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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it's business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don't love what you're doing and you can't give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You'll be an old man before you know it." ~ Al Lopez, Former MLB Player and Manager
Trending: Dodgers to play Cubs in NLCS. (See the baseball section for Cubs and baseball playoff updates).
National League Championship Series
Trending: Hoyer would rather win than roll another 300-yard game. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Chicago Blackhawks 2016-17 Season Preview: Hawks Have A New Strength They’ve Rarely Had Before. What's Your Take? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
Trending: Dwyane Wade's candor not negative; it's realism and it's necessary. (See the basketball section for Bulls updates and NBA news).
Trending: Cubs road to the "World Series".
Time to plan accordingly.
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday evening the start times for Games 1 and 2 of the National League Championship Series.
Game 1 will begin at 7:08 p.m. Saturday, and Game 2 will start at 7:08 p.m. Sunday. Both games will be played at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs advanced to the NLCS with a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night in California.
They will face the winner of Game 5 of the NLDS between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, which takes place Thursday night in the nation's capital.
Time to plan accordingly.
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday evening the start times for Games 1 and 2 of the National League Championship Series.
Game 1 will begin at 7:08 p.m. Saturday, and Game 2 will start at 7:08 p.m. Sunday. Both games will be played at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs advanced to the NLCS with a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night in California.
They will face the winner of Game 5 of the NLDS between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, which takes place Thursday night in the nation's capital.
(See the baseball section for Cubs and baseball playoff updates).
NFL Football on NBCSports.com (STATS LLC)
For three consecutive games, Chicago Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer has passed for 300-plus yards without throwing an interception.
But Hoyer does not want to hear about his personal streak heading into Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"It hasn't translated to points or victories," Hoyer told reporters this week at the Bears' practice facility. "I think passing yards is kind of an overrated stat when it comes down to it. We've got to translate that into scores.
"That's just the bottom line. That's part of this business: It's win or loss."
The Bears (1-4) have little to boast about in that category. They will try to reverse a season that quickly is slipping away as they host the Jaguars (1-3) at Soldier Field for the first time since 2008.
Hoyer is expected to make his fourth start in place of Jay Cutler, who remains sidelined because of a thumb injury. Hoyer is 1-2 in his starts but has performed admirably as he has completed 71.1 percent of his passes (91 of 128) for 1,016 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions in his starts.
Still, as Hoyer said, a strong passing game has not produced enough scoring. Chicago is third-to-last in the league with an average of 17.0 points per game. Injuries to starters such as running back Jeremy Langford (ankle) and wide receiver Kevin White (ankle, shin) have not helped.
Chicago has beaten the Detroit Lions this season while losing to the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts. The Bears are 1-1 at Soldier Field.
Jacksonville has fared slightly better than the Bears with 21.0 points per game, which is good for No. 19 in the league. Quarterback Blake Bortles has completed 61.3 percent of his passes, the best mark of his career, for 1,050 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions in four games.
The Jaguars are coming off a bye after beating the Colts two weeks ago in London. Two of Jacksonville's losses (against the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens) have been by four points or fewer.
Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley's team will welcome back cornerback Aaron Colvin from a four-game suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Colvin started 15 games last season and finished with 73 tackles, four sacks, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble.
"I know that I can bring another element to this secondary that's already playing at a high level," Colvin told reporters this week. "I'm just excited to get back with these guys and do anything and everything I can to help them."
Colvin joins a high-caliber defense that has allowed 304.5 yards per game, seventh fewest in the NFL.
"You look at these guys on paper, they've been adding talent year after year," Hoyer said. "Defensively, you've got some beasts up front (and) a lot of high draft picks or big free agents in the back end. (Middle linebacker) Paul Posluszny is like the quarterback back there. He's been in that system for a while. ... It's another defense that's going to be a real challenge for us."
Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith has six-plus tackles in 20 consecutive games. Yet Smith knows that he and his teammates cannot take anything for granted against the Bears, who have a playmaking wide receiver in Alshon Jeffery and an upstart running back in rookie Jordan Howard.
What is Smith's take on the Bears' offensive scheme?
"It's simple, but they can beat you being simple," Smith told the Florida Times-Union. "If you look at the Colts game when they put up 500 yards, it's a lot of simple scheme.
"If you don't play well, you'll get embarrassed. You'll get a lot of yards put up on you if you make the situation harder than it has to be."
The Bears also hope to avoid embarrassment on defense. The team has allowed 346.0 yards per game, which is ranked in the middle of the pack at No. 14. Chicago has four takeaways in five games.
Look for linebacker Danny Trevathan to make a bigger impact this weekend. Trevathan returned last week after missing a couple of games because of a thumb injury. He was one of Chicago's top free-agent signings during the offseason after he won a Super Bowl title with the Denver Broncos.
"He was rusty from a mental standpoint out there," Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters. "You could see where he was off two or three weeks. I think he'll be better this week."
Improved run game provides balance.
By Larry Mayer
(Photo/chicagobears.com)
The Bears struggled to sustain drives and possess the ball early in the season. But an improved running game has solved those two problems in recent weeks by providing balance on offense.
With Jordan Howard rushing for 111 and 118 yards in his first two NFL starts behind a more effective offensive line, opposing defenses have had to respect the run as much as the pass.
"When you get the running game going, it opens up a lot of things," said quarterbackBrian Hoyer . "It opens up play-action passes, gets some guys to come down into the box so you can throw it a little easier. Any time you can stay balanced as an offense and try to keep that defense guessing on what you're doing, it's always an advantage to us."
"When you get the running game going, it opens up a lot of things," said quarterback
After averaging just 70 yards rushing over the first three games of the season, the Bears have produced 114 and 125 yards on the ground in their last two contests.
"It helps Brian," said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. "It helps the play-calling. There's definitely [a point] where you don't get one-dimensional. You're able to throw the football. You're able to run the football when you need to. I think that's very important."
Hoyer has excelled in recent weeks, becoming the first quarterback in Bears history to pass for at least 300 yards in three straight games without an interception. He enters Week 6 having completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 1,094 yards with six touchdowns and a 108.5 passer rating.
Loggains feels that the key to Hoyer having thrown 140 passes this season without being picked off is trusting his progressions, being disciplined and understanding coverages.
"He's a smart player," said Loggains, who served as Hoyer's position coach with the Cleveland Browns in 2014. "He's played a lot. I think that's the biggest thing, understanding we're not going to sit back there, we're not going to force the ball to Alshon [Jeffery]."
Some outside Halas Hall have questioned why the Bears have only targeted Jeffery 18 times in the last three games; he has just 13 receptions for 129 yards during that span. But Loggains wants Hoyer to continue to find open receivers and not force the ball to any one individual.
"If [opponents] are going to try to double Al and do those other things, then we'll throw it to other people," Loggains said. "We have a lot of plays designed to go to Alshon. If not, then we're getting to No. 2 and No. 3. [Hoyer] has been disciplined in his reads and trusting his progressions."
With the Colts focusing on Jeffery last Sunday in Indianapolis,
"The coverage will dictate where the ball goes," Loggains said. "Brian's done a real good job of trusting his progressions, going through his progressions, not trying to force balls and doing the right thing. Alshon's productive. When it's one-on-one, the ball's going to go to him. When they double team him, the ball's going to go somewhere else."
Hoyer has also done an excellent job of avoiding sacks, taking just two in three starts. He was not sacked while throwing 49 passes against the Cowboys Sept. 24 and 43 versus the Colts.
"The passing game has a lot of moving parts," said coach John Fox. "It's getting rid of the ball on time. It's getting proper reads. Obviously, the protection is key. Knowing what to do, where to go, where the line's going, some of the twists and turns that can happen along the way that the defense tries to create. I just think we're getting more comfortable with the continuity of the people and the communication that it takes in a game condition to execute better. So I think we're making progress, [but] we're not there yet."
One of the few times that Hoyer failed to make a correct read came on the Bears' final play last Sunday. On fourth-and-eight from the Indianapolis 28, the Colts disguised their coverage, making it appear that they were doubling Jeffery with a safety over the top. But Jeffery ultimately beat single coverage, breaking open deep as Hoyer threw incomplete over the middle to Meredith.
"We addressed it as a group," Loggains said. "We're not going to sweep anything under the rug. We talk about things as an offense that need to be talked about. But that wasn't the play that won or lost the game. We had a first-and-goal [in the first quarter] and we got a facemask penalty that knocks us back and end up kicking a field goal, which is a four-point swing.
"When you have seven penalties inside the 40-yard line, it wasn't one play that defined you. It's those seven or eight plays in a game that you don't know which one is going to be the difference. That was the last play we had. That was our last chance. That's why it stings more. But Brian is not defined on that one play. He played 64 really good snaps of football."
Bears' kicking woes at critical stage for team living on the edge.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to get rid of a legend.
The Bears once decided that Kevin Butler was done and replaced him in 1996 with Carlos Huerta, who’d kicked for coach Dave Wannstedt while the latter was on the University of Miami staff. Huerta missed three of seven field goals over his first three games, including two kicks inside 40 yards. Huerta was gone after missing a tie-breaking kick from 44 yards in the fourth quarter of a loss to Minnesota.
Connor Barth was signed after Robbie Gould lost the confidence of the coaching staff, with missed kicks last season and missed extra points this preseason. He has converted just three of his eight Bears field-goal attempts (62.5 percent), confronting the Bears with a crisis that is growing in magnitude.
“Connor will be the first to tell you that we want to make all of them,” coach John Fox said. “Whether they’re extra points or field goals, they just count different but similar kicks. He knows he needs to make kicks, and we’ve got to go about doing better at that moving forward.”
Last season the Bears had 11 of their last 13 games decided by less than a touchdown, eight by a field goal or less, including the overtime loss to San Francisco that went to overtime only because of a missed field goal.
The outcomes of 2016 initially made a field goal here or there seem largely irrelevant. The losses in the first three games were by nine, 15 and 14 points.
But the last two games — a three-point win over Detroit, a six-point loss at Indianapolis — brought the kicking of Barth under a harsh spotlight glare. Two of his three misses can be classed as extremely significant: one that left the Lions in position to tie the Bears had they recovered an onside kick, the other that left the Bears six points behind the Colts and needing a touchdown on a fourth-and-8 from the Indianapolis 28 rather than attempting a tying field goal from 45 yards.
“There is no common thread,” special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said. “The first one he that missed (31 yards vs. Philadelphia), he just missed it. There isn’t one thing you can point to and say 'there it is.' The second one he actually kicked the ground (at Indianapolis). This last one, it was a 54-yarder — they trucked him. So we had a chance to come back and repeat that, and he missed a foot to the left.
“But if it doesn’t go through the uprights, it doesn’t count. That was the only thing common between the three kicks.”
The Bears once decided that Kevin Butler was done and replaced him in 1996 with Carlos Huerta, who’d kicked for coach Dave Wannstedt while the latter was on the University of Miami staff. Huerta missed three of seven field goals over his first three games, including two kicks inside 40 yards. Huerta was gone after missing a tie-breaking kick from 44 yards in the fourth quarter of a loss to Minnesota.
Connor Barth was signed after Robbie Gould lost the confidence of the coaching staff, with missed kicks last season and missed extra points this preseason. He has converted just three of his eight Bears field-goal attempts (62.5 percent), confronting the Bears with a crisis that is growing in magnitude.
“Connor will be the first to tell you that we want to make all of them,” coach John Fox said. “Whether they’re extra points or field goals, they just count different but similar kicks. He knows he needs to make kicks, and we’ve got to go about doing better at that moving forward.”
Last season the Bears had 11 of their last 13 games decided by less than a touchdown, eight by a field goal or less, including the overtime loss to San Francisco that went to overtime only because of a missed field goal.
