewis.
Getting Carter would take Harvard's progress on the recruiting trail to an entirely new level. With DeAndre Ayton committing to Arizona and Michael Porter Jr. pledging to Washington, Carter is currently the top uncommitted recruit in America. He's a 6'9 big man with a strong 250-pound frame whose polished offensive game has drawn comparisons to Al Horford. Early 2018 NBA mock drafts have him projected as a top-five pick.
This will be the first season the Ivy League has a conference tournament -- previously, the league's regular season winner was given an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Amaker had great success under the old format, making four straight NCAA tournaments before finishing just 14-16 last season with a young roster. Harvard won an NCAA Tournament game in 2013 and 2014, upsetting third-seeded New Mexico and then fifth-seeded Cincinnati. Yale's victory over Baylor this past March was more proof the Ivy League can hang with major conference programs.
Carter's talent is so apparent that his pro prospects won't be impacted by where he chooses to go to college. NBA scouts will be able to watch him at practices for the McDonald's All-American Game and Nike Hoops Summit. As a top-five recruit and gold medalist with USA Basketball, he already carries a name brand before he ever begins his senior season at Pace Academy in Atlanta.
At Duke, Carter would have the opportunity to win a national championship surrounded by fellow blue chip recruits. At Harvard, he could blaze a new trail for elite basketball talents. This is only the beginning of Wendell Carter's story. He's already keeping basketball fans on their toes.
Getting Carter would take Harvard's progress on the recruiting trail to an entirely new level. With DeAndre Ayton committing to Arizona and Michael Porter Jr. pledging to Washington, Carter is currently the top uncommitted recruit in America. He's a 6'9 big man with a strong 250-pound frame whose polished offensive game has drawn comparisons to Al Horford. Early 2018 NBA mock drafts have him projected as a top-five pick.
This will be the first season the Ivy League has a conference tournament -- previously, the league's regular season winner was given an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Amaker had great success under the old format, making four straight NCAA tournaments before finishing just 14-16 last season with a young roster. Harvard won an NCAA Tournament game in 2013 and 2014, upsetting third-seeded New Mexico and then fifth-seeded Cincinnati. Yale's victory over Baylor this past March was more proof the Ivy League can hang with major conference programs.
At Duke, Carter would have the opportunity to win a national championship surrounded by fellow blue chip recruits. At Harvard, he could blaze a new trail for elite basketball talents. This is only the beginning of Wendell Carter's story. He's already keeping basketball fans on their toes.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, September 19, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1901 - All major league baseball games were canceled for the funeral of U.S. President William McKinley.
1949 - Ralph Kiner (Pittsburgh Pirates) became the first National League player to hit 50 home runs in two different seasons.
1984 - Pete Rose reached the 100-hit plateau for the 22nd consecutive year. He also tied the National League record for doubles with 725.
1997 - Mark McGwire became the first major league player to hit 20 or more home runs for two teams in the same season. It was his 54th home run of the year.
1999 - Sammy Sosa was became the first major league player to hit 60 home runs twice.
1949 - Ralph Kiner (Pittsburgh Pirates) became the first National League player to hit 50 home runs in two different seasons.
1984 - Pete Rose reached the 100-hit plateau for the 22nd consecutive year. He also tied the National League record for doubles with 725.
1997 - Mark McGwire became the first major league player to hit 20 or more home runs for two teams in the same season. It was his 54th home run of the year.
1999 - Sammy Sosa was became the first major league player to hit 60 home runs twice.
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