The outcomes of 2016 initially made a field goal here or there seem largely irrelevant. The losses in the first three games were by nine, 15 and 14 points.
But the last two games — a three-point win over Detroit, a six-point loss at Indianapolis — brought the kicking of Barth under a harsh spotlight glare. Two of his three misses can be classed as extremely significant: one that left the Lions in position to tie the Bears had they recovered an onside kick, the other that left the Bears six points behind the Colts and needing a touchdown on a fourth-and-8 from the Indianapolis 28 rather than attempting a tying field goal from 45 yards.
“There is no common thread,” special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said. “The first one he that missed (31 yards vs. Philadelphia), he just missed it. There isn’t one thing you can point to and say 'there it is.' The second one he actually kicked the ground (at Indianapolis). This last one, it was a 54-yarder — they trucked him. So we had a chance to come back and repeat that, and he missed a foot to the left.
“But if it doesn’t go through the uprights, it doesn’t count. That was the only thing common between the three kicks.”
First career sack was a chore for Bears rookie Jonathan Bullard.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
It was a “welcome to the NFL, rookie” moment for Jonathan Bullard.
The rookie Bears defensive end managed to get through the Indianapolis Colts’ protection of Andrew Luck, and Bullard, whose pass-rush prowess at Florida was key to the Bears grabbing him in the third round, was primed for his first NFL sack.
Not so fast.
“(Teammates) were saying how hard he is to tackle, and I was holding on to one leg and he was in the pocket so he couldn’t throw it away,” Bullard said, laughing. “I knew somebody was going to have to come help me and he’d eventually fall.”
Luck did fall, Bullard got the sack, but the 29-23 loss to the Colts was not quite how Bullard had planned this moment.
“It definitely felt good to break the ice,” he said. “It’s one of those things where you feel happy about it but I mostly want the win. But I’m proud of myself for going out and producing.”
Amid some of the Bears’ struggles on defense — 25 points allowed per game through the 1-4 start — Bullard has begun to produce. One tackle in each of the first two games, two solo stops at Dallas, then three solo tackles, two for loss and his sack, at Indianapolis.
“He’s getting there,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “He played some last week. I hope to be able to play him some more. He had an injury there for the two previous games which limited his snaps but he got (16) last week roughly and hopefully he can continue to get that much and maybe more if he warrants it.”
Bullard and Leonard Floyd were high draft picks primarily as major boosts for a pass rush that showed flashes with Lamarr Houston, Pernell McPhee and Willie Young last year but not enough not enough times.
Houston is done for the season with a knee injury. McPhee is yet to play this season following offseason knee surgery. And Young, with three sacks at Indianapolis, is the lone true pass-rush threat. More is needed from Bullard, in addition to Floyd getting on and staying on the field, which he too often hasn’t.
Bullard’s role has been projected to be as a defensive end in the base 3-4.
“(Bullard is) not quite the size that those (interior) guys are,” Fangio said, referencing Eddie Goldman, Akiem Hicks and Mitch Unrein. “He's a guy that's got a little bit more quickness. He's a guy that we hope can be in our mix and rotation and be a guy that comes and plays a fair amount in every game just filling in.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Blackhawks 2016-17 Season Preview: Hawks Have A New Strength They’ve Rarely Had Before. What's Your Take?
By Matt Barbato
(Photo/sportsmockery.com)
The Chicago Blackhawks’ roster changes with the wind along Lake Michigan it seems.
The NHL’s ludicrous salary cap restrictions aside, it’s a true statement. Once again, Chicago’s roster has gone through another insane overhaul. The Blackhawks enter the 2016-17 season seeking answers at multiple forward positions. But, they can take solace in the fact that for the first time in a long time there is legitimate depth on the blue line.
Seriously. The Blackhawks have a defensive group that is good enough and deep enough to carry the forwards to the Stanley Cup. That’s something that couldn’t be said last year, or throughout Chicago’s dynastic run since 2010.
It starts at the top, obviously. The three mainstays are Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson, who are each 33, 31 and 29 years old, respectively.
Keith should remain one of the league’s best two-way defensemen, but might start the season slowly as he continues to get his legs underneath him following offseason knee surgery for a torn meniscus. Joel Quenneville should be cognizant of that and would be wise to lighten the load on his star defender during the regular season.
Seabrook took a slight step back last season, making that eight-year contract worth $55 million that kicks in this season look a bit scarier. Offensively, Seabrook posted his best statistical season of his career with career-highs in goals (14) and points (49). The problem was Seabrook wasn’t as reliable on the defensive end and might be trending downward.
Hjalmarsson will be his usual, under-appreciated, shot-blocking self. He can pair up with just about anybody and make them look competent in their own end.
But for once, the emphasis won’t be on these three to carry the others to a Stanley Cup.
Sure, the aging Michal Rozsival and mediocre Trevor van Riemsdyk are back in the fold. But, they won’t be relied upon as regular second or third-pairing players any longer. That’s the hope, at least.
The first major addition came via free agency, when Chicago reunited with 2010 champion Brian Campbell. Campbell isn’t locking up first line stars anytime soon, especially at 37 years old. But the veteran defenseman will serve as another puck mover who can complete stretch passes in his sleep. That ability is something Chicago desperately lacked last season. Campbell has also improved as an actual defender since being traded to the Florida Panthers.
Campbell should fit nicely as a second-pairing fixture, but the third group also should be vastly improved. The Blackhawks went back to the KHL well and signed 26-year-old Michal Kempny. He got his feet wet playing against NHL talent while representing Czech Republic in the World Cup and should provide stability, at the very least, on the last pairing.
Chicago also might be holding onto 20-year-old Gustav Forsling, who has been extremely impressive throughout training camp and preseason action. The fifth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 draft was traded to Chicago in exchange for Adam Clendening. He’s raised plenty of eyebrows during this stint with the Hawks and has stuck around longer than anyone expected.
The expectation remains that Forsling will return to juniors in the SHL, but he’s certainly made Quenneville and his staff consider keeping eight defensemen on the active roster.
Rozsival and TVR are also completely fine as No. 6 and No. 7 defensemen. van Riemsdyk clearly has the higher upside and could get a chance to reset and develop after being thrown into the fire during his first full professional season. Rozsival is 38 and shouldn’t be an everyday player, but he can still step in and hold his own as an alternate.
Chicago’s defense has its questions, sure. But, the Hawks could possess one of the best units in the NHL if Kempny pans out and they get what they expect from Campbell.
The big three proved it’s reliable enough to win when Quenneville rode them to a championship in 2015. An early summer led to a longer offseason, which those stars might welcome after several years of intense mileage.
The blue line will prove even more pivotal as the Hawks attempt to configure four reliable lines. Chicago’s forward depth is the worst it’s been in years, which will put a greater emphasis on playing strong defense in front of Corey Crawford.
Speaking of Crawford, if he could post a 2.34 goals against average and a .924 save percentage with last year’s defense in front of him, then imagine what he could do behind an actually competent group.
Don’t be surprised if the Blackhawks become a defensively-oriented team, especially in the early going. That certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing, either.
Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: The Hawks have a lot of new and young players this year, however, they retained the right mix of veterans to blend in with their young talent. They have to learn to play together but that will come in time. The Hawks management is constantly planning for the current season with long range emphasis for future championships. The Hawks organization is committed and I foresee good things ahead for the Hawks this year. I know that they will be in the playoffs but it remains to be seen how deep they will go. Just be patient and watch our team. Good days and great things lie ahead for them. Again, that's our story and we're sticking to it.
We have exposed our feelings and thoughts again and are very interested in what our diehard Hawks fans think, what's your take? Please go to the comment section at the bottom of this blog and share your opinion with us.
We thank you for taking your time and consideration to write an informative response. We truly love hearing from you.
Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
Penalties cost Blackhawks in season-opening loss to Blues, 5-2.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Ryan Hartman’s goal drew a big cheer from the United Center crowd, and at that moment the Blackhawks looked like they were making the most out of what had otherwise been a lackluster second period.
But not long after that things started to go wrong. Penalties were called, one after the other. And a few penalty kills – or lack thereof – later, the Blackhawks lost the lead, the momentum and eventually the game.
Hartman scored the first goal of his NHL career but the St. Louis Blues scored three power-play goals en route to a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks on Wednesday night. It was a frustrating season opener for the Blackhawks, who were working in a lot of new faces and missing Niklas Hjalmarsson (suspended for the opener) and Andrew Desjardins (out 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury).
The Blackhawks missed those two players on the penalty kill, which struggled in giving up one 5-on-3 and two 5-on-4 goals. Kevin Shattenkirk and Paul Stastny each had a goal and two assists for the Blues.
Thanks to the penalties and goals allowed, those final few minutes of the second and first few minutes of the third were forgettable.
“Yeah, you get two 5-on-3s in a short amount of time, give away the momentum of the game,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We put ourselves in a tough spot. The first you could say, OK. The second one was marginal. Then we take one and we’ve got to start the third period with fresh ice. Tie hockey game and we’re hoping to get through it and we didn’t.”
The Blackhawks were expecting some bumps in these first few games, considering the youth installed in the lineup. Veterans played a bulk of the minutes; fourth liners Vinnie Hinostroza, Nick Schmaltz and Jordin Tootoo played anywhere from four to nine minutes total – Tootoo played just 4:26. Part of that was how the game went, and the Blackhawks either trying to kill off penalties or get their top offensive guys out there to aid in a comeback.
But overall, the Blackhawks weren’t happy with this one. They managed just 19 shots on goal, being outshot 15-3 in the second period.
“We didn’t do a whole lot of what we wanted to. Just our energy, speed and work ethic wasn’t quite there,” Jonathan Toews said. “So we have to regroup, try to come with that energy in the next one and obviously play a little bit smarter too. We didn’t manage the puck well and if you’re not firing on all cylinders and playing at the highest speed, winning your races, winning your battles, eventually you’re going to take penalties and eventually give up scoring chances. we did a lot of that tonight.”
This is going to be a work in progress for the Blackhawks. Young guys will have to adjust. The penalty kill has to improve. So does the overall game.
“There’s no split in our team that’s young guys and veteran players. It’s everybody together,” Toews said. “As a group we weren’t good enough tonight.”
Niklas Hjalmarsson to return from suspension when Blackhawks take on Predators.
By Tracey Myers
But not long after that things started to go wrong. Penalties were called, one after the other. And a few penalty kills – or lack thereof – later, the Blackhawks lost the lead, the momentum and eventually the game.
Hartman scored the first goal of his NHL career but the St. Louis Blues scored three power-play goals en route to a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks on Wednesday night. It was a frustrating season opener for the Blackhawks, who were working in a lot of new faces and missing Niklas Hjalmarsson (suspended for the opener) and Andrew Desjardins (out 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury).
The Blackhawks missed those two players on the penalty kill, which struggled in giving up one 5-on-3 and two 5-on-4 goals. Kevin Shattenkirk and Paul Stastny each had a goal and two assists for the Blues.
Thanks to the penalties and goals allowed, those final few minutes of the second and first few minutes of the third were forgettable.
“Yeah, you get two 5-on-3s in a short amount of time, give away the momentum of the game,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We put ourselves in a tough spot. The first you could say, OK. The second one was marginal. Then we take one and we’ve got to start the third period with fresh ice. Tie hockey game and we’re hoping to get through it and we didn’t.”
The Blackhawks were expecting some bumps in these first few games, considering the youth installed in the lineup. Veterans played a bulk of the minutes; fourth liners Vinnie Hinostroza, Nick Schmaltz and Jordin Tootoo played anywhere from four to nine minutes total – Tootoo played just 4:26. Part of that was how the game went, and the Blackhawks either trying to kill off penalties or get their top offensive guys out there to aid in a comeback.
But overall, the Blackhawks weren’t happy with this one. They managed just 19 shots on goal, being outshot 15-3 in the second period.
“We didn’t do a whole lot of what we wanted to. Just our energy, speed and work ethic wasn’t quite there,” Jonathan Toews said. “So we have to regroup, try to come with that energy in the next one and obviously play a little bit smarter too. We didn’t manage the puck well and if you’re not firing on all cylinders and playing at the highest speed, winning your races, winning your battles, eventually you’re going to take penalties and eventually give up scoring chances. we did a lot of that tonight.”
This is going to be a work in progress for the Blackhawks. Young guys will have to adjust. The penalty kill has to improve. So does the overall game.
“There’s no split in our team that’s young guys and veteran players. It’s everybody together,” Toews said. “As a group we weren’t good enough tonight.”
Niklas Hjalmarsson to return from suspension when Blackhawks take on Predators.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Niklas Hjalmarsson will return to the lineup, and Marian Hossa and Artem Anisimov are also expected to play when the Blackhawks face the Nashville Predators on Friday night.
Hossa did not practice on Thursday, but coach Joel Quenneville said it was just a maintenance day. Anisimov started practice but left after a few minutes; Quenneville said it was just a “preventive” measure.
Corey Crawford will start vs. the Predators.
The Blackhawks tinkered with their lines on Thursday. Artemi Panarin moved to the top line with Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik, while Tyler Motte moved up to the second line with Anisimov and Kane. Asked if those top two lines were altered due to Hossa’s absence or if they could be implemented in tomorrow’s game, Quenneville said, “we’re looking at it.”
Hossa did not practice on Thursday, but coach Joel Quenneville said it was just a maintenance day. Anisimov started practice but left after a few minutes; Quenneville said it was just a “preventive” measure.
Corey Crawford will start vs. the Predators.
The Blackhawks tinkered with their lines on Thursday. Artemi Panarin moved to the top line with Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik, while Tyler Motte moved up to the second line with Anisimov and Kane. Asked if those top two lines were altered due to Hossa’s absence or if they could be implemented in tomorrow’s game, Quenneville said, “we’re looking at it.”
As for Hjalmarsson, he’s completed his three-game suspension for his preseason hit on St. Louis’ Ty Rattie. Quenneville would not say which defenseman would come out of the lineup for tomorrow’s game. Hjalmarsson, meanwhile, is ready to return.
“Very excited. It’s always a fun building to play in, too, in Nashville. It’s always loud and high-paced game,” he said. “So it’s going to be a tough challenge right away, but I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it.”
The Blackhawks could’ve used Hjalmarsson for every situation in their season-opening loss to St. Louis on Wednesday, including their penalty kill. Hjalmarsson did like what he saw from the Blackhawks’ young defensemen, Michal Kempny and Gustav Forsling.
“I thought both of them were very impressive. If you didn’t know it was their first game, you definitely wouldn’t have thought that it was their first game,” he said. “I think they played a really solid, solid game and as a lot of guys have said before this season, I think on the back end, we’re as deep as we have ever been. So it’s always good with competition. It keeps pushing everybody to be on their toes and be at their best to stay in the lineup. Hopefully that will be a healthy competition throughout the whole year.”
Breaking News: Dave Roberts pulled the right strings using Kenley Jansen in 7th, Clayton Kershaw in 9th. Dodgers to play Cubs in NLCS.
By Bill Baer
(Rob Carr/Getty Images)
This postseason, perhaps more than ever, is shining a light on the importance of optimal bullpen management. Orioles manager Buck Showalter refused to use closer Zach Britton in the American League Wild Card game against the Blue Jays and it cost his team as Edwin Encarnacion blasted a walk-off three-run home run off of Ubaldo Jimenez. Giants manager Bruce Bochy had no confidence in his bullpen, shuffling through basically everyone in the bullpen… except Santiago Casilla.
For years, those of a Sabermetric bent have been illustrating how anachronistic the save statistic is and how outmoded current bullpen strategy is. Still, in 2016, managers adhere to rigidly-defined roles for their relievers, rarely ever venturing to use their closers outside of a situation or a tie game at home. Indians manager Terry Francona broke that mold in the ALDS against the Red Sox, using Andrew Miller — one of the three best relievers in baseball — in the fifth inning of Game 1 and in the sixth inning of Game 3.
That leads us to Game 5 of the NLDS between the Dodgers and Nationals on Thursday night. Lefty reliever Grant Dayton started the seventh inning but struggled, walking Danny Espinosa before serving up a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Chris Heisey to pull the game to 4-3. Dayton gave up a single to Clint Robinson before manager Dave Roberts decided to bring in his closer, Kenley Jansen. Jansen is, somehow, an underappreciated reliever still despite posting a 1.83 ERA with a 104/11 K/BB ratio over 68 2/3 innings during the regular season.
Leverage index is a statistic used to note how important a particular situation is. According to FanGraphs, a “high” leverage situation is anything with a Leverage Index above 2.00. The six at-bats Jansen had against the Nationals had LI’s of 3.14, 2.59, 4.14, 3.97, 4.52, and 6.24. In the eighth, they would be 2.46, 3.98, 3.33, and 2.40. His final three batters in the ninth had LI’s of 3.40, 2.55, and 4.61. If you’re going to use your best relief arm, those were the spots to do it.
Also worth noting: yes, Jansen pitched into his third inning of work. He threw 51 pitches in total, by far surpassing his previous single-game high of 42, set back on April 2, 2011.
If you thought Roberts’ bullpen management couldn’t get more unorthodox, ace Clayton Kershaw walked out to the bullpen after the end of the eighth inning and began warming up. Jansen got into some trouble in the ninth inning, issuing back-to-back walks to Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth. So Roberts brought in Kershaw on two days’ rest. I need not recall Kershaw’s stats to explain why this was the right move. Kershaw got Daniel Murphy to pop up (7.13 LI) before striking out Wilmer Difo (6.56 LI) to send the Dodgers to the NLCS to face the Cubs.
The storyline in 2014 and ’15 with the Royals was that a lights-out bullpen was crucial to postseason success. This postseason is going a step further. A team needs not only a great bullpen, but the ability to strategize optimally to get the most out of the roster. That’s part of the reason why the Indians and Dodgers have advanced to the League Championship Series.
CUBS: The Cubs Quantum Leap.
By Adam Grossman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Superposition is a term that seems to belong to the world of sports. In football there is a "superback" that can play multiple positions including tight end, fullback, or running back. In baseball, there are utility players that can play multiple positions throughout the course of a game.
Superposition, however, actually belongs to world of physics. More specifically, “The superposition principle is the idea that a system is in all possible states at the same time, until it is measured.” In the world of quantum mechanics, the smallest particles (think electrons and protons) exist in every possible position until they are observed. When that occurs, all of the probability collapses into a single position.
If you have not fallen asleep already then a natural question at this point is why are we talking about Superposition (and especially quantum mechanics) and sports?
Superposition can be applied to why live games or events will continue to be a value for the sports industry. More specifically, audiences live in superposition while watching games. From the start to the finish of a game, there are many different possibilities of an outcome. The fans, media, and sponsors constantly live in a world of multiple possible outcomes in every game their favorite team plays. This inherent drama and emotion is what drives so much passion about sports. It is only after the final score or outcome is observed that we can know with certainty what will happen to the our favorite team during a game.
We can use last night’s epic (or heartbreaking depending on which team you cheer for) Chicago Cubs win as an example of superposition in sports. Going into the ninth inning, the Cubs were losing 5-2 and had a 2.5% win expectancy according to the baseball analytics site FanGraphs. At this particular moment, the Cubs possible states included:
· Scoring zero runs and losing Game 4 by the score of 5-2.
· Scoring one run and losing Game 4 by the score 5-3.
· Scoring two runs and losing Game 4 by the score 5-4.
· Scoring three runs and losing Game 4 in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings.
· Losing Game 4 and winning Game 5.
· Losing Game 4 and losing Game 5
· Scoring four runs and winning Game 4 by the score 6-5 with the Cubs wining the series 3 games to 1.
Each one of these “theoretical states” exists for the Cubs, and Cubs fans “exist” partially in each of these states until the game is over. Even though the last outcome had a very small probability of occurring, it still was a possible state and part of the overall Cubs superposition.
Superposition does exist for all entertainment options – particularly for movies and television shows. For example, fans are currently thinking about how the show Game of Thrones will conclude at the end of its eighth season (the show just completed season six). However, once viewers see the series finale, Game of Thrones no longer is in superposition. The series is over, and the viewers know what happens.
Unlike other entertainment options, sports are constantly in a state of superposition. That is what makes them such a valuable asset. Every year for many sports, there is a new season with a new slate of games. Each game has a conclusion, but there is a new game and new theoretical possibilities for each team. The team or sport for the most part is never “over”. Even when ratings are down for NFL games year-over-year, the concept of superposition will likely keep fans engaged with the league for years to come. More specifically, fans need to watch each game live to achieve the maximum emotional impact of superposition.
Superposition sounds like a sports concept. Even though it comes from the world of physics, it does not require a quantum leap to see how it shows why fans, media, and sponsors love sports.
Cubs undecided on NLCS rotation beyond Jon Lester in Game 1.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs don't have the rest of their rotation set for the National League Championship Series, but the choice for Game 1 is easy: Jon Lester.
Joe Maddon confirmed as much Thursday afternoon during the Cubs' workout, but the team still isn't sure of Kyle Hendricks' status after taking a line drive to the right forearm in Game 2 last Saturday.
"I know that Jon Lester is going to pitch the first game," Maddon said. "After that, we're waiting to find out about Kyle and then we'll go from there."
Hendricks declared himself "good to go" before Tuesday's Game 4 in San Francisco.
Maddon said Hendricks was "in good shape" after Tuesday's session and the Cy Young candidate also threw Thursday.
"[We'll] just find out where Kyle is," Maddon said. "Making sure that he is healthy. He threw today; you always wait a little bit to find out if there's any after-effects of that and then you make your determination. That's about it. Just health."
Maddon admitted the Cubs still like the idea of having Lester and Hendricks start the first two games at Wrigley Field, where both have performed at an elite level this season.
So if Hendricks doesn't have a setback, expect the Cubs to announce him as the Game 2 starter Sunday night at Wrigley Field, where he posted a 1.32 ERA and 0.86 WHIP during the regular season (compared to 2.95/1.099 on the road).
Joe Maddon confirmed as much Thursday afternoon during the Cubs' workout, but the team still isn't sure of Kyle Hendricks' status after taking a line drive to the right forearm in Game 2 last Saturday.
"I know that Jon Lester is going to pitch the first game," Maddon said. "After that, we're waiting to find out about Kyle and then we'll go from there."
Hendricks declared himself "good to go" before Tuesday's Game 4 in San Francisco.
Maddon said Hendricks was "in good shape" after Tuesday's session and the Cy Young candidate also threw Thursday.
"[We'll] just find out where Kyle is," Maddon said. "Making sure that he is healthy. He threw today; you always wait a little bit to find out if there's any after-effects of that and then you make your determination. That's about it. Just health."
Maddon admitted the Cubs still like the idea of having Lester and Hendricks start the first two games at Wrigley Field, where both have performed at an elite level this season.
So if Hendricks doesn't have a setback, expect the Cubs to announce him as the Game 2 starter Sunday night at Wrigley Field, where he posted a 1.32 ERA and 0.86 WHIP during the regular season (compared to 2.95/1.099 on the road).
Lester tossed eight shutout innings to beat the Giants in Game 1 of the NLDS, lowering his career postseason ERA to 2.63 in 17 games (15 starts).
Before he was knocked out of Game 2, Hendricks had allowed two runs on four hits while getting 14 outs (seven groundballs, seven fly balls).
If Hendricks is good to go, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey would then fill out the rest of the rotation, starting Games 3 and 4 on the road in either Los Angeles or Washington D.C.
Arrieta provided a huge lift with a three-run homer off Madison Bumgarner in his start against the Giants in Game 3, but also turned in a quality outing on the mound - two runs on six hits and a walk in six innings.
Lackey, meanwhile, struggled to the tune of three runs on seven hits and two walks in only four innings before the Cubs' miraculous comeback in Game 4.
Maddon sees more in there for the Cubs rotation, especially Lackey, who hadn't pitched in two full weeks before the NLDS start.
"Jon Lester pitched his game, Jake was really good, Kyle never got his opportunity and you could say [Lackey] was off, but I thought John's stuff was good," Maddon said. "I look at the [radar] gun al the time, see how the fastball and stuff match up, and the numbers were good.
"The breaking ball numbers were good. My point is he's healthy and he's well and he just didn't execute, probably because he hasn't pitched in a while. But I felt good that the numbers match up - velocity, fastball to breaking ball, all that was there.
"I have a lot of faith in our guys. They've been doing it all year. They're absolutely rested going into this moment, so I feel very strongly about our starting pitching."
Cubs survived what went wrong against Giants, showing how they can keep advancing through October.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs are built as a team of checks and balances, blunt veterans who didn’t come here for a haircut and young players acting like they’ve been here forever. A thumping American League-style lineup has the mix-and-match parts to play the National League game. An elite defensive unit works in concert with the pitching staff. The Geek Department supports Joe Maddon’s coaching staff. An Ivy League front office nailed so many decisions through scouting and intuition.
Still, the best team in baseball, a 103-win machine during the regular season, encountered the broad message Maddon sent during his pre-playoffs meeting: Things will go wrong.
Meaning the Cubs will be defined by how they react to bad calls, bad bounces, bad performances, nonstop scrutiny and hostile environments. This team didn’t sulk or panic during the NL Division Series, responding to the awesome challenge presented by the San Francisco Giants, showing how to keep surviving and advancing through October.
“You’re going to have to scramble for some wins if you’re going to win in the postseason,” general manager Jed Hoyer said late Tuesday night amid the celebration on the West Coast, standing soaking wet in the middle of AT&T Park’s visiting clubhouse.
“Things aren’t going to go right. Obviously, Game 1 went perfect. You get eight innings out of Jon (Lester). That’s great. That doesn’t happen all the time. You got to be able to scramble in the postseason.”
The Cubs needed only four games to eliminate a Giant franchise that has the confidence and muscle memory from winning World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Even with two extremely reliable starting pitchers – Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey – not lasting beyond the fourth inning in Games 2 and 4. And superstar closer Aroldis Chapman blowing the six-out save in what became a 13-inning loss in Game 3.
Together, Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant committed five errors. Dexter Fowler, Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell combined went 4-for-45 (.089 average) with one extra-base hit. Up until that ninth-inning rally in Game 4, pitchers Hendricks, Travis Wood and Jake Arrieta drove in almost half of the team’s runs during the NLDS.
“It shows that it doesn’t have to be the MVP candidate in Kris Bryant or Anthony Rizzo to win us the ballgame every night,” Arrieta said. “Guys step up, like Javy (Baez). It’s a timely hit from Kyle, a huge home run from Travis. Everybody contributes.
“To be able to have that contribution from up and down the order versus just a couple of guys really makes us a dangerous ballclub.
“If certain guys get pitched around, we know the guys behind them can handle the task of providing offense and (helping pick them up). It’s just really nice to see the growth (and) continued development of these young players at such a high level on such a big stage.”
Baez changed the entire direction of this NLDS with one swing in the eighth inning of Game 1, reacting to a Johnny Cueto quick pitch and launching it out toward Waveland Avenue. The wind knocked the ball down before it landed in the Wrigley Field basket instead of Angel Pagan’s glove, the difference in a 1-0 game.
The Plan can think of everything – every possible matchup, variable and contingency – but there is still an element of luck. Ben Zobrist – an influential player on the Kansas City Royals team that won last year’s World Series – put it this way: “Any time you’re in tight games and you’re playing against good teams, you have to get breaks.”
But the bullpen also backed up the shortened Hendricks and Lackey starts by limiting the Giants to two runs across 10-plus innings, securing a Game 2 win and keeping the Cubs within striking distance for that Game 4 comeback.
Chapman – the kind of high-octane reliever the Giants failed to acquire at the trade deadline – notched three saves. Baez – who doesn’t even have a set position on a team this talented – made so many defensive plays look easy that his human-highlight-film reputation is going national.
The Cubs can now line up Lester for another tone-setting Game 1 against either the Washington Nationals or Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series that begins Saturday night at Wrigley Field.
What can possibly go wrong? The Cubs still have so many different ways to weather two more postseason rounds and win eight more games.
“They play for one another,” bench coach Dave Martinez said. “Every day, it’s somebody different.”
Still, the best team in baseball, a 103-win machine during the regular season, encountered the broad message Maddon sent during his pre-playoffs meeting: Things will go wrong.
Meaning the Cubs will be defined by how they react to bad calls, bad bounces, bad performances, nonstop scrutiny and hostile environments. This team didn’t sulk or panic during the NL Division Series, responding to the awesome challenge presented by the San Francisco Giants, showing how to keep surviving and advancing through October.
“You’re going to have to scramble for some wins if you’re going to win in the postseason,” general manager Jed Hoyer said late Tuesday night amid the celebration on the West Coast, standing soaking wet in the middle of AT&T Park’s visiting clubhouse.
“Things aren’t going to go right. Obviously, Game 1 went perfect. You get eight innings out of Jon (Lester). That’s great. That doesn’t happen all the time. You got to be able to scramble in the postseason.”
The Cubs needed only four games to eliminate a Giant franchise that has the confidence and muscle memory from winning World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Even with two extremely reliable starting pitchers – Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey – not lasting beyond the fourth inning in Games 2 and 4. And superstar closer Aroldis Chapman blowing the six-out save in what became a 13-inning loss in Game 3.
Together, Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant committed five errors. Dexter Fowler, Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell combined went 4-for-45 (.089 average) with one extra-base hit. Up until that ninth-inning rally in Game 4, pitchers Hendricks, Travis Wood and Jake Arrieta drove in almost half of the team’s runs during the NLDS.
“It shows that it doesn’t have to be the MVP candidate in Kris Bryant or Anthony Rizzo to win us the ballgame every night,” Arrieta said. “Guys step up, like Javy (Baez). It’s a timely hit from Kyle, a huge home run from Travis. Everybody contributes.
“To be able to have that contribution from up and down the order versus just a couple of guys really makes us a dangerous ballclub.
“If certain guys get pitched around, we know the guys behind them can handle the task of providing offense and (helping pick them up). It’s just really nice to see the growth (and) continued development of these young players at such a high level on such a big stage.”
Baez changed the entire direction of this NLDS with one swing in the eighth inning of Game 1, reacting to a Johnny Cueto quick pitch and launching it out toward Waveland Avenue. The wind knocked the ball down before it landed in the Wrigley Field basket instead of Angel Pagan’s glove, the difference in a 1-0 game.
The Plan can think of everything – every possible matchup, variable and contingency – but there is still an element of luck. Ben Zobrist – an influential player on the Kansas City Royals team that won last year’s World Series – put it this way: “Any time you’re in tight games and you’re playing against good teams, you have to get breaks.”
But the bullpen also backed up the shortened Hendricks and Lackey starts by limiting the Giants to two runs across 10-plus innings, securing a Game 2 win and keeping the Cubs within striking distance for that Game 4 comeback.
Chapman – the kind of high-octane reliever the Giants failed to acquire at the trade deadline – notched three saves. Baez – who doesn’t even have a set position on a team this talented – made so many defensive plays look easy that his human-highlight-film reputation is going national.
The Cubs can now line up Lester for another tone-setting Game 1 against either the Washington Nationals or Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series that begins Saturday night at Wrigley Field.
What can possibly go wrong? The Cubs still have so many different ways to weather two more postseason rounds and win eight more games.
“They play for one another,” bench coach Dave Martinez said. “Every day, it’s somebody different.”
WHITE SOX: Hahn gets glimpse of future at instructional league.
White Sox GM on hand in Arizona to see Guerrero, Hansen and others.
White Sox senior vice president and general manager Rick Hahn moved between two back fields at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday morning, watching his organization's future in action during the final days of instructional league.
There were highly-touted international signings, such as Josue Guerrero, getting their first official look at professional baseball. Guerrero was participating along with right-handed hurler Alec Hansen, the team's No. 8 prospect, per MLBPipeline.com, finishing off an incredible opening season after being selected in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
This promising core represents an organization working hard to build up its once-depleted system, but most of the key individuals won't be big-league ready by 2017. That factor certainly influences Hahn's mindset with the rebuilding or adding on being discussed during this current offseason.
"It makes you feel that if, in fact, you are going to focus strictly on trying to win in '17, you are going to have to go outside and you may have to put a little bit of a dent into some of what you already started to build into the future, which weighs into it," Hahn told MLB.com. "You might have to use some of them [in trades] if that's your focus.
"If your focus is decidedly more on the future, then you look to augment this talent from outside via trade and grow it together and target a date in the future. This is obviously not about 2017, what's going on out here.
"We are all very much focused on what's next for the big league club," Hahn said. "At the same time, it's nice to be down here and see the fruits of the labor of our amateur scouts and international scouts with the last couple of Draft classes, and the last couple of July 2 [international signing] classes all coming together in one place."
What's next for the White Sox has not been made clear by Hahn. Then again, there's really nothing to be gained by announcing a rebuild, for example, only to find out lofty demands for controlled All-Star talents such as Chris Sale or Jose Quintana can't be met.
Playoff teams such as the Rangers and the Red Sox could have added interest in the White Sox southpaw aces after each club failed to post a quality start while being swept during their American League Division Series losses. Hahn is well aware of the interest.
"People tend to perhaps overreact to small samples in October," Hahn said. "But I'm guessing, based on how things have gone so far ... we expected a lot of calls heading into the offseason, and this probably only reinforces that idea."
Regardless of the direction chosen, Hahn believes the team remains on the right development path.
"You get the feeling that there's been a significant step up in terms of the talent level walking around this instructional league," Hahn said. "You can see this talent pool is going to potentially have a real nice impact in Chicago down the road.
"We are getting closer to where we want to be. You add a few more classes to these that are here over the next couple of years, and all of a sudden you've got yourself a critical mass of potentially homegrown impact talent. That's the goal of any organization."
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Dwyane Wade's candor not negative; it's realism and it's necessary.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The larger value of Dwyane Wade was on full display in the most unexpected way after a random training camp practice, but its dividends should pay off for the next several months.
Wade’s greatest value won’t be his on-court savvy, locker room leadership or even his clutch shot-making that’s sure to save a few games this season for a team that will likely find itself being among a few teams scrambling for a postseason berth.
Wade’s value showed itself again after practice Tuesday, in the same manner it was initially displayed on his introductory press conference, when he made his return more about pumping up Jimmy Butler’s status on the team and his love for his hometown Chicago.
It came in the form of straight-faced realism.
When asked what the expectations should be for the coming season, Wade could’ve given a nice, cuddly quote about how the Bulls are a championship organization and how that’s always the goal for every team—something sterile and not necessarily untrue.
But what he dished out was sweeter than his preseason pocket passes that harken back to his point guard days.
“When you’re coming off a season where as an organization you don’t make the playoffs, your goal can’t be winning a championship,” he said. “It would be unrealistic to say, ‘Oh we want to win a championship.’ Of course we do. But it’s so many steps before you get to that.”
And with that, the adult in the room has spoken and changed the narrative on the eye-rolling or starry-eyed looks that have taken place from the media and fan base who’ve consumed the Chicago Bulls’ product.
For the last few seasons, or at least in the time this scribe has been around to witness the day-to-day operations of this franchise, this type of honesty has been missing by the framers—which in turn brings about a certain backlash when said expectations aren’t met.
Think how different last year would’ve gone from a reaction standpoint if Fred Hoiberg weren’t presented and packaged like a championship head coach taking over a championship roster.
The criticism wouldn’t have been so strong, because the public would’ve been rightly warned about what they were going to see.
“I think we gotta be level to this. I understand it’s every team’s goal to win a championship, every player’s goal,” Wade said. “But to get there, especially when you don’t have a team coming off a championship — Cleveland and Golden State coming from the Finals can say their goal is to win a championship — everyone else has to have levels to their goals.”
Wade isn’t a novice coach finding his way or stumbling over his words or sentiment.
Wade isn’t a determined coach staying up night after night devising gameplans to stop the monster in the closet, LeBron James, and lathering up the fan base by gearing them up for the ultimate challenge and by proxy, the ultimate heartbreak.
Nor is Wade a former MVP chasing the shadow of a ghost he can never catch—his own.
Wade didn’t script the scene, he didn’t prepare for the question as if it were media day when such notions are presented. He answered honestly, didn’t run away from the query and for one of the first times, someone tagged with the responsibility of being a spokesman for the Chicago Bulls looked comfortable in his own skin, comfortable in the reality of the day and not stuck in a personal fantasy.
“Your goal has to be day-to-day making steps to improve yourself so you can get to a point where you’re a playoff team. And then you go from there,” Wade said. “Our goal is to get better. I’m not going to put a ceiling on our goal. We’re not thinking longterm right now.”
It hasn’t been long, but Wade sees a coach who’s still learning, a leader in Jimmy Butler who’s still learning how to be the leader of a franchise, and Wade parrots the “10 players with three years or less experience” line as much as anybody—and it’s not a narrative he’s trying to sell.
He sees the uncertainty of the roster and likely, wants to alleviate the pressure on some of his teammates who have trouble performing when the spotlight is at its brightest.
Wade isn’t lowering his expectations for night-in, night-out and he won’t go into games not expecting to win; He just won’t allow his teammates to crumble under weight they have no business lifting.
It’s not a dose of negativity; compared to the outsized and unrealistic expectations of seasons’ past it could be interpreted as such but Wade has gone through the gamut in his career, and knows what he speaks.
This is a man who sacrificed two of the best individual seasons of his career (2008-2010), two of the best all-around campaigns from a shooting guard not named Michael Jordan with the unrealistic but attainable goal of acquiring LeBron James in free agency.
He played with players whose jerseys should’ve read “Expiring Contract” on the back as the Miami Heat took a step back after winning a title in 2006, tore it all down and went all-in on the fantasy of creating a superteam.
And in the last two years he’s played with a team that should’ve been named Romper Room, having to nurture and be patient with talented but mercurial players the Heat wanted to build up in the event to show itself as a free-agent destination again.
He’s not stuck in the mind of a 24-year old dynamo who can create holy hell for 48 minutes on both ends of the floor. Heck, he even said, “I am turning 35 this year. Some days I feel great. Some days I feel 34.”
Who knows how good or not this Bulls team can be, and perhaps they win 46 games or so and make a run to the second round of the playoffs. But Wade isn’t hitting you with gas so come April the torches will come out from a misled fan base.
That cold water from Wade may not feel good, but just like the old ‘tussin that didn’t go down so smoothly, it’s just what everybody needed to hear.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Scott Piercy sets course record at Silverado and takes lead.
Associated Press
(Photo/calgolfnews.com)
Scott Piercy began the new PGA Tour season by pouring in putts and setting the course record at Silverado, a 10-under 62 for a two-shot lead Thursday in the Safeway Open.
Conditions were practically perfect in the morning, and Piercy took advantage. He made 12 birdies, only three of them from inside 10 feet, and he even missed a pair of birdie chances from inside 8 feet.
He wasn't alone in attacking Silverado.
Paul Casey, coming off a pair of runner-up finishes in the FedEx Cup playoffs that signaled a return to form, birdied his last three holes for a 64. Patton Kizzire also shot a 64.
Jon Rahm of Spain, who earned his PGA Tour card from sponsor exemptions last season after wrapping up his college career at Arizona State, began his PGA Tour career as a member in fine fashion. He made a hole-in-one -- the first of his life -- on his second hole, the par-3 11th. His 7-iron from 173 yards flew straight into the cup.
"Very special moment," Rahm said. "It was hard to believe. I actually thought it hit inside the hole and bounced out."
Phil Mickelson, playing a domestic PGA Tour event in the fall for the first time in a decade, overcame a bogey-bogey start to post a 69, along with playing partner and defending champion Emiliano Grillo. Bill Haas was added to that group when Tiger Woods withdrew and showed no vulnerability in his game by posting a 66, the best score of the afternoon.
"I got off to a slow start. I wasn't as focused as I need to be," Mickelson said. "But I put myself in a position where tomorrow if I can get hot on the greens -- get perfect greens in the morning -- get it going, shoot 6-, 7-, 8-under par and get right back in it for the weekend."
Mickelson and Casey have had the best calendar years without winning, based on the world ranking points they have earned. Mickelson is playing his final tournament of 2016, while Casey plans to play the next two in Asia before taking off the rest of the year.
Piercy, at least on paper, had one of his better years, earning $2.9 million. He had a chance to win a major at the U.S. Open until Dustin Johnson pulled away at Oakmont, and Johnson beat him by one shot at a World Golf Championship.
But those runner-up finishes in big events covered up an atrocious year with the putter. Piercy was 156th in the most important putting statistic, which is what held him back most of the year.
It's what carried him Thursday. He holed a pair of 18-foot birdie putts on successive holes early in his round and kept pouring them in, one after another, to offset a pair of bogeys from the bunkers on the par-4 third hole and the par-3 seventh late in his round.
"I think I made more feet of putts than I did all last season," he said. "I've been working on the putter a lot and trying to get some things figured out. Today was a good start to the season, good start to get some confidence going with the putter."
His power has always been there, and he showed that on the par-5 fifth hole when he blasted a drive over the trees along the line of the cart path, back to the fairway on the dogleg right. That left him only a 6-iron into the green, and he narrowly missed a 20-foot eagle attempt.
That was among the few putts he missed. Piercy's 62 was at least nine shots better than the course average.
Casey played in the group in front of Piercy and did his best to keep pace. He made eight birdies on a bogey-free day at Silverado. The big change for Casey was a new driver as he slowly transitions away from Nike, which is getting out of the equipment business.
Casey ended last season three weeks ago at the Tour Championship with a 64 and started the new one with a 64, so the time off didn't hurt him.
"I'm looking at this as a continuation of the year," he said. "I know the slate's been wiped clean and we start the FedEx Cup all over again, but I'm looking at this to try to cap off my season. I've got three opportunities to try to win a golf tournament, and I haven't done that yet this year."
DIVOTS: Morgan Hoffmann holed out for an albatross on the par-5 18th hole. ... Cody Gribble had the low round among the PGA Tour rookies with a 67. ... Justin Thomas, who missed the playoff at Silverado by one shot last year, opened with a 75 after two tee shots out of bounds led to triple bogeys. On both holes, he three-putted from inside 15 feet.
Se Ri Pak ends Hall of Fame career in front of home fans.
Associated Press
Overcome at the end of the sunny afternoon at Sky 72, Pak cried nearly throughout a retirement ceremony on the 18th hole. The Little Angels children's choir sang, players wore ''SE RI'' hats and farewell messages were played in a video montage.
''A lot of emotion going on through my mind,'' Pak said.
It mattered little to the fans and players, many of them drawn to golf by Pak, that she shot an 8-over 80 and was tied for last - 15 strokes behind leader Alison Lee - before withdrawing.
''It wasn't easy out there today,'' Pak said.
Hampered by left shoulder problems, the 39-year-old Pak said in Phoenix in March that this season would be her last and she stepped away as planned after the first round of the tour's lone South Korean event.
''It wasn't a sudden decision to retire, but I think it will take time for me to absorb the fact that I will no longer be competing,'' Pak said. ''Today I was really happy and grateful to see so many fans out there. It really moved me. I really wanted to show them my appreciation. I couldn't figure out how during the competition, but I was very moved by the open retirement ceremony. I was very, very extremely happy''
Pak won 25 LPGA Tour titles - the last in 2010 - and five majors, two of them during a rookie season in 1998 that gave women's golf its biggest boost since Nancy Lopez. The youngest player to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame when she was enshrined in 2007 at age 30, Pak won 14 times on the Korean LPGA and captained South Korea's Olympic team - with Inbee Park winning the gold medal - in Rio.
Pak last played on the tour in July, also shooting an 80 to miss the cut in the U.S. Women's Open.
Playing alongside defending champion Lexi Thompson and Chinese star Shanshan Feng in the final group, Pak bogeyed the first hole and four of the first six. She bogeyed the first five holes on the back nine, birdied the par-4 15th and closed with three straight pars.
''When I reached the 18th, I was on the tee box, and I felt like I couldn't make the shot,'' Pak said. ''I think I cried all throughout the 18th hole. Actually there was flood of emotions that I really didn't expect to feel. I didn't expect myself to feel this way.
''From the fairway of the 18th hole and the green I could see the gallery and the fans and there was just a lot of love and support. I think it was one of the best moments. I've had a lot of the victories in my career, and I have to say it was one of the best, happiest moments of my career.''
She managed to hit a good drive and a layup on the par-5 18th, then left her wedge 15 feet short. She watched Feng's putt stay to the right, and had a better line, but still missed on the right edge. Thompson then missed - also to the right - from 3 feet, setting off a flurry of camera clicks as the attention turned back to Pak - 18 years after she sparked the rise in South Korean and Asian women's golf.
''Pak-mania'' ruled in the summer of '98, especially after she won the U.S. Women's Open in a 20-hole playoff against amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn. When Pak returned to South Korea that fall, she had to be hospitalized for exhaustion. Television cameras even came into her hospital room to give the latest news.
Pak was a catalyst for more young players to believe they could compete on the strongest circuit in women's golf. Today, six of the top 10 players in the world and 22 of the top 45 are South Korean.
''I think if we had no so-called Se Ri Kids, the Korean golf scene would be quite different today,'' Pak said.
Lee shot a 65 to take a three-stroke lead. The 21-year-old American birdied the final two holes and four of the last six on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course.
She matched her best round of the season marred by a torn labrum in her left shoulder.
''I actually injured my shoulder back in February and I didn't know what was wrong,'' Lee said. ''My swing was changing and all that and I definitely wasn't performing the same way I used to. It hurt a lot, a huge portion of my mental game. I was struggling a lot on the golf course not only because of my injury, but because I was scared. I was scared of the ball. I didn't know where it was going to go.''
After a birdie try on 16 horseshoed out, the UCLA student made a 12-footer on the par-3 17th and got up-and-down for birdie on 18 after nearly reaching the green in two.
In-Kyung Kim, the winner two weeks ago in China, was second along with fellow South Korean player Jeong Min Cho, Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, American Lizette Salas and France's Karine Icher.
Evian winner In Gee Chun and U.S. Women's Open champion Brittany Lang shot 69. Thompson was at 70 with Brooke Henderson , the Canadian teen playing the third of six straight weeks in Asia.
South Korea's Ha Na Jang, the winner last week in Taiwan for her third victory of the year, had a 71. Feng and Ariya Jutanugarn, a five-time winner this year, shot 73. Top-ranked Lydia Ko was tied for 63rd at 75.
Grillo wins PGA Tour rookie of the year.
By Doug Ferguson
Emiliano Grillo, of Argentina, takes a bite of a special sandwich made just for him after being named the Rookie of the Year at the Silverado Resort during the Safeway Open PGA golf tournament Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in Napa, Calif. Grillo is the defending champion of the tournament. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
On the eve of a new PGA Tour season, Emiliano Grillo of Argentina picked up his second trophy of the old season as the rookie of the year.
Grillo began his rookie year by winning in a playoff last year at Silverado. He made the cut in all four majors and finished in the top 20 in all but the U.S. Open, and then he had a pair of top 10s in the FedEx Cup playoffs, including a runner-up finish at The Barclays.
Smylie Kaufman and Si Woo Kim also won last season as rookies, though Grillo had the highest finish among them in the FedEx Cup at No. 11.
Kaufman won in Las Vegas a week after Grillo's victory, and Kaufman played in the final group at the Masters until he fell back in the final round. Kim joined Grillo as the only rookies to reach the FedEx Cup finale at the Tour Championship.
''I have two trophies that I'm always going to have in my memory,'' Grillo said.
One was from the Frys.com Open (now the Safeway Open). The other was his crystal bowl as rookie of the year. He said the second one was harder to win.
''This is probably the top one because you only get one chance of getting rookie of the year and I think I'm lucky enough to do this for a living and work really hard for it,'' Grillo said. ''That win last year was something that proved to me I belong here, that I could win out here. That was something that it's hard to earn, it's hard to get that in your mind. Quite different, but definitely up there both.''
It was the third time in the last four years that the PGA Tour rookie of the year came out of the high school class of 2011. Jordan Spieth won the award in 2013 and Daniel Berger won it last year.
Grillo grew up competing with those two, along with Kaufman, Justin Thomas and Patrick Rodgers, in junior golf circuits.
''That group was so competitive. It was hard winning junior events,'' Grillo said. ''Everybody was shooting 10-under par, 8-under par, on really difficult golf courses. I think that got me ready. I was playing with the best juniors in the world. I was playing with guys that were very hard to beat. When you're 14, 15 years old, it kinds of gets you ready very quickly.''
Next up for the Argentine is keeping the trophy he won last year from Silverado. He is No. 24 in the world and still has as many as five tournaments left this year, including the HSBC Champions in Shanghai and the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
NASCAR: Keselowski says Charlotte chaos means some could 'lay up' if they want at Kansas.
By Nick Bromberg
Five Chase drivers finished 30th or worse at Charlotte. (Photo/Getty)
Are we going to see two different races within the remainder of the second round of the Chase?
After five drivers finished 30th or worse at Charlotte, seventh-place Martin Truex Jr. — who finished 13th on Sunday — has a 19-point lead on ninth place in the points standings. Meanwhile, eighth-place Denny Hamlin is just up by three points over Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon.
“If you’re a car that has any kind of gap right now, you’re going to just go and lay up at Kansas,” Keselowski said Tuesday at a media appearance in Charlotte via USA Today. “You’re going to try really hard to not put yourself in any situations. … The reality is if you have a pretty good gap, you’re going to take a log off the fire.”
Eight drivers move on to the third round, meaning the top seven drivers can play it conservatively over the past two weeks as the five drivers at the bottom of the standings scramble to be the driver who advances to the final eight.
“You do what you have to do to survive,” the 2012 Sprint Cup champion said. “… Just live to fight another day. That’s the format.”
Keselowski added on Twitter Tuesday night that he and his team weren’t planning to race conservatively at Kansas and Talladega. And given his success at Talladega, it’s easy to see why Keselowski wouldn’t want to ‘lay up’ there. His four wins at the plate track are the most at any track in the Cup Series and he’s finished first, 22nd, fourth and first in his past four races there.
The separation after Charlotte is similar to what happened in the first race of the second round in the 2014 Chase. Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson all finished 36th or worse and Kasey Kahne was 22nd. The eight other Chase drivers finished 14th or better.
Keselowski advanced to the third round with a win at Talladega but Kahne, Junior and Johnson missed the next round along with Kyle Busch, who crashed at Talladega. Jeff Gordon, who finished 14th at Kansas and second at Charlotte, advanced despite finishing 26th at Talladega. Carl Edwards moved on after finishing fifth, eighth and 21st.
Edwards’ worst finish of the round came at Talladega too, which is why it’s imperative to minimize any possible damage at Kansas. Got a vibration? Pit and fix it. Same with a flat tire or any other potential problem. With NASCAR’s point-per-position scoring system, 25th is 12 points better than a 37th-place finish that could wipe out any of the gains the top seven drivers in the standings made at Charlotte.
We’ll also note Truex’s gap on 19th is not an insurmountable lead even if he can maintain it through Kansas, however. Keselowski had to win to advance in 2014 while Kyle Busch advanced (and ultimately won the Chase) in 2015 after entering 18 points behind Denny Hamlin, who missed the third round because of a roof hatch issue and subsequent crash.
So even if being conservative is the smart play, it’s no guarantee. Talladega can make the best-laid plans to go waste.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says sitting out this season has taught him to appreciate more about NASCAR.
By Dustin Long
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. can’t wait to return to racing next year, but when he does, he says he’ll have a different attitude.
Earnhardt says that being sidelined since the July 9 race at Kentucky Speedway by a concussion has made him appreciate parts of the sport beyond driving that didn’t enthuse him previously.
“I did all that stuff, reluctantly, just to do the driving part,’’ Earnhardt said Wednesday at Martinsville Speedway. “Now that I’m not in the car, I enjoy all the stuff that I’m doing outside the car that I’ve always done. Getting up in the morning for race day and going to do the hospitality or coming to do (media events) here or at Talladega, I’ve really enjoyed doing those things.
“The pressure of racing made the majority of everything that came with it miserable, and I’m probably responsible for controlling that. So I think being out of the car has shown me that I’ve got to find a way that if I’m going to race more how to not feel so much pressure that it makes everything else intolerable or hard to do.’’
Pressure will always be there for the sport’s most popular driver who turned 42 on Monday and still seeks his first Sprint Cup championship. The pressure will come from those expecting more from the two-time Daytona 500 winner but more so from himself.
“I think once I get back in the car, I’ve got to have a whole new frame of mind about how I handle the pressure of driving and the pressures of performing and finishing well and all that stuff,’’ Earnhardt said. “I’m so hard on myself. If I don’t get the result I think I should get, it just ruins the whole thing, it ruins the whole experience for me. Not being in the car, not having to worry about performing, not having the stress of living up to my own expectations, I’ve enjoyed being at the track.’’
He noted how he went into the Cup garage early Saturday at Dover and relished the time there, admitting if he was driving, he wouldn’t have arrived in the garage so early.
“I was standing there and it was like an hour and a half before practice starts and I was like there’s nobody in there but the teams and it was good and I was having conversations with people,’’ Earnhardt said.
“I’m like I don’t know why I don’t do this when I’m driving the car? Why don’t I do this? Why do I wait to the last possible minute to come to the garage? Why is it such a pain in the ass to get up and come to the garage for practice? Once you’re in the car you’re fine. The whole process of getting up and going to the garage seemed like such a hassle.’’
Another change for Earnhardt has been his workout program. He’s had to do various exercises as part of his rehabilitation from his concussion. Earnhardt admits his workout program at times has consisted of just racing. Since he’s done his exercises for his recovery, he’s lost eight pounds.
“It has inadvertently gotten me in better shape,’’ Earnhardt said. “So that’s good. I feel good. I feel like I can get out there and do it. I’m anxious for this season to get wrapped up and over with and get to Daytona. I’m looking forward to getting to Daytona, getting into the garage, getting into my suit, back into the process of being a part of the team.’’
SOCCER: Fire lose late lead, but eliminate Columbus in draw.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
In a familiar story, the Chicago Fire gave up a late goal that denied a win at home.
The Fire had come back from a halftime deficit against the Columbus Crew to take a lead into the final 15 minutes, but couldn’t hold on in a 2-2 draw.
After going down a goal in the first half, an own goal and Michael de Leeuw’s fifth goal of the season gave the Fire a 2-1 lead against their rivals from Ohio. Adam Jahn’s second goal of the match tied things up in the 80th minute.
A frustrated Veljko Paunovic spoke of how disappointed he was that the team couldn't win a game for the fans who have "suffered too much."
“I think we all know where we are," the Fire coach said. "I think we could see improvements in our team and things that we still have to get better. I think that has been the whole year the same process, the same things to do to improve. Still a long way to go.”
Jahn’s first goal came on a counter. Justin Meram hit a perfect through ball to Adam Jahn and Jahn beat Sean Johnson to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute.
That was the only shot on target for either team in the first half.
David Arshakyan replaced John Goossens at halftime. Goossens was one of the most active Fire players in the first half, but the tactical shift seemed to help the Fire's attack. Columbus coach Gregg Berhalter even credited Arshakyan for causing problems for Columbus.
The Fire (6-16-10, 28 points) were able to tie things up in the 53rd minute when Michael Parkhurst deflected a ball into his own net after the Fire tried to find David Arshakyan, who subbed on at halftime, in the box.
Four minutes later Arturo Alvarez cut inside on a defender from the right wing and centered a ball to Michael de Leeuw, who was open in front and able to easily score with his first touch.
“Obviously Arshakyan brings a different dimension to the game," Alvarez said. "He’s a big guy, a big presence on the field. I think in the first half we had some looks as well, but unfortunately they didn’t go our way. It was a good tactical shape. We made sure that we took advantage of his size and it opened up a little bit of space for the guys on the wings.”
Jahn evened things up with a hard-hit volley soon after a corner kick to make it 2-2 and set up an exciting final 10 minutes. Columbus (8-12-12, 36 points) needed a win to stay alive in the playoff race and sent everybody forward, including goalkeeper Steve Clark for the final two minutes, but could not find a goal. The Fire had a number of chances on a counter, but could not convert either.
“I think obviously with two home games left in the season, to not get a win the first one out of the two to end the season is a little disappointing," midfielder Matt Polster said. "Just to give our fans something and to kind of finish the season off strong,"
Columbus is eliminated from playoff contention a year after hosting MLS Cup.
This week’s Top 5 Premier League storylines.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
The Premier League returns from international break with a bunch of dramatic match-ups ready to influence title fortunes.
Yes, even in October.
The weekend kicks off with the reigning champions facing one of the key pieces from their title run, and ends with one of the top non-geographic rivalries in the league.
Along the way we’ll see the first match managed by an American in the PL, as well as a litmus test for Everton, and a match-up between South and East London.
Chelsea sweats the Top Four, while Leicester looks below
Chelsea vs. Leicester City — 7:30 a.m. EDT Saturday (NBCSN)
When N'Golo Kante looks across the pitch to see his ex-teammates at Leicester City, he will see a unit closer to a relegation fight than the Top Four. The midfielder, however, has other issues, as Chelsea needs to win matches like this if it wants to be a legit threat to the crown. Five points back of Man City as the day begins, Chelsea is definitely a Top Four contender. But the title race is where it wants to be all year-long.
Everton to be tested by a wounded Pep
Manchester City vs. Everton — 10 a.m. EDT Saturday (NBCSN)
We doubt Pep Guardiola is overly concerned by his side’s first loss, but he’s definitely seen enough tape to know that Ronald Koeman‘s Everton plays a style that can challenge the Etihad Stadium set. Watch how City’s midfield and attack works around the relentless pursuit of Idrissa Gueye, and if Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley can tempt a solid group of defenders.
America vs. Arsenal
Arsenal vs. Swansea City — 10 a.m. EDT Saturday (CNBC)
While new Swansea City manager Bob Bradley doesn’t want to be thought of as an American manager, he’s going to have a large part of the United States rooting for his side on Saturday when he becomes the first Yank to manage in England’s top flight. Arsene Wenger‘s bunch has looked prepared for a title fight and could provide a ruthless hello to Bradley, but Swansea’s players will addressing a new lease on life with a new manager. Look for a battle.
Yes, even in October.
The weekend kicks off with the reigning champions facing one of the key pieces from their title run, and ends with one of the top non-geographic rivalries in the league.
Along the way we’ll see the first match managed by an American in the PL, as well as a litmus test for Everton, and a match-up between South and East London.
Chelsea sweats the Top Four, while Leicester looks below
Chelsea vs. Leicester City — 7:30 a.m. EDT Saturday (NBCSN)
When N'Golo Kante looks across the pitch to see his ex-teammates at Leicester City, he will see a unit closer to a relegation fight than the Top Four. The midfielder, however, has other issues, as Chelsea needs to win matches like this if it wants to be a legit threat to the crown. Five points back of Man City as the day begins, Chelsea is definitely a Top Four contender. But the title race is where it wants to be all year-long.
Everton to be tested by a wounded Pep
Manchester City vs. Everton — 10 a.m. EDT Saturday (NBCSN)
We doubt Pep Guardiola is overly concerned by his side’s first loss, but he’s definitely seen enough tape to know that Ronald Koeman‘s Everton plays a style that can challenge the Etihad Stadium set. Watch how City’s midfield and attack works around the relentless pursuit of Idrissa Gueye, and if Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley can tempt a solid group of defenders.
America vs. Arsenal
Arsenal vs. Swansea City — 10 a.m. EDT Saturday (CNBC)
While new Swansea City manager Bob Bradley doesn’t want to be thought of as an American manager, he’s going to have a large part of the United States rooting for his side on Saturday when he becomes the first Yank to manage in England’s top flight. Arsene Wenger‘s bunch has looked prepared for a title fight and could provide a ruthless hello to Bradley, but Swansea’s players will addressing a new lease on life with a new manager. Look for a battle.
Who’s in what place now?
Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United — 12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday (NBC)
West Ham United is an unlikely early season struggler, in the relegation zone by virtue of goal differential. While few expect Dimitri Payet and company to stay this low for a long time, fewer calculated that Alan Pardew would bring a woeful second half of last season and an 0-3 start to this one back from the dead. But that’s what the Londoner does, right? And he’ll look to keep the surprises going when the visiting Irons come calling on NBC.
Red rivalry renewed
Liverpool vs. Manchester United — 3 p.m. EDT Monday (NBCSN)
Jurgen Klopp vs. Jose Mourinho.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs. Lovren and Matip.
Mane, Firmino, Coutinho, and Lallana vs. Bailly and Blind.
Yeah, let’s do this.
Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp square off in a league rivalry for the first time, as the Red Devils hope to join Liverpool on 16 points while the Reds aim to keep pressure on Manchester City. It’s one of the matches of the year, and takes place at a tantalizing mid-afternoon time on Monday.
Infantino: FIFA to decide in January on expanded World Cup.
Associated Press
(Photo by Philipp Schmidli/Getty Images)
FIFA wants to decide in January if the 2026 World Cup will expand from its 32-team format, with 40 or 48 teams the favored options.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday he expects a decision when the ruling council meets for the first time next year. The January session is likely to be in Zurich.
“The general feeling is rather positive,” toward expansion, Infantino said at a briefing after FIFA’s ruling council met. “The level of quality of football is increasing all over the world.”
The 2026 World Cup – which many expect to be hosted across North America – could also be run centrally by FIFA from Zurich instead of by the hosts’ own local organizing committee.
Infantino outlined plans for FIFA to take “full control of all money flows,” and how it spends hundreds of millions of dollars on each tournament, before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
It follows FIFA paying $453 million to Brazil’s 2014 World Cup committee, and budgeting to spend $700 million on Russian operations running the 2018 tournament.
The World Cup is FIFA’s prize asset earning around 85 percent of its revenue, and shapes as a defining issue for Infantino before his term ends in less than three years.
The promise of extra World Cup slots is likely to appeal to the 211 member federations who vote, and FIFA would expect more matches to drive up the price of broadcasting and sponsor deals to fund Infantino’s campaign promises of increased grants to members.
Infantino was elected in February having pledged during his campaign to add eight teams to the tournament.
In a recent speech in Colombia, Infantino suggested a 48-team tournament with an opening playoff round of 16 matches. The 16 winners would advance to join 16 seeded teams in a balanced 32-team group stage before the knockout rounds.
The 40-team format is problematic. The typical format of four-team groups would likely mean four of the 10 runners-up do not advance to a round of 16.
Groups of five teams would unbalance the fixture schedule and create integrity issues, by leaving some teams idle for the final round of games. It would also add an extra fixture to create an eight-game program for the finalists, which would be unpopular with clubs releasing their players to national team duty.
Expanding the World Cup also revives a difficult debate on how to spread the extra places by continent.
UEFA, where Infantino was the CEO-like general secretary for six years until February, has long been under pressure from other regions to relax its quota of 13 of the 31 qualifying slots.
Infantino said discussion on allocating the extra places must take place between FIFA’s six continental confederations.
NCAAFB: Big 12 expansion decision coming Monday?
By John Taylor
(Photo/Getty)
After months of speculation, the end, one way or another, could be near for one of the biggest off-field storylines in college football over the past several months.
The Big 12’s board of directors will gather Oct. 17 for a previously-scheduled meeting that will continue the conference’s discussion on expanding the league from 10 to 12 or 14 teams — or staying put — with some previously noting that that date could prove to be D-Day for the group. With that date fast approaching, that could very well be the case as Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News writes that “[a] news conference has been scheduled after the… meeting, presumably to let everyone know whether the Big 12 will” expand or not.
The speculation of late, especially as it pertains to the reported waning of Oklahoma’s support for expanding, is that the Big 12 could indeed be leaning toward staying at 10 teams, or at the very least tabling the expansion discussion for now. While “pretty much all the options are on the table,” Carlton writes, the likelihood of standing pat has grown of late.
Sources confirmed Wednesday that pretty much all the options are on the table, including the possibility of football-only membership with Houston and BYU the most likely members. The sources also confirmed that expansion has gone from likelihood about six weeks ago to maybe a 1-in-3 chance.
A total of 20 Group of Five schools, including 10 alone from the AAC, made initial pitches to the Big 12 for inclusion if the conference opted to expand. Ultimately, nearly a dozen of those made the cut as “finalists.”
Of the 11 that are currently under consideration, seven come from the AAC — Cincinnati, Houston, SMU, Tulane, UCF, UConn, USF — two from the Mountain West — Air Force, Colorado State — and one from Conference USA — Rice. The lone remaining school, BYU, is a football independent.
Of the 11 that are currently under consideration, seven come from the AAC — Cincinnati, Houston, SMU, Tulane, UCF, UConn, USF — two from the Mountain West — Air Force, Colorado State — and one from Conference USA — Rice. The lone remaining school, BYU, is a football independent.
Northwestern moves to treat athletes more like employees.
Chicago Business Journal
Northwestern University head football coach Pat Fitzgerald and his players head into action. (Photo/Stephen J. Carrera/Northwestern Athletics)
The NLRB memo said university restrictions on players' posting to social media or publicly discussing their health issues were "unlawful" under the assumption that Northwestern football players are, in fact, university employees.
A 2014 ruling by the NLRB's Chicago Regional Director Peter Sung Ohr granted Northwestern football players employee status under federal law. The five-member board in Washington, D.C. subsequently dismissed a union election petition from the players, but it didn't address the question of whether they are university employees and thus entitled to protections under the National Labor Relations Act.
According to the Tribune, Northwestern has not officially conceded that its football players are employees and disagrees with the NLRB's assertion that the handbook rules were illegal.
With its decision to change the handbook rules, however, Northwestern is acting as though it is an employer subject to federal labor regulations, even though the NLRB has not made a final decision on the matter.
As the Tribune reported, changes to the handbook were prompted by unfair labor practice charges filed against Northwestern in August 2015. That lawsuit alleged that restrictions on players' communication on social media and with the press violated federal labor law. The charges were dropped after the university modified the handbook last month.
LSU, Florida reschedule for November 19 in Baton Rouge.
LSU, Florida reschedule for November 19 in Baton Rouge.
By Bryan Fischer
(Photo/Getty Images)
The long national nightmare concerning LSU and Florida’s annual cross-division game has come to an end.
The two schools and the SEC office announced on Thursday that the teams would play on November 19th… but in Baton Rouge and not the originally scheduled Gainesville. The contest was supposed to be played on October 8th but was postponed as a result of Hurricane Matthew hitting the East Coast.
“It was important for us to come to a resolution. Each university had its own set of concerns throughout this process, however existing SEC regulations did not provide an avenue to resolve conflicting issues in a more timely manner,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “As I have repeatedly said, this game needed to be played. In the end, I want to give credit to the University of Florida for making concessions to move this year’s game to Baton Rouge.”
The Gators do lose not one but two home games as a result of the move but will end up coming ahead down the road as the Tigers will be traveling to Gainesville both next season and the year after that, breaking with the current schedule rotation. Both schools will buyout their previously scheduled games for November 19, a home game against Presbyterian for Florida and a home date against South Alabama for LSU.
The SEC also noted that had the game not been rescheduled, both teams would have been ineligible to compete for the SEC title this season — a key clause that was not brought up when the game was originally postponed.
The rescheduled game is a big win for LSU after athletic director Joe Alleva very publicly held firm on the team playing at Tiger Stadium on November 19 no matter what. While there were a variety of scenarios being talked about, the school’s insistence did seem to limit the options for rescheduling the game. That bit of open stubbornness was likely the reason why Florida’s athletic director fired a big shot across the bow in his school’s release about having to move the game away from The Swamp this year.
“We made this decision to play the game in Baton Rouge,” Jeremy Foley said. “The conference office asked us to find a solution in working with LSU, yet LSU was never a true partner in our discussions. The Southeastern Conference offered some other solutions and the LSU administration made it clear that they were unwilling to consider other reasonable options.”
Ouch.
The whole mess of rescheduling the game makes LSU, Florida and the SEC commissioner come off in a negative light but it sure does liven up the schedule in late November if nothing else.
NCAABKB: Old, healthy and deep, this promises to be a much different Illini team.
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
If John Groce’s Illinois team can stay healthy this season …
Yes, it’s become an all-too-common preseason refrain as Groce’s program has battled an unbelievable amount of injuries over the past two seasons.
Heading into this season, health is still at the forefront of any discussion about the Illini. But at least this time it’s in a positive light. After losing three starters for almost the entirety of last season — point guard Tracy Abrams and big men Mike Thorne Jr. and Leron Black — Illinois has all three back at full strength.
Trust Groce, who has gone three years without receiving an invite to the Big Dance, when he says that it’s a big deal.
“It means everything,” Groce said in an interview with Big Ten Network during Big Ten Media Day in Washington, D.C. “You talked about our depth in practice. Practice alone is so much more competitive. Guys are getting better in accelerated fashion just because of that alone, the fact that we’re healthy.”
But health isn’t all. Welcoming back healthy versions of Abrams and Thorne means Groce has two guys in their sixth seasons of college basketball. They’re two of six seniors on the team, joined by star scorer Malcolm Hill, reserve big man Maverick Morgan and backup guards Jaylon Tate and Alex Austin.
This team isn’t just healthy. It’s old.
“Obviously the experience — Tracy and Mike Thorne will be 25 and 24 years old, respectively. Both guys are going to have a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. To say they’re experienced would be an understatement,” Groce said. “Their perspective means a great deal to our team. I think they understand the purpose of what we’re doing, and they’re able to communicate that, most importantly in the locker room when I’m not there. They’re our messengers, as well as the other seniors: Malcolm Hill, Morgan, Austin, Tate. Those guys have all been through a lot. And to have six seniors that are experienced as this crew, it means everything.”
The unnamed portion of the roster to this point isn’t quite as old. But last year’s freshman group of Jalen Coleman-Lands, Aaron Jordan, D.J. Williams and Michael Finke played an awful lot more than they would have had the team been at full strength. And while viewing their development due to forced playing time might be more a silver lining than anything else, it’s being viewed as a positive heading into this season.
“I don’t wish it upon anybody, you don’t enjoy it while you’re going through it, but a benefit of that now is a lot of guys played and have experience playing significant minutes and significant roles. So it’s added more depth to our team,” Groce said. “Those guys have all played significant minutes and in significant moments, so that’s going to be great for our team moving forward.
“No question, our depth is a strength. We do trust guys more because of what they’ve been through, what they’ve learned, what they know. Definition of roles, all those things, they’ve embraced those more, and that allows us to have the luxury of getting blows for guys.
There’s no reason for us to play a guy who’s tired or fatigued. That certainly wasn’t the case last year, especially in Big Ten play.”
So there you have it. The Illini are a deep, healthy group. Groce also touted his team’s offseason training program, with Groce saying his players’ bodies look “entirely different” than they have at any other point during his tenure.
But the question that dogs every team heading into the season — and particularly dogs a team that hasn’t seen March Madness from any vantage point but a television since 2013 — is whether the group is good enough to make the NCAA tournament.
One can’t help but admit that this is a totally different Illini team than the one that seemed to have no chance at the Big Dance a season ago. If Thorne and Black get full seasons at full strength, the front court will be entirely transformed. If Abrams stays on the court all season, the Illini will have a competent floor general of a point guard, something sorely lacking in recent seasons. If Hill continues to play as well as he did last season, there’s a legitimate star driving the bus.
The short answer is yes, if Illinois stays healthy, it will have a chance to be an NCAA tournament team.
Of course, staying healthy for the Illini has been a gigantic “if” under Groce.
“Our guys have high expectations, there’s no doubt about it,” Groce said. “I told them our goal every year is we want to overachieve, we want to go beyond what our potential level is. Obviously our guys want to get back to the tournament and do that. I think that’s an outcome of process. We’ve got to get caught up with getting better every day.”
Big Ten basketball makes itself at home on East Coast.
Associated Press
(Photo/Getty Images)
The Big Ten Conference displayed its broader footprint Thursday with a landmark visit to the nation’s capital.
The addition of Maryland and Rutgers has enabled the Big Ten widen its scope. Although the conference has maintained its deep roots in the Midwest, the league has an office in New York and its annual tournament is on the move. In addition to setting up shop in at Verizon Center next March, the Big Ten will decide its 2018 champion at Madison Square Garden.
“It really is an example of a traditional conference that continues to change,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said. “Our actions are aligned with our plans. This is a very important part of the country for us.”
The league’s basketball coaches seemed enthused about the shift in the conference landscape.
“It’s great for us to branch out,” Illinois coach John Groce said. “We recruit in this area. Our alums are in this area, and we’re just excited about this new opportunity that we have to play and to be here today in D.C.”
Michigan coach John Beilein said: “It really is something really unique, to be able to do this. I think it’s a fantastic idea. When I walk out on these streets in Washington and in New York, the amount of `Go Blues’ I hear is incredible.”
Some things to know about the upcoming basketball season:
THE FAVORITE
Wisconsin has the bulk of its roster back, including Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year Nigel Hayes, which makes it the team to beat.
“Each team has lost some key people, whether it be an Indiana or even a Purdue,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “Wisconsin has lost the least. So I think everybody has picked them to win it, and rightfully so.”
This was the first media day for Badgers coach Greg Gard, who took over last December after Bo Ryan announced his retirement.
REPLACING YOGI
Defending Big Ten champion Indiana will need to find a replacement for Yogi Ferrell, a four-year starter at point guard and the school’s career assists leader. Unfortunately, the heir apparent is still recovering from knee surgery.
“If there was one guy that was going to be that guy, it would probably be Collin Hartman because of his experience,” coach Tom Crean said. “But he has to do that from the sideline now, so what we have to get is responsibility for one another.”
FEELING MELO
Maryland’s best returning player is guard Melo Trimble, who opted to stay for his junior season rather than enter the NBA draft.
“He is at great peace,” coach Mark Turgeon said. “I think all along Melo wanted to stay. He knew it was the best thing for him, and he’s been very happy since he made that decision.”
Trimble is the lone returning starter from a team that reached the Sweet 16 last season. He led the Terrapins in scoring and assists.
BRING IT ON
Purdue has an ambitious non-conference schedule that includes games against defending NCAA champion Villanova, Notre Dame and Louisville. Coach Matt Painter hopes those matchups – and a preseason scrimmage with ball-hawking West Virginia – will help his team overcome its most glaring weakness of last season.
“We struggled after getting leads in late games and taking care of the basketball,” he said.
THE ROOKIE
Rutgers first-year coach Steve Pikiell knows he’s got quite a task trying to rebuild the program. Rutgers finished 1-17 in league play and is an overwhelming pick to come in last again.
“I’ve talked about this from the first day I got the job, about embracing the challenge,” he said. “We’re trying to change the culture here.”
BEST OF THE BUNCH
Hayes was also a unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big Ten team by media that cover the league. He is joined on the team by Badgers teammates Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig, Trimble, Illinois’ Malcolm Hill, Indiana’s James Blackmon Jr. and Thomas Bryant, Iowa’s Peter Jok, Michigan’s Derrick Walton Jr. and Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan.
Not everyone is happy about Ronda Rousey's return.
By Dave Doyle
The women’s bantamweight division to which Ronda Rousey returns is a vastly different landscape than the place she left a year ago.
The 135-pound weight class was considered Rousey’s personal playground from when the UFC launched the division four years ago, right up until the point Holly Holm shocked the world and took her title with a vicious head kick-knockout at UFC 193 last November in Australia.
Since then, a division that was once one woman’s realm has turned into a shark tank.
The championship itself has been a hot potato. Holm lost her title to Miesha Tate via fifth-round submission in one of the year’s most memorable fights at UFC 196. Tate, in turn, lost her title in violent fashion to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. That put Nunes, a name only known to hardcore fans this time last year, in the position of defending the title against Rousey at UFC 207 at Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena.
Others haven’t quite had the chance to get involved in the championship free-for-all, but they’ve made noise of their own. Julianna Pena, the winner of the first women’s “Ultimate Fighter” season in 2013, has risen through the ranks, capped by an impressive win over former title challenger Cat Zingano at UFC 200.
And Rousey’s longtime nemesis, Invicta featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino, upped her stock considerably with a pair of well-received victories at 140 pounds in UFC competition – the latter of which, a third-round finish of Lina Lansberg, was the highest-rated women’s fight ever held on FOX Sports 1, drawing 1.3 million viewers.
It almost goes without saying then that the news Rousey will parachute back into the division and get a title shot after a year away isn’t sitting well with the fighters who have been competing in her absence.
Leading the charge has been Pena, who seemed under the impression she was going to get the shot against Nunes before Rousey re-entered the picture. The 27-year-old from Spokane, Wash., has won four straight fights.
Pena, who spent Wednesday retweeting dozens of messages of support from fans, absolutely ripped into Rousey before threatening to quit the UFC.
“It’s bull-[expletive],” Pena told MMA Fighting.com. “That spoiled brat has gotten everything handed to her, and she’s getting everything handed to her again. It’s bull-[expletive].
“Never in the history have I ever heard of somebody have a no-controversy brutal knockout, then quit the sport, and then comeback and get a title shot right away. The girl is mentally weak and Amanda Nunes is going to [expletive] knock her out and expose her ass. She’s literally the worst fighter on the roster, and I can’t stomach the fact that I’m not getting the title shot.”
It’s worth noting that threatening to quit has turned into something of a fad under the UFC’s new regime. Jose Aldo is currently at an impasse with the UFC after being passed over for a matchup with Conor McGregor in favor of Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, and lightweight contender Al Iaquinta pulled out of a UFC 205 match with Thiago Alves in a pay dispute and is threatening to retire. Whether new UFC owners WME-IMG (which, incidentally, also have Rousey as a management client) start calling fighters’ bluffs is a development that bears watching.
Meanwhile, UFC president Dana White attempted to push the ball forward Wednesday by dropping a hint that the long-awaited superfight with Cyborg could be next for Rousey, should Rousey defeat Nunes at UFC 207.
“I know that Cyborg wants that fight,” White said. “Ronda wants that fight too. So, Ronda’s plan right now is to come back and win her title back, and if that happens, the Cyborg fight will definitely happen.”
That’s a big if, on several fronts. For one, we’ve yet to hear Rousey herself state that she wants to fight Justino. Rousey for years resisted the notion of a matchup, pointing out Justino had been suspended for performance-enhancing drugs following a 2011 fight and demanding Justino come down to 135 pounds before the fight could take place.
Until recently, White had unequivocally supported Rousey’s previous stance, so his insistence on the idea that such a fight seems an inevitability does seem to portend a big change.
But then, if someone had told you this time last year that Rousey would lose the title and it would change hands two more times before Rousey returned to face Amanda Nunes, you’d be fitted for a straightjacket.
Even if Rousey wins, potential rematches with Tate (who fights Raquel Pennington at UFC 205) and Holm (who doesn’t have a fight lined up) are still out there. If Rousey loses, who knows if she’ll ever fight again?
There are too many variables out there to even attempt to figure out where the division might be six months from now, much less a year down the road. So don’t book that Rousey-Cyborg fight just yet.
One thing’s for certain, though: As Pena’s reaction shows, no matter what does happen, someone’s going to end up unhappy.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, October 14, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1945 - The Chicago Cardinals ended the longest losing streak in NFL history. The team had lost 19 consecutive games.
1951 - Jack Christiansen (Detroit Lions) ran back two punts for touchdowns.
1962 - George Blanda (Houston Oilers) threw six touchdown passes against the New York Titans.
1973 - Jackie Stewart announced his retirement from auto racing.
1976 - The New York Yankees won their first AL pennant since 1964.
1978 - Darryl Sittler (Toronto Maple Leafs) registered seven assists in a 10-7 win over the New York Islanders.
1984 - George ‘Sparky’ Anderson became the first baseball manager to win 100 games and a World Series in both leagues.
1990 - Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers) passed for 476 yards and six touchdowns. Five of the touchdowns were thrown to Jerry Rice.
1998 - The San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-0 to advance to their first World Series in 14 years.
2000 - Neil Parry had his right leg severely broken while playing on kickoff coverage during a game at UTEP. Nine days later his lower leg was amputated. Three years later he returned to football on one play with a prosthetic leg.
1951 - Jack Christiansen (Detroit Lions) ran back two punts for touchdowns.
1962 - George Blanda (Houston Oilers) threw six touchdown passes against the New York Titans.
1973 - Jackie Stewart announced his retirement from auto racing.
1976 - The New York Yankees won their first AL pennant since 1964.
1978 - Darryl Sittler (Toronto Maple Leafs) registered seven assists in a 10-7 win over the New York Islanders.
1984 - George ‘Sparky’ Anderson became the first baseball manager to win 100 games and a World Series in both leagues.
1990 - Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers) passed for 476 yards and six touchdowns. Five of the touchdowns were thrown to Jerry Rice.
1998 - The San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-0 to advance to their first World Series in 14 years.
2000 - Neil Parry had his right leg severely broken while playing on kickoff coverage during a game at UTEP. Nine days later his lower leg was amputated. Three years later he returned to football on one play with a prosthetic leg.
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